KitchenArts
Caught between bare-bones restaurant-supply stores and overstyled kitchen emporiums, home cooks in search of a good sharp knife and a turkey baster are left with meager options. They'd do well to head to KitchenArts, where the basics (colanders, oven mitts) are blessedly abundant, and the array of gadgets (gnocchi paddles, avocado slicers) has a way of making even takeout devotees want to pick up the culinary hobby. As for those knives: KitchenArts' reasonably priced blades include Forschner, Messermeister, and Wüsthof—and the staffers, who are all avid gastronomes themselves, are happy to opine on their favorites.
Metropolitan Cabinets & Countertops
From virtual schoolhouses to makeshift boardrooms, entertaining hubs to culinary fun zones, kitchens have become the most vital — and versatile — spaces in our homes. This design-savvy Norwood institution understands what we need from these hardworking rooms — and responds with locally crafted, customized-to-the-nines cabinetry that supports our every demand. Islands with hidden outlets to charge laptops? Check. Bar areas with built-in wine storage? Check. The innovative team even takes our furry friends into consideration, ginning up hiding spots with specially sized drawers for Fido’s kibble bin. Multiple locations, metcabinet.com.
Charles Street Inn
In the comely Henry James room, a fresh orchid echoes earth tones and the arc of a tree depicted in the Hudson River School painting behind it. Such details are characteristic of the Charles Street Inn, built as a Victorian townhouse in 1860 and revived four years ago as a beautiful inn by proprietors Sally Deane and Louise Venden. Today's rooms call up prominent Bostonians—Emerson, Gardner, Holmes. The Henry James Room, for example, offers lovingly restored classic antiques along with a thoughtfully stocked mini-fridge. The personable staff operates on the rare and precious middle ground between friendliness and respect for guests' privacy. 94 Charles St., Boston, MA .
Cumar
This Everett-based fabricator boasts the largest showroom in New England, stocked with exotic stones, marble, granite,and limestone carefully sourced from all over the world — so if you can’t find what you’re looking for here, you likely won’t find it anywhere. It’s not just about the selection, of course: Cumar’s expertise runs deep, both in the knowledge of its consultants and engineers and the carefully honed skills of the stone artisans in its shop. As for the quality of their work, look no further than an entire bathroom wrapped in floor-to-ceiling marble or massive fireplaces encased in beautiful stone you’ve never seen before. 69 Norman St., Everett, MA 02149, cumar.com.
Casa Design Outdoor
Oftentimes, we spend so much time thinking about our home’s interior design that we forget about the outside. Enter Casa Design Group’s outdoor branch, where founder Zhanna Drogobetsky has extended her finely honed sense for contemporary furnishings to any open-air situation you can imagine. At the SoWa showroom, you’ll find pieces from innovative European brands — Tribù’s minimalist teak loungers, Paola Lenti’s Barbie-pink and tangerine poufs, and Kettal’s decadent deck chairs — that promise to make your backyard feel like a boutique hotel. 460 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02116, casadesigngroup.com.
SpeakEasy Stage
From their home at the Boston Center for the Arts, the folks at SpeakEasy manage to do it all, regularly hosting Boston and New England premieres, staging crowd-pleasing productions, and reaching out with socially conscious theater, including Allegiance, about a Japanese-American family held in a World War II internment camp. The upcoming season promises an even more engaging, eclectic lineup, with School Girls, a self-described "African Mean Girls play" about a boarding school in Ghana; The View UpStairs, a glam-rock musical set in a 1970s New Orleans gay bar; and a staging of the Tony-winning show Once. Stanford Calderwood Pavilion, Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont St., Boston, MA 02116, speakeasystage.com.
Brent Kaufman
How does he remember me? I've only been here once before. But he's treating me like a queen, setting up a special table for me and my visiting in-laws. Then again, he did it the first time I was here, too. Hmmm. Maybe he's flirting with me. Hope. We've since heard that he does this for everyone. Kaufman either has a photogenic memory, is outrageously congenial, or can smell a special occasion a mile away. This restaurant may not be the fanciest place in town or serve the best food, but when you want to be treated well, it's nice to be remembered— or at least to think you are. Ciao Bella, 240A Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Noel Schroeder
Yoga has gone from niche to the norm. Instructors teach the masses in mat-filled locations everywhere in the city—the gym, the spa, the private studio. All of which makes truly personalized yoga something of a rarity. Noel Schroeder is the exception: Her class at the Sports Club/LA may be filled with deep-breathing bodies, but her teaching methods make the experience feel like a private session. She scans the room constantly, pinpointing when her students need to hold their pose and anticipating a slip-up in form before anyone moves a muscle. Is it any wonder that her fiercely loyal clientele all happen to be lithe and limber-bodied? 4 Avery St., Boston, MA .
Boston Bodyworks Studio
Kathy Van Patten's small private gym in the heart of Beacon Hill is the best home in town of the avant-garde exercise technique known as Pilates. An exercise trend since the early '90s, Pilates is actually a system of workouts that incorporates balance, posture training, and muscle toning; it is particularly favored by dancers and athletes for its effects on coordination. Van Patten is a trained professional who studied at the Pilates Studio in New York before opening her own studio five years ago. Her friendly demeanor, enviable physique, and mastery of the unique Pilates equipment ("the reformer" and "the universal Cadillac" are just two of the highly-specialized pieces) make her a stand-out. 12 Joy Street, Boston, MA bostonbodyworksstudio.com.
Avalon
A little over a year ago, Avalon, the once white-hot star of the Lyons' Group club holdings, had dimmed to white-dwarf status. Except for Sundays, its perpetually successful gay night, the cavernous club was lame. And pretty empty. Enter promoter Steve Adelman, the man behind New York City's Tunnel and, before that, Limelight. Within weeks, Adelman was booking the biggest names in dance music at Avaland, the club's Friday night reincarnation. Superstar DJs like Frankie Knuckles, Little Louie Vega, and Junior Vasquez have all taken turns behind the decks, bringing Avalon to a boil and putting Boston on the dance-club map. 15 Landsdowne St., Boston, MA .
Pagu
Kristin Teig A lot of restaurants pivoted to add grocery sales this year, but none did it quite like Pagu. Yes, chef-owner Tracy Chang stocks the virtual shelves of her market with jars of house-made condiments (including her bomb-dot-com Umami XO sauce), chef-driven provisions (see the eye-popping purple pancake mix made from taro root), and meal kits, all reflecting her restaurant’s Japanese-Spanish cuisine. Just as important, though, she’s also long on essentials — flour, EVOO, fresh produce — and through her new organization, Project Restore Us, home-delivers them to communities in need. 310 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, gopagu.com.
Harvard Square Eye Care
Since a world-class education calls for plenty of high-caliber peering and scrutinizing, we weren't surprised to find our winner within a tome's throw of Harvard and MIT. Expanded last year to a second location, the doctor-owned Harvard Square Eye Care has been honing the vision of area academics for more than 40 years. Employees are notably agile when it comes to untangling insurance plans, and a full lab at the Porter Square shop means speedy turnaround on orders. Scouting trips to Europe keep the frame selection ultrafashionable, from the industrial cool of Germany's Axel S. to the French flair of Lafont. Even nonbrainiacs will appreciate the ever-so-smart-looking results. 19 Dunster St., Cambridge, MA 2138, harvardsquareeyecare.com.
Harvard Square Eye Care
Since a world-class education calls for plenty of high-caliber peering and scrutinizing, we weren't surprised to find our winner within a tome's throw of Harvard and MIT. Expanded last year to a second location, the doctor-owned Harvard Square Eye Care has been honing the vision of area academics for more than 40 years. Employees are notably agile when it comes to untangling insurance plans, and a full lab at the Porter Square shop means speedy turnaround on orders. Scouting trips to Europe keep the frame selection ultrafashionable, from the industrial cool of Germany's Axel S. to the French flair of Lafont. Even nonbrainiacs will appreciate the ever-so-smart-looking results. 19 Dunster St., Cambridge, MA 2138, harvardsquareeyecare.com.
Louis Boston
Between the sidewalk throngs and the cheesy chain stores, Newbury Street's attractions can seem overshadowed by, well, the pedestrian. Particularly when you consider that Louis offers all the perks of the strip—but with on-site parking, pristine bathrooms, and guaranteed protection from inclement weather. Owner Debi Greenberg's internationally praised taste informs each and every buy for the four-story retail landmark, from the cutting-edge home goods floor (featuring many plucked-straight-from-Paris pieces, as well as a new Mrs. John L. Strong stationery boutique) to the double-decker layout of dandy men's apparel. The women's collection, showcasing the likes of Rag & Bone and the much-coveted Marni, reposes on the top floor—icing on the cake. 60 Northern Ave., Boston, MA 2110, louisboston.com.
New Shanghai Restaurant
Sure, you'll find General Gau's chicken, lo mein, fried rice, and other Chinatown favorites on New Shanghai's endless menu, but it's unexpected details like a decent wine list, polished flatware, and cloth napery that sets this restaurant apart. Not to mention chef C. K. Sau's dexterous and bold food, from spicy noodles laced with shredded pork and pickled cabbage, to strips of eggplant sautéed in garlic sauce. Sau's true talent lies in his seafood preparations, particularly the crispy whole fish in a tangy, spicy sauce, and scallops adorned with a black peppercorn glaze. Feeling bold? Try the braised fish head, a surprisingly subtle and soothing casserole that, despite its name, is delicious—and, once eaten, gives you bragging rights. 21 Hudson St., Boston, MA newshanghairestaurant.com.