Help in Boston

[Dan Gould]

My wife and I are going to do a quick hit and run to Boston in June. We've got tickets to two games against the Reds and in order to save money, we're just flying on Tuesday and out on Wednesday, and to avoid a rental car, we got a room at the Buckminster, which I understand is in Kenmore Square and just on the other side of the Mass Pike from Fenway.

So, Tuesday afternoon and until game time Wednesday night, we'll be limited to walking distance from the Buckminster/Kenmore Square, and the question is:

#1 (for my wife): What kind of area is it and are there any particular places we should check out (stores, museums, art galleries)?

#2 (for me): are there any decent record stores in the area, particularly vinyl? I remember driving past a Tower Records on my way to the Mass Pike to get out of town after a game, is it still open?

Thanks!

[BruceH]

There used to be Planet Records in Kenmore Square, but I think it closed. And there used to be a Nuggets, too....same comment. Hey, you people who still live in Boston: Help this guy out!

[Big Wheel]

I'm pretty sure that Tower is gone. The Nuggets burned down in a three-alarm fire several years ago.

IMO the Kenmore area is not particularly engrossing (though it is in the process of getting more upscale); however, Newbury Street and the MFA are nearby - only a short walk or T ride away on the Green Line. Most of the good record stores are in the Cambridge area though I think there is one (Revolution Records?) in Coolidge Corner (about 15 minutes away on the Green Line C) and at least one or two (including a Newbury Comics) on Newbury Street. I'm not sure why you're confining yourselves to walking distance as there's a T stop only steps away from your hotel.

Edited May 26, 2005 by Big Wheel

[Dan Gould]

I'm pretty sure that Tower is gone. The Nuggets burned down in a three-alarm fire several years ago.

IMO the Kenmore area is not particularly engrossing (though it is in the process of getting more upscale); however, Newbury Street and the MFA are nearby - only a short walk or T ride away on the Green Line. Most of the good record stores are in the Cambridge area though I think there is one (Revolution Records?) in Coolidge Corner (about 15 minutes away on the Green Line C) and at least one or two (including a Newbury Comics) on Newbury Street. I'm not sure why you're confining yourselves to walking distance as there's a T stop only steps away from your hotel.

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Probably cuz we know nothing about the area and want to stay close by.

I think my father told me that the MFA is a particularly good one. If that's close by, that may be what we do with ourselves before Wednesday's game.

[BruceH]

By all means, check out Newbury Street and Cambridge (Central Sq, Harvard Sq, and Porter Sq----the latter containing the fabled Stereo Jack's!)

[Man with the Golden Arm]

unless you can make it up to Cambridge and to Stereo Jack's, Looney Toons up by Mass Ave on Boylston is the only choice ... that's a good walk. On a map it's on the Fenway side six doors west of Mass Ave. Kind of catty-corner from the Virgin Mega on Mass Ave and Newbury but no need for that place. Even Newbury Comix is moot.

But hey, you got enough stuff to listen to anyway so just enjoy yourself up and around the ball-yard and get into it!!! Have a great time!!

[BruceH]

unless you can make it up to Cambridge and to Stereo Jack's, Looney Toons up by Mass Ave on Boylston is the only choice ... that's a good walk.  On a map it's on the Fenway side six doors west of Mass Ave.

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One of my erstwhile roommates was friends with a part-owner of Looney Toons. I think he had a 1/3 stake in the place. Small world. A pretty good store, from what I recall.

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

#1 (for my wife):  What kind of area is it and are there any particular places we should check out (stores,

Across the street from the Copley Plaza hotel, sits the Westin complex w/a couple of restauraunts visible from the street (Palm? Turner Fisheries) -- it's an access point for the huge covered shopping/food arcade that winds all the way around (skywalks) to Prudential Ctr. One can spend a good bit of time cruising about in there.

[maren]

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (at 280 "The Fenway" -- red star on map below) is a really quirky, unusual little museum -- a mansion built by a wealthy patroness of the arts to house her personal collection, including portraits of herself by John Singer Sargent,

Whistler

and Anders Zorn.

Also lots of European medieval art -- like the whole inside of a chapel plundered from some castle -- and a kind of lush garden setting, inside and out (The Fenway -- the street, that is, not the ball park! -- really is rain-forest-y marshland). It's been 25 years since I lived in Boston, so I can't venture a guess about "safe walking" -- back then it was potentially wild and woolly anywhere, anytime. But it's not far by public transportation or taxi -- not far from MFA either, I think. And if your wife's first name is Isabella, she'll get in for free! (told you it was quirky!).

Edit: maybe this link to map works better than thumbnail below: http://maps.yahoo.com/maps_result?ed=Z8poF...y=us&cat=&trf=0

Edited May 26, 2005 by maren

[Big Wheel]

I'm pretty sure the Gardner is practically next door to the MFA. It's probably about either a 15-20 minute walk or a short T ride (take the Green Line into Copley and then hop a Green Line E train back out to the MFA stop.

[Kalo]

Nuggets was still in Kenmore Square last time I looked.

It was Planet Records that burned down.

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is definitely worth checking out.

[Christiern]

On the corner, in the same building that houses the Buckminster, you will find Pizzeria Uno. Genuflect as you pass it by, because Bird and others broadcast from there when it was the George Wein's Storyville.

BTW, I used to stay at the Buckminster when I made annual trips to Boston's MacWorld Expo. Nice little hotel.

Edited May 27, 2005 by Christiern

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

On the corner, in the same building that houses the Buckminster, you will find Pizzeria Uno. Genuflerct as you pass it by, because Bird and others broadcast from there when it was the George Wein's Storyville.

BTW, I used to stay at the Buckminster when I made annual trips to Boston's MacWorld Expo. Nice little hotel.

I though Storyville was in the Copley Square Hotel??

Edited May 27, 2005 by Son-of-a-Weizen

[Christiern]

You are right, George eventually moved Storyville to Copley Square, but he started it at the Buckminster. I believe there was also a third location before he closed the doors for good.

[Dan Gould]

Thanks everyone for the advice, and Chris, we will surely genuflect there. We might even eat a pizza.

[Big Wheel]

If you're into the drinky, there's a fun little pub called Cornwall's on the Beacon side of the square, down the street from the BU bookstore (it's a Barnes and Noble). Can be crowded sometimes, though. There are also numerous bars up Brookline Ave., near Fenway Park., and tonier places in the Newbury/Copley area. I would also be remiss in not recommending a very good, small Italian restaurant called La Famiglia Giorgio's, which is on Newbury near the Copley T stop.

Boston is incredibly easy to walk. If you felt like it, you could walk all the way through the Back Bay (very pretty in June), through the Common, and finally to downtown or Chinatown in maybe an hour or so, then catch the T back. Another nice walk is down the Esplanade along the river past the Hatch Shell to the Beacon Hill area.

Apologies for the Planet/Nuggets mixup.

[Dan Gould]

Thanks for the restaurant tip, but we're only there two nights and both games are 7:05 starts, so either its Fenway Franks - or whatever new menu items they have nowadays, or else eating somewhere near the park. I would like to get there in time for batting practice. With seats on the Monster, I figure we should get a ball or two as a souvenir.

[Dan Gould]

Well, we just got back from our excellent Boston adventure. Tuesday was especially adventurous, as my lack of reading comprehension skills + directional incompetence set us off on a most lengthy walk in search of the fabled Stereo Jack's. Fortunately, while I lack directional skills, I am not the typical male who refuses to ask for directions. Bottom line, while I led my wife way, way too far in the wrong direction, it wasn't anything that a $20 cab ride couldn't fix. And at the end of the cab ride was ...

STEREO JACK'S

where we met and visited with the kindly owner and happily dropped some serious coinage. It would have been worse, but I had to shorten the examination of the CD selection because we had spent so much time trying to get there, we were running out of time to get back to Fenway for the game.

Best of all, the Sox won both games, and sitting on the Monster was a total blast, even if I was freezing my nuts off. And we spent most of Wednesday enjoying the MFA, including a way cool exihibition of Ralph Lauren's car collection.

All in all, an excellent two-day getaway, and once I get the film developed, I'll post some photos.

[Stereojack]

Well, we just got back from our excellent Boston adventure.  Tuesday was especially adventurous, as my lack of reading comprehension skills + directional incompetence set us off on a most lengthy walk in search of the fabled Stereo Jack's.  Fortunately, while I lack directional skills, I am not the typical male who refuses to ask for directions.  Bottom line, while I led my wife way, way too far in the wrong direction, it wasn't anything that a $20 cab ride couldn't fix.  And at the end of the cab ride was ...

STEREO JACK'S

where we met and visited with the kindly owner and happily dropped some serious coinage.  It would have been worse, but I had to shorten the examination of the CD selection because we had spent so much time trying to get there, we were running out of time to get back to Fenway for the game.

Best of all, the Sox won both games, and sitting on the Monster was a total blast, even if I was freezing my nuts off.  And we spent most of Wednesday enjoying the MFA, including a way cool exihibition of Ralph Lauren's car collection.

All in all, an excellent two-day getaway, and once I get the film developed, I'll post some photos.

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Hey Dan, it was great to meet you and your wife. Glad you got to see the Sox win!

[MartyJazz]

Glad you got to meet Mr. Woker, Dan. Beautiful guy with a nice store not only to browse in and buy from, but also to meet fellow jazz lovers and have great conversation. You'll appreciate this Dan: I was up at Stereo Jack's early the very same day that Pedro knocked down Zimmer. All the young students in the bar in which I watched the game cheered. Cambridge is a wonderful town.

Edited June 16, 2005 by MartyJazz

[Dan Gould]

On the corner, in the same building that houses the Buckminster, you will find Pizzeria Uno. Genuflect as you pass it by, because Bird and others broadcast from there when it was the George Wein's Storyville.

BTW, I used to stay at the Buckminster when I made annual trips to Boston's MacWorld Expo. Nice little hotel.

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The first picture we took in Boston was of Pizzaria Uno:

Can any of you Photoshop wizards convert this back to Storyville? If John sees this, how about an animated gif with Bird walking up to the club?

C'mon guys, I took this picture just so someone could have some fun with it!

[Dan Gould]

OK, here are the best photos from Fenway:

Tuesday, June 14 was the 230th anniversary of the founding of the Army by the Continental Congress, so there were a huge number of folks in uniform and a very nice pre-game ceremony:

Wells stares in at Junior:

Wells delivers to Griffey:

Trot Nixon awaits the delivery:

Big Papi waves the bat:

Good shot of Tek with the pitch on the way:

From the Monster (you can see the shift they pulled with Griffey at bat):

And we gotta finish up with these two:

And the championship banner: