Get : Sports

A revolutionary workout

Heather Bouzan — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 15:35:00 GMT

Be honest: how often do you really push yourself at the gym? If your workouts involve a People magazine and a leisurely 30 minutes on the elliptical, it's time to take things to the next level. Lucky for you, personal-training company BodyEvolver recently joined forces with Revolution Fitness (209 Columbus Avenue, Boston, 617.536.3006) - which means you can enjoy the gym's newly-renovated 17,000-square-foot facility (think swanky locker rooms and climate-controlled studios) while being sculpted into shape by BodyEvolver trainers brandishing climbing ropes, kettlebells, Olympic rings, and other tools of the trade. Come summertime, that new bikini will thank you.

[Photo by Ian Sokhos]

Take me out to the Bristol

Heather Bouzan — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 15:31:00 GMT

There's something to be said for the culinary perfection of a hot dog and a cheap beer. But while baseball food has its place in our hearts, our stomach can only take it on occasion. The rest of the time, our sophisticated palates will lead us to the Bristol Lounge (Four Seasons, 200 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.338.4400), where executive chef Brooke Vosika has whipped up a Bristol Ballpark Menu. Kicking off with the Red Sox home opener on April 8, Vosika's dishes put a "Four Seasons spin on ballpark classics" like buttery popcorn and Fenway franks. Snack on the Four Seasons Frank-ona ($19), a lobster roll topped with savory onions; the Yaz's Triple Crown ($18), three mini crabcake sandwiches served with house-made chips; or the decadent, truffle-scented Papelbon's All-Star Popcorn ($13). And since watery cups of beer are nowhere to be found at the luxe hotel, wash down these haute bites with cocktail "Closers" such as the Tickle-Ortiz-Me ($15) and the Sweet Caroline ($15).

Just Shoe It

Heather Bouzan — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:02:00 GMT

From our strappy sandals to our sky-high stilettos, Nordstrom splurges to Filene's Basement finds, we love all of our footwear equally. Luckily, there are others just like us. For proof, visit Shoetube.tv, a newly launched online video channel and social community that's attracting shoe fanatics in droves. The brainchild of Somerville-based Powderhouse Productions, the site incorporates videos such as "Behind the Boot" (a peek at shoe-industry insiders), "Shop Til You Drop" (shoe-store tours), and "Real or Deal" (a high-end vs. knockoff showdown). Stuff@night's own sexpert, Jeannie Greeley, can also be seen waxing poetic on leopard-print flats and pounding the Newbury Street pavement in search of a Bostonian in a killer pair of boots. The site employs shoe gurus in cities including New York, San Francisco, and Denver, along with more than 50 bloggers - some professional fashionistas, some shoe-obsessed amateurs - from all over the world. Users can voice their opinions in forums and upload shoe-centric videos to the site. Consider us sole-d.

A Brighton idea

Heather Bouzan — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:58:00 GMT

If you ask us, throwing a few back at Southie's Boston Beer Garden, a comfortable, camaraderie-filled sports bar, is what drinking's all about. And if the formula works, why not stick with it? Now, the Brighton Beer Garden (386 Market Street, Brighton, 617.562.6000) is expected to open sometime this March, taking over the space that formerly housed SoHo. Management has gutted the space, adding 30 plasma TVs and a private function room with a retractable wall that'll be left open to accommodate weekend crowds. Sunday jazz brunch and cover-free live music on Thursday nights are SoHo holdovers, and the extensive menu will feature old comfort-food favorites along with new dishes like a selection of panini and a steak-and-cheese egg roll.

Boston Bruins Charity Auction at Mantra

Heather Bouzan — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 21:40:00 GMT

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17
You've gawked at your favorite players from behind the glass, but off-the-ice face time with the Boston Bruins can be hard to come by. The boys are willing change that, however, to benefit the Boston Bruins and Travis Roy Foundations. The ninth-annual Boston Bruins Charity Auction, held tonight at Mantra (52 Temple Place, Boston, 617.542.8111) from 5 to 8 p.m., is every hockey fan's dream: a chance to mingle with Bruins players, staff, and other diehard fans. The evening includes a cocktail reception and hors d'oeuvres, a tarot-card reader and photo booth, and silent and live auctions. Get tickets ($100; $80 for season ticket holders) at www.bostonbruins.com or 617.624.1981. @

Factory work(out)

Heather Bouzan — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 21:15:00 GMT

If working out were as much fun as a night on the town, we'd be tugging on our Lululemon stretch pants and sweating it out nightly. And that's the atmosphere that Andy Haynes is working to create at his newly-opened Cardio Factory (26 New Street, Cambridge, 617.868.8400). The concept focuses on group fitness classes, though personal training and more conventional exercise equipment are also available. Haynes has developed a whole line of "Corpbasics" classes, some of which incorporate current radio hits and everything from dance and Pilates to football and basketball moves; he's even been known to darken the room and turn on a set of flashing blue lights to get everyone energized and dancing, club-style. The friendly, hands-on gym also offers classes such as Kenpo Karate and Power Flow Yoga, along with a Valentine's Day promotion that allows twosomes to sign up for a couples' boxing class ($30/couple) on either February 29 or March 7. The cost is $25 per day for drop-ins, $129 per month, or $99 per month for clients who commit to a full year.

[Photo by Melissa Ostrow]

À la Moda

Heather Bouzan — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 17:11:00 GMT

Who knew North End residents were devoted to more than just plates of spaghetti and the city's best slice of pizza? Turns out, there's a market for meditation, too, as Alessandra Miele and Alicia Orr discovered when they opened North End Yoga (256 Hanover Street, Boston, 617.227.YOGA). The pair has already expanded their empire, recently opening Moda, a yoga apparel and accessories boutique. Located on the building's second floor, the shop stocks lines such as Hyde, Victoria Keene, prAna, Shiva Shakti, and the beloved Lululemon, plus accessories such as mat bags, incense, oils, and soaps. All Boston yoga teachers receive a 15 percent discount, and gear is 10 percent off with the purchase of a monthly membership to North End Yoga.

[Photo by Ian Barnard]

Good sports

Heather Bouzan — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 16:56:00 GMT

You named your dog after your favorite player: acceptable show of loyalty. You wore the same boxers every game for an entire season: mildly obsessed. (It was a winning season, after all.) You erected a seven-foot shrine to the star quarterback in your back yard: you qualify as a psycho fan. If that's the case, the ESPN Guide to Psycho Fan Behavior (ESPN Books, 2007; $14.95) is for you. Edited by Warren St. John and written by "researchers from the Institute for the Advancement of Psycho Fan Studies," the book covers essential topics such as "A User's Guide to Body Paint," "Strategies for Effective Heckling," and the ins and outs of sports tattoos. You'll also find a countdown of 10 Psycho Fan Hall of Fame inductees - and these nut jobs will make your halftime-streaking best friend seem like your average sports buff. Peel yourself away from the game long enough to pick up your copy at Borders (511 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.236.1444).

Shaolin Warriors at the Orpheum Theatre

Heather Bouzan — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 15:44:00 GMT

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17
Our once-a-month kickboxing class didn't prepare us for the Shaolin Warriors, a troupe of more than 20 kung fu masters, performing tonight at the Orpheum Theatre (1 Hamilton Place, Boston, 617.679.0810). Trained in hand-to-hand and weapons combat, group members are required to endure a rigorous process to achieve mastery of one of kung fu's 18 traditional weapons - dart, dagger, sword, and spear included - and a high level of expertise in all of them. Kung fu, which originated in China's Shaolin Temple more than a thousand years ago, is never used in moments of violence and aggression, which go against traditional Buddhist principles; instead, the monks look to achieve a highly focused state known as "stillness in movement" that allows them to endure the challenges of their training. Tonight's performance begins at 8 p.m.; tickets ($30 to $45) are available at 617.876.4275 or www.worldmusic.org.

Hot Sweat: Mind/Body Workouts

eldean — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 18:26:00 GMT

Life is hectic. Staying in shape shouldn't be. So isn't it nice that relaxing your mind and working your booty can go hand in hand? A trendsetter in the genre that hit mainstream gyms a few years back, Exhale Mind Body Spa (28 Arlington Street, Boston, 617.532.7095) has maintained its core-fusion cult following, while the recent $7 million renovations at the Sports Club/LA (4 Avery Street, Boston, 617.375.8200) included an impressive 9000 square feet of mind/body studios. Boston's latest fitness darling, Equinox (131 Dartmouth Street, 617-578-8918), promises to help you sweat it out and ease your mind with Power Flow Yoga, "a dynamic, physically and spiritually energizing form of yoga that sculpts every muscle in the body." We feel better already.

Hot Obsession: Matsuzaka Mania

eldean — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 17:56:00 GMT

Once upon a time, sushi was an event. You planned an outing and you coveted the unagi. You ordered quality sake at only a few select Asian establishments. Then the Red Sox signed a certain pitcher and our city took on a more Eastern flair. Now Japanese tourists are arriving in droves (the Boston Phoenix reported in May that 20,000 new visitors are expected to visit Boston this year) and Matsuzaka mania - from food to tourism to clothing - is whizzing through the Hub like a fastball over home plate. At blu (Sports Club/LA, 4 Avery Street, Boston, 617.375.3550), you can order a Matsu-SAKE ($10) and settle in to watch the game. Downstairs at Jer-ne (Ritz-Carlton, 10 Avery Street, Boston, 617.574.7176), they're mixing the not-so-subtly named Dice-K-Tini ($16) with sake, Grey Goose, and passionfruit juice. At Redline (59 JFK Street, Cambridge, 617.491.9851), they use Eastern imports - Sapporo and pear-infused sake - to make Matsuzaka's Revenge ($8). Jake's Dixie Roadhouse (220 Moody Street, Waltham, 781.894.4227) is cooking up Daisuke Matsuzaka teriyaki wings, while closer to home plate, the Cask 'n Flagon (62 Brookline Avenue, Boston, 617.536.4840) salutes Dice-K with the addition of apps like gyoza yakatori chicken skewers ($8.99 - and in case you're curious, the yen conversion price is listed too). Fugakyu (1280 Beacon Street, Brookline, 617.734.1268) pulls out all the stops to welcome the rookie with new menu items like live fish sashimi (prices vary), a congratulatory dish according to Japanese custom. What would one wear to celebrate the pitcher? Not just any old Sox T-shirt, of course. It'd have to have the team's name emblazoned in Japanese characters ($16.99), available at Newbury Comics (various locations). What a way to root for the home team.

Hot Workout: Power Plate

eldean — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 17:41:00 GMT

Remember those thick, vibrating bands that old-time boxers used to wrap around their waists in hopes of jiggling off a few pounds? The Power Plate, a cutting-edge piece of exercise equipment gracing the floor at the new Equinox (131 Dartmouth Street, Boston, 617.578.8918), uses vibration - part of a concept called "Acceleration Training" - to stimulate muscles and give you more bang for your workout buck. For around 15 minutes per day, three days per week, try simple exercises like stretches and squats on the vibrating platform. The body is forced to work harder to compensate for the movement; according to the manufacturer, benefits include improved muscle strength and flexibility, increased circulation, better range of motion, decreased cellulite, and reduced recovery time. The most glowing endorsement of all? It's rumored that Madonna has a Power Plate of her own. Have you seen Madge's ripped body lately? [Photo: Joel Veak]

Virtually Hot: Wii Sports

eldean — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 16:53:00 GMT

We don't consider ourselves natural athletes. In fact, the most exercise we generally get is sprinting down the streets to hit the Saks sale before it ends. And we're as unimpressed by video games as we are by gym rats. Given such sentiments, it comes as quite a surprise that we're so enamored by the new Wii Sports. The console-du-jour amongst gamers (generally our least favorite group of the population) features a groovy controller that allows your movement, not your fingers, to do the work. Our tennis swing may stink on the courts, but we're much less embarrassed when waving about our living room. And though we're not "bowled" over by most bowling lanes, we've scored plenty of strikes at home without donning the ugly shoes. Could this could be the trigger that finally turns us into a typical Boston jock? Probably not - we'd still rather date one than be one. Public sweating is so overrated.

Hot Replacement: Joshua Tree

eldean — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 16:36:00 GMT

In a hard-partying college town like Allston, it's no wonder that Tonic (1316 Comm Ave, Allston, 617.566.6699) evolved into more of a clubby nightspot than the neighborhood bar and restaurant it was originally intended to be. Now, management has shut Tonic's doors and, at press time, plans were in place to reopen the space later this month as the Joshua Tree. The layout will essentially stay the same, but there'll be a new exterior, new furniture, and a more casual feel. Expect sports photos and jerseys on the walls, and games on the room's TVs. The menu will be similar to the Joshua Tree's Davis Square location (256 Elm Street, Somerville, 617.623.9910) - burger-heavy, with a slight Mexican tilt - though prices will be lower in the restaurant's new neighborhood. And no need to mourn the loss of Tonic's popular Tuesday trivia night: not only is it staying on the calendar, but Monday nights will most likely be added too.

Hot Spine: AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour

eldean — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 15:36:00 GMT

Personally, we only participate in the kind of beach games that we can play one-handed; after all, there's no way we're letting our freshly-poured margarita languish in the sand. But watching beach volleyball - that we can do. Thanks to a partnership with Fenway Sports Group, the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour is coming to WaterWorks (260 Victory Road, Quincy, 617.689.0600) for the AVP Bob's Stores Boston Open - and they have some major players in tow. More than 150 of the sport's top athletes, including Olympic gold medalists Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor, are scheduled to compete in the competition, which runs from August 16 through 19. Tickets are $20 to $75 and can be purchased at www.avp.com. And even if you're no athlete yourself, the eye candy (have you seen their "uniforms"?) is well worth the price of admission.