what to do • where to go • what to see January 26–February 8, 2009 The OOfficialfficial Guide to BBOSTON OSTON BOSTON WINTERguide PLUS: Beanpot Hockey Boston Blazers Indoor Lacrosse Hasty Pudding Awards panoramamagazine.com now iPhone and Windows® smartphone compatible! contents COVER STORY 14 Oh, the Weather Outside Is Celebrating Frightful… Boston Eleven ways to make winter for over in Boston delightful 200 years. DEPARTMENTS 6 around the hub 6 NEWS & NOTES 9 NIGHTLIFE 12 ON EXHIBIT 7 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 10 DINING 18 the hub directory 19 CURRENT EVENTS 35 EXCURSIONS 51 RESTAURANTS 26 CLUBS & BARS 37 MAPS 65 NEIGHBORHOODS 28 MUSEUMS & GALLERIES 43 FREEDOM TRAIL 32 SIGHTSEEING 45 SHOPPING RIVER VIEW: The sun may set early this time of year, but there’s still plenty of fun to be had this winter in Boston, both indoors and out. Refer to story, page 14. PHOTOBY T IMOTHY R ENZI on the cover: The Public Garden becomes a veritable winter wonderland in the snow. Boston Flagship Store The Mall at Chestnut Hill Corner of Berkeley & Boylston (617) 965-2700 (617) 267-9100 ___ PANORAMAMAGAZINE.COM 3 The Official Guide to BOSTON www.panoramamagazine.com January 26–February 8, 2009 Volume 58 • Number 18 Jerome Rosenfeld • CHAIRMAN Tim Montgomery • PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER Josh B. Wardrop • EDITOR Scott Roberto • ART DIRECTOR Sharon Hudak Miller • PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Della Huff, Timothy Renzi • CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Joseph Normandin, Emma Snider • EDITORIAL INTERNS Jacolyn Ann Firestone • VICE PRESIDENT, ADVERTISING Nancy O’Rourke • ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Rita A. Fucillo • DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS Shane Solar-Doherty • 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 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 PANORAMAMAGAZINE.COM 5 aroundthehub:NEWS&NOTES PUDDING ON A SHOW FOR calendar of events aroundthehubby Josh B. Wardrop NEWS&NOTES HOLLYWOOD STARS FRIDAY, JANUARY 30 Tinseltown is aflutter each One of the city’s top classical winter as they await news ensembles, the Boston Landmarks of who will be awarded the Orchestra, led by conductor Charles entertainment industry’s Ansbacher (pictured), presents a free highest honors. The Oscars? concert of works by Grieg and Heck no—we’re talking Schubert at Sanders Theatre. about the Hasty Pudding Refer to listing, page 19. Theatricals’ annual Man and Woman of the Year Awards! MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2 Since 1951 (1963 for the Hopefully, famed rodent Punxsutawney menfolk) Hollywood’s top Phil doesn’t see his shadow today, but performers have been select- whether he does or not, you can see ed by the Harvard University him—and a cranky newscaster (played theatrical club for recogni- by Bill Murray) forced to relive the tion of their contributions to same day over and over again—at the the arts. Past winners such Coolidge Corner Theatre in a special as Bruce Willis, Halle Berry, screening of the comedy Groundhog Scarlett Johansson, Ben Day. Refer to listing, page 20. Stiller, 2008 honorees Charlize Theron and WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4 Christopher Walken and Bursting straight out of Akron, Ohio, dozens of others have been Chrissie Hynde set the gold standard for treated to a parade through guitar-slinging rock ’n’ roll chicks in the the streets of Cambridge, fol- 1970s and 1980s. Tonight, she brings lowed by an evening roast her legendary band The Pretenders and Boston Blazers Heat Up Local Sports Scene where the lucky recipients a slew of hit songs to the Orpheum are affectionately mocked by Theatre. Refer to listing, page 22. his winter, the TD Banknorth Garden has been packed most every night with sports Hasty Pudding performers Tfans delighted by the stellar performances of Boston’s local basketball and hockey bedecked in drag before FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6 & teams, the Celtics and Bruins (refer to story, page 14). Now, the city’s newest pro sports receiving their coveted SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7 franchise is hoping the building still has some magic to spare, as the Boston Blazers of Pudding Pot. One of the sultriest and most lauded the National Lacrosse League makes its debut on the local scene. This year’s lucky lady (not voices of the modern jazz era arrives The newest members of the NLL—led by talented players like forward Dan Dawson yet announced at press time) in Cambridge as the one and only and defenseman Mitch Belisle—debuted this month with a January 10 loss to the New receives her Hasty Pudding Cassandra Wilson performs two nights York Titans in New York, before opening a three-game inaugural homestand at TD treatment on February 5, at Regattabar. Refer to listing, page 23. Banknorth Garden that includes games January 31 against the Chicago Shamrox and a followed by a preview per- February 7 rematch with the Titans. formance of Acropolis Now, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7 This is actually the Blazers’ second stint in Massachusetts, having spent close to a the Pudding’s 161st produc- Those who adore the classic love story decade playing in Boston and Worcester during the 1990s. A recent surge in popularity tion, at 3 p.m.The Man of the of dance teacher Johnny Castle and for lacrosse at the collegiate and pro levels prompted investors to bring the team back as Year gets his own tribute on innocent teen Frances “Baby” CHEINMANN an NLL expansion team for the 2009 season. Refer to listing, page 24. February 13, the show’s Houseman can have “the time of their S official opening night. For lives” when the stage musical Dirty AV I D D n e w s & n o t e s 6 • calendar of events 7 • more information, visit Dancing—based on the hit 1987 www.hastypudding.org. film—begins a run at the Opera n i g h t l i f e 9 • d i n i n g 1 0 • o n e x h i b i t 1 2 cont. on page 8 >> House. Refer to listing, page 25. PHOTOBY ___ ___ 6 PANORAMAMAGAZINE.COM PANORAMAMAGAZINE.COM 7 aroundthehub:NEWS&NOTES aroundthehub:NIGHTLIFE << cont. FIRING UP This year’s first- from page 7 ONE HOT round Beanpot Cocktail of Twenty ’POT matches take place the Week Happy For the last 56 years, New February 2 at the Returns England hockey fans have TD Banknorth had the chance to watch the Garden, and fea- $20 TICKETS area’s top up-and-coming ture Harvard Boston Symphony Orchestra 301 Massachusetts Ave talent up-close each winter taking on Boston 617-266-1200 at the annual Beanpot University in the Hockey Tournament. The early game at 5 ho says that event, regarded as the p.m., and Boston Wsenior citizens Boston college sports enthu- College doing get all the best dis- siast’s “social event of the battle with counts? Thanks to winter,” pits local colleges Northeastern at 8 the generosity of an Boston University, Boston p.m. The winners anonymous benefactor, 4,000 tickets to this season’s Boston College, Harvard University of those matches go on to ditionally sell out fast in Symphony Orchestra concerts—ducats that normally range and Northeastern University the Beanpot championship the Hub, a hardcore hockey from $29–155—are being made available for just $20 for against each other for brag- game on February 9 at 8 haven, so any true hockey music lovers under the age of 40. The intent is that a new ging rights and, of course, p.m. (The also-rans meet in fan will want to take their generation of audiences daunted by normal ticket prices possession of the coveted a consolation game earlier best shot at acquiring tick- can opt to expose themselves to high culture through the Beanpot trophy (pictured that day.) Tickets range ets today. Refer to listing, THE MADAME GAUTREAU BSO’s performances of pieces like Handel’s’s Water Music above right). from $30.50–40.50, and tra- page 23. The Gardner Café Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (January 15–17), Gunther Schuller’s Where the Word Ends 617-566-1088 (February 5–7) and others at historic Symphony Hall (pic- tured above). So, if you’re looking to hear some truly great True cocktail connoisseurs regard music at truly great prices, take advantage of this mystery ON TOUR a luscious libation as a work of underwriter’s post-holiday gift of song. Refer to listing, art. The mixologists at the Gardner page 19. —Joseph Normandin Café in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum—known for its fine collection of world- A KILLER renowned paintings by artists SHOW like Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Raphael and Degas—obviously THE KILLERS Agganis Arena at Boston University agree. Hence the recently intro- January 26 at 7:30 p.m. duced “Courtside Cocktails” menu featuring drinks influenced by the They say “what happens Gardner’s masterworks—like The in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” but apparently nobody told Las Madame Gautreau, a vibrant blend Vegas band The Killers, because they’ve been happening of grapefruit and pineapple juices, all over the world since their 2004 debut, Hot Fuss.