Tag Archives: Boston

Boston announces 15 new food truck locations

Posted on July 12, 2011 | Leave a comment

According to Adam’s Hospitality and Tourism Industry Blog 15 new food truck locations will debut throughout Boston on Wednesday, July 13th.

New food truck locations will be located in Back Bay, Bay Village, South End, Fenway, Kenmore/BU, Dorchester, Boston Marine Industrial Park/South Boston Waterfront, and the Charlestown Navy Yard.
You can figure out where your favorite food truck is located or look online to see if there is a food truck near you by visiting the city of Boston website here.
Do you have a favorite food truck or does the idea of eating from a kitchen on wheels make you road sick? Boston has a fair amount of good options and there is always a large collection each Sunday at the SoWa Open Market so if you don’t have one of these kitchens on wheels near you during the day, come and check it out on Sunday at the Open Market in the south end.
Thanks for the tip Adam.

Leave a comment

Posted in Back Bay

Tagged , , , ,

Boston’s Rose Kennedy Greenway

Posted on July 12, 2011 | 1 comment

Boston is so beautiful in the summer. I was out riding my bike along the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway this past weekend. This park which stretches from North to South through the heart of the city replaces what was formerly an elevated interstate highway. The interlocking Greenway is still being developed but over the past few years, a lot has been done and I love what has been accomplished. The following pictures were from my bike ride.

Chinatown Entrance by the Greenway

Submerged Freeway Exit Ramp

The only evidence of a 10 lane highway below ground

About the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway

1 Comment

Tagged , ,

Camp Cuts 2011 – Sunday, July 17th

Posted on July 9, 2011 | 1 comment

When: Sunday, July 17th from 12PM – 6PM
Where: James Joseph Salon at 30 Newbury Street
Why: To benefit The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp
Cost: $50.00
RSVP: campcuts@gmail.com

Join Izzy Berdan (seated above) and some of Boston’s best stylists who will be cutting hair for Camp Cuts 2011 to benefit The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp.

For $50 you will receive an amazing cut, mini post-cut photo shoot, a goody bag from some of Boston’s best retailers, and much more thanks to the generosity of Boston’s many sponsors. Make a hair appointment today; more information (including available times) is online at Camp Cuts 2011.

About The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp: Originally founded in 1988 by Paul Newman, this non-profit is a residential summer camp and year-round center serving children and their families coping with cancer and other serious illnesses and conditions. The camp serves more than 15,000 each year and all it’s services are provided free of charge.

1 Comment

Posted in Back Bay, Philanthropy

Tagged , ,

Boston is one of the US youngest cities

Posted on July 9, 2011 | 1 comment

The Boston Globe is reporting that the latest US Census shows that Boston has the highest ratio of 20 to 34 year olds among large US cities. With more than 1/3 (35%) of the city’s residents falling into this age range. This represents an 11% jump from the figure reported one decade before.

Interestingly, the large number of young men and women living in Boston does not translate into having a great nightlife. As a matter of fact, my theory is that Bostonian conservatism combined with a large university population has contributed to many of the city’s laws that restrict public drinking and require bars to close at 2AM.

However, this demographic does provide a lot of energy and vitality to the city which is evident whenever you walk around the streets of Boston. Other cities with high ratios of 20 to 34 year olds include: Austin and Washington D.C., Seattle, and San Francisco.

1 Comment

Tagged , ,

Boston becomes a bear den

Posted on July 8, 2011 | 3 comments

Tonight only, Boston becomes a bear haven as this happy-go-lucky group of gay fur balls fly into town. Saturday morning they will board the ferries to Provincetown (weekly rentals on the Cape run from Saturday to Saturday).

Many come from far away locations making a one night stay in Boston necessary. Actually through late August going out in Boston on Friday nights is a bit surreal. Most of the local gays pack there bags early and leave for either the Cape (meaning Provincetown) or the coast of Maine (meaning Ogunquit)so there always seems to be a disproportionate number of guys from out-of-town on Fridays. If you are interested in learning more about Bear Week in Provincetown, link here.

Woof

3 Comments

Tagged , , ,

Happy BosGuy

Posted on July 7, 2011 | Leave a comment

Leave a comment

Tagged , ,

South End cheap eats

Posted on July 3, 2011 | 4 comments

The South End is not a restaurant district, but it certainly has many options for Foodies and in my opinion some of Boston’s most interesting dining establishments. Unfortunately, it may cost you more than $50 to have a meal if you don’t know where some of the South End’s best cheap eats are located.

I thought I’d make a list of a few cheap eats that do this neighborhood proud. I only considered restaurants that are open for dinner and have table service.

ADDIS RED SEA is an authentic Ethiopian restaurant located in the heart of the neighborhood on Tremont Street. Ethiopian cuisine is surprisingly flavorful and a bit exotic at least by my standards. Main dishes range in price with most falling between $8-$15; sharing dishes will make a stop here even more affordable.

ANCHOVIES is nestled discretely on Columbus Avenue and it serves up good home style Italian-American cooking. Main dishes for dinner all come with bread and a house salad and range from $12-$15.

Columbus Cafe is located on the corner of Columbus Ave and Claremont Park. The cozy restaurant and bar also has a small street side patio for al fresco dining. The menu is filled with comfort food all reasonably priced with main dishes ranging from $11-$19.

ORINOCO is a rustic Venezuelan restaurant on Shawmut Avenue, just a few blocks up from Mass Ave. Their coooking nicely blends flavors I normally associate with Latin American and the Caribean cooking. If you are lucky, you can snag a seat outside at one of the few tables they have. Main dishes range from $8-$19.

PICCO Just across the street from ADDIS RED SEA is the Pizza & Ice Cream Co. (PICCO). The menu is mostly pizza, sandwiches and pasta. This place has a large patio that also provides excellent people watching. Main dishes range from $8-$14. For an even cheaper option; split a large pizza and delicious dessert. (I like the brownie sundae.)

What are some of your favorite cheap eats for dinner?

4 Comments

Posted in Dining, South End

Tagged , , , ,

Restaurant Review: : Zócalo Back Bay

Posted on June 29, 2011 | 1 comment

Zócalo, a Mexican restaurant recently opened in space previously occupied by Stix. The restaurant can accommodate 50+ inside but has a large patio for al fresco dining for lunch or dinner. Zócalo is owned by chef Erwin Ramos who also owns the very successful, Olé Mexican Grill in Cambridge.

Over the past year, Boston has seen several new Mexican restaurants open. Boston has not embraced Mexican cuisine and until recently, I could only name 2-3 Mexican restaurants in the area. So take my review with a grain of salt because my exposure to Mexican cuisine is limited at best. I’ve noted that the reviews of this new restaurant are very mixed, but my experience was pleasant from start to finish.

Dinner at Zócalo including an appetizer, main dish and dessert (no drink or tip included) will cost approximately $30.00 – $35.00 per person. Main dishes range from $17.00-$23.00.

Before our meal, I started with a delicious martini at the downstairs bar. My friends all indulged in a variety of margaritas; of which the passion fruit seemed the best. The service, starting with the bartender and including the patient waitress who helped us with our meal, was good from start to finish. While waiting for the main dishes to come out it was suggested we order sides of guacamole and salsa. These proved to be my favorite part of the meal. If dinner is not an option, grabbing some drinks and delving into the oversized portions of guacamole or homemade salsa is a great alternative.

For my main I opted for the chile rellenos. I thought the two roasted poblano peppers were very good. One was stuffed with cheese, spinach, raisins and almonds and the other with braised pork. The dinner also comes with a side of black beans and plantains, which strangely, I did not care for. The cheese on the beans tasted off and the plantains were too tough.

Chile Rellenos – $19.95

If you are looking to try someplace different or have a hankering for Mexican cuisine, give this place a try. The inside is very nice, the staff was friendly and in good weather you can make use of their oversized patio. Should you go, let me know your thoughts.

Zócalo is located at 35 Stanhope Street (617) 456-7849
Reservations not required but strongly recommended
Zocalo Cocina Mexicana on Urbanspoon

1 Comment

Posted in Back Bay, Restaurant Review

Tagged , , , ,

Dot Out Tea Dance at dBar

Posted on June 27, 2011 | Leave a comment

DotOUT’s 4th Annual Summer Solstice Tea Dance at dBar in Dorchester was on Sunday, June 27th from 4pm – 8pm.

The proceeds from the Tea Dance went to DotOUT – a grassroots, member driven organization committed to the ideals of acceptance, inclusion, fairness, and equality.

Several hundred members of the GLBT community came out to enjoy the good music, tasty beverages and to mingle with friends. While I was not able to capture pictures of everyone who attended, I wanted to post a few photographs that Sergio took for me. Thank you to all for your patience if you posed for one of the pictures.

Click on the images below to enlarge

Leave a comment

Posted in Gay

Tagged , , ,

Public Market for Boston

Posted on June 25, 2011 | Leave a comment

According to an article from the Boston Sunday Globe last week, officials plan to have a 27,500 square foot market open 7-days a week, selling products currently only available at farmers markets. Its not clear how so much space will be made available since what’s available to vendors is roughly half that (only 14,000 square feet) and the site offers little room for expansion.

Regardless, I would love to see this happen. A public food market featuring as many as 100 vendors hawking: fish, produce, wine, cheese, and other local products would be a welcome addition to the Rose Kennedy Greenway. It would also help those neighborhoods which are closest to the proposed site since there is not a legitimate market nearby.

According to the article, construction could begin in early 2012, with the facility opening in 2013.

If you are interested and want to learn more, you can read the full story here.

Leave a comment

Tagged , , ,

Boston Bruins victory parade

Posted on June 18, 2011 | 1 comment


Earlier this week the State House unfurled a large congratulations banner and since then, it seems like black-and-gold is everywhere you look. Today’s victory parade for the Bruins brought record crowds into the city to celebrate, and the beautiful weather only made the parade that much more enjoyable for everyone.

Attending the parade over near Copley Square, it was hard not to get caught up in the emotion of the day watching tens of thousands of people cheering on each player as they went by in the Duck Boat parade.

However, one of my favorite memories of the day may have been after the parade when the players were back at the Garden. A local TV channel filmed Patrice Bergeron walking home to the North End followed by about 100 fans cheering him the entire way. Patrice is one of several players who lives in the North End and their approachability / no airs personalities are so refreshing to see in professional athletes.

Congratulations to the Boston Bruins and their fans.

1 Comment

Posted in Bruins

Tagged , , ,

Decade of Dominance: Golden Age for Boston Sporting Teams

Posted on June 16, 2011 | 1 comment

7 Championship Titles in 10 Years
I’m sure there are a lot of people who have strong opinions about Boston sports teams. I’ll be the first to admit that this town takes sports very seriously (probably too seriously at times). However, ignoring the drunks and annoying braggarts, there is a large contingency of fans (myself included) who follow and really love the local teams, cheering them on with bravado.

The Bruins win last night, means that each of the major Boston sports franchises has brought a championship title to Boston in the past decade. I’m not sure if there is another city that’s been so fortunate. A quick look on Wikipedia shows a pretty amazing streak for Boston sports teams.

2002 – New England Patriots win Superbowl (Football)
2004 – New England Patriots win Superbowl (Football)
Red Sox win World Series (Baseball) first time since 1918
2005 – New England Patriots win Superbowl (Football)
2007 – Red Sox win World Series (Baseball)
2008 – Celtics win 17th NBA Title (Basketball)
2011 – Bruins win Stanley Cup Trophy (Hockey) first time since 1972

This doesn’t even count appearances these teams made in post season play. Some years it seemed like Boston had multiple teams playing in the finals, which only has added to the near religious fever residents have for the local sporting teams.

1 Comment

Tagged , , ,

Next stop wonderland

Posted on June 16, 2011 | 1 comment

Last week I posted a quick video of some filming that took place outside my apartment. Ever since Massachusetts signed into law a tax credit for filming crews, the state and Boston in particular have had what seems to be a never ending stream of movies filmed here.

Long before the tax credit a small, independent film called Next Stop Wonderland was filmed here by B.U. alum and film director Brad Anderson. The trailer below shows Erin Castleton played by Hope Davis, talking with her meddling mother, played by Holland Taylor. Using Boston as a backdrop and a bossa nova inspired soundtrack, the movie asks the audience do you think love is driven by fate or circumstance.

So enjoy the clip and let me know what you think. Is finding love a matter of serendipity?


*For those too young to know, before there was manhunt, grindr or scruff there was something called the personals which most local papers carried. Watch the movie and you can see what dating and single life was like before the internet really took off.

1 Comment

Posted in Video

Tagged , , ,

Congratulations Boston Bruins

Posted on June 16, 2011 | 1 comment

Tonight the Boston Bruins won game 7 on the road, beating the Vancouver Canucks. The series was well played by both teams and filled with plenty of drama. The last time the Boston Bruins won the National Hockey League Stanley Cup Championship was the 1971-1972 season. As you might imagine the city has erupted into spontaneous celebration. Congratulations Boston.

The homepage of Boston.com has a tribute to the Bruins, this is my favorite picture. Tim Thomas the goalie skating with the Stanley Cup overhead.

1 Comment

Tagged , , ,

$2 Taco Tuesday Nights

Posted on June 15, 2011 | 5 comments

Every Tuesday, Tremont647 and adjoining Sister Sorel have a selection of $2.00 tacos you can order for dinner. Last night, I was going to join my friend and fellow blogger, 40Something Life, for dinner but plans changed when the weather did not cooperate so I opted to head over to Sister Sorel.

I’m a huge fan of cheap eats and one can have quite a dinner (beer included) all for about $10.00 on Tuesday’s at Tremont647 or Sister Sorel. That’s hard to beat. If you live in Boston or are visiting on a Tuesday night, its worth checking out. Although Tremont647 is larger and better known, I’m partial to eating at the shabby little sister restaurant, Sister Sorel and its candlelit bar.

What you see below are three tacos: lamb and yogurt; mushroom, cheese and poblano peppers; and finally fish and mango tacos. In addition, I ordered a delicious side of guacamole (paid extra for that bit) and my favorite redneck beer, PBR.

Tremont 647 on Urbanspoon

5 Comments

Posted in Restaurant Review

Tagged , , , , ,