#new-england-aesthetic

#new-england-aesthetic

"There's been a lot of just public transit fervor going on. I have always taken the MBTA, so it's definitely a sight I'm familiar with."

Bravo's first new addition to the franchise in four years, Real Housewives of Rhode Island, promises to fill the New Jersey-shaped void in our hearts.

The analogue experience of turning a book's paper pages almost feels new again, as cities and towns around the globe nurture this return to reading.

"This is a wonderful day for the students to show their spirit and kind of shed the super-academic, super-intense [persona] and just really be fun College students enjoying a little healthy competition."

The restructuring expert who took over as chief executive before and during its bankruptcy stated that the decision to offer Endless Shrimp year-round 'harmed' Red Lobster by costing millions and creating 'burdensome supply obligations'.

I designed the sculpture so that, if it was vandalized, it would still be the same message, because the vandalizers would literally be ending ICE. Art has a lot of impacts on people, and it's a very emotional message and cause.

East Coast oysters are known and loved over the world for the clean minerality and distinctive salinity, which is reflective of the cold Atlantic waters where they come from. Although Maine and Maryland get a lot of credit, oysters are present along the continent's entire eastern coast, as far north as Canada's Prince Edward Island all the way down to South Florida.

To be able to take a ship from new construction and watch it be built together by the ship yard, train with our team and bring into Boston Harbor for the first time, it's very amazing. I looked at the history books. I don't think we've had a submarine in Boston Harbor since sometime in the late '80s or early '90s.

Vermont actually resembles California - not because of its beaches but due to its distinct regions. For example, Burlington correlates to the Bay Area. And in the Northeast Kingdom, where I grew up, we classified everything below White River Junction as 'Southern Vermont.' Down there, half the towns seem to channel Boston or New York City, kind of like Santa Barbara to L.A., which makes the Kingdom something like Humboldt County - rural and spectacular, with a recalcitrant outlaw streak.

Summer on the Cape is all about the beautiful beaches and amazing views, chill atmosphere, fantastic seafood, tons of entertainment with town band concerts, outdoor movies, and Cape Cod Baseball League games. The diversity of the Cape's 15 towns, along with spectacular shopping, make it a must-see place, along with all the amazing adventures you can do by air, land, and sea.

Nothing screams summer in New England more than a fresh, buttery lobster roll. Whether you like yours served cold and loaded with creamy filling or you prefer a bun stacked with warm, naked claws, lobster rolls are a staple part of the Northeastern diet - and they're often enjoyed in other parts of the country too. If you're a fan, then there's another seafood sandwich you should try, especially if lobsters aren't commonly found in your area: Scallop rolls.

The Boston Public Library, which dates back to 1848, features a beautiful central building in Copley Square with grand murals and fascinating exhibitions. McKim Courtyard, situated right in the middle, provides a perfect place to take a peaceful moment to relax before or after strolling through the stacks. The best part is that the library is free and open to the public.

But when you pull off that tail section, you will reveal inside the cavity something that stands out against all of the pink and white flesh - a strange green paste. For many bib-clad lobster eaters, this green stuff ends up in the bin along with the scraps of cracked and empty shells, but they don't know what they are missing. That green paste is called tomalley, and despite its potentially off-putting appearance, it's a part of the lobster experience begging to be savored.

In New England, the official dipping buddy for creamy clam chowder is called a common cracker, and it's different than any other cracker in almost every possible way. For starters, it's larger (about the size of a Ritz cracker), rougher, and looks unmistakably old-school. The common cracker's flavor is also deliberately restrained. Wheaty, crunchy, and very hearty - these unleavened crackers swell slightly in creamy New England clam chowder. This makes them take on a dumpling-like quality, and it's not accidental.

Located just outside of Boston in Winthrop, Massachusetts, with Boston Logan International Airport right across the water, Belle Isle Seafood is a no-frills sort of joint - the kind of place where walls covered in taxidermied fish and aging interior decor belie what you know will be an excellent menu. When Anthony Bourdain visited Belle Isle seafood in an episode of "No Reservations," the voiceover specifically noted that the restaurants chosen for this particular episode were "not the best of Boston,"

Valentine's Day is about expressing love for special people in your life. One way to do so is to pamper that person as much as possible. That can mean starting the day off with delicious breakfast in bed. Muffins can be prepared in advance and are easy to enjoy in hand for a breakfast that involves lounging and love. Blackberry Crunch Muffins marry coffee cake and muffin elements and tart berries for something that is equal parts breakfast and dessert.

The new year is already off to a great start when it comes to restaurant openings and fresh updates in Greater Boston's dining scene. In the months ahead, we have major restaurant openings from Michelin chefs and famous New York restaurateurs, as well as a swell of diverse and delicious smaller restaurants joining our neighborhoods. Each week, Boston.com will highlight the restaurant openings worth knowing about across the region.