Maria Garcia, "Anything for Selena"
With “Anything for Selena” — a limited series that’s part investigation, part love letter, and part deeply personal essay — WBUR’s Maria Garcia gets to the heart of why so many people still adore the late Tejano pop star. Through vivid storytelling in both English and Spanish, she fills in gaps in the public’s understanding of Selena’s life via intimate interviews with elusive family members. Mixed in are heart-to-hearts with fans who saw, as she did, an aspirational version of themselves in the code-switching, border-straddling performer. wbur.org/anythingforselena.
Craigie Street Bistrot
Hidden in the quiet, tweedy folds of residential Cambridge, this neighborhood restaurant is part exquisite cuisine, part delicious local fare, and all parts homage to true French bistro culture. Entering the intimate, family-owned spot, with its cozy furniture and warm colors, is like walking into a well-loved (and well-populated) living room. But the extremely well-priced menu is anything but predictable. Chef Tony Maws keeps it fluid with his improvisations (Exhibit A: the red chile-marinated prime hangar steak with sultry roasted bone marrow) and an ebb and flow of local produce so fresh, all Montmartre would be impressed. 5 Craigie Circle, Cambridge, MA craigieonmain.com.
<em>Phoenix</em> political writer Al Giordano's portrayal of House Speaker Charlie Flaherty as a statesman.
If Giordano had taken his blinders off for a couple of minutes, he might have realized that Flaherty isn't part of the solution, he's part of the problem.
B-Side Lounge
Take one part funky restaurant and one part festive bar scene. Sprinkle it with urban hipsters, geeky academics, and East Cambridge natives. Shake gently to the beat of Sinatra or maybe a little Esquivel. Chill to taste. 92 Hampshire St., Cambridge, MA .
The Paradise Rock Club
Who says rock is dead? With a club like the Paradise offering its stage to the kinds of acts that will never, ever get air time on MTV (and that's a good thing), the genre is thriving. Everything about the Paradise is designed for the audience: the acoustics, the lights, the five bars (the lines are never long for a drink), and the long, rectangular space that lets just about everyone get close to the stage. Which is why acts from the Donnas to Ryan Adams have lined up to play the Paradise this year, the club's 25th in business. With the addition of the adjacent Paradise Lounge, there's now a smaller stage for acoustic shows by local acts, plus a bar menu for between-show snacks. And unlike other Boston clubs, which stage their shows on the early side so they can turn their floors over to dancing by 10, the Paradise rocks all night long. 969 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA thedise.com.
East Coast Grill & Raw Bar
Celebrated grill god Chris Schlesinger's Inman Square spot is its own Cambridge institution—part community hangout, part nationally known restaurant, part vacation. Wild décor (from the blackboard that shouts daily fresh fish specials to the kitschy "live volcano") and even wilder mixed drinks (like the scotch bonnet pepper—infused "martini from hell") set the scene for equatorial specialties from the world's most spice-obsessed regions. That means terrific barbecue, sweetly rich fried plantains, wasabi-laced tuna, and an inventive postmodern pupu platter to die for. Hot-food connoisseurs shouldn't miss "Hell Night," a fiery food challenge featuring some of the spiciest foodstuffs on the planet. 1271 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA eastcoastgrill.net.
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 Market Theater
The Market Theater clamored onto the local scene pledging edgy, experimental works. And it made good with creative programming like Frederick Wiseman's The Last Letter and Biljana Srbljanovic's Family Stories. Now that the company is vacating its Harvard Square location and founder Greg Carr has parted ways with director Tom Cole, the first crop of Market devotees may find themselves back at the A.R.T.
Kristen D. Murray, No. 9 Park
Some desserts are among life's sweetest rewards precisely because they aren't too sweet. Kristen D. Murray understands this. Consider her walnut pain perdu, a soft and almost custardy bread laden with tart red currants, rich, nutty crunch, and tangy water-buffalo-milk yogurt sorbet. Or feast your eyes—and stomach—on her black pepper cheesecake, a masterpiece of smooth cheese jolted with black pepper and cut with the soothing sweetness of caramelized pineapple and tart-as-can-be-green apple compote. 9 Park St., Boston, MA no9park.com.
Paradise Rock Club
The Police and U2 are tough acts to follow. But night after night at the Paradise, musicians take the very same stage where those greats once played. The three-level venue hosts both nationally recognized acts (Kings of Leon, Jack Johnson) and local up-and-comers (the Slip, Apollo Sunshine) piping their performances through a booming, second-to-none sound system made for big bass, pounding percussion, and fierce vocals. 969 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 2215, .
Brighton Music Hall
THE SCENE: A dive bar with a big stage and even bigger sound, this vestige of Allston Rock City’s glory days has a decidedly modern vibe that’s keeping a new generation jamming. THE LINEUP: Homegrown indie, rock, and hip-hop acts share space on the calendar with nationally touring acts and comedy legends, plus DJ and dance nights for all of your booty-shaking needs. 158 Brighton Ave., Allston, MA 02134, crossroadspresents.com.
Fenway Park
Fenway became a regular venue for musical acts 15 years ago, enlivening the Sox stomping grounds with a no-holds-barred set by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Since then, America’s most beloved park has enchanted audiences with surprisingly strong acoustics, ample seating both on and off the field, and a stellar lineup of A-list acts including Jay-Z, Lady Gaga, and (coming this summer) Billy Joel and Pearl Jam. A home run, indeed. 4 Jersey St., Boston, MA 02215, mlb.com/redsox/tickets/concerts.
Pagu
The debut from chef Tracy Chang, cofounder of the pioneering pop-up Guchi's Midnight Ramen, is part izakaya, part pintxos bar, and fully the chef's "culinary diary." That means reverence paid to ramen, especially the original Guchi's version. Featuring house-made alkaline noodles, three rich broths, and a perfectly cooked six-minute egg, the luxurious bowl is even more satisfying in Chang's sleek permanent digs. 310 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, gopagu.com.
Flour Bakery + Cafe
Let the cupcake lovers revel in their frosting-induced myopia; those of us who truly love pastry still embrace tarts, cakes, and cookies. Particularly when they're made the way Joanne Chang's crew bakes them: carefully (à la the sharp-flavored lemon lust tart), creatively (like the hazelnut-almond dacquoise with coffee buttercream and dark chocolate ganache), and with the best ingredients around (as in, everything they sell). 1595 Washington St., Boston, MA 2118, flourbakery.com.
Mahoney's Garden Centers
Need some inspiration to kickstart that rooftop garden you've always wanted? You'll find it here. Part hardware store, part botanical garden, Mahoney's has countless spades and shears, plus all the soil, fertilizer, and pots you'll ever need. The selection of seeds, hanging plants, flower trays, vegetable plants, herbs, cacti, and even bonsai trees, makes this the most fertile corner of Cambridge. 889 Memorial Dr., Cambridge, MA mahoneysgarden.com.