In more immediate terms…we bought a house last week. Ayup. So far, we’ve moved some boxes and painted one wall. We’ve been trying to do more, but apparently “I’ll call on such-and-such day” is code for “haha, no I won’t” from plumbers and electricians.
Anyway! Another few months of my life, and another trip to Boston, this one in May of 2011.. I really do spend most of my time on these trips at work, and having dinner with friends, but I do love just walking around the city, and seeing various things. Also, well, you know – seeing friends is nice too 🙂
pokernight makes everyone quotable, I guess
On this particular trip to Boston, I was unable to stay at the hotel right by the office (the erstwhile Radisson, now the Revere) and instead ended up at the Kimpton Onyx Hotel over by North Station. The area was, well, “over by North Station”-y, though the cab driver seemed to think it was much dicier than it really was. But it did mean I could get to go to Hilton’s Tent City, which I hadn’t been to in years, though I wasn’t really in need of anything they were purveying, more’s the pity.
I had just joined the Kimpton member program, so they welcomed me with this. I clearly missed my opportunity to drink from both wine glasses simultaneously.
That evening of my arrival, I had dinner with woz and clara, getting to see some new art the former had just had done. It was a pleasant arrival into town. The next night, I headed back into the wilds of Cambridge for dinner with pete and meaghan. Living on the green line and having them in cambridgeport made for some interesting connections, basically having to walk over the river, but did lead to a couple of great views of the evening mist :
I don’t so much want to live in the area now, but sometimes the nostalgia comes up and kicks my ass
After another full day of work the next day, I…wait for it…headed back out to Cambridge to see beth and alex and do some plotting for our upcoming trip to Washington and the Olympic Peninsula. The cat tried to help us, but really, dude just got in the way. It does look like he’s having a pretty solid time rolling all over our map though…alas.
We figured it out anyway
That night was also one of the Stanley Cup nights. Taking the train back to the hotel, which was right near TD North, led to some impressive views of the filled platforms:
Oh, hockey fans
The next evening (after, you know, another full day at work), I headed back to Cambridge. Yeah, I know…this is starting to get repetitive, isn’t it? I hear you. Anyway, I was headed over to meet up with crystal and jeff at the Muddy (this really was an awesomely social trip that worked out really well), and I had arranged to go visit 5E for the first time in a long time just before meeting up with them. Of course, the person I had arranged to meet with was sleeping, because, well, I hear that’s undergrads for you, but I asked a student to let me in. I used some magic words (I think , honestly, anyone asking specifically to go to 5e is probably considered reasonable to admit), and had a nice looksee/hangout. I have to admit, there is some definite “more things change…” vibe going on there.
Let us be very clear. The unique odor is still omnipresent. What is it even *from* ??
Finally! A photo from work itself! Check out these window cleaners : I am torn between thinking that is awesome, and that definitely not being a job I would want. That night was dinner and poker – pretty low key, before heading into the last work day of the week.
I bet you get some nice views
That weekend, I took the opportunity to go the the Lowell Nat’l Historical Site to continue in my need to collect them all. (I’ve been slacking a bit in the intervening years, but 2011 was pretty good for these! There are some in NY I think I can get pretty easily though.)
I had a good time with patrick et al. We walked around and checked out the historic mill buildings, and walked along the river a bit (water power for milling, you know), and then went and had some lunch and beer. All in all, a pretty nice day out, plus, you know, I got to add to my NPS patch collection, which is always a feature.
Requisite proof of entry
Patrick, moodily plotting his freedom someday
all the machines! Very loud.
