Globe Corner Blogs

I went to Vegas for a weekend with my family. My older brother recently moved out there for work, and so after a few months I went to visit him with my mother and my two other brothers. I woke up super early one Friday, worked a full shift, and then went straight to Logan airport. By the time I arrived in Vegas, the sky was pitch black, but the city lights were ablaze. The sight from my little airplane window really was spectacular. (At least, it was when I pushed to the back of my mind thoughts about what all that electricity was doing to the  precarious state of the planet’s environment . . . .)

We landed at about 11pm Vegas time (2am Boston time) with no intention of going to bed anytime soon. Being accustomed to waking at dawn for work, I therefore felt mildly delirious for the entire trip. But that was probably inevitable given the absurd nature of Sin City, USA. The taxi ride to our hotel was an adventure unto itself. Driving along the strip through this somewhat nightmarish fantasyland, I stared wide-eyed at the bright lights, flashing signs, gigantic buildings, colorful cocktails, and some of the highest heels I have ever seen (keep in mind, I studied abroad in Eastern Europe). Continue Reading »

Ulla the Golden Retriever

There comes a time in life when bluffing your way through adulthood actually turns into “Being a Grownup (capital G).” This is an important realization. Nobody ever knows what they’re doing really, but somehow they get there anyway. Which is, as it happens, one of the best perks of being a Grownup: having the freedom to take off and search for parts of yourself in faraway places. MiddleGround blogger, traveller, and Grownup Dylan Fitzgerald had a little help reaching her destination, and we are very proud that a member of the GCB staff gave her the inspiration to get where she needed to go. Obviously, we’re talking about Ulla the Golden Retriever, the Globe Corner Bookstore’s resident travel agent/guidance counselor extraordinaire.

It all started when Dylan read Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises in high school and made a promise to herself: One day she would stroll beside San Sebastian’s harbor and take in the sights from one of the nearby cafés, just like the novel’s main character Jake. After college and several dead-end jobs, Dylan wasn’t sure what to do with herself. Thankfully, fate brought her to Ulla during an afternoon walk around Harvard Square. Being the great Hemingway admirer that she is, Ulla encouraged Dylan to fulfill her old promise. After a few belly rubs and some serious conversation with her “new life line,” Dylan booked a trip, hoping to discover France, Spain, and maybe a part of herself too. “Paris. Bordeaux. Provence. Nice. Madrid. Barcelona. San Sebastian . . . I headed to Ulla’s bookstore shortly thereafter and started buying maps.” Continue Reading »

Daffodils - photo by Llalan

After a stint in New York City, I have moved back to Ohio – a part of Ohio that New Yorkers would call rural. Last night I heard muffled bumping and scuffling on the porch. I opened the door to find three raccoons looking up at me over nearly empty bowls of cat food, left out for the strays. Before I stomped my feet and yelled nonsense at them, I paused. They really are beautiful creatures with their full tails, sharp black masks, and delicate paws.

Every Ohioan I meet says, “New York, eh? Must be quite some culture shock for you here,” poking gentle fun at our small town. They are right to an extent. A few weeks ago I was walking down the street in my bright red wool coat. Several women crossed my path and stared. Perhaps it was the herringbone scarf. My hair stylist asked where I was from, because of my accent.

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