Mahoney's Garden Centers
In our search for the holy grail of garden centers, we were pleasantly tempted by the personalized attention and quaint urban setting of Ricky's Flower Market in Somerville. But Mahoney's has the edge when it comes to one-stop garden shopping. Where else near the city can you find starter grapevines, elephant-shaped watering cans, large ceramic urns, and a barn filled with landscaping tools, not to mention the obligatory greenhouses brimming with flowers and herbs? The vast and varied selection makes it worth the extra work it sometimes takes to find a salesperson to answer your questions. 889 Memorial Dr., Cambridge, MA mahoneysgarden.com.
Burma Design Antique Restoration
You finally got up the nerve to invite your boss over for dinner, and while she may be a whizbang at corporate finance, she doesn't seem to know what a cocktail napkin is for. When you discover a large water stain on the cocktail table where her glass rested, you can either demand a raise or call Burma Design. These are the people Skinner turns to when an antique needs a face-lift. The workshop is a wonderland of wounded soldiers from Granny's attic, all awaiting resuscitation. The results are inspiring; if only we could be brought back to our former glory as easily. 285 Washington St., Somerville, MA .
Ritz-Carlton Dining Room
Good-for-you health food at the ritzy old Ritz? It's our guess that as successful babyboomers start to sag, they head back to their root vegetables for rejuvenation. But don't be fooled, the days of bland brown rice and tepid tofu are long gone. Take, for example, a Vegetarian Primavera with Roasted Bell Pepper Coulis or delicious Crab Cakes with Pickled Plum Sauce and Braised Napa Cabbage. After a macrobiotic lunch you'll have the energy (and the slim waist) to shop your way down Newbury Street. The menu changes weekly and it's $29 prix fixe for a three-course lunch or dinner. 15 Arlington Street, Boston, MA .
Jamaica Mi Hungry
Set your GPS: Chef Ernie Campbell’s beloved Jamaica Mi Hungry truck (pictured) is now permanently parked at an Allston lot, outside the address where a second restaurant is set to open this fall. (There’s already a brick-and-mortar joint in Jamaica Plain.) Speed by to snag signature, heat-seeking jerk chicken, hearty and comforting goat curry, or stellar sides like sweet plantains from Campbell, whose hardly idle hands are also busy managing kitchen operations for CommonTable, a citywide initiative to feed vulnerable communities during the pandemic. 182 Western Ave., Allston, MA 02134, jamaicamihungry.com.
Exodus
Toasted or untoasted? Either way has its advantages. Fresh off the shelf at baker Adam Hirsh’s long-awaited new shop, the bagels are a soft, chewy foundation for substantial sandwiches such as the Monumental, featuring a hard-boiled egg, local greens, and bacon. Warmed, the crisp exterior crackles pleasantly. Bagel lovers can’t go wrong with flavors like "everywhere" (a thoroughly seeded everything); jalapeño-cheddar; and egg—but our favorite order is sesame, toasted to bring out the nutty flavors, with a generous schmear of house-made bacon-everything cream cheese. 3346 Washington St., Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, exodusbagels.com.
Chuck Bass, Pini Swissa Salon
We came to Bass with a three-month-old haircut on the fritz. His diagnosis? Too heavy, especially around the shoulders. Within 60 seconds the stylist had devised a surgical plan: longer in the front, with flattering layers in the back. And then he swiftly and quietly went to work, using both wet and dry cutting techniques to sculpt our mane as if it were a statue made of clay. The result: a cut with body, style, and plenty of personality. Bonus: Bass sees clients as early as 6 a.m., so you don’t have to wreck your work day (or fight Newbury Street traffic) for a trim. 18 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, chuckbass.com.
Biltmore-Green
Ardent followers of the tenet 'Well, you just never know,' we're not the types whose weekend gear will fit in a tiny backpack. And so the crew at Biltmore-Green has come to know us by name. The Back Bay shop has our favorite high-end Tumi and Hartmann rollers; durable Samsonite and Swiss Army suitcases; and leather totes from Bosca and Jack George. If your packing preferences lean toward the aforementioned knappie, well, you can buy simple, sleek carry-ons here, too. Just don't complain if you wind up needing the shoes you left behind. 176 Boylston St., Boston, MA 2116, .
Fred Donovan and John Dewar
The John Dewar & Company operation has been in business only since October, but already its commercial clients include Front Street, the Hermitage, and Jason's. The Dewar company also encourages retail business at its 753 Beacon St., Newton, address. According to Fred Donovan, the vice-president and chief meat cutter of the store, "We're not trying for the strong sell. We just want to satisfy the customer. We don't care if they come in for one hot dog or four ounces of hamburger. We treat all our customers the same." John Dewar & Company, .
Bakers' Best
Great service, flavorful food, beautiful presentation—and a willingness to take on any affair, no matter how small or bizarre—set this small company apart from its bigger sisters. From weddings and wakes to corporate conferences and informal dinner parties (sans staff), Bakers' specialties include grilled Norwegian salmon with citrus salsa, rack of lamb with a honey-peppercorn crust, grilled teriyaki chicken, and imaginative hors-d'oeuvres such as artichoke hearts with Parmesan triangles, pan-seared dumplings, grilled lime-marinated scallops, and Tandoori shrimp. Plus an attitude that makes you feel as special as your event. 27 Lincoln St., Newton Highlands, MA .
T. W. Food
Sparks fly every time we enter the unassuming front door of this charming Cambridge eatery. Maybe it's the sparse, soft-lit dining room, filled with just 10 white-linen-topped tables accented by fresh flowers. Or maybe it's the anticipation of chef Tim Wiechmann's divine French-influenced fare (we're still daydreaming about the house-made rillettes, and the squid-ink gemelli with Moosabec mussels and razor clams). Whatever the reason, no matter how many other discerning diners make the pilgrimage to T. W. Food, it always feels like our special place. 377 Walden St., Cambridge, MA twfoodrestaurant.com.
Au Soleil Catering
Turning out memorable meals in private homes—which often means tight quarters and picky palates—is a task that could sap any chef's muse. No surprise the catering arm of the vaunted L'Espalier/Sel de la Terre group is more than up to the challenge. Planning a small fete, we laid out the hurdles: seafood allergies, vegan diets, decorating don'ts. Au Soleil fired back with scads of ideas, including using petits fours as favors and dressing the table with bouquets of our favorite blooms. From intimate dinners to 600-person galas, this event-maker handles every gathering with aplomb. 148 Hampden St., Boston, MA 2119, ausoleilcatering.com.
Emmets Irish Pub & Restaurant
Sorry, shamrock-covered Southie, but Boston’s best spot to enjoy Guinness in a pint — or in a spiked-broth onion soup, or in a beer-braised-beef stew — is actually on Beacon Hill. Emmets proudly unfurls its tricolour in the shadow of our gold-domed State House, so you know the hearty pub fare and whiskey cocktails get the stamp of approval from the area’s high-powered politicos. That said, the pretense-free tavern covers its walls in flags from every FIFA nation precisely because all are welcome here — you know, unless you call it “soccer.” 6 Beacon St., Boston, MA 02108, emmetsirishpubandrestaurant.com.
Chilacates
Socrates Abreu’s J.P. restaurants may be small, but the aromas coming out of his Mexican street-food kitchens are big and bold. There’s no wrong way to go with the mix-and-match menu here: Just choose your "canvas" (taco, burrito, torta, and more), meat, and toppings. Our favorite combos: spicy chorizo and potatoes packed into a burrito, and herbaceous pork enchiladas smothered in salsa verde. Look for two more super-fresh locations coming soon, in Mission Hill and Chestnut Hill. Multiple locations. 224 Amory St., Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, chilacates.mx.
E6 Apothecary
At too many department store cosmetics counters in this town, too-chic salespeople more often than not will slather your screaming pores with overly perfumed chemicals and then, as if a life depended upon it, try to force you into spending upwards of $300 on said chemicals. That's why E6, with its well-organized shelves of hard-to-find lines (from diva staples such as Helena Rubinstein and Versace to cult favorites Rescue Beauty Lounge and Becca) and its always-informed but low-pressure sales staff, remains our local shrine to beauty. 167 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Bondir
Since chef Jason Bond opened the doors last fall, the applause for Bondir hasn't let up. Now, nine months and zero missteps later, he gets another voice added to the gushing chorus: ours. His menus, which change every day, are detailed yet somehow still welcoming and unprecious. His flavors are creative and nimble but restrained, and focused on one thing above all others: freshness. Already he has the rest of the house—staffers and diners alike—dedicated to that idea, and to creating a vibe that isn't about status dining or stuffy service, but about eating deceptively simple, yet simply wonderful, food. 279A Broadway, Cambridge, MA 2139, bondircambridge.com.