The Marriott Long Wharf Hotel
Outside it looks like a high-tech prison. Inside, it's a hodgepodge of clashing styles and colors. 296 State St., Boston, MA .
Oregon Club
Terrific beef in an unusual location. But you have to be a member to get into this unprepossessing grill where the meat's cooked over open coals. 117 Oregon Rd., Ashland, MA .
Peking on Fresh Pond
A big, overdecorated room that kind of looks like a United Auto Workers hall gone oriental. The seafood's excellent here, and the menu long and eclectic. 307 Fresh Pond Parkway, Cambridge, MA .
Picco
Upgrade your pizza delivery with one of these showstoppers, cooked well-done with bubbly crusts. For dessert, the brownie sundae is nothing short of divine. 513 Tremont St., South End, MA 2116, piccorestaurant.com.
Therapy
Trendy-casual looks by those who do it best (Ben Sherman, Cibeline) are the stock-in-trade at the little-sister boutique to Kenmore's Jean Therapy. 152 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA 2215, .
Tim Capone
When a guest needed his clothes laundered late one night, Capone took them home to his apartment in the South End and washed them himself. The Westin Hotel-Copley Place, 10 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA .
<em>Gulio Cesare in Eggito</em>
Gulio Cesare in Eggito, directed by Peter Sellars and Craig Smith. The full four and a half hours of Handel's original score and a Ronald Reagan look-alike as Caesar.
The Tannery
With multiple stores that stock everything from elegant bluchers to throwback kicks to luxe work boots, the Tannery offers sweet sole-ace for style-conscious gents. 711 Boylston St., Boston, MA 0711 Boylst, thetannery.com.
Rafi Nova
The classic hardy New Englander, you value practicality. Look no further than Rafi Nova’s ultra-durable, well-fitting masks, with sizes for kids and adults. 238 Highland Ave., Needham, MA 02494, rafinova.com.
Pantry
Help at last for those of us who are grocery-challenged: Here you’ll find an arsenal of rotating recipes that you can prep and cook in under an hour, complete with all of the ingredients you’ll need to make them. 1622 Beacon St., Brookline, MA 02446, pantrystores.com.
Jean Therapy
Always looking for the Next Big Jean, owner Leah Eckelberger offered hot brands like Oligo Tissew, Those Are Mine, Farmer, and Drifter (as well as frank opinions on your derriere) before anyone else. 524 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 2215, jean-therapy.com.
Black Ink @ Home
It's all about industrial chic—eclectic bits and pieces like the salt and pepper shakers made to look like a bolt and the frog can crusher. Black Ink offers items with a sense of humor and a function. 370 Broadway, Cambridge, MA .
Le Pli
Picture a health club—a spa, rather—whose members have the time and leisure to follow up their step class with highlighting and a pedicure. The G-string leotards look great; the fur coats are real. The Heritage, 28 Arlington St., Boston, MA .
Sandy Poirier at the Vincent Cox Salon
Poirier does Cam Neely and NKOTB's Joey McIntyre. He'll make you look good and give you the latest on Newbury Street at the same time. All for only $45. 132 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Roses and Thistle
Whether you're looking for a birthday bouquet, a get-well arrangement, or a get-me-out-of-the-doghouse masterpiece, owner Tracey Scott's exotic, seasonal arrangements will set exactly the right tone. 51 Atlantic Ave., Marblehead, MA 1845, rosesandthistle.com.