Sault New England
With so much that’s changed over the past year, it’s reassuring to know that we can still rely on this institution to keep our closets stocked with broken-in tees, khaki shorts, soft button-downs, and other classic styles. Owner Philip Saul is known for his precise vision and impeccable taste in menswear, but he should also be applauded for navigating the pandemic by offering curbside pickup and re-upping the store’s e-commerce presence so his loyal customers could nail that effortless New England style effortlessly. 577 Tremont St., Boston, MA 02118, saultne.com.
sPoochies Spa and Boutique
Loyal sidekicking is hard work. So is giving a cat a bath (something we've learned the hard way). Make life a little easier for both you and your furry, filthy pal with a visit to 'sPoochies, where the gentle techs will get even the most hygiene-averse animal into show-ring shape: clipping nails, cleaning ears, decrusting fur, trimming those unsightly under-chin spots where drool goes to die. A generous selection of sweet-smelling grooming products provides the necessary tools for ambitious owners to try again at home, if they must. 400 Tremont St., Boston, MA .
Redd's in Rozzie
We're tempted to call what Redd's does "home cooking," but given that this version of comfort food would require an apprenticeship at a southern barbecue joint, the ability to break down an entire pig, and a smoker in the backyard, we're not exactly talking about our home. Redd's nails everything, from the house-made pickle plate (try the pickled cabernet grapes) and apple mignonette-topped raw oysters to the just-about melt-in-your-mouth pulled-pork sandwich. If this is how you cook at home, we're coming over for dinner. 4257 Washington St., Roslindale, MA 2131, reddsinrozzie.com.
Eliot School of Fine & Applied Arts
Known for its upholstery class, the school also offers lessons on underappreciated skills like carving longbows. 24 Eliot St., Jamaica Plain, MA 2130, eliotschool.org.
Bill Arning
Bill Arning at MIT's List Visual Arts Center bulks up his reputation as a champion of the arts by scouting new talent, nurturing young artists, and breathing fresh life into the city's art scene.
Figment Boston
Other festivals may showcase art, but they probably don’t turn you into the one making it. Come July, the local edition of this global arts event lets you sculpt, jam, act, and more. boston.figmentproject.org.
Lucas Samaras at the Institute of Contemporary Art
955 Boylston St., Boston, MA .
Overland Gallery, Massachusetts College of Art
A shabby space, but innovative exhibits. 364 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA .
Boston Art & Music Soul Festival
Partnering with Berklee, the second BAMS Fest at Franklin Park boasted killer acts such as Eric Roberson and Cliff Notez jamming on its two stages. Roxbury, MA bamsfest.org.
Mikel Hunter Fine Art & Apparel
As overused as the word “curated” may be in the retail industry, there’s simply no other way to describe the one-of-a-kind fine art, clothing, accessories, and jewelry hand-selected by owner Mikel Hunter, a veteran of both the fashion and gallery worlds. Small-batch designer duds? Check. Paintings by collectible emerging artists? Check. Everything and anything unexpected? Double check. 11 Winter St., Edgartown, MA 02539, mikelhunter.com.
MIT List Visual Arts Center
About every eight weeks, from September to June, the LVAC shows innovative, provocative contemporary work in all media by established and emerging artists, including the likes of Kiki Smith and Louise Borugeois. There are a total of three gallery spaces—more than 4,600 square feet—in this grid-patterned building, designed by MIT alumnus I. M. Pei in 1985. And the atrium, where a giant, colorful Kenneth Nolan painting sprawls across an entire wall, is by far one of Boston's most beautiful sanctuaries. 20 Ames St., Cambridge, MA .
Fruitlands
Bronson Alcott's utopia here failed, but the idyllic setting won't fail to please.
American Repertory Theater
Part storied dramaturgical institution and part experimental funhouse, ART delivers on its mission to bring cutting-edge theater to Cambridge. americanrepertorytheater.org.
Community Boating
Let's face it: Sooner or later someone's going to invite you to go sailing, and if you don't know what you're doing, you're going to get clocked in the head with the boom. To avoid humiliation and possible injury, sign up for bargain-basement sailing lessons at this nonprofit boathouse just across from the Charles-MGH T-stop. With your $195 membership, you get an unlimited number of lessons—and as soon as you pass the rigging test, learn the meaning of "luffing" and "halyward" at Shore School, and take a quick quiz, you can sail the Charles with anyone who'll take you. Community Boating also offers kayak and windsurfing lessons. The deal is unbeatable if you don't mind hanging out with the eccentric and sometimes testy volunteer staff. 21 Embankment Road, Boston, MA .
Bodega
We wanted to love the Attic, Central Square's newish 'lifestyle' shop that broke up the Payless-Blockbuster-Gap oligarchy. And we do like that its stock of Dunks is readily available in women's and kids' styles. Still, it's only a slice of the selection available at other sneaker stores in town (with a lack of Saturday hours being the final nail in the coffin). So we're still sending all our love to everyone's favorite 'hidden' shoe mecca: Though after three years Bodega's no secret, what with preteens and parents infiltrating the hipster fray, that famed secret-door Snapple machine still marks the spot for the city's most commanding array of limited-edition kicks, from Livestrong Air Maxes to Japanese Monster Pumas. 6 Clearway St., Boston, MA 2115, shop.bdgastore.com.