Cakes to Remember
Leave it to the ever-professional Ellen Bartlett to create a confection as sweet—and original—as your wedding. Bartlett knows the pain suffered by so many wedding guests forced to eat flavorless wedding cakes the texture of Styrofoam. Her antidote: fresh, delectable cakes in any shape you can dream up. Maybe it's a Frangelico-soaked hazelnut dacquoise with mocha buttercream—in the shape of a sailboat. Or a deep chocolate framboise with fresh raspberries, festooned with delicate fondant flowers. You want it, odds are she can make it—and make you happy ever after. 248 Cypress St., Brookline, MA cakestoremember.biz.
The Catered Affair
More than 20 years ago, Holly Safford decided that celebrations deserved better than the substandard fare served by many caterers. That may have been a revolutionary notion at the time, but these days, brides and grooms expect spectacular food for their spectacular Big Days—and Safford delivers. With executive chef Robert Smith and a smart, hard-working staff behind her, Safford provides impeccable service and foods that go far beyond formula menus—picholine olives stuffed with sweet sausage and goat cheese, chocolate profiteroles with caramel chip ice cream, and practically anything else a couple might desire. 70 Reservoir Park Dr., Rockland, MA thecateredaffair.com.
Ceia Kitchen and Bar
If the rustic-meets-modern, exposed-brick décor doesn't get you, there's always the savory Gorgonzola-stuffed olives. If those don't do the trick, a bite of chef Billy Brandolini's citrus-poached halibut with squash blossoms just might. Still not feeling amorous? Trade a few spoonfuls of the sweet, crackly banana brûlée. And if even that doesn't cut it, the superb wine list will finish the job, leaving you head over heels for the team that opened this chic new Newburyport boîte (if not for the person sitting across the table). 38 State St., Newburyport, MA 1950, ceiakitchenbar.com.
French Dressing
The sheer variety of intimates from Aubade, Eberjey, Cosabella, Skin, and Hanky Panky (still the most comfy thongs around) that you'll discover at this pretty, boudoir-size boutique, discreetly located in the flat of Beacon Hill, would be enough to set it apart from the competition. It's the honest, practical, and rather sweet caretaking by proprietress Brenna Graham, though, that's truly prizewinning. If you bring in your gauziest blouses and slinkiest dresses, she'll even help you avoid a Tara Reid moment by assisting you in choosing the appropriate underpinnings. 49 River St., Boston, MA 2108, frenchdressinglingerie.com.
Waterworks
Your bathroom never had it so good. Every inch of Waterworks is dedicated to the senses, and every item—each perfectly placed and folded—is luxury incarnate. The sweet aroma of French soaps welcomes you first. Then come bath towels so soft, you'll think you're back in the womb. Next up: gleaming shower fixtures, faucets, tiles, and tubs—in as many classic styles as newfangled modern designs. The staff is informed and charming, and if you absolutely must have those frosted glass tiles by the weekend, many of the items are available for delivery within eight days of the date of purchase. 103 Newbury St., Boston, MA waterworks.com.
Eu2be
Your skin is your body’s largest organ — which means if you’re going to slather something all over it, it better be the good stuff. That’s where local entrepreneur Charla Jones’s newly relaunched line of body creams, oils, and balms comes in. Formulated with nourishing carrier oils (derived from the likes of sunflower, avocado, and sweet almond) that promise to strengthen the skin’s protective barrier, the products are also sustainably sourced and packaged, so you never have to wonder if what you’re putting on your body is healthy for you, or the environment. eu2be.com.
The Barre + Yoga Experience
Some days it’s hard to decide on a workout: Do you want a cardio sesh or the sweet relief of yoga stretches? How about a workout that combines both? For that, you’ll need to sign up for the Experience — a one-of-a-kind class offered by the Barre + Yoga Experience, a studio that won over Rhode Islanders before expanding to Plainville in 2021. The signature class guides you through a vinyasa-inspired flow while you’re wearing ankle and wrist weights, mixing in some barre moves, cardio bursts, and breath work along the way. Talk about having something for everyone. 84 Taunton St., Plainville, MA 02762, thebarreandyogaexperience.com.
Saks Fifth Avenue
If shoes are the ultimate in therapeutic fixes, then Saks's fitting area could double as a women's support group. Just slide on a pair of gleaming Prada Mary Janes or Michael Kors laser-cut pumps, and watch your mood improve. Buckle up some strappy and teetering Jimmy Choo stilettos, or take a turn in Kate Spade flower-adorned slides—suddenly, you're a new woman. Sculpted Sergio Rossis, sweet Burberry espadrilles, and Vera Wang satin slingbacks all beckon from the shelves, promising immediate gratification, head to toe. Did we mention the Chanel fuchsia wedges? The Blahnik leopard print mules or the Marc Jacobs kitten heels? They're all here, offering true satisfaction for the sole. Prudential Center, Boston, MA saksfifthavenue.com.
Tanjore
It's a good thing they make such a sweet mango lassi</em in this softly lit space just off Harvard Square. A cool yogurt drink is just what's needed after the unusual Indian dishes here, which can set afire even the most tolerant tongue. Named after a city in southern India, Tanjore is the third oldest of four restaurants run by Bombay-born Samir Majmudar, with a mouthwatering menu that covers the country's north and south regions. The dosas are melt-in-your mouth, made of rice and lentil flours and filled with potatoes, chicken, or lamb, then served with coconut chutney and sambhar. For the adventurous, konkan xacuti is a blend of coconut and tamarind curry, while the more traditional kashmir rogan josh, a lamb curry cooked with cloves and cardamom, practically dissolves on the tongue. Like to stick with the familiar? The tikka and tandoori are divine. But with reasonable prices and exceptional service, this is the place to test your limits. Just keep the mango lassi handy. 18 Eliot St., Cambridge, MA tanjoreharvardsq.com.
Glen Cunningham, Baptiste Power Yoga Institute
In characteristic Baptiste Power Yoga fashion, the temperature during Glen Cunningham's methodical Vinyasa-style classes is set to a steamy 90 degrees (though the room feels much hotter). But the unique playfulness Cunningham brings to each rigorous session in the Boston studio has students smiling through even the most painful positions. Cunningham's gentle, yet powerful, presence is supported by three years of study in Anusara yoga, a technique that emphasizes graceful alignment principles and ancient Tantric philosophy. In other words, he knows from the intricacies of body positioning, and can speak to every student's strengths and differences. It's a fun and invigorating twist on the Baptiste Power Yoga style that has devotees lining up to stretch and sweat. 139 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA baronbaptiste.com/the-boston-studios.
India Palace
With its great taquerias, Irish pubs, and Korean restaurants, this thriving Somerville neighborhood offers plenty of restaurants to try. Our vote this year goes to India Palace. Sure, the friendly service and simple décor make dining here a pleasant experience, but it's the delicious, inexpensive, and exotic food that brings us back. Tandoori specialties like chicken marinated in spiced yogurt, vegetarian dishes such as chana masala (slow-cooked chickpeas in a rich tomato-based sauce with coriander and sweet onions), and a creamy mix of onions, nuts, and herbs called rogan josh make it hard to decide which dish to try. So go ahead and try them all. The prices are that low, and with plenty of experience from their busy takeaway business, the servers will be more than happy to pack up your leftovers for you. 23 Union Square, Somerville, MA indiapalacesomerville.info.
Maxime Salon & Spa
Norwell is hardly a hotbed of international enchantment, but this tiny house of beauty has it in spades. The journey begins in the tasseled Moroccan aesthetics room, where you can undergo a Valmont facial—using the famed and exquisite Swiss product line laced with sweet Bulgarian rose—at the nurturing hands of Barbara Foley while you gaze up at a swathed ceiling. Or give yourself over to one of the masseuses, who make their own herb-infused oils and will leave you wondering if you even have a spine. Maxime's nerve center is a conglomerate of beauty bar and hair salon. (Ronit Enos is a meticulous whiz at color.) Relax in the plush cranny decked out like the Taj Mahal as you wait for your day of beauty. 124 Washington St., Norwell, MA maximesalon.com.
Jason Bowen
The Huntington Theatre Company had a lot to crow about with this spring's production of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, which marked the company's completion of all 10 plays in August Wilson's legendary Century Cycle series, about the African-American experience in the 20th century. TV and Broadway star Yvette Freeman played titular blues diva Ma Rainey, but it was Roslindale's own Jason Bowen who stole the show. His roiling, titanic performance as Levee, Rainey's trumpeter, perfectly captured the unbridled ambition that led to his character's violent downfall. Combine that with his sweet performance last fall as the lovestruck Duke Orsino in the Actors' Shakespeare Project's Twelfth Night, and Bowen is well on his way to stardom.
No. 9 Park
Chef Barbara Lynch strikes just the right chord with her Beacon Hill restaurant, which is elegant and haute without any pretension. The ambiance: The music is low and sultry (Billie Holiday is often spinning); the bar is swanky yet small; the dining room is well-appointed and unostentatious. And the food, oh, the food. Lynch is a wonder at homemade Italiana. You can't go wrong with her starchy creations; even simple spaghetti with meat sauce is elevated to higher ground. No. 9 has given Lynch license to be more ambitious, though. Foie gras terrine wrapped in proscuitto with caramelized apples is ethereal; seasonal specialties like lightly fried soft shell crabs with pea shoots are terrifically inventive; and milk chocoalte bread pudding is sweet satisfaction. Added to the mix: sommelier Cat Silirie's impressive Burgundian wine sensibilities, a quietly efficient staff, and a picture-perfect perch on the Common. 9 Park Street, Boston, MA no9park.com.
Katerina Kolokotronis, Grettacole
Just about any facial you receive at Grettacole will be head and shoulders above the rest in town. But those at the hands of Katerina Kolokotronis are nothing short of miraculous. The sweet and down-to-earth Kolokotronis swiftly determines the needs of even the most sensitive skin and, using the acclaimed Swiss beauty line Valmont, sets about rejuvenating it with the most luxurious, restorative facial in town. Gentle extractions and calming masks designed to make the skin glow are applied during the relaxing one-hour treatment. (The collagen mask is a surefire way to keep Botox at bay for years to come.) And to keep the rest of you from getting jealous while your face is pampered, Kolokotronis can arrange for a hair conditioning treatment, after-facial blowout, and makeup application. If that's not enough, she's a master at eyebrow shaping and waxing—which is why Kolokotronis is more than just an aesthetician, she's a miracle worker. Westin Copley/Copley Place, Boston, MA .