I Love Boston Project: JFK Museum and Addis Red Sea

Did you think I forgot the I Love Boston Project? I didn't! I just needed a little Staycation to get back to it. 

On Thursday Eric and I decided to go check out the JFK Museum. I hadn't been there since I was probably in second or third grade on a Brownies field trip. All I could remember was an awesome dollhouse version of the White House, which was probably a special exhibit because it was not still there, sadly. 

The museum begins with a 20 minute movie which gives some history of JFK, particularly about his life leading up to the presidency. From there, you can explore the museum. The first exhibits we saw were about Kennedy's campaign path. It was actually even more fun to see since we so recently had a presidential campaign. 

There are many things that I think are fascinating about John F. Kennedy. But, one thing that was so evident in all the exhibits in the museum is just how many important historical events occurred during his short presidency. The museum is filled with information and artifacts from The Civil Rights Movement, the first American going into Space, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Berlin Wall construction. It's actually crazy when you really think about it. Another really cool thing that I personally love, is the Kennedy was the first president to really bring funding and attention to special education/ rights and support for people with intellectual disabilities. 

Kennedy's notes during a meeting about the Cuban Missile Crisis. 

The Berlin Wall:

Beyond all the historical events, the Kennedy family is so fascinating to me. I loved all of the exhibits about Jackie, and the additions of Caroline and John John's artifacts. 

This photo below exemplifies what I love most about kids. All the adults are so serious, probably discussing any of those crazy things that happened during this presidency, and there is John-John just playing under the desk. 

At the end of the museum, there is huge room with all glass windows and a beautiful view of Boston...

 

After the museum, Eric and I drove about ten minutes to the South End of Boston. There we tried a restaurant we have been wanting to try for awhile called Addis Red Sea, which serves Ethiopian food! Addis Red Sea is located across the street from one of my favorite South End restaurants Picco. The atmosphere was really cool inside, it was in a basement and the tables and chairs were definitely not like anything I've ever seen before...

 

 We started with some Kenyan beer called Tusker. It was delicious.

 

We split an order of Dabo, which is an Ethiopian bread that is spiced with cumin. Eric also ordered a Sambusa, a pastry filled with ground beef, cumin, garlic, onions and nutmeg. They also have vegetarian Sambusas… but obviously Eric was not going to have that :) 

For our meals, I ordered a chicken dish with a ginger/garlic flavor called Doro Tibs. Eric ordered a beef dish called Gored Gored. The coolest part about the meal is that the entrees are served on a special bread called injera. This injera (and the extra on the side) is what you use to pick up and eat your food, there are no utensils. 

I love bread, so being "forced" to eat extra bread in order to eat my food is great enough in itself. Also, the meal itself, both the chicken and the lentil salad on the side were delicious. 

It was definitely a unique meal and we will be back, I'm sure. 

Does anyone else find the Kennedy family fascinating or is that just the Massachusetts girl in me?

What is the most unique kind of food you have ever tried?