Northshore Magazine

Northshore January/February 2019

Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.

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116 you're thinking of head- ing south for your next vacation, consider visiting Puerto Rico. Yes, the region was devastated by hur- ricanes in 2017, but what you may not realize is that the island is already up and running and eager to welcome visitors. "Puerto Rico has been on a steady path of recovery since day one," says Peter Hopgood, vice president of sales and marketing for International Hospitality Enterprises, which manages several hotels on the island. "We had early issues with power generation, but today 98 percent of the energy on the island has been restored. Old San Juan is looking great, with major attractions open to the public, and many bars and restaurants are eager to serve its visitors." One such enterprise in Old San Juan is Ho- tel El Convento, a former Carmelite convent dating back to 1651 that is now an exquisite butter-yellow hotel with arched doorways, handcrafted Andalusian tile floors, and rooms featuring exposed mahogany ceiling beams, ornate Spanish furniture, and balconies. In the past, the hotel hosted such celebrities as Rita Hayworth, George Hamilton, and Spanish musician Pablo Casals, who often played his cello in the hotel's courtyard. Nowadays, Hotel El Convento accommodates guests looking for Old World luxury, including dignitaries, heads of state, and, on a recent visit, Sting, who hung out at the courtyard bar for several hours talk- ing to guests after giving a concert. Just outside the hotel you'll find the cobbled streets of Old San Juan, a beautiful fortified town settled by the Spanish in 1521 that is now a UNSESCO World Heritage Site. e best way to see the area's cathedrals, monuments, and museums is via a historic walking tour, either with a guide or on your own using an Old San Juan city map, available at the Tourism Information Center at Plaza Dársenas in front of Pier 1. Spoon Food Tours explores the culinary side of Old San Juan, with local guides bringing you into various restaurants for tastings. (Spoon Food Tours also operates in the Santurce district.) Puerto Rico's food scene has exploded in the past several years, thanks to several well-known chefs reinterpreting classic dishes with local ingredients. One such chef is Gabriel Hernandez, who was nominated for a James Beard Award in 2018. His restaurant, Verde Mesa (Green Table), in Old San Juan is a favorite of former Bostonian Jenny Besser, who now lives in Puerto Rico with her hus- band and young children. "e restaurant is located inside this old colonial building, and Gabriel serves wonderful farm-to-table food," she says, like scallops in a velvety corn sauce. Another one of Besser's favorites is Mar- malade, run by husband and wife team Peter and Henriett Schintler and known for its ex- quisite five-course tasting menu. For sweets, Besser suggests Señor Paleta. "Push open the door and you'll find a case filled with popsicles that are a lot more creamy than THE BEST WAY TO SUPPORT PUERTO RICO IS BY GOING FOR A VISIT THIS WINTER! BY VICTORIA ABBOTT RICCARDI B U S I N E S S

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