Yearly Archives: 2012

Taste of the South End: March 6, 2012

Next Tuesday is the Taste of the South End.  This event which draws 40 of the neighborhood’s restaurants and cafes to showcase some of their favorite bites and more than a few cocktails is an absolute must for Foodies. The fact that the money raised helps the AIDS Action Committee is a bonus.

As with years past, I’ll be in attendance; no doubt overeating and loving every minute of this very friendly and highly social event.  Several new restaurants will be joining the event for the first time, but I’m most interested in sampling the food from Cinquecento the new restaurant from The Aquitaine Group which will open this spring in the space previously occupied by Rocca.

Buy your tickets here

GLBT adults twice as likely to smoke

Hollywood actors from the 30s, 40s and 50s were so glamorous. Images of leading men and women from this era are almost always with a cigarette, and those movies in some ways contributed to the perception that smoking was glamorous or cool.

However, the days of when cigarettes were perceived glamorous or cool are a thing of the past.  Many cities and states in the US have banned smoking, making it difficult (not to mention expensive), so I was surprised to read GLBT adults are twice as likely to smoke.  The same study from Nicotine & Tobacco Research said GLBT adults are half as likely to have plans to quit smoking.

If you are a smoker won’t you consider quitting? If you know someone who is still smoking have you given thought to letting them know how you feel and your concern for their health? Let’s make smoking history.

Grammar lesson

My sister shared this with me last week. Perhaps you’ve already seen it, but it is a good reminder that if you only rely upon spell check and don’t proof read your work you run the risk of looking like a piece of sh*t. 

Men of Twitter

Each Monday I blog about profiles of men on Twitter who catch my eye and whom I think you may enjoy following. As always, suggestions for profiles to feature are welcome. If you’d like to follow me on twitter, you can find me @BosGuy. You can find me talking about these men on Twitter by searching the #MenOfTwitter hash mark.

This week’s Men of Twitter has a New York City theme – enjoy.

AndrewRannells – Originally from the cornfields of Nebraska, Andrew  may not be a household name but this talented Broadway actor currently starring in The Book of Mormon, is worth the follow. Aside from his obvious talents he’s quite funny. In a recent Tweet Andrew lamented “American Apparel must be stopped. They are selling COSTUMES as legitimate clothing and making assholes of millions of young women.” Couldn’t agree with you more Andrew.

Sicilian40 – A.K.A. Jim is a native New Yorker. This Twitter addict can rattle off a string of naughty Tweets in a New York minute. Though we’ve yet to meet, we both love Provincetown, and we hope to connect this summer. Aside from his summers in Ptown, musical theater is a passion and escape for Jim. Keep Jim in your thoughts. He’s an only child coming to terms with the fact that his parents are aging and his father has significant health issues.

*Note: not sure why Jim’s link may not connect but you can find Jim on Twitter by typing in his handle. He has a locked profile which may be why some of you may have trouble connecting initially.

If so inclined, leave these guys a nice comment and start following on Twitter.

Sergio and Oscar

I don’t see many movies so I don’t get too excited about this award show. However, a few years ago Sergio was able to hold an Oscar that had been awarded to his employer.  I love the picture of him and figure if I was ever to share this, tonight would be the appropriate night.

So should you find yourself at an Oscar’s party or just curled up on your couch cringing at the dresses and ramblings of actors trying to  speak without a script – I’d like to wish you a pleasant evening to what I hope was a fun and relaxing weekend for you.

All politics is local

Tip O’Neill was an outspoken liberal politician from Massachusetts who is attributed with the quote “all politics is local“.  So when I read The Advocate’s article, “A most-wanted list: Mayors not for marriage”I started thinking about how important it is to have the support of a sitting mayor. Not only can they be a huge advocate, but more importantly they have a strong network of volunteers and community leaders within the city they represent.

Mayors from some of our largest cities have already pledged their support for same sex marriage.  Mayors from cities like New York City, Washington D.C., and Boston have proven to be staunch supporters.  However it is in states where same sex marriage remains illegal that mayors can make a huge difference.

The Wikipedia page Supporters of Same-Sex Marriage lists elected officials who support the right to marry.  Using that list and the Advocate article, I’ve compiled a list of mayors who have not pledged their support.  Take a moment to share this with friends and if you live in one of these cities reach out to your mayor.  If any of this information is incorrect or if I’m missing a mayor you would like added, please leave a comment.

Click on the table to enlarge

Girl scout cookies

I feel like this image could be the inspiration for a prequel to Drop Dead Gorgeous. A movie from the late 90s that featured several fantastically funny female actresses including: Kirsten Dunst, Denise Richards, Ellen Barkin, Allison Janney, Brittany Murphy, Amy Adams, and Kirstie Alley.  

dbar Snowball Beach Party Tea Dance

It was just a few months ago that I posted photos from dbar’s Harvest Tea Dance. Tomorrow, Sunday – February 26th, dbar will host their winter Tea Dance.  Although temperatures are chilly in Boston this weekend, there will be no snowballs to worry about, and with a speedo contest encouraging people to arrive in beach attire, this could be an interesting way to spend your Sunday afternoon. Will you be going?

Green Eyes final weekend performances

In January I wrote about Green Eyes, when it first opened on January 18th.  Due to popular demand, the show was extended through February 26th, and I’m excited to be able to see this unique production tonight.

The New England premiere of Tennessee Williams erotic drama was originally written in the 1970s but remained unpublished for nearly 40 years.  Last year a production of Green Eyes was performed at the Hudson Hotel in NYC by The Kindness, a company founded by Travis Chamberlain and Chris Keegan.

The 2012 production in Boston takes place at the Ames Hotel. There are only 25 seats for each performance.  Intrigued? I was too and I’m looking forward to seeing the show tonight.  You can learn more about the production by visiting Company One.

From one Gleek to another

How to make a Mormon gay

Earlier this month leaders of the Mormon Church (an organization I freely admit I have no love for)  apologized to the family of Holocaust survivor and Jewish rights advocate Simon Wiesenthal after his parents were posthumously baptized, a controversial ritual that Mormons believe allows deceased people a way to the afterlife but offends members of many other religions.

Since the Mormon Church has a rather foul record for trying to ‘convert’ gay men and women, one website has applied the religion’s small minded teachings and insensitive practices so you may posthumously ‘convert’ Mormons into a gay person.  You can check out the site and convert a deceased Mormon into something truly fabulous by visiting, AllDeadMormonsAreNowGay.com

Beware! Once converted there are no take backs!

BosGuy brain teaser

This week’s brain teaser comes in the form of a riddle for the second week in a row.  I struggled to figure out this one just like I did last week.

Perhaps your wits will lead you to the answer more quickly.  As usual, I’ll confirm answers or post the answer later in the day.

I am the beginning of the end, and the end of time and space. I am essential to creation, and I surround every place. What am I?

SoCo Creamery Lavender Honey Ice Cream

My latest addiction comes from an ice cream company based in western Massachusetts called SoCo Creamery.

To be specific, I’m in love with their flavor: Lavender Honey.  According to their website they steep lavender flowers overnight in sweet cream. Then blend the lavender infused sweet cream into a light honey base.

The creamery also has other tempting flavors such as, Chai Spice – a spicy black tea blend churned into sweet cream and sprinkled with cardamom and ginger.  Tempted? You can check out their full range of flavors on their website. Locations that sell their tempting ice cream can be found here.

Taye Diggs

Ever since seeing Idina Menzel perform on the Atlantis Cruise earlier this month I’ve found myself thinking about her very handsome husband, Taye Diggs.

I remember the first time I ever saw him in the late 90s movie How Stella Got Her Groove Back where he played the role of the young, Jamaican lover of the much older Stella Payne played by Angela Bassett.  His career has spanned television, movies and Broadway. It was his role in a little off Broadway musical called Rent where he met his wife, Idina.  Taye has recently added the role of father when his son was born a few years ago.  His new role as Dad has done nothing to diminish his sex appeal and he continues to distract me.

Restaurant review: Tu Y Yo

Tu Y Yo (You and Me) is located just outside of Davis Square in Somerville.  The nondescript exterior is matched by a casual, rustic atmosphere when you walk in.  At first glance the place is nothing special, but that changes once you try the food.

On our first visit we met the owner. When we asked him why his restaurant did not serve chips and salsa he said this was not common in Mexico City and assured us we wouldn’t want to fill up on corn chips when there were so many other tempting appetizers.  Although I do love chips and salsa, I had to agree the starters we devoured were delicious.We started our meal with Empanadas de Plátano Macho con Queso $7.50 which are plantain turnovers filled with cheese.  The lightly fried starter depicted top left was creamy and almost dessert-like.  The Jalapeños Maria Luisa pictured just below (named after a member of the family no doubt) was also $7.50. These offered a nice contrast adding a bit of spice to the meal.  Although you can order beer, wine (and the sangria is quite good by the way), depicted above on the right is a traditional iced tea made with hisbiscus water.

For dinner I ordered the Chile Relleno en Nogada for $18.95.  This is a poblano pepper stuffed with ground beef, almonds, raisins, covered in a sweet creamy sauce and sprinkled with pomegranate and cilantro. The meal was also accompanied by sides of rice and beans.  The ground beef in the pepper was well seasoned, offering something savory to  offset the creamy sauce, sweet raisins, pomegranate and almonds. Once I started, I couldn’t help myself and devoured the meal entirely.

If you are dieting do not even bother coming to Tu Y Yo, but if you are hankering for authentic Mexican cuisine from a no nonsense, attitude free restaurant check out this fonda at 858 Broadway – Somerville, MA.

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