Alan Rouleau Couture
Equal-rights couturier Rouleau specializes in flattering, custom-fit formalwear for either gender, but is especially skilled at creating sexy tuxedos for girls. 73 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, alanrouleau.com.
Phillips Academy
Nips Exeter by a stiff upper lip. Andover, MA
Julia Ingalls, assistant chief concierge, The Four Seasons Hotel, Boston
Named Concierge of the Year by her peers, Ingalls won the award after working her way up the ranks at the Four Seasons: she started as a desk clerk when the hotel opened, in 1985. Ingalls is one of only 220 American concierges who made the cut for membership in Les Clefs d'Or, the society of professional concierges.
Forty Winks
Handsome, flirty, and extremely supportive: No, we’re not talking about our latest flame, we’re talking about the underpinnings from this one-stop Cambridge shop. Situated outside the store, Forty Winks’ new walk-up bra bar is an easy, safe way to upgrade your lingerie drawer—or opt for a gratis 30-minute virtual fitting and browsing session with a sales associate and pick up curbside. 56 John F. Kennedy St., Cambridge, MA 02138, shopfortywinks.com.
Landry & Arcari
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. That's our mantra when it comes to the rug selection (pictured) at Landry & Arcari, where you'll find everything from antique Oriental numbers to long-piled Persians to hand-knotted classics. With an unparalleled collection sourced from rug makers all over the world, this mainstay has all you'll ever need to turn your floors into functional works of art. 333 Stuart St., Boston, MA 02116, landryandarcari.com.
See
This shop's limited-edition, retro-funky frames—in specs and sunnies—will give you 20/20 vision, and the service is a perfect 10, too. High-quality craftsmanship seals the deal: We've had our sturdy See frames for four years, and they've fallen on the floor, been crushed by a toddler, and gone through the dryer—and never snapped under pressure. (Multiple locations.) 115 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, seeeyewear.com.
A Far Cry
Dreams and Prayers, A Far Cry's self-released, Grammy-nominated album with clarinetist David Krakauer, isn't just one of this year's best classical recordings, but also one of the best narratives, too. As dramatic as anything in our Netflix queue, Dreams and Prayers—recorded at Sacred Heart Church, in Fall River—is a thoroughly modern, century-spanning, globe-trotting sonic adventure. Catch the group live at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, where it's the in-house chamber orchestra. afarcry.org.
Martini, Sonsie
Sonsie-bashing had become such a popular sport for a while, the ensuing recoil could only have put the place back in vogue. Well, here's at least one hard-hitting reason to quit caviling: the martinis. To start, simply sit back and admire the presentation: A gargantuan, perfectly chilled glass arrives empty, frosty, and luminous. Then the fetching bartenders (ours had an uncanny resemblance to the French lover in Unfaithful) quickly and efficiently shake, ice, add the perfect amount of vermouth, and pour. Just one inspires great conversation. 327 Newbury St., Boston, MA sonsieboston.com.
Westport Rivers Vineyard's Sparkling Wines
Vintners Bob and Carol Russell often refer to themselves as farmers rather than winemakers, though they produce a national and international award-winning series of methode Champenoise sparkling wines. These are bottled testimony to their efforts and ethos—the Russells' business is a family one (sons Bill and Bob make the wine and manage the vineyard respectively) devoted to preserving Massachusetts farmland and producing a superior product. If it's good enough for the White House (the sparkling wines were served at the Governor's Dinner 2000), then it is welcome on our table. 417 Hixbridge Road, Westport, MA westportrivers.com.
Cremaldi's
This Italian specialty shop routinely stocks the finest and freshest selection of fresh pasta. Four or five daily flavors can be cut to order, and the freezer cases hold homemade tortellini filled with chicken, pesto, pumpkin, or roasted garlic, as well as a variety of sauces and oven-ready hors d'oeuvres. Also look for for the barrels of dry pasta in every shape and form, and don't miss the huge deli selection. 31 Putnam Ave., Cambridge, MA .
Pinwheels
We might roll our eyes at precious, overpriced kids' clothes, but it's near impossible to resist the teeny, hand-knit pale pink sweaters and soft cotton bonnets and caps at Pinwheels. Miniature outfits for boys and girls—including many pieces with embroidered animals—abound at this island spot. There's only one downside: You'll wish Pinwheels carried its charming fashions in your size, too. 7 S. Beacon St., Nantucket, MA .
Brookline Reservoir
We're not in the habit of awarding locations around town, but we would like to share our favorite walk with like-minded leisure hunters. The lap around this picturesque reservoir is framed with storied Brookline townhouses, and the track is clean, shaded by tall trees, and utterly peaceful. This could be the most perfect place to clear your head in the city. Route 9 and Chestnut Hill Avenue, Brookline, MA .
Lucia Lighting & Design, Inc.
Lynn may be a ways past the city limits, but this 8,000-square-foot lighting nirvana set in a historic mansion proved an irresistible beacon to our Best of Boston judges. The brainchild of spunky Salem State College grad Lucy Dearborn, Lucia comprises 12 showrooms with themes like 'The Crystal Room' (sparkles galore) and 'The Loft' (sleek and funky). With approximately 1,000 fixtures to choose from, and the guidance of in-house designers, customers are bound to find something here that turns them on, and vice versa. 311 Western Ave., Lynn, MA 1904, lucialighting.com.
Cheryl Richards
There's a reason Cheryl Richards is our go-to wedding photographer (and frequent Best of Boston winner): She manages to be both unobtrusive and friendly as she preserves your memories in her signature photojournalistic style. You'll treasure her snapshots because, after all those long months of planning, the only things that last (other than the marriage, we hope) are the photographs. 224 Clarendon St., Boston, MA cherylrichards.com.
Uni
Omakase translates—very roughly—to “entrusting the chef to create a special meal of sequential bites from a perch mere inches from your face,” and Uni was always one of our favorite spots to partake. In the meantime, whatever Akira Sugimoto’s super-luxe 8-, 12-, and 16-piece nigiri boxes to go lack in off-the-cuff serendipity, they more than make up for in jewel-like exquisiteness. 370A Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215, uni-boston.com.