Common Vines
Here’s one of those whip-smart, why-didn’t-someone-think-of-it-sooner concepts: a wine bar and shop that work together to help you discover your next favorite pour. From Croatian plavac mali to Monterey-grown malvasia, all of the by-the-glass selections at Jennifer Scott and Chris Hsi’s Taste Wine Bar & Kitchen are also available to tote home by the bottle at Common Vines, their vino boutique right across the street. Not enough time for a full pour? Pop into the shop for a free tasting; themes—such as "Wines with a Long Finish" on Marathon Monday—change by the day. 100 Summer St., Boston, MA 02110, commonvines.com.
Mill 1 at Open Square
Housed in a refurbished paper mill out west in Holyoke, Mill 1’s brick walls and pine beams take full advantage of the 5,000-square-foot space’s historical details while keeping elegance at the forefront. Better yet, the staff of expert event managers can deck out the venue to suit your style — from a white-linen affair among glittering bistro lights to a more pared-back fete with wooden farm tables and paper lanterns. Bonus: Open Square is a net-zero-energy development (it generates as much energy as it uses), so your wedding will be both beautiful and carbon-neutral. 4 Open Square Way, Holyoke, MA 1040, mill1events.com.
Charlestown Preservation Society
First-time visitors to Charlestown are invariably struck by the neighborhood's beauty and charm, a consequence in no small part of the efforts of the town's 29-year-old preservation society. This group, which works to preserve the town's landmarks and grade the neighborhood, supports its efforts with a delightful annual house tour—in the evening by candlelight, and during the day by trolley. P.O. Box 201, Charlestown, MA .
Maxime Salon
Owner Ronit Enos and her team of cheerful stylists take hair very, very seriously. Our initial consultation started off like a therapy session ("Is that what makes you unhappy about your hair?') and ended with an extreme makeover. We walked out of Enos's sleek, modern salon with our locks shiny and our confidence restored. 1 Derby St., Hingham, MA 2043, maximesalon.com.
Ombe
At this integrative health center four floors above Copley Square, our therapist kicked off the 80-minute massage by asking about problem areas and preferences—and actually listened. After guiding our limbs through a series of stretches on the heated table, she kneaded shoulders, back, neck, and quads with the hard pressure we crave (and often request, but don't get). And green practices (down to the organic Badger balm and body oil and linens cleaned with an eco-friendly detergent) left our inner tree-hugger at peace, too. 551 Boylston St., Boston, MA ombecenter.com.
Harry's Foreign American Auto
Your parents' mechanic was honest and treated the family Cadillac like a fourth child. Car doctors like that may be endangered these days, but they aren't extinct—not while Harry Nesdekidis is still repairing carburetors, anyway. He knows his stuff when it comes to what's under your hood, and truly cares about each customer (he threw extra wiper blades into our trunk and taught us how to install them). When it comes to mending crippled cars, in Harry we trust. 19 Academy Hill Road, Brighton, MA 2135, harrysforeignamerican.com.
Fresh
No offense to the department-store counters we’ve frequented in the past, but our new fragrance go-to is a little less—how shall we say—in your face. Fresh skips the dizzying array of scents for a dozen or so intriguing, beautifully blended perfumes. Our favorite? "Hesperides," an intoxicating mix of grapefruit, bergamot, rhubarb, and jasmine. 121 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, fresh.com.
Artcliff Diner
Housed in a little shack just outside downtown Vineyard Haven, Artcliff is the epitome of an island establishment, beloved by locals and tourists alike. Slurp down your bottomless cup of joe at one of the counter stools before sinking your teeth into the delightfully uncomplicated Hot Stuff breakfast sandwich—two eggs, chorizo, jalapeño, and pepper jack on toast or an English muffin. For something with a little more local flavor, order up the Bull’s Eye—a codfish cake with two eggs and spicy hollandaise. No matter what you choose, you won’t leave hungry. 39 Beach Rd., Vineyard Haven, MA 02568, .
Rubin's
There's a reason places like the Harvard Club and the Four Seasons Hotel send out to Rubin's when their guests want kosher meals. This is homemade food the way your bubbie used to make it. Sure, the prices are a little steep, but the brisket melts in your mouth and the knishes are to die for, even since the deli changed hands for the first time in its 70-year history. And the guys behind the counter have that distracted "Hurry-up-and-order, I've-got-a-county-to-run" attitude that can make the hardiest New Yorker homesick. 500 Harvard St., Brookline, MA .
The Crane Estate
This 2,100-acre wonderland of woodlands and beaches offers three gorgeous ways to make waves on your wedding day: by the sea, in a historical barn, or on the rolling grounds of the 1920s Great House on Castle Hill. 290 Argilla Rd., Ipswich, MA craneestateevents.co.
Drysdale's All-Natural Carpet Care
Owner Mark Dullea is to dirty carpets and sofas what Mr. Clean is to the rest of your house. And unlike other companies, Dullea uses non-toxic cleaning agents that won't harm the kids or upset the pets. 140 Main St., Suite 148, Charlestown, MA .
Capone Foods
When it comes to pasta, Capone is the champ. Our favorite is lemon, but we wouldn't turn up our nose at wild mushroom, curry, or saffron to name just a few of the 25 flavors and four cuts which Capone's has available, most on a daily basis. What's more, the management has thoughtfully provided a chart to help you through the which-sauce-with-which-pasta maze. 14 Bow St., Somerville, MA .
Torrefazione Italia
Aunt Bette often says there's nothing worse than a bad cup of tea, but she's wrong. A bad cup of coffee is a greater offense. And there are far too many chains these days pouring vats of watered-down-but-too-hot-to-taste-the-difference-anyway brews. That's why, when we need some real java, we make a beeline for Torrefazione (Italian for "coffee roaster"), where the espresso is rich and bracing, the cappuccino has just the right amount of foamy milk on top, and ordering a regular means choosing from an aromatic selection of light or dark blends. If you're not getting your joe to go, sit and savor your caffeine in a handpainted Deruta coffee cup, also an Italian import. 85 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Tanjore
It's a good thing they make such a sweet mango lassi</em in this softly lit space just off Harvard Square. A cool yogurt drink is just what's needed after the unusual Indian dishes here, which can set afire even the most tolerant tongue. Named after a city in southern India, Tanjore is the third oldest of four restaurants run by Bombay-born Samir Majmudar, with a mouthwatering menu that covers the country's north and south regions. The dosas are melt-in-your mouth, made of rice and lentil flours and filled with potatoes, chicken, or lamb, then served with coconut chutney and sambhar. For the adventurous, konkan xacuti is a blend of coconut and tamarind curry, while the more traditional kashmir rogan josh, a lamb curry cooked with cloves and cardamom, practically dissolves on the tongue. Like to stick with the familiar? The tikka and tandoori are divine. But with reasonable prices and exceptional service, this is the place to test your limits. Just keep the mango lassi handy. 18 Eliot St., Cambridge, MA tanjoreharvardsq.com.
Bodega
We wanted to love the Attic, Central Square's newish 'lifestyle' shop that broke up the Payless-Blockbuster-Gap oligarchy. And we do like that its stock of Dunks is readily available in women's and kids' styles. Still, it's only a slice of the selection available at other sneaker stores in town (with a lack of Saturday hours being the final nail in the coffin). So we're still sending all our love to everyone's favorite 'hidden' shoe mecca: Though after three years Bodega's no secret, what with preteens and parents infiltrating the hipster fray, that famed secret-door Snapple machine still marks the spot for the city's most commanding array of limited-edition kicks, from Livestrong Air Maxes to Japanese Monster Pumas. 6 Clearway St., Boston, MA 2115, shop.bdgastore.com.