Green Pinata Toys
Kids love toys. Kids also get bored of toys at lightning speed. Free your home from accumulating mounds of unused playthings — and cut your spend in half — with this straightforward and charming subscription box. For a monthly fee, you get up to four non-toxic, non-tech novelties per month. If (ahem, when) your little ones tire of the trinkets, you can simply ship them back and get a new box — making this a win-win for parents and kids alike. greenpinatatoys.com.
Tenoch
These authentic Veracruz counter-service spots in Boston, Medford, and now Somerville are cheerful and bold, with huge menus: Don’t miss the achiote-and-pineapple tacos and the salted-beef-and-cactus antojitos. Once you’ve doubled your daily caloric intake, take home a few homemade tamales to tide you over until your next visit. And don’t forget to request the house hot sauce on your way out the door. 3 Lewis St., Boston, MA 02109, tenochmexican.com.
Barneys New York
You have nothing to wear to the Best of Boston party, which is tomorrow. Hustle your Manolos over to Copley's new superstore, where clothing designers both ultrafamous (Marc Jacobs) and ascendant (Jovovich-Hawk) merge with bags, jewelry, and 3,700 square feet of shoes. What's more, an in-house concierge will offer opinions, fetch you lunch, and even arrange your ride home. (The hot date you'll have to get on your own.) 100 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 2116, barneys.com.
Barneys New York
You have nothing to wear to the Best of Boston party, which is tomorrow. Hustle your Manolos over to Copley's new superstore, where clothing designers both ultrafamous (Marc Jacobs) and ascendant (Jovovich-Hawk) merge with bags, jewelry, and 3,700 square feet of shoes. What's more, an in-house concierge will offer opinions, fetch you lunch, and even arrange your ride home. (The hot date you'll have to get on your own.) 100 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 2116, barneys.com.
The Winsor House at Island Creek Oyster Farm
The Winsor House at Island Creek Oyster Farm. / Photo by Morgan Ione Yeager They say it’s best to have oysters only in months that contain the letter “r,” but we wouldn’t blame you for craving Island Creek oysters year round. Luckily, Winsor House, the nationally renowned seafood company’s food and hospitality flagship, allows you to slurp down this delicacy from January through December. Even if you’re not hankering for something briny, the restaurant’s full menu of creative seafood dishes (think: delicate ghee-poached halibut) and the cozy, tavern-like atmosphere will keep you coming back for more. 390 Washington St., Duxbury, MA 02332, winsorhouse.islandcreekoysters.com.
<em>Look to Your Elders,</em> by Victor "MARKA27" Quinonez
Mona Miri Street art in Boston got a thrilling new addition this past May with Quiñonez’s Look to Your Elders, a vibrant painting on the side of Grove Hall pot shop Pure Oasis depicting a woman and young man surrounded by Caribbean plants and Indigenous patterns. A heartfelt nod to Boston’s generations of Caribbean and Afro-Latino residents, the piece is more than just a mural: It’s a stop-you-in-your-tracks work of art that has turned the spot into a must-visit. 430 Blue Hill Ave., Dorchester, MA 02121, marka27.com.
Decorators' Clearing House, Mall at Echo Bridge
Marilyn Stahl offers designer furnishings at the kind of discounts interior decorators usually get. 1029 Chestnut St., Newton Upper Falls, MA .
Ideal Manhattan, Citizen Public House and Oyster Bar
Like an antique wing chair done up in a sharp new print, Citizen's spin on the Manhattan hews to tradition while freshening things up. The cocktail starts with the classic recipe (Maker's Mark, sweet vermouth, Angostura), then amps it up with a touch of the unconventional (St. Germain, grapefruit bitters). The final effect? True to the original cocktail's spirit, but tastier. 1310 Boylston St., Boston, MA 2215, .
House Speaker "Good Time" Charlie Flaherty
Breaking a long silence, Flaherty informed the Boston Herald that the mood in the House is just swell. This, notwithstanding the daily leaks from the federal grand jury reportedly investigating him for accepting illegal gratuities from lobbyists, plus the simmering war of succession between majority leader Richie Voke and House Ways and Means chair Tom Finneran. Say good night, Charlie.
John Lincoln Wright and the Sour Mash Boys
John Lincoln Wright and the Sour Mash Boys are still sweet. MA
A Pet's Peeve (formerly For Your Paws Only)
This grooming service is no-nonsense and no-frills, but we like it that way. And so do our dogs, who don't balk at returning when we pull into the parking lot. The cheap $7 nail-clipping service can't be beat. 310 Lincoln St. (Route 3A), Hingham, MA .
Paul Taylor Dance Company at the Opera House
Unlike Alvin Ailey and others, Taylor keeps making new dancers, not recycling old ones.
Oak + Moss
Pat Piasecki Calling all plant lovers: This sweet Salem boutique has everything you need to transform your home into a garden oasis you’ll (really!) never want to leave. The best part? You can order its birds-of-paradise, philodendrons, and ferns online—as well as gorgeous planters to keep your new additions happy—then safely pick up curbside. And if you’re not sure your thumb is green enough, the shop also stocks home goods such as cheeky throw pillows and hand-poured candles to liven up your space. 143 Washington St., Salem, MA 01970, oakandmoss.com.
Kate Murtaugh Events & Design
Whether COVID has permanently turned you off to the idea of a large wedding or celebrating solo has always been your style, eloping with an assist from planner Kate Murtaugh is truly your best bet. With her vast knowledge of small-party-friendly vendors and a stellar in-house team to help coordinate, the seasoned pro brings the same level of luxury to mini matrimonial events as she does to blowout bashes — ensuring every detail from your venue to your private post-vows meal is as memorable as the moment you say “I do.” 213 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, katemurtaughevents.com.
Alisa Neely, Style Scout
Photograph by Pat Piasecki You've kept the same old clothes in your wardrobe for years while blowing money on discount finds that don't quite fit or flatter. Take a time-out and call Alisa Neely. She arrives with the demeanor of an old friend, which makes it that much easier to open your closet, pour your heart out, and fill bags with stuff you know you're never going to wear. "Let's release this one back into the wild," she likes to say, referring to that frock you bought in high school. After the great purge, her designer and shop recommendations are spot-on, fully tailored to your look, body, and lifestyle. stylescout.net.