Toad
Brand-new and about as big as your living room, this music club (capacity: 65) devotes itself to bringing in top tunesmiths and letting you get so close to them you can observe them in full texture. 1912 Massachusetts Avenue (Porter Square), Cambridge, MA .
The Evans Wing
It took four years and $11.5 million, but the Evans Wing is back and packed with 700 fine European and American paintings, including works of such masters as Renoir, Monet, Picasso, O'Keeffe, and Pollock. The MFA, Boston, MA .
Savoy
David O. Selznick would have been comfortable in this rococo gilt-and-plaster movie house. Unfortunately, given the roster of films that play there, the architecture is much more diverting than the show. 539 Washington St., Boston, MA .
Fourth-Floor Apartment
The Combat Zone has a number of good ones, but the best is to be seen on Newbury Street. Each afternoon, the occupant of a fourth-floor apartment near the Ritz disrobes, then cleans house. We applaud her lack of inhibition . . . and shades. Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Kenneth Cole
What's not to love? Shoes that are hip, yet comfortable. A designer who's a dish, yet a good daddy. And an ad campaign that will make you laugh before you run out with your charge card to challenge Imelda for the crown. 128 Newbury Street, Boston, MA .
The Institute of Contemporary Art
A gleaming temple of artistic achievement, the ICA is filled with modern masterpieces. And your wedding can be one of them. Between the harbor views and the large-scale works adorning the gallery’s walls, visual splendor abounds—as do options for using the space, which includes a waterfront plaza, a light-flooded lobby, and a roomy theater. 25 Harbor Shore Dr., Boston, MA 02210, icaboston.org.
North Square Oyster
In a historical building steps from the Paul Revere House, Waypoint alum Pierce Boalt Juckett sates North Enders’ seafood cravings with platters of briny Eider Cove and Mookie Blues oysters, immaculate crudos, and—of course—buttery lobster rolls. 5 North Sq., Boston, MA 02113, northsquareoyster.com.
Flock
Breezy and bohemian, this South End boutique stocks a creative collection of hairpieces and fringed cross-body bags. Look for jewelry set to star in the latest layering trends and sought-after Turkish kilim flats and bags by Boston's Artemis Design Co. Really, all that's missing is your Coachella ticket. 274 Shawmut Ave., Boston, MA 02118, flockboston.com.
Shōjō
Mark O'Leary put ramen on the city's radar at O Ya and Guchi's Midnight Ramen. Now he makes a lunch-only shoyu variety at Shōjō, where he fills each bowl with two slow-simmered broths, a six-minute egg, char siu pork belly, and house-made noodles. 9A Tyler St., Boston, MA 02111, shojoboston.com.
Mei Mei
Mei Mei's handpleated classic pork dumplings, available at lunch, are crisp outside and properly juicy inside. In keeping with the Li siblings' quirky take on Chinese fare, you'll also find first-rate pierogi dumplings with cranberry-apple sauce and sour cream. 506 Park Dr., Boston, MA 02215, meimeistreetkitchen.com.
Neatly Nested
It's impossible to miss Neatly Nested's white exterior and yellow awning along West Broadway. Inside, interior designer Danielle McClure stocks goods worth crossing a bridge for—tastefully refurbished furniture, linens from Scents and Feel, and hand-poured soy candles. 373 W. Broadway, Boston, MA 02127, neatlynesteddecor.com.
American Provisions
With as many as 80 varieties of small-batch fromage available, this Southie shop is small on space but big on nutty, pungent flavor. Staffers are ready with recommendations and armed with anecdotes about the herd of Vermont goats that produced your selected wheel, making this a destination for turophiles citywide. 613 E. Broadway, South Boston, MA 02127, americanprovisions.com.
Kelley Square Pub
It’s easy to see what drew Vinny Paz and Tommy Lee Jones to this watering hole: Here, conversation flows and the beverage selection is ample (including the most affordable pour of Woodford Reserve we’ve ever seen). 84 Bennington St., Boston, MA 02128, kelleyssquarepub.com.
City Hall Front Lawn
Only in the People’s Republic would the front lawn of City Hall be a fine place for some rest and relaxation. Leave your everyday worries behind at the city’s annual late-night dance party, where thousands flock to the green space to shake it off. 795 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, .
Julia Rosenthal, Pyara
From flowers formed by your own braids to a comb placed just so in a finger-curled bob, Julia Rosenthal's wedding-day tresses are consistently stunning. With just a glance, she quickly assesses the way a bride's hair falls, then creates a style that stays true all night long. 1050 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138, pyaraaveda.com.