Feature
Teaching Lessons
In architecture school, the jargon his professors used—”fenestration,” “trabeation”—seemed absurd to Matthew Frederick. So 13 years later, when it was his turn to lead, the […]
Wall Flowers
An award-winning metalsmith, Boston-based Megan K. Cronin uses sculpture and jewelry-making techniques to create intricate wall installations. This freshwater pearl, brass, and cast bronze work, […]
Sound of Music
The past 20 years have ushered in a generation of gadgets that solve age-old design quandaries—like how to avoid sacrificing half your living room to […]
Top of Mind: Mel King
Crusader, educator, ex-legislator, neighborhood stalwart, technology buff, age 80, South End.
The Miracle Break
There is a secret surf spot in Boston. It’s about 20 minutes from the State House, without traffic, and nearly impossible to pick out. When the conditions are just right, though, it becomes a kind of urban nirvana. And that makes it a place the regulars will do almost anything to defend…
Best Foot Forward
Hugh Herr was a teenage mountain-climbing phenom when a blizzard took his legs. Now the MIT professor has used science to get them back, building artificial limbs so advanced, they force us to rethink what “able-bodied” means.
Lentil Bean Soup
Threats of a harsh, powerless winter have left you with a dozen cans of beans, stale bread, and a half-eaten wheel of cheese. Use-it-all chef […]
Restaurants With Fireplaces
• Abe & Louie’s Before you spend $35 on a steak, ask a few questions. That’s part of the fun at Abe & Louie’s, where […]
This Old House: An Oral History
On its 30th anniversary, the creators, cast, and (mostly) lucky homeowners of This Old House reveal what the cameras haven’t shown—from how the series almost didn’t get off the ground to who really foots the bill for all those jaw-dropping renovations.
Disconnected
They’re called “phreakers,” and they can do with a phone what hackers can do with computers. Few were more skilled—or more feared—than Matt Weigman, a blind teenager from East Boston. Using his heightened senses, he made himself untouchable. What he lacked, the FBI says, was the good sense to know when to hang up.