They spent a year renovating “pretty much the whole place,” relying on Nicole’s professional skills in decorating and renovating to create a home that is uniquely theirs.

They lived in Hingham for 20 years, in an 1850s farmhouse, which they loved for its distinctive historical charm. It was also a wonderful place to raise their two sons. 27-year-old Nick is married, lives in Astoria, New York, and works in animation production.
24-year-old Sam 24 is graduating from ETH Zurich and then plans to study in China to learn about green energy.

When their sons left home, Jeff and Nicole decided to sell their home. They didn’t come directly to the Esplanade. Their plan was to live abroad for a year, 3 months in each of 4 places. But when their house sold in June 2022, COVID travel restrictions and closures made things less organized. Still, they went abroad. They began in Rome and circled the globe, spending time in Tel Aviv, Jordan, Malaysia, and Kyoto, among other places. When they returned to the U.S. initially, they didn’t want to live in the cold, so since one son lives in Houston, they lived for a while in Austin. They lived in a wonderful building with a pool and gym and really appreciated those features, so when they decided to return to Massachusetts, the Esplanade was a perfect fit.

Nicole and Jeff now love the Esplanade, but in a completely different way than they loved their Hingham farmhouse. The pool and the health club, the views from their apartment, the location in the vibrant Kendall Square neighborhood, and the access to all the lectures and cultural events of the city are all very special for them.

Both continue to work, though at a more manageable pace than in their previous lifestyle. Jeff is a litigator and trial lawyer, with his own firm. After taking the year off, he found he missed his active career, so he has returned to practicing law. He represents plaintiffs in cases involving fraud and bad faith in business, medical malpractice, and wrongful death. He has had a distinguished career and has been selected to the Super Lawyers List for each year since 2013.

Nicole’s career was in finance, initially as a CFA and portfolio manager. When her children were old enough, she switched careers to interior decorating/renovating. She loves to renovate and design and particularly enjoys designing with attention to the architecture. Their home in Hingham was an English country style, so her focus was on a layering of antiques. The Esplanade being more modern, she has tried to reflect the clean spirit of Moshe Safdie’s design, and at the same time take advantage of the view. When she works with others, she enjoys the challenge of reflecting the interests of the owners in the decorating, or, if they wish, helping them aspire to something completely different.

They both are enjoying this phase of life. Now that they have more time, they have been reconnecting with friends and spending more time with family, including Nicole’s father who lives in Puerto Vallarta and just turned 100! Both Jeff and Nicole are very dedicated to working out and enjoy activities like tennis, skiing and biking. They are also foodies and found it one of the joys of their travels to try cuisines all around the world. As they settle into their finally renovated home at the Esplanade, they look forward to more “dabbling in Boston’s cultural and intellectual offerings.”

When asked about their hopes for the Esplanade, Jeff’s response was, “Frankly, we love the place. The staff is exceptional, kind and personable. The location is ideal. We love our apartment. And from Nicole,” There is a spirituality to living on the river and seeing the sky through all its moods and seasons.”

We are lucky to have these two upbeat, adventurous, talented, and friendly neighbors!

~Barbara Ogur