Wicked cool entertainment and company this evening at the Chelsea TheatreZone fundraiser down on the waterfront in Charlestown at the base of the Mystic River [AKA Tobin] Bridge. Good music and food and drink under a tent in the parking lot interspersed with guided tours of Massport offices with panoramic views of Greater Boston and surrounds. Danielle and Ann and Tuck made it happen. We went along for the ride. Lots of interesting folks -- thoughtful people of the left like Danielle's mom and a Cuban-American gal who's Associate Dean of Students at Tufts plus one gentleman who described himself as a disappointed Republican.
In groups of 10-15, the celebrants took an external elevator up to the offices (above) and stepped outside to find ourselves right next to the toll booths. Back inside, we climbed some stairs and stepped outside again to find ourselves directly above the intown bridge traffic (see below), with the harbor and cities and towns -- including our own Chelsea-by-the-Sea -- of the surrounding urbanscape stretching into the distance.
Catching a chance glimpse of our tootsies through the camera lens, we were thrilled with the beauty of these Polo Sport shoes -- 'had forgotten all about them during the winter of our discontent but rediscovered them this afternoon in the back of the closet when we were desperately seeking something suitable to wear.
The view north -- towards Chelsea -- from the bridge overlook delighted our eye with evocations of the lovable vehicles of Disney.Pixar's "Cars."
More eye candy to the south as cars headed into the city, a rich, layered tapestry of subdued blues and reds with leafy green passages in the late-afternoon sun. Note rusting siderail and curb along left. Maintenance is practically a full-time job -- painting goes on spring, summer and fall -- says our
guide. Green was chosen for its high resistance to the
sun's ultraviolet rays. Gray, the usual color of
battleships, is a close contender in the resistance department. Now
we're wondering about the resistance capabilities of the surfaces of Boston's new Bunker Hill Bridge (See fanning
white cables, middle ground above), not to mention the Coast Guard's "white-hull fleet."
The best of all was this shot of our own little house -- Greek Revival facade right of center -- with the McArdle Bridge to East Boston in the middle ground, caught by the digital camera from the top of the Mystic River Bridge.
Sounds like a most enchanting evening from the top of the entrance to the Hub.
Posted by: goomp | June 16, 2006 at 08:55 AM
These photos make me homesick for Bean Town! Although I don't think I would last long in Boston traffic after leisurely Upstate New York...
Posted by: pb | June 16, 2006 at 03:19 PM
Pat: You're right. Boston drivers take no prisoners. I used to be one, myself and considered commuting in to Kenmore Square from Chelsea as my sport :)
Posted by: Sissy Willis | June 16, 2006 at 03:42 PM
Ummm.... commenting at you from Chicago - gotta say they have Boston totally beat here for traffic in and about a 50 mile radius of the city, further in some directions.
Today I was lucky - at the time I landed, the highway side I was on, actually was moving. (Yay! I am happy when I get on the good side of traffic *grin*) Oncoming traffic... no so much. They were doing the 5mph shuffle for miles and miles.
Of course my problem is that the roads are so straight and flat here - I nearly forgot how to drive that way.
BTW - cute tootsies. *grin*
Posted by: Teresa | June 16, 2006 at 11:52 PM