The Globe Corner Bookstore
Although the Globe Corner Bookstore no longer shares space with the home of Anne Hutchinson at Downtown Crossing, the remaining Cambridge and Boston stores will ably meet your escapist needs. Their comprehensive selection of travel books and mas can aid the adventurous on an exploration of everything from the Freedom Trail to the White Mountains to rural Mongolia. They also offer a decent selection of antique maps if there's a cartophile on your gift list. 28 Church St., Cambridge, MA .
Monroe Home & Style
Housed in an old antique shop that’s been stylishly revived on Main Street in Charlestown, this charming boutique stocks glassware, design books, rugs, candles, tabletop items, and so much more. Products are always chic and often artisanal, all carefully curated by owner Donna Garlough, a former style director for Joss & Main who designed the shop to evoke the interior of a house so customers can get a sense of how items will look in their own abodes. 207 Main St., Charlestown, MA 02129, monroeboston.com.
Great Eastern Trading Co.
Make sure you clear your schedule before stepping inside this time warp of a store, which stocks clothing and accessories dating to the 1920s. You’ll need plenty of time to browse rack after rack of still-good band tees, three-piece crochet sets, ’70s-era palazzo pants, forever-stylish leather jackets, quirky vests, and just about anything else your vintage heart could desire. Multiple locations, greateasternvintage.com.
The $100,000 mural of the original hills of Boston covering the State House renovation, part of which blew off after five days.
Ultra Safe Pest Management
We’ve all experienced it: the unmistakable squeak from inside a wall, those dreaded droppings on the kitchen counter, or — worse — a face-to-face encounter with an eight-legged or winged intruder. When bats, rats, spiders, termites, or other pests worm their way into your humble abode, call this fearless team pronto. Not only will they safely trap and remove the uninvited guests, they’ll also repair minor damage, decontaminate the site, and seal up potential reentry points to ensure your home remains trespasser-free. ultrasafepest.com.
Ceremony
The dress of your dreams is out there, indie brides—and there’s a good chance it’s waiting for you at Ceremony. With lacy numbers from Rue de Seine and Sarah Seven and beaded overlays from Limor Rosen, this Beacon Hill shop does stunning, come-run-away-with-me chic like no one else. Even if you’re not getting married on a secluded beach or in a grassy meadow, a dress from Ceremony is guaranteed to make your free spirit sing. 53 River St., Boston, MA 02114, ceremony-boston.com.
EverybodyFights
At the end of a long day, there’s nothing better than strapping on a pair of gloves and hitting something. Hard. You can do that—and any other workout tangentially related to boxing—at EverybodyFights. Build your strength with circuit training and punching bags, work on your technique with competitive pro and amateur boxers, and soothe muscles inside the locker room’s rain showers when the gloves come off. Multiple locations. 15 Channel Center, Boston, MA 02110, everybodyfights.com.
A Street Frames
You’ve finally chosen the perfect masterpiece for your living room—why ruin it with a cheap, mass-produced frame? Go where the top galleries, museums, and collectors go, and you can rest assured that your artwork or favorite family photo will remain in mint condition for years to come thanks to A Street’s archival framing techniques. It’ll look sharp, too, courtesy of hundreds of handcrafted frame styles in materials such as steel, hardwood, and even gold leaf. 755 Concord Ave., Cambridge, MA astreetframes.com.
Fête Collection
Why spend nights clicking through hundreds of Etsy shops when you have Fête? Serving as your local connection to the most talented designers, printers, and calligraphers across the country, the team of paper and etiquette experts here will help you choose everything from custom invitations to menus. You'll get the gold foil, embossing, and hand-lettering of your dreams coordinated through one friendly face, saving you the most precious resource of all during wedding planning: time. 345 D St., South Boston, MA 02127, shopfete.com.
Follain
Prepare to come in for a cleanser and leave with a changed life. Just one brief consult with a member of the dewy-skinned staff about the benefits of using natural products and you'll make plans to overhaul your bathroom cabinet. Luckily, it will take several visits to the Pinterest-worthy space to fill your shelves with serums, oils, and creams from Tammy Fender, True Botanicals, Osea, and May Lindstrom. 65 Charles St., Boston, 857-233-5211; 53 Dartmouth St., Boston, 857-284-7078; shopfollain.com. 65 Charles St., Boston, MA 02114, shopfollain.com.
Living Proof
When MIT scientists are the brains behind your hair care, you know you’re getting the most effective product. The Cambridge-based Living Proof team invented and patented new molecules that protect your tresses and provide next-level volume. We’re obsessed with the Perfect Hair Day dry shampoo, which removes dirt and sweat from hair without an ounce of water. livingproof.com.
Exhale Battery Wharf
From the moment you enter Exhale’s dreamy quarters in the Battery Wharf Hotel, you’ll feel the stress melt. The spa’s massage therapists specialize in a variety of techniques (deep tissue, sports, shiatsu, craniosacral), which means you’ll get precisely what your sore muscles are aching for. After your treatment, detox even further in the traditional Turkish hammam. Deadlines? What deadlines? 2 Battery Wharf, Boston, MA 02109, exhalespa.com.
Smudge Ink
Your invitation sets the tone of the wedding—no pressure at all, right? Enter Smudge Ink, which has its own on-site letterpress to ensure complete control over quality and design. Work with the team to create a custom look, or choose from a selection of pre-made options (they lean swirly and feminine). They'll even incorporate your own artwork for a truly unique invitation. 50 Terminal St., Charlestown, MA 02129, smudgeink.com.
Priscilla of Boston
Be kind to those in your wedding party (after all, they put up with your occasional horrifying bouts of bridezilla). Pick out favorable, flirty frocks they might actually wear again, at Priscilla of Boston. The store carries its own line, Watters & Watters (plus the less expensive Wtoo collection), and a sassy assortment of Melissa Sweet. It's also one of the only local retailers that offers the coveted trendy Thread line. 801 Boylston St., Boston, MA priscillaofboston.com.
Party Favors
Between hitting the dance floor and hitting the bar, most wedding guests ignore the cake—or else pick halfheartedly at a slice that's too sweet on the outside, too dry on the inside. The veteran treat-makers at Party Favors will bake your choice of 10 kinds of batters (among them, carrot, almond, and lemon); pack it with moist fillings like cherries and cream, French mocha buttercream, and white chocolate-cinnamon mousse; and top it off with a just-right frosting. The result: a cake made to get, and keep, your guests' attention. 1356 Beacon St., Brookline, MA partyfavorsbrookline.com.