Winging it in... Boston

Why don't we remember a God damn thing from last night?

I do actually know the answer to that question! It was down to alcohol, copious and vast amounts of alcohol, or in my case- because I am pathetic when it comes to these sorts of things, it was down to two martinis, and half a bourbon- but they were quite large.

Needless to say, I do remember nearly everything from last night, I might be missing a couple of points… but I am fairly certain the bruise on my back came from leaning against a chair, and the stick neck from sleeping at a funny angle.

Now, there is nothing new in me not being able to handle alcohol well- but please can someone tell me when I reached the age that waking up in the morning required a careful opening of one eye to test for light aversion, sitting slowly before leaving the bed, and realizing that the room was still going round faster than the carousel ride at Six Flags. I am sure that somewhere around the age of seventeen/ eighteen (and I have only heard tell of this, never done it myself Mom and Dad) I was able to stay out all night, drink til dawn and manage a day in a Saturday job.

Anyway- Saturday night saw a trip to Top of the Hub. It really did have impressive views of the city skyline, and great a food, if the service was a little slow. I should say that their “refined club-like atmosphere” was a bit lacking. Not just because of me, but also because of the lawyer at the table behind. I know, it is not good manners to listen in on other people’s conversations- but I am passing this one off as being a concerned citizen, although in retrospect 22-year-old boys (even those who need to yank their jeans up to cover their underwear) can probably take care of themselves. Anyway, the old guy sat behind decided to pay for their meals and drinks in exchange for their email addresses and concerned extended contact. He felt that they had “the lights on”. I feel that it is a little freaky and more than a little creepy when a 65-year-old man (totally supposition on my part) tried to buy email contact for 22-year-old boys. Just a personal thought.

So, Top of the Hub- great, free, and two floors higher than the observation deck which you have to pay $13.00 to visit. Why Top of the Hub: Boston is the Hub of the Universe, or at least it used to be referred to as such when it came to trade and politics. The phrase was first coined by writer Oliver Wendell Holmes, who actually referred to the State House as the hub of the solar system- although I’m not sure it was entirely complimentary.

Sunday saw the long talked about visit to the MFA. Conveniently located so close to my apartment I have to say, I really wish I had managed to do it sooner, because they have some great talks and lectures and programs you can sign up for. Then again I have done that before- got excited, signed up, jumped in; and two weeks later decided I need a new hobby.

It really is a huge a sprawling building- which provides me with a challenge to start with! I think I managed to miss the entire section on colonial portraits and landscapes, whilst seeing the Japanese room on at least five separate occasions. One of the guards tried to be helpful by showing me a “You Are Here” board, which only served to confuse further, he then gave me a map- it wasn’t going to happen! The only reason I discovered the far side of the rotunda was because I was looking for a restroom- at this point I was beyond “Night in the Museum” and wondering if I could find some emergency flairs and call 911. I would say that getting lost in places like this is how you find the real treasures- I found myself in a supply closet!

Geek alert for the day- I did love the Roman gallery, and was beyond myself with excitement at finding a mosaic floor from Turkey. When I was at Uni I wrote a paper on this floor, I know everything there is to know about this floor, I dreamed about this floor before my final exams… and for the first time ever it is on display to the public and it is in Boston! This fact meant that my day was made, the $20.00 entry fee was more than worth it, and bounced around the room with priceless Roman artifacts in until I was glared at by the guard, and told there was a queue of other people waiting to see some of things too.

I would love to be able to say something sharp and witty and insightful about the rest of the “painting” art, but a lot of the Dutch Old Masters and religious symbolism all looks fairly generic to me. I am sure plenty of people love them- like I did the floor- and I am certain I haven’t seen that exact painting before, but I have seen so many representations of the same story in European collections that they all start to merge. I think that is actually the sign of a good picture- can I tell which part of which story is being represented? Can I retell the story? Does it matter who painted it? Were the masses of uneducated peasants there to appreciate art or to learn from the church? Now, three hundred years later, I can still tell the stories, I can still pin point the important saints and important religious messages, I haven’t got a clue who painted it- but the Church must be ecstatic that they have had 300 years worth of advertising and talking points for their one off payment. I have no doubt that Nike are silently offering up their own prayers that their advertising came as cheap, lasted for so long and yielded such high turnovers and profits.