Herrell's Renaissance Café
So many flavors, so little Dexatrim. First there are the standards: chocolate, malted vanilla, strawberry. Then come the more esoteric mixes, such as amaretto, carob, and Dutch orange chocolate. They're each the base for Boston's zenith of all things sweet, cold, and frothy: the Herrell's frappe. (A little schooling for confused out-of-towners: In New England, a milk shake is milk and syrup, without ice cream. A frappe is a blend of all three.) And what texture, dense enough to make you work at drawing the first sip through the straw, hit with just the right ice-cream-to-milk ratio, and icy enough to hold up on the hottest day. What else did you expect from local ice cream bodhisattva Steve Herrell? 155 Brighton Ave., Allston, MA herrells.com.
Milky Way Lounge & Lanes
Dyke Night impresario Kristen Porter comes up a winner either way, as the only worthy contenders here are Second Saturdays (at bouncin' Fenway nightclub Machine) and Menage à Trois, a.k.a. Fourth Fridays (at J.P.'s Milky Way), both dance events that she masterminded and that feature her stellar roster of female DJs. Though Machine's got by far the bigger crowd and the pole dancing (oh, the hotness), the indie-cool Milky Way's got our heart. Maybe it's the lounge's factory-chic new digs at the Brewery Complex. Or that the small space makes things more friendly and intimate. Or maybe it's just the irony of having all this gynomite going off next to a towering defunct smokestack. 284 Amory St., Jamaica Plain, MA 2130, milkywayjp.com.
Olives
Todd and Olivia English couldn't have done it better. The meats and fish from the wood-fired grill and oven are fabulous. The decor is warm and sunny Mediterranean. And the prices allow you to go at least once a week. 67 Main St., Charlestown, MA .
Shepard
Is there any dish more irresistible than a heaping plate of hot fries? We think not. And the pommes frites at Shepard—owner René Becker and chef Scott Jones’s ode to French-inspired dishes—are everything you’d want them to be. Dark and crispy, but not burned. Soft, but not mushy, in the middle. Salted, of course, but not over-seasoned. Grab ’em at the restaurant’s bar, where servers deliver the tempting taters with a side of creamy aioli. One Shepard St., Cambridge, MA 02138, shepardcooks.com.
Winston Flowers & Garden
Winston's Newton store feels more like a mom-and-pop shop than the Boston area florist's biggest location. The mind-boggling array of blooms on offer includes roses, hydrangeas, peonies, calla lilies, and arty, twisted sea grass. And the resourceful, creative staffers will be eager to help you, once you're done staring slack-jawed at the symphony of colors. 11 Florence St., Newton, MA winstonflowers.com.
Sweet Cheeks Q
A dozen years in, Tiffani Faison’s ode to southern barbecue is still smoking the competition. We like the fatty, juicy brisket best, but you can’t go wrong with the other expertly done meats, from pulled pork to fried chicken. They’re best enjoyed on the sunny patio with sides of mac ’n’ cheese, collard greens, and the ridiculously good (and big-as-your-face) biscuits slathered with honey butter and seasonal jams. 1381 Boylston St., Fenway, MA 02215, sweetcheeksq.com.
Paradise Rock Club
The Police and U2 are tough acts to follow. But night after night at the Paradise, musicians take the very same stage where those greats once played. The three-level venue hosts both nationally recognized acts (Kings of Leon, Jack Johnson) and local up-and-comers (the Slip, Apollo Sunshine) piping their performances through a booming, second-to-none sound system made for big bass, pounding percussion, and fierce vocals. 969 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 2215, .
Farfar's Danish Ice Cream Shop
The real ice-cream aficionado's conundrum: Once you've gone Danish, you'll never go back. If that Danish is Farfar's, however, you'll go back repeatedly. This isn't your over-the-top carnival of crazed flavor and obnoxious and undiscriminating mix-ins. Farfar's is about amazing, rich texture and simple but intense fresh flavors. The cinnamon is a coup de cremerie. The peanut butter reaches deep into the nut's truest flavor. And the sweet cream tastes like innocence itself. 272 Saint Georges St., Duxbury, MA farfarsicecream.com.
The Celtics Partnership
Like the best of the Celtics owners in the team's illustrious past, Messrs. Gaston, Cohen et al. understand that the less one meddles with management, the more one enhances one's chances of fielding a marvelous team such as this years' edition.
Curious George
Anatomy of a Winner: We all shed tears when our favorite impetuous primate and his long-suffering companion, the man with the yellow hat, lost their Harvard Square home in 2011. Luckily, the world's only Curious George store reopened in the same location last year, with an expanded focus and a brand-new interior. Besides the original books by Margret and H. A. Rey, here are some of the things we love about the shop. 1. Stroller valet means there's nary a carriage in sight and more room for playing and browsing. 2. Small visitors can curl up with a book in the popular reading nook. 3. Stuffed versions of the iconic monkey range from eight to thirty-six inches. 4. Local playthings, like this "Pirates of Boston" puzzle from Marblehead's Mud Puddle Toys, are on offer. 5. Exclusive T-shirts emblazoned with the shop's namesake and friends are designed in-house. 6. Trying out the display toys—like these bright Crocodile Creek balls—is encouraged. One JFK St., Cambridge, MA thecuriousgeorgestore.com.
Craigie on Main
Often imitated, never duplicated: In the years since Craigie’s burger became the hottest thing between two buns, other restaurants have tried to replicate the high-quality, limited-quantity formula. And yet the 18 burgers Craigie churns out each night are still the most coveted in town, thanks to an aggressively rich, juicy blend of beef cuts and bone marrow that manages to be way too much and just right all at once. Good news for all you FOMO-racked non-meat eaters: This year chef Tony Maws debuted an umami-packed veggie version. 853 Main St., Cambridge, MA 02139, craigieonmain.com.
Daryl Christopher Salon and Day Spa
Every once in a while, a spa comes along that hits an enviable note combining flawless service, a soothing environment, and extraordinary—and forward-thinking—treatments. That's the zone in which Daryl Christopher finds itself right now, thank to a perfectionist staff whose pedicures are legendary, whose massages are ethereal, and whose body polishes are rejuvenation incarnate. Above the frenzy of the downstairs salon, the peaceful spa feels like it's nowhere in the city. For that matter, with organic treatments like an aromatherapy full-body wrap, it feels like it's nowhere near earth. 37 Newbury St., Boston, MA dchristopher.com.
Tweeter Etc.
Take one technophobe, add one patient, nonaggressive Tweeter salesperson, and the result: one happy new stereo owner. 874 Commonwealth Ave., Brookline, MA .
Grampus Trippel, North East Brewing Company
North East brewmeister Dan Paquette is one to watch, mainly because his Grampus Trippel is one to drink. Served up in a 10-ounce brandy snifter that lets you see its clear amber color and appreciate its aroma, the trippel is fermented with a yeast strain from Belgium's Westmalle, one of only six Trapist breweries in the world. And while this Belgian-style ale may be the of Paquette's lot so far, keep an eye on the horizon. He's churning out brews that no one else in New England—let alone Boston—is concocting. 1314 Commonwealth Ave., Allston, MA .
Arclinea
You know the scenario: (1) Every pot crashes to the floor as you reach for that little-used cake pan. (2) You swear you'll reorganize the kitchen as soon as you're done baking. (3) You never get around to it. (4) Repeat during your next cooking attempt. None of that would happen with an Arclinea kitchen, because those Italians have thought of everything: deep, customizable drawers instead of awkward, traditional cabinets; hidden but oh-so-useful electrical outlets; and, of course, a look that will make you the envy of every foodie in town.