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.