So here’s how it ended up:

My flight arrived around 3:15, so I hopped on the Blue Line and was at the Last Hurrah before they opened at 4:00. In the mean time, my friend, who was dropping her kid off at BC, was running later than expected, so didn’t arrive until around 4:30. And although I suggested she drive to No. 9 Park, where our dinner reservation was, and look for parking, she called me from Tremont and Temple, having no luck and not knowing Boston well enough to know where to look. So I walked over to meet her, and to take over the driving. I circled around to Charles St., intending to maybe try to find parking on Beacon, but as soon as we crossed over Boylston, still on Charles, I got us a spot within spitting distance of the Four Seasons. Which is my long winded way of saying that’s where we went.

I don’t remember my last time there. I used to dine regularly at the Bristol Lounge, but of course discovered that it hadn’t survived the pandemic (and hadn’t yet seen GoBob’s post). So we went upstairs and enjoyed some very nice (albeit pricey) cocktails and wines, with a beautiful view of the park. Chatting with one of the servers, I learned that the entire hotel — now over 40 years old — is going to shut down soon for extensive renovations.

When is was time for dinner at No. 9 Park, we simply took the 10-minute stroll through the Common, it being a beautiful evening for that. (And No. 9 Park still is a great experience!)