I think I'll go to Boston... City Living Challenges

 {Photography of Boston by Jordan}  ((from her apartment window!!!))

 {Photos of Jordan & her hubby, Richard, by me}

 Drum Roll Please...... Below is a guest post by my dear sister, Jordan. She lives an exciting life as an attorney in Boston & her hubby is working on his PhD from MIT. I asked her to discuss some of the challenges to city living, specifically regarding the seemingly simple task of grocery shopping. I have a love/hate relationship with grocery shopping. After reading her post, I am humbled... Thanks sis! 

PS- I do want to visit you in Boston sometime soon! 

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The Grocery Saga

{Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese via Two Peas & their Pod}

Who else is in a comfort food mood these days!  I'm thinking cheese mac 'n cheese, hearty soups, and  saucy, delicious, bbq pulled pork.  Snow still eludes us here in Boston, but the cold is making up for it. Today was definitely not the day to wear a skirt.  Missed that memo...  

{Tortellini Soup with Beans & Chard via Annie's Eats}

I didin't gear up enough courage to make it to the grocery store today, but I'm hoping to go tomorrow.  This may be a surprise to you 'burb dwellers, but getting groceries in the city is not an easy thing.  It takes thought and time and lots of bicep strength (none of which I have).  There's no "Whoops, forgot the milk, guess I'll run back by the store in the morning."  There are no second chances.  You get the milk now or you forever hold your peace (until next week, at least).  You know when your great-grandpa used to say that he had to walk 8 miles in the snow just to get to kindergarten.  Well, that's what it's like.  Except it's not 8 miles.  It's barely even 1 mile.  But it sure feels like 8 when I'm lugging 50 pounds of groceries down the sidewalk, spilling cans of pasta sauce as I go, and watching helplessly as passers-by simply pass by.  I exaggerate, but not by much.  

All that to say, I wouldn't change city living at this stage in my life for the world.  I love how I can find any ingredient under the sun within just a couple of miles.  There's a Chinese market, a Korean market, a Japanese market, a fish market, a cheese market, and even a cheap market called Haymarket!  (The  Haymarket produce will rot in a day or two, but that's part of it's charm.)  I love having relatively few fixed expenses.  I love the museums, the theaters, and the history.  I love the diversity of people and opportunities and ideas.  My weekly grocery store saga is simply an inconvenience of city living, and a minor one at that.  Tomorrow I will brave the cold and the wind and be comforted by one of these meals as my reward.  Now, I suppose the real question is which one to make first?

{Slow Cooker BBQ Pork via Southern Living, but I'm really going to be using this All Recipes BBQ Pulled Pork recipe.  Shhh, don't tell Southern Living...}