Beantown!

This past weekend Brent Thurgood (my fellow Ute in New York) and I went on a little road trip. I anticipated this trip for some time due to what was awaiting us at our destination... yes, b.good burgers!!!

Our first stop upon arriving in Boston was the famed burger joint in Harvard Square. Since my last visit to Boston, the b.good founder and owner Jon Olinto had sent me several coupons for free burgers. We redeemed these coupons for two el guapos. With the first bite I was reminded once again of the supremacy of b.good burgers... absolutely incredible!

Brent Thurgood enjoying his first b.good (Brent Thurgood... b.good burgers- is there some connection there?)

As we were enjoying our heavenly meal I asked an employee if Jon was in - I wanted to meet the genius behind the burger. Jon came out from his office and immediately recognized me. It was great to meet him. We talked a bit about his company - how they started and where they are headed. He even gave us a tour of the place and showed us their secrets behind the magic - proprietary info... I feel privileged!

Me and Jon in front of the b.good grill; the rest of the tour was highly classified - no photos allowed (this was my rule, not Jon's)

Jon also treated us to two more complementary burgers, as well as two mango shakes. This gave me an opportunity to try two new burgers - the west side and the adopted luke. I will tell you what - the b.good folk sure do know how to take care of their customers!

When we finished dinner we headed out for our secondary - and of course much less spectacular - activity. We saw the Boston Celtics play the Chicago Bulls in the Garden.

This was the second sporting event I have attended in Boston (Trent and I went to a Red Sox game last April). Both experiences convinced me that Boston is the premier sports town in America. No other city can claim such tradition as the Boston Nation. Their fans are loyal, informed, and die-hard! They hold to their roots and relish the tradition of their sporting franchises.

My fellow New Yorkers may disown me for saying such a thing about their hated rival to the north. New York too is a great sports town. However, it is a city divided. In New York's quest to become bigger and better they created a situation which dilutes the passion of the fans. Yankees/Mets, Jets/Giants, Knicks/Nets... Who is your team? Bostonians are united. They all rally behind the Sox, the Celts, and the Pats. A camaraderie exists amongst the Boston faithful which is strikingly absent in the Big Apple. The multiple New York franchises and their respective fans clamor amongst themselves to be top dog only to look up and realize Beantown is now king.

Me and Brent at the Garden

Saturday morning included an enjoyable run through Cambridge. I explored much of Harvard I had not previously seen. If you are ever in town, be sure to see Harvard Stadium (it feels like a Roman coliseum - awesome!) and Harvard Business School (the most impressive area of Harvard's campus).

Cousin Shelly recommended a quaint restaurant for breakfast - Sound Bites. Great recommendation!!! I had a Belgian waffle with strawberries, mango, apples, blueberries, papaya, kiwi, oranges, and watermelon on top - all covered with whipped cream! Wow!

Check out the waffle!

After breakfast we saw some sights - Faneuil Hall, Quincey Market, Boston Commons, Fenway Park (moment of silence please). We were just biding our time until lunch came around.

We had to make somewhat of an early departure from Boston. But we made sure to make one last stop at b.good before hitting the road. As always, it was memorable!

As I sit here contemplating when I can make time for another road trip to Boston, I realize it will not be soon enough. I look forward to the day.

Thanks Jon for the Burgers!!!

(doesn't this picture make your mouth water?)


My compliments to Brent Thurgood for the photography