Since a breadbasket will often give one a leading first impression of the restaurant they are about to eat at, ensuring its quality is a vital step in the dining experience. Adding to the authenticity of his cuisine empire, Frank DePasquale opened Bricco Panetteria, a full-service bread bakery that provides every piece of bread that is served at each one of his restaurants as well as at DePasquale’s Homemade Pasta Shoppe.

Our second trip to Bricco Panetteria was to photograph some of their new artisan breads and their display pieces for the Taste of the North End.

The Ocean Club at Marina Bay has become the area’s most chic and trendy outdoor entertainment complex since opening Memorial Day Weekend of 2010. North End entrepreneur Frank DePasquale of DePasquale Ventures has redeveloped Quincy’s Marina Bay Beach Club (formerly Waterworks) and created one of the summer’s hottest scenes. The oceanfront space offers 62,000 square feet of nightlife, daytime fun, live entertainment and innovative amenities such as seaside cabanas, a VIP section, table service, LED fountains, and a level of nightlife production unrivaled in the Northeast. The venue’s live entertainment offerings include world-renowned DJ’s, live local and national band.

With all of its diversity, planning a trip to Boston can be very demanding. However, there are a few people in this city who are always up for a challenge. My advice is to ask the city’s top ambassadors, hotel concierges. Not only do these men and women offer a friendly smile and a helping hand, but they also know about the city’s most exclusive hot spots, from a connoisseur’s dream restaurant to an adventurer’s ultimate excursion. Being a concierge is a 24/7 job, and they are always prepared to expect the unexpected. So, let the most difficult decision of your visit to Boston be which hotel you’re going to stay in and let these concierge’s do the rest.

Boston’s Unofficial Ambassadors: Joseph Tyler, Rebecca Backstrom & David Sheehan

What has been your most exciting and/or strange request?
Joseph: This was not a request but a 4-year-old boy was here for heart surgery and I put a little stuffed bear and some coloring books in his mom’s room for him. Hearing how excited he was when his mother brought them to the hospital for him was priceless. Sometimes it’s the little things we do for people that can truly make a big difference.
Rebecca: My strangest request was from a corporate group that wanted me to get them a men’s size 12 purple stilettos and a gorilla suit for an event the next day, and someone to wear them.

Who is your dream guest? Rebecca: Definitely Keith Richards.
David: Diana Ross, the ultimate Dream girl.

I love my job because… Joseph: The many exciting challenges that are part of being a good concierge, helping to make my guests happy with their stay, which makes them want to return to The Omni Parker House. Also, the opportunities of meeting and working with people from every fabric of life, including my incredible coworkers, which goes way beyond just coworkers.
David: I enjoy the people I work with and the guests from all over the world.

Boston’s Unofficial Ambassadors: Jennifer Boucher

What has been your most exciting and/or strange request? I think the strangest, but most fun believe it or not, was being given one hour to find a Ford F150 Trailer hitch and proper pin. The time frame was critical as it was for a high profile show: the opening production was at 7:00PM that evening. The guest was very hesitant to ask, he assumed I would not know what he was asking for. However, given my 15 years of experience at UPS, I happen to know a bit about trucks! Needless to say, the trailer hitch was here in less than 30 minutes, pin and all—the show went on that night.

Who is your dream guest? My dream guest is always the guest who has waited forever for a vacation and expects nothing at all! It is so fun to find them local spots or secure tickets for an incredible price—they are always so grateful and appreciative of us just doing our job!

I love my job because… I actually really enjoy people and I absolutely adore Boston. I grew up in California, which is so different—Boston is such an innovative and unique city. I’ve had so much fun exploring and finding exiting places to pass on to our guests. It’s funny to say, but it really does make me happy when they return happy.

Boston’s Unofficial Ambassadors: Peggy Holland-Burke, Kevin Zarnoch & Tracey Dippel

What has been your most exciting and/or strange request?
Peggy: July Fourth is always a busy, fun time in Boston. Last year, one of our guests­—a creative photographer—came to us in hopes of finding a unique viewing site for the fireworks. I made a connection for him with the owner of a beautiful Victorian townhouse on Beacon Hill that offers a private rooftop with unobstructed skyline views. Our guest was overjoyed, and said the vantage point for photographing the fireworks was second to none. We’d tell you the address, but we’re sworn to secrecy, as this was a one-time special arrangement. 
Tracey: I had the privilege of helping a young man plan his proposal. It was a beautiful spring day so we decided that the Boston Common would be perfect. It was great to see the guests the next day.

Who is your dream guest?
Peggy: Renzo Piano, award-winning architect. He has an intriguing talent and diversified approach to design and now Boston has its own example of his work, at the new addition to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
Kevin: I am an avid and loyal Boston sports fan, so almost any local athlete would be great. But if I had to choose just one it would be Tom Brady. He is such a hard-working, humble athlete that seems to be very down to Earth. It would be great to have even a short conversation with him, and maybe he would let me try one of his many Super Bowl rings!

I love my job because…
Kevin: I love the challenges put before us. When a guest approaches you with a tricky request, there is a great sense of accomplishment when you are able to help them out. I also really enjoy meeting and talking with people from all walks of life. Hearing about other parts of the country, and other parts of the world is exciting and never gets old.
Tracey: Every person that we encounter has his or her own reason for staying with us. I enjoy hearing what brings them to our fine city and look forward to making their trip a pleasure. Everyday is different!

Boston’s Unofficial Ambassadors: Daniel Abbott & Daniel Droz

What has been your most exciting and/or strange request?
Daniel D: A gentleman from overseas approached me and kept asking detailed information about the wharfs along the harbor and the shipping industry in Boston. Then, on the third day of his stay he asked me if I could help him locate a vendor who would be able to sell him a forklift and a shipping crane. I paused for a minute and he said, “well I’m going to get lunch and I’ll check in with you after.” Needless to say, after some interesting research I was able to locate a few vendors for him. The part that makes this so memorable was that the gentleman was wearing an eye patch during his entire stay.
Daniel A: Our hotel has an international airline crew stay with us each day. Some of the things they come to us looking for have been among the most unusual. I have been asked to find everything from aircraft parts to obscure medical textbooks. One captain once came to me with a handwritten drawing of a part for a classic Chevy and seemed surprised when I couldn’t tell him where to go off of the top of my head. For the record, the part was eventually located.

Who is your dream guest?
Daniel D: My dream guest would have to be Robin Williams. I just think he is a brilliant actor and hilarious comedian. Also I think that when you work at a job where anything can happen and you can be asked anything at anytime a wild card like him would be so fun and challenging to work with.
Daniel A: I have had the opportunity to meet luminaries in the world of sports, politics and entertainment. However, I have never met a president of the United States. It wouldn’t necessarily need to be a sitting president but I think it would be pretty cool to be able to say you’ve met a president. And this answer has absolutely nothing to do with Tim Thomas.

I love my job because…
Daniel D: The Concierge job is completely random and really does not have any set parameters other then the request must be legal and the guest needs to be able to pay for it. Being able to help people while they are away from home and outside their comfort zone is another big plus, we’re all at our weakest in unfamiliar surroundings and sometimes the unexpected happens. 
Daniel A: I love my job for many reasons, but the biggest one is the people I have met and worked with. There have been so many great people over the years that I never would have met if I weren’t doing what I was doing. And that continues to be one of the best parts of the job. On a daily basis I get to work with amazing colleagues and meet interesting people. 

Boston’s Unofficial Ambassadors: Gabrielle King

What has been your most exciting and/or strange request? I have the most fun with requests from guests who are celebrating a special occasions. While no specific request jumps out, it’s always gratifying to help make an unforgettable memory out of a birthday, anniversary, engagement or other special celebration. I love making sure that the Fairmont Battery Wharf and a visit to Boston stays with our guests.

Who is your dream guest? My dream guest would be Mark Wahlberg – he is so handsome and I love his movies!

I love my job because… Having an excuse to check out Boston’s vibrant dining scene. There are so many great spots in our neighborhood and across Boston. I love exploring new spots and sharing my favorites with our guests. It’s great that dining out regularly is really part of my job!

Boston’s Unofficial Ambassadors: Charles Currier

What has been your most exciting and/or strange request? I would have to go with proposals, or where should I propose? To have a guest put one of his or her most memorable questions that they will ask someone is very exciting!

Who is your dream guest? The guest that stops by my desk after their first visit to Boston, and tells me they had one of the best vacations of their life. It can defiantly put a smile on my face.

I love my job because… Every day is different. I truly love being a concierge here in Boston. It’s our role as a concierge to represent the city we live in. Being a concierge is a 24/7 job, I’m always expecting the unexpected request from a guest, I’m always meeting people from all walks of life, and always ready to ‘make it happen’ as long as it’s legal! This is why I love my job!

Boston’s Unofficial Ambassadors: Ryan Pavao

What has been your most exciting and/or strange request? I have had a guest request a spray tan at midnight because they wanted to look good at the club that night, pedicures and manicures appointments in the middle of the night, and a guest once asked me to find them a restaurant that was ‘within walking distance, great food, not spicy, no burgers, family owned for maybe 20 years or so, possibly a Portuguese ‘enclave’, under $20 for entrees, quiet ambience, older crowd but a good crowd, and no yuppies.’ Yeah…One of my most exciting requests was trying to track down Yankees / Sox tickets that went missing when the postman picked them up by accident from the desk thinking it was outgoing mail. We looked all over for the missing tickets and then called around to the post offices and got a postman a half hour before the game to open the mailbox on the corner and sifted through the mail and found the tickets. They made it to the seats before first pitch. We were lucky they were still there.

Who is your dream guest? It can be interesting seeing celebrities, athletes, or musicians on a daily basis but my dream guest is the guest that really appreciates being at The Ritz Carlton Boston Common and a loyal repeat guest. The great thing about this job is establishing relationships with our guests so when they return we know what they want and we make them feel right at home. It must feel great to travel all day or be in business meetings and you come back to your hotel to a warm welcome and your favorite beer sitting on ice in your room. Not bad.

I love my job because… What I love most about my job is the excitement and pressure of being a major part in creating a unique and memorable experience for each of our guests. On any given night I receive at least 50 requests for restaurant suggestions and reservations, tours, directions, an itinerary for an upcoming visit, movie suggestions, limousine reservations, kids activities, family friendly restaurants, tickets, massage appointments, shopping options, museum suggestions, etc. It can get crazy at times but it helps working with a great team here at the Ritz Carlton from doormen to sales to engineering. They make your job easier.