Durty Harry's
Sorry to disappoint Clint Eastwood fans, but this much-loved dog spa and shop is named for owner Michelle Fournier's Lab-retriever mix. Pooches are the stars here as groomers lovingly shampoo, trim, and clip. There's even pickup and drop-off service for Charlestown residents so your pup can greet you at the door, clean and styled, when you arrive home from work. Fournier and her team also dole out advice on toys and training, deliver food free of charge, and host gratis Ruff Week parties in Charlestown's Paul Revere Park. 287 Main St., Charlestown, MA durtyharry.com.
sPoochies Spa and Boutique
Loyal sidekicking is hard work. So is giving a cat a bath (something we've learned the hard way). Make life a little easier for both you and your furry, filthy pal with a visit to 'sPoochies, where the gentle techs will get even the most hygiene-averse animal into show-ring shape: clipping nails, cleaning ears, decrusting fur, trimming those unsightly under-chin spots where drool goes to die. A generous selection of sweet-smelling grooming products provides the necessary tools for ambitious owners to try again at home, if they must. 400 Tremont St., Boston, MA .
Mike's Gym II
These days, "gym" is such a bandied-about catchword, people barely know what it means anymore. Well, we do. It means a no-frills establishment where people come to sweat, not be seen in Spandex or loiter over echinacea smoothies. Mike's, a South End staple, takes equipment seriously—in fact, we dare you to name an apparatus they don't have. Who cares about the lack of décor and amenities when there are seven rooms of machines, free weights, and cardio equipment? The clientele's chummy demeanor and the clean locker rooms make you feel right at home. Getting back in the habit? Just look around at the burly shoulders and pumped pecs for inspiration. 560 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA mikesgym.org.
Vidal Sassoon
We all know that Newbury Street excels in the microcosmic world of individual stylists with cult followings and sought-after colorists with organized fan clubs—but that's why this no-nonsense salon wins for overall best. If you're in from out of town and need to clean up your bangs, or you live across the street and just need the perfect blunt cut, Francisco, Jimmy, Robert, and Tennessee—to name only a few—are all equally adept. Sure, people develop personal attachments, but it's reassuring to know that everyone in the shop has been rigorously trained and can take of you with professional skill. 14 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Revere Beach Reservation
Born from the civic altruism that also created the Emerald Necklace, Revere Beach was the first public beach in America, and thanks to a centennial restoration that began in 1996, it's again one of the best. The bathhouses might still be funky and the surrounding apartment buildings can be eyesores, but the bandstand is spiffed up, and the sand and water are clean, making the nearly three-mile crescent lapped by the Atlantic one of New England's most beautiful beaches. If it were in Rio, there would be a song about it. Where else can you watch 747s set down like giant birds as you do the backstroke, or forgo your summer potboiler to read the tattoos on passerby? If Revere is the people's beach, then power to the people. Revere Beach Boulevard, Revere, MA .
Harvard Book Store
With two floors filled floor to ceiling with new and used titles, bestsellers, and staff picks, we dare you to leave Harvard Square’s book mecca empty-handed. harvard.com.
MiniLuxe
Getting a weekly manicure is one of life’s little luxuries, and this local chainlet has the process down to a science—literally. The salon’s "Clean Lab" uses hospital-grade sterilization techniques to make sure your polish job doesn’t come with a side of someone else’s germs. Of course, manicures are also an art, and technicians here are experts in shaping, filing, and polishing nails to perfection. And with add-ons like an extended massage and warm-oil and paraffin treatments, your experience can be as luxe—or as simple—as you’d like. 296 Newbury St., Boston; and other locations, miniluxe.com.
Xinh Xinh
This spanking-clean Chinatown eatery makes neophytes feel welcome without sacrificing neighborhood authenticity. Even better, the food leaves us so invigorated that we'd swear it has health-boosting effects—xinh xinh means 'young and beautiful,' after all. Start with the fortifying chicken or beef pho (sure to put a glow in your cheeks), move on to more-substantial dishes like ca kho to (caramelized catfish) and banh mi bo kho (beef stew with crusty rolls), and head home in a perfect harmony of serenity and satiety. 7 Beach St., Boston, MA 2122, .
Linda Reisert, Sort Order
Linda Reisert likes to say she cleans closets for a living—which she does—but that covers only a fraction of her work. In reality, Reisert gets paid to think for her clients, and to know precisely when and where they'll reach for life's necessities. Her roster of VIPs draws heavily upon the city's business elite, people who value her talent for tailoring services: In the case of working moms with a tendency to hoard, Reisert is equal parts therapist and taskmaster; for globe-trotting money managers with multiple offices and homes, she's an invisible ally who streamlines personal calendars and business files. 38 Hancock St., Boston, MA 2114, .
Duxbury Beach
Seven miles of white sand nudge up against the salt waters of the Atlantic on this, the South Shore's most utopian spot. The chaos (near the restrooms, parking, and refreshment stand) eases out toward Powder Point Bridge, and ends with empty stretches interrupted by only a few unobtrusive patches of locals here to kayak, admire the natural beauty, and walk the clean dunes toward Gurnet Light in neighboring Plymouth. Beyond the quiet beauty of the bridge, sailboats and windsurfers ride the sterling blue bay that separates the beach from town. If you don't have to rush home, stick around for the sunset—one of the area's most magnificent. Canal St., Duxbury, MA .
Catch
In our fish-fanatic city, it seems unlikely that many diners would chose to trek to a landlocked town for seafood. That a lot of people do make the trip to Winchester says a lot about Catch, where the clean décor is as calming as waves crashing on the beach and wholesome, seasonal ingredients enliven each of chef Chris Parsons's satisfying dishes. Don't miss the summer braised lobster, which arrives atop a crepe stuffed full of fragrant maitake mushrooms, spinach, and mascarpone cheese, or the flaky halibut accompanied by yellow beans, fingerling potatoes, and fragrant green garlic. 34 Church St., Winchester, MA 1890, catchrestaurant.com.
Crescent Ridge Dairy
It may not be the 1890s anymore, but Crescent Ridge Dairy still delivers glass jars of milk—really good milk—to doorsteps across the western (and many southern) suburbs. Smooth and clean-tasting whole, chocolate, 2 percent, and skim are dropped off in retro metal containers at customers' requests, then replaced each week. The company also carries more than 100 products, from hamburger buns and chowder to margarine and laundry detergent. But really, it's the dairy that counts; the 2 percent milk couldn't taste more wholesome, and the chocolate sports the richness of a melted candy bar. 355 Bay Rd., Sharon, MA crescentridge.com.
Crystal Morgan, C.Spa
Even before the very talented Crystal Morgan gets you on the table at her immaculately clean Back Bay studio, she’s already working, sizing up the way you stand to see exactly where your tension lies. Once she begins the massage, her magic hands free up every knot and tension spot. Go ahead and glance in the mirror after your 60- to 90-minute treatment is over: Not only will you feel different, but your posture will actually look visibly different, too. 715 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02116, cspaboston.com.
Sophia's
We like our dance clubs sexy, and nothing's sexier than beautiful, sweaty couples twisting to Latin-flavored conga beats. Sophia's, which has that and more, is a sure-fire fun night on the town. Diners clamor for tables to sample tapas and sangria; on the dance floor, after the free beginner salsa and merengue lessons, the Saturday-night crowds burst into full-fledged dance marathons. The multilevel club also offers a choice of music, with live bands playing endless salsa on the first floor and DJs on the second and third floors spinning the hottest Latin hip-hop. For mellower folk, the roof deck provides an incredible—and romantic—view of Boston's skyline. Looking to meet someone? Come solo and you will. 1270 Boylston St., Boston, MA .
Covet + Lou
The expectations were high when Tina Burgos, the fashionista behind Newbury Street boutique Stel's (RIP), announced she was taking her popular online store to a Needham brick-and-mortar. By any measure, Burgos's new endeavor has well exceeded the hype, with a tightly curated selection of the same indie designer fashions (clean, classic pieces from Ilana Kohn, minimalist looks from Maryam Nassir Zadeh) we love to shop online, not to mention an expanded home-goods section. Something else the Needham store has that the website doesn't? Burgos herself, who often plays hostess to her loyal shoppers. 947 Great Plain Ave., Needham, MA 2492, covetandlou.com.