Johnny's Luncheonette
On weekends, Johnny's teems with families. But step in for any pre-workday fuel-up and you'll encounter an entirely different feel. The retro red vinyl booths and bright checkerboard floor are still there, of course, but the chaos is gone. Patrons linger over porridge with apples and cranberries, and plates heaped with feather-light buttermilk pancakes. Splurge on the oversized servings of cheese blintzes or catch one of the breakfast specials for $4 or less. It's all so good, you may just find yourself craving French toast come dinnertime. 1105 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA johnnysluncheonette.com.
Bruce Percelay, Mount Vernon Company
Chances are Mount Vernon owns that gem you've been looking for in the Back Bay, on Beacon Hill, or in Cleveland Circle. Percelay buys and rehabs buildings in choice locations and turns them into rental units, tidying the exteriors and making the interiors downright luxurious. If you get in on the ground floor of renovations, you might even be able to customize your digs—virtually unheard-of for renters. And tenants praise the building maintenance and quick response to problems. 276 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Straight Wharf
The Straight Wharf, which celebrates its 30th birthday this summer, made its name with simple New England cuisine. But with Amanda Lydon (UpStairs on the Square) and Gabriel Frasca (Spire) taking over at the helm, it has become one of the island's serious culinary contenders. The harborfront dining room features a new bamboo floor, and the menu's pairing of traditional seafood with new whimsical dishes—like the summer melon gazpacho with a kick of habanero—shows off the duo's innovative style. Straight Wharf, Nantucket, MA 2554, .
Jeanne Lee
Jeanne Lee doesn't shy away from problem toes—no, she specializes in them, taking the time to rigorously cleanse, file, buff, exfoliate, and massage before unscrewing the cap to your desired polish. And because Lee works with only one other nail technician (her mother) in her fourth-floor Newbury Street space, you're all but guaranteed a tranquil experience. 125 Newbury St., Boston, MA jeannesalon.com.
Dayle's
The full name is 'Dayle's European Skin Care and Day Spa,' yet 'Dayle's' captures the friendly essence of this little gem, founded in '84 by Elizabeth Grady alum Dayle Ciampa. Like its namesake (lithe, blonde, very much hands-on), the spa doesn't show its age: On the sleek, sun-filled first floor are blissful mani/pedis; upstairs is for up-to-date med-spa services, HydraFacials (locally exclusive to Dayle's), and indulgences like chocolate body wraps. 261 Washington St., Marblehead, MA 1945, .
Polka Dog Bakery
Candy jars stuffed with dried chicken livers and beef esophagi and a sweeping buffet of artisanal dog cakes and brownies (bearing names like Pawreos and Power Barks, inevitably) make this place puppy heaven. Two floors of accessories include a wall of collars and enough rubber to sate any dog's shoe fetish; a kitty corner caters to the smarter species, lest any felines feel left out. 256 Shawmut Ave., Boston, MA 2118, polkadog.com.
TC's Lounge
(IN MEMORIAM) This place was notorious for many reasons: dirty floors; a weird sign hanging from the ceiling advertising an "Oxycontin shot"; the fun-house women's room (don't ask); and the sale of infant-wear emblazoned with the words "Future Customer." In other words, TC's was a truly wonderful place—until it burned down in March. We have high hopes that after its planned resurrection, it will be "better" than ever. Boston, MA 2115,
Andrew Michaels
Who needs the attitude and frenzy of Newbury Street when you can escape to this drop-dead-gorgeous sanctuary? The top two floors of the spectacularly renovated onetime public library form a sun-drenched rotunda salon. Downstairs, facial experts work their magic, using the super-luxurious Swiss-based Valmont line. But the real treat is the wet room, a marble-encased steam room with a Vichy shower. Try the cocoon-like copper mud wrap or the cranberry body polish. You may never go back to the city. 47 Ocean Ave., Salem, MA andrewmichaelsspa.com.
The Williamsville Inn
Set in bucolic West Stockbridge, the Williamsville Inn boasts everything a home away from home should: superb service, snowy linens, and cut flowers. Husband-and-wife team Erhard and Kandy Wendt have transformed this once dilapidated 18th-century inn into a modern country guesthouse complete with blond hardwood floors and quaint touches. Erhard also acts as the inn's chief chef, and his German-inspired fare is some of the finest in the county. 286 Great Barrington Rd. (Rte. 41), West Stockbridge, MA williamsvilleinn.com.
Toast
Like its drinks, Toast's female clientele is a blend of strong and smooth. Those looking for action grind on the dance floor. When the pulsing Madonna and Michael Jackson soundtrack puts the kibosh on conversation, seasoned regulars and experimental newcomers retreat to intimate banquettes for quiet chats. Though the sultry brick-walled lounge offers nightly themes like goth and '80s, it's during Friday's 'Dyke Night' that things really get down and girly. 70 Union Square, Somerville, MA 2143, toastlounge.com.
Rumor
Step into Rumor on a Saturday night—assuming you can get in at all—and enter a world where women dance on platforms, curtains billow from the ceiling, and DJs seamlessly mix Shakira, Kanye, and the Black Sheep. VIPs frequent the club's exclusive Latin Room, while a diverse crowd of scantily dressed youngsters shake it on the main hip-hop and house floor until 2 a.m. Short of hopping a flight to Miami, this is as close as a Bostonian can get to South Beach hedonism. 100 Warrenton St., Boston, MA 2116, rumorboston.com.
Louis Boston
The ground-floor inventory at Louis Boston changes as often as Maria Fei's whim dictates—which is to say, almost daily. The veteran home-accessories buyer is constantly tweaking the store's displays to incorporate her latest prizes, gleaned from upscale markets and dealers around the world. Porcelain tea sets by Mat & Jewski and graceful Astier de Villatte flatware are juxtaposed with handcrafted birch birdhouses; dotted amid the lighting fixtures are vintage French dishes and glassware, handmade candles, and even a clutch of beautifully preserved antique handbags. 60 Northern Ave., Boston, MA 2110, louisboston.com.
Life Time Chestnut Hill
Photo by Nelson Hill/Courtesy of Life Time Do you still believe managing three gym memberships is the holy grail of wellness? Time to realign those chakras. Sprawled across two floors with an impressive 129,000 square feet, this athletic mecca offers, well, pretty much everything: world-class cycle, yoga, Pilates, and barre; top-notch exercise machines; and a lavish spa where postworkout massages are the norm. It has families covered, too, with babysitting services and even fitness classes for the bigger kids. 300 Boylston St., Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, my.lifetime.life.
Minotti Boston
Courtesy of Minotti Boston In what proved to be a banner year for local showroom openings, the debut of this luxury Italian brand’s first-ever Boston store has us truly buzzing. Located on Stuart Street, the space stuns with towering floor-to-ceiling windows and a custom double-sided fireplace. Of course, the inventory itself is just as eye-catching; gorgeous vignettes featuring contemporary furniture by designers like Nendo and Marcio Kogan make the shopping experience truly memorable. 210 Stuart St., Boston, MA 02116, minottibyddc.com.
Community Boating
One hundred, and count 'em, fourteen sailboats; fifteen to twenty-four footers. Anyone between sixteen and seventy-five can join. 21 Embankment Rd., Boston, MA .