What's in store this week

Say hello to June with some stellar deals this week that won't break your bank account.

1. $10 Wine Crash Course: Summer Sippers in Wine. Need I explain more? Tuesday, June 2, 7PM at the Wine Gallery (375 Boylston St., Brookline).

2. Join Groupon. You're e-mailed a different offer in the Boston-area each day and, if the minimum amount of people required for this deal sign up, you all receive the discounted rate; if not enough people sign up, the deal is null-and-void (the special offers rely on a group rate-- hence groupon-- and differ depending on what the offer entails). Some recent offers have included steeply discounted mani/pedis at a Newbury salon, tennis lessons at a local country club, and a massage at over 50% off.

3. Take a blissfully free yoga class. lululemon (Prudential Center, Back Bay) and The SportsClub/LA (4 Avery St., Theatre District) have partnered up to offer a yoga class for attendees to "experience the sweetness, strength, and power connected to backbending." Thursday, June 4, 6:30-8PM. To join, e-mail samrein@mp-sportsclub.com or call 617-375-8537; mention the plug in lululemon's May 28th e-newsletter.

4. $1 oysters/half-priced apps/$2.50 drafts in the North End. Mondays through Fridays/Mondays through Fridays 4-7PM/anytime, respectively, at The Living Room (101 Atlantic Ave., North End).

5. If you're a Bank of America, see fine art for free this weekend. Bank of America's Museums on Us program gives cardholders free general admission to over 100 museums nationwide on the first weekend of each month. Saturday, June 6 through Sunday, June 7 (closes at 7PM) at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts (465 Huntington Ave., Fenway/Kenmore). Bring a photo ID and any Bank of America card.

Stay in shape on a Dime

Because, hey, before you know it we'll be gym-rats again!

The ever-anticipated Memorial Day weekend has come and gone, and for those of us Divas in the Northeast it means three key things:

1. We can finally wear white without worrying about that fashion-faux-pas, which was ingrained into our minds long ago.
2. Our tanlines are no longer non-existent.
3. It's "summer."

My point here is this: Take advantage of the next few months of beautiful weather and consider taking your workout routine outside. As a frequenter to the gym for as long as I can remember, I never thought I'd be one to say, "I'll be 'freezing' my gym membership this week." But I just said it, and I am. Because I realized two MAJOR benefits of doing so: I'll get fresh air after a long day in the office and save a pretty penny each month.

If you're locked into a gym membership, inquire about "freezing" it-- some gyms will charge you a small fee per month to keep it "frozen," while others may not even allow it. Because of the state of the economy, however, plenty of gyms in the area are offering promos to those "freezing"-- not canceling-- memberships (such as no-charge "freezing" for X-number of months).

Once you've "frozen" that membership, warm-up outside with one of these no- or low- cost exercises:

1. Running. Burns 600 to 700 calories/hr. There's plenty of routes in the area to conquer head-on, including the Charles' River Esplanade or down Beacon St., retracing the Boston Marathoners' route. Look up other local routes at MapMyRun.com.

2. Walking. Burns about 250 calories/hr., depending on your pace. Make it as simple as walking, instead of other transportation, or go for a power-walk along one of the MyMyRun.com routes.

3. Swimming. Burns 500 to 600 calories/hr. The Mirabella (North End) Pool (Commercial St., North End). $10 for the entire summer. Enough said.

4. Tennis. Free outdoor courts throughout the city (Patience not included! Courts can be busy and waits can be long, especially on weekends). There are two courts on the Common, one in the South End's Southwest Corridor, two on the Esplanade close to North Station, and several at North End park on Commercial St.; check out a complete list of court locations (and which ones are lit) here.

Making Monday MAGNIFICENT!

Let's face it: No matter how we swing it, Mondays just aren't fun. But, discovering a handful of Diva-worthy deals each Monday, may make this dreaded day of the week a lil' more bearable. Here's the debut of "Magnificent Mondays: Five On-a-Dime Deals to get you through the Week."

1. The White Sale at National Jean Company (34 Langley Rd., Newton Centre) begins on Thursday, May 21st through Monday, May 25th. All whites 30% off; Entire store 25%.

2. Every Wednesday, from 5:30 to 7pm, enjoy "snacking time" at Sensing Restaurant & Bar (Fairmont Battery Wharf, 3 Battery Wharf, North End). The restaurant's signature small bites--infused with French techniques and global flavors-- are just $.99 per item.

3. Snacks aren't enough? Stop by Teatro (177 Tremont St., Theatre District) for its classic piattini menu, just $3 after 8pm.

4. JetBlue's Summer Sale kicked off today, with select one-way flights from $29 to $129. Travel must be booked by May 21st and take place between June 2nd and September 9th.

5. Cool off with $1 oysters Monday through Friday at The Living Room (101 Atlantic Ave., North End).