DTR Modern
Lost among the sea of galleries that line Newbury Street? Find yourself (and that very special piece you’ve been searching for) at DTR Modern, the longtime purveyor of stunning contemporary artwork in Boston and beyond. With the biggest names in modern art — Takashi Murakami and Jeff Koons — displayed alongside newer faves like Clara Hallencreutz and Nelson de la Nuez, this is the perfect spot for hard-core collectors and dabblers alike. 167 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, dtrmodern.com.
DTR Modern
Expect to find exceptional works by modern masters along with emerging and mid-career artists at this seasoned gallery on Newbury Street, which also has locations on Nantucket and in Washington, DC, New York City, and Palm Beach. Hunt Slonem’s iconic bunny paintings are always on display, and other notable pieces usually include those by lauded contemporary artists Alex Katz and Keith Haring. If you’re on the hunt for a Warhol or even a rare creation by Paul Gauguin, the highly knowledgeable staff has the means to hunt one down for you. 167 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, dtrmodern.com.
Machine Age
This downtown store features an extensive selection of midcentury modern and postmodern furniture from designers like Aero Saarinen, Mies van der Rohe, and Eames. It scours the country looking for original pieces, then has them reupholstered and refurbished. 354 Congress St., Boston, MA .
Modern Pastry
In business for more than 70 years, this North End landmark continues to offer a delicious dose of Old World baking charm. With its velvety truffles, homey thumbprint cookies, and decadent rum-soaked sponge cakes layered with chocolate mousse and thick ganache frosting, it's no wonder the lines are forever spilling out of the shop and onto Hanover Street. 257 Hanover St., Boston, MA 2113, modernpastry.com.
Modern Relik
After months of sitting on the couch nearly ’round the clock, we’d say you’re entitled to a refresh. At Modern Relik’s South End showroom, you’ll find sophisticated sofas in an array of styles, from a nap-worthy mahogany day bed to a quilted sectional with eye-catching lines. Grab a cup of espresso from the front-of-store café while you debate your options, and feel free to chat up the in-house design team if you’re short on inspiration; overseen by design director Jon Dransfield and owner Meg Kimball, the group happily consults on scale, color, materials, and more. 485 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02118, modernrelik.com.
Modern Pastry
The North End's bakeries are famous for long lines and cannoli, but the latter doesn't always justify the former. Among far too many soggy pretenders, this crisp shell filled with silky-smooth ricotta cream is unquestionably worth the wait. 257 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 2113, .
Dar Williams
Just off tour with folk legend Joan Baez, Dar Williams is now home in Belchertown savoring the critical success of her latest CD, Mortal City. When Williams originally moved to western Massachusetts from New York, she got a job with the Boston Opera Company and aspired to become a playwright or to direct operas. But the call of the coffeehouse was too strong, and Williams's modern folk style soon drew a following that recognized a new talent on the rise.
Modern Gourmet
On weekdays, Madeline Kamman leaves the kitchen to her students. On weekends, she takes over. Go then, but reserve now. Ritzy French cuisine: a bit nouvelle, a bit classic, basically unpredictable. Have two bottles of Bordeaux. 81r Union St., Newton, MA .
Modern Pastry Shop
Cannoli should never be filled until you enter the bakery and say, "Four cannoli, please." At which point the white-smocked helper at Modern will slip into the back of the shop, return with four freshly filled pastries, give them a light dusting of powdered sugar, and warp them in one of those classic boxes tied with red-and-white string. 257 Hanover St., Boston, MA .
Boston Modern Orchestra Project
Boston is touted as a top arts town, and it lives up to that ideal when its institutions are constantly refreshing their canons. Well, the Boston Modern Orchestra Project has been doing just that since 1996: Its adventurous approach to contemporary classical music includes works by locals such as John Harbison and world premieres by international artists such as this year’s season finale of contemporary Chinese composers. MA bmop.org.
Modern Pastry Shop
Don't ever trust a bakery with prefilled cannoli. Modern fills them on the spot, so you don't get soggy cylinders found at so many pastry counters. The shell of this perfect cannoli is light and flaky, never greasy, and the not-too-sweet ricotta cream is never dry or slimy. Filling cannoli to order takes longer than squirting the cream in advance, but if you're in a rush, you shouldn't be in the North End anyway. 257 Hanover St., Boston, MA .
Modern Pastry Shop
Given the drool-inducing array of cakes and freshly filled cannoli, sweet tooths should not cross the threshold unchaperoned. 257 Hanover St., Boston, MA 2113, .
American Seasons
Nantucket is where billionaires get away from it all, where they can pretend nothing satisfies more than a simple plate of baked scrod. When reality (and highly exacting tastes) sets back in, there's American Seasons, where chef Michael LaScola serves southwestern-inspired summer squash bisque topped with marinated Gulf shrimp, tomatillo relish, and chipotle crema; local farm greens done up with sherry-pecan vinaigrette; and other distinctive dishes—and the low-lit interior promotes cozy intimacy for every tax bracket. 80 Centre St., Nantucket Island, MA 2554, americanseasons.com.
The Moderna Vaccine
What a coming-out party this past year has been for Moderna. For years the Cambridge company had been all-in on messenger RNA vaccines, the radical approach to disease prevention that attracted billions of dollars from investors but had yet to be proven in the real world. After its wildly successful vaccine put the startup on par with major drug manufacturers like Pfizer — not to mention helped break COVID-19’s grip on humanity — it’s clear that the bet has paid off. modernatx.com.