Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/209310
ON THE TOWN CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: The Four Seasons' Bill Taylor and Jenny Johnson talk about holiday traditions over a meal at the hotel's Bristol Lounge; bears placed around the Teddy Bear Tea tree are donated to hospitals and charities; the Bristol Lounge's famous chowder. HIGH TEA Where: A corner table at the Four Seasons' Bristol Lounge. 200 Boylston St., 617-351-2037; fourseasons.com/boston When: Teatime. Tea-Totaling What: Chef Brooke Vosika's Golden Nantucket crab chowder, Bristol Burgers, and devil's food cake. THE FOUR SEASONS' TEDDY BEAR TEA AIMS TO BRING OUT THE WARM AND FUZZY HOLIDAY SPIRIT IN GUESTS. C elebrating the holidays in Boston can be a wild ride: Downtown Crossing traffic snarls brush against tutu-wearing Nutcracker fans, and Trinity Church caroling follows Dudley Square Kwanzaa concerts. But one guaranteed source of respite is the Teddy Bear Tea at the Four Seasons Hotel. Regional vice-president and general manager Bill Taylor, a veteran hospitality executive who started out as a dishwasher in his hometown of Newcastle, England, makes sure of that. First, there's the eye candy: Children dress in red-carpet-worthy ensembles. Then, there are the celebrity sightings: Supermodels and sports heroes read fairytales to guests. Finally, there are the fluffy bears themselves—hundreds of them. When I arrive at the Bristol Lounge, Taylor is thrilled to give me the grand tour. "Welcome to Boston's Living Room!" he says. The Four Seasons has become synonymous with the holiday spirit in Boston. What makes the experience unique? During this busy time we give people a chance to sit back, relax, and celebrate the season—and to do so in style. Walking into the Four Seasons during the 96 holidays is like entering a Christmas wonderland that you never want to leave. And then you have your Teddy Bear Tea, which is one of the most anticipated events during the holiday season. Yes, the Teddy Bear Tea has been a Four Seasons Boston tradition since the doors opened 28 years ago. It's a holiday haven for the kids, as well as a place for parents to relax and cozy up inside the Bristol Lounge. Each child brings a note of warm wishes attached to a Teddy Bear, and places it under our tree. Tell me about the Kids Giving Back to Kids contest the Four Seasons has done in the past, as part of Teddy Bear Tea. Kids submitted stories about what they have done for others kids. After compiling the stories, we asked guests at the Tea to vote on which touched them the most. The unanimous winner was Johanna Brait, an 11-year-old survivor of Burkitt's Lymphoma. She raised more than $35,000 for the MakeA-Wish Foundation by selling handmade necklaces. We invited Johanna to bring her friends for a special cookie making party in the pastry shop. Have any memorable celebrities visited the Teddy Bear Tea? continued on page 98 PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF THE FOUR SEASONS HOTEL BOSTON (TREE) BY JENNY JOHNSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRYCE VICKMARK BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM 096-098_BC_ST_OTT_Holiday_13.indd 96 10/31/13 5:40 PM