Boston's Museum of Fine Arts

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Bead-net dress, Egyptian 2551–2528 BC

"Above beadnet dress was painstakingly reassembled from approximately seven thousand beads found in an undisturbed burial of a female contemporary of King Khufu. Although the string had disintegrated, a few beads still lay in their original pattern, permitting an accurate reconstruction."    

Egyptian cylinder seals with examples on the right

A particularly beautiful Egyptian cylinder seal, left, with example

MFA rotunda

Selfie with rotunda paintings by John Singer Sergeant

Dale Chihuly's Lime Green Icicle Tower in the American Cafe where I dined

Recently discovered daVinci drawing (circled) in his notebook

Mountain Ranges by Wu Jian'an, 2011 -- two of eleven panels

Close up of Mountain Ranges by Wu Jian'an -- yes, it's cut paper

One of my favorites because it's contemporary and traditional -- Literary Gathering by Hong Hao, 2007; look for the composer Tan Dun, Chinese art professor Wu Hung and artist Ai Weiwei.

Notice the needlework frame -- I want one of those!  The woman is depicted with bound feet.

Japanese armor, Edo period, 18th–19th century; metal (non-specific), lacquered iron and silk brocade 

I was fascinated by all the handwork.  The kumihimo braiding must have taken months to weave.

Undulation, woven by Monden Kogyoku in 2005, of Japanese timber bamboo.  Monden has remarked that he is "all thumbs -- that's why I have my own personal style."  If only I were all thumbs in his style!

A bracelet of gold, pearl, emerald, ruby and diamond, made by Simon Pettiteau, in France about 1830.  Museum caption says it was likely commissioned for the wife of a high-ranking officer of the French army.

Banner of Zhong Kui painted by Hokusai, color with ink on cotton, about 1805 -- a Boys' Day decoration

Hokusai's most famous print, Under the Wave off Kanazawa, aka Great Wave, about 1831-32

Hokusai painted scary things too, such as the Ghost of Kohada Koheiji.

The Ghost of Oiwa, a young housewife in the kabuki ghost play A Strange Tale of Yotsuya.  More scary. 

A Native American basket with the most perfectly finished edge

I love dragons.

The Kendall Hotel -- the original fire station building has arched windows.  New guest rooms of the hotel are in the modern six story building behind it.

* * * * * * * *

Now we’re in Boston, but it feels totally different from the last time I was here with Tien because we’re staying in Cambridge and it is right in the thick of things.

Tien went off to work and I planned on spending the day at the Museum of Fine Arts (“MFA”). I always have a little trouble initially with transit.  There were separate ticket machines for cash and for credit cards.  The cash machine kept asking for a destination code.  A woman nearby said it was easier to refill with a credit card and gave me her spare/empty Charlie Transit Card.  So nice!  The trip to the MFA was easy enough, although I did have a slight hiccup looking for the correct platform at the transfer point.

MFA admission is high, $25, with one additional entry within the next ten days. Even after more than six hours I didn't finish so I am going back tomorrow.  The museum is huge and there are a lot of exhibits.  I saw special exhibits of daVinci drawings, photos by Herb Ritts, Chinese furniture, Hokusai's numerous wood block prints, ancient Nubian jewelry, images of Chinese court ladies, courtesans, prostitutes or pin up girls, plus a nice exhibit of contemporary Chinese art that I loved.  From the permanent collection:  ancient world including Egypt (still drawn to it even after all we saw in Egypt, because MFA includes photos of how/where the items were found), Assyria, Mesopotamia, Roman, Greek etc., jewelry, musical instruments, Asian and Africa, Americas included Native American headdresses, baskets and beaded work, lots of ceramics from various cultures, etc.  There is still a whole 'nother half of the museum to see.  Glad they allow photos without flash!  During my lunch break I ate an egg and fruit in the courtyard at 4p.  It was 88F and the foliage and vines are populated with chirping birds, mostly finches sparrows and small blackbirds.  My hands were full:  purse, camera, iphone for taking notes, plus the ipod and headphones I paid extra to rent so I could listen to experts talk about selected items; good thing for coat check where I left my bag with sweater and stuff.  I had dinner at the MFA's New American Cafe:  roasted asparagus soup with creme fraiche and bacon, half chicken with mushrooms and artichokes.  Before leaving MA, I saw a Herb Ritts exhibit of photos and listened to a special concert by a Japanese woman who sang and played a shamisen.

I got onto the train without problems, but went the wrong direction at the connection.  I had to get off and ask someone how to get to the other side of the track.  Once I did, I was back after three stops.  I met Tien and his colleagues at a nearby bar, then headed back to our hotel by myself.  Bushed. 

Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

Untitled, 2012, by Ahmed Alsoudani

Tar Baby on Pig with "N," 2011, by Vanessa German

Triple Silver Disaster, 1963, by Andy Warhol

Goodwin Tavern sign, circa 1800-1825, by William Rice

Fall-Front Desk, circa 1870, by William Howard 

Chinese Firecrackers, circa 1890, by John Haberle

Wall Drawing #1131, Whirls and Twirls, 2004, by Sol LeWitt

Library inside museum

Untitled/Tower, 2001, by Charles LeDray (carved from human bone)

* * * * * * * * * * * *

It was to be our last breakfast at Mermaid Inn.  Tien had havarti/lobster omelette and I had a raisin bagel with ham steak.  While eating, Tien and I marveled at Josephine's innkeeping.  She sent us packing with a bag filled with a small bottle of Italian sparkling wine "Proseca," two organic yellow peaches already washed, napkins, bags of her wonderful cookies and her granola, and bottled water.  Clearly, Mermaid Inn of Mystic is one of the best B&Bs we have ever stayed in.  Very few that we've encountered can hold a candle to Josephine's hostessing.

Tien's first meeting began at 8:30a and he left me with the car.  We rented an intermediate-sized car and got a gigantic Dodge Charger.  While entering info into the GPS, across the street from where I parked were several bird feeders, loads of birds and a couple of squirrels, and I watched for a few minutes.

Apple GPS helped me get to Hartford easily.  It was a one hour drive with no morning traffic to speak of, the likes of which we are used to in California.  The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art is smack in the middle of downtown.  I arrived too early, so I drove around looking for a good lot.  The convention center garage was an expensive $18, but the clerk let me out and also gave directions to a closer one, $12.  Now I was only ten minutes early.  A museum security guard headed in the same direction walked me to the entrance.  He asked where I was from and wasn't surprised when I said California.  When I asked why he said that, he said it was my magenta suede sneakers, which he liked, and said I had that "hip Cali vibe" (what?  hahaha).

The museum was undergoing renovations and none of their costume and textile collection are on exhibit, BOOHOOHOO!!!  That was the whole reason for my drive there.  Still, I wanted to visit.  The first gallery contained works by famous painters, Chagall Munch Dali Magritte Miro Picasso Mondrian Pollack DeKooning Warhol Krasner.  I took loads of photos (no flash).  So many interesting pieces in the contemporary gallery, such as a stack of dollhouse-sized furniture each carved from human bone (Charles LeDray).  My favorite contemporary works were an assemblage, Tar Baby on Pig with "N" by Vanessa German and an untitled painting by Ahmed Alsaldani, depicting the aftermath of a car bomb.  There was an on-site mixed media installation by a South Central L.A. artist, Mark Bradford.  There were old American furniture of exceptional quality, including a baby crib carved from the Charter Oak.  The Colt (guns) family's art and antique collection was here too.  There was much to absorb and I spent 3.5 hours here -- I love going to museums alone.  No one to rush me.  On the drive back to Groton, again, there was hardly any traffic.

Tien emerged from work with his colleague Rob.  We three drove up to Boston and traffic was awful for parts of the two hour drive.  We dropped off Rob at his hotel, then Tien checked us into the Kendall Hotel, a converted fire station -- very cute!  Lots of American folk art decor, including a doll whose skirt was made from an old leather punching bag.  Our bathroom has dalmation art, the classic firehouse dog.  Guest rooms are in a modern six-story building attached to the 1894 firehouse.

Our dinner was at Legal Seafood across the street.  The location of our hotel is the center of the MIT campus, tech and pharma companies.  Google and Microsoft are nearby.  After dinner we walked around and I'm sure we were very near my pal Tzotsy's former office where I met her for lunch a few years ago.

Another Day in Mystic

Such pretty plantings and a white picket fence

Dogwood tree, the first one I've ever seen

Tiny roses

Azaleas 

So much purple!

This house has a wrap-around porch and a thick planting of hostas

Lichen collection inside sealed plastic bag (with bugs too, ewww)

* * * * * * * * * * * * 

We are the only guests staying at the inn at the moment.  Innkeeper Josephine's Challah/French toast recipe with slivered almonds, chicken apple sausage, more homemade granola and a scoop of yogurt with blueberries was a good start for the day with two coffees.

I headed downtown again to the shops I missed yesterday, just for a long walk.  The sun came out and I was enthralled with late Spring plantings.  Lucky me to accompany Tien on another business trip!  I went back to the inn, to my favorite spot on the porch swing and sat for a while, then inside to watch a DVD.  Have you seen the movie, Finding Vivian Maier?  Excellent film.  I took another walk to enjoy the rest of the afternoon so I could see more beautiful houses.  Who doesn't love a wooden porch!

My recent interest in natural dyes includes color from lichen and mushrooms, which I haven't tried yet. All along my walk there was lichen on trees and stones, but I didn't dare collect without asking.  A few pieces lichen-covered bark that fell from trees was fair game.  There was lots of lichen at the inn on the low stone wall, and Josephine gave me permission to harvest.  I explained it would be used for dyeing silk when I got home.  She told me to take all I want because painters will scrape it all away in a month!  I noticed little red mites; good thing for sealable plastic bags.  Lichen makes magenta dye!  Must always give a little back:  Something dyed will def go to Josephine.

I sat outside with a cup of tea and my basketwork.  My tendonitis doesn't hurt as much, but I didn't get far because Tien returned from work.  Tien has said it's good when I come to dinner with him and his colleagues because he gets to know them better by not talking about work.  Last night it really sunk in after we had such an enjoyable dinner with Chris.

Despite the sunshine there were clouds and then a heavy downpour that lasted all of five minutes.  Dinner was at S&P Oyster Co. with Rob, Andy and Bo.  The food was okay.  We dropped Rob off at his hotel and then Tien and I took a post-meal walk to the train station.

Enjoying Spring in Mystic

Beautiful homes on the west side of Mystic River

One of my favorite houses on Gravel Street, an 1842 house built for Captain Thomas Eldridge

Don't drive into the river!

Mystic gardens in full bloom

Darn, what are these called?!

Peonies from the gardens at Mermaid Inn of Mystic

Apricot-colored peonies in various fading shades

Deep red peonies, the color of beets

Lace-cap hydrangeas

Azaleas

Sunset through a window at S and P Oyster Co.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Our innkeeper Josephine makes delicious granola, and cookies using her granola recipe.  She promised the recipes if I email her -- YUM!  I had 12 grain toast, yogurt and granola, a cookie and Keurig coffee.  I have avoided Keurig because of the plastic waste, but short of heading to Starbucks, this breakfast is already paid for.  Josephine and I chatted for a while while I asked how she started her bed and breakfast.  This is my third trip to Mystic and her inn is clearly becoming the favorite.

Josephine gave me the skinny on three grand homes which I admired on Willow Street.  They face west, towards Holmes Street, overlooking a pond near Mystic River.  One house has been inhabited by the same family for 30 years; the middle and largest is the summer home of a Hartford software company CEO who is retiring and plans to live there after a glass addition is complete (lots of hammering at the moment); the third house is occupied by a couple with a young child.

Tien went to work and I had five days off.  My first stop was PennyWise, a used clothing store where I'd bought a brown Pendleton vest a few years ago.  I found a loose, lazy linen dress, a blue leopard-print cardigan and a jeans skirt.  PennyWise is clean and organized.  On my walk home, my niece began texting me.  At the inn, I parked my butt on the porch swing to write to her.  It was relaxing, even with the sounds of construction going on across the street.  The swing became my favorite spot.

Tien was finished work at 3:30p.  We met on Gravel Street and we walked the length.  Gravel Street faces the water and is directly across from Mystic Seaport -- the houses are grand.  I have wanted to explore here since my first visit.

It is Spring and everything is in bloom -- pink azalea trees, clematis, bearded irises, several colors of peonies including a rare (to me) apricot color, and lush hostas are everywhere.  The hydrangeas aren't opening yet except for a lacecap variety.  I also saw a dogwood tree for the first time.  It's interesting to see flora where there are four seasons.  It's so different from San Diego.

Dinner was at Red 35 Restaurant, owned by the Bravo Bravo restaurant woman.  We shared fried oysters and five spice duck wings.  I got a hair-brained idea to order lobster and requested it be undercooked.  It came out perfectly.  Why didn't I think of that before?!  Nine out of 10 times it is overcooked and dry.  Also, instead of using the drawn butter it came with, I used the lobster butter (guts) and it was delicious.  Our meal was with Chris, Tien's work colleague.  His hobby is sports photography, specifically basketball, and his images are excellent.  What made him the ideal dinner companion is he is interesting AND he shows interest (what a concept!).  His wife is creative with fabric, like me -- I would have enjoyed meeting her too.