Posto
WHAT’S THE VIBE? Sleek, with a view of the oven that fires pies at over 850 degrees and the clink of refreshing cocktails — see: the well-structured, bourbon-forward “Vitruvian Man.” TASTING NOTES: There’s clear commitment to top-quality ingredients (00 imported flour, San Marzano tomatoes) that once made Posto the first (and almost only) Massachusetts restaurant to get an official stamp of approval from the international Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana. And it shows in the char-spotted cornicione and thin, soft crust you might need a knife and fork to finish. 187 Elm St., Somerville, MA 02144, postoboston.com.
The Maids
When you start naming your dust bunnies, you know it's time to stage an intervention. Let the Maids help by eradicating all that befouls your home. Using environmentally friendly cleaning products, teams of four dirt-purging professionals will degrease your kitchen, disinfect your bathroom, and polish your floors to a glossy shine. Prices range from $140 per hour for a first-time cleaning down to $102 per cleaning for a weekly visit—and the results are worth the price. As for those dust bunnies, let's just say the Maids know a little farm in the country. 73 Lexington St., Newton, MA themaidsma.com.
Ombe
At this integrative health center four floors above Copley Square, our therapist kicked off the 80-minute massage by asking about problem areas and preferences—and actually listened. After guiding our limbs through a series of stretches on the heated table, she kneaded shoulders, back, neck, and quads with the hard pressure we crave (and often request, but don't get). And green practices (down to the organic Badger balm and body oil and linens cleaned with an eco-friendly detergent) left our inner tree-hugger at peace, too. 551 Boylston St., Boston, MA ombecenter.com.
Larry Fidalgo, Fidalgo Floors
The scene of the crime is that newly purchased, splendid Victorian house whose floors are battered by years of abuse and besmirched with coats of deck paint. Enter Larry Fidalgo and company—and 24 hours later, stunning pine planks gleam from beneath a coat of crystal-clear polyurethane. Not only does Fidalgo refinish soft- and hardwood floors, but he installs them, as well. Among his clients are the Institute of Contemporary Art and the Restoration Society of Charlestown. Which isn't a bad way to finish. Somerville, MA
Kate Schnabel and Susan McEachern, Clean Sweep
Who has time to clean these days? Or do the laundry? Clean Sweep does, and for $6.50 to $7.50 an hour (for-hour minimum), it seems like a bargain. Owners Schnabel and McEachern began in 1978, and are so successful they've got a rookie camp, where cleaning neophytes are drilled in the fine points of floor-washing and plant-watering. Brookline, MA
La Brasa
Service is best judged by the times when things go awry. Take, for example, a recent meal at this warm, boisterous Somerville restaurant and market, when a dining companion dropped a frosty highball cocktail and spilled it all over the table, the floor, and herself. In the mere seconds it took to clear away the damage, servers not only produced a replacement drink but also a Tide pen to remove the stains. 124 Broadway, Somerville, MA 02145, labrasasomerville.com.
Up Stairs at the Pudding
Cantabrigians had another reason to delight in the annual opening of the patio at Up Stairs at the Pudding this year: a makeover. But don't worry, this Hall of Famer has done nothing with the lush green patio more drastic than paint its floor periwinkle blue. Ah, but it's the perfect hue for this romantic roof garden—a whimsical counterpoint to the pink table linens, tiny recessed Christmas lights, fresh roses, and bougainvillea. Add a clear, starry night and Deborah Hughes' delightful cuisine, and you'll mistake this spot for Tuscany. 10 Holyoke Street, Cambridge, MA .
Kai Gagnon, Bergamot
Don't underestimate Kai Gagnon because of his soft-spoken gentility. The man knows his wine, and better yet, he knows what the palate wants. At Bergamot, he's crafted an adventurous, not-so-typical list of bottles that leans on France but can also swing from Texas Hill Country to Mount Etna. Celebrating such unconventional wines isn't just for show—he (and the floor staffers he's clearly enlightened) can create crafty pairings with chef Keith Pooler's ever-changing menu. 118 Beacon St., Somerville, MA 2143, .
Matt Murphy's Pub
How serious are we? Put it this way: Without Matt Murphy's, this category ceases to exist. True, the recent explosion of Celtic pubs has dragged Irish food into respectability and, sometimes, all the way to tastyland. But the eponymous Murphy's is in another league. The mismatched tables, the scuffed floor, the tiny loo squeezed into the kitchen, make it feel like a workingman's bar. The clear chicken soup with spring vegetables is a meal in itself. Split the sandwiches with a date, they're so damn big. The fish and chips even come wrapped in the Irish Times, a cute touch. And the egg salad sandwich with bacon and spicy mustard is so good it deserves an award of its own. 14 Harvard St., Brookline, MA .
The Children's Story
Floor-to-ceiling good clean fun. 434 Harvard St., Brookline, MA .
The Maids
The initial cleaning fee might jar you more than the dust bunnies that have colonized your closet, but trust us—it's worth it. For $140 an hour, a team of professionals from this Newton-based maid service will wrestle your home into cleanliness, wiping down window sills, straightening stray objects, and mopping floors until they gleam. They'll even take out the trash. Carpet cleaning is available for an additional fee. When you come home to a sparkling, fresh-smelling house, the $75 charge for weekly visits will seem like a bargain. 73 Lexington St., Newton, MA .
Paws to Consider
Even the bad pun can't keep us away from a pet service this efficient, loving, and dependable. Owner Scot Jones clearly cares for his four-legged commissions with the same passion he does his business, keeping an organized staff of five fully briefed in everything from pet first aid to the fundamentals of TLC. Whether it's cat sitting (litter changes included) or dog walking (rain or shine, 365 days a year), Paws to Consider makes as many visits as you want—and will even care for plants, collect mail, and make veterinarian or grooming runs. 24 Halifax St., Jamaica Plain, MA pawstoconsider.com.
Cha Fahn
If the array of refined Asian-inspired nibbles doesn't clue you in, the owners of this four-year-old restaurant will take pains to make clear that Cha Fahn is about much more than tea. But set aside the premium sake and the inventive entrees, and what's left is simply the best-chosen tea selection in the city, in a perfect setting for enjoying it: a peaceful yet romantically charged room, ideal for lingering over pots of aromatic darjeeling, oolong, assam, lapsang souchong, and so on. It's the kind of spot that feeds the soul. The fact you can also feed your appetite is a lovely bonus. 763 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, MA chafahn.com.
Fourth-Floor Apartment
The Combat Zone has a number of good ones, but the best is to be seen on Newbury Street. Each afternoon, the occupant of a fourth-floor apartment near the Ritz disrobes, then cleans house. We applaud her lack of inhibition . . . and shades. Newbury St., Boston, MA .
The Purchase of USA Cinemas by Loews
The good news for local moviegoers is that the new owners are reportedly going to clean up the mucky floors and repair the torn screens of the Boston theater chain. In fact, the word is that Loews is too embarrassed to put its own name on local marquees until the theaters pass muster.