The Pheasant
Does food taste better in an old red barn? If it’s served by husband-and-wife team Adam and Erica Dunn, the answer is a definitive yes. The Cape-sourced, shareable menu here changes with the seasons, but expect artfully plated dishes like scallop ceviche and oysters with lemon-seaweed mignonette served with a side of five-star hospitality at this hidden gem, which reopened in 2018 under new ownership. And don’t forget to check out the “living wine list” — the small wine shop in the dining room — for a bottle of natural vino to enjoy at your table or back at home. 905 Route 6A, Dennis, MA 02638, pheasantcapecod.com.
Jessica Thornton, Green Room
It’s a sunny Friday in May, and hairstylist Jessica Thornton is talking to me about a tree stump. Not just any tree stump, mind you: At 4 feet across, the hulking piece of wood is a souvenir she picked up in New York years ago in hopes of eventually creating some kind of art installation in her Beacon Hill salon, Green Room. She’s still not exactly sure what she wants to do with it, but her latest idea involves elevating it on Lucite legs and building a “really cool 3-D moss garden” on top of it, she says. Read more here. 40 River St., Boston, MA 02108, greenroomboston.com.
The pear and walnut tart with montrachet cheese at the Back Bay Bistro
565 Boylston St., Boston, MA .
<em>Monkey Eating Peach, Rat Stealing Pumpkin, Phoenix Among the Peonies</em>
Peter Sellars's performance work at the Harvard Indoor Athletic Building.
The <em>Globe</em>'s too-many-part series on the nightmares of escalator riding
Good for us but incredibly boring.
Wouldn't It Be Lovely
When you work with Caitlin Spaulding, you won’t just get custom wedding invitations—you’ll send out one-of-a-kind works of art. Whether she imagines your wedding venue in watercolor on your envelope linings or depicts your love story in a colorful illustrated map, the footwear designer turned stationery guru understands the impact of personal touches. Her talents go way beyond invites, though: She can also carry your design vision through to your save-the-dates, place cards, menus, programs, signage, and more. wouldntitbelovely.com.
Render
We’ve been juggling hot, steamy (occasionally cold-brewed) flings with a veritable bevy of eligible coffee small-batch-elors, each with its own heart-palpitating charms. There’s George (Howell) with the soaring, bright notes and single-origin intensity; there’s Grace (note) with the delicate roasting finesse and come-hither latte art. But lately we’re finding ourselves back on the old, uh, Render app, swiping right for the laptop-friendly seating, well-built sandwiches, and exemplary espressos—the small, dark, and hand-pulled type we’re suckers for. Multiple locations. 563 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA 02118, rendercoffeebar.com.
SpeakEasy Stage
From their home at the Boston Center for the Arts, the folks at SpeakEasy manage to do it all, regularly hosting Boston and New England premieres, staging crowd-pleasing productions, and reaching out with socially conscious theater, including Allegiance, about a Japanese-American family held in a World War II internment camp. The upcoming season promises an even more engaging, eclectic lineup, with School Girls, a self-described "African Mean Girls play" about a boarding school in Ghana; The View UpStairs, a glam-rock musical set in a 1970s New Orleans gay bar; and a staging of the Tony-winning show Once. Stanford Calderwood Pavilion, Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont St., Boston, MA 02116, speakeasystage.com.
Tasting Counter
Considering how chained we’ve been to Zoom during workdays, a meal kit that includes a “virtual interactive dining experience” has to be really, really good to get us in front of a laptop on weekends. Exhibit A: TC@Home, Saturday-night livestreams that guide us through unboxing everything we need to prepare and artfully plate courses of the same haute cuisine — say, dry-aged duck with fermented autumn olive — served at chef Peter Ungár’s innovative fine-dining restaurant. Our rating? Two thumbs-up emojis. 14 Tyler St., Somerville, MA 02143, tastingcounter.com.
Peabody Essex Museum
The key to the PEM's brilliance is its diversity. In the past year alone, it put on exhibits from titans such as Alexander Calder and J.M.W. Turner; displayed worldly treasures, from abstract Indian art to imperial Chinese ceramics; and stayed true to its New England roots with a survey of 18th-century local furniture maker Nathaniel Gould. The coming year promises shows covering Dutch kinetic sculptures, Native American fashion designers, and everything in between. And with a $650 million expansion under way, this Salem institution is only going to get better. East India Square, Salem, MA 01970, pem.org.
Disc Diggers
The indie music ethic in this town is so snobbish, it's almost considered blasphemy if you like a song on the radio. But thanks to Davis Square's Disc Diggers, located in the epicenter of cool, this attitude has been dispensed with, and buying CDs has become a pleasure again. You may not know all the obscure music on the overstuffed shelves, but the inventory is so extensive that you'll find a Bon Jovi album right next to the Backstreet Boys and Built to Spill. Prices are low, staffers know just about everything, and the body art on some of the customers is as entertaining as the music. 401 Highland Ave., Somerville, MA discdiggers.com.
Viola
Who isn't a sucker for greatest-hits collections? With all of the must-haves and none of the duds, Viola comes on like a Time Life champ. The spacious boutique in the Shoppes at Hamilton Crossing (recently joined by a sibling store in Concord) wraps up the best of Barneys and Louis, putting Anya Hindmarch bags and Loeffler Randall footwear within reach of suburban stylistas. Word to the wise: Owner Lisa Cancelli is big on locking in local exclusivity, so those who have their eye on a particular pair of Barton Perreira sunglasses or a Leigh & Luca wearable-art scarf are advised to snap it up, or else risk the drive of shame to a big-city department store. 15 Walnut Rd., South Hamilton, MA 1982, .
DogSpa
Dogs and people express their devotion to each other in ways the recipient probably wishes they wouldn't: jumping up and piddling with joy (dogs); making gifts of pup-sized Sox jerseys (people). A trip to the groomer's might fall into that latter category, too—strangers! clippers! yikes!—but not at DogSpa. Rescued from closing in 2006 and thoroughly overhauled by a longtime customer, this previous Best of Boston winner mixes state-of-the-art equipment like an air-purification system and massaging-jet baths with good old TLC. And since there's tons of doggy accessories here, four-legged friends can emerge not only clean and sweet-smelling, but also togged out like Big Papi. 45 Enon St., Beverly, MA 1915, .
Glenn Beckner
Then again, not everyone can build himself up to the point that he won't get sand kicked in his face. Beckner's bodyguard service provides both personal security and discreet protection at large gatherings. "There are some people, especially in smaller entrepreneurial companies, who are the brains of the whole operation," Beckner explains. "They can't be replaced." So Beckner offers a staff of black-belt-level martial-arts experts who also know CPR, First Aid, and the proper handling of weapons. Beckner's service is not cheap, so if cost counts, you're probably better off with general workouts and karate classes elsewhere. Needham, MA
Centre Street Café
In a neighborhood brimming with worthy bistros (Ten Tables, Arbor) and watering holes (Milky Way, Doyle's), finding the best among them seems impossible. Until you've tasted brunch at Centre Street. No other place draws such a salad of local characters—yups, students, families, and artists. The food and art are local, too, and the tunes are just loud enough to inspire but not preclude conversation. The servers are so friendly, they feel like buddies who just happen to be fetching you fluffy banana pancakes with farm-fresh blueberries. And that's the best kind of friend there is. 669A Centre St., Jamaica Plain, MA centrestreetcafejp.com.