Good

Christopher Myers's Stuff

2009-11-16T10:00:00Z

Christopher Myers is not a typical restaurateur: you won't find him at the front door of his eatery chatting about the food biz. With interests in just about everything, Myers loves to talk to patrons about their travels, the latest and hottest book, or even the weather. He pays attention to every word, which is part of the reason why he was one of the city's most sought after "front of the house" managers. In late 1998, Myers and chef Michael Schlow opened Radius and followed that a few years later with Via Matta. Both restaurants brought great acclaim - but it's time to move on. Myers and a third partner, Esti Parsons, recently split with Schlow to each go their separate ways. For Myers, that means working with his wife, chef Joanne Chang, at their Flour and Myers + Chang restaurants. Through it all, Myers keeps his sense of humor and whimsy, which shows in his ever-growing collection of mini teddy bears and children's books. We got him to talk about them - and even share a few thoughts about the food biz.

Really? Mini teddy bears and children's books? How'd that start? My father ran a strict household. He was a Nazi disciplinarian. I didn't have a lot children's books or things like that growing up. And Esti Parsons heard me talk about this and started giving me a bear along with a children's book.... I now have about 200 of them. All of them were given to me as gifts and mostly from the same person - Esti.

How do they make you feel? Happy. Very happy. How can you not smile at a bunch of bears? I call them my drunken bears because they all seem to tip if you just set them by themselves; they have no spine. I didn't have these as a kid, and I guess I just never grew up.

So who's your favorite children's book author? Dr. Seuss. I'm a huge fan. I'll channel Dr. Seuss sometimes and send my friends a three-page email in a Seussian style.

Could you do a menu or a restaurant in that style? No, I wouldn't do that to people who want to eat, but it's a fun way to speak - for a while.

Speaking of restaurants, what do you think of the changes on the local scene since you started working in restaurants here? Now we have lobster ON pizza and squid-ink pasta. It's not just the boiled New England Yankee food of yore. What I'm amazed at is that as much as things seemed to have changed, it's really not that different in Boston. Restaurants mostly play it safe because diners have shown they want safe. Look at the number of steakhouses in Boston. If you took the top steakhouses in Boston, and there are a lot of them competing right near each other, I bet they do about $200 million in business annually. In San Francisco, that would be spread across 200 very creative restaurants. But we have people waiting in line for steak.

That's not to say some restaurants aren't carving out (bad steak pun, sorry) a different niche in Boston, right? Yes, there are some notable exceptions - Radius, Clio, No. 9 Park - that have staked out territory, new territory, but it's not as common as you might think from the way people talk about the local restaurant scene.

Have you gone in a different direction in the restaurants you now run with your wife? Yes, I think we have. At Myers + Chang, we serve a very different menu than you would see other places. We serve a lot of small plates. And one thing I hadn't anticipated is that our clientele is almost 85 percent female. Men in Boston just don't want to share plates or reach over and eat off of a plate in front of someone else, I guess.

But you're secure enough in your manhood to eat off of someone else's plate? My manhood? I'm talking to you about my teddy bear collection.

Food Is Medicine

2009-11-16T10:00:00Z

It's a sad, damp Saturday morning, but Victor Guzman's grin heats up the van. He twists his baseball cap to his preferred angle of off-kilter and secures the cargo - rows of grocery bags, each one tidily packed with individual portions of fresh and prepared food for a homebound Community Servings client and his or her household. Guzman revs the engine and points to Dorchester, to the home of Wendy Johnson, an HIV-positive mother and grandmother. It's the first stop on Guzman's route this morning, but the Community Servings volunteers and staff chefs have been on the job for hours, chopping, cooking, and packaging, long before the first vanload of food is ready to hit the road.

Guzman parks the clean white van and scoots up the stairs, two bags in hand. Each bag is marked with the client's name and exact address (which can be hard to find - some are rear entrances or basement or attic apartments that you'd never know were there). Sacks are densely packed with stacks of portion-controlled entrees and fresh fruits and vegetables, each one labeled with the dietary restrictions of the client.

The Community Servings van is a familiar sight on Johnson's street. She has been a client for more than 10 years. Early on, Johnson's health was so poor that she weighed less than 90 pounds. Today, she's still in treatment, but plump, thriving. Johnson needs low-fat, diabetic meals. She depends on Community Servings to get her not just calories, but the right kind of calories. "This chicken salad is good!" Johnson says, diving with her fingers into the container, hardly waiting for the contents to settle on the kitchen floor. Guzman beams. "I am doing work that makes me proud! I know I am saving lives," he says. He does know, first hand. Guzman's mother, who "passed" from cancer two years ago at age 49, was a Community Servings client. Guzman and his siblings couldn't have managed without the organization's help. "It kept her alive longer than we expected. The deliveries used to lift my mom up and make her so happy! Every time I ring a door bell, I think of my mom." Guzman is often the only caller of the day, and the food he brings is often the only cooked food in the house. "It makes me want to work on keeping myself healthy," he murmurs to the air as he double checks the next address on his list. On a busy day, Guzman's route takes him to 50 or 60 clients. In his three-plus years driving for Community Servings, he has seen clients who are too sick to answer the door get transformed by good, healthy food and make a significant recovery. "Food is medicine," he says, echoing the Community Servings mantra.

Last year, Community Servings delivered fresh healthy meals to more than 1100 clients in need in Eastern Massachusetts. At the commissary in Jamaica Plain, talented chefs and chefs-in-training work with volunteers in a sophisticated yet streamlined kitchen and staging facility that, at only two years old, is already close to capacity. And the holidays are the busiest times of the year for the charity. Need is high and money is short: many of Community Servings' big corporate donors have backed off thanks to the recession, but every morning clients wake up sick, and hungry. They need us - our skills as volunteers and our donations. Large or small, every helping makes a real difference. So get out there and feed your neighbors ... and your soul.

- Louisa Kasdon
For information on how to help, visit servings.org.

A new design duo puts theory into practice

2009-11-16T10:00:00Z

Brad Dufton, 31, and Benjamin Scott, 34, are the brains (and the brawn) behind recently launched design firm colorTHEORY. Like other interior stylists, they consult on color and choose wall coverings, handle furniture customization and re-upholstery, plan layouts, shop for accessories, and more. But they differ in execution. Whereas most designers hire a slew of tradesmen to get the job done, Dufton and Scott do a lot of the work themselves. Dufton asserts, "We wear every hat, which is more economical and time-effective because we can make decisions on the spot, without the hassle of having to go back and forth between everyone." They even do light carpentry, like hanging moldings. In addition, Scott, who studied painting at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, creates incredible murals and executes faux finishes.

The two met back in 2006 at BoConcept in Cambridge, where Dufton, who studied furniture design at the Wentworth Institute of Technology, was the general manager. While he initially hired Scott to paint the showroom, the two hit it off so well that Dufton hired Scott as a design consultant for the company shortly thereafter. The pair eventually landed at the high-end Italian furniture showroom Roche-Bobois at the Ritz, where in the midst of a recession, they found themselves working (or, rather, not working) on commission. Dufton recounts, "They gave us this book, The Power of Positive Thinking. It said to take risks and follow your heart. After reading it, I realized it was time to go." colorTHEORY was born.

Dufton describes their mission as "a Ligne Roset service on an IKEA budget." colorTHEORY is a full-service design concierge, from start to finish or for anywhere in between. The leap of faith that led these friends to go out on their own in an unsteady financial climate served them well; six months in they had numerous clients. But don't chalk it up to pure luck, or even raw talent. In a genius marketing move, Dufton entered the 820-square-foot South End condo (pictured) he shared with his wife Kendra in the "Small Cool 2009" contest on the well-known home-design blog Apartment Therapy under the name colorTHEORY. It was the company's début on the web, with links to its website and Facebook page. Not only did the contest garner a following for the company, but the condo made it to the Final Four, and the couple won a $2000 gift card to Room & Board, where they bought a black Eero Saarinen pedestal dining table.

The condo, which Scott and his wife recently sold, was painted in dramatic shades of cream and black. His plan for their new place in SoWa includes his favorite color of the moment, "Silhouette," a dark gray with chocolate brown undertones from Benjamin Moore's eco-friendly Affinity Color Collection. He says admiringly, "It reads like milk chocolate in the daylight and charcoal gray at nighttime." Scott, on the other hand, is all about color. He tells us, "Right now I really like ornate and crazy antiques in bright colors - a Rococo piece in a high-gloss robin's-egg blue, a Louis XV console table in teal. I like that irreverence."

As for work for clients, it runs the gamut. In a Seaport loft, they recently painted a huge wall magenta; Scott plans to add a life-size tree in a dark gray silhouette atop, complete with photo-real cherry blossoms. When questioned about the inspiration for the concept, he replies simply, "I was looking at the wall and I just saw it."

The duo is seeing a lot of things lately. They have big plans for the future, including a retail storefront in which they would sell refurbished antiques with an interesting spin. They're also dreaming of their own line of wallpaper and maybe even a color collection for Benjamin Moore paints. Says Dufton of their creative collaborations, "We trust each other's opinions and aesthetics, so we can challenge each other. We'll get into rifts, but at the end of the day, it turns out fantastic." That's just what we think.

- Marni Elyse Katz
Marni Elyse Katz blogs about design at stylecarrot.com.

A couple finds common ground in good design

2009-11-02T15:00:00Z

Looking at newlyweds Tasha Forgash and Matt Manes's well-turned-out apartment in South Boston's Macallen Building, into which they moved just six months ago, one might surmise that they started from scratch decorating the place. After all, there are no signs of stereotypical bachelor-pad belongings: no leftover lava lamps, no chrome and black leather '80s throwbacks, no unsightly entertainment center. Nor are there the overtly feminine touches one so often finds when girl attempts to domesticate boy, like tasseled tiebacks, dried flowers, or frilly shower curtains. Instead, this is a sleek urban abode with the sort of sophisticated style that one would assume takes ample time to achieve - or, at least, requires some hefty payments to a sought-after interior designer.

Rather, the space is simply the result of two style-conscious individuals with similar aesthetic sensibilities merging their belongings. Tasha, 33, a color specialist at the edgy salon Shag, and Matt, 31, a principal in the modern furniture showroom M2L, share an appreciation for good design. Tasha says, "We both work in creative industries, so an interest in design was something we had in common right off the bat."

Upon walking in, one immediately gets that this couple is funky and fun. In addition to the enthusiastic welcome from their trio of pups, visitors are greeted by an oversized soft sculpture of a bright green pony by Italian designer Eero Aarnio. On one end of the sparkly white Caesarstone countertop sits a tangerine KitchenAid mixer, balanced on the other end by a tall orange art-glass vase with swirling black stripes that Matt hand-carried home from a trip to Holland. Lime-green counter stools provide an additional tangy accent.

Beyond the kitchen is the dining area, outfitted with a clean-lined walnut extension table by Walter Knoll, purchased, like most of the furniture, off the floor of M2L. Matt tells us, "We had planned on a different table, but it sold, so we borrowed this one and loved it." Surrounding the table are six white Panton chairs, about which Matt says, "Since we don't sell them, I had never sat in one until I was at a show in Germany, where they had them in the cafeteria. They are really comfortable, and I like the way they look with the wood." As for the art, they each brought one to the table, so to speak: the blue abstract piece is Matt's, the portrait Tasha's. She says, "Even our art goes well together, though when we first moved in I had them hanging on opposite walls. I definitely prefer them like this."

Pops of orange reappear in the living room, compliments of Matt's Artifort Orange Slice Chairs, designed by Pierre Paulin. The iconic pieces are a playful counterpoint to the chic Dordoni white pebble-leather sofa with contrasting black zippers that Tasha spotted in the M2L showroom in D.C. last year. The six-sided smoky coffee table came out of Matt's old bedroom.

As for the couple's new bedroom, the roomy, light-filled space contains some of the most exquisite examples of their collection, including a white leather Eileen Gray Bonaparte Chair paired with the sleek black vanity Matt bought Tasha for her birthday, atop which sits a Kartell Bourgie Lamp. A seating area is composed of two Utrecht Armchairs - designed by Gerrit T. Rietveld and upholstered in chocolate brown leather with topstitching, they're Matt's "dream pieces" - and a low zebrawood coffee table, all on a shaggy brown rug. A whimsical limited-edition Charles and Ray Eames Molded Plywood Elephant stands in the corner of the arrangement, another birthday gift from Matt to Tasha.

Tasha says, "I've learned a lot about furniture from Matt, about investment pieces and how much craftsmanship goes into making each one. Good design can take you places. It lasts."

--Marni Elyse Katz
Marni Elyse Katz is a freelance writer in Boston who blogs about style at stylecarrot.com.

Alison Cronin's Stuff

2009-11-02T15:00:00Z

Alison Cronin, our reigning Miss Massachusetts USA, may have the whole beauty-queen thing down now, but there was a time when the Weymouth native was more comfortable playing sports and wearing sneakers than sporting a tiara and five-inch heels. The 22-year-old pageant veteran - she's a former Miss Teen Massachusetts - was a self-described tomboy growing up, one who "no one would have guessed would be making her way wearing gowns." An alum of Weymouth High, where she captained the gymnastics team, Cronin got into competing as a way "to meet people, make contacts, and expand my world." And indeed it has. Since graduating from New York University, Cronin has had her photograph featured as part of a Time magazine cover in August and scored a few small roles in films made in New York over the summer, she told us while waiting in line at a recent casting call for a major movie being filmed in the area. Cronin realizes that not everyone can walk a runway in a bathing suit, and she credits her confidence to her father - who died when she was 13 - and mother. Her parents are also the source of one of her prized possessions: a sweatshirt her father gave her mother on their first date.

A sweatshirt seems like an odd thing for a beauty pageant contestant to wear - after all, the one thing Miss USA contestants should never do is sweat, right? That's true, but you do get cold. Very cold sometimes. When you are waiting on stage or backstage during rehearsals, there's a lot of standing around, and you get cold. Even when you are in a gown or a suit, which is funny because I'd be in a gown with my gray, discolored sweatshirt on top.

It obvious that the sweatshirt means something more to you than just a security object. What is it about a ratty old shirt? I found it not long after my father died. He had given to my mom when they started dating, and it's just been something that I wear when there are those big moments. I wore it when I took my SATs. Some people look at me funny, but I don't care. It's from a Massachusetts bar where my dad worked, so I fell like I'm more connected to the state.

So it's your secret weapon? Yes, and every woman needs one. You're out on a stage and runway walking under lights in front a huge crowd, you can't see, and you're in five-inch heels. It's a game of confidence.... That's something that directly translates to the rest of your life, even if the five-inch heels and the bathing suit don't.

So do you have any beauty secrets to share? I've had to learn everything along the way. Until I started in pageants, we didn't even have a blow dryer in the house. I think you have to learn what works best for you. For me that's the key. Seek out those who know and work with them to make your own beauty plan.

Massachusetts isn't known for being a pageant powerhouse. How did you compete against those other states that seem to just churn out beauty queens who win titles? On a personal level, I just approached it as an assignment. I studied the winners. We have had some success on the national level - Susie Castillo won the Miss USA title in 2003 and Shawnae Jebbia won [in 1998] - but it is tough.

You went on to the Miss USA competition, and had you won that, you could have been Miss Universe. That seems pretty big, reigning over the whole universe. Yes, that's the ultimate goal: to take over the universe. Ha! It's so much more about presenting yourself - and not falling when you are walking.

Fair Game

2009-11-02T10:00:00Z

Social graces have always dictated that we're not supposed to talk politics at the dinner table, and we can't tell you how many food fights (and thus, dry-cleaning bills) we've had to endure to really appreciate the wisdom behind that sentiment. But when it comes to what's on our plates, we think it fair game to talk fair trade. We're not the only ones: in honor of Fair Trade Month, several local chefs came together on Wednesday, October 21, for Eat, Drink & Be Fair, a Top Chef-style cook-off staged at the Artists for Humanity EpiCenter in South Boston. They competed to create the best dish using Fair Trade Certified ingredients, whose production and trade must adhere to strict economic, social, and environmental criteria. We at STUFF chatted with some of the participants, asking why the issue is important to them and what else they're doing to stay as green and wholesome as the veggies they serve up.

Jay Silva

Chef Jay Silva of Bambara (25 Edwin H. Land Boulevard, Cambridge, 617.868.4444) says fair trade first became personal to him about 10 years ago, when he was running a restaurant on Cape Cod. Much of his kitchen staff hailed from countries like Colombia, Peru, and Guatemala, and they shared stories of unfair wages and exploitation. "You'd hear their plight about picking coffee for 20 bucks a month," remembers Silva. "That's what opened my eyes to the issue." Since then, he's been especially conscientious about where and how he buys his food, striving to rely on local sources when possible: today, Bambara sources about a third of its ingredients from Verrill Farm in Concord, Massachusetts. Nor do Silva's efforts stop at the edible. Housed by Hotel Marlowe, Bambara runs in accordance with the Kimpton Hotel Group's EarthCare program, a comprehensive approach that covers everything from printing menus with soy ink to recycling excess cooking oils into bio-diesel fuel. It's a huge undertaking, but Silva says it all boils down to a basic premise: "Be aware of what you buy, what you do, and the impact that it has on people."

Will Gilson

Having grown up on a farm himself, Will Gilson doesn't think twice about thinking fair - he's so detail-oriented, even the guest checks at Garden at the Cellar (991 Mass Ave, Cambridge, 617.230.5880) come with fair-trade chocolate. But he admits it's hard to please all his guests all the time. "Hungry diners shouldn't have to worry about the political choices they make when they order," he says. "It can be really difficult. One person's fair trade is not another person's sustainable, and one person's sustainable usually isn't local." So he tries to balance everyone's priorities using common culinary sense. "If I pay a fisherman off the dock cash for a fish ... that seems pretty fair and sustainable to me." Even better, Gilson spent the last year raising his own pigs ("That was a blast!") and continuing his commitment as a self-described "recycling Nazi" who churns out about 15 tons of compost each year.

Richard Garcia

Born in Guatemala, Richard Garcia of Tastings Wine Bar & Bistro (201 Patriot Place, Foxboro, 508.203.9463) says he "saw and heard first-hand how the fair-trade movement was intended to help local farmers and their families." His grandfather, a Spanish immigrant, owned a small supermarket chain in Guatemala and shared stories about how poorly farmers were treated and how little money they were able to take home. Now, Boston football fans making a pilgrimage to Patriot Place in the new season can be assured that Garcia takes a pro-active approach as a restaurateur, buying fair-trade and local ingredients whenever he can. And he wants to emphasize that's good for the global economy, not just the individual farmer. "It [fair trade] is not about the money going into the farmer's pockets ... it's about the money going into the farmer's community," he elaborates. "Think about it: more money to the farmer means the farmer can put more money into his crops and make a more consistent product, letting me give guests a higher-quality product that supports a developing country's needs. Making their economy stronger makes our economy stronger."

Seth Greenberg's Stuff

2009-10-19T14:00:00Z

There was a time in the world of Boston's nightlife when Seth Greenberg was seemingly everywhere. Greenberg, who now divides his time among New York, Boston, and Miami and has chalked up an impressive list of Boston credits over 20 years, is back - and in a big way. But first a little history: Greenberg launched Mistral, which he still owns, and was the man behind the successful clubs M-80 and Aria. He also opened the Paradise, where countless bands were launched to larger stages, before taking his impresario talents to the Big Apple. In 2002, he opened the Bowery restaurant and event space Capitale, which would become almost as famous as the celebrities, fashion designers, models, and politicians who attended functions there. But Greenberg's been spending a lot of time back in Boston lately, using his creative vision as the co-developer of the Ames, a hotel project he's working on with his friend Richard Kilstock. So where do Greenberg's ideas come from? Turns out he's a big fan of the art of Peter Tunney, the Wall Street investor turned eccentric pop artist who famously lived in a glass box inside the nightclub Crobar for 300 days.

Greenberg's such a big fan, in fact, that Tunney's aesthetic infuses how he looks at how people live and play. We caught up with him during one of his (many) recent visits to check on the Court Street property that opens in November. As always, the handsome Casanova had a beautiful woman by his side.

The artwork of Peter Tunney seems like a big thing to pick up as a passion - where did that start? With Peter Tunney himself. He's a really interesting guy. He's the ultimate Renaissance man. His art will blow your mind. When I was working on Capitale, I knew I wanted to make a commitment to art ... and now I have a room there where a rotating installation of his works are always on display.

So do you collect Peter Tunney's art, or does his art collect you? It's a little bit, no, a lot of both. If Peter's in your life, he's in your life. He's had so many careers and lives as an artist, in New York, in the art world. He's pushed boundaries and sometimes that pushes people.

What does his art mean to you? Everything. In many ways, it's not just his work but his vision. It's that his mind is always looking to create.

How's the Ames going? It's coming along great. It's going to be great. Morgans [Hotel Group] looked for a long time, searching for just the right project to open their first Morgans property in Boston. It will be worth the wait.

What can we expect when we walk in through the front doors of the Ames in, say, mid-November? It's going to be a very clean, fresh take on an important historic building. The arched hallway has been preserved, but with modern touches and amazing art. The details have been preserved, down to hand-replacing and repairing gold leaf in the building. The tavern will be Boston for people who know and love Boston. Not just the cuisine, but the layout will allow socializing - even sharing of food, with small plates. But people can also have your privacy. It's all coming together right as we speak.

Okay, so what are you going to do for an encore? [Laughs] I've been poking around and like what I see in the city. So much has changed in the last 20 years, but it's a beautiful city and a place that I love. Part of me will always want to find something new to do here.

Found!: Three architectural salvage aficionados go about their business in very different ways

2009-10-19T14:00:00Z

We all know the adage "One man's trash is another man's treasure." Some of us, namely architectural antiques addicts Jane Miller, Bill Raymer, and the Greenwood family, actually live by this mantra, albeit with distinctly different approaches. See how these collectors peddle would-be junk as must-have jewels.

Restoration Resources

Back in 1988, Bill Raymer pursued his appreciation for antiques by going into business salvaging and selling old, beautiful architectural elements. Although the economy has been slow, earlier this year Raymer moved Restoration Resources (1946 Washington Street, Boston, 617.542.3033, restorationresources.com) to a new space that boasts almost 7000 square feet. His large collection is composed of wood and marble mantles, light fixtures, pedestal sinks, bathroom accessories, doorknobs, hinges, and hardware, all dating from 1860 to 1950. "Basically," Raymer says, "I deal in anything decorative or functional that can be salvaged from antique structures." Most of the items he sells are from local sources. Really local, as in the Back Bay, the South End, and Beacon Hill, thanks to the proliferation of condo conversions in the area. He mainly purchases salvaged pieces from demolition companies and architects, though occasionally he scores a load from homeowners who'd prefer to see their detritus recycled rather than piled up in landfills.

J.E.M.

Spurred by her despair at having to tear down the creations she designed as a production manager at Rafanelli Events after just a few hours, Jane Miller moved to San Francisco to pursue a degree in interior design at Berkeley. (Of course, one might argue, certain homeowners seem to redecorate just that often.) After two-plus years on the design scene out there, Miller has returned to Boston. Ready to do her own thing, she has opened J.E.M. (470 Shawmut Avenue, Boston, 617.391.0490, jemhome.com), a unique home-furnishings boutique in the South End where azure blue walls set off industrial designs that are at once crusty and refined. Inspired by Belgian interiors with washed-out woods and plenty of texture, Miller concentrates on salvaged industrial items from old factories and mills. Miller explains, "I love that the pieces have a sense of utility, that they're not just decoration for decoration's sake." Amidst work by local artisans, like flax-rope light fixtures, Miller mixes in her own creations, repurposed from her industrial finds. There are convex mirrors fitted into rusty iron flanges that were likely once part of a heating system, a teardrop-shaped mirror framed by an iron yoke made for Clydesdale draft horses, and tiny jewelry molds mounted on linen in picture boxes. Jane Elizabeth Miller, your creations are true gems.

Olde Bostonian

In contrast to the other salvage specialists featured here, retail makes up just 20 percent of the trade at Olde Bostonian (66 Von Hillern Street, Boston, 617.282.9300, oldbostonian.com). The family business, which was founded almost 30 years ago by David Greenwood (who still runs it along with his son Anthony), specializes in the restoration and reproduction of architectural elements. They restore old windows, stripping and re-glazing, repainting, or re-staining, all with historical accuracy, which is more often than not required by neighborhood historical commissions. Then, of course, they reinstall them, with weather stripping and such. The company also refurbishes and reproduces other architectural historical elements, including doors, cabinetry, and custom-milled moldings. As for their stock of treasures, you'll find superb stained glass and romantic claw-foot tubs, as well as a lot of gorgeous period fireplace mantles. Anthony Greenwood tells us, "Ten years ago, we couldn't keep the mantles in stock; now they're harder to get rid of. So our prices are very good."

- Marni Elyse Katz
Marni Elyse Katz blogs about design at stylecarrot.com

Rode Hard

2009-10-19T14:00:00Z

As rivulets of sweat stream down our faces during particularly strenuous classes, we often contemplate how it takes a certain kind of person to be a spin-class instructor - the kind that military recruiters would deem "a little harsh, don't you think? Geez..." Well, if you're the kind of cardiovascular masochist who gets off pounding your heart into putty without a safety word in sight, then you're really going to love the REV Galaxy Ride, a series of hour-long classes offered Wednesdays at 6:45 p.m. at The Sports Club/LA - Boston (4 Avery Street, Boston, 617.375.8200). Sign up for a six-week course ($99 for members, $125 for non-members), and you'll be shamed into excellence by the cycling class, which uses a Polar heart rate monitor to broadcast your heart rate and workout stats, alongside those of all your classmates, to a large flat-screen TV. Ostensibly, the technology will allow you to keep track of your progress, but we're more pumped about how going public with your pulse will inspire healthy competition and make it impossible to slack off. Type-A personalities, rejoice! The debut of the six-week course runs October 14 to November 18, and while you can sign up mid-cycle, only limited discounts may be available - so we recommend keeping your eye on thesportsclubla.com and being one of the first to sign up for the next soon-to-be-announced series. After all, if you're not interested in being first, this class may not be for you.

Male Bonding

2009-10-19T14:00:00Z

Men generally aren't encouraged to share their emotions - especially with one another. Sure, it's socially acceptable for women to discuss their feeeelings over cosmos as card-carrying members of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Ya-Yas, or whatever you people call yourselves when you're having pillow fights and crying over The Notebook. But we manly men are expected to keep a stiff upper lip and communicate nothing that can't otherwise be expressed in simple grunts, burps, and high-fives. But you know what? It's about time we saw the release of a book like The Good Men Project: Real Stories from the Front Lines of Modern Manhood, an anthology collecting 30 stories from men of all ages, races, classes, backgrounds, and sexual orientations (including a Pulitzer Prize winner, an NFL Hall of Famer, American soldiers, and just some ordinary dudes with extraordinary stories), waxing about watershed experiences in their lives and how those defining moments have shaped their ideas of manhood. Proceeds from the book benefit the Good Men Foundation, a non-profit that supports at-risk men and boys: locally, the Foundation works with the Boys and Girls Club of Boston, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay, Dorchester Youth Alternative Academy, and Street Potential, among others. On November 4, the ICA (100 Northern Avenue, Boston, 617.478.3100) will host a launch party for the Project from 7 to 10 p.m. The donation-optional event will provide all guests with a free copy of the book and a screening (at 7:15 p.m. sharp) of a companion documentary film. You can register for the event, buy the book and DVD, check out additional events with the authors (including a December reading at Brookline Booksmith), and start sharing your own stories at goodmenbook.org. So, uh ... anyone up for a slumber party and a little mani/pedi action? We'll bring the brews.

Just Desserts

2009-10-19T14:00:00Z

On the night before Halloween, we don't exactly need another excuse to indulge our sweet tooth. But we suppose we could bring ourselves to dabble in a few more desserts, especially if it's for a good cause (so selfless, right?). Hence why on Friday, October 30, we'll click our heels and head down to Home Sweet Home at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge (575 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, 617.492.1234), a benefit for the Cambridge Housing Assistance Fund, an organization combating homelessness. From 7 to 11 p.m., you can enjoy some early trick or treating from well over a dozen participating vendors, including those sweet folks at Kickass Cupcakes, Rosie's Bakery, Tremont 647, and L'Espalier. In addition, three celebrity chefs - Nicole Coady of Finale, Michael Klug of Burdick Chocolate, and Robert Daugherty of Zephyr on the Charles - will angle for best dessert and compete for our affections with their confections. Tickets are $50 for all the sugary goodness, but spring for $75 VIP tickets, and you can add a private reception with savory appetizers and port wine tasting. And don't worry, the band The Love Dogs will be on hand to help you work off some of those calories with a little swing dancing. How sweet it is!

Designer John Stefanon redefines one-room living in Fort Point Channel

2009-10-05T14:00:00Z

When the developers behind FP3, a sleek 92-unit loft project in Fort Point Channel, asked John Stefanon of SoWa-based JFS Design Studio to work his magic on a 671-square-foot model apartment, he was happy to oblige. After all, the first space he designed there was fabulous. But this time, instead of a loft with oversized windows and lots of light, Stefanon was assigned the most challenging unit in the building — a second-floor studio with no real view.

Stefanon, a designer with an almost Zen aesthetic, was undaunted. He embraced the directive, which was to help would-be buyers conceptualize how to make the most of a studio. In other words, Stefanon needed to show, loudly and clearly, how one can fashion a single room into a living space that functions well for both entertaining and private time, while remaining organized and, of course, stylish.

He started with the vestibule. “In an unfinished unit, people go right to the window,” Stefanon says. “So we created an interesting entry in hopes they would stop, think, and take it all in.” Stepping onto the Tibetan wool “Swirl” Paul Smith rug, with its mesmerizing ribbons of color, is enough to make anyone pause. Then there’s the funky wall clad in Braille Wall Flats by Inhabit Living. The textured panels are both eco-friendly (they’re made from 100% molded bamboo paper pulp) and inexpensive. To evoke a sense of outdoors, Stefanon painted the ceiling a moody, neutral blue. Above a clean-lined console table that’s perfect for mail and keys, he hung a convex mirror that reflects the space beyond. But who’s rushing to get there now?

Stefanon further differentiates the vestibule from the main living area by lining the interior frame of the portal with walnut panels stained to match the finish of the unit’s door. The detail is a nice touch — “It makes people feel like they’re about to walk into somewhere special,” he says. Formalizing the entry not only ensures that guests savor their first moments here, but defines the entry as its very own space.

The neutral color scheme Stefanon chose for the main living area unifies it, the accessories add color, and the details and finishes add texture. He asserts, “It’s important to balance neutrals with textures so the room doesn’t feel cold.”

The space is divided into three areas — dining, living, and sleeping — proving one needn’t sacrifice function if short on space. “The kitchen,” Stefanon says, “is not just about the kitchen. It’s also a place for entertaining.” The long, rectangular table is on wheels, so it can function as a dining table, an island, or a buffet, or be pushed out of the way altogether. The rattan-backed bench adds a tailored touch to the utilitarian table, while the chain-mail chairs infuse an industrial edge reminiscent of the building’s warehouse origins.

Instead of a sofa, Stefanon outfitted the living area with four chairs. He points out, “A sofa seats three, but nobody wants to be in the middle. This way is more user-friendly.” The French Provincial–style chairs, which are upholstered in natural muslin, are sophisticated, yet casual and comfy. And the table is rustic enough to put your feet on. For additional seating, the bench from the dining table can be pulled over.

The development company had initially requested that Stefanon incorporate a Murphy bed into the design, but he felt the look was too typical. Instead he opted for a more artistic approach. Drawing on the neighborhood’s artsy identity, Stefanon designed an oversized headboard constructed with art frames around the perimeter of an upholstered inset of tufted outdoor chenille. Stefanon considers the headboard an art piece, since there isn’t much room for actual artwork on the walls. On the bed he used a single large pillow for maximum impact and minimum fuss.

“The goal,” he tells us, “is to make every living area special, without overdoing it,” The key to achieving this balance? A lot of editing. Good advice for those considering one-room living. And we’re not the only ones who think so. Stefanon tells us, “Somebody saw this the day after I finished it and bought the studio directly above.”

— Marni Elyse Katz
Marni Elyse Katz is a freelance writer in Boston who blogs about style at stylecarrot.com.

Jenny Johnson's Stuff

2009-10-05T14:00:00Z

When Jenny Johnson walks into a room, she exudes the same confidence and beaming smile that have become her trademarks as the executive producer of NECN’s TV Diner and sidekick to host Billy Costa. On any given night, Johnson can be spotted fully decked out for a charity event in town or sampling a nibble or two at many of the restaurants TV Diner has featured. And as ubiquitous as Johnson is off-camera, she actually added more on-screen responsibilities a few months ago, becoming the host of New England Dream House. Her new role takes her to some of the most posh pads in the region for a peek at how the other half lives. So, how does this busy lady keep it all together? For one, Johnson spends a ton of time on the stair climber and at a Pilates studio to stay sane (and to maintain her size 4 dress size). Her total self-assuredness, however, comes from a less expected source: a pink blanket her parents made for her when she was born. Yes, this security object that most discard by the time they get to kindergarten is the secret to Johnson’s success. And she’s not shy about talking about her blanky either.

A pink blanket, huh? Actually, it’s a pink satin blanket, thank you. I used to be about three feet by three feet, but now it’s about a foot and half and is ripped and tattered. It has a safety pin holding part of it and has burn marks from when it fell of the bed and landed on the heater. My parents made it, and yes, I still sleep with it.

Is it more of a security object to you or something nostalgic? It’s been with me during good times and bad. I have memories of it being with me during both the highs and lows. I’ve cried with it and into it. I’ve thrown it. I remember times when I was really excited about some news, and there it was.

OK, but what about what other people, like roommates and “others,” have thought about you sleeping with it? Love me, love my blanket. It comes with me. It’s part of the package. It’s always been there. Sure, I remember feeling a little weird when I went to camp, but you know, once people see me with it and that it’s always with me, I’ve never had anyone react with anything but acceptance.

Speaking of criticism, are you glad that you aren’t one of the city’s restaurant reviewers? Like those intrepid food critics like Devra First, Mat Schaffer, MC Slim JB, and Robert Nadeau? I bet even former Boston Globe critic Alison Arnett still hears from people. Oh, yes, I am so glad that I’m not them. I don’t know how Alison Arnett does it. She wrote with such integrity, but still, I know people remember the “non-positive” comments. I love that we don’t write the reviews. If we don’t like something, we don’t cover them on TV Diner. It’s really a lot easier. It would be tough to feel good about people yelling at you.

Tell me about some of your Boston food faves. I love the tuna tartar at Serenella and the molten chocolate cake at Union Bar and Grille in the South End. I like the drinks and atmosphere at Stella. For sushi, my pick is Seiyo in the South End. I always love to hang out at the Beehive. And the new Bella Luna in Jamaica Plain is great, and they even have bowling. It’s virtual … on a [Nintendo] Wii. And when I need comfort food, it’s the mac and cheese at Stephanie’s [on Newbury.]

Greater Boston Food Bank

2009-10-05T14:00:00Z

I eat amazing food, and I can’t remember the last time I truly went hungry. I guess that’s why the brand-new 117,000-square-foot building for the Greater Boston Food Bank stills my soul. I am lucky to not be one of the estimated 321,500 people going hungry in Eastern Massachusetts. Every week, the Food Bank serves 83,000 of them. Estimates are that “need” is up 11% this year, at some agencies as much as 30%–40%. Part of the Food Bank’s mantra is “Everybody has a role in ending hunger.” So, I wonder, what’s mine?

When Kip Tiernan, founder of Rosie’s Place, started the Greater Boston Food Bank in 1981, she recalled how her grandmother used to feed the hungry: she let them know she had an open soup kitchen by chalking an “X” in a circle on the sidewalk in front of her house. Almost 30 years later, the Greater Boston Food Bank operates out of the former Boston incinerator, rehabbed as a certified-green warehouse building where food is delivered, re-packed, and moved into the hunger pipeline. Staff and volunteers work daily shifts on an unbelievably sophisticated shipping system that distributes canned, cooked, and fresh food to 600 food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters all over Eastern Massachusetts. It is supported by funds from the state of Massachusetts, the federal government, and individual donors, and by food from direct purchases, food drives, donations from wholesalers, and the Second Helping program, which deposits unused food from local restaurants in the Bank.

But what can we well-fed foodies do? You can give money, in small or large donations. There is no endowment for the Greater Boston Food Bank, so the $7 to $8 million in operating costs has to be raised each year. And though the rehab cost $35 million to complete, only $26 million has been raised so far, and the fundraising for the capital grant continues. Every bit counts: besides big corporate donors, more than 28,000 people send checks for less than $50. You can also give your time. Volunteers save the Food Bank more than $600,000 in annual labor costs. You can visit the website to sign up for a shift as an individual or group, and if your work schedule gets in the way, go on a Saturday or pick one of the late shifts on Wednesday evenings. And by the way, January is the major processing month, as all the food from the holiday drives comes in and must be sorted and stocked. Another option? Give food. Check the site for needed items (the need for shelf-stable proteins like tuna and peanut butter is always high), and organize a food drive. I don’t feel guilty about never being hungry. But I do feel responsible for helping ensure that others don’t have to be either.

For more information about the new Greater Boston Food Bank, visit gbfb.org.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2009

2009-10-05T14:00:00Z

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and with all the organizations out there working toward a cure, there should be plenty of opportunities to support research, prevention, and treatment. But we’ve found a few particularly fun ways to take care of our own well-being while helping others care for theirs: take the pink treadmill added this month to BodyScapes Fitness (1285 Beacon Street, Brookline, 617.232.1010). Keep up your cardio fitness by taking a turn on the treadmill, and BodyScapes will donate $1 for every mile logged in October (and five cents per mile throughout the rest of the year) to The Ellie Fund. Non-members are welcome to participate, but if you choose to join the gym now, they’ll waive the initiation fee and make a $25 donation in your name to The Ellie Fund. Once you’re sweaty, spruce back up at Spa Christine & Boutique More (699 East Broadway, South Boston, 617.269.0019), named after the owners’ good friend, Christine LeBlanc, who passed from breast cancer. On Thursdays through October, the spa will distribute pink ribbons and donate 10 percent of the proceeds from all services to Susan G. Komen for the Cure in LeBlanc’s memory. And, if that Thursday happens to be October 15, once you’re gussied up, head over to the Hard Rock Café (22–24 Clinton Street, Boston, 617.424.7625) for Women in Comedy! at 6 p.m. Hosted by WCVB’s Susan Wornick, the night proves laughter is the best medicine with three comediennes, complimentary hors d’oeuvres and desserts, and a silent auction, all to benefit The Ellie Fund. Tickets are $30 before October 10 ($40 after); get yours at elliefund.org.