Sportello

There's a lot of amazing lunch spots in the Fort Point neighborhood (or Waterfront, or Innovation District, whichever it's being called that week), and it seems like something new and trendy is popping up every day. Between these options and the food trucks parked up and down the Greenway, I could eat at a different place everyday for a month. Sometimes a girl can get overwhelmed with options, and I always end up back to my original favorite, Sportello.

Picture courtesy of Sportello's website.

Opened by Barbara Lynch, Sportello is a take on a classic counter-service diner. There are no tables, you sit wherever you fit. The menu is incredible, pasta's and panini's made basically in front of you, but I go for their lunch box.

Ah, the joys of being an Aimee.

The lunch box is take out only, and not the least expensive option around, but it's never disappointing. For $11.00 (plus tax), you get a drink, a chocolate chip cookie, your choice of homemade chips or popcorn and a SANDWICH (all caps necessary). I got there late today, so I had to pick from the runts, but I will take it. They have a bunch of standard options every day as well as a special. I cannot tell you what they are, because I always get the same thing. Roasted eggplant and peppers with tapenade and fresh mozzarella. I go in with every intention of trying something new but.... anyway. 

Unf- the universal sound of Get In My Belly.

To be honest, eating a Sportello lunch box is an all afternoon affair for me, so getting the runt was probably a good thing. The cookies are rich and insanely decadent. 

I forgot to snap a pic until after I bit in.

I always sneak in a little extra...

Guilty pleasure, but so worth it.

If you're in the neighborhood, I highly recommend you stop in. Be prepared to wait in line, and don't be disappointed if your first choice is out. You'll just have to go back. Someday I'll do a post on their cupcakes... Enjoy!

Sportello   348 Congress St   Boston, MA 02210

617.737.1234

Book Hooked

Are you a reader? I'm a Reader. I can devour entire books in one sitting. I stay up past my bedtime to finish just one more chapter. I can remember the first time a book truly came alive for me. I was reading The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by the hallway light while sitting in the doorway of my bedroom, way past my bedtime. I remember being so nervous for the Pevensie children, fighting the White Witch, and when she had Aslan on the table? I thought my 6 year old heart would break. I've been book hooked ever since.

This book. THIS BOOK. I loved it. The story follows 3 family members through all sorts of mediums, emails, letters, newspaper clippings and first hand accounts. The general story follows Bee, the daughter of two eccentric geniuses- a sock sporting computer guru father, and a architect mother. Bee gets perfect grades and insists on a trip to Antarctica. Things unravel from there, culminating in the disappearance of her mother, Bernadette. This book made me laugh, made me cry, made me righteous on Bernadette's behalf, and had me routing for the family as a whole. It's delightful, highly recommend.

Yes, this is a young adult book. I love young adult books. As someone who doesn't always have the time to dive into a long book (I've been 'reading' Sarum for about 4 months), young adult books are perfect. This book centers around 3 children in Victorian England, one wealthy girl with a terrible secret and two street urchins dependent on a puppet master. The children get drawn into a decades old feud between rival witches over a spectacular firey opal. It resolved itself a little too neatly, but overall the story kept my attention and was engaging. Quick, fun read.

I'm on to The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag, a sequel to The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (highly recommended) and Sharp Objects, Gillian Flynn's first novel. I'll report back. What have you recently read and loved?

Lunchtime stroll

It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood, so I decided to stretch my legs and go for a stroll...

The Greenway extends from Dewey Square all the way down into the North End. It's beautiful.

You can almost forget you're in the city. Until you look up.

I slipped through by the Intercontinental Hotel and cut over to Congress Street to walk past my new favorite spot.

I still haven't actually BEEN to the museum, but I'll get there. Today I was greeted by another site floating right next to the museum...

A mini pirate ship. Arg! Back to work!

Sunday

I'm tuckered out. I feel like I have been running since Thursday morning. All good things- birthday rafting trip with J, luau party with friends, and today a horse jumping show with Sarah. Here's a few unedited pictures from the weekend to wet your whistle for the week's blog posts...

"I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it's the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It's probably the most important thing in a person."

Audrey Hepburn

Harvard Yard

Last week J and I spent the night in Cambridge. Cambridge, and Harvard Square in particular, are special to us. When we first started dating he was doing a lot of work down around town, so most of our dates happened there. It was perfect, both of us where already slightly out of our element, no one had an advantage or felt more comfortable. Now we're old hats, with our favorite places and things to do. Something we've never done is wander around Harvard Yard together.

It's such an amazing place, steeped in history. As soon as you step through the gates you could be anywhere in the world. The city disappears.

Taken from the inside looking out.

The Yard is open to all. Chairs are strewn about to make lounging and reading more inviting. 

This young lady was my favorite. Look how well read her book is!

Don't forget to rub John's toe!

After wandering around for a bit and laughing at J trying to apply his high school Latin to some of the plaques and carvings, we headed to Charlie's for a beer. It's not fancy, but it's cheap and fun.

Good night, Harvard...

FREEDOM!

Fun fact about me: I've never seen Braveheart. I think I've made it about 15 minutes in a couple of times, but nothing beyond that. I'm cool with it. I hope we're still friends.

This is not a post about my lack of seeing Mel Gibson in a kilt, this is a post about a little town in New Hampshire called Freedom. It's a bit like stepping back in time. All the locals know each other, the ladies in the church all sew together, everyone says hello when you walk down the street. It's lovely. My family has a house on a lake in Freedom. My brother lives in Freedom. My uncle has a house in Freedom. I was almost born in Freedom. We go back, Freedom and my family.

Every year they have Freedom Old Home Week, and to kick it off there's a parade. Hang out with my mom long enough and she'll be happy to tell you that the ONLY parade she has ever missed is from 1980- the year I was born. I haven't lived that down.

The incredibly talented sign holder on the right is my niece.

The parade itself is a jumble of things, fife and drum bands, community bands, camps, town clubs, animals, antique cars. Any and all can enter, and everyone gets a ribbon. At the end of each parade come the fire trucks, my favorite. Since the town is so small, the parade goes down main street, turns around and comes back. A parade so nice, you have to see it twice! While they are turning around a band plays and people mill around and say hello.

My parents and my littlest nephew.

Everyone scrambles to get back into their spots to watch the excitement one more time...

OK,maybe it IS a post about kilts.

My other nephew. Handsome devil.

Shriners!

It's a lovely day in a lovely town.