Heirloom Pictures
Ask any newlywed couple about their wedding, and you’ll hear a familiar lament: "It was over in a flash." You can’t stop time—but you can enlist Marcella Hoekstra, owner of Heirloom Pictures, to help make the magic last. The RISD grad excels at capturing the moments that mean the most (your heartfelt vows, the hug you gave your maid of honor), editing up to nine hours of crystal-clear footage into a 10-minute highlight film you’ll actually want to watch year after year. MA heirloompictures.com.
Uniform
Saturday afternoon. T minus two hours. Sure, there was chemistry in your e-mail exchanges, but now your blind date is about to size you up in person. The team at Uniform, helmed by the highly stylish Gary Ritacco, will help you appear effortlessly with-it. Both rabid and reluctant shoppers will feel in their element, thanks to the store's downtown elan and array of easy-to-wear options, which include knits and jackets by Original Penguin, Ben Sherman, and Modern Amusement, and a denim stash that features True Religion and the tougher-to-find L.A. brand Crate. 511 Tremont St., Boston, MA uniformboston.com.
Exhale Battery Wharf
The downside of an hour of someone expertly kneading every ounce of stress and tension out of your body? Knowing that as soon as it’s over, you’ll have to check your Zenlike state at the door, only to hop on the T (or, worse, contend with Boston drivers). But here, after one of nearly a dozen massage options (for straight-up relaxation, we like the signature "Flow" style), you can stave off the inevitable in the complimentary Turkish bath, stacked with sleek surfaces, cool washcloths, and mood lighting to keep the post-treatment buzz going. 2 Battery Wharf, Boston, MA 2109, boston.exhalespa.com.
Sadhana Studios
At Sadhana, the vibe is cool and the yoga is hot—over 95 degrees. Try out a steamy session with co-owner and teacher Glen, and see why he's racked up a cult following. Or quiet your mind in the studio's unique sadhana class, a two-hour session of traditional yoga topped off with formal instruction in meditation. 15 Worcester St., Boston, MA 2118, sadhanastudios.com.
Boating on Jamaica Pond
Photograph by Ben Cooper/Courageous Sailing Enjoy an impromptu day in the country without actually leaving the city on Jamaica Pond, where, for just $15 per hour, you can take in 68 acres of pristine flat water from your very own rowboat, sailboat, or kayak. Just be sure to bring cash or a check. Boston, MA 02130, courageoussailing.org/jamaicapond.
Toscanini's
This stuff is outrageously creamy. The consistency is mousse-like without being airy, rich without being heavy. Toscanini's selection of original flavors seems to change hourly (depending on how busy they are) and ranges from the exotic (cardamom) to the stout (Guinness...yes, that Guinness) to your basic chocolate and vanilla. The prices are a bit steep but worth it. 899 Main St., Cambridge, MA .
Settler's Glass Companies
Face it. When the windshield needs to be replaced, you want it done yesterday. Our staffer received service within three hours.
Plaza Bar, Copley Plaza Hotel
Pianist Dave McKenna. And the best free hors d'oeuvres during cocktail hour. Boston, MA
Wyldflower Hair Studio
There’s nothing worse than spending hours in a salon chair only to come out with a too-short cut or hair that’s suddenly much blonder than you wanted. Thankfully, when we went in for an appointment at Wyldflower Hair Studio — the brainchild of Amanda Gillespie and Kristin Williams, two veteran stylists with more than 20 years of experience — our stylist listened to our vision, delivering glowing and subtle highlights and a blowout that lasted for days. 25 S. Main St., Cohasset, MA 02025, wyldflowerhairstudio.com.
Patrice Vinci, Patrice Vinci Salon
Even before those grays started infiltrating our chestnut locks, we discovered Vinci's gift for color enhancement. Following our mirror-side chat, she conjured up the ideal shad—and voila, instant gorgeousness. Vinci's knowledge of color, style, and products is unmatched: Give her three hours and you'll be red-carpet ready. 91 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, patricevinci.com.
Bella Sante
Massages have a practical application, of course: to offer relief for the aches and pains brought on by too many hours logged at the gym (okay, in a desk chair). But in the short term, all we really want is complete relaxation—and that's exactly what we get at Bella Sante. Our therapist's muscle work soothed our stiff lower back, and after slipping back into a plush robe post-treatment, we floated right out the door, ready to face the world again. 38 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, bellasante.com.
The Butcher Shop
We like our wine bars like we like our Burgundies: aged 15 years, preferably with piles of rich salumi lurking somewhere convenient. Barbara Lynch’s meat-meets-Margaux South End stalwart, which opened in 2003, still has its bar-setting roster of high-toned Old Worlders by Cat Silirie, and its all-day hours (even sessionable Sundays!). But the seasonal menu and staff wisdom are showing better than ever. 552 Tremont St., Boston, MA 02118, thebutchershopboston.com.
KingFish Hall
Unless your mother has the culinary savoir-faire of Todd English, you likely did not grow up on "chowdah" that tasted anything like what you'll find at KingFish Hall. Hence, the house's smartly dubbed "Not the Clam Chowder Your Mother Made," a perfect blend of cream, clams, and potatoes, served with homemade oyster crackers. Should you get bored with the original concoction, there's always the lobster and corn chowder, or the mouthwatering gumbo and bisque. 188 South Market Building, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston, MA .
Brookline Grooming & Pet Supplies
When Muffie is having a bad-hair day and Felix needs a pedicure, send them off to this bustling salon for a few hours of pampering. Our pets say it's the best. 146 Harvard St., Brookline, MA .
Allston Car Wash
Heaven knows it's not easy to be a car around here. Six months of winter spent sloshing around in salty slush, on-street parking under sap-oozing trees; scuffs earned on the mean streets around the Big Dig. That's where Allston Car Wash comes in. The tough but friendly employees at this Allston institution know how to transform a down-and-out car into a sparkling, good-as-new machine. In a few hours, they'll buff the exterior to a gleaming new shine and leave the interior cleaner than on the day it rolled out of the factory. A complete detailing costs about $150, but it will protect your car's finish for about half a year. And after all it endures for you, isn't your ride worth it? 434 Cambridge St., Allston, MA allstoncarwash.com.