#22 Boston - IKEA is coming!! November 4 05
Isn't that the biggest news since the Red Sox won the World Series!!! Everyone in Boston and I am sure all across the Commonwealth is in a state of excitement and anticipation - the Swedish furniture giant is opening a store in Stoughton, Mass and I hear that there is a guy who is camped out in front of the store already so that he can cash in on the $5000 handed to the first customer there. He might have to buy a 1000-pack of tea candles to prove that he is indeed a customer, but I am sure he can handle it. Stoughton, I learned, is only about 20 minutes from here (until recently we had to drive to Connecticut for cheap furniture), and plans are in the works for a little retail session with some of my girlfriends.
This is coming in particularly handy as I am currently in the process of looking for a property to buy - a condominium that is, and despite the fact that the housing prices are indeed taking a nose dive, I am still facing the conundrum of either purchasing a postage-size apartment in the area of choice or a bigger space in those faraway places like Cambridge or Charlestown. My realtor, Larry, is a patient man, and I like him all the better for it (his claim to fame: He used to be a limo driver for Donald Trump). While he knows that I generally favor older apartments with some character, he dragged me (God knows why) to Charlestown last night to visit Parris Landing (http://www.parrislanding.com/gallery.php). Well - something landed there, and believe you me, it ain't Paris or Parris (whatever or whoever that may be). The building is a design of renowned architect Philippe Starck (http://www.philippe-starck.com/) and my first impression was "museum meets insane asylum", and I kept waiting for Nurse Ratched to show up in one of her starched outfits. The lady from the sales office did her best to advertise the "charms" of the place, but I think even she sensed that I was a lost cause.
All this looking for a new pad added of course to the stress of the week, which was filled with errands that had to with my name change and I can happily report that it is taken care of: I am now no longer Chinese, can all myself Petra Loesch again and I am quite happy about it. Oh yeah, and I had to work, too! I have to say one thing though about all the different "official places" such as the Registry of Motor Vehicles, the Social Security Department, Suffolk County Court House here in Boston - they are great! No lines, in-and-out in 10 minutes, and friendly staff!! Quite the opposite experience from what happens in California - maybe I should write a little thank-you note to Mr. Menino (our mayor, also known as "mumbles" because you cannot understand a word he is saying - http://www.cityofboston.gov/mayor/default.asp).
Recapping the past weekend - I attended the wedding of my friends Ellen and Patrick, who are fellow Boston Cares friends, and parents of Oscar's cousin Marge. The wedding took place in Sturbridge , located about one hour west of Boston and famous for Old Sturbridge Village (http://www.osv.org/ ), a 19th century community complete with houses, shops, meeting houses and cider mill. We did not spend too much time there but pretty much hoofed it immediately to the tavern for the wedding celebrations. It was a lovely event and featured a quite cool Dixie band that got everyone dancing like a rag on a stick. Ellen was an absolutely beautiful bride, Patrick looked dashing and deliriously happy. The newlyweds are currently vacationing in Italy while Marge has shacked up with us, and she and Oscar are still figuring out all that territorial alpha-male/female stuff.
After that dippy little snow episode last weekend, the weather has calmed down a bit and we have enjoyed beautiful fall weather here in Boston (finally!) - I am heading up to Waterville Valley again tonight for some serious hiking (there is snow at about 3000 feet, so who knows what will happen.....). Next week is promising to be quite crazy with events almost every night and a flight to Pennsylvania on Friday, but more on that later.
My friends, have a great weekend, be nice to your friends, and even nicer to your families!!
pet:)
This is coming in particularly handy as I am currently in the process of looking for a property to buy - a condominium that is, and despite the fact that the housing prices are indeed taking a nose dive, I am still facing the conundrum of either purchasing a postage-size apartment in the area of choice or a bigger space in those faraway places like Cambridge or Charlestown. My realtor, Larry, is a patient man, and I like him all the better for it (his claim to fame: He used to be a limo driver for Donald Trump). While he knows that I generally favor older apartments with some character, he dragged me (God knows why) to Charlestown last night to visit Parris Landing (http://www.parrislanding.com/gallery.php). Well - something landed there, and believe you me, it ain't Paris or Parris (whatever or whoever that may be). The building is a design of renowned architect Philippe Starck (http://www.philippe-starck.com/) and my first impression was "museum meets insane asylum", and I kept waiting for Nurse Ratched to show up in one of her starched outfits. The lady from the sales office did her best to advertise the "charms" of the place, but I think even she sensed that I was a lost cause.
All this looking for a new pad added of course to the stress of the week, which was filled with errands that had to with my name change and I can happily report that it is taken care of: I am now no longer Chinese, can all myself Petra Loesch again and I am quite happy about it. Oh yeah, and I had to work, too! I have to say one thing though about all the different "official places" such as the Registry of Motor Vehicles, the Social Security Department, Suffolk County Court House here in Boston - they are great! No lines, in-and-out in 10 minutes, and friendly staff!! Quite the opposite experience from what happens in California - maybe I should write a little thank-you note to Mr. Menino (our mayor, also known as "mumbles" because you cannot understand a word he is saying - http://www.cityofboston.gov/mayor/default.asp).
Recapping the past weekend - I attended the wedding of my friends Ellen and Patrick, who are fellow Boston Cares friends, and parents of Oscar's cousin Marge. The wedding took place in Sturbridge , located about one hour west of Boston and famous for Old Sturbridge Village (http://www.osv.org/ ), a 19th century community complete with houses, shops, meeting houses and cider mill. We did not spend too much time there but pretty much hoofed it immediately to the tavern for the wedding celebrations. It was a lovely event and featured a quite cool Dixie band that got everyone dancing like a rag on a stick. Ellen was an absolutely beautiful bride, Patrick looked dashing and deliriously happy. The newlyweds are currently vacationing in Italy while Marge has shacked up with us, and she and Oscar are still figuring out all that territorial alpha-male/female stuff.
After that dippy little snow episode last weekend, the weather has calmed down a bit and we have enjoyed beautiful fall weather here in Boston (finally!) - I am heading up to Waterville Valley again tonight for some serious hiking (there is snow at about 3000 feet, so who knows what will happen.....). Next week is promising to be quite crazy with events almost every night and a flight to Pennsylvania on Friday, but more on that later.
My friends, have a great weekend, be nice to your friends, and even nicer to your families!!
pet:)
posted by My Boston at
12:46 PM
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