Styled by Gilda
If the last time you spent money on real clothes (not, ahem, yoga pants) was February 2020, it may be time to call in a professional — namely, personal stylist Gilda Miranda. The shopping pro offers everything from brief virtual consultations to a complete “wardrobe rehab process” that includes a closet edit, a shopping trip, and an at-home styling sesh, all with an eye toward what works best for your style and body type. styledbygilda.com.
Riccardi
There’s streetwear, and then there’s mad-cool streetwear. Repping brands like Off-White (RIP, Virgil Abloh), Chrome Hearts, and Thom Browne — not to mention a colossal jeans-and- tees collection from Amiri and Saint Laurent — this boutique’s wares definitely fall into the latter category. Riccardo Dallai, who launched his family fashion business in 1978, has also broken into the exclusive collab category with limited-edition hoodies, beanies, and sweat- pants. Your threads will be lit. 116 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, riccardiboston.com.
Garden Remedies
You can find candy-colored cannabis fruit chews pretty much anywhere. But for some THC made with TLC, you’ll want to stop by this Newton shop. Its seed-to-sale chocolates are made in-house with Belgian Callebaut, in mouth-watering varieties like Campfire (with graham crackers and mini marshmallows) and Wake & Bake (crafted using coffee and doughnuts from a local bakery). Not a chocoholic? Come Halloween, look for the devilishly hot Spooky Spicy Gummy, made with ghost-pepper extract, and take the #spicygummychallenge. Multiple locations, gardenremedies.com.
deWolfe Leather Goods
A good handbag is like a fine meal: simple ingredients, but only the best of them. Gina deWolfe knows this. Her eponymous bag collection consists of minimal cuts with top-quality leathers (plus a few metal garnishes for pizzazz). The “Wolfe-pack,” a supple backpack available in luxe neutrals, provides a sturdy and stylish friend for all of your adventures; the “Bettie” clutch, meanwhile, stands out for its pebbled leather and oversize belt buckle and grommets. All in all, a delicious result. 250 Newbury St., 1st Fl., Boston, MA 02116, dewolfeleathergoods.com.
Toscani's
A newcomer, perhaps our Rookie of the Year. 899 Main St., Cambridge, MA .
Tom Brady Leaves the Patriots
Did the GOAT jump the fence out of the Patriots’ pasture, or did Farmer Bill kick him out the gate? We probably won’t know until the best quarterback ever and the best NFL coach ever are long retired and finally start giving candid interviews. Either way, this much is undeniable: Our former Number 12 now looks hideously off-putting in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ red, orange, and pewter jersey, but we’re starting to get over our old flame thanks to the savvy signing of 31-year-old QB Cam Newton. While we wish nothing but goodwill and success to the football legend for the decades of glory he gave us, and we all knew the six-ring Super Bowl era had to end some day, it’s still too bad it had to be like this.
Bank of Boston
A controversial choice, no matter how you cite it, considering the bank's relatively recent troubles with the law. Happily, Bank of Boston has since then kept its nose clean and its books in order. Despite some shaky Latin American paper on its ledgers, the bank reported a bracing 34 percent rise in profits this year. Moreover, our cockles were warmed by a number of neighborly gestures: those full-page Globe ads congratulating the coaches of our suddenly successful sports franchises, for instance. And the bank's sponsorship of M. L> Carr's "Say No to Drugs" campaign in area schools. Some would dismiss these as mere public relations gestures. Bleeding hearts that we are, however, we were moved. After all, second chances are what America is all about.
Maryelle Makeup & Hair Artistry
Maryelle O’Rourke and her team of artists are pros at making brides "I woke up like this" beautiful, traveling to venues in Boston and beyond to give you and yours perfectly dewy skin and fluttery lashes. For proof, take a look at the company’s roster of celebrity clients, which includes Her Royal Highness Meghan Markle and Westworld’s Shannon Woodward. MA maryelleartistry.com.
Plimoth Plantation
There’s nothing more kid-friendly than a slice of history that can answer you right back. Experience life as it was for Massachusetts’ first European settlers—and their hosts, the Wampanoag—at Plimoth Plantation. Walk among the tiny timber-framed houses of a 17th-century English village, learn how to play the ancient tribal game of hubbub at the Wampanoag Homesite along the Eel River, and encourage the brood to ask plenty of questions: They’ll learn more than they ever could in history class. 137 Warren Ave., Plymouth, MA 02360, plimoth.org.
Follain
Tara Foley wants you to stop cleaning your face with dirty products. That’s the mission, at least, behind her one-stop skin-care shop, Follain, which bars parabens, formaldehyde, coal tar, and other potentially dangerous chemicals from its expertly selected lineup of beauty items. In fact, the company rigorously researches and tests every deodorant and soap it carries independently before releasing it onto shelves. Now that’s what we call beautiful. Multiple locations. 65 Charles St., Boston, MA 02114, shopfollain.com.
B/spoke
If you don’t like to sweat, B/spoke’s cycling classes are not for you. Those who relish getting drenched in the name of a good, clean workout, however, will appreciate this studio’s state-of-the-art bikes, pump-you-up tracks, and peppy instructors, who use hand weights and core work to target more than just the legs in heart-pounding sessions. Amp up your experience with B/spoke’s "hot" ride, a hilly adventure in sizzling temps, and feel the burn. 101 Federal St., Boston, MA 02110, bspokestudios.com.
Moona
The flavors of the Arabic pantry shine in the vibrant dishes sent out of chef de cuisine Rory Lee’s small open kitchen, from the fatteh with yogurt, dill, and shiitake mushrooms to the shareable, deeply charred grilled fish shingled with sweet lemons and swimming in peppery harissa. One of the best parts of a meal here, however, doesn’t cost a penny: the za’atar bread with sweet orange-blossom butter that comes compliments of the house. 243 Hampshire St., Cambridge, MA 02139, moonarestaurant.com.
Brookline Booksmith
A great bookstore does more than bring you the latest blockbuster—it promises to surprise you. And so it is with the eclectic readings staged at Brookline Booksmith. From eye-opening appearances by authors such as sci-fi icon Neal Stephenson and former Teen Vogue editor in chief Elaine Welteroth to horizon-expanding initiatives like the Transnational Literature Series (which focuses on books about migration, displacement, and exile), the Booksmith offers a steady stream of programming that promises to keep your bedside table stocked. 279 Harvard St., Brookline, MA brooklinebooksmith.com.
Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra
Don’t worry, this isn’t your middle schooler’s violin recital: Rising from the insuppressible enthusiasm of maestro Benjamin Zander—who founded the (senior) Boston Philharmonic Orchestra 40 years ago—this ensemble of fantastically talented 12- to 21-year-olds delivers exactly what you want from a night at the orchestra: to be blown away. Whether playing the notoriously difficult Mahler (one of the maestro’s specialties) or another canonical composer, they deliver youthful energy and just a touch of wonder. bostonphil.org.