The adventure with my 3 friends started in Boston, known by the non-Bostonians as Beantown.  The nickname relates to the Boston Baked Beans with molasses, which gives the beans their unique flavor.

We stayed at the Parker House Hotel. (Now owned by the Omni chain) The original hotel was built in 1855.

Many famous people are associated with this historic hotel.  This picture of 4 not so famous friends are sitting at the table where John Kennedy sat with Jackie when he proposed marriage.

Here are some of the facts I learned about the hotel.  Charles Dickens lived in the apartments for 2 years.  Malcolm X, known as Malcom Little, worked as a busboy in the 1940’s.

What I found especially interesting because of my time in Vietnam this past spring, was learning that Ho Chi Minh was a baker there in his early twenties (1911-1913). They still use his marble table.

Here we are in the kitchen where they make their famous Parker House rolls everyday.  Check out the Dutches dough divider from Superior, Wisconsin with our friend Steve.  It’s nice to have connections!

And here they are, just add butter!

You can’t stay at the Parker House without having a Boston Cream Pie. Like the rolls, they were developed here and are now made everywhere. After having our first bowl (with many that followed) of clam chowder at the Union Oyster House…

This is what was waiting for us in our rooms!  It’s nice to friends!

And this was just day one!  Oh boy…come back to see what’s next!