The city's famed puritanical streak seems to have
faded to a barely visible smudge. Although a blue law or two survive--no
liquor is sold on Sundays, for example--Boston is rife with opportunities
for indulgence. Stylish luxury hotels are cropping up alongside the
old-world, jacket-and-tie classics. A wealth of restaurants, from innovative
to ethnic, are luring visitors away from clam chowder and boiled dinners.
There's also great shopping, happening bars, and smoking jazz. Of course,
the ur-American landmarks still stand, next to the gorgeous parks and
outdoor cafés that give the city the air of a European capital.
So pick your pleasure. Fun is no longer banned in Boston.
WHERE TO SHOP
Just because Boston has a Puritan past doesn't mean it lacks an acquisitive
heart. Newbury Street is its central artery. Although it's studded with
plenty of national jewels--from Armani to Kate Spade to Brooks Brothers--Newbury's
cosmopolitan charm lies in its local boutiques and cafés that
cater to the refined Yankee matrons and chic Euro students who make
up Boston's beautiful people. Other shopping destinations include Quincy
Market, for T-shirts from peddlers' carts or sophisticated souvenirs
from the Boston Museum of Fine Arts shop; Beacon Hill's elegant Charles
Street, for eclectic crafts and antiques stores; the upscale mall in
the tony suburb of Chestnut Hill; and downtown's Copley Plaza, Boston's
answer to L.A.'s Beverly Center.
FOR THE HOME
Koo de Kir (34 Charles St.; 617/723-8111 or 800/944-2591) stands for
the French "Coup de Coeur," loosely translated as "to
take one's breath away." That's the aim of this funky gift and
home store whose motto is "interior design, urban style, and soulful
retail." Merchandise ranges from barware to chairs to votive holders.
