Boston Uncommon

The Getaway: Washington, D.C.

The cherry blossoms alone are worth a trip to the nation's capital, but don't miss the city's funky side.

International Dining   If you like the ethnic eateries of Jamaica Plain, you'll appreciate the flavor of D.C.'s hip Adams Morgan neighborhood, a melting pot of cuisines: Brazilian, Cuban, Italian, Turkish, Vietnamese, and more. Sample the ambitious Ethiopian food at the bright and beautiful Meskerem. Afterward, sink into a comfy sofa and linger over a latte at Tryst. (Meskerem: 2434 18th Street NW, 202-462-4100; Tryst: 2459 18th Street NW, 202-232-5500)

Sightseeing   If the entry fees at Boston's assorted museums frustrate you, you'll love Washington's abundance of free monuments, memorials, and museums. If you're looking for something a little unusual -- and if your stomach can take it -- check out the live leeches or touch a real brain at the National Museum of Health and Medicine. (6900 Georgia Avenue NW, 202-782-2200, nmhm.washingtondc.museum)

Remembering JFK   If all the Kennedy nostalgia around Boston still doesn't satisfy you, pay homage to the slain president at his resting place, just across the Potomac in Virginia at Arlington National Cemetery. Stones from Cape Cod frame the grave of Kennedy, his wife, and their two infant children. Robert F. Kennedy's grave is nearby. (703-607-8000, www.arlingtoncemetery.org)

—Monica L. Williams

Just a Taste: Turning Over a New Leaf

Move over, potatoes. Crisp spring vegetables have arrived.

If fiddleheads are on the menu, it must be spring. These tender young fern tips are one of the more popular spring vegetables, along with green garlic, pea tendrils, and ramps. "We're all sick and tired of root vegetables by now. People want things that are lighter and brighter on their plate," explains Laura Brennan, owner of Caffe Umbra in the South End. Crisp spring vegetables, most of which need little cooking, are the antithesis of the hearty, slow-cooked root vegetables that chefs have been preparing for months.

These spring vegetables come from warmer locales, including Georgia, South Carolina, and California. Chefs who pride themselves on serving local produce can be a bit reluctant to truck in these items. But most take one look at what's available locally and change their minds. "Winter lasts fi ve or six months around here," says Peter McCarthy, chef-owner of EVOO in Somerville. "You can only do so much with winter squashes and potatoes."

—Betsy Block

Second Bite: Some Like It Hot

This North End cheese bites back.

Maybe it's no accident that a cheese inspired by the flavors of Calabria, the region at the toe of Italy's boot, packs a spicy kick. Italian-born Giovanni Gagliotta, co-owner of Salumeria Toscana, a tiny North End grocery, makes the unusual Calabria Gold himself, 10 wheels at a time. The hard sheep's milk cheese is both creamy and sharp, and the outside of each wheel is smeared with a red-pepper paste hot enough to raise a sweat. "In Calabria, they like everything spicy," Gagliotta explains. He sells whatever amount the customer requests ($11.99 per pound). You'll need acqua minerale on hand to douse the fire on your tongue.

Salumeria Toscana, 272 Hanover Street, 617-720-4243

—Janice O'Leary

Streetwise: Mass. Ave. in Cambridgeport

One part geek chic and one part international flavor combine to create three funky blocks on a single crowded avenue.

1. TREASURE HUNTING   Sadye & Co. sells all things old and quirky. You'll find glass eyeballs, '50s cocktail shakers, and antique cameras and typewriters as well as the expected old china, jewelry, and watches. TV and film crews come here to rent props and period furniture. (182 Massachusetts Avenue, 617-547-4424)

2. SCIENCE MEETS ART   Attila, the Blob, and other robots built in MIT labs are safely locked in display cases at the MIT Museum. The curious can see them, along with a range of unique science exhibits, for $5 -- or for free on the third Sunday of each month. The museum holds the world's largest collection of holographic art, such as a woman's portrait that winks and blows a kiss at each passerby. (265 Massachusetts Avenue, 617-253-4444)

3. BEAKER BAR   The Miracle of Science Bar & Grill is one of the "top nerd bars" in the country, according to Popular Science magazine. MIT grad students come here to blow off steam over burgers and beers. The bar itself, not surprisingly, is made of Fireslate, like the tables in a chem lab. (321 Massachusetts Avenue, 617-868-2866)

4. THE REAL EEL   The All Asia Cafe serves Pacific Rim fare and, since late last year, has been booking punk rock, hip-hop, blues, jazz, stand-up comedy, and other live entertainment almost nightly. The menu includes Thai soup, chicken and cashew stir-fry, grilled eel, and ginger-scallion duck. (334 Massachusetts Avenue, 617-497-1544)

5. KITCHEN HELP   If you want to make your own stir-fry, hit the Lotte Market. The Korean grocery store sells dried octopus and seaweed and 20-pound bags of rice, along with dishes and woks. (297 Massachusetts Avenue, 617-661-1994)

Face Value: The Home Maker

Working to help neighbors settle down.

Denise Simmons began her second term as a Cambridge city councilor this year with affordable housing high on her agenda. She knows firsthand how important it is that your rent or your mortgage not gobble up most of your income. "I lived in rent-controlled housing so I could support my kids and finish college," she explains. Today, when not running Cambridgeport Insurance Agency, Simmons promotes rent stabilization and homeownership opportunities for families of modest means. "It's not just about affordable housing, but homeownership," she says. "That's what helps stabilize a community."

—Patrick Kennedy

What's Next: Tom Scholz

When the band Boston released its self-named debut album in 1976, the gargantuan hit "More Than a Feeling" gave local-hero status to guitarist and songwriter Tom Scholz -- and earned the band an almost cultlike following among classic-rock fans. But the band's last album, Corporate America, in 2002, got only a tepid response. These days, sequestered in the basement studio of his house outside Boston (the city, not the band), Scholz is remixing Corporate America songs for rerelease this spring. He's also keeping busy raising money for social causes (such as the homeless and animal rights), working on inventions (such as a back brace and high-powered ice skates), and flying as a recreational pilot. Scholz values his mixed interests but admits there is a drawback: "You have to steal from one to do another.... It really slows down the music."

Where Are They Now: Barbara Borin

Barbara Borin broke barriers. At a time when professional sports was not very welcoming to women, she was a pioneering sports anchor on Boston television, working from 1972 to 1976. She had a stint on the TV show Sports Gals in the early 1990s, but she has since left sports reporting. Today Borin, 54, goes by her married name, Franzoso, and sells real estate in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. She still follows sports and can't help but provide some analysis. "I worked in an era when much greater emphasis was on payment for what was done on the field," she says of highly paid stars like Alex Rodriguez. "Now they're paid regardless of how they perform."

—Clare Horn