Written with light – Evocative landscape and artistic photography
Posts tagged Christmas tree
Faneuil Hall Christmas Tree 2008
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My 2008 rendition of the Faneuil Hall Christmas tree… well, the main one at least. I may post one or two more shots in the coming days. Enjoy!
Tea by the Tree
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The lights glisten slowly in the calm of the night, reflecting off ornaments hung with care. Blue green promises of presents to come mix gently with red yellow thoughts of Christmas rum. Eggnog, hot chocolate, and tea are enjoyed by the crackling fire as Christmas music fills the air with spirit. Outside the snow is falling to the beat of scattering salt and the pang of shovels on icy concrete as paths are cleared for family and friends. Snow balls fly through the air occasionally striking their targets as brothers and sisters proclaim short-lived victories over each other. The eve is fast approaching and with it, the realization of countless dreams around the world. And while last minute-shopping and party planning are sure to fill the heads of everyone, fill your hearts instead with peace and calm. For this is a this time to dream, a time to give, and a time to sip a little tea by the tree… Relax.
The Cavendish Hotel
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Leaving the rustic Warminster we arrived in London on the second day of our journey to rest in The Cavendish Hotel. A sharp contrast to the Bishopstrow House Hotel, The Cavendish is ultra modern and sophisticated with a very bright and colorful atmosphere. The two hotels are indeed polar opposites each having their own distinct mood. That’s not to say that one hotel was better than the other, just that they are different.
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Here you can see an example of the extreme colors used in the hotel lobby which give it an almost heavenly feel. I’ve never seen such a colorful lobby, but I definitely like it. To complement the colors there are pictures of clouds hanging up on the wall making for a perfectly engineered utopia.
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No hotel lobby would be complete without Christmas decorations this time of year. The Cavendish is no exception and they chose to celebrate with a contemporary tree which takes after their unique urban style. Not a hint of green can be found on their tree. It stands black and almost bare save for one string of white lights. When bathed in the magenta light from the ceiling the dark tree stands out beautifully.
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Retiring to the rooms one will be greeted by a sleek hallway with minimalist appointments along the way – A nice reprieve from the color fiesta found in the lobby. My favorite part is the entry system. The keys are simple plastic rods that are coded to open the doors much like an electronic card. Sliding the key into the keyhole turns the red light green. Upon entering the room, the key is placed into another keyhole which glows blue and subsequently turns on all the boring white lights in the room. The whole process is quite colorful. If that’s not your thing, don’t worry, the flat screen TV should do the trick.
That concludes the hotel portion of my trip to London. I don’t normally photograph hotels, but the two I stayed in on this trip were quite exceptional and their differences were so astounding that I found it interesting that I could enjoy both. The next photos you see will be of the actual city. I was lucky enough to have a night free of rain and just enough energy to keep me out untill 1:00 AM taking photos.
Bishopstrow House Hotel
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I arrived back home to Boston from London Thursday night with my colleagues. I regret that I couldn’t post any photographs while I was away but I did find the time here and there to snap some shots. We made two stops in England. The first was in Warminster which is a tiny town 100 miles southwest of London. There isn’t much there except a military base, a few pubs, and the ancient yet classy Bishopstrow House Hotel… which is just that, a house. One would half expect a horse drawn carriage to be parked in front of its door if it wasn’t for the BMW Z3 that sat there in its stead. Ancient, yet elegant, its form is a prime example of the class you normally read about in Harry Potter. The entire building is covered in vines and most of the driveway leading up to the house and the parking lot are made of dirt.
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At first glance I was somewhat worried about what the inside would look like, but my fears were unfounded as I stepped through the door to find the most beautiful lounge I have ever seen. Everything, though old, is in top notch condition. I felt like I had stepped through a doorway in time and into another world. Think Hogwarts, but cooler. In the lounge are a bar and Christmas tree both positioned in such a way that they perfectly complement each other – the towering bar on one end equally matched by the towering tree on the other and both lit up in such a way that simply beckons you to pause for a drink…
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And what a place for a drink. Though I didn’t have time to order one, I was perfectly content photographing the selection available. More than the selection though, it’s the way in which it was presented that really caught my eye. I’ve seen some pretty cool bars before, upscale and modern, with mirrors and blue lights everywhere. This was not one of them. This bar screamed simplicity and class. And coming from someone who normally prefers only the most modern of offerings, that means a lot.
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So the tree and the bar are both nice, but I’ve left out my favorite part… the fireplace positioned directly across from the two. Perpetually burning the stock of firewood stored to the left, the fireplace not only warms the entire room with its heat, but with its light as well which serves to enhance the already present soft yellow glow emanating from the light fixtures above. Positioned on either side of the fireplace are two tables with chairs that are in all likelihood considerably older than myself. But with age their comfort has somehow been enhanced. With time, their inexplicable power to hold you there admiring everything around you, made stronger. Again… simplicity and class are the name of the game.
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Last, but certainly not least we have the staircase leading to the chambers above. It would be inappropriate of me to call them rooms as they exhibit far too much class for such a title. And while the chambers are certainly nice, its the paths one must take to get there that I find most interesting. The house is like a maze and I got lost multiple times trying to find my room / escape to the outside, but the scenery along the way was just like the rest of the house… simple and classy. This staircase was one of my favorites, even though the only reason I happened upon it was because I was lost. In actuality my room was on the first floor, but while trying to find my way back to the lobby I mysteriously found myself on the second floor… don’t ask.
And that concludes the Warminster portion of this trip. I would have liked to take more photos outside (we passed by Stone Hedge on our way to the hotel), but the incessant rain prevented me from doing so. Stay tuned for the London portion of the trip where we depart from the old and classy and enter the ultra modern and sophisticated.
Faneuil Hall Christmas Tree
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Whether we like it or not, Christmas is upon us. Around this time of year I always hear people begin talking about how commercialized this holiday has become and how it’s all about buying and spending money needlessly. While that is most likely true, that doesn’t mean that YOU have to look at it that way (though the advertisers would certainly love it if you did). I for one love this time of year. Everyone seems to be in a better mood and the Christmas spirit fills the air with a light hearted and playful feel. And though the “feel” is a lot colder than it was a few months ago, the anticipation of snow and cold is balanced perfectly by warm coats, fire places, the embrace of loved ones, and Christmas punch. Its as if the holidays come with winter just so we can get closer and warmer.
I took this photo in Faneuil Hall in Boston, right next to Quincy Market shown in my last post. I can’t tell you how long it took me to take it, and its not because I couldn’t decide on the right angle… it’s because countless couples, families, children, and friends were stopping to admire and take pictures by the tree. I thought about yelling out to them so that they would stop blocking my shot, but it was just too nice to watch. It was as if everyone in Boston suddenly became ten times more friendly. I even conversed with a retired photographer who stopped to admire the angle of my shot. And while I was waiting for the people to clear I just sat on a bench and admired the beauty of the Christmas tree towering above me as it collected the laughs and smiles of passers by. Smiling back, I looked out onto the city lights and watched them embrace the entirety of Boston with just the right amount of brightness to complement the glow of the tree. When I finally took my shot and walked slowly home, the last thing going through my head was what I wanted for Christmas. This holiday season I challenge you to stop for a moment to admire the beauty around you rather than the sales, discounts, and gimmicks. And if you just can’t seem to get into a cheerful mood I suggest you find the biggest Christmas tree possible and sit by it for a while… it will put a smile on the face of even the biggest grinch.