Like the person who captured its meek afternoon form here, this anemone flower – the first of the season in our garden – turned bashful and spent before I could capture it in its earlier incarnation of freshness and fully-open glory. I’d noticed it in the morning but forgot to get a pic until the sun had almost gone down. A bit of browning, and the petals turned inward, indicated it was just about done with its show. I’m not sure how long it may have been in bloom – I didn’t even realize we still had an anemone plant in that area, so this was an unexpected delight – the very best sort of delight.
It struck me that I was especially sorry to see the Labor Day weekend come to a close. We’d had such a good time, with nary a bit of drama or disagreement, that I didn’t want it to end. We took our time finishing our plates, glad for the extra pancakes – grateful for their sweetness, and the prolonged opportunity for a bit more conversation.
After packing the car and bidding adieu to the condo (until my return to town to rendezvous with Chris next weekend) we decided to make one more stop along the way – the outlets at Lee, MA – where the beauty of the Berkshires meets some basic retail offerings.
Behind the outlets, near our parking spot, a winding path curved into the forest below. I’m not sure where Noah’s path might take him in the years to come, but he seems to have a good sense of self, and a strong moral compass, and I’ll always be here to guide him whenever he might ask.
It was a good weekend with my nephew, and he already texted that he wants to go back soon.
We opened the next morning with a breakfast at Mike’s City Diner on Washington – a longer walk than nearby Charlie’s, but the day was already shining in sunny style, and walking among beauty makes for easy talking. It had only been a few weeks since I’d been there, but it was Noah’s first time, so an introduction seemed apt. We took our time as the place slowly started to fill up, then made our way further into the South End for the next planned excursion.
Sunday mornings at the SoWa Market were how I used to close out my weekends in Boston, and it’s been a few years since I’ve gone. On this day Noah was up for the visit since he likes a vintage hunt, and I thought they still had a vintage market somewhere. We browsed the food stands and stores, then found some t-shirts and a suede coat to go with my own upcoming autumnal theme.
As we sat down for a breakfast dessert of ice cream (a rule-bending habit we had started the night before) a bank of gray storm clouds looked to be moving in, but they seemed isolated enough not to cause an issue. We discussed where we want to go next, and Noah mentioned that he usually ends up near the harbor at some point on each of his trips here, so we headed in that direction. After making it only a few blocks, the rain began – at first just a bit, with only a few drops, then it got a little heavier so we hustled into a canopied park, sitting down on a dry bench beneath some trees. I thought we might wait it out, but it only seemed to get heavier, and without umbrellas or jackets we were at the mercy of the sky, so we made a quickened walk for whatever nearby restaurant could be found. Eventually, we found Citrus & Salt, ducking in just as the heaviest downpour arrived.
While we had only eaten a couple of hours before, a snack seemed good since we had some storm time to pass, so I told Noah I’d order some guacamole and asked if he liked oysters. He said he never had them before but he would try. One of my nephew’s many admirable attributes is that he is willing to try any sort of food you might suggest, and more often than not he ends up liking it and adding it to his repertoire. It makes for fun dining experiences, and on this day we shared a plate of oysters – his first, continuing his own culinarily adventurous weekend.
As our impromptu meal concluded, the sun came back out and the sky shone blue again, so we continued our way toward the harbor, where we detoured through Fanueil Hall, then found the path to the Charles River and followed it back toward Copley.
Passing Commonwealth, I remembered the elephants were in town, and as I hadn’t seen them yet it seemed the perfect time, and the perfect company, with which to meet them.
Returning to the condo for an afternoon siesta, I looked up place that offered Peking Duck to make up for our change of plans the night before and found Novo Lantern which was a much closer walk than Chinatown, so I made a reservation for us. This was Noah’s second first try at a new dish, and he ended up loving it as much as I did. The first time I had Peking duck was with my Uncle Ding – and the second was with my Uncle Roberto – so perhaps it’s a Filipino Uncle thing.
Noah and I had a deep discussion about things over our assembly of the duck – the very best sort of conversation that you can have with a cherished family member – the kind that makes you feel alive and grateful and happy, the kind that makes you feel like this is what life should be like always. He’s a good guy. I feel lucky that he’s growing into such a decent young man, and that he still likes spending time with his crazy Uncle, whom he counted as the most interesting person he knows. Such praise deserved a treat, so I took him to Aquitaine for a dessert of chocolate bread pudding, then we called it a night…
While we didn’t have them over as much as we usually do in the summer, the twins were game for one last weekend of fun before the fall season starts officially. Noah was available for a trip to Boston, so we drove over for Labor Day weekend – as was our previous tradition. (Emi will join us for this weekend’s visit and a trip to Vermont.) Now that they are sixteen years old, it’s sometimes easier to do separate visits with them, as there is less competitive in-fighting and more quality one-on-one time. In this instance, Noah and I made the most of a pretty fine weekend in my favorite city.
Like any good Guncle worth his weight in retail therapy, I took Noah shopping along Newbury Street to get our bearings. It was actually his idea, as he wanted to find some clothing items after my questioning what his fall fashion theme was going to be (and insisting that he have one).
We stopped in a vintage shop, along with Arc’teryx and Uniqlo, and then began the walk to Chinatown where we had our stomachs set on Peking Duck. First, however, we found a matcha ice cream place and decided that no one was going to stop us from getting dessert first. That’s the beauty of these last weekends of summer – there are no rules, and anything goes. It would set our adventurous tone for the weekend.
Grateful for the walk to burn some of this matcha and taro swirl off, we made our way past the Public Garden and Boston Common, then took a careful perusal of Chinatown to see where we might find Peking duck.
As we passed the best place for pho (Pho Pasteur), Noah said maybe we should get that. I mentioned that a bowl of pho is always the kick-off to fall for me, so I was game, but we were both still torn between that and the duck. As it was getting late – and apparently even Chinatown closes up early these days – we ran the time down and ended up finding the last few minutes of food service at Pho Pasteur, which decided the dinner.
So it was that my first bowl of pho for this fall season was shared with my nephew Noah – and I can’t think of a finer dining companion. We had a good talk – and it set the practice for several good talks over meals, one of my favorite things to do. Noah seemed to enjoy it as well, and after finishing our bowls we each felt stuffed enough to warrant a walk home. We fell asleep almost immediately after the long day, preparing for the next morning…
Emi joins us tomorrow for a weekend of autumnal welcome – we are scheduled to see ‘Practical Magic 2′ then, and I have a weekend of magical moments laid out before us. It’s a bit of a throwback to the fall days when I’d take the twins on a treasure hunt around the yard, excavating all the items I’d carefully hidden and then drew out for them to find with a treasure map. Those innocent acts feel quaint, and soon it will be time for Jaxon to have his treasure hunting days. For now, Emi is arriving tomorrow and we are set to travel to Vermont for a day of almost-fall fun. I’ve already updated the attic room for her stay, reflecting the shift to autumn hues and decor.
Last weekend was Noah’s turn, and I’ll be posting those adventures starting on Saturday – after which a recap of Emi’s adventures should be set to begin. They are growing up fast… too fast… but they still have fun with their crazy Uncle, and he still loves spending time with them. In fact, the older they get, the better we get along – mostly because I can talk to them on my level (which is basically that of a teenage girl who doesn’t want to grow up).
When the morning threatens rain, when the sky is overcast and lazy, a cup of matcha is precisely what I need, with its slow-release caffeine bump – unlike the jolt of coffee that so wreaks havoc with my system. This week I could use a little caffeine – just a little – as sleepless nights give way to exhausted mornings and lethargic afternoons. End of summer blues, perhaps. A general dissatisfaction with a miserable world in which there is no accountability so why does anyone care about fucking anything anymore?
This morning I have a therapy appointment – delayed by a week, and maybe you can already tell. Lots to talk about, lots to discuss, and none of it to be shared with you. If you want that kind of dirt (and you totally do) you’ll have to pay me. Dearly. In the meantime, there’s matcha.
Shape-shifter and chameleon Lee Pace transforms into a warlock for the much-hyped sequel ‘Practical Magic 2’ and while we have yet to see what part he plays in this witchy story, it’s another hairpin turn in a career of versatile roles. From an Elven king in ‘The Hobbit’ trilogy to the villainous Ronan in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ on the big screen through memorable performances in series like ‘Foundation’ and ‘Halt and Catch Fire’, Pace has consistently delivered mesmerizing work in wildly-disparate characters. Even bit parts in such brilliant fare as ‘A Single Man’ and ‘Infamous’ stand out thanks to his scene-stealing gumption. He earns this Dazzler of the Day thanks to sheer force of his talent – and he’s not bad to look at either.
Before this website undergoes its annual autumn revamp (which is of greater import this season, with a wild image reinvention) I’m returning to smaller and quieter posts, in which the little moments of a day get their time to shine. Within that process often comes a revealing look at something greater and bigger of scope, the way a macro view of life can be a metaphor for a larger scene.
On this day, at this lunch break, I had the cafe to myself. Taking lunch later in the afternoon has always been my preferred schedule – less people, less noise, less bustle – and I embrace the silence. Some people are afraid of that – afraid of their own thoughts surfacing during the quiet – while I lean into it, and am calmer for it.
Focusing on friends and family, while working out the new fall season of this website, is proving more than ample diversion and purpose in these last few days of summer. Inspired and compelled with a fresh era and image, the chameleon is in forward motion again. No looking back – and that’s where and how I’m happiest.
Glowing beneath the light of a street lamp, the leaves of this Japanese maple seem almost luminescent in the cool night, like certain jellyfish in the dark depths of the ocean. Somehow, light finds a way – an important realization, especially during the darkest of times when hope feels in short supply.
The days grow shorter as fall approaches, and light drains faster and faster from the sky. Even this sort of green scene, which feels so invincible even in the middle of the night, will soon be wrinkled and dried once the first hard frost hits.
After an extended holiday weekend, a Tuesday morning hits harder than most Mondays, but this is not the time to wallow or whine. On with the preparation…
The glow of oncoming autumnal splendor illuminates the dahlia blooms at this time of the year. This bouquet was on display at Riverside Garden Studio, brightening up a lunch-break visit I made there last week while on the hunt for a natal mahogany tree. Dahlias are at their prime now in this part of the world, their splendor coming late in the season, and welcome when so much of the garden has gone to seed or slumber already.
Dahlias hold a special place in my heart, despite the fact that I don’t find them worth the trouble of growing. It is enough to admire those of others, enjoying them in those gardens through which I will only briefly pass.
