July 8–21, 2013 THE OFFICIAL GUIDE to BOSTON PANORAMAPANORAEV ENTS | SIGHTS | SHOPPING | MAPS | DININGDIN | NIGHTLIFE A| CULTURCULTU E A Nine-Day Performing Arts Festival Featuring Over 200 Free Performances page 6 CELEBR ATE BASTILLE DAY IN THE BACK BAY SUMMER ARTS WEEKEND ENLIVENS COPLEY SQUARE The Magic Flute Boston Lyric Opera www.bostonguide.com oyster perpetual milgauss rolex oyster perpetual and milgauss are trademarks. July 8–21, 2013 THE OFFICIAL GUIDE TO BOSTON Volume 63 • No. 4 contents Features A Peek at the Past 8 The Charles River Esplanade PANO’s Guide 10 to the Seaport District Finally coming into its own, this waterfront neighborhood is the center of a booming dining, shopping and cultural scene 6 Departments 6 HUBBUB Free outdoor performances at Outside The Box, Bastille Day in the Back Bay, the Dead Sea Scrolls at the Museum of Science, a new Beantown brewery and Summer Arts Weekend in Copley Square 12 Boston’s Official Guide 12 Current Events 17 On Exhibit 20 Shopping 10 26 Cambridge 29 Maps 35 Neighborhoods 42 Sightseeing 49 Freedom Trail 51 Dining 62 Boston Accent Restaurateur Steve DiFillippo ON THE COVER: Outside The Box (refer to listing, page 16), which includes scenes from Boston Lyric Opera’s The Magic Flute. 62 MIDDLE PHOTO: COURTESY OF STREGA WATERFRONT BOSTONGUIDE.COM 3 ThfA E Of IcI l guIDE TO BOSTOn www.bostonguide.com July 8–21, 2013 Volume 63 • Number 4 Tim Montgomery • President/Publisher Scott Roberto • Art Director Paul Adler • Associate Editor John Herron Gendreau • Associate Art Director Gracie McKenzie • Editorial Intern Rita A. Fucillo • Vice President, Publishing Jacolyn Ann Firestone • Vice President, Advertising David Schachter • Senior Account Executive Tiffany Carnuccio • Account Executive Tyler J. Montgomery • Vice President, Operations Melissa J. O’Reilly • Business Manager Niki Lamparelli • Operations Assistant 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 Simons IMAX® Theatre New England Aquarium Whale Watch Presented by THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX Tired of the same old summer fair? The folks behind Outside The Box (refer to listing, page 16) had the same feeling when they created this unique nine- day arts extravaganza featuring more than 200 performances from artists of various disciplines. Taking place July 13–21, this festival has an impressive lineup, including performances by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (pictured) and The Lemonheads, as well as excerpts from Boston Lyric Opera’s fall production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute and a cooking demonstration by celebrity chef Ming Tsai. Artists, performers and acts in the categories of dance, music, theater, spectacle, family and culinary arts take over venues throughout Boston Common and City Hall Plaza. And the best part? Outside The Box is completely free. Visit outsidetheboxboston.org for details and a complete schedule for this must-see summer event. —Paul Adler LIBERTÉ, ÉGALITÉ, FRATERNITÉ Didn’t get enough liberty and justice with all of your July 4th celebrations? Here’s your chance to keep WHAT BOSTON’S BUZZING ABOUT the revelry going: On July 12 from 6–11 p.m., the French Cultural Center hosts its 38th annual Bastille 7.8.13 Day fête (refer to listing, page 12) honoring the French national holiday commemorating the day in 1789 that Parisians rose up against the monarchy and stormed the Bastille prison. Now guests can join 2,000 merrymakers on the blocked-off Marlborough Street in Back Bay for dancing, live music from Atlas Soul and Madame Moustache (pictured), as well as French foods and drinks—all in honor of friendship between nations, of course. Tickets go quickly at the door, but you can (and should) pick them up in advance at a discounted price from worldmusic.org or at the front desk of the French Cultural Center (53 Marlborough St., 617-912-0400). —Gracie McKenzie 6 PANORAMA HUBBUB BOTTOM PHOTO: S. BOIssEAU HISTORY WRIT LARGE One of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th century, the Dead Sea Scrolls were unearthed in 1947 by a goatherd who wandered into a cave. More than half a century later, these ancient documents continue to elicit awe and excite new scholarship on the Biblical era referenced in the 2,000-year-old writings. A new exhibit at the Museum of Science (refer to listing, page 18), Dead Sea Scrolls: Life in Ancient Times, showcases 20 fragments of the priceless artifacts, along with comprehensive displays and historical time lines illuminating life in the Middle East thousands of years ago. Among the hundreds of rare period objects on view are pottery, jewelry, coins, shoes, religious carvings and even a stone from Jerusalem’s Western Wall that forms part of a replica in which visitors can leave written messages that will be sent back to Israel. —Scott Roberto BOSTon’s new Brew Despite the Boston area’s reputation as a cradle of beer culture, the city itself was home to only two commercial breweries until Trillium Brewing Company (369 Congress St., 617-453-8745) opened this past March in the Seaport District, adding a third option for thirsty craft brew fans. This hidden gem, tucked away around the corner from the Fort Point Market, is open Thursday and Friday from 4–7:30 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. While the retail shop doesn’t currently serve samples, patrons can buy refillable 32- and 64-oz. growlers. The selection changes frequently, but past offerings have included Trillium’s signature farmhouse ale and the popular OneBoston American IPA, which raises money for the Boston Marathon bombing victims. Logo glassware, T-shirts and bottle openers are also for sale, providing the perfect memento of your visit to this newcomer to the suds scene. —Scott Roberto ART UNDER THE SUN Art doesn’t have to be expensive, highbrow or inaccessible. In fact, from July 26–28, experiencing the boons of creativity can be (mostly) free. For the second year, The Boston Globe, WGBH and Citizens Bank are co-sponsoring the Summer Arts Weekend. The centerpiece free outdoor performances in Copley Square kick off on Friday with a taste of New Orleans as Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Dr. John headline, joined by local bluegrass songstresses Della Mae. On Saturday, world music star Angelique Kidjo is joined by musicians ranging from bagpiper Carlos Nunez to ukelele wunderkind Jake Shimabukuro, while the Sunday concert is capped off with a performance by multiple Grammy Award- winning Americana superstar Alison Krauss (pictured). Other highlights include a baroque-themed Sunday brunch with the Hub’s Handel and Haydn Society, an art walk and ticketed late-night shows at the Westin Copley and Fairmont Copley hotels. Visit boston.com for a full schedule of events. —Gracie McKenzie TOP PHOTO: DARRYL MORAN/THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE; BOTTOM PHOTO: TINA HAGERLING BOSTONGUIDE.COM 7 A PEEK T THE PAST Taking the Mystery out of Boston History THE CHARLES RIVER ESPLANADE elieve it or not, just over a century ago the Charles BRiver Esplanade did not exist. Before the dedica- tion of the park as the Boston Embankment in 1910, there was no Hatch Shell concert stage or community sailing organization, no playgrounds or ball fields. Until construction of the Charles River Dam in that same year, the green space that now spans from the Museum of Science to the Boston University Bridge was a tidal estuary. The water rose and fell daily, alternately exposing sewage-polluted mud flats and flooding the narrow street separating it from adjoining Beacon Hill homes. While residents complained, no actions were taken to change the situation until landscape architect and Boston native Charles Eliot hatched a grand plan. Eliot had already founded Massachusetts’ Trustees of Reservations, a non-profit dedicated to preserving the Commonwealth’s nature and history, in 1890. Next, Eliot wanted to create a riverside park in Boston similar to those he’d seen while traveling Europe. He worked for years, but passed away in 1897 due to meningitis before the park’s approval. How- ever, Eliot left the legacy necessary to continue his efforts. James Storrow, a Beacon Hill resident, took on the job, and the project was funded in 1903. It took another seven years, but eventually the park became a reality, popularly called the Espla- nade, which means “flat shore-side promenade” in French. It wasn’t as popular as expected, though. The area was criticized for its lack of trees, activities, refreshments and even visitors. To draw in residents, Storrow’s widow donated a million dollars towards renovations in 1926. Major land expansion followed between 1928 and 1936, as well as additional green- ery, plazas and the first lagoon. The construction of the boathouse and Hatch Shell in 1941 provided today’s recognizable waterfront. Without the work of these and countless other Bostonians, the Esplanade would never have been created. Now, millions visit each year, whether to attend special events like the annual televised Fourth of July fireworks or simply to enjoy what Eliot envi- sioned as the “crown jewel” of Boston’s city parks.