Weekend fun for a teen?

[sly-salkie.livejournal.com]

My aunt and uncle are sending my very misbehaved teenage cousin to visit me this weekend in hopes that I can show him a good, idependent-feeling time in the city without his usual exposure to the delightful.. things.. found in the wealthy suburbs. I'm 25 but I don't go out much. Any recommendations on what might be fun for a 16 year-old? He's into all kinds of music but I am only familiar with the bar music scene of Boston.

Davis recommendations are ideal but we'll be going into the city a few times too.

And while music is definitely the focus, I'll take other recommendations as well! I was one of those quiet teenagers who sat at home drawing, so I have no idea what the extroverted ones like.

Thanks in advance!

Comments

[mizufae.livejournal.com]

he might like to go to interesting indy theaters and see interesting thought provoking films? If i were you I'd just be sure to stock up on phoenixes and thoroughly read it, circling anything you think he might remotely find interesting and then let him choose. Diesel cafe also is apparently very un-suburban according to my suburban visiting relatives, it might be nice to play a game of pool there or just have a relaxing beverage.
I wouldn't try particularly hard to make him have a good time if i were you, I bet a weekend away from the parental units will be freeing enough as it is, especially if you are the "cool" cousin.

[ronhaha108.livejournal.com]

Diesel would have been interesting 2 years ago, but, with what's there now, the kid might find Mr. Crepe to be too suburban.

[aki.livejournal.com]

Diesel's still there - it's Someday that was replaced. (Just making sure there's no misunderstanding)

[ronhaha108.livejournal.com]

oops, damn, stupid me, there I go again posting before i've had my coffee... right, Diesel would be a great place for the teen to see!

sorry...

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

how 'bout ice cream from jp licks and whomever happens to be playing in the square?

or for that matter (depending on the music your cousin likes) the jazz brunch at johnny d's?

that aside, there's something to charm nearly anyone at the boston mfa.

[sly-salkie.livejournal.com]

When does the outdoor square music usually happen? I've only happened upon it twice now. Is that a set thing with the town, or do people just show up and jam?

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

i don't know for sure, but i think it's pretty spontaneous.

[ron_newman]

Whenever people feel like playing there. No license is needed, and the city doesn't schedule it.

[sly-salkie.livejournal.com]

So great. I walked by today and that awesome guitarist was playing. This town makes me so happy.

[aquastar.livejournal.com]

The science museum has lazer shows ...

[mattdm.livejournal.com]

And lightning!

[aquastar.livejournal.com]

lol yes,
and lightning I forget about that

[ron_newman]

Oh yes, the Theatre of Electricity is awesome.

[hauntmeister.livejournal.com]

Wander around Boston Chinatown? Gawk at the roast squid and ducks in the market windows and sit down for Dim Sum?

Or locally, walk down Mass Av from Davis to Harvard Square and stick your head into any shops that look interesting.

If he's a typical hungry teenager, try the all-the-meat-you-can-eat Redbone's lunch.

[ron_newman]

If this teenager has never seen candlepin bowling, take him to Sacco's Bowl-Haven.

Club Passim in Harvard Square does not serve alcohol and therefore is all-ages.

The Somerville Theatre is probably not like any cinema he's seen in the suburbs.

[nomacmac.livejournal.com]

I second Club Passim. Ellis Paul is there Saturday night, it will sell out.
I took my nerdy, well behaved teenage niece and nephew on a Whale Watch tour. They loved it. You could also take a boat to one of the Boston Harbor Islands.
How about an interesting ethnic restaurant? Like one of the Brazilian places where they bring the big skewer of meat to your table...I like the Dim Sum in Chinatown idea too...dare him to eat chicken feet.
The MIT museum in Central Square has a great exhibit of kinetic sculpture by Arthur Ganson..machines that oil themselves, stuff like that. They also have some really cool holography. http://web.mit.edu/museum/

[in-parentheses.livejournal.com]

I have no idea if this is still an option (and the waitlist is probably long if it is), but it's worth asking: when I saw Blue Man years ago, I ushered and got to see them for very cheap.

[aquaflame16.livejournal.com]

you can also usually get half price tickets for Blue Man from the BosTix booths.
(http://www.artsboston.org/booth_locations.asp)
Not the best seats, but usually a good deal anyway.

[enfa.livejournal.com]

Well, the Red Sox are away this weekend...
Tortoise is playing tonight at the MFA...
The Edward Hopper exhibit is still up.
Theres the pastry shops in the north end;
Crane Beach in Ipswitch is T-able on the weekends, google ipswitch explorer.
A walk from Davis down Mass Ave to the Charles is cool.
Could get started early on halloween costume at the Garment District.
Milky Way in JP is fun and age appropriate;
Pool at Big City or Boston Beer Works?
Super 88 in Allston & the international Food Court?

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

Man, this is where I totally wish I paid more attention to what they do for weekend trips at my all-boys boarding school. (I'm not in the residential life side.) Hm...let me see what I can remember and find references to :).

Chinatown/dim sum is definitely something they do. Movies. Good Times Emporium? IHOP. Harvard Square in general (there's enough stuff in it that he can probably tell you what is most entertaining). Ice cream. Lowell Spinners game. Movies, but probably not artsy ones (ask him what he wants to see, and the fact that he can eat ice cream at the Somerville will be intriguing). Just about anything involving food. Paintball and laser tag. Huh, apparently they did a Super 88 trip, but I don't know if that's more "whoa, wacky food" or "wow do we have a lot of Asian boarders". Mini golf. We take them to college sports games, but I guess that is not so helpful in the summer, though if there is some kind of collegey fun thing going on on one of the campuses, college kids are always impressive. I think they did TOMB once.

I doubt most of the museums would work; too passive. Maybe the Museum of Science if he likes science (or IMAX shows).

Basically, think food, active, and interactive.

[lac.livejournal.com]

You could also take either the high speed ferry or commuter rail to Salem and walk around there for awhile. Enjoy the witch museum (ok, kind of lame but a good giggle) and just take in the sights.

The commuter rail lets you off closer than you might think.

Otherwise, you have some seriously good suggestions here.

[chumbolly.livejournal.com]

This is the best idea yet--I specifically remember thinking this very thing was awesome as a teenager, though I would go when I was a bit younger than 16. This has an element of illicit-ness to it (staying up late, rowdy behavior) with no actual drug or alcohol use required. Check out the street performers in Harvard and get that slice from Pinochios BEFORE the show.

I also second the Chinatown idea--this is another fond memory I have from when I was a teenager. Definitely make it a mission to find the weirdest food item possible in Chinatown.

[nomacmac.livejournal.com]

I think I saw a list of midnight movies at the Somerville Theater...their website isn't up right now...you might need to walk by to check it out.

[ron_newman]

Somerville Theatre summer film series. This weekend it's Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, plus an hour of Looney Tunes. Not at midnight, though.

[ron_newman]

Back in the Davis area, if the kid has never seen a classic diner, take him to Rosebud or to Kelly's in Ball Square.

[nomacmac.livejournal.com]

I have a couple of free passes to the Planetarium/Laser Show at the MOS if you want them. You can also get museum passes from the library.

[lena-a-mermaid.livejournal.com]

After reading all these great suggestions I really want you to write after the weekend is over about everything you ended up doing and how it went.

I think the Rocky Horror Picture Show at Harvard Sq is the cool thing to do. Its late at night, its got music and it is still risque after all these years. It isn't something he'd see in his wealthy suburb and it will be cool for him to tell his friends.

[sly-salkie.livejournal.com]

I will absolutely do a write up (unless we end up staying in too much or something, then I'll be too ashamed, because all these comments are really helpful.) I think he'll want to go out a bit though. I'll consider Rocky Horror. I'm still traumatized from the first [only] time I went, when I lied about not being a Rocky Horror Virgin. I'm also that one that tries to be invisible when the blue men come pull people out of the audience.

[jodi.livejournal.com]

someone mentioned the witch museum in salem but isn't there a pirate museum there, too? pirates are everywhere in teen-land these days.

[ron_newman]

New England Pirate Museum. Never been there, so I can't say anything useful about it. It's across from Pickering Wharf, which is part of a National Historic Park and can be fun to walk around.

[elements.livejournal.com]

I've never gone inside but it always seemed to me the Pirate Museum was a bit tourist trappy. The witch museum on the other hard impressed both my parents, who are hard to please as museums go, but still has a high cool factor. Really though if I were bringing a teen to Salem I'd go to the Salem visitors' center (right across from the Peabody Essex museum) and let them pick.

I think though that for this kid I'd stay in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville. Salem isn't inaccessible from rich suburbs and doesn't have the same 'I went to the big city with my older cousin' factor.

[ron_newman]

I assumed that the kid is from a suburb of some other city than Boston, but I could be quite wrong about that.

[elements.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah, if that's the case then if there's time for the trip up and back Salem could definitely be a fun option.

[sly-salkie.livejournal.com]

New Hampshire but 2nd child in a family of 10, so I don't think he's had much of a Boston tour yet, or Salem for that matter.

[ron_newman]

This could be fun or it could be totally lame, or some of both:

Life is Good Festival at Fenway Park, this Saturday.

fantastic

[sly-salkie.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for these great suggestions, everyone! Very very helpful. It's going to be a fun visit.

Re: fantastic

[ron_newman]

Once it's over, let us know what you ended up doing, what worked, what didn't.

[ron_newman]

Assuming it does not rain, there is free outdoor music tonight at the Boston Harbor Hotel (Rowes Wharf). It happens every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday night during the summer.

Beehive music

[elements.livejournal.com]

The Beehive is a music club/restaurant that might interest him (it's new, funky, youthful). It does have a bar element but since it has a strong relationship with Berklee music college it might not require ID just to enter and see a show. Definitely call & ask though.

Their website: http://www.beehiveboston.com/
Their calendar: http://www.beehiveboston.com/pdfs/BEEHIVE_Entertainment.pdf

[nomacmac.livejournal.com]

Apparently there's a nightly "Light and Laser spectacular" at Faneuil Hall...from their website: "Everyone in Boston ends their day and begins their night at Faneuil Hall Marketplace. This summer join Boston natives and world travelers every night May 26 – September 3 on the Marketplace’s West End to see the FREE Summer Nights Marketplace Lights and Laser spectacular. Ooh and ahh watching the combination of lasers, lights and music dance across the Marketplace while depicting the Faneuil Hall Marketplace story.".
I want to go just so I can see "Everyone in Boston" ooh and ahh.

[ron_newman]

I've seen it. It's pretty lame.

[ron_newman]

Toad in Porter Square has music 7 nights a week with no cover. I don't know whether kids under 18 are allowed -- call them and ask.

[sly-salkie.livejournal.com]

I just walked by there and thought of them too. I'll definitely give them a call.

[nomacmac.livejournal.com]

Depending on his musical taste, Jazz brunch at Johnny D's, I think Redbones has a Gospel Brunch, Sunday night at the Burren there's bluegrass/folk at 7pm in the main room (under-age friendly if you're there for food)