life, travel, stories – Join the journey, Love Raven
Dear Reader, Where do the little pockets of culture lie in your city? Boston has a few different cultural centers including Chinatown in downtown, Lusophone neighborhoods in Cambridge, an Armenian constituency in Watertown, and Hispanic comunidad in East Boston among others (more here). Even where there is not a national or cultural community, many parts... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader, Sometimes we conflate a high-price tag with quality. This is an understandable mistake as many good products come with a value that makes one really consider before handing over a credit card. However, other times some things are expensive and are just not worth it. My boyfriend and I visited the One Bellevue... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader, How many of you out there are vegan? I have no strong opinion about veganism, but recently visited a nice vegan restaurant in Somerville called True Bistro with my boyfriend. Unlike a few other vegetarian and vegan eateries in the area like Veggie Galaxy, True Bistro boasts an upscale atmosphere in addition to... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader, Do you have a favorite coffee shop that you frequent? I have a top few that I rotate between. Having a regular haunt takes the guesswork out of your day. At best, it can be a convenient time-saver, however, at worst, it can trap you into a repetitive cycle. I so frequently get... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader, When it comes to breaking habits, are you more of a tortoise or a hare? A tortoise--slow and steady--would be more likely to opt for gradual, moderate change. A hare, on the other hand, is more likely to take the fastest possible steps. When it comes to changing habits, I, for better or... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader, Is it ever appropriate to send food back at a restaurant just because you did not like it? Today, my boyfriend and I visited a ritzy restaurant in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood for brunch. The place was crowded, and we were seated in close proximity to neighbors on both sides. The menu items... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader, Should our health and fitness goals ever take a vacation? I am currently in Cartagena, Colombia and am pondering this question. On my first full day in the city, I walked around a little in the morning (before the intense Caribbean heat set in) and ate what was convenient—mostly doughy and, admittedly, greasy... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader, Does anyone remember the store Ames? The department store Ames was similar to Walmart and at its peak, it had over 700 stores in the eastern half of the United States. The chain operated for just over 60 years when it declared bankruptcy and liquidated in 2002. As Ames was on its way... Continue Reading →
Dear Reader, Do you like free food? My answer – “Depends.” While many of you will answer “yes,” I’m sure that that is not always the case (well, at least for most of you). I work at a job in which I often get to offer people free food. No strings attached; you don’t even... Continue Reading →
