Bellacquer
Treating yourself to a mani/pedi at this recently opened salon is like taking a deep breath of fresh air: relaxing, satisfying, and totally necessary. The bright space strikes a balance between clinical and cushy, with skilled technicians ready to trim, shape, and polish your digits to perfection (and have fun with nail art, if you please). 1389 Beacon St., Brookline, MA 02446, bellacquer.com.
Boston for the Dogs
This diverse team of animal aficionados—which includes a romance novelist, a Berklee graduate, and a self-proclaimed crazy cat lady—know how to make your pooch feel comfortable, be it on a neighborhood walk, a hike, or a quick potty break. They’ll even arrange playgroups with other dogs in a fenced-in area. MA bostonforthedogs.com.
Flair
Flair's gorgeous new Newbury Street store has everything you need to effortlessly choose frocks for your 'maids: the latest designs from Jenny Yoo, Alfred Sung, and Lynn Lugo in a wide range of colors and styles, and a cozy, elegant environment that invites conversation—not conflict. 140 Newbury St., Boston, MA flairbridesmaid.com.
Julie Michaud
Michaud will travel to your home or hotel and make you look picture-perfect for the big day, if it's a natural glow you're after or something more dramatic. She'll also give you a care package including the right shade of lipstick, liner, and powder for touch-ups throughout the momentous event. 297 Newbury Street, Suite 21, Boston, MA prettyology.com.
Winston Flowers & Garden
While Winston is best known for gorgeous cut flowers, the petal pusher also has an impressive garden store at its Newton location, where three greenhouses are bursting with hardy succulents, evergreens, annuals, and topiaries. You'll have to go elsewhere for spades and fertilizer, but this is the place to find the heart of your garden. 131 Newbury St., Newton, MA 2116, winstonflowers.com.
Circle Furniture
There are plenty of high-end shops in town to satisfy sophisticated tastes, but we keep coming back to Circle, Boston's source for New England-built beds, chairs, and more. You can furnish your entire home here. Just remember: This is custom stuff. It takes time to build, but it's worth the wait. 31 St. James Ave., Boston, MA 2116, circlefurniture.com.
Vizio Optic
What do Steve McQueen in The Thomas Crown Affair and Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's have in common? Killer shades, of course. Get your own movie-star-worthy lenses at Vizio, where you can try on pair after designer pair without feeling rushed (or self-conscious). 11 Harvard St., Brookline, MA 2445, viziooptic.com.
The Watch Hospital
Don't let the long line scare you away. You'll get a battery replaced or a problem diagnosed in minutes at this tiny half-century-old family-owned business. And if your watch is fine, or totaled, they'll let you know at no charge. 40 Bromfield St., Boston, MA .
Nancy Garber
Rating a medium is tough: interpersonal style is as crucial as wow-ability, and how can you tell is someone is wrong about your future? But we like Nancy's nurturing approach, since she counts many of the recently bereaved among her clients, and she did manage to spook us when we wanted a spooking.
Salon Nordic
Having someone else yank out your body hair can be, um, intolerable. Even first-time waxes will find it quick and painless— the best two things a waxing can be. Bikini line? Ingrown hair? No problem. These unsqueamish Swedish sisters attack so cheerfully, professionally, and swiftly, there's no time for feeling awkward. 221 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Calvin Wiley
The classes are referred to as boot camp, but the moves are oriented more to funk and dance than to the military. Wiley is a contemporary dancer and choreographer, and his 90-minute-long classes are a mix of dance and aerobics. While no formal training is required, it might be wise to shed your inhibitions at the door. Metropolitan Health Club, 209 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA .
Henrietta's Table
Your kids will find plenty of pint-sized company at this brunch extravaganza, where children under five eat free and the six-to-twelve set gets half off. For harried parents, the all-you-can-eat format is priceless. One Bennett St., Cambridge, MA 2138, .
Dorfman Jewelers
If you know what you want— an eternity band with sapphires, say, or an exquisite set of braided guards to bookend your anniversary ring— come to the masters, in this intimate, opulent, vaultlike boutique. But first you must be worthy of the stones: Barbara will size you up. 24 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
City Sports
With so many locations to choose from, City Sports is the best stop for service and selection— sporting equipment from rollerblades to swim goggles as well as end-of-season sales worth waiting for. Check local newspapers for daily coupons. Guaranteed to unleash your inner jock. All locations, .
Cambridge Auto Parts
Have you ever broken your parking light while trying to squeeze into that enviable spot on Newbury Street? For less than half of what you'd pay at most dealerships, these guys will provide (or order) most any spare part. 290 River St., Cambridge, MA .