This year’s choice for Shirleyfest ends up being easy and starts out hard. I always have a running list in my head of next Shirleyfest cities. In consideration for 2023 are Tel Aviv, Auckland, Singapore, Vancouver, Hanoi and a few others. I am running down the pros and cons of each of them when a friend tosses out Toulouse. Highly intrigued, I investigate neighborhoods and apartments and surprisingly I couldn’t get any thoughtful responses. It’s a sign I say. I turned to Tel Aviv where lines in the water reveal a number of people willing to help me. Apartments seem plentiful and owners are responsive. Then several local people mention the number of holidays occurring during my month there and how that could be an impediment to a free wheeling Shirleyfest. Hmmmm.
As fate would have it, I have dinner with a friend visiting San Francisco and he tells me of the wonderful time he recently had in Madrid. Madrid! I haven’t been to Madrid for years and then it was only for a week. I start to investigate. World renowned art museums, a vibrant food scene, a transportation rail hub, enviable nightlife, ancient history……and then I come across Heminway’s love of Madrid.
Hemingway was a huge Madrid fan. The American writer spent a lot of time in Madrid. He was known to love Paris and he lived in Cuba, but Madrid was the center of his world. He adored bullfights, the nightlife in Madrid and loved spending time in Madrid’s countless cafés. He was a regular in Madrid’s oldest restaurant Sobrino de Botín(which also happens to be the oldest restaurant in the world) and in Madrid’s famous sherry bar La Venencia. He is quoted as saying, “I have never been to a city where there are fewer reasons to go to bed and if I did go to bed, to sleep.”
Ok that does it..Madrid it is. I’ll start building my own Shirleyfest book about Madrid and finding the perfect apartment, but please feel free to pass along any ideas you have for me. And of course I’ll be putting lines in the water to meet people so don’t hesitate to connect me with people you know in Madrid.
It is too soon to say I miss Bologna, because so much of Bologna is still in the front of my consciousness. I still feel the energy from the street below my window ( I’m the fifth story apartment with the lights on in two windows).
I still smell the strong coffee and bombolone at Terzi.
My mind walks through Piazza Maggiore to Simoni for a drink and I recall Kajo, the manager, calling out to me as he has a cigarette before starting work.
I’m still getting WhatsApp messages from Ela and Giorgio and Christain and Frederico. It is too soon to be sad about not having pasta for every lunch and dinner.
My last week has been very local Bologna. Nick was here one last day and he went to mass with me at the Cathedral.
He isn’t Catholic but he speaks Italian so he was able to tell me afterwards that the homily was about all people having an important place in the world. Something so evident in my daily life here in Bologna.
Afterwards we know exactly where our place should be. We head for Trattoria Giampu e Ciccio.
As we approach, the owner calls out , “Ciao San Francisco!”. He had met me at Nonna Rosa a few days before and remembers me. His grandfather started the restaurant and there is a picture on the wall which translates to his grandfather having won a baby beauty contest.
They fit us into a crowded dining room and his wife Paula suggest we start with the Crostini com friggione ( toasted bread with onions and tomatoes soup).
It is fresh tomatoes cooked down for 5 hours with onions to make a delicious topping for the warm bread. Along with caprese we have Passatelli ( pancetta, arugula, and lemon) and the most delicious lasagna.
Once again Nick is very bad and orders chocolate cake dessert with marscapone.
In the afternoon Nick and I stroll around Bologna and check out the Prendiparte Tower, a medieval tower turned into a bed and breakfast.
Later we visit a hard to describe modern art exhibit. We enjoy it even tho the guard as we entered made a sign to us like it was “crazy”. After one more coffee Nick must leave. After meeting Nick for the first time in Berlin 9 years ago, I have seen him in Copenhagen, Umbria, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Amsterdam, and we even hiked Yosemite together two days before the pandemic started in 2020.
I know we will connect again before too long.
I return to my place and I am happy to hear my neighbor the opera singer practicing away upstairs. He had introduced himself to me as Greg from Rochester, NY. Turns out he is a famous tenor and one of the most accomplished singers on the international opera stage today. He is appearing in two operas in Bologna this summer. Luisa Miller and Otello. Everyday I hear beautiful music from him when I’m in my apartment.
Later I try Ela’s suggestion of pizza at Altero. It is delicious but I ordered way too much.
The next day I am up early and I’m determined to walk to Le serre in Giardini Margherita. It is hard to describe this amazing space. It was born of an abandoned greenhouse. A non profit Kilowatt put it back to life. There is a co-working space, a vegetable garden, a bistro called Vetro, an outdoor movie screen, and a very cool bar. People are working and playing all around me.
I grab a salad and just sit and absorb this fantastic space. I lament why we don’t have this type of set up in all our parks.
I head back, as friends of mine from Sonoma have a daughter studying in Florence and she is coming for a visit. Stella arrives and I take the opportunity to introduce her to Bologna. After a while we stop at Simoni where of course a table is always available for me and after ordering drinks, little appetizers are sent over as a welcome gift for Stella.
I tell her about Le serre and she is interested, so for the second time that day I am in the park.
After aperol spritzes at my place we head to Trattoria Giampu e Ciccio again and sit outside.
Time flies and before long Stella must literally run for the last train back to Florence. It is great fun to be the “local” introducing Stella to Bologna.
The next day I am to meet Giorgia and her friend Alessandro. When I arrive at the appointed spot I am surprised to see Giorgia is in a car.
She has borrowed her mother’s car to drive outside the city to a famous breakfast spot called Gino Fabbri. Just when I thought pastries could not get any better she introduces me to these amazing Calzones and sweets. We have long conversations about careers, life and love and the time flies.
Giorgia ask if we would be ok going to a local butcher shop with her. Of course. Little did we know we would spend hours in the shop without buying any meat, but drinking lots of champagne and eating until we thought we would bust. Let me explain. Giorgia met Teddy the owner when he came to her wine bar in Bologna. He had a shirt on saying Teddy the Butcher. When she admired it, he simply took it off in the wine bar and gave it to her. A friendship was born.
Teddy is there with his sister Maria and their shop Macelleria Teddy is known for the highest quality of products.
I look around and since I love to cook I can attest that what is in the case are beautiful cuts of meat. At first we mill about while customers come in for their steaks and sausages. Teddy dutifully fulfills the orders.
All of a sudden, Teddy has a bottle of champagne on a barrel and pours us all a glass.
That is followed by bringing out more champagne and the mortadella which is followed by aged parmesean cheese. Pretty soon Teddy’ s nephew Alessandro has arrived to work/drink champagne and Teddy makes us sandwiches as other family members arrive to join in the fun.
No matter how much I eat and drink, everyone says “You must have more”. Teddy also insist on giving us all tshirts saying Macelleria Da Teddy ( the butcher Teddy). I really feel like I must be in a movie. I can’t imagine having this must fun at any butcher shop in America.
Back in the city I’m trying to decide how to spend my last night. It is tempting to go hang out with the Simoni crowd, or with Christain at the Gallery, or even to see if Greg the opera singer needs a wine break. In the end I decide I just want to quietly walk through the city. I head down Via Santa Stefano and just people watch. At one point I come to a beautiful chapel in a courtyard that I’ve never seen.
It’s called Cappella del S. S. Sacramento. I tiptoe in and see a few people in this tiny chapel singing.
It is so touching. Walking on, I see a door that says Ancelle del S. cuore di Gesu. I push on the door and see this beautiful little church in the dark.
These are so pretty and I never noticed them before today. I’ve been here a month and I haven’t even scratched the surface. I end with a glass of wine in the park and contemplate how soon I can return to beautiful welcoming Bologna.
I really appreciate my readers and their many comments. It makes it like a conversation. If you want to comment, all you have to do is go back up and click the title of the post and a comment box will appear at the end of the article. You don’t have to sign into leave a comment. Hope you do!
It always happens around week 3. I now know my way around logistically and can slip down back alleys to avoid the crowds. I know shopkeepers and restauranteurs and baristas. They call out to me when I pass by. Here is Lorenzo at my everyday 8 am coffeehouse Terzi.
I can easily grocery shop, buy stamps, get my hair cut, nails done, go to mass, and arrange for take out if I want it. All this inevitably leads to a growing thought in my mind……maybe I should move here! It happened in Melbourne. It happened in Montréal. It happened in Vienna. It happened in Amsterdam. You get the picture. But nowhere has this been more on my mind than Bologna. It truly is la dolce vita…the sweet life!
My new report starts with last Sunday morning when I get up early to take pictures of the city waking up. Turns out some people are up way before me as there is a marathon race in the city.
The route is right by city hall and the other early risers are couples getting married at city hall. Lots of couples. But unlike in the US where getting married at city hall means the couple and maybe two witnesses, each of the weddings I saw queued up had hordes of celebrants in the queue with them.
I cross over and see that mass is about to start at the Cathedral of Bologna. It’s a beautiful Baroque church constructed on a site where a cathedral has stood since 1028. I take my place and I’m astonished to see the large number of celebrants of the mass.
I have in mind the Michelin restaurant Osteria Bartolini for after mass and I am not disappointed. It is well known for its seafood so I go for the Taglioli al Ragu blanco di pesce….pasta with a mixture of white seafood in the sauce. The restaurant is gorgeous inside and also outside with a large garden to sit in.
Having had a large lunch, dinner is a perfect time to investigate one of Bologna’s four speciality sandwich shops that I’ve yet to try. There is Tigellino,Piadeina, Murtadella and Mortadella Lab. This one, Murtadella, sells a classic mortadella sandwich with burrata and arugula.
Monday I’m invited to tour the Università di Bologna campus by the delightful Vittoria. A gorgeous campus and beautiful views of the city. I mean it’s no Purdue …but it is beautiful.
I want to go to the Teatro Manzoni tonight to hear the Filarmonic. There are two featured performers, one playing the violino and the other the violoncello and it is rare to have this combination in this type of performance. Getting the ticket is hilarious. I go when the box office opens. They have a good seat, but they won’t sell it until one hour before the performance and I need a certain type of mask which I don’t have and they tell me I must go to the pharmacy and buy it. I do and I have dinner at one of my nice local places waiting for the hour before.
I come back 65 minutes before the performance and the ticket is no longer available( how did it sell if they only sell one hour before?) Ok I choose another seat which is fine. And now they are just handing out the required masks to anywho doesn’t have one. Ok. Why did I have to go buy one? I take my seat and there is a man next to me who tells me he has decided to come to Bologna for a month from Liechtenstein where he is a lawyer. Woah that is quite the coincidence I tell him. He says he has never done such a trip before and his only problem is he can’t figure out where to eat. Well maybe I can help I say…I have this thing called a blog with lots of restaurant ideas for Bologna. “How nice”, he says, “but I don’t read blogs.” Ok. I turn slowly away. At intermission there is no drinks, no food, nothing. Just people going outside to smoke. And guess how many stalls there are for the ladies bathroom…one! While everything so far about this night has been odd, the performance is quite good.
Tuesday I decide to get my nails done and I have discovered quite a posh salon near me. I find out they do it quite differently here. Instead of sitting in a chair and putting your feet in a water bath, you are on a recliner and they bring the bath up to you. Happy with my nails, I see if I can schedule a haircut. Yes they can do it shortly. I do my best to describe what I want to AB, that’s the name of my stylist, and I am super happy with how it turns out.
I head out to MAST, a modern art museum on the edge of town. It is a fascinating photography exhibit that explores the interface between photography and technology. It is funded by a nearby tech company and it is sleek and elegant in every way When I got tired of the exhibits, I was offered coffee on the patio. Everything is free here!
Back in the center I remember that Mortadella Lab is back from vacation and I head over to stand in line with the masses. No line! People must have forgotten they reopened. A picture perfect piled high mortadella sandwich.
Since I’m feeling lucky, I see if there is the usual line at Cremeria Santo Stefano. I’m lucky there too! I go for the fragola and limone.
It is a good thing I had these warm up food laps, because my friend Nick has now arrived by train from Verona and good eating is his speciality.
First stop is an aperol spritz and charcuterie at Simoni, where I know everyone who works there.
A tour about town allows Nick to get reacquainted with Bologna, although balloons in the Basilica are quite new.
We have a little rain shower in the afternoon. Come evening we head to Enoteca Al Risanamento in the university section of town. Octopus, sardines, and tuna salad are accompanied by several different local wines. Our waitress Giorgia is coincidentally friends with Giorgia from Enoteca Italiana which I discussed in my last post. Same name,wine bar..how funny.
Thursday we have an outing planned out of town, but first we visit the Pinacoteca, the National Gallery of Bologna. It is located in the former Jesuitical Novitate Convent and the building and the art are stunning.
Now we are on the train to a tiny town called San Giovanni in Persiceto just 20 minutes away. We walk from the train station thru the deserted town and come to our destination Osteria del Mirasole. We sit in the garden and Gary and Ricky help us choose delicious starters of a rare Culatello di Nero Parmigiana and an onion baked with pate inside.
Then comes tortellini alla panna and tagliatelle all ragu. As far as I can understand the cream in this dish is a closely guarded secret of the restaurant and not found anywhere else in the region. They have their own cows apparently.
We finish with a chocolate torte with marscapone cream. Seriously, it was Nick not me who insisted on dessert. Maybe.
All the while we are getting great wine suggestions to go with the food. It is a really lovely afternoon!
Back in Bologna we stop by the seven churches (Basilico Santo Stefano) and stay until we are shooed out at closing time by a sweet elderly gentleman. We get shooed right over to Ruggine bar for cocktails with our favorite bartender Alessandro before ending up at my home away from home pizza place, The Gallery. Once again Christian sends over drinks and we are very good and order a salad and one pizza to split! So to reward us, Christain sends over dessert.
Friday we do lots of walking and visit Villa Spada. The villa is closed but we hike thru the park. It is quite an oasis in the city.
We keep going and soon are at Nonna Rosa, a family run restaurant that has been recommended to me by Ela. We love the tables filled with families and we love the pasta and the veal cutlets. I meet Dino the owner and he brings over wine for the three of us to share. This just seems to happen to me all the time in Bologna. Such a friendly place.
Long walk back before we go out tonight for a multi course ( 11 courses) dinner at Sotto l’Arco. Funny thing— we took the bus there. It was a direct shot from my apartment and cabs are not that easy to find in Bologna. So we arrive via public transportation at this quite upscale restaurant. I’ll show you the pictures of some of the courses and if you have questions you can leave it in the comments. You know you are in trouble when the amuse bouche consists of 7 dishes that represent breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner.
Saturday arrives and we are set to pay homage to Pavarotti. His favorite restaurant (next door to his now museum) is outside of Modena. We train out and when we arrive—- no cabs— oh well- we are getting good at taking city buses to fine restaurants.
A lovely meal ensues and afterwards we meet the owner Cesare. He is actually out working in the gardens without a shirt and the staff brings him out a shirt so he can come in and talk to us.
Saturday night we get by with charcuterie from Enoteca Italian and see the terrific Giorgia again. We still haven’t had Cremeria Cavour gelato so off we go for that ( again no line…this is getting so strange). As we eat our gelato outside, a line forms that goes around the block.
We finish this week off with drinks and snacks at the Roxy Bar, across the street from my apartment.
Do you see why the title of this post is La Dolce Vita?
I really appreciate my readers and their many comments. It makes it like a conversation. If you want to comment, all you have to do is go back up and click the title of the post and a comment box will appear at the end of the article. You don’t have to sign into leave a comment. Hope you do!
The beginning of week 2 in Bologna brings dear friends to visit. My friends from Shirleyfest Vienna, Arno and Petra, bring their two daughters to Bologna and we have a wonderful weekend. They arrive Friday night and after Apertivo at my place we walk to Proscutteria nearby.
Having stopped by there previously on a calm Wednesday night to reserve, I had miscalculated the frenzy of the place on a Friday night. Although they have reserved a beautiful table for us, the decibel level would make catching up with these dear friends impossible. What to do when all reservations are taken on a Friday night by now? Ah ha. Remember Christian from my first night here? A quick phone call and he makes room for us. Great dinner and great catching up after not seeing my friends for over 3 years.
The next day we attempt the San Luca Church climb all together.
The heat and length are too intense for the children so we spin off and get sodas and talk about their lives in Vienna while Petra and Arno soldier on. Afterwards Arno finds us the most local of all places, Trattoria della Santa and we all have a delicious lunch together. Later we go to the beautiful Palazzo Albergati and see the photography exhibit of Oliviero Toscani . Believe me you know his work as he had many famous ad campaigns such as the United Colors of Benetton and photography that made people aware of significant issues such as the death penalty, anorexia, AIDS, and much more.
The permanent collection includes many iconic photographs as well. Photos by Man Ray, Robert Capa and Alfred Stieglitz among others.
Dinner that night is at Da Cesari, an old school local restaurant that was empty at 7:45 and overflowing at 8:15. The full moon beckons us to finish with drinks at the famous Roxy Bar.
A walking city tour the next day ends with the whispering corners of the Enzo Palace where not only could close families communicate during the historic plagues of old, I’ve been told it is of practical use today to communicate during Covid.
A little more eating, shopping and gelato and then my dear friends jet back to Vienna until next year when they will visit me in California.
After they leave, I go to a concert at the Basilica di San Petronio that is made even more beautiful by the acoustics of the church .
Monday I am off to Ferrara on the train to see this city dominated by the Este Castle and stories of ruling dukes, Papal interference and the formerly large Jewish population, originally invited by the dukes for their crafts and then sequestered in the Jewish Ghetto by the Pope. I have booked a walking tour like always and I meet Massimo and two lovely ladies from Kolkata,India.
Massimo ( Max) our guide is a retired doctor and is so entertaining and knowledgeable.
Of course when the tour is finished I head directly to the Michelin restaurant in town, Trattoria Da Noemi for a delicious lunch of local asparagus and the Ferrara specialty of pumpkin filled ravioli.
Tuesday I meet Ela and her mother-in-law Laura for Apertivo at their favorite place. I love mid- day aperol spritzes over lively conversation. Laura is of my generation, but unlike me, she drives a motorcycle.
Lunch today, I try the little place Ragu that has the meat pasta sauce in focaccia. Think slow food sloppy joes!
Later walking thru the main square I see police all around and everyone is pointing at a box that they have made a perimeter around. I think..bomb? I discover that it is a box filled with bees and they had to call the beekeepers to deal with it.
Later I have dinner at the well known Da Nello. I had a reservation, but that didn’t seem to matter. I ended up at an ok table with delicious food, but I was less than thrilled with the brusque wait staff. I would not recommend it even tho you will see it mentioned often. For me, great food is the minimum requirement…but especially as an often solo diner, I want to feel engaged with the restaurant and the people, not just fed. Considering I’ve eaten 35 meals out in Bologna, a dud of one in 35 I can live with. Plus there was this great pasta I had there.
Early Wednesday morning I check out the big park near me, Giardini Margherita. It is really lovely. Surrounded by pretty homes.
Plus I like it because an Italian yoga instructor trying to meet her class in the park, ran up to me, assumed I was Italian, and asked me in Italian how to get somewhere in the park and I was able to tell her in Italian. WooHoo!
Afterwards I go for caffé and a Panino alla Cannella ( morning bun) at Forno Brisa where I met dashing Lorenzo. He has a bandage on his nose and I discovered that he had broken it in a biking accident last month just like I had. What are the chances?
Later I pick up mortadella, cheese and bread for Apertivo as sister MJ arrives this evening. Simoni deli was closed, but now that I know everyone at their restaurant, I was able to convince them to let me buy provisions there for my welcome party for MJ. MJ arrives and we go to my favorite Bolognese pizza place where Christain welcomes MJ to Bologna with his delicious pizzas.
The next day, Ela does a walking tour for MJ and I so that MJ can get the lay of the land.
Before she leaves us, she calls Trattoria de Me for us and snags us a very hard to get lunch reservation. Hot crescentina fritta and MJ’s first dish of Tagliatella Al Ragu and my ravioli in a pea sauce are delicious.
We go next to see the anatomical theatre of the Archiginnasio. In 1637 it was where anatomy lessons were held in the first ever theatre style classroom for such. It is because of it that we use the term theatre in describing operating rooms today.
Drinks at Simoni with Parmesan cheese tasting is followed by dinner at Trattoria Sette Tavoli ( 7 table restaurant— which is what it had).
Not quite done, we stop at the bar Ruggine for some interesting cocktails from bartender Alessandro. On the bar stools next to us, two young students can’t believe we found this place which is a popular student bar.
Next day we climb to the clock tower of city hall for some views and then see the art collection.
The art collection is huge and we had seen enough, but when we turned to leave we were instructed by the docent to continue on and not cut out any of the rooms. Hilarious. We did as she asked. A stop for coffee at the lovely Cafe Zanarini fueled us for some shopping.
Shopping in Italy is great! We both did some damage at Max Mara and other stores. Actually that is true figuratively and literally. We did buy some nice things. Then, at a very fancy store I managed to not see a clear glass 12 inches off the floor side table and I crashed forward into their display. While the display looked like a car had plowed through the wall with metal and broken glass strewn everywhere, I escaped with only one cut and one bruise. The shopkeepers were amazing with bandages, ice packs and bottled water. I was going to see if they would also give me this wonderful pair of shoes I spied, but I thought better of it.
Tonight we stop for drinks at Enoteca Italiana and meet the delightful Giorgia who brings us mortadella( of course) to have with our wine.
Later we eat at Trattoria Valerio.
Next to us is a Berlin travel writer named Soenke who engages us and makes the evening quite fun. Three Italian men are at the next table celebrating a birthday and so we also have fun talking with them before we leave.
On MJ’s last day here, we go to Modena on the train. While sipping coffee in the square we see a wedding is about to take place in the cathedral. Of course we crash it. The mustache man was the highlife of our attendance and of course the bride!
We wedding crashers now go for the famous Modena basaltic vinegar tasting. There is no finer balsamic vinegar than Giuseppe Giusti. At its lovely showroom, Matteo expertly guides us through all the variations and laws pertaining to preserving the integrity of Modena basalmic vinegar.
We move onward to Francescetta 58 which you may recall from my previous post I went to last week. I really want MJ to experience this wonderful place and we are very lucky that the famous Massimo Bottura is here today. He talks to us…. If you count him saying “sera” and us saying it back as talking.
We love our food and also the show taking place a the next table where 4 Italian men are tasting a dozen bottles of wine.
Onward to the Maserati museum where MJ and I pick our our favorite cars before training home to Bologna.
Having had such a big lunch we opt for Simoni for dinner. Once again upon seeing my friendly waiters there, a table magically appears for us ahead of mobs of people waiting. The platter of meats and cheeses plus a bottle of local wine makes for the perfect dinner. Fredrico chats with us about his upcoming exams and we lend encouragement.
No encouragement needed to decide to end the ending at the Roxy Bar. I opt for a Montenegroni where they substitute Amaro Montenegro for Campari. MJ gets the Roxy, a bourbon and lime concoction. The night ends but the memories linger on.
A few days alone and then my friend Nick who I first met on Shirleyfest Berlin will arrive.
I really appreciate my readers and their many comments. It makes it like a conversation. If you want to comment, all you have to do is go back up and click the title of the post and a comment box will appear at the end of the article. You don’t have to sign into leave a comment. Hope you do!
In Ravenna this week I see the beautiful mosaic tile ceiling that inspired Cole Porter to write the song Night and Day.
I can’t write music, but it does inspire me to go have lunch at a Michelin restaurant in Ravenna. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s go back to where we left off.
Monday, I meet my new friend Ela for coffee at a Turkish cafe called Naama. Afterwards we wander the streets of beautiful Bologna. She shows me some of the hidden towers.
All of a sudden I run smack dab into friends from home, Mike and Lisa, who had come from Florence to Bologna to see me. We all were independently looking for a lunch place and Mondays many things are closed, but we ended up at Bottega Portici-Due Torri. It is near the ancient Two Towers and houses the Portici Academy where you can learn pasta making.
In the restaurant, modern touch screens deliver old world Tagliatelle al Ragu. Ela leaves us after lunch and the three of us wander around the city. I take them up the secret spiral staircase for a great view of the towers.
As we are passing the charcuterie shop Simoni, my friend Klevis calls out to us. “Stop for a drink”, So we do. Later Marco’s son Michaela fills in for his Dad and does a balsamic vinegar tasting for us. We also buy Prosecco at his store called Gilberto because it is aperol spritz time now.
But we need ice. Let me tell you ice is the bane of my existence on these Shirleyfest. I love aperol spritzes and they need ice. But this apartment has no freezer. There is however a famous bar called the Roxy directly across the street from my apartment and without hesitation the lovely waitress there sensing my great need offers me a huge bag of ice for our drinks. Works out fine and held us over until our dinner at Trattoria dal Biassanot near the canal.
It was great to have Mike and Lisa join Shirleyfest!The next day is the flower market day at Piazza San Francesco.
Off I go early morning and I am rewarded with some great flower finds.
After depositing those in my apartment, I want to see the three tiny Michelangelo statues in the Basilica of Saint Dominic’s. The place is empty so I could get quite up close and personal with the little guys.
The other art that was calling my name is the 7 terracotta figures known as the lamentations behind the altar at Santa Maria Della Vita. Done in the 1400s by the artist Niccolò Dell’Arca, they are magnificent and really not to missed if you visit Bologna.
I then had in mind to sample what is suppose to be the best gelato in Bologna at Cremeria Santo Stefano. But the line is long and not moving.
Gelato
Interesting that the last time I saw a line like this is was at Shirleyfest Boston and people were in line to buy the latest released sneakers.
Athletic Shoes
Pretty much sums it up—Italy: Food. US: Shoes
Dinner tonight is in the courtyard of Bologna’s version of Romeo and Juliet ( basically same story….kids in love, parent are against it, tower scene, they both die). I’m here for the beautiful setting of the restaurant Corte Galluzzi.
I start with prosciutto and melon.
I follow that with Vittelo Tonnato. It has been a favorite of mine since a friend in Florence made it for me many years ago. It’s roasted veal that is chilled and sliced and the topped with a tuna/anchovies sauce. Not for everyone for sure.
I meet a Swiss couple at dinner and we talked for quite a while about American politics and especially our Supreme Court…grrr. We agree to meet for Apertivo the next evening.
Wednesday I hike up to San Michele in Bosco. It’s an old church, but the real reason to spend the energy is the beautiful views of Bologna from the top.
I’ve got to get back tho because I’m invited to cocktail reception at the 5 star Grand Hotel Majestic for an artist who is in town for art week. It’s a beautiful party and the sparking wine is flowing. I get to meet the artist and we talk about her work, which is stunning.
Thursday, I take the 8:06 train to Ravenna an hour away. It is a spur of the moment decision so I don’t have time to hire a guide or sign up for a tour so I download the important information and set up a Google map annotated with the things I want to see. Ravenna is the city of mosaics and is a UNESCO World heritage site. It is literally a glittering jewel box of 5th and 6th century mosaic art. I walk the 15 minutes from the train station and start with a coffee in the town square and then go directly to the Basilica di San Vitale. I have found that an early start in these day trips is the best recipe and then go directly to the most important site and work backwards depending on the time you have. I am not disappointed as there are very few people at my first stop. Later I pass by there and it is mobbed with people. The ceilings, floors and walls of all the sites I visit are so stunning. Take a look.
Now it’s time for lunch. I check and there is one Michelin restaurant in Ravenna called Antica al Gallo 1909. I decide to take my chance and walk the 15 minutes there to see if I can get in. As I study my map, a local gentleman approaches and asks if he can help me. I tell him my destination and he admires my taste in restaurants and says he will walk me there. His name is Herman and we have the most lovely chat along the way.
Now I approach this gorgeous restaurant and am welcomed by the owner Umberto who is happy to seat me in a table right near the garden.
I am so lucky as soon afterwards the restaurant is completely full. Umberto’s great great grandfather started the restaurant and it has survived two world wars and Covid and is still going strong. Upstairs there are sitting rooms for cocktails and smoking!
I with squash blossoms filled with Gorgonzola and surrounded by a red pepper sauce.
Then I go for the Cavaletti al Ragu. Umberto pours a lovely local wine and I am having the best time.
I’m too full for dessert so they bring me a plate of cookies— meringues with toasted almond glaze.
Afterwards Umberto gives me a gift of a little book about his family. It is first in Italian and then English and he says, “this way you will learn Italian words.” So cute!
Now I visit Modena which is only a 20 minute train ride away. I tour around the town with its beautiful cathedral and lively market.
Modena is famous for balsamic vinegar, luxury sports cars and Massimo Bottura, the chef of the Michelin restaurant Osteria Francescan ( frequently thought of as the #1 restaurant in the world). Before I left California I scored a reservation at Massimo Bottura’s second place ( also a Michelin restaurant) for 2 pm on this day.Arriving early I am taken to a garden table by Marco and an amuse bouche of squash stuffed with ricotta and lemon zest as well as a raw zucchini topped with mousse of zucchini arrives.
I have to have the burger starter which Massimo invented. I took Massimo’s MasterClass and this was featured so I’ve been looking forward to trying it. In his home region of Emilia-Romagna, he makes the patty out of Italian beef mixed with gelatin from cotechino (a local pork sausage) and Parmigiano-Reggiano. For condiments, he puts an Italian spin on American standard making a mayo out of Balsamic vinegar from Modena and an herb sauce based on Italian salsa verde.
Next course is an artichoke ravioli with a black garlic sauce which Giacamo, the young intern from Milan recommends.
Still denying dessert, I am presented with not one but two little Italian bites.
Really a fantastic meal!
I wander back and even figure out the self service ticket machine at the station to change my ticket to a slightly earlier train because my friend Arno and his family arrive from Vienna tonight.
My readers will remember that I met Arno in the Naschmarkt in Vienna in Shirleyfest 2017. Here we are that day nearly 5 years ago.
We really hit it off and the next year when he learned I was going to Amsterdam for Shirleyfest 2018 he invited me to join his family in the Dolomites for a week before Shirleyfest. I did and had the best time! Now they are here! I will report on our activities during their weekend visit in the next post. Now, it is time for me to go have apertivo. Cin Cin!
I’m trying to think when I’ve felt compelled to post about a Shirleyfest city after just a few nights in my new home. Oh I know……Never! Until now. Dear readers, Bologna might just be the best kept travel secret. So why do I say this? Let me tell you.
Let’s start at the beginning. It is an easy trip to Bologna connecting thru Amsterdam on KLM. The airport is small and having cleared customs in Amsterdam, I simply walk straight out to a waiting taxi. Less than 20 minutes later, I’m in my new apartment which is literally steps from the famous two towers of Bologna.
The street below my fifth floor flat is Via Rizzoli, a pedestrian zone on the weekend.
Of course that means since Bologna is a university town that the students gather below my building on the weekends, but it makes for a lively atmosphere. I unpack, shower and head off for my first dinner.
I have reserved in the posh Gallerie nearby. I’m well taken care of by Christain who is surprised and delighted that I am here for a month. After a delicious salad and designer pizza, he surprises me with a lemon sorbet to welcome me.
I’m feeling right at home. And that is the first night!
The next day I have reserved a walking tour. As my readers know, that is my standard practice to have that set up for the first morning in any city. I am so lucky to have Ela as my guide. Smart, warm and energetic, she takes me and two others around her beautiful city. Pasta being the religion of Bologna, we stop to watch it being made.
We then head on thru the beautiful porticos of which there are so many. Bologna has more porticos than any other city in the world …..they date back to 1041. Ela takes us to see one of the portico still standing from medieval times.
From there, we wander thru the Quadrilatero, the old Bologna market, and now home to many many outdoor cafes, restaurants and food shops.
We duck into Gilberto’s and do a basamic vinegar tasting with Marco. We progress from the 8 year old to the 40 year old and it astonishing how rich and refined the oldest Modena vinegars taste.
We stop in the building that housed the university originally and now contains the library. The ceiling is filled with famous family crests.
We plan to end at Neptune fountain, but Ela is so generous with her time, she takes us to the “hidden canals of Bologna”. I was able to peak through the recently restored window that gave way to a view of the Reno Canal in Via Piella.
We take a group shot and Marcel and Alexandra leave.
Once the tour ends, Ela and I are not done talking so we go off the two of us to a nearby coffee bar and continue our discussion.
Soon I say goodbye to my new friend, but we make plans to meet again soon.I feel so lucky to have met such a wonderful person.
I decide to walk to the modern art museum at the edge of town. MAMbo. It is small but nicely done. I’m fascinated by what this artist was trying to tell us.
And I love that this artist found a way to cram more hours in the day.
Later I head to Trattoria dal Biassanot and enjoy a beautiful meal served by the attentive Luca.
The pasta is tortellini with pistachios. Absolutely devine…. as was the pane cotta with fresh berries. Oh gosh I’m glad I walk a lot here! I looked at my step counter at the end of the day and had walked 25,000 steps. I’ll need to keep that up if I am going to eat all this delicious food.
On Sunday it is Mother’s Day so I decide to take the pilgrims path ( hike!) up to Chinese Della Madonna di San Luca founded in 1194. You go through 666 porticos ( the longest Portico path in the world) to have an uninterrupted 3.8 km hike to get to the top.
Once up, a beautiful church awaits you.
Inside many parishioners are chanting the rosary in honor of the Virgin Mary. I love how fitting this seems on the special day. Great views await you at the top.
After a small rest and a bottle of water, I start back down. I have to admit I saw a coffee bar just before the end and I plunk down at a table for a refreshing cup of tea before carrying on.
Tonight I decide to try to get a table at Simoni, the unchallenged best charcuterie restaurant in Bologna. I see lots of people and I wait to put my name on the list. For some reason, I am whisked off right away to a perfect table in the center of the restaurant with great views of the hard working staff.
It is a show to watch the charcuterie trays being churned out for all the hungry guests. Klevis, my waiter, shows me the best wine to order and soon my plate arrives.
By then I am heartily engaged with the tables on either side of me. One with an American student living in Bologna now for 3 years and her visiting cousin and the other two Italian students getting their masters at the university. Naturally I garner some great tips and recommendations from my fellow diners!
I walk the few short blocks home very happy with my first three days in Bologna. I do believe I have picked the perfect city for Shirleyfest 2022. I hope you will continue to enjoy Bologna with me.
While I loved my Santa Barbara and Boston Shirleyfests, I’ve been looking longingly at international destinations for 2022. For a variety of reasons, Ive decided to change things up this year and go in the spring instead of the fall……although it is entirely possible that come fall I’ll want to do a second Shirleyfest.
I’ve had Bologna on my travel radar for quite a while. It is known for its amazing food ( it is considered Italy’s gastronomical capital), miles of beautiful Spanish terra cotta tiled rooftops and porticos in the city center (25 miles) and home of the oldest university in the western world ( University of Bologna founded in 1088). For these reasons it has three nicknames, Fat, Red and Learned. Add in fabulous museums, a train hub that begs you to do day trips, impressive markets and lots of live music, who could resist being part of that! Not me.
So I’ll be off to Italy in a couple of months. Please let me know if you know people to introduce me to or have any good information to pass along. I hope you will follow along with me as I immerse myself in Shirleyfest #12.
Time to wrap up my Boston blog. This last week has been exciting. I went to the opening night of the famous Boston Symphony where John Williams conducted a piece he wrote for for the renowned violinist Anna Sophia Mutter. You may know Williams from his Oscar winning scores for movies like Jaws and Star Wars…with 52 Academy Award nominations, he is the second most-nominated individual, after Walt Disney. This 89 year old succeeded Arthur Fiedler as the conductor of the Boston Pops in the 80s and occasionally he still conducts the Boston Symphony. I was so lucky to see him! Anna Sophia Mutter is a German violinist of great acclaim ( often performing with Yo-Yo Ma), so it was a double treat.
I took the T over to the Prudential building before the performance and had a lovely salad and glass of wine pre-show at Terra. Very very noisy but tasty and very convenient.
Walking to the symphony I encountered many people excited to return to live performances. The show ended late and hearing my daughter’s voice in my head, I chose not to walk through the dark Boston Commons park at midnight. Speaking of my daughter, big news! Laura and Mallory are engaged. I was excited to see them in Boston the day after their engagement and to toast their happy news. Look at these two happy faces! Guess what? Mine was equally happy.
On my way to meet my friend Brad for lunch, I spy the Greenway Carousel. This is a unique carousel with hand carved air, sea and land animals native to Massachusetts. Ten years ago at my first Shirleyfest in New York City, I rode the carousel in Central Park to celebrate my birthday. I thought it fitting to jump on the grasshopper at the carousel in Boston to celebrate this one as well.
After the ride I meet Brad at J. Hook for one last bowl of Boston Clam Chowder. I wanted to bring him some apple cider donuts for his kids so I was forced to first sample one at the Boston Public Market. These are addictive.
Brad mentioned that he also liked Row 34’s seafood. That was all I needed to head over there the next day for a local beer and fish tacos.
One other foodie place I need to mention is Coppa. I went there for brunch and had scrambled eggs cacio e pepe which was fantastic. My favorite Italian dish without the added carbs from pasta. Of course there was that burnt tomato toast.
I liked Coppa so much I went back there with my friends Belinda and Kent at the end of the week. This time I did have pasta and also a delicious sea bass.
Enough about food. You must think all I do is eat. You would not be too far wrong. But I also did a harbor walk that last week. Impressive sights all along the harbor.
Near the Seaport is the Contemporary Art Museum. I took one last look around as the exhibits had changed. It is a small museum but really nicely curated.
I head home and up to my wonderful rooftop to say goodbye to Boston.
The sun was just starting to set so I made one last aperol spritz.
And then with a glorious finish the sun set on my lovely Boston Shirleyfest. Goodbye for now and thank you for coming on my journey with me.
Shirleyfest has three human components…enjoying visits from family and friends, engaging with new people I meet in my host city, and my solo time. I have lots of fun stories and photos from those first two categories, but first let me comment on the last.
Voluntarily walking into the unknown One, two, three…jump!
A solo walk at daybreak across the Longfellow bridge allows me time for contemplation and reflection. Shirleyfest allows me the luxury of getting away from my home, to do list, and familiar surroundings to think about what is important to me. It allows me to have intimate moments with my own mind. I am challenged to figure out many new things, overcome obstacles and let my curiosity take me down many paths. All of this leads to personal transformation and growth. I am never the same person when I leave a city that I am when I open that door to my apartment. I learn lessons and I learn new things about myself.
A solo walk around MIT. Adding another chapter to my Tao of Shirleyfest
After Vermont, I was blessed with many friends and family coming to Boston to help me celebrate my birthday. Fortunately there is a very nice hotel, Liberty Hotel, a few minutes walk away and my visitors all chose that destination to stay ( it is a former prison so I don’t know what that says about my friends and family?) My friend Andy arrives and we take to the Charles River for some kayaking
We venture into a part of the river I had missed before— the Charles River Locks.
Now that we have the hang of being on the water, the next day we take the fast ferry to Provincetown.
A 90 minute ferry from Boston straight to the heart of P-town.
After a very nice lunch at Fanzini’s we stroll around the town which is charming. We ferry back and tonight have dinner at Mamma Maria in North Beach. Andy has to work the next day so I enjoy meeting a new neighbor, Mike, for lunch at Harvest in Cambridge.
That night my brother John, sister in law Virginia and sister MJ come into town and we all go to Wood Hill Pier 4 for a meal sourced from their large farm. It is a full moon out and life seems just right sitting outside with people I love.
Andy leaves but the rest of us walk all over Boston the next day. We see a group of ladies dressed in white at Boston Commons. Turns out to be a demonstration against Massachusetts law that has no age requirement for marriage.
We walk through so many neighborhoods today. Louisburg Square, North End, Charlestown. Laughter bounds.
Tonight my friends Dan and Sharon join us and we head to Petit Robert Bistro. It starts with a toast of pink champagne.
The evening was hilarious and the restaurant got into the fun…. sending us complimentary champagne and desserts. I think everyone could tell how happy we were.
Laura and Mallory arrive the next day fresh from Cape Cod.
Oh yes today is my birthday! We open gifts and have lunch at Tatte nearby before exploring the shops on Charles Street. That evening my friends Kent and Belinda join us all at 75 Chestnut where I have the best birthday dinner dinner a girl could want. Brother John got the entire restaurant to sing me happy birthday!
So it is a done deal, I’m officially a year older.
More exploring the next day and of course more eating. Tonight the gang walks to Legal Seafood on Long Wharf. The walk there is highlighted by a beautiful sunset.
That night we hang out under the moonlight and have after-dinner drinks at their hotel. Everyone but Sharon and Dan is leaving in the morning and it has been such fun having my gang here to celebrate with me.
Dan, Sharon and I first go out to the Kennedy Presidential Library. I have only been to one other of the 14 Presidential Libraries—LBJ’s in Austin. This one is beautiful and well done.
I am surprised by this map. are you?
Later we head to Cambridge to have dinner at little Donkey, a Spanish tapa style restaurant. We all love it. Then off to the Loeb Theatre to see Chasing Magic. It felt so odd to be back in the theatre. We had to show proof of vaccination and wear masks but it was worth it to finally see live theatre again.
Dan and Sharon leave for Charleston, SC and I have a solo day where first I go to Third Cliff Bakery owned by Meg, the wife of a friend of ours. Delicious!
Then I go to mass at the Cathedral.
A beautiful place and a great homily. The priest tells the story of a boy who is sitting in a low stool looking up at his mother embroidering and sees the underside of what she is working on. He is puzzled because it looks like lots of loose threads and knots, with no rhyme or reason. She then lifts him up to look at the work from the top down and he sees a beautiful orderly design and pattern. That story speaks to me in many ways.
The next day I take the train to Kingston, RI to visit my friend George. I am wowed by Rhode Island’s beauty. We have a fabulous lunch at George’s friend Nancy’s home.
Nancy shows me around her lovingly decorated 1776 home and gardens. George and I hang out at Witch Hill beach with his new dog, Gracie.
George takes me back to the train station for an easy hour ride back to Boston
So much has transpired this week! I’m back in my cozy place with these colorful dahlias from Nancy’s Rhode Island garden to remind me of all the beauty in the world.
Wait…not THAT Woodstock! I’m heading to Woodstock,Vermont where the theme song is the Ballad of the Green Mountain Boys ( really good song actually, link here https://youtu.be/Y4KcJTP8nW8).
I have always wanted to go to Vermont as it is one of the 5 remaining states I have not spent a night in. Mid-Shirleyfest I always take a little side trip, so this is a perfect time to head north. My friends Belinda and Kent pick me up and off we go on a beautiful sunny day. After an organic healthy lunch at Mon Vert in town we arrive at the Woodstock Inn.
It really is so lovely and well maintained. After checking in we walk around town. Bookstores, antique shops, bakeries and gorgeous large homes on the river. I have to say it is the quintessential Northeast village encapsulated by covered bridges and the the Ottauquechee River. I feel like I am in Stars Hollow from the Gilmore Girls.
When confirming my reservation a few days ago, the concierge told me that at the nearby farm they had thousands of sunflowers in bloom and it was quite a site. We head off to see those flowers. Imagine our surprise when we we see a field of dead sunflowers. Well there is one that looks like a sunflower shower so I got a picture with that.
And while the sunflowers were a bust, this butterfly feasting on one is fun to see.
All is not a bust at the farm tho because we do see a calf that has just been born. That night we have dinner at the Red Rooster at the hotel and it was delicious. We start the next day with a hike up the nearby mountain for magnificent views of the valley.
Afterwards we head to Simon Pearce, an amazing shop with beautiful hand blown glass. The many glass blowers are working in the basement and we are mesmerized by their craft.
Outside the shops, the river and a waterfall are beautiful today but we learn that a devastating hurricane in 2011, destroyed much of the shop and the surrounding town. It looks great now!
We realize that we are very close to Dartmouth so we decide to go. The students have just arrived on campus so all is abuzz. We have lunch at Lou’s before heading to the Quechee Gorge. The gorge is 165 feet deep and is the deepest gorge in Vermont. It is known as Vermont’s Grand Canyon. We find a spot on the bridge perfect for viewing.
Back in Woodstock, Belinda discovers a hidden game room complete with pool table, pinball machines and a bar. We have it all to ourselves and enjoy some pre dinner libations before heading upstairs to the Tavern for a delicious dinner.
The next day we head back. I’m sad to leave Woodstock but I spy out the car window a field of leaves turning colors. It’s a sign to come back and see all of Vermont’s changing foliage again someday. Viva Vermont!
If I told you I am on the oldest ship in the world still afloat would you know where I am? Hint: its nickname is Old Ironsides.
That’s right, the USS Constitution. Naval crew still serve aboard her. She is one of the six ships constructed after the United States gained independence from the British. Her greatest glory came in the war of 1812 where time after time she defeated the British and earned the nickname Old Ironsides because cannon fire from enemy ships seemed not to be able to penetrate her strong oak hull.
It is an easy walk through the North End to get here. I am surprised how touched I am to see the crew quarters, guns and facilities on the top and also the decks below. My Dad was a gunner in the Navy in WWII and I feel his presence as I walk around the ship and talk to the uniformed crew.
There are great views of Boston from here as well.
After leaving I take a detour to the Mapperium. This is a three story tall inside out stained glass globe that is bisected in the middle by a glass walkway. Once on the walkway I am inside the globe and it is fascinating to see the earth from this perspective. The Mapperium has not changed since 1935 so you can see Siam and a large USSR.
I head back as I am taking the train out to Lynnfield to meet Francie and Bill, long time friends of my neighbor Gale in California. I take the T as far as I can and then buy a ticket on the railroad for the remainder of the trip. I am so excited to see my new friend’s 1720 home. I am greeted by a quartet of wild turkeys on their property.
They have lovingly restored every inch of this gorgeous home and graciously give me both a lovely glass of Sancerre and a house tour. Afterwards we have a beautiful dinner before they drive me back to Boston
Today my friends, Vince and Jim, are arriving from Connecticut for an early birthday celebration, but first I meet Eileen, a friend of my California friend Lila, for a coffee at Tatte. She is so nice and we end up walking over to Louisburg square so she can show me the “purple” window panes on the oldest houses.
Jim and Vince come over from the Liberty Hotel and we go to two rooftop bars before finally deciding on drinks at Wood Hill Pier 4 .
Now we walk along the new dry dock section of the seaport to the wildly popular restaurant Chickadee. We basically order everything on the menu because we can’t decide…and it is all wonderful!
Champagne all round ends a fabulous evening with great friends.
And in case any of you missed it, you can copy this link into your browser to see my inept opening of that champagne
The next day my friends leave and I decide to go out to the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard, a 281 acre preserve in the heart of Boston. I am truly amazed at the scope of this beautiful place and walk for miles through the paths.
I even come across the set up for a marriage proposal.
All this walking makes me very hungry so I walk into the Jamaica Plain neighborhood to find El Oriental de Cuba reported to have the best Cubano sandwich in the entire city. Oh yes!
I meander home in a food coma but interestingly I am able to go out later to my local Bin 26 Enoteca. I intend to eat outside, but a car accident on the street makes it too crazy to do that so I move inside. I meet a great bartender, Ross and we discuss art and travel and , well given the accident out front, just how bad the drivers are in this area.
I better go home now as tomorrow I leave for Woodstock, Vermont. I’ll be posting about that soon. Hope you can join me on that trip!
I’m sitting in my beautiful living room sipping coffee at 8:08 am and I see online that there is a 9:00 am tour of Fenway Ball Park. I throw on my clothes, rush out the door and hop on the T. I buy the ticket on my phone while I’m on the train, power walk 15 minutes from the stop and I’m there with minutes to spare. It’s game day and Boston, who is in the wild card race, is playing the #1 Tampa Bay Rays in a few hours. Fenway is getting ready!
Our energetic tour guide tells us all the lore of this storied baseball park. We see the one red seat in a sea of green where a fan got beaned when Ted Williams hit the longest home run in the park’s history. We see the Green Monster and the seats on it. We sit in the press box.
Can you see the one red seat?
Fenway now even has a farm on the roof which provides produce for the concessions in the park as well as donations to local food banks.
The hour flies by and I couldn’t be happier. Later the Red Sox could be happier as they were beat 11-10 in extra innings.
But I gotta scoot because I’m going kayaking on the Charles River. I walk across the Longfellow Bridge to the other side of the river and find the kayak rental place. With very little info I’m sent off in my kayak and told to bring it back when I feel like it!
Off I go towards the Harvard Bridge. It is so beautiful on the river today. I get out a ways and have the whole Boston skyline behind me.
I could have gone on forever. The day was beautiful and the river calm. It is only because I’m getting hungry that I finally go back. And you know what I want after being on the water? A lobster roll!
I heard of James Hook lobster shack from a local. It is back over on my side of the river and down towards Long Wharf. I order the large lobster roll. Period. That’s all I want. And for $42 with tip that is what I get. Worth every penny
The other local tip I got was that Boston has killer donuts from a place called Kane’s. Fortunately ( or not) Kane’s donuts is just around the corner, so…..
The next day is equally great weather and I hire a local photographer to do a photo walk with me around my Beacon Hill neighborhood. I take a lot of pictures and she points out cool possibilities to me for shots.
This house is charming and begs to have its picture taken with its Red Sox door and Red Sox baseballs gracing all the flower pots. We also go to Acorn Lane, the most photographed street in Boston and where marriage proposals are regularly staged. I thought I got a great shot of this pretty street.
She takes me to Louisburg Square which is right behind my place and where John Kerry lives at #19 and the author Robin Cook lives at #16 (Coma, Contagion, Pandemic, and more). Louisa May Alcott lived here at one time as well. It is apparently the most expensive address in Boston. I love the door knockers.
Which is your favorite?
We also photograph the public gardens and parts of Back Bay. One of my favorite photos is the dog stuck in the Back Bay fence. All in all it’s a fun morning.
But what about the A of the ABCs? Not to worry, that afternoon I went to the special Monet exhibit at the Boston Museum of Fine Art and then topped it off with a visit to the Isabella Gardner Museum. This Isabella Gardner museum was the site of the $500 million, 1990 theft of 13 works of art including Rembrandts and Vermeer. Look at the empty frames still on the walls where the paintings had been.
The best part of the Isabella Gardner Museum is the courtyard garden. it is gorgeous and ever changing. The Museum also has a great restaurant where I had lunch prior to my visit.
So there you have the ABCs of a couple of my Shirleyfest Boston days. Coming up next…the USS Constitution and sunset walking with my Boston Meet Up group. Stay tuned and follow along!
I arrive during a rainstorm to my new home for the next month. There is always that moment before I open the door where I wonder what it will look like on the other side. Here’s what I see.
I breath a sigh of relief and an outburst of joy. I’ve rented a beautiful place in the Beacon Hill area of Boston. I will be happy here. My dear friends who live in a nearby suburb kindly whisk me away for a welcoming typical New England dinner of lobster,clam chowder and Boston cream pie.
And so goes my first night in Boston. Early the next day I do a walking tour of the Freedom Trail with Brian, a comedic Bostonian. I see the State House, the Boston Commons, the First Public Schoolhouse, and the site of the Boston Massacre where British soldiers opened fire on a taunting mob in 1770 killing 5 and providing an igniter for Revolutionary activists. I also see the Old Granary Burial Grounds where the gallows humor is you can go to the bar across the street and have a cold Samuel Adams while overlooking a cold Samuel Adams.
After the tour, I head over to the North Church for a quick visit in the Italian area of Boston—North End. I spy Regina’s Pizza which is on my list and choose a yummy pizza.
That evening I stroll through the beautiful Beacon Hill streets and wind up at a local place called 75 Chestnut for dinner. So enjoyable to eat outside on these cobblestone streets. Afterwards I realize I am only a few blocks from Cheers bar so I have a nightcap of a cold one.
The next morning I meet a friend from Palo Alto for coffee and we stroll around Charles street looking at vintage stores and antique shops. In the afternoon I go downtown and get my monthly subway card ( Charlie Card) and head to the Boston Public Library. It is an beautiful building with murals from the painter John Singer Sargent, gorgeous reading rooms and a storied history. It is the first free public library and it is filled with people today taking advantage of all it has to offer.
Tonight I head first to the Contemporary Art Museum via the T and a walk across the river. It is happening! A cool exhibit featuring Virgil Abloh. He is the artistic Director behind the off-white launch in Milan which challenges elite fashion houses long-standing exclusion of Black talent. There is a band playing on the waterfront in front of the museum. So fun! Afterwards I go to Sportello, a Barbara Lynch restaurant nearby.I get suggestions from two regulars and I always listen to regulars. One is to order a whipped housemade ricotta with honey and a homemade warm focaccia and the other the roasted pasta Bolognese tagliatelle.
Now it’s the weekend! My friends and I go to Marblehead and Salem for the day. Marblehead is a coastal town, sometimes referred to as the birthplace of the American Navy. We cross the causeway and walk around this little island and see the lighthouse and all the beautiful homes. You can see Boston in the distance.
Now Salem! What a hoot! Everything is witchcraft this and spooky that. Some people are dressed in costume. We have a great lunch at Finz overlooking the harbor and then we check out the old cemetery.
After all that spooky business we need some drinks. No better place than my rooftop deck when we get home.
I think that is quite enough for my first few days here. Next up at Fenway Park and kayaking the Charles River. I hope you follow along as I explore Boston!
Shirleyfest 