Thank you CW, I will scratch them off my re-run list.

Went to Island Creek this evening. Truly the quality and prerparationand we were surprised at the size of the portions. Staff Young but professional.


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was that good surprised or bad surprised. you are usually not so vague. good weather for you!!!

I'm sure many of us are looking forward to hearing the good, the bad and the ugly!

I will reply in semi-full upon my return. I do not possess that simian quality to respond in a large doses just with my thumb on a phome
We are however enjoying Boston.

Enjoy this unseasonable weather. A nice bonus.

I will probably write this thing in pieces.

We stayed at the Verb Hotel, literally in the shadow of Fenway Park. It is an old Hojo made over to be ultra-groovy/hip/def. There is a rock and roll theme and a casualness, that is welcome and in no way interferes with the service or the running of the hotel. Verb, as in reverb.

We are old, but they played in the lobby 60's and 70's what is euphemistically called classic rock. Also there are two axes with amps sitting in the lobby for anyone to play.

The renovated room had an intentional hole in the plexiglass shower wall. I thought it was to drop the soap in the dish when you are done. MY SIL thought it was to turn on the shower without scorching yourself. Thus might have been true if one had arms an orang.

My wife and SIL are not sports fans and were not impressed with venerable Fen

I lost the second piece twice, an omen. I will return soon to recreate it.

I'm following along. Thanks for reporting back.

On the first full day in Boston we went to the Gardner for the Carlo Crivelli exhibit. A Venetian painter during the Renaissance, his work is an odd hybrid of luminous colors, strange perspectives, and a fascination with trompe-l'œil. Trompe-l'œil has nothing to do with Donald Trump, even in French it means "deceive the eye."

The exhibit is small, but well curated, curated in the traditional sense, not picking out party balloons or socks. His art is founded in religion but with earthly touches, such as bird cages and and hanging clothes which are the main object of trompe-l'œil. I knew nothing of him before the exhibit, but the Renaissance is a particular interest of my SIL.

There are multiple pieces from one altar and two small pieces are framed is an unusual shape with square sides and pointed tops and bottoms. It is interesting for those who have keen interest in that genre and the development of art techniques.

The permanent collection is shown salon style, which can be tough to view as the light is often dim. Yes, that can be to protect the works, but other museums succeed with the same limitations. The interior courtyard is an oasis in a city.

As you may know the Gardner has kept the empty frames on display of those works that were stolen 25 years ago. It is oxymoronic to say you have seen the stolen works of Rembrandt and Vermeer.
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The second day we followed the Freedom Trail from the Commons to the bridge that crosses the river. It beams with patriotic and Bostonian pride but I doubt the part about the first colonial Starbucks.

A cemetery with Paul Revere and John Hancock is impressive as are the tombstones. Many were adorned with skulls, which was symbolic for not being religious.
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On the third day we headed to Harvard Yard to see the Peabody Museum. Now the locals pronounce it Pib-A-dee but in a single breath. It is a quirky place where genuine artifacts sit quietly next to recreations, next to stuffed animals. Although the hall with the glass flowers is closed until May for renovations, a sample of 30 specimens remain on view. It is one of the extraordinary creations by the hands of humans. Even the hairs on the roots of a plant, look genuine.
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Food and some general observations to follow.

The best meal we had was at Island Creek. My wife and her sister had a small selection of oysters the best of which was the eponymous, Island Creek. They then share fried clams which were tender and a silky clam chowder. I had fish and chips and the fish was like buttah.

The bread was crispy and the desert Banoffee Pie with
dulce de leche and banana was smooooooth with a home made crust.

Although the staff was young they were all knowledgeable and extremely pleasant.

The next night we we went to Citizen's Union where we shared a number of appetizers but my SIL went Lady Gaga over the only desert they offered Toffee brioche bread pudding. In fact we went back the last night just to have more.

We also went to Quality India on Commonwealth, Zagat's Best Indian. For the neighborhood, the cost was most reasonable and the best dish was the tandoori chicken, spicy on the outside, moist on the inside, a rarity. Otherwise it was fine, not exceptional and the staff was extremely attentive.

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All the people who worked in hospitality were most cordial and engaging. The staff at the Verb Hotel was young and helpful but did not know that much.

One fellow called the Harvard Coop, the co-op and unless there has been a new reverse snobbery, I did not know of the name change, For the T and the buses you get a Charlie Card. I asked someone behind the desk about the origin of the name. Since I am old, I thought it might have something to do with Chad Mitchell's Charlie and the MTA. The guy made up some cockamamie story about it named after a vent on the original train line. I went to the Internet, the source of all truth, and it confirmed that the Charlie Card was named after the folk song.

One must give some credit for concocting a story about an air vent.

Interesting town, will return in the next 10, 15 years.

The Fenway Victory Garden dates back to 1942. These are the chairs that can be found there.


https://photos.google.com/u/1/share/...cyUTM0YmpXbl9n

Thanks for the report. It's a lot of fun to walk around the Victory Gardens in the Spring and Summer and chat with the various gardeners about their flowers and vegetables.

Sounds as though the person who mispronounced Coop, and the one who had never heard the Kingston Trio sing Charlie on the MTA, are probably new to the area. Good imagination to make up an air vent explanation though. As if the song isn't farfetched enough. Though it dates back to the days when a passenger had to pay both to enter and exit the subway on some lines.

Glad you enjoyed Island Creek. It's one of my favorite places to eat. Come back when the glass flowers reopen. Don't wait 10 years.

Would you recommend the Verb to others?

I would recommend the Verb in the off-season and if you are under 30. It is not that convenient for many things.

The guy claimed to be from the Boston area.

Thanks, our trip was fairly spontaneous. But we would never rule out coming back.

Here is an article in today's NY Times about the neighborhood and the hotel where we stayed.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/16/re...=business&_r=0

It's a pretty good article about the area. Once the Red Sox committed to staying in Fenway Park rather than moving, things started to change.

There used to be two tire stores, McDonald's and Burger King with huge parking lots and drive-up windows, a large taxi garage, etc. The US Post Office seems to be one of the last hold-outs to selling their small building where mail is transferred.

The quotations from the head of the Fenway CDC are interesting. The Fenway CDC used to be quite radical and resisted any changes to upgrade housing and pricing out the neighborhood. And for a number of years they were successful. Times change. Boston doesn't have a lot of room for expansion and the Fenway area was one of the closest to downtown.

I wonder how long the low rise buildings, including Tasty Burger (a former gas station) and the Verb will be there.

For those who haven't visited Boston in 10 years or so, the Fenway area, the Seaport area, and part of South Boston will be unrecognizable.

Thanks for the link.

I have lived in NYC all my life and the skyline looks very different just in last 5 years and by 2020, it is supposed to be totally changed. They are building luxury residences that look like someone feels sexually insecure. IMHO, it cannot continue and be supported.

I'm at island creek as I type eating oysters shrimp and fried clams toasting you

That is very kind Inaka. Enjoy and have a wonderful holiday.