Brookline Liquor Mart
From the outside, this sprawling liquor store looks like any other rundown rendezvous for drunken booze-hounds. Inside, however, you'll find one of the finest selections of vintage wine in New England. It's for the latter that we just can't seem to get enough of this store. Laid out in neatly labeled rows are bottles of liquid gold that may cost you more than a month's rent. But no matter: Even if you're not a millionaire collector, the knowledgeable staff will help you find a reasonable red to go with the venison stew that's bubbling at home. Especially strong: Rhone, Burgundy, and Bordeaux selections. Expand your vino repertoire at the Mart's regular tastings or by clicking through their encyclopedic Web site. And don't miss the bargain basement (which is exactly what it sounds like); it can be a treasure trove if you hit it at the right moment. 1354 Commonwealth Avenue, Allston, MA blmwine.com.
New Deal
When trying to lay your hands on the freshest catch in Boston, you could get up at 4 a.m., pull on rubber boots, and clump along to the fish pier to haggle with salty characters. Or you could sleep in until a decent hour, then do what the city's smartest cooks do: head to this venerable storefront in East Cambridge, where owner Carl Fantasia makes buying and preparing seafood a breeze, even for novices. He'll not only steer you to the tastiest specimens in the display case, but also point out which Portuguese olive oil will bring out the best in those bright-eyed sardines, and supply the nori needed to turn that sushi-grade tuna into hand-rolled maki. 622 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 2141, newdealfishmarket.com.
Alpha Omega Jewelers, Cambridge location
This is what we call good timing: Just as the country is starting to take watches as seriously as Europe does, ubiquitous local watch retailer Alpha Omega opens a new high-concept store and fills it with the world's most sought-after timepieces. With gleaming cases of wrist candy from Rolex, Gucci, Tissot, A. Lange & Söhne... it's a timekeeper's utopia and every big shot's bliss. (No one there raised an eyebrow when Ben Affleck walked in to buy a Vacheron Constantin.) Still hunting down that elusive Panerai? You'll find it here in the heart of Harvard Square, along with freestanding boutiques and fine jewelry from Montblanc, Bvlgari, and Doris Panos, plus lower-cost and sport watches. 1380 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA .
Harvest
If brunch is the most civilized way to dine, the Harvest is the most civilized place to have brunch. First there's the restaurant's lovely garden patio, which in warm weather offers a leafy retreat from the traffic of Harvard Square. Then there's the table presentation. No paper napkins and messy tabletops here—brunch at the Harvest is a white-linen, Sunday-best affair. But it's the menu that renders this restaurant a class above, with its three-course, prix-fixe ($33) menu of gourmet takes on classic dishes. The eggs Benedict, for instance, are served not one but two ways: crab and avocado on one orb, smoked ham and asparagus with roasted red pepper hollandaise on the other. Omelets come with such citified ingredients as wild mushrooms, spring onion, or pancetta. It's the final course—dessert—that makes this tradition a proper indulgence, from the milk chocolate panna cotta to the irresistible classic chocolate layer cake. 44 Brattle St., Cambridge, MA harvestcambridge.com.
Burlington Mall
Who says malls are dead? Once a ho-hum suburban shopping center, this overhauled megaplex now stands out not only for its selection of upscale shops but also its destination-worthy dining and drinking spots: It’s home to the only Boston-area Parm (Contessa’s casual little sister); an outpost of Maine’s beloved Bennett’s Sandwich Shop; and Common Craft, a 9,000-square-foot space where you can sip bevvies from your favorite local distillers, brewers, and wine makers after browsing the wares at Anthropologie and Tory Burch. Toasting a new home purchase? A brick-and-mortar Joss & Main store, from local online home-goods purveyor Wayfair, is slated to move in this summer. 75 Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, MA 1803, simon.com/mall/burlington-mall.
Weloset Kennels
So it's a big far-flung. But if you're the type of person who recoils from the thought of tossing Toto into caged care, then this is your child we're talking about. Located in a woodsy setting with a knoll where you can stroll with babe before tearfully wishing him adieu, the kennel also has a fenced play area where the staff will take your pal for a few minutes of quality time. The pens are the largest we saw anywhere, at 80 to 100 square feet for large dogs, and have attached runs, bedding with heated floors in the winter, and constantly circulating fresh air. Grooming is also available, as is nondairy canine ice cream. Best of all, stays are reasonably priced at between $19 and $21 a day. Route 97, Boxford, MA .
Serenade Chocolatier
Witness the alchemy firsthand: Confections at Serenade, Brookline Village's intimate chocolatier, are prepared before customers' eyes using smooth, buttery Callebaut direct from Belgium. It's a show that has lured in locals, siren-like, for some 15 years now. Then there's the serenade itself: the chocolate. The truffles are an adagio in their own right, each subtly laced with flavor (Champagne, Grand Marnier, raspberry) that plays to a smooth, dense ganache core encased in a layer of chocolate. The French truffle dusted in bittersweet cocoa is a standout, but the house signature is the Viennese, a fat square of layered dark and milk chocolate infused with hazelnut butter. Serenade also runs a small stand in South Station, lulling the train-bound and softening the commute home. 5 Harvard Sq., Brookline Village, MA serenadechocolatier.com.
Boston Children's Museum
The Boston Children's Museum has been mobbed since it unveiled its 23,000-square-foot expansion and accompanying renovation in April, so chances are good you'll arrive to find a long queue snaking from the door. Try to tough it out: Your reward is just inside, in the form of a corkscrew-shaped three-story contraption that the museum calls the New Balance Climb, and grateful parents might regard as the mother of all monkey bars. Even if your kids don't hit another exhibit, a scamper across, up, through, and under its twisting platforms will leave them too exhausted to do anything but go home and watch their SpongeBob DVDs until the clouds part. 300 Congress St., Boston, MA 2210, bostonchildrensmuseum.org.
Lunette Optic
Photograph by Karin Dailey There’s nothing worse than having to go to one place for an eye exam and another for a cool pair of frames. That’s why we love Lunette, which offers comprehensive vision evals and an exclusive lineup of high-end glasses and shades all in one place. Not only do owners Ted Mogtader and Michelle Rahimian stock the largest selection of Chanel sunglasses in Boston, but they also carry hard-to-find brands such as Kuboraum — a fave of celebs like Oprah and Lady Gaga — as well as their own Mora collection, produced in Italy and Japan. And with six locations (including two new ones opening this summer in the Mandarin Oriental and Harvard Square), it’s easier than ever to find the perfect pair. Multiple locations, lunetteoptic.com.
Café Louis
This pizza is not unlike many of the customers of the female persuasion who dine in the café at Louis Boston itself: high-maintenance, but, frankly, divine. To put a finer point on it, there's only a small handful of predetermined choices, they're expensive, and they don't reheat well. But after one bite of the fresh, free-form pies, you'll understand why we're hooked. The grilled calamari pizza is the standout, with its spicy sauce and tender rings of battered squid. But the arugula pizza, with its rich crust, tangy cheese, and peppery greens, will have you looking at salad in a whole new light. Being high-maintenance has its privileges. What else do you expect from Louis Boston? 234 Berkeley St., Boston, MA .
Ken Oringer, Clio
Of the many honors chef Ken Oringer has won (a James Beard Award among them), this year's nod as one of People magazine's most eligible bachelors was perhaps the most high profile. Of course, the folks at People must know that it's not just his looks that make Oringer such a catch—it's also his talent and creativity as a chef. From foie gras to sashimi, Oringer executes the dishes at the elegant French Back Bay restaurant Clio with such precision, grace, and flavor, you'd think he'd invented the ingredients himself. Whether it's his signature tomato water martini (a refreshing predinner palate cleanser that tastes like summer in a glass), his delicate and beautifully flavored tuna tartare, or the savory roasted suckling pig, Oringer's cooking is, indeed, a study in seduction. Eliot Suite Hotel, 370A Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA cliorestaurant.com.
Barneys New York
Whether in pursuit of the perfect burger or a potential mate, we men typically thrill to the chase. But hunting for just-right cuff links? Oh, no. No, no. The quickest way to kill off our inner Bond, in fact, is to trudge from store to store, questing after the highly specific accessories that live seemingly only in our imagination: the cool diver watch with grosgrain strap, aviators that don't evoke dissolute rock star. While certain things at other local stores quicken our pulse (e.g., the socks at Drinkwater's), for all-out adrenaline rush it's Barneys: walls full of man bags, rows upon rows of pocket squares, belt racks that go on for days. We're in, we're out, mission accomplished. 100 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 2116, barneys.com.
The Urban Hound
<a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-205479391/stock-photo-norfolk-terrier.html" target="_blank">Dog photo</a> via Shutterstock We’ve been there countless times: We want one last cuddle with Fido before leaving for vacation, but instead he wriggles out of our hands like an eager camper, more than ready to sniff butts and play with his buddies. These are the moments when pet parenting can be slightly heartbreaking (My puppy! He’s all grown up!). When Urban Hound is hosting him for the weekend, however, that goodbye is a little easier to handle: The luxury accommodations at the pet hotel and daycare facility—which features two indoor play parks and 1,000 square feet of outdoor space—are matched only by the fantastic trainers and staff, who are more than qualified to play in loco petrentis. 129 Malden St., Boston, MA 2118, urbanhounds.com.
Midwest Grill
In Brazil, restaurants like Midwest Grill are everywhere, which helps to explain why Brazilians traditionally consume their largest meals at lunch: Feasts like those served up by this Inman Square establishment take time to digest. The format is all-you-can-eat, and the fare centers on grilled meat: skewers of sausages, pork loin, lamb, chicken hearts, and sirloin, carved by hand at your table until you finally beg the friendly servers to bring you no more. The accompanying buffet features salad fixings, fluffy mashed potatoes, tasty casseroles, and what might be the best rice and beans outside of Rio. It does not include dessert, but you won't mind—you'll be too full anyway. 1124 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA midwestgrillrestaurant.com.
Antonio Vitale, Studio for Hair
When the avant-garde salons of Newbury Street mistake overzealousness for creativity, only one man can come to the rescue: Antonio Vitale. You won't find posh ambiance here; Vitale revels in his tiny Kenmore Square studio's perfunctory décor and pretense-free atmosphere. Instead, come for careful, thoughtfully rendered hair coloring. The 29-year-old sixth-generation stylist started working with hair at 11 in his father's studio and came back to it after years of toiling as an artist. That's exactly what he still is—an artist layering subtle shades of color to tone down or brighten in all the right spots, fixing what has been put asunder and putting his clients at ease through every step of the process. 464 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA studioforhairboston.com.