Leisure

Game Plan

These Places Have Games. So Play Them.

Rumor has it this is Friday. Meaning your work-play ratio is about to tilt heavily to the “play” end of the spectrum. So go find the nearest secret billiards room or some full-on lawn croquet. Or better yet, let us find them for you.

FOR THE ALFRESCO DIVERSION

Area Four

The Game: Bocce. Croquet. Horseshoes. Something called “ladder ball.” Basically, they have a bunch of lawn games to complement their lawn. Just ask about it.
The Provisions: An endless supply of wood-fired pizza for crucial carbo-loading before... bocce. Don’t think about it too hard.

FOR ORTIZ-INSPIRED MERRIMENT

Blazing Paddles

The Game: There’s ping-pong everywhere. But feel free to ignore that and make for the batting cages, which are the same ones used by visiting teams at Sox games. Guess we should have mentioned that this is connected to Fenway.
The Provisions: Rum-heavy Fenway Punch, best saved for when you’re not holding a bat.

FOR THE SLAP SHOT

JM Curley

The Game: Some mad scientist shrunk the Bruins and sealed them under plastic in the back corner. That or it’s a Bruins-themed bubble hockey game. Probably the latter.
The Provisions: A whiskey smash and a burger “Filthy Andy–style,” topped with fries and slaw. You’ll burn it off with all that finger-moving.

FOR APRÈS-AMUSEMENT

The Greatest Bar

The Game: This four-story sports mecca is just steps from TD Garden, and there’s only one game on everyone’s mind: skee-ball. Or probably the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Anyway, there’s still three skee-ball tables upstairs.
The Provisions: I wonder if these beef sliders will fit in that hol— we’re going to stop you right there.

FOR CLANDESTINE POOL-SHARK-ING

Carrie Nation

The Game: Walk through the glitzy barroom, pass the corner shoeshine and—no, keep going—there’s a hidden, barely lit whiskey lounge with two pool tables. Just like it was during pool prohibition...
The Provisions: Charcuterie and barrel-aged cocktails. Thou shalt not use the pool table as a coaster.