Red Rock Bistro & Bar
The food at Red Rock Bistro & Bar is a bonus. The beautiful view of the pounding Atlantic surf and Boston skyline is filling enough. On the other hand, we would never give up chef Allen Bohnert's brunch menu of fluffy mushroom-, cheese-, and spinach-stuffed omelets; challah French toast with ruby-red strawberries; or blueberry flapjacks with cassis butter. It's worth setting the alarm clock on a Sunday. Ease out of your postbrunch food coma with a long walk along the soft sand beach below the restaurant. 141 Humphrey St., Swampscott, MA redrockbistro.com.
Drink
There's no shortage of great bars in Boston: Green Street, Eastern Standard, and Deep Ellum are on par with the very best in this cocktail-revived country. But Drink is the thinking tippler's bar. Under the leadership of manager/cocktail wonk John Gertsen, it demonstrates a commitment to excellence at every level, from the cocktail-specific ice cubes to the historical authenticity of the flips, punches, and fizzes served at the bar. 348 Congress St., Boston, MA 2210, drinkfortpoint.com.
Patrice Williamson
As far as pedigrees go, Williamson has no worries. she's handled her fledgling gigs gracefully and will give her diploma recital at the New England Conservatory this fall. She can scat her way skillfully through a standard and charm the audience with ease. Expect to see her back at the R-bar and breaking out of Boston in the coming year.
Dar Williams
Just off tour with folk legend Joan Baez, Dar Williams is now home in Belchertown savoring the critical success of her latest CD, Mortal City. When Williams originally moved to western Massachusetts from New York, she got a job with the Boston Opera Company and aspired to become a playwright or to direct operas. But the call of the coffeehouse was too strong, and Williams's modern folk style soon drew a following that recognized a new talent on the rise.
Tom Stemberg, Staples
Except for his feckless attempt at twisting the Globe's arm during the Barnicle scandal, Stemberg has made one right move after another in building his office-supply company into the industry leader. As a topper, he bagged the naming rights to the soon-to-be completed Los Angeles arena—just in time for next year's Democratic National Convention. At least someone from Boston came out a winner on that deal.
Herb Richman's
When the Data General vice president and cofounder dissolved his merger with his third wife, Nanette, he bailed out with the couple's $4-million Dover farm, their Boston townhouse, his Waterville Valley real estate, his millions in DG stock and assorted assets. All Nanette got was a flat $1 million, two mink coats, and numerous four-legged creatures and four-wheeled vehicles.
5 Corners Kitchen
This French-inspired restaurant is not what you'd expect to find in a quaint seaside town. The feel is trendy but unpretentious; the space is open and airy; and the wine list rivals those you might see in Boston. The food itself is a wonderfully eclectic mix of country cooking and local seafood, with everything from escargots and oysters to bacon cheeseburgers and house-made squid-ink spaghettini represented on the menu. 2 School St., Marblehead, MA 5cornerskitchen.com.
Sal's Place
It's three hours from Boston, but it also has the lasagna this side of Naples. Sal, formerly of Sal & Ciro's in Provincetown, uses homemade noodles, sausage, and hard-boiled eggs in his recipe; since he serves lasagna on Sunday nights only, until he closes for the winter at the end of September, you'll have plenty of time to budget calories in advance. 99 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA .
Bob Lobel, WBZ, Channel 4
Sure, Lobel can come across as obnoxious at times, courting controversy for its own sake. But he and the rest of the Channel 4 sports crew aren't afraid to ask tough questions of players and management alike. And his late-night Sunday show Sports Final is a must-see, even if you don't suffer from insomnia. His resident legal expert, Boston lawyer Harry Manion III, provided the smartest play-by-play analysis of the Reggie Lewis medical-malpractice trial in town.
Bella Bridesmaids
Tucked away on the fourth floor of an unmarked brick building, the Boston location of this national franchise can be easy to miss from the street. But passing it over would be a mistake: Not only does Bella carry gowns from the likes of Hayley Paige and Jenny Yoo, the shop's personable stylists make choosing one a breeze, offering helpful tips on everything from the most figure-flattering cuts to stress-free ordering. 715 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02116, bellabridesmaids.com.
Sephora
The holy land of beauty, Sephora's appeal lies not in its endless selection of cult-favorite products from YSL, Bobbi Brown, and Nars, but in its accessibility: All of the products can be tested, staffers are happy to spend time talking about the differences between liquid eyeliners, and samples of products can be requested at will. While the cosmetics behemoth continues to expand in Boston with locations in the Fenway and Faneuil Hall, the Prudential Center shop remains a product junkie's mecca, with frequent classes on such essential topics as dark-circle correction and "no-makeup makeup." Prudential Center, Boston, MA 02199, sephora.com.
Pile
It's the songful lilt of Rick Maguire's voice that exhilarates the oft-agitated melodies on his band's latest, A Hairshirt of Purpose. Pile isn't new on the scene, but the post-hardcore quartet's sixth release, its third on the Boston-born label Exploding in Sound, is their most cohesive: Maguire's drawl and octave yawps soar over a cacophony of compulsively listenable tunes. pile.bandcamp.com.
Granite Links Golf Club
A public course with the ambiance of a private one? You'll find it at Granite Links, which boasts hilltop views of the city, three nine-hole courses, and a lighted driving range for those evenings when you just need to whack a bucket of balls after work. Plus, a clubhouse deck and above-par food make the 19th hole as welcoming as the first 18. Correction, June 26, 12 p.m.: In the July issue of Boston, "Golf" was misspelled in the business name. We regret the error. 100 Quarry Hills Dr., Quincy, MA 02169, granitelinksgolfclub.com.
Union Square Donuts
Heather Schmidt's airy, yeasty doughnuts, in gourmet-ified flavors such as sea-salted bourbon caramel and zingy raspberry-lime rickey, have turned her Somerville shop into a bona fide destination. And now, thanks to outposts in Coolidge Corner and at the Boston Public Market, it's never been easier to get a taste of her confections. Multiple locations. 20 Bow St., Somerville, MA 02143, unionsquaredonuts.com.
Jugos
One of the first juiceries to open before Boston reached peak saturation, Jugos endures thanks to its immense selection of made-to-order juices, boosts, smoothies, acai bowls, and very tasty chia pudding. The Xochitl (“so-chill”)—a brew of kale, banana, dates, strawberries, and cashew milk—is one of the best green smoothies we’ve ever had. The lines confirm that we’re not the only ones who think so. 145 Dartmouth St., Boston, MA 02116, visitjugos.com.