While the origin of Durgin Park goes back to Revolutionary days, the era of fame for its chowders, Indian puddings, apple pan dowdy, johnny cake, and New England boiled dinners started some 130 years ago when John Durgin, in partnership with Eldridge Park, a livery man, and John G. Chandler, a dry goods merchant, took over. The theme followed to this day was decided upon then by these old Yankees, that the best advertising is plenty of food on the table.
Here's the truth:
They suck.
I mean really, the food here really sucks. We went there for dinner last night -- and it wasn't cheap -- but the cuts of meat tasted like they were actually held over from the "Revolutionary days."
Therein lies the warning. If you see this flag in Boston...
RUN AWAY!
My stomach felt so bad afterward that only Santa could make me feel better...
Today marked our final day in Boston, so we decided to make the trek out to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.
The building itself is magnificent, designed by the acclaimed architect, I.M. Pei...
Here are Alyssa and Cari in front of the presidential seal...
The museum itself is highly interactive. They have designed a series of rooms to resemble various critical points in his political career, but use the video images of President Kennedy to tell his story in his own words.
Her are Cari and Alyssa at the Democratic Convention during which Kennedy accepted his party's nomination for the Presidency...
If you read the sign behind Cari, "Orange County New York for Kennedy Before Wisconsin."
I honestly don't know what that means, but it says "Wisconsin," so Cari wanted me to take a picture of it.
The museum also gives you a stark reminder that idiotic bigotry has taken many forms over the years...
In case you can't read this, it says "Wake Up Protestants" and "VOTE GOP" -- as an acronym for "Victory Only Through Elected Government Of Protestant leadership."
And look at this electoral victory, with Red being Republican and Blue being Democrat...
It should be a reminder that there is no such thing as an electoral lock in politics. Most of the Republican Red states above are today considered "Blue States" -- and most of the Democratic Blue states above are now called "Red States."
Here's another interesting urban legend.
Many say that Kennedy was President because Democrats stole votes in Chicago, giving Kennedy a razor thin margin of victory in Illinois, and thus the Presidency.
The reality? Even if Kennedy had lost Illinois, and though he did have a very thin margin of the popular vote, he still would have won because he had a very strong victory in the electoral college.
Once the museum takes you into the White House years, the hallways are transformed to give you the feel like you're walking through the real thing...
They even have a facsimile of Bobby Kennedy's office as Attorney General...
There's another of the Oval Office itself, but because of the precious artifacts from Kennedy's presidency, you cannot use a flash so the picture was too dark to post.
In any case, when in Boston, take the trek out to the JFK Museum. It really was worth the trip.
The rest of the afternoon was spent on the T, exploring Boston.
Here is Alyssa being anti-social and sitting by herself...
We had lunch at one of the two dozen Cheers pubs in town...
Like the drunken freedom trail of my college days, Cheers has come up with its own version.
The original Cheers -- the Bull & Finch Pub -- is on Beacon Hill, right near the first stop on the Freedom Trail. So Cheers has created its own map...
So you can travel the Freedom Trail and stop for a drink at any of the countless Cheers pubs along the way.
And in typical Red Sox Nation fashion, the folks at Cheers are still annoyed that Johnny Damon was defected to the Yankees...
Here is everyone in front of the famous Trinity Church in Boston...
This century old building is regularly included among the 10 most architectually significant buildings in our country.
And here is Cari's new favorite place...
Newbury Street, home to store after store of some of the fanciest things imaginable.
Thankfully, after all this time in Boston, we had no money left to throw away!
And we arrived back in Las Vegas just after midnight to a very full house. In addition to the regular 8 folks (Cari and me and our six kids), we also had Cari's parents and my mother.
So bedrooms were shuffled and the two littlest girls were on the couches in our bedroom. They were sound asleep when we arrived home...
Ah, it's good to be home.
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