If David Hockney lived in downtown Boston, he might still be a struggling artist, so rare is the sight of his most famous subject, the swimming pool. In a city where the weather is (ahem) uncooperative for much of the year, a pool is something of an extravagance, which explains the paucity of places to go for a dip when the mercury starts edging toward the sweltering.Some people will settle for a kiddie pool on the back deck, of course, and there are a few municipal pools, like the North End’s harborside Mirabella, a steal at $15 for a season pass (but, alas, not open till June 20, too late for our deadline). And for decades, the cluster of apartment buildings on the corner of Comm. and Mass. Ave. known collectively as Charles White has hosted a storied summerlong party for its residents and their guests in the alley behind Newbury Street. Plenty of other private buildings—from Lewis Wharf on the waterfront and the Macallen in Southie to bazillion dollar townhouses on Beacon Hill—boast pools as an amenity. Still, the type of urban oasis where you can order a bite to eat, toast to summer and possibly ogle some eye candy is harder to find. But not impossible: We chose to take a lap at six such scenes and report back. So come on in—the water’s fine.
Pool Hopping
A Deep Dive into Six of Boston’s Coolest Watering Holes.
By Jonathan Soroff | Photo Credit: Vanyaland Party at the Verb Hotel: Diego Navarro | June 12, 2015
If David Hockney lived in downtown Boston, he might still be a struggling artist, so rare is the sight of his most famous subject, the swimming pool. In a city where the weather is (ahem) uncooperative for much of the year, a pool is something of an extravagance, which explains the paucity of places to go for a dip when the mercury starts edging toward the sweltering.Some people will settle for a kiddie pool on the back deck, of course, and there are a few municipal pools, like the North End’s harborside Mirabella, a steal at $15 for a season pass (but, alas, not open till June 20, too late for our deadline). And for decades, the cluster of apartment buildings on the corner of Comm. and Mass. Ave. known collectively as Charles White has hosted a storied summerlong party for its residents and their guests in the alley behind Newbury Street. Plenty of other private buildings—from Lewis Wharf on the waterfront and the Macallen in Southie to bazillion dollar townhouses on Beacon Hill—boast pools as an amenity. Still, the type of urban oasis where you can order a bite to eat, toast to summer and possibly ogle some eye candy is harder to find. But not impossible: We chose to take a lap at six such scenes and report back. So come on in—the water’s fine.
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