January 2010 Issue
Where to Eat Now 2010
Your guide to the perfect dining spots for every occasion. Plus: What to order, where to sit, and how to get in on the best weeknight deals in town.
Feature
Food Fighter
Chef Barbara Lynch made her name as the erudite bad girl behind a small kingdom of restaurants, including Sportello and No. 9 Park. But with her latest venture—the city’s most ambitious upscale restaurant in years—she may be picking the battle of her life.
Obama’s Ghost
Named head speechwriter for the president before he’d even turned 30, Jon Favreau couldn’t have scripted a headier rise to the circles of power. Now, a year after penning Barack Obama’s inaugural address, this Boston-bred phenom is confronting a question: Where does the story go from here?
Boston’s Best Feuds
We’ve been fighters from the start. Boston was founded on a handshake in 1630 when hermit William Blackstone invited the Puritans to live near him. Pretty soon they start arguing over religion; next thing you know, Blackstone gets his house burned down. He leaves town, the Puritans stay. Four centuries on, we’re still prone to a good scrap. Here, our take on the Hub’s 12 greatest brawls. You got a problem with that?
Department
The Withering
A year ago, the storied Massachusetts Horticultural Society stunned Boston by canceling its famous flower show.
Mother’s Ilk
How Boston became a hub for mommy bloggers, and why they think the rest of the Net should grow up.
Other
Landmark : The Berkeley Beacon
At this time of year—when New England weather is at its trickiest—none draw Bostonians’ eyes to the skies like the Berkeley Building and its famous storm beacon.
Restaurants
The Ultimate: Chicken Potpie
For the real deal, head to Petsi Pies.
Tastemaking: Setting the Bar
Why the Hub’s latest cocktail dens are tapping into outside expertise.
First Bite: City Table
The Lenox hotel’s new restaurant concept aims for comfort—and ends up being a yawn.
Dining Out: Banq
High-profile import Patricia Yeo uses her flair for fusion cooking to give the South End restaurant Banq a spicy makeover.
Connoisseur
Dogsledding Along the Quaboag River
This two-hour dogsled adventure allows participants to get in on every step of the experience.
Arts + Entertainment
Dogtown Days
Elyssa East talks with Boston magazine about the land of poets, painters, and murder that inspired her new book, Dogtown: Death and Enchantment in a New England Ghost Town.
News
Juicing The Bottom Line
How the “Straight from the Bog” ad campaign revived Ocean Spray and made cranberry farmers cultural icons.
Fashion + Style
A Household Name
Interiors guru Jonathan Adler’s new shop brings much-needed pop to Newbury Street.
Fashion Masochist: Bleached Brows
In a city where tastefully plucked arches are the norm, Rachel Baker whites out.
The Hunt: You Saw You Want a Resolution
If this is your year to (finally) get fit, we’ve got a city full of excuse-proof options.
Purebread Talent: Hillary Dobbs
World-class equestrian (and Harvard senior) Hillary Dobbs saddles up for a breakthrough year.