Ultimately it's cities like Somerville and Cambridge and an area like the South End that give Boston any sort of dynamism (or character). Boston itself? Boston proper?
It's very vanilla.
Although I took a long look at the newer half of the Public Library today and I must say: that's some dope ass exterior design going on right there.
For Boston anyway...
― nader (nader), Thursday, 28 October 2004 23:57 (nineteen years ago) link
First, Ned, it's spelt Carl Yastrzemski. As great as the Rooster was he is not by any stretch better than Manny, so 70s Boston loses in left field. But: Harvard Square hadn't become utterly uninteresting yet, Aerosmith didn't take showers yet... close call. But I'd still trade it all for Manny.
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 29 October 2004 00:22 (nineteen years ago) link
― DV (dirtyvicar), Sunday, 31 October 2004 16:04 (nineteen years ago) link
― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Sunday, 31 October 2004 18:38 (nineteen years ago) link
roxbury dorchester mission hill jamaica plain etc and so on, son.certainly not on the banks of the fucking charles river during the head of the charles. walk through jamaica plain, brighton, allston, somerville fo yo dynamism next time through
nader OTM boston itself=vanilla
south station= bums, random hookers, construction worker, creepy businesmen
― kephm, Sunday, 31 October 2004 20:47 (nineteen years ago) link
what, the suburbs? pfft
― gabbneb (gabbneb), Sunday, 31 October 2004 20:53 (nineteen years ago) link
― Remy (x Jeremy), Sunday, 31 October 2004 21:05 (nineteen years ago) link
jamaica plain, brighton, allston, somerville : boston :: brooklyn, the bronx, queens : nyc
― nader (nader), Sunday, 31 October 2004 23:20 (nineteen years ago) link
― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Monday, 1 November 2004 01:30 (nineteen years ago) link
― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 1 November 2004 12:45 (nineteen years ago) link
― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Monday, 1 November 2004 16:06 (nineteen years ago) link
― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 1 November 2004 16:15 (nineteen years ago) link
― youn, Saturday, 6 November 2004 05:10 (nineteen years ago) link
Just the immediate ones like:Waltham, Watertown, Somerville, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Everett, Chelsea, Revere, Winthrop, Lynn, Quincy, Braintree, NEWTON, Milton, Dedham, Needham
etc. etc. etc.
what was this discussion actually about? I didn't really read.
but Boston is certainly classic.
― trigonalmayhem (trigonalmayhem), Saturday, 6 November 2004 05:29 (nineteen years ago) link
yeah, roxbury and all the other parts of town that border roxbury
that's quite enough grit for me
― trigonalmayhem (trigonalmayhem), Saturday, 6 November 2004 05:31 (nineteen years ago) link
but the rooster wasn't carl yastrzemski and he didn't play left field. he played shortstop. so i'm a bit confused by this argument.
but in any case, '00s boston beats '70s boston at virtually every position on the baseball field, and not just because of what happened last week, but because they are in fact a better team. though i would kill to have luis tiant on the mound for boston next year.
as for aerosmith, though, anyone who would choose aerosmith now over aerosmith in '75 either needs therapy or plays for the yankees.
― fact checking cuz (fcc), Saturday, 6 November 2004 05:52 (nineteen years ago) link
― youn, Saturday, 6 November 2004 05:55 (nineteen years ago) link
― gabbneb (gabbneb), Friday, 12 November 2004 04:47 (nineteen years ago) link
― TOMBOT, Friday, 12 November 2004 04:51 (nineteen years ago) link
― gabbneb (gabbneb), Friday, 12 November 2004 04:57 (nineteen years ago) link
― Eisbär (llamasfur), Sunday, 6 February 2005 17:21 (nineteen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 6 February 2005 17:40 (nineteen years ago) link
― gabbneb (gabbneb), Wednesday, 1 June 2005 20:40 (nineteen years ago) link
The Kendall Hotel is in the MIT area right near the Kendall T stop. Other than that, I know nothing about it.
― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 2 June 2005 12:07 (nineteen years ago) link
you're not looking for cheap are you ;)
― AaronK (AaronK), Thursday, 2 June 2005 12:14 (nineteen years ago) link
― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 2 June 2005 12:30 (nineteen years ago) link
Harvard Square Hotel sounds ideal, really - perfect location (ok, the immediate site is a little weird) in that it's right by the river/HSq amenities/T, and really inexpensive, considering. And you don't need to stay at the Charles to eat at Rialto. The Inn at Harvard might be a little "nicer" but seems a bit unnecessarily pretentious in style. Kendall Hotel looks very cute, but I see no reason to pay more for it. I guess I just want assurance that HSH isn't a dump.
How far to Inman Square from such places?
Also, what about the Harborside Inn? That seems a good budget-conscious choice if you want to stay close to all the touristy stuff - and this is for tourist purposes - but I think Cambridge would probably be nicer.
― gabbneb (gabbneb), Thursday, 2 June 2005 14:12 (nineteen years ago) link
Inman Square proper is probably a 20 minute walk from Harvard Square; the 69 bus runs right through it.
I don't know anything about Harborside Inn BUT it's right next to State Street??? AWESOME DUDE.
― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 2 June 2005 14:23 (nineteen years ago) link
The bus is from Harvard Square? Is Inman closer to MIT or about the same?
― gabbneb (gabbneb), Thursday, 2 June 2005 14:38 (nineteen years ago) link
Nighttime in that area = Quincy Market and the neighborhood of 8 million bars and restaurants right next to it. If you like going out at night, THAT is the place to stay as you can stagger home without having to reserve $25 for cabfare.
― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 2 June 2005 14:41 (nineteen years ago) link
― gabbneb (gabbneb), Thursday, 2 June 2005 15:23 (nineteen years ago) link
― AaronK (AaronK), Thursday, 2 June 2005 16:00 (nineteen years ago) link
― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 2 June 2005 16:07 (nineteen years ago) link
― toby (tsg20), Thursday, 9 February 2006 20:19 (eighteen years ago) link
― toby (tsg20), Thursday, 9 February 2006 20:20 (eighteen years ago) link
Hamersley's is also very good, if less interesting perhaps, and the atmosphere might be more suitable
Aujourd'hui?
― gabbneb (gabbneb), Thursday, 9 February 2006 20:25 (eighteen years ago) link
What are you actually looking for in a "high-end" restaurant? Do you want to stay in Cambridge or are you willing to cross the river?
Here are some suggestions for places in Boston proper that I like (may not necessarily fit your definition of "high-end"):
Smith & Wollensky - Ginormous steaks-a-go-go (avoid if vegetarian) located by the Park Plaza hotel at the corner of Stuart and Columbus 3 blocks from the Arlington stop on the green line.
Kingfish - A Bobby Flay seafood restaurant located at the end of Quincy Market closest to the Aquarium.
L'Espalier - I have probably butchered the name and I've never eaten there but this is supposed to be crazy nice and crazy expensive. I'm pretty sure it's French. I believe it's on Newbury St but I'm not 100% sure.
The Red Fez - This place is pushing the definition of "high-end" but it's a really great Mediterranean restaurant on Washington St in the South End.
Brasserie Jo - This is a French restaurant in the Colonnade Hotel on Huntington Ave. They have awesome appetizers and awesome martinis.
Mama Maria - This is a super high-end Italian restaurant in the North End; I don't remember what street it's on but it has a coat-and-tie dress code (or at least it did back in 1994).
Actually my office in Back Bay is kind of surrounded by nice restaurants so I can take a walk around tonight and report back on all of the places I'm forgetting.
If you want to stay in Cambridge there's Rialto at the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square and Harvest off Brattle St, also in Harvard Square. Oh, and there's also The Elephant Walk (French/Cambodian) up Mass Ave past Porter Square.
(xpost: I've never eaten at No. 9 Park but I've heard it's outstanding. I've also heard that Aujourd'hui is massively overrated.)
― Dan (Cooking? What's That?) Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 9 February 2006 20:41 (eighteen years ago) link
the red house in harvard square is super super cosy (especially the small rooms w/fireplaces)
oleana is supposed to be really wonderful for a special dinner. that's in cambridge too, but closer to inman. it's mediteranean.
google both, they should pop right up.
upstairs on the square is great for that too.
haha was just going to say rialto and harvest.
― AaronK (AaronK), Thursday, 9 February 2006 20:44 (eighteen years ago) link
― Dan (NUM) Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 9 February 2006 20:49 (eighteen years ago) link
― AaronK (AaronK), Thursday, 9 February 2006 20:51 (eighteen years ago) link
I've also heard that Aujourd'hui is massively overrated.)
I've had that sense too. I'm relying on a semi-recent namecheck, but it's based upon an historical selection.
Upstairs on the Square might not be special enough in ambience. But the food is quite good, and it's really lovely for brunch overlooking that square (which is called what again?).
I haven't been to Oleanna, but I remember getting really excited reading the menu.
― gabbneb (gabbneb), Thursday, 9 February 2006 20:55 (eighteen years ago) link
― gabbneb (gabbneb), Thursday, 9 February 2006 20:57 (eighteen years ago) link
― gabbneb (gabbneb), Thursday, 9 February 2006 21:01 (eighteen years ago) link
I haven't been to the one in Charlestown so I can't speak to it. He's got another restaurant on the border of Back Bay and the Theatre District called Bonfire that I walk past all the time but have never eaten at. Also the Ritz Carlton has a place called Jer-Nae ("journey": yes, I know) that I've never eaten at but is great for drinks (solely because they have Absolut Peppar and hence you can get spicy vodka tonics there).
― Dan (Eating Out) Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 9 February 2006 21:01 (eighteen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 9 February 2006 21:13 (eighteen years ago) link
― gabbneb (gabbneb), Thursday, 9 February 2006 21:14 (eighteen years ago) link
― gabbneb (gabbneb), Thursday, 9 February 2006 21:21 (eighteen years ago) link
― gabbneb (gabbneb), Thursday, 9 February 2006 21:28 (eighteen years ago) link
― stewart downes (sdownes), Thursday, 9 February 2006 21:37 (eighteen years ago) link
(xpost: Stewart, I think you should investigate Chez Henri on Shepard St. in Cambridge. IIRC they don't cost a mint and it's a cool place.)
― Dan (Mmmmmm Foie Gras) Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 9 February 2006 21:42 (eighteen years ago) link