The gamut of emotions that I’ve experienced since my city was attacked has ranged from shock and horror to outrage and dejection. The brazen act of violence is almost too much to comprehend, the sadness almost too much to bear. But there has been a potent counterbalance to help my fellow Bostonians and me muddle through this tragedy. Seeing the ways that people have responded has been inspiring and uplifting.
From the selfless acts of bravery in the immediate aftermath at the Marathon finish line to the random acts of kindness that have followed in the wake of the event, it’s plain to see that people (and if you’ll allow me a moment of pride, especially the people of Boston) are generally good and kind. The reaction from folks beyond Boston has been heartening as well.
It may sound a bit silly, but the sight of an electronic sign at Yankee Stadium showing the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox logos side by side with the words, “New York Stands with Boston,” nearly brought me to tears. Don’t get me wrong. I’ll be, um, exclaiming my displeasure to the Yankees the next time the two teams meet, but for now, the team that we love to boo is simply the team that we love.
And that’s the point. We do stand united with the Yankees and all good and decent people. We’re all patriots. How odd that this terrible event happened on Patriots’ Day. We celebrate the holiday here in the state to commemorate the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World,” as Ralph Waldo Emerson described the Massachusetts battles that began the American Revolution. It was a different kind of blast the world heard a couple of days ago.
So what can you do in response to this senseless tragedy? Be a patriot. If you want to directly help the people who were injured on Monday, donate to One Fund Boston. If you want to connect with history and learn more about the American Revolution and the early days of our country, visit Boston. If you want to explore incredible museums, enjoy world-class performances, savor sumptuous dining, be pampered by the finest hotels, and otherwise revel in one of the most wonderful cities on the planet, visit Boston. If you want to let those who think they can make us cower know that we will not be intimidated, visit Boston. If you want to stand in solidarity with the good and decent people of our great city, visit Boston.
Find the latest updates, special offers, and other information for visitors and locals. We are open for business, and we’d love to have you join us. The sooner the better, fellow patriots.
Photos: Top: The Paul Revere House. Middle: New York Yankees. Bottom: bostonusa.com
The second oldest of its type, the museum is celebrating its special birthday with a series of special events and month-long “Centennial Connections.” During April, for example, the theme is imagination, and exhibits include exploring magnets, using household objects to make music, and testing the sense of smell. In May, kids will be able to build cultural understanding through the arts and artifacts when the theme will be friendship and community. 
If post-impressionism isn’t quite your thing, then maybe the Renaissance artist and sculptor Michelangelo will inspire a visit to the MFA. “Sacred and Profane: Master Drawings from the Casa Buonarroti” opens in the Lee Gallery on April 21, featuring rich and sundry works from the master’s Florence home. 500 years after Michelangelo sketched these drawings, a journey to the MFA will reveal his beguiling interpretations of the divine alongside the profane.
Check out secret documents and recordings from this troubling time, including an inside look at the President’s ExComm group. For 13 days the earth stood still as the United States and USSR stared into the abyss, re-live it this spring and be glad that you can, well, re-live it.
The exhibit will include scrolls that have never been displayed in North America. And to think that a shepherd simply happened upon these artifacts while exploring caves along the West Bank! Learn the whole story at the Museum of Science.
Our esteemed mayor, Thomas M. Menino, is fond of describing Boston as a “young city.” He’s not referring to the age of the city, but to its character. With its many colleges, technology-focused jobs, and other attributes, Boston boasts a young, well-educated population who bring to it a vitality and vibrancy. Its youthful fervor, however, energizes a decidedly old city, at least by U.S. standards. In fact, Boston predates the founding of America and played a critical role in its formation. (As a well-educated individual yourself, you knew that, right?) One of the (many) places to discover the city’s rich history is the Old State House.
Now that you know I’m a (sorta) musician, here’s another tidbit from my bio that you may find surprising: For a few years before he passed away, I worked with Norm Nathan. A legendary radio and television personality in Boston, Norm was known as much for hosting a beloved and longstanding jazz program as he was for being irreverent and wildly funny. We used to travel around New England together presenting live shows about old-time radio. I treasured the time we spent together, having the man whom legions of fans adored all to myself as we talked about many things, including our mutual love of jazz.
Partly thanks to Norm, who brought such greats as Dizzy Gillespie and Buddy Rich into his studio and kept listeners tuned into his “Sounds in the Night” for years, Boston has a great reputation as a jazz town. (It also doesn’t hurt that the world’s preeminent school devoted to jazz, Berklee College of Music, is located here.) Norm may be gone, but his musical spirit loves on. 
Does Boston’s Big Dig ring a bell? Designed to depress the Central Artery, an ugly elevated highway that sliced through the heart of the city, the massive project generated some unwanted buzz and ended up depressing taxpayers and government officials when it went a wee bit over budget. But hey, it was the world’s largest construction project at the time, so what’s a few gazillion dollars here or there?
In warmer weather, visitors to the Greenway have been able to hop aboard a carousel. Up until this year, it had been a traveling model like you would find at a carnival, but work has begun on a permanent ride. Set to open on Labor Day Weekend, the Greenway Carousel will feature a distinctly Boston design. In place of traditional horses, the whimsical attraction’s menagerie will include lobsters, whales, harbor seals, cod, and other regional creatures. It will also offer a skunk, although I’m guessing that may not be the most coveted seat. (Perhaps it should be reserved for representatives of the construction company that oversaw the Big Dig debacle.) The ride will be part of the Greenway’s new $3 million Carousel Park, which will include trees, flowers, and benches.
Certain things are just made to go together, such as Bert and Ernie, peanut butter and jelly, and Boston sports teams and championships. But bacon and beer? Bacon and eggs, sure. Beer and obnoxious behavior, absolutely. Yes, they both taste great in their own right. Putting the two together, however, seems utterly random. Except for the alliteration. They both begin with “b,” and sound nice when combined with “Boston.” That’s the only reason I can come up with for the concept behind the Boston Bacon and Beer Festival. (Perhaps they should have called it a “bash.”) The 2013 event will be held on May 4 at the 
Our micro play opens on Boylston Street, one of Boston’s main thoroughfares. It is a crisp, early spring day. A salt-of-the-earth family of tourists visiting from the Midwest, including Mom, Dad, and 7-year-old Mason, are strolling down the street when a man with a long overcoat beckons to them.
Mason’s dreams may have been dashed, but had his mom and dad known about Get ARTventurous, they really could have nabbed tickets to the Boston Children’s Theatre show at considerable savings and without having to deal with a skeezy dude on the street. Presented by 
