Last Thursday, Robin and I left the heat and humidity of Houston to fly off on our 2011 Grandmas Gone Wild weekend in Boston.When we originally made our plans for Grandmas Trip 2011, we decided on Boston so that we could enjoy a little bit of winter. The Good Lord has such a sense of humor! He sent winter to us in Houston for two weeks running...right up until a few days before our departure.
But in His great love for us, upon our arrival, He sent Boston two beautiful 'spring-like' days. Their first back-to-back days in the 50's since OCTOBER!
We arrived at our hotel, The Lenox, just after noon. The room was beautiful! High ceilings, a fireplace (that wasn't to be used?!?!) and a great view of the Back Bay area, what else could we ask for? (If you ever find yourself visiting Boston, I highly recommend this hotel. Customer service was exceptional and the hotel itself is within walking distance of everything we wanted to do while we were in town.)
After checking in to our room, we headed out on what soon became knows as the "Great Coat Caper".It was in the upper 50's, why did we need a coat?
Well, though the weather was forecast to be absolutely beautiful for Thursday and Friday, the frigid temperatures were predicted to return on Saturday...and snow on Monday.
And since the streets of Boston still looked like this...
...I just knew that I was going to be cold when the temperatures dropped!Because the temps were so high in Houston when we left, I forgot to grab my winter coat from the closet. I remembered it just after I left the house. So, I called Jim and asked him to bring it in to the office when he came...and then I promptly forgot to get it out of his truck before he left for the day!
Robin and I had one heck of a time finding a coat! We started out on Boston's famed Newbury Street. Upscale boutiques stretched as far as the eye could see...but no coats! After searching for an hour or so, we stopped and ate lunch at Sonsie. (The open faced steak sandwich was DELISH!)
After restoring our energy levels with the great food, we decided it may be better to find the nearest mall.
Easier said than done!
I have NEVER in my life had such a hard time finding a mall! We knew the address. We were on the right street. We had walked FOREVER. Yet, we still couldn't find the mall that was supposed to be right in front of us.
We made the block. Still nothing that resembled a mall.
Finally, we took a chance and walked into the Prudential building just to see.
Well, we didn't find the mall; but we did find The Shops at Prudential Center! Hallelujah!
Now, please remember, we had been searching for this elusive winter coat for going on four hours at this point...so I was determined to buy the first winter coat I found.
We looked through stores...nothing. We walked into another 'arcade' and searched...nothing. Boston was getting ready for Spring. There were no winter coats to be found. So, we finally did the unthinkable. We walked into Saks Fifth Avenue. I found a coat. It was the right size. It was $2,000! I was thinking to myself, "I still want to be married after this trip"...so I passed on the coat!
Another 'arcade', no coat...but a lead! "Try Lord & Taylor's. Their winter coats are on sale." Music to my ears!
We finally found Lord & Taylor's...and the winter coats...and I found the one I wanted...we made the purchase (Half price! Score!!!)...and walked out the front door onto the street...and we were (I kid you not!) three doors down from our hotel where we started this whole escapade!!!!
Travel Lesson #1: It pays to know where you're going in a new town!
We headed back to the hotel to freshen up for our evening. We had tickets to see Shear Madness at the Charles Playhouse. It is the longest running play in the history of the American theatre. They just began their thirty-first year!
We arrived at the theatre early, so we headed to the lounge to pass some time until the show started. Lo and behold, the bartender is a nice young man from Baytown. Small world! He took us under his wings and told us all the great restaurants to try while we are in town. Insiders tips are usually the best...so we gratefully took his suggestions that he wrote on the back of an order ticket.
The play was a blast! It is a hilarious, interactive 'whodunit' set in a hair salon. The audience was small on Thursday, so the participation between cast and observers was more personal. (They offered to talk slower for me when they found out I was from Texas! LOL!)
It was a fun show...and their improv skills were out of this world. Go see it, if you get the chance.
As we walked out of the theatre, our plans were to take a cab to a late dinner. But upon seeing a bicycle rickshaw parked out front, we decided that would be more fun. So, off we went to...
AKA the Bull and Finch Pub. We went to the Original, upon which the television show was based. The inside doesn't look anything at all like the set used in the show (that can be seen at the Replica in Faneuil Hall Marketplace). But the entrance and the front door are exactly as the show portrays them.
We were a little disappointed that they didn't know our names as advertised...but enjoyed our evening in their company all the same!After dinner, we walked back to the hotel for a good night's sleep. After all, we knew we only had one more warm day to enjoy Boston at her best!
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