Bassil & McNichols
"Glo-cows debating nuclear power" cards available at Bassil & McNichols, Quincy Market. Plain white cards cut in the silhouette of nuclear power plants, with two little pink glowing cows in the foreground. Comes with a map showing all U.S. nuke facilities. Quality watermarked paper, $1.50 apiece. Quincy Market, Boston, MA .
Louis Boston
There's no excuse for men to ignore their feet when the variety and selection are this good. Whether it's a pair of comfy Campers or Silvano Lattanzi custom oxfords, they have it here. And in a refreshing twist on one of the largest selections of fashion-forward (think Helmut Lang and Prada) dress shoes in the city, Louis even sells flip-flops. 234 Berkeley St., Boston, MA louisboston.com.
La Bonne Maison
No generic pasta bowls here: La Bonne Maison appeals to foodies with creative fare such as buttermilk-chicken sliders with hot--pepper jelly, and stuffed apples, baked to perfection. Opt for the team’s full-service catering or easy drop-off meals, and don’t forget the cocktails; the “Flower Child,” for example, blends tequila, orange blossom honey, and hibiscus. 367 California St., Newton, MA 02458, labonnemaison.com.
Landry's Bicycles
As interest in biking soars to new heights, Landry’s has met the moment with unmatched care and attention to newbies, while also catering to a wave of repairs — be they from road warriors putting in extra mileage or stir-crazy locals digging old rigs out of the basement. Upgrading your ride? Help the bike-hungry masses by trading in the old one at the Landry’s Comm. Ave. outpost, where the team can patch it up, get it back on the floor, and keep the cycling surge rolling along. 1048 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215, landrys.com.
Harvard Book Store
Where else can you learn the secrets of grilling with Mark Bittman, examine fascism with Madeleine Albright, and ponder life sans social media with virtual-reality trailblazer Jaron Lanier? It’s all about variety at this perennial favorite, where the events series—presented in a range of venues, on a range of subjects—caters to bookworms of all stripes. 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138, harvard.com.
Forklift
Mediterranean, Asian, classic American—this Union Square caterer will happily hop from cuisine to cuisine for your wedding spread, incorporating vegan and gluten-free menus with ease. Chefs Dennis Tourse and Jamie Rogers are tight with local farmers, which translates to personalized menus featuring natively sourced ingredients whenever possible. Top requests include avocado beggars' purses and fava-bean crostini with wild mushrooms. 5 Sanborn Ct., Somerville, MA 02143, forkliftcatering.com.
Follain
This pretty, well-appointed South End apothecary caters to your beauty needs, but with a conscience. Owner Tara Foley selects only the healthiest and most environmentally friendly products, including locally made goods from Shamanuti, Farmaesthetics, and Amber Blue, to line her shelves (an in-store hand-and-body-soap bar for refills cuts down on plastic bottle waste, too). Foley’s even committed to your well-being on vacation: Her Nantucket outpost opened this past May. 53 Dartmouth St., Boston; and 9A S. Beach St., Nantucket, shopfollain.com.
Burberry's
This is Burberry's? If you are wedded to the image of Burberry's as catering to a stuff-upper-lip, sensible shoe-wearing clientele, think again. Sure, you can still buy the classic trench, but the store is moving away from its ultra-conservative roots and getting a little hipper. The men's overcoats range from traditional toppers to wool and cashmere overcoats, shearlings, and leather jackets— in short, something for everyone. 2 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Boston Book Annex
Signs of authenticity in the book world: the musty smell of old paper and bindings; the creak of the wooden floorboards; a house cat lounging on the counter as if she owns the place. Add seemingly endless warrens of well-organized books and you have the prototype for the perfect used bookstore. Room after room has been organized here into such eccentric but irresistible categories as "Polar Exploration" and "Disasters." The store also offers recent releases and first editions. (A larger collection of rare books is in the company's 705 Centre Street branch in Jamaica Plain.) 908 Beacon St., Boston, MA .
The Publick House
Carb addicts, allow us to introduce you to your downfall: Monk's Frites at the Publick House. A mere $6 gets you a shareable portion of hand-cut fries worth their weight in Yukon gold. These not-too-crispy, not-too-soft pommes are lightly dusted with sea salt, wrapped in a traditional Belgian paper cone, and finally served up with a choice of two homemade dipping sauces (we can't get enough of the fresh herb mayo and the truffle ketchup). 1648 Beacon St., Brookline, MA 2445, .
Trident Cafe
For all its beauty and history, the Back Bay struggles to maintain a true neighborhood feel. Its commercial district caters to tourists and students; on weekends, Newbury Street seems a bit too much like an outdoor mall. Amid the clamor of shoppers and too-noisy, expensive sidewalk cafés, the Trident is a low-key, affordable oasis. Here, diners can tuck into the signature stuffed French toast (served all day) or savory items like homemade squash ravioli and a mom-approved meatloaf, and enjoy it in relative peace. 338 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2115, tridentbookscafe.com.
Polka Dog Bakery
Candy jars stuffed with dried chicken livers and beef esophagi and a sweeping buffet of artisanal dog cakes and brownies (bearing names like Pawreos and Power Barks, inevitably) make this place puppy heaven. Two floors of accessories include a wall of collars and enough rubber to sate any dog's shoe fetish; a kitty corner caters to the smarter species, lest any felines feel left out. 256 Shawmut Ave., Boston, MA 2118, polkadog.com.
Giblees
Giblees may not look like much from vantage of Route 114, but behind its inconspicuous storefront is an international array of the finest men's suits and casualwear this side of I-95. Lucky, Paper Denim & Cloth, Hugo Boss, and Coogi are just a few of the big-city brands you'll find at this surprisingly swank suburban haberdashery, whose cordial staff has 50 years of experience making the men of the North Shore look their best. 85 Andover St. (Rte. 114), Danvers, MA giblees.com.
Gimme the Skinny
You can get decent takeout dinners anywhere. But gourmet low-fat? This shop specializes in event catering, but you can order individual meals as well: apricot-glazed chicken over brown rice, spinach and chicken manicotti, pork loin with caramelized apples. Oh, and low-fat fudge brownies with two—count 'em, two—grams of fat. Get a dinner for two at $10.49 each, or a family-sized portion (serves 4 to 6) for $39.99. 35 Washington St., Norwell, MA .