jazz and wine, vintage dresses

A vintage dress shop in D.C. that Kathryn, Amaro and I had a good time browsing in. And below, a fantastic flapper-style dress. I love how simple it is- the simplicity yet distinct origin makes it able to wiggle between all time periods and still look relevant and fresh. I could imagine wearing something like this all year long- in the summer with a bright slip dress underneath and some bold earrings, in the winter with knee high leather boots, a cozy drapey wrap cardigan, and maybe a belt. Who doesn't like to wear a sheer black dress with feathers at all hours of the day and all days of the year?!

So lovely...look at all of these humans just enjoying themselves. This was an event we all went to Friday evening, it was a jazz in the park event. People were sitting around the water or on the grass, with wine and picnic food, listening to live jazz and just enjoying wonderful weather, wonderful food, and most of all, wonderful company. I love outdoor events...I love even more events that aren't really events, maybe where it's just part of the culture to have live music in the park during the summer and doesn't have to be on a calendar...

color me with feathers

Here are a few pictures I took last weekend while in D.C. Amaro and I had a wonderful time in this city which always seems so alive to me...yes, it was hot and muggy, but I loved it!

The Saturday we were there there was a parade / festival celebrating Caribbean / Latino / African American culture (basically, everything goes. unless you are white or asian). We went to the parade with Peter, Angela, Rory, and Alex. It reminded me of what I imagine carnival in Brazil might be like (I'd love to go someday!) although I'm sure carnival is on a larger scale. In any case, I loved the bare-all exuberance of it all, even if I stood out like a sore thumb.

I feel like it must be easier to just dance and wear only feathers when it is hot out...imagine a festival where everyone wears furs and does the polar bear boogie woogie!

Thoughts, Grey Tuesday

I've been thinking about what it means to write regularly about your daily life.

I really love to travel, and travel inspires my neurons to detect every last thing- scents, every inch of passerby, the light of each day. This overload of information (in a good way!) then is translated into a wealth of descriptions to use when writing. In other words, traveling gives me something to write about.

The protagonist Gil in "Midnights in Paris" is nostalgic for Paris in the twenties. He feels like that era was the perfect era for his own creative thoughts (he is a novelist), and feels like he was born too late. Not to spoil the movie, but a main part of the plot is his discovery of the magic of his everyday, 2010 world. Although lighthearted, the movie is a poignant look into the fact that we are always longing for something else- a different country, a different time...but, in fact, there is much to be inspired by everyday. This is very different from saying that we all need to accept our circumstances and not do anything to change them; what we need to do is believe that within our immediate surroundings is wonder.

So, as I write about daily life in Somerville, MA, I'm going to try to feel like a traveler, try to imagine what it would be like if I was a visitor here. I met a Serbian boy on the T yesterday, it was his first time in the United States. I wondered what the subway here looked like to him. It made me look at the T all over again.

Weekend in Review

Had a lovely, much needed weekend.

Saturday started off with a music festival in Harvard square. It was pretty hot this weekend, which I love- I really like feeling like my body is the same temperature as the air...feels somehow balanced (for me).

I sneakily took a picture of these street musicians...I wondered if they intentionally set up shop right near that minty green fire hydrant? The combination of the peachy-salmon of the man's shirt and woman's dress plus the minty green and metallic silver of the hydrant was just so summery. I'm taking a mental note...I think these colors would be great in an interior, maybe especially a bathroom, but not so much clothes, I think (lest it look too resort-y). Mini mint colored tiles with chrome fixtures and peachy walls? Yes!!

Right as we left the festival, it started pouring in the New England fashion. I love warm-weather rain...it makes you feel intrepid because you don't mind getting wet.

After the rain, met up with Elizabeth and James to have dinner in the North End. I think the North End and Charles St. Beacon Hill area are my two most favorite spots in Boston. They feel sort of out a storybook, maybe because they feel European to me. Brick sidewalks, outdoor patio cafes, crumbling stones and thriving window boxes. And, of course, the food is amazing!

The incredible black ink pasta at the Daily Catch. Afterwards, we went for gelato. I think wandering around a busy street on a balmy night is one of my favorite things to do.

Went to a cute pub with a patio overlooking the harbor...

On Sunday, went to go see "Midnight in Paris," directed by Woody Allen. A really cute story and some beautiful shots of Paris...makes me want to go back for more than just 2 days!! One can tell that Woody Allen must really love Europe (apparent in Vicky Christina Barcelona, too) but has a way of poking fun of wealthy American tourists in a way that is kind yet still truthful. After the movie, we had to continue the good mood and just pretend we were in Paris so went to Finale, a dessert place with THE best chocolate lava cakes, beautiful red velvet banquets, and gold-framed mirrors on the ceiling above where the chef creates your dessert...so you can see all of the beautiful delicious things that are coming together like artwork on your plate! Plus, they had a patio with twinkling lights- I love outdoor eating, especially in bustling areas, at all times of day.

The costumes in "Midnight in Paris" were also wonderful- because it was set in many different time periods, the designer was really able to go all out- with 20s dramatic sequined drop-waist dresses, to lavish ruffles and lace of la belle epoque. I think this movie made me change my mind about my general dislike for drop-waist things...or maybe it was Marion Cotillard that wore them so beautifully! Also, Carla Bruni, the first lady of France, plays a role in this movie, which is fun as well. I also really liked the music. I also like that the characters like warm rain. Apparently, what's not to like?

Notes from this Week

Image in honor of father's day! Taken from The Sartorialist, a blog by Scott Schuman, who is a really talented photographer. He focuses on fashion / style, but what I love about his approach is that he doesn't just focus on the clothes, but the story of the person who wears them. I feel like through looking at his photographs, one becomes intrigued by his subjects.

This week has been a hard week.

I am feeling incredibly challenged by the poor match between my own personality and the what my job requires of me. I spoke with my boss yesterday and she was not very understanding, however, I am working hard this weekend to think of a better solution for myself. I have been feeling sort of down about the situation, and my boss' reaction did not help. However, I am realizing that it is in my hands to fight back, and be an advocate for myself. So, that's what I plan to do!

On Thursday, Alyza called me to inform me of the recent passing of a San Domenico classmate. This hit me pretty hard. My heart goes out to her family and friends, and I am so sorry that I cannot be at the ceremony next Saturday. Below is a Hopi prayer that a friend sent to me after Olivia's passing. Although it was a long time ago, I still to this day remember the strength (even as an eleven year old) it gave me.

Do not stand

at my grave and weep.

I am not there,

I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow,

I am the diamond glints

on snow.

I am the sunlight

on the ripened grain.

I am the gentle

Autumn's rain.

When you awaken

in the morning hush,

I am the swift

uplifting rush

of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft stars

that shine at night.

Do not stand

at my grave and cry;

I am not there,

I did not die.

A wonderfully calm-looking environment...exactly what I need right now. Taken from Haute Design, a great place for all types of design inspiration, especially interiors.

On a more positive note, it is the weekend, and doesn't seem to be raining yet! I'm going to go out to the music festival today in Harvard Sq., and maybe plan a potluck / barbecue with some friends for tomorrow. I'm crossing my fingers for no rain so we can be out on the back porch which I've been enjoying!!

Summer Pops

Went to a great pops concert at the BSO yesterday (they were giving out free tickets!)

It's sort of funny because I have always imagined pops concerts to be a summery, outdoors-y thing, which the BSO tried to emulate with picnic tables and fun lighting...but indoors.

Pretty butterfly silhouette lighting...

A really really great concert, and I heard probably the best vocalist I have ever heard live, Renese King. Also a fantastic trumpet / vocalist named Byron Stripling (mostly blues) who looked as if he lived to be on stage. It's great when performers actually look like they are having fun! If you're ever bored, look up their music...I'm sure it's on youtube etc.

Lots of little tables on the floor where normally there are rows of seats. You could order desserts, wine, and old-fashioned sodas from your seat!

Oh, and apparently it was flag day yesterday...so they had the a marching band from the navy come through the aisles, which was fun. Great uniforms!

Monday Morning

A picture I took of the beach in Nassau, The Bahamas in March.

A picture I took of the Tufts campus- also in March.

Ridiculousity for your enjoyment: Today in my office, we have a big space heater blasting. To combat the AC, which doesn't seem to shut off even though it's 55 degrees outside. People are making jokes about taking turns "sitting by the fire." Hello, June!

Aside from the temperature situation, all is well on this Monday morning...at eleven I had a meeting with my loan repayment counselor Judi, who is super helpful. There are just so many things to figure out and it's all new and I want to make sure I am over-informed so nothing slips through the cracks, because it is becoming more and more apparent to me that these student loan lenders have no interest in making the process user friendly. But no worries! I am up for the challenge, and Judi will be very helpful to me, I am sure.

Other than that, just transcribing, transcribing all day...I ordered some new headphones from Amazon (with Amazon credit I got from selling back some books before moving...yay!) which I hope will alleviate some ear cartilage soreness I have after wearing headphones all day.

I'm thinking about auditioning for the Harvard Summer School Orchestra. Auditions are in a little over a week. It would be awesome to get to rehearse and perform in Harvard's beautiful Saunder's Theater (it's been in a bunch of movies, and is also the lecture hall that they use for that professor's class that is online / on TV...something about Justice). Anyway, thought it might be a good opportunity to play with other people and keep it up over the summer. More on that later!

Yesterday, I had an interview with the manager at Suneri, a local clothing boutique. They are actually really an interesting business and support up-and-coming designers as well as have an in-house designer / tailor who makes a line especially for the store. I am thinking about doing some work with them for some extra money and to stay involved in this area of interest. Probably only a few short evening shifts and other times I would work remotely. Not sure what exactly I will be doing yet, but it seems that there could be a lot of different options. Again, more updates on that when I hear back from them.

Have a good Monday!

Being a Tourist in Boston

When you actually live somewhere, oftentimes you avoid the famous monuments and parks out of fear of being grouped with the fanny-pack carrying tourist. At the same time, if you have the imagination, pretending you're a tourist in your own city can be a lot of fun.

Being completely out of any extra spending money (I got my first paycheck yesterday! It was $21.00! Woo!), that is exactly what I decided to do today- pretend to be a tourist in my own city. I went on a walking expedition of downtown Boston.

I've lived here for four years, and as most of you know have had mixed feelings about the city. Although I have felt not-so-positively over the years about the early closing times of public transport, stores, and nightlife as well as a somewhat more subdued / less outgoing / a bit rough (than California, I guess) local interpersonal demeanor, I do have to admit that Boston is beautiful in the early summer. It is right when everything is blooming and green, and people are coming out of hibernation.

I think human hibernation is a really real thing- snow storms may sound like fun, but shoveling snow every day to go to work or school or falling on black ice or scraping ice from your window or having hair frozen to your head is not fun. When the weather forecast says "wintry mix," (who the heck made that term up anyway? trying to make it sound like some lovely potpourri??) you know it's time for you to go to bed and not wake up until it is over. In that kind of weather, you can't tell who is who, let alone what is male or female underneath swaths of sleeping-bag coats, which are disproportionately made in black and grey. People don't say hi to each other, but rather scurry from building to building. Even on the Tufts campus, when I know there are thousands of people right around me, the campus looks silent a lot of the time- just bare trees and frozen concrete.

But, Boston just blooms in the summer- there are so many outdoor events and festivals, people wear color, people say hi to each other (well, still not in the street, but maybe to a neighbor). There are outdoor markets and street performers, the tulips and dogwoods bloom in the Commons, and Boston gives its residents free admission to one of its museums or parks every Friday throughout July and August. As the ice melts, so do a lot of people. Boston really celebrates the coming of spring like no other place I've ever experienced.

Well, today was a bit rainy oh well (did you know?? we have had such incredible thunder and lightning lately- even some buildings got hit downtown)...but in any case, here are some photos from my mini walking tour (as a tourist!) of Boston in the springtime.

The tombstone of John Winthrop. I think the family crest is so neat...I wonder if my ancestors had a family crest?

We visited King's Church in downtown. Read this information about the pews! It's so interesting that apparently the church seating was basically all "box seating." All the boxes were numbered, and different families owned each box. I like the sentence about how families were allowed to bring blankets and family dogs to compensate for the lack of central heating!

A view of some of the box pews, complete with furniture from individual families...

A local hole-in-the-wall pawn shop- they had lots of collectible coins and pocket watches.

These swans make their nest in the very same spot every year in the Boston Common. The city puts up a fence around their nesting area to protect them from too-eager photographers...

These blossoms remind of Dr. Seuss...I wonder what kind of flower they are?

A bit of humor for historical monuments- many famous statues like Make Way for Ducklings and this statue of George Washington are dressed in Bruins (ice hockey) jerseys for the Stanley Cup Finals.

What a beautiful ivy-covered apartment :).

Portland, MAINE: Part 2

This is my absolute favorite...sunny, cobblestones, old fashioned street lamps and hand carved store signs with gold lettering, outdoor eating, the activity inside buildings spilling out into the street...old buildings along a street without a name.

The cutest cafe, called Mornings in Paris. Above, the absolute cutest apartment- look at those bright blue bay windows!

A really earthy, interesting menswear shop, called Rogues Gallery. I think it is really interesting and much more engaging when shops actually aim to represent or recreate the lifestyle of their customer in the environment of their store. Well done, Rogues.

Quite self-explanatory.

A fabulous cupcake from Two Fat Cats Bakery.

We also got lucky and walked in on a free Shipyard Brewery tour. I am not a big beer person, but something I discovered in Portland is Maine Root Ginger Brew (not actually alcoholic). Basically, a really pure and intensified form of ginger ale, super spicy and delicious!

The "famous" Sicilian Slab. Even real food bloggers have written about it- here, and here. If you don't believe me, try Googling it...talk of the Sicilian slab goes on for ages!

The girl behind the counter told us it would be life-changing, and all of the locals seemed to be gobbling it up so we had to give it a try. Basically, the crust is a handmade foccacia which is really doughy yet puffy, slathered with homemade tomato sauce (you could really taste the sweetness of sun ripened tomatoes!) and fresh mozzarella. Simple and perfect!