Jully Michaud, Michaud Cosmetics
Michaud's been painting models' faces for more than a decade but recently opened a studio to cater to the masses. She's a plucker, not a waxer, and has raised the eyebrows of many a Bostonian. She'll also teach you how to maintain your brows between appointments. 297 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Party Rental Ltd.
Transforming a blank-canvas event space for a wedding takes a lot of coordination, and the situation can get especially dicey when multiple vendors are involved. This more than 50-year-old rental company takes the stress out of the situation by providing one of the biggest inventories and widest varieties of rental products in the country. You’ll be wowed by the offerings in its Leather District design studio, reassured by the pros’ product advice, and impressed by the technology the team uses to stream-line ordering and delivery of it all. partyrentalltd.com.
French + Italian
Just because your couch is now your office doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style. The well-curated selection of soft, wearable tops at this Beacon Hill boutique includes colorful knit tees from Marni, flowy organic-cotton blouses from Apiece Apart, and collared button-downs from Acne Studios that look just as good on your Monday-morning Slack call as they do on your favorite restaurant patio come the weekend. 119 Charles St., Boston, MA 02114, frenchitalian.com.
Company One Theatre
Whether it’s tackling stories about immigration or staging resident playwright Kirsten Greenidge’s vision in a Back Bay school, Company One will take you places you never expected, but are better for having been. Think, for example, of this season’s rom-com Vietgone: A collaboration with Pao Arts Center, the perspective-shifting, often hilarious look at the Vietnamese refugee experience from Marvel Studios writer Qui Nguyen skewered, subverted, and surprised the whole way through. 539 Tremont St., Boston, MA companyone.org.
Katrina Hess
This makeup pro has been primping brides from the Back Bay to Bermuda for more than 20 years. During a consultation at her lofty Newbury Street studio, Hess will school you in skin maintenance and eyebrow shaping, and on the big day, she’ll travel to your venue to give you an absolutely flawless look. She’ll even stay through the night to make sure it lasts through the happy tears and cake smears. 115 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, katrinahess.com.
Dani Wagener, DW Beauty
Dani Wagener's brides always look flawless in photos. Some of it is nature and the blush of true love, of course, and some of it is the result of Wagener's deft hand with airbrush foundation, custom-blended to perfectly match each client's complexion. After a relaxed prewedding trial in her airy studio, she'll travel to your bridal suite on the big day to get you gorgeous, killer lashes and all. 125 Newbury St., Boston, MA daniwagener.com.
Sports Club/LA
It's the kind of gym we hate to love: full of people who put on makeup and hair gel before they work out, and packed with fluffy extras like a roof deck, spa, salon, and bar. (Yes, bar.) But dangit if it isn't a really, really good place to burn calories: 114,000 square feet filled with Cybex and Precor cardio equipment, basketball and squash courts, a pool, a boxing studio, and more. 4 Avery St., Boston, MA 2111, thesportsclubla.com.
Mighty Mighty BossTones
Ska may come and ska may go, but the BossTones are forever. Going on 20 years, the band is forcing listeners to again Pay Attention with a best selling new studio release. Notwithstanding some catchy hooks, the album features a more melodic side of the plaid-bedecked eight-some, or, as frontman Dicky Barrett says, songs that are "thought out, not just half-assed." Get your tix for the Throwdown now! bosstones.com.
Winnetu Oceanside Resort
You could spend the week at Winnetu and never once leave. Rooms range from new studios with kitchenettes and porches to private multiroom cottages with patios and grills. Drop the kids at the day-camp program while you play tennis, take a yoga class on the lawn, or walk to South Beach right out back. Wind down in the evening at Lure, the resort's upscale restaurant. 31 Dunes Rd., Edgartown, MA winnetu.com.
Secret Physique
It’s no secret: The South Shore’s toned set heads to this cluster of studios in Hingham, Quincy, Pembroke, and Plymouth for an unusual roster that goes above and beyond simple barre. There’s Bardio (cardio plus barre), Pound (a crushing workout wherein clients can pretend to drum in a rock band), and Hollywood burlesque. The workout spaces are also welcoming to parents, with prenatal specials and pristine on-site childcare areas. 35 Pond Park Rd., Hingham; and other locations. 35 Pond Park Rd., Hingham, MA 02043, secretphysique.com.
Pure Glow
One session with owner Lauren Rampello, and you’ll never hop into an automated spray-tan booth again. Her paraben-, formaldehyde-, and retinol-free formula is meticulously applied by hand, leaving no room for streaks or missed spots. Stop into the recently opened studio for a custom color consultation, or let Rampello bring her pop-up tanning station to your home. Either way, 20 minutes is all you’ll need for a subtle glow that lasts for the better part of a week. 176 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, pureglowtanning.com.
Parker Cote Elite Fitness
Photograph by Toan Trinh Fitness model Parker Cote has graced dozens of magazine covers, each showcasing his remarkable physique. At his new studio, a 1,600-square-foot space brimming with luxury amenities (a spa-quality restroom and shower area, free Fiji water, and towel service), we can train to cover-model perfection, too. Cote offers semi-private and one-on-one training sessions that incorporate cardio, strength training, and plyometrics. 116 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, parkercotefitness.com.
Talia Don
So often, fine jewelry has a formulaic look: a dainty gold necklace here, a simple diamond tennis bracelet there. The bold pieces from artisan jeweler Talia Don, however, are anything but predictable: Layered with sparkling semiprecious stones and freshwater pearls and fashioned in unique shapes, her showstopping designs beg to be worn and cherished for generations. Stop by the studio and workshop (by appointment only) to find the statement piece of your dreams. 288 Walnut St., Newton, MA 02460, taliadondesigns.com.
Jessica Thornton, Green Room Boston
Photo by Creative Crop/Getty Images Where do Boston’s old-money mavens and new-money titans go to get pampered? This one-woman, single-chair salon, tucked away along a side street on Beacon Hill. Owned by expert stylist Jessica Thornton, the concierge hair studio offers a comfortable oasis where great hair, discretion, and the quick-witted Thornton herself are always the stars of the show. Encore! Encore! 40 River St., Boston, MA 02108, greenroomboston.com.
Jake Brennan, "Disgraceland"
Photo by Karin Dailey A Boston musician with a knack for storytelling, Brennan broke the true-crime mold with “Disgraceland,” a podcast that explores the dark side of the music business, from bad blood to bands on the run. Now with Double Elvis, the studio he cofounded in 2019, the rock ’n’ roll troubadour is producing more than a dozen shows, many of them hosted by big names in entertainment. And get ready for a little more conversation: This year he inked a big-time deal with Warner Music Group that will expand his roster even further. doubleelvis.com.