Please Come to Boston

I grew up an hour south of Boston, and though my mom would bravely venture into the city to take me to the Science Museum or the Aquarium once in awhile, most of my family and the people I grew up with viewed Boston as a dangerous place, filled with traffic, aggressive drivers, and an indecipherable pattern of narrow, one-way streets. If someone were foolish enough to venture in, they were considered lucky to have found their way out alive and unscathed.

Of course, like many stereotypes, there are some underlying truths to these opinions. Boston drivers are among the most aggressive in the United States, though I believe that  Hartford, Connecticut, and Providence, Rhode Island can make Boston drivers seem tame and orderly by comparison. Streets are narrow and confusing, and the one-way street you’re driving on may suddenly changing to a one-way in the opposite direction at any random intersection. Most local drivers would rather give up their license before they let someone cut into their lane or get in front of them, and using a signal – in local dialect, a “blinker” or pronounced as the locals do, a “blinkah” – is a rare skill indeed.

I’ve always loved Boston. As a child, Boston was an exciting place with the lure of many more sights and activities than my boring hometown of New Bedford could offer.  When I was a teenager, my mother underwent several hospital stays in Boston to treat her cancer. I stayed at a hotel near the hospital and explored the city on my own once visiting hours were over. The very day I received my driver’s license, I drove to Boston by myself, a rite of passage into adulthood not unlike those in tribal societies where an adolescent is expected to venture out into the bush on his own to kill a bear, an antelope or a lion to prove he is a man.

I visited Boston often during my college years. I spent many hours shopping at used record stores, perusing bookstores, and dining on local treats like lobster rolls, clam chowder, homemade ice cream, or Boston cream pie. I attended “First Night,” Boston’s festive New Year’s Eve celebration, and watched July 4^th fireworks along the Charles River. I navigated the “T” – Boston’s ancient subway system and the oldest in North America – back and forth across the city like an honorary Bostonian. But once I moved away from New England for graduate school and a teaching career in California, I spent a lot less time in Boston, aside from frequent visits to Logan Airport when I came home to see family and friends.

I’ve always liked the Bostonian spirit. I’m not talking about the pretentious, overly-educated, blue-blood type, but the earthy, no-nonsense, blue-collar attitude exhibited by a majority of the city’s residents. Bostonians don’t suffer fools gladly and display a quick-witted sarcasm that I find refreshing. They are rabid supporters of the city’s various professional sports teams and display a level of fan loyalty second to none. A favorite example of this was when my friend Bernie was visiting from California. Bernie was, I’m sorry to say, a diehard L.A. Lakers basketball fan, while of course I loved the Celtics. He insisted on wearing his Lakers baseball cap into the restaurant when we went to dinner in the city’s Italian North End. Our waitress, a tiny, curly-haired woman who bore a striking resemblance to Carla from the TV show “Cheers” looked him up and down icily, her gaze eventually fixed on the offensive cap. In a classic Boston accent she growled, “You’re takin’ ya’ life in your hands wearin’ that thing in heah; youz ah likely to be pummeled.” That’s Boston.

Three years ago, when I retired and moved back to Massachusetts, I ironically found myself living in my old hometown of New Bedford again, though in a considerably better neighborhood than the one I’d grown up in. But again, Boston called to me, and I’ve found myself making the hour-long drive almost once a week, getting reacquainted with my old friend.

I often choose to visit on a Sunday, when traffic is a bit less hectic and once you’re able to find a metered parking space, you can stay there all day for free, since there’s no charge to park on a Sunday. With my car as home base, I often walk 5 or 6 miles around the city, dining at a favorite restaurant, seeing a film, grabbing a coffee or a snack, and people-watching. I’m happy to report that unlike so many of our big cities today, Boston feels clean and safe, in sharp contrast to my beloved San Francisco, which I watched deteriorate before my very eyes in the time I lived there. And so, let me take you on a tour and introduce you to my city. (Be sure to click on photos to see captions.)

The City’s Centerpieces: Boston Common and the Public Garden

Almost smack-dab in the middle of the city, at the foot of Beacon Hill and in the shadow of the Massachusetts State House is Boston Common. Founded in 1634, it is the oldest public park in the United States. The Common was once used as an open space for grazing cattle, saw British troops camped there prior to the Revolutionary War, was the site for public executions by hanging, and has long been a meeting place for public demonstrations ranging from anti-slavery movements, to anti-war protests, to civil rights marches.

Today the common is a tree-filled park housing various monuments, fountains, a carousel, and Frog Pond, used for ice skating in the winter and providing water sprays for children to cool off in during the summer heat. The Common is particularly lovely during the Christmas season, when many of its trees are adorned with colorful light displays, or during Memorial Day weekend, when thousands of American flags are placed in memory of fallen Massachusetts soldiers. For those who have no luck trying to secure a metered parking space, there is large, underground parking lot directly beneath the Common.

Directly across Charles Street from the Common is the Public Garden, founded in 1837. The Garden is a more formal, landscaped botanical garden. It features several monuments and fountains, changing floral displays, and a large pond. In summer months, visitors can ride the famous swan boats that have been in operation since 1877.

Beacon Hill & The Back Bay  

Two of Boston’s most exclusive neighborhoods border the Common and Public Garden. Beacon Hill is just north of the Common and is a tree-lined, quiet enclave that seems far removed from the bustling city below. Charles Street borders the west side of Beacon Hill and offers many outdoor cafes and unique shops.

West of the Public Garden lies the Back Bay, formerly a tidal basin of the Charles River which was filled in and now houses some of Boston’s most desirable real estate. In particular, Newbury Street is a popular destination for dining and shopping, as is the sprawling Prudential Center, an indoor mall and home to the Prudential Tower Observation Deck, which provides visitors with a birds-eye view of the city from 50 stories up.

Another iconic skyscraper is the nearby John Hancock Tower, which at 60 stories is the tallest building in New England. It is coated in reflective glass that mirrors nearby buildings and changing skies. I recall that as it was being built in the early and mid-1970s, a major issue was that huge panes of the reflective glass periodically came crashing down on the streets below, resulting in many of the surrounding blocks being cordoned off on windy days. The windows that fell out were temporarily replaced by huge slabs of plywood, giving the building a strange, pock-marked appearance. Luckily, after millions of dollars-worth of additional reinforcements, the problem was resolved, but even today when I walk past the building, I quicken my pace, just in case…

Faneuil Hall & the North End

Perhaps the most heavily touristed part of the city is the area around Faneuil Hall and the North End, Boston’s Italian district. Faneuil Hall was a former market and meeting place, and its colonial architecture is an interesting contrast to the modern buildings in Boston’s Government Center area nearby. The adjacent Quincy Market, housed in an historic building dating to 1826 is a popular spot to sample everything from chowder to lobster rolls, baked goods, pizza, and ice cream at numerous food stalls and restaurants. From here it’s a short walk to the city’s North End, where you can visit the famous Old North Church and Paul Revere’s house, as well as sample some excellent Italian cuisine.

The Charles

For walking and biking, there are few places more perfect than along the Charles River, both on the Boston side and across the Longfellow or Massachusetts Avenue Bridges in Cambridge. The banks of the river offer paved walkways, benches, and million-dollar views of the skyline, with many bobbing sailboats in the foreground on warm summer days.

Arnold Arboretum

Boston has a long history, and the Arnold Arboretum is the oldest established arboretum in North America, founded in 1872. A few miles from downtown, located in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood, the arboretum offers a peaceful respite from the hectic city center. With miles of trails that lead through heavily forested areas, across open meadows and streams, and punctuated by amazing displays of flowering trees and shrubs, the Arboretum has become one of my favorite spots for walking and unwinding.

Food

Of course, no blog of mine could end without some discussion of food, and Boston is a mecca for foodies like me. I won’t even begin to try and cover the wide array of options for dining in Boston, but I will mention a few of my personal favorites.

For innovative breakfasts and lunches, as well as a dizzying array of pastries, two local chains should not be missed: Tatte Bakery and Café and Flour Bakery & Café. With numerous locations across Boston and neighboring Cambridge, Tatte and Flour are great places to grab a delicious coffee drink, breakfast entrée, salad, sandwich, or dessert.

Another place to stop for coffee and wonderful pastry is Bakey, located on Tremont Street directly across the street from Boston Common. Their specialty is babka, a Jewish sweet bread pastry originating in Poland and Ukraine. Bakey features chocolate, cinnamon, and raspberry babka, as well as seasonal flavors like peach and blueberry. If you’re fortunate, you will get one that is still warm from the oven. It’s a truly religious experience.

If you crave reasonably-priced and generous portions of Mexican food, visit El Jefe, near the corner of Tremont and Boylston Streets, across from the Common. I particularly gravitate to their overly-stuffed burritos.

For Italian food, most people venture to the North End, and there are some fine restaurants there, but I recently discovered PICCO, an out of the way place in the South End on Tremont Street, a short walk from the Back Bay and the Common. PICCO, I learned is not an Italian last name; rather, it stands for Pizza and Ice Cream Company. It’s known for its deeply charred, crispy sourdough pizza crust topped with fresh and flavorful ingredients, but offers several pasta dishes, appetizers and salads as well. They also serve their own homemade ice cream. I dare say this is the best pizza I’ve had in Massachusetts, and ice cream flavors such as blood orange chip, dark chocolate, passionfruit, and strawberry-rhubarb basil make a perfect finish to your meal.

If you’re just craving amazing ice cream, cross the river over the Longfellow Bridge into Cambridge and visit Toscanini on First Street. Frequently cited as the best ice cream in the Boston area, Toscanini offers the closest thing to true Italian gelato that I have ever had in the United States. Among my favorite flavors here are the burnt caramel, lime vanilla, and chocolate pudding.

You can’t leave Boston without sampling its famous seafood. Probably the best clam chowder this native New Englander has ever had can be found at Atlantic Fish Company on Boylston Street in the Back Bay. Prices here are not cheap, but the food is exceptional. Another local institution is Legal Seafood, with several locations around Boston. A little farther afield, my pick for the absolute best lobster roll goes to Tony’s Clam Shop in the suburb of Quincy, about 20 minutes south of Boston. Located across from Wollaston Beach and featuring water views, Tony’s features fried clams, scallops, fish, and well-stuffed lobster rolls, accompanied by some of the best French fries you can find. Again, expect to pay premium prices, but rest assured that the quality is top-notch and having a lobster roll at the beach is one of those New England experiences that you can’t put a price on.

The famous song lyric by Dave Loggins is, “Please come to Boston for the Springtime…” – but Boston is an all-season destination. Beautiful spring flowers, sultry summer evenings dining at an outdoor cafe or walking along the Charles, admiring the golden foliage in the fall, or seeing your breath and hearing the snow crunch beneath your feet as you search for a hot coffee and a warm babka… Boston has you covered no matter what time of year you visit.

View my recent segment on WJAR TV’s “Studio 10” program.