We did, we had a couple of burgers at the Bistro ...

I have to say that given the city I have found myself in, I have been a little lax at actually managing to get around and see new places. Some of this I put down to having been here before on vacation and therefore having done the whistle stop tour of all the main tourist attractions, some of this I put down to the weather and the fact that this weekend saw temperatures of about -23C, and some of it is due to having booked tickets for things in the coming weeks. This means I feel as though I have done something when really, I could have done a lot more in a weekend. I do now have a new bank account, with a bank I can actually access in Boston- which is always a good starting point, and I have been to see “The Lovely Bones” movie.
In the spirit of not giving movie reviews I will say was a generally well done film. I had issues with the relationship of the parents, it did appear to lack a little on screen chemistry, the parents also seemed too young to have the children, and despite the fact time was obviously progressing no-one seemed to age. Nonetheless, while I have had more fun filled Sunday afternoons, this was a “enjoyable film”. Or at least I thought so- maybe that was more to do with the M and Ms…
In order to justify the food quote this week I should point out that my new thing, was a trip to the Back Bay area of Boston and a very small bar/ restaurant. In fact, it could possible the smallest restaurant I have ever eaten in, the food however was great, and well worth the two hour wait for a table. In all fairness the people watching at the bar was plenty entertainment enough. It was fascinating to see how the crowd changed as the evening progressed. The crowd go younger the later it got- not too surprising maybe, but I was certainly a little taken aback by the 10 year old girl who turned up for a family dinner at 11.30pm.
The Back Bay area of Boston is a planned out neighborhood that seems to retain its original charm, probably down to the uneven, brick sidewalks and the gas lamps. It was apparently built on reclaimed land from a landfill and takes some design cues from Napoleon III Paris! I have no idea if this is true, but it would explain the wider roads and tree lined “boulevards”. Again, I’ll add it to the list of places that need further exploration- if only for the shops, the restaurants, and the rows of townhouses.

Winging it in...Boston!

I may have found a way out of here

Not quite the right prison, but I did find myself in “Clink” on Friday night. Luckily I was enjoying cocktails, in one of the Liberty Hotel bars, rather than a jail cell. The Liberty Hotel used to be the Charles Street Jail, and the granite structure still has some of the original features incorporates. The lobby area has a central rotunda with layered walkways and viewing galleries, before leading off to what would have been prison wings. Anyone who has spent time in Canterbury’s Eliot, or Rutherford Collages will know exactly what I mean! Jails, Halls of Residence and Hotels are all apparently very similar. Here though, you can choose to book the booth for dinner and take up an entire cell, complete with bars. I can only assume from the prices they charge that the rooms are a little more spacious, and have slightly better ensuite facilities than the originals.
I have to say that most of this weekend seems to have been busy, but taken up with essentials. I have been out and about a bit, and discovered a new hairdresser. The appointment is booked for the end of February and I’ll report back after that. I have finally managed to get my shoes fixed, which I have been meaning to do for the last six weeks- which was lucky as I haven’t seen any new boots I like in a while.
I have this week, bought and used a CharlieCard for the T- which is the Boston transit system. It isn’t really sure if it is a underground or a trolley car and seems to mix and match both systems. The CharlieCard is a prepay system that requires topping up when you travel. I got on at Fenway, no problem- well the “train” just seems to stop in the middle to two marked platform areas, and waved my card in front of the machine, which duly spat out a ticket. Getting back the other way from Boston Common proved a little trickier, as they have a proper station, with barriers and no ticket machines. After asking the MBTA official (who now thinks I’m really special) I finally grasped the principal of waving my card at the gate, which internally generates a ticket and swallows it without me even seeing it! Who knew I would have to learn so many travel techniques to got eight stops on the T?
Anyway, I did finally get to Boston Common- which is the start of the Freedom Trail, and the Central Burying Ground. The Park Street stop, right at the corner of Boston Common is in fact- or so I’m told the central transfer point for America’s first subway. The Central Burying ground has been located here since 1756 and contains the artist Gilbert Stuart- who was responsible for the portrait of George Washington as seen on the one dollar bill. (Guess who has been reading the historical fact plaques?) Anyway, it was far too cold and snowy to be wandering through the common today, and the frog pond- which I love is frozen and being used for ice skating, so I will be back shortly, and probably with more time to read facts!
My main aim today was to successfully navigate Washington Street, while originally a main traffic way from the Old State House to the main city gates of Boston it is now a pedestrian shopping area that is connected to the financial district. Apart from the Starbucks building I have to say it is decidedly more commercial than historic. Which today, was just what I needed.

Winging it in...Boston!

Why didn't you tell me you were some sort of Alaskan Kennedy?

I really don’t think things have slowed down much this week either, although it is now a long weekend and time for much needed sleep and a relaxation day is way over due. Not that I am being whingy, I have had a great few weeks and everyone has been incredibly friendly and organized so many things in the evenings. I have certainly managed to eat in a few different places this week and collate a list of more places to go to next week, so many and so few weekends in fact that mid week also has to be utilized!
On the boring and functional front I have added some toss pillows, and drapes to the lounge, I’m not sure it looks any more homely, just a variation in color. I really need to get on a “How To… Decorate Like A Girl” course. I don’t understand how it can be so hard. I just don’t get it! It never looks artistic, just a random mix match of objects, color schemes and items if I try anything more than hanging a drape and putting a cushion on a sofa- in all fairness I’m not really that great at doing those thing. Other people seem to just have effortless chic….
This week I have joined the Fenway Young Professionals group. It was prompted by a Thursday evening social gathering that a small group of us attended. I wasn’t sure how “young” you had to be, and despite their claim that anything under 40 counted I think some people had managed to sneak about 25 years under the radar. Anyway, it was a very strange evening and I have decided I live near some very odd people. They all seemed fairly keen to hand out cards and talk up their businesses, despite the fact that even I have scoped out the area enough to realize they may be exaggerating their success slightly! I did also get a little uneasy when the application form asked how much volunteer work I would like to commit to and the type of help I was interested in giving… did they not realize the only reason I was there and that I would attend the next event in March was the free food and drink in the local bar? I can’t possibly be the only person that saw the value in that.
Friday evening nearly saw my first adventure in the T for this Boston trip. But walking and taxis seemed so much more acceptable. Well walking to the bar to meet people I worked with was easier to start with, and taxis home are always the way to go. I have had the chance to get to know quite a few people this week, and Saturday’s trip to Ikea was no exception. I now have two nightstands to hide books in- well not quite true. I have bought two nightstands to hide books in- they are currently in the apartment of a man who lives upstairs from Ali. Suffice to say it was an interesting trip to Ikea- I have never had one like it before, and I’m quite sure I will never have one like it again!
Today, has been the “new trip” day, driving out, first to Salem, of the infamous witch trials in 1692 and immortalized in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” followed by a trip to Rockport. The quote at the top of today’s story is from the movie “The Proposal” which while based in Alaska was actually filmed in Rockport, MA. So I now have photos of the fudge shop, and the Main Street, and the harbor, as they appear in the movie, and I was never more than 30 miles from home.
The trip to Salem was a very short one, mainly a brief stop for lunch and a very quick trip into one or two small tourist/ trinket Halloween stores. Having visited the tourist museums and Witch House last time I was here I decided to see a little bit of the waterfront and Derby Wharf that I hadn’t previously seen, then carry on to Rockport, which was an entirely new experience. However, I do want to revisit Salem, I would like to go back to the wonderfully tacky (I apologize if it has been redone since my last visit) museum, I would like to walk the Salem Heritage Trail, and spend some time in the House of Seven Gables. I just think it will require a bit more than the couple of hours I had today. I think it will be a great day out when the weather starts to warm up.
As it happens the trip to Rockport only lasted a few hours too, after a severe weather warning and the threat of storms and more heavy snow- I wanted to make sure I wasn’t out driving on unfamiliar roads, in the dark with scary weather. It was however, a very quaint little fishing hamlet. The main area- Bearskin Neck- being the Alaskan town in the aforementioned “The Proposal” movie. Rockport is just south of Gloucester, the oldest fishing town in MA. On a very English place name heavy trip round Cape Anne (includes stops in Ipswich, Essex, Gloucester etc) I am reliably informed that the rocky, hilly coast line is just like Maine. I may well have to try a trip up there soon, just to check it out. I am also saving Cape Cod and Plymouth until a bit later in the year. As I said I’m running out of weekends… with things already booked in until the last weekend in February I feel like I might be wishing my life away. So many new things to do and things to try…

Winging it in...Boston!

Life's a party. Crash it.

This week has been absolutely manic! I have been rushing around at work trying to get my head straight and desperately trying to remember the names of all the children, but more importantly all my colleagues. There really is nothing worse than having to ask people to introduce themselves again- especially after they have been nice enough to invite you out to places. It just seems rude to ask them for a name after you had lunch with them already. I do, however, think I’m nearly there. Consequently, I have had a few local places pointed out to me and discovered where I should and should not eat.
I have also managed my first trip into downtown tourist area Boston. I would love to say how historical it all was, and exactly how much interesting culture I managed to acquire, but that would be a complete lie. I have no doubt whatsoever that it is a very cultural place, and I will manage to get there and explore the wider area in the daylight, this time though it was all about the birthday- not mine- and all I can say of Faneuil Hall is that I had a nice Mexican and one too many drinks. Although I do understand that if has been a market place for 250 years and has often been a social hub in Boston, so I feel I was at least putting it to the correct use. I did also manage to meet some non work related people- thanks Ali- who I may well come into contact with again.
I have also managed to find my way to Target- how do people live without this store? Which means I now have a dusky green accent to my otherwise very cream bedroom; I even managed to hang draped myself, which given my floor is on a slant was an impressive feet. Then again given the building is over 100 years old (like Saxon village remains in US standards) I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, and I love the character of the apartment. You can see the area in the picture. I really think this is my favorite place ever to have lived in my life. It is just one of those places that seems to have a homely vibe to it- despite the lack of personal things. Not sure on the color scheme for the lounge yet- I might go for red accents, or possibly black and white. Now I just need to get some photos up and I’ll be good to go.
Anyway- my “new” for this week was new friends and a new place to eat so I will have to get back to exploring venues soon.

Winging it in...Boston!

Roads? Where we’re going we don’t need roads!

The journey to Boston is really an entire story in and of itself, but unless something spectacular happened delayed flights, gusting storms and whingy passengers (not just me) do not make for fun reading. Suffice it I did eventually arrive in Boston although I got to know Chicago O’Hare very well due to 5 gate changes and about five hours of delays. When we finally were allowed to leave, all planes having been grounded due to severe snow storms in the Eastern USA and Canada, I kind of wished I was back in the airport. The less said about the turbulence and the state of my tummy on that flight the better, and the Captain deserves a medal for landing the plane and not lodging a wing tip into the concrete runway in the process.
Anyway, Boston is currently covered in snow, which is very pretty to look at, but not great for walking in. I am also starting to rethink my aversion to tucking jeans into boots. I have so far managed to avoid it, even during all the rain and snow in Vancouver- and trust me I see the practical reasons behind it- but here the sludge seems somehow to demand it. Or that may just be because I managed to step in a completely invisible puddle this afternoon.
On the apartment front, I love the apartment. It is “old” I have that in inverted commas for those of you reading in England, but it feels great. Big skirting, chunky dado rail, real hard wood floors, 1930 style cast iron column radiators and stained glass above the interior doors. It has a really homey feel. The furniture is pretty standard functional stuff that you find in most apartments that have been furnished for you, not being the most arty person in the world I’m sure it will take me a few weeks to add some totally garish colors to it- wait til I get to Target… I’m thinking the hallway will make a great office with a chair, desk and tall book cases, in my head this looks great and requires proper furniture- not Ikea, so we’ll see. That may turn into my project for the next month or so. Oh and before I forget- I have a freestanding old fashioned bath! It doesn’t take much to get me excited.
Living in the Fenway area of Boston does mean that I am all of 2 blocks from Fenway Park baseball stadium and home of the Boston Red Sox. I do even get to walk past it on my way to the supermarket- or as today, twice because I forgot half the shopping the first time! Built in 1912 and squashed onto a wedge of land Fenway Park does have some slightly abnormal angles and shapes, but all makes for a more interesting game, and apparently more chance of a homerun for left hander players. It was also the home of George Herman- of “Babe Ruth” infamy. Luckily I think that is all I can remember about it- it has been about 6 years since I was last here, and there are plenty of more engaging attractions right on my door step. The Museum of Fine Art is a short walk away, and I think that may be a stop on my “New Activity” list next week. I thought that worked out well last year so my New Year resolution was to continue.