B&R Artisan Bread
Seeing as how first impressions are everything, a restaurant's bread-basket is serious business. Boston's finest eateries, including T. W. Food and Troquet, order their loaves from Sel de la Terre alum Michael Rhoads, who bakes crisp baguettes, hulking sourdoughs, and authentic ryes in his two-year-old Framingham shop. City-dwellers, meanwhile, can fight over B&R's pain levain at Cambridge's Formaggio Kitchen or the Union Square farmers' market. 151 Chochituate Rd., Framingham, MA 1701, .
Aquascutum
There are certain advantages to Boston's lingering Anglophilia. Aquascutum is one of them. The sole American outpost of the venerable British chain carries trim tailored suits, broad-collared dress shirts, and vibrantly hued ties, as well as the clothier's signature line of elegant raincoats. The slickers are debonair enough to fit into even the dandiest wardrobe—and utterly inspirational here in our puddle-prone city. 450 Boylston St., Boston, MA aquascutum.co.uk.
Shreve, Crump & Low
Not for nothing has this Boston institution been a favorite among other Boston institutions (Isabella Stewart Gardner and Ted Williams, for starters) since it opened in 1796. The store is packed with sapphire rings and ruby and diamond necklaces that shine with all the quiet wattage of a chandelier. Want to cut back on the bling? Go for any of the elegant diamond-encrusted pearl pendants—heirlooms in the making, every last one. 330 Boylston St., Boston, MA shrevecrumpandlow.com.
Blades Board and Skate
What impressed us most about this place was that the friendly sales assistant had personally tried on 50 of the skates on display. Even better, she seemed genuinely interested in helping us find the right pair. The stock here also includes a smorgasbord of gear, such as helmets, pads, and socks. The staff arms you with tips on finding a qualified instructor and Boston's places to skate, so you'll leave feeling ready to roll. 349A Newbury St., Boston, MA blades.com.
Barbara Krakow
Known far and wide as Boston's "mini MoMA," the Krakow is Ground Zero for emerging contemporary art. The gallery's owners consistently go out of their way to dig up new artists, adding a strong dose of local talent to the mix, and rounding it out with international masters. Look for as much photography (documentaries from Nicholas Nixon, for example) as painting and sculpture (a recent series of Cameron Shaw's work blew us away). 10 Newbury St., Boston, MA barbarakrakowgallery.com.
Gin Soon Chu
Boston's best-kept secret works on Tremont Street in Chinatown. His name is Gin Soon Chu, but he is known in the area only as sifu (teacher). Sifu is one of two living disciples of the Yang Tai Chi line. Martial artists from all over the world come here to study with the grand master, who is said to be wiser than an owl and stronger than a bear. 324 Tremont St., Boston, MA .
Childs Gallery
Since 1937 Childs has been a flagship of Boston's fine art market. Specializing in pre-World War II American and European paintings, prints, drawings, and sculpture, Childs is where you go to find treasures ranging in importance and price from a small thing of beauty to a centerpiece of an established collection. Owner Roger Howlett's knowledge of his expansive inventory makes Childs nothing short of a museum with price tags. 169 Newbury Street, Boston, MA childsgallery.com.
Museum of Fine Arts
Boston's foremost art museum has it all: mummies and amphorae, French impressionists, and abstract expressionists. The jaw-dropping highlight, however, is the Arts of the Americas Wing, opened in fall 2010, which has taken many pieces formerly displayed in dark basement galleries and given them space to breathe in a brightly lit, glassed-in viewing area. The galleries themselves are nearly as inspiring as the art they feature. 465 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 2115, mfa.org.
Bank of America Pavilion
This is not the place to go to make some great new musical discovery—the Pavilion's schedule remains heavy on well-known arena rockers. But there's no better spot to catch your favorite '80s band than this open-air venue, especially once the sun sets, the breeze picks up, and you settle in with a couple of frosty beers. Bonus: As Boston's waterfront continues to develop, so do the Pavilion's pre- and post-show drinking and dining options, such as Morton's, Legal Test Kitchen, and Atlantic Beer Garden. 290 Northern Ave., Boston, MA 2210, bankofamericapavillion.net.
Anna's Taqueria
The true test of a good burrito is: Will you travel for it? In Boston, burrito lovers have little choice. This is, after all, a city with a whole lot of average Mexican food. To find an affordable burrito worth eating, we recommend taking any and all forms of transportation to one of Anna's Taqueria's three area locations. The restaurants are clean, the service is speedy, and the food is fresh. And the burritos? Well, they're so big and tasty, you might just forget you're in Boston. 1412 Beacon St., Brookline, MA annastaqueria.com.
Ginza
This is where Boston's other sushi chefs eat on their nights off. Memorable maki comes with ingredients ranging from burdock root to Japanese basil. The fish is unbelievably fresh, the presentation stunning, the extra-long hours ('til 4 a.m., Tuesday-Saturday) convenient. 14 Hudson St., Boston, MA .
Ristorante Toscano
Crosstown rivals in the North End have yet to equal the confident simplicity of veteran chef Venito Paoli's cuisine. Paoli turns out matchless risotti, superb seafood, and Boston's best Bolognese sauce. If Italian cooking guru Marcella Hazan came to visit, you'd take her to Toscano. 41 Charles St., Boston, MA .
Club Cafe
With brunch, trivia, late-night drinks, dancing, and a solid crowd of regulars, Club Cafe has it all. For decades, this place—at a prime intersection of the Back Bay and the South End—has been the Cheers of Boston's gay scene, and it's easy to understand why. 209 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA clubcafe.com.
Emerge Spa
When was the last time you pulled up to a spa, threw your keys to the valet, and were led into a private VIP suite? The answer, obviously: never. But now you can do just that at the four-story Emerge, Boston's new grande dame of day spas, which boasts a host of standard and medical services for both genders (men get their own area), two in-house doctors, a juice bar, and locker rooms stocked with posh Kerstin Florian products. Spend an afternoon here, and you needn't exit as discreetly as you arrived. 275 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, emergespasalon.com.
Claire McArdle, Beauty Therapies
Lasers have—figuratively, of course—exploded onto the beauty scene in the last few years. That's especially true in the realm of hair removal. Alas, in the hands of neophytes, such powerful new weapons can leave clients with red marks, patches of untouched hair, and unjustifiably high bills. You'll find none of these at Beauty Therapies, where R.N. Claire McArdle relies not on big-talking promises, but on cutting-edge technologies, diligence, and skin-care expertise. One of Boston's first laser practitioners, she permanently removes hair from anywhere on the body—eyebrows to bikini lines—with a steady hand that zaps clients smooth faster than light speed. One Brookline Place, Suite 302, Brookline, MA .