Closet Space

It seems as though no matter how many drawers, storage containers, baskets, etc. I buy I still cannot fit all my darn clothes in my room. I think that's a sign from the unpacking Gods telling me I have too much stuff! My new deal: for every new thing I buy, I must give something away. That being said, I applaud myself for avoiding H&M today. For if I allowed myself to shop I would have had a lot of throwing away to do tonight. Another realization today- Target it approximately a 4 minutes drive from my house. And since it seems I cannot leave Target without spending approximately $80, my finances are really going to love that convenience (Ha ha). However, if I keep in mind realization number one (too little closet space) with realization number two (too close Target) I think I can save myself (and my bank account) from the bliss of Target shopping. And, I suppose I owe it to myself to check out some of the local, Boston-only boutiques. Speaking of which, while perusing the North End (aka Little Italy) I briefly browsed the racks of a little place called LIT. Extremely cute clothes, price range cerca Urban Outfitters = Must return when I have an income! And speaking of that, I will have an income starting tomorrow. I have landed myself the perfect little nanny job in Concord, Massachusetts. While I thought Boston may have been my segway into changing the world through my writing or teaching or something of the like, I am very happy with what I have been offered. And I am still changing the world, one diaper change at a time. And in my downtime I'll be able to start that novel I've been putting off...

Let me shift my focus onto the more serious things in life- Ice Cream. Not just any ice cream, the best ice cream in the world. Of course, it did not take me long to visit Toscanini's, a little ice cream/ coffee shop the New York Times voted "Best Ice Cream in the World." Toscanini's is also only about a four minute drive from my house, which may be more problematic than Target. The service was very friendly. I think the guy behind the counter let me try just about all of the thirty or so flavors...including Miso ice cream (think miso soup). Very interesting, but not bad at all. Anyone who can take a fishy, tofu-y, salty soup and turn it into ice cream is okay by my standards. After all my tiny-spoonful testers, I finally settled on one scoop of Coffee Graham Cracker Crunch and one scoop of Coconut. The coconut was a rich and creamy, nutty and sweet, with the perfect amount of shredded coconut mixed in. The coffee tasted of just-brewed java with crunchy bits of spicy Graham Cracker throughout. The two scoops were more than enough ice cream (although I licked my bowl clean) and it only cost me $5.10 (and I didn't even pay, thanks to my lovely BF). All in all it was a great experience I would recommend to anyone living in or visiting the Boston area. We also noticed a Brunch menu and a delicious array of coffee and espresso drinks, so I'll definitely return for more than just ice cream.

I also popped into the little cafe right next to my house today, just to take a look. And of course, walked out with a hefty lunch for me and my sweety. 2nd Street Cafe, appropriately named for it's 2nd Street location, offers a modest array of sandwiches, soups, salads, and even daily home-cooked specials. The sandwich I picked (typically) was called the Ten Dollar Sandwich and had everything but the kitchen sink in between two slices of fresh baked pumpernickel. Turkey, bacon, Dijon, veggies, yum, yum, yum. Their entire menu looked tempting. They also serve breakfast and a very affordable cup of coffee (I'll know where to go when I run out) so I'm sure I'll be back there too.

A friend and I once said, while traveling through Europe, that the way we see cities is we eat them. As funny as that may seem it is entirely true in my part. What better way to explore a new place than through their cuisine. I'm off to a great start in Boston and it's only just begun. Let's just hope I keep up the running and limit my ice cream intake to a bi-monthly basis.

That's all for now. We'll see where this next week takes me. Oh, and Go Broncos :) CIAO