Back to Boston, our last day

Descending the stairs at Emerson by the Sea Inn

My last moments by the ocean at Rockport 

Just another beautiful house along our route -- so many of these everywhere

This strangulation tickled my funny bone!

Meadow at Cox Reservation -- I love the expanses of greenery

Osprey cam (minus the bird) at Cox Reservation park

Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge

Déjà vu moment -- we've walked this street once before

Display of threads in a North End shop

Lightning storm over Wichita

* * * * * * * *

It must be time to leave.  I’m missing our firm mattress at home, and have been sleepless from soft spots on unfamiliar beds.

After breakfast in the dining room I went for a walk by myself on the Public Foot Path while Tien packed.  I didn’t go far, but it was a pleasure to climb rocks leading to the water's edge and sit high above the ocean.  I watched boats and scuba divers, but mostly it was pleasant under the overcast sky and to soak in the peaceful air.  Idyllic, calm and with a light breeze, I could do this regularly.  If we lived here, the rocks would be a favorite place, just like yesterday when we were at Halibut Point.  All good things must end and I went back to our room.

During checkout, the head of guest relations said the summer population peaks at 22,000; now it is ~10,000.  Today had cloud-cover and cool temperatures.  Our visit happened during Cape Ann's best weather.  I wonder what the rest of the year is like.  I think a storm would be exciting.

Road traffic to Boston was easy.   We passed antique stores in Essex.  There was a sign, Art in the Barn, a three-day affair where we stopped.  How I love an art festival!  It was held in Cox Reservation, a park named for artist Allyn Cox, in three buildings.  The first structure contained jewelry.  An artist I liked did beaded work in waves with texture and color.  I would love to learn her technique.  The goldwork of Donald MacLachlan’s topped any artful jewelry I’ve ever seen in 14k, 18k and 22k with cabochon gems.  His bracelets were large links.  I placed one around my wrist -- oh, $15,000!  When I pointed out another bracelet that appealed to me, he mentioned it was it his best piece, also saying, "That's the thing about good taste -- you can't turn it off."  I could afford his card and had to say goodbye to all his beautiful jewelry.  The largest barn held paintings.  The third barn had more things, but nothing stood out except for the potter who used sea glass in her work, mixing blues and greens.  I bought two small dishes and will give one to my friend Betsy.  The artists must pay a 50% commission to whatever organization they are supporting.  That's a lot to ask of artists and patrons.

We walked into the park, through woodland of wild roses and leafy trees, out to the water.  We saw the park's osprey nest with a camera, and later read that the osprey population is dwindling probably due to pesticides.

Traffic into Boston was easy.  The only hiccup was accidentally going back through the tunnel from which we just came after Google GPS pointed us to the wrong lane.  We paid the $3.50 fee (again) to get back into North End.  We walked a street that we were sure we had walked in 2012.  At Dino’s we ordered pasta and a chicken Caesar salad but unfortunately they were out of anchovies for my salad.  To Go:  A Dino's Special sandwich to go for our plane ride, with capicola, mozz and balsamic vinaigrette -- excellent sandwich.  Dessert at Caffé Vittoria was a few blocks away:  Coffee, cappuccino, hazelnut gelato and mint chip gelato (and a bathroom, yay).  Our server was a middle-aged ABC woman with a classic Boston accent – that really caught my ear.  On our way back to the car, there was a funeral service with a band playing and cops blocking off traffic.  We headed to the airport.  It's almost time to board.

Rockport, Massachusetts

Emerson by the Sea's veranda overlooks the pool and Atlantic

Scented irises?!  Who knew!

Peonies -- my favorite flower

Flowers edged the garden of Emerson by the Sea Inn.
June is a wonderful time to visit with so many plants in bloom

Wild roses get my attention

A path in Halibut Point State Park, a stroll that I think of as perfection

Lush plants along the paths in Halibut Point Park

Tien at a granite quarry now filled with water, encircled by trees,
with the Atlantic in the background 

I love the quarry and today's weather was ideal

A selfie while we enjoyed the ocean

Small crabshell and hubby

View into a tide pool -- tide pooling reminds me of childhood vacations with my family

I could have spent all day here

More tidepooling

An old cemetery in Rockport

Lovely vines in Bearskin Neck

Us 

Wow, so many lobster traps on this pier!

A tiny vacation cottage, which used to be a garage,
and before that a cod bladder drying house

Former grist mill on the right

Wild cichlid nest -- protective fish circled in red!

Yet another flower photo -- inhale!  Can you smell it?

Statue of artist Fitz Henry Lane

Lighthouse

Three-masted schooner

Beautifully lit home at dusk with a crow on the roof

* * * * * * * *

Another miserable night of sleep away from home and I miss my own bed.  We went down to breakfast early for mushrooms and spinach quiche, sausages, choc chip and raspberry pancakes, fresh fruit and coffee.  From the enclosed veranda, we enjoyed bright sunshine and a glorious morning.  I took seconds of fruit and coffee to the lawn, and we lazed on Adirondack chairs.  Tien finished his book while I inhaled peonies, irises and roses.  The irises were sooo fragrant!  I never knew before that irises could be scented.

We drove to Halibut Point State Park, site of the town’s old granite quarry.  This town is all about granite and it's used everywhere.  So many beautiful tree-covered paths.  One opened to a body of water, like a giant pond, with smooth and flat sides where granite was harvested.  Trees surrounded this, making it naturally and unnaturally fascinating.  The weather was perfect and I could have stayed there for hours.  Beyond the quarry was the Atlantic Ocean.  What a setting!

We walked trails and I collected leaves.  We went to the ocean and scrambled gigantic granite slabs along the water. Tide pools had some sea life, but we hiked to another area where the tide pools were fuller.  So many snails, barnacles, mussels, and not a lot of seaweed!  Tiny bugs moved on the surface and congregated in small groups.  We spent some time there and the temperature rose.  On a path back to the car, Tien noticed a cache of spent walnut shells where an animal has been eating (while watching TV, of course).

Our next stop was downtown Rockport.  We parked near what used to be an old grist mill and a pond with a charming bridge.  In the pond Tien noticed wild cichlids guarding their nests!  How does my husband know these things?!  Many nests were clearly visible in the shallow water.  How many more inhabited the pond, I wondered.  We walked past an old cemetery, then stopped for lunch.  I was hungry!  They served yummy bread and corn bread.  Tien had a beer and corned beef sandwich.  I had a lemon fizz (Limoncello, Prosecco and soda water) and clam strips with fries.  At a bead store I bought ceramic bats for my niece Megan, and a few baubles for myself.  We walked around touristy Bearskin Neck, named for a bear that was killed here hundreds of years ago.  On a pier I was astonished to see so many lobster cages.

When it was nearing time for dinner, we went to Gloucester (remember the movie, The Perfect Storm).  Shops were closed except for a gallery having an opening for a talented artist named Gabrielle Barzaghi.  Her work reminded me of Erica Daborn who lives nearby.  I’ve admired Erica's work since the 1990s.  We explored the waterfront where a three-masted schooner made a nice view at dusk and we climbed a small hill with a sculpture of 19^th century artist Fitz Henry Lane looked towards the sea.  We finally found a restaurant that interested our palates, but it was bustling with a 15-minute wait.  More searching took us to Ohana, where the chef combines French, Italian and Asian -- super-creative cooking and delicious dishes.  If only we could eat like this regularly!

Tomorrow we head for home via Boston.

Boston's MFA, Day 2

Art doll made from vintage leather speed bag in Kendall Hotel's lobby

Face of Prince Hemiunu, from a tomb wall fragment;
as overseer of all royal construction projects, he built the Great Pyramid at Giza

Besides being the largest Classical sculpture in any US museum, the provenance of this Juno statue is just as fascinating to me.  A tidbit:  "She was recorded as early as 1633 in the inventories of the Villa Ludovisi, a grand Roman complex of palaces and gardens filled with antiquities."

Wreath of gold oak leaves and acorns, Greek, 4th Century BC 

Wreath of gold olive leaves -- like the previous one, probably deposited in a burial setting

Coin of seated Zeus holding an eagle; Memphis or Alexandria, about 323-317 BC -- still so crisp and sharp 

Eretrian coin with octopus

Virgin and Child, by Sano di Pietro, about 1447;
I am not religious but I love icon paintings.

More beautiful icon paintings

Infanta Maria Theresa, by Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velazquez;
this was probably sent to potential suitors -- she married Louis XIV, the "Sun King"

Center bottom portion of Allegory of Man's Choice,
about 1635, by Frans Francken the Younger.
I was fascinated with the entire painting, esp the lower half which was devoted to representations of Hell.  Here, Satan sits astride a dragon.

Lower left portion of Allegory of Man's Choice, about 1635, by Frans Francken the Younger; "the arrival of a crowned monkey on a throne-palanquin, hoisted by fools" -- that's a $14M painting!  

Wax jack used for sealing letters and documents;
note the bird-clip on top -- English, about 1675 

Untitled, by Tara Donovan; styrofoam cups, hot glue, metal structure

Confessional, by Martin Puryear; Wire, mesh, tar and wood

Black River, by El Anatsui; a metallic tapestry 
of aluminum bottle labels, bottle caps and copper wire,
105" x 140" -- this was my very favorite item in the whole museum

Vase, by Gerhard Richter, 88" x 78" -- my second favorite item in the MFA

Lullaby:  Madame Augustine Roulin Rocking a Cradle 
(the rope in her hands leads to a cradle), by Vincent van Gogh, 1889

American Robin in the courtyard

Crows in the courtyard -- chatterboxes!

At the seashore in Cape Ann, with the Atlantic Ocean in the background

Wild roses by the sea

We took a walk after dinner along the ocean

* * * * * * * *

When I arrived for my second day at the MFA, a guard recognized me from the day before, asking if I was doing okay navigating the galleries, and said to ask if I needed help.  They're so nice there.  In fact, everyone Tien and I have encountered on this trip has been kind.

I started with more Egyptian art.  I am still drawn to it, not only because of the beauty, but also because of the treasure hunting aspect, and MFA often has in situ photos beside descriptions.  There was still much to take in:  Greek wreaths of oak and olive leaves in pure gold.  An entire room dedicated to old coins -- coin strikes are sooo crisp!  Museum conservation areas had glass walls so in-process restorations could be viewed -- I love the idea of restoration work.  From reading French history, an extra thrill came from portraits of familiar figures, such as a painting of Infanta Maria Theresa of Spain who married Louis XIV.  It was meant for prospective suitors.  Imagine, what would you, the suitor, do with the painting if you declined?  The painting is 51" x 40", not exactly wallet-sized.  One old painting that captured me was by Frans Franken the Younger, "Allegory of Man's Choice," showing the importance of choosing wisely – stairs separated heaven’s earthly delights and hell’s consequences.  There were paintings by Cezanne, Renoir, Monet, Picasso, Rembrandt, van Gogh, religious icons and altars, a Stradivari violin, a 17^th century silver gilt toilette set, Rothschild family treasures including diamond jewels and antique books.  I saved the best for last, contemporary art and fine craft -- so much to inspire.  An eye-catching abstract turned out to be by Gerhard Richter (now it is my computer screensaver); at home last year I experimented with his squeegee painting technique.  There was a "fabric" piece which I recognized immediately as the work of El Anatsui of Ghana, who works with recycled bottle caps and other discards, and chains them together to make a metal tapestry.  On the ceiling was a bulbous white cloud made from Styrofoam cups.  I loved that!  There was a bronze Degas dancer and some paintings; most interesting was an unfinished piece found after his death.  I discovered a "wax jack," a contraption for melting a coil of wax to seal letters and documents.  Now I want one.

I sat outside to eat my snack and fed birds with bits of hard-boiled egg -- cannibals!  It was time to go home.  A headache was taking form and I was exhausted.

Once back, I waited for Tien in the hotel lobby.  A pill, lots of water and a large coffee made everything better.  Tien was having a last beer with colleagues, and then we drove to Rockport, Massachusetts.  We took side roads and saw plenty of old wooden houses.  It’s so different from the West Coast.

Our weekend-home-away-from home was Emerson Inn by the Sea in the town of Rockport, so named for Ralph Waldo who stayed.  The inn is by the water, separated by a lawn edged with peonies, lovely-scented irises, roses and other bushes.  Our tiny room faced a quiet street, with a full-sized canopy bed and a tiny 15" TV.

We put away all our stuff and had dinner in the hotel, at the Grand Cafe.  Good food:  great bread with evoo, ahi seaweed and noodles, classic Caesar with stale croutons, filet mignon, half rack of lamb; wine and a Cosmo.  Their 23 year old chef knows his way around the kitchen.

Along our post dinner shore walk were massive slabs of stone lining the water's edge.  Really easy and fun to walk, plus the houses and gardens were lovely, and there were tiny wild roses in white, pink and pale pink.  We walked back via the street.  It was getting dark.  In the lobby a man on a piano played lovely music of his own compositions.  We are looking forward to exploring town tomorrow.