CultureJunkie

The Phillips Frog

This frog - another piece by sculptor David Phillips - stands sentinel over the fountain in City Square Park, Charlestown.

Codfish

A cod adorns the fountain in City Square Park, Charlestown.

David Phillips is the artist responsible for this sculptural piece, as well as all of the other hammered copper and bronze in the park, which harkens back to Charlestown's (and Nw England's) past when cod was the most important food.

 

Up Close: Government Center Garage

The Government Center Garage building on New Sudbury and Congress Streets is generally considered to be an ugly, concrete relic from 1967 (in fact, developers hope to tear it down and build something more contemporary). But zoom in on its exterior, and it actually makes for an interesting visual.

Bunker Hill Monument

Bunker Hill Monument, Charlestown

A pretty view up Monument Ave on a sunny, winter day.

Authentic Counterfeit

We saw a fun band on Friday night on our swing through Kingston Station, a local group called Authentic Counterfeit. They had sort of a jazz/R&B thing going on - including a great rendition of Just the Two of Us - although their Facebook page hints at a much broader repertoire including Hip Hop, Rock, Alternative, Metal and more (!)

Check 'em out if you get a chance.

Oishii

One of the most delicious and most artfully presented sushi in Boston, courtesy of Oishii in the South End. Above are two of their specialty rolls (Sockeye Salmon and Maki covered with Toro), below is an amuse-bouche of pureed edamame. We also started with the Tuna Mango with Baby Ginger and ended with the Chocolate Molten Cake. It's appropriate that the name translates to "delicious" in English. Oishii! おいしい 

Squirreling it Away

This fellow scored one last treat under the [now discarded] Christmas tree. Zoom out and you'll see Old Ironsides in the background:

 

Saddle Up

Bronze statue of George Washington by Thomas Ball (1869), Boston Public Garden

It was nearly 60 degrees in Boston today, with bright blue skies. Not bad for January 7th!

A Journey to Union Square

The living wall at Journeyman in Union Square, Somerville.

While the servers were pleasant and the space interesting, I was disappointed with the food and overall experience here. It had an unfinished/opening night feel to it, like it hasn't quite found its groove. And the menu, full of great seasonal items delivered in artful presentations, simply fell flat on flavor, consistency, and price (high for what you get). They do get props for an eclectic - and tasty - wine list, however.

Joy Ride

Cyclists enjoying the 60-degree temps on Sunday along the North Washington Street Bridge in Charlestown, which spans the Boston Harbor where it meets the Charles River. In the background is the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge, one of the widest cable-stayed bridges in the world.