Summer time and the (city) living's easy...

It has been incredibly hot a good part of July and we've been taking full advantage of walking everywhere and consuming icy beverages on the regular. There are so many things going on around Boston during the summer, it's hard to keep up. 

Two Saturdays ago, we headed down to WGBH headquarters - the local public television station that brought Julia Child to the world - for a local craft beer festival featuring food trucks from around the region. 

I always feel like I'm in the know when it comes to local beer, but I happily discovered a whole menagerie of nearby breweries I hadn't experienced before. My favorite discovery was Newburyport Brewing Company. A brand new brewer in one of my favorite little north shore cities, their Belgian White was extremely tasty with a crisp finish perfect for a hot summer night.

This past weekend, we had several visitors staying in our itty-bitty apartment that had taken on a resemblance to the surface of the sun in atmosphere. I love the heat but 110 degree heat index is a little much and we headed toward the water in search of cooler entertainment on the river.

The duck tours are a Boston original; the 'ducks' are amphibious WWII era vehicles that were used to get men and supplies from ships to the beach. Now a colorful fleet roams Boston as the only guided tour that covers both land and sea (well, river). 

That, my friends, is a duck.

After a quick spin around downtown, you splash down into the Charles River to take a look at the skyline and let the kiddies drive. The informational part of the tour is pretty typical if you are familiar with Boston, but the chance to 'drive' up the Charles is first class.

Supposedly, you can now swim in that. Not so sure.

City Series Boston: Codzilla

Boston is city with something for everyone. We've got history and art, sports and more sports, shopping and fine dining, wine and beer, mountains and ocean...the list goes on. If you get bored here, it's your own fault.

Living here for over three years, we never run out of things to do or see but we save up the really special things to try with visitors. So for my 27th birthday, with parents and brother & girlfriend in tow, we braved 'Codzilla":

A high power speed boat that careens you across Boston harbor, Codzilla is a thrill ride worthy of a family outing.  You get the typical theatrics of an amusement ride combined with 40 mile a hour jet boating complete with J turns and complete and utter soaking. Gentle enough for sturdy children and exciting enough for the rest of us, Codzilla is one of those 'one of a kind' Boston attractions that is sure to impress visitors and locals alike.  

 High speed pleasure cruising is always a good way to ring in my late 20's!

Aftermath (we're wetter than we look)

Check out a video of Codzilla in action here .


***City Series - interesting attractions and entertaining things to do in the cities I love: Boston, Montreal, NYC, Amsterdam, etc.

Snackles: Baked Macaroni & Cheese

Macaroni and cheese is a comfort food I denied myself for years, since dairy often equaled 'fattening' in my head. Nowadays I feel good feeding my woman tasty treats and she's most happy if I'm sharing, so everything in moderation. This is easy and so wonderful and makes great lunch the day after (if any survives that long).

Baked Macaroni & Cheese (adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens recipe)

2 cups cooked pasta (penne or fusili work well)

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

Black Pepper

1 1/4 cup milk (I always use skim, lactose-free since that's what we keep in the house)

2 cups shredded milk (A mix is best: this batch has colby jack, sharp cheddar, swiss & guyrere)

1/2 to 1 cup of cracker or bread crumbs (I used ritz)

A sprinkling of Parmesan cheese

1. Cook and drain the pasta.

2. While the pasta is cooking, melt butter completely and add flour and pepper; stir until well mixed.

3. Add the milk all at once and stir until it begins to thicken and bubble.

4. Add cheese and stir until completely melted and smooth.

5. Toss well drained pasta in cheese sauce, coating all pasta evenly.

6. Distribute cheesey pasta into a square 8"x8" glass baking pan.

7. Sprinkle crushed crackers or bread crumbs on top; add a dusting of parmesan for extra cheese goodness.

8. Place baking pan into a 375 degree oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the top of the dish has browned lightly and is bubbling.

And enjoy!

Final Product!

3 Things...

Drinks with a view

Friends from a far

Honeymoon pictures