Dos Botellas

Tue: Need to decompress out of Boston Physically and emotionally tired but it cannot stop here. Hopefully this mini getaway will help level out the rollercoaster ride. Enterprise was just about 1+ mile. After a quick stop at Panera for breakfast, we drove off at ~9am. The first stop came after 2 hrs at Portland head lighthouse. Somehow, I got derailed to Two Lights lighthouse…I wasn’t thinking much. Location looked legit on Google map, that’s all… We got there after some miles of narrow slow road, we couldn't even get past the fence to the lighthouse. The only thing there was a lobster shack. Quickly scrolling through Mingji’s notes, I realized of the real destination, sigh. Portland Head lighthouse was worth visiting. There is a nice path along the coast. Wind-chill was brisk but enjoyed it ... read more

Thu: We're in New England! Nonstop redeye is the best . The only thing is any temptation to sleep can be dangerous. What was intended to be a 10min power nap turned into a 2-hr nap... I even put myself in uncomfortable position...fail. Gots to get up. Finally made it out to Dunkin Donuts at 11a, just around the corner. Love the convenience . We were in the mood for some soup. Yelp indicated New England soup factory to be promising. Few miles away, close enough, it's on! Unfortunately, I was feeling that creamy chowder but avogolemono-ish orzo soup was nice . Next stop was Gardner Museum. It's famous for its courtyard and theft in the 90s. Unfortunately no photo anywhere, including the courtyard garden . It's too beautiful not to use the SLR I was ... read more

Mon: It’s marathon recovery, bring on the FOOD! That 4hrs of poundage felt like a bad dream…except sore body made sure it really happened yesterday. Slowly got ready for breakfast at a hotel. It was a small installation. The ground floor is a little cafe. A little homey breakfast :). It was going to be a rainy day today. How we lucked out with the weather! Cloudy few days was followed by a gorgeous sunny day just in time for marathon and rain the day after, ha! We strategically situated ourselves for a marathon recovery Osaka concoction day . Conveniently, hotel was adjacent to Japan's longest shopping arcade of 2.9km - tenjinbashisuji (天神橋筋六丁目). It turned out to be a perfect rainy day option. We went at ~9:40 when some stores were getting ready to open. Lots ... read more

Being a Michigan fan in Pac 10 (ok, Pac 12 now, whatever) territory hasn’t been easy. With football, some ignorant broadcasting companies would happily cut off an exciting OT with a Bruins game that nobody cares about. Unless it’s nationally televised, I spent many Saturday mornings in front of streaming radio. Last year this time, my fan-dom confidant and guidance brought Women’s Football Academy to my attention, I banged my head for not knowing this earlier. Since then, I had my eyes and ears open for 2012 event and registration. The event not only provides women an opportunity to learn about M football, but also benefits the cancer center at the M hospital – brilliant. I had absolutely no reason not to participate! This year was gonna be special. Last year was one of the successful ... read more

There is no visiting Beijing without seeing the Great Wall of China. If I could run it, I would cover more ground. The search for the Great Wall run was on. Googled Great Wall marathon. Bam, perfect. As I looked further into it, this requires all participants to be on their 2-wk tour. Shacks. Going down the Google list, I ran into another one – Great Wall of China Marathon. Yet further research and contacting the organizers confirmed that GWCM had no tour requirement. What's more, the course was almost entirely on the wall whereas the other one runs, for the most part, through villages. Even more, this one took place in more scenic section of the Great Wall. Perfect, I'd be able to run it! Sightsee with water support, a brilliant idea! It would be ... read more