Boston Philharmonic
Classical music can be inaccessible to the casual listener, maybe even intimidating. To remedy this, Boston Philharmonic conductor Benjamin Zander delivers illuminating pre-concert lectures, helping the audience better understand each performance. No snobbery or attitude; he just wants everyone to enjoy the show. bostonphil.org.
Priscilla of Boston
The old guard (and their daughters) have long favored this hushed salon that sells sophisticated pieces by Melissa Sweet and Watters and Watters. Every shopper is outfitted with a soft robe to don between changings.
Louis Boston
Praise be: Louis now has a registry. You still have to sign up for practical presents (serving pieces, glassware, cookware, towels, linens), but the gifts you'll get are guaranteed to be over-the-top cool, luxe, and fabulous. The registry focuses on first-floor items, but feel free to sneak in a dreamy fashion design or two. 234 Berkeley St., Boston, MA louisboston.com.
Priscilla of Boston
Combining classic, Old World methods with innovative design, Priscilla's talented seamstresses create some of the globe's most stunning wedding frocks. Designs run from tastefully simple silken A-lines to intricate, glamorous affairs like the Calais lace sheath gown, hand-beaded with more than 1,000 Austrian crystals and seed pearls. Priscilla's Charlestown-based design house and factory makes easy shipments and personalized service all but guaranteed—a godsend for any bride who has special requests or needs last-minute alterations. 801 Boylston St., Boston, MA priscillaofboston.com.
The Boston Bolts
The American Soccer League franchise appears strong enough to survive—for another season.
Boston Body
Boston Body is a gym for gym people. Nowhere else in town can compete with its variety of classes, the most popular of which is "Butts and Guts." But the gym isn't just about faddish activities; basic workouts are an option too, with a range of equipment that is both high-tech (Cybex Body Masters) and low-down (punching bags). 364 Boylston Street, Boston, MA bostonbody.com.
Louis Boston
We hate to break it to you: Your dog is definitely getting laughed out of the park in that chain store sweater. Louis's fashion-forward wagwear—print collars, camo rain vests, skull-and-bones hoodies—will have your mutt looking catwalk ready. The store also sells handpainted ceramic food bowls and (very civilized) squeaky monsters. 60 Northern Ave., Boston, MA 2110, louisboston.com.
Louis Boston
Louis carries a selection of practical footwear suitable for almost anything—propping on the corner of a mahogany desk, pumping the clutch of a spanking new Maybach, or skipping off to Ibiza for a weekend of clubbing. Some of the brands, like Prada and Puma, you'll recognize; others, like Kiton and Vass (they're handmade in Budapest), you probably won't. Every style will turn heads as surely as a bespoke Italian suit or comely companion. 234 Berkeley St., Boston, MA louisboston.com.
Louis Boston
There are plenty of good places to buy suits in Boston, but the one place that offers the edge that you will need at Sonsie or on State Street is Louis. 234 Berkeley St., Boston, MA .
Seidlers of Boston
They fix all that glitters in a glimmer. Without a glitch. 333 Washington Street, Boston, MA .
Uncommon Boston
Tours of everything from ice cream parlors and public parks to graveyards and architectural landmarks make learning about Beantown as much fun as it should be.
<em>Boston Globe</em>
The Globe again, for slashing not only the aforementioned book section, but also the Sunday Focus section in one of America's most cerebral cities, then promising to launch a new "ideas" section "when a more robust economy brings us better resources."
Buns of Boston
Buttery, chock-full of pecans, and dripping with caramel. Warren Buffet wishes he were this rich. Available at specialty markets and cafes, .
Boston Bowl
If Chuck E. Cheese is for country mice, this place is definitely for city mice. A longtime (since 1959) magnet for neighborhood families, it boasts 44 bowling lanes (30 ten-pin, 14 candlepin), 12 billiard tables, 80 video games, a free indoor playground, and tasty pizza. It's also open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so it draws its share of singles, too. 820 Morrissey Boulevard, Dorchester, MA .