Greetings from Boston!

[Mation]

Hello there

Thought I'd do a self-indulgent thread to post occasional ramblings while I'm over here in the U.S. of A.

Arrived here in style yesterday having made a big cry-baby, panicky fuss on the plane when they wouldn't let me assauge my flying terror with alcohol on top of valium, but instead upgraded me to first class!

Slept all the way in a full-length bed with a duvet and big fluffy pillow, I did

I'm staying in a lovely flat in Brighton, which is a studenty area about 15 minutes on the T (train/tram thing) away from Boston University.

Haven't seen much yet bar the department I'll be in and my bf's brother and his wife's house, but I'm off to explore Harvard Square shortly.

To everyone who tried to tell me I'd freeze* I should actually have packed my bikini because it is currently hot and sunny and lovely

* Yes I know I'll pay for this later...

 

[Strumpet]

*waves at you*
Hope you have a wonderful time mation!

Look forward to your adventure blog!

 

[Pickman's model]

are you going to salem?

 

[fat hamster]

Woohooooo!

You made it! Yay!!!!

<jumps up and down and waves frantically to Mation>

Arrived here in style yesterday having made a big cry-baby, panicky fuss on the plane when they wouldn't let me assauge my flying terror with alcohol on top of valium, but instead upgraded me to first class!

Slept all the way in a full-length bed with a duvet and big fluffy pillow, I did

<makes a note of Mation's technique for future reference when flying out to see her>

So what time is it over there?

 

[axon]

Welcome to the Land of the Free (terms and conditions apply) Mation ! I've baked you a metaphorical electronic apple pie. Enjoy !

 

[Mation]

<makes a note of Mation's technique for future reference when flying out to see her>

So what time is it over there?

Tee-hee I can highly recommend flying Wuss Class And it's now 5 past midnight and I'm wery wery sleepy. Come and visit Hammy come and visit Hammy come and visit!

I've been out wandering about Harvard library, trying and failing to step quietly on marble floors and attracting snooty glances all the way. Snuck in to their fabulously grand and ornate chapel too. Very impressive organ. I'll post some pictures in a couple of days when I've taken a few more. (Oh joy! cries everyone)

I'm going to try to get to Salem for Halloween or thereabouts, Pickman's.

I tried to get myself in the mood with the very same pumpkin beer you were talking about the other day axon, but got served ginger and cinnamon beer instead in a bar in Harvard Square. Very nice it was too (the beer, not the bar). Did badly in a pub quiz... the plural of octopus is octpodes, apparently.

Thanks Strumpet

 

[treefrog]

Yay!! 'Ello love, jammy you for getting into first class!

Snake is doing very well, has discovered the delights of using my neck as a place to snooze..

 

[flimsier]

Tell everyone on the streets, '"unlucky v the White Sox" from flimsier' please!

 

[Roadkill]

Lucky you. Boston's lovely.

 

[dingleweed]

i love boston its very nice!!
have fun

 

[flimsier]

Tell everyone on the streets, '"unlucky v the White Sox" from flimsier' please!

Errm, after one inning of their first game, they won't be laughing!!

 

[MarkMark]

Glad you made it safe & sound!

 

[madamv]

I look forward to hearing all about your travels.

I never get to go anywhere me

 

[Mation]

*waves hullo to all*

<minutiae>

Did some work stuff today (apparently I'm expected to do some ) and then spent some time wandering around Brookline. very odd that it's a separate city given that it's right in the middle of Boston and starts over the road from from my place, distinguished only by the general swishness. Very affluent, very beautiful houses, huge gardens, and funnily enough, full of people who made eye-contact and smiled at me... I thought Boston is supposed to be cold and unfriendly? Oh... it wasn't Boston. Hmmmm.

I found a pretty good supermarket at Coolidge Corner where the chap on the till asked about my Necker cube tattoo, and then reeled off a whole load of links he thought I should look at from the Society for Neuroscience website And indeed I should as I'm off to their conference in Washington in November.

Found some good Indian food too! I saw a really cheap and grotty-looking 'all you can eat' buffet and thought 'that's the place for me!' and indeed it was.

I'll do some proper touristy things over the weekend...

Facsnating this, isn't it!

Any other tips for me to endear myself to Bostonian's after flimsier's helpful suggestion?

Has Isobel had scale to scale contact with Mir yet, frogperson?

 

[tastebud]

glad to hear it's going well. enjoy!

 

[Agent Sparrow]

Excellent! Keep the news coming, and so glad you've had a good start!

 

[girasol]

I tried to get myself in the mood with the very same pumpkin beer you were talking about the other day axon, but got served ginger and cinnamon beer instead in a bar in Harvard Square. Very nice it was too (the beer, not the bar). Did badly in a pub quiz... the plural of octopus is octpodes, apparently.

Cinnamon beer??? If they do them in bottles you have to get me one!!! Sounds wonderful, I love the smell of cinnamon above everything else...

Glad to hear you're settling in ok!

 

[fat hamster]

Been checkin' this thread now and then...it's been three days...you still out there, Mation??

Hope you're just having so much fun you haven't had time to post!

 

[Mation]

Still here!

I've actually been doing some work! (First time I've been absorbed rather than just busy in ages. )

But! Also got out and about a little... It's been really hot and sunny here all week until yesterday when it just poured buckets all day, on my first proper sightseeing fest.

Really wanted to go on a whale watching boat but the weather was so filthy it didn't seem worth it, but I did go to the Aquarium. They have leafy sea dragons. I *love* leafy sea dragons! But I got depressed when there was a big harbour seal training show and left...

Wandered around downtown to Quincy Market and Fanueil Hall and did some of the Freedom Trail to Boston Common...

Managed to get to the Christian Science centre when the last 'mapparium' show had sold out, so I might try again later. Despite being a misnoma, the centre has a big stained-glass globe of the world as it was known in 1935... You can walk on a bridge through it and the acoustics are all odd - it's a whispering gallery. Was talking to one of the professors in the department here at BU who made acoustic measurements of it years ago and apparently sounds just move very strangely up, down and around as you walk in a straight line through it...

Made it to the Museum of Fine Art and looked at lots of beautiful stolen things... my favourite being a beautifully painted, red porcelain arse from Tibet (iirc).

Went to the top of the Prudential tower on Friday night for hideously expensive cocktails and did some people watching in Back Bay. There are some terrifyingly glamourous bar staff here!

Ooh and I had dinner in a very posh restaurant last night, on my own, eating only side dishes of macaroni and mashed potato with champagne as they didn't have a vegetarian main.

I need to meet some Americans... Properly, I mean, not just in passing. (Lab mates don't count as they're all weird geeks anyway! ) Haven't really got a sense of the place yet beyond the very friendly but superficial politeness. Haven't spotted any racism yet, but I'm trying not to look toooo hard...

I stopped a random black woman on the street to ask where she got her hair done as I haven't seen any appropriate salons yet, and she gave me her phone number, so I'm going to call and see what I can see...

<thinks about brainaddict's travelogue compared to this>

 

[crustychick]

*waves*

Hi Mation!

Glad you're having a cool time

 

[D]

Have you been to Jamaica Plain?

There were - and probably still are - some cool arts collectives in that area.

I bet you'd find a fair number of places to have your hair cut in Roxbury.

 

[bluestreak]

ello sunshine, *waves*

all goes well then?

 

[Miss Caphat]

Have you been to Jamaica Plain?

There were - and probably still are - some cool arts collectives in that area.

I bet you'd find a fair number of places to have your hair cut in Roxbury.

Oooh, actually there's a really fun place in J.P. I used to live there and I'd pass this place on the bus, I forget what it was called but you really can't miss it, it's famous.

Ask people, I think they'll know what I'm talking about..it has a funny name. Or you can just take the main bus route that goes through Jamaica Plain (the #39) and look out for it.

Sorry to be confusing!

Anyway, also check out the Arnold arboreatum in J.P. it's gorgeous and very big. (this is all assuming you're still there)

 

[pseudonarcissus]

I'll be in Boston the weekend after next. It's the Head of the Charles rowing race. I expect to see you there cheering me on

 

[fat hamster]

<waves to Mation>

 

[Mation]

I'll be in Boston the weekend after next. It's the Head of the Charles rowing race. I expect to see you there cheering me on

Ooh! PM me - I'd love to come and cheer you on

<waves enthusiatcally to crustychick, bluey and Hammy>

I'm planning the Arboretum for next Sunday, Miss Caphat, for a bit of local leaf-peeping, and I'm venturing into New Hampshire (gulp) on Saturday for the same.

D - I'm definitely going to Jamaica Plain for a post-conference party in a few weeks, but I should think that will alll be a bit stuffy. Will investigate the arts collectives...

And meanwhile, from the comfort of my chair, i'm quite enjoying the vagaries of Boston life on craigslist....

 

[D]

Ah, craigslist. The wonders of the internet.

 

[MarkMark]

Glad to hear you're settling in there. Liked the story about finding a bid red Tibettan arse in The Museum Of Stolen Things (sounds a bit like our 'British' Museum then) Enjoy yourself & keep us posted.

 

[pseudonarcissus]

Ooh! PM me - I'd love to come and cheer you on

a friend reports:

"I was amused to read in Vanity Fair's (Sept 2005) autumn diary section
detailing ("cool places to be and when") the following -

October 22-23 BOSTON
Hunky Ivy League rowers converge on Boston's Charles River for the Head of
the Charles, a weekend of preppy handbook without irony. On the sidelines,
corduroyed young men hook up with girls in pearls; think of it as America's
version of European royal-family inbreeding."


I don't read Vanity Fair and my friend claims she found it lying around at the hairdresser. Anyway, maybe we can find ourselves some hunky ivy league types for the weekend. I must dust off my corduroy. I'll PM

I was up there a few years ago and we rented a car and hiked up Mont Monadnock which was very pretty.

 

[Mation]

October 22-23 BOSTON
Hunky Ivy League rowers converge on Boston's Charles River for the Head of
the Charles, a weekend of preppy handbook without irony. On the sidelines,
corduroyed young men hook up with girls in pearls; think of it as America's
version of European royal-family inbreeding."

Yikes! I don't have any pearls, but I do have rather a lot of courderoy.

I shall come in drag!