A day late, a buck short

Sorry folks - I'm back posting because I spent last night watching the Sox lose to the Oriole's, so I didn't get home until late! That's Jason Varitek at the plate - almost every female Sox fan's favorite. It's cause he's got a nice butt. The catchers always have the best butt on the team, if you ask me - it's all the crouching.

Delivery

Sometimes there's no other way to get your building supplies inside!

Stop...in the name of art

An artist goes to work on Newbury Street yesterday...in the middle of the crosswalk.

Japanese Garden

Whit and I were at the Museum of Fine Arts today with our friend who was in town. This is a peek through one of the sculptures in the Japanese Garden, which is located on the Fenway side of the museum, and open form 10-4, IF they have enough security guards available. This was the first time that either Whit or I had seen it open.

Reflections

The Hancock isn't the only building that offers beautiful reflections! I was walking back from my daily coffee run (small iced mocha, yum!) when I saw this and had to take a picture. unfortunately I only had my phone and not my digital camer, so the quality leaves a bit to be desired.

The building is 53 State St, in the financial district.

Sugar Bakery

These were some of the treats that we ogled at Sugar Bakery in West Roxbury yesterday. Sugar Bakery is adjacent to The Real Deal, which serves pizza, subs, and sandwiches. We had pizza, it was good. The menu made me want to go back and try about ten different things off their "gangster wraps" list, and the displays at Sugar made me want to eat enough to go into sugar shock. I wish the bakery had a website!

Moving Day!

Sometimes you can't get a couch out of your old apartment, and since you were going to leave it on the curb anyway...well, you just take a saw to it and cut it in half!


We had a H-O-T, HOT day moving Leyre and her hubby...halfway at least (everyone cross your fingers that the floor guy finishes up in the new place and the gas line is fixed by next weekend!). That's her FIL taking care of the couch for them.

Manchester-by-the-Sea

On a hot summer day when you need to escape the city, hop on the commuter rail and head north to Manchester-by-the-Sea. Walk one mile, past this beautiful view out to the harbor, and you'll land at Singing Beach (so named because the sand supposedly squeezes when you walk on it). You'll have to pay $5 just to walk onto the beach, so be warned!

Click the photo for the larger view...and that's the boy standing there wondering why I'm taking MORE PICTURES!)

PO Square

This is one of the walkways through Post Office Square - which is just across the street from the Langham Hotel. Just to the right of this walkway there's a large (and very beautifully maintained) patch of grass. This was taken in the morning, when there's only a handful of folks around, but on a nice summer day you won't find an inch of free grass or an empty bench when all the cubical dwellers head out to get some sun and eat lunch. About halfway down this walkway, there's a small nook off to the right where musicians sit from 11-2 to play music for all of those that have come down to eat lunch in the park, and there are small picnic cushions that you can borrow to sit on in the grass. It's a nice way to escape recycled, stale office air and fluorescent lights for a bit of the outdoors....even if it's just for an hour!

Architectural Treat

Detail surrounding the doorway at the Boston Healthcare Associates building - Liberty Sq.

I walk by this everyday on my morning coffee run and it makes me happy every time I see it.

E's dead - that's what's wrong with 'im!

I was walking through Faneuil Hall after lunch one day and came across this guy! He was eating popcorn and shredding newspaper (apparently that's how parrots build nests, but made out of tree pulp), and had a friend that was sitting on a woman's shoulder. The woman also had an iguana hanging out on top of a cage that you could pet. Not really sure what the whole deal was.

This must be heaven where the water meets the land

It was cold today (in the 60s, so cold for August at least) and I was tired and not having a good day at work. All day I kept wishing that it was warm and sunny and that I was here, instead - at Carson Beach in Southie!

Walking Home

I walked from Fenway to the South End Friday after the game and saw these two on their way home. You'll see this all over town on game days all summer long - fans in their favorite player's number, heading to and from the park.

First Church of Christ, Scientist

This is part of the Christian Science complex in Boston - the Christian Science Monitor is published here, and the church administration and research facility is here as well. I don't know much about it, and I'm interested in learning more. There's also the Mary Baker Eddy Library and Mapparium is also located just on the other side of the church (to the right of this photo). I need to explore more.

Here's the "our live" story for this photo - Leyre and her husband went on their first official date here (well, and dinner, too...)!

Jimmy Fun Radio Telethon

Today was the WEEI / NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon. The Jimmy Fund supports cancer research and care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute here in Boston. One of the folks at work co-ordinated a group of us to take calls this afternoon at Fenway. It was a lot of fun, and we talked to people from all over the country AND the world - Japan, Tennessee, Sarajevo, London, Montana, Michigan, Hawaii. The girl on the right in this photo took one call for a $10,000 donation!!

Fruit and Veg Anyone?

The Copley Square Farmers Market is on Tuesdays and Fridays in front of Trinity Church. Besides quality produce, there are also flowers, potted pants, good pastries and Iggy's bread for sale. Hmmm... I've yet to buy anything from here since I only just discovered it, but will definitely head over tomorrow to give it a try!

Chalk One Up For The Arts

This afternoon folks headed over to joins Sidewalk Sam in the annual Chalk One Up For The Arts. There was a band playing music, drinks, and ice cream treats - plus you get to break away from Excel spreadsheets in your cubicle to have at a square of sidewalk in the middle of the financial district, and wrap it up by getting your photo taken with Sidewalk Sam. What more could you want for your lunch break?

"Palace for the People"

The Boston Public Library, the first public library in the U.S., was declared a "palace for the people" when it opened its doors in 1895. This photograph is of the central courtyard surrounded by an arcaded gallery in the manner of a Renaissance cloister. Located on Copley Square, it's a peaceful place to sit and read and many people come here during their lunch break.

Whale of a Time

Yesterday we took the New England Aquarium's Whale Watching Tour out to the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (25 miles east of Boston). We saw many of these extraordinary creatures, including a close view of two Humpback Whales who unintentionally held us hostage with their curiosity (we didn't want to harm them by turning the engines on since they kept going underneath the boat)!

Boston Landmarks Orchestra

Tonight the Boston Landmarks Orchestra played at Dorchester Park, which is just down the street from my house. We picked up subs and headed over for a "picnic" and to enjoy the music. It was a Red Sox themed program, which was very cool - a few patriotic songs, Take Me Out To The Ballgame, Heart from Damn Yankees, and a song that the orchestra commissioned called Lifting the Curse: A Story of the Red Sox. The narration was written by Bill Littlefield, of NPR's Only A Game.

If you're in Boston and interested in seeing the Landmarks Orchestra, they play every Wednesday night at 7 PM at the Hatch Shell during the summer - the last performance is September 5th and there's more info on the specific programs at their website.

Click photo to enlarge!

The Emerald Society

On the lovely Birch Street in Roslindale Square sits this building. It has a plaque identifying it as the Emerald Society, as well as some small family crests along the top, but no other indication as to what it is. Some quick internet research turns up the organization's mission and history:

"Over the years we have contributed to many worthwhile charities
here and abroad. We have found time to make our society known
throughout the world and, naturally, Ireland. We have taken part
in the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in many cities around the
country including our own in Boston."

The president's monthly letters are included on the website, and in the most recent letter he signs off with the following:

Slainte go seol agaibh agus go n-eirigh an bothar libh

I assume it's Gaelic. Anyone have any idea what it means?

There's plenty of graffiti along the train tracks all around town - this is in Back Bay as the tracks run parallel to the Mass Pike.

Construction Fun

I couldn't help but laugh when I saw the hand prints below the window. This building is going up next to my T stop and I get to watch the progress every day.

Click to enlarge!

Graffiti on a Street light Control Box - Forsyth Way, Fenway

Afternoon In The Park

In the shade with a good book on a beautiful day...looks like a perfect lazy Saturday to me! Through the white archway is the Kelleher Rose Garden.

Click to enlarge!

This is an ASHMONT train

I caught a bit of myself in this one, too.

"Buck a box!"

Haymarket is Boston's outdoor food market where you can buy fruit, veggies, cheese, spices, fish, and more. It's definitely a place for sensory overload but once you get past the crowds, and vendors shouting their wares, it can prove to be quite an entertaining and worthwhile visit. Boston accents and characters are plentiful and it's possible to leave with bags full of food for a fraction of what it would cost at a regular supermarket. (Thanks goes to Louise for taking this photograph with my camera!)

Newport, Rhode Island

As part of our series on day trips from Boston, today's post features one of the Gilded Age mansions in Newport, Rhode Island. Marble House was built in the late 1800s for the Vanderbilt family. Inspired by the Palace of Versailles, it reportedly cost $11 million to build (approximately $72 million in today's value) of which $7 million was spent on the marble alone! The interior detail of this "summer cottage" and its neighboring ones are definitely worth visiting.

Flower Power

This view of the Rittners School of Floral Design on Marlborough Street in Back Bay brightens my day on (almost) a daily basis. Happy Friday everyone!

Love The Dirty Water

When you cross over the Muddy River in the Fens you get a beautiful view of the Prudential.

Doorways #5

Continuing with our series on doorways in Boston, this doorway is on the corner of Newbury St and Mass. Ave. Curiosity got the better of me and I did a little research to find out what this mural is hiding.

A web site called NETransit: Abandoned Sations, Tunnels, and Station Entrances found on the MBTA gives a little history on the site: "A surface level-surface vehicle transfer station was opened on November 29, 1919. In January 1963, this surface terminal (by then used by buses) was closed and partially demolished to allow construction of the Massachusetts Turnpike extension. The remains of the station not torn down were converted to parking and still later into a new electrical sub-station for the Green Line. The front of this sub-station faces Newbury Street and is covered with a mural. There are closed off passageways which still connect the former surface station area with the fare collection area, and with the northbound platform of the Green Line station."