Location: corner of Taylor St. and Water St., Neponset area of Dorchester, Boston, MA
Hours: Open sunrise to sunset
Cost: Free
Parking: Parking is available by the main entrances on Water or Taylor St. You can also park at Pope John Paul II Park on Hallet St or Gallivan Blvd as the trails for each park are connected
Part of the Neponset River Greenway, at a scant 15 acres Finnegan Park is one of the smaller yet more charming parks to open in the Boston area.
Dedicated in May of this year, Finnegan Park is a small yet popular destination for anyone looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city it borders.
Some of the park’s more appealing features are the scenic views and birds that inhabit the area, if you find that sort of things appealing that is. In the background you can see some of the residential buildings in the lovely Quincy, Massachusetts neighborhood. Egrets and Canadian geese are common visitors at the park.
There are also blocks of what looks like granite with words like “Charity” as well as the history of the area and descriptions of the wildlife in the area engraved on them.
One of the really cool things about the park is the train that passes by. The very same train I take to work.
Named after former state senator and representative Joseph Finnegan who worked hard to revitalize the area, Finnegan Park is a great place to ride your bike, play hopscotch or take your dog for a walk.
Gladys had a fun time walking along the trails at Finnegan Park.
Finnegan Park is only one segment of the Neponset River Greenway. In a future post I will be showing off another beautiful part of this project.
Cost: Free (if you take a cruise out to see to the boats as I did fees would apply. It costs $35 for adults and $30 for seniors. Children and students also get reduced rates)
Parking: Due to the increase in visitors (they are expecting 2 million or more people) parking is limited. The closest public transportation station is South Station on the Red line of the MBTA (fares are reduced for this period of time while people visit the event)
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Dog Friendly: Yes
Highlights: tall ships from all over the world in Boston Harbor
Normally, when we see foreign boats in our harbor, it would be cause for alarm, especially given our past. But, this group of ships from all over the world came in peace.
Millions have been predicted to descend upon Boston as we celebrate Sail Boston 2017.
To avoid the crowds and get a better view of the ships, I decided to book a boat on Mass Bay Lines to cruise by these majestic ships. The boat was comfortable, wecould roam around the boat to get better views and we got so close to some of the freighters that we could wave and even shout to the crews on the boats. In fact, some people on our boat shouted greetings in the language of the crew based on their point of origin. I highly recommend taking a boat cruise if you plan on going to Sail Boston before the ships leave Thursday.
Our boat, The Freedom was docked at Rowes Wharf in the heart of the seaport district.
The views leaving the pier were beautiful.
The first ship we noticed was the Europa.
From Netherlands, the Europa has a steel hull and has a rig height of 33 meters. It was built in 1911.
When the ships did not have their sails up, it was difficult to identify them. Someone did announce the names of the ships as we passed by them. But, it was hard to hear him at times and it was also hard to keep track of them all. I think this is Thomas E. Lannon, a 93 foot schooner from Gloucester, MA. It was built in 1997.
This is the Esmeralda, the pride of the Chilean Navy. Check out the condor on the figurehead. To show just how different the ships look with and without their sails up, look at the photo below from the Sail Boston website. Big difference. Oh yeah, and their photography might be a little bit more professional. Just a little though.
The Oliver Hazard Perry from Newport, RI, is a baby compared to most of the other ships from the Tall Ships festival. It was built in 2016.
Again, it looks much more impressive with its sails raised.
Alert is a 70 foot schooner from Bailey Island, Maine. It has a wood hull and it was built in 1992. I was able to get the ship in various stages of dress.
The Adirondack III is an 80 foot schooner from Boston, MA. It was built in 1997 and it has a wood hull.
The Schooner Adventure is from Gloucester, MA. It was built in 1926 and it is 122 feet long.
When and If is another 80 foot schooner. It is from Key West, Florida and it was built in 1939.
The Formidable is a brigantine from Boston, MA. It is 72 feet long and was built in 2000.
I was hoping to see more ships, especially with their full sails on. But, I still think we saw a variety of pretty ships and boats. What really caught my eyes was the buildings and structures against the ships and boats in the harbor.
These kayakers may have had the best views. But, I think being dry on the boat was better for taking photographs.
Dogs like the tall ships also! Cole, an 8 year old poodle, and his mom came by to view the tall ships.
To see videos, photos and other posts that I do not include on my blog, please connect with me on Facebook!
Location: corners of Washington and School St, Boston, MA
Cost: Free
Hours: Accessible everyday, 24 hours a day
Parking:Street parking can be difficult is this neighborhood. Finding a parking garage is probably the best option. Also, the Park St train stop on the Red Line is within walking distance (about half a mile) to the memorial.
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Dog Friendly: Yes
While we’re celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day with our green beer and corned beef (pause for the collective yuck) it’s easy to forget about the history of the Irish people and the hardships that brought so many Irish here, especially to New England.
The Boston Irish Famine Memorial is dedicated to the Great Famine that gripped Ireland in 1845. Potatoes, a main crop in Ireland, stopped growing, leaving many to go hungry and suffer financially as they could not sell their crops. Mold was the culprit. Since potatoes were the main crop in Ireland, many of the poor in Ireland suffered from the famine, with about one-eighth of the population dying from hunger or disease related to the famine over the following years. As a result of the famine, Irish immigration to the United States spiked with over 1.5 million Irish arriving on our shores. Boston was one of the main destinations for these new citizens and the Irish remain a prominent part of our community.
Robert Shure’s Boston Irish Famine Memorial displays the pain and, conversely, pride of the Irish people who have suffered so much. It is a somber, powerful and inspiring display of the suffering and, ultimately, the ability of the Irish to overcome their “troubles”.
The first statue, located on School and Washington streets, shows three people, presumably a mother, father and child, in the throes of hunger. Shure was meticulous in his sculpture. You can see how thin the figures are and, from certain angles, you can actually see the ribs of the figures.
The second sculpture shows three people, presumably the very same family healthy and happy. Standing up straight and proudly, the family looks happy and healthy. It is most certainly a sign of how all of us can overcome adversity and how the Irish have been able to withstand so much.
As an aside, I love the diversity of Boston. Traversing through the memorial, I witnessed people of all walks of life and ethnicities.
A wreath and flower was placed by the Charitable Irish Society at the sculpture of the suffering family and on one of the figures of the memorial to commemorate Saint Patrick’s Day.
A series of 8 plaques encircle the memorial. One of the plaques, entitled “Let’s We Forget”, gives a nod to the suffering and famines across the globe and how we continue to watch as others starve helplessly.
The bronze and granite memorial was dedicated in June of 1998, marking the 150th anniversary of the famine.
On my way back to the train station, I saw Brig, a beautiful Bull Mastiff.
Location: Next to Dunkin’ Donuts, 330 Congress St, Boston, MA
Hours: Accessible everyday, 24 hours a day
Dog Friendly: Yes
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Highlights: Art display of Lego tiles in a brick wall
You never know what you’ll see while you walk along our city streets. Statues, dog, lego walls. Yes, you read that correctly. A Lego Wall! But, this is not the first work of art to appear on a brick wall on Congress St.
Well, the display doesn’t look like a Lego display but more like a wooden cut out. The “Lego Wall” name is actually a holdover from an earlier display on Congress St.
After noticing a hole in a section of the wall on Congress St, a artist took notice and decided to do something about it. Nate Swain, a former landscape architect, stealthily filled in the gap in the wall at 342 Congress St one Sunday night with a rather unusual material, Legos.
Weeks, months passed by while people stared, pointed, giggled and maybe weven shook their heads a few times at the work of art by an anonymous artist. Until recently.
Nate Swain finally publicly came forward as the artist who created the first Lego Wall. Imagine the joy he got as he walked past the display as other passersby scratched their heads or had a chuckle. There’s nothing like being in on an inside joke.
Unfortunately, the parking lot which stood next to the Lego Wall has been closed to make way for “affordable luxury housing.” Oxymoron aside, it also meant the Lego Wall had to go.
For some time, the brick walls of Congress St laid bare without a Lego Wall or any other work of art to admire or photograph for that magtter. However, in December of 2016 a different artist decided to put her own work of art on display on Congress St.
Boston artist and writer Daisy Razor (not her real name), decided to put her own brand of art on the walls of Congress St (next to the Dunkin’ Donuts at 330 Congress St to be exact).
The art is still there as of post. But, with our weather elements and other “forces of nature” (the original Lego Wall had been vandalized at least on one occasion) it’s unclear how long it will stay there.
Fun fact: this trend of fixing up walls with Legos is not limited to the United States. German artist Jan Vormann has also used Legos to dress up some architecture he has come across in his travels.
Who would ever think there would be so much history and background to Lego art?
(Mon-Fri, in after 4 p.m., out by 10 a.m.; Weekends & Holidays, all day)
There is sometimes metered street parking available or other parking garges in the area.
Also, the Boston Convention Center is within walking distance ( 1 mile) from the South Station MBTA stop on the Red line and about half a milr from the World Trade Center Green Line stop)
It’s amazing how the ordinary things in life can bring us so much joy and make us content. But, such is the art exhibit now being displayed at the Boston Convention Center in South Boston, MA.
Ordinary Matter is an art exhibit that celebrates the history of still life. Still life art is said to have began in ancient Egypt and later became popularized by Dutch still life painters. Now, it is a big hit in Boston.
The exhibit featured 9 the works of nine Massachusetts artists whose works were hung in the lobby area of the Boston “Convention Center.
“Still Life” (2011) by Patricia Busso is an acrylic on wood painting. According to the placard next to the painting, Patricia says that painting reminds her to take time to absorb the natural world. She hopes her work is evocative of the unassuming beauty she seeks in the natural world.
Brett X Gamache’s “Fish On A Yellow Plate” (2010) is a photographic reproduction of oil on canvas. Brett, who lives and works in Salem (MA), has a MFA from the University of New Hampshire and a BFA from Mass Art.
“Britton Gyre” (2012) by Nicole Duennebier is a photographic reproduction of acrylic on wood panel. A Hartford, CT native, Nicole received her Bachelor in Fine Arts at Maine College of Art with a major in painting. She says she saw a natural connection between the darkness and the intricacy of undersea regions and the aesthetic of 16th century Dutch still life painting.
From a distance, this looked like a real shelf with mugs and other beverageware. But, “Still Life With Seven Objects” (2010) is a photographic reproduction of oil on canvas painted by David Harrison. He received his BFA in fine arts/painting from Maryland Institute College of Art.
“Hidden Window” (2015) by Michael Zachary is a photographic reproduction of hand-drawn marks. He holds a BA from Bowdoin College and an MFA from Massachusetts College of Art. His work has been featured in many exhibitions such as the Lux Eros Gallery in Los Angeles.
Why am I hungry all of a sudden? “Checkout” (2015) is an ink and digital work of art by Corey Corcoran. Corey earned a BA at Massachusetts College of Art and he completed a residency at Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, VT. His work has been displayed at a variety of venues nation wide.
“Wherever You Rest Your Head” (2015) is a photographic reproduction of crayon, ink, gouache, oil pastel and acrylic on paper by Elisa H. Hamilton. Elisa is a graduate of Massachusetts College of Art and Design where she earned a BFA in Painting. Her work has been shown in a varieety of exhibitions.
“Sunflowers In Mason Jar” (2005) by Maureen O’Connor is a photographic reproduction of oil on wood panel. She earned a BFA from Massachusetts College of Art And Design. Her work has been shown extensively throughout the country.
This reminds me, where did I leave my keys? I know they’re somewhere around here. Anyways, “Clink” (2008) by J.B. Jones is an oil on canvas painting. An architect by profession, J.B.’s works can be found in private and corpofrate collections throughout New England. He says his goal is to “create paintings from which the viewer might bring back one small pearl of real feeling.”
Dates Of Event: January 12 – 16, 2017 (photos taken January 12)
Location: Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, 415 Summer St, Boston, MA
Cost: Adult (13 and older): $15, child (6-12): $6, children under 6 get in free
Hours:
Thursday, January 12, 4:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Friday, January 13, 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Saturday, January 14, 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sunday, January 15, 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Monday, January 16, 10:00 am- 6:00 pm
*Box Office closes 1 hour prior to the end of the Show each day.
Parking: There is ample parking at the Exhibition Center ($17 to self-park, $30 for valet parking) .
*you can also take the red line on the MBTA. The Convention Center is about a mile walk from South Station, or you can take the Silver Line to the World Trade Center stop. The Convention Center is a short walk from the World Trade Center stop*
Handicapped Accessible: According to the website for the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, the building is handicapped accessible and there is “ample” handicapped parking. There is also a golf cart that transports visitors from the entrance to the escalators.
As a prelude to my post, I would like to acknowledge this as my 200th post. I wanted to thank everyone who has viewed, shared, liked and/or commented on my blog. I genuinely appreciate your support. Here’s to many more posts!
Please follow me on Facebook to view more of my photos, videos and other fun stuff!
Are you in the market for a new car? Do you have an extra couple hundred thousand to throw around? Then, I’ve got the place for you.
The Boston Convention & Exhibition Center is hosting the New England International Auto Showthis weekend. But, if you haven’t hit your number yet there is still sure to be a car for you.
There are cars of all makes and models for the taking. All the major car companies showcased their vehicles.
While there were many mid priced vehicles, there was a special section for exotic and special vehicles, thankfully. I tend to find most “mid priced” vehicles to look all the same (it’s the reason why I walk up to at least 2 other vehicles before I find mine in a parking lot but I digress). The vehicles below do have this issue.
This Porsche 911 Targa 4S can be yours for the rock bottom price of $151.
And that wasn’t even the most expensive car on the show room. Some of these Ashton Martins were priced at over $300,000. They’re still waiting for my check to clear.
Of course, I had to stop by and check out the Mustangs!
There were a few other classic cars at the show as well.
Randy is a bomb sniffing dog. This 2 year old Labrador did a great job keeping everyone safe.
Highlights: Sculpture of a pyramid in Boston’s Fort Point Channel
If you’re hoping to view pyramids, you don’t have to book that trip to Egypt quite just yet. You only need to make a visit to Boston, MA, to see a pyramid of grand dimensions. The pyramid located in Boston named PYR 2014, which was sculpted by Boston-based sculptor Don Eyles, is said to be a sculpture that marks the past and future history.
The pyramid is made of plastic blocks which have been painted to look like the paving stones of the streets of Boston. It is more of a white shade. But, with the sun and the shade it threw that day, Mother Nature made it look a much darker color in some photos.
But how did they get this sculpture in the channel? Did they use some complicated contraption? A pulley system? Was there a helicopter drop? No. Nothing so elaborate was necessary. This link show how they did it.
Cormorants like the pyramid also.
The pyramid is 10 feet high and 16 feet wide and built from polystyrene, a synthetic aromatic polymer made from the monomer styrene.
The pyramid was slated to be on display until November 15 of 2014. But, as of the time I took the photos in November of 2016 it was still there.
Dates Of Event: Official lighting was November 21. Photos were taken December 9, 2016
Location: Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park, 110 Atlantic Ave, Boston, MA (near Tia’s and the Marriott Long Wharf Hotel)
Hours: Lights go on at dusk every day through out the holidays
Cost: Free
Parking: Parking in this part of the city is tough. If you can’t find street parking spaces, there is a parking garage at the Vpne parking garage located at 200 State St which is nearby. The Aquarium (on the MBTA’s Blue Line) and South Station (the Red Line on the MBTA) stops are also within walking distance.
There are several holiday displays in the city of Boston. You can skate and shop at the new Boston Winter attraction. You can view the light display at Faneuil Hall. Or, you can check out the tree at the Boston Common.
But, there is one holiday display that often goes unnoticed despite its festive display.
The Holiday Trellis display at Christopher Columbus Park in Boston’s historic North End, is home to one of the more beautiful light displays in the city.
The 260 foot trellis is lit up with 50,000 blue lights. A wreath decorated with a red bow and white lights hangs at the entrance to the trellis. Fourteen trees in the park are also lit up.
The lighting of the trellis is a big event at Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park. Refreshments are provided and a musical guest performs each year (this year the musical performance was by Sharon Zeffiro).
While playing with my camera, I noticed how the path and lights looked much brighter with certain settings.
While those phoros look cool, the actual colors are not as bright.
The trellis is pet friendly and the dogs seem to really like the lights which seem to sparkle when they shine on the path. Denali, a 1 year old Golden Retriever, stopped chasing the spots on the path to pose for a quick photo.
Happy holidays, however you celebrate (or don’t)! Thank you all for the holiday cheer and for all of your support throughout the year!
Dates Of Event: December 7, 2016 – December 31, 2016 (the skating rink will be open until the end of February, 2017)
Location: Boston City Hall Plaza
1 City Hall Square
Hours:
Chalets
Sunday – Thursday 11am – 7pm
Friday & Saturday 11am – 8pm
Christmas Eve 11am – 4pm
Christmas Day Closed
New Year’s Eve 11am – 6pm
New Year’s Day Closed
Site (Skating & Attractions)
Sunday – Thursday 11am – 9pm
Friday & Saturday 11am – 10pm
Christmas Eve 11am – 4pm
Christmas Day Closed
New Year’s Eve 11am – 6pm
New Year’s Day Closed
Cost: Free
Parking: There are several parking gaarages in the area or you can try street parking (good luck). If you don’t feel like driving, the Government Center Train Stop on the Green Line is directly across from Boston Winter.
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Dog Friendly: No
Highlights: ice skating rink, shops, dj, shops, lights and ddecorations
In an effort to make the city even more festive, Boston has installed a temporary skating rink and holiday attraction. The 11,000 square foot ice skating path (it’s not really a rink but more of a circular ice path) is open to all skaters of any skill level.
The opening of Boston winter, the attraction nott the actual season, was delayed from December 2nd to December 7th because it was not cold enough to sustain the temperatures needed to keep the rink frozen. Sadly, that is not a problem now.
People of all ages, backgrounds and ability took to the ice and reveled in the ice and atmosphere. It’s a great event for couples and it is very family friendly. I’m always surprised to some degree how well behaved and (usually) considerate people are at these events. The walk ways and standing areas – there is no seating available and I’m sure that is by design – is narrow and congested in some areas but people are pretty courteous.
A dj keeps the event fun and loose. He announced different people’s birthdays and tried to get the crowd excited. He reminded me of the dj’s they used to have at roller skating rinks.
In addition to the skating rink, there are vendors selling a variety of goods from belts and clothing to novelty items.
The lighting and decor of the event is both tasteful yet festive. Very often when people and businesses decorate for the holidays they overdo it. I don’t think this was the case at Boston Winter (ok the tree with the spirals that light up may have been a bit much but I liked it!).
Below is a video of some of the skaters at Boston Winter.
Hours: Every Sunday, May 1 – October 31, 10-4 with special events throughout the year
Cost: Admission is free
Parking: There is limited free parking on Thayer St for up to 90 minutes. There is also metered on street parking and garages on Albany and Harrison streets and other garages in the area.
SoWa, South of Washington (Street), is an outdoor entertainment/shopping/food festival held in Boston on every Sunday from May until October (weather permitting). I made it to the last SoWa of the season on October 30. There will be another SoWa Winter festival scheduled for the weekend of Dec 2-4 at the Harrison Ave venue.
Before I entered the venue, I saw lots of graffiti on the exterior of the area and on some nearby buildings.
SoWa was held in an empty lot off Harrison Blvd, a busy side street in Boston. You could see views of the skyline from the parking lot.
For a small area, they had a lot to do there from pumpkin decorating, a costume contest and a dj with dancing. Bon Me, Sante and Chik Chak had food trucks there, providing a variety of food choices.
As a side note, it is really so much more than a shopping festival. I really had alot more fun than I had expected. The people are very friendly and the entertainment, as you will see, was very, well,…entertaining.
People,as well as dogs, came dressed up on costume to SoWa.
The great thing about SoWa and other local shopping and entertainment festivals is that you get to promoted and support local artisans. I found a few interesting shops there.
Another thing that really stood out to me was how it is such a family friendly atmosphere. I didn’t hear one person swear or do or say anything unruly. In fact, many of the artists had their children stop by and spend time with them as they worked on their piece.
Also, the camaraderie they have for each other was noticeable. It didn’t seem like they were competing against each other, even though they took a great deal of pride in their work. Artists shared spray cans, complimented each other and jokes with each other.
The artists worked on blank canvases and started with their own sketches from pictures or diagrams they had on sheets of paper. I am not sure but I think they added their own flavor to some of the artwork.
The tools of the trade.
As they kept working, you could see the art coming together. They worked fast. Most started at 11 and were done by 4. I appreciated how they kept adding tone and contrast too the art in an effort to perfect their piece. They weren’t satisfied until every piece was just so. In fact, I had to leave a little after 4, after being there for several hours. So, some of the pieces may not have been completely finished by the time I left.
As they kept working, you could see their art come together. it’s very cool how they seem to work so casually and yet, at the same time, so deliberately.
The completed versions of their art works contrasted sharply from the begining of their art or the way it looked half way through.
SoWa is a pet friendly event. Since this particular event took place the day before Halloween there were quite a few dogs in costume at the event.
I actually met a few cute dogs before the event started.
Eloise is a 2 year old YorkieTerrier rescue dog with an Instagram account! You can follow her on her travels at @eloisethedog (https://www.instagram.com/eloisethedog/).
Penny is French bulldog. I had to stand next to her mommy so she would look at me!
At the actual event, I met a variety of dogs.
Fitz, a Yorkie, looked very patriotic in his red, white and blue outfit.
Otis, a 9 month old and 90 pound bullmastiff/bulldog mix, was helping his mom sell collars. You can check out his mom’s store at Wiggle Collars.
Lyla is a 7.5 month shark, I mean mixed breed. I like how everyone stood around her as I photographed her as though it was a real photo shoot.
Twain, dressed as a pumpkin, is a 4 year old terrier mix.
Gus, dressed as Tootsie Roll, is a one and half year old Lagotto Romagnolo. There, say that three times fast. Lagotto Romagnolos are better known as Italian Waterdogs.
Sissy (the dog on the left) and Lilly (on the right) are 10 month old Yorkies.
Zoey, a 7 month old chihuahua, wore her spider outfit to the festival. Her pet parents, Kyle and Jessica, were working at Intrinsic Journeys when I saw her.
Birdie, a golden retriever, was one hot dog!
Rogue, a 1 year old Shih Tzu mix, wore a very creative costume.
And there was this wonder dog whose name and breed I did not get.
Below are two videos. The first video is of the artists working on their art. The second video is a video of the works of art in their final or near their final stages.
Please connect with me on Facebook to view photos, videos and other content not included in this blog. Here is a sneak peak at something that I posted from my Facebook page:
Creepy or cool? You be the judge.
Periodically, the Fort Point area in Boston by the Congress St Bridge will host different floating art works. Last year, there were (floating) sheep in the water. Now, there are orange people in the water.
Created by Ann Hirsch and Jeremy Angier (known as A+J Art + Design), “S.O.S.” (“Save Our Swimmers”) is a statement on the immigration and refugee crisis. The 22 orange “people” are said to be refugees clinging on for dear life.
Most seem creeped out by it, except the cormorant who found a nice place to rest.
New England Nomad 