Sephora
Though we're not usually fans of national chains, Sephora's credentials in this category are unimpeachable (as anyone who's browsed its well-stocked shelves can attest). The store's Pru outpost has an even bigger selection of cosmetics than its other locations in the area, which is why we head here for tried-and-trues (Nars, Lancome, Makeup For Ever, Tarte) and new obsessions (Hourglass, Temptu, Buxom). Prudential Center, 800 Boylston St., Boston, MA 2199, sephora.com.
Ata Cycle
The expert bicyclists who double as the sales staff of ATA not only love to ride, they love to ride what they sell: a wide selection of bikes, accessories, and parts ranging from recreational hybrids to top-of-the-line racing models. A family business, the full-service store will do tune-ups or dole out maintenance advice just as happily as it will sell you a new set of wheels. 1773 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA atabike.com.
Umi
Rarely is a salon so valued its devotees whisper its name like a password. That's the case with Umi, and no wonder. Owner Jeffrey Dauksevich approaches the craft of the coiffure with a time-tested reverence for flawless precision and daring creativity. There's no air-kissing or fluffing up of egos here—just a seriously talented set of stylists who are shear experts at everything from five-point cuts to soothing scalp treatments. Every part of the experience delights, right down to the mini bottles of Italian soda served to thirsty clients. 75 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Kiiko Matsumoto
Matsumoto is an international celebrity in her field. Part of a rising generation of specialists who have quietly revolutionalized the profession, she combines Chinese medical theory with Western pathology. Her unique methods—dubbed simply the Kiiko system—are taught in acupuncture schools worldwide. She's written dozens of articles and textbooks and lectured throughout the United States, Europe, Israel, and her native Japan. Yet she's hardly the austere guru type—her patients remain her top priority. Newton Acupuncture Clinic, 1647 Washington St., Newton, MA .
Cafe Vanille
Boston doesn't have many patisseries, and our bakeries feel like coffee spots that just happen to have cinnamon buns and cupcakes. Café Vanille, however, seems like a French pastry shop that just happens to serve espresso and tea. One look at the lineup of flaky napoleons, ganache-glazed éclairs, colorful petits fours and fruit tarts, and buttery brioche makes the cookie-and-donut offerings everywhere else seem downright dull. 70 Charles St., Boston, MA 2108, frenchmemories.com.
Cat Silirie
Most sommeliers keep their servers so oenologically clueless, it feels like a job-security scheme. Not so with Silirie, who arms every associate in Barbara Lynch's multi-restaurant gastro-empire with knowledge that extends far beyond by-the-glass pours. Ask about any esoteric bottling on Silirie's famously eclectic lists, and you'll be met with exuberant expertise, not blank stares.
Nine Zero
While not entirely indie—it's part of the Kimpton hotel group—Nine Zero is a singularly splendid place to lay your head. All rooms boast robes, European linens, and windows that open to let in the fresh air. But if you're lucky enough to book one of the Premier View offerings—or, even better, the Cloud Nine Suite—you'll be treated to some of the best vistas in the city. 90 Tremont St., Boston, MA 2108, ninezero.com.
Spascape Day Spa
The waves that lap practically at the doorstep of this harborside spa can take decades to turn a shard of glass into a smooth, luminous thing of beauty. Good thing SpaScape's pros work faster. Armed with bespoke scrubs of sea salt and fine oils, seaweed wraps, and Maine mud treatments, they polish clients from head to toe in an hour or two, as the tranquil ocean vibe smooths out any rough-edged psyches. 3 Mill Wharf Plz., Scituate, MA 2066, spascapedayspa.com.
Newtonville Books
This charming suburban bookstore scores big points for originality. Not only do folks at Newtonville Books attract a superb crowd of writers; they up the literary ante with unique events like Books & Brews, which features beer and free snacks following author appearances. Readings take place upstairs in this former 19th-century fire station. Last year Newtonville Books also helped launch the ultra-successful Earfull series, which pairs authors and musicians at the Kendall Café in Cambridge for evenings of unadulterated creative combinations. 269 Walnut St., Newtonville, MA newtonvillebooks.com.
F1 Boston
Forget Schwarzenegger films, mini golf, and laser tag. Once you've felt your own adrenaline spike through you from one mere inch above the ground at Braintree's indoor "Formula 1"-style kart-racing complex, just about everything else seems lame. NASCAR lovers, take note: This is, by any standards, a luxury establishment, with conference rooms, cafés and lounges, billiards, and exhibitions. 290 Wood Rd., Braintree, MA f1boston.com.
Kings
As with so many scenes, Bill Murray puts this one over the top. Or his bowling ball does, anyway: The alley has the actor's translucent rose-in-the-middle Kingpin orb on display, along with a few other items from the Farrelly Brothers classic. Pumping music and a Rat Pack-chic lounge complete the glitzy packaging, but Kings' 16 lanes and $5 draft beers keep it firmly rooted in the throwback thrills that make rolling for strikes such a singularly good time. 10 Scotia St., Boston, MA 2115, kingsbackbay.com.
Richard Smith
Smith played the White Knight and charged to the rescue of Carter Hawley Hale Stores for the second time in two years, thwarting the Limited's second hostile takeover attempt on the Los Angeles company. All General Cinemas got for its corporate chivalry was a controlling interest in the fastest-growing and most profitable part of Carter Hawley's entire operation: its $1.1 billion-a-year-specialty-store division, which includes Neiman-Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, and Contempo Casuals. General Cinemas, Chestnut Hill, MA .
Wine Sense
Wine Sense is small, but that's a good thing, because you can feel confident that owner Samanta Ettore has vetted every single bottle on display. Don't want any part in the picking? Grab one of the tailored-to-the-season wine six-packs she puts together each month. Ettore also holds public tastings from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursdays, and arranges private tastings upon request. 166 N. Main St., Andover, MA wine-sense.net.
"The Lost Boy," <em>Boston Herald</em>
We know, we know—how could we possibly overlook the Globe's compelling multipart series on that single, white Beacon Hill female and her frustrating search for the perfect man? Call us frivolous, but we preferred the three-part Herald narrative on a 14-year-old runaway living in the woods, eloquently written by Lauren Beckham Falcone and poignantly photographed by Garo Lachinian.
Wolfers Lighting
For urban dwellings that feel stuck in the dark ages, this standby has scores of ways to usher in enlightenment, from boudoir-ready chandeliers to energy-efficient outdoor sconces, and all the (lamp)shades in between. And here's the best part: You can take prospective purchases for a test run in Wolfers's real life-simulating light labs, guaranteeing the final pick is truly the most flattering for your home—not to mention that beautiful mug of yours. 1339 Main St., Waltham, MA 2451, wolfers.com.