To do today

• Pay rent
• Make arrangements to complete shot records
  
• Pay parking ticket (BOOOOO!)
  
• Bake espresso meringues (yes, this is absolutely necessary.)
• Make small dent in the mountain of laundry
  
• Clean bathroom
• Clean bedroom
• Clean kitchen
• Clean apartment
  
• Exchange peanut butter at Trader Joe's because ours was opened (Come on!)

It's my last day of summer holiday from school. Orientation is tomorrow and the next day, the first day of school is on Thursday....Okay new list:

• Wear sundress and sandals
• Enjoy a beer popsicle
• Take a walk along the river
• Camp out in the living room because it's too hot to be in bed

Yes, that's much better.

P.S.
Even though it's the end of summer vacation you better believe I'll be doing Summer-y things on the weekends until September 21!

Barely Boston, Part 2- The Bedroom

Our bedroom is quite the blank canvas, so the photos leave a little to be desired. But, it is clean, comfortable, sunny and (most importantly) it is ours. We have some nice architectural elements to work with, and a few brilliant decorative pieces of which I'm very proud.

There was originally a window in our room that looked out into the hallway, but it has been filled in to leave a very cool decorating element. I'm trying to convince Brad that we need to put a wall paper sample in it to make a nice back ground for some shelves... he's not entirely sold on the idea.

And yes, you did see what you thought you saw...
It's so quintessentially him. :o)
Our windows! They let in lots of sunlight( It was night time when I took these photos...because I just couldn't wait for the next day!) and fresh air. Those little picture frames look familiar...

There's something familiar about that artwork too...


I love this foot locker at the end of the bed. It goes nicely with the hardwood floors, don't you think?


This was the only angle from which I could capture most of the room. Things In this photo that I love: The windows, the wall hangings, the chair in the corner, the radiator, the reversible quilt, the high floorboards, and the Union Jack for a little kitsch (and to cover up the busted frame surrounding Brad's Combat Rock poster). So, pretty much everything.

In other news, I have a job as a temp for an agency which specializes in events. It's a great, non-intrusive job. I just finished a gig this weekend, and I was already asked back for another one in the future. I guess that means they're happy with me! :o)

In other-other news, one of my friends from back home (and by back home I mean, we went to school together from K to 12!) came by for a pancake breakfast cooked by my lover and hosted by me! It's SO nice to have some company, and for it to be someone from home just makes it that much better. Our timing for meeting up was perfect, since she just bought a couch, she and her Sean are getting rid of their old futon...and they are giving it to us...with waffle fries! FO' FREE! (Except without the waffle fries.) I have yet to decide on an adequate thank you pastry for them, but what ever it is, I can safely say it will have to be great to cover the gratitude I feel! I have until this weekend to come up with a recipe.


Parking is still a nightmare. School starts a week from tomorrow, I still need to get my shot records signed. I'm now an expert at commuting across town on the T. It's been cold and rainy for 5 days, it's supposed to be warm tomorrow. Brad and I have library cards, and thus we do not have a netflix account. Minutia, details, boring, etc.

30 Years of Cool!

The moment I saw this post I immediately thought it belonged over on Glorious Nonsense!

Nectarines

Trader Joe's had a 4 lb box of nectarines last week, and of course I had to have it. It was such a good purchase! I of course ate some of them fresh, letting the juice run down my chin. (This is the most appropriate way to enjoy them in August.) I couldn't eat 4 lbs of nectarines in less than a week, so I had to get a little creative. I found them to be great for a lot of projects!

Like, making cobbler...




...and jam!

I cut the rest of them in half, skinned and pitted them, and put them in the freezer for a cold day which, I'm sure, will beg for more cobbler!

Barely Boston, Part 1-Living Room/ Office/ Meditation/Music Room

I must admit, the amount of time I spend out in the city is a lot less than it should be. That's only because I love our apartment so very much! Sadly it is so awesome that it makes our dorm furniture look like absolute junk. Oh, well. Something to aspire to, right? I think it's lovely the way it is, as long as it is a refuge for just Brad and me, but it is in no state to welcome guests as we only have two chairs and no couch. Anyway, here it is in all of it's glory.





If you can tear your eyes away from the beautiful floors and that stunning window for a moment, you will notice all the bundles and bundles of wires. This makes me CRAZY. But such is the life of a tenant in an old building. Each room has one pair of outlets from which we must carefully pick and choose to draw electricity, lest the lights flicker. That is the only small complaint to be had. There is plenty of room for all of our stuff...and then some. Brad has his "area for meditation" and I have mine. The building is barely within the Boston city limits, but one side of the building is half a block from the a main artery of the city, Commonwealth Ave. The other side of the building (our side of the building) faces a shady New England suburb. Hence, the fluttering tree outside the bay window. We really do have the best of both worlds here.

Our neighborhood: Cafe Japonaise

We've been here over a week now, and the final box has been broken down and sent to the recycling bin. Boston has been good to us so far. I think it's because I've been following the advice of Francis in Under the Tuscan Sun. "Be polite, introduce yourself so it can introduce yourself to you."
Brad and I have been on quite a few mini adventures so I'm already behind on my blogging, so I suppose the only way to remedy this problem is to start now!





Although we miss Bollo's and Plebes very much we have found a comfortable niche at Cafe Japonaise. The first thing we noticed when we walked in was the decoration. The cafe is two stories and the mirror collage on the back wall of the second floor is pretty cool. We thought the contraption on the stairway was a bank vault lock, but upon closer inspection it has been discovered to be something way cooler: a wheel chair elevator!
The decoration isn't the only distinguishing feature of this coffee house. It has the cafe staples, in addition to some gorgeous house specialties. In the pastry case, traditional French and Japanese pastries are buffered from each other by a selection of fusion treats. Brad and I have a particular fondness for the large puff pastry purses filled with sweetened azuki beans and whipped cream. We like to believe the half mile walk is enough exercise to justify splitting a sugary, buttery treat...