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 RETURNED to host another meeting at the Fifteen Beacon, though Lucire’s Lauren Stern felt a walk down to the Old Town Hall—literally down the road from the hotel—would be more comfortable. I discussed the magazine’s philosophy with her in the shade of the statue of Benjamin Franklin. Sadly, Maison Robert, located at the Old Town Hall and also known for its splendid cuisine, was not open when we visited.
   The Old Town Hall is graced also by a statue of Josiah Quincy, Boston’s second mayor. The site is not a false re-creation of an old building: everything seems to have aged gracefully over the last 131 years.
   It is a contrast to the modern architecture of the current City Hall, constructed in the 1960s. On one side of the City Hall Plaza is the John F. Kennedy Federal Building, made of concrete panels with its 26-storey tower and a long, four-storey building with 1,000,000 ft². It is remarkable, though perhaps less so when one considers the era in which I. M. Pei drew up the Government Center plan for this city, to find this sudden change within walking distance—though it would be inaccurate and unfair to use the trite expression that Boston is a city of contrasts.
   Indeed, old or new Boston has a quality that transcends time. Old and new exist alongside each other; federalist, modern and postmodern are part of a scenie symphony. Bustle and peace in the Common do not fight each other, but coexist matter-of-factly: it is just the way it is and Boston’s oldest buildings tell you that it has been so for close to four hundred years.
   The federalist-style buildings there appear small alongside examples of more modern architecture, though they exude power and grace just as willingly, examples of the New England élite as it must have been. Down the road from the Fifteen Beacon is the Boston office of Skadden, Arps, America’s largest law firm, in a structure that lacks charm. For someone born in a modern metropolis where apartment blocks were the norm, I have now come 180 degrees to favour the traditional with touches of the new economy, which the Fifteen Beacon exemplifies.
   I do not even hesitate to say that the cachet of Fifteen Beacon will convert one to its boutique appointments that have lavishness beneath their subtle exteriors (is this the definition of taste? It comes close); that the smaller suite is far grander than what the best hotels from the leading global chains can produce. For my generation, less is more, because more keeps you out of touch with everyday people. The Fifteen Beacon allows me the chance to indulge in luxury while being appreciative that I was in Boston to work, combining modern facilities, unparalleled service and a location in which one can unwind. Not too much, however, but enough to maintain the balance one needs to face the day before hopping on another jet. In that respect, the best of old Boston—it would be fair even to crown the Fifteen Beacon the best of Boston, period—is rejuvenating.
   Without the sterility of a larger hotel, the personable suite had substance and charm that helped me maintain not just energy to face the new day, but humanity. Jack Yan

Jack Yan is founding publisher of Lucire.

Jack Yan’s travel arrangements by Nicky Casey of Budget Travel Kilbirnie. We thank Jessica Belmont and Amy Newcomb of Hawkins & Widness for their invaluable assistance, and a special thanks to all staff and management of the Fifteen Beacon.