Bird by Bird
Gingham rompers? Sailor suits? Excuse our spit-up, Mom and Dad, but you need to check yourselves: That stuff's strictly for the outta-towners. We urban babes need something with a bit more attitude, like tees paying homage to Bruce Lee and Frank Sinatra, along with slick Pluie Pluie rain gear and funky kicks by See Kai Run. And if we absolutely must submit to the affront of being swaddled, please let it be in a simple slate-gray blanket from Toby + Rei, not some friggin' Disneyfied nightmare. A shopping excursion to Bird by Bird should do the trick. Hand us that crayon—we'll draw you a map. 1361 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 2139, .
Olivia Rose Children's Boutique
Scientists theorize that cute babies have had an evolutional leg up, as our Stone Age ancestors were less likely to abandon them. Modern-day parents are obviously far more civilized—but all the same, one could argue that Olivia Rose owner Gloria Peotrowski does give her tiny customers an edge. Her racks of darling yet functional clothing and accessories—including tees from California brand Le Top, colorful leggings by Mulberribush, and jumpers by Sweet Potatoes (tagged with product names like 'You're My Pumpkin Pie')—make their wearers so adorable, they'll be able to get away with anything. 1945 Ocean St., Marshfield, MA 2050, oliviarosechildrensboutique.com.
Wild Goose Chase
We know: It's better to give than to receive. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Frankly, we beg to differ. But when we have to do the buying, we make our first stop Wild Goose Chase, whose owners, Irene Chang and Bob Kelly, embrace the age-old mantra and strive to make gift-giving fun. With a stock of Infinity jewelry boxes, Ashleigh Manor picture frames, Patrick Meyer sugar spoons, and Stephen Dixon rings, the boutique has no shortage of appropriate presents for anniversaries, apologies, and every event in between. 1355 Beacon St., Brookline, MA 2446, thewildgoosechase.com.
Sephora
When this national cosmetics outlet opened its branch in Burlington, we rushed to see what the fuss was about. The verdict: For pure, unadulterated immersion into the beauty world, Sephora can't be beat. There are imported perfumes (nearly the entire Versace collection!), lotions and potions (Stila body glimmer!), and trendy makeup lines (Lorac lip gloss!). There are also all of our favorites, from Chanel to Shu Uemura to Nars. The best part: Everything can be sampled before purchasing. Of course, a knowledgeable and approachable sales staff is on hand to supply product advice and makeup application assistance. 75 Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, MA sephora.com.
Keezer's
When he was an undergraduate at Harvard, John F. Kennedy used to sell his slightly worn formal wear to Max Keezer's store, where Harvard men have shopped since 1895 for the occasional velvet-collared chesterfield. Keezer's also sells a huge range of more practical, traditional formal wear, casual duds, and even hats. There's also low-priced new merchandise and high-end closeouts at bargain-basement prices. They're pretty picky about the used stuff, too. Trust us; we've triedd to sell them our suits. 140 River St., Cambridge, MA .
James Joseph Salon
Gushing is not usually our style, but in the case of William George's smart Newbury Street salon, we can't help but go on. Men and women alike will feel comfortable here, because each stylist establishes trust before attempting any 'do. The unintimidating decor is part of the appeal: blond wood floors, exposed brick walls, and brushed steel furniture provide a pleasing backdrop. Plus, the price range for various services, $16-$175 (haircuts $30-$60), is reasonable, which means that you can and should come often for some low-key pampering. 168 Newbury Street, Boston, MA jamesjosephsalon.com.
Redbones
This has become a crowded category, thanks to a rack of new barbecue joints around town and in the suburbs. But we're going back to basics. Redbones, the funky, down-home joint in Davis Square, is the granddaddy of Boston barbecue, thanks to its efficient waitstaff, not to mention the biggest helpings of chicken, ribs, pork, and fish you've ever seen. Fortifying side dishes include succotash, hushpuppies, collard greens, corn fritters, and our favorite: Redbones' signature black beans and dirty rice. The homey bar has 24 great beers on tap. 55 Chester Street, Somerville, MA redbones.com.
Amanda Lydon, Truc
So what if Food & Wine Magazine stole our thunder by making her one of America's best new chefs for the year? They read about Lydon's talents here first, courtesy of reviewer Corby Kummer. Indeed, Kummer knows true talent when he tastes it: Lydon's holistic approach to food involves combining the very best local ingredients with proven French techniques. Her frogs' legs, her lamb chops, her simple touch with vinaigrettes and sauces—she's a star on the rise for sure. Lydon makes it look effortless; we can't wait to see what she'll concoct next. 560 Tremont Street, Boston, MA .
SBI
True, it's in a shopping mall, or at least the closest thing Harvard Square has to a shopping mall. And it's part of a bigger chain. But it's still one of those photo stores where the staff loves to talk about cameras, and the prices are some of the best around. A standard Minolta flash that costs more than $100 around the corner sells here for $75. After buying the flash, our agent asked for an expensive gizmo to connect it to his light meter. "Oh no," said the salesguy. "You don't need it. We use the same light meter in the studio I work at and I'm sure you don't need it." 57 JFK Street, Harvard Square Galeria, Cambridge, MA .
Salon Capri
Photo by Jesse Burke Salon Capri conquered the suburbs decades ago, so we wondered if its recent move to Newbury Street would feel like a minivan parking in a row of Porsches. But the sleek new space with floor-to-ceiling windows is a stunner, and so were we after a visit. We loved the massage chairs during the shampoo, and the shoulder-straightening weights (similar to an X-ray bib) to prevent lopsided cuts. And when we were handed a mimosa and serenaded by a jazz trio (Saturdays only) during our trim, we nearly shouted, "Welcome to the neighborhood." 11 Newbury St., Boston, MA saloncapri.com.
Myers + Chang
In the South End, there are tons of fantastic bistros offering crisp glasses of wine and a charcuterie board to match. But when we want fireworks, we head to this funky diner, where quasi-traditional Asian dishes like tea-smoked spareribs and fried rice coexist with why-hasn't-anyone-thought-of-this-before eats like Korean barbecue sloppy joes and the (brunch only) fried-egg-and-soy-glazed-bacon banh mi. And unfortunately for our waistline, we frequently find ourselves face down in (usually two) orders of Joanne Chang's crazy-juicy pork-and-chive dumplings. 1145 Washington St., Boston, MA 2118, myersandchang.com.
Cutty's
Photograph by Michael Piazza It may be heretical to say this in Brookline, but here goes: Go ye on the Sabbath to Cutty's and get yourself some pork. The Saturday special pork sandwiches, to be specific. Once a week, the slow-roasted pig comes in fresh to this Brookline Village café and is sliced thin for inclusion in such delicacies as the pork-and-pickled-fennel sandwich with roasted garlic on a crusty sesame-seed bun. With apologies to our rabbi, it's a borderline religious experience. Oh, and the rest of Cutty's (more-kosher) sandwiches, which are served all week? They're not so bad either. 284 Washington St., Brookline, MA 2445, cuttysfoods.com.
Robert Sisca, Bistro du Midi
Boston is blessed with a bumper crop of young culinary talent injecting our food scene with energy and enthusiasm. But while many seem to spend as much time on the party circuit as they do in the kitchen, Robert Sisca has retained a singular focus: turning out exacting Provencial fare. The deceptively simple plates he creates at Bistro du Midi—pan-roasted cod with golden raisins and chorizo; grilled Mediterranean sea bass with slow-cooked fennel—employ the meticulous French technique he honed under chef Eric Ripert at Le Bernardin in New York. 272 Boylston St., Boston, MA 2116, bistrodumidi.com.
Beacon Hill Chocolates
How does this local master of all things chocolat—which last year left its Pinckney Street location for bigger digs on Charles Street—continue to win our affections? It's simple: Paula Barth's array of elegantly displayed truffles, sourced from around the globe and ranging from the traditional (champagne-flavored) to the exotic (the Dragonfly, a dark chocolate bonbon with the essence of kaffir lime leaves, coconut milk, and pieces of candied ginger). We also can't seem to leave Beacon Hill Chocolates without some ultracreamy gianduja chocolates and a few salted caramels. 92B Pinckney St., Boston, MA 2114, .
Clear Flour Bread
As you enter this charming little bakery tucked away on a Brookline side street, the aroma of warm bread hits you like a baguette to the head. While none of theartisans on our short list produced a loaf we didn'tenjoy, Clear Flour's inventory bested the rest in both texture and flavor. The "rustic Italian," with a crisp outer layer yielding to a chewy, airy interior, is the perfect landing pad for a schmear of triple-creme cheese; the aforementioned baguette, an excellent companion for high-quality olive oil. And the rustic Italian rolls with fire-roasted tomatoes? They need no accompaniment whatsoever. 178 Thorndike St., Brookline, MA 2446, clearflourbread.com.