Brendan Behan's
Even discounting the countless plastic-Paddy pubs that have sprouted all over Boston, our city boasts a wealth of genuine Celtic hangouts. But for all their fiddling, their crowds, and their shepherd's pies, these places overlook a pub's true function: to be a pleasant place to drink. The Brendan Behan is dark, wooden, and lovingly worn. There's no food, meaning no obnoxious "dining-only" seating, and the Irish barkeeps pull a slow, well-constructed Guinness. Aside from the odd band or book reading, conversation is what draws the clientele—which is neither undergraduate nor overpaid. 378A Centre St., Jamaica Plain, MA brendanbehanpub.com.
Jen Fields, Alden & Harlow/Waypoint
Not to knock somms who manage phone-book-thick catalogs you can treat like oenophilic iTunes stores. But there’s something to be said for letting a DJ with killer taste man the turntable. At Alden & Harlow and Waypoint, Jen Fields has built offbeat but on-the-pulse lists featuring quirkball lovelies—from Priorat, Slovenia, and emerging patches of Italy—and a gently subversive point of view. 40 Brattle St., Cambridge, 617-864-2100, aldenharlow.com; 1030 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 617-864-2300, waypointharvard.com. MA
Chatham Gables Inn
When you’re ready to escape to the Cape sans beach toys and boogie boards, book a stay at this 170-year-old former sea captain’s home. Overflowing with New England charm, the retreat is open only to guests 16 and over, and that’s just the way we like it. Tuck into a gratis breakfast, made fresh every morning with veggies grown right on the property, in the breezy sunroom; savor a meditative moment on the tree swing in the perennial garden; or just snuggle into the crisp Matouk sheets. If the goal is to break away from the daily grind, there’s no place better to do so. 364 Old Harbor Rd., Chatham, MA 02633, chathamgablesinn.com.
Trident Booksellers and Café
Sprinkler damage from a small fire in the winter of 2018 forced this Newbury Street fixture to close its doors for the first time in 34 years. When it finally reopened six months later, bookworms and café dwellers alike were relieved to find Trident’s thousands of books and diverse selection of international, national, and niche magazines placed neatly back on shelves. The reopening brought a fresh layout, too: With a revamped children’s area and additional first-floor café seating, lingering with a new read has never felt so good. 338 Newbury St., Boston, MA tridentbookscafe.com.
Tulle Bridal
After IRL shopping ground to a screeching halt last year, Tulle owner Heidi Janson quickly switched gears, introducing an outdoor browsing option so brides could still enjoy the tactile experience of trying on gowns. It may be safe to shop inside again, but Janson’s customers loved the en plein air experience so much that she decided to keep it for the near future. Still prefer to sip and peruse with a roof over your head? Book the store’s VIP experience, and you and your besties will have the studio all to yourselves to ogle frocks by Lee-Ann Belter, Yumi Katsura, Simone Carvalli, and more. 342 N. Main St., Andover, MA 01810, tullebridals.com.
The Nantucket Hotel + Resort
With snuggle-worthy robes and Frette linens in each room and suite, a stay at the cozy Nantucket Hotel + Resort feels just like kicking back in the comfort of your own home—assuming, that is, that your humble abode also happens to have two outdoor pools, a restaurant, and a covered front porch where musicians post up to entertain you each Thursday and Friday. The hotel's clutch downtown location puts you within walking distance of shops and, of course, the beach—just don't forget to snag a book from the collection in your room. 77 Easton St., Nantucket, MA 2554, thenantuckethotel.com.
Concord Teacakes
Hard to believe this is the place where we rebelled against the British. This little bakery overlooking the picturesque West Concord railroad junction has thoroughly embraced the delicacy that is central to the mother country's tea ritual. There are regular, cinnamon, and currant scones for sale, and while they're good enough to eat plain, the bakery has homemade jellies and authentic Devonshire cream. You'll find coffees and teas, a couple of window tables, and shelves stocked with newspapers and books. If the Brits knew it would get this good, they wouldn't have left so easily. 59 Commonwealth Ave., West Concord, MA .
Land's End Inn
Only Philistines and acrophobes could fail to fall in love with this, the most rapturous among Cape Cod's many small inns. Part oasis, part museum, the property perches high above Gull Hill and peers over what seems like every crevice of Cape Cod. If you somehow get tired of the view, you can turn you attention to the luxuriant gardens and lavish collection of ornate late-19th-century antiques, Tiffany lamps, and statues. If it's free, book the Bay Tower Room which hovers above the sea, dunes, and miles of marsh; you'll feel like you're sleeping not just at the tip of the Cape, but on top of the world. 22 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA landsendinn.com.
Avalon
A little over a year ago, Avalon, the once white-hot star of the Lyons' Group club holdings, had dimmed to white-dwarf status. Except for Sundays, its perpetually successful gay night, the cavernous club was lame. And pretty empty. Enter promoter Steve Adelman, the man behind New York City's Tunnel and, before that, Limelight. Within weeks, Adelman was booking the biggest names in dance music at Avaland, the club's Friday night reincarnation. Superstar DJs like Frankie Knuckles, Little Louie Vega, and Junior Vasquez have all taken turns behind the decks, bringing Avalon to a boil and putting Boston on the dance-club map. 15 Landsdowne St., Boston, MA .
Huntington Theatre Company
Boston theater is humming on high thanks to its two biggest companies, both of which send shows to Broadway and garner Tony nominations and awards. But while the American Repertory Theater had another star-studded year of notable spectacles, we preferred the Huntington’s eclectic drama. With Chekhov’s The Seagull, a sex romp, comedies and romances, and even its own extravaganza in The Jungle Book, the Huntington had everything for everyone this year. Even better, we love seeing its dedication to fostering playwriting stars, such as recent fellow Lydia Diamond, whose work has been produced on Broadway by Alicia Keys and who world-premiered Smart People here this season. 264 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 2115, huntingtontheatre.org.
The Art Store
Other art stores have handbaskets. This huge emporium has big shopping carts perfect for navigating the wide, immaculate, organized aisles. Start by perusing the rows of pens, pencils, and paints before moving on to the walls of sketchpads and rolls of canvas. The Art Store has all the standard fare, and then some—Kolo albums, handmade stationery, a wide array of journals. And in case aspiring artists need more help than the friendly sales staff can give, there's a selection of how-to books and in-store demonstrations every weekend that will have you creating mosaic candleholders or embossed letterhead in no time. Landmark Center, 401 Park Dr., Boston, MA .
The Art Store
Yeah, we know it's a chain. But it's got all the accessories a starving artist—or, at least, an aspiring one—could ever need. And in this case, bigger is better. The warehouse-like space is stocked with brushes, paints, pens, easels, sketchpads, and practically every doodad imaginable. From acrylics to oils, origami to crafts, most of the inventory is organized supermarket-fashion and is reasonably easy to find. Even if you're not a budding artist, there are plenty of other goodies to tempt the creative shopper: photo albums, notebooks, colorful bins, design books. Who knows? You might even find some inspiration. 401 Park Dr., Landmark Center, Boston, MA .
Silhouette Cocktail Lounge
The recipe for a superlative dive bar is simple: cheap drinks, good music, and a feeling of belonging for every sad sap who saunters in. The Silhouette Lounge delivers all of these ingredients, with a few grubby-but-great enhancements: dartboards, free popcorn, and stools so tattered they look like they've endured a natural disaster. If you're looking for panache, look elsewhere. If you're looking to drink away the blues and talk to strangers, sidle up to the bar at 'the Sil.' 200 Brighton Ave., Allston, MA 2134, .
Doris Kearns Goodwin
Courtesy For the past 30-plus years, Kearns Goodwin has given us the inside scoop on every 20th-century POTUS worth knowing, from FDR to LBJ to JFK. In her latest book, An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s, released in April, the Pulitzer Prize–winning historian takes us inside her longtime marriage to political visionary Richard Goodwin, who died in 2018, and unlocks a goldmine of memories from the turbulent decade. A downtown Boston resident and regular at the ’Quin House, where she likes to cut loose with friends, Kearns Goodwin is as much of a local treasure as any of her bestselling works.
Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club
Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club While it’s hard to unwind these days, this luxe resort is making it a little easier to get some much-needed R & R. Extra pre- cautions—including contactless golf-cart pickup, grocery-delivery service, and reduced capacity at pools and at Ocean Edge’s private beach—provide peace of mind, while new private experiences such as beach yoga and oyster tours make it easy to practice social distancing while giving the kiddos an unforgettable adven- ture. So go ahead, book that luxurious mansion suite. Boozy mudslides delivered straight to your beach chair await. 2907 Main St., Brewster, MA 02631, oceanedge.com.