Parlor Sports
So many sports bars in Boston these days feel like impersonal warehouses, strewn, as they are, with a bajillion giant TVs over a zillion square feet. Parlor is the rare gathering place that feels cozy and intimate. Crucially, the bartenders are adept at knowing when to turn up the volume on the commentators and when to flip it to music (a major problem at bigger sports bars). And while the place is known as a haven for basketball geeks, it's really worth checking out on any game night. 3 Beacon St., Somerville, MA parlorsportsbar.com.
Biddy Early's
Biddy Early's is the city's best dive every day of the year, a fact that was proven on Friday, April 19. That day, while police hunted the remaining marathon bomber, all of Boston shut down. Not this spot. The old Financial District landmark—with its dim lighting, dusty wood floor, and jukebox—remained open. So even when there was no other place to go and everything seemed beyond reason, people could still haul themselves here for a much-needed, no-frills drink. And that, friends, is everything a dive bar should be. 141 Pearl St., Boston, MA .
Hunter Caldwell
Whether it's a question of what to wear every day, or for a special occasion, Caldwell is the one to call. An encyclopedia of colors, he pays some attention to industry trends, but mostly listens to what his customers say and want. He's also available for private bookings (he did Dennis Hopper's wedding, for example), but he's popular in Boston, so call early for an appointment. Chanel, Saks Fifth Avenue, Prudential Center, Boston, MA .
Red Rock Bistro & Bar
The food at Red Rock Bistro & Bar is a bonus. The beautiful view of the pounding Atlantic surf and Boston skyline is filling enough. On the other hand, we would never give up chef Allen Bohnert's brunch menu of fluffy mushroom-, cheese-, and spinach-stuffed omelets; challah French toast with ruby-red strawberries; or blueberry flapjacks with cassis butter. It's worth setting the alarm clock on a Sunday. Ease out of your postbrunch food coma with a long walk along the soft sand beach below the restaurant. 141 Humphrey St., Swampscott, MA redrockbistro.com.
Petrushka at ArtsEmerson
Master puppeteer Basil Twist's adaptation of Stravinsky's ballet about a tragic love triangle among a clown, a ballerina, and a Moor managed to convey humanity and grace in the movement of Japanese-style marionettes. One compact hour long, it begged for repeat viewings from both kids and adults. Unique productions like this during ArtsEmerson's inaugural season have proven that this organization should be central to Boston arts for years to come. 559 Washington St., Boston, MA 2139, artsemerson.org.
Drink
There's no shortage of great bars in Boston: Green Street, Eastern Standard, and Deep Ellum are on par with the very best in this cocktail-revived country. But Drink is the thinking tippler's bar. Under the leadership of manager/cocktail wonk John Gertsen, it demonstrates a commitment to excellence at every level, from the cocktail-specific ice cubes to the historical authenticity of the flips, punches, and fizzes served at the bar. 348 Congress St., Boston, MA 2210, drinkfortpoint.com.
Patrice Williamson
As far as pedigrees go, Williamson has no worries. she's handled her fledgling gigs gracefully and will give her diploma recital at the New England Conservatory this fall. She can scat her way skillfully through a standard and charm the audience with ease. Expect to see her back at the R-bar and breaking out of Boston in the coming year.
Dar Williams
Just off tour with folk legend Joan Baez, Dar Williams is now home in Belchertown savoring the critical success of her latest CD, Mortal City. When Williams originally moved to western Massachusetts from New York, she got a job with the Boston Opera Company and aspired to become a playwright or to direct operas. But the call of the coffeehouse was too strong, and Williams's modern folk style soon drew a following that recognized a new talent on the rise.
Tom Stemberg, Staples
Except for his feckless attempt at twisting the Globe's arm during the Barnicle scandal, Stemberg has made one right move after another in building his office-supply company into the industry leader. As a topper, he bagged the naming rights to the soon-to-be completed Los Angeles arena—just in time for next year's Democratic National Convention. At least someone from Boston came out a winner on that deal.
Herb Richman's
When the Data General vice president and cofounder dissolved his merger with his third wife, Nanette, he bailed out with the couple's $4-million Dover farm, their Boston townhouse, his Waterville Valley real estate, his millions in DG stock and assorted assets. All Nanette got was a flat $1 million, two mink coats, and numerous four-legged creatures and four-wheeled vehicles.
5 Corners Kitchen
This French-inspired restaurant is not what you'd expect to find in a quaint seaside town. The feel is trendy but unpretentious; the space is open and airy; and the wine list rivals those you might see in Boston. The food itself is a wonderfully eclectic mix of country cooking and local seafood, with everything from escargots and oysters to bacon cheeseburgers and house-made squid-ink spaghettini represented on the menu. 2 School St., Marblehead, MA 5cornerskitchen.com.
Sal's Place
It's three hours from Boston, but it also has the lasagna this side of Naples. Sal, formerly of Sal & Ciro's in Provincetown, uses homemade noodles, sausage, and hard-boiled eggs in his recipe; since he serves lasagna on Sunday nights only, until he closes for the winter at the end of September, you'll have plenty of time to budget calories in advance. 99 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA .
Bob Lobel, WBZ, Channel 4
Sure, Lobel can come across as obnoxious at times, courting controversy for its own sake. But he and the rest of the Channel 4 sports crew aren't afraid to ask tough questions of players and management alike. And his late-night Sunday show Sports Final is a must-see, even if you don't suffer from insomnia. His resident legal expert, Boston lawyer Harry Manion III, provided the smartest play-by-play analysis of the Reggie Lewis medical-malpractice trial in town.
Bella Bridesmaids
Tucked away on the fourth floor of an unmarked brick building, the Boston location of this national franchise can be easy to miss from the street. But passing it over would be a mistake: Not only does Bella carry gowns from the likes of Hayley Paige and Jenny Yoo, the shop's personable stylists make choosing one a breeze, offering helpful tips on everything from the most figure-flattering cuts to stress-free ordering. 715 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02116, bellabridesmaids.com.
Sephora
The holy land of beauty, Sephora's appeal lies not in its endless selection of cult-favorite products from YSL, Bobbi Brown, and Nars, but in its accessibility: All of the products can be tested, staffers are happy to spend time talking about the differences between liquid eyeliners, and samples of products can be requested at will. While the cosmetics behemoth continues to expand in Boston with locations in the Fenway and Faneuil Hall, the Prudential Center shop remains a product junkie's mecca, with frequent classes on such essential topics as dark-circle correction and "no-makeup makeup." Prudential Center, Boston, MA 02199, sephora.com.