The Liberty Hotel
When the Liberty opened last winter in the old Charles Street jail, following a $150 million building renovation, it was met with the requisite jokes about white-collar inmates and doing time in the Clink (one of the hotel restaurants). Penitentiary puns aside, the 298-room hotel has raised the bar for Boston accommodations: Its 24/7 fitness center, dining, and concierge services are all first-rate, and the rooms—exposed brick walls, Molton Brown toiletries, VoIP phones—are eminently comfortable. The magnificent vaulted lobby is worth a visit in itself. 215 Charles St., Boston, MA 2114, libertyhotel.com.
Soma
Call it spadenfreude: The hedonistic pampering you receive here is made that much more delicious by knowing people all around you are putting their bodies through the wringer. Opened in 2004, this spa sits on the second floor of fitness megaclub Bosse Sports, and yet a world away. Exotic touches like orchids and carved masks are a nod to Soma's exclusive Wisdom of Africa products, used in everything from body wraps to decadent manicures. Wrap yourself in one of the microterry-lined silk robes, inhale the scent of baobab oil and Kalahari melon, and remember: no pain, all gain. Bosse Sports, 141 Boston Post Rd. (Rte. 20), Sudbury, MA 1776, .
The Federalist
Twenty-something sommelier Christian Vassilev has built Fed owner Paul Roiff's cellar into a veritable wine museum. You'd be hard-pressed to find so many Cheateau Latour, Margaux, and Monton-Rothschild wines in one place in the country. And that's just Bordeaux! The wine list spans the globe, and includes both boutique bottles from small producers and well-known crowd pleasers alike. In keeping with the restaurant's luxe ambiance, the list isn't value-minded; it is an education for wine lovers in every other respect. Fifteen Beacon, 15 Beacon Street, Boston, MA .
Chatham Bars Inn
Even overcast days at Chatham Bars Inn feel sunny. First, there's the setting: a graceful, 1914 building overlooking the Atlantic, surrounded by quiet, individually decorated (and kitsch-free) cottages. Second, there are the activities: croquet, tennis, biking, rides in the property's antique cars, or, for kids, shoreline critter hunts, pirate visits, and karaoke. The nightly candelit dinners of local seafood at the water's edge are almost absurdly romantic. Few properties on Cape Cod manage to balance kid-friendliness with that kind of genuine excellence. This one does—even when it rains. 297 Shore Rd., Chatham, MA chathambarsinn.com.
Nicholas Penna Jr., Salon Capri
Nicholas Penna's cuts are like Zac Posen's best dresses: sharp but with great movement, clasically shaped, flattering, and tinged with modern touches. And like Posen, Penna is full of promise. The 30-year-old has already won the Guillaume Award in Berlin for his styling (putting him in the company of such names as Vidal Sassoon and Anna Sui), and he snips, razors, clevates, and layers like a rock star. Even so, Penna is one of the most laid-back personalities in the Boston style world, so you can count on a refreshing lack of attitude, and a heartening plenitude of talent. 31 Lincoln St., Newton, MA saloncapri.com.
The Finer Consigner
The vintage craze has brought piles of must-have clothes out of the closet, thanks in large part to discriminating boutiques like this one. A treasure trove of pre-owned pieces, the Finer Consigner showcases rack after rack of Michael Kors flapper skirts, silk Gucci blousons, and Ralph Lauren Purple Label dresses. More up-to-the-minute confections by Ann Demeulemeester, Balenciaga, Dolce & Gabbana, and Chloé make it into the selection, too, along with well-treated Prada bags, Louis Vuitton shoes, and YSL belts—all the very definition of recherché. 53 Langley Rd., Newton, MA thefinerconsignershop.com.
Petit Patapon
Darling details make the difference at Petit Patapon. Whatever best becomes your little one—frilly ruffles, rugged stitching, whimsical embroidery—this organized shop has a stylish stock of it. The daisy-flecked T-shirts come with extra protection from harmful UV-rays. Bright capri pants shine in patterns that veer from funky to frilly. There's plenty of handsome headwear, embroidered denim jumpers, and little linen pants sized to fit everyone from infants to grade-schoolers. Can you blame us for wishing the collection came in bigger sizes? 27 Central St., Wellesley, MA .
Natale's of Hanover
Natale Agostino reminds his customers that clothes off the rack are a curiously American phenomenon. And he should know. Natale spent 11 years as a tailor's apprentice in Reggio Calabria, learning to meticulously cut the garment to the man. These days, although he sells some ready-made clothing along with the suits he custom-tailors, he still wanders the floor of his Hanover store seven days a week, on the prowl for slacks that are just a bit too long on one customer, or the jacket that could hug the shoulders of another just a little less. 2001 Washington St., Hanover, MA natalesclothing.com.
Stone Soup Café
Want a table for Valentine's Day? Reserve it now. This intimate American restaurant is so much in demand that North Shore residents eagerly sign up months in advance to celebrate anniversaries, birthdays, and engagements at one of the five tables, sometimes making their next reservation before the bill is even paid. White linens, candle lamps, and refined daily specials lend an elegance that supplements the food, and the two-person waitstaff lavishes attention on each guest, listing every last ingredient. Seafood and meat dishes are consistently rich without being too heavy, and pasta entrées dominate the seasonal main menu. Zero Central St., Ipswich, MA ipswichstonesoup.com.
Wolfers Lighting
Buying a light should be a hands-on experience, and at this interactive showroom it is. There's a dimmer, switch, or knob on nearly every wall, as well as every kind of fixture imaginable, from funky frosted-glass sconces to crystal-draped chandeliers. Contemporary sculpted-glass pendants hang from one alcove while chrome-plated bedside lamps spill from another. Browse through several catalogs or speak to an expert staff member who can help plan individual rooms or large-scale projects down to every detail. From classical to completely funky, this selection of pieces from around the world is unrivaled. 103 North Beacon St., Allston, MA wolfers.com.
T.T. the Bear's Place
Somewhere between a band's first roadie and their first rider, they play T.T.'s, a beer-soaked cranny in Central Square now in its third decade. For about 10 bucks a night, the club gets music geek nation on its feet with both established and rising acts from the East Coast (the Damnwells), the West Coast (the Thermals), and beyond (Denmark's Efterklang), along with local favorites like the Motion Sick and Faces on Film. Although it's true that Allston's Great Scott is increasingly booking tomorrow's Middle East and Paradise headliners today, for that pure ear-pounding, sweat-drenched, punch-drunk rock-club experience, the Bear remains the one to beat. 10 Brookline St., Cambridge, MA 2139, ttthebears.com.
Melissa Ferrick concerts
With album titles like Valentine Heartache, you wouldn't think Boston lesbian cult singer Melissa Ferrick was the gushy romantic type. But her powerful acoustic melodies and seductive, throaty voice regularly whip concert audiences—at venues from Avalon to Club Passim—into frenzies of agitated estrogen. You can bet that more than one swooning girl has taken her up on the offer when she's sung: "Grab the hand of the person standing right next to you and show them we are not afraid of who we are...." MA
Stereo Jack's
When “Stereo” Jack Woker learned a weed dispensary would displace his Cambridge record store’s longtime Mass. Ave. storefront, it sadly seemed time to retire his 40-year-old vinyl business. But employee and drummer Chris Anzalone had a better idea, buying out Woker's voluminous inventory, purchasing the Stereo Jack’s name, and relocating the operation to Somerville’s Ball Square. Now with Anzalone at the helm, Stereo Jack’s remains a veritable Boston music clubhouse, the kind of impeccably curated place where you could find the Britney Spears discography on wax one day and a stack of jazz-head idiosyncrasies the next. 736 Broadway, Somerville, MA 02144, stereojacks.com.
Sinesia Karol
Bathing-suit shopping can be a fraught endeavor. (Is there anyone on Earth who likes trying on spandex in a poorly lit dressing room?) Mercifully, this Boston- based designer eliminates much of that stress with an array of options — from classic string bikinis to one-pieces that offer a little more coverage — that can be ordered online or browsed in-person at Karol’s eponymous brick-and-mortar in Newport, Rhode Island. And while some swimwear runs frumpy or just plain bor- ing, Karol’s line (inspired by her native Brazil) is jazzed up with fun patterns, interesting cutouts, and unusual details you won’t find elsewhere. 135 Spring St., Newport, RI 2840, sinesiakarol.us.
Saks Fifth Avenue
Think there’s no such thing as shoe heaven? Think again. Year after year, Saks elevates Boston’s style mavens to the Divine with an apostle of top designers. Manolo Blahnik stilettos, Christian Louboutin platforms, Prada kitten heels, Gucci mules, Valentino slingbacks, Roger Vivier loafers...the list goes on and on. Aside from the classics, Saks also makes sure to stock emerging designers — don’t miss the magical styles of Mach & Mach — as well as everyday kicks from the likes of Adidas. Bonus points for the veteran staff (one of the few left in the city), which excels at customer service, overnighting any out-of-stock styles to your doorstep. Amen to that. 800 Boylston St., in Prudential Center, Boston, MA 02199, saksfifthavenue.com.