New
Year’s Resolutions: every year, we make them
in January and by March (or heck, by the end
of January) we’ve usually broken them. This
year, however, Panorama is determined
to help you stick to your self-improvement
regimen—while, at the same time, enjoying
all Boston has to offer. What follows are
five common New Year’s Resolutions, along
with suggestions for the best places in
Beantown to help you honor those
hard-to-keep promises.
Exercise
More
If you hit the figgy pudding too hard in
’07, you’re probably dreading a January
spent on a treadmill. But rather than
shackle yourself to a gym, there are plenty
of ways to work yourself back into fighting
shape while you’re in the Hub.
At Healthworks for Women (441 Stuart St.,
617-859-7700; 920 Commonwealth Ave.,
Brookline, 617-731-3030; 36 White St.,
Cambridge, 617-497-4454), ladies can opt for
classes specially-designed for the female
physique. Guests can pay a one-time class
fee and experience everything from
cardiovascular activities like Forza—which
utilizes Japanese swordfighting
techniques—to the muscle-toning yet
meditative tranquility of yoga, to the
ferocity of what Healthworks has dubbed
“Punk Rope.”
If you’re willing to brave the elements, the Charles
River offers 17 miles of parkland and
gorgeous views of Boston and Cambridge for
joggers and bikers alike. Throw on some
sneakers, head down to the paved path and
combine a good workout with a free scenic
tour. Or, if you still harbor dreams of
being the next Michelle Kwan, you can strap
on some skates and go gliding across the
Boston Common Frog Pond,
soaking up the beauty of America’s oldest
public park, daily beginning at 10 a.m.
Refer to
ice skating listing.
Eat
Healthier
After a solid month of
eggnog, fudge, and Christmas ham, by January
your body is craving some healthier fare.
Calm those cries for nourishment by visiting
some Boston eateries boasting options to
soothe both your
ravenous
appetite and your guilty conscience.
For healthily prepared foods with a Mediterranean flair, Back Bay
eatery Vlora (545
Boylston St., 617-638-9699) delights diners
with whole wheat pasta aglio, its juicy
watermelon and feta appetizer and a range of
fresh salads and light grilled fish dishes.
If you need healthy eats on the go, the health-conscious fast food
of B. Good (24 Dunster
St., Cambridge, 617-354-6500; 272 Newbury
St., 617-236-0440; other locations in Boston
and Brookline) deliciously fits the bill. B.
Good’s array of lean-beef burgers on
whole-wheat buns and hand cut, oven-crisped
(not fried) French fries taste so good
you’ll refuse to believe they’re good for
you.
For funky, organic fare, Veggie Planet Pizza
(47 Palmer St., Cambridge, 617-661-1513) and
The Other Side Café
(refer to
back bay restaurants listing) are must-dine
destinations. Choose from the organic pizzas
with locally grown produce and inventive
salads at Veggie Planet, or wash down your
vegan chili with a wheatgrass smoothie at
the trendy Other Side.
There’s nothing healthier than high-protein, Omega-3 rich seafood,
and Boston abounds with great options too
numerous to list. The city’s most famous—Legal
Sea Foods (refer to
theatre district restaurants listing)—offers up grilled salmon, delicious
lobster, fresh shellfish and pretty much
anything else that swims, which will leave
you feeling swimmingly yourself.
Spend
More Time with your Kids
As the year winds down, you may realize that
all that time in the office should have been
replaced with playtime on the living room
rug—or, better yet, by spending time with
your brood out on the town.
Expose your little ones to the wonders of the natural world at the
Franklin Park Zoo
(refer to
wildlife listing), with its fully
heated indoor tropical forest and
state-of-the-art gorilla exhibit. Or, if
sea-faring wildlife is more your child’s
source of fascination, the
New England Aquarium (refer to
wildlife listing) lets them get up close to
sharks, penguins, harbor seals and other flippered and finny friends.
 Good to be Bad So you say you’re not into self-improvement? That your single goal for 2008 was to stop denying yourself and to indulge your vices whenever possible? Sounds good to us. Here’s a few alternative resolutions you should have no problem sticking to. Eat More Cupcakes: They’re sweet, delicious and portable, making them practically the perfect food. Calories? Hogwash. Resolve to pick up these frosted pieces of heaven and eat them in abundance at: Kickass Cupcakes (378 Highland Ave., Somerville, 617-628-CUPS); Lulu’s Bake Shoppe (229 Hanover St., 617-720-2200, pictured above); or South End Buttery (314 Shawmut Ave., 617-482-1015). Drink More Alcohol: It’s a scientific fact that alcohol makes people funnier and more attractive. Honestly—look it up. If you want to be funnier and more attractive, spend some time at: Sunset Grill & Tap (refer to allston/brighton restaurant listing); Bukowski’s Tavern (refer to pubs and bars listing); or Match (94 Massachusetts Ave., 617-247-9922). Take Up Smoking: Because of Boston’s smoking ban, the idea of shivering outside as you puff may not appeal to many. Solve that by hitting Stanza Dei Sigari (refer to north end restaurant listing) to engage in cigar smoking in warmth and comfort, or sample flavored tobacco through a hookah pipe at the Nile Lounge (70 Brighton Ave., 617-418-4173) or Tangierino (83 Main St., Charlestown, 617-242-6009). —Josh B. Wardrop |
Find
Mr. or Ms. Right
Determined to find “the one” this year?
Boston’s singles scene offers plenty of
great places to meet that someone special.
Hipsters looking for their better half can check out the romantic,
Bohemian vibe at The Beehive
(refer to
nightclubs listing). Decked out in
rich colors, heavy drapes and exposed brick,
and boasting live jazz nightly, this South
End spot offers distinctive cocktails and
shareable appetizers, perfect for two.
If a hardcore Red Sox fan is your ideal match, the legendary
Cask ’N Flagon (refer
to
pubs and bars listing) is the best place to
find one. Chill at the bar or head out back
to the 400 square-foot dance floor to scope
out the clientele. Or if you’re setting your
sights even higher, Sox players and other
local athletes have been known to frequent
Daisy Buchanan’s
(refer to
pubs
and bars listing) in the glitzy
Back Bay.
Felt (533 Washington St., 617-350-5555) has
also seen its share of visiting and
homegrown celebrities, but it’s the pool
tables, party vibe and four levels of
entertainment—including special speed-dating
events scheduled for January 2 & 6—that make
it such a popular spot for singles.
Learn
Something New
Forget what they say about old dogs and new
tricks. If you want to expand your mind in
2008, Boston offers plenty of spots where
you can pick up some new skills and
challenge that noggin of yours.
Want to unleash the artist within? Try a crafty class at
Spark Craft Studios
(1963 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge,
617-441-5200) like Basic Bead Stringing
(January 8 at 6:30 p.m.) where you can learn
to make funky homemade baubles. Or visit the
Museum of Fine Arts
(refer to
museums listing) where the fully
interactive “Drawing in the Galleries”
(January 9 at 3 p.m.) activities allow
participants to sketch from live models
and/or museum collections.
Or, you can add to your repertoire of useless knowledge at any of
Boston’s many weekly Trivia
Nights. Compete for cash prizes and,
more importantly, bragging rights at
The Courtside
(Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m., 291 Cambridge St.,
Cambridge, 617-547-4374), The
Purple Shamrock (Mondays at 8 p.m.,
refer to
pubs
and bars listing) or
T’s Pub (Thursdays at 8 p.m., 973
Commonwealth Ave., Allston, 617-254-0807).
And if you’ve dreamed of being the next Rachael Ray, start by being
part of the audience at a filming of the
in-restaurant cooking show In
The Kitchen at Rustic Kitchen
(Fridays at 6 p.m., 210 Stuart St., call
781-575-1533 for reservations), where chef
Alissa Bigelow teaches her trade, cooking up
delicious seasonal dishes you can then try
in your own home.
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