love that dirty water, take 1

Dan and I started our trip back east with a flight into Boston.  Not only was it cheaper, but it was a great excuse to spend some time wandering around the city and to go to a Red Sox game.  We started out our day with lunch and cannoli in the North End.

La Summa in the North End

We ate lunch at a restaurant called La Summa in the North End.  This was my third time eating there and my third time being the only people in the restaurant.  I'm not really sure what the deal is with that, but the food is good, home-style Italian and the pasta is handmade.

fence in the North End

chains in the cobblestone road

Paul Revere's home with skyscrapers

fire escape

I love the North End.  From the streamers over the streets, to the congested sidewalks, to the plethora of Italian restaurants and grocery stores, it really has a European feel. I also love the history.  The Old North Church (aka "one if by land, two if by sea") and Paul Revere's house are here.

Mike's Pastry

Modern Pastry

There are two rivaling pastry shops in the North End: Mike's and Modern.  They both make amazing cannoli.  According to local legend, if you are a true North Ender, you can only eat at one or the other of these places, but not both.  In other words, if you're a Modern Pastry goer and they catch you at Mike's, you can basically kiss your cannoli eating days goodbye.

me with the Modern box

I, luckily perhaps, am not a true North Ender, so I can eat wherever I want.  I had only been to Mike's before, so we tried Modern this time.  The cannoli were delicious.  Unfortunately, I haven't been to Mike's for years, so it is hard to tell which shop is better.  I guess I'll just have to try again :)

Modern Pastry box

my parents and me

We left the North End and ate our cannoli in the new park that was built over the Big Dig.  It was a nice little spot to rest and digest before our trek across the city to Fenway Park.