PlanetEye

For an older American city, Boston has a beautifully uncluttered skyline.  And the sights from the Prudential Tower's 50th floor Skywalk Observatory, the highest public observation deck in New England, are nothing short of amazing.
 
Built in 1965, the Pru -as it is known to locals- was the tallest building in Boston until the completion of the nearby John Hancock Tower in 1976. (The John Hancock building comes in at 788 feet, the Pru is just a touch shorter at 759 feet.)

The Skywalk's dedicated elevator will whoosh you directly to the Observatory.  Here, there are exhibits on Boston's history and a multi-media movie presentation about the Boston immigrant experience. But the high point of your visit will be the 360-degree view of the Boston skyline. Admission to the Skywalk includes an audio wand that describes the city's historic sites from the perspective of a Boston "native".  Young visitors will enjoy the children's version of the tour.

From the Skywalk's floor to ceiling windows look east- you can easily see the gold dome of the Massachusetts State House, the Zakim Bridge, and across the harbor, Logan Airport. Look carefully and you can even make out the spire of Old North Church and the obelisk that is the Bunker Hill Monument. The view from the south -facing windows is totally different. Here you will see row upon row of townhouses neatly arranged around gated- park ovals. Boston's South End is the largest intact Victorian row -house neighborhood in the United States. Looking to the west, visitors have a bird's eye view of Fenway Park. It is easy to see why John Updike once referred to Fenway Park as "a little lyrical bandbox of a ballpark."  The most prominent feature from the north windows has got to be MIT's Great Dome - (the site of many infamous MIT hacks) just across the Charles River in Cambridge.
 
A visit to the Prudential Tower Skywalk Observatory during one of your first days in Boston is a great way to get an overview of the city. The Skywalk Observatory is open 7 days a week; summer hours are 10 a.m.-10 p.m., but is occasionally closed for private events, so it is always best to call ahead.

If you are in Boston and have a hankering for either outstanding barbecue or amazing seafood (or both!) head across the Charles River to the East Coast Grill in Cambridge.

East Coast Grill is as fun and lively as quirky as its Inman Square neighborhood.  ECG's bar is known for its seriously yummy margaritas - no mixes, only fresh squeezed limes are used here.  ECG serves a most excellent sangria too.

The blackboard over the bar lists the day's specials. The adventurous menu reflects a fusion of several influences - Caribbean, Latin American, Asian and the Deep South, that together are fairly unique to the Boston dining scene.

When I visited, the "fried freshest available local fish o'the day with damn good French fries" was blue fish. The blue fish was crispy light - and the French fries were pretty darn good too.  Another special-the tile fish with fresh pineapple salsa- was cooked to flaky perfection.

ECG has an almost cult-following among barbecue aficionados. There are several top-notch barbecue dishes here, but the Uncle Bud trio is a total barbecue experience on one platter- two Memphis style (dry) spareribs, shredded pork, beef brisket, baked beans, cornbread, cole slaw and a hunk of watermelon to wash it all down.

ECG is hugely popular and only takes dinner reservations for parties of 5 or more for Sunday-Thursday evenings.

Descend the stairs into The Beehive, a cavernous, subterranean restaurant/club located in Boston's South End. Surely, this is one of the most seductive spots in the city.  The dimly-lit space features exposed brick walls draped with red velvet curtains and lots of crystal chandeliers hanging among the ductwork. Large contemporary paintings and dimensional abstract art pieces keep it fun. 

The Beehive Boston takes its inspiration from the well-known Paris artist commune, "La Ruche" which means beehive in French.  During its heyday in the 1920's, La Ruche was the center of Paris intellectual and artistic life. Boston's Beehive general manager Bertil Jean -Chronberg says that, "Everything about Beehive Boston is to encourage discussion; the music, the art, and the food. Even on the menu, we have a wine from Lebanon listed next to a wine from Israel."

The menu is inventive with a definite Mediterranean slant -with a few nods to American and Middle East cuisines.  Many of the dishes are simple and have an almost artisanal quality to them. The bohemian pate board and grilled fontina cheese sandwiches make for near- perfect bar snacks.  For dinner, the grilled Atlantic salmon is a superb piece of fish.  Another entrée, the homemade gnocchi in an asparagus crème sauce is masterful- and perfectly light.

The Beehive crowd is eclectic and diverse - mostly creative types over 30.  Late night, come for the tasty champagne cocktails and cool jazz. But be warned: This is one of the hottest spots in the city and the wait can be long. Make a reservation.

If you are spending any time in downtown Boston this month you are sure to come across the giant blue circus tent staked out at Boston's City Hall Plaza. 
 
The Big Apple Circus is 30 years old and this year's show; "Celebrate" is quite the birthday bash.

There's a Venetian Carnevale-like atmosphere as multi-colored paper confetti rains down on the audience and the company parades into the ring dressed in harlequin masks and velvet capes.

Grandma (Barry Lubin) is the Big Apple Circus's most recognizable name- and this Grandma knows how to work a whoopee cushion.  International clown stars (and brothers) Fumagalli and Daris are highly entertaining with their special brand of slapstick comedy. Their "Little Bee, Little Bee" water spitting act is classic!

The Big Apple Circus animal performances feature talented dogs and trained horses. Irina Markova's poodles (standard, miniature and toy) are sweetly adorable as they dance with each other and jump through hoops.  Yasmine Smart guides her team of handsome white horses to prance in a delightfully choreographed routine.

Acrobatics figure predominately in this year's show.  The Huesca Brothers (the sons of Fumagalli) absolutely wow the crowd with their "foot juggling" (more like brother juggling!) routine. Another amazing acrobatic feat? The trio of Virgile Peyramaure, Andrey Mantchev and Sarah Schwarz perform a mesmerizing "living statue" contortionist act with remarkable strength, control and beauty.

The Kovgar Troupe provides the show's grand finale of incredible acrobatics as the members catapult through the air launched from teeterboards, perform flips and are then caught by their teammates. 

The Big Apple Circus Boston engagement runs through May 4th. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster, the BosTIX booths (  Copley Square and Faneuil Hall) and at the Community Box Office in the lobby of the Boston Children's Museum.

You've tried our "lobsta" and "chowda".  You've done Italian in the North End and Chinese in (where else?) Chinatown.  So, if you are looking for a new taste adventure in Boston, you may want to check out Afghan cuisine.

Located just a couple of blocks from the Museum of Science in a non-descript Cambridge storefront, the Helmand serves Afghani food is in a cozy setting. (Think very nice Middle East bistro.)

Every meal starts with a basket of fresh-baked bread from the on-site clay-oven tanoor. The bread is accompanied by a trio of dipping sauces; red (very spicy), green (cilantro- based) and white (yoghurt and garlic). The bread alone is worth a visit!

Order a selection of appetizers for the table to share. The "kaddo" sautéed pumpkin with yogurt and beef sauce is amazing.  "Banjan" ,sautéed eggplant and mint with yogurt is a nice combination too.

If you are a fan of lamb there are many choices.  The "lawand", stewed lamb with tomatoes, spinach,  and cilantro is a stand-out.  The sea bass in a tomato, ginger and garlic sauce is called "qoremay ma-he", and it is just that- "gourmet fish."

For less daring eaters there are lots of kebab choices- including chicken, lamb and beef. All of Helmand's entrees are served with "pallow", basmati rice with flecks of coriander and cinnamon. The Helmand serves well-priced (entrées are from $11-$15) out-of the ordinary food and is deservedly very popular with locals and visitors.  Reservations are practically a must.