Tag Archives: BosGuy

Restaurant review: City Table

Posted on December 30, 2011 | 1 comment

City Table is a popular eatery in the Lenox Hotel, conveniently located in the heart of the Back Bay.  I’d only heard positive things about City Table, but I had not set foot in the place since it was Azure. At first glance City Table lives up to  its description as a “casually elegant neighborhood eatery.”  Unfortunately, that’s where the description on the web and our experience part ways.  Perhaps we tried City Table on an off night, but both the service and food was lacking.

In lieu of a dinner we opted for wine and to share several appetizers.  This was an opportunity to get caught up with friends.  All told we shared a bottle of Cote du Rhone ($34)  and four appetizers.

The first appetizer Burrata on grilled baguette with speck ham, and poblano tomato jam ($13).  The cheese was as creamy as you would hope and the ham and tomato added great flavoring but the bread which should have been crispy to offer a nice crunch was soft and slightly stale. I ended up skipping the bread and eating the cheese.

The second appetizer Tuna Tartare ($14) was my favorite and one I’d order it again.  The chef added papaya (a flavor none of us could place) but which nicely flavored the tuna and went surprisingly well with the citrus soy dressing and avocado.  Adding to the appeal was that it was also beautifully presented.

The third appetizer duck confit spring rolls with mint peanut sauce ($10) was also dissatisfying.  The duck was dry and there was far too much egg roll.  We actually didn’t finish this appetizer. Oddly the waiter never inquired why several pieces remained, and with the appetizers now 1 for 3 I didn’t want to make a negative comment so we all took a big sip of wine and waited for the fourth plate.

The fourth appetizer was the leek and artichoke arancini ($12).  Again all three of us agreed that this was too dry and crumbly lacking flavor considering the ingredients used.  Thank goodness the wine was still available as we all needed to take a decent gulp to help swallow the bland appetizer.

Main dishes are mostly in the range of $25 – $30 with a couple of more affordable and more expensive options.  The restaurant also has several sandwiches which range from $11-$15.  If you think you’d like to try City Table, you can view the full dinner menu here.

City Table is located in the Lenox Hotel at the corner of Boylston and Exeter St.

Reservations are strongly recommended.  Tel: (617) 933-4800

City Table on Urbanspoon

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Men of Twitter: Holiday edition

Posted on December 30, 2011 | Leave a comment

Each Monday I post profiles of men who catch my eye and whom I think you may enjoy following.  I refer to these weekly posts as Men of Twitter. Each day this week I’ve decided I would feature a handful of the men from this past year.  Take a moment to check out these profiles and follow if on Twitter.

WickedGayBlog – The author of this blog, David Goulart, is one of the first local bloggers I started following. I’m a huge fan of him and his blog, WickedGayBlog.

OscarRaymundo – Oscar is a freelance writer who lives in SF. I think he’s both sexy and smart. I’ve been following him ever since I featured him in September.

Ogracia – Oscar lives in Barcelona Spain and might be one of the sweetest guys I’ve had the chance to meet on Twitter.

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Book review: Land’s End

Posted on December 29, 2011 | 4 comments

Land’s End by Pulitzer-Prize winning author, Michael Cunningham, is a quick read (172 pages) that was written a decade ago about Provincetown, MA.

Cunningham literally dissects the town into geographies with chapters like the West End and East End.  Individual chapters describe the town and some of the more unique aspects of Provincetown like the dunes and wilderness.  Through out the book he shares a loving (almost reverent) perspective of Ptown; talking about specific residents, locations and the many unique attributes of the city and the city’s history.  For those familiar with Provincetown, you will find yourself nodding and smiling. And as was my case, often times thinking “next year I need to check that out.”

For those who have never been to this special place at the tip of the Cape, its still worth the read.  Cunningham’s profound love for this place is obvious and will be  endearing for you to read.

I love how Cunningham describes Provincetown near the start of the book: Provincetown stands on a finger of land at the tip of Cape Cod, the barb at the hook’s end, a fragile and low-lying geological assertion that was once knitted together by the roots of trees.

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Posted in Book Review, What'cha Reading

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Men of Twitter: Holiday edition

Posted on December 29, 2011 | Leave a comment

Each Monday I post profiles of men who catch my eye and whom I think you may enjoy following.  I refer to these weekly posts as Men of Twitter. Each day this week I’ve decided I would feature a handful of the men from this past year.  Take a moment to check out these profiles and follow if on Twitter.

WillFennell – Will is a grooming guru who lives in Sydney.  His good looks are what initially caught my attention. His charm is what has kept it.

Kenneth212 – Kenneth was featured this past summer.  I’ve been a long time fan of his blog Kenneth in the 212 and think you may enjoy it too.

TheMaverickMen – Are one of only a handful of couples I’ve actually featured. Cole (left) and Hunter (right) live here in Boston and are fun to follow.

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What is a bear?

Posted on December 28, 2011 | 7 comments

Like many subcultures, the GLBT community has come up with names that are widely recognized within our community but have failed to work their way into popular culture.  For the sake of people who are confused by these terms, I’ll show you two pictures.  You tell me which one you think is the bear.

PHOTO1:  PHOTO 2: 

If you guessed that PHOTO 2 is the bear then you’d be correct. What is a Bear you may find yourself asking? In its broadest definition it is the freedom to be comfortable with your appearance and a celebration of your body no matter its shape or size.   As a result you’ll often see men who identify as “bears” that are quite large and hairy.

Some – like my friend who I’ve included above  – are actually very muscular and project images of masculinity through their grooming and appearance. You can learn more about this subculture within the gay community by linking here.

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Restaurant review: Foundry on Elm

Posted on December 28, 2011 | Leave a comment

Earlier this month I ventured over to Davis Square to have dinner.  It had been several years since I’d last ventured to the neighborhood which is home to many young professionals and students attending neighboring Tufts University.  We had dinner at the very popular Foundry on Elm, which dubs itself as a “comfortable restaurant that combines the brasserie and tavern experience.”

The first half of the restaurant which faces the street is the bar, which extends about 20 feet back and by all appearances is a very popular watering hole. We were jostled the entire walk back to our table so if you are not into crowds you may want to rethink this location.  However, if your philosophy is the more the merrier – you’ll enjoy the energy the Foundry exudes.

The menu is very approachable both in terms of selection and pricing; dinner for two with a shared appetizer, two main plates and a shared dessert (no tax, tip or drinks included) will cost approximately $55-$60. The menu is divided into appetizers ($7-$14); salads ($8-$15); sandwiches ($10-$13); several flatbreads all $14; a small raw bar selection; main dishes ($17-$28 – with roughly half the options in the high teens); and desserts ($7-$8).

I was impressed by how helpful and attentive our waiter was and by how good the food tasted.  We started with a shared appetizer of the fried calamari ($13) which was a tad too salty for my liking on its own, but delicious with the aioli, apple-pepper relish, and fried basil leaves which accompanied the starter.

For dinner we tried the linguine “White Clam” which also included mussels, chilies, garlic, oregano, and a buttery clam sauce for $18. As well as the fish special $22 – which was a pan seered artic char atop a borst sauce (a beet puree with chicken stock) accompanied by brussel sprouts, leeks and yellow beets. 

Portions for dinner were reasonable and we left The Foundry very content.  The flavors of the food all worked together and left us more than satisfied.  If you are a beer lover be sure to check out their list of beers / ales on tap. I enjoyed my meal with a Boddington’s.

The Foundry on Elm is located at 255 Elm Street, Davis Square

Reservations are highly recommended.  Tel: (617) 628-9999

Foundry on Elm on Urbanspoon

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Men of Twitter: Holiday edition

Posted on December 28, 2011 | 1 comment

Each Monday I post profiles of men who catch my eye and whom I think you may enjoy following.  I refer to these weekly posts as Men of Twitter. Each day this week I’ve decided I would feature a handful of the men from this past year.  Take a moment to check out these profiles and follow if on Twitter.

AndyTowle – Andy was featured early in 2011. I am a long-time admirer of his blog, Towleroad and often see him in the summer in Provincetown.

LargeTony – Tony lives in Tennessee. He is a painter by trade and a writer at his core. His blog West of Mayberry is one of my favorite reads.

MarkGotham – Mark splits his time between NYC, Boston and DC and is a Twitt-aholic.  He’s friendly and easy to chat with on Twitter.

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W Hotel Fort Lauderdale: 31 days and counting

Posted on December 27, 2011 | 5 comments

One month from today, on January 27th I will board a Jet Blue flight to Fort Lauderdale (FTL), Florida to celebrate my partner’s birthday.  We will be joined by seven other friends who will be flying in to go on the Atlantis Cruise that leaves FTL on January 29th.  The respite from New England’s cold winter will be the perfect pick-me-up for all of us fighting the post-holiday blues.

I wanted to fly to FTL a couple days prior to the cruise’s departure for practical and personal reasons.   Should a last minute snow storm hit New England I wanted to make certain we had plenty of time to get out of Boston and not miss the cruise.  I also assume the W Hotel FTL will host many attending the cruise, creating a suitable party atmosphere for my partner’s birthday.  

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Happy birthday Dad

Posted on December 27, 2011 | 3 comments

My father turns 65 today.  I love him very much. We’ll be driving up to NH to have lunch and spend the afternoon together. This is a photo of him with my mother from last year.

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Men of Twitter: Holiday edition

Posted on December 27, 2011 | Leave a comment

Each Monday I post profiles of men who catch my eye and whom I think you may enjoy following.  I refer to these weekly posts as Men of Twitter. Each day this week I’ve decided I would feature a handful of the men from this past year.  Take a moment to check out these profiles and follow if on Twitter.

ChrisNogiec – Chris is a Fitness Expert in Boston who I originally featured in April.  Everytime I see Chris I have ab envy.

xxCharlieJ – Charlie is from Michigan and is a great guy to chat with on Twitter.  He too has abs that just won’t quit – I think that’s an eight-pack.

Str8Cam – Jeff was featured this past summer.  The fact that he has an amazing upper body and is easy on the eyes made him a natural for Men of Twitter.

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Happy Boxing Day

Posted on December 26, 2011 | 2 comments

Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on December 26. It is observed in Great Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and some other Commonwealth nations. I use it as an excuse to post a sexy picture of a boxer.

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Men of Twitter: Holiday edition

Posted on December 26, 2011 | 3 comments

Each Monday I post profiles of men who catch my eye and whom I think you may enjoy following.  I refer to these weekly posts as Men of Twitter. Each day this week I’ve decided I would feature a handful of the men from this past year.  Take a moment to check out these profiles and follow if on Twitter.

AussieBrenton – Brenton lives in Sydney Australia. He’s a sweetheart. He also happens to write an excellent blog called, Aussielicious.

 FLHotty1 – I met Will in Provincetown, MA over Fourth of July weekend.  He proved to be as handsome in person as his picture (and just as nice).

TheMoInMontrose – Alan lives in Houston and is one of the nicest guys I’ve met on Twitter. He’s easy going and an all round great guy. Check him out.

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Twas the night before Christmas

Posted on December 24, 2011 | 8 comments

Well its not quite night in Boston just yet, but it will be before I realize it.  Today will be spent running errands and getting our home ready for  friends who will stop by this evening.  This is a tradition we started a few years back when we realized we had several friends who would not be going home for Christmas.  We dubbed it an orphans Christmas Eve and each year since then we’ve hosted what is a very relaxing and pleasant evening in my opinion.  As a result there will be little time to blog.

Tomorrow, Sergio and I will drive one hour north of Boston to a tiny town in Southern New Hampshire where my parent’s live so I’d like to use this opportunity to wish you a Merry Christmas.  For those who don’t celebrate the holiday, I’d still like to say “good tidings we bring” as the song’s lyrics say.  I’m not 100% certain what “tidings” are but it sounds nice, doesn’t it?

Merry Merry

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Socialites

Posted on December 23, 2011 | 3 comments

Here is a picture I just received of me yakking it up with my good friend Ben at a Christmas Party in Boston earlier this month.  Ben is one of the men who will be joining Sergio and me on our maiden voyage next month.

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Gay community apologizes to Amy Koch for ruining her marriage

Posted on December 23, 2011 | 2 comments

Former Minnesota Senate majority leader Amy Koch has been a vocal opponent of gay marriage. She tried (unsuccessfully) to amend her state constitution to add language that would make marriage between a man and a woman. Last week this powerful politician announced she’d be stepping down as the majority leader and would not seek re-election in November.

What was the cause of her departure from the State Senate? 

The Minnesota Post reports that she was confronted with allegations of an “inappropriate relationship” with a male Senate staffer and those allegations were presented to Senate leaders by other Senate staff members.  To further compound the issue, this woman who has been on a crusade to “Save Marriage” apparently is already married – and her philandering apparently was ongoing while she was routinely campaigning to amend the Minnesota Constitution to ensure same sex marriage could never happen in her state.

A sudden case of karma biting Koch in the ass.

One Minneapolis resident took Sen. Koch’s transgressions personally.  Since he’s gay, he assumed her marriage’s failure must have something to do with him so he wrote her a letter expressing his sympathies for the break up and acknowledges his role as a gay man.  I’ve included an excerpt from his letter below for you.

On behalf of all gays and lesbians living in Minnesota, I would like to wholeheartedly apologize for our community’s successful efforts to threaten your traditional marriage. We apologize that our selfish requests to marry those we love has cheapened and degraded traditional marriage so much that we caused you to stray from your own holy union for something more cheap and tawdry.

You can read John’s letter in its entirety here.

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Posted in Gay, Poltics

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