Things Happening in the Boston Area

Here are some things to do in the Boston area that are perfect for this time of year.

For those who are driven – Literary figures connected to Boston - If you have access to an automobile and like to drive (or be driven), there are some wonderful places to visit for those in love with the written word. And it’s all within the city limits. There are centers associated with political, philosophical, or literary thought. Among them are the African Meeting House (617/725-0022), Boston Public Library (617/536-5400), Massachusetts Historical Society (617/536-1608), and Old South Meeting House (617/482-6439). A few famous writers who resided for a time in Boston include Malcolm X (72 Dale Street), Edward Everett Hale (12 Morley Street), Sylvia Plath (24 Prince Street), Phyllis Wheatley (corner of Beach and Tyler Streets), Edgar Allan Poe (176 Boylston Street), Nathaniel Hawthorne (54 Pinckney Street), Louisa May Alcott (20 Pinckney Street), Eugene O’Neill (formerly Shelton Hotel and now Shelton Hall, BU), Robert Lowell (239 Marlborough Street), William Dean Howells (302 Beacon Street), Julia Ward Howe (241 Beacon Street), Richard Henry Dana (43 Chestnut Street), Henry Adams (57 Mt. Vernon Street), and Margaret Fuller (81 Morton Street). Happy hunting.

For fans of visual art of the 1960s – The upheaval at Brandeis University involving the Rose Art Museum in 2009 has quieted to a great extent because of a major constructive response both within and outside the Brandeis community. The mess occurred on Jehuda Reinharz’ watch, and he’s gone. Apparently new president Fred Lawrence has taken the broad-based concern seriously. The selloff was halted, and President Lawrence writes in the fall 2011 issue of Brandeis’ State of the Arts, “The arts were integral to the founding vision of Brandeis, and I pledge to strengthen and renew that vision.” That’s a sign that things are moving in the right direction on this fiftieth anniversary of the Rose Art Museum. Another good step is the current exhibit at the Rose titled Art at the Origin: The Early 1960s. Put together under the direction of new Director of Museum Operations Roy Dawes, the exhibit looks to the first years of the museum as both subject of aesthetic substance and inspiration for the future. At the same time, the exhibit is daunting for anyone taking up the challenge of bringing the museum into the future. Consider the fact that all the Rose holdings on display were created during 1961 to 1965. Then consider the fact that almost all of the works on display were acquired during the first years of the museum’s existence. These are not fly-by-night pieces. We’re talking about Oldenburg, Kelly, Rauschenberg, de Kooning, Indiana, Warhol, Lichtenstein, Motherwell, and more. Add to that a 1995 Nam June Paik tribute to Charlotte Moorman elsewhere in the museum, and you have a wonderful celebration of early 1960s creativity that would satisfy any art freak. A few of the works are among the artists’ best, and all of them would be taken gladly by virtually any museum in the world. The exhibit will be available for viewing until May 2012.

For serious baseball fans – World Series Way on the Northeastern University campus – In lovely weather World Series Way, running parallel to Huntington Avenue, is a delightful serpentine path with flowers and other greenery. At the Eastern end of the walk there is a small, comfortable park containing a sculpture and marker designating the location of the first World Series in 1903. Yup. That’s the place. The sculpture is of Cy Young slightly bent over, sizing up an imaginary (i.e., there is no other sculpture here) opponent batter. Looking at the intent expression on the pitcher’s face, an observer can almost predict that a brush back is coming. So why bring up such a treasure at this time of year? It is difficult to imagine anything better (particularly if you wait until there are a few inches of snow on the ground) than walking up to the sculpture of the man most responsible for the Boston club winning that first World Series and contemplating that April really is not that far off.