Art dealer Nina Nielsen's attempt to place a major collection of Jackson Pollock drawings in Boston permanently by offering a 25 percent discount to collectors who agreed to donate their purchases to the MFA.
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.
John Wilson/Joseph Norman
A powerful show of prints and drawings by legendary sculptor John Wilson and emerging talent Joseph Norman, jointly organized by the Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists and the Museum of Fine Arts.
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.
Little Russia
European folk art jewelry, hand-painted chess sets, nesting matryoshka dolls, exquisite beads—there's a treasure trove of discoveries in this tiny shop—a great browse. 228 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
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