Revere Beach Reservation
Born from the civic altruism that also created the Emerald Necklace, Revere Beach was the first public beach in America, and thanks to a centennial restoration that began in 1996, it's again one of the best. The bathhouses might still be funky and the surrounding apartment buildings can be eyesores, but the bandstand is spiffed up, and the sand and water are clean, making the nearly three-mile crescent lapped by the Atlantic one of New England's most beautiful beaches. If it were in Rio, there would be a song about it. Where else can you watch 747s set down like giant birds as you do the backstroke, or forgo your summer potboiler to read the tattoos on passerby? If Revere is the people's beach, then power to the people. Revere Beach Boulevard, Revere, MA .
M.F. Dulock
There are gems for meat eaters of every stripe at this Somerville shop: owner Michael Dulock’s expert cuts of New England—sourced, pasture-raised lamb, pork, and beef for steadfast locavores; a rotating selection of inventive sausages—bloody mary-inspired beef links, brats infused with Slumbrew’s Happy Sol—for those just looking for something tasty to throw on the grill. For the most adventurous of carnivores, there’s Dulock’s Meat Club, which offers up 5 pounds of the butcher’s finest nose-to-tail cuts for a reasonable $50 a month. 201A Highland Ave., Somerville, MA 2138, mfdulock.com.
The Boston Marathon's Turning Pro
There was no question that by remaining stubbornly amateur in a sport that had gone professional, the Marathon was dying. Then David D'Alessandro persuaded his employer, the John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company, to spring for $10 million to sponsor 10 Boston Marathons. A course record, a world-class field, and hundreds of runners later, today's Marathon is again one of the city's—and the country's—preeminent sporting events. "We've got athletes from 30 or 40 countries," said D'Allessandro, a senior vice president at Hancock. "I've got letters on my desk from the agents of guys who wouldn't even look at us last year."
Kitchen Arts
Next time you need a hard-to-find imported baking pan, follow your inner Escoffier to Kitchen Arts. From culinary esoterica (a one-inch funnel or a rolling mincer) to basics (need your knives sharpened?), these kitchen wizards have it all, including five lines of high-performance cookware. There are good old American brands alongside fancy European makes, and no fewer than 20 types of coffeemakers (stovetop percolators, French presses, and filter drips). Don't worry if your cooking skills extend little beyond boiling water. The employees know of what they speak and want you to enjoy the time you spend in your kitchen. 161 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Matsu
What's the use of having disposable income if you go and blow it on disposable style? For accoutrements with staying power—and that won't show up on Bluefly three weeks later—look to Matsu, where owner Dava Muramatsu has been growing and refining her accessories collection for years. In a season of understated dressing, her look-at-me handbags, jewelry, and hats make everything around them pop. Leather and embellished totes by Jamin Puech and M0851 are works of art, while mixed-metal jewelry by Heather Moore, Chan Luu, and Ten Thousand Things are far sounder investments than a statement necklace with an expiration date. 264 Newbury St, Boston, MA 2116, matsuboston.com.
Blue Danube
Karl Fritsch, formerly chef at the Cafe Budapest, offers those who shun the flesh a royal feast: cold cherry soup and a filling entree of fried mushroom pancakes served with a light cognac-flavored cream sauce. The management suggests you call in advance if you want the special vegetarian plate, so they can have something good waiting. For carnivores, we recommend the sauerbrated a la Schonbrunn and the stuffed cabbage rolls. 582 Main St., Waltham, MA .
Salon Mario Russo
As soon as you step through the door of this chic salon, you’re treated like a VIP: greeted by name, coat whisked away, and robe presented before being ushered to a stylist’s chair. As you settle in, a tray with a steaming espresso — or sparkling water — arrives with a bit of biscotti. And that’s before you even get to the actual service! When it comes to that part of the equation, Russo and his team of stylists and colorists are who they have always been: top-tier creative visionaries capable of total hair transformations.They’re also great listeners, so if you prefer to keep your locks simple, that’s just what they’ll do. Multiple locations, MA mariorusso.com.
Release Well-Being Center
Photo by Joe St. Pierre Heated benches and cozy chairs by a fireplace. A well-appointed locker room with a eucalyptus steam room. Two kinds of saunas and two cold-plunge pools (one for the brave and one for the very brave). Hot tea and cool cucumber water on tap. One visit to this brand-new spa, and you’ll not only feel great, but you’ll want to come back for more. Good news: Release offers several membership options that can make frequent visits a breeze and save you money. Combine that with the wellness coaching and workshops, and you’re looking at a new you. 28 Arlington St., Boston, MA 02116, releasewellbeingcenter.com.
Visual Comfort & Co. Systems
If you need to see something to believe it, book a consultation at this showroom in the Boston Design Center to witness the home-technology design company’s futuristic lighting tech firsthand. You’ll see everything from smart-home controls for architectural and decorative lighting fixtures (yes, the Visual Comfort & Co. Systems team can help you select those, too) to state-of-the-art tunable LEDs that emulate natural daylight. In our opinion, the simulated skylights and windows from Lightglass are the perfect antidote for gloomy, gray winter days; see ya later, seasonal blues! 21 Drydock Ave., Boston, MA 02210, visualcomfort.com.
The Alley
You won’t find interloping bachelorette parties at this veteran watering hole, secreted away downtown. What you will find are refreshing vestiges of a time before gay bars got gentrified: cheap drinks, little pretense, and dancing throngs—not to mention an abundance of pheromones—during recurring parties like “Fuzz” and “Casual Fridays.” Recent cosmetic updates and the addition of popular local DJs, whose eclectic soundtracks span Top 40 to artsy indie pop, have made the place feel hipper—but here, it’s still unabashedly queer. 14 Pi Alley, Boston, MA thealleybar.com.
Simply Aesthetic Specialties
It seems like practically everyone—from your tattoo guy to your vet—is wielding needles filled with muscle-paralyzing toxins. But while we may be obsessing over our deepening between-brow craters, the injection frenzy has made us just a tad wary of the whole business. Enter Julie Cahill-Hollingsworth, an MGH nurse practitioner, whose Copley Square office is a respite from the madness. With little fanfare, she administers a dose, billing by the unit, not by the procedure. In the past, she’s had an open schedule, which made it easy to book. But now the secret’s out. 535 Boylston St., Boston, MA 2116, sasskin.com.
Yolanda's Bridal Salon
Yolanda's showroom is a mecca for brides-to-be, who make pilgrimages from across New England to worship at the shrine of Vera Wang and Richard Tyler. The front parlor is adorned with your typical frilly affairs, but the enterprising customer has only to utter a single, magic phrase ("I'm looking for something simpler") to find herself in one of the cool, spalike dressing rooms, immersed in a pile of tasteful, elegant, and streamlined creations. Yolanda's staff is happy to tell you when your 5-foot-2 frame just won't accommodate your dream gown—but with such grace and goodwill that you'll gladly accept the advice and thank them for it later. 355 Waverly Oaks Rd., Waltham, MA .
Coast Cafe
Dainty eaters, beware. Only those with a hankering for a little grease and gobs of pork-addled flavor are able to handle the made-to-order plates at Cambridge's stick-to-your-ribs haven. Sure, the chicken's great, but there's also smoked turkey with collard greens, and bread crumb–encrusted mac and cheese, and silky sweet potatoes, and… (the only thing harder than settling on an order here, you'll find, is nabbing one of the few seats). Coast Café may not have much competition in these parts—KFC? Popeyes?—but it could surely hold its own in Dixie. 233 River Street, Cambridge, MA 2139, coastsoulcafe.com.
A Shining Example
When your shoes need to be as buff as the rest of you, head here. Three factors separate a great shoeshine from a merely good one. First, the high wooden thrones need to be sufficiently elevated to allow a sense of kingliness. Second, it's gotta be quick—and these efficient women move people in and out. Third is technique: They use both a high-grade canuba wax and a water spray to give the polish extra shine; they have a crisp, napping motion with the towel; and they always take an extra few seconds to retie your laces. Nice touch—after all, kings don't like to bend. 1 Beacon St., Boston, MA .
Boston Pet Sitters
Fact is, you can't always be there when your beagle needs you. Let Jennifer North or one of her colleagues at Boston Pet Sitters take over the midday walk, or even those weekends when Snoopy isn't invited along to Tanglewood. She'll come as many times a day as needed to walk, feed, water, and generally coddle the little darlings. She comes with a pocketful of plastic bags for pooper-scoopering, industrial strength foul-weather gear for those New England winters, and, most important, a sincere love of dogs. 144 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA .