Mystic Seaport, Connecticut

Dad and I took a day trip to Mystic Seaport which is on the coast of Connecticut about an hour and a half from our house in Simsbury. It was a lovely day and we saw presentations about whaling, coopering and oyster cultivation.

If there was ever any question over who in my family I look like, I think this photo answers it!



Dad

No trip would be complete without some long armed photography! :)

Toronto

In Toronto, I visited my cousin, Gen, for a night and then spent the rest of the week with my mom's best friend, Jennifer, at her house in Toronto and her farmhouse about an hour outside of Toronto.

View from Gen's apartment

Gen and Me

Lilacs outside of Jennifer's farmhouse

The Farm

Jennifer's new puppy, Charlie outside of the farmhouse

Ithaca is gorges!

On Saturday night, we went to a bonfire at one of Zach's professor's houses. It was a great time- chatting with interesting people and roasting marshmallows!

Bonfire

Zach and Jane

Waterfall!

Jane and I and the waterfall

No trip to Ithaca would be complete without a trip to a winery. This one was actually a hard cider factory. Delicious!

Ithaca!

After finals, I went home to Connecticut for a few days and then I was off on a little adventure to Ithaca and Toronto. My first stop was Ithaca, NY to see Jane and Zach (Zach and I worked together in Japan and Jane, his wife, was one of my closest friends there.... well, they both were :)). Zach is getting his PHD at Cornell. I was there for just the weekend but we made the most of it!

Jane and I in downtown Ithaca

We walked through the dodgy part of Ithaca but this was the only dodgy thing that we saw. Although it was written on the side of the town library which is maybe more disturbing than dodgy.

Downtown Ithaca, teatime with the statue.

Me and nature

Near Cornell

cont....

And Shannon, the amazing friend that she is, made birthday cakes from me and Kerline (another girl whose bday it was as well!) and had pinatas which we enjoyed whacking open.

I am 25!

My 25th birthday was quite eventful with lots of little (and big!) gatherings. The weekend before my bday, my high school girlfriends and some of their boyfriends and sister came up to Boston to celebrate. We did a Boston scavenger hunt, dinner and a comedy show. Lots of fun. Pictures to come when I get them from Thad's camera.

I also had margaritas with two dear friends, Kelly and Liz, the Saturday before my bday. This picture is horrible but serves as the only proof of that evening.


And, this year my bday coincideded with the Boston Marathon which is also Patriot's Day so we had the day off. And my law school friend, Shannon, had people over to watch the race from her beautiful rooftop deck.

BBQing

Shannon decided to "go green" and do a little recycling

Cherry blossoms!

In Boston, we have them too!

Barrister's Ball

On Saturday night, Northeastern hosted a "Law Ball" of sorts at a club downtown. The food and drink was great and overall it was a really nice night!

St. Patty's Day!

St. Patrick's Day weekend would not be the same in Boston without a little green and, perhaps, a little beer. I was too busy (with homework and fun!) to go to the parade this year but I got out my green-est apparel on Friday and Saturday nights. Which meant very little since the green skirt that I love so much (see St. Patrick's Day last year) was banned for being too "stretchy".


Matt and Me and my (Thad's) green socks

Thad and Kelly were dressed up as 80's St. Patty's Day go-ers. It was a little odd.

Jarred, Thad, and Matt in Southie

Me and Katie

Rob, Thad and Matt

Paths

My stepmother was so inspired by Japan that she has decided to make a Japanese garden in her front yard. She is currently particularly interested in pathways and asked me to take pictures of examples of Japanese garden pathways.

Last night in KZ

On my last night in KZ, the girls and I headed out to some of my favorite places to eat, drink and be merry.

First we visited one of my favorite restaurants- the Don Don Yakitori Bar. The owner was so excited to see me that he gave me a book he had written about his experiences in the Yakitori bar. Truthfully, it is all in Japanese so I will have a tough time reading it but I plan to do my best!

The pepper sticks are the best. We ordered dozens of them- the owner told us our heads would turn into peppers.

Me and Caroline and "the book"

Of course, a Saturday night in Kanazawa is not complete without a trip to Apre, the foreigner bar. Amanda and Fiona and I ended up there and saw all of the usual suspects.

This night also ended with Jenja :)