Shannon McNally
Looking to embark on a spiritual wellness journey this summer? Let local reiki master Shannon McNally be your guide. Offering sessions at the newly opened Soma Yoga in the North End, the holistic wellness coach tackles everything from stress and anxiety to digestive and hormonal challenges. Whether you prefer your appointments in-person or virtual, you’ll leave feeling like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. 256 Hanover St., Boston, MA 02113, shannonmcnallywellness.com.
Rare Steakhouse
Seamless service and melt-in-your-mouth beef make Rare an oasis inside the hustle and bustle of Encore Boston Harbor, especially if you’re willing to fork over some of your casino winnings for, say, caviar service, a seafood tower, and Japanese Wagyu. The luxurious steakhouse harkens back to a golden age of fine dining, with white tablecloths and a fiery tableside preparation of baked Alaska, but the tiny, fancy chair just for your purse is a 2020s luxury through and through. Encore Boston Harbor, 1 Broadway, Everett, MA 02149, encorebostonharbor.com/dining-and-nightlife/dining/rare-steakhouse.
Shreve, Crump & Low
This fine jeweler, which celebrates its 225th anniversary this year, does more than just sell high-end wrist candy: You can also bring your favorite piece here and the master watchmakers will get it ticking again, whether it’s from the store or not. Head over to the Newbury Street flagship and see just how knowledgeable and gracious staffers are when it comes to your time and your timepiece. 39 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, shrevecrumpandlow.com.
Timothy Ro, SalonCapri
Psst—you over there with the weekly date at the blow-dry bar. Yeah, you. Tired of getting your locks pulled and your scalp burnt as you’re rushed from sink to dryer to cashier? There’s a better way. Namely, placing your hair in the skilled hands of Timothy Ro. Drawing on his experience backstage at Fashion Week, the SalonCapri stylist confidently (and efficiently) churns out runway-worthy looks—no laminated menu required. 11 Newbury St., Boston, MA saloncapri.com.
Hitched Studios
In a perfect world, your wedding photographer would be an ace professional and your best friend. In the real world, superduo Tara Morris and Ben Wight come pretty darn close. The pleasant pair transcend the typical shutterbug-client relationship not only by taking top-notch photos, but also by making you and your guests feel shockingly comfortable. Be forewarned: Before the evening ends, you will get attached. 75 Walk Hill St., Boston, MA 2130, hitchedstudios.com.
Dependable Cleaners
Maybe you sipped cabernet on your wedding day—and spilled. Maybe, three years later, your stained, crumpled gown is still gathering dust in your closed. Dependable Cleaners has seen worse. There's not an "oops" moment these pros can't handle, and with more than a dozen outlets in and around Boston, you won't have to drive far to complete this most essential errand. dependablecleaners.com.
Hitched Studios
In a perfect world, your wedding photographer would be an ace professional and your best friend. In the real world, superduo Tara Morris and Ben Wight come pretty darn close. The pleasant pair transcend the typical shutterbug-client relationship not only by taking top-notch photos, but also by making you and your guests feel shockingly comfortable. Be forewarned: Before the evening ends, you will get attached. 75 Walk Hill St., Boston, MA 2130, hitchedstudios.com.
East Coast Alpine
East Coast Alpine, which made its Boston debut last fall, carries a truly comprehensive array of top-name snow-carving equipment, clothing, and accessories. Staffers, meanwhile, are adept at customizing your purchase to your skill level, ensuring that you leave perfectly primed for the mountains (or less terrified about your maiden voyage on the bunny slopes). 860 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 2215, eastcoastalpine.com.
Charles Maksou
This man is an artist, sans the temperament problem. But first-timers take note: your hair will be washed and dried before Maksou takes scissors to head. Using the DryCut method favored by stylist John Sahag, Maksou hones in on your best features, offers a complement or two, and designs a cut around them. Best of all, he listens to what you want and takes your lifestyle into account. HAIR FX Studio, 627 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA .
Shreve, Crump & Low
Boston's Breakfast at Tiffany's; press your nose to the glass and dream. This is the place to go with your honey when you want to browse without paying mind to price tags, to decide whether the bar-set or the channel-set band looks better with your solitaire. The staff gives everyone an upmarket education in ideal-cut diamonds. This is where you got schooled, and everyone respects the professor. 330 Boylston St., Boston, MA .
Luxe at Mohr & McPherson
Run your hand across the wall of hanging fabric and imagine it transforming your home: a swath of creamy silk; a swag of blended cotton or crinkly linen. Resident textiles expert Chloe Sachs gets a dreamy look when she describes how draperies can divide spaces. And you'll discover she's not too far off base when Luxe turns your boxy bedroom into a filmy-walled boudoir. 81 Arlington St., Boston, MA .
ReadySetFilm
Banish all thoughts of a gauzy, sappy drama: Husband-and-wife team Jeff Brouillet and Amanda Gosselin have a knack for capturing the little moments that mean a lot—a wink, a chortle, a happy puppy—in a way that's completely watchable, not belabored. Did you know your dad was checking his texts before you walked down the aisle? Or that your mom was tearing up as she zipped your dress? You will now. readysetfilm.com.
Dan Gordon Landscape Architects
Dan Gordon doesn’t just consider how you’ll interact with your transformed yard while you’re ambling along new bluestone-stepper walkways, bordered by hydrangeas, or lounging poolside under the shade of freshly transplanted cherry trees; the landscape architect ponders how you’ll engage with your revamped terrain from inside your home, too, ensuring a seamless transition from interior to exterior space. dangordon.com.
Balans Organic Spa
Maybe you’re commuting again and soaking up that car exhaust in your pores. Maybe some sunspots have cropped up on the virgin skin long shielded behind your facemask. Or maybe you’re just lamenting three pandemic years’ worth of stress etched into your face. Whatever the trouble, Balans’ expert aestheticians have the solution — and the 100 percent organic products to keep that glow going long after the appointment is over. 216 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, bostonbalans.com.
Christina Wikman Interiors
Pandemic or not, virtual design is having a moment — and no one does it quite like Christina Wikman. Dreaming up fresh and colorful looks from her Woburn studio, the interiors whiz can reimagine your lackluster bedroom or dated kitchen without ever walking through your front door. Just tell Wikman what you’re looking for via a thorough design questionnaire, and you’ll get a revamped floorplan, a mockup featuring the pro’s furniture and finish recommendations, and a detailed shopping list to make ordering your new showpieces a breeze. christinawikmaninteriors.com.