If you haven't heard of the Tribe yet, you will -- at least that's what the performing-arts collective is aiming for. With a stated goal of becoming "a recognized leader in the Boston arts scene," the Tribe comprises member groups in various artistic disciplines, from improv comedy to dance and film. Currently, it's lighting up the stage at the Cantab Lounge on Thursday nights with four sets per evening of improv ensembles and comedians. Word is spreading that the Tribe is a hot outlet for talent, so catch them soon -- or join them!

For a different kind of insider experience, the Hotel Commonwealth is quietly wowing guests with the fab amenities hidden behind its Disneyland façade. The new Kenmore Square hotel offers enormous rooms, the smallest of which are 470 square feet -- as big as your typical Beacon Hill apartment! With complimentary high-speed Internet access, wireless phones that allow you to roam the hotel as you chat, DVD players in every room, a DVD lending library, Frette linens, and L'Occitane bath products, it's a truly decadent way to spend a night or weekend.

Tribe, Thursdays at the Cantab, 738 Mass Ave, Cambridge, www.thetribepresents.com; Hotel Commonwealth, 500 Comm Ave, Boston, (617) 933-5000.