The Public Library of Brookline

The Public Library of Brookline is a magnificent building inside and out. Tourists and locals alike flock to the Boston Public Library (and for good reason), but I prefer this lesser known gem, which has an impressive history of its own. Though the library itself was established in 1857, the present building dates from 1910 and is probably most well known for it's lovely, oak-paneled reference room. I find myself here on most winter weekends, embracing the cold on my walk there and then distracting myself from it by the books that await me. It has been an eventful winter in Boston, dominated by frigid temperatures and snow that temper my yearning to explore elsewhere, even beyond my own neighborhood. 

So instead, I hibernate within the walls of this library or my apartment,  exploring new worlds within the books I hold in my dry, dry hands. 

Fall in the Fens

Fall has arrived in earnest. The mornings are colder and the evenings darker; scarves and sweaters are donned as the leaves begin to fall in the crisp autumn air, and Bostonians stop where they did not stop before, to take note of the colorful world around them. Here are weekend photographs of the Fens, as I made my way to a coffeehouse this past Sunday morning. The weather was appropriately overcast, so that no clouds could compete with the splendor of the trees. The Back Bay Fens are a perfect place to pause and observe the magic of New England's favorite season.

The Ivy World of Beacon Hill

This is the Beacon Hill of two weeks ago-it's stately buildings draped in magical ivy, preparing for the annual exchange from green to red. Now, fourteen days later, that exchange is well underway for the ivy and leaves of Boston, not only in Beacon Hill, but in each neighborhood. The sun rises later and later on our changing world and sets early enough for me to use my candles once more. So goes October in New England,  a time of balancing where we wave goodbye to summer with one hand and hello to winter with the other.

South End Sunday

Photographs I should have shared two weeks ago, when they were originally taken. I'm slowly exploring more of the South End, and have fallen in love with Flour Bakery (see final photo). The pastries are divine! On this particular Sunday I spent a couple hours there reading the Times, and then slowly made my way to the wonderful SOWA markets which we are so lucky to have. 

Downtown Days

Though I have been updating this blog less frequently, I've been taking more and more photographs of the city, only neglecting to share them. I've decided to share an assortment of these pictures I've taken over the course of the past few months and have given myself the assignment of sharing them on an actual, regular basis. To start, here are a handful of pics I've taken during my mornings before work and the lunches that break up the day. Hope they are enjoyable. All photos taken with the iphone 5. 

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. 

A Hint of Summer in Beacon Hill

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

North End Wanderings

This weekend was chock-full of reunions, meeting dear friends who were in town for a day and playing host to another for three. Jonathan, my friend visiting from D.C., and I have had mini adventures all across the city and its environs, from worshiping the Union Square donut  to battling the cold rain on the Common to mastering the art of the stroll in North End (see picture above: Jonathan has had to teach me-I treasure my all too practical brisk walking method). Naturally a trip to the North End was in the works, so he could hear the mutterings of the older Italians and taste one of Mike's pastries and note Paul Revere's still standing structure. I liked the peace I found there on a Sunday morning, before the crowds migrated and the twenty minute cannoli wait. It's always extra soothing to find quiet in a place you anticipate the opposite. For that, the stroll was perfect. 

Somerville Winter Farmers Market

The Somerville Winter's Market is located in the Armory Building on Highland Ave, which is a pleasant, ten minute walk from Davis Square. My mother was the first to mention its existence to me (practically the first or second week I moved to the area), but I always postponed the visit. However, winter's departure heightened the necessity to see it, so I walked there last Saturday, encouraged by my fellow pedestrians who strode in the same direction. The Armory itself is an imposing building, like a castle and colored in the hue of winter, but strangely out of place. When I entered, I heard the sound of a pianist playing from inside the cafe and a moment later, saw several chickens on display captivating a small audience. Advancing a few steps forward, I was in the main section of the building, filled with vendors selling every kind of food imaginable (perhaps a stretch). Another band played upbeat tunes and the place was appropriately crowded. The market has everything one would expect to see and a bit more as well-like Q's Nuts from down the street. Sadly yet inevitably, the market is coming to an end with its final heyday next week. But I was encouraged by the strong community feel and will most certainly visit often next winter!