Earlier this week I had the pleasure of bar-hopping my way through Boston. My journey began at a familiar landmark that brought back memories of junior high fieldtrips—Faneuil Hall (At this point I feel the need to reveal that I am a complete nerd for American History. I eat the stuff up, and thus, have visited Faneuil Hall and walked parts of The Freedom Trail many-a-time). But this time was different. Instead of power-walking my way through The Trail, signature tourist map and camera in hand, I decided to stop-off at a few watering holes along the way.
First stop was Houston’s, a classy bar (and part of the national chain). It featured a sliding glass wall that opened to an outdoor patio and, beyond that, a crowd gathered around a group of (very talented, I must say) hip-hop dancers. It was still early and not very busy when I bellied-up to the bar, but the staff was working feverishly to prepare for the busy night ahead. The Celtics were playing the Pistons and the game was sure to fill the bars.
Still, my bartender took the time to discuss some of the latest cocktail trends with me. The web has been buzzing about St. Germain for awhile now, but it’s just starting to get big in Boston. I 
tried an untitled cocktail with Absolut Citron, St. Germain, a champagne float and an orange peel garnish—light, crisp, and a little bit fruity. I loved it. I’m officially jumping on the St. Germain bandwagon.
Just off The Freedom Trail at 150 Bowdoin Street was 21st Amendment, a pub-style bar that draws in local politicians on their lunch hours and after work. The bar was small, dark, and pretty full for 3:30 in the afternoon. It had a real “neighborhood” feel to it, like I thought Cliff and Norm were going to saddle up beside me with a couple tall beers.
I took the suggestion of my bartender (who, I swear, looked like Curtis Stone from “Take Home Chef”) and tried a “Nantucket Mojito.” I normally shy away from Mojitos, which are a little too sour for my taste, but this one was perfect. It cut out some of the lime juice and replaced it with cranberry juice, which gives the drink a lovely light pink color. It was refreshing and delicious—absolutely perfect for summer.
There are many more wonderful places to wet your whistle along The Freedom Trail—to describe them all would take days and far too many blog posts. If you’re planning a little field trip yourself (perhaps you too are an American History geek), I suggest allocating some time for a few tasty libations along the way. Freedom never tasted so sweet! More from Boston in the coming days…
