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. 

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.