#15 Boston - Eggboy and Friends - September 16, 2005
Let me introduce you to Eggboy and his friends - Slimer, Pepperoni, Stinky, Fatty and Ella Bella - even though they sound like the Boston version of the Rugrats, they are the current resident cats at the MSPCA animal shelter at the Angell Memorial Pet Hospital in Jamaica Plain. Eggboy, the group leader, was most impressive as he had overcome the impediment of being afflicted by cerebellar hypoplasia. This condition manifests itself in a decreased ability to properly coordinate movement - in plain English, the cats fall all over the place. This made Eggboy even more endearing as he tended to plop gently into your arms and rather than getting up again, nestle himself quite comfortably there. Unfortunately the Boston Cares volunteer posse last night consisted mostly of bird owners, and while Eggboy might enjoy meeting Oscar or Marge for lunch or dinner (if you know what I mean....), he was not able to go home with any of us. Three adoptions took place though: Bailey - the cuddliest of all rabbits; Chelsea, an equally cuddly and delicate feline female; and the utterly misnamed "Fatty", who is actually quite slender and will receive a more appropriate name by its new owners.
As usual it was just wonderful to be at the shelter, and our visit there was followed by a trip to Centre Street in JP - first dinner at the Purple Cactus wrap and burrito bar, then ice cream at the original location of JP Licks. A veritable Boston institution, JP Licks (I finally got the name, J P Licks - I always thought it was some dude's name.....) they have been around since the early 80s (http://www.jplicks.com/). As with many Boston ice cream stores (we are a bit of a Mecca for the tasty treats), they feature unusual flavors, either in name or in taste - of note are Cucumber (yumm!); Cherry Ortiz (originally this was Cherry Garciaparra, but after Nomar left the Red Sox, he got stripped of his flavor. Yeah! That'll show him.....); Cow Tracks; and my choice for the evening, "One Sweet World Series", which was a combination of coffee, caramel and Heath Bar. How's that for a sugar rush!!
I was so much in need of a good sweet after this week - I returned Monday night from beautiful, foggy California to sweltering Boston weather (82 degrees at 10 PM,and of course, humid like crazy). Work has been absolutely insane, just everything happening at once, including the FDA inspection yet again rearing its ugly head (they had delayed their audit due to the hurricane in New Orleans). I have been trying to cruise along, plagued by jet lag and feeling out of sorts, but I am now soooo ready for the weekend.
In an exciting development in my neighborhood the long awaited opening of the Whole Foods Supermarket on Cambridge Street took place on Tuesday night, and I have never seen so many happy people wandering around Beacon Hill and the West End (http://www.cityofboston.gov/neighborhoods/). It seemed like an early episode of Star Trek where everyone looks the same; you were hard pressed to find anyone without a Whole Foods bag in their hands that night, and a big smile on their face. This part of town had been without a supermarket for quite some time, and I for one, am very excited.
Re-entry to Boston was mostly smooth aside from the jet lag - it was so good to see most of my friends in California, and have some quality time with all of you. Special thanks to Mr. Ziggy Moe for lending me his room and sleeping quarters, Miss Lisa Miller for her hospitality and for helping me arrange the BBQ!! And if I do not mention that my friend Pat took me to the"Englander" pub in San Leandro (40 beers on tap!!! My selection: "Arrogant Bastard Ale") for some tasty bangers and mash, I will be in the dog house. So here we go! I am sorry to have missed some of you, I promise to make you top priority next time. Doesn't mean I don't love ya!
Some comparative observations and funny tidbits collected on the West and East Coasts:
I very often hear Cambridge labeled as Berkeley East - after my visit, I have to say "Not even close! Not even in the same neighborhood." If you think Cambridge is "granola", Berkeley is "organic-sustainable-pro-choice-radical-vegan-environmentally-correct-PC-feminist-pesticide-free-and-free-of-whatever-else-you-can-think-of"!
Only in Berkeley: Here I was at the North Berkeley BART station waiting for my friend Lisa, when I heard the sound of music - actually it was Chubby Checker (http://www.chubbychecker.com/) singing "Let's do the twist". An investigation on my part revealed a station wagon driving around the parking lot with its back hatch open, music blaring, and 25 women of various ages following the car doing jazzercise!! You could not find a hiking path??? A gym maybe??
Not Berkeley Specific: My friend Martin came back from a county fair with a brochure by the National Pork Board targeted toward Children - "Learning All About Pork" introduces our young citizens to the miracle of the other white meat, and we were particularly enticed by a coloring picture, where kids were supposed to find "different kinds of pork hidden in the picture". Boy, how bored do you and your kids have to be to pull that one out of the closet?
In another episode of Boston versus Berkeley, it took just about five minutes in my car to fall back into the local habit of honkin' and hollerin, engage in slalom driving and again, adhere to the very different rules of the road here (this one from a website called Lori's Humor Page - http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/6174/bos_driv.htm):
"To obtain a general idea of driving in Boston, go to a Celtics game, and carefully watch the fast break. Then get behind the wheel of your car and practice it."
"Drivers whose cars sport "I brake for animals" bumper stickers may brake for animals, but not brake for you. Watch it."
"Never, ever stop for a pedestrian, unless he flings himself under the wheels of your car."
"Learn to swerve abruptly. Boston is the home of slalom driving, thanks to the Registry of Motor Vehicles, which puts potholes in key locations to test driver's reflexes and keep them on their toes."
"Never get in the way of a car that needs extensive body work."
"Always look both ways when running a red light."
"Speed limits are arbitrary figures posted only to make you feel guilty."
"If in doubt, accelerate."
On that note, I am accelerating myself home for some well-deserved sleep and a restful weekend.
See you next week.
pet:)
As usual it was just wonderful to be at the shelter, and our visit there was followed by a trip to Centre Street in JP - first dinner at the Purple Cactus wrap and burrito bar, then ice cream at the original location of JP Licks. A veritable Boston institution, JP Licks (I finally got the name, J P Licks - I always thought it was some dude's name.....) they have been around since the early 80s (http://www.jplicks.com/). As with many Boston ice cream stores (we are a bit of a Mecca for the tasty treats), they feature unusual flavors, either in name or in taste - of note are Cucumber (yumm!); Cherry Ortiz (originally this was Cherry Garciaparra, but after Nomar left the Red Sox, he got stripped of his flavor. Yeah! That'll show him.....); Cow Tracks; and my choice for the evening, "One Sweet World Series", which was a combination of coffee, caramel and Heath Bar. How's that for a sugar rush!!
I was so much in need of a good sweet after this week - I returned Monday night from beautiful, foggy California to sweltering Boston weather (82 degrees at 10 PM,and of course, humid like crazy). Work has been absolutely insane, just everything happening at once, including the FDA inspection yet again rearing its ugly head (they had delayed their audit due to the hurricane in New Orleans). I have been trying to cruise along, plagued by jet lag and feeling out of sorts, but I am now soooo ready for the weekend.
In an exciting development in my neighborhood the long awaited opening of the Whole Foods Supermarket on Cambridge Street took place on Tuesday night, and I have never seen so many happy people wandering around Beacon Hill and the West End (http://www.cityofboston.gov/neighborhoods/). It seemed like an early episode of Star Trek where everyone looks the same; you were hard pressed to find anyone without a Whole Foods bag in their hands that night, and a big smile on their face. This part of town had been without a supermarket for quite some time, and I for one, am very excited.
Re-entry to Boston was mostly smooth aside from the jet lag - it was so good to see most of my friends in California, and have some quality time with all of you. Special thanks to Mr. Ziggy Moe for lending me his room and sleeping quarters, Miss Lisa Miller for her hospitality and for helping me arrange the BBQ!! And if I do not mention that my friend Pat took me to the"Englander" pub in San Leandro (40 beers on tap!!! My selection: "Arrogant Bastard Ale") for some tasty bangers and mash, I will be in the dog house. So here we go! I am sorry to have missed some of you, I promise to make you top priority next time. Doesn't mean I don't love ya!
Some comparative observations and funny tidbits collected on the West and East Coasts:
I very often hear Cambridge labeled as Berkeley East - after my visit, I have to say "Not even close! Not even in the same neighborhood." If you think Cambridge is "granola", Berkeley is "organic-sustainable-pro-choice-radical-vegan-environmentally-correct-PC-feminist-pesticide-free-and-free-of-whatever-else-you-can-think-of"!
Only in Berkeley: Here I was at the North Berkeley BART station waiting for my friend Lisa, when I heard the sound of music - actually it was Chubby Checker (http://www.chubbychecker.com/) singing "Let's do the twist". An investigation on my part revealed a station wagon driving around the parking lot with its back hatch open, music blaring, and 25 women of various ages following the car doing jazzercise!! You could not find a hiking path??? A gym maybe??
Not Berkeley Specific: My friend Martin came back from a county fair with a brochure by the National Pork Board targeted toward Children - "Learning All About Pork" introduces our young citizens to the miracle of the other white meat, and we were particularly enticed by a coloring picture, where kids were supposed to find "different kinds of pork hidden in the picture". Boy, how bored do you and your kids have to be to pull that one out of the closet?
In another episode of Boston versus Berkeley, it took just about five minutes in my car to fall back into the local habit of honkin' and hollerin, engage in slalom driving and again, adhere to the very different rules of the road here (this one from a website called Lori's Humor Page - http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/6174/bos_driv.htm):
"To obtain a general idea of driving in Boston, go to a Celtics game, and carefully watch the fast break. Then get behind the wheel of your car and practice it."
"Drivers whose cars sport "I brake for animals" bumper stickers may brake for animals, but not brake for you. Watch it."
"Never, ever stop for a pedestrian, unless he flings himself under the wheels of your car."
"Learn to swerve abruptly. Boston is the home of slalom driving, thanks to the Registry of Motor Vehicles, which puts potholes in key locations to test driver's reflexes and keep them on their toes."
"Never get in the way of a car that needs extensive body work."
"Always look both ways when running a red light."
"Speed limits are arbitrary figures posted only to make you feel guilty."
"If in doubt, accelerate."
On that note, I am accelerating myself home for some well-deserved sleep and a restful weekend.
See you next week.
pet:)
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3:31 PM
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