Kitchen Arts
Culinary cats, get ready: Kitchen Arts is a veritable candy store for gadget-hungry chefs. Its Newbury Street shelves are packed with everything from the oddly named "clam rams" to the oddly shaped cannoli forms. Of course, purely practical items (mixing bowls, baking pans, measuring cups, storage tins) are in abundance, too, as are sleek chef's knives and showoff espresso machines. Tools like these will help you cook up the solution to any culinary conundrum. 161 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Cake Art
Sharon may be a bit of a drive for some, but it's sure a lot closer than New York, which is where you'd have to go to find rugalah as good. 374 South Main Street, Sharon, MA .
The Art Store
Other art stores have handbaskets. This huge emporium has big shopping carts perfect for navigating the wide, immaculate, organized aisles. Start by perusing the rows of pens, pencils, and paints before moving on to the walls of sketchpads and rolls of canvas. The Art Store has all the standard fare, and then some—Kolo albums, handmade stationery, a wide array of journals. And in case aspiring artists need more help than the friendly sales staff can give, there's a selection of how-to books and in-store demonstrations every weekend that will have you creating mosaic candleholders or embossed letterhead in no time. Landmark Center, 401 Park Dr., Boston, MA .
The Art Store
Yeah, we know it's a chain. But it's got all the accessories a starving artist—or, at least, an aspiring one—could ever need. And in this case, bigger is better. The warehouse-like space is stocked with brushes, paints, pens, easels, sketchpads, and practically every doodad imaginable. From acrylics to oils, origami to crafts, most of the inventory is organized supermarket-fashion and is reasonably easy to find. Even if you're not a budding artist, there are plenty of other goodies to tempt the creative shopper: photo albums, notebooks, colorful bins, design books. Who knows? You might even find some inspiration. 401 Park Dr., Landmark Center, Boston, MA .
Kitchen Arts
Next time you need a hard-to-find imported baking pan, follow your inner Escoffier to Kitchen Arts. From culinary esoterica (a one-inch funnel or a rolling mincer) to basics (need your knives sharpened?), these kitchen wizards have it all, including five lines of high-performance cookware. There are good old American brands alongside fancy European makes, and no fewer than 20 types of coffeemakers (stovetop percolators, French presses, and filter drips). Don't worry if your cooking skills extend little beyond boiling water. The employees know of what they speak and want you to enjoy the time you spend in your kitchen. 161 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Kitchen Arts
A good sharp knife makes the difference between sawing through cooking chores and slicing through them. Don't get sucked into the manufacturer's preselected set of top quality knives. Kitchen Arts discounts all the top brands (up to 30 percent off three or more knives). Best prices around for Wusthof, the BMW of cutlery. Knowledgeable salespeople help you assemble your at-home arsenal. 161 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Commonweatlh Shakespeare Company
Even before Leonardo DiCaprio's Romeo and Gwyneth Paltrow's Shakespeare in Love, the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company's free outdoor performances showed Boston just how sexy the Bard can be. Under the brilliant direction of Steven Maler, the young, enthusiastic, multicultural cast of players brings Shakespeare to the Boston Common, using the recently renovated neoclassical Parkmand Bandstand—and all the world—as a stage.
The Wang Center's Young at Arts program
Its stated mission is to "inspire the imagination of children," but it makes adults wish they were back in school. Backstage workshops, art and essay contests, and exhibitions for Massachusetts students, plus workshops for teachers. Our state needs it.
<em>Art New England</em>
A good little publication has the field to itself.
Graham Gund's Private Collection at the Gund Gallery, in the West Wing of the Museum of Fine Arts.
Boston Sailing Center
Learn the difference between a rope and a line, and learn to love Boston by sea. 54 Lewis Wharf, Boston, MA .
Courageous Sailing Center
Whoever said you can't get something for nothing didn't know the Courageous Sailing Center. The center teaches mini-mariners to sail for free thanks to finding form the city, adult membership dues, and private donations. Kids start with a half-day "taste" of sailing and progress through four more steps until they are skilled enough to race and teach other youngsters. They'll have a blast tooting around the harbor all summer, but when they sail to the stacks on an all-day outing to the JFK Library, Courageous proves a real parent-pleaser too. Adults can learn to sail for $199, which includes a two-week membership (other learn-to-sail and membership packages are also available) offering use of J-22s and Rhodes 19s, barbecues, sails to Harborlights concerts, and beautiful Harbor island camping trips. 1st and 8th Ave., Charlestown, MA .
Bari & Gail Chocolatier
You know chocolate turtles. Now imagine something three times bigger made with either milk or dark chocolate, cashews or almonds, and buttery caramel. That's a Bari & Gail tortoise. 330 Elliot Street, Newton Upper Falls, MA .
The Boston Sail Loft
Nice location and a casual, friendly atmosphere. 80 Atlantic Ave., Boston, MA .