Limelight
There are two kinds of karaoke-goers: traditionalists "just in it for the music" and Axl-style mike hogs. Limelight suits both. More than 5,000 songs provide variety, and an always appreciative, largely tipsy audience supplies the right amount of Idol-esque egging on. (Those suffering from stage fright can "Sweet Child o' Mine" it up in private studios modeled on clubs in Tokyo, where subtitled singing is practically a professional sport.) The food may be greasy and the drinks can be weak, but never having to share stage time with "Sister Christian"-loving frat boys is more than a fair exchange. 204 Tremont St., Boston, MA limelightboston.com.
Juniko
This Hanover workout center is less a gym and more a lifestyle dojo. Named for Japan’s "Twelve Lakes" and cofounded by jujitsu world champ Daniel Gracie, Juniko takes a fitness-academy approach to wellness, offering adult- and child-level formats to suburbanites investing in their whole family’s health. Held in a sleek studio, the classes—including Brazilian jujitsu and aerial yoga—feel more like performance art than exercise. But you’ll still want to reward yourself with a visit to the on-site juice bar for kale smoothies, avocado toast, and take-home cleanses. 1376 Washington St., Hanover, MA 02339, juniko.com.
Boston Sports Club
You might want to join this club for the parking alone. Where else can you pay $1 during peak hours for an indoor spot? New owners have done a complete rehab on the old Allston-Brighton Squash Club, which now pulls its weight with the other big-name clubs in town. To wit: acres of cardio machines, including the hot new elliptical walkers; brand new Cybex; free weights of every description; six squash courts; a huge aerobics studio (that doubles as a gym); and a dedicated spinning room with enough colored lights on the ceiling for a Broadway show. 15 Gorham St., Boston, MA .
SBI
True, it's in a shopping mall, or at least the closest thing Harvard Square has to a shopping mall. And it's part of a bigger chain. But it's still one of those photo stores where the staff loves to talk about cameras, and the prices are some of the best around. A standard Minolta flash that costs more than $100 around the corner sells here for $75. After buying the flash, our agent asked for an expensive gizmo to connect it to his light meter. "Oh no," said the salesguy. "You don't need it. We use the same light meter in the studio I work at and I'm sure you don't need it." 57 JFK Street, Harvard Square Galeria, Cambridge, MA .
Zona
Charles David may have the dazzling hair-color bar and AZ Studio the highly shoppable product boutique, but Zona's got the talent, times two. Andrew Zona recently closed his top-notch Hingham Square salon to join brother Frank's equally favored setup in Queen Anne Plaza, uniting the third generation of a hairdressing family that traces its roots back to 1800s Italy. Despite that long history, nothing feels dated about either the space, which got a swank facelift last year, or the services, which could hold their own on Newbury. 10 Washington Street, Norwell, MA 2061, .
Ames Street Deli
Editor's Note, July 13, 1 p.m.: Ames Street—which merged with its neighbor Study for a combined concept called "Study at Ames" in late June, after press time for our Best of Boston issue—closed July 12.
After creating a top-tier nightlife enclave at Somerville’s Backbar, Sam Treadway and team are now schooling the country’s smartest city in cocktail-making. Here, they offer an ever-changing matrix organized by liquor, breaking down off-center sips (purple-cabbage gin, anyone?) to make even foreign flavors feel approachable. 73 Ames St., Cambridge, MA 02142, amesstreetdeli.com.
Baron Baptiste, Baptiste Power Yoga Institute
Some argue that power yoga is not really yoga. But sweat and stretch your way through just one class with Baron Baptiste and you'll be a believer in his high-intensity, high-temperature workout. Just ask the dozens of devotees who pile into his tiny Porter Square studio for his first-come, first-serve classes—or any of the professional athletes and celebrities (including Elisabeth Shue and Helen Hunt) who are fans. Lest you assume that Baptiste's method forgoes the meditative properties of traditional yoga, be assured that classes are conducted in a soothingly quiet room where traditional breathing techniques and perfect form are stressed, though the room is heated to more than 90 degrees to keep the muscles loose. And at only $10 per session (a dollar extra for mat rentals), it's an indulgence that can easily be made a habit. 2000 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA baronbaptiste.com.
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 .
Claire Dunphy
After a few years of aerobics and step classes, you realize there's just so much pounding the joints can take. Enter the Pilates method of exercise— a gentle-but-tough way to strengthen every inch of your abused bod. Professional dancers swear by this system, which involves a spring-loaded contraption called the Reformer to work every muscle you have, and some you didn't know you had. Clare Dunphy is certified by Pilates Studio in New York (not everyone who hangs out a Pilates shingle is certified), has all the right equipment, and will have you strong and flexible without the impact of most exercise classes. Progress at your own rate with an encouraging "Ahhh! Now doesn't that feel good?" from Clare. And it does. Dimensions in Fitness, 12 Station St., Brookline, MA .
The fresh food drinks at Legal Sea Foods
Roger Berkowitz claims he spends his Carribbean vacations studying native bartenders. Park Plaza Hotel, Boston, MA .
Ermenegildo Zegna
It's not just the meticulously cut, stunning suits, though it could be—they're that good. Nor is it only the luxury fabrics (topnotch weaves of wool and mohair, cashmere and silk) or the customized, informed, and otherwise flawless service. It's all of the above, and what they add up to: a shopping experience and (ultimately) a wardrobe that are studies in refined but easy elegance. 39 Newbury St., Boston, MA zegna.com.
<em>Valparaiso</em> by Don DeLillo, A.R.T.
A surreal study of the spreading mediascape featured the most interviewed man in the world. Novelist DeLilo's second play said something true and haunting about how the national obsession with fame is corroding our souls.
Tiger's Baku
In Japan, a baku is a creature reputed in mythology to eat bad dreams. Here, it is a blend of jazz and fusion that soothes the savage beast. Tiger (aka Toru Okoshi) came to Boston from Japan in 1972 to study at Berklee. He's been in the mainstream of the local jazz scene ever since.
Mahoney's
It was a happy day for urban gardeners when the great Mahoney's of Winchester opened a branch on Memorial Drive. All kinds of indoor and outdoor plants and supplies, small trees, all-natural fertilizer and insect sprays—everything you need for a city garden, at reasonable prices and with helpful staff who understand and cherish the plants. 889 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA .