WHY DID YOU COME TO BOSTON? If you came for a quick overview or a theme park ride, then we’re probably not for you. If on the other hand you came for a FUN FILLED tour to See the Best of Boston, join us aboard the Orange & Green Trolley. • Boston’s most comprehensive tour, fully narrated by our expert tour conductors • Boston's most frequent service, with pick up and drop off at 16 convenient stops • Exclusive stops & attraction discounts • Free reboarding Kids Ride FREE* Ride 2nd Day for Only $10* “The Whites of their Eyes” Exhibit or Boston Harbor Cruise Included* At The Corner Mall you’ll find a world of shops, boutiques and 100% MONEY BACK GUARANTEE an international food court offering something for every palate. 617-269-7010 www.historictours.com * Certain restrictions apply. America’s Most Trusted Sightseeing Company. Key West • St. Augustine • Savannah • San Diego • Boston • Washington DC CONTENTS departments 10 calendar 12 12 26 currently in boston 32 shopping 40 maps of cambridge, boston & the region 49 53 49 museums FEATURES 53 sightseeing cover story 66 8 ’Tis the Season restaurant guide The Nutcracker, Black Nativity, the Rockettes and more— boston in focus check out our best bets for holiday fun in the Hub. 39 information desk • By the Numbers Holiday Gift Guide • Here’s a Tip… 26 61 Find the perfect gifts for everyone on your list—from mom and provincetown dad to the family dog—with our handy annual guide. Cape Cod’s crowning jewel Check Out 62 PANORAMA’S PICKS MUSEUMS: freedom trail CURRENT EVENTS: 49 Art Deco:1910–939 at the on the Web Follow the red-brick path through 12 Boston Tea Party re-enactment Museum of Fine Arts 16 historic sights www.panoramamagazine.com 16 The Holiday Table exhibit at the SIGHTSEEING: Gardner Museum 22 Tea at Five 53 Ice skating at the Frog Pond on 64 starring Kate Mulgrew at the Shubert Boston Common cambridge Theatre 24 Fully Committed starring DINING: 66 Azure Discover the city across the John Kuntz at Lyric Stage 67 HIGH 5s: Winter Warmers Charles River 81 theatre district dining Great eating before or after the show 82 ON THE COVER: boston’s tables Santa Claus is joined by the • Dick’s Last Resort world-famous Rockettes, 83 Boston’s most current resource for the best who kick up their heels as the north end entertainment, shopping, sightseeing and dining in the city part of the Radio City Christmas A taste of Italy here in The Hub Spectacular at the Wang Theatre. 84 FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION, CALL 617-423-3400 boston confidential • Behind the Boston Common Christmas Tree 4 PANORAMA DECEMBER 6–19, 2004 5 December 6–19, 2004 PANORAMA, Volume 54, Number 15 Jerome Rosenfeld Chairman Tim Montgomery President/Publisher Christopher Wallenberg Editor Scott Roberto Art/Production Director Christine Celli Associate Editor Kristin K. Carr Design/Production Associate Elizabeth Bridleman Production Assistant Diana Aramburu Editorial Assistant Jacolyn Ann Firestone Vice President, Advertising Dennis Lloyd Vice President, Strategic Sales Rita A. Fucillo Director of Marketing and Public Relations Patrick Manchon Senior Account Executive Jessica Barry, Tadd Rosenfeld Account Executives Peter Ng Information Technology Manager George Ghareeb Technical Consultant Melissa J. O’Reilly Business Manager 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 without 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 Business Publications Audit of Circulation, Inc., an independent audit bureau recognized by the American Association of Advertising Agencies. PANORAMA is online at www.panoramamagazine.com 6 PANORAMA All Aboard! They’ve Got Legs early everything in the hey may have given a high-heeled kick to Boston Ballet’s NBay State tends to be Tbeloved version of The Nutcracker (which has been boot- IS THE EASON aglow with twinkling lights ed over to the Colonial Theatre), but New York’s world- this time of year, but for a famous Rockettes are still faring better in the Hub than their ’T S ! truly spectacular holiday dis- Yankee counterparts could ever hope to. Boston audiences are Panorama’s Best Bets for holiday fun in the Hub play that can be enjoyed while lining up to catch a glimpse of said Rockettes, Santa Claus on board a heated passenger and a cast of 50 for the first-ever local appearance of the ven- by Christine Celli and Scott Roberto train, head to South Carver erable Radio City Christmas Spectacular, at the Wang and Edaville USA—a railroad- Theatre through December 31.The Visions of Sugar Plums… themed amusement park built show, which has been packing ’em oston Ballet’s rendition of The Nutcracker has long been one of the area’s around a cranberry bog. into Radio City Music Hall since Bbiggest holiday events—in fact, it annually attracts Edaville offers visitors a 1933, features everything from more people than any other staging of The Nutcracker chance to step back to a time the moving “Living Nativity” in the country. This year, however, the 41st edition of when rail travel was the only scene to a mini version of “The the beloved classic moves from the Ballet’s traditional home at the enormous way to get where you wanted Nutcracker” with 31 dancing Wang Theatre to the more intimate confines of the historic Colonial Theatre, to go. The park also boasts sev- bears and a 35-foot-tall where it takes up residence through December 31. To mark the occasion, the eral childrens’ rides and a Christmas tree. But the real stars company has re-tooled the production, creating all-new sets, costumes and cho- museum dedicated to the his- of the show are the high-kicking reography to best utilize the new venue. Based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s fairytale tory of cranberry farming, the Rockettes—whether emerging from and set to the memorable compositions of Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker is state’s biggest agricultural Fifth Avenue store windows, hitching still sure to capture the magic of the holiday season like no other event. industry. But it’s around the themselves and their 72 legs to For those on a budget, another local tradition takes up residence at the holidays that things get truly Santa’s sleigh, or wowing the audi- Sanctuary Theatre in Cambridge’s Harvard Square when Jose Mateo’s magical. Board one of several ence as toy soldiers in the classic Ballet Theatre’s version of The Nutcracker hits the stage for its 17th antique trains and take a five- “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers.” year through December 19. Refer to listings, pages 16 & 18. and-a-half mile journey Refer to listing, page 18. through the park, which glit- ters with thousands of lights. Pops Stars Poetry in Motion When your trip concludes, grab Misery Loves Company oston’s holiday season hits full swing powerful marriage of the Gospel of St. a hot chocolate at the Freight f the holidays have you gag- Bwhen the beloved Boston Pops take the ALuke and the poetry of Langston House Cafe and then pay a Iging at the thought of endless stage at Symphony Hall for its annual Hughes, Black Nativity unites scripture, visit to Santa Claus, who is on lines at the mall, visits with Holiday Pops concerts beginning December verse, music and dance to create a holiday hand at Cran Central Junction. annoying relatives and candy- 13. Maestro Keith Lockhart and principal event brought to life by 160 singers, actors, Refer to listing, page 18. induced toothaches, Boston’s guest conductor Bruce Hangen are joined by dancers and musicians. Boston boasts the got just the cure for the holiday an array of special musical visitors—includ- oldest production in the nation, featuring Now Playing blues: Ryan Landry, the Hub’s ing country music star Collin Raye and such memorable songs as The Brattle Theatre in reigning king of the pop culture teenage singing sensation Hayley Westenra “Go Tell It On the Mountain” Cambridge screens the Jimmy parody.This year, the play- (who appear on December 16 in a show to be and “O’ Jer-usalem,” and is Stewart holiday classic It’s a wright and drag performer, taped for television)—and even Santa himself produced by the National Wonderful Life, December along with his Gold Dust Orphans troupe, is reviving his pop- as the Pops highlight selections from its new Center for 17–21. For a more modern ular holiday spoof, Who’s Afraid of the Virgin Mary?, on holiday CD through December Afro-American look at the season, check out weekends in December at Theatre Machine. Cross-stitching 31. Refer to Artists. Steve Odederk’s Santa vs. The the story of the Nativity with Edward Albee’s searing classic listing, Through Snowman or The Polar Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Landry’s lampoon details page 12. December 19 Express featuring Tom Hanks, the feuding couple, Mary and Joseph—lost in time, still living Michael Lutch at the Tremont two animated 3-D films playing in Bethlehem and in a perpetual state of drunken oblivion. Temple Baptist at the Simons IMAX Theatre Enter the young Kringles, Santa and “the Mrs.,” for an alco- Church.