The lobby at the Mandarin Oriental, Boston; Boston, MA
- Pack your polar fleece jacket and après-ski boots and head to Montreal’s Snow Village. From January 18th to March 31st, you can sleep, eat, drink, hold company meetings and even get married in this complex completely made of ice. Rooms start at $259 per person and include access to the spa under the stars, continental breakfast and a welcoming kit. [HotelChatter.com]
- “Modern Family” star Eric Stonestreet decided to celebrate the show’s Golden Globe for Best Comedy Series by sneaking into the Beverly Hilton’s kitchen and snapping some pics of himself amidst pans and pots. “Where do you go after you win a Golden Globe? The kitchen of the Beverly Hills [sic] Hilton,” he Tweeted. [WhoSay.com]
- A luxury cruise ship carrying 4,200 passengers ran aground off the coast of Isola del Giglio, Italy. Six have been reported dead, and 29, including 4 crew members, remain missing. The captain is being detained on suspicion of manslaughter after having made an “unapproved, unauthorized” deviation in course. [BBCNews.com]
- A Legoland Windsor hotel outside of London has just launched an online competition to recruit eight-to12-year-old junior concierges to ‘work’ at the property and help young guests make the most out of their experience. In return, they will receive a free weekend at the resort and two-day passes for the theme park. [NYDailyNews.com]
- Not everyone can afford to buy (and pack!) a cashmere blanket to brave the chilly AC during a flight, but Ivanka Trump has the pricey “snuggie” on her list of carry-on must-haves to make your trip more comfortable. [USAToday.com]
Duck prepared by chef Lydia Shire, who helms Towne Stove and spirits along with chef Jasper White
In the past two years, exceptional venues have cropped up all over Boston’s neighborhoods and gayborhoods, making the city almost as famous for its eateries as its renowned landmarks. Bostonians have commenced a raging cocktail and foodie revolution, throwing a Red Sox’s curve ball into the city’s resto/lounge scene. Read about two of the most notable new additions below.
Towne Stove and Spirits – 900 Boylston Street, (617) 247-0400
The foodie marriage between two of Boston’s most famous chefs, Jasper White and Lydia Shire, has spawned yet another beautiful offspring – this time an elegant, high-energy mega restaurant dedicated to comfort seafood and over-the-top worldly eats in the heart of Back Bay. Combining Lydia’s love for butter, lobster, global ingredients, and originality with Jasper’s love for New England seafood and a renowned equilibrium between home style cooking and haute cuisine, Towne Stove and Spirits boasts a menu as fun and busy as the crowds waiting on long waitlists to sample the latest White-Shire conception. It’s hard to go wrong with any of the 50-plus, family-style, savory creations; however, the “wood grilled lobster & corn pizza with honeyed ricotta,” the seasonal “razor clams a la plancha in baqsque alioli,” the “twice fried green beans with white soy and ginger juice,” and the “peking chicken and pot pie” should not be missed under any circumstances! Spread between a bustling bar in the front serving the best in mixology, a contemporary frenetic dining room downstairs, and a quieter, sparkling upstairs, this gastronomic trendsetter is currently one of the hottest seats in town! Towne is steps away from the Mandarin Oriental, Boston. Read More »
M Bar & Lounge at the Mandarin Oriental, Boston
Ah, the hotel bar – although sometimes underrated, it can actually be home to some of the best bartenders and most creative concoctions around. There’s something wonderful about hotel bars even for those who live in the same city; it’s a chance to see first-hand the kind of traveler your city is attracting, and if you play your hand right, it’s an opportunity for you to get to know a bartender well enough for him to divulge the secrets of the room to you. Some of the best people watching goes down in Boston‘s hotel bars, so we’ve offered up a few of our favorite hotel bars for your next trip to Beantown:
1. M Bar & Lounge, Mandarin Oriental: If elegance and extravagance is what you seek, look no further than M Bar at the Mandarin Oriental Boston. The new hotel sits pretty in Boston’s trendy Back Bay and M Bar plays into the style and sophistication of the neighborhood. The crowd is a mix of high-rollers celebrating a new VC-deal and cougars on the prowl for cubs, and you’ll enjoy a little bit of everything from your corner seat with a Mandarin Martini.
2. Minibar at The Copley Square Hotel: The name of this little space says it all – it’s a mini-bar, set right in the middle of the lobby so you can watch all the comings-and-goings of the night, into the late-late-night. Make your own martini from the minibar’s “mixers list” or have the bartender create you something special. If the mood strikes, you can always get ‘in.2.it’ in one of the hotel’s sexy little rooms upstairs.
Read More »
