|
Thanks Toucan and Louisa! I'm hoping that breathing woes will continue to improve. I didn't have enough left to go to Mimi's after dinner to meet the wonderful Pastis.
I forgot to say that changing from Green line to Red on the T was easy. It is well-marked at the Park St. Station. Also forgot to mention that the back of my crocs got caught in the escalator at Harvard Square! Shoes not fatally injured--it looks like teeth marks on the heel part. "under one roof" not "until one roof" -- my typo not computer's. |
Thanks, Donna, for the pleasure of your company
and being a good sport trying food you never tasted before- fiddle heads and soft shell crabs. An enjoyable with a fun Fodorite (and artist) |
Thanks for the play-by-play for those of us who couldn't join you. Glad a good time was had by all.
|
Wait, our Marylander had never tasted soft shells?
How could that be? The day sounds grand but exhausting? |
HA! Very observant you are, jubi. My father the New England lobster snob never bought a Md. crab into the house.
Away from his influence, I saw the little legs hanging out of a soft crab sandwich. My "Eew" was heard throughout the kingdom. DH and I, at our first crab feast, heard the critters trying to escape their steam so didn't have hard shells for years. Viale's were delish (and Mimi actually gave me part of its little leg.) I am really pooped today and getting into the "home" frame of mind. |
I am so enjoying your report and admire your stamina. I'm happy the weather cooperated.
Yes the portion of the subway between Park Street and Boylston was the first in the country. There are interesting photos of the construction. |
NO, Mimi, thank YOU! Hi Nikki--hope you are still on the upward health trail.
Thanks, cw! I'm still not back to pre-asthma days but it is better than before. Yes, great weather, albeit brisk in the a.m. today. How did everyone do with frost warnings last night? |
No frost here though quite cool all day. 80 tomorrow. Weird.
|
Bon Voyage tomorrow , Donna.
|
Merci, Mimi!
Just back from ballet. yk, if you see this, I thank you for the recco. Laughed out loud at the Robbins adorable choreography. Will write more tomorrow. |
Thanks for the fine report, TDudette.
Figuring out all of the Harvard museums is a challenge. Nice how they managed to hide each of them on side streets that are hard to get to. In the days of youth, weed, and poverty, they were a godsend, with the glass flower/dead animal/anthropology place a mainstay. (At least until realizing how much of the stuff on display was either looted or killed without much valid reason, but that's a different topic.) |
Thanks, DonT. The unusual configuration no doubt the result of some Darwinian development based upon donations of various collections.
|
TDudette, your report is a fabulous feast of friendship, food and art. Safe travels home with hopefully improved breathing.
|
Thanks, mvor. Meeting Fodor's friends was fun and helped me keep up my schedule more effectively.
I transfer photos to computer, look at emails and crash by 9. Day 5, 23 May 2015 Mid-60s, sunny but brisk wind makes it sweater weather <u>Short Version</u> Brunch: Fairmont Copley Hotel: http://www.oaklongbarkitchen.com/brunch/ CROQUE MADAME: confit pork shoulder, gruyere, béchamel, fried egg $17 & Coffee $24.61 pre-tip Dinner: Salvadore’s http://www.salvatoresrestaurants.com/ (reservations or sit at bar) Wine and 2 appetizers: Sal’s red Frappato $9 Arancini Fiorentina $10 Chicken Tenders Croccante $9 $29.96 pre-tip Hints: 1. Consider sharing Fairmont Copley croque madame. 2. And Salvadore’s appetizers. 3. If your back aches, change shoes 4. Green T line splits and comes together--watch where you can take any car. Points of Interest: Gibson House Museum: http://www.thegibsonhouse.org/ Cheers Bar: http://www.cheersboston.com/main_loc...eaconhill.html Boston Opera House: http://www.bostonoperahouseonline.com/ <u>Long Version: Bostix, St. Gaudens</u> Up at 8 went through notes and posted yesterday’s TR. At 10:45, I went to Bostix but couldn’t decide what to do. Ballet matinee would mean no Gibson house and they didn’t show seat choices. Blue Man Group in obstructed seating. The only way to figure out things is to eat breakfast. I see the HOHO trolley at the other end of Copley Square and wonder if today might be a good day to take it. Then remember that my guide book said don’t miss a glimpse of the Fairmont Copley hotel. The public rooms are simply lovely. Coffered ceilings, chandeliers, and a black lab. Fireplaces going and I know I will eat here. I proceed to the Oak Room and am given a New York Times and my own pitcher of water. Brunch is expensive but I’m worth it (har). Waiter says it is sister hotel to NY Plaza. True? The croque madame was about 3 times more than I could eat and it came with excellent plain French fries and their own cunning little jar of Heinze ketchup. Maybe by virtue of me taking notes, various folks came by to ask how things were. Only drawback was that my waiter disappeared when it came time for check. I think he thought I was a hotel guest so left a bill where one put room number. Another server noticed my “it’s time to go” body language, apologized and came back with the credit card papers. Back to room and I realize I need to print my boarding pass after 1:45. Decide to return to room and kill some time then check with concierge for better ticket offers. At the stroke of 1:45, I check in on-line and am still #50 in the A line! More folks going home I suppose. Anyhow, around 2:15 I realize there is only one more tour of Gibson House Museum so need to get on the road again. A stop by concierge desk yields ballet tickets for the 7:30 show at right center. Not quite half price but still get a new purchaser $15 discount so it’s $64 instead of $79. Could have spent $165 (gulp) but was afraid DH’s ashes would be spilled over. Cab to Gibson House Museum and have 3 minutes to spare. This was the first occupied single-family home in Boston. There were only 3 of us plus one trainee on the tour so it there was a lot of give and take with the docent. Do read about it if you are interested but the home is 5 stories with kitchen and laundry on the first and servants quarters…you got it…on the 5th! It had indoor plumbing (just cold water), was wired for servant ringing, and had a coal-burning heating system that has since been outlawed. “It made the entire home a chimney” per docent. Interesting tour. Docent said the architectural style is French Academic (whatever that means) and the architect was Edward Clarke Cabot. The guilded paper in the public rooms was the “in” thing at the time. In the music/drawing room, a layer of mica over the regular wallpaper made it look like silk. Cab had passed the “inspiration for Cheers” so I walked back and bought some “Cheers” pens for my neighbors. It was mobbed so I didn’t go in. Strolled back past Boston Public Gardens and snatched a cab as my back was aching still. Driver from Lebanon and he likes Boston (9 years here) very much except for the snow. Back to room to shower and have a wine. Cab or T to Boyston? That is the question. Figure if I leave at 5:30-ish I could take the T and mosey around to find a restaurant. It is here that being a single is useful and I don’t mind sitting at a bar for dinner. I need to use up the T card so I map out T and short walk routes and leave around 6 for 7:30 performance. Again to the Green Line inbound (all cars go to Boyston and split after). Left onto Tremont (pass Imax), right onto Avery, left onto Washington. I decide to change into my dressier crocs and my back ache disappears! Salvatore’s had no pre-performance tables on-line but there was room at the bar. Another huge pile of food. I ate 2 of the 3 arancini (rice balls, these with a little tomato sauce and a nice slice of (pecorino?) cheese atop.) The chicken was fried and delicious finger food but too big to finish. Mandy and Eric say hello and ask me why I am taking notes. They both apologize for eating big bowls of pasta. They are carb loading so they can run in the half marathon tomorrow. Allright, time for the ballet. Concierege Dennis ordered the tickets. Using his seating chart, I was able to score Row U dead center Orchestra seats. $79 and then $15 off for a first-time customer. Beautifully ornate lobby and auditorium. I grab a wine (“yes, you may take it to your seat) and people watch. A woman in black shorts with patterned black stockings looks cool. A very young woman in what looked like blue one-sey under wear garnered looks and eye rolls between me and a nearby couple. I must say there was a real mix of ages at this performance. At my local symphonies, one sees a sea of white hair. Not so here. Ballet stuff—skip if it’s boring to you. The performance is called “Thrill of Contact.” Ballet is less a favorite of mine than Opera (which I attended as DH loved it—he attended the symphony because I loved that). Please do not misunderstand me—I know what amazing athletes these dancers are. But, ballet bores me. But, I had never seen Ballanchine (1st dance) or Forsythe (3rd) choreography and figured that Jerome Robbins’ (4th) would be entertaining (who doesn’t enjoy “West Side Story”?) A debut dance by unknown to me Jeffrey Cirio (2nd) is also on the slate. Here is info about the choreographers and my notes: http://www.bostonballet.org/spring2015-choreo/ 1. My program is packed away so I can’t report the music or titles. This dance seemed like a visual minuet. I wanted Britton’s Stately Dances instead of what they played. Pretty if predictable. The pas de deux quite lovely. 2. The Cirio was more entertaining. Modern costumes and abstract music and modern dance movement. It started with a single dancer on one side of the stage with two (or was it 3?) couples on the other. The couples danced together, apart and back together. Very athletic. The audience loved it. 3. Instead of net tutus, the ballerinas’s skirts were very stiff circles of something more tool than tulle. I thought they weren’t all together. Forsythe’s should have preceded Cirio’s. Back to more traditional dancing, it rather paled in comparison. 4. Robbins’ (“Perils of Everybody”?) was so much fun and my description won’t do it justice. First a pianist struts out to a grand piano on stage. She does some mime-type movements before settling down to beautiful playing. One by one 9 (?) dancers arrive with chairs and visual relationships that unfold one by one. Ballerinas are carried around in various pretzel-like shapes. One is impossibly out of step in one of the sections. In another, a dancer comes away with a fake hand! It really was laugh out loud. End of ballet! A large enough group of us walked to the T that I felt no fear. I gave my leftover ticket to a fellow (although not a fellow) rider who smiled at me. Walked up another flight of stairs out instead of taking elevator. Back to room around 10. Grabbed a wine and started writing more TR and downloading more photos. I am reading a book whose author who uses the phrase 'solitude without loneliness'--this appeals to me. |
Thanks for the info on Gibson House -- I'd not known about it before. [Though I suspect they gave you bad info about it being "the first occupied single-family home in Boston." That part of Boston -- roughly the rectangular blocks around Beacon/Commonwealth/Marlborough between Charles St and Mass Ave -- was a tidal marsh until the mid-1800s. When the rail lines to the suburbs were built, solid fill was brought in to fill the marshes. By that time, people had been living in the city center, the 3-hill area (Beacon, Mt Vernon, and Pemberton), and the North, West, and South Ends for nearly 200 years.]
True enough about a fairly diverse crowd at the ballet and opera. For the sea of white and blue hair (or in my case no hair at all), one goes to the Friday afternoon performances of the BSO. |
Thanks, DonT. Maybe first single-family house in Back Bay after it got filled in? I will say the floors were fairly shaky and the ceilings were cracked. It's going to take a pile of money to keep it going.
Hair LOL also. |
Something I forgot about stairs. There is no lift in Gibson House Museum. Thanks heavens we only saw 3 of the 5 levels.
|
obx, thank you for your kind words! Sorry to anyone else if I missed you.
|
TDude, really, this is amazing. I can't believe how much you packed in and everyone you met. You put me to shame. I live so close to Boston and rarely
go. I should book a room and follow in your footsteps. I will miss you this weekend. |
What a nice trip report. I enjoyed all the details. You have an amazing attitude and I also like the phrasing of "solitude without loneliness." I crave my moments of solitude and being able to figure things out for myself.
You're an interesting person TDudette and I like how you are constantly learning. I don't know Boston at all, but I know if I were to visit, yours would be a trip report I would want to study. It was nice you met up with so many people who post here. |
What a wonderful report. I'm glad you got to the Gibson House. It is not well-known even though it is also the headquarters of the New England chapter of the Victorian Society of America.
The Oak Room was updated a few years ago. I haven't been since and your report reminds me to put it on my list. Thanks for all your wonderful descriptions. I loved seeing Boston through your eyes. |
Thanks for your very kind TR words.
DonT, the info about Gibson was correct, I just didn't finish reading the sentence. It <i>was</i> first house in Back Bay. Thanks for the correction alert. One last day to end this TR ("Yay!") |
Day 6, 24 May 2015
Mid-80s in Boston, High 70s in Annapolis <u>Short Version</u> Breakfast: Logan Airport Dunkin Donuts: Sausage/egg/cheese on a croissant and OJ. $7 (approx. I tossed receipt) Really tasty B++ Hints: Early Sunday morning of a 3-day weekend might be the best time to be in an airport! Point of Interest: 1. Dedicated computer and printer in this hotel to print out boarding pass if you haven’t sent it to your smart phone. Forgot to see the St. Gaudens statue yesterday! <u>Long Version: Home!</u> Up at 7. Had last cup of room coffee. Don’t believe I mentioned that coffee/tea machine is quite efficient. One fills up the paper cup with water, pours same into machine, places a coffee/filter pod, places paper cup under “hole” and hits “brew.” Within minutes a cup is ready and there is little clean up. Now I wonder how it is kept clean. If I have bad germs and use the same cup to make another brew…. Packed and left room by 9:03. They checked me out via computer so just turned in card keys. There is a dedicated computer/printer for getting one’s boarding pass. Out to front and taxi driver is yelling at the doorman. Once in the cab, driver tells me that livery car drivers bribe doormen to let them jump in line. My driver had been waiting an hour in line as he was supposed to. I think the drive was $21.75 before tip-very fast ride as there was no traffic. Passed a fun Prudential sign “Carpe Dime”!! There is no one in any line! I am at my gate by 10:15. I spent the next 2.5+ hours typing day 5’s TR. Perfect way to wait so long. I snoozed on plane and everything is on time. I’ve mentioned this in previous TRs but it is worth noting if walking is difficult for you. Southwest’s luggage claim is at Door #1; the Off-Site Parking pickup is between #7-9. An even walk but a schlep if you have more than one case. The EconoPark drivers always help with luggage. <u>Looking Back:</u> Boston and D.C. have similar populations and vibes so it was easy to navigate. Both have subways (T and Metro, respectively) that make getting around convenient. Does D.C. still have the Duck? Boston does. The Harvard complex is gigantic. The 25¢ map is only OK for general locations. Remember that Arts Museum is on Quincy and Natural History on Oxford. If you have to choose between galleries, forgetting Sargent, I’d suggest MFA simply because it is larger. Isabella Stewart Gardner smaller, darker and without labels made it less appealing to me. My opinion only! When a hotel is as expensive as the Westin, I’d expect free wi-fi. As always, great to travel but wonderful to be home again! Thanks again to all for your advice, remarks and corrections. Mimi, AGM, yk and dfrosty, it was a delight to meet and see you again. Dfrosty, you are my hero for the number of hats you wear with kindness and good cheer. You made Boston better for me than I made it for you, eh? Photos to come on Flikr. |
I have enjoyed this TR especially with all the additions from the other Fodorites you saw in Boston and Cambridge. I know this was an important trip to you so am glad that it all went well.
Too bad you missed seeing the St Gaudens sculpture (I assume you mean the memorial across from the Statehouse.) It is an excuse to plan another trip to Boston. |
Hi Vttrav, and thanks. I was within spitting distance of the St. Gaudens and totally forgot it. Yes, another good excuse--one could visit Boston for weeks before seeing it all.
Am I going to miss meeting you this weekend? You will enjoy this group just as much in person as on "paper"! |
For some reason, it always seems to be the expensive hotels that charge for wi-fi, and the budget properties that include it in the room price.
|
Interesting point, Nikki. That was the most I've ever paid for a hotel. I told the concierge that it would be a deal breaker for me in the future. It may have been free in the lobby, but who wants to get dressed to check email?
They did have a free "print your boarding pass" set up. Very much appreciated. |
I believe that you get free internet at Westin and all Starwood properties if you're a member of their SPG loyalty program.
|
It sounds like you had a very good, and very full, trip tdude.
What's next on the Art bucket list?! |
Grrr, Don, that bites too. Why not just do it? Also, why do they want one's credit card number to join SPG loyalty program?
Thanks Toucan2! Amsterdam, St. Petersburg, or Chicago. |
Great bucket list, TDudette!
Aw shucks, it was fun for me because you are such a great explorer. You are also great a retorts when we got yelled at for crossing the street when the walk light wasn't on! |
Thank you Tdu for such a great report (and also dfrostnh's contribution). Your stamina amazes me. I think I need a nap now. ;)
You've eaten at so many places that I haven't been to (honestly, haven't been to any mid-upscale eateries for couple of years now), so I'm making mental notes so I can try them in the future. I'm glad you enjoyed (some of) the ballet. That's a pretty good price for the ticket. Jeffrey Cirio is a principal dancer with the Boston Ballet (he's only 23 or 24, making him the youngest dancer to reach principal status in BB's history). He's also a budding choreographer so the BB director took a leap of faith to program Cirio's work. It was so good to meet you (and dfrostnh) last week. Can you believe that m-yk is still talking about you two? |
Thanks frosty and yk!
Ya have to be careful about retorts though, frosty. I got chased one time I gave the bird to some guy in a big truck. Cirio's and Robbins' kept me entertained the most. We had to choreograph a piece in one of my tap-dancing classes--it wasn't an easy thing to do. m-yk sure knows his trucks. The pleasure was all mine! Not yet sorted or captioned but here are some photos. Flikr gave me fits this time and added everything in twice: https://www.flickr.com/photos/organi...57651179580793 |
the link didn't work.
I wish we were in Vermont with the tribe |
|
|
Nice photos, thanks.
|
One of those old apartment s, you filmed, when on Newberry street, was where I lived when single
|
Thanks, Nikki. The one with the fire escapes, Mimi?
|
PS--The link ending with 'albums' cuts off some pictures. The second one is more complete. Captions are on lower left and quite small.
|
| All times are GMT -8. The time now is 05:40 AM. |