The spirit of the place according to maestro Keith Lockhart

"Originally from New York, I've been living in Boston for over twenty years and I have a number of favourite places here. First of all, the one where I work as a conductorThe legendary Symphony Hall, the first concert hall in America to be designed by an acoustician, is considered to be one of the three best in the world. Since 1900, this hall has been home to the Boston Symphony Orchestra as well as the Boston Pops, an ensemble made up of the same musicians, but with a lighter repertoire. A stone's throw away, on Huntington Avenue, I like to meet up with friends and colleagues at Brasserie Jo, the restaurant of the Colonnade Hotel. But above all, I love the beautiful Boston Public Garden, founded in 1837 in the heart of the city. Having a drink with family or friends just across the street at Le Bristol, the bar of the Four Seasons Hotel, is the best way to enjoy this serene place. I also have a soft spot for Davio's, a true Boston institution; one of the best Italian restaurants I know, with delicious seafood pasta. What's more, it's where I met my wife, Emiley!

My greatest pleasure is still wandering around the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, a totally dreamlike place.

In the same street, the recently opened Liquid Art House offers an interesting concept of haute cuisine combined with an art gallery. Everything can be bought here, from forks to lamps, paintings to chairs... not forgetting, of course, the culinary creations. It doesn't matter whether you sit at a communal table drinking a beer or on the sofas enjoying a fresh foie gras, you can come here in tie or jeans and trainers.

A little further on, I like to dine at Hojoko, an unusual Japanese restaurant where the sushi is prepared with great skill and originality. Even the soy sauce is made in-house. The place has kept the vintage character of the original restaurant, which is a little quirky and dates back to the 50s, but it has been brought up to date with a magnificent open kitchen. When I'm not rehearsing with the Boston PopsI'm happy to take my children to the Museum of Scienceone of the most interactive museums in existence. But my supreme pleasure is still to wander around the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museuma totally dreamlike place. We wander through the house of a wealthy patron of the arts from the turn of the last century who travelled the world, and especially Venice, to bring back the stones that make up her bizarre Venetian palace. In the centre, in front of Renaissance arches, is an orchid garden, and in the extravagant rooms, a fabulous art collection. The works are so eclectic and abundant that they sometimes border on the bizarre. The museum shop, located in the contemporary wing designed by Renzo Piano, is ideal for finding a gift. I'm not much of a shopper, and my recommendations are limited to shops like the Prudential Center, where you can admire the whole of Boston from the Skywalk from the 52nd floor... Right next door to the Fairmont Hotel, the epitome of classic Bostonian elegance".

Keith Lockhart's good addresses

BOSTON SYMPHONY HALL, 301 Massachusetts Avenue - Tel: +1 617 266 1492 - Email : customerservice@bso.org - Internet : www.bso.org

THE COLONNADE HOTEL, 120 Huntington Avenue - Tel: +1 617 424 7000 - Internet : www.colonnadehotel.com or preferredhotels.com

BOSTON PUBLIC GARDEN, 69 Beacon Street - Tel: +1 617 723 8144 - Internet : friendsofthepublicgarden.org FOUR SEASONS HOTEL, 200 Boylston Street - Tel: +1 617 338 4400 - Internet: www.fourseasons.com/boston/

DAVIO'S, 75 Arlington Street - Tel: +1 617 357 4810 - Email : daviosboston@davios.com - Internet : davios.com

LIQUID ART HOUSE, Bay Village, 100 Arlington
Street - Tel: +1 617 457 8130 - Email: info@liquidarthouse.com - Internet: www.liquidarthouse.com

HOJOKO, 1271 Boylston Street - Tel: +1 617 670 0507 - Email :
info@theverbhotel.com - Internet : hojokoboston.com

THE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE, 1 Science Park - Tel: +1 617 723 2500 - Email : information@mos.org - Internet : www.mos.org

THE ISABELLA STEWARD GARDNER MUSEUM, 25 Evans Way - Tel: +1 617 566 1401 - Internet : www.gardnermuseum.org

PRUDENTIAL CENTER, 800 Boylston Street - Tel: +1 617 236 3100 - Internet : www.prudentialcenter.com

FAIRMONT COPLEY PLAZA, 138 St. James Avenue - Tel: +1 617 267 5300 - Internet : www.fairmont.com/copley-plaza-boston