Allston Beat
American men count on their counterparts in the Mother Country, Great Britain, to do two things: support the White House's military policies and show the rest of us how to dress. Here in Boston, guys who seek to effect the casual cool of The Naked Chef's Jamie Oliver (as opposed to, say, the dandyish look of Foreign Secretary Jack Straw) can browse the racks at Allston Beat, which turns in the best local imitation of a fashionable-but-affordable High Street boutique. This Newbury Street shop, once better known for peddling over-the-top clubwear, now stocks a more understated inventory that leans heavily towards jeans by Levis, G-Star, and Earl, retro-inspired button-downs by Ben Sherman, and Fred Perry warmups. The back of the store is devoted to shelves lined with old-school trainers (sorry—sneakers) that you're not likely to find at Foot Locker. 348 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Boston Art & Framing
You know you've come to the right place when you read a sign that says "Unless constantly nurtured, nothing is as short-lived as a good customer." Abiding by that philosophy, Dave Poutre treats each customer—as well as each item brought in to be framed—with care. Whether it's a beautiful watercolor or a black-and-white family photo circa 1920, your print is in expert hands. With a huge selection of frames and mats to choose from, Poutre goes to work, offering you frame and mat combinations until you're satisfied. Soothing background music and Poutre's good sense of humor are an added bonus. Nestledin a cozy locale in the heart of Charles Street, Boston Art & Framing ensures your picture is worth a thousand words. 100 Charles Street, Boston, MA bostonframing.com.
Moore Massage
It was hard to find a bad massage—if indeed there is such a thing—in this year's bunch. Natalie at Unique Verve put us quite pleasantly to sleep. Samantha at the Mandarin Oriental soothed our muscles (if, at $200-plus, not so much our fiscal conscience). In the end, though, this previous Best Of champ prevailed—despite attempting to defer credit to his mentor, Keith Stiles, who joined Moore Massage this year. Stiles might have been, in Moore's words, "the man who taught me everything," but in this case, student knows best. Moore's consistently thorough handiwork reversed our laptop shoulder and boosted our energy for days. We're convinced he even cured us of cellulite. You heard us. 575 Boylston St., Boston, MA .
Weloset Kennels
So it's a big far-flung. But if you're the type of person who recoils from the thought of tossing Toto into caged care, then this is your child we're talking about. Located in a woodsy setting with a knoll where you can stroll with babe before tearfully wishing him adieu, the kennel also has a fenced play area where the staff will take your pal for a few minutes of quality time. The pens are the largest we saw anywhere, at 80 to 100 square feet for large dogs, and have attached runs, bedding with heated floors in the winter, and constantly circulating fresh air. Grooming is also available, as is nondairy canine ice cream. Best of all, stays are reasonably priced at between $19 and $21 a day. Route 97, Boxford, MA .
Boston Children's Museum
The Boston Children's Museum has been mobbed since it unveiled its 23,000-square-foot expansion and accompanying renovation in April, so chances are good you'll arrive to find a long queue snaking from the door. Try to tough it out: Your reward is just inside, in the form of a corkscrew-shaped three-story contraption that the museum calls the New Balance Climb, and grateful parents might regard as the mother of all monkey bars. Even if your kids don't hit another exhibit, a scamper across, up, through, and under its twisting platforms will leave them too exhausted to do anything but go home and watch their SpongeBob DVDs until the clouds part. 300 Congress St., Boston, MA 2210, bostonchildrensmuseum.org.
Serendipity
Loaded with sour cream and caviar. 120 Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston, MA .
India Quality
Chicken tikka masala and other well-prepared classics are delivered to your door, restaurant-fresh. 484 Commonwealth Ave., Fenway/Kenmore, MA 2215, indiaquality.com.
Kevin McHale
$220,000 a year, and he eats guys who make four times that for lunch.
Margaret Karg
If she's good enough for the women's Olympic swim team and the Boston Ballet, she can probably fix your Mac back. 26 Brighton Street, Suite 300, Belmont, MA .
Dave's Fresh Pasta
The overfilled sandwiches are ideal for scarfing, but for an easy elegant dinner, load up on to-die-for ravioli and house-made sauce. 81 Holland St., Somerville, MA 2144, .
Audio Video Environments
They'll set you up a stereo in your home so that you can test it out in real listening conditions. 8 Eliot St., Cambridge, MA .
The Sunet Grill and Tap
At least 40 varieties on tap and 200 in bottles, most from microbreweries, make the Sunset the place to wet your whistle. 130 Brighton Avenue, Allston, MA .
Morton's of Chicago
What should you expect from a Chicago steak house? The best steak around. And that's exactly what Morton's delivers. One Exeter Plaza, Boston, MA .
Formaggio's Kitchen
Take your pick of 300 cheeses from France, Italy, England and Spain plus a fine selection of domestic goat cheeses. 244 Huron Ave., Cambridge, MA .
Wingo
The Boston Herald goes bingo. And don't tell us you don't check your card every morning.