Mr. Sid
If you hate to shop but need to update your wardrobe, Mr. Sid's can outfit you from head to toe and also provide a few divertissements—namely a bar, antique pool table, and hair salon. At least you'll have something to do while your clothes are pressed and tailored. The store carries everything from casual to formal wear, including labels Brioni, Hugo Boss, Segna, Hickey Freeman, and Canali. 1211 Centre St., Newton Centre, MA .
Party Favors
Party accessories may be this Coolidge Corner's true raison d'être, but the candy selection alone is worth a celebration. Bins of chocolate-covered Jordan almonds, Haribo gummy bears and sour fruits, and pound upon pound of Jelly Belly jellybeans are enough to sweeten any outlook. Small bags of chocolates wrapped in whimsical foil or Sour Patch Kids for around $1 are the kind of indulgences that still fall within a kid's (or parent's) budget. Don't bypass the chocolate case filled with Asher's Champagne truffles. 1356 Beacon St., Coolidge Corner, Brookline, MA partyfavorsbrookline.com.
Toscanini's
Toscanini's understands that life can be as simple as vanilla and chocolate or as complicated as burnt caramel or gingersnap molasses. Whatever your philosophical fancy, this heavenly ice cream parlor will whet your palate with its downright dazzling roster of original flavors. Where else can you find such sophisticated permutations as saffron ice cream or cucumber sorbet? 899 Main St., Cambridge, MA tosci.com.
Cafe Louis
Leave it to Louis Boston to install a cafe that outdoes most of the local stand-alone restaurants. What keeps us coming back to Cafe Louis, even when we don't want to shop. is chef David Reynoso's incredible pizza margherita. It's thin-crusted, with fresh fontina and basil leaves, and so authentic a Neapolitan experience that you'll forget your chic environs and lick your fingers afterward. 234 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA louisboston.com.
Bricco Panetteria
Start by following the simple sign pointing down a back alley off Hanover Street, then let your nose take you the rest of the way. Bricco Panetteria is where many of the Italian loaves served in local restaurants are made, and lucky for us, the olive ciabattas, crusty baguettes, and round mountain loaves are now sold to the public. Brush up on your Italian and bring cash. 241 Hanover St., Boston, MA bricco.com.
East by Northeast
Known for applying his French training to Chinese cuisine, chef Phillip Tang makes his phenomenal noodles in house, and infuses his inventive menu with seasonal bites like pork-and-fiddlehead shumai and steamed hake with house-cured prosciutto. Yet East by Northeast remains an intimate, friendly place with rock-bottom prices, a pleasing culinary package that's rounded out by a fine brunch, a small but well-chosen wine and beer list, and special events like a recent lamb tasting menu. 1128 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 2139, exnecambridge.com.
Stone Soup Caf
It's barely noon and hungry lunchers slurping down soups already fill this bright and homey Ipswich café. Whether it's curried butternut squash, spicy black bean, or ripe tomato that strikes your fancy, every one is made from farm-fresh ingredients—and it shows. If you're particularly hungry, pair your bowl with a veggie-stuffed wrap or seared scallops over pasta, or just go with a second helping of that creamy lobster bisque. Zero Central St., Ipswich, MA 1938, .
Menton
So many spots that boast great service smother you with attention, inserting themselves into your dinner conversation at every turn. Not Menton, where service isn't so much about delivering as it is about mind-reading—knowing the precise moment to whisk away an empty champagne flute, produce a fresh napkin, or appear with a few more brioche toasts for your foie gras—and then vanish. 354 Congress St., Boston, MA 2210, mentonboston.com.
A. Russo and Sons
If you're fed up with the less-than-appealing look and less-than-inspiring selection of veggies at your local chain grocery, head over to A. Russo and Sons. It may be a bit of a hike, but you'll realize it's well worth your while as soon as you step into this adorable shop overrun with greens and boasting the best selection and best-tasting produce around. Never again will you be satisfied with that limp zuke from the chain groceries. 560 Pleasant St., Watertown, MA .
The Ice Cream Works
The best thing about an ice cream cake is that once it comes out of the freezer, the party has to begin. Think of two of your favorite flavors of ice cream, throw in a handful of M&M's, add in a crunch of chocolate chip cookie, a layer of fudge for good measure, and it's party time. Whether it's a birthday party for 27 five-year-olds or a co-worker's last day, The Ice Cream Works can customize and freeze your own personal subzero fantasy. 1663 Beacon St., Brookline, MA .
Lester Harry's
This colorful shop has everything a baby needs to live in style from birth forward. From Kate Spade diaper bags and tiny Petit Bateau hooded sweaters to underwear basics and footies, it's all here. With tons of toys and simply adorable accessories (soft-as-your-baby's-bottom blankets by Barefoot Dreams, for instance), plus furniture such as Shabby Chic cribs and embroidered pillows, Lester Harry's has your baby covered. The newly added shoe salon all but guarantees head-to-toe panache. 140 Washington St., Marblehead, MA lesterharrys.com.
Columbus Cleaners
In a city with dry cleaners on virtually every block, what makes Columbus stand out when it comes to airing your dirty laundry? For one, the eco-friendly, nontoxic cleaning process (no perc here!). Second, the delivery app, which lets you get shirts and suits picked up from your home — and dropped back off — with the touch of a button. All in all, it’s a service that fits like a glove. Multiple locations, columbuscleaners.net.
Independent Film Festival Boston
With a growing list of celebrity attendees and a painstakingly selected roster of movies each year, IFFBoston is your best chance, and sometimes your only chance, to see rare indie movies at theaters across the city. Sometimes it’s a big name trying something new; other times it’s a breakout film from a new director. Either way, it’s comforting to know that big screens aren’t just for Avengers movies. iffboston.org.
Whim Events
One does not simply throw a super-chic party. From designing tablescapes and communicating with vendors to making sure your aunt isn’t pestering you with questions the morning of the ceremony, there are countless details to wrangle. Whim Events specializes in taking care of all of the above and then some — hello, inhouse floral design! — ensuring that your event is a stress-free, perfectly polished fete. N/A, whimevents.com.
Sun Tan Van
Look like you’ve been to the tropics without leaving your living room: That’s the goal of Abby Reid’s mobile spray-tan unit. Step into her van (or a portable tent in your home) and let the glow master work her magic from head to toe with a hand-sprayed solution made of sugar, food coloring, and no preservatives. Having worked in the beauty industry for years, Reid will put you at ease while applying a wish-you-were-here tan that’s anything but orange. MA suntanvan.me.