w00t! Boston, here I come!

As of this writing, there are 79 demands for me to come to Boston, which is certainly over the critical mass of 75.

The next step for me is to contact a couple of places, and see if they can host me for a reading and signing. A lot of people have suggested Porter Square Books, a "fiercely independent" store that's in Cambridge. That's close enough to Boston Metro Area, isn't it? Thats the first place I'll contact tomorrow morning. If you're a Bostonian, and you have a connection to, or can suggest a venue, please leave info in comments or e-mail me. I'm wil at wilwheaton dot net.

See you in Boston!

 

Comments

[Wick]

Wil, have a fantastic time in Montreal, Boston, and parts in between. But please destroy all copies of that photo. For the good of humanity I beg you, it is just far too disturbing to exist - though the look on your face is priceless.

[token25]

Hey Wil,

I was actually the one who originally created the Boston demand. I'm super psyched that you're actually going to head out here! Just to give you a few other options, there is a B&N and a Borders in Chestnut Hill, MA. I'm unsure how large a venue you're looking for, but there it is. A good reason to consider these is ample free parking. If a lot of people will be driving in, Cambridge isn't the greatest place for parking.

[Zeno]

Wil:

Don't fall for it! This is the same way they got those redcoats . . .

[mmmsoap]

Dude, Cambridge is the *definition* of the Boston Metro area...Porter Books is a quality independant store. Also consider Newtonville Books, the super snobby Concord Bookstore, and Willow Books. The last 2 are about 30 min outside boston, so probably not the best. As for Cambridge, it is right near public transport, so don't worry about making people drive.

Come to Boston! Wikkid pissa

[Dakushna]

Someone has to say it...so I will. Wil, you coming to Boston is going to be wicked pissah!

[Alain]

I'm the 30th demand for Montreal! Oh I hope! I hope! I hope!...

[Gary]

Wil, just reconsider and come to Portland, ME. The Boston folk will make the 90-mile drive and we have a perfect place for you called Space. I'm sure they'd love to book you: http://www.space538.org/

Portland is a nice alternative. Contemplative and quite peaceful, with a progressive spirit and very little pretention.

We also have the best ales on the East Coast.

[Cthulhu Geek]

Awesome! I would suggest anyhwere in Porter, Harvard, or Central Squares in Cambridge. There is one particulary geeky book store in Cambridge called Pandamonium books, and that place has a big geek following. I would suggest that too.

http://www.pandemoniumbooks.com/index2.html
They moved but are opening May 1st.

[cara stidham]

Wear can I get that SWEET SWEET sweater?

[nathan]

I created the demand for the 100th city! Boise, ID. You know you want to!

[Claudia]

Excellent! I stickered and everything!

Porter Square Books is indeed a fine venue, a few subway stops from downtown Boston, and a fine indy store with cafe, which does readings on a regular basis. It's also down the street from my place, so thumbs up! ;-)

But if you're investigating other options, Pandemonium Books and Games (mentioned above) is the local sci-fi bookstore with a new larger location with more event space; Harvard Book Store does readings on a regular basis; and Brookline Booksmith is another option. They're all independent bookstores. As far as I know, Quantum Books near MIT doesn't do readings, which is a shame since that's where I bought Dancing Barefoot.

But for the geek crowd I'd lean toward Pandemonium or Porter Square. (Disclaimer, I once worked at Pandy.)

[Claudia]

... and for best parking, definitely Porter Square Books, which faces a large lot. But all the stores I mentioned are very close to subway stops, so one can always park at the end of a line and take the T in.

[Beth Gallaway]

Hey Wil!
What about libraries? I work for a regional library system and bet there would be several who would love to have you.

[Jennifer]

Sweet!

The guys who run Porter Square Books are fabulous. And as the others said- Brookline Booksmith and Harvard Square Books are all good places.

If you're looking for additional venues, I know 3 UU Church spaces in and around Boston I could get you into. They've hosted many authors and speakers before.

[Laurion]

Let me second (third?) the nomination for Pandemonium. I can talk to Tyler (the owner) and get space/time reserved, if you like. There new digs will also have a huge downstairs area that can accomodate a lot of people at once, if you want to do a reading for the assembled crowd. Oh, and it is also their open gaming space, so if you come, can we get a board game together?

[Chad Bergeron]

Their. Stupid homonyms. Anyhow, can't go back and edit my comments. But I did change my typekey setting so you can get my e-mail address. So if you want me to set up the Pandemonium thing, it'd be but a word to me and it would be done.

[Brien]

I'm from the Boston area, but I never thought the demands thing would take you all the way out here, so I never bothered to check it. But I will indeed be showing.

[Laura]

Attention les Montrealais -

We're doing pretty well with the demands, but stinky T.O. is beating us. :/

We must let them know that Wil Wheaton does, in fact, belong to us, and they cannot have him.

Let's have a little 514-representage please.

[rednikki]

This makes me sad I'm no longer living in Boston. But...oh...wait...I'm in LA, so if I just got the hell out of the office I would probably have a good chance of seeing you.

ANYway. Porter Square is right on both the T (it's like the LA Metro, except it actually goes places that people want to go to) and the commuter rail, so anyone who is driving in can park 'n ride. I used to live near there and I walked to Boston (Fenway Park, actually) often. It's probably 3 or 4 miles, but it's doable.

There's also a couple of great brewpubs in Cambridge. Cambridge Brewing Company, three T stops away from Porter (i.e ten minutes) has excellent beer, albeit kinda mediocre food. The John Harvard Brew House (one T stop away from Porter in Harvard Square) has better food, good beer, but indifferent service. The first time I went there, they screwed up my order, and I got a voucher for a free entree. For the next three years, I got a voucher for a free entree just about every time I went. Certainly kept me coming back.

Across the street from John Harvard's, however, is the jewel in the local restaurant crown - a place called Finale. They specialize in desserts. DO NOT MISS IT. Seriously. No matter what. I have never, EVER found a place like it in any other city (and I've travelled a lot); it has simply the best desserts I've ever eaten.

WRT bookstore recommendations: Pandemonium, Porter Square Books and Booksmith (in Brookline) are all good recommendations. Booksmith will probably give you the most exposure outside of the geek world. Also, MIT really likes to have authors speak. That is, if you can get over them stealing the CalTech cannon. :-)

If you wanted to make a weekend of it, you could also look into speaking in Providence and Amherst. Getting to Providence from Boston is like getting to Riverside from Pasadena (if there were a regular train that ran between the two), and getting from Boston to Amherst is like getting to Redlands from Venice. Except there's less of a rush hour, and there's a lot more to do in Amherst than Redlands. It's a fun college town.

The thing to remember about Boston is that it's only twice the size of Pasadena (48 square miles vs. the 23 of Pasadena - technically Boston is 80-something square miles, but half of that is ocean). The entire Boston metro area isn't as big as the City of Los Angeles (and I mean, minus Santa Monica and Pasadena and Glendale and Burbank and La Canada-Flintridge and so forth) is. Nothing is far from anything else in the Boston area. Well, except for Jamaica Plain, which seems to be its own principality. (You'll see when you get there.)

[Kevbo]

So, I could demand you come to where I live Wil, with enough signatures? All I'm interested in is someone to do some spring cleaning, window cleaning, vaccuuming, dishes etc. kthnx.

[Angry Cow]

Too awesome. I'd even venture to say... hawesome. As a college student of little means but high geekdom, I thank you, sir, for venturing out into our neck of the woods.

Also, if we're on the subject of recommending pubs, the Sunset Grill and Tap near Boston University is a must. They have 112 beers on tap and 380 more bottled. This includes, of course, Guinness. The food is mighty tasty to boot.

[MistyB78]

Sadly, I have to resign my self to the fact that I will never meet my favorite person from TNG in person.
But I got to say hi online, and that is enough for me.
Most people never get that much.
Thanks for having the site Wil. ;) Now if Only I can finally play you on Pokerstars :P

[napoleondynamitefan]

Ah! Demand the guy with the scary clown sweater and the totally disgusted look on his face?!?! No way! Why would I? jk

Man, I wished I near Boston or Montreal. Oh well. : )

[Elana]

There is also the Brookline Booksmith which is also fiercely independent. Brookline is closer to Boston College and Boston University campuses in the southern area of the city while Porter Square is in Cambridge. Even more centralized in Cambridge would be Pandemonium Books & Games which is a SciFi and Fantasy and Gaming store. The PERFECT store for a geek signing. :)

[Elana]

Also, there are more traditional booksellers in the downtown area. There's a Borders in both Downtown Crossing and in the Cambridgeside Galleria (Near the Museum of Science). My boyfriend is a manager at the latter until 10 pm ET today (he's moving on), so if you hurry, I can get a word in there. Boston is a very bookie town! There's tons of spots to read!