Gentle Giant Moving Company
Gentle Giant's elite squads take extra care with heavy furniture and breakables, without—if you can believe it—so much as scuffing the walls. What's more, they'll deliver anywhere in the United States and pay up to $500 for any damage done. Of course, a seamless relocation doesn't come cheap. But in this case, coughing up a little extra is a decidedly good move. 29 Harding St., Somerville, MA 2143, gentlegiant.com.
Booty by Brabants
Hot tip: Workout onesies are back. Just ask Boston’s own Kelly Brabants, the mastermind behind the expansive athleisureline Booty by Brabants. Designed with all shapes and sizes in mind, her leggings, tops, shorts, and, yes, onesies are stretchy and flattering. Fabrics include a signature “croco skin” that moves with every squat and bench press, and the colors are simply delicious, whether you opt for grapefruit pink, eggplant purple, or tomato red. 1140 Market St, Lynnfield, MA 01940, shop.bootybybrabants.com.
Sweat Fixx
Pat Piasecki What should you do if you miss pumping iron with your crew, but you’re still not ready to step foot inside a gym? Grab your yoga mat and some optional weights and head to Sweat Fixx for an outdoor fitness class, pronto. Offering al fresco strengthening sessions at its Southie location seven days per week, this woman-owned studio makes it (mostly) painless to squeeze in a low-impact workout filled with squats, biceps curls, planks, and more planks whenever the mood strikes. 323 Dorchester Ave., South Boston, MA 02127, sweatfixx.com.
BodyScapes
No pain, no gain? We so understand that phrase. Our first day at BodyScapes was a bit of a shock: Our butts were kicked—hard—as one of manager Jerry Labbate's six smiling trainers guided us through a series of squats, lunges, lifts, and sprints so intense we ached for days. But then one morning, two months later, we suddenly awoke with abs. Real, defined abs. And biceps. And calves. And—did we mention?—abs! One Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 2116, bodyscapesinc.com.
Tony Maws, Craigie On Main
Tony Maws is the anticelebrity chef. Undistracted by fame and fortune, he is laser focused on ferreting out the finest ingredients from local farms and transforming them in his cramped Cambridge kitchen into deliciously unexpected dishes like roasted Vermont organic squab with pomegranate-rose gastrique and sour milk panna cotta with candied fennel. Which, of course, is exactly what makes Maws a shining star. 653 Main St., Cambridge, MA 2139, craigieonmain.com.
Kara Lydon Nutrition
Go ahead and gobble up those cookies sans guilt: Registered dietitian nutritionist Kara Lydon encourages her clients to eschew fad diets in favor of intuitive eating, which means enjoying satisfying meals filled with carbs, proteins, and fats (and, yes, the occasional sweet treat) whenever hunger strikes. Not sure how to begin? Lydon’s blog (a.k.a. “the Foodie Dietician”) and e-book offer countless recipes so you can get a jump-start on your health before you even book an appointment. 399 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02116, karalydon.com.
Parterre Garden Services
COURTESY OF PARTERRE GARDEN SERVICES From a greenery-filled rooftop downtown to a stunning Concord yard with bold blooms and graceful stone pathways, the sophisticated landscapes cultivated by these garden gurus stem from a deep understanding of the natural environment. And with a list of services that includes restoration, pruning, and perennial care, the Parterre team won’t just design and build you an outdoor oasis—they’ll deploy a squad of horticulturalists to maintain it for you, too. 67 Smith Pl., Cambridge, MA parterregarden.com.
The "Rescued" Red Sox Banner
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Photo by David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images[/caption]
“We need to negotiate heah,” said Louie Iacuzzi in an epic pseudo-ransom video after he and James Amaral found a lost Sox banner. They got squat, but we got a good, hearty laugh.
Boston Public Library
Far more than a vast storehouse of books, the BPL has always been a hub for the community—something that’s only grown stronger in the COVID era. Whether it’s interactive playgroups for toddlers, story times and bilingual magic shows for kids, improv classes for teens, or book clubs and lectures for adults, the organization has harnessed the diverse resources of all of its branches to offer such a busy, varied selection of virtual fun each day that you’ll hardly find enough time to experience it all 700 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02116, bpl.org.
Celeste Ng
Even in a city as literary as Boston, Ng stands out. Her first book, Everything I Never Told You, was Amazon’s 2014 Book of the Year, while her latest, 2017’s Little Fires Everywhere, has spent more than 36 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. The story of the impact an artist has on a small Ohio town, the novel has proved so enduringly popular with readers that Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington optioned it as a TV series for Hulu. MA celesteng.com.
Long's Jewelers
Long's wrote the book (The Diamond Book) on buying diamonds, and eagerly uses it to educate customers at regular diamond seminars. But when it comes time to pony up and buy the rocks, this is old-fashioned shopping—complete with meticulous, informative salespeople and some of the brightest gems around. As one of the few stores in the region with both AGS (American Gem Society) and GIA (Gemological Institute of America) certification, Long's has not only a high-quality stock but also a knack for finding the right stone for each customer. 60A South Ave., Burlington, MA longsjewelers.com.
Market
Provincetown is awash in style-savvy men. We're guessing that best dressed of them frequent Market, a small but flashy clothing destination on Commercial Street. Pick up a new pair of swim shorts by a notably chic designer such as D&G, Hugo Boss, Jean-Paul Gaultier, or DSquared2. What's even better? Market has two sister stores in Boston, so you can still shop till you drop when you get home. 173 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA .
Dr. Robert Leach
Exercise leads occasionally to injury, and for treating the busted knees, there's probably no one better than Leach. He works with the Boston Celtics, the US ski team, the Olympic squad, and top professional tennis players. "The real action though," Leach says, "is not with the pros. It's with the people who are doing sports for fun." That category includes Leach. With son Mike, the Leaches are a nationally ranked tennis duo. But Leach's sports medicine is all business. "These days, reputations are often made not on the surgery, but on not doing the surgery," he says. "And the athletes know I don't quit. They recognize I'm relating." Boston, MA
Gus & Ruby
Rodeo & Co. Photography Why flip through book upon book of invitations when you can have something that’s completely, uniquely you? That’s exactly what you’ll get when you commission Samantha Finigan and Whitney Swaffield, of Gus & Ruby, to create custom paper goods for your party. The New Hampshire&ndashbased duo, who launched a long-awaited brick-and-mortar on Beacon Hill last October, demonstrate a particular flair for the unexpected. Exhibit A: their recent Bridgerton-inspired invitation suite, which paired Victorian silhouettes with modern script and gold foil. 99 Charles St., Boston, MA 02114, gusandruby.com.
Brookline Booksmith
More than just a bookstore, it's a monument to the literary life. The orderly stacks have helpful comment cards from the staff, and they're packed with more than just bestsellers. Get lost in a labyrinthine maze of maps, glasses, cheeky tote bags, even midcentury-modern mugs for the requisite bookish spot of tea. Downstairs, there's a tidy used-book area and gift-wrapping station. Regular author readings, a monthly book club, and a well-stocked kids' section with pint-size chairs are nice community touches at this Coolidge Corner favorite. 279 Harvard St., Brookline, MA 02446, brooklinebooksmith.com.