The Club by George Foreman III
George "Monk" Foreman III has done something truly unique in Fort Point: He merged a boxing gym with a luxury fitness studio. While the 15,000-square-foot space offers two boxing rings—his father is two-time heavyweight champion and lean mean grilling machine George Foreman, after all—it also has spa-quality locker rooms with steam, sauna, and showers; an on-site juice bar; classes including yoga, Pilates, and indoor cycling; and plenty of cardio equipment and free weights. 15 Channel Center St., Boston, MA 02210, everybodyfights.com.
Fuller Craft Museum
Don't let the name fool you: This Brockton institution isn't a musty warehouse of old quilts and wooden shoes. It's instead a showcase for contemporary handmade objets d'art, a place where sublime ceramics made at East Cambridge's Clay Dragon Studios sit beside burnished-aluminum mobiles inspired by the myth of Icarus. Later this year, the museum will unveil an intricate, kaleidoscopic survey of enamel art from the 1920s to the present day, and, most eye-catching of all, artist Stan Munro's massive replicas of such architectural wonders as the Taj Mahal and the White House—rendered entirely in toothpicks. 455 Oak St., Brockton, MA 02301, fullercraft.org.
Sports Club/LA
For gym rats who take their sweating seriously, the Sports Club/LA is as type A as its notably toned clientele. Some 114,000 square feet of equipment, including more than 150 cardio machines, means rare is the occasion that you're forced to idle by the water fountain, waiting for Sweaty Guy to max out his half-hour limit; deluxe locker room amenities mean you can look just as good leaving the gym as you did going in. And a schedule of 120-plus classes a week, among them an average of 10 daily yoga sessions at the new MindBody studios, means there's instruction for every fitness (and coordination) level. 4 Avery St., Boston, MA 2111, thesportsclubla.com.
Mepal Spa
If you're the type who balks at micromanaged vacations, you'll find nirvana at this secluded country sanctuary, where there's nary an itinerary in sight. With its fitness studio, beauty salon, and soundproof treatment rooms, Mepal's modern 6,000-square-foot spa stands in splendid contrast to the main turreted manor, which was built in 1907. A private Pilates class followed by a hot stone massage, manicure, and soak in the peaceful outdoor Jacuzzi will leave you so relaxed, you won't even be able to think about sightseeing. 100 Stone Manor Dr., New Marlborough, MA 1230, mepalspa.com.
Noel Schroeder
Yoga has gone from niche to the norm. Instructors teach the masses in mat-filled locations everywhere in the city—the gym, the spa, the private studio. All of which makes truly personalized yoga something of a rarity. Noel Schroeder is the exception: Her class at the Sports Club/LA may be filled with deep-breathing bodies, but her teaching methods make the experience feel like a private session. She scans the room constantly, pinpointing when her students need to hold their pose and anticipating a slip-up in form before anyone moves a muscle. Is it any wonder that her fiercely loyal clientele all happen to be lithe and limber-bodied? 4 Avery St., Boston, MA .
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.
9Tailors
Founder Samantha Shih is out to prove that custom suits (not to mention shirts and blazers) are an attainable—and necessary!—luxury for men and women of all shapes and sizes. It all starts with a painless one-hour consultation at 9Tailors’ Leather District studio or via video chat, during which time you’ll choose design details and materials ranging from rich velvet to Glen plaid. By the time your made-to-measure masterpiece arrives five to seven weeks later, you’re guaranteed to have come up with more than a few places to wear it. 132 Lincoln St. , Boston, MA 02111, 9tailors.com.
Rolf Gates, Baptiste Power Yoga
For yoga fiends, Baptiste's intense, heat-infused Vinyasa style has become a secular church in its own right. So it's only fitting that a descendant of six generations of ministers should be at the helm of his newly opened Boston studio, drawing devotees by the day. Rolf Gates's yogic prowess is accentuated by an eclectic frappe of credentials: U.S. Army Airborne ranger, wrestler, EMT, addictions counselor, and marathon runner. His clientele is as varied as his background—CEOs, pro atheletes, housewives, and fitness enthusiasts come seeking Rolf's instruction and inspiration. Factor in his bulging muscles, melodic voice, and deep dedication, and he's nothing less than inspirational. 139 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA .
The Dance Complex
From Capoeira to calypso, belly dance to ballet, the Dance Complex's unparalleled diversity of classes is as far-flung in origin as are its 60 instructors. Founded as a nonprofit artist-run organization, its grass-roots approach to dance training attracts the expertise of prima ballerinas and flamenco artists alike. Classes, which operate out of six studios in a historic Central Square building, are sometimes complemented by live music or drums. Traditionalists won't be disappointed, but the inclusive atmosphere and affordable, drop-in classes may just also compel you to find out what the heck Bachata is about. 536 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA dancecomplex.org.
Stuart Whitehurst
Your great-aunt Mildred has just passed onto that great anti-macassar in the sky, leaving you with a marble-tipped, ormolu-encrusted dresser the size of a Peugot. Your entire studio apartment could fit into the bottom drawer. What to do? Call Stuart Whitehurst. if you want some idea of the quality of Skinner's sales, visit its showroom. But not to worry, even if all that ormolu turns out to be dross, press on. Skinner has a large facility in Bolton, where treasures of less-distinguished pedigree can be found in its monthly "Discovery" sales. Skinner, 63 Park Plaza, Boston, MA .
Gregg D'Andrea
After teaching spinning at workout meccas like Equinox and Crunch, D'Andrea opened his own 5,000-square-foot fitness studio last year to cater to his considerable following. (He claims a 70 percent retention rate among his clients.) Free advice: "For weight training, dumbbells give far better results than machines. And forget weight belts. Last I heard, cavemen didn't wear weight belts, and they were in better shape than some of the people working out now." 55 Charles St., Needham, MA 2494, .
Crystal Morgan, C.Spa
Even before the very talented Crystal Morgan gets you on the table at her immaculately clean Back Bay studio, she’s already working, sizing up the way you stand to see exactly where your tension lies. Once she begins the massage, her magic hands free up every knot and tension spot. Go ahead and glance in the mirror after your 60- to 90-minute treatment is over: Not only will you feel different, but your posture will actually look visibly different, too. 715 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02116, cspaboston.com.
The Foundry
The city of Cambridge transformed this former factory into a gorgeous, multipurpose creative hive with the explicit goal of offering accessible space to artists and artisans in a city that, more often than not, prices them out. Among the Foundry’s public amenities are reservable conference rooms; four makerspaces offering workshops for fi ber arts, woodwork, and more; a demonstration kitchen; a dance studio; and a 115-seat black-box theater. Not artistically inclined? No problem — you’ll also find Zumba classes, gallery shows, and guitar festivals, all open to the public. 101 Rogers St., Cambridge, MA 02142, cambridgefoundry.org.
TrillFit
Whether you’re a hip-hop newbie or consider your dance skills to be on par with Megan Thee Stallion’s, TrillFit welcomes everyone to join its squad. Led by Heather White, the boutique fitness studio has managed to create a community through its virtual “workout parties,” which range from sweaty sculpting classes to more-restorative sessions that incorporate slow-flow yoga and meditation. And who knows? When you do decide to return to in-person classes, you might just impress your pals with those dance moves you’ve been perfecting in your living room. 1484 Tremont St., Boston, MA 02120, trill.fit.
<em>The Donkey Show</em>
Follow the glitter trail to Oberon, where nearly every weekend, a blizzard of pixie dust transforms the cabaret into an immersive disco inferno. This lamé-and-polyester-sheathed version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream—an ode to both the Bard and Studio 54—may have launched in New York, but its 2009 revival in Cambridge gave it new life: After throwing 800-plus dance parties in the venue (christened in honor of the show’s Shakespearean fairy king turned sleazy nightlife impresario), it’s clear this disco is far from dead. 2 Arrow St., Cambridge, MA 02138, americanrepertorytheater.org/oberon.