Does the holiday season stress you out? Boston’s Improv Asylum will be performing for 24-hours, starting Thursday at 7PM. The ensemble is composed of current Improv Asylum cast members as well as alumni and special guests. The event will also feature interviews with local celebrities, auctions with items perfect for last-minute Christmas gifts, and more. Tickets are just $25.
More info about Boston Improv’s 24-hour Globe Santa fundraiser
@domenico.va
Although many in Europe may already be familiar with Domenico Vaccaro, the Italian pole dancer who won Belgium’s Got Talent back in 2015, it wasn’t until this past week that he appeared on many American’s radar.
The handsome Italian posted a video on Instagram (see below) of a performance he did in Rome, Italy back on December 6th and within a week the video was being picked up by gay news organizations, websites and blogs. Watch the performance – his core strength and agility is incredible; he also happens to be very easy on the eyes which makes the video all the more addicting.
Follow him on Instagram here, instagram.com/domenico.va.
Do you like this weekly post? Check out previously featured IG accounts here.
Hopefully the caption below inspires you to share a caption or two of your own.
BACKSTORY: This week’s Christmas-themed photo was taken after Thanksgiving and is from the Sudbury police who had to pull over this yahoo. Thanks to @BostonTweet for sharing. You can read the full story here.
Check out Clark Griswold
Christmas is less than a week away and according to AAA a record 107.3 million Americans will travel during the year-end holidays. A healthy local economy here in Massachusetts, increasing consumer confidence and relatively low gas prices are cited by AAA as reasons cited for the record number of Americans expected to travel this holiday season.
If you need to drive, AAA has issued a notice that travel will be most congested in the Boston area starting Thursday, December 21st. They also said that the hours between 2:30PM and 4:30PM will be wicked bad. Well those weren’t their official words but you get the picture. AAA predicts the roads will be twice as packed then as commuters are joined by those leaving early for the holiday.
Traveling by car during the holidays? Check live traffic maps online at Boston.com/Traffic or Mass511.com. Also you can download traffic apps AAA, Waze, or GoTime.
It is not often that I read a story in the Financial Times that would be of interest or relevant to this blog so when I saw Grindr and Tinder: the disruptive influence of apps on gay bars in Disruption and Technology section I was intrigued enough to take a moment to read the article. It starts by sharing that more than seventy gay bars have closed over the past decade in London. A trend that wouldn’t be news to anyone who is a regular reader of this blog, because the same phenomenon has been occurring here in the United States too.
Dating Apps like Grindr and Tindr are often cited as contributing to the demise of gay bars. The article reinforces that supposition, writing that gay men tend to be more open to adopting new technologies. While I would agree that most of my gay friends are early adopters of technology, I do think that is a generalization. However, the article also cites the findings from a recent survey by Match.com that suggested 70% of gay relationships start online; a staggering figure which goes a long way in explaining why so many gay men say it is impossible to meet in social settings. Sergio and I met in the late 1990s on a dance floor at a (now closed) gay bar in Cambridge called Manray / Campus. I suppose the days of meeting someone from across the dancefloor must sound like a scene from an old movie to 20-something. If you’d like to read the full article on FT visit: Grindr and Tinder: the disruptive influence of apps on gay bars.
Call Me By Your Name opens in Boston, Dec. 22nd at The Kendall Cinema
This week Michelle Visage stops in Boston with her girls for one night only (tix on sale) Christmas Queens Live at Royale and then later this week the much lauded independent film, Call Me By Your Name (Opening Wkd in Boston) will play at the Kendall Cinema.
If you are not in the mood of watching a show or movie there are plenty of parties and opportunities to socialize such as Opus Affair Monthly Cocktail Social, Casual Fridays, FASCINATION Friday, So Hot Saturdaes: Ugly Xmas Sweater Party and Twas the nightmare before Christmas Magnum Saturdays just to name a few.
Pizza & Game Night is every Monday from 5-9PM (check out their ping pong and foosball tables) at Dorchester Brewery in Dorchester
Drag Bingo is every Monday starting at 7PM free to play at Club Cafe in Boston
Opus Affair Monthly Cocktail Social takes place after work on Tuesday from 6-9PM (this month) at The Bepop in Boston
Christmas Queens Live at Royale starts at 7PM on Tuesday will be hosted by Michelle Visage! and include performances by Phi Phi O’Hara, Manila Luzon, Peppermint, Ginger Minj, Thorgy Thor, Jinkx Monsoon, Ivy Winters, & Sharon Needles in Boston
Pop2K Holiday Special hosted by Lili & Kara starts at 9PM at the Dark Lady in Providence
Holiday Showtune Spectacular hosted by VJ Ryan Grow starts at 9PM on Tuesday at dbar in Dorchester
Karaoke Night starts at 10PM every Tuesday at Jacques in Boston
Stump Trivia with Jonathan Brett is guaranteed fun and has lots of prizes (trivia starts at 8PM) hosted every Tuesday at Club Cafe in Boston
Queer Boston Board Gamers is meeting on Wednesday from 6-9PM at the Panera Bread at Porter Square in Cambridge
Atomic Karaoke with DJ Stevie Psyclone & Jonathan Brett is every Wednesday at Club Cafe in Boston
Drag Bingo: Jingle Bingo & Ball Toy Drive is from 6-9PM on Thursday raises money for AIDS Care Ocean State at the Riviera in Providence
Bear Trivia Night is at 8PM every Thursday at The Alley Bar in DTX Boston
Funsie in your Onesie: Ho Ho Holiday BASH 4 Puerto Rico starts at 9PM on Thursday at the Midway Cafe in Jamaica Plain
Karaoke Thursdays is every Thursday at Machine with your hosts Rob Botelho and Emphysema Menthol 100s in Boston
So Hot Saturdaes: Ugly Xmas Sweater Party is Dec. 23rd at Peggy O’Neil’s Pub
THE WEEKEND
Queer Inclusive Climbing Klub (QuICK) Pizza night and climbing club at Brooklyn Boulders in Somerville
Casual Fridays is a weekly dance party with no cover featuring DJ Begbick at the Alley Bar in DTX
FASCINATION Friday is a monthly gear/ fetish/ kink night at Jacques the 1st and 4th Friday of the month in Boston
Boston’s Gay Men Movie Group: Call Me By Your Name it is opening weekend for this gay-themed independent film shot in Italy and Boston’s Gay Men Movie Group will be going to see a matinee showing on Saturday at the Kendall in Cambridge
Grunt is a weekly dance party with no cover for burly men and their admirers, starting at 10PM at the Alley Bar in DTX
So Hot Saturdaes: Ugly Xmas Sweater Party is at Peggy O’Neil’s Pub on Saturday in Dorchester
Twas the nightmare before Christmas Magnum Saturdays at dbar starts at 10PM in Dorchester
Saga Saturdays Boston’s biggest gay dance party at Paradise in Cambridge
Sunday Tea Dance never has a cover and always has great music from 70s 80s & 90s, starting at 6PM no cover every Sunday at Club Cafe in Boston
Karaoke at the Alley is every Sunday starting at 8PM in Boston
Pajama Party is a weekly dance party hosted every Sunday starting at 10PM at Machine in Boston
Hot Mess Sundays at Candibar in the Theater District is every Sunday starting at 10PM in Boston
Send me information about your upcoming programs and events in my blog’s comment section or message me the details on Facebook.
What happens when you combine Peruvian, Japanese and Chinese cuisine? You end up with a unique dining option in Downtown Crossing called Ruka.
The chic restaurant in Boston’s trendy Godfrey Hotel, has been a hot spot ever since it opened in early December last year. Ruka definitely has it’s own vibe. The overly embellished Asian-inspired decor is too polished to be confused with a Chinatown restaurant and the energy still evident when we left around 11:30 on a Tuesday night is not characteristic of a typical restaurant in Boston and is a testament to how much this part of Boston has changed with more residents now calling Downtown Crossing home than I can ever remember.
The small plates menu is heavily influenced by Japanese-Peruvian cuisine referred to as nikkei; as well as Chinese cuisine and some wonderful sushi options. If I have a complaint about Ruka it would be that the menu can be confusing and there is no telling which options are so small you’re better off skipping (like the blackened octopus – shown below).
BLACKENED OCTOPUS $13
While I thoroughly enjoyed the blackened octopus served with harissa mayo, sesame bbq and ginger slaw, it was so small that the restaurant should either consider doubling the portion or removing it from the menu IMHO.
Fortunately, what followed were reasonable portions for sharing. The Chao Shou Pork wontons served in chile oil, black vinegar, cilantro and topped with crispy sweet potato crisps was both delicious and satisfying. Although picking up the slippery wontons with chop sticks proved to be too difficult for me, and I eventually succumbed to using a fork for this plate.
CHAO SHOU PORK WONTONS $17
At the same time that we received the octopus and wontons our very capable server brought over the plancha broccoli served with a curry and spicy peanuts (which btw were not spicy at all) and topped with broccoli stem fritters that added a nice texture to a satisfying plate.
PLANCHA BROCCOLI $14
Our final plate was the Acevichado, which according to their menu is described as their daily cerviche served with leche de tigre, pickled cucumber and sweet potato. This was one of the most satisfying plates both in presentation and taste and went remarkably well with the Sauvignon Blanc I had ordered with dinner.
ACEVICHADO $20
If you’ve been to Ruka Boston, I’d love to hear your thoughts about the space and the food you tried. If you’ve not visited this unique restaurant, check it out and then get back to me with your thoughts.
I really enjoyed myself and will definitely be back again to try more plates.
Ruka Boston
505 Washington Street (DTX)
(617) 266-0102 || rukarestobar.com
Enjoy your morning cup of joe.
ADAM & ANDY is set in the fictional New England town of Woodfield, CT. You can learn more about this strip and purchase Adam and Andy cartoon collections by visiting their website at adamandandy.com.
Click on this week’s comic strip to enlarge
PART 1
PART 2
PART 3
TO BE CONTINUED…
Thank you for stopping by to check out my blog and have a wonderful weekend.
The critically acclaimed biopic, Tom of Finland, which opened earlier this year in select cities in the United States finally opens in Boston today. I was able to see the film last week at Emerson College through their Bright Lights series, and I really enjoyed it.
The film which opens near the conclusion of WWII in Finland runs for nearly two hours and chronicles the life of Touko Laaksonen, the artist who created Tom of Finland. The movie was directed by award-winning filmmaker Dome Karukoski. He does an excellent job sharing the life and work of Laaksonen.
A “Boston Release” page has been created on Facebook to make it easier to get tickets to one of the screenings for the opening weekend at the Kendall Cinema.
BosGuy 
