Life Alive
A new Boston staffer—a meat-loving New York transplant—recently ran into the office, excited after "discovering" Life Alive. It was then that we realized how lucky we are to have had this organic café long before the whole grain-bowl-kombucha-juice-bar thing got trendy. Just try "The Adventurer," a mash-up of corn, beets, cruciferous veggies, cheddar, and sesame-ginger sauce over quinoa and rice and see for yourself. 765 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, lifealive.com.
Qingdao Garden
Boston reps several styles of Chinese cuisine well—we have fiery Sichuan specialists, Taiwanese soup-dumpling pros, and temples to luxurious Cantonese seafood in Chinatown. For the floury, dumpling-heavy cuisine of the north, we head straight to Qingdao. There you'll find plates of fragrant cumin-laced lamb, crispy pan-fried leek-stuffed pies, and, most important, a massive roster of house-made dumplings in varieties like pork-and-leek and vegetarian string bean. 2382 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138, qingdaogarden.com.
Erbaluce
With its dim lighting, convenient Bay Village locale, and peerless carbonara pasta, Erbaluce has been a destination for occasion Italian dining since it opened in 2008. Perhaps less appreciated, however, is chef Charles Draghi's separate, weeknight-friendly bar menu, where saucy boar meatballs topped with plumes of herbs, and thick prosciutto-and-fontina paninis pair well with an endless flow of lambrusco by the glass. *** Erbaluce is located at 69 Church St. Boston MA 02116 in Bay Village near the Park Plaza. 69 Church St., Boston, MA 02116, erbaluce-boston.com.
Streetcar Wine & Beer
Streetcar might not be the biggest shop in Boston, but that actually works to your advantage: Owner Michael Dupuy selects every bottle from the finest, most conscientious producers, which translates to absolutely zero fluff on the shelves (there simply isn’t room for it). Choose from a diverse range of price points and varietals, most from great local importers like Mise, Oz Wine Company, and Adonna Imports, as well as an unprecedented range of sherries, vermouths, digestifs, and natural wines. 488 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, MA 2130, streetcarwines.com.
Julie Erickson, Endurance Pilates and Yoga
With 20 exercise and teaching certifications, Julie Erickson certainly has the cred. But education alone doesn’t make a great trainer. Erickson’s technique is very hands-on—she’ll tell you exactly what parts you’re strengthening and why while she works with you in her Arlington studio. Erickson has also selflessly donated her time and energy to help victims of the Boston Marathon bombings regain their strength. 446 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington, MA 2474, endurancepilatesandyoga.com.
Inn at St. Botolph
The fanny pack and walking shoes may mark you as a tourist, but your digs definitely won’t. Tucked away in the Back Bay, this brownstone inn blends in with its neighbors, keeping your tourist status our little secret. Small and intimate, the property’s suites feature copper fireplaces and signature bow-front windows, creating a quintessential Boston experience. 99 St. Botolph St., Boston, MA 2116, innatstbotolph.com.
David Ives
The president of WGBH will do anything to solicit a buck for Channel 2; luckily for his audience, he's got a class act. At a Boston Pops fundraising special last spring, Ives took on Gilbert and Sullivan, singing innumerable verses of "I Am the Very Model of a Public TV President" to the tune of "Modern Major General"; it was a high point in the history of panhandling. MA
Parish Cafe
It's hard to compete with a sandwich joint that's tapping into the culinary genius of just about every megachef in Boston. Among the delicacies on the roster of almost two dozen sandwiches: Chris Schlesinger's smoked ham and cheese with mango chutney, Lydia Shire's lobster salad sandwich, and Michael Shlow's rare sirloin with caramelized onions and horseradish cream. The only real problem here is figuring out which one to order. 361 Boylston Street, Boston, MA parishcafe.com.
Cutty's
After 40 years of Best of Boston, it takes a lot to shock us. But if you told us that we would eat a sandwich that doesn't even have meat—Cutty's eggplant spuckie, a ciabatta roll filled with mozzarella, olive-carrot salad, and, of course, roasted eggplant—and that it'd be one of the best sandwiches we've ever eaten, we'd be shocked. Guess what? We were shocked. Also great: the sandwiches that actually have meat (go Saturday for the special pork). 284 Washington St., Brookline, MA cuttyfoods.com.
El Centro
Boston isn't known yet for great Mexican fare—perhaps we're a little too far north of the border for the spicy stuff. But things are looking up now that El Centro has rolled into town. Our go-to order? The deeply flavored ;carne asada and fish tacos, followed by ;al pastor sopes (doughy corn tartlets). Top that off with a couple glasses of jalapeño-spiked sangria, and you'll easily silence any naysayers. 472 Shawmut Ave., Boston, MA 2118, elcentroboston.com.
Exhale, Battery Wharf
We love the daily bustle of living in Boston, of course, but sometimes we need an escape. At this expansive waterfront spa, the hammam—a stunning, stone-tiled Turkish bath—lets you while away time between treatments with a magazine, or just your wandering thoughts. The amenity-packed locker room, shampoo-commercial-worthy showers, and attentive aestheticians, meanwhile, all make the city feel far, far away. 2 Battery Wharf, Boston, MA exhalespa.com.
Michael Albor, The Loft
When you're clearly a brunette—by coloring, heritage, and attitude—why do so many Boston stylists pressure you to go blond? The one man who gets brown in this town is Michael Albor. Wielding all the luscious shades (burnt umber, auburn, bronze), he creates a vibrant palette without a hint of brass. Unfortunately, the secret is out, so if you're fighting the clock to cover grays, book way (way) in advance. 253 Newbury St., Boston, MA theloftsalonanddayspa.com.
Stel's
Stel's deserves this honor if for no other reason than it introduced Boston to New York's Seize sur Vingt. The designer's crisp, colorful dress shirts work as well with jeans as with a suit, and have inspired a rabid following among guys tired of the giant fabric boxes that masquerade as button-downs at Brooks Brothers. Sweaters, pants, denim, and more from A.P.C., United Bamboo, Robert Geller, and Nom de Guerre round out a shop that balances fashion-forward with Bostonian conservative, without the cold snobbery of either. 334 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2115, .
Barneys New York
You have nothing to wear to the Best of Boston party, which is tomorrow. Hustle your Manolos over to Copley's new superstore, where clothing designers both ultrafamous (Marc Jacobs) and ascendant (Jovovich-Hawk) merge with bags, jewelry, and 3,700 square feet of shoes. What's more, an in-house concierge will offer opinions, fetch you lunch, and even arrange your ride home. (The hot date you'll have to get on your own.) 100 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 2116, barneys.com.
Harvard Book Store
The Boston area is blessed with several world-class independent bookstores, all of them vibrant proof that the megachains are soulless vampires, slaves to the mass-market title and the Starbucks outlet. And while other local booksellers can match Harvard Book Store for passionate staff, thoughtful featured titles, and entrapping literature sections, it's the Harvard Square institution that wins the nod again this year, buoyed by its extraordinary nonfiction selection and its excellent deals on remainders. 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA harvard.com.