Olives & Grace
In keeping with her whimsical shop’s slogan, "a curtsy to the makers," owner Sofi Madison can tell you the tale behind each small-batch snack, bracelet, necktie, and bar of soap she sells. Get this knowledge to go with a personalized box—you pick the products, and Madison will wrap and package them for a present with meaning. Apparently, this hands-on approach has resonated with shoppers: Olives & Grace recently moved from its wee Pembroke Street digs to a more prominent space on Tremont Street. 623 Tremont St., Boston, MA 2118, olivesandgrace.com.
76 Main
This sleek downtown inn offers rooms done up in stripes and poppy colors by Boston designer Rachel Reider, as well as plenty of modern amenities (iPads, Apple TVs). Your best bet is Room 16 or 17 in the guesthouse, each of which features a patio complete with a fire table and a private entrance from the inn’s pretty courtyard. 76 Main St., Nantucket, MA 2554, 76main.com.
The Harbor View Hotel
With its sweeping vistas of the Edgartown Lighthouse and Chappaquiddick Island, the Harbor View Hotel doesn’t have to try that hard to attract guests. But instead of resting on its scenic laurels, this luxury hotel offers comfortable preppy-modern rooms, over-the-top private cottages, and a swimming pool complete with a cushy new al fresco bar and first-come, first-served fresh-baked doughnuts on Sundays. 131 N. Water St., Edgartown, MA 2539, harbor-view.com.
Cocktail Classes at the Boston Shaker
At Adam Lantheaume’s two-hour workshops ($70 per person), you’ll learn stirring and shaking techniques, get schooled in proper mixology terminology, and prepare your own seasonal drink using quality cocktail equipment. You’ll also receive discounts on Boston Shaker purchases—and, with any luck, a gentle buzz. If you arrive early, Lantheaume suggests meandering a few doors down to Spoke Wine Bar (see right) for a pre-class nibble and swill. 69 Holland St., Somerville, MA 2144, thebostonshaker.com.
L’Élite Bridal Boutique
The sight of lace, chiffon, and tulle gowns from celebrated designers like Monique Lhuillier and Lazaro is enough to make even the most serious bride-to-be giddy with excitement. Here those gowns are displayed in a plush, light-filled Back Bay space and selected for each customer by expert consultants, making an appointment easy (and painless). An on-site atelier for alterations and multiple fittings ensures a flawless walk down the aisle. 14 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, lelite.com/intro.
Silvertone
Despite the walls covered in vintage wine labels and street signs from French wine strongholds, Silvertone feels more like a chummy pub than a posh wine bar. And yet its buyers are no slouches, having compiled a list chock-full of great bottles that span a worldwide spectrum of regions and grapes. Prices remain obscenely low (we're talking high-end bottles for less than retail), while a wealth of half-bottles allows for sampling the lot without tying oneself down.
Aka Bistro
It is, oddly, a twofer: half French bistro, half sashimi bar. But excusez-nous for skipping the ratatouille and heading right for the raw fish. Chef and co-owner Chris Chung, who's responsible for the Japanese dishes, composes some of the prettiest plates around. Case in point: a lightly sweet hamachi sashimi dressed with ginger vinaigrette, yuzu pineapple, and sea grape. 145 Lincoln Rd., Lincoln, MA 1773, akabistrolincoln.com.
Polka Dog Bakery
The trash bin at the Shawmut-Milford intersection brims with the other kind of doggie bag, the calling cards of tail-wagging patrons who find plenty of reasons to stop here: two floors of homemade treats (tuna cookies for crunching, pig ears for gnawing), fancy leashes, and bright, squeaky toys just waiting to be slobbered over. The variety satisfies even two-legged shoppers—which, let's be honest, are the only critical ones on the premises. 258 Shawmut Avenue, Boston, MA 2118, polkadog.com.
Jimmy Tingle's Off-Broadway
A mediocre alternative theater is content to stage Brecht rip-offs and plumb the depths of existential mime. A great alternative theater like Jimmy Tingle's Off-Broadway hosts political fundraisers, film panel discussions, local comedy, cabaret, storytellers, and rock bands. Topping the marquee are must-see popular productions like Shay Duffin's channeling of Brendan Behan in Confessions of an Irish Rebel, not to mention Tingle's own venerable one-man shtick. 255 Elm St., Somerville, MA jtoffbroadway.com.
Thos. Moser
For timeless, handmade furniture, you’d be hardpressed to find a more elegant selection than the compendium of beauties at this local stalwart, which is proudly celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Calling on sustainably harvested North American species such as walnut and black cherry, the company continues to win us over with Japanese-inspired trestle tables, curvy platform beds, and scalloped armchairs, among other heirloom-worthy treasures. 19 Arlington St., Boston, MA 02116, thosmoser.com.
Tertulias Café
At this modest storefront with a tiny bar in the back, a crowd drawn mostly from the neighborhood’s large Colombian expat community gathers from morning to evening for hefty plates of Colombian specialties and a few Venezuelan dishes. Come for arepas with shredded chicken, mildly fiery shrimp ceviche, fried red snapper, or the staggering montañero plate (steak, chicharrón, plantains, beans, fried egg, and rice) and soak up the relaxed neighborhood vibe. 26-28 Porter St., East Boston, MA 02128, tertuliasboston.com.
Barlette
The team behind the always-booked-up Brookline hit restaurant Cobble has done it again, this time with a BYOB cocktail bar. You read that right: You bring the booze, and Barlette provides the mixers, glassware, snacks, and dramatic-floral-wallcovering-bedecked vibes, complete with a variety of themed nooks to explore, like the book-filled Library. Just be quick — reservations open at noon on the first of every month and go fast. 318 Harvard St. #11, Brookline, MA 02446, drinkatbarlette.com.
Boing! Toy Shop
It felt like a test. We asked for two gifts for siblings: an eight-year-old boy who loves science, Legos, and Star Wars, and a six-year-old girl who loves dressing up, all things purple, and dogs. Both gifts had to be in the same price range and please picky parents who insist on nontoxic materials and teaching tools. The sales associate didn’t even blink, deftly swiping two items off the shelf and offering to have them gift-wrapped—all in less than 30 minutes. 667 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, boingtoys.com.
Erbaluce
Named for a rare Piedmont grape, Charles Draghi’s Erbaluce is the rare 2018 restaurant that manages to do just about everything right without calling too much attention to itself. Maybe it’s the tucked-away Bay Village location, or, more likely, the fact that the veteran chef isn’t on Instagram and hasn’t tweeted in years, but is still in the kitchen night after night, churning out a soulful deep dive into northern Italian cooking, from wild boar meatballs that resemble breakfast sausage in the best way possible to an impeccable duck-egg-yolk carbonara with house-made bucatini. 69 Church St., Boston, MA 02116, erbaluce-boston.com.
WERS
We love a tote bag as much as the next person, but after a while, the GBH and New Yorker ones start to pile up. WERS, Emerson College’s radio station, not only plays some of the best eclectic music around town — from singer-songwriters, rock, and R&B to show tunes and a cappella — its live-music swag also beats all. Baseball caps, T-shirts, hoodies, and coffee mugs all blare your allegiance to Boston’s best college radio station and make you look younger and hipper than you actually are. 120 Boylston St., Theater District, MA 02116, wers.org.