Wired Magazine used to use a combo of Meta and Filosofia, and managed to do a lot with them.

I've used it with Bodoni 12 to effect as well.

I'm using Meta and Trajan on an identity system right now, but of course Trajan isn't going to help you out in your average text setting.

One of the magazines I design pairs Meta with FF Scala and PMN Caecilia. It's the typographic equivalent of a late '90s all-star team.