A few days ago, when the wrapping paper and ribbons finally stopped swirling overhead, I opened my Boston travel folder. I depart on January 5th. Never have I ever been so glad I have my plan in place, my luggage listed, my day-to-day schedule filled out.
I spent that evening split between reading The Memory Palace of Isabella Steward Garner and Googling up images of the artworks she referenced. The Memory Palace of Isabella Stewart Gardner is really about trying to write a biography of someone who burned her private letters and diaries. One review aptly called it ‘a meditation on art and personality’ and does tie ISG’s life and the author’s ideas about her to individual pieces in the museum. One of the unanswered mysteries is why ISG placed certain objects in proximity to others. I personally like the eccentricity of her choices, but I wish I had a detailed audio guide or podcast to download on that topic. The book is more speculation than anything, but it got my imagination fired up.
Pondering whether to make reservations at the museum dining rooms or just show up on the day and do it first thing. Keeping my fingers crossed there are no snowstorms of the century during my brief visit.
