Towne Burger Test!

When I saw the Towne burger on a number of top Boston Burger lists, I figured this was a must try.  However, the timing of the serving of this burger seemed to really get in the way.  Only after a few months of being opened the burger was limited to being served only on the weekdays at lunchtime, not really conducive to my schedule!  So after a few missed chances (brunch and dinner) to put the burger to the test I was wondering if I would ever taste it!?!  However, as luck would have it, Nick and I took at jet lag day after we returned to Greece - naturally Towne's burger was our one plan for the day!

Burger Plate

At just about noontime, we headed into Towne with one goal - test the burger.  Not going to lie, after so many failed attempts I did ask the hostess to just make sure, but we were in luck, so the burger test was on!  When the plate of burger goodness arrived, I must admit, I was immediately impressed by the full half of avocado on the plate more than the burger.  While I did throw a few slices onto the burger, I ate that first and it was so fresh and amazing.  The fires are are thin and good, but nothing to really set them apart. 

Santorini - Volcano Exploration and Perfect Sunsets and...too much to name!

After the first half of our trip we could not wait to see how the next part stacked up.  When we first started telling people about our Greece trip, one of Nick's coworkers suggested that we do an excursion that takes you out to the volcano where you can hike up to the craters, followed by a stop at the hot sulfur springs, dinner on the boat and a sail to the coast of Oia to watch one of the most beautiful sunsets.

Sunset off of Oia

After being picked up by our transfer we headed down to the port and were welcomed by our ship, Aphrodite.  Rather than being some yucky old boat, this was a three mast wooden sailboat, which just sets the mood for the perfect afternoon/evening.

Puff Pastry and Croissant Class with Joanne Chang at Flour!

Back at the end of winter I saw a tweet from Flour Bakery regarding classes they were holding at their Fort Point Channel store and jumped at the chance.  Turns out two of the classes were being taught by Joanne Chang, owner and author of the fantastic cookbook Flour, so I signed up for the croissant and puff pastry class.  Having never made either before I was excited to learn the tricks of the trade.

When we arrived, the staff was busy setting everything up for the class and allowed the "students" to grab some coffee and tea while we reviewed the recipes that were were going to be using for the day: puff pastry, Parmesan cheese bread straws and croissants.

Coffee and Recipes

Even though we were not the first to grab a table we were still right in the center and had a great view of all the goings on.  Now, when Joanne Chang came out and greeted everyone, I must admit I got a bit giddy.  To some people she may not be famous, but to me she's a pretty big deal!  However, once she started speaking she immediately put us all at ease - she was warm and friendly, and seemed genuinely excited to be there with us.

Santorini - maybe the most fantastic place!

After spending a few lovely days in Crete we took the ferry from Heraklion to Santorini!  We were greeted by a representative of the travel agency who found us our driver and we were off to our hotel, Suites of the Gods, which happened to be right above the port and had the most beautiful view of the caldera. 

View from our balcony

Sea and the volcano

After settling into our rooms and enjoying a bit of lunch on the balcony (how can you not just stare at the view?) we enjoyed a little poolside relaxation and tried to figure out what to do for dinner that night.  Our hotel was actually not in either of the two main towns of Fira or Oia, but the former was a short cab ride away.

In Crete - Chania to Heraklion: Palaces, Ruins and a Winery

After enjoying some fantastic beach days in Chania, we had to travel to Heraklion, a port city in Crete.  Driving in Crete was an experience to say the least.  We had to travel on the one and only "highway" to get to Heraklion, a large two lane road with big shoulder lanes.  Turns out, those shoulder lanes are actually travel lanes where slower drivers (ie, cars traveling the speed limit) stay while the rest of the world passes them, to the point where there can be three cars all passing each other!  The drive itself was beautiful as most of it was along the coast and beautiful flowering bushes lined the roads - it all made the two and a half hour trip go by pretty quickly.

Rather than going directly to our hotel we stopped at Knossos, which is an ancient Minoan palace.  Interestingly the location of the palace was known for a while during the Turkish occupation of Crete but it was somewhat hidden as a result.  Not until Crete gained its independence did the unearthing of the palace begin.

There has been some criticism of the excavation process because rather than just digging out the remains there have been attempts to restore the palace to what it may have looked like - they added walls and colors that would have been common at the time.

75 Chestnut - a real neighborhood restaurant bar

On Saturday night (pre-Greece) Nick somehow managed to get a table for 4 at 75 Chestnut at 8:30pm - sometimes things actually do come together!  So off we went to meet up with our friends A & A for some dinner and drinks. 

75 Chestnut is one of my go-to spots in Beacon Hill.  It is off the beaten path enough that you don't get too many tourists.  It really is a great spot for a full-on meal or just a few drinks, whatever is suiting your mood at the time.  With plenty of delicious menu items and infused liquors there are more than enough things to satisfy just about anyone.  That said, the place is generally packed and reservations are recommended.  The bar, although small, is full service and the hostess is extremely good about watching the pecking order for tables - make sure you reach out to her first  since she is the key to tables!  While you wait, be sure to check out the cheese and cracker tower at the front of the restaurant.  These are actually free snacks that are perfect for tiding you over until you can snatch a table.  On this Saturday night, I was in the mood for a plain old beer, and decided to "dress it up" by going for the Sam Seasonal rather than just the lager. 

Sam Seasonal