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We love a very good East Coast Summer Family Vacation. From road-tripping alongside the water to exploring Canada, we ate, explored, and had a good time over the month we have been gone.
There was quite a lot of on-the-ground planning with this journey that we didn’t plan to must do. Does that even make sense? I’ll clarify extra. We had deliberate to be rooted in Rhode Island for the entire time and simply take day journeys to see as a lot as doable. But after a few weeks, we realized that we wished extra flexibility to see much more of the realm, so we up and left for Canada with a cease in Maine (a primary for us!).
We additionally have been, and are, nonetheless being tremendous Covid cautious. Many have moved on, however we’re nonetheless taking precautions (sharing little bits of that under) whereas dwelling a full and enjoyable life. I’ve been making an attempt to time the publishing of my posts for the dips within the Covid-19 waves, however at this level, I’ve years value of posts to share, so I’m not going to try this anymore. We are nonetheless avoiding journey throughout waves of all viral sicknesses, so please don’t use the timing of my posts going dwell to imply that it’s the superb time to journey.
For our flight to the East Coast, we flew from San Diego to Boston on JetBlue of their Mint cabin.
This has lay-flat seats, fewer folks within the cabin, and more room between one another. We additionally selected a night (red-eye) flight, hoping folks can be much less chatty and decrease the virus within the air.
We went into this journey understanding that none of our precautions can be foolproof, in fact, however our motto was to “do our best.”
From the second we left our home (we employed a driver who additionally likes not being sick, they usually too wore a masks), we have been in N95 masks and wore glasses (the women wore Stoggles).
We went with the 3M™ Aura™ N95 Particulate Respirator (purchased from workplace provide shops) as a result of it is vitally breathable, and it has served us properly up to now.
Side Note- we had a 19-hour keep within the Emergency Department earlier this yr, together with two ambulance rides and a cease at one other hospital, and we didn’t catch Covid then, so the 3M™ Aura™ has received our confidence and have become our go-to masks for high-risk conditions. (Emmy broke her humorous. It was not humorous in any respect, however she is doing properly now!)
We additionally checked all our luggage and traveled with only a backpack every so we may board on the absolute final second. We stored the air vents on full blast and at all times pointed at our faces.
We had deliberate to not eat or drink on the airplane, however dehydration is an actual situation for a number of of us attributable to medical issues, so when it grew to become clear we have been getting dehydrated, we determined that we might shortly maintain our breath, take a drink, put the masks again on after which blow the air out.
Does this work? I’m not a scientist, so I can’t say for certain, however I figured it couldn’t harm. A few us additionally took small bites of meals.
This additionally brings me to my useful Aranet4 Home Wireless Indoor Air Quality Monitor.
I used this to entry the most effective occasions to take these refreshment breaks. I shortly noticed that boarding, taxing, or deplaning was NOT the time to raise our masks. We checked the air high quality readings, and when it dropped after we have been within the air for about half-hour (and the in-cabin air filters had been going for a bit after take-off), we did the little raise masks and drink/eat.
This is what I shared on Twitter and Instagram:
(Fast forward- It appears to have labored as a result of we continued to check destructive even 14 days after our journey.)
Once on the bottom, we stored the masks on till we have been in our rental automobile, and it had been aired out for a bit too.
You most likely see the rhythm to our system… as a lot clear air as doable.
For meals, we solely ate outdoors. Thankfully the climate cooperated 99% of the time, and for that different 1%, we obtained meals to go and both ate in our automobile, in our lodge, or at our trip rental.
For actions, if we needed to be indoors, we wore a KN95, KF94 (Emmy), or our Aura N95s. It was fairly wonderful touring once more and never getting sick! Which, you may bear in mind, was a continuing for us. I can’t even let you know what number of occasions we obtained horrible colds or the flu after we have been touring. I’d fortunately put on a masks perpetually if it meant we may return to touring as a lot as we used to, however I don’t suppose that can be mandatory.
After we landed in Boston, we booked an airport lodge, so we had a spot to bathe and retailer our baggage till our trip rental was out there later that day. I assumed we might need to take a nap too, however we have been all too excited to relaxation and determined to move out for meals and exploring.
Our first cease was Veggie Galaxy in Cambridge, Massachusets. Here is somewhat mini-review.
I didn’t understand till we sat down, however I had been following them on Twitter for years! This was probably the greatest vegan meals I’ve ever had. They are a vegetarian restaurant, however most gadgets can be made vegan. They had a big outside patio after we have been there, and we ate right here a number of occasions throughout our month on the East Coast. Here are some issues we ate:
The nachos above have been vegan. I assumed they needed to have combined it up with the dairy model, however nope, these have been dairy free and SO GOOD!
Emmy authorized too!
We additionally had rooster and waffles, biscuits and gravy, pancakes, roasted potatoes, french onion soup, and extra! The final image is of the seafood platter. It was the “blue plate special” that day, and though I don’t have quite a lot of expertise with consuming seafood (I’m allergic), it was implausible. I shared somewhat little bit of it with Pete, and he has had quite a lot of seafood expertise and mentioned it was higher than the actual factor.
I’m contemplating one other journey to Boston JUST to eat at Veggie Galaxy once more!
Our trip rental was in Providence, Rhode Island, and though I wouldn’t advocate this one (it was, sadly, soiled, so we needed to spend a while cleansing it and we ended up shopping for new bedding and a TV for it), the situation wasn’t unhealthy. It had an honest location and was near what grew to become our go-to restaurant. We ate there a number of occasions every week, and we additionally have been in a position to get it delivered! More under on that.
It was additionally on the river, which was fairly cool and good for bird-watching. Yep, I’m a chicken watcher now. I feel it’s a proper of passage as you age. Ha!
On our first full day in Providence, we determined to discover the downtown space. We appreciated the indicators that shared the historical past of the realm.
And simply with the ability to scroll round and see the buildings. The East Coast is certainly completely different than the West Coast, and the structure is one thing we get pleasure from evaluating. Although there actually isn’t a lot to check. East Coast wins each time.
And that’s how we found Plant City in Providence, the restaurant I used to be sharing about above. We have been wandering down the river and determined to test it out. They have an enormous patio space within the car parking zone the place you may get desk service from a selected restaurant of their constructing. And then, they’ve one other patio space the place you’ll be able to order from any of the three eating places inside and take it outdoors to eat. Oh, and it is usually all vegan! So yeah, it grew to become our absolute favourite place to eat! They even have somewhat market inside with vegan requirements to cook dinner at house.
These tacos, mac n cheese, caesar salad, and buffalo wings have been AMAZING! We additionally cherished their drinks, espresso, tea, every kind of pasta… I don’t suppose we ate something there that we didn’t love. Oh, their pizza too. Forgot that! If you’re within the space and vegan or not, add this to your checklist to eat at.
That wraps up our first two days on the East Coast! I promise we did much more than simply eat, and I’m so excited to share the remainder of our journey with you.
Did you are taking any large holidays final yr? Have something deliberate for this yr?