B-Side Lounge
When you order a bottle of hefeweizen at the B-Side, your tattooed waitress pours it for you at your table—slooowly, to minimize the foam—with the know-how of a tuxedo sommelier. That's the kind of thing that repeat patrons have come to expect from this reclaimed dive bar: almost-basic food (try the macaroni and goat cheese), in an atmosphere made all the more convivial by eclectic tunes coming from the sound system. 92 Hampshire St., Cambridge, MA .
Boston Ballet
The 50th season launched with a bang—including a bang-up London tour that deserved every "favourable" review it received. The company then gave Boston a free "Night of Stars" gala on the Common. At the Opera House, it looked equally at home in the classical Cinderella, George Balanchine’s neoclassical Jewels, and Jirí Kylián’s quirky Bella Figura. Capping off the season this past June with a traveling tour to Washington and New York, the Boston Ballet is solidly placed as one of the top five companies in the U.S. bostonballet.org.
The Secret Garden Pet Resort
Situated on 30 acres of lush green fields, this full-service grooming and boarding facility offers large private kennels for all of its four-legged guests, each of whom get a gated outdoor space and a deluxe doggie bed. If you’d like to treat your pampered pooch to a vacation as lavish as your own, upgrade to a luxury suite and take advantage of à la carte services such as nature walks, play sessions, and face time with Fido (via Web cam). 1040 Central St., East Bridgewater, MA 2333, secretgardenpetresort.com.
Forty Winks
Photograph by Scott M. Lacey Feeling sexy begins with what’s underneath your clothes. Let this four-year-old Harvard Square outfitter help you build a beautiful foundation with its fine selection of intimates from Elle MacPherson, Chantelle, Claudette, Hanky Panky, and other luxe lines. In addition to underpinnings and unmentionables, Forty Winks has you covered—literally—for all four seasons with sophisticated hosiery, flirty swimwear, and soft cotton pajamas. 56 JFK St., Cambridge, MA 2138, shopfortywinks.com.
Long's Jewelers
When it comes time to pop the question, the right ring can do a lot of the talking for you. The cases at Long's house some of the very best sparklers from designers like Ritani, Furrer-Jacot, Memoire, and Michael M at a variety of price points. Still can't find what you're looking for? Check out the store's one-of-a-kind estate finds, or sit down with an in-house designer for a custom piece as unique as your sweetheart. 100 Summer St., Boston, MA .
Jenny's Wedding Cakes
Photograph by Hornick/Rivlin A wedding cake is more than just flour, eggs, and sugar — it's an expression of your personal style. And Amesbury baker Jenny Williamson, whose breathtaking designs are informed by 14 years of experience, can execute just about any vision. Need a gluten- and dairy-free cake with art deco flair? No problem. Want your grandmother's vintage handkerchief pattern turned into a four-tier masterpiece? Consider it done. jencakes.squarespace.com.
West Newton Cinema
Forget about the movie-theatre-popcorn-has-more-saturated-fat-than-a-Big-Mac scare a few years back. Send your gourmet popping corn back to Williams-Sonoma. This is fresh popcorn at its finest, with just the right combination of chewiness and crunch, nary a stray burned kernel, and salt measured to perfection. It will neither grease up your hands nor leave you desperately for a four-dollar jumbo soda. Do it right—opt for the real butter. 1296 Washington St., West Newton, MA .
Good Times Billiards
If you leave your own couch, bathroom, and refrigerator to enjoy a sporting event, then Good Times (aka The House of Fun) is the place for you. Huge TVs— 12 feet by 12 feet— await, along with rambunctious fans and a couple of bars. You can feed your aggressive streak on the endless pool tables, video games, bumper cars, laser tag, and batting cages. 30 Sturtevant St., Somerville, MA .
Waterworks
Waterworks' assortment of beautiful tiles, stylish showerheads, and adorably petite powder-room sinks will inspire you to overhaul every WC in your house. And the luxurious niceties—plush towels and robes, fresh-smelling soaps and lotions from the company's Clean line, and bath accessories in crystal, nickel, and resin—mean you can spruce up your loo without any major construction. 103 Newbury St., Boston, MA waterworks.com.
Rio Grande Cafe
No pansy drinks, these. The Rio features big, honkin' 'ritas shaken into those pint glasses most bars reserve for ales. But while size does matter, a perfect margarita is in the mixing. Here, the base is a perfectly tangy blend of lime and lemon juices tweaked with a helping of lime pulp. Take your pick of either Suaza or Jose Cuervo (the house is made with Gold Suaza) to suit your taste. Purists beware, though, of some of the gussied-up 'ritas on the menu: Chambord and Cuervo really shouldn't be mixed in the same glass. 12 School St., Marblehead, MA .
Frank Phillips, <em>Boston Herald</em>
Beats the Globe with State House stories weekly, despite being outnumbered four to one by the Globe's reporters.
Sevens
Downscale ambience in an upscale neighborhood. Drop in for beer on your way to the Parkman House for supper. 77 Charles St., Boston, MA .
Katerina Kolokotronis, Grettacole
Just about any facial you receive at Grettacole will be head and shoulders above the rest in town. But those at the hands of Katerina Kolokotronis are nothing short of miraculous. The sweet and down-to-earth Kolokotronis swiftly determines the needs of even the most sensitive skin and, using the acclaimed Swiss beauty line Valmont, sets about rejuvenating it with the most luxurious, restorative facial in town. Gentle extractions and calming masks designed to make the skin glow are applied during the relaxing one-hour treatment. (The collagen mask is a surefire way to keep Botox at bay for years to come.) And to keep the rest of you from getting jealous while your face is pampered, Kolokotronis can arrange for a hair conditioning treatment, after-facial blowout, and makeup application. If that's not enough, she's a master at eyebrow shaping and waxing—which is why Kolokotronis is more than just an aesthetician, she's a miracle worker. Westin Copley/Copley Place, Boston, MA .
Barefoot Books
Is Junior grappling with the moral implications of a carnivorous diet? Take him to Porter Square to read Herb, The Vegetarian Dragon. Barefoot Books' sunny little children's nook, stocked by its own locally based international publishing company of the same name, also boasts plenty of other creative, beautifully illustrated multicultural, and often idiosyncratic, choices. One book of the month was written by a professional faerie, and the world religions section boasts a book about the Hindu goddess Divaali. (There are also plenty of creative but basically apolitical fairy tales and stories about animals.) Community is as important as storytelling here: There are regular story hours—some bilingual—author events, and an adult evening series on topics such as "Creating a Place for Your Child to Grow and Thrive." 1771 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA .
Franklin Cafe
In a town that goes to bed early, it's nice to know there's still a place where insomniacs can get a decent bite to eat. The Franklin Café, with its candlelit tables and always-packed bar, is that place, serving up a gourmet menu until 1:30 a.m. every day—even in the late hours of a deserted Sunday night. And this is not your ordinary bar food: Chef Steve Ryan serves up sophisticated fare such as garlic grilled calamari with pesto and an unbeatable spicy black pepper—seared tuna. Steak lovers can get their fix here, too—one taste of the bone-in beef tenderloin with garlicky spinach and even the most die-hard night owl will sleep well. 278 Shawmut Ave., Boston, MA franklincafe.com.