Good
Owner Paul Niski culls the world for art and oddments seldom seen here in Boston, and consequently Good's inventory of goods—which run the gamut from furniture to linens to pure objets d'art—is almost continuously refreshed. Among the constants in this tiny, museumlike space: John Derian's eccentric découpage pieces, handcrafted jewelry from the likes of Melissa Joy Manning and Chan Luu, and pristine Japanese lacquerware by Morihata. Above all, there's Niski's own exquisite taste, which, if you're unsure of your gift recipient's style—or even your own—is quite a reliable one to adopt. 133 Charles St., Boston, MA 2114, shopatgood.com.
The Garment District
You might have trouble concentrating on the threads inside this giant Alice-in-Wonderland warehouse. After all, the décor—from a statue of a silver horse in full stampede to a collection of Velvises behind the counter—is as sense-boggling as the merchandise. Direct your eyes to the back room, however, and you'll find racks and racks of corduroy, gabardine, and polyester from every decade and in all the colors of the rainbow. Leather biker jackets fondle Jackie-O dresses, and go-go boots tease leisure suits in this spacious checkerboard-tiled playland. Chances are you'll find your style, whether it's Father Knows Best, The Mod Squad, or The Jimi Hendrix Experience. 200 Broadway St., Cambridge, MA garment-district.com.
Blades Board and Skate, Cambridge location
Snooping for a new snowboard? Keep your wallet holstered until you hit the Blades Cambridge location and find out which stick is right for you. Not only does this Blades have one of the biggest selections in town, but its staff also boasts encyclopedic knowledge of nearly every shape, size, and model, and can order virtually any kind of board regardless of whether it's regularly stocked. After assessing your weight, ability, and style, they'll save you from riding the freshies on, say, a K2 Luna when you should really be shredding with a Burton Feelgood. 38 JFK St., Cambridge, MA .
Grand Opening!
For a store hidden away on the upper floor of a sleepy Brookline mall, Grand Opening! is incredibly visible in the community. In the past year, brazen sex-priestess Kim Airs has hosted a night of amateur porn for HBO, handed out condoms at the gay pride parade, and pounded the pavement in support of National Masturbation Month. She brings the same mix of shamelessness and hilarity—minus the sleaziness of so many other shops—to her women-oriented sex store. Whether youre looking for lubes, vibes, clips, or plugs, the clerks will answer all of your questions without blushing—even if you're blushing as you ask them. 318 Harvard St., Suite 32, Brookline, MA .
Bentley's Travelware
When it comes to customer service, Bentley's is peerless. The Copley Place store manager, Berge Ounjian, is on hand to offer personable, expert advice, and is always attentive to your needs and budget. It's refreshing to find a store that offers top-of-the-line variety (Tumi, Hartmann) and its own custom gear, as well as quality mid-range alternatives, matched with a staff that knows when to offer advice and when to let your browse. Also worth nothing is Bentley's Luggage and Gifts, the larger sister store in the Mall at Chestnut Hill, which has an equally warm and knowledgeable sales staff. Copley Place, Boston, MA .
ATA Cycle
Value, value, value. These are the watchwords of ATA owner Husam Sahin, who picks his bikes based not on brand name, but on the bang for your buck. As a result, you'll find row upon row of Raleigh, Kona, and Giant mountain bikes, and fancy Italian racing bikes at surprisingly low prices. Sahin and his staff will talk you through the arcana of V-brakes, suspension, and frame strength, and take the crucial extra time to adjust your new bike to fit you perfectly. Throw in six months of free repair and service, and you'll be pedaling to a photo finish in no time. 1773 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA atabike.com.
Boston Center for Adult Education
Sorry guys and dolls, thanks to the Boston Center for Adult Education, there are just no more excuses for thinking salsa is merely a condiment. Even if you have two left feet, the BCAE can teach you everything from swing to ballroom dancing. They make disco cool. Hell, they'll even teach you to belly dance. And if the thought of that first dance in front of all those people sounds worse than 50 ears with your mother-in-law, they eve have a class called "Dance at Your Wedding: Choreographing the Moment." 5 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA bcae.org.
A Shining Example
When your shoes need to be as buff as the rest of you, head here. Three factors separate a great shoeshine from a merely good one. First, the high wooden thrones need to be sufficiently elevated to allow a sense of kingliness. Second, it's gotta be quick—and these efficient women move people in and out. Third is technique: They use both a high-grade canuba wax and a water spray to give the polish extra shine; they have a crisp, napping motion with the towel; and they always take an extra few seconds to retie your laces. Nice touch—after all, kings don't like to bend. 1 Beacon St., Boston, MA .
Yelena Courture
Sometimes it's impossible to resist buying something fabulous when the price has plummeted. That's when your tailor becomes your best friend/ The mark of a great tailor is the ability to pare something several sizes too big down to size without sacrificing the design. This small shop (located in the garage of The Atrium) transformed a heavily discounted Donna Karan skirt and made it look practically custom-made. The pros here also altered a heavily beaded bodice, work that required a large degree of finesse, and they did it in less than a week. The Atrium Mall, 300 Boylston St., Chestnut Hill, MA .
Schumacher Landscaping
Schumacher has been the grad Poo-Bah of flora for the past 31 years, and is largely responsible for bringing a healthy dose of green to Boston's asphalt avenues. Its creative ingenuity can be appreciated throughout the city at the Fraser Courtyard in the Museum of Fine Arts, the Snell Library Plaza at Northeastern University, and Post Office Square Par. But don't be intimidated if your yard is more like a foot. These doctors of the green thumb are equally adept at smaller residential projects— say, planting pansies around the porch, installing sod over that crabgrass, or mowing your lawn when you just don't feel like it. 17 Electric Ave., Brighton, MA .
Maria Madrid
First she stares, then she brushes, then she cuts. Maria is an aesthetic genius who spends time studying the planes of your face and the way your hair curves and curls around it before she makes the first cut. The result: haircuts that work regardless of weather condition (ie. no more bad hair days). Spanish-born and very energetic, Maria's a delightful contrast to the laid-back, classical-music ambience of the salon. Snip snip, chat, chat— her topics of choice range from the problems of urban school systems to the nature of true friendship. Le Pli Salon & Day Spa, The Charles Hotel, 5 Bennett St., Cambridge, MA .
Gentle Giant Moving Company
Don't mess around with movers that fail to show up on time or try to hold your belongings hostage until you fork over a wad of cash vastly in excess of the original estimate. Gentle Giant will give you an honest quote, turn up exactly as promised, and call you at work just before coming.Plus, the crew is gentle, like the name says. Another bonus: You can have an intelligent conversation with your movers, who all seem to be hard at work on the Great American Novel. All in all, Gentle Giant belongs in the Haul of Fame. 29 Harding St., Somerville, MA .
Stuart Whitehurst
Your great-aunt Mildred has just passed onto that great anti-macassar in the sky, leaving you with a marble-tipped, ormolu-encrusted dresser the size of a Peugot. Your entire studio apartment could fit into the bottom drawer. What to do? Call Stuart Whitehurst. if you want some idea of the quality of Skinner's sales, visit its showroom. But not to worry, even if all that ormolu turns out to be dross, press on. Skinner has a large facility in Bolton, where treasures of less-distinguished pedigree can be found in its monthly "Discovery" sales. Skinner, 63 Park Plaza, Boston, MA .
Chuck Bass, Jean-Pierre Salon
Chuck Bass isn't fond of small talk (so don't even try to land any Gossip Girl jokes). Sure, there'll be the usual banter about what you're looking for in a trim, but as soon as he lifts the scissors, he'll go ninja on your locks, stealthily maneuvering through his multi-step shearing (first wet, then dry, and once more after the blowout). By the time you leave, every hair on your head has been restored to its rightful length and place. 116 Newbury St., Boston, MA chuckbass.com.
Lala Rokh
With Thai food on every corner and henna tattoos sold at the mall, the truly exotic is hard to find anymore. That's why this atmospheric Beacon Hill restaurant is the perfect getaway for you and your paramour. The mood is set immediately with orchid centerpieces, hanging tapestries, and sitar music. But it's the food that is truly transporting. Infused with saffron and pomegranate, the homemade dishes will send your tongue on its own magic carpet ride. And with dinner for two including wine and dessert coming in at under $100, it's the least expensive ticket to the Near East you'll find. 97 Mt. Vernon St., Boston, MA lalarokh.com.