Andare, Partire, Tornare

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Adventures in Beantown

Back home, and taking today off because Air Tran's idea of "on time flight" radically differs from mine. I made it home at about midnight, and what with unwinding and preliminary unpacking and a quick shower, I didn't actually fall into bed until around two. No way was I going to go into work and stagger around like a zombie when I could sleep, sleep, blissfully sleep until noon. Which I did.

So, Boston was amazing. It has a bustle and an energy that both Chessica and I liked, and Kateh, who we were there to visit, loves it too, despite the very pronounced expense of living there. I do forget that most cities are not like the part of DC where I work, which is apparently abnormally sterile (ah, those guvmint cities) and so I was momentarily taken aback by the rather dingy T trains. But, y'know, it's all good. Hopping on a train to discover a woman out of a time warp (white go-go boots, vintage sixties dress, vintage sixties hair and makeup) was a good example of how fun people-watching can be.

Our flight to Boston was delayed massively, although the airline didn't bother to inform us of that - we left around the time we were supposed to be landing in Boston. Poor Kateh had about given up on us, but we found her sitting forlornely in the subway, and she whisked us away to our palatial hotel, courtesy of some points accumulated by Chessica's father. Then, a quick change of clothes and off to dinner in the Fanieul Hall area, where we had a ritzy meal at The Jazz Club. Live jazz, a good steak, boston cream pie, and, for Chessica, the very interesting chilled chocolate soup with hazelnuts. Yummers.

The next morning, we went with Kateh to the Gardener, where she volunteers. I can say without hesitation that I'd kill to work there, and I hope Kateh does indeed end up there as she hopes. El Jaleo was breathtaking, as was the courtyard with the fountain and Roman mosaic. And the little Michelangelo drawing, and the Giotto, and the Simoni Martini's! Fabulous! The way it's all tossed together in one big clutter just makes it all more fun.

After the Gardener, it was off to the North End for a taste of Italy. We had awesome food (after deciding more or less at random where we would eat - they all looked so good!) at Piccolo Venezia. Next time we'll wiggle our way into one of the smaller hole in the walls where there was more Italian being spoken. Then home to nap (we all needed it), and that evening, off to a dance club named The Exchange. Chess and I hadn't really packed club clothes, so we were kind of out of place, but the friends of Kateh we were there to meet were all really nice. We were (un?)lucky enough to be there on a night where the E! show "Wild On" was being filmed. It was amazing...a camera crew showed up, and suddenly there were girls dancing on the bar where before there were none. So there is the remote possibility that my friends and I will be seen in the background of the show, turning away in haste, although I may not make an appearance as I rather think that E! has a policy to edit out any fat chicks in non-club-clothing from "Wild On." And the price of the drinks did more to roll our eyes back in our heads than the actual drinks did!

Sunday was spent at the Garden, watching the swan boats, and walking up and down Newberry Street, a nice shopping/art gallery sort of strip. And then, back to the airport, to wait for our flight out, also delayed, though thankfully not nearly as long. What a lot of cramming we did in that weekend! As Kateh said, "I know I had a good weekend because I'm absolutely exhausted." Tomorrow, back to the daily grind. But I will categorically state that Boston rocks. And I'd love to visit again. More stories of our trip as they come up...

12:46 p.m. - 2002-07-22

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