Southwest Corridor Park

Southwest Corridor Park was completed in the late 1980s. It is a 52-acre linear surface park with walking and biking trails, playing fields, and recreation facilities. The Park almost became the Southwest Expressway which was supposed to connect the center of Boston with the southwest suburbs and eventually extend to Providence. Luckily, community activism swayed a sympathetic governor to change the planned highway into an urban park. For more information click here.

Lazy Summer Afternoon

People resting and reading by the fountains at the the Christian Science Center.

Parking in Boston

Parking is tough enough in the city without construction equipment taking up a valuable space. It doesn't look as if he has fed the meter recently either, but I don't think the meter maids will be able to fit a "boot" on this vehicle.

St. Alfio's Band

St. Alfio's band performing during a lull in the procession of the statue of the Madonna. This was during a feast sponsored by the Madonna del Grazie Society in the North End.

Best Sandwich Shop in Boston

Sam LaGrassa's Sandwich Shop on Province Street makes one of the best sandwiches in the city.

JFK Federal Building

Here is a shot of the JFK Federal Building from a different angle. I think it was my taking pictures from this side of the building and being this close that resulted in my being stopped and questioned.

"Ugly" Sculpture at JFK Federal Building

I was taking pictures at the JFK building and of the outdoor sculpture on the plaza yesterday when I was detained briefly by three Homeland Security officers as to why I was taking pictures of the building. The sergeant said it was a security issue because I was taking pictures near an entrance, "and a camera with a good lens could photograph their security procedures." I had to show them my ID while they checked my name and looked at all the pictures on my camera. The guard viewing my pictures, when he saw the sculpture, made a remark about the "ugly sculpture" out front, hence the title for today's post.

I know security against terrorism is important, but it seems that simply taking pictures and being questioned by federal authorities for doing so is chilling. I think we might want to remember the words of Pastor Martin Niemoeller as more and more restrictions are applied on society in the name of security.

Christian Science Center

This is the Romanesque style basilica of the Christian Science Church originally built in 1894; inside it features beautiful examples of American opalescent stained glass illustrating Bible stories. The basilica is part of a sprawling campus of buildings that were designed by I.M. Pei in the 1970s. In the background you can see the Prudential tower and other buildings.

Summer

Some children playing in the water at the Christian Science Center.

Iron Windows II

A nice example of an iron window grate that is more for decoration than security. The window, as is more usual, has a curtain for privacy.

People's Republik

This mural caught my eye as I was walking on Massachusetts Ave in Central Square yesterday. It is on a bar named the People's Republik - some of the letters on the sign are reversed to simulate Cyrillic script. A nice little joke since Cambridge is referred to around here as the People's Republic of Cambridge because of its tendency to left wing causes.

New England Holocaust Memorial

Located near Fanueil Hall, the six glass towers of the memorial represents the six major nazi death camps (Belzec, Auschwitz- Birkenau, Sobibor, Majdanek, Treblinka, and Chelmno). Each tower is made out of plates of glass that are etched with white numbers, which represent the registration numbers of the six million victims.

To visit the New England Holocaust Memorial website click here.

Iron Balcony

Balcony, Park Street Church, which sits at the corner of Park and Tremont Streets. This corner is known as Brimstone Corner, presumably because of the preaching done from this balcony; some have said it got this name because of all the hot air wafting down the street from the State House. Currently the church is covered with scaffolding and netting from ground to steeple as the brick is repointed. Suffolk Law School is in the background. Click here for a full view of the church.

Vantage Point Over Boston V

View of the city looking Northeast. That is the North End in the foreground and East Boston in the background.

Glass Lantern

Lantern is located on Beacon Street, and hangs from a private residence down the street from the State House.

Mime on Boston Common

A mime, wearing a costume made entirely of recycled objects performed on Boston Common. Her costume was very cleverly done and her "donation" basket was an old portable tv set. She wrote notes on sheets of toilet paper for those who left donations. Note the toilet paper roll hanging off her belt, next to the egg carton.

Bastille Day, Le 14 juillet

In honor of Bastille Day (and my partial French heritage) I present a picture of the French Library and Cultural Center at 53 Marlborough Street. Visit the French Library's website here.

Iron Windows I

Apartment windows in the downtown neighborhoods of the city have iron grates over the windows for security and decorative purposes. I particularly liked this one for its simplicity and the interior that is visible; most street-level windows have privacy curtains so you can't see inside.

Triptych

Three views of the Intercontinental Hotel on the Boston waterfront.

Subways and Trains

Incoming train at Park Street Subway Station. I liked the feeling of movement in the picture and the reflection of the woman in the moving train.



Escalator from train platform at South Station takes you up two levels, which can be seen here.







Canopy to South Station subway entrance. An outside view of a shot I took earlier this year can be seen here.

The Old and The New

I saw these two cars parked at India Wharf and the contrast between the old and the new was rather striking and a little bit humorous too.

Religious procession in the North End

I caught this little procession yesterday by the Madonna del Grazie Society in the North End. The Statue was accompanied by two marching bands which alternated playing during the procession and when the procession stopped for people to pin money on it. Here is a listing of all the feasts in the North End this summer.

Vantage Point Over Boston IV

View of Hancock towers and Prudential tower. Green in foreground is the Boston Common and Boston Public Garden. Note the famous Citgo sign in Kenmore Square barely visible in the upper right, at the end of Beacon Street.

Vantage Point Over Boston III

Looking down Tremont Street, Park Street Church and Suffolk Law School are in the foreground, the John Hancock towers can be seen in the background (upper right).

Vantage Point Over Boston II

Boston City Hall and Plaza. From this vantage point, one of the ugliest buildings in Boston actually looks pretty good. Click here for ground level view of city hall.

Independence Day

Vantage Point Over Boston I

View from Boston looking north to Cambridge. The Longfellow Bridge over the Charles River and Kendall Square can been seen.

Vantage Point Over Boston - JFK Federal Building

JFK Federal Building (roof of Center Plaza in foreground) shot from another building.

Click here for a ground level view by Fénix from Bostonscapes; and a black & white shot I took earlier in the year.