Jerry's Custom Tailoring & Alterations
To find Jerry's, look for the door between Uno Chicago Grill's two patios. Push it open. Walk down the hall to the slide-gate elevator. Take it up to the fourth floor. There, you'll reach Jerry, who will hem, shrink, or overhaul your prized suits, dresses, and jeans until they fit like second skins. In exchange, he'll expect cash or a personal check, and a minimum of talk. 729 Boylston St., Boston, MA .
Exhale, Battery Wharf
We love the daily bustle of living in Boston, of course, but sometimes we need an escape. At this expansive waterfront spa, the hammam—a stunning, stone-tiled Turkish bath—lets you while away time between treatments with a magazine, or just your wandering thoughts. The amenity-packed locker room, shampoo-commercial-worthy showers, and attentive aestheticians, meanwhile, all make the city feel far, far away. 2 Battery Wharf, Boston, MA exhalespa.com.
Brad Duncan Skin Care
Brad Duncan is the best kind of aesthetician. He isn't an alarmist, he doesn't push product, and, as years of sun damage and bad living dissolve under gentle fruit enzymes, he contributes just enough useful information and amiable chatter, even suggesting an excellent derm from his exclusive address book. Further ingenious use of downtime: the stress-defusing foot massage while your mineral mask sets. 530 Tremont St., Boston, MA bradduncanskincare.com.
Pawsh Dog Boutique
If Vidal Sassoon and Karl Lagerfeld opened a pet business together, it might look a good deal like Pawsh. This swanky boutique specializes in beautifying furry Bostonians—from shampoos and blowouts to sleek body cuts—while also stocking fashionable accoutrements like natty jackets and sweaters and top-of-the-line collars. And Pawsh has a new treat for owners, too: a delivery service that brings gourmet pet food right to your door. 31 Gloucester St., Boston, MA 2115, pawshboston.com.
Gary Croteau, Salon Mario Russo at Fan Pier
If you're looking to keep your root touchups on the QT, Mario Russo's new outpost inside Louis on quiet Fan Pier offers an alternative to gossipy Newbury Street salons. A better reason to go, however, is Gary Croteau: His sure hand with blond tresses ensures full-bodied color from root to tip, plus sun-kissed highlights that look like the byproduct of a Saint-Tropez getaway. 60 Northern Ave., Boston, MA 2210, mariorusso.com.
AZ Studio
Changing stylists right after you've been butchered presents a classic rebound scenario: No matter how well you're treated, there are nagging trust issues. That is, unless you drag your sorry 'do to AZ Studio, which has both veterans (some have been here 10 years or more) and next-generation snippers adept at soothing frizzed, scraggly, and otherwise badly ruffled feathers. Still feeling a bit heartsick? A shopping spree in the amply stocked salon boutique will make it all better. Derby Street Shoppes, Hingham, MA 2043, azstudio-derby.com.
Emerge Spa and Salon
By now you've seen the articles proclaiming that men are (hold on to your footballs!) concerned with their hygiene and grooming. Yet at most spas, the premises still feel dominated by women, or at least by lots and lots of flowers. Not so at Emerge. Its Men's Club, flush with mahogany paneling and boasting a flat-screen TV, is cordoned off and populated by neatly kempt guys awaiting their facials, massages, waxings, and manicures. The only femininity here comes via the friendly staff. And that's something the male clientele doesn't seem to mind. 275 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, emergespasalon.com.
Youliana Roussou
These are the qualities we look for in a waxing: speed, and a thoroughness that lets us put off the next one for as long as possible. After 15 years on the strip (so to speak), Roussou has the process down pat. She's versed in the fine art of distraction—as she chatters on about shopping or the local dating scene, you scarcely notice the hot wax near your nether regions. Plus, post-treatment includes a gentle rubdown with calming oils. 338 Newbury St., Boston, MA g2ospasalon.com.
Jeffrey Dauksevich, Umi Salon
Jeffrey Dauksevich wants to take control of your hair. Here's why you should let him: Drawing on his two decades of experience, he still gives you the cut you really want, not the one ;he thinks you should try (in his chair, 'no bangs' means no bangs). Need some guidance? He's got suggestions aplenty. The results will be a stunning—if pricey—cut to outlast all the latest Hollywood hair fads. 75 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, umisite.com.
Gretta Luxe
Chloé dresses and Balenciaga bags are just two style-savvy suburbanite mainstays found on the racks at Gretta Luxe. Owner Gretchen Monahan travels to New York, Paris, and Milan to bring home exclusive high-fashion apparel and recently debuted a line of knit separates; manager Katie Faessler plays resident style coach, recommending the right Zac Posen top to wear with your new Matthew Williamson embroidered skirt. 94 Central St., Wellesley, MA 2482, grettaluxe.com.
Dorfman Jewelers
When bigger means better (and rare is the instance it doesn't), Dorfman majorly rocks the block. An ever-growing roster of exclusive high-end, high-drama designers—including Vhernier, Patek Philippe, and a new Van Cleef & Arpels salon (one of just 8 nationwide)—ensures your diamonds, pearls, and assorted gemstones outshine the competition. There are plenty of subtle pieces here, too, but where's the fun in that? 24 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, .
Uniform
If Seth Cohen were to leave The O.C. and open a clothing store, it would look like Uniform. The store has Standard American shirts, Original Penguin blazers, Ben Sherman polos, and Lee premium jeans (yes, they're cool again). And prices under $100 make this four-month-old South End hot spot a favorite among the thrifty trendsetting set. 511 Tremont St. in Atelier 505, Boston, MA uniformboston.com.
Dance Complex
Walk past this aging Central Square building and you'll hear lively drumbeats and rhythmic foot stomping. Walk in and you'll experience one giant Fame flashback. Four floors of studios allow ballet, capoeira, salsa, flamenco, tap, mambo, street funk, and samba to coexist like a little rainbow coalition of dance, while creating an unparalleled surge of collective energy—all for about 12 bucks a class. 536 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA dancecomplex.org.
Claudete Rizzotto, Beaucáge Salon
From Gisele's bangs to gravity-defying J.Lo locks, nothing is too weighty a request for Brazilian-born Claudete Rizzotto. Her exacting cuts can run from high volume to low maintenance, all according to a client's whim. Rizzotto takes her time, meticulously training and taming your tresses into hairstyles you never knew you could pull off. 71 Newbury St., Boston, MA beaucage.com.
Giuliano Day Spa
It's too bad this full-service salon doesn't include a hotel, because after a 50-minute pedicure, the last thing you'll want to do is pull on a pair of heels and go home. Feet are pampered, soaked, massaged, buffed, and polished, all while you relax in a cushy massage chair. The friendly, professional staff is relentless with rough patches and doesn't stop sanding until your feet are smoothed to a buttery, baby softness. 338 Newbury St., Boston, MA g2ospasalon.com.