Holiday
How fitting that the name of this jewel-box boutique brings to mind something you anticipate all year. A trip to Holiday indeed offers exciting treats: ruffled skirts, satin skirts, and buttery knits from top designers such as Tracy Reese and Mint. Step inside and you feel like you're peeking into a fashion editor's closet: the carefully culled selection always stays one step ahead of the style pack. 127 Charles St., Boston, MA holidayboutique.net.
Shreve, Crump & Low
Not for nothing has this Boston institution been a favorite among other Boston institutions (Isabella Stewart Gardner and Ted Williams, for starters) since it opened in 1796. The store is packed with sapphire rings and ruby and diamond necklaces that shine with all the quiet wattage of a chandelier. Want to cut back on the bling? Go for any of the elegant diamond-encrusted pearl pendants—heirlooms in the making, every last one. 330 Boylston St., Boston, MA shrevecrumpandlow.com.
Quadrum
With clean, fluid lines and one-of-a-kind designs by artisans from around the world, Quadrum is as much a gallery as it is a retail outlet. Expect to find a few whimsical pieces in addition to contemporary styles of everything from earrings to rings, bracelets, and necklaces. Any of the more than 40 artists can recreate a setting on display using stones brought in by customers. The Mall at Chestnut Hill, Newton, MA quadrumgallery.com.
Underground Snowboards
The skate park aura can be intimidating, but you can expect helpful staffers, decent pricing, and one of the widest selections of snowboards, boots, and bindings around. Choose from Ride, K2, Forum, M3, Salomon, and others. Also on offer are gloves, hats, and jackets—though the focus here is more on hardware than soft wear. Staff attention never wavers whether you're interested in clearance items or the latest models. 860 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA undergroundsnowboards.com.
Dance Complex
Walk past this aging Central Square building and you'll hear lively drumbeats and rhythmic foot stomping. Walk in and you'll experience one giant Fame flashback. Four floors of studios allow ballet, capoeira, salsa, flamenco, tap, mambo, street funk, and samba to coexist like a little rainbow coalition of dance, while creating an unparalleled surge of collective energy—all for about 12 bucks a class. 536 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA dancecomplex.org.
Beauty Therapies
Anyone who has discovered the rewards of that fledgling and hybrid phenomenon called the medispa knows what makes a great one: equal parts medical knowledge, professional responsibility, and an eye for beauty. The staff at Beauty Therapies masters all three, and the result is a solid understanding of everything from how to prevent dehydration after microdermabrasion to the ideal way to replace collagen to nearly painless permanent laser hair removal. Not many spas this side of Switzerland can say as much. One Brookline Place, Suite 302, Brookline, MA .
Claudia Grimaud, Jardin Day Spa
There are pedicures, and then there are pedicures. One changes the color of your toenails; the other actually changes the way your feet feel on your body. It's the second kind that Claudia Grimaud has down to an art form. The fast-talking, sharp-witted brunette caresses, exfoliates, clips, and files years off your aching feet, whisking away the toughest calluses as if they were nothing. In under an hour, you have sandal-ready dogs that look and feel positively adolescent. 115 Lewis Wharf, Boston, MA lejardinspa.net.
Rosie Salvador, Daryl Christopher
Great hairstyling may transcend gender, but one fact remains: Men want different things from a haircut than women do. Just ask Rosie Salvador, who has perfected the equation for a perfect men's cut. Her friendly (but not overbearing) conversation helps pinpoint exactly what styles her clients want, her unfaltering precision delivers exactly those styles, and—above all—her smile assures her customers that they look fantastic. 37 Newbury St., Boston, MA dchristopher.com.
The E.B. Horn Company
Here's one tiny institution that makes up for what it lacks in size with staying power. This graceful downtown jewelry shop has pulled in repeat customers for 162 years. Most impressive is the service. The salespeople at this family-owned and -operated business are on a first-name basis with most customers. There's also free wedding ring engraving, meticulous (and fast) in-house jewelry repair, and insurance and estate appraisal. 429 Washington St., Boston, MA ebhorn.com.
Fabric Place
Don't throw that sofa out: Getting it re-upholstered couldn't be easier, thanks to Fabric Place. The array of chintz, cushions, bias piping, and floral repeats might be overwhelming—at last count there were more than 50,000 fabrics alone—but this is one store where the staff takes the time to show you around. On-call decorators will swing by your house for a consultation (free with a custom order of $299 or more), all jobs are carried out at the company's workrooms, and prices are extremely competitive. 136 Howard Street, Framingham, MA fabricplacebasement.com.
Eliot Suite Hotel
From the smiling doorman who greets you to the freshly redone interiors, the Eliot boasts a European charm. The lost art of the small hotel has been reborn here with an eye for little details. the Back Bay location puts visitors within walking distance of all the shops, restaurants, and river strolls one could possibly cram into a single visit. Plus it's got a great new restaurant, Clio. 370 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA .
Flock
You know that cool aunt, the one who dabbles in ceramics and goes to music fests and has faded photos of herself with Jimi and Joni on the walls of her Topanga Canyon bungalow? Well, mother-and-daughter team Lisa and Danielle Kupsc have designed their boho-chic boutique with her in mind. Corey Lynn Calter dresses and Chaser tees are darling, of course, but the colorful bags, statement scarves, and funky pieces from under-the-radar jewelry designers like Alkemie and Pepita are what set this place apart. 274 Shawmut Ave., Boston, MA 2118, flockboston.com.
The Grolier Poetry Book Shop
This one-room shop nestled down the street from the Harvard Book Store has volumes of poetry stacked from floor to ceiling—and the most knowledgeable proprietor around. The selection is stunningly comprehensive, including hard-to-find collections and even the most obscure poets. Grolier's 26-year-old poetry-reading series features the famous, and again, the obscure, with a new event every week (less frequently in the summer) and the occasional book signing. 6 Plympton St., Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA .
Tower Records
Okay, it's one of those chain stores you love to hate. Nevertheless, Tower Records is simply nirvana for any music lover. Whether you're searching for Bach, P-Funk, or Dexter Gordon, more than likely it will turn up here—at a reasonable price. This aural oasis even has its own free magazine, Pulse, which, beyond being a promotional rag, buzzes with commentary by truly music-obsessed scribblers. 360 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Craig Meece
Love is rough. One of our readers in Watertown wrote to say that he fell in love with "a new Porsche 968 coupe with certain options." Unfortunately, it was sold before he made up his mind, and even searches of the World Wide Web did not yield another Then along came Craig Meece, auto broker to the uncompromising. Meece tracked down the car, secured the options, negotiated a good price, and closed the deal. "An example of Zuffenhausen pride is now sitting in my driveway," says the satisfied customer. International Auto Consultants, 11 Richardson Avenue, Arlington, MA .