House in Flux in SoHo

From Dave Brigham:

This plaque is located outside a Guess store at 538 Broadway in New York City's SoHo district, marking the former location of a Fluxhouse artist cooperative live-work space. These are the kinds of things I make photos of while all around me people are window-shopping, taking selfies in front of a Brandy Melville store and generally not taking photos of things like this.

If, like me before October 13, 2024, you have no idea what a Fluxhouse is, let me tell you all about it...in the words of web sites that know what they're talking about. I made this photo because I was somewhat familiar with the Fluxus art movement. What did I know about it? Well, that the musician Beck's grandfather, Al Hansen was a member of the movement.

"Founded in 1960 by the Lithuanian/American artist George Maciunas, Fluxus began as a small but international network of artists and composers, and was characterised as a shared attitude rather than a movement," according to this article from London's Tate galleries. "Rooted in experimental music, it was named after a magazine which featured the work of musicians and artists centred around avant-garde composer John Cage."

"Drawn together by their disenchantment with the elitist attitudes that they perceived in the art world at the time, they looked to the Futurists and Dadaists for inspiration, especially focusing on the performance aspects of these movements," per this article from The Art Story. "The two most dominant forces, however, were Marcel Duchamp and John Cage, who championed the use of everyday objects and the element of chance in art, both of which became fundamental to Fluxus practices. Whilst Cage was part of the Fluxus movement, Duchamp was never directly involved."

"From 1966 to 1975, George Maciunas realized the social objectives of Fluxus towards a pragmatic and non-elitist conception of art in his work as an urban planner in the Fluxhouse Cooperatives," according to the George Maciunas Foundation web site. Over that decade, he livened the SoHo and Lower East Side neighborhoods by creating Fluxhouse cooperatives in 17 buildings.

This is the fifth in a series of short posts about my trip to New York City last fall. Links to the others are below:

March 1, 2025, "Hoofin' It to the Bowery Ballroom"

February 22, 2025, "Shoot Your Shot at Amsterdam Billiards"

February 15, 2025, "Webster Hall Was Right Across from My Hotel"

February 8, 2025, "The Carl Fischer"

East Somerville, Part I: The Main Drag

From Dave Brigham:

I'm not sure why it took me so long to explore Somerville, Mass. I lived in the tightly packed city just northwest of Boston back in the mid-'90s, and spent plenty of time there in the ensuing years for one reason or another. This is my third deep dive into the neighborhoods of what locals with their accents call Sumavul (see March 25, 2023, "Square Dancing Around Somerville" and March 11, 2023, "The Pros and Cons of Winter Hill and Gilman Square"). In this first of two posts about East Somerville, I will cover the expanse of Broadway between Foss Park at the northwest end and Caldwell Street, which is hard by Interstate 93 on the border with Boston's Charlestown neighborhood. This is the main commercial district.

While on Google Maps researching places to explore, I noticed the words "Middlesex Canal Marker" at Foss Park, an athletic complex with an outdoor pool, football field, baseball/softball fields and tennis courts. This excited me, because since learning many years ago of the barge canal, which was in operation from Lowell to Charlestown from 1803-1851, I've wanted to find whatever remnants of the waterway that I could. According to the Middlesex Canal Association, "much of the Middlesex Canal is buried under roads and parking lots - even its southern end at Sullivan Square, formerly at the head of Prison Point Bay, is now close to a mile inland. Many traces of the old waterway remain only as dirt-filled paths through suburban backyards, and at the MDC's Sandy Beach Reservation in Winchester. Boston's Canal Street is where the route once extended from the Charles River to Boston Harbor."

Acccording to the canal association, "There are bits and pieces of [the canal] scattered throughout the area like the aqueduct in the Shawsheen River on the Wilmington/Billerica line. There's also a nice section in the woods behind the Wilmington Town Park on Main street running back to Butters Row." Someday I hope to check out these areas.

While a historic marker near the end of the canal's former route isn't the most thrilling discovery, it'll have to do for now.

The Somerville section is "an approximately 16.3-acre, 1.8-mile-long, 75-ft-wide, corridor following the roughly south-north route of the Middlesex Canal between the Charlestown and Medford town lines," according to MACRIS. "This corridor includes the route of the linear canal 'prism,' a term given to the cross-section of the parallel earthwork components of towpath, trench, and berm, and narrows and widens as necessary to accommodate canal-associated engineering infrastructure."

I'm happy to see that beer connoisseurs, with proclivities toward Natural Ice, are known to hang out at this historic marker.

The first building that caught my eye on Broadway was Louie's Ice Cream, which unfortunately closed in 2019 after nearly 40 years in business.

The restaurant is built into the first floor of the house behind it, which dates to *cough cough* 1900, according to the Somerville assessor. Here's hoping another eatery takes over this space before too long.

I detoured northeast on Garfield Avenue to check out a cool old industrial building and a baking operation.

Located in a building circa-1900, Architectural Openings has since 1987 been "designing, manufacturing, installing and servicing our technologically advanced, beautifully crafted, premium exterior window, door and curtain wall products." Funny that a business that apparently does top-notch work is located in a non-descript industrial building that's a bit rough looking.

Across the street is Deano's Pasta, which has been making and selling pasta to restaurants and specialty stores since 1947. The business also sells its products at a shop on this site.

(Mural across the parking lot from the Deano's shop.)

Behind Deano's, at the corner of Blakely Avenue and Cross Street East is another high-end business disguised behind an old facade.

Located in a building that dates to 1910, Tresfort Metal Works "accommodate(s) architects, designers, builders, and artists...to produce their designs in metal," according to the company's web site. Tresfort makes furniture, lights, sculptures, fireplace surrounds, railings and architectural details.

Heading back toward Broadway on Cross Street East, there is a great work of art that is part of the East Somerville Mural Project.

(Detail of the mural, the creation of which was sponsored by East Somerville Main Streets, the Somerville Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, Mudflat Studios, SCATV and Deano's Pasta. Artists are Laura Smith and Nate Swain.)

Next on Cross Street East, across from Chuckie Harris Park, is a building that remained a mystery for me until I did some serious online digging.

My first thought was that this is a former armory, but the more I looked at my photos after the fact, I realized how the windows and doorways and triangular add-on roof over the front door just scream "old church!" Owned by the City of Somerville, this old brick complex is listed on the assessor's database as "warehouse" and "industrial." It is squeezed between a mostly vacant lot with a small NSTAR substation on it, and rowhouses that date to 1879.

(Here's why I get so frustrated about the default date of 1900 used too often on assessors' databases: the City of Somerville lists this building's born-on date as 1900, but a quick look at the foundation gives you the correct answer.)

MACRIS doesn't have anything about this. I conducted searches online and found documents indicating that the City has put out feelers to redevelop this site, but none of that research led me to information about what this place was originally, or even most recently. I scanned Atlas maps and looked at the City's web site for information.

Then, finally, after adding the word "church" to my Google search for the address, I found a community services and activities master plan document from the City of Somerville that confirmed my second guess about this place: "former church and storage for General Insulation." The commercial insulation distributor features a photo of this building, which was its sole location as of the sale of the company in 1982, on the "Our History" section of its web site. The company is still in business, with 45 locations across North America.

But I knew there had to more info out there about this one-time church. If there's anything I've learned in the years of working on this blog, it's that communitites take pride in their houses of worship, both present and past. Your boy would not be deterred.

A few more searches using various terms related to Somerville, East Somerville, General Insulation, maps, church, former church, etc., and I hit paydirt. And boy is that paydirt rich.

"Built for the Randall Memorial Free Baptist Church in 1898, this religious society traces its roots back to 1874 when it was organized in Charlestown," according to this brochure for "From Mansions to Mudflats: A Walking Tour of East Somerville's Cornucopia of Cultural Treasures," which was led by Edward Gordon, president of the New England Chapter of the Victorian Society in America in 2012.

"In 1921, the church was adapted for reuse as the Circle Dance Hall, and it continued to serve as a venue for dancing until at least the 1960s," the brochure continues. "Above all, the building's 20th century historical interest lies in its association with 'Symphony Sid,' a band leader who apparently performed here on a regular basis." Symphony Sid -- known to his friends as Sid Torin (born Sidney Tarnopol -- was a long-time jazz disc jockey in the United States, according to Wikipedia. "Many critics have credited him with introducing bebop to a mass audience," Wikipedia continues. He moved from New York to Boston in 1952, and worked for two stations during his five years in the area.

Whew! I come across buildings like this, and I just know they have fascinating histories, and it's worth all the work to dig it up for my loyal readers.

Moving on.

Joe's Liquor has been around for several years, but I believe this location is relatively new for the store. Prior to the packy, this space was home to Robi Tool Sales.

Across Broadway from the liquor store is a former fire station.

The old Somerville Engine #2 Fire Station was built in 1895 in the Classical Revival style. It is now home to Somerville City TV, which is where the city's government lives online, featuring government meetings, events and community shows. The beautiful old brick building also houses Project Soup, a food bank operated by the Greater Somerville Homeless Coalition.

Next door is a building known historically as the Park Garage Company Building, which dates to 1914.

According to MACRIS, "Unlike today's use of the term garage for a repair business, early 20th century garages were used for the storage and lodging of cars. Many of these establishments featured pick up, delivery services and a gas pump services as well as waiting rooms. The Park Garage was owned by Arthur N. Park and Fred R. Curtis. When constructed, the building had space for 40 cars, a machine shop in the basement for repairs, two 500-gallon gas tanks, a car showroom for Ford, Marmon, and Marathon cars, and a car rental business."

This space is currently occupied by PJ's Motorcars.

Back across Broadway, there is a hole in the ground where Maytag Village Laundry used to be.

The laundromat was built in front of a late-19th/early-20th century Mansard house. The new building will be "a 5-story, mixed-use building with rental/commercial space on the ground floor and rental dwelling units on the upper floors," according to the developer's development review application filed with the city.

Bouncing back over to the opposite side, I love the colorful facades on these places. Broadway is filled with many such small businesses and organizations.

On the left is Connexion, a United Methodist Church that says it is a "reimagined faith community." Its neighbor is Fasika Ethiopian Restaurant.

Opposite these two places is Taqueria Montecristo, located in very attractive Mansard building with apartments up top and retail below. The assessor's office says it was built in 1900.

Next door is 134-136 Broadway, which was built around 1915 with retail space on the ground floor and apartments above. According to MACRIS, "the commercial establishments were not very successful and in 1933 both stores were vacant. The first floor has been converted to residential use and in the process was heavily altered."

Continuing southeast, at the corner of Broadway and Glen Street, is the former East End Grille, which closed in 2016 after just a few years in business, because a new apartment complex was supposed to rise here, according to this Eater Boston article.

On the side of the former restaurant is a fading sign or banner featuring words such as "MOTIVATION," "OPPORTUNITY," "SHELTER" AND "COMFORT."

Two doors down is a three-story building that really sticks out amid the single-story retail buildings.

Currently home to Ola Cafe, which specializes in European pastries, coffee and lunch items, this building dates to 1890.

On the side of the building is a cool mural painted by artist Angurria, also known as Dominican Republic native Omar Garcia.

Steps away is Gauchao Brazilian Cuisine, which features a stunning mural on the exterior side wall.

It was painted by Alexandre Keto, a native of Brazil who has completed more than 1,000 murals in nearly two dozen countries. Of this mural, called "Doña Patria," Keto says it represents a “roda de samba” (samba circle), according to the Somerville Arts Council. " Samba is our traditional music and a 'roda de samba' is what we do with a good barbecue. I drew a couple, Mestre Sala e Porta Bandeira, who are traditional in the carnival with some musicians playing the music. I want to show the festivity and celebration of our culture."

Across Broadway, I dug the facade of Rincon Mexicano ("A corner of Mexico right in our Neighborhood").

Like so many small businesses, Rincon Mexicano is the realization of an immigrant's dream. "In 1989, Chef Lorenzo Reyes moved to the United States with the dream of opening a restaurant that would showcase the best of Mexican cuisine," the eatery's web site reports. "As he worked to establish his family in their new home country, the dream had to emerge over 25 long years....While working in commercial kitchens all around the Boston area, Chef Lorenzo held on to his ultimate dream of opening his own place....Finally, after studying, sampling, and learning in-depth about all the different styles of regional Mexican cooking - and unable to deny his life-long dream any longer - he opened Rincon Mexicano in May 2014."

What a great story.

Next door is Shaddai Boutique and Decorations, which offers event planning services.

Back across Broadway is the Franklin Building, which dates to 1919.

Currently home to Sullivan Square Liquors, Melanie's Boutique and Visual Hair Design, the Franklin was originally occupied by the Winter Hill Cooperative Bank and the Somerville Institution for Savings, according to MACRIS. Furniture and grocery companies occupied the space in later years.

Just across Franklin Street from the former bank building is the wonderful Columbia Building.

Built in 1902, the Columbia is "one of the more well-preserved professional/business blocks outside of Union or Davis Squares," according to MACRIS. "The building was owned and erected by the Columbia Associates, a fraternal organization composed of 50 members," MACRIS continues. "The building, designed by E.L. Clark, had 5 stores on the ground floor, and the second floor, accessed by a marble staircase, had a club room, club offices, lodge apartments, a banquet room, and kitchen. Various commercial uses in the early twentieth century were real estate and insurance offices, a drug store, beauty shop, dentist, and a law office."

Current tenants include Amigos Market.

Across Broadway from the Columbia is the singular Mudflat Studio, which houses a non-profit organization that since 1971 has offered classes, workshops, outreach programing and events focusing on the ceramic arts, according to its web site. The studio is located in the former Hurst's Broadway Theater, and boy does it make its presence known.

(Pottery-themed details have been added.)

(I love the orginal, theatrical details.)

"Hurst's Broadway Theater was built in 1915 for the Star Theaters Incorporated by the Somerville Home Building Association," according to MACRIS. "The Broadway was one of six theaters in Somerville at the time and contemporary newspaper articles attributed a housing boom in East Somerville to the construction of a theater in the neighborhood. The theater had a capacity of 1,850 and continued to operate under various owners through the late 1940s. In 1933 Arthur N. Viano, who built the Teele Square Theater...owned the Broadway and it was known as 'Viano's Broadway',"

The Viano family operated the theater until 1982, when it closed for business, according to this Somerville Times article (scroll down to read).

Ping-ponging back to the other side of Broadway, we come to Vinny's Ristorante.

The building dates to 1890, according to the assessor.

Continuing east, on the side of Somerville Communications & Multi-services, Inc., is yet another great work of art.

"Para la comunidad Salvadorena," or "for the Salvadoran community," the tag line indicates. The artist is Calo Rosa, who was born in San Salvador and lives in Philadelphia. Commissioned by the Somerville Arts Council, this mural is called "Rosalia."

Two doors down is Taco Loco, which has been around for nearly 30 years, and which has a stunning mural on its side wall.

Completed in 2018, the mural is by David Zayas, an artist from Puerto Rico.

Taco Loco used to be located in a small building across George Street, alongside an auto body shop, a small liquor store and Boulter Plywood. That lot is now empty; a redevelopment plan filed in March 2018 calls for a development that includes a 55-foot-tall, five-story mixed-use building with 27 residential units. Five years later, no construction is under way.

Across from the empty lot is Broadway Brake Corp., which has been in business for 86 years.

I'm sure at least one developer has their eye on this lot, which anchors the northern side of lower Broadway.

Holding down the southern side of this end of Broadway are six buildings of varying styles, purposes and vintages. Let's check them out.

20 Broadway was built in 1900 (cough cough), and is home to several businesses, including a place called Repair Center, which specializes in fixing shoes, jackets, luggage and zippers; a place called Bicycle Shop-E; and Computer Clinic. These are not imaginative names for businesses, but they are at least not at all confusing.

The next two buildings are part of the Mount Vernon Restaurant & Pub, which is a place that I have spotted from the southbound lanes of Interstate 93 many a time and wondered, what's the deal with that place?

In business since 1935 specializing in lobster and prime rib, Mount Vernon is somewhat dated on the outside, and I'm guessing the same is true with the inside. The building to the right of the main place has a sign at the door indicating it's home to the "John Henry Room."

Either this building is where the Red Sox' principal owner stays when he's in town, or it's where the restaurant holds functions. The city's assessor says these buildings date to, well, you can guess.

On the rear of the eatery is a nice mural letting folks know about one of the restaurant's specialties.

I'm not sure who painted this.

The last three buildings on Broadway before the highway are on the boundary with Boston's Charlestown neighborhood. Back in March 2019 I wrote about this area, and my confusion as to which city I was in (see March 16, 2019, "Where Am I? Somertown? Charlesville?").

I love the this trio. The height step-up, the brick building flanked by siding-clad buildings, the different colors, the lettering for the stores. All of it. Unfortunately, the convenience store is closed, and there's nothing in the ground-floor space of the blue buildng. I hope that Fadil African Hair Braiding is doing well.

As for the buildings: the one to the right was built in 2016, and contains apartments. There is a dog park off the back. The brick building dates to, ahem, 1900, and has apartments on the upper floors. The braiding store building was built in 2013 and also has apartments.

For more about Somerville, see:

April 1, 2023, "Somerville Junkyard Will Be Scrapped"

And my Union Square series from 2019/2020:

Union Square, Somerville, Part I: New Purposes & Grease Monkeys

Union Square, Somerville, Part II: Factories and Housing

Union Square, Somerville, Part III: Retail and Hangouts

Union Square, Somerville, Part IV: Holy

Union Square, Somerville, Part V: The Future?

I Love L.A.!

From Dave Brigham:

I am forever indebted to my friend Lee for hipping me to the term "L.A." when referring to Lower Allston, the Boston neighborhood that is bounded by the Mass. Pike to the south, the Charles River on the east and north and Watertown to the west. I have never been to the Pine Tree State's version of L.A., and my two visits to California's City of Angels were largely confined to hotel ballrooms, so I'm going to say that Boston's L.A. is my favorite.

Here's a video about it:

I recently drove through L.A. and realized that a diner where I'd spent many a weekend morning in the '90s eating French toast and home fries was no longer in business. Not only that, but the property and others adjacent on each side were fenced off, which means redevelopment is on the way. So I decided to make photos of those places, as well as other sites of interest in the area.

Let's start with the diner and surrounding sites, learn a little about them, and find out what's going to replace them.

Most recently, this was The Breakfast Club, located on Western Avenue, between Riverdale and Everett streets. As you can see, the restaurant has been fenced off and, unfortunately, tagged with graffiti. The eatery closed earlier this year, but I'm happy to report that the business found a new home in Malden. The Breakfast Club was located in Allston for more than 20 years. When my girlfriend (now wife) and I lived in Brighton, we used to eat at this place, when it was known as Henry's Diner. The structure is a 1954 Worcester Lunch Car Company product, according to the Roadside Architecture blog. The diner was originally known as Fahey's Diner, according to the blog. Prior to becoming Henry's, it was Ted's Diner. It was renovated in 2002; in 2011, an addition was built.

I reached out via Instagram to Richard Gutman, the Dean of the Diner World, about whether this 68-year-old diner might be saved. The news isn't good. "There appears to be no interest in saving the diner," he said. "Much easier to just demolish it." He said he reached out to the Boston Landmarks Commission but was rebuffed. He tried contacting the developer, King Street Properties, but again he reached a quick dead end.

To the east of the old diner are several more properties that will be leveled as part of the redevelopment: a Subway shop, the former Bus Stop Pub, a multifamily home and garage, and other houses and small buildings.

(Old sign on the side of Bus Stop Pub; the Budweiser part has since fallen off/been stolen.)

(Front of the former Bus Stop Pub.)

(Old house at the rear of a commercial property along Western Avenue.)

(Multifamily house slated for demolition.)

(Message of support *cough cough* for the redevelopment on the side of the multifamily house.)

There are properties to the west of the old diner that will be transformed, as well, including the former Stadium Gas Station (so named because of its proximity to Harvard Stadium).

The auto body shop, like the pub, diner and housing sites (and others I haven't included here), are owned by the DiStefano family, who founded Stadium Auto Body, on the opposite side of Western Avenue, in 1968.

A few years ago, Joseph DiStefano, president and CEO of Stadium Auto Body, decided he wanted to transform this somewhat gritty stretch of L.A. "After years of dreaming about what he could do with his family’s land along Western Avenue, DiStefano set out to find a partner," according to this WGBH news article. "Rejecting overtures from Harvard, he eventually brought in the Mugar Family, of Star Market fortune. Together, they plan to turn DiStefano’s auto body shop and his family’s other nearby real estate holdings into a biotechnology hub."

And so, L.A. becomes like the rest of this Boston neighborhood (see April 2, 2022, "Jamming Through Allston, Part II: The Future," in which I discuss redevelopment of Allston Rock City).

"...Mugar Enterprises bought up buildings around DiStefano’s land, including local institutions like the Breakfast Club restaurant and the Bus Stop Pub," the WGBH article continues. "They drew up plans to knock down the current buildings and construct three big new buildings that will include lab space, ground-floor retail, 40 apartments and 800-plus parking spots. They gave the project a grand-sounding name: NEXUS at The Allston Innovation Corridor."

"'We like to draw parallels to Kendall Square,” said Michael DiMinico of King Street Properties, which is developing the site. 'This is a place where companies will be able to grow.'"

"Overall, the Project will include approximately 539,400 square feet (sf) of laboratory/research and development/office space, 40 residential units, 21,100 sf of retail/restaurant space, and 1,900 sf of civic space," according to the plan that King Street Properties filed with the City of Boston. Other Boston-area King Street developments include Allston Labworks, which I mentioned in the above-linked post about redevelopment in Allston; 101 Cambridge Park in Cambridge; and Pathway Devens on the former Fort Devens site.

The current Stadium Auto Body property, at 305 Western Avenue, "will be an approximately six-story laboratory/research and development/office building with ground floor retail/restaurant space along Western Avenue," per the proposed plan.

I won't lament the loss of any of these buildings, except the old diner. Maybe there's still a way it can be saved.

Two lots east of the auto body shop is the site where, until recently, Hondaa (yes) King did business.

The service business closed up shop and sits waiting for...what? I haven't found any indication online that a developer has plans for this site, but I don't doubt that something will happen here soon.

Hondaa King isn't to be confused with Hondar House, a former auto service business that was located in Cambridge (see April 3, 2020, "Walking Through a Waterless Port").

Just a few steps further east on Western Avenue is one of the most stunning public art projects I've seen: Allumination.

Created by the Baltimore-based artist duo Jessie + Katey in 2017, Allumination transformed an apparently vacant home (most likely owned by Harvard, which owns just about everything in this part of the world) into a psychedelic cornucopia for the eyes.

"Our mission is to transform public spaces into vibrant, playful experiences, and use a highly geometric, abstract language to engage with the history, architecture and culture of a place," Jessie Unterhalter and Katey Truhn say on their web site. "We believe that the aesthetics of one's environments can influence their emotions and state of mind. With a passion for people and design, we bring life to unsung spaces through abstract painting."

The artists, who have created public projects in Washington, D.C., Greensboro, North Carolina, Virginia and other places, were commissioned for the Allston art by Zone 3, a "Harvard-sparked initiativee to further activate and energize Western Ave. with creative programs, events, retail experiments, and public art," per the organization's web site.

Below is a video of the artists at work on Allumination:

Jessie + Katey at Zone 3 from Zone 3 on Vimeo.

Abutting the Allumination house is Aeronaut Allston, a beer garden/food/truck/live music space.

Once again, great art work makes this formerly boring space come to life.

Behind the beer garden is PRX Podcast Garage, which is currently closed due to the coronavirus.

I need to carve out time this summer to hit Aeronaut and other local outdoor beer gardens.

Continuing on the public art tip, the Zone 3 folks are selling limited-edition posters by local artists via old newspaper vending machines.

This bin is located in front of the Harvard Ed Portal on Spurr Street. Check out the featured artists.

In front of the Ed Portal you will also find the fantastic and inspiring work of art pictured beleow.

"In the lore of the Wampanoag," the text underneath begins, "there is a hero by the name of MoShup who helped form the very land you stand upon today. A kind and powerful giant, MoShup helped the indigenous peoples of Massachusetts by teaching them to thrive by the sea. He eventually transformed into a whale to leave them to grow and prosper on their own."

Created by Cambridge-based artist Andromeda Lisle, this work reflects two key concepts that drive most of her work: "the beliefs, stories, and legends that shaped the human race for millennia, and her own eclectic identity as a multi-racial and disabled woman growing and learning through her connection to her diverse heritage."

Standing in front of the Ed Portal and looking due north, one would likely notice the giant naked guy posing at the entrance to Smith Playground.

Known as Quest Eternal, this 27-foot-high statue stood outside the Boylston Street entrance to downtown Boston's Prudential Center for 47 years, before it was taken down in advance of construction of a new entrance. Sculpted by Boston-born artist Donald De Lue, Quest Eternal "brings to mind ancient Greek and Roman sculpture, as well as the work of Renaissance-era artists, who often looked to classical art to inspire their choice of subject matter and style," according to the Boston Art Comission.

The statue was moved to the playground, which features a skateboard park, playing fields, a skating rink and more, sometime in 2019 or 2020, I believe.

There is still more art on our tour.

(Detail of David Teng-Olsen's Evo mural.)

Back in 2017, artist David Teng-Olsen, an associate professor of art at Wellesley College, created the 170-foot-long mural titled Evo on the rear of a building that faces Soldiers Field Road. "Comprised of bright geometric shapes and hand painted illustrations, Evo was inspired by the history of Allston and the people that spoke with Olsen while painting the mural," according to -- you guessed it -- Zone 3. "'I named it 'Evo' because I could tell the neighborhood was changing and growing,'" said Olsen. "'The people that stopped to talk and tell their stories and the history of the neighborhood were all translated into the expressive lines speckled about the composition.'”

After shooting Teng-Olsen's mural, I was struck by the rear of the building below, which faces Soldiers Field Road.

Built in 1940, this (mid-century modern?) property is yet another owned by Harvard University's real-estate arm. Current tenants include Modulus Studios and Bagamor Media.

On the southern side of Western Ave, just a little ways to the west, is Engine House Studios, home to Linda Clave Arts and Daniel Kurganov and perhaps other creative types.

Built in 1887, the Richardsonian Romanesque former Engine House #34 was designed by Charles J. Bateman, who was also the architect of the Bigelow School in South Boston and the Corcoran School in Clinton, Mass., among other buildings.

(Nice mural on the front of Engine House Studios.)

From firefighters, we move on to things that are often the cause of conflagrations.

I am drawn to old, well-worn things with patinas, as regular readers know. I also like the handmade, be it a sign on a Mom-and-Pop shop or a beautiful mural or well-crafted graffiti or the name of a company or person chiseled into a brick or stone building. And I love stumbling across the little things that make each city, town, neighborhood or street individual: storefront churches, memorials to local heroes, little oases where residents can relax under a few trees. This butt can, as I've dubbed it, fits right in with my aesthetic.

Using a tin that appears to have once held holiday cookies and other treats, someone figured that the folks outside the Hill Memorial Baptist Church needed a place to toss their coffin nails before they headed back into the sanctuary.

While the building itself is a little rough around the edges, from what I've gathered from the church's web site, they are an active and engaged congregation. The Shingle style church, which is located at the corner of North Harvard and Easton streets, was built in 1903. From MACRIS: "The church's land was donated...by George A. Hill and his sister Miss Georgia A. Hill. The Hills had farmed a long rectangular tract of land on the west side of North Beacon Street since at least the mid-1870s.

"Hills figured prominently in the events leading up to Little Cambridge's (Brighton) independence from Cambridge in 1807. In 1806, Aaron Hill was part of a committee appointed by the Cambridge town meeting 'to confer with such persons as may be appointed by the Legislature that the South Parish in this town be set off as a separate town.'

"The Hills donated 13,000 square feet to the Baptists on the condition that they erect a chapel called the Hill Chapel in memory of their father, Deacon Samuel Hill. The events which followed the Hill's offer of free land unfolded in a rather peculiar manner. The Baptists of Allston refused to accept the donated land but the Baptist Sunday School Association accepting (sic) the generosity of the Hill family. In 1897, the Baptists purchased the Sunday school of the Congregationalists on Western Avenue for $2,000.00, moving it to the Hill land. The Sunday school building was remodeled and its first classes were held in April, 1898 with 40 students in attendance.

"The Hill Memorial Baptist church's corner stone was laid in July, 1903. It is not clear if the Sunday school structure was incorporated into the church's structure."

One person who might not be welcome in the church is the person who wrote the words below on somebody's house.

Anyway...steps away from the church is the former home of City Tails dog grooming and Bicycle Bill's, which was open for more than three decades.

There was a sign in the window advertising for barbers, so perhaps a haircuttery is slated to open.

Around the corner on Western Avenue is Flint Cleaners, which has been in business for at least 40 years, I believe.

I love the simple sign.

Finally, we come to yet another milestone, the latest of many that I've stumbled across in and around Boston over the years.

Located in a front yard along North Harvard Avenue, this one is engraved, ""BOSTON 7 MILES 1729 PD." This is one of several mile marker stones that Paul Dudley, an attorney general for the Province of Massachusetts and chief justice of the Superior Court, erected (or, more likely, had someone do for him) along various routes back in the Colonial days. I have seen other ones in Newton, Brookline and Boston's Jamaica Plain neighborhood over the years. I always love stumbling across them (not literally, of course).

I hope you enjoyed this first tour of sun-splashed L.A.! Don't worry, I'll return with another post soon. Will there be any movie stars? You'll have to wait and see.