Boston Archives - Page 10 of 19 - Anali's Next Amendment

Subway Stories: Walking in the Moonlight

July 30, 2020May 19, 2016 by Lisa Johnson

This week has been mostly uneventful. But that’s actually a good thing. I picked up some more freelance writing work that I’m very excited about. Yay!

Even though it’s been mostly from home to work and back again, I do enjoy the time that I get to spend outdoors in this wonderful spring weather.

Especially when I get to see the moon rising as I walk to and from the subway.

I finally saw the renovated Government Center T station. It does look nice, but there is a surprising amount of construction still going on around the subway station.

This pair of orange bikes caught my eye. For a long time I’ve considered orange to be my protective color.

The moonrise is brighter each night as we approach Saturday’s full moon. Such a beautiful natural light in the sky behind the lights in the buildings.

Those moon rays lift me up with the light. A marvelous night for a Moondance. Do you ever dance in the moonlight? 🙂

Another Boston Romance

July 30, 2020May 11, 2016 by Lisa Johnson

My love for Boston has returned. Not that I ever stopped loving it. But the winter makes it hard to remember that loving feeling. That special love for Boston feeling.

Like when I’ve been away on a trip. I’m on a plane and we start circling Logan and descend back into the city. No matter where I’m coming from or how much I enjoyed my trip, I am thrilled to be home. I see Boston with fresh eyes and get that loving feeling.

Each year when the warm weather returns, the city wakes up and blooms. When I was walking outside yesterday, I looked down an alley that would be very easy to miss. I saw this outdoor seating area. Empty, but waiting for people to arrive.

Imagine all the future people in this space over the next few months. Mixing and mingling. Talking. Eating. Laughing. Remembering. Maybe even falling in love.

It made me think about all the restaurants and cafes around the Boston area that have set up their outdoor seating for the season.

Then this morning, I found a listing on Eater Boston with 120+ patios officially open for 2016. They made the list, so I don’t have to. It’s a great resource for the season. Whether you’re an area local or a tourist visiting. I’m looking forward to going to a few of these places. Hopefully you will too!

Self-Care for Foodies: A Breakfast Board

July 30, 2020April 12, 2016 by Lisa Johnson 2 Comments

The breakfast board is not my creation. But I do love the idea after reading about it on A Cup of Jo and if feels like self-care. Maybe it’s the next big trend for the picnic season? It would be kind of fun eating this outside.

Somehow if feels rather fanciful eating from a board. Maybe because it’s different. So it seems special. Like I ordered it from room service at a posh hotel, even though I made it myself.

While this is a normal breakfast, I did take more care with placement as I spread everything out — a boiled egg, a pear, a bit of avocado, vanilla Greek yogurt with granola, dates and walnuts.

As more of us focus on self-care, so that we can accomplish what we want in any given day, and remain happy, not just sane, we each find different ways of nurturing ourselves.

I think the breakfast board is a nice way. It’s probably not something we’ll do everyday, but it’s a nice change.

Sometimes we just need a change in order to be a bit more productive and creative. Last night, I attended a dinner meeting at the UMass Club. Dinner was wonderful and our group accomplished a lot.

When we walked into our room and looked out the windows, we were all struck by the view.

While I’ve been in many tall buildings in Boston and seen plenty of gorgeous views of the city, this was not the same area as usual, so the view was different.

I’ve walked around Center Plaza and Government Center countless times. But never seen them from 32 floors above! The same for the Massachusetts State House. A change in perspective can gives us a new way to look at life. And sometimes, that’s all we really need.

Subway Stories: Is The Biggest Loser in Boston?

July 30, 2020April 3, 2016 by Lisa Johnson 2 Comments

Taking the T provides an endless source of stories. The things people talk about in front of dozens of strangers still surprises me. Sometimes these strangers haunt me for days or more. I think about them and wonder, “What happened to them?” That’s why I started the Subway Stories series on my old blog.

When I got on the train one day last week, I noticed a woman with a huge suitcase in front of her. Several colorful plastic bags were piled on it and beside her. Her head was slumped down on her chest and I hoped that she did not smell. She didn’t. I sat on a seat across from her.

I could tell that she was homeless. The longer I looked at her, the more sad I felt. I tried not to stare, but she was directly in front of me. She was an elderly woman, with a bright baseball cap that was pink and purple with sparkles.

It wasn’t that cold, but she had on a long fur brown coat. Her pale veiny fingers had pretty rings on most of them. She had a cute pocketbook, with the strap slung around her neck and resting on her lap.

You could tell she was a stylish woman. She was thin and had chin length blonde hair. Her face was deeply lined and look strained. She was sleeping, then waking up and looked restless. Nervous. Afraid. I could see a hospital bracelet on her wrist peeking out from under her sleeve. She must be sick. Or at least she had been.

I couldn’t stop wondering, “How did this get to be her present situation?” What kind of society lets this happen?

She needed help. She looked newly homeless. Like she had just been put out and still had all her prized possessions with her. Maybe it happened while she was in the hospital? All the possible scenarios buzzed through my mind. She was trying to figure it out, but was so tired.

Was there was anything that I could do? I thought about asking her. Trying to help. Did she have children? Did they abandon her? Maybe she had no children like me. Would this be my fate too?

I didn’t say anything to her. I had to get to work and make some money while the opportunity was there. So many of us are close to becoming her. It’s so easy to slip between the cracks. It’s one of my worst fears….

***

Another encounter that screamed Subway Stories happened just the next day on the train. I was sitting to the left of a man talking on his phone. You can see his legs and hand in the picture above. It’s so strange listening to one side of a conversation, because you can only imagine the questions being asked by the other person.

Here are a few things he was saying, “I’m doing fine. Trying to stay healthy. People say I look good, but I don’t see it.”

I quickly looked at him, because I was too curious not to. He seemed like an average guy. Then he goes on. “Yeah. Waiting for the big reveal to see everyone.”

Hmmm. That’s not something that you hear everyday. Then I started wondering, “Who is this guy? Is he on The Biggest Loser or something?”

He said that he got his teeth fixed and his wife is afraid that he is going to leave her for someone else. He kept saying over and over that she has nothing to be worried about. He loves his wife. He truly loves her and does not want to be with anyone else. No matter what.

The things you see and hear on the T…. Until the next new edition of Subway Stories, click the links for the archives.

Spring 2016: Free Yoga Classes in Boston

July 30, 2020March 10, 2016 by Lisa Johnson 4 Comments

While it may not be officially spring yet, it’s so close and I feel like we made it through the winter. Plus, Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring, so let’s just go with it.

The Winter Schedule of free yoga classes needed updating, so might as well start my spring cleaning here.

Remember there are Meetups in the area to try out.

Hands To Heart Center Yoga – Yoga for the People provides free yoga classes for people living with poverty and trauma in Boston. Check out their website and Twitter for class schedules.

The Free Yoga Boston Community Page on Facebook is updated everyday. So be sure to check there for all sorts of yoga news!

Also, if you know of other free or donation based classes in the Boston area that are missing from this list, please let me know. This “Big List” is always a work in progress. There will be updates, so keep checking back. Namaste!

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MONDAY

Troops for Fitness Yoga
BCYF Cleveland Community Center (Dorchester)
7:15pm – 8:15pm

As part of the Coca-Cola Troops for Fitness program, the Boston Parks and Recreation Department is offering free yoga classes on different days and locations and seems to be a year-round thing. Most classes last an hour and schedules change every couple of months. For updates and cancellations, check Twitter and Facebook.

TUESDAY

Yoga Classes at Boston Medical Center
Moakley Building (830 Harrison Avenue, Boston)
6pm – 7:15pm

These yoga classes are not just during the summer and are open to community members in addition to BMC patients and staff. They are held indoors and part of the Program for Integrative Medicine & Health Care Disparities. Take the elevator or stairs down to the basement. The classes are free, but there is a suggested donation of $5.00. Currently there is a flyer online [click here], but it is old. If the online flyer is updated, I will link to it here.

Complete Candlelight Flow
Pop Allston (89 Brighton Ave, Boston)
8pm – 9pm

Yoga Hub, founded by Ali Singer, is offering this class designed for yogis to advance their practice through building a comprehensive understanding of yoga techniques and philosophy. Upon arrival, each student receives a candle as a symbolic token of union with the Self and with others. No experience is necessary. Free mat rental is available. While the class is free, there is a suggested $5 donation.

WEDNESDAY

More To Love Yoga
Yoga Series at the Ed Portal (Harvard Ed Portal, Allston)
7:30pm – 8:30pm

Rachel Estapa, founder of More to Love, is a certified Kripalu Yoga teacher and professional body image coach. The class offers practical pose variations and enhances body acceptance. Harvard Ed Portal’s Yoga Series offers different types of free yoga classes through the year. Eventbrite registration is encouraged due to space constraints.

Troops for Fitness Yoga
BCYF Cleveland Community Center (Dorchester)
7:15pm – 8:15pm

THURSDAY

Yoga Classes at Boston Medical Center
Moakley Building (830 Harrison Avenue, Boston)
4:30pm – 6pm

These yoga classes are not just during the summer and are open to community members in addition to BMC patients and staff. They are held indoors and part of the Program for Integrative Medicine & Health Care Disparities. Take the elevator or stairs down to the basement. The classes are free, but there is a suggested donation of $5.00. Currently there is a flyer online [click here], but it is old. The Thursday class starts at 4:30pm. If the online flyer is updated, I will link to it here.

Children & Family Yoga/Troops for Fitness
Walter Denney Youth Center (Dorchester)
6pm – 7pm

Glow Yoga
Pop Allston (89 Brighton Ave, Boston)
8pm – 9pm

Yoga Hub, founded by Ali Singer, is an all-levels class incorporating black lights, glow sticks, dance music, and asana. You get fitness, fun and will get creative with neon body paint. Free mat rental is available. While the class is free, there is a suggested $5 donation.

FRIDAY

Beyond Beginner Yoga
Yoga Series at the Ed Portal (Harvard Ed Portal, Allston)
6pm – 7pm

If you’re comfortable with basic yoga poses and are looking for more sophisticated sequences and poses, this class draws on different styles of flow yoga and integrates some meditation to relax the mind as well as the body. Harvard Ed Portal’s Yoga Series offers different types of free yoga classes through the year. Eventbrite registration is encouraged due to space constraints.

SATURDAY

Winter Workout
The Liberty Hotel (Charles Street, Beacon Hill, Boston)
10am

Back in 2009, The Liberty was one of the first hotels in Boston, or anyplace in the area for that matter, to start offering free yoga classes in the summer. They set the trend and still offer free classes in collaboration with Equinox. Guests of the hotel and members of the community are welcome to take the class for free. Classes are year round. In the summer, classes are outside in the courtyard. In the cooler months, they are indoors. Check with the concierge to find the exact class location, since it appears to change.

SUNDAY

Reggae Flow
Pop Allston (89 Brighton Ave, Boston)
9:30am – 10:30am

Yoga Hub, founded by Ali Singer, is offering this reggae-inspired yoga class. No experience is necessary for this class, where postures build through a progressive sequence, designed to cultivate total harmony in body and mind. Free mat rental is available. While the class is free, there is a suggested $5 donation.

Brewery Yoga
Night Shift Brewing (87 Santilli Highway, Everett)
11am – 12pm

These yoga classes take place at the brewery every so often. Take a look at their event calendar for confirmation and sign up! Kat O’Leary from CorePower Yoga teaches the vinyasa classes.

Yoga For Runners
Boston Marathon adidas Runbase (855 Boylston Street, Boston)
6:30pm

These free vinyasa yoga classes are taught by Liz Vail. A customized yoga flow will bring balance to overworked muscles used when running and will also provide strength to the areas of the body that are needed in order to run more efficiently. All levels of yoga experience are welcome, but it looks like you need to register each week.

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Image Credit: “Yoga Pose” courtesy of lobster20 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

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