Club Cafe
Just over the Back Bay border of the South End, this joint is the city's gay answer to Cheers, a place where everybody knows your name—and probably has some good gossip on you. Unlike most gay clubs, Club Cafe really does offer something for everyone: You can bring your mother here for dinner, invite straight friends to meet you for drinks, or go by yourself and make eyes at attractive out-of-towners. The piano bar (in front) and video bar (in back) dutifully keep old and new gay-media traditions alive. 209 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA .
Jamaicaway/Riverway
Whether you're training for the marathon or just trying to raise your heart rate, a jog along the Emerald Necklace is unrivaled. We tried them all—the Charles River Esplanade, the Minuteman Bikeway, the Commonwealth Avenue Mall—and still came away with the same answer as last year: Running through the gardens of the Back Bay Fens, along the Riverway and Jamaicaway, out to Jamaica Pond, and onto the Arnold Arboretum is literally a breath of fresh air. The serenity along the river, the dirt trails just before the pond, the water fountain at the boathouse, the hills and flowers of the arboretum—they combine to make for a perfect jog. Even if 26.2 isn't in your future. MA
Lester Harry's
Admit it: Even the inevitable grass, food, and spit-up stains won't discourage you from dressing your tot to the nines. And who can blame you? A trip to Lester Harry's could persuade every parent that the little pumpkin should be outfitted in the finest of European fashion: Bienvenue sur Terre shirts and tees, Marcel et Leon linen shorts, Lili Gaufrette sundresses. While you're at it, pick up a couple of sets of custom-tailored crib sheets. By the time you leave, you won't know what's cuter: your angel-faced nipper—or the store. 140 Washington St., Marblehead, MA lesterharrys.com.
L'Etoile
Housed in a glass atrium attached to the island's most exclusive inn (the Relais & Chateaux-affiliated Charlotte Inn), this restaurant continues to charm with its alluring mix of casual elegance, contemporary French cuisine, and good-natured, accommodating staff. Whether you're seated inside or under the stars on the adjacent open-air patio, L'Etoile will seduce you. And don't be surprised to see a proposal or two at the tables around you. Order up the house specialty, étouffée of lobster, let the learned sommelier guide you through the extensive wine list, and wait for the romance of the room to work its magic. 27 South Summer St., Edgartown, MA letoile.net.
Le Soir
It could be the soft lighting and rich hues of creamy taupe, burgundy, and deep orange in the dining room. Maybe it's the Francophile's dream of a wine list. It might even be the comfortable and confident service. But ultimately we think it's chef Mark Allen's food that pushes the romance quotient at his Newton restaurant Le Soir to hot and steamy. The heady aromas of chanterelle mushrooms, truffle oil, and even slowly cooked rabbit potpie fill the air while the sensuous textures of crispy-skinned roast duck fill your mouth. A meal here with anyone is special, but with your significant other, it's a night to remember. 51 Lincoln St., Newton, MA .
Verrill Farm
Open year round, Verrill's is the kind of farm stand where you can find every single ingredient you'd need for a last-minute gourmet party. Which is why visitors often find themselves elbow to elbow with famous Boston chefs choosing the best of the crop from the rows and rows of crisp, fresh-picked local produce. In addition to fruits and vegetables, the stand also stocks gourmet supplies including imported olive oils, fresh breads, seasonings, and pastas, while the on-site deli offers cheeses, soups, sandwiches, prepared dinners, and freshly baked desserts. The wide and stunning selection of flowers means your table will look as fresh as your meal will taste. 11 Wheeler Rd., Concord, MA verrillfarm.com.
Beehive
It's easy to agree on where to mingle if you and your posse are bent on skimming from the same pool, whether that's just-graduated daddy's girls (Foundation Lounge), martini-swilling cougars (Cuffs), or baseball-capped frat dudes (Clery's). Finding a pheromone-drenched locale that covers a variety of predilections is a much taller order. The South End's Beehive measures up nicely, drawing a clientele as diverse as its all-star team of bartenders and as tasty as the cocktails they stir up. And whether you're seeking a tattooed hairstylist or a sweater set-clad preppette, the uncharacteristically well-lit (for a bar) space means you'll get a clear view of your quarry. 541 Tremont St., Boston, MA 2115, beehiveboston.com.
The Courtside
You do a mean AC/DC, and the world deserves to hear it. Even if you must endure a couple's lovingly howled 'Summer Nights' duet before taking the stage, there's no better platform for your talents than the Courtside: Its expansive karaoke room is populated by a vocal audience Thursday through Saturday, and the refreshments—a large pizza and a pitcher of PBR for $13—are ample incentive for everyone to stick around. If you tend to dampen your pre-performance jitters with too much brewski, rest easy knowing that the teleprompting screens are enormous enough to be read even through beer goggles. 291 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 2141, .
Zaftigs
This isn't the place to start a diet, unless you're on a strict regimen of noodle kugel, knishes, and chopped liver. The fresh cheese blintzes and potato pancakes are to die for. And your Jewish mother will kvell over the brisket even if she doesn't take to tray of offerings such as pork sausage and smokehouse ham. Kosher, this is not. In fact, what has made this "new Jewish"-style restaurant one of the eating spots in Brookline are the less traditional offerings, including cheddar-apple omelets and banana French toast. The wild artwork and hip young wait staff seal the deal: This ain't your grandma's deli. 335 Harvard St., Coolidge Corner, Brookline, MA .
Moxie Salon
After one look at our tired tresses, bubbly owner Kerry Zirpolo proposed an action plan (permanent dye, low-maintenance lob) that made us feel understood, not pushed. She even gave us a nook to peck away at our laptop while waiting for the color to kick in. We left refreshed, renewed, and feeling like we'd just met a new friend. Even better? Weeks later, our hair still held its style, and our chestnut-brown touchup looked bold, not brassy. 691 Belmont St., Belmont, MA 2478, moxiebelmont.com.
Wishbasket
We're not typically the nesting types, but thanks to Wishbasket, our pied-à-terre has been looking practically hibernation-ready. Once inside the French country shop, we find ourselves stocking up on rustic dinnerware, super-soft throws, current cookbooks, and specialty sea salts. Once, we even walked out with bath soaps labeled 'bonjour' and 'bonne nuit.' Our purchases have changed our minds about quiet evenings at home. Or at least evenings spent quietly admiring our new home accessories. 50 Water St., Newburyport, MA 1950, .
Jeanne Salon
We brought our feet to Jeanne Lee's no-frills salon after a long winter of neglect. Without a drop of judgment, Lee whipped our rough nails into sandal shape and smoothed our calloused heels, leaving us with soft, polished tootsies too pretty to confine to boots. 125 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, jeannesalon.com.
Moore Massage
It was hard to find a bad massage—if indeed there is such a thing—in this year's bunch. Natalie at Unique Verve put us quite pleasantly to sleep. Samantha at the Mandarin Oriental soothed our muscles (if, at $200-plus, not so much our fiscal conscience). In the end, though, this previous Best Of champ prevailed—despite attempting to defer credit to his mentor, Keith Stiles, who joined Moore Massage this year. Stiles might have been, in Moore's words, "the man who taught me everything," but in this case, student knows best. Moore's consistently thorough handiwork reversed our laptop shoulder and boosted our energy for days. We're convinced he even cured us of cellulite. You heard us. 575 Boylston St., Boston, MA .
Allston Beat
American men count on their counterparts in the Mother Country, Great Britain, to do two things: support the White House's military policies and show the rest of us how to dress. Here in Boston, guys who seek to effect the casual cool of The Naked Chef's Jamie Oliver (as opposed to, say, the dandyish look of Foreign Secretary Jack Straw) can browse the racks at Allston Beat, which turns in the best local imitation of a fashionable-but-affordable High Street boutique. This Newbury Street shop, once better known for peddling over-the-top clubwear, now stocks a more understated inventory that leans heavily towards jeans by Levis, G-Star, and Earl, retro-inspired button-downs by Ben Sherman, and Fred Perry warmups. The back of the store is devoted to shelves lined with old-school trainers (sorry—sneakers) that you're not likely to find at Foot Locker. 348 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Back Bay Bicycles
The adage "size doesn't matter" certainly applies here: Tiny Back Bay Bicycles can't match the sprawling selections of many competitors. But what the shop lacks in space it makes up for in service, and that's what counts for the average weekend bicyclist—not how many $1,000 bikes are in stock. The staff is incredibly friendly and helpful, consistently going above and beyond the call of retail by replacing your leaky tube on the spot or slipping different packs on your bike rack to see which fits best. As for variety, there's more than enough in the way of mountain bikes, hybrids, and road bikes for any avid cyclist—whether you're a daily commuter or a weekend roadster. 336 Newbury St., Boston, MA papa-wheelies.com.