<p>Folks, the weather for the last couple of days has been a balmy 68 deg (well, it’s balmy for here). Flowers in bloom, people walking around in T-shirts, shorts and flip-flops.</p>
<p>Mstee:</p>
<p>Both MIT and Harvard and Tufts are on the Red Line. The stop for MIT is MIT/Kendall; Harvard is Harvard Square (2 stops after MIT) and Tufts is Davis Square (2 stops after Harvard Square).</p>
<p>Rent a car for Brandeis and Wellesley. They are not far from each other, so you could combine a trip to both. BC is on the Green Line, but if you have a car, you may want to drive there, too.</p>
<p>For eating in the North End, I’d advise getting there (probably by subway, since parking isn’t terribly plentiful) and just walking around! Most of the restaurants post their menus outside, and it’s lovely to walk around and smell the garlic and window-shop. :D</p>
<p>Tks Marite–that is very helpful!</p>
<p>molliebatmit–Sounds like a good plan–that will be fun–I hope the nice weather holds up for walking around. I finally feel like walking will be fun again, I had heel pain for months!</p>
<p>The weather here in the Bay Area has been abysmal. Rained so hard today, I could hardly see when driving.</p>
<p>Maritee!! I also thank you for onfo</p>
<p>My Ds LOVE to thrift shop, so any ideas, and ideas for shopping tht is fun, not fancy?</p>
<p>We are doing evrything by mass transit, so wish us luck!!</p>
<p>The Garment District near Kendall Square is where most students get their funky clothes. I’ve never been, but my French niece went about 8 years ago and thought it was lots of fun. I believe there are some clothes you can buy by the pound. Newbury Street if for window shopping. You can also take the girls to Filene’s Basement. That’s where Mike Dukakis (remember him?) used to get his suits. When Cory Aquino and her husband Benigno lived (in exile) in Newton, she went shopping in Filene’s Basement to cheer herself up.</p>
<p>I was in the Bay area last week, and the weather here is better–at least for now.</p>
<p>I just want to alert everyone that Monday is Patriot’s Day in Boston, meaning the Boston Marathon will be on and things a bit more chaotic than usual…</p>
<p>Additionally, for those of you wanting to visit BC I would expect that they would be closed for tours from Holy Thursday (today) through Easter Monday so plan accordingly. </p>
<p>Watching the marathon at BC at the top of heartbreak hill is a great experience. Farther down the route in Kenmore Square by BU is also excellent. Lot’s of crowds with the Red Sox game that morning.</p>
<p>I suggest that when you dine in the North End, you don’t order dessert. After dinner walk around the neighborhood and stop at either Mike’s or Modern Pastry for cannolis, both are on Hanover Street. </p>
<p>I did hear that next week will be back in the high 50s, but I think it will be dry. Boston is a great city, enjoy!</p>
<p>The Garment District/Dollar-a-Pound in Cambridge is the place for thrift shopping. You can take the Red Line to Kendall Square. Hours and directions can be found in below link. All clothing at dollar-a-pound is actually $1.50 per pound with Friday being bargain day at $.75 per pound. </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.garment-district.com/location/index.htm[/url]”>http://www.garment-district.com/location/index.htm</a></p>
<p>That sounds perfect…my Ds just said 75CENTS a POUND, who hoo, know i am very worried what I will have to lug back</p>
<p>My daughter has had several successful trips to dollar-a-pound this school year. She fills her suitcase with funky 70’s-80’s clothing that she takes back to NYC where she sells it to a thrift store in Brooklyn. Just bring something like an LLBean totebag and you will be right at home in Boston.</p>
<p>We are thinking of going to Salem…good idea?</p>
<p>A bit of a drive. It is essentially a day trip, so you would have to budget the time.
Go to the Peabody-Essex Museum. It’s really several in one. One part is a traditional Chinese house that was dismantled then reconstituted in the museum. Another part focuses on the history of the NE China trade. There is also a lovely section devoted to Korean art.
There’s also the House of Seven Gables and the Essex Witches Museum, as well as many well-preserved 18th century houses.</p>
<p>How long a bus trip or by train…we don’t mind spending say from 9-4 doing this, if that is feasible…we have 5 days in Boston, so this could be a great trip…do they still have the village thing?</p>
<p>We are doing the freedom trail, are booked for the duck tour, checking out BU, BC, NU, and whatever else we can fit in, set aside time for the Garment District store, and checking out the museums</p>
<p>Sound like a lot, but we did Rome in 4 days, and you would be amazed at what we got in…</p>
<p>We are sooo excited, rain or shine</p>
<p>Has anyone mentioned the Mary Baker Eddy library on Massachusetts Avenue? I think it’s worth an hour.
<a href=“http://www.marybakereddylibrary.org%5B/url%5D”>www.marybakereddylibrary.org</a></p>
<p>looks interesting, i am lucky, all the girls i am taking are in AP American History right now, and they all love history</p>
<p>I think you should plan on at least one hour drive to Salem. A slightly shorter drive would be to Concord which typifies the NE small town. Drive by Walden Pond; visit the Old North Bridge (the “sound heard around the world”);there’s one house on Monument Street whose glass window still has the imprint of a bullet fired during the fight with the Red Coats. Drop by the Concord Museum (New England transcendentalists connection). </p>
<p>In Boston, walk in Beacon Hill. There are still lots of very narrow streets that in the old days led to stables (now converted to carriage houses). In Boston Commons, lok for the statue commemorating the 54th Mass Regiment (made up of African-Americans) that fought in the Civil War. If you go to Harvard, the girls may be interested in the glass flowers exhibit in the Harvard Museum of Natural History. The MIT museum is more quirky as befits a museum dedicated to technology and pranks. The Stata building was built by Frank Gerhy.</p>
<p>Are the girls interested in Wellesley? It’s a half-an hour drive out from Boston. A very pretty campus.</p>
<p>Oh. and I haave not checked the weather forecast, but today is 82 deg.</p>
<p>Marite–that all sounds SO interesting! </p>
<p>We have thought about driving to Plymouth on Mon.–is that worthwhile? </p>
<p>82 degrees!!</p>
<p>Last trip to Boston, I went to Quincy. That was fascinating.</p>
<p>When you say Quincy, you mean Quincy Market? Make sure you visit Faneuil Hall where it all started (say the local). The Union Oyster House is the oldest restaurant in the country. At Durgin Park, you pay to get insulted by the waitresses (I don’t believe they call themselves the waitstaff) as well as to eat large slabs of beef. In the Boston North End, you may pass by Paul Revere’s House. </p>
<p>In Cambridge, look at the cannons on the Commons; look up the freshman dorm where colonial troops were housed then walk down Tory Row (aka Brattle Street) where British generals and loyalists resided during the War of Independence. Quite a difference in living quarters! </p>
<p>I haven’t gone to Plimoth Plantation in a long long time. I don’t know what’s done at this time of the year, but I remember my kids as well as foreign friends being fascinated. Plymouth Rock is not much to see (the rock is tiny).</p>
<p>I hope the good weather holds, but if it’s as hot as today on Monday, marathoners are going to have a really hard time.</p>