KM Hudson
An ill-fitting bra can ruin your outfit and your mood. Thankfully, the experienced staffers at KM Hudson understand shape and comfort, sizing clients up with just a look before taking precise measurements. Of course, proper sizing is only one part of the equation: After measuring, they’ll happily sift through their enviable stock of 6,000 bras to find the perfect undergarment for your shape. 125 Charles St., Boston, 02114, kmhudsonltd.com.
Cru
Already an island go-to for its waterfront location and killer raw bar, Cru wins our vote this year for its stacked beverage program. Pick your poison from a seat at the quartzite-topped bar or the scenic open-air deck: Both are prime perches for indulging in any number of boozy concoctions, from the restaurant's signature Crucomber—a refreshing blend of Bison Grass vodka, lemon, cucumber, and toasted sesame—to the shareable Garden of Elyx, a fruity libation of Absolut, Applejack, green tea, and raspberry. Oh, and did we mention the wide-ranging wine list, with bottles sourced from Alsace to Santorini? You'll want to check that out, too. One Straight Wharf, Nantucket, MA 2554, crunantucket.com.
51 Lincoln
Make sure you get the watermelon steak with confit tomatoes. Or no, wait: You've gotta taste the romaine salad with made-to-order croutons—the greatest thing to happen to the caesar since anchovies. In fact, nearly everything—starting with the appetizer of a cured-salmon-and-red-onion tea sandwich and ending with the homemade pies—at Jeff Fournier's 51 Lincoln is a fresh, creative must-try. Our only piece of unwavering advice: If you order the luscious lobster noodles with lobster-champagne sauce, be prepared to share. Your companions are definitely going to want to nab some for themselves. 51 Lincoln St., Newton Highlands, MA 2461, 51lincolnnewton.com.
Busy B Pub
We don't know how they do it ("If we told you, it wouldn't be a secret," the waitress cheerfully told our undercover critic), but this unassuming, family-operated storefront bar sells buffalo, barbecue, honey-hot, and honey-barbecue wings that are the tangiest in town. Sandwiched between a florist and a shoe store, the Busy B has successfully resisted every attempt at decoration, but it's so casual and friendly that the regulars occasionally even brings their kids. What other tavern do you know that serves milk? For adults, there's also a good selection of draft beer to cool your mouth down. 451 Main St., Watertown, MA .
Taiwan Café
The brothy xiao long bao (or soup dumpling) has long been the darling of the food world. We get it, sure, but we’d also like to turn your attention to the Taiwanese pan-fried dumpling: a tubular, crisp-bottomed parcel with a fragrant ground-pork filling and open ends designed for maximum dipping-sauce absorption. Find our favorite rendition at this Chinatown mainstay, and round out the meal with other Taiwanese standards, like wok-charred eggplant with basil and chewy coin-shaped rice cakes sautéed with ground pork. 34 Oxford St., Boston, MA 2134, taiwancafeboston.com.
Artist & Craftsman Supply
There are plenty of glitzy art stores around town, chock-full of intimidating expert-only items. But, sadly, not all of us are born Picassos or Pollocks, and we need our questions answered with more than an eye roll and a sigh of ennui. That's why we shop at Artist & Craftsman Supply for everything from linseed oil to fabric paint to graphite. The space is funky yet polished, and the smart, comforting staff helps us out every time. Stop in and you might soon be well on your way to becoming art's next big thing. 580 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 2139, artistcraftsman.com.
Patina Designs
Pauline Curtiss brings a level of unrivaled distinction to every space she works in. Gracing the ceilings, walls, and sometimes floors (though her work is far too lovely to be walked on, in our opinion) of homes all over the city and beyond, Curtiss’s custom designs are painted and sculpted with shifting colors that show movement. From geometric and floral patterns to graffiti motifs and themed murals — including one fanciful spin on Alice in Wonderland at a no-holds-barred house in Chestnut Hill — Curtiss’s range is unlimited. She’s also a deeply generous and compassionate person; just ask the loyal band of female painters who work for her. patina-designs.com.
G2O Spa + Salon
The wellness world’s obsession with CBD is here to stay — and with it, all manner of spa services capitalizing on the cannabis compound’s therapeutic powers. We found our favorites at G2O, where you can opt for a mani/pedi — complete with a skin-softening CBD scrub and paraffin treatment — or kick back with a massage, made all the more relaxing with pain-relieving CBD oil. Want to really get the full effect? Try the spa’s CBD-infused tea after your service (it’s free!). 33 Exeter St., Boston, MA 02116, g2ospasalon.com.
Maxime Salon & Spa
Norwell is hardly a hotbed of international enchantment, but this tiny house of beauty has it in spades. The journey begins in the tasseled Moroccan aesthetics room, where you can undergo a Valmont facial—using the famed and exquisite Swiss product line laced with sweet Bulgarian rose—at the nurturing hands of Barbara Foley while you gaze up at a swathed ceiling. Or give yourself over to one of the masseuses, who make their own herb-infused oils and will leave you wondering if you even have a spine. Maxime's nerve center is a conglomerate of beauty bar and hair salon. (Ronit Enos is a meticulous whiz at color.) Relax in the plush cranny decked out like the Taj Mahal as you wait for your day of beauty. 124 Washington St., Norwell, MA maximesalon.com.
Natale's
Each year we wonder, "Can any other men's clothing spot on the South Shore beat Natale's?" Each year, the answer is no. The walls of suits, slacks, and sport jackets get loving care from experienced tailors who'll gladly customize duds to fit your frame—suit sizes range from 36 short to 60 long. Time will tell whether another local spot can rise to the Natale's challenge, but for now we'll trust our silk neckties and cashmere sweaters to the folks who've crafted high-quality menswear for nearly half a century. 171 Washington St., Norwell, MA 02061, natalesclothing.com.
Season to Taste
This full-service company can handle everything from bar mitzvahs to barbecues to prepared dinners for families of four. And while the menus have plenty to swoon over—passed apps like mini latkes with smoked salmon and chive crema, or entrées like fig-glazed lamb sirloin—it's what goes on behind the scenes that captured our heart. Started by East Coast Grill and Evoo alum Robert Harris, Season to Taste is one of the greenest companies around, delivering drop-off meals by bike, sourcing primo ingredients from New England farms and stores, and composting to reduce waste. If anyone can make a feast for 100 feel virtuous, it's them. 2447 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 2140, seasontotastecatering.com.
Appleton Bakery
It's hard to decide what's best about this cozy South End bakery, where the owners have thought of every amenity for busy city dwellers. Is it the a.m. treats? The lunch? The cute tables that overlook Appleton Street? The gourmet take-out options? The catering? When push comes to shove, we choose the scandalousy delicious breakfast goodies: scones to cry over, fruit-studded muffins, old-fashioned sour cream coffee cake, and granola that could put a commune out of business. We could go on, but our trainer says no. 123 Appleton Street, Boston, MA appletoncafe.com.
Children's Book Shop
Our first choice for children's books is your local public library. That said, this wee shop in Brookline is a close second for its thoughtful mix of classics (of the Make Way for Ducklings, Charlotte's Web, and Eloise ilk) as well as blockbuster newcomers like the Harry Potter series. The selection runs the gamut, from the newly released works of 1940s author Louis Lenski's "little" books to volumes that speak to contemporary teens. The store is nearly childproof, too, with huge stuffed animals and pop-up books on shelves strategically lower in height, so little ones can let themselves, and their minds, wander. 237 Washington St., Brookline Village, MA thechildrensbookshop.net.
Provisions
Its name may sound utilitarian, but don't be fooled. This homey café makes the most tempting sandwiches on the island, like the aptly named Turkey Terrific: Thick, home-baked wheat bread topped with smoked turkey, buttery stuffing, cranberry sauce, and just enough mayo creates portable perfection for the beach or taking in the Straight Wharf view. Our only advice: Try not to order it every day; the entire sandwich menu, as well as the homey, baked goods and sweets (lemon squares, cranberry-walnut pound cake), deserves your full attention. 3 Harbor Sq., Nantucket, MA 2554, .
Ginza Restaurant
Raise your hand if you're tired of the same standard sushi, meal in and meal out: tuna maki, salmon sushi, tuna sushi, salmon maki. We're tired of it, too, which is why we thank our lucky stars for the Chinatown flagship branch of Ginza. This restaurant proves there's life beyond the basics with artful orchestrations such as Boston maki—lobster, salmon, rice, lettuce, and a smattering of salty roe. Lest you assume that creativity eclipses flavor here, it doesn't. Everything from the cooked octopus to the seasonal raw seatrout is sweetly fresh, cut to order, and best washed down with any of the 12 varieties of sake. 16 Hudson St., Boston, MA ginza-boston.com.