Museum director David Ross and the Institute of Contemporary Art
The Lane Collection, Exhibited at the Museum of Fine Arts
A superb gathering of modern American paintings from the twenties, thirties, and forties.
Lalibela
Ethiopian cuisine. Haile Selassie lives! 333 Massachusetts Ave., Boston, MA .
L'Arte Di Cucinare/Michele Topor
Visit the butcher, the baker, the ravioli maker on a four-hour tour of the insider's North End led by an expert in Italian culinary arts. Learn to recognize the best olive oil, pasta, balsamic vinegar, and grappa as you taste your way down Hanover and Salem streets, then toast your newfound expertise at a grand finale at one of the North End's best trattorias. 6 Charter Street, Boston, MA .
Community Boating
Great way to set out for an afternoon's sail at great prices. The Esplanade, Boston, MA .
Bova's Bakery
In a city that sleeps early, this 24/7 spot is a beacon of light in the middle of a sweets-hankering night. That said, the crunchy, Florentine cannoli and huge, flaky lobster tails are among the best reasons to visit the North End, no matter the hour. 134 Salem St., Boston, MA bovabakeryboston.net.
Neptune Oyster
Cold with mayo, or hot with butter? Neptune ends the great lobster roll debate by excelling at both. The constant is perfectly firm, sweet lobster piled into a large brioche roll, with a particularly generous percentage of tail meat. 63 Salem St., Boston, MA 2113, neptuneoyster.com.
Lobsta Land
Forget ambiance and views—here, it's all about the lobster roll. And it's a behemoth, with five ounces of fresh, sweet tail and claw meat tossed in just enough mayo, then heaped onto a blimp-size brioche bun. 84 Causeway St., Gloucester, MA 1930, lobstalandrestaurant.com.
Harper's Ferry
The South Side of Chicago meets the west side of Boston in a relaxed club where the covers are merciful, the drinks are cheap, and the best local and national up-and-comers wail into the wee hours, seven nights a week. 156 Brighton Ave., Allston, MA .
Neil G. Newman, Cathy Kane, and the Boston Magazine staff.
Brookline Booksmith
Bookline Booksmith deserves kudos for its open-door policy for dogs. The deal is, if they wag their tail, they get a treat. 279 Harvard St., Brookline, MA .
<em>Boston Globe</em>
A month after chief book critic Gail Caldwell won a Pulitzer, the Globe reduced the size of its book section.
Boston Opera House
Attending a show here is not unlike sitting inside a gigantic inverted wedding cake. Three years after a painstaking $30 million restoration, the Opera House shines once again as the city's most opulent venue. As for the performances—whether flashy Broadway tours, big-name rock acts like the White Stripes, or Boston Ballet's Nutcracker—all seem to gain a bit of extra polish from this gilded Beaux Arts masterpiece. The 1920s proscenium mural alone is worth the ticket price. 539 Washington St., Boston, MA broadwayacrossamerica.com.
Paradise Rock Club
This legendary live-music venue might be a quarter-century old, but its state-of-the-art sound system delivers crystal-clear beats and fuzz-free acoustic sets. Fans love being within mere feet of their favorite rock stars, and even though national acts such as the Flaming Lips and Jack Johnson sometimes swing through, the Paradise still promotes smalltime local bands looking for their big break. 967 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA crossroadspresents.com/paradise-rock-club.