Playing Catch Up: June (Plumb Family Vaca)

June was a CRAZY month for us! My family came out for eight days and then Shawn's parents and friends came out for about five days. Oh, and we managed to squeeze a super fun camping trip in between those visits! We love having visitors, it makes us feel less lonely and far away from everyone! And we love showing people around Boston!

My parents and two little sisters came out here the first week of June and we had so much fun! We did everything...and I mean EVERYTHING! We crammed a lot into the eight days they were here. The first day we took it easy and laid low since they got in really late the night before. We went and checked out the Harvard campus, had some shawarma, then went and saw Wonder Woman (such a good movie!) in 3D at the huge IMAX screen inside Jordan's Furniture. If anyone hasn't been there, you really should check it out! They have the newest technology for sound...there are sound boxes above you, in front of you, behind you, on the sides of you, AND under your seat! It makes watching movies so much better!

Harvard Campus is so beautiful!

On Sunday we went to church bright and early then headed into the city to do the Freedom Trail. We started at the Bunker Hill Monument then worked our way to the USS Constitution where we got a tour of that ship and a Battle Destroyer (my dad's favorite part of the day haha!). I definitely recommend seeing both of those while you're there. 

USS Constitution

USS Cassin Young

We then made our way down to the Old North Church, Paul Revere Statue, and Old South Church in the North End. And of course, we had to get some delicious stuff at Mike's Pastry and Modern Pastry!

Bunker Hill Monument

View from Bunker Hill

Paul Revere Statue

After we finished the Freedom Trail, we headed out Lexington & Concord to see some more national history sites! We saw the Lexington Battle Green, The Old North Bridge in Concord, and all the original taverns, houses, and churches in those little areas. It still baffles me that I am walking through all of these historical sites hundreds of years later. Walking where men died, where our freedom was first earned. It's so humbling to be able to experience and take it all in and to learn about all of the sacrifices that were made on our behalf. Too many things are taken for granted in society today. Thank you to all our servicemen and women who continue to fight, to sacrifice time with their families, and to give their lives so that we can live ours. Land of the Free Home of the Brave! I'm so proud to be an American and to live in this country!

On Monday we went exploring all over Northern Massachusetts and Maine. First stop, Salem. I've only been to Salem once before with my friend Dani when she came out a few years ago and it was weird. We went a couple weeks before Halloween and that was a big mistake! People take Halloween very seriously there. There was a bunch of people dressed as witches (not cute, Halloween-y witches...like real witches) and huddled in little groups, the whole town was foggy and deserted. We just got a weird feeling driving through. Dani wanted to get out of the car, but I said "no way!" and we kept on driving. So when my family said they wanted to check out Salem, you can see why I had some reservations! Luckily for me, they were content to just see one cemetery. My dad wanted to see how far back the dates on the headstones went.

After Salem, we headed up the coast to Rockport, MA. We were so excited to check out this little coastal town because it's where one of our favorite movies was filmed...The Proposal with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds! It looked exactly like it did in the movie and is the cutest little town ever! We saw some iconic landmarks from the movie like the big red shack on the dock and all the shops you see as the characters drive down main street. We popped into a little Ma and Pa bakery and ate a delicious Elephant Ear while we took in all the beauty that Rockport has to offer!

The next stop on our little tour was for my mom, who LOVES the show Wicked Tuna and really wanted to see Gloucester and the home of the "Wicked Pissah". We found the marina and were able to drive around in the lot, but there wasn't really a place to pull over and take pictures.

After Gloucester, we continued up the coast to Portland, Maine. I LOVE Portland! It has such a neat old, downtown, industrial vibe. In the summer, there are cute little markets and  booths with people selling odds and ends. Ma and Pa ice cream shops, boutiques, and great restaurants line the main street and there always seems to be something fun going on. We grabbed lunch at Porthole Restaurant, our favorite go-to place in Portland. My sister, Aleah, had fun learning how to eat a lobster straight from the pot. Mom got the bowl of clam chowder she'd been craving since the last time she was there and had it haha. Once we were all stuffed, we made our way over to the Portland Headlight Lighthouse.

The next stop was Old Orchard Beach, Maine. I really need to time my visits to this place better. Every time I've gone it's been freezing or raining. I'd love to go when it's beautiful and sunny! This beach is so fabulous! And in the summer there's a cool street carnival and souvenir shops all over. After OOB, we headed to the Nubble Lighthouse in York, Maine. I totally want to own a house in York someday. Prettiest beaches and cutest town! After York, we made our way back to Boston.

Early Tuesday morning, we took a Greyhound bus to The Big Apple! My sisters had never been there before and I couldn't wait to show them around! Our bus pulled in around noon and  we grabbed some authentic NYC pizza for lunch and headed over to the New York Public Library. What an amazing building! The architecture is beautiful! They just don't make buildings with that much detail and intricacy any more! Then we went to check out Grand Central Station, the Empire State Building, and the Chrysler Building before grabbing some of the world famous banana pudding from The Magnolia Bakery. I think I could eat that stuff every day for the rest of my life! 

After getting our pudding fix for the day, we headed to the Chelsea High Line, Chelsea Market, and Los Tacos #1 (you gotta try their tacos!). Last stop of the day before heading to our Air BNB in Brooklyn was Black Tap for a milkshake like no other! We ordered one of their Crazy Shakes and it was big enough for all of us to share! It had a chocolate frosted rim with M&Ms & PB cups topped with a sugar daddy, pretzel rods, chocolate covered pretzel, whipped cream & chocolate drizzle. So delish!

Wednesday morning we ate breakfast at a great little place in the Upper East side called Barking Dog. Cutest little cafe style restaurant with really good food! Then we rented Citi Bikes (totally the way to go if you wanna see the city and don't have a ton of time!) and rode down 5th Avenue to see Blair Waldorf's apartment (I may be a Gossip Girl groupie), the Guggenheim Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. 5th Avenue runs right along the east side of Central Park and the ride was so beautiful! We continued to ride into Central Park and rode the bog loop along the outside of the park. Central Park is amazing and if I lived nearby, I'm sure I'd be there every day! 

Next stop was the Museum of Natural History...aka where the Night at the Museum movies take place. It was crazy packed and we didn't go inside, but we definitely got some pics out front. So I promise, this trip was not only about food, but we totally tried a bunch of delicious stuff! Up next, Levain Bakery. This place is AMAZEBALLS! Their cookies are huge and fluffy and oh so yummy! Definitely worth a try! We then made our way to Columbus Avenue to see the LDS Manhattan Temple. Unlike most of the other temples, this one is built right into the skyscrapers of Manhattan and blends into the rest of the city. But its brilliant white color and golden Angel Moroni make it stand out in its own beautiful way. The last stops before lunch were St Patrick's Cathedral and Serena van der Woodsen's apartment (yes, another Gossip Girl site haha!). After lunch in Times Square my mom, sisters and Shawn headed to the Rockefeller center to see Jimmy Fallon while my dad and I went to see The Fate of the Furious at the Times Square movie theater. 

We all met up after Jimmy Fallon and surprised the guys with tickets to the Red Sox vs. Yankees game! So while the guys were at the game, we girls headed to Olive Garden for some dinner before Aleah and McKenna went to the Top of the Rock.

Thursday, our last day in NYC. We loved riding bikes the day before, so we decided to do it again! We left our Air BNB in Brooklyn and rode the subway to a bike station at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge. I LOVE riding across the Brooklyn Bridge! The wind whipping in your hair, the view of the Manhattan skyline...there's nothing quite like it!

Once we got across the bridge and into Manhattan, we grabbed some breakfast at a great little sandwich place called Lenwich. Before we made our way to the 911 Memorial, we swung by Taylor Swift's house in Tribeca (I know I know...we're such dorks haha!). Of course we didn't see her. She probably wasn't even in New York!

I've said this before, but the 911 Memorial is one of my favorite places in the city. It is one of the most solemn, humble places I have ever been. The feeling you get when you walk around the grounds, see the memorial, and read the names of all the victims is almost indescribable. I can't even imagine what it must have been like to stand in that same spot on that terrible day. I'll never forget watching it on the tv in my 5th grade classroom and praying for all my fellow Americans...fellow human beings. I'm thankful for the architects and designers who created such a memorable, touching memorial that will honor the lives of each and every victim for years to come. I'm thankful for law enforcement and workers who keep the memorial looking beautiful and protected. And I'm thankful for the thousands of people like me and my family who visited the memorial that day to pay their respects and to be humbled. It was such a great experience!

I've been to NYC several times, but have never checked out Wall Street before so we added that to the list this time! It was neat to see the NYSE and take in the area that you always see and hear so much about. It was a bit more low key than in the movies, but I guess that's to be expected. After Wall Street we rode over to Battery Park to board the ferry to the Statue of Liberty!

The first time I came to The Big Apple, I was 15, and you could only climb the Statue of Liberty to the top of the pedestal (the bottom of her feet). Precautions and security measures were still in place from 9/11. Since moving out to Boston, I've been to NYC a handful of times, but crown tickets have always been sold out! They book out several months in advance. Well, I knew my parents and sisters were coming out about six months in advance so I was able to book us tickets...CROWN ACCESS TICKETS!!! To say I was excited would have been an understatement! This was something that had been on my bucket list for a long time. I had butterflies of giddiness all day!

The ferry ride out to Liberty Island is absolutely beautiful! With the sun shining and the Manhattan skyline as our backdrop, the views were spectacular and the pictures were breathtaking. Once we got to the island we made our way over to the base of the statue, through security, and into the Statue of Liberty Museum where you learn about the making and history of the statue. They had replica pieces that are to scale of the real thing (see McKenna next to the giant foot below)! Then we were ready to start climbing! Half of us walked from ground level up to the pedestal and half of us took the elevator! With all the biking and walking we'd been doing over the last three days, you better believe I was part of the elevator half haha! I remember the area where you stand at the pedestal and look up to see the narrow, spiral staircase to the top. There's also an open wrap around deck along the outside that you can walk on, take pictures, and see the views. 

Finally, the part I'd been waiting for! Some people say the climb up to the top is strenuous, but I was so caught up in the moment and loving everything around me that I didn't feel overwhelmed or too tired. Plus they have little coves or outlets you can stop off into to rest if you need it. Honestly, the climb went a lot faster than I thought it would. On the way up to the crown you pass her face and can see the outward indents of her nose and eyes. 

The staircase is fairly narrow and steep, but the views make it totally worth it! You can look down over the railing and see the entire infrastructure of the statue and everything it takes to hold her up. It's so fascinating! We finally made it to the top and I can't even begin to describe the feeling I had when I got there. The view. The accomplishment. The history. The thrill. It's a lot smaller up in the crown than you would think. There's hardly room to stand and you think it would be a lot wider than it really is. Nonetheless, I absolutely loved it! We took a bunch of pictures, talked to the rangers working up there, and soaked up the moment. Other people came up and wanted to get in front of the windows, so we reluctantly started the descent down. I could have easily spent an hour up there! I felt like I had waited so long to do this and was so excited, but it all ended too soon. We took our time getting back down and enjoyed every last minute we could in there. If you ever go to NYC, you've got to climb the Statue of Liberty all the way to the crown! One bucket list item down, a million more to go!

So the ferry ride from Liberty Island back to Manhattan stops at Ellis Island on the way. We got off and walked around, snapped some pics, and got some food. It was fun to see the big main building that's featured in Hitch! After Ellis Island we rode back to Manhattan and as we got off the ferry in Battery Park there was a lady painting caricatures. She was really good and we convinced Aleah and McKenna to get one. It turned out so cute!

We then made our way to a neat little cafe called Eggloo. I had read beforehand about places we should go and came across this little gem. Eggloo is a one-of-a-kind dessert cafe that creates "egg-crate shaped" waffle cones then fills them with the most delicious concoctions ever! I really don't know how else to describe it! But the picture does it more justice than my words can. Seriously, so freakin' good!

 After dessert, we went to dinner. A little backwards I know, but hey we were on vacation! We ate at Lombardi's in Little Italy, one of my favorites! They have the absolute best bruschetta and pizza hands down! We figured after all that pizza, we better keep riding bikes so we rode over to Washington Square Park. This park is so great! It's right next to the NYU campus which is beautiful! It has a true city park vibe. There are always people playing chess, walking their dogs, or talking on cute wooden benches. The fountain and archway in the middle make it the perfect place to relax, kick back, and unwind after a long day.

We had some time to kill before we had to catch our bus back to Boston, so we did some last minute shopping, grabbed some snacks for the ride, and walked through Times Square one last time. We had a crazy, busy, exhausting, thrilling, fantastic three days in The Big Apple and boy did we crash hard that night!

On Friday we were back in Boston and went to check out the New England Aquarium and have a nice mellow afternoon. We all got dressed up and went to The Cheesecake Factory for dinner before heading to The Boston Opera House to see WICKED!!! The excitement I had to see this play was outrageous. It was another one of my bucket list items and I couldn't wait! It definitely did not disappoint!

Saturday was my family's last day in town and they decided to kayak the Charles River in downtown Boston. I've done this a few times before and it's so fun! One of the best ways to see the city and keep cool on a hot summer day! After they got back from kayaking it was time to go to the airport. Goodbye is always the hardest part at the end of a fun trip. You never want it to end!

The week after my family left, Shawn and I went camping with some friends up in Sharon, Vermont. We stayed at Camp Joseph that is owned by our church and had a blast! We had s'mores and delicious dutch oven food, we canoed and played in the pond, played kickball and spikeball, and had a great time with great friends!

The next week Shawn's parents and their good friends came out to Boston for a few days. We did all of the history sites, the great restaurants, a Red Sox game, and WICKED. It was so fun!