Walkin'

I took a walk today during my lunch break.  I usually tend to ignore everything on my walks. Today, I made an effort to take it all in.  So instead of rushing through the crowds at Downtown Crossing and dodging the tourists on the Common, I took my time and took in the scene. What did I see?  Well, I saw a lot of folks doing the same thing as me. They were going for a walk. Anyway, here are some photos from today's walk:

 The Public Garden.  Looking peaceful without the Swan Boats.

A piano on the Common. This is actually pretty cool.  Starting this week there will be pianos scattered throughout the city for public use. Anyone is allowed to play just like this guy in the photo. The piano concept is presented by the Celebrity Series of Boston. Visit this site for more information:  http://streetpianos.com/boston2013/





I always walk by this book store on West Street and I never stop. Today I stopped. This is the Brattle Book Shop.  They sell discounted books outside and have a varied selection inside including a rare book collection. I love that an actual book store still exists. I'm really glad I finally paid a visit.

 Check out their site: http://www.brattlebookshop.com/

Enjoy the View

View from Columbia Point     

     I'm always searching for a good view of Boston and while I've been lucky to observe the city from a bird's eye view, I always come back to my favorite spot:  Columbia Point in Dorchester (also home to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum).  The view is free and far enough away from the hustle and bustle of town plus you can enjoy the sea breezes off Dorchester Bay.  The area is also part of the Boston Harborwalk where you can stroll the perimeter of the bay and eat lunch while sitting at one of the picnic tables.   Feel free to take a peek at the public art sculptures across the street on the UMASS campus or take a look at President Kennedy's sailboat the Victura which is on display during the summer season.  If you have an hour or two, explore the JFK Library and Museum. It's a $12.00 admission fee which is fairly inexpensive compared to some of the other museums in the city.  The exhibits give an insightful perspective from that era.  You'll leave feeling optimistic no matter which political affiliation you fall under. That you can count on.



The nautical flags spell out JFK and JBK for
John Fitzgerald Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy

The Harborwalk



JFK's boat, the Victura


 

All photos by Jennifer Stanish 2013
    

A Scorcha!

My Rating System    

4 Dunkies-Wicked Awesome; Add to DVD/Blu-Ray Collection

3 Dunkies- Wicked Good

2 Dunkies-  I’d rather be at Fenway during a rain delay.

1 Dunkie- I’d rather be stuck on the Red Line during the morning commute.



I'm giving The Heat 3 Dunkies. If you've seen the trailers and read the reviews then you already know the movie stars Sandra Bullock as the uptight FBI agent and Melissa McCarthy as the Boston detective. It's your typical buddy cop flick except this time it's two females in the lead roles.  It's rated R for a reason as it's a bit raunchy and lots of F-bombs are dropped but it all works. Melissa McCarthy is typically awesome in the role of Detective Mullins. Just when you think she's over the top with her verbal jabs she displays a sincerity in her delivery that pulls you back in. Bullock and McCarthy have a fun rapport that makes you think they had a great time filming this movie.
    It's obvious the movie was shot in Boston and the supporting actors prove it. There is a scene where Bullock as Special Agent Ashburn is talking with Mullins' brothers at the dinner table. They ask her if she's a narc and she doesn't understand them because of their thick Boston accents. Normally, I hate scenes when the Boston accent is so exaggerated for laughs but this time it felt natural and I did laugh out loud.  It probably didn't hurt that Joey McIntyre was in the scene too. What can I say, I'm a little biased.
    So, to sum it all up, go cool off and see The Heat.  I guarantee you'll have a few laughs.


Oh wait, one more thing...I saw the movie at the AMC Theaters in Braintree.  The theaters now have reclining chairs! When did that happen?  It was so comfortable. I would definitely recommend seeing a flick there at least once.


 

Still Strong

Photo by J. Stanish

 

I spent some time in town today and visited the memorial on Boylston Street. The Mayor's office recently announced the items would be removed in a few days and archived for a future memorial site.  It's been just over two months since the marathon bombings.  In those two months, we've been pleasantly distracted by a tremendous Bruins playoff run and a good start from the Sox but it still doesn't erase what happened in our city.  We're reminded every day when we see the Boston Strong logos adorning buildings, trains, buses, cars, hats and t-shirts. We're reminded when we stroll down Boylston and see the words Finish Line painted on the street. And we're reminded at the memorial site where hundreds of sneakers hang on the fence and thousands of messages of love from all over the world are scribbled in notes to the people of Boston. Stay Strong.  We have and we will.

 

Photo by J. Stanish

 

Photo by J. Stanish

 

 

 

Donations to The One Fund Boston can be made to:

 

https://secure.onefundboston.org/

 

All donations assist the families who lost loved ones and those who were severely wounded in the attacks.

 

 



Train Trek

South Station       J.Stanish

I have a love/hate relationship with South Station.  I love it in the afternoons and hate it in the mornings.  Like many commuters, mornings are not my friend.  It takes a little time for me to ease into the daily grind. I always feel a slight dread when the automated voice announces "next stop, South Station".  That announcement is like a second alarm clock forcing me to buck up. Time to trudge through the terminal with the other weary commuters. We walk past the big board listing all the day's destinations. Every time I see the board I want to turn around and hop on a train to New York or somewhere else.  
The afternoon is a different story though.  I usually have a bounce in my step and a relaxed attitude as South Stations's lovely granite facade welcomes me into it's grand terminal. I read the big board once more listing all the destinations and wait for my train to depart. Time to go home and not think about the office. I'll do it all again tomorrow. That is unless the big board beckons me to play hooky.  I think I feel a sick day coming on. 



Postcard Therapy

The start of this year I decided I would be a tourist in my city and blog about the sites and attractions here in Boston.  There are tons of sites I have never visited or that I haven't been too in a long time.  Initially, I wanted to visit a place every weekend but being that it's March now, obviously my plan hasn't worked out.  Today, I finally put my plan in action and visited the Museum of Fine Arts.  

 

                                   

 

One of the reasons I wanted to visit the MFA is because they have an exhibit called The Postcard Age on display until mid-April.   I love postcards.  I always ask my family and friends to send me a postcard whenever they travel.  I don't even care if the card comes a week after they're returned from the trip; I just find it refreshing to recieve a piece of mail that isn't junk or a bill.  Recieving a postcard allows me to get my fill of wanderlust and gives me ideas of where to go next.  So to say the least, I really enjoyed the postcard exhibit at the MFA. It was interesting to learn the history of the postcard and how it evolved over the years.  Check it out before April 14th if you can. Of course, there's much more to explore at the museum like the Art of the Americas wing, Ancient Worlds, Art of Europe and more. Visit www.mfa.org for more information.

 

Keep sending those postcards folks!