Hell's Kitchen Casting Call - 10/12

Now THIS is a casting call I would love to attend. Except I'm not a real cook, I just dabble at home. I also don't think I can handle getting yelled at by Gordon Ramsay all the time. Thanks to Bloggery Reader Pamela for the reminder, I saved the Globe blurb, but hadn't yet had a chance to blog about it.

Hit Fox reality show "Hell's Kitchen" holds an open casting call Sunday at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel, the show's first auditions here. "We are in love with Boston," gushed casting producer Lisa Ganz, "because Boston has the best characters in America, and also the most talented characters. We know they have some of the best chefs in the country." The show's looking for skilled, outspoken, and competitive cooks, 21 and older, who can hang with tough-love chef Gordon Ramsay.

Here's a few more details the Hell's Kitchen website:

SUNDAY OCTOBER 12th, 2008 10am- 6pm
Boston Park Plaza Hotel and Towers
50 Park Plaza at Arlington St. Boston, MA 02116
Contact: twinsworld1@aol.com

Click (here) to go to the Hell's Kitchen website. Look on the lower left for the casting calls link.

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Photo Contest Has EoD Producers A Little Peeved

The Daily Hampshire Gazette, a local paper in Northampton, is running a photo contest that has the folks at Edge of Darkness a little peeved.

A photo contest run by the Daily Hampshire Gazette has Boston Casting warning its "Edge of Darkness" extras to not take pictures on the set of the Mel Gibson movie in exchange for gift certificates from "local news organizations." The movie has been filming outdoor shots in the Northampton area since last week, and Gazette managing editor Larry Parnass confirmed the paper has indeed offered readers $25 gift cards to local businesses in exchange for their best set pics.

Film spokesman Blaise Noto downplayed the whole affair, saying he spoke with the paper and it's all good. "There's no issue with it," he said. "It's cool." Noto said lots of folks have gathered to watch Gibson and Co. film outside the downtown courthouse and in nearby Amherst. They just need to mind set protocol, he said. "When they say roll, don't talk. If you take a photo, don't use a flash."

Aww, looks like the rise of a small paparazzi culture in Boston. But sadly, the celebrities don't actually live here, so there isn't much of an opportunity to snap pics. Don't quit your day jobs.

Click (here) to read the Globe blurb.

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Makeup Master Class with Gina Brooke - 10/16

I know pretty much nothing about makeup, but I'm sure the ladies out there do. Especially if you're into the celebrity scene. Gina Brooke, Madonna's make up artist, is going to be doing a master class in Boston on 10/16 and they're currently taking reservations for the class.

shu uemura Artistic Director Gina Brooke, who is also Madonna’s makeup artist, and currently on the Sticky & Sweet tour with Madonna, is hosting a Master Class at the shu uemura boutique on October 16th. It’s a great opportunity for shu fans to meet with Gina—she’s taking a break from her tour duties to host her guests; literally fitting this Master Class in between Madonna’s concerts!

WHAT: Master Class with Gina Brooke, celebrity makeup artist

WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008 from 9 AM to 11 AM (by appointment with $250 pre-pay redeemable in product)

WHERE: shu uemura @ 130 Newbury St.

HOW: Call to book your seat. T: (617) 247-3500

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O Ya Chef Garners Some Controversy

Very interesting article in Boston Magazine about the chef/owner of O Ya - the highly touted sushi restaurant in the South Station area. I know several sushi chefs in the Boston area and they basically corroborated the story. They actually mentioned this a couple of times to me before this article ever came out.

Here's the short version, owner Tim Cushman ate at area restaurants and stole their recipes under false pretenses before opening O Ya. Now here's the longer version.

"He's been deceiving people for years," says Ken Oringer, who refuses even to step foot in the place. According to Oringer, Cushman spent the two years before opening O Ya scoping out his sashimi bar, Uni. "Twice a week he would call and ask to have menus faxed to him. We thought, ‘Hmm...this guy's a little weird.' I mean religiously, every Friday, he came in."

Cushman, it turns out, was pulling the same routine at Oishii in Chestnut Hill, where he was also a regular. After watching this stranger take notes at his sushi bar, chef-owner Ting Yen confronted him. "[Cushman] said he was doing a job, basically in New York, to come up with a menu and ideas for people who were opening restaurants," says Yen.

All I can say is that is pretty messed up. I haven't eaten at O Ya yet, and now out of respect for the sushi chefs that I know in the area, I don't think I ever will.

Click (here) to read the whole article.

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Morton's Power Hour - $5 Food

I used to eat a lot of Morton's. Ok, maybe not a lot, but around twice a month. I had a couple of clients who loved to eat there. Their shrimp alexander and the tomatoes with blue cheese were delicious.

Anyway, here's the good news. Morton's has a "power" hour special on $5 food that I just recently learned about. Both Boston locations are participating (Back Bay and Seaport). What's on the menu?

Miniature Prime Cheeseburger Trio
Four Petite Filet Mignon Sandwiches
Chicken Goujonettes
Jumbo Lump Crab, Spinach & Artichoke Dip
Blue Cheese French Fries

The menu also lists oysters on the half shell and shrimp cocktail, but I believe those are price differently.

Offering specially priced 'Bar Bites' Monday - Friday from 5pm to 6:30pm and 9:30pm - 11pm for only $5 per plate.

Click (here) to go to the Morton's Bar 12 21 page.

PS. Who wants to go check this out with me and compare it to the happy hour specials at McCormick & Schmicks?

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Cold Weather = Shabu Shabu Time

Sorry for the sparse posts this weeks. When the weather starts to get cold, I start to lose motivation to do things like: working, blogging, getting out of bed in the morning. But there is one good thing for when the weather turns cooler - shabu shabu!

I was over at a friend's house for dinner on Monday and we had an awesome shabu shabu meal. Not familiar with shabu shabu? Brush up with a good 'ol wikipedia entry (here). It's like fondue but with a broth of some sort instead.

A lot of folks have a little gas burner like the one in the picture I took from Monday, or there are also electric hot pots that you can purchase. It's a whole lot more fun (and a lot cheaper) to have shabu shabu at home with your friends.

But if you're a first-timer, no sense in investing in all the equipment if there's a chance you might not like it. Instead, there's a number of shabu shabu restaurants in the area that you can try out.

Here's the list of restaurants from the latest Stuff@Night (page 32). ShabuZen, Kaze, Shabu Shabu Toki, Shabu Quincy, Osaka Shabu, Shabu Village. The first two have locations in Chinatown, the rest of them I've never been to.

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Saucony Catalog Casting Call - 10/8

This from my friend Jon, who is in better shape than I could possibly ever hope to be. That's why he got this email and not me, but thankfully he forwarded to me. Want to be in a Saucony catalog? Me too, but unless I can lose about 40 lbs in a day, I don't qualify. Maybe you'll have better luck.

Major National Sportswear Company is seeking male and female running athletes to photograph for commercial use.

Men: ages 18-26
5'9" to 6'2" approx 160 lbs.

Women: ages 18-26
5'6" to 5'9" approx 125 lbs

Casting to be held:

Wednesday October 8th
9:00 am-6:30 pm
23 Drydock Avenue, 2nd Floor
Boston, MA

Casting will consist of filling out a form and having two pictures taken: a head shot and a full body shot in athletic shorts and a sports bra (women,) shirtless (men).

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1000 Words - Bina Boston Update

By request from Bloggery Reader Keith, I swung by Bina Osteria and Bina Alimentari to check up on their progress. For those of you that missed the first post, you can check it out (here).

The doors are still frosted over so you can't see much, but you can tell that they're doing some pretty heavy duty construction in there. Also, they've posted a couple of new "for hire" signs. Here's a couple of shots I took of one of the store fronts, Bina Alimentari.

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1000 Words - No More Trans Fat

Spotted at the Burger King in Terminal C @ Logan Airport. Note: My croissanwich and tator tots taste the same. Click (here) for more info on the trans fat ban.

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Harvard Book Store SOLD!

Remember back in May when I blogged about how the Harvard Book Store was for sale (here)? Well, looks like it's been sold.

Harvard Book Store, which had been for sale since last spring, was sold yesterday to a married couple from Wellesley who say they intend to change very little about the place.

Frank Kramer, whose family owned the store for 76 years, sold the Harvard Square landmark to Jeff Mayersohn and Linda Seamonson. The price was not disclosed. Kramer, 66, put the store up for sale last May, saying that after 46 years in the business he wanted to move on to other things and put more effort into Cambridge Local First, an initiative he founded to encourage support for local stores.

Congratulations to the new owners. Glad to know that you aren't planning on changing too much about the place - it's a great book store.

Click (here) for the article.

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Mandarin Oriental - "We Fan Boston" Package

Any folks out there that got some extra $ to spend and want to check out the new Mandarin Oriental? Well, they're running a promotion starting next week 10/6 to help you save a little bit of money - we're in a recession afterall.

We Fan Boston package includes:

• One night of complimentary accommodation in conjunction with two or more consecutive paid nights of stay
• Welcome amenity
• Daily, full American breakfast for two in the hotel’s signature restaurant, Asana, from a menu as created by Executive Chef Nicholas Boutin.
• Admission for two to the Museum of Fine Arts to view its stunning collection, which includes an extensive selection of Asian works

How much does a night at the Mandarin Oriental cost? It starts at upwards of seven hundred bucks. Ouch that's steep.

Click (here) to get the pricing & info on the promotion.

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Tom Brady & Gisele Wedding Rumors

Who knows how reliable this is, but the Chicago Sun-Times has a little blurb about some wedding rumors for Tom and Gisele.

Engagement buzz is again being heard about Giselle Bundchen and her injured QB, Tom Brady, but a close friend of the supermodel tells me, ''I don't think they will even bother getting engaged -- and will just slip off and marry quietly. But I think that's sooner rather than later.''

Well, I guess Tom has the whole season off, so he should be able to find some time to "slip off" and get married.

Anyhoo, that was an alleged rumor from one of Gisele's friends. Anyone in Boston know any of Tom's close friends that can corroborate the story?

Click (here) for a link to the Sun-Times.

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Edge of Darkness Filming In Northampton - 10/2

One of my readers shot me a quick note yesterday that Edge of Darkness will be moving sites today through October 11th to film in Northampton. I wasn't able to get a specific location though.

Any readers out there that live in Northampton see any trucks or EoD signs anywhere?

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Edge of Darkness Filming Site - 10/1

This just in, for all of you that'd like to check out the filming site for Edge of Darkness today - 10/1, I've been informed that they're going to be filming at the following location:

Filming on Coolidge Hill Ave in Cambridge tomorrow Wednesday, October 1.

If any one has an opportunity to check it out, report back and let us know what you find.

Update 12:57pm

This from Bloggery Reader Margy:

Trucks and crew are all lined up along Coolidge Just watched them shoot in the Mt Auburn Cemetery. One scene in front of the Iron Gates at the entrance, and the other at the crematory (Small Chapel). When I decided to leave, and head back past the trailers, Mel Gibson just walked next to me, smiled, and got into his chauffeured black Escalade. Well, that was my claim to fame I guess it pays to go out for that morning run in more ways than one!

Thanks Margy!

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Free Zagat Restaurant Guide

Holy cow it's October. Time to pack up the shorts and bust out the sweaters (I don't have enough closet space). I like to use the Zagat ratings as a guide to what new restaurants to check out in Boston. I view it more as a recommendation than a real definitive guide - cause sometimes they get it pretty wrong.

Anyway, they're soliciting votes right now for restaurants as they compile their new 2009/10 guide and if you participate in the survey prior to 10/26 (I think) you can rate the restaurants you've been to and then received a copy of the new guide when it's released.

I did the survey about a week ago. I recall that the two "prizes" you can choose from are either a copy of the new guide when it becomes available or access to Zagat.com for a certain number of months. I chose the hard copy of the guide.

Click (here) to participate in the survey

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Janet Jackson 10/1 Concert Postponed

I was at dinner last night and my friend Nancy (who doesn't read my blog) - shame on you, Nancy - asked me where I get the news that I post on the Bloggery. I replied, "Everywhere ... I read everything I can get my hands on. So this little tidbit comes courtesy of Perez Hilton.

From: Notification [mailto:Notification@Ticketmaster.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2008 1:59 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients
Subject: Ticketmaster Alert -Janet Jackson, Rock Withu Tour- Event Update
Importance: High

Hello, this is Ticketmaster Customer Service with an important alert for your upcoming event. Janet Jackson, Rock Withu Tour, scheduled at TD Banknorth Garden on Wednesday, October 1, 2008 has been postponed. The new date is to be announced. Original tickets will be honored once the new date is announced.

If you have any questions, please contact us online at:
http://www.ticketmaster.com/h/asktm.html

Hopefully all of you who bought tickets were notified. I'm just hoping to reach those of you that were going to meander over there in hopes of getting some scalped tix.

Click (here) for a link to the Perez page.

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Forbes Best Cities for Singles 2008 - Boston is 7th

A question for all the single people in Boston. How would you rate Boston as a city for being single? Pretty good? Not so good? I don't have too many data points other than the fact that I have several friends who were single their entire time here in Boston and then right after they left, they met someone in their new cities. Maybe that's why we're 7th this year in Forbes' "Best Cities for Singles."

Here's the overall top 10 cities:

1. Atlanta
2. San Francisco
3. Dallas
4. Minneapolis
5. Washington D.C.
6. Seattle
7. Boston
8. New York City
9. Orlando
10. Phoenix

At least we beat NYC. =)

Click (here) to read through the Forbes list.

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StyleFixx Girls Night Out - 10/1 & 10/2

I can't believe that it's only Tuesday. I'm sitting at Logan right now staring out a window as it threatens to rain, cursing all this traveling that I do for work. Anyhoo, nothing like planning hump day activities to take your mind of things. Coming up tomorrow and Thursday is an event for the ladies - StyleFixx Girls Night Out.

Stylefixx is an event geared towards ladies and young women that brings together a night of fashion, drinks, pampering & all kinds of girlie fun. Though I am well aware you are not yourself a lady, this night out is of particular importance to men & women alike: This year, Stylefixx has partnered with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation to donate 100% of the proceeds from ticket sales generated by the promo-code 'Komen-Style'.

StyleFixx events feature the very things women crave; shopping, swag bags, cocktails and complimentary pamperings such as mini-manicures, eyelash extensions, mini-facials, massages, hair-treatments and makeovers. Guests are able to shop the latest trends at 25% - 75% off retail all while enjoying complimentary Ketel-One / Mixerz cocktails, Lindt Chocolate, tastings by Banq Restaurant , Haru Sushi Bar and more.

The event is at the Boston Center for the Arts in the South End, so note to all the guys - linger around the bars near there tomorrow night (ie: The Beehive) - all the ladies will be in the South End.

Click (here) to go to the Stylefixx website.

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Ray Winstone Replaces Robert De Niro on EoD

Credit goes to Leslie and Matt for this one as well. You miss so darn much when you're on the other side of the world. I tried to keep up by reading the Globe online, but it just isn't the same.

As most of you know, Robert De Niro quit Edge of Darkness in early September (here). Well it looks like they've decided to replace him with Ray Winstone - some of you may remember him as Mr. French from The Departed.

Ray Winstone will replace Robert De Niro in "Edge of Darkness," starring alongside Mel Gibson in the Martin Campbell-directed drama produced by Graham King's GK Films.Shooting began in Massachusetts on Aug. 18. After two days on set, De Niro left the project over "creative differences." Winstone is negotiating to play an operative sent to clean up evidence in the murder of a woman. Gibson plays her detective father, who wants answers after his daughter is shot on his doorstep.

Click (here) for a link to the Variety blurb.

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J Lo's "The Governess" Not Coming Until Winter

Many thanks to Leslie and Matt for sending me this tip. Looks like I missed this one while I was off in Asia for work. For more info on The Governess, go (here).

Don't expect to see Jennifer Lopez in Boston before winter. Originally slated to start shooting in the fall, JLo's new film "The Governess" won't get going until December at the earliest, we're told. The romantic comedy, directed by Nigel Cole and written by Kevin Wade and Wendy Braff, is about a professional thief who poses as a nanny to three unruly children of a wealthy widower.

I hope J Lo likes cold weather, because they're basically going to be filming during the coldest months of the year. Maybe it'll be a winter movie.

Click (here) for the Globe blurb.

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