Johnny Baseball at A.R.T. is delightful

This new musical from the A.R.T. about the Boston Red Sox is delightful. Just delightful. And this is coming from someone who 1) hates musicals, and 2) is not an avid Red Sox fan.

Even if you don't like theater, you'll love this play. It's well worth seeing just for its depiction of nutty Red Sox fans at Fenway -- let alone the music and storyline.

Silversun Pickups rocked in Boston

Sunday 6-27-10: The sound on Landsdowne Street left a bit to be desired, but the Silversun Pickups were awesome!!

As the 4th band in the lineup for WFNX's Clambake, SSPU played for about 70 minutes -- about 25 minutes longer than when they warmed up for Muse a few months ago.

I took this photo with my iPhone during the encore, when I was only about 5 rows back from the stage!

Bald and bracing on Mt. Moosilauke

6-26-10: On this summer Saturday, Sheeba and I hiked up Mt. Moosilauke, which is the tenth highest, as well as the southwesternmost, of the 4,000-foot summits in the White Mountains.

We could see the summit when we started and it was 75 degrees. But it was very chilly on top and the promised 360-degree views were limited to about 50' once we reached the top about 3 hrs later.

We put windpants on over our shorts at the false summit, which is about 0.5 mile from the top. We took refuge from the wind in one of three L-shaped stone shelters and proceeded to discuss the World Cup (U.S. vs. Ghana!) and Belmont's Indian restaurant Kashish with fellow hiker Paul.

We took the long way down, as we somehow missed the left turn to Snapper Trail and hiked east back toward the ravine and lodge via the Hurricane Trail -- aptly named given the number of downed trees and obstacles on the path!

BTW, "moosilauke" has nothing to do with moose. Its name is thought to be derived from a contraction of the Native American words moosi (Bald), and auke (Place).

Thanks, Sheeba, for the summit photo! (Her trip photos here.)

8.1 miles, 2,450' elevation gain (~ 6 hrs. total)
Summit: Mt. Moosilauke (4,802' high)
Route: Gorge Brook Trail to summit; Moosilauke Carriage Road to Hurricane Trail on return (missed Snapper Trail somehow :-) )

A pirate cave and Walden Pond in Lynn Woods

Sat., 5/22/10: Enjoyed an AMC-led six-mile hike with pirate cave and three large ponds in the Lynn Woods. We started from the Pennybrook Road entrance.

I learned that the Lynn Woods Reservation is the second largest municipal park in the greater Boston area. Consisting of 2,200 acres in Lynn and Saugus, the park has

• several ponds, including its own Walden Pond (larger than the famous one in Concord), which provide drinking water and are therefore off-limits for swimming.
• a pirate cave ( pitch-black after just a few steps down)
• a small but beautiful rose garden
• an ampitheater
• a stone tower (closed for restoration), which I did not see.

I was the sweep so missed Mike Stadelmaier's informative historical musings on the area.

Skyline Trail, Blue Hills, MA

Saturday 5-15-10: A fabulous day of 73 degrees and lots of sun. Sheeba and I started at Shea Rink and walked the Skyline Trail west to the Trailside Museum. A few Daddy Long-legs type insects, bumblebees, butterflies and a chipmunk sighting. Surprisingly hot, and I finished my entire 2L of water! At end, an enjoyable tour of The Mass. Audubon's natural history museum, including a playful female otter, turkey vultures and a snowy owl.

~ 9 miles, unknown elevation gain, 5 hours (lunch and breaks included)
Summits: 6 hills, including Great Blue (635 feet)
Route: Skyline Trail from Shea Rink in Quincy, southern Skyline Trail from Reservation HQ to Eliot Tower, and Red Dot Trail to Trailside Museum on Route 138

Whitney and Thayer Woods, Hingham, MA

Sunday 5-9-10: This meander through the Trustees of Reservations property in Hingham was a delight. Notable sights included colorful blooming azaleas, sensual lady slippers, an American holly grove, a lily-of-the-valley field, a quarter-mile of head-high rhododendrons, and some fiddleheads from newly emerging ferns. Several glacial erratics dot the landscape, including a grouping called Ode’s Den.

Our lunch spot on Turkey Hill gave us spectacular vistas of Boston's skyline and Nantasket Beach.

At the Weir River Farm, we saw a bright-red barn, 4 horses, a camel-colored llama, about 7 black-and-white cows laying in the shade, and a large sooty gray pig!

Thanks to AMC leader Beth Mosais.

~7.5 miles
minimal elevation gain
Turkey Hill = 187-foot high

The secret island getaway

May 1-2, 2010: My friend made me swear not to tell everyone about this wonderfully relaxing getaway near Boston. No restaurants. No bars. No shopping. The only things to do were walk, talk, beachcomb, read, cook and sleep. Not even a TV! A great place for a low-key family vacation or friends' weekend.

The rabbit population was fairly fearless. Daffodils dotted the island. And we listened to the sounds of nature thanks to one of the New Age stations on Pandora via my iPhone.

As it was off-season, the only market on the island was open for precisely one hour -- from 3:30pm to 4:30pm -- on Saturday. There was no fresh fish or meat to be had. So Saturday night dinner consisted of a yummy cheese omelet over wilted spinach, sweet potatoes and black beans and rice. And a nice bottle of Tavel rose which I'd had the foresight to bring over.

What a relaxing weekend! I needed the R&R. Just what the doctor ordered. Oh, ask nicely and I'll tell you where it is :-)