Ali's Roti Restaurant
Some takeout involves such a comically deconstructed mess of packaged components it feels like a Blue Apron–themed episode of Punk’d. This Trinidadian shop’s standard-bearer rotis, by contrast, tuck an entire meal—curried chickpeas; cabbage; the stewed oxtail, chicken, or goat—into a single, efficient, house-made wrap. Discard the bag, dig in, and give yourself (and the recycling bin) a night off. 1188 Blue Hill Ave., Mattapan, MA 02126, .
Monumental Market
Where can you score a bold yet balanced cup of coffee, mouthwatering pastries, and the perfect background tunes for sipping your java back at home? This quick-stop shop, which represents the collaborative entrepreneurship that is the future of Boston’s food world: Baker Kelsey Munger and bean roaster Javier Amador-Peña met at a farmers’ market, opened Monumental together, and tapped local Light of Day Records to stock the space with new and (cheap!) vintage vinyls. Blueberry muffins, cold brew, and David Bowie — yes, please. 36 South St., Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, monumentalmarket.com.
The MacDowell Company
With decades of experience under their belts, the talented landscape architects and contractors at the MacDowell Company know a few things about exterior design. Whether creating the ultimate backyard oasis or sophisticated stone terraces and courtyards, MacDowell folks shepherd the process from beginning to end, ensuring picture-perfect results at every turn. Go ahead, give 'em a call. Your neighbors will thank you. 21 Center St., Weston, MA 02493, macdowell.com.
Dungeon Rock, Lynn Woods Reservation
If your kids are balking at the prospect of a walk, tempt them with a trek to this spooky site. A gentle one-mile round-trip walk takes you to a 174-foot cave, once a hiding spot for a 17th-century pirate. Go between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays, when the park ranger props open the heavy iron door, then descend a wooden staircase and explore the tunnel within. ci.lynn.ma.us/citydepartments_lynnwoods.shtml..
Bliss
After hunching over a keyboard all week, nothing does a body better than a full-body massage. Enter the newly renovated Bliss facility at the W Hotel, which offers a "Blissage" treatment perfect for wound-up muscles. Using hydrating creams and warming oils from the Bliss line, therapists tailor each massage to your concerns, taking care of knots you didn't even know existed. 100 Stuart St., Boston, MA 02116, blissworld.com.
Centre Street Café
This newly revamped neighborhood café is effortlessly sexy—no mood lighting or drippy molten chocolate cake. Instead, it offers cozy seating (especially at the prime table by the exposed kitchen) mixed with warm hospitality, plus shareable Italian-inflected plates from Rialto alum Brian Rae. Follow up the house-made pastas—rich buckwheat lasagna with sage pesto; chestnut-and-goat-cheese ravioli with squash and brioche crumbs—with a bottle of Italian wine and a plate of braised chicken thighs with pistachio-glazed pork belly. 669A Centre St., Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, centrestreetcafejp.com.
C Salt Wine Bar & Grille
In the land of beach bars and clam shacks, C Salt is a breath of fresh (salt) air. This tiny house looks more like a ski chalet than an oyster bar, but the locals who pack the dining room don't let that distract them. From an open kitchen, chef Jonathan Philips turns out root-beer-braised short ribs and a spicy tuna tartar tostada with avocado-cilantro aioli worth bottling. The clincher: the coldest, stiffest martini we've ever enjoyed. 75 Davis Straits, Falmouth, MA 02540, csaltfalmouth.com.
The Citgo Sign
Hitching your sense of self to a big ol' oil company's logo might seem like a manifestation of corporate personhood, but the sign advertising the Venezuelan energy outfit Citgo, which towers over Kenmore Square, provides a quick way for people to situate themselves in Boston. Not only does its design make it one of those rare neon signs that looks good when the sun's shining, Fenway Park and its Instagram-ready tableaux are just a stroll away. Kenmore Square, Boston, MA 02215, .
Stacey Kuehn
Whether you’re after soft, side-swept curls or a play on the classic French twist, your locks are safe in traveling stylist Stacey Kuehn’s hands. Kuehn, who’s worked with such celebrity clients as Taylor Swift and Gwyneth Paltrow, draws from years of editorial experience to create wedding-day ’dos that look like they came straight out of the pages of a fashion magazine. staceykuehn.com.
Rockport
Rockport’s waterfront downtown is straight out of Hollywood casting. Limited parking means limited cars to impede your Sunday stroll (catch a ride in from the outskirts on the free shuttle bus), and stroll you shall: to boutiques that go beyond the tourist schlock, art galleries run by actual artists, shops dealing in such small-town staples as homemade ice cream and candy, and solid restaurants, from swanky spots to clam shacks.
Wally’s Cafe
From the outside, Wally’s looks like your average anonymous dive. But the drab exterior belies its storied history: This place has put live jazz acts on stage 365 days a year since 1947. Squeeze in among the regulars, order a beer, and get ready for top-notch jazz, funk, or Latin jazz salsa right up until the joint shuts down at 2 a.m. 427 Massachusetts Ave., Boston, MA 02118, wallyscafe.com.
Jack’s Abby
With its growing canned line, 175-seat restaurant serving everything from wood-fired pizzas to beer-braised mussels, and charming new Framingham facility capable of producing 100,000 barrels a year, Jack’s Abby epitomizes the modern American brewery. But at the end of the day, it’s still about the beer, and Jack Hendler continues to push the boundaries of the lager style, producing dozens of exceptional smoked, soured, and sessionable varieties. 100 Clinton St., Framingham, MA 01702, jacksabby.com.
Porchfest
West African drummers, punksters, Bollywood funksters, and space rockers, all jamming out on porches, patios, and more across Somerville. This outdoor festival just might be the only time all year that you’re going to be happy to hear your neighbor play the guitar. With copies appearing in Jamaica Plain, Roslindale, Arlington, and at the Lawn on D, it’s clear the fun(k) is now infectious. somervilleartscouncil.org/porchfest.
Fenway Park
For baseball fans, it's the ultimate only-in-Boston venue. Get married behind third base in Section 32 before moving your celebration to one of 14 reception options: For Green Monster vistas, you can't beat the Dell EMC Club; for a skyline tableau, the State Street Pavilion or the right-field roof deck hit it out of the park. 4 Yawkey Way, Boston, MA 02215, redsox.mlb.com.
Lisa Rigby Photography
Every wedding has its own unique story. And Lisa Rigby, with backgrounds in professional writing and art history, knows just how to tell it. Her work has a cinematic quality that transcends traditional documentary-style photography, capturing expressions full of emotion and maximizing the scenery, whether it's your parents' lush backyard or the Museum of Fine Arts at 11:59 p.m. on New Year's Eve. lisarigbyphotography.com.