If you're searching for a unique birthday card or looking for the perfect design for your wedding invitations, the Papyrus store on Tremont Street is a place you'll want to check out. One of 150 Papyrus stores nationwide, this location offers an enormous selection of cards by new and well-known names including Bella Pilar, Christopher Vine, and La Bonne Vie.
This is a hot spot for brides-to-be, with an extraordinary inventory of wedding invitation designs by such well-known names as Vera Wang, Martha Stewart and Monique Lhuillier. In addition to national brands, many local companies are also represented including Crane, William Arthur and Checkerboard.
If you can't find something in the shop's seemingly limitless collection, the uber-friendly staff are happy to help with custom creations. In addition to cards, invitations, wrapping paper, ribbons and other gift items, the store features adorable kids products from brand names like Eeboo and Zhu Zhu.
Boston's Old North Church is the city's oldest surviving church and most visited historic site. Located in Boston's famous North End, also known as Little Italy, the church is a stop on the Freedom Trail. Anyone can enjoy exploring the church and its associated shops and gardens. Kids and teens will especially love the Behind the Scenes Tour up the steeple and down into the crypt, but anyone with mobility or claustrophobia issues may want to pass on this part.
Parking and public transportation at Old North Church
Parking in the North End can be really tough; many spots are resident-only, and what few spots are available often have a two hour maximum or evening only hours. Read signs carefully or opt for a paid lot or garage. The North End Garage isn't cheap but it is reliable and well-located. Fitz-Inn Auto Parks is priced more competitively but double check that you weren't overcharged, and you may find yourself waiting for an attendant. If you are able, take the T instead. Take the Orange or Green Lines to the North Station stop or Haymarket.
Best and worst time to go to Old North Church
The church generally doesn't get too crowded, and you can always wander around the area a bit if it is. In January and February tours are only by request except during February school break, when it can be busier, so it's probably best to go in warmer months. In March tours run on weekends only from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tours run every hour, every day from April through December with the exception of lunchtime. This is still a functioning church, so be aware of religious holidays and also Sunday mornings, when the you'll find Episcopal churchgoers rather than tourists.
Admission to Old North Church
Admission is free, but the church does rely on donations from the public. A suggested donation of just a few bucks earns you a "One if by land, two if by sea" sticker; access to the church, chocolate shop, printing office, restrooms, and outdoor spaces; a discount on the Behind the Scenes tours and gift shop; and smiles from the staff.
Must see/do at Old North Church
Take the Behind the Scenes Tour. For about five bucks, you'll get a thirty minute guided tour that not only goes into greater depth of the story of the church, but also brings you up into the bell ringing chamber in the steeple and down into the crypt below. Tours run frequently in the warmer seasons, but in the winter, call ahead for a special request.
Check out the Printing Office of Edes & Gill, home to an 18th century colonial printing press. A master printer will demonstrate the process and speak of the impact printing had on Boston and the nation's revolution.
Do you need to be persuaded to explore Captain Jackson's Historic Chocolate Shop? See how chocolates were made in the 18th century and treat your senses to some samples of authentic chocolate as Paul Revere would have enjoyed it in his day.
Other places to visit near Old North Church
You're in Little Italy. Walk. Explore. Eat. Mikes Pastry is famous; it's worth the lines. Dine at Giacomo's Ristorante for authentic pastas and general Italian happiness. Again, prepare for a wait. If you're up for a laugh, venture to the Improv Asylum, Boston's premier comedy spot. For more history, the Paul Revere House is just a short walk away as well.
Insider tip for visitors to Old North Church
While you're perusing the church, read the many signs and posters, but also go to the church's website, OldNorth.com on your smartphone or tablet (ask the staff for help if needed) and read the stories associated with each pew, the men behind the pulpit, and more.
Author's bio: Deborah Jarvis is a freelance writer who grew up and currently lives in the Greater Boston Area. She never pahks her cah in Hahvahd Yahd and tries not to drive like she's from Boston if she can help it. The famous lantern in the Old North Church was lit on her birthday (a few years prior) and she feels as though this makes her more Bostonian than her friends.
Olives & Grace is an artisan shop featuring products made from emerging artists, gift producers and small batch food makers, such as Bee Local from Portland, Ore., and Mike's Hot Honey from Brooklyn, N.Y.
Owner Paul Niski travels the world to handpick just the right items for this cozy Beacon Hill shop. Glass cases display vintage and custom jewelry while the center table holds unusual decor and housewares, such as antique cups and pocket knives. You'll find accessories for every budget, from $600 handbags from Israel to $20 Tyvek totes. And be sure to mark Good's biannual sales on your calendar for January and August, as many of the items are offered at a 50 percent discount.
Boston's Museum of Fine Arts is a world-class museum that is a favorite among tourists and locals of all ages. Visiting exhibitions range from Picasso's early works to runway fashion in the early '80s. The MFA also showcases varied permanent collections and is home to more than 450,000 pieces spanning continents and centuries.
Best and worst time to go to the MFA
The best time to visit tends to be when it first opens each day. Busiest times include holidays, school vacation weeks, and when especially popular exhibitions are featured. Generally, weekdays are less crowded than weekends, and permanent galleries are always less crowded than visiting exhibitions.
Must see/do at the MFA
Visitors should always consider whatever temporary exhibitions are on display, but the permanent collections offer well more than a day's worth of viewing pleasure. Be sure to find the giant portrait of George Washington as well as some of Paul Revere's silver in the America's Wing. Kids especially will love the Egyptian room with its sarcaphagi and mummies. And definitely check out Monet's "Water Lilies", Renoir's "Dance at Bougival", Winslow Homer's "The Fog Warning", and John Singer Sargent's "The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit". And don't forget the huge gift shop for souvenirs from kids' toys to framed wall art.
Admission to the MFA
The MFA is open seven days a week and is free to members. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday offer extended evening hours. Admission is $25 per adult and $23 per student or senior. Children aged seven to seventeen are $10 during school hours and free weekdays after 3 p.m., weekends, and school holidays. Children aged six and under are always free.
Parking and public transportation to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
There are several parking options including a garage, two lots, and valet parking; these fill up quickly, so get there early. Many streets around the museum offer metered spots, but these can be hard to find. Avoid parking worries entirely by taking the T (subway or bus). Take the Green Line E train to the Museum of Fine Arts stop or the Orange Line to the Ruggles stop, or take the 39 bus to the Museum of Fine Arts stop or the 8, 47, or CT2 buses to Ruggles.
Food at the MFA
The MFA offers four dining choices at differing price points. The priciest is Bravo, but the food is well worth the higher price tag; this spot has been voted a Boston best for brunch and also has a patio in warmer weather. The New American Cafe is a great choice for fresh cuisine at a lower price. On a budget, try Taste Cafe and Wine Bar for wine, coffee, and lighter fare or the popular Garden Cafeteria, which is the best option for families.
Other places to visit near the MFA
For more art, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is just a short walk away and is home to one of the world's most famous unsolved art heists. It's also only about a ten minute walk to Boston's most famous landmark, Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox. From there, walk and shop down Newbury Street, Boston's Fifth Avenue.
Insider tip for visitors to the MFA
If you are driving, your best bet is to go on a Sunday and park on a nearby street; go early while there are still plenty of spots, and meters are free on Sundays. Also, the museum hosts everything from wine tastings to dance festivals, so check out mfa.org to see all that's going on.
Author's bio: Deborah Jarvis is a freelance writer who grew up and currently lives in the Greater Boston Area. She never pahks her cah in Hahvahd Yahd and tries not to drive like she's from Boston if she can help it.
In our age of Taylorism, mass-production and impersonality, Simon Pearce stands out as a bulwark of old-school craftsmanship. Educated first in his parents' pottery studio, and later in the Royal College of Art in London, Simon Pearce and the artisans in his employ are absolutely committed to a now (sadly) all-too-rare attitude towards labor: they combine art with utility, form with function, to create beautiful, durable and unique pieces, meant to last a lifetime (and more). All their products are lovingly hand-made in Vermont. Their Back Bay location boasts high ceilings, wood floors, plenty of natural light and an accommodating, eager-to-please staff. Whatever you buy here, be it for yourself or a friend, is sure to become a treasured family heirloom.
Black Ink's flagship location on Charles Street is a visually intriguing shop full of surprises covering every inch of its fewer than 500 square feet of space. Featuring floor-to-ceiling shelves, and rows of merchandise in between, you could spend hours inquisitively browsing and still discover new items.
There's really no rhyme or reason to this eclectic assortment of merchandise. Ribbons of all colors and patterns are sold by the yard. It's got 50 to 100 different styles of rubber stamps, and a diverse selection of wrapping paper. Rows of beautifully letter-pressed greeting cards are positioned in the center of the store between walls of candles, erasers, games, soaps, items for brides, grooms and babies, and books including The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin and other titles you rarely find anywhere else. The vintage storefront is sure to lure you in. But be careful. You may not want to leave.
