I got back from Beantown and had to dive right back into an eventful work, school and social life, so I didn’t get a chance to blog about Beantown!  I took a four-day, Memorial Day weekend to Boston with two work friends– and we had an absolute blast!

We left around 6am Friday morning, and arrived in Boston shortly before noon- only stopping to pee and for more coffee along the way.  We first checked in to our hotel, Nine Zero which is a boutique hotel near Boston Commons.  It was a really chic, hip place!  The hotel had daily wine socials, but we were so busy– or napping- that we never made one.  After checking in on Friday and setting up camp, we headed on CHARLIE (the subway system in Boston) to Sam Adams brewery for a tour.  We had an adorable tour guide.  I stayed up front the whole time, asking educated questions, impressing our guide, Shaw (or so I like to think.)  We then headed to the tasting room where we were able to sample three types of Sam Adams:  Boston Lager, Summer Ale and a new brew, Brick Red, which is only available in Boston, on draught.  That was my favorite one, and I continued to drink it all weekend.  We were taught how to experience and taste a beer, and we didn’t leave without embarrassment- our very own Lindsey spilled beer (she over-poured) and was asked to stand and give an apology, to which the tour of probably 60 people or so, applauded.

Later that night, we hit up a neat Irish pub called Kitty O’Sheas for dinner and drinks.  The food was amazing, the service friendly and the crowd was awesome as well.  It was one of those places you meet instant friends.  Later in to the night, the bar turned into a dance club as a DJ came on.  I stayed into the night, making a new circle of friends and danced all night… meeting locals, people from Texas, New York and more.  It was here that my camera was stolen.  I was tweeting and facebooking all night about how nice people were and how much fun I was having, and that had to happen.  I’m over it now, but I hadn’t blogged about that yet, so figured I’d add that. (And of course, I have no pics from this portions of the trip.)

Saturday, we slept in and woke up to no water in the hotel.  For that, we were given free breakfast at the posh hotel restaurant.  We did some site-seeing around town, the coolest being the SkyWalk, where we were able to get a view of all sides of Boston from atop the Prudential Building (where there was a anime convention also happening, so lots of cool costumes).  On the interior of the Skywalk were little museum exhibits.  Lindsey, Karen and I also had a total blast– and a tearful laughing fit- in two separate photo booth experiences.  Total fun!  I also found a Ritz camera where I purchased a new camera.  I could not be without a camera for the rest of the trip.

Saturday night, we did the Red Sox game- Sox vs. the Mets.  It was my first major league baseball game and it was a total blast.  I had a Fenway frank and lots of Sam Adams.  I was even bathed in beer from a Mets fan behind us.  I went into the game rooting for no one.  I told everyone around us that Lindsey was Sox, Karen was Mets and I was Switzerland.  (Which of course led me to tell the story about the one time in San Fran where I made out with a dude from Switzerland.) After the game, we got a little lost- not necessarily lost, just trying to find an alternate route home than the other thousands of people.  We had big plans of a post-game booze fest, but decided to crash instead.

Sunday morning we got up in the late morning, got ready and had a great breakfast– well, but this time, brunch- at the Beantown Pub, which was right next to the hotel .  We did some of the Freedom Trail.  There was a huge thunderstorm that sent us back to the hotel.  We hung out in the hotel for a while and when the rain stopped, we went for a walk around the beautiful Beacon Hill section.  I went to a psychic and then the three of us had a great dinner at The Sevens, a dark little pub where I had the most awesome tuna melt ever and finally had real Boston baked beans.  After a day of walking, we went back to the hotel to get ready for a last hurrah in Beantown.

We ended up back the Beantown Pub, where we had breakfast, and had a great night.  I introduced Boston to the school bus shot that I am known for– and we met some awesome guys from New York who were also in for the game.  I hit it off right away with them , so that’s who I bought the school buses for!  They returned the favor with Jagerbombs.  We had a hysterical time joking and laughing (silly jokes, riddles, bar tricks) and one of them even threw up on my foot, but we were all having so much fun, it was like it never happened.  Hard to sum up in one paragraph the instant camaraderie you can build with complete strangers- and even though the next day we’re out of each other’s lives- being part of one of each other’s stories you’ll tell over and over again is pretty damn cool. Good times!

This trip was just what the three of us ladies needs.  It was part brewery.  Part sports.  Part history.  Part scenery.  All fun. Boston is seriously my new favorite city. And I found out yesterday– I am going again for work!  Internet Retailer convention on the 14th-18th.