Best Photographer, Family Portraits
Terri Ruth Unger
Anyone tired of cheesy, slick portraits on fake backgrounds will appreciate the simply, honest beauty of Unger's work. She prefers her subjects unposed in familiar surroundings with natural light. The result: refreshingly candid and artful shots. And she prints everything in classy black and white on high-quality paper, perfect for a long-lasting family heirloom.
Best Festival of Hypocrisy
The <em>Globe</em>'s assault on <em>Herald</em> reporter Beverly Ford
The Globe's assault on Herald reporter Beverly Ford, which claimed wrongly that she had made up an interview in the Reverend Accelyne Williams case. Globe reporter Tom Mashberg defended Ford, became persona non grata at his paper, and left shortly after the incident. Meanwhile, you can read Mike Barnicle regularly in the Globe.
Best Ski Shop
Bob Smith's Wilderness House
For many Bostonians, summer is a savored moment wedged between the brutal bookends of the New England winter. For skiers, it's an interruption. They're already dreaming of the first snowstorm. Bob Smith's Wilderness House caters to these people—novices and experts alike—because the staff feels their pain. Völkl, Salomon, Rossignol: The employees here know them all and can discuss at length the merits of each brand (and the best slopes to break them in). Custom boot fitting puts the icing on the cake. 1048 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA
Best Fries
Saus
First, Idaho russets are aged for at least a month before the peeling, cutting, and rinsing commences. Next comes a low-temperature dunk in the fryolator. Finally, the Belgian-style frites are flash-fried to order in a vegetable-oil blend, salted, and corralled into a stiff paper cone—and only then are they ready to be dunked into one of the 12 house-made sauces on offer (we're partial to the curry ketchup, cheddar Duvel, and "Saturday-night chive"). 33 Union St., Boston, MA http://eatfrites.com
Best Middle Eastern/Central Asian Restaurant
Helmand
The Helmand This off-the-beaten path spot in East Cambridge has been around for decades, yet somehow manages to make us feel like we're discovering something new every time we visit. Such are the wonders of the authentic Afghani cuisine—kaddo, or pan-fried baby pumpkin baked with ground beef, and aushak, or paper-thin ravioli skins with a bright leek filling. Don't pass up dessert—the homemade cardamom ice cream with pistachios is a knockout. 143 First St., Cambridge, MA http://helmandrestaurant.com
Best Hotel Bar
The Hawthorne
Photo by Jesse Burke This swanky spot in the Hotel Commonwealth combines the comforts of a hotel bar—plush chaise lounges, velvet armchairs—with the top-notch libations and luxurious snacks of a craft-cocktail den. Unwind with an Aperol-and-bourbon-laced "Paper Plane" and an order of the raclette-topped fingerling "potato skins," and you just might forget you're not sleeping upstairs. 500A Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA http://thehawthornebar.com
Best Romantic Restaurant, Berkshires
Blantyre
Overnighting at a Lenox mansion is a thrill in its own right, so we recommend you combine a sumptuous meal at Blantyre with an equally luxurious stay. Striking tapers, crystal glassware, and courtly waiters set the scene for an extravagant dinner of halibut bouillabaisse, Bordelaise beef tenderloin, and brandy-flavored foie gras. It's okay if it all stimulates another kind of appetite: You are sleeping over. 16 Blantyre Rd., Lenox, MA 1240, http://blantyre.com
Best Coffee Shop
Thinking Cup
Amid the vibeless businesses catering to tourists around the Common, Thinking Cup reminds us of the downtown that Bostonians deserve: grownup, urbane, and a little sexy. Outfitted with a sweeping marble counter and leather banquettes, this newcomer channels an old-school European café while crafting deeply flavorful espressos, lavish Valrhona-chocolate mochas, and mor—all using Oregon's legendary Stumptown roasts. But the apex of Thinking Cup's artisanry just might be its Pour Over: a single flawless cup, ground and brewed expressly for you. 165 Tremont St., Boston, MA 2111, http://thinkingcup.com
Best Japanese Restaurant, Affordable
Douzo
Where to go when you're craving fantastic raw creations on a burned-out budget: Douzo, near Back Bay Station, which serves up little sushi treasures that are every bit as pristine (if a tad less transcendent) as those at the city's big-price bars. The loungey space is hopping on weekends, but don't let that distract from the kitchen's deft flavor-texture balancing act, as displayed in the torched toro maki wrapped with asparagus and paper-thin raw jalapeño. 131 Dartmouth St., Boston, MA 2116, http://douzosushi.com
Best Seafood Restaurant, Affordable
No Name Restaurant
The décor is worn; the waiters, crusty. The low-priced seafood, on the other hand, couldn't be fresher, and the kitchen knows what to do with it, displaying considerable finesse with battered fried clams, seared scallops, and buttery chowder made with leftovers from the catches of the day. While some people may be put off by the No Name's unfussy shtick—the restaurant famously serves water by the pitcher in tiny paper cups—regulars know it's part of what amounts to one of the tastiest bargains in Boston. 15 1/2 Fish Pier, Boston, MA http://nonamerestaurant.com
Best Wedding Caterer
Chive Events
Drawing from an arsenal of locally sourced produce, Chive whips up such mouthwatering dishes as apple-and-wine-braised short ribs and decadent cocoa-caramel cream puffs. Need another reason to book? To avoid wasting food, the company delivers leftovers to local composting businesses. Virtue never tasted so good. 30 Rantoul St., Beverly, MA 01915, http://chiveevents.com
Best Wedding Caterer
Saltbox Kitchen
Chef-owner Ben Elliott, whose grandparents started the family farm in the 1940s, grows garden staples and lesser-known heirloom veggies and raises sheep for meat, chickens for eggs, and bees for honey, which translates to the freshest ingredients possible on your wedding plate. His stint as chef de cuisine at Barbara Lynch’s No. 9 Park, meanwhile, translates to creative, beautifully plated dishes—from wild striped bass with tomato agrodolce in the summer to handmade tagliatelle with white-wine-braised rabbit and charred baby onions in the fall. 84 Commonwealth Ave., Concord, MA http://saltboxkitchen.com
Best Wedding Caterer
Boston Unique Events
It's your wedding and all you got was this lousy, rubbery chicken. Make your special day special by hiring Boston Unique Events. Owner Susan Callender puts together wedding menus with a chef s eye, and her seasonal dishes lemon-marinated grilled scallops, warm pumpkin-ginger bisque, seafood crêpes with thyme cream made with fresh ingredients and plated with a subtle flair, ensure the food looks as good as you do. 498 Pleasant St., Watertown, MA http://bostonuniqueevents.com
Best Literary Series
Harvard Book Store
Where else can you learn the secrets of grilling with Mark Bittman, examine fascism with Madeleine Albright, and ponder life sans social media with virtual-reality trailblazer Jaron Lanier? It’s all about variety at this perennial favorite, where the events series—presented in a range of venues, on a range of subjects—caters to bookworms of all stripes. 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138, http://harvard.com
Best Bath and Body Products
Follain
This pretty, well-appointed South End apothecary caters to your beauty needs, but with a conscience. Owner Tara Foley selects only the healthiest and most environmentally friendly products, including locally made goods from Shamanuti, Farmaesthetics, and Amber Blue, to line her shelves (an in-store hand-and-body-soap bar for refills cuts down on plastic bottle waste, too). Foley’s even committed to your well-being on vacation: Her Nantucket outpost opened this past May. 53 Dartmouth St., Boston; and 9A S. Beach St., Nantucket, http://www.shopfollain.com