Drybar
Why fight your tresses when a professional can do it while you sip a latte? At Drybar, highly skilled hair wranglers create polished manes regardless of how their clients looked when they walked in. We love that it's easy to book online in 15-minute increments, that they start so early (beginning at 7 a.m. every day but Sunday), and that the products smell delightful. Warning: could be habit-forming. 234 Clarendon St., Boston, MA 02116, thedrybar.com.
Midnight Farm
You may not be looking for anything in particular when you enter Midnight Farm, but once you lay eyes on its quirky and exotic collection of clothing, housewares, bedding, and gifts, you'll surely find an excuse to slap down your credit card. Co-owned by singer Carly Simon, the shop stocks ethereally scented lotions and body creams, soft-as-can-be knit outfits to cover some lucky baby's bottom, handmade shoes, and (of course) CDs and books signed by Simon. 18 Water-Cromwell Lane, Vineyard Haven, MA midnightfarm.net.
The Spa at Chatham Bars Inn
Courtesy of Chatham Bars Inn No need to forfeit the Cape’s sea breeze when you unwind with a treatment at the Chatham Bars Inn’s spa: Surrounded by nature and the salty air from the ocean less than a quarter-mile away, its private outdoor cabanas are the perfect spot to unwind with a bliss-inducing deep-tissue CBD massage. If you’re looking to make relaxation the full focus of your Cape getaway, book one of the hotel’s spa suites (in-room soaking tub, sauna, and steam shower included). 297 Shore Rd., Chatham, MA 02633, chathambarsinn.com.
Gina Hernandez, G2O Spa + Salon
Skin, meet savior. This industry vet’s rendition of G2O’s “Age Defying Facial” — which includes a double-deep exfoliation, lymphatic drainage, and acupressure, followed by a highly potent biocellulose face mask — is so popular, in-the-know clients often book weeks and weeks in advance. That’s because Hernandez’s gentle hands put pressure in all the right places, reducing puffiness and helping your skin look its glowiest. 33 Exeter St., Boston, MA 02116, g2ospasalon.com.
Patrice Vinci, Patrice Vinci Salon
Balayage, the freeform process of handpainting dye onto individual locks of hair, requires patience, artistry, and plenty of know-how. Luckily, longtime stylist Patrice Vinci has all of those things in spades, having styled celebrities from Ellen Pompeo to Betsy Brandt for the red carpet. Her sun-kissed, natural looks are so lustrous and dimensional, your only regret will be not having booked the appointment sooner. 91 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, patricevinci.com.
Oasis Day Spa
Looking for a city-quality spa experience without the (very unrelaxing) city drive? Give Oasis Day Spa a call. From massages and facials to waxing and makeup application, this tranquil Weymouth retreat does it all, even offering a “Zen for Men” menu that includes mani-pedis and microdermabrasion. And if you’re having trouble deciding what to book, you can create your own two hours of pure bliss with a combination of services: The “Renew” package, for example, includes an express seaweed facial, 30-minute massage, and classic pedicure — no stress-inducing car ride required. 108 Pleasant St., Weymouth, MA 02190, relaxatoasis.com.
Jeffrey Dauksevich, Umi Salon
A consultation with Umi's often-brusque owner is no glib chatfest. ('How do you feel? How do you want to feel?' It's a bit like going to your shrink.) The brave should still book an appointment, though, knowing they'll walk out looking like a million bucks—which makes the $350 they just dropped a comparative bargain. Dauksevich, who gives each client at least an hour in his chair, doesn't follow fads; instead, he works off hair texture, face shape, and personality to craft current, highly individual styles. Start saving up those pennies now. 75 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, .
Disc Diggers
The indie music ethic in this town is so snobbish, it's almost considered blasphemy if you like a song on the radio. But thanks to Davis Square's Disc Diggers, located in the epicenter of cool, this attitude has been dispensed with, and buying CDs has become a pleasure again. You may not know all the obscure music on the overstuffed shelves, but the inventory is so extensive that you'll find a Bon Jovi album right next to the Backstreet Boys and Built to Spill. Prices are low, staffers know just about everything, and the body art on some of the customers is as entertaining as the music. 401 Highland Ave., Somerville, MA discdiggers.com.
Campo de' Fiori
You have 20 minutes to eat. And you have taste. What to do? Head to Campo de' Fiori in Harvard Square's Holyoke Center Aracade (a Financial District outpost is slated for a year-end opening), where fresh Pane Romano—a moist-yet-crispy flatbread—is spread with Nutella for breakfast, topped pizzalike for lunch, and made into luscious sandwiches, like the Parma (with prosciutto and fontina). It rivals its namesake in Rome. Fat-free fruit gelati and fresh pastries add a sweet finale. And with Combo meals priced between $2 and $5, all we can say is Brava! Holyoke Center Arcade, 1350 Massacusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA .
Get Konnected!
Get Konnected! remains the city’s most influential cross-cultural event series, but everyone knows that it’s the woman behind it — Colette Phillips, the pied piper of progress and inclusivity — who is literally helping to change the face of Boston. Whether she’s consulting with companies establishing inclusive work practices, honoring the area’s top people of color at her award tributes, or writing her recent book, The Includers, a guide for DEI-minded leaders, she’s always looking to connect people who can move the city forward.
Good Vibrations
Whether you're a novice curious about spicing up your bedroom activities or a veteran dominatrix looking for new shackles, Good Vibrations has the right amount of kink to satisfy your inner freak: toys, how-to books…well, we're not sure how much more we can tell you without the good-taste police's raiding our office. Suffice it to say that this place has plenty of merchandise that will make your sex life more interesting. And the prices are reasonable enough that you'll get some serious bang for your buck. (Sorry. Couldn't help ourselves!) 308A Harvard St., Brookline, MA goodvibes.com.
Grill 23 & Bar
Great steaks are only the tip of the iceberg at Grill 23. Sure, executive chef Jay Murray has a knack for cooking red meat, but the other dishes on the menu, including Chilean sea bass and grilled stuffed lobsters, are just as delicious as the marbled prime rib, steak au poivre, and filet mignon. The meats are made still better with the addition of such tasty side dishes as the decadent truffled macaroni and cheese or crispy hash browns. Settle into a table in the cavernous downstairs dining room to sip giant martinis and cut into porterhouse steaks with the high rollers, or book an upstairs private dining room for a more intimate dinner. Either way, the service is impeccable and the steaks, superb. 161 Berkeley St., Boston, MA grill23.com.
George Amaral
Have you ever been told upon showing up at work with a brand-new haircut, "Oh...you look terrific, I'm so happy for you!"? That last part belongs to the realm of getting a good job, a good husband, or a big award. A haircut by George is just such an event. And if you've reached a certain age, he knows how to shear some of those extra years, too. Best of all, George's haircuts pass the test of time. One very short haircut kept its style for more than three months as the hair grew in. Unfortunately, many people already know about George, so book ahead. Mario Russo, 9 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Didi Stewart
<p>Twenty-eight years ago a wobbly-kneed five-year-old by the name of Diane Carol ("Didi") Stewart walked onto the stage at a New Jersey Summer camp and belted out "My Darling Clementine."</p> <p>The 33-year-old self-taught singer, songwriter, and soulful leader of Girls' Night Out has been stage-bound even since, singing her way from New Jersey coffeehouses and North Country ski lodges into Boston nightclubs with the Amplifiers, the rock band she founded in 1978 . The group not only attracted a tremendous following but also recorded an album—Didi Stewart: Begin Here—in 1981.</p> <p>Stewart's next breakthrough came in 1983, when she decided "it would be fun to have an all-female band perform all those great girl-group songs from the fifties and sixties." On July 26, 1983, Girls' Night Out took to the stage at the now defunct Inn-Square Men's Bar, and the shows—at area clubs including the Channel. Jonathan Swift's, and Nightstage—have sold out steadily ever since. Last spring the group released its first album, Girls' Night Out.</p> <p>The success of the album, and of single releases such as "Love Under Pressure" and "Affair of the Heart," promoted the group to change its format to include fewer oldies and more of Stewart's original material.</p> <p>These days, Stewart—whose voice combines the heart of superstars like Linda Ronstadt and Melissa Manchester with the soul of Aretha Franklin—is likely to be found, notebook in hand, at Brigham's ("I like the noise and the activity"), drinking coffee and working on new material for the band. She's also putting together an intimate nightclub act tentatively called "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend, but Rhinestones Are Her Constant Companion." In the meantime, Stewart says, "I'll be shopping around for the sleaziest nightclub dress I can find."</p>
Emma's
Emma's may have moved from Huron Avenue to Kendall Square, but it still boats the same great thin-crust pizza and 21 imaginative toppings, including smoked chicken, dried cranberries, calamata olives, and roasted sweet potatoes (as well as standbys such as sausage, onions, and pepperoni). The service is also friendly and attentive. And while it still isn't exactly spacious, the new location near the Kendall Square Cinema is big enough to fit 10 tables; the waiting area has the original counter from the old Huron Avenue store, a nice touch. 40 Hampshire Street, Cambridge, MA emmaspizza.com.