Stil
If anyone knows fun—having it, looking it—it's Stil owner Betty Riaz. And so it goes at her mini chain, which deals in champagne toast-worthy frocks from Ports 1961, Noir, By Malene Birger, Camilla Staerk, and other designers not seen elsewhere in town. Splashy sequins, patent leathers, dark chiffons, and vampy silhouettes ensure that even if the party is lame, your outfit won't be. 199 Boylston St., Chestnut Hill, MA 2467, stillinc.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.
Vox Populi
It's easy to strike up a conversation over a crantini (cranberry vodka, Cointreau, fresh lime, and cranberry juice) as you push through the well-heeled crowd and saddle up the bar at Back Bay's Vox. The lighting is flattering but not too dim, and chitchat is easy over the perfect-volume music. Mirrors everywhere make it easy to check out the cuties without looking too conspicuous. Upstairs, there's a loungey feel with leather couches and votive candles—a perfect place to play the getting-to-know-you game. 755 Boylston St., Boston, MA .
The Oak Room, Sidecar
As a rule, hard-drinking journalist types hate—or pretend to hate—any cocktail that tastes like dessert. So the Oak Room's version of the sidecar—a brandy, Cointreau, and lemon juice concoction invented sometime during Prohibition—took us by surprise. Served in a martini glass, the rim thickly frosted with sugar, this cocktail's deliciousness can sweeten the most jaundiced dispositions. We even enjoyed a lengthy chat with the guy at the next barstool, who was attending a dental convention. Now that's potency. Fairmont Copley Plaza, 138 Saint James Ave., Boston, MA oaklongbarkitchen.com.
Smokehouse Inc.
After a three-year apprenticeship with a fine-sausage maker in Germany, Dave Nosiglia returned to Boston and started stuffing and smoking his own. By now, his clients include the restaurants, wholesalers, and gourmet retailers around. Look for his chicken sausage with fresh rosemary and brown sugar (or with Marsala and mushrooms); or the smoked prosciutto, provolone, and pepper sausage—then stoke up the grill. 15 Coventry St., Roxbury, MA .
Gentle Giant
Broken mirrors. Dented dressers. Cracked china. Sometimes movers actually add to the hassle of moving. Luckily for us, there's Gentle Giant. This team of former soccer and rugby players, marathoners, and rowers makes handling heavy furniture look easy. They use extra care and swaddle delicate items in padded blankets before speedily maneuvering even awkward pieces up and down banks of stairs and into their waiting truck. 29 Harding St., Somerville, MA gentlegiant.com.
Bella Santé
The staff at this low-key, blissfully relaxing spa makes having your nails buffed and polished a special occasion. Manicurists delicately file nails and trim cuticles, throwing in a tension-melting hand massage to boot. And if you're unsure about length, shape, or color (the spa stocks an extensive range of Essie and OPI polishes), they'll offer an expert opinion or just get down to the task at hand while you concentrate on the serious business of unwinding. 38 Newbury St., Boston, MA bellasante.com.
Rachel Bezanson, Michaud Cosmetics
You want natural? Tell Rachel Bezanson so, and, when she's done, you'll see only the gleam of your features, not cakey foundation or madly mod eyeliner. You want dramatic? Tell her, and instead of the annoyed streetwalker look that so many "artists" render, you'll come away with lips that pout, eyes that pop, and cheekbones that could cut butter. 297 Newbury St., Suite 21, Boston, MA .
Andrew Provost
One good workout with Provost and you'll be envisioning a new sculpted body. And you won't be the only one: His Saturday morning class is so packed with buff bodies, it looks like an infomerical. Provost's hard-core exercise regime may not be for the faint of heart, but his ever-changing musical repertoire keeps you going, and his slightly wacky style makes his class worlds more fun than most. 23 Central St., Wellesley, MA .
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 .
Ed Robichaud, Berkeley Barber Shop
He can clip you any way (And, truth be told, anywhere) you want. His shop is clean, and his manner is refreshingly old-fashioned. He speaks when spoken to, doesn't take offense if you just want to sit there and meditate, and always works until he's sure you look your best. 86 Berkeley St., Boston, MA .
Victoria Turovsky
She will work around a hair appointment, filing and pumicing feet to a glow while you enjoy a deep hair conditioning; she will also advise you on suitable shades of nail polish, from baby pinks to urban-decay green. No matter what state of disrepair your feet are in, Victoria can rebuild them, or at the very least make them look decent enough for those Manolo Blahnik sandals. City Salon, 118 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Louis Boston
A double winner here. The four-story style mecca is the arbiter of quality men's fashion for both those who are looking to stand out from the crowd and those who are classic and cautious. You'll find Italian made-to-measure masters, standard faves like Ralph Lauren's purple label, and Louis' own line. Fashion-timid men may require some education— not to mention a platinum credit card— but Louis' staff are masters in the art of dressing. 234 Berkeley St., Boston, MA .
Disc Diggers
A wide selection of prices is as important as a solid choice of music, and Disc Diggers has both. It also has CDs as low as $0.99, plenty of jazz, discounts on new music, a shelf full of used videos, and probably even that disc you're looking for. What you won't find here is the claustrophobic clutter so common to secondhand shops. 401 Highland Ave., Somerville, MA .
OKW
This modest atelier (pronounced Oh-coo) off Newbury Street belies the small but elegantly seamed and styled collection of clothing inside. Irene Kerzner fashions smartly tailored suits out of luxurious, wearable European fabrics that will take you form Logan to Tokyo looking fresh and unrumpled. Buy off the rack, or have her whip up an outfit just for you. 234 Clarendon Street (second floor), Boston, MA .