The Juice Bar
Island living might seem easy, but it sure ain't fair. Hear us out: Stroll past the Juice Bar and the aroma of homebaked waffle cones comes wafting out. Inside, the list of rotating flavors like cherry chocolate chunk and peanut butter cup proves irresistible; after just one taste, eating (and eating, and eating) ice cream becomes inevitable. Our bikinis are getting tighter just thinking about it. 12 Broad St., Nantucket, MA 2554, .
MiniBar
Status-minded locals and their lithe European counterparts suck down lychee martinis while scouting the crowd (and sizing up the competition). The must-have accessory: a glamorous-sounding job and the business card to prove it. 51 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 2116, minibarboston.com.
The Oak Bar
Ink the deal over well-mixed drinks served by a superb waitstaff. The bar's high ceilings and oak-paneled walls provide an elegant setting for serious business chatter, and the spacious table arrangements keep everything discreet. Head into the adjoining Oak Room for steaks (see Best Steakhouse). The Fairmont Copley Plaza, 138 St. James Ave., Boston, MA .
The bar at the Harvest
Dust off those old soc-sci notes—you're goin' a-huntin'. 44 Brattle St., Cambridge, MA .
Plaza Bar
Into the Hall of Fame. Copley Plaza Hotel, Copley Square, Boston, MA .
Ritz Bar
And they've improved the peanuts, too. Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 15 Arlington St., Boston, MA .
Bead + Fiber
The only bead store in Boston specializes in the rare, bright, and shiny variety, sourced from around the world by owner and self-styled " personal bead shopper" Andrea Garr, who will happily hunt down that ultra-specific bauble you’ve seen in your mind (but nowhere else). There’s also a dizzying range of classes taught by local artists for novice and advanced crafters, including clay, Tunisian crocheting, bead-weaving, and metalwork, as well as introductory courses for kids. 460 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 2118, beadandfiber.net.
Didi Stewart
<p>Twenty-eight years ago a wobbly-kneed five-year-old by the name of Diane Carol ("Didi") Stewart walked onto the stage at a New Jersey Summer camp and belted out "My Darling Clementine."</p> <p>The 33-year-old self-taught singer, songwriter, and soulful leader of Girls' Night Out has been stage-bound even since, singing her way from New Jersey coffeehouses and North Country ski lodges into Boston nightclubs with the Amplifiers, the rock band she founded in 1978 . The group not only attracted a tremendous following but also recorded an album—Didi Stewart: Begin Here—in 1981.</p> <p>Stewart's next breakthrough came in 1983, when she decided "it would be fun to have an all-female band perform all those great girl-group songs from the fifties and sixties." On July 26, 1983, Girls' Night Out took to the stage at the now defunct Inn-Square Men's Bar, and the shows—at area clubs including the Channel. Jonathan Swift's, and Nightstage—have sold out steadily ever since. Last spring the group released its first album, Girls' Night Out.</p> <p>The success of the album, and of single releases such as "Love Under Pressure" and "Affair of the Heart," promoted the group to change its format to include fewer oldies and more of Stewart's original material.</p> <p>These days, Stewart—whose voice combines the heart of superstars like Linda Ronstadt and Melissa Manchester with the soul of Aretha Franklin—is likely to be found, notebook in hand, at Brigham's ("I like the noise and the activity"), drinking coffee and working on new material for the band. She's also putting together an intimate nightclub act tentatively called "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend, but Rhinestones Are Her Constant Companion." In the meantime, Stewart says, "I'll be shopping around for the sleaziest nightclub dress I can find."</p>
Steven Zevitas Gallery
The best galleries have a knack for spotting cool things early. In recent years, the Harrison Avenue space featured Andrew Masullo’s cartoony paintings before he appeared in the Whitney Biennial and presented "Not About Paint," a survey of gonzo assemblage that went on to inspire a deCordova show. Last year’s coup was Ben Sloat’s "One Blast," which explored how technology modulates everything via paintings of a dazzle-camouflaged ship riding digital waves. 450 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 2118, stevenzevitasgallery.com.
Barbara Krakow
Known far and wide as Boston's "mini MoMA," the Krakow is Ground Zero for emerging contemporary art. The gallery's owners consistently go out of their way to dig up new artists, adding a strong dose of local talent to the mix, and rounding it out with international masters. Look for as much photography (documentaries from Nicholas Nixon, for example) as painting and sculpture (a recent series of Cameron Shaw's work blew us away). 10 Newbury St., Boston, MA barbarakrakowgallery.com.
Blick
Painting your next masterpiece starts here. Blick has a deep selection of everything you'll need, plus folks behind the counter who are artists themselves—meaning they'll be delighted to expound on the differences between papyrus and parchment, suggest the best brushes for your buck, and point you toward the perfect frame. 401 Park Drive, Boston, MA 2215, .
LaMontagne Gallery
The new South Boston, recently referred to as "SoBo" by the New York Times, may eventually earn such a sobriquet around town thanks to relative upstarts like LaMontagne Gallery. Since 2007 the gallery has introduced a wide range of contemporary artists to the Boston scene, garnering regional and national attention for its exhibitions. 555 E. 2nd St., South Boston, MA lamontagnegallery.com.
Robert Klein Gallery
Since 1980, owner Robert Klein has been quietly amassing fine-art photography and selling to major collectors. He carries work by the likes of Ansel Adams, Alfred Stieglitz, and Edward Weston, as well as contemporary pieces, all skillfully curated by a true connoisseur. 38 Newbury St. #402, Boston, MA 2116, robertkleingallery.com.