Pleasure to meet you Oxford

After a nail biting drive from London to Oxford in the dark and rain AND on the opposite side of the road, I am happy to report that we arrived only slightly scathed. Despite my superior navigating skills we did get lost once we arrived in Oxford. To be fair, it was impossible to see the road signs in the dark because they are mounted on the side of the unlit roads and usually blocked by parked vehicles. By some miracle we found our way.

For the next two months we will be living in corporate housing located over a mile south of the Oxford City Centre (yes it is Centre not Center). My only gripe is that we asked to be placed near the City Centre since we we only have one vehicle (presently a rental) which Rory uses to drive to work. On my own, I found many corporate units available for less than our current place. I am not saying the corporate housing vendor dropped the ball (actually I am saying that) but by the time they processed our request (four weeks late) we only had one housing option. While it might be a nice walk into the city, it is not feasible for a quick grocery run. As a result, I am now the proud holder of a bus pass. Seriously. I wouldn't dare ride a bus in Orange County. Admit it, neither would you. However, in Oxford it is a very popular mode of transportation for the elderly whose licenses have been revoked. I kid. Sort of. I am now one of those people you drive by at the bus stop. You know the ones, they have their neck craned and a longing look in their eyes. Yes, that is me now.

Our first full day in Oxford Rory played tour guide.  He took me to his favorite bakery, Maison Blanc...

The goodies at Maison Blanc. (Drool)

 And pub, the Turf Tavern.

The Famous Turf Tavern. An education in Intoxication. 

The entry way to the Turf Tavern is hidden between these two buildings.  

The Turf Tavern (originally the Spotted Cow) has been around since the 13th Century!

Since I will have plenty of time to blog about the sites of Oxford, I decided to focus this post on the pains of adjusting to life in England. We essentially have to re-learn every day tasks from banking to shopping to making telephone calls (what number do I dial?). The banks don't have tellers, but sign-up sheets and waiting areas. The first time we used the debit card I had to ask, "where does the card go? Finding a grocery store is like playing "Where's Waldo" as they are hidden in the most unassuming locations. So far my store of choice is located inside a department store! Today I have declared war against our washer/dryer. Unlike in America, our washer and dryer is not two separate units but the same machine. It is located in the kitchen and only holds a handful of clothes. Despite reading the instructions 10 times, I can't figure out how to turn the "dryer" on. This has resulted in my accidentally washing the same load of laundry four times!

I know there are hundreds more lessons to be learned as we adjust to life in England (which will provide endless fodder for the blog).  As for now, it is time for a spot of tea and Wimbledon. Ta-ta.

Bu-bye Boston

Today is my last day in Boston and in the States. This means I am in the midst of packing. I hate packing. I  thought it would be easy since we have been living out of a suitcase (in my case, suitcases) for nearly two months. I was wrong. Don't tell Rory, but it looks like we will need another bag for all of our Boston purchases. I tried to get some cold weather gear to prepare for the climate change. Yes, moving from sunny California to rainy England qualifies as climate change. 

If you've been reading my latest posts, you know in the past month I have grown very attached to Boston. I think Boston is sad we are leaving because it has been crying raining for the past two days. To commemorate my departure, I thought I would post some of my favorite pictures from the past month. 

My parents were able to squeeze in a quick trip to Beantown before our final move.  It was only year ago they called me during a trip to Boston to tell me how much I would love this city. They were right.    

Chihuly Exhibit at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Ah-mazing. 

Goodbye Boston! Thanks for showing me a great time. I will be back to visit, I promise.

So now I have 23 hours left in the States. This means my next post will be from England. I know, it doesn't feel real to me yet either. 

Let them eat Lobster!

Last weekend Rory and I traveled to Kennebunkport, Maine to stuff ourselves full of lobster. When I planned the trip the weather forecast was great. Sun, sun, and more sun! As the week progressed, the forecast changed to lots of rain and thunderstorms.  Being a Southern California native, I am not acclimated to this thing called weather. I am ashamed to admit that I don't even own an umbrella, rain boots, or a rain jacket. And yes, I do realize I am moving to a country where it rarely stops raining. 

The drive from Boston to Kennebunkport only took about two hours. For some perspective, it only took two hours to drive 90 miles across three states in Friday traffic! You can't even get from Los Angeles to Orange County in two hours on a Friday night. We stayed at a bed and breakfast in Kennebunkport named after the home's original owner, Captain Jefferds. Upon arrival we were ready to start our weekend o'lobster. I planned on having lobster at every meal possible. Our first stop was Nunan's Lobster Hut. Nunan's is a local favorite. It has been serving cooked to order lobster for nearly 50 years. The family run restaurant even operate its own lobster boats. Nunan's is unpretentious. It has wooden benches, family photos adorning the walls, and a sink in the middle of the dining room to wash your hands after cracking the lobster. Just my kind of place. 

Even though the lobsters arrived cracked down the middle, they were not ready to eat. We responsible for removing the tail, cracking the claws, and excavating all of the luscious meat (hence the bibs and sink).  Our efforts were rewarded with plump, juicy and sweet lobster. In total, we ate three lobsters, a bowl of clam chowder, and homemade blueberry pie for dessert. A true feast.  My weekend o'lobster was off to a grand start. 

Well, the lobsterfest started and ended with Nunan's. Lobster is delicious, but it is also heavy and rich, especially when dunked in clarified butter.  The next morning I recalled a story from one of my culinary tours of Boston. When Boston was first settled lobster was plentiful but was not typically consumed. Instead, the lobster was fed to the prisoners! At one point, the prisoners were so sick of eating lobster they revolted. This resulted in a contract being established limiting the number of times per week lobster could be served to the prisoners. When I heard this story, I couldn't imagine ever getting sick of lobster. Well, after one night of gorging myself, I sadly understand. 

Since it rained in Kennebunkport the entire weekend my plans to go boating were thwarted. Evil weather. 

Since it was raining on Saturday, we decided to drive up to Portland, Maine.  We stopped at Gilbert's Chowder House for lunch. I have to say, it was some of the best clam chowder I've ever tasted.  

Our Bloody Mary's on the way!

Rory outside Gilbert's Chowder House

Portland, Maine - standing in the rain

We ate like Kings in Maine. Our stay at Captain Jefferd's (which Rory always pronounced in a thick pirate accent) included a three course breakfast each day.  The foodie inside me would detail all of my meals (the blueberry pancakes, raspberry muffins and rasberry-rhubarb pie) but I fear that I would lose the few readers I have!  

On our drive back to Boston, Rory and I marveled how much our lives had changed in the past year. A year ago we would have laughed if someone told us we would be moving to England, or living temporarily in Boston, or having a weekend o'lobster in Maine(well I might have believed this one).  In just a week, we will be leaving the US and starting our new lives in England. I guess this means I have to stop playing tourist and start focusing on finding a job. Yikes!!!!! 

Oh Boston, You Shouldn't Have!

After nine days of being sick, I finally transitioned from zombie to human thanks to a heavy dose of antibiotics.  Since that time, I have been busy exploring the city. Rather than listing what I've done the past two weeks, like a worn tour guide, I decided to focus on some of my observations about Boston and its residents. 

1.  Two legged transportation 

Since we do not have a car, Rory and I are dependent on our legs for transportation.  This would be a total nightmare if we still lived in Orange County. Fortunately, Boston is an extremely pedestrian friendly city. Nearly everything is accessible via public transportation. The T (Boston's version of a subway/metro) makes it easy to get anywhere within the city. Rory even walks 25 minutes to work every day. After four years at a sedentary desk job, I cannot describe how good it feels to move.  Since I am walking everywhere I do not feel the least bit guilty when I stop at one of the many bakeries for a treat, which seems to be a daily occurrence. 

For those occasions when we need a vehicle, we signed up for the  Zip Car.  The cars are located all over the city and we can rent a zip car by the hour or day. Insurance and gas are included!   

2. What sign? 

In our first zip car adventure last weekend we quickly realized that Boston has very few traffic or street signs. Rory tells me there are even less signs in England so I should get used to it.  When you are unfamiliar with the area it can cause havoc. On our return trip home last weekend (after Rory accidentally deleted the directions from my phone) we took a wrong turn at a fork in the road because there were no signs offering guidance. This wrong turn resulted in an hour detour, which included a drive by Fenway Park just as the baseball game was getting out.  Our attempt to back track was met with frustration as there were no street signs so we had no idea what road we were even traveling on!  Rory prescribed the following after we finally made it back to our apartment:

G'Knight Imperial Red by Oscar Blues

3. Hometown Pride 

It is no secret that the people of Boston are sports fanatics.  They are fiercely loyal to the Red Sox, Patriots, and Bruins (which are currently in the Stanley Cup Final).  After attending a Red Sox game at Fenway Park, the community spirit and pride is indeed palpable and highly contagious. 

4.  Headphones Required 

After my first few trips on the T I noticed a trend among the riders. All young male and female riders wore earbuds (head phones) or had a historical novel in hand. Failure to have either will make you look like a tourist and subject you to the sales pitches from street vendors or homeless.  While my experience on the T has been great, one day a young woman decided to cut her fingernails while sitting next to me. Based upon the glares given by other passengers, including myself, this was not acceptable behavior. 

5.  Land of CVS and Dunkin Donuts

Boston is one of the oldest cities in the US.  Much of the city was constructed when there was no need for parking lots or big box grocery stores. Many stores are the size of a shoe box and carry limited products.  It is not unusual to buy milk, sandwiches, or even toilet paper at a CVS drug store.  While there are a few scattered Starbucks, it is clear that Boston runs on Dunkin Donuts.   

6.  Running Junkies 

Maybe it is due to the Boston Marathon, but the people here love to run.  I've seen hordes of people  running (not jogging) at all hours of the day in all areas of the city.   

One thing is certain, I  am in love with Boston. It is so much more than a chowda capital or home to Fenway Park. It also has the North End (home to the oldest Little Italy and tons of markets, restaurants and bakeries) and Newbury Street (a shopping and eating mecca nestled in the old brownstones).  Rory theorizes my love of this city has something to do with the abundance of  bakeries. He could be right.