Just back from a terrific week in Boston!

I drove there with my daughter, helped her get settled into her first apartment as she starts a summer internship there. Then left the car with her (do not try to drive in Boston proper!) for several more days on my own for Lipstick Getaways research.

I’m just about to dig in to writing some detailed Boston content (so keep checking back in the Plan A Trip section), but thought I’d post a few quick notes here first.

In no particular order:

• Excuse me while I gush: I discovered San Miguel shoes on Beacon Hill!

  These are the most amazing shoes I’ve ever worn! Incredibly comfortable (I wore mine right away, and every day the rest of the trip!) … genuinely stylish (I had several women ask me about them) … AND affordable (under $100).I had never heard of San Miguel shoes, but apparently they have a cult following, and … wait, you know what? I just realized I have way too much to say about these shoes. I’ll need to write a separate post about ‘em asap.
  
  For now, let me just say I found my San Miguel shoes at Core de Vie, a wellness movement studio at 40 Charles Street in Beacon Hill, which had just opened up a retail shop, selling a variety of “things we are passionate about” (said the owner): favorite yoga-type apparel, lovely body care products, candles, etc., as well as the glass art work of the owner’s husband.

  You can also order a wide range of San Miguel shoes online from Outersoul.com (I just ordered three more pairs!).

• The South End, just a few blocks south of the Back Bay, is my new favorite neighborhood.

  For a stroll, cobblestone streets (see “San Miguel shoes” below), beautiful, well-tended brownstones, excellent dining, a little fun shopping, great people-watching. Fun, hip area which is still very friendly and “neighborhood-y,” and way less crowded and hectic than Newbury Street (which I still like too!)

• The North End

  A lively, genuine Italian neighborhood, is definitely worth a visit at least for dinner, the bakeries, and gelato; plus a few cute shops.

• Boston Duck Tour

  You see ‘em all over, so I finally checked out this narrated historical tour of the city in WWII amphibious vehicles. I can report that yeah, it’s touristy, but still well worth doing! Not a must-do, but you won’t regret it either. (However, if the weather is fine and you are able to walk, I’d go for a guided Freedom Trail tour instead. A little more history, a little less show-biz.

• Faneuil Hall: Don’t bother.

  Mentioned in a recent MSN Travel article on “The World’s Worst Tourist Traps”, so I thought I should see for myself. (Times Square was listed in the same article, and I do think it’s fun to go there at least once at night, just to gawk.) Gotta say, they were right. It was awful. Faneuil Hall may be where the American Revolution was plotted, but now it’s just a crowded outdoor mall, food court, and tacky souvenir shop. I have no idea why everyone goes there.

• Harvard Square in Cambridge

  Spent a few hours there with my daughter on a Sunday afternoon. Easy to get to by subway, definitely worth a visit (but not a must-do) for some interesting shops and restaurants, or if you want to do a walking tour of Harvard.

• Beacon Hill

  Another great neighborhood for a stroll, a little shopping (that’s where I found those shoes!), and dining. Liked it last trip, still liked it this trip.

• Newbury Street

  Folks say it’s getting too crowded and expensive … and yes, I suppose it is … but still worth checking out, especially if you haven’t been.

More details on all the above, and more, coming soon. I will write them up and post them for you in the Plan A Trip section.

In fact, going to get started on that right away, after lunch!

Carol

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I just returned from a last-minute weekend getaway to Toronto with my friend Shirley. This was about my fifth trip to Toronto, although it has been several years since the last visit.

I’m sorry to say, both Shirley and I agreed that Toronto was not quite as lively and fun as we remembered from past visits. Partly it’s because we have changed (older and more well-traveled now); also we heard that the city is still recovering from the economic effects of the 2003 SARS epedemic. And of course, the spending was more fun back when we had a favorable exchange rate!

But not to worry — after several missteps, we did find some fun, and you can definitely have a great time in Toronto!

Here’s are my Toronto QuickNotes:
(I will provide details and links within the next week or so)

YES: FUN AND WORTHWHILE

1. Distillery Historic District.
2. Bata Shoe Museum.
3. College Street (Little Italy).
4. Art & Design District, or West Queen Street West (that’s not a typo: West Queen Street West (west of Bathurst) as opposed to Queen Street West (between University and Bathurst).
5. A few favorite restaurants:

• Holt Renfrew Cafe in Yorkville for lunch or cocktails.
• Fresh. Fast (and busy and noisy), nutritious, delicious, vegetarian eat-in or take-out. Three locations: on Bloor @ Spadina, Queen Street West @ Crawford, and spadina @ Richmond.
• Coco Lezzone on College Street in Little Italy. Sophisticated, fun Italian.
• Bistro 990 at 990 Bay Street (@ St. Joseph) about 3 blocks south of Bloor/Yorkville. Charming French bistro menu, gracious service.

NO: THESE WERE DISAPPOINTING:

1. Queen Street West
2 . Kensington Market.
3. The oft-mentioned view from the Roof Lounge at the Park Hyatt.
4. The Artisan Market at Yonge-Dundas Square.

MAYBE: IT DEPENDS … The following did not work out for us, but are still worth considering, depending on the weather, or what’s scheduled when you’re there, or what sort of fun you are looking for.

1. Yonge-Dundas Square.
2. Yorkville.
3. Eaton Center.
4. Live @ Courthouse for jazz.

FUN STUFF WE DIDN’T GET AROUND TO ON THIS TRIP:

1. Performing Arts. Toronto has a fabulous range of top-quality theatre, dance, comedy, and opera offerings, and I’ve usually taken in at least one show; just not this time. I will provide performing arts info for you as I develop the Toronto trip-planning section.
2. Major museums: Royal Ontario Museum (but we did get a street view peek at the stunning new Crystal gallery thrusting out on Bloor Street), Art Gallery of Ontario (also undergoing major renovations), and The Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art.
3. Harbourfront Centre. Very popular; I’ve never been … almost went this trip but our concierge sort of made a face and recommended the Distillery Historic District instead (which we loved, see above). Have you been here and do you recommend it?
4. Casa Loma. I enjoyed this historic home on a past visit.

That’s it for now … next up are QuickNotes from the Chicago trip two weeks ago (I’m working backwards, I know) … then more detailed Trip Planning Info for both cities. Stay tuned, and thanks for visiting!

Go … Have Fun!
Carol

* What’s a QuickNote? I just now made it up. I thought it might be handy to give you a quick post-trip list of what was fun, what wasn’t, what I learned in a particular city. Sort of a “just the facts, ma’am” note, with details — addresses, subway directions, websites — to be provided later. That way, I can jot things down while they’re fresh, and you can have some quick, easy info.

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