| 12
plus solo-friendly activities...
Her foodie's walking
tour
In the North
End Italian neighbourhood there is a terrific
culinary walking tour given by Michele Topor.
This savvy woman takes a group around the neighborhood,
fills you in on the history of this colorful part
of town, you visit produce markets, the local
fishmonger, bakery, etc. Of course, everybody
gets the opportunity to sample goodies as they
move from place to place. Highly recommended.
Debbie, Corte Madera, Europe
Ed. note:
We've heard about Michele, as well -- she just
happens to be part of our Journeywoman Network.
You can e-mail her directly at: mtopor@aol.com
Be sure to tell her that you are a Journeywoman,
too.
She walks the Esplanade
If you're going
to Boston I want to recommend a section of the
Back Bay area that is truly beautiful.. Just two
blocks from Newbury Street (the main shopping
avenue) is Marlborough Street, the prettiest residential
street in the city. Walk across Dartmouth Street
to Marlborough, turn left and stroll two blocks
down to Fairfield - then, turn right and walk
across Beacon St. to the bridge leading to the
lagoons on the Charles River. This is the Esplanade,
a huge stretch of green next to the river, where
people picnic and sun and stroll. You'll see the
skyline of Cambridge, too. This lovely park is
one of the great features in Boston. (I've been
in California for two and a half years, and still
miss the warm sun's glow on the brick townhouses
and the lovely trees on Marlborough where I lived
for thirteen years.) Then back across the bridge,
across Fairfield to Newbury to resume your shopping
and dining.
Bonnie Bell, Irvine, California
She tours the library
Also nice (and
free) is the Saturday morning tour of the Boston
Public Library. The interior murals and sculpture
are fabulous, and the ongoing restorations make
everything shine. The volunteer docents are usually
very enthusiastic about their subject and have
wonderful anecdotes to share.
Erika, Somerville (across
the river from Boston), USA
Her picnic in the park
My recommendation
is to walk beside the Charles river in the morning
when the university crew teams are practicing
their sculling. Then, for lunch with a difference,
pick up a mini bottle of red wine, brie cheese,
and a bit of fruit and sit by the pond in 'the
commons' (the central park of Boston). This is
quite nice and relaxing whether you are travelling
solo or with a buddy.
Robin, Boston, USA
Ed. note: Journeywoman
hates to be a spoil sport however we'd suggest
if you are picnicking in the park solo that you
avoid the wine (as lovely as it sounds). Alcohol
relaxes and before you know it you are no longer
practicing big city attitudes. We'd say a cafe
latte would be great in this situation and you'll
still have your wits about you if the situation
warrants it. Then you can enjoy your wine at dinner
in one of the restaurants listed on the previous
page.
She shops, shops, shops
One of
the reasons I go to Boston is to visit Filene's
Basement. It is the best shopping in North America
- best prices, best products - think Neiman Marcus
and Saks Fifth Avenue at 90% off, and an incredible
selection of clothing, shoes, fur coats, etc.
Located right in downtown Boston at 426 Washington
Street - make sure you go to the basement level
- upstairs has a high end department store ring
to it. But do not be fooled - the basement is
the place to be! Happy shopping.
Sylvia, Toronto, Canada
She visits the museum
I recently
moved to Israel from Boston after living in the
area for many years. Whenever friends from abroad
came to visit, I always had a few places that
I considered a 'must see'. One spot I always suggest
is the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. This former
home was built as an Italian style palace specifically
to house Mrs. Gardner's extensive art collection.
Site of the largest art theft in history (in March
of 1990) the museum is brimming with Renaissance
art and has an exquisite indoor garden. Special
Recommendation: Concerts in the music room on
Sundays (when available).Worth noting: The Gardner
is in walking distance from the MFA (Boston's
Museum of Fine Art)
Yael, Ramat Gan Israel
Added note from another
Journeywoman:
You must check out the Isabella Stewart
Gardner museum and take a tour with a docent who
will tell you about her history. Isabella was
quite the character and world traveler. She built
her "Italian villa" on the Fens because she was
angry with the Boston bluebloods. She was influential
enough that when she moved from Beacon St. she
forced the city of Boston to permanently remove
her street number, so there is now a gap in numbers
on that block. Her house was left as a museum
with an endowment to care for it, with the stipulation
that the collection would be left just as she
had arranged it. The juxtapositions are wild!
Erika, Somerville (across
the river from Boston), USA
She's an art lover
Berenberg Gallery at 4 Clarendon Street
is a small, interesting gallery of "outsider"
art in a new upcoming area of Boston. It's near
other small shops and boutiques, in an area that
is very strollable. I walked there easily from
the Westin Hotel. For further info, call: 617-536-0800
Karen Frerichs, San Francisco,
USA
She meets and mingles
Museum of Fine
Arts on Friday nights offers a social atmosphere
for the after-work single crowd. I love this city!
Tracy, Marlborough, USA
(25 minutes west of Boston)
Ed. note:
This is what the museum's website says about 'MFA
Fridays.' 'First Fridays' began in 1996 as a once-a-month
gathering featuring refreshments, live music and
galleries open for viewing. Now expanded to take
place weekly, 'MFA Fridays' are open to the public
and have become one of Boston's hottest Friday-night
tickets, drawing capacity crowds of up to 1,000
people. Tickets are available at the door for
$10, with complimentary admission for MFA members.
Her beads and baubles
For a hands-on
project, Beadworks (23 Church Street, Cambridge)
is a great bead store with helpful people to serve
you.
Jenny, Miami, USA
She gets physical
If you are interested
in working out, Patricia Walden is a wonderful
yoga teacher who runs the Iyengar Center in Somerville
about one block from the T stop (Red line).
Susan, Los Angeles, USA |
L.A.
Burdick
