Bloc 11 Cafe

The clouds threatened rain when I set out for Bloc 11 this morning. I went for their chai and the kind baristas who serve it, along with the plants that fill the cafe's interior and the ivy that decorates the walls outside. Owned by the same people who run Diesel Cafe in Davis Square, one can expect the same delicious pastries and drinks-though I must say, I greatly prefer this Union Square spot, with its exposed brick and peaceful patio.  Removed from the bustle of Davis and yet planted in the burgeoning Union Square, there's a greater sense of calm at Bloc 11 but one senses that won't always be the case. More and more people will find their way to Union Square, and once the expansion of the T has started and finished (who ever knows when that will happen??), I imagine it will be a struggle to find a seat at Bloc 11. It's a wonderful space with a comfortable vibe and even though I live something of a distance from it now, that won't stop me from visiting-even when the clouds threaten rain. 

Commonwealth Ave Abodes

 I live amidst rows of apartment buildings steeped in early 20th century history, when this area was still being shaped by the hands of architects. My own building dates from 1915, when Wilson was President and when the Great War in Europe raged on. Here in Boston, the Red Sox won the World Series. They would win the next year, too. My building will have its centennial in two years and I often think about all the souls who have dwelled within these walls I now claim as my own. I see the history in the moldings and the doorknobs and on the spindles of the staircase that leads me to my door. There's grandeur in the design of these buildings, most of which goes unnoticed by the many college students and young professionals who occupy them. I know far less about architecture than I'd liked to, but it thrills me to walk past these structures and notice a detail I hadn't seen the day before. 

And there is nothing so wonderful as having windows covered in ivy and grape vine, as mine are. 

Sunday Reflections

This Sunday morning I walked from the apartment to Olmsted Park yet again. This time I walked all the way around Jamaica Pond, back through Olmsted to past Brookline Village and Coolidge Corner until I reached my stretch of Comm Ave. I have a feeling that this will be a new ritual to my weekends-forgive the repetition of posts, but the water that filled these parks was so lovely and fraught with the magic of reflections that I couldn't help but snap these photographs on my iphone and want to share them. So here they are. 

Allston Art + A Bit of Brookline

There's much to notice in Allston. Add Brookline to the mix and I've got months of exploring the details ahead of me, months of sifting through the layers and stumbling upon the surprises. I really enjoy living in the near space between these two neighborhoods. The street art on Harvard Ave (and nearby streets) is perhaps one of the first things you notice about the stretch between Allston Village and Brookline. Mural after mural abounds and its through them that I feel the pride of the inhabitants here. I feel it more than I did in Somerville or Cambridge-it's much more pronounced here, thanks to the time artists have spent decorating the sides of these buildings with their appreciation. When I miss my old neighborhood, these murals remind me that I've moved to an area that people love, and have loved for a long time. 

Olmsted Park

The day was still quite young on Sunday morning when I made my way to Olmsted Park, about two miles from my new abode and easily accessible by the 66 bus. I ached for greenery on such a beautiful, near summer morning and found my peace nearly as soon as I began walking the path along the edge of Leverett Pond. It was still early enough that the trail could almost be called my own, but that soon changed as the sun climbed the sky. I had never set foot even near Olmsted Park before this weekend and was shocked at the beauty I found waiting for me. I miss the woods and mountains of Acadia, but this will more than do for life in a city. Olmsted Park, established in 1891, is one of the nine parks that make up the Emerald Necklace, a series of green spaces designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and all of which are on the National Register of Historic Places. If I wanted, I could walk all the way to Arnold Arboretum if I so chose, but this weekend, I only walked to Jamaica Pond and then nearly all the way back to my apartment. I'm grateful, that this space is so close to where I now live and so easily reachable. I can hear the T come and go from my apartment bedroom, which has its own charm, but I miss time spent in nature, so this will certainly, certainly do. 

A Hint of Summer in Beacon Hill

Summer has nearly arrived! Some pictures from the wonderful Beacon Hill-