You Must Do Boston! What a delightful city!I’ve never spent any time in Boston until now, and I cannot wait to make plans to return. Boston is a charming, beautiful city and chock full of fascinating history, fabulous restaurants and fun shopping.

We stayed at a wonderful hotel – XV Beacon – smack dab in the center of everything you want to see in Boston. The boutique hotel only has about 65 rooms, and they’re stylishly appointed and very comfortable. 24 hour room service and a wonderful hotel restaurant and bar called Moo. Another incredibly convenient and nice feature- the hotel provides a Lexus with a driver for its guests’ use.

When we travel it’s all about the food – we plan almost everything around the restaurants we want to try. Boston did not disappoint.

Some of our faves

Neptune Oyster

Our absolute favorite restaurant. This is a TINY bustling place. At least a dozen different varieties of raw oysters and of course, clams too. The mussels in saffron with Spanish chorizo were hands down the best mussels I’ve ever had. The clam chowder was loaded with tender clams – very good. I cold write a book on the food here. The ‘piggy back’ appetizers with tender veal and a fried oyster were to die for.

The piéce d’résistance was the Lobster Caprese – succulent, tender lobster with buffalo mozzarella, pesto and heirloom tomatoes – incredible. We enjoyed a Domaine Tempier Rose from Bandol with this fabulous meal.

Prezza

Modern Italian menu. Loved the gorgonzola stuffed figs wrapped in pancetta. The crispy phyllo-wrapped shrimp were good too. The best dish we had was a hand made corn stuffed ravioli with a delicious cream sauce made with fresh corn and rock shrimp. A Gary Farrell chardonnay went nicely.

Vinoteca de Monica

The handmade cheese ravioli were served in a chicken broth- these were incredible! The handmade linguini with parmesan and shaved truffles was also very good…even though truffles weren’t in season. We shared a delightful Ceretto Barolo – bravissimo!

Even more to love about Boston

Another good seafood restaurant we liked for lunch was B & G. Good selection of raw oysters and a nicely done lobster roll.

We had some wonderful sushi at Oishi – creative, very fresh rolls. Loved the Toro Truffle Maki! A bottle of Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc matched nicely.

For coffee – head to the Italian North End! Vittoria’s mocha latte was delicious.

The North End is a delightful area that is home to more than 80 restaurants, most of them Italian. We found a nice wine shop that boasts an extensive collection of Italian wines called V. Cirace & Son, Inc. The French and American wines were also nicely represented, but if you’re into Italian, you’ll enjoy Cirace.

Ok, yes there’s more to Boston than food. The Freedom Trail is a must do while you’re there. The beautiful walking route takes you to some of this country’s most historic landmarks tied to the American Revolution. You’ll see the statehouse where Samuel Adams delivered the speech that gave a secret signal that launched the Boston Tea Party.

Also, the site of the Boston Tea Party, Boston Massacre, John Hancock’s house and much, much more. We thoroughly enjoyed the trail. Also nice was the ferry ride that explains the significant events that took place in the Boston Harbor – there were many.

Walking in Boston is delightful. There are a number of lovely neighborhoods and some nice shopping to be had…don’t miss Newbury Rd and the Back Bay area.

Also lovely is the Boston Common – a giant park with a sprawling lake home to a number of ducks and elegant swans. Large weeping willow trees dot the shore making the entire venue look like something out of a painting. A walk through this park on a beautiful day will make you forget you ever had a stressful moment.

I love New York, but Boston is right up there with it. What a special place!