HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Well now, how do I start to explain the best week so far of my time here in America?

This week I ventured down to stay with a good friend and her family in New Jersey. Because, apparently, thanksgiving is somewhat a BIGdeal out here. … .. no it really is! It’s almost as big, or maybe even bigger than Christmas cerebrations! Especially for my American family, who are Jewish.  I started the first few days of my week, in New Jersey, we celebrated Thanksgiving over two days with both sides of the family. Eating, eating and more excellent extravagant eating. Pumpkin party.. I had pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie, pumpkin beer, pumpkin candy and we even had a pumpkin car smelly in the car. I wasn’t complaining as its yum-EEEE. Meeting all of Michelle’s family was a true delight, everyone was very welcoming and I felt completely at home amongst there company, it was a true refresher from my Boston working days.  We watched the Macys parade (feeling American) whilst whipping up fresh cream, working for our foody pleasures, and I finished my cranachan dish in which I took to surprise the Americans with some Scottish desserts; tablet, shortbread and cranachan. (im such a domestic goddess, thank you)

Enjoying an evening as a family we reminisced over Michelle’s dazzling past, being such an involved valedictorian in high school I took delight in watching her acting skills shine like the brightest star on her high school stage. Lights, Camera, ACTION! Tired and hitting food comma statuses, we headed out at 11pm like bloated turkeys we just ate.. to a new jersey mall for me to experience the real deal of Thanksgiving Day shopping: it was great to be pondering around a true UsA mall, how local have I become! I never bought much but a precious little solver ring which will always remind me of my great week spent with my DuBow family in New Jersey at Thanksgiving.  This led us onto another day, in another state. NYC was the destination, shopping, exploring and the rockettes was the plan for the day and I loved experiencing my first day in the BIG APPLE with my American sister, Michelle. NEW YORK truly is a great city, I can see why people feel lonely yet feel like they can reach any opportunity and limelight if they so search for it and try to make themselves as famous as possible. Ellens stardust diner, thank you the DuBows for introducing me into this wonderful Broadway to be diner. As I sat eating delicious diner delights, I received a personal song for my 20^th birthday which was in two days, I cannot thank mummy DuBow enough for organizing my serenade! We put our names on confetti at the times square museum, for them to be blown out to the crowds during the ball drop of New years 2013, how exciting! Leaving my name in NYC!! Exhausted from how wonderful wondering around the big city we headed home (a twenty minute drive!) how amazing to be able to just pop into NYC for the day, as for me back home it’s a massive thing to plan and afford your long-haul flight across the Atlantic to explore the delights of NYC. .. . forever reminded how fortunate I am to be able to experience this grand year in the United States of America.

My last day ended with a true American diner with my American family and their family friends, pancakes pancakes, more pancakes and some syrup was served up and our bellies soon were bellowing- ready for the commute back to Boston. After a long delay in the Newark station, and meeting an inspiring (and slightly too chatty) staff member in the station, we bussed it back to Boston catching up on work to-dos and getting our productive modes back on. No rest for the wicked, want it- get it.

If you are reading, DuBows- thank you, thank you, thank YOU all for the wonderful past days in the states, I had a GOBBLE good time!

Please follow this link to see my lovely birthday song: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152306933500179&l=8375556036123534060

MagazineMARVELS

The inquisitive moment when someone unexpectedly tags you in a post on Facebook….  To my surprise I had been printed in the UKs NO.1 magazine.  My last full day in the UK I spent at Ayr race course, celebrating my year ahead in style at the Sunday race day!

By this time in present I had actually completely forgotten about being ‘papped’ with my close friend Gillian Sharpe, a Glasgow school of art student.   This weekend from the arrival of Daniel I received the Scottish magazine, and now have my own copy to marvel at.

Kindly I was also introduced to the free Boston magazine called ‘Improper Bostonian’ at work when someone had nicely gave me a copy.  Its an insight of all the events, reviews and news on entertainment and activities happening around Boston.  Through reading during lunch I’ve learned some more truths on the ‘dreaded’ Revere Beach, and came to the conclusion that I must try salsa classes and they are so frequent and free to attend it’d be pure rude not to join in! cha-cha-chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

CADBURYSandClothes

Its Friday, which can only mean one (free) thing in Boston at summer – its Free Friday Flicks!  Last night we watched Kung Fu Panda 2, which was very cartoon childish but fun! 

Beforehand I had the lovely pleasure of becoming a tour guide once again as another Scottish visitor was arriving to bonnie’Boston.  Daniel a work friend from my part-time occupation in Scotland was returning in the U.S this summer to volunteer for two weeks at his summer amp that he worked as a lifeguard the previous year.  Emphasis on his exhuasted’ness, kind Daniel arrived at my workplace after his lovely long haul flight with a suitcase pour moi!

I could not be any more thankful for him doing such a kind thing!  In appreciating for my suitcase and to welcome Daniel once again to Boston I and my roommates made Daniel a chicken stir-fry for dinner before heading out to the esplanade.

Tonight we didn’t make the mistake of arriving late and lost and arrived just after 7pm easily tracking down Anthony and his fortress of basking blankets and bags of candies!  We lay in the humid hot hazy Hatchshell watching the movie,  it was a nice evening, which ended sadly as we were saying goodbye to Anthony as he prepares to leave in two days to fly to Germany to complete his co-op until Christmas.  Although I've only known Anthony for a short time, as of anyone else here in America I couldn’t be more happier to have grown a friendship with such an intriguing interesting friendly character.  I wish him all the best on his working adventure and hope his experience in Germany will be as great as mine has been so far here in Boston, MA.

On a chirpier note as I type this up I’m enjoying some Cadburys chocolate which Daniel gave me.  It was smooth, silky and creamy! MMMMM how I love (Scottish) CHOCOLATE!

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This week my Scottish family grew one larger becoming now three.  Katie Masheter arrived with a broken bulky bag, droopy eyes, hazy tired head but still beaming her smile and chirpy personality.  Arriving at work, I contained my utter GLEE as much as possible hugging her like a sister, she’s here- IN BOSTON.

Becoming a tour guide for the 2^nd time, we met with the marvellous Molly after I finished work and headed to home, sweet home.  It’s quite surreal having now two close friends staying with me in the states.  I really don’t feel like I’m 3325 miles away from home as I have my happy homely housemates with me.

On Tuesday we wined (Irn Bru) and dined at the only Scottish themes restaurant in the whole of new England called The Haven JP.  Surprisingly and very luckily it so happened to be the night of a Scottish charity night, hosted by the ‘Saltire foundation’.  The Haven graciously squeezed the 8 of us into the event allowing the ‘3 Scottish and 5 Americans’ enjoy the evening of Scottish poetry and songs.  We even slyly won the Scottish quiz though we weren’t included in the draw as understandably we weren’t event members and being Scottish helped answer the questions!  We all dived into the scrumptious cuisine being that of Haggis, scotch eggs, fried mars bars and washed it down with the Scottish fizzy pop drink being IrnBRU!  Overall a proper pure dead brilliant wee night out, CHEARS!

Tasty travels and treats.

 ‘Living for the weekend’ suites pretty well with my schedule these days.  Works faaaabulous, having a routine of Monday – Friday 830 – 430.  When it comes to the weekend we try to make the most of our two precious days off our week.    This weekend we decided to take a wander round Harvard Ave, which coincidently  we HAD to go to as we had difficulties setting up our TV and Internet packages, leading us to the customer service branch for a consultation with a pro- which resulted in a lovely long conversation and Internet and Cable for our apartment- YAY!.   … . Whilst exploring we stumbled upon cardboard boxes on the pavement stacked high with old used books which were being given away for free.  We could not walk past something free- and walked away from the stressed boxes with multiple freebie books ranging from books which I’d rather not name to historical and geographical guides which will come in handy for our year in America.   

 Before the TV dilemma we had no other plans today than ‘buy pins’ hoping that Staples- the stationery store just a snail paces 20 minute stroll away would supply..  so molly and I headed out towards Harvard Ave and got our pins, which would allow us to pin up our newly bought marvellous wall maps.  From there we decided to check out places Molly had found researching online offering selected new and used items with a stylish yet funky vintage dress aura- called Buffalo Exchange.  ( http://www.buffaloexchange.com/ )

I found these two pairs of shoes amongst the many glorious unique items which were bought at a bargain- we happily left after the rummaging and browsing bouncing down the street into ‘Urban Renewals’ which is purely another thrift shop similar to that of the ‘Goodwill store’ on Commonwealth Ave. 

MIXX was our next stop off truly treating ourselves to the new found filthy love of fro’yo. 

MIXX- a new found FRO’YO seller, the games in the name.  You have a choice of multiple flavoured frozen yogurts, pick and choose, MIXX and match your desired flavour and then compliment the scummyness of the chilling yogurt with as many toppings as you feel you can fit in!  I opted for peach fro’yo and topped of my mini cold mountain with an avalanche of; coconut shreds, kiwi slices, chocolate sprinkles, Oreo and brownies chunks and some mighty murderous m+ms! (non peanut ones, due to allergies ..)  I can safely now say that MIXX is better than CHILL.  Both exceptional chillywilly good fro’yo providers but MIXX pleases the variety of taste and fun that someone might crave!  http://mixxboston.com/ 

Leaving Scotland to travel to Boston, Massachusetts.

This morning when I woke up, I was nervous at the fact I didn’t quite feel nervous.  I don’t think it had sunk in that I was in a few hours, flying to Boston, MA to live for a year.  I got to the airport around 630am and when I arrived I found out that my flights had been changed.  It wasn’t the best of news to hear this early in the morning but they sorted all my connecting flights and instead of flying GLA-DUB-BOS I was now flying GLA-NWY-BOS flying with United and no long Aer Lingus.  Which was ok, but it now meant I was arriving at 5pm and not my previously scheduled 1pm losing most of my day.  

The long haul flight was pleasant; I slept for an hour or so and got to watch Chronicle, 21 Jump Street and This Means War.  I was also served 3 meals and unlimited juices, which was nice.  Arriving in Newark Int Airport I had to transfer my bag onto my connecting flight which was less painless than I had expected.  Of my bag went, and on I went to find a comfy chair to sit and read my magazine for the 4 hours I now had to wait.  I met a nice American couple who worked for United and we chatted about all the different places they had been to in the world since flying for them was like using a bus (a free bus at that) so they could go wherever, whenever they weren’t working.  It sounded like I should have a career change into the airline industry.  They also gave me a nice gift from United airline a little sponsor badge from United for the USA Olympics team, which staff were only given.  

My flight was delayed a further hour due to heavy rain and thunderstorms.   Which was all I needed as the intern that is already out in Boston had kindly offered to meet me at the airport and help me to our apartment!  I got to Boston eventually at 6pm and met Adam.  We took the shuttle and the T back to the Apartment which is in Brighton, my new home for the year.  I unpacked and settled my things, met Heather the other intern who had kindly washed my bed linen and cleaned the apartment and off I went to sleep after a 6am-8pm days of traveling (USA time, being 1am in the UK).