Love is in the air!

One of the best Valentines gifts I can think of is a romantic trip to beautiful Boston! Surprise your valentine this year with dinner at a cozy restaurant nestled into a cozy Boston street, book a room and get away from it all at at Boston bed and breakfast, or just spend the day exploring all the city has to offer. Boston.com has a great tool for selecting a Boston restaurant that works best for you, http://www.boston.com/ae/events/valentines_day/, and many Boston restaurants are offering special deals on reservations made for February 12th, 13th, and 14th. Check out Open Table http://www.opentable.com/promo.aspx?m=7&pid=102 for great ideas for romantic Saturday dinner or cozy Sunday brunch. You can even make your reservation online with this tool, which is a huge time-saver! Bed and Breakfast Associates Bay Colony is in the mood for love, too, so we're offering 10% off stays at many of our properties that weekend, as long as you stay for two nights...and who wouldn't want to?? We'll even have a complimentary bottle of champagne waiting for you when you arrive to help you jump start the romantic mood, so check out the great deals at http://bnbboston.com/top_level/lodging_deals.php.
Need chocolates? I highly recommend Teuscher Chocolatier on Newbury Street Boston, http://www.newbury-st.com/Boston/74/1033/Candy_and_Chocolate/Teuscher_Chocolates_of_Switzerland.
XOXO

Bed and Breakfast Associates Bay Colony
PO Box 57166
Boston MA 02457 USA
781-449-5302
fax: 781-455-6745
Toll Free: 888-486-6018

Chocolate: Here today .... Gone today!

Okay, it's cold outside, winter is starting to feel long, and yes, Valentine's day is approaching. So, let's talk about chocolate. Is there really any better mood lifter? If you're going to be in the Boston area this weekend, this is one of the coolest Boston events taking place this Sunday, just outside the city in the Newton Boston area.

Death By Chocolate 2010
Date: Jan 31 2010
Event Fee: $15.00 per person
Location: Crown Plaza Newton
320 Washington St.
Newton, MA, 02458

Join The Rotary Clubs of Newton and Waltham for a fun day of eating and tasting chocolate!! Done as a perenial partnership between the Rotary Clubs of Newton and Waltham. There will be local food vendors, chefs, restaurants and caterers competing in 5 categories. Best Chocolate Cake, Best Cookie, Best Brownie, best candy and Best unique Desert. YOU BE THE JUDGE!!! During the event there will be a silent auction too!!

For more information, click on http://www.whofish.org/events/Newton/MA/9th_Annual_Death_By_Chocolate/433179.aspx

My juices are flowing just thinking about this event, so if you call into our office to make a reservation, mention my blog, and say "I love chocolate!," you'll get 10% off your stay this weekend!

Need somewhere to stay in the Newton area? Check out this page for some great options: http://bnbboston.com/west-suburbs/western_suburbs_1b.php

"A true chocolate lover finds ways to accommodate his passion and make it work with his lifestyle..." --Julie Davis of the Los Angeles Times, 10/30/85, http://www.virtualchocolate.com/quotes.cfm

Enjoy!



Bed and Breakfast Associates Bay Colony
PO Box 57166
Boston MA 02457 USA
781-449-5302
fax: 781-455-6745
Toll Free: 888-486-6018

Boston Parking...the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

At this time of year, we typically get a lot of questions about parking in Boston and how wintry weather will impact a city that is already a little tricky for visitors with cars. Okay, so let's break it down a little...according to the city of Boston's official website, http://www.cityofboston.gov/transportation/parking.asp, there are approximately 7300 electronic parking meters offering two hours of on-street parking in Boston. Sounds like a lot, but those of us who like to pop into the city for dinner or a little Boston shopping know that it can be challening to find somewhere inexpensive to park...inexpensive is the operative word here, because there are certainly plenty of lots and garages around if you don't mind paying the rates. This past Saturday night, I went into the Back Bay around 6pm to visit my brother on Marlborough Street, and it took us around 15 minutes to find a meter about 3 blocks away. Not bad, right? Regardless, my advice is always this: If you don't absolutely need your car, then by all means, leave it at home. Boston has a wonderful public transportation system and is an extremely walkable city. And the reality is that you probably won't be able to park right by your destination unless you get lucky and find a meter or are willing to shell out a chunk of change for a garage. That being said, there are plenty of insider tips out there on websites like http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/North_America/United_States_of_America/Massachusetts/Boston-794476/Warnings_or_Dangers-Boston-Parking_Driving-BR-1.html, where one blogger shares, "There is lot's of free parking to be had in Boston. You just have to know where to look. I have lived in Boston for years and have never payed to put my car in a garage. Good areas to find spaces are Charles Street between the Public Garden and Boston Common, Newbury Street and Boylston Street in the Back Bay (and any of the side streets that run between Newbury and Boylston),Harrison Avenue in Chinatown, and most of the side streets in and around Post Office Square.
NEVER park ANYWHERE you may see a Resident Parking sign..." At this time of year, be sure to check out the city of Boston website we mentioned earlier to learn how snow emergencies impact parking....there are many more rules during big snow storms and the risk of being ticketed is that much higher. All that said, if you're coming to Boston and you and your car are a package deal, here are a few popular hotels Boston that offer parking: Abigayle's B&B (M263)http://bnbboston.com/boston-bnbs/b&bs_4c.php; CL's South End Bed and Breakfast (M363) http://bnbboston.com/boston-bnbs/b&bs_7b.php; The Hilltop B&B (M611) http://bnbboston.com/brookline/brookline_2.php; Cambridge Accommodations (M857) http://bnbboston.com/cambridge/cambridge_2_b-1.php.

Bed and Breakfast Associates Bay Colony
PO Box 57166
Boston MA 02457 USA
781-449-5302
fax: 781-455-6745
Toll Free: 888-486-6018

Boston Activities on a Snowy Saturday!

Okay, so while the snow sculptures may still be standing, First Night is packed up and put away, we've ushered 2010 in with style, and yes, we're still pretty fired up about the Bruin's overtime victory at Fenway Park! Today the city is being blanketed in a perfect snowfall, and you may be looking for things to do in Boston or Boston events on this first weekend of the 2010. Here is our idea of the day! Head over to the Frog Pond at the Boston Common for an afternoon of skating with the kids, http://www.bostoncommonfrogpond.org/ and then warm up at tourist favorite, Cheers, http://www.cheersboston.com/pub/, or at Starbucks on Charles Street. Need somewhere to stay this weekend? Abigayle's Bed and Breakfast is a cozy retreat with a classic Boston feel, http://bnbboston.com/boston-bnbs/b&bs_4c.php.

Bed and Breakfast Associates Bay Colony
PO Box 57166
Boston MA 02457 USA
781-449-5302
fax: 781-455-6745
Toll Free: 888-486-6018

Theater in Boston...A Must See This Week!

Having had the opportunity to see Mamma Mia at the Colonial Theater Boston this past Saturday afternoon, I really must weigh in to say, if you're coming to the area this week and have an interest in Boston theater, you must check it out! "A mother, A daughter, 3 possible fathers - and a walk down the aisle you'll never forget! Now enjoying its 10th year on Broadway this smash hit musical brings the classic sounds of ABBA to life with this enchanting story." We went to the matinee at 2pm and were back out on the bustling city streets by 4:45pm. Sadly, we had to head back to reality in the suburbs, but if you're lucky enough to move on to dinner, there are oodles of Boston restaurants within a block's radius, close to the Wang Boston and the Opera House Boston. I recommend PF Chang's http://www.pfchangs.com/index.aspx if you're in the mood for Chinese, or Maggiano's for amazing Italian http://www.maggianos.com/ (don't miss the chopped salad!). And, if you need a place to stay, the following fab digs are open this week: A Little Paris on Beacon Hill (furnished apartment Boston) http://bnbboston.com/boston-apts/apartments_1b-1.php; Booth's Beacon Street Condo (Boston apartment) http://bnbboston.com/boston-apts/apartments_2a-1.php; and Verona's B&B (Boston bed and breakfast) http://bnbboston.com/boston-bnbs/b&bs_6b.php, a particularly good deal at $99/night in December. Pull your plans together pronto -- Mamma Mia moves on to New York on the 28th!

Bed and Breakfast Associates Bay Colony
PO Box 57166
Boston MA 02457 USA
781-449-5302
fax: 781-455-6745
Toll Free: 888-486-6018