Boston Common - 2015 - Issue 2 - Late Spring - Arianna Huffington

Women of Influence

The Heroine Mystique female leaders share strategies for getting to the top— and staying there!

Ride On! behind the changing scene of Polo season

STELLA MCCARTNEY TAKES BOSTON Spring for it!

Best places to eat & drink

Absolute

Arianna

Entrepreneur. Mother. Winner. bostoncommon-magazine.com niche media holdings, llc

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H A I R CO LO R I S P E R S O N A L D RY S H A M P O O S H O U L D B E TO O T W O U N I Q U E D R Y C L E A N S I N G F O R M U L A S TO B R I N G O U T T H E B E S T I N YO U R C O LO R

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Five years before Voices Carry made Aimee Mann a star, she was a punk rocker at Boston’s legendary club The Rat.

ThaT’s aimee wiTh a Double “e” Even though I have a terrible memory, I remember this photo. It’s my old band, The Young Snakes. We had been together for about three months, but we were, like, 20 years old, so three months seemed like a long time. It was me, Doug Vargas on guitar, and Dave Bass Brown on drums. We had this weird art-punkrock thing going. Boston was an interesting scene back then. This was at The Rat, but there were so many venues around town—like, 35 back then in 1980. I quit my job because we could perform at so many places around town. I was living in a shitty little place but still able to make a living playing gigs. We went to gigs in a Checker cab—seriously. We loaded it up with drums, two amps, and then the three of us piled in and drove off to a gig. I wore whatever, you know? I bought stuff from thrift stores. The shirt I’m wearing is a pajama top from a dollar-a-pound shop, with jodhpur riding boots that I found in some old store. I just threw everything together. I never dressed overly feminine. I didn’t think

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about gender at all. I wasn’t thinking about the fact that I was one of only a few women playing. I was drawn to the music people were creating. I was inspired by men and women: David Bowie, Nina Hagen—she was so crazy, just balls out.

I loved her. She had this faux-operatic voice, a crazy vocal thing that I loved.

The Young Snakes lasted a couple of years. It was a special time in Boston. What I found in underground music was that anything goes—no rules. Ironically, I was stultified by that. There was no melody, no strong beats or grooves. That’s why I ultimately went into a popular direction for those things. ’Til Tuesday hit it big around ’83 and ’84. What I would like to see with today’s female artists is that they be driven without the desire to be famous or the need for attention.

I’d say go against the temptation to be overly sexual or physical. It’s just not that interesting, and it overshadows everything else. It can work, but it really should be all about the music. It’s all about who you are. Who are you? BC

photography by DaviD henry

Grammy-winninG sinGer/sonGwriter Aimee mAnn—famous for her velvet acid voice and tomboy sensuality—reminisces about her days in boston’s punk scene 35 years aGo.

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contents

Late spring 2015

110

It’s still the sport of kings, but in Boston you no longer have to be royalty to play polo.

6

// front runner

24 // Letter from the editor-in-Chief

26 // Letter from the pubLisher

28 // ... Without Whom

this issue WouLd not have been possibLe

30 // the List 71 // invited

style 35 // Green GLamour Stella McCartney brings her vision of sustainable chic to Boston with a special visit to Saks Fifth Avenue.

38 // GiddYup! Blue-ribbon accessories are winning and wearable for Boston’s horsey set and everyone else.

Gucci designs in the key of G, Max Mara releases an architectural handbag, and the beloved boutique Matsu is reborn.

44 // sea ChanGe As Boston celebrates Earth Day, leading watch brands are creating timepieces that salute those working to protect our oceans.

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photography by matt teuten

42 // stYLe spotLiGht

Diamonds Since 1910

contents

Late spring 2015

79

A high-end ham tasting (with biscuits, beets, and pickles) from chef Matt Jennings’s new locavore haven, Townsman.

people 57 // to the MAx Meredith “Max” Hodges steps up as the newest—and youngest—executive director of the Boston Ballet.

60 // SoUl SiSter Erin Lindsay has a knack for selling out shows—frst as a Rockette, and now as a SoulCycle instructor.

62 // All AboUt eve At the American Repertory Theater, Eve Ensler has big ideas for women, on and off the stage.

66 // the wAy ForwArd

66

The Levitan family leads a crusade to end texting while driving, for very personal reasons.

culture

taste

47 // All Sewn Up

79 // locAl FlAvor

The MassArt student fashion show and black-tie dinner attracts A-listers and earns A+ grades.

Chef Matt Jennings comes home and starts fresh with his new restaurant, Townsman.

48 // All hAil cAeSAr!

82 // A ShepArd’S tAle

Bridge Repertory Theater gives Shakespeare a modern restaging.

Susan Regis, one of the city’s most acclaimed chefs, aims to rejuvenate a restaurant space that’s equally legendary.

50 // night MoveS The DJ duo Case & Point break the silence with their nocturnal hits.

52 // cUltUre Spotlight

Bianca de la Garza launches a new TV show, Seth Meyers makes funny at Mohegan Sun, and EurekaFest brings the next generation of inventors to MIT.

84 // plAy with yoUr Food Bostonians are rolling up their sleeves for interactive dining experiences.

86 // Spring Fling Boston’s hottest bartenders share their latest cocktails—and answer our burning questions.

88 // tASte Spotlight Row 34 opens in Portsmouth, Liquiteria brings the cold-pressed juice craze to Harvard Square, and Amorino gelato arrives in Boston.

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photography by Morgan Ione yeager (haM); Cheryl rIChards (levItans)

After forgiving the motorist who killed their daughter, Anna and Richard Levitan launch a crusade against texting while driving.

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contents

Late spring 2015

94

Ambitious, intelligent, and committed to getting eight hours of rest each night, Arianna Huffington gives new meaning to the phrase “sleeping her way to the top.”

Top, Dolce & Gabbana ($2,275). 11 Newbury St., 857-254-0668; dolcegabbana.com

features 94 // Absolute AriAnnA

Author, entrepreneur, media mogul, and veteran Harvard lecturer Arianna Huffngton celebrates the 10th anniversary of her game-changing news site.

By Elizabeth Thorp Photography by Daniela Federici

100 // the heroine mystique

Boston’s leading women share their triumphs, failures, life lessons, and industry secrets with the next generation, and discover that wisdom is ageless.

By Nichole Bernier Photography by Conor Doherty

As sporty and social as ever, Boston’s polo scene is also becoming more accessible.

By Brian Wright O’Connor Photography by Matt Teuten

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photography by Daniela FeDerici

110 // the sport of kings

contents 119

Read all about it! Swanky new homes have sprouted on the old Boston Herald site.

Late spring 2015

haute property 119 // Hot off tHe Press The old Boston Herald block is turned into a glam new residential complex, bringing back a piece of local history.

122 // City vs. Country Mouse Can’t decide between a Back Bay penthouse and a Weston estate? Two top realtors weigh in on the options.

124 // fLoWer PoWer Interior designer Eric Haydel injects new life into spring’s biggest trend.

126 // in PieCes Hermès releases a colorful new porcelain collection.

128 // objeCts of Desire Spring is the perfect time to pick up a new piece or two at these home boutiques.

Winvian Resort cottages reinvent the luxury retreat.

132 // PorsCHe anD PrejuDiCe Why the Porsche 911 Targa will make every Bostonian want to go full peacock.

partING Shot 140 // nesting.CoM It’s spring in Boston, when falling in e-love with a new house and a new romantic partner have much in common.

on tHe Cover:

ARIANNA HUFFINGTON Photography by Daniela Federici Styling by Eric Niemand/Factory Downtown Top, Dolce & Gabbana ($2,275). 11 Newbury St., 857-254-0668; dolcegabbana.com. White round and pear-shaped diamond chandelier earrings totaling 12.01 carats (price on request) and white emerald-cut diamond graduated line bracelet totaling 46.12 carats (price on request), Graff. graffdiamonds.com

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photography by gustav hoiland (bedroom); hair by mirian lima, makeup by kerrie plant, video by brian russell, Clothing, arianna’s own

130 // Cottage inDustry

JOIN US ONLINE at bostoncommon-magazine.com We have the inside scoop on Boston’s best parties, dining, and more. dine

LOCAL EATERIES WITH PRIME OUTDOOR SEATING From spacious rooftops to cozy backyards, we found the best seats in the house for enjoying the warmer weather.

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SEE THE LATEST FROM LAST NIGHT’S EVENTS

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THE MOST UNIQUE WEDDING GIFTS This wedding season, give gifts the happy couple will cherish for a lifetime.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBYN MACKENZIE (DINE); ROGER FARRINGTON (NISSINEN); OUH_DESIRE (PURSUITS)

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LISA PIERPONT Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor JENNIFER DEMERITT Art Director JUAN PARRA Photo Editor SETH OLENICK Associate Editor JESSICA BOWNE Fashion Editor FAYE POWER Copy Editor DAVID FAIRHURST Research Editor AVA WILLIAMS

GLEN KELLEY Publisher Account Director SHANNON PASTUSZAK Account Executive JANELLE DRISCOLL Director of Event Marketing AMY FISCHER Sales Assistant ELIZABETH MITCHELL

NICHE MEDIA HOLDINGS, LLC Senior Vice President and Editorial Director MANDI NORWOOD Vice President of Creative and Fashion ANN SONG Creative Director NICOLE A. WOLFSON NADBOY Executive Fashion Director SAMANTHA YANKS ART AND PHOTO

Senior Art Director FRYDA LIDOR Associate Art Directors ANASTASIA TSIOUTAS CASALIGGI, ALLISON FLEMING, JESSICA SARRO Senior Designer NATALI SUASNAVAS Designers AARON BELANDRES, SARAH LITZ Photo Director LISA ROSENTHAL BADER Photo Editors JODIE LOVE, JENNIFER PAGAN, REBECCA SAHN Senior Staff Photographer JEFFREY CRAWFORD Senior Digital Imaging Specialist JEFFREY SPITERY Digital Imaging Specialist JEREMY DEVERATURDA Digital Imaging Assistant HTET SAN FASHION

Fashion Assistants CONNOR CHILDERS, LISA FERRANDINO Entertainment and Bookings Editor JULIET IZON COPY AND RESEARCH

Copy and Research Manager WENDIE PECHARSKY Copy Editors JOHANNA MATTSSON, JULIA STEINER Research Editors LESLIE ALEXANDER, JAMES BUSS, JUDY DEYOUNG, KAREN MCCREE EDITORIAL OPERATIONS

Director of Editorial Operations DEBORAH L. MARTIN Director of Editorial Relations MATTHEW STEWART Editorial Assistant CHRISTINA CLEMENTE Online Executive Editor CAITLIN ROHAN Online Editors ANNA BEN YEHUDA, TRICIA CARR Online Editorial Assistant CATHERINE PARK Senior Managing Editors DANINE ALATI, KAREN ROSE, JILL SIERACKI Managing Editors MURAT OZTASKIN, OUSSAMA ZAHR Shelter and Design Editor SUE HOSTETLER Timepiece Editor ROBERTA NAAS ADVERTISING SALES

Account Directors SUSAN ABRAMS, MICHELE ADDISON, CLAIRE CARLIN, MICHELLE CHALA, KATHLEEN FLEMING, VICTORIA HENRY, KAREN LEVINE, MEREDITH MERRILL, NORMA MONTALVO, DEVON MOORE, JEFFREY NICHOLSON, MIA PIERRE-JACQUES, VALERIE ROBLES, JIM SMITH, JESSICA ZIVKOVITCH Account Executives SUSANA ARAGON, KRISTIN BARNES, LAUREN BROGNA, MORGAN CLIFFORD, VINCE DUROCHER, IRENA HALL, SAMANTHA HARRIS, SARAH HECKLER, CATHERINE KUCHAR, JULIA MAZUR, FENDY MESY, RILEY O’NEILL, MARY RUEGG, ERIN SALINS, JACKIE VAN METER Advertising Business Manager RICHARD YONG Sales Support and Development EMMA BEHRINGER, ANA BLAGOJEVIC, BRITTANY CORBETT, DARA HIRSH, KARA KEARNS, MICHELLE MASS, NICHOLE MAURER, RUE MCBRIDE, STEPHEN OSTROWSKI, MICHELLE PETRILLO, ALEXANDRA WINTER MARKETING, PROMOTIONS, AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations LANA BERNSTEIN Senior Director of Brand Development ROBIN KEARSE Director of Brand Development JOANNA TUCKER Brand Development Manager JIMMY KONTOMANOLIS Director of Creative Services SCOTT ROBSON Promotions Art Designers KAITLYN RICHERT, CARLY RUSSELL Event Marketing Directors HALEE HARCZYNSKI, LAURA MULLEN, KIMMY WILSON Event Marketing Managers KELSEY MARRUJO, CRISTINA PARRA, ASHLEY VEHSLAGE Event Marketing Coordinator BROOKE BIDDLE Event Marketing Assistant SHANA KAUFMAN ADVERTISING PRODUCTION

Director of Positioning and Planning SALLY LYON Positioning and Planning Manager TARA MCCRILLIS Director of Production PAUL HUNTSBERRY Production Manager BLUE UYEDA Production Artists MARISSA MAHERAS, DARA RICCI, ALISHA SMITH Director of Distribution Operations MATT HEMMERLING Distribution Relations Manager JENNIFER PALMER Fulfillment Manager DORIS HOLLIFIELD Traffic Supervisor ESTEE WRIGHT Traffic Coordinators JEANNE GLEESON, MALLORIE SOMMERS Manufacturing Coordinator KIMBERLY CHANG Circulation Research Specialist CHAD HARWOOD FINANCE

Controller DANIELLE BIXLER Finance Directors AUDREY CADY, LISA VASSEUR-MODICA Director of Credit and Collections CHRISTOPHER BEST Senior Credit and Collections Analyst MYRNA ROSADO Senior Billing Coordinator CHARLES CAGLE Senior Accountant LILY WU Junior Accountants KATHY SABAROVA, NEIL SHAH, NATASHA WARREN Accounts Payable Coordinator NADINE DEODATT ADMINISTRATION, DIGITAL, AND OPERATIONS

Director of Operations MICHAEL CAPACE Director of Human Resources STEPHANIE MITCHELL Digital Producer ANTHONY PEARSON Facilities Coordinator JOUBERT GUILLAUME Chief Technology Officer JESSE TAYLOR Desktop Administrators ZACHARY CUMMO, EDGAR ROCHE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

J.P. ANDERSON (Michigan Avenue), SPENCER BECK (Los Angeles Confidential), ANDREA BENNETT (Vegas), KATHY BLACKWELL (Austin Way), KRISTIN DETTERLINE (Philadelphia Style), CATHERINE SABINO (Gotham), JARED SHAPIRO (Ocean Drive), ELIZABETH E. THORP (Capitol File), DAMIEN WILLIAMSON (Executive Editor, Aspen Peak), SAMANTHA YANKS (Hamptons) PUBLISHERS

JOHN M. COLABELLI (Philadelphia Style), LOUIS F. DELONE (Austin Way), DAWN DUBOIS (Gotham), ALEXANDRA HALPERIN (Aspen Peak), DEBRA HALPERT (Hamptons), SUZY JACOBS (Capitol File), COURTLAND LANTAFF (Ocean Drive), ALISON MILLER (Los Angeles Confidential), DAN USLAN (Michigan Avenue), JOSEF VANN (Vegas)

Managing Partner JANE GALE Chairman and Director of Photography JEFF GALE Chief Operating Officer MARIA BLONDEAUX Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer JOHN P. KUSHNIR Chief Executive Officer KATHERINE NICHOLLS

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Letter from the editor-in-Chief // this issue //

on my radar

1

I’m a bIg belIever that true leadershIp is untethered to gender or age. Male, female, black, white, young, old—if you were born with or developed a set of leadership skills, nobody can take those away. That’s not to say that you will be spared challenges (who is?), but the ability to continue with conviction and confidence does not go unnoticed, especially if you inspire those around you to reach for the stars.

The 10 women showcased in our Women of Influence issue have all that and more. Some have hit the pinnacles of their careers; some are on their way. In each case, the mentor and mentee roles could almost be interchanged, as both hold a valuable depth of wisdom and experience. If one of the litmus tests of a good leader is to create and befriend new ones, these ladies pass with flying colors.

Speaking of colors, “colorful” is the only way to aptly describe Shaggy’s performance, along with the Goo Goo Dolls, at the House of Blues for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay. R-rated words, which I shall not repeat, were spoken—no, yelled—from the stage, all in good spirits. The positive vibes continued at the Revere Hotel, where I modeled Bloomingdale’s fashions for the Big Sister fashion show, and at the Boston Bruins Foundation fashion show at Copley Place, where I played spectator.

But without a doubt, the biggest highlight this spring has been celebrating my partner in crime, publisher Glen Kelley, and his 10 spectacular years with Niche Media. We surprised him with a party at the Ritz-Carlton Boston Common and a special present. His gift to us was another fabulous decade, which we gladly accepted. After all, what would Boston Common be without Glen Kelley?

2

1. Party in the Park

When I dust off my lemon-yellow wide-brimmed hat, I know we have offcially hit high spring and the elegant Party in the Park. This year marks the 12th anniversary of the luncheon, which benefts the Justine Mee Liff Fund. It’s quite the grand affair.

2. The Swan Boats

lisa pierpont

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You will fnd me on opening day with all of the tourists, standing in line for a seat on one of the Swan Boats.

It’s classic Boston, and the ducks are really hungry. I like feeding them.

photography by michael blanchard (four seasons, party in the park); Jodi grundig (swan boats); hair by louise rusk/ann sousa, mizu; makeup by tavi de la rosa

Celebrating the reopening of the Four Seasons lounge The Bristol with its new general manager, Kim Lambrechts.

Marine Chronometer Manufacture Manufacture chronometer movement with Silicium technology.

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W W W . U LY S S E - N A R D I N . C O M

letter from the Publisher

1

2

Bostonians take pride in Breaking records (Bill Belichick’s 22 NFL playoff coaching victories and the Celtics’ 17 NBA championships, for example), but gunning for the record for the city’s snowiest winter ever was not on our bucket list. Needless to say, we were more excited than usual when the towers of snow gave way to spring.

Boston Common was honored to be part of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay’s annual Big Night fundraiser. It is one of my favorite events of the year and always draws a great crowd to the House of Blues. Boston Common also helped the Four Seasons team relaunch the lounge The Bristol after a small revamp in late February. Now we have another reason to head to one of our favorite spots in town for business lunches and dinners. The organization One Family drew quite a crowd as well when Grammy- and Academy Award– winning crooner John Legend performed at the Fairmont Copley Plaza for an intimate crowd of supporters.

April got off to a great start with opening day for the Red Sox (something many of us never thought would come) and the Boston Marathon, which instills in all of us immense pride in our city. We got into the spirit of Earth Day by partnering with the Boston Architectural College on a reception focused on urban sustainability, attended by a bevy of architects and real estate developers.

We hope to see everyone out and about this spring. Now let’s see if we set a record for the heat….

glen kelley

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3

// this month //

on my radar Dining outside is one of my favorite things to do come spring. Throughout Boston, from the North End to the Financial District to the Back Bay, the opening of patio season really brings the city to life, whether at Smith & Wollensky (1), Stephanie’s (2), or the Boston Harbor Hotel (3).

photography by DaviD Fox (Fischer anD shaggy); courtesy oF smith & Wollensky restaurant group (smith & Wollensky)

With Amy Fischer, our director of marketing and events, and Shaggy at the spectacular Big Night fundraiser.

T W E N T Y T W O L I B E R T Y AT FA N P I E R

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Outside space is not available in studio home designs. All prospective improvements at Twenty Two Liberty shown in illustration are currently proposed and not yet constructed. Further, the illustration may contain both completed and proposed improvements which are not yet constructed. Any current concepts of the residences at Twenty Two Liberty and the Fan Pier development are subject to change. A Property Report as required by The Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act is on fle with the Seller of Twenty Two Liberty and will be provided to prospective buyer(s) prior to the execution of any binding purchase and sale agreement.

The Seller of the residences at Twenty Two Liberty at Fan Pier is committed to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. We encourage and support an affrmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.

...without whom this issue would not have been possible

Sara Cornell writer Sara Cornell is the author and creator of the blog/brand Life After Married, a daily dose of candid advice, humorous musings, and point-blank honesty based on her personal relationships. Aside from blogging around the clock, she contributes to HuffPost Divorce. She lives in Chestnut Hill with her significant other and their blended family of eight teens and 20-somethings. In this issue: Cornell ponders house hunting and finding love in “Parting Shot.” How is finding love similar to house hunting? “Your home and your relationship are the two most important investments you’ll make, but looking for the perfect match can be overwhelming. The search process is very personal, and usually when you see it, you know instantly if it’s the right one or not.”

What about spring gets people looking to buy a home?

“After a long winter, people want to do something dramatic and crazy, like fall in love and settle down. Buying a house, like falling in love, is a dramatic thing to do. Everything looks and feels better in the spring, so it’s easier to make the commitment leap when the environment is right.”

ZUPAN Matt teuten photographer Matt Teuten is a Boston-based editorial, portrait, and documentary photographer. Past clients include New Balance, Target, ESPN The Magazine, the Discovery Channel, the London Times, Apple, and the National Park Service. In this issue: Teuten went behind the scenes of the horsey set in our feature on polo. Which are more difficult to photograph, horses or athletes? “Horses are much trickier. I can speak to an athlete about the image we want. Also, while getting kicked by an athlete is no fun, getting kicked by a horse may end the day altogether.” Would you ever attempt a sport like steeplechase or polo? “I would have to say no; I’ll stick to fishing.”

Cheryl riChards photographer Cheryl Richards has photographed Maya Angelou, Tory Burch, Matt Damon, Sam Donaldson, and Oprah Winfrey, among other notables. She shoots some of her images with a $20 plastic camera, which she cherishes for the imperfect beauty it captures. In this issue: Richards photographed the Levitan family for “Spirit of Generosity.” What draws you to photograph people? “I feel everyone is beautiful in all their unique ways. My goal is letting the viewer feel they are a part of what they are seeing when they look at my photographs.” What struck you about the Levitans? “I could feel the love between Anna and her family. They exude beauty and strength.”

photography by Manny Chee (teuten)

annie Copps food writer and chef Annie B. Copps is a Boston-based chef, cooking instructor, and journalist. She recently relocated to Boston after three years of international travel and works as a freelance writer. She also hosts the radio programs “Daily Dish” on WGBH 89.7 and “Connoisseur’s Corner” on WBZ-AM 1030. In this issue: Copps writes about Boston’s interactive dining scene in our Taste section. What’s your favorite current food trend? “Craft beers have been around for a while, but there are more than ever to choose from, and chefs are using them in their cooking and creating interesting pairings. I love Notch Černé Pivo. It’s a dark Czech-style brew; try braising your brisket in that.”

Desire for Spring Bouquet, 39 x 39

Celebrating the most recent work of renowned contemporary impressionist, Bruno Zupan. His work has been featured in numerous public and private collections including the Columbus Museum of Art and the Chateau d’Ars in France. The exhibition will include abstract impressions of exquisite city scenes, forals, and sweeping vistas. This year Zupan will be showcased in the annual Art in Bloom festival at the prestigious Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Exhibition running through May 33 Newbury St, Boston (617) 266-8001 • www.galerie-dorsay.com Catalog avaliable online Galerie d’Orsay is a proud supporter of Art in Bloom at the MFA, April 25-27, 2015.

the list late spring 2015

Ana Sortun

Virginia Lara

Bette Midler

Liza Deangelis

Ophelia Dahl

Iggy Azalea

Dr. Margaret Pierce

Halle Grace

Irene Li

Christina Niles

Nathalie Carpenter

Mathilde Lichine

Joan Witter

Valerie Paric

Irena Strauss

Kelly Boullet

Cassandra Piuma

Trish Mullen

Mindy Kaling

Samantha Power

Abigail Johnson

Mary Concannon

Tricia Keck

Orit Gadiesh

Bonnie Hammer

Wanda Sykes

Paulina Neely

Drew Gilpin Faust

Lauren Bayliss

Heather Greenbaum

Anne Hawley

Barbara Hostetter

Courtney Long

Sarah Fawle

Laura Towey

Nina Tassler

Meghan Mahoney

Jessica Witter

Hilary Keates

Sandra L. Fenwick

Erica Thornton

Paula Leed

Peggy Phillips

Anny Deese

Taylor Schilling

Anne Stetson

Hillary Clinton

Jennifer Lawrence

Angela Hrusovsky

Emily Burdett

Christine Elise

Isabella Bulkeley

Stacy Atwater

Kelley Tuthill

Amy Poehler

Christy Timon

Carolina Herrera

Sharon Van Etten

Emily Eileen Shanks

Cheryl Maffei

30  bostoncommon-magazine.com

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STYLE Tastemaker With each new collection, Stella McCartney proves that protecting the environment doesn’t have to mean sacrificing luxury and style.

Green Glamour

Stella Mccartney brings her vision of sustainable chic to boston with a special event at saks fifth avenue.

PhotograPhy by Mary Mccartney

by adrienne gaffney

Stella McCartney looks at fashion differently, always has. The way a sweater or a stiletto is produced is just as important as how it looks. Her eponymous collection overflows with objects of beauty—blush mod tops, splashy cobalt jumpsuits—many of them rooted in environmental decency. Knitwear is crafted from organic cotton, denim is made without sandblasting, parkas utilize recycled polyester, and shoe soles are produced from renewable resources.

On May 5, eco-savvy Bostonians can meet McCartney and see the results of her commitment at a Saks Fifth Avenue private event, where she’ll preview her Fall collection and its innovations in sustainable design. McCartney will also be honored at a cocktail party hosted by Saks Boston’s vice president and general manager, Joel Ellzey, along with Ashley Bernon, Christy continued on page 36

bostoncommon-magazine.com 35

STYLE Tastemaker The Swallow Intarsia cardigan in Midnight ($4,325).

Supermodel Kate Grigorieva in Stella McCartney’s Spring 2015 runway show in Paris.

“I’ve always aImed to [crush] stereotypes of sustaInable fashIon by provIng that It Is possIble to create beautIful, luxurIous evenIngwear.” —stella mccartney Cashman, Heather Colleary, Jess Gifford-Nigrelli, Sinesia Karol, and Tiffany Ortiz.

“I’ve always aimed to [crush] stereotypes of sustainable fashion by proving that it is possible to create beautiful, luxurious eveningwear causing little to no harm to the environment,” says McCartney—a vegetarian like her father, musician Paul McCartney, and her husband, designer Alasdhair Willis—who has refrained from using leather in her work since she launched her line in 2001.

Her Summer collection’s

highlights include premium denim featuring appliques and embroidery made from fully organic cotton, asymmetrical knit tank dresses, and a selection of handbags designed to lie flat, so they require fewer shipping materials.

McCartney is particularly excited about a newly developed sustainable wool produced in partnership with the Nature Conservancy by Ovis 21, a network of ranchers in Argentina, using methods that minimize the impact of grazing on the environment.

36 bostoncommon-magazine.com

“We thought it was perfectly aligned with the values of our brand and a great way to have a really positive impact on the environment,” she says. Utilized in blazers, trousers, and knits, the sustainable wool has become a staple for the brand.

Sustainable design and manufacturing are not always easy, and maintaining the principles of her line is no simple task for McCartney. “It’s slightly more limiting—you have fewer colors available, you have fewer fabrics available, and they’re a different

quality than the type that you’re used to,” she says.

“I wouldn’t say there are restrictions, but there are definitely challenges. But anything is better than nothing. So if I have 200 meters of something that we didn’t use up in previous collections, I will always turn to that again before ordering more fabric. I think that it’s just a different way of looking at making things.”

The payoff, though, is simple—and McCartney has legions of high-profile supporters to prove she’s on the right path (Drew

Barrymore, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Beyoncé among them). “I’m proud to be expanding the boundaries of what sustainability can look and feel like,” she says.

“I believe the luxury industry has a long way to go, but everyone should make these efforts. The only true way to effect change is to widely disseminate these types of initiatives to as many brands as possible. I always did believe in infiltrating from within.” saks fifth avenue, the shops at prudential center, 617-2628500; saks.com BC

Per Se ™ Collection

KALLISTA® promises to captivate the senses and renew the spirit. Exploring the finest details of design and engineering, KALLISTA faucets, fixtures and accessories are created to bring pleasure to the most elemental of daily rituals. Each piece is crafted using only the finest materials and world-class technology to meet the most discerning of standards.

SPL ASH

A FFI L I AT ED S P R I T ZO S H OW RO O M S P ROV I D EN C E, R I F O R A N A P P O I N TM EN T C A L L

S ACO, M E

24 4 N EED H A M ST.

8 0 0.696.6 6 62

N E W TO N, M A

S P L A S H S P R I T ZO.CO M

WO RC EST ER, M A A D I V I S I O N O F T H E P O RT L A N D G RO U P

S P L A S H

Make One.

SADDLE UP

Blue-riBBon accessories are winning and wearaBle for Boston’s horsey set and eVeryone else. photography by jeff crawford styling by faye power

38 bostoncommon-magazine.com

Ride on Crisp whites balance bold brown shades.

Blouse, Chanel ($7,300).

6 Newbury St., 617-8590055; chanel.com.

Breeches ($990) and crop ($475), Hermès. 320 Boylston St., 617-482-8707; hermes.com. Alare belt, Max Mara ($335). 69 Newbury St., 617-267-9775; maxmara.com. Boots, Marc Jacobs ($1,290).

81 Newbury St., 617-4250404; marcjacobs.com.

Helmet, stylist’s own

ProP Styling by ElizabEth oSbornE at hallEy rESourcES; hair and MakEuP by JESSi buttErfiEld for ExcluSivE artiStS MgMt uSing chanEl and altErna hair carE; ModElS: carME/ElitE nyc and valEry lESSard for PartS ModElS

STYLE Accessories

STYLE Accessories 2

HEAVY METAL

HOLD YOUR HORSES

Horsebit details contrast with supple suede.

3

Sleek silhouettes are a shoe-in this season.

4

REINED IN Classic staples are rendered in subtle colors.

CAVALIER CLASSICS Traditional shapes get a modern update.

1. Intreccio metal knot clutch, Bottega Veneta ($3,480). 310 Boylston St., 617-960-0880; bottegaveneta.com. Faye shoulder bag, Chloé ($1,950). Neiman Marcus, Copley Place, 617-536-3660; neimanmarcus.com. 2. Horsebit bracelet in aged silver and gold, Gucci ($2,150). The Shops at Prudential Center, 617-247-3000; gucci.com. H Hour watch, Hermès ($2,725). 320 Boylston St., 617-482-8707; hermes.com. Lexington graphic sandals, Paul Andrew ($795). Saks Fifth Avenue, The Shops at Prudential Center, 617-262-8500; saks.com. 3. High-heel bootie, Gucci ($1,100). see above. 4. Globe Box bag, Valentino Garavani ($2,195). 47 Newbury St., 617-578-0300; valentino.com

40 bostoncommon-magazine.com

ProP Styling by ElizabEth oSbornE at hallEy rESourcES; hair and MakEuP by JESSi buttErfiEld for ExcluSivE artiStS MgMt uSing chanEl and altErna hair carE; ModElS: carME/ElitE nyc and valEry lESSard for PartS ModElS

1

When our Dad founded Royal Jewelers in 1948, he focused on the consumer experience. More than 65 years later, we continue the tradition, offering the finest jewelry designs and Swiss watches in the world.

Visit our 6,000 square foot showroom for the ultimate “Royal Experience!”

RAMAES RETAILERS ASSOCIATION OF MASSACHUSETTS Awards of Excellence

STYLE Spotlight Whitney large slate leather handbag ($1,750).

baubles

KEY OF G

Museum Worthy

inspired!

THE RENZO PIANO BUILDING WORKSHOP DESIGNS A HANDBAG TO THE MAX. Founded by the acclaimed Italian architect behind the new Harvard Art Museums building, the Renzo Piano Building Workshop has teamed up with Italian fashion powerhouse Max Mara to design its new Whitney bag. Reflecting Piano’s architectural aesthetic and playing off the shapes of the new building he designed for New York’s Whitney Museum of American Art, the bag is distinguished by its structural detail and unique ribbing. Add beautiful leather and superb craftsmanship and it takes chic to a new level. Available in black, bordeaux, tan, and a limited-edition light blue reminiscent of the museum’s façade, the bag even has a special coating that mimics materials used in the museum. 69 Newbury St., 617-267-9775; maxmara.com

// well heeled //

SPIKE IT

Stuart Weitzman ($385). Copley Place, 617-266-8699; stuartweitzman.com

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SECOND CHANCES

Loyal fans were saddened when Dava Muramatsu shuttered her Newbury Street boutique, Matsu—but she recently reopened it in Sudbury, where she will host its grand opening on May 17. Muramatsu curates singular high-end goods, including exquisite gems from Nymph jewelry, one-of-a-kind clothing, and handmade bags from the French brand Jamin Puech. 92 Boston Post Road, Sudbury, 781-609-2022; davamuramatsu.com

GRANDE IDÉE

Leave it to Cole Haan to create the definitive women’s casual shoe, the ZeroGrand, equipped with the new cushioning system Grand.OS. The ZeroGrand slip-on is made with neoprene and mesh, while the ZeroGrand wing ox (PICTURED, $198) comes in black, ironstone, gray jade, and seashell-pink suede.

109 Newbury St., 617-536-7826; colehaan.com

18k white-gold and diamond Running G ring, Gucci ($1,300).

Power pumps make a statement with bold patterns and sky-high heels.

Brian Atwood ($1,255). Saks Fifth Avenue, The Shops at Prudential Center, 617-262-8500; brianatwood.com

BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM

How do you make Gucci’s famous double “G” logo even more glamorous? Reinvent the classic design (which honors the brand’s founder, Guccio Gucci) by inverting it—as Gucci has done for its new Running G collection. Its pieces rendered in 18k yellow gold or white gold with slivers of shimmering diamonds, the new line features necklaces, bracelets, and drop earrings. But it’s the rings that are garnering the most attention, including one cast in a striking octagonal shape, stacked to look like two separate rings, and adorned with a subtle sprinkling of diamonds.

We love the versatility these pieces offer: Wear them from the office to after-work cocktails at Liquid Art House. The Shops at Prudential Center, 617-247-3000; gucci.com

Paul Andrew ($645). Saks Fifth Avenue, The Shops at Prudential Center, 617-262-8500; saks.com

Gianvito Rossi ($995). Neiman Marcus, Copley Place, 617-5363660; neimanmarcus.com

Jimmy Choo ($950). Copley Place, 617-927-9570; jimmychoo.com

HIDE AND REVEAL

+MODO We don’t just look at kitchens, we live and feel them. The kitchen is now a platform for a journey of constant creation and discovery.

Poggenpohl Boston 135 Newbury Street Boston, MA 02116 Tel 617-236-5253 Fax 617-236-5528 info@boston.poggenpohl.com www.boston.poggenpohl.com

STYLE Time Honored

Sea Change

As Boston celeBrAtes eArth DAy, leADing wAtch BrAnDs Are creAting timepieces thAt sAlute those working to protect our oceAns. by roberta naas photography by jeff crawford

Our oceans face a host of pressing issues, including overfishing, pollution, and widespread destruction of the wetlands and other coastal ecosystems that support sea life. Numerous environmental organizations are working to address these problems, and a select group of watch brands has joined them in the fight.

Omega Watches created the Seamaster Planet Ocean in 2005, and eight years later it produced a special edition in partnership with the GoodPlanet Foundation, with a portion of its proceeds funding the preservation of sea grasses and coral reefs in the oceans of Southeast Asia. In the same spirit, Jaeger-LeCoultre has a partnership with Unesco that supports the protection of nearly 50 crown-jewel marine sites on the organization’s World Heritage List; a recent project safeguards the habitats of sea lions and humpback whales in Alaska’s Glacier Bay. Girard-Perregaux contributes to the efforts of Susan and David Rockefeller, detailed in her short film Mission of Mermaids, to increase awareness of the plight of the oceans. The Rolex Awards for Enterprise honor entrepreneurial individuals trying to improve lives around the world or protect the environment. Perhaps the brand’s most high-profile initiative is the Deepsea Challenge, in which Rolex funded filmmaker and explorer James Cameron’s expedition to the deepest point in the world’s oceans—more than seven miles down— aboard the submersible Deepsea Challenger, an effort that culminated in Cameron’s 2014 documentary Deepsea Challenge 3D. For more watch features and expanded coverage, go to boston common-magazine.com/watches. BC

with the GoodPlanet Foundation, Omega has released the Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M Co-Axial GMT 44mm GoodPlanet watch ($8,100).

It has an orange aluminum GMT hand for tracking the time in two time zones and a helium escape valve that makes it waterresistant to 600 meters.

Natick Mall, 508-545-2398; omegawatches.com This Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic 1958 watch ($9,800), crafted in stainless steel and housing an automatic self-winding

movement, pays tribute to the original Geophysic watch, which was created in 1958 for the International Geophysical Year. The new models are water-resistant to 100 meters. Shreve, Crump & Low, 39 Newbury St., 617-267-9100; shrevecrumpandlow.com In honor of James Cameron’s Deepsea Challenger voyage, Rolex has built the 44mm Oyster Perpetual Rolex Deepsea watch ($12,350). A COSCcertified chronometer that is water-resistant to 3,900 meters, this stainless steel timepiece features the

44 bostoncommon-magazine.com

brand’s Ringlock system, with a rotatable black ceramic bezel, a helium escape valve, a titanium back, and a Glidelock Oyster bracelet. Lux Bond & Green, 416 Boylston St., 617-266-4747; rolex.com From Girard-Perregaux, this Sea Hawk Mission of Mermaids watch ($11,750) is water-resistant to 1,000 meters. It is crafted in stainless steel and rubber and features a self-winding mechanical movement and 46 hours of power reserve.

Royal Jewelers, 58 Main St., Andover, 978-475-3330; girard-peerregaux.com

styling by terry lewis

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CULTURE Hottest Ticket

All Sewn Up

The MassarT sTudenT Fashion show and black-Tie dinner aTTracTs a-lisTers and earns a+ grades. by jared bowen All that sewing, tailoring, and accessorizing. The fretting and the fashioning. On May 9, Massachusetts College of Art and Design students will finally send the designs they’ve long labored over down the runway at the school’s annual dinner gala, where their collections will be seen by an audience of more than 1,000 industry and society bon vivants. The MassArt Fashion Show at The Castle at Park Plaza is both a dazzling student showcase and a can’t-miss fashion event for stylish Bostonians. “There’s not a better moment for us as faculty than when you see the designs all come down the runway,” says MassArt fashion design professor Jennifer Varekamp.

photography by Michael blanchard

continued on page 48

A model walks down the runway at the 2014 MassArt Fashion Show, a coming-out party for the designers of the future.

bostoncommon-magazine.com 47

CUlTUre Hottest Ticket All HAil CAesAr! Bridge repertory Theater gives shakespeare a modern restaging. by jessica bowne

The gala dinner at the 2014 MassArt Fashion Show. below: 2015 cochairs Kristina Hare Lyons and Ashley Karger.

There is nary a toga in sight in Bridge Repertory Theater’s modern staging of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, about the assassination of the

“There’s noT a beTTer momenT for us as faculTy Than when you see The designs all come down The runway.” —jennifer varekamp

ancient Roman emperor and its political aftermath.

“I hope to engender an immediacy that is sometimes lost when the play feels like it belongs back in ancient Rome,” says founding artistic director Olivia D’Ambrosio, who refers to this play as the

48 bostoncommon-magazine.com

someone gets it, it’s a really satisfying feeling.”

Im, who considers herself a conceptual designer with a “super-androgynous” style, will send her collection down the runway in May. “My theme has to do with functionality,” she explains. “[The pieces are] adjustable so that you can transform.” Fellow senior Emelie Bergh has titled her collection Second Shift and says it’s “focused on intricate handmade garments driven by sustainability” and crafted with eco-fabrics such as organic cottons and hemp twills. It’s a project she works on 10 hours a day, four days a week (she’s attending classes the other three days).

Students begin working on their concepts and sketching their first designs in the fall.

In December, they present their completed designs for faculty review. The next five months are spent honing their collections, or sometimes completely overhauling them.

The show is a dizzying frenzy, just like Project runway, the designers say. Backstage there’s a mad dash for last-minute tailoring, styling, and revamping, all for what could be a makeor-break moment. MassArt fashion alumni have landed at some of New York’s most prestigious design houses, including Calvin Klein, Diane von Furstenberg, and Marc Jacobs.

MassArt’s fashion show gives these students the opportunity to fashion their future. The castle at Park Plaza, 130 columbus ave. To purchase tickets, call 617-879-7022. BC

“Aaron Sorkin of Shakespeare” for its suspenseful writing. In her debut as a professional director, D’Ambrosio wants to explore the fickleness of politics—especially the “I love you, I love you not” relationship between leaders and their constituents—and its impact on society. “Having grown up during an incredibly polarized political era, starting with George H.W. Bush and all the way through to President Obama, I respond to the relationship in the play between the people and their leadership,” she says. The Boston-based actress and director, who teaches in the department of music and theater arts at MIT and the Brown University/Trinity Rep MFA Program, cast sexy, younger actors, who give the show an additional edge. The role of the neither “good nor bad” Mark Antony is being played by actress Tiffany Nichole Greene, with D’Ambrosio casting a woman as a way of reflecting the changing politics of our own world and to push the audience to examine leadership in the 21st century. “Our intimate staging brings the audience close to the action,” adds D’Ambrosio, who is striving to forge a tight bond between the actors and the audience in the intimate 60-seat house. Something tells us the Bard would approve. May 9–30. Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont St.; bridgerep.wordpress.com

photography by Michael blanchard (dinner); lucy lyons (lyons and Karger)

MassArt’s fashion design program is hardcore, with students fully plunged into the rigors of real-world design. By junior year, they’re expected to master evening, bridal, costume, and ready-to-wear design—all so that by senior year, they’ll be well positioned to create their own collections, each with a target market. “It’s really about getting [the students] to identify their aesthetic and articulate that through their collection,” Varekamp says. The stakes are high. The fashion show has earned such buzz that merchandising professionals from the likes of J. Jill, TJX, and Puma now quietly populate the audience, scouting for students to hire. “It’s the ultimate feedback because there’s only so much your peers can critique you on your own work,” says MassArt senior Gloria Im. “When

Photography by Michael Lee

2008 2010 2011 2012 2015

2007

617-876-8286 www.shconstruction.com Recipient of a 2014 PRISM Gold Award

culture After Hours Known as much for their singular fashion sense as for their uncanny ability to generate “hands in the air” beats, the DJ team of Case & Point is developing into one of the most influential forces in electro-house music today. Major music producers like Avicii and Laidback Luke are fans of the duo, who this year have done official remixes for buzzy acts like Bingo Players and Terravita. Casey Rankin (aka Case), who hails from Worcester, and T.J. Jordan (Point), from Norwalk, Connecticut, started out as friends who shared an interest in creating music. Now, just a few years later, they’re releasing tracks for the independent record label Monstercat, and their infectious remixes log millions of plays from loyal fans. We caught up with the pair to uncover the city nightlife secrets that only those behind the turntables are privy to.

FaVoRite sPot to PeRFoRM:

DJ Duo Case & Point break the silence with their nocturnal hits. by juliet izon above:

Casey Rankin and T.J. Jordan. clockwise from left: Icon during a set by Case & Point; the more subdued VIP room at Icon; games galore await at State Park.

Hottest tRaC s:

CR: “Kuaga” by Pierce Fulton. This is a feel-good, hands-in-the-air track that always gets a good reaction. TJ: The Audien remix of Bastille’s “Pompeii.”

You mute the audio and everyone in the crowd is singing along. It always gets everyone into the performance and engages them to start dancing.

Best BaR:

CR: I like Backbar (7 Sanborn Ct., 617-718-0249; backbarunion.com). TJ: It’s a speakeasy vibe, where there’s no sign outside. They have some of the best cocktails in the city. In Cambridge, State Park (1 Kendall Sq., 617-848-4355; statepark.is) has all sorts of pinball games, a pool table, and shuffleboard. I’m a sucker for their beer-and-a-shot combo—it’s a Toronto and a High Life. I could drink that all night long.

CLUB iDs:

CR: We regularly go to Phoenix Landing (512 Massachusetts Ave., 617-576-6260; phoenixlanding bar.com). It’s not often you find a club where you can hear deep house one night and drum and bass the next. We’ve seen really huge DJs come by there who shouldn’t be playing such a small room. It’s just such a destination. It’s also a fun room to play because it’s so small—you can play really eclectic stuff. There’s also a venue called Rise (306 Stuart St., 617-423-7473; riseclub.us), which opens at midnight and goes on until 6 am. Sometimes when you’re leaving, the sun will just be coming up. BC

50 bostoncommon-magazine.com

photography by Sam balukoniS (iCon); andrew wang (State park)

Night Moves

CR: One of our last gigs was at Icon (100 Warrenton St., 617-422-0045; icon-boston.com), which is run by some of the best promoters in the nation, 6one7 Productions. They just did huge renovations—it’s a beautiful space—and the sound system is really impressive. TJ: It’s an awesome place to play in, super easy for us to jump in there, and the audience was reacting really well.

CulTure spotlight

on stage

Second Act

on screen

Former WCVB-TV anChor Bianca de la Garza CoVers her BiggesT sTory yeT: CreaTing her oWn TV shoW. What does an Emmy Award– winning television news anchor do after a 17-year career? If you’re WCVB alum Bianca de la Garza, you step right back in front of the camera—only this time at the reins of your own production company, Lucky Gal Productions. De la Garza is the host of Bianca Unanchored, a new half-hour late-night Saturday show covering fashion (a recent segment on the Academy Awards featured Boston stylist Gretchen Monahan), health (de la Garza worked out with members of the Boston Red Sox), beauty, entertainment, local getaways, and more. “I started to create a show I wanted to watch that I didn’t see locally,” says de la Garza, who teamed up with Embassy Row, which also produces Andy Cohen’s Watch What Happens Live on Bravo. “Viewers wanted more lifestyle, fashion, and entertainment.” While she can’t choose one guest as her favorite (Cohen and chef Rocco DiSpirito were recently on the show), de la Garza admits that she does have “a special place” for Boston-born Dancing with the Stars host Tom Bergeron. “This is a female-owned company,” she says. “I want other women to go after their dreams.

There is no security in comfort. It’s boring.” 11:30 pm on WCVB. biancadelagarza.com

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Everyone’s favorite Red Sox fan and New Hampshire native, Seth Meyers, is back onstage at the Mohegan Sun Arena on May 2. The Emmy Award–winning Saturday Night Live alum and current Late Night with Seth Meyers host will perform his stand-up comedy routine. Meyers anchored SNL’s popular “Weekend Update” for eight years, two of them with Boston native Amy Poehler. He also served as one of the show’s head writers for nine years, penning many popular sketches, including those with Tina Fey as Sarah Palin and one with him as a long-suffering Sox fan alongside Matt Damon.

At the Mohegan Sun show, everything from pop culture to politics will be on the table. Update your weekend plans: This is one not to miss.

1 Mohegan Sun Blvd., Uncasville, CT, 888-2267711; mohegansun.com

LAtin MovEs

Like the weather, relations between the US and Cuba are warming, but Michelle Wojcik, owner and director of Galeria Cubana, has long supported the island nation’s arts scene.

From May 1 to 31, the gallery showcases the watercolors and mixed-media works of leading contemporary Cuban artist Luis Rodriguez Noa, whose art is inspired by everyday life in central Havana. 460 Harrison Ave., 617-292-2822; lagaleriacubana.com

EUREKA!

On June 19 and 20, MIT hosts EurekaFest, an event that empowers teams of high school and college inventors. With $10,000 in funding from the Lemelson-MIT Program, each group has seven months to develop a prototype during the school year, then they present their inventions at EurekaFest and brainstorm with their peers. 77 Massachusetts Ave., Building 10-110; lemelson.mit.edu/events

Walk This Way The simple act of walking takes on layers of new meaning in the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum’s exhibition “Walking Sculpture 1967–2015,” exploring the social, political, economic, and artistic signifcance of this commonplace activity. Michelangelo Pistoletto’s 1967 performance Walking Sculpture, in which he rolled a sphere constructed of newspapers throughout Turin, Italy, was the main inspiration for the exhibit, curated by assistant curator Lexi Lee Sullivan. Hannah Barco, Bruce Nauman, and Joachim Koester are among the artists represented. May 9–September 13. 51 Sandy Pond Road, Lincoln, 781-259-3616; decordova.org

photography by Mitch Weiss (de la garza); seth olenick (Meyers); courtesy of eurekafest (eurekafest)

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PEOPLE View from the Top

To The Max

Hair by CHristine bellamare/mizu

Meredith hodges steps up as the newest— and youngest—executive director of the Boston Ballet. by jill radsken PhotograPhy by jj Miller

Photographed on the stage of the Boston Opera House, Meredith Hodges has a knack for numbers, and it’s keeping the Boston Ballet pirouetting.

Shell, Tory Burch ($195).

Copley Place, 617-867-9140; toryburch.com. Pants, Max Mara ($595). 69 Newbury St., 617-267-9775; maxmara.com.

Cuff and pumps, Hodges’s own

Meredith “Max” Hodges is a fast climber. Bounding up the stairs at Boston Ballet headquarters, the organization’s new executive director leaves less-conditioned mortals in her wake. “A lot is catalyzed in this building on these wonderful stairs,” Hodges says. “The dancers are running up and down in their toe shoes, and I’m running up and down in my heels.”

Those five flights of stairs could easily serve as a metaphor for Hodges’s drive. In her young career, she has ascended to her current position with a sense of focus and determination that marries two distinct passions: quantitative analysis and the arts. “My parents were both public school teachers, and we went to New York City frequently,” recalls Hodges, who grew up on Long Island. “The Museum of Modern Art was my favorite.”

Her commitment to a career in the arts began in earnest while attending Harvard. As a junior, she ran CityStep, an extracurricular program at the university that brings dance to public elementary schools in Cambridge. continued on page 58

bostoncommon-magazine.com 57

PEOPLE View from the Top left:

A rehearsal for an upcoming production. right: Hodges on the balcony of the Boston Opera House lobby.

DANCE CARD Meredith Hodges lists what she loves about the Hub. InspIratIon poInt: “the arnold arboretum in jamaica plain is

a beautiful spot for an outdoor tromp, even if you’re a city girl, like me.”

Culture hub: “boston attracts people from all over the world for

its great arts, music, education, tech, and food culture. it’s an intimate city with the feel of an international hub.”

InnovatIon CIty: “the Fogg Museum at harvard is pioneering digital conservation on rothko murals. the american repertory theater in cambridge has transformed the oberon theatre into a hot spot of new music and shakespearean disco. the future of artifcial intelligence in musical performance is being debated at Mit’s Media lab. boston’s intellect and invention is on full display in the art world.”

“Harvard was academically demanding, but there were also high expectations for what you plan to do with yourself,” she says, “how you were going to make your mark on the world. I began to think about how I could incorporate those things into my career.”

Erin Sweatman, her roommate at Harvard, remembers Hodges as having equal parts creativity and smarts. “She had a bin under her bed for things she saved to use later,” she says. “It would be Halloween, and she could pull out that bin and make a costume out of seven pieces of string and a sheet. That is so Max. She’s able to put them together and make something amazing.”

After graduating in 2003, Hodges worked for the management consulting firm Bain & Company in Boston and New York for three years, a time she calls “fast-paced and ruthlessly quantitative” and a learning experience she continues to draw from on a daily basis. “I distilled complex information into a format that busy people can use to make decisions,” she says, “and I learned how to thrive in an environment of high expectations and high performance.”

Looking for another opportunity to use her know-how, Hodges cold-called the COO of the

58 bostoncommon-magazine.com

Museum of Modern Art in 2005 and was hired to help the institution navigate its post-expansion membership strategy. That six-month project led to a full-time job as finance manager. “I was managing a $150 million operating budget,” she says, “and I was 24.” Jan Postma, the museum’s chief financial officer, says Hodges made herself invaluable from that very first project: “We’re still using the benefits of Max’s work to this day. She’s an exceptional thinker and believes in the mission of the arts.”

For Hodges, building a sustainable arts organization means throwing herself fully into the work.

That was her mission after she left MoMA to become executive director of the young Brooklynbased troupe Gallim Dance, serving from 2012 to 2014, an experience she describes as a “rewarding entrepreneurial venture. We happily experienced strong growth.” Gallim had a budget of just $1 million, but Boston Ballet is a far bigger stage for Hodges, with a $34 million budget, 60 dancers, 720 staff members, and three locations.

“I have a lot of fun bringing ruthlessly quantitative approaches on this side of the house,” she says.

“People’s connections to ballet are so emotional

and visceral—mine is—but that doesn’t mean you can’t be very rigorous.”

A tour of her office—a nondescript space with dated office chairs and piles of files—reveals her work ethic. “Mikko Nissinen is the one with the strong aesthetic in the partnership,” Hodges says, referring to the ballet’s beloved artistic director. “I asked for a whiteboard.” Statistics may not be as thrilling as Boston Ballet’s magical production of swan lake last year.

But immersing herself in them will help meet fundraising goals and fill seats at upcoming productions like edge of vision (April 30 –May 10) and thrill of contact (May 14 –24), she says. “This is such a hard job,” Hodges adds. “It takes a lot to support dance.

You have to believe so strongly in the product.”

Her nerdy enthusiasm bubbles over, and Hodges—who lives in the South End and is engaged to marry Tarik Bolat, vice president of corporate development at the Renewable Energy Trust, later this year—tries to put her work into simple terms, using her hands to demonstrate. “The lever is sensitive to the application of effort,” she says, pushing her wrist down to force her hand up, as her grin widens. “If I work hard, things get better.” BC

photography by Liza VoLL photography (rehearsaL)

“this is such a hard job. it takes a lot to support dance. you have to believe so strongly in the product.” —meredith hodges

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PEOPLE Talent Patrol INSIGHT Eat your veggies:

“When I’m on the run, the Sweetgreen rice bowl is a go-to of mine, as well as the Peanut Butter Powerhouse Smoothie from Red Mango.”

and riders at Mistral and Moo. Going out is something that usually happens on Fridays or a night when I don’t teach at 5:30 am the next morning.”

AprÈs Soul:

Suiting up:

“Equinox upstairs from SoulCycle has great spa services. And recently I had the best facial and spa treatment at the Dellaria Salon day spa in Newton Centre.”

Running around:

“I love a local restaurant in Needham called Sweet Basil.

I also have had tremendous meals with some of my friends

“Obviously, SoulCycle has great clothing and indoor cycling shoes. I am a huge supporter of how Lululemon feels on and off the bike.

Landry’s also has great cycling shoes, and if you tell them you ride with us at SoulCycle, they will set your shoes, clips, and settings specifically for that.”

Soul Sister

Erin Lindsay has a knack for selling out shows—first as a Rockette, and now as a SoulCycle instructor. by lisa pierpont “Let’s do this damn thing!” Erin Lindsay shouts to the crowd. “Yeah! Yeah!” a high-ponytailed girl shouts in reply from the front row. “Are there any firsttimers?” Lindsay asks. A hand slowly rises in the back from one of the few male, and even fewer non-Lululemon-wrapped, participants. “Hi, there.” Lindsay waves to him. “Welcome to the clan.”

Make that the cult. Fifty-five “riders” fill the candlelit room at Chestnut Hill’s SoulCycle this Sunday morning, with Lindsay at the helm—yelling, sweating, dancing, singing, laughing, and spinning on her stationary bike so hard that her shock of red hair shimmies. Part drill sergeant (“Faster! Faster!”), part spiritual guru (“Make this more than a workout—set your intention”), she personifies the principle of tough love. The music is unequivocally awesome: Ellie Goulding, Rihanna, Vicetone, Flume. By the third song (there are 10 during the 45-minute

60 bostoncommon-magazine.com

indoor cycling class), the riders are bouncing up and down, right and left, as perfectly synchronized as a line of Rockettes… with whom Lindsay, incidentally, once danced.

I saw the Rockettes for the first time when I was 7 years old,” she recalls. “They were performing at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, where I grew up. I said to my dad, ‘I want to do that one day.’” While a student at Marymount Manhattan College, she auditioned five times before being hired on the sixth.

From Radio City Music Hall in New York to the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Lindsay high-kicked her way across the country for six years. Going into her seventh year, Erin decided she was also interested in pursuing a career in fitness.

As a result, she put her dance career on hold so she could help others find the same joy through movement that inspired her.

Lindsay had heard about SoulCycle and decided to try it.

“I ended up falling in love with it,” she says, “but they were emotional rides. I had a lot of confusion about what I should be doing, and SoulCycle was my way to clear my mind and have confidence again. I was riding for my life.” Marvin Foster Jr., SoulCycle’s senior manager of new talent, noticed her. “Her energy was palpable,” he says. “She lifted the people up who were riding around her.” He offered her a job.

At noon sharp every Monday, SoulCycle opens sign-up for classes. By 12:02, Lindsay’s classes are often sold out.

People like MaryRose Pino are one reason why. Recovering from a debilitating fall, she now takes five classes a week, all with Lindsay, as part of her physical therapy. “Erin has helped me regain my self-confidence,” Pino says. “She pushes you to your maximum, but in a way that you want to be that much better.” The same could be said about SoulCycle for Lindsay, now enjoying her second year as an instructor. “I love the feeling of anticipation and adrenaline and never, ever, ever giving up,” she says. “That is what SoulCycle means to me.” 200-230 Boylston St., Chestnut Hill, 617-658-9010; soul-cycle.com BC

photography by Ian Travis Barnard

“SoulCycle really is like dancing on a bike,” says Lindsay, who spent six years as a Radio City Rockette before transitioning to SoulCycle.

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PEOPLE Thought Leader

All About Eve

at the american repertory theater, EvE EnslEr has big ideas for women, on and off the stage. by jared bowen

Your advocacy has attained worldwide impact with One Billion Rising.

Yes, it feels that way. It’s incredible. I just feel so honored and privileged to have this life of being in solidarity with women around the planet. One out of three women on the planet will be raped or beaten in her lifetime. That’s over a billion women, and that’s only the women we know who have suffered violence firsthand. I can’t think of anything that reaches that many numbers

top:

Eve Ensler. left: A performance of O.P.C. with Michael T. Weiss, Kate Mulligan, and Olivia Thirlby. right: Ensler with children in Manila at an event for One Billion Rising.

62 bostoncommon-magazine.com

and has that much impact.

You were just in Pakistan, where women may be placing themselves in peril by speaking out and participating in a movement like this.

Every country has its own degree of risk in speaking out. In America we sometimes think we’re post-racial, we think we’re post-feminist, but both of those are illusions.

I think in the countries where we supposedly have these liberations, it can be harder to address misogyny, because it’s more insidious, more cloaked.

Do you believe you have a responsibility to speak out for women?

Once you become awake to the depth and pervasiveness of something like the violence against women, there’s no way you can’t be involved in it until it stops. It’s not something where you go, “Well, that’s interesting, COnTinued On Page 64

“i’ve always believed in the revolutionary power of theater.”

—eve ensler

photography by EvgEnia ElisEEva/a.r.t. (O.P.C.)

It’s no exaggeration to say that playwright Eve Ensler ushered in a new wave of feminism.

Nearly 20 years ago, with her Obie Award – winning show The Vagina Monologues, she proudly reintroduced women to their power and their parts. Since then, the Tony winner has written a number of books and had numerous plays produced, but one of her proudest legacies is V-Day, a global movement she launched to stop violence against women and girls. The One Billion Rising campaign, an offshoot of V-Day, has seen people across the globe take to the streets decrying violence against women. In 2014, Ensler began a three-year collaboration with the American Repertory Theater, which included last December’s world premiere of her play O.P.C. (for “obsessive political correctness”), a dark comedy about consumerist culture. She spoke with Boston Common about her commitment to activism, her relationship to ART, and her plans for the future.

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PEOPLE Thought Leader Ensler speaks at last year’s JustLove event, part of the global One Billion Rising for Justice campaign.

“once you wake up to the pervasiveness of the violence against women, there’s no way you can’t be involved in it until it stops.”

Ensler with actress Olivia Thirlby during rehearsals for O.P.C.

64 bostoncommon-magazine.com

now I’ll get on with my life.”

What is the role of art, and specifically theater, in influencing these issues?

I’ve always believed in the revolutionary power of theater, since my early days seeing how, unlike any other art form, theater goes right into you. It’s like a physical experience, and I think when things change in your body, when the chemistry of your DNA gets altered, that’s when real change happens.

When you’re writing a play, is it your deliberate intention that when it lands in a theater, it will lead to some change?

That’s an interesting question. I don’t know if it’s so consciously deliberate. Sometimes it’s an investigation, an act of curiosity. And sometimes it’s because something in the world is really pissing me off and I want to address it. With The Vagina Monologues, it was plain and simple curiosity. I was really curious what women felt about their vaginas.

How does having the institutional support of the ART make a difference for you as a playwright?

I got to do so much work that I really wanted to do on O.P.C. and so much investigation of the issues with the cast. Also, we were able to link it to Harvard to deepen our investigation of those issues. It is fantastic to be in a community of people who are engaged in an ongoing way with your process as a writer, with your evolution as a writer.

Have you charted out what you want to do during the rest of your three-year collaboration with the ART? I’m in the process of adapting my memoir as a play. That’s going to be the next project. And then I’m working on a new play and a musical that will follow; I’m just planting the seeds and researching those now.

Considering the impact you’ve had with The Vagina Monologues and with your more recent work, do you relish that success? Or do you just go nose to the grindstone and keep plowing forward?

The second. [Laughs] One of the great things about age is that when you’re younger, you have this massive self-hatred and low self-esteem coupled with absurd grandiosity. When you get older, you just hunger for your place in the circle.

And that feels like home now. These next years, what I want to do more than anything is write and see what creative madness can be stirred up. BC

photography by gretjen helene (ensler and thirlby); gustavo Caballero/getty images for v-day.org (justlove)

—eve ensler

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PEOPLE Spirit of Generosity

The Way Forward

After forgiving the motorist who killed their dAughter, anna And rIchard LevItan turned their grief into A crusAde AgAinst texting while driving. by gretchen voss

In an Instant

In the late afternoon of July 2, Merritt and 13 other bikers—clearly announcing themselves with brightly colored shirts and flags whipping in the air above their bicycles—were peddling along a straight, flat road in the middle of Arkansas.

With cornfields unfurling around them for miles, they were visible to all.

Teagan Ross Martin, a local 21-year-old, approached them in his car from behind, his eyes ping-ponging between the road and his phone. He sent a text at 4:01. Another at 4:02. One more at 4:03. And then he slammed into the bikers, hitting eight of them, including Merritt.

He placed the call to 911 at 4:04.

Two hours later, Anna’s husband called her from Boston. Merritt had been hit by a car. “We might lose her,” he said. Anna immediately jumped on a flight to

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above:

The Levitan family in their Boston apartment. left: Despite having been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 7, Merritt was an avid athlete.

Memphis, where her daughter had been airlifted. Richard and their two other children arrived later that night, along with members of their extended family from California, Vermont, and Massachusetts. For the next 24 hours, they held Merritt’s hand and talked to her as she lay unconscious on life support. “I’m a devout believer in God,” Anna says, the emotion catching in her voice. “There’s a part of her that knew we were there—that we know. But it was irreparable brain damage, and it became obvious that she was gone.”

They removed her from life support the next day.

GrIef and forGIveness

Bitter rage. Blind hatred. Those would be understandable reactions toward the person who killed your child.

Perhaps not as understandable is the Levitans’ reaction. There is sadness, of course. “I don’t know pain greater than this,” Anna says. But there is also grace. continued on page 68

photography by Cheryl riChards (family); Courtesy of anna levitan (merritt)

It is, quite simply, unthinkable. The “what if” question that no parent wants to contemplate: What if my child died?

It was certainly not a question that Anna Cheshire Levitan—founder of 5th Street East Production Launch and a former executive editor of this magazine—and her husband, Richard, ever asked themselves. No, theirs was a reasonably charmed life, raising three children in a beautiful brownstone on Beacon Street and later in the leafy enclave of Milton, where the kids attended the prestigious private school Milton Academy.

Brilliant, adventurous, and unfailingly present, Merritt, their oldest daughter, was “extraordinary,” Anna says. She was not only a top student, but also an editor of the school newspaper, a four-year varsity athlete on the ski team, and a cocaptain of the tennis team. Despite having been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 7, “she never let any obstacles stand in her way,” her mother adds.

Merritt had set her sights on a cross-country bicycle trip the summer after graduating from high school. She trained during the spring of her senior year, biking some 500 miles and, working with the Joslin Diabetes Center, creating a training log for fellow diabetics who might harbor similarly ambitious dreams.

In the summer of 2013, before heading off to Colgate University, Merritt met her parents in Georgia (where they were getting ready to relocate), and they drove her to the airport in Charleston, South Carolina, where the bike trip would begin. “We said goodbye at the airport on June 18th,” Anna recalls. “I wasn’t even nervous. She was so competent, so physically able. I just didn’t think about the potential dangers.”

“I’m going off the grid—I am so excited,” Merritt posted on Facebook.

There would be no cell phone, no texting, no social media of any kind. “I’ll text you in six weeks.”

PeOPLe spirit of generosity Charity register Opportunities to give.

DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE

Anna and Richard present the Merritt Levitan Youth Ambassador Award, named for their daughter, to Joslin Diabetes Center patient Kelley Conley for her work in helping other children with diabetes.

What: Celebrate the power of mentoring at RISE, the Friends of Dana-Farber’s annual spring gala, chaired by Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Lorrie Higgins. The evening will honor master chef Gordon Hamersley and his commitment to mentoring young people in his feld. Guests will enjoy a cocktail reception followed by dinner prepared by young chefs. Proceeds support the junior researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. dana-farber.org/friends When: May 1, 6:30–11 pm Where: Four Seasons Hotel Boston, 200 Boylston St.

FRIENDS OF THE PUBLIC GARDEN

Last March, Anna and her husband set up a meeting with Teagan and his family at Trinity Church. “We didn’t have any hate,” she says. “We didn’t have any anger.” After spending the day with Teagan, they asked that the charge of negligent homicide against him be dropped. “We opted to forgive him. It didn’t seem right for him to go to prison; it was so unintentional.”

Unintentional, yes, but texting while driving is also ubiquitous, and the Levitans wanted to make a difference. “We knew in our shattered reality that we had to get the message out,” Anna says. Merritt’s school friends established an advocacy group called TextLess Live More to discourage excessive smartphone use, and the Levitans jumped on board. “When we were able to stand on two feet again, we got involved by producing the public service announcements and the branding,” says

Anna. “We also worked with a communications firm and took it out to national scope.”

Today, almost a year after the organization’s inception, 10,000 TextLess Live More for Merritt bracelets have been distributed. The group has spread the word about the dangers of texting and driving through events at more than 100 high schools, colleges, and community organizations across the country, where student leaders tell Merritt’s story and show powerful videos. One of them, narrated by Giancarlo Esposito, who played Gus on Breaking Bad, makes the point that just four seconds of distracted driving can kill (the video has been shown nationally on ABC and Fox News). TextLess Live More endorsed a bill in Vermont (enacted last year) to ban the use of handheld cell phones while driving. But its ultimate goal is to make texting while driving illegal everywhere, and to prevent what happened to Merritt from happening to anyone else’s child.

“It’s been a rough road—I’m not going to sugarcoat it,” Anna says. “It’s been a huge cost for us, but this is an incredible message.” merrittsway.org BC

THE BREAST CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION

What: Think pink at the Breast Cancer Research Foundation’s annual charity gala, the Hot Pink Party, celebrating its 10th anniversary.

This year’s theme is “Pink Locally, Act Globally,” recognizing the research taking place in New England that’s having an impact around the world. Special guests include actress Elizabeth Hurley and Good Morning America’s Amy Robach. Last year’s event raised $1.5 million. bostonhotpinkparty.org When: May 14, 6 pm Where: Seaport World Trade Center, 200 Seaport Blvd.

DECORDOVA SCULPTURE PARK AND MUSEUM

When: tuesday, June 16, 6–7:30 pm Where: trinity Church Copley square, 206

When: May 30, 6:30 pm–midnight

Clarendon st.

Where: deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, 51 Sandy Pond Road, Lincoln

What: the merritt’s way Fund is hosting a free

reception for textless live more.

68 bostoncommon-magazine.com

Where: Taj Boston, 15 Arlington St.

What: Support Boston’s artistic community at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum gala Black and White in the Park. This year’s event honors Barbara Krakow, who was instrumental in bringing Antony Gormley’s Refection II to deCordova, a turning point in its goal of becoming a national leader among sculpture parks. Last year’s gala brought in nearly $500,000. decordova.org

INSIGHT

More than 10,000 TextLess Live More bracelets have been distributed.

When: May 8, 6:30 pm

Info: Call 617-642-5544

photography by Michael blanchard

“we knew in our shattered reality that we had to get the message out.” —anna levitan

What: The Friends of the Public Garden hosts the annual Green and White Ball, raising awareness and funds for the organization’s work to maintain Boston’s green spaces, including the Boston Common and the Public Garden.

Guests will be treated to a cocktail reception, a sit-down dinner with music by a jazz trio, and after-dinner dancing. In 2014, the event raised $400,000. friendsofthepublicgarden.org

Offce of the State Treasurer and Receiver General Unclaimed Property Division

She’s a fnder and a keeper.

Are you?

The State Treasurer’s Ofce oversees over $2 billion in unclaimed money.

Some of it may be yours. my name on the list was a “ Seeing huge surprise. It was so exciting to fnd out that I had money waiting for me from a bill I’d overpaid eight years ago! I called the ofce, and the staf helped me fle a claim in under ten minutes. Now, I’m reunited with my cash and plan to treat my husband to a fun night out!

”

— Dana N, Brookline Actual Recipient

InvIted

Legendary Music Man John Legend helps One FaMily inc. celebrate 15 years.

photography by Michael Mccall

Talk about star power. Grammy- and Oscar-winning musician John Legend took to the stage for an intimate concert and ignited the crowd as One Family Inc. marked its 15th anniversary with a celebration at Fairmont Copley Plaza.

John Legend

bostoncommon-magazine.com  71

INVITED

John Legend with former Governor Deval Patrick and Diane Patrick

Kiersten and David Lowe with Penny Fireman and William and Suzanne Heitin

ONE FAMILY INC. GUESTS AT JOHN LEGEND’S CONCERT to benefit

One Family Inc. included two members of the organization’s founding family, Dan and Penny Fireman, as well as former Governor Deval Patrick and Ashley and Paul Bernon. After dinner, Sons of Serendip (America’s Got Talent finalists last year) also performed. One Family is dedicated to finding solutions to family homelessness in Massachusetts, and proceeds from the gala will support its work throughout the year.

Kent Earle and Diane Dillon

Lori Baldwin, Stephanie Fox, Wendy Fischman, and Christina Ablon

Lindsey Polivy

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BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM

Phyllis and Paul Fireman

Adrienne and Michael Schlow

Jill Purpura, Kathleen Bragdon, Stephen Patrick, and Kimberly Fink

Sue Hartigan, Heather Shanahan, and Tiffany Ortiz

Jennessa Burks

PHOTOGRAPHY BY LISA RICHOV, CHERYL RICHARDS, TODD MAZER, AND LINDSAY AHEARN

Tom and Liz Niedermeyer

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BIG NIGHT

Johnny Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls

Goo Goo Dolls and Shaggy rocked the stage at the House of Blues for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay’s sold-out Big Night event.

Attendees contributed more than $1.8 million to support the organization, which matches volunteer mentors with Boston-area youth who need adult role models. It currently serves nearly 2,000 young people, with almost 800 more on the waiting list. Billy Costa and Lisa Donovan, KISS 108 radio personalities and cohosts of the “Matty in the Morning” show, entertained the audience between performances.

Chelsey Fields and Rayna Lesser Hannaway

74 BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID FOX PHOTOGRAPHER

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INVITED

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“What sets Michael apart from other brokers is his attitude that the job doesn’t stop when the ink dries on the closing papers. He was a tremendous help when my family and I relocated from Denmark to Boston, swiftly addressing every issue that arose along the way.”

Dr. Ulrik Juul Christensen Chief Executive Offcer of Area9 and Senior Fellow at McGraw Hill

“Michael Carucci’s knowledge, advice, and guidance of the property market is extraordinary. Coupled with his genuine concern for the welfare of the family in a stressful process is comforting and reassuring. The result was a dream house at a perfect price. To put it simply, he is a master of his craft.”

Mark Cattini, Chief Executive Offcer of Autotask Corporation

Josh Novotny, Erika Tarantal, and Lucas Nathan

Simone Winston

VELVET ROPE AND ROSES

BOSTON’S GLITTERATI WERE OUT IN FORCE at the Bristol Bar for The Velvet Rope Party, hosted by the Four Seasons Hotel Boston, designer Daniela Corte, and Winston Flowers. The spring-themed bash celebrated the recently refreshed Bristol Lounge, known as “Boston’s Living Room,” and Corte debuted her 2015 Spring collection with models styled by Salon Mario Russo. With the sounds of DJ Mario and special lighting by Suzanne Lowell, the evening featured signature cocktails by Grey Goose and Dewar’s and specialty bites prepared by Four Seasons chefs.

“Michael has an exceptional ability to uncover opportunities in an otherwise very competitive market. His follow through and execution make all the difference.”

Bruce A. Percelay, Chairman of The Mount Vernon Company

“Michael is a star broker. By that, I mean he brings buyers and sellers together and makes deals happen. Both parties leave the closing table happy. He knows everybody and everybody knows him. Be it a townhouse in the Back Bay or a hundred-unit deal, go to Michael and you will be pleased.”

Larry Curtis, President of Winn Companies

“Michael Carucci brings a high level of enthusiasm and professionalism to his transactions, instilling a strong sense of confdence in his clients.”

Bill Taylor and Denise Dunbar Adrianna Hassan, Daniela Corte, and Heidi Price

Michael Carucci

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Herb Chambers, Mehmet Ozturk, and Kim Lambrechts

Greicy Sono and Robyn Yee

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BLANCHARD OPPOSITE PAGE: PHOTOGRAPHY BY LIZA VOLL

Glen Kelley, Publisher of Boston Common Magazine

Pixley and Ken Schiciano

Lisa Blumenthal and Sarah Wroth

Pamela Humphrey and Lizbeth Krupp

Jack and Beth Meyer with Mikko Nissinen

Lia Cirio, Bradley Schlagheck, and Meredith “Max” Hodges

ON POINTE

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with society doyennes at Boston Ballet’s 2015 Camellia Ball, where Val Caniparoli’s Lady of the Camellias inspired the dramatic chandeliers and candlelit tables. More than 500 guests enjoyed an intimate performance by the company and music from a string quartet the rest of the evening. Chaired by Eve Rounds, Carol Friscia, and Ellen Slaby, the event raised $1.6 million for Boston Ballet’s educational programs.

Tanya Rivero and Eve Rounds

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taste this Issue: Reinvention Townsman’s succulent lamb porterhouse is procured from a small farm in Maine.

LocaL FLavor Chef Matt Jennings CoMes hoMe and starts fresh with his new restaurant, townsman.

By Scott Kearnan photography By Morgan Ione yeager

For years, chef Matt Jennings has been at the forefront of New England’s farm-to-table movement, helping diners appreciate fresh foods raised right in regional soil. But with the opening of his new Boston restaurant, Townsman, Jennings is the one reconnecting with—and reclaiming—his local roots.

“Growing up here, you go through a period where the worst thing you could call someone is a townie,” says Jennings. But the Boston native has built a reputation that extends well beyond local borders. A four-time finalist for the James Beard Foundation’s prestigious award for best chef in the Northeast, Jennings is probably best known for his heralded Providence, Rhode Island, restau-

rant Farmstead Inc., a forerunner of today’s nowubiquitous eateries focused on hyperseasonal, locally sourced American cooking. But last spring, after 12 years and shortly following the birth of their second child, Jennings and his wife, Kate, a pastry chef, decided it was time to sell Farmstead and return to Boston to raise their family—and launch a new restaurant—on their old home turf.

The result is Townsman, nestled on the ground level of the Radian, a 26-floor luxury apartment building on Kingston Street where Chinatown, the Ladder District, and the Financial District meet.

Its name is a proud allusion to that other t-word, a semantic choice that reflects the maturation of a continued on page 80

bostoncommon-magazine.com 79

TasTE so Many Dinners (so Little Time) HOME BOY Townsman’s décor is as thoughtful as its menu.

Chef Matt Jennings’s philosophy of thoughtful sourcing extends to Townsman’s interior.

The 100-seat space synthesizes country hominess and city chic, clockwise from left:

with many details that

Townsman’s homey-meetschic interior; an Orchard Collins; beef tartare.

chef and his city. “I’ve watched downtown Boston undergo this amazing transformation,” Jennings says. He recalls his younger years, when his mother admonished him to avoid the city’s then-blighted Combat Zone, and compares the area then to its current landscape of revitalized theaters, soaring new towers, and lively restaurants. “I really wanted to be downtown, part of the urbanness and energy,” he adds. “That feeling of homecoming is important to me.”

Jennings’s menu reflects this celebration of one’s native place, with Townsman prioritizing the thoughtful sourcing of top-notch ingredients. At the American brasserie’s 10-seat crudo bar, guests find a light, fresh escabèche: Rhode Island clams, Nantucket Bay scallops, and Maine mussels tossed with an avocado-based dressing

celebrate handcraftsmanship and sustainable

and topped with tobiko and squid ink crackers.

Even more delectable are the shareable multitiered towers of shellfish and charcuterie, including terrines, pâtés, and cured meats specially provided by the Waltham gourmet delicatessen Moody’s.

It’s no surprise that Jennings, whose butchery know-how earned him three consecutive wins in the esteemed nose-totail culinary competition Cochon 555, offers a meatcentric menu at Townsman.

Highlights include the lamb—procured from a small farm in Maine and presented as a supremely tender, vibrant porterhouse with cranberry, beans, and creamed spinach—and a luscious tartare of hormone-free beef neck blended with sirloin and velvety chilled beef fat. Herbivores, take heart: Working with Farm Fresh

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“i really wanted to be downtown, part of the urbanness and energy.”

—matt jennings

design. Here are some of its key ingredients.

Upcycled design: The corner banquettes are tucked under an awning of repurposed barn wood, from which hang unique pendant lights made of corrugated cardboard.

Rhode Island, Jennings taps regional purveyors for veggie-focused dishes like broccoli rabe with native walnuts and crispy garlic.

Wine director and general manager Meredith Gallagher, an alum of powerhouse Barbara Lynch’s Menton, Boston’s sole Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux property, oversees Townsman’s wine program with a discriminating taste for terroir. (Think Sicilian wines made with grapes raised on the volcanic soil of Mount Etna.) And dapper bar manager Sean Frederick finds inspiration in Townsman’s kitchen: His Orchard Collins

showcases freshly extracted Granny Smith apple juice alongside vodka, absinthe, and Czech bitters (with baking notes of cinnamon and honey), while the funky Kingston Cup, a spin on the Pimm’s, employs house-made ginger beer with Sichuan pepper and fennel seed. It’s a sophisticated but accessible cocktail program he describes as a “warm, welcoming handshake” for guests.

And warm welcomes are what it’s all about, according to Jennings. “At the end of the day,” he says, “we’re here to make people feel at home.”

120 Kingston St., 617-9930750; townsmanboston.com BC

Handmade: The black walnut dining-room tables are handmade by Pawtucket furniture maker Marc Stimpson, who personally forages dead wood for his custom designs. stUdio cHic: The cocktail tables in the lounge are by Rhode Island’s O&G Studio. pot lUck: The kitchen’s copper pots are forged by Ocean State craftsman Jim Hamann. Hamann is also a beekeeper who supplied honey for Farmstead Inc.

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taste the Dish Slow fire-roasted radicchio salad with shaved golden beets and gooseberries.

“EvEry rEstaurant is a work in progrEss. thEy takE on a lifE of thEir own.”

—susan regis

A Shepard’s Tale One Of the city’s mOst acclaimed chefs aims tO rejuvenate a restaurant space that’s equally legendary. by alexandra hall PhOTOGraPhy by andy ryan

For years, Susan Regis has been feeding Bostonians in some of the city’s most storied dining rooms— from Four Seasons and Biba to Upstairs on the Square. Along the way she’s earned a James Beard Award, as well as the admiration of just about every other chef in town. In short, she has quietly turned herself into a beloved Boston icon. Appropriately, Regis has a similarly iconic location for her new restaurant, Shepard, transforming the Cambridge spot formerly belonging to Chez Henri into a sleek but homey bistro—and whipping up an eclectic, ever-changing menu of French-leaning dishes to match. On the eve of her spring opening, she gave Boston Common the rundown.

How close are you to being ready for the big finish?

Very. We’re in a fast-paced race to get it all done. It took forever to get the liquor license and install the wood oven and wood grill. But we’re almost there.

You’re partnering with former restaurant critic Rene Becker, the chef behind Hi-Rise Bread Company. How did you decide to

82 bostoncommon-magazine.com

collaborate, and how are you two defining your roles at Shepard?

I knew him back when he was a food critic in the ’90s. I was really intimidated by him at first. But eventually I got over that and we got to be friends.

Over the years we would talk about the industry and decided to open a restaurant together. We both want to have a voice in the food. I’ll be executing it in the kitchen, and he’ll be out front and doing the wine. He has great experience with running places and has a terrific palate—he has super ideas about what makes a dish work—so we’ll each have a hand in shaping the menus.

How would you describe your cuisine?

I can’t say there’s just one category. I guess I’d call it French-ish, in the way that Chez Panisse started as French but then turned into other things.

Everything these days is “ish.” But having none of those boundaries gives you a lot to work with. It just means a seasonal small menu that changes often. I want no more than five starters, five entrées, and a bar menu. I can’t wait to make big fluffy pizzas with anchovies.

Did you lean toward French because the restaurant is in the old Chez Henri space?

Sort of. The landlord has had a French restaurant there for decades. Her rule was that there always has to be a French onion soup on the menu. There’s such a history to Chez Henri—its chef, Paul O’Connell, was my first culinary friend in Boston.

Back then he worked at Jasper’s and I worked nearby at The Bostonian Hotel. I’m proud to follow in his footsteps. And there’s something about that space. It just felt right.

How did you want the space to look and feel?

We’ve ripped it apart to a point where it’s unrecognizable. It’s still casual, but with a very different feel. There’s no wall separating the two rooms anymore, and there’s a big communal table in front.

What was your inspiration for the décor?

I have this thing for striped stones. They’re supposed to bring good luck. Years ago, when I helped Lydia Shire open up Blue Sky on York Beach, I lived there for a winter and started collecting them from the beach. So now I’m going to have many decorating Shepard. But the overall feel isn’t beachy; it’s more like a modern bistro.

Who do you expect to see filling the tables every night?

Every restaurant is a work in progress. They take on a life of their own. This one is in such a great neighborhood. There’s an older element here, but it’s also a great date place. We set it up so there would still be a bar crowd– friendly atmosphere.

And the name? It’s for its address on Shepard Street, presumably?

Yes, but taking that a step further, the street is named after Thomas Shepard, who was this crazy minister at Harvard back in the 1600s, when it was founded. He was all about big ideas, and he used them to gather people together. We’re basically doing the same thing.

1 Shepard St., 617-714-5292; shepardcooks.com BC

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tAStE Dine Around

Play with Your Food Bostonians are rolling up their sleeves for interactive dining experiences. by annie copps

You’ve met your date and you’re off for your first meal together. You want great food, but maybe you need an icebreaker, too. To the Japanese ear, “shabu shabu,” repeated in a soft voice, is an onomatopoeic description of the sound of rippling water in a lake or pond. But in this case, it’s your choice of vegetables, noodles, and wafer-thin slices of meat (Wagyu beef if you like), gently stirred as they cook in a tasty broth. At Shabu-Zen, you and your new partner may fumble a bit with your chopsticks, but lean in, close your eyes, and listen to your meal being cooked. Maybe you won’t have to worry about conversation after all. 16 Tyler St., 617-292-8828; shabuzen.com For the Love oF Cheese

Remember when you first met and how much you laughed and enjoyed sharing meals together (like that initial date at Shabu-Zen, perhaps)?

The next step is a Sunday dinner cuddled up close to a warm pot of bubbly, cheesy love—better known as the fondue at the Beacon Hill Bistro.

Maybe you could feed each other bites of the five gooey Alpine cheeses melted together and served with traditional accompaniments of bread, potatoes, and cornichon. And if you end up needing a room, the bistro is conveniently located on the first floor of the Beacon Hill Hotel.

25 Charles St., 617-723-7575; beaconhillhotel.com Learning together

If you’re looking for an interactive experience in a group setting, you can mix things up—literally—with a

84 bostoncommon-magazine.com

cooking lesson or demonstration dinner at Stir. Surrounded by a wall of cookbooks (all for sale), you’ll gather around the chef and make your own dinner from scratch, or let the masters do it before your eyes. The lessons include basics like knife skills as well as wine pairings, California cuisine, and the dishes of Julia Child and other culinary icons. 102 Waltham St., 617-423-7847; stirboston.com a Passage to inDia

If you’re yearning for an exotic vacation but can’t get away, just book a reservation at the Indian restaurant Mela. There you can eat with your hands (although the tables are set with cutlery if you prefer) while satisfying your South Asian cravings. Spicy, silken eggplant and curries made from chicken, lamb, or even goat can all be eaten using a variety of flatbreads, from garlicky naan to deep-fried poori. Or you can really play with your food by cooking your entrée at your table on a sizzling-hot flat stone.

578 Tremont St., 617-859-4805; melaboston.com sunDay FunDay

If only brunch were served seven days a week. After three decades, the East Coast Grill has this meal down pat, and that’s in large part due to its impressive “make your own” Bloody Mary bar. Prefer yours spicy? Add all the Tabasco or chilies you like. More the Worcestershire type? Knock yourself out. Fresh vegetables, tomato juices, pickled this and that, and loads of spices complement the equally satisfying menu of Southern cuisine.

1271 Cambridge St., Cambridge, 617-491-6568; eastcoastgrill.net BC

above:

Garlic naan, one of the many flatbreads you can use to scoop up your curry at Mela. left: Cheese lovers swoon for the fondue at Beacon Hill Bistro. below: At the romantic Japanese eatery Shabu-Zen, Wagyu beef and vegetables cook as you stir them in a spicy broth.

photography by zkruger (naan); naito8 (fondue); gori910 (shabu-zen)

Dinner Date

A WELL-DESERVED

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taste Cheers!

Spring Fling

to CeleBrAte the ArrivAl of PAtio SeASon, BoSton’S hotteSt BArtenDerS ShAre the lAteSt trenDS in SPrinG CoCktAilS. by brandy rand PhotograPhy by dominic Perri Ran Duan at The Baldwin Bar finds inspiration for spring cocktails at the farmers market.

Bryn Tattan at Loyal Nine uses a slight shake of the glass to ensure a perfect cocktail.

Naomi Levy

RaN DuaN

BRyN TaTTaN

Bar Manager at Eastern Standard Kitchen & Drinks what’s your surprise seasonal cocktail ingredient? Last spring we did a cocktail with pea greens; that was a lot of fun.

Spring vegetables have a more delicate flavor and work great in cocktails. what’s new in cocktails?

Extending the life of fresh ingredients through shrubs and extracts. Many fresh spring and early summer ingredients, like rhubarb and strawberries, aren’t around for very long, so turning them into infusions and shrubs can extend how long you can use these fresh flavors. who is your dream guest and what’s the cocktail you’d love to serve? John Oliver, host of Last Week Tonight on HBO, and a mai tai [rum, lime juice, orange curaçao, and orgeat]. 528 Commonwealth Ave., 617-532-9100; easternstandardboston.com

Proprietor/Bartender at The Baldwin Bar what signals the start of spring in boston for you? When the outdoor farmers markets start to come back around.

They’re the best places to go when you’re looking for inspiration. Surprise seasonal cocktail ingredient? Some of my favorite fruits to use in spring cocktails are Bing cherries and berries. Something about warm weather makes the cocktails taste so much better. what’s the key to a great spring cocktail? The first ingredient is hospitality. It’s important to go back to the basics and focus on the guests. The experience is what makes you stand out. After all, we’re here to serve people, not cocktails.

2 Alfred St., Woburn, 781-935-8488; thebaldwinbar.com

Head Bartender at Loyal Nine what signals the start of spring in boston for you? Boats starting to fill up the Charles River and harbors. how do you ensure a perfect cocktail every time? There are some cocktails that are considered to be “easy” builds that incorporate citrus and are built in a glass. I feel that a slight shake or roll more thoroughly incorporates the cocktail for a better finished product. Think Tom Collins, with improved balance. what’s trending in spirits? Coffee cocktails. I’d also love to see a movement towards a fine balance of a somewhat relaxed environment and hospitality matched with creative new tricks up one’s sleeve. 660 Cambridge St., Cambridge, 617945-2576; loyalninecambridge.com

The Thaw 1½ oz. Beefeater gin ¾ oz. lime juice ½ oz. St-Germain ½ oz. simple syrup 1 dash Peychaud’s bitters

SeaSonal Cobbler 1 oz. Amontillado sherry ½ oz. PX sherry ½ oz. St. George raspberry liqueur ½ oz. lime juice ½ oz. simple syrup 2 dashes cardamom lime bitters

wallflower 2 oz. gin ¾ oz. beach pea blossom syrup ½ oz. lemon juice 1 oz. egg white ¼ oz. absinthe rinse 1 dash lavender bitters

Mix ingredients in a Collins glass over crushed ice, then swizzle. Garnish with mint, raspberries, and blueberries.

Add ingredients to a shaker without ice and dry-shake for one minute. Add ice and shake again. Double-strain into a coupe glass.

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice and shake. Double-strain through a tea strainer into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a parsley leaf.

86 bostoncommon-magazine.com

photography by roberto a. terrones (Duan, seasonal Cobbler)

Naomi Levy at Eastern Standard uses shrubs and extracts to extend the life of fresh spring ingredients.

Run d e R i p s in June 26-27, 2015

Every dollar you raise helps bring “a diferent kind of healing” to seriously ill children and their families through The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp’s year-round programs. All services are provided free of charge.

We are also so grateful to all the athletes running inspired for Camp in the RagnaR Relay Cape Cod on May 8 – 9 RegisteR to Run inspiRed & Receive FRee Race entRy:

www.TeamHoleintheWall.org

TasTe spotlight

The Perfect Couple

special event

JoInIng Forces Indulge in a sensory feast on June 7 by seeing, sipping, and tasting the offerings at chef Louis DiBiccari’s annual festival Create, uniting chefs with visual artists to celebrate the rich culture of our city. 3 Battery Wharf, 617-9949000; create-boston.com A colorful beet salad from Menton chef de cuisine Scott Jones.

drink up!

Im-Pressed The sixth location of the New York–based juice cleanse chain Liquiteria will open in Harvard Square this spring, offering vitaminrich juices—including its newest hit, Turmeric Tonic—and food options highlighting local ingredients. 1440 Massachusetts Ave.; liquiteria.com

88 BoSToNCommoN-mAgAzINE.Com

SUGAR

RUSH

Gelato, Per Favore No need to wait for warm weather to enjoy a blossom at the newly opened Amorino, where cones of the traditionally churned Italian specialty gelato are served in the shape of a blooming fower. The Paris-based company, which has more than 100 locations throughout the world, chose Boston for its US debut, and we’re happy to report that locals now have the opportunity to indulge in una coppa grande de stracciatella (chocolate chip) on a daily basis. The Hub was an easy choice for the company’s stateside introduction, according to owner Léa Sasportes, who says, “The architecture, pedestrian-friendly streets, and way of life” here evoke the spirit of a “European city of excellence.”

The luxury shop, following the standards of the brand’s European locations, offers 24 favors, including L’inimitable, made of a rich cocoa cream fecked with fnely ground hazelnuts, and Carmello, a salted caramel gelato. The Boston shop will also feature special offerings, such as macarons, tarts, breakfast options, and authentic Italian coffees, which you can enjoy at a table in the cozy, weathered-brick café or grab to go. Since they’re made entirely from natural, organic ingredients, Amorino’s gourmet delicacies are practically guilt-free. 249 Newbury St., 617-953-9682; amorino.com

photography by Morgan Ione yeager (row 34); noah Fecks (LIquIterIa); cyrIL abad (aMorIno); coco knudson (create)

we started spending time in Portsmouth, we saw a dynamic and bustling community that we wanted to be a part of,” says Shore Gregory, a partner in Row 34 and Island Creek Oysters. The new restaurant has been designed by Peter Bentel to have the same rustic vibe as the original, which opened in Fort Point in 2013. It will offer a menu full of imaginative takes on local seafood dishes, such as a spicy oyster po’boy and deviled crab toast, alongside home-run renditions of classics like Maine steamers and a decadent, buttery lobster roll. “I have strong ties to Southern Maine, a stone’s throw from Portsmouth, where I fell in love with local seafood during new & summers spent cracking lobsters now on the shore as a kid,” says chef Jeremy Sewall. “Our raw bar proThe PoPular ForT PoinT resTauranT gram, including ceviches, crudos, Row 34 oPens anoTher locaTion, in and the smoked and cured boards, PorTsmouTh. by michelle pizzo has been a big part of our identity and will carry through to the new Pack your appetite for a delicious road trip north restaurant.” Also of note is the extensive beer prothis spring, as the masterminds behind Row 34 gram, highlighting Boston favorites and local New are opening a second location, at Portwalk Place Hampshire brewers. 5 Portwalk Pl., Portsmouth, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. “As soon as NH, 603-319-5011; row34.com BC

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 Forsyth’s A Taste & A Toast benefts children’s health today and the scientifc research that is creating a healthier tomorrow.

Sample food from the area’s top chefs while we salute the community work of chef Andy Husbands.

A Taste & A Toast will feature tastings from renowned local restaurants including: Bambara Craigie on Main Restaurant dante Flour La Morra Mother Juice Myers + Chang Orinoco Oleana Rialto Rosebud Row 34 Summer Shack Taranta The Forsyth Institute 245 First Street | Cambridge, MA 02142 617.262.5200 | www.forsyth.org Purchase tickets at www.forsyth.org/taste-toast or via

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NOT TO BE MISSED EVENTS • HAPPENINGS • PROMOTIONS

ASSAEL Assael, known for the most magnificent pearls in the world are the legacy of “Pearl King” Salvador Assael, who introduced fine Black Tahitian pearls to the world market in 1976. The legendary rare and important pearls are available in Boston at Dorfman Jewelers and Saks Fifth Avenue.

GALERIE D’ORSAY, SUMMER SPOTLIGHT Beginning in June, Galerie d’Orsay (33 Newbury) will welcome the summer with an exhibition featuring abstract landscapes by contemporary painter, Kathy Buist, and stone and bronze sculpture by Richard Erdman. Both artists’ works are part of numerous museum, public, and private collections around the world. Through July.

View Exhibition at www.galerie-dorsay.com

NEW ENGLAND NURSERIES With a foot in three centuries, New England Nurseries of Bedford continues to be at the forefront with wide selections of everything needed to enhance and enjoy outdoor living spaces.

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DENTISTRY FROM THE HEART Charles River Dental is proud to host its 2nd Annual Dentistry From The Heart (DFTH) Event this May 29th, 2015. DFTH is a nonprofit dental organization working to supply dental care to those in need. Anyone over 18 can walk in and receive a free cleaning, extraction or filling!

For more details call 617.209.7719 or visit www.charlesriverdental.com

NOT TO BE MISSED EVENTS • HAPPENINGS • PROMOTIONS

Dusty Button by Liza Voll

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At BOKX109 American Prime, exquisite dining and first class hospitality work together like fresh sea salt and cracked black pepper. BOKX109 is an exceptional dining destination located inside of the boutique Hotel Indigo in Newton. Featuring imaginative twists blending steakhouse and New American cuisine, the dishes showcase locally sourced ingredients and all natural meats.

Presenting the last two ballets in its Perception series at the Boston Opera House. Edge of Vision (April 30May10) features works made in Boston specifically for Boston Ballet; Elo’s world premiere Bach Cello Suites, Pickett’s Eventide & York’s rousing Celts which sets classical ballet, jigs & speedy footwork to Irish music.

Thrill of Contact (May 14-24) is a striking program featuring works by Balanchine, Robbins, Forsythe & Cirio.

Always exploring the newest products, trends and services available, Dover Rug & Home has the rugs and floor coverings needed to refresh your space for spring. Bring life and color to a room that was once drab and out of date visit the Dover Rug & Home showrooms in Natick and the Back Bay.

Please call 617.454.3399 or visit www. bokx109prime.com for more information.

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ABSOLUTE

arianna

Author, entrepreneur, media mogul, and Harvard lecturer Arianna Huffngton is celebrating the 10th anniversary of her game-changing news site by launching in China—and powering down her laptop. by elizabeth thorp photography by daniela federici

I’ve admired Arianna Huffington since before she became a global media maven. I would see her out and about and watch her on the Sunday-morning talk shows as a conservative commentator. I appreciated her intelligence and moxie, especially because she was often the sole woman at an all-male roundtable. Later she shifted her political ideology and in 2005 cofounded The Huffington Post as a liberal answer to The Drudge Report. My esteem further increased when I read Huffington’s latest book (her 14th!), Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder.

Thrive debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times best-seller list and remained there for 19 weeks. It has been published in 24 countries and was recently released in paperback.

Not a fan of Lean In, Huffington challenges people to evaluate what success means for them—whether it’s the corner office, a fancy car, a big house, an exotic vacation, or more family time—and her book has resonated with readers. Her thesis is that America’s definition of success—money and power—has led to an epidemic of burnout and stress-related illnesses and an erosion in the quality of our relationships, family life, and, ironically, careers. In being connected to the world 24/7, we’re losing our connection to what truly matters. Her remedy? Slow down, sleep more, and for God’s sake put down your phone.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that Huffington, in addition to cofounding HuffPost, is president and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post Media Group, a nationally syndicated columnist, and the author of many books. Her influence is far-reaching. She is a woman of the world, with Boston bright on her radar. “There’s so much I love about Boston,” she says, “from Walden Pond and Boston Common to

the Museum of Fine Arts and all the wonderful universities.” Which she knows quite well: Earlier this year, she delivered the keynote address at the Simmons College Leadership Conference. Over the years, she has spoken at Harvard and Tufts, as well as HubSpot’s Inbound conference and the Boston Chamber of Commerce. And her prized HuffPost Live general manager Daniel Koh was snapped up to be the chief of staff for Mayor Martin Walsh. She reportedly told him she wouldn’t hold it against the city. And we know she won’t lose sleep over it.

It’s been a decade since she launched The Huffington Post, a news and blog site that has quickly become one of the most widely read, linked to, and cited media brands on the Internet. The website was sold to AOL for $315 million in 2011, cementing Huffington’s status as one of the most influential women in the media world.

“I’ve always loved starting conversations, even in my college room at Cambridge, around food, books, and art. HuffPost was about moving these conversations online,” Huffington says. “Even now, to have 850 reporters and journalists, with engineers in soon to be 15 countries, conversation is the model and is still one of my absolute favorite things to do.” The Huffington Post has 13 international editions now, with the launch of HuffPost Australia, and a Chinese version is on the horizon—she hopes by the end of the year.

China is a challenging market given its restrictions on the media, but Huffington has a plan. “The way we’re looking at going into China is to focus on lifestyle,” she explains. “There are huge issues in China at the moment about reducing stress and about well-being, all they are going through with the tech industry—fueled by burnout and sleep deprivation. This is one of the areas where we have real thought

As editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post Media Group, a prolific best-selling author, and a frequent television commentator, Arianna Huffington could be excused for rushing around like a madwoman. But, in fact, just the opposite is true, as she explains in her new book, Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder.

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“It’s our responsIbIlIty as journalIsts to gIve our readers the full pIcture, [whIch] Includes good thIngs— examples of IngenuIty, compassIon, solutIons.”

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both pages: Huffington in her

sophisticated Soho apartment in New York. All clothing, her own

Clothing and earrings, Huffington’s own Photography by Daniela Federici Styling by Eric Niemand/Factory Downtown Hair by Mirian Lima Makeup by Kerrie Plant Video: Brian Russell Kérastase Densifique Masque Densité ($63) and Form Fatale ($36). Megan Graham Beauty, 115 Newbury St., No. 401, 617-236-8100; kerstase-usa.com.

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Neiman Marcus, see above

pillars: well-being, wisdom, wonder, and giving. In leadership and an enormous amount of content.”

“Being connected basic terms, she advocates mental and physical health She adds that she wants to see The Huffington Post and wellness through digital detoxing, sleeping eight in every country in the world and has her eyes on in a shallow way hours a night, relaxing, taking your vacation days, Mexico and South America next. An Arabic edition, to the entire and spending time with loved ones. She maintains HuffPost Arabi, will be launched sometime this year, meditation, yoga, getting enough sleep, and genaccording to the latest reports. world can prevent that erally renewing ourselves makes us better employees Given such an incredible success story, it’s easy to and more successful. imagine Huffington’s mentor as a Warren Buffett or us from Being It’s hard to believe that the head of a huge media Bill Gates type. But it’s not. It’s her mother, Yaya. deeply connected empire grounded in the 24/7 news cycle can actually Huffington grew up with her mother and sister in practice what she preaches. But according to a one-bedroom apartment in Athens, Greece. They to those closest Huffington and those in her inner circle, she absodidn’t have a lot of money, but no matter how tough lutely “logs off.” “My day starts the night before,” she the circumstances, her mother was a magical improto us—including explains, “and depending on what time I have to get viser. “She was always able to conjure up what we ourselves. and up in the morning, I estimate getting eight hours of needed, including a good education and healthy sleep. So at least half an hour, ideally one hour, before food,” Huffington says. “She only owned two dresses that is where I need to go to sleep, I turn off all my devices. I have a and never spent anything on herself. I remember her real ritual and charge them outside of my bedroom, selling her last pair of little gold earrings. She borwisdom is found.” and if I haven’t finished everything, that’s fine.” rowed from anyone she could so that her two Huffington has trained herself to live with incompledaughters could go to college, and no matter how tion. She believes that as long as the most important things have been handled, little we had, she never failed to give to others with even less and to make that’s really all that matters. us feel that we were bigger than our circumstances.”

When I admit to Huffington that it’s hard for me to turn off in the evenings, In fact, one can see the direct connection between Huffington’s passion for she admonishes me: “If you are a mother and a career woman, there’s always “the third metric” and the influence of her mother. Huffington describes her going to be incompletions. The important thing is not to let the pressure ball mother moving through days as a child does, living in the present—stopping, fall in the juggling act.” She suggests that meditation would be very helpful, literally, to smell the roses. A trip through the farmers market might be an adding that one of the great things about technology is helpful apps that focus all-day affair, with little thought of All The Things That Must Be Done. on well-being and yoga, such as Headspace and HuffPost’s GPS for the Soul.

In fact, the last time Huffington’s mother got angry with her before she died When asked about the advice she would give to her younger self, was when she saw her daughter reading e-mail and talking to her children at Huffington says she wishes she had known that there’s no trade-off between the same time. “She said, ‘I abhor multitasking,’ in a Greek accent that puts living a well-rounded life and doing good work. “I wish I could go back and mine to shame,” Huffington says. “In other words, being connected in a shaltell myself, ‘Arianna, your performance will actually improve if you can low way to the entire world can prevent us from being deeply connected to commit to not only working hard, but also unplugging, recharging, and those closest to us—including ourselves. And that is where wisdom is found.” renewing yourself.’ That would have saved me a lot of unnecessary stress, Along similar lines, Huffington has been spearheading “What’s Working,” burnout, and exhaustion.” a global HuffPost editorial initiative to double down on coverage of the Huffington adds that as meditation and yoga have become more mainkinds of stories that resonate with the public—in other words, stories about stream, many CEOs have started bringing them into the workplace. They’re success. She explains that, while The Huffington Post will continue to cover no longer just feel-good topics relegated to the health or lifestyle pages. serious issues, she wants to move beyond the hackneyed journalistic princiAnd she really is a champion of sleep—there are even sleeping pods in The ple that “If it bleeds, it leads.”

Huffington Post’s New York offices as well as a regular bed. When asked if she “I believe that it’s our responsibility as journalists to give our readers the ever uses them, she tells me that they’re always booked, and besides, she has full picture,” she says. “And the full picture obviously includes crises and a nice long couch in her office. To send a positive message to her team about beheadings and rapes, and we’re going to continue to cover these things relentnapping on the job, she keeps her curtains open when she’s lying down. lessly. But at the same time, the full picture also includes an enormous amount “I used to close the curtains, but now I don’t,” Huffington says, “because I of good things happening—examples of ingenuity, compassion, solutions. I think it’s good to set an example that napping at work is a good thing.” She don’t think journalists have done as good a job at covering those. And as a admits that during her free time, she loves watching House of Cards and result, we have a lot of copycat crimes, but not as many copycat solutions.”

Homeland, but her favorite thing is reading and rereading books (yes, real, This focus on the positive dovetails with Huffington’s “third metric” for tangible books!)—preferably in bed. BC success (money and power being the other two), which consists of four

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the HEROINE MYSTIQUE Politicians and professors, authors and executives, doctors and neuroscientists: Boston’s leading women share their triumphs, failures, life lessons, and industry secrets with the next generation, and discover that wisdom is ageless.

By nIcholE BErnIEr Photography by conor DohErTY

Democratic Duo BarBara Lee and ayanna PressLey Barbara Lee ( left) is a political strategist and fundraiser whose foundation helps women run for the US Senate or House of Representatives, for governor, or for local offices in Boston. The Barbara Lee Family Foundation conducts nonpartisan research and endows a training program for women at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. As a board member of the Institute of Contemporary Art, Lee brought the museum its largest gift of art ever: 43 works of 20th- and 21st-century art by women.

One of the women Lee encouraged to run for office is Ayanna Pressley.

Pressley is the first woman of color to be elected to the Boston City Council in its 105-year history, and Emily’s List recently presented her with its 2015 Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award. A former aide to US Representative Joseph Kennedy II, she became Senator John Kerry’s political director in 2009, before being elected to one of four at-large spots on the City Council.

Barbara Lee: Encouraging good people to run for office is very much related to mentorship. Politics has always been a blood sport in Massachusetts, and it’s always been an old boys’ club. So I had it in my mind for a long time to build a “new girls’ network” and help bring women up through the ranks by educating them, encouraging them, and helping to

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empower them. My foundation does research about the obstacles and opposition facing women candidates. We’ve found when you first approach women to run for office, they’ll say, “Oh no, no.” Even if they’ve thought about it, they haven’t dared to see themselves in those leadership roles.

Ayanna Pressley: I find that often women are not operating with the same sense of entitlement as our male counterparts. Entitlement gets a bad rap—it doesn’t need to have a negative connotation. It’s really about a level of assuredness in pursuing what you deserve. So it’s very beneficial to have someone who says, “You have something to contribute,” and to provide that sense of validation. Because women always think they’re not ready.

BL: The first time I saw Ayanna Pressley in action was at public events when she was a representative for Senator John Kerry. I saw how truly and deeply she cared for people and her passion for public service. That was the first time I asked her to run for office. I’m always on the lookout for talent.

AP: There are barriers for many women. It’s not just the financial logistics of raising money for the seat. It’s about how you are going to make a living while pursuing the seat. When I left my post with Senator John Kerry, I cashed out my 401(k) in order to run. There’s no question that being on Barbara’s roster legitimizes you to many women, who go on to make investments. But Barbara’s investment is far more than financial. She takes the time to get to know candidates and see something that other people don’t. She’s not afraid to back an underdog.

on barbara: Dress, Boss ($1,195). Bloomingdale’s, The Mall at Chestnut Hill, 617-630-6000; hugoboss.com.

Brass collar, Robert Lee Morris ($550). Impulse by Adamas Fine Jewelry, 180 Linden St., Wellesley, 781-416-1800; trustyourimpulse.com. Watch, Barbara’s own on ayanna: Sweater, Eileen Fisher ($328). The Mall at Chestnut Hill, 617-964-5200; eileenfisher.com. 18k yellow-gold and platinum oval-shape narrow diamond cuff ($15,000) and 18k yellow-gold and platinum oval-shape narrow diamond ladies’ cuff ($15,000), Alexandra Mor. Dorfman Jewelers, 24 Newbury St., 617-536-2022; dorfman jewelers.com. Cuff, Robert Lee Morris ($375). Impulse by Adamas Fine Jewelry, 180 Linden St., Wellesley, 781-416-1800; trustyour impulse.com. Click ring, Swarovski ($125). The Shops at Prudential Center, 617-578-0705; swarovski.com.

Skirt, Ayanna’s own

Brain Trust Lisa Genova and samantha Landino Lisa Genova ( left) is a New York Times best-selling novelist and a neuroscientist, with a bachelor’s degree in biopsychology from Bates College and a PhD from Harvard. Her first novel, Still Alice, was adapted into a movie, garnering Julianne Moore an Oscar as best actress for her portrayal of a woman with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Genova is now an international speaker on Alzheimer’s, traumatic brain injury, and autism.

Samantha Landino is a research assistant in behavioral genetics at McLean Hospital. A graduate of Bates College with a BS in neuroscience, she heads to medical school in the fall.

Lisa Genova: I always find a special connection with other women in the sciences because we’re a minority. As you get older, there are fewer and fewer women as you stick with it. For example, by the time I was in graduate school at Yale, I was the only woman in the program for two years running…. A female colleague from Bates and I created [an informal network] for neuroscience graduates from Bates, and women can get hooked up with a job as a lab technician at Harvard, Mass General, and McLean,

Dress, Tibi ($398).

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71 Newbury St., 617-279-0659; vince.com. Spiral mini ring, Swarovski ($125).

The Shops at Prudential Center, 617-578-0705; swarovski.com. 18k gold-plated brass Cage bangle, Gemma Redux ($145). Intermix, 186 Newbury St., 617-236-5172; intermixonline.com

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where we’ve worked. It’s this legacy now, wouldn’t you say, Samantha?

Samantha Landino: It’s like a pipeline from Bates to these labs. I completely agree that there are fewer women as you advance up, especially in leadership positions. I’m going to medical school in the fall, and of all the physicians I’ve shadowed, I think 99 percent have been male. One specifically said, “Samantha, you should reach out to some women, because it’s a totally different ballgame as a female in this industry.”

LG: It’s interesting to me now at 44, having always viewed women’s mentorship as a necessary compensation for the disadvantage of a boys’ club, that there’s another way to look at it. It’s actually a tremendous opportunity, because the poor men don’t really get to talk about life balance; they’re just expected to be totally driven at one thing for their entire lives. As a woman, you’re able to talk to other women about other creative ways you could use your education and training that would lead to a fulfilled life.

SL: I’m in a lab surrounded by postdocs and grad students, and many don’t know what they want to do next, or realize that the lab might not be the place for them. I feel so grateful being able to speak to Lisa about how she has been able to launch her career in a nontraditional way, become so successful, and make an impact on the field.

LG: When you’re young, you think, Whatever I choose now is what I’ll do forever. There’s so much pressure and anxiety surrounding that decision. But you don’t have to continue what you were doing in your 20s. And you don’t have to worry about how you’re going to use that degree when you’re 40. Just learn everything you can now. Your education will never be wasted; your training will never be wasted.

Because, my God, I’m a novelist.

That’s completely crazy. When I was working 50 to 60 hours a week in a lab, I would have never guessed in a million years. But I know it’s exactly what I’m supposed to be doing.

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Voices for the Silent Dr. Monica Bharel anD Dr. Jessie Gaeta Dr. Monica Bharel (right) is the newly appointed commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, which regulates the state’s hospitals, nursing homes, and more than 100 programs addressing infectious diseases, substance abuse, and a host of other issues. She was formerly chief medical officer at the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, which provides healthcare to more than 12,500 homeless adults and children in Greater Boston.

Dr. Jessie Gaeta replaced Dr. Bharel as chief medical officer of BHCHP, where she had practiced since 2002.

In her advocacy work with the Massachusetts Housing & Shelter Alliance, Dr. Gaeta helped design and implement the statewide housing program Home & Healthy for Good, resulting in housing opportunities for more than 800 people.

Monica Bharel: This is a very special field, homeless medicine. The medical care is the same, but we have to figure out how to work within the boundaries of a patient’s priorities: Where am I going to sleep tonight? Where am I going to find my next meal? It’s hard for someone to prioritize taking care of

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high blood pressure or diabetes over those basic survival needs. If you’re serious about putting healthcare in a community of homeless individuals, you’re talking about bringing healthcare right to the street corner, finding people in the parks and sitting next to them with a portable blood pressure monitor and flu vaccine. Our medical staff has to be at the shelters and soup kitchens when the individuals are there, early mornings and late nights.

We struggle with how to help move forward someone’s housing application while attempting to get control of their blood sugar.

Jessie Gaeta: Something Monica brought to our organization is a humility and desire to look at ourselves critically and always be thinking, How can we improve the quality of care we’re delivering? She brought this strong conviction that the care is going to rival that of any other institution in Boston. That’s the ethic we’ve grown under Monica. My career path and the way I think about medicine has been shaped dramatically by working with her.

MB: In healthcare, there’s a tradition of apprenticeship. You learn from an apprentice model, and then you teach it, and the next person learns and goes on to teach it. A lot of our mentorship comes from being in very challenging situations together.

JG: I’m always amazed when I go to brainstorm with Monica about something I think will be a challenge, and she has five or six ideas at her fingertips, ways for me to look at things differently. She’s a calm, logical thinker who has this amazing ability to analyze problems at a systems level, but she also translates it to a one-onone patient level.

MB: One of the things that made me want to connect with Jessie was her ability to think creatively with limited resources, and our shared commitment: How do we think about the patient in front of us but also take the 10,000-foot view? How do we provide the highest care in a value-based system? We were jointly aligned around those issues.

opposite page: Vest, Vince

($795). 71 Newbury St., 617-279-0659; vince.com.

Perfect scoop tank, Nic+Zoe ($48).

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Pegno pants, Max Mara ($565). 69 Newbury St., 617-267-9775; maxmara.com. 18k pink-gold Lucea diamond watch, Bulgari ($41,600).

Saks Fifth Avenue, The Shops at Prudential Center, 617-262-8500; saks.com Yinga top, Theory ($255).

Saks Fifth Avenue, The Shops at Prudential Center, 617-262-8500; saks.com.

Skirt, Tibi ($1,195). Saks Fifth Avenue, see above. 18k yellow-gold Chic & Shine cuff ($3,780) and 18k yellow-gold Pois Moi diamond bangle ($12,600), Roberto Coin. Sidney Thomas Jewelers, The Shops at Prudential Center, 617-262-0935; sidneythomas.com

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The Connectors Carol Fulp and leslie Feinberg Carol Fulp ( left) is president and CEO of The Partnership Inc., which is dedicated to attracting, training, and retaining professionals of color in leadership positions. Previously at John Hancock Financial, Fulp headed the company’s $12 million philanthropic giving program, and in 2010 President Obama appointed her a representative to the 65th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Leslie Feinberg is a member of the steering committee of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library’s New Frontier Network, which unites young leaders and philanthropists carrying on Kennedy’s ideals of public service. She is a graduate of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and served as a policy advisor for Senator John Kerry.

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Leslie Feinberg: I first met Carol at an event at the JFK Library.

Carol Fulp: I’m a trustee, and Leslie’s dad is chair.

LF: I was immediately drawn to Carol’s warm, infectious personality. I continued to run into her at political events, and I noticed her unwavering commitment to the community of Boston. That’s very important to me.

People are always around her; she’s definitely a connector. I asked to meet with her one-on-one, and later asked if she was willing to be my professional mentor. I went out on a limb, and it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

CF: At this stage of life, my intent is to help develop the next generation of leaders, and diversity is my passion.

When you have a group of people in your organization who view things

Top, Helmut Lang ($335). Saks Fifth Avenue, The Shops at Prudential Center, 617-262-8500; saks.com. Pants, Burberry ($895).

2 Newbury St., 617-236-1000; burberry.com. 14k white-gold Crisscross ring, Sidney Thomas Jewelers ($1,295). The Mall at Chestnut Hill, 617-965-5300; sidneythomas.com.

Spiral mini ring, Swarovski ($125).

The Shops at Prudential Center, 617-578-0705; swarovski.com

through a different lens, you get more innovation. What I saw in Leslie was this incredible bright light who represents our future. She is open to new and interesting ideas, new and interesting people, and has a commitment to diversity and equality. I have long-standing relationships with a young African American woman and a Latino woman who share the same core values as Leslie, and I wanted to put them together to learn from each other and their different cultures and see how much they have in common.

LF: Carol started bringing us to meetings in her home a few times a year to ask what direction we thought we were heading. They are now some of my closest friends.

CF: And Leslie brought them into the New Frontier Network, so now everyone benefits.

LF: Carol encourages me to take risks.

At one point she said, “Leslie, I know you once mentioned the Kennedy School, and I think you should apply.”

I had some ambivalence and I pushed back a little bit, but Carol would not have it. It ended up being one of the best experiences of my life.

CF: Mentoring should not be forced. I think more young individuals should take to the route that Leslie took, which is to look and find someone you might admire and have the courage to go up to them and ask to meet.

LF: I thought she would be a wonderful person to learn from.

CF: We’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing. Leslie is supposed to be figuring out who might have information and lessons she might need to know. And I’m supposed to be taking time for the next generation and ensure I put people of difference together to lead this world. Because they’re going to do a far better job than you and I.

bostoncommon-magazine.com 107

Chief Entrepreneurial Oracles Regina HeRzlingeR and elena avRamov Regina Herzlinger ( left), the first woman to be tenured and chaired at the Harvard Business School, is one of the country’s leading minds on healthcare (Money magazine called her “the godmother of consumer-driven healthcare”). She has predicted some of the most important medical trends of recent years, including the decline of managed care in the 1990s.

Elena Avramov is a 2013 graduate of the Harvard Business School. As Herzlinger’s student, she proposed a chain of yoga and wellness studios.

She currently works at Optum’s Consumer Solutions Group, which provides technology and services to support health management.

Regina Herzlinger: The greatest obstacle to leadership in healthcare is that you need to know a lot to be successful in the field. You need to know medicine to understand the regulatory environment, which is very complicated. You also need to understand the public policy environment and how medical providers get paid, which is very convoluted. In my class, I bring in CEOs. The purpose first of all is to enrich the students’ contact lists, but also to show that CEOs come in all shapes, sizes, races, and colors. Unfortunately, there are very few women in that group, not because I hadn’t invited them but because they don’t exist. Yet the message is: You can do it; these guys all did it, so you can do it, too.

Elena Avramov: One amazing experience working with Professor

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opposite page: Blouse, Ralph Lauren ($595).

93-95 Newbury St., 617-424-1124; ralphlauren.com. 18k yellow-gold Chic & Shine Station necklace ($3,000) and 18k white-gold diamond In-and-Out hoop earrings ($6,980), Roberto Coin. Sidney Thomas Jewelers, The Mall at Chestnut Hill, 617-9655300; sidneythomas.com

Herzlinger is just gaining confidence as a woman in healthcare, getting to know that space really well. A lot of it is a matter of inspiration, of being okay as one of the few women in the room.

Or being able to forget you’re a woman and just show what you can do.

RH: Many of my women students have become very successful, especially in entrepreneurial positions. Healthcare needs entrepreneurism, which provides a much better life: As an entrepreneur, you have much more control over your time, over your freedom of expression, over what you can do. That’s how I advise my students. I say, “You should work in a large company—there are many good ones—and learn how they do things.

But get out. Don’t stay there.”

EA: Professor Herzlinger’s class was one of my most treasured experiences of business school. She has this amazing ability to create not just an academic environment but a community. As alumni, we’ve really stayed in touch. She would talk about the commitment to stick with healthcare even though it’s a tough career path.

It’s something she was really passionate about, and she conveyed that to us.

RH: My students have to do a business plan for a new healthcare venture.

Elena is a yoga instructor as well as an excellent MBA, and I really admired her passion and her willingness to work hard. There’s a woman in New York who’s a Harvard MBA and a fantastic healthcare investor, and I introduced them. I hope that Elena’s dream about creating a chain of environments for good healthcare habits will come to fruition. I’m sure, like many things in healthcare, it’s just a matter of time. BC

Dress, Donna Karan New York ($2,695). Saks Fifth Avenue, The Shops at Prudential Center, 617-262-8500; saks.com.

Brass Square Peak ring, Jennifer Fisher ($165).

Barneys New York, Copley Place, 617-385-3300; barneys.com Hair by Louise Rusk and Nefris Lopez Makeup by Tavi de la Rosa and Andrea Taverna Flowers by Winston Flowers Location courtesy of Four Seasons Hotel Boston

bostoncommon-magazine.com 109

the

sport of kings

As sporty and social as ever, Boston’s polo scene is also becoming more accessible. by brian wright o’connor

110 bostoncommon-magazine.com

PhotograPhy by Matt teuten

Myopia Hunt Club, the epicenter of Boston’s polo scene, was started as a baseball club by a group of Harvard men in the 1800s.

nnouncer Peter Poor, sitting by a ship’s bell salvaged from a wreck off the coast of England, swivels his head away from his microphone as a scrum of polo ponies thunders by his stand.

On the field, Johann Colloredo-Mansfeld, wearing a red and black Harvard jersey, swings his bamboo mallet high above his head. The long handle bends like a parenthesis as the head swoops down and thwacks the ball, driving it in a graceful arc down the greensward of the Myopia Hunt Club polo ground.

Poor bends toward the microphone and, without any emotion, says, “A fine shot.” Yankee understatement at its best. The team from Mongolia scrambles to catch up with the strapping Harvard sophomore, tall and lean in the saddle. Along the boards framing the turf of the nation’s oldest polo club, heads lift from Champagne flutes. Myopia polo manager Nick Snow blows his umpire’s whistle. The ball skirts wide of the eight-yard goal, marked by tall stakes.

The seven-minute chukker (or period) soon ends. It’s break time. The Harvard and Mongolia riders head to the sidelines for fresh mounts, several of them bearing the upside-down “7” brand—“El Siete Loco”—from the stable of actor Tommy Lee Jones, a patron of the Harvard program. Bow-tied gentlemen, wide-brim-hatted ladies, and loafer-clad kids break away from their tailgating parties and head to the field to replace divots kicked up by galloping hooves. It could be a scene from 1915, until you look closer. The atmosphere is different.

“If someone is looking for the Prince Charles or Ralph Lauren polo

experience here,” says Crocker Snow, three of whose five sons have played professionally, “they have the wrong club.”

His son Nick, a real estate investment advisor who helped revive the Harvard polo program as a Crimson undergraduate and was instrumental in bringing the Harvard versus Mongolia exhibition match to Myopia, leans from the saddle to exchange words with his father, the coach of the Harvard team, who wears a peaked Mongolian hat on this sun-drenched Sunday. The game’s greatest athletes—the horses—step onto the field. It’s time for the next chukker to begin.

White mares and black ties. Petits fours and Dom Pérignon. Such trappings will forever be part of Myopia. But the Boston polo paladins are determined to give the sport a more democratic cast. “The sport of kings,” after all, has to survive.

Poor, whose family, like the Snows, has been a mainstay of Myopia polo for generations, operates a training program for new (translation: not “old line”) players called Stage Hill Polo, run out of his Newbury barn and the Myopia practice arena. A new vanguard of riders, drawn mostly from the ranks of white-collar professionals, learn the rudiments of riding and polo from Poor, with many going on to join the recently formed Boston Polo League or the North Shore club teams that compete at Myopia and at a few other fields in the area. The more dedicated eventually buy their own horses and even join the winter migration to Wellington, Florida, to train and compete.

“This is a great game,” says Poor, “like hockey on horseback. I’ve played a lot of sports, but there’s nothing like polo. I’ve never seen people get as excited, men or women, about playing a game.”

bostoncommon-magazine.com 111

“there’s nothing like polo. i’ve never seen people get as excited, men or women, about playing a game.”

—peter poor

Franz Colloredo-Mansfeld, captain of the Myopia Polo Club since 2011 and the father of the Harvard sophomore, has added to the lineup of professional and club matches during the June-to-September polo season, including a youth tournament, to attract a wider audience. He launched the Boston Polo League two years ago to bring new players into the game and expanded club-level competition, with many of the recruits emerging from Stage Hill Polo and the new league to play for teams in the Boston area— all in hopes of reigniting polo passion in the region.

New Englanders first embraced polo when it leaped across the Atlantic after British officers, returning from service in India, brought the game to England in the 19th century. Polo culture flourished on the estates of Long Island, the Connecticut Sound, Newport, and Boston, particularly the North Shore. Myopia, launched as a baseball club by a group of Harvardians, developed equine fever and moved its operations from suburban Winchester to Hamilton in the 1880s to accommodate growing interest in fox hunting and polo.

The game, which traces its origins back before the time of Alexander the Great, is simple: Four players on a team, armed with mallets and riding the world’s silkiest athletes, traverse a green expanse nine times the size of a football field and attempt to drive a ball through a goal. Matches are usually divided into six seven-and-a-half-minute periods known as chukkers, with riders changing mounts between each one. Players are ranked with handicaps (or “goals”) from -2 to 10 in order to balance the competing teams. (In top matches, an elite four-goal player like Nick Snow will be part of a 15- or 20-goal team.)

112 bostoncommon-magazine.com

The Harvard polo team takes on the challengers from Mongolia at Myopia Hunt Club.

The top Boston polo players compete on any of about 20 teams in the region, mostly organized by families with long-standing ties to Myopia polo, like the Daniels family’s Pony Express team out of Ipswich, where they maintain their own polo field for training and matches, or Rick Salter’s Firehouse Subs team, which competes at Myopia as well as in tournaments near his farm in Aiken, South Carolina.

Under Franz Colloredo-Mansfeld’s guidance, Myopia events—usually held Sundays at 3 pm—have doubled their attendance since 2010. The highlight of the coming season, an August 2 match between the USA and polo powerhouse Argentina, is expected to attract thousands to the whispering pines surrounding Gibney Field, where Myopia riders have played polo since 1887.

“For many years, the number of people participating in polo was declining,” says ColloredoMansfeld, president and CEO of the old-line

Game Theory

PhotograPhy courtesy of Brian Wright o’connor (Bill o’connor)

Writer Brian O’Connor accepted our challenge to jump on a horse for this story. Turns out he has a personal history with the game.

this page, clockwise from top left: Bill O’Connor (right) in 1935; a Harvard player gets ready before the match at Myopia; a young player and his polo pony at Norfolk Hunt Club.

A framed photo of a chiseled face peering out from under a polo helmet, a mallet raised in the air beside him, has hung on my wall for decades. Bill O’Connor, my grandfather, was in the last class of West Point cadets required to learn to ride horses. After graduating in 1924, he played polo wherever the Army sent him.

That photo was the closest I got to a chukker until I pulled up to Peter Poor’s Stage Hill Polo for a lesson. Poor mounts me on Doc, a slow-trotter, and runs through the basics. He pronounces my horsemanship crude but adequate and instructs me to practice swinging the mallet with my right hand while holding the reins in my left. Other students soon join us, and Poor blows his whistle. Ready or not, the match starts. Striking the ball is a challenge. Like a golf novice experiencing his first smooth, nearly effortless connection, I feel the same thrill when the mallet finally gives it a solid whack.

Poor’s program, affordably priced at about $300 to $400 monthly for twice- or thrice-a-week sessions, includes horse, tack, and equipment and runs outdoors from May through November and indoors during the winter. Students range in age from 5 to 80 and come from a variety of backgrounds. A recent lesson for beginners included a real estate agent, an ad executive, an energy trader, and college kids.

My ambitions are modest: to play with verve, if not perfection.

But I do have one goal: I hope to make Grandad, a three-goal player, raise his mallet in salute. 42 Low St., Newbury, 978-4638668; stagehillpolo.com

bostoncommon-magazine.com 113

clockwise from top left: Crocker Snow,

who coaches at Harvard, and his son Nick; the Harvard versus Mongolia match at Myopia Hunt Club; the ceremonial start of a polo match at Norfolk Hunt Club; Franz ColloredoMansfeld with his mother and his son Johann after Harvard’s win.

Tail Spin Tailgating—whether proper or rowdy—is a sport in its own right.

At Myopia Hunt Club, A-list spectators tailgate up against the sidelines in bespoke spaces, with awnings, tables, linen, chafing dishes, and wellstocked coolers from which crisp Chardonnays and the occasional Veuve-Clicquot help relieve the heat of a summer Sunday in South Hamilton.

The art of hat wearing is on full display. Hats decorated with fresh tulips, fuchsia ribbons, or a classic wide brim adorn the female set, while a bowler or fedora can be spotted on more than a few gents.

Galvin-ized Headwear (450 Harrison Ave., 617-8342910; galvinizedhats.com) and Goorin Bros. (130 Newbury St., 617-247-4287; goorin.com) are local favorites. Nantucket red shorts, blazers, straw hats, and sundresses compete with equine couture like boots, jeans, and polo shirts at Myopia. Dover Saddlery (595 Washington St., Rte. 16, Wellesley, 781-235-1411; doversaddlery.com) is a local retailer of choice for traditional English riding apparel, as is the online SmartPak Equine (smartpakequine.com).

Fifty miles southwest, at the Norfolk Hunt Club’s annual polo exhibition in Medfield, sideline revelers party to a more urgent beat. “The secret of a great tailgate?” asks Red Sky Studios production manager Tiffany Kinder, wielding a flute of Krisanna Onorato next to a table filled with French bouquets, lobster rolls, kabobs, and crudités. “Good food, good wine, good company, and white linens.” And, in her case, catering from Captain Marden’s (279 Linden St, Wellesley, 781-235-0860; captainmardens.com).

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Boston real estate firm Cabot Properties. “Players retiring from the game were not being replaced, and fewer spectators were coming out to see the matches. We’re reversing that trend, slowly but surely.” With four children playing polo, ColloredoMansfeld is doing his part to propagate the sport.

Kim Maguire, a four-goal player and farrier who directs the Boston Polo League, includes doctors, engineers, and high school and college students among her players. “What unites them all,” she says, “is that they love horses.” Training takes place from May to October in the evenings and on weekends to accommodate work and school schedules.

There’s a $1,500 membership fee, and horses are available to rent per session or through longer-term leases from local barns.

More committed players generally start off by buying older, seasoned horses, most of them exthoroughbred racers or quarter horses, for anywhere from $4,000 to $8,000, and boarding usually

Who’s Who, and Where The top clubs and players in New England.

WHERE TO WATCH Myopia Hunt Club: The epicenter of Boston polo is the Myopia Hunt Club in South Hamilton, where the Myopia Polo Club stages youth, club, and professional matches from May through September. 435 Bay Road, South Hamilton, 978-468-7656; myopiapolo.org Norfolk Hunt Club: The Norfolk Hunt Club hosts an annual polo exhibition, Polo in the Country, featuring Norfolk riders against other clubs at its Steeplechase Course. Games for children, tailgating prizes, and entertainment by the hounds of the Norfolk Kennel are featured at the September event. 240 North St., Medfield, 508-359-5415; norfolkhunt.com Newport International Polo Series: Newport Polo, played at Glen Farm in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, features top-flight professional Saturday matches from June through September, kicking off with the US versus Monaco on June 6. 715 E. Main Road, Portsmouth, RI, 401-847-7090; nptpolo.com

costs less than $1,000 a month. By comparison, polo ponies—ponies they’re not, that’s just the nomenclature—at the peak of their careers sell for tens of thousands of dollars.

Harvard’s recently acquired barn and indoor arena in Hamilton leases some of its horses to players with the Boston Polo League, providing additional resources and infrastructure to help grow the sport. Crocker Snow, a retired foreign correspondent who has played polo in 24 countries, encourages new players to get muck up to the elbows in order to fully appreciate the full polo experience.

Like his father, Nick Snow sees the sport’s survival in recruiting a new generation of polo enthusiasts, adding new blood to blue blood. His wife, Amanda, works in player development for the US Polo Association, running youth tournaments around the country with the same goal in mind. “We just have to make it more possible for people to play,” says Snow. “We’re creating steppingstones like the Boston Polo League and feeding players into Stage Hill Polo.”

Ultimately, the Snow dynasty sees the game’s sensory appeal—the grunt of polo ponies on a 70-yard sprint, the creak of oiled leather, the lightning crack of mallet on ball—and the relationship between horse and rider as its most compelling

WHO TO WATCH When it comes to the Boston polo scene, keep an eye out at Myopia for the brothers Snow—Nick, Connor, and Adam, all excellent players—as well as their father, Crocker, who coaches at Harvard.

Franz Colloredo-Mansfeld can be spotted at Myopia playing with the family Black Oak stable polo team, including sons Seppi, Johann, and Simon, and daughter Annie.

Terri Campbell, a Boston portfolio manager, played in Newport for 10 years but now rides at Myopia. Along with Amanda Poor, she is among the top female players in New England.

Past Myopia Polo captains Ted Raymond and Lyle Graham and members of the Coke clan— father Bill and sons Barrett and Hamilton—are fixtures at Gibney Field.

Donald Little Jr., who has played on three continents and has served on the board of governors of the US Polo Association, is a Myopia mainstay who serves as president of Centennial Farms, one of the top thoroughbred racing stables in the country.

“we have to make it possible for more people to play. we’re creating steppingstones like the boston polo league.”

—nick snow

aspects. As the polo mantra goes, “Two heads, four legs, one heart.”

“It’s indescribable, working in unison with a thousand-pound animal f lying down the field hitting a ball,” says Nick Snow. “There is nothing like it. We just hope more people can experience this great thrill and unique connection with some pretty cool animals and amazing athletes.”

Myopia Hunt Club, 435 Bay Road, South Hamilton, 978-468-4433; myopiapolo.org BC

bostoncommon-magazine.com 115

Global Is The Difference

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS $3,180,000 Collin Sullivan | C. 617.529.6622

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WELLESLEY, MASSACHUSETTS 1936 Brick Colonial thoughtfully updated, and beautifully sited on 1.41 landscaped acres. A rare find in Wellesley’s prestigious Cliff Estates. $2,499,000

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HAUTE PROPERTY News, Stars, and Trends in Real Estate

hot off the press

As the old Boston Herald block is turned into A glAm urbAn residentiAl complex, the south end And south boston Are bringing bAck A piece of locAl history. by alexandra hall Hunched up against one side of the Southeast Expressway, surrounded by parking lots and the thrum of traffic, 26 West Broadway and vicinity has been, for as long as many of us can remember, a no-man’s-land. The building was the headquarters of one of the city’s biggest newspapers, but beyond that, no one ever had much reason to want to go there. In fact, the area’s stagnancy actually created a wedge—a divider between the independently dynamic neighborhoods of the South End and South Boston.

As of this spring, however, that’s going to end with the opening of Ink Block, a highly stylish combination of living, eating, fitness, recreation, and shopping spaces. It serves as the connector between those two aforementioned key sections of the city, as well as being a boldly designed neighborhood in its

photography by gustav hoiland

continued on page 120

The living room of an apartment at Ink Block, which blends the neighborhood’s grittiness with urban sophistication.

bostoncommon-magazine.com 119

HAUTE PROPERTY News, Stars, and Trends in Real Estate

120 bostoncommon-magazine.com

clockwise from top left: A kitchen in an Ink Block apartment; the living room of a studio; an aerial rendering of Ink Block.

building, certified LEED Gold—which means it’s about as sustainable as you can get, thanks largely to an internal power plant. Think dizzying views, a cabana-lined outdoor pool, rooftop terraces with barbecues and a demonstration kitchen, a yoga studio, and an outdoor dog run.

Surrounding the two complexes are a variety of new diversions—restaurants such as Barcelona Wine Bar (the second in Boston) and The Gallows, and recreational spots like The Intraspace Project, an urban park complete with a performance area, a dog park, and a boardwalk, all located directly between the South End and South Boston. “It’s all part of making the distance between the two neighborhoods smaller,” says Tye. “A few years ago, no one would walk under the bridge to the T station.

Now that area is safe and people go back and forth across all the time.”

Further boosting activity in the community will be a lively alfresco scene, thanks to the open-air tables of restaurants that are about to start settling in, creating a stream of sidewalk buzz. “That’s really part of reinventing a neighborhood,” Tye says, “bringing an energy to the streets themselves.” 300 Harrison Ave., 855-688-1558; inkblockboston.com BC

The BaTTle of Troy Amenities meet sustainability in this new development.

When Kelly Saito, a partner at the real estate developer Gerding Edlen, and his team set out to design Troy Boston, their mission was twofold: to create a mixed-use residential complex that was as ecologically friendly as possible, and to provide an unusually high level of interactivity for residents.

To meet the frst goal, they built an internal power plant that’s 25 percent more effcient than mandated by the city’s current energy codes. They also appointed the apartments with energy-saving appliances and impeccably modern wood foors made from 82 percent recycled material.

The second part of their mission was trickier, says Saito.

“Everyone always wants to add more perks when they design—pools, big gyms, and all that. We did too, but we spread them throughout the entire project instead of lumping them together.” The result gives residents reasons to visit different areas of the complex. One roof deck, for example, is all about the view, while another is more about hanging out at the barbecue. The vibe at the café lounge is entirely different from that of the pool on the other side of the building. “It’s meant to create more opportunities for interactivity,” says Saito. “Residents have more diverse experiences in daily life.” 55 Traveler St., 617-426-5300; troyboston.com

photography by gustav hoiland (kitchen, living room)

own right. And its developers hope to renew not just the area, but also the thriving energy it once had, long before it became a no-man’s-land.

“From the mid-19th century until the mid-20th century, the neighborhood was a classic mixed-use community,” says Ted Tye, managing partner of the firm National Development, which bought the old Boston Herald site in 2006. “It was filled with restaurants, theaters, stores, and residences. My idea was to bring that back by creating an urban village where everything is at your fingertips.”

In that village, which is opening in several stages over the course of this spring, condo owners and renters occupy a labyrinth of six sleek buildings, featuring two rooftops with killer city views, a fullservice fitness center, and a Peet’s Coffee & Tea shop, along with a slew of amenities, such as concierge service, lounge areas with Wi-Fi, shared workspaces, and an art collection throughout the complex that might make the ICA a tad insecure.

The fulcrum of it all is a 50,000-square-foot Whole Foods Market, with free weekend valet parking; a handful of open-space eateries, including a fish shack and a café; and a spa that offers everything from ultrasonic facials and brow waxes to pedis.

“Ink Block really is its own little city,” says Tye. The residential units aren’t too shabby either, with rentals starting at about $2,500 a month and condos priced from $500,000 to upwards of $2 million. While one building’s hallways are decorated with strips of newspaper (a tribute to the previous tenant), another is done in black and white, with Roy Lichtenstein characters on the hallway walls. Yet another has a traditional South End design, with clean exterior lines that suggest it might have once been a warehouse.

“We embraced the grittiness of the neighborhood,” Tye explains, “but also its sophistication.”

Across the way, bordering Traveler, Albany, and East Berkeley Streets, another development is also helping in the neighborhood’s rapid transformation.

Called Troy Boston, it’s a $185 million mixed-use

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haute property Brokers’ roundtable

City vs. Country Mouse

CAN’T DECIDE BETWEEN A BACK BAY PENTHOUSE OR A WESTON ESTATE? TWO TOP REALTORS WEIGH IN ON THE OPTIONS. by lisa pierpont

Tracy Campion and Lisa Curlett are so successful at selling luxury homes, they could probably afford to buy a small island in the Caribbean.

Or a city block in Paris.

Which would it be? Alas, they could never agree. Campion is hopelessly devoted to the city, while Curlett is all about land, land, land. As the number-one-ranked broker in the state, Campion oversees nearly $2 billion in sales (her

firm, Campion and Company, grossed more than $450 million in 2014). The Brownand Columbia-educated Curlett is a top-tier producer at Pinnacle Residential Properties; she focuses on high-end homes primarily in Weston and Wellesley, where the median home price is over $1 million. Boston Common met with them at the Fairmont Copley Plaza’s Oak Long Bar Kitchen to take the

122 bostoncommon-magazine.com

pulse of their markets and find out what home buyers in the $5 million to $10 million range can expect.

What is the state of the luxury real estate market?

Tracy Campion: Boston’s luxury market is strong, with an average sales price of just under $1 million, up 11.36 percent.

Lisa Curlett: 2015 is already up 240 percent in total

market volume perspective.

What is the difference between a $5 million and $10 million buyer?

TC: The $5 million buyer has a wider range of properties.

The $10 million buyer has fewer to choose from and is more often searching for a trophy home in the city.

LC: The $5 million and $10 million home buyer aren’t that different in terms of what they want. Their net worth might be the same, but the $5 million buyer is investing less capital in his home and diversifying into other investments—a vacation home, boat, private airplane, etc.

What are the aspirations of luxury buyers?

LC: Although luxury buyers [in Weston and Wellesley] often want to make an impression with their homes and generally buy new construction, they also put a premium on privacy, seeking more than seven acres on average. They want luxury features like a tennis court, swimming pool, gym, media room, spalike amenities, a three-car garage at minimum, and, on average, six bedrooms, seven full baths, and four half-baths.

TC: Luxury buyers in the

city look for all the whiteglove services and lifestyle amenities. They want turnkey, all on one level with views, elevator access, garage parking, and of course the right address.

What can buyers expect at the high end of $10 million?

TC: For $10 million, you can get some beautiful city properties. A buyer can expect an entire townhouse, penthouse, or brownstone.

LC: Although they don’t want to lose money, residential home buyers are not necessarily approaching their home purchase as an investment. Of course, they’ll make sure that the home doesn’t have significant resale issues—it’s not on a busy street, doesn’t have wetland issues—and is in a town that has consistently increased in value at the high end, like Brookline, Chestnut Hill, Weston, or Wellesley.

But this is the home where their family will happily live and build memories.

Tracy Campion, Campion and Company, 172 Newbury St., 617-236-0711; campionre.com.

Lisa Curlett, Pinnacle Residential Properties, 555 Washington St., Wellesley, 781-267-2844; pinnacle houses.com BC

photography by bryce Vickmark (campion and curlett); Jim abts (73 ox bow); courtesy of campion and company (56 beacon)

from left: The entryway of 56 Beacon Street, one of Campion’s properties; Lisa Curlett and Tracy Campion; Curlett’s listing at 73 Ox Bow Road in Weston.

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HAUTE PROPERTY Design News “Add a dramatic floral effect with this Nina Campbell wall cover through Osborne & Little.

They are my go-to for colorful, fresh, and bold wallpaper.” Boston Design Center, 1 Design Center Pl., No. 551, 617-7372924; osborneand little.com left: “Discover inspiration

in brightly colored or naturally formed marble stones for your kitchen or bath, like these from Cumar Marble and Granite. I love the impression of flowers without the literal context.” 69 Norman St., No. 4, Everett, 617-3897818; cumar.com

Flower Power

InterIor desIgner Eric HaydEl Injects new lIfe Into sprIng’s bIggest trend. by jessica bowne

lay “Grab a box of note cards to disp on your workspace, like these by to Rytex, and spread a little spring your closest friends.” Neiman Marcus, Copley Place, 617-5363660; neimanmarcus.com

“long gone are the days of victorian chintz.”

—eric haydel

above: “Local pottery genius Jill Rosenwald’s take on

floral is modern and fresh. I love this relaxed approach to toile, without the heavy scenes of the past.” 369 Congress St., 617-422-0787; jillrosenwald.com left: “If you’d rather walk on the conservative side, pick

up one of my favorite floral frames by L’Objet. Gold and floral are back.” Bloomingdale’s, The Mall at Chestnut Hill, 617-630-6000; bloomingdales.com 124 bostoncommon-magazine.com

photography Courtesy of L’objet (frame); by sheLLy harrison (haydeL)

Say no to stodgy florals: That’s Eric Haydel’s motto. The Boston-based interior designer, born in Louisiana and known for his ease at blending Southern warmth with New England sensibilities, mixes patterns with reckless abandon. Haydel, who in October will begin his term as president of the New England chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers, tells us that this season is all about flowers. “Long gone are the days of Victorian chintz,” he says, “but that does not mean floral motifs have lost their place in the world of interiors. During spring fashion, we were inspired by runway looks that walk right into our closets and our home.” Haydel shares his favorite floral items to make your home décor blossom. 369 Congress St., 617-562-6027; emhdesigninc.com BC

LUXURY BEHIND EVERY DOOR

bmsluxeliving.com

Weston $7,795,000

Weston $5,595,000

Weston $5,195,000

Weston $4,895,000

Weston $4,295,000

Weston $4,295,000

Wellesley $3,995,000

Wellesley $3,895,000

Wellesley $3,895,000

Weston $3,698,000

Weston $3,695,000

Weston $3,675,000

Wellesley $3,500,000

Weston $3,195,000

Dover $2,900,000

Weston $2,900,000

Weston $2,750,000

Weston $2,695,000

Wellesley $2,645,000

Wellesley $2,550,000

Weston $2,360,000

Weston $2,295,000

Dover $2,295,000

Wellesley $2.1M - $1.9M

Weston $2,095,000

Weston $2,085,000

Weston $1,895,000

Wellesley $1,850,000

WELLESLEY 54 Central Street 781.237.8181 | WESTON 450 Boston Post Road 781.894.8282 benoitmiznersimon.com | bmsluxeliving.com

Benoit Mizner Simon & Co, LLC. An Equal Opportunity Employer. Equal Housing Opportunity.

ABODE AND BEYOND

In PIeces

Hermès has made the Mad Hatter insanely happy. The internationally extolled brand will open its newly renovated and expanded boutique at The Heritage on the Garden with additional home items—some of which are superb for a proper tea, like this Voyage en Ikat porcelain dinner service. The collection—inspired by historic textiles from the Far East, updated with a sleek modern look—features pieces rendered in more than 20 lush jewel tones, with 24-carat matte gold detailing. Expect Limoges-made teacups in bright ruby and turquoise, dessert plates in sizzling sapphire, and a so-chic-it-hurts teapot in an eye-catching medley of hues.

The store itself—which has been renovated twice since it debuted in 1988—will feature a massive main staircase and two floors of expanded space to showcase the brand’s handcrafted products. “Our expansion in Boston is due primarily to the continued strength and growth of our local client base,” says Robert Chavez, president and CEO of Hermès of Paris.

“We want to broaden our product offering in many categories, and we wish to offer our clients a greater assortment in key categories, such as home, fine jewelry, and shoes.” Because in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter also needs something to wear. The Heritage on the Garden, 320 Boylston St., 617-482-8707; hermes.com BC

126 bostoncommon-magazine.com

A teapot, teacup, and saucer from Hermès’s new Voyage en Ikat collection.

photography by JEFF CraWForD

Hermès celebrates its newly expanded boston boutique with the launch of a colorful porcelain collection. by jessica bowne

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Your Nantucket escape is just an hour away.

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More trips. More ferries.

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the guIde Acquire Tibetan pillows, Belgian linen, and one-of-a-kind French porcelain.

8 Union Park St., 617-4246700; michellewilley.com

Mohr & McPherson

A trip to Kate and Theo Home is like visiting your most stylish friend, who lets you take whatever you want.

Objects of Desire Spring juSt happenS to be the beSt excuSe to pick up a new piece or two at theSe home boutiqueS. by brigitte carreiro Artefact Home & Garden Pause for a moment to take in the converted 1930s car showroom that houses Maureen and Sue Walsh’s collection of artful furniture, tableware, and garden accessories. Inside you’ll find luxe products from established designers, such as the Stella chair by Verellen, as well as up-andcoming artisans like Alison Evans Ceramics.

1000 Pleasant St., Belmont, 617-993-3347; artefacthome.com

Casa This SoWa showroom is a sleek bazaar of exclusive and limited-edition pieces from emerging international designers, including Vittorio Bonacina and Ceccotti Collezioni. Looking for something you won’t find in

every home? Casa’s carefully curated collection of sustainable modern furnishings should do the trick.

460 Harrison Ave., 617-6542974; casadesignboston.com

Dover Rug & Home Originally located in Natick, Dover Rug & Home now has an outpost in the Back Bay, too, where an extensive collection of hand-knotted rugs and carpeting in both contemporary and traditional styles is on display.

The trend in rugs this year?

Neutral blues, grays, and beiges, oh my.

721 Worcester Road, Natick, 508-651-3500; 390 Stuart St., 617-266-3600; doverrug.com

Kate and Theo Home The ever-stylish Kate McCusker is proprietor of this chic boutique.

128 bostoncommon-magazine.com

McCusker, who also runs the interior design firm Theodore & Company with her mother, stocks her bilevel store with custom furniture designed for city living as well as must-have accessories, like Bib and Sola’s colorful glassware.

Items such as slipper chairs and armless banquets are meant to be multifunctional, reflecting McCusker’s knowledge of and love for life in Boston.

96 Charles St., 617-227-1915; kateandtheohome.com

Michelle Willey Owner Michelle Willey has a keen eye for color, texture, and whatever looks utterly fabulous. Her home boutique stocks classic pieces that are perfect for everyday use while also having quality you’ll want to pass down to the next generation. Look for

You don’t have to get on a plane to find antiques from India, China, and beyond.

Mohr & McPherson has done the legwork for you in sourcing its one-of-a-kind items, such as an inlaid folding screen, delicate lotus wall panels, handmade rugs, and a nearly five-foot-tall Buddha statue. Mohr & McPherson will open a second location in June, expanding to a new showroom in Watertown.

460 Harrison Ave., 617-2107900; mohr-mcpherson.com

InsIde Job Sue Walsh of Artefact gives us her essentials for home décor this season.

What do you see as the “haute” trends for spring? we think that the fashion industry–led trend of layering is especially cool.

Pine Straw

Sophisticated layering

Savvy suburbanites depend on the sharp curatorial eye of Tracy Cranley, whose love of shopping and entertaining inspires her collection at Pine Straw. We admire her expert ability to mix and match items—like handcrafted ceramics by Sugarboo Designs and evocative candles from Lafco.

466 Washington St., Wellesley, 781-235-1844; pinestrawshopwellesley.com

with color, textiles,

Waterhouse Amber Waterhouse has an artist’s intuition when it comes to color, perspective, and what “pops.” Her boutique showcases a collection of artwork (her own and that of nine other women) and antiques, such as porcelain vases and heirloom-worthy platters.

Expect an ever-changing variety of vintage-feeling pieces, including glassware, silver, rugs, and furniture.

106 North St., Hingham, 781-749-0173; water housedecor.com BC

plants, woods, hard and soft surfaces, and shapes provides a richness and visual texture.

How can accessories change the feel of a room?

Stylish accessories are a connection to a person’s adventures, inspirations, and lifestyle—they have meaning. a reflection of personal style is what makes an accessory stylish. in turn, these pieces breathe personality and life into a space.

What is the one piece every home needs? a perfect—and comfortable—chair or sofa paired with an extraordinary light. these two pieces create a place to relax, converse, laugh, and lounge.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2015

House of Blues Boston

Curtis Blyden Little Brother Alum, Wendy Foster BBBSMB President and CEO, and Tim Dibble 2015 James J. Pallotta Award Recipient

On February 7, 2015, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay held its 16th annual Big Night which since its inception in 1998 has raised over $27.8 million to support youth mentoring across Massachusetts Bay. At SOLD OUT capacity, over 1,000 guests rocked out to incredible performances by Shaggy and the Goo Goo Dolls. Thanks to wonderful supporters including friends and family of the inspirational 6th annual James J. Pallotta Award Recipient, Tim Dibble, Big Night was able to raise over $1.8 million to support the 2,000 youth in our programs facing adversity.

PLATINUM SPONSORS Adage Capital Management, L.P. Alta Equity Partners Jonathon and Joanna Jacobson Marty and Tristin Mannion

Big Night's featured match, Big Brother Marc and Little Brother Zach

The Goo Goo Dolls rock the stage with an incredible performance

THANK YOU TO OUR 2015 BIG NIGHT SUPPORTERS!

GOLD SPONSORS Dan Silver, Adviser Investments Bob and Michelle Atchinson Bulens Family Foundation Jennifer and John Chisholm CORETELLIGENT The Partners of Fairhaven Capital Chris and Mary Beth Gordon Zeina and Rick Grinnell Liz and Phill Gross Leerink Partners Matthew and Stephanie Magee Paul Margolis and Stephanie Sullivan Stephanie and Brian Spector Joe and Kris Trustey Wakefy Inc. SILVER SPONSORS Ascensus College Savings Jamie and Beth Athanasoulas Athenahealth Tracy and Steven Angeli Anonymous Anonymous Bank of America Merrill Lynch BMO Capital Markets Boston Private Bank & Trust Company Boston Properties David and Roxanne Breazzano Holly and David Bruce Benjamin Butcher Kate and Gerald Chertavian Choate Devin and Erin Condron John and Stephanie Connaughton Cowen and Company Mark Dalton The Davis Companies The DiNovi Family Mark and Julie Dufy ELEMENT Productions Ernst & Young

First Republic Bank FBR Capital Markets & Co. Bob and Karen Forlenza Grousbeck Trust Rayna and Kevin Hannaway HireMinds Laura Unfat and Steve Honig Income Research & Management Ironshore ITG JP Morgan Kevin and Maryellen Kelley KPMG Dave and Laura Lamere Liberty Mutual Insurance The Lombard Family Don and Gabrielle McCree MFS Investment Management Morgan Stanley Peter and Yvette Mulderry New England Development Tom and Liz Niedermeyer Novack Family Foundation Oppenheimer Ben Piggott and Jill O’Connell Abbie and Frank Petz Proskauer Kristen and Paul Reeder Robinson & Cole LLP Pearlmark Real Estate Partners Molly Shannon Spectrum Equity State Street Corporation Stifel Brendan and Kerry Swords TA Associates Ralph and Laurine Verrilli Waters

IN HONOR OF TIM DIBBLE, JAMES J. PALLOTTA AWARD RECIPIENT Tom and Allison Aley Jamie and Beth Athanasoulas Kathleen Bacon Peter and Monica Campanella Gerald and Kate Chertavian The Concord Crowd John J. Cullinane Dodson Donor Advised Fund Paul and Sandy Edgerley Bill and Jackie Egan Michael and Barbara Eisenson Wendy Foster and Claudia Gelzer Liz and Phill Gross Rick and Zeina Grinnell Jack Griswold, Jr. Peter Handrinos Anne Helgen and Michael Gilligan Michael Krupka and Anne Kubik Jef and Kristi Leerink Paul Margolis and Stephanie Sullivan Brian and Margaret McNeill Chris and Susan Mitchell Peter Monaco JK and Virginia Nicholas Mark and Jenna O’Donnell Josh and Jessica Reed Kevin and Tracy Routhier Louis Salemy Doug Sanders Jef Shames Brian and Stephanie Spector Will and Genie Thorndike Nicola and Phil Thompson Ralph and Laurine Verrilli Jim and Margaret Wade

BAR SPONSOR Jones Lang LaSalle

IN KIND SUPPORTERS Boston Common Magazine Commonwealth Worldwide East Coast Grill Georges Bank Hotel Commonwealth Winston Flowers

DESSERT SPONSOR Charles River Realty National Development FOUNDATION ROOM SPONSOR Howland Capital

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BIG NIGHT, CONTACT TRICIA KECK AT 617-956-0237, TKECK@BBBSMB.ORG OR CHECK OUT WWW.BIGNIGHTBOSTON.COM.

Learn more about the exciting things we’re doing this year at www.bbbsmb.org

HAUTE PROPERTY Long Weekend

Cottage Industry

In the realm of luxury resorts, wInvIan’s cottages are, quIte lIterally, out of thIs world.

clockwise from top left: The Beaver Lodge; the Helicopter cottage; the interior of

the restored Sikorsky Sea King aircraft that’s inside the Helicopter cottage.

130 bostoncommon-magazine.com

Two and a half hours from Boston, off a wooded stretch of Connecticut farmland, a simple set of gates gives way to 113 acres of bliss. Since 2006, Winvian Resort in Litchfield Hills has won wide acclaim for its five-star restaurant and luxury spa, but even more notably for 18 extravagantly designed cottages that have reinvented the romantic retreat.

In the realm of luxury resorts, where moving the needle of discerning guests has become increasingly difficult, Winvian’s cottages are, quite literally, out of this world.

Each cottage transports its guests to an enchanting place crafted in the imagination of one of 15 architects.

There’s a hobbit’s home straight out of The Lord of the Rings and a tree house fit for the Swiss Family Robinson.

For the adventurous, there’s the Helicopter cottage, complete with a fully restored 1968 Sikorsky Sea King aircraft inside, along with a lounge and wet bar.

There’s the quiet Library, the tranquil Artist, and the regal Connecticut Yankee.

From one cottage to the next, Winvian morphs kaleidoscopically, appealing to seemingly every possible taste and imagination.

Given my penchant for the outdoors, I selected Beaver Lodge for my stay.

Located on the outskirts of the property, the cabin looks like Paul Bunyan chopped

the logs himself. As I pushed open the heavy timber door, the sweet aroma of burning wood wafted over me. The sight of the room was no less stirring. Five hulking tree trunks break through the hardwood floor, a rich leather sofa circles a handsome stone hearth, and the plush king-size bed inspires not just sleep but hibernation.

The history of these grounds is almost as intriguing as the cottages themselves. The year the first shot was fired in the Revolutionary War, Dr. Seth Bird built his home in this bucolic setting. One hundred seventy-three years later, Winthrop Smith and his wife, Vivian, bought Dr. Bird’s estate. So it was that Winvian got its name— “Win” for Winthrop, “vian” for Vivian. When her husband passed away, Vivian married Captain Charles McVay, who

became famous when his USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in 1945. He survived, and he lived the rest of his days here on this estate.

Winvian’s most recent iteration came by way of Win Smith and his wife, Maggie, who is now the proprietor of the resort, and the family continues to champion the ideals of imaginative luxury.

Whether you’re dining on a delectable Berkshire pork loin served with beluga lentils, kale, and mustard sauce at its five-star farm-totable restaurant, or receiving a restorative facial and hot-stone massage at its spa, or simply holing up in one of its delightful cottages, Winvian takes the weekend getaway far beyond a short drive from Boston. Winvian, 155 Alain White Road, Morris, CT, 860-567-9600; winvian.com BC

photography courtesy of Winvian resort

Winvian ResoRt Cottages reinvent the luxury retreat with the help of heliCopters and tree houses, a tank away from boston. by robert cocuzzo

GO ALL OUT. ®

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Carnoisseur

clockwise from top left: The plush leather interior; LED headlights and lightweight alloy wheels; the Targa goes from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.1 seconds; the extended wheelbase provides greater driving stability.

Porsche and Prejudice

Question: What’s the difference between a Porsche and a porcupine?

Answer: With the Porsche, the prick is on the inside. That’s my favorite car joke, or at least it was until I drove a Porsche for myself. Only then did I realize whom the joke is really on: the rest of us.

Right now, a 2015 Porsche 911 Targa is glaring at me from outside the window of a Boston coffee shop. Even though I know full well that I need to give her back at the end of the week, I’m relishing a sick, misplaced sense of pride that, at least for the time being, she’s my baby. Every now and again I’m compelled to pull out her sleek key, glance to my left and right, then click the lock button. Yup, that’s mine.

This Porsche is as sexy as lingerie, and no less silky on the road. I can barely choke down my morning espresso before I sprint back into her driver’s seat. The interior is lipstick red, made of plush leather that’s sewn so meticulously you can imagine a little German seamstress—glasses on the tip of her nose, thimble on her finger—stitching the steering wheel together like intricate embroidery. They say the stitching of a car’s interior reveals a lot

132 bostoncommon-magazine.com

by robert cocuzzo

about how well its company is doing. Clearly Porsche is doing wunderbar.

Idling in front of the coffee shop, I hold down a switch on the dash and the convertible top folds back and tucks itself away as neat as a Swiss Army knife. You don’t drive a Porsche to blend in—you go full peacock.

Behind the wheel, the Targa achieves the elusive middle ground between comfortable sports car and buckle-your-chin-strap rocket ship. Pulling onto the Mass Pike, I radio ground control: “Houston, we’re T-minus 10 seconds for takeoff.” I pop the Porsche into manual. From here on, I shift gears using paddles on the steering wheel. And as for those gears, I got seven of ’em.

I press my foot to the floor and the vehicle moans onto the road. Few things deliver more satisfaction than the symphony of this car’s highperformance engine. The world spills over my head like I’m flying through a car wash too fast to get wet. A smile is plastered to my face. This 911 is named after one of the greatest sports car races of all time, the Targa Florio, and now I can see why. Herb Chambers Porsche of Boston, 1172 Commonwealth Ave., 617-278-9300; herbchambersporscheofboston.com BC

photography courtesy of porsche

the 2015 Porsche 911 Targa will make every bostonian want to go full peacock.

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INVITED

DREAM COME TRUE

Boston Circus Guild

Ana Colmenero and Hoyt Ludington

Joseph and Eden Davies

EVEN THE PAINTINGS WERE DANCING at the Dream Gala,

Jonathan and Kimberly Guerster

Monica and Tom Healey with Richard and Barbara Barnhart

Catherine Varitek, Nelly Carreno, and Tonya Mezrich

Hillary and Jeffrey Rayport

Jane Deery, Alisa Kapinos, and Jessica Diaz

Collette Keenan, Michael Depaulo, and Beth Lydon

Gary Tanguay

GIRL POWER

THE RUNWAY WAS A VERITABLE who’s who of Boston (including Boston Common Editor-in-Chief Lisa Pierpont) at Big Sister Boston’s Make a Statement fashion show at the Revere Hotel Boston Common. Models strutted down the runway in looks by Bloomingdale’s to the sounds of DJ Paul Dailey. Guests also enjoyed a surprise performance by Boston Ballet and a live auction hosted by Jenny Johnson and Gary Tanguay. The event raised more than $140,000 to support mentoring programs.

Kelly Gioioso-Thomas, Noelle Barbosa, and Jessica Hennessy

134 BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM

Gail Huff Brown and Senator Scott Brown

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BLANCHARD (DREAM); YURI VAYSGANT (GIRL POWER)

where the Peabody Essex Museum welcomed more than 500 supporters of its education, outreach, and public programs.

The festivities kicked off with dream-inspired art experiences, including a dreamscape dance performance, and an installation featuring pieces by New York– based fashion designer Gary Graham alongside legendary performance artist Meredith Monk. After enjoying dinner, guests flocked to the dance floor to let loose in a Dream Dance Party.

Thomas Aaron Private Brokerage Providing premier residential brokerage with an unparalleled record of excellence since 1990 $357 Million In Sales • $31 Million in 2014

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71 Central Street, Wellesley, Massachusetts 02482 Office: 781.237.9090, Email: Tom.Aaron@NEMoves.com www.NewEnglandMoves.com/Thomas.Aaron ©2015 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. A Realogy Company. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is Independently Owned and Operated. Coldwell Banker®, the Coldwell Banker Logo, Coldwell Banker Previews International®, and the Previews International Logo are registered and unregistered service marks to Coldwell Banker LLC.

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INVITED Guests enjoyed a transformed ballroom.

Kaily Nash, Steph Bibeau, Richard Pascal, Ali Torabi, and Remy Kassimir

Katherine Carter, Mike Kapos, Katie Sarubbi, and Michaela Mahoney

Mike Kapos, Alex Bain, and Mike Huffstetler

A WORTHY CAUSE Bostonians filled the ballroom of the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel for the annual Boston Winter Ball. The evening started with a private dinner

emceed by NBC’s Luke Russert, followed by a ball where guests enjoyed cocktails and dancing. More than $600,000 was raised for the Corey C. Griffin Charitable Foundation.

Luke Russert

Joe Breezy and Danielle Vollmar Lynn Smith, Michael Blanchard, and Gary Smith

Jessica Leip and Kelley Tuthill

Becca Hynes and Emily Egan

Juli Auclair Lipof and Phil Lipof

THE OSCAR GOES TO…

IT WAS A STAR-STUDDED NIGHT ON THE RED CARPET at the Ellie Fund Oscars, which raised nearly

$200,000 to support women, men, and families battling breast cancer. The attendees bid on fabulous vacations and autographed memorabilia while enjoying gourmet samples from restaurants such as The Local, Pastoral, Smith & Wollensky, and Bostonia Public House. The VIP list was as studded with talent as the Academy Awards, including fashion stylist Christina K. Pierce and WCVB’s Danielle Vollmar.

J.C. Monahan and Jim Farrell

136 BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM

Heather Shanahan

April Soderstrom and Ben Rawitz

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TRACEY VIBBER (A WORTHY CAUSE); MICHAEL BLANCHARD (OSCARS)

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20 YEAR RECIPIENT 2014

*Starting price excludes taxes, title, registration fees and added options. See dealer for details.

HOURS: MONDAY-THURSDAY 8:30AM-9:00PM, FRIDAY & SATURDAY 8:30AM-6:00PM, SUNDAY 11:00AM-5:00PM

INVITED Andrew and Liz Chang

Gail Fine and Mary Winters

Chef Daniel Bruce

Guests enjoyed wine throughout the evening.

IN VINO VERITAS

Kenan Alev and Sarah Appleby

Debbie and Perry Wilkes

WINE LOVERS RAISED A GLASS (followed by many more) at the kickoff to the 2015 Boston Wine Festival at the Boston Harbor Hotel. Three hundred fifty attendees were greeted by an impressive Champagne tower in the Wharf Room, and more than 50 wines were tasted throughout the evening.

Guests enjoyed delicacies from chef Daniel Bruce, including saffron and Champagne– steamed Maine lobster and mint and Meritage–glazed baby lamb chops.

Anna and Jay Hewitt

Heather Harrington and Sergi Filonow Marisa Fusco and Brian O’Connor

Kara and Eric Harrington

HIGH HOPES IT WAS A BLACK-TIE AFFAIR fit for Jay Gatsby himself at Joslin Diabetes Center’s High Hopes Gala, where friends and family gathered in celebration and remembrance of the life of Merritt Levitan (the subject of this issue’s “Spirit of

Generosity” story). Guests sipped cocktails while dancing to the Sultans of Swing, featuring American Idol semifinalist Erika Van Pelt. A raffle for a trip to golf’s Masters Tournament and exciting live and silent auctions raised more than $1 million.

Dylan Dreyer

138 BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BLANCHARD

Anna Cheshire Levitan and Richard Levitan

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PARTING SHOT

NestiNg.com

It’s sprIng In Boston, when huntIng for a house and a romantIc partner have a lot In common. by sarah cornell If home is where the heart is, shouldn’t you be able to apply the rules of love hunting to house hunting? You can. The two are very similar here in Boston.

Shopping for a home in the city or the ’burbs feels a lot like online dating. Even if you know what you’re looking for, it can be challenging to know where to look. Gone are the days of driving around different neighborhoods searching for your dream home, much as one rarely goes trolling for “The One” in a bar anymore. (I mean, even the beloved meat market Daisy Buchanan’s has closed.) Match, eHarmony, Tinder, Hinge… that’s where the goods are—profiled, buffed, and fluffed like a hot new listing on MLS. Just look at the descriptions: A Back Bay one-bedroom that’s “quaint and charming”—really? We all know that means “a small space in need of major renovation work.” Probably on the shady side of Marlborough Street. Overlooking an alley.

You also need to do your share of decoding in the online dating world. A woman who lists herself as separated probably means “I’m not emotionally available because I’m still not over my ex.” If he calls himself a consultant, you know he’s not clocking in at a top firm like the Boston Consulting Group, because—come on, he would’ve mentioned it. Swipe. Next.

Here are some pointers to help you wade through the fixer-uppers: Establish the basic criteria that meet your needs. What are the property taxes on that Brookline estate with the pool? Does that MIT-educated tycoon lack social graces? Costly risks, both! There are other brownstone and brood considerations: Does the town offer a good school system sufficient for the number of children you two could parent? What is the bedroomto-bathroom ratio if you find yourself attracted to a femme fatale with five dramaqueen daughters? Eliminate the dating profiles with outdated photographs—a clear sign of someone who will never know about the hottest tapas restaurants, much less that Barcelona Wine Bar has opened a second location. Similarly, any listing that shows only the front of the house means there’s wood rot in the back. No exceptions.

Keep in mind, though, that hidden behind the exterior walls of a classic brownstone or a conservative accountant, you may find a modern, industrial-style interior or a Simpsons-loving jokester. Be willing to take a longer look—or a second date—if you sense something unique or unexpected.

Trust your instincts. Remember, followthrough is critical. If you aren’t willing to close the deal after a hot date, you’ll likely lose out to a higher bidder. Happy clicking. BC

illustration by daniel o’leary

“match, eharmony, tinder, hinge... that’S where the goodS are—profiled, buffed, and fluffed like a hot new liSting on mlS.”

140 bostoncommon-magazine.com

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THEN THERE’S 8.4 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF AMAZING.

2 spas. 4 hotels. 11 bars and nightclubs. 30 restaurants. And now, as of May 21, more than 80 premium brands that you can shop and save on. That’s right. Tanger Outlets is making its Foxwoods debut with its frst-ever indoor outlet mall. Join us for the ribbon cutting ceremony and, if you’re lucky, win a $2,500 shopping spree.

TANGER OUTLETS AT FOXWOODS, GRAND OPENING MAY 21.