Filthy Rich of Boston
This North End gem promises replicas of "world-famous celebrity jewelry," and it delivers better than a stunt double. Filthy Rich of Boston has more than 100 authorized exact copies of classic pieces owned and worn by legends like Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Kennedy, as well as look-alikes from current stars such as Halle Berry and Nicole Kidman. You may not be an Oscar winner, but you can accessorize like one. Boston, MA 2113,
The Ritz-Carlton Boston
After a $60 million facelift, all 17 stories of Boston's grande dame gleam as brightly as they did in the 1920s. This Ritz has spent more than 75 years perfecting the art of impeccable service, and it shows in a sophistication and luxury unmatched in this town—right down to the jocular doorman and white-gloved bellboys. The chandelier-filled dining room has been restored to its previous grandeur, and the vast menu of amenities includes bath and fireplace butlers, afternoon tea, and etiquette classes for children. 15 Arlington St., Boston, MA tajhotels.com/boston.
Boston Center for Adult Education
Sorry guys and dolls, thanks to the Boston Center for Adult Education, there are just no more excuses for thinking salsa is merely a condiment. Even if you have two left feet, the BCAE can teach you everything from swing to ballroom dancing. They make disco cool. Hell, they'll even teach you to belly dance. And if the thought of that first dance in front of all those people sounds worse than 50 ears with your mother-in-law, they eve have a class called "Dance at Your Wedding: Choreographing the Moment." 5 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA bcae.org.
Boston Car Service
Whether you need transportation for a big cheese from New York or just a ride to Logan at 3 a.m., traveling in a Boston Car Service sedan will do you right. Rates are easy on the check-book: From the Boston/Cambridge area to Logan, it's about $33 to ride in a swank Lincoln with a driver who asks your route and temperature preferences. Now this is living. 60 Kilmarnock Street, Boston, MA bostoncorpcoach.com.
Boston Pet Sitters
Fact is, you can't always be there when your beagle needs you. Let Jennifer North or one of her colleagues at Boston Pet Sitters take over the midday walk, or even those weekends when Snoopy isn't invited along to Tanglewood. She'll come as many times a day as needed to walk, feed, water, and generally coddle the little darlings. She comes with a pocketful of plastic bags for pooper-scoopering, industrial strength foul-weather gear for those New England winters, and, most important, a sincere love of dogs. 144 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA .
Boston Book Annex
Like a portal to Narnia, a door below street level reveals an impossibly boundless collection of used books, neatly organized into hundreds of irresistible categories, including "espionage," "nature writing," and "UFOs." Two cats doze near the front, and there's quiet but the sound of the creaky wooden floors. 906 Beacon Street, Boston, MA .
Boston Links Golf Shop
The best place to turn for new clubs and clothes, even though prices are a bit higher than at the discount centers that have proliferated in the suburbs. Both Boston Links Golf shops stock ample selections of quality equipment, and the atmosphere feels like a members-only clubhouse. This is the shopper's haven for gifts: the prints and framed photos will leave you dreaming of playing the back nine at Pebble Beach with the Golden Beat. 150 Federal St., Boston, MA .
Boston Instant Shoe Repair
After clomping around the city for a few years, our Italian-leather boots were in dire need of a makeover. "Oy. You must really love these,' said this shop's proprietor as he noticed the wood and nails poking through the heels. He tenderly brought them back to life in just three days, and our boots were again ready to strut their stuff. Boston, MA
Boston Pet Sitters
Owner Jennifer North has earned the undying love of her charges by accommodating their emotional needs as well as their fondness for particular hydrants. Anxious owners can rest easy knowing their babies are being cared for with the love and affection they themselves lavish on their beastly buddies. 144 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA .
Boston Athletic Club
The best racquet in town. 653 Summer St., South Boston, MA .
The Boston condo market.
Realtors call a soft market a squash, and, boy, have they learned all about squash this year.
Boston Sailing Center
Learn the difference between a rope and a line, and learn to love Boston by sea. 54 Lewis Wharf, Boston, MA .
The Boston Athletic Club
Has it all under one roof. 653 Summer St., Boston, MA .
The Boston Athletic Club
Some say the multipurpose club is the dating-bar wave of the future. This one's got tennis, racquetball, weights, a pool, a Jacuzzi, a restaurant, and a bar. Some nice bods, too. 653 Summer St., Boston, MA .
Boston Pet Center
Everything Phydeau needs, and a rainy day's adventure for the kids. 119 First St., Cambridge, MA .