Know More. Do More

These pages are designed in hopes to give you a general lay of the land. I try to stay away from talking about the bigger attractions and focus more on the "lesser known" things and the "FREE STUFF". I hope you find it useful. -Crafty

The Fens

The Fens is a distinctive and historically rich neighborhood named after the Back Bay Fens, a large urban park that forms its geographic and cultural heart. The Fens is an eclectic, transitional area that blends residential spaces, major cultural institutions, recreational green spaces, and elements of Boston’s academic, medical, and nightlife scenes. The Fens neighborhood is centered around the Back Bay Fens Park, one of the original components of Frederick Law Olmsted’s Emerald Necklace, a chain of parks and parkways that spans Boston. The Fens is actually quite loaded. It features some of the country's best medical facilities (Boston Children's Hospital & Dana Farber), universities (BU & Northeastern), and museums (The Museum of Fine Arts & The Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum). Indeed. All that in one neighborhood. Did I mention it is also home to the oldest, most-beloved ballpark in the world? Just in case you somehow don't know, YES, Fenway Park! Oh, and why don't we just throw in Boston Symphony Hall for good measure. Fun fact: Did you know, it is one of only a handful of concert halls worldwide regularly cited as acoustically "perfect", making it a mecca for both performers and listeners of classical music? The Fens is also the site of the very first YMCA in the country (still standing), the first World Series (there's a statue of Cy Young on Northeastern's campus) and the first professional American hockey game played by the first professional American hockey team, the Boston Bruins. For the live music lover, Fenway has you covered. Many spots right around the ballyard on Landsdowne Street including the House of Blues and Loretta's. But also right there is one of Boston's best and newest music venues, the MGM Music Hall. Looks like they have a great lineup this summer and the sound there is fantastic! Both aforementioned museums are absolute treasures and must-do's for the museum enthusiast. However, before going to the Gardner, make sure you watch or are familiar with, This is a Robbery. I'll just leave that there.

Crafty's Eats: First up has to be Tasty Burger. Yeah, it's a chain now, but the one at 1301 Boylston St. is the original. It's a little bit greasy and dive-y, which, I like:) The next one is for you sushi weirdos. Hey, you won't catch me in there, but I know you're out there and I hear amazing things about, Uni, on 370 Commonwealth Ave. at the Eliot Hotel. If you've come to Boston and hankering for some BBQ, I'm sot sure why but, give Sweet Cheeks Q (1381 Boylston St.) a shot. It's legit. Lastly, a shout out to the Bebop (1116 Boylston St.) Good food, great atmosphere with live music most every night featuring many of the best and brightest from nearby Berklee.