Friday, May 18, 2012

Elephant and Castle

Loaded Beef Dip
Bangers and Mash (with mashed potatoes)

Elephant & Castle in Boston, connected to the Club Quarters hotel, was a mix of good and bad.

Let's start with the bad. It was close to 10 p.m. and we had just gotten in to Boston. The restaurant and bar, which is attached to the hotel we were staying in, is open late and the kitchen is open until midnight. This was ideal since we were tired and hungry and it was cold and windy outside.

However, when we entered the restaurant, there was a sign that asked patrons to wait to be seated. We waited for far too long to be even acknowledged by the hostess, let alone be seated at a table. From where we stood, we could see she was talking with one of the waitresses at a high top bar table and wasn't paying attention to the hostess stand.

After we were seated, I began timing our waitstaff, it took 7 minutes until our waitress approached the table and another 20 minutes from the time we ordered our meals until they were on the table.

When I ordered my bangers and mash, I had specifically asked for no baked beans (which it is typically served with) and asked for french fries instead. The entree was brought out with baked beans originally, though the issue was quickly remedied by the staff.

However, when our waitress brought the correct plate, she told us that she was sorry it was wrong but she didn't do it.

That said, lets get to the good stuff. When the right plate of food was brought out for me, the bangers and mash were delicious. Like, really, really good. The loaded beef dip sandwich was light on meat, but tasted good and the french onion soup was very good.

They also have a bar, where you can also order appetizers and entrees. The following night we swung by the bar for a drink. The bar has a nice beer selection and the bar staff was much more attentive. However, we also ordered a melon ball, which tasted like the bartender made it without vodka (it was more like fruit punch than a cocktail).

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Club Quarters, Boston



Centrally located in downtown Boston, the Club Quarters is an excellent choice for anyone who's planning a weekend in the city and want to have most activities within walking distance.  We found nothing in the North End of the city to be more than a 20 minute walk, but the hotel was in a quiet area of the city to allow for minimal street noise.

Upon arrival, we were greeted immediately by a member of the staff who helped us check in and gave us a full run down of the hotel's amenities.  We were put in Room 402 and it was a comfortable, moderately sized room that was well kept by housekeeping.  The only complaint about it was that the bathroom was quite small, but it isn't anything that would adversely affect your stay.

In the hallway right outside the elevator, there are also empty water bottles available to all guests along with a place to fill them with purified water, which I thought was a nice touch and was completely free.  They also have complimentary wi-fi, which actually had good speeds (which seems to be rare in hotels these days).

In the lobby area, there are computers for guests to use, as well as Keurig coffee machines.  This is definitely a hotel we'd recommend to anyone needing to stay in downtown Boston for either business or pleasure.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Museum of Science, Boston



On the Charles River is the Museum of Science in Boston.  We've been to various science museums around the country where they are solely designed with children in mind.  However, this museum will appeal to people of all ages.  There's numerous exhibits, from optical illusions to dinosaurs to space exploration and many others.  In addition to permanent exhibits, there are always changing temporary ones as well.  While we were there, these focused on Geckos and Bonsai trees.

While the museum is located a bit outside the main tourist area of Boston, it's well worth the walk (or train ride) to visit.  Several hours can be spent in this museum keeping you occupied and happy the whole time.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

New England Aquarium, Boston




Right on the Boston waterfront, not too far from where the Boston Tea Party took place, is the New England Aquarium.  This large building features many of the standard ocean life you'd expect in an aquarium.  The highlight are the penguins, which are in a large display in the middle of the building as soon as you walk in.  You can just lose track of time standing there watching these little guys, who seem to always be in constant feeding mode.

From there, you can head outside to see sea lions, who are always wandering about their pool area and have their own large crowd on a regular basis.  Inside, the building is arranged with a series of ramps going around the building to allow you to see all of the exhibits without missing any since they are arranged linearly.  In the center, there is also a gigantic tank filled with all sorts of sea life (our favorite being the giant turtle).  The really nice thing about it is you can get a view from the very top and then work your way down in a spiral to see it from many different angles.

This is definitely a great place to spend a few hours and is one of the better aquariums in the country we've been to.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Old South Meeting House



Along the Freedom Trail is the Old South Meeting House, which is the building where meetings took place to plan out the Boston Tea Party.  This building throughout its history has served as a meeting place for various topics that were considered revolutionary at the time, from fighting the British to declaring an end to slavery.  This is the type of place where Free Speech in America really took root.

When in the building, you'll be able to learn about the various types of causes which started in this very building as well as see some related artifacts.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Boston's Old State House



Right in the center of downtown Boston is the Old State House, which was the center of Boston life in the 1700s.  Lots of important moments in American history took place here, from the proclamation of the Declaration of Independence to the Boston Massacre.

Today, this building is across the street from the main Boston Historical Park Visitor's Center, where park rangers can help you plan your day in the city.  Inside, the Old State House has been converted to a museum giving visitors a complete history of the building in addition to many important facts about Boston and the role it played in the beginnings of the United States.  Various artifacts are also on display from the Revolutionary War days including Tea from the famous Boston Tea Party.

Whether or not you're a history buff, this is definitely a building all visitors to Boston should spend at least a little time in.