French + Italian
North Shore fashion can veer toward the overly beachy (tunics are not dresses!), but Aimee Lombardi hits all the right notes at her sweet Marblehead spot. Unhurried service and a tight edit of classic, clean, and relevant brands like A.P.C., No. 6, and Vanessa Bruno have attracted devoted customers not only from around the shore but also nationwide. 129 Washington St., Marblehead, MA 01945, frenchitalian.com.
Central Kitchen
This casually hip Central Square boîte may no longer be the well-kept secret it once was, but it's still well worth the wait for a table in the sexy, darkly lit dining room to sample chef/owner Gary Strack's delicious cuisine. The steak frites are simple and delectable; the grilled octopus, clean-flavored and beautifully presented. In fact, everything at Central Kitchen is as casually well dressed as the clientele that fills the stools along the bistro's long slate-and-blue-tiled bar. 567 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA .
Beacon Hill Athletic Club
This small club is clean and equally comfortable for men and women. The emphasis is on firming and toning (not muscle building). Varied aerobics classes taught by 15 instructors include step, low impact, high-low impact, advanced high-low impact, and body conditioning. Karate instruction is available, too, and there are Cybex and cardiovascular machines. The initiation fee is $295, and dues are $360 a year. 3 Hancock St., Boston, MA .
Market
This easy-to-shop, designer-packed store is proof of how far metrosexuality has taken men's dressing. There are Dolce & Gabbana bathing trunks and jeans, funky DSquared2 tanks, intricate but masculine embroidered shirts by Rare, clean-lined Ferré pants, and Versace accessories. It's all cool enough to tend toward the cutting edge without going over it and perfect for men who simply want to look better—to either sex. 173 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA .
Gretta Luxe
Time was when Wellesley only meant straight and preppy. Well, no longer—thanks in no small part to this new boutique. Gretta Luxe carries an eclectic mix of international designers, from the clean, modern likes of Samsonite and Strenesse to more fashion-forward styles from Nanette Leopre and Ulla Johnson. There's a jeans bar stocked with denim from Earl Jean, Parasuco, C by Chloé, and Jean Paul Gaultier. And the shoe selection, including must-have models by Robert Clergerie, rivals any you'll find in the city. 94 Central St., Wellesley, MA grettastyle.com.
Kendall Square Cinema
The Kendall Square Cinema is everything a movie theater should be, with nine large screens, perfect climate control, clean bathrooms, and sufficiently ample and inexpensive ($1) parking. The movies are a little offbeat—no Jurassic Parkhere. Instead, you'll find the independent film you read about in the Sunday New York Timesand thought you'd never get to see. Don't be late—the previews are fabulous. 1 Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA .
Coastal Vintage Home & Garden
Most Nantucket home stores—clean, uncluttered spaces, all—are indistinguishable. Only Coastal stands out. The vibe feels somehow contemporary, even though much of its dinnerware, glassware, vases, and candlesticks are unquestionably vintage. The shop also carries more of-the-moment wares such as subtly scented candles, pillows, and gourmet sea salts and ground pepper from famed Nantucket cookbook author Sarah Leah Chase. 12 Oak St., Nantucket, MA 2554, .
City Sports
Whatever your passion—volleyball, basketball, yoga, even bocce—City Sports has the gear you need, including high-performance pieces from its in-house CS line. Ask one of the sporty employees to help you browse the Gore-Tex jackets, or find cleats or sneakers that'll let you hit the field, court, or track running. 480 Boylston St., Boston, MA 2116, citysports.com.
The Barn
The Barn's motto is It's Hard to Find a Better Buy in Shoes. We'd add that it's hard to find The Barn, hidden as it is behind a Citgo station off Washington Street. But when you do, you've found the Holy Grail: high-quality children's shoes, from little Keds to soccer cleats, experienced fitters, and discount prices. Also, lots of sports gear—bike helmets, lacrosse sticks, and backpacks. Adults will appreciate the grownups' selection of athletic shoes as well. 25 Kempton Place, Newton, MA .
Haven Beauty
Forced to shut down just months after opening due to the pandemic, Emily Sobers had a challenging start to her new business. But there’s no sign of those early struggles today inside her aptly named clean-beauty salon and wellness space, which offers flawless cuts, highlights, facials, and more. And Sobers and her team seem to be adding more ways to unwind every day, first with yoga and Pilates classes and most recently with their “Relax and Restore” room, complete with an infrared sauna. 14 Church St., Hopkinton, MA 1748, havenbeautyma.com.
Handblock, soon to be April Cornell
Cruise past the first floor's pottery and pinafore dressers to the second floor of this delightful shop and you'll find enchanting prints designed by April Cornell in fresh spring and summer flower motifs. They're a bit of Provence, the Middle East, and English chintz all rolled into sensational tablecloths, cushion covers, quilts, napkins, and shower curtains. 43 Brattle St., Cambridge, MA .
Credo
If you wear makeup, there will come a time when you raise the goopy mascara wand to your eyes and think, What the heck is in this stuff? Shop at Credo, and you’ll have the answer. The San Francisco–based store, which landed on our shores last year, carries only cosmetics made with clean ingredients. From Kjaer Weis’s certified-organic cream foundation to Ilia’s avocado-oil-enriched mascara, you can feel good about the products that make you look good. 177 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, credobeauty.com.
Athleta
Sure, you can find on-trend (pricey) gear at Lululemon, and an encyclopedic selection at City Sports. But yoga pant for yoga pant, the bright, spacious Newbury Street branch of national chain Athleta comes out on top. Crucial free tailoring, meticulously clean changing rooms, and in-store boot camps from local trainers make this a supportive, stress-free place to get sporty. (Multiple locations.) 92 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, athleta.com.
MiniLuxe
This polish empire continues its expansion in the Bay State and beyond, and for good reason. A “Clean Lab” sterilizes all equipment to hospital-level sparkle. The atmosphere is minimalist yet warm (picture a chemistry lab combined with a Zen hideout). Services are streamlined, too: Instead of doing it all, they smartly focus on manis, pedis, and waxing. What can we say? MiniLuxe nails it. Prudential Center, 776 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02199, miniluxe.com.
Quadrum
With clean, fluid lines and one-of-a-kind designs by artisans from around the world, Quadrum is as much a gallery as it is a retail outlet. Expect to find a few whimsical pieces in addition to contemporary styles of everything from earrings to rings, bracelets, and necklaces. Any of the more than 40 artists can recreate a setting on display using stones brought in by customers. The Mall at Chestnut Hill, Newton, MA quadrumgallery.com.