Boston Black Book
From ivy outfitters to the coolest sneaker store, lobster rolls to shakshuka, and one of our favorite museums in the world—this city has so much going on beyond its preppy rep.
Several years ago, I brought our daughter to a concert in Boston and built a weekend around it, armed with a list from our friend Laura Shelby Murphy, who had moved there several years earlier. We had worked together at Martha Stewart Living and I knew she has the best taste in everything. Her list was SO good that I turned it into a Boston Black Book, back in the early days of this newsletter. Now that our Black Books have become more of a collection of suggestions from interesting locals and enthusiasts, we wanted to revisit it—partly because Boston is just so beautiful in the fall (the dream autumnal New England corridor!), and also because it happens to be the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party (yes, we get PR notifications that tell us stuff like this!). But mainly, because we have so many great connections there and wanted to round it out! Also, besides the city, we’ve included some listings in the suburbs as well as day trips, since Boston is so convenient to so many surrounding towns and by ferry to other coastal spots. —Y.E.
OUR CONTRIBUTORS
Aimee Lombardi is the founder and creative mastermind behind French + Italian, the stores that have been adding a touch of cool to the Boston scene since 2007.
Andrew Sessa, a former Town & Country and Departures editor, now writes for Architectural Digest, Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, and WSJ, among others. He lives with his husband and two children between Boston and Provincetown, Mass.
Carly Shea is Yolo’s editorial assistant and social media manager. She was born and raised in Boston and Marblehead, a small coastal town just north of the city.
Eric Twardzik is a Boston-based writer with a passion for classic menswear, classic cocktails and things that get better with age. He has written for GQ, Robb Report, WM Brown, Condé Nast Traveler and just launched his own substack, The Search Continues.
Jen Reddy is a Boston-based CMO passionate about helping global brands, big and small, tell their stories and grow their businesses.
Jillian Dara is a freelance journalist and editor based in Boston. She covers travel, culture, spirits, wine, and personalities for more than a dozen publications including Travel + Leisure, USA Today, Robb Report, Decanter, Wine Enthusiast and Michelin Guide.
Laura Shelby Murphy is a Boston-based art world professional by day, with a background in studio art, art history and English literature. By night, a freelance crafter and writer of DIY, home and lifestyle pieces.
Lindsay Talbot is a contributing writer for T: The New York Times Magazine. She also writes for Architectural Digest, Vogue, WSJ, The New York Times, Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, and Domino. Born and bred in Beacon Hill, she lives in Manhattan with her two young daughters and has traveled to over 85 countries.
Matt Taylor is the co-founder and CEO of Tracksmith, a retro-cool running company born in Boston.
Nina Farmer creates classically beautiful interiors that have been featured in Architectural Digest and House Beautiful. Her debut book, Timeless By Design (Rizzoli), was published in September. She lives in Beacon Hill with her family.
Sara Rex has been a guide at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts for ten years, with a special interest in Egyptology. She’s lived in Texas, South Korea, northern California, Washington, DC, Cheshire County in northwest England, and has been in Boston for over 12 years.
Sofi Madison, founder of Women Entrepreneur Collective (WE co.) and Olives & Grace, is a Boston-based brand and hospitality consultant. She's a seasoned traveler and curator, with a natural instinct to amplify independently-owned businesses.
Will Higgins is a writer and researcher from Boston with a background in fine dining, diplomacy and sustainable investing. He is now based in Paris and explores how the connections between hospitality and regenerative agriculture can drive positive change in our food systems.