Juldie

We postponed a trip to NYC for this weekend (previous post) and have decided to "vacation" in Boston for an overnight on Saturday. My 2 teenage sons(16&18) don't seem too thrilled about our plan but nonetheless we want to have a real fun time as if we were tourists.

We are thinking about maybe seeing a 5:00 show of Jaques Brel and finding a comedy show in the city where under 21 are admitted to go later in the evening.Have already done Sheer Madness, Blue Man. Thought of Urinetown but it has gottten mixed reviews. Not sure what we will do in the afternoon. We want to stay in the city rather than go to the burbs at all. No to MFA. Any suggestions that would be fun/interesting/cool that all of us might like and that would be memorable?

Dinner - hmmm - would love suggestions. Don't want too fancy and too expensive but would love something cool, unique. No to Marche, Fire and Ice. No to just seafood unless they have awesome chicken fingers!We live on the North Shore so have lots of great seafood, although I have thought of the No Name. I haven't been there in many years.

Read in The Globe about the craze of tapas in the city and Peking Toms was mentioned. Anyone know about it? So, any suggestions you have I would really appreciate. Is Abe and Louis a great place for what I am looking for do you think?

Dessert - thought of getting a special dessert late at night and was wondering about somewhere near Fanuel Hall. I know of Finales but was thinking of something not so fancy.
Thanks everyone.

Neal_Sanders

It's hard to suggest things without knowing your husband's and son's tastes, but here are a few possibilities to consider.

Hotel: apparently there's nothing going on in Boston this weekend, because Expedia shows suites at good hotels going begging (a suite at the Wyndham at $169 is definitely bargain territory). For a splurge, that's cheap.

There are two great Sunday brunches in Boston, one at the Ritz-Carlton on Arlington; the other at Cafe Fleuri in the Meridien. I get a sense from what you wrote that the Ritz's bruch may be a bit too stuffy for your family, so the Meridien may be the better, less formal choice.

For something to do in the afternoon, I would suggest a few hours either in Harvard Square (people watching; perusing the decidedly un-suburban small shops) or Newbury Street (another great people-watching venue). It's supposed to be above freezing, so these are actually practical ideas for this weekend.

Boston is one of the great walking cities, and so I suggest a pair of good walking shoes and exploratory excursions from your hotel to Beacon Hill, Back Bay, and the North End. To me, outings like that are the antidote both to winter and to malls, and it's the perfect way to be a tourist in your own town.

BuzzyJ

If you end up in Cambridge around dinner time, your sons might enjoy East Coast Grill; the freshest of seafood, and wonderful ribs, cornbread, etc! My son has always liked it.

ParrotMom

Friend saw Urinetown and loved it.. check out www.chowhound for restaurant.. We too are going to see Jacque Brel (an old favorite of ours) on Wednesday and we found a deal at Maggiano's across the street (italian)

ParrotMom

You might walk up to the box office and see what is available for Urinetown...we did it tht way for the Producers and got house seats..9th row center.. My friend just saw it Wednesday night...and thought people of ALL ages would love it Of course there is always the Hard Rock Cafe on Clarendon Street

BuzzyJ

What did you decide to do? Would love to hear a report...