When visiting a city like Boston, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of dining, shopping, entertainment, and outdoors options available! Luckily, Kathy MacLachlan, MS, ANP-BC, FACHA (University of Syracuse (retired)) came to the rescue with some excellent firsthand recommendations. Kathy is the chair of the ACHA Continuing Nursing Education Subcommittee. She also serves on ACHA’s Program Planning Committee (PPC). Her son relocated to Boston eight years ago and in that time she’s visited some amazing places for shopping, eating, and viewing. I’ll let Kathy take it from here.
The following text is adapted from an email from Kathy MacLachlan. Please note that these recommendations are her personal opinion and not an endorsement by ACHA.

1) I'll start with a Deli we discovered last November when I was there for the PPC meeting. It was within five minutes driving from the Marriott Copley and it would probably be just as easy to walk with the one-way streets. The fabulous Deli is called Sam LaGrassa's at 44 Province Street. The shop opens at 11 am and accepts phone orders for eat-in or take-out. Reasonable prices.

2) Chart House: Great restaurant on the waterfront at 60 Long Wharf. Little on the pricey side, but worth it!

3) Faneuil Hall: Historic marketplace built in 1742. Fun shops and people watching near the waterfront. And it’s free!

4) New England Aquarium: Located at 1 Central Wharf  on the waterfront. Amazing marine and animal exhibits, as well as an IMAX Theater. Tickets reasonable.

5) Boston Duck Tour: A land and sea excursion with tickets available online in advance. Tours book quickly so reservations should be made well in advance of the Annual Meeting.

6) Harvard University: Established in 1636 as an Ivy League campus. Both the town it resides in, Cambridge, and the campus are beautiful and fun.

ACHA 2013 Annual Meeting 

What’s better than one block full of salons, boutiques, dining, and art galleries with one-of-a-kind items? Eight blocks full of salons, boutiques, dining, and art galleries with one-of-a-kind items! And that’s exactly what you’ll find on Newbury Street.

Located in the Back Bay district, this eight-block shopper’s paradise easily rivals New York’s Fifth Avenue and Chicago’s Michigan Avenue in terms of sheer volume and quality of merchandise. Accenting the upscale feel of the street is the architecture. A beautiful blend of old and new styles come together on Newbury Street, but the focal point remains the rows of brownstone buidings now converted to storefronts. 

Back in the 19th century, Newbury Street was primarily residential and even regarded by the 1893 edition of Baedeker’s United States travel guide as “the least fashionable street in the Back Bay.” The first retail shop opened in 1905, but the street really began transforming into a shopping district in the 1970s with the opening of the original Newbury Comics by two MIT students. From there, the rest is history.

Now for the good stuff. Here’s a short list of unique Newbury Street highlights:
Alex and Ani – eco-friendly Carolyn Rafaelian designs. Particularly known for signature expandable wire bangles.
Barbour – cozy outerwear including jackets, sweaters, pants, scarves, and everything else you need to keep warm in the wintertime. 
Bobbles and Lace – this aunt/niece fashionista team is dedicated to high fashion at low cost. 
Boston Olive Oil Company – 100% Extra Virgin. 100% fabulous. Also features balsamic vinegar and a tasting bar.
Crush Boutique – a little something for everyone with famous and up-and-coming designers displayed side by side.

FLOR­ – all about alternative floor coverings. A system of carpet squares that you assemble to create custom rungs, runners and area rugs. Renewable and recycled materials.
International Poster Gallery – a showcase of posters from around the world. Buys and sells posters.
LA Burdick Handmade Chocolates – founded in 1984, LA Burdick Chocolates only uses the finest ingredients from Switzerland, France, Venezuela, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. They cook small batches and cut and shape everything by hand.

Marimekko­ – Finnish style. “Mari” is an anagram of the first name of the company's founder, Armi Ratia, while “mekko” means “dress” in Finnish. And it was indeed Mari's dresses that started it all in 1951.

Raven Used Books – one of those awesome bookstores that buy and sell scholarly, literary, and general books, with treasures just waiting to be unearthed. 
Sweet on Newbury – get your sweet tooth on at this specialty cupcake shop with ready-to-eat specials year round. 
Wired Puppy – time for a lunch break at this cozy, environmentally friendly, organic, fair trade coffee and tea shop. Get away for a second with their secluded location off the bustle of the main street. Outdoor seating available. 

Today over 3.2 million people journey back to the American Revolution by walking along the Freedom Trail. Guided walking and trolley tours are available for a fee, but there are plenty of free resources to make sure you get the full experience with little or no cost. 

One of the highlights of the Freedom Trail is the Paul Revere House. Paul Revere is of course famous for his midnight ride from Boston to Lexington to warn American Revolutionary leaders John Hancock and Samuel Adams of the movements of the British army. Another noteworthy stop along the trail is the USS Constitution, a wooden-hulled, three-masted ship of the U.S. Navy. Christened by George Washington in 1797, the USS Constitution is the oldest Naval vessel still in service.

Don’t miss out on this unique historic experience. Everyone from the biggest history buff to the person who can’t stand the History Channel will take something away from this experience. The Freedom Trail is truly not one to be missed.

ACHA 2013 Annual Meeting 
The Freedom Trail Foundation
Freedom Trail Downloadable Map

Like any major metropolis, Boston is home to hundreds of restaurants. And that’s probably a gross understatement. With so many options, it’s hard for any visitor to know where to begin!

Let’s start with the basics. Every place on Earth has at least one local specialty.  That one thing you absolutely HAVE to try, and Boston is no exception to that rule. 

First and foremost is the seafood. This is essential. Having a food allergy is the only acceptable excuse for not downing a bowl of New England clam chowder – in a bread bowl of course – during your time in Boston. This famous specialty is a milk- or cream-based chowder usually made with potatoes, onions, and clams. Tomatoes too? Absolutely not. In 1939 a bill was passed in Maine making it illegal to add tomatoes to the chowder, which was considered a barbaric New York custom by New Englanders. How strictly this is enforced these days is unknown, but if you’re served a bowl of “authentic” New England clam chowder with tomatoes, something has gone horribly wrong.  Another staple of New England clam chowder is using oyster crackers instead of flour to thicken it —  a simple way to make things extra delicious. 

Are your taste buds tingling yet? Stay tuned for more Boston dining suggestions coming soon!

ACHA 2013 Annual Meeting 
Best of Boston 2012 Dining Guide Index
Union Oyster House 
Best of Boston 2012 Winner, New England Clam Chowder
Best of Boston 2012 Winner, Lobster Roll
Boston Copley Place Farmer’s Market

They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but in Boston the jewel of choice is the emerald. And not just any old emerald, THE Emerald Necklace to be precise. No, there isn’t a secret stash of crown-jewel-type baubles hidden somewhere in Boston – at least as far as I know – but there is a string of beautiful parks and green spaces linked together by parkways an waterways to create a “necklace” around the Boston peninsula.  

The Emerald Necklace comprises half of Boston’s public park acreage, and is the only remaining intact linear park designed by America’s first landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. Some of Boston’s most well-known parks lie on this seven mile chain including Commonwealth Avenue Mall, the Riverway Park, Arnold Arboretum, and probably the most famous Boston Public Garden.

Located in the heart of Boston, the Public Garden was established in 1837 as the first botanical garden in the United States. The site maintains its Victorian traditions with decorative flowery, meandering paths, and exotic imported trees. 

So if you’re in need for a leisurely stroll or some serious quality time with nature be sure to check out at least one of the Emerald Necklace parks. They truly are a Boston gem. 

ACHA 2013 Annual Meeting 
Emerald Necklace Conservancy
Commonwealth Avenue Mall
The Riverway Park
Arnold Arboretum
Friends of the Boston Public Garden
Swan Boat Tours

The highly popular Pre-Conference Workshops are back again in 2013. These pre-conference workshops differ from the 90-minute concurrent sessions in that they are intended to help participants enhance specific skill sets or train to acquire specific skills. A limited number of pre-conference workshops will be offered on Tuesday, May 28, and tickets can be purchased at the time of registration (please note that you must be registered at either the daily or full meeting rate).  

Tuesday, May 28, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Boot Camp for New Directors: This program is designed to provide both new directors as well as providers interested in leadership roles with exposure to key foundational health care management skills. Areas of focus will include communication and leadership, quality and risk management, and finance.

Pharmacotherapy Update — Part 1: Selected Topics in Primary Care: The purpose of this workshop is to provide the healthcare professional with a general overview and update in three selected areas of pharmacology: headaches, common dermatologic conditions, and management of respiratory problems.


Quality in College Health: Achieving AAAHC Accreditation: This presentation will present practical information on how to be successful and achieve accreditation. Quality and professional improvement and essential components of accreditation will be discussed in detail, with examples of exemplary quality improvement efforts.

The Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS): A Training Workshop: The Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) assesses the full range of evidence-based suicidal ideation and behavior items and has shown the ability to successfully predict suicide attempts with the potential to reduce false positive cases often seen with other screening measures. Those completing this workshop will be certified to administer the C-SSRS.   

Tuesday, May 28, 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM   

Healthy Campus 2020: Connect, Collaborate, and Create: This session will provide in-depth training on implementation of a Healthy Campus initiative. Topics include: selecting the target population(s), organizing a coalition, prioritizing issues, building partnerships, planning/ implementing new campus initiatives, and measuring change.   

Pharmacotherapy Update — Part 2: Selected Topics in Mental Health: The purpose of this workshop is to provide the healthcare professional with a general overview and update in clinical psychopharmacology. 

Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Exercise Workshop: Participants in the workshop will be shown basic exercise program structure and best practices that they can use to develop an exercise program on their campuses. The workshop will also include a tabletop exercise during which participants will play out the on-campus response to an emerging public health threat. 

Strategies for Developing College Health-Specific Nursing Protocols and Policies: Expanding the Effort: This workshop will include didactic presentations, focused group sessions, and a sharing of group outcomes. The session will guide participants and provide an opportunity to interact with nursing peers in the development of tools vital to nursing practice.

Supervision of Mental Health Trainees in a College/University Setting; Practical, Legal and Ethical Issues: Through didactic presentation, case review, and small and large group discussions, the participant will become informed and aware of the practical, legal and ethical issues that are inherent in the supervisory process in college mental health.   

For a full description of each Pre-Conference Workshop, visit the ACHA 2013 Annual Meeting website.   

Nothing says summertime quite like baseball. For nearly 150 years, Major League Baseball (MLB) has been a staple of summer in the United States with about 75 million people attending games each year. In Boston, the baseball tradition revolves around Fenway Park.

Home of the Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park remains the oldest MLB stadium currently in use. The Red Sox have sold out every home game since May 15, 2003, and in 2008 the park broke the MLB record by selling out its 456th consecutive game.  The streak continues, and as of July 17, 2012, the park has had 760 consecutive sellouts. 

Over the years, Fenway Park underwent many renovations and additions that have resulted in some quirky features. First off, Fenway Park is small by MLB standards; it has the fourth lowest seating capacity, and second lowest total capacity of all MLB stadiums. It is one of seven MLB ballparks that is unable to accommodate at least 40,000 spectators. Another unique feature is “The Triangle,” a section of seating in center field where the walls form a triangle. The far right corner is 420 feet from home plate and is marked as the center field home run distance. The true center is unmarked.   

And then of course there’s the Green Monster, the 37’ 2” wall in left field. The Green Monster is part of the original ballpark construction and was originally made of wood but has since been covered with tin and concrete. Today the wall is the highest in any MLB field and remains a staple of Fenway Park. 

There are many ways to check out Fenway Park during your time in Boston for the Annual Meeting. Tours are offered daily from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM except on game days when the last tour is offered three hours before the first pitch. The Red Sox also have two home series around Annual Meeting time: May 23-26 vs. the Cleveland Indians and May 27-28 vs. the Philadelphia Phillies. For more information about Fenway Park, visit the links below.

The five days of the 2013 Annual Meeting are going to be jam packed with programs, activities, exhibits, speakers, and wellness opportunities. You’ll want to catch up with other ACHA members. AND you’ll want to see the city! You’ll need a good night’s sleep in order to take it all in, and Boston Marriott Copley Place is the place to do it. 

As far as hotels go, this one is the tops. Boston Marriott Copley Place is centrally located in the historic Back Bay district of the city and surrounded by shopping and dining options. Minutes away from historic Trinity Church and Boston Common, this downtown hotel in Boston is a perfect base for touring the city. What more could you possibly need? As a guest at one of the premier hotels in Boston, you'll discover first-rate amenities and upscale offerings, including Champions sports bar and restaurant, valet parking, a car rental desk, and a tour desk.

ACHA 2013 Annual Meeting 
2013 Annual Meeting Registration
Boston Marriott Copley Place
Westin Copley Place