Best Pub MATT MURPHY’S, Brookline A no-frills, friendly spot straight out of an urban Dublin neighborhood. The cheese platter with soda bread is a meal in itself; and the fish-and-chips comes with spicy ketchup and pickled onions–all of it wrapped in newspaper. 14 Harvard St. 617-232-0188; mattmurphyspub.com Best Romantic Restaurant L’ESPALIER, Boston After years of […]
Best Ocean Stroll ‘SCONSET BLUFF WALK, Siasconset This public path provides a front-row view of the Atlantic’s ceaseless undermining of the island’s sandy foundations. Dawn to dusk, you’ll stroll like an accidental gate crasher through the hedgerows and wind-sculpted arboreal bowers of neighboring seaside mansions. Begins at north end of Front St. 508-228-3643; nantucketchamber.org Best […]
Best Inn for Foodies INN AT SWEET WATER FARM, Great Barrington The Berkshires may be full of cozy 19th-century inns, but none offers such an effortless blend of contemporary folk art, luxurious bedding, and gourmet food. The owner’s passion for showcasing local farms, with special help from the inn’s own egg-laying hens, bears fruit with […]
Best Paella VIVA, Glendale Sharing is at the heart of Spanish dining, and nothing invites communal eating more than a steaming pan of paella. The full-flavored paellas for two or more ($27 and up) at this rural hotspot are as bold and bright as the chili-red and saffron decor. 14 Glendale Road (Route 183). 413-298-4433; […]
Best Men’s Sportswear THE BROWNS, Williamstown From durable U.S.-made Bills Khakis to Jack Victor sportcoats and a lot of quietly cosmopolitan designer clothing in between, this attractive, friendly shop will help redefine your wardrobe without breaking the bank. 16 Water St. 413-458-1618; downtownwilliamstown.com Best Mountain View STONY LEDGE, Williamstown Stony Ledge, accessible from Mt. Greylock’s […]
Fairest of Them All For sheer scenic beauty, no New England strand tops Crane Beach’s 4 miles of soft, white sand, against a backdrop of undulating dunes, piping plovers, and the mansion at Castle Hill for company. If you walk a bit, you’ll find a private spot, even in high summer. Locals caution that July’s […]
Through some magic of architecture, the dining room at The Red Inn promotes the illusion of floating, like the many boats just outside in Provincetown Harbor–or maybe we were seeing things after our pre-lunch bike ride through the dunes to one of the lighthouses. The sea-level view here seems never-ending; the Atlantic just rolls on […]
Read about one couple’s experience: Hawthorn Inn, Concord, MA The first and ultimately the most important question is whether or not you are by temperament suited to innkeeping. You must be tolerant of people, most of whom are not going to be exactly like you. If you cannot imagine yourself sleeping a wall’s thickness away […]
1, 2. Stash umbrellas near the door in Ameico’s “Ivy” stand ($240); pens, pencils, and other implements are at home in a quirky “Pen Pen” pen and pencil holder ($23). Ameico, New Milford, CT 888-350-8765; ameico.com 3. Hang coats and bags on a pretty pine Shaker pegboard ($27.50-$65 assembled and finished; DIY and finished cherry […]
1. Notch whiskey ($888) is for serious connoisseurs–and they’ll be grateful forever. Triple Eight Distillery, Nantucket, MA. 508-325-5929; ciscobrewers.com 2, 6. The hand-blown Ascutney whiskey glass ($55) or Hampton pilsner glass ($48) makes any drink special. Simon Pearce, Windsor, VT. 800-774-5277; simonpearce.com 3. Have one on the rocks: Vermont-milled soapstone “Whisky Stones” ($20 set of […]
Scallops are a true New England treat–their very shape is an iconic reminder of beachside fun and shell-hunting summer afternoons. Their real gift, however, is delivered when our waters begin to chill down, for what lies snugly between those grooved, hinged shells is a faintly sweet, buttery nugget with a mild tree-nut flavor. Perhaps the […]
Just back from some R&R on my favorite island, Nantucket. I’ve been going since I was a kid. The first time, I think, my mom took me, when I was about 6. My older brother was in North Dakota for the summer, living with family friends who own a ranch. I think Mom was trying […]
