1. GET A MAP. Boston's roads are paved cowpaths and the city is a huge Celtic knot. Yes, Boston was designed by cows. 2. On Fridays and Saturdays, go to Haymar

1. GET A MAP. Boston's roads are paved cowpaths and the city is a huge Celtic knot. Yes, Boston was designed by cows. 2. On Fridays and Saturdays, go to Haymarket (Haymarket stop on the Orange Line) if you want to save a ton of money on food but live very, very well. I could write a whole article about Haymarket, but the short of it is that it's a superb open air market with fresh produce, fish, meats and cheeses. I recently walked away with 24 pints of organic strawberries for $6. 3. The best place for a game of chess is in Harvard Square at the Au Bon Pain courtyard (Harvard Square on the Red Line). I did write an article about it, so search for my name if you want to. Keep in mind that there are always more players than there are boards to play with, so bring a board unless you like to watch. 4. The Esplanade along the Charles River is gorgeous in the summer and is great for biking, running, rollerblading and people watching. It's also a good place for free concerts during the summer. 5. The best thrift stores are Boomerangs in Jamaica Plain and Savers on Route 9. I've found Armani shirts for $5. 6. The Museum of Fine Arts (Ruggles stop on the Orange Line), or the MFA as locals call it, has free admittance on Wednesdays. 7. The greenest, most socially responsible bank you'll find in Boston is Wainwright Bank. I haven't been to their newest branch, but I heard it uses natural light and things like the counters and flooring are made of cornstalk and bamboo. 8. There is a Trader Joe's that's accessible by the T (Hynes Convention Center on the Green Line) but it's a dry store thanks to the Massachusetts' law that prohibits them from selling alcohol at more than 3 locations in the state. The Trader Joe's on Memorial Drive in Cambridge is the best location. For whatever reason, the lines are shorter and the staff seems happier. 9. I know you're already in school, but one of the greatest resources in Boston is the Independent Activities Period at MIT (Kendall/MIT stop on the Red Line) every January and February. I have great memories of a 20 hour course I took with Tim Berners-Lee. 10. If you have a dog, you are required to go to Franklin Park in Jamaica Plain. It's the city's largest greenspace and it was designed by the same Frank Law Olmstead who later designed Central Park in New York. It's also home to the Franklin Park Zoo, where a gorilla actually escaped a few years ago and was seen waiting at a bus stop.