STUFF Boston

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webteam — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:13:24 GMT

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Where the Players Play...

William Ashmore, Ivy (49 Temple Place, Boston, 617.451.1416, www.ivyrestaurantgroup.com) and Stoddard’s Fine Food & Ale (coming soon to 48 Temple Place, Boston)

Antonio Bertone, PUMA (1 Design Center Plaza, Boston, 617.772.4422, www.puma.com)

Azita Bina-Seibel and Babak Bina, Bina Osteria/Alimentari (581 Washington Street, Boston, 617.956.0888, www.binaboston.com), Bin 26 Enoteca (26 Charles Street, Boston, 617.723.5939, www.bin26.com), and Lala Rokh (97 Mt. Vernon Street, Boston, 617.720.5511, www.lalarokh.com)

Jamie Bissonette, Toro (1704 Washington Street, Boston, 617.536.4300, www.toro-restaurant.com)

Peter Bradley, Bradley and Diegel Salon (77 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.266.7707, www.bradleyanddiegel.com; see also Dirk Diegel)

Mike Brucklier, Game On! (82 Lansdowne Street, Boston, 617.351.7001, www.gameonboston.com) and Bleacher Bar (82A Lansdowne Street, 617.262.2424, www.bleacherbarboston.com)

Anthony Caturano, Prezza (24 Fleet Street, Boston, 617.227.1577, www.prezza.com)

Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz (24 Beacon Street, Room 413C, Boston, 617.722.1673, www.soniachangdiaz.com)

Helena Collins, Life in Synergy (867 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.867.6500, www.lifeinsynergy.com)

Brad Dalbeck, Max & Dylan’s (15 West Street, Boston, 617.423.3600; 1 Chelsea Street, Charlestown, 617.242.7400, www.maxanddylans.com) and Scollay Square (21 Beacon Street, Boston, 617.742.4900, www.scollaysquare.com)

Nikki Dalrymple, Acquire (61 Salem Street, Boston, 857.362.7380, www.acquireboutique.com)

Evan Deluty, Stella (1525 Washington Street, Boston, 617.247.7747, www.bostonstella.com)

Dirk Diegel, Bradley and Diegel Salon (77 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.266.7707, www.bradleyanddiegel.com; see also Peter Bradley)

Chris Douglass, Tavolo (1918 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, 617.822.1918, www.tavolopizza.com), Ashmont Grill (555 Talbot Avenue, Dorchester, 617.825.4300, www.ashmontgrill.com), and Icarus (3 Appleton Street, Boston, 617.426.1790, www.icarusrestaurant.com)

Craig Drollett, Bin Ends Wine (236 Wood Road, Braintree, 781.817.1212, www.binendswine.com; see also John Hafferty)

Dave Dubois, Franklin Café (278 Shawmut Avenue, Boston, 617.350.0010; 152 Dorchester Avenue, South Boston, 617.269.1003; 118 Main Street, Gloucester, 978.283.7888, www.franklincafe.com)

Gabriel Frasca, Straight Wharf (6 Harbor Square, Nantucket, 508.228.4499, www.straightwharfrestaurant.com)

Erin Gates, ElementsofStyleBlog.com and Element Interiors (617.256.0052, www.elementsofstyleblog.com, www.element-interiors.com)

William George, James Joseph Salon (30 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.266.7222, www.jamesjosephsalon.com) and James Joseph Studios (168 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.266.6600; 16 Earheart Landing, Medford, 781.393.6800, www.jamesjosephstudio.com)

John Gertsen, Drink (348 Congress Street, Boston, 617.695.1806, www.drinkfortpoint.com)

Drew Gullotti and Melissa Gulloti, I Soci Salon (8 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.867.9484, www.isocisalon.com)

John Hafferty, Bin Ends Wine (236 Wood Road, Braintree, 781.817.1212, www.binendswine.com; see also Craig Drollett)

Scott Herritt, Grotto (37 Bowdoin Street, Boston, 617.227.3434, www.grottorestaurant.com) and Marliave (10 Bosworth Street, Boston, 617.422.0004, www.marliave.com)

Andy Husbands, Tremont 647 (647 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.266.4600, www.tremont647.com)

Julie Jordan, House of Blues (15 Lansdowne Street, Boston, 617.960.8327, www.houseofblues.com)

Nicole Kanner, All Heart PR (857.350.3434, www.allheartpr.com)

Barbara Lynch, Barbara Lynch Gruppo (9 Park Street, Boston, 617.742.9991, www.barbaralynch.com)

Dante de Magistris, Dante (40 Edwin H. Land Boulevard, Cambridge, 617.497.4200, www.restaurantdante.com)

David Magone, PranaVayu Yoga (www.pranavayuyoga.com)

Tony Maws, Craigie On Main (853 Main Street, Cambridge, 617.497.5511, www.craigieonmain.com)

Frank McClelland, Sel de la Terre (774 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.266.8800; 255 State Street, Boston, 617.720.1300; 1245 Worcester Street, Natick, 508.650.1800, www.seldelaterre.com) and L’Espalier (774 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.262.3023, www.lespalier.com)

Violet Mkhitaryan, Violet Enterprises/Violet Skin Boutique (257 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.262.7546; 1362 Beacon Street, Brookline, 617.264.7546, www.violetskinboutique.com)

Rodney Murillo, Avila (1 Charles Street South, Boston, 617.267.4810, www.avilarestaurant.com)

Samad Naamad, Tangierino (83 Main Street, Charlestown, 617.242.6009, www.tangierino.com)
and Koullshi (73 Main Street, Charlestown, 617.242.6007, www.koullshi.com)

Marc Orfaly, Pigalle (75 Charles Street South, Boston, 617.423.4944, www.pigalleboston.com) and Marco (253 Hanover Street, Boston, 617.742.1276, www.marcoboston.com)

Meichi Peng, PENG and Meichi Peng Design Studio (460 Harrison Avenue, Boston, 617.521.8660, www.meichipeng.com)

Betty Riaz, Stil (The Shops at Prudential Center, 800 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.859.7845; The Mall at Chestnut Hill, 199 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill, 617.527.7845, www.stilinc.com)

Domenic Ricci, Evolve Fitness (52 New Street, Cambridge, 617.354.1000; 2 California Avenue, Framingham, 508.879.6200, www.evolvefitnessinc.com)

Ricardo Rodriguez, Coldwell Banker (137 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.266.4430, www.newenglandmoves.com)

Boston City Council President Mike Ross (1 City Hall Square, Boston, 617.635.3040, www.cityofboston.gov/citycouncil)

Elan Sassoon, Mizu (Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 776 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.585.6498, www.mizuforhair.com)

Jason Santos, Gargoyles on the Square (219 Elm Street, Somerville, 617.776.5300, www.gargoylesrestaurant.com)

Jon Schoeck, Jillian’s and Lucky Strike Lanes (145 Ipswich Street, Boston, 617.437.0300, www.jilliansboston.com, www.luckystrikelanesboston.com) and Tequila Rain (3 Lansdowne Street, Boston, 617.437.0300, www.tequilarainboston.com)

Mike Sienkiewicz, Bruce Rossmeyer’s Boston Harley-Davidson (1760 Revere Beach Parkway, Everett, 617.389.8888; Faneuil Hall, 316 North Market Building, Boston, 617.557.3035; 224 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.502.8881; Museum Place Mall, Salem, 978.306.6410, www.bostonharley.com)

Stephanie Sokolove, Stephanie’s on Newbury (190 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.236.0990, www.stephaniesonnewbury.com) and Stephi’s on Tremont (571 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.236.2063, www.stephisontremont.com)

Tony Susi, Sage (1395 Washington Street, Boston, 617.248.8814, www.sageboston.com)

Texas Mike, promoter and DJ for Future Classic (381 Congress Street, Boston, 617.256.4093, www.futureclassic.net)

Kathy Van Patten, Movement Center of Boston (38 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.723.8090, www.movementcenterofboston.com)

Patrice Vinci, Patrice Vinci Salon (91 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.267.1900, www.patricevinci.com)

Stephanie Walker, Walker Contemporary (450 Harrison Avenue, Boston, 617.695.0211, www.walkercontemporary.com)

Alex Yunis, Venu (100 Warrenton Street, Boston, 617.338.8061, www.venuboston.com), District (180 Lincoln Street, Boston, 617.426.0180, www.districtboston.com) and Rumor (100 Warrenton Street, Boston, 617.422.0045, www.rumorboston.com)

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The Bodega Team: Jay Gordon, Oliver Mak, and Dan Natola, Bodega (6 Clearway Street, Boston, 617.421.1550, www.bdgastore.com)

The Bond Team: Gaylord Lamy, Evan Leavy, Mark Sapienza, and Neils Vuijsters, Bond (The Langham Hotel, 250 Franklin Street, Boston, 617.956.8765, www.bondboston.com)

The Boston Bruins Team: Shane Hnidy, Milan Lucic, Shawn Thorton, and Blake Wheeler, Boston Bruins (TD Banknorth Garden, 100 Legends Way, Boston, www.bruins.nhl.com)

The Hungry Mother Team: John Kessen, Barry Maiden, Rachel Miller Munzer, and Alon Munzer, Hungry Mother (233 Cardinal Medeiros Avenue, Cambridge, 617.499.0090, www.hungrymothercambridge.com)

The Radius Team: Christopher Myers, Esti Parsons, and Michael Schlow, Radius (8 High Street, Boston, 617.426.1234, www.radiusrestaurant.com), Via Matta (79 Park Plaza, Boston, 617.422.0008, www.viamattarestaurant.com), and Great Bay (500 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, 617.532.5300, www.gbayrestaurant.com)

The Shrine Team: Randy Greenstein, Ed Kane, and Joe Kane, Shrine (240 MGM Grand Drive, Mashantucket, Connecticut, 860.312.8888, www.shrinemgmfoxwoods.com)

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webteam — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:42:00 GMT

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Tony Maws, chef/owner of Craigie on Main
A cross-town move to a new address — this time with adequate elbow room to showcase his personal brand of food alchemy — has turned Tony Maws’s bistro into a contender for the toughest ticket in town for a primetime table (even on weeknights) and created a bar scene packed with cocktail connoisseurs, not to mention other top Boston chefs enjoying a night out. This is just Maws’s year. His slightly piratical smile has been on the cover of every publication locally — and beyond. In addition to all the previous kudos for the maniacally hard-working and inventive chef, Maws recently became a semi-finalist for the James Beard Foundation 2009 award for best chef in the Northeast. Not bad for a guy whose previous haunt was a cramped basement space on an out-of-the-way residential street in Cambridge.

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webteam — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:42:02 GMT

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Keeping Boston fit: David Magone, founder of PranaVayu Yoga; Kathy Van Patten, founder of the Movement Center of Boston; Domenic Ricci, general manager of Evolve Fitness; and Helena Collins, founder of Life in Synergy
Hallelujah for the people and places that are keeping our waistlines from blubbering over into morbid-obesity territory. Of course, it helps when your motivation is as flexible, red-hot, and rockhard as David Magone, founder of PranaVayu Yoga.
Blending meditation with flowing Vinyasa technique, Magone will sculpt your mind, body, and chakras. If core work is more your thing, glide on over to the Movement Center of Boston and take a class with founder Kathy Van Patten, whose cuttingedge Pilates and Gyrotonic classes (the latter of which combines the movements of yoga, dance, gymnastics, swimming, and tai-chi) are absolutely stellar. Get your (soon-to-be-hot) bod synergized at Life in Synergy personal training studio, where founder Helena Collins and her award-winning team of trainers will tailor a workout to you — your fitness preferences, your physical and mental needs, and your individual muscle mechanics. And for a greener workout, definitely hit up Evolve Fitness, where Domenic Ricci’s eco-conscious facilities are just as impressive as the badass roster of classes. Cardio kickboxing, belly dancing, or Zumba in a setting with sleek, unique, green-friendly flooring and high-tech locker rooms? Working out has evolved!

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webteam — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:42:03 GMT

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William Ashmore, proprietor of Ivy and Stoddard’s Fine Food & Ale
Downtown Crossing, that once-desolate grid of strip clubs and abandoned shops, seems happier these days. Why? It’s largely thanks to William Ashmore. He runs Ivy and the soon-to-open Stoddard’s Fine Food & Ale, two restaurants that are reinvigorating his beloved neighborhood. His latest venture, Stoddard’s — which he’s building himself — captures the area’s history. The pub, he says, will be a “man’s place.” Its cocktails, throwbacks like smashes and rickeys, will all be circa 1868. The bar is a turn-of-the-century replica, 30 feet long. (And so, of course, he’ll have 30 beers on tap.) The menu will offer testosterone-friendly plates like goulash and marrow-brushed burgers. There will even be a proper shoeshine station. This is not the sort of place, he chuckles, where you’ll find flavored vodka. As for the clientele? “We’re providing alternative places for people who’ve grown up from nightclubs but aren’t locked in their houses watching Wheel of Fortune,” he laughs. We’ll drink to that.

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webteam — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:42:04 GMT

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Stephanie Sokolove, owner of Stephanie’s on Newbury and Stephi’s on Tremont
If you don’t know the name Stephanie Sokolove, you probably haven’t been in the city long. The fearless entrepreneur pioneered the concept of comfort food in Boston with Stephanie’s on Newbury, still one of the places to gawk at celebs past, present, and future. Now, her newest venture, Stephi’s on Tremont, is poised for similar success in the South End. It opened in March with all the requisite buzz; with the prime location, dazzling space, and tried-and-true menu, she should be able to exhale. (And hopefully, she is; we caught up with her on the golf course.) Sokolove hopes Stephi’s becomes another neighborhood mainstay, much like her 14-year-old signature restaurant. She’s confident that her loyal followers will jump on the bandwagon. Meanwhile, after masterminding a new restaurant, a girl’s gotta eat. When she’s not sampling the fare at Stephi’s, you’ll find her at Douzo scarfing sushi — she says she’s addicted. Her throngs of devoted customers can definitely relate.

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webteam — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:42:06 GMT

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Chris Douglass, chef/owner of Tavolo, Ashmont Grill, and Icarus
Some of our players have the walk, the attitude, while others just have the goods and the guts. An extra helping of praise is due to chef Chris Douglass, who is taking Dorchester on a one-man hip parade. When the green-hearted, fine-dining chef made the decision to take on a new challenge and open a restaurant in the ’burbs, he wasn’t thinking Weston. His idea of a suburb was his own ’hood, the Ashmont section of Dorchester. Others, like dbar, would dutifully and gracefully follow once Douglass showed what could be done. Douglass recently added Tavolo, a pitch-perfect pizza and pasta spot (and wine bar and gelateria) to his gastro-pub empire deep in the heart of Dorchester. Tavolo was an instant hit, as well it should be. He built it, and they came.

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webteam — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:41:15 GMT

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Ricardo Rodriguez, realtor
When you’re a realtor with a penchant for design who’s über handsome and just as charming, it makes perfect sense that television would come calling. So we are hardly surprised to find South Ender Ricardo Rodriguez on HGTV, going into his second season as the Boston real-estate expert for My House Is Worth What? (Yes, that’s right, the show hosted by Apprentice winner Kendra Todd.) Rodriguez, a broker with Coldwell Banker, credits his success to his multidisciplinary approach to the business. He asserts, “Real estate is more than just square footage and neighborhoods; it’s about how you live.” So, he puts just as much emphasis on the lifestyle elements — that is, connecting buyers with local stores and eateries too, not just a great pad. For the sellers, he’s all about the styling, going to every listing to rearrange furniture, spruce up shelves, and plump up pillows, even running out to buy new if need be. He’s welcome at our place any time.

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webteam — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:41:17 GMT

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The new Big Bad Bruins: Shawn Thornton, Blake Wheeler, Milan Lucic, and Shane Hnidy.
Recently, in a local neighborhood pizza place, we overheard the kid behind the counter and his Greek-immigrant dad screaming with barely contained blood lust at the TV. The Bruins’ gargantuan defenseman Zdeno Chara was whaling on some hapless Tampa Bay Lightning right winger, and it was a glorious thing to behold. It’s been quite a while since the Bruins have had people gathering around television screens and strutting down Boston sidewalks proudly bedecked in black and gold. The Bruins don’t just brawl anymore — they play great hockey. And for that, you can thank Chara, the captain, and players such as left winger Milan Lucic, right winger Blake Wheeler, defenseman Shane Hnidy, and enforcer Shawn Thornton. There have been stumbles along the way, but this squad of gutsy gamers has had a hell of a season so far (as of this writing, they’ve already clinched the Eastern Conference championship) and re-lit the spark of a legendary franchise that had fallen on hard times. Whatever comes next, it’s clear: the Big Bad Bruins are back.

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webteam — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:41:18 GMT

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Randy Greenstein, Ed Kane, and Joe Kane, co-owners of Shrine
It’s not easy luring A+ list celebrities into the middle of Connecticut. First, you need a spectacular attraction. Shrine co-owners Randy Greenstein and brothers Ed and Joe Kane (along with a few other high-profile investors, including Tom Werner, Herb Chambers, and Matt Siegel) definitely have that down with their $11 million nightclub in the Foxwoods MGM Grand. But glamorous backdrops are hardly enough: to attract everyone from Diddy to Kim Kardashian, a venue needs star power of its own. Relying on his brother’s celeb booking agency, Moodswing 360, as well as contacts he established promoting around Boston, Greenstein handles the models and heavy hitters. Meanwhile, Ed serves as negotiator and design executive, and Joe runs operations. “We all have specialties, but everybody chimes in on everything,” says Greenstein. Despite their owning Greater Boston staples such as The Estate and Marina Bay Beach Club, it wasn’t that easy for the Kanes to pull off their feat at Foxwoods. The opportunity fell into their laps after Jay-Z and other club moguls backed out, which left the Shrine crew only seven months to build their masterpiece. “It was worth it,” says Greenstein. “We’re coming up on our one-year anniversary, and we already have to turn away 300 to 400 people on Saturday nights.”

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webteam — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:41:20 GMT

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Meichi Peng, owner of Meichi Peng Design Studio and PENG
For some, moving to a new country and learning the language is quite the feat. For Meichi Peng, who left Taiwan for Boston 16 years ago at age 18, that was just the start. After earning an interior design degree from Wentworth Institute of Technology and logging hours (okay, years) with corporate design firm ADD Inc., Peng launched Meichi Peng Design Studio, attracting high profile clients that include the Residences at the W Boston. (She designed the sales office and three model units, and she has since been hired by the new owner of the penthouse.) In her spare time, Peng designs a line of high-quality handbags, which she would hand-stitched herself (!) until she was able to train craftspeople to take over. (Apparently even those at the Gucci factories fell short.) The encore? A retail space, PENG, will open this spring, showcasing home furnishings and accessories from local artisans as well as one-of-a-kind pieces sourced from all over the globe. But don’t expect that to be the final act. Peng hopes to forge a tabletop and bedding line, too.

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webteam — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:41:21 GMT

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Antonio Bertone, CMO of PUMA
PUMA has long been the go-to brand for those athletic enough to want great sneakers yet far too hip to wear just any humdrum running shoes. And creative wunderkind Antonio Bertone deserves major credit for consistently stepping up the company’s game. Bertone, a Sicilian-American with a flair for thinking visually, has been with PUMA for 15 years, working his way from marketing department staffer, to global director of brand management, and all the way to his current post as chief marketing officer. From a peek at his list of accomplishments, it seems Bertone not only has inexhaustible energy and an outrageously creative mind, but a knack for forging partnerships with other covetable labels (PUMA’s collaborations with fashion brands, including Jil Sander, Mihara, and McQueen, are the work of Bertone). Next up? PUMA’s parlay into the sailing world materializes when the Volvo Ocean Race — a nine-month round-the globe sailing race — makes a two-week stop at Boston’s own Fan Pier. PUMA City, a hub that comes complete with shopping, drinking, and a super-sized dance floor, will be rooted at the pier from April 25 to May 16 to celebrate PUMA’s first race team and sailboat. The mind behind all this? Bertone, of course.

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webteam — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:41:23 GMT

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Texas Mike, promoter
Anyone familiar with the club and lounge landscape in any city knows that some players on those sets can be serious assholes. Not Texas Mike — the mild-mannered local hipster icon is much more loved than feared. Scenester renown popped relatively quickly for Mike, who became a notable nightlife fixture this past year. Beginning with parties like Valhalla at the Good Life, he established himself as that lucky dude who gets paid to marinate, guzzle drinks, and occasionally drop needles. “It started with me just telling people what I was going to do,” says Mike. “At first I remember telling people to go to nights like Heartthrob at the Middlesex, not because anyone paid me, but because it was fun and not a lot of people went there at first. I don’t like to take all the credit, but that party definitely blew up.” Now he rocks his own joints as a DJ and promoter. Catch Mike spinning with Dr. Claw and DJ Frank White at Middlesex and wherever there’s a Future Classic shindig going down. “Now,” he says, “I guess you could say that I take some credit for how many heads turn out.”

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webteam — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:41:24 GMT

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Elan Sassoon, managing partner/chief operating officer of Mizu
There’s something to be said for that whole “destiny” thing. After a stretch in the movie biz, Elan Sassoon (yes, he’s the son of the legendary Vidal) proceeded to forge his own way in the beauty industry, launching a skincare line, running a chain of medi-spas, and developing a suburban spa concept called Green Tangerine. But he truly hit his stride with the practically concurrent openings of two Mizu salon locations: the first in Boston’s swank Mandarin Oriental Hotel this past October and the second only a couple of months later on Park Avenue in New York City. (Beverly Hills is the next market he’ll tackle.) But the thing that most intrigued us? Sassoon, the brains behind the business, doesn’t actually cut hair — though that may change, he’s quick to point out, when he opens up the 90,000-square-foot flagship “beauty academy” he has planned for Comm Ave.

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webteam — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:41:25 GMT

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Nikki Dalrymple, owner of Acquire
Nikki Dalrymple knew there’d be room in town for a home-design boutique with a stellar selection of handpicked objects and re-imagined vintage furnishings — especially in the North End, a neighborhood enjoying a retail renaissance. So the former television producer took a job at Good in Beacon Hill to learn the biz, and once she did, she wasted no time setting up her own shop at Acquire. “I’ve never been averse to risk,” she admits. Not that relying on impeccable taste seems all that unsound. Dalrymple buys on instinct and arranges her wares around cohesive themes. When we chatted, she was transitioning out of an industrial aesthetic into a mood more suited to warmer weather. She indulged us with a sneak peek: there will be lots of soft blues and grays, with shell pieces and nautical photographs, plus mid-century pieces like Bertoia chairs perfect for the deck and garden. As for career visions, Dalrymple would love to open an annex, so one store could focus on small accessories and the other on furniture and lighting. “That’s my dream world,” she says.

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webteam — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:41:27 GMT

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Making Boston beautiful: Peter Bradley and Dirk Diegel, co-owners of Bradley & Diegel Salon; William George, owner of James Joseph Salon and James Joseph Studios; Patrice Vinci, owner/stylist at Patrice Vinci Salon; Drew Gullotti, co-owner/marketing manager of I Soci Salon; and Melissa Gullotti, co-owner/stylist of I Soci Salon
Looking this good ain’t easy, folks. Luckily, we have help: a pool of amazing local salon owners who’ve done their part over the past year to keep us Bostonians beautified. There are just-married Melissa Gullotti and Drew Gullotti, who took over I Soci Salon last October. Melissa went from assistant to stylist to owner in just six years, while Drew came on board to lend the place some fresh perspective from his business-centric background. And there’s the always-impeccable William George, who runs James Joseph Salon and James Joseph Studios and plans to launch his much-buzzed-about product line with a meticulously developed shampoo and conditioner before ’09 ends. Then there’s Newbury Street veteran Patrice Vinci of Patrice Vinci Salon. We love seeing a woman’s name in lights — and it’s especially appropriate in her case, since she’s a stand-up comic, too. And finally, we can’t help but swoon over the attentive, personalized service and pristine cuts that come out of Bradley & Diegel Salon, brainchild of Vidal veterans Peter Bradley and Dirk Diegel, the latter also a vet of the James Joseph empire. With all these talents, our biggest problem is deciding where to head for our next trim …

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webteam — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:41:28 GMT

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Azita Bina-Seibel and Babak Bina, co-owners of BiNA Osteria/Alimentari, Bin 26 Enoteca, and Lala Rokh
Gleaming, slick, spare, and fabulous, the new BiNA Osteria/Alimentari that adorns its corner in the Ladder District is a major force in the transformation of two blocks of semi-wasteland into a foodie’s destination. This brother and sister duo could have packed it in, sitting pretty with two successful spots on Charles Street, Bin 26 Enoteca and Lala Rokh. But the idea of creating the perfect Milan-sleek restaurant and food shop, with artisanal cheeses, house-made charcuterie, gemlike pastries, and boutique wines, was catnip for these cool cats. The new sister restaurant is an unapologetic outpost of edgy Adria-inspired fine dining. The duet of ventures may seem risky in this penny-pinching era, but in this case, the extra pennies spent were well worth the flawless results: at BiNA, even the fresh fruit has been stroked to a high polish. Like Fauchon in Paris or Peck in Milan, Boston now has its own cool downtown groceria for locals to brag about.

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webteam — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:41:30 GMT

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Stephanie Walker, owner of Walker Contemporary
She may declare herself as having started out as a “nobody” in the art world, having sprung forth from rural Vermont, but Stephanie Walker’s tastes are nothing if not urbane. Following eight years at the Chase Gallery on Newbury Street and a year scoping the West Coast for artists on the rise, Walker opened Walker Contemporary in November. The space on which she originally set her sights fell through, so when a spot at 450 Harrison became available, she jumped at the chance — even though colleagues called her crazy given the economic climate. “I could do this blindfolded, in my sleep,” she declares. “And I’m selling. I don’t regret it for sure.” At first glance, with her willowy frame and well-coifed honeycolored locks, Walker appears to be the quintessential gallerina, but it takes only a moment to realize she’s more sunshine and light than imposing art-world gatekeeper. Walker greets customers with a smile and rhapsodizes about her artists and their work just the right amount, in a manner that’s absolutely accessible. And that’s exactly her goal. She says, “I’ll never have a back office. Art is important to humanity, and I want to help everyone connect with it.” We’re sold.

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webteam — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:41:31 GMT

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The Hungry Mother team: co-owner Rachel Munser, co-owner John Kessen, co-owner Alon Munzer, and chef/co-owner Barry Maiden
Perfect pitch? The four owners of Hungry Mother got it right in their first at bat. With professional prescience and a tractor-trailer load of hard work, these four anticipated, with an almost freakish precision, exactly the right concept at the right time. Priced right, flavored with a kick, stuffed into a street address in the underarm of East Cambridge, the restaurant has
been packed every single night since it opened. It’s a venture by a team of friends and colleagues who’d worked kitchens and restaurants all over Boston, and Alon Munzer, Rachel Munzer, and John Kessen were smart enough to let chef-buddy Barry Maiden helm the kitchen. Maiden reached back to his Virginia boyhood and came up with a uniquely New England take on an Appalachian poor man’s feast — collards and cornmeal, shrimp and grits, boiled peanuts and warm beef tongue canapés (canapés and tongue in the same phrase?) that knock the crocs off destination diners night after night.

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webteam — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:41:31 GMT

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The Radius team: chef/co-owner Michael Schlow and co-owners Esti Parsons and Christopher Myers
Longevity doesn’t come easy in the restaurant business; we can assure you of that. But spend an evening at Radius — welcomed with the grace of Esti Parsons, entertained by the irrepressible Christopher Myers, and fed something life changing out of Michael Schlow’s kitchen — and, whether you’re a casual diner or a serious foodie, you’ll understand why this trio has been a force on the local dining scene for the past decade. (Need further evidence? Visit their other ventures, Via Matta and Great Bay.) It’s been 10 years since Schlow, Parsons, and Myers opened the doors of Radius, and a James Beard nod and a few “Best Restaurants” lists later, we (short attention spans and all) are still clamoring for a table. If that’s not a measure of success, we don’t know what is.

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webteam — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:41:32 GMT

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David Dubois, owner of the Franklin Café
He was well ahead of the South End-as-diningdestination trend when he opened his first restaurant on Shawmut Avenue with partner Maureen McLaughlin in 1996. A few years later, he took the wildly successful concept — comfort food in a cozy but chic setting — to the fishing port of Gloucester. And this year, David Dubois brought the Franklin Café into yet another neighborhood: Franklin Southie shook up the South Boston dining scene late last fall, delivering what hip young professional types in the area were craving. Dubois isn’t a player simply because his trio of restaurants is a culinary triple threat. And it isn’t just his uncanny sense of where the next “it” neighborhood is going to emerge. His ventures aren’t intentionally trendy, hot, hip, or any of the other buzzwords associated with them. They just are. Seemingly effortless
vision? Now that’s what makes a player.