Right, What am I to do in Boston, then?

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

I'll be in boston from the 20th to the 24th of August(next week), and I'm gunna need things to fill up me time. I'm already gunna see the Lot Six/Beatings show at TT the Bears on the 20th, but what else should I do?

alternately, if any of you would like to travel to boston, we could easily get pissed at their main drinkeries.

Record stores, weird shops, things to see, etc, needed.

― Kingfish (Kingfish), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 03:06 (twenty-two years ago)

FENWAY.

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 03:12 (twenty-two years ago)

it's august - go watch the bosox fade!

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 03:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Grr, Blount.

Watch history being made as one of the best offensive lineups of all time inches ever closer to ultimate victory!

And actually, the beauty of the Red Sox is that when it's a home game, losses are almost as much fun as victories -- especially this time of year.

The seats suck, but they're cheaper than most. And if you can afford the tickets in the Green Monster (I think they might all be sold out, actually), those are apparently very nice.

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 03:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Walk around Fenway Park and marvel at how small the damn thing is. Then, assuming you are on the north side of the park, walk to the west and look for the Italian deli a couple of blocks along that serves some of the best goddamn food I've had. Chris Barrus to thread for further confirmation/information.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 03:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Walk around- Public Garden & the Esplanade are nice (watch for rollerbladers on the Esplanade, though). Go to Mike's Pastries in the North End. Um.... I'd tell you lots of quiet places in Cambridge to finish problem sets, but that would probably bore you. Toscanini's is fun to go to anyway, though- there are a couple scattered around.

― lyra (lyra), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 03:19 (twenty-two years ago)

is Fenway still in danger?

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 03:20 (twenty-two years ago)

I believe the current plan involves improving the seats and renovating Yawkey Way instead of paving paradise to put up a parking lot, but I'm not sure that's still the case; it hasn't been in the headlines much lately, or I've been looking in the wrong place.

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 03:25 (twenty-two years ago)

I was hoping new ownership would maybe bring some sense in

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 03:44 (twenty-two years ago)

I think putting the seats in the Green Monster -- as much as that seems odd to me -- is a step in the right direction, and replacing the existing seats would be a good idea (people were bitching about them even when I was a kid, and I think standards have risen since then ...). But the people running the show seem to realize that Fenway, just by existing, is a big selling point for the team -- and if they pay attention, they'll realize that the Sox have benefitted more from home field advantage than most teams do.

Theo's a local kid, so hopefully he'll have some loyalty and they'll listen to him.

I think this wouldn't be nearly as much of a problem if the place weren't so wedged in there.

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 03:51 (twenty-two years ago)

I'd tell you lots of quiet places in Cambridge to finish problem sets, but that would probably bore you.

my dear, i spent 6 years getting a coupla engineering degrees. I believe that i shouldn't have any trouble finding THOSE type of places. thank you for the suggestion, tho.

― Kingfish (Kingfish), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 03:52 (twenty-two years ago)

There used to be a place on Newbury Street that had a river made out of jellybeans, but somehow -- even if it were still there -- I guess that's not as fascinating as when I was 11.

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 03:53 (twenty-two years ago)

I wonder if Axis is still the hip club. ... actually, I wonder if Axis was EVER actually the hip club. Hrm.

Any pizza place in the North End with red checkered tablecloths will have good pizza. Pizzeria Regina's was my favorite, but I don't know if they're still there, or still good.

No matter what they tell you, do not have a lobster roll.

Harvard's campus is gorgeous (MIT's is distinctly not), but after a couple minutes of "oooh, nice," there's not much more to do or say.

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 03:58 (twenty-two years ago)

I have to admit, when I heard they were putting seats on the green monster I thought it was a horrible idea, but it looks fine from what I've seen.

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 04:01 (twenty-two years ago)

That's the thing, at first you're like, "yeah, Grandma, I'm really not sure low-riders are for you," and then you've gotta admit, the old lady's ass isn't bad. Only not at all like that.

They're probably the only non-bleacher seats I'd pay for in Fenway, at least once, to see what it was like -- apparently the view of the outfield is incredible. Okay, yeah, I'd definitely do it if I could. I don't know who I'm trying to kid.

It looks weird, though. It's gonna look weird for awhile. But better this than Prudential Dot Com Ballatorium.

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 04:04 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah, I mean the view could be piss poor, I'd still wanna sit up there

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 04:06 (twenty-two years ago)

May Ted and Yaz forgive me for that analogy.

And yeah, exactly! It's the Green Monster! I'm not sure there's any other ... object ... in sports that's that famous/historical/etc. Wasn't one of the original Replace-Fenway plans to transplant the damn thing into a new modern park as a monument? Aigh. At least they get that it matters, but not why.

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 04:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Axis was renovated a couple of years ago and is apparrently very very nice now.

PLACES TO HANG OUT:
Jillian's (Fenway area with lots of bars, pool tables, darts, blackjack and videogames)
The Middle East (Lots of shows every night; right next to TT's in Cambridge)
Newbury St (THE PLACE to go for people-watching and window-shopping)
Downtown Crossing (More shopping/people-watching)
Landsdowne St/Brookline Ave (tons of bars and restaurants + movie theatre)

THINGS TO SEE:
Freedom Trail (very cool historical walk, starts in Boston Common and ends in Charlestown; goes past the church my wife and I sing at)
Fanieul Hall/Quincy Market (more shopping/restaurants; near the aquarium)
Museum of Fine Art (on Huntington by Northeastern; usually has at least one excellent exhibit)
Harvard Square (more restaurants/shopping/sight-seeing; the Harvard Square/Central Square stretch of Mass Ave contains more used record stores than any other street in the city)

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 08:54 (twenty-two years ago)

cool, thanks for the tips.

will they fuck with me if i bring a camera into Fenway?

― Kingfish (Kingfish), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 13:04 (twenty-two years ago)

I'd be surprised if they did.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 13:05 (twenty-two years ago)

I haven't been post-9/11, but I doubt it. The tourism of Fenway brings them a lot of money.

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 13:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Axis was renovated a couple of years ago and is apparrently very very nice now.

Had no complaints with it when Terrastock happened.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 13:46 (twenty-two years ago)

I genuinely had no idea whether it had ever been considered a good club, or was just one of the places we went to cause ... well, cause I grew up in NH, what the hell did we know about the Boston club scene? :)

I've been to the Middle East! God, who the hell did I see there? ... Cliffs of Duneen (sp?), I think. Jesus, I lost track of just how long it's been since I've really been to Boston.

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 13:51 (twenty-two years ago)

when i have less work to complete in a few hours i could post a page of things to do ! !

twisted village in harvard square for records.
smash city records on newbury street.
fenway park & landsdowne street in general are ok. turn the corner to kenmore square and visit nuggets for used records/books/cds.
what sort of music do you like?

search: oni gallery in chinatown
downtown crossing and chinatown are side by side. filenes basement for designer clothes/bargain bin clothes.

i will try and post on here again sometime today

― kephm, Tuesday, 12 August 2003 14:11 (twenty-two years ago)

The Aquarium is pretty good.

― Charlie B. (Charlie B.), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 14:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Harvard's campus is gorgeous (MIT's is distinctly not)

it's the other way around: harvard's look suXoRs and is dull and trad -- mit's architecture is scary and cool and concrete and glass and steel

embrace the future (or the 1950s concept thereof)!!

― geeta (geeta), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 14:17 (twenty-two years ago)

MIT is a bunch of boxes on barely-even-maintained grass! Harvard's the postcard campus (for better and worse; those campuses tend to be hell to navigate as an actual student, since they're designed for open houses -- I don't know if that's true of Harvard), MIT's the utilitarian one designed for engineers who just want to get to class or crew practice.

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 14:19 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.bostonphoenix.com

the phoenix will help you out.
thursday the new club listinngs get listed.
goto the cheap eats, they should have an archive of restaurant reviews.
also goto movie, theatre, etc listings also.

the coolidge corner theatre in brookline (basically boston) is a must if you enjoy movies. donnie darko played last fri & sat midnight shows. the original 20/30's era neon marquee is still operational, around the corner from the coolidge corner is a great shoe store. you can find pairs of vintage converse/pumas. etc if you have any good luck.

the isabella stewart museum is the museum to go to in boston

― kephm, Tuesday, 12 August 2003 14:21 (twenty-two years ago)

park your car!!! and walk or take the T if need be. do not waste your time trying to park all day. if you get lost walking around the primary parts of boston use the boston common as a focal point.
people always complain about getting lost in boston. in a car this is acceptable. getting lost on foot is not. boston is a small city !

head to north boston of you want some good italian food. i never bother myself. observe the big dig and the king kong of a bridge(name evading me) that is being built.

― kephm, Tuesday, 12 August 2003 14:27 (twenty-two years ago)

tep each building at mit is totally different! that's what roXoRs about it -- plus they're all connected by tunnels and give themselves well to scaling/climbing or building zipcords between or etc. it's way more interesting -- you could entertain yrself for hours trying to make sense of it

harvard's architecture gives you the sense that "this is done: do not change it" (in fact so much so that it feels confining: when i took courses there i used to construct elaborate routes around the campus to get to class bcz the campus felt so stodgy)

mit's makes you think: "modify this building as you see fit"

plus as dull ivy campuses go, princeton's is WAY prettier than harvard's

― geeta (geeta), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 14:28 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't know -- maybe I didn't explore enough of the campus, but I've spent a lot of time at MIT (my parents are both alumni and brought me along to alumni fundraisers because I was expected to go there) and never got the feeling of anything but uniformity. Even when the buildings differ, they do so in ... such predictably MIT ways, if you see what I mean. They look like buildings built by engineers.

(Mind you, if it makes any difference, I haven't been there since 1992.)

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 14:39 (twenty-two years ago)

MIT added more than one million square feet to the campus last year. Simmons Hall is the latest dorm. It has a theatre inside of it. It looks like it is made out of legos.

MIT also has their own Nebury Comics.

― kephm, Tuesday, 12 August 2003 14:49 (twenty-two years ago)

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/tt/2002/oct09/simmons-volcano.jpg

looking up through a study cave in Simmons Dorm

― kephm, Tuesday, 12 August 2003 14:51 (twenty-two years ago)

well i've spent a bit of time at mit as well since i did my undergrad work there, but uniformity is the exact opposite feeling i got -- everything varies and changes at mit, whereas at harvard everything feels so comfortably the same, which i think is bad (it is not an atmosphere, i think, which promotes thinking outside of the proper ivy-covered bricks)

at mit the west side of campus housed the more by-the-book engineers and the eastern bloc had the weirder, scarier, stranger ppl (guess which side i lived on) -- since the dull ppl were effectively quarantined off from us they did not interfere with our grand scheming

harvard USED to have individual houses where you could choose where you wanted to live, but they've since moved onto a randomized setup -- which i think suits them better to be honest ("fewer choices will make our little harvard students less confused!")

― geeta (geeta), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 14:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Harvard isn't the kind of campus I'd actually want to study in -- like I said, the postcard campuses don't lend themselves well to academia, I don't think (unfortunately, Bloomington is one of those) -- I was only recommending it for tourism, remember :)

We definitely have different experiences of MIT, though. But I was never there as a student. My father was an engineering student in the early 60s, so most likely the personal parts of campus he would've shown me would be on the west side, I take it?

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 14:56 (twenty-two years ago)

princeton's is WAY prettier than harvard's

yes, but neither is as pretty as the one in CT

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 15:14 (twenty-two years ago)

mt. auburn cemetery on mt auburn street in cambridge is also a must.
thousands of brilliant students study down the street from it & never visit ! !

― kephm, Tuesday, 12 August 2003 15:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Saying that Harvard's campus is uniform completely ignores the 50s splendour of Old Quincy, Leverett Towers, and MATHER HOUSE, let alone the Science Center (which is shaped like a Polaroid camera).

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 12 August 2003 15:59 (twenty-two years ago)

MIT has the Infinite Corridor & lots of connections between buildings- great for staying inside when running from one class to the other in the middle of the freezing winters. The music library is quite nice (although tiny); after they renovated it, it used to be my favorite place to get actual work done.

One of my friends lived out on the B.U. edge of Brookline in a huge, fallen-apart house, so I remember that area as being lots of fun. Lots of good, cheap food.

― lyra (lyra), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 03:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Uhh, what's the big green monster?

― s1utsky (slutsky), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 03:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Left field wall in Fenway Park -- so named because, well, it's big, it's green, and it's a monster :)

(The article -- there's a photo there, which is why I linked -- is by Dan Shaughnessy, the best Boston sportswriter at the moment.)

― Tep (ktepi), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 03:29 (twenty-two years ago)

the science center roXoRs -- it's one of hahvahd's only roXoRing buildings

i would rather live in someone's 1950s concept of the future than someone's 1700s concept of the past

― geeta (geeta), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 03:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Somehow I think revealing that the Green Monster is a wall in a baseball park was probably anticlimactic. I should've lied for slutsky's sake.

― Tep (ktepi), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 03:35 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah, but some of us have seen "Field of Dreams"

― Kingfish (Kingfish), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 03:41 (twenty-two years ago)

if MIT were really on it, all the buildings wd be difft every morning when you woke up — difft shape, difft place, difft smell

― mark s (mark s), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 07:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Well, they did used to do the cow thing a lot ..

― Tep (ktepi), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 11:16 (twenty-two years ago)

When I said 1950s I really meant 1970s; Mather House was specifically built to be riot-proof.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 13 August 2003 12:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Harvard sucks!!

― Cacaman Flores, Thursday, 14 August 2003 16:14 (twenty-two years ago)

And?

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 14 August 2003 16:16 (twenty-two years ago)

if MIT were really on it, all the buildings wd be difft every morning when you woke up ? difft shape, difft place, difft smell

they were!! (this may have had something to do with the chemicals in my brane howevah)

― geeta (geeta), Thursday, 14 August 2003 17:14 (twenty-two years ago)

when were you there geeta?

― kephm, Thursday, 14 August 2003 17:43 (twenty-two years ago)

okay, for those of you who are gunna be there, or to help introduce this here Jeremy "Kingfish" Salmon to the concept of FAPping, here's my itinerary for the Boston trip:

wednesday the 20th: Arrive at 5pm. Drink beer. Head to TT the Bear's the see the Beatings/Lot Six. Drink the Beatings' beer.

thursday the 21st: wander around. buy records. drink beer.

friday the 22nd: wander around. buy records. nap. drink more beer.

saturday the 23rd: wander around. buy records. drink something that could be beer.

sunday the 24th: after having not slept the night before, board the plane back to Chicago-Midway, then transfer the Flint-board transport, then drive back to Ann Arbor. Pass out.

monday the 25th: show up for work on time, with greater desire to get the fuck out of michigan.

any questions? email me if you wanna meet up, get my celly #, drink beer, etc.

― Kingfish (Kingfish), Thursday, 14 August 2003 18:04 (twenty-two years ago)

dont forget 'looney tunes' for records (if by records you mean vinyl)

― kephm, Thursday, 14 August 2003 18:08 (twenty-two years ago)

and i do!

― Kingfish (Kingfish), Thursday, 14 August 2003 18:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Back to Fenway --

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-redsox-fixingfenway&prov=ap&type=lgns

The "Camdenization" of Fenway Park. According to the story, they still haven't decided, in the long-term, whether to renovate or relocate/rebuild.

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 00:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Go to the Modern Pastry Shop in the North End. Best canolis ever.

― hstencil, Tuesday, 19 August 2003 00:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes, I can confirm that the buildings @MIT do have wildly differing smells. (Oh plastic newness smell of cluster in building 56 I remember you fondly even if you did only last 2 weeks)

I personally am planning to visit the lastest constructions there in the second week of September this year (and buy notebooks at the coop!).

― marianna, Tuesday, 19 August 2003 08:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Wrong-o stency, Mikes Pastry in the North End has the best!

― Chris V. (Chris V), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 10:15 (twenty-two years ago)

CANOLI FIGHT!

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 11:23 (twenty-two years ago)

I have not had Mike's, but I am a fan of the Modern Pastry Shop. Next time I'm there I will compare.

I second the earlier suggestion of Twisted Village. Those people rule.

― hstencil, Tuesday, 19 August 2003 13:28 (twenty-two years ago)

MIT definitely wins in the student amenities category, but the downside is that all of those amenities are at MIT and you must therefore dodge psychotic killer robots that smell like unwashed feet if you want to use them.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 13:36 (twenty-two years ago)

i'm trying to remember if it was MIT or CalTech where one of the guys was all suicidal & despondent over losing his girlfriend and did something rash in a particularly public way...

then again, doesn't that happen at _every_ university?

― Kingfish (Kingfish), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 14:09 (twenty-two years ago)

fyi: deerhoof are playing this week

― kephm, Tuesday, 19 August 2003 20:22 (twenty-two years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.