(this is what our attempts at a family picture sometimes look like. what you see is william pushing lindsey’s arm into the corner of a brick wall because he didn’t want her arm around him. yay!!!!)
so on saturday it was calling for highs in the upper 40s (!!) and in the sun the temps actually got to mid 50s (!!!!!!!) so naturally we spent all of it outside. steve had a smidgen-taste (yes. a smidgen-taste.) of a union square donut from the valentine’s day playdate we had–a semi-stale portion of a man-handled vanilla bean donut hours after the playdate ended but that was all his tastebuds needed to demand “MORE!” so he’s like, “let’s swing by union square donuts first?” mmm ok. i’m not one to argue about a donut.
i got a vanilla bean, probably my favorite. though the browned butter hazelnut crunch is amazing. better yet, split them up and taste each one.
then we went to cambridge because we never do that together and it’s a nice change from our paramount routine. the harvard campus is a fabulous place to walk, there’s a new shake shack there, and so, that is what we did. the chairs weren’t out, it was a bit melted-snow-muddy-slush-like but it was 50… 50! so, you forgive such things.
while we walked through, steve was wishing that his friend who teaches there was with us so he could point out all the stuff one should know. you know how you’re walking through a place and you’re positively sure that there is such a wealth of historical (and some present) knowledge that would make the whole thing that much cooler? and so, i did what any good wife would do, and pulled up a wikipedia of harvard dorms and their notable residents. “natalie portman lived here. john updike there. john f. kennedy here.” so on and so forth. in another life, the one where i attend harvard, i’d choose wigglesworth hall if it’s up to me. while walking through we also gave the kids motivational speeches. they go something like this: “this can all be yours one day! all of this! just put your mind to it!”
and then we had shake shack. which was delicious. i can’t decide if it’s a winner over five guys though. the shack sauce is pretty good, and gives them perhaps the tiniest of leads. but five guys is really, really good so don’t make me choose. where shake shack does win is location. better locations, better ambience. and the harvard location wins over the chestnut hill one in any case. locals needing their fix? go to the harvard one (less ease of parking though, i will give you that.). and it’s been too long since i last had in-n-out so it’s not even in the running.
that brief burger interlude was absolutely necessary.
while we were eating (outside! we ate outside!), and virtually any time we were on dry ground, parker would lay down on his stomach, arms outstretched like he needed to be one with the earth. i swear it, the kid is like, “this is what ground looks like?!? feels like?! i’d forgotten!” we have had a good foot or more of snow on our lawn for months. months! he’d forgotten the feel of grass and dirt, so he made sure to get his fill (and bits of ground-debris in his diaper too).
it was very much what the doctor ordered for us poor, pathetic, stuck-in-an-eternal-winter folk.
Few things beat a spring day in Boston, except for maybe a spring day at the end of a long winter. I didn't know there's a Shake Shack in Cambridge now! Proof I need to visit again ASAP.
Oh man, and it's winter all over again this morning! This winter is seriously testing my sanity! 🙁
You got me all intrigued about Shake Shack. I'm gonna check it out… maybe even this week
I'll be traveling to Boston (Cambridge) Sunday-Monday! Looking forward to it because they have their restaurant week in Harvard Square the same time we're there! Most likely going to try Beat Hotel as it got good reviews, looks legit.
Any recs on coffee shops though? I'm a huge coffee drinker and love to try out all the local places. Thanks!
Gosh. I have to much I want to say about this! I am so glad your family had fun in Cambridge. It is one of my favorite cities and after I went there as a teenager I insisted I was going to college there and wore my Harvard sweatshirt around everywhere. Lets just say that didn't work out. HA! And Shake Shake vs. Five Guys. I just can't decide. Tough tough choices.
I'm so happy you got a reprieve from the craptastic weather!! Also, that burger looks delicious! I'm willing some of my Colorado sunshine to you!!!
Yay for 50 degrees, it's supposed to be 50 here today and I am all kinds of happy about that! Funny family pic, oh those brothers…I have one and they can be such a pain, ha!
Ok I love Shake Shack but I rank Tasty Burger as my No. 1 burger joint. It's just great. SO GREAT.
went to shake shack last week too for the first time with some of my girlfriends. coffee milkshake? yes, please!
Jealous…I am just so jealous up here in my perch of Alaska! 50 degrees must have been amazing!!! I revolted against winter when we hit 27 on saturday!! And walking the Harvard campus, thats on my list of things I want to do! But these pictures are beautiful, you guys are such a cute family!
Donuts AND burgers AND warmer weather? Hello. Sounds like a fab day to me. Although I don't think I can decide between Shake Shack and Five Guys either…..
It's great you guys go and do these outings with your kids. I've never lived any where that gets snow. I'm constantly curious how I would feel about having such distinct seasons. I might be hugging the bare ground too, but maybe that's because the changes make you more appreciative.
Today in MI it was 50! I put new sand in the sand table and opened the garage doors for "beach time"! We played without gloves on!!
It really is the little things that get you through the seasons.
I love that yellow bike! There's one at Target I've been dying over the past few months. So jealous of what seemed like an amazing day with your family!
I'd love to share our springweather with you guys, you totally deserve it. Thanks a lot for the family pictures, this is what happens every time here at the moment, so i felt a bit relieved!
And in addition to "I love your writing" – your photos are amazing as well.
that burger interlude WAS totally necessary. i can't decide which of the Burger Trifecta i like the best either. for me, the choice is made by location. all i have here is Five Guys. but when in New York, Shake Shack. when in Cali, In-n-Out. when in Rome, pizza. but if they were all to be lined up side-by-side and i actually had to CHOOSE? now that would be a conundrum.
I love that Natalie Portman is first on your list of notable alumni, she so would be on mine!
xo
Michaela
http://michaelajeanblog.com
Looks beautiful. I love your photographs 🙂 Also I find it so funny that USA and UK have so many areas named the same. We have a Cambridge here too 🙂
Oh, I couldn't be happier to read your post! I'm delighted you got to revel in the — yes, I'll use this word — BALMY! temps, and that you guys got to bust a move outside, all day long. Even eating outside? Stop it.
And Parker (hilariously) shoving his sister's arm into the wall — it's funny and awesome that the little guy is All Business about what he wants (er, doesn't want!).
And his hugging-the-earth thing sounds very familiar. When it was 50 degrees here yesterday, my little son (4 years old) ran like a lightning bolt down the big lawn of the museum we'd just left, then proceeded to fall down (on purpose) on the grass. Multiple times. He accidentally stepped in the mud — and when he felt it under his feet ("squishy, not crunchy, Mama!"), his face lit up. Like the poor chap had forgotten what the world feels like over 38 degrees.
What a fun, beautiful, WARM day! May it be the first of many to come — and soon!
Gorgeous photos! It's everything I expected Cambridge to be in my mind.