11 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

Meals for the official days of the Fest are being addressed. More than likely there will be at least one sit-down meal for dinner, possibly two between Friday and Saturday.

Friday lunch: At South Station during our 2-hour break between the commuter rail and Rhode Island trips.
Friday dinner: Still being worked on --- Most likely will be in the South Station or Back Bay Station areas since we are coming back from Rhode Island.

Saturday lunch: Cafe car on the Downeaster, which we are scheduled to be aboard between 11:53 AM and 1:19 PM.
Saturday dinner: Still being worked on --- Most likely will be in the North Station area since we are coming back from Maine -- although it might be a bit early.

Sunday lunch: At Shops at Prudential Center during our break of approximately 1-1/2 hours.
Sunday dinner: Fest is over at this point, and a handful of participants will have already started home. For those remaining, one possibility could be Cambridgeside Galleria, a few blocks walk from the Lechmere station. With the walk of a few blocks from the Lechmere station, we would get to that mall around 5 PM. The mall is open until 7 on Sundays. Let me know your thoughts on this. I pick places with food courts as they offer much variety to different tastes, but by the end of the weekend some may grow weary of them.

And that leaves breakfasts, which you can have at your hotel or any of the typical fast food places en route to the Fest start points. We're on our own too for meals if in town Thursday and/or Monday.

[KevinKorell]

Since I posted the links in the above message, I've noticed that my Boston restaurant page was terribly outdated, not having been refreshed since 2011. There were places no longer in business and others that took their place. The problem has now been corrected between last night and this morning, so I invite you to check it out again.

[steve4031]

Kevin, Per our discussion earlier, I thought Chili's was closed and out of business.

[KevinKorell]

Kevin,

Per our discussion earlier, I thought Chili's was closed and out of business.

Yes it is, and it's been removed. We're talking the one that was at Copley Place across from Back Bay Station.

[steve4031]

Ok. I think I looked at the list before the update. There is no chilis now. Sorry about confusion.

[KevinKorell]

For Friday night, we've closed in on Joe's American Bar & Grill in the Copley area. They have a wide variety on their menu and are reasonably priced. We should have separate checks and we're working on how they will comfortably seat a potential crowd of 15-18 people.

Saturday is taking a little longer to decide. Now that the NHL lockout was resolved, there will be a hockey game at TD Garden that evening, so the places in the immediate area of North Station (where we will be arriving from Maine a little before 4 PM) are expected to be crowded and rowdy.

[KevinKorell]

There had been an issue with Joe's for Friday night, which appears to now have been resolved... so we should be on for that place.

As for Saturday, Faneuil Hall Marketplace offers both sitdown type restaurants but also some individual places with a center seating area -- so we should have the choice between a more structured meal for those who want another one, and food court fare for those who wish to save some money.

[BillMagee]

There had been an issue with Joe's for Friday night, which appears to now have been resolved... so we should be on for that place.

As for Saturday, Faneuil Hall Marketplace offers both sitdown type restaurants but also some individual places with a center seating area -- so we should have the choice between a more structured meal for those who want another one, and food court fare for those who wish to save some money.

Is there a time for Joe's?

[KevinKorell]

Is there a time for Joe's?

Another little tinker I am about to do with the itinerary is having us get off the MBTA train from Rhode Island at Back Bay rather than South Station. Then we can walk down Dartmouth Street to Joe's. The time we would detrain is approximately 5:15 PM, and the reservation is for 6 PM. Unless we have a stiff headwind, I think we may arrive a little earlier than that.

Should weather not permit such a walk, there is still the rail transit system, although no matter how it's done it would be a multi-seat ride to get from BBY or BOS to Copley.

[AlanB]

Should weather not permit such a walk, there is still the rail transit system, although no matter how it's done it would be a multi-seat ride to get from BBY or BOS to Copley.

And going through all that trouble to ride the subways to get to Copley would only shorten our walk by 2 & 1/2 blocks. We'd probably do just as well to walk through the mall and exit on Exeter Street which would cut our walk by 1 block, meaning that it's now only 1 & 1/2 blocks longer than by going through the rigmarole to get to Copley on the Green line.