The short answer is: No, probably not yet, but the London-based Guardian's Travel section sent a couple of props JP's way this week in its list of 10 ways to enjoy Boston on a budget.
The Samuel Adams Brewery was touted for its free tours and tastings (with a recommended $2 donation to local charities), and the Emerald Necklace merited its own special write-up:
"Designed by the U.S.’s first landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted, the Emerald Necklace is a series of parks of over 1,000 acres, such as the Arnold Arboretum, owned by Harvard University just south of the Jamaica Plain neighbourhood. Climb Peters Hill, inside the Arboretum, for a fantastic view of the Boston skyline. On the other side of Jamaica Plain is Jamaica Pond, a picturesque body of water formed by a glacier."
Certainly, the brewery is one of the neighborhood's big draws, and we bet some tourists make their way to the arboretum too, especially on Lilac Sunday. But will there come a day when we frequently see out-of-towners ambling down Centre Street, maps in hand and noses buried in guidebooks, seeking out JP's renowned "attractions"? Is that something the neighborhood should ever aspire to, or are residents better served by keeping JP our own little secret?
Richard Heath
Lilac Sunday draws crowds to the Arnold Arboretum.