Maureen Fleming
In her stark solo show, "After Eros," Maureen Fleming conjures images ranging from spiraling water to bone fragments to a butterfly breaking out of its cocoon. Using her own elegant brand of Japanese Butoh to communicate the process of regeneration, Fleming sifts through shapes with an excruciating slowness, nearly holding time still in a breath.
Larry Bird. Or Kevin McHale. Or Robert Parrish. Or Dennis Johnson.
Heroic work, and all their numbers should ascend to the rafters.
City Councilor Charles Yancey
The only person who wasn't in on the backroom maneuvering that made him council president. "You talkin' to me?"
Mexican Cuisine
Yes, it's a hole-in-the-wall. And yes, the din is almost unbearable on occasions. But who cares when you can get the best Mexican within God-knows-how-many-hundreds of miles? 1682 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA .
Grolier Poetry Book Shop
Despite its clutter, since 1927 this small hole-in-the-wall bookstore off Mass Ave in Harvard Square has been the place to buy poetry books of many countries and genres. 6 Plympton St., Cambridge, MA .
Privus
Glam décor and upscale cocktails like the dirty wasabi-tini cordon off sushi lounge Privus as 'adult swim' amid undergrad-swamped booze holes. 165 Brighton Ave., Allston, MA 2134, .
Tony Maws, Craigie Street Bistrot
If ever there was a feel-good pill for these challenging times, chef Tony Maws's cooking at Craigie Street Bistrot is it. Troubles fall away as soon as you set foot in this subterranean restaurant and its cozy dining room, a warmly decorated space that oozes with "aw shucks, c'mon in" charm. (Maws's mother even works the door, making everyone feel instantly at home.) Former sous-chef to Ken Oringer at Clio, Maws has made Craigie Street a stage for showcasing his training in Boston and a previous stint in France. The menu, which features five appetizers, five entrées, and five desserts nightly, seduces diners with casual French country flavors: roasted breast of Muscovy duck, herb-crusted monkfish, marinated skirt steak, and classic crème caramel. Each dish perfectly captures the ingredients, all market fresh and seasonal. If you must choose only one reason to love Tony Maws and his little bistro, it's the price: The three-course prix fixe is only $29.99, a cost anyone can swallow. 5 Craigie Circle, Cambridge, MA craigieonmain.com.
Brewer's Fork
Photograph by Toan Trinh With 30 ever-changing draft lines, as well as an ample bottle list, wine offerings from smaller producers, and an impressive roster of ciders, this new neighborhood spot already feels like a standby watering hole. 7 Moulton St., Boston, MA 02129, brewersfork.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.
Ritz-Carlton Boston
Dark, woody, and intimate, the bar at the Ritz is exactly the sort of watering hole weary travelers and high-end drinkers demand. The martini menu is extensive and intriguing, and the Five Star nut mix (no peanuts in the bunch) adds salty cachet. 15 Arlington St., Boston, MA .
Mexican Cuisine
The Tex-Mex, Mex-Mex, Mass-Mex craze has subsided, but this hole-in-the-wall restaurant in the Forest Cafe still serves the best Mexican food within God-knows-how-many hundreds of miles. 1682 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA .
The Blarney Stone
Priding itself on being the first bar in America to sell Guinness on draft, the Blarney Stone is an essential neighborhood watering hole, whether you're brunching on the leafy patio or enjoying a pint in front of the roaring fireplace. 1505 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester, MA 02122, blarneystoneboston.com.
Cumar
This Everett-based fabricator boasts the largest showroom in New England, stocked with exotic stones, marble, granite,and limestone carefully sourced from all over the world — so if you can’t find what you’re looking for here, you likely won’t find it anywhere. It’s not just about the selection, of course: Cumar’s expertise runs deep, both in the knowledge of its consultants and engineers and the carefully honed skills of the stone artisans in its shop. As for the quality of their work, look no further than an entire bathroom wrapped in floor-to-ceiling marble or massive fireplaces encased in beautiful stone you’ve never seen before. 69 Norman St., Everett, MA 02149, cumar.com.
Southern Proper
Our beef-boiling Yankee town has come a long way with its southern cuisine. But North Carolina native Jason Cheek goes beyond the conventional canon, rattling off the sort of nuanced, modern riffs they’re rocking right this second in Charleston and Atlanta. Think: whole grilled trout nestled in stewed fregula. Short-rib meatloaf dolled up with bone marrow and bracing piperade. And a tea-brined, thyme-scented fried chicken—craggy and orange-rust in color—we can’t stop clucking about. 600 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA southernproperboston.com.
J.P. Licks
Photo by Kristin Teig; food styling by Catrine Kelty Good thing J.P. Licks launched a new line of ice cream cakes in time for its 40th birthday. Now we can properly celebrate the small chain of Boston-area scoop shops, which has gifted us over the years with countless creative flavors served in cones and cookie sandwiches. All of them are still handmade at Licks’ home base in Jamaica Plain, including a few boozy varieties — like caramel-bourbon-fig or cherry-amaretto — that would feel particularly appropriate for raising a ruby anniversary toast. Multiple locations, jplicks.com.