longform
The Engagement Ring Is Having an Identity Crisis
The old script went like this: A lovestruck fellow would save his paycheck—for months, maybe years—to afford an engagement ring. Or a lucky heir would […]
Is the Massachusetts Economy About to Get Wrecked?
Here’s the thing about Cape Cod potato chips: They were always about much more than the chips. They were about that low-slung building in Hyannis […]
The Real Cost of One Michelin Star
In the weeks before Michelin announced its first-ever Boston selections, whispers among dining insiders spread across town faster than whipped butter. The first question—“Did you […]
When Did It Become So Hard to Make Friends?
I was on the T headed to one of my favorite restaurants in Boston when I found myself thinking about the last time I ate […]
The Beer-League Ski Race That Became My Unlikely Salvation
We were in the bland hinterlands of Greater Boston, skiing along the ho-hum Leo J. Martin Golf Course—otherwise known as the worst golf course in […]
Stranded in New Hampshire: A Rescue Mission at Franconia Ridge
A single beam of light bobbed in the darkness as Patrick Bittman, cold and winded from hours of hiking, hauled himself up the last stretch […]
How to Fix the Restaurant Industry
The city’s restaurant scene has never looked better from the dining room, but behind kitchen doors, the industry is struggling with thin margins, labor shortages, […]
The Crypto Con Woman and the Charlestown Houseboat Murder
It was nearing 11 o’clock on a February night when two Boston police officers stepped from their patrol car into the Charlestown Navy Yard. Biting […]
How to Win Friends and Lose Millions: The Aaron Sells Story
The man sitting across from me at lunch has been sued for millions by former business partners, among them some of Boston society’s more notable […]
How to Grab the Golden Egg: Seven Rules for Winning Negotiations in the Trump Era
One morning this summer, I burst through the doors of the Tesla showroom at the Prudential Center, announcing my arrival with authority. “Hello!” I said. […]
What Really Happened to Tom O’Brien’s Mayoral Run?
On a Monday morning this past March, Tom O’Brien was in his office at HYM Investment Group checking his emails when his phone rang. It […]
The ChatGPT Generation: How Students Are Actually Using AI (And What Educators Are Learning)
This cover story is part of our annual September “Top Schools” package. On the penultimate day of school just before summer break, I’m standing in […]
The Rise of ‘Elite Speak’: Why Do Smart People Sound So Dumb?
The realization that a large number of well-educated, well-meaning Bostonians had lost the ability to talk like regular people crystallized for me recently, after […]
Does Boston Still Drink?
It’s Saturday night, 7 p.m. to be precise, and the temperature is going down faster than the $1 oysters at Vialé. Wind whips through my […]
The Rise and Fall of Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson
The call came before dawn. Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson had just stepped out of the shower when her phone flickered to life with […]