10.13.2023

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Today’s Forecast

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

📃 Is Poe a friend or foe?

Edgar Allan Poe, a poetic history

The bronze statue was unveiled in 2014 at “Edgar Allan Poe Square.” | Photo by @jeff_echols

Smile, what do you have to fear?

On the spookiest day of the year, it’s time to reflect on the words and stories of the macabre, Gothic writer we know as Edgar Allan Poe. While most think of Poe’s connections with Philadelphia and Baltimore, we’re going to write in the connections to his hometown of Boston, nevermore.

Known widely for his works like “Annabel Lee” and “The Raven,” he has a signature theme of dark and twisty stories that can induce goosebumps and certainly cause a fright. Some experts say that that Poe’s time in Boston influenced his development as a writer. And it’s no secret that the eerie writer had no love for our city.

Poe was born on January 19, 1809 to the family of traveling actors, so you can say that he was born with drama in his blood. There was a mysterious disappearance of his older brother and death of his mother in 1811 that led the young Poe to being fostered by a family in Richmond. A series of tragedies led Poe back to Boston in 1827, and he served as a solider at Castle Island.

BOS-Poes-first-book-2023 — This is Poe’s first published work and today there are only 12 copies.
|
Photo by Robert Kato from The New York Public Library

One of Poe’s most famous short stories, “The Tell-Tale Heart,” was first published in a Boston literary journal in 1843. Prior to this, his first book of poetry, “Tamerlane and Other Poems” was published locally in 1827. If you take a closer look at the cover, it reads “By a Bostonian.”

Today, while you can’t see his house, you can visit a bronze statue at the intersection of Boylston and Charles streets. Dubbed “Edgar Allan Poe Square,” you’ll find the author with a briefcase and a raven.

Question

Poe created the detective story genre with what 1841 story?

A. Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque
B. The Pit and the Pendulum
C. The Murders in the Rue Morgue
D. The Fall in the House of Usher

Take a guess

Events

Friday, Oct. 13

Brett Goldstein: The Second Best Night of Your Life | Friday, Oct. 13-Sunday, Oct. 15 | Times vary | Boch Center, 270 Tremont St., Boston | $130-$249 | The Emmy-winning actor — known for his role in “Ted Lasso” — takes his stand-up chops to America.
Emo Nite | Friday, Oct. 13 | 9 p.m. | Big Night Live, 110 Causeway St., Boston | $18 | Revisit your favorite emo hits and nostalgic deep cuts on a stroll across the dancefloor.

Saturday, Oct. 14

Malcolm X Park Opening | Saturday, Oct. 14 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Malcom X Park, 150 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Roxbury | Free | Join Mayor Wu and the Boston Parks and Recreation Department team for a ribbon cutting ceremony and see the $8 million improvements to Malcolm X Park.
Happsy Flagship Grand Opening | Saturday, Oct. 14-Sunday, Oct. 15 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | Happsy, 252 Newbury St., Boston | Free | Stop by the grand opening for sweet treats, giveaways, and more throughout the weekend.
Doggie Adoption Day at Faneuil Hall’s The Black Dog | Saturday, Oct. 14 | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | The Black Dog, 1 S. Market St., #4, Boston | Free to attend | Enter a raffle for the chance to win a gift bag, plus meet dogs in search of a furever home from the New England Lab Rescue.
Three Days Grace + Chevelle | Saturday, Oct. 14 | 7 p.m. | MGM Music Hall at Fenway, 2 Lansdowne St., Boston | $32-$67 | See the co-headlining show from these two rock acts.
Boston Bruins vs. Nashville Predators | Saturday, Oct. 14 | 7 p.m. | TD Garden, 100 Legends Way, Boston | Prices vary | Cheer on the Bruins at the home game against the visitors from Nashville.

Sunday, Oct. 15

Queen + Adam Lambert | Sunday, Oct. 15 | 8 p.m. | TD Garden, 100 Legends Way, Boston | Prices vary | Sing-along with the rock legends on the “The Rhapsody Tour.”

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Talk

Events

This free upcoming lecture will explore overcoming fear

Presented by a BOStoday Partner

Bostonians are invited to this free lecture focused on Christian Science. | Photo provided by the First Church of Christ, Scientist

“Moving past fear — to healing” is the focus of a free public talk on Christian Science by Lisa Troseth, CSB, a Christian Science practitioner.

Fear can seem inevitable, part of who we are, but the Christian Science view is that God’s all-embracing love can move life forward. Lisa will share from her own experience how the practical application of ideas from the Bible helps overcome fear and bring healing.

This lecture is happening on Tuesday, Oct. 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the Boston Public Library – Central Library in Copley Square, Rabb Hall.

Learn more about the lecture

News Notes

Development

The vacant Star Market property in Somerville’s Winter Hill neighborhood has sold after nearly 15 years for $22 million. The plan is to demolish the existing structure and replace it with two six-story buildings to create 288 units of rental units, 132 of them will be for affordable housing, plus ground-level retail. (Boston Globe)

Coming Soon

Dorchester Food Co-op is opening on Saturday, Oct. 14 at 195 Bowdoin St. The neighborhood grocery store will include a cafe space and focus on serving affordable, healthy options. (Boston Restaurant Talk)

Health

A team of two scientists at Brigham and Women’s Hospital + Harvard Medical School have co-founded the startup Akita Biosciences. The company has developed a nasal spray to block and remove airborne contaminants for up to eight hours. The sprays can reduce viruses and bacteria by 99.99%. (Boston Business Journal)

Arts

Roxbury’s Malcolm X Park will be playing on painted courts next spring. The three basketball courts will be assigned to three artists for murals: Rob “Problak” Gibbs, Sydney G. James, and Otra Ciudad + Nomada Urbano.

Environment

Emily Reichert will take the lead as the new chief executive Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, Gov. Healey announced this week. Reichert helped shape Somerville-based Greentown Labs — a clean-tech incubator. The transition will begin on Monday, Nov. 6. (Boston Globe)

Seasonal

This is the last call for submissions in our BOStoday Pumpkin Carving Contest. Decorate your pumpkin, take a picture, and submit it by this Sunday, Oct. 15 for a chance to win the inaugural BOStoday best jack-o’-lantern award. Make a submission.

Outdoors

This Saturday, an annular solar eclipse will begin ~12:18 p.m. with maximum visibility at 1:25 p.m. Depending on where you are watching from in Boston, you’ll be able to see ~17% of the moon passing between the sun and Earth. Experts warn to not look directly at the sun during the eclipse. (Wicked Local)

Wellness

Noticing hair changes? Root causes of hair thinning can change over time making it difficult to know where to begin. Learn more about how Nutrafol can help.*

Eat

Fruit can be one of the healthiest things you can put into your body, but the majority of Americans are making this single mistake that can counteract all the health benefits of fruit. Here’s why one heart surgeon is asking Americans to “stop doing this to your berries.”*

Transit

🚲 Biking in Boston just got cheaper

What to know about the Boston Bikes Pass

There are 447 stations and 4,000+ bikes across 13 municipalities in Boston. | Photo by @flatsond

Ready to put the pedal to the metal?

The city and Mayor Wu are launching the Boston Bikes Pass — a discounted annual Bluebikes membership for Boston residents. This means there will be a discounted annual pass for all Boston residents.

The short-term pilot program, now through June 2024, will explore options to make traveling by bike more affordable + support the growing demand for Bluebikes.

Boston residents who have not had an annual Bluebikes membership in the last three years are eligible for a $60 annual membership. Read: more than half off the usual $129 per year. Residents who qualify for MassHealth, SNAP, or meet income guidelines can get an even more reduced rate.

The city is working to expand the bike share system aiming to add 100 new stations. Currently, ~ 90% of households are within a 10 minute walk of a bike share station. Apply for a Boston Bikes Pass + find your nearest Bluebikes station and take a ride.

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The Wrap

Jess Burton in a blue shirt and gold necklace

Today’s edition by:
Jessica

From the editor

It’s like Willy Wonka but for beer. Harpoon is celebrating its 30th anniversary and from Oct. 15-Dec. 1 beer enthusiasts can search for the “golden can” in the Harpoon IPA 12-packs. The lucky customers who find the golden can will win a holiday party for up to 30 people at one of the brewery’s taprooms, plus other prizes.

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