La Española Restaurant
Dominican food, made by Cubans. Also wins best refugee hangout award, edging out the Rendezvous (Vietnamese) in Cambridge and Bangkok Cuisine (Thai) in Boston. 405 Center St., Jamaica Plain, MA .
Northwest Orient
On those rare occasions when the line isn't on strike, the Boston-Minneapolis run may feature shrimp salad, filet mignon, and a complimentary split of Mateus. MA
Gyuhama of Japan
This subterranean oasis is the only place in Boston that satisfies our craving for great sushi as well as our need for a real Tokyo sushi bar. 827 Boylston St., Boston, MA .
The $100,000 mural of the original hills of Boston covering the State House renovation, part of which blew off after five days.
Skippy White's
Thank Raytheon for laying off Skippy White back in the day, otherwise he might never have started hustling vinyl to make ends meet—and Boston might have never got this gem of a used-record store, still going strong 56 years later. 971 Columbus Ave., Roxbury, MA 02119, .
Trattoria Toscana
This Tuscan specialist hits all its marks: good wine, great pasta, glorious espresso. Grab one of the 28 seats, and relax in the mellow atmosphere (and the knowledge that nothing tops 20 bucks). 130 Jersey St., Boston, 617-247-9508 130 Jersey St., Boston, MA .
Tosca
Chef Kevin Long's body of work spans Hingham, Boston, and Foxwoods. But it's at Tosca, where he started in 1995 and met longtime collaborator Brian Hennebury, that his cooking really shines. Hand-rolled pastas team up with superfresh seafood and hearty cuts of meats, making for spectacularly indulgent dining. 14 North St., Hingham, MA 2043, toscahingham.com.
Shreve, Crump & Low
Boston has been blessed with more than its share of fine jewlers, but Shreve, Crump & Low, 300 Boylston St. is a Koh-i-nor among lesser stones. What Picasso did with paint, Shreve, Crump & Low does with diamonds and gold. 300 Boylston St., Boston, MA .
Room With a Vieux
The brightest star in the constellation of Charles Street antique dealers, Room With a Vieux specializes in French pieces picked by owner Jeff Diamond on monthly pilgrimages to France. The pieces themselves, while wholly international in style, are finely tuned to the demands of Boston buyers. 20 Charles St., Boston, MA aroomwithavieux.com.
Oona's
This small store has been catering to the Cambridge and Boston cognoscenti for nearly 30 years. Vintage clothing hounds flock here to pick through the recycled threads from the past five decades—and for the extensive selection of vintage jewelry and accessories. 1210 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA oonasboston.com.
Ares Shoe Repair
Boston streets are hell on heels. Case in point: the heel of a favorite Stephane Kelian pump, chewed by cobblestones. But Ares came to the rescue. After its ministrations, we couldn't even tell which heel had been broken. 84 Charles St., Boston, MA .
Will Lyman
Lyman has long been an institution on the Boston theater scene. But he stands out this year for his Elliot Norton Award-winning roles as James Tyrone in the New Repertory Theatre's Long Day's Journey into Night, and Otto Hahn in the Nora Theatre Company's Operation Epsilon. whitethroat.com.
Nectar Pies
Nectar Pies, the class version of Eskimo Pies, available for fifty-nine cents at health-food stores far and wide (try the General Nutrition Center, 361 Boylston St., Boston). Our favorite is the Mocha Pie—natural mocha ice cream between two granola cookies, coated with carob. General Nutrition Center, 361 Boylston St., Boston, MA .
Little Jack Horner's Joke Shop
Either the squirting ketchup bottle or the disappearing ink from Little Jack Horner's Joke Shop, 169 Tremont St., Boston. The ketchup shoots out red string and is amusing; the ink stains for about fifteen minutes, then disappears, and is anxiety-provoking. Warning: The victim may forgive the ketchup joke, but will probably take revenge for the ink. 169 Tremont St., Boston, MA .
Chauncey
We were one more Creed song away from slitting our wrists when Chauncey's self-titled debut—loaded with swerving melodies, bending rhythms, and emotional truths—revived our faith in rock 'n' roll. Not to mention in the Boston music scene.