72 Hours in Boston — Nothing Too Much.

“I guess no true Bostonian would trust a place that was sunny and pleasant all the time. But a gritty, perpetually cold and gloomy neighborhood? Throw in a couple of Dunkin’ Donuts locations, and I’m right at home.” - Rick Riordan

True confession: despite living 5 hours away from it most of my life I've only been to Boston twice. The first time I went was with my family while I was in high school and, if I'm being completely honest, I did not like it. Maybe it was because we went to a game at Fenway, where Bostonians are arguably at their worst, or maybe it was because we had just spent a week in Acadia National Park and I wasn't ready to come back to civilization. Regardless, my first impression of Boston was not a good one. I was, however willing to give it a second chance.

The second time I've been to Boston was this last weekend, and I think the city won me over. No, Boston's not my favorite American city (New York will always hold that honor), but it is a lovely place to go for a weekend to experience good food, culture, and maybe a little bit of history. Here is my round up of all the things we did that I would 100% do again.

Eat: Tatte Bakery

Food--one of the best parts of being on vacation and exploring a new city. And, you know me, there is never a time where I am not in the mood for a good cup of coffee and a French pastry. Tatte Bakery & Cafe (although now owed by Panera--what?!) definitely fit that bill. The pastry selection was unreal and they have great coffee (they serve Stumptown in case you were curious). If you want to get brunch, get there early--it can get so busy! We opted to go the pastry route so it only took us about 15 minutes to be served.

We took our coffee and chocolate rose to go so we could enjoy it in the Boston Public Garden surrounded by people, autumn leaves, and very bold squirrels.

Shop: Brattle Book Shop

Brattle Book Shop has been open since 1949 and is one of the oldest bookstores in the United States. It has a large rare book selection and two other floors of well curated used books. They also have an outdoor book lot where they keep all of the discounted books ($1-$5). If nothing else, it is a unique experience!

Wander: Beacon Hill

If you love Federal style and Victorian row houses and photobombing people's Instagrams or engagement photos, then Beacon Hill is the place for you!

But seriously, this charming neighborhood is the perfect place to wander for a couple of hours and daydream about one day owning a house of your own. Also, the seasonal decorations are excellent.

Visit: Boston Public Library

True story: going to the Boston Public Library was not my idea. But boy, was it such a good idea! I did not know that I could be jealous of a library until now. But Boston's public library is three floors of books and research material and they have a historical wing that is just breathtaking!

There is also a lovely courtyard where they hold events in the summer.

See: Boston Common & Public Gardens

Okay, raise your hand if you've read Make Way for Ducklings. It was one of my favorite books as a kid, and its set in the Boston Public Gardens! There's even a statue dedicated to the children's book (which we, of course, completely forgot to find).

The Boston Common is a great place to walk for a bit, spend some time enjoying the cool Boston air, take in some of the skyline, and people/dog watch. It is also stunning in the autumn!

Explore: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Isabella Stewart Gardner was an amazing woman. She and her husband travelled the world collecting great works of art from some of the most influential artists of all time including Raphael, Botticelli and Titian. She was also close friends with many artists of the time: John Singer Sergeant and Anders Zorn being among them. The former was once an artist in residence at the museum. When her husband Jack died suddenly in 1898, Isabella realized their shared dream of opening a museum to house and exhibit their sizable collection. She lived on the fourth floor of the museum until her death in 1924.

The building was constructed to resemble a 15th century Venetian palace; Venice being one of Mrs. Gardner's favorite places to visit. My favorite part of the museum (besides the historical works, of course!) is the garden courtyard which is visible from every room of the museum.

In 1990, 13 works of art valued at $500 million were stolen from the museum. The thieves disguised themselves as police officers and pulled off a reasonably calm and measured heist which lasted 81 minutes. This is considered to be the largest property theft in history. The thieves still haven't been caught (some think it was an inside job), and the stolen paintings have to yet been recovered. There is a $10 million reward for returning the stolen works of art.