Pomme Frite
We've always loved the frites—especially the sweet potato wedges with the peanut dipping sauce—but the new Belgian spin on the menu—plus the all-you-can-eat mussels on Monday nights makes this several cuts above your standard suburban hangout. 1208 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill, MA .
Nantucket Nectars
If you haven't heard of Nantucket Nectars, go to your local deli. Purists may not care for the fact that they are made with pure cane sugar, but Tom and Tom (the owners) are serious juice mavens. Their apple j, for example, is a Delicious, Macintosh, and Granny Smith combo.
Young Men's Christian Association, Central Branch
Tired though it is, this building houses a pool, squash courts, an indoor track, basketball courts, a weight room, aerobics and many other classes, and newly built Nautilus and locker rooms. For an initiation fee of $100 and $420 a year (individual), it's the best deal in town. 316 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA .
Rosexpress
Romance is available at your very fingertips. Just call Rosexpress, a new outfit that delivers a dozen roses, with superlong stems and huge blossoms, anywhere in downtown Boston for only $29.99. Warning: the price goes up on Valentine's Day, but it's still less than the extortion that takes place at other shops around town. 125 B St., Boston, MA .
TenderCrop Farm
Let the livestock milling about outside (including buffalo) serve as your first clue: Everything at TenderCrop is fresh off the field and so wholesome, it's surreal. The 17th-century barn is packed to its rafters with fat tomatoes, sweet-smelling herbs, freckled green zucchini, local honey, and dried flowers. 108 High Rd. (Route 1A), Newbury, MA tendercropfarm.com.
Bundle of Hope
With charming clothing and accessories from lines like Zutano, Aden + Anais, and Petit Bateau; a dressing room with a handpainted toile motif; and a French armoire that doubles as a display area, this place is way more sophisticated than the big-box stores—which makes it perfect for your precious darlings. Once Drive, Scituate, MA 2066, bundleofhope.net.
Sundog
Weekend visitors still dressed in their power suits and spiffy slacks should hasten to Sundog, where comfort always reigns supreme. The store's dark interior houses Turrau shirts, Izod pants, and affordable Tommy Bahama swim shorts. After a short and successful hunt, men reemerge into the sunlight looking island appropriate. 41 Lower Main St., Edgartown, MA .
Andy Seplow
Andy Seplow, part-time owner of a limited catering service called L'Alliance Pate, makes a firm, toothsome cheesecake based on cream cheese, sour cream, and ground almonds. It's available regularly at Peasant Stock, the Stock Pot, and Malben's Gourmet. 383 Somerville Ave., Somerville, MA .
Herrell's Ice Cream
Chocolate Pudding ice cream is a flavor phenomenon: more dense than ice cream, more malleable than fudge, it is a heart-stopping, concentrated burst of chocolate, guaranteed to meet your direst chocolate need. Bad moods can be altered after brief but regular treatments with chocolate pudding ice cream.
St. Botolph Restaurant, Key West, Commonwelath Brewing Company, Bnu
St. Botolph: But sit in the bar. Key West: Sip your Cornoa beer in South Florida deco-dence. Commonwealth Brewing Company: A draft of pale ale will cool you down after sweltering out a game. Bnu: The Italian dishes in this small restaurant might make you miss the curtain. 99 St. Botolph St.; 645 Beacon St.; 85 Merrimack St.; 123 Stuart St., Boston, MA .
Donuts with a Difference
Visit this delightfully retro storefront, and you’ll be rewarded with melt-in-your-mouth honey-dipped spheres, jumbo coffee rolls, and coconut cake rings with the perfect bite. Best of all: Each confection is affordable enough to justify buying a dozen any day of the week. 35 Riverside Ave., Medford, MA 2155, donutswith.com.
Steel & Rye
A restaurant is only as good as its service, and at this hot spot helmed by chef Chris Parsons, that service is impeccable, from the gratis valet parking to the warm waitstaff, who happily point diners to their favorite house-made pastas (don’t miss the bucatini with lobster and smoky pulled pork). 95 Eliot St., Milton, MA 2186, steelandrye.com.
Brian Rose, Red Sox
The city's four major franchises didn't exactly harvest a bumper crop of new talent this season, but among the slim pickin's, rookie starting pitcher Brian Rose stands out, if only because he beat the damn Yankees his first two outings.
A. Russo & Sons
We adore the cases brimming with imported and locally made cheeses (like fiore di latte from Everett's Mozzarella House), the boxes teeming with exotic Asian vegetables, and a deli counter loaded with top-notch finds. But the best part about a trip to Russo's is that we get whole foods without dropping an entire paycheck. 560 Pleasant St., Watertown, MA 2472, russos.com.
Persona
For jewelry fanatics, Persona brings on the kind of high usually reserved for teenyboppers at Clay Aiken concerts. The treasure chest showcases the glam (Coomi diamond drops) and the affordable (Alexis Bittar bangles), not to mention estate pieces by Aspinal of London and a top-notch in-house line by co-owner Gary Shteyman. 15 Avery St., Boston, MA 2111, personastyle.com.