Saturday Night Stroll in Harvard Square

Saturday early evening I went for a stroll in Harvard Square. Harvard Square is a mere 10 minute walk from Central Square where Boston Life is located, and has many bookstores, coffee shops, and bars. Don't forget to stop by Herrell's icecream on Dunster Street for their fabulous twinkies icecream (I know it sounds horribly tacky and the worst of America, but it's truly an insanely good pairing of cake and icecream). What a perfectly cool autumn evening. Now is the absolute best time to visit Boston! (before the weather turns too cold)

More Vacation Pictures (Bar Harbor, Maine)

We rented bikes in Bar Harbor and went biking along the carriage trails in Acadia National Park (there's a free shuttle bike bus that will drop you off at the carriage trails). There are 45 miles of gorgeous carriage trails in Acadia (thanks to Mr. Rockefeller) where you bike along the water, mountains, trees, etc. We biked for 6 hours (!), stopping once or twice for a picnic lunch and to take pictures. For days afterwards my thighs felt impressively muscled and defined. If only I could somehow incorporate the amount of physical activity I did everyday in Bar Harbor (into my life in Boston) I would be a specimen of physical perfection.

The Obama Rally on Saturday

The upcoming presidential election is a big one for the United States--historic and so very crucial (healthcare, the economy, national security and our relations with the rest of the world, education, the environment). I went with Angela on Saturday to the Obama rally in New Hampshire. I woke up at 4:30am (!) and Angela picked me up at 5:30 am so we could arrive in NH at 7am and line up for the rally which started at 10:30am. We had an awesome view of Barack Obama, right up front--he looked so young and he's so charismatic in person. He makes eye contact with everyone in the audience (I was certain he was looking directly at me during sections of his speech). The rally was a lot of fun and there was an interesting cross-section of people in attendance--there was one woman standing in front of us with a semi-mullet haircut, clapping her hands and singing and dancing and trying to excite the crowd with her Obama chants--She was an odd little bird--I wanted to like her but it was just too early in the morning. Her performance seemed manufactured. However, when Obama came on stage, the crowd went wild. He spoke for about an hour and touched upon many important topics. Ultimately what comes across is someone who cares about people, who has too much integrity to run a negative campaign. He's a real gentleman.

Public Speaking Class Starting Again

Here I am last month with my public speaking class (Minako, Akira, and Wakaba--Aki was also in the class but not in the picture). The students were awesome and I repaid their kindness by assigning numerous speeches and debates during the course. In the next public speaking class (probably starting in October) we will do more in-depth debates and focus on speeches to entertain and storytelling. The presentations will also be longer in length. But don't let this scare you! As someone who loves the subject of public speaking, I want to assure you that EVERYONE can benefit from a public speaking. It may be nerve wracking at first, but after the first few times the teacher throws you into the fire (with quick impromptu speeches and exercises) you begin to feel more confident and comfortable expressing your ideas and opinions. There is nothing more exciting than expressing your thoughts clearly and passionately! This class is for intermediate level non-native speakers.

Peggy's Cove

During my vacation, we drove to Peggy's Cove in Nova Scotia. Peggy's Cove is a small fishing village with a church (see picture), a school house, a general store, an icecream store, and of course a world famous lighthouse. It's a charming community, even with the masses of tourists. As I was exploring the village I stepped inside the tiny school house, thinking it would be a museum, a room that had gathered dust and hadn't been used in decades. But inside the schoolhouse the community band was practicing for an upcoming concert and the band leader looked up when I entered and said hello. I was surprised, I didn't realize the village is still a functioning community with actual fishermen and artists! I said hello and quickly made my exit.

Back from Vacation

Hello readers. I just returned from a fantastic vacation in Nova Scotia and Bar Harbor, Maine. I loved loved loved Bar Harbor. It's a cutesy touristy town with tasty little restaurants and chocolate shops, and magnificent Acadia National Park at it's doorstep. Every day I went biking, hiking, or kayaking (and often took an evening swim in the hotel pool and whirlpool). In Nova Scotia we stayed at charming little Bed and Breakfasts (and one cheapie motel) and in Bar Harbor we stayed in a lovely hotel right in town on the water. People were very friendly in Bar Harbor and our kayaking guide Ted was mighty cute (we saw bald eagles, seals, star fish, and other wild life as we kayaked over to Rockefeller's private island in Bar Harbor). I highly recommend visiting Bar Harbor if you're looking for a fun time. The town has free shuttle buses that take you all over Acadia National Park. Make sure to pick up delicious sandwiches and cookies at Morning Glory Bakery on Rodick Street for a nice picnic in the park. Or stop at Jordan House in Acadia for traditional tea and popovers with homemade blueberry jam. (by the way, thank you lovely interns for filling in for me while I was gone!! much appreciated). P.S./the bearded sailor on the bottom of the page--my new boyfriend. He's handsome, right?