Christine Temin, <em>Boston Globe</em>
Her criticism of the visual arts has proved telling and informative.
Little Lovage Club
This bright, modern gathering spot is as much an oasis for parents as it is for kids, with group sessions that focus on building skills and exploring creativity and motion through music, sign language, and “messy” art. 778 Tremont St., Boston, MA littlelovageclub.com.
Dante
Who says no pain tomorrow means no fun tonight? Dante's artfully made sodas, in rotating flavors like lime and ginger, ensure teetotalers get a taste of the party. 40 Edwin H. Land Blvd., Cambridge, MA 2141, restaurantdante.com.
Toni Columbo Invisible Re-Weaving & Knitting
Like hat-blocking, microweaving is a dying art. But moth holes and cigarette burns are forever, and this is the place to repair them. Columbo's is open only from noon to 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. 11 Foster Street (in the North End), Boston, MA invisiblereweaving.com.
Harmon Small, Circo & Sal's
Small's territory is a little alcove set off from the street by modern art and a huge mirror. If you need a cheering up, ask him about the good old days in Provincetown. 500 Boylston St., Boston, MA .
Wildfolk
Dedicated to “sharing flowers as art,” Caroline O’Donnell, Wildfork Studio, crafts her lush bridal bouquets, centerpieces, boutonnieres, and installations with a freeform style all her own. 6 Vernon Street, Sommerville, MAssachusetts 02145, wildfolkstudio.com.
Dudley Café
Breathing new life into the grand old former Ferdinand building, this welcoming space is Roxbury's new go-to spot for not only Fazenda coffee and Chef Daryl's bean pies, but also poetry slams, workshops, and art openings. 15 Warren St., Roxbury, MA 02119, dudleycafe.com.
Oberon
Only in the People's Republic will you find a venue where a donkey show—or rather, The Donkey Show—is a weekly staple. But this is no one-trick donkey, er, pony, tapping the local arts scene to pack its calendar with events. 2 Arrow St., Cambridge, MA 02138, americanrepertorytheater.org/oberon.
State Street Barbers
Flush with man's-man appeal, State Street has mastered the traditional art of the coif. The careful shampooing and scalp and shoulder massages feel like what they are: masculine indulgences, not girly frivolities. 1313 Washington St., Boston, MA .
SoWa Sundays
The seasonal outdoor arts-and-crafts market remains SoWa’s headliner, but the indoor vintage market, open year-round and filled with all manner of antique gems, has also become a perennial favorite. sowasundays.com.
Ciro & Sal's
It used to house a Howard Johnson's. Now it's gourmet Italian for Provincetown refugees (and anyone else who appreciates fine modern art and an attractive setting, and who has the patience to wait out the sometimes agonizingly slow service). 500 Boylston St., Boston, MA .
Longview Farm
State-of-the-art facilities (two complete studios, synthesizers, in-house musicians and engineers) on a hundred-year-old farm. Sauna, Jacuzzi, horses, the works. It was good enough for Stevie Wonder. West Brookfield, MA
Downtown Cafe
Set up in the lobby of an old theater, this place radiates history, stays open most nights until 4 a.m., serves homemade-tasting food, and sponsors poetry readings, jazz performances, and art exhibits. 610 Washington Street, Boston, MA .
Harbor Lounge
This P-town bar has become the de facto cocktail klatch for the pre-cabaret and post-disco crowds, practically guaranteeing you’ll run into familiar faces from the South End gay scene. But the waterfront lounge attracts more than strictly LGBTQ vacationers thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the waves, as well as a pier where revelers rest stiff cocktails on rails and shoot the always-delightful breeze while the tide rolls in. 359 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA 02657, theharborlounge.com.
The Port Hunter
If there's one thing that goes well with great drinks, it's shuffleboard. The Port Hunter, opened in 2012 by two local brothers, has both, plus a solid beer menu with brews from the island and beyond. There's also live rock, folk, and reggae five nights a week, not to mention bar snacks that highlight ingredients caught or grown on the island. Did we mention shuffleboard? 55 Main St., Edgartown, MA 02539, theporthunter.com.