Saturday in Back Bay

One of my favorite things about living in a city is that you never know where the day is going to take you.  I had plans to meet with two friends at Parish Cafe (a Boston staple in the Back Bay) but upon arrival was told a 45 minute wait was ahead of us.  Deciding that hunger couldn't wait, we ended up at 29 Newbury.  I've walked past this place hundreds of times and have not ventured in.  It is kind of tucked away at the end of Newbury Street, across the street from Banana Republic.  Upon entering (watch your step, by the way.  I almost made quite the entrance..) you'll find yourself in this cute little bar with lots of windows that look onto the street (perfect for one of my favorite past-times, people watching).  After another series of stairs you find yourself in a simple dining room with booths lining the walls and tables tightly packed in the center. 

Once we had taken our seat, fresh still hot sesame crusted bread arrived.  Although halfway through my piece of bread, I realized there was rosemary garlic olive oil hiding behind the salt and pepper.  Ever the fan of anything dipped in olive oil, I thought that was a nice touch.  The menu was decent. Nothing too outlandish, in fact I found it to be a rather good sampling of soup, salad, sandwich, pasta, etc basics.  I ended up with the Fresh Fig Pizzetta.  It was good.  Sliced fresh figs, caramelized onions and goat cheese crumbles dotted a chewier, but still crispy crust.  The whole dish was topped off by some arugula.  I found the portions to be large but the service to be a little slow.  Although not my first pick for Newbury Street dining, I would venture back here for brunch, lunch or to enjoy their prime people watching bar.  They also offer outdoor dining in the warmer months too.  That is always a good thing in my book and sometimes pretty hard to come by in Boston.

After an afternoon shopping on Newbury Street, we strolled into the Pru and on a whim, ended up at the Top of the Hub for an afternoon glass of champagne.  The Top of the Hub is one of my very favorite places to grab a drink.  Providing absolutely breathtaking views of my beautiful city (my BlackBerry pictures do not do it justice!) this is the perfect place to grab a drink.  We were lucky enough to snag a seat by the window that overlooked Boston's South End.

In the evenings, the Top of the Hub also serves up some cool jazz.  I seem to always forget about this place but am going to do a better job of remembering to stop in more often.  I mean, is there anything better than an ice cold martini in your hand, smooth jazz filling the air and breathtaking views of beautiful Boston surrounding you? 

Happy day of hearts and love!