The Baldwin Bar and The Baldwin & Sons Trading Co.
Photo by Joe St. Pierre Foams, tinctures, syrups, elixirs: Onetime GQ cover guy Ran Duan is the tiki-driven scientist behind the Baldwin Bar, a tropical island hideaway, and the Baldwin & Sons Trading Co., a speakeasy devoted to experimental drinks. The ornate mansion that houses both concepts was originally transformed by his dad, a former opera singer, into the Sichuan Garden restaurant — and you can still order stellar Sichuan food alongside ethereal cocktails you simply won’t find anywhere else. Ask for the Betty Draper, an icy gin-lime creation crowned with clouds of coconut foam, by name. And if you’re lucky, you might get to test-drive a libation slated for Duan’s upcoming tropical haven Birds of Paradise, opening this summer in Brighton. 2 Alfred St., Woburn, MA 1801, thebaldwinbar.com.
Ryan Wading Pool
The Ryan Wading Pool is our pick for the city’s best spray deck, where kids can clean up and cool off after a hard day’s summer play as they get soaked under the buckets that dump water from overhead. 350 River St., Mattapan, MA 02126, mass.gov/locations/ryan-wading-pool.
North Cambridge Laundromat & Dry Cleaning
Here the owners dispense restaurant recommendations and gossip tidbits along with perfectly pressed suits and blouses at the cheapest prices we've seen. They restored not only a merlot-stained silk top for a mere $3.95, but also our faith in humanity. (Seriously. They're that friendly.) 2410 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 2140, .
Didriks
The Accessories at Didriks This Cambridge shop has area exclusives on some of the finest dinnerware, flatware, and accessories available. We covet the minimalist stoneware from Heath Ceramics, as well as Match's pewter and porcelain collections. And then there's our most recent discovery: the rich jewel tones of Jars Tourron artisanal pottery, made by hand in southern France. 190 Concord Ave., Cambridge, MA didriks.com.
Dutch Flower Garden
Not only did the Dutch Flower Garden have the speediest delivery, but they also used the most varied flowers of all the contenders. Our expert horticultural judges were impressed by the range of flowers, noting that many were common in gardens but rare to see in a florist's arrangement. 164 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Pignoli
Hurray for the late-night spaghetteria, Wednesday through Saturday til 2! Chef Daniele Baliani's Penne with Crispy Eggplant, Roasted Garlic and Tomato Parmagiani and Potato Gnocchi with Wild Mushrooms and Truffled Gorgonozola make us twirl our forks with glee. 79 Park Plaza, Boston, MA .
Garden of Eden
With seven sumptuous sandwiches named after South End streets, you may have trouble choosing just one. Our favorite: The Union Park a stack of moist chicken breast, melted Swiss cheese, parsley, and mustard vinaigrette served on whole wheat pecan raisin bread. 577 Tremont St., Boston, MA .
Nectar Pies
Nectar Pies, the class version of Eskimo Pies, available for fifty-nine cents at health-food stores far and wide (try the General Nutrition Center, 361 Boylston St., Boston). Our favorite is the Mocha Pie—natural mocha ice cream between two granola cookies, coated with carob. General Nutrition Center, 361 Boylston St., Boston, MA .
John Brockelman, executive director, Massachusetts Republican Party
The GOP attack dog is successfully pitching the idea that the state is running short of federal money to pay for the Big Dig because our all-Democratic congressional delegation has lost its clout in D.C. It couldn't have anything to do with the fact that the project costs so damn much, could it?
John Dennis, Channel 7
We know, we know—he was Worst last year. But we're nothing if not open-minded, and Dennis has changed our minds by providing the only consistently tough and aggressive sports reporting on television. Besides, aren't you sick of Bob Lobel?
Paul Tucker, professor, University of Massachusetts, Boston
The Jerry McGuire of the local arts scene, Tucker has been showing us the Monet for the last decade, organizing three spectacular exhibitions for the Museum of Fine Arts—and radically enhancing our appreciation of Boston's favorite French Impressionist. Tucker is also an inspiring teacher.
Katrina Hess
Over the years, hundreds of women have watched natural beauty they never knew they had emerge from under Katrina Hess's skilled brushstrokes. Weddings are a specialty, but, as Hess puts it, a woman should feel like a million bucks whether she's going to the office or going to the altar. Hess is a well of beauty tips and tricks (from how to avoid getting lipstick on your teeth to giving lashes that elusive perfect curl). Equally impressive is her product knowledge: While she's worked for many of the best (Bobbi Brown, Trish McEvoy, Chanel, Christian Dior), Hess now works only for her clients and has the luxury of culling every label's standout cosmetics into a dream palette. Combine that with her meticulously honed technique, and you've got a beautiful thing indeed. 105 Newbury St., 3rd floor, Boston, MA .
Deprisco Jewelers
Shopping for bridal baubles at this 55-year-old family-run emporium is almost as satisfying as striking a deal directly with the diamond cutter in Antwerp. In their cozy showroom four floors above Downtown Crossing, DePrisco's white-haired salesmen steer anxious grooms-to-be into private cubicles, where they use jeweler's loupes and expertly handled tweezers to show off naked stones. DePrisco often knocks a few hundred bucks off its asking price—so the customer at least feels like he's getting a bargain. And if he (or, more likely, she) later decides the ring needs more bling, DePrisco will always buy it back and let the happy couple use the cash to trade up to a bigger rock. 333 Washington St., Suite 448, Boston, MA deprisco.com.
Dr. Ramsey Alsarraf, The Newbury Center for Cosmetic Plastic Surgery
The Botox frenzy—you know, the one that has everyone and her mother running off to unwrinkle their brows with Botox injections—belies one important truth: The treatment may be easy, fast, and essentially risk-free, but that doesn't mean just anyone should inject it. It's still a medical procedure that requires expertise, safety, and finesse. Dr. Ramsey Alsarraf stands out on all of those fronts for his credentials (Harvard, Yale, a fellowship with the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and board certification); his integrity (if you don't need it, he'll tell you); and his finely tuned aesthetic sense (his work is known for being subtle and natural-looking). If you're going to do Botox, the last thing you should be worried about is whose hands you're in. And on that front, Alsarraf gives you fewer reasons to furrow your brow. 69 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Baron Baptiste, Baptiste Power Yoga Institute
Some argue that power yoga is not really yoga. But sweat and stretch your way through just one class with Baron Baptiste and you'll be a believer in his high-intensity, high-temperature workout. Just ask the dozens of devotees who pile into his tiny Porter Square studio for his first-come, first-serve classes—or any of the professional athletes and celebrities (including Elisabeth Shue and Helen Hunt) who are fans. Lest you assume that Baptiste's method forgoes the meditative properties of traditional yoga, be assured that classes are conducted in a soothingly quiet room where traditional breathing techniques and perfect form are stressed, though the room is heated to more than 90 degrees to keep the muscles loose. And at only $10 per session (a dollar extra for mat rentals), it's an indulgence that can easily be made a habit. 2000 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA baronbaptiste.com.