So Colorful!
During a recent stroll through Copley Place, I noticed heads turning and camera phones pointed in the direction of Louis Vuitton’s store. Was there a celebrity shopping? Or, a new swoon-worthy handbag? Interestingly, people were stopping in their tracks to marvel over the luxury retailer’s vibrant new windows.
Tablet Website Screen Grab
As a passionate leisure traveler with professional experience in the travel industry, I couldn’t resist giving a little love to Tablet. Specifically, the person who puts together the content for their weekly newsletter and TabletTalk blog. My personal inbox is forever clogged with newsletters (which is clearly my fault, I find it hard to pare down), but I always look forward to seeing the unique hotels Tablet selects for their readers. While most are above my budget (it is a luxury travel site after all), I find myself completely sucked in by the clever copy and beautiful photos. Plus, the hotels are unique and full of personality, like No. 5 Maddox St., an all-studio apartment hotel in London’s Mayfair district. Luckily, I can “favorite” them and hope the stars will align and one of the posh places will end up on a private sale site, just in time for my next trip. Crazier things have happened, right?
And, I’m sure it won’t come as a surprise to any of my lovely blog readers that so far all of my “favorited” hotels are in London….
Blake's Hotel, London. Have wanted to stay here ever since it appeared on an episode of Anthropologie's Man Shops Globe!
In case you were wondering about Boston, Tablet ranks our beloved city’s top five hotels, in order from one to five, as: Mandarin Oriental Boston, XV Beacon, Ames Boston, Hotel Veritas and Taj Boston.
Not the kind of view I like to see from my apartment
It’s been a long, strange and most importantly, dark couple of days. And, it’s not over yet. Like many Back Bay residents, my week took an unexpected turn with a three alarm fire ripped through a parking garage several blocks from my apartment. As of Thursday night, I’m one of the 1,500 residents still without power (gee thanks, NSTAR). It’s been an interesting 48 hours and I feel compelled to share some of the strange, heartwarming and comical series of events that have keep my little Back Bay world going.
Volcano Roll from Genki Ya
Something you might not know about this SavvyBostonian? When I first moved into the Boston area, I called Coolidge Corner, Brookline, home for four years. During this time, I got to know the neighborhood very well, including its numerous sushi spots. Of the many delicious sushi options, Genki Ya, stands out. Situated a handful of blocks away from the hustle and bustle of Coolidge Corner on Harvard Ave., Genki Ya is a tiny gem boasting great sushi.
Photo Courtesy of 28 Degrees
Sometimes you don’t find the right birthday party venue, it finds you. Case and point with my 29th birthday celebration last month. I had what I thought was the perfect birthday celebration planned. A nice little soiree at The Beehive. I imagined being surrounded by friends savoring Beehive Juleps, live jazz and good conversation.
The reality? The Beehive is typically all of these things – and then some (do try the mussels for dinner sometime). Unfortunately, on the night of my birthday it was overcrowded with a long line outside on a very chilly night. Add in an unsympathetic door man and frozen friends and you have a not so happy birthday girl.
The solution? 28 Degrees! One phone call to 28 Degrees to confirm that there was no line or wait, and I was whisking my friends down the street. Inside, we found great music, delicious cocktails and plenty of space to command. C’est magnifique! In the end, I got exactly what I had wanted and then some. I couldn’t imagine a better venue to host a birthday party at than 28 Degrees.
The moral of the story? If you’ve got a large group gathering, don’t waste your time on a bar that has the potential to be overcrowded. Look for a venue that’s easy to get into with good music, good drinks and plenty of space to hang. I know I will from now on!
28 Degrees is located at 1 Appleton Street in Boston’s South End.