If you've just completed the 20/20 Home Cure, the last thing you need in your home is more stuff. Here are 6 experiential gifts in and around Boston that won't sit on a shelf collecting dust.

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I love a good party. Whether a small potluck with friends or a big Oscar bash, entertaining is one of my favorite things. Although Boston has its share of big box stores and an iParty recently opened in Back Bay, I prefer shopping local and independent whenever possible. So when it comes to supplying the party, here are my 3 favorite shops:
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While it may be know for the wind and chilly winters, Chicago is also a great resource for gift giving. There are tons of festivals and gifts fairs, trendy shops, fantastic local artists and artisans, as well a ton of cool activities and landmarks. If you're in the city of big shoulders, or know a Chicago buff, check out what Chicago has to offer for green gift giving. More

Shop local stores along the Central Corridor to help foster a strong community or visit the 2011 Green Gifts Fair is this Satuday, November 19th at the Midtown Global Market. Here are ten of the 70+ products you can find at the fair as well as five local businesses. More

I'm just back from a few days in Amsterdam to attend Woonbeurs, the annual home design show. Whenever I'm there, I try and make it to the outdoor market near the Noorderkirk in the Jordaan neighborhood. This past Saturday morning was the ideal day to visit, sunny, warm and packed with locals looking for bric-a-brac bargains... More

City: Montreal
Population: 1,906,811, Greater Montreal metropolitan area 3,814,700
Green Cred: Great green places to stay, places to visit, and sustainable development.

Montreal is a mix of different cultures. Québecois (French Canadians) mix in with Anglophone Canadians to form a vibrant city, one that is filled with a great nightlife and things to do. Montreal is Canada's second most populous city and French is the main language, spoken by over 59% of the population, but you'll have no trouble navigating around in English. As the metropole of Québec and one of the largest cities in Canada, you'll find a bunch of activities and things to do for the green-minded tourist. More

City: New York City
Population: 8,391,881
Green Cred: A mass transportation system that runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year; dozens of farmers' markets and public parks; the green architecture of the Hearst Building and the Bank of America Tower. Its lesser known green cred: the largest commercial steam system in the United States is located under the streets of Manhattan where it heats, cools, and powers high-rise business and residential buildings.

With so many things to do and see in one city, how can a visitor take in all that New York has to offer? Our advice: step off the beaten path of Midtown Manhattan and get to know the greener sides of New York City. If possible, take a quick trip out of Manhattan to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, Governors Island, or Sandy Hook so you can see the city from afar, where it's often its most beautiful. More

City: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Population: 54,492
Green Cred: Home of the Green Bridge development, local eateries and sustainable southern living.

Chapel Hill, NC is known for the University but is also a destination in and of itself. Together with the nearby cities of Carrboro and Durham (both within a 5 minute drive and connected by a free bus), the area is full of local eateries, sustainable southern living, and surrounded by gorgeous greenery. More

City: Madison, Wisconsin
Population: 220,000
Green Cred: Built around or near 5 lakes, and with more than 200 miles of biking and hiking trails, Madison has long been home to a progressive, outdoorsy, and green-minded community.

Madison's credentials as a green town go way back. The state capital has been home to senator and former governor Gaylord Nelson, founder of Earth Day. Aldo Leopold, often cited as the founder of wildlife ecology, taught at University of Wisconsin-Madison. And landscape architect John Nolen, who focused on preserving natural beauty while incorporating the needs of urban life, has fingerprints all over the town and its park system. Today, the city has ranked highly on lists of everything from "Best Places to Live," "Top 10 Greenest Cities," "Best Farmer's Market in the Nation," "Best Outdoor-Oriented Towns," and "Top Cities for Recycling." More

City: Chicago
Population: 2,896,016
Green Cred: A 20,300-square-foot green roof built on top of City Hall accompanied by several city-wide environmental initiatives: green roof and green alley programs, 1,300 acres of new open space, minimum tree requirements, Greencorps Chicago, Green Bungalows, green permitting and minimum LEED certification requirements; a vast network of city and suburban public transit; Chicago Center for Green Technology (one of the first LEED Platinum-certified buildings in the country); and lastly over 18 miles of Lake Michigan waterfront.

While Chicago is best known for its cold snowy winters, sports teams and beautiful architecture, it's quickly rising as one of the best green cities in the US. If it was up to its mayor, Richard M. Daley, it would be known as the greenest city — since becoming mayor Daley has made greening the city his mission, and as the last several years has shown, it's been quite the success. More