Curious George
Anatomy of a Winner: We all shed tears when our favorite impetuous primate and his long-suffering companion, the man with the yellow hat, lost their Harvard Square home in 2011. Luckily, the world's only Curious George store reopened in the same location last year, with an expanded focus and a brand-new interior. Besides the original books by Margret and H. A. Rey, here are some of the things we love about the shop. 1. Stroller valet means there's nary a carriage in sight and more room for playing and browsing. 2. Small visitors can curl up with a book in the popular reading nook. 3. Stuffed versions of the iconic monkey range from eight to thirty-six inches. 4. Local playthings, like this "Pirates of Boston" puzzle from Marblehead's Mud Puddle Toys, are on offer. 5. Exclusive T-shirts emblazoned with the shop's namesake and friends are designed in-house. 6. Trying out the display toys—like these bright Crocodile Creek balls—is encouraged. One JFK St., Cambridge, MA thecuriousgeorgestore.com.
Kate Schnabel and Susan McEachern, Clean Sweep
Who has time to clean these days? Or do the laundry? Clean Sweep does, and for $6.50 to $7.50 an hour (for-hour minimum), it seems like a bargain. Owners Schnabel and McEachern began in 1978, and are so successful they've got a rookie camp, where cleaning neophytes are drilled in the fine points of floor-washing and plant-watering. Brookline, MA
The Enormous Room
While college kids and out-of-towners wait in line downtown for their overpriced martinis and bland playlists, hipsters hit Central Square for a much more appealing kind of scene. The Enormous Room is actually anything but: long, narrow, and brick-walled, full of couches and pillows. It's reminiscent of a harem (the last harem we visited, anyway), only with tasty food and DJs spinning some of the best music in town, from new wave to hip-hop to IDM. Get there early, or prepare to cool your heels outside awhile. 567 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA enormous.tv.
Lambert's Cove Inn & Restaurant
If you want a real island retreat, head to the north side, take a quiet road through the woods, and book yourself into a room at the idyllic Lambert's Cove Inn. You can stay in either the main building—a converted 1790 farmhouse decked out in English-country period style—or the carriage house, where many rooms have their own private porch. 90 Manaquayak Rd., Vineyard Haven, MA lambertscoveinn.com.
Kodomo
Mother of two Jasmine Punzalan knows that kids’ clothes should be three things: cute, fashionable, and, most important, durable enough to withstand hours and hours of rough-and-tumble play. That’s why she stocks her exquisite Beacon Hill and South End children’s boutiques with sunny-yellow cotton bloomers and sky-blue playsuits from ethically produced brands like the Animals Observatory, Mini Rodini, and Bobo Choses — and why over the years she’s drawn the attention of celeb clients such as Molly Sims and Leslie Odom Jr. Multiple locations. kodomoboston.com.
George Wright Golf Club
Tight fairways, manicured greens, and well-marked tee boxes make this inner-city gem a pleasure and a challenge. Nestled in the middle of a residential neighborhood, this par 7 course designed by Donald Ross attracts weekend duffers and irksome weekday sneak-ons (where did that threesome in front of us come from?!). So be prepared to cool your heels and your temper: This is urban golf in the Age of Tiger, after all. Still, it's easier than you'd think to get a tee time. Love the Tudor clubhouse, and the reduced fees when you flip a Boston ID ($21 weekdays, $24 weekends). 420 West St., Hyde Park, MA .
Boston Coach
From the pleasant people who take reservation to the early-edition daily newspapers, reading lights and phones in each car, Boston Coach has got it covered. Forty dollars will get you from downtown to Logan in the luxury of a snazzy Volvo ($45 from Cambridge). Limos are available as well. $60/ hour for a six-seater, $78/ hour for eight to ten people. You can make international arrangements, too. 1 Airforce Rd., Everett, MA .
Community Servings
Community Servings believes that “food is medicine.” But what happens when you’re not able to give your body the right dose? That’s where this J.P. nonprofit steps in, delivering medically tailored, homemade meals to those who are chronically ill or unable to shop and cook for themselves. Not only does the valiant team of volunteers do the cooking and delivering, it also offers nutrition courses for vulnerable populations—and plenty of opportunities for those who want to lend a hand. 179 Amory St., Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, servings.org.
Duxbury Beach
With pristine dunes surrounded by windswept marshes, a lighthouse at its far end, public parking, and a refreshment stand that serves a mean chocolate frappe, this is one seriously idyllic place. For nonresidents, there's plenty of reasonably priced public parking. Better yet, there are still areas left where the crowds are relatively thin, so if you don't feel like enduring your neighbor's predilection for Britney Spears, you don't have to. Canal St., Duxbury, MA .
Natale's
Your ill-fitting warehouse suits and casual-Friday carpenter jeans are getting you nowhere fast, mister. Time to pay a visit to Italian-born custom tailor Natale Agostino, who's schooled in the ways of the well-crafted suit. Whether it's a piece in Armani or Brioni fabrics tailored to Agostino's specifications or a full-out bespoke creation, he'll make sure you leave his store looking nicely proportioned. Today, a flattering suit; tomorrow, the world! 2001 Washington St., Hanover, MA 2339, natalesofhanover.com.
Amanda Johnson, Mario Russo
There are two kinds of colorists: those who will do your bidding, no matter how ill advised, and those who will save you from yourself. Mario Russo’s Amanda Johnson is the latter. She’ll skillfully steer you away from, say, a ridiculous platinum-blond dye job and offer a far more flattering alternative, whether it’s perfectly even all-over color or subtle highlighting in all the right places. 9 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, mariorusso.com.
Pho Bistro
Don't be fooled by its strip-mall location: Pho Bistro serves up uncommonly good soups, stir-frys, and other Vietnamese specialties. Be sure to order a bowl of pho, with flavor-rich broth that takes hours upon hours to prepare. Add whatever proteins you're craving (squid? flank steak? tripe?), and slurp it up with delight. 8 Pleasant St., Malden, MA 02148, phobistromalden.com.
Sully's Billiards
Cheap canned beer, microwave pizza, and straight cues—this 7-table pool hall is the real thing. Go Monday through Thursday for the special ($6 a head for five hours of play between 3 and 8 p.m.). It's $10 an hour at other times. Sully's is also a bona fide male zone—women should move in groups. 445 Cambridge Street, Allston, MA .
Kane’s Donuts
This spot lives by the mantra "Kane’s Donuts Are Love." Sink your teeth into one of its pillowy treats, and you’ll quickly understand why: Delighting dough devotees since the Eisenhower era, Kane’s has mastered flavors both classic (the glaze-drenched honey-dipped) and creative (the "turtle" with caramel frosting, drizzled dark chocolate, and crushed Heath bar). The cake- and raised-style offerings don’t skimp on toppings, either, so whether you pop into the original Saugus outpost or sidle up to the counter at the much newer Financial District spot, you’re guaranteed a mouthful of flavor with each bite. Multiple locations. 90 Oliver St., Boston, MA 02110, kanesdonuts.com.
Ermenegildo Zegna
Don't let those ill-dressed goombas on The Sopranos fool you: Nobody knows stylish sophistications like the Italians. The Napoli Couture collection at Ermenegildo Zegna is a strong case in point—suits and jackets made mostly by hand from superior fabrics exclusive to Zegna, among them superfine merino wool and the full, silky 15 Milmil 15; shoes, too, are distinguished by handwork and fine leather. The magnificent silk ties in micro-jacquard—heavy on assorted blue, pale blue, white, and red combinations this season—may very well knock your socks off. Not to worry: Zegna sells those, too. 39 Newbury St., Boston, MA zegna.com.