If you’re lucky enough to snag a seat at the Boston Opera House, you’ll be overwhelmed by the Edith Wharton-esque beauty and gilded opulence of one of the most sublime theaters in Boston. The opera house got its not-so-humble beginnings on Huntington Ave. in 1901. The current locale is the renovated B.F. Keith theater which was once a downtown hotspot for films and vaudeville shows. Now, after $30 million worth of touchups, the Grande Dame of Washington Street hosts Broadway-style musicals ranging from “Wicked” to an upcoming production of “A Chorus Line” (Sept. 11 until Oct. 5) followed by "Legally Blonde" (Oct. 28 to Sunday, Nov. 9). And starting with the 2009 season, the Opera house will be the proud resident stage of the Boston Ballet. Don't miss Boston Ballet's annual presentation of the Nutcracker during the holiday season, which opens on November 29th-Dec. 24th, 2008

Brattle, the resident double-feature ($7.50) queen, promises “the best in classic, foreign and independent film from Alphaville to Zentropa.” This independent film portrayer comes equipped with a variety snack/popcorn counter unlike its adversaries. Tickets $9, students $7.50, seniors $6.50 and MATINEE $7.50 (ALL SHOWS BEFORE 5PM). Become a member for a mere $75/yr and receive 12 admission passes, ticket discounts and other goodies. Keep an eye on their events calendar for a complete listing of films, panels, special engagements. This section contains information from Harvard Student Agencies' Unofficial Guide to Life at Harvard.

Join the New England Aquarium and WTA aboard the Voyager III for a high-speed trip to Stellwagen Bank to view some of the largest and most spectacular creatures on earth! Our naturalists narrate as you leave Boston Harbor before describing the whales in their natural habitat. Whale sightings are guaranteed! The Voyager III is a 113' high-speed catamaran designed specifically for whale watching. With the most outside viewing space of any Boston whale watching vessel, multimedia displays, two snack bars, and restrooms, the New England Aquarium offers the best whale watch experience in Boston.

The Blarney Stone provides a downtown feel right in your own backyard. A true gem on Dorchester Avenue. The Blarney Stone's cool clientele dines on great cuisine while drinking exotic mixes like Mojitos an Pear Martinis. (served side by side with creamy pints of Guinness!) For your dining pleasure, the Blarney Stone also boasts a beatiful landscaped patio complete with Dorchester's only outside bar. While our fare may have changed our spirit remains - we invite you in to try us for yourself.

Having celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2003, the Majestic is the second-oldest theater in Boston's Theater District. It was reopened by Emerson College in 1989 as the first Broadway-quality stage owned and operated by a college. The Majestic hosts professional groups like the Boston Lyric Opera as well as near-professional quality (but much less expensive) productions by Emerson students and the New England Conservatory. Ticket prices range widely and some rush tickets are available. Wheelchair-accessible. Purchase tickets at the box office, online at www.telecharge.com or at 800-233-3123. This section contains information from Harvard Student Agencies' Unofficial Guide to Life at Harvard. The Majestic was also recently renovated (around the time of its anniversary) and brought back to its former glory.

Boston's famous Hatch Memorial Shell serves as the stage for the open-air concerts presented by the Boston Pops Orchestra on the Esplanade at the Charles River. Originally opened in 1940, the shell had a Rustic Terrazzo Finish by DePaoli Mosaic Company on the exterior of the dome because the cost of polished granite was prohibitive. When it was time to replace the dome (the roof system below the Rustic Terrazzo was leaking), the cost of polished granite was once again prohibitive and Rustic Terrazzo was chosen once again. There are also twelve different colors of Terrazzo on the interior including Field, Accent, Border Base, Wainscot, and even including several Ceilings.

Admission is $10 on Friday and Saturday nights. Before the dancing starts, the club offers lessons where you can learn salsa moves. On Saturdays there is a live band!

The pond is a natural feature, a "kettle pond" it was formed by glacial recession during the last Ice Age. It is also a park, making up a piece of the "Emerald Necklace". It is approximately a mile around and that makes its circular path a favorite place for walkers and runners. The Jamaica Pond was a habitat for Neponset Indians for part of the year in the era before English settlers arrived. In the 1790s it became a water supply for Boston. The ranger station under the bandstand has one of the high tech waterpipes from that time on display (a hollowed out log). Later, the Pond became a player in the ice industry, with cutters taking the ice, storing it in ice houses on the banks and shipping it far and wide. Nowadays, the Jamaica Pond is an idyllic enclave in a bustling world (that is, if you can ignore the cars zipping by on the roads that surround it!)

Limelight offers a variety of entertainment opportunities for music lovers of all ages and abilities, from open mic night to karaoke "boxes", as well as family days, children's vocal instruction, song camps, and other family-friendly activities. There is also a studio for recording CDs or DVDs. You may want to consider hosting your child's birthday party here, too. Limelight offers different options, from having an emcee host the party to an instructor give a lesson in singing. Limelight also offers week-long summer camps.

Learn about robots and artificial intelligence, see amazing holograms, follow the making of MIT scientists and engineers, catch the time-stopping beauty of strobe photography, discover the art in architecture, journey with leading edge oceanographers, even thrill to a roomful of ingenious kinetic sculptures. The Museum features changing and ongoing exhibits, unique hands-on experiences, and community programs for visitors of all ages. The Museum also presents the annual Cambridge Science Festival in late April and hosts a huge variety of events, demonstrations, and activities for all ages during that time period. Admission is free with your MIT ID other students, kids under 18, senior citizens: $3.00 all others: $7.50 Check out the museum's calendar for a listing of their special (and often free) events.