Museum of Fine Arts

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Museum of Fine Arts, West Wing Entrance, Fenway, Boston, MA

I took this photo this afternoon during our first major winter snow storm for the season. While I do not know the exact snowfall for this storm (which began Friday afternoon and continued pretty much non-stop through this evening), it's safe to assume it was at least 8 inches.

The MFA is currently undergoing an extensive expansion project, including the construction of an entirely new wing (which will serve as the museum's new main entrance). As part of the project, the westward-facing entrance was recently reopened after being shut to visitors and neglected for over 25 years. Would you believe that this is actually the back door to this museum? I am thrilled that this entrance was once again reopened to visitors. I must say that this facade is the most impressive of the museum (I think it's far more grand than even the original domed facade that faces Huntington Avenue). I'm glad that the city and the museum came to their senses to reinvigorate this part of the Fens, as the reopening of this entrance has seemed to spearhead a flurry of activity restoring the parkland in the Fens across the street. Perhaps I'm a bit biased, as this facade faces my apartment building.

2008 Bay Colony Dog Show

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Bay Colony Dog Show at Bayside Expo Center, Dorchester, MA

Here's Bandit, a male English Bulldog that topped all other English Bulldogs during the weekend and made it to the Non-Sporting Group competition.

The Bay Colony Dog Show is held annually in December over a 4-day period. The entire Bayside Expo Center facility is occupied by this massive show, New England's largest. For twelve dollars, I had unlimited access to the judging rings, the main ring, exercise pens, merchandise booths, and grooming areas. While I wasn't free today to return and see the "Best in Show" competition, I managed to catch two group competitions, the "Non-Sporting" and "Terrier" events. Sadly, neither Bandit nor the Scottish Terrier placed in these groups (why can't the Scottie ever win?).

Thanksgiving 2008

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Thanksgiving at my Parents' House, Newport News, VA

I just returned to Boston from my parents' house (the same house where I grew up from infanthood). As can be seen, our meal is very traditional, with turkey, stuffing, and all the traditional sides such as green bean casserole, corn pudding, mashed potatoes and gravy, and sweet potatoes.

I hope everyone had a relaxing holiday and safe travel!

Top of the Hub

Saturday, November 22, 2008

52nd Floor of the Prudential Tower, Looking Towards Hancock Tower

My friends and I celebrated my upcoming 28th birthday by spending an evening out in frigid Boston (it didn't reach 30 degrees yesterday, to my knowledge) for drinks. We began the night at the bar at Top of the Hub, located 750 feet above the ground in the top floor of the Prudential Tower. We moved elsewhere after a few hours.

Luckily, the night was clear (otherwise it would have been truly miserable), so the view from the tower was fantastic. I managed to capture this view with an old point-and-shoot camera before I was told by a manager to leave the dining area...made me feel a tad lower-class, but I understood that those people had waited in line for those views. Anyways, prominent in the center-right of the photo is the 800-foot Hancock Tower, with the much shorter Westin Hotel in front of it. Boylston Street, running through Back Bay, is apparent by the vibrant blur to the left, and the Mass Pike (I-90) curves off to the right of the towers.

Boston Center for the Arts

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Boston Center for the Arts (Cyclorama Building), Tremont Street, Boston

The Boston Cyclorama Building, completed and opened in 1884 to house one of 4 circular murals of the Battle of Gettysburg, is now home to the Boston Center for the Arts. While the building no longer serves its original purpose, it continues to serve as a focal point of the South End's artistic culture as an exhibition space.

The 12th Annual Boston International Fine Arts Show was held inside the building this weekend. A number of galleries from around the world displayed their pieces, most of which were from the 19th and 20th centuries but many also being contemporary pieces.

Arnold Arboretum

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA

Despite the cloudy weather, my walk through the Arboretum on Saturday afternoon was a great experience. Although the peak foliage season has passed, there was still plenty of color on many trees, especially on the maples. Not surprisingly, the fruits of many of these trees lingered on the branches, such as these tiny purple berries.

Boston Public Garden

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Boston Public Garden

This view looks towards the old Art Deco-inspired Hancock Tower in the center (home of the famous weather beacon), the newer Hancock Tower to the right, and the steeple of the Civil War-era Arlington Street Church at the corner of Arlington and Boylston Streets.

It was a dreary day, but plenty of people were out due to the somewhat mild temps.

Mission Hill, Boston

Sunday, October 26, 2008

View of Mission Hill and New England Baptist Hospital, Boston.

What I like about this picture is that it appears to capture a typical New England village setting, complete with colored leaves, quaint housing, and an old, brick institution on the crest of a hill. This turns out to be Mission Hill, which is a neighborhood behind Harvard Medical School that is almost in the center of Boston.

Mission Hill has been gentrified over the past few years (even since I moved into town, 5 years ago) and has become an appealing neighborhood for those who work in the mammoth Harvard/Longwood Medical Area. The New England Baptist Hospital graces the top of the hill...while not one of the main teaching hospitals affiliated with Harvard (those being along Longwood Avenue and Francis Street at the base of the hill), it is one of the leading hospitals specializing in orthopedic care in this country. For instance, Jack Nicklaus had a hip replacement performed there a few years ago.

Paraglider...Franconia Notch, NH

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Cannon Mountain, Franconia Notch, NH

Here I go at trying to reincarnate this blog...this time with a picture about once a week, not necessarily of the same day as the date of post. I found that it was too difficult to lug my camera around every day to keep up with the pic-a-day blog. I never wanted to give it up, though.

Anyway, I was in New Hampshire for a graduate program retreat last weekend, and a few of us decided to drive up to Cannon Mountain (home of the late Old Man of the Mountain formation, which collapsed back in 2003...look for a depiction on the New Hampshire state quarter) for a ride up the 80-person "aerial tram", or gondola. I must acknowledge Matt and Mel for handing us 4 tickets to the tram, since they didn't have the time to make it up there on their leaf-peeping tour a week prior. At least they were able to enjoy the other nearby attraction in Franconia Notch, the Flume.

A note about the paragliding. First of all, we were at an elevation of 4,200 feet. It was cold (24 degrees) and very windy. We watched a paraglider fall from sky sky and plummet towards the forest below using a reserve parachute. We think he was fine...scary, still. As fun as paragliding looked that afternoon, I wouldn't want to do it from this mountaintop, especially on a day as windy as this one.

Queen Mary

June 2, 2008

Queen Mary, Long Beach, CA

I stayed on this ship overnight on my last leg of my trip to Southern California. The RMS Queen Mary, launched in 1936, served during WWII as a troop ship and afterward as a luxury liner for Cunard, transporting passengers between the UK and the United States. It ended its service in 1967 (when the Queen Elizabeth 2, also recently retired and to become a floating hotel, was launched to replace the Queen Mary's service), at which point it made its permanent home at Long Beach, California, as a museum and hotel. The ship, over 1000 feet long, still remains as one of the largest passenger ships in the world. It once held the Blue Riband for speed crossing the Atlantic (from 1938-1952, both eastbound and westbound, before being outrun by the SS United States).

I stayed in a first class cabin (turned into a hotel room) on portside, M deck (uppermost for cabins) facing the bay. It was quite an experience. Walking around the upper decks at night was a special treat.

Manhattan Beach

June 1, 2008

Manhattan Beach Pier, California

This was taken from the end of the pier at Manhattan Beach, just south of Los Angeles, CA. This is where the wealth of the LA area is concentrated. The Roundhouse Aquarium houses a decent menagerie of sea animals in small tanks, each sponsored by a company or group. It is run on donations and volunteer help...given their tight budget, it was impressive (especially since it was free to the public).

Santa Monica Beach

May 31, 2008

Santa Monica Beach, California

The evening sun sets over the Santa Monica Mountains as beachgoers take in the last few minutes of daylight on the Pacific Ocean.

Somewhere over the Southwest

May 30, 2008

Near landing at LAX, from an American Airlines Boeing 757

Evening sun sets over the horizon as we near Los Angeles International Airport.

QIAGEN=Quality!!!!!

May 18, 2008

BIDMC Research East, Boston

(This is sort of an inside joke post among fellow biomedical researchers, but the affect of the photo is still kinda cool)...

"If it says QIAGEN on the box, it can wait 'til tomorrow." That was an old adage of a former graduate student in my lab. QIAGEN produces a lot of kits that make DNA and RNA purification for many different applications extremely easy and foolproof...a monkey could use these kits if they were trained to do so.

Forgive me of my geekiness.

Farewell to Becca

May 23, 2008

Becca's Farewell Party at the Squealing Pig, Mission Hill, Boston

Becca is a good friend of mine who has worked over the past few years in a lab that I rotated through about 4 years ago. She is about to move away to attend a graduate program in Environmental Science at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, my alma mater. While she's sad to be leaving all of her friends up here in Boston, I am sure she will have a great time in CVille.

Poppy

May 25, 2008

Poppy cat enjoying the weather, St. Botolph District, Boston

While Matt and Mel were hosting a cookout on their rear courtyard yesterday afternoon, I captured Poppy basking in the breeze on a beautiful Sunday afternoon behind her home.

Fenway Park

May 20, 2008

Pavilion Box at Fenway Park, Boston

I went to the Sox game against Kansas City tonight... a last minute decision. The game was great...we won 2-1. My $5 seat (employee discount thanks to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center) was in the front row of a Pavilion Box just above third base, which afforded a really nice view of the game.

Mallard Ducklings

May 18, 2008

Mallard Ducklings along the Riverway, Boston

'Sorry for the poor quality of this picture. The focus lock on my camera decided to quit to the point that I stopped by Best Buy on the way home looking into a brand new Canon dSLR-like model. However, my camera (my companion) miraculously recovered last night, just in time for me to put the camera buying guides kindly provided by Best Buy (the only customer service you will expect to find at this store) away for the time being.

In keeping with the spirit of resurrecting this blog after a month-long hiatus, I decided to post the photo, anyway. So, here we see some mallard ducklings in the Muddy River along the Riverway, which serves as the border between the cities of Brookline and Boston at this location. Aren't they cute? These little birds can glide very quickly through the water...surprising since they can't be more than a week or two old.

Squirrel, Cat, and Fish

May 17, 2008

Lily the Siamese Cat

Here is Lily, Amanda's cat, in Matt and Mel's apartment in the St. Botolph District during Amanda's birthday celebration Saturday night. Lily seems quite at ease between a squirrel nutcracker and a fish...needless to say, had these things been moving, the story would have been different.

Massachusetts State Senate

May 15, 2008

Senate Chamber, Massachusetts State House, Beacon Hill, Boston

This was taken in the Senate Chamber of the State House. This is part of Charles Bulfinch's original building, completed around 1795. The Blue "stonework" is actually wood made to look like the masonry quoining pattern popular in Federal architecture during the years of our country's infancy. The State House's "golden dome" is directly above this room, although the current state house's magnificent interior dome space is in a different part of the building and is part of a later addition.

Boston Holocaust Memorial

May 14, 2008

New England Holocaust Memorial, Boston

This was taken within one of the 6 glass towers, each representing a different concentration camp, in the memorial. Each number represents a victim of the genocide that took place there. Steam with a pungent, musty odor rises through grates in the ground to add to the experience.

The memorial was dedicated in 1995 and is in the center of the historic district, near the Union Oyster House, Faneuil Hall, and Government Center.

Fort Point Channel

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Fort Point Channel, Boston.

I was taking a walk through South Boston ("Southie") this afternoon and captured this image of Fort Point Channel. Most prominent (besides the highrises) is the Northern Avenue Bridge, which has been closed to traffic for some time but is currently open to pedestrians as part of a historical rehabilitation project.

Fenway Studios

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Fenway Studios, Ipswich Street, Boston

This building was completed in 1904 following a disastrous fire of a similar art studio complex. Many of the artists at the former studio building relocated here, and, thankfully, the building still serves its primary purpose, to offer a northward-facing building with tall ceilings and large windows for the art community. The building itself is a rare example - in Boston - of the Arts and Crafts architectural movement (the sun was too blinding to take any good photos of the facade of the building, which is a work of art - particularly with regard to the brickwork - in itself).

The Savant Project

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Dinner and drinks at the Savant Project, Mission Hill area, Boston

Here we are at the Savant Project, a restaurant located near Brigham Circle that has been open for about a year or so. We've been enjoying Wednesday evenings on their back patio, after attending Harvard's weekly Immunology Seminar Series.

Geese and goslings...

Sunday, May 11, 2008

A pair of Canada Geese and their newborn goslings, Back Bay Fens, Boston

I was walking along Aggasiz Road this afternoon and found this family of geese. Ahh...it's that time of year...warm temps alternating with frigid coastal storms, flooding, the exodus of college students, and the concurrent influx of Canada Geese, across from my apartment building in the Fenway (I can hear them right now, outside of my window).

Fog over Fenway

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Fenway Park, Boston

I was on my way to a party on Saturday night and caught this image of some spectators at Fenway Park. A few thunderstorms had just rolled through the city, leaving behind a thick fog. The game resumed (after two delays), and we managed to beat the Yankees.

AD20/21

Sunday, April 6, 2008

AD20/21 Exhibition, Cyclorama Building, South End, Boston

The first ever AD20/21 (Art and Design of the 20th and 21st Centuries) exhibition was held this weekend in the Cyclorama Building on Tremont Street. Exhibits featured works of galleries from around the world...media ranging from paint, sculpture, furniture, glass, etc. This space has hosted a number of art shows in the past, and it isn't difficult to figure out why; it's well-lit, even at night, and is historic in itself (built in the 1880s to house a large, circular painting of the Battle of Gettysburg for the viewing public).

In praise of the sun...

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Harvard Medical School New Research Building, Boston

I was reading in the NRB yesterday afternoon when I woke up from a short doze to find that the sky had suddenly cleared. The NRB's all-glass curtain wall makes for fantastic photo ops.

Meat

Friday, April 4, 2008

The Butcher Shop, Tremont Street, South End, Boston

After attending an art exhibition across the street, we grabbed a table (standing room only for a while at first) for some appetizers and a bottle of bubbly at the Butcher Shop. At the rear of the restaurant, one can hand-pick the freshest cuts of meats (and even a whole duck, hanging by its feet).

Goodbye, Moon...

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Banff, Alberta, Canada

...and so all good things must come to an end. Here is one of the last pictures I took on my trip up to Alberta, Canada's Banff National Park. On a chilly morning (about 5 degrees Fahrenheit), I shot this around 6:30 AM before we checked out of the hotel and made our way to Calgary Airport.

Taking Flight...

Monday, March 31, 2008

Pritha about to take flight off a cliff, Crowfoot Glacier, Icefields Parkway, north of Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada

We took a drive north of Lake Louise in Canada's beautiful Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies. The Icefields Parkway takes visitors along an isolated stretch of road through many glaciers, mountains, and lakes up into Jasper National Park. This stop was a little of a disappointment since the glacier was covered with snow, making it hard to distinguish, but we were able to see some ice glistening in the sun in areas not covered with snowfall. We were not disappointed by the views, however. These areas contain perhaps the most beautiful winterscapes I have ever seen.

Mushing

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Mushing on a frozen lake south of Canmore, Alberta, Canada

We took a tour with Snowy Owl Sled Dog Tours, based in Canmore, on Sunday afternoon. After a brief instruction on commands, we were given our own sled to drive through the Canadian Rocky wilderness. Halfway during our tour, we stopped on a frozen lake to switch drivers (my friend Piya and I took the sled at this point, with our friend Amy taking the passenger seat in the sled).

Lake Minnewanka

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Lake Minnewanka, Alberta, Canada

We took a short hike along the edge of one of Banff National Park's larger lakes, Lake Minnewanka, which is near the town of Banff. There was absolutely noone else there, except for an impromptu wedding between a couple from South America that was being held out on a snow-buried boat ramp. We were asked to sign as witnessed, but someone else beat us to it. The scenery was amazing, especially since there was a snow storm progressing along the lake while we were there. You can see the edge of the snow line creeping in from the right side of the photo...by the end of the hike, we were in whiteout conditions.

View of Bow River Valley

Friday, March 28, 2008

View from Sanson Peak, Banff, Alberta, Canada

This shot was taken from the summit of Sanson Peak at 7,400 feet. We took a gondola to the summit of Sulphur Mountain, an adjacent mountain peak, and then walked along a ridge for about a kilometer to the adjacent summit of this mountain, which is home to a historic cosmic ray station/weather observatory. This view shows Tunnel Mountain (the smaller mountain in the center) with the town of Banff to the left. A number of 10,000+ foot peaks can be seen in the distance.

Hello, Moon...

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Somewhere over Lake Erie

I took this while on my way to a conference in Banff, Alberta, Canada. We flew United Airlines from Boston to Chicago-O'Hare, and from there on to Calgary, Alberta. This view was from my seat on the wing of a Boeing 757 somewhere over the Great Lakes.

Banff Pictures Coming...

I've been out of town since Thursday. I will be posting some fabulous pictures taken in Alberta, Canada over the past few days...please be patient, and you will be rewarded with some shots of some of the most beautiful Rocky Mountain scenery in North America.

Muddy River from Boylston Bridge

March 24, 2008

Muddy River from Boylston Street Bridge, Fenway District, Boston

Here's a shot I captured on my way home from some shopping at the Prudential Center and Copley Place this evening. The buildings in the distance are part of Northeastern University's campus on Huntington Avenue, across from the Fens in East Fenway.

Lily the Cat in a Bag

March 23, 2008

Lily the Siamese in a Whole Foods Bag, St. Botolph District, Boston

I was over at Matt and Mel's this afternoon baking hot cross buns (a Kiwi tradition for Easter). Amanda came over with a Whole Foods bag full of things, and as she was emptying it, she felt that it had suddenly become heavier. It turned out that her noisy Siamese cat Lily had sneaked inside.

Pillow Fight at Copley Square

March 22, 2008

Pillow Fight, Copley Square, Boston

Saturday was International Pillow Fight Day, and the Banditos Misteriosos, a public spontaneity society in Boston, organized one at Copley Square in the center of Boston at 2PM. Over 900 people came out for the event.

'Sorry for the lack of posts lately...I've been pretty busy at work, but I'm going to try my best to keep this blog moving (should be easier once the weather improves for the season).

Heavy Surf at Brant Rock

March 16, 2008

Brant Rock, Marshfield, MA

I took a drive down to the South Shore this afternoon and walked around on the deserted beach at Brant Rock, one of my favorite small summering villages on the South Shore of Massachusetts. This location, not far from Plymouth and about 20 miles from Cape Cod Canal (as well is 22 miles over the water to Provincetown, the tip of Cape Cod), is named for a large, natural rock outcropping just beyond the surf that is accessible by walking on a man-made rock jetty to the end. From here, one is surrounded by large waves on either side as they rapidly make their way to the shore.

Brant Rock is also the location of two significant points in early 20th century history. Just south of this beach, now in a trailer park, stands the base of a 420-foot radio tower constructed in 1905. From here, Reginald Fessenden achieved two-way trans-Atlantic radio contact by Morse Code with Machrihanish, Scotland, in January 0f 2006. Just before the end of that year, he also
conducted the first audio broadcast over radio...playing "O Holy Night" on a violin and reciting a verse from the Bible to ships crossing the Atlantic. Prior to this, Guglielmo Marconi had achieved the first one-way radio contact from Cape Cod, near Wellfleet. While Marconi's efforts are perhaps more celebrated today (through the establishment of Marconi Beach and historical sites on Cape Cod National Seashore), it was here, from Brant Rock, that true back-and-forth communication across the Atlantic was established. Sadly, the tower was dismantled in 1917, yet many photographic images and postcard views of it remain.

Today, the beach was desolate...I was the only one on the sand at the time. Most of the cottages facing the shore are boarded up for the winter...3 months from now, however, the place will be full of beachgoers. The only sign of life at this time of year is some light traffic and the smell of crabcakes and lobster cooking in some of the area's small restaurants, undoubtedly to keep some lingering locals satisfied through the winter.

Cardinal

March 15, 2008

Cardinal in the Back Bay Fens, Boston

I was walking through the neighborhood this afternoon and spotted this male cardinal in a tree. Apparently the chilly weather and morning snow hasn't caused this little bird to avoid the elements.

Friday Night on the E Line

March 14, 2008

MBTA E Line, Longwood Medical Station, Boston

Another week has ended, and tired passengers on the T's E Line make their way home. Pictured above are my friends Matt and Mel (Matt's father wrote the haiku that is the title of this blog)...they had me at their place last night for some wine, late-night omelets, and TV.

Congrats to Matt and Mel on their recent 1st Anniversary (March 9)!

First Sign of Spring...

March 13, 2008

Park Drive, Fenway Neighborhood, Boston

I was walking back to my apartment from dinner and noticed a subtle yet significant sign that Spring is near...look closely.

Yep...along with some tenacious dead leaves from the previous autumn, those are tree buds!

Real Estate Treasure...

March 11, 2008

Abandoned Apartment in Fenway, Park Drive, Boston

I was peeping around the basement while waiting for a load of laundry to finish its spin cycle the other day, and I found this abandoned apartment in my building. It has a piece of masking tape on the door identifying it as "Apt B2". Above, you can see my shadow as I snap a picture of the bathroom. At least the unit has bars in the windows to keep out trespassers....

Apparently, this was once a studio with alcove, much like my own apartment on the 4th floor above. Who knows how long it has been vacant...all that remains is a drop ceiling (obviously a later addition after the building's construction, since no other space, except for the superintendent's 1-BR nearby in the basement, has this sort of ceiling). Instant concrete bags and maintenance equipment is now strewn about the space. The toilet looks as if it hasn't been cleaned in decades, yet it appears that it has been used (given the lack of an odor, it hasn't been used in quite a while).

A nearby vintage sprinkler system valve is dated 1916. I have seen ward maps depicting the building's absence in 1912, and its sudden appearance in 1917. So, I have been able to date the building to 1916, which makes it one of the first buildings in the West Fenway neighborhood, before the building boom there in the late teens and early 1920s, to house soldiers and their families upon returning from service in WWI.

John F. Kennedy Library and Museum

March 9, 2008

John F. Kennedy Library and Museum, Columbia Point, Dorchester, Boston

This building, designed by I.M. Pei and dedicated by Jimmy Carter and the Kennedy Family in 1979, overlooks Dorchester Bay on the campus of the University of Massachusetts - Boston. This building, when constructed, was way ahead of its time, and many are surprised to hear that it is a product of the 1970s. A giant American flag hangs from the glass ceiling in this atrium. A Profiles in Courage Award, given in 2002, is located in the corner shown above. The museum, which features partial replicas of the Oval Office and hallways of the White House, and library are located in an adjacent section of the building.

Harvard Medical School New Research Building

March 8, 2008

Harvard Medical School New Research Building (NRB), Boston

I was doing some work in the lab yesterday afternoon and thought I'd go next door to do some reading in a nice comfy chair. It was raining outside at the time, and the place was pretty deserted...ideal conditions for enjoying a good book.

The NRB was opened right after I began graduate school in September of 2003. It houses many laboratories for the Harvard Medical community...many students in my PhD program are currently in labs in the building. While I'm not a big fan of the all-glass exteriors found on new buildings springing up in the area (including one now under construction and soon to be the home of my lab come late July), the interiors offer nice vantages of the surrounding area.

The Mission

March 5, 2008

The Mission, Brigham Circle, Boston

Here is Angelique and me enjoying a night out at the Mission Bar and Grill, one of our favorite hangouts after Immunology Seminar across the street, held every Wednesday afternoon. Angelique hails from Quebec, and I am hoping to spend some days in her hometown of Montreal sometime this summer.

Peabody Essex Museum

March 2, 2008

East India Marine Hall, Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA

My friends Matt, Melissa, Amanda, and I took the commuter rail up to Salem today to see an exhibit on Maori moko at the Peabody (pronounced "PEEbuddy" in Massachusetts) Essex Museum. We enjoyed the moko exhibition, which features photographs of Maoris (indigenous peoples of New Zealand) and their intricate ceremonial facial and body tattoos. It just happened that we all met up in New Zealand a year ago (Amanda and I arrived March 5th after skipping a full day crossing the International Date Line and spending over 20 hours in the air) to meet Matt and Mel for their wedding there.

The museum claims to be the oldest in the United States. While much of the collection is now housed in a grand, airy new building opened in 2003, some collections are in much older structures. The maritime gallery above was opened in 1825 in this room.

Faux French Soiree in Brookline

March 1, 2008

Faux French Soiree on Beacon Street, Brookline, MA

I went to a French-themed party last night in a beautiful 4-BR apartment fronting Beacon Street in Coolidge Corner. A friend of mine from school who threw the party, Shannon (pictured above), constructed an Eiffel Tower out of sculpting wire and lit it with Christmas lights...the decor and the food were pretty impressive.

Here I am at the end of the night (after a few glasses of Champagne) trying to climb the Eiffel Tower...luckily Shannon was there to offer some support and stability (ughh hmm).

Sam Adams Brewery

February 28, 2008

Sam Adams Brewery Tasting, Jamaica Plain, Boston

A few friends and I went to the Sam Adams Brewery for their monthly Open House this evening. Tonight, we were asked to taste 4 new brews (a Pilsner, a Rye Ale, a Coffee Stout, and a Raspberry White ale). We each voted for two favorites, and the winner of these will be chosen at an upcoming convention for release in 2009. Afterwards, we were offered a 12 ounce glass of White Ale (the glass was ours to keep) and one awesome soft pretzel.

We have come to enjoy our monthly visits to the brewery...the open houses are free to the public, but it's hard to get on the list before it reaches capacity and is shut down.

Snow on the Muddy River

February 26, 2008

Muddy River, Back Bay Fens, Boston

Here's a picture taken around 5PM this evening, on my way home from work. Just as rush hour was beginning, a wintry rain/snow mix begin to fall in the Metro area. Thankfully, it was warm enough to keep the snow from sticking to the roads.