Bella Santé
You could get a less expensive manicure at any of the walk-in salons that line Newbury Street, but will it last a blissful, chip-free week? A manicure at Bella Santé will, and that, combined with the friendly service, exceptional cleanliness, and immaculate attention to detail (excess polish is erased with a tiny paintbrush), makes the service worth the (slightly higher) price. The staff here can create a flawless French manicure and recommend a regular maintenance program to keep nails strong and healthy. An added bonus: the extensive collection of O.P.I. and Essie polishes to keep you looking fashion-magazine fresh. 38 Newbury St., Boston, MA bellasante.com.
Bouclé
Unlike that other island, the Vineyard isn't all about donning your D&G. Still, after a hard day at the beach, even the most casual among us may crave a little luxury. And that's certainly what you'll find at Bouclé, a tidy two-story spa in the heart of Edgartown. Its spa manicure is a professional buff and polish (you can let your nails dry in the blooming patio garden); its lymphatic massage, a detoxifying dream. The cedar-shingle retreat has a full-service hair salon, too, just in case an unpretentious party invite arrives in your mailbox. 12 N. Water St., Edgartown, MA 2539, .
Interlocks Salon and Day Spa
There's very little on the cutting edge of hairstyling that hasn't made its way up north, thanks to Interlocks. This full-service salon and day spa may have a small-town feel, but it boasts a pool of stylists and colorists straight from the Back Bay and beyond. Specialty services include strand-by-strand hair extensions, thermal straightening, and imaging software consultations so you can see your hair in any color, style, and length before you take the plunge. Once you're properly coiffed, head over to one of the massaging thrones in the nail salon for a "Margarita Mango" pedicure. 58 Merrimac St., Newburyport, MA interlockssalon.com/.
Bill Arning
Bill Arning at MIT's List Visual Arts Center bulks up his reputation as a champion of the arts by scouting new talent, nurturing young artists, and breathing fresh life into the city's art scene.
Eliot School of Fine & Applied Arts
Known for its upholstery class, the school also offers lessons on underappreciated skills like carving longbows. 24 Eliot St., Jamaica Plain, MA 2130, eliotschool.org.
Figment Boston
Other festivals may showcase art, but they probably don’t turn you into the one making it. Come July, the local edition of this global arts event lets you sculpt, jam, act, and more. boston.figmentproject.org.
Boston Art & Music Soul Festival
Partnering with Berklee, the second BAMS Fest at Franklin Park boasted killer acts such as Eric Roberson and Cliff Notez jamming on its two stages. Roxbury, MA bamsfest.org.
Mikel Hunter Fine Art & Apparel
As overused as the word “curated” may be in the retail industry, there’s simply no other way to describe the one-of-a-kind fine art, clothing, accessories, and jewelry hand-selected by owner Mikel Hunter, a veteran of both the fashion and gallery worlds. Small-batch designer duds? Check. Paintings by collectible emerging artists? Check. Everything and anything unexpected? Double check. 11 Winter St., Edgartown, MA 02539, mikelhunter.com.
MIT List Visual Arts Center
About every eight weeks, from September to June, the LVAC shows innovative, provocative contemporary work in all media by established and emerging artists, including the likes of Kiki Smith and Louise Borugeois. There are a total of three gallery spaces—more than 4,600 square feet—in this grid-patterned building, designed by MIT alumnus I. M. Pei in 1985. And the atrium, where a giant, colorful Kenneth Nolan painting sprawls across an entire wall, is by far one of Boston's most beautiful sanctuaries. 20 Ames St., Cambridge, MA .
Overland Gallery, Massachusetts College of Art
A shabby space, but innovative exhibits. 364 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA .
Lucas Samaras at the Institute of Contemporary Art
955 Boylston St., Boston, MA .
American Repertory Theater
Part storied dramaturgical institution and part experimental funhouse, ART delivers on its mission to bring cutting-edge theater to Cambridge. americanrepertorytheater.org.
Fruitlands
Bronson Alcott's utopia here failed, but the idyllic setting won't fail to please.
Community Boating
Let's face it: Sooner or later someone's going to invite you to go sailing, and if you don't know what you're doing, you're going to get clocked in the head with the boom. To avoid humiliation and possible injury, sign up for bargain-basement sailing lessons at this nonprofit boathouse just across from the Charles-MGH T-stop. With your $195 membership, you get an unlimited number of lessons—and as soon as you pass the rigging test, learn the meaning of "luffing" and "halyward" at Shore School, and take a quick quiz, you can sail the Charles with anyone who'll take you. Community Boating also offers kayak and windsurfing lessons. The deal is unbeatable if you don't mind hanging out with the eccentric and sometimes testy volunteer staff. 21 Embankment Road, Boston, MA .
MiniLuxe
MiniLuxe garners raves for its devotion to hygiene (technicians sterilize tools in the same machines used by surgeons and dentists), but the three-year-old chain takes its perfectionism a step further: The salon is immaculately clean, sleek, and decorated with gorgeous displays of high-end beauty products. Best of all, the manicures are the most detail-oriented in town. As far as technicians go, we're still partial to last year's pedicure winner, the ultrasweet Shayna Shirazi at the Newbury outpost—but everyone we encountered was pleasant and thorough. Bonus: Prices are only a few bucks more than at those blinking-neon-light nail salons—and polish colors are always on-trend. Try the new OPI Axxium gel polish, which lasts two blissfully chip-free weeks. 296 Newbury St, Boston, MA 2116, miniluxe.com.