Alexander Westerhoff Antiques
French Empire furnishings in rustic Essex? Believe it. A tastefully renovated church houses Westerhoff's rare finds from the 17th to the 20th centuries (like a settee that reportedly belonged to Henry Clay Frick). There's no bric-a-brac here, just exceptionally well-chosen fine furniture, priced accordingly. 18 Eastern Ave., Essex, MA 1929, westerhoffantiques.com.
Hudsons
When you want to get a truly original gift for your best friend or the happy couple, this is the place to come. Run by two former art professors, Hudsons is a well-curated mélange of antiques, accessories, and contemporary-art pieces. (Steel-mesh icosahedron, anyone?) There are also plenty of traditional paintings and antiques from which to choose. 87 Marshal St., North Adams, MA 1247, hudsonsart.com.
Twentieth Century Limited
This tiny Beacon Hill basement shop is like your great-aunt's jewelry collection, only better (and bigger). The display cases at Twentieth Century Limited are organized by decade (1900s through the early '90s) and show off chandelier earrings, vintage snake wrap-bracelets, cameos, and faux pearls galore. 73 Charles St., Boston, MA 2114, .
Emma's
It's this simple: Nothing satisfies a pizza craving like a piping hot pie from the kitchen at Emma's. Choose from more than a dozen tasty (and sometimes bizarre) toppings, including dried cranberries, sweet potatoes, and goat cheese. The near-perfect, thin-crust pies will satiate all your taste buds. 40 Hampshire St., Cambridge, MA emmaspizza.com.
Jean Palmer Company
Don't be put off by the location: Jean Palmer picks up and delivers. This is where to take the super-expensive, delicate items in your closet. It's also one of the few places in town that can handle those red-wine stains, lipstick residues, and other nasty accidents. 3C Bryant St., Woburn, MA jeanpalmerco.com.
Jully Michaud, Michaud Cosmetics
Michaud's been painting models' faces for more than a decade but recently opened a studio to cater to the masses. She's a plucker, not a waxer, and has raised the eyebrows of many a Bostonian. She'll also teach you how to maintain your brows between appointments. 297 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Lester Harry's
This store offers a mix of apparel, bedding and accessories, furniture, and eclectic items for infants and toddlers. Other times include sterling silver charm bracelets for kids, handmade, quilts, spoons, Moses baskets—in short, not your standard mall-store fare. 140 Washington St., Marblehead, MA .
Pizza Pie-er
Fresh mozzarella. Sun-dried tomatoes. Anchovies, chicken, pineapple, ham. Green olives, green peppers. Black olives, red peppers. Asparagus, zucchini, artichoke hearts. Prosciutto, spinach, walnuts...and, oh yeah—they've also got four kinds of crust and 11 sauces. Good luck. 182 Massachusetts Ave., Boston, MA 2115, pizzapieer.com.
blu
Brunch is not for calorie counters. When your gym buddy wants to hang, suggest some quality time with the Cybex machines—after which you can hustle over to Blu's café to grab nutritious smoothies and low-fat muffins. 4 Avery St., Boston, MA 2111, blurestaurant.com.
Dewberry Dogs & Cats Too
Pets can get dirty in a matter of seconds. So why does it often take months to schedule a groomer appointment? This cozy spot offers greyhound-fast service (often in the same week you called) and an assertive yet warm touch that will help bring out your buddy's best look. 357 W Broadway, South Boston, MA 1217, dewberrydogs.org.
Margie at Changes
If the thought of parking on Newbury Street gives you hives, wheel into the lot beside Changes and ask for Margie to turn your bad hair day into something that will have you crowing, "I'm worth it." Channel 5 newswomen swear by her, as does her devoted west-suburban clientele. 1160 Boylston St., Chestnut Hill, MA .
Bombay Club
If you think there are no new party ideas under the sun, you haven't tried a tandoor barbecue. The Bombay Club will bring its traveling tandoor to your door and provide food that is drop-dead delicious—the baby lamb chop kebabs are great—guaranteed to dazzle even the most worldly palates. 57 John F. Kennedy St., Cambridge, MA .
Mike's Autobody
Luxury dealerships send their customers to Mike's, which specializes in high-end automobiles, making scratched and dented Porsches and Mercedes-Benzes look like new again. It can do the same for your car. But while the vehicles here tend toward the expensive and pretentious, the service doesn't. 251 Broadway, Malden, MA mikesautobodyofmalden.com.
Crane Beach
Four miles of white sand, more than 200 species of birds, and awesome striper fishing in the flats. And, if you have a boat, you can get to the backside, an unpopulated part of the beach that stretches on so far, you'll feel like you're at the edge of the earth. Argilla Road, Ipswich, MA .
Carter Dayton Home
The interior designer Michael Carter teamed up with the retail visionary Lynn Dayton to create a Wellesley showroom that doubles as a valuable resource for professionals. Think of Carter Dayton Home as the answer to all your decorating prayers—it even offers a fabulous array of fabrics, wallpapers, and lighting usually available to the trade only. 276 Washington St., Wellesley, MA carterdaytonhome.com.