Child's Drawing of a House - Found in My Driveway

Found Magazine – Website Wednesday   I found this drawing in my driveway and it reminded me of one of my favorite websites – Found – the website for Found Magazine.

The drawing is the classic child’s version of a house – a square with a triangle on top.  In real life it’s a very appealing house silhouette.  I had to chuckle when I looked closely at the drawing – figures in the age of McMansions  that a kid would draw a two-story house  – mine never had an upper floor.

The Found website highlights things people find that give us a glimpse into other people’s lives – notes, letters, doodles, grocery lists…  The best are truly hilarious.

I first heard Found’s founder, Davy Rothbart, on NPR years ago.  The story of his first find is on the website – a rant left on his windshield, clearly meant for someone else. That note led to collecting more found notes, etc. from friends and eventually snowballed into a magazine, books, a website, and readings around the country.

Website Wednesday

Hippie Kitchens

Count Rumford House - Birthplace and Museum

Count Rumford House in Woburn   Driving by the red Colonial on North Street in Woburn I couldn’t help but notice the large sign on the house’s wood shingled roof – “Count Rumford Birthplace“.

Count Rumford House Museum

Like many, I knew of Count Rumford from the Rumford fireplace but had no idea he had local connections. Turns out there’s lots more to know.

Benjamin Thompson, who was to become Count Rumford, was born here at 90 Elm Street in Woburn, his grandfather’s house, in 1753.  The house is a National Historic Landmark  and is owned and maintained by the Rumford Historical Association.

This isn’t a house museum per se though old house enthusiasts will appreciate seeing the well preserved Colonial which dates from about 1714.  The Rumford Historical Association was formed in 1877 in an effort to save and maintain the house. That’s very early for a historic preservation effort and a testament to Rumford’s influence and reputation.

Benjamin Thompson must have been a very charismatic man as well as a brilliant one.  His list of accomplishments is long and many of his successes came at a very young age.   A Loyalist, he moved to England in 1776.  There he prospered –  serving in the military, gaining reknown for his scientific work, and receiving several honors – he was knighted in 1781 and became a Count of the Holy Roman Empire in 1792.

The Count Rumford House is a treasure trove of information about the colorful Count Rumford and related memorabilia.  There are a number of models of Rumford’s scientific inventions and the house is a fun visit for kids who appreciate science or history. You’ll also get an interesting overview of Woburn history during the tour. 

Count Rumford Museum and Birthplace is usually open from 1 to 4:30 pm on Saturday and Sunday. It’s a good idea to call ahead and confirm. The phone number is 781-933-4976.   Admission is free but donations are welcomed.

More House Museum Mondays

Emerson House in Concord

Count Rumford House is located at 90 Elm Street, Woburn, MA  01801

Design Research Building in Cambridge

Today’s Boston Globe has an excellent article about a new book about Design Research, the innovative store that opened in Harvard Square in Cambridge, by Jane Thompson, wife of the store’s founder, architect Ben Thompson.

The newly published book, Design Research: The Store That Brought Modern American Living to American Homes,  is written by Jane Thompson and architectural historian, Alexandra Lange. According to the Boston Globe article it is packed with photos of people and products that were sold in the store.  

Design Research History Exhibit in Harvard Square Last Year - Click for a larger view

I knew that the store was originally further down Brattle Street but wasn’t sure just where until seeing the Globe photo of 57 Brattle Street, the original Design Research location.

Crate and Barrel, with wares that clearly were influenced by Design Research, occupied the iconic Harvard Square building for many years.  The store was briefly used to display Design Research memorabilia last year – it almost seemed a tease of sorts to many who hoped that somehow the store would be resurrected.  But as the Globe reports, an Anthropologie store is due to open in the D/R building later this year. 

The new book about Design Research, Design Research: The Store That Brought Modern American Living to American Homes is published by Chronicle Books and available at local bookstores.

Opening Reception at New Porter Square Art Gallery

New Porter Square Art Gallery   There’s  a wonderful new art gallery in Porter Square – From Russia With Art.

Owners Olesya and Jerry Koenig recently opened the gallery at 1977 Mass Ave at the corner of Beech Street.  The Koenigs moved to Cambridge from Moscow earlier this year. Long-time art collectors, their gallery allows them to showcase their favorite Russian artists.

The two-level gallery is a light and beautiful space to display their collection.  Here you’ll find paintings, prints, sculptures and more from artists whose work has been difficult to find in the US before now.

From Russia With Art Owners - Jerry and Olesya Koenig

There’s a range of prices so you’re sure to discover a piece to add to your collection or the perfect gift for that special someone. 

The opening reception at From Russia With Art was a huge success this week.  The gallery is now open daily and special events are planned to give visitors the opportunity to meet some of the artists.  Check the From Russia With Art website for more information.

Stop by the new Porter Square art gallery – From Russia With Love – at 1977 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140.

Meet Belmont - Thursday August 26th

Meet Belmont  Have you just moved to Belmont?  Still finding your way about?

Even if you’ve lived in Belmont for years, you’ll want to stop by the 8th Annual Meet Belmont next Thursday.

From 6 to 8:30 representatives from town departments, local government, civic organizations and community groups will be available to answer questions and provide information about local amenities, organizations and services.

You can register to vote, get bus maps, find out about arts and recreation opportunities and more.

Free and open to the public.

Meet Belmont is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 26th, 2010 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Chenery Middle School, 95 Washington Street, Belmont, MA

A walk by the river is a cool way to spend some time on a hot day.  Stroll along the Charles River and take in the beautiful views of  Boston across the water.

On Sundays the walk along the Charles gets even better when Memorial Drive is closed to traffic. Rollerblade, bike, walk or run  -  the street is yours.  From the last Sunday in April to the second Sunday in November Memorial Drive between Western Ave and Mount Auburn Street is closed to traffic from 11 am to 7 pm.  

When it’s super hot you can always soak up the free air conditioning at the mall.  Head on over to the Cambridgeside Galleria on 1st Street in East Cambridge.

If you’d rather not shop, the Galleria is adjacent to the Lechmere Canal Park.  There are plenty of places to sit and catch a breeze over the water. Just watching the fountain makes it seem cooler.

From the park you can take a Charles River cruise with the Charles Riverboat Company.  Cruises depart several times a day from late May to the end of October.

Rather take a boat out yourself?  Charles River Canoe & Kayak rents boats by the hour in Kendall Square.

Summer’s the season to spend some time in the garden.  If you don’t have space at home,  perhaps you’ve secured a plot in one of Cambridge’s many community gardens.   Just want to look?  Visit the community garden on Sacramento Street and wander the paths or catch some rays in the adjacent field.

The good folks over at Sergi Farm in Belmont (just over the Cambridge line) have been toiling in the fields despite the heat. Head on over to the farmstand to pick up some fresh as can be produce.

Too hot to garden? I know that’s my excuse.  Instead, why not spend an afternoon at the Glass Flowers exhibit at the Harvard Museum of Natural History. The collection includes over 3000 glass flower models created by father and son glass artisans, Leopold and Rudolph Blaschka from 1887 to 1936.

Another museum to check out on a hot day is the Longfellow House on Brattle Street. Home to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and his family, the house also served as headquarters for George Washington during the Revolutionary War.

Just feel like play?  Many Cambridge parks have water features. Here’s a map to find the 26 Cambridge parks with waterplay facilities.

Need to get out with the dog?  Take a walk around Fresh Pond. The greenery and water views will take your mind off the heat and your dog will have plenty of canine companions to meet and greet.  Dogs registered in Cambridge can go off leash.

For a walk without the dog there isn’t a more beautiful setting than Mount Auburn Cemetery.  With more than 5000 trees, several ponds, and a hilltop observatory tower there’s plenty of shade and places to catch a breeze.  Bring some binoculars – it’s a great place to bird watch.

Movie theaters are typically air conditioned havens.  Check out the latest at the Kendall Square Cinema or the Brattle Theatre  (yes – it is air conditioned!)

The newly renovated Cambridge Public Library at 449 Broadway offers a cool spot to sit with a book or a magazine.

Hang out in Harvard Square.  On warm summer evenings the Square is always hopping. Street performers abound and there are plenty of cafes, restaurants and shops if you want a blast of A/C.  Try a game of chess in front of Au Bon Pain.  Trees provide some shade and the people watching opportunities are top notch if chess isn’t your game.

Outside dining opportunities abound in Cambridge. Whether it’s Christopher’s in Porter Square, the Harvest in Harvard Square, or the 1369 Coffee House in Central Square – plenty of Cambridge cafes and restaurants offer outside tables.

How about a morning tennis game? If you’re still up for exercising despite the heat then the public tennis courts on Pemberton Street are a fine place for a match.

Need to cool off afterwards?  Head down Rindge Ave to the public outdoor pool at 359 Rindge Ave or across town to the pool at Magazine Beach at 719 Memorial Drive. 

When all else fails duck into an ATM booth to soak up the cool.  The ATMs on Huron Ave have been icy cold oases this summer.

Stay cool!!  And if you have more ideas for things to do in Cambridge when it’s hot be sure to let us know.

Ralph Waldo Emerson House Museum in Concord

Emerson House Museum In Concord   What’s a house enthusiast / real estate agent do in her spare time? Visit house museums of course.  I’ve always loved them – the antiques, the literary connections, the “step back in time” sensation that can flicker through your mind. Massachusetts has plenty of house museums and I’m going to highlight one each week.

Emerson House Museum In Concord  

Though the lines are longer at the Old Manse or the Orchard House, the Emerson House in Concord is not to be missed. Take a drive out to Concord – twenty minutes from Cambridge and 150 years back in time.

Ralph Waldo Emerson, noted Transcendentalist, philosopher and author, bought the house for his family in 1835.  Emerson lived here until his death in 1882 and family members lived in the house for many years thereafter. 

The house is owned by Emerson’s descendants and is much the same as it was when the Emerson family lived here.  Unlike many house museums, furnished with period pieces in an attempt to recreate the feel of an earlier time, at the Emerson House you are able to see the house very much as it was when the family lived here and entertained so many whose names we still know well.

Be sure to wander around the expansive yard after your tour.

Ralph Waldo Emerson House museum is open Thursday to Sunday from mid-April through October.

For hours and admission charges check the Emerson House website.

Emerson House Museum is at 28 Concord Turnpike, Concord, Mass. across from the Concord Museum

950 Mass Ave - Bay Square Condos

950 Mass Ave – Bay Square Condos  Bay Square at 950 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge offers Cambridge real estate buyers a full-service luxury building between Harvard Square and Central Square.

Buses run down Mass Ave and the Red Line subway stops are close by in either direction. A bus to the Longwood Medical area stops nearby.

Built in 1989, Bay Square has more than 100 condos on seven floors. There are studios, one-bedrooms and two-bedroom condos and a variety of floor plans.

Bay Square Condos – 950 Mass Ave Feature:

• Elevator building
• 24 hour concierge
• Resident superintendent
• Some condos have garage parking
• Exercise facility
• Sauna
• Outdoor pool
• Top floors units have a fireplace
• Pets are not allowed

Real Estate Sales at Bay Square – 950 Mass Ave

A two bedroom, two bath 4th floor condo with a garage parking space sold for $600,000 in 2009.

A four-room one-bedroom on the 4th floor with one garage space sold for $445,000 in 2009.

If units are available in the building they’ll appear below.  Click on the small photo for additional photographs and more information.

Bay Square Condos are located at 950 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA  02139