The pear and walnut tart with montrachet cheese at the Back Bay Bistro
565 Boylston St., Boston, MA .
The <em>Globe</em>'s too-many-part series on the nightmares of escalator riding
Good for us but incredibly boring.
<em>Monkey Eating Peach, Rat Stealing Pumpkin, Phoenix Among the Peonies</em>
Peter Sellars's performance work at the Harvard Indoor Athletic Building.
Passim
A surviving gem of the old Harvard Square, Passim draws acts like Suzanne Vega, Jackson Browne, and Jimmy Buffet, as well as the best local talent. 47 Palmer St., Cambridge, MA .
Bow & Arrow Pub
There is no pretension at the Bow & Arrow, but there are pool tables, dart boards, inexpensive drinks, and a laid-back mix of locals and the more down-to-earth student crowd. 1 Bow St., Cambridge, MA .
Seven Moving
GETTY IMAGES Upgrading to a new neighborhood or swapping your city digs for a spot in the ’burbs? The efficient team at Seven—armed with protective stretch film, blankets, and pads—makes sure the least stressful part of your move is actually moving things. sevenmoving.com.
Richman's Zipper Hospital
These good doctors will repair or replace zippers on just about anything, from luggage and clothing to tents, sleeping bags, golf carts, and boat and convertible tops. They fix umbrellas, too. 318 Harvard Street (The Arcade), Brookline, MA .
E. Philip Levine
We polled all the photographers we know, and their choice was unanimous. Levine's has a full line of new and used equipment for camera freaks. Ask for Paul Artz. He knows everything. 23 Drydock Avenue, Boston, MA .
Snyder's
Snyder's, 601 Washington St., has more canteens than the armed forces of Poland. If it hired a few more salesman, it would immediately become the ninth-ranked army in the world. The choice of knowledgeable campers. 601 Washington St., Boston, MA .
The Boston Shaker
Photograph by Christopher Garcia The Boston Shaker has everything the imbibing sophisticate needs to equip his or her bar cart, from handblown tiki mugs to specialty ingredients like lavender bitters.
69 Holland St., Somerville, MA 02144, thebostonshaker.com.Laugh Boston
Overlook the corporate location at the Seaport’s Westin Boston Waterfront and instead enjoy the cleanliness and spaciousness (300 seats!), the roster (rising and acclaimed national acts), and a surprisingly delicious bar and cocktail menu, complete with a “Heckler” fishbowl to share. 425 Summer St., Boston, MA 02210, laughboston.com.
Cafe Sushi
Photo by Jesse Burke This haven for transcendent sushi is nestled in a strip-mall-style building on Mass. Ave. We're most fond of the creatively dressed, impeccably fresh nigiri, ordered á la carte. 1105 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA cafesushicambridge.com.
East Coast Toast English Muffins
After several disappearing acts, these terrific English muffins are back, but only in the plain flavor. If muffin mavens start demanding them, maybe the other flavors will make a comeback, too. Mrs. Kay's Cafe, The Atrium Mall, 300 Boylston St., Chestnut Hill, MA .
"Investigate" at the Museum of Science
Kids can't help acting like young Galileos when they're encouraged to conduct cool experiments with gizmos that simulate lie-detectors or to dig in the sand like archeologists for pre-Columbian garbage. Science Park, Boston, MA .
Borromeo
One of the hottest classical acts in the country, the Borromeo Quintet is in residence at the New England Conservatory this year. Keep a close watch for local show times—these international performers are in high demand.