The Brown Jug
Once a locally beloved antique shop, the Brown Jug is now home to a different, though no less precious, stock: artisanal cheeses from far-flung makers, imported and delectable olives, Iggy's breads, pâtés, handmade pastas, and lots of herb-infused olive oils. No matter how rustic your picnic, the fixings on offer here will lend it a delicious bit of worldliness. 155 Main St., Sandwich, MA thebrownjug.com.
Christina's Homemade Icecream
Cones from this cute Inman Square shop lick sweeter, silkier, and stronger than the rest, and for less moolah. Ice cream here has it all: mastery of the oft-muddled sugar/ salt balance, startling hints of exotica (like kulfi flavor, with cardamom and pistachio), and decadent-sounding varieties that don't hold back (try Nietzche's Chocolate Ascension). 1255 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA .
Beauport Hotel Gloucester
This boutique hotel proves once again that Gloucester has more going for it than some guy in a yellow rain slicker hawking fish sticks. Built to resemble a tasteful Gilded Age shingle-style summer home, the Beauport sits on Pavilion Beach with commanding views of the harbor. The excellent waterfront restaurant attracts lobster-roll-loving locals and day-trippers alike, while a rooftop pool and bar (open to hotel guests only) is the closest the North Shore gets to Miami. 55 Commercial St., Gloucester, MA 01930, beauporthotel.com.
Crossroads
Unpretentious watering hole on the fringe of pretentious Back Bay. Safe. You won't be sorry. 495 Beacon St., Boston, MA .
Church
Hit this happening new restaurant/club for a tasty twist on brunch staples, like "toad in a hole" French toast and crab cake eggs Benedict. 69 Kilmarnock St., Boston, MA 2215, churchofboston.com.
Hopewell Bar & Kitchen
No watering hole is more welcome in Allston than this gastro-grunge newcomer. After all, where else could a Genny Cream pair so perfectly with $2 oysters, or a seasonally flavored margarita with a wobbly game of pool? 1277 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02134, hopewellboston.com.
Ahmed's
Boston lacks the perfect waterfront drinking hole. Ahmed's patio, in Cambridge, is nice enough, and its summer drink specials will have to do until we find something better. 96 Winthrop St., Cambridge, MA .
Lenox Hotel
During the Boston Film Festival next month, the Lenox will have more celestial density than a black hole. If you manage to catch that director's eye, proceed to Anago to seal the deal with seductive cuisine. 710 Boylston St., Boston, MA .
Robert Gerard
<p>The distinguishing mark of a great bartender is the ability to satisfy all of the customers all of the time—the ability to play sex therapist one minute and sports analyst the next, and to be an interested listener no matter what the bozo in front of you has to say.</p> <p>Robert Gerard, a 35-year-old native of Albany, New York, who drinks Heineken but loves to mix a margarita now and then, is quite simply a master of his trade. Since moving to Boston, in 1977, Gerard has worked at the Sunflower Café, Pizzeria Uno, St. Botolph, and Allegro on Boylston. These days you'll find him at he recently reopened 29 Newbury, which he hopes will combine the best of them all.</p> <p>"St. Botolph is a neighborhood bar," he says. "It's got a nice blend of people and a strong sense of community. Allegro is more urbane, but it doesn't have that sense of community—at least not yet. My fantasy is that 29 will have both."</p> <p>No matter what the environment, Gerard's trade secrets are sure to stay the same. "Basically," he says, "it comes down to caring. Anyone can master the technical aspects of bartending; the hard part is helping create an atmosphere. You've got to be inclusive instead of exclusive. And have a good time."</p>
Biltmore-Green Luggage
Now that the Concorde has gone the way of the luxury steamship, there's nothing that courts robbery on an AirTran carousel like a Louis Vuitton suitcase. Safer to go with the workaday, the durable but still stylish. Biltmore-Green stocks sensible luggage from Samsonite to Hartmann, with Tumi and Travelpro in between. Aesthetes and traditionalists will prefer the unparalleled selection of leather brands like Bosca and Kenneth Cole. There's even initialing while you wait. 176 Boylston St., Boston, MA .
Charles Maksou
This man is an artist, sans the temperament problem. But first-timers take note: your hair will be washed and dried before Maksou takes scissors to head. Using the DryCut method favored by stylist John Sahag, Maksou hones in on your best features, offers a complement or two, and designs a cut around them. Best of all, he listens to what you want and takes your lifestyle into account. HAIR FX Studio, 627 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA .
Gabriel Frasca, Spire
After years of working with some of this city's best (Gordon Hamersley, Michael Schlow, Seth Woods), it's Frasca's turn to soar at Spire, the restaurant at the Nine Zero hotel. And soar he does, with entrées like his fresh pea soup, an earthy ode to summer with a tinge of sautéed pea shoots for brightness and a sweet, nutty crab dumpling for contrast. We hope more young chefs will follow Frasca's lead. 90 Tremont St., Boston, MA .
Bradley & Diegel
What's your dream hair length? Want more layers? Or maybe a cappuccino? The staff at this salon asks all the right questions, ensuring that each client ends up with a gorgeous style to fit her taste, and gets a respite from the bustle of Newbury below. Plus, the well-spaced stations, ahh-inducing massage chairs, and large front windows bathing the place in natural light make the whole experience second to none. 77 Newbury St, Boston, MA 2116, bradleyanddiegel.com.
Patrice Vinci Salon
Donna Hamilton and Patrice Vinci work with different products and go for different looks, but both are so skilled with the magic wand of blond, each deserves this title. Vinci, a favorite of Hollywood types passing through town, paints brown bases with the kind of all-over glamour-glow that surfers get while catching waves the whole summer. Hamilton, meanwhile, favors sophisticated honeyed tones that look gorgeous even as the roots grow back. 91 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, patricevinci.com.
Errin Babine, Anita Kurl
The impressive trick that this South End clipper pulls off is being both thoughtful about her craft (honed by training stints at Dellaria, Vidal Sassoon, and Wella) and creative with it. From doctors and lawyers to musicians and artists, Babine works with her fellas to find a look that complements their lifestyle, then runs down everything they need to do to keep their manes in shape. And so much for the purported male tendency to stray: Several clients are regulars whose devotion spans her 12-year career. 1661 Washington St., Boston, MA 2118, .