Idle Hour

It’s great fun whiling away a night with friends at this charmingly quirky Quincy newcomer. Sip on a well-curated lineup of craft beers and creative cocktails—such as the Count Dracula, smoky mezcal with Campari, raspberry cacao, and mole bitters—while sharing bites of chef Ashley Gaboriault’s globally inspired comfort food: say, a crispy fried-chicken sandwich topped with kimchi, and not-quite-mozzarella sticks stuffed with Cajun risotto. idlehourquincy.com.
Idle Hands Craft Ales
Since Idle Hands arrived early into the Boston area’s craft-brewery explosion in 2011, times have certainly changed: Plenty of other makers have joined the game, and you can now find a juicy, locally made IPA on every corner. But founder Chris Tkach continues to set the pace by adding trendier brews, such as the Kill Your Idles sour beer series, to a lineup distinguished by exemplary European styles. His flagship hop bomb Four Seam, meanwhile, is still one of the best hazy IPAs around. 89 Commercial St., Malden, MA 02148, idlehandscraftales.com/site.
Post Office Square
Six pristine color- and flower-coded levels, a car-wash service on the bottom level, and cashiers in the lobby to avoid idling at the gate when you're rushing back to the 'burbs. Our only complaint: At $21.50 for anything more than three hours after 8:30 a.m., the car wash should be free.
The Sturniolo Triplets

These nearly identical siblings from Somerville — 19-year-old Chris, Matt, and Nick — rose to YouTube fame with 20-minute videos of them bantering and goofing around in their car. Naysayers be damned, sustaining hours of giggling crosstalk about arbitrary subjects such as meatballs and toenails takes a certain effortless charm — and the Sturniolos are masters of that craft. Fans even pay to see them hang out together IRL: Earlier this year, the Sturniolos wrapped a 15-date cross-country tour with a sold-out show at the Sinclair. youtube.com/SturnioloTriplets.
9Tailors
Even the most fashion-unconscious of men understand that an ill-fitting suit is a no-no on your big day. Thankfully, this custom-suiting company has the guys covered. The 9Tailors team takes a modern approach to the customization process without scrimping on Old World craftsmanship: The first consultation, for example, takes place over cocktails at the studio’s in-house bar, where you can choose from endless fabric and style options. And for brides who wish to forgo a traditional gown, the team also designs beautiful bespoke suits for the female form. 132 Lincoln St., Ste. 1L, Boston, MA 02111, 9tailors.com.
Oak Long Bar + Kitchen

We escape into a hotel bar when we want to feel like visitors in our own city. And there's no grander way to see Boston than by sidling up to the gilded bar at the century-old Fairmont Copley Plaza. Take a seat under the soaring ceilings and sip a stiff gin martini or an oversize pour of pinot while the world passes by. 138 St. James Ave., Boston, MA 02116, oaklongbarkitchen.com.
Sports Club/LA
For gym rats who take their sweating seriously, the Sports Club/LA is as type A as its notably toned clientele. Some 114,000 square feet of equipment, including more than 150 cardio machines, means rare is the occasion that you're forced to idle by the water fountain, waiting for Sweaty Guy to max out his half-hour limit; deluxe locker room amenities mean you can look just as good leaving the gym as you did going in. And a schedule of 120-plus classes a week, among them an average of 10 daily yoga sessions at the new MindBody studios, means there's instruction for every fitness (and coordination) level. 4 Avery St., Boston, MA 2111, thesportsclubla.com.
Ballet Ball
Finally IRL after a multi-year hiatus, this year’s Ballet Ball was a party of epic, delicious, and delightfully over-the-top proportions. A new venue, the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport, accommodated more guests, not to mention space for thrilling feats by Boston Ballet’s dancers. If there was a better way to celebrate Mikko Nissinen’s 20 years of leadership than with everyone gathered together again, dancing into the wee hours, we can’t think of it. bostonballet.org.
Helen Cooper
Here's a masseuse who can diagnose your lifestyle ills just by feeling your muscles. A keyboard jockey? She can tell from those ropy tangles in your forearm. Carry a heavy bag on your left? Those crooked shoulders are a dead giveaway. Cooper works to remedy the physical damage of modern living, and gives advice on how to cure bad habits that take their toll on your body. And it feels good, too. Le Pli, 5 Bennett Street, Cambridge, MA .
KM Hudson
An ill-fitting bra can ruin your outfit and your mood. Thankfully, the experienced staffers at KM Hudson understand shape and comfort, sizing clients up with just a look before taking precise measurements. Of course, proper sizing is only one part of the equation: After measuring, they’ll happily sift through their enviable stock of 6,000 bras to find the perfect undergarment for your shape. 125 Charles St., Boston, 02114, kmhudsonltd.com.
Jamaica Mi Hungry

Set your GPS: Chef Ernie Campbell’s beloved Jamaica Mi Hungry truck (pictured) is now permanently parked at an Allston lot, outside the address where a second restaurant is set to open this fall. (There’s already a brick-and-mortar joint in Jamaica Plain.) Speed by to snag signature, heat-seeking jerk chicken, hearty and comforting goat curry, or stellar sides like sweet plantains from Campbell, whose hardly idle hands are also busy managing kitchen operations for CommonTable, a citywide initiative to feed vulnerable communities during the pandemic. 182 Western Ave., Allston, MA 02134, jamaicamihungry.com.
Mr. Sid
When you finally get to strut your stuff down the aisle, you want guests to remember the smile on your face—not the ill-fitting suit on your back. With locations in Newton and now the Seaport, Mr. Sid offers private consultations for made-to-measure bespoke tuxes (plus high-end lines such as Brioni) that will make even the most reluctant shopper feel—and look—special. A fortifying cocktail before or after a fitting doesn’t hurt, either. 49 Northern Ave., Boston, MA 02210, mr.sid.com.
Leon & Co.
Some women regard the perfect haircut as the answer to every ill. It melts away pounds, increases IQ, and does your taxes. In reality, it does something almost as tough: It makes you—the real you—simply look your absolute best. Enter Leon de Magistris, salon sculptor-cum-scientist, and his team of experts. Their cuts are exercises in beauty and precision, flattering and natural while also classic and modern—and unlike so many Stepford Wives-type styles, carefully varied to flatter the face. 84 Leonard St., Belmont, MA leonandco.com.
Tulle Bridal
After IRL shopping ground to a screeching halt last year, Tulle owner Heidi Janson quickly switched gears, introducing an outdoor browsing option so brides could still enjoy the tactile experience of trying on gowns. It may be safe to shop inside again, but Janson’s customers loved the en plein air experience so much that she decided to keep it for the near future. Still prefer to sip and peruse with a roof over your head? Book the store’s VIP experience, and you and your besties will have the studio all to yourselves to ogle frocks by Lee-Ann Belter, Yumi Katsura, Simone Carvalli, and more. 342 N. Main St., Andover, MA 01810, tullebridals.com.
Lambert's Cove Inn & Restaurant
If you want a real island retreat, head to the north side, take a quiet road through the woods, and book yourself into a room at the idyllic Lambert's Cove Inn. You can stay in either the main building—a converted 1790 farmhouse decked out in English-country period style—or the carriage house, where many rooms have their own private porch. 90 Manaquayak Rd., Vineyard Haven, MA lambertscoveinn.com.