Savenor's
Julia Child loved Savenor's because it offered the finest cuts and good advice on what to do with them. The same holds true today, whether you seek lamb, prime beef, organic chicken, or trendier fare like kangaroo and yak. 160 Charles St., Boston, MA savenorsmarket.com.
Circle Furniture
There are plenty of high-end shops in town to satisfy sophisticated tastes, but we keep coming back to Circle, Boston's source for New England-built beds, chairs, and more. You can furnish your entire home here. Just remember: This is custom stuff. It takes time to build, but it's worth the wait. 31 St. James Ave., Boston, MA 2116, circlefurniture.com.
House of Sarah Books
Loaf on the couches, chitchat with owner Jodi Malone, or mosey through the well-stocked stacks. This place feels like home, complete with a cat stunning in the front window. And the prices penciled in the front of the books are tough to beat. It's sweet relief from the sour pretension so often found in used bookshops. 1309 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA .
Saks Fifth Avenue
Whether its flat and functional, high and impractical, slides for poolside posing, or rubber soles for pavement pounding, Saks has the shoe. Brands like Prada, Gucci, Miu Miu and Sigerson Morrison share shelf space with Ferragamo and Stuart Weitzman. In short, the shoe department runs the gamut of age and fashion preference. Prudential Center, Boston, MA .
Thom Brown
They definitely got the funk. Thom Brown boasts the biggest selection in town from the hipper side of Kenneth Cole to platforms in all shapes and sizes. Here's where our boys find shoes that express their personality without getting too ridiculous. 331 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Picco
Connoisseurs of pure and simple ice cream are all about two things: richness of flavor and quality of texture. Picco delivers both, first by using the most intense ingredients available in every batch (Vietnamese cinnamon; fudgy chocolate chunks), and second by making everything from scratch—a whole new meaning for cold comfort. 513 Tremont St., Boston, MA 2116, piccorestaurant.com.
Grange Gourmet
On the quieter (i.e., not downtown Gloucester) side of Cape Ann, this erstwhile grange building is home to gourmet sandwiches, salads, a tiny seating area (great for local gossip) and a miniscule garden that will make you forget about the beach entirely. 457 Washington St., Gloucester, MA .
Julien
Homemade buckwheat blini and every fixin' you could hope for accompany the osetra caviar ($60/ounce). Yellow roses decorate the block of ice that chills a bottle of Stolichnaya (it comes with each order). All ceremoniously rolled out on a trolley. Does it get any better than this? Le Meridien Boston, 250 Franklin St., Boston, MA .
Koreana
"Bibimbop" yourself to where every stone pot runneth over with savory dishes starring rice, fish, the freshest veggies, or practically the whole darn cow (from tongue to blood to feet). Novices can find Korean food inedibly strange, but Koreana's savory dishes make it easy to learn to like the cuisine. 154 Prospect St., Cambridge, MA .
Clear Flour Bakery
Not too sweet, not too sticky, these addictive, oven-warm, golden, glazed concoctions, known as Morning Buns, are required a.m. accompaniments to coffee and the newspaper. That's assuming they last until you get back home. Available with or without walnuts. 178 Thorndike St., Brookline, MA .
Bob the Chef's
If you can beat two eggs, your choice of breakfast meat, hot bread, grits or home fries, juice, and coffee for five bucks, let us know. Don't miss what may be the best sweet-potato pie in the city. 604 Columbia Ave., Boston, MA .
Massachusetts Department of Revenue
"It's okay to hold the mayonnaise or mustard but not the meals tax," warned the DOR when temporarily closing down that Boston landmark and gastronomic nightmare, Buzzy's Fabulous Roast Beef. Who said bureaucrats don't have a sense of humor?
Kevin Connolly
Singer/songwriter Kevin Connolly's soulful voice (reminiscent of that of Van Morrison) has taken us to Italy and other faraway places via his "musical postcards." His next record—inspired by his childhood in Marshfield—will keep us closer to home.
Noir
For years, this Charles Hotel lair was home to the most dedicated Mad Men fans in New England, thanks to its debonair screening parties. The show may be over, but the hangout’s sexy, mysterious vibe—and the top-notch scotch flights—live on. One Bennett St., Cambridge, MA 02138, noir-bar.com.
Made in Fort Point
Fort Point is home to more than just tech-bro-approved selfie spots—it’s still an artists’ stronghold, too. Duck into this store—which showcases prints, handcrafted textiles, and more by some 50 community artists—for a reassuring splash of old Fort Point. 315 A St., Boston, MA 02210, fortpointarts.org.