Mandarin Oriental
Close your eyes and imagine the sound of a gentle waterfall as you stroll into the Mandarin. A staffer discreetly delivers a hot towel and a cup of tea. The warm vitality pool beckons, as does the quartz-crystal steam room. You sprawl upon a chaise in the relaxation lounge, blanket and strawberry water at the ready. All of this before your hot stone massage commences. Are you relaxed yet? 776 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02199, mandarinoriental.com.
Clear Flour Bread
In an era when everyone from your grandparents to your girlfriend has gone “gluten-free,” Clear Flour is unapologetically pro carb. Apricot-studded pain de seigle? Black-sesame sticks basted with garlic-herb butter? It’s easy to see why the yeasty, buttery scent of its long-fermented loaves continues to lure locals in droves. Just arrive early if you’re looking for something special (apologies to the woman behind us who wanted the last rosemary focaccia). 178 Thorndike St., Brookline, MA 02446, clearflourbread.com.
Independent Film Festival Boston
With a growing list of celebrity attendees and a painstakingly selected roster of movies each year, IFFBoston is your best chance, and sometimes your only chance, to see rare indie movies at theaters across the city. Sometimes it’s a big name trying something new; other times it’s a breakout film from a new director. Either way, it’s comforting to know that big screens aren’t just for Avengers movies. iffboston.org.
Smudge Ink
Your invitation sets the tone of the wedding—no pressure at all, right? Enter Smudge Ink, which has its own on-site letterpress to ensure complete control over quality and design. Work with the team to create a custom look, or choose from a selection of pre-made options (they lean swirly and feminine). They'll even incorporate your own artwork for a truly unique invitation. 50 Terminal St., Charlestown, MA 02129, smudgeink.com.
Colonial Drug
What's your scent? Woodsy? Spicy? Floral? Citrusy? Let the fragrance specialists at this 70-year-old institution help you discover your olfactory predilections as you sample their collection of 1,000-plus perfumes and colognes. Once a Harvard Square mainstay, the Newton boutique stocks classic and limited-edition European fragrances (starting at $35 per bottle), as well as old-school grooming aids such as shaving creams, badger-hair brushes, and, of course, mustache wax. 350 Watertown St., Newton, MA 02458, .
J. Press
In a world where trends change daily, this preppy haberdashery recalls the proper Harvard Square of yore. Looking to impress in the boardroom? Try the U.S.-made "Super 120S Wool" charcoal beaded-stripe suit. Need to accessorize your tailgating attire for the big Harvard-Yale game? Check out the wide selection of neckwear (we suggest the "Harvard Sport" bow tie). Tailoring on-site, meanwhile, guarantees that your slacks will always have a break that's just so. 82 Mount Auburn St., Cambridge, MA 02138, jpressonline.com.
Sault New England
Photograph by Leonard Greco Owner Philip Saul (pictured) will bring sartorially salty New England cred to your closet. Pick up a button-down, available in a variety of fabrics, from the store's eponymous label, made in Fall River. Or go for a trusty selection of familiar brands like Jack Purcell, Penfield, and Jack Spade—with surprising twists, like vintage leather brogues to pair with Unbranded Japanese selvage tapered denim jeans. Naturally, you'll want to grab some beer soap or beard oil on your way out. 577 Tremont St., Boston, MA 02118, saultne.com.
Tavi de la Rosa
Rare is the makeup artist who can shake you out of your routine with a single application of blush and eyeshadow. Tavi de la Rosa, who mans the Sisley counter at Neiman Marcus part-time and preps Boston's style icons, can suss out your look in minutes. For us, that meant smoky eyes, flawless foundation, and near-nude lips, plus a few false-eyelash applications for extra zing.
Kara Hurston, Shag
Photograph by Pat Piasecki Some cuts are simply about lopping off split ends, and some happen because you spotted a stranger with such incredible hair, you just had to track down her stylist. It's the latter that led us to Shag's Kara Hurston for a tousled, shoulder-length bob—dubbed "Lobs" and dutifully chronicled on Hurston's Instagram. Lest you worry about following the crowd by taming your tresses here, fret not: Though trendy, Hurston's cuts are tailored to your face shape and hair type. 840 Summer St., South Boston, MA 02127, shagboston.com.
MiniLuxe
Germaphobes, this is your safe haven. From the single-use buffers and nail files to the individually packed, disinfected trimming tools, MiniLuxe feels cleaner than most hospital rooms. But just because the place it practically sterile doesn't mean it lacks artistry: The nail techs scrub and polish till your ragged fingertips gleam like jewels. 296 Newbury St, Boston, MA 2116, miniluxe.com.
Timmy Quirk, I Soci Salon
The Newbury veteran combines a metalhead exterior with an endearing madcap streak. He'll regale you with tales from a recent ski weekend; he'll require a few 'namaste's to calm himself after hearing about your brutal heat-styling addiction; he'll expound on the importance of 'hair condoms' (a.k.a. leave-in conditioners). And in between, he'll casually give you a precision cut that 'frees your hair to do what it's been dying to do.' 8 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, .
Sean Kavanagh, Shag
Underneath all those tattoos and piercings is a man deeply committed to hair. Kavanagh combs, coddles, and coerces your strands to suit any occasion, with a down-to-earth bonhomie rarely seen among big-city stylists. Trained at Vidal Sassoon, this locally grown talent is now a disciple of Sandy Poirier's Shag principles, which include rocking out while preening the clientele and getting 'Princess' tattooed on your knuckles. (Alas, his mother nixed that last part.) 840 Summer St., South Boston, MA 2127, .
Violet Mkhitaryan, Violet Skin
After three decades in the business, spa owner Mkhitaryan has developed a rare power: the ability to make the most uncomfortable of beauty rituals a bit less so, and with pristine results. Whether it's your first time or your 50th—and whether it's a standard cleanup or something "a little more expensive"—the motherly aesthetician gets the job done with speed, all the while chattering on amiably in a way more commonly associated with less compromising activities. Boutique, 257 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Jake Tedaldi
Making house calls in a black Hummer (license plate: 'ANIMAL') roomy enough to house a small petting zoo, Dr. Tedaldi pulls up to his patients' homes with examining table, medical kit, and biscuit bribes at the ready. Believe us: Never having to haul out the carrier or spike the water with sedatives makes annual checkups and shots almost pleasant. vetcall.com.
Winnetu Oceanside Resort
Staying here is like weekending at your rich best friend's seaside retreat. Except your best friend isn't rich, and she certainly doesn't have a seaside getaway. But you both do have the Winnetu on South Beach, a collection of 53 quaint suites and a private cottage. Eleven acres of lawn and sandy beach out front include the requisite pool and tennis courts, as well as funky outdoor sculptures and a life-size chess set. 31 Dunes Rd., Edgartown, MA winnetu.com.