What? You live in the Back Bay and you haven't heard of NABB?? Get with the program, the…read moreNeighborhood Association of the Back Bay, and enter the 21st century! Very cool. You can be a do-gooder as well as meet great people through really interesting social groups: I recently joined the French Conversation Club and the Mystery Book Club. We just had a Bastille Day barbeque at Madame la presidente's (sorry, no easy accent marks on my laptop) summer home in Maine. Lots of other groups to check out: Wine & Dine, Theater Group, The Salon (discussion of Big Topics), Wine Tasting Group, Moms and Me, Dinner on the Town, Condo Management Group, Men's Discussion Group, Young Friends and Neighbors group, etcetera, etcetera. Eh hem, there are also the Save & Enhance the Back Bay committees which make all of our lives, residents and visitors, so much more pleasant: the NABB Architecture Committee, Clean to the Curb (Newbury Street) Committee, the NABB Licensing and Building Use Committee, Graffiti NABBers, and more. Have to admit, I was slow to join because I wanted some relief from do-gooding. However, when my neighbor handed me an April 2008 newsletter and I saw all the social activities, I was "in like Flynn" (name that actor and film). Now I am ready for do-gooding. So, check out its website www.nabbonline.com. Take a look and bookmark the links to "Resources for Residents" and "Links" to City and State Agencies, Elected Officials, all Neighborhood Associations for those not living in BB, Activist Groups, Preservation Groups and Business Groups. Keep in mind that in spite of the ".com", NABB is also a non-profit, charitable organization, accepting your donations for your tax write-off benefit. It doesn't matter what is your age range; there is something for everyone. Join us for some do-gooding and, more importantly, for a ton of fun! PS I am not an employee, just a happy BB resident!

I just bought my christmas tree from the NABB fundraiser and I just wanted to warn others not to do…read morethe same. The much of the tree's needles are brown, so dried out. It's so misshapen. I think someone shaved one side of it off. It's not a triangle. It has no top. It was quite expensive and I'm extremely disappointed in the quality. I hope it lasts until christmas.

Stopping by the Rocks at Harbor Way is always a special treat. They have an amazing community…read morelibrary where you can find good reads and sometimes small treasures. During the summer, be on the lookout for small concerts and other community get togethers throughout the year.

I'm a new gardener at the BSGC, and I couldn't be happier! I've been warmly welcomed by all the…read moregardners, and can go to any of them for advice. I guess that in the past, there has been some tension among the leadership, but with new leadership in place for the past two years, everyone is happy and included in the decision-making process. Different committees (maintenance, compost, community outreach, etc.) help make the BSGC run smoothly, and they give all gardeners an opportunity to participate in areas in which they feel the most productive. I would highly recommend the BSGC to any novice or to any experienced gardner!

Solomon's Temple Lodge AF&AM is my affiliate lodge. Located in Uxbridge in metro west it is a blue…read morecollar blue lodge that accepts every brother. The beat group of Masons I've ever met and know. Oldest lodge building still in use, in Massachusetts. Slightly haunted, and creepy, I was the Building Guy for a year and had a blast maintaining it at it glory. Downstairs is wonderful and so much work has been done. Great group of brothers I'd do anything for. Relocated out to Quincy, but still keep my membership dues up. Second Thursday. 19:30, meal afterwards. "Brother, where's your mother F$&@$ due card?!"

Excellent Organization to save the harbor and provide free ferry rides to Georges and Spectacle…read moreIsland. This non profit gives Boston a clean harbor raising funds to clean and provide programs to the youth during summer... wonderful. Went to both Islands but this time, I went to Spectacle and it was beautiful! Wonder trails and Harbor sites, found black berries, nice picnic spots on both North and South Summits. The beach is small and shelly. Real close to the dock.

Connie and Diane…read more Precious Blood Cemetery is an imposing and massive cemetery. Located right on the Blackstone River, it has rolling hills and acres and acres of graves. Some of the graves are simple wooden crosses with hand written names and dates while others are huge and ponderous memorials that look like they would be at home in ancient Greece. Very impressive if somewhat pretentious. The cemetery stopped taking new arrivals in 1955 and that is the infamous year that the twin hurricanes, Connie and Diane, paid a visit. Between them the two hurricanes dropped almost 28 inches of rain in some places and caused historical flooding in many parts of New England. The Blackstone River couldn't contain the sudden onslaught of water and poured over it's banks. Right into the cemetery. Whole parts of the graveyard were washed away and caskets were said to be seen floating right down Main Street. Some of the caskets were never found and probably floated out to sea while others were broken open and the bodies tossed about. Attempts were made to replace the graves and put the right bodies in the right caskets but there wasn't time to be absolutely certain and some bodies undoubtedly ended up in the wrong caskets under the wrong gravestones. So it's said that on foggy, cold or moon lit nights an ethereal presence comes over the graveyard and the spirits walk around looking for their proper resting places. Many people have claimed to have seen and heard all kinds of spooky and supernal apparitions. I've never seen anything really unusual here but then ghosts don't like me. Precious Blood is a cool place to walk around and look at all the imposing and huge memorials. If you're lucky you might even see something that really shouldn't be there.

So many famous people buried here. When you arrive there's a map of the area to help you navigate…read more Once I got close to some famous grave sites I just followed the crowd. We also came across a few people sitting playing their guitar next to the graves. I spent about an hour here walking around and taking photos.

Sleepy Hollow Cemetery was dedicated in 1855, and here you can find many prominent and influential…read moreConcord residents final resting places. Author's Ridge at the top will lead you to the Thoreau, Emerson, Alcott and Hawthorne family plots. Even the man who came up with the Concord Grape can be found in the cemetery. Quiet, sleepy, serence space for those whom have passed and those coming to pay homage and respect.

Annually, on Columbus Day, the Fenway Alliance presents "Opening Our Doors." This review is for…read morethat event only since I don't know what else the Alliance does. If you get the chance, go. It starts mid-morning at either 9:30am or 10am, depending on your point of view (2011 had a Chiming Concert at 9:30am, but the Official Kick-off wasn't until 10am), and finishes after 4pm. Through it, I had the opportunity to experience a free concert performed by the students of the New England Conservatory in their beautiful Jordan Hall, try out costumes and tour the backstage of the Huntington Theatre Company BU Theatre, listen to a taiko act by Odaiko New England, and watch a glass fish form right before our eyes by Diablo Glass School's outdoor set up. There was also free admission at the Museum of Fine Art and at the Isabella Gardner Museum that day which we unfortunately didn't have the time to enjoy. http://fenwayculture.org/ *** 10/2017 *** Their alternate rain plan locations were in affect, and we enjoyed the free tours at Symphony Hall on the half hour and a student recital at the New England Conservatory