Diesel Cafe
Diesel is just what a coffee shop should be: a balanced union of hip and cozy. Helping up the cool quotient in Davis Square, Diesel has walls full of original artwork, high ceilings with exposed beams, red-felt pool tables, and comfy couches. Favorites of the house: Vietnamese coffees, aromatic teas, various espresso concoctions. Amenities: a laptop-friendly environment and miniboxes of cereal at breakfast time. Best part of the experience: being able to glance out the window at the green sign of a certain Seattle-based cafe and feel darned good about going indie. 257 Elm St, Somerville, MA diesel-cafe.com.
Aquitaine
There's no shortage of French technique in Boston, but few restaurants can effectively transport you to Paris for the night. Aquitaine, in the lovely old St. Cloud building (master architect Nathaniel J. Bradlee's 1869 homage to the French flat), feels like a real 11th-arrondissement brasserie. Gold-stenciled mirrors, an oversize chalkboard, and voluptuous floral arrangements (courtesy of Spruce) look the part. But it's the buttery, bouquet garni-rich classics—mussels en cassoulette, escargots de Bourgogne—that keep us coming back again and again. 569 Tremont St., Boston, MA aquitaineboston.com.
Linda Reisert, Sort Order
Linda Reisert likes to say she cleans closets for a living—which she does—but that covers only a fraction of her work. In reality, Reisert gets paid to think for her clients, and to know precisely when and where they'll reach for life's necessities. Her roster of VIPs draws heavily upon the city's business elite, people who value her talent for tailoring services: In the case of working moms with a tendency to hoard, Reisert is equal parts therapist and taskmaster; for globe-trotting money managers with multiple offices and homes, she's an invisible ally who streamlines personal calendars and business files. 38 Hancock St., Boston, MA 2114, .
Bella Skin
Likable as Trina Holland and Chani Leighton are, you'd think twice about meeting them in a dark alley. Focused, relentless, whip-quick—the seemingly easygoing owners of Bella Skin harbor serious ninja skills. As it happens, that makes for outstanding hair-removal technique: Armed with hard wax (sticks to hair, not skin) and chitchat, they strip clients smooth in a near-painless flash. While everything from furry brows to fuzzy toes is fair game, first-time bikini and Brazilian waxes are a specialty. Newbies never know what hit 'em. 846 Walnut St., Newton, MA 2459, .
The Maids
Amid a flurry of cleaning services catering to on-the-go urbanites, the Jamaica Plain outpost of this national operation shows an unbeatable blend of polish and professionalism. After setting the appointment and sending an e-mail confirmation, your cleaning team will arrive armed with grime-busting equipment and a dozen sprays, as well as a rigorous 22-step plan for restoring your home's sparkle. The Maids will even pick up and drop off your keys at work—another excellent reason to fork over the $159 fee, which is lowered if you book monthly follow-ups. 179 Boylston St., Jamaica Plain, MA 2130, .
Blue Ginger
Asian-influences fusion cuisine has made it to the suburbs. This time around, it is being done with intelligence, restraint, and style, in this case by Ming Tsai, a Yale-educated, French-trained Chinese chef who was a pacesetter in San Francisco and Santa Fe before coming East. Star of a 40-part series on the TV Food Network, Tsai mixes Western (mainly French) and Eastern (mostly Chinese, with a little Japanese thrown in). The resulting dishes, like the fabulous Long Island duck breast marinated with achiote pepper, candied ginger, thyme, and garlic, should be enough to get even the most devoted urbanite to venture out to Wellesley. 583 Washington St., Wellesley, MA .
Bia Bistro
That contented sigh that comes with shucking off the 9-to-5 suit in favor of jeans and a tee? It's the same one you might hear any night at this four-year-old bistro, as diners relax into its placid charms. Dusky red walls and buttery candlelight set the scene for chef Brian Houlihan's contemporary versions of European comfort-food classics, like duck confit with poached figs, steak au poivre, and tarte Tatin. Figure in a modest but irreproachable wine list, and a night at Bia goes down easy in every sense. 25 N. Main St., Cohasset Village, MA 2025, biabistro.com.
Provisions
Its name may sound utilitarian, but don't be fooled. This homey café makes the most tempting sandwiches on the island, like the aptly named Turkey Terrific: Thick, home-baked wheat bread topped with smoked turkey, buttery stuffing, cranberry sauce, and just enough mayo creates portable perfection for the beach or taking in the Straight Wharf view. Our only advice: Try not to order it every day; the entire sandwich menu, as well as the homey, baked goods and sweets (lemon squares, cranberry-walnut pound cake), deserves your full attention. 3 Harbor Sq., Nantucket, MA 2554, .
The Boston Helicopter Company
Hovering over Fenway Park in a helicopter, Boston Magazine staffers recently watched the Red Sox lose another game. It was worth it though, if only for the adrenaline rush of liftoff. Boston Helicopter Copmany offers unsurprisingly smooth and scenic sightseeing flights, as well as helicopter lessons. Umphrey & Co. have a spotless safety record, in part because it turns down frequent injudicious requests. "A number of people have wanted to bungee jump off the helicopter," says pilot Ivan Jaffe. "One guy wanted us to drop eggs to him for an egg-catching competition." Hangar 1727, Hanscom Field (military side), Bedford, MA .
Coolidge Corner Theatre
This Brookline staple has long been a regular stop for cinema die-hards, with an expertly curated calendar of classics, new indies, and cult wonders. But a 14,000-square-foot expansion slated for a grand opening early this fall ups the ante, adding two movie screens and an entirely new lobby and concessions area. The centerpiece, however, might be the third-floor Community Education and Engagement Center, which will boast a 60-seat classroom and event space — plus an adjacent roof deck where you can surely debate the finer points of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie. 290 Harvard St., Brookline, MA 02446, coolidge.org.
Row 34
This Fort Point spot from the Island Creek Oyster Bar team is as much a serious beer bar as it is a seafood mecca. Maybe that’s why cult-followed breweries seem to celebrate special occasions here—think only-at-Row drafts from Bissell Brothers, Dieu du Ciel, and Upland Brewing. Beer director Suzanne Hays has saved deep cuts, such as cellared bottles from the dearly departed Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project, for past Sunday specials, but any day, it’s the best place for a rotating selection of fresh hops and food-friendly sours. 383 Congress St., Boston, MA 02210, row34.com.
Gargoyles on the Square
Neither plain nor pretentious, this enchanting and candlelit treasure is a lesson in presenting good food with muted sophistication. Dishes including grilled salmon with tomato-tarragon butter or black-pepper pappardelle with chicken confit, fennel, and spinach, are as warm and agreeable as the earth-tone décor, while the bar menu shines with reasonably priced treats like frog legs with baby broccoli and oyster poboys. The room is cozy enough that finding a table on weekends can be competitive, but locals know the strawberry rhubarb croustada is worth lingering over. Besides, with such a lively bar, the wait is half the fun. 219 Elm St., Somerville, 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.
Twentieth Century Limited
What becomes immediately clear upon entering the small shop are the hours needed to fully appreciate it. Cases chock-full of vintage jewelry line the perimeter of the room and reach almost to the ceiling. And there's even more than meets the eye; ask to see cuff links, for example, and numerous trays appear from the bottoms of cases that weren't initially visible. Ask to see more (if you dare) and bags and bags, filled to the brim, materialize. It's as if all of Beacon Hill's grand dames came here to empty their jewelry boxes. 73 Charles St., Boston, MA 02114, boston-vintagejewelry.com.
Tiffani Faison, Tiger Mama and Sweet Cheeks
Despite stints under legends Daniel Boulud and Alain Ducasse and three tours of duty on Top Chef, it feels like Tiffani Faison is just getting started. A culinary chameleon who’s excelled at sushi (O Ya), Italian (Rocca Kitchen & Bar), and even Texas-style barbecue, Faison recently unveiled her most electrifying venture to date: Tiger Mama, a verdant wellspring of Southeast Asian cuisine. And that’s not all for 2016, as come fall, the chef will introduce her latest Fenway project—a luxe cocktail bar modeled after Ernest Hemingway’s old hangout, Minetta Tavern. Sweet Cheeks, 1381 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02215, sweetcheeksq.com.