Idealist City Guide: BOSTON food design and style | Spencer Thorpe Bloghttps://spencerthorpe.tumblr.com/post/160902438044/idealist-city-guide-boston-food-design-and-style_=_ The beautiful city of Boston is well known for its New England style food history and accent. Just a short hop from New Yorkon the eastern coast of the United States and famed for its place in New England history for Harvard MIT and the Kennedys Kerouac and countless other famous names its a great place to get a taste of America. There are many great areas of Boston to enjoy from the upscale stores downtown Newbury Street and Back Bay to the Italian neighbourhood in the North End Charles Street on Beacon Hill and across the river into Cambridge and Harvard Square. Unlike many American cities Boston is eminently walkable although the T transit system is cheap and convenient too. On our trip we stayed across the river near Kendall Square where thanks to MIT theres a bunch of hotels and AirBnB choices. While in town we recommend visiting the Museum of Fine Arts Harvard Square the JFK Museum and if you have time taking a whale-watching trip off the coast. Todays tour is focused on great places to visit shops for unique finds and fun spots to eat and stay. Bostons best Galleries amp; Museums Boston MFA facade with the Appeal to the Great Spirit monument Museum of Fine Arts: The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston has a massive comprehensive art collection over 450000 pieces in fact. Exhibits here range from traditional paintings to more abstract images and even films. Its also a great place for newer fans of art to get a glimpse at some of the various styles and media. 465 Huntington Ave Boston MA 02115 (617) 267-9300 Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Down the road from the MFA and the legacy ofIsabella Stewart Gardnerart collector philanthropist and art patron the museum emulates a 15th-century Venetian palace drawing particular inspiration and houses an art collection of world importance includingTitian Rembrandt Michelangelo Raphael Botticelli Manet Degas Whistler and Matisse. Its also home to exhibitions of contemporary art and many concerts and lectures. Visitors dressed in Boston Red Sox gear get discounted entrance and visitors called Isabella get in for nothing. Go Red Sox! The new wing by Renzo Piano cost a whopping $120 million. 25 Evans Way Boston MA 02115 Institute of Contemporary Art: The Institute of Contemporary Art was founded in 1936 to honour and preserve contemporary art. It features unique exhibitions which change regularly so be sure to check out what they have while youre in town. This is more of your edgy contemporary art but the view of the harbour and the building itself are worth the trip alone. 25 Harbor Shore Drive Boston MA 02210 (617) 478-3100 Old State House: The Old State House is often considered to be where the American revolution started. Its the oldest surviving building in Boston and one of the oldest public buildings in the United States. Visitors can learn about the history of Boston and explore the actual site of the Boston Massacre of 1770. 206 Washington St Boston MA 02109 (617) 720-1713 Style Shopping Boston South End is well known for its well-heeled neighbourhoods so if youre looking for home accessories antiques or unique finds start your search there. Across the river in Cambridge is the Cambridge Antiques Market (East Cambridge near Lechmere in what is otherwise not the prettiest of areas) which is a fab spot for vintage interior pieces. Art and Unique Objects There are some great places to shop for interesting things to take home from markets to art and gift stores comic book stores and bookshops. We love: South End Open Market @ SoWa Every Sunday from May through October locals and tourists alike flock to the South End for this open market. Tents range from crafts design and vintage to food trucks and farmers market. Shake The Tree carries handmade jewellery home goods stationery small brand apothecary craft cocktail supplies barware global cookbooks and baby gifts. Inspired by travels to Paris the souks in Morocco and the vibrant colours of flower markets in India owner Marian Klausner has filled the brightly lit space with everything she loves. The storeis located in Bostons historic North End Italian waterfront neighborhood close to the Freedom Trail. 67 Salem Street North End Boston 617.742.0484 shakethetree@rcn.com The stores at the Museum of Fine Art Institute of Contemporary Art and the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum (listed above). These are all great spots for tasteful stuff you can fit in your suitcase. Furniture and accessories Five floors of contemporary style Located in the historic Sherman Building Room amp; Boardoffers a wide selection of contemporary furniture from living room and dining room furniture to outdoor sets. And with five floors to shop theres a good chance youll find something unique that you absolutely love here. We tend not to feature chain stores in our listings but especially for visitors to Boston this place is worth a stop. 375 Newbury St Boston MA 02115 (617) 351-0020 European Styling Lekker Home: Even when youre in Boston you still see plenty of European influence. Lekker Home uses that inspiration for its selection of European furniture their mainstay being Dutch furniture. But a great selection of furniture isnt all youll find here theres also plenty of great lighting and other accessories. 1313 Washington St Boston MA 02118 (617) 542-6464 South American Styling Diseo Bos: If youre looking for something a little out of the ordinary check out Diseo Boss selection of South American furniture accessories and lighting. Frank Campanale the owner found inspiration for his store after a month-long holiday in Brazil Argentina Peru and Chile which still inspires the fur and hide rugs and colourful patterned textiles found in Diseo Bos today. 460 Harrison Ave Boston MA 02118 (617) 423-2008 High end Italian styling IL Dcor: A range of stunningly beautiful modern furniture greets visitors of IL Dcor all of it carefully selected from contemporary designers with a unique stylish take on interiors. And the best part is IL Dcor has almost everything so you can find the perfect nightstand for your bedroom or give your living room an overhaul. 10 St James Ave Boston MA 02116 (617) 580-3443 Vintage modern Abodeon: Adobeons slogan is A celebration of modern design through the decades and its a fitting one. Here youll find a range of mid-20th century vintage modern furniture and current modern furniture including unique lighting solutions and chic accessories. 1731 Massachusetts Ave Cambridge MA 02138 (617) 497-0137 Award-winning designers Twelve Chairs: Miggy Mason and Roisin Giese founded Twelve Chairs in 2010 as a result of their combined passion for interiors. After gaining attention on both a local and national level they moved their store to the historic south end of Boston where they design and sell their unique creations today. 581 Tremont St Boston MA 02118 (617) 982-6136 Staying Over The Inn at St Botolph: The Inn at St Botolph is situated in a historic brownstone building in Boston. Its a contemporary hotel with a twist their aim is to make you feel like youre living in your own fully furnished luxury apartment in the city. 99 St Botolph St Boston MA 02116 (617) 236-8099 The Godfrey Hotel Boston: The Godfrey is a chic hotel with luxury features located near downtown Boston which makes it a great choice for visitors who wish to walk from destination to destination. And if you need something to perk you up in the morning (or at night) theres a lobby bar and coffee shop in the hotel. 505 Washington St Boston MA 02111 (617) 804-2000 Hotel Commonwealth: If you want a great mix of luxury boutique Hotel Commonwealth is the perfect choice for you. Its located in Bostons Back Bay near Fenway Park and has easy access to the subway. It houses a New England-style restaurant and an oyster and cocktail bar so you can get great food without going out. 500 Commonwealth Avenue Boston MA 02215 (617) 933-5000 Food Oishii: If you love sushi and other authentic Japanese food Oishii is as good as it gets in Boston. From classics like spicy tempura tuna to more ambitious dishes featuring caviar or wagyu beef Oishii has something to satisfy everybody. And if youre not a sushi fan dont fret there are plenty of other entree options. 1166 Washington St 110 Boston MA 02118 (617) 482-8868 Harvest: Located in Harvard Square Harvest is a staple of fine dining in Boston and a proponent of farm-to-table ingredients. They cook up all of the Boston staples from pork loin and lamb to lobster and oysters. If youre visiting in the summer try getting a seat in the beautiful garden terrace. 44 Brattle St Cambridge MA 02138 (617) 868-2255 Rosebud American Kitchen: Its always nice to try new foods and fine dining is great but sometimes you just cant beat a classic diner. Theres no overly complicated ultra-fancy menu here just comfort food favourites like Korean BBQ sliders mac n cheese fried chicken and fish and chips. If you want delicious no-nonsense food check out Rosebud. 381 Summer St Somerville MA 02144 (617) 629-9500 Must-See Attractions Harvard Yard Harvard: It doesnt get much more revered than this. Harvard was built in 1636 and is one of the most prestigious universitiesin the world. The Harvard Information Center is dedicated to greeting visitors who come to see the school and they can provide you with both historical information and tours. (617) 495-1573 Smith Campus Center 30 Dunster Street Cambridge MA 02138 Freedom Trail: If you love history youll love the Freedom Trail. Its a 2.5-mile path throughout Boston that takes visitors by 16 significant historical locations giving them a taste of the United States past. If youre particularly interested in a few historical sites you can always skip some of the others to make more time. The Freedom Trail Foundation 44 School Street Suite 250 Boston MA 02108 (617) 357-8300 Boston Common: The Boston Common is the oldest public park in the United States dating all the way back to 1634. With sprawling green fields and plenty of activity ts a great place to relax have a picnic and people watch. 139 Tremont St Boston MA 02111 Travel A flight from London to Boston will cost between 350 and 750 depending on the airline you choose and type of flight you take. You can also fly into Providence RI or New York and get a train up the coast. You May Also Like Idealist City Guide: New York Idealist City Guide: Chicago Idealist City Guide: San Francisco Relaxed colour scheme: New England Beach House Get the Look: Summer in the Hamptons Insider City Style Guide: Leslieville Toronto Insider City Style Guide: Vancouver Shopping Feature photocopyright: tonobalaguer MFAdemerzel21 Harvardjanniswerner / 123RF Stock Photo. The post Idealist City Guide: BOSTON food design and style appeared first on The Idealist. from The Idealist https://www.theidealist.com/city-guide-boston/ from The Idealist Magazine https://theidealistmagazine.tumblr.com/post/160902403913