Why Boston?

We don't live in Boston anymore, nor do our immediate families, so this is a reasonable question. Since we lived there each for about 10 years, we have strong connections to the city, with many friends and extended family still living in the area. In addition, it's somehow equidistant between the UK and California, where a decent number of people are coming from. Also, it's a great place to visit!

Why the DeCordova Museum?

We wanted to pick a venue that had some meaning for us and our relationship. As it says in the story... We had our second date at the DeCordova, picnicking out on the sculpture garden and visiting the exhibitions.

RSVP

Please send in your response card by 17th August. If you have any questions or issues, please call Ellen Kessler at 201 818 8758.

Lodging

Lodging is provided by the Hotel Marlowe, located at 25 Edwin H Land Boulevard, Cambridge, MA. Call 617 868 8000 for a reservation by 17th August. Be sure to tell them you're coming for the Klempner/Kessler Wedding to get the preferred rate of $149 for the nights of September 15, 16 and 17.

We know that $149 is still high generally, but hotel rooms are priced at a premium in the Boston area. We haven't looked into this much but you can try to find a cheaper room at a local bed and breakfast here or use a site like Priceline. If you are having difficulty finding anything affordable, let us know and maybe we can hook you up to stay with friends of ours who live in the area.

Getting to the Wedding Venue

Bus transportation to and from the DeCordova Museum leaves from the Hotel Marlowe at 5:45pm on Saturday. It should return at about 12:30am. Please RSVP for this.

The DeCordova Museum is about 30 minutes by car from Boston and Cambridge. There is no public transportation available to get there.

Getting Around Town

Boston and Cambridge are well known for being walkable cities. Downtown areas are compact and streets are generally narrow, with ample sidewalks. It also has the oldest and fourth largest mass transportation system in the country. The T is what the subway is called and goes all over the Boston area, including Cambridge, Somerville and Brookline.

Unfortunately, the T doesn't go to right to the Hotel Marlowe or the Hotel@MIT. The hotels are both within walking distance of the Kendall Square and Central Square stops on the red line, respectively. Be prepared to walk fifteen minutes to the Hotel Marlowe and ten to the Hotel@MIT. Go to the directions page to see how.

You should not need to rent a car for the weekend to get to or from any of the wedding events. Getting a cab at the airport or the South Station bus/train station should be easy. Both are on the T also if you feel more adventurous. So you know, the cost of a cab from the airport to the Hotel Marlowe should be about $25.

Weather

Weather in September should be hot, mostly, with some humidity. Be prepared for rain, though. It could happen.

Things to Do

Near the Hotel Marlowe - The Museum of Science is right around the corner and a mediocre shopping mall called the Cambridgeside Galleria is right next door. Fortunately, the galleria has a drug store, a food court and inexpensive clothing in case the need arises. The hotel is located near the Charles River, which can make for a very nice stroll.

In the general area, there is a ton of stuff to do. Boston has great neighborhoods, wonderful museums and other quality attractions. Check out the links page for links to the various destinations.

Gifts

Here are some ideas for the gift giving

  • We have registered at Sur La Table, a kitchen stuff store. We like to cook and there are items in our list across a wide range of prices. They have more than 50 stores across the country for those who prefer to do this in person.
  • We are in the market for an electric piano, a relatively high cost item that we have not registered for, so you can earmark money giftage specifically for this purpose.
  • And because we are the charitable kind, you can donate to Conservation International - a great environmental organization focused on biodiversity preservation across the world. Be sure to donate "in honor of" the "Klempner/Kessler Wedding".
  • We will hopefully add more items from a store like Amazon.com soon.
  • If none if this does it for you, feel free to go "off the grid."