Another cold day in Boston

Given the sub-zero temperatures, it made perfect sense that we would head out to spend the day walking around Boston shopping and taking advantage of the weak dollar. After being frustrated in our attempts to buy a ticket for the T -- it's introduced a new "Charlie Ticket" but doesn't appear to let you purchase a single-ride ticket -- we took a cab to Downtown Crossing. First stop: Designer Shoe Warehouse. No joy, just ugly, ugly shoes. Second stop: Boston City Sports. Success! Lots of stuff on sale, mainly fleece (my favorite fabric), but also the wonderful snuggle hoodie that I'm now wearing as I type. Honestly, that's what came up on the till! It is pale blue, matches the pair of snuggle socks I bought here last year, and is super-toasty. I also got another pair of snuggle socks, a waterproof jacket, and a couple of tees -- all for $122.

A bitterly cold walk to Copley Plaza followed, resulting in total numbness of the face and thighs, with more shopping in Barnes & Noble. I got yet another baking book, a cookbook from Boston's North End, and a book of beer recipes -- shaped like a beer can! -- for PJ. At that point, we'd had as much as we could take so headed back to veg out at the hotel before meeting up with friend/colleague Ted for dinner.

Ted picked us up and we drove along Tremont Ave, trying to find a restaurant and lucked out at 28 Degrees, a very lounge-y place with "small plates". The food was exceptional: calamari, chips, roast cauliflower, spicy shrimp tacos were all beautiful. The other people in the bar were much more smartly dressed than us (although I did leave the snuggle hoodie at the hotel), so it was just as well we were in a dark corner. We were in and out in around an hour -- the joy of American service -- and then went to Toscannini's in Cambridge for ice cream with hot fudge sauce and on to The Miracle of Science for beers. Wherever we went, though, U2 was in the air. Bizarre. Is it the faux-Irish identification of this city or just a lack of imagination on the part of bars here? (By contrast, City Sports played an excellent emo/grunge version of Lola and some Hole -- yay! I love City Sports!)

And so to bed . . .