Framers' Workshop
The friendly folks at Framers' Workshop give you a choice. You can simply drop off your MFA poster/diploma/illuminated manuscript, and pick it up behind glass two weeks later. Or you can master the craft of framing it yourself—an economical, labor-intensive, yet strangely meditative process, on par with making your own bread. Choose the matte and molding of your choice (they cut it for you), then plant yourself at one of 10 workstations in the back, equipped with a vise, nails, glue, and all the other supplies you need. The background music is good, too. 64 Harvard St., Brookline Village, MA .
Yolanda's Bridal Salon
Yolanda's showroom is a mecca for brides-to-be, who make pilgrimages from across New England to worship at the shrine of Vera Wang and Richard Tyler. The front parlor is adorned with your typical frilly affairs, but the enterprising customer has only to utter a single, magic phrase ("I'm looking for something simpler") to find herself in one of the cool, spalike dressing rooms, immersed in a pile of tasteful, elegant, and streamlined creations. Yolanda's staff is happy to tell you when your 5-foot-2 frame just won't accommodate your dream gown—but with such grace and goodwill that you'll gladly accept the advice and thank them for it later. 355 Waverly Oaks Rd., Waltham, MA .
Cakes to Remember
By the time you've bought the dress, picked a reception site, and sent the invitations, your wedding cake is practically an afterthought. And it often tastes like one—destined to be left on the table, uneaten. Ellen Bartlett of Cakes to Remember in Brookline makes wedding cakes your guests will actually eat. Working with each couple individually, she helps them pick out the perfect flavor and design to match the dress, flowers, or location. Using the best ingredients, Bartlett custom-builds exquisite cakes so good your wedding guests may skip right to dessert. 248 Cypress St., Brookline, MA cakestoremember.biz.
Extology
Ever wondered how your favorite movie stars go from pixie cuts to billowy, hip-grazing styles in the blink of an eye? It’s all thanks to the magic of wigs and hair extensions, a nifty trick we can all employ thanks to Allana Fabrikant Kanevsky. This extension expert’s full-service North End salon offers a variety of hair brands and methods to best suit your color, natural texture, and longevity needs. Options include strand-by-strand application and clip-ins to take your limp locks to new lengths. 338A Commercial St., Boston, MA 02109, extology.com.
Arisia
To get a true taste of Boston’s fandom proclivities, throw on your best Homestuck costume and head to Arisia, an annual sci-fi and fantasy convention that celebrated its 27th year in January. Here you’ll spot gray-bearded wizards and Trekkies mingling with Whovians and bug-eyed monsters—and you’ll probably see them all cut a rug together during the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Dance. It’s an important corrective to the notion that Boston remains a little prim and proper. Embrace your inner nerd, and let your geek flag fly proudly all weekend long. arisia.org.
The Wauwinet
If we asked you to close your eyes and imagine your ideal island hideaway, odds are you’d come up with a place a lot like the Wauwinet, where private beaches and sunny guest rooms boasting views of the ocean blue beckon. Grab a lounge chair on the waterfront lawn and soak up panoramas of passing sailboats, knowing that fresh hamachi crudo and cornmeal-crusted soft-shell crab—not to mention your choice of more than 1,450 wines—await inside Topper’s, the resort’s foodie-friendly dining room. 120 Wauwinet Rd., Nantucket, MA 02585, wauwinet.com.
Neptune Oyster
To indulge in the enormous portion of oysters, crab claws, and lobster that seem to have emerged directly from the sea, you must first earn your place at the table: Add your name to the list. Throw cutthroat glances at the interlopers attempting to jump the line. Snuggle up to those beside you, since you'll soon be banging elbows while hoisting oysters to your lips. Once seated, go ahead and savor every briny slurp and satisfying crack of the claw, all while giving the folks still in line a supportive nod, that yes, it is worth waiting for. 63 Salem St., Boston, MA 2113, neptuneoyster.com.
Black Cow Tap & Grill, Hamilton Location
Order a burger at the Black Cow, and you may never fire up your Weber again. These handpacked 10-ounce patties are so juicy and flavorful, any attempt to imitate them on your own home grill is sure to come up short. It's hard to believe such flame-broiled babies are only 7 bucks ($8 with cheese), accompanied as they are by mountains of crisp, golden, diet-busting French fries. For maximum enjoyment, pair one with a cold Black Cow Blond Ale, then sit back to feel your iron count rise. 16 Bay Rd., South Hamilton, MA blackcowrestaurants.com.
Landry & Arcari
The qualities you seek in a fine rug, it could be argued, are not unlike those you might seek in a mate: Rich. Good-looking. Well traveled. If that's the case, your heart's desire awaits at Landry & Arcari. How about an antique wool rug handwoven in China? Or a sprawling geometric eye-catcher in bright silk? Perhaps a custom carpet inspired by a favorite artist's work or your child's drawing? (They can make even doodles look elegant.) The showroom has the finest broadlooms for those in search of something more expansive, while its repair service can help you patch things up with your current love. 333 Stuart St., Boston, MA 2116, landryandarcari.com.
Thos. Moser Cabinetmakers
Your rich aunt left her classic dining room set to your bratty sister? Who cares?! You can build your own inheritance-worthy collection at Thos. Moser, the Maine-based furnituremaker where all the pieces are handcrafted from solid hardwood, the way they have been since before you were born. Choose from iconic Yankee silhouettes or spare, contemporary classics-in-the-making that combine Japanese, German Bauhaus, and American Shaker influences. Whatever you pick, everyone will know that at least you were bequeathed good taste. 19 Arlington St., Boston, MA 2116, thomasmoser.com.
Landry and Arcari
The qualities you seek in a fine rug, it could be argued, are not unlike those you might seek in a mate: Rich. Good-looking. Well traveled. If that's the case, your heart's desire awaits at Landry and Arcari. How about an antique wool rug handwoven in China? Or a sprawling geometric eye-catcher in bright silk? Perhaps a custom carpet inspired by a favorite artist's work or your child's drawing? (They can make even doodles look elegant.) The showroom has the finest broadlooms for those in search of something more expansive, while its repair service can help you patch things up with your current love. 333 Stuart St., Boston, MA landryandarcari.com.
Eastern Standard
Step one (sufficiently difficult): Coordinate 15 schedules to pick a date for your birthday/ anniversary/coming-out party. Step two (near impossible): Find a place that will seat everyone. The private dining room at Eastern Standard—a plush, chandeliered alcove off the main dining area—will accommodate parties of up to 18 with ease. The waiter assigned solely to your group means you won't ever feel neglected; the fully enclosed space means you won't have to struggle to hear what your pals are discussing at the other end of the table. Hotel Commonwealth, 528 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA easternstandardboston.com.
Jim Kendrigan, Supercuts
For $8.95, this exile from Newbury Street will clip your hair, not your wallet. 1083 Commonwealth Ave., Brighton, MA .
Geneses
They'll highlight your life. Then they'll enliven your highlighted hair—without damaging it. Fanueil Hall Marketplace, Boston, MA .
Essense
An enthusiastic perfumer will custom-blend your scent for your skin, and not charge an arm and a leg. 223 Newbury St., Boston, MA .