what to do • where to go • what to see January 14–27, 2008 The Officficialial GuGuideide to BOSBOSTONTON WINTER FUN IN BOSTON PLUS: Free Open House at the Museum of Fine Arts MLK Day Events Spamalot Returns to Boston PANORAMA Welcomes the YANKEE DENTAL CONFERENCE panoramamagazine.com contents COVER STORY 13 Winter Fun in Boston The inside scoop on the best waysways to enjoy the Hub when the weather is cold DEPARTMENTS 6 around the hub 6 NEWS & NOTES 10 DINING 12 ON STSTAGEAGE 9 ON EXHIBIT 11 NIGHTLIFE 18 the hub directory 19 CURRENT EVENTS 37 MAPS 26 CLUBS & BARS 43 FREEDOM TRAIL 28 MUSEUMS & GALLERIES 45 SHOPPING 32 SIGHTSEEING 51 RESTAURANTS 35 EXCURSIONS 65 NEIGHBORHOODS 78 5 questions with…Comedian COLIN QUINN SKATING AWAY: Our cover model Mary Elizabeth makesmakes likelike MicMichellehelle KwKwanan at the Boston Common Frog Pond skating rink. Refer to storstory,y, page 13. PHOTO BY T IM L LEWELLYN on the cover: Mary Elizabeth of Maggie Inc. takes a spin aroundaround the FrogFrog Pond skating rink on Boston Common. Photo: TTimim Llewellyn/wwwLlewellyn/www.fourl.com..fourl.com. Hair and Make-up: Rachael Berkowitz. Produced by Heather Burke ___ JANUARY 14–27, 2008 3 The Official Guide to BOSTON www.panoramamagazine.com January 14–27, 2008 Volume 57 • Number 17 Jerome Rosenfeld • CHAIRMAN Tim Montgomery • PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER Josh B. Wardrop • EDITOR Scott Roberto • ART DIRECTOR Sharon Hudak Miller • PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Heather S. Burke • PHOTO EDITOR Ethan B. Backer, Jonathan Daisy, Betsy A. Halsey, Tim Llewellyn, Della Huff • CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Erin Goldman, Eva Medoff, Sarah Shanfield • EDITORIAL INTERNS Jacolyn Ann Firestone • VICE PRESIDENT, ADVERTISING Kristi Wolfrom • ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Rita A. Fucillo • DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS Paul Hurst • NATIONAL ADVERTISING SALES HURST & ASSOCIATES, INC. 800-397-8908 • [email protected] Peter Ng • INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MANAGER Melissa J. O’Reilly • BUSINESS MANAGER Tyler J. Montgomery • OPERATIONS 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, the South End Business Alliance, the North End Chamber of Commerce 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 PANORAMAMAGAZINE.COM JANUARY 14–27, 2008 5 calendar of events aroundthehubby Josh B. Wardrop WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16 NEWS&NOTES Adrift in Macao, a musical spoof of film noir by lauded playwright Christopher Durang and compos- er Peter Melnick, continues its run at the Lyric Stage Company. Refer to listing, page 23. GET IN THE KNOW SATURDAY, JANUARY 19 ABOUT STOWE Expect a bravura vocal perform- If you find yourself in the ance from acclaimed counter- vicinity of Copley Place on tenor David Daniels when January 26, make sure you he brings his dulcet tones to stop by the Panorama Jordan Hall at the New England Welcome Center (pictured Conservatory. Refer to listing, above). In addition to having page 19. the opportunity to pick up additional copies of the fine FRIDAY, JANUARY 25 publication you’re reading Experience an evening of right now, you’ll be able to superlative guitar and exotic AIR F ask a Welcome Center South American sounds when the Y concierge for tips on how to Sanders Theatre plays host to The ENR get the most out of your Assad Brothers’ (pictured) J. H visit to Boston. And, begin- Brazilian Guitar Festival at 8 BY O ning at 11 a.m., a represen- p.m. Refer to listing, page 22. T HO tative from the Stowe, Vt. P Area Association will be SATURDAY, JANUARY 26 MFA Becomes Museum of Free Arts onhand for the PWC’s spe- Send the kids to bed early, then cial Snow and Stowe event. break out the goth make-up oston’s premiere institution for the appreciation of art masterpieces and world cul- Those planning a day or and leather pants. Everybody’s Bture—the Museum of Fine Arts—invites visitors to partake of its amazing and expan- weekend trip to our north- favorite rock ’n’ roll creep, sive collections for free on January 21, as the MFA hosts its Winter Open House 2008. ern neighbors in Vermont Marilyn Manson, brings his Art lovers can enjoy free general admission to the museum and the MFA’s current can find out about skiing, singular performance style to Napoleon and the Art of the Empire Style exhibit, as well as a day filled with special activi- snowboarding and lodging the Orpheum. Refer to listing, ties. Berklee College of Music alum Kendrick Oliver and his New Life Jazz Orchestra per- options, while also entering page 22. form two shows—at 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.—honoring legends of the big band jazz sound for exclusive giveaways. like Lionel Hampton, Duke Ellington and Count Basie. The MFA Teen Arts Council offers Refer to listing, page 34. SUNDAY, JANUARY 27 guided tours of the MFA’s current special exhibition of exotic footwear, Walk This Way, at Actress Rebekah Maggor 10:30 a.m., noon and 1 p.m. Special family activities like film screenings and hands-on (pictured) takes audiences on HAIL TO THE KING ceramic-making workshops are also offered during this daylong event. a one-woman exploration of RILLIANT It’s a perfect opportunity to check out one of Boston’s most beloved cultural gems, so January means the arrival history’s most acclaimed female B come in out of the cold and invigorate your senses at the MFA. Refer to listing, page 29. of Martin Luther King Day, representations of the Bard in the W and numerous activities Huntington Theatre Company’s lat- NDRE A news & notes 6 • on exhibit 9 • dining 10 • commemorating the life of est presentation, Shakespeare’s BY O Dr. King are scheduled at Actresses in America. Refer to T nightlife 11 • on stage 12 HO cont. on page 8 >> listing, page 25. P ___ ___ ABOVE PHOTO BY LOU J ONES ABOVE PHOTO BY E THAN B. BACKER 6 PANORAMAMAGAZINE.COM JANUARY 14–27, 2008 7 aroundthehub:NEWS&NOTES aroundthehub:ON EXHIBIT by Scott Roberto Memorial Breakfast at 8 a.m., which unites communi- Gallery In Living ty leaders and the public in a Roundup Color celebration of King’s message of peace, unity and equality THE GODS IN COLOR: PAINTED SCULPTURE FOR (refer to listing, page 20). , , 2007 OF CLASSICAL ENT EAR ANITQUITY EP N R Arthur M. Sackler Museum , ARE Through January 20 HOW DOES YOUR IM L GARDNER GROW? IMES T urns out, ULINE ND A Proving that Boston does P E Tancient sculp- know how to build some- FIRE, Brickbottom Gallery, through tors didn’t have a thing other than high-end February 9 (pictured above). This fetish for white apartment buildings, one of group show presents the works of marble after all. At the city’s most charming art more than a dozen artists who least that’s the premise of the show Gods in Color at museums is moving ahead explore the varied nature of fire, Harvard University’s Sackler Museum. Organized by with a bold expansion plan. from its destructive and life-giving researchers in Germany, the exhibit presents reproduc- Plans have been filed at properties to its more metaphorical tions of classical sculptures which have been painted in City Hall for a 60,000 connotations of passion and vio- the vivid colors scientific analysis reveals they originally square-foot expansion to the lence. Refer to listing, page 31. bore. Also included are about 35 authentic ancient Greek, renowned Isabella Stewart Roman, Near Eastern and Egyptian pieces from Harvard’s Gardner Museum (pictured OFFICE SPACE, New Art Center, collection, which stand alongside their brightly pigment- left), slated to begin in 2009. 61 Washington Park, Newtonville, ed cousins, allowing visitors to view artifacts in familiar The extension—designed by 617-964-3424, beginning forms while seeing others, for the first time in centuries, acclaimed architect Renzo January 14. A display of works by as they were meant to be seen. Refer to listing, page 30. Piano—would build a new six artists who have transformed addition to house the muse- everyday objects—from paper Y um’s entrance, a perform- clips to shredded paper—into FAKING IT OF THE << cont. venues across the 2 p.m., a forum discussion ance hall, working green- art comes to nearby Newton. MEI E T CENTUR ZHANG DAQIAN: A from page 8 TH city on January 21. about President John F. houses for the Gardner’s PAINTER, COLLECTOR, OUNT 20 Here’s just a few of Kennedy’s role in supporting extensive botanical collec- DRAG ME IN, DRAG ME OUT, FORGER , , M SINGING the way visitors to Boston Dr. King’s lifelong mission tions, more exhibition space Paradise Lounge Gallery, 969 Museum of Fine Arts AIN QIAN Through September 14 AND Commonwealth Ave., 617-562- A can celebrate the life of our during his presidency.The and more space for adminis- D MOUNT nation’s most prominent Boston Children’s Chorus trative and behind-the- 8820, beginning January 17. One of the most OUS RINKING HANG IT advocate for civil rights.