Yale Appliance & Lighting
The kitchen, they say, is the heart of the home, which may explain why an outdated one can be such a source of agitation for image-conscious homeowners. Yale Appliance + Lighting can ease the pain. Its Dorchester headquarters packs in Thermador refrigerators, Viking stovetops, Sub-Zero wine coolers, and Bosch dishwashers. The store will deliver your purchase and remove your old gear for free, and also offers cooking and appliance seminars run by its resident chef, Kurt von Kahle. 296 Freeport St., Dorchester, MA 2122, yaleappliance.com.
Company One Theatre
Whether it’s tackling stories about immigration or staging resident playwright Kirsten Greenidge’s vision in a Back Bay school, Company One will take you places you never expected, but are better for having been. Think, for example, of this season’s rom-com Vietgone: A collaboration with Pao Arts Center, the perspective-shifting, often hilarious look at the Vietnamese refugee experience from Marvel Studios writer Qui Nguyen skewered, subverted, and surprised the whole way through. 539 Tremont St., Boston, MA companyone.org.
Allandale Farm
Big-box garden centers are famously hit-or-miss — a $40 flowering basket may look lush on one side, but spin it around, and it’s scraggly and brown. That’s never the case at this locally owned farm, which sells picture-perfect planters, vibrant perennials, fresh veggie starts, and heirloom seeds for the DIY gardener to sow at home. Bonus points for the on-site cows and chickens, which can turn a ho-hum errand with kids into a real adventure. 259 Allandale Rd., Brookline, MA 02467, allandalefarm.com.
Pure Glow
One session with owner Lauren Rampello, and you’ll never hop into an automated spray-tan booth again. Her paraben-, formaldehyde-, and retinol-free formula is meticulously applied by hand, leaving no room for streaks or missed spots. Stop into the recently opened studio for a custom color consultation, or let Rampello bring her pop-up tanning station to your home. Either way, 20 minutes is all you’ll need for a subtle glow that lasts for the better part of a week. 176 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, pureglowtanning.com.
The Wellness Floor at One Dalton
If the makeshift desk setup in the corner of your bedroom didn’t destroy your neck and back this year, the stress of the pandemic likely did. Not to worry: The Four Seasons One Dalton’s spa has the post-pandemic massage you’ve been patiently waiting for. Like a homing device, the talented therapists’ hands zero in on every knot and trouble spot without needing direction, ensuring you walk out the door feeling looser and more relaxed than you have in a very long time. One Dalton St., Boston, MA 02115, fourseasons.com/onedalton/spa.
Boston Ballet
The 50th season launched with a bang—including a bang-up London tour that deserved every "favourable" review it received. The company then gave Boston a free "Night of Stars" gala on the Common. At the Opera House, it looked equally at home in the classical Cinderella, George Balanchine’s neoclassical Jewels, and Jirí Kylián’s quirky Bella Figura. Capping off the season this past June with a traveling tour to Washington and New York, the Boston Ballet is solidly placed as one of the top five companies in the U.S. bostonballet.org.
Angela's Cafe
Owner Angela Atenco Lopez’s rich, complex mole poblano is one of the dishes you must try before you can claim your Boston food-geek merit badge. On second thought, actually, perhaps we meant Lopez’s citrusy, onion-studded guacamole. Or maybe the plate of chilaquiles, with its crisp tortilla chips, fresh tomatillo sauce, and toppings of crema and queso fresco. Erase any doubts by doing what we do: order them all. 131 Lexington St., East Boston, MA 2128, angelascafeboston.com.
Burlington Mall
Who says malls are dead? Once a ho-hum suburban shopping center, this overhauled megaplex now stands out not only for its selection of upscale shops but also its destination-worthy dining and drinking spots: It’s home to the only Boston-area Parm (Contessa’s casual little sister); an outpost of Maine’s beloved Bennett’s Sandwich Shop; and Common Craft, a 9,000-square-foot space where you can sip bevvies from your favorite local distillers, brewers, and wine makers after browsing the wares at Anthropologie and Tory Burch. Toasting a new home purchase? A brick-and-mortar Joss & Main store, from local online home-goods purveyor Wayfair, is slated to move in this summer. 75 Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, MA 1803, simon.com/mall/burlington-mall.
Hot Dog Annie's
It's hard to place the exact ingredients that make up the house signature sauce—an addictive barbecue-onion mixture that has led generations to this off-the-beaten-track hot dog stand with its siren call. What is clear is that it tastes damn good on a hot dog, especially on the small and skinny, slightly crunchy ones grilled up without ceremony at this shack behind Worcester's airport. Order three dogs for less than five bucks, and ask for some extra sauce to take home. 244 Paxton St., Leicester, MA 1524, .
The Burren
When it comes to evaluating a neighborhood pub, there's only one criterion: You want to hang out there every day. For 14 years, the Burren has been meeting this requirement for hundreds of regulars. They don't return again and again for the standard Irish fare (bangers and mash, fish and chips), though this is as solid as it comes. They return because the back room features weekly music and comedy, because the bar isn't dominated by flat-screens, and because the lived-in comfort feels like home, only better. 247 Elm St., Somerville, MA 2144, burren.com.
Derby Street Shoppes
Don't be deterred by the plaza sign advertising big-box bores like Kohl's—this open-air mix of 70-plus businesses has one-offs that justify jockeying for a parking space, including hip young boutique Gia B, and the Bay State's first outposts for the Obama-approved Crewcuts and color-splashed homegoods store Company C. Shop up an appetite, and sate it at the lively bistro Rustic Kitchen, or even at the fully tricked-out Whole Foods (hey, is that a gelato bar we spy?). 92 - 98 Derby Street, Hingham, MA 2043, .
Winnetu Oceanside Resort
Looking for the feel of a Vineyard family estate without the squabbles over taxes and when to sell? Welcome to the Winnetu. Built in grand New England style, with summertime clambakes, easy access to South Beach, and a brand-new pool and hot tub, this family-friendly destination is the perfect place to make memories year after year. Whether you curl up in front of the fire in one of the resort’s sprawling two-bedroom cottages or uncork a chilled bottle of pinot grigio in a kitchenette-equipped studio, you’ll feel right at home. 31 Dunes Rd., Edgartown, MA 02539, winnetu.com.
Green Pinata Toys
Kids love toys. Kids also get bored of toys at lightning speed. Free your home from accumulating mounds of unused playthings — and cut your spend in half — with this straightforward and charming subscription box. For a monthly fee, you get up to four non-toxic, non-tech novelties per month. If (ahem, when) your little ones tire of the trinkets, you can simply ship them back and get a new box — making this a win-win for parents and kids alike. greenpinatatoys.com.
Dress
Blessed with great taste and strong buying instincts, co-owners Martha Hilfinger and Jane Schlueter have stocked their airy 900-square-foot Back Bay boutique with work-to-play separates and delicious dresses from modern favorites (3.1 Phillip Lim, Vena Cava, Vanessa Bruno) and exclusive up-and-comers (Lyell, Lofli denim). The shopping experience is a joy; if you've left your best friend at home, one of the chatty girls here will be happy to dish out reliable opinions on her behalf. 221 Newbury St., Boston, MA dressboston.com.
Sabon
In the world of cosmetics—full of synthetic chemicals you can't pronounce and futuristic plastic packaging you can't dispose of with a clear conscience—the soaps, scrubs, and other skin-care products from Sabon are a welcome change. And a fairly appetizing one, at that, since many of the ingredients (brown sugar, honey) are as at home in the pantry as they are atop the vanity. Much of the line comes in recyclable glass jars, and nothing is tested on animals. Human testing, on the other hand, is something else entirely: Customers are encouraged to sample liberally to find their favorites. 129 Newbury St., Boston, MA sabonnyc.com.