It's just a few days before the Thanksgiving holiday and you may be starting to feel like the last pick for the kickball team. It's Thanksgiving at Tufts - and you're staying on campus. Maybe the plane ticket home is too expensive, maybe you've never celebrated Thanksgiving, or maybe you hate turkey. Whatever the reason, have no fear: Thanksgiving in Boston has more to offer than overcooked Butterballs. Check out some fun alternative activities in Boston to keep you feeling warm and fuzzy right through the weekend. And all Daily staff approved!
Communal dining: Move beyond the kid's table at Aunt Betty's; why not try communal restaurant dining? Hi-Rise Bread Company in Cambridge offers a casual caf?©/bakery setting with gourmet sandwich creations served around a large wooden table. Beyond the sandwiches - which are a meal in themselves - Hi-Rise also offers desserts, freshly baked artisan bread, coffees and teas, and even a wall of unique wines. Bistro-style prix-fixe dinners are also available for takeout for $16 per person. Open Wednesday, Nov. 22, 8 a.m. to 7p.m., Thursday, Nov. 23, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Friday, Nov. 24, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you're a little behind schedule, Hi-Rise is open Saturday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hi-Rise Bread Company, 208 Huron Avenue, Cambridge. 617-876-8766.
Boston Tea Party: Forget the turkey and pass the Earl Grey. For a truly indulgent and alternative Thanksgiving experience, replace your stuffing with Afternoon Tea at The Ritz-Carlton hotel. Settle into the plush second-floor lounge overlooking Newbury Street and take your pick of English crumpets, Jasmine tea, and watercress sandwiches, swathed in the lush sounds of the live harpist. Seatings are at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, though it is closed Thanksgiving Day. The tea and pastry menu runs $20, and it's $28 for tea, pastry, and finger sandwiches; call 617-536-5700 for reservations. The Ritz-Carlton,15 Arlington St., Boston.
Get Veggie With It: Turn the tables on a Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving and get earthy at a Boston folk landmark. Club Passim and its in-house restaurant/caf?© Veggie Planet have been making folksy waves since Joan Baez performed at the club back in the flower child days. Modern listeners can go and savor extraordinary vegetarian and vegan dishes from the restaurant while enjoying the homey and down-to-earth atmosphere of live music performances, which often feature American and international folk artists. Veggie Planet is open Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., closed Thanksgiving. Club Passim performances in the evening. Club Passim / Veggie Planet, 617-661-1513 / 617-492-7679, 47 Palmer St. (in Harvard Square), Cambridge.
Skip to Dessert: Why settle for canned pumpkin pie when you can savor handmade sweet treats at a Boston-only establishment? For a delicious range of handmade chocolate truffles, steaming hot chocolate, and other giggle-inducing delights, check out Beacon Hill Chocolates on Beacon Hill, just off Boston's oh-so-chic Charles Street. With seasonal specialties like pumpkin-flavored truffles and chocolate-covered cranberries, something in this Pandora's Box of a shop is bound to please. 92B Pickney St., Boston. 617-725-1900.
Energy Rush: Reject the turkey-induced serotonin stupor of the holiday feast and experience an earth-defying energy boost, courtesy of the Museum of Science's "Adrenaline Rush: The Science of Risk." Follow skydivers and BASE jumpers around the world as they test firsthand the body's capacity for human flight, and probe the reasons behind our love for living life on the edge. One-up your Uncle Vinny's flat-screen with the MoS's enormous IMAX theater and say goodbye to syrupy parades and overcooked ball games. $9 for students and adults for film showings. The Museum of Science, Science Park, Boston. 617-723-2500.
Save a Turkey: Become a friend of poultry and go for the whole cow. For possibly the most amazing carnivorous experience of your life (Veggie Planet aficionados stop reading here), try an Argentinean steak at Tango in Arlington. Walk into this cozy family restaurant and feel swept away to the grasslands of Argentina, where churrasco sauce and beef come together in a singular savory sensation. The menu includes empanadas, salads, seafood and pasta, but steak is central. Entrees run from roughly $10 to $30. Open Sunday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., closed Thanksgiving. 464 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington. (Take MBTA bus 87 from Davis Square to Arlington Center.) 781-443-9000.
If you're still desperate for the bird on that magical Thursday, you can pre-order your very own smoked turkey dinner from Redbones in Davis Square. The meal includes candied yams, succotash and mac and cheese. Orders must be made by Monday, Nov. 20 and picked up Wednesday, Nov. 22 before the restaurant closes for Thanksgiving. $50 for a 12- to 14-pound turkey. 55 Chester St., Somerville. 617-628-2200.
