Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Rob List Tonight at Studio Soto, 8:30 PM

R o b L i s t (f r o m A m s t e r d a m)


f i r s t s o l o p e r f o r m a n c e i n B o s t o n


N a t u r a M o r t a F o l l y


W e d n e s d a y A p r i l 2 9 8 : 3 0 p m


s u g g e s t e d d o n a t i on $10


Studio Soto at Thompson Design Group

35 Channel Center Street, corner

Boston


Studio Soto is honored to host the first solo performances in Boston of renowned American/Dutch choreographer, Rob List. List has developed his own personal style of movement related to ideas of minimalism, abstraction, and architecture. He performs with less of an intent to show his face in order to reduce the viewer's reading of emotion, while instead suggesting anonymity and an everyman sense of the figure in space, in the moment with the audience.


The performance is in conjunction with his recently completed exhibition at Studio Soto the past month, Rob List: Drawings About Movement, part of a series featuring multidisciplinary artists working across media. For more information about Rob List, visit http://www.studiosoto.org/artists/rob-list and Rob List's website at www.ozu.nl


Natura Morta [1996]


This solo performance is the first in a series of movement pieces exploring underlying themes in the genre of painting known as 'still-life', in which objects such as flowers, food, instruments or ornaments are displayed on a table. These objects, while unmoving, can be filled with vitality, a living presence with a quality of immanence. The paradoxes in 'still life' are inherent in the term itself, as well as in its equivalent Latinate term 'natura morta'. 'Life/death, still/moving, natural/unnatural' are the themes of this movement performance - in which an anonymous figure stands behind a table with a vase of flowers and begins a journey which crosses all of these paradoxical boundaries. Performed in Amsterdam, Marseille, New York, Zurich, Tilburg, and Prague. Winner of the 1997 Netherlands VSCD Mime Prize.


Folly [2000]


This solo performance is the first in a series of "follies". Folly is an English word meaning "foolish action, undertaking or belief". It also refers to a form of landscape architecture, Follies were structures made by 18th century English and French gentry to enliven and demarcate their gardens - towers, obelisks, grottos, rustic monuments or other buildings - reflecting not only the obsessions of their creators but also their fascination with nature as something picturesque, frightening, or sublime.

This movement performance explores the double meaning of folly: an absurd and vain act as well as a structure erected in a world of "howling wilderness".


In September a select few had a rare treat as the American expatriate Rob List performed one of his "Follies" at the Sideshow Gallery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in conjunction with the American Abstract Artists exhibition "Material Matter." With his tall, thin frame clad in a black suit, Mr. List sang a song, then had a haunting choreographic conversation with time, narrative and the gallery's smooth white walls. It passed too quickly. Like all these dances, it's a conversation that needs to resume, and soon.


- Claudia La Rocco, dance critic New York Times, December 23, 2007


Sunday, April 26, 2009

Photos from Boston Shines

Thanks to everyone who came out and helped clean up Fort Point. And thanks to Cam for organizing again this year. The neighborhood looks great!







Friday, April 24, 2009

Boston Shines Tomorrow!

Greetings Neighbors-

It’s that time again- Boston Shines is on Saturday, April 25th.
Please move your cars it would be great to get at least some of them moved from behind Channel Center and Midway, if possible so we can do some work on that area. The USPS should be cleaning it as well but no guarantees. FYI -inspectional services will be going behind those buildings in the near future to tow unregistered and abandoned cars. Gillette has offered free parking in their Binford lot starting Friday evening. Contact number is 617-463-3211, Bill Taylor.

Last year’s event was a huge success. The tree mulching team did an amazing job on our local A Street fauna, and the after party was great.

We will gather at 9AM. As always there will be coffee and pastries in the morning somewhere on Channel Center Street. There will be signs posted with the exact meeting location, and the after party will start at around 5 pm. Updated info will also be available on the FPNA website blog, Fortpointneighborhood.org. If anyone has questions or suggestions please send an email to cam.zin@verizon.net, or call 617-797-2307.

It would be helpful if a few people could transport goodies to 300 Summer, the other tool drop off and gathering site. Local restaurants (Lucky’s, Sagarinos etc) have been generous about providing snacks and beverages. So far Barbara Lynch’s Sportello has offered food for the after party, Lucky’s has given pizza and beer, Sagarinos will do coffee and pastries and wine, Salvatore’s also will send pizza and Franklin Southie will provide sandwiches. There will be other offerings announced tomorrow when we meet.

The clean up is a great opportunity to get to know new and old neighbors. We all well know this kind of commitment sends a message to stakeholders (the USPS for example) and elected officials, but that shouldn't be the only reason we buff up Fort Point Channel.

The weather is on our side!

Photos from last year:

http://fpna.blogspot.com/2008/04/photos-from-boston-shines.html

Russia Wharf Secures $215m in Funding

Russia Wharf Shores Up $215M Financing

BOSTON-Boston Properties, Inc. is securing $215 million in construction financing for its gargantuan mixed-use redevelopment of the Russia Wharf. The 854,000-square-foot project at 280 Congress St. secured a loan that bears interest at a floating rate equal to LIBOR plus 3% per annum. The financing came from a "syndicate of commercial banks," according to a release.

...

http://www.globest.com/news/1396_1396/boston/178269-1.html

Monday, April 20, 2009

Localvore Dinner at Channel Cafe Wed

For Earthday, the Channel Cafe is hosting a Locavore Dinner this Wednesday, April 22, 2009. Call to make a reservation: 617.426.0695


Channel Cafe Earth Dinner Menu


Three course prix fixe $25 includes appetizer pairing with Harpoon Craft Brewed Hard Cider made from all New England apples.

Two choices for each course:

Roasted Celeriac Soup with Shaved Morels
Spring Greens, Vermont Goat Cheese, Poached Egg From Bruce's Backyard Hens, Lemon Essence

House-made Lemon Pepper Paperadelle with Zucchini Ribbons and Fresh Ricotta
Great South Channel Nantucket Scallops, Celeriac Puree, Micro Greens, Spring Herb Oil

Butterscotch Pudding with Almond Crisp
Vermont Maple Apple Crisp

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Group Photo Wednesday, 4/22

FORT POINT ARTISTS GROUP SHOT FOR COMMON BOSTON
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, AT 5 PM

The shoot is for Common Boston's June tour of Fort Point (www.commonboston.org).

Group Photo for what artists? All performing and visual artists (any creative sort who lives in Fort Point). You do not have to be a member of FPAC although joining is a cool thing to do.

Common Boston wishes to include a group shot of as many Fort Point Artists as possible. There will be a sign-in sheet to provide your name and contact info. Three or four artists from the group will be highlighted with an interview about being an artist in FP and have their photo taken in a studio shot at another time.

The group MEETING SPOT will be the little park (actually just a little landscaped courtyard, by the light) at the street entrance to the Post Office, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22 @ 5 PM.

The shot may be taken on the bridge, or on the post office sidewalk along the railing, or the park in front of the Intercontinental Hotel. We need to be flexible for the photographer. The idea is to have Fort Point historic buildings and The Channel behind us with light on our faces and on the buildings. This is a great opportunity for publicity for our artists community (Open Studios in Oct and more) and what we hope for the future of our neighborhood.

Please email Chris Vaillancourt if you can participate so she can gget a rough count of how many are coming.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Construction at 40 Channel Center

The buildout for a new restaurant, Barlow's, at 40 Channel Center St. is set to begun and will last for ~4 weeks. It's going to be done by Folan Construction.

Some details on the plan:

The wooden deck will be extended to the rear of the building to the 40 Channel Center Street entrance. This is for customer convenience and service efficiency. The 20’-deep deck will have a steel trellis (open to the sky) and a living screen to camouflage the concrete and offer a privacy screen to the diners. LED lighting will also be installed.

The fresh air intake unit, located on the south side of the building, will remain there. This unit and the other mechanical units soon to be installed will be screened in so they will not be visible.

Project will commence in about 4 weeks, and will be done on a Monday-Friday schedule, using a vacuum drill for dust control. The work schedule will be forwarded to us when developed, but work is expected to start in 1-2 weeks.

The windows on the north and south elevations will be cut in on Saturdays and will take about 4-6 Saturdays. This work permit states that this work must be done on a Saturday due to building occupancy (and vibration).

The entire project, pointing, weatherproofing and replacement windows, will take approximately 8 weeks to complete.

The restaurant capacity is about 260 and there will be a small function room for 30-50 located in the basement. An emergency egress for this function room will be on the south side of the building.

Pat and Tom anticipate opening the restaurant mid-June. The hours of operation will be 11 AM to 1AM and the deck will close at 11 PM.

Barlow's will also be operating a small cafe that will be located in the 10-20 Channel Center building. Cafe will be open M-F, offering breakfast/lunch items.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Derby Party at Drink

WHAT: Don a fabulous hat, pick a favorite, and enjoy the Kentucky Derby, Drink-style. Bartenders will serve up classic Kentucky cocktails, canapés will be passed, and there will be a live broadcast of the race. Tickets for the event are $40 per person and include three cocktails, a vintage cocktail glass, and canapés. Advance purchase of tickets is recommended; reservations may be made by calling Drink (617.695.1806).

WHEN: Saturday, May 2nd; 4 pm – 7 pm
WHERE: Drink, 348 Congress Street in Boston’s Fort Point neighborhood
WHY: Like we need an excuse to dress up and drink whiskey...

Drink
348 Congress Street
Boston, MA 02210
www.drinkfortpoint.com

Construction at Fan Pier for Ocean Race

In preparation for the Volvo Ocean Race, construction has begun on Fan Pier, including setting up Puma City:

Monday, April 13, 2009

Boston Shines Neighborhood Cleanup, Sat. 4/25

Greetings Neighbors,

It’s that time again- Boston Shines is on Saturday, April 25th. Casey Hines, the Mayor’s South Boston Liaison has asked us to give her an idea of how many tools we’ll need, special requests, and the number of volunteers.

Last year’s event was a huge success. The tree mulching team did an amazing job on our local A Street fauna, and the after party was great.

We will gather at 9AM. As always there will be coffee and pastries in the morning somewhere on Channel Center Street. There will be signs posted with the exact meeting location, and the after party time and location info. Updated info will also be available on the FPNA website blog, Fortpointneighborhood.org. If anyone has questions or suggestions please email me at cam.zin@verizon.net, or call 617-797-2307

It would be helpful if someone could transport goodies to 300 Summer, the other tool drop off and gathering site. In previous years, local restaurants (Lucky’s, Sagarinos, etc) have been generous about providing snacks and beverages. So far Barbara Lynch’s Sportello has offered food for the after party and there will be other offerings announced soon. The clean up is a great opportunity to get to know new and old neighbors. We all well know this kind of commitment sends a message to stakeholders (the USPS for example) and elected officials, but that shouldn't be the only reason we buff up Fort Point Channel.

Hope we get the great weather we had last year!

-Cameron Sawzin

MBTA Proposed Changes - Bus 6 Going Away

As part of their budget cuts, the MBTA has released a proposal for changes in service to save costs. Bus #7 (CityPoint - Downtown via Summer St) and bus #11 (CityPoint - Downtown via Broadway and South Station), the two main routes that go through Fort Point, are not going to be affected. Two nearby routes are being eliminated, though neither is widely used:
-#6 Bus, which runs from South Station to Haymarket via the North End
-SL3, which is the Silverline route that goes from City Point to the Marine Industrial Park


The full list from the T:

---
The following is a list of proposed service changes by route. For the routes not listed, no major changes are planned. The plan is designed with no change in operating cost; therefore, any service increase depends on a corresponding service reduction. Changes in the recommendations listed below are anticipated as a result of the public process, and not all of the proposals listed will be implemented. In addition, it is possible that some changes will not occur due to the inability to successfully reallocate the small changes across the region that are necessary to create a cost-neutral final plan. Approved changes are projected to be implemented beginning in Spring 2009. For a detailed description of each proposal, please refer to the MBTA’s Preliminary 2008 Service Plan.

Key: Day: W = Weekday; Sat = Saturday; Sun = Sunday.
Route Day Description
4 W Extend route to Tide Street/BMIP; modify morning outbound route to use Commercial St. in the North End.
6 W Eliminate route due to low ridership
8 Sat/Sun Eliminate last 1-2 trips on weekends
21 W/Sat Extend Span of Service by adding trips after 9PM
24 Sun Extend Span of Service by adding trips between 7AM-9AM
26 W/Sat Reduce frequency after 9PM
28 W/Sat/Sun Modify outbound route to bypass John Eliot Square; increase frequency on Saturday evening and Sunday morning
31 W/Sat/Sun Upgrade to Key Route status; increase frequency during weekday midday, Saturday night, and Sunday night
34/34E W/Sun Increase frequency during weekday evening and Sunday afternoon
48 W/Sat Eliminate route due to low ridership
59 Sat/Sun Modify weekend route to use Needham St. variation rather than Eliot St.
89 W/Sat Modify outbound route after 7:30PM weekdays and 7PM Saturdays to serve Davis Sq instead of Clarendon Hill
99 Sat Modify frequency and extend route to serve Gateway Center
136/137 Sat/Sun Reduce frequency to every 45 minutes and loop all outbound buses via 136 and inbound via 137; begin new Sunday service
170 W Eliminate route segment between Waltham and Bedford due to low ridership; add an afternoon inbound trip
201 Sat Eliminate first two and the final round trip due to low ridership
202 Sat Eliminate first and last round trips due to low ridership
212 Sat Eliminate first trip
214 Sat Combine all Saturday trips with Route 216
216 Sat Combine all Saturday trips with Route 214
217 W Eliminate last trip
222 W/Sat/Sun Extend route to Washington/Pleasant in Weymouth; eliminate route segment between Jackson Sq and Ward/French in Hingham
225 W Extend some trips to Columbian Sq/South Shore Hospital in South Weymouth; increase frequency during PM peak
230 Sat/Sun Eliminate last two trips
238 W Add inbound trip at 5:45AM
439 W Reduce frequency
441/442 W Eliminate Haymarket-Wonderland route segment during PM Peak; improve frequency to every 10 minutes during PM Peak
451 Sat Eliminate first trip
456 W Reduce frequency
500 W Eliminate route due to low ridership
554 W Modify route of selected trips to travel via Forest St, Trapelo Rd., and Waverley Oaks Rd. in Waltham
SL2 W/Sat/Sun Simplify route by moving layover to South Station, rather than at BMIP; improve frequency
SL3 W Eliminate route due to low ridership
F1 W Discontinue 7:40 PM ferry from Hingham and 8:30 PM ferry from Rowes Wharf; modify special holiday schedules
F2/F2H W/Sat/Sun Cut trips from Boston after 7:20 PM except in summer; cut last Fri/Sat summer trip; reduce weekday midday freq; cut first
weekend trip except in summer; begin summer schedule at Memorial Day rather than mid-June; other minor changes
F4 W Eliminate Charlestown Navy Yard – Long Wharf ferry on Thanksgiving Day holiday