As Romantic as Paris

Here are a couple of quick photos I took after it stopped raining on Wednesday and there was strange, rosy light across Boston. There are plenty of places around town that are quite as pretty as Paris — I just have to remember to take my eyes off the sidewalk and pay attention. We may not have Paris's gorgeous historic architecture, or its many expansive boulevards, but there is plenty of romance in our red brick and gaslights.

See?

Charles Street in the rain.

Boulevard St. Germain in the rain.

The Public Garden in autumn dusk.

The garden around the Church of St-Germain-des-Pres in autumn gloom.

Of course, Boston would be even nicer if we had boulangeries and patisseries on every block, and perhaps one bateau mouche with gaudy lights touring the Charles. Our T stops could use a little dressing-up, too.... I think I'll stop this line of thinking. Boston is lovely just as it is. And it's home.

In both cities, I've been enjoying the wet, chilly November weather. After summer's long heat wave, it's a pleasure to bundle up in sweaters and boots, to warm our bones with homemade soups and casseroles, and to curl up at night under flannel sheets and our sumptuous and silky new down comforter.