DJ Bruno
Sometimes a little 'YMCA' is all it takes to get the party started. Other times, it's enough to send it packing. With two decades of experience, DJ Bruno knows what to spin when, and where. His far-reaching musical arsenal gets clubbers going nightly—devotees never miss his Sunday R&B-meets-house-meets-soul party at Boston Rocks, or his upbeat hip-hop and reggae beats on Thursdays at Caprice. Request the Village People, if you must; he'll have your hands up in no time. MA djbruno.com.
The Biltmore
With its shabby-chic dining room (mismatched old chairs, vintage ephemera), the Biltmore makes weekend mornings feel like brunch at Grandma's. An indulgent grandma, that is. Yours probably didn't serve Cap'n Crunch-coated French toast drizzled with warm vanilla icing, or whole-wheat flatbread topped with fresh mozzarella, local tomatoes, basil, pancetta, and sunny-side-up eggs. The sausage-infused biscuit "fritters" with house-made apple-butter dipping sauce, meanwhile, are hearty enough to inspire a post-meal nap. 1205 Chestnut St., Newton, MA 2464, thebiltmoregrill.com.
The Catered Affair
This culinary juggernaut is the in-house caterer for a slew of the city’s high-end venues, including the Boston Public Library, Harvard Art Museums, and the Boston Athenaeum (where it also runs a brand-new café open to the public). Which begs the question: If they trust the Catered Affair to handle their cuisine, shouldn’t you? The answer: Yes, you absolutely should. With the goal of creating unforgettable dining experiences, the team here can curate a personalized menu for your big day — think king-crab tostadas and broiled oysters with sea urchin and black lime — that looks as good as it tastes. thecateredaffair.com.
GlenPharmer Distillery
It’s the place Franklin never knew it needed, but now can’t live without: an artisanal distillery with its own bustling tasting room and full-service restaurant. Here, friends, neighbors, and couples alike clink glasses of the award-winning vodkas — offered as flights with other spirits or in a variety of creative cocktails — at high-tops inside a former covered bridge and at the cozy, stone-walled bar. Looking to make a day of it? Book a tour of the former mill building turned distillery and get a look at how the spirits in your glass were born. 860 W. Central St., Franklin, MA 02038, glenpharmer.com.
French + Italian
What was once considered a fleeting sojourn into sweatpants has now become the new virtual-business casual — but when you want to step it up a bit for your video calls (while still remaining comfy, of course), you’d do well to pop into Aimee Lombardi’s chic Beacon Hill boutique. Slouchy but well-tailored, classic but vibrant enough to stand out on camera, the carefully curated racks of linen button- downs from Aspesi and sunflower-yellow jersey pants by Sofie D’Hoore will carry you from Zoom calls to a nap to dinner al fresco. Multiple locations, frenchitalian.com.
Forage
Why schlep out to pick up locally grown produce when Forage can do the work for you? The farm-to-table restaurant is now partnering with small area growers and producers to offer several options for upgrading your pantry and fridge: multiweek subscription boxes of fresh veggies like local mushrooms and fiddleheads; separate “Goodie Bags,” available à la carte, featuring house-made herb oils, cocktail mixers, and other delights; and weekly orders of unique natural wines. With even delivery available, we wonder: Why wait in supermarket lines ever again? 5 Craigie Cir., Cambridge, MA 02138, foragecambridge.com.
Blank Label
You could easily drop a few grand on a bespoke model from a name-brand designer. But if you want to save thousands and strut away looking just as dapper, pay a visit to Blank Label. This Boston-based company houses a cadre of knowledgeable tailors who will measure you from head to toe while demystifying the finer points of pick stitching, venting, and canvassing. Within three weeks, Blank Label’s partners in Shanghai will ship off your new favorite outfit. Correction, July 5, 11 a.m.: A previous version of this post misstated the location of Blank Label's international partners. They are in Shanghai, not Hong Kong. We regret the error. 36 Bromfield St., Boston, MA 02108, blanklabel.com.
Dance Complex
Dance classes aren't just for kids in pink tights and ballet slippers. A top-notch studio offers a variety of options that can make anyone feel footloose. The Dance Complex does just that by hosting an astonishing array of classes, including the traditional (ballet, jazz, tap), cultural (Afro-Brazilian, flamenco, Kathak), and simply funky (hip-hop, street funk, capoeira). Four floors of studios house the artist-run organization, which boasts teaching talent from some 20 countries. There's a decidedly unpretentious and inclusive atmosphere in the affordable, drop-in classes—a relief when you're getting up the courage to try Irish dance. 536 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA dancecomplex.org.
The Eliot Hotel
If you want blinking neon welcome signs, uninspiring neutral furnishings, and tasteless room service in an anonymous structure, don't come here. The four-star Eliot is an intimate and cozy home away from home (we should all live so well) with a decidedly European flair. Its beautifully furnished one- and two-bedroom suites, featuring living rooms and private pantries, are the perfect respire following a day exploring the Back Bay or simply as an urban retreat with your honey. And right downstairs is the nationally acclaimed restaurant Clio. 370 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA .
Dal
Put one foot in this tapas bar and (as its name foretells) suddenly you've stepped inside a surrealist painting. The walls bombard the senses, covered as they are with trinkets, tchotchkes, knick-knacks, and accouterments from all over the Iberian peninsula. The food follows suit, starting with the tapas menu, which offers a palette of wildly disparate tastes in a few small bites, from juicy duckling smothered in berry sauce to delicate scallops swimming in saffron cream. But the entrées are the genuine masterpieces—especially the house special, melt-on-your-fork pescado a la sal (striped bass cooked in coarse salt that tenderizes the fish as it's baked). 415 Washington St., Somerville, MA dalirestaurant.com.
The Oak Room
Forget what you think you know about steak houses. The Oak Room, this year's dark horse candidate, puts the usual contenders to shame. Vaulted plaster ceilings and meticulously carved oak walls to form a regal setting, the capable waiters assist you with old-school formality but not a touch of stuffiness. The steaks are perfect— well marbled, cooked exactly to order, served with your choice of bearnaise sauce or a red wine glaze. For the less carnivorous, there's always the spectacular lobster bouillabaisse. The wine list is interesting and accessible to spenders big and small. 138 St. James Ave., Boston, MA .
Crane Beach
The white sand goes on forever—or at least for four-and-a-half miles. This North Shore strip has the dunes, the best-blended concession stands, the most peaceful ambience—all in a preserved marshland setting that makes the parking fee ($9 to $15—half price after 3 p.m. every day) worth it. Besides, proceeds go to the Trustees of Reservations to protect historic homes in the area. If the greenheads are getting nippy, as they can in August, head uphill and tour the grounds of the historic Crane estate, and make a pit stop for fried clams at Woodman's around the corner. Argilla Rd., Ipswich, MA .
Helen Cooper
Here's a masseuse who can diagnose your lifestyle ills just by feeling your muscles. A keyboard jockey? She can tell from those ropy tangles in your forearm. Carry a heavy bag on your left? Those crooked shoulders are a dead giveaway. Cooper works to remedy the physical damage of modern living, and gives advice on how to cure bad habits that take their toll on your body. And it feels good, too. Le Pli, 5 Bennett Street, Cambridge, MA .
Dr. Detail Car Wash
Most of us do very bad things in our cars, what with the speeding and the cussing and whatnot. Some of us also do very bad things to our cars, leaving them to suffer the indignity of coffee-stained dashes and trash-strewn floors. When the situation reaches the Good God, what is that smell? stage, it's time to pay a visit to Dr. Detail. At its three local mall-garage setups (bonus: shop while you wait) and flagship operation in Walpole (bonus: spot a Patriot), this auto aesthetician offers a decent hand-wash and vacuum for 30 bucks. But book a full detail, starting at about $160, and the guys will buff, shampoo, and vacuum away every last vestige of your sins. Consider it an exorcism, with new-car smell. Copley Place, Boston, MA 2116, .
Ballet Ball
Finally IRL after a multi-year hiatus, this year’s Ballet Ball was a party of epic, delicious, and delightfully over-the-top proportions. A new venue, the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport, accommodated more guests, not to mention space for thrilling feats by Boston Ballet’s dancers. If there was a better way to celebrate Mikko Nissinen’s 20 years of leadership than with everyone gathered together again, dancing into the wee hours, we can’t think of it. bostonballet.org.