The Midtown Cultural District
Enough pre-event publicity. Pour the wine, start the music.
The lovely Wilbur Theater was down-scaled into a cabaret house and dinner/dance theater.
Julien
Marvelous setting, fancy French food. Bring your wallet. Hotel Meridien, 250 Franklin St., Boston, MA .
<em>Trip the Light. Fantastic.</em>
The sentiment may be less than sincere, but the message lights up your life. At the Boston Edison plant alongside the Fitzgerald Expressway, Boston, MA .
Joe Morgan
Cast your mind back to the summer of '88. Remember "Morgan's Miracle"?
Dough-C-Dough-Nut-Shoppe
Grab your partner one of these. 438 Main St., Woburn, MA .
Dolores Sanborn, Austen's
Our nails were ugly. So when we got the tip to see Dolores at Austen's, we were only too happy to test her out. Could our yucky stubs be transformed into beautiful digits? Miraculously, yes. In fact, we can't decide what we liked best: the cheerful yellow walls and big open windows of the cozy salon, the goodies to eat while you wait (orange juice and croissants, cookies, even brie), or the manicure itself, which made our nails look sophisticated, not scary. And Dolores is a sweetheart: If her pleasant demeanor and easy laugh don't win you over, her mean hand massage will. 115 Newbury Street, Boston, MA .
Robert Gerard, St. Botolph's Restaurant
Witty, erudite, and pours a good drink. 99 St. Botolph's St., Boston, MA .
Landry's Bicycles
For its impressive size, central location, and huge inventory, Landry's gets our vote. The staff has consistently serviced our two-wheelers well and quickly (as we've scooted around on Landry's-issued loaners), and helped us navigate the selection of accessories. And in their spare time, employees advocate for better biking in Massachusetts. 890 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 2215, .
Shag
After a quick tête-à-tête, Brianna Coons shaped our unruly hair into something slick, taking into account our capacity for at-home styling (none). The best part? The chop grew out so evenly, it still looked fresh months later. 840 Summer St., South Boston, MA 2127, shagboston.com.
Fairsted Kitchen
Drinking at this newcomer is like throwing one back in your grandmother’s foyer—if she served cocktails on draft and used vintage cordial glasses for shots, that is. 1704 Beacon St., Washington Square, MA 2445, fairstedkitchen.com.
Drinkwater's
Discover your inner Don Draper with Italian wool jackets, made-to-measure shirts (including sharp styles from Engineered Garments), and elegant ties. 2067 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 2140, drinkwaterscambridge.com.
Dirk Diegel, Vidal Sassoon
Don't expect a boy's regular. Diegel spends quality time with your hair so you won't have to. High style, low maintenance. 14 Newbury St., Boston, MA .