Law School Harbor Cruise

Last weekend we broke the ice on the new school year by cruising on a boat around the harbor - the Boston skyline is gorgeous at night, especially when you consider the reflection on the water! So you put 500+ law school students on a three-story tall boat, add a deejay and awesome weather, and you get a very very fun time. Makes us wish we had a 400-footer of our own to cruise around in every weekend. ;)

Before going on the cruise and dancing to our hearts' content, we chowed down on delicious Macedonian food at our friend Annette's place. The law school experience makes us crave certain foods, especially Indian foods. The guys at Punjab Palace will soon know us all by first names.

Our section in school is full of awesome people, and we have bonded over hours and hours of studying and writing (all the while not really knowing if what you're doing/thinking is what you're supposed to be writing/thinking, etc.). Gotta love that language immersion philosophy.

Anyway, Nick has a work-study job, and no more anatomy lab, so his life is settling down. We don't see each other much, but when we do we have a lot of fun.

Will post more later!!!

Tea Partay

So I know we haven't posted in awhile, but now that school's started hopefully we'll get back in the groove. Lots of fun things to share!

Here's one of them - it's hilarious. A spoof on New England.

Marzipan!

Last week we got a new kitty from the Animal Rescue League here in Boston. We named her Marzipan because her cream stripes are the color of marzipan, and because we have an affinity for the name that is probably the result of watching toons on http://www.homestarrunner.com. ;) She was a tiny and starved for attention and food when we got her. Since then she has calmed down immensely and now seems to be at home with us and Chamomile now. Nick loves that she purrs all of the time - it reminds him of MacDuff!

Speaking of Nick - he has officially finished his first semester of grad school - today was his last final for the summer! ! ! !! Now we get three weeks of break time before it starts all over again.

Chamomile is getting along well with Marzipan - they play together all of the time, and they love to be in the same room even when they're just sleeping. Chamomile used to follow us around all day - now she has a tiny playmate to keep her entertained when we're in school.

Some people seem to think we should dress up Chamomile and Marzipan for a Christmas photo this year . . . but a part of me would just feel guilty if we did. ;)

The Arnold Arboretum

The Arnold Arboretum is the oldest public arboretum in North America and a hotspot for horticultural researchers around the world.

The Arboretum is a living museum dedicated to the study and appreciation of woody plants. Upon its 265 acres grow 15,000 trees, shrubs and vines, each of which is scientifically documented and available for teaching or research.

Harvard University curates the collections and maintains the landscape, while the city (which has leased the area to Harvard for 1,000+ years) maintains the paperwork.

Of course, the famed Frederick Law Olmsted (landscape architect who designed the Hello Walk at the University of Idaho, Central Park) worked together with Charles Sprague Sargent, the scientist who collected the plant life. Olmsted laid out the road system and overall planting scheme to make sure that it flowed with the rest of the Emerald Necklace. The Emerald Necklace is a series of park areas in Boston that are all joined by roadways or waterways, so you can go from one area to the next easily.

We biked up to the top of Bussey Hill and Peters Hill, which offers one of Boston's best vistas with Kris and Candace, who recently transplanted to Boston (also for educational purposes). After biking uphill for three hours, we all went out to Mike's Deli, which has the most delicious Reuben any of us had ever encountered. So satisfying (and dairy-free!).

We also had a surprise visitor! Mary Tait was stuck at the airport, so we rescued her and utilized our queen-size air mattress! Then, of course she left us to go spend the week on Cape Cod with her parents. :) It was fun while it lasted!

Nick's White Coat Ceremony

Last week was Nick's White Coat Ceremony. During the ceremony, the third year students return to pin and put the white coats on the first years. The speakers were great and the food was delicious.

Plus, Nick looks pretty sweet in his White Coat. Very professional.

If you look closely, you'll notice that on Nick's nametag, the "k" is capitalized (NicK). For FREE - it didn't cost a thing for that extra panache.

Without any further adieu, here is a glimpse of the future Dr. Caylor.

4th of July on Cape Ann

We spent the 4th on the ocean and on Cape Ann, thanks to the hospitality of Dennis's parents! We swam in the pool, in the freezing cold hypothermia-inducing ocean, and we were even bit by sand fleas while wading off the beach finding beautiful seashells. The beaches were full of every type of medium to tiny-sized dog, as well as a lot of swimsuit-wearing people and boats anchored in the sand.

We also took in the views on the water, and since we had traveled in two separate groups, when we traded places and swam to the shore or to the boat, we couldn't take our stuff with us! So when we put on dry clothes to warm up - they weren't ours! It was kind of fun to put yourself in someone else's shoes . . . literally.

On the cape, they have fireworks and a giant bonfire with 1800 wood pallets, and a wooden sculpture on the top that burns throughout the evening. In the recent past, the wooden sculpture was of Frosty the Snowman, but so many of the kids started crying when they saw Frosty "melting" that they had to save Frosty's life.

Note to self: don't burn effigies of anything from children's literature. It will traumatize the children.

;)

June is Over

Nick is in class 35 hours per week, he's studying 30 hours per week, and he has about 20 hours of free time per week, if you count breakfast and dinner.

Still, we managed to find time for food and fun at Atwood's Tavern with our L-town Crew: Jessica and Travis. Jessica is a 2L at BU Law - she's unstoppable! If you like mandolins, Atwood's Tavern is the place to be on Thursday nights. We like mandolins.

If you like Sushi, hit up Ginza, a fantastic, delicious, and yes, affordable sushi restaurant in Coolidge Corner. After that, feel free to travel down the D line to Matt Murphy's - a pub with live music every weekend. A few of the 1Ls and our posse met up for expensive drinks and good conversation.

If it's shopping you'd like, head over to Newbury Street, the Prudential, or Copley Place. Allison, my neighbor (she lives in the same apartment building one floor above us), and I hit the streets of Boston looking for suits, with fantastic results. She found one at Ann Taylor, and I found this one at Banana Republic - on sale, of course - in black.

http://www.bananarepublic.com/browse/outfit.do?cid=30924&oid=OUT07989


Meanwhile, Nick is busy with his dissection, coming home everyday complaining that the smell of embalming fluid has permeated his clothing, and raving about getting to saw through and remove an entire leg. I asked if he would rather be a Pathologist. He said no, but I don't know if I really believe him. ;)

I wish I could be more excited for him, I really do, but I just don't like the sound of crunching bones.

So sue me.

;)

PT Party at Sissy K's

Fun at Fanueil Hall after a hard week of studying - the 2nd and 3rd year PT students party hard with the first years at Sissy K's with all you can eat appetizers - ooOOOoh. We ate all the celery. ;)

Open House Sailing

Once per month the Boston Sailing Club has an open house where anyone who wants to can come out sailing, take a turn steering the boat, etc. Our guide was Lincoln, a very friendly guy with a lot of experience.

It was a nice break from cutting up cadavers, using bone saws, and smelling like embalming fluid. Also, Nick didn't make one corny pun using anatomy terminology. ;)

Come visit and you can see these views for yourself!

Our schools

Nick's campus: (it's the bottom part)



My campus: (the part running along the right side of the Charles River)




Nick's campus is definitely the prettier of the two, with lots of park areas and a constant view of the Charlestown Navy Yard complete with gorgeous yachts and waterfowl.

BUT, my school has this:
http://media.www.dailyfreepress.com/media/storage/paper87/news/2006/04/06/News/Bu.Pub.Still.A.Popular.Secret.After.Decades.On.Campus-1799257.shtml

That's right, a secret pub/bar in the BU castle exclusively open to Boston University students, alumni, faculty, staff and guests. Tuesday night is Trivia Night!!

In addition, we live directly above Our House, a bar/pub whatnot that apparently is hugely popular during the school year with lines of undergrads going down the block. If we go, we'll probably just hit up the Happy Hour (2 for 1 burgers and appetizers!), or Trivia Night on Mondays. On Sundays they have $1 burgers after 8:30 p.m., and if you're there on Sunday at midnight, there's a free food buffet. We can see why it's so popular among students. ;)

http://boston.citysearch.com/profile/4742924/allston_ma/our_house_west.html

Kayaking on the Charles

First we have photos from going out to coffee with Clint, an old friend from southern Idaho who's going to grad school at Boston College!

Next we have our four hour adventure on the Charles River in a 2-person kayak! The Charles River is very beautiful, with 17 miles of bike path running alongside it and a wonderful view of the Boston skyline. Apparently it used to be the opposite of beautiful - when heavy rains fell, sewage would be directed into the river. It's said one could light a match above the water and start a fire from its fumes. Now its been cleaned up, but the brown water in the wakes of the boats and the fact that once a paddle is 12 inches in the water it disappears speak to the still present need for improvement. The hypodermic needle, used condom, and numerous empty floating pop bottles that we saw also contribute to that impression. Maybe we're just spoiled coming from the glacier lakes and beautiful rivers in the Northwest (and the immaculately paved bike paths) . . but there is still natural beauty here, it's just been well used.

After rowing to see the skyline, we met up with Nick's classmates on the way back, formed a six-person kayak and floated down the river in the summer sun.

Afterwards we ate at Il Panino in Harvard Square and finished off the night with a movie party at our place. The only downside to the night was that public transportation stops at 12:30 a.m., so at 12:15 a.m., in the middle of Wii Bowling we called it a night. ;)

This is for Carly and Jason

Nick loves that you post on our blog, and he wishes more people would. ;)

Enjoy!

More slam poetry at: http://www.taylormali.com

Mid-Decoration Status

So we're not completely organized yet, but here is some of our new ikea furniture.

The new stuff we bought: 1) couch and pillows, 2) area rug, 3) computer hutch, 4) dining table with chairs, 5) laptop stand, 6) bureau for bedroom

But first, my new haircut and acrobatics from Chamomile

Nick's orientation team on the second day of class - there are only 9 boys out of 50 students!

Our Neighborhood

Here are some fun pics - we are in the process of winding up the unpacking and filing everything away where it's supposed to go. I think that's mostly up to me since Nick started school today! His campus is much prettier than mine, but mine has an exclusive bar/pub! ;)

I also received a delicious vegan chocolate cake in the mail from Miss Emily Fickenwirth which Nick and I loved. Yum! It's always fun getting things in the mail - especially edible things! ;) ;)

Sarah and I in the North End

Nick and Clayton

Love the water!

oh, the humidity and my hair do not get along

group of future BU law students (minus Clayton and Nick) out on the town

the green line outside our apartment

the side entrance to our apartment building

on the way to the T stop

our building from across the street

us at Fanueil Hall

Day 21 - Nor'easters

We had big plans for today. We were going to get student ID cards, walk along the Freedom Trail and see historic landmarks . . . .

Instead, we got caught out in the rain running errands and looking for furniture. We did manage to find the 2nd Season of Futurama at a consignment store before it started raining so hard that our clothes were soaked through in a matter of 60 seconds. Of course, this formed huge puddles in the street, and, yes, we did get doused in water sprayed by a gracious oncoming car. At head level!

We stopped for shelter in a pet store, where we played with the gigantic Newfoundland, and two little bulldogs, one old and slow, the other young and playful. So we bought some supplies for Chamomile and prepared to start running again. When we got to our apartment we were cold and wet (as opposed to hot and humid), but still determined to at least go grocery shopping.

After purchasing wooden duck-handled umbrellas from the CVS across the street, we rode the T the half-mile to the Shaws Supermarket - it's the East Coast version of Albertson's! The Shaws brand bread is distributed by Albertson's in Boise, ID. :)

We bought delicious kosher meat, kosher pickles (there's a huge kosher section), and tried to keep our bags light so we could keep our circulation on the way back.

On the way back we realized that the umbrellas only covered 30% of our bodies, and since the wind blew the rain in every direction, we were soaked anyway.

Where's hot chocolate when you need it?

This is our hood - well, two blocks away from out apt. building anyway

Day 20 - Fun times ahead

Today we took a field trip to ikea with Nomusa and Tom! They are adorable together, and of course, it was wonderful to see Nomusa again!!!!! Just like old times. ;) Except now she's singing backup for a reggae band - she and Tom (he plays bass for the band) and the rest of the band are touring the East Coast this summer.

They live up in Somerville, part of Greater Boston, near Davis Square - a very hipster-like area with plenty of little shops and lots of young people.

We had a blast and loved that ikea offers home delivery within 75 miles. In fact, there's a grocery delivery service that only costs $6.95! That might negate us hauling bags and bags of groceries home on the T!

Everybody offers free delivery here because most people probably don't have cars. There are tons of things that are offered free on Craigslist if anybody can haul them away.

Tom informed us that we'd need to include "wicked" in our vocabulary, and that he did, in fact, call drinking fountains "bubblers." Apparently people call soda/pop tonic, too. Gotta blend in!
We also had plans to meet up with friends at the Baseball Tavern to watch the game between the Red Sox and the Yankees. That brought out the crowds and frustrated our T driver - he was yelling at people to form lines inside the train or he was going to miss his light - they were slowin' him down! Other passengers were giving the driver a hard time and being so jovial about it.

A large number of people were also scalping tickets - Buying, Selling, Needing, Extra - chanting these phrases and offering programs, etc.

We ended up meeting Sarah and Clayton, a couple from Utah, and having a blast discussing our different paths and all that we look forward to. Note the effect of humidity on my hair . . .
We were sitting at a T stop, and Nick patted my hair. I asked him "what?" and he said "your hair just instantly turned frizzy." Yeah . . . .