a winter walk…

So the snow may not have lasted very long, but winter sure is here. And it’s been COLD.

The other night I had to babysit in Beacon Hill. I drove in right from work and arrived about an hour early. My original plan had been to dive into some shops on Charles Street. You know, window shopping that turns into spending money that I don’t have. I like to do that sometimes. But last minute I grabbed my camera from the back of my car and took a walk around the city. I snapped photos until I couldn’t feel my fingers anymore. And then I snapped just a few more.

I don’t like winter, or darkness, or cold, but there was something just so beautiful about the other night.

The sky was eerie and had a kind of magic-like feeling to it.

And I couldn’t help but feel a sort of peace inside myself as I walked about.

No one was out, so it felt like I had the whole city to myself.

Even the ducks were all alone.

After taking a stroll through the Public Garden, I headed up Beacon Hill. I walked a way I have never been before, trying a new route, feeling determined with my camera.

I found lots of neat little alleyways and gorgeous historical architecture.

I particularly liked this little house. I imagined a story up about a couple who lived there– walking up the hill after a trip to the market. Bags of vegetables and other groceries in hand. The girl had a trench coat and an umbrella, the man in an irish tweed cap.

I didn’t have a chance to imagine more to the story because as soon as I took a few steps further I came across this:

Acorn Street.

I have heard about this street a hundred times but had never actually seen it for myself.

It felt extra special the way I came across it.

The empty streets.

The darkening sky.

The lanterns lit with warm light.

It took my breath away and left me frozen for a moment while I took it all in.

Then I crept slowly down the cobblestones reveling in the history of it all.

I loved it.

I loved that time to myself, exploring my favorite part of Boston in wintertime. I loved how the sky got darker and darker as I walked along, and how there was something so special about having the streets to myself, like I was stepping back in time.

As I walked back down to the flat of the hill, I snapped a few last pictures as the sky started to go black. I felt thankful for that hour of peace on a Friday afternoon. It cleared my head of the week and settled me in for a long, relaxing weekend.

Have you ever caught yourself in a moment alone like this?

It’s nice really seeing the world at your fingertips.

To stop and reflect for awhile, to take it all in and just be.

sunshine and colored leaves.

I spent another weekend in Beacon Hill with this little lady. Saturday I did double duty with another family I’m close with in the South End and it was both tiring and restful at the same time. Mostly restful to be perfectly honest. Yes, kids can be kids, but I always get the best night’s sleep when I’m on an overnight. It’s like there’s nothing else to do but relax and sleep so I soak it up and enjoy the evening in. The weekend weather was amazing (sweater and flats on Sunday!), I got to spend time in Boston, and now I have plenty of dough for Christmas shopping.

Hooray!

thoughts for a tuesday.

Well, hello, Tuesday. I see you’re back around the block again. Tuesday is such a random day. It’s better than Monday, but not as good as Wednesday, which is nowhere near as good as Thursday. Anyways, here are some thoughts to keep it real:

1. Slowly, but surely, the artwork is going up in the apartment. Curtains are done, and projects are coming to a close. On Saturday I did a DIY paper pom-poms projects that came out pretty awesome. It’s cheap art, and I love it (picture below is pre-finished project). All we need to do now is put up the nice curtain rods. Then, I’m hoping to get out a mini-apartment tour for your viewing pleasure in the next week or two. Mostly though, I’m excited to sit back, relax, and enjoy it once it’s finished!

 

2. Last night I went to a book club meeting. It was just a catch-up meeting, so there was no book to discuss, but even if there was, we only ever talk book-talk for under 10 minutes every time (if that). We’re mostly in it for the wine, and the cupcakes Marilyn made last night weren’t too shabby either. Next up: The History of Love. I’m excited. I’ve been wanting to read it for awhile.

 

3. The dance party at school was {almost} a failure last week. Until I turned things around for the better. We invited the parents in to listen to the stories and dance along too. I could tell the kids liked having an audience for their storytelling, except NO kids would dance around the grown-ups. WHAT?! Well, the girls were shimmying and shaking a little, but the boys were glued to the floor. They would not budge an inch. After 2 songs, I said a nice thank you to the parents and we bid them farewell. I KNOW my kids were too shy to break it loose in front of so many parents, so once the door was closed, I turned up the music. It got pretty wild in the room, just as I suspected it would. SO I documented it and sent it to the parents, just for proof that they can and DO dance. The parents thought it was priceless, and it is. You can view the hilarious video HERE.

 

4. Last weekend I took a walk over the Longfellow Bridge to capture some fall pics of the Boston skyline. I loved walking in the cool air and the sunshine. I felt like such a Bostonian and feel so happy to live here. I’ve made it a point to document as many places around Boston as I can through instagram. You can follow me if you’d like at {nannerburns}. My sister once told me I spend more time taking pictures than actually living, but I beg to differ. I think I pay more attention to things now that I’m trying to photograph the everyday. This IS living. I notice things I would never have noticed before, and I capture images to remember days and moments. Memories fade, especially the simple ones like the walk downtown, or that random Saturday brunch in the South End. Pictures though, pictures can easily spark that memory again, and bring it back to you for years to come. Pictures are my favorite. Pictures are forever.

dress shopping: bridesmaid style

This past weekend Ali and Hannah came to Boston! Hannah came down from Maine, which is really just a quick bus ride away, but Ali was here alllllllll the way from New Zealand! That’s far. Like a whole day away far. 16 hours on a plane far. Seriously, it’s far. Since she’s originally from the States, and she adores New England, this is where she’ll get married in the spring. The wedding will be in Manchester by the Sea, which is quintessential New England and I cannot wait. It’s sure to be a lovely time. Plus, her fiance is a Kiwi, and a really awesome one at that.

We spent Saturday afternoon on Newbury Street shopping for bridesmaid dresses for Ali’s upcoming nuptials.

It was chilly this weekend, and a snowstorm was in our future, but we braved the cold fairly well (with hot Starbucks in our grips) and hopped around to a few dress shops looking for something for us maids to wear on the big day. We saw a lot of dresses. Some got yes, and lots got NO. Now the choice is for Ali to make and to let us know which one is the winner, the one she loves the most for her day.

We stopped by the Public Garden in between appointments to snag a Boston picture to remember the weekend and afterwards we stopped at Stephanie’s on Newbury for lunch. A classic spot that has never failed me in all my years. Their french fries are thin and crunchy and their warm goat cheese salad is like a dream inside my mouth. SO delicious.

Ali, Hannah, and I met in college. We spent our senior year living in a brick house off campus with four other fabulous ladies, dancing, eating, and drinking beer. We played beruit, went to the bars, and did even more dancing in between. It was awesome. Yeah, college!

This is Ali, the bride-to-be:

Ali and Hannah went abroad senior year to New Zealand. To make a very long story short, Ali fell in love with her host brother, Shannon. True life, stuff like that really happens to people. She came back to the US for senior year of college, and then decided to pack her bags and move over to the land of the Kiwis. Yep, she moved across the world for love. It’s pretty romantic, don’t you think?

I do.

And so now, six years later, we’re getting ready for the wedding of the year. Thanks for hanging out this weekend, ladies! As always, it was wonderful. ♥