Get : Liquid

DIY wine and dine

Stuff Boston — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 19:35:00 GMT

Frank McClelland is one busy guy. He just recently moved his beloved L’Espalier a hop, skip, and a block from its original location to new digs at the Mandarin Oriental; opened another Sel de la Terre at the same hotel; and can now add “author” to his resume. Wine Mondays: Simple Wine Pairings with Seasonal Menus (Harvard Common Press, 2008; $24.95), penned with local food writer Christie Matheson, is McClelland’s first cookbook and arguably one of the first books to approach food and wine pairing in such a simple, straightforward way that even the biggest wine neophyte can understand it. Browse the 130 recipes — divided into four-course meals suited for each season — and try your hand at whipping up some L’Espalier dishes and choosing the perfect wine pairings. Pick up a copy at Porter Square Books (25 White Street, Cambridge, 617.491.2220) or L’Espalier (774 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.262.3023).

Hot wine region: India

webteam — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:09:00 GMT

When you think of India, what comes to mind? Cardamom? Curry? Bollywood? Wine? Wait, back up … wine is probably one of the last things you associate with India. But that may soon change. Wine is becoming the stylish beverage of choice for the Indian elite, and vineyards have begun cropping up on the rich Indian soil. Though it’s still a bit difficult to find Indian wine in the US, you can experience the delightful vintages of Sula, one of India’s largest wineries, at Best Cellars (745 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.266.2900). For $10 to $15, pick up a bottle of Sula chenin blanc, sauvignon blanc, or shiraz, and pair it with your favorite Indian takeout. Naturally, the wines pair well with spicy food.

Hot and heading for the mainstream: Fernet Branca

webteam — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:43:00 GMT

Okay, so there was that one incident involving too many shots, a nauseous sprint to the porch railing, and the next-door neighbor’s car. And, yes, the stuff does taste a little like a worn baseball glove (though kind of in a good way) and smell like something your doctor might force you to swallow. None of that is stopping the popularity of Fernet Branca from surging ever higher. The Italian bitters, made with dozens of herbs and spices including cardamom, aloe, saffron, and chamomile, has been the drink of choice among many local restaurant staff and insiders for some time. But as with all things cool, eventually the mainstream catches on. Eastern Standard (528 Comm Ave, Boston, 617.532.9100) reports going through a whopping 143 cases of Fernet last year.

Hot return: The Mint Julep

webteam — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:23:00 GMT

You don’t have to wear a ridiculously oversized (albeit totally chic) hat or frequent the Kentucky Derby to appreciate that the Mint Julep has replaced the mojito as the hot oldie-but-goodie cocktail. Al Harding at the B-Side Lounge (92 Hampshire Street, Cambridge, 617.354.0766) uses the traditional recipe for his mint, bourbon, and sugar concoctions. And Southern bartender Andy McNees mixes them just right at Green Street Grill (280 Green Street, Cambridge, 617.876.1655). For a night of knocking back some throwback cocktails in a whimsical atmosphere, opt for the Mint Julep at Cuchi Cuchi (795 Main Street, Cambridge, 617.864.2929). Just think of it as this year’s comeback artist — and a little Southern comfort right here in New England.

Unlock a great night

webteam — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:40:00 GMT

There are the smarmy dudes who’d do anything to get a girl in bed, and then there are those irresistible guys who seriously know what they’re doing — and we fall for them every time. We’re pretty sure this one is tailor-made for the latter: the Liberty Hotel (215 Charles Street, Boston, 617.224.4000) now offers a package called “The Key” ($500) on lobby bar Clink’s summer cocktail menu. Order it and your waitress will serve up two Gran Patrón Platinum cocktails, two oysters on the half-shell, and a room key (based on availability, of course). When you get upstairs, you’ll find your room candlelit, humming with mood music, and stocked with a Booty Parlor Intimacy Kit, silk blinders, a chocolate bar, and Moulton Brown toothbrush kits. We can’t tell you what to do next, but it’d be a shame not to take full advantage of the next day’s late 1 p.m. checkout.

Kirsten Amann@Night: Blonde, ambitious

Erin Byers Murray — Mon, 05 May 2008 18:48:00 GMT

DO BLONDES really have more fun? Ask Kirsten Amann. She's on a quest to find out as she does research for Undercover Blonde, a book she's working on. The publicist-slash-cocktail-aficionado also posts updates on her blog (undercover-blonde.blogspot.com). Between her day job at Dalyn Miller PR, her moonlighting gig as a server at Toro, and a role as the "PR broad" of LUPEC (Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails), she's gotten countless pages of material. But since she can always use more, her nights out are spent searching for answers.

@ 6:15 p.m.: Lately I've been trying to do yoga, so I'll still be in class, maybe wrapping up my downward dog. That's what I do on nights when I know I'm going out - somehow I think it balances out what I'm about to do to my body for the rest of the night.

@ 7:30 p.m.: If I'm lucky, I'll be finishing a blog entry and posting. Then, one of my friends has a huge wine selection, so we might do a little tasting of cheese and wine at her place.

@ 9:45 p.m.: By now, I'm heading out to a bar, which is what we do in LUPEC. It's how we promote the endangered cocktail. I'll start by going to Green Street to drink Misty Kalkofen's cocktails. I may also stop by No. 9 Park for one of their classic cocktails.

@ midnight: My friend and I can talk forever, so we'll head over to the Franklin [Café] for one more.

@ 2 a.m.: If I haven't finished that blog entry, I'm doing it now - and hoping that it's coherent.

[Photo by Joel Veak]

Let it Shrine

Heather Bouzan — Mon, 05 May 2008 16:17:00 GMT

Our gambling efforts tend to be sub-par, but we love hitting up the casinos for the glitz, the glamour, and, of course, the über-posh nightlife. Foxwoods's long-anticipated new MGM Grand (39 Norwich-Westerly Road, Mashantucket, Connecticut, 866.MGM.0050) is home to an Asian-inspired lounge and dining concept, Shrine, conceived by Boston-based Big Night Entertainment. (You know them for lavish venues including Waterworks, the Estate, and Suite.) The 20,000-square-foot, two-story space, which includes a sizable outdoor terrace that looks out over the hotel's pool, features a 225-seat dining room, a sushi counter, more than 20 VIP bottle-service tables, and - so you don't have to stray far for your favorite cocktails - multiple bars. The entertainment alone is worth showing up for: guests like Carmen Electra, Dave Navarro, DJ Skribble, and Crooklyn Clan's DJ Riz are hosting events that span the last two weekends of the month.

Eat, drink, and be preppy

Heather Bouzan — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:59:00 GMT

Trust us: it's not like we need convincing to jet (or ferry) off to Nantucket for an extended springtime weekend. But the 12th annual Nantucket Wine Festival, held May 14 through 18, is the perfect excuse to do so. The event features an extensive sampling of world-class wines paired with cuisine from many of the area's top chefs and enjoyed against a picturesque seaside backdrop. The grand tasting is always the festival's signature event, the gala is a can't-miss, and new this year is a Luncheon Symposia series that features hour-long discussions and four-course meals with wine. Seminars of note include "Entertaining with Sparkling Cocktails," "Bargain Hunting for Fine Wine Treasures," and cooking demonstrations hosted by local chefs including Jody Adams (Rialto) and Anthony Susi (Sage). Prices vary, and ticket packages are available. For a complete schedule of events or to purchase tickets, visit www.nantucketwinefestival.com or call 508.228.1128.

Tasting Tuesdays at Lobby Bar & Kitchen

Heather Bouzan — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:05:00 GMT

TUESDAY, APRIL 29
We don't usually have a problem ordering blindly off a cocktail list, but sometimes we find ourselves questioning exactly what we're sipping. So we've begun a little post-work education at Tasting Tuesdays, held approximately every two weeks at Lobby Bar & Kitchen (131 Broad Street, Boston, 617.261.5353). Running from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and a steal at just $25 per person, the events pair a thematic libation (tonight, rosé wines from around the world) with coordinating bites prepared by executive chef Donley Liburd. The evening is relaxed yet informative - only tipples with a story to tell make the cut - and we admit we get a cheap thrill out of drinking in "class." Call ahead for reservations (highly recommended due to space limitations) and visit www.lobbyboston.com for details on upcoming events; a tequila tasting, "Beer & Baseball," and a ladies' seminar on summery white wines are in the works.

Miss Coco Peru at Mantra

Heather Bouzan — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:59:00 GMT

FRIDAY, APRIL 25
Mantra (52 Temple Place, Boston, 617.542.8111) has been many things: polished downtown eatery, well-heeled late-night lounge . . . and tonight, with an appearance by Miss Coco Peru, lively cabaret. The larger-than-life personality, who's appeared in the cult-classic film Girls Will Be Girls along with guest spots on Will & Grace and Arrested Development, puts on so much more than just a drag show. Her performance - part stand-up act, part song and dance, part everything else - is, in a word, absolutely fabulous. (Okay, two words.) Doors open at 6 p.m., and the show starts at 7; admission is $20.

Soul Clap Thursdays at Whiskey Park

Heather Bouzan — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:58:00 GMT

THURSDAY, APRIL 24 & MAY 1
Sometimes we find ourselves favoring the post-work-cocktails, home-by-nine routine. But for nights when we're looking to extend our evening into the wee hours, we've discovered a new weekly event that caters to city sophisticates: Soul Clap Thursdays at Whiskey Park (64 Arlington Street, Boston, 617.542.1482). DJs Eli Goldstein and Charles Levine, the two dynamic halves of Soul Clap, spin a mix of genres, the clientele skews toward urban professional, and the party runs from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. There's no cover charge, RSVPs, or guest lists, either.

The Kills at the Paradise Rock Club

Heather Bouzan — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:56:00 GMT

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30
She's from Florida, he's from England - at first glance, not much in common. But when Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince met in a South London hotel, the duo realized they were melodious kindred spirits. (Both went to art school and obsessed over the Velvet Underground.) Thus the Kills and their brand of gritty, edgy indie punk rock were born. Mosshart and Hince (a/k/a "VV" and "Hotel") play the Paradise Rock Club (967 Comm Ave, Boston, 617.562.8800) tonight at 8 p.m.; doors open at 7, and Telepathe supports. General-admission tickets ($12) are at www.ticketmaster.com or 617.931.2000.

Atmosphere at the Roxy

Heather Bouzan — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:55:00 GMT

SATURDAY, APRIL 26
You've been shopping at Bodega for years and still feel smug about your underground urban wear. Why don't you talk the talk with some underground hip-hop to match? Masters of poetic lyrics and pioneers of introspective rap Ant and Slug of Atmosphere perform tonight at the Roxy (279 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.338.7699). And coming out to hear the thought-provoking prose of these Minnesota indie rappers will give you a chance to wear your new Karmaloop hoodie. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com or 617.931.2000.

Travis Sullivan’s Bjorkestra at Scullers Jazz Club

Heather Bouzan — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:54:00 GMT

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23
As suckers for anything indie, we're thrilled that Travis Sullivan's Bjorkestra is coming to town to perform tonight at Scullers Jazz Club (400 Soldiers Field Road, Boston, 617.562.4111). The 18-piece genre-bending jazz orchestra takes the music of the notoriously innovative (and, in the fashion world, iconic) Björk and presents it in downtown New York jazz style. Members of the groundbreaking band have performed and/or recorded with everyone from Dr. Dre to the Arcade Fire, making Bjorkestra a spectacle not to be missed. The show starts at 8 p.m.; tickets, which are $20 for the show and $65 with dinner, are available at www.ticketweb.com or 617.562.4111.

Andrew Haddad@Night: Man on the move

Erin Byers Murray — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 18:38:00 GMT

WHETHER ANDREW Haddad is cruising Newbury Street to check out how business is going at I-Boutique and Cafeteria (both of which he co-owns), hosting events with his promo company, or traveling to New York or Los Angeles for retail buying trips, he's almost always on the move. We caught up with him on his way to Miami for some R&R to find out where the Newton resident likes to spend his nights off.

@ 6:15 p.m.: I'm usually closing up the store and will take a walk down to the restaurant to see what's going on there. I might stop by Bar 10 for a drink afterwards.

@ 7:30 p.m.: I like to stop by home before heading to the South End for dinner. I love going to Stella. I think the whole atmosphere there is unbelievable. Everything - the service, the food - is on point, so I'm actually there two or three nights a week.

@ 9:45 p.m.: I'll probably go to Ivy or Mantra or Teatro after dinner, just to stop in for a drink.

@ midnight: I'll pass by Jer-ne inside the Ritz, or maybe Abe & Louie's, to grab one more drink.

@ 2 a.m.: It's late so I'm making my way home. My day starts at 10 a.m. so it's time for me to get some rest.

[Photo by Ian Barnard]