Barry’s Bootcamp
Photo by Jamie Ducharme This is the most intense workout we’ve unearthed. The only sound louder than the whir of treadmills was our panting as we sprinted on a 12 percent incline for one minute straight. Barry’s will leave you sweating, shaking, and planning your next masochistic workout. 30 Chauncy St., Boston, MA 02111, barrysbootcamp.com.
The Boston Children's Museum
iStockphoto Why choose a theme for your child's birthday party when she can have it all? Bashes at the Boston Children's Museum come with daylong admission, so guests can have a ball in the art studio, the land of the dinosaurs, and everywhere in between. 308 Congress St., Boston, MA 02210, bostonchildrensmuseum.org.
Ceremony
Owner Alix Childs offers modern brides funky alternatives to the white-meringue gown. In her sun-drenched Beacon Hill studio, she proffers hard-to-find frocks from fashionable faves like Lela Rose and Temperley London. Our eyes are on a handpainted watercolor bridal gown. Now that's a statement. 53 River St., Boston, MA 02114, ceremony-boston.com.
Inviting Company
Dressed up with rich linings, ribbons, and custom monograms, owner Lynne Johnson's smart pocketfold designs are at once substantially complex and stylishly organized. She's also an expert calligrapher, which makes her Back Bay studio a true one-stop shop. 213 Newbury St., Boston, MA invitingcompany.com.
Dropkick Murphys
Okay, a crushingly obvious choice. But consider that the Dropkick Murphys were able to get Bruce Springsteen on their first new studio album in four years—a kickass, heartfelt record that hit number six on the Billboard Hot 200. And now they're headlining at Fenway next month. dropkickmurphys.com.
Ceremony
In a town bursting with wedding talent, few pros come as highly recommended by their peers as bridal stylist Alix Childs. Bright and airy with lofted ceilings, her studio is the perfect complement to an anything but ordinary selection of gowns, many sourced from talented fringe designers such as Sarah Seven and newcomer Alexandra Grecco. 53 River St., Boston, MA 02114, ceremony-boston.com.
Brookline Arts Center
Brookline Arts Center remains one of the most forward-thinking schools around. Popular offerings include comic-book classes for grade schoolers, a jewelry course for teens, and anything taught by engaging studio coordinator Léonie Little-Lex. Before and during longer classes, kids can shake their sillies on the adjacent playground. 86 Monmouth St., Brookline, MA 02446, brooklineartscenter.com.
French + Italian
Just because your couch is now your office doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style. The well-curated selection of soft, wearable tops at this Beacon Hill boutique includes colorful knit tees from Marni, flowy organic-cotton blouses from Apiece Apart, and collared button-downs from Acne Studios that look just as good on your Monday-morning Slack call as they do on your favorite restaurant patio come the weekend. 119 Charles St., Boston, MA 02114, frenchitalian.com.
Company One Theatre
Whether it’s tackling stories about immigration or staging resident playwright Kirsten Greenidge’s vision in a Back Bay school, Company One will take you places you never expected, but are better for having been. Think, for example, of this season’s rom-com Vietgone: A collaboration with Pao Arts Center, the perspective-shifting, often hilarious look at the Vietnamese refugee experience from Marvel Studios writer Qui Nguyen skewered, subverted, and surprised the whole way through. 539 Tremont St., Boston, MA companyone.org.
Secret Physique
It’s no secret: The South Shore’s toned set heads to this cluster of studios in Hingham, Quincy, Pembroke, and Plymouth for an unusual roster that goes above and beyond simple barre. There’s Bardio (cardio plus barre), Pound (a crushing workout wherein clients can pretend to drum in a rock band), and Hollywood burlesque. The workout spaces are also welcoming to parents, with prenatal specials and pristine on-site childcare areas. 35 Pond Park Rd., Hingham; and other locations. 35 Pond Park Rd., Hingham, MA 02043, secretphysique.com.
Pure Glow
One session with owner Lauren Rampello, and you’ll never hop into an automated spray-tan booth again. Her paraben-, formaldehyde-, and retinol-free formula is meticulously applied by hand, leaving no room for streaks or missed spots. Stop into the recently opened studio for a custom color consultation, or let Rampello bring her pop-up tanning station to your home. Either way, 20 minutes is all you’ll need for a subtle glow that lasts for the better part of a week. 176 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, pureglowtanning.com.
Parker Cote Elite Fitness
Photograph by Toan Trinh Fitness model Parker Cote has graced dozens of magazine covers, each showcasing his remarkable physique. At his new studio, a 1,600-square-foot space brimming with luxury amenities (a spa-quality restroom and shower area, free Fiji water, and towel service), we can train to cover-model perfection, too. Cote offers semi-private and one-on-one training sessions that incorporate cardio, strength training, and plyometrics. 116 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, parkercotefitness.com.
Dani Wagener, DW Beauty
Dani Wagener's brides always look flawless in photos. Some of it is nature and the blush of true love, of course, and some of it is the result of Wagener's deft hand with airbrush foundation, custom-blended to perfectly match each client's complexion. After a relaxed prewedding trial in her airy studio, she'll travel to your bridal suite on the big day to get you gorgeous, killer lashes and all. 125 Newbury St., Boston, MA daniwagener.com.
Sports Club/LA
It's the kind of gym we hate to love: full of people who put on makeup and hair gel before they work out, and packed with fluffy extras like a roof deck, spa, salon, and bar. (Yes, bar.) But dangit if it isn't a really, really good place to burn calories: 114,000 square feet filled with Cybex and Precor cardio equipment, basketball and squash courts, a pool, a boxing studio, and more. 4 Avery St., Boston, MA 2111, thesportsclubla.com.
Winnetu Oceanside Resort
You could spend the week at Winnetu and never once leave. Rooms range from new studios with kitchenettes and porches to private multiroom cottages with patios and grills. Drop the kids at the day-camp program while you play tennis, take a yoga class on the lawn, or walk to South Beach right out back. Wind down in the evening at Lure, the resort's upscale restaurant. 31 Dunes Rd., Edgartown, MA winnetu.com.