Pedro Martinez
If there's one swap that makes you think Dan Duquette maybe knows what he's been doing, it was letting Roger go and signing Pedro. Roger woke up, lost weight, and won two more Cy Young awards. At the All-Star break, Pedro led the league with the record (15-3), the lowest earned-run average, the most innings pitched, and most strikeouts—on his way to his second Cy Young award. Look at it another way: Subtract Pedro's record, and the Sox were one game below .500 at the All-Star break.
Doggieday
Need someone to look after your critters? While you're away, DoggieDay will walk Spot four times a day, clean Fifi's litter box, grab your mail, water your plants, inject your diabetic gerbil with insulin, and taxi Dirk the boa constrictor to the vet—all for a competitive fee. Unlike most services, DoggieDay covers almost all of Greater Boston, and is registered with Pet Sitters International. Future services in the works include dog training at home while you're at work and massage therapy (for your pets, not you). 295 Devonshire St., Boston, MA .
Dolores Sanborn, Austen's
Our nails were ugly. So when we got the tip to see Dolores at Austen's, we were only too happy to test her out. Could our yucky stubs be transformed into beautiful digits? Miraculously, yes. In fact, we can't decide what we liked best: the cheerful yellow walls and big open windows of the cozy salon, the goodies to eat while you wait (orange juice and croissants, cookies, even brie), or the manicure itself, which made our nails look sophisticated, not scary. And Dolores is a sweetheart: If her pleasant demeanor and easy laugh don't win you over, her mean hand massage will. 115 Newbury Street, Boston, MA .
9 Months
Think the rise of mommy chic is rooted in the Hollywood baby boom? A swing through 9 Months will change your mind. Here you'll find the real force behind the phenomenon: seriously great fashion, as in sexy silk cocktail dresses by Liz Lange, smart but ever-so-comfy trousers by Japanese Weekend, gotta-have jeans from Citizens of Humanity, and gauzy floral numbers by Maternal America. All this, and a cute little play area to distract the tykes while the shopping is under way? No wonder so many local moms-to-be are glowing. 286 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, .
Eye Q Optical
It's always the question when buying glasses—stick to the tried-and-true or dare for a new look? Eye Q not only has some of the trendiest new frames, they'll make it easier to take chances with a one-month, no-questions-asked exchange policy. To help you choose, members of the sales staff will offer their opinion and take an instant photo for you to share with friends. That level of service may be why musicians known for their eyewear—Kay Hanley of Letters to Cleo, for instance, and Aaron Perrino of the Sheila Divine—are loyal customers. New glasses won't make you into a rock star, but the attention lavished on you here might make you feel like one. 12 Eliot St., Cambridge, Boston, MA eye-q-optical.com.
Bobby from Boston
Whether you're shopping for a special occasion or just looking to jazz up your business attire, there's no place better than this South End vintage shop, where owner Bobby Garnett has used his keen eye to amass a collection of timeless adornments—vintage skinny ties, worn pocket watches, old-school tie tacks. The boutique is a cross between a Salvation Army and a high-end haberdashery, meaning customers get the best of both worlds: distinctive used items that are much hipper than anything you could buy new. Boston, MA 2118,
Barneys New York
You may not be buying as much these days, but—hallelujah!—Barneys is. The national chain is in the enviable, corporate-backed position of being able to continue carrying as broad an array of heels, sandals, boots, and flats as it did in flusher times. Rows of big names like Fendi, Givenchy, and Chloé provide a good excuse to splurge; however, for those feeling slightly less well heeled, the store's recommitment to more-accessible footwear by Antik Batik, Maloles, and its own excellent Co-op house line makes saving money here a lot more attractive than buying last season at TJ Maxx. 100 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 2116, barneys.com.
Alan Bilzerian
Nearly three decades on, Alan Bilzerian's trailblazer status remains unchallenged. It's the go-to for avant-garde imports like Rick Owens and Yohji Yamamoto, as well as for the keen advice from veteran staffers (we're talking about you, John Stefanelli) that's required to make them wearable. The mood stays haute with fantastical pieces like a piqué Lanvin blazer so starkly white that passing glances leave a smudge, while the store's eponymous line of dresswear basics ensures we're only as V Man as we wanna be. (And really, if we wanted to play it safe, we'd shop at Brooks Brothers.) 34 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, alanbilzerian.com.
Peabody Essex Museum
Even if the proceeds didn't benefit Asian-art mecca the Peabody Essex Museum, we'd still spend like drunken Qing-dynasty mandarins here. There are all-occasion gifts like Mariposa salad bowls alongside Far East-inspired finds both reverent (addictively collectible netsukes) and less so (pop-art trays printed with a bespectacled Pu Yi). Each new exhibit brings fresh goodies: Look for quirky jewelry and clothing to arrive this fall with 'Rare Bird of Fashion,' showcasing style icon Iris Apfel. 161 Essex St., Salem, MA 1970, pem.org.
Reggie Macamaux, Rollins Protective Services
Rollins is, of course, a nationwide outfit; you wouldn't want a fly-by-night local protecting your home, would you? Macamaux's been with the firm for three years, and as the greater Boston branch manager, he supervises eight others. He's high on the wireless alarm system these days, a device that hooks into a central station manned 24 hours a day. "We have 'preventive' maintenance checks, 24-hour service, and 24-hour communications with the wireless," he boasts. It's not cheap—$1,900 to $2,400, depending upon the number of doors, windows, and other vulnerable areas—but it's sure a good night's sleep. Burlington, MA
Tu y Yo
The frills are few at the humble but festively colorful Tu y Yo, but none of that matters once you experience the authenticity of the expertly prepared food. Traditional family recipes are executed to perfection, from the shredded chicken breast slow cooked in chipotle peppers and tomatoes to the jumbo shrimp grilled in bay leaves, garlic, oranges, and chipotle sweet-sour sauce. The friendly staff tries hard to make every visitor here feel at home (a quality we're sure, like the recipes, has been passed down for generations) and is adept at guiding diners through the almost shamefully inexpensive entrées (all well under $20) and intriguing wine selection. 858 Broadway, Somerville, MA tuyyo2.com.
Dal
Put one foot in this tapas bar and (as its name foretells) suddenly you've stepped inside a surrealist painting. The walls bombard the senses, covered as they are with trinkets, tchotchkes, knick-knacks, and accouterments from all over the Iberian peninsula. The food follows suit, starting with the tapas menu, which offers a palette of wildly disparate tastes in a few small bites, from juicy duckling smothered in berry sauce to delicate scallops swimming in saffron cream. But the entrées are the genuine masterpieces—especially the house special, melt-on-your-fork pescado a la sal (striped bass cooked in coarse salt that tenderizes the fish as it's baked). 415 Washington St., Somerville, MA dalirestaurant.com.
Fugakyu
This giant temple to raw fish may look like a Zen sanctuary, but don't expect any peace or quiet. Between the circular sushi bar's clamor and the bustle of waitresses trying to keep up with the relentless demand for maki, it's difficult to meditate on the menu, let alone anything else. But then the reason for all this fuss arrives at your table: shining piles of pliant, deep ruby mahuro sashimi, briny and sweet abalone, luscious and firm yellowtail maki, and buttery, sweet toro. The exotic and artistically rendered fish here is unrivaled in the city—but even that, like the rest of Fugakyu, is more mind-blowing than mind-clearing. 1280 Beacon St., Brookline, MA fugakyu.net.
Claremont Cafe
The service is knowledgeable, attentive, and friendly. The menu is smart and eclectic. And the kitchen keeps a keen eye out for the fresh ingredients of the season—just as it should. The fried oysters in a cornmeal batter are terrific (and served with a crisp jicama-pepper slaw), and Claremont's signature crab cakes have a wonderful seared crusty exterior encasing juicy, succulent crabmeat. A modest, but sensible wine list. Nothing fancy here—just excellent food, reasonable prices, and a refreshing appreciation of fine cooking—with no pretense. Claremont has become a fixture in the South End because it's the kind of neighborhood place you go back to again and again. We do. 535 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA .
Martha's Stone Soup
The award-winning fare at Martha Stone's home-cooking-meets-haute-cuisine establishment is deliciously all over the map: a strawberry soup made from fruit grown in Middleborough, a salad sprinkled with Westport cheese, homemade bread punched up with garlic from Carver. A 15-year food-business vet, Stone calls on deep ties to local farms in her quest for fresh, organic ingredients, and even attends farmers' market meetings to keep up with what's available. She leaves no stone unturned, and we return the favor by leaving no plate unpolished. 517 Old Sandwich Rd., Plymouth, MA 2360, .