Cynthia Britt Custom Jewelry
If you're investing in a three-months'-income heirloom, you want to work with someone who understands your vision—and your budget. Cynthia Pischdotchian ditched an engineering career to pursue her bejeweled dreams and bring precision to a timeless art form. Today she works out of a Gothically appointed Newbury Street studio, designing one-of-a-kind jewelry both modern and art deco-inspired. She'll also repurpose existing pieces, transforming Grandmother's diamond clip-ons into your newest wardrobe staple. 45 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, cynthiabritt.com.
Lisa Rigby Photography
Every wedding has its own unique story. And Lisa Rigby, with backgrounds in professional writing and art history, knows just how to tell it. Her work has a cinematic quality that transcends traditional documentary-style photography, capturing expressions full of emotion and maximizing the scenery, whether it's your parents' lush backyard or the Museum of Fine Arts at 11:59 p.m. on New Year's Eve. lisarigbyphotography.com.
Skinner
Collectors know that the best way to score something both reasonably priced and unusual is to skip the boutiques and go a-paddling at Skinner. The company’s many themed auctions (Persian rugs, art, rare books, midcentury modern) allow buyers to bid on everything from nearly priceless works of art to common Victorian armoires. Hunters without a specific agenda should attend Skinner’s eclectic Discovery Auctions, held every month at the Marlborough location. 63 Park Plaza, Boston; and 274 Cedar Hill St., Marlborough, skinnerinc.com.
City Lights Antique Lighting
Shed some light on the subject at this small Cambridge shop, which carries an impressive selection of unique fixtures made from 1850 to 1950. Best represented are ceiling and wall pieces. Prize finds: Art Deco chandeliers, alabaster bowl hanging lights, and Arts and Crafts-style sconces. Everything sold here can be rewired and original finishes can be restored with attention to detail. 2226 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA citylights.nu.
The Cambridge Artists' Cooperative
A mix of traditional crafts, whimsy, and fine arts endows the Cambridge Artists' Cooperative with unusual charms. On a magical mystery tour of its three floors, you'll find everything from blown-glass hummingbird feeders to pine-needle baskets to wearable art, with prices from $7 to $2,000. And you'll understand why craftspeople themselves voted the store one of the Top Ten Retailers of American Craft. 59A Church St., Cambridge, MA .
Showcase Cinema De Lux
At $19 to $24.50, the tickets are pricey. But admission to the Dedham theater's Lux Level includes many worthy indulgences: state-of-the-art digital projection, plush seats, free garage parking, food and beverage service, attentive waitstaff, and—hallelujah—a 21-plus admissions policy. You won't find a lot of (okay, any) art-house or indie films, but for mainstream fare, Cinema De Lux is a treat so addictive it could easily become habit. 670 Legacy Pl., Dedham, MA 2026, nationalamusements.com.
Abelardo Morrell
The Cuban-born Morrell, who teaches at the Massachusetts College of Art, actually had two exhibitions this year (at the Museum of Fine Arts and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum) showcasing his silvery photographs of sublime landscapes, his shots of mysterious old books and maps, and strangely beautiful double-images he made with a pinhole camera. The Morrell of the story: This magical-realist artist is the real goods.
Rob “ProBlak” Gibbs
Given that his typical canvas is at least a couple of stories tall, it’s hard to miss Rob “ProBlak” Gibbs’s powerful work. The Lower Roxbury native—whose relationship with street art stretches back to his days tagging buildings as a kid—is the force behind the city’s Breathe Life murals, galaxy-inspired celebrations of Black youthhood. Now, as an MFA artist in residence, Gibbs is using his expertise to co-helm a project highlighting the influence of street art on contemporary culture. “My murals are mirrors,” Gibbs says. If that’s the case, we like what we see. problak.com.
Fuller Craft Museum
Don't let the name fool you: This Brockton institution isn't a musty warehouse of old quilts and wooden shoes. It's instead a showcase for contemporary handmade objets d'art, a place where sublime ceramics made at East Cambridge's Clay Dragon Studios sit beside burnished-aluminum mobiles inspired by the myth of Icarus. Later this year, the museum will unveil an intricate, kaleidoscopic survey of enamel art from the 1920s to the present day, and, most eye-catching of all, artist Stan Munro's massive replicas of such architectural wonders as the Taj Mahal and the White House—rendered entirely in toothpicks. 455 Oak St., Brockton, MA 02301, fullercraft.org.
Synergistics Personal Training Studio
Just when you thought fitness fads had reached their zenith, Helena and Brian Collins turned the notion of working out on its head. Forget long lines for treadmills, aerobic Amazons, and nightclub noise: Synergistics is a calm haven where trainers work one-on-one with clients. The Collins' approach to fitness uses sculpting, balancing, and strengthening programs in addition to Pilates, target eight training, and martial arts techniques. Brian is trained in the art of Huo Tuo Tui-Na, a massage therapy thought to alleviate migraines, lower back pain, and stress-related health problems. 9 Newbury Street, Boston, MA lifeinsynergy.com.
Good
Owner Paul Niski culls the world for art and oddments seldom seen here in Boston, and consequently Good's inventory of goods—which run the gamut from furniture to linens to pure objets d'art—is almost continuously refreshed. Among the constants in this tiny, museumlike space: John Derian's eccentric découpage pieces, handcrafted jewelry from the likes of Melissa Joy Manning and Chan Luu, and pristine Japanese lacquerware by Morihata. Above all, there's Niski's own exquisite taste, which, if you're unsure of your gift recipient's style—or even your own—is quite a reliable one to adopt. 133 Charles St., Boston, MA 2114, shopatgood.com.
Long’s Jewelers
For high-end bling you won’t find anywhere—or on anyone—else, look to Long’s treasure trove of vintage and estate baubles. The venerable jeweler has been collecting unique necklaces, earrings, pins, and more for 135-plus years, with new pieces continually added to its diverse catalog. And if you decide later that you’re more art deco than art nouveau, it even offers a 30-day grace period for your purchase. Multiple locations. 100 Summer St., Boston, MA 02110, longsjewelers.com.
Skinner Discovery Auctions
Fancy antiques, but can't stomach the usual price tags? The once-a-month Skinner Discovery auctions offer estate furnishings, jewelry, books, art, and objets d'art that aren't quite high-end enough for the company's specialty auctions. The large, varied lots promise any level of buyer the thrill of bidding and winning. 274 Cedar Hill St., Marlborough, MA 1752, skinnerinc.com.
Belly Wine Bar’s " Arm + A Leg" Dinner
The large-format meaty feasts here are an excursion unto themselves. One Kendall Sq., Kendall Square, MA 2139, bellywinebar.com.
Peabody Essex Museum
Even if the proceeds didn't benefit Asian-art mecca the Peabody Essex Museum, we'd still spend like drunken Qing-dynasty mandarins here. There are all-occasion gifts like Mariposa salad bowls alongside Far East-inspired finds both reverent (addictively collectible netsukes) and less so (pop-art trays printed with a bespectacled Pu Yi). Each new exhibit brings fresh goodies: Look for quirky jewelry and clothing to arrive this fall with 'Rare Bird of Fashion,' showcasing style icon Iris Apfel. 161 Essex St., Salem, MA 1970, pem.org.