Graffiti Sunday

After a nice brunch with my friend Adam, we walked around Cambridge and stumbled upon some interesting graffiti art.

First, Adam showed me a piece from when Banksy came through town. There is another Banksy piece in Chinatown, but I haven't made it over there yet to photograph it.

In Central Square, there is an alley full of graffiti art. When I first moved up here, I took a few photographs of the alley. All of those pieces are covered up by now, of course, making the space a constantly changing landscape of color and art.

 In fact, we happened upon these guys painting over some older (and according to Adam, better) art.

I particularly liked the sexy ET.

Some was better than others, but even though this piece was pretty basic, I like the layers of art atop art. 

 I love the happy monster guy!

We also walked by the Stata Building at MIT which was designed by Frank  Gehry. It apparently has all kinds of drainage issues, but it looks pretty cool.

Red Sox vs LA Angels May 3

Recently we were given some awesome Red Sox tickets. They were three rows up in the third base box. You could hear the players curse, see their expressions as they ran into home, and heckle the Angels whose dug out was to our left.  I have to say I might be spoiled now.

View from our seats before the game started.

They aren't kidding. A lady got hit in the back a few rows up. Ouch...

Dan

It was Marine Week so they had a group of recruits take their oath on the field. Afterwards, the color guard walked past us.

Warming up before the game.

Heidi, the sports reporter from NESN. The guys in front of us would alternate between heckling the Angels batters and catcalling at Heidi.

Pitching

LAA Dugout

Matsui at bat

And that's it for the Angels players. The Red Sox kicked their butts, so they don't deserve any more pictures. However, I can't promise they are all in the correct game order. For everyone's sake, I'm only posting the pictures that came out well. 

Martinez at bat.

Pedroia at bat.

Scutaro at bat.

McDonald at bat.

Youkilis at bat - you don't even have to read this to know. I'd make fun of his stance if he weren't so awesome.

Home run! Youk rounding third.

Yooooooouuuuuuk running it in!

Another hit - Beltre rounding third.

Drew at bat.

We had so many runs that I don't even remember who this was. But click on the picture and look at it large sized - I love the dejected Angels outfielder in the background. 

Final score: Red Sox 17, LAA 8

The Reservoir in Spring

Right by our apartment is the Chestnut Hill reservoir, an extra reserve of water for Boston. Most of the time I don't even think of its practical use - it is just a pretty lake to me - but recently we had a major water pipe burst and the city had to tap into the reservoirs for water. Thankfully, that was a few weeks after I took these photographs because as you can see the water levels were really low.

Flowers all around Boston were starting to bloom.

The water levels were pretty low - normally there are no rock islands.

It was a sunny, warm day and the animals loved it. The turtles were out sunbathing.

Swans were swimming.

Chipmunks were running around.

And lots of people were walking around the reservoir, sunbathing on the rock islands, and one guy was even fishing though I don't think there is much worth catching.

Dan and I crawled down onto one of the rock islands and walked around for a bit.

Dan being dramatic.

It was a nice break before the hectic write-a-thon that finals for grad students always end up being.

Updates that are long overdue

The very last classes I'll take at BU are done! And now that I have a little free time, I've realized how many pictures I've taken this semester that I've completely neglected to post. So below are a few of the highlights:

The Saints won the Superbowl! 

Yeah, I know I'm super late on that update but here is the king cake I made for the party: 

Science Museum with Uncle Tom and Uncle Jon in February. 

This was the world's largest indoor Van de Graaff generator.

The Museum of Science still had the dino dressed festively. 

Later that day: Dan riding the duck statue in the Common. Horses are so passé. 

Random: Kid at Eagles Deli attempts to do the Eagles Challenge Burger - 5 pounds of beef, 20 slices of cheese, 20 slices of bacon, and 5 pounds of fries. I had to take a picture, though I doubt he finished it. 

Mom and Caroline come to visit in March.

Caroline making friends with ye old horses.

Uncle Jon's Rooster

Caroline and Timmy the farm cat.

This old home in Salem was where my great grandfather was born. My grandmother has a lot of childhood memories of this house.

Vodou Memorial Ceremony for the Dead in March

One of the sosyetes in Boston held a ritual to heal the living and help the dead. This was in the chapel at Harvard.

Singing together. It was very moving, very sad, but also comforting and healing. 

Walking around the Common with my professor and some friends in May.

The public gardens were covered in tulips. Unfortunately, my camera ran out of batteries before I could take more pictures of the flowers.

Graveyard on the Common

And I think I'll save the rest for another post or two.