Tom is a yoga teacher, personal trainer, photographer and gymnastics coach. He specializes in Power Yoga and hybrid movement practices and teaches in London. His Instagram feed is filled with equally beautiful photos. Most of the positions Tom has photographed I could never do but I love seeing his photographs pop up in my feed.
Since many Americans will likely overeat at Thanksgiving, I thought I’d include this post as inspiration to follow Tom on Instagram. You can learn more about him online at tomwilsonleonard.com.
Hopefully the caption I’ve shared below inspires you to offer up a caption or two of your own. Leave a funny caption as a comment for this post, and I’ll approve it for readers to enjoy.
The Boston Ballet is partnering with NBC10 Boston to bring Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker to your home with a one-hour special excerpted from the 2019 production, with featured narration by Hoda Kotb (Today) and Colton Bradford (NBC10 Boston’s The Hub) as Drosselmeier.
The Nutcracker will air on NBC10 Boston on Saturday, November 28 at 7 pm with encore airings and on-demand viewing opportunities on NBC10 Boston, NECN and Spanish-language Telemundo. It will also be available free of charge on bostonballet.org for a limited time.
When to watch:
Saturday, November 28 at 7 pm on NBC10 Boston Sunday, November 29 at 7 pm on NECN Saturday, December 5 at 11 am on Telemundo Friday, December 25 at 5 pm on Telemundo Friday, December 25 at 7 pm on NBC10 Boston
This week’s Temptation Tuesday also happens to be someone I follow on Twitter but since you’re more likely to be interested in his photos, I’ll refer you to Michael’s IG account here.
The Thanksgiving holiday is later this week and millions of Americans will be serving some variety of squash as a side dish. This fruit comes in many varieties but my favorite is butternut squash. To enhance the flavor, I like to cook this with real maple syrup and smoked paprika.
Ingredients include: 12-16 oz of Butternut Squash 1 shallot 2-3 tablespoons of butter 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts (optional) 1/4 cup real maple syrup (amount will vary based on preference) 2-3 pinches of smoked paprika 2-3 pinches of salt and pepper
The color will get more intense after a few minutes of cooking
Cooking instructions: Start by placing a tablespoon of butter in your pan over medium heat. Add a minced shallot and a pinch of salt and stir. Let the shallot cook for a minute or two before adding the squash. Because it is easier (faster and less clean up) I buy the butternut squash pre-cut but if you purchase it whole, peel it and cut into small, even sized pieces (smaller pieces cook faster).
After adding the squash to the pan, stir to coat it with butter, add another tablespoon of butter and drizzle 1/4 cup of maple syrup. The butter and syrup will really enhance the flavor. Include two pinches of smoked paprika, stir everything together, cover and turn down the heat slightly. Let this cook for 7-10 minutes so the squash will soften enough to mash. If it isn’t soft enough, let it cook for a few minutes longer. The amount of time will vary based on the size of the pieces of squash.
After mashing the squash and add more salt and pepper to taste and add some chopped walnuts for added taste and texture (optional). Squash can be bland but the syrup, butter, smoked paprika, salt and pepper will enhance the flavor. This is easy to clean up and can be made ahead of time. I make this in the fall as a healthy snack because it is filling and has lots of potasium, Vitamin C and E and even a bit of calcium, iron and niacin.
If you purchase the pre-cut squash the total time to prep and make this is less than 20 minutes and only requires one pan for clean up.
Sunday, November 22 Gaslight Boston, the French(ish) restaurant from the Aquitaine Group, will close for good. The restaurant was perhaps best known for their ability to host large parties at their communal tables and their patio dining. I will miss their beat salad which is second to none and the friendly staff.
While the current economy had to be a factor in the decision to close, the reason cited was that their lease was ending. I feel confident that this space will not remain vacant for long. The proximity to the highway, ample parking and the patio space will make this an appealing property for someone once this pandemic is under control but until then it will certainly be sad to see this space go dark. I wish the staff well and much luck.
You can read Seth Woods note announcing the closure on the Gaslight website, here.
ADAM & ANDY is set in the fictional New England town of Woodfield, CT. You can learn more about Adam and Andy and purchase a copy of “the definitive collection of Adam and Andy” by visiting, adamandandy.com.
Mass Bears and Cubs are continuing their annual tradition to collect toys for those in need and have partnered again with Solutions At Work, a nonprofit organization for homeless families.
The toy drive is starting earlier this year due to COVID-19 precautions. Mass Bears and Cubs would welcome unwrapped toys in their original packaging and will be offering a Touch-Free COVID-Safe option for donations.
Toy Drive runs through Tuesday, December 15th
Drop off unwrapped new toys at The Alley Bar’s collection box and while there stop in and support this local gay business which is now serving apps, burgers and sandwiches in Downtown Crossing.
Alternatively, you can order gifts from the Solutions At Work Amazon Wishlist. Select the delivery address as: Solutions at Work Gift Address.
Here is a photo of Matt who lived here in Boston back when this photo was taken. I lost touch with him after he finished nursing school and moved down to North Carolina but hope he is healthy and well.
Each Friday morning I post a riddle to get you to think outside the box and exercise your brain. If you are stumped, share it with a friend or colleague and see if you can figure out the answer together.
I’ll confirm answers in the afternoon so don’t worry if you don’t see your comment posted right away. I want to give everyone a chance to guess.
This week’s brain teaser: What has no arms but can knock, and when it does you should answer?
I’ve been trying to get back into shape and recently I’ve turned to Lucas Rockwood, a well respected yoga trainer who offers several online training classes, including his his 21-Day Hip Opener Challenge. Each class only takes about 15 minutes but is harder than it sounds. I’m often covered in a sheen of sweat after holding these stretches for up to 5 minutes at a time.
The program is not intended to be a workout. Lucas describes it as a supplement to whatever you’re doing so I will often do this after going for a walk or run or after working out with my trainer. However, that doesn’t mean that I haven’t used the 15 minute stretching class as my “workout” for the day. I’ve noticed the class has helped my posture and my lower back feels stronger.
Because of the winter, I’ll be looking for creative ways to workout indoors. I’m open to suggestions / ideas to do my best to stay fit and somewhat active from my home so I don’t need to go to public gyms while the coronavirus is on the rise.
BosGuy 
