Boston is only a heart beat away....

Growing up in Cambridge, MA was not only a great childhood experience and memory; it was also being able to see the history that surrounded my hometown. Only a hop, skip and a jump to the heart of Boston, I use to love taking the trolley from Lechmere station into what I felt was the greatest place on earth. Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall hold many dear memories for me. Where else can you go and find so many beautiful arts and crafts as well as food from every corner of the earth?

The feeling as you would walk out from the trolley station and you felt that first gust of wind; you knew you were in Boston. The fluttering of the pigeons perched high on the buildings as well as the business men and women shuffling threw the crowds. The sounds of beautiful music being played by the local musicians and vendors sipping their coffee trying to keep warm while proudly displaying their works of art for sale. This is how you are greeted by historical Boston.

Capture the scent of wood smoke in the air. Hear the sound of metal blades skimming over smooth ice. Close your eyes and your senses return you to 1634, as you skate on the Frog Pond in America's oldest public park.

Here at the coolest gathering place in Boston you can join local residents and visitors alike as they glide over the carefully manicured, refrigerated surface. In 1997, people were able to skate on this type of surface for the first time in Downtown Boston. The Frog Pond Skating Rink is now open from November to mid-March with at least 100 days of seasonal skating. Whether you're practicing for a 9.9 at the Winter Olympics or simply trying to stand on two feet, the ice at the Frog Pond will always be accommodating.

After you take a spin on the ice, why not enjoy a pleasant lunch or dinner nearby? Just beyond the Frog Pond you'll find some of Boston's finest restaurants.

From the restaurants and shops lining Charles Street to the shopping excitement of Downtown Crossing, Back Bay's Newbury Street and Faneuil Hall Marketplace, there's so much to do and see it can be positively dizzying, just like the feeling you get after attempting your first spin on skates.

Maybe you would prefer the Museum of Science? As a young child I recall my father taking me each summer to this fantastic learning experience. When I was a young girl, my father would carry me on his shoulders and I couldn't wait to see the dinosours. Plenty of interaction for all ages makes this not only a great place to learn, but to build family memories.

Now that I reside in Western Ma, I do not get the same opportunities to venture into Boston as I did back when I was a young woman. Although I am across the state, Boston is only a heart beat away.