Toucan Chocolates
Recycled paper, vegetable-based ink, nuts from the rain forest in Brazil. PC never tasted so good. 31 Wyman Street, P.O. Box 72, Waban, MA .
Arthur Friedman of the <em>Cambridge Express</em>
When Friedman was at the Real Paper, he was quoted all the time. Now he's invisible, but just as good.
Vers
Stock Image via Shutterstock This Chatham spot, which operates out of two spaces in the Orpheum Theater, is a chameleon of sorts: In the morning, the downstairs restaurant and patisserie turns out sausage-flecked " hangover muffins" and fresh-baked croissants; during the day, the upstairs eatery serves fish tacos and cured salmon salads to the lunchtime crowd. But chef and owner Jonathan Haffmans really shines in the evening, turning out gorgeous dishes like ibérico ham paired with beet sorbet, and Cape Cod capon with pork belly and pinot noir sauce. The restaurant’s name is Dutch for " fresh," a nod to Haffmans’s heritage. It also describes the perspective he’s bringing to the Cape dining scene. 637 Main St., Chatham, MA 2633, verscapecod.com.
Today's Bread, Ltd.
A neighborhood secret, already discovered by top caterers. Get here early, or it's gone. 701 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, MA .
Museum of Fine Arts
Even the merest trifle takes on special significance when wrapped in one of the beautiful gift papers form the MFA gift shop. 465 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA .
La Bonne Maison
BK&B No generic pasta bowls here: La Bonne Maison appeals to foodies with creative fare such as buttermilk-chicken sliders with hot--pepper jelly, and stuffed apples, baked to perfection. Opt for the team’s full-service catering or easy drop-off meals, and don’t forget the cocktails; the “Flower Child,” for example, blends tequila, orange blossom honey, and hibiscus. 367 California St., Newton, MA 02458, labonnemaison.com.
Fête Collection
When it comes to paper goods, Fête Collection is in a league of its own. Co-owners Julie Pike and Eileen Sherman have serious experience with the etiquette, timelines, and wording of a full invitation suite, not to mention the design decisions that go into creat 345 D St., Boston, MA 02127, shopfete.com.
Alpha Omega
To some, time is commitment. To others, it's a luxury. Alpha Omega caters to both types with its selection of designer watches well worth locking on your wrist. Watch the minutes tick by on a solid gold Rolex, diamond-studded sparkling Ebel, or sturdy sterling-silver TAG Heuer. Good timing was never so easy. 1380 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA .
Pendragon, Ink
For 20 years, Massachusetts native Maria Thomas has been designing hand-lettered, hand-painted stationery. Now she has hit the big time with a line of elegant wedding papers for Crane and Company, the Renaissance Collection, which is destined to be coveted by all who receive them. Crane & Company Papermakers, Prudential Center, Boston, MA .
Park
Park Restaurant This well-decorated, approachable spot caters to the Harvard crowd with a stellar late-night menu and dining areas that have a scholarly feel—"The Classroom" space, for example, features lounge chairs and shelves filled with books. What to Order: The meat pie of the day; patty melt. 59 JFK St., Cambridge, MA parkcambridge.com.
Kenzie Kids and K Girl
This is where all the best-dressed kids in school shop. One side of the store caters to wee ones with Little Giraffe onesies, Deux Par Deux dresses and jeans, Splendid tees, and Montclair jackets. The other side, meanwhile, features trendy designer looks (Chloe dresses, Armani jackets) for budding fashionistas in their tweens and teens. 200 Linden St., Wellesley, MA kenziekids.com.
Eileen McNamara, <em>Boston Globe</em>
She had no qualms writing a column criticizing disgraced fellow Metro writer Patricia Smith by name. But when the Globe's Steve Bailey tried to write a column criticizing McNamara by name, she complained to her bosses and voila—her name was removed from the column before the paper went to press.
Bunker Hill Barber Shop
Set in a row of clapboard Colonials, this Chucktown haunt is the ideal neighborhood spot for reading the paper, chatting about the game, and—oh, yeah—getting a great cut. 26 Common St., Charlestown, MA .
Chef Lee's Famous Soul Food
From collard greens to pig's feet to fried chicken to sweet-potato pie, Chef Lee's offers a full menu of homey cooking. they cater, too. 1140 Blue Hill Avenue, Dorchester, MA .
Boston Symphony Orchestra
From its historical digs on Mass. Ave., the BSO manages to cater to both Liszt fans and those who just want to hear what the Star Wars theme sounds like live. bso.org/.