“Listen my children and you shall hear, of the midnight ride of Paul Revere. . . . “

In Boston’s North End you’ll find the small wooden home that Paul Revere left on April 18th, 1775 when he began the ride that made him a legend.  He lived here with his wife, five children, and mother, and sold the house around 1800.
The Paul Revere House still stands today at 19 North Square, and is downtown Boston’s oldest building.  The home was opened as a museum in 1908, one of the first historic house museums in the country.  Today it is …read more

Today’s Matchbook Monday comes from a Boston favorite.
75 Chestnut is a small pub-style restaurant in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston.  While it was once an elegant, high end restaurant, it reinvented itself into a popular, and affordable, neighborhood establishment with a bistro-like interior.
The menu includes pub fare (burgers, soups, salads, and sandwiches) with a bit of an upscale twist, along with some additional dinner entrees.  Prices are reasonable, especially by Boston standards, and you can get a great meal in the $10-20 range.
The restaurant is located at 75 Chestnut Street, and is open Sunday – Thursday 5 pm …read more

Haunting stories come out during Halloween time, and some interesting ones come from college campuses.  Whether they’re reports of true paranormal activity, or merely urban legends, I’ll let you decide.
Boston University students, both former and current, have had their share of haunting habitats, with two sites rumored to be sources of paranormal activity.  Of course, this time of year the re-telling of these stories and legends circulate a little more widely!
The Charlesgate Hotel (20 Myrtle Street, Beacon Hill area of Boston) was built in 1891, and since the beginning has been rumored to be a site for paranormal activity.  …read more

A couple hour drive west of Boston, nearly to the New York state line in Stockbridge, is the Norman Rockwell Museum. 
The site was Rockwell’s home for the last 25 years of his life, and was turned into a museum housing over 700 of his paintings, drawings and studies (the largest collection in the world), along with a huge collection of personal artifacts.
Rockwell is perhaps best known for his 321 Saturday Evening Post covers, with his first in 1916, “Boy with Baby Carriage.”  His inspiring “Rosie the Riveter” and “Four Freedoms” series remain lasting visual tributes to World War …read more

Today I have a guest post from blogging pal Susan Johnston.
 
With the decline of the US dollar vs. international currencies, now is the perfect time to explore domestic destinations rather than flying overseas.
Spring is the ideal season to visit Boston, because the weather is warming up and many of Boston’s most popular attractions are getting ready for business. There’s a palpable excitement and anticipation in Boston as the Red Sox prepare for opening day at Fenway Park and the Public Gardens comes alive with spring flowers.
I have lived in or around Boston for over a decade, so here are …read more

On a recent layover, as I was sitting in the transportation van with the rest of my crew, I looked out the window at the mass of tail lights and exhaust fumes, shook my head, and muttered “rush hour.”
For those of you who travel to and from the airport on a frequent basis, I’m sure that’s an all too familiar scenario.  While there may be no getting around the traffic, if you are traveling in the New England or San Francisco Bay area, there are ways to commute to the airport without polluting the environment.
Now, thanks to PlanetTran, there’s a …read more

When you think of the day after Thanksgiving, what comes to mind? 
Relaxing around the house and eating leftovers?  Watching football?  Listening to holiday music and putting up the holiday decorations?  Or are you one of the many, many people who will be heading out to the stores for the kick off of the holiday shopping season?
No matter how we may rebel, there’s no getting around the fact that the upcoming holiday season means shopping.  I hope to make that process a little easier for you, by showcasing a variety of products and services that would make great gifts for travelers …read more

A recent MSN article listed 15 tourist traps that the writer recommended avoiding, claiming they weren’t worth the time and/or money.
I disagree with most of them, believing that they are things you need to do at least once in your life.
Read my reasoning here, compare with MSN writer Jon Douglas here, and then weigh in with your own opinion.

San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf:  C’mon, it’s free.  And on a sunny day, it’s a nice walk with a view of San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz, and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Chicago’s Sears Tower:  OK, sure, you could go to the Hancock Tower instead, but you’ve …read more

We’re only half way through the Labor Day weekend, so there is still time to get out of the house and enjoy it.
The clock is running down on time for a couple of events, so if you’re trying to decide what to do, move these to the top of the list:
The National Museum of American History in Washington DC closes for a major renovation project on September 5th, which leaves you only two days to check out its exhibits.  Get some ideas on why you should go here.  If you absolutely can’t make it to the museum before it closes, a …read more

If you’re in Boston for Labor Day Weekend, you probably already know that the Red Sox are at home.
I’m a big baseball fan, thanks to the schooling in the game that I received from my father.  Fenway Park remains one of those ballparks that I just haven’t gotten to yet.
Pal Jeffrey Whelan, who is a BIG BoSox fan, makes this suggestion for ballpark food:
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Cuban pitcher Luis Tiant endeared himself to Boston fans in the 70’s.
A recent visit to Fenway found Tiant signing autographs and greeting fans as they lined up for a genuine Cuban sandwich and a Presidente beer at …read more