The annual Saint Anthony’s Feast and festival in Boston’s North End neighborhood is this weekend (August 29 – 31).
The festival includes nearly 100 push cart vendors and amusements on Endicott Street. The Feast honors Saint Anthony of Padua and Saint Lucia, patron saint of the blind.
On Sunday at 12 PM the grand parade to honor Saint Anthony takes place. You can check out the full schedule of events here.
Today temperatures in Boston can only be described as hot and humid, and you know what? I’m okay with that. Summer is nearly over and I feel like it only just started. How is that for a cruel summer?
This isn’t a euphemism or me being dirty. This is Market Basket’s new marketing strategy to win back their disgruntled customers (I jest).
Scott Bradlee’s Post Modern Jukebox returns to Boston October 19th at the Wilbur Theatre. I have repeatedly posted videos of the Post Modern Jukebox – a band that remakes popular songs and performs them in different musical genres with talented vocalists.
I love their work and wanted to share news of their return to the area so you may purchase tickets to see them on tour.
Earlier this month I was mailed Amin Ghaziani’s book, There Goes the Gayborhood, which you can purchase on Amazon (although I would prefer you buy it from a local LGBT bookstore) like Boston’s Calamus Bookstore.
Ghaziani asserts that gay neighborhoods, enclaves, ghettoes (whatever you want to call them) are ‘straightening’ in what he refers to as a post-gay era. He points out the painful fact that in 1994 there were 16 gay bars in Boston and Cambridge but by 2007 less than a handful remained. However it isn’t just bars that are closing, LGBT bookstores, shops and even newspapers are shuttering to make way for other businesses as our community evolves.
I’m only about 80 pages into the book so this isn’t a review as much as it is a notice that the book will no doubt influence future posts. I couldn’t be more happy to live in this ‘post-gay’ world, but I’m of a generation that experienced a less ‘open-minded’ society and that too shapes my perceptions, attitude and makes me more protective of the concept of a gayborhood than my younger counterparts.
Yesterday, Cafe Madeleine opened at 517 Columbus Avenue in the South End. Their menu includes pastries (with several varieties of croissants), chocolate treats (think mousse, cake and other treats) as well as more nutritious luncheon options like salads, sandwiches and quiche.
Give this new South End cafe a try and let me know what you think.
If you haven’t used a rowing machine before you are missing out on a challenging and fun way to lose weight. Try these cardio programs on the rower and push yourself to get better.
Tabata rowing- Row 100 meters in under 20 seconds, rest for 30 seconds and repeat. 10 sprints should be doable with out throwing up, so give yourself more time to get to 100m or lengthen the rest if you are having trouble. If you really like this type of work out check out my previous post about Tabata here.
Endurance training-5000 meter rows are not easy.
Count down- Start with a 500m row, check how long it took you to complete 500m and rest for half of that time. Repeat with 400m all the way to 100m.
Add one of these to your routine and watch the results happen.
Kyle 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 Rowes Wharf Sea Grille at Boston Harbor Hotel has been showing movies for free all summer on a large outdoor screen set up to the side of the large gazebo by the waterfront. This Friday – the last movie of the summer – they will be showing, West Side Story.
West Side Story
Starring: Natalie Wood, Richard Beymar & Rita Moreno
Movie time: Sunset at 7:23PM
This year’s Provincetown Carnival theme may go down as an all-time favorite. The crowds came out in an array of colorful costumes with a large number of Batman, Superman, Spidey and (of course) Wonder Woman but some got fairly creative. Enjoy this video of all the fun in Provincetown this past week.
Note: If you click on the YouTube icon in the lower right of the video below it will open in a larger window for better viewing.
Finally back from Provincetown, Sergio and I are meticulously going through our many photographs to cut and crop.
Tomorrow I’ll be able to share our 2014 Provincetown Carnival video. Much thanks to all of you with a special shout out to WGB for the link on the blog today. You can see my previous teaser posts here and here. 
Watch the 2014 Ptown Carnival video here.
dbar is going to put the fun in you Fun Day, Sunday hosting their annual summer tea dance. Definitely stop by and check out this perennial social gathering that raises money for Victory Programs and helps to kick off the fall LGBT sports season.
Hard to believe someone this handsome would be in bed alone.
Perhaps you are tired of watching people dump buckets of ice cold water over their heads in an attempt to raise awareness / money for ALS. However, this video from Kermit the Frog may go down as my favorite video of all.
Let’s make ALS History – Donate Here Today
I’d like to commend Pete Frates, a patient advocate in the ALS community who lives in the area and is widely credited for starting the campaign. The viral nature of this challenge has been a god send for the ALS community. My only regret is my former colleague and friend who passed from ALS last year didn’t live to see this outpouring of support. I know this would have meant the world to her. It certainly has made me emotional (both of the laughing and teary eyed variety) watching this social media challenge go viral.
Earlier this week the NYT reported that as of August 21 – the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has raised $41 million. The foundation received less than $20 million in 2013 but thanks to the Ice Bucket Challenge, ALS reports they have nearly 740,000 new donors (and counting) and doubled their donations in just one month. If that isn’t the feel good story of the summer I don’t know what is.
Sergio and I remain on Cape Cod enjoying our final days in Provincetown before heading home where I can sort through the photos taken on this latest trip. Here are a few more photos that will most likely pop-up in my 2014 Carnival video. You can see my first teaser post from yesterday, here. 
Watch the 2014 Ptown Carnival video here.
BosGuy 