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Edi ted byAL EX AND RA HAL LI l l u s t r a t i o n b y E B O YBostonE X P E C T AT IO N S AR E F U N N YT H IN G S . Conventionalwisdom has i t tha t peop le and p laces r i se to the leve lo f e x p e c ta t i o n s se t b e fo r e t h e m, b u t a s w e sc o u r e d t h el a n d sc a p e fo r t h e Be s t o f Bo s to n t h i s y e a r , o u r e x p e r i -e n c e w a s t h e o p p o s i t e . W e fo u n d t h a t w e w e r e f o r c e dto se t o u r e x p e c ta t i o n s h i g h e r , b e c a u se t h e c i t y h a dr i s en p ast them . 11 As a lwa ys, we wen t l ook ing fo r t h eb e s t o f e v e r y th i n g , a n o n y mo u s l y a n d a t t h e m a g a z i n e ' se x p e n se . F o r 1 0 mo n th s w e t e s te d , w a tc h e d , a n d a teo u r w a y s t h r o u g h t o w n . 1 S o o n e n o u g h , w e n o t i c e dchang es in the c i ty : I t has go t te n be t te r . A l o t b e t te r .L o n g s ta n d i n g i n s t i t u t i o n s t h a t o n c e l i v e d o f f t h e i rr e p u ta t i o n s h a v e r e v i t a l i z e d , a n d n e w o n e s h a v e f l o u r -i s h ed . E v e n r e s ta u r a n t a n d r e ta i l se r v i c e , l o n g B o s to n ' sso f t sp o t , h a s i mp r o v e d . An d t h o se h i g h s ta n d a r d sa r e s p r e a d i n g : T h e r e are mare i m p r e s s i v e e n t e r p r i s e si n t h e su b u r b s t h a n e v e r . S o w e r e tu r n e d t h e r e , b u ta l so w e n t f u r t h e r to j u d g e , f o r t h e f i r s t t i me , t h ef inest o f the Cape and i s lands. II We've made o the rc h a n g e s , tou , add ing sec t ions on the best spo ts fo r da t -i ng , repa i rs , even where to f i nd the best ou t f i ts , so tha twh i le you en joy the best the c i ty has to o f fe r , you canlook you r best . 1 N o t t h a t w e ' d e x p e c t a n y th i n g l e ss .FORTHE BEST OF BOSTON INDEX, SEE PAGE 3 34 .

1 3 G . B O S T O N . A U G U S T 3 004


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* B E S T C H E F ,Up and Cominggabriel frascaThe p rom is i ng 30 -yea r -o l d Frasca'sb r i gh t - f l avo red food soa rs a t Sp i re .P H O T O G R A P H B Y K A T H L E E N D O O H E R* T

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Th e liest of Boston 20011 /:. I TINl I

of the SouthB E A C HH O R S E N E C K BE AC H W h e n i t c o me s t o k i c k i n g b a c k i n t h e d u n e s , t h e f i r s t o r d e r o fb u s i n e ss i s t o ma k e su r e y o u f i n d e n o u g h r o o m to s t r e t c h o u t . H o r se n e c k h a s a l lt h e b r e a th i n g r o o m y o u n e e d t o r e l a x , w i t h a l mo s t 6 0 0 a c r e s o f b a r r i e r b e a c h a n ds a l t m a r s h , p l u s tw o m i l e s o f so f t sa n d a t t h e w e s te r n e n d o f Bu z z a r d s Ba y . W h a tc o u l d be b e t t e r t h a n t h a t ? A m p l e p a r k i n g , of c o u r s e a n d y o u ' l l f i n d t h a t h e r e , t o o .RTE. SB, WESTPORT, 5 0 B- 6 3 6 - 8 B1 6 .B R U N C HAR T H U R & P AT 'S I t s i m p l y i sn ' t su m me r i n B r a n t R o c k w i t h o u t t h e sme l l o f c r a bc a k e s a n d e g g s a n d t h e e p i c b r u n c h l i n e s i t a t t r a c t s p o u r i n g f r o m A r t h u r .P a t ' s . A n d i t i s n ' t A r t h u r &. P a t ' s w i t h o u t A e r o s m i t h b l a r i n g t h r o u g h t h e s a l t y a i r ,w a i t r e s s e s i n t i e - d y e d s h i r t s s l a m m i n g g r o a n i n g p l a t e s o n t o t h e g r a n i t e t a b l e s ,o r r i d i c u l o u s c a r t o o n s i l l u s t r a t i n g t h e k i l l e r d a i l y s p e c i a l s : s h r i m p f l o r e n t i n eo m e l e t t e s , g l o r i o u s l y c r i s p y f r i e d c l a m s , a n d t h e a p t l y n a m e d " A r t i e ' s O r g a s m i cL o h s t e r R o l l . " 239 OCEAN ST., MARSHF1EL0, 7B1-8 34-9 755 . [continued on page 202J

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Best Ico Crea L i fo ! sweet in Du*bury. thanks tasno and peenut butter-fHOTOQX A Pit BY MAR LA SIVEENEY

C H E FMICH AELSCHLOW Being a great chefisn't just abou t respecting good ingredi-ents or cooking with passion. It's alsoabout being a good manag er and buildingrelationships with the guests you serve.Michael Schlow is all of the a bove, andmore. Willi three restaura nts in hisexpanding stable (Radius, Via Malta, andGreat Bay), Schlow may not be the m anwho personally prepares your dinner, buthe juggles each of his top-notch kitchenswith aplomb. Schlow understands theculinary parameters of his ventures betterthan anyonehe knows, for example, thatat R adius, less is more; that at Via Matta,cooking pasta is an art; and that at GreatBay, it's all about the bou nty of our localwaters, RAOIUS, a HIGH ST. BOSTON, 617-426-1234; GREAT BAY. 500 COMMONWEALTHAVE., BOSTON, 617 -53 2-5 300 ; VIA MATTA, 79PARK PLAZA , BOSTON, 617-422-D00B.CHEF, UP AND COMINGGABRIEL FRASCA, SPIRE After yearsof working with some of this city's best(Gordon llamersley, Michael Schlow,Seth Woods), it's Frasca's turn to soarat Spire, the resta urant at the Nine Zerohotel. And soar he does, with entrees likehis fresh pea soup, an earthy ode to sum-mer with a tinge of sauted pea shoo tsfor brightness and a sweet, nutiy crabdump ling for contrast. We hope m oreyoung chefs will follow Frasca's lead.90 TREMONT ST, BOSTON, E17-7 72-020 2.C L A M C H O W D E RTURNER FISHERIES Chowder, that mosttraditio nal of New England foods, couldnever be invented today. Leaving asidethe Ma nhattanite abom ination, a goodchowder, with its base of sail pork andheavy cream, is a lest of will to m odern-day dielers. Turner Fisheries serves themost testing chowder of all. The brothis aromatic and Quid, not gagged withflour. Inste ad, it's dense w ith clams thattaste freshly shucked anil even sport theodd peppering of sand, while the season-ing is delicate enough to let the flavor ofthe shellfish come through. This is soupfor a New Knglandcr's soul. 10 HUNTING-TON AVE., BOSTON, 617-424-7425.

G R O U P D I N I N GOLIVES It wasn't long ago that even par-ties of two were forced to wait in the long1 4 0 . B O S T O N . A U G U S T 2 Q 0 4 FOR THE BEST OF BOSTON INDEX, SEEPAGE 334.


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BEST SEAFOOD RESTAURANT, Af fo rdab leTiame Lstaurantf i th o r w i th ou t a name, i t ' s eas i ly thef r e s h e s t a f f o r d a b l e f i s h shanty i n t o w n .P H O T O G R A P H B Y S M R I


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line that formed n ightly outside Olives.These days, with a new reservations pol-icy, gettin g in is a snap ; even large grou pscan be accommodatedat either the com-munal table in the main dining room orin the private room out back. The notori-ously hearty dishe s make for easy sharin g.And the affable servers, who know th efood and wine menus inside and out. canhelp your group navigate from lorte/liof butternut squash pasta to crispy duckI'orange to vanilla bean souffle. 10 CITYSQUARE, CHARLESTOWN, 617-242-1999.GROUP DINING, AFFORDABLEPEKINGTOM'S LONGTANG LOUNGE Itmay sound tacky on paper, but in person.Peking Tom's is deliciotisly campy and

Ou r special tonight: un limitedUR

cool. With colorfully ironic splashesof Asian pop cultu re, delightful retrotinges, and plenty of room for lounging,this hidden Downtown Crossing desti-nation with its highly competent serviceis perfect for parties of 2,12, or 20. Themen u relies on a perfect balan ce ofsweet and sour, fried and juicy, meatyand d elicate. Just rememberdon't over-load on kumquat majitos before digginginto the crispy sweet-chili squid ororange and tamarind-glazed spareribs.25 KINGSTON ST., BOSTON, 617-482-6282.LATE-NIGHT DININGGINZA RESTAURANT Bright lights, bigsushi . These are Ginza's tra de ma rk s-even after Boston's bed time. This China-

I t IThe Best of Boston 2004 (EATING)

town mainstay is open until J- a.m. onHie weekends, luring hungry night owlswith plentiful portions and a frenetictable-hopping scene. Behind the sushibar. chefs meticulously h and roll cater-pillar and scorpion nuiki, while petitewaitresses glide around in decorativeblack robes. The extensive menu listssashimi, rice soups, noodles, and tem-puras along with a well-chosen selectionof beer and wine. For the ultimateJapanese sampler, try the Ginza Cruise.1G HUDS ON ST.,BOSTON, E17-33B-2261.PIZZA, GOURMETEMMA'S The supe r-thin crust that fliesout of Emmas kitchen is addictive in itsown right. Add to that such innovativecombinations as Canadian bacon,caramelized onions, and rosema ry sauce,or a seallion, garlic, and go rgonzo la mix.The restaurant may have jus t changedhands, but nearly everything else aboutit has stayed the sameright down to the la carte toppings (three kinds of toma-toes, sweet and gold potatoes, capers, evendried cranberries). Friendly service (thewaiters offer detailed reheating instruc-tions) roun ds out th e experience. 40 HAMP-SHIRE ST., CAMBRIDGE, 617-B64-B534.PIZZA, TRADITIONALPIZZA 06GI Let the gourmets pile ontheir trendy precious toppings; the bestserious classic pizza is the kind that getsthe basics right. This barely decoratedbrick storefront in Jamaica Plain hasits thin, simple pizzas down to a science:They're doused w ith herbed olive oil andscattered with cornuieal, then slatheredin a tom ato sauce that's tangy a ndslightly smoky. The crowning mozzarellastart s out blistering hot, then cools toa smooth, gooey sweetness. If you reallywant it, you can get a version decked outwith spicy sausage and such, but withflavor as pure as this, why bother? B PER-KINS ST., JAMAICA PLAIN, E17-971-9797.RESTAURANT, AL FRESCOOLEANA Boston has no sho rtage of out-door dining options, but for our money,none is as transporting as the backyardterra ce at Olea na. It's a fairyland of floraan d faunaswags of crawling greendrap ed over wooden trellises, fruit tree sburgeoning with ripe fruit, flowersof every variety waving in the sum mer

FOR THE BES T OF BOSTON INDEX. SEE PAGE 334. A U G U S T 2 0 G 4 . B O S T O N . 1 4 3


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* BEST CHEF, Pa stryi t t - , pastry / - *no. 9 parkFristen D. Murrav Iess.erts by Kr isten D. M ur ra yare a bo ld ba lance o f swee t and s avory

P H O T O G R A P H BY H E A T H R O B B I N S


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A-BEST BURGER.tirrfs-bar & dten de r, and addict iv e, T im'sbu r ge rs have pa t rons f i re d up .P H O T O G R A P H B Y J A S O N G R O W


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The Best of Boston 2004 (EATING)

Local FlavorN E I G H B O R H O O D R E S T A U R A N T . A L L S T O NBIG CITY If a n e i g h b o r h o o d r e s t a u r a n t ' s f i r s t o b l i g a t i o n is to g e n u i n e l y r e f l e c t i t ss e t t i n g , Big Ci ty i s a h i g h - s h i n e m i r r o r , t a k i n g A l l s t o n ' s c o l l e g i a t e c u l t u r e andr e f i n i n g it by a n o t c h or two. S u r e , t h e r e ' s p l e n t y of b e e r o n e of the c i t y ' s bes ts e l e c t i o n s , in f a c t b u t i t ' s h a n d c r a f t e d an d f r o m e v e r y c o r n e r of the g l o b e . Andw h i l e p i z z a and f i nge r f oods re i gn s u p rem e , t hey c om e in s u c h n e o - g o u r m e t r e n d i -t i o n s as s p i n a c h - a r t i c h o k e dip and M e d i t e r r a n e a n n a c h o s w i t h b a l s a m i c t o m a t o e s .133 BRIGHTON AVE., ALLSTON, 617-7B2-2020 .BACK BAYS T E P H A N I E ' S ON NEWBURY W h e n b r o w s i n g the s h o p s on N e w b u r y S t r e e t l e a v e sy ou pec k i s h , pop i n to th is Back Bay m ai ns t ay , s t i l l s e rv i ng re l i ab l y t as t y d res s ed -u p c o m f o r t f o o d a f t e r ID y e a r s in b u s i n e s s . S n a g a s e a t at a s i d e w a l k t a b l e andw a t c h the w o r l d a m b l e by as you di g i n t o the s a t i s f y i n g l y m e s s y C u b a n s a n d w i c h( r o a s t e d p o r k , ham, p i c k l e s , and S w i s s ) or the s i m p l e and c l a s s ic l o b s t e r r o l l .A t b r u n c h , th e c r e a m y c r a b c a k e B e n e d i c t w i t h j a l a p e o h o l l a n d a i s e is r e a s o ne n o u g h to l i n g e r . 190 NEWBURY ST., BOSTON, E17-236-0990 . [continued on page 20H\

so succulent that extra sauce and gar-nishes are superfluous. Equally note-worthy is the care taken here with sidedishes, including frosted sweet-potatobiscuits, homemade baked beans, andhand-cut fries. 309 BENNINGTON ST EASTBOSTON, 617-563-7427.RESTAURANT, CHINESEPEACH FARM Cheek the specials beforeordering at Peach Kannthe seafood isalways right from the tank, the clams inblack bean sauce taste fresh from the sea,and the lobster with ginger and scallionsis the stuff Cantonese dream s are m adeof. If you don't like seafood, the braisedchicken hotpot, at once complex andsoothing, is a gem. The a tmosphereis bustling, and the service keeps pacenicely. 4TYLER ST., BOSTON, 617-482-1116.RESTAURANT, FRENCHSEL DE LATERRE Afineehareuterie mayno t he the only mark of jus t how Frencha restaurant is, but sampling its goodsis without a doubt one of the most mag-nifique ways to kick off a meal. Chef GeoffGardner's meats are outstandingcom -plex and intensely flavorfulas ar e hispetit goter of imported olives and lus-cious vegetable spreads and Ins baked goatcheese. The rest of Sel de la 'Ierre sports athick French accent, loo. from the modernProvencal decor to the dense wine list tothe fragrant bouillabaisse to the attachedboulangeriea must-stop for take-awaytreats from Michael Rhoads's bakery.255 STATE ST., BOSTON, 617-720-1300.RESTAURANT, FRENCH, AFFORDABLECRAIGIE STREET BISTROT Midden inthe quiet, tweedy folds of residentialCambridge, this neighborhood restaurantis part exquisite cuisine, part deliciouslocal fare, and all parts homage to trueFrench bistro culture. Entering the inti-mate, family-owned spot, with its cozyfurniture and w arm colors, is like walkinginto a well-loved (a nd well-populated)living room. Hut the extremely well-priced menu is anything but predictable.Chef Tony Maws k eeps it fluid with hisimprovisations (Exhibit A: the redchile-marinated prime hangar steak withsultry roasted bone marrow) and an ebban d How of local produce so fresh, allMontm artre would be impressed. 5CRAIGIE CIRCLE, CAMBRIDGE, 6 1 7 - 4 9 7 - 5 5 1 1 .

FOR THE BEST OF BOSTON INDEX , SEE PAGE 334. A U G U S T 2 0 Q 4 . B O S T O N . 1 4 7


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he Best of Boston 2004 (EATING)

B R U N C HJ O HN NY ' S L UNC HE ONE TT E L o n g a l o c a l f a v o r i t e , b r u n c h a t J o h n n y ' s i s w o r t h th ew a i t o n t h e w e e k e n d s e s p e c i a l l y w i t h k i d s in t o w . T h e b o i s t e r o u s a t m o s p h e r e ,c h i l d - f r i e n d l y m e n u , a n d v i b r a n t r e t r o d e c o r w o u l d b e w o r t h a s t o p e v e n w i t h o u tt h e i n c r e d i b l e f o o d . O u r f a v o r i t e s : t h e o u t s t a n d i n g c r u n c h y F r e n c h t o a s t , g e n e r -o u s ly s i z ed o m e l e t s , a n d J o h n n y ' s p o r r i d g e , a c r e a m y c o n c o c t i o n t o p p e d w i t h d r i e dc r a n b e r r i e s . P r o m p t s e r v i c e a n d , i f y o u s t i l l h a v e r o o m , t h e f r a p p e s e n s u r eth a t no one leav es un sa t i s f i e d . 30 LANGLEY RD., NEWTON CENTRE, 617-527-3223 .C L O T H I N G , C H I L D R E N ' SPETIT PATAPON P e t i t P a ta p o n c l o th e s l o o k g r e a t , f e e l e v e n b e t t e r , a n d a r e b u i l tt o l a s t . F r o m s u m m e r y b a t i k s u n d r e s s e s f o r t o d d l e r s to c oo l , s p o r t y b e a c h w e a rf o r f i v e - y e a r - o l d s , P e t i t P a t a p o n ' s c o l l e c t i o n s a r e j u s t t h e k i n d o f f r i p p e r i e s a kidn e e d s : p l a y f u l , bu t no t p r e t en t io us . 25 CENTRAL ST.. WELLESLEY, 781-235-89 09 .C L O T H I N G , M E N ' SMR . SID Some men say they ha te to shop . They 'd change the i r minds a t Mr . S i d , w h e r ean exceptional selection of fine menswearfrom around the [continuedon page 213]

Clever , de l ic ious, and incredibly f ro t h dai lyn ok e O i s h i i a g r e a t r a w d e a l , P H O T O a R A P H S I C H AR L E S S A U T H I E R

RESTAURANT, GENERAL EXCELLENCECLIO For those times in life when youhave been very, very good, there's Clio-proof that fine dining doesn't have to bestuffy, a nd lux ury does n't hav e to bepredictable. Credit goes foremost tochef Ken Oringer. who flies in his ing redi-ents from every corner of the earth forpalate-challenging dishes like cassoletteof lobster and sea urchin with yu~u an dJapanese pepper. Ori tiger's graceful,gutsy cuisine may tend toward theerud ite, but it always goes down easy.Equally captivating is Clio's dining room,a mix of finery (gleaming crystal) andfabulousness (the leopard print rug).With great service and a superlative winelist. Clio is the truest kind of reward:not an experience you have often, butone worth waiting for. 370 COMMON-WEALTH AVE., BOSTON, 617-536-7200.RESTAURANT, GREEKMEZ ESTIATORIO For a taste of Greecethat goes beyond gyros and souvlaki,hike over to the Charlestown restaurantthat brings new elegance to local Greekdining. Mez's vertically stacked hari-atiki, for example, creates a new formfor the classic Greek salad with freshfeta, sweet pe ppers, and crunchy cucum-ber. The kukavia, a smoky saffron-lomato-lobster broth, is a bounty ofseafood topped with a croustade to sopup any rem aining soup. And Mez'snamesakessmall dishes of tasty appe-tizers alongside incredibly fresh breadan d hummusare so hearty they're prac-tically main dishes in themselves. 100CITY SQUARE, CHARLESTOWN, 617-242-6393.RESTAURANT, IRISHMATT MURPHY'S PUB We're constantlyamazed at the lack of authentic Irishcuisine in this m ost Irish of citiesandconstantly grateful for the fare at thislirookline expat oa sis. We're talkingsteam ing fish and chips ac companied by-spicy homemade ketchup and shepherd'spie with stewed lamb. Come early, sincenightly jazz and rock bands and acontentious trivia night draw crowds.14 HARVARDST., BROOKLINE. 617-232-0188.RESTAURANT. ITALIANTEATRO Beautiful people and aut he nticItalian fooda combination for the ages,and a constant at [conti/medon page 1f)2|

1 4 8 . B O S T O N . A U G U S T 2 0 0 4 FOR THE BEST OF BOSTON INOEX, SEE PAGE 334.


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'A-BEST BAKERY, Breadbread &. b u t t e r baking co.Even a rd en t A tk ins d i sc ip les l ove th i s bak e ry ' sc r u s t y b a g u e t t e s a n d m u l t i - g r a i n l o a v e s .P H O T O G R A P H B Y J O S H U A O A I


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The Best ofBoston 2004

A C C E S S O R I E SLOUIS BOSTON W hoever mad e the word"accessory" synonymous with second-liddle statu s never saw the way a straplessclutch can transform a dull getup into a.sharp ensemble. It's no small considera-tion, then, that Louis Boston stocks themost exquisite selection of top-rankingaccessories in town. Here you'll find rarevintage 1940s purses, exotic M arni keychains, hip-slung Dries Van Noten leatherbeltsin short, everything you need tomake first-place style second na ture .234 BERKELEY ST., BOSTON, 617 -262 -61 00.

A C C E S S O R I E S , BABYTHE RED WAGON A favorite with BeaconHill pram-pushers, the Red Wagon is

where m oms in the know pad their kids'closets with such finery as Lilly Pulitzerpolo shirts, miniature grosgrain-ribbonbelts, and lobster-motif sweaters th atbear the store's own label. And just pastthe ladybug rain boots and w ide selec-tion of French-label shoes, you'll finda selection of embroidered onesies,booties, and blan kets . 69 CHARLES ST,BOSTON, 617-52 3-94 02.A R T S U P P L I E STHE ART STORE From its crea tive w ork-shops and tattooed employees to the epiccollection of papers, every inch of theArt Store inspires creativity. The meticu-lously organized settin g is the perfectplace to lose track of time as you me an-

der through wide aisles neatly packedwith everything from standard paints,brushes, canvases, frames, journals,gifts, scrapbooks, and wrapping paper .Wh ether you're in the market for profes-sional art supp lies, a photo album , orrainy day children's games, the A rt Storeis the place to find your inner Degas.40 1 PARK DR., BOSTON, 617-247-3322.B I K E SATA CYCLE The expe rt bicyclists who dou-ble as the sale s staff of ATA not only loveto riile, they love to ride what they sell: awide selection of bikes, accessories, andparts ranging from recreational hybridsto top-of-tlie line racing models. A fam-ily business, the full-service store will

B e s t D ressed: HimC L O T H I N G , M E N ' S C A S U A LA L L S T O N BEAT A l l o t on B ea t ' s s a les m en a re as s e r i ou s abou t den i m as j ew e l e rs a reabo ut d iamond s , eager ly schoo l ing cus to me rs in the subt le t ies o f cu t , co lor , and de-fec ts ( in th is case in ten t ion a l , and li ke ly to cos t ex t r a) in i t s ex tens ive inventory o fc u l t - b r a n d j e a n s . T ha t , p l u s u n i qu e re t ro bu t t on -dow ns , T -s h i r t s , and s ne ak e r s -i t ' s enoug h to make even the mas t harde ned h ip s ter fo rg ive the p lace fo r s tock ingso many Von Du tch t ru ck er ha ts. 348 NEWBURY ST., BOSTON, 617 -421 -9555 .C L O T H I N G , M E N ' S S O P H I S T I C A T E DS E A N T he i nv en t o ry a t t h i s new ou t pos t o f t he t i ny , m u c h -hy ped S ean c ha i nc o n s i s t s e x c lu s i v e ly o f i t e m s c r e a t e d b y u p - a n d - c o m i n g P a r i s i a n d e s i g n e rEmi le L a f a u r i e , w hos e f ans hav e d raw n c om par i s ons t o P au l S m i t h and ay ou ng R a l ph Lau ren . H is l i ne has a ls o been l ik ene d t o the G a p ' s , bu t t h a tr e f e r e n c e p e r t a i n s m o s t ly t o t h e s u r p r i s i n g l y m o d e s t p r i c e s on L a f a u r i e ' sc h i c p a i n t e r ' s c o a t s , v i b r a n t p o p l i n s h i r t s , a n d s l i m - c u t s u i t s , w h i c h a r es o l d as s ep a ra t e s t o m ak e f i nd i ng t he r i g h t s i z e e a s i e r w h a t a c onc ep t ! and a l l c om e i n u nde r S 5 0 0 . 154 NEWBURY ST., BOSTON. 617-399-3993.S H O E S , M E N ' SL O U I S B O S T O N L o u i s c a r r i e s a s e l e c ti o n o f p r a c t i c a l f o o t w e a r s u i t a b l ef o r a l m os t any t h i ng p rop p i ng on t he c o rn e r o f a m ahog any des k , pu m p-i ng t he c l u t c h o f a s pank i ng new M a y b a c h , o r s k i pp i ng o f f t o I b i z af a r a w eek en d o f c l u bb i n g . S om e a f t he b r a n d s , l i k e P rada and P u m a,y ou ' l l r ec ogn i z e ; o t he rs , l i k e K i t on and V as s ( t hey ' r e handm ade i nB u da pes t ) , y ou p robab l y w on ' t . E v e ry s ty l e w i l l t u rn he ads as s u re l yas a bes pok e I t a l i an s u i t o r c om e l y c om pan i on . 23 4 BERKELEY ST.,B O S T O N , 6 1 7 - 2 6 2 - D 1 D 0 . B PHOTOGRAPH BY BRIAN WILDER1 5 0 . B O S T O N . A U G U S T 2 0 0 4 FORT HE BEST OF BOSTON INDEX, SEE PAGE 334.


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T

BEST F U R N I T U R E ,C o n t e m p o r a r yuontemporarymontages l e e k i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o l le c t io n +*Jmakes Montagethe p innac le of i n t e r i o r s h o p sP H O T O G R A P H B Y K E L L E R A N D K E L L E R


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m*BESTARTS U P P L IE Sthe acts t o r iF ind yo ur inn e r Degasin the a is les o f p ro t rac to rs ,pa in ts , pap ers , and pen ci ls .

P H O T O G R A P H BYC H R I S T O P H E R C H U R C H I L LI

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*v. iT


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'BEST MAKEUPthe beauty markhe r a re com b ina t ion o f cu l t products *and persona l a t te n t io n is a th ing o f t r u e beauty .


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e lest of Boston 2004 (SHOPP ING)

insta nt pho to for you to share w ithfriends. That level of service may bewhy musician s known for their eye-wearKay Hanley of Letters to G e o ,for instance, and Aaron I'errino of th eSheila Divineare loyal custo mers . Newglasses won't make you into a rock star,but the attention lavished on you heremight make you feel like one. 12 ELIOTST., CAMBRIDGE, 617-354 -3303 ; 59 CLAREN-DON ST., BOSTON, 617-542-9600.GIFTSFLAT OF THE HlLLSearehing for the per-fect gift can be a choreunless you'reat Flat of the Hill. This cute sh op s tocksonly things that are in style (providing,of course , that they 're also tasteful), sobuyers can rest assured their money willbe well spe nt. The p lace is filled with

everything from Oscar de la lienta can-dles and Tusk wallets to Lauren Merkinleather clutches and high-heeled flip-flops. There's also a special section withpresents for brides-to-be. The only catchis a welcome one: You'll likely walk awaywith a gift for yourself, too. BOCHARLESST., BOSTON, 617-619-9977.LINGERIELINGERIE STUDIO Dro p int o th is ligh t-filled, low-key Newbury Street lingerieshop, and you'll find women siftingthrough the hangers wi th two hands,both arm s full of merch andise . Tobesure, it's difficult no t to touch thesmooth, fine cotton, and intricate lacefrom lines includingCosabella, Hanro,Ariann e, Eberjey, Pjam a, and Au bade. Inaddition to the standard undergarments.

there's a healthy selection of robes, p aja-mas, and bridal lingerie. And for moreeveryday unde rlhing s, the well-editedinventory spo rts everything from lacypurple un derwe ar sets and silky night-gowns to the perfect T-shirt braall aspractical as they are feminine. 264 NEW-BURY ST., BOSTON, 617-437-0700.MAKEUPTHE BEAUTY MARK This sunny shop hashit the ma rk by assemb ling a rare collec-tion of cult favorites (Molton Brown,Wink, T. Ledere, TINle). all in a rainbowof colors and sha des. What's more, theoutgoing staff helps guide you to goodsthat m atch your skin tone and typeexactly, which is a thing of true beauty.33 CHARLES ST., BOSTON, 617 -72 0-1 555 .MUSIC, NEWNEWBURY COMICS When was the lasttime you saw a CI) for un der $10? New-bury Comics regularly prices select newreleases under 10 bucks and dozens moreunder $12. Add that to a terrific selectionof music by local artists, regular in-storeappearan ces by ban ds, and hard-to-findimpo rts and singles, and it's easy to seewhy this is the music sto re of choice forarea aficionados. The newly expa ndedNewbu ry Street flagship now has evenmore Space for DVDs, T-shirts, kitschyaction figures, and (of course) com ics.332 NEWBURY ST., BOSTON, 617-236-4930.MUSIC, USEDLOONEY TUNES The reduced productioncosts of the digital age and t he con cur-rent scouring of record-company vaultshave given fledgling artis ts new opp ortu-ni ties and unearthed many a treasure.But they have also left the s helves ofused-CD store s flooded with old Ham merCDs. Not th e bins at Looney Tunes. Whatthis store lacks in quan tity it makes u pfor with a collection that could only havebeen assembled by cognoscenti . Theprices are great, and the store holds ontojust the right degree of funkinessoldvinyl, posters, and cassettes ar e every-where to make sure you'll find a gem.1106 BOYLSTON ST., BOSTON, 6 1 7 -2 4 7 -2 2 3 8 .

PARTY DRESSESWISH Call it Wish fulfillment: Wh en theoccasion calls for cocktail attire, this sh ophas the answers. Wish stocks Shoshanna1 5 4 . B O S T O N . A U G U S T 2 0 0 4 FOR THE BEST OF BOSTON INDEX, SEE PAGE 334.


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he Best of Boston 2001 (SHOPPING)do tune-ups or dole out maintenanceadvice just as happily as it will sell youa new set of wheels. 1773 MASSACHU-SETTS AVE., C AMBRIDGE, 617-354-0907.BOOKSBROOKLINE BOOKSMITH Everythingfrom the aroma of newly bound b ooksdown to the creaky wooden floor makesBrookline Uooksmith a cherished localinstitution. Its extensive selectionranges from bestsellers to children'sbooks and even greeting cards andfunky gifts. It has a friendly, approach-able staff and hosts great author read-ings in i ts used-book basement andacross the street at the Coolidge CornerTheatre . I t's a stomp ing ground for aca-demies, aisle browsers, and researchersan d (fulland prouddisclosure) apart ner with this magazine's book club.279 HARVARD ST., BROOKLINE, 617-566-6660.BOOKS, CHILDREN'SBAREFOOT BOOKS Imag ine, if you w ill,a philosophy built of peace, love, andunderstandingbut instead of obsolete,

ever-groovy libertarianism. it has under-pinnings of discipline, education, andenviable creativity. Thai's th e storybehind the stories on the shelves of Bare-foot Books, the int ernation ally recog-nized publishing company and retailer,where you'll lind WeAt! Went on Safarian d Thesaurus Rex. Good luck findingany book here that isn't smart, funny,and gorgeously illustrated. BarefootBooks targets kids' imagination s w ithtexts that open their minds to th eworldno tie-dye requ ired. 1771 MASSA-CHUSETTS AVE., CAMBRIDGE, 617-349-1610.CLOTHING, CONSIGNMENTTHE CLOSETYou'll need to w ork tounearth the gems at this tightly packedconsignm ent st ore. But i t's worth theeffort. The Closet has racks of cashmereswe aters, leath er jackets. Lilly Pulitzerpants , and Gucci blousons. along w ithan excellent selection of designer sho esfrom Chanel, I'rada, and S tuart Weitz-nian. That, plus the substantial men'ssection and well-organized collection .of quality handbags and belts, make the

Closet an effective nexus betw een theprevious own ers' closet and your own.175 NEWBURY ST., BOSTON , 617-536-1919.CLOTHING, VINTAGEOONA'S Given fashion's curre nt obses-sion with the past, the vintage store is atthe forefront of style. Oona's, jus t ou tsideHarvard Sq uare, has us swooning overvintage leather jackets, dresses from the1960s, and unique jewelry and bags. Withreasonable prices, a large men's selection,and an a mple inventory, Oona's has thevintage pieces you need to create a lime-less style all you r ow n. 1210 MASSACHU-SETTS AVE., CAMBRIDGE, 617-491 -2654.E Y E G L A S S E SEYE 0 OPTICAL It's always the questionwhen buying glassesstick to the tried-and-tru e or dare for a new look? Kye Qnot only has some of the trendiest newframes, they'll make it easier to takechances with a one-month, no-questions-asked e xchange policy. To help youchoose, the members of the sales staffwill offer their opinions and lake an

est Dressed: HerC L O T H I N G , W O M E N ' S C A S U A LHOLIDAY H o w f i t t i n g t h a t the n a m e of t h i s j e w e l - b o x b o u t i q u e b r i n g s to m i n ds o m e t h i n g y o u a n t i c i p a t e al l year . A t r i p to H o l i d a y i n d e e d o f f e r s e x c i t i n g t r e a t s :r u f f l e d s k i r t s , s a t i n s k i r t s , a n d b u t t e r y k n i t s f r o m top d e s i g n e r s s u c h as TracyR e e se a n d M in t . S t e p i n s i d e a n d y o u f e e l l i k e y o u ' r e p e e k in g i n t o a f a s h i o n e d i t o r ' sc l o s e t ; the c a r e f u l l y c u l l e d se l e c t i o n a lwa y s s t a y s one s t e p a h e a d of the s t y l e p a c k .127 CHARLES ST., BOSTO N. 617 -973 -9730 .C L O T H I N G , W O M E N ' S S O P H I S T I C A T E DSEREN EL L A No one knows how to d r e s s a wo m a n w i t h m o r e so p h i s t i c a t i o nt h a n th e I t a l i a n s . T h a t ' s wh y t h i s N e w b ur y S t r e e t b o u t i q u e , wh i c h s t o c k sthe best of I t a l y ' s l a b e l s f r o m M o sc h in o to B l u m a r i n e , is t h e f i r s t s t o pf o r w o m e n w h o w a n t to we a r t h e i r c l o t h e s w i t h s t y l e . T h e c o l o r f u ld r e s s e s , e x p e r t l y t a i l o r e d s u i t s , a n d o n e - o f - a - k i n d b l o u s e s a r e ,i n the t r ue I t a l i a n se n se , i n v e s t m e n t p i e c e s , a n d the g r a c e f u ls t a f f k n o w s j us t h o w to se le c t t h e p e r f e c t g a r m e n t to b e g i n o re nh a nc e -a wa rd r ob e . 134 NEWBURY ST., BOSTON, 617 -262 -5566 .S H O E S , W O M E N ' SSAKS F IFTH AVENUE F ind ing th e per fec t so le mate can be t ou gh , but these le c t i o n at Saks wi l l keep you on su r e f o o t i n g . L ike works of ar t d isp layedo n p e d e s t a l s , th e r a n g e of c o u t u r e s t y le s m a k e s t h i s d e s t i n a t i o n a r e g u l a rs t o p a m o n g f a sh io n a d d i c t s fo r de l ica te J immy Choos . t r op i c a l -hu ed Pr a d as l i ngs , and Tods f la ts . 900 BOYLSTON ST., BOSTON. 617 -262 -8500 . B

PHOTOGRAPH BY BRIAN WILDER

J| (.

%

FOR TH E BEST OF BOSTON I N D E X . SEE PAGE 334. A U G U S T 2 0 0 4 . B O S T O N . 1 5 3


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The Best of Boston 2004 (SHOPPING)

*HomeSwee tHomeA C C E S S O R I E S , H O M EGOOD From the moment you wa lk upt h e n a r r o w s t a i r w a y , yo u s e n s es o m e t h i n g u n i q u e a b o u t t h i s c h i ci n t e r i o r d e s i g n b o u t i q u e . T h e c o l l e c -t i o n i s d e f i n e d b y r a r e v i n ta g e g l a ssv a se s f r o m D e n ma r k , r i c h Be l g i u ml i n e n s , a n d c a s h m e r e t h r o w s f r o mS c a n d i n a v i a . E a c h p i e c e f e e l s h a n d -p i c k e d w i t h d e l i b e r a t i o n , r a t h e r t h a np a r t o f a c l u t t e r e d c o n s o r t i u m o fi d e a s . An d l i t t l e su r p r i se s , l i k e a l i n e nd r e s s o r a l e a th e r h a n d b a g , ma k ee a c h v i s i t a G o o d r e a so n t o sp l u r g e .8B CHARLES ST., BOSTON. 617-7 22- 920 0.B A T H S U P P L I E SW AT E R W O R K S E sse n t i a l l y o sh r i n e t oa l l t h i n g s b a t h - r e l a t e d . W a t e r w o r k ss to c k s h a n d c u t c r y s ta l s i n k a c c e s -s o r i e s , r e f r e s h i n g g r a p e f r u i t a n d g i n -g e r so a p s , se d u c t i v e l y q u i l t e d r o b e s ,a n d c h r o me fa u c e t sp o u ts so sh i n yy o u c a n se e y o u r se l f i n t h e r e f l e c t i o n .W i t h e v e r y t h i n g f rom c a s t - i r o n c l a w -fo o t t u b s t o ma t t e n i c k e l t o i l e t - p a p e rh o l d e r s , i t ' s l i t t l e w o n d e r t h i s t e mp l eof c l e a n c a l l s i t s t e mp t i n g c o n te n t s" j e w e l r y fo r t h e b a t h . " 103 NEWBURYST., BOSTON, 617 - 267 - 2511 ; BOSTONDESIGN CENTER, ONE DESIGN CENTERPLACE, BOSTON, 617-951-2496.F U R N I T U R E , A N T I Q U EROOM WITH A VIEUXT he b r i g h t e s ts ta r i n t h e c o n s te l l a t i o n o f C h a r l e sS t r e e t a n t i q u e d e a l e r s , R o o m W i thA Vieux sp e c i a l i z e s i n F r e n c h p i e c e sp icked by owner Je f f D iamond onmo n th l y p i l g r i ma g e s t o F r a n c e . T h ep ieces themse lves, wh i l e who l l y i n te r -na t iona l i n s ty le , a re f i ne l y tuned tothe demands o f Boston buyers . 20CHARLES ST., BOSTON, 617-973-6600.F U R N I T U R E , C O N T E M P O R A R YMONTAGE I f cou tu re decor i s fash ionfo r the home, then Montage i s theG u c c i o f i n t e r i o r sh o p s . S to r e o w n e r sChris and L iz [continued on page 2 2 4 ]

seersucker A-line dresses, Tibi strap lessthreads, llirty Rebecca Taylor frocks, an dMilly minis, plus an exquisite selectionof accessories, including clutches, jewels,and ea rrings. Which me ans your outfitcan be complete from head to loe bythe time you walk out of the store.49 CHARLES ST., BOSTON, 61 7-227 -444 1.R U N N I N G G E A RMARATHON SPORTS From the crowdswho cheer on marathoners to the city-dwellers who do bridge loops along theCharles, Boston is a runner's city. Andno place helps locals log the miles likeMarathon Sports. Marathon has thelargest selection of shoes from Adidas,New Balance, and Nike, and an all-starstaff that will pick out just the pair youneed. Throw in a great selection ofsports bras, wickingshirts, shorts in any

length, and information on local races,and you have everything you need to ge tm o v i n g . 67 1 BOYLSTON ST., BOSTON, 617-267-4774; 1654 MASSACHUSETTS AVE., CAM-BRIDGE, 617-354-4161; 1638 BEACON ST.,BROOKUNE, 61 7-735-9373; 255 WASHINGTONST., WELLESLEY, 7B1 -237-0771.S K I SBOB SMITH'S WILDERNESS HOUSEFor many Bo stonians, sum me r is asavored moment wedged between thebrutal bookends of the New Englandwinter. For skiers, it's an Interruption.They're already dream ing of the firstsnowstorm . Bob Smith's WildernessHouse caters to these peoplenovicesand experts alikebecause the stafffeels the ir pain . Vlkl, Salomon, Rossig-nol: The employees he re know them alland can discuss \ continued on page 222\

>Best Books, Chi ldren's: BAREFOOT BOOKS. Where imag ina t ion and persona lexpression are the rea l s to ry , PHOTOGRAPH BY JRG METER

FORT HE BEST OF BOSTON INDEX, SEE PAGE 334. A U G U S T 2 0 0 4 . B O S T O N . 1 5 7


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Jhe Best of Boston 2004 (SHOPPlNl M

that Gl i t tersJ E W E L R Y , C L A S S I C5 H R E VE , C R U MP t. L O W N o t f o r n o th i n g h a s t h i s Bo s to n i n s t i t u t i o n b e e n a f a v o r i t ea mo n g o th e r Bo s to n i n s t i t u t i o n s ( I s a b e l l a S te w a r t G a r d n e r a n d T ed W i l l i a ms , f o rs t a r t e r s ) s i n c e i t o p e n e d i n 1 7 S S . T h e s to r e i s p a c k e d w i t h sa p p h i r e r i n g s a n d r u b yand d iamond neck laces tha t sh ine w i th a l l the qu ie t wa t tage o f a chande l ie r . Want tocut back on the bling? Go for any o f the e legan t diamond-encrusted p e a r l p e n d a n t s -heirlooms in the making, every last one. 330 BOYLSTON ST., BOSTON. 617-267-9100.J E W E L R Y , D E S I G N E RLUX BOND & GREEN When you r ge tup ca l l s fo r j ewe ls tha t a re more red ca rpe t th anred- tag sa le , Lux Bond & G r e e n h a s t h e f i x . An th o n y N a k ' s b r e a th ta k i n g l y b e a u t i f u l ,d e l i c a t e c h a n d e l i e r e a r r i n g s , n e c k l a c e s , a n d b r a c e l e t s a r e t h e s t a r s h e r e , b u t t h es t o r e ' s b u y e r s a r e c o n s t a n t l y s c o u t i n g fo r n e w d e s i g n e r s y e t t o a p p e a r i n f a sh i o nma g a z i n e s . Mo d e r n g e ms to n e n e c k l a c e s a n d o th e r p i e c e s b y D a v i d Yurman a n dMa rco Biceg o rou nd ou t the co l lec t io n. 416 BOYLSTON ST. , BOSTON, 617-266-4747. B

Int r ic ate gems by the likes ofAnthony flak fi l l the cases at Lux Bond & Green , PHOTOGRAPH BY VITO A L U I A

*GoodBusinessC AR S E R V I C E , B U S I N E S SC O M M O N W E A L T H W O R L D W I D E C H A U F -F E U R E D T R A N S P O R T A T IO N T h r e e r i n g s .T h a t ' s t h e l o n g e s t y o u ' l l w a i t f o r a na n s w e r w h e n y o u c a l l C o m m o n w e a l t hfo r a c a r . I t ma y se e m l i k e a sma l l t h i n g ,b u t i t ' s a p r o m i se t h a t ' s sy mb o l i c o f t h i sc o m p a n y ' s u n p a r a l l e l e d s e r v i c e , w h i c he x t e n d s t o i t s w e l l - d r e s s e d , a t t e n t i v e ,a n d p o l i t e d r i v e r s a s w e l l a s i t s s h o w -r o o m- n e w L i n c o l n T o w n C a r s a n d o th e rImmacula te v e h i c l e s . 250 EVERETT ST.,BRIGHTON, 617-787-5575 .C O U R I E RM A R A T H O N M E S S E N G E R F o r g e t t a x i s .M a r a t h o n ' s b ik e m e s s e n g e r s c r o s st h i s c i t y f a s t e s t . Z i p p i n g t h r o u g h t h es t r e e t s i n a b l u r o f c o l o r f u l t a t t o o s ,t h e s e w h e e l e r s w e a v e t h r o u g h t h eme t r o p o l i s i n s t e a l t h mo d e . I n f a c t , t h ese r v i c e i s so se a ml e ss , so me sa y t h e sem e s s e n g e r s a r e j u s t an u r b a n l e g e n d .N e x t t i m e a p a c k a g e m a t e r i a l i z e s i nf r o n t o f y o u a t a n a p p a r e n t l y i m p o s s i -b l e s p e e d , y o u ' l l k n o w o t h e r w i s e .101 TREMONT ST., BOSTON, 617-7 47-3 700.P O W E R B R E A K F A S TC A F F L E U R I B e f o r e i t r e o p e n e d a f t e rr e n o v a t i o n s a n d s ta r t e d se r v i n g o n l y d i n -ner , Aujourd'hui at the Fou r Seasons hada seeming ly unsha kab le ho ld on the t i t l e o fb e s t p o w e r b r e a k fa s t . N o w th a t h o n o r h a sbeen dec is i ve l y usu rped by Ca f F leu r i a sunny, cushy space a t the LanghamH o te l w h e r e e v e r y w e e k d a y mo r n i n g t h ee l i te now meet to ea t . F inanc ie rs , l awyers ,po l i t i cos , and every b igwig i n be tween f i l ein to ca rve up the un ive rse wh i le they ' rec a r v i n g u p t h e i r f ru i t -cove red w a f f l e sa n d Ma i n e l o b s te r a n d so f t sc r a mb l e de g g s . B r e a k f a s t o f c h a m p i o n s , i n d e e d .25D FRANKLIN ST., BOSTON, 617-451-1900.P O W E R L U N C HNO. 9 P AR K Ba r b a r a L y n c h ' s f a mo u sp r u n e - s t u f f e d g n o c c h i w i t h seared foieg r a s i s g e n e r a l l y e v e n i n g f a r e , b u t t h ec i t y ' s p o w e r c o r p s i n c r e a s i n g l y f i n d s i t sw a y t o h e r d o o r f o r l u n c h . S ta te H o u sepo l i t i c i ans and lobby is ts l ed the way, ando th e r s h a v e f o l l o w e d , t r a c i n g t h e sc e n t o fdea ls i n the makingand No. 9 's to ta l l yi r r e s i s t i b l e [continued on page 226]

1 5 8 . B O S T O N . A U G U S T 2 0 0 4 FORTHE BEST OF BOSTON INDEX, SEE PAGE 334.


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Ultra-speedy ancpo l i te serv ice m eanalways seamless de l ivery . -: P H O T O G R A P H BY M A R K O S T O W


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*BESTHAIRCOLORISTrogerplourde^ ^ I From sunl i t blondes t o l u s t r o u sreds , Plourde's co lors are sp ot on. J

W - f 7?

H JkuH


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The Best of Boston 2004 < < <

B A KE R YCOTTAGE STREET BAKERY This t iny bakery makes breads , sandw iches , and Euro-pean -s t y l e pas t r i es w o r t h s ea rc h i ng ou t p l u s u nbe l i ev ab l e m u f f i ns , p i es , and w e d -d i ng c ak es . B u t w ha t pu t s i t ov e r t he t op i s i t s ine l e gan t - s ou nd i n g "d i r t bom b , " ad e n se , i ndu l gen t b reak f as t pas t r y du s t ed w i t h c i nna m on and s u ga r . I t ' s a s w ee t w ayto ju m p -s ta rt any Cape Cod m or ni ng . 5 COTTAGE ST., ORLEANS, 5 0 8 - 2 5 5 - 2 B2 1 .B E A C HT R U R O B E A C H T h i s g o r g e o u s l y u n t a r n i s h e d w o r l d o f s w e e p i n g d u n e s a n d f r e s hA t l an t i c a i r i s abou t as i dy l l i c as na t u re ge t s . T ha t m ay s eem t o be t r u e o f m anyC a p e s h o r e l i n e s , b u t t h i s o n e s t a n d s o u t f r o m o t h e r s f o r i t s s p e c t a c u l a r a n d e n d -l e s s s t r e t c h e s o f p e r f e c t l y u n d i s t u r b e d w h i t e s a n d . W i t h na ry a t ou c h o f hu m ana r c h i t e c t u r e f o r m i l e s , t h i s s l ip of c o a s t a l s o p r o v i d e s a v i e w of t h e s u n r i s e t h a tapp roac hes t he s u b l i m e . R T E . 6, TRURO, 50B-4B7-6903. [continuedon page 2 3 6 ]

Owners Michae lMaclnty reand Robert Anderson. PHOTOGRAPH BY MIKE PERSsnN

DAY SPADARYL CHRISTOPHER SALON AND DAYSPA Every once in a while, a spa com esalong that hits an enviable note combin-ing flawless service, a soothing environ-ment, and extraordinaryand forward-thinkingtreatments. That's the /.one inwhich Daryl Christop her finds itself rightnow, thanks to a perfectionist staff whosepedicures are legendary, whose massagesare ethereal, and whose body polishes arerejuvenation Incarnate, Above the frenzyof the do wnstairs salon, the peacefulspa feels like it's nowhere near the city.For that matter, with organic treatmentslike an aromatherapy full-body wrap,it feels like it's nowhere n ear e arth .37 NEWBURY ST., BOSTON, 617-424-0250.DAY SPA, SPECIAL OCCASIONG SPA Is there anything worse than suf-fering through another boring bridal orbaby shower? Spare yourself by throw-ing a spa pa rty instead. C Spa's priva telounge is perfect for showers, b irthda yparties, and girl-power get-togethers.The white couches make a stylish settin gfor muscle-soothing massages and skin-brightening facials. Bring in a party ofsix or more for two treatm ents apiece,and you'll get exclusive use of the loungeand the swift work of the well-trainedstaff. Because if you have to shower yourfriends with gifts, you might as well getsomething for yourself, too. 35 NEWBURYST., BOSTON. 617-267-4772.DR Y CLE A NE RECOLUXE Name the stain (ketchu p, dirt,car oilwe tried it all); F.coltixe can get itout. Quickly, flawlessly, wi thout hu rtin ga liber of the fabric, and without usingmedically and environmentally harmfulcleaning products. With co nvenienthom e delivery and pickup service, plustai lor ing and alterat ions, Ucoluxe is notonly the next wave in clothing ca re; it 'sthe ultimate in clean living. ONE HAR-VARD ST., BROOKUNE. 617-566-4407; ONEBEACON ST., BOSTON, 617-227-676(1; 195DUDLEY ST., BOSTON, 617-9B9-0003; 400BROOKLINE AVE., BOSTON, 617-566-2855.

FOR THE BEST OF BOSTON INDEX, SEE P AGE 334. A U G U S T 2 0 0 4 . B O S T O N . 1 6 1


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he Best of Boston 2004 (SERVICE

Best of the IslandsC L A M S H A C K , M A R T H A ' S V I N E Y A R DG I OR DA N O'S R E S T A U R A N T Oe fo re you boa rd t he f e r r y i n Oak B l u f f s , m ake ti m e f o rone mo re tas te o f i s land l i v ing a t i t s greasy , sa l t y , sa t i s f y ing bes t : a cardb oa rd box fu l lo f G i o rdano ' s f r i e d c l am s . Hou s ed i n a no - f r i l l s w a l k -u p s t and ( t he re a re a c ou p l e o fp i c n i c t ab l es ou t s i de ) j u s t ac ro s s f r om t he F l y i ng Ho rs es c a rou s e l , G i o rdan o ' s f r i e st he c l am s i n a l i gh t ba t t e r u n t i l t hey ' r e c r i s py and s e rv es t hem w i t h f r e s h t a r t a r s a u c eand l em on w edges . You c ou l d o rd e r a s i de o f c ru nc hy , boa rd w a l k - s t y l e f r i e s , bu t l eav eroom i ns t ead t o s am p l e the s u pe r l a t i v e f r i ed o y s t e rs o r a l obs t e r r o l l . 107-109 CIRCUITAVE., OAK BLUFFS, 508 -693 -018 4.C L O T H I N G , W O M E N ' S , M A R T H A ' S V I N E Y A R DNE LL S o m any V i ney a rd bou t i qu es a re pac k ed to t he ra f t e r s w i t h p reppy i s land w ea r(p i nk and g reen po l os , P a l m B eac h -p r i n t s u nd res s es ga l o re ) , [continued on page 2\3]

Best Brunch , Nantucke t : BLACK-EYEO SU SAN 'S. Fine dining meets f inediner a nd even f in er pican te e ggs. PHOTOQRAPH BY MIKE PERSSON

EYEBROW SHA PINGJULIE MICHAUD, MICHAUD COSMEDIXMakeup ar t is t Julie Michaud's devoteesswear she can do more wond ers for theface than all the Botox injections inthe world. I ler em phas is: clean, gracefullines and a sense of subtle sha pe an dnatural coloring that can transformeven the least defined brows in to aes-thetic ares of perfection. 297 NEWBURYST., SUITE 21 , BOSTON, 617-262-1607.F A C I A LLAVINIA BORCAU No pore goes un-cleared, no blemish unbanished, nowrinkle uneased in the capable (nay,magic) hands of l.avinia Borcau. Herserene European skin-care salon is atemp le to all things epidermal , and hermeticulous facials have become thestuff of legend. Here, science and beautyunite as technology (epidermabrationan d glycolic acid) meets old-world tech-nique (from deep pore cleansing to seri-ous mo isturizing), making for skin asradiant as it is ravishing. 29 HARVARD ST.,BROOKUNE, 617-734-5523.F L O R I S TILEX DESIGNS There are floral bouquets,and then there is floral art. Ilex is in thelatter category, orchestra ting fields fullof fresh bloomsluminescent calla lilieswith orchids and fluffy peonies with fnll-petalcd, butter-hued French tulips. liventhe simplest of arrangements are mini-malist treasu res, such as one withmango -hued ga rden roses, glossy greenanthuriuni, and pale apricot hypericumberries. The staff, talented as it is, couldn'tbe more helpful or down to earth. Whenyou're handed your arrangement, youwon't know whether to put it on thedining room lable or in an exhibit case.73 BERKELEY ST., BOSTON, 617-422-0300.G Y MFITCORPLet's be clear: Gyms are nothealth clubs. They are not about water-cooler anlies and needless amenities;they are about sweating. Period. Andwith its slew of state-of-the-art equip-ment (strength-training machines, freeweights, treadmills, Stairmastcrs, bikes,and ellipticals), that's what l-'itcorp's Pru-dentia l Center flagship is about. There'salso a diverse mix of fitness classes andprograms, and a full-time fitness training

1 B 2 . B O S T O N . A U G U S T 2 0 0 4 FORTHE BEST OF BOSTON INDE X, SEE PAGE 334.


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BESTFLORIST

i U l L f ^ * l M l | j ^ l l l l i j mP H O T O G R A P H BY K E L L E R A N D K E L L E R


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BEST TAILORJordanthe ta i l o rNo matter howyou m e a s u r e i t , J o r d a n

akog lou has exper t ta i lo r ing a l l sewn up .P H U I U C i K A P H BY L E A H F A S T E N


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he Best of Boston 2004 (SERVICE)ProblemSolversA R T R E P A I RT R E F LE R t, S ON S T he 2 0 - p l u s a r t i s t semployed by th is l o w - p r o f i l e , 8 3 - y e a r -o l d , f a m i l y - o w n e d c o m p a n y r e p a i rs o m e 2 0 , 0 0 0 c r a c k e d , s h a t t e r e d ,f a d e d , w o r n , o r b u r n e d o b j e t s d ' a r tpe r y ea r f o r c l i en t s f r om a rou nd t hew o r l d . T he t a l en t ed g rou p c an f i x o rr e s t o r e j u s t a b o u t a n y t h i n g , f r o mf u r n i t u r e a n d p a i n t i n g s , f r a m e s a n dg l a ss , t o iv o ry , j ade , m e t a l s , and m a r -ble. No j ob i s t oo c ha l l eng i ng , no re pa i rt oo t r i v i a l . A nd w hen y ou r f av o r i t ep iece i s read y , i t w i l l sh ine as b r i l -l i an t l y as w hen i t w as c rea t ed .29TOWER R 0.. NEWTON, El 7-965 -338 B.S H O E R E P A I RA R E S S HOE R E P A I R A res has beenr e s o l i n g , r e h e e l i n g , a n d r e p o l i s h i n gB o s t o n ' s f i n e s t l e a t h e r s h o e s f o rm ore t han 70 y ea rs and w i l l t ak eex t ra s pe c i a l c a r e o f y ou rs . T he ex pe r tc obb l e rs i n t he c oz y bas em en t s t o r e -f r on t a re a s e r i ou s bu t l i k eab l e bu nc hw ho eac h hav e y ea rs o f t r a i n i ngbeh i nd t he i r k now l edge o f t he c ra f t .T ha t ex pe r t i s e m eans t hey c an res i z e ,s t r e t c h o u t , cl e a n u p , o r d e - s c u f f j u s tabou t any t h i ng y ou b r i ng i n f a s t ,and at a reas ona ble p r i ce . B4 CHARLESST., BOSTON, 6 1 7 - 7 2 0 - 1 5 8 3 .T A I L O RJ O R D A N T H E T A I L O R Yo u c a n s h o po f f t he rac k , bu t t ha t does n ' t nec es -s a r i l y m ean y ou r c l o t hes w i l l f i t o f ft h e r a c k . J o r d a n T s a v a la k o g l o u c a nr e m e d y t h a t s i t u a t i o n . T s a v a l a k o g l o us i z es y ou u p i n a g l anc e , t ak i n g i np r o p o r t i o n s li k e a d o c t o r a s s e s s i n g ap a t i e n t d u r i n g t r i a g e . T h e n h e p r o b e sy o u w i t h a b a r r a g e o f m e t i c u l o u squ es t i ons abou t how y ou 'd l i k e th ec l o t hes t o f i t be f o re ge t t i ng t o w o rkc u t t i n g a n d s e w i n g t o p r e c i s e l y m a t c hy o u r m e a s u r e m e n t s . A d d e d b o n u s ;T h e p r i c e s a r e j u s t a s a t t r a c t i v e a sthe tai lor ing wi l l be. 133 NEWBURY ST.,BOSTON. 617 -536 -2929 B

staff. All of that should be motivationenough for anyone. PRUDENTIAL CENTER,BOO BOYLSTON ST., BOSTON, 617-262-2050 .H A I R C O L O R I S TROGER PLOURDE, JAMES JO SEPHSALON Roger I'lourde gives humanitywhat nature didn't, from born-with-itblond highlights to look-at-me straw-berry luster. Sure, he's up on the latestcolor tre nds and c an certain ly let fly ifyou want that. But foremost. I'lourdeworks to give you exactly wha t you askfor and does so with that rarest of quailties: good taste . And. as the u ltima tekicker to your fresh color, he happensto also be a superb stylist. 30 NEWBURYST., B OSTON, 617-266-7222.

HAIR COLORIST, CORRECTIVELAUREL ELLIOT, VIDAL SASSOONSALON Hair color is like a fine w i n e -richly layered and smooth. But unlike adelicious pinot noir. it doesn't get betterwith tim e (especially when it turns asha de too brassy, gray, or ashy). La urelElliot can take color that has soured andrestore it to a resplendent ra dianc e inunde r a couple of hours. Be warne d thatreserving a spot with her isn't easy. Youmay have to wait in line, but you'll do itwith eager anticipation. 14 NEWBURY ST.,BOSTON, 617-536-5496.H A I R S A L O NUMI Rarely is a salon so va lued its devo-tees whisper its name like a password.

FORTHE BEST OF BOSTON INDEX, SEE PAGE 334. A U G U S T 2 0 0 4 . B O S T O N . 1 6 5


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Ttu Best of Boston 2001 (SER] ICE)

That's the case with Umi, and no won-der. Ow ner Jeffrey Dauksevichapproaches the craft of the coiffure witha time-tested reverence for llawless pre-cision and dar ing creativity. There's noair-k issin g or fluffing up of egos herejust a seriously talen ted set of stylistswho are shear experts at everythingfrom five-point cu ts to sooth ing sc alptreatments. Every part of the experiencedelights, right down to the mini bottlesof Italian so da served to th irsty clients.75 NEWBURY ST., BOSTON, 617-247-0770 .H A I R C U T , M E N ' SFRANK XAVIER, L'ELEGANCE ART ETCOIFFURE He had it allhis own salonon N ewbury S treet, even his own lineof hair-care prod ucts (which are still onoffer here)and gave it up so he couldspend more time doing what he loves

best : cutting hair. And cut hair X avierdoes, with an infallible eye, a practicedwrist, and an obvious love for his craft.He's an expert at deciphering the eon-fused notions me n sometimes offer upwhen asked what they want and trans-forming them into the most modern ofstyles without being condescending. Evenbetter, while he snips, he entertains withtales gleaned from .30 years on Newbury.105 NEWBURY ST., BOSTON. 617-536-1290.HAIRCUT. WOMEN'SDIRK DIEGEL, VIDAL SASSOON It takestime for a hairstylist to earn your tr u s t-time that is measured in inch-longincrements. DirkDiegel instantlyinspires confidence with his careful,studied, and razor-sharp cutting skills.Trained at Vidal Sassoon in German y(which explains [continued on page 229]

*Bes tof theNorth

I T h r ' i n i d t i t " nus Anilmil Bsy new llf n to ypar-o1d l ea the r , PHOIOBRACM UT U A N A SMITH

B E A C HC R AN E BE AC H S e v e n m i l e s o f w h i t esa n d e d g e d w i t h r o l l i n g d u n e s ma k eth i s o u r f a v o r i t e sp o t t o p l o p d o w n ab e a c h c h a i r , c a t c h so me r a y s , a n d r e a da t r a s h y r o m a n c e novelall t h a n k sto a 1 9 4 5 b e q u e s t f r o m th e e s ta te o fCh icago baz i l l i ona i re R ichard Crane o fp l u mb i n g a n d f i r e h y d r a n t f a me . P a r k -ing fees a re s teep (S15 to $20) , bu t aS 4 0 y e a r l y me mb e r sh i p g e t s y o u a d i s -cou n t and he lps the T rustee s of R eser -v a t i o n s w i t h a n a g g r e s s i v e w i l d l i f em a n a g e m e n t p r o g r a m . I t a l so h e l p sk e e p t h e sh o r e f r e e o f d e b r i s a n d t h eba th houses c lean . CRANE BEACH,ARGILLARD. , IPSWICH. 970-356-4354 .B IK E P AT HL YNN W O O D S S c e n i c a n d e a sy t of i n d , L y n n W o o d s c o v e r s 2 ,2 0 0 a c r e sw i t h a m a z e o f s i n g l e - t r a c k a n d f i r er o a d s f o r b i c y c l i s t s all easy toin termediateplus a d v a n c e d t r a i l ssu c h a s S te e l T o w e r , w h i c h h a s g r e a tv i e w s o f Bo s to n ' s sk y l i n e a n d t h e v a s tA t l a n t i c . F o r n e w v i s i t o r s , t h e p a r khas easy- to - read g r i d - c o o r d i n a t e dt r a i l m a r k i n g s t h a t m a t c h t h e m a p ,ma k i n g i t a b r e e z e t o b i k e o f f - r o a dw i t h o u t f e a r o f g e t t i n g t o s t . 1 06 P E N -NYBROOK RO.. LYNN. 7B1-477-7 123.B R U N C HLYCEUM BA R & G R IL L S ma c k d a b i nth e m i d d l e o f h i s t o r y - d r e n c h e d S a l e m,you ' l l f i nd Lyceum Bar i . Gri l lfamousn o t o n l y f o r a c o n te mp o r a r y l u n c h a n dd i n n e r me n u t h a t m i x e s g l o b a l c u i s i n e s ,b u t a s t h e v e r y sp o t f r o m w h i c hA l e x a n d e r G r a h a m Be l l ma d e h i s f i r s tl o n g - d i s t a n c e p h o n e ca l l . I f t h a t ' s n o te n o u g h t o lure y o u in , t h e S u n d a yb r u n c h m e n u aught to befor d e l i c a tel o b s te r - f i l l e d c r e p e s se r v e d w i t h l e e k sa n d s u n - d r i e d tomato c r e a m , m a p l e -c u r e d h a m a n d c h e e s e s a n d w i c h e sw i t h o n i o n ma r ma l a d e , a n d c l a ss i ceggs Be ne dic t. 43 CHURCH ST., SALEM,9 7 8 - 7 4 5 - 7 6 6 5 . [continued on page2l6]

IBB.BOSTON.AUGUST 2004 FOR THE BEST OF BOSTON INDEX. SEE PAGE 334.


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K

* P E T CARE, No r thdoqspaI Why shou ld all th elux ur iou s spas only be fo r h um ans?P H O T O G R A P H BY C A M I J O H N S O N


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I IThe Best of Boston 2004BAR , HOT E LOAK BAR T here could be a ra gingnor'easter outside, but inside this legendin the Fairmont Copley Plaza, it's always70 degrees, with the sun se tting over theIndian Ocean and the whack of a distan tcricket wicket audible over the veldt.Every detail here speaks civilizationfrom the golden elephant heads holdingup the bar rail to the crisp service of thegold-vested bartenders. The generousmartinis, on the other hand , whisperpure decadence. 138 ST. JAMES AVE.,BOSTON, 617-267-5300.B A R , L O U N G ELUCKY'S LOUNGE I.ueky's eas y - t o -m i s ss u b t e r ranean l oc a t i on i n t he F o r t P o i n t

area and its lack of signage do little tothin the crowds that pack the retrohangout, looking to swill cocktails andsway to live music on weekend nights.But unlike the college kids and middlemanagers on the make who populatemany oth er Boston hot spots, the artist s,young digerati, and stylish singles min-gling under the signature red lightinghere make for a scene you wo nt mindhaving to squeeze into. 355 CONGRESSST. SOUTH BOSTON, 617-357-5B25.BAR,SPORTSTHE BASEBALL TAVERN A reverentialsilence descends on this spartan taproom wh enever th e Sox play. The patronsand barte nde rs alike are true fans, and

their passions are readily apparent onthe slew of television sets aimed at everynook and corner. If you don't have aticket for a hom e game, this is the closestyou can get to Fenway (literallytheball-park is across th e street). Little wonderit's also become a reg ular stop for v isitingplayers. This loyalist stronghold wea rsits lack of pretense on a Bed Sox sleeve.1306 BOYLSTON ST., BOSTON, 617-437 -164 4.B A R T E N D E RSHAWN AHERN, UNION BAR ANDGRILLE Quick with the drink recommen-dation and the flourished bottle,.ShawnAh em is a professional in a trade too fullof aspirant talk-show hosts. He poursa finely tune d mar tini and is brisk an d

168.BOSTON.AUGUST 2 0 0 4 FOR THE BEST OF BOSTON INDEX. SEE PAGE 334.


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* B E S T, P O O L H A L Lto p johnny 'sI ^ The notably cool *bu t att i tude-free place to rac k 'em up.P H O T O G R A P H B Y C H A R L E S 0


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LI 1he Best of Boston 20011 LEISURE)a Date

BAR,PICKUPSIL V E R T O N E BAR & GR ILL Be ing s ing le has i ts pe rks ; ge t t i n g h i t on in a swe aty baron a F r iday n igh t i s no t necessar i l y one o f them. Bu t be fo re you res ign you rse l f to tha t ,seek ou t the f r i end ly bunch tha t ga the rs a t S i l ve r tone . The d imly l i t , me l low bar isa h a v e n f o r a n t i - p i c k u p a r t i s t s : T h e su b d u e d v i b e e n c o u r a g e s r e l a x e d c h a t t e r , t h eg r e a sy b u r g e r s e r a se a n y a i r o f p r e t e n t i o u sn e ss , a n d t h e i n d i e r o c k t u n e s f e n d o f frow dy f ra t boy s and dru nk en pub c ra w le rs . 69 BROMFIELD ST., BOSTON, 617-338-7BB7.R E S T AU R AN T , F IR S T D AT ECHEZ H E N R I Some res tau ran ts j us t make the peop le d in ing in them seem morea t t r a c t i v e . T h a t ' s p r e c i se l y t h e c a se a t C he z H e n r i , t h e F r e n c h - m e e ts - C u b a n h y b r i dj u s t o u t s i d e H a r v a r d S q u a r e . W i th in t h e se c o l o r f u l w a l l s , t h e L e f t Ba n k c a f f e e lmeshes pe r fec t l y w i th che f Pau l O'Connell's l u sc i o u s f o o d ( t h e s te a k f r i t e s w i t h g u a v abarbecue sauce and the Cuban sandwich a re ou ts tand ing) . I t a l l adds up to a ra re b a l -ance o f coo lness and unpretent iousnesstwo o f t h e b e s t q u a l i t i e s i n b o th a r e s ta u -ran t and a b lossoming re la t i onsh ip . ONE SHEPARD ST., CAMBRIDGE, 617-35 4-B980 . B

responsive to eye contact, yet his friend-liness never turns obtrusive. And unlikemany barm en of fashion, he's utterlyfree of snootiness, so even the mostfatuous of requests ("I'll take a chardon-nay and a glass of ice") is met with ele-gan t service, graciously delivered . 1357WASHINGTON ST., BOSTON, 617-423 -0555 .BIKE PATHTHE MINUTEMAN COMMUTER BIKEWAYIn a lime of ever-increa sing gas pricesan d waistlinesthe Minuteman Com-mu ter Bikeway is a perfect alternativecom mute o r exercise route. The U-milepath begins at the Alewife Bed Line sta-tion and runs all the way throug h to Bed-ford, with plenty of places to jump on.Families and individuals alike can bike,run, walk, Rollerblade, and, in winter,eross-counlry ski along the trail, whichis broad enoug h to accommodate themallno matter how ample their widths.ALEWIFET STATION, CAMBR1DGE.T0 LOOMISSTREET AT RAILROAD AVENUE IN BEDFORD.B O W L I N G A L L E YLANES & GAMES Bowling is enjoying anindubitable renaissance as of late, withfunky alleys attracting a quasi-hipsterbar crowd. But as much as we enjoy ou rfancy drink s, bowling is at heart a sportof beer in plastic cups and no-glaniatmosphere. Lanes & Games in Cam-bridge has never had an identity crisisabout what it is: a legitimately retro bowl-ing alley (note th e circa-1974 interior)with 54 lanes of candlepin and tenpin,a pro shop, and lots of league s. From the"Grip it and Hip It" stickers to the bow lingbag-sized lockers in the restroom s, this isthe real deal. 195 CONC0RDTPKE. (RTE. 2EAST), CAMBRIDGE, 617-876-553 3.C L U B , D A N C EAVALON Even after all the new additio nsto the roster of Lansdowne Street clubs,Avalon remains the life of the danceparty. It's consistently packed, spotlightsan endless supply of intern ationallyrenowned DJs, and pou rs some of thecity's most pote nt cock tails. Things heatup around m idnight when some 2,000elubgoers, ranging from th e techno-hungry to the daytime professional, hitthe dance floor. The incom parable soundsystem and light show will poun d y oursenses, whet her you're there for a wildly

FORTHE BEST OF BOSTON INDEX, SEE PAGE 334. A U G U S T 2 0 0 4 . B O S T O N . 171


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he Best of Boston 2004 (LEISURE)themed Saturday night, Sunday gaynight, or the VIP lounge. 15 LANSDOWNEST., BOSTON, 617-262-24 24.Weddings Unveiled

A C C E S S O R I E S , B R I D A LT H E A L T ER E D B R I D E L o o k i n g f o r i r i d e s c e n t i v o r y g l o v e s ? T h e y ' r e h e r e . N e e d ap e a r l - e n c r u s t e d p u r s e t o m a t c h ? B i n g o . W o m e n o f a l l a g e s a n d i n c o m e b r a c k e t sf i n d t h e m s e l v e s c o m p l e t e l y t a k e n w i t h t h e p e r s o n a l , k n o w l e d g e a b l e s e r v i c e o ft h i s e l e g a n t B a ck B ay b r i d a l b o u t i q u e a n d e c s t a t i c o v e r t h e t r i m m i n g s f o r s a l e -c u s t o m - m a d e v e i l s a n d t a s t e f u l t i a r a s , d e l i c a t e s a t i n s h o e s , a n d la c e a n d m in kg a r t e r s . 376 BOYLSTON ST, BOSTON, 617-B59-8289 .

B R I D A L R E G I S T R YB L I S S H O M E W e a l l k n o w t h e s t a n d a r d c h i n a a n d s i l v e r r e g i s t r i e s b a c k w a r d s a n df o r w a r d s , b u t a t B l i s s H o m e , n e w l y w e d s l e a r n t o e x p e c t t h e s t y l i s h l y u n e x p e c t e d .T h i s i s w h e r e t h e y f i n d n o t o n l y e x q u i s i t e S p a n i s h h a n d c r a f t e d r u g s a n d F r e n c hc r y s t a l C h a m p a g n e g l a s s e s , b u t a v a n t - g a r d e c u r v i l i n e a r b o o k c a s e s a n d n a t u r a l -h o r n p a t e s p r e a d e r s . B l i s s c o n s u l t a n t s c a n g u i d e y o u t h r o u g h t h e r e g i s t r a t i o np r o c e s s e v e n i f y o u ' r e a f l a t - , s e r v e - , b a r - , d i n n e r - , o r s t e m w a r e n o v i c e . A n d i fy o u t h i n k i t a l l l o o k s g o o d h e r e , j u s t w a i t ' t i l y o u se e i t i n y o u r h o u se . 12 1 NEWBURYS T . , B O S T O N , 6 1 7 - 4 2 1 - 5 5 4 4 . [continued on page 2 6 2 ]

j iLTng Horsturinini.1 hlackand white image captu re the poignancy, elegance, and humor of the Big Day.

CLUB, DANCE, GAYBUZZ You could go to Buz/, jus t for thebartendersthey're pure eye candy,completely unprete ntious (nice, even),and they pour a stiff drink. Or, you couldgo for the DJs. who spin a h ip-pulsingblend ofpop, dance , and tech no. Youcould even go for the shower of glitter, orthe scores of cute boys on the prow l, don-ning muscle shirts and designer jeans.But we say go for all of the ab ove on Sat-urday's gay night, when this Theater Dis-trict hideaway be come s a two-story play-ground for dancers, gawkers, loungers,and anyone else looking for a fun nighto u t . 67 STUART ST., BOSTON, 617-267-8969 .CLUB, LIVE MUSIC, LARGEAVALON BALLROOM In Boston, the"mists ofAvalon" refer not to the foggyshores hiding King Arthu r's nasi restingplace, but the dry ice curling arou nd thefeet of the club's performers. Wh etheryour taste is for Aimee Mann or FranzFerdinand, the light show and a cousticsin this cavernous ballroom are fantstic-as is its size, which is midway be tweennosebleed big and sell-out small.15 LANSDOWNE ST., BOSTON, 617-22B-6000.CLUB, LIVE M USIC, SM ALLTHE PARADISE ROCK CLUB You w ouldn'tusually think of a rock club as the placefor poetry. But the Paradise's regularhabit of mixing literary readings withhard-rocking indie bands adds a wel-come bit of boozy erudition to the localrock scene (not to men tion one of thebest singles scenes for literate twenty-and thirtysomethings). Not everything a tthis long-standing rock club is so namby-pamby, of course: The spac ious backroom where U2 once graced the stagestill shakes with the bass and drips withthe sweat of rock ban ds on the verge ofhitting the big time. 967-969 COMMON-WEALTH AVE., BOSTON, 617-562-8800.G O L F C O U R S EGEORGE WRIGHT GOLF COURSE Mostmunicipal co urses have recovered nicelyfrom the dastardly winter of2002particu larly Franklin Park, which is ingreat shape this [continued on page 251 ]

1 7 2 . B O S T O N . A U G U S T 2 0 0 4 FOR THE BEST OF BOSTON INDEX. SEE PAGE 334.


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Modern -day Adon ises and the i ra d o r i n g h a g g e r a t i pack t he f l oo r .P H O T OG R A P H BV D I E D A Y T O N


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BEST COCKTAILClassic Martiniuassiciviart imoaktThe dr in k tha t embodiesthmay no t necessarily insti llt rue clari nn

KWi- ' MJ l


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The Best ofBoston 2004 (LEISURE)

LiquidC O C K T AILC L AS S IC MAR T IN I , O AK BAR A g o o dma r t i n i i s l i k e a sh o w g i r l ' s l e g s :s m o o t h , l i g h t l y d r e sse d , a n d p o sse ss -ing an agreea b le k i ck . The Oak B ar 's" C l a ss i c M a r t i n i " is a l l t h i s , p o u r e dw i t h r e v e r e n c e a n d a p lo mb . A p e r so n a lc a r a fe a n d i c e b u c k e t h o u se s a v i b r a n tdose o f Tanqueray No . TEN cu t w i t hN o i l l y P r a t F r e n c h v e r mo u th a n d ad a s h of b i t t e r s , w h i l e t h r e e S p a n i s ho l i ves impa led on a sw izz le s t i ck keepthe mix f rom f loat ing too h igh in to theether. FAIRMONT COPLEY PLAZA, 13BST.JAMES AVE., BOSTON. 617-267-5300.W I N E L I S TE X C E L S IO R E x c e l s i o r ' s w i n e d i r e c to r ,E r i c Bu x to n , is f o r t u n a te t o se r v e ac l i e n te l e hat's w o r l d l y w h e n i t c o me sto w ine . Bu t tha t on ly adds to h i s c h a l -l e n g e : f i n d i n g w i n e s sp e c i a l e n o u g hto c o n t i n u a l l y i mp r e ss t h e m. M i ss i o na c c o mp l i sh e d . E x c e l s i o r ' s f a me d g l a ssw i n e t o w e r is packed w i th 7 ,000 bo t -t l es , fue l i n g a l i s t o f near l y 600 w ine sf rom a l l ove r the p lane t . Look forE x c e l s i or ' s h a r d - t o - f i n d o f f e r i n g s ,su c h a s t h e f a b u l o u s 2001 RhnesBuxton has been g idd i l y co l l ec t i ng . 272BOYLSTON ST, BOSTON, 617-426-7878.W I N E L I S T , A F F O R D A B L EL E G AL S E A F O O D S E v en t h o u g h w i n ed i r e c to r D a v i d Alphonse has the buy ingp o w e r o f a r e s ta u r a n t c h a i n b e h i n dhim, he could easi ly be a d a n ' t - r o c k -t h e - b o a t k i n d of w i n e b u y e r . I n s te a d ,h e u se s L e g a l ' s f o r m i d a b l e c a p i t a lt o l e v e r a g e w i n e p u r c h a s e s sm a l l e rr e s ta u r a n t s c o u l d o n l y d r e a m ofandto pass the barga ins on to us . Tha t 'sw h y w e c a n s i p h a r d - t o - f i n d w i n e s b y

*BestoftheArtsA C T O RVINCENT E.SIDERS I n Our Lady of IS 1st Street, S i d e r s p l a ye d a s m o o t h - t a l k i n gD J l o o k i n g f o r G o d a l i t t l e t o o f l a mb o y a n t l y ; i n Jesus Hopped the A Train, he was as t u d y of sl y h i s t r i o n i c s a s a c o n d e m n e d s e r i a l k i l l e r t u r n e d b o r n - a g a i n C h r i s t i a n .S i d e r s sp e c i a l i z e s i n a h y p n o t i c g a me o f p e e k a b o o : H e ' s a t h i s b e s t p l a y i n g se l f -c o n s c i o u s p e r f o r m e r s graspers a f t e r t r a n s c e n d e n c e w h o c a n ' t h e l p b u t e m i tw h i f f s o f t h e b u n c o a r t i s t .A C T R E S SA N D R E A M A R T I N S o m e t i m e s a w o n d e r f u l a c t r e s s s w o o p s i n t o town l i k e a c o me t ,b l a z i n g a t r a i l t h r o u g h t h e c o m p e t i t i o n . T h a t ' s t h e m i g h t y t r a j e c to r y o f An d r e a M a r t i n ,w h o t h r e e y e a r s a go p o r t r a y e d a h i l a r i o u s l y m a n i c - t o - t h e - m a x b a b y b o o m e r in t h eH u n t i n g to n T h e a t r e C o mp a n y ' s p r o d u c t i o n o f Setty's Summer [continuedon page 272 ]

Illustration 2004-08 US Boston Magazine

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