Boston Skyline Night

I went for a walk yesterday. It wasn’t intended to be a walk. My mission - at first - was to get a Subway 6 inch turkey sandwich. But I was distracted; my mission took a detour. As I walked, I began to experience my surroundings - the temperature, the sounds, the smells, the colors, the buildings. I realized that the neighborhoods of Boston are unique: they are expressive and individualistic but at the same time communal and sweeping. I was astounded.

What began as a trek for lunch ultimately turned into a three hour adventure. And did I ever get to consume a delicious Subway sandwich? Well… sit tight because the plot thickens.

A colorful Boston door.

Take a look at this door. Surrounded by gray paneling, the door bursts out like a stampeding herd of color. The deep red expresses the door’s existence. “I am here! I exist!” says the door. But then, a cooling burst of welcome is seen in that beautiful blue, as if to say “Come in. We are friendly. Don’t believe me? Take a look through this little window…” And after being stunned by a burst of contrasting red and blue, your eyes are met with a transparent, pure window into another world; this doorway - having a welcoming existence - is the portal to that other world. With only three different colors and a small window, a door is transformed from just a door into a majestic portal to another world. Whoa!

Homes of Davis Square

But this unique expression of contrasting colors isn’t an anomaly of Boston; this kind of expression happens quite a lot, actually. For instance, Somerville - filled with its own neighborhoods - has a vast palette of colors embellishing its homes.

Even between homes you see such an interesting contrast of colors. Here are two homes - blue and yellow - that are situated right next to one another. It’s beautiful. It’s unique. It’s just another neighborhood of Boston…

Cobblestone Sidewalk

I’ve traveled quite a bit and I’ve seen some amazing places. From the waterfalls of Hawai’i to the Venetian Canals there exists wondrous, phenomenal beauty. But I’ve never experienced a beauty that was so deliberately and symphonically expressive as in Boston. Even the very sidewalks are carefully crafted. It’s a very colorful place, and I mean that both figuratively and literally. So if you haven’t been up this way, make a trip. And if you’re already here then take a few minutes one day and look around; experience your city. And I can tell you, even Subway sandwiches are pretty good.

Boston is a cool place. Its demographics, culture, location, and history all melt together into something harmonious, something unique…something jazzy. And in the spirit of her birthday, I want to thank Ella Fitzgerald - a jazz woman I grew up listening too - for helping me experience in the world, what I experience in music. Happy birthday Ella, now play me out…