Author Archives: BosGuy Blog

Restaurant gossip

gossipMore restaurant gossip continues to be passed my way but unlike most whispers this is about two well known places outside of the South End.  My contacts and connections outside the South End aren’t as strong but the source has proven to be quite reliable in the past so I thought I would pass it along to all you foodies.

Rumors are circling that Via Matta & TICO may close.

One of Boston’s favorite chefs is Michael Schlow.  He may be best known for his former restaurant, Radius, which closed last year, but I’ve recently been told two of his restaurants in the Back Bay, Via Matta and TICO, may soon meet a similar fate. I don’t know Michael nor do I have any connections to verify these rumors. However, if true these establishments would be Michael’s second and third restaurant closings in 2014; following the closure of Barrio Cantina earlier this year in the Fenway.

 

Temptation Tuesday

Temptation Tuesday

Past Temptation Tuesday Posts

Autumn in New England

Fall foliageFoliage is definitely peaking in and around Boston just in time for next weekend’s Head of the Charles Regatta. Check out this photograph my friend Slobodan snapped in a town just south of Boston this past Friday.

Realm health and fitness tips from Kyle

realm health and fitness tips from kyleOne of the most overlooked and intimidating avenues of fitness is boxing. People are often hesitant to partake due to the fear of looking silly and the guarantee that they will not be very skilled upon starting. Boxing specifically is a skill based sport so it takes time and repetitions to be comfortable with the gloves, but once the proper mechanics are learned it becomes a high intensity full body workout that is sure to improve your endurance while burning fat. Get off the treadmill and check out one of Boston’s many boxing gyms and clubs where you can learn the fundamentals and get into shape.

Kyle at Realm FitnessKyle is a nationally certified personal trainer, certified nutritionist, and lifestyle motivator out of Los Angeles, CA. He has been training for 5 years and has experience working with top-tier celebrity and executive clientele. When he’s not in the gym, Kyle is reading philosophy or writing poetry.

The Head of the Charles Regatta this weekend

Head of Charles RegattaThe Head Of The Charles Regatta (HOCR) is a Boston area tradition that dates back to 1965 and has evolved into a massive two-day rowing competition that draws more than 11,000 athletes and 400,000 spectators.  The 2014 HOCR takes place this Saturday and if you’ve not been before or if you don’t already have plans, I’d suggest checking it out.

Head of Charles Regatta – October 18-19

The organizers have created a great website that includes more information about the races, maps and FAQs. You can learn more by visiting the official HOCR website, www.hocr.org.

Monday blues

Monday bluesToday is Columbus Day and many of my friends have the day off.  However, I’m back to the grind so this image suits my mood perfectly.

CBS to premiere The McCarthy’s: Boston family with gay son

The McCarthys on CBS

Photo By Sonja Fleming (CBS)

The McCarthy’s is a new sitcom on CBS that takes place in Boston later this month. The lead role stars former NKOTB singer, Joey McIntyre.  I hadn’t heard of the show until I read Out.com’s review, which by the way panned it.

Out.com reviewer, Daniel D’Addario, wrote, “The problem is that Ronny [played by Joey McIntyre] is the kind of walking cliché that savvy viewers would think disappeared sometime between Will & Grace and Happy Endings.” (outch!)

D’Addario describes the portrayal of the gay character played by Joey McIntyre as something that would have been in vogue 10-15 years ago.  While I’ve never been one to put too much credence on reviews, some of the critiques make me cringe. Hopefully a more interesting storyline will emerge following the pilot.  Do you plan to watch The McCarthy’s? 

You can read the full review here.

Zoning issue plagues 46 Wareham residential project

Factory at Wareham Street, Boston

Source: Boston Redevelopment Authority

This summer I wrote about a new residential project proposed by The Holland Companies that would convert the underutilized and decrepit 46 Wareham Street building into a residential space with The Society of Arts and Crafts (currently on Newbury Street) on the ground floor.

However the plan to redevelop this space has hit a snag according to Zack Huffman’s article in the most recent Boston Courant.  The building is zoned for light industrial work (not residential).  It is unclear if this means the original plans need to be scrapped or if a middle ground will be found, but the developers are now working on a new plan that would not violate the zoning restrictions. I have no idea what that means, but I do know that the building as it currently stands is an eye-sore and is not serving either the business community nor residents and this neighborhood needs more usable space for both small businesses and residents.  I snapped a photo of how 46 Wareham currently looks; we can do better.

Factory at 46 Wareham Street

46 Wareham Street South End

MFA Boston free on Columbus Day

Museum of Fine Arts BostonMonday, October 13th The Museum of Fine Arts Boston will be open and free to the public.

The  MFA would like to invite you to spend Columbus Day visiting their exhibit “Goya: Order and Disorder” or checking out their eye popping, “Hollywood Glamour” exhibit that includes glittering gems and gowns.  More information about the MFA Free Fall Open House, here.

Americans’ (misplaced) concern about Ebola

American's concerned about ebolaThe Sacramento Bee published this cartoon last week and I think it perfectly sums up the hysteria that seems to be perpetuated by many of the 24-hour cable news networks.

Scruffy Sunday

men in bedPrevious Scruffy Sunday Posts

Miss Alaska Tastee Freeze performs ‘Frozen’!

Miss Alaska Tastee Freeze knows how to put on a show.  Check out this video. I guarantee she’ll have you laughing and cheering her on. #Fabulous

 

Claude Riffault Sancerre La Noue

wine reviewI was feeling inspired by the Amisfield Pinot Gris 2012, New Zealand wine tasting and review I participated in with my friend and fellow blogger, Tracey so I opened a bottle of La Noue, a red wine Sancerre from the Claude Riffault winery.  I love wines from Sancerre, but I had never had a red wine Sancerre – until today.

wine reviewThe wine is made from the Pinot noir grape.  According to the winery, it is best served with seared or smoked plates of pork or beef.  I opted to skip the cooking and try it solo – just me and the bottle.

The wine’s color is beautiful but not so dark as you cannot see through it when held up to the light and its nose is heady, making me think it would be delicious with a soft goat or aged Parmesan cheese. The wine packs a punch with some strong fruity overtones but has a soft finish with a hint of the minerality (is that even a word?) I associate with the finish of Sancerre white wines.

While the price point is a bit higher than I typically spend (Brix Wine Shop South End sells it for $33), I think it is really delicious.  The wine would make for a great host gift for a dinner party or to share with another who appreciates and enjoys talking about wine.

Modern day hero: Malala Yousafzai wins Nobel Peace Prize

Malala YousafzaiCongratulations to Malala Yousafzai on becoming the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner. I couldn’t be happier for this brave young woman.

Yesterday the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to India’s Kailash Satyarthi and Pakistan’s Malala Yousafzai for their struggles against the suppression of children and for young people’s rights, including the right to education.

Malala Yousafzai came to global attention after she was shot in the head by the Taliban — two years ago this past week — for her efforts to promote education for girls in Pakistan.

Well done and congratulations Malala.

Saturday morning comic

ADAM & ANDY is set in the fictional New England town of Woodfield, CT. Below are the past week’s comic from James Asal.

Click on the comic strip stories below to enlarge. James Asal Adam and Andy by James AsalAdam and Andy by James AsalAdam and Andy by James AsalAdam and Andy by James Asal

You can learn more about this strip by visiting,  adamandandy.com.