The Cheap Bastard's™ Guide to Boston; Secrets of Living the Good Life--For Free!

by Kris Frieswick

• ISBN13: 9780762742806
• ISBN10: 0762742801
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2007-01-01
• Publisher: Globe Pequot

Summary

Boston writer and humorist Kris Frieswick gives sound advice on how to live the good life in Beantown, for peanuts. Thrifty readers will discover where to have all kinds of fun, experience the city's culture, and fortify themselves with grub and brew, all for a pittance. Also includes tips on how to break into Boston's social network, a great source of free parties and events!

Author Biography

Kris Frieswick is a humor, business and lifestyle writer, an award-winning humor columnist, and a stand-up comedian. Her work has been in demand at such magazines as The Economist, Boston Magazine, The Boston Globe Sunday Magazine, Redbook, and USA Today, and she has been anthologized in two humor books, Mirth of a Nation (Harper Perennial) and 101 Damnations (St. Martin's). The Independent Media Institute called her a "smart, funny voice" to watch in American media. She lives in Boston's South End.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. vii
Introduction: The Land of the Free	p. 1
Entertainment in Boston
Music: Bargain Beats	p. 6
Rock/Pop/Folk/Alternative	p. 7
Jazz and Blues	p. 12
Classical/Chamber/Early Music	p. 13
Public Concerts and Festivals	p. 15
Theater: The Play's the Thing	p. 20
Volunteer Ushering	p. 21
Cheap Tickets	p. 33
Always Free	p. 35
Dance: Free-Form	p. 36
Watching It	p. 37
Doing It	p. 41
Work-Study	p. 44
Comedy: Cheap Laughs	p. 46
Clubs	p. 47
Comedy Festival	p. 50
Work It Out	p. 50
Film: Celluloid Zeroes	p. 52
Always Free	p. 53
Volunteering	p. 58
Readings and Lectures: Free Verse	p. 60
Bookstore Readings	p. 61
Salons and Slams	p. 64
Museums and Libraries	p. 65
Lectures	p. 67
Living in Boston
Cheap Tricks: Champagne Life on a Beer Budget	p. 70
Networking	p. 71
Do Good	p. 73
Food: Free Lunch	p. 78
Happy Hours	p. 79
Free Samples	p. 83
Food Festivals	p. 86
Wine and Beer Tastings: Free Spirits	p. 88
Wine Tastings	p. 89
Beer Tastings	p. 98
Hair, Beauty, and Massage: Bargain Beauties	p. 100
Hair Salons	p. 101
Beauty Schools	p. 106
Massage	p. 108
Makeup	p. 109
Real Estate: Live Free or Die	p. 112
Low-Cost Apartments and Mortgage Programs	p. 113
Up-and-Coming (and Cheap)	p. 115
Living for Free	p. 116
Children and Teens: Free to Be You and Me	p. 118
After-School Programs	p. 119
Arts, Crafts, Dance, and Music	p. 120
Films	p. 123
Water Sports	p. 124
Sports/Parks/Playgrounds	p. 126
Indoor Play Space	p. 129
Museums/Historic Sites	p. 129
Stores for Fun	p. 132
Storytelling	p. 134
Children's Theater Programs	p. 136
Medical Insurance	p. 139
Clothing and Household Goods: Cheap and Chic	p. 140
Thrift, Consignment, and Secondhand	p. 141
Trashy Treasures	p. 146
Health and Medical: Cheap Checkups	p. 148
Clinical Trials and Research	p. 149
Free/Low-Cost Medical Care	p. 153
Low-Cost STD Clinics	p. 156
Fitness, Fun, and Games: Free Time	p. 158
Parks	p. 159
Recreation Centers	p. 165
Group Skates	p. 165
Bike Paths	p. 166
Boating	p. 168
Pools	p. 169
Beaches	p. 170
Libraries: Free Access	p. 174
Research Libraries	p. 175
Private Libraries	p. 177
Newspapers: Free Press	p. 184
Pets: Born Free	p. 192
Get a Pet	p. 193
Low-Cost Pet Care	p. 196
Leash-Free Dog Parks	p. 197
Exploring Boston
Walking Tours: Freedom Trail	p. 200
Historic Walking Tours	p. 201
Historic Sites	p. 203
Historic Homes	p. 207
Seaside Tours	p. 210
Art and Architecture Tours	p. 213
Cool Stuff	p. 214
Travel: Free Ride	p. 216
Getting Around Boston	p. 217
Getting Out of Boston	p. 219
House-Swapping Services	p. 220
Retreats	p. 221
Art Galleries and Exhibits: Free Hand	p. 224
Art Galleries	p. 225
Other Galleries and Exhibits	p. 238
Open Studios	p. 241
Museums: Cut-Rate Culture	p. 244
Always Free	p. 245
Sometimes Free	p. 252
Extremely Cheap	p. 255
Zoos: Free Range	p. 258
Gardens and Gardening: Boston Garden	p. 260
Public Gardens	p. 261
Cemeteries: Gardens of Stone	p. 264
Community Gardens	p. 265
Gardening Education	p. 266
Appendixes
Romance: Cheap Dates	p. 267
Public Library and Branch Locations	p. 271
Boston Community Center Locations	p. 275
Boston Community Learning Centers	p. 283
Index	p. 285
About the Author	p. 295
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

From the Introduction:

Getting a deal isn't a sport in Boston like it is in New York. Here, it's more of a genetic thing passed down through 350 years of Cheap Bastards. It's a Calvinist approach to life that holds that spending more than you absolutely have to is not only unnecessary, it's a moral weakness. We don't brag when we get a bargain, we just feel quietly superior to those who pay through the nose. We do without, we reuse, we recycle, and we are not embarrassed to drive away with another man's garbage. Unfortunately for anyone who didn't grow up here, the first rule of Cheap Boston is not to talk about Cheap Boston. Bostonians find it unseemly to talk about money: either how much we spend, or how much we earn. We would much rather talk about an embarrassing medical condition. This makes it a lot harder for newcomers and visitors to find bargains.

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Excerpted from The Cheap Bastard's Guide to Boston: Secrets of Living the Good Life for Free by Kris Frieswick
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.