Things to Do in Brookline

Helmed by stalwart captain Zdeno Chara, the 2011 Bruins exercise athletic domination over friction and work out cylindrically based angst on the ice. Premium club seating (located on levels 5 and 6) grants you early access to the arena and the first pick of the freshest foam fingers. Once the puck is dropped, you can see each snapping slap shot and delicate toe pick in vivid detail as you relax in cushy comfort, complete with extra leg room and in-seat wait service. Stretch your legs midgame with a jaunt to the Insight Club Lounge or The Patrón Platinum Lounge, or restock trivia arsenals with your ticket’s included access to the sports museum.

With a history of nautical scholarship that dates back to the mid 1930s, Community Boating Inc. has graduated thousands of students from its hands-on sailing school and into the ranks of skipperdom. Seasoned instructors lead classes for all ages, with separate youth, adult, and universal-access programs to ensure that the sweeping vistas, invigorating mists, and albatross necklaces of seafaring can be enjoyed by all. Certified students and members can take jaunts across the Charles River atop a kayak or Mercury sailboat borrowed from Community Boating Inc.’s 100-strong fleet of windblown and man-powered vessels.

Tommy Doyle's menu whacks hunger on its horned head with a delicious shillelagh of Irish-influenced pub grub. Starters include colcannon cakes ($6.99)—the traditional Irish appetizer made from hand-crafted potatoes, cabbage, and scallions—and the famine-fighting potato skins ($6.99). Cow-consumers will have no qualms with Tommy Doyle's array of burgers such as the bacon-and-cheese-crowned Hill 16 ($9.99) and the Kitchen Sink ($10.99), topped with mushrooms, jalapenos, onion, cheese, and a fried egg. Wayward Leopold Blooms missing the cuisine of fair Erin can opt for traditional Irish dishes such as a shepherd's pie ($11.99) and corned beef and cabbage ($10.99), or discover how seafood tastes on this side of the Atlantic with Tommy Doyle's most popular dish, the fish 'n' chips ($12.49). In honor of the Coyote Grill, the restaurant that preceded Tommy Doyle's at its Kendall Square location, Tommy Doyle's also serves fajitas in chicken ($11.99), steak ($12.99), and veggie ($10.99) variations. If your NASA training requires that you eat all your food for the day by mid-afternoon, stop by Tommy Doyle's for its weekend brunch.

The Staples Champions Cup brings together the timeless titans of tennis, including Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe, for a round-robin tournament of fierce backhands and friendly back-talk. During the first session of the men's singles quarterfinal tournament, Borg, the former top tennis player in the world, will show off the racqueteering that won him five consecutive Wimbledon titles as he takes on Mikael Pernfors, a finalist at the 1986 French Open, in a showdown of Swedish swagger. In the second match of the first session, Mark Philippoussis, a finalist at both the U.S. Open and Wimbledon, will fly-swat the fuzzy yellow insect sent buzzing over the net by Olympic silver medalist Wayne Ferreira. Because there actually is a rule that says a sassy talking mule can't play tennis, the third match has been canceled.

Some people may see sailing as a way to save money on gas when traveling by water, but Courageous Sailing, recognized as a top 10 community sailing center by US Sailing and Sail Magazine, sees it as a way to educate, build leadership skills, and promote life-long learning in youth, adults, and the physically disabled. Since 1987, the nonprofit organization has hosted sailing programs for Boston's youth along with providing accessible sailing lessons and membership to the community at large. The Courageous staff serves numerous children a year with their curriculum, which teaches kids personal responsibility, communication, problem solving, and teamwork through sailing. They’ve also hosted local Special Olympians, as well as weekly races for visually impaired youths through their partnership with The Carroll Center for the Blind.

Baron Baptiste's signature brand of yoga has transformed lives. It has optimized the performance of the Philadelphia Eagles and empowered impoverished youth in Nairobi. It has lifted the spirits of war veterans and counseled gang members in Los Angeles. On a day-to-day basis, it has improved the physical health and mental acuity of Bostonians, who can practice the discipline under the tutelage of Baron Baptiste himself.

At his eponymous studios in Brookline and Cambridge, Baptiste joins a team of instructors who promulgate his teachings through classes, teacher-training programs, and workshops. Classes take place in 90-degree studios that boost detoxification and flexibility. In addition to fitness-centric classes, the studio offers guided meditation classes that establish the focus and clarity of mind required to read the entire Gutenberg Bible while riding a rollercoaster.