Mike's Autobody
Luxury dealerships send their customers to Mike's, which specializes in high-end automobiles, making scratched and dented Porsches and Mercedes-Benzes look like new again. It can do the same for your car. But while the vehicles here tend toward the expensive and pretentious, the service doesn't. 251 Broadway, Malden, MA mikesautobodyofmalden.com.
Chinese New Year Parade and Cultural Village
As 2022’s Year of the Tiger kicks 2021’s Ox into the rearview mirror, we’ll look forward to seeing downtown come vibrantly alive again with firecrackers, lion dancers, booths teaching Chinese calligraphy and crafts, and, of course, some of the most delicious street food of the year. Chinatown, MA chinatownmainstreet.org.
Stanza Dei Sigari
What once was a 1920s speakeasy now hosts a pleasure that’s practically as forbidden as Prohibition-era booze: the cigar. This cozy subterranean bar is one of the city’s last refuges for the epicurean whose idea of the perfect nightcap is a 30-year tawny paired with a well-aged Macanudo. 292 Hanover St., Boston, MA 02113, stanzadeisigari.com.
Julie Michaud
Michaud will travel to your home or hotel and make you look picture-perfect for the big day, if it's a natural glow you're after or something more dramatic. She'll also give you a care package including the right shade of lipstick, liner, and powder for touch-ups throughout the momentous event. 297 Newbury Street, Suite 21, Boston, MA prettyology.com.
Drew Bledsoe
Bledsoe, who could have whined his way through the season as his understudy led the Patriots to the Promised Land, but, instead, stepped in when he was needed—and who, after he was traded, took out advertisements in the local papers thanking local fans for supporting him over the years.
Quadrum
"Funky elegance" may seem like an oxymoron, but the keen-eyed buyers at Quadrum nail it. Witness the brilliant pairings: hammered-metal cuffs scattered with diamonds next to Darcy Miro bangles that look like some beautiful thing that crawled straight out of the sea. 199 Boylston St., Chestnut Hill, MA 2467, quadrumgallery.com.
Sur La Table
To make a decent soufflé or terrine, you must first find the proper gadgetry. Look no further than Sur La Table, which stocks tools, pots, and more by delicious brands like Miyabi and Staub, ensuring that you're prepared whenever the culinary bug bites. 199 Boylston St., Chestnut Hill, MA 2467, surlatable.com.
Calvin Wiley
The classes are referred to as boot camp, but the moves are oriented more to funk and dance than to the military. Wiley is a contemporary dancer and choreographer, and his 90-minute-long classes are a mix of dance and aerobics. While no formal training is required, it might be wise to shed your inhibitions at the door. Metropolitan Health Club, 209 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA .
Old Ironsides
The USS Constitution is back in the water and fully rigged. The oldest commissioned warship in the United States, Old Ironsides provides not only a fascinating glimpse of a bygone era but a great place from which to see the city. Follow the Freedom Trail to Charlestown and look for the USS Constitution Museum in the Charlestown Navy Yard. Charlestown Navy Yard, Charlestown, MA .
The Pour House
There are two things that make for a good bar: booze and cheap, greasy food. From steak tips to fajitas to burgers, the Pour House has plenty of the latter, all listed on a pun-filled menu ("Our nachos served with black beans and seasoned grilled chicken. Pour-fect!") that gets funnier the more of the former you consume. 907 Boylston St., Boston, MA 2115, pourhouseboston.com.
Coach
Coach is back on our radar with a new young designer turning out leather goods in shapes and colors never before associated with the conservative store. Look for its ergonomically shaped purses, wallets in lime green, and golf gloves in baby blue. Copley Place, Boston, MA .
Kitchen Arts
Looking for just the right-size saute pan or properly weighted knife? This family-run shop has all the best accouterments for the kitchen and is notable for its knowledgeable sales staff and selection of gadgets. If you don't see it there, they'll find it and order it for you. What more could you want? 161 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Mahoney's Rocky Ledge
We know there are locations throughout the region, but this one rules: peat moss, planters, pails, privet hedges, potting soil, pruning shears, peas (seeds), peonies, and porch furniture. For every gardening item you could possibly need, look no farther. 242 Cambridge St., Winchester, MA .
Olga Ilatovsky
Olga Ilatovsky is a master of the soft sell. She'll tell you if the dress doesn't fit you—or the occasion—and will scour the racks nationwide for a size or color she can't find in the store. Look for her in the dress-and-accessory department. Henri Bendel, 300 Boylston St., Chestnut Hill, MA .
Saturday's Child
Not for the faint-hearted when it comes to price, but if you're looking for something more original than Gap Kids, this is the place. Also, in the Zephyr annex, interesting clothes in that hard-to-find preteen category. Plus chic Swedish potty seats and ready-made tutus. 1762 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA .