Boston Recs 01 - Beacon Hill

from someone who takes the idea of "hidden gems" very seriously

I moved to Boston last year for law school and in between studying and working, I’ve discovered some places worth the (frequent) visit. I’ve been asked a number of times to make a list of recommendations of things to do/places to go in Boston/Cambridge, and now, I think enough time has passed where I am comfortable standing by these recommendations. I have noted their locations and price considerations for reference.

Beacon Hill, my neighborhood of residence

from an October evening

I feel so lucky to live in Beacon Hill among all of the history (see: Sylvia Plath’s former apartment at 9 Willow St.) and enviable interiors. While it’s a small neighborhood and primarily a residential one, there are some spots I like to frequent.

1. Beacon Hill Books & Cafe

   • 71 Charles St.

   • the most charming 3-story townhouse with a large selection of books and a cute cafe underneath

   • Sunday afternoon tea is such a treat (about $65-70 per person)

   • make reservations ahead of time for the cafe if you want to dine there (even just for coffee!)

the coziest townhouse

a cute meal for two!

2. Music Research Library

   • 24 Joy St.

   • like the name suggests, this is a small music facility that sells records, cds, and cassette tapes

   • you can listen to records using their players and headphones and browse through their genre-sorted collection

   

3. Rouvalis Flowers

   • 40 W Cedar St.

   • to me, a necessity in the neighborhood you’re moving to for your first big-girl apartment is an inviting local flower shop — Rouvalis is that for me

   • they have beautifully curated holiday displays and lovely custom candles

   

   

4. Fabled Antiques

   • 93 Charles St.

   • one of many antique shops in Beacon Hill, I like this one best for one thing: a goldfish bowl filled with vintage matchbooks

   • until Boston starts offering matchbooks at more restaurants and hotels, this will do

   

   fun solo date activity: digging around this for a memento or two

5. Myrtle Street Playground

   • 50 Myrtle St.

   • the reason I put a playground on this list is because it contains an adorable Little Free Library where I’ve made friends, found gems, and dropped off some of my books for another reader to discover

   

   the top is shaped like an opened book — peek inside to find “Make Way for Ducklings”, a book about the ducks of the Boston Public Garden

6. Gary Drug Co.

   • 59 Charles St.

   • mostly nostalgia-motivated, but I am drawn to traditional/French-style pharmacies like this one

   • they sell a range of products including hair combs, clips, and headbands (a la Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy)

stopping by a place like this makes me feel like I’m in Breakfast at Tiffany’s

7. The Sevens Ale House

   • 77 Charles St. (I mean…)

   • recommendation no.7 had to be Sevens, naturally

   • this pub is a very embedded local dive and one of few Boston institutions to offer custom matchbooks

   • they have a set “Hot Dog of the Day” menu where you can enjoy a unique dog for the Boston price of $10

my lucky number

8. The Nichols House Museum

   • 55 Mt. Vernon St.

   • a historic home and museum right along the Black Heritage Trail

   • gorgeous interiors and a fun way to peek into the lives of an important Boston family

   • tickets run between $8-16 (free for children 12 and under)

I got a postcard of this statute!

a family of readers and writers

9. A Sanctuary Cat Cafe

   • 80 Charles St.

   • I’ve been anticipating the opening of this bookstore/cat cafe since before I moved — currently it is in its final phases but their doors are open on some days for visitors to pop by and take a browse at the book selection

the cutest cafe setup and friendly cats

a growing selection

Coming up next are additional parts to this series outlining spots in other neighborhoods of Boston & Cambridge, and I’ll be sure to update the Beacon Hill list in the future!

xx

the girl who reads on the metro