Scan-A-Roo
18/06/19 07:03
Nancy and I took a trip into Boston on Sunday for an appointment on Monday at NEMC. It's been 3 or 4 years since our last trip into town and it was remarkable how much the skyline has changed just in that short period of time. So much so, in fact, that we kind of lost our bearings here and there when we failed to recognize where we were exactly because the usual landmarks were either gone, updated, or obscured by new taller buildings. The architectural identity of the city was clearly under seige for better or worse.
The Verb Hotel was more welcoming than I remembered and the personnel seemed exceedingly accommodating. I did my level best to avoid using the valet service during our last visit for reasons that I can't honestly recall. It might have had something to do with the fact that I did not own the car that I own now and parking on the street seemed not only the practical thing to do but entirely reasonable given what we thought we might be saving from a dollar and cents standpoint. With a newer car, safety seemed to be a more compelling reason to bite the bullet and go with the valet service.
Our hotel room looked out over the outside wall of Fenway Park stadium where Nancy remarked on the banners that hung from the rafters with the names of players of days past. One of whom, and he has been in the news as of late after being shot in the Dominican Republic, belongs to none other than David Ortiz.
The number worn on the players jersey's were also plastered here and there on the landmark and one that stood out prominently from where we could see looking up from our hotel room was the number "14." That number is one digit shy of my favorite number and it was hard not to take that as a sign of good things to come. Indeed, as it turned out, it was.
The hotel itself, thematically anyway, was a throwback to the sixties and, more specifically, the rock and roll era. Each room had a turntable and the good folks that checked us in at the front desk encouraged us to choose an album to take with us to our room on the second floor. I picked up a Cat Stevens album from a bin right outside the lobby and carried it with me as we made our way to our room.
It's been a long time since I've used a turntable or even listed to a vinyl record being played so that was fun. Remember in the olden days when you had to clean the lint that had collected on the stylus from time to time? You didn't dare touch the needle so you blew on it just hard enough to send the lint on its way. When you were stoned or otherwise inebriated that was not an easy task and quite often took more than one or two huffs. But memories can be funny things so don't quote me on that.
The street outside the hotel was once a rather blasé collection of shops and stores that seemed to be hangers on from a bygone era. The area itself is just on the outskirts of the city common and smack dab in the middle of an area known as The Fens. It was where aspiring musicians and hapless students lived for decades and where housing was adequate and affordable. The transformation in just fours years time, at least on the boulevard where the hotel is located, is truly remarkable.
There are so many more stores and so very few of the old stores remaining as I remembered them. I think there were one or two restaurants we considered that were within walking distance the last time we were in town. And now, every other storefront was seemingly new and exciting and choices were that much more difficult to make given the multitude of options.
If you wanted a decent cup of coffee, there were three or four cafes within walking distance. We had a wonderful dinner at a restaurant right across the street where you made your choices on a computer screen and they texted you at your table when your order was ready. The restaurant we ate at the last time was still there but seemingly anachronistic and out of place. The days of the dark and dingey pub-like joints where you ordered marbled steaks and greasy fries are clearly on the wane if our visit and observations are any indication.
Stir fry and salads were the order of the day and you mixed and matched as you pleased. Behind the steel and glass facade of the first floor establishment there were a decent smattering of evenly placed stainless steel tables that did not require you to place a book of matches beneath one or more legs just to keep the table from rocking to one side or the other. The flickering lights of yesteryear that were designed to illuminate but not highlight, have been replaced with an all encompassing brightness now measured in lumens that bring your dish and every last ingredient in it to life.
However one accounts for the changes taking place in the world around us, there is no mistaking the fact that we are in a new era when it comes to the construction of the kiosks that are designed and built to serve our every need. With so much architecture in and around Boston dating back not just decades but centuries, it is very pleasing indeed to see that the modern can coexist with the past in ways that were once probably difficult to imagine. It is a most welcome change.
My cobb salad was outstanding and it was a bountiful serving enough for two although I must have been hungry because I took none of it home. As a rule, salads don't hold up well over time and they travel even less well. I made a point to make a special solo trip to one of the more appealing coffee shops up the street from the hotel where I wanted to buy a special treat for Nancy. Something to give her after the fact were she to get good news as a celebration of sorts and something that would maybe assuage her in a way that only a good cookie can if the news was not good.
The news was good and Nancy appreciated the cookies and the associated sentiment. It's not that easy to surprise her these days since I'm a fairly predictable guy and have become even more so over time. Familiarity breeds contempt? That might be a bridge too far. So, the scans were fine and he declared the scans as being "clean." He used to say "clear" and we were more than happy with that assessment or term. Either way, it's all systems go and everyone can get back on track with whatever they were doing before we put things on hold until after the appointment.
We popped over to Cambridge around midday just to spend a bit of time in Harvard Square since we hadn't been there in a while. It was too early to head home so we enjoyed the day and walked around town for a bit enjoying the sights and having a spot of coffee at Peets. Harvard was out of session so the streets were busy not with students but with foreign and domestic tourists and locals.
We remarked that there were a lot of empty storefronts and sections of the downtown area that were seemingly under some sort of transition. It was hard to say if what we were seeing were the early signs of an economic collapse or simply a Square in transition. Anything is possible in the Socialist Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Among the scarier prognostications these days is the possible presidency of one Elizabeth "Pocahontas" Warren. She's now edging out Bernie for the progressive vote and is threatening scary "Uncle" Joe Biden for the lead. Thankfully, she has very little support amongst independents so will be a godsend to Trump if she gets the nomination. We can only hope.
The Verb Hotel was more welcoming than I remembered and the personnel seemed exceedingly accommodating. I did my level best to avoid using the valet service during our last visit for reasons that I can't honestly recall. It might have had something to do with the fact that I did not own the car that I own now and parking on the street seemed not only the practical thing to do but entirely reasonable given what we thought we might be saving from a dollar and cents standpoint. With a newer car, safety seemed to be a more compelling reason to bite the bullet and go with the valet service.
Our hotel room looked out over the outside wall of Fenway Park stadium where Nancy remarked on the banners that hung from the rafters with the names of players of days past. One of whom, and he has been in the news as of late after being shot in the Dominican Republic, belongs to none other than David Ortiz.
The number worn on the players jersey's were also plastered here and there on the landmark and one that stood out prominently from where we could see looking up from our hotel room was the number "14." That number is one digit shy of my favorite number and it was hard not to take that as a sign of good things to come. Indeed, as it turned out, it was.
The hotel itself, thematically anyway, was a throwback to the sixties and, more specifically, the rock and roll era. Each room had a turntable and the good folks that checked us in at the front desk encouraged us to choose an album to take with us to our room on the second floor. I picked up a Cat Stevens album from a bin right outside the lobby and carried it with me as we made our way to our room.
It's been a long time since I've used a turntable or even listed to a vinyl record being played so that was fun. Remember in the olden days when you had to clean the lint that had collected on the stylus from time to time? You didn't dare touch the needle so you blew on it just hard enough to send the lint on its way. When you were stoned or otherwise inebriated that was not an easy task and quite often took more than one or two huffs. But memories can be funny things so don't quote me on that.
The street outside the hotel was once a rather blasé collection of shops and stores that seemed to be hangers on from a bygone era. The area itself is just on the outskirts of the city common and smack dab in the middle of an area known as The Fens. It was where aspiring musicians and hapless students lived for decades and where housing was adequate and affordable. The transformation in just fours years time, at least on the boulevard where the hotel is located, is truly remarkable.
There are so many more stores and so very few of the old stores remaining as I remembered them. I think there were one or two restaurants we considered that were within walking distance the last time we were in town. And now, every other storefront was seemingly new and exciting and choices were that much more difficult to make given the multitude of options.
If you wanted a decent cup of coffee, there were three or four cafes within walking distance. We had a wonderful dinner at a restaurant right across the street where you made your choices on a computer screen and they texted you at your table when your order was ready. The restaurant we ate at the last time was still there but seemingly anachronistic and out of place. The days of the dark and dingey pub-like joints where you ordered marbled steaks and greasy fries are clearly on the wane if our visit and observations are any indication.
Stir fry and salads were the order of the day and you mixed and matched as you pleased. Behind the steel and glass facade of the first floor establishment there were a decent smattering of evenly placed stainless steel tables that did not require you to place a book of matches beneath one or more legs just to keep the table from rocking to one side or the other. The flickering lights of yesteryear that were designed to illuminate but not highlight, have been replaced with an all encompassing brightness now measured in lumens that bring your dish and every last ingredient in it to life.
However one accounts for the changes taking place in the world around us, there is no mistaking the fact that we are in a new era when it comes to the construction of the kiosks that are designed and built to serve our every need. With so much architecture in and around Boston dating back not just decades but centuries, it is very pleasing indeed to see that the modern can coexist with the past in ways that were once probably difficult to imagine. It is a most welcome change.
My cobb salad was outstanding and it was a bountiful serving enough for two although I must have been hungry because I took none of it home. As a rule, salads don't hold up well over time and they travel even less well. I made a point to make a special solo trip to one of the more appealing coffee shops up the street from the hotel where I wanted to buy a special treat for Nancy. Something to give her after the fact were she to get good news as a celebration of sorts and something that would maybe assuage her in a way that only a good cookie can if the news was not good.
The news was good and Nancy appreciated the cookies and the associated sentiment. It's not that easy to surprise her these days since I'm a fairly predictable guy and have become even more so over time. Familiarity breeds contempt? That might be a bridge too far. So, the scans were fine and he declared the scans as being "clean." He used to say "clear" and we were more than happy with that assessment or term. Either way, it's all systems go and everyone can get back on track with whatever they were doing before we put things on hold until after the appointment.
We popped over to Cambridge around midday just to spend a bit of time in Harvard Square since we hadn't been there in a while. It was too early to head home so we enjoyed the day and walked around town for a bit enjoying the sights and having a spot of coffee at Peets. Harvard was out of session so the streets were busy not with students but with foreign and domestic tourists and locals.
We remarked that there were a lot of empty storefronts and sections of the downtown area that were seemingly under some sort of transition. It was hard to say if what we were seeing were the early signs of an economic collapse or simply a Square in transition. Anything is possible in the Socialist Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Among the scarier prognostications these days is the possible presidency of one Elizabeth "Pocahontas" Warren. She's now edging out Bernie for the progressive vote and is threatening scary "Uncle" Joe Biden for the lead. Thankfully, she has very little support amongst independents so will be a godsend to Trump if she gets the nomination. We can only hope.