Dang-I just talked to him-they have him at the YWCA-the Berkley residence.

I didn't realize they took guys too, but apparently they do.

Berklee, the music school? Back Bay? There are plenty of college-aged kids around there, he'll be right at home.

Don't go to Dorchester or Roxbury. The rest of the city is very safe, though. What does he like to do?

No, not the music school.

He's gonna be going back and forth to the JFK library. Weekends off.

And he's a philosophy nerd. Reads Kierkegaard for fun. How on earth did I give birth to THAT?

The YWCA Berkley Residence is in the South End -- on Berkley and two-blocks from the "oh-so-chi-chi" Atelier 505 condo complex...and three blocks away from many of Boston's finest restaurants.

He's also a few blocks from the Back Bay/South End "T" station (i.e. The Orange Line on the subway).

If he is taking the "T," I suspect his daily commute will be getting on the subway at "Back Bay" (Orange Line) going three stops to "Downtown Crossing," changing to the Red Line, going four stops to the JFK/UMass stop...and "hoofing it" to the library/museum.

Oh -- mustn't forget that 'Son of Bunnyfire' is living right next door to D4 -- the refurbished police station by the famous designer Philippe Starck.

Oh yeah, I know where that is. He should definitely do some quintessential New England stuff if he's never been here before. Get some fried clams, take a sailing lesson, maybe go to the Cape if he has transportation.

And check out the library! The historic parts are gorgeous (shameless self link).

Walden Pond's not too far outside of town - again, he'll need transportation.

Oh -- and make sure that he doesn't rely on the 7-Eleven at 55 Berkeley [which is 'kitty-corner' from the YWCA] for his sustenance.

He can do his laundry, though, at the laundromat which is in the same building as the 7/11. There's a sub-terranean entrance around the corner from the store on Appleton Street.

Oh -- and make sure that he doesn't rely on the 7-Eleven at 55 Berkeley [which is 'kitty-corner' from the YWCA] for his sustenance.

Well, the Berkeley residence gives him breakfast and supper, and he has a perdiem for lunch, but I hate to tell you that his normal eating habits would make jonmc proud.

I'll mention the Boston Public library to him. THAT would appeal to him. Even tho he'll have his nose in paperwork and books all week, he has assured me that his free time plans include even MORE reading.

That D4 building looks very attractive.

Walden Pond? My son's fellow cadet (who is also up there on research fellowship) has family in the area. Maybe one of them wouldn't mind showing them around. Other than that they're dependent on public transportation. But I cannot imagine an English major passing up an opportunity to see Walden Pond!

If he does make it to Walden Pond, he should visit the other literary and historic spots in Concord. After all it was home to Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Bronson and Louisa Alcott and Nathaniel Hawthorne, as well as the site where the "shot heard ‘round the world" for liberty and self-government was fired. Mustn't forget that it is the hometown of the Concord Grape and Welch's.