Lauren Genatossio, Sarra Studios
There are plenty of ’90s trends we’re glad to welcome back into our repertoires—chunky sandals, slip dresses, high-waisted everything—but one thing that can stay in the last century? Pencil-thin eyebrows. Thankfully, Lauren Genatossio is firmly on the same page, creating nothing but lush, full looks from her South Boston and Hingham studios. Bring your out-of-control brows to Genatossio and watch as she plucks and trims them into goddess-like arches, creating the exact shape needed to make your eyes and cheekbones pop. 840 Summer St. , Boston, MA 02127, sarraboston.com.
Pure Oasis
As the first recreational pot shop in Boston proper, and the first Black-owned one in the state, Pure Oasis carries the weight of history on its shoulders. From the moment it opened in early 2020 (unluckily, mere moments before COVID lockdowns set in), the store has been embraced by its community. Stocked with an impressive array of flower, tinctures, THC-infused chocolates, and even a line of locally made cannabis seltzers, it certainly has the goods. But a year later, shopping at Pure Oasis still feels like a celebration — of a ceasefire in the war on drugs that caused immeasurable harm in its backyard, and of all that’s yet to come as the industry flourishes. 430 Blue Hill Ave., Boston, MA 02121, mypureoasis.com.
Fox & the Knife
Our nonnas could argue for hours about what defines the perfect pasta. One thing they would all agree on, though, is the distinctive precision and vision at work in Karen Akunowicz’s kitchen, from the just-so suppleness of her raviolo carbonara to the tortelli, cooked a tiny bit al dente in a buttery green bath of wild nettles, English peas, and garlic. On your way out, scoop up fresh-made styles sold by the bagged pound for your own cooking adventures — and get excited for the in-house pasta shop planned for Bar Volpe, Akunowicz’s upcoming second Southie restaurant. 28 W. Broadway, South Boston, MA 02127, foxandtheknife.com.
Allison Daroie, Paridaez
How to dress for a day that includes a corporate meeting, a yoga class, and drinks with friends? This common conundrum is what led Allison Daroie to create her line of transformational apparel. Each piece in the collection transitions into a completely new article of clothing: One wrap dress, for instance, triples as a cardigan and a boatneck frock with a plunging neckline in the back. Sold at Daroie’s adorable shop on Beacon Hill, the minimalist styles are all made in New England in a premium blend of rayon, nylon, and Lycra, and come in a basic color palette for easy mixing and matching. 127 Charles St., Boston, MA 02114, paridaez.com.
Misselwood
Imagine, if you will, an emerald-green lawn overlooking the ocean. Rows of white chairs face the water, flanking an aisle dusted with flower petals. It’s here that you’ll say, “I do,” reciting the vows you worked so hard on while waves ripple gently behind you. Afterward, you’ll reunite with loved ones in a soaring white tent, pitched atop a stone floor studded with sea glass. Can you see it? Now, head to Misselwood—a grand seaside estate in Beverly—to book the real thing. Complete with a French chateaux-style manse for smaller affairs, this formidable venue will far exceed your wildest dreams. 407 Hale St., Beverly, Massachusetts 01951, misselwood.com.
See
You own more than one shirt, right? And probably a couple of pairs of shoes? Well, See is committed to making sure you have glasses to match every outfit, too, working with designers from all over Europe and the United States to create on-trend specs that look more like fashion accessories than vision enhancers. The bright boutique displays all of its eyewear on open shelves, never in locked cases, so you can try on pair after pair until you find the perfect fit. 115 Newbury St., Boston, 617-236-0105; 1276 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 617-868-1500; seeeyewear.com. 115 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, seeeyewear.com.
Scott Levine, the Studio
Despite all your preparations (and no thanks to the open bar) no one will recall the details until the photos arrive. And while shots of Uncle Leo's Electric Slide are always entertaining, you don't really need them in your album. The more crucial pics are of the day's poignant, fleeting moments. Scott Levine gets those—he gets everything—with the uncanny sense of timing and sharply trained eye that come from 20 years on the circuit. He posts photos online for six months, letting you browse and reorder the best of the bunch. 21 Fieldstone Drive, Stoneham, MA thestudiosl.com.
The Maids
We aren't ones to cry over spilt milk, as our floors can attest; our couch has more hair on it than our cat. Without a speck of judgment, the Maids clean up our act month after month, dusting baseboards, degriming showers, and all but eliminating any traces of pet (except for, of course, the pet itself). They're quick, well priced, and unobtrusive: Aside from the preternatural sparkle and neatly triangled toilet paper, you'd never know they'd been there. maids.com.
Barmakian Jewelers
The folks at Barmakian know it's the engagement ring—ever the showstopping diva—that gets all the oohs and aahs, which is why they specialize in wedding bands that complement, rather than compete. The store offers hundreds of men's, women's, and unisex rings in white gold, yellow gold, and platinum, accented by any gem or engraved pattern imaginable. It'll also design a match for that heirloom engagement ring from your fiance's grandmother, making you and your sweetheart just one of two perfect pairs that will have everyone buzzing on the Big Day. 333 Washington St., Boston, MA barmakian.com.
Maura Kilpatrick
At Oleana, no one orders the warm chocolate cake or the crème brûlee. That's because, we're pleased to relay, there isn't any. Kilpatrick pays dessert the respect it deserves, melding rose petal, blood orange, and other exotic flavors into homemade ice creams and stunningly original sweets like her brown-butter bread pudding with milk jam and mulberries. She even gives the standards a twist: The big-enough-to-share baked Alaska comes with coconut ice cream and passion fruit-caramel sauce, a heavenly combo that establishes Kilpatrick as a classic in her own right. Oleana, 134 Hampshire St., Cambridge, MA oleanarestaurant.com.
Phoenix Landing
Discussions of Boston’s Irish pubs typically involve squirrely notions of authenticity. The problem is, no such thing exists, and most attempts ring about as true as some "Ireland-land" simulacrum at Epcot. So this year we decided to give the nod instead to the best pub, period, which just so happens to be Irish (a subtle but important distinction). The Phoenix Landing is like four bars in one: You can go for a quiet afternoon pint alone, brunch with the family, crack-of-dawn soccer broadcasts, or nighttime dancing to some of the best DJ talent around. 512 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 2139, phoenixlandingbar.com.
Season to Taste
This full-service company can handle everything from bar mitzvahs to barbecues to prepared dinners for families of four. And while the menus have plenty to swoon over—passed apps like mini latkes with smoked salmon and chive crema, or entrées like fig-glazed lamb sirloin—it's what goes on behind the scenes that captured our heart. Started by East Coast Grill and Evoo alum Robert Harris, Season to Taste is one of the greenest companies around, delivering drop-off meals by bike, sourcing primo ingredients from New England farms and stores, and composting to reduce waste. If anyone can make a feast for 100 feel virtuous, it's them. 2447 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 2140, seasontotastecatering.com.
Legal Sea Foods
Red wine with meat, white wine with fish—whoa, not so fast! Wine director Sandy Block has compiled 40 pages (because 41 would just be silly) of bottles selected in blind tastings for menu compatibility, resulting in the ideal muscadet for those oysters and the right sangiovese for that spicy cioppino. Some three dozen vintages are available by the glass, and there are five tasting flights (three priced under $10) that change from one visit to the next. The inventory at last year's ace, Troquet, is still worthy, but at the end of the day the options and value are at Legal. 26 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 2116, legalseafoods.com.
Bistro du Midi
Any restaurant can decrumb your table or change your silverware 500 times during a meal. True service is something else entirely, and no one does it better than Bistro du Midi. We stumbled in on a rainy night after getting rudely booted from another packed spot. "Make yourself comfortable," the hostess said with a smile. "Mind your knees," a server chirped as he nudged our seat in toward the table. It's the kind of coddling that puts an instant smile on your face—and chef Robert Sisca's coastal-French cuisine keeps it there. 272 Boylston St., Boston, MA 2116, bistrodumidi.com.
Metro Cab
Metro Cab doesn't coast on the status quo: It was taking credit cards before the city mandated it, and recently began letting customers schedule rides online and pay via cell phone. All that wouldn't matter, of course, if Metro weren't also speedy. It has the largest fleet in the area—including vans for people with special physical needs and hybrids for those with special ethical ones—and uses a computerized system to dispatch the cab closest to your location (rather than trying to cajole a driver by two-way radio). 84 Braintree St., Allston, MA 2134, .