6:30am: Upon exiting the Kendall/MIT station I was greeted with the quiet, spring-y streets of Cambridge, Mass. I made for the water: that’s where to find the early risers on their morning jogs or dog-walks. Thanks to MIT Guest wifi, I sat on a bench and got through my usual morning email routine.
7am: The Wallpaper* City Guide Boston lists many funky MIT buildings as must-see’s, so I walked around to find them. Ah, architecture. A beautiful and free art.
7:30am: Knowing that mon préféré Flour Bakery would be open now, I meandered to Mass Ave for a scone and some more typing. After two hours at a communal table, it felt most polite to relocate, so I headed north with no destination in mind.
10am: Then I saw it: Toscanini Ice Cream! I had heard of this place, but had never pinned it on a map. Nostalgic for the many hours I spent at G&D’s Ice Cream Café in Oxford, I headed inside. The Toscanini ladies are so lovely and helpful: they helped me pick a flavor (amaretto) based on my preferences (flavourful, not too sweet), and when I asked where the ice cream was made, pointed a few yards behind them to the back of the shop. Very locally made, and you can taste it too! Toscanini also has a big communal table, so I sat down with my work for another stretch, ice cream by my side.
Activity-wise, the day was nothing more than my usual writing and web-tinkering. But interspersed with architectural strolls and well-chosen cafés, it was a fine morning indeed.
> monday mini adventures: making the most of one’s surroundings through conscious exploration and appreciation