People, Places: Raison d’être

Experience Life

Biking along the Minuteman rail-trail

This afternoon I biked the historic Minuteman rail-trail from Davis Square to Lexington Center. I was pleasantly surprised by the diverse scenery along the way, and I wish I had brought my camera. When I lived in Back Bay, I used to ride along the Esplanade, and I thought that route along the Charles River would be hard to beat. I was wrong.

The Minuteman trail officially begins in Arlington, but you can enter it from Davis if you follow the disconnected path. The first mile or two is probably the most crowed with foot traffic and frequent stops to cross the street, but once you reach Spy Pond it’s mostly bikers and not that crowded.

I did not consult a map, so most of the time, I had no idea where I was or how far I had biked. Although, I now know the entire trail is about 12 miles one way. There should be mile makers along the way, but I guess regular users know the distances between certain locations.

The trail passes through many historic neighborhoods, so you see a lot of backyards with gardens along the way.  Children who live along the path have it made. Not only do they have a great place to ride their bikes, but they also can enjoy one of several football and soccer fields and  parks.  I saw many tree houses too!

IMG_1539_1I am curious about the swamp I saw just before the meadows. The picture doesn’t do justice. The  pond water is pistachio green and as frothy as a latte. It was completely still and seamed to choke the life out of everything except for the cattails a  few stray Lilly pads. Strange. Too much algae? I have no idea.

I would love to explore the trails in along the meadows, but not on a humid, rainy day such as today.  Given the natural surroundings, the trail is already polluted with gnats, mosquitoes and who know what else was flying around. Hard to avoid getting one in your eye, mouth or hair. Although, wearing sun glasses and keeping my mouth shut did help.

Next time I’ll ride the entire length of the trail, and perhaps I’ll stop in Lexington for lunch along the way.

June 30, 2009 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , , | Leave a comment

First Impressions of Davis Square

My first week in Davis has been positive. The street I live on is fairly quiet, and I certainly don’t miss the motorcycles that used to pass by my Newbury Street apartment.  Compared to Back Bay, Davis Square is a bohemian neighborhood. Davis is lively, trendy and aims to please. It’s small, but jam packed with personality marked by interesting independently owned shops, cafes and boutiques. I can’t wait to investigate further.

It’s certainly not hard to find a venue for live music.  For example,  U2 played at the Somerville Theater a few months ago to promote their upcoming 360 tour.

One of the first things I noticed right away is that people are very friendly. In this respect, it reminds me of my hometown- Pittsburgh. I’m quite used to people saying hello as they pass you on the street or striking up a conversation in any venue.

I stopped by McKinnons this week. I was very impressed with the quality of meat, and I can’t imagine I’ll shop anywhere else for meat. I hear Dave’s Fresh Pasta is fabulous. I look forward to it.

I’m addicted to Mint Oreo ice cream and unfortunately for me, there is a J P Licks in walking distance!!!

There is a farmer’s market in the Day Street parking lot on Wednesdays.  It’s small, but there is a nice variety of bread, cheese and fresh produce.

There was a street festival  in front of Redbone’s earlier this week to promote biking.  I think that was the purpose. I didn’t stay long, but I appreciated the live music and festive atmosphere. The crowd was diverse- more so than Back Bay.

I already received a $50 parking ticket for street cleaning. At least I got that out of the way.

I like my new neighborhood, and I’m glad there is so much to explore. I look forward to finding my new favorite place for X, Y and Z.

June 11, 2009 Posted by | Boston, Uncategorized | | 2 Comments

Good Bye Back Bay, Hello Davis Square!

Well, it’s official. I moved to the “suburbs” of Boston last week.  Although, I’m sure  the residents of Somerville would disagree with that characterization. In any case, it’s the end of an era, and the beginning of a new one.

For nearly seven years, I lived on the third floor of a beautiful brownstone on Newbury Street in Back Bay. View from apt.The center of my universe happened to be the block between Gloucester and Hereford Streets.  Just around the corner from Tom Brady’s Comm Ave. condo at one point.

I have so many fond memories of this elegant neighborhood. I’m pretty sure I explored every inch of it over the years, and I loved what I saw every single day. I’ve seen many stores and restaurants come and go. Particularly on the corner of Gloucester. We’ll see how long Cafeteria lasts.  I bet I’ve eaten more than 100 of gyros at Steve’s Greek Food.  I”m not proud of this. 🙂  Similar to the amount of money I have paid in rent of the years, there are some numbers you should not think about.

I”ll miss the beautiful architecture and peaceful parks. Strolling along Newbury on a quiet Sunday evening or after a snow storm.  Lighted trees during the Christmas holiday season. Great people watching. Convenient access to everything including the Esplande and the Boston Public Library which has a beautiful courtyard and a fine collection of art, maps and of course books.  I’ll miss my regular visits to Lord & Taylor en route to Shaw’s.

Interestingly, after seven years, you  know all of the panhandlers in the neighborhood, and you hope they are OK when not found  in their usual spot. Some sing the same repetitive song such as the guy near CVS who sings, “Change, change, change, can anyone spare a little change, change, change.” Others just shake a cup. Most are middle aged men, but sadly, I’ve noticed younger people recently.

There are plenty of interesting characters in Back Bay.  There is the artist that paints in front of Sonsi‘s wearing cut off jean shorts and usually nothing else in the Summer. There are the usual suspects at popular Back Bay watering holes. “Champagne Tony” to name one.  Oh, there is a  biker who emerges each spring and rides his trike down Newbury yelling moo-ve, moo-ve.  Nobody really knows what he is saying, but they do know to get out of his way.

I’ll miss the annual Santa Speedo run in December. Men running in Speedos and Santa caps down Newbury Street. Yep. It’s a sight. Actually, women have  joined the ranks in recent years. Not sure why they would subject themselves to such a spectacle.

Berklee’s graduation is pretty cool.  The graduates parade around the block lead by a big band. I’ve always assumed it was Berklee, but I’m actually not sure.

My top five places for casual eats:

1) Piattini- great selection of salads, small plates of pasta and wine by the glass.

2) Trident cafe– Great place to read, people watch and have tea or another beverage of choice.

3) The Other Side Cafe- Decent sandwiches in a funky atmosphere.

4) Parrish Cafe- Regal Regis Sandwich is my favorite. Nice selection of food and drinks.

5) Bar Lola- for the outside deck and Sangria.

Mostly, I’ll miss being within walking distance to everything including many of my friends. Fortunately, I’m on the Red Line, and just a short trip away.

I look forward to exploring my new neighborhood, and I’ll write about my first impressions next.

June 11, 2009 Posted by | Boston, Food, Uncategorized | , , | Leave a comment