Saturday, April 20, 2013

This Week's Blog Post

Custom Lanyard
One of my customers requested a tiger eye lanyard with gold accents! I love it! 
I may consider adding this to my inventory along with some other more expensive gemstones.

Boston
So this is not my planned post for the week. In light of the tragedy that occurred on Monday, I wanted to do a little dedication to Boston as I have lived in Massachusetts my entire life and always within a 30 minute drive from this great city.  

Yesterday was surreal. Driving to work I was listening to the news and how Boston and surrounding towns were in lock down. Residents were being told to keep their doors locked. Public transportation was not running. I felt a huge sense of relief last night when they took the second suspect into custody!

It is not easy just going on with life as normal between this and the results of the horrific blast in Texas. Life right now feels uncomfortable to say the least.

To lighten things up I will share some of my favorite photos of Beantown in recent years. Those of you who have been following my blog for a while may remember some of these.

This is Jim's favorite painting at a cool restaurant (The Beehive) in the South End where we had a great jazz brunch.
I just love this thick heavy chain!
Fanuel Hall is a neat place for shopping, eating, drinking, enjoying street performers or simply people watching!
Paul Revere! He was the dude that shouted "the British are coming" while riding through on his horse. (although those were not his exact words that night)
Who does not love street art that makes you smile!
Here is the Old State House which is now a museum.
Here is the new State House (in the background) by the Boston Public Garden.
Brownstones!
The John Hancock Tower. My dad worked in this building when I was really young.
Great architecture and accents.

Old cobblestone streets. The Union Oyster House (in the background) is a landmark.
Ok. I do not care at all about sports, but Go Sox!

Why do we call it Beantown? 
Back in the colonial days, baked beans cooked in molasses was a favorite. There was some sort of overage of molasses so I guess the ladies got creative in the kitchen! That is what Boston Baked Beans are although they are no longer popular. 

Why do we call it The Hub? 
Author Oliver Wendell Holmes described the Old State House as a "hub of the Solar System" in a 1858 novel. The nickname was shortened years later. I guess the city was a little cocky during its growth!

Here is my favorite Boston anthem. It is titled "Dirty Water" by The Standells. The drummer cracks me up. I want whatever he is on!!! This song was written jockingly in 1966 when there was tons of pollution in the Boston Harbor and the Charles River.

Here is another one of my favorite Boston anthems. This is from the celtic rock band the Dropkick Murphys singing "Tessie". This Boston Red Sox anthem is a take on the 1902 Broadway musical The Silver Slipper.

I hope you enjoyed my tribute to a great town!!! If you have never been here, it is definitely worth the trip. It is a perfect walking city and easy to navigate!

Thank you for stopping by and have a great, peaceful week!!! ~Val

20 comments:

  1. Lovely pictures -- thank you for the tour! And that lanyard is so elegant and refined :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Val,

    I'm glad things have calmed down for you up in the Boston area now. I have really fond memories of living there...it is my favorite city. I always found it easy to get around, beautiful, clean, navigating was a breeze and I always enjoyed the subway system when I was there, never owned a car. I lived in Newton and Brookline and just loved it, would take the T into work each day.

    This was a lovely tribute post to a great city.....

    Ruth

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a great tribute to the History and Quirks of Boston. It is such a great city...I used to go a few times a year but it has been ~yikes!~ 14 years since I was in the city itself. That drummer was having so much fun, even if he might not have known where he was ;-)
    and the Tiger's Eye...perfect! what a gorgeous, rich stone.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great tribute post!
    It shows what a wonderful city Boston is :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great post Val! and GREAT city!! I love Boston, I love it's rich history, it beautiful views and its warm people. I've been there many, many times. And I'll be back!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm so glad that Boston's nightmare is now over. Boston is definitely on my "places to visit" list and I hope to make it there some day. When my ancestors came over from England in the 1700s, it was Boston where they lived and did business. My forebear owned 3 merchant ships which he sailed back and forth between Boston and England -- export/import business, I guess.

    ReplyDelete
  7. what a nice tribute. I've never been to Boston (or Mass) but I love American history, and Boston played a big part. that video is great...what is with the umbrella??? lol. ah, the 60's and 70's, no telling what they were smoking. :0)
    Debbi
    -yankeeburrowcreations

    ReplyDelete
  8. oh, and that laynard is beautiful. I love tigers eye beads.
    Debbi (again)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great tribute. Thanks for sharing some great info on your city. I was there for the marathon a number of years ago and have always meant to come back sometime. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a wonderful post this is, Val!
    Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi Val,
    I love the Tiger's eye lanyard the gold goes well with the stones.
    Thank you for sharing Boston with us, my thoughts and prayers go out to all that were touched by what happened there last week. I am so happy that the last of the two has been captured. Boston is on my list of cities to visit.
    Therese

    ReplyDelete
  12. Such a lovely tribute. I visited Boston when we lived in the US in the late 90s, and really loved it. I could have very easily settled there. This week's events have been incomprehensible, but even at this huge distance away, like you, we are relieved that the suspects are no longer at large.

    ReplyDelete
  13. My heart goes out to everyone in Boston and Texas! Such horrible tragedy! I love the pictures you shared and some of the history Val! Thank you! You are right about the drummer in Dirty Water! He is hilarious! LOL!
    Love your special order! Take Care and Be safe ;o)

    ReplyDelete
  14. This was a tough week indeed :( thank you for sharing some history with us! Oh and the drummer is hilarious!! I want some of that!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. definitely a very tough week :( but we must hang on and support! thanks for sharing the photos!

    the STYLE Fringe BLOG
    http://the-stylefringe.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. Wow..this is a great post to help through a tough time!
    Thanks for sharing!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. hello!
    long time no "see"! :)

    I'm on facebook now:

    www.facebook.com/BemTrapilho

    Come and see me and clik "like" :)

    thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi Val,

    What wonderful photo's.
    My family lived in Boston
    for two years. It was
    a wonderful time.

    Thanks for visiting and
    for your kind comments.

    Bear Hugs
    Carolyn

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for stopping by! I love reading visitor comments! ~Val