Each Wednesday morning I post a photograph and ask readers to offer a funny caption. Hopefully the caption below inspires you to share a few of your own.
First date
It has been a long time since I shared a cooking post so I’d like to thank the very handsome Adrian De Berardinis for his YouTube show: Bear-Naked Chef, which inspired me to try making Adrian’s Paccheri Con Gamberi (pasta and shrimp).
I modified Adrian’s recipe in two ways. First, Adrian used jalapeños, which Sergio doesn’t like so I opted to include red pepper flakes to the olive oil when I heated up the pan and that added sufficient heat and flavor.
Second, I diced vine ripe tomatoes unlike Adrian’s more ‘butch’ crushing of pearl tomatoes; otherwise the video below pretty much sums up how to make this delicious pasta dish. Thanks for the inspiration Adrian.
I love cooking and was able to make this dinner (with a couple of modifications) in approximately 30 minutes and since the shrimp was on sale, the total cost of the meal was about $10 and allowed for Sergio and I both to get seconds. You can check out how I made this by watching Adrian’s 7+ minute episode below.
“I’ve been dating since I was fifteen. I’m exhausted. Where is he?”
– Charlotte York, Sex in the City
Even though there are more ways to connect with people than ever before, it seems like it is harder than ever to remain connected. David Artavia’s article 10 Signs He’s Worth a Second Date on GayGuys.com caught my eye and I thought I’d share it with readers who may be frustrated with the dating scene.
While all of David’s “signs” make sense, the three that resonated with me are:
3 – You’re laughing authentically
5 – There’s something about him you want to see again
8 – You don’t want to leave
Source: @FoMu_Icecream
Last week Boston Magazine reported that FoMu Alternative Ice Cream + Cafe will be opening their third location here in the South End. FoMu’s first store opened in Allston in 2012 with a second location opening in Jamaica Plain the following year. FoMu Alternative Ice Cream is the vegan’s answer to ice cream and is plant-based. As a lover of all things ice cream I’m intrigued and will reserve my judgement until I can try it.
According to the article, FoMu is looking to open in May and from the image snapped on their Instagram it appears to me as if their store will be in the space formerly occupied by Gold Gallery at 655 Tremont Street by the intersection of West Brookline Street. You can read the full article from Boston Magazine, here.
The Week Sao Paulo
Earlier this month Sergio and I spent our last few nights in Brazil’s largest city, Sao Paulo. This sprawling city is one of the largest in the world. If you don’t know your way around you could easily find yourself lost or worse, leaving without ever getting a chance to see what the city has to offer.
For more than 15 years I’ve been visiting Sao Paulo and I’ve never had a bad stay. That is due in part to having friends in the city and a partner who many years ago briefly lived there. It would be impossible to talk about all that the city offers in a single post so I’ve opted to share a few tips and links to related posts below.
If you visit Sao Paulo, I’d strongly recommend that you stay in the Jardims (Gardens District). Most of the gay population either lives or plays there and there is no shortage of great restaurants and shopping available. I can offer some recommendations and share where Sergio and I like to stay when we visit.
Just a few blocks away from where we usually stay is Bella Paulista (shown above). Bella Paulista is open 24/7 and always seems to be bustling. When we grabbed a late night ice cream we were mildly entertained by two men who couldn’t keep their hands off each other while they waited in line. PDA with gay couples is rare, and I was heartened by the site and the fact that nobody seemed to bat an eye; this wouldn’t be the case in most other neighborhoods.
If you will be traveling to Sao Paulo and have any questions, feel free to give me a shout and I’d be happy to point you in the right direction. Here are a few posts I’ve written in recent years about Sao Paulo:
The Week – Sao Paulo: Probably my favorite gay night club in the world.
Hotel Unique and The Sky Bar: My favorite place to grab a pre-dinner cocktail.
Spot: Every gay man at some point will come here for drinks or dinner.
Shopping in Sao Paulo: Go for it – the dollar is ridiculously strong right now.
What to do this week: January 18th – 24th
MFA Boston and Gardner Museum are both free on MLK day so if you have the day off visit one of these great museums, Monday, January 18 in Boston
Opus Affair monthly social will take place in Fort Point Channel at Bastille Kitchen starting at 6PM on Monday, January 18 in Boston
Geek Trivia is guaranteed fun and has lots of prizes (trivia starts at 8pm) hosted every Tuesday at Club Cafe in Boston
Tease Tuesdays with Ryan’s hot male dancers takes place on the other side of the river at Paradise nightclub every Tuesday in Cambridge
The Fellows monthly social is happening in at Sip Wine Bar & Kitchen between DTX and Chinatown from 7 – 9:30PM on Wednesday, January 20 in Boston
Stump Trivia lets you impress your friends with all the trivia you know from 5PM – 10PM every Wednesday at Cathedral Station in Boston
Karaoke Kween is a lot of fun and if you’re good you may nab the $75 cash prize at the end of the night – hosted every Wednesday at Club Cafe in Boston
Outryders monthly social is an informal after work get together open to all at Cathedral Station on the 3rd Thursday, January 21 in Boston
ICA Boston every Thursday from 4PM – 9PM admission is free to the public. Visit the museum’s exhibits at no cost on Thursday, January 21 in Boston
Fascination Friday is Boston’s Gear / Kink / Fetish night at Jacques in Bay Village on Friday, January 22 in Boston
Dont Ask Dont Tell monthly LGBT party celebrates its 5 year anniversary at Great Scott on Saturday, January 23 in Allston
EGO Saturdays with DJ Richie LaDue and your host Katya on Saturday, January 23 in Providence
Back 2 Basics Tea Dance never has a cover and always has great music from 70s 80s & 90s, starting at 5PM no cover every Sunday at Club Cafe in Boston
I’ve started posting a weekly listing of upcoming activities. Send me information about your upcoming programs and events in my blog’s comment section or message me the details on Facebook.
The Future of Late-Night ServiceLater this week the MBTA will hold three public meetings this month on the future of the agency’s Late Night T service on Tuesday January 19th from 10am-12pm at the State Transportation Building Library (10 Park Plaza, 2nd Floor) and again from 5pm-7pm at the State Transportation Building Conference Rooms 1-3 (10 Park Plaza, 2nd Floor), as well as Wednesday January 20th from 6pm-8pm at the Cambridge City Hall Council Chamber (795 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge). Can’t attend one of the public meetings? You can also provide comments by email latenightservice@mbta.com.
The MBTA’s late-night service operates until 2:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights on all subway lines and 10 key bus routes. Launched in March 2014, the MBTA provides 13,000 late-night trips per weekend during late-night service hours. The MBTA is now undertaking a public review process on the future of late-night service.
Enjoy free admission to the Museum of Fine Arts Boston to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and surround yourself with art, culture and community. With the weather outside so cold, come and check out Boston’s largest museum and lose yourself for an hour or two. You may be surprised by what you find and how much you enjoy visiting.
More information about the MFA and their hours on MLK day, here.
Do you have Martin Luther King day off? The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is open and free to the public starting at 11AM on first come, first serve basis. It is a great opportunity to peruse the museum’s eclectic art collection and take in the view of the tiny Venetian courtyard with grass and flowers in bloom.
You may recall a visit to the Gardner Museum was one of my suggestions on how to help fend off the Winter blues. If the cold spell has you down, head over to the museum and lose yourself for an hour or two in this very special place.
More information about the Gardner Museum and hours is available here.
Wake up pretty boy.
I love my pop star divas as much as the next guy but I was a regular listener to WFNX-FM 101.7 Boston for years and bands like the Pixies will always have a special place in my heart. I can’t think of a better song for a Saturday night for all you who may be heading out tonight for drinks and maybe a little more.
A press release issued earlier this week indicates that SRV, which stands for Serene Republic of Venice, will become the South End’s newest restaurant when they formally open next week on Martin Luther King Day, Monday, January 18th. The website does not have any information and at the time I wrote this post one could not make reservations on OpenTable.com so it may be prudent to call ahead and check if you plan to try the new Italian restaurant.
SRV
569 Columbus Ave in Boston’s South End
Open daily from 5pm – 1am
(617) 536-9500
SRV is the latest restaurant endeavor from Boston’s Coda Restaurant Group, which also includes South End standouts Coda & The Salty Pig as well as Jamaica Plain’s Canary Square.
Fed up with all politics as usual? Tired of listening to the loudmouths and bickering? Perhaps you’d like Cauke. Check out this satirical take on the modern political process. Better looking than disgraced US Representative, Aaron Schock and more entertaining than watching a Republican Presidential debate, check out the faux campaign site www.cauke2016.com and follow him on Instagram or Twitter.
For those of you who live in Boston, you may recognize Cauke who lives here and who I posted a photo of on my blog here.
Click on the comic strip to enlarge
ADAM & ANDY is set in the fictional New England town of Woodfield, CT. You can learn more about this strip by visiting, adamandandy.com. To see previous Adam and Andy cartoons link here.
BosGuy 