B & R Artisan Bread
Seeing as how first impressions are everything, a restaurant's bread-basket is serious business. Boston's finest eateries, including T. W. Food and Troquet, order their loaves from Sel de la Terre alum Michael Rhoads, who bakes crisp baguettes, hulking sourdoughs, and authentic ryes in his two-year-old Framingham shop. City-dwellers, meanwhile, can fight over B&R's pain levain at Cambridge's Formaggio Kitchen or the Union Square farmers' market. 151 Cochituate Road, Framingham, MA 1701, brartisanbread.com.
Liz Caan Interiors
Exuberant (think: Miles Redd) and exacting (as in, David Hicks), Liz Caan has expelled boring beige from the palettes of Boston's elite interiors. (And just in time, because we were running out of synonyms for oatmeal and ecru.) With a flash of fuchsia and couture flair, she turns every space into a chic party—approved by Brahmins and bankers alike. 1066 Centre St., Newton, MA 2459, lizcaan.com.
Radius
On any given afternoon, this sophisticated circular dining room is a discreet midday Who's Who of dealmakers and deal breakers. But it's not all business. Boston's power elite flock to be wowed by chef Michael Schlow's food, from steak tartare to smooth-as-silk soups and elegant entrées like roasted halibut with puréed cauliflower, giant lentils, and a Spanish paprika sauce. No matter how tempting the three-martini lunch might be, business discussions these days are brisk, and Schlow's speedily delivered cooking fills the bill. 8 High St., Boston, MA radiusrestaurant.com.
Ares Shoe Repair
Ares has been resoling, reheeling, and repolishing Boston's finest leather shoes for more than 70 years and will take extra special care of yours. The expert cobblers in the cozy basement storefront are a serious but likeable bunch who each have years of training behind their knowledge of the craft. That expertise means they can resize, stretch out, clean up, or de-scuff just about anything you bring in—fast, and at a reasonable price. 84 Charles St., Boston, MA .
Grill 23 & Bar
Let the newcomers show off their newfangled steakhouse specialties; people who really love steak will always return to Boston's exemplar of the genre. Here you'll find dry-aged, bone-in chops and tenderloins that drip with flavor in each juicy bite. The vibe—gold rails, leather banquettes, white-coated waiters—is classic without seeming clubby. 161 Berkeley St., Boston, MA 2116, grill23.com.
Chocolee Chocolates
With her jewel-like bonbons (exhibits A and B: dark chocolate filled with white chocolate and Chambord, and wafer-thin Viennese almond bark), Lee Napoli has brought a new level of artistry to Boston's confectionery scene. It's not just that the flavors are fresh as can be; Napoli's creations look gorgeous, too. Stop by the South End shop on a weekend morning for a trio of fried-to-order beignets oozing, naturally, with warm, luscious chocolate. 23 Dartmouth St., Boston, MA 2116, chocoleechocolates.com.
Cuffs—An Irish Bar
Most Boston hotel bars are party playgrounds for visiting movers and shakers. But for those jaded by the jet set, there's Cuffs at the Jurys Boston Hotel, where the scene is all seductive ambiance and ruby-red martinis. A superchic local clientele packs the joint every Saturday night, lured by the trickling waterfall, glowing fireplace, and hearty pints of Guinness. 350 Stuart St., Boston, MA .
Lewis Interiors
Polly Lewis and Maribeth Brostowski are carefully guarded secrets among Boston's glitterati. The designers have incredible taste and restraint, and we adore their pluck. Just one example of their fine work: They recently outfitted a Beacon Hill townhouse's library with wainscoting, deep crown moldings, and predictable muted grays, but made it extraordinary by painting the walls a superslick (and completely awe-inspiring) candy-apple red. 31 Gloucester St., Boston, MA 2116, lewisinteriorsboston.com.
Wally's Cafe
The South End has risen and fallen as Boston's jazz center, but 65 years after Joseph Walcott originally opened Wally's, the place still grooves. Every evening of the year, the tiny club crams in a diverse crowd of music lovers sipping whiskey Cokes and PBRs and craning their neck to see the bands. The music style changes nightly—Latin, Afro-Cuban, swing, straight-ahead, bebop, funk—but it's always jazz, and it's always great. 427 Massachusetts Ave., Boston, MA 2118, wallyscafe.com.
Colonnade Hotel
Here's the setting: bright blue sky, bright blue water, handsome poolside staff, a full bar and lunch menu, and a 360-degree view of Boston's skyline. On weekdays, 40 bucks buys 12 suntastic hours more than 100 feet above the sweltering sidewalk (towels and an outdoor shower included). Cheapos can spend $20 for a late-afternoon poolside outing, but there's no guarantee of scoring a seat. 120 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 2116, colonnadehotel.com.
Nurturing Spaces
For more than 16 years, Linda Varone has been boosting the chi of Greater Boston's living spaces with her personal blend of eastern feng shui and western architectural psychology. Taking a balanced approach to color, lighting, and organization, she aims to increase the flow of positive energy through homes, making studies more productive, for example, and bedrooms more romantic. PMB 196, 1337 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington, MA 2476, .
Emerge Spa
When was the last time you pulled up to a spa, threw your keys to the valet, and were led into a private VIP suite? The answer, obviously: never. But now you can do just that at the four-story Emerge, Boston's new grande dame of day spas, which boasts a host of standard and medical services for both genders (men get their own area), two in-house doctors, a juice bar, and locker rooms stocked with posh Kerstin Florian products. Spend an afternoon here, and you needn't exit as discreetly as you arrived. 275 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, emergespasalon.com.
Claire McArdle, Beauty Therapies
Lasers have—figuratively, of course—exploded onto the beauty scene in the last few years. That's especially true in the realm of hair removal. Alas, in the hands of neophytes, such powerful new weapons can leave clients with red marks, patches of untouched hair, and unjustifiably high bills. You'll find none of these at Beauty Therapies, where R.N. Claire McArdle relies not on big-talking promises, but on cutting-edge technologies, diligence, and skin-care expertise. One of Boston's first laser practitioners, she permanently removes hair from anywhere on the body—eyebrows to bikini lines—with a steady hand that zaps clients smooth faster than light speed. One Brookline Place, Suite 302, Brookline, MA .
Club Café
This fairly upscale bar, club, and restaurant is still the staple of Boston's South End gay scene, despite its consistently overpriced food. Still, you don't come here to eat. You come to be seen, drink with friends, and flirt with the many single men and women who flock here, especially on Thursday nights. The crowded back room and video bar is where most of the action is (no, not that kind of action), and it's a great place to meet new people—or bump into exes you hoped you've never, ever see again. 209 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA clubcafe.com.
Wally's Cafe
Its old location, across the street from where it is today, hosted the likes of Charlie Parker and Billie Holiday. The present-day stage has seen Branford Marsalis and Chick Corea. For all that, it's still a neighborhood joint. Wally's offers live jazz every night of the year, no cover, and some of the cheapest drinks in the city. But there's something else about it—the history, the perpetual smokiness, the cramped stage, and narrow bar—that makes it Boston's jazz scene. Jazz was meant to be heard at Wally's, where customers get on stage and jam with the band and the musicians don't need to be pretty. 427 Massachusetts Ave., Boston, MA .