Latest posts from our Boston expert:
Newbury Street is Boston at its most chic, most expensive and most elegant. The eight blocks of Newbury Street are lined with nineteenth-century brownstones that house cool sidewalk cafes, high-end boutiques, hip art galleries, and fabulous beauty salons. The more eclectic and independent shops are generally located on the lower end of Newbury near Mass Ave; the designer boutiques like Chanel, Burberry, and Valentino are at the upper end of Newbury Street, close to the Public Garden. If you can afford to shop them- lucky you! What follows is a list of lesser-known Newbury Street shops- perfect for a fun afternoon of browsing.
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Colorful, and creative acrylic jewelry made in Israel and Bulgaria.Very inexpensive.
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Because you have been very good. Fill a bag of your favorite candies from the bins. Sugar Heaven also has the latest candy novelties and even a nice selection of hard-to-find imported candies like Nielson Jersey Milk.
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Many a well-dressed Boston woman’s secret. Designer consignment (in perfect condition!) and brand-new boutique goods cheap.
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High-fashion organic clothing for women made from organic cotton, bamboo and soybean blends, silk or hemp. You can be stylish and be green!
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Although the address is Berkeley Street; make no mistake, Louis is a Newbury Street store- its most used entrance is the Newbury Street side. Louis stocks men’s , women’s and even home accessories that are totally current, a little edgy, yet still classic. (Note: It is pronounced "Lou-ees")
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Italian fashions for men and women. Dolce & Gabbana is big here. Lots of always-right black too.
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New England -based retailer of sophisticated, high-quality, hand-crafted pottery and glassware.
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Fun, flirty fashions for young fashionista types.
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Hand-painted needlepoint canvases and beautifully dyed yarns including hard-to-find silk and cashmere. Located next to the Taj hotel, those “in the know” about knitting and needlepoint will search this store out.
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Everything necessary to stock the urban kitchen. Quirky stuff too, like the very essential mango splitter.
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A Single Block Of Five Cheap Ethnic Eats
What's your mood? Italian, Japanese, Thai, Mexican or Greek? Located almost equi-distant between the Museum of Fine Arts and Fenway Park, Peterborough Street is mostly a quiet residential thoroughfare lined with attached brick town homes. But towards the end of the street, there is a string of fun, casual ethnic eateries. And now that it is spring, each of these restaurants has put out tables for dining al fresco.
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Nice Italian trattoria food and brick-oven pizza. The owner is Iranian, so the menu features some Persian specials on the menu as well.
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For a sushi bar, Umi is fairly inexpensive-maki dishes are from $13-$17. But this is sushi after all, which makes this the most expensive choice on the block.
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If you crave Thai food, this is the place. Rice plates are cooked fresh to order. Speedy service too.
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A favorite haunt of several current Red Sox players, this taqueria serves more than just burritos. The daily specials are inspired- and the fish tacos are especially good.
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Gyros and kebabs of course, but you can never go wrong with a plate of mousaka- eggplant and beef in a tomato and béchamel sauce. Greek comfort food!
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Five "Best of" Fish Restaurants
Don't leave Boston without trying our lobster, clam chowder, oysters, and fried fish. And since Boston has dozens of seafood restaurants- and many more that feature menus that are fish-centric-, a little guidance is definitely in order.
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Best lobster roll. A lobster roll-chunks of lobster meat with a little mayonnaise and chopped celery piled high on a buttered toasted hot dog bun is pure indulgence. Get yours for $12 at the James Hook Lobster & Company right on the waterfront. Best of all, you don’t need to dissect a whole lobster in its shell.
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Best clam chowder. This is the fish restaurant that native New Englanders often choose to take their out-of-town friends. Legal’s clam chowder has been served at every Presidential Inauguration since 1981, so it is probably good enough for us regular folk. Legal’s has locations throughout the city including the Back Bay, the Waterfront, and Cambridge –all places where you are likely to visit.
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Best oysters. Oyster bar obsessives wax rhapsodic about B& G’s quality and selection. For oyster novices, the wait staff really knows their stuff. Solid wine list too. Located in the ultra-hip South End, B& G has a cool, modern vibe. Expect to wait.
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Best fish restaurant to take the kids. Tables covered with butcher paper. Crayons. The fried fish dinner portions are huge. Summer Shack is a colorful, fun, beachy atmosphere in the middle of the city. You will (almost!) think you are on Cape Cod.
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Best “big deal” seafood dining experience. Great Bay has an imaginative appetizer menu- the halibut tacos are legendary. The seafood entrees change frequently but are always perfectly prepared. It’s a nice open space and the room is trendy and upscale—with prices to match.
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Three Boston Stores Not-To-Be Missed
Thrifty, classic, and cutting edge -the stores below are uniquely Boston.
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First opened in 1908, the legendary Filene’s Basement at Downtown Crossing is (sadly!) closed for renovations until the spring of 2009. In the meantime, Filene’s Basement fans can shop for deeply discounted men’s and women’s designer and brand name clothing at the chain’s Boylston Street store. For serious shoppers, the shoes and accessory departments are the most dangerous of all- Fendi bags can be had for $80, Via Spiga shoes for $50. Tip: Check out “The Vault” for high end ready- to- wear like Armani and Missoni.
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In business since 1796 and said to be “America’s oldest jeweler”, Shreve’s has some of the best Boston-centric souvenirs in the city. Examples of Shreve’s well-priced giftware include a USS Constitution paperweight ( $35 ), a Zakim Bridge sterling silver key ring ($65), and the whimsical (and very popular) “gurgling cod” pitcher (from $45-$95 ).
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This is the place in Boston for all things “wicked cool”. Yes, Newbury Comics sells comic books, but Newbury Comics is mostly a music store featuring major label artists, indie groups and even the random local garage band .The real draw here though, is the pop culture merchandise – music posters, action figures, political humor toys, and trendy fashions. For aging hipsters, there is “old school” stuff too.
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Three Overlooked and Underrated Boston Sites
Visitors to Boston are spoiled with choices for historical sites, cultural attractions, and fun things to do. The following list of places may not be as well-known as Boston’s main attractions but step just a little off the Freedom Trail and you will enjoy discovering these Boston treasures.
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The New England Holocaust Memorial is simply unnoticed among the raucous hullabaloo of nearby Quincy Market .Walk along the granite path among the six glass towers-each 54 feet high- representing the main Nazi death camps. Six million numbers are etched in random, yet orderly, sequence on the towers, and smoke rises from the grates at the base. A sobering reminder of the victims of the Holocaust.
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Maybe museum fatigue explains why the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is overlooked- it is literally located in the shadow of the more well known Boston Museum of Fine Arts. In the early 1900’s Boston socialite Isabella Stewart Gardner designed her home in the style of a grand fifteenth- century Venetian palazzo. Now this gem of an art museum displays Gardner’s personal art collection including paintings from Titian and Rembrandt, celebrated American artists such as John Singer Sargent and ancient sculpture and artifacts. The absolute highlight of the museum though is the enclosed courtyard where flowers bloom year-round.
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Franklin Park is a wonderful respite for kids who have had enough of “First in the nation this” and “Oldest in the nation that”. Perhaps because it is located on the outskirts of the city, but Franklin Park just doesn’t get great tourist buzz like other zoos such as those in San Diego, DC and Philadelphia. All the big zoo animals are here - apes and zebras, giraffes and lions and tigers too. And for very young children there is a nice petting zoo.
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Five Days of Free Museum Admissions
Yes, you can have fun on a budget in Boston.You can save a lot of money on admissions by timing your museum visit just right. Several of Boston’s best museums set aside a few hours each week for the public to come and visit for free.
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The MFA is a world-class art museum that houses an important collection of art from the ancient world, wonderful European masterpieces and important works from colonial- America. Admission is free every Wednesday from 4 PM-9:45 PM. (Volunteer contributions are welcome too.)
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The ICA’s gorgeous new facility on the waterfront has generated lots of buzz in Boston’s art community. The ICA is free for all every Thursday evening from 5 PM-9 PM
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Learning is strictly a hands-on affair at Boston’s Children’s Museum. Although not free, $1 admission to the Children’s Museum every Friday evening from 5 PM-9PM is pretty close to free.
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The Harvard University Art Museums are located just over the Charles River in Cambridge. The Fogg Art Museum (Western/Renaissance Art) the Busch –Reisinger Museum (Germanic Art) and the Arthur M. Sackler Museum (Ancient and Far East Art) all offer free admission from 10 AM-noon every Saturday. You will feel smarter just by visiting!
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The museum of the “other” university in Cambridge. Get in touch with your inner-geek. Nice displays on the history of technology, and very cool holographic art, but the robot room is the big draw here. The MIT Museum is free every Sunday from 10 AM-noon. ( Wake up early, check out the Museum then head to the East Coast Grill for brunch and their justifiably famous “Make Your Own Bloody Mary Bar”.)
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Ten Boston Icons: Old and New
Of course, Boston's storied icons (items 1-5) include classic colonial -era architecture and quaint landmarks. And you just got to love Boston's modern icons (items 6-10); innovative design of buildings and grand public works projects, along with a very cool pop-culture sign.
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The world’s oldest (1797) commissioned naval ship still afloat. She’s nicknamed “Old Ironsides" because in battle, cannonballs are said to have bounced off her strong oak hull. Very “Master and Commander.”
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Designed by “America’s first architect”, Charles Bulfinch, and dating from 1795, this is one of Boston’s oldest buildings. With its gold dome overlooking Beacon Hill, this is easily one of the city’s most beautiful landmarks.
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A timeless image of New England; Revolutionary War history, the steeple of Old North Church, all framed by a canopy of mature trees. A great "I've been to Boston" photo-op.
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A ride on these charming Victorian –era pedal boats is a Boston tradition.
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This hotel stands out along the waterfront and is known locally as “the hotel with the hole in the middle.” The grand archway is especially lovely at night.
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Dating from 1912, this is the oldest ballpark in the major leagues and hallowed ground for Red Sox baseball fans.
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Built in 2002, “the Zakim” soars across the Charles River at North Station and is the world’s widest cable-stayed bridge. The bridge commemorates both the work of late, local civil rights leader Lenny Zakim as well as the Battle of Bunker Hill.
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The huge 60 -foot by 60- foot sign of the Citgo Petroleum Company's red, white and blue logo is located in Kenmore Square and practically overlooks Fenway Park’s left field. Baseball fans interpretation of the sign? “See it go.” As in a home run.
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Perched on the edge of Boston Harbor, this is the ICA’s new facility (opened in 2006) and is a must-see for fans of contemporary art and architecture.
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Hands-down, this new 1-mile ribbon of park space along Boston’s waterfront is the most delightful outcome from the completion of the “Big Dig”, Boston's seemingly never-ending Central Artery/Tunnel Project. Catch a sea breeze while sitting on a bench at the Wharf District Park, enjoy a takeout espresso at the many bistro tables in the North End Park, or walk in quiet contemplation along the bamboo -lined path in the Chinatown Park.
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