The Complete History of the Comm Ave Sisters

If you live in the Back Bay, you probably know The Sisters.  You might not know that that’s what they’re called though.  128 and 130 Commonwealth Ave are 2 iconic Back Bay single family homes.  They don’t fit in.  They’re not brick, they’re not brownstone.  They’re not mid/late 19th century revivals or Victorian.  They’re Beaux-arts styled white limestone.  

I originally was just going to have a light little post with a few pictures, but the more I dug the more interesting the stories got.  A huge shout out to www.backbayhouses.org.  It's an amazing resource and if you're into the Back Bay, I highly recommend you check it out.

Here’s what my light research has told me.  It's going to be a little confusing, but I chose to go in chronological order as opposed to separating each building's story.  128 Commonwealth Avenue and 130 Commonwealth Avenue were designed by Samuel Kelley and built by Antoine Xavier in 1882.  128 Comm was for Samuel Shapleigh while 130 Comm was for William Seavy Rand. Both of whom, were contractors.

In 1883, Shapleigh sold 128 to Col. Jonas French and Rand sold 130 to Edmund and Sally Bennet. 

Jonas Harrod French served as Lieutenant Colonel in the Union army, and was mayor of New Orleans for 18 days in 1862.  He was also president of the Cape Anne Granite Company, and director of the Maverick National Bank in Eastie.  In 1891, he got found out for embezzling and was arrested at the home.  He was required to sell the home to pay restitution.

Edmund Hatch Bennet was a State Attorney of Vermont and later judge of the Vermont Supreme Court.  After moving to Massachusetts, he served as Taunton’s first mayor and while residing in 130 was the Dean of Boston University Law School.  And to bring it on home, he received his education from the Litchfield Law School in Litchfield, CT.

Bennet sold 130 Comm to George and Sarah Brooks in 1890.  Brooks was a local real estate investor who previously lived in his development at 295-297 Beacon.  They also had a summer home in Swampscott.

In 1894, Charles Bond(with whom I share a birthday), president of Waitt & Bond cigar manufacturer and real estate tycoon, purchased 128 Comm.  He occupied the home until his death, 14 years later. 

Dr. Dwight Moses Clapp purchased 130 Comm from Sarah Brooks in 1898.  He was a dentist who ran his practice out of the home.  Dwight died in 1906, leaving 130 to his wife, Clara Clapp.  This is where it gets good!  Clara sold the property to Charles Bond in 1908.  The same Charles Bond that owned 128 Comm.

Now, at this time they were both brownstones.  Bond combined the two addresses into one home, and had the white limestone façades built.  It wasn’t something Bond could really afford, and was the beginning of the end.  Allegedly, he killed himself at his summer home, Peachhaven, in Swampscott later that same year.

Architectural rendering of remodeled front façade of 128 Commonwealth (1909) by James T. Kelley and Harold S. Graves, architects; courtesy of the Boston Public Library Arts Department

In 1909 Isabella Bond, wife of Charles, separated the buildings and sold 130 to Frances Thorley Goodwin.  She lived in 128 until her death.  Her family maintained ownership, selling it in 1945 to Matthew and Ione Malloy.  They never even lived there! 

Goodwin sold 130 to Alden Augustus Thorndike and Helen Grace Hackett Thorndike.  Those names!  Alden died in 1925.  Grace remarried to an architect named Walter Atherton.  Grace must’ve done something right, because she outlived this guy too.  She sold the house to the Chamberlyne Junior College and moved to California in 1948.  And in 1951 the Chamberlayne School purchased 128 Comm Ave from the Malloys.  The buildings were reunited and reconnected again!  Like several of its previous owners, the school filed for bankruptcy at which point the buildings were held in trust.

128 Commonwealth and 130 Commonwealth (ca. 1942), photograph by Bainbridge Bunting, courtesy of the Boston Athenaeum

They were then sold again in 1989 to George Demeter, one time owner of A.F. Doyle.  Back then, they were in Beacon Hill apparently.  Today they’re on Newbury.  (Shout out to my friend and fellow agent Bob Joaquim.)  Demeter separated the buildings, selling off 130 and dividing 128 into three condominiums.  Peter and Leah Roy purchased and occupied all 3 units.  Weird, right?  Herb Chambers picked up 128 Comm in 2004 and restored it into a proper single family.  He also had a two car underground garage put in.  (I want this even more now).  And it’s got a pretty sweet roof deck, I hear.  He then sold it off to the current owners.  Everyone knows he traded it in for a pad at the Mandarin Oriental.

130 was sold to Deepak Kulkarni, an investor, who restored it to its original grandeur, considering it a piece of art.  He went as far as buying the top two units at 132 Comm Ave, extending the roof deck of 130.  A double-wide roof deck.  He also sold it off to the current occupants who maintain it as a single family.

Long story short, I think they’re beautiful!  I wouldn’t mind living in either one.  I’ve always liked 130 just a little bit more.

They always dress it up good for holidays.

Sources:

Kimberly Blanton

Brian McWilliams

David L. Ryan

https://backbayhouses.org

Keller Williams & The String Cheese Incident - Best Feeling

Monday Morning Pick Me Up:

Discreetly Armoured Range Rover

Now maybe this is my own paranoia, but I want an armored car.  And a Range Rover.  So why not both?  Because I like old Range Rovers, and they're less hackable, I’d be in favor of the Discreetly Armoured Range Rover by MacNeillie.  It’s fitted with 5mm armor around and a bomb suppression system.  The windows are 35mm glass and polycarbonate laminate. 

Overhead oxygen masks.  I'd opt-out of that divider.  It's not even bulletproof.

There’s a spare gas tank that holds 2 extra liters in case the main fuel system is busted.  But seriously, how far is 2L going to get this thing?  I bet this weighs tons.  It’s got an intercom system to talk to people outside the car.  All the panels overlap to create a tight seal, but just in case, there are oxygen masks and tanks with easy access.  I think this is funny.  There’s a tamper sensing device that comes with a remote.  It lets you know if anyone touched or got underneath the car, while you’re not there.

Here's the remote to monitor your Range.

I think this is a great option, because it's pretty simple, effective and not over the top.  It'll probably also protect you from Michael Hastings Disease.  Better safe than sorry!

Intercom system

An Argument for a Plane

In case you didn’t know, I want my own plane.  It’s one way we can buy time, which is priceless.  The general consensus is, it makes sense to own if you spend over 300 hours a year in flight.  And if I’m going to get a plane, the first thing to do is pick one out.  I think I’ve decided on and Bombardier Global 6000.  It’s the most recent variant of the Global Express.  As far as private planes go, this one is a classic.  The only thing it's missing is a washer and dryer.  It’s NetJet’s flagship aircraft.  It took its first flight in 1996.  Although, the version known as the Global 6000 wasn’t announced until 2003.  Now let me break it down to you why I’ve gone with this option:

If it's mine, I don't see why I couldn't fill the tanks with Pristine Hydro water.

1. It holds 13 passengers. That’s quite a few. I don’t think of myself as traveling with more than 9 or so people. I’d put the vacant seats up for sale. I mean it’s big, but it’s not too big. Understated.

2. The cabin has 6’2” of clearance, which is pretty good for a small plane. I don’t know about the 6000, but I know the 7000, which is coming out next year, can have a full size stand up shower.

3. It’s got 2 Rolls Royce turbofans, which is very cool. Jet engines are neat. Those engines bring it to cruising speed over 3/4 the speed of sound.

4. And it can travel 7000 miles on a tank of gas. That’s amazing! I’m lucky if I break 200 miles on 1 tank in my Defender. This is a major selling point for me. Non stop BOS-LAX and back. That's like 14 hours non stop. You never know when you’re going to need to get away. Being in the air could be a good hiding place.

5. At $45,000,000 new, it’s a good value. You’d be insane to buy a new one anyway! This one for $28,500,000 is gorgeous. Plus, planes depreciate in value pretty quickly. IE you can claim it as a loss. "Fuck, my plane dropped $600,000 last year, it's a loss!" Maybe to the IRS, not to me! Keep in mind, the people that write the tax code fly on private planes. How many people are going to know about "accelerated depreciation?" I don't think anyone that has a plane would complain. If you're smart, you can get in you're own aircraft for $10,000/mo. So I'm told.

Plastic water bottle. Can you believe that?

Now here’s why I want a plane, and I’m assuming the same reasons everyone wants a plane.  And I know, it doesn't make sense for everyone to have their own.  There’s a reason NetJets and JetSmarter and things like that are taking off.  Pun INTENDED.  We’re not like the Jetson’s yet where the cars fly.

I hope it's a low VOC interior.

1. You are on your own schedule. You fly when you want to fly, and if you’re running 15 minutes late, it’s no big deal. And there are no delays, no missed connections.

2. You can always fly at night. Flying at night is much better for your body. Don’t you feel strung out when you fly? I do. And I blame solar radiation. That, and not being grounded in general.

3. You can bring whatever snacks and drinks you want.

4. If you lose a bag, it can only be your fault.

5. The seats are bigger. And there’s probably a divan.

6. None of that TSA psyop bullshit.

7. Parking is free. Just leave your car where the plane was.

Oh the smörgåsbord I'd have.

Very Restoration Hardware-esqu

After writing this, I think NetJets or JetSmarter should sponsor me.  Send me your bids here.  Or maybe I should get my pilot’s license.  Or both!  Environmentalists please comment below.

Here is pretty much a documentary on how to choose your plane, and make it more affordable. 

Kippy's!: A Review

Whenever I go to LA, one of the first stops I make is to Kippy’s!.  It's exactly what I want and need after a long flight.  I used to work at Kippy's!, so I know the inner workings.  And I still love Kippy's!  They're ice cream is unparalleled.  It's so simple.  Coconut meat, coconut water and honey.  All raw and processed in-house.  Email me and I'll sell you the ratios.  Just kidding Kippy and Max, I wouldn't do that!  

It is definitely, without question, a matter of fact, the healthiest ice cream.  I think it's so funny they do an ice cream cleanse because it sounds like such an advertising sham, but it's probably one of the best cleanses around.  I can't say there was a time I exclusively ate ice cream, but working at Kippy's! 40 hours a week with free ice cream wasn't bad.  It was free, right?  The chocolate hard shell is amazing.  I don't usually order it on top, because it's in the chocolate chip.  Salted caramel on the other hand, is a must.  Where am I going with this?

This last time I was there, I was so happy to see a golden milk flavor!  I wanted to do that when I was there!  Max and I argued over black pepper.  I said, "you need to have black peppercorn in the golden milk!"  And he said "black peppercorn is irritating to the digestive tract, no!"  I did not pick up any black pepper in this edition.  I should've thought to bring my own when I went back for more.

Everything about Kippy's! is great!  The ice cream, the people, the toppings.  I love going there.  I love eating the ice cream.  If anybody on the East Coast wants to open up a Kippy's, I think they'll match us at $150k.  Does that still stand?

Cinnamon Date on the bottom, Chocolate Chip, Golden Milk and I don't know, maybe that's the Cinnamon on top and there's chocolate on the bottom.  Something like that, with Caramel Sauce on top.

Deep Discount at Per Se

Last night my friend Lauren texted me and said that Per Se is offering a discounted dinner.  They're calling it "30 for 30."  30 tables for patrons under 30 years of age.  $175 for 7 courses, versus the usual $325 for 9.  Another $50 gets you a wine pairing.  Apparently this is the second dinner of its kind.  Per Se is trying to appeal to a younger audience.  Dinner to be held March 30th.  I don't know yet if I'm going.  I would like to, but we'll see what happens.  Reservations apirisi@perseyny.com or 212 823 9325.

A Case for the Cobbler: Just Fix It

“How do you know you need something? You already have it.”

— Or something like that, Byron Katie

Most of my stuff is old.  I like old stuff.  Things that acquire stories and character.  But just because something is old, doesn’t mean it’s in bad shape.  With proper maintenance and care, you can really add significant lifespan to anything.  Look at Land Rovers as an example.  And I don’t think enough people do this.  Their shoes get worn out, so they throw them out and buy a new pair.  A sweater gets a hole and it’s given to good will.  When people do stuff like that, it makes me think they didn’t make the right purchase.  Either it was really cheap quality and they don’t care, or they don’t really like it and don’t care.

Taking your clothes to be repaired, especially locally, does good things.  In doing so, you'll be:

1. Generating less waste
2. Consuming less
3. Saving money
4. Keeping money local

Let me break it down for you.

So let’s say my loafers were $700.  They’re the Gucci 1953 Horsebit.  They've got miles.  I've walked to Harvard Sq. and back several times.  Brighton and back more than once.  They've been very good to me.  They always look good.  And I spend $65 every 2.5 years on maintenance.  A new sole and intermittent polishings.  As long as I take care of them, I assume they’ll last 30 years.  So at the end of the 30 years, I spent $700 on shoes and $780 on maintenance, for a total of $1480.00.  That averages out to less than $50 a year.  Not bad right?  As opposed to buying a new pair of $250 loafers every 2.5 years for 30 years, which will run you more than twice as much, $3,000.  

I take my shoes to Newbury Shoe Repair, odd side between E and F.  They give you the option of leather or rubber sole.  I made the mistake of not specifying.  I assumed that because I brought my shoes in with leather soles, they’d come out with leather soles.  Now I know.  I had him put rubber on a pair of velvet slippers, and he used Good Year rubber.  Not here.

Heritage on the Garden

One of my favorite buildings in the neighborhood is Heritage on the Garden.  It’s so prominent, and classic looking.  I’m always changing my mind about what I want in my next home.  Should I scoop something bigger up in the Back Bay?  Buy a house in Cambridge?  Keep my apartment (it’s actually a condo but I hate the word condo) and buy a house in New Hampshire?  All of the above?  Although, I know I wouldn't mind moving into this place at all.  It’s off the market.  I don’t even think it was on the market for a week!  It was listed for $1,250,000 by Tracy Campion.  It’s a two-story one bed, one and a half bath with outdoor space on both levels.  Enough of my words, here it is!

You walk into a little hallway with the staircase and a hidden half bath that leads to the living room.  See outdoor space?  Kitchen to the right.

It's not great, but it's nice enough.  Dishwasher is a huge plus.

I'd ditch the mural.

Nice big staircase for a Back Bay 1 bed.

In-unit laundry.

Did someone say built-ins?

More storage AND outdoor space off the bedroom.

Master bathroom isn't bad. 

So you see why I like this place so much?

Untraditional Simple Guac

Just like everybody else, I love avocados.  The most frequent way I prepare them is guacamole.  I like to keep things simple.  Easy to make, easy to clean up.  This dip took under 3 minutes and is great for quick snacking.  I was going out to an event and figured the food might be suspect, and wanted to eat a little something before I left so I whipped this up, and thought I’d share it with you!  Great source of fat, got some ferments in there and it tastes great.  I paired it with blue corn chips with sprouted chia seeds.

You’ll need:

1 avocado

1 tsp miso

1-2 shakes nama shoyu

1 splash lemon juice

You’ll need to:

Mix

And enjoy!

Ryan Adams as Taylor Swift- And it's good!

Huge Ryan Adams fan.  He's my favorite way to listen to Taylor Swift.  Nothing against TSwift.

And a follow up:

Maple Sap

Tis the season for tapping!    Maple syrup and honey are two of my favorite sweeteners.  Really, the only ones I use.  I don’t like fake sweeteners.  I haven’t done this in a few years, but there’s no reason I shouldn’t.  Tapping maple trees is very easy, and the product is so nutrient dense and versatile.  Getting your own maple sap is free, aside from buying the spigot.  The last time I did it, we tapped 2 trees.  One produced gallons a day.  it was unbelievable.  We couldn’t keep up with the collection, but it froze well.

Like I said, it’s versatile.  Maple sap is pretty much maple syrup, watered down 40 times.  Actually, maple syrup is maple sap boiled down 40:1.  Maybe you’ve gotten sap at whole foods.  Well, if you think that’s good, you’re in for a treat!  If you tap a tree that is.

I like to use it for brewing tea and coffee.  I did boil some down with a lot of vanilla and then some chaga, cat’s claw and pau d’arco.  It was a very palatable way to use those herbs, but it wasn’t a syrup.  It's nutrient packed on its own.  Not too sweet and pretty mineral dense.  It can be a good source of manganese.  It's really simple and easy to collect.  It's like New England's coconut water.

You'll want to do this like, now.  The sap flows the most when the temperature fluctuates the most.  When it's above freezing during the day, and below freezing at night is prime time.  Read more here.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Sugar Maple works best, but tap whatever you want.  They’re easy to identify.

tap

drill

hammer

plastic gallon jug

sharp knife

sieve

containers for storage

You’ll need to:

Identify a Sugar Maple.  The bigger the tree, the more taps you can put in.  Don’t be greedy.

Using a 3/8” or so drill bit, drill a hole about 2 inches into the tree.  Angle it so the sap can drip out.  Hammer the spigot in.

Take a gallon jug, and cut a hole in it for the spigot.  Using a hole punch, punch a hole for the spigot’s hook.

Hang the jug by the hook

Check every hour or so at first so you get sense of how often you should empty the jug.  Debris will accumulate, so the sieve will take the crunch out of your sap.

My Favorite Rudolf Steiner Meditation

This is an easy practice that anyone can do and doesn’t require learning anything new.  All that is required is remembering to do the exercise!  It’s as simple as going over your day in reverse order, at the end of the day.  It’s a Rudolf Steiner practice.  I read it forever ago, and can’t remember what he says about it.  I don’t even remember which book!  I’m guessing either Knowledge of the Higher Worlds or How to Know Higher Worlds.  Maybe Anthroposophy in Everyday Life, but I don’t think so.

This is something that I go through phases of doing.  When I do do it, I wait until I’m in bed, relaxed.  And then I run through my day, in reverse.  I just visualize what I recall doing, but backwards, going for as much detail as I can.  Sounds weird I know, but I find it’s quite an eye-opening experience.

I find that most of the time, I end up feeling much better about how my day went.  You’ll notice a lot more happened that day when you stop and really think!  Usually connections and coincidences are picked up, that just slipped by the first time around.  It gives a fresh appreciation for the day, and I find going to bed on that positive note is helpful for the next day as well.  I think it’s also good to get in the habit of recalling memories.  

So maybe you want to try it!  At the end of the day, just relax and run through your mind, your day backwards.  See what happens!  Watching your own Instagram story backwards does not count.

Lulu's Chocolate Lounge: A Review

On my last trip out west, my friend Sima and I drove through Sedona, AZ.  We only spent like half a day there, which was not nearly enough.  Sedona was very cool.  In our time there, we covered a lot of ground though.  We hit up a few restaurants, a shop or two, we also went for a hike and visited with some friends.  It was a packed day.  

In the afternoon, Sima met with her acupuncturist, so I was on my own.  Luckily, I’d noticed we’d passed by LuLu’s Chocolate Lounge on the way.  So I walked over.

The space itself is very cool; whimsical.  Almost as if Mackenzie-Childs had taken a sedative and then went to work.  The tones are purple and brown, which I think are accurate reflections of chocolate.  Ever bite into a cacao bean and notice it’s actually purple?  There’s a bar along the window with stools, and a very cool Rococo Revival purple velvet sofa.

Now the really important stuff, the chocolate.  I don’t know what I was thinking, I didn’t get any!  Just kidding.  I got the Mayan Drinking Chocolate, but I added pine pollen and CBD.  It was exceptional.  So good, so thick.  Spicy, but not too spicy.  I’m also fan that they have so many additions.  I wish I took more photos, but at the time I was so encompassed in the experience I wasn’t thinking about blogging.

Before I left, I also picked up 2 CBD bars.  One for me, and one for my mom.  I ate mine already.  Felt amazing afterwards.  I was surprised though, by the lemon flavor.  No where other than the ingredients is lemon mentioned.  Nothing wrong with the lemon, it was just a surprise.  I wanted to catch the sunset, so I quickly ordered an Apollo Love Tonic.  Oh my God.  It was like an Italian Soda.  Seltzer, coconut cream and I don’t even remember what else.  I want to say chaga and pine pollen tinctures, CBD (at my request) and other stuff too.  At first sip, I thought of getting Italian Sodas at The County Seat in Litchfield, back in the day.  It tasted just like a vanilla soda.

Long story short, if you find yourself in Sedona, it’s definitely worth your while to check Lulu’s Chocolate Lounge out.  The chocolate is great, the drinks are refreshing.  The girls working there were very friendly and made for good conversation.  The sofa was soft. 

My hopes for S/S 17

I wouldn’t say that I’m predicting trends, or even trying to.  But I’ve started thinking about what my summer wardrobe could look like.  I find the older I get, the more I dress like a child.  I replaced the velvet sneakers I had when I was 6.  I wear hats all the time, as far out at my big hat.  I don’t know what the style is.  This year I caught myself looking at Tevas and Hawaiian shirts.  I think this summer is going to be retro-nostalgic.

I've never really worn animal prints, but this shirt looks comfortable, and makes me think of Mic Jagger.

These shirts are made in New England!  I never wear a tie, so this striped placket is a nice touch.

I saw this in person at the Elderstatesman store, but they failed to tell me it glowed in the dark!

Nothing is as comfortable as a cashmere silk blend t-shirt.  I used to wear mine all the time, until it made it through the wash.

I've always liked gladiator sandals.  Even as a kid.  There was a pair of Birkenstocks with straps that went up your ankle, but they were skinny.  I wanted something more like this.  And finally, Givenchy has brought it to us!

These aren't actually Teva, but Prada.  I probably wouldn't buy these, but I think they're very cool.

Topo Designs makes all kinds of cool stuff, in America.  I had a pair of Chubbie's that were similar in color, but fell apart after 1 season.  These I'm assuming are more durable, and aren't outrageously expensive at $85!

I think I'm ready to pull off white jeans.  Or pull on, should I say.  I think they'd look good with that leopard print shirt and those Givenchy sandals.

The Breakers, Not the Palm Beach One

The other day my friend, Julia, and I went to the Beaker's mansion in Newport.  Neither of us had been before.  At first, I left feeling underwhelmed.  But I was glad I went, and want to go back.  As I'm writing this now, reflecting, it was impressive.  When you think how old this place is.  Built in 1892, it has running water, gas and electricity.  Even the Baccarat crystal lamps are piped with gas and electricity.

Cornelius Vanderbilt II bought the property for $450k in 1885.  It burned down, and this is what he had rebuilt.  There are something like 65,000 square feet of indoor space.  And it's designed to withstand a fire.  It was built with no wooden pieces! 

Bedroom on the other side of the windows from the previous picture.  Not bad, for wall to wall carpeting.

It's like billiards was in their DNA.

What I think of when New-Agers use the phrase "creating space."

Why block such a grand fireplace?

Sink behind lock and key?  The toilet was too.

Look at all that copper!  I'd keep that big copper pot with the spigot brewing with chaga all the time.

There was lots of great use of dressing screens.  I love the idea of using them to display photos.

I think this tub is meant to capture the heat.  I'm just guessing, but that's my hunch.  Run hot water through it for like an hour, really heat the whole thing up and then sit in there for a long soak.

I was noted for calling this a "wall-rug."  Apparently the correct word is "tapestry."

Original Security System

The ocean is on the other side.

A Tribute to Elmira Oneglia

“Granny is super wise.”

— Brandon Gilbert, on Elmira

Today is my grandma's birthday!  She would've been 91 today.  While it is sad to me that she's not here anymore, I know that she lived a long, adventurous life.  I owe it all to my grandparents.  Without their hard work, dedication and strong values I can safely say, I wouldn't be in the position I am today.  I was told I couldn't read her Euology, but I ran up right after my aunt and read mine anyway.  Now that was something I learned from George, "don't take no for an answer."

"

A Course in Miracles tells us “There is no death, because an opposite to God does not exist.”  While to some it may seem obvious that Elmira is no longer alive, this is not the case.  In my mind, she is more alive than ever.  She is no longer bound by human error, guilt, judgement or limited perception.  This transition she has experienced only makes her more complete.  I recently came across a quote, that I can no longer find.  It went something like “Only those that are forgotten are truly dead.”  In this sense, Elmira is immortal.  To experience her, all we have to do is recall a memory.

I don’t know what to say about my grandmother that you don’t already know.  She was wise beyond her years, which is saying a lot considering how old she was.  She was an amazing woman and one of the kindest people I’ve ever met.  She always had a positive attitude and a great sense of humor.  Everyone always enjoyed her company.  She could make a joke in nearly any situation.  When she was last released from the hospital, she wanted to go the beach, so they got an ambulance to take her to my parents’ house in Westbrook.  The ambulance pulled up, the doors opened and she says to my dad, “Hey Will, we were in the neighborhood and thought we’d stop by.”  That was the night the doctor said would probably be her last, and was over two weeks ago.  She wasn’t ready to leave.  She needed to go to the beach, have her yard done and pick out paint colors for the trim on her house.  And she accomplished them, for the most part.  Ground broke on her yard on labor day, and she picked out a slate blue for the trim on her house.

Elmira knew what was important.  Family, food and fun.  I know there’s almost nothing she wouldn’t have done for her grandchildren.  She was an adventurous woman.  Mark Twain said “the fear of death follows from the fear of life.  A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”  I realized my grandma didn’t fear death when I was 7 years old and we went to Disneyworld.  I don’t think many other people can say they rode Splash Mountain 5 times in a row with their 70 year old grandmother just because the pictures weren’t coming out good enough.  I think even fewer people can say they went to the Bomba Shack with their grandmother.  Although, she didn’t go for the full moon mushroom punch.  She felt better getting a drink that entered the shack in a sealed container, a Heineken.  She went into each day without expectation. 

I like to think that I got my memory, love for the beach and appetite from her.  But let me be clear, she got her hair color from me.  We could spend hours just sitting talking.  She had something to say about everything.  

She was even a trendsetter.

She had the ability to spark up a conversation with anyone.  She would come to Boston somewhat regularly to see her doctor, and we usually went to the same restaurant, Sonsie.  On one visit, she was having some tests done and had to wear some kind of monitor with wires and electrodes all over.  That wasn’t going to stop her from lunch, but she did say she didn’t feel comfortable entering a bank.  She looked like she was wearing a homemade explosive.  She told the waiter she was carrying a bomb, but this was pre-Boston-bombing.  Anyway, a single older man came and sat at the table next to us.  Out of the blue, she looks over and asks if he wants to try her cake!  And he said yes!  Turns out he lives in West Hartford.  That’s just one example of her being kind and generous to someone she’d never met.  She was friends with everyone.

I can tell you now that I don’t think I’ll get in trouble for this eulogy.  I can’t quote my grandmother swearing or taking the lords name in vain, my grandfather did enough of that for the both of them.  I don’t think she ever got upset.  Her version of swearing was “Oh, ma!” and that only came up when whatever restaurant we were at said they didn’t have Santa Margherita.

She’s the only person I know that’s closed an Olive Garden.  My dad and I flew down to Florida to visit my grandparents and my cousin Michael who was at their house.  At the time, the closest Olive Garden was in Wellington.  We stayed past 11.  The manager had to unlock the doors to let us out.  That was also the same night she sent back her glass of wine for being watery, after she drank it of course.  Turns out the bottle tipped in the ice bucket.  She didn’t want to complain, so she just drank it.  Then we saw the booth next to us send back their wine, which prompted her to notify the waiter that she too got a glass of water.  Elmira was extremely easy going.  She never wanted to make a fuss.

She taught me about humility.  If you can’t laugh at yourself, you can’t laugh at anything else.  From the time she accidentally went to the food bank in Salisbury for lunch with her friends because she thought it was a restaurant, to sitting on the front porch of her time share at Water’s Edge, both her and her sister Lois missing front teeth.  Lois fell and and knocked a tooth out and one of my grandmother’s veneers came off.  That didn’t matter to them, they were still fully capable of critiquing the weddings from their porch.  The last time she went out to dinner was to La Foresta in Killingworth.  She had told me about this place, and how it was authentic Italian, and all the pasta was made in house.  We saddled up and drove over.  First things first, my grandma orders Prosecco.  Second, she asks for a straw.

Then there was the time she she wanted to get her own credit card.  Her cards were in my grandfather’s name but she wanted her own.  So she applied, and was denied.  She called the credit card company and asked why.  They said they would review her application again but requested lots of additional information.  They wanted bank statements, to see her tax history.  Finally she asked what this was all about.  They told her she thought she was a prostitute!  She had a car, houses in her name, and no source of income.  The funniest part about this story is hearing her tell it.  Such an elegant woman, being accused of illegal activity!

Everyone loved Elmira because she was authentic.  She was true to herself.  I came home last week to spend a few days with her at the shore.  While she wasn’t very active, she was still herself.  We spent hours talking about what it takes to become a Saucier, how to make the perfect beurre blanc.  We didn’t need to do anything to enjoy each other’s company.

Did I say she was adventurous?  

One afternoon, she, Debbie, one of the nurses and I were sitting outside.  All of a sudden Debbie asks her, “are you happy?”  I was astonished.  I thought that was kind of a loaded question and could go either way.  Looking back I’m glad Debbie asked.  My grandmother just smiled, nodded and said yes.  In that moment I knew everything was just how it’s supposed to be.  She lived a very long, full life and was happy until right until the end.

Last night Ray and Ellen were talking about Angels and Ellen said she didn’t believe in coincidences.  Right after Debbie asked her if she was happy, she asked me to get a chocolate bar.  I don’t think she ever asked me for chocolate before.  If there were a bar open or something, of course she would indulge.  But asking me to go get one struck me as out of the ordinary.  I went to the fridge, where my dad keeps his Chocolove Sea Salt and Almond bars.  I grabbed it, opened it and broke it up into squares.  There’s a love poem on the inside of every wrapper.  The poem inside this particular bar was titled “Bound for your Distant Home.”  

Bound for your distant home

you were leaving alien lands.

In an hour as sad as I’ve known

I wept over your hands.

My hands were numb and cold,

still trying to restrain

you, whom my hurt told

never to end this pain.

My grandma was one of the most elegant, graceful woman I’ve ever met.  She taught me that you can’t buy class.  Not too many people would get on a private plane wearing head to toe Bon Worth from the Westbrook outlets.  But she was balanced.  She told me that something is only expensive only if you never use it.  

A beauty, on and off the runway.

I know she had a huge impact on my life, and probably many others as well.  I think one of the most important things we can take away from this is the importance of attitude.  It’s not about your situation, but how you react to it.  Elmira was always calm, kind and generous because she was fearless.  And in that absence of fear she was able to express her truest self.  That’s a gift she not only gave to herself, but everyone she encountered.  She knows how much we all appreciate it.

As sad as it is that she’s no longer physically with us, we can be at peace knowing that she was and still is happy, and has been reunited with my grandfather George and my Uncle Chooney.  I’m sure the three of them are looking down at us with full hearts, waiting to greet the rest of us.  In the meantime, I think a great tribute would be to figure out how to serve grinders at a wake.  I know my grandmother wanted to at George’s funeral.  I don’t think anyone here would complain about that.

I’d like to finish with a prayer from A Course in Miracles.

Our Father, bless our eyes today. We are Your messengers, and we would look upon the glorious reflection of Your Love which shines in everything. We live and move in You alone. We are not separate from Your eternal life. There is no death, for death is not Your Will. And we abide where You have placed us, in the life we share with You and with all living things, to be like You and part of You forever. We accept Your Thoughts as ours, and our will is one with Yours eternally. Amen.

Golden Latte

I am very confident in my Golden Latte.  In fact, I’ll put out a challenge to anyone that thinks they can make one better.  Golden lattes in general are lovely.  So warming and soothing.  I’m a sucker for warm butter in a cup.  The flavors are great and so are the health benefits.  They’re neuroprotecive, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-parasite, hormone building, enzyme rich.

There are many different ways to make golden lattes.  I think most people make a proper golden milk, but I don’t always do that and didn’t here.  I used a chaga and he shou wu decoction as the tea base, but you can use anything.  I also much prefer to use turmeric juice.  The flavor and color are just so much brighter.

2 cups hot tea 

1/4 cup pressed turmeric juice

1.5tsp ghee

1.5tsp coconut oil

2tsp honey

1.5tsp black sesame seeds

1/2 capful of vanilla extract

1/2tsp mucuna

1/2tsp reishi

1/2tsp shilajit

3 shakes ceylon cinnamon

2 shakes cardamom

2 shakes nutmeg

2 shakes clove

1 pinch of sea salt

1-3 black peppercorns

Throw it all in the vtiamix and blend!  And blend.  And blend.  Blend longer than you think.

An alternative is to use a chai tea.  You can take all of those whole spices and make a tea with that.  

Another method I recommend is making a simple nut milk, and then adding all of the spices as whole ingredients.  Black sesame seed milk is a nice choice.  You might have to microplane the nutmeg on the spot.  I used ground spices because it was slim pickings in my cabinet.

If you think you can do better, bring it on.  This Golden drink is sweet, it's tangy and will leave you feeling buzzed.  In a good way.

Ja Rule - Livin' It Up

A classic.

Early Spring Cleaning

I spent 2 weeks in California, and came home to realize my apartment was a disaster.  The apartment above mine has had some significant work done, which generated plenty of dust in my apartment.  It was a good excuse to do a deep clean.  Or at least start one.  I started in the largest area and I'm moving inward.

I never thought I had that much stuff in my apartment.  My friend said something to me about it when I listed it on AirBnb.  And then one time someone messaged me asking if all my personal items would be in the apartment.  I said yes.  They did not make a reservation.

The blocks have become more of a side table as of late.

So there is a lot of stuff in my apartment, but each piece tells a story, for the most part.  I also love books, and have a number of them.  There are also some rocks from travels near and far.

Found that white chair on the sidewalk.

I also recently got a camera, so I'm trying to take more pictures.

I drew that picture my first and only year at Boston Architectural College.

Festival in The Desert

To most of my friends' dismay, I enjoy "world music."  I love hearing foreign tunes in foreign languages.  One of my friends won't listen to music in languages other than English.  Instrumental is fine though.

This is a music festival in Mali, called Festival in the Desert.  For some reason, in 2004 my friend and I thought we could convince our parents to let us go, without them.  It didn't work out, and I still haven't made it.

I'm getting closer though.  One band that plays at the festival, Tinariwen, is apparently pretty popular.  They're Touareg, so I'm sure they've got pretty sick yurts.  This one night I got an Uber driver in a GL450 to drive me around all night.  Turns out he was from Morocco and knows a guy who owns a guy who does sound for them.

Then a few weeks ago, I went to the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show.  So there I was, holding a piece of the moon that was on sale for $58,000.00 and next thing I know, the guy that found it is telling me he loves Tinariwen too.  He found the moon-meteorite in Mali, while traveling with the Touareg!

I want to say that I'll see you there!  But there hasn't been a festival since 2013.  The organizers have put a hold on the festival, due to civil unrest.