Harvard Art Museums
Take your guests on a grand tour at the Harvard Art Museums, where European allure and venue options are in no short supply. Swap vows in the ivy-adorned courtyard of Adolphus Busch Hall, then head to the museum’s galleries to peruse paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts, including masterpieces from the Impressionist era, during cocktail hour. Afterward, you’ll make your official debut in Calderwood Courtyard, the museum’s Renzo Piano–designed atrium. Its glass roof suspends a massive mobile composed of oversize musical triangles—a harmonious backdrop for a dance floor. 32 Quincy St., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, harvardartmuseums.org.
The Maids
The initial cleaning fee might jar you more than the dust bunnies that have colonized your closet, but trust us—it's worth it. For $140 an hour, a team of professionals from this Newton-based maid service will wrestle your home into cleanliness, wiping down window sills, straightening stray objects, and mopping floors until they gleam. They'll even take out the trash. Carpet cleaning is available for an additional fee. When you come home to a sparkling, fresh-smelling house, the $75 charge for weekly visits will seem like a bargain. 73 Lexington St., Newton, MA .
Jennifer Racioppi, Salon Luiz
There are three secrets to truly great straightening: patience, persistence, and—the deciding factor for many—convenience. What good is a perfect styling when you have to waste precious hours schlepping around town for it? Jennifer Racioppi—seasoned hair goddess who cut her teeth at the beloved but erstwhile Solus—wields her giant round brush to render hair flawless every time and regularly makes house (and office) calls to do it. It's like having your very own expert stylist. 115 Newbury St., Suite 302, Boston, MA salonluiz.com.
North Shore Dog
Parting with a furry friend pre-vacation is such sweet sorrow. But book your pup a stay at this 7,000-plus-square-foot boarding-and-daycare facility, and you can rest assured that he’ll sleep tight after romping for hours in one of four supervised, climate-controlled rooms where dogs, from teacup Chihuahuas to mastiffs, are grouped by play style and size. Walks and Blue Buffalo food are available at no extra charge, and Web cams allow globe-trotting owners to keep tabs on their pets throughout the day. 139 Endicott St., Danvers, MA 1923, nsdog.com.
Linens on the Hill
The essentials for a good night’s sleep don’t change with the trends. Since 1987, this Beacon Hill store has been catering to our restful needs with high-thread-count bedding from established brands like Yves Delorme and Sferra, plush robes from Laurence Tavernier, and silk pajamas from PJ Harlow. And to make your waking hours a little dreamier, it also stocks a selection of scented soaps and soft Egyptian-cotton towels. 52 Charles St., Boston, MA 02114, linensonthehill.com.
Jane Maxwell's Room Service
She'll deliver the spread to your door, and it's delicious. Twenty-four dollars buys quiche, Perrier, French bread, sweet butter, broccoli and eggplant in a shallot vinaigrette, and pears with crème chantilly. She will also prepare more elaborate dishes (cold poached salmon, with sauce verte) and choose your wine (Maxwell used to be the sommelier at the Parker House). 266-8277.
Beach House
Kids with winter birthdays, rejoice! It’s always summer at this perpetual party house, where even January and February babies can celebrate with cornhole, Frisbee, wiffle ball, and volleyball on a 15,000-square-foot indoor beach, complete with soft, heated sand (yes, there are showers). Parents, meanwhile, can chill in a comfy lounge outfitted with Bose sound systems and large-screen TVs. 18 Tech Cir., Natick, MA 01760, beachhouseboston.com.
SweatHouz
Sometimes, a good shvitz is exactly what the doctor ordered. That’s certainly the case at this Assembly Row wellness destination, where you can sweat it out from the comfort of your own private infrared sauna suite, complete with towel service, a TV, and surround sound. Sign up for the monthly membership program to maximize the promised benefits, which include supple skin and better muscle recovery. 385 Revolution Dr., Somerville, MA 02145, sweathouz.com.
The Publick House
No need to fix what’s not broken: In the increasingly bustling Washington Square section of Brookline, the Publick House celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, and it continues to be one of the most successful gastropubs around. Whether you’re looking for a funky Allagash Coolship from our northern friends in Maine or a smoky Rauchbier from Germany, there’s always something exciting to explore on the draft and bottle lists. Add in a beer-infused pot of moules frites or some mac ’n’ cheese topped with beer bratwurst, and you have the ideal night out. 1648 Beacon St., Brookline, MA 02445, publickhousebrookline.com.
The ’Quin House
The ‘Quin House Cofounder Sandy Edgerley at the private club. / Photo by Mona Miri When the reimagined and redesigned Algonquin Club opened in 2021, the six-story mansion generated instant buzz for its gorgeously over-the-top design, from a button to summon champagne in the first-floor “speakeasy” to a Sinatra bust that you press to reveal a secret door. But its social capital is more than just aesthetics. The space has quickly replaced the old Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons as the place for a power-rendezvous, except now the CEOs are rubbing elbows with social justice activists, and the membership is legitimately diverse. New Boston, indeed. 217 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA thequinhouse.com.
SweatHouz
A good shvitz in an infrared sauna can help relieve pain, increase circulation, and improve overall well-being — and where better to enjoy it than in a private suite with loads of amenities (including color therapy)? And now that SweatHouz has opened a second Bay State location in Burlington this past winter (with three more on the horizon), suburbanites and city dwellers alike can feel the benefits. Multiple locations, MA sweathouz.com.
The 'Quin House
Photo by Jenna Ohnemus-Peffley Looking for business and creative professionals with eclectic experiences and abilities who are passionate about the arts, innovation, philanthropy, and more? All inside a gorgeous and historic Commonwealth Avenue mansion that showcases one of the city’s finest art collections? Then you have the makings to become a member of the ’Quin House, the jaw-dropping achievement of Sandy and Paul Edgerley, who brought the former Algonquin Club back to life several years ago with a deep commitment to building community in Boston. With a new tequila bar coming soon, the ’Quin remains the members-only place to see old friends and make new ones. 217 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02116, thequinhouse.com.
The Fish House
Islanders know that the best fish on the Vineyard isn’t by the harbor, it’s by the airport. (No, they’re not flying anything in.) The Fish House, a new seafood market/takeout spot from a young island couple, is slinging catch so fresh they’ll even tell you who reeled it in. Their com- mitment shows in to-go classics such as fried clam bellies and boiled lobster din- ners, as well as more modern favorites like tuna poke bowls. Tucked off Edgartown-West Tisbury Road right next to the package store, it’s an islanders’ secret—or at least it was. 17 Airport Rd., Edgartown, MA 02539, thefishhousemv.com.
Boarding House
For more than two decades, Angela and Seth Raynor have provided prime people-watching on their outdoor patio. The brunch is top-notch, too, with Sunday-morning saviors like chicken and waffles, lump-crab-stuffed avocado, grilled banana bread, and, naturally, a bacon bloody mary. 12 Federal St., Nantucket, MA 02554, boardinghousenantucket.com.
The Publick House
The selection of coveted craft brews has long been the main attraction here. But it’s a good thing that dry, fruity Belgian-style ales—the backbone of owner David Ciccolo’s beer list—also pair so well with food: New chef Joe Cooke has upped the ante on the Publick House’s culinary program big time, sourcing whole pigs and sustainable seafood for menu upgrades such as house-cured bacon and frequently changing crudo. 1648 Beacon St., Brookline, MA publickhousebrookline.com.