Best eyes and ears of a neighborhood
Funky Hyde Square in Jamaica Plain may be smaller than Cambridge's increasingly gentrified Central and
Harvard squares, but it has loads of soul. You can drink at the Brendan Behan Pub, have breakfast at
Sorella's, munch pizza at Bella Luna, and dance, bowl, and hang out at the Milky Way Lounge. You can also
nourish your eyes and ears at Rhythm & Muse, an intimate and independent book-and-CD store. If you want to
move beyond the Billboard 100 and Oprah's Book Club, this is the place for you. By mega-store standards,
the selection may be small, but it's smart and discerning. Literary fiction is clearly the focus here, but
Rhythm & Muse also has strong sections devoted to poetry and local authors. Its political inventory -
running from Chomsky to Zinn - is decidedly progressive and left-leaning. The CDs range from classic jazz
to what the store calls "essentials": classic rock, R&B, and blues. Local artists are also represented. A
small café and the clientele it attracts give this clean, well-lighted space a touch of true bohemia. The
store has its own book club, local groups often meet here, and there are occasional live music performances,
author events, and readings.
Rhythm & Muse, 403A Centre Street, Jamaica Plain, (617) 524-6622.
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