The Gryphon House
Tucked away between Kenmore and the Back Bay on the quiet end of Bay State Road, this 1895 brownstone has been restored to a grand late-Victorian style—although the Victorians didn't have air-conditioning, 27-inch televisions, and Ethernet connections to the Web. Wet bars and refrigerators in every room almost qualify the eight spacious suites as studio apartments. (Many are bigger than a lot of Boston studios.) North Tower has the views of the Charles River, while Morningside is splashed the light from east-facing bay windows. 9 Bay State Rd., Boston, MA innboston.com.
The Coach House
The Coach House has always beckoned diners with its open-air seating and Edgartown Harbor views. Now there's another reason to eat at this harbor-view spot: New chef Joshua Hollinger (formerly of Manhattan's Tribeca Grill) has taken over the kitchen and revamped its lunch and dinner menus. But his real triumph is the Sunday brunch. Delicacies like sushi and boutique chocolates join an already impressive menu of berried French toast, eggs Benedict, and myriad savory salads. You may even find yourself forgoing the vista of passing sailboats to stare at the buffet instead. 131 North Water St., Edgartown, MA 2539, harbor-view.com.
Four Seas
Compared to, say, Ben & Jerry's, the list of flavors at this Centerville favorite doesn't seem particularly innovative. But Four Seas, which has been in business since 1934, was the first to come up with such then-brilliant ideas as adding chocolate chips to a vanilla base. They still do homemade chocolate chip, maple walnut, penuche, and fresh strawberry better than anyone around. 360 S. Main St., Centerville, MA 2632, fourseasicecream.com.
House of Costas
Costas Xanthopoulous has the seamy side of life all sewn up. 1616 Beacon St., Brookline, MA .
The Opera House
Since it reopened with The Lion King last year, the restored Opera House hasn't drawn the most inspiring of productions. But it does look great. The 2,600-seat theater is a jewel from the dying days of vaudeville, and it gleams with the sort of Beaux Arts gilt that ought to shame more-modern buildings: chandeliers, murals, even period-style urinals. Now if we could only get some shows to match . . . 539 Washington St., Boston, MA bostonoperahouseonline.com.
Greydon House
Islanders and visitors alike have been buzzing about the recently opened Greydon House, and for good reason. A visual stunner featuring handpainted tiles and custom Roman and Williams furnishings, the 18-room boutique inn boasts common areas infused with a flora-inspired signature scent (which you can take home as a souvenir) and an on-site bar and bistro overseen by Michelin-starred chef Marcus Gleadow-Ware. 17 Broad St., Nantucket, MA 2554, greydonhouse.com.
In Your Ear
We know: Newbury Comics has basically become a streetwear boutique, while shops like Orpheus and Armageddon respectively focus on niche audiences for classical or punk and metal discs. For a comprehensive selection, nothing beats the unchanging In Your Ear “Mothership” location, situated in a basement between the Paradise Rock Club and BU’s Agganis Arena. Stocking more than 100,000 LPs, CDs, and even 8-tracks, the store gives collectors (and rock legends like Jimmy Page) that priceless, digging-in-the-crates experience where you’ll find what you came for, and leave with much more. 957 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215, iye.com.
New England Mobile Book Fair
The up-and-comer in this category is the nearly four-year-old Newtonville Books, but while that otherwise admirable small shop considers its lack of organization quaint and quirky, we just think it's confusing. The system at our pick, the family-owned New England Mobile Book Fair, also doesn't seem at first to make a lot of sense (the books are shelved by publisher) but turns out to be a piece of cake. Plus the relevance for books among the customers and knowledgeable staff is palpable, new hardcovers are discounted 20 to 30 percent, and you can spend contented hours in the endless warehouse-style stacks. 82-84 Needham St., Newton, MA nebookfair.com.
Eyestarr
The only downside to fake lashes is that they often look, well, fake. But when Andrea Starr is the one painstakingly applying length to our lids, we believe. After an appointment with the former LuxLash manager, you'll enjoy your new fringe for four to six weeks with minimal maintenance and nary a mascara tube in sight. 170 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 2116, eyestarr.com.
Render
For many, "grabbing a cup of coffee" means getting your buzz on fast. Render will encourage you to slow down and enjoy the process: All hot coffees are meticulously prepared using the pour-over method, which takes a few minutes per cup. It’s worth the wait for these, or the expertly pulled espresso drinks starring Counter Culture and Gracenote beans. If time is truly unlimited, have a seat and partake in the WiFi, the outlets, and the phyllo-crusted house-made quiche. 563 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA 2118, rendercoffeebar.com.
The dog-walking hour, Southwest Corridor Park
Puppies make friends. 'Nuff said.
Dancing Deer
The butter yellow painted-brick facade houses marvelous treats—gingerbread in the fall, lemon-blackberry cake in the summer. Our absolute favorite item is available only on Sunday: sweet fruit bread studded with dried sour cherries, cranberries, raisins, and other fruits. Divine. 5197 Washington Street, West Roxbury, MA .
The Sturniolo Triplets
These nearly identical siblings from Somerville — 19-year-old Chris, Matt, and Nick — rose to YouTube fame with 20-minute videos of them bantering and goofing around in their car. Naysayers be damned, sustaining hours of giggling crosstalk about arbitrary subjects such as meatballs and toenails takes a certain effortless charm — and the Sturniolos are masters of that craft. Fans even pay to see them hang out together IRL: Earlier this year, the Sturniolos wrapped a 15-date cross-country tour with a sold-out show at the Sinclair. youtube.com/SturnioloTriplets.
The Dog Walking Hour, Commonwealth Avenue Mall
In the romantic hour when streetlights first crackle to life, lonely singles prowl the city from Commonwealth Avenue Mall to Minuteman Bike Path with naught but their trusty pooches for companionship. And for many of them, the motive is pure, unadulterated animal attraction. We're talking high long-term potential here: If someone can take care of Max's daily needs, then he or she can probably feed a human relationship. And it's easy to meet other owners; unlike some of their owners, dogs aren't afraid to stop, check each other out, and shamelessly pair off. MA
Barefoot Books
As moms and dads know a little too well, when kids find a book that works for them, they tend to go back to it again and again. And again. The same applies to our pick in this category. Four-time winner Barefoot Books brims with fresh, cleverly illustrated titles, and doubles as an independent publishing house run by parents dedicated to the art of old-fashioned storytelling. 1771 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 2140, barefootbooks.com.