My old hood 'Da Ville continues to build a (dare I say?) hip and thriving retail district with the addition of a little store called Artifaktori on College Avenue, which carries antiques, clothes, and shoes. More details from a Decor 8 post...I can't wait to check out this place!
This afternoon, we saw Mom-orelli off at Logan Airport, and came back to resume "normal" life. Having taken Thursday and Friday on vacation from work, I feel like I haven't sat at my desk in months (which is kind of a great feeling, actually.) As usual, I got so sad saying goodbye to my mom, having her around is always a total treat, both because we are so close and also because she spoils me rotten.
My mom requested a "relaxed" visit this time around, so I only planned one out-of-town jaunt, to Portsmouth, New Hampshire. We drove up on Saturday and spent a few hours walking around, seeing the sights, having beer and apps, and enjoying the sunshine. I'd definitely go back to check out the Isles of Shoals, Strawberry Banke Museum, and maybe even stay at the "Grand Dame of the Sea."
All of the photos from our day away here on my Flickr photostream.
Just a quick post to announce that my mam is in town. She arrived Sunday night (laaaate due to a 5 hour JetBlue-caused delay) and is hanging out with us for the week. Even though she's only been here for a day, I feel so spoiled having her around.
As for the other topic in the title, The Prof scored last minute seats to game 6 of the NBA finals tonight at the Garden; he is ecstatic. Mom and I will be watching the game at home -- maybe we'll see him!
Catch "yunz" tomorrow...
Update (9:31 pm)
The Prof just sent this image from his Blueberry Blackberry:
Show off.
Update (12:09 am)
O...M...G
Perhaps to offset paying almost double the cost for a monthly pass and enduring the MBTA's Mussolini-esque "If you see something, say something" campaign, the T is throwing commuter rail riders a bone by testing a free Wi-Fi on the Worcester/Framingham line. Luckily, due to train car swaps (totally my assumption,) sometimes the Needham Heights line, which I ride, has WiFi.
I only found minor mentions of the program online in my research, so I thought I'd post a quick Q&A based on my experiences.
Do users have to sign in or click a service agreement?
I've seen both...sometimes the computer just connects to the network, other times an intermittent screen comes up when the browser is launched.
How is network performance?
The maybe five times I've used CRC (Commuter Rail Connect,) the stability of the network has varied. The main issue is that I have to quit my browser and restart so that the CRC (or my laptop?) realizes that I'm a user. A few times, the connection has dropped, and a few times I couldn't connect at all.
Does it totally rule to be able to surf the Inter-net during dull train time that might otherwise be used for reading or sleeping?
Yes, yes it does.
As I mentioned in a previous post, Cho and I decided to start a Lake Winni Signs Flickr set to document all of the great vintage signs around our summer jaunt (well, much more their summer jaunt than mine, but I do love to sleep in those bunk beds.) Just like any quality group member, I've spent some time searching on Flickr for photos to add to the set.
There are not many shots that fit our specifications, but I did find two wonderful sets of vintage slides from users Marcfoto and Stefernie. I'm mesmerized by the colors and underlying glamor of these old scenes. Embarrassingly enough, I have no idea how to add their shots to the set, so I sent them Flickr mail to ask them to join our group...which was oddly debasing, like trying to sit with unknown popular kids at their lunch table.
from Marcfoto:
from Stefernie:
...actually in Stoneham.
Nothing rallys my summer spirit as much as greasing up like a hot dog and taking a day trip to The Bean's DCR pools. I used to go to the one in Watertown when I lived in Da'ville, and Cho just made my day by sending me a message that Stoneham has a pool, too!
Here are a few details:
"More than a dozen people at the Hall Memorial Pool, which is operated by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), on North Border Road had high praise for the facility last week. They offered several reasons for choosing the local pool but above all liked its user fee — free."
Free!!!! The parking is free, too, and the pool is open 11 am to 7 pm, seven days a week, beginning June 21. I'll be working at my "mobile office," Inter-net, starting next Saturday.
I've been in a "real mood" all week, but the clouds felt like they started lifting on Wednesday, and today I'm ready for the weekend! We don't have too many plans in the Google calendar, so I'm hoping that maybe we succeed in checking out an open house or two? Also, I'm very excited to take our bikes in tomorrow morning for a little tune up so that we can ride in the Arboretum (with the lilacs!)
The Prof's best friend Ken + wife Ania are in town, and his friend Beth is graduating from Librarian School (actually, with her degree in Library Science, but isn't saying "Librarian School" more fun?) so the next few days won't be too boring for sure. It's starting to feel like Spring...
Have a great weekend!
Our resident fairy princess, standing on a chalk drawing I did for her outside of our place:
A little over a month ago, I finally got to take a drive out the Northern MA way to visit Letterpress Things. The morning itself was slightly grey and the drive a bit monotonous, but well worth the effort when I met John Barrett, proprietor of all things letterpressed. On certain weekends, he opens his third floor warehouse space up so that typophiles (is that even a word? Well, you know what I mean) like myself can sift through his giant collection of type cuts, presses, cases, and supplies. The Prof and I have tried to make the trip to LPT two times before, once thwarted by other plans and once by a snowstorm. We lucked out this time, though, because the morning we did happen to go to Chicopee, it was just us and John for most of our three hour visit.
John runs a printshop during the week, but LPT is his real passion, and he not only gave us the full tour but also did an impromptu demonstration back in the print shop, where we inked up a press and I got to pull my first print! Luckily, The Prof was there to photograph the whole momentous occasion...
Here's a little description of our process (I'm remembering the best I can, so please excuse if something is in the wrong order.)
Step 1: Pick out something to print
In our case, John chose a kicky little parrot, which we ended up using over my Swiss-looking cut of two children because it had better metal.
Step 2: Lock the type into the case
This step involves arranging a bunch of little pieces of wood to steady the type (or parrot) and locking everything tight with a key.
Step 3: Ink the plate
Pretty self-explanatory, except that the ink was pretty sticky and concentrated. Luckily, I have a light touch.
Ink smear on plate, how very Pollock, no?
After spreading the ink on the plate, you've got to turn the plate and run the rollers over it a bunch of times to get everything coated to the right consistency. John said that it kind of sounded like rolling wet paint onto a wall (it did) and that as a person letterpresses more, s/he knows when the ink is exactly at the perfect consistency by sound alone.
Step 4: Lock in the chase
Basically, we got the whole metal/wood thingy-ma-bob and slid it into the press.
John makes an adjustment to the guides so we don't crush the expensive little pieces in the big metal press.
Inking the type/parrot...
Step 5: The proof
Before you just "take it there", a proof is pressed to check ink coverage and positionng. This is when I first got to see the positive impression of our parrot; I'll call him Morty.
Step 6: (Deep Breath) Pulling a print
Here I am, pulling my first print of Morty. I guess most people don't have a photographer front and center to capture this moment, but luckily The Prof was there. Now we can look at this foto and remember the exact second when I stopped sinking all of my auxiliary money into Catherine Holm pots from Ebay and instead started amassing letterpress things.
Me and Morty; could I look more eerily excited?
Morty immediately after his "birth."
Karate Kid and my letterpress Mr. Miyagi (he said I was a natural.)
I loved my time at Letterpress Things and am planning to buy a press there, a little Kelsey that is in the process Mr. Barrett and start my new hobby -- as an amateur letterpresser. Wootie-woot!!!
Look, we even made the LPT blog! (click on "continue" to read, and look at some more fotos of LPT here.)
Still no news on our apt/condo situation from the landlord, although the pre-approval meeting with BofA turned out to be a total waste of Saturday morning time due to their lame mortgage rep. We're sitting tight (and I'm checking out real estate sites just for general research.)
To the end of sharing some cool/scary/comical finds, I'm starting a new category: Curb Appeal, and guess what? Today is entry #1.
Our choice property this sunny Thursday is a fun little "as is" (no, I don't mean "as if") in Rockport, MA. According to the city's website, "For over 160 years, people have traveled to Rockport for our miles of lovely beaches, boulder-strewn paths through woods and glades, and that uncommonly magical light that has inspired painters since Winslow Homer. In an hour's pleasant drive north of Boston, you can enjoy a romantic getaway, exquisite dining and a unique shopping experience—all in a single day."
I was just picking random cities and looking at places when I came across 126 Granite Street ($285,000 list.) A few quirks that caught my eye: then/now photos of the house, old wallpaper with cool patterns, good light, woodwork, vintage kitchen details, and...potential. Of course, we can't move that far north (or probably even afford this house with our lame $0 currently saved for down payment,) but think of how much I could accomplishment every day on my 1.25 hour commuter rail ride to/from town!
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