Pembroke Country Club
Unlike many Boston-area public course, Pembroke gives attentive strokes to course condition. Though located only 30 minutes south of Boston, the narrow fairways with tall pines and bushes (beware of poison ivy) make you feel as if you're deep in the Berkshires. The secluded par 71 course makes you work at three long, challenging par 5s. Either pay by the round ($27 weekdays, $50 weekends) or purchase a membership. A bonus: Use the phone at the 9th tee to call in your order for a hot dog at the 10th. West Elm St., Pembroke, MA .
Franklin Cafe
Just because a restaurant's in the South End doesn't mean it's a South Ender's restaurant (ahem, Stephi's on Tremont). This place, however, is the real deal. The soul of Boston's now-crowded foodie enclave since opening 12 years ago, the Franklin fills with almost all regulars craving their specific comfort food—in our case, the garlic-grilled calamari and cornmeal-crusted catfish, with a glass of grüner, please!—every night of the week. And it doesn't hurt that the kitchen keeps on serving those calamari, and the rest of the menu, until 1:30 a.m. 278 Shawmut Ave., Boston, MA 2118, franklincafe.com.
Zegna
Boston gents, take note: You’re no longer restricted to showing off your personality through socks and ties. After relocating to the Newbury Boston hotel last November, this luxury brand has even more space to display its sharp ready-to-wear suiting in wildly diverse patterns and fabrics, includ- ing cashmere blends and high-performance wool fibers. (And that’s not even counting the enormous array of custom options.) Make it a one-stop shopping experience and pick up polo shirts, joggers, and maybe even an Italian-made leather backpack while you’re there. 1 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, zegna.com.
Tom Mosser's <em>Celebrating Spencer</em>
Photo by the Henry Studio Man’s best Boston Marathon friend, Spencer the golden retriever — who for years stood fast along the race route supporting runners — may be in doggie heaven after losing his battle with cancer in February, but his likeness lives on forever thanks to a Tom Mosser portrait commissioned by Spencer’s human Richard Powers. Exhibited this year just minutes from the race’s starting line, at the Hopkinton Center for the Arts, Celebrating Spencer shows the official marathon dog holding a Boston Strong banner — a dutiful inspiration to future generations of very good boys.
Shred
Boston's fitness studios offer just about every workout under the sun. But to take SurfSet—a boot-camp-style class held on mock surfboards that simulates the feeling of being on water—you have to visit this three-year-old spot in Quincy. Once you finish blasting your core on the boards, head back to solid land for Shred's Spinning, reformer Pilates, and mat Pilates classes. 453 Washington St., Quincy, MA 2169, shredbody.com.
The Big Quiz Thing at Oberon
Bar trivia is a tricky business, but the Big Quiz Thing has the formula down. The free monthly event at Oberon offers kitschy graphics, quirky categories, and appropriately mind-lubricating beverages. Hence, it's the closest analogue to a game show on Boston's nightlife circuit, right down to the final round, where high-performing teams square off in a sudden-death buzzer challenge. 2 Arrow St., Cambridge, MA 02138, bigquizthing.com.
B & R Artisan Bread
Seeing as how first impressions are everything, a restaurant's bread-basket is serious business. Boston's finest eateries, including T. W. Food and Troquet, order their loaves from Sel de la Terre alum Michael Rhoads, who bakes crisp baguettes, hulking sourdoughs, and authentic ryes in his two-year-old Framingham shop. City-dwellers, meanwhile, can fight over B&R's pain levain at Cambridge's Formaggio Kitchen or the Union Square farmers' market. 151 Cochituate Road, Framingham, MA 1701, brartisanbread.com.
Liz Caan Interiors
Exuberant (think: Miles Redd) and exacting (as in, David Hicks), Liz Caan has expelled boring beige from the palettes of Boston's elite interiors. (And just in time, because we were running out of synonyms for oatmeal and ecru.) With a flash of fuchsia and couture flair, she turns every space into a chic party—approved by Brahmins and bankers alike. 1066 Centre St., Newton, MA 2459, lizcaan.com.
Radius
On any given afternoon, this sophisticated circular dining room is a discreet midday Who's Who of dealmakers and deal breakers. But it's not all business. Boston's power elite flock to be wowed by chef Michael Schlow's food, from steak tartare to smooth-as-silk soups and elegant entrées like roasted halibut with puréed cauliflower, giant lentils, and a Spanish paprika sauce. No matter how tempting the three-martini lunch might be, business discussions these days are brisk, and Schlow's speedily delivered cooking fills the bill. 8 High St., Boston, MA radiusrestaurant.com.
Ares Shoe Repair
Ares has been resoling, reheeling, and repolishing Boston's finest leather shoes for more than 70 years and will take extra special care of yours. The expert cobblers in the cozy basement storefront are a serious but likeable bunch who each have years of training behind their knowledge of the craft. That expertise means they can resize, stretch out, clean up, or de-scuff just about anything you bring in—fast, and at a reasonable price. 84 Charles St., Boston, MA .
Grill 23 & Bar
Let the newcomers show off their newfangled steakhouse specialties; people who really love steak will always return to Boston's exemplar of the genre. Here you'll find dry-aged, bone-in chops and tenderloins that drip with flavor in each juicy bite. The vibe—gold rails, leather banquettes, white-coated waiters—is classic without seeming clubby. 161 Berkeley St., Boston, MA 2116, grill23.com.
Chocolee Chocolates
With her jewel-like bonbons (exhibits A and B: dark chocolate filled with white chocolate and Chambord, and wafer-thin Viennese almond bark), Lee Napoli has brought a new level of artistry to Boston's confectionery scene. It's not just that the flavors are fresh as can be; Napoli's creations look gorgeous, too. Stop by the South End shop on a weekend morning for a trio of fried-to-order beignets oozing, naturally, with warm, luscious chocolate. 23 Dartmouth St., Boston, MA 2116, chocoleechocolates.com.
Cuffs—An Irish Bar
Most Boston hotel bars are party playgrounds for visiting movers and shakers. But for those jaded by the jet set, there's Cuffs at the Jurys Boston Hotel, where the scene is all seductive ambiance and ruby-red martinis. A superchic local clientele packs the joint every Saturday night, lured by the trickling waterfall, glowing fireplace, and hearty pints of Guinness. 350 Stuart St., Boston, MA .
Lewis Interiors
Polly Lewis and Maribeth Brostowski are carefully guarded secrets among Boston's glitterati. The designers have incredible taste and restraint, and we adore their pluck. Just one example of their fine work: They recently outfitted a Beacon Hill townhouse's library with wainscoting, deep crown moldings, and predictable muted grays, but made it extraordinary by painting the walls a superslick (and completely awe-inspiring) candy-apple red. 31 Gloucester St., Boston, MA 2116, lewisinteriorsboston.com.
Wally's Cafe
The South End has risen and fallen as Boston's jazz center, but 65 years after Joseph Walcott originally opened Wally's, the place still grooves. Every evening of the year, the tiny club crams in a diverse crowd of music lovers sipping whiskey Cokes and PBRs and craning their neck to see the bands. The music style changes nightly—Latin, Afro-Cuban, swing, straight-ahead, bebop, funk—but it's always jazz, and it's always great. 427 Massachusetts Ave., Boston, MA 2118, wallyscafe.com.