Beantown...a tribute

Okay, okay, I realize that I've been a little M.I.A. lately, but there's good reason. So many things have happened since Match Day that I've been a little overwhelmed and blogging just hasn't been one of my top priorities (sorry mom). Just to catch everyone up, the week after the Match, Justin and I drove to Indiana and made an offer on an AMAZING house! I LOVE it so much and can't wait until it's ours. Our offer was accepted and we will (hopefully) be closing at the end of this month. We close on this house (in VT) in less than two weeks so we're in full packing mode and I'm trying not to hyperventilate when I think about how crazy the next month is going to be for us. So that's where I've been lately. Packing, planning, and trying not to stress too much.

But on to this post. This post has been LONG overdue. About a month ago it was a Thursday night like any other. I was getting ready for bed and planning my Friday. I was going to take Noah to our regular Friday playgroup, work out with Vanessa, and try and get some stuff done around my house. I went to bed and was almost asleep when Justin snapped on the light and said, 'Hey, check under your pillow.' I was a little confused, but I did as he said. Much to my extreme delight, I found a card that read:
Ariane,
The time has now come, there's no time to waste.
Go pack your bags now, girl, you bettah make haste!
Cuz we're hitting the road and layin' down tracks,
for two glorious days, we ain't gonna look back!
So bring your camera and smile to capture the thrills
A coat, a swimsuit, walking shoes...oooh...it's givin' me chills!
I know we're gonna be HOT as we're paintin'
BEANTOWN!
We're leaving at 9 and we're gonna get down!
XOXO,
V
To say that I was excited was an understatement. I was ready to jump out of bed that instant and pack but my closet is in Josie's room and she was asleep so I knew I'd have to wait until morning. The next morning, I packed a bag an anxiously waited for Vanessa. I felt like a little kid going to Disneyland. I've been wanting to visit Boston since we came to Vermont and it was a special treat to be able to do it with a good friend and no kids.

Vanessa came and we were off! On our way to Boston, we stopped in Norwich, VT at King Arthur Flour. It was pretty amazing. The baked goods were delicious and the store was incredible (I want to own every gadget they sell). If you get the chance, I suggest a visit to this place. Awesome!
Me being King Arthur Flour Royalty (sassy)!
Me with our haul. Mmmm.
Once we got into Boston, we stopped at Sleepy Hollow Cemetary. There are some pretty big names buried there. Louisa May Alcott and Ralph Waldo Emerson to name a few. New England is full of really cool old cemetaries. Seriously, they're EVERYWHERE. (There's one about 50 feet from my house.) I think they are so neat and it was fun to get to see the inside of one. Sleepy Hollow Cemetary is so large it's crazy.

After the cemetary, we headed down the road and happened to drive by the 'Little Women' house!!
Sadly, it was closed, but I was able to peek in windows. Part of the reason I chose the name Josephine for my daughter was because of the main character in this book. I was so happy that I got to be there!
We spent the rest of that day in Cambridge. I don't have any pictures to document it, but we ate at a delicious Mexican restraunt (which is awesome because there is NO good Mexican food in Vermont) and shopped in the cool stores that surround Harvard.
We did get to ride the train back and forth between Cambridge and Boston and there were some interesting characters on those trains!
My favorite thing about this picture is the look that Vanessa is getting from the woman on the left.
A cellist in the station.
On our way back to Boston, we got a special treat. Three guys started dancing on the train!!! It wasn't mind blowing, but their personalities were pretty awesome and Vanessa and I got some pretty good laughs (I have video, but it's not uploading, sad).

The next day we hit the ground walking. We walked through Boston Common and strolled down Newbury Street (which I have to say, is shopping HEAVEN!). Here's some pictures:
I ate a hot dog from a street vendor! Scandolous!!
Make Way For Ducklings Statue.
Almost to Newbury Street.
We then decided to do a little bit of the Freedom Trail (these are not in any kind of order).
This is a crazy little farmer's market. There were people and produce EVERYWHERE! It was so crazy, I've never been in a market quite like it!
Umm, I don't remember where I am here, but the building behind me is pretty cool.
It took quite a lot of hard work, but I did eventually tame this donkey!!
The Holocaust Monument
What would a trip to Boston be without a little Paul Revere?

Me, being extremely angelic in an old church.
We also saw a lot of street performers. The day that we were out was one of the first truly nice days in Boston so it seemed like everyone was out showing off their stuff!

Imagine our delight when we happened upon some street performers who seemed strangely familiar to us. That's right, it was our friends from the train the night before!! These are some busy boys!
Our trip ended with a trip to Mike's Pastry, and dinner at a yummy restraunt. Then it was time to head back to Vermont.
Vanessa eating a Mike's Pastry on our way home.
It was an incredible trip and I know that this post did NOT do it justice. Sadly, a few short weeks after this trip, Vanessa and Rick packed up and left town. I have now been without Vanessa for about two weeks. In the short time I've known her she's become one of my closest friends. I can tell her anything and she doesn't judge. We can laugh together, cry together, and share anything. We can spend time together talking up a storm or saying nothing at all and it's all comfortable. I know that the new distance between us (they're moving to Madison, WI which isn't far from South Bend) won't be the end of our friendship, but it's going to be sad not to be just 10 minutes away. Vanessa is one of the most selfless, caring, honest, talented people I know and I'm so fortunate that I get to be her friend.
Love you Vanessa. I can't wait for Chicago 2011!