Some randoms from the outskirts of the Acropolis.
(Can you see the black cat hidden in the shadows?)
Greece: Athens, Odd
Here are some odd shots from around Athens. Just 'cause.
Greece: Athens: Ancient Agora
The Ancient Agora was our next stop and a natural progression from exiting the Acropolis (that is, after resting atop a giant rock with magnificent views - first image. It still boggles my mind that one can walk amongst ancient ruins with such liberty, not to say it was taken for granted.
I direct you to this page for the history, but look below for the photographs.
Greece: Acropolis: The Parthenon
We made it! I apologize, the next set of shots are going to be only of the Parthenon and it's surroundings. My super comfortable Pumas were put to the test (on the sometimes slippery rocky surface). Which is likely why the original steps leading up to the top has been covered with wooden planks, like at the Taj Mahal.
It was hotter than hot and part of the Parthenon was being restored, but words cannot describe how mind-blowing it was to see in person and photographs don't do any justice.
P.S. The sleeping dogs were a surprise.
Greece: Athens, Acropolis: Along the Way
Getting to the Acropolis in the high heat was no easy task. Some olive trees and fancy water stations helped along the way.
Here, some of those moments.
Greece: Athens, The Odeon of Herodes Atticus
The Odeon of Herodes is a stadium theatre on the south slope of the Acropolis. It's still used for music festivals every year, having been restored in the 50s. How incredible would it be to be seated here during a concert? Epic.
Here's a panoramic view, which is not entirely accurate, but you get the gist, I hope.
Other panoramas: Boston from the Ebersol Suite at the Liberty Hotel + NYC's 30 Rockefeller
Greece: Athens, The Acropolis Museum
And so it begins. At the Acropolis Museum.
Sitting atop an archaeological site, which can be seen through glass floors, the museum opened in 2009. Designed by a NY City based architect, the museum houses 5 floors worth of ancient artifacts and excavated historic treasures. One of the highlights is its direct view of the Parthenon. Photography was not allowed inside the museum. Nor were chocolate bars. Museum entrance fee, 5 euros. Snickers bar, likely 5 euros. Eating a Snickers bar whilst looking up at the Parthenon? Priceless.
NYC: Metropolitan Museum of Art
The rainy weather in NYC one morning called for a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art where I spent a good 8 hours. I didn't know where to start it's so enourmous. At the end of the day after N met me there, we were also able to view the Stein Collection prior to it's opening on February 29.
At times I was more fascinated by the people at the museum than some of the works themselves, seen via Instagram 1 2 3.
Amsterdam: Edam
Have you heard of Edam Cheese? The one with the happy red coating?
It's named after the town of Edam (AY-dum), in the Netherlands. A picturesque village if I ever did see one. Absolutely charming canal houses and teahouses lined up against perfectly still water.
Our stop? The Cheese Weigh House, built in 1778, where a giant cheese market is held every summer. Here, Edam is coated in yellow wax as the red coating is only for export.
And as far as Edam, that was all there was to see but I was camera happy, all the same.
Boston: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum opened a new wing on January 19 and I was there to capture the spirit of the day. Loved spending time in the gorgeous and retro Richard E. Floor's Living Room.
One of the highlights was meeting artist Cesare Pietroiusti and taking part in his workshop which took place in the Claire and John Bertucci Education Studio. The artist's project is the production and distribution of free drawings - 3500 to be exact. Using varying mediums (from salt-water to tea, coffee and ink) the idea is to create a work of art that you leave behind for someone else to take home the following day. Each sheet of paper had a different condition on the bottom. That day it was:
"The holder of this drawing commits to give it away, three months after having received it, to a person of their choice who lives south of them"
The medium of the day was dark Boston beer, how perfectly. And at the end of the day I was so happy to come home with both coffee and salt-water art created earlier this week. I loved how the adults and elderly who took part in the workshop sat at the tables in child-like wonder playing with the medium, totally engrossed in the whole process. I certainly spent a long time in
The 2nd floor's Special Exhbition Gallery is absolutely stunning with it's magnificent high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling glass windows. A wonderful place to have work exhibited, to be sure. I also sat in on a fun performance in Calderwood Hall, the new space for acoustic events.
The gorgeous exterior and beautiful brightly lit Cafe G complete the new wing.
It was my first time visiting The Palace, the original Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum which opened back in 1903. Photography was not allowed which allowed me to really immerse myself in the iconic works of art as well as be enveloped in lavish antiques and their history.
I could have been there longer, and I was already there the whole day! :) Time flew by, it's a mesmerizing place to be in Boston.
MLK Weekend: Provincetown, MA
As it was our first MLK weekend here in Boston, we decided a day trip was in order. Onwards to Cape Cod, we drove. Destination: the tip, mainly: Provincetown, MA.
Although it was a blustery cold January day and almost everything was closed until the Spring, we enjoyed walking around, eating some fudge and ended up having dinner at a fantastic little restaurant on the water, watching the sunset.
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