Day 109: And to think that I saw it on Newbury St.

Happiness is walking out your front door into your favorite coffee shop on a Saturday morning at 8:30, finding that a close friend has also arrived (freshly back from Germany, no less!), and having an unplanned 45-minute long conversation.

It is not minding the fact that you're working on a Saturday and having no plans at all after, but making it up as you go along. Today was a breath of fresh air.  Eek, I'm sounding rather trite today, eh?

This evening, after a brief stint at a barbecue this afternoon, I met up with the brothers E. to run lines on Newbury St.  [The phrase "run lines" has become a part of my daily vocabulary, but I still think it sounds like I'm into hard drugs every time I say it.]  Sitting on Newbury St. and people watching somehow feels quite like Harvard Square.  Maybe it's all the brick?  Anyhow, the Saturday evening patrons of Newbury St. Starbucks were treated to a double-feature (that is, simultaneously doubled, not in sequence) of some buskers and a trio of aspiring thespians doing our rendition of Rumors -- the whole of Act 1, I believe -- on the patio outside.  We later finished Act 2 in Beautiful Medford, making it an early night before our now-weekly Sunday morning gig practicing on the stage in Georgetown.

Day 68: Go to Casablanca without leaving Cambridge

In addition to going to Hong Kong without leaving Boston, it is also quite possible to go to Casablanca without leaving Cambridge. I believe this was only my second time going there, which is a shame, as it's quite charming and usually fairly empty. Today, there were too many plans to keep straight (festivals in Central and Harvard, two barbecues, etc.) so I opted for what I thought the simplest option with the highest pay-off would be and bike to get hot dogs to grill at my former housemates' place on Plymouth St. near Inman.  After walking there with T. and spending a couple of hours chatting, etc. (in the it-was-supposed-to-be-beautiful-but-instead-it's-kinda-blah weather), we decided to rejoin the rest of our crew in Harvard Square, where they had attempted to enjoy the music festival but found more solace in enjoying Charlie's beer garden.  By the time we got there, people were ready to head to Brattle St. for some Casablanca action.

After a drink or two and some appetizers, it was apparently time for bbq #2 (a "not-the-father's-day"-themed bbq, no less), located in East Cambridge -- a bit of a hike.  We took a cab, and the end of the evening was apparently quite lovely (with lots of food and sing-a-long), but I missed a portion in favor of going to Courtside (seriously like 2 blocks away -- how could I resist?). But the end of the night involved reconnecting with friends and making some new ones, so all in all, a very nice (and actually somewhat relaxing) Saturday.

Day 61: Graduation/Tropical Mashup

Today I did something I nearly never do: skipped a party.  When I awoke at noon (I often sleep in but noon is pushing it for me), I went back to sleep for two more full hours.  I believe the last time I slept in till 2p must have been in college during finals week or something.

Even though I missed the Pride parade party on a friend's roof deck, there was plenty of celebrating today.  One of my MIT classmates was also graduating with a Master's degree this week, and his parents were in town so he through a celebratory bbq today.  Another classmate and I arrived at a standard fashionably late time, an hour after the start, and we were still the first ones there.  We continued on for many hours, which also involved the joining to the party of another displaced "tropical" party.  Apparently they started out at an apartment in Inman that was just too small and were digging the idea of a backyard bbq-style party.

It was great to see so many of the MIT classmates and friends I have met over the years.  The evening culminated in seeing a performance at the Cantab (downstairs) of a friend's band, dancing our arses off, and some nice late-night chats.  What a way to go out.