I HATE Rachael Ray…

…More than any other TV personality (if you can even call her that). But when you are watching The Bee Movie for the second time in less than 24 hours, and you just saw it not too long ago in the theater, you need to find creative ways to keep yourself entertained. For me, I decided to reach for the April’s edition of Everyday with Rachael Ray.

As I looked at her “trying to be Martha Stewart” picture on the cover of the magazine, obsessing over how dark her eyebrows are and how much I cannot stand that fake smile, I noticed an interesting article highlight: Boston, your Way. Hmmm… I guess I should check this out so I can make even more fun of how much she really doesn’t know.

To my [pleasant] surprise, the article was actually kind of interesting and whomever she hired to do the research on the latest and greatest places in Boston did a really good job.

Basically, she outlines a set of places to visit and eat at, based on five types of girls:

1. History Buff
2. Sports Nut
3. Culture Kid
4. Thrifty Chick
5. Gal Pal
6. And then “Rachael’s Way”

The suggestions under each ‘type’ were not your typical touristy places, but rather, a well thought out set of places that cover some of the newest and most traditional places worth hitting.

For the History Buff:

1. Start off with breakfast at the Paramount Restaurant in Beacon Hill
2. Off to Copley Square, Boston Public Library and Trinity Church for architecture
3. Down to Faneuil Hall and Boston Pewter Company for souvenirs and then Wagamama for lunch
4. Walk across the way and tour the North End (our version of Little Italy) and then grab some goodies at the Gelateria and Mike’s Pastry
5. From the North End, walk the 2.5 mile Freedom Trail
6. Back to Beacon Hill for dinner at Clink — a 157-year old jail

For the Sports Nut:

1. Start off hiking at the Fells — 2000 acres of park land just outside Cambridge
2. Head to The Lower Depths Tap Room for hot dogs ($1 each) and beer
3. Rent a pike and ride the Dudley White Bike Path that runs along the Charles River
4. Walk to Beacon Hill’s DeLuca’s Market for some snacks and goodies
5. Even if you are not a Sox fan, you can grab a bite to eat and overlook Fenway Park at The Baseball Tavern in Fenway
6. Finish the day at Game On with drinks and sports TV

For the Culture Kid:

1. Visit the the new (opened in 2006) Institute of Contemporary Art
2. Next, head over to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum — which has been around since 1902 and was built to mimic Renaissance Venetian palazzos in Venice
3. Support new artists on Harrison Avenue at Kingston Gallery — in an up and coming area called SoWa (South of Washington)
4. Head out to Newton for some dinner at 51 Lincoln (one of my personal favorites) and also check out the artwork on the wall… done by the chef himself
5. End your evening at The Beehive (another one of my favorites!) with cocktails, jazz shows and perhaps some late night bites

For the Thrifty Chick:

1. Start out by purchasing half-price theater tickets at BosTix (there is a kiosk in Copley Square)
2. Then head over to the Second Time Around on Newbury street, for second hand designer duds
3. From there, catch the ferry to George’s Island ($10) — one of the 34 Harbor Islands — and walk the path to Fort Warren
4. Have dinner at the Garden at the Cellar in Cambridge and then walk downstairs to the original dive bar for some cheap cocktails

For the Gal Pal:

1. Spend some cash at the high-end fashion boutiques on Newbury Street
2. Head to the South End for lunch at Meyer + Chang (again, another favorite)
3. Back to Newbury street to treat yourself to a facial at Violet Skin Boutique
4. Do a little girlfriend gossiping over a glass of wine at Bin 26 Enoteca in Beacon Hill
5. Learn to cook like the pros at Stir in the South End — owned by local celebrity chef Barbara Lynch (of No. 9 Park, B & G Oysters, Plum Produce, Niche Catour and The Butcher Shop)
6. Meet some Boston boys at The Foundation Lounge in Kenmore Square — and enjoy the cocktails and Japanese treats while you are there

Rachael’s favorite way to visit Boston is by hitting:

1. La Verdad next to Fenway Park — a new taco place owned by Ken Origner of Clio (definitely a favorite) and Toro
2. Off to the G Spa on Newbury street for a Menage-a-Spa — a mani, pedi and facial
3. Next she pigs out at Via Matta in Back Bay — owned by Michael Schlow (of Radius and Great Bay fame)
4. For a fun night out, she hits Revolution Rock Bar & Lounge — where you can dance the night away to some of the city’s best DJ talent
5. Wrap up the evening by heading back to XV Beacon for a good nights rest. Feel free to bring your dog… as they are pet friendly

Lastly, Rachael recommends the following hotels in general:

1. Charlesmark Hotel in Copley Square
2. Newbury Guest House on Newbury Street (Back Bay)
3. Omni Parker House down by the Financial District
4. Boston Yacht Haven on the Water Front
5. Clarendon Square Inn in the South End

All-in-all some pretty good recommendations. Like I said earlier, her staff clearly did some research and came up with a list that I feel represents some of the best places to visit in Boston!