This past week was a bit of a readjustment. I just got back from visiting a friend in Boston, and it’s been tough trying to get back to the grind of studying, writing, and working out.
About three weeks before the trip, I felt like I was in the zone. I was waking up early to work out 4–5 times a week, making good progress on my healthcare data science project, writing some big blog posts, doing my PT exercises for my hips, and refining my math worksheet shop concept. It felt like the routine was finally sticking.
So when it came time to fly out, part of me thought: “Damn, I don’t want to break this rhythm.” Don’t get me wrong – I’m glad I went. Boston was fun, and it was great to see friends and experience a new city. But it definitely messed with my routine.
Here are some of my favorite highlights from Boston
Boston highlights
Expensive but insanely good pastries at SALT Patisserie
SALT’s pastries were super good…a bit expensive…but super good… I would totally take my poor ass back there. My friend’s sister mentioned the pastry chef trained in France, which was enough to convince me to check out the shop. Later, I learned that the chef catered for John Legend and Derek Jeter…so I guess he knows his shit.
I also stopped by Mike’s Pastry and Modern Pastry, but I realized I’m just not a huge fan of cannolis – they’re a little too heavy for me.
I tried their vanilla raspberry croissant and guava strawberry danish. The croissant had a perfectly crisp exterior with a filling that was surprisingly light and velvety smooth. The danish had the same flaky crunch with a creamy fruit center that didn’t feel overwhelming.
Hitting the coffee notes at Gracenote
Gracenote was easily the best coffee shop I visited in Boston.
At $6 for a 12oz coffee, it was actually one of the most reasonable prices (compared to Tucson coffee shops) I’ve paid for a cup of coffee during my stay.
I got a café latte. They used a Brazil single-origin for the espresso. The coffee had a light body and smooth, clean flavor.
I didn’t make it to their more popular location since it was out of the way, but this spot still hit the mark. In the words of a good friend: “their coffee slaps.”
Biking down the Charles River
One of my favorite things to do in any city is to rent a bike and just ride around. In Boston, that meant cruising down the Charles River. The bike path is easy to follow and takes you past some iconic places like Harvard and MIT. Plus, it gives you an insanely good view of the Boston skyline.
100% recommend doing this! It only costs $10 for a full-day city bike rental.
Next time, I want to try kayaking on the Charles River. It looked like so much fun.
Getting back to the grind
After coming back from Boston, it’s been tough trying to get back into that flow state I was in. It’s not so much the three-hour time difference but more so the challenge of picking everything back up and juggling it all again.
I’m learning that when you’re in a routine of doing hard stuff, don’t break it. Keep going because that rhythm is like walking a tight rope – it’s real easy to fall off and so much harder to get back on if you take a long break. Push through and then take a break at the end.
Thanks for showing me around, Greg!
Boston – you were expensive but beautiful. I don’t know when I’ll be back, but for now, it’s back to the grind.
