Crane Beach
Seven miles of white sand edged with rolling dunes make this our favorite spot to plop down a beach chair, catch some rays, and read a trashy romance novel—all thanks to a 1945 bequest from the estate of Chicago bazillionaire Richard Crane of plumping and fire hydrant fame. Parking fees are steep ($15 to $20), but a $40 yearly membership gets you a discount and helps the Trustees of Reservations with an aggressive wildfire management program. It also helps keep the shore free of debris and the bath houses clean. Crane Beach, Argilla Rd., Ipswich, MA .
Brookline Reservoir
We're not in the habit of awarding locations around town, but we would like to share our favorite walk with like-minded leisure hunters. The lap around this picturesque reservoir is framed with storied Brookline townhouses, and the track is clean, shaded by tall trees, and utterly peaceful. This could be the most perfect place to clear your head in the city. Route 9 and Chestnut Hill Avenue, Brookline, MA .
The Beehive Cafe
Photo by Bob O'Connor One part jazz club, one part restaurant, the Beehive is our go-to spot for a laid-back night out on the town. The stellar list of libations (we're fans of the champagne cocktails and the "Apparatus," a Scotch and cognac concoction) and the sophisticated fare are the perfect complement to the musicians onstage. Something to keep in mind: If you want to be at all close to the action, make a reservation—otherwise, you'll be cooling your heels at the bar. 541 Tremont St., Boston, MA 2809, beehiveboston.com.
Martini, Sonsie
Sonsie-bashing had become such a popular sport for a while, the ensuing recoil could only have put the place back in vogue. Well, here's at least one hard-hitting reason to quit caviling: the martinis. To start, simply sit back and admire the presentation: A gargantuan, perfectly chilled glass arrives empty, frosty, and luminous. Then the fetching bartenders (ours had an uncanny resemblance to the French lover in Unfaithful) quickly and efficiently shake, ice, add the perfect amount of vermouth, and pour. Just one inspires great conversation. 327 Newbury St., Boston, MA sonsieboston.com.
Julia Ingalls, assistant chief concierge, The Four Seasons Hotel, Boston
Named Concierge of the Year by her peers, Ingalls won the award after working her way up the ranks at the Four Seasons: she started as a desk clerk when the hotel opened, in 1985. Ingalls is one of only 220 American concierges who made the cut for membership in Les Clefs d'Or, the society of professional concierges.
Mr. Sid
When you finally get to strut your stuff down the aisle, you want guests to remember the smile on your face—not the ill-fitting suit on your back. With locations in Newton and now the Seaport, Mr. Sid offers private consultations for made-to-measure bespoke tuxes (plus high-end lines such as Brioni) that will make even the most reluctant shopper feel—and look—special. A fortifying cocktail before or after a fitting doesn’t hurt, either. 49 Northern Ave., Boston, MA 02210, mr.sid.com.
KM Hudson
An ill-fitting bra can ruin your outfit and your mood. Thankfully, the experienced staffers at KM Hudson understand shape and comfort, sizing clients up with just a look before taking precise measurements. Of course, proper sizing is only one part of the equation: After measuring, they’ll happily sift through their enviable stock of 6,000 bras to find the perfect undergarment for your shape. 125 Charles St., Boston, 02114, kmhudsonltd.com.
Stars
Push through the porthole-windowed door, and you'll swear you've walked into the design equivalent of that old "Sprockets" routine from Saturday Night Live. Everything here is in ridiculous conflict: Stately black tiles cover the floor and lower half of the walls, while bright and modernistic yellow paint finishes the job. The mirror above the starkly modern circular water basin (it really is a basin) is wedged into the corner, breaking your reflection into a surreal, fun-house. And the aural struggle between the television in the corner and the radio speaker in the ceiling is kind of funny: imagine Marvin Gaye doing play-by-play for a Red Sox game. But as men's rooms go, this one wins for being as conversation-inducing as that aforementioned German talk-show skit. 393 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA .
Upstairs Downstairs
It has the air of a country roadside antiques store, with friendly prices and unexpected treasures (a satin-wood inlaid floor-length dressing mirror, with marble-topped side tables, 1927, $1,650). If you want to go totally rustic, consider a painted jelly cabinet from New Hampshire (33"x57," $325), or if solid, functional stuff is more in line with the decor, how about a Sheraton chest in mahogany and pine, with turned columns ($895), or a bowback Windsor chair for $145? A year ago, we found four lovely caned chairs a la Napoleon, for $240. Take your time, look carefully, and you're bound to find something you love and need—and can afford. 93 Charlest Street, Boston, MA .
L'Espalier
The maitre d' at L'Espalier is so accustomed to proposals among his customers, he'll happily dispense advice about where to conceal the ring. It's all part of the superb and attentive service at this Back Bay institution, which just so happens to serve equally superb food. Chef Frank McClelland's delectable courses, which start with a dainty amuse bouche, are cosseted with luxury ingredients and inevitably end with tiered trays of precious petits fours—the fabled backdrop to more than a few passion plays. And if all that doesn't whet your appetite for love, consider the surroundings: a dimly lit and tastefully sumptuous townhouse that even includes one chamber known as the Seduction Room. 30 Gloucester St., Boston, MA lespalier.com.
Pho Republique
It's not often you can slink up to a hostess with 15 of your closest friends and expect that you'll be quickly seated—let alone get a drink and some nibblies without a side of attitude. Pho Republique may in fact be the only restaurant in town where the more really is the merrier: This Washington Street hot spot graciously handles large groups with ease—hell, even with verve. The inventive drink menu (beware the potent sake martinis and house sangria) and an affordably priced pan-Asian menu with options to please everyone (from shrimp rangoon spring rolls to steaming, aromatic bowls of pho) add up to a place where even the pickiest diners will be pleased. Best of all, the accommodating staff's unusual make-yourself-at-home attitude means a group can linger until the last drop of sangria is gone. 1415 Washington St., Boston, MA .
Clio
Big egos like big flavors, want big portions, and prefer big tables. Little wonder, then, that breakfast at Clio has reached utopian status among so many heavy hitters. Haggle over freshly baked pecan bread. Intimidate the enemy over creamy scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, chives, and caviar. Impress your peers with the cool-but-elegant setting and finely tuned service that appears as if on cue. of all: The hotel, known for its personalized service, attracts out-of-towners for whom rolling out of bed and going downstairs for a convenient breakfast meeting is a big, big plus. It's helped to lure away the power crowd from Aujourd'hui at the Four Seasons, at least a few morning a week. Eliot Suite Hotel, 370A Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA cliorestaurant.com.
Truly Jörg's
Who would expect to find the recherché charm of an exquisite Champs-Elysées café in Chelsea? Anyone who knows Truly Jörg's—the tiny European-style patisserie crammed with utter delicacies—that's who. Co-owner Jörg Amsler has created desserts for Dubya's dad in Kennebunkport and was trained as a pastry chef and chocolatier in Switzerland, and it shows in every crumb. His chocolate croissants are a perfect blend of bittersweet satisfaction. The tantalizing cakes on sale here range from decadent coffee buttercream and mocha genoise torte to deeply tart-sweet raspberry swirl cheesecake. The dainty petit fours, bite-sized treats that melt on your tongue, will have the most discriminately sweet tooth addicted at first bite. 131 Arlington St., Chelsea, MA trulyjorgs.com.
Maxime Salon & Spa
Norwell is hardly a hotbed of international enchantment, but this tiny house of beauty has it in spades. The journey begins in the tasseled Moroccan aesthetics room, where you can undergo a Valmont facial—using the famed and exquisite Swiss product line laced with sweet Bulgarian rose—at the nurturing hands of Barbara Foley while you gaze up at a swathed ceiling. Or give yourself over to one of the masseuses, who make their own herb-infused oils and will leave you wondering if you even have a spine. Maxime's nerve center is a conglomerate of beauty bar and hair salon. (Ronit Enos is a meticulous whiz at color.) Relax in the plush cranny decked out like the Taj Mahal as you wait for your day of beauty. 124 Washington St., Norwell, MA maximesalon.com.