You crossed the line. There's no going back.

A few days ago I rode my bike into Canada.
It was the simplest thing.
I pulled up to the security area on my bike. I handed the guard my passport. He asked me a few questions and then he let me pass into Canada.

Easy peasy.

Well, it was easy because I had a passport.
What if I didn't have a passport? 
What if instead of some invisible border it became solid, a line I could not cross?

Thousands of people face this dilemma of being "trapped" in the United States of America.
For whatever reason or however they came to be here, they no longer have the freedom to leave.
And if they do, they may not be able to return.

As a legal, documented United States citizen I have no idea what it feels like to live within boundaries. I have
never been confined to any one location. I have the mobility of a bird and can go wherever I choose. How often I have crossed international borders, state borders, crossed from one country to another, flown to other continents without a worry or care.

It's rare that I am...forced to think about the rights I received at birth. Rights I don't question or worry about having them restricted from me as I am 1) a legal citizen and 2) law abiding and there's probably a 3) and a 4), I just can't think of them. These rights, the ones most of us never even consciously think of, are just another layer of privilege deeply embedded in the USA. To say I don't appreciate them or exercise them A LOT would be a lie. And I don't think I can or would renounce these privileges. However, with immigration laws and policies (and The Wall) at the forefront of political issues in our country, yes, I should be thinking about these privileges and what it means to have them, and to not have them. I was born a citizen of the United States of America. Others weren't so lucky.

I guess not everything sucks about being a United States Citizen. But I do believe the motto engraved on the Statue of Liberty so long ago, proclaiming to THE WORLD to send US, the United States, "your tired, your poor, and your hungry," rings a little hollow and with a bit less truth for most of the US today.

this makes me proud to be an USA citizen

 

Two Moose Walk Into A Bar...

...And Other Canadian Stories

Two moose didn't really walk into a bar in Nova Scotia, but one almost walked into our tent! Yes, true story...ok, I slightly exaggerate. It all begins one deep dark night in Cape Breton Nova Scotia...


The camping spot we sped across most of Nova Scotia for is a place called Fishing Cove on the Western side of Cape Breton National Park. There is a 2.5 mile hike down very rocky, steep terrain to the bottom of a hill where it connects to the ocean at a natural, protected inlet/cove. Also in this little cove is a fresh water river, flowing directly into the ocean! Little did we know that this is the ideal spot for moose - they LOVE fresh water plants and such and this spot was very VERY secluded nestled deep down in between steep hills. There were others camping higher up from our platform, and the remoteness did not really bother us - the beauty really speaks for itself here. hiking in, about half way there we saw this guy -

We're not sure if he is the same bull moose we kept seeing at least once a day, but we're pretty certain it was. The next day we saw him at dusk, standing about twelve feet up from our tent. When we left, we happened upon in our trail up, startling him a bit so he started up this incline to our left. Literally, he was less then 10 feet from us!! We did not know what to do, so as he stood there munching on some trees, we stood there and munched on some blueberries. As Jason said, concerning him and the bull moose, "We're just two dudes eating breakfast. Join in, Erikka." I did, but I was never as calm as he was about such close encounters.

Late one night, at least at 3 or 4 am, I woke up. Immediately I hear grass cracking under foot of something large. VERY large. Moving slowly, but ever so certainly towards our tent.
My heart felt like it was going to explode out of my chest, I was so scared. I lay there frozen, hoping the moose would see our tent, not get scared, and not trample us as we lay there. I didn't know for sure, but I pictured that big ol' bull moose out there...The foot steps reached the other side of our thin nylon wall and stayed, chomping on grass. Suddenly it let out a snort, very similar sounding to a horse breathing out. ((Jason later told me this sound was literally about a foot away from his head. Later later on, his aunt told us moose have bad eye sight. Good thing I didn't know that at the time, as I had hopefully lay there, thinking how a moose could not miss our bright orange tent)) This was when my head started hurting from my heart beating so hard and fast, and blood and adrenaline rushing around my body. Obviously I'm writing this, so I lived to tell the tale.

Ever so slowly, the moose eventually started moving away. When I couldn't hear any movement for about 5 minutes, I moved ever so slightly to see if Jason was also awake and I heard him whisper, "Wasn't that amazing?" I whispered back, "NO! That was so freakin' scary!!!" I could only wish I felt as calm and animal whisperer like as Jason, but good thing he was along, he made up for my lack of buddha like tranquility with wild animals.




And one last happy thought to leave you with - we drank a few coca colas whilst in Canada. Sadly, for the United States, we noticed again how advanced and smart Canada is, even when it comes to soda. Their sodas DO NOT CONTAIN HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP. Yes, that's right, the same company that in the United States is pumping people full of this hard to metabolize chemical compound is in a NEIGHBORING country NOT including that ingredient. As soon as I saw this, I thought of Fake Plastic Fish and her campaign to get Brita to take back their filters for recycling as they do in other countries. Well, if this is not just as worthy a cause, I don't know what is, as HFCS is the leading factor in many research studies done on causes of obesity and type II diabetes. I just might have found the cause I want to champion for a change...

Art Now and Then

The MFA has been doing construction on a new entrance (Fenway side) for a while now. The entrance should be completed by early to mid-June. Following some new trend, the architects chose to design a more modern, contemporary entrance for the classic, older existing buildings. See those columns? Those are Ionic columns, a Greek influence dating back to the day's of Apollo, Diana, and the other Greek gods. I recently learned this through work. Editing art books does do something to improve my life! Now, I am not particularly knowledgeable in the area of architecture, but I'm guessing when making an addition to a building of this nature the architect would need to achieve a balance between the old and the new. Well, this is the idea, plan, and execution of the architect's vision for this building. First, Here's the front facade with the new side entrance -

Here is a close up of the new wing -

Am I the only one to think this is a mistake? A glaring mar on the face of the Boston art scene? This new entrance looks like a completely separate and isolated building from the existing MFA. The design has a similar feel to the ICA. Where the ICA succeeds though in being a completely contemporary space, the MFA fails trying to integrate too much contemporary with an already classic Greek style.

Boston is not the only place attempting to bring "outdated" art spaces into the 21st century. The Currier Gallery of Art in Manchester, NH underwent renovations about 3 years ago now to incorporate a contemporary addition. You'll have to look at pictures on the site to see the changes as they do not allow one to save them for personal use. Also, the Institute of Art and Sciences, also known as NHIA, rebuilt a dorm facility in a modern style, changing a standard 1920's brick facade building into this monstrosity -

Granted, I am partial to older architectural styles - for a family home I'd prefer an old Colonial or a farm house - but I can appreciate a contemporary style when tasteful and respectful to existing structures and environments. For the ICA's grand opening, I stood in line for about an hour to get in and see it. Lit up at night, the building looks like some alien space craft, hovering on the edge of the harbor. I just don't think the MFA nor the Currier have done what the ICA has done. In trying to modernize by adding a wing here or an entrance there, the grandeur of the original design is lost and the whole thing looks like someone trying to playing catch up.

Revolutionary Green

Dear Bostonians,

There is a site called, Five Limes. The site is meant to help people locate "green" restaurants, stores, whatever! in walking distance of their homes. The site started in Canada, so don't feel intimidated by how AWESOME and green the Canada sections are if you look at them.

However, taking a look at Boston proper, there's not much. In fact, there's nada. Yeah, there are some farms listed, but heck I can't walk to western MA to reach any of them. Here's a call to arms Bostonians! Let's get on the job and help fill in the "green" ins and outs of Boston.

What do I mean by "Green?" You can check out my two examples - one a product, one a restaurant - to get a brief idea, but I'll try to explain what Being Green means to me. Being Green is about being as mindful of your actions and their impact as possible. This could mean turning off lights when you leave a room, using LED light bulbs, composting, gardening, living off the grid, building your own solar panels, buying those carbon off-set share thingies, any number of actions that show acknowledgment to a connection between what you do and this world we live in. For me, this is a constantly evolving cycle. I'm not always rigid in my routines and I'm still learning what works and what doesn't work for my current lifestyle. Through this blog, I've tried to share a few things I've done and to me, a big part of Being Green is simply Doing-It-Myself a lot more than my lifestyle and circumstances demand. I didn't have to make my own curtains, I choose to make them. Jason didn't have to make our bed, but he choose to make it. (for those interested, the actual 10 steps mentioned on that poster are here)

Each of us is confronted with so many choices every day, it can be overwhelming. Maybe not every choice seems earth shattering or world changing, but when it comes to those choices that are, that's when whatever most influences your decision making counts. For me, the most influence I want to make and think about is Being Green.


Take care, and I hope to see some of y'all on the Five Limes site, filling other Bostonians in on the cool places to Be Green.


Now go hug somebody...or maybe a tree.

Fondly,
A Wanna Be Green Lady

ps. while searching for some images to include, I came across last year's Green Build Intl. Conference, which was held in Boston. I really dug the slogan, hence the post's title.

Boston, How I Love Thee...

Glorious Boston -

There is so much history contained within your boundaries. In less than ten minutes, I time traveled from the present back to colonial times then back to the present. There was an old cemetery conveniently across the street from the bar at which I was to meet my beau for a cold beer. This is how close history is here, my dear Boston - you step out the door of a pub into a historic spot! I walked through the cemetery for another five minutes and crossed paths with Paul Revere, Sam Adams, Peter Fanuiel, Mother Goose, and John Hancock. These are giants in the creation of you, Boston, and in the history of our country. And for no money and for five minutes, I relived history.

Back in the day, tombstones were handled differently than now. Instead of angels and cherubic faces carved in marble predominating the scene, the more macabre figure of skulls ruled. Some may find this scary, depressing or somber, but I found it...a relief. More honest as to what is really going on with the process of burying the body of a loved one. For though I want to believe there is a place out of this world beyond the imagination, Boston, I'm just not sure. What I am sure of is that bodies placed in the ground decay and turn into skeletons like this -

before becoming dust...and that body exits existence.

Boston, thank you for holding the past so close to the present. Thank you for constantly reminding we, the current inhabitants, of all that came before us and all that lies ahead of us. Thank you for keeping your dark corners as well as your lighted city centers. You are the best of old and new, scary and comforting, timelessness and modernity.


Sincerely,
A Boston Transplant,
but always a New Englander

Sing of Spring

there is hope!

here are the first signs of life returning to our apartment's front yard. these are either crocuses or...something else of which I cannot remember right now.

You, Light Up My Life

Last year during Somerville Open Studios, (check here for the 2008 Somerville guide and here for the JP guide. you might just find her and unfortunately that is not one of her photos, but it is in the same vein) I found an artist’s exhibit of photographs showing lighted windows at night. In a short introductory blurb, the artist described her fascination with the lives of other people and this non-invasive way of expressing and exploring that fascination. Thinking her slightly odd for her bordering-on-stalker-esque subject choice, I perused the photos and realized how artistic they were, regardless of the oddness. With every uniquely shaped window and tone and color of light there was a story taking place.

Suddenly I’ve found a bordering-on-stalker-esque fascination of my own. There is someone on my street that plays the stand up bass. This person lives about three houses down from Jason and I. On week-end mornings I sometimes catch this person playing. I’ll be on my way to or from the store to get breakfast provisions when I’ll hear the low “twa-wunk twa-wunk” as I pass. Clad in my pajamas, winter hat, and coat the music still slows me until I pause to listen. Other mornings this same person listens to jazz music on a stereo, the music turned up loud. This is all I know of this person.

Tonight on my walk up the street, I discovered another musical neighbor. This person I might actually have met, a man named Pete who resides on the corner at the beginning of my street. I met him one day when I was picking a sunflower from in front of his house. A row of sunflowers, their heavy seeded heads draping toward the ground, lines the sidewalk there. He came out just as I snapped the head off one, He said, “That will be $5, please.” Embarrassed, I apologized and he laughed. “Just kidding,” he said nicely. He introduced himself as Pete, I told him my name and we exchanged pleasantries. As I left and Pete got in his car, I smiled, enjoying the memory of his lilting Irish accent.

Pete may be the new mystery musician or at least it is someone in Pete’s home. A fiddle player. On my way back from dumping our compost, the rhymthic, dancing notes of the fiddle stopped me. As I listened, I also heard the sound of an accompanying foot stomping, keeping time. My foot began to tap too. My mind wandered. I imagined Pete was practicing for a big gig tomorrow, tomorrow being St. Patrick’s day. Working out the tunes he was to play, stomping, sitting in a small kitchen. Maybe some of his friends were there too, some dancing a little, others just silently standing and listening.

My thoughts returned me to my current place - standing on the curb outside a stranger’s house, my breath showing in the cold air, listening to a fiddle. I began to walk home, leaving the sweet song of the fiddle and the dreams of a cozy kitchen behind. What other hidden talented people live on my street? I wondered. And how do I breach these walls that separate us to learn each of their stories?

* I have since found this interesting website, Learning to Love You More, that might have proposed a solution. The site is maintained by an artist couple who are seeking to engage anyone and everyone in creating more art. They have assignments to do say, by me, of which I can complete and send the results to them to be posted on the site. Many of the assignments are artistic and have a creative nature, but they usually also have a component that reaches out to people. Whether it be people you know, people you choose, or just random people, the assignments all have an affect on you and others. I might just have to try one*

I Love Sushi - Take Two!

Making sushi can be pretty easy if you throw together seaweed, some rice that is semi-sticky, add some fish, some veggies, and viola – sushi. Eat it in the first 5 minutes and no one will even see it fall apart. If you want to make good sushi, it will take time and attention.

The most important piece to making good rolls = the R-I-C-E. It has to be juuuuust warm enough from the steamer but not toooooo hot, and soaked eeeeeextra long and the rice vinegar should be in an exact proportion to create a pH level of 4.6 or lower (v. simple – 4 parts rice, 1 part vinegar should roughly = 4.6 or lower). Not only does this pH level stop any bacteria from forming, but it completes the taste of the roll. We learned that many of the bits and pieces of sushi eating all play minor roles in killing bacteria! This should be something we can all accept without gagging or thoughts of disgust because this is raw fish and there should be implicit steps to assist people in eating this in a healthy manner. The wasabi added for that extra spicy kick, yup, that too.

Back to the rice. Before steaming the rice, let it soak in water for 30 minutes. Then use a rice cooker to steam the rice. Me, being all anti-kitchen-gadgetry and frugal, asked our chef if I could make it without a rice cooker. He said yes, but strongly encouraged a rice cooker. Only because if you burn it, there goes an hour of your time and all that wasted rice. He also mentioned cooking on a stove top usually cooks the rice unevenly (the middle being the best part, the rest not as good). Taking this into consideration, a rice cooker will soon be a part of our happy home.

The last tip I can remember is in prepping vegetables. Dry them off and wring out excess water before adding them to your roll set up. Too much water will make the rice lose its stickiness and also make the fish + veggies + rice a little too mushy. When you’ve finally wrung out your veggies, cooked and vinegar-d your rice, and picked out the freshest, sushi grade fish – it’s time to roll.

This was news to me – do not use a WHOLE sheet of Nori (seaweed), use half. On learning this, I remembered all those times my rolls fell apart and realized I’d been making them JUMBO! Using half means getting the interior ingredient ratio just right in order to roll it well. I am still working on perfecting this ratio after trying many times, so don’t feel discouraged if the first time doesn’t work out. A tip in the set-up process is to make a little indentation in the middle of the rice where the ingredients will go. This adds a little more room and holds them in the center better. Once you’ve got your roll all…rolled up use a clean, sharp knife to cut the roll into six pieces. The sharper and cleaner the knife, the easier cut and prettier roll you will get.

My beau and I have a favorite new sushi we took away from our course – the hand roll. Our sushi chef said this is what family would eat together, but not usually one served for parties - it is not pretty, or complicated, so no one would be impressed! But boy is it tasty! A hand roll is simply this – holding the nori on your palm, you put a dab of rice in the lower left corner of the seaweed, sort of spread in a triangular shape. On the opposite right upper corner, you put a little dot of rice, which will later seal your hand roll. Next, you pick about two ingredients, and add them to the top of the rice. This is the tricky part, but since this is a family roll, perfect appearance doesn’t matter – to roll it up, with your free hand take the upper left hand corner and fold it down to the bottom edge, creating another triangular section. Then roll this like your rolling a poster up, to create an ice cream cone shape. This is the simple, but tasty hand roll. We like it for the extra crunch!

I Love Sushi!

Sushi is a fad I am whole heartedly embracing and one I also propagate financially and market-wise in introducing more people to sushi. Light, delicious and nutritious, sushi is a dream come true for pescatarians (vegetarians that also eat fish) and health conscious eaters. One can even go so far as to take their pocket fish eating guides with them to their favorite sushi bar to ask where and how the day's fish were procured, adding some sustainability efforts to the eating of sushi. Most importantly though, eating and enjoying sushi is about art. Sushi is beautiful. The color, the shape of the fish, the arrangement of the rolls and nigiri and sashimi on a plate are all pieces of 'ingredients' that lend to better tasting sushi.

My beau and I love sushi. We eat it at least once a week, maybe once every other week. We are fortunate to live near a semi-ok sushi bar, JP Seafood, conveniently located within walking distance of our apartment. On special occassions we've been known to shell out more cash to go to Fugaku, which has added atmosphere and ambiance over JP Seafood. One down side to our shared love affair with sushi - it is expensive! With all this in mind, when Christmas rolled around and simultaneously I received a Boston Center for Adult Education catalog, my prayers were answered on page 3 - I LOVE SUSHI, 101, two classes for $98 each (I know, expensive, but it was more money to save money later). Jason got a Christmas gift, we both got to eat sushi, AND save money by learning to make it. It helped that I had a credit with them too from a prior class I was unable to take.

We really enjoyed the classes. They were held at Boon Ko's distribution/sushi center located at the Fish Pier #4 at Sea to You. Boon is a fish seller and sushi chef, but only for corporate, personal, or catered events since he has grown in popularity and demand. He has a sense of humor so made the class fun with his jokes and constant smiling face. The class started with about 15 people and ended with about 6. Perhaps the cold got to them, as one of Boon's work place heaters broke. But it was cold in general to better store the day's catch. Or maybe it was how he was over 45 minutes late to start the first class and left us outside kicking and banging on the door. And then dismissed class about an hour early. Over all, these were not serious deterrents to my beau and I as Boon gave us some pointers in the first five minutes he talked.

For you my dear readers, the $98 class fee is waived, and you will be inducted into the depths of sushi knowledge I have gained in a two part blog session. The sessions will be backward though, in that we will discuss cuts of fish and best practices and finding good restaurants BEFORE personal prep as I only have Session #2's notes with me now.


*aside - the sushi to the left was made by my beau, look at those rolls, perfect!*

To find out if your favorite sushi bar chef is indeed a REAL sushi chef, try asking the following questions -

1. What fish is good today? <-- KEY! 2. What are the three types of Tuna? (toro = fat, chu toro = fatter, and otoro = the fattest and they all come from the belly) 3. Try bringing a fresh caught fish and asking them to prepare it for you. A real sushi chef would. 4. Why does the nori (seaweed) have lines on it? The lines are from the drying process. Boon supplies most Boston and metro Boston area restaurants with their orders, so when another student asked the $1,000,000 where to eat question, we all leaned forward in anticipation. First, he answered graciously with a general way to tell what restaurants would have better sushi - those who's manager or boss came down to his shop THEMSELVES to pick out the fish instead of having it delivered. His main point stressed over and over again was that a good sushi chef is nothing if he does not have GREAT ingredients. Boon went on though to specify that Fugaku's manager does NOT come to get the fish, though because they order a lot and are popular, they can be picky and send fish back. Jason and I had heard of a small place in Chestnut Hill called Oishi, (or is it this Oishi in South Boston...damn it! I guess we'll have to try both) and supposedly their sushi trumped Fugaku. Boon only confirmed this when he told us Oishi's manager DOES come to get the fish. Next stop, Oishi. It is small and kind of out of the way to get to, but now we are convinced it is worth it to go.

Buying and making your own sushi is more cost efficient; it reduces the cost by almost 90%, as the fish cost makes up only %10 of a sushi tray price. Most of the cost is in the labor - making sushi is no easy, quick matter if done properly. Buying a pack of 20 veined, cooked, and tail-less shrimp is $20, about $.50 cents per shrimp! A good slab of white tuna should be about $15/lb where as the more desired and tastier Toro tuna costs $40/lb. These may sound expensive, but when you can get about 20 - 100 rolls out of each fish, do the math? The prices work out to be less than a $1 per piece! Even for nigiri sushi or sashimi, which are not Maki (rolls), but are the slabs of fish with rice (nigiri sushi) or without (sashimi). Jason and I have just recently moved on from our obsession with rolls on to nigiri sushi. Something about the texture and bite of a fresh piece of fish quenches a primal taste within me. My first experience with nigiri I did not think as much, so I've definitely evolved my sushi tastes in the last 5 years.

One last surprising piece of information was learned from a guest speaker visiting the class. His name is Walter and he teaches at BU...I think and lives in Hawaii most of the time. He focuses on the science side of food and sushi making. He told us that Sake and beer do NOT compliment sushi, they actually take away from experiencing the full flavors. He said if you see what a sushi chef is drinking, a real sushi chef drinks TEA. Tea and ginger do something to enhance the breaking up of complex proteins into amino acids, which are easier for the tongue to taste. And also - CHEW! Chew a piece of sushi as long as you can because the more you do, the more all the ingredients interact and more and varied tastes are released throughout the process. American sushi is far larger than Japanese sushi, so the Japanese style of all or nothing is not fitting for American sushi.

All right, my teaching is done for the day. Do join us again tomorrow, same time same place for Session #1 on secret tricks in the actual process of MAKING your own sushi. Stay tuned...but in the mean time, through my searches for this post I found a very helpful and informative Sushi Site. I also found this article from the NY Times which I am REALLY REALLY not sure I agree with at all and only confirms that what Walter said is true, Japan is still a MALE DOMINATED society. Otherwise, enjoy today! Get some sushi!

Ride Ride Ride, Hitchin' A Ride

In September, Jason is going on an amazing bike adventure sans me. I must admit to being a little put out by this, a little jealous, and not because I can't go...not exactly. More because I can't go to MO-AB-FREAKIN'-UTAH on this little bike ride. If anyone recalls the post when we first planned a trip to Arizona where I mentioned my desert fascination , here's a recap. It all started from my first reading of Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey. The book is about Abbey's time as a park ranger in Arches National Park conveniently located in the coolest looking desert and outdoor space in the US - Moab, Utah. Since then I have longed to go out into the desert and camp, write, bike, and hike. We did do some of these things on our trip to AZ, and not knowing if and when I'd make it Utah, seeing AZ desert would suffice. Little did I know that a brush with Moab would come so close, but leave me aside.

Enough with the mellow drama because this post ain't about poor me and how I can't go on a great outdoor trip with someone I love. Nooooooo! This post is about what that event is a catalyst for - OTHER BIKE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ME! Jason, needing to get in shape to ride about 35 miles of mtn bike trails a day, got the great idea of looking into other long rides he could do before to train and in which I can participate (though they will be a far cry from Moab, Utah). So far we have found two opportunities and here's where you, my blog readers and friends, can join the picture as well.


OPT #1 - Cape Cod Ride for the Cure - MS Ride June 28, 29th

We have signed up as The Rusty Chains to ride this 150 mile biking fund-raiser. On the 28th we leave from Quincy MA and bike our little asses off to Provincetown, RI where we get a ferry and food back to Boston. There were a few options to split up the miles and we will be doing 75 miles each day. There were also housing options such as glorious accommodations in local school gymnasiums, but we opted for tenting it on our own outside. Cheaper and we won't have to listen to anyone else snore. This will be my first long ride and we are both in the process of finding appropriate new bikes for the different undertakings of each ride. Training will include us riding to work every possible day when each of us deems the weather to our liking (Jason has already begun, but it is too damn cold for me still), going on looooong rides on week-ends, which two of our local friends are going to do with us since they are planning to ride across the ENTIRE state of MA this summer, and weights and other aerobic exercises too.

Here's your part - to do the MS Ride and raise money, each rider has a goal of $500 to reach. My team, myself, and Jason all have a web page for collecting donations, tracking progress, and updating people on what we are doing. If you'd like to make a donation, please visit my page and give to your hearts content. I'm blogging there too as a way to chronicle the whole process of my first long ride and my efforts at fund-raising, so if nothing else, it is one more place you can read more of my writing. Honestly, even a $1 is one step toward my goal and the team's goal, so do not feel embarassed or like you don't have enough to give - every little contribution counts. And if you're even more daring, we're looking for team mates!

OPT #2 - Biking in and around Nova Scotia

When we went to Arizona, we stayed with Jason's Aunt and Uncle, who also conveniently have a house in St. John's, New Brunswick Canada. They extended an invitation to us to come up in the summer to visit as we all thoroughly enjoyed our time together in AZ. We definitely want to go and are already planning to see Nova Scotia while we're there because it's actually easier for us to leave from Portland, ME on the CAT to get to Nova Scotia than it is to get to New Brunswick. We'll be taking a scenic bike tour of the area that we'll plan ourselves from the Lonely Planet guide Jason ordered last night from Amazon.

Planning something so active as a 150 mile bike ride really sets a goal for me to be in good shape from now until then. I'm trying to stay on a twice or three times a week swim schedule I've sort of started, but coordinating with Jason on getting to the YMCA is sometimes difficult. I go with him as a guest and pay $5. If I go about eight times a month that adds up to be about $40 per month, which is cheaper than any membership option they offer. Seeing also that I do not want to use any other programs or facilities, my going with Jason is the best fit. Sometimes Jason goes at lunch, or leaves from Somerville to go, so it is just tricky to get there together when it is not the week-end. So far I've gone for two weeks and I really enjoy swimming! It feels like such a complete body work out unlike a lot of other exercise options. For real results and staying power, only time will tell so check in at the Bike Blog to see if I really hold true. I'll probably mention updates a few times here too.


There you have it blog world. Exciting events are in the future and I hope in your own small way, you will be a part of them! Otherwise, I'm lost in the fund-raising department without your aide!

Beautiful Boston

We are surrounded by history here in New England. So much so that I can take for granted the colonial churches and houses, the memorial statues, and monuments that other tourists from all over the world travel to see. And here in Boston, we are at the epicenter of some of the biggest historical moments in the development of America.

For a while now I have wanted to go back to Bunker Hill Monument as my first stop on a historic tour of Boston. If you've ever been on the orange line going toward Malden, you've seen this 221 foot tall phallic memorial. The memorial was erected to honor the fallen soldiers of a battle that once took place on the spot of the memorial. I remembered going there back in fifth grade on a field trip for which my dad was one of the chaperons. Mostly it was the epic number of steps that first came back to mind. I've been feeling a bit sedentary of late. Add to that an almost complete aversion to gyms and organized "working out" and I usually hibernate most of the winter and burst into activity in the Spring. When I remembered Bunker Hill, I knew it was a fun way to get out and see the sights with the added bonus of exercise.

Saturday turned into a beautiful day for walking. The sun was shining, a crisp breeze blew, and the temperatures were reminescent of warmer days to come. And the setting was an ideal place to spend time walking, writing, and taking photos. Charlestown has kept its residential colonial look more so than other parts of Boston. Located just outside the city, a little west of Somerville, it is a great commuter location. I met a woman later on in my travels who told me that Charlestown has become a very diverse and welcoming community. Good to know! On my short tour there I saw oddly shaped houses squeezed together, bright colors on every other house with unique and beautiful doors; I fell in love with the place. The same woman also told me I could probably spit from one end of Charlestown to the other. She said there were basically three streets up and over the hill and a few crossing those, all which composed the town (city?). I liked that about Charlestown. The one downside is its proximity to the highway.

I trekked up the hill and climbed the monument. And as I am writing this the next day, I can tell you I rushed it a bit because my thighs and calves are SORE! There are 291 steps up the monument. In my 360 panoramic view of the city from the top, I saw harbored nearby the tall masts of another historical site of Boston - the USS Constitution. Again, I unintentionally ran down the 291 stairs I'd just ran up, and meandered my way toward where I'd seen the boat at dock.


Most people come out to see this majestic old ship and not the boat on the right, the USS Castin Young. But they are both docked side-by-side, one a relic of the past...and one a relic of the present. The Castin Young is a warship that has never been used. Walking around this harbor area though gave me a really nice view of the backside of the city. Boston never ceases at impressing me with its beauty. I feel stupid saying that a collection of buildings and water and sky could be beautiful, but to me it is. There is something unpretentious and unimposing about Boston and its tall buildings, maybe the fact that the tallest building in the city, the Hancock Tower, has 94 floors in it and is the only one really that gets that high.

For all of us who live in New England, and for those of us who call Boston home, like me, it is fun to remind myself of just why I love this place so much. Not just because it is a small city, close to my family in NH, or has lots of stuff to do. I also love Boston and New England because it has an atmosphere of antiquity that you can't find in just any city. There is a blending of the old with the new that makes a city feel like home to me. I've visited NYC, San Deigo, and Miami and these places are new, glitzy and feel fake with their modern facades. Give me Boston, Charlestown, SC, London England - places that honor the past while moving toward the future.

For my complete photos, go here.

The Garden Grows People and Food

A few weeks ago I organized a community garden brunch for the Davis Square garden. This is no small feat seeing as getting 20 or more people to share the same free time is almost impossible! Finally a date was set and I crossed my fingers hoping the three people who said they would come really would show up!

It was no shock to me when I arrived at the garden to see it devoid of people. I was early; most people come late. There was a stash of supplies as though some other early arrival had recently left, so I planned on at least this one person to be in attendance. Not wanting to sit around and fret, I weeded my plot. I had not been around in a few days and the shepards purse and the chickroot were rampant. After about 20 minutes (which felt like 45 having the sun beaming down on me, constantly bobbing from squatting to standing) no one had showed.

I had brought food and drink, so decided to go ahead and start my own brunch. As I began to set out my food, the garden coordinator came through the gate. We chatted, set out her food, and I learned it was her plates and such I'd seen stashed in the garden area. As we continued, a few more people showed up. By about a half hour after the original start time, there were 10 people in attendance. This was more people than I had met in the garden the whole year I've been a member. I met the lady with the plot across from mine who has these lovely red, spikey type flowers. The man who had my plot a few years before. (who said he was surprised at how well all my plants were doing since he had such bad luck when he was there) The man who rode a bike with handle bars as high as me who was running for city council. (I wonder if he won...?)

The food was mostly store bought, already prepared, but there was one fruit salad that deserves mention here. It is a quick, light summer fruit salad using few ingredients.

1 tub of blueberries (washed)
1 tub of strawberries (washed and sliced)
10 Mint Leaves (minced)
1/4C lemon or lime juice

Mix this all together probably 5 minutes before serving. Voila!

Wiggley and Jiggley in my Mouth

I experienced eating two of the ocean’s major treasurers – oysters and lobster – for the first time. Most of my life I claimed to not like lobster, having once tried it at age 6 when I immediately spat it out. That is until last year when I finally admitted to myself I don’t know the taste and should try it again. My father would go to this seafood restaurant in the town over from ours and would sometimes get oysters. I remember watching him in disgust as he slurped the brownish mushy thing out of its shell. I vowed I did not like them and never tried them.

Jason LOVES oysters. Since the first time he saw the Union Oyster House he wanted to go there, “some day when he could drop $100,” to eat a whole bunch of oysters. Last month and the month before, he did indeed spend a whole lotta money on he and I for excursions to Fenway and camping and to weddings. In trade, I told him I had a surprise fancy dinner planned for him. Last night, we made it to the Union Oyster House.


The Union Oyster House is the oldest restaurant in Boston and the longest running restaurant in the United States, open to diners since 1826. The building has had a few past lives before becoming the oyster bar (a fine clothing store, a press, home to revolutionary activity, etc..). JFK, John Adams, John Quincy, and John Hancock have all dined within these historic walls, probably not squeezed into a wooden booth though. There are three floors, a labyrinthine way of getting around, an oyster bar on the first floor as well as the lobster tank, and it was packed full of people, even on a Tuesday night.

The food was delicious! The drinks flowed! We ate with TINY forks -

and our conversation was animated and interesting – we were talking about jobs and health care…two separate subjects we revolve around since Jason is a Public Health Master’s student and I’m always searching for the perfect job. The dinner was a success. We’d planned to attempt a movie afterward, but were so full and a teensy bit drunk, we could only stumble our way home to bed.

Here is our menu with some comments in case you find yourself having to order oysters and you never have before:


For Starters -

HOT OYSTER HOUSE SAMPLERAppetizer for Two Union Grilled Oysters – these were very good, stuffed with a cracker, little spice to the stuffing
• Bake Stuffed Cherrystones – also very good, herb stuffing with garlic, herbs and butter, yum!
• Clams Casino – hm, I forget these…
Oysters Rockefeller – did not enjoy as much as the others; these are smothered in a hollandaise like sauce, that tastes parmesan-y, not to my liking
• Shrimp Scampi – always a favorite, served over rice


Oysters and Clams – Raw and on the Half Shell

*Cape Cod Cherrystones (1/2 doz.) – fishy tasting, not quite to my liking
*Cape Cod Littlenecks (1/2 doz.) – salty, but super good with a dash of horse radish and a cracker


Main Meal - Lobster!

MEDIUM — (Market Price) (1 1/4 – 1 1/2 lbs.) – I am a convert and a true believer now in the goodness of lobster. The claw meat that slid out in a whole chunk was divine to eat. And against the myth that it must always be doused in butter, I ate most of mine plain. Dee-lish! Jason and I shared this since we’d eaten so many clams and oysters.

Drinks –

2 Guinesses, one Guiness with Vanilla Stoli, one Boston Ale, lotsa water



The process of eating oysters and clams needs explaining. The clam/oyster itself must be detached from the shell using the tiny fork. Then condiments are added to it (horseradish, cocktail sauce, saltines, lemon) as it is still in the shell. Mix it up, cheers, and slurp it out of the shell into your mouth. I sucked a few raw ones straight down without chewing before I realized I should taste what I was eating! Each type tastes a little different varying in saltiness, fishyness, and squishyness. But eating the oysters and clam, I truly tasted the sea in my mouth, a taste composed of one part salt, one part fish, but much more than those alone. I once wrote a poem about eating fish, which I feel suits oysters more in the way I described it. See what you think –

"Evolution"

I bite into soft flesh, your body prone and yielding.
The pulse of the water once in your veins fills my mouth.

I taste the sea, the salt, the sounds of the world that surrounded you.

All that gave you life, giving me life;

You become my body.

Your tail fin stretches to two, shapely legs.

Your dorsal fin hardens into the length of my spine.

The once bulging eyes shrink into hazel orbs.

Flippers become hands, gills to nose

And all your oceanic memory

A condensed cloud burst of firing neutrons in my brain,

Reminding me of my beginnings.

I’d have to tweak it a bit, but the sensory experience is there, leading me to agree with the wise old sages who proclaim oysters an aphrodisiac.


Union Oyster House – A+

Rockin' the Summah - New England Style

The start of summer hours at my job proclaims to one and all that yes, that is right….SUMMER IS TRULY HERE!

With so little time and so much to do, I’m not sure I will get to do and see all these things, but I’m going to attempt to squeeze as much summer fun out of the time I have as I can! Many of my week-ends are half booked up until… July 21st, so I might actually have to start doing something with my nights during the week. Half day Fridays and sometimes full Fridays off will come in handy. I can plan long week-ends!

Anyone is invited to not only add to this list of AMAZING ADVENTURES, but to COME ALONG and share the adventures with your number one lady for adventure – ME! On many of these affairs, I’m sure I’ll be accompanied by my trusty side kick as well, and if you haven’t met him yet, you should. My side kick = Jason = wonderful.

Let the summer planning….BEGIN!

Festivals/summer attractions:

Yarmouth, ME (near Portland) - Clam Festival - July 20-22-clams!

Hillsborough, NH - Hot Air Balloon Festival - July 12-15-this may be a rip-off (I cant go, but someone should and should then guest blog for me with pics from the event)

Deerfield, NH - Deerfield Fair - September 27-30-games, rides, the 4H pet the animal smelly tents, horse pulls, and flirting

Keene, NH – Pumpkin Festival – October sometime
-the record for most lit lanterns, hayrides, and food, need I say more?

New Bedford, MA - Fisherman's Festival - Sept 22-23
-watch the fleet be blessed and see fishermen test their skills in contests

North End, Boston, MA - Fisherman's Feast - Aug. 16-19
-the Italians honor a Saint, the fleet, and serve lottsa food!

Gloucester, Ma - Schooner Race - Sept. 3
-watch old time boats race each other….I swear it looks cool to see these old ships sailing, if indeed the actual event is not cool

Lowell, MA – Folk Festival – July 27-29

Jamaica Plains, MA – Lantern Festival – July 13 (I will be at a Red Sox game, damn it! Who can go, take notes and pics and blog for me? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?)

The following activities are free ballers, no set date or time, so can happen spontaneously. But happen they must because they are…

Quintessential summer activities:

- fly my unicorn kite at Revere Beach

(ps. that's Berkley, not Revere)

- visit Newport and PTown, RI
- go to a park with rides (old school - Canobie lake, new school - six flags)
- have a watermelon eating contest
- Frisbee in the Arboretum in JP
- moonlight kayaking on the Charles
- a harbor island boat ride and/or tour
- Go to Woodstock, Vermont
- swim across Walden Pond
- Bike to Concord, visit the Alcott House
- Go to Emily Dickenson's house in western MA
- Go on a guided bike ride with MassBike.
- Ride bike to DeCordova museum and picnic there
- Go to Manchester by the Sea
-visit Rockport, MA
- swing in a hammock and read
- jump through a sprinkler

Here is what my schedule is looking like right now and we’ll start with only week-ends since that is the prime time for fun-ness to happen –

June 9-10 – camping on the Cape, Brian P’s wedding (Falmouth)
June 16 – Harbor Cruise and tailgate party 4:30-10pm
June 17 – FREE!
June 22-24 – camping and hiking in Franconia Notch, NH
June 29-July1 – FREE!
July 6-8 - @ lake house in NY with Jason and family
July 13 – Red Sox!
July 14 – wedding, ME
July 20-22 – FREE!
July 27-29 – FREE!
August 3-5 – FREE!
August 11 – Farm bike tour with Jason, Laurie and Paolo
August 12 – FREE!
August 17-19 – FREE!
August 31-September 2 – FREE!

This listing does not even take into account the numerous movies I might want to see, the barbeques I want to eat at, and the informal game night gatherings that nourish my soul. What a paradox – to make time to do all of the above but leave time for magic to happen. I am excited already!