Last Stop Wonderland

We had a very fun Sunday. I had an off week from choir, so Brian and I went to Brookline (a small city right next to Boston, where JFK was born) to meet a couple we know, Mike and Jessica and their baby Zoe,as well as to hear Jessica sing with a choir at an Episcopal church service. We were a little late to the service because someone (eh-hem, not me) did not renew their inspection sticker and we were pulled over by the police. He got off with a warning for the inspection sticker, but was charged $25 for not wearing a seatbelt. I think he totally deserved the fine and probably got off too easily on the sticker. I was also angry that Brian is still not wearing his seatbelt, and reminded him that I could have been seriously hurt in my accident if I had not been wearing my safety belt. There were so many reasons why Ralph Nader lobbied for seat belts!

After church, we went to this divine Indian restaurant down the street from the church called the Rani Bistro, where we all had the Sunday buffet, excluding one-year-old Zoe. Like I am with Mexican, Cuban, and Japanese food, the same goes for Indian cuisine; I could probably indulge in it everyday and not be tired of it.

We drove to the New England Aquarium afterwards, determined it was too expensive to park, and then drove to East Boston to park at Mike and Jessica's apartment for free and took the blue line T to the aquarium. I brought eight dollar passes from the library (yay for reduced museum admissions) for all and Brian was able to get in for free with his teacher's union membership. The aquarium was very cool. We started out in the huge penguin lair and proceeded up the winding staircase past the absolutely huge saltwater tank with sharks, rays, fish, turtles, etc. to more exhibits. Although I tend to feel that most aquariums are alike, this one was rather nice, but I still think the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago is better. However, there was a chilling, yet soothing jelly fish exhibit and I must say that all jelly fish in their medusa stage are absolutely fascinating and beautiful. Zoe enjoyed viewing the exhibits and animals, too, and that was really important to us.

We're back at home now. The night has been quiet; Brian watched another conspiracy film and I made vanilla cupcakes (Amy Sedaris'recipe) with strawberry buttercream frosting for National Vanilla Cupcake day tomorrow. And they happen to be delicious, which is always good for Brian, who loves to eat them.