User Interface 12 | October 31, 2007

On Friday I’m lucky enough to be flying to Boston to attend Jared Spool’s excellent User Experience 12 Conference. I’ve seen Jared speak on several occasions, and have always found him both entertaining and educational. This was one of the main reasons we were so excited when Jared agreed to speak at dConstruct this year. If you weren’t able to attend this session, I highly listening to the podcast.

Anyway, UI12 is one of the paramount conferences on the user experience calendar. There are some fantastic people speaking and I’m really looking forward to the full day workshops.

I’m also looking forward to visiting Boston as I’ve never been there before. I’ve managed to arrange two free days before the conference where I plan to go and explore the city. If you’re from Boston or have spent time there, I’d love to get any tips of recommendations you have. And if you fancy meeting up for a beer one evening, give me a shout.

After the conference I’m planning to hire a car for a couple of days and shoot up (or down) the coast. I’m not sure where is a good place to go, but I’m keen to catch the tail end of the fall, and check out some quintal, “Truman Show” style villages. If anybody has recommendations for somewhere nice that’s a days drive away from Boston, please let me know.

Posted at October 31, 2007 2:20 PM

Comments

Patrick Haney said on October 31, 2007 3:15 PM

Unfortunately I won’t be around this weekend, as I’ll be in the Chicago area, but I will be back on Sunday night and around all of next week if you want to grab a drink somewhere. I’m speaking at the W3C Plenary on Wednesday as well.

As for things to do in Boston, you want to check out the usual hotspots. The Boston Common is a nice walk, and you see the Massachusetts State House (the golden dome) while you’re down there. Then there’s the Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market area, also very historic and not too far from the harbor (plus it’s full of pubs to stop and grab a drink at). You could also probably grab a tour at Fenway Park (my favorite baseball stadium) or go to the top of the Prudential Building for a view of the city.

Let me know if you want any other suggestions.

Matt Carey said on October 31, 2007 5:16 PM

I was in Boston at this time of year in 1999. My wife and I took a train ride out from Boston to Salem. The ride itself was amazing seeing the fall and salem was fun, especially at this time of year. There was good bar on the waterfront I remember (but it was a while ago!)

Oh, and I dragged my wife to the cheers bar. Yes I know, it is cheesy but there was a baseball game on the telly and I had a burger. It was fun!

Ralph Brandi said on October 31, 2007 9:07 PM

Cape Cod can be quite beautiful at this time of year. My wife and I were there in early November last year and had a great time.

On the other hand, you could go north to New Hampshire and Maine, but I suspect their autumn colors are done for the year (not sure, I live in New Jersey where we haven’t quite hit our peak yet). But if you’re looking for rural charm more than brightly colored leaves, it’s definitely an option.

Jeff L said on November 1, 2007 5:34 PM

Hey Andy,

Autumn colors are starting to fade in NH. However, if you come north on the 9th into NH, I’d be happy to meet up w/ you for lunch in Portsmouth, NH, about an hour ride north of Boston. It’s a nice little town right on the water and some good places to grab food. It would be a good starting point for a ride up the Maine coastline.

Let me know if you are interested and we can arrange something.

byron said on November 2, 2007 11:47 AM

I just moved to London from Boston.

Here are a couple things I miss:

The South End
Great neighborhood. I lived here for two years. Beautiful architecture on the old Victorian row houses. Some streets get a little sketchy late, but common sense will do you well. If you’re looking for a good meal, head for Tremont and Clarendon. Especially with the pound/dollar conversion right now. Aquitaine - http://www.aquitaineboston.com/ (terrible website) - has some really good food. Mussels and Steak au poivre are recommended.

Harvard Square
I always liked a place called Grendel’s Den. It’s a little cozy half underground place. http://www.grendelsden.com.

North End
Always the place to go for Italian food.

Have a good time!

Angelo said on November 6, 2007 6:33 PM

You ought to drop by Salem MA. I live there, and it’s a great town.

I’d gladly buy you a good brew if you decide to swing by.

Also, wish I could’ve made the conference. Do let me know if it’s as good as it looks.

Andy Budd said on November 7, 2007 2:59 PM

Thanks for the tips folks, much appreciated :-)