Boston Rock Gym
A huge industrial loft in Woburn, the Boston Rock Gym is carpeted with 20 tons of chopped-up car tires, the walls are studded with tiny gargoyles, dinosaurs, and rocklike footholds, and the place looks like a preppy torture chamber. One of the best-equipped climbing gyms in all of New England, the rock gym has 30 different climbing routes of varying complexity, ranging from beginner to impossible. Check out Hades—a bouldering cave in which climbers hang upside down, suspended by their fingers and toes—as well as the Treadwall (imagine a treadmill that's a vertical wall). Patient instructors keep an eye out for your safety and offer group classes and individual instruction. 78G Olympia Ave., Woburn, MA .
Boston Duck Tours
Okay, maybe the quacking can get on your nerves, but Boston Duck Tour's 80-minute trips do everything the others do by land, and then more. In renovated World War II amphibious vehicles, sightseers get plopped into the Charles so they can see the city the way the, uh, ducks do. Depart from the Huntington Avenue side of the Prudential Center, Boston, MA .
Boston Center for Adult Education
At BCAE, you can learn everything from beadmaking to digital filmmaking. And that's just scratching the surface. In each case, you'll find a friendly atmosphere in classes taught by professionals: The burlesque course, for one, is led by dancers from Rogue Burlesque, who perform at the A.R.T.'s Oberon and other hip spots. 122 Arlington St., Boston, MA bcae.org.
Cocktail Classes at the Boston Shaker
At Adam Lantheaume’s two-hour workshops ($70 per person), you’ll learn stirring and shaking techniques, get schooled in proper mixology terminology, and prepare your own seasonal drink using quality cocktail equipment. You’ll also receive discounts on Boston Shaker purchases—and, with any luck, a gentle buzz. If you arrive early, Lantheaume suggests meandering a few doors down to Spoke Wine Bar (see right) for a pre-class nibble and swill. 69 Holland St., Somerville, MA 2144, thebostonshaker.com.
Boston Nanny Centre
Finding the right nanny to care for your precious peanut only adds to a new parent’s stress. But with an extensive application and screening process, Boston Nanny Centre makes the job a little easier. They make sure that all of their nannies are citizens or legal residents, over 21, have experience in childcare, are certified in good health by their physician, and are recommended by at least five references. All the while, staffers are accessible via phone and email, and are more than willing to do a little psychological handholding. 135 Selwyn Rd., Newton, MA 2461, bostonnanny.com.
Mandarin Oriental, Boston
With several high-end hotels peppered across the city, Boston is becoming a crowded field for event space. But due in part to its can’t-be-beat location in the heart of the Back Bay, this recently renovated ballroom is a win for the party circuit. The main venue hosts some 600 people, the hotel staff make valet parking a cinch, and you can always sneak downstairs to check out chef Gordon Ramsay’s exclusive Boston outpost, one of the hottest spots in town. 776 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02199, mandarinoriental.com.
Independent Film Festival Boston
With a growing list of celebrity attendees and a painstakingly selected roster of movies each year, IFFBoston is your best chance, and sometimes your only chance, to see rare indie movies at theaters across the city. Sometimes it’s a big name trying something new; other times it’s a breakout film from a new director. Either way, it’s comforting to know that big screens aren’t just for Avengers movies. iffboston.org.
Mandarin Oriental, Boston
At this point, it’s no secret that the Mandarin is the place for a spa getaway (we could spend a whole night, in fact, in the plungepool-equipped relaxation area). But there are plenty of other ways this opulent hotel makes you feel well cared for during a stay here, from the thoughtful nightly turndown service in the surprisingly large rooms to the 24-hour room service from the buzzy Ramsay’s Kitchen downstairs. 776 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02199, mandarinoriental.com.
Soleil at Boston Public Market
We’d travel miles and miles for chef Cheryl Straughter’s heavenly banana pudding — but thankfully, we don’t have to. In addition to Soleil’s Roxbury location, the dessert is now available at the restaurant’s new Boston Public Market stall. Stop by for irresistible soul food on the go, from ultra-cheesy mac ’n’ cheese to a brisket sandwich on a red velvet bun. (Sure, you can get a plain bun, but why would you?) 100 Hanover St., Downtown, MA 02108, soleilboston.com.
Julia Mejia, Boston City Councilor
See the People Who Gave Us Hope for more. boston.gov/departments/city-council/julia-mejia.
Mass Audubon's Boston Nature Center
What kid doesn’t love learning about slugs, snails, raccoons, and opossums? Start your morning in the great outdoors at Mass Audubon’s Boston Nature Center, which offers hundreds of weekend classes on topics like these year-round. 500 Walk Hill St., Mattapan, MA 02126, massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/wildlife-sanctuaries/boston-nature-center.
Coach Mike MIlbury of Boston College
He never got to leave his unique personal stamp on the place. The poor guy wasn't there long enough even to hit somebody in the head with his shoe.
Boston College Student Sports Complex
New and clean and complete—if you want better, you'll have to go to Jyväskylä, Finland. off Beacon St., Newton, MA .
"Boston Romance Package" at The Bostonian Hotel
Canopy beds, Jacuzzis for two, fireplaces in many of the rooms, lush bathrobes, a continental breakfast, champagne, and a horse-drawn-carriage ride through the city make a weekend here a perfect way to celebrate a new relationship—or toast an old one. North and Blackstone streets, Boston, MA .
Cate McQuaid, <em>Boston Globe</em>
Covering both the galleries and the small exhibition spaces, McQuaid's reviews are insightful, enthusiastic, and deeply serious. Boston artists know she's out there, and they know she cares.