Guest Blogger Week: City Love
I live in the town of Watertown, Massachusetts just 15 minutes away from Boston. Watertown is wonderful. It has Russo’s Market, electric buses that bring me to the subway that brings me to the city, a barber shop, Perkins School for the Blind, Wild Willy’s Burgers, The Upper Crust Pizzeria, and the Charles River Bike Path. Watertown is my town, but Boston is my city.
Boston is a city that feels like a town. It has winding streets, neighborhoods, and Boston proper can be walked in one day. One day? Yes, and I know this because that is how I spent my birthday one year.
I could tell you all about the touristy things to be done and all of the historical places to visit, but you likely already know them. So, I’ll sprinkle a few of them in for good measure, but try to stay “off the beaten path”, too.
Usually I take the red line subway (pay attention to the view as you ride into and out of Charles Street Station) to Park Street because it puts me in a pretty central location for wandering. Plus, after climbing up a long staircase, you are rewarded with a view of Boston Common, the gold dome of the State House and, sometimes, church bells ringing.
If I am in the mood to visit the Public Garden, I walk through the Common, cross the street to the Public Garden, visit the gold make Way for Ducklings statue, give George Washington a wave, and walk across the street to Newbury Street. Every one thinks of Newbury Street as fancy, which is true and untrue. The end of Newbury Street closest to the Public Garden is fancy, but as you walk towards the other end of the street things become affordable and I dare say funky.
At the end of Newbury Street you reach Massachusetts Avenue. If you take a right on Massachusetts Avenue (a.k.a. Mass Ave) and walk a couple of blocks you will find the most amazing cupcake store with vintage decor, Sweet. They even have vegan cupcakes on Mondays only and Pupcakes all the time.
If I am not in the mood for cupcakes or feeling the funky, I turn off of Newbury onto Dartmouth and up to the Boston Public Library. There is a feeling that takes over in the cool, dark, vastness of that building. I can’t explain it, but it always calms me. Most people would not think to go to the library on vacation, but you must! The library is an architectural wonder, houses art galleries and offers art and architecture tours. A visit to the rare books collection is a treat, too.
If I am over that way, I sometimes visit the Copley Place and Shops at the Prudential (they are connected by an enclosed glass bridge). You can also take an elevator to the top of the Prudential Center Skywalk for a beautiful view of the city and/or to dine at Top of the Hub, which also has beautiful views of the city. My dad once tended bar there long before I was born and served Judy Garland a drink.
Two other treats in this part of the city are a walk through the lobby of the Copley Plaza Hotel and sitting by the reflecting pool at the Christian Science Center.
I am sure you have heard of the Museum of Fine Arts, but it is not my favorite art museum in Boston. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is my favorite. If your name is Isabella you can visit for free!
If you like antiques, boutiques, and vintage shops, Charles Street can’t be missed.
For sports fanatics we have Fenway Park for Red Sox and The TD Bank Garden for Bruins and Celtics.
My favorite places to eat are Grezzo and La Famiglia Giorgio in the North End, lunch buffet at Mantra, and a quick and easy healthy lunch to go at b.good.
There are so many things to like about Boston and so many things to do. This is just the tip of the iceberg.
Written by Alex P
