• About
  • Writer
  • Wanderer
  • Friend

Whole Heart Local

~ Whereever you are, be THERE

Whole Heart Local

Monthly Archives: June 2013

Boston Pride Parade 2013

24 Monday Jun 2013

Posted by Phoebe in Boston Moments, Community

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

color, community, events, jamaica-plain, photography, spring

Man in leather underpants

My first Boston Pride Parade was a revelation. Leather clad ladies on motorcycles. Gyrating men in their underpants dancing to club beats. A politician or two shaking hands while proclaiming progressive platforms. Local health and advocacy groups tossing beads and colorfully packaged condoms, littering the streets with flyers and candy.

I was mesmerized. I was amazed. I’ve gone back again and again.

"Dyke" on rainbow pedal bike

Pride street signs

"Queen" wearing ladybug hat

In the decade or so that I’ve attended (and once, marched with Greater Boston NOW,) the parade has changed. Perhaps matured? Strong in its themes of inclusivity, celebration, activism, and pride, there have been -over the years- a noticeable reduction in near-nude men festooning flatbed trucks and an increase in religious communities, families, politicians, and corporate allies.

Fish-man in tractor with pride wheel

I don’t know. You tell me.

Boy on unicycle handing out fans

Weekly DIG newsletter box monkey costume

Even though I don’t identify as gay, lesbian, queer, or transgender, I’m never the odd person out at Pride, whatever it’s current styling. Which is more than I can say for a certain high school history class where I slumped, hot-faced and confused, as my teacher rattled on about how gays couldn’t serve in the military because they were too limp-wristed and lisping. (Way to disrespect our service members, Mr. Name-I-Can’t-Recall.)

Roller derby lady

Boston Ballet represents at Pride

I’m so grateful to my alma mater for helping to release me from the tight hold of an inherited prejudice. My four years at an arts and communication college in Boston were a key folding back a metal lid, out from which exploded a beautiful confetti.

Walkers appreciating out-going Mayor Thomas Menino

Walkers appreciate out-going Mayor Thomas Menino, long-time a friend to Boston Pride

Blessed are the fabulous car

Pride Asian fans

And thank goodness.

Advertisements

What Is It: Fat Frog Ice Cream

14 Friday Jun 2013

Posted by Phoebe in Boston Moments, What Is It

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

jamaica-plain

Spotted this near the Johnson Playground in Jamaica Plain. Our first thought: Fat Frog Ice Cream.

Fat frog ice cream

What do you think?

JP vs Somerville Dance Off 2013

12 Wednesday Jun 2013

Posted by Phoebe in Community

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

cambridge, dancing, events

I’m not traditionally competitive . . . I don’t think. However, I will take off across the parking lot with a cart load of groceries to beat you to the car before you’ve registered a race. (Some might label this act with the unfortunate term “cheat.” Thank you, I prefer “strategize.”)

Legs on the dance floor

Perhaps it’s no surprise then, that a dance contest is more my speed.
Dancers in green and blue

The Jamaica Plain vs Somerville Dance Off is organized annually as a fundraiser in support of the inspiring and impressive Girls Rock Boston, a summer program that empowers girls ages eight to seventeen to ROCK, while also growing as musicians, women, and individuals (video-link from Austin Girls Rock ’cause these ladies just blew me away, but you get the picture.)

Jef Czekaj  djs

This event is a bonafide competition with actual winners (2013-JP) and losers (2013-Somerville), but I’m not there to score one for my neighborhood, or even for myself. I go to win it for THE WORLD!!!

Girls Rock banner

Women pose with pom-poms for the camera

Kidding! (But no, not really.)

Flyering – A City Contact Sport

11 Tuesday Jun 2013

Posted by Phoebe in Boston Moments, Community

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

community, events, food-n-cookin, somerville

I have this idea that posting flyers is unique to city living.

Posting a flyer inside the Union Square record shop

It’s not, exactly. As a kid in New Jersey, my family sometimes pinned notices about kittens (FREE!) to the local grocery store bulletin board. Summers, I hand wrote bubble-letter yard sale announcements on bright pink poster paper.

Unstraight and the Clear Deigns show announcement

I’d claim flyering in the ‘burbs plays “rarely-visiting distant cousin” to the “endless house guest” of taking to the streets with packing tape, cracked box of pushpins secured with a rubber band, and slowly wrinkling stack of flyers tucked under an arm as one narrow-eyes a telephone pole, wondering how long a notice might stay before someone else covers it up, or rips it down . . .

Triple portrait in window - Phoebe, David, cyclist

This weekend, my partner and I flyered for his band’s upcoming show in Somerville. I’ve beat the streets fairly consistently since my days organizing the Boston NOW Feminist Culture Club (defunct) and Boston Knit-Out & Crochet festivals (re-imagined), also frequently flyering for my current job. So I had a few ropes to share with David: do’s and dont’s, whys and hows of this decidedly analog approach to getting out the word.

Phoebe’s flyering dos and don’ts
DO design your flyer to catch the eye and make good use of white space
DO include a call to action (i.e. “COME to our wicked-awesome dance party!”)
DO post wherever you find a dedicated board – check libraries, coffee shops, post offices, supermarkets, thrift stores, ice cream parlors, and realtors – and it’s polite to ask before posting if the pizza guy is staring you down while flipping his dough
DO use flyering as an opportunity to better get to know your neighborhood AND grab a treat while you’re out

DON’T cover up someone else’s flyer, if at all possible (DO exercise your Tetris skills and shift other flyers around -removing any that have expired – until everybody fits)
DON’T flyer near signs that read “post no bills,” especially if the flyer has your name and contact
DON’T flyer at colleges, universities, or city offices unless you’ve secured clearance -they patrol and your flyer might be removed immediately (what we-in-the-business call “wasted effort”)

Union Square donut and ice coffee

Treats!

Our treat, while in Union Square, Somerville, was to finally get a taste of the popular new donuts I’d been hearing so much about. Lucky for us, there were none of the purported lines or long sold out pastries, and all of the clever flavors, cheerful, enthusiastic staff, and fluffy-buttery deliciousness. Yum!

Donut case and ice coffee chalkboard sign

Snuffy doll atop sign invites people into the donut shop

Sweet Ride Cambridge 2013

04 Tuesday Jun 2013

Posted by Phoebe in Bike Life, Community

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

bike-love, cambridge, community, events, food-n-cookin, spring

Officially, I gave up my candy habit some time around 2005. Shocking then, right, that I somehow found myself sucking down conversation hearts while listening to a talk on Cambridge’s sugary legacy -that of flat, candy wafers that spark in the dark, figgy cookies, and mints that come in papa, mama, and junior? (Actually, not that shocking . . . )

Mayor Davis helps to kick things off at the start of the Sweet Ride

Cambridge Mayor Henrietta Davis helps to kick things off at the Sweet Ride (photo courtesy Cambridge Bicycle Committee)

Between the riding, listening, and somewhat guilt-free gobbling of complimentary goodies provided by our hosts, I may not have found opportunity to snap photos even if I had bought along my reliable (and admittedly clunky) Canon. Glad I’m not the only person sweet on fond remembrance.

Ride-specific Sweetheart

Cambridge Bikes is a Sweetheart (courtesy of Cambridge Bicycle Committee)

The photos featured here are borrowed courtesy of the fine planners/bike enthusiasts at Cambridge Bicycle Committee.

In addition to being so kind as to let me partake of their photos, I enjoyed that this well-organized tour of Cambridge was split into “sweet” and “savory” with brief, interesting lectures at several resting points.

Two young men on trick bikes

Sweet or savory, bikes in all flavors (photo courtesy of Cambridge Bicycle Committee)

Two men with three bowties

These gents could be on the bow tie ride (photo courtesy of Cambridge Bicycle Committee)

Wherever You Are, Be There

Whole Heart Local is a webhome of Phoebe Sinclair, writer, wanderer, friend.

Whole Heart Local celebrates beauty at home and afield. Welcome. Stay awhile.

Phoebe goes a-walking

Library_book_return

Phoebe loves a library

books_to_read_2017-v2

Fresh From The Stacks

The Kids: The Children of LGBTQA Parents in the USA

34145127.jpg

--Beautiful and compelling. I've been wondering about these kids.

Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well

18114120.jpg

--NEEDED.

Sitting Bull: Lakota Warrior and Defender of His People

24795881.jpg

--Very cool. Very depressing.

Webcomics I'm a'Lovin
Wilde Life - surprising mid-country paranormal & a grumpy werewolf- GO! READ!

Tweet?

  • RT @victorlavalle: I wrote a loving letter to Miles Morales for @nytimes. How Miles Morales Changed the Spider-Verse - The New York Times… 2 days ago
  • RT @tayari: August Wilson. Playwright. Author of Fences, The Piano Lesson, Seven Guitars, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, Gem of the Ocean, Jit… 3 days ago
Follow @wholeheartlocal

Tag?

Bike Life Bloggin Noggin Boston Moments Community Green Life Home Jersey Moments Learnin' Librarytour Readin' Skillshare Travelin' What Is It With Friends Writing Life
Advertisements

Recent Posts

  • Whole Heart Update – Spring 2018 Edition
  • Whole Heart Hiatus 2018
  • South & Bardwell Book Hutch Refreshed
  • Honoring an Architect of my Personality: Kirsten Quatela
  • Starting the Year Off Right

Blog Heros

  • Erin Dionne supplies your tween fiction fix
  • Food has never been funnier than with Tammy
  • Heather finds beauty in the slow, intentional life
  • January waxes poetic
  • Karen Walrond convinces you with photos
  • Kristy Rowe wows you with photos
  • SouleMama brings grace home
LINKwithlove

Flickr Photos

2018 CHRISTMAS
More Photos

Archives

  • June 2018
  • February 2018
  • July 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • November 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • July 2015
  • May 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • September 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • RSS - Posts
  • RSS - Comments

Blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy