Nomad
Wendy Mills Photo It may be chaotic in downtown Nantucket on a typical summer day, but inside the apparel and home-goods store Nomad, all is calm. Set in soothing coastal tones, the store offers a place to rest your eyes on a neutral palette of sophisticated home accessories, including throws, pillows, and glassware. Worldly sourced loungewear, jewelry, and sandals, meanwhile, epitomize what we’d call Nantucket barefoot elegance. 17 Centre St., Nantucket, MA 02554, nomadnantucket.com.
Museum of Science
Courtesy of the Museum of Science Dinos may no longer roam the earth, but you can still spot a few in Boston — specifically, inside the Museum of Science, which houses both models and 65-million-year-old fossils that promise to captivate imaginations young and old. It’s just one of the many awesome exhibits and shows that make it worth setting aside a full day for a visit here — and now that the museum is gearing up for a major renovation and reinvention of 10,000 square feet of space, we can’t wait to see what educational fun the future holds. One Science Park, Boston, MA 02114, mos.org.
Soma
Thanks to new chef Seth Fernald, who hails from the dearly departed Federalist, it's easy to attain euphoria at Soma. Menu standards like 'Duck, Duck, Goose,' a crisp-skinned duck breast served with foie gras butter and sautéed brussels sprouts, are impeccable. Specials such as gray sole-enveloped honshemeji mushrooms with a ricotta-stuffed squash blossom beguile at first bite ('Like spring on a plate,' one diner mused). If that doesn't leave your head spinning, the house-infused bourbons and raspberry-kumquat martinis certainly will. 256 Cabot St., Beverly, MA 1915, somabeverly.com.
Coast Café
Dainty eaters, beware. Only those with a hankering for a little grease and gobs of pork-addled flavor are able to handle the made-to-order plates at Cambridge's stick-to-your-ribs haven. Sure, the chicken's great, but there's also smoked turkey with collard greens, and bread crumb-encrusted mac and cheese, and silky sweet potatoes, and (the only thing harder than settling on an order here, you'll find, is nabbing one of the few seats). Coast Café may not have much competition in these parts—KFC? Popeyes?—but it could surely hold its own in Dixie. 233 River St., Cambridge, MA 2139, .
The Model Café
Generally speaking, a person's favorite dive bar is the one closest to home. The Model is that rare specimen—a neighborhood bar that's gained destination status for drinkers from all over the city. Everything inside this 75-year-old Allston joint screams classic dive: loud tunes, a pool table, $2 Pabst Blue Ribbons on tap, $4 Bushmills on the rocks, a crowd that ranges from hip to drip, and urinals barely clean enough to, well, urinate in. Mediocre fare (this is a dive bar, after all) is served til 10. 7 North Beacon St., Allston, MA .
Bradley & Diegel
How would you like your blowout today: sleek and long or Barbarella-style bouncy? Of all the stylists we visited, this was the only one to ask our preference. But that's not all. The B&D staffers really tease out the pampering experience; never do you feel hurried as the friendly folks shepherd you from shampoo station (where they give some of the finest scalp rubs in town) to massage chair. Best of all, each client leaves with a mane that looks as sexy as a supermodel's for three whole days. 77 Newbury St, Boston, MA 2116, bradleyanddiegel.com.
Discovery Museum
Taking the little ones to a kids’ museum is typically a rainy-day activity. This fun spot, however, is the perfect destination for families when the sun is shining, too, thanks to an awesome outdoor play area with a treehouse, wiggly bridge, nest swing, and nature trails. Inside, there’s just as much to explore — kids can learn about air, water, light, and sound in a variety of science-themed exhibits, play conductor on a train replica, and cook up some delicious pretend meals in the diner-style “restaurant.” Expect a good nap on the way home. 177 Main St., Acton, MA 01720, discoveryacton.org.
The Nautilus
Georgie Morley What happens when you combine fresh local seafood with Asian flavors in a traditional Mexican dish? This isn’t a riddle; it’s Nautilus’s mouthwatering nori-wrap tacos filled with tempura-fried local oysters. The meal is just one of many gems on a menu full of East-meets-West mash-ups, including steamed Berkshire pork–belly buns — it’s the sweet-and-savory coffee mayo for us — Peking-inspired whole duck, and a blue-crab fried rice that’s what island dining dreams are made of. 12 Cambridge St., Nantucket, MA 02554, thenautilus.com.
Micro Center
With heavy hitters like Lenovo, Apple, and Sony to call upon, the sole Bay State outpost of Ohio-based Micro Center stocks the best personal computers on the market, along with a bevy of cameras, scanners, monitors, and other peripherals. But what really gets local tech-heads powered up is the vast BYOPC (Build Your Own PC) section, replete with all the components needed to pimp that desktop—or build one from scratch. Free in-store clinics on such topics as VoIP and network security further cater to IT acolytes who aspire to true geekdom. 730 Memorial Dr., Cambridge, MA 2139, microcenter.com.
Tweeter CE Playground Store
Never mind our underutilized brains: Experts say most of us tap only 10 percent of the capability of the whiz-bang high-def TVs, sound systems, and talking refrigerators we use to decorate our homes. Tweeter's solution is its adult-playground stores—there's just one in New England—where the latest technology is set up in replica kitchens, dens, and bedrooms. The chain's hyperinformed tech-heads walk buyers from room to pretend room, demonstrating features meant to keep them entertained in space-age style. One Wheeler Rd., Burlington, MA .
Black Cow Tap & Grill, Hamilton Location
Order a burger at the Black Cow, and you may never fire up your Weber again. These handpacked 10-ounce patties are so juicy and flavorful, any attempt to imitate them on your own home grill is sure to come up short. It's hard to believe such flame-broiled babies are only 7 bucks ($8 with cheese), accompanied as they are by mountains of crisp, golden, diet-busting French fries. For maximum enjoyment, pair one with a cold Black Cow Blond Ale, then sit back to feel your iron count rise. 16 Bay Rd., South Hamilton, MA blackcowrestaurants.com.
State Road
Spend at least one evening of your Vineyard getaway at this cozy island favorite known for unpretentious, locally sourced dishes, but be sure to reserve in advance. The place is beloved by locals and presidents alike (Barack Obama is a regular on his vacations; his White House decorator designed the space). Return for brunch the next morning and take an extra order of made-from-scratch Limpopo doughnuts home with you. State Road is open for much of the winter, too, when you can enjoy fun off-season specials in front of a roaring fireplace. 688 State Rd., West Tisbury, MA 02568, stateroadrestaurant.com.
Tawakal Halal Café
You’ll soon need to adjust your GPS to get the city’s best soor iyo maraq, grits cooked with coconut milk and served with spicy fish, spinach, or chickpea stew: This family-owned Somali restaurant is leaving its small digs just outside Logan airport for a TBD new home later this year. One thing we definitely know: Somalia native Yahya Noor’s fabulously fragrant cooking — try the spaghetti with cumin- and cinnamon-seasoned beef, his nod to Italian East Africa — will take off wherever he lands. 389 Maverick St., Boston, MA 02128, tawakalfoods.co.
Laundromutt
What’s worse—a dog in desperate need of a bath, or one that returns from the groomer smelling like cheap air freshener? At Laundromutt, the emphasis on all-natural products means your pooch will be shampooed with olfactory-pleasing scents like honey-almond and pomegranate. Fido, meanwhile, will be in great hands with the company’s expert groomers, who handle matted fur and overgrown coats with ease. And if a romp in the mud needs urgent attention, there’s also the DIY bath, which doesn’t require an appointment. Waterproof smocks are included—hair in the drain of your home tub, mercifully, is not. 489 Concord Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138, laundromutt.com.
Coast Cafe
Dainty eaters, beware. Only those with a hankering for a little grease and gobs of pork-addled flavor are able to handle the made-to-order plates at Cambridge's stick-to-your-ribs haven. Sure, the chicken's great, but there's also smoked turkey with collard greens, and bread crumb–encrusted mac and cheese, and silky sweet potatoes, and… (the only thing harder than settling on an order here, you'll find, is nabbing one of the few seats). Coast Café may not have much competition in these parts—KFC? Popeyes?—but it could surely hold its own in Dixie. 233 River Street, Cambridge, MA 2139, coastsoulcafe.com.