Boston, Massachusetts

Note: This post has many photos and is best read in the app.

Welcome to spring in Boston. My son and I walked through the Northeastern University campus, where the trees were in bud, and some were in full bloom. Even though not fully green, finding this much green space is relaxing in the middle of the city. Boston is noisy like most cities, and finding places where the noise lessens is key.

But in typical Boston fashion, when I got out of the airport, the weather was mostly overcast, with drizzling rain. It was cold enough for a light coat and rainy enough to need a hood or a cap but not enough for an umbrella.

Ugh.

I’ve been in Miami too long already. Where’s the blue?

Boston has been a mental home away from home for three years because of family. Despite my constant house hunting, I could never narrow down to a single neighborhood where I felt completely comfortable. And then there are the winters. I like snow, but my snow time lasts about seventy-two hours.

I’m most familiar with Boston's downtown area as I’ve stayed multiple times around the corner from this theater at the Hyatt Regency. It is central to the T (the Boston subway system), and I can walk to most places from there. The next few photos are of downtown Boston, away from the tourist areas.

Speaking of the T, add thirty minutes to any trip you plan. The subway is old and needs massive maintenance, and various lines (looking at YOU, Red Line) are either broken or significantly delayed regularly. The entire system needs an overhaul.

The photo above shows a wet Washington Street. George Howell Coffee is a block on the left if you want a serious caffeine fix. The only international branch of Ogawa Coffee from Japan is on Milk Street, several blocks away.

Above is Park Street Church, and below is the area around the financial district. The building with the blue nautilus design is the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul.

During my first visit seven years ago, I learned that the city has sixty-four universities. Sixty-four. The college students are everywhere.

Once you leave downtown, the city spreads out. Because there are so many universities, many residential areas are primarily populated by student housing, whether private apartments or school dormitories. Sometimes, I wonder who would be left if all the students moved away.

Then, as you go further out, near the suburb of Medford, for example, you have more parks, small commercial areas, and single residences, many of which have also been carved into student rooms. Tufts University is close by, so there are more students.

During this trip, I found something new. Do you want a REAL bakery? Lyndell’s Bakery is the one. I had a difficult time leaving. It has existed since 1887, and one whiff of the glorious smell of the place will tell you why.

Here are a few of the things I enjoy about Boston:

• The spontaneous art and music events that pop up around the city. On my first trip, I watched a pop-up classical concert in the middle of the Prudential Center shopping Center off Boylston Street. Seeing an entire symphony orchestra appear one by one in a flash mob was just spectacular.
• On another trip, I sat in the Public Garden next to Boston Common and watched a man playing an erhu (a traditional Chinese spike fiddle). I relaxed for an afternoon in the lovely garden, listening to the music.
• Many very good Sushi restaurants exist in Back Bay and the Symphony area. My son and I have a favorite Japanese restaurant around the corner from the Boston Symphony Hall that isn’t on the map but is still there whenever I go.
• The best walking area is in Back Bay, along Commonwealth Avenue, Newbury Street, and Boylston Street. There is lots of shopping here, with high-end stores and boutiques, but I have also found decent bargains in some smaller stores.
• I also like to walk the bridges and head to Memorial Drive across the Charles River, especially in good weather when the rowing teams are training and others are on the water having a good time. Boston is home to Community Rowing, Inc., the largest community rowing center in the country.
• The restaurants are good. We discussed this weekend that neither of us has had a bad meal in Boston. Go to the North End for Italian or Mike’s Pastry for dessert. Stop by the Boston Public Market and explore. We tend to drop in wherever we are if the restaurant looks good. There are too many for me to name.
• Beacon Hill Books & Cafe. Walk this historic neighborhood and take a break in the bookstore. I’m not a history person, but this area should not be missed.
• If you write with fountain pens like me, the best store (besides the one I found in Istanbul) is Bromfield Pen Shop at 49 Bromfield Street. Hint: Get a Waterman. You won’t regret it.
• Explore the area around Boston Harbor along Atlantic Avenue and Commercial Street, including Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park. At high tide, watch the water crash.
• The Boston Common is a large public park (fifty acres) located downtown; I understand it is the oldest city park in the country. There are always people-watching, planned events, and lovely green spaces. Pull it up in Google Maps to see all the different parts, including the Public Garden.
• With all the walking you will be doing, visit Marathon Sports. When my feet hurt from too many miles, I go there. My favorite location is the one on Boylston Street. They know what they are doing.
• The first Dunkin Donuts store is in Quincy, Mass, at 543 Southern Artery. Yes, you have to go. It’s a Boston institution.
• And there’s baseball. Fenway Park is home to the Boston Red Sox. If you are in town during a home game, be warned that many things halt once the game starts.
• Please explore the historic downtown tourist areas and the walking areas around them, such as Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. Once you’ve walked that area, you’re done. Pick a weekday in the spring or fall. The summer is packed with visitors.

I know there are a million more things to do in Boston. Do you have your favorites? Comment and let me know what I’ve missed!