Boston the beautiful.
Note: I was going to post this entry last Monday, but before I could finish I got the awful news out of Boston. I didn't feel it was proper to post it until now. Boston is the most beautiful city I have ever visited and lasts weeks events were absolutely heartbreaking.
The first thing I noticed upon arriving in Boston was the overall cleanliness and feel of the streets. Perhaps I just visited ritzier neighborhoods, but every street I passed was perfectly manicured. All the houses and stores had a certain order to them, even the road signs were cleaner than what I've grown accustomed to back home. I imagine that every occupant lives a perfect life, with brightly lit apartments and beds that are made just-so.
The alleyways aren't named streets they are simply labeled Public Alley ###. Except imagine numbers instead of pound signs. Obviously. They are far cleaner and brighter than any alley I have ever been down.
There is also an exorbitant amount of fire extinguishers. Rather large ones at that. Be sure to keep a look out for my latest coffee table book, "Fire Extinguishers of Boston."
---
The first stop was the USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned warship still afloat. The Navy and National Park Service offers free tours year-round on the Constitution, unfortunately, the ship was undergoing repairs at the time of my visit so they were offering no tours, just open deck. It was still a great experience to explore such an old ship. Below deck were four brass containers with long spouts connected to metal levers, according to one of the crew members, the four containers make up one bilge pump. There are two on the USS Constitution and they carry water down from the lower decks, up to the second deck so it could then be drained out through holes in the side of the ship.
For lunch it was standard pub fare at Warren Tavern. I decided to branch out from my usual pub choice, chicken tenders, and instead opted for the Tavern Burger. It's a simple burger with garlic-herb cream cheese and honey dijon, but boy, was it good. The tavern itself was an interesting mix of old and new, the small dining area featured drawings on the wall that almost appeared to be done in chalk pastels while the bar was just like that of any other pub. The tavern boasts that it is the oldest in Massachusetts, rumor has it Paul Revere frequented the tavern and other historical figures often stopped by for a drink.
---
The Linux Festival was in Cambridge, so a great deal of time was spent in that area. Much like Boston, Cambridge is immaculate. Beautiful brick buildings surround the cleanest streets I've ever laid eyes on. Even the homeless and buskers were clean shaven. One word of advice though, never, ever, try to eat dinner in Harvard Square without a reservation. It took over an hour of wandering around to find a place to eat after the festival ended for the day.
Harvard Square is full of lots of different shops and eateries, but the only one I can truly recommend is a comic shop, The Million Year Picnic. It's easy to pass up as it's a small basement shop, but boy do they pack a lot of stuff into a tiny space. Not only is there a great deal of content, it's obvious the employees are passionate about comics, not just college students looking for a paycheck. If you're looking for a true comic shop experience, these are your people.
While you're there, also check out the Statue of John Harvard (that isn't) and Pooh's House. The first is a statue that is supposed to be of John Harvard, the founder of the University, only it isn't and he wasn't. John Harvard did not found Harvard University and the statue itself is modeled after a student who sat in as John Harvard. Despite being a statue of lies, students and tourists still take the time to touch his left toe for good luck, so much that particular part of the statue is clean and polished. Pooh's House is a small house built into the stump of a tree outside of Science Center. No one seems to know where it came from or who maintains it when it is need of repair, but there it is nonetheless, a small piece of the Hundred Acre Wood in the middle of Massachusetts.
---
Odd Fact of the Day:
Despite being the one of the largest St. Patrick's Day Parades, Bostonians seem to celebrate the holiday in moderation. In Pittsburgh no matter what neighborhood you are in you will encounter drunken revelers decked head to toe in green, in Boston the revelers were easy to avoid and were tastefully accented with green and distinctly not-drunk.
---
And now for a quick history lesson as the hotel was in Boston's prestigious Back Bay neighborhood I of course must talk about it. Back Bay was literally a bay until 1857 when they began filling it in. Every building in the neighborhood is built on top of wooden pilings that must remain submerged under water lest they rot. The Back Bay is home to many high-end shops, an immaculate public library, and a sprawling city park.
I visited Newbury Street upon the advice of a friend. Newbury is eight blocks of shops and restaurants ranging from high-end to the eclectic and is a joy to walk if just for the sights. There are boutiques dedicated to hats, lingerie, and cupcakes! Ah yes, you must have suspected cupcakes would make an appearance eventually. Newbury Street offers three cupcake themed shops, Sugar, Georgetown Cupcakes, and Johnny Cupcake (not actually a cupcake shop). More on cupcakes later.
The main purpose of visiting Newbury Street was the famed Newbury Comics, the name is a bit of misnomer as comics are restricted to the back wall of this huge shop. I wager it's the only comic store you can leave with two new pairs of socks. Just a few blocks down is the Fairy Shop, I didn't purchase anything there, but not due to a lack of interesting inventory. The fairy shop is smaller than expected, but every surface is full with fantasy themed jewelry, mugs, and other various treasures. You can even pick up a unicorn while you're there!
Across the street is another joy, Robin's Candy. I must've spent the most amount of time in that store. There were so many candies to choose from, both commercial candies from days gone by and handmade goodies. I settled on almond bark and was rewarded with a small tooth brush that orders you to "Keep that Sweet Tooth Healthy" and Round Tuit! If you ever visit Boston, Robin's Candy is the one place you absolutely must visit. It is what you always wanted a candy shop to look like when you were a child.
A few streets up from Newbury is the original Cheers, well, at least the outside of it. There is a restaurant of that name, but it was added after the show began and the interior only loosely resembles the set. This one is more a quick photo op than a destination.
Across the street is Boston Common, a rather large park full of statues and historical memorials, many of which are stops on the Freedom Trail and the Irish Heritage Trail. The Freedom Trail is fairly easy to navigate as it is marked by either a painted red line or a line of red bricks depending on where you are at, the Irish Heritage trail isn't as simple and requires a bit of guesswork. Quite a few of the stops were missed, but not the most interesting. Right in the thick of Boston, surrounded by such a beautiful green-space, is the Central Burial Ground.
The Central Burial Ground is exactly what it sounds like: lots of dead people. It is no longer in use and there is a fence preventing visitors from getting too close, but a good eye can catch some of the inscriptions. The burial ground is comprised of a hill and a valley. At the top of the hill is a rather large head stone, in the 1890s the subway system was expanded and a great deal of bodies were found. These remains were placed into a mass grave. The inscription reads "Here were interred the remains of persons found under the Boylston St. Mall during the digging of the subway, 1895."
Leaving the park I encountered two instances of whimsy, a young boy "riding" one of the ducklings that comprises the Make Way for Duckling's statue and a squirrel eagerly unburying the nuts he had stashed away during winter. Someone ought to have told that bugger that winter was still one, for the next day, it snowed something fierce.
---
Trinity was the first of it's kind in Puritan Boston. The first thing you notice upon entering the sanctuary is it's sheer hight. Your eye is drawn upward and it seems as though they will never stop. The walls are ornately painted and the stained glass windows seem to come to life. Nothing I could ever say about this place could do it justice. It is gorgeous in it's entirety, but it's true beauty comes from the details. The things that are missed on a cursory glance.
Now remember, Back Bay is built on a bay and every building requires wood pilings to stay afloat. Trinity is constructed out of large granite stones and features a tower that weights approximately 40,000 tons. To sustain such a load there are over 1500 wood pilings underneath the church.
---
The first thing I noticed upon arriving in Boston was the overall cleanliness and feel of the streets. Perhaps I just visited ritzier neighborhoods, but every street I passed was perfectly manicured. All the houses and stores had a certain order to them, even the road signs were cleaner than what I've grown accustomed to back home. I imagine that every occupant lives a perfect life, with brightly lit apartments and beds that are made just-so. The alleyways aren't named streets they are simply labeled Public Alley ###. Except imagine numbers instead of pound signs. Obviously. They are far cleaner and brighter than any alley I have ever been down.
There is also an exorbitant amount of fire extinguishers. Rather large ones at that. Be sure to keep a look out for my latest coffee table book, "Fire Extinguishers of Boston."
---
The first stop was the USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned warship still afloat. The Navy and National Park Service offers free tours year-round on the Constitution, unfortunately, the ship was undergoing repairs at the time of my visit so they were offering no tours, just open deck. It was still a great experience to explore such an old ship. Below deck were four brass containers with long spouts connected to metal levers, according to one of the crew members, the four containers make up one bilge pump. There are two on the USS Constitution and they carry water down from the lower decks, up to the second deck so it could then be drained out through holes in the side of the ship. For lunch it was standard pub fare at Warren Tavern. I decided to branch out from my usual pub choice, chicken tenders, and instead opted for the Tavern Burger. It's a simple burger with garlic-herb cream cheese and honey dijon, but boy, was it good. The tavern itself was an interesting mix of old and new, the small dining area featured drawings on the wall that almost appeared to be done in chalk pastels while the bar was just like that of any other pub. The tavern boasts that it is the oldest in Massachusetts, rumor has it Paul Revere frequented the tavern and other historical figures often stopped by for a drink.
---
While you're there, also check out the Statue of John Harvard (that isn't) and Pooh's House. The first is a statue that is supposed to be of John Harvard, the founder of the University, only it isn't and he wasn't. John Harvard did not found Harvard University and the statue itself is modeled after a student who sat in as John Harvard. Despite being a statue of lies, students and tourists still take the time to touch his left toe for good luck, so much that particular part of the statue is clean and polished. Pooh's House is a small house built into the stump of a tree outside of Science Center. No one seems to know where it came from or who maintains it when it is need of repair, but there it is nonetheless, a small piece of the Hundred Acre Wood in the middle of Massachusetts.
---
Odd Fact of the Day:
Despite being the one of the largest St. Patrick's Day Parades, Bostonians seem to celebrate the holiday in moderation. In Pittsburgh no matter what neighborhood you are in you will encounter drunken revelers decked head to toe in green, in Boston the revelers were easy to avoid and were tastefully accented with green and distinctly not-drunk.
---
And now for a quick history lesson as the hotel was in Boston's prestigious Back Bay neighborhood I of course must talk about it. Back Bay was literally a bay until 1857 when they began filling it in. Every building in the neighborhood is built on top of wooden pilings that must remain submerged under water lest they rot. The Back Bay is home to many high-end shops, an immaculate public library, and a sprawling city park.
I visited Newbury Street upon the advice of a friend. Newbury is eight blocks of shops and restaurants ranging from high-end to the eclectic and is a joy to walk if just for the sights. There are boutiques dedicated to hats, lingerie, and cupcakes! Ah yes, you must have suspected cupcakes would make an appearance eventually. Newbury Street offers three cupcake themed shops, Sugar, Georgetown Cupcakes, and Johnny Cupcake (not actually a cupcake shop). More on cupcakes later.
The main purpose of visiting Newbury Street was the famed Newbury Comics, the name is a bit of misnomer as comics are restricted to the back wall of this huge shop. I wager it's the only comic store you can leave with two new pairs of socks. Just a few blocks down is the Fairy Shop, I didn't purchase anything there, but not due to a lack of interesting inventory. The fairy shop is smaller than expected, but every surface is full with fantasy themed jewelry, mugs, and other various treasures. You can even pick up a unicorn while you're there!
Across the street is another joy, Robin's Candy. I must've spent the most amount of time in that store. There were so many candies to choose from, both commercial candies from days gone by and handmade goodies. I settled on almond bark and was rewarded with a small tooth brush that orders you to "Keep that Sweet Tooth Healthy" and Round Tuit! If you ever visit Boston, Robin's Candy is the one place you absolutely must visit. It is what you always wanted a candy shop to look like when you were a child. A few streets up from Newbury is the original Cheers, well, at least the outside of it. There is a restaurant of that name, but it was added after the show began and the interior only loosely resembles the set. This one is more a quick photo op than a destination.
Across the street is Boston Common, a rather large park full of statues and historical memorials, many of which are stops on the Freedom Trail and the Irish Heritage Trail. The Freedom Trail is fairly easy to navigate as it is marked by either a painted red line or a line of red bricks depending on where you are at, the Irish Heritage trail isn't as simple and requires a bit of guesswork. Quite a few of the stops were missed, but not the most interesting. Right in the thick of Boston, surrounded by such a beautiful green-space, is the Central Burial Ground.
Leaving the park I encountered two instances of whimsy, a young boy "riding" one of the ducklings that comprises the Make Way for Duckling's statue and a squirrel eagerly unburying the nuts he had stashed away during winter. Someone ought to have told that bugger that winter was still one, for the next day, it snowed something fierce.
---
The original plan was to leave first thing Tuesday morning after a quick Bells & Bones tour at King's Chapel and a run to Georgetown Cupcakes for a Salt & Caramel cupcake, but Mother Nature had other plans. Snow, ice, rain, she gave it her all. Leaving would have been a dangerous mission, but the weather had shut down most of the tourist attractions so there wasn't much to do. Luckily, I found another church tour just right down the street. The trip there was arduous, filled with slippy sidewalks and sideways rain, but it was entirely worth it.
Trinity was the first of it's kind in Puritan Boston. The first thing you notice upon entering the sanctuary is it's sheer hight. Your eye is drawn upward and it seems as though they will never stop. The walls are ornately painted and the stained glass windows seem to come to life. Nothing I could ever say about this place could do it justice. It is gorgeous in it's entirety, but it's true beauty comes from the details. The things that are missed on a cursory glance.
Now remember, Back Bay is built on a bay and every building requires wood pilings to stay afloat. Trinity is constructed out of large granite stones and features a tower that weights approximately 40,000 tons. To sustain such a load there are over 1500 wood pilings underneath the church.
---
Now as a former librarian, I must end this blog with the Boston Public Library. This place is absolutely amazing. There are two parts to the space, the McKim Building, an original structure that is now more a museum than a public library and the Johnson Building, a newer structure where the circulating stacks are located. I personally found the Johnson Building to be fairly underwhelming, though I did find this book with a forward by John "Maddog" Hall.
The first thing you notice upon entering through the Dartmouth Street entrance are two large lions standing guard over the stairwell: an architectural choice I've often seen in movies, but never in real life. As you travel up the stairs you are greeted by marble busts of historical and fantastical figures alike. Moving through the building you will encounter rooms and hallways covered in murals. Of the two most notable works one depicts a quest for the Holy Grail, while the other, Triumph of Religion, features religious tales such as the crucifixion of Christ and the exodus from Egypt.
Another hidden room is the Dwiggins Collection, it can be found by passing through the arts section and heading towards the rare books collection, though it is not on the map. Dwiggins primarily dealt in books, but somehow his marionettes are what made it into their own special space in the Boston Public Library. Here you can see many of his creations along with hand built stages. Some of the rooms you can parouse while others are shut behind glass doors so you can only peak in.
Really though, the McKim Building is where you want to be. The entire building is dedicated to specialized stacks and artwork. Imagine, murals, marble busts, dioramas, puppets, an entire room filled with literature dedicated to Joan of Arc. Every room offered up a new experience.
The first thing you notice upon entering through the Dartmouth Street entrance are two large lions standing guard over the stairwell: an architectural choice I've often seen in movies, but never in real life. As you travel up the stairs you are greeted by marble busts of historical and fantastical figures alike. Moving through the building you will encounter rooms and hallways covered in murals. Of the two most notable works one depicts a quest for the Holy Grail, while the other, Triumph of Religion, features religious tales such as the crucifixion of Christ and the exodus from Egypt.
As you continue on you will find room seemingly abandoned, but if you venture forth you will be rewarded for your exploratory nature. One such room is the Albert H. Wiggin Gallery which begins as a fairly large, yet empty room with a few photographs along the perimeter with a small, unassuming door off to the side. If you enter in there you will find twelve breathtaking dioramas created by Louis Stimson in the 1940's.
Another hidden room is the Dwiggins Collection, it can be found by passing through the arts section and heading towards the rare books collection, though it is not on the map. Dwiggins primarily dealt in books, but somehow his marionettes are what made it into their own special space in the Boston Public Library. Here you can see many of his creations along with hand built stages. Some of the rooms you can parouse while others are shut behind glass doors so you can only peak in.
Though you cannot enter into the Rare Book Collection without a real reason, you should not stop your journey after the Dwiggins Collection. The first room of the Rare Books is open to the public and features traveling collections of rare books. The exhibit on display at the time was the works of Daniel Defoe, perhaps most well known for writing Robinson Crusoe.
I have always said that libraries, especially old ones, are church. They are sacred places, where memories and stories from the ages lie and wait to pass on their knowledge to the next generation. With that said, the Boston Public Library is perhaps the most beautiful church I have ever had the honor of visiting.
