KDHamptons Travel Diary: Boston Strong

In honor of this wonderful day in Boston I wanted to share my KDHamptons Boston Travel Diary that was posted this past May! If you love fashion, beauty, home decor, and traveling I don’t know why you are still here, head over to KDHamptons.com!!

Coleen, Brii and I on Beacon Street cheering on runners the morning of the marathon.

This week I received a NEW KDHamptons Travel Diary from KDH intern, Marie Goldstein [above right]. Marie has been on my mind over the past month as she is a college student at Boston University, and I knew that she attends the Boston Marathon each year. I am so happy to hear Marie is in good spirits and heading home to the Hamptons to rejoin our team. Welcome back Marie! Check out Marie’s KDHamptons Boston Travel Diary below:

Boston is such a special place….not everybody can say they see this outside their bedroom window

Marie shares: Three years ago I decided to take my first four-year vacation to the historical and beautiful city of Boston. This vacation is also known as “college”. As a New York native, and a lifelong summer Hamptonite, Boston was a new, exciting adventure and three years later I definitely haven’t run out of things to do just yet.

In light of the Marathon bombings and the subsequent city lockdown, it gave me time to reflect on how amazing this city is and the lifestyle that I have adapted to. Marathon Monday is a day Bostonians live for [especially us college students] we tracked the weather for weeks in advance, we sipped our mimosas surrounded by friends, and cheered on strangers to the finish line. The day truly started off perfectly. When my friends and I heard about the bombs which they were referring to as “explosions” we didn’t really know what to think. I remember thinking about how I was going to get out of Boston and get home.

As we started to walk home, we couldn’t believe we were ending Marathon Monday at 3:00pm. but as ambulances raced through my campus we realized we needed to be in front of a TV. As we huddled around the television in my apartment I got a swift flashback to my family sitting in front of the TV after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, I looked around and realized that the people surrounding me have become my family in Boston and this was comforting. It was a quiet night in Boston and my walk to my 8 am lecture the next day was eerie, but Boston tried to return back to normalcy as soon as possible. Until of course that Thursday night when I watched the car chase from my apartment window after hearing there was shooting at MIT which is rather close to BU.

That night was sleepless as sirens rung in my head and blue and red lights lit up my bedroom. I was attached to the twitter feeds telling everyone what was going on. That Friday, we were on lockdown, and I literally sat in the same spot all day watching the news. Don’t tell my parents, but this is when I felt like I could live in Boston after college, what other city in the country would shut everything down to make sure it’s people were safe? When the police finally caught the bombing suspect, the streets flooded with college students to give thanks to the hard working BPD, perhaps it is the New Yorker in me living in fear, but I didn’t leave my apartment to party with the rest of Boston. It wasn’t until I returned back to my internship a few weeks after in Copley Square [the finish line] where I realized that Boston is truly, defiantly resilient. The restaurants were packed and the shops were crowded and everyone was happy and felt safe….Below are just a few of the reasons why I love this city so much:

My sister Tiffany and I enjoying the Head of The Charles Regatta!

This picture is taken on one of our favorite days in Boston, The Head of the Charles Regatta. This is when universities and professionals come from all over the world to row crew down the lovely Charles River. This past Regatta by little sister came to visit!

Other than the Head of the Charles there are some Boston staples that are a must on every tourist list: One being, The Game. Yes, I’m talking about Harvard vs. Yale! Any Harvard football game is a good time but if you are traveling in the fall, definitely try to see this legendary game. This year I attended with some of my sorority sisters [below].

Brooke, Coleen, Lindsay and I tailgating at The Game 2012!

Sigma Kappa Girls cheering on Harvard

Harvard vs. Yale Style Guide: Colored Pants (preferably Crimson!), a vest or sweater, and your favorite scarf. Of course you must pray months in advance for good weather!

My Best Friend Coleen and I sporting some Crimson!

Second on the list of must-do list in Boston is shopping and dining on Newbury Street. Newbury is a charming brick street with unique boutiques as well as our favorites. After a long day of shopping I suggest dinner at Stephanie’s on Newbury (American Cuisine), Tapeo (Tapas), and Piattni (panini’s to die for). If you are just grabbing brunch definitely go to Trident Booksellers Café!

Tapeo Restaurant & Tapa Bar

Trident Booksellers Cafe

If you are looking for somewhere a little more formal and special. I would recommend the Top of the Hub restaurant. This is the restaurant at the top of the highest building in Boston, the Prudential Center. I was lucky enough to have dinner at Top of the Hub earlier this year and the view was breathtaking.

The view from Top of the Hub

If you are wondering where to stay there should be no doubt in your mind about staying at the Hotel Commonwealth.The Hotel Commonwealth is in the middle of Kenmore Square which is a short walk from Newbury street and only a few blocks away from Fenway Park! I have stayed at the Hotel Commonwealth many times and I am never disappointed, from the delicious restaurants Island Creek Oyster Bar and Eastern Standard to the welcoming Bostonian atmosphere you definitely don’t want to be staying anywhere else. If you are lucky you may even have a few of Fenway from your suite!

Lobby of Hotel Commonwealth

Hotel Commonwealth Suites

Speaking of Fenway Park, I know us Hamptonites are usually Yankee fans and can’t stand the Red Sox but Fenway Park is so much more. If you want to escape the craziness of the city all you have to do is step into the “Green Monster” and suddenly you are have traveled to Baseball heaven. If you know nothing about baseball (like me) at least you are experiencing history in one of the best stadiums in American History!

Cory and I at a Red Sox game!

Lastly, one event you can’t miss in Boston is the Boston Marathon. This is the happiest day of the year and for Bostonian’s it is called “Patriots Day.” The style guide of the Boston Marathon is either, American themed or your favorite marathon running attire [even if you aren’t actually running the marathon]. This is a day of pure joy rooting your friends, family, and strangers to the finish line complete with morning mimosas, and rooftop soirées.