Boston’s Italian North End: I love this area—lots of great Italian
food shops and
stops! One year I brought home this decorated Marzipan Lamb (it was Easter time) from **Maria’s PastryShop. A must stop no matter what season. (Tip: Chocolate edged cannoli shells--they only fill them when you order them....)
**Polcari’s Coffee: Another North End institution I never miss.
Friendly guys, fresh roasted coffee beans, a ton of tea, spices and oils and
Italian candies, recipes, advice and more in this very cool shop that’s been
here since l932.
**Mike’s Pastry: There’s rivalry between pastry shops in the North
End for who makes the best cannoli --but I don’t think you can go wrong at any
of the sweet places. At Mike’s, there’s always a line and a crowd of people,
but the women behind the counter have plenty of experience packing up any and
all of your sugar fix buys in Mike’s signature white boxes, tied up with string
suspended from above—just like old country general stores you see in the
movies.
**Trattoria di Monica: This is the quintessential trattoria in my
book, cozy
(only 25 seats), candlelight, exposed brick walls and fabulous food
and wine.
(and they take reservations!)
Another year I did one of Michele Topor's food tours of the North End which covers many of
these North End places plus lots more (including tastings!). It’s super fun and
a good way to cover ground if you don’t have a lot of time.
Boston tourist-y stuff:
**Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: This beautiful and romantic
museum is one of my all-time favorites. Built around a Venetian Palazzo
styled-courtyard (the museum was designed by Gardner whose favorite art city
was Venice). It opened in l903 and has all sorts of nooks and crannies. It
feels more like someone's personal home/mansion than a museum.
If you visit right now (April) you can see the Hanging Nasturtiums
display. Every spring, hundreds of nasturtium vines are hung above the
courtyard, cascading down in a colorful curtain. (Vines are planted the
previous summer and wintered in the museum.) The display is annually set to coincide
with Isabella's birthday April 14 and/or the week before Easter. The first time
I visited I timed it so I would be there to see it. At that time, the Gardner
Cafe, now called the G Cafe also prepared a special "nasturtium
focused" menu. When my daughter-in-law, Danielle and I ate there after our
visit, we oohed and ahhed throughout our meal--each course was not only delicious
but as pretty as a painting. (Be sure to make a reservation.)
Security is very tight at the museum (no doubt due to the famous art
heist that took place here in 1990) so it sometimes feels abit constraining (you
are scolded if caught taking any photos--ahem). If you find Gardner as
interesting as I did, you may want to read the book, "Mrs. Jack".
It's a fascinating look at the woman who amassed this collection. With a reputation
not always befitting the socialite of Boston's best society, one favorite story
about her goes that she attended a formal Boston Symphony Orchestra event
wearing a headband with "Oh, you Red Sox" emblazened on it--which
apparently "almost caused a panic" at the time. The museum does charge a fee-- unless your name happens to be Isabella. True.
Boston first timers:
You have to follow the **Freedom Trail (it's a 2.5 mile path (just follow the brick pathway--it takes you past most of the historic Boston sites--but misses L.A. Burdick's chocolate shop--see Cambridge entry below-- for some reason)
**Stroll Beacon Street
**Visit Quincy Market /Faneuil Hall: I was there at Thanksgiving/Christmas one year. Note the famed "Golden Grasshopper" weathervane--placed atop Faneuil Hall in 1742. (Do not ask me the meaning.) Faneuil Hall was expanded in 1826 to include Quincy Market. Lots of shops and eating areas
**Take a photo of Boston Common sign
**Wander the Public Garden (beautiful in the spring; often musicians there playing music)
Cambridge highlights:
Don’t call Cambridge a Boston neighborhood. It’s a city unto itself.
And another very cool place to explore—especially if you love bookstores.
Harvard Square is the area where all the shops, restaurants are
located—including some of my favorites:
**Harvard Bookstore: if you only get to one bookstore, it has to be
this one:
**Mr. Bartley’s Gourmet Burgers (near the Harvard Bookstore): a
Cambridge institution. Serves more than two dozen varieties of burgers with
great names and descriptions (they change with current political and social
issues it seems). Order any burger, plus a frappe (it’s like a shake—dozens of
flavors) or my favorite drink: their lime rickey. People swear by the sweet
potato fries (very good) but I REALLY loved the onion rings. Bring cash—they
don’t take credit cards.
**Harvard Yard: this is the 22 plus acres enclosed by fences (and
gates) and the oldest part of Harvard University. Across the Old Yard from
Johnston Gate is the statue of John Harvard. Note his shiny left shoe.
Somewhere along the line the tradition of rubbing his left shoe for good luck
started, Kevin told us.
