 Before this whole coronavirus situation took a turn for the worst, I was spring breaking in South Beach Miami with eight other girls in my sorority. I would like to note that we went on this trip before social distancing was being enforced. Also, the Friday I left, the city was just beginning to restrict people from doing whatever they wanted. I had been to Miami once with my family back in 2015 for a family reunion. Although, as one can imagine, going there with college friends for spring break is a way different experience than going with your grandparents. One of the most exciting things a bunch of girls from all different years in Delta Gamma (the sorority I belong to at BU) participated in was renting a boat. Seeing Miami from the water was so exhilarating. We went through canals in between large high rise hotels and eventually docked at a small island of the coast. My friends were kayaking, swimming in the water, jumping off of the boat, and just taking in the sun on the island. I’ll remember that day for the rest of my life because of the fun I had with the amazing girls I was with. That day on the boat wasn’t even the best part of the trip; it was my realization that I want to live in Miami one day. Here’s why: 1. Every building’s architecture (even the pharmacies and grocery stores) was unique yet had a retro vibe that tied the city together in such an aesthetically pleasing way.
2. Miami’s art scene is unreal. On our last full day, we walked around a section of Miami called Wynnwood which is famous for its street art. There wasn’t one blank wall in sight and I seriously had never seen so much creativity all happening once all around me.
3. My last reason is a bit hard to explain to someone who hasn’t physically been to Miami, but it has to do with the energy of the people that filled the streets and beaches. So many people just casually approach each other and start conversing, are always playing music, express themselves in such trendy and fashionable ways, and just seem like they are way more relaxed compared to the intense energy I witnessed the weekend before in New York City.
Once this pandemic situation has come and gone, I definitely recommend everyone to visit South Beach Miami at least once in their life because I fell in love with the city and hope you will too.
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New York City is often referred to as the greatest city in the world. I believe that its bustling energy, filled with people from widely different backgrounds is what makes the city superior. This past weekend I visited New York City for Spring break with some friends. We are all college students so we had to ball on a budget. Transportation We took a bus called the “mega bus.” It was only $29 to get from the South Station of Boston to Penn Station. That specific bus was one of the nicer ones as you can find lower quality options for around $20. Although, if you aren’t feeling like sitting on a bus for almost five hours, your next best option is to take the Amtrak train. I prefer the train over the bus and will spend the extra money because it's more comfortable and takes a little less time. If you were to take the Amtrak from Boston to NYC it will cost you $85- $130 depending on the time you leave. Lastly, you can take a plane, which normally runs for $135+. Flights only take a little over an hour and when you are visiting a city for a short amount of time, time is money. Accommodations I was lucky enough to be able to stay at a friend's house for free for the weekend. Although if you don’t have any friends or family to stay within the area, AirBnb is a good alternative. They have a really useful feature that allows you to enter your price range into the search options to narrow your options down. If you wanted to stay in Williamsburg with 6 friends, you could find really cheap apartments starting at $85 a night. What to do: As most people already know, seeing a show on Broadway is one of the most iconic things to do in the city. I have had the privilege to see a few shows like Hamilton, Wicked, and Matilda. Although, my all-time favorite show that I have seen on Broadway is called Come from Away. If you are interested in watching a heartwarming historical fiction show about humanity during 9/11 this play is for you. It brought me to tears and will probably make you cry too. Tickets can get expensive, but if you buy your tickets through companies like TKTS, you can get 20%- 50% off of the original price if you buy the tickets the same day you see the show. There is an endless amount of attractions and things to do in the city that draws in people from all over. I hope you enjoy some of my recommendations!   A photo from June of 2017 at Island Creek Oyster. I was trying my first Lobster Roll while wearing a lobster shirt. As a sophomore in college who still lives on campus, I get a majority of my meals from the dining hall. After eating food that is mass-produced for a while, it gets old, especially if you are a foodie like me. I love trying new foods but going out in the city for dinner can get expensive for a college student. Personally, seafood is my favorite. I love all kinds of shellfish, sushi, and of course New England Lobster rolls. I think my love for lobster rolls began when my mom took me to dinner at “Island Creek Oyster” on Comm Ave. one June afternoon in 2017 when I was touring BU. Their lobster is from Maine and I was happy with the quality of the seafood. Of course good quality seafood comes with a high price.  Since then whenever I see a lobster roll on the menu, I get really excited. But, the price bums me out because I simply can not afford a $30- $40 roll. But that’s not going to stop the seafood lover in me from getting my fix. Luke’s Lobster is a chain throughout the east coast that also gets their lobster supply from Maine. A regular size roll goes for $17 and a jumbo roll goes for $23. Whenever I have friends visiting from the West Coast I always take them to get a New England Lobster roll here because not only is it good but affordable.  Oysters have also been another favorite of mine. Unfortunately, one can rack up a large bill when you get a plate of a dozen shells. A typical singular oyster can go for $3-4 each. Although, if you ever find yourself on Newbury St. you should stop by Puro Ceviche Bar. The ambiance of the restaurant is trendy as the restaurant is underground and filled with modern art and photography. Their oysters run for $2.50, which is a bit more affordable compared to other places, but they have a special deal on Thursday nights offering $1 oysters.
Finding affordable restaurants when you live in a big city isn’t always easy, but if you are in the mood for a good lobster roll or plate of oysters, I hope these recommendations help.
 Just this past week, I explored the Museum of Fine Arts which is located by Northeastern’s campus. The MFA is free for students at BU when you bring along your student ID and is easily accessible by taking the T. The MFA houses a multitude of exhibits about Black history and futures to contemporary and modern art. When I went to the museum, on a Wednesday afternoon, I needed to visit the Art of the Americas Wing for my Natural Science class to collect data about landscapes from the past. I really enjoyed walking through that section of the museum and looking at all the art on display. When I walked into this room, I immediately noticed the red Victorian-style wallpaper, gold embellished frames that held all of the paintings, and the marble statues that stood throughout the room. It gave the exhibit a very grandiose feel. In this exhibit that was filled with beautiful landscape paintings, this specific piece of art immediately caught my eye.  This painting is called "Museum Epiphany III" and is especially interesting because it is a painting of the room that it is hung in. It depicts a young girl and her mother looking at the marble statue amongst other MFA visitors. My favorite part of experiencing this piece of art is that when you turn around, the marble statue that the young girl is looking up at, is directly behind you. Also if you look closely, the woman who is standing furthest to the left is located in the same place as someone who is looking at the painting in real time. As I personally noticed these little details, its irony made me smile and appreciate the piece even more.
As I stood in this room, I couldn’t help but think about the saying “life imitates art.” This came to mind because of the way the young girl and her mother were illustrated. I immediately saw a parallel between their appearance and the statues, as both were portrayed with angelic and light energy. This was done primarily through each subjects’ white clothing. Also, this saying seemed relevant because as life happens and visitors visit this room everyday, reality reflects what the painting depicts. If you ever find yourself with a free Wednesday afternoon and are in the mood to experience some art, the MFA is the place to be.  02.13.20 Personally, my most productive hours are spent in a coffee shop instead of the BU library. It’s the little things in life that make my day better, and being able to enjoy a vanilla latte and a sandwich while I’m grinding out some work does just that. I also enjoy the cafe environment because coffee houses are always filled with other young people being productive. Being in this kind of environment encourages me to stay focused since I’m being surrounded by productive energy. There are four major coffee houses BU’s campus which is along Commonwealth Ave. The first coffee house worth mentioning is the Starbucks that is below Warren towers. If you are in East Campus and want to pick up a coffee to go before heading to class, this Starbucks is probably your easiest and most accessible option. There is even a way to order your coffee on the Starbucks app and pick it up without having to wait in a long line. However, if you want a place to do work, seating is very limited and not as reliable. This leads me to rank this coffeehouse as my least favorite place to do work on campus. My order at Starbucks: Tall Pike’s Roast room for cream & a sausage cheddar and egg breakfast sandwich If you are around central campus, Pavement Coffee is a great place to stop by to get a drink and get some work done. They offer a wide variety of sandwiches, bagels, and pastries. It is very busy inside so during the cafe's peak hours (which is around 10am-12:30pm) you might have to wait for someone to get up before being able to sit down and do work. Also, if you are unable to focus and be productive when it's very loud, this place may not be for you. The last time I was in there, someone I was studying with almost had to ask if they could lower the volume of the music because it was so loud. Overall, their breakfast sandwiches are the best thing they offer but I feel like there are other coffee houses on Comm Ave. with better tasting coffee. My order at Pavement: The Fix sandwich and a latte  Two of my favorite coffee shops along Comm Ave. are in west campus. My second favorite place to enjoy coffee and do homework is at Blue State Coffee. If you are looking for a quieter and less busy coffeehouse to get some work done this is the place. Every time I come in here there is always an open seat available. I personally really like the convenience of the location because I pass the shop every day on my walk to class and home. If you are heading to class from west campus this is a great place to get a coffee to go. I also really like the taste of their coffee too. Although, I don’t like spending long periods of time in the lounge area because the furniture is not that comfortable. My order at Blue State Coffee: Vanilla latte and smoked salmon bagel  Last, but definitely not least, is Cafe Nero. When I say I have never been more productive in a coffee shop I mean in Cafe Nero sitting at the far back left table. I enjoy this place so much that I come to do homework and eat a sandwich here every day after class. The lounge area has multiple large tables for people to take a seat wherever one is open. Out of all the coffee shops I have recommended, Cafe Nero has the most space for people to work, study, socialize, or even just sit and enjoy a coffee. Because of the always accessible seating, I never really feel pressured or rushed to get up which is nice when you have a lot of work to get done. Also, they have an awesome rewards punch card program that offers your 11th drink for free! It’s always a good day when I can take my full punchcard in and get a free drink for any size. The energy of the space isn’t even my favorite part of this coffeehouse, as I believe they have the best tasting coffee. Overall, if you are looking for a coffeehouse with good vibes, good food, and delicious tasting coffee, this is the spot for you. My only complaint is that the location of the shop is pretty far west but I live on that side of campus so it’s not too much of a problem for me.
My order at Cafe Nero (what I’m eating as I write this blog post): A ham and cheese croissant and an iced cold brew coffee TD Garden is Boston’s most well-known sports venue housing the Boston Bruins and the Celtics. Although, the venue's functions don’t end there as the Beanpot championship game will be hosted on its ice within the next week (GO BU!!) Also, TD Gardens is known to attract many large names in the music industry. If you are looking to see some of the hottest artists right now, like Billie Eilish and Harry Styles, TD Garden is where you should spend your money (and a lot of it because tickets for these artists start at $230.) Similar to other large arenas that transition in between sports and concert venues, unless you buy tickets in the pit, you know exactly the seat you are paying for. The one disadvantage and the main reason why I have not personally attended a concert here is because when I’ve bought a general admissions ticket at a smaller venue, I somehow have weaseled my way to the rail every since time. The advantage of seeing a show at TD Garden is the predictability of knowing exactly what you have paid for going into the show. Although at the end of the day, seeing your favorite artist and listening to them play their music live, no matter where you are sitting/ standing, it will be a memorable experience. Upcoming concerts at TD Gardens that I recommend: Billie Eilish- March 19th Michael Bublé- March 25th Harry Styles- July 10th The Royale is a smaller venue located in the Bay Village. This establishment is technically a night club but they host smaller artists and transition the venue to accommodate general admission standing room. Since this venue hosts smaller artists, tickets to the shows that are hosted here are a lot more affordable compared to TD Garden. Back in September, a BU fraternity hosted a charity event at the Royale and had two DJs (What's So Not and Sam Feldt) play at their function. This was the perfect location for this show because of the size of the location. Also, one of my most memorable experiences of freshman year was at the Royale when I saw Big Wild back in March. This show was so fun because my friends and I were able to get to the rail and experience the artists up close and personal. That experience just is not possible at larger venues. Upcoming concerts at the Royale that I recommend: Ekali- March 12th Olivia O’Brien- March 13th AC Slater- March 20th The House of Blues located in Fenway is my favorite venue in Boston I’ve been to thus far. Just last night I attended a Two Friends and Matoma show and danced the night away to an awesome DJ set with a saxophone interlude. That show last night was the third show I’ve seen at the House of Blues. The first show being Jai Wolf and the second being Louis the Child; both artists are electronic music producers. As a frequent concert and festival go-er, I value when a venue offers an intimate experience for their audience. This venue is so intimate that when I saw Louis the Child, I was able to get close enough to the stage for one of the performers to jump in the crowd while I helped him crowd surf. The lack of assigned seating and amazing acoustics isn’t even why I admire the House of Blues the way I do. It is because of the art above stage sets the vibe for the environment of the show.The art depicts every religion's symbol with the purpose to encourage inclusivity and acceptance for all. I believe that seeing your favorite artist can be a very special experience and knowing that the venue you seeing the show at accepts anyone, creates a welcoming vibe that truly adds to one’s experience for the better. I only have good things to say about the House of Blues and can’t wait to return for another show in the future. Upcoming concerts at the House of Blues that I recommend: Tove Lo- February 10th Trippie Redd- February 18th & 19th Oh Wonder- April 8th Mura Masa-May 3rd
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