Tag Archives: Boston

Jun23

Thanksgiving in New England – A flight around New England

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Thanksgiving! Last year, Thanksgiving was a bit too busy for me to fly back to the United States… classes, and general insanity, conspired to keep me in Dublin. Which, frankly, was a perfectly lovely time with friends and classmates. 2025, however, had none of those challenges… and thus, saw Andrea and I winging our way to New England for a well-deserved holiday…

Monday, 24-November-2025

We just flew from Ireland to the United States… so why would we be getting on another plane so quickly?

I mean, why not, first off.

Second off – we had to fly to Portland! Maine, not Oregon, unfortunately.

But there was nothing unfortunate about this – Andrea and I got to meet up with Daniel, hop in a small single-engine prop plane, and toodle around the East Coast for a bit of an adventure. A chance for Daniel and I to catch up, a chance for Andrea to see the sights, and a chance for all three of us to have some delicious grilled cheese up in Maine… while also earning Daniel a few extra flight hours in the process.

Ohh, and also causing a multi-plane search for an emergency transponder.

Yeah… We’re still not sure how that switch got bumped… Honestly, it was a funny whole thing: throughout the flight up, we kept hearing radio chatter about an emergency transponder that was going off nearby. Planes and ATC were searching for it, people (passively, thankfully) working to triangulate where it was. It was challenging, almost as if it was moving… But no matter – we flew, we landed, and we went into town.

Then Daniel got a call. The beacon seemed to be coming from our plane. Could they enter and turn it off?

… Shit.

Thankfully all went well – no issues or hassle, as far as I’m aware. Just a funny story to add to an otherwise absolutely lovely day.

… Ohh and Daniel and I wore butterfly wings after dinner. We were glorious.

Jun19

Thanksgiving in New England – The flights out

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Thanksgiving! Last year, Thanksgiving was a bit too busy for me to fly back to the United States… classes, and general insanity, conspired to keep me in Dublin. Which, frankly, was a perfectly lovely time with friends and classmates. 2025, however, had none of those challenges… and thus, saw Andrea and I winging our way to New England for a well-deserved holiday…

Sunday, 23-Nov-2025

Flying is one of those really fun things for me. I adore the calmness once you’re in the airport… it’s magical time, to me, where I can really focus in and get things done.

This time was no exception. Flying from Dublin to Boston is simple and easy, thanks to TSA being on this side of the pond (probably due to the sheer volume of Americans coming back here), so it’s clean, it’s simple, and it’s a beautifully quiet spot.

Jun5

A flight of New England Fancy – An evening in Boston

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It’s been a while since I’ve been back to Massachusetts… I think it was for Dillon and Liz’s wedding, wasn’t it? That’s sounding right… though I frankly can’t believe that was only six months ago. These last few months have felt like forever, and it was high time that I got back East. The rock was calling, family and friends beckoned, and I hadn’t seen my Grandma in far, far too long…

Sunday, 24-Apr-2022


Ohh man… Okay so bear with me for a moment or two, because I’m gonna tell you a story.

Years ago, I started college in Boston.

Yup. We’re throwing ALLLLLL the way back to 2005, baby!


Anyways, when I started and moved in, I was fortunate enough to find a pretty solid friend group who I began exploring the city with. One of those evenings we decided to go into the North End, and find ourselves an excellent Italian dinner.

As we were wandering around, we came to a small hole in the wall with an older gentleman sitting out front. We’re talking your perfect stereotype of an older Italian grandpa… small, with a cigar, lounging around with a cigar tray and a glass of some kind of bourbon or wine or I don’t know what. We didn’t know yet that hole-in-the-wall places are almost always the best, so we proceeded to walk right on past… until the gentleman called out.

“There’s no room inside. Sorry, all booked”

We looked in… there were one or two patrons, but it was still early in the evening, and the restaurant was far from full.

“I wish we could seat you, but we can’t. Sorry.”

He looked us over… we were stopped, but half-starting to move on past.

“You know what? I like the look of you all. Give me a minute, I’ll talk to the host and see if we can get you a table.”

We looked at each other. We had no idea what to do… We were all fresh-faced Freshmen, and were barely out of our high school cocoons. He came back out.

“I talked to the host, and convinced him to give you a table. Come in! Come in!

That evening, I found the best Chicken Parmesan in the city of Boston. Some people say that, somewhere in the universe, is an ideal version of every object. A perfect chair, the optimal hair tie, and the perfect climbing shoes. I may not have found that single ideal Chicken Parmesan that night, but I haven’t found one better since.

I’ve been back to that restaurant, Cafe Lucia (or Lucia Risorante, I can never quite remember) quite a few times. Work dinner, friend dinners, dates, all of it. It’s never failed to astound, and I’m terrified of the day that something causes them to close their doors.

Thankfully, this visit to Boston saw them still open, and still just as inviting as that evening so many years ago. Dillon and Liz, Daniel and Erin, Clara and Brian, we all met up and enjoyed their amazing fare. We ate, we drank, and we caught up… for which I’m endlessly thankful.

Any time I get sad or lonely out in Oregon, my mind wanders back to that street in the North End… or more accurately, to the smiling faces of friends that I know are always there for me. Even if it’s something as simple as an evening out in the North End to celebrate the end of an amazing week back on the East Coast, visiting friends and family.