Who writes Love Letters anymore?

Some would say that February rolled around just in time after a messy, snow-laden January that put everyone in a foul mood, bringing with it the hope that the worst winter weather had passed.

However, February also ushers in the annual rite of the commercialized Valentine's Day holiday, bringing to bear immense pressure on coupled folks to shower their significant other (S.O.) with the requisite gifts, flowers, and expensive dinners.

I had an epiphany on my first visit to Philadelphia in five years, fittingly enough while taking photos of the murals on the "Love Letter" train tour conducted by the city's Mural Arts Society. Consisting of a series of fifty rooftop murals along the Market Street corridor in West Philadelphia (a stone's throw away from Center City), Love Letter collectively express a love letter from a guy to a girl, alternating between humorous and touching lines as their relationship goes through different phases.

Created by the renowned artist Steve Powers, the bright, huge murals are best viewed from the station platforms on the elevated Market-Frankford rail line. You'll see some of them whiz past as the train rolls along, making it hard to take pictures, but quite a number are viewable at each stop.

The epiphany went like this - instead of buying the cliched roses and chocolates, and lining the pockets of restaurants who've jacked up their prices for the manufactured holiday, writing a sincere love letter to your S.O. seems like a great, if somewhat quaint, idea. I know, who writes love letters anymore when it's easy to use Facebook or Twitter to shout-out some sentiment like "XXX, you're the only one for me!".

on top of a Jamaican restaurant which explains the beef patties

Personally, the traditionalist in me has found the use of social media for these purposes to be somewhat...umm, distasteful. Although I derive many hours of amusement from reading such pronouncements, I also see my reflection on the computer monitor, cringing. Just sayin'. While your views on this topic might not be in agreement with mine, I'm sure you'll agree that the murals are both entertaining, inspiring and instructive - the lines on them are simply waiting to be copied and pasted into the love letter you'll be writing.

For more ideas, check out the pictures below.

One Cheapskate's Favorite Free Attractions in Seattle

Pondering the sweeping view from the Space Needle. Cruising Seattle's harbor and Lake Union. Poking a star fish at the Seattle Aquarium, albeit gently and with only one finger. Just some of the fun stuff in Seattle that we did and paid an admission fee to enjoy.

Looking back at the 4 days we spent in the Emerald City, here are some FREE attractions in Seattle that I equally enjoyed, and not just because of their non-existent price tag.

Waterfall Garden Park in Pioneer Square

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer puts it best, "The landscaped oasis features a 22-foot waterfall that cascades over granite boulders into a beautiful Japanese pool. The corner park can refresh the weariest of city souls". I didn't care for much of the neighborhood (well, except for Zeitgeist Coffee), but the waterfalls were a pleasant surprise.

Also, something to file away in your brain for the next trivia night: The waterfall park is dedicated to employees of United Parcel Service (aka Brown), which was started on this site.

Garden Memorial Park @ Pioneer Square

Seattle Public Library by Rem Koolhaas

The Central Library building does look strange at first glance, but I soon grew to love the oddly-angled sharp edges, diagonal steel beams and glass exterior. I wish all libraries looked as amazing as this building. There's more to love inside - yes, there's musty shelves groaning with thick volumes, but also tons of computers and power outlets if you bring your own.

Central library in Seattle

Tired from all that sightseeing and weary of  the constant drizzle, I plopped down into a chair and spent a couple of hours reading magazines, the Journal, checking email on my phone (blazing fast free wi-fi), and observing everyone else around me doing the same. Plus, the bright neon green escalator handrails make this library quite a "cool house".

View from the 10th floor

Olympic Sculpture Park


I saved the best for last. Ever since I saw Serena Williams' "twin" at the Hakone Open Air Museum in Japan, outdoor sculpture parks have fascinated me. So, when I heard about the newish Olympic Sculpture Park by the Seattle waterfront, I insisted on walking down to the industrial site turned Seattle Art Museum outpost one early morning.

There are a number of installations, both permanent and temporary, spread throughout the 9-acre park, but I particularly liked the offbeat ones pictured below.

The first one is called "Typewriter Eraser, Scale X". Initially it appeared to be a pizza slicer, but then I realized I was looking at it upside down - after I refocused the bristles containing Liquid Paper correction fluid that are carefully applied to an errant letter became quite obvious. A remnant of a bygone era.

Typewriter Eraser, Scale X

The second one, "Love and Loss", is a bit harder to visualize (took me a few minutes to "get" it), so four pictures are necessary to do so. Going clockwise: (top left), note the white-colored outlines on the benches that spell out "l-o-v-e"; (top right), the letter "e" on the table top, which is hard to see in the previous pic; (bottom left), the retro red neon sign of a big ampersand, and (bottom right), the white-colored outlines spelling "l-o-s-s".  Quite nifty, really.

Hopefully each visitor to Seattle enjoys these free destinations as much as I did. Lastly, grab those coupon books at your hotel to shave a few bucks off sightseeing costs. Even availed of a "buy 1, get 1 free admission" deal at the Seattle Aquarium, which explains the star fish poking.

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A Funny Thing happened on the Gourmet Seattle Tour

After yesterday's mild weather, today's howling winds that knocked over newspaper bins and made pedestrians clutch their coats tighter made me think, "Ah, so this is what Seattle's weather is really like."  My fellow participants and myself on the Gourmet Seattle Tour were not to be deterred by such trifling things as rain, wind, and if present, snow, and pressed on with the tough task of sampling some of Seattle's best food on our 3-hour downtown gastronomic adventure.

One of the stops was Serious Pie, a renowned pizzeria owned by the acclaimed local chef and restaurateur Tom Douglas, where we would sample two varieties of artisanal pizzas. Although it was mid-afternoon, the place was packed with not a table available. So, the twelve of us formed a line against the wall while our tour guide Ezra went inside to grab hot slices of freshly-baked margherita pizza (buffalo mozzarella and San Marzano tomatoes) from the coal-fired oven.

Ezra soon came out with the pizza, and not a moment too soon. The elements were not the only thing we had to endure. But add the pitying glances from passers-by as they see us patiently waiting outside Serious Pie, with some even shaking their heads, perhaps thinking how crazy we were.

 As Ezra went down the line handing a slice to each person, a passer-by tried to partake of some of the goodies. Informed that the pizza was only for the paying customers of the Gourmet Seattle tour, the woman said she mistakenly thought free tastings were offered to entice patrons to come inside the restaurant. As if Serious Pie needed or had space for any more. We all got a laugh out of this incident, and momentarily forgot our rapidly freezing extremities.

A bite into the pizza moments later, and everything was okay in the world once more. A second variety was brought out, topped with yellow foot chanterelle mushrooms and truffle cheese, that further buoyed our spirits and satisfied our stomachs. So, we shuffled off to the next stop on the gourmet food tour, hoping to get indoors this time.

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Space Needle, Seattle - Christmas in the Emerald City

The Space Needle was about a ten minute walk from the hotel, and despite my general skepticism about taking the high-speed elevator to yet another skyscraper for sweeping views of yet another city, we decided to do it anyway. Partly because it was Christmas Day, with not much else going on. Oh, and the coupon that knocked $2 off the fairly larcenous $18 admission fee definitely helped.

Space Needle

On a clear day like this (which is rare in these parts, or so I heard), the views are amazing. We went outside to the open area for some photos and to marvel at Puget Sound, Lake Union, and the downtown skyline, and to enjoy the cool weather. A concession stand was selling local beers and wines, so a Scuttlebutt Amber ale made lingering more enjoyable.

downtown skyline

Despite my initial skepticism, I had to admit going up the Space Needle was a great idea, and even the rapid 40-second elevator ride in the glass elevator didn't faze me. The trip to the Emerald City is off to a good start, hopefully the same will be true for the next couple of days.

Lake Union

Bonus pic below of the Space Needle as seen from our hotel room window. Lucked out on this one - we could have been looking out into the highway. Notice the Christmas Tree on top - pretty neat.

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A Free Luncheon on the River Seine after all

Most visitors to Washington DC make a beeline for the city's famous museums and memorials, which are quite excellent, interesting, and above all, FREE. Unlike most cities where museum visits can cost nearly $20, this is quite an amazing bargain for budget travelers who can easily spend days without shelling out a single penny.

Unfortunately for me, who was in DC on a quick Labor Day getaway, the one art I was intent on seeing was housed in the Phillips Collection, a private museum nestled in tony Dupont Circle just by Embassy Row. Being private, the museum was an exception to the rule and does charge admission to view the collection.


Not that it mattered to me. My main objective was to see Renoir's masterpiece, "Luncheon of the Boating Party", in its full glory. A full decade after developing an interest in French impressionist painters, and having viewed master pieces by Monet, Manet, Degas, among others, in the USA and Europe, this one painting was the only one left unchecked on my "must-see" list.

Upon arrival at the Phillips Collection, it turned out that due to a small fire a few days prior, the museum was only partially open. A bit alarmed, I asked hopefully, "Can I still see the Renoir?". Fortunately, the Luncheon of the Boating Party was housed in the building that wasn't affected by the fire, and yes, I could see it. Oh, and by the way, due to the incident admission was being waved. Hooray!


Although pleased at this good news, I was also concerned enough to inquire about the impact on the museum's collection. The staff quickly assured me that none of their works had been damaged, but some offices were. Whew!

It was a slow Saturday at the museum, so I had the painting to myself for a few minutes. The Luncheon of the Boating Party depicts thirteen of Renoir's Parisian circle, all of whom appear exceedingly young, attractive, and carefree, having lunch at a restaurant on the banks of the river Seine. They had just spent a day boating on the river on a nice summer day, as evidenced by some of the men still wearing their boating attire.

The vibrant colors, from the orange striped awning, the yellow straw hats, the rich blue tones of the dresses, the black top hats, and the almost-empty wine glasses make this a visibly arresting snapshot of Parisian leisure. At the same time, the eyes are drawn to the five women in the painting, who are vastly outnumbered and yet around whom the action revolves - from playing with a dog, staring seductively and engaging in conversation with attentive males.

Click on the thumbnails above to see the large versions, especially the top left one if you wish to see how Renoir has managed to insert his portrait into his master piece. So, in reality there are fourteen people in the painting, and not thirteen, if the artist is included.


Even cooler, instead of renting one of those museum guides to listen to commentary, the Phillips Collection lets you do the same with your cell phone. Just call the number listed and follow the instructions, and you will be transported to 19th century Parisian high society. Even from the comfort of your tiny cubicle, as I can personally attest to.

P.S. For more about Luncheon of the Boating Party, download this PDF. And if these Impressionist brush strokes seem oddly familiar, chances are you came across the painting in the French film "Amelie", where it played a prominent role.

Feel free to contact me at hellonewman (at) gmail (dot) com

A Photo Walking Tour of Boston's Back Bay

As we crossed the street into Boston's Copley Place, I spotted Saba, proprietress and tour leader for Boston's PhotoWalks, standing beside Science along with two other participants in today's photo walking tour of the Back Bay neighborhood.

Such was our delight at the historical facts and better photography tips we learned during yesterday's Beacon Hill walking tour that we mustered the enthusiasm to embark on another photo walk, despite today's frigid temps and howling winds. Disconcertingly enough, the staff at our hotel shrugged off the abysmal weather as being "normal" for this time of year. Oh well, we decided to just pile on the layers and soldier on.

After exchanging introductions with the two women who braved the conditions, Saba started off the photo walking tour by telling us about the two statues guarding the entrance to Boston's public library - Science (the appointed meeting spot) and Art. Again, she demonstrated various creative ways of composing our photos and suggested different angles to shoot them from. One of my favorite pics is the one above - taken behind the statue of Science facing out to Copley Square, with the John Hancock tower in the background.

We crossed over to Copley Square for photos of John Copley's statue, Trinity Church's reflection on the John Hancock tower, and a few from inside the church which provided a brief refuge from the cold. Afterwards, though a bit reluctant to leave the warm surroundings, it was time for more photos!

A short walk led us to the heart of the Back Bay neighborhood, Commonwealth Avenue, with its numerous statues situated on the grassy mall bisecting the wide boulevard. I couldn't help but notice the contrast between the two neighborhoods that we took photo walking tours in - the narrow, cobblestone, gas-lit bucolic alleys of Beacon Hill versus the wide streets of Back Bay lined with numerous upscale restaurants and shops - a rough comparison in New York City would be the West Village vs. the Upper East Side, I thought.

Easily my favorite set of statues were the bronze trio which composed the Boston Women's Memorial, all of whom were known for their writing (among other things, of course). They provided excellent opportunities for some extreme close up pictures (including a quill pen and hair bun) that Saba suggested which turned out quite well and are included in the complete set of photos here.



After the walking tour finished, we strolled over to the nearby Christian Science center to view its massive reflecting pool. Unfortunately, the pool turned out to be emptied of its contents during the winter months, so instead we just took photos of the surrounding Prudential Tower complex. As we passed a nearby solar powered garbage compactor, I noticed the solar panels atop the brown receptacle and my newly-developed instinct for sniffing out unique photo angles kicked in and voila! - a magnificent shot of the towers' reflection, wouldn't you say?

Check out the complete photo album from the Back Bay photo walk.

More posts from Boston here.

A Walking tour of Boston's Beacon Hill with PhotoWalks

Stamping my foot on the ground as if that would somehow comfort my frozen toes, I wondered if taking this photo walking tour of Boston's charming Beacon Hill neighborhood would be worth enduring the shivering cold for.

I was standing at the appointed meeting spot in front of the Robert Gould Shaw memorial, staring at the golden dome of the Massachusetts state house across the street, fiddling with my camera settings while waiting for the Photowalks tour guide to show up. A typical tourist activity, yes. But not quite so typical on a January weekend in New England, which explained why only myself and my brother signed up for today's walk around Beacon Hill.

What had possessed me to suggest taking this tour in such appalling weather anyway? My fascination in exploring historic, charming neighborhoods in Boston, for one, but a "regular" walking tour would suffice for that. What caught my eye on the PhotoWalks website was their emphasis not only on history, but also on providing tips on taking better, more creative pictures. Being an avid traveller who loves to document my trips, in both prose and photos, but being quite unsavvy in the latter as far as photo composition techniques and eschewing fancy camera equipment in favor of an easy-to-use point-and-shoot, a photo walking tour seemed tailor-made for me. In short, I really just wanted to stop tormenting my friends and blog readers with lousy vacation pictures.

Pretty soon, Saba Alhadi, founder of Boston PhotoWalks and our guide for today, arrived and the tour was on! Since we were already conveniently standing in front of it, Saba directed our attention to the Shaw memorial.
After a brief explanation of the main protagonists Captain Robert Shaw and his regiment, the first ever African-American soldiers who saw battle in the civil War, she instructed me where to stand to block out the sunlight, and demonstrating with her own camera (point 'n shoot!), Saba showed a few creative close-up shots that we could take highlighting different parts of the soldiers' and horse's anatomy.

The goal was that instead of taking a standard, boring, flat photo of the entire memorial, our pictures would capture the figures' action and dynamism. Most of the time, this involved finding the correct angle to take the photo from, and remembering standard advice (which she dispensed to amateur me) such as moving in physically closer to the object being photographed instead of using your camera's zoom feature, and foregoing the use of flash in conditions where lighting is sufficient. We repeated this creative photo-taking exercise with the Massachusetts state house, and I was quite pleased with the result (photo at top of article).



We moved on into the Beacon Hill neighborhood proper, with its trademark gas lamps lining the small, narrow streets. The quiet elegance and tranquility of Beacon Hill appealed to me, and I made a mental note to consider the neighborhood if ever I moved to Beantown in the future, quite conveniently ignoring the concept of affordability. Back to Photowalks mode, Beacon Hill is a minefield of photo opportunities, as every salivating tourist knows. Seeing me starting to take a picture of a gas lamp decorated with holiday wreaths, Saba gently suggested slightly tilting the camera to one side for a more creative take on the photo (the left-most among the three small pictures above). Hmmm...why hadn't I thought of that before?



In addition to historical facts about Beacon Hill and Saba's anecdotes about famous writers and residents, what I found most incredibly useful after 1.5 hours of the photo walk (with stops in St. Louisburg Square and the most photographed street in Boston, Acorn St.) were Saba's ideas for photo opportunities that I simply did not notice, such as windows with beautiful reflections of the buildings opposite, door knockers, houses with lovely arched doorways and other unique architectural details, ice particles that had formed, and so on.

Embarrassing to admit, but if I were exploring on my own, most of these details would have escaped me, and my pictures would be much lamer. And I suppose that is what seasoned photographers have that an inept newbie needs to develop - an eye for noticing and appreciating the beauty in mundane objects, then capturing them in images that make them transcend their ordinariness. Quite a mouthful, I know, but that's one of the lessons I learned from this fun and interesting experience, which I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone. Yes, even in the dead cold of a New England winter.

Click here to view the complete album from the Beacon Hill photo walking tour.