March 5–18, 2012 THE OFFICIAL GUIDE to BOSTON PANORAMAEV ENTS | SIGHTS | SHOPPING | MAPS | DINING | NIGHTLIFE | CULTURE AD20/21 SHOP NEW ENGLANd’S ONLY MODERN ART & DESIGN SHOW SEEO BOST N’S VIDEO GAME ORCHESTRA TAKE A PASTA TOUR PANO’S GUIDE TO IRISH BOSTON mor N E THA B ACK IN BOSTON 300 T HE CELTICS’ BOSTON HEATHER WALKER EVENTS INSIDE! www.bostonguide.com job number: 51276_D25_C1-1 date: 02/01/12 client: RLX advertiser: RLX dtp: color: cs: acct: client: please contact thelab at 212-209-1333 with any questions or concerns regarding these materials. March 5–18, 2012 THE OFFICIAL GUIDE TO BOSTON Volume 61 • No. 21 contents Features Art for All 8 AD20/21 at the Boston Center for the Arts’ Cyclorama 6 PANO’s Guide to 10 Irish Boston Pull up a chair, watch the parade or walk the trail in honor of Boston’s Irish heritage Departments 6 HUBBUB Prize-worthy short films, shaping up in the Back Bay, Final Fantasy 8 at Symphony Hall, fresh pasta in Dorchester and vintage finds in the South End 12 Boston’s Official Guide 12 Current Events 18 On Exhibit 21 Shopping 27 Cambridge 31 Maps 37 Neighborhoods 42 Sightseeing 48 Freedom Trail 50 Dining 10 62 Back in Boston The Boston Celtics’ Heather Walker ON THE COVER: Elie Nadelman (1882–1946), Acrobat, 1920, bronze, 14.5" x 9.5" x 5". Courtesy of Tom Veilleux Gallery (ME). BOTTOM RIGHT PHOTO: KELLY DAVIDSON BOSTONGUIDE.COM 3 Thf E Of ICIAl guIDE TO BOSTOn www.bostonguide.com M arch 5–18, 2012 Volume 61 • Number 21 Tim Montgomery • President/Publisher Samantha House • Editor Scott Roberto • Art Director Paul Adler • Assistant Editor John Herron Gendreau • Associate Art Director Ze Sheng Liang • Contributing Photo Editor Chelsea Santilli • Staff Writer 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 Mike Hipps • Information Technology 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 Spotlight on Diamonds The right price every day. LUX BOND & GREEN JEWELRY WATCHES GIFTS • SINCE 1898 DIAMOND SEARCH - www.LBGreen.com 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 THE SHORT LIST While watching the Academy Awards, most of us are aware of the nominees battling it out for Best Picture or Best Supporting Actress, but have you ever wondered about the others that seem to skim by barely noticed? Clearly, these gems are something worthwhile or they wouldn’t be in such good company—but where can you find them? Thanks to the Institute of Contemporary Art (refer to listing, page 18), through March 11 you can see the 2012 Academy Award-nominated short films in three separate programs: Animated (including winner The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, above), Live Action and Documentary. Each program showcases the nominated films from their respective category, offering film buffs a rare opportunity to see all of these outstanding works of cinematic art. —Samantha House WHAT BOSTON’S BUZZING ABOUT CORE BENEFITS For years, yoga and Pilates devotees have 3.5.12 been debating which is more effective for weight loss and overall conditioning. While both offer a bevy of benefits, the solution just may be a combination of the two. Exhale Spa’s (28 Arlington St., 617-532-7000) Core Fusion offers that and more. Using a yoga, Pilates and ballet-infused method, the class can transform your body into a lean, mean machine in no time. The options range from open level for beginners to thighs and gluteals, which promises to change the shape of your lower body. Local clientele are raving about the results. With no membership necessary, you can pop into a class anytime for $25 per session. —Samantha House 6 PANORAMA HUBBUB GAME CHANGER A combination of video games and classical orchestra explodes onto the Boston stage this month. Distant Worlds: Music From Final Fantasy brings Nobuo Uematsu and Masashi Hamauzu’s compelling music from the internationally celebrated video game series Final Fantasy to life through more than 100 orchestral musicians playing before an HD screen that displays exclusive images provided by the games’ maker, Square Enix. The Grammy Award-winning artist Arnie Roth serves as the Musical Director of Distant Worlds as well as conductor for the Boston stop of this worldwide phenomenon, which comes to Symphony Hall (301 Massachusetts Ave., 888-266-1200) on March 10, accompanied by Boston’s own Video Game Orchestra. We, for one, are excited to hear every note of this stunningly original concert. —Paul Adler THE PATH TO PASTA When was the last time you had fresh pasta? Not the kind you buy in a box, but real, hand-rolled, hand-cut pasta? If you have to think about it then it’s been too long—and Chefs Chris Douglass and Nuno Alves of Tavolo (1918 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester, 617-822-1918) want to fix that. Every Wednesday, they spend all day making the real thing before serving it to loyal fans who gather at the Italian eatery for its Regional Pasta Tour. The tour spotlights one of 20 regions of Italy weekly through a three-course meal that includes an appetizer, entrée and dessert from 6–10 p.m. at a mere $25 per person. Pair it with a flight of wine for $9 and say: “Delizioso!” —Samantha House LOCAL LEGEND Most shoppers assume that New York City boasts the very best in vintage clothing. But any true fashionista will tell you that the Hub is home to one of the country’s premier stops for vintage apparel and accessories. Frequented by fashion designers, celebrities and stylists from across the globe, Bobby from Boston (19 Thayer St., 617-423-9299) offers no-nonsense duds in an out-of-the-way nook in the South End. Amid bright bowties and scrupulous vests, visitors can ogle everything from antique cigarette cases to early 20th century fedoras and priceless flapper dresses. Anyone with an interest in fashion, or simply a few empty hangers in the closet, should set their sights on Bobby from Boston. —Paul Adler TAVOLO AND BOBBYS FROM BOSTON PHOTOS: ZE SHENG LIANG BOSTONGUIDE.COM 7 ARTS FOR ALL veryone from casual art enthusiasts to devout Edesign aficionados flock to the South End annu- ally as it welcomes AD20/21, the region’s premier art and design show and sale. The only event of its kind in New England, AD20/21 features both modern and contemporary fine art, photography, jewelry, sculp- ture and prints, as well as an impressive range of contemporary studio furniture, drawings, decorative arts and more. AD20/21 takes place from March 15–18 at the Boston Center for the Arts’ Cyclorama building on 539 Tremont St. A Gala Preview occurs on Thursday, March 15, during which guests are invited to enjoy fine wine, music, delicious food and, most importantly, the first choice of an astonishing range of elegant artwork. Celebrated interior designer Vincente Woolf accepts AD20/21’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the Gala Preview as well. Tickets to the Preview include a complimentary catalogue and readmission to the show throughout the weekend. The show also hosts an array of special guest speakers, including local artist John Wilson and Katherine Mierzwa of the Friends of Modern Architecture in Lincoln. With a panel discussion on modernist art and a lecture by Vincente Woolf rounding out the speaking events, AD20/21 has as presented alongside a lavish gala and numerous much educational bounty as it does artistic boon. notable speakers, AD20/21 is truly Boston’s must- Boasting an eye-popping collection of art attend arts event. —Paul Adler Rooster, with Christopher Bruce’s The Rolling Stones music by The return of Kylián’s Bella Figura with Elo’s Sharp Side of Dark March 1–11, 2012 Tickets from $25 The Boston Opera House www.bostonballet.org Whitney Jensen by Gene Schaivone 8 PANORAMA Voted “Boston’s Most Popular Restaurant”- Zagat, 2011/2012 LSF_Full Page_4.625x7.75 Panorama PANORAMA’s GUIDE TO IRISH BOSTON With an enormous Irish community and the largest collection of Irish pubs in the U.S., it’s no wonder the Hub is the capital of Irish America. BY SAMANTHA HOUSE South Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade A Boston tradition for 110 years, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade takes place in South Boston on March 18, beginning at the Broadway MBTA stop at 1 p.m., and celebrates all things Boston. Nearly 600,000 people can be found along the parade route to witness the three-hour spectacular, including floats, Asgard The Purple Shamrock marching bands and dancers. Cambridge’s favorite Irish watering This pub lies smack dab on the southbostonparade.org hole serves classic Irish dishes Freedom Trail and is mere steps alongside a large selection of beer.