Located in Cambridge’s Harvard Square, a stone’s throw away from the Welcome Gates to the prestigious Harvard University, Hidden Sweets has been servicing students, tourists and loyal residents alike for over 20 years. Their chocolate and candy offerings boast a variety of over 500 bulk and packaged candy as well as nostalgic candies and gourmet chocolates! No matter what obscure treat satisfies your sweet tooth, you are certain to find it at Hidden Sweets! And if you’re not a fan of sugar, they even offer a variety of sugar free treats! If you’re not looking for something sweet, they even have a wide selection of clothing, greeting cards, trinkets and toys that you won’t find anywhere else! While they do carry some popular items, they pride themselves on offering products that you can only find on their shelves. What really makes Hidden Sweets stand out from traditional mom and pop candy stores and even big box chains is the love and warmth customers feel when they walk through the doors. The founders, long time married couple, Mike and Paula can be found working alongside their sons, daughters in law and soon probably even grand kids to provide a fun and enjoyable experience every time you’re in their store. So if you’re wandering aimlessly around Harvard Square or are in need of a sugar fix, drop by Hidden Sweets! I promise you won’t regret it! If you’re flipping aimlessly through the phonebook, stop by globalYP.net, online yellow pages.

Back before I lived in Boston, Pandemonium Books & Games was always on my list of things to do while visiting. It’s an independent bookstore devoted exclusively to science fiction and fantasy, with everything from children’s books to role playing games, and all the good stuff in between. And best of all: they sell both new and used books. I can’t even count the number of hard-to-find out of print sci-fi books I’ve been able to get there. These days, they also sell a bunch of fun add-ons too, things like t-shirts, stuffed animals, dice, and decorations. Even my four-year-old niece likes to come in with me (she goes for all the shiny fairy postcards). The staff all really know their stuff: tell them that you like Robert Heinlein and you’d really love to read something similar, and they’ll recommend Lois McMaster Bujold. And if they don’t happen to have whatever you’re looking for on hand, they’ll be happy to special order it for you. If you’re into RPGs, not only do they have an impressive collection of books and materials, there’s also an entire room downstairs where they have tournaments, from Magic to Dungeons and Dragons to Monsterpocalypse Miniatures. They also frequently have book signings with some of the best current sci-fi authors; even Terry Pratchett has come through before. As a sci-fi fan for life, I hope Pandemonium always lives long and prospers. Don’t spend a long time looking for something in a phone book, visit globalYP.net, yellow pages that are online, instead.

Back before I lived in Boston, Pandemonium Books & Games was always on my list of things to do while visiting. It’s an independent bookstore devoted exclusively to science fiction and fantasy, with everything from children’s books to role playing games, and all the good stuff in between. And best of all: they sell both new and used books. I can’t even count the number of hard-to-find out of print sci-fi books I’ve been able to get there. These days, they also sell a bunch of fun add-ons too, things like t-shirts, stuffed animals, dice, and decorations. Even my four-year-old niece likes to come in with me (she goes for all the shiny fairy postcards). The staff all really know their stuff: tell them that you like Robert Heinlein and you’d really love to read something similar, and they’ll recommend Lois McMaster Bujold. And if they don’t happen to have whatever you’re looking for on hand, they’ll be happy to special order it for you. If you’re into RPGs, not only do they have an impressive collection of books and materials, there’s also an entire room downstairs where they have tournaments, from Magic to Dungeons and Dragons to Monsterpocalypse Miniatures. They also frequently have book signings with some of the best current sci-fi authors; even Terry Pratchett has come through before. As a sci-fi fan for life, I hope Pandemonium always lives long and prospers. Don’t spend a long time looking for something in a phone book, visit globalYP.net, yellow pages that are online, instead.

It’s not often that you can, in the middle of the day on a Sunday, decide you want highlights, lowlights, and a cut, and get all of those things immediately. That’s what happened when I called the Carriage House Salon, an adorable and warm little salon above the Starbucks on Church Street in Harvard Square. They were able to immediately accommodate me, and although I had never been there before, I was welcomed and felt perfectly attended to. The salon was not particularly busy, which gave it a nice feeling of intimacy, like I had the whole staff to myself. There is a large window which looks out over the old burial ground in Harvard Square which was absolutely beautiful during the nice summer day that I was there. The stylist who cut and colored my hair was diligent and careful, consulting with me every step of the way. He seemed precise and not too hurried, which made me feel like he had a lot invested in the outcome. When it’s your hair, that’s a great feeling! I was originally quite nervous that the color would be all wrong, as it’s always different to get your hair colored at a new place, but my stylist followed my instructions exactly, and I came out with the perfect color and cut. He even threw in a deep conditioning hair mask for free! In short, The Carriage House is a great salon, and it’s definitely worth trying out. To find more local services in your area, go to GlobalYP and search their directory.

I live right near 1369 Coffee House in Cambridge and visit the coffee house almost daily. I love their great selection of food and drink, and I really enjoy the people. The staff is funny, friendly, and quirky. There is a wide diversity in their patrons, including a lot of “regulars” that must drink a hundred coffees a day because they’re always there! I don’t blame them though, the coffee is delicious. Their iced coffee is phenomenal, somehow rich and creamy, even without milk. 1369 claims that the secret to their fabulous iced coffee is that it’s “cold-brewed”. I don’t exactly know what this means, but it’s working. 1369 also offers a variety of baked goods, soups, sandwiches and salads. I recommend the cinnamon coffee-cake and the honey nut scones. You can’t go wrong with an “everything” bagel either. My favorite thing about 1369 is that it’s never boring. They always have some new announcement that makes your everyday coffeehouse fare seem fun and exciting. For example, when they have “Tea Month”, you can get the “tea of the day” for a special price. They recently announced the arrival of lemonade, which I’ve never had at 1369 but somehow they’ve gotten me excited about it. They are also currently holding a competition to see which patron can design the best new t-shirt. The staff is so passionate about 1369 that it makes me passionate as well. When you visit 1369, you really feel like you’re a part of their family. Also visit globalyp.net, a local online directory.