L’élite Bridal Boutique
This airy Newbury Street shop is as timeless as its gowns. The designer selection reads like a Fashion Week invite list: Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Elie Saab, Monique Lhuillier…need we go on? And the service, of course, is impeccable, with onsite consultants and tailors ready to outfit you to full elegance. If taste and glamour are at the top of your list, let L’élite exceed your highest expectations. 14 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, lelite.com.
Kloth
For the past two years, this high-end boutique in Hingham Center has given South Shore women the opportunity to shop small—and stylishly. Once a buyer for Prada, owner Katia Orth brings her impeccable taste and eye to the community, offering a curated selection of special pieces such as Grlfrnd jean jackets, James Smith leather slides, and Shoshanna swimwear. Forget farm-to-table—this is designer-to-closet at its best. 28 South St., Hingham, MA 02043, klothhingham.com.
Shanti
What started as a neighborhood spot in Dorchester has expanded into a mini empire, its latest outpost bringing fiery vindaloos and perfectly flaky samosas to Kendall Square’s technorati. And what better way to fuel an all-night coding session than with forkfuls of tender lamb biryani? Wind down a long week by sampling a jammy Shiraz from Sula (the vineyard that pioneered India’s fledgling wine industry), which happens to pair perfectly with Shanti’s heavenly goat curry. Multiple locations. 7 Broad Canal Way, Cambridge, MA 02142, shantiboston.com.
The Beach Plum Inn
Secreted in the hills of Menemsha overlooking Vineyard Sound, the Beach Plum—and its satellite cottages and houses—is a cozy little sanctum that epitomizes the absolute best parts of the Vineyard in the summer. It offers tennis courts, bike rentals, kayaks, and passes to exclusive Lucy Vincent Beach, but also low-key perks like being able to gather eggs from the inn’s chickens in the morning. Throw in one of the finest restaurants on the island, and you have a recipe for the ideal under-the-radar getaway. 50 Beach Plum Ln., Menemsha, MA 02535, beachpluminn.com.
Copley Society of Art
A nurturing home for local art students and established professionals alike since its founding in 1879, this Newbury Street gallery/nonprofit displays works ranging from the fiercely abstract to the traditionally pictorial. Best of all, it’s always refreshingly accessible, never more so than during the Holiday Small Works show, where you can snag an original—and affordable—masterpiece for the art lover in your life.. 158 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, copleysociety.org.
The Spa at Mandarin Oriental
The staff recommends arriving 45 minutes before a scheduled treatment to take advantage of the amenities, but we can promise you that’s not enough time. You’ll want at least 30 minutes each for the quartz-crystal steam room and warm plunge pool, plus an hour for the experience shower, with its array of sprays and pressures. Then it’s off to your coffee-and-frankincense body scrub or collagen facial. You’ll want to spend so much time in the spa, in fact, that you might as well stay the night and do it all over again the next day. 776 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02199, mandarinoriental.com.
American Repertory Theater
Another year, another astonishing season at the A.R.T. There were flashy new musicals like the synth-pop millennial saga Burn All Night and Jagged Little Pill, based on Alanis Morissette’s iconic album and featuring a book by Oscar winner Diablo Cody. Then there were world premieres of dramas such as WarholCapote and Claudia Rankine’s The White Card, a provocative play about race in high society. All of these shows prove the A.R.T. is setting the standard for the world of theater, so it makes sense that the company has also invited the world into its theater, such as with the Nigerian drama-and-dance production Hear Word! Naija Woman Talk True. 64 Brattle St., Cambridge, MA 02138, americanrepertorytheater.org.
<em>The Donkey Show</em>
Follow the glitter trail to Oberon, where nearly every weekend, a blizzard of pixie dust transforms the cabaret into an immersive disco inferno. This lamé-and-polyester-sheathed version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream—an ode to both the Bard and Studio 54—may have launched in New York, but its 2009 revival in Cambridge gave it new life: After throwing 800-plus dance parties in the venue (christened in honor of the show’s Shakespearean fairy king turned sleazy nightlife impresario), it’s clear this disco is far from dead. 2 Arrow St., Cambridge, MA 02138, americanrepertorytheater.org/oberon.
Render
We’ve been juggling hot, steamy (occasionally cold-brewed) flings with a veritable bevy of eligible coffee small-batch-elors, each with its own heart-palpitating charms. There’s George (Howell) with the soaring, bright notes and single-origin intensity; there’s Grace (note) with the delicate roasting finesse and come-hither latte art. But lately we’re finding ourselves back on the old, uh, Render app, swiping right for the laptop-friendly seating, well-built sandwiches, and exemplary espressos—the small, dark, and hand-pulled type we’re suckers for. Multiple locations. 563 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA 02118, rendercoffeebar.com.
Exodus
Toasted or untoasted? Either way has its advantages. Fresh off the shelf at baker Adam Hirsh’s long-awaited new shop, the bagels are a soft, chewy foundation for substantial sandwiches such as the Monumental, featuring a hard-boiled egg, local greens, and bacon. Warmed, the crisp exterior crackles pleasantly. Bagel lovers can’t go wrong with flavors like "everywhere" (a thoroughly seeded everything); jalapeño-cheddar; and egg—but our favorite order is sesame, toasted to bring out the nutty flavors, with a generous schmear of house-made bacon-everything cream cheese. 3346 Washington St., Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, exodusbagels.com.
Cambridge Naturals
If a family business is expanding after 40 years, you know they’re doing something right. And Cambridge Naturals, which is opening a second location at Boston Landing this summer, does a lot of things right. In addition to its unparalleled selection of bulk dried herbs and spices, it stocks organic, non-GMO vitamins, beautifully crafted bath products, and local and fair-trade grocery items. Don’t worry if you’re a newbie to the all-natural world: Employees are deeply committed to nurturing the ever-growing wellness community and will gladly help you navigate the shelves. 23 White St., Cambridge, MA 02140, cambridgenaturals.com.
L’Espalier
Chef Frank McClelland bristles when L’Espalier gets pigeonholed as French—and it is more haute New England meets Paris, when you think about it. Check the beef from Maine. The gooey Vermont fromages. The scrappy Yankee self-reliance of plating foie gras with fruit from your own organic farm! The duck-for-two stunner, presented whole, comes with sides and a beguiling slice of American large-format je ne sais quoi. Whatever you call it, this gastronomic tour de force blasts into its 40th year rocking A-game sparkle. Tomato, tomate. 774 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02199, lespalier.com.
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.
Old Yarmouth Inn
Whether you’re celebrating a milestone birthday or just a sunny summer morning, you’ll want to bring the entire crew—and your appetite—to this 300-year-old inn’s Sunday buffet. Offering a variety of breakfast and lunch options (seafood Newburg, Belgian waffles) and, of course, the requisite omelet and carving stations, this is old-school brunching at its best. The restaurant has the a.m. ambiance down to a science, too, with charming toile wall coverings and garden views in the dining room—the perfect environment for sipping an Aperol spritz. 223 Route 6A, Yarmouth, MA 02675, oldyarmouthinn.com.
Strega Waterfront
When a Milwaukee restaurant made headlines during this year’s NBA playoffs for making the Bucks’ clutch player—the Greek Freak—wait so long for service that he left, we immediately thought of this Seaport hot spot. After all, owner Nick Varano would never let a 6-foot-11 baller go unnoticed at Strega Waterfront, not least because at any time, its glamorous dining rooms are likely hosting any number of pro athletes—and stars like Lionel Richie and Jamie Foxx. It’s no wonder: Here, the hospitality starts with valet parking and extends to generous portions of Italian specialties and splashy drinks that’ll make anyone feel like a VIP. One Marina Park Dr., Boston, MA 02210, stregawaterfront.com.