Very fun, even for the grownups. Cute place, our kid loves every show there. They also do camps.read more

The Puppet Showplace Theatre is one of those hidden gems you just need to check out. They hold…read morefull-on puppet shows with elaborate puppets crafted by world-renown artists and with stories told by famous storytellers. You've probably driven by a hundred times looking at the bright lettering and the cool paintings on the windows but really, stop by for a show one night. They have adult shows too (not that kind of adult show) which is what I'm recommending. I'm sure the kids shows are amazing, great for brithday parties etc. but I've never actually seen a kid show. If you're looking for a funny interesting night, check out a PuppetSLAM which is what I saw... This is from their website: "It's an evening of short varied theatrical mini-plays for adults that use (or sometimes abuse) puppets for all or part of the drama. Each piece is performed by a different artist or artists, and the content can be wide-ranging; some are elegant or poignant, others are satiric, irreverent, or humorous, and still others can be passionate, political, or spiritual in nature. The performers range from the seasoned professional to the nascent puppeteer, and often include poets, musicians, dancers, mimes, actors, and other sundry affiliated artists." These guys are also non-profit, so help 'em out and go see a show. They're funny and you'll have a good story to tell about how you went to a puppet show :)

Just caught opening night of Flora & Ulysses. Great show. Highly recommend you catch it while it's…read moregoing on. I've caught their other productions. Always a good time with the family with good seats. Parking can be tough around the area but there are nearby train stations. Wheelock, has productions with seasoned actors, upcoming teenagers and younger kids. During the day, they have classes from character development to technical theater prep.

We visited on Sunday to see a performance of Mr. Popper's Penguins…read more The play and all the theater staff were wonderful. There are live captioning boards on either side of the stage. If you attend, do NOT get tickets in the literal first row. We were crunched with no leg room against the stage. The bathrooms here are tiny and not accessible. I would consider returning for a different show in the future - but would sit further back.

The Vu is truly a hidden gem, and it's a shame that more people in Boston don't know about it! It's…read moreBoston's *only* video rental store (cue the nostalgia) AND they're a micro-batch coffee roaster with a full-service coffee shop. Not only is the coffee delicious, but it's so reasonably priced, which is such a rarity these days. They also have a microcinema where they hold screening events. Super happy to have a spot like this in the neighborhood!

Come for the movies, stay for the amazing coffee, snacks, and friendly, knowledgeable staff.read more

A local Brighton/Allston dancing academy where you can learn Salsa and Bachata with people from all…read moreages. You can do drop ins so it works with your schedule (I recommend buying the 10-class card if you expect to do at least 10 classes, which most newbies would need).

I just took my first salsa lesson at Salsa Y Control last night, and I was very impressed! When I…read moresaw how many students were in the class, I was a little worried, but they have got this down to a science. While we were learning basic steps, standing in lines, they had us rotate so that everyone got a chance to be in front. They also had us rotate when we were partner dancing. I liked getting to dance with lots of different people, and it was nice not to have to worry about being a wallflower! The teachers are great, too. Very upbeat and good at explaining things. Yay! I would actually like to come back for more classes, but I do find the website a little confusing. I found it hard to tell exactly how to pay and when the classes started. I could be just being thick.

My husband used to spend hours in Nuggets while living near by in his college years. We are glad…read moreit's still around and we were excited to check it out, him to revisit it and myself to discover it. Unfortunately, now it's overpriced, it has old, dusty (literally) merchandise, pretty dead in there when we stopped in. We came back on a Sunday to revisit since we were walking in the area, but unfortunately it was closed. They close early, at 5 pm on Sundays. Not opened on Mondays. Too bad, customer service is OK, but it's hard to find something affordable and in decent shape to get.

I come here every time I visit Boston. Best record store in country. OG store with no…read morecomputers and every purchase written on paper. Always leave with a classic. This time. It is rise and fall of ziggy stardust. You have to visit.

More Than Words is a nonprofit bookstore that sells new and used books while supporting young…read morepeople ages 16-24 who are system-involved, including youth from foster care, court-involved backgrounds, housing insecurity, and more. The young people help run the store, learn job skills, and work toward personal and career goals--and it truly shows in the care and pride behind the space. The shop itself is small but mighty. I walked out with four excellent-condition used books (three of which had already been on my TBR list) and somehow also added two cookbooks because... no regrets. Everything was very affordable, and it felt good knowing my purchase was directly supporting youth in the local community. If you're near one of their locations (I believe there's another in the Boston area), I highly recommend stopping in or checking out their online storefront. Great books, great prices, and an even greater mission--absolutely worth supporting.

Great place to shop and support your community. I live that there are brand new housewares at…read morefraction the cost of retail. One can feel good in shopping and supporting a worthwhile cause.

I've had the pleasure of working with Tricia during a Closet Analysis, and her Annual Clothing…read moreSwap. Both were amazing experiences! I loved the input and her creative styling ideas with my existing wardrobe, I felt like I had a new closet. She brought old pieces back to life. The swap was even more than I expected, being my first professional swap. I went home with 3 blazers, 2 pairs of dress pants, 5 pairs of shoes, 2 business dresses and more! The unswapped clothes then went to charity, Project Hope. It was guilt free and giving back.

If you're looking for a personal shopper, Trust in Tricia is the way to go! She's personable,…read moreprofessional, and knows her stuff! I have used this service twice and plan on using it again and again!

Awesome comic book store. Exactly what I was looking for during my unexpected free afternoon during…read moremy Boston visit. Walked in and one of the employees asked if I was new there. I said Yes and he then gave me their quick spiel. From other reviews it looks like 20% off isn't new and has been a thing for a very long time. I didn't find, in general, their prices to be too bad. A few books maybe but they're smack in the middle of the city in a high tent area and their selection of pretty much everything is great, do slightly higher prices are understandable. Highly suggest a visit for current books, back issues, slabs, and I think lots of gaming stuff as well (I didn't pay attention to their non-comic stuff). It was actually fun for me.

Friar Tuck's is probably the coolest and bestest way to get comics in New England. Filled to the…read morebrim with with tons of comics starring characters from Spider-Man, Batman, Superman, and Captain America, to my personal favorites like Plastic Man and Slapstick, and even the cool indie stuff like The Mask by Doug Mahnke and John Arcudi and the ever so iconic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird (fellow Mass reps, lol). Rob, Yakov, Stee, Jeff, and Jacob are some of the coolest and most chill employees you can find. I'm probably gonna get my Spider-Man/Superman from there someday lol. And how could I forget the pricing of the comics? All of it is fair but they always have special discounts/sales and Rob always welcomes you with a.. "WELCOME TO FRIAR TUCKS!" And then the spiel is explained from there. Awesome stuff.

Really great selection of puzzles and toys; spent a long while trying to decide which jigsaw…read morepuzzles to get because of how many options there were. Pretty averagely priced for an independent puzzle shop, but the cashier was super nice and personable!

Great selection of puzzles! Well organized. Wide range of sizes and brands. Good value.read more

Fantastic selection, well organized, great prices and varied mix of labels. Found so many…read moretreasures-Rag and Bone and AG jeans, L'Agence top, Re/Done shorts, belts and lots of other items.

Thrifty Threads is such a special place. It's completely run by volunteers, and every dollar goes…read moreback into the community. I love that they don't just sell donations -- they also share a lot of what they receive with other local nonprofits for free. The store is always clean and easy to browse, and the prices are super fair (honestly waaaay better than Goodwill). The volunteers are friendly and genuinely care about what they do, which makes the whole experience feel good. Shopping here feels like being part of something positive.