Fête Collection
Why spend nights clicking through hundreds of Etsy shops when you have Fête? Serving as your local connection to the most talented designers, printers, and calligraphers across the country, the team of paper and etiquette experts here will help you choose everything from custom invitations to menus. You'll get the gold foil, embossing, and hand-lettering of your dreams coordinated through one friendly face, saving you the most precious resource of all during wedding planning: time. 345 D St., South Boston, MA 02127, shopfete.com.
Follain
Prepare to come in for a cleanser and leave with a changed life. Just one brief consult with a member of the dewy-skinned staff about the benefits of using natural products and you'll make plans to overhaul your bathroom cabinet. Luckily, it will take several visits to the Pinterest-worthy space to fill your shelves with serums, oils, and creams from Tammy Fender, True Botanicals, Osea, and May Lindstrom. 65 Charles St., Boston, 857-233-5211; 53 Dartmouth St., Boston, 857-284-7078; shopfollain.com. 65 Charles St., Boston, MA 02114, shopfollain.com.
Bobby from Boston
Proprietor Bobby Garnett is no longer with us, but his spirit lives on at his eponymous South End shop. Looking for a vintage hatbox? Aviator shades? A bejeweled belt that makes you look like a country-and-western diva? Chances are you'll find it here, plus racks of $2 blazers during Bobby's legendary sidewalk sales. Lots of vintage shops have style, but this one also has soul. 19 Thayer St., Boston, MA 02118, bobby-from-boston.com.
The Naked Oyster
Most Cape restaurants fall into one of two categories: beachy seafood shacks staffed by teenagers, or precious tourist traps with huge markups. The Naked Oyster is neither—just a sleek raw bar and restaurant featuring oysters fresh from chef Florence Lowell’s farm. Enjoy baked bivalves of every variety, inventive fish preparations, and a civilized bar scene fueled by well-made drinks. 410 Main St., Hyannis, MA 02601, nakedoyster.com.
Gary Petersen
Bespectacled, bearded punk-rock fan Gary Petersen has a knack for crafting absurd yet intelligent jokes in the same vein as Patton Oswalt or Jim Gaffigan: “I like food more than I like sex because I don’t have to lie to get chicken fingers” is a memorable one-liner. The Weymouth native landed the gig of a lifetime in 2014 when he opened for Louis C.K. in Somerville. garypetersencomedy.com.
The Green Room
Tucked away on a quiet Beacon Hill side street, the Green Room is the perfect spot for anyone yearning for a sharp cut, but desperate to avoid the Newbury Street traffic. With just a single chair, Jessica Dill offers her undivided attention to one client at a time in a cozy studio that feels more like a private retreat. Discretion, personalization, and customer service are paid more than mere lip service, as she offers off-hour appointments and complimentary neck trims to ensure we’re always looking our best. 49 River St., Boston, MA 2114, greenroomboston.com.
Cakes to Remember
This is the most important baked good you'll ever purchase. With that in mind, shop owner Ellen Bartlett has a simple philosophy: Every one of her confections should taste as heavenly as it looks. Flavor options like mocha-Frangelico infusion and strawberry-orange blossom, combined with Bartlett's exquisite floral and graphic designs, make for tiers of absolute joy. 248 Cypress St., Brookline, MA 2445, cakestoremember.biz.
Priscilla of Boston
Be kind to those in your wedding party (after all, they put up with your occasional horrifying bouts of bridezilla). Pick out favorable, flirty frocks they might actually wear again, at Priscilla of Boston. The store carries its own line, Watters & Watters (plus the less expensive Wtoo collection), and a sassy assortment of Melissa Sweet. It's also one of the only local retailers that offers the coveted trendy Thread line. 801 Boylston St., Boston, MA priscillaofboston.com.
Rafanelli Events
You have a vision. Bryan Rafanelli can make it a reality. From save-the-dates to servers in period costume, Rafanelli's got it covered. So whether you want something exotic and over-the-top or a refined and elegant affair, here's one guarantee: Your special day will be remembered forever, as Team Rafanelli fades sweetly into the background and you take all the credit. 142 Berkeley St., Second Floor, Boston, MA rafanellievents.com.
Ventuno
Under Gabriel Frasca and Amanda Lydon, the aging Twenty-One Federal was remained as Ventuno—a stellar dining option for the island. The Italian-focused small plates showcase many ACK-grown ingredients, while handmade pastas (strozzapreti with braised rabbit, spaghetti alle vongole); substantial antipasti (burrata, braised local conch); and a thought-provoking wine list make this eatery a vacation must. 21 Federal St., Nantucket, MA 2554, ventunorestaurant.com.
Violet Furxhi, Salon Mario Russo
No post-appointment plans? You'll be scrambling to make some after a visit to this ego booster/blowout artist extraordinaire. Calling on fierce wattage and killer technique, Furxhi shapes locks into your desired frizz-free configuration, from stick straight to full-on Jessica Simpson—all the while complimenting in an exotic growl your "gorgeous," "hot" new look. One glance in the mirror, and you'll be hard-pressed to disagree. 9 Newbury St., Boston, MA mariorusso.com.
Game On
If you're like us, you can't stand watching sports without the benefit of booze and high-def. At Game On, two bars amply stocked with top-shelf hooch get fans out of the Coors Light rut while they take in their choice of competition on one of the 90 televisions. The burgers, too, are excellent, and almost as diverting from the on-screen action as the people-watching parade that streams in before and after Sox homestands. 82 Lansdowne St., Boston, MA .
Steven Zevitas Gallery
The best galleries have a knack for spotting cool things early. In recent years, the Harrison Avenue space featured Andrew Masullo’s cartoony paintings before he appeared in the Whitney Biennial and presented "Not About Paint," a survey of gonzo assemblage that went on to inspire a deCordova show. Last year’s coup was Ben Sloat’s "One Blast," which explored how technology modulates everything via paintings of a dazzle-camouflaged ship riding digital waves. 450 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 2118, stevenzevitasgallery.com.
Woodman’s of Essex
This New England institution churns out all manner of crispy delicacies, but it’s the fresh clam bellies—plump, briny, and fried to perfection—that keep crowds of tourists and locals alike in the dining room year round. In fact, rumor has it that the place actually invented fried clams nearly 100 years ago, right here in Essex. The bivalves taste even better when enjoyed at one of the restaurant’s outdoor picnic tables, which offer views of salt marshes and the Essex River. 121 Main St., Essex, MA 1929, woodmans.com.
Sevan Bakery
Come to Sevan for one thing, and you’ll likely end up with three bags’ full of exotic ingredients you didn’t know you needed. It’s no wonder: The international market, which specializes in Armenian and Mediterranean essentials, offers an array of tantalizing choices, from olive and nut bars overflowing with the choicest morsels and a prepared-foods case packed with freshly made grape leaves, meat pies, and hummus, to bags of exotic spices and a vast selection of international cheeses. 599 Mount Auburn St., Watertown, MA 2472, sevanboston.com.