Pete De Rosa; Joe Rosanno
De Rosa delivers up Beacon Hill stairs, mixes his aged wood well, and turns green at the idea of selling new wood. Though his beat is Boston, De Rosa lives in Billerica (1-633-2197). Rosanno, on Route 3A in Cohasset, fills car trunks with extraordinarily generous loads, dispenses folk wisdom, makes minor car repairs gratis, and has even been known to slip a quarter to a kid with one had while taking a five from the parents with the other. Boston, Cohasset, MA
Rinaldi's Park Square
One of the best things about Boston is its walkability. The downside, however, is our oft-abused footwear. So when the insoles of our beloved boots begin to wear and the heel caps of our oxfords start to disintegrate, we lug them to this small shop in the Park Square building, where they're consistently refurbished to good as new—just in time to hit the pavement again. 31 St. James Ave., Boston, MA .
Jeanne Lee
Jeanne Lee doesn't shy away from problem toes—no, she specializes in them, taking the time to rigorously cleanse, file, buff, exfoliate, and massage before unscrewing the cap to your desired polish. And because Lee works with only one other nail technician (her mother) in her fourth-floor Newbury Street space, you're all but guaranteed a tranquil experience. 125 Newbury St., Boston, MA jeannesalon.com.
Lewis Interiors
Polly Lewis and Maribeth Brostowski are carefully guarded secrets among Boston's glitterati. The designers have incredible taste and restraint, and we adore their pluck. Just one example of their fine work: They recently outfitted a Beacon Hill townhouse's library with wainscoting, deep crown moldings, and predictable muted grays, but made it extraordinary by painting the walls a superslick (and completely awe-inspiring) candy-apple red. 31 Gloucester St., Boston, MA 2116, lewisinteriorsboston.com.
Bliss
The foot treatments here are as good for your head as they are for your toes. Grab a magazine and settle into one of two elevated pedicure stations. Then your snacks and tea arrive. And then you notice the flat-screen TV in front of you, and the remote at your side. As your nail tech buffs, soaks, and scrubs, you feel like a kid on a fake sick day. And that makes for very happy feet. 100 Stuart St., Boston, MA 2116, blissworld.com.
Sports Club/LA
The Sports Club/LA isn't a gym—it's an experience. One that features 50 personal trainers, an Olympic-size swimming pool, four squash courts, an indoor basketball court, and 16,000 square feet of weight and cardio equipment. Fitness classes range from the classic (kickboxing, step aerobics) to the modern (BalleCore, Gyrokinesis); clients range from visiting rock stars to lithe locals. Included in the steep monthly memberships ($165-$265) are a nutritionist appointment and discounts at the on-premises Blu restaurant and Splash spa. 4 Avery St., Boston, MA 2111, thesportsclubla.com.
Twig
Every girl may like flowers, but a guy won't score any points with droopy Stop & Shop carnations. A truly thoughtful gesture calls for one of Twig's custom bouquets or topiary trees. Overflowing buckets of fresh local hydrangeas and asters line the sidewalk outside Lou Whitney's small South End store; inside, potted ferns complement delicate orchids, snapdragons, and calla lilies. Send some 'just because' and keep your romance in full bloom. 558 Tremont St., Boston, MA 2114, twigboston.com.
Hot Locks
The Hot Locks staff knows hair—the salon's been at the mane game for nearly 20 years. Well-trained by co-owner Sonny Rapozo, the seven stylists deliver flattering cuts, natural color, and enticing extras like scalp massages and deep conditioning treatments (and after a week at the beach, who doesn't need one of those?). Go in for the works or a basic blowout that will leave your locks looking, well, hot. 580-B North Falmouth Highway (Rte. 28A), North Falmouth, MA 2556, hotlockssalon.com.
Tasca
Granted, a tapas joint run by a couple of Irishmen in Brighton might not seem like the most authentic Spanish restaurant in town. But one bite of Chef Brendan Gallagher's creations will transport you straight to Andalusia. Great towers of food like the tortillitas de cangrejos y fabes (black bean crabcakes with fresh tomato and cilantro salsa) and timbale de verduras (roasted eggplant, zucchini, and red pepper topped with garbanzo pesto) will convert even the staunchest skeptic. Great atmosphere, great crowd. 1612 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA tascarestaurant.com.
Uni Sashimi Bar
The Japanese noodle soup has become the star of menus all over town in recent years, but no restaurant has captured the magic quite like Ken Oringer's Back Bay sashimi spot, which serves up steaming bowls of noodles every Friday and Saturday after 11 p.m. The umami-rich broth is so good, in fact, that we sometimes find ourselves drinking it straight from the bowl (when no one is looking, of course). 370 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA unisashimibar.com.
Clear Flour Bread
Tucked away in a quiet neighborhood just out of earshot of busy Comm. Ave., this Paris-by-way-of-Brookline bread haven satisfies locals with oven-fresh goods like pain au chocolat, garlic-black sesame breadsticks, hearty multigrain loaves, and fluffy brioche. Get there by 10:30 a.m. on weekends to claim one of the deliciously warm and soft pretzels before they sell out. 178 Thorndike St., Brookline, MA 2446, clearflourbread.com.
Sweet Cheeks
Smoked meat, we've long held, is the great equalizer—the one cuisine practically everyone (vegetarians aside) can agree on. For proof, head to chef Tiffani Faison's tribute to Texas. You'll find families with toddlers, hipsters chugging Bud Light Lime, and camera-wielding tourists still buzzing about the Fenway tour—all with a huge grin accented by a smidgen of tangy sauce. The pulled pork is divine, and be sure to order a bucket of fluffy biscuits and a scoop of broccoli casserole. 1381 Boylston St., Boston, MA 2215, sweetcheeksq.com.
Maxime Salon & Day Spa
For too long, having great hair has meant one thing: going to a salon in the city. No longer. The team at Maxime's has perfected hair colors that can hit high notes from spun gold to glossy platinum, or deeper shades of auburn, chestnut, and chocolatey brown. On the cutting end, the styles range from funky and urbane to polished and preppy, but are always ultra-precise. 124 Washington St., Norwell, MA .
New Ginza
The folks at Ginza in Chinatown and Brookline have brought high-quality Japanese food one step closer to the suburbs with a new Watertown location. The ultrafresh sushi and sashimi make us weak in the knees, but if you're still reluctant to wrap your mind around the raw fish thing, there are plenty of broiled fish, teriyaki, and noodle entrées to sink your chopsticks into. Vegetarians will be delighted, too. 63-65 Galen St., Watertown, MA newginzaboston.com.
O'Hara's Food & Spirits
Arguably too popular for its own good, O'Hara's sees some borderline ridiculous competition for tables on busy nights. It's not hard to see why: The lively atmosphere, tasty fare, delicious drinks, and easygoing scene encourage chats with old friends and meetings with new ones. If you can't stomach the wait for a table, dive in, snag a seat at the bar, and just enjoy the social swirl around you. 1185 Walnut St., Newton Highlands, MA oharas.us.