Row and Ride

Indoor cycling studios are so 2014. These days, it's all about group rowing classes, and now New England has its very first dedicated rowing studio right here on the South Shore. Launched by Kerry Connolly, a longtime news anchor for CBS Boston, Row and Ride offers group rowing and stadium-style cycling classes for a new spin (ahem) on the latest fitness trends. The squeaky clean facility also has a fully stocked locker room with showers to rinse off after sweating it out in class. 200 Webster St., Hanover, MA 02339, rowandride.com.

Small Planet Bar and Grill

Eclectic props and great people watching can keep you entertained if the date turns out to be a bore, and the excellent vegetable burgers can save the evening if your new friend turns out to be a vegetarian. 565 Boylston St., Boston, MA .

Do Re Mi Karaoke

They haven't upped their prices a penny since opening 13 years ago. Fees may be retro, but the song library stays current with Lady Gaga and other hit-listers, while the studio's 19 private suites, which fit up to 30 guests, feature pleather couches, flat-screen TVs, and sound-sensitive lighting. It's best to book two weeks ahead for prime times—and to go during the summer to avoid college crowds. 442 Cambridge St., Allston, MA 2134, doremikaraoke.net.

Kathryn Van Patten, Boston Bodyworks Studio

Do you know if your left scapula juts out farther than your right, or if your right hip rides higher than your left? Kathryn Van Patten will know. While many Pilates instructors drag their clients straight to the "Cadillac" or the "Reformer," Van Patten—an ex-ballerina with top-level certification—does a complete body check to see how she can balance out all your "idiosyncracies." Then she drags you to the Cadillac and the Reformer. of all? Her studio is in a beautifully appointed Beacon Hill townhouse. 12 Joy St., Boston, MA bostonbodyworksstudio.com.

Beatriz Comacho, Hair F/X Studio

Important client in town? Anniversary dinner at a fancy restaurant? Job interview? For those occasions when it's important to have your hair looking just right, a professional blow-dry session is a must. Beatriz Comacho at Brighton's Hair F/X Studio is the person for the job. She can make any style look its absolute best: from long, layered 'dos to short, spiky cuts alike, Comacho is a pro at putting the finishing touches on her clients' looks. Bonus: The Salon has an Aveda cosmetics counter; after blow-drys, Comacho often doubles as a makeup artists for her busy patrons. 627 Commonwealth Avenue, Brighton, MA .

Siena Farms

Other CSAs (community-supported agriculture, or farm-shares) have more-convenient pickup spots or more-varied plans. But for produce quality, there's no beating Chris Kurth's Siena Farms in Sudbury, where he grows the most beautiful tomatoes and the tenderest greens you'll find anywhere. Kurth's wife, Ana Sortun, is one of Boston's best chefs (at Oleana) and weighs in on what to plant. And now that Kurth offers both a membership-style deal that gets you a discount at the farmers' markets and the traditional weekly box of produce, he's beginning to close the gap on convenience, too. 113 Haynes Rd., Sudbury, MA 1776, sienafarms.com.

The next one.

Next year's.

Like last year, the next one.

The next one.

Piano Craft Guild (Piano Factory)

Good exhibition space, decent studios, lively inhabitants. 791 Tremont St., Boston, MA .

Beacon Hill Athletic Clubs

With 4,500 square feet of equipment and studios, the BHAC could hold its own anywhere. 3 Hancock St., Boston, MA 2114, beaconhillathleticclubs.com.

Evacuation

When Boston Garden president Larry Moulter said, "Everybody get out of the building right now," they did. Sure, it was only for the fourth game of the Stanley Cup finals, when the power failed. But at least someone finally took action.

Jon B. Platt, Colonial Theatre

For bringing in Ragtime, an epic piece of song-and-dance liberal Americana.

Wildfolk

Dedicated to “sharing flowers as art,” Caroline O’Donnell, Wildfork Studio, crafts her lush bridal bouquets, centerpieces, boutonnieres, and installations with a freeform style all her own. 6 Vernon Street, Sommerville, MAssachusetts 02145, wildfolkstudio.com.