Ronnie Sullivan
Anyone who's been over-processed to a disastrous shade of orange can appreciate Sullivan's careful approach. He'll be honest if your chosen color won't suit you or your hair, and he'll guide you through highlights, lowlights, and permanent color to find your hair solution. Besides perfecting your shade, his treatments enhance the shape, texture, and condition of your 'do.
Wouldn't It Be Lovely
When you work with Caitlin Spaulding, you won’t just get custom wedding invitations—you’ll send out one-of-a-kind works of art. Whether she imagines your wedding venue in watercolor on your envelope linings or depicts your love story in a colorful illustrated map, the footwear designer turned stationery guru understands the impact of personal touches. Her talents go way beyond invites, though: She can also carry your design vision through to your save-the-dates, place cards, menus, programs, signage, and more. wouldntitbelovely.com.
Val Chiaradia, The Loft Salon and Day Spa
Perched in an uncomfortable chair, your hands bound (inevitably, an itch) while a stranger picks at your cuticles, you cant help but wonder: Is a speedy, painless, and long-lasting manicure out of the question? Not when youre sitting across from the Lofts Chiaradia, who narrowly bested Jeanne Lee (formerly of Salon Trio, she almost had us with that add-on reflexology treatment). Chiaradias polish work was flawless and superquick, and didnt chip for nearly a week. Hate small talk? Youll appreciate the option to catch up on your E! podcast of Speidi and Glambert gossip as she overhauls your nails in silence. 207 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, .
The Midway Cafe
Throw on a pair of skinnies, grab your cash, and make like it's the '90s at the Midway, which on Thursday nights transforms from a mostly-locals dive bar into a hub for gay women (and the straight folks who love them). Elbow your way to the bar and grab a little liquid courage before shaking your booty or singing your heart out during the Queeraoke interludes. 3496 Washington St., Jamaica Plain, MA 2130, midwaycafe.com.
Nelson Randall
Bring them your frizz, your layers, your tired locks yearning to breathe free. This high-tech, low-key salon will liberate them. 306 Washington St., Brookline, MA .
Mike's Gym II
There are gyms, and then there are sports clubs. Mike's Gym II is unmistakably in the former club. And it's for neither the soft-hearted nor the soft-bodied; with seven rooms of equipment, no flab escapes this place alive. Weights and equipment are situated according to muscle group, so you don't have to hike to complete your workout, and there are plenty of aerobics classes and cardiovascular equipment to get your heart pumping. And if yours happens to be a softer heart, well, take note: Clients come to this South End spot to lift, and they look like it—shiny with sweat and muscled to the max. If you're easily intimidated, don't come looking for a boost to your self-esteem. 560 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA .
Giuliano Day Spa
Pass through the frosted glass door to the spa area of Giuliano's and experience the ultimate in feminine luxury. The aestheticians bustling about this girly-girls' playhouse are absolute pros, and their facials leave your face as smooth as silk. Everyone who touches your skin is required to take an intensive training course in Phytobiodermie, a product line based on Chinese philosophy of the five elements. The philosophy deals with both inner and outer beauty; for example, an aromatherapy facial pinpoints which natural element you are (based on your birthdate) and then uses different herbal extracts specific to your skin type. 338 Newbury Street, 2nd Floor, Boston, MA .
Trish McEvoy
New from New York, the McEvoy line offers hip, practical palettes for lips, eyes, and cheeks, and even has a zippered filofax-style case that you can fill with customized inserts (for all those important little daily appointments to powder your nose). The trained crew at Neiman's invites you to try before you buy. Educating rather than arm-twisting, patiently demonstrating special techniques like "push and wiggle" so you can line your lids like the pros—even after you get home—they do one side of your face, then it's your turn. Neiman Marcus, 5 Copley Place, Boston, MA .
Kitchen Arts
Next time you need a hard-to-find imported baking pan, follow your inner Escoffier to Kitchen Arts. From culinary esoterica (a one-inch funnel or a rolling mincer) to basics (need your knives sharpened?), these kitchen wizards have it all, including five lines of high-performance cookware. There are good old American brands alongside fancy European makes, and no fewer than 20 types of coffeemakers (stovetop percolators, French presses, and filter drips). Don't worry if your cooking skills extend little beyond boiling water. The employees know of what they speak and want you to enjoy the time you spend in your kitchen. 161 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
The Brendan Behan Pub
When he wasn't behind bars, Irish writer and nationalist Brendan Behan was usually bellied up to a bar. Odds are, he would've felt right at home in the Jamaica Plain pub named for him. Small and smoky, the Behan is everything a pub should be: buzzing with a friendly mixed clientele of tattoos and suits, all there for the good conversation and, of course, some top-notch Guinness. Occasional Irish seisuns and other entertainment—including play readings and storytelling—make this an even more ideal place to lose yourself for a few hours. Certainly worlds better than an English prison. 378 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, MA brendanbehanpub.com.
City Express
If you need to get something somewhere in this perpetually gridlocked city quickly, you have two options: hire City Express, or . . . okay, you've got only one option. Rain, wind, traffic jams, and subway breakdowns fail to thwart this company's army of messengers, who quietly, safely, and responsibly complete rush deliveries, often along custom routes established for regular customers. Full disclosure: We use City Express. Fuller disclosure: We use City Express because they're the most reliable and efficient service out there. And—novelty of novelties—they staff the phones 24 hours a day to fine-tune delivery schedules. 201 South St., Boston, MA cityexp.com.
Dennis Duffy, Duffy Design Group
We could spend hours extolling the glories of Duffy's handiwork. He has, after all, single-handedly spiffed up some of the city's most stylish residences and commercial spaces—Manny Ramirez's pad and the Charlesmark Hotel among them. But while Duffy's signature soft contemporary vision may be breathtaking—and it is breathtaking—in the end, it's how he works with people that counts. Client after client remarks about his flexibility, his positive attitude, punctuality, respect for budgets, and diligence in meeting demands. In short, he actually listens and, thus, ultimately proves that his ear is every bit as good as his eye. 516 East Second St., South Boston, MA duffydesigngroup.com.
Pomodoro
Pomodoro's flavorful, creative offerings reconcile the old Italian with the new. The food retains a simple, traditional character—which should not read as dull or unimaginative, whatever you may have come to expect after numerous "red sauce" menu encounters so often in the North End. But when the menu branches out, it doesn't wander so far that it becomes vaguely "Mediterranean." The servings are generous but have other salient features. The dishes aren't excessively decorative and sprouty, and the atmosphere is casual and friendly. Note of caution: Hour-long waits are not unusual. 319 Hanover St., Boston, MA .
InterContinental Boston
Considering the onslaught of just-opened and recently renovated hotels, it's a good time to be a guest in Boston (if a somewhat less good time to be a hotelier). How to stand out among the expected 300-thread-count sheets, Frette robes, designer bath products, and 24-hour room service? The glossy waterfront InterContinental outshines the competition (literally—its wavelike structure is swathed in reflective glass) with all of the above, plus a spa, a gym, three novelty restaurants, and one of the biggest ballrooms in town. The quick, courteous employees are a business traveler's dream; the mini esplanade along nearby Fort Point Channel, a stroller's delight. 510 Atlantic Ave., Boston, MA intercontinentalboston.com.
Beauport Hotel Gloucester
A glam restaurant that looks like a midcentury ocean liner, live entertainment, a heated rooftop pool high above the sea, oversize rooms (some with fireplaces!) so close to the harbor that you feel like you’re on a cruise — there’s a lot to love about Gloucester’s stately Beauport. Best of all is the location: Close to the HarborWalk and Stage Fort Park and just a short shuttle ride to the muchloved Good Harbor Beach, the hotel is an ideal getaway whether you live a few hours or a few minutes away. 55 Commercial St., Gloucester, MA 1930, beauporthotel.com.