Today’s Forecast

37º | Sunny | 6% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:12 a.m. | Sunset 4:28 p.m.

Our pitch for a local Wes Anderson movie

10 Boston spots fit for a Wes Anderson film

Side by side images of Brookline Dutch House (left) and Jamaica Plain Dragon House (right)

Check out the Brookline Dutch House (left) and JP Dragon House (right). | Photos by @streetscapecurator

We’re stoked for Wes Anderson’s upcoming film “Asteroid City,” and to honor the iconic filmmaker, we’re rounding up local landmarks that we think would fit his aesthetic.

We enlisted some help from Matthew Dickey, the Streetscape Curator + ambassador for Accidentally Wes Anderson.

Curious how to identify an “Accidentally Wes Anderson” view? “Symmetry is always a driving factor, but it’s more about the way the eye is guided through color, shapes, and patterns,” Matthew said. Read up on the TikTok trend to see what we mean.

Now, let’s zoom in on five local spots that fit the bill.

Harvard Lampoon Building
This Cambridge mini-castle, home of the Harvard Lampoon humor magazine’s office + currently undergoing a massive renovation, has the perfect quirky vibe for another journalism-focused Wes Anderson plot. Think: “The French Dispatch.”

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
This aesthetic Fenway museum and its dreamy courtyard are practically begging to be in a “whodunnit” following the events of real-life theft.

Hotel Buckminster
The Kenmore Square landmark’s wide-spanning history as the site of a Red Sox scandal, jazz and Black cultural space, and a prisoner-of-war holding center makes it ideal for some savvy Wes Anderson storytelling. It’s like “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” but Boston.

Interior of restaurant with pink seats and green chairs — The colors of Contessa are Hollywood-ready.
|
Photo by @____mcmm

Contessa
The Art Deco vibe of this swanky Newbury Street restaurant achieves the saturation and lighting levels for a Wes Anderson film. Just picture a colorful dinner scene among the geometric tiles + pink seats.

Post Office Square
The local subject of Accidentally Wes Anderson’s “Coastal Postal Road Trip” naturally earns a spot on this list. The history of the downtown area, particularly the site of one of Boston’s first post offices at 31 Milk St., seems deserving of a spot on the big screen.

Bonus: Any train station will give you the right backdrop (just ask our pal Jed).

Events

Monday, May 1

Not Your Bubbe’s Book Club | Monday, May 1 | 7-8:30 p.m. | The Boston Synagogue, 55 Martha Rd., Boston | Free | Join the monthly meeting with the Jewish Book Council to discuss “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin.

Tuesday, May 2

Beetlejuice | Tuesday, May 2-Sunday, May 14 | 7:30 p.m. | Citizens Bank Opera House, 539 Washington St., Boston | $49-$175 | Grab your “Handbook for the Recently Deceased” and enjoy opening night for the musical based on Tim Burton’s classic movie.

Wednesday, May 3

Mrs. Trillium’s Book Garden Signature Series | Wednesday, May 3 | 6-9 p.m. | Trillium Brewing Company, 50 Thomson Pl., Boston | $65 | The Fort Point restaurant will host a meet + greet with Marissa Mullen of “That Cheese Plate” and snacks inspired by the book.

Friday, May 5

Cinco de Mayo Tequila Tasting | Friday, May 5 | 5:30-9 p.m. | Time Out Market, 401 Park Dr., Boston | $15-$50 | Each tequila tasting includes eight samples + the VIP ticket will include three top shelf options.
Massachusetts Poetry Festival | Friday, May 5-Sunday, May 7 | Times vary | Downtown Salem District, Essex Street, Salem | $0-$100 | Attend workshops, panels, readings, and performances at the festival with 150+ poets.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Playoffs

Bad news for Bruins fans. After a 7-5 loss against the Panthers Friday night + a 4-3 loss in overtime last night, the Bruins are officially eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs. Thanks for a record-setting regular season, Boston.

Coming Soon

Tall Ship Boston reopens for the season on Wednesday, May 3. Get ready to visit the floating bar at 1 East Pier Dr. for frozen drinks, seafood like oysters and shellfish + views of the skyline and harbor.

Sports

The New England Patriots made 12 total selections in the 2023 NFL Draft, including first-round pick Christian Gonzalez. Meet the new members of the team.

Development

Construction has started on the Preserve at Olmsted Green, located at the former site of Boston State Hospital. The development will bring 80 units of affordable housing to Mattapan, joining The Loop at Mattapan Station in the neighborhood.

Announced

Boston Calling dropped the mic on the food lineup for this year’s festival, featuring 10 new vendors. The list of eats includes Blackbird Doughnuts, Dumpling Daughter + Lily P’s Fried Chicken.

Concert

Speaking of summer concerts — the Pixies will stop in our city on their 2023 world tour. The Boston-born rock band is set to perform at MGM Music Hall on Thursday, June 8. Snag tickets here. (Boston Globe)

Active

The Lawn on D opens for the season today, with an exciting new offering: pickleball. Bostonians can reserve a court in advance + courts will be first come, first serve during open lawn hours beginning at 7 a.m.

Outdoors

Big Day Boston, an annual birding competition, will be held throughout the city on Saturday, May 6. Sign up here to compete to be the Bostonian who spots the most species in a single day.

Featured

Brighton’s The Koji Club made it on Conde Nast Traveler’s list of the 21 best new restaurants in the world. The first sake bar in Boston was highlighted for being cozy + authentic with knowledgeable bartenders.

Number

14 days. That’s how long you have until Mother’s Day. The good news? That gives you just enough time to order a gift from Quince — a brand offering high-end and sustainable products at affordable prices. Think: European linen shorts, silk slip dresses, cashmere crewnecks + Italian leather totes. Shop now.

History

Breaking down “Beantown”

How Boston got the Beantown nickname

Love it or hate it, the Beantown nickname seems to be here to stay. | Photo by @shotsbysheehan

A locally based comedy called “Beantown” is currently being developed by CBS. The series will be set at a Boston coffeehouse 1773, the same year as the Boston Tea Party.

Plus, there’s a new event in the works to celebrate Boston’s best-known nickname this summer: The Beantown Beanfest on Saturday, June 24.

While we’ve got beans on the brain, here’s a refresher on how our city earned this unique moniker.

Where did the nickname come from?

You may have guessed this already: beans. Baked beans are a pretty big part of Boston’s history. They became popular with 17th century Puritans, who could cook them on Saturdays and eat them on Sundays to avoid working on the Sabbath.

Molasses, the ingredient that sets Boston baked beans apart from other legumes, are thought to have entered the local recipe in the mid-18th century as part of the triangular trade.

Bring on the bean content

Answered

Last week we asked “Should Boston hire a rat czar?” and here’s what you said:

Close up of a rat — Find out what our community thinks about a Boston rat expert.
|
Photo via Pexels

Turns out, most of our readers are all for creating this new position to deal with the city’s rodent residents.

The majority (~65%) of you voted yes, and 25% of readers are open to the idea but unsure if it will help. On Instagram, the results were similar: ~58% of followers were in favor of a “rat czar” appointment.

We’ll keep an eye out for updates to see if Boston adopts New York City’s trending TikTok motto: “The rats don’t run this city — we do.”

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Sara

From the editor

I had so much fun looking at Boston through a Wes Anderson lens for today’s story. Here’s a bonus fun fact for you — “Moonrise Kingdom” was filmed in New England at multiple Rhode Island locations.

If you haven’t had your fill of quirky + symmetrical sights yet, be sure to follow our Instagram for a very Wes Anderson post coming later today.

Missed Friday’s newsletter? Sail through the history of Fan Pier.

Missed yesterday's newsletter?

›

Send Us A Scoop, Question, or Feedback

Content marked with an * is paid advertising. Content marked with an ^ is created by our content studio. The company may also generate commission from affiliate links in the newsletter.

Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.

P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602

ADVERTISE | CAREERS | ETHICS | PRIVACY | THE BUY