West Chester, Ohio Wednesday 14th August 2014 Yesterday was the event we had all been waiting for – the baseball game between the Cincinnati Reds & the Boston Red Sox at the Great American Ball Park on the banks of the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati. This was my first baseball game & it was fantastic.
West Chester, Ohio
Tuesday, 12th August 2014
Very sad news today…
Monday was my father in law’s 80th Birthday Celebration. We had a party for him at the Ascolese’s house. Before that, Shelly & I had an appointment at the Art Academy in downtown Cincinnati. We met with Kim Krause, Dean of Faculty. He was incredibly accommodating and showed us all around the building. A truly interesting and creative place to begin an art education. Made me wish I was 30 years younger and brave enough to start again !
Made a quick call into the Contemporary Arts Centre, by Zaha Hadid Architects
Almost fifteen years ago we went up to the Observation Deck of the Carew Tower. It is still the most handsome and assured building in town. Had coffee in Fountain Square. 
This beautifully ornate building on Vine St was built for The Cincinnati Enquirer in 1928. It is currently undergoing a massive refurbishment and conversion into two hotels.
Nobby’s Custom Tailors at 14 West 7th Street
The Last Passenger Pigeon, by John Ruthven on Vine Street, Cincinnati. This city has the most gable end murals I have ever seen.
Scotti’s Italian Restaurant at 919 Vine St, Cincinnati
West Chester, Ohio
10th August 2014
First full day in Ohio. Staying at Shelly’s parents house. Family friends, the Ascolese’s invite us over for the day to use the pool !
West Chester, Ohio
12th August 2014
We have now been in Ohio for 3 days and this is the first time I have had to update the journey so far !
I haven’t made a daily post since 8th August, so the next 3 posts including this one will be retro posts to catch up. Hope this makes sense.
We set out from Canton, MA at 05.30am on Day 10, Sunday 9th & arrived in West Chester, Ohio at 21.04. The drive, including several stops for toilet breaks and food took fourteen & a half hours. This country is enormous. We travelled through 4 States – Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and finally Ohio. For some of the journey we skirted along the southern shores of the great lakes, namely Ontario and Erie. We crossed rivers, such as the Hudson and drove through Native American reserves, such as the Seneca Nation. I saw a bald eagle, a great blue heron, many vultures and several white tailed deer – all unfortunately dead at the roadside !
‘HELL IS REAL’.
Passed King’s Island on the way.
21.04, arrive Haden Lane, West Chester, Ohio
8th August 2014 Canton, MA
To nearby Norwood for breakfast at the Town Square Diner. 
I had coffee, two eggs over-easy, home fries & a side order of corned beef hash plus toast.
A bit of a walk through town to follow. Found a carpet and furniture warehouse with amazing Kilims from New Delhi India. The owner tried so hard to sell us one. We are sorely tempted to buy one !
A General Motors ‘Brougham’ Car in the supermarket car park, Norwood.
A bit of food shopping !
AMC Cinema, Braintree, MA to see ‘Into the Storm”. Best recliner seats ever ! 
Tomorrow – 9th August 2014, we set off at 05.00am to drive the 850 miles to Cincinnati, Ohio in one day.
All the girls went off to Boston to the One Direction concert at Gillette Stadium.
7th August 2014 Canton, MA Another day, another drive – this time to Lowell, Massachusetts to take a look around the Lowell National Historic Park. We took a boat trip on the Merrimack Canal & some lunch at a Dunkin’ Donuts. We were meant to go on to the American Textile History Museum, but were pushed for time and the weather was threatening thunder and rain. Hope we don’t regret that ! Lowell is also home to the New England Quilt Museum. Lowell was the epicentre of the Industrial Revolution in the US and modelled its mills and production upon the industrial landscape of Manchester and other key mill towns in the UK. The architecture and canals are certainly reminiscent of that, as is the post industrial decline and renaissance through heritage and arts culture.
Club Diner in the historic downtown area. This diner was opposite where we took the tour today. We really wanted to go for lunch !!! Another time ! 
The Museum is situated in the Kitson Building which was the former Kitson Machine Shop.
All Irish immigrant workers lived in an area of Lowell called Paddytown. 
Massive kerb and paving slabs suggest an industrial heritage. Something I would definitely aspire to try to achieve on a project somewhere. 
Father John’s Medicine was a cough medicine formulated in a pharmacy in Lowell, MA in 1855
6th August Canton, MA Visited a large thrift store – Savers – second hand & donated clothing and household goods. Really interesting displays of objects –
In the late morning we took off for downtown Boston and walked around the streets adjacent to Boston Common & Downtown Crossing. This liturgical suppliers caught my eye. This store is not the famous Sheehan’s of Boston but it was pretty interesting nonetheless. Actually, I now think that this store is called the Sisters Disciples Liturgical Centre at 43 West St.
A little further down the same road was this great book store – Brattle Street Book Shop – with external shelving, open to the skies. One of America’s oldest and largest Antiquarian Bookshops established in 1825. A new build project, Millennium Tower is a 60 storey development adjacent to the former Filene’s Store, which will now become a part of the development. Scheduled to be completed in 2016. 
Mike’s Pastry in the heart of the Italian district is as famous an institution you can find…as if you couldn’t tell by the street scene & the level of noise in the shop ! 
More embossed tin tiles on the walls and ceilings. These look fairly new & I have seen suppliers advertising – must get a catalogue or some printed material about it.
Sacred Heart Italian Church is opposite Paul Revere’s House on North Square in North End, Boston. 
Park Street Church on Boston Common
Had a great paddle and cool down at The Frog Pond in the centre of Boston Common. 
Then walked through the Common to the Public Gardens which was established in 1837 and crossed the bridge by the Swan Boats…
5th August Canton, MA. A full day was had – drove through downtown Boston, to Cambridge, MA to visit Harvard and the Harvard Museum of Natural History & particularly the Glass Flowers collection. 
Trucks on the road…Lobster Trap Co Inc. 
Passing through (under) downtown…
Arriving in Cambridge, MA, we walked to Harvard Square and into Harvard Yard. From there it was a short walk to the Harvard Museum of Natural History
The Earth & Planetary Sciences exhibition displays thousands of minerals and rocks to the most amazing effect.
I don’t think that I have seen anything quite as beautiful as this for a long time. This gallery was worth the trip in itself. The work was created by Leopold Blaschka and his son Rudolf. The commission started in 1886 and continued for fifty years.
mmmm
A 42 foot long specimen of Kronosaurus in the Vertebrate Paleontology room.
Farmers Market in the contemporary public realm of The Plaza adjacent to the Science Centre and Memorial Hall. The Plaza was completed in 2013 by Stoss. It is built atop a covered underpass.
mmm 
Harvard Yard, Memorial Church. 
mmmm 
On the way home…
3rd August 2014 Canton, MA
Walked up to Blue Hill Observatory & Science Center, Milton, MA. Conceived and built by Abbot Lawrence Rotch in 1885. Amazing 360 degree views as far as Boston some 10 miles distant are to be had from the top of Great Blue Hill, which is the highest point in Norfolk County, MA
Saw a Common Garter Snake.
Went for dinner to the Legal Seafood Restaurant at Legacy Place, Dedham, MA. I had New England Clam Chowder and Wood Fired Shrimp Animals on the list today include:
Northern Cardinal
Eastern Chipmunk
Otter (Captive)
Bald Eagle (Captive)
Common Garter Snake
2nd August 2014 Gloucester, Massachusetts Went whale watching today out of Gloucester, Massachusetts with the Cape Anne Whale Watch on the Hurricane II – and despite the rain and cold (very untypical weather), saw two Humpback Whales feeding. This is the second time I have been whale watching. The first time 14 years ago on my honeymoon I saw zero whales , so this is a great success by comparison. No photos of the whales however – it was raining hard and my mobile may have ended up in the ocean – so I erred on caution and simply experienced the scene as it happened in real time & not through a lens – an experience I would recommend! It may not make for the most riveting images of the day, but I can assure you I had a great day.
Actually on the wildlife front I had a great day all round ! – my tally for today is:
Eastern Chipmunk
Ruby Throated Humming Bird
Gray Squirrel
American Robin
Blue Jay
Northern Cardinal (Redbird)
Tufted Titmice
White Tailed Deer
Humpback Whale