La Ruche
La Ruche owner Brooke Laughlin gives Martha Stewart a run for her questionably earned money with the precious stationery and invitations she stocks at her colorful Newbury Street shop. More creative than stuffy, the lines by Dempsey & Carroll, Surtout Pour Vous, and the Wren Press run the gamut from monogrammed note cards to customized printed invitations. Choose from sweet ribbon-topped birth announcements, pony-shaped children's party invitations, even sophisticated cocktail invites. 164 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Sephora
In case you've been in a beauty bubble for the past 15 years, Sephora is the adult version of Candyland. Nearly every brand of mascara, lip liner, and blush known to womankind is on display—and you can test all the colors before taking them home. After all, why buy the cheap drugstore foundation when there's a good chance it won't match your complexion? Prudential Center, Boston, MA sephora.com.
La Perla
The Italian scanties here are certain to up the ooh-la-la of your lingerie drawer. The internationally coveted line has been cherished since the '50s for its handmade lace and embroidered details, and at the Boylston Street location you'll find seductive and oh-so-elegant underpinnings (like bras, briefs, and boy-shorts), not to mention a bevy of sexy swimwear. 250 Boylston St., Boston, MA 2116, laperla.com.
Barneys New York
While other department-store counters seem to hawk the same 10 perfumers, Barneys focuses on rich, exotic scents from lines like Frédéric Malle, Serge Lutens, Acqua di Parma, and Rodin. With all the variety, you'll breathe easy knowing that the scent you find won't remind your significant other of his receptionist, hair stylist, or any of the twentysomethings on the crowded T car. 100 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 2116, .
Bloomingdales
If the beach beckons and you're pressed for time, the Back Bay Lord & Taylor is still the best bet for a last-minute bikini. Otherwise, hop the city limits and head to Bloomingdale's, where the racks are chock-full of Shoshanna, Milly, and other buzzy brands. Factor in the spacious (and credibly lit) fitting rooms at Bloomie's, and Route 9 shapes up as your road to victory. The Mall at Chestnut Hill, Chestnut Hill, MA 2467, bloomingdales.com.
Intimacy
Oprah's a fan, and so are we. Here's why: Inside the luxuriously appointed dressing rooms at this lace and silk emporium, bra specialists give no-pressure, tape-measure-free assessments (get past the fact that they're handling your goodies, and you'll find their approach rather effective). They then lay out scads of sexy yet practical possibilities from the likes of Aubade, Simone Péréle, and Chantelle. Customers leave with bags full of underpinnings that aren't just pretty, but actually—mercifully—fit, too. 100 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 2116, myintimacy.com.
Divine Sales
Divine Sales, 415 Mass. Ave., in Central Square, Cambridge, is operated by the followers of Guru Mararaj ji, the short, fat spoiled brat of a perfect master. But religious convictions should never interfere with a financial transaction. Divine Sales does have a nice selection of second-hand goods, and you can buy them without selling your soul. 415 Massachusetts Ave., Boston, MA .
The Urban Hound
There are pets, and then there are babies who just happen to have fur. For the four-legged companions in the latter camp, the Urban Hound is ready to stand in as surrogate parent. The 8,500-square-foot boutique hotel has pristine private suites and large indoor and outdoor play areas. The service menu includes grooming and an on-site training program that will have you wondering who's had more fun on vacay—you or them. 129 Malden St., Boston, MA urbanhounds.com.
Robin Chalfin, Toolkit
Given that Mick Jagger, Michelle Williams, and Salma Hayek have all put themselves in her hands (literally), Robin Chalfin can certainly lay claim to being a celebrity tailor. But while she's deployed her sewing skills on movie sets and at rock concerts, you don't need to be a star to be a customer: Just ring her up and she'll show up at your door, pins and measuring tape in hand, and return in a matter of days with clothes that fit you to a T. MA
Caterina Sorrenti, Rina's Studio
The Newbury Street veteran's solo endeavor in Newtonville is a study in making the best of a painful (and often embarrassing) salon service. Caterina Sorrenti keeps Rina's Studio obsessively clean (no double-dipping applicators here). She's thorough, too, though she gets this award because she's a pro at multitasking, able to chat distractingly about real estate, the weather, and whatever else while going to town on your ingrowns. 811 Washington St., Newton, MA 2460, rina-studio.com.
Gentle Giant Moving Company
Anyone who's used inferior movers knows the torture of watching them slowly load a single box onto the truck. You won't need to stifle the urge to grab a handcart and goose the friendly Gentle Giant guys, who gather up as much as they can carry, unload, and literally sprint back for more. And that brawn doesn't come at the cost of finesse: Everything arrives at your new home unscathed. 29 Harding St., Somerville, MA 2116, gentlegiant.com.
JJ Gonson, Cuisine en Locale
So you're a little lazy. Or overworked. Or simply a really, really bad cook. No one has to know—not with Gonson around cover your tracks. Armed with fresh ingredients culled from local growers and farmers' markets, the Cambridge-based chef swoops into homes throughout the Hub, leaving a week's worth of healthy meals in her wake. And she's not afraid to share her tricks, offering kitchen and pantry organization and private gourmet-grocery shopping, too.
Beach Plum Inn
You are not a Kennedy. Your chances of getting asked to the family's up-island compound are, frankly, slim. So what? You can still live like American royalty at the nearby Beach Plum Inn. Its 11 rooms and cottages are flush with shabby-chic furnishings and Egyptian cotton linens. Its BYOB restaurant is lauded for upscale surf and turf. And the view of the surrounding gardens and Menemsha Harbor is, in a word, unrivaled. 50 Beach Plum Ln., Menemsha, MA 2535, .
Paper Source
Located just a few blocks from the Porter Square T stop, this store beckons with a welcoming allure. Once inside, the right side of your brain is in overdrive. You may find yourself suddenly wanting to throw a party or wishing you were moving to a new address, just as an excuse to buy the unique invitations and announcement cards. In the back of the store is a separate room filled with a huge selection of stationery and in every possible shade and paperweight. An added plus: Workshops in bookbinding and paper-making are offered. 1810 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA paper-source.com.
City Sports
Whether you just want to buy a Wiffle ball set on your way to the park or a top-notch pair of dumbbells, City Sports carries all the athletic support you need for any sport. There's an ocean of running shorts, warmups, and skiwear to sift through, as well as an amazing collection of helmets, eyewear, balls of every sort, and odds and ends like weight-lifting gloves and nose plugs. Some locations even offer tennis racquet stringing and in-line skate rentals. 168 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA citysports.com.