Colonnade Hotel
Here's the setting: bright blue sky, bright blue water, handsome poolside staff, a full bar and lunch menu, and a 360-degree view of Boston's skyline. On weekdays, 40 bucks buys 12 suntastic hours more than 100 feet above the sweltering sidewalk (towels and an outdoor shower included). Cheapos can spend $20 for a late-afternoon poolside outing, but there's no guarantee of scoring a seat. 120 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 2116, colonnadehotel.com.
The Wauwinet
What's almost as unbearable as the slow ferry to Nantucket? The July and August crowds. Get away from it all at the Relais & Châteaux-recognized Wauwinet, perched among the dunes on the island's sleepy eastern tip. Sunbathe on the resort's private beaches, sip sparkling rose at Topper's, or indulge in a basalt-stone massage at the spa. And if you suddenly desire civilization, there's a shuttle to town that runs daily on the hour. 120 Wauwinet Rd., Nantucket, MA wauwinet.com.
Alchemy
Alchemy: A magical process of transmuting base metals into gold; the quest for the elixir of life. While falling a little short of offering immortality, this restaurant and bar does routinely deliver decadent night life—and damn good risotto fritters. The two-story modernized French bistro bustles after hours as patrons sip key lime pie martinis, cognacs, imported beer, or pinot noir from an affordable wine list. 71 Main St., Edgartown, MA 2539, .
"You can't handle the truth."
Governor Paul Cellucci (channeling Jack Nicholson's megalomaniacal Marine colonel in A Few Good Men) to Scott Harshbarger during the final gubernatorial debate. Better yet: "Failure is not an option." Connecticut Governor John Rowland (channeling Ed Harris' cool NASA ground-control astronaut in Apollo 13), shortly before Rowland's eleventh hour attempt to keep alive his stadium deal with New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft.
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
Whether an intimate affair for a few dozen revelers or a soiree with a few hundred, the JFK Library and Museum’s sun-filled Pavilion is a blank slate for the most elegant of ceremonies and cocktail hours. And no wonder: Its nine stories of soaring glass walls highlighting panoramic ocean views is the work of the iconic architect I.M. Pei. After the vows, guests can head over to the reception steps away in the equally-as-impressive Smith Hall. Now that sounds like a wedding for the history books. Columbia Point, Boston, MA 02125, jfklibrary.org.
Systems Design & Integration
Whether texting, shopping, or trying out the newest dating app, you’re already living your life in a series of button taps. Why not invite that kind of efficiency into your humble abode? These West Roxbury–based pros can hook you up with all sorts of time-saving technology, seamlessly wiring your home to do everything from enable your alarm system and lower your shades at night to adjust the lighting in your kitchen while you cook. 5230 Washington St., West Roxbury, MA sdiboston.com.
Boston Shaker
It’s the little details that make Zoom happy hours seem like the real thing. (Kind of.) Beyond its quirky collection of tiki mugs—because a daiquiri always tastes better in a porcelain seahorse—this Somerville shop stocks glasses for drinks big and small, from highballs and juleps to martinis. And because no mint shall go unmuddled, lemon unpeeled, or olive unpicked on the Shaker’s watch, you’ll also find all of the tools to go with them. 69 Holland St., Somerville, MA 02144, thebostonshaker.com.
Formaggio Kitchen
When you need to provision aperitivo hour, head to one of Formaggio’s three local shops (pictured) to chat up staffers overflowing with cheese-world facts. The original location in Cambridge’s Huron Village is the real mothership, though, thanks to the widest assortment of accoutrements, as well as America’s first basement cheese-aging cave, where globe-spanning wheels, from rare imported blues to New England–made craft Camembert, are tended daily to ensure a perfectly ripe taste. 244 Huron Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138, formaggiokitchen.com.
Panificio
Warm sun streams into this Charles Street bakery-cum-café's expansive windows, where the clientele kicks back (sometimes for hours) over high-octane lattes, crumbly slices of walnut bread, and the daily papers. And while you can clearly witness the hustle and bustle outside, it fades as you sink deeper into the shop's meditative momentum. 144 Charles St., Boston, MA panificioboston.com.
Dana Chasen, Brad Duncan Skin Care
Chasen likes to compare eyebrow grooming to the art of bonsai, and her disciplined approach to creating perfect shapes is why skin-care pro Brad Duncan tapped this standout makeup artist and clinical aesthetician to join his staff last fall. After deploying the gentlest of hard waxes, she draws on a decade's worth of eyebrow-refining experience to tweeze away strays and smooth contours. All this in less than half an hour. 530 Tremont St., Boston, MA 2116, bradduncanskincare.com.
Grace Kinahan, Splash at Sports Club/LA
In Grace Kinahan's hands, pore cleansing and zit zapping are somehow rendered relaxing. It might have something to do with her plush, blanketed bed and brief initial skin consultation, followed by an hour-long steam, mask, and Jurlique hydration therapy. Clients walk away smoother ;and smarter, thanks to insider tips like 'flouride toothpaste can cause chin breakouts' and 'switch to an oil-based lotion for glowing skin.' 4 Avery St., Boston, MA 2111, thesportsclubla.com.
Prima e Dopo
At Eastie red-sauce palace Rino's Place, patrons can get stuck waiting two hours for huge portions of baked rigatoni and chicken Parm. To accommodate the throngs, the owners opened Prima E Dopo across the street, offering balsamic-glazed wings and $6 cocktails. Now we just skip Rino's altogether and hang here, dining on sausage-and-broccoli-rabe pizza, crispy bruschetta, and perhaps the most flavorful meatballs we've ever had. 300 Saratoga St., East Boston, MA 2128, .
L'Espalier
Chef Frank McClelland's celebrated dining room offers not one, but two extravagant tasting options. There's the "Seasonal Degustation"—a six-course meal headlined by dishes like Hudson Valley foie gras (take that, California!) with angelica and oatmeal-nut tuile, or lamb alongside roasted figs and caramelized fennel, both featuring ingredients sourced from the chef's own Essex farm. Not lavish enough for you? Then choose the $200 "Chef's Tasting Journey," and you'll be treated to an hours-long repast replete with caviar and truffles. 774 Boylston St., Boston, MA 2199, lespalier.com.
American Seasons
It's a bold statement for a city mag to give the stellar-cellar nod to a restaurant located a couple of hours (and several modes of transportation) from downtown. But for those willing to roll with the car-ferry-taxi shuffle, the reward is Orla Murphy-LaScola's gem of a wine list at American Seasons, packed with off-the-beaten-vine vintages from the States. Even jaded sommeliers—stuck tending to creaky libraries of 'important' quaffs from Burgundy and Bordeaux—scratch their heads in amazement at theeccentric yet impeccable collection of small-production wines. 80 Centre St., Nantucket Island, MA 2554, americanseasons.com.
Custi's
Since New England puts a limit on the weight of lobster's caught, the place to find oversized crustaceans is the Lobster Shanty in Point Pleasant, N.J. If you balk at a seven-hour ride, try Crusti's in North Kingston, R.I., where you can eat all the chicken lobsters you have the appetite and patience for, Wednesday through Sunday, for $15.95. Route 1, Kingston, RI .