HausWitch Home + Healing
Erica Feldmann’s spellbinding boutique blends the metaphysical (spell kits and tarot decks) with the sort of good taste even the devoutly unspiritual can appreciate (art by indie makers, naturally dyed meditation pillows). The shopkeeper draws on her background in design and feminist theory to help people spark some interior magic while encouraging self-care through reiki and tarot readings at the shop’s nearby “healing space”—this is Salem, after all. hauswitchstore.com.
Jeremy Ogusky
You get a CSA box from your local farm and you’re on a first-name basis with your butcher, but what about the plates and bowls you set the table with every day? A worthy addition to any Boston cabinet, potter Jeremy Ogusky’s durable, unpretentious pieces can be purchased on Etsy; biannual open-studio days at his J.P. workspace, meanwhile, welcome all to come learn the art of pottery. claycrocks.com.
Sinesia Karol
Sinesia Karol’s playful yet sophisticated bikinis, one-pieces (pictured), and cover-ups were born out of her desire to help buttoned-up New Englanders feel as comfortable and confident in swimwear as the women she knew growing up in her native Brazil. Her eponymous brand’s signature style? Artful prints and unexpected cutouts guaranteed to have you strutting in the sand like it’s your personal runway. sinesiakarol.com.
Bodega
Is it uncool to call this store cool? Regardless, it’s hard not to get excited once you open the door camouflaged as a vending machine and step inside the sleek, well-lit space, where the latest and greatest styles from Nike, Adidas, and Puma are lined up like artifacts in a museum. And just to ensure Bodega continues its reign of cool, the brand opened Series, a constantly evolving micro art space just a couple of doors down that offers buzzy limited releases and serves as a mecca for local sneakerheads. 6 Clearway St., Boston, MA 02115, shop.bdgastore.com.
Walter Hill, Social Club Barbers
Walter Hill’s Downtown Crossing shop is perpetually buzzing. It’s no wonder: Once the traveling groomer for boxer Floyd Mayweather, he claims to have cut his first head of hair at age 11. His dedication to the art of men’s grooming extends to his luxuriously close shaves as well as his minty and citrusy lotions that he crafts himself. Now that’s what we call a cut above. 333 Washington St., Boston, MA 02108, socialclubbarbers.com.
Benedetto
Grape-juice stewardship is an art, not a science. But it’s empirically proven that a well-informed beverage team increases your odds of success. Sommelier Robert Taylor manages arguably the city’s loveliest Italian lineup—showcasing gorgeous bottles in the two-digit range and exhilarating nebbiolo depth—and GM Megan McKinnon is a seasoned vino vet herself. A deep bench helps: On a recent visit, a clued-in server whisked us away on an impromptu Friulano mini tour. Charles Hotel, One Bennett St., Cambridge, MA 02138, benedettocambridge.com.
Boston Modern Orchestra Project
Boston is touted as a top arts town, and it lives up to that ideal when its institutions are constantly refreshing their canons. Well, the Boston Modern Orchestra Project has been doing just that since 1996: Its adventurous approach to contemporary classical music includes works by locals such as John Harbison and world premieres by international artists such as this year’s season finale of contemporary Chinese composers. MA bmop.org.
Jill Rosenwald, Jill Rosenwald Studio
Jill Rosenwald's groovy patterned pottery and accessories are pure bold technicolor, and so is her personality: Chatty and effusive, Rosenwald considers her clients and colleagues old friends. When you call her studio, it's actually her on the other end, always game to kibitz about your latest design needs. She's a big supporter of our arts scene, too, as a cofounder of the Design Salon, a networking organization for creative women to swap ideas and advice. 369 Congress St., Boston, MA 02210, jillrosenwald.com.
Urbanity Dance
In seven years, founder and director (and former Boston Ballet teacher) Betsi Graves has grown Urbanity Dance into a thrilling, whimsical, acrobatic beast. Last year, the company collaborated twice with local chamber orchestra A Far Cry, leaping and weaving with the violinists in Jordan Hall. At the Institute of Contemporary Art in February, they performed "Bend," an orgy of strobe lights and corporeal geometry. Whether twisting into one another to form a human skirt or wrestling with their shadows, Urbanity's dancers fulfill their mission to "elevate physical intelligence." 1180 Washington St., Boston, MA 02118, urbanitydance.org.
M. F. Dulock
Walk into this shop on a Saturday and you’re likely to run into dining-scene bigwigs like Shepard co-owner René Becker probing for tips on aging steaks or working with off cuts. That’s because owner Michael Dulock and his staff are experts in the art of butchery, specializing in pasture-raised animals reared on farms less than 250 miles away. 201A Highland Ave., Somerville, MA 02143, mfdulock.com.
The Backroom at Moody's
If the house-made charcuterie at Moody's deli is art, its adjoining restaurant, the Backroom, is the gallery in which chef-owner Joshua Smith's smoky, fatty, umami-rich masterpieces get their finest showcase. Spicy 'nduja is blended into a ragu for strands of bucatini here; Iberico pork belly dots a clam flatbread there. In fact, the entire menu, from the slow-smoked chicken with crisp spaetzle to the melt-in-your-mouth Wagyu brisket, is a master class in meat—and the perfect syrah or sangiovese to pair with it. 468 Moody St., Waltham, MA 2453, moodyswaltham.com.
Jurys Boston Hotel
Thanks to a two-year, $68 million renovation of the former Boston Police Department headquarters, Jurys's wall of trickling water, sparkling elevators, lavish suites, and stunning marble bathrooms (with heated towel racks) are a far cry from the holding cells of yesteryear. A sizable accumulation of contemporary Irish art and a helpful staff lend European class to these very American quarters. 350 Stuart St., Boston, MA .
Terri Ruth Unger
Anyone tired of cheesy, slick portraits on fake backgrounds will appreciate the simply, honest beauty of Unger's work. She prefers her subjects unposed in familiar surroundings with natural light. The result: refreshingly candid and artful shots. And she prints everything in classy black and white on high-quality paper, perfect for a long-lasting family heirloom.
<em>Antiques Road Show</em>, WGBH
A TV show as appraiser? Absolutely. WGBH turns out episodes in various cities, where locals line up with treasured heirlooms and garage-sale finds. Some of the art specialists in the country—including some of the local auction bigwig Skinner—are on hand to give owners and viewers information on their finds, including the estimated value. Ah, the agony of learning your prized highboy is a well-crafted knockoff? Ah, the pleasure of discovering that one of granny's knickknacks is worth more than the house!
Cheryl Richards
Awarded "Photographer of the Year" by the Professional Photographers Association of Massachusetts, this talented Boston newcomer wowed the judges with her wedding album, which took top honors. Artful black and white photographs capture the day in all its candid glory and charm, from prewedding jitters to frolicking flower girls, to Daddy's last dance with his little girl. 105 Newbury Street, Boston, MA .