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MyBoston
MANY FACES OF LOVE
fFEBRUARY BRINGS WITH it an air of tenderness, as we celebrate love in all its forms. Love is a concept both timeless and universal, yet deeply personal and unique to each of us. It’s the warm embrace of family, the shared laughter of friends, the devotion to a partner and even the quiet moments of self-care we often overlook.
In our neighborhoods, love is woven into the fabric of our community. It’s the love of local business owners who pour their hearts into their craft, the volunteers who dedicate time to causes that bring us closer and the neighbors who shovel each other’s sidewalk on snowy mornings.
Since moving to Back Bay, I have
spent days walking door to door and meeting people. When asking who we should feature in our February issue as most loved by the neighborhood, the names Jack, Jennifer and Laura were the repeated answers. They are the beloved owners of various Charles Street businesses, and we are bringing you their love stories. If you need a tip for personal self-care and cozy up, then the Burning Love article is for you. Did you know we have a new romantic bookstore on the scene? You can find out more on our Book Club page and, of course, do not miss our romantic restaurants recommendations.
Our editor Celina Colby spoke with Berklee College of Music as the school debuts a new major in Black music and culture, and chatted with Gail Gardner, a professional calligrapher and illustrator based in Back Bay.
As you turn the pages of this month’s issue, you’ll find stories of connection, commitment and compassion—all expressions of love that remind us how fortunate we are to be part of such a vibrant and caring community. As always, thank you to our readers for making the magazine part of your lives, and to our advertisers and community partners for your support.
Here’s to embracing the many faces of love, not just in February, but throughout the year. With appreciation,
Renata Coker Publisher, MyBoston
www.mybostonmag.com @mybostonmag
Publisher Renata Coker
Renata.Coker@mybostonmag.com
Editor Celina Colby editor@mybostonmag.com
Contributing Writer
Leigh Harrington
Lead Photographer Ben Flythe
Creative Director Kijoo Kim
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MyBoston magazine is published by Wainscot Media. Serving residents of Boston, the magazine is distributed monthly via U.S. mail. Articles and advertisements contained herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers. Copyright 2025 by Wainscot Media LLC. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CULLEN HLAVIKA
Community CALENDAR
The weather may be chilly but the Boston theater scene is heating up this February. Check out stage shows, Black History Month programming and other events happening in Back Bay, Beacon Hill and beyond this month.
EVENTS
Feb. 3
A Conversation With Bill Gates and Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Harvard Bookstore hosts a conversation with Bill Gates about his memoir “Source Code: My Beginnings,” in dialogue with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Colonial Theatre, 106 Boylston St., 888-616-0272.
Feb. 3-May 3
Frank M. Costantino: Visionary Projects
This exhibition of drawings by Boston-based architectural illustrator Frank M. Costantino features several hyper local projects like the Esplanade and the Old State House. Boston Athenaeum, 10-1/2 Beacon St., 617-227-0270.
Feb. 13-Aug. 3
Sara Cwynar
In this stunning solo show, Vancouver-based artist Sara Cwynar uses photographs, film and installation to examine our contemporary culture’s obsession with images. ICA Boston, 25 Harbor Shore Dr., 617-478-3100.
Feb. 14
Dover Quartet
This Grammy Award nominated quartet will perform Schumann’s Quartet No. 1, Tchaikovsky’s first string quartet and Dvořák’s 1893 “American” quartet. NEC Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough St., 617482-6661.
Feb. 18
Gentle Yoga
It turns out the library can exercise your body as well as your mind. Join other booklovers for an hour of gentle yoga that’s accessible to all skill levels. The practice includes a meditative component. Boston Public Library Central Branch, 700 Boylston St., 617-859-2129.
Feb. 19
The War in Europe Panel Discussion
Three of the world’s leading experts on Ukraine will provide perspective and discussion about the current conflict and what post-war reconstruction will look like. Goethe-Institut Boston, 170 Beacon St., 617-610-9398.
Feb. 20
Boston Festival Orchestra Concert
Enjoy a classical music concert during which the Boston Festival Orchestra pairs pieces of music with artwork from the Boston Athenaeum’s collection. Boston Athenaeum, 10-1/2 Beacon St., 617-227-0270.
Feb. 22
Quiet Reading Party for ADHD and Neurodiverse Adults
This group reading session provides a quiet space where adults can read with others, a method called “body doubling” which helps keep readers on task. Boston Public Library Central Branch, 700 Boylston St., 617-859-2129.
The Grammy Award nominated Dover Quartet performs at NEC Jordan Hall on Valentine’s Day.
Photograph by Roy Cox
ON STAGE
Funny Girl
Feb. 4-16
Broadway in Boston
539 Washington St.
The Grove
Feb. 7-Mar. 9
The Huntington 527 Tremont St.
Grand Kyiv Ballet: Swan Lake
Feb. 19-20
Colonial Theatre
106 Boylston St.
Art
Feb. 21-Mar. 16
Lyric Stage
140 Clarendon St.
A Man of No Importance
Feb. 21-Mar. 22
Speakeasy Stage
527 Tremont St.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
February is Black History Month. Honor and learn about the Black experience in Boston with talks, performances and exhibitions.
Left: Grand Kyiv Ballet returns to Boston this February for a performance of “Swan Lake.”
Photograph courtesy of Grand Kyiv Ballet
Below: Abigail C. Onwunali stars in “The Grove,” running at The Huntington this month.
Photograph courtesy of The Huntington
John Wilson, The Young Americans: Gabrielle (detail), 1975
Photograph courtesy of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Feb. 3
We Refuse: A Forceful History Of Black Resistance Kellie Carter Jackson will discuss her book “We Refuse” with MHS Director of Research Kanison Wongsrichanalai. In the book, Jackson explores Black responses to white oppression throughout history. Massachusetts Historical Society, 1154 Boylston St., 617-536-1608.
Feb. 5
Valerie Stephens
Singer, performing artist and storyteller Valerie Stephens will celebrate Black History Month by telling the story of How to Make Stone Soup, a tale appropriate for ages six to 12 years old and up. Boston Public Library Central Branch, 700 Boylston St., 617-536-5400.
Feb.8-Jun. 22
Witnessing Humanity: The Art of John Wilson
The MFA Boston opens an exhibition about local artist John Wilson that showcases his 60-year body of work exploring disenfranchisement, racial prejudice and social injustice. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 465 Huntington Ave., 617-267-9300.
Feb. 25
Special Collections Open House: Revolutionary Black Artists
Take advantage of a rare opportunity to view the Special Collections section of the Boston Public Library. This Black History Month edition of the open house features prominent Black artists from the collection. Boston Public Library Central Branch, 700 Boylston St., 617-536-5400.
15 YEARS OF FRENCH CUISINE
du Midi celebrates its 15th anniversary, and all special occasions, with a lavish tasting menu.
BY CELINA COLBY
BISTRO DU MIDI CULINARY director and partner Robert Sisca has been with the restaurant since day one. He can hardly believe the elegant French spot celebrated its 15-year anniversary in November.
Tucked into The Heritage on the Garden complex on Boylston Street, Bistro du Midi and its signature outdoor patio have all the charm of the French bistros it’s inspired by. The restaurant is named for the Midi cultural region of Southern France, and Sisca traveled through Provence as well as Nice, Marseilles and Avignon to get the elements of the menu as authentic as possible.
The restaurant is known as a hub for anniversaries, birthdays and romantic dinners, but it wasn’t always as haute cuisine focused as it’s become.
“There was a big recession in 2008 and 2009 [when the restaurant opened], so we were trying to keep it a casual bistro upstairs and downstairs,” says Sisca. “Over the years we slowly elevated it upstairs, and now we have a seven-course chef’s tasting menu.”
A TASTY INDULGENCE
The tasting menu is an exercise in indulgence, featuring decadent ingredients like fresh truffle, caviar and foie gras. Sisca flexes his creative
Below and opposite page: The seven-course chef’s tasting menu includes luxurious ingredients like lobster, fresh truffle, caviar and foie gras.
muscles here, using French cuisine as a base and playing with additional regional and global flavors.
Before opening Bistro du Midi, Sisca worked at Le Bernardin, a three-Michelinstar restaurant in Manhattan. That expertise is utilized heavily in crafting his seasonal tasting menus. The tasting menu is $175 per person, with an optional wine pairing that can be added for $95.
restaurant with reservations. Their relationship may not have lasted, but memories of the meal sure did.
“For me as a chef it’s great to continue to push the boundaries,” says Sisca. “The quality and style you get here you would pay $500 for in New York City or LA.”
Valentine’s Day is a storied affair at Bistro du Midi. In fact, it’s so popular that Sisca has a special menu available for the whole week to accommodate all the lovebirds who weren’t lucky enough to snag a reservation for the 14th. Diners can expect oysters, caviar and lobster on the tasting menu, plus plenty of champagne pairings.
In 2019, Kaitlyn Bristowe and Jason Tartick, a couple who met on “The Bachelor,” celebrated Valentine’s Day at Bistro du Midi, and the People magazine coverage flooded the
The upstairs may be all about high-end cuisine, but guests can still get a more casual French experience on the first floor, where they sling croque madames, flatbreads and platters of steak frites. That duality may contribute to the bistro’s ongoing success. Sisca says the crowds for lunch, brunch and special occasions continue to grow.
“Our success is a testament to our incredible team, the support of our families and most importantly, to you, our treasured guests,” writes Sisca on the anniversary tasting menu. “Cheers to many more.”
Celina Colby has been covering the food and beverage scene in Boston for over a decade with bylines in Eater Boston and The Bay State Banner, among others. She is the editor of MyBoston.
Bistro
Left: The downstairs dining room of Bistro du Midi serves French classics like steak frites and croque madame.
Photographs courtesy of Bistro du Midi
Bottom right and opposite page: Neighborhood homes that Gardner has painted Photographs by Gail Gardner
HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS
Artist Gail Gardner has been painting the homes of Back Bay and Beacon Hill for 40 years.
BY CELINA COLBY
Top left: A work in progress in Gardner’s studio
Photograph by Celina Colby
Top right: Gardner fell in love with Boston while studying at the New England School of Art and Design.
Photograph by Gail Gardner
GAIL GARDNER HAS been drawing as long as she can remember. While attending the New England School of Art and Design on Newbury Street, Gardner fell in love with Boston and the historic architecture of Back Bay. She’s been working as a professional calligrapher and house illustrator since 1984, immortalizing the unique architecture of homes in Boston and beyond.
Gardner has depicted hundreds of homes during her career, in both delicate watercolors and pen-andink drawings. House portraits can be framed as individual artworks or printed on note cards, stationery or invitations. They’re custom made to be very personal. In some cases, you can even spot a beloved pet in the window.
MyBoston chatted with Gardner about her artistic style, the beauty of Boston architecture and the importance of home.
How did you start illustrating homes?
I was working as a freelance calligrapher, and I was sitting at home
looking at my friend’s house across the street, thinking, “Oh, what can I make them for Christmas?” And I thought I could draw a picture of their house and put it on some note cards. Then some friends of theirs saw it and asked if I would do a painting of their house on St. Botolph Street. Then a real estate agent saw it and asked if I would do a painting as a closing gift for one of her clients. And it just took off.
How would you describe your style?
Realistic but also playful. I really like to get all the detail that I can. One nice thing about a drawing or a painting versus a photograph is I can clean it up a little bit. I can fix the broken stair, or paint the shutters that have gotten a little worn, or take out the fire escape, things like that.
Why are these house portraits so popular?
People have a very strong connection to their homes. My parents built their house in a suburb of New York in 1962. We sold it in 2010 after both my
parents passed away, and I still go back to visit the house when I go to that little town. It’s a very sort of visceral pull of that place. I think a lot of people have that feeling.
What makes the architecture of Back Bay and Beacon Hill so special?
People who designed and built the buildings back in the 1800s had a beautiful sense of whimsy, and they wanted to catch as much light as they could. So, you see all these bay windows in different forms, whether they’re bays or bows and narrow or wide. And some detailing is just there for decoration; it doesn’t hold any purpose except to be beautiful.
There’s a uniformity to them, but also such great variety. I’ve lived here for 40ish years, and I still walk around and see new things all the time in the architecture.
Celina Colby is the editor of MyBoston and has been covering arts and culture in Boston for 10 years.
Charles Street
Love Stories
Three couples who own businesses on Charles Street in Beacon Hill share their love stories.
BY CELINA COLBY
BBEACON HILL IS one of the most charming and tight-knit neighborhoods in Boston. It’s a hub for historic preservation and small businesses. It’s also home to a host of beautiful love stories. These three couples all own shops on Charles Street, and the only things more endearing than the neighborhood are the stories of how these soulmates met.
JACK AND CASSIE
Jack Gurnon, the owner of Charles Street Supply & Hardware, has fallen madly in love twice in his life. The first time was with the Beacon Hill neighborhood. The second was with his wife, Cassie.
Charles Street Supply & Hardware opened in 1948, and Jack’s father became a co-owner in 1952. Jack has been sweeping floors, stocking shelves and wandering the neighborhood since he was eight years old. Now, nearly 80 years after opening its doors, the hardware store remains the heart of Beacon Hill.
The community feel of the neighborhood drew Jack in right away. As soon as he was able, he moved to Beacon Hill, which felt like a small town tucked inside a larger city.
Jack met Cassie in 1988 while she was working as a window designer for posh shops on Newbury Street. A woman on a mission, she came into Charles Street Supply looking for exactly 24 hot-dipped, galvanized watering cans.
“A really cute girl who knows about hot-dipped watering cans? It was love at first sight,” says Jack. It would be a few years before they officially became an item, but that first moment sealed the deal for Jack. Shortly thereafter Cassie began working weekends at the shop. Nowadays she isn’t on-site daily, but she continues to design the Charles Street Supply window displays.
Though the shop does rent drills, sell nails and recommend lightbulbs (one of their top sellers), it’s much more than just a supply station. Jack has become the go-to fixer in the neighborhood, solving problems of all kinds, from removing casts from broken arms to clipping cracked wires on children’s braces. He recalls a particularly humorous instance when a woman came by after a night of frisky fun still handcuffed to a chair. He graciously cut the cuffs.
“We often say he wears an invisible cape,” says Cassie. “It’s an everyday occurrence that Jack is running to help someone do something.”
Left: Jack and Cassie Gurnon own Charles Street Supply & Hardware. Here, they pose with a hot-dipped watering can, a key part of their meet-cute.
Above: Indie, the resident store cat, is a beloved fixture at Charles Street Supply. Photographs by Ben Flythe
JENNIFER AND JIM
For Jennifer and Jim Hill, the owners of Blackstone’s of Beacon Hill, it took a bit of globe-trotting to find Beacon Hill.
Blackstone’s is a hub for all things home. They sell unique Boston souvenirs (think more elegant options than a “wicked pissah” T-shirt), glassware and home goods for entertaining and a huge selection of kitchenware. They’re the largest walk-in knife sharpener and knife retailer in New England. Many products in the shop are made by local producers or brands.
Jennifer is an Ohio native, and Jim grew up in Silicon Valley.
They first met while working abroad in Basel, Switzerland, and their first date was an intimate cooking class in Alsace, France. This love of cooking would prove predictive.
When it was time to move back to the States, Boston fit the bill. It was a walkable city, an air-travel hub and brimming with charm.
“Boston reminded us so much of Europe,” says Jennifer. “That sealed the deal.”
The duo took the leap into the retail business in 2006 when they acquired the existing Blackstone’s shop. For a time, they also owned a kitchenware store on Newbury
Street, which is now incorporated into the Charles Street space.
Like all small business owners, Jennifer and Jim both wear many hats. But day to day, Jennifer handles a lot of the buying and working with their team on merchandising, and Jim owns the knife-sharpening piece and the financial end.
The couple has come full circle, from falling in love over French cooking to providing the perfect knife to local chefs for every possible dish.
“We’ve been here over 20 years and we’re still going strong,” says Jennifer. “We’re looking forward to the next 10 years.”
Below: Blackstone’s sells unique gifts, homewares and kitchen tools.
Opposite page: Jennifer and Jim Hill, owners of Blackstone’s of Beacon Hill.
Photographs by Celina Colby
LAURA AND BOB
In a neighborhood so steeped in history, it’s no wonder that an antique shop would thrive. When Beacon Hill residents Laura and Bob Cousineau purchased the existing business Upstairs Downstairs on Charles Street in 2011, Laura had a clear vision of the kind of antique shop the street needed to have.
Laura was a longtime customer of Upstairs Downstairs, and her degree in interior and textile design from the Fashion Institute of Technology made her a perfect fit to continue its legacy.
Her signature style, now reflected in the shop, is a mix of old and new items with a heavy emphasis on local creatives and makers. The paintings, prints and cards displayed throughout the shop are almost all by local artists,
Below: Works by local artists on display at Upstairs Downstairs.
Photograph by Celina Colby
including oil paintings by Laura herself.
Laura knew what love at first sight felt like, because she experienced it when she met Bob at a New York City restaurant in 1998. She was out with friends when the door fatefully opened.
“My husband came in at 10 o’clock at night, and at four thirty in the morning they were vacuuming around us,” says Laura. “We were two peas in a pod from the minute we met.”
The couple moved to Boston from California because of Bob’s work, and Laura, a New York native, immediately fell for Beacon Hill. Though Upstairs Downstairs is Laura’s baby, devoted Bob will help during busy seasons and weekends.
The shop feels like a reflection of the neighborhood itself. A little bit is old, a little bit is new, and everybody is welcomed with a smile. Though she loved the hustle and bustle of New York City, Laura feels particularly at home on the cobblestone streets of Beacon Hill.
“This is a very strong community with people that truly love and care for it,” says Laura. “It’s like a family. It’s a wonderful place to live.”
Celina Colby is the editor of MyBoston. She has been writing about culture, fashion, business and art in Boston for a decade.
Left: Laura and Bob Cousineau own Upstairs Downstairs Home.
Photograph by Quinn Cousineau
Black Music Takes Center Stage
Berklee College of Music
debuts a major in Black music and culture.
BY CELINA COLBY
W
WHEN DR. EMMETT G. PRICE III became the founding dean of the Africana Studies Division at Berklee College of Music in 2021, he had big plans for the department. One very significant dream has just come true. As of the fall semester, Berklee now offers a major in Black music and culture.
This is the first major offered within the Africana Studies Division, allowing young musicians to focus very specifically on Black music. The department also offers a minor in Africana studies that’s available to any Berklee student.
“It’s hard to suggest that any form of popular music in the 21st century has not been influenced by the sounds and the sentiments of the African diaspora,” says Price. “The story is about how this population of people took the songs and the sentiments of suffering and struggle and created a blueprint that would inspire humanity to continue to
sing, to continue to create music, to continue to innovate.”
The major joins a pantheon of options for study within the department. Students who have a different major, say, performance, can come in and take electives or can choose to minor in Africana studies.
FOCUSED ON GOSPEL
Now students can also choose to major in Black music and culture. This major focuses on gospel music, which touches many other genres, including spirituals and Black folk music, that paved the way for gospel. Strains of gospel later showed up in American pop, soul and rock ’n’ roll.
Gospel is the glue that unites the Black music tradition in the United States.
“Berklee is known as a jazz school, and we do so much more than jazz,” says Price. “Branching out to gospel helps us to expand the narrative so we’re not just known as a school for guitarists or drummers.”
The focus also puts the common association of jazz music with Black musicians into context. Jazz is just one of the genres that have been developed by Black talent and musical history. Gospel is another. Other concentration options will follow, including hip-hop, which Price says will debut soon.
The Black music and culture
Dr. Emmett G. Price III is the founding dean of the Africana Studies Division at Berklee College of Music.
Photograph by Bearwalk Cinema
major is the latest big win for Price, but certainly not the only one. In 2021 Price founded the Berklee Gospel Music Hall of Fame and the annual Gospel Performance Summer Program, both of which feed into the major program. This past October, the Africana Studies Division inducted rap duo Kid ’n Play, hip-hop educator and activist Cindy Diggs and local breakdancing ambassadors the Floor Lords into the Berklee Hip-Hop Hall of Fame, which was established in 2023.
Though the major is available only to Berklee students, courses within the Africana Studies Division are also available to Boston Conservatory students. The Boston Conservatory merged with Berklee in 2016, although they remain separate institutions.
Caden Burston (BM ’25, violin), who is minoring in Africana studies, has seen the department and the curriculum evolve to incorporate more diverse music history and education.
“I’ve noticed a cultural difference at BoCo,” Burston said in a Boston Conservatory article about the program. “More people are playing works by composers who are Black and works by Latino composers. All of a sudden, I saw so many recital posters with composers that I thought nobody else knew about.”
INCREASING DIVERSITY IN MUSIC
For music lovers who aren’t affiliated with Berklee, these programs lead to increasingly diverse public concerts. Price says the Africana Studies Division has been integral
This page and next: Berklee students performing at Amplify Berklee Gala held at the Westin Copley Place in Boston on November 2, 2024.
Photographs by Dave Green
in bringing in groups like Kingdom Choir, a well-known gospel group that performed at the royal wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, and rapper Roxanne Shanté, the inaugural recipient of the Berklee Hip-Hop Hall of Fame award.
This February, audiences can look forward to performances by Ethiopian American vocalist, songwriter and composer Meklit Hadero, pianist and chair of the Harmony and Jazz Composition Department at Berklee College of Music George W. Russell Jr. and many others.
Price says continuing to diversify music education is a natural step for the global music community at Berklee.
“Our students are increasingly coming from all over the world and have various cultural assets, cultural understandings and cultural expertise, and yet they come to the United
States of America,” says Price. “I think we ought to be able to tell our story succinctly, correctly, with all of its complications and diversities, and then also invite them to tell their stories.”
Celina Colby is the editor of MyBoston. She has been writing about culture and art in Boston for more than 10 years.
Romantic
RESTAURANTS
Celebrate Valentine’s, Galentine’s or your love of haute cuisine at these intimate restaurants in Back Bay and Beacon Hill.
BY CELINA COLBY
AMAR
Cozy up in a booth at Amar, a Portuguese restaurant in the Raffles hotel overlooking the Back Bay neighborhood and, in the distance, the Charles River. The view stuns in the evening as lights glitter below the restaurant. On the menu, classic Portuguese dishes get a modern twist from New Englander Chef George Mendes. Try a delectable five-course tasting menu or pick and share dishes from the main menu.
UNI
ROSES ARE POPPING UP in every store window, and restaurant reservations are going fast. It’s the season of romance, and nothing says love quite like an elegant candlelit dinner.
It’s hard to go wrong in Back Bay and Beacon Hill, where the neighborhoods’ history and charm permeate most spaces, but these five restaurants are particularly alluring for a Valentine’s Day dinner, no matter what day of the month you have it.
LA VOILE
Refinement is always on the menu at French restaurants, and the slightly subterranean La Voile on Newbury Street has ambiance for days. Almost everything in the space was brought over from France, from the zinc bar and the wooden wine fridge to the delicate chandelier and the front door. Many staff members are directly from the motherland as well. The menu features classic, authentic dishes like escargot, mussels and roasted duck breast, plus a nightly prix fixe option.
Local legend Ken Oringer has opened so many restaurants in Boston (Faccia a Faccia, Bar Pallino and Verveine, to name a few recent ones) that it can be easy to forget Uni, one of his earlier concepts, which opened fully in the former Clio space in 2016. The highend Japanese sushi restaurant serves a
mouthwatering 16-course daily tasting menu as well as an à la carte menu of decadent maki, sashimi, nigiri and more.
MA MAISON
The French strike again with this longtime gem in Beacon Hill. This white-tablecloth bistro has been open since 2004 and is still winning awards 20 years later, including Best of Boston Neighborhood Restaurant 2024 from Boston Magazine and Diner’s Choice 2024 from Open Table. Adventurous eaters will enjoy the frog legs Provençale and the calf’s liver with caramelized onions and crispy bacon.
MOONCUSSER
Hidden away on the second floor of a Stuart Street building, Mooncusser is a prix fixe only restaurant offering a seasonal four-course tasting menu. On the seafood-forward menu, Chef Carl Dooley uses locally sourced ingredients to create unique dishes like sea urchin bavarois with Nantucket bay scallops, tangerine and crispy quinoa. If the night goes well, head downstairs for a nightcap at Moon Bar, their sister concept serving creative craft cocktails.
Celina Colby has been covering arts, lifestyle and food in Boston for ten years. She is the editor of MyBoston.
Opposite page: Portuguese classics get a contemporary spin at Amar.
Photograph by Conor Doherty
Above: At Amar, the dreamy interior and views of Back Bay lend themselves to a romantic evening.
Photograph by Carley Rudd Photography
Uni offers a lavish, 16-course daily tasting menu perfect for special occasions. Photographs courtesy of Uni
HOOPER MANSION
Luxury living from an iconic local architect
BY LEIGH HARRINGTON
TRINITY CHURCH isn’t the only stunning example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture that you can find in Boston. Check out the Hooper Mansion at 448 Beacon St. on the corner of Beacon and Hereford streets in the Back Bay. When Robert Chamblet
Hooper and Helen Angier Ames Hooper commissioned the private residence in 1889, it cost a cool $100,000. Husband and wife had partnered with H.H. Richardson in the past and were fans of his revival
style, which largely showcases iconic arches and masonry.
During the next quarter century, the Hoopers lived on-site, much of the time with their dog, Judge. Known as Hooper’s Judge, the dog was a cross between an English white terrier and an English bulldog. and is considered the start of the Boston terrier breed.
Today, the Hooper Mansion has been divided into six luxury condos with a concierge and rooftop garden.
Leigh Harrington has been a journalist for 25 years and has written for USA Today, US News 360 Reviews, Fodor’s Travel and Boston Herald, among other publications.
Photographs by Celina Colby
Brought to you by Lara Shuqom, Principal of The Collective
The accuracy of the statistical data in this table is not guaranteed by MyBoston magazine. The listings broadly represent the local real estate market rather than the listings of any single agent or agency. MLSP in condo and single-family sales in Beacon Hill and Back Bay from 12.1.24-12.31.24.
BACK TO THE ROARING ’20s
Etiquetteer’s Repeal Day Celebration is an annual speakeasy-style party raising funds for the Gibson House Museum.
ON DECEMBER 6, 2024, the Gibson House Museum in Back Bay celebrated the repeal of Prohibition for the 13th year at Etiquetteer’s Repeal Day Celebration. The party was attended by those who love historic preservation, Victoriana, craft cocktails and good manners.
Hosted by Robert B. Dimmick, who has been writing about manners as Etiquetteer since 2001, the party supports the operation of the Gibson House, the only remaining property in
Back Bay in its original condition with its original furnishings. Sponsored by Rhode Island Spirits, with the exuberant Miss Kitty Amann designing all the drinks, the night’s inspiration came from the museum’s founder, Charlie Gibson, Jr., who was known to make gin in the thirdfloor bathtub during Prohibition. Revelers embraced the “True Speakeasy Style” dress code, wearing everything from denim and down jackets to tuxedos and flapper dresses.
1. Tyler Cavanagh and Jonathan Vantassel
2. Susan Bennett, Susan Ashbrook and Nancy Jane Duncan
3. Brief remarks were made by Robert Dimmick as Etiquetteer.
4. Party hosts Miss Kitty Amann and Robert Dimmick as Etiquetteer.
5. Vanessa Yip serves a drink from behind the speakeasy bar.
BURNING LOVE
THERE’S NO BETTER CURE for the wind whipping down Boylston Street than cozying up by a crackling fire, ideally with a warm or spiked beverage.
There are only two hotels left in Boston where you can enjoy a woodburning fireplace in your room, and they’re both in Back Bay. The Lenox and The Newbury are storied properties that benefit from their long histories—their fireplaces are grandfathered into an otherwise strict Boston fire code.
For safety, guests can’t build or stoke the fire themselves. Fireplace engineers or fireplace butlers, as they’re dubbed, come at your request to build the fires in the rooms. At The Newbury there is an electronic fire monitoring system, and The Lenox has a miniature extinguisher next to the fireplace. The result is an experience with all the enjoyment of a traditional fire and none of the hassle.
A HISTORY OF CHARM
For The Lenox, cozy details like the fireplaces are part of its longtime charm. Built in 1900, the hotel was at one time
the tallest building in Back Bay. Over the years, it’s played host to stars ranging from Babe Ruth to Judy Garland, who stayed at the hotel so often that you can now book the Judy Garland suite.
Recently the hotel brought its dining concepts back in house after years of using off-site management. Sweeney’s, a street-facing Irish pub concept, and The Irving, a stylish cocktail bar, are open, and Juniper & Ivy, the upscale dining option, is slated to open in March.
“We believe that the heart and soul of the city is Back Bay,” says Dan Donahue, president of Saunders Hotel Group, which operates The Lenox. “And this hotel especially, we’re family owned, and we’re about to celebrate 125 years on this corner.”
CUSTOMIZE YOUR EXPERIENCE
At The Newbury, still remembered by many as the first Ritz-Carlton in the United States and, after that, as The Taj, the cozy fireplaces have inspired a much grander experience than just warming up. Guests can select which type of wood they would like from a menu of four varieties, including cherry, oak and maple, each providing a different aroma and burn time.
While enjoying the smoky scent of the wood, guests can order from a special fireside dining menu that includes steamed hot chocolate from L.A. Burdick, top-shelf cocktails, and bites like charcuterie and caviar service.
“There is something so relaxing and indulgent about cozying up by a hearth on a cold winter night, especially when you have it all to yourself,” says Carlos Bueno, managing director at The Newbury Boston.
The Boston winter may be blustery, but it can be just as cozy as a cabin in Vermont when you’re snuggled up by a wood-burning fireplace. No chopping skills needed.
Back Bay is home to the only two hotels in the city with wood-burning fireplaces in the rooms.
The Newbury offers a Fireplace Menu of food and beverages to pair with your cozy fire.
Photograph by Nikolas Koenig
Above right: The woodburning fireplaces are just part of the historic charm at The Lenox, which is celebrating its 125th birthday this year.
Photograph by Christopher Smith
Love Is in the Air
Get into the romantic spirit with these recommendations from Lovestruck Books.
LOVESTRUCK BOOKS, a romance bookstore, café and wine bar, opened in Harvard Square in December. Owner Rachel Kanter used her prowess in the genre to select these five festive book recommendations for the most romantic month of the year.
EXES AND O’S
By Amy Lea
Tara Chen will try anything to meet “The One,” including reconnecting with her exes to see if any of them are worthy of a second-chance romance. Tara’s roommate, firefighter Trevor Metcalfe, will dive into a flaming building before a relationship. But while helping Tara reconnect with her exes, he’s realizing that maybe the most dangerous thing he can do is let her go. Set in Boston, this steamy story is the perfect read for the romantic in all of us.
BEST MEN
By Sidney Karger
When two best men fall for each other during a wedding weekend, hijinks and hilarity ensue in this big-hearted debut.
MUCH ADO ABOUT HATING YOU
By Sarah Echavarre Smith
Financial auditor Micah tries to resist Professor Aiden’s sultry glances during her review of the English Department. Enemiesto-lovers Shakespearean retelling set in academia? Say no more.
Local book clubs! Would you like to recommend favorite books to our readers? Reach out to editor@mybostonmag.com.
WANT
By Gillian Anderson
These sexy, anonymous essays collected by Gillian Anderson (aka Agent Scully) give insight into the real desires of women and explore what women want when nobody’s watching.
GIRL, SERPENT, THORN
By Melissa Bashardoust
This novel is “an alluring feminist fairy tale” (Kirkus) about a girl cursed to be poisonous to the touch who discovers what power might lie in such a curse. Who will she become, princess or monster?
Gustavo and Tara Garcia
The Garcias, who recently moved to Beacon Hill from Europe, walk us through their typical Sunday in the neighborhood.
BY GUSTAVO AND TARA GARCIA
AFTER THINKING very hard about moving back to the states or continuing our 8-year European adventure, we chose Boston for its safety, great schools for our son, walkability and the seasons. Beacon Hill won our hearts.
We always wake up and enjoy a lovely breakfast (or brunch, depending on the day) with our son, made complete with homemade sausage and pumpkin pancakes. We then take our dog, Skye, for a walk. Our favorite spots are walking through the Common and the Public Garden, or Rowes Wharf near Seaport.
One of our other favorite things to do is to walk through Beacon Hill and be surrounded by the beautiful architecture—it feels like stepping back in time. We will then take a walk down Charles Street to look at all of the amazing shops, including one of our favorite bookstores, Beacon Hill Books
& Cafe. We bring all our visitors to Charles Street and always stop in at the bookstore.
We’ve also really enjoyed stopping by the gorgeous Church of the Advent in Beacon Hill. The church architecture is so beautiful—just being inside the building feels good for our souls. It is beautiful when it is full of parishioners and is also beautiful when there aren’t a lot of people around. We’ve been surprised by walking in when the choir is practicing or the organist is practicing, or when it was a sunlit day and the church was filled with incense—such beautiful and transformative experiences.
We’re so happy to live here in Boston and hope you stop in one of our favorite places when you can.
Gustavo and Tara live in Beacon Hill with their son. They are new to Boston and are loving it.
Above: Gustavo and Tara are excited to be new Bostonians.
Top middle: Gustavo and Tara dine with friends at 1928 in Beacon Hill.
Photograph courtesy of Gustavo and Tara Garcia.
Bottom middle: Beacon Hill Books & Cafe is one of the couple’s favorite local bookstores.
Top right: A tomato and burrata dish at 1928.
Bottom right: The Church of the Advent on Brimmer Street. Photographs by Celina Colby.
Roses Are Red
THE ELIOT HOTEL on Commonwealth Avenue is rich in history and in style. This year, the boutique hotel is celebrating its centennial. In the 1920s, former Harvard University president Charles William Eliot worked with architect Harold Field Kellogg to construct the Georgian Revival-style hotel, which he hoped would be used exclusively for Harvard University’s guest lecturers. It’s now popular with university faculty, visitors and Bostonians alike.
The hotel has become known for its extravagant exterior installations celebrating major holidays. This photograph depicts a former Valentine’s Day installation by artist Angela Alec that brought brightness and romance to a dreary time of the year.
Have a great image for Photo Op? Submit your high-resolution shot to editor@mybostonmag.com.
Photograph by Oscar Alvarez
SUGGEST GETTING INTO A COMMITTED RELATIONSHIP.
RELATIONSHIP.
BEFORE YOU BUY SELL, WE SUGGEST GETTING INTO A COMMITTED RELATIONSHIP.
Whether you’re single and happy, just got hitched, or celebrating your 30th anniversary, if you want to buy a new home or list your old one, you need to get involved with a great agent like Peter Hill. Peter has your back during every step of the real estate process. Smart, savvy, experienced, and friendly, with MGS Group Real Estate behind him — the firm known for its next-level service, and vast and vetted list of vendors and connections — Peter can get your listing in top shape and find you a house in Boston or Brookline that’s your happily ever after.
Whether you’re single and happy, just or celebrating your 30th anniversary, to buy a new home or list your old one, get involved with a great agent like Peter has your back during every step of the process. Smart, savvy, experienced, and with MGS Group Real Estate behind him known for its next-level service, and vast vetted list of vendors and connections get your listing in top shape and find Boston or Brookline that’s your happily
Whether you’re single and happy, just got hitched, or celebrating your 30th anniversary, if you want to buy a new home or list your old one, you need to get involved with a great agent like Peter Hill. Peter has your back during every step of the real estate process. Smart, savvy, experienced, and friendly, with MGS Group Real Estate behind him — the firm known for its next-level service, and vast and vetted list of vendors and connections — Peter can get your listing in top shape and find you a house in Boston or Brookline that’s your happily ever after.
Whether it’s meeting the painter and plumber when you can’t, making your listing look so good you almost don’t want to sell, or getting the lowdown on every house you see, Peter’s the kind of agent even your mother would like you to bring home. Of course, don’t get any ideas — he’s happily married, but that doesn’t mean you can’t call him.
Whether it’s meeting the painter and plumber when you can’t, making your listing look so good you almost don’t want to sell, or getting the lowdown on every house you see, Peter’s the kind of agent even your mother would like you to bring home. Of course, don’t get any ideas — he’s happily married, but that doesn’t mean you can’t call him.
Whether it’s meeting the painter and when you can’t, making your listing look you almost don’t want to sell, or getting on every house you see, Peter’s the kind even your mother would like you to bring course, don’t get any ideas — he’s happily but that doesn’t mean you can’t call him.
Whether you’re single and happy, just or celebrating your 30th anniversary, to buy a new home or list your old one, get involved with a great agent like has your back during every step of the
