When the Democrats recently picked Boston to host their 2004 national convention, the reaction in Kennedy country was mixed. Old-timers here can be frostier than the nor'easters that slam the city each winter, and the prospect of busloads of delegates clogging a street system just recovering from the $14 billion Big Dig road construction project had some crying, "Not in my backyahd." But more forward-looking locals viewed the news more happily. Finally, a chance to dispel the notion that Beantown is about nothing more than the Red Sox, church scandals, and green beer. That's modern Boston — a mix of crusty New England charm and progressive 21st-century thinking. Believe it or not, not everyone in the Hub has an ancestor who rode over on the Mayflower. As many as one third of the city's residents are newly arrived in the past five years; many come to study at one of the area's 68 institutions of higher learning (including eight law schools). The city's law firms boast a mix of corporate, life sciences, IP, and litigation practices that reflect its thriving defense, biotech, insurance, and personal finance sectors, and those businesses generate a healthy demand for in-house attorneys as well. During off-hours, a lawyer can follow the path of Paul Revere's midnight ride — or go raving. The choice is yahs. HOT JOBS Among the city's powerhouse firms, ROPES & GRAY boasts the largest roster of attorneys-470-and arguably the most prestigious reputation. White-shoe rival HALE AND DORR gets raves from associates in satisfaction surveys. TESTA, HURWITZ & THIBEAULT offers first years the highest paycheck in town-$135K. Intellectual property boutique FISH & RICHARDSON offers some of the city's most cutting-edge biotech work. MASSACHUSETTS ATTORNEY GENERAL TOM REILLY, known for his scrapes with Microsoft, HMOs, and the Catholic Church, runs a coveted two-year fellowship program. Want to contribute to the war on terror? Look for an in-house job at defense giant RAYTHEON in nearby Lexington. HOT HOODS Before the late-'90s boom, SOUTH BOSTON was still "Southie," and outsiders visited the scruffy Good Will Hunting setting only when settling debts with the Irish mob. Today, young professionals are snatching up $500,000 converted lofts. Closer to downtown (and several steps ahead in the gentrification process) sits SOUTH END, where blocks of classic brownstones bisect streets lined with funky restaurants and eclectic shops. THE LEATHER DISTRICT, known for art galleries and lofts, pulls off a decent SoHo impersonation. BACK BAY is Ally McBeal country. BEACON HILL is where your firm's managing partner lives. HOT TICKETS Hub sports fans have started to warm to the FleetCenter, the clean, well-lighted, and amenity-packed home of the resurgent CELTICS and BRUINS. Star conductor James Levine is a god to devotees of the BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. When the BSO isn't performing at SYMPHONY HALL, a comic like George Carlin might be. Indie bands like the Vines and Interpol play at THE ORPHEUM, THE PARADISE CLUB, and THE MIDDLE EAST. The best dose of history? Standing on BUNKER HILL and thinking about the men who fought to found this country still makes your spine tingle. HOT BARS Located within stumbling distance of many downtown law offices, AQUA BAR & GRILL and THE KINSALE, a pub imported piece-by-piece from Ireland, draw throngs for after-work cocktails and pints of Guinness. Belching's not your thing? NOIR, the sultry new hangout tucked under Cambridge's Charles Hotel, serves up strawberry-basil martinis and the occasional celebrity sighting. HOT RESTAURANTS Local foodies can't stop talking about the sussed-up Italian fare (think fluke with white truffles) at VIA MATTA, a bustling trattoria perfect for dazzling clients. Imaginative dishes like saffron-scented coconut soup with poached oysters, plus a 30-foot-high hookah den, have made hip French-Indian-fusion eatery MANTRA another of the toughest reservations in town. RADIUS is among the most expensive restaurants in the city, but the impeccable French fare-steak tartare with quail egg, gaufrette, and mâche-is well worth the ticket. If it's high-end seafood you want, head to KINGFISH HALL, the latest outpost in celebrity chef Todd English's growing empire. Gotta have chowder? Longtime favorite LEGAL SEA FOODS is still the name to beat.

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