July 26th 2012: Free Thursday Nights at The Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston

Today after work, I had a meetup event to watch a concert on the waterfront at the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) in Boston. Admission is free on Thursday nights, so I decided to pay the museum a visit as well. I could not find any street parking when I got to the seaport area, so I had to pay $12 to park at Anthony's Pier 4, a seafood restaurant in the area.

After parking, I took some pictures of the surrounding buildings and the old train car in front of the restaurant before heading to the ICA.

Old Train Car

Big Dig Ventilation Tower

Anthony's Pier 4

Harbor Towers in the Distance

As I first approached the ICA, I mistook it for a restaurant operating out by the waterfront, but after realizing that I could pass through and the entrance was on the other side of the building, I relaxed a little and started taking pictures of the Boston Harbor from the Vivien and Alan Hassenfeld Harborway which I was on.

Outside the ICA

Here, there was also an interesting man making large bubbles that floated out to sea.

Finally heading into the museum, I realized that the exhibits were only on the 4th floor of the building, and we had to ride a large glass elevator up.

In the Elevator

There were some interesting exhibits in the place I guess, but there still wasn't much to see. The Museum of Fine Arts is definitely much better than this.

Czech Modernism Mirrored and Reflected Infinitely

At the Entrance

Giant Lantern looking thing

After finally leaving the building, I decided to walk around the seaport area to take some pictures, where there were nice views from the second floor of the Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center, and there was an interesting dragon-like sculpture coming down the stairs on the hotel side.

Boston Convention and Exhibition Center from afar

Ground level of the Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center

Views from 2nd floor of World Trade Center 

Fish Pier

The Dragon Sculpture

I was to meet up with a few friends as one of them was leaving for L.A. this weekend, adnwee wanted to send him off. They decided to take the T to the Boston Common. As I had already paid for parking, I was reluctant to move my car, so I decided to walk to the Boston Common from where I was.

Along the way, I took pictures of downtown Boston as it started to get dark.

2 International Place

Back of John Joseph Moakley Courthouse

Views from Seaport Boulevard Bridge

Northern Avenue Bridge,
Northern Avenue near Sleeper Street

Seaport Boulevard Bridge,
Seaport Boulevard near Atlantic Avenue

City of Boston Fire Department Division One Headquarters,
125 Purchase Street

Fort Point Channel Parks,

Purchase Street and Pearl Street

After finally meeting my friends at the Paramount Center, I decided to give my friends an experience in what Singaporean/Malaysian food is all about by bringing them to Penang in Chinatown for dinner. I've been here many times before, but I still haven't had half the dishes here. We decided to have several, all of which just helped to remind me of home, although I have to say nothing beats the actual stuff from Singapore.

Roti Prata with Chicken Curry

Beef Rendang

Sambal Prawn

Char Kway Teow

Hor Fun

Pulut Hitam

After dinner, my friends decided to walk me back to my car, taking the scenic route to the Boston Common to sit by the fountain with the State House in view.

We then headed to the Wharf District Parks, where someone was busy getting wet in the middle of the Rings Fountain

The Wharf District Parks

The Rings Fountain

From here, we headed to Rowe's Wharf, where we sat at the tables here marveling at the views here and of the boats as well.

At Rowe's Wharf

Finally deciding it was getting really late, we walked all the way back to my car, whereupon I drove my friends home and then went home myself for the day.