Boston + New England

If You’re Decorating Your Office….

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PacificoYou might be interested in some art by Isabel Shamitz. Especially if you’re looking for some nice art to decorate an office space. If you just want to look for free, then stop by the library this month and take a look.

During April, the Thomas Crane Public Library in Quincy, has an exhibit of Shamitz’s work called A Tale of Two Cities: an exploration of Boston and Quincy images.

As I was walking around picking up some books that I had put on hold and looking at the new DVDs, I saw her paintings. The colors, texture and mood drew me right in! Because the exhibit focuses on the Quincy and Boston area, I recognized some places too.

If you’re from the area, you’ll probably have a sense of familiarity. Also, Shamitz’s style reminded me of Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks.

That feeling of looking into the private world of another by glancing into a coffee shop window and seeing strangers interact. A certain light that puts you into a nostalgic mood when you’re not even sure what you’re feeling nostalgic about. But it’s there and quite palpable.

Since my work brings me to many a different office, one of the first things that I notice is the art work on the walls. That and where is the coffee located.

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Image: Screen shot of painting by Isabel Shamitz from Thomas Crane Public Library event website.

Subway Stories: South Station Last Night #MBTA

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South Station TIt was so cold last night! But as I walked from work to the T, I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful South Station looked.

Lit up in red lights and glowing against the sky above and snow below. It took a few takes to get this picture on Instagram. But I think it was worth have freezing fingers for a few moments.
Dog on platformWhile waiting for the Braintree train at South Station, I noticed the most beautiful dog. It was sitting quietly until a train went by, then got up and looked like he was ready to go! So was I!

The Braintree train arrived without waiting long at all and it seemed like things were starting to get back to normal here in Boston.

On Oreos, Ice Cream + Snow Stress

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Breyers Golden Oreo ice creamMaybe it’s snow stress. Maybe my sweet tooth has turned very nostalgic for the treats of my youth. Maybe it’s a bit of both. Either way, I’ve become rather preoccupied with all things Oreo. Cannot wait to try the S’mores Oreos!

When I was in the store recently, I noticed Breyers Golden Oreo Cookies & Cream. I could not resist.  Like most days now, another snow storm was imminent and this flavor seemed quite comforting. It was!

The cookie ice cream combo reminds me of Steve’s Ice Cream from back in the day.

Breyers actually has quite a cool thing going on with their Breyers Blasts! line of ice creams. They have all sorts of cookie, cake and candy combos.

Again, we in the Boston area are preparing for another snow storm later today and I will be doing some grocery shopping soon. I may indulge in another flavor to ride-out the storm.

What about you? Any favorite sweets to deal with the snow?

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Photo Credit: Breyers

Snow, Snow, Snow, Snow. Please Go!

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snow banks on sidewalk roasted sweet potatoes collageIf it’s Monday, then it must be a post about snow! It feels like everyday it’s snowing or we are recovering from more snow. Plus, last night the wind chill was in the double digits below zero. It was scary cold!

Tonight ABC nightly news started coverage from right here in Quincy to talk about the horrible weather. You know it’s serious, when the national news starts in your city!

Here are some more pictures to give you an idea of what we are dealing with here. The large picture to the left is a view down my street. Below to the right is the walkway to my car. My car is behind the snow bank and I won’t even go into the details of the ordeal to back out. I have to to maneuver around the snow bank and try not hitting my neighbors’ cars. In order to get back into the space again, I have to go up another street and come down the hill, so I can drive in at the right angle. I just wanted to cry after backing out the first time. Today it wasn’t quite as bad. G has been digging my car out each time and he made more space.

Above that picture is a pan of roasted sweet potatoes. When it’s cold out, there’s nothing like roasting some vegetables to warm things up in my apartment. Plus, they were so good! I microwaved them first, then cut them up and added olive oil, garlic powder, ground ginger, ground rosemary and sea salt.

Hopefully you had a nice long weekend and your parking situation did not make you cry! Let’s hope this is a good week!

Monday in Collage

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Monday in Collage
It seems that the post that I wrote last Monday could very well have been recycled for this Monday as well. The T was a mess again with the new snow storm that is currently going on.

While in my opinion, it should have been shut down before the snow even started based on what happened last week, the train service is shut down through the end of Tuesday. Also, finally the Governor declared a State of Emergency for Massachusetts. Hopefully, with additional equipment now being requested, the snow will be removed and it will be safer to get around. We’ll see. There’s supposed to be another storm coming on Thursday and on Sunday. It’s just too much!!!

Above are some pictures that I took on Instagram that I thought I’d share here. The snowy scene is from my backyard. The table and chairs have almost disappeared under the snow! I finally tried the Red Velvet Oreos. They are so good! But I gobbled them all up really fast, so they are not pictured here.

Luckily, when I went food shopping before the storm, there was an enterprising Girl Scout in the store selling boxes of cookies. People were swarming to get them! I got three and had some Thin Mints today. A wonderful classic. Since I ate all the Oreos, G finished that box up. I also bought the Thanks-A-Lot and Cranberry Citrus Crisps. I’ll be opening those soon! The boxes are much smaller than they used to be, so they don’t last as long.

Also, in the midst of all this snow, the paperwhites that my mother gave me for Christmas have bloomed. They smell so good and remind me that spring will arrive eventually. It will be a very nice change.

How is the weather where you are?