Escape 2012

march 27, 2012 - april 9, 2012

www.stuffboston.com

escape

TROPICAL TREATMENTS | NEW ENGLAND GETAWAY plans | eating gator IN CAMBRIDGE

march 27, 2012 – april 9, 2012

HOTS 7 Editorial Director: Scott Kearnan GET Senior Managing Editor: Jacqueline Houton

...this or that 9 ...seen 10 ...close 12 ...cultured 14 ...pretty 16 ...out 18 STYLE 20 GOOD STUFF 22

FEATURE

Getaway plans 24

FEED

24 Rates start at $229/night for a staycation at our Escape photo-shoot locale, the Revere Hotel Boston Common (200 Stuart Street, Boston), a luxury hotel opening in April. It’s not a Bali sunset, but the Boston skyline looks swell from the private balcony adjoining each of the 356 rooms — especially after a cocktail in the first floor’s Emerald Lounge.

For out-of-town options, see “Getaway Plans” on page 24. Photo: Conor Doherty. Model: Carissa G of Maggie Inc. Contortionist (cover): Tracy McAskill of the Boston Circus Guild.

Letter from the Editor

I’m not a jetsetter. I’m more of a . . . um, car czar.

Yes, I love taking a long getaway somewhere sunny (insert: Facebook photo of sandy toes) or exotic. (I’m working, slowly, on a bucket list of dream destinations far and wide. Anyone have <4> 3.27.12

hotel points on Easter Island?)

But sometimes, even when you’re desperately in need of a rejuvenating breather, schedules don’t allow for an extravagant twoweek vacation. The best you can do is a long weekend or a five-day getaway. Luckily, when you live in New England, that best is pretty damn good.

It was with this in mind that the STUFF team put together Escape, our first regional travel issue. We know you may want to start plotting out your vacation days well in advance: a glowing date on the calendar can sometimes be the light you need at the end of a long, overworked tunnel. So we looked to the seasons ahead — summer, fall, and winter — all of which offer totally different escape

food coma 39 5 courses 40 stuff it 41 liquid 42 RESIDE 44 SEX 46 FLASH 47 jackson cannon’S STUFF 50

opportunities when you live round these parts. (Sunny beaches?

Check. Snowy ski mountains?

We have those, too.) And we identified some of the must-visit locales — from preppy meccas like Nantucket to hippie enclaves like Brattleboro, Vermont — that any true New Englander needs to explore to get a taste of all our area has to offer. (No, a real taste.

Believe it or not, some excellent restaurants exist outside of Boston’s boundaries.) So check out “Getaway Plans” on page 24. Choose a few itineraries that whet your wanderlust, fill the tank, check your tire pressure, and hit the open road.

Of course, even if you’re staying in town, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy a sense of escape. Check out the cuisine

at Roslindale’s new Nigerian restaurant, Suya Joint, the subject of Food Coma on page 39. Or indulge in beauty treatments inspired by the tropics at a local spa, like the ones featured in Get Pretty on page 16. And we’ve gathered some gorgeous luggage pieces worth toting home from area stores, even if you’re just using them as overnight bags for, ahem, local excursions. (’Cause really, nothing says “walk of shame” like riding the T with your toiletries shoved in a CVS bag.)

See Style on page 20. Enjoy.

As they say in France, au revoir! As they say in Hawaii, aloha! As they say in 1995, I’m outtie!

Scott Kearnan Editorial Director

Design Manager: Janice Checchio Staff Writer: Miles Howard Food Editor-at-Large: Louisa Kasdon Contributing Writers: Kara Baskin, Marissa Berenson, Renata CertoWare, Cheryl Fenton, Jeannie Greeley, Meghan Kavanaugh, Heather Bouzan McHugh, MC Slim JB, Luke O’Neil, Erin Souza Contributing Photographers: Natalia Boltukhova, Lara Callahan, Kelly Davidson, Michael Diskin, Kim Gray, Tim Gray, Eric Levin, Melissa Ostrow, Chris Padgett, Joel Veak Party Photographers: Derek Kouyoumjian, Erica Magliaro, Natasha Moustache, Michael Young Intern: Emanuelle Honnorat

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3.27.12 <5>

HOT TO TROT

h o t

Running a marathon is not for the vain. By the time you finish — soaked in sweat, wrapped in a foil cape like a baked potato, and with questionable control over certain bodily functions — you’re not going to be looking your freshest. But it might help if you’re sporting the Limited Edition Boston 890v2 ($110), a new ultra-lightweight running shoe from New Balance. Wearing kicks like this, you sure as hell won’t get lost in traffic: with their bright blue exterior and radiant red and yellow detailing, you could see these coming 26.2 miles away. Even the insides are super-styled, with cushioned soles adorned by images of Boston icons, from the Zakim Bridge to Heartbreak Hill. Starting on April 1, you can grab a pair at select retailers like Marathon Sports (671 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.267.4774), right by the finish line. Or check out the soon-to-open Back Bay outpost of New Balance (583 Boylston Street, Boston).

P HOT ASS

The Davis Square space that once housed the restaurant Gargoyles on the Square has awoken from a long slumber — or rather, siesta. The spot just became the new home of The Painted Burro (219 Elm Street, Somerville, 617.776.0005), a colorful Mexican joint filled with bright, bold, Día de los Muertos–inspired murals by local artist Raul Gonzalez. The 94-seat setting is “farm chic,” and the menu, designed by chefs Joe Cassinelli and Dante Bua, focuses largely on the country’s southwestern Oaxaca region. The entrée offerings sound fairly refined: think fish cooked in banana leaves, chicken liver with sesame mole, and rabbit tamales. But we also love the fact that Burro boasts a late-night taco menu, a 100-bottle-strong tequila selection, and — get this! — 22-ounce and 40-ounce beers served in paper bags. Color us tickled.

If you’d rather enjoy marathon-related merchandising as a spectator, keep an eye out for Sam Adams’s Boston 26.2 Brew. The Bostonbased beer brand’s limitededition libation is lightbodied, low-alcohol, and on tap at select city bars.

HOT 100

On April 20, Fenway Park celebrates its 100th birthday. (Quick, someone get Willard Scott on speed dial.) And aside from the state of the bathrooms during the seventh-inning stretch, the old place is still looking as pretty as a glossy Boston postcard. So we’re happy to see it immortalized in print with this month’s release of Fenway: A Fascinating First Century. The team from Sports Illustrated compiled the commemorative hardcover book, which captures the ballpark’s storied history, from World Series games to Rolling Stones concerts. And while we don’t normally think it appropriate to read over supper, we’ll forgive Sox fans for drooling over the photos — and their dinners — during a special weekend series at Church (69 Kilmarnock Street, Boston, 617.236.7600). Fridays through Sundays in April, chef Jon Gilman will divide Fenway history into distinct eras and prepare a period-appropriate menu for each. It kicks off on April 5–7 with “1912–1927: Fenway Opens the Door,” an installment featuring food inspired by the Boston Cooking School and the Fannie Farmer cookbook.

(Next up: “1934–1947: The Green Monster Rises,” which will see a meal inspired by the comfort-food revolution brought on by wartime rationing.) We almost wish it came with a birthday cake for dessert, but that many candles would probably violate the fire code.

HOT WET NOT-AMERICAN SUMMER

Norway isn’t a country we’d expect to produce especially cute bathing suits.

(Why do they need them? For that one day a year when the Barents Sea is above freezing?) But Scandinavian stereotypes be damned: it seems Oslo-based brand Helly Hansen has come up with some especially adorable swim trunks for its spring/ summer collection, which recently arrived at North River Outfitter (124–126 Charles Street, Boston, 617.742.0089). The men’s Sola Swimshort features dapper poplin with a classic check pattern. But we really love the women’s W Hydro Power Trunk, which has a sorta-’70s, summer-camp-ready feel. Available in bright pink, light blue, and navy, it’s a thigh-grazing short with a snap-button band. Pair it with a bikini top, and the sailing-oriented brand will have you looking like a Camelot-era Kennedy — or, you know, a Knudsen. painted burro photo by melissa ostrow

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SEEN

Close

cultured

GETthis...

Between its free-spirited name and its location in the far corner of our keyboards, the Escape key seems ready to make a break for it. So perhaps it’s not surprising that designer Lauren Anabela Beaudoin decided to liberate it. An alum of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Beaudoin founded her own jewelry line, Creative Dexterity, in 2007. And by putting her metalwork know-how to use, she created a series of earrings ($65) and other accessories made from Mac keys and sterling silver. The Escape key was the first she ever used in her creations, which she hoped would remind wearers to “take a break and escape from reality.” But the series has since grown to encompass pretty much all of QWERTY, from A to Z. Find her designs at MassArt Made (625 Huntington Avenue, Boston, 617.879.7407).

MAIN COURSES Stuffed Mexican Omelet with Chili Roasted Spring Vegetables & Monterey Jack Cheese Santa Fe Style Eggs Benedict Atop Southwestern Biscuits Avocado, Green Chile Hollandaise & Southwest Home Fries Masa Style BBQ Mac & Cheese with Smoked Gouda, Roasted Peppers, Chorizo, Onions and Garlic Nut Crusted Texas Toast Stuffed with Caramelized Bananas & Dulce de Leche Syrup Tequila Cilantro Cured Salmon Atop Cream Cheese & Roasted Poblano Quesadilla

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or that...

Back before computers and the advent of the all-knowing oracle Google, researchers rifled through those dusty drawers known as card catalogs. (Unfortunately, there was not a special section devoted to “Ex-boyfriends who got fat.”) Then digital records revolutionized the library biz, leaving those wooden chests to languish as obsolete relics. But Emma McElfresh, a local librarian and the founder of Sovereign Sea Designs, couldn’t let their contents go to waste. Instead, she developed her Written Nerd series, using vintage catalog cards to create earrings ($28.50) and necklaces ($18–$42). Each piece’s unique Dewey Decimal sequence nods to a specific text — and makes for a statement accessory worthy of your favorite bibliophile. Look for them on the shelves at Magpie (416 Highland Avenue, Somerville, 617.623.3330).

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— Meghan Kavanaugh

top photo by janice checchio

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GETSEEN …at Reiss for a Spring/Summer 2012 Collection Preview

Jeff Lahens, men’s style curator at DressCode Boston

Eva Carnevale, stylist at Salon Acote

The man who styled the evening’s male models could have walked the runway himself. He wore a Reiss twobutton suit and coral scarf with pieces from his own closet, including a Misura shirt of his own design, Allen Edmonds boots, and his favorite vintage glasses.

Jeff has a true appreciation for the classics: “I always admired the way my dad and my uncles dressed.”

His style in a handful of words?

Personal, functional, effortless, uplifting, trend-proof, and dresscode-appropriate.

This designer and stylist’s list of spring staples includes reliable V-neck tees, pastel linen scarves, layering pieces like cardigans, and Tretorn shoes.

STUFFY:

She wore J Brand jeans from Second Time Around, a top from Buffalo Exchange, platform Mary Janes from Bakers, and suspenders from Urban Outfitters, topped off with bubble-gum-pink nails.

Her look is always evolving, she says, but high heels are a constant.

“My style is different every day. I hate repeating outfits.”

This boy-meets-girl look belies the 50-plus dresses in her closet, though she considers her J Brand jeans a wardrobe staple.

She shops most often at thrift stores, LF’s sales, and her roommates’ closets.

Steven Kareem, fashion stylist and event director at Urban Fresh Any man who can pull off a kilt, a military jacket, and a shoulder-slung gas mask with ease is someone we want to know.

Steven wore a kilt by Sport Kilt, a 1952 German bomber coat from the army-navy store, and combat boots.

He calls his look a statement about the uncertainty of what’s happening in the world today and a nod to his father’s and uncles’ styles.

Through their company, Urban Fresh, he and his business partner aim to connect the inner city with high fashion. His personal fashion goal? “I want to see younger generations dressing like me.”

Helena Martin, fashion blogger at The Honey Flower Girl Helena caught our eye with a vintage red blazer, J Brand jeans, a Topshop polka-dot blouse, Au Bottier shoes from her native Brazil, and a turban from a New York City boutique.

This fashion blogger draws inspiration from the 1960s and 1970s and counts Diane von Fürstenberg and Carolina Herrera among her style icons: “Her [Herrera’s] signature white blouse is so chic; she stands out.”

If Helena had to choose one item to wear forever, she’d pick a sheer maxi dress.

In the six years she’s been in Boston, she’s become a regular at the city’s thrift stores.

Luxe Redux

We’ve appreciated the appeal of historical reenactments ever since that school trip to see the Battle of Lexington: 1992 Edition. But when it comes to commemorating disasters, there’s a fine line between memorial and morbidity. Sailing right on that line is the Titanic Anniversary Cruise. When it set out on its maiden voyage in April 1912, the RMS Titanic was a floating tribute to the unabashed opulence of a glamorous age. Its first-class manifest read like a Who’s Who of the era’s well-heeled — think names like Astor and Guggenheim, who eagerly booked passage on the state-of-the-art “unsinkable ship.” We all know how that turned out. But the tragedy’s scale hasn’t stopped Britain’s Miles Morgan Travel from planning two centennial itineraries. The first, which approximates the original route and departs from Southampton, England, is already sold out. But stateside travelers can take advantage of a modified (and, perhaps, less fate-tempting) version: an eight-night expedition aboard the hulking ship Journey. It departs NYC on April 10 and heads to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where many Titanic passengers are buried. Then it visits the precise coordinates of Titanic’s resting place for a memorial service at 2:20 a.m., the hour of the ship’s sinking, before returning to New York. Throughout the trip, cruisers can eat and drink selections that were served on board Titanic, enjoy era-appropriate entertainment, and take in history lectures. All-inclusive packages ($999–$3,190) are available at titanicmemorialcruise.co.uk. Of course, if you’re looking for a less expensive tribute, April also sees the 3D theatrical re-release of James Cameron’s 1997 blockbuster.

But that requires you to sit through a Celine Dion power ballad. Now who has bad taste?

— Miles Howard

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GET SEEN PHOTOS BY melissa ostrow; text by erin souza

GETclose ...with viggo mortensen Viggo Mortensen has played a shaggy-haired king, a paraplegic gangster, a father living in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, and a tattooed Russian who stars in one of the most badass nude fight scenes in the history of cinema. His willingness to take risks has earned him critical kudos and, in March, the 2012 Coolidge Award from Brookline’s Coolidge Corner Theatre. Past recipients include esteemed actors like Meryl Streep and Jonathan Demme — but Mortensen can say he’s the only winner who moonlights as an artist, poet, and musician (one who has frequently collaborated with a guy named Buckethead).

In conjunction with the ninth-annual award ceremony, the Coolidge screened many of Mortensen’s films, including Eastern Promises, The Road (an adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel), and, of course, the extended version of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Before an audience of fans dressed as wizards and elves, a jokey Mortensen introduced the series with some geek-friendly trivia. (He even sang Aragorn’s coronation song.)

The actor is currently in pre-production for a new movie called Everyone Has a Plan, about a man who assumes the identity of his deceased twin in Argentina. But we caught up with Mortensen at the Coolidge while he was in town to accept his award.

How does this award reflect your entire body of work, especially the days when you were playing character roles? Getting an honor like this forces you to think about this kind of thing.

I like to play characters where it’s like, “Whoah, how am I going to do that?” When I look back at those roles, they were full of obstacles. I also know from experience the more I believe that I’m that character, the more chance there is that you’re going to believe it. That’s the game.

You’ve worked repeatedly with a couple of directors, like Peter Jackson [The Lord of the Rings] and most recently David Cronenberg [Eastern Promises, A Dangerous Method].

Do you prefer to work with the same director on multiple projects? Not with all directors, but certainly with Cronenberg because I know he’s going to be ready and he loves what he does, and that’s contagious. Sometimes on the set, people are yelling because someone is unprepared. With Cronenberg, there is a guaranteed quality, and each movie is going to be worth watching. I can’t say that about many directors.

Are you more passionate about your music or your acting? They are branches of the same tree, so to speak. These artistic activities have to do with paying attention and filtering what you do and then trying to express what you think you saw. That’s my way of paying attention and communicating with the world I’m in.

How did the blockbuster success of The Lord of the Rings affect you? For me it was great. <12> 3.27.12

I wouldn’t have worked with Cronenberg, and I wouldn’t be in this theater right now. I thought about this last night when I was on the stage.

There was more to it than just “I love Legolas!”

There is something very thought-provoking about those stories. They could use some editing, but so does the Bible.

Is there anything you enjoy doing while in Boston? I enjoy going to museums and walking around. I like Boston; I know it’s a big sports town, and I like sports. I’ve never been to Fenway, and I’d like to go sometime. I like teams that people in Boston don’t like.

I know you’re a soccer fan. Would you consider making a sports-related movie? I’d be game. Unless it’s some story about a guy

coming out of retirement and shocking everyone, I’d probably have to direct it or something. I like good stories — it doesn’t matter the setting.

Do you plan on directing? I might want to try it at some point. I like everything that goes into movie making. I like actors, which is a plus. I don’t know of many directors who like actors and see them as more than just tools.

How would you like to see your career go from this award forward? I’ll see what happens tomorrow. I never really had a set plan. I’ve never thought if I do this, that, and the other, maybe I’ll get a Coolidge Award. Whether it’s photography, editing books, writing poems, acting in plays — I just like stories.

— Melissa Pocek Photo by David Fox

GETCULTURED The eric carle museum of picture book art

The museum of bad art

The edward gorey house The Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast Museum

The plumbing museum

Curating Curios

Thanks to world-class museums like the MFA and the ICA, culture vultures find plenty to crow about in Boston. But if you’re ever itching to broaden your horizons and fly the coop — or at least hit the open road — know there are quite a few, ahem, eccentric but edifying attractions in the suburbs. We’ve rounded up a few Massachusetts museums that are so cool and curious, we’ll actually figure out how to use the commuter rail.

— Miles Howard

The Museum of Bad Art (580 High Street, Dedham, 781.444.6757). Bad art is sometimes endearing. Remember that Father’s Day when your gift was a watercolor portrait that made Dad look like a gouty President Garfield?

He proudly slapped that monstrosity on the refrigerator door. And since 1994, MOBA has displayed equally atrocious art that simultaneously invites snickering and celebration. Its collection boasts some 600 appallingly tacky pieces showcased on a rotating basis in three locations, including spots in Somerville and Brookline. But the Dedham location is the original destination for gawking at work that’s “too bad to be ignored.” How bad? Consider In the Cat’s Mouth, a puke-orange painting that portrays a human face inside a feline maw. Unsurprisingly, admission is free. For a virtual visit, go to museumofbadart.org.

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art (125 West Bay Road, Amherst, 413.658.1100). George W. Bush was in his 20s when The Very Hungry Caterpillar was published, but that didn’t stop him from declaring it his favorite childhood book. While we hope we can claim greater reading comprehension (we’re at least up to Clifford the Big Red Dog level), we do share Dubya’s affection for the warmth and color of Eric Carle’s timeless illustrations. His namesake museum’s 40,000-square-foot space houses original artwork from Carle and many other contemporary picture-book artists; it also hosts hands-on workshops, performances, and lectures.

Admission is $9 (milk and cookies not included). For a virtual visit, go to carlemuseum.org.

The Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast Museum (230 2nd Street, Fall River, 508.675.7333). Long before O.J., Lizzie Borden was the original celebrity suspect: a wealthy woman accused of offing her prominent parents in a bloody hatchet murder. (To be fair, she was only convicted in the court of public opinion.) Her home, the crime scene, is now a bed and breakfast boasting <14> 3.27.12

décor straight from Victorian America — and maybe some guests from back then, too. The reputedly haunted spot is open to paranormal enthusiasts for investigation by day and sleeping (ha!) by night. Each Borden family member’s room has been unnervingly preserved, and newly installed Ghost Cams are available to record any “disturbances” after dark. Tours are $12.50, and overnight rates start at $150. For a virtual visit, go to lizzie-borden.com.

The Edward Gorey House (8 Strawberry Lane, Yarmouth Port, 508.362.3909). The Cape’s white beaches and whispering reeds feel like a backdrop for designer turtleneck commercials. So it’s funny such squeakyclean scenery was also home to Edward Gorey, one of America’s most enigmatic and macabre-minded illustrators. He garnered many fans with his grim, obscenely witty works, like The Gashlycrumb Tinies, a darkly comic alphabet primer. Now his former home is a museum that offers a candid glimpse into the reclusive artist’s life. You’ll find scores of Gorey’s sketches and possessions, plus more than a few snoozing cats. (The animal lover’s home was famously overrun with felines.) Admission is $5. For a virtual visit, go to edwardgoreyhouse.org.

The Plumbing Museum (80 Rosedale Road, Watertown, 617.926.2111).

After one ill-fated camping trip involving a bad can of beans and an intimate encounter with poison sumac, we decided to never take the value of indoor plumbing for granted. So pay homage to the porcelain gods at this sanitation shrine, which originally opened in Worcester in 1979 and moved to Watertown in 2007. There’s an era-spanning collection of antique toilets, bathtubs, and piping, made from a host of materials and often taking on shapes that seem bizarre by modern standards. Demos provide hands-on plumbing tutorials, helpful for those times when jiggling the handle just won’t cut it. It’s open by appointment only, because — well, you might want some privacy. For a virtual visit, go to theplumbingmuseum.org.

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No man is an island. But every man (and woman) would love to escape to one now and then. Sadly, work and wallet don’t always allow for an impromptu getaway to a land of tropical breezes, sun-warmed sand, and lapping waves. But there are still ways to enjoy the R&R-related beauty benefits of a Caribbean vacation right here at home. Here are a few DIY tips and spa-treatment suggestions that serve up island-inspired luxury without the air travel.

— Cheryl Fenton

Fruity Beauty

Spa Staycations Need some help with your escape plans? Check out these tropical treats from local spas.

Adara Spa (115 Lewis Wharf, Boston, 617.227.5499) offers a divine Coconut Manicure ($30) and Pedicure ($60). Treatments begin with an über-hydrating coconut-milk soak. Then hands and feet are softened with a sugarcane scrub infused with exotic dilo, sekeci, macadamia, and coconut oils. For full-body TLC, try the Coconut Body Butter Wrap ($70). It’s a hydrating treatment that repairs damage with a coconut-crème scrub, coconut massage oil, frangipani body butter, and a warmed coconut-oil scalp treatment.

Pyara Spa and Salon (104 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge, 617.497.9300) brings the Caribbean to Cambridge with its multi-part Caribbean Therapy Body Treatment ($180).

It starts with a foot scrub of passion fruit, coconut and avocado oils, cane sugar, sea salt, and ginger. After a dry exfoliation, you’re enveloped in a detoxifying warm seaweed mask and body wrap. An overhead Vichy rinse mimics the sensation of lounging on the beach during a sun shower. And the massage that follows is more relaxing than a mai tai.

G2O Spa & Salon (278 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.262.2220) offers a glimpse of paradise in its Experience Room, which features herbal-infused steam, a refreshing ice fog, and a tropical shower. The ceiling even receives a night-sky sparkle courtesy of Swarovski crystals. It’s a truly transporting setting for the Bali Paradise Experience, a body treatment that combines a custom blend of oils with a rich mineral cream packed with fruit extracts. The price is $75 for a solo trip and $65 per person for groups of two to eight. After all, a vacation is better when you bring someone along — even if you’re just taking a trip to Newbury Street.

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The Beauty of the Tropics

If you can’t swing a spa trip, head to the supermarket.

Pineapple has long been used as a medicinal agent in tropical traditions, and the golden fruit’s skin-smoothing properties can give you a golden glow.

“Pineapple contains natural fruit enzymes and acids that brighten skin,” says Jennifer Menzer, health and lifestyle counselor at Boston’s Saldare Body Therapy & Wellness Studio.

At home, try massaging mashed pineapple onto your face; let the sticky pulp dry for 10 minutes and then rinse. The nonirritating but hard-working enzymes will loosen dead skin cells for a soft complexion. “Additionally, they [pineapples] contain vitamins B complex and C, which are great skin rejuvenators,” says Menzer.

Of course, we’d be nuts to ignore the white meat of another produce-aisle favorite. Whether it’s milked or pressed into oil, coconut is ripe with beauty benefits. “Coconuts are a natural source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids,” says Amelia Finau, co-owner of Adara Spa in Boston. “They assist healing, help correct dry and sunburned skin, and prolong skin cell life.”

Try sipping coconut waters like Vita Coco for skin-saving benefits. “It contains vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, and enzymes that aid in vibrant, youthful skin,” Finau continues. “Vitamin C stimulates collagen production, and B-complex vitamins boost circulation to give skin a healthy glow.

Zinc also controls the production of oil in the skin, which may help to control acne.”

But you can also try a topical tropical approach: mix coconut water into hydrating facial masks, or use it as a toner, lightly spritzing your face to keep skin dewy-soft. “Coconut water contains cytokinins, plant hormones shown to have an anti-aging effect on human cells and tissues,” Menzer adds.

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GETOUT

GETOUT year, and the 2012 lineup is stacked with bugged-out breakthroughs.

Among the highlights is filmmaker Jamie Heinrich’s Happily Never After, which follows a lewd photographer’s uncomfortable attempts to reconnect with his long-lost son.

And the cult hit Manborg dives to even more deranged depths as its titular robot soldier wages bloody war against demonic hordes. For tickets and the full festival lineup, visit brattlefilm.org.

FRIDAY, MARCH 30

first aid kit

THURSDAY, MARCH 29 – SUNDAY, APRIL 1 If your main requirements for a movie are expensive explosions, bigname actors, and an accompanying soundtrack sure to yield a Top 10 radio hit (and future wedding staple), you’ll rarely be disappointed by what’s playing at the local multiplex.

It’s harder to find opportunities to celebrate scraggier films with smaller budgets but, frequently, more heart and art. So we’re excited that the Brattle Theatre (40 Brattle Street, Cambridge, 617.876.6838), Harvard Square’s cineaste haven, will host the 2012 Boston Underground Film Festival. The fest is now in its 14th

PARTY ON THE HARBOR at the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston

We’ll admit to stumbling across quite a few snicker-worthy Internet memes, but it still takes more than a shaky camera and a “Shit [insert hyper-specific demographic here] Say” video to become a comedy superstar. The best comedians study their craft and practice it in top-notch troupes, and The Second City is a training ground responsible for launching way more careers than YouTube. Established in 1959 in Chicago, the Second City first won over crowds with sketch shows that brought subversive material to Eisenhower-era audiences. Now it’s

one of North America’s most prolific comedy organizations, one that’s helped birth the careers of “alumni” like Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, and Steve Carell, to name a few. With a fresh roster of emerging players, the Second City is hitting the road for its Laugh Out Loud tour, which will stop at the Wilbur Theatre (246 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.248.9700) for a 7:30 p.m. show. Find tickets ($25) at ticketmaster.com.

sbtrkt

FRIDAY, MARCH 30

We can thank DJ Shadow for introducing us to one of the most bizarrely titled ditties in music history: “More Than Seven Dwarfs in Penis-Land,” a ’70s curiosity that features anatomically correct sound effects. The song was one of dozens Shadow mined for Endtroducing, his critically acclaimed debut album made entirely from sampled elements.

It revealed him to be the musical equivalent of a Las Vegas priest: an artist who excels at marrying unlikely couples with little in common but a party-ready spirit. Today, his trip-hop-leaning

tracks like “Midnight in a Perfect World” and “Organ Donor” are the stuff of sonic legend, boasting unrecognizable sounds borrowed from the likes of Bjork, James Brown, and even comic-book king Stan Lee. Now promoting his latest album, The Less You Know, the Better, Shadow will swoop down on House of Blues (15 Lansdowne Street, Boston, 888.693.2583) for a 9 p.m. show. Grab tickets ($27) at livenation.com.

SUNDAY, APRIL 1 There are two things you need to know about every neighborhood.

One: where do you have to walk with a Taser after sundown? And two: where can you get a good goat-cheese salad round these parts? If you’re still feeling clueless about the food scene in Southie, plan to check out the 10th annual Taste of South Boston. More than 20 of the neighborhood’s most savory dining spots (like Salvatore’s, Local 149, and Sam’s at Louis) will offer unlimited cuisine samples at the Seaport World Trade Center (200 Seaport Boulevard, Boston, 617.385.5000) from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Between bites, you can bid for prizes in a silent auction and wet your whistle with a wine and beer tasting. Best of all, proceeds benefit the South Boston Neighborhood Development Corporation, which works to provide struggling families and veterans with affordable housing. Get tickets ($40) at tasteofsouthboston.com.

MONDAY, APRIL 2 We had to clamp our eyes shut

during certain scenes in David Fincher’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo remake. But when we weren’t wincing, we noticed this: rural Sweden is beautiful! And those towering trees and placid waters seem like the perfect backdrop for the enchanting sounds of First Aid Kit, Johanna and Klara Söderberg’s sonic sister act. The siblings were raised south of Stockholm, and today their golden voices deliver dreamy backwoods tunes (some of which have been showcased in music videos filmed in an actual Swedish forest). They got their big break when their YouTube cover of “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song” prompted Fleet Foxes to invite them on stage at a Netherlands show. Since then, they’ve released two acclaimed albums, including their recent The Lion’s Roar, full of folksy six-string numbers like “Emmylou” and “Blue.” This spring they’re bound for Coachella, but first they’ll hit Brighton Music Hall (158 Brighton Avenue, Allston, 617.779.0140) for a 9 p.m. show. Buy tickets ($15) at ticketmaster.com.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4 Bass is the Pavlovian bell of electronic dance music, the trigger that gets our legs twitching and heads bobbing. But in the hands of UK producer-turned-performer SBTRKT, it’s guaranteed to get your fist pumping and your body jumping.

Wielding his exceptionally bass-heavy beats as weapons of mass eardrum destruction, SBTRKT delivers odd, otherworldly sounds that range from traditional trance trills to acidtinged melodies that seem like the product of an undersea didgeridoo.

When sequenced alongside hiphop drums and vocals from guests like Little Dragon’s Yukimi Nagano, they’re pure sonic thunder. (For aural evidence, listen to “Wildfire” and “Trials of the Past” or his past remixes of acts like Radiohead.) His visceral live performances — which have the musician wearing cool, contemporized tribal masks — only add to the head trip. See for yourself at his 8 p.m. show at the Paradise Rock Club (967 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, 617.562.8800). Grab tickets ($15) at ticketmaster.com.

— Miles Howard

Start summer on the Boston waterfront with the ICA’s annual PARTY ON THE HARBOR—an unforgettable evening of art and celebration at the city’s most exciting museum. Breathtaking views of Boston Harbor, festive cocktails, and music by one of the country’s premiere DJs will keep you dancing all night long.

TICKETS VIP: ICA members $175, nonmembers $200 Includes an exclusive, pre-party reception.

Party: ICA members $100, nonmembers $125

Friday, May 4, 2012 9:00 pm – 1:00 am

To purchase tickets go to icaboston.org, call 617-478-3103, or visit the ICA’s Holly McGrath Visitor Center.

Proceeds from the event support the ICA’s exhibitions, performing arts, and educational programs.

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Media sponsor for Party on the Harbor is Stuff Magazine

Support provided in part

by Gilt City

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tyle Carried Away

An escape is all about breaking free of the routine.

So it’s high time to say bon voyage to the boxy black suitcase. Whether you’re a jetsetter or a staycationer, slipping pleasure into a business trip or just indulging in a beach day, make your getaway in style. A bold print, an unexpected texture, or a subtle twist on a classic shape can really pack a punch.

WHERE TO SHOP

Neiman Marcus, 5 Copley Place, Boston, 617.536.3660 North River Outfitter, 124–126 Charles Street, Boston, 617.742.0089 Sault New England, 577 Tremont Street, Boston, 857.239.9434 The Tannery, 711 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.267.5500

ali A G2O exclusive body treatment which combines freshly blended fruit extracts with a customized selection of oil & herbs for a highly therapeutic steam treatment with a refreshing ice fog & tropical shower.

— Justin Reis

For him (clockwise from top): Rag & Bone straw hat, $150, available at The Tannery; Barbour duffle, $229, available at North River Outfitter; Tumi “Vapor” suitcase, $545, available at Neiman Marcus; Rag & Bone duffle, $275, available at The Tannery; Gucci carryall, $2,350, and Prada portfolio clutch, $1,175, both available at Neiman Marcus; Jack Spade nautical tote, $245, and iPad sleeve, $65, both available at Sault New England; Rag & Bone backpack, $275, available at The Tannery For her (clockwise from top): Tory Burch needlepoint tote, $495, Tumi “Vapor” suitcase, $545, Rebecca Minkoff neon striped totes, $195 each, Prada sunglasses, $290, Tory Burch cosmetic case, $125, and Lanvin heels, $1,250, all available at Neiman Marcus; 3.1 Phillip Lim two-tone pouch, $350, and Rag & Bone woven beach bag, $395, both available at The Tannery; Marc Jacobs python iPad sleeve, $128, available at Neiman Marcus

Treat your mind, body & spirit in our exclusive Experience Room.

On Stefani: Prada sunglasses, $290, available at Neiman Marcus; Porter Grey dress, $495, available at The Tannery

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Styled by Justin Reis Photographed by Benjamin Askinas Stylist’s Assistant: Dillon Sorensen Model: Stefani Robinson

The Formula for the Essentials of Life

2 7 8 N e w b u r y S t . B o s t o n | 6 1 7 . 2 6 2 . 2 2 2 0 | w w w. g 2 o s p a s a l o n . c o m

goodstuff A.

E.

CrossCountry Teams Some travel for work, some for pleasure — and others for philanthropy. In fact, while there are plenty of altruistic organizations doing important work right here in Boston, we also found a number of Hubbased nonprofits that focus on causes in specific foreign countries. Read on to learn how you can get involved, whether by jumping on a plane or behind a microphone.

C.

B.

D.

— Miles Howard

A. Partners in Health In 1983, then-Harvard Medical School student Paul Farmer and 18-yearold Ophelia Dahl established a community-based healthcare project in an impoverished area of Haiti.

Years later, those efforts evolved into the Boston-based nonprofit Partners in Health, which now employs more than 11,000 healthcare workers and boasts 49 clinics in a dozen nations.

Haiti remains a top priority: PIH combats HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and cholera, among other regional afflictions, and proved especially instrumental in relief efforts after 2010’s devastating earthquake. Today it’s completing construction on the 180,000-square-foot Mirebalais National Teaching Hospital, a public flagship facility 30 miles north of Portau-Prince. Learn more about the state of affairs by reading Farmer’s latest book, Haiti After the Earthquake, and then visit pih.org to find out how to plan your own advocacy event.

B. The WaWa Project Named after a Ghanaian symbol of perseverance, the WaWa Project is spearheading the construction of a secondary school for children with <22> 3.27.12

physical disabilities in Ghana. The nonprofit was founded in 2011 by two former BU roommates, Bridget Koha and Marisa Galeota, and BC alum Obiageli Ukadike; all three women are bound by common concern for the Ghanaian youth they encountered during past travels. In the West African nation, people with physical disabilities are often shunned and excluded from schooling opportunities due to entrenched stigmas. The WaWa Project’s planned facility would provide inclusive education for youth and jobs for local teachers, and they’re seeking skilled writers, graphic designers, and educators to donate their time and talent to make it a reality. Visit wawaproject.org to learn more.

C. Project Have Hope In 2005, Bostonian Karen Sparacio traveled to the Acholi Quarter of Kampala, Uganda, and witnessed the scars of war firsthand. Many of the women were traumatized by the region’s two decades of civil strife, without access to education, and struggling to support themselves by crafting colorful beads from recycled paper. Sparacio returned

with a bag of those beads — and the idea for Project Have Hope. Now in its seventh year, the project brings Acholi jewelry to new markets, using the proceeds to benefit education initiatives and finance business opportunities for Acholi women. PHH will help you plan a jewelry party to show off the goods and hopefully raise some funds. Or you can grab your passport and apply by May 5 to join the project’s July volunteer trip to Uganda. For more info, visit projecthavehope.org.

D. Asha for Education Boston/MIT Taking its name from the Hindi word for “hope,” Asha for Education is an all-volunteer nonprofit that aims to create socio-economic change by improving educational opportunities for underprivileged kids across India. Since its 1991 founding, it has disbursed $17 million to nearly 400 grassroots projects in 24 Indian states.

The Boston/MIT chapter was founded in 1995, and its coalition of local students and working professionals has raised funds and lent handson support to establish schools, summer camps, transit homes, and educational programs. To help, you

can sponsor one or more children — or, for a more (literally) active role, hit the streets and run a fundraising marathon with TeamAIDAsha. Learn more at ashanet.org/mit.

E. Friends of Maiti Nepal Nepal is one of the world’s poorest countries, and its women are especially vulnerable to exploitation.

An estimated 20,000 Nepalese girls were trafficked into brothels last year; many were kidnapped, some sold into sexual slavery by family members. Maiti Nepal is a nonprofit fighting the war against sex trafficking in Central Asia, and Friends of Maiti Nepal is its official US representative.

Bostonians Brigitte Cazalis-Collins and Joseph H. Collins, who’ve spent 20 years living intermittently in Nepal, founded FOMN in 2001.

Since then, it has funded numerous — and often dangerous — rescue missions. How can you help?

FOMN will help you screen the sextrafficking documentary The Day My God Died as a fundraiser; more intrepid types can plan a trek across Nepal and distribute information about recent trafficker tactics. Visit friendsofmaitinepal.org to learn more.

ALWAYS ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. ©2012 Anheuser-Busch InBev S.A., Stella Artois® Beer, Imported by Import Brands Alliance, St. Louis, MO

Getaway Plans Make your escape with one of these tempting New England itiner aries

By Scott Kearnan and Miles Howard

Summer is coming, and an itch to escape the urban sprawl is growing by the day. But too often, we busy worker bees commit venial vacation sins, allowing earned days off to expire unused or hastily booking ill-planned getaways. So the STUFF team looked ahead on the calendar for a few seasons and selected top getaway spots that represent some of New England’s best destinations. While a tropical trip might be tempting, there’s a case to be made for enjoying all that’s more immediately available — and, probably, more affordable — whether on Cape beaches, in the mountains of Vermont and New Hampshire, or among the postcard-pretty landscapes of Maine. Instead of blowing your budget on a single vacation, choose a spot per season, fire up the Zipcar account, and give yourself a few welldeserved regional respites.

Photo: Conor Doherty. Model: Carissa G of Maggie Inc. Contortionist: Tracy McAskill of the Boston Circus Guild. Hair: Alexandra Craig of Bradley & Diegel.

Makeup: Tavi de la Rosa. Stylist: Renata Certo-Ware. Dress ($1495) from Daniela Corte. Shoes ($250) from Calypso St. Barth. Sunglasses ($99) from SEE. Bracelets ($68 each) and book ($90) from Flock. <24> 3.27.12

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SUMMER Chapman House Nantucket, MA

STAY HERE: If Don Draper were alive and in need of a Nantucket weekend hideaway, we suspect he’d choose Chapman House, a new seaside haven set to immerse its guests in a “hip ’50s” beach aesthetic.

By that, we’re talking crisp interior designs with hues of teal and silver, dream-inducing coastal vistas, and a lush outdoor garden that offers Champagne service after dark. Currently in the final stages of development, the Chapman’s 11 guest rooms will be open for business on June 1. If you can’t wait for your suntan and beach-sand-in-your-shoes fix, then check out the Chapman’s luxurious sister outpost, The Veranda House.

EAT THERE: Anyone who’s ever enjoyed a meal plucked right from the ocean will want to plan a visit in May, when Cru Oyster Bar is slated to open.

Perched on the waterfront, Cru boasts chef Erin

Hidde n Pond Kenne bunkp ort, ME STAY HERE: “Silent Pine,” “Stargazer,” and “Sweet Fern” sound like Neil Young B-sides. But at Hidden Pond, such backwoods vernacular refers to the lodgings themselves.

Composed of 16 cottages and 20 new bungalows, this luxurious Kennebunkport hideaway is housed within the jade majesty of the Maine beach woods. Each cottage and bungalow includes a river-stone fireplace, colorful bedding, and an outdoor shower. But you can also immerse yourself in the great outdoors by visiting the fantastically situated Tree Spa. Built into the forest canopy and connected by catwalks, its three treatment rooms offer muscle-melting massages, facials, and body treatments. Nightly prices start at $425 (Kennebunk is the pride of the preppy vacationer, after all), so if you’re on a budget, the nearby Captain Fairfield Inn offers opulence at a lower cost.

EAT THERE: If you’re homesick for Boston chef Ken Oringer’s cooking, take heart. He now has his own Kennebunkport operation, Earth, on the Hidden Pond grounds. There you’ll encounter paella with local seafood <26> 3.27.12

and yellowfin tuna tartare with quail egg. Also on our list is Kennebunkport classic Nunan’s Lobster Hut. Offering hot, cracked crustaceans since 1953, it’s a pillar of seaside living.

DO THIS: There’s far more to Kennebunkport than its visiting presidents. Begin your day by renting a kayak and hitting the open water, or enjoy the sea air on a lobster-boat tour. (Feeling like a blue blood yet?)

Once you’ve sunned yourself like a fat cat, brave Maine’s only wooden rollercoaster, Excalibur, at Funtown USA, located in nearby Saco. Come sundown, tuck into a Blue Fin Stout at Federal Jack’s Restaurant & Brew Pub, take in a free Shakespeare performance at Lafayet te Park, or simply stroll the sands of Goose Rocks Beach under the stars.

DON’T MISS: The annual Kennebunkport Festival (June 5–9) kick-starts summer with seaside cocktails, art receptions, and intimate dinners from Maine’s most accomplished chefs. Winter travelers: check out the Christmas Prelude (November 29–December 9), complete with a lobster-trap Christmas tree, chowder suppers, and the epically bizarre “Hat Parade.”

Zircher as its culinary skipper and signature dishes like seafood stew with local striped bass, saffron, and Pernod. Another tasty option is the Oran Mor Bistro & Bar, where crispy Berkshire pork belly and johnnycake polenta are topped with a bourboncaramel sauce.

DO THIS: When you’re not catching up on vitamin D on the island’s transcendent beaches, you can cruise the coast on a moped courtesy of the Nantucket Bike Shop, hone your surfing skills with Nantucket Surf School, or opt for a less taxing and more “Aww!”-inducing seal cruise with Shearwater Excursions. Once spent, retire for cocktails and sushi at the posh Lola 41.

DON’T MISS: Any cineastes in your party will be familiar with the Nantucket Film Festival (June 20– 24), which has screened recent smashes like Senna and drawn the likes of Mos Def, Sarah Silverman, and Rosie Perez for its Late Night Storytelling events.

R o se Is l a N e w p o r t, nRId Li g h t h o u se

into an aspara gus-and-lobs ter puff pastry at fam ed French ou tpost Bouchard.

STAY HERE: A summer es cape to your own pr ivate island w ith an unobstructed DO THIS: Th ocean view? ere’s no shorta Surely there’s a catc ge of shopping in do h. Sort of, but wntown Newpo it’ s a one: overnigh cool rt, ev en if t visitors at th you’re just droo e Rose ling over Island Lighth designer good ouse get an ot s while Real herwiseunbeatable ra Housewives sw te if they agre ipe their black e to mind the house. Lo cards. If the w cated a mile of eather permits fshore from the coas , bring your binocula tal charms of rs to neighbor Newport, this lighthous ing Middletown; lo e-turned-mus ok to the sky eum is accessible by at the Norman Bird ferry and has Sanctuar y or been restored to its take in th e local wildlife 1912 splendor by bike along . You can stay in th the weaving trails e furnished m at Sachuest useum quarters or be Point.

Then cap your come a volunt day with cock ar y “keeper” and tails over Thames shack up in th Street at bois e tower, where you’ll st terous bar Th e Red Parrot ep back in tim , followed by e to perform tasks a night of slow-burni like flag-raisin ng jazz or New g, logkeeping, and Wave po p at One Pelh generator-sta am East. rting. Too daunting? Yo u can always visit by day and retire DO N’T MISS: Ba to the comforts ck in 1965, a of The Chanler at C young, Stratocaster-w lif f Walk. ielding Bob Dy lan infuriated fans by going “ele EAT THERE: ctric” the Newport Any laboring Folk Festival lightbearer needs . My, ho w far we’ve co a hearty fuel su me. This year pply, so hit up Pour , the legendar y mus Judgement, ic fest (July 28 where staples –29) bo asts a lineup like a blue-che featuring My esesmothered bu Morning Jacket and Iro rger can be en n & Wine. Visi joyed with draft pint t earlier (J ul y 12–15) to ex s of Harpoon perience callig Leviathan IPA or a glass raphy workshops, “s of Maine-sou ushi sailing,” rced mead. For a rit and live su m o wrestling at zier rendezvo the Black Sh us, tuck ips Festival.

Portland Regency Hotel & Spa Portland, ME STAY HERE: This seaport is a sunny summer destination, with plenty of shopping, a funky arts scene, and a crystalline waterfront for boaters. Celebrating its 25th year in 2012, the Portland Regency Hotel & Spa inhabits a storied space that has been used as an armory, an auditorium, and even a bath house over the last century. Now it’s a perfect spot to be pampered, the only hotel in downtown Portland with its own day spa.

But if you require a lullaby of lapping waves, check out the Inn by the Sea by the beaches of ritzy Cape Elizabeth, just 15 minutes away.

The high-end hotel is highly lauded and has picturesque views of the Cape, home to Portland Head Light — one of the most photographed lighthouses in North America.

EAT HERE: Pray for an open table at Grace, a cavernous restaurant housed inside the former Chestnut Street Church. The pulpit is now a host stand, old pews serve as seating, and sunlight streams through stained-glass windows. Having taken over the altar space, the open kitchen preaches the gospel of fine, locally sourced food that’s found a strong following in Portland (recognized by Bon Appétit as America’s “Foodiest Small Town”).

Sushi lovers should roll over to Miyake, and for a simple but sophisticated meal, grab a sandwich from Duckfat. (For more options, check out Liquid on page 42.)

DO THIS: The arts district is home to countless contemporary galleries, so grab a cup from a coffeehouse and amble the length of Congress Street. Or visit the Portland Museum of Art to cover three centuries of ground. (It has substantial holdings by Winslow Homer, the American landscapist who lived his final days — and created some of his finest work — in nearby Prouts Neck.) But for a kitschy-cool night out, we can’t resist the light-up dance floor at Bubba’s Sulky Lounge, a knickknackstrewn hangout that channels a ’70s rec room.

DON’T MISS: The annual Festival of Nations (July 29) is Maine’s largest multicultural event, with music, performing arts, and food representing dozens of ethnic backgrounds. But come fall, it’s the love of good food and drink that unites hundreds at Harvest on the Harbor (October 25–27), a weekend of wine tastings, chef demos, foodie vendors, and restaurant-related events. continued on p28

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Be lf ry In ne & Bi st ro Sa nd wi ch , MA places to park STAY HERE: Of all the per Cape, a your carcass on the Up urch might Ch lic tho Ca desanctified But the Abbey, k. pic nge stra a m see res composing one of the three structu tro, makes for the Belfry Inne & Bis ary. Boasting ctu san d a one-of-a-kin w beds, stained-pe rch chu like es tur fea ng but tresses, flyi and s, glass window rooms are each its six gorgeous guest week, nodding the of day named for a of creation. (You’ll to Genesis’s account nex t door at ms roo find additional y, a colorfully Lad d inte Pa ’s lfry Be the and Village e, hom ian tor restored Vic l-st yle building era Fed tely sta a , use Ho rse, if you can’t dating to 1830.) Of cou being smote down shake the thought of re’s always the the , stle apo by an angry esake year 175 0 Inn, built in its nam Center. ich ndw Sa in d down the roa

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institution the EAT THERE: Sandwich choice for locally e Aqua Grille is a reliabl nic canal views. sce and d foo sourced sea land quahog Start with some New Eng e. Over in sag sau rizo cho stuffed with Bistro ned ope Mashpee, the recently ple-leaf ma like fare ing rish 36 offers nou

s are the stuff DO THIS: Cape beache to filling ne pro of lore — and thus e at 5 Lin en Gre the n tha up faster for the s wd cro p.m. So escape the Scusset of ds wil et qui ely comparativ ere wh , ion vat Beach State Reser holes, ing imm sw ul utif bea you’ll find ws. Shoppers footpaths, and sea vie from funky g hin ryt eve e can brows r on the gea s’ antiques to magician summer On .

6A ute Ro d line boutiquemouth for Fal rby nea Saturdays, head to r at the Cape tou rd eya vin and a tasting Cod Winery. e 30, the DON’T MISS: On Jun fair will have et stre est hF Sandwic create the best to eateries competing ich. And from ndw Sa , um in, sandwich 3, the town’s er mb pte May 5 through Se ns will rde Ga & ms seu Mu Heritage yond the Be ll: we ck host “Norman Ro iconic the of 150 ing ibit exh Easel,” eck it out on July illustrator’s works. Ch ch the museum’s cat o als can 7, and you ique, classic, ant of annual auto show s. car tom and cus

Harbor Hotel Provincetown Provincetown, MA STAY HERE: P-Town is loud (and, for the thriving gay community, proud) during the peak summer months. Save pennies for partying by checking into the reasonably priced Harbor Hotel Provincetown in the East End. Its past incarnations as the Cape Inn and a Holiday Inn have faded from memory thanks to recent renovations. Now it captures a colorful, retro “motel chic” vibe that looks straight out of a postmillennial sequel to Beach Blanket Bingo. For a more luxurious retreat, we love the Land’s End Inn. It sits on a quiet hilltop in the West End, a short stroll from the bustling main thoroughfare of restaurants, shops, and art galleries. Entering each subtly themed guestroom is like stepping inside a lush, elaborately staged diorama; we’re partial to the Moroccan Tower, a hexagonal suite with high domed ceilings and wide windows overlooking the curve of the Cape.

EAT THERE: There’s no shortage of fine and casual dining options in town, but we love Dalla Cucina, an upscale spot offering delicious Italian and lawn <28> 3.27.12

seating, so you can people-watch by busy Commercial Street. If you’d rather go for cloistered and cozy, hunker down in Jimmy’s Hideaway, all low ceilings, exposed beams, and hearty American fare. And then there’s Ten Tables, the P-Town outpost of the JP and Cambridge favorite. (Check out our chat with the owner in 5 Courses on page 40.)

DO THIS: Provincetown is America’s oldest art colony, and the Provincetown Art Association and Museum is a must-see between smaller stops during the Friday-night Gallery Stroll. Be sure to check out one of the colorful cabaret acts in town (the Crown & Anchor hotel and entertainment complex boasts several venues), or cap your night with some dancing — maybe at the A-House, P-Town’s only year-round nightclub.

DON’T MISS: If you can handle the hubbub, the annual Carnival (August 12–18) epitomizes Provincetown’s party-ready vibe. (Imagine a less restrained Mardi Gras.) But the offseason offers slashed rates and Lower Cape serenity. Grab a room in December during Holly Folly, a festive weekend of yuletide events. continued on p30

The place To be: · Only a two hour drive from Boston · Discover a luxury hotel in a former villa built in 1893 and completely renovated for 21st century comfort

The place To relax:

· Wheatleigh is known for its elegance, its history, and most important, its food and service · Wheatleigh is a distinguished country house hotel of 19 rooms and suites that stands amid tranquil parkland just down the road from Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony · Sexy and sophisticated with sublime sensations · 19 Suites and Guest rooms exquisitely unite Antique and Custom Design

The place To dine: · Wheatleigh’s Dining Room having continuously been awarded five diamond by AAA is one of the finest on the each coast · The Library – A sophisticated lounge offers guests an everyday alternative to our Dining Room

11 Hawthorne Road | Lenox, MA 01240 T: 413-637-0610 | F: 413-637-4507 www.facebook.com/wheatleigh.hotel Info@wheatleigh.com

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fall The Willard Street Inn Burlington, VT STAY HERE: Quaint Burlington is filled with enough B&Bs to accommodate most budgets, but we’re partial to the Willard Street Inn, a brick mansion that once belonged to a Vermont state senator. The charming 14-room guest house boasts Lake Champlain views and English gardens and is just steps from downtown. But foodies should consider opting for The Essex, a “culinary resort and spa” in neighboring Essex. The hotel attracts an uppercrust clientele to its unique Cook Academy, which offers intimate à la carte classes daily. (Names like “Fabulous Flatbread” and “Mad About Maple!” suggest the variety.)

The other important menu belongs to the soothing spa, offering 10 treatment rooms for facials, body wraps, and other rejuvenating options. And on-site activities include golf, tennis, hot-air ballooning, and Saturday bonfires for marshmallow roasting.

EAT THERE: Amuse at the Essex will satisfy sophisticated palates, but there are plenty of more moderate options in Burlington proper. The Vermont Pub & Brewery, the oldest craft brewery in Vermont, complements quality pub

grub with flights of beer and cheese pairings. American Flatbread provides serious slices of wood-fired pizza, and Muddy Waters is a must-stop: a cozy nook that looks like the home of a hobbit (all gnarled, unfinished wood), where Vermont hipsters gather for coffee and coffee cocktails.

DO THIS: Take a boat ride over Lake Champlain and see if you can spot “Champ” (aka America’s Loch Ness Monster). Browse the regular farmers’ market in Burlington’s City Hall Park, or tramp over cobblestones in Church Street Marketplace, a nexus of bohemian clothing boutiques, familiar favorites (including an outpost of Boston-based consignment shop Second Time Around), and random retailers stocking books, records, comics, and more. The state’s largest city is also home to the University of Vermont, so if you can brave the throngs of students, jump into the vital live-music scene at venues like Higher Ground or hit the dance floor at Club Metronome.

DON’T MISS: Cineastes, note that Burlington hosts the annual Vermont International Film Fest (October 19–28).

And beer geeks, mark down the Vermont Brewers Festival (July 20–21), which had more than 40 vendors strutting their suds on the scenic waterfront last year.

The Porches Inn North Adams, MA STAY HERE: We can’t imagine a more auspicious way to enjoy the artsy side of Western Massachusetts than shacking up at Porches, an industrial-chic inn inspired by MASS MoCA (the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art). Set in downtown North Adams, mere minutes from the museum, Porches’ six Victorian row houses feature resplendently retro rooms and suites with colorful midcentury furnishings, paint-by-number artwork, and nods to the region’s bygone mills. There’s also an outdoor heated pool and hot tub (open 24 hours!), a fire pit, a woodland gazebo, and an extensive DVD library. For more traditional trappings, the Blackinton Manor Bed & Breakfast lies a short distance up the Hoosic River.

EAT THERE: Toe-curling French and New American cuisine awaits Porches patrons right across the river at Gramercy Bistro.

Chef Alexander Smith offers sumptuous fare like rare sesame tuna and escargots in a puff-pastry shell with spinach and lemon-

garlic beurre blanc. New in town is España, a top-notch tapas option.

DO THIS: The largest contemporary-art museum in the States, MASS MoCA is a hotbed of high culture in the Berkshires, with constant rotations of cutting-edge gallery shows, film, dance, and theater. Live concerts are often held at the museum as well. (Performing vets include Grace Potter and Wilco.) If the sun is out, take an afternoon stroll through Western Gateway Heritage State Park, a former railroad yard where you can enjoy some history, not to mention fresh brews from the on-site Freight Yard Pub. DON’T MISS: Every year, the folks behind DownStreet Art transform downtown North Adams into a metropolitan gallery of painted cars, Godzilla-size sculptures, and other original works from around the region. This year’s display will run from June 28 through October 25, and entries are still being accepted. Boston artists: how about a working vacation?

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Adventure Suites North Conway, NH STAY HERE: Why settle for a log cabin when you could snuggle between the jaws of a giant oyster? Or soak in a stone hot tub with its own waterfall, jungle foliage, and starry sky? You’ll encounter these amenities at Adventure Suites, a hotel featuring 17 themed-to-theextreme lodgings on the edge of North Conway (the shopping mecca of northern New Hampshire). Priced from $109 to $499 a night, the suites don’t exactly come cheap, and frugal folk can opt for the cozy Swiss Chalets Village Inn just up the road. But would-be Harrison Fords, consider this: you won’t find another cave in the Granite State with a PS2 and no bat guano to speak of.

EAT THERE: NoCo’s Moat Mountain Smokehouse and Brewing Co. is a must-stop for gourmets and lumberjacks alike. Nosh the night away with pecan-smoked beef brisket, organic butternut squash, and a pint of foamy, fresh-brewed Bohemian pilsner, all amid the trappings of a Victorian house. (If you eat yourself into a food coma, book a bed in one of the five inn rooms upstairs.) There’s also the acclaimed 1785 Inn & Restaurant and its talk-of-the-town venison, glazed with rosemary, wild cherries, and bourbon. And no meal in NoCo is complete without a stop at Zeb’s General Store for some penny-candy shopping.

DO THIS: Glen Ellis Falls, Diana’s Baths, and other natural wonders of the White Mountains are a brief car ride away. Alternatively, you can take a rumbling trip through the wild on the Conway Scenic Railroad.

Or simply stroll down Main Street for farm-made treats like pine candles and maple-cured bacon.

DON’T MISS: Autumn visitors can throw axes, admire prize-winning cattle, and enjoy old-fashioned horse-and-harness races at the nearby Fryeburg Fair (September 30–October 7). If you can brave a White Mountains winter, don your long-johns for February’s Ice Fest, where you’ll meet international ice-climbing pros, watch stomach-twisting films of their exploits, and even give it a try yourself at a clinic. continued on p32

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Indian Head Resort

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The Latchis Hotel & Theatre Br attleboro, VT STAY HERE: Located just over the Massachusetts border, picturesque Brattleboro is known for its cool, crunchy arts scene. (Here, the streets practically smell like patchouli.) So it makes perfect sense to stay in a hotel that’s also a movie palace. The Latchis Hotel & Theatre is a quirky hybrid. Built in the 1930s, the Art Deco and Greek Revival theater has four screens for mainstream and indie flicks; upstairs are 30 simple, comfortable guest rooms within wafting distance of buttery popcorn. It’s a pretty inexpensive option for unique accommodations, though if you’d rather opt for something more conventionally chic, check out (or rather, check into) the Colonial Motel. There’s an indoor saltwater pool, an on-site spa, and the Tavern Restaurant, a cozy spot to warm up and chow down by brick fireplaces.

EAT THERE: Don’t let the paper plates fool you. Top of the Hill Grill is as fine as BBQ joints come, serving up massive helpings of enough pulled pork, smoked ribs, and macaroni and cheese to leave you with a near-permanent halo of hot sauce around

your mouth. (Side note: it’s cash-only, so come prepared.) The Marina Restaurant is another local favorite, a casual joint for seafood and burgers with a waterfront view for snacking during sunset.

EDITOR’S PICK FAMILY FRIENDLY RESORT

DO THIS: For a small town of under 15,000 people, Brattleboro has a thriving arts community many cities would envy: there are monthly gallery walks, a theater company, a chorus, a dance center, and even the New England Center for the Circus Arts, which hosts live shows and cabarets. It’s also a testament to the free-spirited eccentricity of bohemian Brattleboro, which has plenty of shops stocking art, antiques, books, and curios, plus a number of brewpubs that host live music for raucous crowds.

Resort Units From

STAY HERE: It might seem like a New England cliché, but it’s worth a quick jaunt on the commuter rail (or, on a fairweather weekend, the Salem Ferry) to check out the “Witch City” in its bustling autumn glory. The Hawthorne Hotel is named for native author Nathaniel, and the “House of the Seven Gables” that inspired his novel is only a few blocks away. So are the brick-laid streets of downtown, full of shops (both kitschy and cool), paranormal walking tours, and occult boutiques serving Salem’s Wicca community. The Hawthorne itself is a classic Federal-style building with its own casual tavern, an upscale restaurant, and a purportedly paranormal past: the rumored haunt was featured on the TV show Ghost Hunters. More modern is the Salem Waterfront Hotel, a contemporary marina-side option steps from Pickering Wharf’s restaurants and storefronts.

EAT THERE: Chef Antonio Bettencourt trained under Amanda Lydon at Cambridge’s UpStairs on the Square; now he’s number one at his own 62 Restaurant & Wine Bar, serving up an

$139.

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upscale trattoria-style menu. Another option is 43 Church, a sleek steakhouse located in Lyceum Hall, the historic building where great minds like Adams and Emerson lectured throughout the 1800s and where Alexander Graham Bell gave his first public demonstration of the telephone. But please: don’t prove you can text during dinner.

THE

Constitution Inn

near the Historic Boston Waterfront

DO THIS: The Peabody Essex Museum is a North Shore gem with an especially impressive of collection of maritime art.

But also be sure to check out Yin Yu Tang, an actual ancestral home from China’s Qing Dynasty that has been reerected inside the museum. At night, hit Red Lulu, the sexy little sister to Boston’s Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar, or the dance floor at Rockafellas, a boisterous pub in a former bank.

DON’T MISS: Check out Haunted Happenings (hauntedhappenings.org) for the annual October lineup of citywide parties, parades, and frightening festivals.

They’re campy fun, but if it reeks too much of commercialism, check out the Festival of the Dead (festivalofthedead.com). It’s an edgier series concocted by a local warlock, Christian Day, and includes a gothic-glam Vampires’ Masquerade ball.

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Cottages From

White Mts. Vacation Headquarters!

DON’T MISS: The Brattleboro Literary Festival (October 12–14) unites dozens of authors for public book readings, lectures, and workshops in the fall. But it’s hard to imagine a more amusingly named event than summer’s Strolling of the Heifers (June 1–3), which brings together hundreds for a farm-animal parade through the center of town and an 11-acre Live Green Expo, among other activities.

The Hawth orne Hotel Salem , MA

$159.

150 Third Avenue, Boston MA 02129

617-241-8400

http://www.constitutioninn.org/

Convenient to Historic Boston . Friendly . Comfortable & Affordable

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winter Cliffside Inn Newport, RI

STAY HERE: Newport is exciting in the summer, but a wintry seaside retreat can be pure romance — especially if you and a special someone are seated high above the shore in a marble whirlpool at the Cliffside Inn. Steps away from Newport’s scenic Cliff Walk, this B&B offers Victorian-style suites with killer views, spa-worthy bathrooms, and Delaware-sized beds with imported linens.

Spice up your stay with in-room massages, artisanal fruits and cheeses, or even a bottle of hand-picked wine from the Cliffside’s own well-stocked cellar. If you’re looking for a more frugal way to reignite the flames, check out the cozy Spring Street Inn near downtown Newport’s historic district.

EAT THERE: We’re loving the Salvation Café, where you can feast on Generation Y– appropriate American cuisine, like chickpea-

Tr app Family Lodge Stowe, VT STAY HERE: After the von Trapp family (of The Sound of Music fame) fled Nazi-occupied Austria for the States, they opened a small skiers’ lodge in mountainous Stowe. Since then, it’s ballooned into the Trapp Family Lodge, a swanky slope-side resort for alpinists of all breeds. Its 96 lodge rooms, 100 guesthouse chalets, and luxe villas are vamped out with plush duvets, ornate wooden headboards, and fresh flowers. And when you’re not tearing down the ski paths, you can recuperate with a lavender salt scrub or a peppermint foot revitalization at the fitness center’s spa. The unique Euromountain charm is worth the 10-minute drive to the heart of town, but if you’d rather stay on Main Street, the Green Mountain Inn offers comparably lush lodgings.

EAT THERE: Break the winter chill with a blast of heat at Lagniappe at Ten Acres Lodge, where you’ll find Cajun fare like fiery shrimp jambalaya with sweet <34> 3.27.12

pineapple salad. On the spiffier side of the grill, we’re also fond of Hen of the Wood, located in nearby Waterbury. One spoonful of its winter squash soup with roasted parsnips, pancetta, and cider brown butter, and you’ll never pick up a can opener again.

DO THIS: With access to many miles of skiing and snowboarding trails, Stowe is well-equipped for anyone looking to roar down a mountainside attached to one or more planks. And the village center, especially Main Street, is equipped for everyone’s inner shopper. Don’t forget to swing by the old-fashioned Stowe Mercantile for organic fudge, handmade scarves, and Vermont-made bath products.

DON’T MISS: In January, the Stowe Winter Carnival offers sugary treats, ice carving, and snow golf and volleyball tournaments. But October’s Foliage Arts Festival is another big annual draw, uniting thousands of leaf-peepers and craftlovers. Peek around to find original works from visiting artists under the giant tents.

Bedford Village Inn Bedford, NH STAY HERE: The Bedford Village Inn stands on the former site of a working farm, its grand entrance framed by two original silos. The main house holds 14 luxury suites, and there are eight elegantly appointed rooms in a nearby cottage. But BVI really shines with its three on-site restaurants.

Hell’s Kitchen alum Benjamin Knack, formerly of Boston’s Sel de la Terre, commands the culinary team of the Four Diamond–rated Dining Room, filled with fireplaces and locally sourced cuisine. The more rustic BVI Tavern offers burgers, pizza, and a “Chocolate Bag” of mousses and Chambord sponge cake.

A more citified vibe flows at Corks Wine Bar, whose 8,000-bottle cellar has gotten props from Wine Spectator. (It’s overseen

by Jon Carnevale, the state’s only certified sommelier.) This classic country inn is a good selection if you have separation anxiety from the city: it’s right outside Manchester, the largest New England city north of Boston (though it’s comparatively quaint with just over 100,000 people). Plenty of hotel chains in town, like Radisson and Hilton, offer affordable rates.

and-cauliflower masala or oxtail-and-shortrib Bolognese, amid sultry lighting and funky art. We’re also fond of The Fifth Element, which comes complete with live music, oaky Argentinian malbecs, and a mirrored waterfall behind the bar.

DO THIS: Yeah, it’s touristy, but if you’ve never explored their opulent interiors, be sure to drool your way through the Newport Mansions. The International Tennis Hall of Fame is required viewing for French Open fanatics. And for a touch of romance, take in original contemporary ballet productions from the Island Moving Company.

DON’T MISS: Each February, thousands bundle up for the Newport Winter Festival (February 15–24), a seasonal celebration that has featured chili cook-offs, vineyard tours via helicopter, ice skating, and our favorite, the “Seal Safari.” (It’s a watch, not a hunt.)

Blantyre Lenox, MA STAY HERE: Nestled by the picturesque Berkshire Mountains, Blantyre is the kind of impressive, English-style estate where Bruce Wayne would spend a ski weekend.

While there’s no Batcave among its amenities, Blantyre boasts guest rooms within its main house, carriage house, and surrounding cottages that are outfitted with handsome imported furniture. Plus, it has tennis courts that are flooded in winter to form an ice rink, a cozy “Warming Hut” for hermetic R&R, and a special Snow Concierge to help visitors coordinate wintertime activities (though we’d be happy just getting a deep-tissue massage in the house spa). Unabashedly opulent, Blantyre has earned the top spot on Condé Nast Traveler’s list of the best small hotels in America. But if you’re more of a down-home dweller, the nearby Birchwood Inn offers affordable accommodations in a sprawling, spruced-up country house.

EAT THERE: Toasted by the New York Times upon its opening, Lenox’s seasonally inspired

EAT THERE: Manchester’s Hanover Street Chophouse is a local legend, a gentlemanly setting of dark woods and leather booths that serves up savory steaks and refined flourish. (A crab cocktail served in a martini glass? Yes, please.) And we’ve nothing but love for the more modern XO on Elm, a funky and veggie-friendly spot that offers coconutcrusted tofu alongside cognac-almond meatballs. And the famed Red Arrow Diner is a regular stop for politicos campaigning in the New Hampshire primaries.

DO THIS: Check out northern New England nightlife at spots like Grand, a dance club that, curiously enough, also offers exerciserelated extracurricular activities: it has a regulation racquetball court, and weekly Zumba classes help attendees prep for the dance floor. For a predominantly gay nightlife scene, hit up Club 313 for dancing, drag shows, and karaoke.

DON’T MISS: If you are a music geek (or just like to gawk), Manchester is home to the annual New England Parrot Head Convention (February 28–March 3) and New England Elvis Festival (August 31–September 2). We won’t judge. Well, maybe a little.

Nudel serves up creative concoctions like friedjalapeño and veal-chorizo tacos. For dessert, head to the Chocolate Springs Café for handmade box chocolates, cocoa nibs, pastries, and the hot-chocolate equivalent of nitro.

DO THIS: By winter, the Berkshires are cozy grounds for a getaway, with plenty of snowshoeing and cross-country ski trails to keep cabin fever at bay. At other times of year, you can live like a blue blood and take a guided horseback ride through the foliage with the Aspinwall Adult Equestrian Center.

Afterwards, treat yourself to a free tour and stock tasting at the Furnace Brook Winery.

And culture vultures will love the year-round productions from the nearby Barrington Stage Company.

DON’T MISS: Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, provides a great chance to enjoy the orchestra in a totally different (read: rural) scene. And Mikhail Baryshnikov is among the fans of Jacob’s Pillow, Lenox’s world-renowned dance festival, held this year from June 16 to August 26. continued on p36

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Omni Mount Washington Resort Bretton Woods, NH STAY HERE: The regal, rambling Omni Mount Washington Resort is situated in New Hampshire’s largest ski area. But the 110-year-old spot, originally constructed by a railroad tycoon (ooh la la!), also offers opportunities for dog sledding, snowmobiling, and zip-line zigzagging. (In the summer, go for a round of golf — or at least peek at the old locker of Babe Ruth, one of the hotel’s many famous guests of yore.) Of course, this is assuming you can tear yourself away from the impressive interior, with its roaring fireplaces, swanky spa, and multiple restaurants, which include the Four Diamond–rated Dining Room. And you can curl up in The Cave, a stone-walled speakeasy where you can down drinks and soak up live entertainment.

EAT THERE: Grab casual fare and housesmoked specialties from Fabyans Station, located a mile from the resort in what used to be a bustling railroad station. (Now, only a model train runs through the dining room.)

Or for dinner with a (really awesome) view, hop on the high-speed quad to Latitude

44 on the ski region’s summit. You can eat, drink, and be awe-inspired while staring out at the White Mountains.

DO THIS: If the resort activities and countless hiking trails can’t keep you occupied, earn one of those “This car climbed…” bumper stickers by bravely (and very, very slowly) driving up the Mt. Washington Auto Road. (Just don’t look out the window at the guardrail-less road’s edge, inches away.) Or check out Six Gun City, a cheese-tastic cowboy-themed amusement park. And about a 30-minute drive away is the Northern Nights DriveIn in Lancaster, New Hampshire. The retro outdoor theater will debut a campground when it reopens for the season this spring, so you can catch the stars on the screen and then sleep under those in the sky.

DON’T MISS: Bretton Woods is a favorite haunt of the WFNX SnoRiders, so keep an eye on the schedule at wfnx.com for a chance to catch music, giveaways, and contests on the slopes each winter. Bretton Woods also hosts an annual Beach Party (this year on March 31) with an island theme and BBQ.

Summit Lodge Killington, VT STAY HERE: From the cherry-red Old World doors to its resident pack of cuddly Saint Bernards, the Summit Lodge reminds us of the Swiss childhood we never had.

Located in the heart of the Green Mountains with easy access to Killington Peak and its plummeting ski trails, the lodge offers cozy accommodations for alpine athletes and midsummer trampers alike. And with economy rooms ranging from $70 to $159, a trip to the slopes won’t break your back . . . sorry, bank this time. Should the mighty Killington itself be your destination, consider the closer Killington Grand Resort Hotel, with access to the highest express gondola lift in Vermont.

EAT THERE: Unwind after a day of shredding at On the Rocs, a sleek lounge serving sharable fare like Kobe sliders and crab-stuffed calamari. We suggest washing them down with a Dark and Stormy,

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made with the house ginger beer.

If actual beer is more your thing, a short ride down Route 4 will take you to Long Trail Brewing Company, where you can take a tour and pair a pint of Hibernator with smoked bratwurst.

DO THIS: Rocket and ricochet your way down Killington’s ski trails, or take it all in at a quieter pace — and maybe spot a snow hare or two — via snowshoe. Certain lifts remain open after dark, but you’ll find us jiving to live reggae music at the Pickle Barrel Nightclub downtown.

DON’T MISS: Get to Killington by March 30 to dance the waning days of winter away at the three-night SnowMont Music Festival. (The annual mountain rave’s 2012 lineup features Snoop Dogg, Chromeo, and Kaskade.) For a more folksy experience, head to nearby Stockbridge for August’s Tweed River Music Festival, where bluegrass is — and always has been — the new black.

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On the Freedom Trail In Boston’s Historic North End 135 Richmond Street, Boston, MA 02109 | 617.723.MARE | www.marenatural.com

Oyster Bar “It usually takes 10 years or more to create a great restaurant. I’m proud we accomplished it in 3.”

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foodcoma Joint Sampler at Suya Joint

The Boston restaurant scene is rich in the cuisines of the Americas, Europe, and Asia, but anemic when it comes to Africa. We enjoy a smattering of fare from the North (Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt) and East (Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia), but most of the continent gets short shrift. We’re finally improving on the western front: to Cape Verdeans Laura and Cesaria and the Senegalese venue Teranga, we can now add Suya Joint (25 Poplar Street, Roslindale, 617.327.8810), a new spot serving traditional Nigerian cuisine. Food nerds won’t need encouragement to flock here, but the less intrepid need not fear — even its unfamiliar dishes are mostly accessible and appealing.

Goat pepper stew ($8.50) may remind you of Jamaican cooking: fiery with capsicum chilies, its broth rich with the flavor of long-cooked bones and a citrusy undercurrent, it’s a bowl to warm you to the core on a brisk evening. Joloff rice ($9.50) is a fine casserole of rice, tomatoes, thyme, and dried chilies, rounded out with fried plantains and perfectly stewed beef or chicken drumsticks. Less recognizable is moi moi ($3), a steamed preparation of hulled, puréed black-eyed peas that falls somewhere between a tamale and a savory custard; it’s punchier in the version flecked with corned beef. A classic Nigerian square meal must include polenta-like fufu, a starchy preparation of grains (rice, oats, or corn) or tubers (cassava or yams). Pull a chunk off this steaming softball with your fingers, shape PHOTO BY joel veak

it into an indented disk, and use it as an edible spoon for savory stews augmented with beef or chicken. This bland staple makes a filling foil for gorgeous dishes like taushe ($10.50), a creamy stew of ground peanuts, spinach, and a dollop of tomato/sweet-pepper coulis. Braver souls may try ogbono ($12.50), a stew flavored with smoked fish, but the gluey texture added by ground African mango seeds is not for everyone.

Few customers will find Suya Joint’s namesake dish challenging or anything but delicious. Suya ($6.75–$6.95) is skewers of char-grilled, thinpounded kebabs of chicken breast or eye-round beef with a delightful coating of ground peanuts, thyme, ginger, and (if you request it “spicy”) chili. This is classic street food: universally appealing. As part of a Joint Sampler ($10.50), they’re accompanied by meat pies (fine savory turnovers of minced chicken or beef) and akara (mild black-eyed-pea fritters). The crisp Kenyan lager Tusker ($5) makes a fine accompaniment, as do modest South African wines like Fleur du Cap ($7/glass). And the warm, casual storefront atmosphere is abetted by super-friendly servers, who are happy to educate neophytes but won’t look askance if you opt to eat your fufu with a fork. With that winning combination, Suya Joint seems bound to draw a host of converts to the alternately familiar and novel pleasures of West African cooking.

— MC Slim JB

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STUFFIT

COURSES with:

Krista Kranyak of Ten Tables and Grass Fed

“A lot of people mistake me for a chef because I own four restaurants,” says Ten Tables owner Krista Kranyak. “But at this point in my career, I’m a restaurateur.”

She certainly is. It’s been almost 10 years since Kranyak opened her first Ten Tables location in JP, quickly winning fans with a fresh-and-local ethos. Next came a Cambridge location and then, nearly one year ago, a Provincetown outpost.

Should the pesky permitting gods cooperate, she’ll add another restaurant to her portfolio by March’s end: Grass Fed (605 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain), a burger-focused spot boasting an “adult milkshake” menu. Though she’s more drawn to the front of the house than the kitchen, Kranyak still collaborates with her chefs on menus and has always been surrounded by food: she got her first job on a Connecticut farm at age 12 and was toiling in her first restaurant role by 15. We talked to her about balancing three — soon four! — bustling businesses.

Who taught you to cook? My mom loves to cook. She was always pushing herself in the kitchen, creating new recipes and family dishes to serve my brother and me. I learned a lot from my mom, but I also learned from the restaurants I worked in. And I taught myself by constantly reading about food. Cookbooks were my life for a long time. It was all I ever read.

Is there any one meal that changed your life? I was in Paris eating at a bustling bistro called Chez Denise. It was full of locals. The food was delicious. The place was so alive and full of good energy. It was like walking in on one of the most delicious, fun dinner parties. We were treated like part of the family right away. It was in that moment that I realized I wanted to own a restaurant that felt just this way, not only for guests but for employees, too — a simple, affordable, consistent, and tasty bistro.

What’s one good reason that Ten Tables in P-Town is a perfect spring escape for a Boston foodie? There are so many reasons to visit Provincetown in general. It’s absolutely stunning and in my mind the most beautiful part of the Cape. Spring is great because it’s still a bit quiet before the summer rush. There’s great shopping and great restaurants.

A lot of customers from my JP and Cambridge locations frequent Provincetown, so it is really lovely to have a location there. Customers tell me they like to be able to experience their local restaurant while on their weekend getaway.

What else should readers do in Provincetown in the spring? The beaches are beautiful. There is a great, diverse community there: so many artists and fun people. You can really feel transported. Spend half a day strolling through the many fantastic art galleries — Provincetown Museum is a must-stop. Then spend the other half with a little picnic on the beach or in the dunes. Head to 141 Natural Market or Far Land on Bradford Street to pick up some food for it. They make delicious sandwiches.

What do you do in P-Town when you aren’t working? Ha! Well, last season was my first season owning a restaurant there. I went from being a tourist to owning a business. It was hard to adjust to working all the time in my past vacation land. Unfortunately, I only got to the beach once there last summer. I ride motorcycles, so I always made time in the early mornings before work to take my motorcycle out for an hour or so and ride up Cape. I’m hoping to be able to find more of a work-pleasure balance in my second season.

— Louisa Kasdon

Louisa Kasdon can be reached at louisa@louisakasdon.com. photo by michael diskin

The ink is barely dry on the menus at First Printer (15 Dunster Street, Cambridge, 617.497.0900). The Harvard Square restaurant opened just last month, over two years after owner Jeffrey Stanett closed his Herrell’s Ice Cream, a local institution that had stood there for more than 25 years. But the name of his new affordable American joint nods to more storied history: the restaurant inhabits a site that’s said to have housed the country’s first printing press, a fact that sort of makes the spot Graceland for Cambridge literati.

So come, pilgrims, and settle in for chef Kurt Vogel’s North Shore meets Deep South menu, which mixes local fare with some downhome specialties rarely seen in this neck of the woods.

You may ask yourself “Did I die and go to Florida?” after spying the Swamp Bowl ($12), whose centerpiece is a generous heap of smoked pork-belly chips, deep-fried frog legs, and alligator.

Yes, alligator. But if you’re nervous about biting into a reptile that could have crawled out of the Everglades and onto your plate, fear not: the gator meat (which comes from the feet or “wings”) sort of tastes like a dark, delicious,

primeval breed of chicken. Also served in the swamp bowl are wild lettuce and steamed mudbugs, which is just an especially redneck-y way of saying “crawdads” — juicy, succulent shellfish.

A caperberry-sabi dipping sauce adds a nice twang of tang. But if you’d rather play it safe, we recommend inhaling an order of Lobster Pups ($7), house-made hushpuppies that are sweet, creamy, and full of fresh lobster meat on the inside, fried to a golden crisp on the outside.

The Southern-inspired selections offer enough panache to push certain palates toward the border of their comfort zones, while other options — like the burgers in beef ($9), buffalo ($9), and veggie-black-bean ($7) incarnations — are pure comfort food. Located just steps from the T, the handsome new spot seems likely to attract an eclectic bunch, becoming a place where priests from the Harvard Divinity School can munch on gator bites ($9) alongside hipsters in neon jeans while tunes from Cut Copy pump from the sound system. It’s a blend of funky, folksy, and familiar that’s bound to leave a lasting impression.

— Miles Howard PHOTO BY joel veak

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magazine and host of the city’s Food Coma TV. “If I was going to have anyone make me a drink, I’d prefer it would be him.”

Travel too far beyond Boston in search of a drink, and the bar landscape starts to look bleak. It’s like some horrific science-fiction scenario where they’ve installed time portals at city limits, warping us back to a tragic past of flavored vodkas and trendy espresso martinis. But as in any dystopian nightmare, strongholds of resistance endure. Why, we’ve heard rumors of a settlement called “Portland,” about two hours north of here, where the locals have apparently fashioned a primitive drinking culture.

Okay, maybe our northern neighbors aren’t as different from us as my lazy stereotype suggests. In fact, considering all the national kudos Portland gets for its food scene, it’s likely that state laws — not the drinking public’s palates — account for the fact that the beverage world hasn’t quite caught up. In Massachusetts, it’s relatively easy for a distributor to bring a spirit to market, but Maine requires all spirit brands to go through the state itself for licensing approval. Distributors aren’t necessarily going to go through the time and expense of bringing more interesting (but harder-to-sell) spirits to Maine’s market. So the proverbial pantry is a little lean.

But if you make it to the hinterlands on a weekend or a vacation, lured by the promise of the food, here are a few spots to swing through to slake your thirst — whether it be for tequila, bourbon, wine, beer, or just, um, drunk.

— Luke O’Neil

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• The Armory Lounge (20 Milk Street, 207.774.4200). Located in the Portland Regency Hotel, this lobby lounge is a place where old-timers mix up proper Manhattans for a restaurant-industry scene. And if you have one (or two, or 10) too many, there are 95 beds right upstairs. But try not to embarrass yourself too much: it’s a swank hotel in the historic Old Port area of town, one that’s celebrating its 25th year in 2012.

• The Corner Room (110 Exchange Street, 207.879.4747). Behind the bar you’ll find John Myers, widely regarded as the godfather of Portland’s classiccocktail scene. He’s long been singing the praises of Negronis, Sazeracs, and the like throughout the city, and he’s something of a character — a big dude who’s been known to sport ZZ Top–worthy facial hair. He’s also a big deal.

“Myers put Portland on the map,” says Joseph Ricchio, food editor of Maine <42> 3.27.12

• Local 188 (685 Congress Street, 207.761.7909). You should definitely comb through this tapas spot’s 200-bottle-deep wine list (focused on France, Spain, and Italy), which got the Best Wine List award in last year’s Portland Phoenix readers’ poll. But it’s also worth stopping by for a quality Corpse Reviver or Aviation. Or, if you’re homesick for the Hub already (cry baby), try a Dropkick Murphy: Jameson and root beer with a Murphy’s stout float.

• Novare Res Bier Café (4 Canal Plaza, 207.761.2437). Portland has traditionally been a beer-focused city, where breweries like Allagash and Maine Beer Company (with its varieties like Mean Old Tom stout and the super-hoppy amber ale Zoe) rule the roost. This is one sudsy standout, sort of an old-style German beer hall with more than 500 bottles and 25 taps. “They don’t pour any generic crap,” says Ricchio. “Nothing run-of-the-mill. They stick to their guns and have one of the best beer programs in the Northeast.”

They also have a small, well-curated selection of fine Scotches and tequilas.

• The Salt Exchange (245 Commercial Street, 207.347.5687). Owned by a husband-and-wife team and helmed by a Boston-born exec chef, this smallplate restaurant boasts Portland’s largest bourbon selection, which is great.

It also offers a promo called “Bourbon Bingo,” which can earn you free food or booze. That’s greater.

• Zapoteca (505 Fore Street, 207.772.8242). It’s tequila-focused. (Duh.) They generally add one or two new tequilas each month, and the current count stands at around 100, according to co-owner Tom Bard. He’s a former Bostonian who says good things about the smaller city he now calls home. “I think Portland is getting there,” says Bard of the bar culture. “I used to live in Boston, where it’s got much more of the demographic, as far as people to spend the money.” But his restaurant does sophisticated stuff with its handcrafted margaritas, imported Mexican beers, and highend 100-percent-agave tequilas. While you’re here, try the watermelonhabanero margarita, which just competed in the Signature Event, an opening-night cocktail competition for Maine Restaurant Week. (Judges included Myers and Boston’s own John Gertsen of Drink.) photo by Ted Axelrod/Axelrod Photography

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B. A. This chef reaps what he sows. Literally. The mason jars on the counter hold just a small sampling of the output from McClelland’s farm: heirloom tomato sauce, pickled hot peppers, maple syrup, and honey. But his harvests aren’t just for enjoying at home. McClelland’s farm supplies produce to his own L’Espalier and Sel de la Terre locations, about a dozen other area restaurants, and the 75 subscribers of Apple Street Farm’s CSA program.

At Home with Frank M c Clelland The chef shares the bounty and beauty of his farmhouse kitchen Chef Frank McClelland is “always chasing perfection” in his city kitchens, and that chase led him to life in rural Essex. Built in the 1600s, his home sits on 14 acres of what was once an equestrian farm. But when McClelland moved there four years ago, he revitalized the land into what is now his own Apple Street Farm. Since its first harvest in 2009, it’s come to boast more than 40 types of produce, plus chickens, turkeys, and even honeybees. Raising his own food allows McClelland to enjoy a unique level of oversight and quality control. Of course, he appreciated a “farm to table” ethos long before it was fashionable, having grown up on his grandparents’ working farm in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. We caught up with McClelland on Apple Street’s 2012 opening day and took a tour of his big, beautiful kitchen.

— Scott Kearnan

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B. McClelland celebrates the organic — and not just in the fields. “I prefer kitchens to have a natural, organic feel, as though you’re eating outside,” says the chef. So the more natural the materials, the better. These wideplank wood floors are original to the house, but McClelland had their stain lifted so the gorgeous grain could shine through. The countertops are gleaming soapstone, and hanging over the sink is a massive cutting board carved from black walnut wood.

C. Glass-front cabinets add an airy quality to a kitchen. But nothing’s worse than a window to messiness, so only attempt this approach if you can keep the contents neat, organized, and aesthetically arranged. Luckily, that’s no problem for McClelland, for whom chef habits die hard — even at home. “I can’t sleep unless the kitchen is clean and everything is perfectly in place,” he confesses.

D. Not only did McClelland grow up on his grandfather’s farm, but his greatgrandmother was a catering chef. She passed along many recipes to her daughter. Now McClelland uses them, referencing his grandmother’s handwritten cookbook. Entries include “Good Friday Cookies” and “Grandma Nancy’s Lemon Cake — An 1850 Recipe.” And McClelland still cooks with some of his grandparents’ kitchen tools, some of which are 70 to 100 years old.

E. The big brick fireplace, which displays the sign from L’Espalier’s previous Gloucester Street location, looks great and casts plenty of heat. But it’s also a useful cooking platform. McClelland uses the wood-fired oven about once a week to make pizza and roast meats (pork shoulder was recently on the menu), and he might grill a rib-eye steak over the hearth. All the open-flame cooking is good practice for McClelland’s latest venture, La Brasa, an openpit “cowboy barbecue” spot opening this spring in East Somerville.

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Traveler Checks Travel can bring out the best and worst in people. So if you really want to learn about your significant other, there may be no better way than by taking a vacation together.

If it goes well, those sandy beaches and foreign landscapes might inspire an impromptu proposal; if not, you might be tempted to leave your girlfriend lifeless on the seafloor. Since travel habits can reveal a lot about what to expect in a relationship, here are some personality types and warning signs to watch out for. If your SO fits one of these profiles, it may be time to signal SOS. The Uncunning Linguist: If you’ve traveled abroad and your partner can’t be bothered to make even a mangled attempt at a standard greeting in the local language, say “au revoir” to the ignoramus. This habit is a harbinger of a superiority complex and an unwillingness to adapt that will likely plague your relationship once you’re stateside. (And by the way, shouting louder in English doesn’t work. They’re not deaf, you moron.)

The Go-Go-Gadgeteer: “My hotel room looked like OfficeMax!” a friend said, recalling her disastrous travel mate. If your partner is having a panic attack about a weak Wi-Fi connection while you’re riding an elephant, or responding to work emails from the comfort of your cabana, he’s probably the type to text during blowjobs.

Anal Girl: There’s a fine line between planning a vacation and running it like a Tough Mudder event. Consider it a red flag if your partner is dragging you through an itinerary that requires a table of contents. She has already set your wedding date, and she knows her ovulation cycles better than the dog-eared pages of her Terribly Lonely Planet guide.

Nurse Ratched: Though Delhi Belly and the Aztec Two-Step might sound like cute dances, they’re actually movements of a much uglier nature. And when you contract a travel bug, your partner’s reaction is an indicator of his or her level of compassion and resilience. If he or she can’t help you through this little hiccup, you might want to shit and get off the pot.

for more photos, go to stuffboston.com/flash

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— Jeannie Greeley

Jeannie Greeley is a travel-tested freelance writer with a lust for wandering. She can be reached at jeannieg@comcast.net.

sweet caroline’s grand opening 1. Lea Nisenbaum, Keenan Flynn, and Lisa Flynn; 2. Will Panagiotis and Ryan Brown; 3. Heather Nelson and Devin Baery; 4. Richard Gehrlein and Sasha Nisenbaum; 5. Daryl Keyser, Erin Sullivan, and Matt Prinn; 6. Marisol Pacheco and Darren Fiore; 7. Kim Rubin, Tom Osler, and Yara Mendes; 8. Katie Watson and Kate Martel; 9. Abbey Lade, Jourdan Green, and Deirdre Butler; 10. Jacqui Webb, Leah Cataldo, Nicole Fiore, and Janel Webb; 11. Kerrie Benevides, Vanessa Gasior, Elizabeth Baston, Nora Baston, and Michelle DiDomenico.

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Miss Misadventure: I believe our sixth sense is one of adventure.

If your partner isn’t willing to try the local goat-testicle stew, the native hallucinogen, or a simple zip-line, she’ll never try that position on page 82 of your Kama Sutra.

The Tight Wad: A vacation provides ample opportunities to see whether your love interest is cheaper than a shot of bad Mexican tequila. Beware the travel companion who stiffs the maid or bellboy or, worse still, haggles with desperate locals after they’ve hand-cut the coconut for his piña colada.

The Insecurity Officer: Cellulite. A face without makeup.

Morning breath. You won’t be able to hide them from your partner forever, and it’s during travel that these ugly truths are often exposed. If your SO can’t handle this rawness (or if you realize she had you fooled with a Maybelline mask), you two might be better suited for superficial booty calls than sentimental sojourns.

The Camel Tow-er: Is that your girlfriend you’re traveling with or a goddamn camel? Severe over-packing reeks of either crippling disorganization or attachment issues. And if you need to have a conversation that includes the phrase “You can take either the stuffed animal or the Xanax, but not both,” you should just stay home.

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1. Jake Cohen and Amelia Rocchi; 2. Michael Jabbawy and Jared Fine; 3. Deval Patrick; 4. Bob Davis, Matt Lauzon, and Thomas Edwards; 5. Sims McGrath and Lauren Pulver; 6. Cait Adams and Devon Ray Williams; 7. Caitlin Crowe, Matt Javitch, Jeff Russo, and Ryan Brown; 8. Ally Lasky, Katie Siegel, Sara Sharnoff, and Jack Bennett; 9. Sheetal Bhalsod, Daniel Bostwick, and Anita Mongia; 10. Dave Gandy, Shannon Varney, Robyn Varney, and John Sharry; 11. Joselin Mane, Caomhan Connolly, Joe Nigro, and Jennie White.

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beantown sundown at orchard skateshop 1. Jeff Valcourt and Jason Robson; 2. Heidi Sparrow, Becky Sparrow, and Alex Ferrero; 3. Jen Copeland and Seth Johnson; 4. Alana Olsen and Justin Marchetti; 5. Brenda Scanzillo and John Luby; 6. Chase Whitaker and Susanne Dermigny; 7. Armin Bachman, Matt Bagley, and Broderick Gumpright; 8. Martín Caballero, Rob Reilly, and Tyler Edwards; 9. Sebastian Gouveia and Erin Robertson; 10. Ben Walker, Tony Rios, Tyrone Calliste, and Steve Holden; 11. Donny Barley, Levi Brown, and PJ Ladd.

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bully boy distillers infusion tasting at the hawthorne

1. Eric and Sue Talmadge; 2. Will and Dave Willis; 3. John Short and Lydia Wood; 4. Andy Cunningham and Tricia Norkunas; 5. Nate Higley and Trevor Hopper; 6. Cyril Blank, Frank White, and Mitchell Littlefield; 7. Jacki Morisi and Elizabeth Watson; 8. Katie O’Connor and Charlie Lemaire; 9. Megan Harvell and Christine Stine; 10. Heather Willis, Pope Carlos, Sandon Barth, and Kristin Pineo; 11. Garrett Harker, George Lewis, and Jackson Cannon.

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Jackson Cannon’s STUFF “I don’t have a lot of downtime,” admits Jackson Cannon, laughing. It’s hard to imagine that he would. Cannon juggles demanding duties at a Kenmore Square trifecta: he’s bar director at Eastern Standard (which has made the best-bar lists of both Esquire and GQ) and Island Creek Oyster Bar, and he’s an owner at his latest venture, the Hawthorne, which serves innovative cocktails and small plates in a loungy living-room-like space. But when he does get a break in his busy schedule, Cannon enjoys hitting the road to experience new cultures and cocktails. His passion for travel was instilled by his father, who saw the world as a renowned journalist, and fostered by Cannon’s time as a touring musician. (A onetime Berklee College of Music student, he slapped the bass with several bands and spread sweet music from Iowa to Ireland for nearly two decades.) During more recent journeys, the rockstar mixologist has amassed a collection of 300-plus cocktail menus. We asked Cannon to sound off about his impressive stash of souvenirs.

How did you start collecting menus? First and foremost, it’s the traveling element that’s really important here. When we were musicians, we used to say it would “feed our heads.” In the restaurant business, you really get locked into location. And that’s great. There’s a ton of experience you gain in your own place, and Boston’s a city where there are a lot of other good places to go to be inspired. But there’s really nothing like stripping that away and getting down to another city. . . . About seven and a half years ago, before Eastern Standard opened, I took a trip to New York City, where I had a three- or four-day agenda of 20 places to visit. And I got kind of good at pinching menus. This is a little bit of a dirty little secret that goes on [in the industry]. And for me, it’s been really funny over the years to watch someone go and swipe menus at Eastern Standard. They’ll pull the paper out of the jacket, and I’ll tell them to take it in the plastic. And they’re like, what? Look, the plastic costs $1.50. In the back of my mind, I know that that menu, protected, will live on in a collection or on a coffee table or a desk.

And it’s kind of great advertising. <50> 3.27.12

So you actually encourage the pinching of your own cocktail menus?

Well, I have a little bit, one on one. It’s not as overt as at one of my favorite bars in the world, Trailer Happiness in London. In the Trailer Happiness menu, there’s a little paragraph that says, “Steal this menu. Everyone deserves a little happiness.”

You once worked at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, booking bands.

That’s when you first started bartending, right? That’s the first menu I wrote, and I believe I have that in my menu collection. [He shuffles for a moment, searching.] This little laminated menu with five cocktails — I basically themed them all for different artists who played at the bar. There was a martini and a sour that was kind of margarita-like. And I even had a mocktail, which I’m very proud of, in ’98 or whenever that was.

What are some of the far-flung locales featured in your collection?

I’ve got a great little menu from Oslo, Norway, which I refer to for a few different reasons. It’s really a long-form example, and they have an unbelievable Scotch menu, in addition to this encyclopedic cocktail approach. My London menus are really important to me. They’re probably the ones that are dearest to me, and I keep them together. The furthest one away I have is probably from Auckland, New Zealand. That one is a menu that somebody saw, thought of me, and brought back. And I’ve got some favorites, too. From Seattle, I’ve got a Zig Zag menu from a long time ago that I still refer to that [famed bartender] Murray Stenson wrote.

How do you use your collection? I have it organized into a few different realms: there’s the “remember the experience” use of the menu.

There’s the purpose of looking at the physicality of them, from a design perspective. And then there’s looking at them for cold-hard content.

Within one read, you never see all the things that are poking around in a well-done menu. So that’s kind of why I have it, how it started, and how it grew.

— Adam Tokarz

PHOTO BY michael diskin