As an injured survivor, of the Boston Marathon bombing, and a resident of Boston's Back Bay, I had…read morethe honor of meeting a few of these fine men and women. This Boston Fire Detainment works 24/7 to keep Back Bay safe and we appreciate you. THE DEAL: Don't just walk by. Stop to say hi... and thank you for all you do fire all of us!

During a recent weekend trip to Boston, I reserved an entire day for the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA)…read moreand it was the best decision I could have made. If I lived in Boston, I would become a member so that I could visit at will, even if only for few hours at a time. I am particularly interested in the impressionists, and John Singer Sargent, so I kept mostly to the 2nd floor. The museum is well organized, and there are staff floating around to answer any questions (one staffer even offered some tips to reduce the glare when taking a photo of a certain painting). I had checked out of my hotel so I had baggage with me (don't we all)...MFA has a convenient bag check. I also purchased a sizeable book from the bookshop and the staff put it in a box for me to keep it from being damaged during travel. I saw one temporary exhibit that was a nicely curated mix of multimedia art, and I also enjoyed seeing some of the rooms presented in a gallery style so that I could truly appreciate modern display methods. Six hours here went by in a flash, and I will definitely be back to see more of the MFA's vast collection. p.s. The equestrian sport of polo came from Persia?? Loved this fact! I also really enjoyed the time put into the object labels and the stories they told. "The most outrageous series of ferocious daubs that any slanderer of Venice could possibly imagine," a quote from a critic describing Renoir's Grand Canal, Venice, made me snort laugh out loud!

The Boston Museum of Fine Arts features an impressive selection of art from around the world and…read moreacross different periods. We explored the Egyptian, Greek, European, Flemish and Dutch, Asian, Impressionist, and a small Jewish section. The exhibits are wonderful, and the museum is too large to explore in a single day. The gift shop has a nice selection of books, cards, and other typical museum knickknacks. Their Impressionist-themed puzzles were especially interesting. This is a progressive museum that strongly supports respective causes. If that bothers you, you may not enjoy your visit.

WOW, WOW, WOW !!! Grandaughter wanted to visit and glad she…read moredid. We rode train in from Brookline to avoid parking (stop right at library). We entered right at opening, and the initial gasp of enjoyment my Granddaughter let out was worth the visit. We explored for hours, enjoyed lunch in the café (attached) and reasonable priced. Just a very very beautiful spot to lose yourself for a few hours. So many photo opportunities.

To think we almost left Boston without stopping into the library. It would have been our loss. This…read morelibrary was so impressive. We entered the new section by the cafe. The staff were very friendly and helpful. There were people at almost every table on three different floors. The children's section was very cute. The library appeared to have an extensive collection for both adults and children. We walked into the older section of the library and we were amazed. It was definitely more like a museum. The murals on the wall and ceiling were stunning. The outside fountain area was beautiful. There were people taking photos for special events and many people like us just in awe of our surroundings. What a great find!

Ask for an itemized receipt for your unreturned security deposit, it worked for me! I suspect they…read moregot in legal trouble for withholding security deposits for no reason, because I keep hearing their names dragged through the mud on college parent Facebook groups. The management company sent over maintenance to ILLEGALLY spray bug termination chemicals in response to a complaint about bedbugs given to us through the hallway carpet despite attempts to keep them out. In the state of Massachusetts, tenants have the right for licensed exterminators to be brought in by the management company. We did not know this, so the man sprayed our apartment with our consent. He asked if we wanted him to spray our beds and we said yes, thinking it was meant for that. We asked if we should open the windows or leave for any amount of time after, and he said no you can stay, you're fine. 30 minutes later, an exterminator shows up looking concerned. I don't know how this happened, maybe Sabet management is separate from the maintenance company. But either way, this exterminator shows up asking why it smells like it's already been exterminated. We tell him what happened, and he tells us he has no idea what these guys sprayed and that they weren't supposed to do that. He told us to open our windows and stay out of the apartment for at least 4 hours. We texted the maintenance company asking what they sprayed. I regretfully don't have the pictures as this was years ago and documented in my unsaved WhatsApp group chat. But they used a type of bug spray that stated on the bottle that 1. It was ILLEGAL to spray on bedsheets, mattresses, and linens (I bet to protect us in this situation?), and 2. That it did require ventilation for a few hours and to leave. So yeah, I definitely do not recommend these guys. I proudly admit I figured out how to make the overpriced washers and dryers to run for free and stole a ton of money through it. Not that I used the dryers though, they never worked despite multiple requests from not just our apartment. Screw you sabet!

Frustrating Lack of Support and Communication…read more The app itself works, but if you have sign-in issues, you have to resolve them via email. If that doesn't work (which has been an issue and it is how you pay your rent), the app tells you to call a number for help. However, when you call, you get no real assistance--just a rep directing you back to the app that you can't access. To summarize... Their office doesn't answer, and their 24/7 service is useless. It's an endless loop with no real way to get help. If you need a responsive property management company when you rent an apartment, this isn't it. Sidenote... They do not update, paint or repair anything in the apartment before you move in - the prior tenant moves out at midnight and you move in 12 hours later. They offer nothing and overcharge. Elevator is never working. Interior is dirty and cleaning is subpar.

Do not fall for the renovated look of 11 Queensberry St. The building is literally falling apart…read more The management is even more horrendous. - Cockroaches from the 1st week of move-in. The exterminator comes once in a while to clean up traps full of cockroaches and set up new ones - the problem will never, ever be fixed, trust me. They live in the walls and pipes. They run around the kitchen and bathroom at night. My mental health during this period, wow. - Water shut down for 8+hours at a time (during the day) with NO notice. This happens almost weekly. One time, it happened 3 days straight. - Washers/dryers are so dirty - I wash my whites separately and they turned brown the first time I washed them here. - Management entered my apartment without notice to "check" my fire alarm "quick just 10 minutes." They then proceeded to drill holes in my closet for 4 hours (I was kicked out of my own apt during work hours). All my clothes got dirty and there were crumbs/particles on my bed. - Walls are super thin. You can hear every conversation, cough, footstep. - You will run into rats daily in the hallways, trash area, entrance, etc. - There are people going through the trash every night. You will wake up to hearing bottles clinking together and being dragged on the floor. The Copley Group has no respect for tenants. They will never pick up your calls. They will change the lock on you without notice (I was locked out of my apartment when I got home at 9pm so had to stay at a friend's.) PLEASE RUN AWAY FROM THE COPLEY GROUP. SAVE YOURSELVES.

It is bad, buds and unannounced enter, when i decided not re-rental, the apt was toured for over 3…read moremonths, i can not remember how many tours. Bad experience..

I will always support SRV... currently the best Italian restaurant I've had in Boston. Specializing…read morein Venetian cuisine. Focaccia: What an amazing focaccia!! The bread had large air pockets, visibly soft, with a rich aroma of salt and milk; the olive oil was smooth and mellow, with a full-bodied fragrance, and the aftertaste even included a subtle, restrained hint of tea. Even knowing it's a calorie bomb, I couldn't resist dipping it in more. Baccala Mantecato: Classic Venetian flavor. The salted cod was tender and delicate, almost like a light foam, somewhere between raw silk and mousse; the dark bread was simple yet not coarse, perfectly balancing the saltiness of the cod. The most surprising thing was the refreshing aroma of celery leaves that emerged in the aftertaste, lingering and persistent. Lumache: When looking at the menu, seeing "chili butter, Jonah crab, breadcrumb," I never expected such a distinct citric acidity. The subtle acidity was gently enveloped in the fatty aroma of chili butter, perfectly complementing the umami and sweetness of the crab meat with just the right amount of spiciness. The lumache were firm and chewy, the sauce rich and smooth, and the breadcrumbs light and crisp, creating a rich and distinct texture. The portion was generous; even after microwaved the next day, the sauce had naturally broken down and the lemon's tartness had dissipated, but the noodles mixed with chili oil still had a unique flavor. Tiramisu: Highly renowned, and the staff were quite confident. The surface was covered with a thick layer of crispy cocoa nibs, the cake itself is incredibly soft and moist, and digging inside reveals an "underground river" of coffee liquid, while its bitterness was perfectly balanced by the sweet Marsala. The overall flavor was sweet and mellow, less bitter than typical tiramisu, with more layers of complexity. Actually, I was hoping for a slightly bitter version. Even on a weekday, it was packed with customers; by 5:10 PM, only one bar seat was left. Reservations are highly recommended. However, the bar was in a good location, with the bartenders being the easiest servers to find. It was a pleasant conversation with them.

Pros: The prices are a lot more reasonable than most places in Boston, portions on the main courses…read moreare big (enough to take leftover). The service is so friendly and seamless which in itself makes for a lovely evening. Highlights were the mussels, which were very fresh and delicious. The service here was attentive with the waiters offering more bread for the mussels. Most dishes are a little spicy, so if you don't like spice, make sure to note that with the waiter. The miso gelato is one of the most delicious savory/sweet desserts, and has lots of nice crunchy accents of the sesame crumble. Cocktails are fabulous, very smooth, as well as the mocktails. Cons: The crostini was nothing really special, and one of them came without the oyster butter. The meatballs, which were tasty but had a slightly hard texture on the outside. The prawn risotto was pretty one-note in flavor, and the prawn heads tasted overcooked and slightly off. The radiatore was spicy and nicely plated. The Cremoso al Cioccolato had a strange flavor profile that didn't quite fit, and had such a large salted chocolate-truffle section that we did not finish it (which is saying something)! Overall, if you are looking for a solid dinner in Boston that will guarantee be a nice experience because of the atmosphere, this is a good place.

Cool place, great romantic atmosphere for a date. Bartenders are great, drinks are good, and there…read moreis music in the background with lots of candles. They just changed the menu for menu recently so I didn't get to try the kids got moxie so I opted for the code 99. Code 99 is very good, I love the chartreuse and mezcal. Smooth drinking with the old school prohibition flare. Although it's an old police department, you don't get that feel. Very relaxed, kick back your feet kind of vibe.

Would love to please be contacted by a manager. Had an awful experience on July 10th. Was first…read moretold by the hostess I wouldn't be allowed in as my ID was from out of the country. It is a Hawaii ID. After I politely explained it is an in country ID she scanned it and let me in. With a very rude attitude. We then proceeded to order drinks and sit at a table in the very empty bar. We were approached many times for a new drink which was nice at first but pushy after a bit. We were then told if we weren't going to order another drink we would need to stand at the bar. We were quickly ushered from our table, and our table was not filled after we left. Shocking experience at such a place that is advertised as being such an upscale bar. Hoping to be contacted by manager soon.

For the price, the boneless ribeye was one of the worst quality cuts of meat I've ever ordered at a…read more"steakhouse". It may as well have been at a Denny's for $20. At least it was cooked properly at medium rare. I would not recommend coming here for quality food at all.

Came here mainly because we wanted some solid seafood, but still wanted one juicy steak too. Abe &…read moreLouie's came through on both. First off, our server Sahin was one cool braddah. Soon as he found out we came all the way from Hawaii, he made us feel right at home. Real good energy, super welcoming, and took care of us the whole night. The adults started with a couple Manhattans, and da buggahs had mana . Exactly how a Manhattan supposed to be. For appetizers, we went with the full Abe's Seafood Tower and the Caesar salad. I highly recommend both. My daughter and son went all in, and the homemade croutons made that Caesar salad pop. We liked the oysters so much, we ended up ordering another dozen. Sahin told us the Duxbury oysters (I think that's the ones we had) are local to the Boston region and are farmed in the upper water column above the oyster bed, which keeps them in the current and gives them that clean, briny taste. Mean, supah ono! For the main, we shared the 22 oz bone in ribeye and lobster tail. Steak was cooked proper, juicy, flavorful, just how it should be. Sahin even offered to have the steak sliced up for us, which was a nice touch. For sides, we had the au gratin potatoes and Brussels sprouts. Both were super tasty, and the Brussels sprouts had that perfect char. Ended the meal with da cookie dessert which had homemade whipped cream. Overall, real good experience. Great food, great drinks, and service that made us feel comfortable from the jump. If you staying in Boston and like seafood and steak, this spot is worth checking out. Just note, it's a typical Boston setting, everybody talk loud haha. Mahalo plenty, Sahin. It was a pleasure. I give dis place, 2 shakas and an auriiite!

Dear firefighters,…read more Thanks for putting out that fire in my apartment complex this weekend. I'm about 3-4 apartment walls away from the couple that burned down. And as far as I know, there were no injuries and everyone got out safe (including pets!) and ya know.. that's gotta be, at the least, partly because of you guys. I'm still unsure as to what caused the fire but man you were efficient. I saw you guys hacking into a wall and hosing that down even after the blaze seemed to be under control. Best to cover all your bases. It must have been quite the fire before I was eventually evacuated because there were 3 trucks and a few ambulances. My little peeve would be the way you chose to evacuate my building. We have some sort of old school alarm system that I'm really not sure about (I should look into that) and ours didn't go off. I know we were not directly in the burning building but since we were only a couple walls away from the burning apartments, we had to be evacuated. I woke up to someone breaking glass in the middle of the night. I thought it was rowdy college kids but later I found out it was the firefighters in the burning rooms. Then someone came and pounded on our door (fireman) but didn't really stick around to say why. I know it's against nature to stay in or near a burning building but if you guys could have set off our alarm or stuck around for a minute to yell "Fire!" when we answered the door.. that would have been great. Slash, our neighbor was pissed because he thought it was a prank. He's obviously glad now but he was on the opposite side of the building corridor so he did not see the 3 trucks and ambulances like we did. You gotta remember, we live in a city where sirens go off all the time.. we need some alarms close to home. Otherwise.. thanks for responding so quickly and for handling all the drunks that were trying to walk through the area that was being hosed slash where all the broken glass was falling. It takes some kind of grace to handle that kind of situation and still be civil to the stupid people. Love, Dish PS - Would it be incredibly inappropriate to say some of your guys are pretty dang cute?

The firefighters had been here previously to our apartment complex when the alarm started to sound…read more They fixed the malfunctioning alarm, and cleared the building, deeming it safe. However, about half an hour later, the alarm started to sound again, so we called to see if they could send someone over (this is at around 10:00pm). Not only was the noise impossible to sleep with, we also wanted to know if our fire alarm system was working correctly to keep us safe, and the firefighters treated my roommate and me like we were complete idiots. They came over, did not enter the building, told us they couldn't do anything, treated us with disrespect and gave passive aggressive comments. As two college-aged women, we were clearly not aware of the workings of a fire alarm system, and if the continuous beeping meant we were unsafe. Even if we were misunderstanding the situation, there was absolutely no reason for them to treat us with disrespect and have a passive aggressive demeanor. We were simply trying to do the safest thing, and they neglected to do their job well. As residents of Brookline, we sincerely hope this was an isolated incident. It's important that we treat each other with respect, ESPECIALLY when residents are worried for the safety of themselves and their loved ones.