Another trendy and cutting edge restaurant to add to the hot, hot, hot South End dining scene. Along with sophisticated designer lofts and apartments, Banq is opening in the beautifully renovated Penny Saving Bank. Decor is made up of undulating layers of sand colored wood that flow across the ceiling like a soft wave. The restaurant is like the inside of a prehistoric whales body, as depicted by a minimalist Japanese architect. Very chic, spacious, loud and almost anonymous; it could be a spot in midtown Manhattan. You're likely to spend probably 10 minutes staring around at how interesting the space is. Little plants at the tables are a nice added touch that don't get in the way of your food. Which, by the way, is impressive in an Iron Chef sort of way. If you have friends visiting from NYC or London or Tokyo, bring them to Banq to show them that 'lil ole Boston IS a cutting edge Metropolitan city.

Feel chic but never awkward at posh Union Bar and Grille. This South End eatery never fails in offering you not only a gorgeous meal (albeit sometimes $), but a chance to get some good people watching in as well. The sleek and modern surroundings are the perfect backdrop to the creative menu and festive drink list. Go ahead, lose yourself in a fruity martini. Don't miss their inexpensive brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. Be part of the chic and overtired crowd that comes pouring in late morning in dire need of a cup of coffee, or better yet, a strong bloody mary. October Special: 5 year Anniversary Celebration all month Join the bartenders at Union Bar and Grille all through the month of October for specialty cocktails for $5 and complimentary nibbles between 5:30-7pm

Hip and happening, cool and fun: Stella is a great addition to the "foodie" world of the South End as it is not only a great place to dine: but the place to be seen as well. The scene is swanky, mod and high energy-not a place for a quiet dinner with grandma (unless she can swing with the in-crowd). You won’t be sorry if you start with the Beet and Goat Cheese appetizer. The menu is stacked with pasta and fish, flatbread pizzas and side dishes to die for. They do lunch, dinner and a fab brunch on the weekends. So throw on something cute and grab a glass of bubbly: Stella is here to stay.

The recent addition of Rocca to the growing list of top-tier restaurants in the SOWA region of the South End was highly lauded when it opened in Spring 2007. Italian food inspired by the Riviera, this hotspot is not only a fabulous meal with a creative twist, but it also boasts a great bar scene. Rocca's menu is mid-range prices with a fairly expensive wine list. The best way to describe Rocca? Italian-style tapas. Rocca specializes in small portions and a collection of Italian-style tastes like fresh raviolis, gnocchi and the artichoke "taste" dish. There's a rustic water wheel sculpture made out of metal for outdoor diners which punctuates the restaurant's already stunning red-and-silver ambience. Also, Rocca boasts ample free parking which is a definite plus for Boston-area foodies. Check out Rocca's blog HERE.

A weekend event held each spring. All SOWA galleries, shops and restaurants, many artist studios are open. These streets are the most active: Wareham, Harrison,Plympton, Washington and Thayer Streets. From the website: The SOWA Art Walk is held every spring in the SOWA (South of Washington Street) neighborhood in Boston’s South End. A former mill building district where pianos, canned goods, shoes and other merchandise were made in the 19th century, the district has been home to artists’ studios carved out of the old factories for the last fifty years. Today, the artists have been joined by art galleries, creative businesses, cutting edge restaurants and the recent boom in residential loft buildings. The SOWA Art Walk takes place in late May each year and is a weekend-long standing invitation to visit the artists in their studios. This year, the SOWA Art Walk will occur on Saturday and Sunday May 17-18, 2008 from 11 am to 6 pm. Creative stores, cafes, boutiques and some of the city’s finest restaurants take part in the SoWa Art Walk by opening their doors all weekend, hosting artists who display on their walls and offering special event discounts. The SOWA Open Market, an open-air venue for artists, craftsmen, collectioners, farmstands and other vendors makes its seasonal debut each year in tandem with the SoWa Art Walk HERE. Come stroll through one of Boston’s most vibrant and creative neighborhoods on a spring weekend and you’ll be sure to find a painting, original design/make clothing, a set of antique china … or brunch surrounded by plenty of atmosphere!

Beauty by the Square Inch: where fine art meets interior design Lush, lovely, original paintings for your home, office or boardroom by award-winning artist, Miss J. Rebecca Trueblood Any size, any colors, many styles to choose from Artist's Statement: I create pieces that acknowledge and respond to the physical presence of the person viewing them. This comes from an uncertainty about my own place in the world; the urge to have a unique identity with clearly marked personal space conflicts with a longing for real intimacy and a feeling of being part of a community. In some pieces, there are details that will not read from across the room: you must get close to see them, much closer than you would to the face of a stranger. Colors may cozy up together or push violently. Spaces between shapes create varying degrees of tension. I take inspiration from everyday objects, anthropological images, microscopic life, and the surface of our planet, utilizing patterning and repetition that makes creation a meditative and obsessive act. Flat rate pricing: Works on paper, unframed: $1 per square inch Works on canvas: $2 per square inch shipping extra non-returnable