The Greater Boston area is slathered with so-called “Irish” bars and restaurants. And while most anyone can learn to use a spoon to pour a Guinness or to have pictures of Joyce and O’Shea on the walls, it takes a wee bit more to make an authentic or even a good Irish venue.

With years of experience laid down by its siblings in Foxboro and Lexington, the “modern” Irish bar known as Waxy’s (www.waxys.com) has been dropping pots of gold at the end of rainbows in Brookline and Kingston (with more on the way).

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With the long-overdue increased focus on health and freshness in America, juice bars have become the latest “fitness in a bottle” rage. Sadly, many of these corner store concoctors offer items that are as bland as the organic dishwasher with which they wash their million-dollar blenders.

That is why It was so refreshing to find Tropical Smoothie Café.

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Having grown up along Route 110, I have fond memories of such ancient eateries as Lum’s, The Old Oaken Bucket, and my beloved Skip’s. In retrospect, however, the nostalgia may be fresher than some of the menu items were.

So that is why I was so pleased (and, frankly, pleasantly surprised) to find as fine an establishment as 110 Grill (www.110grill.com) perched right along the same storied strip where many of my old favorites once stood.

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 While many may see it as a store or museum with a restaurant attached, the Hard Rock Café has ben making efforts to shore up their menu and offer more for families than just an opportunity to relive parent’s days of youth. So in between your DIY docent tour of their international assemblage of rock iconism (including an entire room dedicated to Boston bands from Aerosmith to New Kids), you will have even more reason to stop back at your table to enjoy the National Restaurant Association’s LiveWell-approved kids menu, featuring such fan faves as grilled chicken breast with broccoli, Cavatappi pasta with marinara and such sassy sides as fresh fruits and seasonal veggies. While the Café still offers great live entertainment in the Cavern Club and while the adult menu has added many more healthy options and seasonal flavors like the St Patrick’s Day-inspired Guinness burger, the kids menu also deserves kudos for combining freshness and fun. Among the chart-topping choices are  Buddy Jr’s bangin’ burger,   Mac Daddy mac & cheese or a ” Kid” salad with grilled chicken. The under 10 menu also features HRC’s crew of kiddie characters and all meals come with a beverage and can be followed with a Ben & Jerry’s-based sundae. There are even special stickers and a quality notepad/activity book for all little rockers to enjoy! So even though not all kids will “dig” the wall of cymbals, the menu and characters are fun and satisfying and can help kids get interested in “real” music.

Hard Rock Cafe

22-4 Clinton Street, Boston

www.hardrock.com

Phone 617 424 7625

As South Boston begins to resemble the Wild West with its endless and apparently uncontrolled development, it is good to know that there is still a great place to go to grab a bite and a beer, get away from it all, and to remember how things used to be.

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For over 350 years, Belkins Lookout Farm in Natick (http://lookoutfarm.com) has been a place to go for truly delicious family fun. From pick-your-own apples and pumpkins to train and hayrides, a massive play and petting area, horse and even camel rides(!), there is something for everyone, especially if you have little ones.

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With the new studies coming out almost weekly about the health benefits of wine and the wonderful way it can be paired with everything from cheese to chocolate, more and more people are trying to educate themselves- not the point of snobbery, but enough to know what they enjoy and enjoy what they know.

One of the best ways to educate yourself about wine is to find a friendly, knowledgeable wine store owner and to make a relationship.

One of the best ways to do that in Eastern MA is at Bin Ends (www.binendswine.com).

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