Author: Stephanie

Easy Hikes Around Greater Boston

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There are a lot of great places to hike and go on nature walks around the Boston area. None of them are very strenuous or intense – you’ll have to go up to the White Mountains in New Hampshire for that! But these are some of our favorite ‘easy’ hikes around the Boston area. They are all easily day trips, and some are even quick afternoon trips. So grab a group of friends, or your dog, or both, and go get some fresh air this weekend!

Noanet Woodlands – So much exploring to do here. Not only is this close to Boston, but you also get a great view of the city (see above). It’s a decent sized area; there are multiple trail options and the wide trails are perfect for a nice walk or run. A couple trails have ruins of old houses and you can even explore an old dam.

Rocky Narrows – Smaller in area, but just as much adventure. You can walk by the Charles River, or hike up to a great view of the Charles River. The trails vary in width, from wide and groomed, to rooted and rocky, but either way you’re in for a good day.

Check out my past blog posts about these other great outdoor spots near Boston!

Hale Reservation

Middlesex Fells 

F. Gilbert Hills State Park

10 Tips for Traveling in Ireland (that no one ever told you!)

- Stephanie 5 Comments

My family and I went to Ireland! We were there during the last week of April, and as expected, temperatures were still pretty cold. I think the highest temp we saw was mid-50s, but the wind made it feel much colder than that. My favorite sights were Giant’s Causeway, Slieve League, Dunluce Castle (all on the Northern Coast) and the Kilmainham Jail in Dublin. Read below for some tips I learned along the way!

  • Most, if not all, restaurants in small Irish towns stop serving food at 9pm on Monday and Tuesdays (though they may still serve drinks.) If you are on a ‘travel day’ and won’t arrive to your destination until the evening, just know that you may not get a real dinner. But Apache Pizza’s are open late… I might speak from experience. 😉
  • Related: Pubs typically stop serving any food at either 4 or 5pm and only serve drinks. Also Related: Try to eat dinner between 4 and 7! Most restaurants have an ‘early bird’ special, so dinner will be cheaper.
  • We did ALL of our trip via public transportation. It was a little limiting at times, due to our schedule revolving around the public transportation schedule. BUT if you aren’t really keen on driving on the opposite side, or would rather someone else drive you around, then it’s worth it. Just gotta be flexible.
  • We quickly learned that everything in Ireland is all word of mouth – so just ask! About anything! Especially in the countryside. It seemed like everyone knew everyone, even if they weren’t in the same town, and they are more than happy to give you suggestions and tips.
  • PRO TIP: Paddy Byrne‘s boat tours of Slieve League cliffs is a must-do. It was the BEST experience of our whole trip.
  • Utilize the people who work at the tourist centers – they know things and they know people. We basically planned the second half of our trip with the help of Jane, in the Derry tourist center. You might not want to look like a tourist, but really, just ask for their help.
  • We got this pro-tip right from a bartender himself: Ask the hotel bartenders for recommendations! They know lots of cabbies and local info, probably more than the hotel receptionist. Plus, bartenders will lead you to the cheapest option. (seriously, our bartender promised us that!)
  • Pack small spray bottle of a refreshing essential oil/water mix that you can spray over your suitcase to keep things fresh. I brought lavender and it worked great. (This is a good tip for traveling anywhere, tbh)
  • Dublin tip: Stay in the Trinity College area. Everything that we found worth doing was in that area, but unfortunately our AirBnb was not. Lucky for us, the bus system is pretty simple to figure out, but it would have been nice to be able to walk out our doorstep and be in the action, instead of taking a 25 minute bus ride.
  • The weather in mid-late April is NUTSO. It could be sunny one moment and sleeting the next. I’m not kidding! One constant, though, was wind! All. the. wind. Especially along the Northern coast. Bring a rain jacket/wind breaker combo and layer with a sweater underneath, and you should be all set.

Are you going to Ireland soon? Refer back to this list when you start to plan! And comment below with any questions you might have!

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2017 Spring Playlist

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Music of Spring 2017 (so far. I realize we have a lot of Spring left to live!)

Albums:
Lael – Phoenix (his album Clarity is also great)
Will Regan / United Pursuit – Tell All Your Friends
Little Big Town – The Breaker
Ed Sheeran’s Divide, obviously

Singles:
Dispatch – Only the Wild Ones
Maggie Rogers – Alaska
Coldplay / Chainsmokers – Something Just Like This

FULL Spring Playlist!! (but like I said, in progress)

Consuming / Creating

- Stephanie 1 Comment

Lately I’ve been living my life as a consumer, especially when it comes to the internet. I’ve been feeling the exhaustion from all this consuming and only a few days ago did it hit me as to why. I’ve been watching and invested and curious about the awesomeness of other people’s lives and art, but completely forgot about creating something awesome for my own.

I’ve become someone who only consumes. And as a creative person, consuming so much of other people’s art, life, and content has had a negative effect on my own creative process. I haven’t truly created anything I am super proud of for a very long time. I’ve been so consumed with consuming that my own self expression & my own creative process has been at a standstill.

That ain’t healthy!

There is value in consuming for inspiration, yes. There is inspiration in seeing how other people live, how other people create. But there is a time when it becomes a distraction and an overload, or straight up overwhelming. There is such thing as too inspired. There is also such thing as too MUCH.

My point is! I’m taking a step back from some of my social media accounts, from some of the websites and blogs I read. I am taking a minute to myself, to create a life I want, instead of wishing my life looked like that person’s. I’m planning to create some things that suck, but also some things that are really good. Things that matter to me.

I suggest you evaluate how much you consume versus how much you create and take a step back from the ‘inspiration’ if you need to!

A Day In Boston

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A few weeks ago our friends from college, Kate and Devon, visited us in Boston! Nate and I happily played tour guides for them, but also, I ended up sort of feeling like a tourist as well! Having lived here for 5 years, you’d think I would have already been to most of the touristy spots in town, but there is always more to see!

First we toured the Old State House and learned more about it’s history. It’s the tiniest, most character-filled building right smack in the middle of modern Boston. You can’t miss it, with it’s gold dome and small stature. It’s an oxymoron because it’s so small, but it just sticks out! Right now it’s main function is that it’s a museum, but back in the early days of Boston it was everything. It was the town hall and the meetinghouse, it was government offices, it even had a stint of being a merchant marketplace. I had no idea! I’m telling you, every time I learn something new and cool about vintage Boston, I fall a little more in love with the city. The Old State House tour was no exception.

Then we walked over to the North End to see Paul Revere’s House. Unfortunately we didn’t plan our time right and it was closed, so we set off for the Old North Church instead. It’s pretty much a classic New England church, but if you think about this crazy history of it, it kind of blows your mind. Of course we enjoyed our share of pizza and cannoli. Had to. It’s the North End rules. 😉 Maybe it seems like the North End is one of the most obvious places to visit when you come to Boston, but I stand by it being the best little area to explore in town. I’m a wanderer + a watcher. The North End is small, but there are so many hidden gems that you wouldn’t see if you just hit the ‘tourist spots’ (but also hit those spots, you’ll definitely have time). I feel a similar way about Beacon Hill. Luckily the two areas are a walkable distance from each other, so if you wear your favorite comfy shoes, you’re going to be in for one cute and explore-y day. FOR EXAMPLE:

A Day of Walking around downtown Boston:
Breakfast
There are endless coffee + pastry options, but I’ll throw out Flat Black & George Howell as my top two faves.
Old State House Tour
— Time: 1.5 hours for the tour plus reading and looking around on your own
— Cost: $10
Walk to the Boston Public Market (10 min walk from OSH)
— Large market of local food vendors, grab a snack, be happy
Walk to the North End (6 min walk from BPM)
— Stop and enjoy all the public art and statues along the way
Old North Church
— Time: 30 minutes, or however long you want to stay
— Cost: free
Wander the North End some more
— Time: until you feel like you’ve seen it all
Lunch
— Rina’s for pizza by the slice or
— Limoncello’s for a sit down, nice Italian meal
Non-negotiable dessert at Modern Pastry
— Time: Depends on the line, but average I’d say probably 15 minutes (busier on weekends)
— Cost: Depends on what you get, but one cannoli is like $3.50 and beyond worth it
Walk to Long Wharf (10 min walk from NE) 
— Endless minutes of gazing at the ocean and/or people + airplane watching
Continue along the Harbor Walk (30 min walk)
— If you’re ambitious, you can make it all the way to Harpoon Brewery on the Seaport to have all sorrrts of fun
— If you’re not ambitious, at least you’re getting some pretty views
OR
Walk to Beacon Hill (20 min walk from LW)
— Wander the tiny streets extensively
— Acorn Street. It’s cliche, but SO CUTE
OR
Walk back towards Quincy Market (10 min walk from LW)
— Don’t break your ankles on the cobblestones, seriously though
— Head straight for dinner at Durgin Park, I am begging you

Walking times are approximate. I also stop a lot to take photos, so maybe you’ll go faster. Either way, you’re very welcome for this sort of helpful, but probably not really at all helpful, walking tour of Boston. I hope you enjoy it. Don’t get lost. Eat a cannoli.