David Vendetti,
Aching for downward dog? Eager for a sun salutation? Stop by this frills-free Boylston Street studio. Yogi David Vendetti transforms himself from teacher to comedian to storyteller to motivator, all while delivering precise, clear instructions. His 90-minute classes cater to both beginners and advanced students. Every body leaves Back Bay Yoga in balance. 1112 Boylston St., Third Floor, Boston, MA backbayyoga.com.
Wine Galley
Wine stores tend to cater to either experts or idiots. If, like most of us, you're somewhere in between, head to the Wine Gallery, a shop as welcoming to neophytes as it is to Robert Parker wannabes. The knowledgeable staff will happily guide you to a hard-to-find amarone or the best 10-buck malbec. And if you still can't decide, try before you buy at the store's 'wine jukebox,' which dispenses free half-ounce samples of 32 reds and 16 whites. 375 Boylston St. (Rte. 9), Brookline, MA 02445-6007, wine-gallery.com.
Picture Perfect Pets
More kindergarten teacher than drill sergeant, Bette Yip can teach pooches to do anything—sit; stay; scoop their own poop (we can dream, can't we?). If Rover can't make group classes—or hasn't yet learned to play well with others—sign him up in advance for private lessons. After a few one-on-one sessions with Yip, he'll be ready to fetch the paper and roll over like a pro. 9C Dudley Street Pl., Arlington, MA 2476, betteyip.com.
Met Back Bay
In a sea of nondescript restaurants catering to shoppers and office workers, Met Back Bay consistently impresses with its comfort-food-with-a-twist fare (think: rotisserie jerk chicken and head-on trout with shaved zucchini). Then there's the ham-and-cheese bar, where a multitude of potential pairings—prosciutto with Great Hill Blue, or hickory-smoked ham with Cabot clothbound cheddar?—support lingering at the bar with a glass of rosé. 279 Dartmouth St., Boston, MA 2116, metbackbay.com.
Wolfers Lighting
Lighting makes a room, and the selection at Wolfers can give any home a welcoming glow. The Allston gallery has fixtures for every space—indoor and out. It caters to a variety of styles and budgets with fixtures including ornate chandeliers and funky kitchen pendants. The savvy salespeople can always shed light on any illumination problem, whether you need help changing a bulb or lighting an antique barn. 103 N. Beacon St., Allston, MA wolfers.com.
Boston Public Library
The gurgle of the cast-bronze fountain in the Italianate open-air courtyard. The glow of the green glass lamps on Bates Hall’s long reading tables. Set the scene for your own epic love story at the BPL. With an array of dramatic party spaces and creative, personalized cuisine from the Catered Affair, the Renaissance Revival treasure is less library and more fairy-tale romance in the making. bpl.org; thecateredaffair.com/bpl. 700 Boylston St., Boston, MA .
Sault New England
Owner Philip Saul (pictured) will bring sartorially salty New England cred to your closet. Pick up a button-down, available in a variety of fabrics, from the store's eponymous label, made in Fall River. Or go for a trusty selection of familiar brands like Jack Purcell, Penfield, and Jack Spade—with surprising twists, like vintage leather brogues to pair with Unbranded Japanese selvage tapered denim jeans. Naturally, you'll want to grab some beer soap or beard oil on your way out. 577 Tremont St., Boston, MA 02118, saultne.com.
Pastoral
Fort Point Italian restaurant Pastoral gets points for a prime location (blocks from the Boston Children's Museum) and an excellent parking situation (get a $5 validation for the nearby Farnsworth Garage). There's ample stroller parking in the takeout area, and tables are widely spaced so antsy children can roam free. The kids' menu, meanwhile, offers thoughtful touches like gluten-free pizza; paper and crayons arrive while you wait. 345 Congress St., Boston, MA 02210, pastoralfortpoint.com.
Winnetu
This beachfront resort is located just a short bike ride away from Edgartown. Not that you'll ever need to trek into town. The family-friendly property offers myriad accommodation options to suit everyone from couples to cousins, and has a bevy of amenities—tennis, yoga, pools—to keep the crew happy all day long. The Dunes, the Winnetu's restaurant, caters to a diverse crowd, including the kiddos. 31 Dunes Rd., Edgartown, MA 02539, winnetu.com.
Jamaica Mi Hungry
The fiery, hearty, soulful fare of Jamaica has a cozy home in Jackson Square, where chef Ernie Campbell uses skills honed as a caterer and food-truck operator to serve heaping helpings of jerk chicken, coconut shrimp, oxtail, and curry goat. Bonus points for the prime location next to an MBTA Orange Line stop and bus hub, which makes these good eats accessible to a broad, underserved swath of the city, notably a nearby section of Roxbury with few sit-down or takeout restaurants. 225 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, jamaicamihungry.com.
Loyal Supply Co.
Husband-and-wife team Ryan and Kimberly Habbyshaw take the term “locally made” seriously: Watch as the paper enthusiasts bring their witty, colorful greeting cards to life on a 1911 printing press at the center of their Pinterest-worthy Union Square shop. Of course, if you just need to pop in for a few delightfully analog everyday accoutrements—Autopoint pencils, Appointed notebooks—they stock those, too. 21 Union Sq., Somerville, MA loyalsupplyco.com.
Fête Collection
Why spend nights clicking through hundreds of Etsy shops when you have Fête? Serving as your local connection to the most talented designers, printers, and calligraphers across the country, the team of paper and etiquette experts here will help you choose everything from custom invitations to menus. You'll get the gold foil, embossing, and hand-lettering of your dreams coordinated through one friendly face, saving you the most precious resource of all during wedding planning: time. 345 D St., South Boston, MA 02127, shopfete.com.
East Meets West
As challenging as combining two families may seem to a bride and groom, the caterer has an equally tough job: feeding them. East Meets West's creative menus promise to keep both sets of in-laws happy—chicken stuffed with mozzarella and pesto for his Mediterranean clan, mushroom ravioli with sun-dried tomatoes for her vegetarian relatives. Now, if only there were a way to get everyone on the same page about the reception music... 212 Old Colony Ave., Boston, MA eastmeetswestcatering.com.
Pho Viet's
We’re so easily seduced by crusty, funky bánh mì sandwiches and fragrant bowls of pho that we often forget how great something far simpler—the Vietnamese summer roll, with its rice-paper skin and delicate, herbaceous filling—can be. Allow this Super 88 kiosk to remind you with its stellar rendition, which comes with a cup of luscious peanut sauce (ask for the chili sauce, too). As for the bánh mì and pho? Well, they’re excellent here, too. 1095 Commonwealth Ave., Allston, MA 2215, .
Eastern Standard
This Kenmore Square institution made its name catering to a wide range of diners—Sox fans, tourists, restaurant industry types, students, the list goes on—and treating them all as if they were the most important people in the room. How do they do it? By taking notes on every diner who comes through the door. Yes, it’s a bit Big Brother—esque, but this kind of close attention ensures that you enjoy your steak frites and whiskey smashes just as much as you did the last time. 528 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 2215, easternstandardboston.com.