March 26th 2013: Getting Nauseated at the Revere Spring Carnival

Today, I left work early after completing my work for the day in order to go to the Revere Spring Carnival, held in the parking lot of the Showcase Cinemas De Lux Revere. I still had some time when I got to the area, so I decided to first visit the death mask of Napoleon Bonaparte, located in the Mugar Library of Boston University, and the Ether Dome, located on the 4th floor of the Bulfinch building within the Massachusetts General Hospital campus, where the first anesthetized surgery using ether was performed. Pictures I took follow.

Napoleon Death Mask

Monument,
Massachusetts General Hospital

Bulfinch Building

Inside the Ether Dome

The Dome

With that, I headed to the carnival, where I had bought a groupon for unlimited rides a few days ago. Thankfully, it wasn't as cold at the moment, so I was able to get away with just a sweater. This carnival is actually pretty small, with a cheap entrance fee of a buck fifty, although the rides I had aboard Zero Gravity, Vertigo and Freak Out were pretty exhilarating, with Zero Gravity having me "stuck" to the side of a giant wheel while rotating at 75 miles an hour, going almost vertical at the climax, Vertigo swinging me around at several hundred feet above the ground, and Freak Out being a pendulum of sorts with that constant falling feeling on the downward swing. Pictures of the rides and the carnival follow.

The Entrance

The Carnival

Pharoah's Fury

The Bull 

Sitting on Vertigo

Being raised into the air

Swinging in the Air

Zipper

Zipper in Action

Freak Out

Zero Gravity

Zero Gravity about to start

In Action

By the time I finished the rides and left, I felt so nauseated that I kept vomiting as I traveled to Everett to visit a few places before the sun went down for good.

Woodlawn Cemetery

Elm Street Baptist Church

Everett High School

Glendale United Methodist Church

Albert Parlin Junior High School

First Baptist Church

After leaving Everett when the sun finally set, I headed to my dinner at Nico, an Italian restaurant in the North End area of Boston, still feeling sick, the drive making it worse until I was cramping by the time I found parking in the Sargent's Wharf lot.

When I got out of the car, I could not resist but vomit on the sidewalk, and immediately I felt better and resumed my walk to the restaurant.

This place is pretty upscale, and looks much better than Davide nearby, where I had dinner a few days before. It was also crowded with people, and there was a singing group here tonight as well. Thankfully, I managed to get a seat at the bar, where I had to order $60 worth of food, when I already had not much of an appetite from all the vomiting.

I decided to get the Polpetta di Mamma Rosetta (Traditional Meatball made from ground veal, beef and wild mushrooms served fresh basil and ricotta) and the Capesante Al Pesto (Pan Seared Deep Sea Scallops over Grilled Baby Eggplant garnished with Pine Nuts and Pesto Sauce) for appetizers, while getting the Chilean Sea Bass (Pan Seared with White Wine, Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic) for my main dish.

Polpetta di Mamma Rosetta

Capesante Al Pesto

Chilean Sea Bass

I did not like my meatball really much, although the scallops were fantastic, going well with the pesto sauce and the eggplant, and somehow I managed to finish it all. I could not say the same for my main dish, which was really good as the fish was cooked just right and the asparagus was perfectly cooked,  the stem very soft and tender, which is rare for me. I could only manage a few bites before giving up for good.

I took my leftovers with me, and somehow managed to walk all the way back to my car and drive home.

Needless to say, I popped myself into bed the moment I got home. I hope I feel better tomorrow.

March 24th 2013: Dinner at Umbria Prime, Boston

Our food truck launch party went really well today, with everyone complimenting us on our food. After the party, we decided to head into Boston to grab some dinner before my friends headed home, passing by the Malden Redevelopment Authority building in Malden.

 We initially wanted to go to Howl at the Moon, a bar in the Financial District area for drinks and food, but it looked like it was closed, so we decided to go to Umbria Prime, an upscale restaurant nearby.

We did not have to wait long for a table for the 6 of us, although I manged to take some pictures of the place while waiting at the bar.

After getting seated, almost all of us decided to order from the Restaurant Week menu, with me getting the Parmigiana di Melenzana appetizer and the Roasted Chicken Ravioli with Wild Mushrooms and Truffled Cream for my entree, with the Homemade Cannoli for dessert.

Parmigiana di Melenzana

Roasted Chicken Ravioli

Homemade Cannoli

Both food dishes were actually really good, the appetizer not being too sour, and the ravioli extremely delicious, while the dessert presentation was pretty decent as well. I'm glad Howl at the Moon was closed tonight.

March 23rd 2013: Dinner with Friends at Celtic Tavern, Northborough

After a long day of preparing for tomorrow's party, my friends and I headed back to my place, stopping by the Celtic Tavern in Northborough for a late dinner. There apparently was a band playing tonight, and the bar area was pretty full of people. Thankfully, the dining area was not as full, and the four of us were able to get a seat immediately.

For food, I got the Tavern Double Flay Burger, which came with a secret sauce and 2 beef patties, with waffle fries on the side, while my friends got the Beer Battered Fish and Chips and the Savory Sheppard’s Pie (Hearty blend of sirloin beef, carrots, onions, corn, and celery, topped with homemade mashed potatoes).

Tavern Double Flay Burger

Savory Sheppard's Pie

Beer Battered Fish and Chips

My patties were a little burned, although the sauce and the fries were pretty good, while I had a decent sampling of the "pie" as well. Overall, an okay experience, ruined a little by my burnt burger, our tiredness from the day's work, and my inability to finish my meal.

With that, we headed off to do more chores, late into the night.

Looking forward to our launch party tomorrow!!

March 22nd 2013: Dinner at Davide, Boston

Today after work, I had to pick up my friends who were coming from NYC from Riverside T-Station in Newton. The sun had still yet to set, so I decided to check out a few places in Northbridge including two dams that had beautiful views,

Fairlawn Christian Reformed Church

Rockdale Congregational Church

Fish Pond Dam,
Carr Road and Purgatory Road

Whitins Pond,
Carr Road and Purgatory Road

Linwood Mill Apartments

Pleasant Street Christian Reformed Church

Old Machinery at Linwood Mills

Linwood Pond, 670 Linwood Avenue

Old Centre Congregational Church,
Benson Road and Hill Street

Linwood Pond Dam,
670 Linwood Avenue

and Uxbridge.

Good Shepherd Church

Faith Fellowship Church

Crown and Eagle Apartments,
99 East Hartford Avenue

Blanchard Early Childhood Center,
65 East Hartford Avenue

Finally, it was time to head to dinner at Davide, an Italian restaurant in the North End area of Boston.

It was so hard to find parking here that I had to park at the Lewis Wharf lot before heading to the decently upscale restaurant nearby, which is located in the basement level of a building.

Restaurant Decor

Using my $40 groupon, I decided to get the Assorted Mushrooms (White Truffle Polenta, Thyme, Garlic, White Wine) for my appetizer and the Osso Bucco (Braised Veal Shank, Saffron Risotto, Gremolata) for my main course.

Assorted Mushrroms

Osso Bucco

Although both dishes looked similar because of the sauce, I enjoyed both dishes, being able to extract some marrow from the bone of the veal shank.

After a decent meal, I headed to Newton and waited for my friends to arrive before bringing them to my place.

Gotta wake up early tomorrow to start preparing for my food truck prelaunch party.