Kisiwa: Boston

Showing posts with label Boston. Show all posts

February 15, 2015

Snow and more snow

Here in the Boston are we have had about 9 feet of snow in the past 3 weeks. Kinda crazy. And if that were not enough, we are also having record cold temperatures. Here are some pics from today.

Our driveway is getting narrower after each storm. Pretty soon we'll have to leave the cars behind and snowshoe out.

Another foot and a half of fresh powdery snow. Windchills in the -35F ahead, and the furnace has stopped working. Grateful that we have power. Life could be worse. There could be zombies at my door.

January 28, 2015

Wordless Wednesday: 01.28.15

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January 26, 2015

Blizzard Warning

"A crippling and potentially historic blizzard" is forecasted tonight through Wednesday morning, dumping as much as three feet of snow. Rounded up some important survival gear: book lights and corkscrew.

A photo posted by Elizabeth A (@kisiwa82) on Jan 26, 2015 at 10:31am PST

November 24, 2014

Starting my trip to Las Vegas on a warm and rainy Monday morning. Expected horrendous traffic, so gave myself lots of extra time. Thank goodness for the HOV lane - shaved at least 30 minutes off the trip in.

Love the art installation trend at airports.

These are parts of an underwater sculpture by Chris Williams at Logan Terminal B.

November 9, 2014

Sunday ramblings

A crisp Fall day on tap in the Boston area. Met up with some MASALA folks for an early brunch at Daedalus in Harvard Square. Did not get a group pic before people left, but did get one with Minai and Lakshmi.

Next up was tea time at the Diesel Cafe in Davis Square with Andrine and Yasha.

The boat has been moved to her winter slip, and there is much to do to get her ready for winter. The new location means that we have different views - this was what sunset liked like through a porthole.

A chilly night indeed, but we are snug as bugs down below.

November 2, 2014

Celebrating Michele

We helped a friend celebrate a birthday recently, and since I had not created a layout in a long time, decided to put those rusty skills to work.

(Click on image to view larger)

This 8x10 layout was done using Photoshop Elements and these freebie supplies: Flower element by Jessica and 4x6 collage templates by Liz.

October 30, 2014

Boston Book Festival 2014

October is a fabulous time to be in Boston. There is just so much going on, and one of my fave things is the Boston Book Festival, which took place last weekend. There are so many events with wonderful authors, but honestly my fave thing is being surrounded by people who love reading. The Kids' Keynote was given by Rick Riordan, and the lines went around the block. It made me so happy to see so many excited kids there. The History Keynote was given by Doris Kearns Goodwin, and though I really wanted to see her, I opted out of the long, long lines. Here are the sessions I attended, and got to be in the front row for each one! As always click on photos to view larger.

First session of the day: Fiction with a Twist

Blurb: Thrillers, romances, and fantasy novels have always been segregated from so-called literary fiction on bookstore and library shelves. These days, however, even serious (and seriously successful) authors are embracing genre fiction. Bestselling YA author Lauren Oliver’s first foray into adult fiction is the ghost story Rooms. Ben Mezrich, best known for nonfiction like Bringing Down the House, offers a cinematic worldwide adventure in his novel Seven Wonders. And William Giraldi takes readers to the frozen north in his atmospheric thriller Hold the Dark. What brings these authors to explore new genres? Do they just offer a fun diversion, or are they breaking down barriers between literary categories? Robin Young, co-host of Here & Now on WBUR and NPR, will lead a discussion of these questions and more.

Photo: William Giraldi, Lauren Oliver, Ben Mezrich and Robin Young. Such a great panel discussion.

Second session of the day: South Asian Authors: Impact Across Genres

Blurb: The authors in this session write high-impact works spanning a range of subjects and genres. Vikas Swarup’s novel Q & A became the hit movie Slumdog Millionaire, while his latest, The Accidental Apprentice, is also slated to be adapted for film. Vikram Chandra’s latest novel is the thriller Sacred Games; his most recent book, Geek Sublime: The Beauty of Code, the Code of Beauty, explores the connections between technology and the art of writing. Journalist Geeta Anand’s nonfiction work, The Cure, about a father’s race to find a cure for the disease afflicting his two children, became the film Extraordinary Measures starring Harrison Ford. Ulka Anjaria, who teaches South Asian literature and film at Brandeis, will lead the wide-ranging conversation with these fascinating, multi-talented authors. Sponsored by the South Asian Arts Council.

(Due to travel complications, Vikas Swarup will be unable to join us for this session.)

Photo: Vikram Chandra, Geeta Anand and Ulka Anjaria talked about fiction and nonfiction in India and abroad.

Third session of the day:My Memoir, My Quest

Blurb: Each of the panelists here writes of a quest for self-discovery, a search for a deeper understanding of a subject with lasting, lifelong impact, or both. In My Life in Middlemarch, Rebecca Mead unpacks the many ways that nineteenth-century novelist George Eliot influenced her own life and career. Max Tegmark, in in Our Mathematical Universe: My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality, reveals his theory of how mathematics explains the cosmos while also sharing the triumphs and setbacks of his own life in science. Joanna Rakoff, in My Salinger Year, reflects on a defining year spent answering J. D. Salinger’s fan mail. Moderated by by Ethan Gilsdorf, author of the memoir/pop culture investigation Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks. Sponsored by May K. Houghton.

Photo: Entertaining and informative panel discussion by Rebecca Mead, Max Tegmark, Joanna Rakoff and Ethan Gilsdorf.

Fourth session of the day: Fiction: Another Country

Blurb: The authors in this session use the whole globe as a canvas for their recent fiction.Joseph O’Neill’s The Dog, longlisted for the Man Booker Prize, is set amid the singular landscape and complex social milieu of Dubai. In Euphoria, winner of the 2014 New England Book Award, Lily King charts a passionate love triangle among anthropologists working in 1930s New Guinea. And in Secrecy, Rupert Thomsonexplores issues of power, religion, and art while taking readers deep into Florence’s Medici court. Their engrossing discussion will be moderated by James Wood, book critic for the New Yorker.

Photo: The Joseph O'Neil, Lily King, Rupert Thomson and James Wood panel was a fab way to end a wonderful day.

If you have yet to check out the Boston Book Festival, you must go. Put it in your calendar for next October.

October 20, 2014

Boston MASALA

The other night, Boston's MASALA group had a party celebrating its 20th anniversary at Club Cafe.

It was a fun night reconnecting with old friends and making new ones.

September 19, 2014

September morning

Waking up to a lovely sunrise on this chilly September morning. The geese have started heading South my friends, and we are sucking the marrow out of sailing season before it is all over.

Winter is coming!

September 17, 2014

Wordless Wednesday: 09.17.14

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September 10, 2014

Wordless Wednesday: 09.10.14

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September 3, 2014

Wordless Wednesday: 09.03.14

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August 21, 2014

Boston Harborwalk

My parents are in town for a month long visit, and they have lucked out with our fantastic summer weather this year. Today we took a long walk along the wonderful Harborwalk, and I introduced them to the selfie concept.

Below are some additional pics from our day.

My Dad loves boats, so this walk was especially fun for him.

Those of you who follow this blog know that I'm on a Fitbit kick, so I was delighted that my parents and I got in a 6.5 mile walk today. Pretty better dang good for my old folks [smile].