The Scarlet Oak Tavern
With its classically elegant dining room and steak-and-seafood-packed menu, the Scarlet Oak plays the part of a swanky suburban establishment. But don't expect the usual tepid filet mignon and gluey mashed potatoes. Every dish, from the spicy tuna tartare and perfectly cooked rib-eye to the oven-fired blue-crab-and-sharp-cheddar dip, is meticulously prepared and delicious. 1217 Main St., Hingham, MA 2043, scarletoaktavern.com.
Giblees
Occupying the better part of a nondescript strip mall on Route 114, Giblees has attire for every manly occasion: golf, work, weekends, and formal affairs—plus a pool table and coffee bar for gents who need a break from the dressing room. Assistance is available but never forced—our inquiry about a birthday bow tie for a super-stylish pal yielded a drawer full of dapper options. 85 Massachusetts 114, Danvers, MA 1923, giblees.com.
Chez Nous
In his newly renovated restaurant, chef Franck Tessier serves extraordinary French cuisine including goat cheese—and—portobello timbale, scallops with saffron risotto, and chicken fricassée. Guests sit in one of three tasteful dining rooms, and pastry chef (and Tessier's wife) Rachel Portnoy makes a hot chocolate mousse and a banana toffee tart that are sweet bliss. 150 Main St., Lee, MA cheznousbistro.com.
The Williamsville Inn
Set in bucolic West Stockbridge, the Williamsville Inn boasts everything a home away from home should: superb service, snowy linens, and cut flowers. Husband-and-wife team Erhard and Kandy Wendt have transformed this once dilapidated 18th-century inn into a modern country guesthouse complete with blond hardwood floors and quaint touches. Erhard also acts as the inn's chief chef, and his German-inspired fare is some of the finest in the county. 286 Great Barrington Rd. (Rte. 41), West Stockbridge, MA williamsvilleinn.com.
Bristol Lounge
Life should always pause around 4 p.m. so people can revive themselves with a cup of tea. Besides this genteel refreshment (or coffee, if you must), the Four Seasons Hotel serves the traditional three-tiered silver trays of dainty crustless-cucumber-and-smoked-salmon sandwiches, scones with lemon-curd and Devonshire-cream, miniature fruit tarts, and tea bread. A pampering staff and exquisite views of the Public Garden provide almost more afternoon comfort than kindergarten naptime. Four Seasons Hotel, 200 Boylston St., Boston, MA .
China Pearl
Hands down, the best dim sum in Boston. Get there before 10:30 a.m. on Sunday or be prepared to wait for cart-delivered delicacies that include shrimp chow foon, sticky rice wrapped in grape leaves, and chicken feet—if you dare. The bill usually averages around $12 a person, and then you need not think about food again until dinner. 9 Tyler St., Boston, MA .
Tremont Ale
A classic pale ale—vaguely sweet, distinctly hopped, and tinged a deep shade of copper—this is the flagship brew of tiny Atlantic Coast Brewing, more commonly known as Tremont Brewery, in Charlestown. The really cool part? After years as a tap-only product, Tremont is finally, thankfully, in bottles available at finer packies everywhere. For a by-the-pint-only treat, look for Tremont's cask-conditioned best bitter of IPA, stocked in small batches at select bars such as Doyle's in Jamaica Plain.
The Eighth Congressional District's, for Quantity if Not Quality
Among those who've been in at one time or another: Joe Kennedy, George Bachrach, Jim Roosevelt, Mel King, Tom Gallagher, Carla Johnston, Tom Vallely, Jim Spiegel, Clark Abt. Midlred Jefferson, Robert Cappucci, Bill Galvin, Richard Black, Vin McCarthy, Joe Markey, Jon Hillson, Markham Lyons, and Bob O'Connell.
TreeTop Adventures
Kids turning your house into a jungle gym? There’s a better way to burn off that endless energy. At TreeTop Adventures, they can get an adrenaline rush from ziplining through aerial obstacle courses featuring rolling logs, bridges, ladders, and tightropes. The best part? With 10 trails for ages seven and up ranging from beginner to expert, anyone can join in the fun — yes, even you. 200 New Boston Dr., Canton, MA 02021, treetopcanton.com.
Porchfest Somerville
There’s no better way to spend a sunny day than weaving back and forth across Highland Avenue and its various side streets, listening to hundreds of very talented Somervillians rocking out on their porches, balconies, and driveways. The city has this tune-filled May fest down to a science, and other communities have taken note — including, for the first time this year, Dorchester, which launched its aptly named Dorchfest in June. Now that’s music to our ears. Multiple Locations, somervilleartscouncil.org.
Mark Spooner Photography
In a year when many weddings were postponed or canceled, Mark Spooner stayed booked and optimistic throughout. His sunny outlook manifests in his photographs, which highlight the most tender moments: a push-back of the hair, a touch on the arm, or a joyful glance at loved ones, all captured with a soft atmospheric glow. Another positive: the bevy of helpful resources on his website, invaluable for couples and fellow wedding pros alike. markspoonerphoto.com.
Sky Salon
Elizabeth Smith to the rescue: When we rang needing immediate attention for our graying tresses, the stylist fit us in the next day—and matched our brunette locks perfectly, all while maintaining an intuitive balance of chattiness and quietude as we lounged on a couch, waiting for our color to develop. The best part? The salon’s gentle, ammonia-free dye meant we didn’t leave with a burning scalp after color correction—just glossy, shiny hair. skysalonlincoln.com.
Vera Wang
A single designer is hardly right for every bride, but top-notch service, from first fitting to final alteration, is on every betrothed's wish list. This couture retailer stocks gowns that are dreamy, feminine, and exactly what we want for the big day. With more styles in-house than online and more-than-accomodating consultants, the hardest part will be choosing among satin, tulle, and silk. 73 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, verawangboston.com.
Newburyport Farmers' Market
Given its northerly location, Newburyport has an edge over other area markets: It's able to draw in vendors from southern New Hampshire. But it's the sheer magnitude of the selection—which ranges from standard-issue fruits and veggies to raw honey, locally caught fish and shellfish, and sustainably raised goat meat, not to mention prepared goodies like sweet and savory tarts from Puff—that draws crowds. Sundays May through November, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Tannery, Newburyport, MA 1950, thenewburyportfarmersmarket.org.
O Ya
Calling a restaurant "very New York" may not be a politically correct compliment in these parts. And yet, the label fits. With its sleek design, sake sommelier, and mind-blowing food (we've heard at least one diner, upon sampling the foie gras nigiri with balsamic chocolate kabayaki, wish out loud that "sex could be this good"), O Ya outshines all the stunning additions to the city's dining scene this year—not to mention anything we've tasted you-know-where. 9 East St., Boston, MA .