Saturday, January 06, 2007

Peabody and more

Today was an opportunity to get out and explore Salem, MA. More infamous for its much heralded and now commercialized witch trials, Salem is home to two institutions worth visiting. The first is the Peabody Essex Museum, recently renovated and expanded it bills itself as a cultural art museum. The emphasis is on maritime and Asian art, which seems and odd combination at first, but since Salem was once the premiere port in the New World, many artifacts from the Orient found their way to America via Salem.
The museum boasts a fine collection of maritime art, photos and china. Native American art from east to west coast and down to New Mexico is part of the permanent collection as are works from China, India and Japan.
We went to see the exhibition of contemporary furniture "Inspired by China" and fell in love with several pieces. Not in the sense of the need to possess, but rather the desire to make similar pieces. A pipe dream, maybe, but the simplicity of design and artistry of the work, coupled with its sensuous texture, created a "what are you smoking" moment? We both love working with wood and have about 60 mature oak and maple trees on the lot, so judicious cutting and replanting with younger more vigorous oxygenating trees could maintain our existing carbon dioxide neutral state and provide materials for crafting. We just need a three (or four) season workshop.
A bonus was the art exhibit from M.F. Husain, India’s most famous living artist and his epic work "The Mahabharata"
.

The photograph is of Cornell "Sugarfoot" Coley performing traditional drumming and dance works from West Africa, Cuba and Brazil, to the delight of children and adults.


The second best discovery is Boston Beer Works. Terrific, brewed on the premises selection of Extra Special Bitter (aka British bitter), hoppy India Pale ale and cask conditioned (yes wooden casks) strong ale. Food is great pub fare with flare (stir fried vegetables with ginger on jasmine pilaf rice) and the fish part of the fish and chips is real fresh haddock, white and flaky, not the usual soggy frozen gray mush served up by other pubs. The size of the portions is excellent without being obscene - two large pieces of fish, which provides plenty for a hungry one, or two on a budget. Quibble - why don't they teach bar staff to fill the glass. Imagine being served a 12 ounce glass, with a half inch of nothing above and inch of foam. Needless to say it was sent back for topping off.

Did I mention we are brewing our own beer at home these days ?

Monday, January 01, 2007

First Night - first time

A strange thing happened on the way to New Years Day 2007- we stayed in Massachusetts.
After 6 years of living 12 miles north-west of Boston, we actually spent New Years Eve in downtown Boston. But why was this the first time and just where were we in previous years?
With help from digital photo records, it turns out it was with family in Peoria, IL on two occasions (2002/2005); hiking the Yorkshire Moors, England (2004); sightseeing in Washington DC (2003) and with friends in the Adirondacks NY (2001) and Banff, Canada (2000). No wonder we felt at a loss for something to do this year.
A quick peruse of the Globe gave us the kernel of a plan. 2007 First Night - Boston, a series of events started thirty-one years ago to celebrate local artists and neighborhood organizations. Performances in forty locations consisted of short films (mostly good – some very good), music (classical guitar - standing room only and in one case with dire acoustics ­­– barber shop chorus in a shopping mall), comedy, puppetry, parades, ice sculptures (melting) and of course fireworks. Free admission to some museums, the aquarium and all events with a $15 button was great value, beaten only by free travel on the T (subway) after 8pm.
Trouble was that by 10:30pm we were so tired, cold and full after dinner at an Italian restaurant all we really wanted was to go home, stretch out in the warm, watch a movie, and drink champagne.

And that's exactly what we did.

Happy New Year and best wishes for a great and successful 2007