June 11–24, 2012 THE OFFICIAL GUIDE to BOSTON PANORAMAEV ENTS | SIGHTS | SHOPPING | MAPS | DINING | NIGHTLIFE | CULTURE CIRQUE DU SOLEIL T TO EM invades Boston page 8 SPEND A DAY IN BEACON HILL A PEEK AT THE PAST T RHE NO th END MOLASSES FLOOD BA CK IN BOSTON SUPERN MA ’S BRANDON ROUTH www.bostonguide.com job number: 52076_D6_C1-1 date: 05/17/12 client: RLX advertiser: RLX dtp: color: cs: acct: client: please contact thelab at 212-209-1333 with any questions or concerns regarding these materials. June 11–24, 2012 THE OFFICIAL GUIDE TO BOSTON Volume 62 • No. 2 contents Features Shining Light on 8 the Dawn of Man Cirque du Soleil’s Totem A Day in Beacon Hill 10 Shopping, dining and more in Boston’s classic neighborhood A Peek at the Past 12 The Great Molasses Flood Keep on Truckin’ 6 13 The food truck craze hits the Hub PANO’s Guide to 14 Outdoor Shopping Enjoy a bit of scenery while bargain hunting around the Hub Departments 6 HUBBUB African-American baseball pioneers, Egyptian artifacts and more 16 Boston’s Official Guide 8 16 Current Events 23 On Exhibit 27 Shopping 34 Cambridge 39 Maps 45 Neighborhoods 52 Sightseeing 61 Freedom Trail 63 Dining 78 Back in Boston Actor Brandon Routh ON THE COVER: The Crystal Man from Cirque du Soleil’s Totem. 10 BOTTOM PHOTO: DEREK KOUYOUMJIAN BOSTONGUIDE.COM 3 Thf E Of ICIAl guIDE TO BOSTOn www.bostonguide.com June 11–24, 2012 Volume 62 • Number 2 Tim Montgomery • President/Publisher Samantha House • Editor Scott Roberto • Art Director Paul Adler • Associate Editor John Herron Gendreau • Associate Art Director Derek Kouyoumjian • Contributing Photographer Benjamin Lindsay • Staff Writer Kiana Sarabia Strayhorn • Editorial Intern Ze Sheng Liang, Danielle Ashley Burke • Photo Interns Rita A. Fucillo • Vice President, Publishing Jacolyn Ann Firestone • Vice President, Advertising Robert Ley • Senior Account Executive Tyler J. Montgomery • Vice President, Operations Melissa J. O’Reilly • Business Manager PANORAMA is published bi-weekly by New Venture Media Group LLC. Editorial and advertising offices at 332 Congress St., 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 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 Downtown Crossing Association, the Kendall Square Association and the Central Square Business Association. a magazine affiliate Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/panoramaboston and Twitter: @PanoramaBoston 4 PANORAMA Offi cial Jeweler of the Boston Red Sox LUX BOND & GREEN Lux Bond & Green is proud to be the Offi cial Jeweler of the Boston Red Sox. We invite you to visit our stores or go online to www.LBGreen.com to view more merchandise. RedRed Sox Sox 1616 oz. oz. Mug, Mug, $19 | $19Red Sox | usedUsed baseball baseball cuffl inks, cufflinks, $185 | Baseball $185 and glove | Baseball lamp, $395 &| Redglove Sox lamp, wallet, $70 $395 Bottle OpenerRed from Soxused bats,wallet, $125 $70| Green |Monster Bottle mug, Opener $19 | Antique from brass used cuffl inks, bats, $25 $125| Red Sox | Greenjersey mug, Monster $19 | Pen frommug, salvaged $19 seats, $250 Antique brass cufflinks, $25 | Red Sox jersey mug, $19 | Pen from salvaged seats, $250 www.LBGreen.com LUX BOND & GREEN JEWELRY WATCHES GIFTS • SINCE 1898 416 Boylston Street Boston 617.266.4747 60 Central Street Wellesley 781.235.9119 West Hartford | Mohegan Sun | Glastonbury | Westport | South Windsor | Greenwich | 1.800.24-7336 GAME CHANGERS Since the Cuban Giants became the first black team to go pro in 1885, African American athletes have helped mold baseball into the beloved pastime it is today. In honor of Fenway Park’s centennial, the Museum of African American History (refer to listing, page 23) is offering an exhibit on black baseball’s past. The Color of Baseball in Boston highlights little- known stories of the game’s greatest players. The pristinely preserved uniform of Will “Cannonball” Jackman, a Negro League legend, is a special highlight. The exhibit also features historic newspaper clippings, cartoons and photographs, as well as a tribute to hall-of-famer Jackie Robinson. MAAH’s newest exhibit shows that during an era when America was rigidly divided by race, there was still a shared dream of running the diamond and sliding into home. —Benjamin Lindsay WHAT BOSTON’S BUZZING ABOUT MUMMY DEAREST 6.11.12 Who hasn’t wondered what a mummy looks like up close? At the Museum of Science’s (refer to listing, page 24) expansive new exhibition Lost Egypt: Ancient Secrets, Modern Science, visitors can get up close and personal with a long- departed Egyptian. The culture’s ancient art and society explodes back to life through a wealth of interesting exhibits and breathtaking artifacts on loan from the Brooklyn Museum and the Academy of Natural Sciences. Detailed statuettes and a beautiful collection of canopic jars (left) bearing the heads of various animals are particular treats. Fun, interactive exhibits are also abundant, and they all contain enough activities to keep kids interested for hours on end. —Paul Adler 6 PANORAMA HUBBUB TOP PHOTO: WEST NEWTON COLORED GIANTS, COURTESY OF HISTORIC NEWTON SLASHER FASHION Horror and high style artfully combine to create the devilish duds of Dance Party Massacre (dpmassacre.bigcartel.com). This cutting-edge clothier, fondly known as DPM, draws inspiration from late 1970s and early ’80s horror movies as well as a healthy dose of rock ’n’ roll and graphic art. Fashion futurist Alex Dakouli left a lucrative job designing footwear to focus on the Boston-based company full- time, which now offers T-shirts, sweatshirts, tank tops, prints and stickers all bearing unforgettable images that blend pop culture and horror chic. “I think the message behind Dance Party Massacre is universal,” says Dakoulis. “Live while you can because life can be short—so do what makes you happy.” Considering a new line of shirts inspired by movie monsters and a recent collaboration with edgy artist Boneface, Dance Party Massacre will be making us very happy for years to come. —Paul Adler SPICE WORLD The first Boston installment of the popular Manhattan food chain, Rosa Mexicano (155 Seaport Blvd., 617-476-6122), offers authentic Mexican cuisine amidst ceramic mosaics, indoor waterfalls and vibrant shades of pink. Mouth- watering guacamole is made at your table, accompanied by freshly made chips and salsa. Dishes such as pollo yucateco—made from organic chicken, plantains and spicy chile de arbol—send taste buds on a whirlwind adventure with a rush of zest and a touch of heat. Rosa’s signature frozen pomegranate margarita complements anything on the menu—including another round. —Kiana Sarabia Strayhorn BRITISH INVASION In the late 1940s when Tibby Wegner approached tennis icon and three-time Wimbledon winner Fred Perry with an idea for a retail line, Perry jumped at the concept. The brand, also named Fred Perry, has gone on to be an important part of British fashion and culture (they were the first to invent the sweatband). Now it’s bringing its traditional Brit style to Boston. In the newly opened Newbury Street location (301 Newbury St., 857-233- 4698), you’ll find slim-fit cotton pique shirts, brightly hued suede shoes and a line designed by the late Amy Winehouse. All are adorned with the signature laurel wreath—an ancient symbol for victory, authenticity, heritage and integrity. —Samantha House BOTTOM PHOTO: RANDY GROSS BOSTONGUIDE.COM 7 SHINING LIGHT ON THE DAWN OF MAN Cirque du Soleil’s shows eons apart from its CIRQUE DU SOLEIL’S three-ring counterparts. Each offering sparks TOM TE the imagination and stirs the emotions of Cirque’s sold-out audiences. There’s no Marine Industrial Park, 12 Channel St., June 10–July 1. cirquedusoleil.com boastful greatest-show-on-Earth gimmick— it simply is. Cirque du Soleil’s newest offering, Totem, VIBRANT RED, ORANGE AND YELLOW follows the history of humanity, from our lights dazzle the stage as feather-clad dancers pre-Dawn amphibian state all the way swarm the spotlight. Others jump in from the through and beyond the 21st century. The ceiling, performing gravity-defying midair whole show takes place on the arc of a giant acrobatics. Theatrics and stunts of such high turtle shell, a representation of origin in many order are mere habit for the cast of Cirque ancient cultures. du Soleil, the Quebec-based entertainment Along the way, audience members meet company that has been supplying larger- a cast of characters such as the Amerindian than-life thrills worldwide since 1984. In that Dancer—a feathered, furred and painted time, Cirque has produced 31 shows and has native who traces the history of evolution ultimately redefined the contemporary circus. through his hula hoop-sized rings—and the Without an elephant or lion tamer in sight, Crystal Man, an extraterrestrial who first the entertainment found here is exclusively a sparks life on Earth. Together, these char- product of the human mind and body. acters and more depict a land and a history Unparalleled choreography, inspired never before brought so beautifully to the costumes and soul-shaking soundtracks set stage. —Benjamin Lindsay 8 PANORAMA A DAY IN BEACON HILL FROM HISTORICAL SITES AND UPSCALE BOUTIQUES TO WORLD-CLASS EATERIES, there’s plenty to fill the day in the part of town that Boston’s elite call home. BY SAMANTHA HOUSE Black Ink Holiday Good WHERE TO CHOW DOWN IN STYLE: WHERE TO BUY HAPPINEss: The Hungry i (71½ Charles St., 617-227- Good (88 Charles St., 617-722-9200): This 3524): A favorite among locals looking for small boutique packs a big punch with hard- a relaxing and romantic atmosphere, which to-find jewelry and small gift items expertly perfectly complements the decadent offerings curated by owner Paul Niski.