Boston!

So I am loving actually being close to things this summer.  This past weekend we ventured to Boston.  The trip was about catching up with an old college friend and seeing the Dispatch Reunion Tour.  Oh and soaking up a little American History while I was at it.

A quick stroll around the harbor and Government Center was not lacking in New Englandness.  Boats!

Daniel Horney Man of the Sea

Boston is a walking city, I did not know this until I got there and then heard about how Boston is a walking city from half a dozen people, and now you know Boston is a walking city.  Which means we did a lot of walking, not problem that seems to be how we like to spend our weekends.

Old looking building

We took a stroll down Newbury Street checking out blocks upon blocks of trendy little boutiques, high end stores, art galleries and much much else.  All the store fronts are still old Bostonie buildings feeling far more like town homes than a shopping mall.

I nerded out on a store that had done their entire display windows in dozens of antique sewing machines.

Swan Boats!

Our stroll continued to the Boston Commons where I took, what I can only imagine, to be the next cover of Boston Tourist Monthly.

Tour Guide Joe

Joe, who we were visiting, showed us around in between his many jobs.  I am much happier to see him than the picture shows, sun was in my eyes.

From the park we also got to watch a Indian wedding parade taking place across the street.  That looked like a good time, I wish I could have captured the music and excitement of the parade better. 

Side note: we must have run into four wedding parties taking pictures at the park while we were there.

I mentioned soaking up some America history didn't I ... Freedom Trail Tour!

Our Guide.

After lots of missed times we finally made it to a tour.  Our guide was dressed the part and loved his history.  We got the feeling he played a little fast and loose with the script everyone else followed, but we got a great tour out of it.  I learned things and was throughly entertained for our hour and half tour.  We even got a teacher/ student discount for the tour.  We tipped our guide the difference, he earned it.

Then on Sunday night we saw Dispatch.

You can't tell but they are wearing mullet wigs

Great show.  They opened for themselves in what I can only describe as a sketch comedy with singing parody of themselves.  They then proceded to play two and half hours and they only stopped because the venue restrictions.  Turned out it was the last night of their short tour, it was fun to be there for the last night of a tour it made it a special show.  Dispatch's fan base is an interesting mixture of hipsters, hippies and bros... I am not where we fit into that. At least we all enjoyed some good music together.

One last Bostonie picture

Thanks Joe for making it such a great trip!

Summary      

Cost:

              Transportation  (metro)                        $15

              Entertainment       

                      History Walk                               $11

                      Concert                                        $40

               Lodging  (stayed with friends)        Free                        

               Food ...                                               Too much

             Total                                                     $66

                

Time:  Two Days 

Average : $1.40 / hr entertainment

      No food isn't there, I was not aware of prices, Daniel split up most of our tickets with friends. I know it was more than other trips as we sampled quite a few Boston Brews...

                  

Perks: 

Good friends, good concert.  Got in some walking exercise and I learned that the Boston Tea Party was more motivated by John Handcock's financial gains than government oppression who would have guess.

Sketch Night

Last night the City of Norwalk hosted the Sketchy Event. They promised a model and easels as well as free food and drinks. So we stopped by for awhile and sketched along.

Daniel was less up for sketching so he helped take pictures while I sketched.

All the art supplies you needed were provided.  So I played around with charcoal and newsprint.

They had a really good turn out with plenty of kids just playing as well as some more for serious sketchers.

They ran out of easels so people just plopped down on the floor.  The model was a trooper the event went on for 4 hours and she was the only model.

They even offered a place to display your art.

I did not hang up any of mine, I'm not that brave.  There was some really cool work.

One of my creations, I was playing around with the pastels scrapes by the end of the night.  Daniel tried sketching for a few minutes and then decided to it was more fun to watch me.

Sorry if the pictures are a little dodgey we forgot the camera and had to make due with the phones.

Summary      

Cost:

              None (everything provided by the city)

Time:  1 hours

Average : $0 /hr entertainment  Yippie!

                        

Perks: 

I practiced sketching with a model I didn't have to pay for.

Roof Top View

Today has been kind of a rainy day and when I say rainy we are having monsoon type weather.  So I have been hiding out in the apartment catching up on a few things but I thought it would give me  a chance to do a post I have had hanging around for a few days.

Daniel stumbled across an ad for a condo for sale in our building that advertised "the building had roof top access".  We promptly headed up the stairs to check it out.  And indeed on the third story there was a spiral staircase up to the roof along with half a dozen lawn chairs.  Apparently everyone else knew but us.

Spacious

I was super excited to find this.  Our apartment, great as it is, is a basement apartment with really no outside access.  Turns out I miss having a balcony and windows a lot.  So I have acquired my own lawn chair and decided to check out the view.

View of the Harbor 

Doesn't look like the sketchy side of town from up here

View of Downtown

More of Downtown

Don't worry Mom I wasn't roasting out in the sun unprotected. I reclined in the shade of the acess door shanty type structure.  There are several skid proof paths along the roof as well as pad to lay out on, maybe.

Feels like a light house

Maybe next time I will do some sunbathing with a book. This time I brought up my iPod and my box of ornaments to work on.

It's a giraffe!

A very soothing afternoon - the breeze off the harbor, the sun on my legs, the pigeons keeping my company.  Very active pigeons up there, but all enjoyed from a safe distance.

Yup feel like there will be some more roof time is in my future as soon as it dries out.

Summary      

Cost:

              None (well except for rent and lets not go there)

Time:  2 hours

Average : $0 /hr entertainment  Yippie!

                        

Perks: 

Relaxation and I got a little vitamin D.

Drive In

Sunday night Daniel and I decided to go to the movies and even better a drive in!  There are actually a few near us in Norwalk and by near I mean an hour and half drive,  not like Daniel had work in the morning ...

We headed off to the Warwick Drive In in Warwick, NY.  Warwick is in the mountains so it was actually a really pretty drive through these old small towns and up curvy mountain roads, makes my West Virginia girl heart happy.  Warwick was very cute with a winery and pick your own strawberry farms and though Daniel's poor math got us there on the early side we were not there early enough to take advantage of the town's cuteness.

We were there early enough to get some ice cream before hand at what was the most happening creamery I have ever seen.  My only guess is that the entire town was there and standing inline ahead of us.  In addition to being filled in on the local gossip, apparently Gerber is really un happy with his ex girlfriend, we enjoyed an amazing view of the mountains with our ice cream.

That should be a postcard

Yum!

They had some great names for their specialty flavors so we enjoyed Great White Way and Bellvale Blog.  Definitely saved two dollars by getting one cup with two scoops instead of two one scoop cups.  That was the first time I have gamed ice cream.

A bit closer to dusk we rolled into the Warwick Drive In.  

Official looking tickets right

Surprisingly they had three screens all showing double features of first run movies.  Tickets were per person but only $8 and that covered both movies. I swear I paid more than that last time I went to a regular movie.

I feel so Grease

 I am a sucker for superhero movies and a hot body so I talked Daniel into the Green Lantern and The Hangover Part 2.

It was so much fun just to be at a drive in theatre. The only other time I have been to a drive in was when my parents took my sister and I to see Snow White when I was like 10.  Daniel had never been to one before so he was pretty excited.  We decided to fully indulge in the drive in atmosphere by having dinner out of the snake bar.

Our haul

So hot dogs and popcorn for dinner!  Was the snack bar over priced... sure ... but certainly no worse than a regular movie.

Oh and my favorite movie candy.

Snow Caps! Though I hardly ever finish the box and I never want them outside of a movie, I love them at the movies.

Starting to get dark

I saw some awesome vehicle sets up from beds in beds of pickup trucks and people who had turned there hatchback into couches.  Sadly we have a sedan, with bucket seats, kind of cut down on the cuddling.  I think they would make a killing if you could rent a 1950s car for the night to watch your movie from.

Oh awesome thing: I got to talk durning the movie and the only person it bugged was Daniel! Whoa!

I bumped the levels way up to even get this to show up

I tried to take a picture but it didn't work out so well.  Trust me this is the good part.  

I know other people are knocking the Green Lantern but I thought for a superhero movie that had to educate most of the audience to the set up it was pretty good.  It could have used one more good fight scene, but I am looking forward to the sequel that you know is coming.  Sadly we had to leave half way through Hangover Deja Vu. We were throughly enjoying the movie but it was 1 am and Daniel had work at 8:30 in the morning and we still had to drive home.  I am wondering if the movie theatre here will cut me a deal since I only want to see the last 45 minutes.

Huge fans of the drive in we are already planning on going back but next time probably on a Friday so we can stay all the way through the second movie.

Summary      

Cost:

              Ice cream                                           $4.50 

              Movie Snacks                                   $20

                   (Hot dogs, Popcorn, soda, candy)                                 

              Movie                                                $16      

             Total                                                  $40.50

                

Time:  7.5 hours

Average : $5.40 /hr entertainment 

                  $2.70 /hr per person

I normally do all my calculations for only my half but since we split so much food I did both.

                  

Perks: 

Just Fun.  Dinner and a movie for $40 not too bad and this was way cooler than going to the theatre down the street from us.

New York Day Trippin

I don't know who Daniel and I thought we were kidding by thinking we would not go in to the city this weekend, we went. Though, this time just for the day. Saturday morning we caught the 8:40 am train into the city and by 10:15 I was sitting down to an almond croissant and coffee at La Maison du Macaron.

A rainbow of macrons

We found this place right around the corner when we stayed at the Hotel Chelsea.  Their display case looks like a painting done in the medium of macrons.  They're big kitchen style tables and couches make it a really cozy place for brunch.  This was my second trip here and neither time have remembered to try the macarons, guess I will just have to got back ...

Daniel and I decided to go for some more affordable entertainment than seeing a show so we spent the morning checking out the The High Line.

A garden in the sky

The High Line is a park located in Chelsea and the Meat Packing district  that was created from the abandoned elevated freight train tracks built in the 30's.  Currently it stretches about a mile long (they plan on opening an additional section in the future), several stories above street level and has some of the most amazing views of the city I've seen.  Oh and completely free!

The whole park has a very organic feel with the walkways giving way to gradens here and there.

The whole park has this overgrown free feeling, expect for a manicured lawn you can stretch out on.  Sadly it was closed due to the heavy rains we had the day before.

Something New

A lot of the seating just sort of rises up from the pavement or the walls.  In addition to benches there are huge lounge chair type structures and bleachers and just places that welcome you to lay out in the sun.

And something old

It appeared that most of the track and railway ties where left in place and just incorporated into the design of the path.

It feels like you are walking around in the clouds.  It was a whole view of the city that I have never had before.  You felt like you were among the buildings instead of below them.

This picture is way more about the view than me

The path runs a block away from the Chelsea Market so we swung by and picked up lunch to have on The High Line.  

If you have never been to the Chelsea Market, think about it is a mall where almost all of the stores are restaurants, bakeries, or food markets.  It is entertaining even if you don't buy anything.

After lunch Daniel and I wandered around Greenwich Village checking out shops.  Several of the streets were closed down and stalls of food and goods set up in a very street market feel.

For a much needed sit we ended up in Washington Square Park and enjoyed some of the street performers.  While the jazz band was good these guys were far more eye catching.

They were acrobats / break dancers of sorts but mainly comedians.  I took a picture of what they called the "helicopter." I think you can kind of tell, one guys is spinning the other one on his head with no hands while walking.  They were so good I didn't even mind handing over some money when they started their "Pay me speech." 

A bit later we meet up with a friend who stage manages in New York for some beers and then called it a day.  We caught the 8:07 home, throughly exhausted, did I mention we walked 10 miles!? Daniel mapped it out after we got home.  Some days i just like being out in the city.

Summary      

Cost:

              Transportation (train & subways)       $18.50 

              Food                                                  $25

              Street Performers                              $5      

             Total                                                  $48.50

                

Time:  13 hours

Average : $3.73 /hr entertainment 

Perks: 

Enjoyed a really great day and caught up with a friend.  And got some exercise did I mention we talked 10 miles !?!  Most of my expense was food which I hear I needed anyway. 

Calf Pasture Beach

Sorry for no post yesterday I had a busy day and it was Daniel and I's anniversary so we were out having a great night and blowing our diet all night long.

I have been wanting to ride my bike to the beach for weeks and yesterday I finally got there.  You might be asking why it has taken me so long to get to a  beach that is only 2 and half miles away from our apartment.  In short is because I have only relearned how to ride a bike a week before we left for the summer.  This past month has been the first time I have been on a bike in 12 years, and you know it is not like riding a bike you forget a lot.  After several rough rides and one massive bruise I am pretty comfortable riding again.  The most significant thing about this trip was it was my first time ever I had an unsupervised bike ride outside of my neighborhood.

Luckily I knew there was sidewalks almost the entire way to the beach so helmet on, basket full of beach needs I took off and immediately encountered this:

NOOOOOO!

But I soldiered on, "To the Streets!"  Luckily Norwalk has very wide roads which reduced the impending feeling of doom I had.  I weaved though a lot of neighborhoods which was also nice.  It was a pretty ride as the path follows along the harbor.

Boatyness

It was not a continues ride and I won't admit how many times I got off my bike and chose to walk it for small stretches.  Sadly Norwalk sidewalks are not very bike friendly and almost all have a 4" drop off to the road at intersections.  Finally I triumphed "The Beach!"

I have learned Connecticut beaches are considerably less white sands than the Carolina and Florida beaches I am use to but a beach is a beach.

Cliché Beach Shot

I didn't realize how cloudy it was today until I was on the beach but I also didn't have sunscreen so I didn't mind too much.  I am fair like a 18th century porcelain doll.

Self Portrait of me in a bathing suit 

Sadly the beach towels and chairs were things that also did not make the packing list.  Despite a little sand in the bathing suit on the ride home the lack of towel had little impact on my enjoyment of laying in the sun and reading The Great Gatsby. A book about the carefree wealthy living outside of NYC for the summer just seemed like a good fit, not perfect fit but a good fit.

Some views of the beach:

Someone's private island home

It is a pretty small beach but on a Thursday afternoon I had plenty of room to lay out and once I get a hold of the beach blanket I plan to got back pretty soon.

Turns out Connecticut beaches come with boats. I didn't get a good picture of it but there is also a light house to the right of the boats, further solidifying my view of a light house at ever turn in CT.

Lots of people fish off of the pier.  Had I had a bike lock I would have gone out on the pier, but as no bike lock no dock.

Calf Pasture Beach seems to almost have an identify crisses as it is also a park with lots of green space

Burger Grill

I love how 1950's ish this picture feels.

A crane in what I believe is the clamming area.  Signs imply that you can fish, clam and hunt at the beach.  I am hoping the hunting is in the winter.

You can see my bike behind the bench as well as my clothes in the basket.  I rode my bike around the park area a bit before I headed back, it had a very fun 10 year old feeling to it.  The ride back was less dramatic, hopefully because I knew where I was going a bit better.  I did have to ride out in traffic, I really need to learn those hand turn signals the only questions is does anyone else remember them? 

Summary      

Cost:

                Nothing, the beach is all public access, it cost $5 to park hence the bike ride

 

Time:  2 hours (I burn easily or I would have stayed longer)

Average : $0 /hr entertainment   Yippy!

Perks: 

I got a little exercise, got a little sun and made good progress on my book, very much a win