Pasta Del Palato
The pasta is terrific, made with pure ingredients like whole eggs and extra fancy durum flour, rolled (not extruded), then cut into angel hair, linguine, fettuccine, or tagliatelle. We like the adventurous flavors: chipotle pepper, lemon, roasted garlic. Top it with the excellent pesto made with bunches of french basil. 579 Washington Street, Brighton, MA .
Tacos El Charro
There is a little bit of Mexico at this pinata-filled spot near Jackson Square. Despite the bright lights and the warm sangria, Tacos El Charro is worth it for the flavorful Mexican food and the hip, campy mariachi band. As the band kicks into high gear, dig into a dense bean-and-meat-filled flour tortilla and smile. 349 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, MA .
Julia Ingalls, assistant chief concierge, The Four Seasons Hotel, Boston
Named Concierge of the Year by her peers, Ingalls won the award after working her way up the ranks at the Four Seasons: she started as a desk clerk when the hotel opened, in 1985. Ingalls is one of only 220 American concierges who made the cut for membership in Les Clefs d'Or, the society of professional concierges.
Sugaring NYC
First: There’s free candy. The real icing on the cake here, however, is that the Sugaring NYC waxing technique is pretty much painless. Unlike traditional hot wax, sugaring paste is applied at body temperature, cleans up easily, and causes minimum discomfort. For the particularly hirsute, no area is off-limits: the armpits, stomach, toes, and chest are all fair game, as well as the standard Brazilian and eyebrow wax. How sweet it is. 221 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, sugaringnyc.com.
Follain
Tara Foley wants you to stop cleaning your face with dirty products. That’s the mission, at least, behind her one-stop skin-care shop, Follain, which bars parabens, formaldehyde, coal tar, and other potentially dangerous chemicals from its expertly selected lineup of beauty items. In fact, the company rigorously researches and tests every deodorant and soap it carries independently before releasing it onto shelves. Now that’s what we call beautiful. Multiple locations. 65 Charles St., Boston, MA 02114, shopfollain.com.
B/spoke
If you don’t like to sweat, B/spoke’s cycling classes are not for you. Those who relish getting drenched in the name of a good, clean workout, however, will appreciate this studio’s state-of-the-art bikes, pump-you-up tracks, and peppy instructors, who use hand weights and core work to target more than just the legs in heart-pounding sessions. Amp up your experience with B/spoke’s "hot" ride, a hilly adventure in sizzling temps, and feel the burn. 101 Federal St., Boston, MA 02110, bspokestudios.com.
French + Italian
North Shore fashion can veer toward the overly beachy (tunics are not dresses!), but Aimee Lombardi hits all the right notes at her sweet Marblehead spot. Unhurried service and a tight edit of classic, clean, and relevant brands like A.P.C., No. 6, and Vanessa Bruno have attracted devoted customers not only from around the shore but also nationwide. 129 Washington St., Marblehead, MA 01945, frenchitalian.com.
Central Kitchen
This casually hip Central Square boîte may no longer be the well-kept secret it once was, but it's still well worth the wait for a table in the sexy, darkly lit dining room to sample chef/owner Gary Strack's delicious cuisine. The steak frites are simple and delectable; the grilled octopus, clean-flavored and beautifully presented. In fact, everything at Central Kitchen is as casually well dressed as the clientele that fills the stools along the bistro's long slate-and-blue-tiled bar. 567 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA .
Beacon Hill Athletic Club
This small club is clean and equally comfortable for men and women. The emphasis is on firming and toning (not muscle building). Varied aerobics classes taught by 15 instructors include step, low impact, high-low impact, advanced high-low impact, and body conditioning. Karate instruction is available, too, and there are Cybex and cardiovascular machines. The initiation fee is $295, and dues are $360 a year. 3 Hancock St., Boston, MA .
Market
This easy-to-shop, designer-packed store is proof of how far metrosexuality has taken men's dressing. There are Dolce & Gabbana bathing trunks and jeans, funky DSquared2 tanks, intricate but masculine embroidered shirts by Rare, clean-lined Ferré pants, and Versace accessories. It's all cool enough to tend toward the cutting edge without going over it and perfect for men who simply want to look better—to either sex. 173 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA .
Gretta Luxe
Time was when Wellesley only meant straight and preppy. Well, no longer—thanks in no small part to this new boutique. Gretta Luxe carries an eclectic mix of international designers, from the clean, modern likes of Samsonite and Strenesse to more fashion-forward styles from Nanette Leopre and Ulla Johnson. There's a jeans bar stocked with denim from Earl Jean, Parasuco, C by Chloé, and Jean Paul Gaultier. And the shoe selection, including must-have models by Robert Clergerie, rivals any you'll find in the city. 94 Central St., Wellesley, MA grettastyle.com.
Kendall Square Cinema
The Kendall Square Cinema is everything a movie theater should be, with nine large screens, perfect climate control, clean bathrooms, and sufficiently ample and inexpensive ($1) parking. The movies are a little offbeat—no Jurassic Parkhere. Instead, you'll find the independent film you read about in the Sunday New York Timesand thought you'd never get to see. Don't be late—the previews are fabulous. 1 Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA .
Coastal Vintage Home & Garden
Most Nantucket home stores—clean, uncluttered spaces, all—are indistinguishable. Only Coastal stands out. The vibe feels somehow contemporary, even though much of its dinnerware, glassware, vases, and candlesticks are unquestionably vintage. The shop also carries more of-the-moment wares such as subtly scented candles, pillows, and gourmet sea salts and ground pepper from famed Nantucket cookbook author Sarah Leah Chase. 12 Oak St., Nantucket, MA 2554, .
City Sports
Whatever your passion—volleyball, basketball, yoga, even bocce—City Sports has the gear you need, including high-performance pieces from its in-house CS line. Ask one of the sporty employees to help you browse the Gore-Tex jackets, or find cleats or sneakers that'll let you hit the field, court, or track running. 480 Boylston St., Boston, MA 2116, citysports.com.
The Barn
The Barn's motto is It's Hard to Find a Better Buy in Shoes. We'd add that it's hard to find The Barn, hidden as it is behind a Citgo station off Washington Street. But when you do, you've found the Holy Grail: high-quality children's shoes, from little Keds to soccer cleats, experienced fitters, and discount prices. Also, lots of sports gear—bike helmets, lacrosse sticks, and backpacks. Adults will appreciate the grownups' selection of athletic shoes as well. 25 Kempton Place, Newton, MA .