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MyBoston SEPTEMBER 2026

THE WIND IN OUR SAILS

BACK BAY & BEACON HILL

COMMUNITY BOATING BOSTON

STAYING STRONG

HEALTHY AGING FOR WOMEN

Bravo, BLO!

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CONTENTS SEPTEMBER 2026

F E ATUR E S

Bravo, BLO!

As it turns 50, Boston Lyric Opera looks back at the unlikely story of its survival… and looks forward, with two leaders redefining what an opera company can be. 26

The Wind in Our Sails

As the beloved nonprofit Community Boating Initiative turns 80 this year, we take a look inside its life-changing work that has impacts beyond the water. 30

Staying Strong

Dr. Julia Loewenthal gives insights on women’s health and aging well.

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CO LUM N S

PUBLISHER’S NOTE The Art of Longevity

LOCAL PULSE Community Calendar

LOCAL TASTES Roast of London

5 BEST Fall Fashion Finds

LOCAL SOCIAL Summer Splendor

MY SUNDAY Eliza Bailey

PHOTO OP Brief Reflections

COV E R Boston Lyric Opera’s Stanford Calderwood General Director and CEO Bradley Vernatter and Artistic Director Nina Yoshida Nelsen at BLO’s Opera + Community Studios in Fort Point.

Photography: Liz Linder Styling: Tara West Wardrobe: Red silk organza skirt, Louiza Baubouryan, available at Matsu Hair and makeup: Taynara Paiva, Salon Stilisti

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE

MyBoston BACK BAY & BEACON HILL

Photograph by Ben Flythe Styling by Tara West Wardrobe provided by AKRIS Custom Jewelry by Cynthia Britt Hair and Makeup by Niambi Strickland, Salon Stilisti Photographed at The French Library

THE ART OF LONGEVITY AS A CHILD, I dreamed of becoming a professional singer. I studied music, sang in choirs from an early age, performed with a band, and acted in theater while touring Europe for several years. I have taken many different paths in life, but music has remained an enduring theme. Perhaps that is why this September issue—celebrating Boston Lyric Opera and introducing you to the leaders shaping its next chapter—feels especially close to home. But this issue is also about another kind of staying power. Community Boating, right here on our Charles River,

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is celebrating an extraordinary 80 years of bringing Bostonians together on the water. It is remarkable to consider the impact both organizations have had on our community, inspiring, connecting, and enriching the lives of generations of Bostonians. In our conversation with Dr. Julia Loewenthal (see “Staying Strong”), we turn the question toward the individual: What does it really take not only to live longer, but to live well? Three very different stories, yet one common thread: longevity. What keeps an organization, a community, or a person going for decades? Perhaps it is the ability to adapt, overcome challenges, and continue connecting with others. As we grow our team, expand the stories we tell, and prepare to launch MyBoston Magazine for our South End neighbors, I hope you will continue to be part of this conversation. Thank you for supporting the wonderful community organizations that make our neighborhoods so special. So much of a good life comes down to staying active, staying connected, and making time for the people and places around us. I hope you enjoy this September issue, and I’ll see you in the neighborhood, With gratitude,

Publisher Renata Coker Renata.Coker@mybostonmag.com Editor and Photographer Claire Vail editor@mybostonmag.com Writers Morgan Vail John Michael Kennedy Zak Kinnaird Tara West Cover Photographer Liz Linder Advisory Board Collin Bray Leigh Harrington John Michael Kennedy Lisa Mulman Sharin Schober David Sharff Zach Kinnard Vivien Li Business Development Manager Lizzie Taylor Lizzie.Taylor@mybostonmag.com Account Executive Mason Porter Mason.porter@mybostonmag.com WAINSCOT MEDIA Chairman Carroll V. Dowden President and CEO Mark Dowden SVP, Group Publisher Thomas Flannery VP, Content Strategy Maria Regan VP, Director of Digital Media Nigel Edelshain Creative Director Kijoo Kim Advertising Services Director Jacquelynn Fischer Operations Director Catherine Rosario Production Designer Chris Ferrante

Renata Coker

Publisher, MyBoston mybostonmag.com @mybostonmag

Advertising Production Associate Griff Dowden

MyBoston magazine is published by Wainscot Media. Serving residents of Boston, the magazine is distributed monthly via U.S. mail. Articles and advertisements contained herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers. Copyright 2026 by Wainscot Media LLC. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent.

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This September, explore exhibits, hear music, and witness an invasion of elephants (yes, you read that right!) in Back Bay, Beacon Hill, and beyond. BY MORGAN VAIL

Mass Historical Society hosts two events in September: Learn what made John and Abigail one of America’s oldest celebrity couples on Sept. 10, and on Sept. 30, take part in a fascinating discussion with historian and former presidential speechwriter Ted Widmer. Photograph by Claire Vail

September 6

September 8

September 10

Join Castle of our Skins for a fun-filled interactive educational workshop highlighting the importance and stories of historic figures such as Phillis Wheatley, Garrett Morgan, Angela Davis, Barack Obama, and more. Young elementary students are encouraged to sing, clap, move, imagine, and invent as they explore the lives of these trailblazing historical figures. This free event runs from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Museum of African American History, 46 Joy Street.

The Beacon Hill Women’s Forum welcomes Monica Kachru, director of Eversource Energy and Founder/CEO of Anaya Scholars for a conversation about how resilience and purposeinspired leadership can advance the clean energy transition and create new pathways for underserved youth. 6 p.m. The Union Club of Boston, 8 Park Street.

Uncover wonderful treasures from the Adams Presidential Library at the MHS to learn what made John and Abigail one of America’s oldest celebrity couples. From courtship to retirement, join us to see how the Adamses crafted a legacy for themselves and for the nation. This educational event begins at 6 p.m. and ends at 8 p.m. at the Massachusetts Historical Society, 1154 Boylston Street.

Museum of African American History: A Little History

Beacon Hill Women’s Forum: Monica Kachru

Massachusetts Historical Society: My Dearest Friend

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Dropkick Murphy: A Legendary Life with Emily Sweeney Accompany Boston Globe reporter Emily Sweeney for a discussion of her biography detailing the unbelievable life of one Dr. John Murphy, also known as “Dropkick” Murphy, and his experience inside and outside of wrestling. This talk will explore Murphy’s legacy as a professional wrestler, physician, and founder of Bellows Farm. This free event will run from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Boston Public Library, Central Library in Copley Square.

September 12

Vivo Performing Arts presents Tríptico Come enjoy a soothing afternoon of beautiful acoustic music with Tríptico. This experienced trio will play their signature contemporary Latin jazz standards alongside some original compositions, blending a host of different styles into one captivating performance. This concert will be free, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, 138 Tremont Street.

September 12

The Gibson House Museum: Celebrating the Centennial in 19th Century Boston Join Dr. Trent Taylor, Historian and Gibson House Guide, for a lecture on how the centennial was celebrated in Boston in 1876, as well as the Gibsons’ own Revolutionary War ties to the legendary Dr. Joseph Warren. 6 p.m.

Above: An art installation featuring 100 life-sized elephants created by Indigenous artists hailing from South India will appear throughout Back Bay through Sept. 13. Photograph by Kirsten Glover, courtesy of The Great Elephant Migration

Bottom left: On Sept. 12, join, Dr. Trent Taylor, Historian and Gibson House Guide, for a lecture on how the centennial was celebrated in Boston in 1876. Photograph courtesy of The Gibson House

at 137 Beacon Street. Tickets are $25 for nonmembers and $20 for seniors and students. Register at thegibsonhouse.org/events.

September 18

Outdoor Meditation Attend a free outdoor meditation session in the Boston Public Garden. This program, designed for beginners and experienced participants alike, will focus on creating a tranquil outdoor evening led by a short talk, guided meditation, and the implementation of techniques to help reduce stress and encourage mindfulness. This free event will be from 6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. at the Boston Public Garden, Lagoon Edge (Boylston side), 4 Charles Street.

September 19

Back Bay Walking Tour: History and Sites of Katharine Gibbs School Discover the rich history of the Katharine Gibbs School through some of its Back Bay locations. This guided walking tour led by Rose A. Doherty, author of Katharine Gibbs: Beyond White Gloves, will have you immersed in the world of one of the most recognized educational institutions for women. This free tour runs from 10:30

a.m. to noon and begins at the Boston Public Library, outside the Dartmouth Street entrance, Copley Square. Call 781-540-1847 for a spot.

September 20

The Emerald Necklace Walking Tour Witness Boston’s iconic Emerald Necklace through the wonder of a guided tour from Boston Common to Franklin Park. Participants should bring comfortable shoes, water, and a lunch for the scheduled break. This free experience runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., beginning at the Boston Common Visitor Center, 139 Tremont Street.

September 20

Boston Local Food Festival Celebrate New England’s local cuisine and food culture at the Boston Local Food Festival. Featuring almost 100 vendors, cooking activities, demonstrations, and a variety of locally produced foods from across the state, you will find your niche here. This free-to-attend festival runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Rose Kennedy Greenway, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, 185 Kneeland Street.

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On Sept. 30, Beacon Hill antique store Upstairs Downstairs Home will host a fundraiser for veterans in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the country. Photograph by Claire Vail

September 22

September 26

Enjoy a spectacular evening of songs, stories, laughter, and shared discovery with Richard Skipper as he celebrates lessons passed down to him by a variety of different artistic icons. With an aweinspiring blend of cabaret, conversation, theatrical storytelling, and audience participation, each performance will create a unique celebration of connection. This free show runs from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Club Café, 209 Columbus Avenue. Reservations recommended.

Come and enjoy the rousing music of country artist William Beckmann as he brings his fascinating blend of classic country and modern songwriting to Boston. Known for a rich baritone and timeless sound, Beckmann will be performing music from his debut, Whiskey Lies & Alibis. This free concert will run from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at The Red Room at Café 939, 939 Boylston Street.

September 25

September 30

Join Cocotree Kids for their annual anniversary party, celebrating nonprofit support to children for their fifth year. Enjoy breakfast, networking, and inspiring stories while learning about the organization’s impact in the greater Massachusetts community. This event is free to attend and takes place from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. at The Lenox Hotel, 61 Exeter Street.

Investigate the secrets of history through a fascinating discussion with historian and former presidential speechwriter Ted Widmer, author of “The Living Declaration,” paired with an invaluable

Richard Skipper Celebrates! Life Lessons from Legends

Rise & Shine Breakfast with Cocotree Kids

Crossroads Presents: William Beckmann

Massachusetts Historical Society: When in the Course of Human Events 1689–1776

opportunity to look at key MHS holdings such as Thomas Jefferson’s original manuscript copy of the Declaration. Reception begins at 5 p.m. with the program to follow at 6 p.m. at the Massachusetts Historical Society, 1154 Boylston Street.

September 30

Upstairs Downstairs Paint a unique project with Upstairs Downstairs Home that coincides with the nation’s 250th Anniversary. Through voluntary aid, time, and talents of local artists, this event will be fundraising for veterans. Join with elected officials, community leaders, and local schools, including Governor Maura Healey, Mayor Michelle Wu, Park Street School, and The Advent School, in a shared effort to support those who have served our nation through art. This will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Upstairs Downstairs Home, 69 Charles Street.

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Photography courtesy of Hawksmoor

Roast of London One of the world’s top steakhouses is arriving in Boston this fall. Hawksmoor has been quietly scoring points with diners and gaining an international reputation for 20 years now, thanks to its reverence for quality dry-aged beef. BY CLAIRE VAIL

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DOES BOSTON HAVE room for another steakhouse? The answer seems to be a resounding yes, given the popularity of STK, Mooo, The Vermillion, Bogie’s Place and other venues where choice chops are central to the experience. This month, London-import Hawksmoor is slated to open on the ground floor of 15 Necco in Fort Point in a luxurious space with leather and velvet seating that can accommodate 200 diners. The building features a wraparound outdoor dining terrace with panoramic views of Fort Point Channel. The house specialty is sustainably raised, dry-aged, charcoal-grilled beef: in particular, the “Hawksmoor Eight” cuts: T-bone, porterhouse, strip, rump, rib eye and bone-in rib chop. Bostonians can also look forward to the Hawksmoor Sunday Roast, with traditional trimmings such as potatoes cooked in beef fat, buttered seasonal greens, bronzed cauliflower cheese, bone marrow gravy and horseradish sauce with “real bite.” It’s a feast, according to some diners, lavish enough to make you cancel your afternoon plans.

Above: Hawksmoor’s famous Sunday Roast with Yorkshire pudding and gravy. Below: Hawksmoor co-founders Will Beckett and Huw Gott.

BEYOND BOSTON Hawksmoor has an impressive international reputation, with 14 locations across four countries— seven in London, and one each in Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Dublin, New York, and Chicago. “World’s Best Steaks” rates Hawksmoor as the #2 steakhouse group in the world, while its St. Pancras location earns the rarified title of the Earth’s 13th best steakhouse—no small feat.

Its craft cocktail program, which includes sub-zero martinis and sour cherry negronis, was a semifinalist for a 2025 James Beard Foundation Award. Hawksmoor co-founders Will Beckett and Huw Gott say they are attracted to Boston for its beauty, its history, and the energy of the people, as well as the restaurant scene. In a public statement, the pair described being particularly drawn to the buildings and atmosphere in Fort Point, which recalled East London’s “rugged old factory buildings, bustling businesses, and lively residents looking for a great night out.” Beckett told MyBoston that the newest Hawksmoor will bring “many of the dishes from one of London’s best restaurants, everything we’ve learned from 20 years of trying to make Hawksmoor as good as we possibly can, and enough local produce, people and a few things that will be unique to Hawksmoor in Fort Point. It will be the best of Boston and the best of London!” Hawksmoor Boston will be open in 15 Necco Way in Boston’s Fort Point neighborhood for lunch and dinner and will offer private dining rooms as well as an expansive waterfront patio. For more information, see hawksmoorboston.com. SEPTEMBER 2026 / 17

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Bravo, BLO!

Boston Lyric Opera’s Stanford Calderwood General Director and CEO Bradley Vernatter and Artistic Director Nina Yoshida Nelsen raise a toast in celebration of BLO’s 50th anniversary.

Red Silk Organza Skirt—Louiza Babouryan, Champaigne flutes imported from Japan, both available at Matsu. Photograph by Liz Linder

As it turns 50, Boston Lyric Opera looks back at the unlikely story of its survival… and looks forward, with two leaders redefining what an opera company can be.

BY JOHN MICHAEL KENNEDY

THERE IS A MOMENT in every opera performance when hundreds of individual experiences become one. House lights fade. The orchestra begins. Conversations give way to silence as strangers settle into a shared act of listening, drawn together by music, story, and the possibility of being moved by both. For Boston Lyric Opera’s Stanford Calderwood General Director and CEO Bradley Vernatter, that moment is more than a signal for the start of a show. It’s a reminder why an opera company exists, and why BLO’s 50th anniversary is far more than a milestone marker. He believes the opera company’s greatest achievement after 50 years is not simply enduring in a city where previous companies struggled, but that it continues to create collective experiences involving and connecting more artists–and audiences–across generations and communities. “I’m doing this job in service of our mission, our community and neighbors, the legacy of our artists and staff, and board members who built BLO over five decades,” Vernatter says. “I also do it in service of the company’s future and the people whose lives it will enrich for the next 50 years.” It’s a characteristically expansive, institutional, and forwardlooking statement from someone who’s been working at the company for more than a quarter of its life. And it speaks to a peculiar reality of Boston Lyric Opera’s genesis. Boston has long been a city that SEPTEMBER 2026 / 21

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loved opera but struggled to sustain the companies that produced it. The ambitious Boston Opera Company flourished briefly in the early 20th century before collapsing, and other organizations followed a similar pattern, achieving artistic distinction only to succumb to financial realities. By the 1970s, a thriving opera culture existed without a lasting institution to anchor it. The answer, when it came, was collaboration rather than grandeur. In 1976, the Associate Artists Opera, led by Ernest Triplett, and the New England Regional Opera, founded by Dr. Richard Marshall, merged with Rafael deAcha and Kimberly Daniel’s New England Chamber Opera Group to create Boston Lyric Opera. The founders’ greatest innovation was less artistic than organizational: They recognized that Boston’s opera creators would be stronger together than apart. Half a century later, that patient approach has yielded something remarkable. Boston Lyric Opera enters its 50th anniversary season with a budget exceeding $15 million, placing it among the nation’s largest companies. Since 2019, attendance by audiences 18 to 34 has tripled, and racial diversity among ticket buyers has increased by 70%. Its board

has grown too, with 18 new members joining over the past few years. The company has commissioned new works and expanded its work year-round, creating 800 paid opportunities for artists each year, expanded its educational and community programs, and established a creative foothold in Boston’s Fort Point neighborhood. Those accomplishments might suggest an organization that has finally arrived. But for Vernatter and Artistic Director Nina Yoshida Nelsen, they represent something else: proof that the same collaborative spirit that gave birth to Boston Lyric Opera remains the key to its future. At the center of this moment are two complementary leaders who are always thinking about the impact they can have on the art form and the city—a partnership central to BLO’s next chapter. Vernatter is a producer and strategist who thinks about how opera companies work. Yoshida Nelsen is a performing artist whose experience onstage informs every artistic decision she makes. BUILDING A HOME FOR OPERA Bradley Vernatter likes to joke that he never expected a career in opera would require him to become something of a real estate developer.

“I’ve worked in opera my whole life,” Vernatter says. “I came to BLO to work in opera. But what I walked into, what I inherited, is the challenge of finding space for this art form in the city.” Before the unexpected crash course in real estate education, Vernatter arrived at the company through the artistic and producing sides of the profession. He studied music, performed a bit, and worked at major companies including Ireland’s Wexford Festival Opera, where he saw firsthand how a permanent home shaped the artistic life of an institution. At BLO, he succeeded Esther Nelson, assuming a position that held both the company’s executive and artistic leadership. Vernatter deftly moved the company through the COVID shutdowns, overseeing groundbreaking and awardwinning digital productions, bringing live opera back first in an outdoor concert venue and eventually back into theaters. Using his artistic skill, he brought the company extraordinary new stories like Rhiannon Gidden’s Pulitzer Prizewinning opera “Omar,” and forged collaborations with other arts groups like Commonwealth Shakespeare Company to produce “Romeo & Juliet” on the Boston Common, all while managing a wide range of other complex business decisions and fundraising. Over time, Vernatter came to believe that Boston Lyric Opera’s future required two distinct leadership roles: one focused on strategy, finances, and organizational growth; the other devoted to artistic vision and the experience of the people who create the work. The challenge was finding someone to make that partnership real. A global artistic director search led back to Nelsen, who had already proved her commitment to the vision of a community-centered company with great ambitions. When Nelsen first auditioned for Boston Lyric Opera as a graduate student at Boston University, she wasn’t thinking about rehearsal studios or David Adam Moore and Lauren Snouffer in Opera Theater of St. Louis’s 2026 production of “A Streetcar Named Desire,” which BLO co-produced and will present in November. Photograph by Eric Woolsey

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Right: Omar Najmi and Brianna J. Robinson in BLO’s 2024 “The Anonymous Lover.” Photograph by Nile Scott Studios

Bottom left: Karen Chia-Ling Ho (at mic) in BLO’s 2023 production of “Madama Butterfly.” Photograph by Ken Yotsukura

organizational strategy. She simply wanted a chance to sing, but she didn’t get one. Nearly everyone else in her master’s program was asked to work with the company. She was not. “It was devastating,” she recalls. Neither Vernatter nor Nelsen imagined they would one day lead Boston Lyric Opera. Their very different paths ultimately converged around two questions: where opera belongs and who gets to shape it. For Vernatter, the first question proved unexpectedly practical. An opera company needs far more than a stage. It needs financial resources, rehearsal halls, costume shops, scenery storage, meeting rooms, and places where artists can spend weeks creating together before an audience ever hears a note. For decades, BLO improvised. Productions rehearsed in basements, ballrooms, and soundstages across the city. They performed in traditional theater spaces but also in churches, basketball arenas, cruise terminals, and other inspirational, large-scale spaces. The company became remarkably adept at making any place feel like a place for opera; resourcefulness became part of its identity. But it also imposed limits. When preparing Terence Blanchard’s opera “Champion” after the

pandemic, Vernatter remembers, the company rehearsed in a remote film studio that met its space needs but was difficult for artists to reach and poorly suited to daily creative work. “We want to provide welcoming experiences for everyone,” Vernatter says. “But that was just one example of how we weren’t able to control our environment in a way that reflected our values.” Shortly before live performances returned post-pandemic, Nelsen was continuing her journey to BLO at an entirely different point in her career. Years after her unsuccessful student audition, she returned as an established mezzo-soprano with an internationally renowned performing career. She was to meet a BLO artistic team member at a studio space in New York, hoping to land a role in the company’s planned production of

“Madama Butterfly.” That second audition became a great personal story about persistence. Nelsen arrived soaked from a rainstorm to find her pianist hadn’t shown up, and began singing a cappella until another pianist passing through agreed to jump in. “That was the worst audition ever,” Nelsen remembers. The next day, she got the role. Nelsen now recalls it as the opportunity of a lifetime. The story has become a favorite inside BLO because it says something about the organization itself. Resilience matters. Adaptability matters. Sometimes the unexpected reveals more than the carefully planned. The “Butterfly” production Nelsen landed in was scuttled in part by COVID, then reshaped by the societal and racial reckoning that followed attacks on Asian and Asian American communities in the U.S. After appearing in an October 2021 outdoor performance of “Cavalleria rusticana,” Nelsen was invited to become an Artistic Advisor and dramaturg for BLO. She helped lead the company’s ambitious year-long examination of “Madama Butterfly” (“The Butterfly Project”) that brought artists, scholars, and Asian American community members into thoughtful public conversations before the longdelayed production was staged. “It was the first time any company listened to me as an artist,” she says. SEPTEMBER 2026 / 23

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For Nelsen, whose Japanese American family was affected by wartime incarceration, the work was deeply personal. The experience convinced her that opera companies could do more than produce performances; they could create space for dialogue before the curtain rose. That idea resonated with what Vernatter was aiming to create in brick and mortar. In 2024, BLO announced a longterm expansion at Midway Artist Studios in Fort Point, growing from 2,000 square feet of office space to 16,000 square feet that also included rehearsal, production, education, and performance space now known as the Opera + Community Studios. For Vernatter, the project solved a practical problem while advancing a larger vision. For Nelsen, it created a place where artists could gather, experiment, and build relationships long before opening night. And it gave the company a chance to establish venue management experience. The studios are intentionally more than an opera headquarters: theater companies rehearse there; publishers celebrate magazine launches; design and dance companies transform it with installations and movement. “There

is an entire ecosystem of artists and arts organizations creating together,” Vernatter says. Opera has always depended on collaboration—not only among singers, musicians, directors, and designers— but increasingly with the communities whose stories it seeks to tell. When Nelsen became Artistic Director in 2024, it formalized a change already underway. Artists were no longer being asked simply to interpret productions. They were helping shape them from the beginning. Seen together, Vernatter’s investment in place and Nelsen’s investment in process are expressions of the same philosophy. One is building a home where artists can do their best work. The other is redefining what happens inside it. After nearly five decades spent adapting to borrowed spaces, Boston Lyric Opera has discovered that its greatest strength was never simply learning how to perform anywhere. It was learning that the strongest institutions are built around people first. TWO LEADERS, ONE CONVERSATION Spend even a few minutes with Bradley Vernatter and Nina Yoshida Nelsen together, and it becomes clear

their relationship is built as much on curiosity as on complementary expertise. Their conversations move easily between artistic possibility and practical reality, each pushing the other’s thinking in ways that neither could accomplish alone. “Brad has not only become my mentor,” Nelsen says, “he’s also the greatest partner, support, and collaborator I could ask for.” Coming into the role of Artistic Director, she understood opera from the perspective of a performer, not a producer or arts administrator. “I can come to him with anything and have an incredible thought partner. We’re at our best when we’re riffing off each other.” Those exchanges often begin with an artistic idea before quickly expanding into questions of logistics, resources, timing, and possibility—not as obstacles to creativity, but as part of the creative process itself. “I could not have imagined a better partner and more trusting relationship,” Vernatter says. Rather than distancing him from the artistic side of the company, the partnership with Nelsen has deepened his understanding of what artists need to thrive and how an institution can better support them— throughout the creative process.

Left: International star Deborah Voigt had a career-defining performance in Boston Lyric Opera’s 1991 “Ariadne.” She will be honored at BLO’s Opera Gala on Oct. 16. Photograph by Michael Romanos

Above: Karen Chia-Ling Ho, top, and Alice Chung, in BLO’s 2023 production of “Madama Butterfly.” Photograph by Ken Yotsukura

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Left: Jamez McCorkle (front) and Daniel Okulitch in BLO’s “Omar,” 2023. Photograph by Olivia Moon Photography

Right: BLO’s Opera and Community Studio. Photograph by Nile Scott Studios.

That mutual respect is increasingly reflected in Boston Lyric Opera itself. Vernatter’s focus on building a stronger institution and Nelsen’s commitment to expanding whose voices shape the art form are not competing visions. They are two parts of the same conversation, one that is evident throughout the company’s 50th anniversary season and in its increasingly expansive understanding of what opera can be. AN ANNIVERSARY THAT LOOKS FORWARD For a company marking its 50th anniversary, Boston Lyric Opera has assembled a season that spends surprisingly little time looking backward. The 2026/27 lineup honors the repertoire that sustained the company for five decades, from Rossini’s “William Tell” and Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” to Tchaikovsky’s “The Queen of Spades,” and André Previn’s “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Acclaimed artists Lawrence Brownlee, Nadine Sierra, and Ailyn Pérez—each with meaningful connections to BLO at earlier stages of their careers—return as part of the celebration. Yet the season’s most revealing throughline is not nostalgia. It’s renewal. For Nelsen, opera’s enduring power lies in its ability to illuminate the human

experience from many different perspectives. “Opera gives us an opportunity to look at humanity from many different lenses,” she says. That philosophy extends beyond reimagined classics. It means creating new work that reflects the city that Boston has become. Among the anniversary season’s most ambitious projects is a new community opera by composer Carlos Simon and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Tracy K. Smith, co-commissioned by Boston Lyric Opera and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. It’s being developed through community workshops and conversations across Boston, and will be performed with hundreds of young people. The work will draw its stories, memories, and voices directly from the communities it serves. “Opera is an art form that, in its very DNA, requires an extraordinary number, a tremendous number of people to make it happen,” Vernatter says. “What we do is all about community building.” A production like the 50th Season opener, “William Tell,” will gather hundreds of singers, instrumentalists, directors, designers, craftspeople, technicians, administrators and volunteers before thousands of

audience members ultimately share the performance. Supported by newly strengthened leadership and successful fundraising, Vernatter and Nelsen are focused less on how an opera company survives in Boston than on how it becomes indispensable to the city’s cultural life. The search for a permanent performance home, one that amplifies the connections between civic and cultural spaces and offers room for all art forms, is a key priority and part of its strategic plan. Boston Lyric Opera survived because it learned to adapt— specifically, to collaborate, to be inspired by new places, and to welcome audiences beyond opera’s perceived boundaries. 50 years later, those hard-earned lessons have become the company’s defining strengths. John Michael Kennedy is a freelance communications consultant for Bostonarea cultural organizations. He has written and worked for a wide variety of clients and outlets. The author thanks Christy DeSmith for material incorporated into this feature. SEPTEMBER 2026 / 25

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420s practice sailing on a clear day. Photography by Claire Vail

The Wind in Our Sails As the beloved nonprofit Community Boating Inc. turns 80 this year, we take a look inside its life-changing work that has impacts beyond the water. BY ZAK KINNAIRD

FOR TRUE BOSTONIANS, Community Boating needs little introduction. Nestled along the Charles River Esplanade, between the Hatch Shell and Longfellow Bridge, Community Boating Incoporated, or CBI for short, is the oldest and largest community boating program in the U.S. As the nonprofit turns 80, its philosophy of “Sailing for All” lives on through staff, volunteers, and members—but more than anything, through the unexpected role it has played in shaping and saving lives in Boston. LEARNING THE ROPES Prior to Community Boating, Boston’s sailing scene was an exclusive affair; an elitist pastime for wealthy Boston WASPs. Seeking to upend this convention, Joe Lee Jr., scion of a Boston Brahmin family, founded a loose program designed to introduce immigrant kids from the West End of

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Boston to the joy of sailing. In 1937, he offered any child $20 to build a boat at a meeting Joe convened in the basement of the West End Community Center. These simply constructed boats, and Joe’s guidance, gave kids not only access to recreation, but also taught them discipline, inspired perseverance, built confidence, and connected them to nature. Joe’s first offer was so popular that by that first summer 100 members were captaining seven boats off the Charlesbank dock. It was not always smooth sailing—Joe’s first homemade boats were told to turn around and not sail west of the Longfellow Bridge by both the state recreation department as well as MIT’s sailing school, which considered these boats, or perhaps the people sailing them, not seaworthy. Over time, though, Lee was able to get the governor to put allocated parts of Helen Storrow’s financial legacy toward building the community boathouse that is still there today. But leadership disputes over who should run the boathouse remained for years. Soon though, Lee’s earliest sailing acolytes returned after serving in Europe for World War II and reignited the cause. Nostalgic for their upbringing and battle-tested, these returning sailors formally incorporated and began operating CBI in 1946.

“THE DOCKS ARE PUBLIC, YOU ARE WELCOME, PLEASE COME IN…” In 80 years, CBI has grown by magnitudes. What started out as an initiative serving 100 kids in the first summer, CBI staff now checks out boats 25,000 times each season. This includes boats checked out to guests as well as a membership of 1,000 adult novice sailors, 3,000 returning adult sailors, and another thousand in the junior program. The water boils with activity when all 200 boats are deployed at once.

And yet Kate Ferris Richardson, Executive Director, wants more. With a wry smile, she conveys how sailing promotes mindfulness in a disconnected era by joking that while sailing, “the wind in my ears blows out all the thoughts of my brain.” Ferris Richardson wants to highlight the community part of CBI, and it shows. She emphasizes that the docks are public and that people, including nonmembers, should feel welcome. “We take ‘Sailing for All’ very seriously, but we take the community of Community Boating to heart.” “WE GROW OUR STAFF” Programs around the country write to CBI with one question repeated more than all the others—how do you hire and keep staff? Sam Pierson, Director of Operations, has an answer that sounds like a joke, but isn’t. “We don’t hire staff as much as we grow our staff.” Noah Stern, Director of Adult Programs and Fleet Maintenance, and Evan McCarty, Director of Auxiliary

Top right: Two junior program sailors share a laugh while hoisting the mainsail. Bottom left: Sam Peirson (far left), Anna Braun, and Noah Stern pose in and around CBI’s demo boat.

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Services, are living proof that CBI’s philosophy works. Stern first came to CBI as a junior sailor, then sought work at the front desk because he thought he wasn’t yet good enough at sailing to teach it. A decade later, there is scarcely a department he hasn’t worked in or led. McCarty can even show you his early days if you ask. Tucked in a corner of the boathouse stairwell is a photo of two boys, aged 10 and looking miserable. McCarty’s credibly confirms their misery because he is one of the two pictured. He was a “dollar kid,” referring to the sliding scale, low-cost junior sailing program also generally known as the $1 membership program. Previously, you had to ask in person for reduced rates; now this is managed automatically online. Despite his initial misery though, McCarty seems to have climbed every rung of the CBI ladder: junior sailor at the age of 10, instructor-in-training (IIT) at 13, dock staff at 16. Both McCarty and Stern talk about personal growth—not their own so much as what they and others at CBI have passed on to others. McCarty’s first example is a staffer, Addison, whom he watched move up

through the program just as he had. First a junior sailor, then instructor-intraining, then dock staff, at the time one of the youngest dockmasters CBI has ever appointed. McCarty, himself a former EMT for a number of years, was especially attuned when Addison was reluctant to admit he wanted to be a paramedic. In response, McCarty talked Addison into a free city cadet program, and as a result, Addison has now been an EMT serving Boston for a year and a half. Colleagues have started referring to Addison as McCarty’s son. McCarty’s own description feels full circle: “He’s one of my very best friends, and I treat him as a mentor to me now.” Likewise, Stern coaches young CBI staffers, most starting at 15 or 16, in not only the basics of what is typically their first job, but more so how to “take that first step into being an adult.” Also how to show up on time, how to write a professional email. How to talk to strangers. Stern talks about a former dock staffer, who now designs autonomous marine research vessels in California, who recently wrote to thank him saying, “Everything I know about how to be a human being and how to

work at a job I learned at Community Boating.” “LEARNING MEANS HAVING PERMISSION TO BE BAD AT SOMETHING” Anna Braun, Volunteer Services Manager, previously worked at a marina where $50,000 boats went out once a summer, and then languished under spider webs the rest of the year; a far cry from her current work at the nation’s leading sailing nonprofit. As a relatively recent addition to the CBI crew, she decided that “Community Boating was more about community and then, secondarily, about sailing.” Joining only a few years ago, Braun now runs an instruction and volunteer corps of about 130. Braun teaches volunteers that it’s okay to be bad at something in public. These aren’t just words; Braun doesn’t just preach the freedom to make mistakes and grow, but tells how under her watch, two students hit the Longfellow Bridge twice in a single afternoon, their fate in her hands. Thinking they were in trouble, they came to Anna apologizing. Her response was to ask whether they wanted her to tow them upwind for a

Evan McCarty tosses a life preserver from the safety launch.

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Top left: “Watch the water” is carved on the desk inside the dock house, a reminder to always be vigilant. Top right: Junior program, instructors, and dock staff take the safety launch out on the water. Bottom right: Adult sailors bail out some excess water from a spirited sail or accumulated rain.

while so they could try again. “There’s room to make mistakes and learn by just kind of playing,” she says, and the boats are built for it—“bow bumpers come back cracked pretty much every single summer, which is what bow bumpers are for.” WATCHING THE WATER While mistakes can make learning that lasts, safety and vigilance make it possible—or so implies Sam Pierson, Director of Operations. To that end, he notes that the phrase “watch the water” is carved around the dock house as a reminder. As we talk, Pierson insists on facing the river, scanning the horizon for distressed sailors, and he also checks the radar on his phone for the puffy cumulus clouds that often herald stronger gusts. I’m skeptical anything out of the ordinary will happen on such a low wind and beautiful day. As if to mock my hubris, radio static from Pierson’s walkie-talkie immediately cuts our conversation short, and we both hear that a Boston duck boat requests immediate assistance near the Museum of Science. Before the request even clicks off, Pierson is striding toward the launch boat before powering across the waters of the Charles. Rescues seem a dime a dozen around Community Boating. When I ask for details on a rescue staffers tell me he had performed, Stern tells me I’d have to help him “narrow it down” about which one. Stern recalls a spring afternoon when a state trooper appeared in a rush

to ask for a boat immediately. Reports came in that several Boston University sailing boats had capsized upriver in 50-degree water without the ability to rescue themselves. Stern took two troopers aboard and headed for the BU sailing area in the river basin. They were first to arrive at the scene where a violent gust had flattened the BU fleet and each sailor was in 50-degree water without wetsuits. Before marine units arrived, they’d already pulled six or seven sailors out, several showing early signs of hypothermia. The gust wasn’t unusual for the Charles. The water temperature was. “If we hadn’t gotten there as quickly as we did,” Stern says, “there would have been some less-than-ideal outcomes.” He understates that he likely saved seven lives. Even off-site, the CBI staff can save the day. One recent summer, two kayakers went over near the Mass. Avenue bridge—no life jackets, two dogs aboard, and by some accounts not much sobriety. McCarty, even being off-site, heard a statewide emergency broadcast to try to locate nearby responders. Although not on-site himself, McCarty contacted Pierson, who was already on the water to go respond. Pierson was first on the scene and pulled the pair out—they’d reached the stage of drowning where they were clawing at the hull of the rescue boat. Both Pierson and McCarty received a commendation

for life-saving, and they make it sound like it was just another day. A REASON TO LIVE Not every rescue by CBI happens on the water. Pierson tells this one carefully and prefaces it by saying he can only get through it because he has told it enough times not to cry. He starts by telling me about a Boston resident who lost his wife to COVID. That man walked out along the Esplanade intending to end his life that day. Instead of passing the boathouse, he went in instead, found the presence of people comforting, stayed, and learned to sail. He has since told the staff that they are the reason he is alive. “That right there,” Pierson says, “is why I will happily work seven days a week, 15-hour days. That’s what it’s about.” He speaks solemnly, then folds a twitch of raw emotion behind a sense of purpose and looks back out at the water. Zak Kinnaird learned to sail at Community Boating four years ago. SEPTEMBER 2026 / 29

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A patient under Dr. Loewenthal’s care Photography courtesy of Lutanen Concierge Care

Staying STRONG

Dr. Julia Loewenthal, a primary care physician and geriatrician at Lutanen Health, shares her thoughts about women and health with MyBoston magazine. Dr. Loewenthal’s work at Lutanen is designed around small patient panels, extended visits, and proactive, relationship-based care. Lutanen specializes in maximizing each patient’s potential for longevity throughout their lifetime. BY MYBOSTON STAFF

Generally speaking, how does aging differ in men and women?

Women experience some unique biological transitions, particularly menopause, which can affect bone density, body composition, and cardiovascular risk. But women also experience aging through a social lens: caregiving responsibilities, work, relationships, and financial circumstances all influence health. I think the most useful approach is to see aging as both biologic and deeply contextual.

Do all people experience cognitive decline as they age? What can women do to protect brain health?

Some cognitive changes are normal— for example, it may take a little longer to retrieve a name or learn something

new—but significant cognitive decline is not an inevitable part of aging. Based on high-quality research into Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, we know the fundamentals really matter: regular exercise, restorative sleep, managing blood pressure and other cardiovascular risks, staying socially connected, and continuing to challenge the brain with meaningful, engaging activities.

In the past decade, many assumptions about women’s health—particularly menopause and hormone therapy— have changed. Why are menopausal and post-menopausal women getting more attention now, and what findings are most important? For many years, menopause was both understudied and undertreated. We

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now have a much more nuanced understanding of hormone therapy: For appropriately selected women, particularly those who are younger and closer to the onset of menopause, it can be a very effective treatment for symptoms, with benefits and risks that need to be individualized. What excites me most is the broader shift toward taking women’s health seriously and thinking proactively about bone, cardiovascular, metabolic, and cognitive health during this transition.

Dr. Julia Loewenthal

You practice yoga. How important is exercise for women as they age? Is cardiovascular exercise or strength training more important?

Both are essential. Cardiovascular exercise supports the heart, brain, and metabolic health, while strength training becomes increasingly important for maintaining muscle, bone, and functional independence. I also love yoga because it incorporates strength, mobility, balance, and mindbody awareness. Yoga offers some benefits for stress management, but it probably doesn’t progress strength as much as we need, compared to weightlifting. The best exercise program is varied—and, importantly, one you actually enjoy enough to sustain.

Women tend to outlive men. Is that biological or cultural?

It’s likely both. Biology appears to play a role, but health behaviors, occupational

exposures, social relationships, and use of preventive healthcare also differ between men and women. Longevity isn’t simply about how many years we live; what matters is maintaining health, function, independence, and connection throughout those years.

There’s growing interest in older women living together for companionship. What do you think of this trend?

I think it reflects something very important: Social connection is a health need, not a luxury. For some women, shared living can provide companionship, practical support, and a sense of community while preserving independence. We should be thinking

much more creatively about housing and community as people age. For women, older age can also offer a unique time of freedom from caregiving and work responsibilities.

Women are often caregivers for both children and aging parents in midlife. How can this affect health?

The “sandwich generation” can carry an enormous invisible workload. Women may put their own sleep, exercise, medical care, and relationships in last place for years. Part of my job as a physician is helping women recognize that protecting their own health isn’t separate from caring for their families—it’s what allows them to continue doing so, and reminds them their health and personhood matter too.

What’s your best advice for women who want to stay healthy and happy in midlife and beyond?

Dr. Loewenthal stretching in a yoga pose

Start earlier than you think you need to, but also know that it is never too late. My research in aging and frailty continually reinforces how much lifestyle matters. Build muscle, move regularly, eat well, sleep, maintain strong relationships, address risk factors early, and stay engaged in things that give your life meaning. Healthy aging isn’t one intervention— it’s the accumulation of small, consistent choices over decades.

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5 B E ST

Fall Fashion Finds Fall has arrived and so have the season’s standout pieces. These stylish selections make transitioning your wardrobe effortless, taking you from crisp mornings to warm afternoons with ease. BY TARA WEST

THE ICON PANT

Where to find: Peserico, 73 Newbury Street The Icon Pant from Peserico is destined to become a wardrobe staple. Pair it with a crisp white button-down for a timeless look or style it with a cozy knit as the temperatures cool. Chic, comfortable, and exceptionally flattering, this elevated essential is one you’ll reach for throughout the season. The Icon Pant: $815.

THE BUTTON-DOWN CARDIGAN

Where to find: East Coast Ivy, 126 Charles Street This cardigan is a true multitasker. Wear it buttoned as a sweater, open as a lightweight layer, or throw it over your favorite basics. It looks equally polished with denim, tailored trousers, or a skirt, making it an easy choice for adding warmth and refinement to any outfit. Button-Down Cardigan: $84.

The icon pant and East Coast Ivy’s versatile cardigan in ivory. Photography by Brad Bahner

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THE RETRO LEGACY TRAINER

Where to find: Rag & Bone, 11 Newbury Street Ready for a fresh spin on a vintage-inspired sneaker? Casual enough for everyday wear yet polished enough to complement a more elevated outfit, the Retro Legacy Trainer is an ideal choice for the season. Available in navy and green, this sneaker works seamlessly with everything from relaxed denim to tailored separates. Retro Legacy Trainer: $328.

Top left: The Retro Legacy Trainers. Top right: The twist handle Hobo bag from Milk Money. Bottom left: West models Poetry’s Printed Tie-Blouse and Milk Money’s hobo bag.

THE PRINTED TIE-BLOUSE

Where to find: Poetry, 79 Newbury Street The Printed Tie-Blouse from Poetry offers an elegant way to welcome fall. Designed with a deep open collar and a detachable necktie (shown here without the tie), it features full-length sleeves finished with deep cuffs and mother-of-pearl buttons. Pair the beautiful aqua print with tailored neutral trousers for an effortlessly refined outfit that transitions from workday to weekend. Printed Tie-Blouse: $248.

THE TWIST HANDLE HOBO BAG

Where to find: Milk Money, 172 Newbury Street This bag is spacious, affordable, and effortlessly polished. Combining clean, minimalist design with everyday practicality, it’s an ideal companion for carrying all your essentials. The comfortable top handle and understated center seam create a sophisticated finish that complements virtually any look. Twist Handle Hobo Bag: $68.

Tara West is an award-winning fashion stylist, lifestyle blogger, podcast co-host, and on-air style expert who is known for her personalized wardrobe consults, red carpet styling, and effortlessly chic looks that empower clients to dress with confidence. Tara has built strong relationships with top designers and has been featured in major outlets like InStyle, People, and the Wall Street Journal, earning Boston Magazine’s 2023 Best Personal Stylist award. SEPTEMBER 2026 / 35

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Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage.

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REAL ESTATE REPORT

JULY HOME SALES Back Bay and Beacon Hill Area

Bed

Bath

List Price

Sale Price

Sale Price % of List Price

DOM

46 Beacon Street Unit: Penthouse 8

Beacon Hill

5F 1H

$18,000,000

90.00%

292 Marlborough Street

Back Bay

4F 3H

$10,500,000

95.90%

126 Marlborough Street

Back Bay

5F 2H

$9,600,000

$10,500,000

109.40%

588

4-5 Arlington Street Unit: Penthouse

Back Bay

3F 1H

$9,250,000

93.00%

430 Stuart Street Unit: 27D

Back Bay

3F 1H

$8,500,000

95.50%

255

62 Chestnut Street

Beacon Hill

5F 2H

$7,000,000

91.50%

239

15 West Cedar Street

Beacon Hill

4F 2H

$6,190,000

$6,250,000

101.00%

474

41 Chestnut Street

Beacon Hill

3F 1H

$5,600,000

98.30%

456

300 Boylston Street Unit: 702

Back Bay

2F 1H

$5,499,000

100.00%

86 Beacon Street Unit 2

Beacon Hill

3F 1H

$4,425,000

90.50%

201

63 Mount Vernon Street Unit: 4

Beacon Hill

2F 1H

$4,000,000

95.20%

404 Beacon Street Unit: 3

Back Bay

$3,442,500

93.00%

82 Mount Vernon Street Unit: 1

Beacon Hill

2F 1H

$3,230,000

98.00%

413-415 Commonwealth Avenue Unit: 5

Back Bay

2F 1H

$2,900,000

96.70%

193 Beacon Street Unit: Penthouse

Back Bay

2F 1H

$2,750,000

100.00%

179 Beacon Street Unit: 1

Back Bay

2F 1H

$2,600,000

100.00%

276 Marlborough Street Unit: 1

Back Bay

2F 1H

$2,500,000

96.20%

319 Marlborough Street Unit: 1

Back Bay

$2,406,000

96.20%

393 Marlborough Street Unit: 8

Back Bay

2F 1H

$2,250,000

84.90%

424

402 Marlborough Street Unit: 3

Back Bay

$1,995,000

100.00%

Address

Brought to you by Lara Shuqom, Principal of The Collective The accuracy of the statistical data in this table is not guaranteed by MyBoston magazine. The listings broadly represent the local real estate market rather than the listings of any single agent or agency. MLSP in condo and single-family sales in Beacon Hill and Back Bay from 07/1/26-07/31/26.

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8/10/26 9:42 AM

LO CAL S O C IAL

Summer Splendor:

Young Friends of the Public Garden YOUNG FRIENDS OF THE PUBLIC Garden hosted its annual Summer Party in the enchanted hidden garden at King’s Chapel Parish on June 17. Guests gathered for an evening of summer spirits, hors d’oeuvres, live music, and a silent auction, all in support of the Boston Common, Public Garden, and Commonwealth Avenue Mall. Photography by Claire Vail

Top: Natalia Ribeiro, Maria Palacios, Taylor Cockey-Tonini, Stacy Sheehan, Bill Logan, Courtney Barry. Bottom: Carolyn Bachman, Caroline Barry, Courtney Barry, Lori Zartarian

Left: Singer Lauren Schultes entertained the crowd with old standards. Middle: Friends Staff: Amanda McGuire, Perry Skaggs, Nevaeh Jefferson, Liza Meyer, Jan Trousilek, Nika Trufanova. Right: Party guests pose for a photo.

Guests at the FPG Summer Party.

Left: Grace Baldwin (far left) and friends smile for the camera. Right: Smiles and summer moments from the Friends’ soiree.

38 / MyBoston BACK BAY & BEACON HILL

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8/12/26 2:03 PM

PLEASE JOIN US IN

Welcoming OUR NEW G20 TEAM MEMBERS! As G20 Salon closes its doors after an incredible 32 years of beauty, creatitivity, and community, we honor their legacy and celebrate the impact they’ve made on our industry and so many lives.

Congratulations on an amazing journey.

Thank You. Whether you’re joining our team or sitting in our chair for the first time – we can’t wait to meet you, connect, and create beautiful things together. DavePoutre_1-4P_MBB_gd0926-V3.indd 1

8/11/26 2:32 PM

LINDA

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bosbrown.com (609) 933-5280

Be you. Be Beautiful. Be part of something exceptional. STILISTI | 116 Newbury Street, Boston

Boston Brownstones Realty, PLLC is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity Laws.

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617-262-2234 | stilistiboston.com |  @stilistisalon

8/7/26 9:10 AM

8/12/26 4:33 PM

MY SU N DAY

Eliza

BAILEY A Sunday well spent. BY ELIZA BAILEY PIERRE AND I LIKE to wake up early. A typical Sunday morning in Beacon Hill starts at about 7:30 a.m. (no matter what the festivities were the evening before). After Pierre eats breakfast at home on the flat of the hill, we love to walk to get coffee around the corner. There are no lines at Tatte before 9:30 a.m., so I sail through my coffee order, and then Pierre and I proceed to Kured for a bagel sandwich. We then take the human breakfast over the Fiedler footbridge to the Esplanade. Pierre and I love people watching and sitting outside; the Esplanade is our very favorite backyard. On Sunday mornings when the weather is nice, we prefer to sit on the Union Boat Club’s dock. I enjoy my coffee and sandwich while Pierre admires the ducks and occasional early morning rowers. After my fuel up, Pierre gets a long walk around the Charles River. A favored route is moving clockwise from the UBC dock, up toward the Owl’s Nest and then over the Mass Avenue Bridge. We then go

along the Esplanade footpath on the Cambridge side of the river down to the Science Museum. Once back to the Boston side of the Charles, Pierre has a blast bowling for geese on Teddy Ebersol’s Red Sox Fields. When we make it back home, Pierre is tuckered out, so I give him a bone and suit up for my own adventure at the beach in Nahant. I took up surfing in my mid-thirties. I’ve always been sort of athletic, but nothing is as humbling as learning to

Above: Eliza loves dressing up for a cocktail with friends as much as hanging out in nature with Pierre. Bottom left: Pierre at home helping Eliza garden in Beacon Hill. Bottom right: Eliza after a surf session with a rented long-board at the beach. Photographs by Eliza Bailey

surf. My friend runs a fabulous company called Boston Surf Adventures, and there are loads of lessons available throughout all seasons in the Boston area. Never have I loved a sport that I am so terrible at so incredibly much! When time is up splashing around on my rented board, I peel off my wetsuit and drive home. I’m hungry again, so I’m pleased to make dinner plans with friends (and Pierre). Pierre and I like to first head to the Boston Public Garden for another calming dog walk. We then amble over to Willie’s patio on Charles Street for pizza and beer. After a long, full day outside, Pierre and I have had the ultimate Sunday! Eliza Bailey resides in Beacon Hill and has deep familial ties to Boston. She works as a transactional attorney for BeOne Medicines, a global pharmaceutical company, with a headquarters in Kendall Square. Eliza is passionate about helping her colleagues find a cure for cancer.

40 / MyBoston BACK BAY & BEACON HILL

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8/12/26 4:33 PM

Fine Garden Design | Installation | Maintenance

PHOTOGRAPHY: @jaredkuziaphoto

Since 1965: We don’t build buildings. We create enduring value. Design and construction in Back Bay, the South End, Beacon Hill, and Brookline. One firm, concept through completion.

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 @bungertdesigns

617.556.2900 519 ALBANY STREET, BOSTON

508-789-6857 | ben@bungertdesigns.com

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4/9/26Untitled-6 12:30 PM 1

8/3/26 3:38 PM

Trusted guidance for Boston’s most discerning buyers and sellers. Data-driven strategy. Skilled negotiation. Exceptional results. BACK BAY • BEACON HILL • SOUTH END

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Abby Fierman

MSN, RN, WHNP-BC, SANE Abby@thebarefacts.com 646-522-4030 TheBareFacts.com

Daniel Lewis 617-366-9446 daniel@herringboneboston.com

@thebarefactswithabby

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8/5/26 12:29 PM

Celina Doucette 617-285-0348 celina@herringboneboston.com

6/10/26 9:59 AM

8/12/26 4:26 PM

PHOTO OP

BRIEF REFLECTIONS “MY NAME IS SUSAN WIDELL, and I live in the Back Bay where I’ve resided since the 1960s. I am retired and enjoy daily walks throughout the city—generally three or more miles a day. On my walks, I take a photo if something beautiful or unique catches my eye. This scene particularly struck me since I have walked through the Christian Science Center numerous times and not noticed the reflection. It was mesmerizing.” Photograph by Susan Widell

42 / MyBoston BACK BAY & BEACON HILL

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Have a great image for Photo Op? Submit your high-resolution shot to editor@mybostonmag.com.

8/12/26 1:57 PM

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4/9/26 11:53 AM

Real estate from Boston to Palm Beach

connecting the dots When you work with Peter Hill of our Palm Beach office, you get a nice guy from Boston and Palm Beach that knows real estate like the back of his hand. As a member of The Corcoran Group family, Peter fits right in, as he believes in our ‘live who you are’ ethos like he wrote it himself. So, whether you’re buying or selling in the Palm Beaches, or back in Beantown − Call (or text!) Peter at 508.353.9721.

Peter Hill | Sales Associate peter.hill@corcoran.com

All material herein is intended for information purposes only and has been compiled from sources deemed reliable. Though information is believed to be correct, it is presented subject to errors, omissions, changes or withdrawal without notice. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Equal Housing Opportunity.

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8/10/26 3:06 PM