Beijing House Restaurant
Chef Kwok Cheng's specialties include most of the usual suspects (lemon chicken, Dragon and Phoenix, the ubiquitous Family Delight), but Beijing House is much more Chinatown than anonymous suburban strip mall. The spring rolls, always the first and surest sign of quality, arrive hot, crispy, full of meat (not yesterday's wilting bean sprouts), and almost greaseless. The lightly battered wedges of lemon chicken are unusually crisp, and the Beijing sesame shrimp could be the closest you'll get to Chinatown without having to take the Orange Line. 456 Washington St., Norwell, MA beijinghouserestaurant.com.
Mansion House Inn
Vineyard Haven may be a dry town, but you won't need any spirits to lift yours at the Mansion House Inn. The newly renovated inn has roof-deck views of tall ships and blue-gray waters, plus plasma TVs, an ultra-indulgent day spa, and gourmet breakfasts. But it also takes you back to the island of the 1800s with rooms cloaked in authentic period color patterns, archival photos in the halls, and a majestic wraparound porch. 9 Main St., Vineyard Haven, MA mvmansionhouse.com.
Morton's of Chicago Steak House
You've got to hand it to those Midwesterners: they have a way with red meat. 1 Exeter Plaza, Boston, MA .
Anthony's Pier Four
It's a shame the food isn't as good. 140 Northern Ave., Boston, MA .
Union Oyster House
Oysters on the half shell at the Union Oyster House, 41 Union St., Boston. Straight from the Cape, fresh daily. Stay at the raw bar ($2.95 for six); upstairs they cost more. 41 Union St., Boston, MA .
Parker's, in the Parker House
Besides the usual, this elegant establishment offers finnan haddie, pate, hearts of palm, lamb chops, veal Marsala, croissants, and live jazz harp music—all for $8.50. The two seatings, at 11:30 and 1:30, are usually booked by Wednesday, so make reservations early. 60 School St., Boston, MA .
Hilltop Steak House
Two of these will blot out the thundering herd. 855 Broadway, Saugus, MA .
Bike Tours of Cambridge
Novice bikers tend to get intimidated by drivers around here—and for good reason. But the gratis Bike Tours of Cambridge—led by the Cambridge Bicycle Committee and escorted by police—will put worried minds at ease. And where else but the People's Republic would you find themed treks covering everything from string theory to public art?
House Speaker George Keverian's
Whose typical response to a political thwarting is to retire to his office for a good long sulk. Will someone please tell George to grow up and take his lumps like a big boy.
Imperial Tea House
It's time to put the Imperial into the Hall of Fame. 76 Beach St., Boston, MA .
The Banks Fish House
This souped-up spin on a classic succeeds thanks to its middle-of-the-road thickness, a bit of elegance (and flavor contrast) from the bright-green chive oil, and the sheer amount of clams and pork belly. The double-carb side — oyster crackers and a tasty little dinner bun — doesn’t hurt. 406 Stuart St., Back Bay, MA 02116, thebanksboston.com.
Emerge Spa
When was the last time you pulled up to a spa, threw your keys to the valet, and were led into a private VIP suite? The answer, obviously: never. But now you can do just that at the four-story Emerge, Boston's new grande dame of day spas, which boasts a host of standard and medical services for both genders (men get their own area), two in-house doctors, a juice bar, and locker rooms stocked with posh Kerstin Florian products. Spend an afternoon here, and you needn't exit as discreetly as you arrived. 275 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, emergespasalon.com.
Abbicci
At first, we were hopelessly distracted by the eye candy, as Abbicci's exotic-looking French and Peruvian servers floated by sensuously to a soft instrumental soundtrack. Once the food arrived, though, our gazes were fully focused on the Mediterranean-inspired plates before us: scallion-and-pistachio-stuffed Peppadews, scotch-glazed squad, and pan-seared pork loin with sweet and sour pepperonata. Owner Marietta Bombardieri fiercely edits her wine list to match her menu. As for other types of matchmaking, you're on your own. 43 Main St. (Rte. 6A), Yarmouth Port, MA abbicci.com.
Broadway Bicycle School
"If you want something done right, do it yourself" is a nifty aphorism, but it's also true that we could all use a little help sometimes. The versatile grease monkeys at this bike co-op offer options for all levels of hands-on experience. Stand-and-tool rental runs $9 per hour, an unflappable mechanic to talk you through your repair costs $18 per hour, and if you just can't be bothered, they'll tune your ride to perfection at reasonable rates. If you really want to get your fingernails dirty, the school offers classes in repair and wheel building. 351 Broadway, Cambridge, MA broadwaybicycleschool.com.