Bow Market
The steady stream of folks coming, going, and hanging at this outdoor haven isn’t an accident: It’s because there is truly something here for everyone—from trendy street-level cafés and indie boutiques to a brewery, a comedy studio, and an art gallery. Bow Market Way, Somerville, MA bowmarketsomerville.com.
Papercuts J.P.
Browsing in this shop feels less like shopping and more like snooping though a stylish friend’s library—if said friend happened to stock the city’s best collection of art monographs, emerging authors, and stories penned by kids at 826 Boston, that is. 5 Green St., Boston, MA 02130, papercutsjp.com.
Punch Bar
Points off for being a dark cavern in the corner of one of the city's ugliest hotels (the Back Bay Sheraton). But the cushy chairs and cozy nooks lend a decadent air to the art of cigaring. The selection is immense— 100 by our last count— and the bar staff is adept at guiding even novices to a satisfying stogie. Sheraton Boston Hotel & Towers, 39 Dalton St., Boston, MA .
<em>Je suis le cahier</em>, Picasso's Sketchbooks
If you missed it, you missed a rare chance to see the master's movement from idea to art, as well as, of course, Picasso's undying appreciation of the female form—or, if you believe Arianna Stassinopoulos Huffington's hot new biography, Picasso's undying misogyny. The ICA, Boston, MA .
Corinna Raznikov Photography
The love in this fine-art photographer’s wedding shots is palpable—here, a groom dips and kisses his bride on a snowy rooftop; there, a pair holds hands as they traipse through the ferns at a backyard reception. The occasion helps, of course, but it’s also Raznikov’s innate ability to capture couples’ natural beauty and spirit with ease. 638 Delano Rd., Marion, MA 2738, corinnaraznikov.com.
Newbury Comics
For all its diversification into DVDs, action figures, and Napoleon Dynamite doodads, Newbury Comics maintains an unparalleled selection of obscure art rock, under-the-radar hip-hop, and hard-to-find imports. And, as an unflagging booster of the local music scene, it always gives homegrown records top billing. 332 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2115, newburycomics.com.
Waterspot
Feel like having an interactive bathroom experience? Waterspot recently opened a 4000-square-foot show room featuring state-of-the-art displays and a selection of the most current products available, from Kerns-Wilcheck, Porcher, Grohe, Absolute, American Standard, THG, and others. 71 Worcester Rd., Route 9, Framingham, MA .
Neiman Marcus
For men and women this is the best selection in town. Belts, bags, and wallets from the likes of Prada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Bottega Veneta make this the one-stop upscale shop for leather goods. If money is no object, the timeless Barry Kieselstein-Cord bags and belts are works of art commanding prices well into the thousands. 5 Copley Place, Boston, MA .
Boston Frame
Greg Mencoff custom mills every frame in his South End studio. The low rent keeps prices down, much to the happiness of local artists, sculptors (who love Mencoff's expertise in Plexiglas and wood construction), interior designers, and the Museum of Fine Arts. 450 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA .
Little Beats
Classes focus on rhythm, balance, gross motor skills, tumbling, and more, but what really sets Little Beats apart are its sensitively designed adaptive classes for kids with autism, developmental delays, and sensory challenges, led by an expressive arts therapist. 94 Rowe St., Newton, MA 02466, littlebeatstda.com.
F.D. Hodge Interiors
There’s a certain lightness to a Frank Hodge–designed space. His rooms are polished, not stuffy. Artful, not overdone. Hodge has impressed us with projects ranging from a serene study with Venetian plaster walls and framed Claude Lorrain landscapes to his own South End brownstone, brimming with antique pieces. 748 Tremont St., Boston, MA 02118, fdhodgeinteriors.com.
Kimberly Mercurio Landscape Architecture
If designing outdoor spaces is both an art and a science, it follows that the portfolio of urban, rural, and coastal projects by Kimberly Mercurio—a trained landscape architect and ecologist—is the one to beat. With practices in Cambridge and Woods Hole, Mercurio counts a spruce-filled Falmouth yard with an infinity-edge pool and stone walls among her successes. 2 Mason St., Cambridge, MA 02138, kimberlymercurio.com.
The Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists
Housed in an 1872 mansion, the NCAAA is one of the region's largest depositories of art from the African diaspora. The biggest draw is the replica burial chamber of the sixth-century B.C. Nubian King Aspelta, rescued from a Sudanese dam project. 300 Walnut Ave., Boston, MA 02119, ncaaa.org.
Down Under School of Yoga
In a saturated yoga market, studios have two routes to survival: They can push flashy classes and retail, or they can elevate the basics to an art form. The latter's what you'll find at Down Under, where Patricia Walden, one of America's foremost Iyengar yoga practitioners, is on the faculty. Multiple locations. 1054 Beacon St., Brookline, MA 02446, downunderyoga.com.
Jeanne Lee
Kick back, relax, and indulge in the lost art of a good conversation while Jeanne Lee treats your digits to a detail-oriented manicure ($32) and spa pedicure ($85) that leaves no nook, cranny, or hangnail neglected. The finishing touch? A positively blissful massage. 115 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, jeannesalon.com.