Boston Children's Museum
The Boston Children's Museum has been mobbed since it unveiled its 23,000-square-foot expansion and accompanying renovation in April, so chances are good you'll arrive to find a long queue snaking from the door. Try to tough it out: Your reward is just inside, in the form of a corkscrew-shaped three-story contraption that the museum calls the New Balance Climb, and grateful parents might regard as the mother of all monkey bars. Even if your kids don't hit another exhibit, a scamper across, up, through, and under its twisting platforms will leave them too exhausted to do anything but go home and watch their SpongeBob DVDs until the clouds part. 300 Congress St., Boston, MA 2210, bostonchildrensmuseum.org.
Kendall DaCosta, Out of Many One People
Chef Kendall DaCosta has his mom to thank for the title of his supper club, “Out of Many One People.” Shortly before his kickoff event in June 2022, he was chatting with her about how he wanted to celebrate Caribbean cuisine when she reminded him that “Out of Many, One People” is the national motto on her native Jamaica’s coat of arms. Bingo. It was a light-bulb moment that illuminated the whole vibe that he was trying to create with his experiential meals, which use flavors from around the world to highlight Afro-American and Caribbean cuisine. “I just ran with that,” he says, his voice crackling with excitement. Read more here. chefkendalldacosta.com.
Fifty-Three South
Don't let the trendy name fool you: Fifty-three South is far more nouvelle than nouveau. That's not to say this fetching bistro, opened at the site of the former Seasons restaurant, doesn't have a classic strain. Candles light the tables, dried flowers warm up the walls, and the delicate menu caresses the palate. Starters such as tender scallops paired with silky cauliflower cream are downright delectable, and the melt-in-your-mouth short ribs are plump with deep-flavored sweet and smoky meat. Main courses—the seafood stew of cod, crab claws, shrimp, potatoes, and fruity tomatoes, all swimming in a full-on saffron broth—are well-orchestrated balancing acts of texture and flavor. Factor in incredibly attentive service and a well-edited wine list, and you've got a bistro that defines modern classic. 124 Washington Street (Route 153), Norwell, MA .
Formaggio Kitchen's Saturday Barbecues
Some less enlightened staffers here at Boston magazine argued against this pick, citing its limited availability (Formaggio fires up its sidewalk grill once a week, and for only half the year) and the unforgivable snobbishness of awarding the title of best street food to a purveyor of $7 hot dogs. But proponents were unmoved, pointing out that said dogs weigh in at a juicy half pound. And that—like the house-made sausages and the pulled pork, chicken, and lamb—forms part of what just might be the Hub's most joyous eating experience. That status is owed largely to Formaggio's new grill-master, Kurt Gurdal, whose infectious enthusiasm will surely stand him in good stead through season's end, in mid-November. 244 Huron Ave., Cambridge, MA formaggiokitchen.com.
The Rockmore Dry Dock
A yacht club aura sets the tone for the lively crowd that comes here to nosh on lobster, steak, and fried seafood in the Yardarm Saloon while admiring the view of Salem Harbor. Live and DJ-spun music keeps things playful, as do the bar games and irreverent signature drinks such as the "fearless margarita" and "Woody's relaxer," a potent vodka, rum, and fruit juice concoction. The best part about the restaurant isn't dry at all: the Rockmore Floating Restaurant, which consists of a tent-covered bar atop two tied-together barges moored in the harbor. Access is as simple as hopping on a launch from either the restaurant or Village Street dock in Marblehead. Gives new meaning to the term "wet bar." 94 Wharf Street, Pickering Wharf, Salem, MA pickeringwharf.com/rockmore.html.
L'Espalier
The maitre d' at L'Espalier is so accustomed to proposals among his customers, he'll happily dispense advice about where to conceal the ring. It's all part of the superb and attentive service at this Back Bay institution, which just so happens to serve equally superb food. Chef Frank McClelland's delectable courses, which start with a dainty amuse bouche, are cosseted with luxury ingredients and inevitably end with tiered trays of precious petits fours—the fabled backdrop to more than a few passion plays. And if all that doesn't whet your appetite for love, consider the surroundings: a dimly lit and tastefully sumptuous townhouse that even includes one chamber known as the Seduction Room. 30 Gloucester St., Boston, MA lespalier.com.
Truly Jörg's
Who would expect to find the recherché charm of an exquisite Champs-Elysées café in Chelsea? Anyone who knows Truly Jörg's—the tiny European-style patisserie crammed with utter delicacies—that's who. Co-owner Jörg Amsler has created desserts for Dubya's dad in Kennebunkport and was trained as a pastry chef and chocolatier in Switzerland, and it shows in every crumb. His chocolate croissants are a perfect blend of bittersweet satisfaction. The tantalizing cakes on sale here range from decadent coffee buttercream and mocha genoise torte to deeply tart-sweet raspberry swirl cheesecake. The dainty petit fours, bite-sized treats that melt on your tongue, will have the most discriminately sweet tooth addicted at first bite. 131 Arlington St., Chelsea, MA trulyjorgs.com.
AMC Fenway 13
Keeping up with Hollywood's barrage of blockbusters, tearjerkers, and indies-gone-mainstream is less daunting when you can do it at the AMC Fenway 13. This theater's strongest appeal is its easy access: convenient $4 parking, a close-by Green Line stop, and the luxury of avoiding downtown congestion. Inside, arm yourself with popcorn (the butter is do-it-yourself) and a monster soda, and settle into the comfy stadium-style seating. The largest of the 13 auditoriums has more than 550 seats, so you'll worry less about lines and more about finding the ideal place from which to soak up the Sony Digital surround-sound system and see the massive 62-foot-wide screen. Perks like these nearly justify the $9 ticket price. Nearly. 401 Park Dr., Boston, MA .
The Weston-Concord-Carlisle Loop
This ride has everything: shade, scenery, and history. It even has—for the most part—good pavement. Start at Weston Center. Take Conant Road into Lincoln, turn right on Silver Street and left on Weston Road to the traffic circle. Continue straight on Sandy Pond Road past the DeCordova Museum. Turn left on Baker Bridge and right on Route 126, which takes you past Walden Pond, across Route 2, and into Concord Center. Head north on Monument Street past the Concord Battleground and the Old North Bridge. Keep going until you hit Route 225 (Bedford Street). Turn left and ride into Carlisle Center, where the hungry can stop at Daisy's for sports drinks and homemade muffins. Head back toward Concord on Concord Street, which turns into Lowell Road and leads to the Concord Green. Retrace steps back to Weston. It's 30 miles, 14 if you drive to Concord.
The $100,000 mural of the original hills of Boston covering the State House renovation, part of which blew off after five days.
Bella Sante
We've tried it at home. We've done the booth. We've stood stark naked before strangers and had every inch of our bodies airbrushed, only to emerge St. Barts brown on one side, Back Bay white on the other. But we never got the elusive all-over glow until we went to Bella Santé, where an almost painfully thorough full-body exfoliation precedes careful application of Phytomer's clear (!) bronzer. It won't streak when you sweat or rub off on your clothes, which means that even after a sticky, slow ride to the beach, we pulled up looking as if we had been there all summer long. 38 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, bellasante.com.
Flour Bakery + Cafe
Much of this bright and sunny bakery's success is due to the fact that it was one of the first businesses of its kind to move into the Washington Street corridor—in other words, before the arrival of the Silver Line, other restaurants, high-priced condos, and boutiques. The muffins, cakes, breads, tarts, and sandwiches sold here are delicious, but the cookies are the standouts. If you have to limit yourself to one, make it owner and pastry chef Joanne Chang's downright dreamy chocolate chip. These oversized, half-inch-thick rounds are baked just long enough to leave a bit of chewy goo in the center, without sacrificing the sugary crunch. But what truly elevates Chang's chocolate chip cookie are the chips, made from liberal portions of Scharffen Berger chocolate. 1595 Washington St., Boston, MA flourbakery.com.
The Plough & Stars
A real pint of Guinness takes time to pour. So while you're waiting at the bar in this old Cambridge haunt, take a gander at the great menu (with standbys like steak and roasted fish, all under $10) or a soccer game broadcast from Europe. Or just kick back and listen to one of the surprisingly talented musical acts that show up nightly. The crowd—a mix of intellectuals and down-and-outers, young and old, casual drinkers and straight-up drunks—makes for good people watching. Not a Guinness fan? The bar serves 20 different beers and all the usual boozes. And if you're in the mood for a smoke, go ahead and light up (at least until October 1, when Cambridge bans smoking, too)—you're not in Boston anymore. 912 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA ploughandstars.com.
Lumiere
Like moths to a flame. That's how we're drawn to Michael and Jill Leviton's extraordinary Newton restaurant, Lumière. The couple's recipe for refined simplicity and excellent service starts with the crisp, white-on-white tones of the dining room, tempered with warm-hued upholstery you can't help but run your hands over. But the main ingredient is chef Michael Leviton's cuisine. His menu is mostly French in inspiration, though he dips into other parts of the Mediterranean, and occasionally into Asia, for plates that are minimalist in design and void of fussiness, yet bright and bold in flavor. He lets the principal ingredient anchor a dish like pan-seared, pristine sea scallops, then surprises us with rich and sweet truffled foie gras butter or a taste of caramelized fennel. He also keeps a watchful eye on everything from the homemade bread to the desserts. The cherry on top is the calm, efficient, confident, thorough, and knowledgeable service. We wish there were more restaurants like Lumière on this side of the city limits. 1293 Washington St., Newton, MA lumiererestaurant.com.
Robert Gerard
<p>The distinguishing mark of a great bartender is the ability to satisfy all of the customers all of the time—the ability to play sex therapist one minute and sports analyst the next, and to be an interested listener no matter what the bozo in front of you has to say.</p> <p>Robert Gerard, a 35-year-old native of Albany, New York, who drinks Heineken but loves to mix a margarita now and then, is quite simply a master of his trade. Since moving to Boston, in 1977, Gerard has worked at the Sunflower Café, Pizzeria Uno, St. Botolph, and Allegro on Boylston. These days you'll find him at he recently reopened 29 Newbury, which he hopes will combine the best of them all.</p> <p>"St. Botolph is a neighborhood bar," he says. "It's got a nice blend of people and a strong sense of community. Allegro is more urbane, but it doesn't have that sense of community—at least not yet. My fantasy is that 29 will have both."</p> <p>No matter what the environment, Gerard's trade secrets are sure to stay the same. "Basically," he says, "it comes down to caring. Anyone can master the technical aspects of bartending; the hard part is helping create an atmosphere. You've got to be inclusive instead of exclusive. And have a good time."</p>