Neiman Marcus
Once again we have to give it to Neiman Marcus where the ties come at you in a kaleidoscope of colors, patterns, and styles. The Neiman Marcus tie department is a bastion against grunge.
Feldmesser and Company
Fred Feldmesser will be your own Indiana Jones, searching for the gem you want and helping you find a jeweler to set it, all for less than a ring bought at retail. 8 Chauncy St., Cambridge, MA .
Imagine
Do you have a daughter who's just impossible—to fit, that is? If she's somewhere in that twilight zone between girl and woman, this speciality shop will fit her out with dresses, sportswear, and underwear. 618 Hammond Street, Chestnut Hill, MA .
The Bookstore Café
Not only can you sit in a dining area upstairs, attractively done in butcher block and ferns, but you can peruse a how-to-cultivate-ferns tome while you sip your coffee. South Market Bldg., Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston, MA .
Stillwater
Photograph by Nina Gallant. Styling by Madison Trapkin. Chef and restaurateur Sarah Wade’s mac ’n’ cheese is ultra-decadent, topped with pulled pork in molasses barbecue sauce and a sprinkling of Ritz crumbs. It’s creamy, it’s dreamy, and it checks two important culinary boxes at once: salty/sweet and smooth/crunchy. 120 Kingston St., Boston, MA 02111, stillwaterboston.com.
Paradise Rock Club
Stoner dads and undergrads alike loiter outside these vaunted doors, thanks to the ’Dise's reliably eclectic roster. The sense of égalité only continues once inside: Don't be surprised if you spot the opening act dancing in the crowd behind you. 967 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215, thedise.com.
La Campania
The western ’burbs have no shortage of fine Italian restaurants, none as transporting—or as lovely—as this Waltham mainstay. The artfully prepared cuisine (tagliolini with fresh lobster and shrimp, duck-confit-and-fig pizza) and warm, rustic atmosphere (fresh flowers, wooden beams, hanging pots and pans) offer a window to southern Italy by way of Main Street. 504 Main St., Waltham, MA 2452, lacampania.com.
The Beauty Mark
This sunny shop has hit the mark by assembling a rare collection of cult favorites (Molton Brown, Wink, T. LeClerc, TINte), all in a rainbow of colors and shades. What's more, the outgoing staff helps guide you to goods that match your skin tone and type exactly, which is a thing of true beauty. 33 Charles St., Boston, MA thebeautymark.com.
Captain Frosty's
Last time we stopped at Captain Frosty's, we spotted a crow flying off with a beakful of clam strips. Who can blame him? The shack's golden, crisp clams are summer in a salty bite—and especially great when finished off with a fluffy cone of soft-serve. 219 Main St. (Rte. 6A), Dennis, MA 2638, captainfrosty.com.
Chanel, Saks Fifth Avenue
Leave it to Chanel: The company renowned for staying ahead of the fashion pack is once again leading the way with its makeup products and skin-care lines. See for yourself: Schedule a makeover with Rita Sorrentino, Chanel's traveling makeup artist, who is excellent at translating runway looks into reality. In-store minifacials are available by appointment. Saks Fifth Avenue, Prudential Center, Boston, MA saksfifthavenue.com.
New England Mobile Book Fair
Once you get used to the misleading name (it's stationary), the atmosphere (warehouse style), and the system (books listed by publisher), this is a browser's haven. Most books are 20 percent off, except in the remainder room, where prices are even less. 82-84 Needham St., Newton Highlands, MA .
Baker's Best
Fabulous chicken (the piccata is especially wonderful), great veggie pizzas and calzones, and some of the best Caesar salad we've ever had. They'll even cater your weekend party, or—chicken soup to shank bone—your Passover Seder. 27 Lincoln St., Newton Highlands, MA .
Eastern Standard
A 46-foot-long marble bar gives manager Jackson Cannon room to move as he stirs up snow cone daiquiris, tart Whiskey Smashes, and mojito-esque Old Cubans. The jazz-meets-Brit-pop beats entertain a mix of twentysomethings and power brokers—most of whom Cannon knows by name. 528 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 2215, easternstandardboston.com.
Mighty Sam McClain
Soul singer and local legend, Mighty Sam McClain has had many ups and downs in his 30-year career, but with his late 1993 recording "Give It Up to Love" McClain is riding high once again.
Nine Zero Hotel
Nine Zero is at once international and approachable: Its rooms are trendy but luxurious, the service hip but not obnoxious. Amenities include Mario Russo bath products and expansive in-room work spaces with ergonomic desk chairs. With the addition of executive chef Gabriel Frasca to its restaurant, Spire, this hotel has officially reached celebrity status. 90 Tremont St., Boston, MA ninezero.com.