Stuff Boston : Night

Tim Collins @ Night

Erin Byers Murray — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 22:59:00 GMT

Music man

Well-known Lansdowne Street DJ fixture Tim Collins used to work solely with the Lyons Group. Now he’s out on his own, and his creative juices are running rampant. His spanking-new Saturday-night gig at Lucky’s Lounge features a mix of house, beat, and world music, while his partnership with Rafanelli Events has him coordinating music for some of the city’s finest fêtes. Later this summer, he’s teaming up with old-school Boston DJ Anastasia to start pumping out monthly events. All this, and he has a three-month-old daughter at home. When he and his wife have a night off, naturally, they like to go searching for some music.

@ 6:15 p.m.: We’ll start off having a couple drinks at Lucky’s Lounge so I can watch a few innings of the Red Sox game.

@ 7:30 p.m.: By about 8 p.m., we’re on our way to Bukowski’s in Cambridge to snack on some appetizers. They have those great glass doors that open to the street when it’s nice. And they have an incredible beer list.

@ 9:45 p.m.: We’ll make our way over to the Enormous Room next. The music there is really good, and there’s always a great group of different cultures mixed in. They use the same DJs but they switch it up where you’re not getting the same Top 40 music. It’s always fresh.

@ midnight: The Franklin Café is our next stop for some late-night dining. I love the grilled calamari, and Karen, one of the bartenders there, is one of my favorites in the city.

@ 2 a.m.: We’ll start wandering home to South Boston around 2 or 2:30. With my daughter here, I’ve become a morning person. But I still won’t get to bed until around 4 a.m

Kristi McNeil @ Night

Erin Byers Murray — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:50:00 GMT

Late again

She spent three years tending and managing the bar and the past year as general manager at Noir at the Charles Hotel, so Kristi McNeil is most certainly a night owl. The Somerville resident generally closes the bar five nights a week, which means she gets as much sleep as she can on her days off. She still enjoys a night on the town, but instead of club-hopping, she prefers to have a nice meal and lay low so, she says, “I can enjoy being on the other side of the game.”

@ 6:15 p.m.: As much as I’m at Noir, it really is a good place to go early in the evening. You can sit on the patio and just relax. People associate it with a late-night atmosphere, but I start my night there. And I’m sort of obsessed with the liquor St. Germain lately. We just put a drink called Scarlett Street on the menu, with blood-orange purée and Champagne. I’ll start the night off with one of those.
@ 7:30 p.m.: I go to a lot of my favorite places again and again, and one of my most favorite spots right now is East Coast Grill. It’s so relaxed in there. I always get the same thing: the mahi mahi with rice, beans, and plantains.
@ 9:45 p.m.: Being in the industry, a lot of the people I know are bartenders or in the business, and I can usually see a lot of them at once at Eastern Standard. I’ll usually let them whip up whatever they want to whip up over there.
@ midnight: The B-Side Lounge is another favorite, so I’ll head over there for a bourbon on the rocks. It’s just something easy, and I’m into the more classic stuff.
@ 2 a.m.: I don’t go to bed until pretty late because of my hours, but at least I’ll be home by now. My phone starts going off at 9 a.m., so I have to be up and ready for it.

The secret life of bartenders

Heather Bouzan — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:45:00 GMT

Meet the publicists, property managers, musicians, and lobbyists who just might make your next martini.

We'd been working with Regan Communications publicist Arika Beaudry for months before she casually dropped into conversation that, after putting in a full day’s work fielding press calls, dreaming up marketing plans, and soothing harried clients’ egos, she often ends her night behind the bar at Clery’s (113 Dartmouth Street, Boston, 617.262.9874), slinging drinks for an additional eight or nine hours.

It’s easy to understand the motivation behind picking up a few extra shifts at your local pub: the hours suit the schedule of those with a nine-to-five gig, the money is tough to beat, and there are worse things to do on a Thursday night than mix a few martinis and chat it up with the regulars. But what is it about bartending that not only draws those looking to make a little extra cash in the short-term, but then keeps hold? (Beaudry, for one, has been working at Clery’s for over five years now.) To find out, we went looking for bartenders for whom the job is secondary to some other career path or life plan.

For Beaudry, it’s simple: identity. “Yeah, the extra money is nice, and I’ve come to depend on it and it helps me live
in Boston and travel and do fun things,” she says. “But honestly, [bartending is] a huge part of me. I would feel lost without it; I would not be me without it. I’ve just been doing it for so long, and I’ve been at the same bar for so long, and some of my best friends work there. Every night is really long and hard, but it’s just so comfortable.”

Brent Barlow, who can be found behind the bar at the Beacon Hill Bistro (25 Charles Street, Boston, 617.723.1133) when he’s not teaching voice lessons or performing with his band Slow Motion Driver, agrees. “The money, I think, is probably the biggest draw of bartending,” he admits. “But especially where I work, where the restaurant is small, we have a lot of regulars who come in, [and] you kind of feel like you’re part of a small family back there.”

Alisha Joubert of Mantra (52 Temple Place, Boston, 617.542.8111), who also dabbles in real estate and property management, goes so far as to liken her bartending work to a gambling addiction. “Once you do it, you don’t want to go back and do the regular Joe Schmo nine-to-five thing,” she says. “Also it’s so flexible, you can bartend three nights a week and have four days off to yourself and still make that same amount of money you’d be [making if you were] working nine-to-five.”

For many bartenders, their cash-strapped college years pushed them into the restaurant business — it’s an attractive gig for undergrads, after all, given its built-in social life and flexible schedule. Later, for young professionals in their 20s and 30s who continue to moonlight behind the bar, sometimes it’s more about the social element than the paycheck. Gary Murad, a vice-president at O’Neill and Associates who works as a government lobbyist, attests to that. “I guess I’ve gotten to that stage where it’s probably less to do with the money and more to do with a good social outlet,” says Murad, who bartends once a week at Vox Populi (755 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.424.8300). “You’re working full time in a suit and tie every day, [so] being behind a bar is like a social outlet for me. [The] people I work with at the bar, people who come in, seeing my friends ... it’s like being out, but being behind the bar.”

And for those looking to hang out without dropping two months’ rent on their bar tab, bartending can be a good option for a weekend night. High-school biology and chemistry teacher Gene Roundtree isn’t much of a drinker, but he enjoys meeting people and soaking up the (grown-up) scene at Audubon Circle (838 Beacon Street, Boston, 617.421.1910), where he mans the bar a couple of nights a week. “Being a bartender allows me to be out, be in that kind of social atmosphere, be where there’s a lot of really interesting things going on, and meet a lot of interesting people without having to be spending money and [without] having to be drinking.”

But it can be a delicate balance juggling a full-time career, a bartending job, and a social life. The late nights, for example, get to Murad sometimes. “By [closing time], I’ve had a long day, I’ve been up since maybe seven, 7:30, and it’s 1:30 in the morning and I’m wiping down liquor bottles and beer coolers and dreaming about my bed,” he says. A regular Friday morning conference call after his Thursday night bartending shift doesn’t make things any easier — but it’s nothing he says a few cups of coffee can’t cure.

What about letting coworkers at a day job know about the night one? It’s a tricky subject for many of the bartenders we spoke to. Jill Zahareas, who dispenses booze at the Bar Room (5 Broad Street, Boston, 617.723.7877), says discussing her second job with coworkers at tradeshow management firm Hill & Partners can be awkward. “Sometimes I get a little uncomfortable when they ask questions about how much I make or whether I’m working on a certain night,” she explains. “It can be tough to work until two or three in the morning and wake up a few hours later for work. I don’t want them to think it will influence my job performance — that’s important to me!"

But no matter how firm these bartenders are about keeping their two lives separate, all agree that the skills they’ve developed behind the bar have carried over to their day jobs — to positive effect. “You’ve got an order of 10 drinks, you’re three deep at the bar, and you’re remembering — it may sound kind of cheesy, but PR’s like that, too,” says Beaudry. “You have sometimes eight to 10 clients or five things going on a day, three events you’re working on, and I think [bartending has] just given me the skin to balance and take what’s thrown at me.”

Kimberly Doyle, an artist who also works in finance, says that nights behind the bar at Prezza (24 Fleet Street, Boston, 617.227.1577) serve as inspiration. “Since I’m a big portrait painter, I see people who are happy, laughing, having a nice time, [and] I can take that vision and put it onto canvas,” she says. Murad, on the other hand, values the people skills he’s gained at Vox. “My [day] job is a very people-oriented line of work. It involves a great deal of relationship-building, interpersonal skills, communication skills. I think people who work in the service industry — particularly the front of house: bartenders, waitresses, cocktail waitresses, that kind of thing — learn a lot about people and how to interact with people from different backgrounds, different age groups, and I think you translate that into the real world.”

Joubert agrees. “You definitely learn how to deal with people — especially when they’re drunk,” she says matter-of-factly. “You learn people’s true colors when they’re in that state.”

There are other life lessons to be learned behind the bar, too. “Years ago, when I first started bartending, one of my managers said to us, ‘You’re always on stage when you’re a bartender, no matter what. When you walk behind the bar, you’re performing,’ ” Barlow recalls. His experience on the Beacon Hill Bistro “stage” now helps him when he performs at local spots like the Middle East, the Cantab, and TT the Bear’s.

So how much longer will our bartenders keep up their late nights and hectic schedules? “I don’t think I’ll be able to do it forever, but I think I’ll do it until it starts feeling like a chore or it’s interfering with anything else in my life,” says Beaudry. Murad agrees. “I’m sure at some point I’ll hang up my beer opener and my shaker glass,” he allows. “When it stops being fun or if it starts interfering with my career, that’s when I hang it up.”

As for Zahareas, she’ll continue bartending for “a couple years at the very least, or until I find a job that will enable me to live comfortably without bartending.” She pauses. “Ah, who am I kidding? I’ll be slinging drinks forever!”

Greg Reeves @ Night

Erin Byers Murray — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 20:00:00 GMT

After several years behind the line at B&G Oysters and the Butcher Shop, Greg Reeves moved on to the executive chef position at Green Street, where he’s been comfortably settled since earlier this spring. The commute to his Somerville apartment is much shorter these days, but he still makes his way back to the South End for cocktails and bites on his nights off.

@ 6:15 p.m.: I’ll probably have a cocktail at my house with my girlfriend. I like to drink Negronis and Manhattans; I’m much more of a cocktail-and-beer drinker than a wine drinker.

@ 7:30 p.m.: By now, we’ll definitely go grab a bite to eat. I’ve been going to East Coast Grill for their ribs and oysters lately. I may have a margarita or a beer to fit the food there.

@ 9:45 p.m.: If I’m going out for a big night, I’ll head over to check out Toro in the South End. I like to get over there and have a few more small bites and see the cocktail list.

@ midnight: Usually if the Sox aren’t in town, I go to either Eastern Standard for one last drink or the B-Side Lounge so I can get a little closer to home.

@ 2 a.m.: I’ve been out since 6 p.m. I’m either home or definitely should have been by now.

Say anything: More straight talk from the DJ roundtable

Heather Bouzan — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:59:00 GMT

DJ Melee: The better the party, the better the vibe, right?

***

Eli: I think most of us here probably use some aspects of the new technology in everything we’re doing now. But it’s really to try to push new things and open up new doors.

***

DJ Knife: I know that Adidas has embraced DJ culture; they have DJs there every weekend. So, it works for us — I mean, obviously they give us clothes and that’s a good thing. But it is crazy to think that within the last six months we’ve seen five or six specialty sneaker stores pop up in the area. I just don’t know if DJing has anything to do with it, to be honest with you.

***
DJ Die Young: DJs are always flashy. Or, some of them, you know? You want to look good; you want to get noticed.

***

Eli: I feel like that connection between fashion and DJing has gotten stronger and stronger, and that retail stores want to have DJs because it helps increase the atmosphere, it helps make their branding more exciting, and for us it’s exciting because we can match our music with whatever style the store is trying to go for.

***

DJ Die Young: We had a party at Make It New; this guy was coming up asking us to play “Texas House.” I don’t know what Texas House is. He was so mad at us, and then I was like, “Dude, if you don’t like what’s playing, just leave.” I see him a half an hour later standing on a chair, like, “Yeah!” We didn’t play Texas house; we didn’t play anything Texas. But we just kept him there.

***

DJ Bruno: When I first started, if I were to play a single hip-hop song, I would’ve been fired, okay? Because being black here is like, people have a stigma. You are going to play hip-hop only. Me, I love everything. I play hip-hop, reggae, R&B, house, rock, ’80s, ’70s, the whole nine. If it works, I will play it. But, it’s just that now, the big thing is hip-hop.

***

DJ Bruno: I will say this: everything now is starting to change. Everyone is tired of just hearing rap. Everyone is tired of just hearing house. They want to hear everything now, you know? So I think it’s slowly starting to change, but it’s going to take a while.

***

DJ Bruno: I just think that ever since the Euro students showed up, that changed everything. That changed the whole scene. Because, then, it was just about money. ’Cause they would come in and buy the magnum bottles of Champagne, you know?

***

Eli: Before there were blogs and Internet message boards, it was like, there were e-mail lists that you could be invited to or sign up for and basically talk to each other. Boston Parties was an old one. And it was just shit-talking all the time. But that hadn’t happened for years. So now I feel like people care a lot again.

***

DJ Bruno: Boston doesn’t have its own sound, but, at the same time, Boston is such a small city. Everybody knows everybody; everybody knows everyone’s business. I remember guys fighting over guys handing out flyers in front of clubs. It’s such a small scene. Everybody just needs to work together. Here, I just don’t see everybody working for the same goals.

***

DJ Knife: I think that this is probably an obvious statement, but where the DJ culture is heading in Boston is dependent on technology and the music industry, and I think that basically, within five or six years, CDs might be obsolete, and technology will change. Ultimately we’ll see the death of vinyl — not that we haven’t already seen it, limping into its grave right now.

***

Charlie: I’ve got something to get off my chest. I want to go on record as saying: raves, raving, rave party, raves, let’s go to a rave, let’s throw a rave, raving, nouveau rave, raving.

***

DJ Bruno: I stopped drinking, but I never did drugs. I was just vibing off of the music. I never smoked or did anything.

***

Eli: Yes, it’s impossible to deny that drugs are a part of dance music culture, but you know, there’s a lot of people that go out because they want to dance.

A look ahead: Futuristic fashion for the new year

Michael Diskin — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 23:07:00 GMT

SLIDESHOW: Click here to view photos from the "A look ahead" slideshow.

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]

Planning committee: What are you doing for New Year's Eve?

Heather Bouzan — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 21:33:00 GMT

NEW YEAR’S EVE: we can never decide whether to love it or hate it. Somehow we’re always making grand plans that never materialize — and when things have panned out, too often we’ve spent the evening nine cocktails deep and making out with whomever happens to be sitting next to us when the clock strikes midnight. In fact, some of our best New Year’s Eves have been the nights that we’ve stayed in on the couch with Dick Clark, slugging Champagne with the most random groups of friends. But that’s just us. What about you?

Sabrina Haller
Age: 19
Occupation: au pair
Lives in: Wayland
What are your New Year’s plans this year? I’m not sure, but I think I will be in New York. Last year, I was at a friend’s house in Austria.
Do you have a New Year’s kiss lined up? I don’t know.
Best New Year’s Eve? I was on Nantucket, on vacation with my whole family.
What was the best part of 2007? I did a lot of things — I was in New York, New Hampshire, then I was here in Boston. So, all this traveling.
Worst part? Nothing.
Describe your fantasy New Year’s Eve. Stay with my friends, have a party, meet other friends in New York.
What are your New Year’s resolutions? Play more sports, eat healthier.
What’s the New Year’s resolution you make over and over but never keep? Lose weight.

Aileen Scott
Age: 27
Occupation: HR recruiter
Lives in: Brookline
What are your New Year’s plans this year? Celebrate my two-year anniversary.
Do you have a New Year’s kiss lined up? Of course — if I’m celebrating my anniversary, I’d better.
Describe your worst New Year’s Eve experience. When my plans got cancelled last minute and I sat at home watching Dick Clark.
Best New Year’s Eve? Meeting my boyfriend — I always hated New Year’s before then.
What was the best part of 2007? Moving to Boston.
Worst part? Saying goodbye to all my friends in New York.
Describe your fantasy New Year’s Eve. I would go back to Aruba and celebrate it on the beach.
Craziest New Year’s bash you’ve ever attended? Edinburgh, Scotland.
What are your New Year’s resolutions? I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions, because they’re never kept.

Robby Thomas
Age: 42
Occupation: banker
Lives in: Dorchester
What are your New Year’s plans this year? To spend some time with friends and family. To kick back and relax and make sure we make it to the New Year.
What was the best part of 2007? This was a really difficult year, but a really great year in a lot of respects. Career-wise, it was a great year, and there was some extracurricular stuff I’m involved with that was really good. And the Sox won.
Worst part? That it isn’t done yet — I want to see it leave pretty quickly.
Describe your fantasy New Year’s Eve. You experience New Year’s Eve in one part of the world, then fly to another part of the world to experience the same thing in a different time zone.
What are your New Year’s resolutions? Tighten up [my] budget, [my] financial goals. Saving more money, paying off [my] bills, looking for new things to invest in.
What’s the New Year’s resolution you make over and over but never keep? I try to keep mine. I don’t think there’s one that I make and never follow through on.

Liz Vancheri
Age: 23
Occupation: CSN Stores, an online e-commerce company
Lives in: the North End
What are your New Year’s plans this year? As of right now, I don’t really know, but a few of my friends and I were talking about going to this restaurant in the North End called Tresca.
Do you have a New Year’s kiss lined up? I do not — I just broke up with my boyfriend.
Describe your worst New Year’s Eve experience. Last year, maybe. It wasn’t really bad — just boring. I went to visit my boyfriend in college and was in a dorm room.
Best New Year’s Eve? Probably being underage and sneaking into clubs.
What was the best part of 2007? Moving to the city.
Worst part? Working from nine to six.
Describe your fantasy New Year’s Eve. A tropical destination — that would be fun. With all my friends.
Craziest New Year’s bash you’ve ever attended? I would say all of them are really crazy, because you don’t remember them.
What are your New Year’s resolutions? Just try to save money.

Kristina Lueck
Age: 19
Occupation: au pair
Lives in: Framingham
What are your New Year’s plans this year? I want to stay in Boston, but I don’t know yet. Last year, I spent New Year’s Eve with my family.
Do you have a New Year’s kiss lined up? No.
Describe your worst New Year’s Eve experience. Too many old people and too [much] bad music.
Best New Year’s Eve? Together with my friends.
What was the best part of 2007? Coming to the United States.
Worst part? My summer vacation. It was a very weird hotel, weird food — was not good.
Describe your fantasy New Year’s Eve. Be at the top of a very high building and see the fireworks and everything unfold underneath.
What are your New Year’s resolutions? Have a good year here.
What’s the New Year’s resolution you make over and over but never keep? Eat healthier things.

Mook Poontastarn
Age: 22
Occupation: Boston College graduate student
Lives in: Brighton
What are your New Year’s plans this year? Bahamas with my friends.
Do you have a New Year’s kiss lined up? No.
Describe your worst New Year’s Eve experience. Last year, I went to Las Vegas, and it was my worst experience — I don’t like Las Vegas.
Best New Year’s Eve? I never had one, actually, because I always stayed home and relaxed. Hopefully this year.
What was the best part of 2007? My life has been changing. I graduated from college and moved to Boston — I like it a lot. And I broke up with my boyfriend — it’s great.
Worst part? I don’t see any bad parts of this year.
Describe your fantasy New Year’s Eve. I want to go home to Thailand to surprise my parents.
What are your New Year’s resolutions? I want to get a real job.

Matt Bucklin
Age: 34
Occupation: restaurant manager
Lives in: Back Bay
What are your New Year’s plans this year? To work.
Do you have a New Year’s kiss lined up? Yeah, I do, actually.
Describe your worst New Year’s Eve experience. Being a waiter in Savannah, Georgia.
Best New Year’s Eve? I don’t know — I’m always working. Y2K, I think, was the funnest one, because the world was going to end.
What was the best part of 2007? Getting this job, I suppose.
Worst part? My mother died.
Describe your fantasy New Year’s Eve. Not having to work, and having no lines.
Craziest New Year’s bash you’ve ever attended? Years ago, when I was in college, I was an emcee in a strip club, and that got pretty crazy.
What are your New Year’s resolutions? Stay healthy, I guess. My last year’s resolution was to quit smoking, so I did that.
What’s the New Year’s resolution you make over and over but never keep? To actually exer-cise. I really only run when I’m chased, and that’s, like, never.

Luciano Pio
Age: 27
Occupation: mover
Lives in: Allston
What are your New Year’s plans this year? I’ll be honest with you: lay low, definitely not too raucous.
Do you have a New Year’s kiss lined up? No, no I don’t. I’m a single dad, so ...
Describe your worst New Year’s Eve experience. I had a huge break-up right before, so I would say that’s pretty bad.
Best New Year’s Eve? I went to New York, and I saw this band called the New Deal at B.B. King’s in Times Square.
What was the best part of 2007? My daughter was born.
Worst part? A break-up.
Describe your fantasy New Year’s Eve. I’d probably go back home to Brazil, Rio.
What are your New Year’s resolutions? My New Year’s resolution would probably be to save money this year.
What’s the New Year’s resolution you make over and over but never keep? Good diet.

Cameron Montgomery
Age: 18
Occupation: baker
Lives in: Atlanta, Georgia
What are your New Year’s plans this year? Partying. Last year, I went to sleep.
Do you have a New Year’s kiss lined up? Yes — I have a couple.
Describe your worst New Year’s Eve experience. Last year, when I was sick. I fell asleep, and my brother and all my friends left me at home, so I was all alone.
Best New Year’s Eve? Probably when I was in New York the year before last.
What was the best part of 2007? My birthday.
Worst part? Yesterday — when I got here, the morning of my flight, someone had started a rumor about me, and it’s really shitty. And she’s one of my best friends.
What are your New Year’s resolutions? I want to lose seven pounds.
What’s the New Year’s resolution you make over and over but never keep? Lose seven pounds and get a job.

Alexandra Matteo
Age: 19
Occupation: Boston Conservatory student
Lives in: Back Bay/Fenway area
What are your New Year’s plans this year? I’m going back home. I’ll see my friends and hang out with my family.
Do you have a New Year’s kiss lined up? Not as of now.
Describe your worst New Year’s Eve experience. I don’t know that I have a worst-ever New Year’s Eve. I’m always having fun on New Year’s Eve.
Best New Year’s Eve? Last New Year’s Eve. My boyfriend, one of my best friends from home, her boyfriend, and my sister were all in town — and my parents were out of town. We went around to different stores trying to find the most unique games. We just played games and watched the ball drop. It was really fun and really chill, and it was with all my best friends.
Describe your fantasy New Year’s Eve. I would be in New York or Paris — one of the two. Something dressy, and go out to a nice cocktail party with all of my friends. At Elton John’s house. And end the night with a kiss from Matt Damon.

Dave Ladetto
Age: 22
Occupation: marketing
Lives in: Cambridge
What are your New Year’s plans this year? I’m going to go out in Boston, probably with my co-workers or my buddies. Probably be the same thing I do every weekend.
Do you have a New Year’s kiss lined up? I don’t know — quite possibly.
Best New Year’s Eve? My parents live in Texas, so I went down there. Texas New Year’s — crazier than here. I heard gunshots going off and stuff like that.
Describe your fantasy New Year’s Eve. It would be going in a couple black SUVs to New York City with a bunch of buddies. Having VIP [treatment] there.
Craziest New Year’s bash you’ve ever attended? At UMass. I went to a frat party with like 500 people.
What are your New Year’s resolutions? To stop smoking, to be more focused on my job, to move closer to the city, and to see my family more — all the typical things. Floss, that’s a big one.
What’s the New Year’s resolution you make over and over but never keep? To floss.

Melissa Meadows
Age: 23
Occupation: sales
Lives in: Lexington
What are your New Year’s plans this year? I’m actually going to a wedding. I’m going to buy my dress right now.
Do you have a New Year’s kiss lined up? Yup, my boyfriend. It’s his cousin’s wedding.
Describe your worst New Year’s Eve experience. I usually have good ones. I don’t think I have had a bad New Year’s, to be honest.
Best New Year’s Eve? Probably two years ago: it was at the Westin in Waltham. It was open bar, with all my girlfriends. We stayed there. I think it was the best because we didn’t have to worry about anything — we were just there.
What was the best part of 2007? I started dating my boyfriend.
Describe your fantasy New Year’s Eve. To be honest, probably Times Square — just to say I did it.
Craziest New Year’s bash you’ve ever attended? [In] 2000 — I was in high school. It was crazy.
What are your New Year’s resolutions? Stop swearing.
What’s the New Year’s resolution you make over and over but never keep? To quit smoking.

Lisa Woodbury
Age: 19
Occupation: student
Lives in: Roxbury
What are your New Year’s plans this year? Going to a party, going to New York — who knows? Something fun.
Do you have a New Year’s kiss lined up? Him [points to the guy next to her].
Describe your worst New Year’s Eve experience. When I didn’t have somebody to kiss on New Year’s.
What was the best part of 2007? I worked at Mantra, and we had a Halloween party — that was one of the better nights they had there.
Worst part? There hasn’t been that much snow; I like going snowboarding.
Describe your fantasy New Year’s Eve. I want to go somewhere warm, bunch of drinks, be with all my friends, go clubbing.
Craziest New Year’s bash you’ve ever attended? In Worcester.
What are your New Year’s resolutions? My New Year’s resolution is to get a steady job.
What’s the New Year’s resolution you make over and over but never keep? That I’m going to work out every day.

Bill Gile
Age: 20
Occupation: New England Tech student
Lives in: Warwick, Rhode Island
What are your New Year’s plans this year? Probably spending it with my girlfriend, going to a party or something.
Do you have a New Year’s kiss lined up? I think I have a kiss lined up; I’m pretty sure.
Describe your worst New Year’s Eve experience. My buddy Brian’s house — it was me and him and his family. Pretty boring.
Best New Year’s Eve? Probably the last one, whatever we did.
What was the best part of 2007? The Red Sox.
Worst part? The seasons changing, going from fall to winter.
Describe your fantasy New Year’s Eve. Be somewhere warm, somewhere nice, the South.
What are your New Year’s resolutions? Not to be so dependent on people.
What’s the New Year’s resolution you make over and over but never keep? I don’t really every make one — I’m usually pretty happy with the way I’m going.

Mike Janetakos
Age: 26
Occupation: HR recruiter
Lives in: Woburn
What are your New Year’s plans this year? Probably going to watch the ball drop in New York — annual tradition.
Do you have a New Year’s kiss lined up? Not yet.
Describe your worst New Year’s Eve experience. Probably having a few too many drinks, then going to the Frog Pond to skate with a few of my friends and basically falling on my ass numerous times.
What was the best part of 2007? Getting into shape. I’ve lost 90 pounds, and [I’m] just happy to fit into designer clothing again. Also, spending two weeks in Europe.
Describe your fantasy New Year’s Eve. I would probably be in Paris, standing at the top of the Eiffel Tower with my ideal partner, having that first kiss of the year.
Craziest New Year’s bash you’ve ever attended? At an old renovated firehouse in Malden where they have tons of vintage neon signs and a diner inside the house.
What are your New Year’s resolutions? My New Year’s resolution is to get beach-ready by June.

Rose McCarthy
Age: 28
Occupation: advertising copywriter
Lives in: Back Bay
What are your New Year’s plans this year? I’m being really lame — I’m actually spending New Year’s with my sister, her husband, and their two babies in California.
Do you have a New Year’s kiss lined up? Not yet, but I probably should by now. You’re motivating me.
Describe your worst New Year’s Eve experience. Last year I got really trashed and ended up bursting into tears at a party where I didn’t know anybody, because my boyfriend at the time lived in LA. I had just moved here.
Best New Year’s Eve? There was one year where my girlfriends and I did a big sleepover and spent the night in our pajamas, just watching movies and drinking wine and being girls.
Describe your fantasy New Year’s Eve. My fantasy New Year’s Eve is just spending New Year’s with my family and closest friends in an intimate setting.
What are your New Year’s resolutions? Try and work out at least three days a week. That’s been my resolution for, like, the last five years. @

Well worn: 10 years of Stuff@Night fashion

Michael Diskin — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 22:02:00 GMT

SLIDESHOW: Click here to view photos from the "Well Worn" slideshow.

MP3: Stuff@Night editor Tamara Wieder talks to FNX about turning 10

Perfect 10: Get in touch with your inner pre-teen

Melissa Cronin — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 19:29:00 GMT

ANOTHER YEAR older, another year wiser, another birthday pub crawl? Nah — we’re so tired of the usual bar-hopping birthday fêtes. In brainstorming ideas for Stuff@night’s 10th-birthday celebration, we found ourselves yearning for the days of cupcakes, candy, and themed table settings. That in mind, here are some places to party like a 10-year-old (a city-dwelling 10-year-old with a fake ID and a wad of allowance cash, that is).

sweet talk
No celebration is complete without cupcakes, but more and more schools are banning the treats, saying they’re just too unhealthy for kids. Good thing we’re all grown up! Somerville is the local sweet spot for fans of the dessert: Kickass Cupcakes (378 Highland Avenue, Somerville, 617.628.CUPS) offers modern flavors like Mojito ($2.75) and Caramel Apple Cake ($2.75), but if you’d rather have a more classic cupcake experience, there’s nothing better than Super Chocolate. Another option just a mile away, Petsi Pies (285 Beacon Street, Somerville, 617.661.7437; also 31 Putnam Avenue, Cambridge, 617.499.0801) is famous for Whoopie Pie cupcakes ($2), with chocolate cake and whipped-cream filling. Grab a couple for yourself, and don’t worry about sharing with the class.

get racy
Want to take a trip down memory lane at 45 miles per hour? Anyone who ever tried to hotwire their Power Wheels will love F1 Boston (290 Wood Road, Braintree, 781.848.2300), 20 minutes south of Boston. F1, New England’s only inside track, is modeled on the super-sexy world of European Formula 1 racing. Visitors can drop in, suit up, and head out on either a “city” or “country” course that simulates a wide array of driving conditions. One run of practice and race laps costs $28. After racing, replenish with snacks and cocktails at the track’s on-site restaurant. (Repeat: after.)

dirty little secret
Mud pies were never for eating, so why do kids insist on dabbling in dirt? Well, maybe children’s peachy complexions are a hint that they’re on to something: mud can actually be a purifying agent that stimulates the metabolism as it draws out toxins. Spa Newbury (115 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.262.9464) does the dirty work for you with its Mud Wrapsody treatment ($125), using sterilized mud and peat imported from Europe. Technicians apply the mixture all over your body and wrap you in warm blankets to start the detox process. It’s perfect, they say, for starting a fast. We’d rather take our shiny selves to the club.

late bloomer
Boston lawmakers have stuck us with one of the country’s earliest bedtimes. For the past few years, though, determined partiers have been staying up with strobes instead of flashlights. Behind a nondescript Back Bay doorway, Rise (306 Stuart Street, Boston, 617.423.7473) hosts parties that don’t even start until most people are heading to bed. The welcoming scene, which includes international DJs spinning on two floors, might be a result of the members-only policy, a means of getting around the closing-time restrictions. You won’t get in if you just show up, but we know a bad babysitter who’ll help you stay out late. To get on the guest list, e-mail promoter Tina Snell at club.xtina@gmail.com.

juiced-up drinks
Whole Foods doesn’t stock Capri Sun or Hawaiian Punch, but we haven’t missed them; those syrupy concoctions are too much for our refined adult palate. Instead, Match (94 Mass Ave, Boston, 617.247.9922) offers drinks with the right mix of sweet nostalgia and grown-up naughtiness in a sleek and sexy environment. Mom told us not to swallow our gum, but vodka, peach schnapps, lemon juice, and Champagne go down smooth in the Bubbletini ($11). The Pop Culture martini ($11) features strawberry vodka, Bacardi Coco, and cranberry and pineapple juice, all rimmed with pop rocks. They won’t make your stomach explode, despite what you may have heard from the big kids.

peanut, peanut butter — and jelly!
Who says you have to leave behind your PB&J sandwiches when you graduate from elementary school? The Sunset Grill and Tap (130 Brighton Avenue, Allston, 617.254.1331) serves one that’s no smushed white-bread mess: they accent their fresh-ground peanut butter with honey, before spreading it with strawberry preserves on a Texas toast ($3.99). Marshmallow fluff, banana, and cream cheese are add-in options. Now if only they’d cut off the crust.

the games people play
Double Dare, Guts, Wild ’n’ Crazy Kids: the tragedy of our childhood was that we were never chosen to appear on a Nickelodeon game show. But we’ve finally found a way to live out our earliest fantasies of TV stardom. Tomb (186 Brookline Avenue, Boston, 617.375.9487) is a real-life Legends of the Hidden Temple, tucked right behind Fenway Park. The Egyptian-themed puzzles, obstacle-course challenges, and goofy fake smoke throughout the 45-minute experience are the closest we’ll ever get to Olmec.

grown-up gluttony
One of the best parts of growing up: “big eaters” become “connoisseurs,” and “pig-out sessions” become “tastings.” Our favorite Boston spot for socially accepted adult bingeing is the Chocolate Bar ($35) at Café Fleuri (Langham Hotel, 250 Franklin Street, Boston, 617.956.8751). On Saturdays from noon to 3 p.m., there’s a Wonka-worthy spread of more than 125 chocolate desserts. Leave the candy to the kids while you sample crêpes, fresh-baked cookies, truffles, tarts, and the products of a “donut machine.”

get down from there!
With more than 17,000 square feet of rock surfaces stretching as high as 45 feet, Metro Rock Boston (69 Norman Street, Everett, 617.387.7625) is the kind of place your mother warned you about. Monkey types of all ages are encouraged to scale the walls, and the floors are thickly padded for those who haven’t done that kind of thing for a while. Call before you hop on the Orange Line and they’ll pick you up at the Wellington stop. Just like mom used to. @

[Photos by Joel Veak]

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]

A stylist walks into a bar: A makeover story

Heather Bouzan — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 17:15:00 GMT

IT SOUNDS like a bad joke, doesn’t it? At least, that was the reaction we got from the majority of unsuspecting partygoers we ambushed at Rumor (100 Warrenton Street, Boston, 617.482.6958) on a recent Tuesday night. With two top hairstylists and one of the city’s premier makeup artists in tow, we scoured the nightspot in search of brave souls willing to try a whole new look. Over the thumping bass, we made promises of drastic hair and makeup transformations. The next night, our team, led by Giovanni Cudia of James Joseph Salon (30 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.266.7222), with help from fellow James Joseph stylist Seth Selman, and Tavi De La Rosa, makeup artist at shu uemura (130 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.247.3500), worked their magic. As you’ll see on the pages that follow, they didn’t disappoint.

Name: Kara Destrempe
Age: 22
From: Bedford, New Hampshire
Occupation: Buyer for a skate shop
Why we chose her: We loved Kara’s long, healthy hair, and her light eyes and good skin made her easy to work with.
Room for improvement: We wanted to accentuate her face with a more face-framing cut, and she was ready to take a risk with color.
Kara before: “It’s just hair, and it’ll grow back. And I wanted a more outrageous hairstyle than my boyfriend [who has a Mohawk].”
Kara after: “I love the look — I feel like a rock star!”

PRODUCTS USED: HAIR: COLOR BY WELLA; GHD MIRACLE MIST DAILY CONDITIONING SPRAY; BUMBLE AND BUMBLE CLASSIC HAIRSPRAY. MAKEUP BY SHU UEMURA: WATER PERFECT SMOOTHING WATER-IN FLUID FOUNDATION 554; GLOW ON BLUSH IN M PINK 31 AND P ORANGE 53; PRESSED EYE SHADOW IN ME BROWN 850; EYE LINER DRAWING PENCIL IN M BLACK 01; FIBER XTENSION LENGTHENING MASCARA; ROUGE UNLIMITED LIPSTICK IN BEIGE 920.

Name: Kelly Bernier
Age: 22
From: South End
Occupation: Student
Why we chose her: Kelly’s a natural beauty with a versatile face structure — there was a lot we could do with hair and makeup.
Room for improvement: The blonde highlights in her red hair drained warmth from her face.
Kelly before: “I’ve had the same look forever, so it will be interesting to see what someone with an outside opinion will change about me.”
Kelly after: “I feel completely different. It’s a completely different look than I’m used to, but I like it!”

PRODUCTS USED: HAIR: COLOR BY WELLA; BUMBLE AND BUMBLE PREP; BUMBLE AND BUMBLE STYLING LOTION; BUMBLE AND BUMBLE TREATMENT STYLING BALM. MAKEUP BY SHU UEMURA: NOBARA CREAM FOUNDATION 584; GLOW ON BLUSH IN M AMBER 82 AND P PINK 30; PRESSED EYE SHADOW IN M BEIGE 800 AND M WHITE 900; LIQUID EYE LINER; FIBER XTENSION LENGTHENING MASCARA; SWEET LIP GLOSS IN CHERRY.

Name: Jessica Postiglione
Age: 26
From: Cambridge
Occupation: Grad student at Harvard Business School
Why we chose her: Jessica had so much potential. We thought we could make some changes while ultimately ensuring she still felt like herself when all was said and done.
Room for improvement: There was nothing daring about Jessica’s look — we wanted to see her edgy and not so “good girl.”
Jessica before: “I’m excited to try out a new look and for the chance to have professional hair and makeup artists working on me.”
Jessica after: “I love my new
look! Thank you, Stuff@night, for everything!”

PRODUCTS USED: HAIR: COLOR BY WELLA; GHD MIRACLE MIST DAILY CONDITIONING SPRAY; GHD THERMAL PROTECTOR. MAKEUP BY SHU UEMURA: NOBARA CREAM FOUNDATION 564; GLOW ON BLUSH IN M AMBER 82; PRESSED EYE SHADOW IN ME BROWN 810, M BROWN 860, P BLACK 990, P BROWN 820, AND M BEIGE 800; FIBER XTENSION LENGTHENING MASCARA; SWEET LIP GLOSS IN ROSE CANDY.

Name: Fabrizio Fantini
Age: 27
From: Cambridge
Occupation: Grad student at Harvard Business School
Why we chose him: Fabrizio has a chiseled facial structure, but it was hiding behind his hair. Plus, his hair had great length.
Room for improvement: His untamed, unpolished curls needed cleaning up, and he needed a more conservative look to fit in with the other corporate types in the business world.
Fabrizio before: “I’m starting a new adventure in the US; there has to be a change in my style to reflect the change in my life.”
Fabrizio after: “I was nervous at first that it might look weird, but I think what we’ve done is absolutely professional. The guys did an awesome job — they’ve helped me come across as belonging more in the serious setting that I’m in. The advice part, too, is worth the day I spent.”

PRODUCTS USED: HAIR: RUSK RADICAL ANTICURL; GHD MIRACLE MIST DAILY CONDITIONING SPRAY; GHD TEXTURE LOTION FOR CONTROLLED STYLES. MAKEUP BY SHU UEMURA: NOBARA CREAM FOUNDATION 545; WARM SUN BRONZING POWDER; LASH REPAIR; DEPSEA THERAPY MOISTURE RECOVERY LIP BALM SPF 15.

Name: Sarah Kaye Drazen
Age: 25
From: Back Bay
Occupation: Works in the restaurant industry but is looking for a job in criminal justice
Why we chose her: She had beautiful curls, and she reminded Giovanni of Debra Messing.
Room for improvement: Sarah’s color was dull, brassy, and washed-out, with no tonality.
Sarah before: “I don’t know how to make myself look hot — I have no idea how to style and do makeup — so I’m excited to learn from the best and meet new people. And when else does someone come up to you when you’re at a bar and offer you a free makeover?”
Sarah after: “I’m really impressed with how I look and with the people I’ve met — they’re awesome. I had the best time.”

PRODUCTS USED: HAIR: COLOR BY WELLA; GHD SMOOTHING BALM FOR HAIR STRAIGHTENING. MAKEUP BY SHU UEMURA: NOBARA CREAM FOUNDATION 564; GLOW ON BLUSH IN P PINK 30; PRESSED EYE SHADOW IN IR GREEN 450, IR WHITE 900Y, AND ME BLACK 990; PRECISE VOLUME MASCARA; SWEET LIP GLOSS IN RASPBERRY.

Name: Molly Aguirre
Age: 23
From: Mammoth Lakes, California
Occupation: Professional snowboarder
Why we chose her: She had a bright personality, but her mousy hair didn’t match it.
Room for improvement: Her hair was dull, with no shine or texture.
Molly before: “I usually don’t spend a lot of money on my hair. I’ve never really taken risks with my appearance, so it’ll be a new experience to have a little change. I think it’s fun to make little changes in life, to step out of your comfort zone, and to learn new things about yourself.”
Molly after: “I’m in shock right now, because I didn’t think it would be this drastic. I love it; I absolutely love it. I just turned 23, and it’s the best birthday present!”

PRODUCTS USED: HAIR: COLOR BY WELLA; BUMBLE AND BUMBLE PREP; BUMBLE AND BUMBLE STYLING LOTION; BUMBLE AND BUMBLE TREATMENT STYLING BALM; BUMBLE AND BUMBLE BB SHINE. MAKEUP BY SHU UEMURA: NOBARA CREAM FOUNDATION 564; GLOW ON BLUSH IN M PINK 31 AND VICIOUS APRICOT; PRESSED EYE SHADOW IN P BLUE 650; EYE LINER DRAWING PENCIL IN ME BLUE 03; PRECISE VOLUME MASCARA; SWEET LIP GLOSS IN SAKURA CANDY.

[Photos by Jeff Smith • Styled by Erica Corsano • Clothing from Habit]

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]