Recycle Studio
Lycra-clad fitness freaks flock to Recycle Studio, the South End's trendy spin-only gym, for its upbeat vibe and killer playlists. And they stay for the tough instructors, who take disciples through a total-body workout with weights that leaves quadriceps and biceps burning. 643A Tremont St., Boston, MA 2118, recycle-studio.com.
Comedy Studio
A dim attic in a Chinese restaurant may not shout "big laughs inside," but the Comedy Studio consistently delivers them. The room's long communal tables—and an audience lubricated with potent scorpion bowls—provide a perfect setting for seasoned pros to test new material, and for up-and-comers to hone their timing. 1238 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 2138, thecomedystudio.com.
The Midtown Cultural District
Enough pre-event publicity. Pour the wine, start the music.
City Sports
Whether you frequent the track, court, pool, green, studio, or field, this athletic-gear mecca has just the right duds to keep you in the game—or match, or meet, or class, as the case may be. With brands ranging from Nike and New Balance to Patagonia and Prana, and a variety of price points (read: yoga pants that won’t set you back $100-plus), there’s something for everyone, and for every sport. Well played, City Sports. 480 Boylston St., Boston; and other locations, citysports.com.
The Wellness Atelier
We’ve all had those nights — the ones where you wake up the next morning with a blinding headache and an appetite for nothing but saltines. Plan ahead, and next time you can roll right out of bed and into Dr. Daniela Winston’s Newbury Street studio for the cheekily named “About Last Night” IV, a hydrating treatment designed to lessen hangover symptoms. The concierge medicine practice also offers a variety of other nutritional IVs that infuse your body with the stuff it needs to not just survive but thrive. 36 Newbury St., 3rd Fl., Boston, MA 02116, thewellnessatelier.com.
Lauren Genatossio, Sarra Studios
There are plenty of ’90s trends we’re glad to welcome back into our repertoires—chunky sandals, slip dresses, high-waisted everything—but one thing that can stay in the last century? Pencil-thin eyebrows. Thankfully, Lauren Genatossio is firmly on the same page, creating nothing but lush, full looks from her South Boston and Hingham studios. Bring your out-of-control brows to Genatossio and watch as she plucks and trims them into goddess-like arches, creating the exact shape needed to make your eyes and cheekbones pop. 840 Summer St. , Boston, MA 02127, sarraboston.com.
Rise Beauty Studio
Canadian sisters Mia Kizaki and Amy Kaye set up shop on Newbury Street last fall, and have proved yet again that our neighbors to the north know how to make everything, even eyebrow plucking, congenial. At Rise, you lie on your back on a comfy spa bed as the stylist works her magic seated in a chair behind you. No more awkwardly staring at yourself in a mirror as your eyes water; just an almost nap that ends with the big reveal of a perfectly manicured brow line. 316 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02115, risebeautystudio.com.
WellFit Studio
When Anna Israel, the owner of WellFit, explains why acupuncture works, she’s not speaking in the abstract: Her own health woes led her to the traditional Chinese practice and a slew of other natural healing techniques. She knows that listening carefully to what ails you—from pain to infertility—is almost as important as the treatment itself. Whether it’s her easy-going demeanor or those magical needles, we guarantee you’ll leave feeling like a better version of yourself. 376 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02116, wellfitstudio.com.
NYX Studio at Observatory
In a world where simply stringing beads qualifies as jewelry-making, Nicole Rueda-Watts stands in a class by herself. Trained in metalworking in the storied Mexican town of San Miguel de Allende, Cambridge-based Rueda-Watts mixes fine silver, bronze, and brass work with feathers, leather, African trade beads, carnelian, moonstones, and pearls, creating stunning original pieces. 270 Concord Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138, nyxstudio.com.
Scott Levine, the Studio
Despite all your preparations (and no thanks to the open bar) no one will recall the details until the photos arrive. And while shots of Uncle Leo's Electric Slide are always entertaining, you don't really need them in your album. The more crucial pics are of the day's poignant, fleeting moments. Scott Levine gets those—he gets everything—with the uncanny sense of timing and sharply trained eye that come from 20 years on the circuit. He posts photos online for six months, letting you browse and reorder the best of the bunch. 21 Fieldstone Drive, Stoneham, MA thestudiosl.com.
Winston Flowers Design Studio
Sixty years in, there's nary a Boston venue that hasn't been decked with Winston's spectacularly traditional yet fresh-feeling arrangements. While the venerable chain's seven Great Boston stores do a brisk retail business, weddings are no small side project: Brides get close personal attention at the South End design studio. 160 Southampton St., Boston, winstonflowers.com.
Artemisia Floral Studio
Floral innovation is in full bloom at Artemisia, the downtown showcase for arrangements that run from delicately tied bundles of tiny daisies to huge, sweeping bunches of irises, roses, and lilies. Exquisite, spare designs—say, planted hyacinths, pussywillows, and roses—are a specialty. But the real kicker here is the personal service, which includes plenty of one-on-one time with the florally proficient employees. 327 Summer St., Boston, MA .
"Studio 7," Channel 7
This classy quarterly arts show hosted by opera star Phyllis Curtin, now dean of the Boston University School for the Arts, proves that commercial TV can tackle the arts.
Stacey Frasca, Studio 28
What do Lorraine Bracco, Bryan Cranston, and Boston’s own Gretta Monahan have in common? They’ve all taken a spin in Stacey Frasca’s chair. With three decades of experience, the makeup artist’s glam yet natural style has attracted countless VIP clients and locals alike, who stop by Studio 28 for special-occasion makeup, spray tans, and one-on-one lessons. And with virtual services, you can up your cosmetic game without ever leaving home. 568 Washington St., Wellesley, MA 02482, studio28wellesley.com.
Quadrum
"Funky elegance" may seem like an oxymoron, but the keen-eyed buyers at Quadrum nail it. Witness the brilliant pairings: hammered-metal cuffs scattered with diamonds next to Darcy Miro bangles that look like some beautiful thing that crawled straight out of the sea. 199 Boylston St., Chestnut Hill, MA 2467, quadrumgallery.com.