Nancy Garber
Rating a medium is tough: interpersonal style is as crucial as wow-ability, and how can you tell is someone is wrong about your future? But we like Nancy's nurturing approach, since she counts many of the recently bereaved among her clients, and she did manage to spook us when we wanted a spooking.
Salon Nordic
Having someone else yank out your body hair can be, um, intolerable. Even first-time waxes will find it quick and painless— the best two things a waxing can be. Bikini line? Ingrown hair? No problem. These unsqueamish Swedish sisters attack so cheerfully, professionally, and swiftly, there's no time for feeling awkward. 221 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
City Salon
What good is having a face that holds up against time and gravity if you neglect your hands? They're the surest sign of a person's true age. A manicure by Victoria will help console even the most abused paws. And they'll look so good, you'll never ignore them again. 118 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Calvin Wiley
The classes are referred to as boot camp, but the moves are oriented more to funk and dance than to the military. Wiley is a contemporary dancer and choreographer, and his 90-minute-long classes are a mix of dance and aerobics. While no formal training is required, it might be wise to shed your inhibitions at the door. Metropolitan Health Club, 209 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA .
Margie at Changes
If the thought of parking on Newbury Street gives you hives, wheel into the lot beside Changes and ask for Margie to turn your bad hair day into something that will have you crowing, "I'm worth it." Channel 5 newswomen swear by her, as does her devoted west-suburban clientele. 1160 Boylston St., Chestnut Hill, MA .
Cambridge Racquet and Fintess Club
Play high-speed racquetball or share the Gravitron with your crush, who is probably competitively athletic and making good money at Lotus or one of the other high-tech companies in the neighborhood. Then schmooze in the Jacuzzi or share an intimate dinner at the club restaurant. 215 First St., Cambridge, MA .
Bombay Club
If you think there are no new party ideas under the sun, you haven't tried a tandoor barbecue. The Bombay Club will bring its traveling tandoor to your door and provide food that is drop-dead delicious—the baby lamb chop kebabs are great—guaranteed to dazzle even the most worldly palates. 57 John F. Kennedy St., Cambridge, MA .
Young Men's Christian Association, Central Branch
Tired though it is, this building houses a pool, squash courts, an indoor track, basketball courts, a weight room, aerobics and many other classes, and newly built Nautilus and locker rooms. For an initiation fee of $100 and $420 a year (individual), it's the best deal in town. 316 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA .
Plymouth Rock Assurance Corporatoin
This automobile insurer dispatches its "Crashbuster" van as soon as metal meets metal. An adjuster steps out to inspect the damage to your car, compute the repair cost, and issue a check before leaving. So, who you gonna call? 695 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, MA .
Rosexpress
Romance is available at your very fingertips. Just call Rosexpress, a new outfit that delivers a dozen roses, with superlong stems and huge blossoms, anywhere in downtown Boston for only $29.99. Warning: the price goes up on Valentine's Day, but it's still less than the extortion that takes place at other shops around town. 125 B St., Boston, MA .
Petique Boutique
While you're lounging on the Cote d'Azur, your beloved poodle Reauvair can enjoy air-conditioned accommodations, three walks a day, and a diet of Purina High-Protein chow mixed with ground beef, all for $4.25 a day. Veterinarian and grooming services are available as well. 820 Pleasant St., Belmont, MA .
Brooks Brothers
The button-down approach to tardy debtors means polite requests on engraved stationery (personally signed, of course) sent many months after payment is due. If you still refuse to respond, their seconds and yours will arrange a meeting on the Common at dawn. MA
The Independent
The hip harbinger of the buzzy Union Square restaurant scene, the Indo has been pouring craft beers and feeding Somervillians and their friends since 2001—talk about foresight. What to Order: The quinoa salad with shaved fennel and grapefruit; the Hanson & Roberts Farm grass-fed cheeseburger. 75 Union Sq., Somerville, MA theindo.com.
Adesso
Adesso wins for its carefully edited selection of trendy pendants, sconces, lamps and track systems, all of the most refined design. Stainless steel, Murano glass, or paper fixtures satisfy even the most sophisticated of tastes. Fixtures to light up your life. 200 Boylston St., Boston, MA .
Alpha Omega
Hands down the best selection of watches in Boston. From inexpensive Swatches to twenty-thousand-dollar Vacherons, you're sure to find your new timepiece here. Look for new additions such as Piaget, Ebel, and Corum alongside old favorites like TAG Heuer, IWC, and Rolex. Harvard Square Galeria, 57 JFK St., Cambridge, MA .