Traveling, Light

I wish that I had photos to share with you of our recent trip to the utterly delightful city of Boston, MA. I left the camera in the back of a cab at the JFK library. Here are the highlights with help from Google Images.

Our hotel, the Park Plaza Towers, was originally called “The Statler Hotel” and was the first in the country to offer en suite bathrooms and a “radio in every room”. The bathrooms are small. Retrofitting can only do so much.

And I cannot recommend highly enough Mr. Gallagher, the Concierge. He is affable, knowledgeable and extremely efficient, handling multiple requests by phone and in person without skipping a beat. Thank you Mr. Gallagher, where ever you may be today.

The location is excellent. We were right across from Boston Public Gardens and within an easy stroll of the Commons.

The trolley tour, hop on and off, was the way to see the City. Especially when it poured rain Wednesday. Boston is a walker’s delight. And lunch was a very long, hot walk past Fenway Park to “The Eastern Standard“. A walk which was rewarded with “The Frobisher” cocktail, made with a homemade rosé Vermouth infused with lavender and herbs. Our server, Ryan, was delightful and the luncheon, superb.

A bit of a disappointment was Locke-Ober, that famous restaurant at which everyone who was anyone dined. As I’m reading george Frazier’s biography, I thought it fitting. Too expensive for what you get, but the ambiance is so very turn-of-the-(20th) century. A quick review of the notes from all you kind readers showed five alternatives that would have fit the bill. No pun intended. Of course, I forgot the printed notes and didn’t travel with the laptop as both Mrs. E. and I carried a single bag onto the short, direct hop from RIC. A quick text to Mr. W. and we heeded his recommendation for a night-cap at The Ritz. A fine choice. It was buzzing and fun.

We began Thursday morning with a short’ish walk past brownstones in various stages of renovation on Boston’s South End to Bobby of Boston. Which doesn’t open until noon. Ah well, probably for the best as I am in the market for a topper and there was precious little carry on space in the luggage. Lunch at Quincy Market, outside in 85º, no humidity, was fantastic. We basked and took in the tourists and locals who were (on-the-whole) a remarkably well-dressed lot. Especially the sun-dress clad women who navigated cobblestones in high heels with admirable aplomb.

The Oak Bar, with its “Proper Attire Required” (as ADG warned, I was the most properly attired man in the room and the women were swell-elegant in cocktail attire) was elegant, fairly empty, understaffed and just right for a last drink with Mrs. E.’s school year abroad friends after the impressively attended JKF Library reunion. Since there was no jazz to be found a The Oak Bar, the conversation held center stage.

We’d like to return one day, to do all those things that we left undone. If you get a chance, take it. Boston is a fine city.

I’ll leave you with an image taken this morning at 6:30. Which may explain the spotty posts and generally lax attitude this week.

(Taken with my new Casio Exilim, which was on sale at Target and isn’t nearly as cool as my lost Lumix… ciao for now.)