Maria Olia: I am a free-lance writer and the author of the "Little Black of Boston" (Peter Pauper Press). My favorite museums in Boston include the Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and the Institute of Contemporary Art. Hanging out in Cambridge is one of my favorite pastimes. Like most travel writers, I love to eat out- I have a strong preference for ethnic(especially Italian and Middle East cuisine) and/or chef-owned restaurants . And of course, I am a huge Red Sox fan! I am an active free-lancer. Currently, I am the "Fun-To-Go" editor for the monthly parenting publication "Parents and Kids of Massachusetts". I also recently revised "The Little Black Book of DC" (Peter Pauper Press) - DC is fast becoming one of my US favorite cities! My travel and parenting articles have appeared in many national publications including the Boston Globe, the Christian Science Monitor, Woman's Day and Parents Magazine. Follow me on Twitter @thebostonguide

Three Boston Stores Not-To-Be Missed

Thrifty, classic, and cutting edge -the stores below are uniquely Boston. More information on PlanetEye: Filene’s Basement, Shreve, Crump & Low, Newbury Comics

April 3rd, 2008 | Boston | Read More

A French Beer Hall

Brasserie JO is located in the Colonnade Hotel, but is most definitely not your typical hotel restaurant- the food is just too good. The large dining room fronts busy Huntington Avenue in the Back Bay. The crowd is chic, yet casual. There is always a buzz here; especially on Boston Symphony or Boston Pops nights- Symphony Hall is located just a couple of blocks away and many diners are here pre-performance. At the bar, the nibbles are better than average....

April 2nd, 2008 | Boston | Read More

A Green Lifestyle Event

Boston has always had a reputation of being an eco-conscious city. Boston residents practice environmentally friendly habits like using public transportation. Solar-powered compact trash cans dots the city. And many hotels and restaurants are US Green Building Council LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified. This weekend (March 28 to March 30) the Down: 2: Earth (D2E) exposition at the Hynes Convention Center showcases sustainable living, energy-efficient and earth-friendly...

March 29th, 2008 | Boston | Read More

More Signs of Spring….

Last week hundreds of official Boston Marathon banners were hung up on lamp posts throughout the city to kick off this year’s Boston Marathon festivities. Legendary Bill Rodgers, a four-time Boston Marathon winner, unveiled this year’s banner at the Copley Square finish line. Serious runners may want to check out his store, the Bill Rodgers Running Center located in Faneuil Hall, which has a great selection of sneakers and official Boston Marathon merchandise. Quack, quack, the...

March 26th, 2008 | Boston | Read More

Three Overlooked and Underrated Boston Sites

Visitors to Boston are spoiled with choices for historical sites, cultural attractions, and fun things to do. The following list of places may not be as well-known as Boston’s main attractions but step just a little off the Freedom Trail and you will enjoy discovering these Boston treasures. More information on PlanetEye: New England Holocaust Memorial, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Franklin Park Zoo

March 25th, 2008 | Boston | Read More

Dinner and Jazz

For a night out in the Boston, it doesn’t get any better than French bistro food and live jazz. Les Zygomates is located in Boston’s Leather District, the small nine-block area between Chinatown and South Station that is one of the city’s hippest downtown loft neighborhoods. Les Zygomates is French for “the muscles in the face that make you smile” and the combination of very good bistro food, an intelligently thought -out wine list and live jazz will make you feel very happy indeed. “Les...

March 24th, 2008 | Boston | Read More

Five Days of Free Museum Admissions

Yes, you can have fun on a budget in Boston.You can save a lot of money on admissions by timing your museum visit just right. Several of Boston’s best museums set aside a few hours each week for the public to come and visit for free. More information on PlanetEye: The Museum of Fine Arts, Institute of Contemporary Art, The Children’s Museum Boston, Harvard University Art Museums, MIT Museum

March 20th, 2008 | Boston | Read More

Shear Madness=Shear Fun

Shear Madness is a comedy who-dunnit that plays at the Charles Playhouse in Boston’s Theatre District. Shear Madness has been a staple of the Boston theatre scene since 1980 and a guaranteed fun night out. The Boston version is actually the longest running non-musical play in American Theatre history with more than 11,000 performances. The setting of the play is a present-day Newbury Street Hair Salon. A murder occurs off-stage (in the apartment above the salon) and everyone...

March 17th, 2008 | Boston | Read More

Family Fave: The New England Aquarium

When visitors enter the New England Aquarium, they are immediately drawn to the Aquarium’s showpiece attraction, the 4-story glass circular Giant Ocean Tank. GOT is pretty amazing- a recreated Caribbean coral reef that is home to more than 100 different animal species and more than 600 individual animals including sharks, barracudas and colorful fish. Press your nose to the glass windows and look for Myrtle the sea turtle, the largest turtle in the tank and easily GOT’s...

March 14th, 2008 | Boston | Read More

Ten Boston Icons: Old and New

Of course, Boston’s storied icons (items 1-5) include classic colonial -era architecture and quaint landmarks. And you just got to love Boston’s modern icons (items 6-10); innovative design of buildings and grand public works projects, along with a very cool pop-culture sign. More information on PlanetEye: U.S.S. Constitution, The Massachusetts State House, Equestrian Statue of Paul Revere, Swan Boats in the Public Garden, Fenway Park, Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge, Boston...

March 13th, 2008 | Boston | Read More

Cheap Eats: Galleria Umberto

Located on Hanover Street in the heart of Boston’s North End, Galleria Umberto is a pizza joint with a limited menu-and a huge following. You know that you have found a great local lunch spot when the line out the door is 30-deep and includes the mailman, servicemen from the nearby Navy Yard and local office workers.Don’t let the line dissuade you; it moves fast even at noon. Here, you can get any kind of pizza- as long as it is plain cheese. The pizza comes out in large rectangular...

March 11th, 2008 | Boston | Read More

Boston Prix Fixe Bargains

Restaurant week is a delicious way for diners to try out restaurants without having to pay a lot. Boston’s Winter Restaurant Week actually spans two weeks this year; March 9-March 14 and March 16-March 21. More than 150 of Boston’s best restaurants will offer three-course prix fixe lunches for $20.08 and three course prix fixe dinners for $33.08. Of course, everybody loves a dining bargain. If you miss restaurant week, there are several Boston restaurants that offer...

March 7th, 2008 | Boston | Read More

Boston’s Spring Delights

Winter doldrums be gone! Sometimes spring in Boston can be so subtle; that you have to find it wherever you can. Here is a list of some only-in Boston signs of spring to look for in the coming weeks. There is still snow on the ground, but dozens of improbably gorgeous display gardens and landscapes are in full bloom at The New England Spring Flower Show (March 8th-16th) and will make you forget that it is still winter. Everyone loves a parade! Boston’s St. Patrick’s...

March 6th, 2008 | Boston | Read More

24 Hour Late Night Dining in Boston

It used to be that when looking for a little late night sustenance in Boston your choices were limited to a couple of diners, some Chinatown restaurants and a few cafes in the North End. Miel at the Intercontinental Hotel is Boston’s only upscale 24/7 dining option. The room is lovely, like dining at country house in the South of France. The waterfront views from the dining room and the outdoor patio are spectacularly romantic. Miel means “honey”...

March 5th, 2008 | Boston | Read More