A & J King Bakery
Husband-and-wife team Andy and Jackie King have built their business around the art of crafting thick, crusty loaves brimming with ingredients like olives, walnuts, and apricot fennel and baked fresh each morning while most of us are still drooling on our pillow. Naturally, they try to source ingredients from nearby farms, meaning their sweeter offerings change with the seasons—you wouldn't trust anything in March featuring strawberries, would you? 48 Central St., Salem, MA 1970, ajkingbakery.com.
Cabot's Ice Cream & Restaurant
This family-owned ice cream parlor is a flashback to the '50s, but what better era to find a real New England ice cream frappe? Here they've perfected the art, with three straw-bending scoops of ice cream blended in a tall frosty frappe glass (five scoops for the extra-thick variety). Your choice of nine flavors, including mocha, black raspberry, mint, and cherry, or mixed with strawberries, banana, or pineapple. 743 Washington St., Newtonville, MA .
Nomad
When you're over hipster onesies and cheeky monogrammed totes, venture to Nomad for rare objects that will remind your favorite dinner-party host of travels to exotic lands. The quiet two-story shop stocks folk art from Mexico, lanterns from India, jewels from Morocco, and other international treasures that change regularly. 1741 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02140, nomadcambridge.com.
Sophie Hughes
It's all about craftsmanship for Sophie Hughes, who uses recycled precious metals and reclaimed diamonds to fashion each of her masterpieces by hand. The MassArt grad, whose boutique also proffers work from other local artisans, continues to win us over with her moon-shaped earrings, pared-down necklaces, and graceful bangles. 80 Dartmouth St., Boston, MA 02116, sophiehughes.com.
Cambria Grace
Memories fade, but photographs last forever. Thankfully, you can trust Cambria Grace to be everywhere you are and everywhere you can’t be on your wedding day. The Boston shutterbug’s camera is like an invited friend, bringing unparalleled intimacy to every teary-eyed gaze and loving embrace it captures. These aren’t stiffly posed portraits; they’re art prints meant to be framed, hung, and cherished for a lifetime. cambriagrace.com.
Moody’s Delicatessen
At Moody’s, even the bologna sandwiches are on another level. That’s because owner Joshua Smith crafts everything in house—salumi and sausages, sure, but also the pickled peppers, pimiento cheese, and swipe of herb mayo on your Pullman loaf. And this year, the tireless chef is expanding his meaty empire with a state-of-the-art curing facility down the road, meaning his New England Charcuterie cold cuts will not only be more readily available in Boston—they’ll also be hitting the national stage. 468 Moody St., Waltham, MA 02453, moodyswaltham.com.
Deep Thoughts JP
This shop is welcoming enough to embrace all varieties of weirdo, informed enough to impress every type of nerd, and just strange enough to ward off the squares. With a huge stock that spans the musical universe, from way-out folk to cassette-punk and art-rap—not to mention every hyper-hyphenated subgenre in between—Deep Thoughts is an essential day trip for the city's music obsessives. 138B South St., Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, deepthoughtsjp.com.
Amy Bailey, Townhouse Beauty Bar
Want the secret to fabulous lashes? You’ll find it at Townhouse Beauty Bar, where lash guru Amy Bailey has been perfecting the art of sultry eyes for more than 15 years. What makes Bailey’s method unique is her custom approach, which involves meticulously selecting lashes with the perfect curl and length to give each client a natural but voluminous look. The result? No one will know your secret except you and Bailey. 28 Charles St., Boston, MA 02122, townhousebeautybar.com.
Contessa
The crown jewel atop the Newbury Boston, Contessa upgrades the restaurant experience from swanky to downright royal. The service? Attentive without fawning. The drinks? The Sgroppino — with lemon vodka, lemon sorbet, and prosecco — is like basking in the sun. The food? A court of northern Italian delights, from pillowy ravioli to garlicky, hot-from-the-grill lamb chops. All of this in a dreamy art deco dining room, with views that are like looking out over the city from a throne. 3 Newbury St., Back Bay, MA 02116, contessaristorante.com/boston.
Camp
Forget ball pits and bounce houses: Hidden behind a bookcase at the Burlington Mall’s Camp toy store are endless hands-on adventures for birthday groups. This summer’s theme is retro summer camp, with a “disco” cabin for dancing, a splatter art room, and slides. Keeping parents happy? The squeaky-clean environs and partnership with next-door neighbor Shake Shack. Burlington Mall, 75 Middlesex Turnpike 1st Floor, Burlington, MA 1803, camp.com.
Ellisha Alexina
Experimentation is at the heart of every fabric Ellisha Alexina brings to life — and boy, has it paid off. Created through a unique combination of silk-screen printing and handpainting, the native New Englander’s delicate designs feel at once fresh and familiar, inviting attention with soft colorways and artful motifs. One favorite? Alexina’s “Dotted Stripe” fabric, an abstract interpretation of pebbles by the sea. 460 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02118, ellishaalexina.com.
Belfry Inn and Bistro
You'll thank the Lord that the owners of the Belfry saw the light and created this cozy, romantic inn and bistro in what used to be a Catholic church. Stained-glass windows, roaring fireplaces, and live piano music serve as perfect complements to chef George Willette's artfully presented cuisine, including baby spinach salad wrapped in prosciutto, and roasted rack of lamb over blue cheese—and—shallot gratin. We'd gladly worship here nightly. 8 Jarves St., Sandwich, MA belfryinn.com.
Boston Common Band
Hire Boston Common Band, and they’ll treat you to a private concert. Watch as the lighting crew heightens the energy in the room with orange and red fixtures, and while the sound team keeps the music playing with state-of-the-art technology—all in the name of ensuring the eight-member group can focus solely on their music. Able to belt out anything from Adele to Queen, the band can even work with hometown hero Keytar Bear—available by request for cocktail hour—to start the evening on a high note. 290 Needham St., Dedham, Massachusetts 02026, bostoncommonband.com.
Back Bay Boxing
No hybrid cardio/bags classes or fancy locker rooms here—this small Newbury Street studio is dedicated to the no-frills art of boxing. Former professional Irish boxer John Murray starts by teaching novices proper mitts technique before they move on to heavy bags, all with personal attention from the master himself. Be prepared to keep blocking and throwing punches until the final bell rings. 350 Newbury St., Boston, MA backbayboxing.com.
Kate's Table
Too busy to whip up a dazzling meal for your next dinner party? Just call Kate’s Table. An alum of some of the city’s top restaurants, chef Kate Papaleoni and her team prep dishes in small batches before artfully displaying them in a curated collection of vessels and custom display pieces. And if you want to pretend you did it all yourself, they also offer a drop-off service. katestable.com.