Toscano's can be somewhat intimidating from the outside. A classy black corner restaurant with gold foil lettering in all caps? It's hard to miss. Walking up to the menu, I imagined the prices to be outlandish, lavish, --basically, expensive.

I was pleasantly surprised. Yelp lists the "price range" as $11-$30, which is accurate for one dish. Main dishes will cost you $18 and upwards, and it. is. worth it.

The first time I went was for a dinner date. It was already dark and I felt a little underdressed, but nobody seemed to notice or care. We had a beautiful meal.

But the second time I went was an experience. We walked in with a reservation for 11 and they seated us right near the open windows facing Brattle Street. It was a beautiful day for lunch with some family and everybody left full and happy.

The pastas here are the best I've had in Boston (you heard right, INCLUDING the North End.) They are all cooked wonderfully al dente, in a way that doesn't feel chewy but also is not soggy or soft like other pastas in the area. I highly recommend getting a pasta dish with some form of meat sauce. The menu shifts a little bit depending on the season - but I have never left disappointed in my choice.

We got 'all' the appetizers and shared them -- same for dessert. What a treat! I am lucky enough to be born into a family with a great love of food and sweet treats. The dessert platter was impeccable all-around. Elegant tiramisus graced the plate and my personal favorite, below, was a blueberry cheesecake. The blueberries were extremely fresh and the cake was fresh -- not too dense or sugary. 

Toscano is located at 52 Brattle Street in Cambridge
with another location at 47 Charles Street in Boston

Let me know your dessert favorites in the comments below (especially if it's something in the area!)
617,
Nishat

A gem among the bustle of Harvard Square in the Spring is Black Ink. Some days, this store seems to be hiding in plain sight. Despite its door being open for most of the warmer months, with people walking in and out for every minute it's open, Black Ink always looks organized, clean and full of possibilities.

I'm a huge fan of the floor-to-ceiling shelving they have going on, but don't worry -- all the cool stuff is at eye level anyways. The use of space in this store is impeccable, with trinkets and novelties everywhere you look. On a busy day, this place can get pretty crowded. However, it's worth a little patience and perseverance to look at the selection of homemade, handmade, letterpressed and downright funny cards.

This is a place where cards are organized by occasion. This is a store where a teapot could sit on a shelf next to a coloring book. This is a place where the only plastic toys are little rubber hands and nostalgic slinkys. Natural light pours over hand-painted chopsticks, puffy stickers and vintage-looking tin airplanes.

As the name suggests, it's a great store for stationery, pens, notebooks and pencils. It's so much more than a stationery store though! I'm convinced that there's something for everyone here -- from wonderfully crafted decor pieces to sleek reusable water bottles, it's a one-stop shop for meaningful gifts.

If you don't spend time around Harvard Square often, fear not, there's another Black Ink up near Beacon Hill. The minute I walked in I was shocked at how consistent their layout was between the two stores.

Just let me know if you buy a strange little Kewpie doll. I hear Sam Smith really likes em.

Black Ink is located at 5 Brattle Street in Cambridge, MA. 
There is also another Black Ink location at 101 Charles Street in Boston, MA. 

617,
Nishat

photo by Mei Lin Barral

I'm out on the Charles. The wind is blowing, but the sun is a kind sight after a morning of rain. The gaggle of geese and BU students look over on the dock. A girl, 5 feet and 1 inch tall in the middle of a photoshoot.

That's me.

I love this city, and sometimes that's hard to come by. What, with the rent being absolutely, incredibly, 'wicked' sky-high, who wouldn't have a little freak out session once in awhile? But, the place blossoms in the spring and gets cozy in the winter. And there's nobody that loves it as much as I do except... local businesses. Men and women who took their chances on this place and thrive in up-and-coming neighborhoods. Generations of families that invested their whole lives into this and are now local legends.

I walk across this city with a FitBit on my right hand, New Balances on my feet and Runkeeper on my phone. I step into Bagelsaurus every other week even though I live across the river. It's an experience every time I go into Black Ink and realize it's not exactly the same as the one in Beacon Hill. And don't even get me started about Follain.

Well actually, do. Because here we are. I'm going to tell you about every place I love and why. I'll also tell you some insider stuff that you won't find on Yelp -- like "is it worth it to wait 40 minutes for brunch here if I'm really hungry?" (the answer is probably yes, but I'll let you know of places close by  in case you get hangry.)

Come dine with me (and shop with me, and just maybe stay awhile.)

617,
Nishat

PS. If you'd like to picnic with me in Harvard Yard, come say hi on Twitter or Instagram. Don't bring your car.