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It’s February in Boston; it’s wintry, yet invigorating. You’re in the mood for ice skating.

Where to go?

Boston has several prime outdoor ice skating locations. The most picturesque, as well as centrally located, is The Frog Pond on Boston Common. Within view of historic Beacon Hill townhouses ‘mid an open, tree-lined park, with the sound of blades skimming over ...

One of the most powerful cultural attractions in Boston is the world-famous Boston Symphony Orchestra. A must-see for classical music lovers, the Symphony’s city concert season begins in early October and continues through early May, bringing great conductors and soloists to the stage in unforgettable performances.

Organized in 1881, the “BSO,” under the musical direction of conductor James Levine, is housed in Boston’s acclaimed Symphony Hall, regarded as one of the three greatest concert halls in the world--the triumph of turn-of-the-century symphony organizers led by financier, Henry Lee Higginson, and architect, Charles Follen McKim.

Completed in 1900, Boston’s “Temple of Music” is an architectural masterpiece, and though its exterior is more austere than the initial design, the hall itself is a jewel box of acoustical and aesthetic perfection.

Despite the exterior ornamentation called for in the original blueprint, Bostonians skipped the frills and stuck with a plain and simple, though august, exterior--the kind of quintessential Yankee preference that reminded architectural writer Robert Campbell of “those Boston ladies who hid their new gowns from Paris in the closet for a year, so they wouldn’t look too fashionable.”

Today, Symphony Hall boasts some of the best acoustics in the world and hosts the cream of legendary world-class musicians, conductors and classical performances of all kinds.

Since it's finally cold out there, who really wants to brave a -12 wind chill?  Not me.  So bundle up and spend some quality time indoors, getting smarter, becoming more cultured and unwinding at the following spots.  All of these venues are free of charge, which makes them all the better.  Save your money for a nice dinner (to be discussed in Gudie's future blogs, of course). 

In the meantime, spend some quality ...

Quincy Market, Boston’s most-visited tourist attraction, was originally constructed in 1826, a stone’s throw from the “Cradle of Liberty,” Faneuil Hall, at the apex of the city’s open-air food market since Puritan times.

The granite and brick, slate-roofed building looks much the same on the exterior as it did 175 years ago, but has come a long way, with architectural renovation, renaissance, and multiple tourist attractions, to ...

Boston, the birthplace of American liberty, is loaded with sites of historic importance. A mecca for all who seek to understand the 18th century ferment that led to the American Revolution, the “The Hub,” (of the Universe), as it was nicknamed, is where it all began.

Visitors to the city will find a wealth of information about the birth of the nation, including guided tours by knowledgeable Bostonians in colonial costume.

In Boston, near what is today Quincy Market, Samuel Adams, second cousin to the second U.S. president, John Adams, met with compatriots to plan the Boston Tea Party, which led to the colonial overthrow of British rule on American soil.

Boston was founded in 1630 by some 900 English Puritan colonists led by John Winthrop and named after the hometown of many of their number. These early settlers sought to create a "godly commonwealth,” of which Boston was “The Hub,” with John Winthrop as its head.

The rigid conformity imposed by Gov. Winthrop, however, had its down side, and drove many farther afield—notably Roger Williams, who fled for his freedom to Rhode Island.

Hi folks --- on the road again this week.  I (badly) needed a quick manicure yesterday and was fortunate to find a tiny nail salon near the hotel.  But it really reminded me of how lucky I am to have G-Spa in Boston!  (And no, I don't work for them or know anyone who does nor do I have any association with them other than as the occasional anonymous customer.)

Located ...