Nine Zero Hotel (Bring Your Pooch)

By admin, 22 May, 2009, No Comment

Nine Zero
90 Tremont Street, (617) 772-5800
www.ninezero.com.

OVERVIEW

A fabulous Kimpton hotel!

Finally, a hotel for dog-loving, yoga-practicing, environmentally conscious history buffs. Nine Zero, near the Beacon Hill area of Boston and within easy walking distance of the city’s Freedom Trail, is part of the Kimpton hotel chain, which promotes itself as offering a “premium guest experience through nonintrusive, high-quality, eco-friendly products and services.” Thus, the hotel says it uses environmentally friendly cleaning products, prints its materials on recycled paper with soy-based ink and that its coffee is “organic, shade-grown and/or fair-trade.” Oh, and you’re expected to do your part as well: Guests are reminded that it helps the environment if you reuse your towels.

THE LOOK

Sleekly designed and kind of hip (particularly by Boston standards), the 190-room, 19-story, red-brick and limestone hotel is fronted by a discreet — in fact, almost easy to miss — facade on bustling Tremont Street, and the coolly elegant lobby is dominated by polished marble floors, dark wood finishes and boldly striped club chairs in an inviting sitting area. (The sitting area looks, in fact, like a great place to hang out and read a good book, but avoid doing so from 5 to 6 p.m., when the hotel offers glasses of wine to guests and the place is jammed.) Guest rooms continue the design theme of dark woods and boldly patterned fabrics, and some on the upper floors have sweeping views of downtown Boston.

THE ROOMS

Elegantly appointed, but a little cramped for space, especially the standard-size rooms, which are dominated by large beds and ergonomic chairs and desks. A somewhat uncomfortable side chair is more suitable as a holding space for discarded clothes than as a place to sit while you’re watching TV. The marble bathrooms, though, are huge, with a large, glassed-enclosed shower big enough for two. The minibar, in addition to offering the usual snacks and drinks, also sells Stirrings brand Lemon Drop and cosmo mixes ($25 each).

AMENITIES

In your room you’ll find an “In-Room Mind, Body, Spa” guide, which, among other things, includes five illustrated yoga poses to try out, along with offers of a yoga mat and core-strengths bands from the concierge.

Guests who bring their dogs are provided an in-room pet bed at no extra charge, as well as a pet bowl and a “welcome treat.”

The hotel’s small fitness center has only free weights and a few treadmills, but guests can also get a daily pass to the Bally’s gym, one block away. The hotel’s restaurant, KO Prime, is among the city’s most highly regarded steakhouses.

ROOM SERVICE

A breakfast of pancakes ($11) and grapefruit juice ($3) ordered at 9:25 a.m. and promised “within 20 minutes” arrived exactly 13 minutes later. Room-service orders come with a built-in 18 percent tip and a $3 delivery charge.

THE CROWD

During the week, visiting business executives looking for a conveniently located and slightly hipper alternative to the Intercontinental or the Four Seasons. On the weekend, young couples who want to be near the city’s night life, families who want easy access to its tourist attractions (Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market are just a few blocks away) and dog owners who want to take their pets for a romp in nearby Boston Common.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Even if you care nothing about staying in a “green hotel” and the notion of traveling with a dog seems like the worst idea in the world, Nine Zero still offers a pleasant diversion in a city that isn’t exactly overflowing with innovative hotels. Standard rooms (called “deluxe”) start at around $329 on week nights, $279 weekends.

Nine Zero, 90 Tremont Street, (617) 772-5800, www.ninezero.com.

Sibling Rivalry Restaurant (Fine Dining)

By admin, 22 May, 2009, No Comment

Sibling Rivalry
525 Tremont St.
Boston, MA 02116
617.338.5338
www.siblingrivalryboston.com

Sibling Rivalry, an upscale restaurant run by two brothers who create “dueling” menus with one set of main ingredients each season. The fall menu featured scallops, mushrooms, artichokes, bacon and beets — one brother concocted a salad of roasted beets with goat cheese fondue, walnuts and bibb lettuce, for example, while the other offered boneless short ribs of beef with roasted beets, ragout of salsify, pearl onions and carrots.

Chef David Kinkead:

Growing up in a family of 10 children it is not a surprise that David Kinkead was inspired by his older brother at an early age. David, brother to renowned chef Bob Kinkead, was struck by his brother’s talent and passion for creating remarkable cuisine. It was Bob who first introduced David to the restaurant scene and ever since then David has been living his dream.

David is a native of Massachusetts, growing up outside of Boston in Wellesley. David attended Providence College and landed his first culinary job as a prep cook in Nantucket at 21 Federal Restaurant. David soon found is way back to Boston and worked with distinguished chefs and James Beard Award winner, Lydia Shire. While working with Shire, David honed his skill, and continued to advance. He has worked in such upscale restaurants as Park Avenue Cafe in New York, and Chicago Park Avenue in Chicago with chef David Burke. Kinkead has also had the honor of working for Jean Joho at Everest in Chicago.

In 2000 Kinkead opened Todd English’s second seafood restaurant Kingfish Hall. Subsequently, Kinkead helped English open his seafood restaurants across the country.

Kinkead’s most recent venture, Sibling Rivalry, will be run in conjunction with his brother, Bob Kinkead. David is excited about Sibling Rivalry because after working for so many high profile chefs, he likes the idea of being able to execute food exactly as he wants. Integrating the diverse styles of all the chefs he has worked with and incorporating them into his own style also appeals to David.

In his spare time David enjoys exercising, watching sports, traveling, dining out and collecting antique egg cups.

Chef Bob Kinkead

Named in 1983 to Food and Wine Magazine’s Honor Roll of sixty of the nation’s most promising culinary talents, Bob Kinkead is a self-trained chef who began his career as a teenager, working summers in restaurants in Cape Cod. He continued his career in the food service industry, gaining first hand experience in several of New England’s finer restaurants and hotels, including Chillingsworth in Brewster on Cape Cod and the Harvest Restaurant in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

In April of 1985, Bob signed on as a consulting chef of 21 Federal in Nantucket, Massachusetts, later becoming the executive chef and partner. In 1987 Bob moved to Washington, DC to supervise the planning, design, and construction of Twenty-One Federal. As chef and partner, Bob was responsible for the start up operation and the ongoing management of all aspects of the business.

In October of 1993, Mr. Kinkead opened Kinkead’s, an American brasserie-style restaurant featuring fresh seafood. The 240-seat restaurant features daily changing menus, a 40 seat bar and lounge area, and nightly piano entertainment. In April of 1997, Kinkead’s added a seafood and raw bar serving a selection of made-to-order soups, stews, salads, and a large selection of daily changing clams, oysters, and other shellfish.

Bob has received numerous local and national awards including four James Beard Award nominations for “Best American Chef, Mid-Atlantic Region”. He was the 1995 winner of the James Beard Award as “Best American Chef, Mid-Atlantic Region”. Since January of 1995, Bob and his restaurant Kinkead’s, have received the Restaurants and Institutions Ivy Award, Food Art’s Silver Spoon and Nation’s Restaurant News Fine Dining Hall of Fame Award.

Bob Kinkead opened his second restaurant Colvin Run Tavern at Fairfax Square in Tyson’s Corner, Virginia in October of 2002. The 168-seat Colvin Run Tavern features four dining rooms, each with a unique decor and a modern American menu featuring Meat, Game, Seafood, and regional foods.Chef Bob Kinkead Named in 1983 to Food and Wine Magazine’s Honor Roll of sixty of the nation’s most promising culinary talents, Bob Kinkead is a self-trained chef who began his career as a teenager, working summers in restaurants in Cape Cod. He continued his career in the food service industry, gaining first hand experience in several of New England’s finer restaurants and hotels, including Chillingsworth in Brewster on Cape Cod and the Harvest Restaurant in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

In April of 1985, Bob signed on as a consulting chef of 21 Federal in Nantucket, Massachusetts, later becoming the executive chef and partner. In 1987 Bob moved to Washington, DC to supervise the planning, design, and construction of Twenty-One Federal. As chef and partner, Bob was responsible for the start up operation and the ongoing management of all aspects of the business.
In October of 1993, Mr. Kinkead opened Kinkead’s, an American brasserie-style restaurant featuring fresh seafood. The 240-seat restaurant features daily changing menus, a 40 seat bar and lounge area, and nightly piano entertainment. In April of 1997, Kinkead’s added a seafood and raw bar serving a selection of made-to-order soups, stews, salads, and a large selection of daily changing clams, oysters, and other shellfish.

Bob has received numerous local and national awards including four James Beard Award nominations for “Best American Chef, Mid-Atlantic Region”. He was the 1995 winner of the James Beard Award as “Best American Chef, Mid-Atlantic Region”. Since January of 1995, Bob and his restaurant Kinkead’s, have received the Restaurants and Institutions Ivy Award, Food Art’s Silver Spoon and Nation’s Restaurant News Fine Dining Hall of Fame Award.
Bob Kinkead opened his second restaurant Colvin Run Tavern at Fairfax Square in Tyson’s Corner, Virginia in October of 2002. The 168-seat Colvin Run Tavern features four dining rooms, each with a unique decor and a modern American menu featuring Meat, Game, Seafood, and regional foods.

Sibling Rivalry, Bob’s third restaurant is in partnership with his younger brother David. The restaurant opened on October 25, 2004 and features a menu showcasing the cusine of both chefs. Sibling Rivalry is located at 525 Tremont Street in Boston’s South End. It is a 147-seat facility with outdoor seating for 50, a 12-seat bar and 16 seat lounge. The open kitchen features an 8 seat dining bar that will begin chef tastings in the months ahead. Dinner is served seven nights a week.
Bob has written his first cookbook, Kinkead’s Cookbook to be published by Ten Speed Press. The seafood cookbook is available at most fine book stores and now at Sibling Rivalry and Kinkead’s.

Sibling Rivalry, Bob’s third restaurant is in partnership with his younger brother David. The restaurant opened on October 25, 2004 and features a menu showcasing the cusine of both chefs. Sibling Rivalry is located at 525 Tremont Street in Boston’s South End. It is a 147-seat facility with outdoor seating for 50, a 12-seat bar and 16 seat lounge. The open kitchen features an 8 seat dining bar that will begin chef tastings in the months ahead. Dinner is served seven nights a week.

Bob has written his first cookbook, Kinkead’s Cookbook to be published by Ten Speed Press. The seafood cookbook is available at most fine book stores and now at Sibling Rivalry and Kinkead’s.

Musuem of Fine Arts, Boston

By admin, 22 April, 2009, No Comment

Museum of Fine Arts
465 Huntington Avenue, 617-267-9300

Where Boston Common is always snow-covered as the sun fades in Hassam’s painting, which hangs in the Art of the Americas gallery on the first floor. The museum has strong collections of Asian and American works, portraits and landscapes by John Singer Sargent and a collection of silver teapots by Paul Revere. On weekends, there are screenings of foreign and classic films.

Harvard Book Store

By admin, 22 April, 2009, No Comment

1256 Massachusetts Avenue | Cambridge, MA 02138
www.harvard.com

In tweedy Cambridge, there is no better place to get lost than the aisles of Harvard Book Store, just off Harvard Square. It’s 75 years old and packed with titles familiar and unknown. There are separate sections for philosophy, cultural and critical theory and politics, as well as a vast fiction collection. Most customers are quietly engrossed, but you may encounter a conversation or two worth eavesdropping on.

Shopping @ Back Bay Bazaar

By admin, 22 March, 2009, No Comment

Back Bay’s galleries are a mixed bag, but this is prime window-shopping territory.

Matsu (259 Newbury Street, 617-266-9707) specializes in beautiful objects for women, including jewelry, clothing, intricate handbags and home accessories.

The luxury-label emporium Louis Boston (234 Berkeley Street, 617-262-6100) is a one-stop shop for your Brioni, Prada and Balenciaga needs.

Bored companions congregate at the Trident Booksellers and Café (338 Newbury Street, 617-267-8688), stocked with everything from best sellers to literary classics to works on the occult.

Boston City

Archive for ‘Where to Go’

Nine Zero Hotel (Bring Your Pooch)

Sibling Rivalry Restaurant (Fine Dining)

Musuem of Fine Arts, Boston

Harvard Book Store

Shopping @ Back Bay Bazaar