Grill 23 & Bar
At last count, Boston had more than two dozen luxury steakhouses. What situates this Back Bay institution atop that pricey heap? It has the dry-aged and genuine Wagyu steaks that beef snobs prefer; serves equally fine seafood and raw bar items; boasts a capacious, trophy-laden wine cellar; and epitomizes the gleaming opulence of Boston’s bygone private clubs. Plus, in a city increasingly dominated by national chains, it lets you feel like royalty while supporting a veteran local indie. 161 Berkeley St., Back Bay, MA 02116, grill23.com.
Tom Davis, Boston College's basketball mentor
The N.B.A. wants him. Duke wants him. We've got him.
Back Bay IPA, Boston Beer Works
A hoppy, aromatic, high-octane India Pale Ale, the Back Bay IPA gets its character from the dry hops added in the aging process. The copper-colored beer starts with the full taste of Centennial and Cascade hops from the Pacific Northwest but finishes with a hint of grapefruit. Head brewer Brian Allen says the IPA isn't the Beer Works' best-selling beer, but it retains a cult following because it is served as both a frosty filtered draught and, for the traditionalist who wants to drink it like the British, a cask-conditioned ale. 61 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA beerworks.net.
Gary at The Salon Mario Russo at Louis, Boston
Lots of people on the Street give great haircuts. Gary's special because he's not only skilled with scissors but, despite the posh location, he is wonderfully attitude free. 234 Berkeley St., Boston, MA .
Rev. J. Donald Monan, Chancellor, Boston College
What Father Flanagan was to Boys Town, Father Monan is to our little burg, Boyos Town—brokering the stadium deal that kept the Pats in town in much the same way he did when he rescued the Fleet Center years ago from the usual tribal mischief.
Jon Klarfeld's media column in the <em>Boston Herald</em>
Jon Klarfeld's media column in the Boston Herald, which reads like a weapon for retaliation to any who criticize the troubled tab.
The Jon Klarfeld's media column in the <em>Boston Herald</em>
Who put balance and direction on the Globe's editorial page. Jeff Jacoby's work on the op-ed page deserves notice, too.
"Errors of the Way," the <em>Boston Phoenix</em> feature that fact-checks the too-frequently erroneous reporting of <em>Boston Herald</em> quidnune Norma Nathan.
It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it.
The Boston Marathon and its world-class chaos
Nice to see that big money can't spoil everything. Especially that start.
Spiro Veloudos, Lyric Stage Copmany of Boston
His first full year at the helm of the Lyric Stage blasted the veteran theater out of the Edwardian era of drawing-room drama into the 21st century.
The South Boston Waterfront (formerly known as the Seaport District)
Mayor Menino knuckled under to City Council president and Southie native Jimmy Kelly when he insisted on renaming all that hot waterfront property abutting his neighborhood. All of which is a colossal waste of time, considering all the old-time South Boston homeowners—and Kelly voters—are cashing out and moving to the burbs. Southie by any name is fast going the way of another neighborhood-turned-yuppie-themepark, Charlestown. As for Kelly, by any other name he's still a hack.
Breve Spa at Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport
Sick of the assembly-line nail-salon experience? Swap your clothes for a robe and slippers, sit back in one of Breve’s five full-massage chairs, and prepare for the spa mani-pedi of your dreams. Many of the nail techs here came over from the recently shuttered Bliss Spa at the W, so they know how to turn a buff-and-polish sesh into a memorable day (see: the red-algae-infused, anti-aging “cocoon wrap”). Also upping the Zen quotient is access to the co-ed relaxation room, where you can savor a cold beverage or a light snack and forget about the hustle and bustle of the outside world. 450 Summer St., Boston, MA 02210, omnihotels.com.
Boston University's FitRec Swim School
Cold water and newbie swimmers don’t mix. That’s why the pool used for kids’ lessons at FitRec Swim School is heated to a toasty 84 to 85 degrees, making it the perfect place for youngsters to learn how to make a splash with the help of Red Cross–certified instructors. 915 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA bu.edu/fitrec/aquatics.
Bill Cleary of Harvard and Jack Bicknell of Boston College
Cleary made hockey's Final Four, proving it is possible to build athletic powers in the Ivy League. And Bicknell simply proved that there was BC football after Doug Flutie.