Boston: A pocket New York that's the USA's shopping heaven

I’ve fallen in love. At first sight. It happens when I open the door to my room, on the 17th floor of a boutique hotel, in Boston. It’s about 11pm, it’s my first visit to the city, and beyond the floor to ceiling wrap around windows, Boston is completely lit up. 

I can see the gold dome of the Massachusetts State House, sky scrapers with illuminated windows, the Common with trees twinkling with fairy lights, the steady stream of car lights up and down every street, street lights...It’s thrilling, inviting, alluring, dynamic, romantic.  Completely irresistible.

The next morning, I can’t wait to start exploring.  By which I mean shopping.  I’m staying at the glamorous downtown Nine Zero hotel on Tremont Street; my room is smallish (the view is h-u-g-e, did I mention?) with a giant bed, a mini bar with a cocktail shaker, a yoga mat rolled up in the wardrobe (which is where it stays) and a goldfish by the bed. 

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Newbury Street
Not only is Boston easy to visit - it’s less than seven hours from the UK, and only a fifteen minute drive from the airport - but it’s compact and easy to navigate once you arrive. Boston is a pocket New York with original brownstones, sky scrapers and broad streets. I cross the Common, which is a wide open expanse of 50 acres and the oldest park in the United States. 

I’m heading for Newbury Street, the Bond Street of Boston. The Public Garden end of Boston’s most famous shopping street starts with the impossibly glamorous Chanel, and then becomes less and less ruinously expensive, down to Madewell (very Alexa). Interspersed are cafes, art galleries and independent shops. The prices are great for us, especially on American brands. I buy a huge orange leather tote from Banana Republic for under £60 in anticipation of filling it with bargains.

Top Tip
I stop in at Steven Alan; easily the coolest shop on this street. Steven (yes, reassuringly, there’s a real life Steven Alan) originally made men’s shirts in New York, and now sells his own label of discreet every day wear for men and women as well as all the coolest pieces from the coolest named brands you’ve never heard of, such as Shoes Like Pottery sneakers, Unforeseen Circumstances underwear, and Reigning Champ sportswear. I chat to the manager and he gives me a Bostonian’s tips on the best shops, cafes and restaurants. He tells me to head for South End.

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South End
Who wouldn’t take the advice of a Boston native who follows NASA on Instagram? Not me. He’s right, of course. South End is packed with indie shops and restaurants, a cheese shop (which supplies the local eateries) and a dance studio (if you eat too much of the cheese).

I’ve never understood what people were talking about when they talked about ‘well edited’ and ‘curated’ collections in shops, but I do now.  It feels like the owners of these shops have immaculate taste and have personally selected every item. 

My favourite is ‘Farm and Fable’ on Shawmut Street. Set up by a former lawyer who decided to follow her heart’s desire, it’s only just opened and is a uniquely charming mix of all things culinary.  There are new and vintage cookbooks, pottery you won’t see anywhere else, and cookery demonstrations in the downstairs kitchen.  It’s a complete pleasure to browse. Oh, and why not put the cheery kitsch in your kitchen with a second hand copy of ‘Cooking in the Nude’?

Flock on Shawmut Street sells a boho mix of clothes, carpet bags, stationery and perfect-present jewellery. I love the beautifully packaged Kris Nations silver necklaces; the diamond pendant promises wisdom, harmony and clarity.  All desperately needed, especially when shopping.

Talking of wisdom, with over 100 colleges and universities in and around Boston, including the mighty Harvard, it’s no surprise that the city nails the preppy look. Although Tremont Street’s Sault (vintage Polo, Assouline books, Jack Spade canvas bags) and Uniform (Gola trainers, Life/After/Denim chinos, the Art of Shaving kit) are more graphic designer older brother than dishevelled student (no offence, students).

Designer Outlets
For designer kit on a bargain budget, you gotta get outta town (that’ll be my Boston slang). Wrentham Designer Outlets is a 40 minute drive away.  There are over 100 international brands, all with up to 65 per cent off, and numerous daily specials.

Oh, and there’s no tax on clothing under $175 in this state. Coach has a queue outside, but there are mini versions of Saks Fifth Avenue and Barneys, with knock down prices on Marc Jacobs handbags and Miu Miu shoes. DKNY, Theory, J.Crew, Calvin Klein all have genuine bargains.  I also love the Kate Spade mittens (about £30) with ‘TAXI’ written in giant letters down the length of the underside and more, I’m thrilled to track down must-have Nike Flyknits for about £50. 

Eating
The Langham Hotel on Franklin Street is old-school and famous for its tiffin tea, served in honour of the first afternoon tea served in Europe at the London Langham in 1865.  I order the whole shebang; cranberry pear fruitcake, and turkey cranberry almond brioche, and peppermint coca cupcake, and a lot more.  I know, it sounds enough for a ravenous rugby team, but the portions are delicately petite. Honest.

For dinner, I head to the North End, the best place for authentic Italian food. It’s busy and Hanover Street is a great area to wander, and saunter into wherever takes your fancy. Local favourite Giacomo’s is packed, with steamy windows and a patient queue outside so I chose another insider’s favourite, Strega, for creamy home-made pasta and red wine.  Coppa, back on Shawmut Street in the South End, is also deliciously inviting; seductive lighting and sharing platters; it could be the set for the opening scene of a rom-com.

Sightseeing
Boston’s a great city to walk; for sightseeing, you can follow the Freedom Trail, a 2 ½ mile brick lined route which starts in the Common and gives an alfresco potted history of the American Revolution, which started here.  Don’t miss Old North Church where two lanterns were hung in 1775 to warn when British troops were moving. 

The famous trolley tours on old-style trams are a great way to get a sense of the whole city.  I join a tour and trundle happily around the theatre district, the Cheers bar, and the old State house where the Declaration of Independence was first read in 1776. Our guide also gives us a lesson on Boston slang.  It seems to involve taking the ‘r’ out of any word.  And shouting.  So you don’t park your car, you ‘pahk’ your ‘cah’.

All too soon I’m in my ‘cah’ and heading north; after a blissful city stay, I’m off for a few days skiing in Stowe, Vermont; I’ve never combined a city break with skiing before, but it’s a brilliant way to experience an area more. So I run out of time before I have a chance to visit the JFK Library and Museum, or Harvard University, or the intriguingly titled ‘Mary Baker Eddy Library for the Betterment of Humanity’.  Though I feel my own humanity is already bettered after falling in love with Boston.

Kate visited Boston as part of Ski Safari (01273 224 060, www.skisafari.com), which offers two centre City & Ski holidays to Boston and Stowe in the USA. Prices for a seven night holiday start at £1295 per person B&B, based on two sharing, including direct flights to Boston with British Airways and car hire. Prices at Boston's Nine Zero hotel start from £75 per person, per night.

For more information on Boston visit www.massholiday.co.uk and www.bostonusa.com