Sunday, October 4, 2009

Home again :)

Today is the second time I reached home safely from a trip when home is Brighton, Massachusetts. I moved here (my apartment pictured on the left) almost 2 months ago, and have been to Long Island and Ottawa to see both sides of my family since then.
Today, from my seat across from the propeller of the De Havilland, I admired fiery reds cresting a rim of yellow on the early signs of forests in fall. Harvest time from the sky is something I'm sure I've done before, but today I really took joy in it. About 20 minutes before we reached Logan International Airport, I remembered a conversation I had during high school in Rome with a friend who was missing the New England autumn. As I got closer to Boston, I saw rivers, the ocean, farms, and forests that I want to learn, at least by name. Land passing beneath me in the warm glow of early fall.
I watched the wheels lower and soon after felt the welcome home thud of runway. I was lucky with my connections to the airport shuttle to the T with my connection from the blue to the green line... I took the D this time.
I moved to Brighton at the end of August and I'm still learning things. One of the most handy thing I've learned about my place is that the B, C, and D lines are all within a 15 minute walk, the closest being about a 45 seconds away. Along with my new (and only electric) mode of transportation, I've learned many of my immediate neighborhood's commercial stops. Recognizable standards (like my bank, Whole Foods, CVS, Chipotle...) are all easily walkable, as are a number of good finds. In a 10 minute radius, I can walk to Spanish food, 2 Thai restaurants, great pizza (there IS a difference between good pizza and pizza that misses the mark), a couple decent bars, and a dangerous frozen yogurt place. A neighborhood best for enjoying Boston in the fall - The Chestnut Hill Reservoir. The oldest "large scale public park" in Boston, two miles around the water, and two blocks from home. I saw it on a map while I was apartment hunting and decided on this place partially because of the nearby water. Now its my favorite spot. Not as quiet as Lake Braddock, but I can get a good walk in and be around trees, the water, and a little history now too- the waterworks- a beautiful building founded in the late 1800's sits by the water. Its now condos and part if it is actually slated to open as a museum in 2010.
Of course, I've looked outside my 10-minute radius and found solid connections (and re-connections) to people, amazing restaurants of all kinds, a Synagogue I can grow in, a sweet bead shop, and lots more. I've been to Fenway Park (the Sox won), the Museum of Fine Arts and a couple galleries.
I have sold some jewelry, secured a show at the Metropolitan Gallery (November, more to come), and picked up a photojournalism gig on Boston Billboards for Boston24.com.
I'm LOVING learning Boston and looking forward to more. I think the next few weeks will be a bit hectic- I want to explore the city and surrounding areas before winter hits, since I imagine the cold will dampen my tourist spirit slightly. I am really enjoying this season, and I know that someday, should I be somewhere other than the North East in fall, I will miss it too.

Shana Tova, keep in touch, and ENJOY AUTUMN!
Sarah

Monday, February 2, 2009

Winter and smberry.com

I have been super bad about posting regularly, which was my goal. I will give a list of things I've been doing since I got back from the South of France in November...

DECEMBER
1. Did all my graduate school research and began applications.
2. Got 8 photographs up in the hall gallery at the US Embassy Paris!!
4. Xmas shopping in Paris is EXPENSIVE. But so fun...
3. Anne and Michael (aunt and uncle... dad's sister) came to town to celebrate the holidays.
5. Had a fever of 102.2, slept for 2 days, didn't eat for 4. Lost pounds.
6. Spent New Years Eve sick sick sick, had a Shirley Temple at midnight with dad.
7. 4 day trip to La Rochelle and Rochefort with dad, Anne, and Michael. Mom caught my flu and missed the trip :( It was a lot of fun, but unbarably cold!!
8. Spent HOURS working on my website (mostly learning how to deal with FTP and all the tech stuff... not my forte!) to have it done by start of 2009. Its done. Please visit www.smberry.com

JANUARY
1. Happy birthday to me Jan 7th. Went to lunch with lovely ladies in a really nice African restaurant. Dinner at home with parents, anne, and michael. That Friday I went out again and had dinner and drinks with some other friends who couldn't make a Wednesday lunch. The restaurant we ate in has been operating since the 1900s.
2. Sent 1st grad school applications into NYU and Columbia College Chicago!!
3. 12 day road trip in Spain with mom we saw Madrid, Toledo, Granada, Cordoba, Sevilla, and Valencia. It was unforgettable. If I ever up and move to Europe again, you'll find me in Granada.
4. 4 day trip to London. Wow. Reunited with so many people. It was really good to see them, and the Elgin Marbles.
5. Decided to go back to NoVa early. I love France but I miss home!!

FEBRUARY... looking ahead....
1. Continue applying to schools. Next is BU.
2. I need to touch up my website, I took so so many good picts in Spain.
3. Planning a trip with my friend Kate....but its still up in the air....
4. Flying home Feb 24th. Then going to Florida to visit my grandparents a few days later. My 1st days in NoVa are totally reserved for Gordon, unpacking, and repacking for Florida. Don't be offended if I don't get in touch til after the family trip.

Love you all!!