Boston Harbor Hotel
Meet your sweetheart under the enormous American flag swaying in the breeze, then stroll hand in hand into this waterfront hotel, which has been setting the standard for luxury in Boston since 1987. Romance packages include sweet touches such as champagne, chocolates, and breakfast beneath the silky Frette sheets, but if you really want to wow your SO, book one of the stunning suites with a terrace overlooking the harbor. 70 Rowes Wharf, Boston, MA 02110, bostonharborhotel.com.
Tres Gatos
A spread of dishes at Tres Gatos. / Photo by Brian Samuels The magic of this J.P. gem is that you can spend nine lives browsing the records and books in the back shop with a drink in hand before you even sit down in the main restaurant and peruse the Spanish menu. And where else can you sip a cocktail inspired by fabulous felines in pop culture, like Garfield and Crookshanks? Foodwise, the dinner paella tops the charts, while the sourdough brunch waffles are downright scene-stealing. 470 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, tresgatosjp.com.
Huntington Theatre Company
Live theater came back with a bang this year at the Huntington. Case in point: resident playwright Kirsten Greenidge’s fantastic Our Daughters, Like Pillars was followed by Greenidge and Melia Bensussen’s Common Ground Revisited, a powerful reinterpretation of J. Anthony Lukas’s Pulitzer Prize–winning book about the struggles of three Boston families during the busing crisis of the 1970s. The material may be old, but in the hands of Greenidge and Bensussen, it feels newly relevant. 264 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, huntingtontheatre.org.
Kaitlyn Greenidge
Book cover courtesy of Kaitlyn Greenidge The Arlington native’s 2021 release Libertie is ambitious in scope, encompassing the story of one of the country’s first Black female doctors during Reconstruction. But what makes the book sing is Greenidge’s lyrical prose, which focuses less on the trailblazing doctor and more on the aching question of what it means to be the daughter of someone so successful when you don’t want to follow in her footsteps. kaitlyngreenidge.com.
Frank Vocals
You know you’ve made it when your song has soundtracked not one but two TV shows. The embodiment of modern-day R & B, Frank Vocals’s delicate, sexy croon can now be heard on an episode of the Starz series BMF, as well as Power Book II: Ghost. No surprise when you consider the lyrical vulnernability and pure romance of his 2020 EP Cure. frankvocals.com.
Misselwood
Imagine, if you will, an emerald-green lawn overlooking the ocean. Rows of white chairs face the water, flanking an aisle dusted with flower petals. It’s here that you’ll say, “I do,” reciting the vows you worked so hard on while waves ripple gently behind you. Afterward, you’ll reunite with loved ones in a soaring white tent, pitched atop a stone floor studded with sea glass. Can you see it? Now, head to Misselwood—a grand seaside estate in Beverly—to book the real thing. Complete with a French chateaux-style manse for smaller affairs, this formidable venue will far exceed your wildest dreams. 407 Hale St., Beverly, Massachusetts 01951, misselwood.com.
Wequassett Resort and Golf Club
Here it's all about hospitality, from thoughtful kids' offerings like mini beach chairs and cabanas to a program that tracks repeat guests' preferences. Want a rare book delivered to your room? They thought so. Planning to propose—but need a violinist? She'll be right over. It doesn't hurt that Wequassett's on-site restaurant, Twenty-Eight Atlantic, is helmed by L'Espalier alum James Hackney, or that a roving Good Humor truck doles out post-swim snacks. At sunset, a newly expanded veranda with fire pits offers serene views of Pleasant Bay. 2173 Route 28, Harwich, MA 02645, wequassett.com.
Belly Wine Bar
This city has no shortage of fab cellars boasting wine menus as thick as a midsize town’s phone book. But lately we’ve been digging vino programs that trade exhaustive depth and range for singular points of view. At Belly Wine Bar, co-owner Liz Vilardi (who also owns the shop Central Bottle) crushes hard on old-world beauties with brash, tart, and downright dirty tendencies: lambruscos, Beaujolais, orange tannin-bombs, funky Savoie whites. All of which just so happen to pair beautifully with the house-cured salumi. Go figure. One Kendall Sq., Cambridge, MA 2139, bellywinebar.com.
Spascape Day Spa
When you book an hour here, it's wise to leave room for two. Owner Deb Larson has designed her fetching new seaside spa as a kind of anti-errand, flush with incentives to loiter. The glassed-in lounge and balcony spread a sparkling Scituate Harbor at guests' (comfortably propped-up) feet; down the hall are a rainforest shower and a steam room for gratis luxuriating. Factor in the anti-big-city prices for the marine-inspired wraps, massages, and facials, and it's not just hard to leave SpaScape—it's also darn near impossible to not keep coming back. 3 Mill Wharf Plz., Scituate, MA 2066, spascapedayspa.com.
The Maids
Amid a flurry of cleaning services catering to on-the-go urbanites, the Jamaica Plain outpost of this national operation shows an unbeatable blend of polish and professionalism. After setting the appointment and sending an e-mail confirmation, your cleaning team will arrive armed with grime-busting equipment and a dozen sprays, as well as a rigorous 22-step plan for restoring your home's sparkle. The Maids will even pick up and drop off your keys at work—another excellent reason to fork over the $159 fee, which is lowered if you book monthly follow-ups. 179 Boylston St., Jamaica Plain, MA 2130, .
Flat of the Hill
After perusing the wares at Flat of the Hill, you'll either wish you had more people to buy gifts for or you'll break down and buy something for yourself. From girlfriend-appropriate books to the Soular Therapy line of soaps and candles, the items on offer here are great for all who need their spirits lifted, though equally tempting are the Jane Fox bags, preppy ribbon belts, and old-fashioned signs. For formal occasions, choose from silver spreader sets or Caldrea lavender water. A few minutes in this bustling Charles Street boutique and there's no way you'll walk out empty-handed. 60 Charles St., Boston, MA flatofthehill.com.
Grand Opening!
Men, women, novices, and veterans all feel at home in this inconspicuous, tasteful boutique. Small signs tell timid shoppers all the details they want to know (but are too shy to ask) about the excellent selection of books, videos, sex toys, and gifts. of all, the sleaze factor is notably nonexistent at this woman-owned shop. You'll find no shifty salesman asking overly personal questions or pushing questionable products. Feeling studious? Sign up for one of the classes hosted here: The "Spring Training for Guys" course, filled with sex tips for men, should be a civic requirement. For the truly meek at heart, there's—you guessed it—a Web site: www.grandopening.com. 318 Harvard St., Suite 32, Brookline, MA .
John Weiners
The Poet Laureate of Beacon Hill, the Oracle of Joy Street belongs in the ranks of Boston's most distinguished literati. His remarkable first book, The Hotel Wentley Poems (1959), made him an overnight star of the Beat generation. He hobnobbed with Ferlinghetti during San Francisco's late 1950's Poetry Renaissance, and was a longtime crony of the late Allen Ginsberg. Known as both Genius and Holy Mad Man, he inspired an entire generation of younger poets with his wit and delicate lyricism. This year, after more than a decade of silence, he published a splendid new collection, 707 Scott Street.
The Castignetti Compound
If you're a struggling artist who can't afford a studio, you're in luck. The Castignetti Compound in the North End wants to give you cheap space, coffee, grant books, computer access, and more. The Compound is a new artists' collective housed in the hollowed-out shell of a formal-wear store on Endicott Street—sort of a postmodern atelier, where the studio doubles as a gallery, and the main attraction is a bunch of artists working in makeshift open studios There's no privacy, of course, but there are, form time to time, musical benefits with some great local bands. 67 Endicott Street, Boston, MA .
Nine Zero
Hip enough for Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga, yet sophisticated enough to attract the likes of Bill Clinton, Nine Zero treats all its guests like celebrities—even the penguins en route to the San Diego Zoo that it accommodated in 2007. With daily wine hours, pet-friendly services, and charming themed suites (including the presidential Cloud Nine), we give Nine Zero a clear 10. Book the Skyline View rooms and your loaner iPad will come preloaded with tourist tips, a music library, even retail-therapy apps. 90 Tremont St., Boston, MA ninezero.com.