Bob Smith's Wilderness House
The Boston alpinist's Valhalla sells all the gear you'll need to get down the hill—and look damned good doing it. Bob Smith's stock of sticks is on a par with that of other ski shops, but the service is unparalleled, thanks to a staff that actually skis—a major plus, considering the impressive and serious selection of K2s, Völkls, and Salomons. Lest we forget the agony of suffering through a season in the wrong boot size (usually too large, he says), custom boot fitter Dave Prahl is on call to save us from ourselves, expertly assessing fit and alignment. 1048 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA .
Nine Zero
Posh boutique hotels have been sprouting up with Starbucks-like ferocity. But for the ultimate experience in luxury and style, nothing in Boston compares to Nine Zero. Credit the staff's unerring and gracious service, a sleek, funky design, and luxury amenities including Frette linens, custom request minibars, and personal shoppers. From Spire, the stunning second-floor restaurant and bar, to the sleek marbled showers in each room, every inch of this unique locale is designed to relax and entice. A study in soft contemporary living, the accommodations are even reasonably priced; rooms average $239. 90 Tremont St., Boston, MA ninezero.com.
George Wright Golf Club
Tight fairways, manicured greens, and well-marked tee boxes make this inner-city gem a pleasure and a challenge. Nestled in the middle of a residential neighborhood, this par 7 course designed by Donald Ross attracts weekend duffers and irksome weekday sneak-ons (where did that threesome in front of us come from?!). So be prepared to cool your heels and your temper: This is urban golf in the Age of Tiger, after all. Still, it's easier than you'd think to get a tee time. Love the Tudor clubhouse, and the reduced fees when you flip a Boston ID ($21 weekdays, $24 weekends). 420 West St., Hyde Park, MA .
Charles Street Flowers
This is the kind of place where Harry might have stopped to buy a bunch for Sally. The look and feel of Charles Street Flowers is old Boston, as is much of the clientele—but the shop serves its share of young lovers too. Strolling by on Charles Street, you'll be lured into this secret garden by its floor-to-ceiling windows, which are filled with hanging ivy and artfully arranged pots of flora. The small interior is packed with everything from daisies and sunflowers to lilies and orchids; it is clean, bright, and a pleasure to navigate. A vase of crisp cut flowers starts at $40 (it's a small financial jump to a $50 arrangement, but worth it). There's also a bookcase filled with glorious pots of hand-arranged dried roses. 115 Charles Street, Boston, MA .
Guerrilla Queer Bar
Here's the secret every Boston queen already knows: The best gay club in the city isn't a place at all—it's a moving target. Enter the Welcoming Committee, a group of party boys who pick a bar/pub/club for the Guerrilla Queer Bar one-night bash, spread the word via social media and e-mail, then set out a few times each month to have "an inappropriately good time." And now the crew is expanding beyond its famous one-night stands, offering organized workout events, fundraisers, and more.
Mark Edwards, The Federalist
What makes a great waiter? At a restaurant like the Fed, it's one who is friendly but not intrusive, informative but not obsequious. Mark Edwards has these admirable qualities and more, which is why he's not just the best waiter at the Federalist: He's the best waiter in Boston. With his easy smile and gracious hospitality, the dapper Edwards guides the diners at his tables through their meals, from the moment their napkins are placed in their laps to the last sip of coffee and the final nibble of crème brûlée. In a town where service can so often go wrong, it's refreshing to find a place where it's so right. 15 Beacon St., Boston, MA .
Oleana
Most outdoor dining in Boston consists of nothing more than a few cramped, wobbly tables set up hastily on the sidewalk along a traffic-choked street. But not at Oleana, a Cambridge oasis with a lovely brick patio out back where blooming vines and flowers snake lazily along the wooden-fence walls. What better environment for enjoying chef-owner Ana Sortun's creative Mediterranean cooking, with dishes such as tuna and olive deviled eggs to evoke nostalgia for the of summer picnics? Don't be surprised if Sortun joins you during dinner service on the patio, where she can often be seen snipping herbs from the adjacent vegetable patch. 134 Hampshire St., Cambridge, MA oleanarestaurant.com.
Grampus Trippel, North East Brewing Company
North East brewmeister Dan Paquette is one to watch, mainly because his Grampus Trippel is one to drink. Served up in a 10-ounce brandy snifter that lets you see its clear amber color and appreciate its aroma, the trippel is fermented with a yeast strain from Belgium's Westmalle, one of only six Trapist breweries in the world. And while this Belgian-style ale may be the of Paquette's lot so far, keep an eye on the horizon. He's churning out brews that no one else in New England—let alone Boston—is concocting. 1314 Commonwealth Ave., Allston, MA .
Ginza Restaurant
Raise your hand if you're tired of the same standard sushi, meal in and meal out: tuna maki, salmon sushi, tuna sushi, salmon maki. We're tired of it, too, which is why we thank our lucky stars for the Chinatown flagship branch of Ginza. This restaurant proves there's life beyond the basics with artful orchestrations such as Boston maki—lobster, salmon, rice, lettuce, and a smattering of salty roe. Lest you assume that creativity eclipses flavor here, it doesn't. Everything from the cooked octopus to the seasonal raw seatrout is sweetly fresh, cut to order, and best washed down with any of the 12 varieties of sake. 16 Hudson St., Boston, MA ginza-boston.com.
Anthony's Pier Four
Never mind the tourists; come for the wine. This is not only the greatest wine list in Boston, it's one of the greatest wine lists anywhere in America. Old, old bottles abound— and at astonishing prices. For only $40 you can choose between two wonderful, mature Sauternes from Chateux. Nairac, 1975 or 1976. For $85, you can drink a magnificent, minerally white Burgundy, the 1993 Corton Charlemagne from Domaine Louis Latour. For less than half that price ($40), you will be shocked at just how good a "mere" bourgeois Margaux— Ch. Angludet— can be when it's from a year like 1978. Northern Ave., Boston, MA .
Furniture by Dovetail
In the traditional-furniture smackdown, the allure of an artisan hunched over his work right here in Massachusetts always wins out. So in Dovetail, a 20-year-old family-owned company based in Holden, just 50 miles from Boston, it was clear that we had our champ. Using hand-selected hardwoods, these folks turn out masterfully crafted, individually signed Shaker, Mission, Arts and Crafts, and Prairie furnishings, as well as custom work fit for any Ivy League reading room. Which, since Dovetail counts Harvard, Yale, and Princeton among its customers, only stands to reason. 2284 Washington St., Newton Lower Falls, MA 2462, furniturebydovetail.com.
Tracy Bonham
Tracy Bonham began her career in music playing violin at age 9. Originally from Oregon, Bonham came to Boston to attend Berklee, and paid her tuition by recording jingles for radio airplay. But true success came when she picked up a guitar and began writing her own songs. She was discovered quickly and hyped madly until, after a bidding war, she landed on Island Records (home of U2 and PJ Harvey). But Tracy has not forsaken her fiddle—her violin is still omnipresent in her first CD, The Burdens of Being Upright.
Tiffani Faison, Big Heart Hospitality
The one-person machine that is Tiffani Faison was firing on every cylinder this year: She was a James Beard finalist for Orfano, took home the largest cash prize in Food Network history by winning Guy Fieri’s famous-chef-filled Tournament of Champions, and opened three totally different casual restaurants inside downtown’s highly anticipated High Street Place. In other words: A decade since she launched her New England barbecue landmark Sweet Cheeks Q, the Chopped judge keeps showing the grit and growth that made her a household name in Boston and beyond. bighearthospitality.com.
"Love Letters"
During the early-COVID lockdown, dating got, well, complicated — and for better or worse, it’s stayed that way. Thankfully, we’ve had Meredith Goldstein to guide us through these trying times. In her Globe column “Love Letters,” adapted for a must-read newsletter, she fields a daily stream of reader questions,offering indispensable advice on everything from always-changing pandemic etiquette to dating-app faux pas. Most important, she provides a reminder to Boston singles muddling through the “new normal” that they are certainly not alone. loveletters.boston.com.
Lose It!
The crust off your kids’ sandwiches, a handful of chocolate chips after dinner: When you’re trying to reach a healthy weight, it can be hard to keep track of all of the bites that make up a day. That’s why 40 million users have downloaded this Boston-born calorie- and exercise-tracking app since it debuted in 2008. But the service isn’t just about shedding (or maintaining) pounds; with virtual support groups and a focus on nutrition, it’s about lifestyle changes that set the stage for lasting wellness. Count us in. loseit.com.