Stuff Boston : Liquid

Mommy dearest: Local chefs dish on their mother's epicurean influences

Heather Bouzan — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 21:41:00 GMT

EVERY TIME we sit down to a divine home-cooked meal at our mother’s house, we get to thinking: what influences have mothers had on their professional-chef offspring? So we got personal with eight of Boston’s finest cooks, who shared memories of family meals, childhood culinary lessons, and what it’s like to serve dinner to the women who are, in many cases, their toughest critics. An added bonus: they even agreed to share recipes passed down from their family kitchens.

Josh Ziskin, owner/executive chef of La Morra (48 Boylston Street, Brookline, 617.739.0007)
Childhood cooking lessons weren’t what inspired Josh Ziskin. It was simply all of his mother’s home-cooked meals (aside from indulgent Thursday-night trips to McDonald’s, that is). “Looking back on it recently, I’ve realized that [my mother’s dinners] were pretty good stuff,” he recalls. “She had her main dishes, like roast chicken. She always had rice, always had a vegetable — sort of a square meal, you know?” Ziskin never made it into the kitchen himself until college, when he’d call his mother with questions. “I had a bunch of roommates, and we rented a house, and I’d do basically all the cooking,” he says. “I’d call her for her [recipes].” These days, Ziskin’s parents are frequent diners at La Morra — though Mama Ziskin’s presence is felt whether she’s there or not. “I definitely hear her in the background, like, ‘Do you have to add that much butter to that?’ or ‘Does it need that much oil?’ or ‘Can you do without the bacon or pancetta in that dish?’ ”

Chicken with Red Wine and Tarragon
1 whole roasting chicken
1 can cheddar-cheese soup
Equal amount red wine
2 tablespoons dried tarragon
Salt and pepper

Mix soup, red wine, tarragon, salt, and pepper. Cover chicken with mixture. Roast at 350 degrees for one hour or until done. Serves 4.

Gabriel Bremer, chef/owner of Salts (798 Main Street, Cambridge, 617.876.8444)
For Gabriel Bremer, who was raised in a small family outside of Cleveland, “Food was always part of the family and growing up.” Family dinners were a big deal during his childhood — “[We weren’t] the family that would make a quick meal and eat in front of the TV” — and on weekends, he and his mother would bake together. “We would pick a couple recipes and try some new breads, some muffins, things like that.” His mother didn’t necessarily teach him cooking techniques, but she did instill in him a love of food and family. “I think with the techniques we use [at Salts], she wouldn’t know where to begin,” he says. “It was more of the involvement in having food and the family be kind of one.” If anything, Bremer’s current style draws on the preferences of his grandparents: braised cabbage, sauerkraut, and lots and lots of pork. But it was his mother’s support of his culinary endeavors — even if she “turned around and threw it out when I wasn’t looking” — that had the most significant impact on his career.

Heirloom Squash Soup
with Cider Cream
For the soup:
4 cup peeled, seeded squash
cut into two-inch pieces
1 leek, sliced
1 Granny Smith apple, quartered
4 Medjool dates, pitted
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 teaspoon whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon whole allspice
1/4 teaspoon whole coriander
2 tablespoons butter
8 cups chicken or vegetable stock

In a four-quart saucepan over low heat, add butter, squash, leek, apple, and dates. Cook for two minutes, being careful not to burn the squash. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Place the spices in a small piece of cheesecloth and tie closed with a string. Add the spice pouch and stock to the squash mixture and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the squash is very tender. Remove the spice pouch and purée the soup in a blender until smooth.

For the cider cream:
1 cup apple cider reduced
down to 2 tablespoons
1 cup heavy cream

In a small saucepan, slowly reduce the apple cider. In a mixer fitted with a whisk, whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks. Gently fold the cider reduction into the whipped cream and season with salt and white pepper to taste. To serve, top the soup with a dollop of cider cream and a little fresh grated nutmeg (optional). Serves 4.

Peter Beresford, chef at 224 Boston Street Restaurant (224 Boston Street, Dorches-ter, 617.265.1217)
Peter Beresford’s mother was always ahead of the crowd. “When other mothers were plugging in that fondue pot, she was reducing balsamic vinegar and cooking with lentils,” he says. Naturally, then, “My mom definitely taught me to fly by the seat of my pants in the kitchen. She taught me to try new things and to go against what the conventional style of the minute is.” In addition to the bonding time dinner provided, nutrition was also key, and Beresford’s mom had her family on a macrobiotic diet. “As a kid, honestly there were times I was like, ‘Oh, this is so crappy. Can’t we just go to McDonald’s like every other family?’ ” he remembers. “But now I use a lot more vegetables and things like that than I think I normally would have in my cooking, had I not had that sort of background.” When it comes down to it, the inventiveness of his mother’s strict diet proved a major inspiration to chef Beresford. “Sometimes her stuff was so oddball, I was like, ‘Wow, Mom, nobody in the world is going to eat this.’ But she never stuck to the rigidity of how a dish should be or how a recipe should be.” Lesson learned.

Lentil Loaf
1/2 cup barley
1 cup green lentils, rinsed
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium Spanish onion, minced
1 rib celery, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
1 cup wheat cracker crumbs
2 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups water
2 cups low sodium chicken or
beef broth

Sauté garlic, onion, and celery in medium stock pot with olive oil. When vegetables begin to sweat, add barley and lentils. Stir frequently for about one minute. Add liquid and sea salt. Bring to a boil for one minute, then reduce heat to low and simmer. Add carrot. After simmering for approximately 40 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed, add egg and cracker crumbs. Bake for 35 minutes in lightly oiled 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pan. Allow to rest for 15 minutes, then turn out on serving platter. (This recipe can be doubled or tripled with no additional ingredient adjustment. Eggs can be deleted, but the finished product will be looser in consistency.) Serves 6.

Carla and Christine Pallotta, cook/owners of Nebo (90 North Washington Street, Boston, 617.723.NEBO)
When they were growing up, Christine and Carla Pallotta were barely allowed within swatting distance of their traditional Italian mother while she was prepping meals. “There were no [cooking] lessons; there was, ‘Get out of my kitchen,’ ” says Christine. As the girls grew older, they were allowed small tasks — sealing homemade ravioli, making pizzelle cookies — but everything had to be done their mother’s way. So when they abandoned a salon business to open Nebo, based solely on their mother’s recipes and their family’s social style of eating, the Pallotta women had their work cut out for them. “We actually didn’t have any recipes when we came to the restaurant, because she doesn’t measure anything,” explains Carla. “So when we decided to do this restaurant, a couple of months before, we literally stuck her in the kitchen here and had to stop her hands as she was doing things and move the stuff from her hand, put it in a measuring cup, measure it out, write it down. It was a long process, believe me.” When it comes to style, the Pallottas haven’t changed a thing. “We’re very adamant about having [the cooking] done the way we do it, the way my mother did it,” Carla stresses. “I feel like, if something’s been working that long, it’s already perfected. Why change it?”

Minestra with Fried Polenta
2 pepperoni, preferably
Santa Margherita
4 pounds end of prosciutto di Parma
2 racks of baby-back pork ribs
2 heads escarole
2 cups white beans (cannelloni)

Brown ribs and put aside. In a large saucepan, place prosciutto end, pepperoni cut into quarters, and ribs. Cover completely with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1.5 hours. Meanwhile, place beans in cold water and bring to a boil. Drain beans and rinse with water. Add beans to stew. Chop escarole into thirds. Continue cooking for 30 minutes.

For polenta:
1/4 pound coarse cornmeal
3/4 pound fine cornmeal
1/2 cup canola oil
Kosher salt
Water

Bring three quarts of salted water to a boil. Slowly add in cornmeal, stirring continuously. Lower heat and simmer. Continue stirring until the consistency of mashed potatoes. Pour oil into a medium-size frying pan. Heat oil. Pour polenta into pan. Smooth into cake form. Cook over medium heat until bottom is crisp. Place a large dish over top of pan and flip polenta over. Slide polenta back into pan and continue to cook until other side is crispy. Slice polenta into eight pieces and serve with minestra on top. Serves 6.

Geoff Gardner, chef/creative director at Sel de la Terre (255 State Street, Boston, 617.720.1300)
“The kinds of things that my mother would cook would be comfort food, but homemade comfort food,” says Geoff Gardner. “Roasts like pot roast, or stews like beef stew, or chicken fricassee or chicken cacciatore. Pretty simple, but also oftentimes things that would be just cooking away, low and slow all day long and sort of filling the house with the wonderful aroma of food.” Gardner’s mother’s meals brimmed with “real food made with real ingredients” that helped to shape his feelings about what makes a good meal. “It was just nice beef and onions and celery and carrots with some spices and stewed up, and it was just good, wholesome comfort food,” he says. The slow-cooking style that he remembers from his youth has had a lasting appeal for him, and it’s evident in the professional techniques he uses today. “I learned to love eating long, long before the cooking part of it,” he says. “I kind of fell into that later in life, almost out of necessity in my teens, looking for work. But I think the seeds were planted early on with a love of food and eating.”

White Bean Soup with Clams,
Pancetta, and Fines Herbes
2 cups dried navy beans, soaked
overnight in water (use extra water
since beans will expand)
1 cup diced pancetta
1 medium white onion, peeled
and diced
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 medium-size carrot, peeled
and diced
1 stalk celery, washed and diced
2 quarts chicken stock
3 tablespoons chopped mixed fines
herbes (chervil, chives, parsley,
tarragon)
2 cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded,
and chopped
24 Littleneck clams, washed to
remove any sand
Salt and pepper

Put pancetta in medium-size souppot over medium heat. Gently render for 7 or 8 minutes. Add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery and gently sauté in the rendered pancetta for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove navy beans from their soaking water and add to the pot. Discard the water. Immediately add chicken stock and simmer gently, uncovered, for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until beans are tender. Add tomatoes and season to taste with salt and pepper. All of this can be done one day in advance and refrigerated. When ready to serve, return to a simmer, add clams and fines herbes and cover. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until clams open. Serve immediately. This recipe assumes 3 clams per serving. Feel free to add more if you would like. (Note: Many prepared chicken stocks can be quite salty, so taste the soup before adding any additional salt.) Serves 6 to 8.

Joanne Chang, chef/co-owner of Myers+Chang (1145 Washington Street, Boston, 617.542.5200) and pastry chef/owner of Flour Bakery (1595 Washington Street, Bos-ton, 617.267.4300; 12 Farnsworth Street, Boston, 617.338.4333)
Part of the reason Joanne Chang opened her latest venture, Myers+Chang, was that the takeout Chinese she was eating bore little resemblance to her mother’s cooking. “We grew up eating Chinese food, and that’s all we ever ate,” she explains. “I think I was about 13 or 14 when I realized that not everyone eats Chinese food every night.” One of the most important components of her mother’s cooking, which has translated to the restaurant, is the use of fresh vegetables. “I don’t know if that’s a Mom thing or a Taiwanese thing, but she’s always, all the time since I was growing up, cooking us lots of vegetables,” Chang says. “We have a lot of vegetables on the menu, and we don’t have a lot of fried things; we try to keep things really tasty and really fresh and really healthy.” In fact, many items on the Myers+Chang menu — Mama Chang’s Pork and Chive Dumplings, Spicy Silky Tofu, Mung Bean Cake — are direct descendants of dishes Chang’s mother cooks at home, and the elder Chang has spent time in the restaurant’s kitchen, teaching the cooks her methods. As for Flour, Chang’s mother doesn’t bake — so your guess is as good as ours.

Mom’s Hot and Sour Soup
4 cups chicken stock
2 ounces pork loin, julienned
1/3 cup bamboo shoots, julienned
1/3 cup wood ear mushrooms, soaked
and sliced
1/4 cup lily buds, soaked and chopped
1 block firm tofu
3 pieces scallions, chopped
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sambal oelek
1 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
2 teaspoons fresh ginger,
finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 egg

Heat chicken stock and add pork, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and lily buds. Simmer gently for 20 minutes. Add tofu, chopped scallion, soy, salt, vinegar, sugar, sambal, pepper, ginger, and sesame oil. Simmer for a few minutes until flavors meld. Taste and adjust seasoning. Whisk in egg right before serving and divide into 4 bowls. Sprinkle with a little sesame oil, fresh ground pepper, and some chopped scallions for garnish. Serves 4.

Carlos Rodriguez, executive chef at Orinoco (477 Shawmut Avenue, Boston, 617.369.7075)
Growing up in Venezuela, Carlos Rodriguez’s weekday meals were prepared by his family’s housekeepers. But what stands out for him are the Sunday dinners he’d help his mother, Trina Michelangeli, assemble. “We took a theme every time,” he recalls. “We’d do a really, really complicated Chinese dish. Sometimes we did Indian, sometimes we did Venezuelan. [We were] always looking for international recipes.” The most important lesson his mother imparted, Rodriguez says, is to have a passion for cooking. “Most of the things that I learned, I learned right in the industry. But I think she gave me the passion to do it.” And, he says, she’s most definitely his number-one fan. These days, when she’s given a traditionally Venezuelan recipe (Rodriguez uses some, like the Asado Negro, at Orinoco), it’s mother who calls son for ideas. “She’ll call me and say, ‘Baby, can you give me this recipe for this rice that you made, I don’t know, 20 years ago?’ ” he laughs. But when it comes down to it, she’ll also be the first to give it to him straight. “I know if I give her a [bad] dish — and I know I’m her son and she loves me to death — she will tell me the dish is not good,” Rodriguez says. “So if I go too trendy, she will tell me, ‘Too many flavors. Go back, keep it simple, let the ingredients come out from themselves.’ ”

Escabeche de Mariscos, a/k/a
Rompe Colchon (mattress breaker)
1/2 cup each of mussels, clams,
conch (all without shells), and
baby octopus
21 to 25 deveined shrimp
1 red onion
1 bunch cilantro
1 cup lime juice
1 red bell pepper
1/4 cup white vinegar
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Worcestershire sauce, as desired
Ketchup, as desired

Cook all shellfish for 1/2 hour over medium heat. Julienne onion, pick the cilantro leaves, and cut peppers in small squares. Cool down the shellfish, mix all ingredients in a glass jar, and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Enjoy at a party or at the beach with Saltine crackers. Serves 6.

Nadsa de Monteiro, executive chef at the Elephant Walk (900 Beacon Street, Boston, 617.247.1500; 2067 Mass Ave, Cambridge, 617.492.6900; and 663 Main Street, Waltham, 781.899.2244)
Nadsa de Monteiro and her mother are practically opposing forces — but that doesn’t mean they can’t run a restaurant (or three) together. During Nadsa’s childhood in Cambodia, her mother enjoyed preparing food even though the family employed cooks — which meant Nadsa never had to learn. “When I was growing up, I didn’t get into cooking — I was just really good at eating,” she says. In fact, she didn’t spend time in the kitchen until her family moved to France after the fall of their native country. While away at school in Paris, she’d crave Cambodian food and call her mother for recipes. Eventually, the family relocated to the United States and opened the first Elephant Walk, but Nadsa didn’t end up in the kitchen until their chef failed to show up one evening. “I lasted the night, and I realized that I had a natural knack for it.” She began working side by side with her mother — which wasn’t always easy. “There’s always the tension of mother and daughter. We’re so different from each other, character-wise,” Nadsa says. “But overall, when it came to food, we worked well together.” Currently, Nadsa handles the day-to-day operations of the business, while her mother has transitioned into more of a consulting role. The two still butt heads — Nadsa’s willing to experiment, while her mother’s style is more traditional — but as Nadsa admits, “There’s integrity in every cuisine, and you have to respect the integrity in order to take it somewhere else.”

Poulet Pochani
For the chicken breast:
4 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled
and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken
breast, cut on the diagonal into
1/4-inch-thick pieces

Blend the chopped ginger with the water until smooth; add a little more water if necessary to blend. Extract the ginger juice and discard the rest. Marinate the chicken with the juice and set aside while you make the paste.

For the paste:
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1 tablespoon galangal, peeled and
coarsely chopped
3 dried New Mexico chilies, soaked,
seeded, and deveined
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 large shallots, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons shrimp paste
1/2 cup water

Blend all the above ingredients in a blender until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.

To assemble:
3 tablespoons soybean or other
vegetable oil
Paste (see above)
2 cups coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
Marinated sliced chicken
breast (see above)
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed,
quickly blanched, and cut in half
1 1/2 teaspoons hot chili flakes

Preparation:
Heat oil in large sauté pan or small wok over medium-high heat. Add paste and stir to render for about 20 seconds. Add coconut milk, salt, sugar, and fish sauce and stir to cook for 2 minutes. Add sliced chicken and stir to mix well and cook for 2 minutes longer. Add the green beans and hot chili flakes and cook until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Serve with steamed jasmine rice. Serves 4. @

A wink and a smile

Heather Bouzan — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 21:29:00 GMT

Whether we’re single or attached, no matter: we love a good flirt. The best are full of lash-fluttering and witty banter and devoid of any particular intentions (though we have been known to use our skills to mess with someone we know is a sleaze, just for the fun of it). If nothing else, a lighthearted flirting session leaves us with a boost of self-confidence and a smile we can’t shake. And since we just can’t stomach another February index of the city’s most eligible singles, we decided to round up of a few of our favorite local flirts instead. How many of them have unleashed their charms on you?

Nicole Kanner, director of restaurant strategy at Regan Communications
She throws around terms of endearment with a refreshing lack of restraint, and it never feels insincere. But you won’t catch Nicole Kanner noisily fawning over every group she encounters, as some publicists are wont to do. Instead, she has an infectious, endearing charm that instantaneously puts those around her at ease. Still, she doesn’t think of herself as a flirt. “I guess it’s the best kind, because I’m a naïve flirt,” she finally concedes. “I have no concept of what I’m doing; I’m just being myself.” Kanner considers talking to a stranger on a neighboring barstool “just being personable”; she chats with the simple intention of “meeting cool people”; and she loves being “cutesy” to drive the innately bad-tempered a little bit crazy. As for the true flirt test?

When she giggles, we can’t help but giggle, too.

Seth Selman, stylist at James Joseph Salon
The guy flirted his way into a VIP party at the Versace mansion in Miami — if that’s not legendary, we don’t know what is. For stylist Seth Selman, flirting is sometimes more about his fearless, eclectic sense of style than anything else. “Sometimes I don’t even have to say anything or do anything when I walk into a room to kind of flirt with the crowd,” he explains. Conversations will ensue about clothing items, like his new vintage blazer with tails, then progress naturally from there. Selman’s advice for aspiring flirts is not to try so hard. “Be yourself, and just try as best you can to present yourself in a confident manner,” he says. “And smile, smile, smile. What are you going to lose?” The bottom line is, Selman adores “any excuse to flirt with anybody — even if it’s just to get a rise out of someone. It’s fun.”

Sandy Hussain, freelance event planner for the Estate and student at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design
Sandy Hussain is a flirt, and she owns it like no one else we’ve met. “I wasn’t surprised at all when you contacted me about [this],” she admits. In fact, when her friends were dealing with a wave of guy troubles a few years back, Hussain was the person they called on for some romance coaching. Her tips? “If someone initiates contact with you in a bar, you have to make the effort to actually show some interest in what they do,” she says. When it comes to her personal flirting style, Hussain considers herself an entertainer of sorts. “It’s not really a conscious effort, because it sort of comes naturally, but [I’m] definitely trying to always entertain people,” she explains. “Not getting up on stage and dancing and entertaining them that way — even though I do do that as well — but just in conversation.”

Jonathan Lev, president of J. Lev Inc.
Jonathan Lev’s job is to represent artists, record labels, managers, and radio stations as a lobbyist in the music industry, so career-wise, his gift of gab is absolutely essential. But in his personal life, he’s hesitant to accept the “flirt” label, although he admits that “people have said I’m fairly easy to talk to, that I’ll talk to anybody. My attitude is, if you’re out and about, what sense is there sitting in a corner?” He’s forever trying to uncover what’s interesting about a person (there’s always something, he stresses), and he’s a great listener. Lev’s the guy who often finds himself sitting at the bar when he eats out in order to interact with new people even more. But for him, it’s all just instinct. “The truth of the matter is, don’t you like just talking to people sometimes?”

Kelly Bongiovanni, server at Eastern Standard
How does Kelly Bongiovanni describe herself? Succinctly: “I’m very outgoing and boisterous and very blunt.” Yes, Bongiovanni is outspoken, and she can hold her own in any crowd, but she also possesses a disarming ability to make nearly everyone fall a little bit in like with her. Whether conversing with customers or close friends, she has a way of taking a genuine interest in what they have to say, a trait she likely gleaned from her upbringing. “Growing up in New Jersey,” she tells us, “it was a very open family. You learned to communicate and to care about people, and there are no secrets in our family.” At the same time, she never takes herself too seriously. When flirting, Bongiovanni advises, “Don’t be afraid to say something that you think is going to be awkward or make somebody else uncomfortable. Be comfortable in what you’re saying and who you are. At the end of it, at least you get a laugh out of it.”

Chris Haynes, owner of CBH Communications
If you know Chris Haynes, or if you’ve ever attended one of his parties — hell, if you’ve ever been in the same room with the publicist extraordinaire — you understand why we simply had to include him in this feature. Still, Haynes prefers the term “charming” to “flirt.” “I consider it interacting with anybody and everybody,” he says. “So if you describe that as flirting, then I flirt with everybody from garbage men to grandmothers. It’s just the way I am.” Haynes, who thinks Bill Clinton is “the ultimate flirt,” loves walking into a room knowing no one and walking out knowing everyone. But he says he’s careful never to flirt for professional ends — he considers that approach transparent, fake, and insincere. Instead, his flirtee of choice is the person who’d never expect it. “I mean, what’s the fun flirting with someone who looks like Jessica Alba?” he notes. “Although I know I could win her over.” We couldn’t agree more.

Renatta Hosein, model for Maggie, Inc. and assistant women’s buyer/merchandising at Karmaloop
Local fashionista Renatta Hosein doesn’t always realize she’s being flirty — though her friends sure do. Even her boyfriend (whom she thinks is quite the charmer himself) has been known to call her out on her coquettish ways. But Hosein insists that she just loves talking with new people, especially those with experiences different than her own. When she’s consciously trying to turn on the charm, however, she relies on her sense of humor. “I’m definitely always trying to make people laugh and get them to talk about themselves,” she says. “And if they don’t want to talk about themselves, I’ll talk about myself and tell them everything they need to know.” Hosein also loves working behind the scenes, playing matchmaker for her single friends. No success stories yet, but if she shares some of her flirting expertise, it’s only a matter of time.

Eric Santiago, managing partner at Cafeteria
Flirting, schmoozing, and mingling were integral to the now-defunct Armani Café. Now its former general manager, Eric Santiago, has brought the same mentality to his new Newbury Street venture, Cafeteria. In fact, it’s Santiago’s affinity for the restaurant business that brought out his inner flirt in the first place. “I really enjoy taking care of people and making sure that everyone who needs something can come to me, that I can be the guy who everyone knows,” he confesses. Santiago describes his flirting style as “subtle”; we agree that it’s all in the details: an extra acknowledgement, a coy hello. But he urges those seeking guidance in the flirting department not to go it alone: “Get a little dog like I have,” he suggests. “I walk my little Boston terrier down Newbury Street all the time. Works like a charm.” @

[Photos by Eric Levin]

Personality plus: Meet my multiple drinking personalities

Sara Faith Alterman — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 19:17:00 GMT

I HAVE multiple personalities. No, not like Sally Field in Sybil. Rather, these unique identities are multiple drinking personalities that emerge late at night, after I’ve been throwing ’em back for a few hours. Depending on what I’m imbibing, I adopt demeanors that can range from demure and nostalgic to slutty heathen wild child. And these drinking personalities aren’t one-trick ponies: again and again, I’ve seen that wine makes me weepy, that vodka makes my toes tap, and that whiskey makes me downright insane. Come along as I introduce you to my other selves.

Enjoying a glass of wine can be a sophisticated sort of relaxation, or, paired with the right food, a gastronomical adventure. My penchant for vino began as a kid, when I would watch with envy as my mother enjoyed her daily five o’clock chardonnay, known in our house as “wine time.” I adopted this tradition some time ago, and my own “wine time” is often shared with girlfriends, a way for us to relax and catch up.

Of course, when you’re drinking with friends, that one glass of wine always turns into a bottle and a half. And then, Sappy Sara makes her appearance. For whatever reason, white wine is a potent emotional elixir, coaxing cheesy sentiments from my girly little brain, which flow from my mouth almost as easily as the wine flows from the bottle. In my experience, this inevitably turns an early-evening catch-up session into a schmaltz-fest, filled with nostalgia and weeping. “Our friendship is so important to me,” I’ll often find myself slurring, after clumsily sloshing my glass in an earnest, sloppy toast. “I cannot tell you enough. No, I cannot tell you enough how much you mean to me. No, no, I cannot tell you enough. I love you so much, I loveyousomuch.”

With lady friends, this onslaught of sentiment is not such a big deal; after all, we embrace our emotions, clutch them, own them. I can’t say the same about men — especially my boyfriend, a/k/a/ Robot Sam. Think I’m exaggerating? I once asked Robot Sam to tell me about his feelings, and his response was, “Well ... I’m feeling kind of hungry. And a little bit tired.”

Imagine his distaste for my wine-induced ramblings about meaning and emotions and cuddles and puppies. Take my birthday, for example. This year, Robot Sam took me to Sorellina (1 Huntington Avenue, Boston, 617.412.4600), where we enjoyed a bottle of riesling with dinner. Between the candlelight, the corner table, and the three glasses of wine, it was all I could do to keep the waterworks from drenching our entrées. I talked and talked and talked about how much Sam meant to me, how much dinner meant to me, how much meaning meant to me. In vino veritas, so they say — but in my case, it’s In vino an awkward amount of emoting.

Speaking of awkward, let’s talk about dancing, and how I’m about as suited for it as I’m suited for, say, a moustache. Despite my stint as a college sorority girl and my penchant for sparkly tank tops, I have terrible, terrible rhythm. I know it, my friends know it, everybody in the club knows it. When I dance, people clear the floor — not in a “We’re in a movie and this is the protagonist’s moment to shine!” sort of way, but rather in a “Whoa, I’m embarrassed for that girl and her eight left feet!” manner.

I’ve accepted this lack of coordination, and I tend to avoid dancing, unless it’s at weddings. Or if I’ve been drinking vodka. Specifically, vodka and Red Bull, which not only gives me wings but dancing shoes, too. A few of these cocktails and suddenly Disco Sara emerges. She’s Britney, Beyoncé, and Jennifer Beals, all rolled up into one fierce package of dance-tastic-ness. My dance fever is most likely to rear its ugly head at the Phoenix Landing (512 Mass Ave, Cambridge, 617.576.6260), where, on Friday and Saturday nights, ’80s music and Top 40 smashes reign supreme. A night at the Phoenix usually begins with me glued shyly to a barstool and ends with me standing on a table, shaking my pathetic white-girl booty and screaming along to “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go.” In between these bookends, countless vodkas have teamed up with that sweet potion of energetic trickery to fool me into believing that I am a dancing queen.

Then there’s tequila. Oh, cursed maiden of death, bringer of blackouts and hangovers that rival the Black Plague. I learned the hard way that there is no faster way to knock me whimpering to my knees than to slam a few shots of tequila without carbo-loading for three days first. These days, I take my tequila in margarita form — and before it sucker-punches me in the gut, tequila sets me into flirtation overdrive. I don’t want to say that I’m slutty when I drink tequila, but ... I’m slutty when I drink tequila. (Maybe slutty is the wrong word. Certainly flirty would describe it. Touchy, even. Or downright shameless. No matter the adjective, there’s no doubt about it: tequila is my Spanish fly. Or Mexican fly. Whatever.) The Cactus Club (939 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.236.0200) is my love den of choice when I’m jonesin’ for margaritas and a little action. The patrons are hot, the bartenders are hot, and after a few margaritas ($6.50 to $8), I feel hotter than the Tijuana sun. Sexy Sara? Not quite. Maybe Self-Confident Sara, or perhaps Delusional Sara. Yeah, that’s probably it. Sigh.

Last but not least, there’s my most favorite drink — which brings with it my least favorite personality. After college, I spent a few years living in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It’s not exactly the deep-and-dirty South, but it’s far enough below the Mason-Dixon line that I developed a teensy drawl and a penchant for bourbon, which I drink on the rocks. (It’s the only way, unless you want some bleached-blonde redneck trailer troll named Jolene screaming at you about how you’re a “fuuuuhhhhckin’ pussy.”) It wasn’t until I started drinking it myself that I truly understood why people who drink bourbon morph into rowdy, slobbery, chain-smoking trainwrecks. One sip of that sweet, smoky, liquid enabler and I’m on the express rail to Crazytown. The more bourbon I suck down, the thicker my drawl (and I was raised near Boston). For me, bourbon isn’t just liquid courage — it’s liquid balls. Liquid balls of steel. I trash-talk. I yell. I make rude observations about the people around me, and if they happen to hear me? Well, I don’t give a fuuuuuhck. Shit-Talkin’ Sara will kick their asses, anyway.

Case in point: my recent 10-year high-school reunion. I’d resigned myself to skipping it in favor of a night out with friends, a celebration of my present rather than a rumination of my past (or some crap like that). When reunion night rolled around, instead of pouring myself into an out-of-my-price-range outfit in an attempt to trick the people who made my teen years a living a hell into thinking that I live a more-glamorous-than-thou lifestyle, I instead met up with Fletcher and Special Ed from WFNX’s morning show, The Sandbox, who were finishing up a gig at Kitty O’Shea’s (131 State Street, Boston, 617.725.0100). These guys are the anti-glamour, the perfect alternative to the small-talk bullshit I was sure to encounter during a night of reuniting with people with whom I was never united in the first place. We hit the bars, and I hit the bottle. Hard. After reuniting myself with a few rounds of Jack Daniels, it occurred to me: I am, like, way better than those high-school assholes! I should, like, totally haul my ass over there and rip their stupid party to stupid shreds! Yep, I’m crashing my reunion, boys, and you’re coming with me! Yeeee-ha!

This, friends, this is where bourbon gets me into trouble. It makes me think I’m smarter, prettier, tougher, and funnier than anyone in my immediate vicinity. In truth, it only makes me louder.

In my liquored up state, I was convinced that I knew exactly where to find the class of ’97 and their strained simpering, so we hopped in a cab and I gave the driver the name of the bar we were headed to, plus an approximation of the address. But when we hopped out ... no reunion. Bourbon had failed me.

No matter. Fortunately, we were right near Harvard Gardens (316 Cambridge Street, Boston, 617.523.2727), which has one of the best nighttime soundtracks around. In we barged. Up to the bar for more bourbon, more yelling, and some elbowing people out of the way with all my self-entitled might. I think I might have actually screamed, “Out of my way, bitches!” to a group of nicely dressed girls. If you’re reading this, ladies, sorry about that. It wasn’t me. It was Jack. @

[Illustration by Dee Densmore]

Strike up the brand: A look at our favorite liquor labels

Heather Bouzan — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:46:00 GMT

A bottle of Old Codger Fine Old Tawny Port ($22.50), at BLM Wine + Spirits (1354 Comm Ave, Allston, 617.734.7700), might be the perfect gift for your crotchety grandpa — or your grumpy boyfriend.

We think Double Bastard Ale ($6.95), available at the Wine Gallery (516 Comm Ave, Boston, 617.266.9300), is the ideal post-break-up drink. If you have to ask why ...

Five elegant letters say it all. Stock up on Bitch Barossa grenache ($10.99) at Marty’s (193 Harvard Avenue, Allston, 617.782.3250). The emptier the bottle, the juicier the gossip.

What’s more manly than a pair of antlers? George T. Stagg Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey ($51.99), sold at V. Cirace & Son (173 North Street, Boston, 617.227.3193), is a great addition to any trophy room.

Rum Toucano Cachaça ($21.99) is like a tropical getaway in a bottle, what with the vivid sunset, cheerful toucan, and beach-ready “attire” on its label. The spirit is sold at Marty’s.

A mischievous little gnome on our bottle? We’ll drink to that. Find Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel ($9.95) at the Wine Gallery.

The vibrant label on the Lillet 70th Anniversary “Roby” ($17.99) bottle inspires us to celebrate — and so we do. Pick it up at V. Cirace & Son.

Given its name, Little Black Dress chardonnay ($9.99) could be the ultimate pre-party libation. Find it at V. Cirace & Son. @

Judgement day: Local bartenders share what they're really thinking about when you order that drink

Heather Bouzan — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 21:35:00 GMT

Call us “mean girls,” call us Simon Cowell, call us US Weekly — we can’t help it; we love to judge. Whether it’s the size of a trust fund, the desirability of a street address, or the thickness of a midsection, we find ourselves constantly (and a smidge wickedly) cooking up preconceptions about people based on superficial details. And we’re not the only ones. We asked six local bartenders to share the snap judgments they make based on the drink orders they take. What are they really thinking when you sheepishly order the pink concoction that you love so dearly? Read on.

Cosmopolitan
Daniel Motsinger, Radius (8 High Street, Boston, 617.426.1234): “Simple-drinking, very easy, needs something refreshing.”
Jason Zahlaway, Middlesex Lounge (315 Mass Ave, Cambridge, 617.868.6739): “Well, first of all, most likely a female, due to the color of the drink. Usually a person who orders a Cosmopolitan is put together quite well as far as their outfit goes. Someone who’s dressed sloppily isn’t going to order a Cosmo, but someone who is wearing something nice — it’s a good complement to the whole ensemble.”
Sara Armour, Pour House (907 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.236.1767): “I would say that you don’t know any other fruity drink. That person is definitely a girl, and she doesn’t really care that it’s going to take us a while to make it.”
Michael Ahearn, Stella (1525 Washington Street, Boston, 617.247.7747): “Usually classic, doesn’t take any chances. Usually a lady of a certain age.”
Patrick Sullivan, B-Side Lounge (92 Hampshire Street, Cambridge, 617.354.0766): “I didn’t realize it was ladies’ night. Honestly, what I think is, this person watches too much TV.”
Gabriel Foster, Davio’s (75 Arlington Street, Boston, 617.357.4810): “Unoriginal. Try something new.”
Trina Sturm, bartender at City Bar (61 Exeter Street, Boston, 617.933.4800) and the Beehive (541 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.423.0069): “Definitely a woman; most guys don’t order pink drinks. If they do, I think it’s without their knowledge. I think I would have to say that they’re in a rut, and they haven’t really moved on.”

Gin & Tonic
DM: “Gin & Tonic is for the long-going drinker who doesn’t want to overdo it too quickly.”
JZ: “Usually it’s a guy who’s going to order a Gin & Tonic, from my experience. Well, 75 percent of the time. Someone who’s reliable. Someone who’s traditional, classic. Knows what they want, doesn’t follow the trends.”
SA: “Gin & Tonic means that that’s what you saw your mother drinking growing up, and so you’re drinking that, because it’s all you really know.”
MA: “Gin & Tonic is usually, I would say, 30-something male. Usually the straight male. A guy’s guy.”
PS: “Genius. Forward-thinker. Gin makes you smarter — it’s a scientific fact.”
GF: “I would try to introduce them to Hendrick’s gin, because Hendrick’s gin is delicious. It’s flavored with cucumbers and rose petals, and if they’ve never tried it, they’re probably going to love it, especially in the summer. [Personality-wise], normal nine-to-fiver. Normal, in a good way.”
TS: “Probably somebody who just knows what they like and they have their staple. Unless they’re more specific. If they’re ordering a Plymouth and tonic or a Hendrick’s and tonic, I’d say maybe they’re a little bit more adventurous and still like their staple but maybe want to try something [new].”

Negroni
DM: “A Negroni is for a purist, a drinker who loves big flavor in a cocktail.”
JZ: “Usually someone who’s well-traveled, because it’s more of a traditional Italian drink. Obviously, if you go to most parts of the country, I don’t think people are going to be ordering Negronis. Here in Boston, it makes sense because of our closeness to Europe and a lot of the international people who live here.”
SA: “I don’t even know what a Negroni is. It’s a drink that you like saying, just because you like saying the name. It says that you just want to be a clown; you’re a comedian.”
MA: “Very rarely do I get an order for a Negroni, and there are two types of people that order it: either people over 70, or young gay men.”
PS: “We will not have a problem with this person — that’s the first thing that comes to my mind. This is a seasoned veteran of the bar.”
GF: “Not afraid to drink. It would usually be a man. If they had never tried a Negroni, because we have one on our signature list, they’re probably not going to like it. Campari’s pink, and it looks like it’s sweet, but it actually tastes like soil.”
TS: “They know what they want, especially if they’re telling me to stir it. If they’re telling me specifically how to make their Negroni, I know that they are an experienced drinker. They know what they want, and they’re not out to just get drunk. They’re out to actually enjoy their cocktail.”

Caipirinha
DM: “Someone who just wants to order something difficult to watch you do your work.”
JZ: “We [in Boston] have the largest population of Brazilians in the United States. It’s like, people who order them are basically starting to get turned on to Brazilian food and Brazilian culture, and that’s directly related to all the stuff that’s popping up around Boston. They’re excited when they order it; they get a kick out of it. So, someone who is curious.”
SA: “It means that, again, you don’t really care if it takes us time to muddle that; you will wait. And you’re feeling sort of ethnic, sort of Brazilian that day.”
MA: “Typically, you get the Brazilians who come in and tell you, ‘That’s not a Caipirinha,’ no matter how you make it. It’s kind of like giving an Italian someone else’s gravy — not as good as their mother’s. I feel like it’s a very sexy drink, and it’s somebody who can handle their liquor, because those things will definitely, definitely take you down.”
PS: “Tourist. That’s the first thing. This is one of those drinks people don’t like to drink as much as they like ordering the drink. They like to say the word ‘Caipirinha.’ This is like the mojito; I like to hear the way people say ‘mojito.’ It’s great laughs behind the bar. The Caipirinha and the mojito, as the number of drinks grows, the attitude ... by the end of it, you think that you’re watching someone in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, the way they snarl their face. It’s true.”
GF: “Caipirinha’s simply Euro. They’re probably from Brazil or Spain. They probably like to party.”
TS: “They’ve either never had it before and it sounds good to them, or they’ve had it before and they like that bite. I definitely think it’s someone who has tried quite a few other drinks in their past, because it’s not something that you come across. Caipirinha, it’s like the mojito was five years ago; nobody really knew about it, and now it’s one of the number-one drinks out there. A Caipirinha’s kind of the same way. Once you start ordering it and you order it with authority, I think you know what you’re doing and you know what you’re getting.”

Martini
DM: “Straight-up martini is just as classic as you can get. And you need one; you just need it.”
JZ: “It’s going to fall very much along the lines of the Gin & Tonic, since it’s a classic cocktail. The person who’s going to order a martini is usually a straight shooter. Their tastes aren’t very complicated, yet you find with people who order martinis, they are particular about what type of martini they’re going to get. I consider those people to be knowledgeable. Either you love them or you hate them.”
SA: “I would say that you have a high tolerance for pain. You could probably go to a business meeting afterward and be totally, appropriately drunk.”
MA: “I don’t think it gets more classic than that. I know that’s what I drink. I like just a simple, ‘Give me booze in a glass, and skip the vermouth.’ I would say
it’s somebody who likes a classic drink, doesn’t like to fool around, straight to the point — ‘Just give me my booze.’ ”
PS: “It depends. Anyone who asks for a martini list makes me shudder. Anyone who asks for a martini, I used to be okay with. Now I’m nervous. Because of vodka martinis, martini drinkers make me nervous. That’s the overall impression, a feeling that I get. First of all, vodka drinkers make me nervous. Vodka drinkers are always trouble; that’s the truth. Gin martini [drinkers], these people are the salt of the earth, pillars of the community.”
GF: “I would just ask you if it’s gin or vodka. Gin martini, they’re pretty serious about their cocktail, so they like to make it count. And vodka, they’re like gin-martini rookies.”
TS: “[Gin martini drinkers], they’re really, really enjoying their cocktail. I appreciate them so much. It’s not about the glass for them; it’s about the cocktail — that perfect balance between dry vermouth and the perfect gin of their choice. A gin martini drinker will never come up to you and say, ‘I want a martini.’ They want a specific brand of gin, they want it slightly dry. It’s very, very specific for them.”

French 75
DM: “French 75 is a very classic drinker, but one who likes a lot of fun in their cocktails.”
JZ: “A joyful person. Someone who’s not afraid to treat themselves, or pamper themselves.”
SA: “I would say that that person is out for a good night, and really knows their drinks. Someone who’s definitely bartended before, for sure.”
MA: “It’s more of an upscale drink. It’s usually someone who goes to the finer restaurants. Not to say we’re not a great restaurant, but we don’t really get that clientele. It’s kind of the person who’d be likely to order a Champagne cocktail, but wants it a little fortified, perhaps. I would definitely say it’s the more upscale clientele.”
PS: “If someone specifies that they want their French 75 made with gin, this person is the gold-star winner. They’re in the exclusive club of cocktailers. First of all, any drink made with Champagne is awesome, so this is a person who knows how to drink. And if they sit down and they specify, ‘Can I please have my French 75 with gin?’ then this person gets a high-five. [If a customer requests it made with brandy], I don’t know about that. I’m a gin guy. Gin makes you smarter. Why anyone would want brandy over gin is beyond me.”
GF: “A simply sophisticated woman.”
TS: “One of my favorite drinks. When someone orders that drink and they know what they’re getting, I just think that they want something balanced, they want something that’s refreshing, they want something that’s obviously classic. Thank you for being experienced enough to know a good cocktail that’s not overly strong, that’s just completely refreshing, and it’s completely balanced. They’re probably a balanced person themselves.”

Manhattan
DM: “Manhattan is for a patriarch.”
JZ: “Ah, Manhattan. Classic gentleman’s drink. Although ladies are more than welcome. A special tip of the hat to any female who orders a Manhattan. She has a steely personality. Steely, yet very attractive.”
SA: “I would say, someone who’s like 85 or above, channeling their grandparents. Just sort of like an old lady drink.”
MA: “Somebody after my own heart. I rarely serve Manhattans to women, unless they’re older women; I don’t think I’ve ever served a Manhattan to a young lady. Usually it’s a guy. It’s, again, a guy’s guy who wants his Manhattan — and don’t forget the bitters.”
PS: “Gentleman. Manhattan’s the greatest cocktail ever invented. The Manhattan is the drink, man. It’s like, say no more. At the B-Side, we make awesome Manhattans. This is why you’re drinking, is to get to this drink. But the martini and the Manhattan, I like you for the first one or two, but then I’m looking to call you a cab. Because no one can have more than one or two of these drinks; I don’t care who you are. It just turns south in a hurry.”
GF: “Old-school. [But] a woman who orders a Manhattan is, like, wow. It’s always shocking when a woman orders a Manhattan, because it’s a man’s drink. It’s just almost always men who order them. It’s kind of a tough-guy drink; it’s straight whiskey, more or less.”
TS: “That’s my drink of choice. I have an appreciation for any woman who orders brown liquor. And if it’s a guy, kudos. Again, an experienced cocktail drinker is going to want to be specific about it. If you are ordering a Manhattan, you’re pretty specific about it as well. You know what type of rye or bourbon or whatnot that you want in there. You say your brand, you say how you want it served, whether it’s straight-up or not, you tell me the garnish that you want on it, bitters or no bitters. Most people really are very specific about it. And if you order that, I’m going to make it with so much love, you’re going to just keep coming back for more.”

Shot of whiskey
DM: “A shot of whiskey is for someone who really had a bad day and is likely to order another one.”
JZ: “My type of person. All business. I think someone who’s not afraid to get their hands dirty. In my estimation, if they’re willing to swallow whiskey ... . After a hard day’s work, it’s nice to have a shot of whiskey, as far as I’m concerned.”
SA: “A shot of whiskey means that you’re a dude, and you want everyone to know that you’re a dude.”
MA: “If we’re talking about whiskey or single-malt scotch, it’s usually a gentleman, probably over 40, usually has a bit of money, especially if he’s ordering the single-malts. Usually a businessman.”
PS: “If it’s a man ordering whiskey, it’s very polished. Someone orders a glass of whiskey, I don’t have to worry too much about that person. If it’s a woman ordering a glass of whiskey, that’s extra, extra sexy.”
GF: “Older-school. Probably used to drink Manhattans, but now they just do a shot of whiskey. I think if they’re young, they’re trying to be a cowboy, but if they’re old, they’ve just been drinking whiskey for a long time.”
TS: “I’ve never had someone just come up to me and say, ‘Can I get a shot of whiskey?’ I’ve had people ask me for whiskey and whatever, whiskey and Coke or whiskey and soda, and I make them be more specific: ‘Do you want American whiskey, Canadian whisky? Do you want a blended?’ Whiskey’s a huge, huge category. So for me, a shot of whiskey is more of a conversation-starter than anything. I’m going to get them to be specific, and I’m going to want to know why they’re ordering a shot. And I think they’ve been probably been watching too many cowboy movies.”

Pisco Sour
DM: “Someone who I want to know.”
JZ: “Someone who is, for lack of a better word, trendy. Or someone who’s interested in the latest trends in drinks. And is an adventurous drinker.”
SA: “I’d say, ‘Christmas is over; order something without food in it.’ It says that you’re just getting beefed up. You’re just trying to drink some protein. It’s like a protein shake at the bar. Egg white is the most pure form of protein, and you’re aware of that at all times.”
MA: “The Pisco Sour is pretty much a Latin drink. It’s definitely somebody who’s either Latin or exposed or into Latin culture, because it’s so specific with the egg whites and the Pisco, and it’s pretty hard to find somebody who’s carrying Pisco. It’s usually someone who’s worldly, let’s say. Definitely somebody who’s been around, who’s traveled.”
PS: “My first thought is, put down your Food & Wine magazine and go out and do something. That’s my first thought. The Pisco Sour, this is one of those drinks that, this is a Food & Wine drink, and no one really drinks these.”
GF: “I would think that they’re presumptuous. We don’t make those here. I know they make those at Eastern Standard; maybe I would send them over there. Because I know they make fantastic Pisco Sours at Eastern Standard.”
TS: “When someone orders a Pisco Sour, I think that they’re into the cocktail scene, they kind of know what they’re talking about. And I’m hoping that they understand that it should have the egg white, and if you’re lucky enough to go to a bar that actually uses that, I hope they appreciate it. I hope they’re not thinking that, ‘Ooh, Pisco’s some weird liquor I’ve never heard of, but I know I like sours.’ I’m hoping that they understand what they’re getting, and that they have an appreciation for it.” @

[Photos by Ian Barnard}

Testing My Resolve: One man’s (embarrassingly public) quest to choose a New Year’s resolution

Michael Diskin — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:12:00 GMT

I'VE NEVER been a big New Year's resolution kind of guy. I can't remember the last time I resolved to stop doing anything on the first day of the year. (Except in 2002 when, face down in a hotel toilet, I declared I would never, ever drink Sambuca again. Not exactly a soul-searching moment of self-improvement, but I suppose it was a resolution nonetheless.) Don't get me wrong: I don't consider myself perfect. As you're about to learn, I have more than my share of bad habits. To me, it just seems cliché to give one up at the start of a new year. (Not to mention the fact that I need most of my vices intact to ensure a properly celebrated holiday, followed by a full recovery the next day.)

So when my editor asked me to write a first-person piece about this year's resolutions, I had to give it some serious thought. Am I willing and ready to share my inadequacies with the entire city of Boston? Is there something I truly need to give up? And most importantly, will I actually be able to do it? The thing is, being good isn't always easy, but being bad always is. I ask you to keep that in mind as I air my dirty laundry on a clothesline stretched clear across the city. Some of the stains have set more than others, but let's see if we can't clean things up a bit.

Potential New Year's resolution #1: change my eating habits
I've never been a good eater. For as long as I can remember, I've wrestled with nutrition. As a kid, I somehow managed to sustain myself on a diet of hot dogs and Cap'n Crunch, a meal plan that clearly explains my doughy adolescent physique. College was no better. I can probably count on one hand the number of salads I ate during my university years. (Hell, hack off three of my fingers and I'm fairly sure I could still get an accurate count.) So now I'm an adult. I've expanded my palate, right? Yes. With a few exceptions, I've learned to appreciate most foods. (I will say, however, that I still don't get sushi. I've tried to like it - several times, in fact. But when it comes to eating raw fish, I'm like a failed female porn star: I just can't seem to get my gag reflex under control.) But just because I like healthy food doesn't mean I eat it. Aversions have given way to laziness, and lately I find myself with the diet of a hungover frat boy. For example, I wish I could tell you I didn't stop at McDonald's yesterday for a late-night assault, but I can't. Let's put "eating habits" in the running.

Potential New Year's resolution #2: reduce caffeine intake
It's noon. So far today I've consumed a large Starbucks iced coffee (with an extra shot), and I'm halfway through a can of Red Bull that'll surely be empty by the time this paragraph is written. I'm so damn jacked up right now that I can hardly type. Clenched jaw and twitching aside, I really love caffeine. It's an acceptable social pastime, an effective yet legal stimulant, and with my eating habits (see above), an important natural laxative. Sorry, folks: this one's here to stay.

Potential New Year's resolution #3: get organized
I'm about as organized as a flea market. I manage most things in my life using an intricate yet totally useless pile system. I have two piles of bills: paid and unpaid. I have two piles of clothes: clean and dirty. I even have two piles for miscellaneous stuff: shit I'm scared to throw out and shit I probably should throw out but am too disorganized to actually do so. Over the years, I've tried to get a grip on this problem. My efforts have included purchasing a filing cabinet, adopting several daily planners that I used for a sum total of three weeks, and keeping an Outlook calendar that now contains entirely unhelpful entries like "meeting" and "event." I could certainly use some work in this area, but I just don't think I'm wired to be organized. (Even though I'm a self-proclaimed "ass man," I can't stand being anal.) Can I let you in on a secret? I haven't balanced my checkbook in more than five years. See, I'm useless. Moving on.

Potential New Year's resolution #4: quit smoking
I just turned 38 years old and I started smoking a little over a year ago. Yeah, I know: brilliant. When I was selecting this most recent vice, I briefly considered other intelligent pastimes, like catching stray bullets and sparring with pit bulls, but neither provided me with that lovely ashtray stench I'd apparently been craving. My smoking, originally taken up to help me through a difficult time in my life, has now become my embarrassing go-to stress reliever. Ahh, the calming purr of a well-blackened lung: pure bliss. This little problem is now firmly in the lead.

Potential New Year's resolution #5: stop drinking
I've never had a problem with drinking. Hey, wait a minute. Saying that kind of makes me sound like I do have a problem with drinking, doesn't it? But I don't, do I? I suspect I'm like most of you: out a few nights a week, plus a random bottle of wine or two at home. Could I drink less? Sure. We all could, but I don't consider it a problem. (Damn, there I go again.) The only time I ever do consider it an issue is when I'm filling out a questionnaire at the doctor's office. (You know, when they give you a range of "drinks per week" and, if you answer honestly, you find yourself well off the chart.) To be honest, I'm too much of a pussy to be a drunk. I don't posses the grit, determination, or eclectic taste needed for the project. My drink of choice is a vodka-cranberry, otherwise known as a Cape Codder. What respectable drunk would have that as their default libation? Next.

Potential New Year's resolution #6: give up complicated younger women
They like me. Unfortunately, I tend to like them back. I seem to have this in control for now, but just to be safe, let's re-examine this in '09, mm-kay?

Potential New Year's resolution #7: manage my money
I like to make it and I like to spend it. I just don't think I'm as good at the former as I am the latter. The result: I'm not as good as I should be with money. (Oh, like that's a shock. I've already admitted to five years of screwed-up checkbooks; need I say more?) I tend to spend money emotionally - which, the last time I checked, was not one of Suze Orman's personal-finance recommendations. I just like to buy things that make me happy. And I really like to buy things that make other people happy. Now, women, especially you younger, complicated ladies, don't go getting any ideas. Remember, I work for Stuff@night, not Esquire. I'd go into specifics, but I suppose the illusion of having money is nearly as good as actually having it. So I'll just shut my mouth and move on.

So let's review. We've determined that I'm a cigarette-smoking, over-caffeinated, disorganized poor eater who may or may not have a drinking problem and likes to spend money recklessly on complicated young women. Is it just me, or does it sound as if I'm a bad knit cap and Irish brogue away from being Colin Farrell?

All kidding aside, I really like the person I am (aforementioned faults included). Maybe I'm wrong, but I think bad habits and vices are the good stuff - the things that make ordinary people interesting. That said, I can't exactly air out a stinking pile of laundry and not do something about it. So for my New Year's resolution, I've decided I'm going to quit smoking. If you see me huddled outside a bar with a cigarette in my hand, ask me to put it out. Bring me back inside, buy me a Cape Codder, or maybe introduce me to your complicated younger sister. Whatever you do, just remind me that I have a promise to keep.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go. I've prepared a bowl of Cap'n Crunch for dinner and it's starting to get soggy.

Happy New Year. @

[Illustration by Kevin Banks]

In Recovery: The holidays are finally over. Here’s how to unwind and chill out, stat.

Heather Bouzan — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 16:54:00 GMT

ALL THE THINGS we love about the holidays - the expensive bottles of wine, the multi-course meals, the fancy soirées that end with breakfast - are also the things that leave us bleary-eyed, pudgy, and hating ourselves come the season's proverbial "morning after." As much as it pains us to admit it, even we find ourselves craving a few nights in, a simple salad ... in a word, a little detox. So here's a roundup of nightspots, spa treatments, classes, and cultural activities that give our puffy lids time to shrink and our livers a chance to regenerate. Trust us, after a few calm days and quiet nights, you'll be yanking your Louboutins out of the back of your closet rejuvenated and ready to make your re-entry onto the social scene.

raising the bar on relaxing
Yes, we said we wanted to chill out - but we never purported to swear off drinking entirely. Instead of heading to the city's latest hotspot only to endure long lines, cramped bars, and far too many air kisses, we recommend a low-key hangout where you can disappear into a corner with a well-mixed drink and - if you're feeling social - a chatty friend. We love the way the low-lit, bookish Washington Square Tavern (714 Washington Street, Brookline, 617.232.8989) quiets us upon entering; once the bartender slides us a glass of wine from a well-chosen list, we've all but melted into our stool. There aren't many bars in this city where we'd hang solo, but this is one of them. A quick cab or T ride down Beacon Street is Audubon Circle (838 Beacon Street, Boston, 617.421.1910), where we can't help but feel as relaxed and casual as the clientele - no buttoned-up business types here. Cambridge Common (1667 Mass Ave, Cambridge, 617.547.1228) has always been a comforting spot to grab a post-work beer without the nuisance of eager, chatty singles, and we've always felt at home at Clery's cousin Brownstone (111 Dartmouth Street, Boston, 617.867.4142), with its slightly older, slightly more sober crowd. Another option? Hit your favorite nightspots when it's - the horror! - still light out. Alibi (Liberty Hotel, 215 Charles Street, Boston, 617.224.4000), still new and hot enough to be mobbed at peak hours, envelops us in its basement calm on off nights, and 28 Degrees (One Appleton Street, Boston, 617.728.0728) is an early-evening treat.

lose the booze
If your holiday revelries have left you unable look at another alcoholic beverage without needing to hightail it to the restroom, plenty of local bartenders have created mocktails with you - and your hard-drinking reputation - in mind. Want to enjoy Sushi Teq (InterContinental, 510 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, 617.747.1000) without indulging in the latter half of the restaurant's moniker? Pair your spicy tuna rolls and salmon sashimi with booze-free margaritas offered in lush, fruity flavors, including Blackberry Mango ($6) and Blood Orange Strawberry ($6). Meanwhile, the doting bartenders at Eastern Standard (528 Comm Ave, Boston, 617.532.9100) have devoted a whole section of their cocktail list to non-alcoholic tipples. The Stormy Monday ($5), a ginger-beer-based beverage, can assuage even the queasiest of stomachs, and the Sophisticated Lady ($5), which melds cranberry and cucumber, is just that. And we love the connotations of the Lemmy Tum Tum ($5), described as a "cure for what ails you." If even those are too close to the real stuff for comfort, find solace in a pot of peppermint tea - or another of more than 25 varieties - offered at the 1369 Coffee House (1369 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, 617.576.1369; 757 Mass Ave, Cambridge, 617.576.4600), with locations in Inman and Central squares. They're open later than most coffee shops, too, boasting hours until 10 or 11 p.m. nightly.

weighty issues
If it's sustenance you desire, we can only assume that it's the light, low-fat stuff you're looking for after the gluttony that is December. Forgo rich, creamy dishes for tastes from the raw bar at Neptune Oyster (63 Salem Street, Boston, 617.742.3474) or East Coast Grill (1271 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, 617.491.6568), and sate your sweet tooth with the super-fresh Watermelon and Feta Tidbit appetizer ($7.95) at Vlora (545 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.638.9699). Eateries like Harvest (44 Brattle Street, Cambridge, 617.868.2255), Garden at the Cellar (991 Mass Ave, Cambridge, 617.230.5880), and Craigie Street Bistrot (5 Craigie Circle, Cambridge, 617.497.5511) are known for their natural, wholesome takes on fresh, simple foods with big flavors, and we've long admired the merits of the salad selection at the Metropolitan Club (1210 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill, 617.731.0600). And as we reported earlier in this issue, keep an eye out for the ultimate in detoxifying dishes with the opening of Alissa Cohen's new raw restaurant, Grezzo (69 Prince Street, Boston).

gym dandies
We've always subscribed to the idea that the best way to cure a hangover (no matter that this one has lasted weeks) is to sweat it out. We all have our favorite trainer - or the neighborhood gym to which we've vowed to devote our lives come January 1 - but there are other ways to supplement those hours on the elliptical machine. To get the booze oozing out of your pores quickly, turn up the heat, literally, with a Bikram yoga class. With the average temperature cranked up to 105 degrees and 40 percent humidity, you won't leave the class dry - but you will emerge incredibly clear-headed and cleansed. A number of classes are offered daily at Bikram Yoga Boston (108 Lincoln Street, Loft 1A, Boston, 617.556.9926) and Bikram Yoga Harvard Square (30 JFK Street, Second Floor, Cambridge, 617.54.SWEAT). If you're in need of a little extra oomph (i.e., you'll talk yourself out of that workout with the slightest provocation), we suggest plunging in headfirst with a session at Ultimate Bootcamp (www.ultimatebootcamp.com; 617.787.1224). The program kicks off '08 with a six-week class held outdoors on Boston Common Monday through Thursday mornings beginning on January 7. For less hardy folk, indoor sessions begin on January 7 and February 25. After a few workouts, you won't even think about sleeping through that early-morning wake-up call. Finally, mixing things up with your gym's group fitness classes is always beneficial. Not only will you work muscles you likely never knew you had, you'll also be less inclined to allow yourself an out when the going gets tough - especially when the post-menopausal woman with Madonna arms next to you is crunching her abs double-time. Each gym has its own roster of offerings, some more creative than others (think stripper-pole workouts, samba dancing, ass-class); one of the more innovative and imaginative of the bunch is Equinox (131 Dartmouth Street, Boston, 617.578.8918), which debuts new classes including "Hardbody Meltdown" (exaggerated step-training), "Red Carpet Ready" (covering cardio and toning, plus confidence, poise, and grace), and "Temple Dance" (sexy, exotic moves to world music) in January.

spaaah!
If your definition of "sweating it out" involves a stint in the steam room after a spa treatment, we have some less active (yet still rejuvenating) options worth exploring. Heat up with a 75-minute Hot Stone Massage ($100) at Inman Oasis (243 Hampshire Street, Cambridge, 617.491.0176) - the rocks work wonders on a fatigued body - followed by a soothing soak in one of the wellness center's hot tubs. If you'd rather scrub away your demons, try the Urban Renewal Exfoliating Facial ($125) at G Spa (35 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.267.4772), which incorporates cleansing enzymes; exfoliating alpha hydroxy acids; and hydrating cranberry, pomegranate, and green-tea moisturizers. If your eyelids are puffy from too many carbs, too much booze, and too little sleep, head to Pyara (104 Mt. Auburn Street, Cambridge, 617.497.9300) for the Revitalizing Eye Treatment ($35; $25 as a spa enhancement), while people looking for a full-body experience might do well to invest in the Sea Foam Head-to-Toe Body Ritual ($265) at Bella Santé (38 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.424.9930), featuring two hours of re-mineralizing, oxygenizing masques, scrubs, and creams.

it's academic
Don't be afraid to get studious about your detoxing. The Cambridge Center for Adult Education (42 Brattle Street, Cambridge, 617.547.6789) offers evening and weekend classes in subjects as diverse as "Introduction to Decoupage" (beginning January 15) and "Greek Philosophy" (beginning January 16); visit www.ccae.org to browse the winter course catalog. If you've been itching to put pen to paper and engage in more literary pursuits, enliven your prose with one of the themed writing workshops at Grub Street (160 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.695.0075). Updated listings are posted at www.grubstreet.org. Food and wine education more your speed? The latest addition to the Barbara Lynch empire, Stir (102 Waltham Street, Boston, 617.423.STIR), offers classes with a sophisticated take on both, including an introduction to chenin blanc on January 7 and, on January 8 and 9, instruction on how to assemble Lynch's "No. 9 Classics" such as prune-stuffed gnocchi and steak tartare. And the Boston Wine School (1354 Comm Ave, Boston, 617.784.7150) leaves no bottle uncorked in its quest for vino wisdom.

art attack
If you crave culture's more social side, Boston has a wealth of opportunities. The ICA (100 Northern Avenue, Boston, 617.478.3100) offers date-worthy programming that swaps late nights at the bar for lectures, films, and performance pieces that inspire discussion. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (280 The Fenway, Boston, 617.566.1401) appeals to a young, savvy crowd with its "Gardner After Hours" events every third Thursday of the month; on January 17, attend "People and Portraits," which includes a drawing session, tours of the museum's portrait collection, and, for an additional fee, the Boston debut performance of the International Contemporary Ensemble in "Composer Portraits: Music of Magnus Lindberg." And cultural veterans like the Museum of Fine Arts (465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, 617.267.9300) and the Museum of Science (Science Park, Boston, 617.723.2500) have also stepped it up in an attempt to appeal to more than just big-name donors and grade-school field trippers. The MFA has made a name for itself as an edgy live music venue, and it also sponsors mfafirstfridays cocktail events and "Winesday" wine tastings on the last Wednesday of every month; the scientifically minded can find romance in the Museum of Science's planetarium or rock out to Zeppelin, U2, the Beatles, and Metallica at a laser show. And there's always the cool, dark, hangover-dulling sanctuary of a movie theater: the Somerville Theatre (55 Davis Square, Somerville, 617.625.5700), the Coolidge Corner Theatre (290 Harvard Street, Brookline, 617.734.2500), the Harvard Film Archive (24 Quincy Street, Cambridge, 617.495.4700), and the Brattle Theatre (40 Brattle Street, Cambridge, 617.876.6838) all have eclectic offerings. @

[Photos by Kelly Davidson]

Nouvelle New England: These are not your great-great-grandfather’s hoecakes

MC Slim JB — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 20:29:00 GMT

NEW ENGLAND’S culinary tradition may be America’s oldest, but it’s not often considered its most delicious. After all, our local cuisine originally sprang from the British Isles, land of the boiled potato and overdone roast, and the Pilgrims, whose religious convictions and the harsh privations of early colonization demanded a bland parsimony at the table. Consider two signature dishes of our colonial forebears: New England boiled dinner, a wan soup of stringy boiled beef and root vegetables, and red flannel hash, the remains of the previous night’s boiled dinner chopped up for the next morning’s breakfast. Is it any wonder that the only Boston restaurant still dishing out unrepentant Olde New England cookery is Durgin-Park, a cartoonish, conglomerate-owned Faneuil Hall tourist trap?

Fortunately, New England cuisine didn’t stop evolving with the Puritans, but continued to absorb influences from subsequent waves of immigrants from all over the world. And we remain blessed with an incredible range of fresh local foodstuffs: abundant seafood; superb dairy products; heirloom fruits and berries; wild game; beautiful squashes, corn, and legumes; good beer and cider. Independent chef/owners have cultivated a more modern local cuisine that highlights the best of our local forests, farms, and fisheries, but supplants Puritan frugality with epicurean flair and the accents of later-arriving New Englanders. You can continue to enjoy your plain boiled lobster and Indian pudding; just don’t overlook the efforts of our most creative local chefs to update classic New England dishes.

Union Bar & Grille
A relative veteran of the burgeoning South End restaurant scene, Union Bar & Grille (1357 Washington Street, Boston, 617.423.0555) hews to a modern New American ethos that favors local, seasonal ingredients in refreshed versions of American classics. Its handsome ambience is bolstered by a mostly American wine list and famously smooth service. Perhaps in response to its scads of new nearby competitors, Union offers an autumn prix-fixe menu, making it possible to have a three-course feast featuring game, gourds, tree nuts, root vegetables, and maple syrup ($40; $68 with wine pairings) that would have been mostly foraged or hunted in the wild three centuries ago.

An appetizer of wild boar in a gingersnap braise is a bit gamier than farmed pork loin (like dark turkey meat versus light), flanked by a featherweight parsnip purée and showered with crunchy fried sweet-potato matchsticks. A hefty medallion of seared New Zealand venison is milder and leaner than the liverish meat of wild deer served in my hunting cousins’ homes, but benefits from a sweet-spiced, concentrated pan gravy. The roasted chestnuts in this jus are a little confounding: they have a pleasant flavor reminiscent of chickpeas, but an odd chewy/chalky texture.

More appealing are sides of pumpkin spätzle (like gnarled yet fluffy gnocchi) and wilted turnip greens. A recently offered maple bread pudding tastes of Grade B syrup, the darker, more intensely flavored product that maple farmers reserve for themselves while selling so-called Grade A syrup at a premium to unwitting outsiders. Granted, most of these dishes would be as familiar to Squanto and Myles Standish as Martian cuisine, but the refined treatment of high-quality rustic ingredients suits this posh urban oasis to a T.

Petit Robert Bistro
How could a modest-looking Parisian bistro in Kenmore Square evoke classic New England cuisine? Certainly not in the canonical French classics featured here, like charcuterie, duck confit, bouillabaisse, coq au vin, cassoulet, and steak frites. Yet there is one clear echo of that homely Yankee one-pot supper, the aforementioned New England boiled dinner, which Petit Robert Bistro (468 Comm Ave, Boston, 617.375.0699) exalts with a Gallic flair and luxury that might furrow a Boston Brahmin’s stingy brow. When a premature arctic breeze whistling down Comm Ave has me turning up my collar, Petit Robert’s pot au feu ($16) manages to warm my chilly bones from the inside.

The basic boiled dinner ingredients are all here: a tough, cheap, fatty cut of beef (boneless short ribs) braised slowly to falling-apart tenderness, plus some parsley-flecked potatoes, carrots, and onions (but no cabbage) in a mild, clear broth. What boosts this stew to kingly heights is the side plate of roasted marrow bone (a donut-sized shank segment) garnished with dollops of Dijon mustard and pink-tinged horseradish dressing. The steaming marrow, spooned onto hunks of excellent baguette, is unctuous and decadent-tasting, a coarse country cousin of the noble foie gras.

One could hardly follow this elegant gloss on the Irish-heritage boiled bacon and cabbage with mere pumpkin pie, so we opt for a pumpkin soufflé ($10) with cinnamon crème Anglaise, which arrives the promised 20 minutes later. It’s as scalding, sweet, and steamily evanescent as a salacious dream. (There’s one more parallel to Olde New England here in the refreshingly stony demeanor of the waitstaff. They offer no obsequious smiles, no phony familiarity — just a taciturn, workmanlike service that, while eminently French, would not seem out of place in Puritan Boston.)

Green Street
Under new Cambridge-native ownership, Central Square institution Green Street (280 Green Street, Cambridge, 617.876.1655) dropped its spicy Caribbean menu in favor of casual Yankee cooking for the 21st century. Chef Peter Sueltenfuss’s innovative approach to old-timey New England fare is exemplified by his treatment of bluefish, an oily local game fish that in clumsier hands can be unpleasantly fishy. On most local menus, bluefish is carefully trimmed of its darkest meat and grilled to reduce its natural greasiness, or smoked and mashed with cream cheese into a mild pâté. Here, Sueltenfuss produces an extraordinary appetizer of bluefish ($8) by curing thin filets in-house with salt and sugar. The result has the tender, almost-melting texture of cured salmon while retaining the unmistakable blue-gray color and richness of bluefish. This artisanal product is remarkable by itself but well-served by its piquant accompaniments: crunchy pickled green beans, cubes of vinaigrette-dressed beets, and a sinus-clearing horseradish cream. Combine bites of these on chunks of crusty bread and you get the flinty New England cousin of that deli classic: lox, cream cheese, and red onion on a bagel.

New England-style chowder is another traditional dish that’s inspired many colloquial variants. What they share is a clear broth lightened with cream or milk, cured pork (often fatback) for saltiness, root vegetables, and local sweet corn, lobster, oysters, clams, or cod, usually with a garnish of plain crackers. Some versions are absurdly rich with heavy cream, others lighter-bodied with whole milk. In Rhode Island, chowder is sometimes served clear, whitened to each diner’s taste with hot milk or cream at the table. Aficionados agree that the only unforgivable sin — one constantly committed in lesser restaurants — is heavy-handed thickening with flour or cornstarch.

Green Street’s chowder ($8) is a beautifully light, inland-style corn chowder with bacon, potatoes, and a touch of cream. Its novel twist is the addition of crisp, deep-fried soft-shell clams, combining the flavors of sweet corn chowder, fried clams, and briny clam chowder in a single bowl. You might add a side of the excellent, not-oversweetened baked beans with molasses-rich brown bread ($5) to complete the nutritious and frugal meal. It will gladden the hearts of your swamp-Yankee ancestors, who’d probably rather not know how tasty it all is.

Neptune Oyster
With its extensive raw bar and French-inspired menu of mostly seafood specialties, Neptune Oyster (63 Salem Street, Boston, 617.742.3474) provides a rare respite from the North End’s endless procession of Italian restaurants. But it also may be the best small-Western-style seafood restaurant in Boston, offering an astonishingly fresh, broad, and thoughtfully prepared cornucopia of local and flown-in marine delicacies: littlenecks and quahogs; steamers and mussels; crab, lobster, and langoustines; sea urchin, squid, and octopus; sardines, tuna, bluefish, and anchovies; sturgeon and trout; smoked salmon and salt cold. Neptune’s kitchen sings of the river and the sea, the raw and the cooked, the smoked and the cured, in salads and crudos, deep-fries and stews and grills. If you want to show a visitor what New England seafood is about, this is a nonpareil starting point.

On Monday nights, Neptune gives a rare nod to its Italian neighbors by featuring a special of lobster spaghettini ($33). This is a big, bold-flavored dish, a mound of slightly underdone pasta with copious chunks of Maine lobster tail meat, sauced in a spicy plum-tomato marinara with white wine and a fistful of sliced garlic, topped with Parmigiano and dark-roasted breadcrumbs. This makes a fitting follow-up to the similarly Italophilic oyster stew ($10), a true minestrone loaded with poached oysters and the pungent aroma of fresh oregano. You might argue that the delicate flavor of lobster and oysters are overwhelmed by the insistent Mediterranean flavors of these dishes, but you’d go unheeded by the crowds packing Neptune on a night when its competitors are mostly empty, and the special always runs out well before the kitchen closes.

Pops
With its elegant turn-of-last-century décor, Pops (560 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.695.1250) looks as fancy as its tonier South End neighbors, but has prices (all under $22) that put it in a more modest class. Chef/owner Felino Samson serves a kind of elevated comfort food that attracts thrifty Bostonians who might feel guilty splurging on a Tuesday-night dinner. Indeed, Pops often seems more packed with locals than the wealthy suburbanites who flood the neighborhood on weekends, no doubt drawn by Samson’s creative-yet-budget-friendly stamp on prosaic dishes like the stuffed quahog.

This staple of Rhode Island clam shacks is designed to make the best use of the quahog, a cheap, oversized hard-shell clam with tough, chewy meat. In its traditional preparation, a steamed quahog is removed from its shell, chopped, mixed with a mild Wonder Bread stuffing, and stuffed back into the shell for serving. Samson’s update of the humble “stuffie” ($9) doesn’t vary much from this formula; it just uses better ingredients with more trenchant flavors: very fresh quahogs, homemade Portuguese-bread crumbs, diced linguiça (a garlicky Portuguese pork sausage), sweet corn, a vibrant topping of minced tarragon and parsley, and a dollop of eye-wateringly garlicky aioli.

Samson has managed to punch up a beloved but often insipid shore-food classic with flavors from the Portuguese-speaking immigrant community that historically manned much of our local fishing industry. His glamorized stuffie is another example of how classic New England cuisine is evolving to reflect the increasing diversity and culinary sophistication of New Englanders themselves. With chefs like these at work, we can all be thankful we’ve moved beyond pot roast and codcakes. @

[Photos by Joel Veak]

Shop talk: Ever wonder where your favorite chefs find all those great ingredients?

Heather Bouzan — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 19:15:00 GMT

ASK US WHERE we shop and it’s a simple answer: Newbury Street, Copley Place, and, when time allows, the Natick Collection. But when we pose the same question to 10 local chefs, most wax enthusiastic on the merits of various meat distributors, organic farms, local cheese shops, and, in a few cases, the vaguely mysterious “Ben the Mushroom Guy.” Read on for a glimpse into some of the best-stocked fridges, pantries, and spice racks in the city.

Jason Santos, executive chef at Gargoyles on the Square
Meat/poultry: “I use Cambridge Packing. These guys are definitely the most honest, definitely the highest quality. We use a lot of natural meat — that’s all I use — natural, no-hormones, no antibiotics. They have a lot of natural lines. For me, it’s sort of a one-stop shop. I can get something simple like burgers, and I can also get Kobe strip if I want.”

Fish: “Cambridge Packing does some fish. But I also do a lot from Constitution Seafood. They’re [supplying] restaurants for the most part. They’re smaller; the owner often delivers it himself. They’re just good people.”

Produce: “I use Russo’s, predominately Russo’s. I’ve been using Russo’s for, like, 15 years. If they deliver and I forgot to order a lime, they’ll bring over a lime. I guarantee, if you start getting into asking all the chefs, like 90 percent of the people probably use Russo’s.”

Breads: “We bake everything in house. But if I had to buy, Iggy’s, I think, is the best bread in the city.”

Cheese/dairy: “Basic dairy I buy from Paul Marks. And then specialty dairy, like cheeses and stuff, I use Capone’s. They make homemade pastas there, and they have lots of cheeses. It’s really, really small. But their stuff is super-high quality. [I use] a little bit of Formaggio, too.”

Herbs/spices: “I get my spices from a lot of different people. But I’d say Christina’s in Cambridge; they do a lot of spices. Some of the spices I use, I have to buy on the Internet because nobody has them. I get some spices from France, from Spain. If you want something authentic, unfortunately — or fortunately — you have to get it from the source. We’re using a great Filipino sea salt right now.”

Other: “I use D’Artagnan; I buy my mushrooms from [them]. It’s a company out of New York; they do specialty mushrooms and truffles and stuff like that. They do a lot of high-end meat, too, so I buy some meat from them.”

Andy Husbands, chef/owner of Tremont 647 and Sister Sorel
Meat/poultry: “We use John Kinnealey. Good price, and really good, high-quality stuff. They do our grass-fed burger; they do Giannones, which is a free-range chicken, hormone-free.”

Produce: “A. Russo and Sons [Russo’s]. I’ve done business with them for, jeez, maybe 15 years now. They have a lot of local stuff, good quality, and just a good variety. Also, they’re kind of a grocer, so they have great cheeses if you need them. Also, we use Nesenkeag Farms. I talk to the farmers twice a week. We’re using what they have, what’s fresh.”

Bread: “We make most of our own, but Iggy’s rocks. We buy our bagels from there for brunch. Sometimes we buy their focaccia, because it’s just awesome. Like anything, you’ve got to start with good ingredients. And they’re a great company; they’re good people.”

Cheese/dairy: “Formaggio Kitchen, of course. That’s the cheese place, as far as I’m concerned, in Boston. Selection, quality, and just overall good people. I like to do business with people that I enjoy.”

Herbs/spices: “Herbs is Nesenkeag Farm. Also Eva’s Garden. Good, local, fresh. [For spices], Christina’s. We also use Paul Marks, Accardi. They’re awesome. Those are more wholesale, where Christina’s is wholesale and retail. [And] sometimes you’ve got to run down to Chinatown when you’re looking for something really goofy.”

Exotic items: “Accardi and Sons, they’ll get us a lot of stuff. When you’re looking for some good snails, they’re going to be carrying [them].”

Other: “Pat the clam guy. They’re Wellfleet clams, and Pat Woodbury is his name. I’m also a big fan of Louisiana shrimp, so there’s this woman, Kay, I deal with out of Louisiana. Kay Brandhurst sends me an e-mail pretty much every week about what they’re catching. They also have great crab meat. These things are caught this morning and we’ll get them the next day, and they are just fresh and awesome.”

Ana Sortun, chef/owner of Oleana
Meat/poultry: “Savenor’s. [For poultry], I get the chickens from Canada — Giannones, they’re called. Very delicious, free-range bird.”

Fish: “Some comes from Maine, some comes from Gloucester. I’m partial to Captain Marden’s. Again, it’s quality.”

Produce: “It’s our farm, [Siena Farms]. We started it a couple years ago. My husband is a farmer. [In the off-season], for the restaurant, we shop through a wholesale vendor, Specialty Foods.”

Bread: “Clear Flour Bakery, and we make some.”

Cheese/dairy: “That varies. It comes from all over the place; it’s so random. Sometimes we go to Formaggio Kitchen.”

Herbs/spices: “Watertown, Sevan Bakery.”

Other: “Wine: Violette. It’s on the corner of Mount Auburn Street and Belmont Street. It’s an organic-wine store. And the other great place to shop is called Vintages in West Concord. It’s an unbelievable store; it’s worth driving out to.”

Rachel Klein, chef at OM
Meat/poultry: “We use D’Artagnan. D’Artagnan and William & Company. They work with a lot of restaurants; they just kind of know how to talk to their chefs. And they really work with me to get me the product I need.”

Fish: “Honolulu Fish Company, or Foley. Foley is a national company. They’re very particular on how they handle their seafood; everything’s very fresh. And Honolulu Fish Company, they’re out of Hawaii. We get all our West Coast fish from them, like our tunas and our opah, or anything a little bit more exotic. We get our blue prawns from them. And that comes in FedExed every day.”

Produce: “For the restaurant, our produce comes from Russo’s. Russo’s and the Chef’s Garden. Russo’s has really nice quality. They’ve been around a long time, it’s a family-operated establishment, and, to be quite honest with you, if I lived closer I would personally go there myself and shop. Chef’s Garden, that’s out of Ohio, and we get all our microgreens from there — we get baby vegetables, little precious vegetables and fruit or lettuces, the really delicate stuff.”

Bread: “We bring bread in for brunch, and it’s Iggy’s. We also use Mariposa Bakery in Central Square. Iggy’s does all of our little pastries for brunch. They do baguettes for us, and they do our hot dog buns — we do a hot dog on our lunch menu. And Mariposa used to do scones for us, and they do a really good brioche.”

Exotic items: “When I’m bringing in anything exotic, I really just talk to the companies I’m presently using, and they source them for me. So if I say, ‘Hey, I’m looking for a Japanese purple yam,’ Russo’s is going to find it for me, and then they’ll call me the next day and be like, ‘We found it.’ ”

Other: “I go shopping a lot at Super 88, personally and for the restaurant. We use a lot of Asian products here, and my pastry chef happens to be part Chinese. You can find really bizarre things there sometimes, like mini octopus and frogs’ legs. They have some really funky things in the fish department and the frozen foods department at Super 88. Of course, no one speaks English there, so it’s hard to get any information. You have to learn by trial and error.”

Tim Wiechmann, chef/owner of T.W. Food
Meat/poultry: “Most of the meat comes from the Big Ox Farm, which is my friend Peter. It’s in Concord. He raises the meat pretty much for the restaurant. We talk a lot about the diet, and we are in control of the whole production. He usually only has, like, two pigs at a time, and I buy them. He had a steer about four weeks ago, and I bought the whole steer.”

Fish: “For the restaurant, I have some fishermen friends in Marblehead, ’cause that’s where I grew up, and oftentimes I’ll get fish directly off the boat from them. After that, I consign myself to buying fish that’s only in season and only fished off of our waters. So I don’t buy Alaskan fish, or I don’t buy Oregon salmon, because it takes forever to get here. I buy whatever bluefish is running or bass is running. They’re both Massachusetts fish. Or lobster. And there’s a great store in Marblehead called Marblehead Lobster Company, and they have lobster right from off of Marblehead.”

Produce: “I get it from Grateful Farm, which is in Franklin. They come to me three times a week with whatever they’ve grown. I also have given them stuff to grow for me. Like, kohlrabi was something I had them plant in the spring.”

Bread: “Bread I only get from B&R Bread. He’s my friend, and he’s a very good baker.”

Cheese/dairy: “Dairy, I use Vermont Butter & Cheese. I use their high-fat butter. Best butter out there, by far. Cheese I get from Russo’s. They have a great cheese department. I go to Formaggio as well.”

Herbs/spices: “Herbs we grow ourselves out in Marblehead.”

Exotic items: “We had mallard duck from Long Island, which is the duck that’s indigenous to our East Coast. D’Artagnan, they’re the big guys that do that. And right now we have Oregon porcini mushrooms — fresh, so they’re really, really good.”

Jamie Bissonnette, chef de cuisine at KO Prime
Meat/poultry: “I use Cambridge Packing Company, D’Artagnan, and Kinnealey a lot. Kinnealey will do all of our aged meats, because they have an aging room. D’Artagnan helps me with farmers out of New York state and Pennsylvania, getting things like veal, Berkshire pigs, small farm chickens, and ducks. And Campco helps me get our all-natural grass-fed meat from Brandt Farm, Brandt Meat Company out of the West Coast, Nebraska, and California. We use Bella Bella Gourmet to get our foie gras.”

Fish: “We get a lot of it from Sunny’s Seafood. It’s a Boston company, just known as Sunny’s. When striped bass comes in season in the summer, the first day it’s in season, the guys at Sunny’s Seafood know that I’m gonna want it. [For more exotic fish], we use a Japanese company called True Worlds.”

Produce: “We use a lot from Eva’s Garden in South Dartmouth, Massachusetts. [She’s an] organic farmer. She custom plants things, so you can say, ‘Hey, I really want ground ivy next year,’ or ‘I love lovage. Can you make sure you have extra lovage for me?’ And her herbs are impeccable; her edible flowers are unbelievable.”

Bread: “B&R Artisan Bread, Michael Rhodes. I love his baguettes and his bread. I also do use Iggy’s for a lot of things as well. I prefer Iggy’s for their breakfast pastries.”

Cheese/dairy: “I’d say 90 percent of our artisanal cheeses, we go through Ishan at Formaggio.”

Herbs/spices: “Fresh herbs pretty much all come from Eva, or we have a garden on the roof here at the restaurant. So we’ll grow stuff over the summer. Lovage, tarragon — I didn’t plant tarragon, but I couldn’t get rid of it. And chives, garlic chives, allium flowers, chili peppers, and tomatoes. We’ve got about 250 cubic feet of sod; it’s pretty cool.”

Exotic items: “I sourced out my Wagyu beef from a woman who bills herself as the ‘Kobe connection’ out of New York. Her father and uncles farm Wagyu beef in Kyoto, and they sell it, but it gets distributed through a company called Austin Meat that’s based, ironically, out of New York. Mushrooms, I love using Ben, a local mushroom forager. I forget his last name, but ‘Ben the Mushroom Man’ is pretty much what he’s known as. He lives in Jamaica Plain with his wife, and they forage all over New England.”

Other: “I’m really happy with our coffee. It’s a local roaster called Karma Coffee. He delivers three or four times a week, with beans that are roasted the day of or the day before. Coffee is so much better when it’s roasted so much more fresh.”

Tom Fosnot, chef at Rocca
Fish: “We buy from Captain Marden’s, and from Seafood Specialties. It’s good to have multiple purveyors in case someone’s out of something.”

Produce: “For the restaurant, we use Verrill Farm and Nesenkeag Farm when in season. Otherwise, we use Russo’s. They’re the kind of purveyor that will deliver one bunch of thyme. If you forget and you call them up, they’ll order one bunch of thyme for you.”

Bread: “We buy from Iggy’s, and we make it ourselves. We make our crackers and our focaccia in-house, and we’ll buy our bread that we use for crostini from Iggy’s.”

Herbs/spices: “Eva’s Garden would be one good place we get a lot of herbs from. She just has really nice, fresh herbs she grows down in [South Dartmouth]. I think that being near the ocean, they’re heartier and they have a lot more of an intense flavor.

Other: “We buy our gelato from a company called Spasso Foods. We buy some Ligurian olive oil through Accardi. I think sweet yeast is probably the most non-standard [ingredient we use]; we get it from Italian delis. We use it in the crust for our fig walnut tart. We talked to someone in Italy who used it in a bakery there, and we bought a ton while we were over there and brought it over.”

Paul O’Connell, chef/owner of Chez Henri
Meat/poultry: “We buy from Savenor’s. I’ve known Ronnie for a long time, and I like his quality. And he’s local. He’s in Cambridge, right on the corner, so if we’ve forgotten something on the order, he can get it over to me pretty quick, or I can swing by there and grab it.”

Fish: “Captain Marden’s Seafoods. Again, it’s a relationship, and quality.”

Produce: “In the summer, I’m most seasonal, so I buy from Nesenkeag Farm, and then there’s some people at the farmers’ market I deal with on different apple orchards and stuff. I buy mushrooms from Ben the Mushroom Guy. When he started out, he used to just forage, but now he also has connections where he imports stuff from the West Coast, like chanterelles from Washington State.”

Bread: “We make half our own bread, and the other half I buy from this artisan bread guy out in Framingham, B&R Artisan Breads.”

Cheese/dairy: “I buy all my cheese from Formaggio Kitchen. Ishan’s probably the top cheese shop in the country. Ishan travels to Europe frequently and is always finding new cheeses and new products.”

Exotic items: “From Ishan [at Formaggio Kitchen], I just got this Maras pepper; it’s a Turkish pepper. It’s somewhere between cayenne and Italian red pepper flakes, but it’s softer and fluffy, and it costs like $15 for a little teeny thimbleful — it’s like saffron, but it’s delicious. I’m using that on lamb right now.”

Other: “I go to Latin markets to get Latin ingredients. My secret place is Market Basket over here, and if I happen to be over in JP, there’s the tropical supermarkets. I can buy frozen banana leaves that I use to wrap tamales in, and dried corn husks, and yucca.”

Mary Dumont, executive chef at Harvest
Meat/poultry: “The lamb actually comes from Pennsylvania. But I think they do a lot of mail-order things for the general public. [It’s called] Jamison Farm.”

Bread: “We cook a lot of our breads in-house. We get some other breads from Iggy’s. And there’s another companycalled Pain D’Avignon.”

Herbs/spices: “Her name is Eva and she has Eva’s. She goes to some of the farmers’ markets, but she also supplies some of the restaurants in the city. It can be a little spendy, but she has some really, really interesting herbs and varieties that she grows that I really appreciate. She grows burnet, which is kind of a melon-flavored herb that looks like a really small parsley. And she grows lemon verbena and lemon balm and calumet and all these really cool heirloom herbs. Not only [is it] good to support sustainable agriculture, but they have historical significance as well, which I really like to weave into the food. Food that represents a time and a place.”

Alison Hearn, executive chef at Myers+Chang
Meat/poultry: “I use Kinnealey for most of my meats. It’s actually a purveyor. They sell meat to restaurants everywhere, all over Boston and New England. Super 88 over in South Bay Shopping Plaza has super-fresh chickens. They have head-on, feet-on chickens. The Chinese tend to be really fanatical about having super-fresh chickens.”

Fish: “Captain Marden’s, hands-down. Captain Marden’s is run by Kim Marden; it’s out in Wellesley. They have a retail store that’s got a pretty wide selection as well.”

Produce: “We have a certain challenge, which is that we’re trying to get a lot of Asian greens and Asian produce. I’d love to find some farms, and I’m hoping to, maybe next spring, where I can get some of the things we use. When I walk around the South End there’s these little garden plots. I’ve seen various people out there, and people growing their own Asian greens. Maybe I’ll go tap one of them on the shoulder and see if they want to sell to me. But I find that Russo’s has a pretty good selection of Asian greens, and that’s someplace I like to go on my days off. It’s a purveyor that also has a retail market, so they get a very brisk turnover and very good prices.”

Herbs/spices: “I really like the herbs I get from Specialty Foods. Some stuff I can’t find from them, though, which is a shame. I have to go pound the pavement to track down yellow chives.

Cheese/dairy: “[Dairy isn’t relevant to Asian restaurants]. I do use tofu, which is what Asian people use. There’s a place right around the corner from me called Ho Kong, and I call up Ho Kong every morning for my fresh tofu and super-fresh, gorgeous bean sprouts. They get it from somebody who makes it every day; it’s local.”

Exotic items: “I use the same places for myself personally if I’m cooking Asian at home as I do if I’m cooking for the restaurant. Of course, Super 88, which carries tons of great Asian ingredients.” @

[Additional reporting by Melissa Cronin]

[Photos by Kelly Davidson]

Rise and shine: Meet the new faces of Boston nightlife

Heather Bouzan — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 16:24:00 GMT

THINK YOU know everyone there is to know in Boston nightlife? Think again. These days there’s a new crop of people moving upwards through the nightlife ranks, sending the invites, perfecting the playlists, creating the cocktails, and holding court at the hottest events and venues in town. Make note of the 10 names that follow; if our predictions are right, they’ll be the ones driving our city’s post-sunset hours for years to come.

Tanner Ross, DJ/producer
Ears that know a little something about underground techno and house perk up when they hear tracks produced by Tanner Ross, a local DJ/producer who moved here from New Jersey three years ago to study synthesis at Berklee. Since then, Ross has caught the attention of some of the most respected music labels in his genre — including dirtybird, Freerange, Mothership, and Odori — and has released touted remixes of Claude VonStroke’s “Who’s Afraid of Detroit” and Blaze’s “Lovelee Dae” while also finding time to do some video-game sound design and production. Ross maintains that right now he’s still trying to focus on school, but like it or not, the opportunities are calling. These days, he spins locally at venues such as the Enormous Room and maintains a monthly residency at APT in New York. It’s anybody’s guess where Ross will be in five years, and even he won’t wager an answer: “It really depends on where my music takes me.” We can only imagine how far that might be.

Katie Conway, general manager of Reiss
She might take her Jack Daniel’s and head for the nearest dive bar when she gets off work, but Katie Conway is a bigger part of local nightlife than most probably realize. As general manager of Newbury Street’s Reiss, Conway handles everything from staffing and merchandising to planning events — including in-store parties to celebrate a new collection and fashion shows at local nightspots such as 28 Degrees and Mantra — all after only four years in the retail business. And any scenester who comes to Conway looking for the perfect evening attire has landed in the right place: Reiss stocks glam cocktail dresses and sexy Ts, skinny cords and swanky one-button suits. Where you will find this totally driven fashionista when she’s looking to dress up? Drinking wine at Stephanie’s, enjoying live jazz at the Beehive, or lingering with friends over dinner at a great local restaurant.

John and Paul Mansfield,
co-owners/managing partners of Boston Valet
When you’re as well known in the city as brothers John and Paul Mansfield, it’s tough to go out without getting recognized. In fact, the co-owners and managing partners of Boston Valet have found that if they’re spotted standing outside a bar or restaurant, people automatically assume they’re involved with the venue and ask for help getting in or scoring a table. And even if it’s their night off, they’ll make a few calls and, as if by magic, that table will appear. The brothers have branched out since launching Boston Valet in 1996: Paul is now VIP services manager for the Estate and Suite Boston, and the two are in the process of launching Trinity Lifestyle, which will provide a wide range of high-end concierge, valet, and livery services. The Mansfields can also see themselves opening a boutique restaurant/lounge in the not-too-distant future (they operated Leather District hotspot Trio from 2000 to 2004).

Doug Epstein, executive vice president of sales for Horizon Beverage
The party doesn’t start until the liquor guys make their delivery. So says Doug Epstein, who, while overseeing Horizon Beverage’s sales throughout New England, keeps his finger on the pulse of local nightlife. And Epstein does more than just bring in new products: he helps with development and promotion, facilitates sponsorships and marketing partnerships, and educates the city’s bar staffs on how to create the hottest new cocktails. (Where do you think the mojito would be without guys like him?) If you catch Epstein on a night out, you’ll find him drinking bourbon on the rocks with a splash of water — top-shelf brands only. After all, he says, what other luxury product only costs $10 for the best of the best?

Dimitra Tsourianis, general manager
of Alibi at the Liberty Hotel
Within five minutes of meeting her, you get the feeling that Dimitra Tsourianis can hang with any type of crowd. The general manager who helped open super-chic lounge Alibi at the Liberty Hotel has been in the business for eight years, working at such diverse venues as the Big Easy, the Park Plaza Hotel, B&G Oysters, and, most recently, OM. Her drinks of choice are Krug Rosé and Heineken, and while she’d love to open a Champagne bar (she finds the bubbly stuff both “magical” and “romantic”), she says she’s currently in search of the perfect dive bar for recreational purposes. Tsourianis is also taking creative-writing classes at Harvard’s Extension School. We love that the woman running the place is the kind of person we’d want sitting next to us on a barstool — and we think that bodes well for her future success in the business.

Eli Goldstein and Charles Levine, DJs Soul Clap
You won’t find Soul Clap DJ duo Eli Goldstein and Charles Levine patronizing any old nightspot. The two local boys (Levine’s from Brookline, Goldstein’s a Cantabrigan), weaned on MIT tunnel parties and techno nights at Axis, are regulars at progressive venues such as Phoenix Landing, Middlesex, and the Good Life, as well as at events such as Dancing on the Charles (which they co-founded with Marz Entertainment), Hearthrob, and Thunderdome, and they’ll have a new residency at RumBa at the end of the month. They’re out “eight nights” per week, but they “only do underground nightlife. It’s gotta be all about great music, cool people, and sweaty dance floors.” Levine and Goldstein are wholly determined to turn the Boston scene into something that’s all about cutting-edge music and quality DJs. And these two have the determination, creativity, vision, and sense of humor to do it.

Solonje “Solie” Burnett,
founder and president of Eilos Events
It’s one thing to be a club promoter, backing up the burly guy who’s checking the guest list and shouting orders about dress codes and cover charges at the poor partygoers waiting in line. But Solie Burnett, founder and president of Eilos Events, has carved out a more unique niche in Boston nightlife. Sure, she partners with venues for weekly events, pitches special-event ideas, creates e-flyers, and helps get bodies in the door, but when the party starts, you’ll find her in the middle of the crowd, “leading by example” and enjoying her festivities to the fullest. Burnett, who has a day job fundraising for the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City, has rounded out the Eilos team with a diverse group of women — hailing from as far away as Jamaica, Russia, South Korea, and Hong Kong — who help her promote events like Flow Fridays at Mantra and “Party Like a Rock Star” Saturdays at Aria. We can’t wait for her to open her own place; she dreams of “something Studio 54-ish.”

Max Buccini, account manager at Regan Communications Group
If only the First Lady could see him now. Max Buccini, account manager for some of the city’s swankiest restaurant and nightlife clients at Regan Communications, got his start as a White House press intern for Laura Bush, but soon realized that his calling involved a different kind of “party line.” He’s worked with such local establishments as Coda Bar & Kitchen, Mantra, Bonfire, 33 Restaurant & Lounge, and Salvatore’s, planning events, fielding media inquiries, and advising on promotional moves and community relations — though a great deal of his business is done over cocktails (his is a vodka tonic) at various events. But whether he’s working the room at a big-ticket benefit or perched on a barstool at favorite haunts Mistral, Stella, or 28 Degrees, Buccini is consistently one of the most gregarious, outrageous, and in-the-know people in the room. And in five years or so? He expects to be director of PR for a major brand, to own his own agency, or to be writing a book about his life. He’ll be just 28.

Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli, assistant bar manager of Eastern Standard
Ask Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli, assistant bar manager at Eastern Standard, to wow you with a cocktail like you’ve never tasted before, and he’ll happily oblige. Protégé of Eastern Standard’s esteemed bar manager Jackson Cannon and nephew of East Coast Grill’s Chris Schlesinger, Schlesinger-Guidelli has a top-notch teacher, great genes, and, judging from the masterpieces that slide out of his shaker, the talent to back them both up. He’s a bona fide scholar of his craft, a true appreciator of both the history of the cocktail and the way that history melds with modern innovations in mixology. What draws him to the job, though, is more than just the art of a great drink; it’s the people he serves, whether sports fans in for a pre-Fenway beer or “cocktailians,” as he calls them, looking to try something new.

Christopher Tocchio and Kristian Deyesso, managing partners of Church
They’re like a superhero duo: Christopher Tocchio and Kristian Deyesso are total opposites when it comes to their strengths, but combine them and they get the job done. The guys are partners in Church, a watering hole, restaurant, and live-music venue that opened near Fenway earlier this month. Deyesso, a designer by trade, is the creative half of the equation, shaping the look and feel of the place, while Tocchio handles the business side of things. They met years ago when both worked for Deyesso’s father, a partner in Bricco and Faneuil Hall’s Trattoria Il Panino. They reconnected for this venture and hope to open more concepts together in the future, and while their personalities differ, the two are similar when it comes to the important stuff: their love for the social aspects of their profession, their hope that Church will grow into its role as a creative melting pot, and their plans to enhance the underlying social fabric of this city. @

[Photos by Joel Veak]

Lounge lizards: 15 of our favorite spots for chilling out and getting down

Heather Bouzan — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 14:45:00 GMT

THERE’S NOTHING like a big nightclub: getting lost in the middle of a crowd, clearing a spot, and just dancing. But being the variety-craving socialites we are, we’ve embraced another nightlife trend that’s been gathering momentum for the past few years: lounges. Purveyors of the lounge understand that we like to hear each other speak, so the decibel level should be kept within reason. That our stilettoed feet need a break and our stuffed-into-a-size-four butt needs a place to rest. That we like something to nosh on that isn’t caked with gluey orange cheese. That we want a decent buzz to show for that $12 martini. And that sometimes we’d prefer to relax with our friends than endure a high-stress night seeing and being seen (though if we feel like climbing on a table when a good song comes on, we’d like to have that option, too). Read on for a guide to 15 of our favorite Boston lounges.

28 Degrees
It’s all flickering candlelight and clinking glasses at 28 Degrees (1 Appleton Street, Boston, 617.728.0728), where South End sophisticates go to for perfectly-poured cocktails, gossipy whispering, and impromptu fashion shows.
Sit: in the cozy booths, ideal for conversation.
Listen: to low, moody tracks with a good beat; dancing picks up as the night goes on.
Wear: your favorite ensemble from that chi-chi South End boutique.
Sip: seasonal drinks like the Caramel Apple ($11.50) and the Cranberry Sour ($10.50).
Snack: on to-die-for brick-oven pizzas.
Discuss: the tony black-tie benefit you attended last night.
Bring: the coworkers you’ve been dying to drag from their usual post-work hole-in-the-wall.
Meet: your new gay best friend.

33 Restaurant & Lounge
33 (33 Stanhope Street, Boston, 617.572.3311) is for those who like to dance. But resist the urge to break out your dad’s disco-era moves or risk expulsion by the A-list crowd.
Sit: at a table; they get pushed aside as the night goes on, so arrive early for a spot.
Listen: to something progressive but approachable, with a great beat that’ll surely get you dancing. But be warned: downstairs can turn into a bit of a mob scene.
Wear: something slinky and chic.
Sip: one of the house infusions; green olive, starfruit-peach, and blueberry-apricot lend themselves to some inventive signature cocktails.
Snack: on bar bites with style. The fries are truffled, the mini burgers are Kobe, and the chicken tenders come with honey-mustard aioli.
Discuss: who’s stuck languishing in line while you’ve scored a prime spot by the DJ.
Bring: that neighbor who’s been begging for a taste of your cosmopolitan life.
Meet: an adorable law student looking to let loose for the weekend.

Alibi
We can’t help but feel downright mischievous in the low-lit, shadowy corners of Alibi (Liberty Hotel, 215 Charles Street, Boston, 617.224.4000) — but get yourself arrested in this former jail and risk becoming the ultimate cliché.
Sit: on something swathed in leather — the barstools, benches, and couches are all made with the supple stuff.
Listen: to low, atmospheric house that’s not trying too hard.
Wear: head-to-toe black; this place reminds us of something trendy we’d find in a back alley in New York City.
Sip: from the small-but-savvy wine list.
Snack: on nothing yet, but Lydia Shire’s Scampo will provide a bar menu when it opens (fingers crossed) in November.
Discuss: your small-time run-ins with the law.
Bring: the group of old friends you’ve been dying to catch up with.
Meet: a celebrity hotel guest who’s staying upstairs.

The Beehive
Following its hotly anticipated opening, the Beehive (541 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.423.0069) has emerged as a gathering spot for a wide range of Bostonians — and all agree that the lounge embodies what’s right with our city’s nightlife.
Sit: at one of the prime tables, either upstairs or downstairs.
Listen: to jazz most of the time, often performed by Berklee’s talented elite.
Wear: a boho-chic, Anthropologie-style ensemble.
Sip: anything the talented and friendly bartenders create. Tell them what you like and dislike, then sit back and watch them create.
Snack: on the Bohemian Platter ($24), which goes a long way with its assorted meats and cheeses, or the quirky Kielbasa Pig in a Blanket ($9), served with sauerkraut.
Discuss: something intellectual and vaguely pretentious (in a good way).
Bring: a sheltered friend in from the suburbs looking for an escape from married life.
Meet: an on-the-cusp new musician with the sexiest eyes you’ve ever seen.

City Bar
Far from a hotel-lobby cliché, City Bar (Lenox Hotel, 61 Exeter Street, Boston, 617.933.4800) is a low-lit, intimate room with enough sex appeal to keep us coming back.
Sit: on one of the cushy banquettes or leather chairs and couches, or a barstool if you can snag one.
Listen: to something moody and understated.
Wear: business attire injected with some not-so-conservative style.
Sip: the lounge’s fizzy Champagne Libations ($8), which include the Bellini (made with peach purée), the Confetti (guava purée), and the Emerald (kiwi purée).
Snack: on treats from neighboring Azure. We can’t argue with the “Really Good Lobster Soup” ($12) or spicy polenta fries ($7).
Discuss: that big business deal you’re just about to close.
Bring: your girlfriend’s dad, who you really need to impress.
Meet: no one, if you know what’s good for you (see “Bring,” above).

District
Even though we first brushed by the velvet ropes more than a year ago, District (180 Lincoln Street, Boston, 617.426.0180) hasn’t lost its savvy, street-smart feel. And the funky décor sets off our designer ensembles perfectly.
Sit: in one of the white-vinyl booths or scattered conversation areas.
Listen: to a playlist that runs the gamut (though weeknights tend to skew more toward hip-hop, and weekends more toward ’80s favorites). A few drinks in, dancing becomes unavoidable.
Wear: something urban-chic from Karmaloop.
Sip: on fun, fruity cocktails like the Perfect Peach ($10).
Snack: on upscale potato products, including tater tots ($7), truffled frîtes ($8), and sweet-potato fries ($8).
Discuss: that über-talented new DJ you’ve been into lately.
Bring: your tough-to-please industry friend.
Meet: the hot bartender you’ve been crushing on since the summer. And it’s her night off.

Enormous Room
So what if it’s not really that big? Central Square’s Enormous Room (569 Mass Ave, Cambridge, 617.491.5550), with its earthy brick walls and cozy, loft-like feel, makes us feel like exclusive members of a super-secret club. (If the line outside doesn’t give it away, just look for the elephant on the door.)
Sit: on something in worn-in leather, including the backless couches and the errant footstool.
Listen: to indie rock, in the early hours; a more boisterous DJ might get the crowd going later in the evening.
Wear: ironic T-shirts and rumpled khakis.
Sip: something from the “Enormous Drinks” list, like the Bad Babysitter ($8.50), Grass Stained Knees ($8.50), or Geisha’s Whisper ($9).
Snack: on small plates with a crunchy Cambridge flair: try the grilled salmon skewer with cucumber-yogurt dill sauce ($7) or the Mediterranean dip plate ($9).
Discuss: the amazing underground show you caught last night in Allston.
Bring: the friend who thinks she’s been everywhere in Boston and is so over it.
Meet: a cerebral Cambridge hottie.

The Foundation Lounge
A true haven for the international crowd, the Foundation Lounge (500 Comm Ave, Boston, 617.859.9900) caters to worldly BU students and other jet-setters with expensive tastes and cosmopolitan tendencies.
Sit: on cozy benches and pillows.
Listen: to everything from Top 40 and house to live soul, depending on the night; dancing is common, so escape outside to the smokers’ patio if you need a break from the action.
Wear: Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, or the Forever 21 equivalent.
Sip: something from the great sake selection.
Snack: on anything from the Japanese-inspired Zensai appetizer menu.
Discuss: the European holiday you’re planning.
Bring: your coupled friend who’ll take one for the team and chat up the unattractive sidekick of the guy you have your sights set on.
Meet: a European transplant with a sexy accent who’s getting his master’s at BU.

The Living Room
The Living Room (101 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, 617.723.5101) strikes an enviable balance between swank and cozy: we often watch patrons try and resist the urge to ditch their shoes and curl up on the plush couches.
Sit: on one of the signature couches. Park yourself early and don’t move.
Listen: to a mix of current nighttime favorites that might tempt you into some dancing.
Wear: your priciest pair of designer jeans.
Sip: one of the signature martinis. Indulge your sweet tooth with the Whipped Goddess ($10.50), the Tiramisu ($10.50), or the Vanilla Bean ($10.50).
Snack: on the drinks; we love this place for morning-after brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, so spend your money at the bar, then drag your hung-over self back tomorrow to feast.
Discuss: who’s wearing what and who’s here with whom.
Bring: your younger sister, who’s home on break from college.
Meet: the best post-bar makeout session you’ve had in a long time — and names were not exchanged.

Lucky’s Lounge
Seaport District favorite Lucky’s Lounge (355 Congress Street, Boston, 617.357.LUCK) may be lacking signage, but its after-hours glow draws in-the-know patrons in droves into the retro subterranean space.
Sit: at of the numerous tables and nooks in the main room.
Listen: to Frank Sinatra, if it’s Sunday (and often Wednesdays too).
Wear: a T-shirt and jeans — no need to get fancy.
Sip: martinis, no matter what. The spot is modeled after a speakeasy, after all, so it just feels right.
Snack: on standard barroom fare, kicked up a notch. Super-fresh spinach-and-artichoke dip ($9) and mini burgers ($14) hit the spot.
Discuss: how amazing the old-school wood paneling would look in your living room.
Bring: your high-school friend who used to throw the best basement parties.
Meet: a Southie yuppie who’s finally branched out from his usual neighborhood dive.

Match Burgers & Martinis
We head to Match (94 Mass Ave, Boston, 617.247.9922) because who doesn’t look amazing bathed in flattering firelight? Plus, we can’t help but love the buzzing of Boston socialites from table to table, and the true urban-chic feel of the place.
Sit: at one of the intimate booths or tables, or stand around the bar.
Listen: to some cutting-edge French DJ you’ve never heard of.
Wear: something tight, or risk being upstaged by the cute waitresses.
Sip: any of the original cocktails — we love that each drink is served with its own tiny silver shaker.
Snack: on one of the variations of the mini-burger.
Discuss: where the hottest after-party is.
Bring: your college roommate, in from New York City for the weekend.
Meet: the gorgeous model you recognize from that Stuff@night spread a few months back.

Middlesex Lounge
Sure, most of the clientele is probably smarter than you’ll ever be, but the industrial, minimalist space that is the Middlesex Lounge (315 Mass Ave, Cambridge, 617.868.MSEX) is a key stop on the local party circuit.
Sit: on a stumpy barstool or a pillowy bench on wheels, but beware: they’re
moved out of the way when the dancing gets crazy.
Listen: to the bass line, which is always thumping. Dancing is common.
Wear: skinny jeans.
Sip: beer — though the drink list is eclectic, too.
Snack: from an eclectic menu of vaguely healthy options, including Ten Tiny Tacos ($8) served with pulled pork or black beans, and jerk chicken sticks ($6.50) with mango dipping sauce.
Discuss: the new eco-friendly tequila you’re hooked on.
Bring: the cute friend you’ve been crushing on but haven’t quite figured out how to tell how you feel.
Meet: the owner of the cool restaurant you’ve been frequenting lately.

Saint
Tucked away on a Back Bay side street, Saint (90 Exeter Street, Boston, 617.236.1134) has garnered a rep as a go-to for visiting celebrities looking to get their party on — plus those of us who crowd the nightspot hoping to catch a glimpse.
Sit: at one of the spot’s VIP tables, if you can snag one.
Listen: to those Top 40 tracks that get you totally pumped; just try to resist busting out your moves.
Wear: something trendy.
Sip: Red Bull and vodka for the energy to make it until closing; Saint’s version is the Ketel of Bull ($12).
Snack: on one of the menu’s many dishes that are made to share, like the selection of gooey fondues.
Discuss: the industry love triangle you got wind of on your last trip to the ladies’ room.
Bring: your destined-to-be-famous best friend.
Meet: whoever’s hiding in that roped-off corner.

Vintage Lounge
Don’t underestimate the developed palates of those financial types: from the way they crowd the Vintage Lounge (72 Broad Street, Boston, 617.482.1900), one might mistake them for professional imbibers. And they have the funds to pick up the tab.
Sit: at one of two bars, or on some of the mod seating in the front room.
Listen: to tunes that aren’t too obtrusive.
Wear: a well-cut suit and tie, if you want to blend in.
Sip: something from the great list of wines by the glass.
Snack: on a selection varied enough to impress even the most well-traveled CEO: tuna sashimi ($12), duck confit spring roll ($10), grilled goat-cheese sandwich ($9).
Discuss: your stock portfolio.
Bring: your cash-strapped best friend in the dead-end relationship.
Meet: a financier with money pouring out his ears.

Whiskey Park
We love that Whiskey Park (64 Arlington Street, Boston, 617.542.1482) reminds us of some rich dude’s study — all dark, lacquered wood and leather accents. But come late night, the place becomes anything but stodgy with one of the best party scenes in the city.
Sit: on one of the front room’s leather chairs or padded barstools, or reserve a VIP table in the back.
Listen: to a popular mix of Top 40, old school, and rock, and arrive ready to show off your moves.
Wear: something black and designer, with a prominent label.
Sip: from the kind of list that starts trends. Challenge your palate with the Clementine Crush ($13), the Mangomint Mojito ($13), or the Rosemary-Lemon Martini ($14).
Snack: at your own risk. You’ve got that great outfit to fit into.
Discuss: the amazing outlet shopping just outside Milan.
Bring: that hot friend who always manages to draw attention to you both, for better or worse.
Meet: the kind of guy who spends more time getting ready than you do. @

[Photos by Kelly Davidson]

Stuffed: The third-annual Stuff@night dining awards

RUTH TOBIAS AND MC SLIM JB — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 21:12:00 GMT

MC Slim JB: “Best-of lists are the McDonald’s cheeseburger of food/drinks articles: everyone occasionally wolfs one down, and no one brags about it afterward.

But why do they always include some howler that makes you wonder if the judges are daffy or corrupt?”

Ruth Tobias: “I hear ya. But suppose it were you and I who slapped together that cheeseburger over, say, a bottle of wine? How would it differ from the assembly-line version?”

Slim: “Hmm, maybe it’d be more carefully made, but idiosyncratic, bound to provoke responses like, ‘Some odd choices — brioche instead of a roll? — but tasty overall.’ ”

Ruth: “Good point. Between our eclectic sensibilities — shaped by Chowhound.com and the gung-ho attitude of human guinea pigs — and our tendency to drink on the job, we’d have spontaneity on our side.”

Slim: “Which might yield something like these dining awards: a bit lopsided, maybe a little cheesy, but still plenty juicy. Would you like pommes frîtes with that?”

READ: 2007 Stuff@Night Dining Awards

MP3: MC Slim JB talks to FNX about populace food reviews

[Photos by Joel Veak]

Change up

Heather Bouzan — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 21:23:00 GMT

THE NIGHTLIFE rut: it’s a common affliction. Your summer spent traipsing all over Nantucket, Kennebunkport, and the Cape — plus Tuscany, if you’re one of the lucky ones — makes your usual haunts in Boston pale in comparison. Instead of giving in and heading to your usual bar stool for the fourth night this week, let us help: we have the tips you need to make over your nightlife in just 30 evenings out.

MP3: Heather Bouzan talks to WFNX about spending 30 nights out in Boston (right-click, save-as)

Night 1: Explore a new neighborhood. So much of your scene is determined by where you live, and it’s easy to forgo traveling in favor of a familiar local spot. But tonight, get out of your comfort zone. If you generally never set foot outside of Cambridge, experience the Southie scene: sip a cocktail at the Playwright (658 East Broadway, South Boston, 617.269.2537), then test your tolerance against the locals at the Boston Beer Garden (732 East Broadway, South Boston, 617.269.0990). Never thought you’d leave Brookline? Explore what the South End has to offer: try the Franklin Café (278 Shawmut Avenue, Boston, 617.350.0010), the Beehive (541 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.423.0069), and, if you can stumble over in time for last call, Clerys (113 Dartmouth Street, Boston, 617.262.9874). If you’ve never hung around for a post-cannoli cocktail in the North End, hop from the Waterfront (450 Commercial Street, Boston, 617.523.0613) to the Sail Loft (80 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, 617.227.7280) to the Living Room (101 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, 617.723.5101).

Night 2: Dance — no matter how many drinks it takes you. (Our magic number? Somewhere in the vicinity of six.) Have as much liquid courage as you need, then get out there and shake it. Trust us: you’ll have a good time. Some of our favorite spots to showcase our moves include The Estate (1 Boylston Place, Boston, 617.351.7000), Avalon (15 Lansdowne Street, Boston, 617.262.2424), and Rumor (100 Warrenton Street, Boston, 617.482.6958).

Night 3: Splurge for VIP status. It may not be how you roll on a regular basis, but mingling with the pretty people behind the velvet ropes is an experience you should have at least once. The specifics vary by club and by night, but there’ll usually be a table charge, a minimum order, or some sort of mandatory bottle service that’ll get you in. If you can’t swing it on your own, gather a few friends together and split the fee — just think of it as an advance on all the free drinks you’ll score later from the moneyed VIP regulars. For the hook-up, touch base with some of Boston’s nightlife legends: 6one7 Productions (www.6one7productions.com), East Coast Clubs (www.eastcoastclubs.com), or Two35 Entertainment (www.235ent
.com).

Night 4: Host a rager. If your nightlife’s in a rut, might as well take things into your own hands, right? Get a keg of cheap beer, some bottom-of-the-line vodka, and a refrigerator’s worth of boxed wine, and host an authentic college-style soirée complete with flip-cup, beer pong, and plastic cups. Then E-vite your entire address book and prepare to party until the cops come. And this time, you’re old enough to hire a cleaning service to take care of the morning-after mess. (Dealing with the guy you wake up next to is still your problem.)

Night 5: Relive the ’80s. Even (and especially) if you weren’t old enough to party during the day-glo decade, make like it’s 1985 and spend your evening whooping it up to the sounds of Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Bon Jovi. A good number of bars and clubs host ’80s nights, but we’re loving local ’80s cover band Fast Times. They often play at the Grand Canal (57 Canal Street, Boston, 617.523.1112), Hennessy’s (25 Union Street, Boston, 617.742.2121), and Paddy O’s (33 Union Street, Boston, 617.263.7771); visit www.fasttimes.biz for a list of the band’s upcoming gigs. Bonus points if you wear something stonewashed.

Night 6: Discover your signature cocktail. It’s like your order at Starbucks — nonfat, no-foam, mocha-frappa-latte, anyone? — only much more fun. Everyone should have a signature cocktail: a drink that you order, exactly to your liking, every time you’re out. It should fit your personality and be equal parts obscure and hip. On a low-key night out, sit down with a bartender you trust, ask him or her for suggestions, and experiment. Soon enough, no one will recognize you without an [insert cocktail here] in hand.

Night 7: Participate in some bar athletics. It could be nothing more than a few raucous rounds of Photo Hunt, but you’ll be surprised what a few “drinking games” can add to your standard night out. If you’re in need of inspiration, try retro-bowling at the Milky Way (403–405 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain, 617.524.3740), hitting the pool tables at Jillian’s (145 Ipswich Street, Boston, 617.437.0300), or mounting the mechanical bull at Liquor Store (25 Boylston Place, Boston, 617.357.6800). Burning calories while you booze — what could be better?

Night 8: Participate in a wine tasting. Instead of just guzzling down glass after glass, learn a little something about what you’re drinking. Sommeliers all over the city are just waiting to enlighten you on the ins and outs of a good wine. Wine Mondays begin at 7 p.m. weekly at L’Espalier (30 Gloucester Street, Boston, 617.262.3023), while the Ashmont Grill (555 Talbot Avenue, Dorchester, 617.825.4300) hosts its Monday Night Wine Club in a more casual setting. It’s also worth checking out class schedules at the Boston Wine School (1354 Comm Ave, Boston, 617.784.7150), Gordon’s Fine Wine and Culinary Center (894 Main Street, Waltham, 781.893.1900), and Barbara Lynch’s new demonstration kitchen, Stir (102 Waltham Street, Boston, 617.423.STIR). Another option: host your own wine tasting. Ask guests to bring bottles they love, and sip away.

Night 9: Can you say karaoke? So what if it’s possibly the most cliché drinking activity out there? Nothing says “drunken good time” like belting out “Piano Man” onstage in front of a crowd of strangers. There are plenty of weekly karaoke nights; we like a venue dedicated solely to karaoke: Limelight Stage & Studios (204 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.423.0785).

Night 10: Make out in a bar bathroom. Need we say more?

Night 11: Hit a bar alone. It’s one of those things everyone should try — like solo dining, going to the movies alone, and traveling stag. Settle in with a book or magazine; grab a snack if you need something to do with your hands. Most important, be open to chatting with fellow barflies. After all, you never know who might be lingering on a neighboring stool. A few bars where we wouldn’t mind hanging out sans companions include Bricco (241 Hanover Street, Boston, 617.248.6800), No. 9 Park (9 Park Street, Boston, 617.742.9991), and the Washington Square Tavern (714 Washington Street, Brookline, 617.232.8989).

Night 12: Shots! Forgo the standard salt-tequila-lime combo in favor of more interesting concoctions. The Banderita ($7) at Masa (439 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.338.8884) is taken as a trio: a shot of tequila, a swing of lime juice, and a swallow of tomato-based sangrita. Or peruse the drink list at Eastern Standard (528 Comm Ave, Boston, 617.532.9100), where the selection of nine shots includes the Stardust and the Green Monster ($6 each).

Night 13: Pull an all-nighter. We know Boston is seriously lacking when it comes to options past 2 a.m., but do what it takes to party — literally — until the sun comes up. Once the clubs close, everybody who’s in the know heads over to Rise (306 Stuart Street, Boston, 617.423.7473) for late-night, Red Bull–fueled festivities. It’s members-only, so you’ll need to score an invite, but that shouldn’t be too difficult for a socialite like you. If you’re looking for some sustenance to get you through till morning, we recommend the South Street Diner (178 Kneeland Street, Boston, 617.350.0028) for breakfast fare, and Bova’s Bakery (134 Salem Street, Boston, 617.523.5601) for the sweeter stuff.

Night 14: Slum it. Even the prissiest of partiers has to love a dive bar every once in a while. Feel free to head out in jeans and a T-shirt, and don’t you dare order anything but beer. Our favorite holes-in-the-wall include Bukowski Tavern (50 Dalton Street, Boston, 617.267.5028), the Cantab Lounge (738 Mass Ave, Cambridge, 617.354.2685), and the Other Side Café (407 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.536.8437).

Night 15: Host a fancy cocktail party. We’re talking trays of signature martinis, passed appetizers (enlist your younger brother to play waiter), and mood music. Roof decks are ideal for these types of get-togethers, but any urban apartment will do — just dress it up with strategically placed pots of foliage and loads of candles or strings of tiny white lights. Be sure to wear something fabulous, and flit from group to group bearing conversation starters and air kisses. Pitchers of pre-mixed cocktails are key, too, along with a cabinet full of back-up booze.

Night 16: Watch the game in head-to-toe team regalia. It doesn’t matter if you’re an actual fan or just a fair-weather one; arrive in all of the Sox/Bruins/Celtics/Patriots attire you can scrounge up and be prepared to get into the game. We expect chugging every time somebody scores, not to mention obnoxious cheering and booing. After a few beers, you’ll forget that you never really understood the rules. You and your crowd will fit right in with the other die-hards at the Cask ’n Flagon (62 Brookline Avenue, Boston, 617.536.4840), Game On! (82 Lansdowne Street, Boston, 617.351.7001), the Sports Depot (353 Cambridge Street, Allston, 617.783.2300), and the Fours (166 Canal Street, Boston, 617.720.4455).

Night 17: Start drinking at brunch ... and don’t stop until last call. We recently ran a story on great cocktail options at brunches around the city (7.31.07), so take advantage of the chance to start early. A few possibilities: the Living Room (101 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, 617.723.5101), Tremont 647 (647 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.266.4600), and East Coast Grill (1271 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, 617.491.6568). Make a smooth transition from brunch cocktails to alfresco afternoon drinks to a pre-dinner apéritif, and so on. We dare you to make it straight through to 2 a.m., no naps allowed.

Night 18: Flirt with a bartender. Why not? Worst-case scenario, you could end up with a free drink. Best case, maybe a quickie in the kitchen after-hours.

Night 19: Participate in a sing-along. Feel free to start your own on the walk back to your apartment — though your neighbors might not be impressed. Or, take part in the Friday-night piano sing-alongs — songbooks provided — that are hosted weekly at Jacob Wirth’s (31–37 Stuart Street, Boston, 617.338.8586). Also, stop in at the Black Rose (160 State Street, Boston, 617.742.2286) for nightly live Irish music that inevitably turns into a room-wide chorus.

Night 20: Fake a celebration. So what if it’s not your birthday/bachelorette party/graduation/last day of work? Pretend it is, and let everyone else in the bar join the festivities. (We have a friend who owns a fake — and massive — diamond ring for just that occasion.) Revel in the free drinks, high-fives, and congratulatory words, and let your understanding friends steal the spotlight next time. Just be sure to stick to your story: if you’re getting married tomorrow, don’t expect to “cheat” on the groom with the busboy, or the jig is up.

Night 21: Take advantage of extended salon hours. We wish we could go all Hollywood and employ a stylist to get us ready every night, but unfortunately, that’s just not possible. Many salons, however, extend their hours on certain nights to service clients with tight schedules. Arrive dressed and ready to go, then head to your nighttime destination straight from your stylist’s chair. I Soci (8 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.867.9484) is open until 8 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, while James Joseph Salon (30 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.266.7222) celebrates Late Night Thursdays until 9 p.m. The stylists at Shag (840 Summer Street, South Boston, 617.268.2500) can be convinced to hang around until 8 or 8:30 p.m. on Thursdays, and at Avanti (11 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.267.4027), drop by any Thursday for party music and sangria from 8 to 11 p.m.

Night 22: Do it on the roof. If you undertake this 30-day adventure before fall really sets in, you can take advantage of one of our favorite pastimes: rooftop drinking. If you lack roof access at home, we have a few suggestions: Ristorante Fiore (250 Hanover Street, Boston, 617.371.1176), the Black Rhino (21 Broad Street, Boston, 617.263.0101), the Rattlesnake (384 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.859.7772), and the Baseball Tavern (1270 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.867.6526). Too chilly? Search out the next best thing: heated patios.

Night 23: Party crash. Swathe yourself in something fabulous — there’s no way you’ll get kicked out if you’re the best-dressed person in the place — and schmooze your way in with a smile, a compliment, and, if necessary, a well-placed $20 bill. Whether it’s a corporate cocktail party or some VIP-only event, confidence is key. After all, if you can act like you belong, then you probably do. Stick to a simple story, and bow out with grace if you’re denied entrance. If you do make it inside, take full advantage of that open bar and the oh-so-inviting dance floor, and leave the crowd buzzing about the evening’s fabulous mystery guest.

Night 24: Indulge in some late-night fine-dining. Some people crave the grossest of junk foods when they’re afflicted with the drunk munchies, but we recommend taking it up a notch. A number of Boston’s most chic eateries offer late-night menus that rival anything available during the less-bleary hours. Sel de la Terre (255 State Street, Boston, 617.720.1300) serves a few choice dishes on Wednesday through Saturday evenings from 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Upscale North End eatery Lucca (226 Hanover Street, Boston, 617.742.9200) offers a late-night menu until 12:30 a.m. And Miel, the “Brasserie Provençal” at the InterContinental Boston (510 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, 617.747.1000), is open for business 24 hours.

Night 25: Play designated driver (or just chaperone), and watch your friends get sloshed around you. Sounds boring, but if you plan for it, it can be as amusing as getting tipsy yourself. Just be sure to initiate a no-puking rule — and take full advantage of your hangover-free self tomorrow.

Night 26: Scorpion bowls! We don’t know what it is about a bowl full of shady alcohols and questionable juices shared (totally un-hygienically, we might add) among a group of friends, but a scorpion bowl always manages to perk up an otherwise drab night out with a little bit of kitsch. We go for the multi-strawed drinks served in fishbowls at the Landing (Long Wharf, Boston, 617.227.4321) — still open, weather-permitting — and the signature bowls from the deliciously gritty Hong Kong (65 Chatham Street, Boston, 617.227.2226; 1236 Mass Ave, Cambridge, 617.864.5311).

Night 27: Wear something out of character. Everyone has their nightlife “look,” whether it’s jeans and flats, simple black dresses, or flowy tops and heels. For one night only, change things up. Go indie-rock chick in skinny denim, or try something super-short or low-cut-down-to-there if you’re normally the conservative type. Purveyors of “disposable clothing” like H&M (100 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.859.3192), Forever 21 (South Shore Plaza, 250 Granite Street, Braintree, 781.843.2509), and, if you scour the clearance racks, Urban Outfitters (361 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.236.0088) make it easy — and affordable — to try something outside your comfort zone. You’ll feel like a new person, and who knows? Maybe it’ll become a permanent addition to your signature style.

Night 28: Become a groupie. Channel Kate Hudson and the Band-Aids in Almost Famous, then choose an up-and-coming local musician as the new object of your obsession. Arrive early to secure your front-row spot, and after the band’s set, flirt, schmooze, or buy your way backstage for a personal meet-and-greet with your new favorite. We suggest starting small at more intimate venues like the Paradise Lounge (969 Comm Ave, Boston, 617.562.8800), Johnny D’s (17 Holland Street, Somerville, 617.776.2004), or Club Passim (47 Palmer Street, Cambridge, 617.492.7679); you’ll probably have more luck, and lesser-known artists will be more appreciative of your affection.

Night 29: Buy someone (preferably attractive) a drink. It can’t hurt, right? Even if you’re attached, at least you’ll have a conversation partner for the time it takes for him or her to suck down that martini. And if you’re single? Well, the possibilities are endless. At the very least, you’ll make someone’s night.

Night 30: Start your own list of to-dos. Now that you’ve spent 29 nights trying new things, meeting new people, and visiting new places, you’ve surely amassed your own mental list of spots you’re dying to check out and events you simply must attend. Now, the next time your friends whine, “What are we doing tonight?”, you’ll have all the chic, fun answers. So what’s up for tonight? Sampling the beer menu at Deep Ellum (477 Cambridge Street, Allston, 617.787.BEER)? A pub crawl around Beacon Hill? Scamming your way past the line at Revolution Rock Bar (200 High Street, Boston, 617.261.4200)? Or all of the above, and then some ... @

[Illustration by C Smigliani]