It's Just a Walk in the Park -- Literally!

 Day 7 - August 2, 2019 - Boston MA

Finally, today is the day we get to see Neel's smiling face, and it will be later on this afternoon.  In the meantime, Patrice takes us on a walking tour of the city (knowing how much we love to walk), and we stop for lunch at JM Curley Restaurant.  While Herb is reading something on his phone, I notice the framed menu board for folks sitting at the bar.  It is entitled, "Law and Order."  How clever!

I point this out to Patrice, and we are both amused.

After lunch, we continue our walk and come upon a lovely park where Canadian geese are feeding in the lime green grass.  I could have zoomed in to get a closeup of them, but I enjoyed better framing the photo with the beautiful trees.

Looking around to the other side of the park, we see families sitting on the grass for a picnic, or to read a book, or are just catching some rays.  It is a very pleasant temperature for the month of August, here in Boston.

It gives me a great thrill to see something nautical -- a replica of a bollard!  Two bollards, actually, one on either side of the round platform.  Willie's Tug would tie to a cleat, but huge ships that come into the port of Boston need a huge structure to tie up to.  I would love to have seen this happen, but here we are in the park.

Patrice had said she had a surprise for us, so off we go. A must-see TV series for Roxie and Ed, Patrice and Neel, and Herb and myself was Downton Abbey.  We could not wait for the next episode to see where the story went.  So we find ourselves in Boston Common seeing banners advertising a traveling exhibition of Downton Abbey, where we would see recreations of the British historical period drama's elaborate sets and more than 50 of the show's iconic costumes.  It will be held in the Castle at Park Plaza.

Now it is 5 o'clock and Happy Hour, with dinner to follow.  Soon we will see Neel, who is manager of the Parish Cafe and Bar, a nice restaurant in the heart of Boston, offering indoor and outdoor seating.  There are many different beers, wines, and cocktails, and the varied menu makes it so hard to choose.  

The hostess seats us inside with a great view of the bar, where we see a sign just above the bartender that says, "Beware of Attack Waitress."  How cute!  When she brings our beverages, she does not attack any of us.

Finally we see Neel!  He has been around somewhere doing his managing things.  I love his smile.

From the menu I choose a Zuni Roll, which is turkey, bacon & cheese wrapped in a flour tortilla, served with cranberry chipotle; it pairs well with a chilled glass of white wine.  No photo of my food, but I do take a photo of the other three.

Willie of Sweet Caroline

     and of Walldog and Willie

     Friday, August 2, 2019

The Best Pizza Ever!

 Day 6 - August 1, 2019 - Long Island NY to Boston MA 

After picking up Patrice from her Long Island office around noon, we backtrack a bit, and go through the Bronx to find the shortest way to Connecticut.  She has the luxury of continuing some of her work -- reports maybe -- as we drive away.

She gets her laptop out of her briefcase and when I see her smiling, I think to myself that she is really 'enjoying her work.'

Interrupting her to ask for a recommendation for lunch, she says if we can wait a bit, we will soon come to one of her favorite restaurants, Frank Pepe's Pizza in New Haven CT.  At the thought of pizza, I feel even more hungry than I was.  We say, "Sure," as we trust her judgement.  After all, she travels the area quite often.  

As we get near the restaurant, we go through Little Italy, and my heart begins to beat more rapidly -- Italy has a special place in my heart.  She says there are two Frank Pepe restaurants in town, and she prefers the Original.  

                                The Original Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana

I just love the menu cover, which tells us that Frank, a very handsome fellow, was passionate about pizza.  That's a great testimonial for me.

Turning to the inside, I like the selections even more. As we wait for our lunch to be served, we enjoy an adult beverage.  

From Connecticut, we soon come to Massachusetts, and when I see the highway sign for Framingham, I am beyond excited. I immediately think of Sheryl, Rudy, Patti, Nancy, Lee, John, LaDarla, Lisann, and Adrian, just a few of my former co-workers who have read the Framingham Study.  I worked for the best company ever!  

We have arrived!  To Boston!  And we pass Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox.  Since 1912, it has been the home of this baseball team, and the city's American League baseball team.  The stadium was built in 1912 and rebuilt in 1934.

 Willie of Sweet Caroline,

            and of Walldog and Willie

            Thursday, August 1, 2019

A Trip Through New York

Days 5 and 6 - July 31 and Aug 1 - Ramsey NJ to Long Island NY

Leaving Ramsey we see lots of scenery that excites me, and before I know it, we are in the state of New York. A Costco sign gets my attention.  Herb takes a photo of me to send to our Seattle friend, Craig, who is with Costco.

Somehow while photographing the scenery, I miss a highway sign that says, "Welcome to New York."  Or was there one?  Maybe we aren't there yet....

So it takes me by surprise when I began seeing yellow license plates.  On close examination, I see that the state is New York!   So we must be close.

Oh, great!  We will soon see Patrice and Neel.

We go through the town of West Nyack, and come to the Gov. Mario Cuomo bridge, which crosses the Hudson River.  

I love the name of another bridge, Throgs Neck Bridge, which crosses the East River and brings us through The Bronx and eventually to Long Island.  

Five days of road dust gets removed when we stop for a  carwash, so Patrice doesn't have to ride in a dirty car.  (Smiles)

Continuing on, I am fascinated by the apartment buildings that are built above a tunnel, and the next photo shows traffic in the tunnel.

At long last, we near Long Island, where we meet Patrice at her New York office.  She would have taken a plane home, but this lets us begin our visit sooner.

                                                                               Patrice, the Working Girl 

   

    Willie of Sweet Caroline,

            and of Walldog and Willie

            Thursday, August 1, 2019