The $1 Trips Around Boston Harbor (Bay State Cruises and Boston Harbor Cruises)
Don't eat the hot dogs, but sea breezes will cool you off and clear your mind.
Geoff Smith, winner of the 1984 Boston Marathon
Unfortunately, he had two sponsors for that race: Adidas and Prime Computer. And that may disqualify him from the Olympics.
Kirstein Business Branch, Boston Public Library
This is the library that can make you rich. The ratio of reference librarians to inquirers is favorable—and their counsel is free. 20 City Hall Avenue, Boston, MA .
Paul Tucker, professor, University of Massachusetts, Boston
The Jerry McGuire of the local arts scene, Tucker has been showing us the Monet for the last decade, organizing three spectacular exhibitions for the Museum of Fine Arts—and radically enhancing our appreciation of Boston's favorite French Impressionist. Tucker is also an inspiring teacher.
Boston Celtics vs. the Orlando Magic at the Garden
After a year of whining, bitching, and generally brutal basketball, the Green summoned up one more moment of pride to wake up the echoes and close the building with style. The fact that they lost was immaterial.
Robert Spano, assistant conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra
This guy has a visible passion for music, tethered in just the right ways by his technical mastery.
The Third Annual Boston Against AIDS Benefit
Little Richard, Cher, Raquel Welch, Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones, and Mike Love and Al Jardine of the Beach Boys. This was Boston's own version of Night of a Hundred Stars, all for a good cause. Where were you? The Metro, December 2, 1987, Boston, MA .
Hodan Hashi and Toiell Washington, Black Boston founders
The city’s top social justice advocate is not just one person, but a duo symbolizing the importance of collective action: In the wake of George Floyd’s murder last year, Black Boston founders Hodan Hashi and Toiell Washington came together to work to dismantle racism in policing, healthcare, education, and housing. blackboston.org.
Kathryn Van Patten, Boston Bodyworks Studio
Do you know if your left scapula juts out farther than your right, or if your right hip rides higher than your left? Kathryn Van Patten will know. While many Pilates instructors drag their clients straight to the "Cadillac" or the "Reformer," Van Patten—an ex-ballerina with top-level certification—does a complete body check to see how she can balance out all your "idiosyncracies." Then she drags you to the Cadillac and the Reformer. of all? Her studio is in a beautifully appointed Beacon Hill townhouse. 12 Joy St., Boston, MA bostonbodyworksstudio.com.
<em>Look to Your Elders,</em> by Victor "MARKA27" Quinonez
Street art in Boston got a thrilling new addition this past May with Quiñonez’s Look to Your Elders, a vibrant painting on the side of Grove Hall pot shop Pure Oasis depicting a woman and young man surrounded by Caribbean plants and Indigenous patterns. A heartfelt nod to Boston’s generations of Caribbean and Afro-Latino residents, the piece is more than just a mural: It’s a stop-you-in-your-tracks work of art that has turned the spot into a must-visit. 430 Blue Hill Ave., Dorchester, MA 02121, marka27.com.
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.
Arisia
To get a true taste of Boston’s fandom proclivities, throw on your best Homestuck costume and head to Arisia, an annual sci-fi and fantasy convention that celebrated its 27th year in January. Here you’ll spot gray-bearded wizards and Trekkies mingling with Whovians and bug-eyed monsters—and you’ll probably see them all cut a rug together during the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Dance. It’s an important corrective to the notion that Boston remains a little prim and proper. Embrace your inner nerd, and let your geek flag fly proudly all weekend long. arisia.org.
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 .