The Ritz Bar
You didn't know the bar served lunch? Good. Let it be our little secret. Ritz Carlton Hotel, 15 Arlington St., Boston, MA .
Rubin's Kosher Delicatessen
Where else for pastrami? And to our way of thinking, when you've found the pastrami, you've found the best deli. 500 Harvard St., Brookline, MA .
Fresh
Nuts About Beauty, our favorite purveyor of natural body-care products and feel-good ephemera, has changed its name and moved to Newbury Street. 121 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Dr. Mark Russo
Drawing on acupuncture and other Far Eastern practices, this vet's approach may seem unorthodox. But Kitty no longer pees on our floors—and who can argue with that? Kingston Animal Hospital, 192 Main St., Kingston, MA .
Michael Albor, the Loft
In the words of one $350-a-cut stylist (who thought the handiwork was his own), our Albor-made chestnut brown 'has never been better.' 207 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, .
Goods Department Store
Any store that carries Japanese robots gets our vote. 130 Newbury St. and North Market Building at Faneuil Hall, Boston, MA .
Bob Kraft
He kept the worst football team in the universe from leaving Our Towne.
Folklorica
The idea of handcrafts is intriguing; the reality, often ho-hum. Folklorica, however, hones its edge with one-of-a-kind creations by big names (Alexis Bittar, Jane Diaz) and sharp local talent. 61 Union St., Newton Centre, Newton, MA 2459, .
Suntory
The sushi chef can slice our raw fish any day. 212 Stuart St., Boston, MA .
Gretta Luxe
Dresses, skirts, and tops in a rainbow of colors beckon from racks around the store's perimeter. / Photo by Leonard Greco The next time you need a wardrobe upgrade, head to celeb fashion stylist Gretta Monahan’s eponymous boutique. This spring, the shop relocated to an airy new space across the street from its original location, expanding its already-fab selection from sophisticated clothing brands such as High Sport, Marni, Proenza Schouler, and Zimmermann. The shop’s trove of bags is equally impressive, as is its collection of artisanal fine jewelry — and there’s no way you won’t find your next favorite pair of jeans in the heavily stocked denim bar. 97 Central St., Wellesley, MA 02482, gretta.co.
Lunette Optic
With the opening of a sixth boutique in Cambridge — and a seventh in the Back Bay on the way — we can officially crown husband-and-wife team Ted Mogtader and Michelle Rahimian the king and queen of Boston’s optical world. The titles are well deserved: Showcasing hard-to-find brands like Jacques Marie Mage and Blake Kuwahara, their chainlet of shops even has its own line of eyewear, dubbed the Mora collection. On-site optometrists, meanwhile, perform eye exams with state-of-the-art equipment, including a digital imaging tool that’ll capture a picture of your retina within seconds. 35 Brattle St., Cambridge, MA 02138, lunetteoptic.com.
Exela Movers
Dragging everything you own from one house to another is about as fun as sitting in standstill traffic on I-90, but the folks at this full-service moving company are here to make it a little easier. Whether you’re moving across town or across the country, the brawny guys in blue shirts can pack, load, unload, and even unpack for you if you so desire, and are known to do so carefully and efficiently. Bonus points for the company’s partnership with Box Save, a Boston-based crate-rental company that’s already kept 110 tons of cardboard out of the waste stream. exelamovers.com.
Coolidge Corner Theatre
Courtesy of Anton Grassl Thirty-five years after 400 people encircled this Brookline movie house and effectively gave it a group hug, the Coolidge is just as revered for its 70mm film capabilities, midnight movies, and expert curation of new releases, international treasures, and filmmaker Q&As. Best of all, the 90-year-old nonprofit’s future is more secure than ever, thanks to a marathon fundraising drive and recently unveiled 14,000-square-foot expansion: 200 more seats, two new theaters, and a $1 million gift from the Trust Family Foundation for a permanent endowment. 290 Harvard St., Brookline, MA 02446, coolidge.org.