Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
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PHOTOGRAPH BY TK; ILLUSTRATION BY TK s general manager of the new Revere Hotel, Simon Mais, 43, has overseen the transforma- tion of the tired Theater District Radisson into a gorgeous, modern mise-en-scène worthy of the hippest The Hosts A travelers and in-the-know Bostonians. The native Jamaican and current Lynnfield resi- dent staged a vertical fashion show as part of the hotel's grand opening this past spring, complete with models rappelling down the building on ropes, and scored an edgy mural from Brazilian Pop Art graffiti duo Os Gêmeos that now graces the concrete façade. "Boston is cutting edge when it comes to education and pharmaceuticals," Mais says. "We saw a niche to add hospitality to that." The hotel-as-theater concept pervades the Revere, where employees are referred to as the cast, and nightly turndowns popcorn. "In this business," he says, "we tell our staff that they're always on stage." Chef William Kovel, 36, opened Cambridge's Catalyst Restaurant between Kendall and Central Squares, which spurred an influx of upscale restaurants to the area a little over a year ago. "It's the hub for start- ups," he says. "The innovative culture here is lively and energizing." Indeed, Novartis, Biogen Idec, and Pfizer are all moving in. Dining-wise, Kovel's menu pays homage to the past—there's French onion soup that takes seven hours to prepare, and tournedos of beef dressed in creamy parsley bordelaise—but the restaurant is firmly grounded in the present and "represents a change in dining habits. There's less formality, but still all the attention to detail," he says. And bottom line, being an excellent host means remembering those details. Across town, the Mandarin Oriental continues to set the gold standard for luxury and sophistica- tion. But under Mark Schwindenhammer, director of catering, it has also increasingly "In this business, we are always on stage." —SIMON MAIS ON SIMON: Double-breasted cardigan ($225) and checkered shirt ($185), Billy Reid. Neiman Marcus, Copley Place, 617-536-3660; neimanmarcus.com. Wool suiting trousers (price on request) and Distinction marine-stripe tie ($205), Louis Vuitton. Copley Place, 617-437-6519; louisvuitton.com. Speedmaster watch, Omega ($4,400). Shreve, Crump & Low, 39 Newbury St., 617-267-9100; shrevecrumpandlow.com opened its doors to events that have put it at the center of the city's social scene. "I think we some- times suffer from a perception issue of being glossy and glamorous and intimidating from the outside," he says. "We try to dispel that through interactions with people who are friendly and wel- coming." A big part of that is Schwindenhammer, 43, who is a gregarious fixture on the local party circuit, which certainly helps him play the host so well. In the past year, he's brought a new lightness to the Mandarin's events, starting with its very visible presence at Boston Fashion Week last year and continuing with confabs such as Cochon 555, an upscale pig roast competition featuring five chefs and five bourbons. At the same time, the hotel has maintained its reputation for sophistication and elegance. BC 106 BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM in the relative wasteland include gourmet