Giving Thanks for a Break

If you are anything like me, then the thought of Thanksgiving being so soon is enough to get butterflies in your stomach. While I am not exactly homesick, I am beyond excited to go home and see my family, eat my mom's food, and sleep in my bed. With Thanksgiving coming up so soon, I thought it was appropriate to talk a little about it. Although I am obligated by the theme of this blog to relate it so Massachusetts, I think discussing home and family a little makes more sense here.

Thanksgiving was actually founded in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and it's a story I'm sure most of you are familiar with. However, something I didn't know is that the town of Plymouth is full of historical sights and touristy things relating to Thanksgiving and the history of the Pilgrims. Personally I find it fascinating that you can visit a place that can basically recreate such a monumental event, and has many historical sites and events to go along with it. 

Obviously the food has a major impact on how happy Thanksgiving makes me, but it is much more than that. It is so warm and loving, and is symbolic of the things in life we are thankful for. A couple Mondays ago, when Professor Kramer asked us what we miss the most, everyone had different answers. For me, it is my family, but in particular my older sister. My sister Jamie is 21 years old, and has severe autism. It is difficult to describe her to people who do not know her, but in short she cannot do anything on her own. She doesn't have the capiliblity to think and do all the things we take for granted every day. She is the most important thing to me in the world, and the fact that I haven't seen her in three months blows my mind. Family is something I am extremely grateful for, and I took them for granted until I spent 500 miles away from them.

Thanksgiving is one of the times during the year we can completely relax and take a break from school, to be surrounded by our family and friends. Due to my family being extremely big, we can't all have dinner together, so we meet up for dessert. This is the time where my uncles and my dad all yell at each other with their thick Boston accents and ask how my "mahks" aka "marks" in school are, and when all my cousins reunite by playing cards and Mario Cart despite the oldest cousin being 27.

One of my dreams is Thanksgiving being around 10 times a year, but hey, a girl can only dream. I hope everyone has a great break, and enjoys Thanksgiving as much as I will!

The City Life

The city of Boston is many things; educated, old, trendy, diverse, and strong. The atmosphere and life in the city is completely different compared to the life in the rest of the state. The city is the place where we go for birthday celebrations and school field trips, where our parents work and where music festivals and concerts are held. It is full of life and possibility.

The actual city of Boston itself is full of old architecture and new, with a mishmach of disorganized streets and buildings.Boston was founded as early as 1630, which gives the city character, but also has left a somewhat messy layout. Many of these streets, areas, or buildings have significant meaning to the city; the area around Fenway Park is congested and very old, but remains an important part of the city, as well as many other parts.

Boston is also a trendy city, as like many. Majority of the people I see when I am there have a great taste in clothes and are always on the run to their necxt location with some sort of fancy drink in hand.  Looking at the styles and trends of the people around is fun, like people watching. Imagining where the next person is headed, what kind of things they do for a living, and being a clothes fanatic, I am always curious as to where they got their attire.

While Massachusetts is a state full of great schools, Boston has many that are world known, one being Harvard, another being MIT. There are also schools like Boston University, Boston College, and Northeastern that are also incredibly diffciult to get into. This has given Boston a well educated reputation, especially since they are home to the first college in the country.

Living in an area right outside of Boston means that for many occasions, whether it be sweet sixteens, anniversary parties, post graduation celebrations, or anything similar to the above, that you will usually travel into Boston to celebrate. Finding a venue or a good restaurant, taking a walk around the sights, and just enjoying the Boston vibe is always a good time. Or in high school me and my friends would go into the city, stay at my friend's dad's apartment, and explore for the weekend, taking the train from the North End to Cambridge, shopping and eating and living a life different from our own suburban one.

While Boston is a smaller city, and not as famous or well visited as New York or Washington, it remains a great place to be at any given moment. Being in the city is sometimes overwhelming, especially if you are like me and have lived in suburbia for most of your life. But when it comes down to it, I can imagine myself being one of those cool people in their 20's, hustling and bustling in the city at their cool jobs, beginning their new life.

The "truth" about Harvard University

"Veritas". For anyone that knows Latin, this means "truth". For anyone that knows anything about Harvard University, this is their motto. Harvard was the first institution of higher education established in the United States, founded in 1636 in Cambridge, MA, and today is one of the most prestigious universities in the world. They are also home to the largest academic library in the world. With an acceptance rate of 5.2%, it is obviously one of the most difficult schools to get accepted to, and is world renown for its reputation. While Penn State is obviously the best school ever (especially after last week's win) Harvard remains the top institution in the world today.

                                          source: missopen.com

About five years ago, one of my older cousins Greg was going through the tedious and scary process of applying to college. However, in his case this was not so bad. Not only is he just your regular old genius, he attended Phillips Academy (ironically in my town), which is pretty much the best private school in the country. He only applied to Ivy Leagues, including Harvard. He ended up attending Yale, which is literally the real life Hogwarts. However, when he got his acceptance certificate from Harvard, obviously it was a huge hit in my entire family. My dad proceeded to print out the certificate, and scratched out the name of my cousin and put mine instead, and he did the same to my brother. Although I knew I wasn't going to be going to Harvard, it still remains on my wall because it's just funny, and it's kind of cool to imagine actually being accepted there.

Although I only live about 30-40 minutes north of Harvard, I had never been to see it up until this past spring. Harvard Square in Cambridge is the area surrounding the university, and is an area full of unique shops, restaurants, street performers and brick sidewalks. It is full of energy and different people, and is a great atmosphere overall. When I went there for the first time, we walked quite a long distance, just to explore, and started noticing the Harvard logo on some buildings. Suddenly, we stumbled upon the arches to the school, and of course we walked in. It was a huge grass area, filled with huge trees, with students and classes outside, people wandering around like us, and beautiful old buildings all around. It is amazing to be one such an influential and famous college campus like this one, and when its right in your backyard.

                                                    source: Flickr

The Sunny (and 75) Side of New England

This past week has been unnaturally warm for mid October, but has been great nonetheless. Sunny and 75 degree days are always a plus, but are best in the summer. New England is a region with a large amount of coastline, and along with that comes beaches and beach towns.

Since I was basically in the womb, my family has been going to Seabrook Beach in New Hampshire. My grandmother bought a small beach house in the early 60s, and brought her six children there every summer. Many of my dad's siblings have bought their own small cottages on the beach, and since then, the street has become a second home to all the parents and grandchildren (18 kids) in our family. My grandmothers cottage is now her permanent home, so "beach days" are year round, including during Easter and Christmas. The beach, and this one in particular, means so much to all of the people in my family. The house is the small space where we squeeze everyone inside for Christmas gifts and Easter egg hunts, the street is the place where all of us and the neighbors celebrate the Fourth of July, and the beach is where we go everyday in the summer, together.

While some people may find going to the beach everyday boring, there is honestly nothing I love doing more. The amount of memories I have on this beach with my family are infinite, and the numerous pictures we have bring back all those memories. The days we have run home, barefoot, towels over our heads, while it downpours suddenly, or the trips to the nearby public boardwalk to eat fried dough and watch fireworks, or the days we sit and talk on the sand until the sun goes down, will forever be my favorite days. The actual ocean itself has an effect on a person that is indescribable. Swimming in it when the water is just the right temperature, and just watching it and listening to it is mesmerizing. Even if I am completely alone on the beach, I am still happy, as there is something so magical about the beach and the ocean that can never make me feel sadness.

                                                    Seabrook Beach, October 2015

Another place that I go to mostly in the summer that has more recently become a special place to me is York Beach in Maine. One of my best friends from home has a house on the beach here, and while it is a very different atmosphere from Seabrook, it is equally as fun and memorable to me. Seabrook is a quiet, private beach, and will never get too crowded because most of the people going to this beach are the people that live right nearby and can walk. York, however, is public, and with that comes crowds.

In general, Maine has a lot of extremely fun and quirky beach towns along the coast, and attract a lot of tourists. However, because my best friend has a home here, we have the pleasure of staying on the beach and basically walking off the front porch and onto the sand. York is the epitome of quaint, with a small area off the beach with restaurants, shops, pretty lights and nice music all the time. There is even an ice cream store right next to her house called "Wicked Good Ice Cream".

The first time I came to this beach, only a few years ago, I fell in love with its vibe, with the old time candy shops, the small zoo, and the cool shops with Native American jewelry. Being here with my friends created some of the best memories; we have gone on hikes together, woken up at dawn to watch the sunrise on the beach, found hidden antique stores, tie dyed a thousand things, and of course gone to the beach for hours. We were free to come and go as we pleased, as we were allowed to go there alone since we could drive there ourselves. Coming here this past summer was especially memorable to me as it was before we all went separate ways for school, and although it was bittersweet, I know the small York house will be waiting to take us in next summer.

Although a very small and cluttered dorm room, and with different people and landlocked, Penn State is an extension of home. Even though moving here may feel a bit forced, when it comes to sharing a space with someone and whatnot, it slowly begins to feel like home. It is incredible to me how a place like the beach or the area around it can give so much happiness and create so many memories, and not just with the people but the place itself. Everyone has their special places that may not be exactly their homes, but feel like an extension of one when they are there.

A monster and deflated footballs: New England sports in a nutshell

The culture of any city has many aspects, and a large part is the sports. Sports go way back in history, and in Boston it dates back to as early as 1885. Boston is an old city, therefore has a long and full history. The four major teams in this area are the Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots, Boston Celtics, and the Boston Bruins. However, because of the expansive backgrounds they each require, I will only touch on two of the teams. 

The Boston Red Sox are an iconic part of the Massachusetts life. Founded in 1901, the Red Sox have a long history. Although they started off strong, the Sox had one of the longest championship droughts in baseball history, 86 years, called the "Curse of the Bambino" after Babe Ruth was traded to the rival Yankees two years after the 1918 championship. The New York Yankees and Red Sox have perhaps the most intense and fiercest rivalries in North American professional sports. The Red Sox are also quite known for their stadium, Fenway Park. Fenway Park is the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball, and has many quirks, such as the Green Monster, the tall green wall in the left field. It also has the scoreboard on the bottom part, and is updated by hand. 

                                          by: Wikipedia
The Red Sox have many unforgettable players that have left a huge mark on the Boston community. This past Monday, October 10, was the last game of David Ortiz, aka "Big Papi", probably one of the most iconic players of this generation for Bostonians. He remains the all time leader as a designated hitter in MLB history for home runs, runs batted in, and hits. He has left a huge mark on Boston, not only with his playing but with his attitude. When Boston suffered the marathon bombings, Ortiz spoke in front of the crowd at the next game, saying "This is our f**king city, and no one is going to dictate our freedom. Stay strong." His number, 34, will be retired this oncoming 2017 season. 

                                            David Ortiz by: Boston Herald

The New England Patriots are another widely followed team in the area, especially more recently. The Patriots are extremely loved in New England, but largely hated everywhere else for reasons I cannot understand. Just earlier today, someone called me "white trash" for being a Patriots fan...The Patriots have appeared in the Super Bowl eight times, and six of them have been since the arrival of head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady in 2000. Since then, they have become one of the most successful teams in NFL history; they have won twelve AFC East titles in 14 seasons since 2001, without a losing season during that time. In 2015, the deflate gate scandal involving the Patriots, specifically Tom Brady, became a huge controversy, and Brady just finished his suspension a few weeks ago. Without going into too much detail, Tom Brady was accused of using deflated footballs on a couple ocassions. Despite these obstacles, the Patriots remain one of the strongest teams in the league.

                                           Tom Brady and Belichick by: Boston.com

Things to do when the weather gets obnoxiously cold

As many of you can tell from the dead leaves that have begun to accumulate around campus, fall is upon us. I am much more a summer person, 80 degree beach days with ice cream and flip flops, but that scene has quickly changed. When it comes to the fall and winter seasons, there is a lot to do in New England. Because it is the northeast, the weather drops significantly, and snow can fall at annoying rates that leave us with seven snow days in one school year. However, to make this cold time more fun, I have a list of the many things to do during this time; don't forget a jacket!

Apple Picking
New England is one of the hot spots for apple picking, and fall activities in general. There are many farms all over the place, full of apple trees, pumpkin patches, markets with cider donuts, and fun activities like hay rides and music. Picking apples is not just about getting fresh apples, its about the whole experience! Go with friends or family, and have fun with it. I have gone every year with either family, friends or my volleyball team (until this year...wah). If you ever get the chance, definitely get a warm cider donut afterwards, it will honestly change your life. Take fun pictures, drink hot chocolate, and get picking!

                                          source: Nassau Happening

                                          source: Eric H.

Visit Salem
The infamous Salem Witches and the witch trials are iconic in Massachusetts, especially around Halloween. Although I have never been, I know many people who have and its very fun. The festivities that occur are called Haunted Happenings. There are creepy tours, movies being played, carnivals, and more. Not only does Salem do fun things for Halloween, many surrounding places do as well, like amusement parks nearby. If you are a fan of Halloween, then this type of festivity is good for you.

                                          source: Wikipedia

See a hockey game
Once winter sets in and you want something fun to do, go see a hockey game! Hockey in New England is a huge sport, with most of the collegiate teams ranking very high. The annual Beanpot hockey tournament is held between Boston University, Boston College, Northeastern University, and Harvard University, and has remained a huge event for many years. My dad is a huge hockey fan, and continues to go to this tournament when he can, and he has been going since he was only a kid.

                                              source: What's up, Ya Sieve?
Go skiing
Skiing is a favorite pastime of mine, not only because of the sport itself but because of the entire experience. Ever since I was only a toddler, my whole family, all my 17 cousins, and all their parents, etc., have gone skiing every year and rented a big condo on the mountain and had a great time. Skiing is fun for every age and every level, and makes the cold snow and brisk air enjoyable. My favorite places to go are Bretton Woods and Loon Mountain, both in New Hampshire. Go with family or some friends, and make it a whole trip! Bring some food in a cooler to leave at the lodge, or bring money to get the hot chocolate or killer french fries after your long day of skiing.

                                           source: Bretton Woods

Donuts, Pizza, Lobstah, oh my!

Most places you go in this world, there is some sort of food that is associated with it. In this country however, it can be a variety of things. Experiencing the food of a new place is a large part of the experience, because, lets be honest, good food is honestly just one of the best things in this world.

New England is full of chain restaurants that have become hugely popular, and there are also restaurants that are special and unique to Boston. In general, New England may be associated with seafood, like clam chowder, lobster, and other random foods, like whoopie pies, apples, cranberries and baked beans. Here is a short list of the restaurants that came to mind as the most important places to know.

Dunkin Donuts
Well, the obvious. Dunkin Donuts began in Massachusetts in 1950, but has since become a national phenomenon. However, I have some family members that rely on Dunkin like we rely on oxygen, and after they visited California they were shocked to find that Dunkin does not exist there. The horror, I know. While Dunkin Donuts may not seem that special, it is a staple, not just in New England, but also many other locations.

                                                   by Brian S

Donuts with a Difference
I have to admit the title is quite goofy. However, I find the donuts here to be top tier, better than Dunkin. While my favorite donuts are warm cider donuts, those only come around once a year at farms so I have to find another way to get good donuts year round. Based in Medford, MA, I used to come here when I was younger with my dad, who would constantly tell me that these donuts were better than others, and I finally realized it all these years later. Although it is a tiny little place tucked away, it holds many delicious treasures inside.

by Best of Boston 2014

Regina Pizza
"Boston's Favorite Pizza" doesn't do the place justice. Started in 1926, the original place is small, always crowded, and on a corner in the North End, the Italian neighorhood of Boston. I have only been once, but it was probably the best pizza I have had. The interior has photographs of famous people that have come to eat there, including Leonardo DiCaprio and Adam Sandler. It is casual and fun, and always very crowded, especially on game days, where everyone eating is decked out in Red Sox gear.

by Kathy Chan

Ben & Jerry's ice cream
Where would we be without them, seriously? This company is not only part of New England 's history, but Penn State's as well! Ben and Jerry took a correspondence course in ice cream making here at Penn State in 1978, and continued to open an ice cream shop in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont. They are known for having a huge array of flavors that are unique to them (fun fact: my dad went to the original shop and ordered plain vanilla...)

by Gray Cargill

Tripoli Pizza and Bakery
I know what you're thinking- more pizza? However this pizza is unlike anything you've ever had. The sauce is sweeter, and it's square pizza. Sounds crazy, I know. I hated it when I was younger, because it was the pizza place that was right on the beach that we ordered from in the summer. They have only a few locations, one of them being on Seabrook Beach in New Hampshire, and some people call it beach pizza, since it originated on the beach. While Seabrook Beach and the surrounding areas are stocked full of seafood restaurants, the following one is the most notable for New England.

                                             by Emil Geithner

Union Oyster House
Confession, I have never eaten here, but it was highly suggested to me by my mom. This is the oldest continuously running restaurant in America, and was started in 1826. Seafood is probably the biggest food industry in New England, primarily Maine and Massachusetts. As you can guess, pretty much everything on the menu is seafood. It has received many awards, such as being in the top ten for best restaurants in the world, and Obama himself got 10 clam chowders to go when he recently visited. This is only one of the literally hundreds of seafood restaurant in the area, so I think one top tier restaurant will suffice.

                                             by Union Oyster House