Howie Carr
His once-aggressive muckraking at the Herald has descended to xenophobic ranting and raving.
Wellbridge Athletic Club
Brainy Cantabrigians tone their bodies with Wellbridge's two floors of workout gear. 5 Bennett St., Cambridge, MA 2138, wellbridgeac.com.
Paul Ramponi
A young hotshot who hustles and gets the job done faster than most. 117 Mt. Clair Ave., North Quincy, MA .
Artisans
The window is alluring, and once you're inside, it's tough to resist. 165 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Julien Bar
Once a successful bank. Just the place to celebrate the Reagan area. Hotel Meridien, 250 Franklin St., Boston, MA .
Michael's of Boston
Recently moved from his old location (in Combat Zone), Michael is endlessly patient, reasonable—and meticulous. 354 Tremont St., Boston, MA .
Hyatt Regency
Smoked fish, terrific eggs, and enough ice sculptures to make a penguin think he's died and gone to heaven. 575 Memorial Dr., Cambridge, MA .
Off the Wall Cinema
A gallery space for top-notch local artists, including Roger Jones, Ken Brown, and Karen Aqua. 15 Pearl St., Cambridge, MA .
The Mouse Trap Cabaret
Located in Park Square, it's slightly safer than the Combat Zone. There are two stages, both of them active. And they do take it all off. Park Square, MA .
The Victorian Bedroom
Visit this cozy jewelry of a shop featuring luxe accoutrements for bed and bath, and be reassured that rumors to the contrary, the good life has not gone out of style. 244 Needham St., Newton, MA .
Peking on Fresh Pond
A big, overdecorated room that kind of looks like a United Auto Workers hall gone oriental. The seafood's excellent here, and the menu long and eclectic. 307 Fresh Pond Parkway, Cambridge, MA .
Settler's Glass Companies
Face it. When the windshield needs to be replaced, you want it done yesterday. Our staffer received service within three hours.
The Boston Menckenii
The Boston Menckenii, a quintet of H. L. Mencken devotees who meet once a year on the Baltimore iconoclast's birthday. Boston, MA
The Tavern Club
The Tavern Club, which is so exclusive it once turned down President Eisenhower's brother.
Quail Kebobs, Oleana
Ana Sortun’s elegantly boned-out game-bird skewers taste best in the urban paradise of Oleana’s gorgeous garden. 134 Hampshire St., Cambridge, MA 02139, oleanarestaurant.com.