Another Trip to Staunton, April 12-14

Blackfriars Theatre before the Sunday Concert

We celebrated our 32nd wedding anniversary with another trip to Stuanton.  To read about some of our previous trips see 2014 - February, 2015 - December, October, March, 2017 - February, and 2018 - March.  Notice I said "some".  I didn't take the time to post about all of them.

To begin our celebration we had dinner reservations at one of our favorite restaurants - Zynodoa.  A farm-to-table establishment with a southern flare.  They treated our anniversary as a big deal much to our delight.  

Our own menu.

George had the fettuccine and

I had the étouffée.

Saturday morning we attended a Staunton Spring Music Festival free concert at Trinity Episcopal Church.  During this weekend series all of the music was from the Baroque Period and the musicians were playing antique instruments.  I had never seen some of them before.  The Saturday morning program was all French baroque pieces.  

Before the concert I walked around the sanctuary to view the many Tiffany windows.  At one time Staunton was on a major train route and many of the residents became very wealthy because of the trade opportunities.  Thus there were those able to afford to help the decore of the church. The above window is my favorite.  It came from the Tiffany Studios in 1903 and it's very special because it is an exquisite example of a window that contains no painting.  All pictorial effects result from the artistry of the extraordinary palette of glass, including plating, confetti, acid-etched, and flashed glass.  

In 2000 the congregation had the magnificent organ completely refurbished.  We've attended one organ recital since then and it was excellent.

During the concert I didn't take many photos but just had to have this one - on the right is Paul Morton playing a theobo, one of the many instruments new to me.  

I found it fascinating that the coral group was following the music on their e-tablets.  

That evening we attended an adaptation of Pride and Prejudice at The American Shakespeare Center.  While an excellent production it did not modify my total loathing of anything related to Jane Austen.

Sunday's concert was held at the Blackfriars Theatre and was all English music.  See first photo above for how the stage looked before the performance.

 The photo shows Paul working hard to tune his theobo.  At the harpsichord is Carsten Schmidt, Artistic Director of the Festival.  Watching him conduct was great fun.  He used his entire body and bounced all over the place.  

In this image you can see how big the theobo is.  Must be difficult to travel with it.  Maybe the neck folds but I couldn't see how it would.

We ended the weekend with a performance of A Midsummer's Night Dream at the American Shakespeare Center and a leisurely drive home on back country roads.  

 

Christmas in Boston, 2023sy

On December 22nd we used Uber (a first for George, but just a 2nd time for me) to get to Union Station and we took the Acela to Boston.

Love the

holiday

decorations.

 

We easily bordered our train with the help of a terrific Red Cap.  It's the only way to avoid the rush to the train when those in line are allowed to board.  Even with reserved seating it's still a scramble, especially to find a place for your big suitcase.  With the help of a Red Cap, we don't have to hassle with our luggage.

Packing these days does require bringing items never heard of when I took my 1st train ride to Chicago in 1963.

The first view of Manhattan is always exciting.

Our hotel, The Liberty, in Boston was relatively new and definitely unique.  For over 100 years the main building had been the city jail.  Most of the common facilities were named to reflect that theme.

The lobby was dark and very busy since the bar was there. Between the front door and finishing registering, we were offered 2 free drinks -- Champaign and Prosecco.

the 

I was fascinated by the upside down trees hanging from the ceiling.

The hallway leading from the reception area to the elevators to the guest rooms.  

What greeted us in our room on the TV.  We did have the view but only on the one on the left side of the image.  We did not have a corner room.

We had breakfast a couple of times and dinner once in The Clink just off the lobby.

The open kitchen in the restaurant.

Massachusetts General Hospital was right behind the hotel and was HUGE!  It went on and on for blocks.

The Yard at the Liberty

Hotel was definitely dog friendly

Scenes around the neighborhood --

Love the old and the new.

After Brian joined us, we spent the afternoon exploring Faneuil Hall.  Had lunch at Jimmy Buffet's restaurant, Margaritaville.  It was that or standing up to eat in the Food Court.  The Hall has definitely changed since I was first there in the '80's.

We spent Christmas Eve at the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum.

Christmas Eve we had a wonderful dinner in a lovely neighborhood French Restaurant.

Christmas Day we had brunch in The Clink.  Brian headed home and George and I enjoyed walking around the neighborhood (it got to almost 60 degrees!) and watching movies in our room.  The only enteresting thing about our return trip was the college student busy with his crochet project.

Soul Strolls at Historic Congressional Cemetery, 10/27/23

 

On Friday, Ocotober 27, 2023, we attended the annual Halloween celebration at Historic Congressional Cemetery.  The Event is called "Soul Strolls" and tour guides and re-inactors introduced us to some of the residents of the cemetery.  This year the focus was on the not-famous, with one excpetion, so we did not meet the wealthiest madam in DC during the Civil War,  J. Edgar Hoover,  Marion Berry, or many other very famous people buried there.  

Our tour guide.  We began while it was still light.

Our first stop was at the memorial to Col. Cross.

After serving in the Army during the War of 1812, Col. Cross was called up again to serve along the Texas border with Mexico.  After leaving the fort, his body was found the next day.  President James Polk used this death as his rationale for going to war with Mexico.  He went so far in drumming up support for the war as having the Cross' body displayed throughout the country before being buried.  

Our next stop was at the paupers' crypt where we met the former First Lady, Dolly Madison. 

 

Dolly lost her first husband, one son, and other relatives during the yellow fever epidemic of 1793.  Aaron Burr served as her attorney when she had to sue for the funds provided for her in her husband's will that were being kept from her by her brother-in-law.  Burr introduced her to James Madison in 1794 and they were soon married.  After serving as Thomas Jefferson's Secretary of State, Madison was elected 4th President of the United States.  While living in the White House, Dolly created the role of First Lady.  One of her inovations was hosting bi-partisan parties.  Previously Presidents only entertained members of one party at a time.  She was most proud of having saved the Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington from the fire in the White House when the British attacked DC.  She never served cupcakes!

She was first buried in the paupers' crypt because her alcoholic son had and driven her into poverty after the death of Madison.  She was kept in the crypt for 2 years, moved into the family crypt of a friend of hers where she stayed for 7 more years.  Then friends raised enough funds to have her moved to Montpelier for a proper burial.

Next we met Sarah Johnson, who was  raised by a family in DC.  She became a school teacher and loved being with her 3rd graders.  She met and married Osborn Allen over her family's objections.  Turn out her family was right -- he was physically abusive.  After 10 years, Sarah moved back to her parent's home.  Her husband continued to stalk her and one day stormed into her classroom and, in front of the students, pointed a gun at her.  She ran out of the room but he trapped her, shot her, and then himself.  While he died instantly, she lingered for a few days.

Next we met two victims of the munitions factory explosion in DC at the Navy Yard during 

the Civil War.

These young imigrant women, one from England, the other from Ireland, responded to the call to help their adopted country.  The work was very dangerous but the explosion was caused by the male supervisor leaving fireworks in the yard outside the factory in the heat of the summer sun.  Of course, he was not injuried in the explosion.  There is a large monument dedicated to those who did die and 17 of them are buried under the monument.  Others were buried in a local Catholic cemetery or in family plots on private property.  Just as the story was getting very dramatic 3 Marine helicopters flew over and everyone assumed it was the President on his way to Camp David for the weekend.  Remaining in character, the Irish lassie ask what were those metal birds.

Lastly, we met Julia Lenox who became a widow on her honeymoon trip.  She and her husband were waiting to board a sloop to Boston, sailing out of Baltimore, when he accidentally drank a toxic cleaning fluid.  She wore her widow's clothing until her death 30 years later.

The tour ended in the dark but under a gorgeous full moon.

Drinks, including special cocktails for the event (1 was a martini with pumpkin and maple syrup), and refreshments were being served in the chapel, thus confirming that the property is owned by an Episcopal parish (management is by a private foundation set up by the parish).