The Beantown Bloggery

Delta Rae is coming to Brighton Music Hall on 7/15. Checkout their video for "Bottom of the River"



Click (here) to get tickets.

The Love Guide was written by and stars Boston’s very own Christy Cashman.  Check out the trailer below:



Click (here) for the youtube site.

 

This is my first vacation in like 4 years.  It's also my first time to Europe; I'm pretty psyched.

I'm heading to Stockholm => St. Petersburg => Moscow => London => Paris. 

I've scheduled a few posts for this week that I wrote up earlier.  But after those run out, you'll just hafta wait until I get back.

I will be in London for July 4th, so here are some preemptive fireworks to celebrate while I'm gone.

MMMMmmMMMM....... Bacon......



Click (here) to get tickets.

 

Bloggery media rep recently checked out the new Ghosts of Jupiter show at the MOS premiering 6/22.

I had the chance to swing by the Museum of Science to catch a preview of "Ghosts of Jupiter: Music Experience" at the Charles Hayden Planetarium.  The Boston-based rock band, Ghosts of Jupiter, provides the perfect musical pairing to the eye popping visualizations and effects.  The display also makes full use of the latest technological upgrades, including brand new sound and image projection systems, to make the experience breath taking.  If you're a fan of rock and roll, and like watching pretty effects set to sound, you'll love this show on June 22.  Tickets are only $10 for adults with other ticket options also available.

Checkout the trailer below:




Click (here) for more info.
 

Just a quick heads up, the BSO has launched a new program where they're streaming some of their concerts free online.  They're starting with the last 3 concerts of the past season.  I also got an email that Tanglewood is celebrating their 75 anniversary by posting one concert each day for 75 days starting on 6/20.


In partnership with 99.5 Classical New England, a service of WGBH, the 128 kbps streams will be provided by WGBH's live concert broadcasts and made available through the BSO Media Center the Monday or Tuesday after the program's premiere at Symphony Hall (details about Tanglewood concert streaming will be announced at a later date). These concert streams will be available on bso.org/mediacenter for up to a year after the original performance, surpassing the usual industry standard of just a few weeks.

Click (here) to swing by the BSO website to get more info.

I don't have any details, but I just heard that they've started casting calls for:

"Untitled Buddy Cop Comedy" starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy The film is shooting in Boston this Summer

I love Sandra Bullock.  Hope she's filming in Boston proper and not the burbs, otherwise I won't get to see her.  I'll keep you guys posted if I hear anything more.

I've reached the age (I'm 30) where everyone around me seems to be graduating from something, getting married, or having kids.  Meanwhile, I'm sort of stuck in limbo - it's ok, though, I'm enjoying limbo.  But the problem that arises is that I find myself online constantly ordering shower gifts, graduation gifts, etc.  I'm not sure who loves me more at this point, American Express or Crate and Barrel. 

So I'm trying to mix things up a little bit now.  For my last baby shower shower gift, I bought my friend Phil the "Go the F*ck to Sleep" (sort of) kids book.  Google it, it's hilarious.  Oh and if you happen to get the audio book, it's narrated by Samuel L. Jackson. 

Friends getting married are of course registered somewhere, so I end up choosing from wherever they are registered. 

This leaves me my graduating from med/law/grad school friends, where I have a little more leeway, so I've been sending them booze.  Everyone loves alcohol.  And that's pretty much how everyone celebrates nowadays, right?  For those that are in town, I'll of course show up in person and buy a rew rounds of shots.  But if they're out of town, I find that Wine.com does a good job of providing a selection of gifts with a wide price range - you know so I can choose depending how much I really like the person.  I also use them for myself because often times I'll read about a wine in Wine Spectator and then end up not being able to find it in any of the nearby wine stores.  It's way less frustrating to just go online and order it. 

Click (Wine Gifts) to check out some of their gift baskets.

Click (here) to visit the OpSail website.

The SNL skit "I'm on a Boat" is playing in my head right now as I write this post.


Click (here) to check the schedule and get tickets.

Click (here) to get tickets.

Click (here) for details.

Passing this one along from an email I received from the folks at Stuff. Click on the image to RSVP to them (I'm not affiliated with this event).

Congrats to John Parsons of Sam’s for winning the Marie Brizard USA Cocktail Challenge Boston Semifinal, with his cocktail, the “Violet Hold!” John received a complimentary trip to the 10th Annual Tales of the Cocktail this July in New Orleans where he will be competing against top mixologists and bartenders from across the country.

Here's the recipe.  I actually haven't been to Louis Boston since it moved (I'm not a shopper).  But I am a cocktail drinker.  So, I guess now I have no excuse.  Behold!  The Violet Hold. 

"Violet Hold" (John Parsons) 

1oz Marie Brizard Parfait Amour
1oz Lunazul Blanco
0.5oz Lemon juice
0.5oz Illegal Mezcal Float

Click (here) to get tickets.

North Star Lodge & Resort From $99:Two-night stay at the North Star Lodge in Killington, Vt. + lobster, mini-golf & more — good through December 20

Swing into summer with Boston Harbor Hotel’s Summer in the City Entertainment Series throughout the week of July 4th. Gather at the Rowes Wharf Sea Grille’s harbor side terrace to enjoy complimentary live music and relish in the spectacular harbor views while sipping a signature cocktail or indulging in fresh New England seafood creatively prepared by Chef Daniel Bruce. To complement the festive harbor atmosphere, bands will perform on a barge, creating a picturesque scene for all to see.


The lineup is as follows (weather permitting):




Saturday, June 30: Calypso Hurricane 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Sunday, July 1: GQ and The Lady 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Monday, July 2: The BaHa Brothers (Beach Party Monday) 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Tuesday, July 3: Soul City (Summer Soul Tuesday) 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Wednesday, July 4: Good Will and Them Apples 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
                                   Legit (Timeless Tunes Wednesday) 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.


Click (here) for the entire schedule of events.

small, beautifully MOVING PARTS opens on 6/21/12 at the MFA and is only around for a week. So checkout the trailer below and make plans to see if before it's gone.

Co-director Annie J. Howell will be there in person on Friday 6/22 AT 2pm.

 Ssmall, beautifully MOVING PARTS, written and directed by Annie J. Howell and Lisa Robinson. The film debuted at SXSW last year, and is showing on June 21st at MFA BOSTON and playing through the week. The feature-length narrative film follows pregnant technophile Sarah Sparks (Anna Margaret Hollyman) as her uncertainties about motherhood trigger an impulsive road trip to the source of her anxiety: her mother living far away and off-the-grid.





Click (here) for the schedule.

It's National Lobster Day on Friday.  Go eat some lobster .... or dress your kid as a lobster for fun. 


Here are a few of my personal favorite spots for lobster:

Boston:  Neptune Oyster's Hot Lobster Roll (here)
Cambridge:  Alive & Kicking's Lobster Sandwich (here)
Rockport:  Roy Moore Lobster Co (here)

Ok, yes Rockport is a little far.  But when I think lobster, I think about the time I drove there, ordered a 3lb female lobster and then watched as they fished one out of a tank and steamed (or boiled?) it for me right away.  So delicious....

A Perfect Detail Wakefield: $59 for a mini auto detail from A Perfect Detail

Berklee College of Music, Boston Harbor Island Alliance, and the Boston Harbor National Park have joined forces for the fourth year to bring free live music to Georges Island one Saturday per month in June, July, and August. Visitors to historic Fort Warren on Georges Island will be captivated by the sounds of up-and-coming Berklee students and alumni performing rock, pop, blues, funk, soul, folk, and more. Each concert features three artists performing back-to-back, so all that's needed to enjoy an entire afternoon of music on the island is a ferry ticket.

Berklee Music Fest on Georges Island is free to the public.

Saturday, June 16
2:00 p.m. - Canary (rock, pop, blues)
3:00 p.m. - Luke Mulholland Band (blues-rock)
4:00 p.m. - Sounds of Venus (ethereal, ambient rock)

Saturday, July 21
3:00 p.m. - The Jauntee (psychedelic, rock, bluegrass)
4:00 p.m. - Zilch (improvisational rock, funk, jazz)
5:00 p.m. - Blue Mountain Bustdown (roots, rock, funk)

Saturday, August 18
3:00 p.m. - Julia Easterlin (loop scientist, one-woman band)
4:00 p.m. - April Bender (singer-songwriter)
5:00 p.m. - Columbus ('70s-influenced funk and soul)

Click (here) for more info.

Everyone’s Wild for Stone Zoo’s 2012 A Wild Affair!
Eighth Annual Tasting Event to Benefit Zoo’s Education and Conservation Programs

A Wild Affair is a 21+ “tasting” event that will feature stations hosted by local restaurants and caterers as well as live entertainment, a silent auction, and an opportunity to stroll among the animals. Last year’s event attracted more than 600 guests, and this year promises to be even bigger! Proceeds from A Wild Affair support the operation and continued growth of Stone Zoo, including its education programs and conservation initiatives.

Attendees can bid on an array of fabulous auction items, including a deep sea fishing excursion with Gauron Fisheries, a three-night stay at Newstead Belmont Hills Golf Resort & Spa in Bermuda, a weekend getaway to Poland Springs Resort in Maine, a pool party at Jillian’s/Lucky Strike Boston, ski tickets, and beauty packages.

Participating restaurants include The Capital Grille, Legal Sea Foods, On The Border, Bertucci’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Fuddruckers, and many more.

Saturday, June 23, 2012
5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
*Please note that Stone Zoo will close at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 23 in preparation for event.
Stone Zoo 149 Pond Street Stoneham, MA 02180

Click (here) for more info.

The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.), Huntington Theatre Company, and the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston announce additional events and offerings as part of the third Emerging America— an annual festival featuring groundbreaking performance by American artists.

From June 21 through 24, The Emerging America Festival will bring together some of the country’s most promising performers, writers, companies, and directors for a weekend filled with energy, imagination, creativity, and drama.

Emerging America spans Boston and Cambridge with events at all three artistic homes throughout the four-day Festival: A.R.T.’s OBERON, 2 Arrow St. Cambridge MA; the Huntington’s Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA, 527 Tremont Street, Boston; and the ICA at 100 Northern Avenue, Boston.

This year's events will include:

PIRATES OF PENZANCE
THE HOTEL NEPENTHE
STEVE CUIFFO IS LENNY BRUCE
EXPERIMENT AMERICA
THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE
JOIN THE CONVERSATION! BRUNCH

Click (here) for more info and tix.
 

43 Church Salem: $20 for $40 worth of steaks, seafood and more at 43 Church

This has nothing to do with Boston, but I grew up watching Mister Rogers and just saw this on youtube yesterday.  It's kind of amazing. 



Happy Friday!

 

What: Midsummer Night Revels: A Summer Solstice Soiree
When: Saturday, June 16 at 8pm
Where: Holy Trinity Armenian Church, 145 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA
Why: A Benefit for Revels - and it will be lots of fun!

Click (here) for more info.
 

Studio 123 Norwell: $25 for a mani-pedi or $34 for a European facial at Studio 123

6th Annual Anna’s Walqueria
Anna’s Taqueria Hosts Half-Marathon Walk to Benefit The Home for Little Wanderers

Anna’s Taqueria welcomes civic-minded burrito fans to the 6th Annual Anna’s Walqueria, a 13.1-mile loop to each Anna’s store benefitting The Home for Little Wanderers, complete with free drinks and snacks at each stop. For each store that each walker visits, Anna’s donates $5 to The Home for Little Wanderers, a local organization ensuring the healthy emotional, mental, and social development of children at risk, their families and communities. Call it carbo-loading for a cause.

WHEN: Saturday, June 16, 2012 Start 10:30 AM at Anna’s Beacon St. (1412 Beacon Street, Brookline)
COST: Free
ROUTE/SNACKS: Come for some or come for all!

Stop 1 (Anna’s Beacon St.): Free burrito and a punch card to use at each stop (for each punch, Anna’s donates $5 to The Home for Little Wanderers).

Stop 2-5 (Anna’s MGH, Anna’s MIT, Anna’s Porter Sq., Anna’s Davis Sq.): Anna’s provides beverages, chips/salsa/guac, tacos and small cheese quesadillas for participants; other menu items available for purchase.

Stop 6 (Anna’s Harvard St.): Free burrito and a free burrito card to use any time, at any location.

RESERVATIONS: Sign up on Facebook (here)  or contact annaswalqueria@gmail.com if you’re interested in participating.

My picture doesn't do it justice, by the lobster roll (served hot w/ butter) at Neptune Oyster is AMAZING!  I want another one right now. 

Oh and we had a tray of 4 dozen oysters as well, and I would have taken a picture, except we started inhaling them before I even remembered to pull out my camera. 


Click (here) for Neptune's website.

It's that time of year again, the Roxbury International Film Festival is back for their 14th year. 

The Roxbury International Film Festival (RIFF) is taking place this year from Wednesday, June 13 thru Sunday, June 17. We have some wonderful international and local films that are screening this year including: Le Bonheur D'Elza directed and produced by Mariette Monpierre and set against the backdrop of Paris and Guadeloupe; SCARS which is presented by RIFF and The Boston Dance Alliance is about two well-known Cape Town dancers – Megan Erasmus and Celeste Botha, both mixed race – who trace their ancestry through dance and drama. SCARS kicks off the festival with a screening on Monday, June 4 as part of our annual partnership with The Coolidge Corner Theatre.

We're also really excited to have S. Epatha Merkerson, best known as 'Lt. Anita Van Buren' on "Law & Order" screen her directorial debut "The Contradictions of Fair Hope" (the festival's closing film) on Sunday, June 17 at the Museum of Fine Arts. Also, we have the the world premiere of the documentary "Paul Goodnight: A Prime Time Image Maker" based on Boston artist Paul Goodnight showing on Saturday, June 16.

Click (here) for more info.

Fusion Taste Arlington: $15 for $30 worth of Chinese and Japanese cuisine at Fusion Taste

ImprovBoston continues to present some of the top touring comics of today with their IB Presents series. In June, comedian, writer, musician, and actor Dave Hill is heading to ImprovBoston to read from his new book, Tasteful Nudes, and entertain audiences with his stand-up. Hill will be at ImprovBoston for one-night only, Tuesday, June 12 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $12-$16.

Dave Hill is a comedian, writer, musician and actor. He hosts the show The Dave Hill Explosion at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York and Hollywood and recently starred in the television show The King of Miami on the MOJO HD network. The show is now airing on Film24 in the UK. Dave currently appears as on-air talent for HBO and Cinemax. He has also worked extensively for the comedy website Super Deluxe. In 2007, Variety Magazine named Hill one of their "10 Comics to Watch". He appeared at HBO's U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colorado that same year.

Tasteful Nudes is Hill’s first collection of essays. From his book jacket, “As you can probably imagine, it pretty much has everything. In fact, if you like stories about stolen meat, animal attacks, young love, death, naked people, clergymen, rock 'n' roll, irritable Canadians, and prison, you have just hit a street called Easy because my book talks about all that stuff and a bunch of other stuff, too.”

Click (Here ) to get a copy of Tasteful Nudes.