October 3, 2018
Posted by:
IEPA
By Kelsey Johnson and Tobie Kim
With only a few days to go until IEPA’s 11th International Conference on Early Intervention in Mental Health, we asked locals Kelsey Johnson and Tobie Kim for their recommendations on where to eat, explore and shop in Boston.
Luckily for conference-goers, IEPA 11’s home at the Copley Westin is one of the most central areas in Boston for sightseeing and entertainment. Here are some of the best things to look for when you’re walking around Copley — and some things worth going a little farther for!
Best Food near the Copley Westin
· $: The Friendly Toast, Boloco, Dirty Water Dough Company, Shake Shack
· $$: Luke’s Lobster, Terra (in Eataly), Earls Kitchen & Bar, The Salty Pig
· $$$: Top of the Hub, The Capital Grille, Abe & Louie’s
Best Food to Try around Boston
· Cannolis from Mike’s Pastry ($)
· Brick-oven pizza from Regina’s Pizzeria ($)
· Faneuil Hall eateries like Boston Chowda Co., known for chowder & lobster rolls, and Magnolia Bakery, known for their Boston crème pie pudding ($$)
· North End Italian restaurants like Al Dente, Giacomo’s, and The Daily Catch ($$)
· Legal Sea Foods, a restaurant that originated in Cambridge, Massachusetts known for their New England-style seafood menu. You can also go to the Legal Test Kitchen, where you can try new dishes before they reach the real Legal Sea Foods menu ($$$-$$)
· The Top of the Hub, a restaurant at the top of the Prudential Center with aerial views of the city ($$$)
Best Coffee near the Copley Westin
· Cuppacoffee (5-minute walk)
· Thinking Cup (7-minute walk)
· Wired Puppy (8-minute walk)
· Newsfeed Café (4-minute walk)
· Pavement Coffeehouse (10-minute walk)
Local Attractions You Can Walk To
1. Boston Public Library (2-minute walk)
Directly across the street from the Westin, the Boston Public Library is both a historic landmark and the nation’s second-largest active public library, second only to the Library of Congress in Washington DC. Linking its modern and historic halves is a quiet courtyard, this is the perfect place to read or get some work done on the library’s free Wi-Fi.
2. Trinity Church (3-minute walk)
Labeled one of the top 10 buildings that changed America, Trinity Church has consistently been rated one of the most architecturally significant buildings in the country. Its stained-glass windows and stone arches can be seen reflecting in the windows of the John Hancock Tower, a classic example of colonial America’s juxtaposition of old and new.
3. Newbury Street (5-minute walk)
The eight blocks leading up to Boston Common mark one of the more charming streets in the city. On Newbury Street, you can find outdoor dining, high-end boutiques, thrift shops, bookstores, and plenty of other stores to fill an afternoon. Just be aware — the shops get more expensive the closer you get to the Common!
4. Boston Common (10-minute walk)
Originally used as farmland, the Boston Common is now the oldest public park in America. It is home to more than one iconic spots — the Make Way for Ducklings statues, the bench featured in the movie Good Will Hunting, even a burial ground home to American heroes like Paul Revere, Sam Adams, and John Hancock. In modern years, it has been a popular place for political rallies due to its proximity to Massachusetts’s State House. Aside from all of that, it’s a lovely place to take a walk.
5. Skywalk Observatory at the Prudential Center (10-minute walk)
If you’re pressed for time to see the city, the Skywalk Observatory is a great way to see all of Boston at once. Located on the top floor of the Prudential Center, you can walk the full perimeter of the building to see Boston on all sides, complete with a translated audio tour and small exhibits showing the city’s rich history in the founding of America.
6. Charles River Esplanade (13-minute walk)
The Esplanade is another charming place for a walk, especially in the fall when the leaves begin to turn. You can head straight forwards on Dartmouth Street and cross the bridge over Storrow Drive to find this little stretch of land on the Charles River. In the summer and fall months, you can find plenty of sailboats and kayaks out on the water. You may even see preparations for the largest 2-day rowing race in the world, the Head of the Charles Regatta, which will take place 10 days after IEPA.
Other Fun Spots in Boston
1. Quincy Market & Faneuil Hall
2. Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox
3. Harvard Square & Harvard Yard
4. The North End (Boston’s ”Little Italy”)
5. Boston Duck Boat Tours (closest pick-up spot is at the Prudential Center)
6. The Freedom Trail & USS Constitution Museum
7. Boston Harbor & Seaport, the site of the Boston Tea Party
Getting Around
Boston’s MBTA trains (called “the T”) are the best way to get around if the place you’re going to is too far to walk. The MBTA’s Green Line train runs through Copley Square, a 3-minute walk from the Copley Westin. Look for T signs near the library. An Orange Line train also stops at Back Bay Station, a 4-minute walk from the Copley Westin. You can buy one-way tickets (called “CharlieTickets”) in the station for $2.75, or a 7-day pass for $21.25.
About the Authors:
Kelsey Johnson is a Clinical Research Assistant at Beth Israel Deaconness Medical Center (BIDMC) currently working on a number of studies investigating psychosis screening tools and clinical high-risk for psychosis. She has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Northeastern University and is currently completing a Master’s in Public Health at Boston University.
Tobie Kim is a student at Boston University who also works on a number of first-episode psychosis studies at BIDMC.
You can speak to Kelsey and hear more about the studies she is working on at IEPA 11, Poster Session B, Tuesday, October 9th 12:00 – 1:00 pm, Essex Ballroom where will be presenting her poster “Can Biofeedback Videogames Engage Youth at Risk for Psychosis and Facilitate Interpersonal Connection and Reduced Stress Reactivity?”
Haven’t yet registered for #IEPA11? There is still time, REGISTER NOW and join your peers for an exciting and thought-provoking 3 days covering the latest on early intervention in mental health.
If you can’t join us at #IEPA11, follow @IEPAnetwork on Twitter for the most up-to-date news on early intervention in mental health and updates throughout the conference.
