September 2020 Issue
The Best Public High Schools in Greater Boston
Our annual ranking of the best public high schools in towns or districts within, or partially within, 495.
Feature
All Dressed up and No Place To Go
The best part about spending so much time at home? When it comes to fashion, there are absolutely no rules.
Science or Censorship?
The Broad Institute’s Alina Chan believes COVID-19 could have escaped from a Chinese lab. What if it’s not as wild a theory as the world’s preeminent scientists say it is?
The NAACP Convention That Never Came to Town
The 2020 NAACP convention in Boston was supposed to be a celebration of how far we’ve come, and a discussion about where we need to go. Moving the convention out of town doesn’t need to end the conversation.
The New Look of Higher Ed
In a time of major upheaval, what does the future hold for higher learning in Boston? Five hometown college and university leaders peer into their crystal ball—and what they see might surprise you.
Department
The $100 Million Challenge
Funds from Boston’s philanthropies flow overwhelmingly to white-led organizations. Here’s how 19 of Boston’s most successful business leaders of color are determined to change that, one dollar at a time.
The End of Casual Sex?
With the risk of infection lurking in every encounter, local singles are increasingly swearing off random hook-ups. Are we about to enter a new Victorian era—or is something else afoot?
The Interview: Joseph Curtatone
Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone on how his city is charting its own course during the coronavirus crisis.
Beacon
Follow the Leaders
COVID-19 has forced local artists to get even more creative when it comes to sharing their work. Here are five genre-spanning Instagram accounts fitting big ideas into small frames.
How To Save the Arts
If Boston is to remain the “Athens of America,” our pandemic-assailed cultural institutions need an emergency intervention.
Fashion + Style
The Lust Lineup: Soft Touch
Swap the cozy lounge-wear this fall with the just-as-sumptuous feel of velvet for a look that’s fashionable and functional.
Tiny Size, Big Style
Back to school might look a little different this year, but that doesn’t mean your tots should be any less fashionable. Here’s where to go when it’s time for a wardrobe or gear refresh.
Natural Selection
One of Boston’s rising fashion stars proves that sustainability and style don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
Boston Traveler: Bar Harbor
Whether your idea of getting back to nature involves hiking through the wilderness or roasting s’mores outside your luxe glamping tent, you’ll find your happy place in this rugged Maine sanctuary by the sea.
Other
Why Is Allen’s Coffee Flavored Brandy So Popular in Maine?
How a Boston-brewed liqueur became a cultural rite of passage in the Pine Tree State.
Home Design
Either-Or: A Waterfront North End Stunner vs. a Modern Wayland Haven
It’s amazing what a few miles will do to the market.
Health
Fitfluencer Myths, Debunked
Some wellness-focused Instagram accounts are totally worth the #regram. Others? Not so much. Here’s how to sort through your social media feeds to separate the good advice from the bad.
Arts + Entertainment
