I've been in and out of the lab, trying to balance healing with productivity, in hopes that resting up will kick this plague once and for all so I can head up to Boston later this week for some time in the city and spending Yom Kippur with family and friends. Husband is in the middle of his fellowship interviews, and since there seems to be a good chance he will wind up in Boston, I am tagging along to confirm that I'd be willing to head to Boston for the next stage of my life
My statcounter tells me that there are a number of individuals in the greater Boston area who read my blog, so send me your recommendations! I've been to Boston several times before, but Husband has only been for medical school and residency (and now fellowship) interviews, so what should we do? Send me your favorite things to do and restaurant recommendations, por favor! Any particularly great neighborhoods to check out should I be moving in that general direction (looking for a nice balance of somewhere in walking distance to things we need, bars, restaurants, etc., but not filled with noisy undergrads)? We'll be staying a few blocks away from Mass General, so extra bonus points for things within walking distance that I can do on my own during Husband's interviews... provided I am not still stuck in bed feeling like death.
You know I live an hour from Boston, right? And might also be moving there soon? Let me know if you want to meet up while you're in town!
ReplyDeleteMGH is pretty close to Beacon Hill, Boston Common and the public gardens (where the Make Way for Ducklings statue is). Those are all good places to wander. The Freedom Trail is worth walking. If you're interested in the USS Constitution or Bunker Hill, you can take the free MGH shuttle from the hospital to Charlestown Navy Yard. The shuttle also stops at North Station, pretty close to the North End (the Italian neighbourhood - get cannoli at Mike's or Modern Pastry on Hanover St, if you can stand the queues).
ReplyDeleteI love the Mapparium at the Christian Science headquarters and the glass flowers at the Harvard Natural History museum.
For potential places to live, I'd recommend either Cambridge or Brookline/Coolidge Corner. The red line goes right through Cambridge to MGH. Rent is expensive close to the T at Harvard or Central Square, but if you go further out (Porter or Davis) or a 15-20 minute walk from a stop (eg Inman Square), it's more reasonable. Inman has excellent tapas (Dali), Indian (The Kebab Factory, or Punjabi Dhaba for cheap food), ice cream (Christina's - carrot cake is my favourite) and brunch (S&S - or Ryles for Jazz brunch on Sundays).
Brookline/Coolidge Corner is popular with grad students and postdocs at the Longwood Medical Area and Harvard professors in general (good schools). The green line runs to Park St, reasonably close to MGH, but it's slower than the red line. The banana-stuffed french toast at Zaftig's is awesome.
Beacon Hill would be really convenient for MGH and it's a nice historic area and close to downtown, but it's more expensive. I'd avoid the B green line entirely; it's painfully slow, and Brighton/Allston is where the BU undergrads congregate.
I hope you're feeling better and can enjoy the trip.
So sorry you've been so sick! Ugh - and pink eye? How annoying!
ReplyDeleteI've only been to Boston once, and it was in the winter, but I really enjoyed walking around the MIT and Harvard areas.
Kate - I'd love to meet up, I sent you a DM on Twitter. :)
ReplyDeleteLucy - Thanks for SO MANY suggestions! I did the Public Gardens and a bit of Boston Common two years ago when I was in Boston for a conference, but haven't done the Freedom Trail since I was in high school, so I'll definitely hit that up. And I haven't been to the Harvard Natural History museum -- going to check that out! I went to Zaftig's on my last trip, but I did not have the banana-stuffed french toast (I went for the Zaftig combo to fulfill my need for excellent Jewish food that I can't find in DC), so perhaps a repeat trip is in order to try out the french toast. :) Also, thanks for naming the bakeries in the North End -- my parents said I had to go get a cannoli, but they couldn't remember the names of the actual bakeries.
Happy New Year - L'shanah tovah. But it's no good to start out the new year with the "lab plague" - that sounds awful. Hope the situation improves.
ReplyDeleteI've read your blog on and off, but just wanted to comment that I'm another science grad student (hopefully finishing up this spring) and my husband and I are both interviewing for postdocs and such in Boston.
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