Open Jaw :: On The Town ::

With Martha Chapman
11AUG08

The Boston skyline glitters with skyscrapers

The entrance of the must-see JFK Library and Museum

Fairmont Copley Plaza: a real BOS landmark

Boston: Delivering Much More Than Pizza

Tell any client heading on a Boston getaway they’ll need three things: a great pair of shoes (this is a town made for walking), an excellent map (ditto), and even a tiny smidge of interest in American history – whether it’s “So what did that Paul Revere dude do?” to “Who designed Jackie Kennedy’s fabulous wardrobe?”

One thing you won’t need is the letter R.

Bostonians don’t say they leave their automobile, they “pahk the cah.” Even the locals poke fun at their famously R-less lingo, with several menus boasting “clam chowdah” and posters for a popular attraction at the New England Aquarium screaming “SHAHHHKS!”

Speaking of chowdah, this is one great town for foodies, from the elegant luncheons at the Fairmont Copley Plaza - with unforgettable service – to endless varieties of seafood. Meritage Resto at Boston Harbor Hotel provides a new twist: order anything you like on the menu, from scallops to pheasant, lobster tail to ostrich, and it’s available as an appetizer or main course. The adventurous Aura Restaurant at the Seaport is famous for delivering unexpected twists: duck confit with pecan pie, anyone?

Must dos include the unforgettable JFK Library and Museum which centres on those thousand days back in the 60s when a seemingly magical couple, Jack and Jackie Kennedy, reigned from the White House.

A great base from which to explore all? The classic Omni Parker House hotel is steps from the freedom trail and the place where the Boston Cream Pie (a cake, actually – who knew?) was invented.

And as soon as my feet recover from all that walking, I can’t wait to go back.