Mini TR for another Boston Road Trip - updated Nov 22

[KathyM2]

That worked out well. Is that why she drove? Or did it just turn out that way?

Absolutely! She drove because she knew she probably wouldn't be able to help much with the unloading and unpacking, so the driving part made most sense. Also, added bonus, she is from Europe where they all drive like maniacs and don't follow any road rules so the Boston driving didn't bother her as much as it bothered me lol

It sounds good... hope it turns out to be, too.

Yes, so far so good. My son's classes are really small and the profs seem really involved.

 

[pkondz]

Absolutely! She drove because she knew she probably wouldn't be able to help much with the unloading and unpacking, so the driving part made most sense. Also, added bonus, she is from Europe where they all drive like maniacs and don't follow any road rules so the Boston driving didn't bother her as much as it bothered me lol

Yes, so far so good. My son's classes are really small and the profs seem really involved.

Good to hear.

 

[KathyM2]

Finishing up this TR if anyone is still reading...

Sunday Sept 5 - my DS was all moved into his dorm. It was unclear whether or not we'd see him again before we left town...I had hopes...but did not know for sure!! I find it works better with teenagers (at least mine anyway) if you make things optional....

Anyway...this day was earmarked by my son's school for more family orientation activities - but the parents and kids activities were separate and they did encourage us to say our goodbyes the day before. The school instructed us to go to a nearby AMC movie theatre that they had rented out for the occasion. I think they actually handled this very well covid-wise. They had a number of theatres and divided everyone up by last name so that each theatre was not too crowded and we could easily space ourselves out. They had different speakers from different administrative areas of the school come in and speak and then the speakers rotated so that the audience did not have to move around. It worked out really well. I continued to be very impressed with this school and felt really good that it was the right choice for my son. It may not be Ivey league, but I think it's a really good place for him. Just the right size and the right environment. (now it's a month into classes and I still feel this way so that's something!)

After the parent sessions were over, I left in search of lunch. One of my fave American chains is Shake Shack and I had not had a chance to indulge yet on this trip so I headed over there to get some food! My fave thing there is their cheese fries!! The Best. They were open to indoor dining but it felt too busy to me and while I love Shake Shack I don't think the atmosphere is worthy of my first covid indoor dining experience, so I got my order to go and took it back to my hotel room where I could enjoy some trashy TV with my meal! I lounged around a bit and also started to gather up my stuff and start to get packed because we would be checking out the next morning to begin the drive home.

We had one more family dinner planned in Boston area with family in Cambridge. I decided to leave a little early and took the T out there. My mom and her brother and partner took an Uber and met us there. We had a great dinner and then my DS showed up after dinner for a quick visit! I was thrilled to get to see him again and grill him about how he was liking his dorm and roommate so far! So overall a pretty good day!

 

[pkondz]

Finishing up this TR if anyone is still reading...

I find it works better with teenagers (at least mine anyway) if you make things optional....

Ya don't say...

They had a number of theatres and divided everyone up by last name so that each theatre was not too crowded and we could easily space ourselves out

Oh! Clever.

They had different speakers from different administrative areas of the school come in and speak and then the speakers rotated so that the audience did not have to move around.

Even more clever. Very clever.

(now it's a month into classes and I still feel this way so that's something!)

Good!

One of my fave American chains is Shake Shack

Never been... but it's on my list!

My fave thing there is their cheese fries!! The Best.

Thanks for the tip.

took it back to my hotel room where I could enjoy some trashy TV with my meal!

That's the best way anyways!

 

[KathyM2]

Thanks for the tip.

Yes if you do make it to Shake Shack, my other fave item is the purple cow - grape pop with vanilla ice cream! If you like floats...it's pretty tasty ...but it's almost a dessert so I don't usually get it with a meal, just on it's own lol

 

[pkondz]

Yes if you do make it to Shake Shack, my other fave item is the purple cow - grape pop with vanilla ice cream! If you like floats...it's pretty tasty ...but it's almost a dessert so I don't usually get it with a meal, just on it's own lol

oooohhhh.... Yes please! (love floats)

 

[alohamom]

Oh my goodness, I just found this TR!
@KathyM2 I wish I had seen this sooner, we kind of went through the same thing at the same time with taking my daughter to school at UMass.

I am actually flying down in a couple of weeks to stay a few days with her and I fly into Boston Logan.
I rented a car but I am NOT looking forward to the drive out of the city!

I hope you son is adjusting well and that the borders open soon so road trips can happen

 

[KathyM2]

Oh my goodness, I just found this TR!
@KathyM2 I wish I had seen this sooner, we kind of went through the same thing at the same time with taking my daughter to school at UMass.

Hey Welcome!! Would love to hear more about your travels too!! My son considered UMass Boston too!! How is your daughter liking it? I think he wanted to be right in the middle of Boston and that is why he chose Suffolk, but UMass looked great!

 

[KathyM2]

I am actually flying down in a couple of weeks to stay a few days with her and I fly into Boston Logan.
I rented a car but I am NOT looking forward to the drive out of the city!

I hope you son is adjusting well and that the borders open soon so road trips can happen

Hey when are you going down? I'm flying to Boston Logan on Oct 18, visiting with family for a few days and then Suffolk Weekend with my son on the 22-24. But NOT renting a car no way lol...the tunnel was the worst part!! Is your daughter coming home for US Thanksgiving? We are trying to avoid having our son come home because for 4 days it's a lot of hoops to jump through with covid testing etc...I think someone will go visit him there instead...

 

[alohamom]

Hey when are you going down? I'm flying to Boston Logan on Oct 18, visiting with family for a few days and then Suffolk Weekend with my son on the 22-24. But NOT renting a car no way lol...the tunnel was the worst part!! Is your daughter coming home for US Thanksgiving? We are trying to avoid having our son come home because for 4 days it's a lot of hoops to jump through with covid testing etc...I think someone will go visit him there instead...

OMG! I am flying down on Oct 17th!
She talked about coming home for American Thanksgiving but then she decided she wants to Black Friday shop LOL so I may actually fly down again to go with her. I know these days it is probably not worth it but the time together sure is. If the border opens up I will drive down for sure.

 

[KathyM2]

OMG! I am flying down on Oct 17th!
She talked about coming home for American Thanksgiving but then she decided she wants to Black Friday shop LOL so I may actually fly down again to go with her. I know these days it is probably not worth it but the time together sure is. If the border opens up I will drive down for sure.

How long are you staying? Where in Canada are you from? (I am in Toronto but you may have read that in my TR)

 

[alohamom]

How long are you staying? Where in Canada are you from? (I am in Toronto but you may have read that in my TR)

I am only staying for a few days and I am from the west side of the GTA as well. I think we are actually pretty close, I am in Halton Hills.
I saw that you guys enjoyed Boston Chops while you were settling your son in.
Are there any other places near Logan that you suggest to eat?
My daughter and I were thinking we might eat dinner in Boston after my flight but before we head back to Umass Amherst.

 

[Melissa Perez]

I found out that there is a big contest over whose Cannolis are better but the two places that keep coming up are Mike's and Modern Pastry. I found Mike's first so I decided to go there.

Next time you should try Bova's on Salem Street. Those have been my favorite and it's a bit less touristy.

 

[Melissa Perez]

I am only staying for a few days and I am from the west side of the GTA as well. I think we are actually pretty close, I am in Halton Hills.
I saw that you guys enjoyed Boston Chops while you were settling your son in.
Are there any other places near Logan that you suggest to eat?
My daughter and I were thinking we might eat dinner in Boston after my flight but before we head back to Umass Amherst.

Would suggest the Seaport for a meal - there are lots of options (Temezcal, Legal Harborside Floor 1 and Eddie Merlot's are favorites depending on what food you're looking for) and it is easier to drive/park than downtown crossing, for example.

 

[KathyM2]

Next time you should try Bova's on Salem Street. Those have been my favorite and it's a bit less touristy.

Thanks!! I will for sure!! One thing I found a bit annoying is that all these places are cash only...during Covid...the cannolis are certainly worth getting cash for but...I rarely carry any so it's a special ATM stop!

 

[KathyM2]

I am only staying for a few days and I am from the west side of the GTA as well. I think we are actually pretty close, I am in Halton Hills.
I saw that you guys enjoyed Boston Chops while you were settling your son in.
Are there any other places near Logan that you suggest to eat?
My daughter and I were thinking we might eat dinner in Boston after my flight but before we head back to Umass Amherst.

Hey that's great! Maybe our trips to Boston will coordinate in future lol. Yes, Boston Chops was fantastic for a special dinner, not cheap though!! This next trip I'm hoping to go to Legal Seafood because I hear that's a Boston must do lol..

 

[alohamom]

Would suggest the Seaport for a meal - there are lots of options (Temezcal, Legal Harborside Floor 1 and Eddie Merlot's are favorites depending on what food you're looking for) and it is easier to drive/park than downtown crossing, for example.

Oh perfect, thank you!

 

[KathyM2]

On with the neverending TR......

Monday Sept 6 - this was our departure day...for the uncertain road trip back to Toronto from Boston! I say "uncertain" because...even though I had researched extensively how this would go...during covid times...you can never be sure exactly how things will work out...and of course...same with life in general, but moreso now!

We checked out of our downtown Boston hotel and packed up the car - which thankfully now had a nice and empty trunk!! Our plan was to head out to Cambridge one has time for a breakfast/brunch with the remaining family there before leaving the area entirely and heading West and back home! How we ever did road trips before GPS and apps...I have no idea. Well I do...but I'm glad that I was not the one driving usually in those days...man. Trying to navigate while driving, especially at night...I don't know how anyone ever got where they were going! But I digress. We made it back to Cambridge with relatively little trouble though the streets were a bit windy and confusing but Google did the trick.

We were back at my mom's brother's grandson and his wife's place...I am not sure if you'd call them second cousins? Or I guess my nephew? Anyway...family. They had picked up some pastries and coffee which hit the spot before the start of our long journey home. My DS did not join as he was just getting into things with dorm life and we had already said our goodbyes the night before. After a good visit and food, we decided to hit the road in the early afternoon. Finding the freeway was a little confusing but thankfully because of our visit to Cambridge, we managed to avoid driving through the dreaded tunnel of doom!! Once on the freeway, it was pretty smooth sailing except for one or two wrong turns while trying to find Sonic for a pit stop!! That's another one of my must have's when on road trips in the US lol..get this Sonic...was out of ICE!! Isn't that the thing they are known for??? Ugh. I still got my raspberry unsweet tea with lime, but it wasn't the same without the ice lol.

Anyway...after that we headed on our way to our pit stop for the night in Syracuse. We stayed at the Springill Suites in Syracuse which was right off the highway. We sought out the nearest Olive Garden and picked up some takeout. We were actually going to try dining in but with an hour's wait....it was gonna be takeout in the room. Again...all the better to watch trash TV! Not a bad start to the journey home! The hotel was clean and comfortable. My only complaint was that the staff were not wearing masks even though they were supposed to. This covid scared Canadian was not impressed.

 

[pkondz]

this was our departure day...for the uncertain road trip back to Toronto from Boston! I say "uncertain" because...even though I had researched extensively how this would go...during covid times...you can never be sure exactly how things will work out

Oh, I know... I know!

We checked out of our downtown Boston hotel and packed up the car - which thankfully now had a nice and empty trunk!!

You didn't stock up???

How we ever did road trips before GPS and apps...I have no idea.

Oh, Lord. I remember too.
And... funny thing is, now I have no idea what roads I've been on anymore.
I used to be "I took I95 to the 433 and then south on the expressway to Garvin road."

Now it's "I have no idea. I turned when I was told to."

We were back at my mom's brother's grandson and his wife's place...I am not sure if you'd call them second cousins?

Apparently not.
You mom's brother is your uncle. His son is your cousin. His son (your uncle's grandson) is your first cousin once removed.

I just learned this.

we managed to avoid driving through the dreaded tunnel of doom!!

Crisis averted!

That's another one of my must have's when on road trips in the US lol..get this Sonic...was out of ICE!! Isn't that the thing they are known for???

No idea!

We were actually going to try dining in but with an hour's wait....it was gonna be takeout in the room. Again...all the better to watch trash TV!

So... a win?

My only complaint was that the staff were not wearing masks even though they were supposed to. This covid scared Canadian was not impressed.

Huh. If that was mandatory, I'm very surprised they weren't doing that.

 

[KathyM2]

You didn't stock up???

Not YET my friend...but I would before the border crossing!!

Oh, Lord. I remember too.
And... funny thing is, now I have no idea what roads I've been on anymore.
I used to be "I took I95 to the 433 and then south on the expressway to Garvin road."

I vaguely remember trying to memorize the steps for directions to somewhere, but then having to stop and pull over to look at a map again (maybe more than once) before getting where I was going. And totally hear you - people say "oh did you take I-95?" And I'm all "ummm maybe? I went West I think for 72 miles?"

Apparently not.
You mom's brother is your uncle. His son is your cousin. His son (your uncle's grandson) is your first cousin once removed.

I just learned this.

Wow, thanks! I just learned this too!! So next time I see him I can say "hey cuz once removed" lol...doesn't have a great ring to it but...it will have to do lol

Huh. If that was mandatory, I'm very surprised they weren't doing that.

Yes I was pretty shocked they weren't masked up too. It's one thing for the people working in the rest stop in the middle of nowhere to have maybe removed their masks...but a decent hotel chain in Syracuse? I was not impressed. When we checked in I was hoping it was just a one off, but then the next morning when we checked out...same thing..no masks...ugh. Come to think of it...I meant to write a bad review on them somewhere...have to get around to that!