Alpha Omega
The folks at Alpha Omega understand everything from pre-engagement pressures to buying on a budget. The store's salespeople, who don't work on commission, will be happy to educate you over the course of many visits. And the bling? Whether you're into plain platinum solitaires or rows and rows of diamonds, you'll find the one in this wide selection of ooh-and-ah—worthy hardware. 1380 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA .
Wayne Turner
One of the great, virtually untold stories in local sports, Turner grew up on Mission Hill, got financial aid to attend the Beaver Country Day School in Newton, and was recruited by Rick Pitino at the University of Kentucky, where he played in more tournament games than anyone in NCAA history and starred on the 1996 championship team. Somehow Turner went undrafted this year, but he's been invited to the Celtics rookie camp.
Fifteen Beacon
Paul Roiff's $21 million hotel project in Beacon Hill is the ultimate in modernity. The boutique atmosphere extends to the rooms themselves, which feature an incredible roster of amenities in addition to the usual plus bathrobes: cream-colored walls, fireplaces, oversized entertainment centers with the latest film releases, and wet bars. The hotel even supplies personalized business cards for guests to give out while they're visiting or doing business in Boston. It is certainly a costly experience, but a unique one as well: Pampering never felt so sophisticated. 15 Beacon Street, Boston, MA xvbeacon.com.
Gentle Giant Moving Company
The Giants are harder to book than they used to be, and their prices are higher than some of their competitors'. But this is still the company that people gush about. (And face it: How often do people praise their movers?) One move positively crooned about how the Giants moved a piano around a curved staircase without damage—or complaint. They are professional, efficient, and yes, gentle.
<em>Antiques Road Show</em>, WGBH
A TV show as appraiser? Absolutely. WGBH turns out episodes in various cities, where locals line up with treasured heirlooms and garage-sale finds. Some of the art specialists in the country—including some of the local auction bigwig Skinner—are on hand to give owners and viewers information on their finds, including the estimated value. Ah, the agony of learning your prized highboy is a well-crafted knockoff? Ah, the pleasure of discovering that one of granny's knickknacks is worth more than the house!
Bloomingdale's
Hell-o-o-o! Can anybody help me? Where is everybody? The hardest thing to find in a department store these days is a salesperson. And even when you find one, too often they're clueless in helping match you with your quest. Not at Bloomingdale's. Time and again, the sales staff is on hand, pleasant, knowledgeable, and resourceful. That's shopping. The Mall at Chestnut Hill, Chestnut Hill, MA .
Panopticon
A step of evolution beyond your average one-hour photomart, Panopticon is a true custom lab—it will develop your film in the developer you need, at whatever temperature you request, for as long as you like. The friendly staff are also happy to make suggestions (recently they told a hapless editor how to "push" standard film for use in poor lighting conditions). Despite the painstaking work that earned it its reputation, Panopticon is also fast enough to offer same-day servic 187 Bay State Road, Boston, MA .
Lord & Taylor
While everyone was gushing over its flashier neighbors—the new Barneys, the renovated Saks—underdog Lord & Taylor quietly cornered the city's bikini market. (In fact, starting in early March, swimwear commands almost a third of the lower level of this Back Bay stalwart.) And though the department store may have an old-fashioned rep, its bikini selection entices with trendsetters like Trina Turk, Betsey Johnson, and Vix. More-modest one-pieces from Gottex and La Blanca are chic, not frumpy. 760 Boylston St., Boston, MA 2199, .
Good Vibrations
It's possible—almost—to mistake Good Vibrations for a bookstore. It's not so much what the Coolidge Corner shop stocks (the dildo-to-hardcover ratio is skewed very, very heavily toward the former) as it is the studiously professional vibe. The well-organized space means browsers won't mistake bendy beads for bedroom dice, and the overall selection is unbeatable. As one patron described it, 'They carry the latest and greatest, as well as the staples.' 308A Harvard St., Brookline, MA 2446, .
In Your Ear
An old-school record store that drowns out the download age by cultivating loyal customers and an understated cool you can't buy on iTunes, In Your Ear caps one of the city's best vinyl collections with a superior trove of classical music CDs. It also draws audiophiles with a surprisingly deep selection of reel-to-reel tapes, manufacturer-sealed Pink Floyd and Eagles LPs, and an intriguing mélange of minidiscs. 957 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 2215, .
Brookline Booksmith
It's not easy for an independent bookstore to weather the perfect storm of Barnes & Noble, Borders, and Amazon.com; more local favorites have closed this year. But this shop takes on the giants and one-ups them with a crew of bibliophiles and the city's best reading series. Add to this a thoughtfully balanced inventory and the Used Book Cellar, and you'll see why Brookline Booksmith is a page-turner. 279 Harvard St., Brookline, MA brooklinebooksmith.com.
Men's Suit Sale, Filene's Basement
Every fall and spring, rack after rack of Ermenegildo Zegna, Calvin Klein, Joseph Abboud, and other highbrow treasures are wheeled out onto the Basement's packed Downtown Crossing floor. They're the overstock and still-beautiful seasonal leftovers from upscale behemoths such as Bloomingdale's, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Barneys New York. And at prices that dip down to 70 percent off, you can snag two suits—plus tailoring—for the cost of one of their full-priced cousins. 426 Washington St., Boston, MA filenesbasement.com.
Leather World
A local stalwart for more than 40 years, Leather World helps us handle our hauls, supplying a polycarbonate spinner to withstand the perils of the TSA, a leather duffel perfect for that weekend jaunt down to the Cape, and a trim briefcase for the daily commute to and from the office. Plus, all of its locations offer one line of embossing at no additional cost. 30 Brattle St., Cambridge, MA shopleatherworld.com.
Wheelworks
Specialty bikes, toddler carriers, tune-ups and repairs, commuting bags, custom fittings, racks and racks of gear—if any of that appeals to you, Wheelworks will, too. Ace Wheelworks is small but only a short walk from the Davis Square T; Belmont Wheelworks is huge but a bit farther afield. Either one will get you out the door and cruising. 145 Elm St., Somerville, MA wheelworks.com.
Linens on the Hill
There are plenty of things out there preventing us from sleeping, but only a few that actually help us catch some ZZZs. One, of course, is a quality mattress. The next is linens, and we're not talking about the sets wrapped in plastic and slapped with a UPC code. You'll rest easy on the luxurious Yves Delorme and Sferra sheets offered at this quaint store. 52 Charles St., Boston, MA 2114, linensonthehill.com.