The Purchase of USA Cinemas by Loews
The good news for local moviegoers is that the new owners are reportedly going to clean up the mucky floors and repair the torn screens of the Boston theater chain. In fact, the word is that Loews is too embarrassed to put its own name on local marquees until the theaters pass muster.
Winston Flowers
Winston has cornered the petal market west of Boston. Its bright blooms are consistently the freshest around, and whether you want rare lilies or timeless red roses, Winston always finds your flowers. Plus, its unique year-round arrangements and gourmet gift baskets make present-sending simple. 31 Central St., Wellesley, MA winstonflowers.com.
Former Republican Senate candidate John Lakian's.
Asked during a debate sponsored by the Boston Herald whether he intended to make an issue of his opponent's religious beliefs, Lakian insisted that he would have no comment on "Mr. Mormon...I have never in a debate brought up Mr. Romney's religion."
Machinery Hall
In May this magazine predicted that machinery Hall could be the "next monster rock group" from Boston. We stand by that assertion. Now with an eponymous CD under its belt Machinery Hall is ready to go out and be heard the world over.
Elizabeth Murray
The 10-year retrospective of New York artist Elizabeth Murray at MIT's List Visual Arts Center, 20 Ames Street, Cambridge. The paintings were there, the drawings at the MFA. Murray kicked off her career at the Whitney and has been represented in hundreds of important shows. But Boston gave her her first retrospective. MIT's List Visual Arts Center, 20 Ames St., Cambridge, MA .
The BMC Vaccine Dance
After a year spent working shifts at COVID patients’ bedsides, you could forgive healthcare workers for being in no mood to dance. But when vaccines finally arrived at Boston Medical Center in December, staffers there were ready to bust a move, performing a choreographed dance to Lizzo’s “Good as Hell” as a cell phone captured the moment on video. Ultimately reaching millions of viewers online, it was a scene of jubilation that allowed many of us to feel hopeful about the future.
Trina’s Starlite Lounge
The Order: Chill out during a socially distant summer with the frozen whiskey smash ($12). It gets a hit of crème de cacao alongside the standard lemon and mint. The Cause: Two bucks per drink—made with booze from a Black-female-run Tennessee distillery named for Nathan “Nearest” Green, an enslaved man who taught Jack Daniels whiskey making in the 1850s—goes to Black Lives Matter Boston. blacklivesmatterboston.org. 3 Beacon St., Somerville, MA 02143, trinastarlitelounge.com.
Southern Proper
When chef Jason Cheek opened Southern Proper this year, he sought to bring a taste of his native North Carolina to Boston. Step inside the South End restaurant, and you’ll see he’s done just that: The eatery takes design cues from Cheek’s grandmother’s living room, serving up comfort food on mismatched plates. The kitchen, meanwhile, cranks out platters of tender fried chicken, not to mention flaky popovers and out-of-this-world homemade pickles. 600 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02118, southernproperboston.com.
Mooncusser Fish House
The team behind Concord’s 80 Thoreau has splashed into Boston with dishes that combine gorgeous local catch and seasonal accompaniments in an elegant space. The rotating menu (smoked-scallop terrine, grilled tuna with chestnut spaetzle) hasn’t shown us a dud yet, and perceptive staffers excel at helping select wines from the intriguing list. 304 Stuart St., Boston, MA 02116, mooncusserfishhouse.com.
Celeste Ng
Even in a city as literary as Boston, Ng stands out. Her first book, Everything I Never Told You, was Amazon’s 2014 Book of the Year, while her latest, 2017’s Little Fires Everywhere, has spent more than 36 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. The story of the impact an artist has on a small Ohio town, the novel has proved so enduringly popular with readers that Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington optioned it as a TV series for Hulu. MA celesteng.com.
Hilton’s Tent City
After seven decades in Boston, this iconic outdoor outfitter packed its bags last summer and made the epic voyage across the Charles River, where it set up camp in a huge storefront in the heart of Central Square. Other than the location, not much has changed: The store is still stuffed with a gazillion backpacks, boots, headlamps, and everything else you’ll need for your next outdoor adventure. Go ahead, climb every mountain. 565 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, hiltonstentcity.com.
Trunk Club
One visit to Trunk Club’s recently opened Boston clubhouse and you’ll be inventing occasions to have a suit made. The swanky digs are just one perk of this personal-styling service’s merger with Nordstrom; another is the access clients have to designer accessories in the department store’s catalog. Sip a cocktail while your stylist takes 26 precise body measurements and then helps you choose everything from the buttons and fabric lining right down to the Gucci loafers. 501 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02116, trunkclub.com.
Bodega
This Best of Boston Hall of Famer clearly wears the crown for cool streetwear and footwear, but with the opening of its Los Angeles sibling this past year, the brand’s influence has officially gone bicoastal. The new Bodega may draw in A-listers such as Jamie Foxx, Maya Rudolph, and Cameron Diaz, but thankfully, the buzziest lifestyle launches from Adidas, Nike, and Karhu are still happening right here in our own backyard. 6 Clearway St., Boston, MA bdgastore.com.
Pennypacker's
Part of the first fleet of food trucks to hit Boston streets in 2011, Pennypacker’s has grown to include a small Somerville restaurant, a selection of online-ordered prepared meals, and a forthcoming stall at High Street Place food hall, opening this fall. But its signature porchetta sandwich—slow-roasted pork marinated in garlic and rosemary, and tarted up with a zippy mostarda—remains a must-try, as do detours like fried-chicken sammies topped with slaw and herb vin. 514C Medford St., Somerville, MA pennypackersfinefoods.com.
Lisa Jean-Francois (@LisaalaMode)
Boston gal Lisa Jean-Francois longed for a place where she could share her love of beauty and fashion from her viewpoint as a black feminist—so she created one, launching her website to dish on pop culture, natural hair, and Beyoncé as well as post photos of her head-to-toe outfits. Almost seven years and 35,000-plus Instagram followers later, Francoise is a full-time content creator who’s served as an official influencer for companies such as Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson. N/A, .