FLIP + CHING

One Semester of Spanish – Love Song

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Ching under Things to Do.

We took a break on Monday for the holiday, but we were back at Spanish Horizons again today to learn some more Español. I’m not fluent yet, but I’m hoping that I will be before long. At least I know how to count past ten, unlike the guy in the video above. Then again, our numbers in Bisaya are the same as they are in Spanish so it’s not really anything new. LOL.

For those of you who want to learn how to speak Spanish, Spanish Horizons is conducting a couple of free sessions on August 6, 2011 as a fundraising event for Partners for Wichita. There will be two 45-minute learning sessions held that Saturday. The 1 PM session is “Survivor Spanish” – ideal if you are traveling or just want to know the basics. The 2 PM session is “Spanish on the Street” – which will focus more on more informal Spanish speaking skills.

Alejandro’s will provide chips and salsa. I think margaritas will be served also. This is a free event for those who are donating school supplies (cash donations are also welcome), but space is limited so registration is required. If you are interested, please remember to register on the Spanish Horizons web site!

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Fourth of July – The Day After

Posted on July 10, 2011 by Ching under Travel.

The next day was the day we designated for Martha’s Vineyard. Our first stop was Enterprise so we could get a car for the day. We needed it to get to Woods Hole where we hop on the ferry that will take us to the island.

At first we were going to try to make the 9:30 AM ferry to Oak Bluffs. We got a little lost trying to get out of Boston, though, so we decided that we’d just try to make the 10:45 AM ferry to Vineyard Haven instead. Their highways are just plain crazy. And driving through the Big Dig (or Big Dug since it’s done now) is scary. =P

After we determined that we weren’t going to make the 9:30 AM ferry, we didn’t have to rush around anymore so stopped by a Dunkin Donuts along the way for some much-needed breakfast. This was probably 1000 calories at least!

Did I mention that I also had a sausage, egg and cheese croissant? Yes.. I had very poor nutrition on this trip. Sorry, John!

So anyway, we thought we had all this time to make it to the ferry at Woods Hole but after the trouble we had finding the parking lot and having to be bussed over to the terminal we were too late for the 10:45 AM ferry also. We had just enough time to make the noon ferry. After purchasing our round trip tickets, we only had a short wait until embarkation.

Becca and Jay aboard the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard.

It was a beautiful day!

Made it to Martha’s Vineyard, where everything is expensive except for this necklace. =P

Jay and Brian both got necklaces as mementos of the trip.

The mopeds we rented came in really handy!

It made it easy to get to and from Oak Bluffs, Vineyard Haven and Edgartown.

This is the Harbor View Hotel & Resort in Edgartown.

Walking to the lighthouse…

Group photo…

Jay decided he wanted to jump off the bridge on the way back to Oak Bluffs.

It’s awesome how everyone ignores this sign. =P

Brian did not want to jump. We all just waited for Jay.

Jay and Becca at Sand Bar & Grille.

The Boudreaux family, aka the best looking family we met on the island.

Jay goofing around…

Jay at the expensive fudge shop…

Back at Oak Bluffs…

Watching the sun set as we waited to board the ferry back to Woods Hole…

The end.

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Fourth of July – Boston Skyline

Posted on July 10, 2011 by Ching under Travel.

There’s only one word to describe the Boston skyline on the 4th of July – AMAZING! This camera phone picture really doesn’t do it justice. It’s something that you’ll have to see for yourself. I actually made me want to get a boat!

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Fourth of July – Fireworks

Posted on July 10, 2011 by Ching under Life.

After our dinner at Bertucci’s, we figured that we were too late to get a good spot on the Esplanade for the Boston Pops performance and fireworks so we thought we might be able to watch the fireworks from the hotel. Upon returning to the hotel, however, we realized that we wouldn’t be able to watch the fireworks from the fifth floor pool patio because of how the Charles River bends. We found out from one of the hotel staff that if we just walked along the river a little ways then we would get a good view of the fireworks. His definition of good was more like just okay for me. Either that or his definition of little ways was a lot farther what we had actually walked. =P

Unfortunately, most of us were tired from the day’s activities (Sam Adams Brewery and Fenway Park). Mama Dill, for one, couldn’t walk too far so we were on the other side of the Boston University Bridge, just past the Hyatt Regency (before the Harvard Bridge). We saw the fireworks okay but I think, if I were to do it again, I would spend the day camped out at the Esplanade. We could just bring a sack lunch or some delicious confections from Mike’s Pastry or something. LOL.

I think Brian and I were in shape enough to walk from our hotel to MIT (about 30 minutes on a brisk pace) — just past the Harvard Bridge, in front of the big dome, would have been a really good spot. That would have been too long of a walk for the others, though, because it would have been at least an hour of walking round trip. In hindsight, we could have taken the T from Central Square to Kendall/MIT and then just walked a short distance to the river. The four of us (Jay, Becca, Brian and I) had our 7-day MBTA pass, but all MBTA fares were free that night in celebration of Independence Day so Jeff and Mama Dill wouldn’t have had to pay. Oh, well. You live and learn.

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Fourth of July – Fenway Park

Posted on July 10, 2011 by Ching under Things to Do, Travel.

A trip to Fenway Park is another must when in Boston.

A ton of people came out for the 4th of July game!

We all stopped by the official team store so that Brian and I could be appropriately outfitted. We didn’t own any Boston Red Sox gear at all. We ended up buying a couple of baseball caps. We look so official!

We had such a great time at the game.

The whole experience was awesome. I even liked how when you bought food, they would have to pass it to you. I also liked the sing-alongs. It’s an authentic, American ballpark experience. The only thing that could have made it better was if we actually won!

We all got hotdogs, which were really good as ballpark hotdogs go, and then Brian was still hungry so he had a giant pretzel afterward. I had a $5 lemonade, which was cheaper than the $8 beer in the small plastic cups. LOL. Actually, it seemed like everything cost $5 (with the exception of the beer) because our hotdogs and Brian’s pretzel were $5 each also. It was an expensive day (specially after you count the $55+ we spent on two ball caps at the team store — mine was only $25, but Brian’s was $30), but totally worth it!