what to do • where to go • what to see May 7–20, 2007 The Officficialial GuGuideide to BOSBOSTONTON THE BEACON HILL ISSUE PLUS: Opening Night at the Boston Pops PAGE 6 Mother’sMother’s Day Dining Ideas PAGE 13 Our Guide to College Commencements PAGE 25 www.panoramamagazine.com www.panoramamagazine.com WHAT WOULD BE THE SOUNDTRACK contents OF YOUR LIFE? COVER STORY 14 The Old Neighborhood Our guide to Boston’s beautiful, historic and happening Beacon Hill neighborhood DEPARTMENTS y Marcic By Doroth 6 around the hub 6 NEWS & NOTES 12 NIGHTLIFE 10 STYLE 13 DINING 11 ON EXHIBIT NOW 18 the hub directory “Somewhere 19 CURRENT EVENTS between PLAYING! 26 MUSEUMS & GALLERIES ‘Oprah’ and 31 CLUBS & BARS ‘Mamma Mia!’” 34 EXCURSIONS 36 FREEDOM TRAIL —Chicago Tribune 38 MAPS 43 SIGHTSEEING 47 SHOPPING 54 RESTAURANTS 64 NEIGHBORHOODS A FUNNY, EXUBERANT LOOK AT THE LIVES OF WOMEN AS 78 5 questions with… TOLD THROUGH TOP 40 Beacon Hill historian HITS INCLUDING: LEAH WALCZAK Telecharge.com: QUE SERÁ SERÁ 800-447-7400 I WILL FOLLOW HIM PIECE OF MY HEART Groups: 617-269-9900 STAND BY YOUR MAN WHERE THE BOYS ARE WISHIN’ AND HOPIN’ YOU DON’T OWN ME on the cover: LIGHTING THE WAY: The famed golden dome GREATEST LOVE OF ALL Nineteenth century architecture of the State House rises I WILL SURVIVE! and gas streetlamps are hall- above Beacon Hill. marks of Beacon Hill. Photo: Ethan B. Backer. Refer to story, page 14. stuartstreetplayhouse.com respectthemusical.com PHOTO BY E THAN B. BACKER Produced by Heather Burke. ___ MAY 7–20, 2007 3 The Official Guide to BOSTON www.panoramamagazine.com May 7–20, 2007 Volume 56 • Number 25 Jerome Rosenfeld • CHAIRMAN Tim Montgomery • PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER Christine Celli • EDITOR Scott Roberto • ART/PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Josh B. Wardrop • ASSOCIATE EDITOR Sharon Hudak Miller • ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Heather S. Burke • PHOTO EDITOR Saba Alhadi, Ethan B. Backer, Sarah Bouwkamp, Erika Fields, Della Huff • CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Arielle Altman, Erica Coray, Katie Veillette • EDITORIAL INTERNS Jacolyn Ann Firestone • VICE PRESIDENT, ADVERTISING Rita A. Fucillo • DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS Tyler Montgomery, Laura A. Owen • ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Michael Pope • SALES AND MARKETING INTERN Paul Hurst • NATIONAL ADVERTISING SALES HURST & ASSOCIATES, INC. 800-397-8908 • [email protected] Peter Ng • INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MANAGER Melissa J. O’Reilly • BUSINESS MANAGER George Ghareeb • TECHNICAL CONSULTANT PANORAMA is published bi-weekly by Jerome Press Publications Inc. Editorial and advertising offices at 332 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210. Telephone (617) 423- 3400. Printed in the U.S.A. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced with- out written permission of the publisher. PANORAMA is a member of the Massachusetts Lodging Association, The Back Bay Association, The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, The Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau, Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Boston Concierge Association, the Harvard Square Business Association, the Newbury Street League and the Downtown Crossing Association. PANORAMA is audited by BPA Worldwide, an independent audit bureau recognized by the American Association of Advertising Agencies. a magazine affiliate ___ ___ 4 PANORAMA MAY 7–20, 2007 5 calendar of events aroundthehubby Josh B. Wardrop FRIDAY, MAY 11 NEWS&NOTES For laughter and singing, hit up Ladley and Craig at ImprovBoston. Every show, the hilarious cast improvises the story of a fictional Broadway songwriting duo reliving the amusing peaks and valleys of their career. Refer to listing, page 19. SUNDAY, MAY 13 The musical sensation Crazy For You sings and dances its way into the North YDEN Shore Music Theatre, complete with L UL A romance, mistaken identities, plot twists P QUACK THIS WAY and show-stopping Gershwin classics. BY O Little ones will have the Refer to listing, page 23. T HO opportunity to put one P X webbed foot in front of the MONDAY, MAY 14 O S ED other on May 13, on the J.D. Drew (pictured) and the Boston Red / R OO ON Boston Common, as the park Sox duke it out with Gary Sheffield and L Y the defending American League champion BOST hosts the incredibly popular IND C Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park. Refer to OF annual family event, the BY O TESY Duckling Day Parade. listing, page 22. T HO COUR Celebrating Make Way P for Ducklings, the beloved THURSDAY, MAY 17 & children’s book by Robert FRIDAY, MAY 18 McCloskey, the parade For two nights, German-American allows children to recreate singer/songwriter Antje Duvekot plays Pops Opener Tops the walk that the Mallard her raw, unpolished folk tunes to family took through the audiences at Club Passim. Refer to ome people think a night of classical music performed by an incredibly gifted symphony Common. Led by the listing, page 21. Sfull of exceptional musicians sounds stuffy, boring and an absolute lock to book them a Harvard University ticket on the 7:35 direct train to Snoretown. However, it’s a safe bet that these people have Marching Band, youngsters FRIDAY, MAY 18 & never seen a Boston Pops concert. have a police escort as they SATURDAY, MAY 19 Led by young, exuberant conductor Keith Lockhart (pictured above)—now in his 13th sea- waddle, walk and roll in Get ready to laugh when Boston native son at the helm of the acclaimed 122-year-old offshoot of the Boston Symphony Orchestra— strollers through the park and star of HBO’s “Tourgasm” Gary the Pops’ season opener on May 9 is set to continue the light classical ensemble’s tradition of up to the corner of Beacon Gulman brings his hilarious standup thrilling music lovers with surprisingly modern takes on classical and popular music. and Charles streets. routine to the Comedy Connection. This year’s season opener—a fundraiser event for the orchestra that includes a champagne Tickets are $25 per fam- Refer to listing, page 19. reception for ticketholders prior to the show—features a special guest, singer-songwriter ily, and refreshments are Ben Folds (above, inset), who joins the Pops to perform some of his own melancholy pop hits, available at the parade, so SATURDAY, MAY 19 including “Brick” and “The Luckiest.” So, put aside your preconceptions about dusty old Mahler don’t miss your opportuni- Music for a cause! Grammy winning musi- tunes and embrace a whole new breed of classical virtuosity. Refer to listing, page 19. ty to duck on over to the cians Dan Zanes and Friends play their Common and take part in folky, family-friendly dance music at the news & notes 6 • style 10 • this beloved tradition. Berklee Performance Center in a concert Refer to listing, page 20. benefiting the Bright Horizons Foundation on exhibit 11 • nightlife 12 • dining 13 cont. on page 8 >> for Children. Refer to listing, page 21. ___ ___ ABOVE PHOTO BY K INDRA C LINEFF/ 6 PANORAMA COURTESY OF M ASS. OFFICE OF T RAVEL & TOURISM MAY 7–20, 2007 7 aroundthehub:NEWS&NOTES << cont. GARDEN PARTY 30 local, regional and the nation, established in from page 7 Ever walked by a national environmental 1872 by Frederick Law gorgeous home in a chi-chi groups—include a map for Olmsted—annually cele- neighborhood and wished the self-guided tour and brates the full flowering of you could clamber over the complimentary tea and cof- their expansive lilac collec- wall and poke your nose fee for those taking the tour. tion with a full day of fami- around? Well, now’s your Refer to listing, page 22. ly-friendly activities, chance to do just that in including Morris dancing Boston’s tony Beacon Hill, and picnicking. (In fact, THE DARLING BUDS as the Beacon Hill Garden Lilac Sunday is the only OF MAY Club hosts the 78th annual day of the year in which tour of the community’s If you’re the type who looks picnicking is allowed on the Hidden Gardens on May forward to spring because 265-acre grounds.) 17 from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. of the arrival of bright, Refreshments are available Lovers all of things beautiful, bountiful bou- for purchase from 10 botanical will have access quets of flowers, one Boston a.m.–4 p.m., but even if to 11 private gardens, as attraction should be at the you’re only looking to drink well as two ribbon gardens top of your sightseeing to- in the natural beauty of and two institutions’ gar- do list this month. On May these magnificent lilacs— dens, to check out amazing 13, the Arnold Arboretum as well as the 7,000 other flowering collections that (pictured above) hosts its species of tress, shrubs and are normally hidden from annual Lilac Sunday event flowers—the Arboretum is passers-by. The limited $25 from dawn to dusk. the kind of place that can’t tickets ($30 day of)—monies The Arboretum—the help but grow on you. Refer from which go to more than oldest public arboretum in to listing, page 43. ___ ABOVE PHOTO COURTESY OF THE 8 PANORAMA A RNOLD A RBORETUM OF H ARVARD U NIVERSITY aroundthehub:STYLE by Katie Veillette aroundthehub:ON EXHIBIT by Scott Roberto Something Go Buy Art Calendar Thinking for Every Things G Outside Body the Box UPFERBER K , OKW JOSEPH CORNELL: . 1910 234 Clarendon St. IPKENS NAVIGATING THE G CA 617-266-4114 , IMAGINATION Peabody Essex Museum OLD ULIUS ne clothing J G Through August 18 Omanufacturer MAY 9 uch like the says you’re a size International Poster Gallery Mwork of 4, with another, In conjunction with the exhibit Joseph Cornell you can’t fit into Objects of Desire: Product Poster (1903–1972), the anything under an Masterpieces from the Corset to Peabody Essex 8.