This weekend: Nest

I don't know about anyone else, but I like real estate. Houses big and small... but mostly big, excite me.

A friend of mine said that during her college years in D.C., she and her friends would dress up and attend open houses of some of the gorgeous, old homes for sale in the area. Silly, but sounds fun, right?

There are some really amazing and fabulous homes in the Merrimack Valley, just north of Boston, that I would love to tour. Here are my top 5 houses I want you to dress up and get into, along with a suggestion for an after-tour bite.

1. Haverhill - This amazing mansion is probably one of, if not the nicest, custom homes in the area. It has the advantage of being newer in an area where many of the stateliest homes are old. I wish Obama gave a stimulus check big enough to get me into this one.

• LUNCH @ The Tap. There's no getting away from this place. It is the place to eat (and drink, which goes without saying) in Haverhill. Be careful, though, they're closed Mondays.

2. Amesbury - OMG! You cannot say you don't want to wake up in this gorgeous shag-carpeted bedroom, to this expansive riverfront view. While it doesn't have 11 car garaging, as does the Haverhill Mansion, it is beyond fabulous.

• LUNCH @ The Barking Dog. Traditional pub food with a laundry list of beers on tap. They also have wines from far and wide. Expect to be surprised here.

3. Newburyport - Historic hotness is the only way to describe this one. The courtyard alone is stunning. And, you're in Newburyport. I'd live in a box just to be near all those restaurants, bars, and Atlantic Ocean breezes!

• LUNCH @ Andaman Thai. This is the best Thai in the valley. I love their vegetarian dishes, spicy dishes, and list of thai beers and wines. The service is top notch and the roof deck will tempt you with its views.. but you can't drink up there, so choose wisely.

4. Newburyport - So, this is on the cheap side. Don't judge. It's so pretty, anyway.

• LUNCH @ Szechuan Taste (from their sushi menu). Who doesn't love sushi and sake? Now, picture yourself enjoying sushi and sake in a basement in Newburyport, in groovy booths carved from pine that you literally need to climb up on, and down into. You have to see it to believe it. So go see it!

5. Andover- Decorating TLC needed, but overall, this house has it. It is somewhere between the really old Andover mansions and the newer McMansions that people love to hate on. Hey, I'd live here in a pinch.

• LUNCH @ Dylan's. Another pub, but a jazzy one. Apps include tuna tartar and other funky favorites. Beers are standard (Sam Adams, UFO). Atmosphere is key in this dimly lit, swanky joint.

Enjoy the weekend, friends!