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Paul Revere's house, built in 1680, was nearly 100 years old when the Revolutionary War hero lived there. Today it's dwarfed by businesses and apartment buildings in the historic North End of Boston, in Massachusetts.

Q I am flying to Dublin, Ireland, soon. I discovered that I could save a lot of money on airfare by buying a separate fare on Southwest to Boston and then a second, onward fare to Dublin instead of a single fare from my home airport to Ireland. In order not to miss my flight, I'm taking the $400 I saved and spending a day and night in Boston. How should I spend my 24-hour layover? What's the "killer" restaurant of the moment? What sites should I see near my hotel (the Kimpton Onyx)?

A You're right that you often can save money by buying "split" fares, and you're very wise not to try to make a connection on the same day of travel, in case your first leg is delayed or canceled.

The Onyx is near North Station and the North End neighborhood, so you might just want to explore that area, stopping in at the Paul Revere House, the Old North Church, Old Ironsides and other historic sites, or perhaps catch a Celtics game at TD (formerly Boston) Garden if you're a basketball fan. You're also close to Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall.

Farther afield, if you're an art lover, make the short trip to the Fenway and Boston's Museum of Fine Arts, or the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. It's easy to get around by public transit (the "T") or by foot.

The high-end restaurant of the moment in Boston is Menton (, where chef Barbara Lynch has whipped up two prix fixe menus. It's pricey, but it looks like you'll be saving enough on airfare to cover the tab.

Q I paid a baggage fee on United. The bag did not make it to my destination in time for an important job interview, so I had to buy a replacement suit plus a shirt and tie for $400. My bag finally arrived about 10 p.m. the next day. I have since tried to contact the airline but have not been able to speak to a real person. Should the airline reimburse this fee and my expenses, and shouldn't there be a way to contact them?

A First of all: Honestly, I'm not giving United a free pass here, but assuming it was an important interview, and the interview was to be held the day you arrived, why didn't you wear the suit on the plane? Why take a chance?

Second, there's no government regulation requiring airlines to refund bag fees if a bag is delayed (there should be one, but so far they're only required by the Department of Transportation to refund if the bag is lost). However, the DOT does require airlines to reimburse passengers for reasonable expenses to replace essential items even when a bag is merely delayed.

You will have to pursue United through their customer service, providing a receipt for your suit, shirt and tie, and you may even have to take them to small claims court if they do not respond. As for your bag fee, if you paid by credit card, you should try challenging the charge, in writing, with your issuing bank, under the Federal Fair Billing Credit Act, since you paid for but did not receive the product you paid for (i.e., timely delivery of your bag). You can complain to United using this online form -- -- or write P.O. Box 66140, Chicago, IL 60666-0140; or phone 800-221-6903. Be concise, polite, put everything in writing, and insist that all responses are also in writing, not verbal.

Today's column comes from George Hobica of