Weekend in Boston/Gloucester

An August 2004 trip to Boston by mstansberry

Take the TMore Photos

Made the road trip from the dirty Jersey to Beantown. Rock shows! Fishing Villages! The "T"!

  • 8 reviews
  • 11 photos
Take the T
Little Italy, Boston Common, Harvard Square, Liberty Trail, more used book stores than any city I've ever been to.

Quick Tips:

Go to Little Italy for dinner and baked goods. Prettiest part of town. The Big Dig is kind of funny to laugh at if you don't live there.

Best Way To Get Around:

Take the T. It's .25 per ride.
Fish. Get the Ling, cooked in foil with veggies like squash, peppers, and onions with salt and pepper. It's the most unassuming meal I've ever eaten in a restaurant. The rice is tasteless, and has a cafeteria texture. But there beer is great and the chowders are better.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by mstansberry on August 30, 2004

Halibut Point Restaurant
289 Main Street Boston, Massachusetts 01930
(978) 281-1900

Johnny D's UptownBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

Right off the Davis Square stop on the Red Line, the jazz brunch on Saturday and Sunday mornings is fun. The crowd is young, being so close to the universities, and the food is eclectic and fresh. The bar is both crowded and dark, and if you don't like the idea of watching neo-hippies drink mimosas with their school loan money, then keep out. The music isn't intrusive, and it isn't transcendent either. Think Kenny G. Most important, the coffee is great and my Gruyere/oyster mushroom omelet was wonderfully salty.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by mstansberry on August 31, 2004

Johnny D's Uptown
17 Holland St. Boston, Massachusetts 02144
(617) 776-2004

Blue Shirt CafeBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

Major college hangout a stone's throw from the Davis Square stop on the T's red line. Mostly organic food, including the very bitter coffee. The help ranges from surly to tolerant. It's not the most tourist-friendly place. Stay away from the eggs, but do try the pancakes.
  • Member Rating 2 out of 5 by mstansberry on August 31, 2004

Blue Shirt Cafe
424 Highland Avenue Boston, Massachusetts 02144
(617) 629-7641

AvalonBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Modest Mouse Concert"

Modest Mouse played at a bar across from Fenway called Avalon. Awesome show. They mostly played stuff from the new album. They kept things really subdued too, which was probably good since there were so many meatballs in the audience. They sold the place out, but we got tickets on Craigslist. The city closes up early though. Modest Mouse was done by 10pm. The bars are mostly done at 1am.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by mstansberry on August 30, 2004

Avalon
15 Lansdowne St Boston, Massachusetts 02215
+1 617 262 2424

Lobster
The scenery is beautiful, but unless you're interested in purchasing water colors of boats, don't assume you will find any serious art. Most of the studios are prettier than the artwork on display.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by mstansberry on August 30, 2004

Rocky Neck Artist Colony
83 Mt. Pleasant Ave. Boston, Massachusetts 01930
(978) 283-1625

HaymarketBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "The Haymarket"

The Haymarket
The Haymarket offers the freshest foods in Boston every day. Show up late for even cheaper food. Though I've never experienced it, try not to go on a weekend though, unless you can handle tight crowds.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by mstansberry on August 30, 2004

Haymarket
Blackstone St Boston, Massachusetts 02109

Feast of the Madonna Della Cava
Interesting and picturesque, Boston's Little Italy is worth walking through. The Feast of the Madonna Della Cava isn't a cultural phenomenon. It's more like a buffet. If food from trailers and Roman Catholicism is your thing, check it out.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by mstansberry on August 31, 2004

Feast of the Madonna Della Cava
Boston, Massachusetts

About the Writer

mstansberry
mstansberry
West Long Branch, New Jersey

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