<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[the feminist librarian]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[http://thefeministlibrarian.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[Anna Clutterbuck-Cook]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://thefeministlibrarian.com/author/feministlib/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Getting lost in&nbsp;Brookline]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p>Yesterday&#8217;s <a href="http://annajcook.blogspot.com/2009/05/mothers-day-unobserved.html">non-Mother&#8217;s Day post</a> was really about both my parents, not just my mum (people in comments were very impressed about the sharp knives). But I thought my dad deserved some attention too.  So here&#8217;s my thought for the day on What I Owe My Dad.  My dad loves getting lost (I&#8217;m sorry: exploring).  He&#8217;s the one who showed me that the best way of getting to know a new place is just to start walking.  </p>
<p>And in a city like Boston, I doubt you could live here long enough to be done finding new places to explore.  Today, another gorgeous spring day, I decided to look for alternate routes home from work, rather than taking the usual major arteries of Commonwealth Avenue or Beacon Street.  Commonwealth, particularly, can be a brutal trek in the summer and we always find the last mile or so an absolute drag.  So I skipped off the main drag and wandered around the back neighborhoods of Brookline for a while.  Here are a few pictures I snapped along the way.     </p>
<p>(<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/annajcook/LostInBrookline?authkey=Gv1sRgCLHz4-vSk8Lq1wE&amp;feat=directlink">Click here</a> for the larger version). </p>
<p>Turns out there&#8217;s a whole neighborhood of beautiful (if slightly delapidated) old houses, reminiscent of Heritage Hill in Grand Rapids (Mich.) and to a much lesser extent the neighborhood where I grew up (although the property values in Holland, Michigan, are likely much less than the property values around here!)  There were lots of shaded sidewalks to wander down and a passing kitty who came over to check out my ankles.  </p>
<p>I did actually have a destination in mind: the <a href="http://www.clearflourbread.com/">Clear Flour Bread bakery</a> just off Commonwealth Ave, a five minute walk from our apartment (Larry: you&#8217;ll be pleased to know they sell dagger bread!). Now that the dinner Hanna made has settled, it&#8217;s off to unpack that Rustic Strawberry and Rhubarb Tart I bought for dessert.</p>
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