Things We Can’t Wait to Eat Again
The Kobe cap steak at Grill 23: We’re jonesing for the primal pleasures of a deep-charred steak crust that doesn’t involve sweating bullets over a home grill. The charred avocado nigiri at Café Sushi: Precise applications of lemon, salt, truffle oil, and fire-breathing blowtorch yield a showstopper too delicate for takeout travel. The quail kebobs at at Oleana: Ana Sortun’s elegantly boned-out game-bird skewers taste best in the urban paradise of Oleana’s gorgeous garden. The double-pork ramen at Yume Wo Katare: We miss waiting for hot bowlfuls of garlicky, pork-fat-drenched noodle soup at this intimate eatery, where the camaraderie in line is part of the fun. The “Royal Chocolate Cake for Two, Kween” at Orfano: The indulgence is available in sensible slices for the social-distancing era, but you can’t top the hedonistic joy of double-teaming an entire cake with a close friend.
The Art Store
Muses nonwithstanding, the Art Store sells everything your magnum opus needs, and at prices that won't leave the artist in you starving. Forget rummaging through piles of 200 pre-stretched canvases to find the size you want; it's all neatly ordered against the wall. Every shade of paint—oil, acrylic, watercolor, you name it—is represented, and the paper selection runs from handmade, violet-embedded sheets to plain foam core. Like to sit while you sketch? There's furniture here too, plus easels and mesh file boxes. Come to think of it, the large, open, and neatly arranged space may just inspire you after all—to organize your studio. 401 Park Dr., Boston, MA .
Radius
Yes, we know. Radius is a name that's been dripping off foodies' lips like a thick béarnaise sauce since it opened two and a half years ago. And now it's getting yet another award that has nothing to do with food? Well, trust us—any interior this stark and masculine that still manages to make a women's room feel inviting deserves notice. Simple bud vases collaborate with dim lighting in the cavernous and elegantly sweeping, lounge-like room. The streamlined basin sinks are matched by highly stylized soap dispensers (filled with grapefruit liquid hand soap from Fresh) that are so adorable, otherwise staid ladies have been known to make off with them. 8 High St., Boston, MA radiusrestaurant.com.
Another Cheers bar
Which isn't stopping Bull & Finch Pub owner Tom Kershaw from opening one in Faneuil Hall Marketplace.
Dick Albert's assistant
Meteorologist Dick Albert's assistant at Channel 5
Boston Paws
You can’t make your dog enjoy getting groomed, but you might be able to trick him into not hating it here. Upon walking in, Fido will be distracted by buckets of treats and chew toys at snout level; by the time he reaches groomer Sarah Sneyd, even the most anxious pooch will be primed for a top-notch wash and cut. 313 Belgrade Ave., Roslindale, MA bostonpaw.com.
Laugh Boston
Overlook the corporate location at the Seaport’s Westin Boston Waterfront and instead enjoy the cleanliness and spaciousness (300 seats!), the roster (rising and acclaimed national acts), and a surprisingly delicious bar and cocktail menu, complete with a “Heckler” fishbowl to share. 425 Summer St., Boston, MA 02210, laughboston.com.
Boston Ballet
In its 53rd season, Boston Ballet has long since jetéd from unrivaled in New England to an internationally respected troupe. With veteran principal ballerinas such as Misa Kuranaga and Lia Cirio, who seem to be made of water, and brazen artistic director Mikko Nissinen, the company positively dazzles in both story and contemporary ballets. It’s aiming even higher next season, with the American premiere of William Forsythe’s Artifact and a revitalized Sleeping Beauty. Boston Opera House, 539 Washington St., Boston, MA 02111, bostonballet.org.
Audubon Boston
The menu, revamped by the team behind Trina’s Starlite Lounge, ranges from grilled cheese to " corn husk flounder." 838 Beacon St., Fenway/Kenmore, MA 2215, audubonboston.com.
Louis Boston
Louis has long clothed our city's who's who in sometimes elegant, sometimes edgy apparel—Balenciaga and Zac Posen, Project Alabama and Proenza Schouler. Plus, the überchic staff isn't übersnooty, offering honest opinions without leaving you feeling obligated to buy. That's something even the most sophisticated shopper can appreciate. 60 Northern Ave., Boston, MA 2110, louisboston.com.
Boston Coach
From the pleasant people who take reservation to the early-edition daily newspapers, reading lights and phones in each car, Boston Coach has got it covered. Forty dollars will get you from downtown to Logan in the luxury of a snazzy Volvo ($45 from Cambridge). Limos are available as well. $60/ hour for a six-seater, $78/ hour for eight to ten people. You can make international arrangements, too. 1 Airforce Rd., Everett, MA .
The Boston Shaker
Most men appreciate a stiff one (we're talking drinks, people). And most men enjoy impressing others with their knowledge of crafting a good stiff one (please). Adam Lantheaume's recently expanded cocktail-supply shop, in a new Davis Square location, is like a candy store for mixology connoisseurs. Books about cocktails, handstitched ice-crushing bags, shaker tins, glasses of all shapes and eras, and a vast selection of garnishes help stock every man's dream bar. And hard-to-find ingredients like gum syrup and maple bitters will have him drunk with joy. 69 Holland St., Somerville, MA 2144, thebostonshaker.com.
Ari Boston
Someone once said you can tell a man's personality from his tie. Ari Boston has a selection to reflect even the most complex psyches, in fine woven silks from Italy. 6 Liberty Square, Boston, MA .