Thursday, May 31, 2012

Totally Tubular!

Tunnels are just a fact of life in the Bean -- especially those of the high-speed interstate variety. Enjoy this picture, which I find to be a bit Escher-like. Where have your roots gone, little tree?


Til next time!

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Hey New Building, Be You!

Whoah -- starting with a pun? Really? Really.

Okay, so we're back to Boston now. It's been a few posts relating to other things (new tallest building in NYC, New Orleans, the Avengers). Let's just call May the month of otherness, and promptly find ourselves back in the Bean.

Anybody walking around Kenmore lately will have noticed the building going up on Boston University's edge of the square. Well, it seems (more than seems, actually) that BU is constructing a new student center for its East campus, complete with a dining hall. Let me just say (from experience) that sounds like an awesome idea. Oh, how I miss dining halls...

Anyways, the building will serve other purposes as well, which can be found here, along with a sketch of the completed facade.


The pic on the left is actually a few weeks old, whereas the one on the right is from circa today. So is the one below, which features its Bay State Road visage.


Til next time!


Monday, May 21, 2012

More of This Avengers Business

Despite the film not coming out until 2012, The Avengers the comic book premiered in the 1960s. So while the superheroes swamp our advertisements today, we can only imagine what kinds of things they would have been promoting had they been that much closer to reality 50 years ago -- in what may be referred to as the "real Mad Men time." Fortunately, I was able to take a little bit of that wondering and bring it into (semi) reality.


There is plenty of other Avengers goodness all over the Net at the moment. There's this pearl from a real life analysis firm that estimated the damage done to Manhattan. One million dollars. Just kidding -- a little Austin Powers reference there. There's also this 100% hilarious Saturday Night Live skit about the Hulk

Til next time.

Shakespeare in the Park? Doth Mother Know You Weareth Her Drapes?

If you haven't seen The Avengers yet, then the title of this post makes no sense whatsoever (and is minorly spoilerish, as is the rest of the post). If you have, though,  you totally got it and at least chuckled. It is one of the many great moments in the film that can be neatly filed under "Iron Man's Snarky Comments." Of course, Mr. Stark does share some friendly moments with Bruce Banner, aka the Hulk, that are the highlight of the film.

In case you can't tell, this weekend was essentially occupied by one thing and one thing only: The Avengers. I actually saw it twice -- once in 3D and once without that most unnecessary of dimensions. (Not to be a snob, but I do actually enjoy 2D movies more than 3D.) Anyways, I saw the film both times at the Regal Fenway 13, which is conveniently attached to the Landmark Center (of which I could have sworn I had a picture, but apparently do not).


Back to The Avengers. I give it my highest review: 3 out of 3 Michelin Stars. One star is for the fantastic use of Black Widow and Hawkeye, the second for Tony Stark and Bruce Banner's exchange on the helicarrier, and the third for the special effects smash up that was the crescendo of the film.

Thanks for joining me for my first movie review.

Til next time!

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Foodie Review

Elsewheres: New Orleans


Hello all, welcome back for the most anticipated post of our New Orleans trip, the foodie review. Yes, indeed, wherever I go and whomever I speak with, everyone wants to know the same thing about the Big Easy: how was the food? Some people ask excitedly with anticipation and others with fearful trepidation, as if the Cajun and Creole spices themselves are out for their weak tongues. Too far? Okay, I will calm down.


First up, Mr. B's Bistro. This is the first place that we stopped to eat, and it was fantastic. Excellent gumbo (of both the chicken and sausage and seafood kind), great drinks, and fantastic shrimp (coconut beer-battered with a fruit chutney for dipping -- yum).
Next, there is, of course, Brennan's. I had the steak tornadoes (I know that isn't how they are properly spelled, but spell check apparently can't handle "tournedo"). They were delicious. Brennan's is most famous for inventing the Banana's Foster. So we had that, as well, and it was incredible, natch.


 
We also ate at the Court of the Two Sisters, the first prix fixe meal of my life. It was delicious, and the barbecue shrimp (which is actually dripping in a butter-pepper sauce) was undeniably good. This was the shrimp that made me question whether I could ever compete in the Hunger Games (my airplane read); seriously, once you try this shrimp, you cannot go back.


Now for a few quick hits. Had Hurricanes in the place of their birth, Pat O'Brien's. Just as awesome as you'd expect. Next, the iced coffee at Royal Blend, is the best in the world. It was so good, I went right back and got another. Lastly, beignets and au lait at Cafe du Monde. Could anyone have expected anything less than incredible? Beignets really should be available anywhere and everywhere. Just look at all of that powdered sugar!

 


Til next time!


Wednesday, May 9, 2012

"Wonderful Things"

Elsewheres: New Orleans

Guess what? I wasn't in the Bean this weekend at all -- instead, I was celebrating the wedding of two friends in New Orleans. It was a fantastic weekend, full of good people, good times, good food, and good architecture. There will be more to come, but in the meantime, enjoy the views:



Just a quick reminder -- these pictures were my own hard work, so please don't pilfer them. Honestly, if you asked to use any of them, I would just be excited to know someone read and liked this blog.

Also, just so you get an idea of New Orleans in early May, please enjoy this photo, where my camera became subject to instant condensation (or some other technical weather event).


Last but not least, happy birthday to Howard Carter, the discoverer of King Tut's tomb in Egypt. This birthday message comes courtesy of today's Google doodle. Follow the link for all sorts of ancient architectural awesome (alliterative high-five!).

Til next time.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

New York City on the Mind

Yes, I know, this is a blog about Beantown, but, still, you have to admit that the One World Trade Center story is a pretty big one. So it is little surprise that it's still on my mind. As evidenced here, where thoughts of NYC invade even a casual game of Bananagrams:

(Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Empire State Building, Chrysler Building)

Okay, so I totally wasn't playing the game -- just using the pieces to create this faux-skyline.

Anyways, I would direct you to the following two videos about the new tallest building in New York: the first is from CBS (via YouTube), and the second is from the BBC.

Both videos have their pros and cons. The CBS video offers some great insight into the construction workers who put the building together. The BBC video offers some great shots of the building itself (from the ground, from its top floor, and its view of Manhattan). In addition, the BBC video ends with time-lapse photography of its ascension. Not gonna lie: so cool.

I also can't help but note that the CBS video does not mention that this was a media event that other news organizations were invited to. The BBC, though, includes shots of the numerous photographers and press members that were present. So, different approaches to the news interest me -- what can I say, I'm a bit nerdy.

Til next time!