BostonZest

Where Would You Find This Balcony? Let's Play Attention to Detail!

Let's play Attention to Detail! We give you a close-up clue and you have to figure out where you've seen it around Boston.

Here are some hints:

• Today this building has changed very little from the way it looked in the early 1900s.
• That may be due to having had the same owner for many years.
• During certain hours of the day, you are welcome to come in and look around the inside of this building. 
• It has a very prestigious history.
• It is located in the Back Bay.

Ready? Click through or scroll down past this great book about Boston for the answer.

 

 

Where Would You Find This Ghost Sign, Let's play Attention to Detail!

Let's play Attention to Detail! We give you a close-up clue and you have to figure out where you've seen it around Boston.

Here are some hints:

• It is on a main street in Boston's South End.
• The words are still significant.
• It is in the South End Landmark District established in 1983. Today it would seem to fall under the guideline that, "Advertising or general information signs are not allowed."

Ready? Click through or scroll down past this great book about Boston for the answer.

 

 

Where Would You Find This Logophonetic Lettering? Let's Play Attention to Detail!

Let's play Attention to Detail! We give you a close-up clue and you have to figure out where you've seen it around Boston. So where have you seen this logophonetic lettering?

Here are some hints:

• This object is more than 340 years old.
• It was found in a scrap pile and brought to Boston.
• Years later the original owner declined taking it back and gave it to the City of Boston.
• Today is stands as a symbol of peace.
•  It is in a Boston park designed by Frederick Law Olmsted.

Here's another clue to jog your memory.

Ready? Click through or scroll down past this great book about Boston for the answer.

 

 

BackBayHouses.org, Time to Check in Again and a Way to Contribute to the Site

During Preservation Month, we had the great pleasure of attending the "Reformed, Remodeled, Replaced, Redeemed" a Walking Tour of the Back Bay led by Tom High from BackBayHouses.org and Susie Shafer, Co-Chair Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay's Architecture Committee.

Penny is a regular visitor to BackBayHouses.org because she uses it for fact checking when she writes about Back Bay Architecture and quotes from it when she finds some delightful tidbit to feature in her Attention to Detail newspaper columns.

But, as we listened to all the new information Tom presented in this tour, we said it was time to remind our readers that this is not a static site. New photos, blueprints, deed records, corrections, and additional information are being added all the time. 

A Very Important Request from the Publishers of BackBayHouses.org

We also wanted to pass on a very important way that you can help make this site (that is already such an important historical record) even better. We asked Tom High to put the request in his own words.

"We're constantly looking for old photos or drawings of the houses in the Back Bay that will help illustrate how they have evolved over the years. We'd love to hear from anyone who might have something they could share. And we also are always looking for new information or corrections about the houses and who lived in them. The best way to reach us is through the 'contact' tab on the website."

So check your own building's records and any others that you have for some interesting knowledge. Check those old boxes of photos and albums to see if any of them contain images you might be willing to share.

Send along any stories or tidbits of information you have about buildings in the residential district of the Back Bay.

The site is carefully fact checked and edited, so you know that proper documentation will be in place and credits given for any material used. 

And, should this very quickly sold-out tour ever be offered again, be sure to get on the list to attend.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

Three Exhibitions to Visit at the Museum of Fine Arts: Matisse, Cunningham, and Revival Jewelry

One of the best things about being a member of the Museum of Fine Arts is the ability to stop in often and see some of the featured topics or exhibitions (large and small) as they call them. We included three on a recent visit. 

The major event of the summer is "Matisse in the Studio." It was interesting to see the collection of objects he used as inspiration for his work. It was also great to see more of his sculpture. Unfortunately our time viewing this collection was spoiled by a disruptive visitor, so we did hurry through. 

This chair and the shadows it cast fascinated Penny.

She couldn't resist creating her own artwork from Matisse's studio inspiration object.

We were ready for a quiet break and Matisse inspired lunch at Bravo. We enjoyed duck liver paté, a dish of mushroom pasta, and sipped an excellent Rosé from Provence. It was a meal, we think, Matisse might have enjoyed. 

After lunch, we visited "Imogen Cunningham: In Focus" in the Herb Ritts gallery. We love the fact that the MFA is paying attention to great photography.

The hit of the day for both of us was the outstanding design and craftsmanship in the "Past Is Present: Revival Jewelry" collection. Be sure to pay very close attention to the micromosaic items in the cases. It could be easy to miss the fact that these images are made up of hundreds of tiny, tiny bits of material. 

While you have a bit more time to see the other exhibitions, Imogen Cunningham: In Focus ends June 18th.

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What Would You Have Seen in This Spot in the 1970s?

If you were standing where I was to take this photo in the 1960s, what famous Boston institution would you have had in view?

Here are your hints:

In case you are new to the area, it is on Cambridge Street near Massachusetts General Hospital.

Like the hotel and hospital, it was open to the public and you could stop by at 3 am and feel welcome.

It closed down for a while and was reopened by a fan. 

Click through or scroll down past the Amazon ad to find the answer.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

 

The Emerald Necklace Conservancy Has the Perfect City Walks for Spring Days

When we only have a few hours and want to get back to nature, we often choose to walk the parks and paths supported by the Emerald Necklace Conservancy. We're making that organization our Friday Link today.

Their website has many resources for exploring the parklands. You can pull up maps, find recreational facilities, history, and beautiful settings.

If you would like to become a part of the preservation and restoration of these parks, they have links to opportunities to participate in those aspects as well.

Explore the site some rainy day and then take advantage of all the information about where to go, how to get there, and what to see and do when you arrive.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

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