The Green Room
From the moment Jessica Thornton asks her first question—"What do you want your hair to say about you?"—it's clear she genuinely wants you to love your locks. The stylist leaves hair so perfectly voluminous that some of her regulars can't resist visiting her one-woman shop for a blowout ($85) multiple times a week. 40 River St., Boston, MA 02114, greenroomboston.com.
Party Favors
After tasting every cake in town—hey, anything for the job—it's official: Party Favors' sinfully rich but not-too-sweet cake/frosting combo is the most delectable. You can mix and match colors and flavors for filling and icing, and sample two combinations before making a decision. Bring in a wedding photo of your cake a year later, and the shop will make you a mini anniversary replica for free—a handy service, considering your reception guests will want to devour every last morsel of the original. 1356 Beacon St., Brookline, MA partyfavorsbrookline.com.
Ana Hernández
A wedding gown is more costly than anything else in your closet. Why buy it off the rack when you can get a couture creation? Designer Hernández will build the dress of your dreams from scratch. Simply walk upstairs to her lovely studio and collaborate with her to produce a dress the likes of which you literally won't see anywhere else. 165 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Marisa DeMarco, Salon Mario Russo
Finally: a hairdresser who actually listens to your requests and delivers. DeMarco stays away from a on-ecut-suits-all technique, preferring to update your look gradually without any sudden, drastic changes. Based in the Louis Boston location of Salon Mario Russo, she's equally adept at color, for those who like to keep their salon visits down to a minimum. 234 Berkeley St., Boston, MA mariorusso.com.
Kenneth Baldwin, Premier Fitness
If he can train Alan Dershowitz, we're pretty sure he can train anyone. We're convinced Baldwin knows the human body outside-in. While he's teaching you proper weightlifting, he explains how each muscle group is working. While you're doing cardio, he gives a minicourse on how your heart is pumping. So you exercise and feel smarter, all at once. Baldwin gets results—without boring you back to your couch-potato world. 61 Cedar St., Suite A, Cambridge, MA .
Marathon Sports
Get personalized attention every step of the way at Marathon, where sharp-eyed employees will diagnose your stride on the sales floor and then bring out model after model in search of the right fit. (Customers are encouraged to take a test jog outdoors, too.) Be it Mizuno, Saucony, or other elite running shoe, your purchase is guaranteed to be ready for action—from a 5K to a stroll at the dog park—right out of the box. 671 Boylston St., Brookline, MA 2445, marathonsports.com.
Louis Boston
We hate to break it to you: Your dog is definitely getting laughed out of the park in that chain store sweater. Louis's fashion-forward wagwear—print collars, camo rain vests, skull-and-bones hoodies—will have your mutt looking catwalk ready. The store also sells handpainted ceramic food bowls and (very civilized) squeaky monsters. 60 Northern Ave., Boston, MA 2110, louisboston.com.
Audio Concepts
After you're done drooling over Audio Concepts' fantasy home-theater setups—massive TVs, booming speakers, George Jetson-worthy remote controls—find a salesperson and tell him your audio-visual dream. No matter the budget, be it $1,000 or $20,000, he'll briskly and breezily sketch out a plan to turn your underutilized family room or basement into the neighborhood cinema. 870 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA audioconcepts.com.
Marathon Sports
Here road warriors can find the latest shoes; outerwear built to withstand the elements; and a multitude of accessories and performance-boosting extras. What puts Marathon out in front, however, is the education it throws in for free: Come in with a question about how to relieve shin splints, for instance, and staffers will analyze your gait and quickly list the top potential causes—then advise you on the footwear that might ease your pain. 671 Boylston St., Brookline, MA 2445, marathonsports.com.
Mr. Sid
If you hate to shop but need to update your wardrobe, Mr. Sid's can outfit you from head to toe and also provide a few divertissements—namely a bar, antique pool table, and hair salon. At least you'll have something to do while your clothes are pressed and tailored. The store carries everything from casual to formal wear, including labels Brioni, Hugo Boss, Segna, Hickey Freeman, and Canali. 1211 Centre St., Newton Centre, MA .
Party Favors
Party accessories may be this Coolidge Corner's true raison d'être, but the candy selection alone is worth a celebration. Bins of chocolate-covered Jordan almonds, Haribo gummy bears and sour fruits, and pound upon pound of Jelly Belly jellybeans are enough to sweeten any outlook. Small bags of chocolates wrapped in whimsical foil or Sour Patch Kids for around $1 are the kind of indulgences that still fall within a kid's (or parent's) budget. Don't bypass the chocolate case filled with Asher's Champagne truffles. 1356 Beacon St., Coolidge Corner, Brookline, MA partyfavorsbrookline.com.
Toscanini's
Toscanini's understands that life can be as simple as vanilla and chocolate or as complicated as burnt caramel or gingersnap molasses. Whatever your philosophical fancy, this heavenly ice cream parlor will whet your palate with its downright dazzling roster of original flavors. Where else can you find such sophisticated permutations as saffron ice cream or cucumber sorbet? 899 Main St., Cambridge, MA tosci.com.
Cafe Louis
Leave it to Louis Boston to install a cafe that outdoes most of the local stand-alone restaurants. What keeps us coming back to Cafe Louis, even when we don't want to shop. is chef David Reynoso's incredible pizza margherita. It's thin-crusted, with fresh fontina and basil leaves, and so authentic a Neapolitan experience that you'll forget your chic environs and lick your fingers afterward. 234 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA louisboston.com.
Bricco Panetteria
Start by following the simple sign pointing down a back alley off Hanover Street, then let your nose take you the rest of the way. Bricco Panetteria is where many of the Italian loaves served in local restaurants are made, and lucky for us, the olive ciabattas, crusty baguettes, and round mountain loaves are now sold to the public. Brush up on your Italian and bring cash. 241 Hanover St., Boston, MA bricco.com.
East by Northeast
Known for applying his French training to Chinese cuisine, chef Phillip Tang makes his phenomenal noodles in house, and infuses his inventive menu with seasonal bites like pork-and-fiddlehead shumai and steamed hake with house-cured prosciutto. Yet East by Northeast remains an intimate, friendly place with rock-bottom prices, a pleasing culinary package that's rounded out by a fine brunch, a small but well-chosen wine and beer list, and special events like a recent lamb tasting menu. 1128 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 2139, exnecambridge.com.