Stuff Tonight

112009 Get Out

Stuff Boston — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:11:00 GMT

We're always up for any excuse to LOL (IRL, that is), and here's one comedy event that gives us three. Jonathon Gates Presents: The Next Generation, a night styled in the vein of HBO's Def Comedy Jam, brings together a trio of comedians that should have you rolling in the aisles (when you're not dancing in them, courtesy of a DJ spinning R&B and hip-hop). There's the titular Gates, himself a Def Comedy Jam vet; Chris Tabb, whose edgy energy has helped him open for stars like Genuine and Ne-Yo; and Bethany Van Delft, a founding member of ColorStruck, New England's first women-of-color comedy showcase. The show starts at 8 p.m. on Saturday night at the Strand Theatre (543 Columbia Road, Dorchester, 617.635.1403). Tickets are $20 at the door or in advance at telecharge.com.

112009 STUFF We Love

Stuff Boston — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:10:00 GMT

If you’re anything like us, your craft projects may have been limited to Popsicle stick coasters and the occasional haphazardly sewn-on button. If you love the look of indie designs but lack the skills to create homemade gifts you could actually give to friends (at least to ones you want to keep, anyway), have no fear: the Design Salon has got your back. Formed in 2007 by a small group of female design professionals — ceramists, architects, fashion designers, sculptors, and the like — the Salon is a Boston-based all-female collective that has grown to include more than 200 members. You can sample their beautiful wares from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday at the 2nd Annual Holiday Sale at the Kingsley Montessori School (26 Exeter Street, Boston), where 19 select Salon members will exhibit their home accessories, artwork, jewelry, clothing, and sundry items for your discerning eye. Some of our picks include pieces by Salon founder Jill Rosenwald, a ceramist whose bright and swirly designs we featured in our September 8 issue. Also check out Jill Bent’s soft virgin wool scarves, amazing beaded jewelry by Flauxy, and Laura Finnerty’s colorful giclée prints. Go get your shop on without having to suffer the crowds at Cambridgeside, and do it for good: 20% of all proceeds go to the Montessori School, the rest to the artists. So what if the catchphrase “girl power” is as dated as your white vinyl platform boots? We can certainly get behind these designing women.

111909 Get Out

Stuff Boston — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:11:00 GMT

As we prepare for the impending annual onslaught of holiday entertainment, we feel obliged to point out that all those warm, fuzzy, gosh-darn-wholesome Christmas specials are not necessarily representative of yuletide reality. If they were, roly-poly Santa Claus would be carrying heart disease in his sleigh, we’d be checking our list twice for dangerous toy recalls, and Rudolph’s nose would be red because he had too much eggnog and outed Prancer at the dinner table (not that anyone was surprised, of course). Those of us who like a little dramatic dysfunction with our holiday spirit will enjoy Reckless, a dark comedy from playwright Craig Lucas (of The Light in the Piazza fame). Presented November 13 through December 12 by SpeakEasy Stage Company, the show centers on Rachel, a woman who discovers on Christmas Eve that her husband has taken out a contract on her life: fleeing her picture-perfect suburban existence, she hits the road for a series of encounters with colorful characters (including a talk show host, a physical therapist, and a whole slew of shrinks), all of whom are hiding secrets, nursing ulterior motives, and seriously challenging Rachel’s seemingly unflappable optimism. See if she holds it together at the Stanford Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA (527 Tremont Street, Boston). Tickets ($30–$50) are available at 617.933.8600 or bostontheatrescene.com.

111909 STUFF We Love

Stuff Boston — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:10:00 GMT

Your boyfriend might have a point: serious shopping is rarely an efficient process. You have to comb through racks of your favorite denim brand for the just-right jeans. Then after a few breaths and a skinny mocha latte, you're off to another store to find a killer vintage silk blouse, perhaps followed by another stop to score the perfect accessories that complete your look. And if you’re an especially savvy shopper, you might even be running back and forth between stores to price compare — and finding that the phrase “shop til you drop” suddenly seems a little too literal. Thankfully, we've got Cibeline Sariano, a local designer who set out to create a one-stop boutique for working women with Cibeline (120 Charles Street, Boston, 617.742.0244). Those looking to snag wardrobe staples at cut-rate prices should head to Alibi (The Liberty Hotel, 215 Charles Street, Boston, 857.241.1144) tonight, when Cibeline will be hosting a sample sale to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the label’s Beacon Hill boutique. From 5 to 9 p.m., the line’s figure-flattering frocks and separates will be going for $100 a pop (yep, that’s as much as 80% off). Once you’re riding high on deep discounts, head upstairs for cocktails and the latest installment of Fashionably Late: models will be stalking the hotel’s halls in Moxie shoes and stunners from Cibeline’s holiday collection at 10 p.m.

111809 Get Out

Stuff Boston — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:11:00 GMT

Last year, after you scrambled to Target in your pajamas, bought an entire aisle’s worth of lame fir-scented votives for your nearest and dearest, and nearly bled out from all the paper cuts accrued during that marathon gift-wrapping session, you swore you’d never again put off holiday shopping until the last minute. So this time around, get a head start while staving off the seasonal stress from 6 to 8 p.m. tomorrow night, when Luna Boston (205 Newbury Street, Boston, 866.910.3900) will stay open late for "Makeover Your Holiday," an evening of shopping and makeovers. The team from Naz Kupelian Salon and makeup from Fresh will help you get primped, and local style maven and 2009 STUFF Player Erin Gates (pictured) will be on hand to dole out advice for you and your ever-growing list of gift recipients. (Hopefully, she’ll even be able to help you figure out something for your evil Christmas-sweater fetishist of a sister-in-law.) And of course, you can scope out Luna’s selection of luxe handbags and accessories. Even if you’re too blissed out to buy after all that pampering, consider it reconnaissance work that’s sure to pay off if you make a return visit to the store on Black Friday. On November 27, Luna will be giving out $100 gift certificates toward any $250 purchase — and we hear that if you get up early and get through the doors before 11 a.m., you’ll snag two gift certificates. We can’t think of a better reason to shake off that post-Turkey Day coma.

111809 STUFF We Love

Stuff Boston — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:10:00 GMT

If you’re reading this right now, then it may be because you turn to STUFF for sage advice on what you should be doing, wearing, eating, and so on, advice that could dramatically increase (or, if we’re wrong, drastically upset) your social standing. We’re like the Oracle at Delphi, but with better shoes. But have you ever asked yourself why you listen to us — or whether you’d still trust our fashion advice if you could see us filing copy in our Sunday-morning “fat pants”? Such are the questions posed by Brookline teacher and author Marianne Taylor in her subversive new tome, The Book of Cool: What Is It? Who Decides It? And Why Do We Care So Much? Tonight, Taylor will preach her unholy gospel of questioning what’s cool during a 7 p.m. reading at Brookline Booksmith (279 Harvard Street, Brookline, 617.566.6660), examining the arbitrary nature of passing trends, striving to make sense of what makes something “in” or “out,” and — gasp! — casting a jaundiced eye on the tastemaking Powers That Be. So why are we recommending a reading that could undermine our own authority? Haven’t you heard? Irony is sooooo hot right now.

WFNX Miracle on Tremont Street - After Party

webmarketing — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:19:00 GMT

Friday, December 4th

All guests must RSVP

Please RSVP here.

111609 Get Out

Stuff Boston — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:11:00 GMT

As the holidays approach, so do those long hours you'll likely spend with obscure relatives, which often promise to be about as enjoyable as an annual physical. With your stress-free evenings dwindling, it’s the perfect time to take advantage of Wine and Dine Mondays, the biweekly fall series held at Beacon Hill Bistro (25 Charles Street, Boston, 617.723.7575). The latest installment — the second to last before the season’s end — serves up cuisine and wines from France’s Languedoc region. Featuring four courses with paired wines for only $55, the 7 p.m. dinner is sure to leave you with a full stomach and a buzz that will have you jolly enough to book that flight home for the holidays. Tonight’s drinks come from former pro rugby player Gérard Bertrand’s winery, which was lauded as offering the best overall value in France by Wine Spectator in 2007 (so this guy is athletic, entrepreneurial, and able to coax greatness out of grapes — yeah, we’re not jealous at all). While nothing would make us happier right now than a trip to the south of France, this little excursion will be much easier on the wallet. Répondez s’il vous plait to the number above to reserve your seat.

111609 STUFF We Love

Stuff Boston — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:10:00 GMT

Attention fashion plates — if you haven’t been to Copley Place lately, listen up: the local shopping destination recently welcomed an outpost of Los Angeles-based retailer Vince (2 Copley Place, Boston, 617.236.5535), which has at long last brought its signature basics and leatherwear to frigid New England. Previously, we poor Bostonians had to scour through department stores in hopes of finding a piece or two, but the ultra-contemporary brand has migrated east for the winter, opening its eleventh US store with a Back Bay boutique carrying both men’s and women’s collections. Launched in 2002 by Rea Laccone and Christopher LaPolice, Vince is known for its modern cuts, luxe fabrics, and sexy-casual aesthetic, and though the line may hail from sunny La La Land, its offerings are perfect for the chilly days ahead: think slouchy cashmere sweaters in a huge array of colors, super-fitted leather bomber jackets, and this season’s ubiquitous oversized plaid blouses, all in sumptuous fabrics and wintry monochromes. Hello, style staples (and ciao, savings account).

111309 Get Out

Stuff Boston — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:11:00 GMT

Okay, bleeding hearts: if you want to spend your time trying to save the bald eagles, cheetahs, or manatees from imminent extinction, we applaud you. But some of us are a little more concerned about our beloved cocktails, and luckily the ladies in the Boston chapter of LUPEC (Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails) are watching out for us on that front. They'll host a '50s-style Tiki Party tomorrow night at the Villa Victoria Center for the Arts (85 West Newton Street, Boston, 617.927.1737) as a fundraiser for On the Rise, a Cambridge non-profit for women in crisis. The vintage libations, light fare, era-apropos live music, and other entertainments — including cocktail demos and burlesque performances — will get underway at 7 p.m. Tickets are $35 in advance, $45 at the door, or $50 with inclusion of the VIP After Party; get yours here.

111309 STUFF We Love

Stuff Boston — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:10:00 GMT

The holiday season has a long and storied history of driving you and your loved ones absolutely loony. The best answer to bad presents, invasions of annoying relatives, and burnt ham? Blatant alcoholism. Of course, that also happens to be the surest way to start an epic argument within the fam. So if you’re looking for a way to disguise your hot toddy this holiday season, Urban Outfitters (361 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.236.0088; 11 JFK Street, Cambridge, 617.864.0070) has the answer: a terribly clever ornament flask. Disguised as a normal, non-alcoholic little tree ornament, this three-inch-wide stainless steel flask ($24) is painted a bright Christmas red and has a twist-top tied with a ribbon. (Aw, getting stealthily sloshed is now both festive and adorable!) So when your aunt points out your post-Thanksgiving love handles while you’re unwrapping your forty-third ugly sweater, be thankful: your Boone’s Farm is at hand (or on-tree). ’Tis the season to get tipsy, so get yours here. Just try not to pass out in the fireplace this year — second-degree burns do not a happy New Year make.

111209 Get Out

Stuff Boston — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:11:00 GMT

A piece of theater can certainly transport you to another place and time — even if it’s just a bad flashback to your college boyfriend’s erstwhile attempts at “performance art.” But convention-defying playwright and performer Tim Crouch will move you (in a good way) this weekend, when his play ENGLAND receives its Boston premiere at the Institute of Contemporary Art (100 Northern Avenue, Boston, 617.478.3103). Without leaving the gallery, you’ll be transported to Edinburgh, Osaka, a hospital bed, a hotel room, a jam factory, and maybe even the end of the world. With Crouch and actress Hannah Ringham serving as “tour guides,” speaking directly to the audience and referencing works of art in the ICA’s galleries as part of the narrative, ENGLAND is definitely one of the more fantastical and fourth-wall-less pieces of theater in recent memory (be sure to wear your comfy shoes, as you’ll spend much of the show on your feet). It’ll be performed at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow night, as well as at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Crouch (pictured) will also be starring in my arm, an amalgamation of digital film and live performance that tells the story of a man who's lived for 30 years with one arm above his head, becoming both a prized medical specimen and, naturally, an icon of the New York City art scene. my arm will be performed on Saturday at 8 p.m. Crouch is certainly able to marry the charming and the bizarre (more so than any Hampshire-educated artless ex). Tickets (available here) for each play are $20 for general admission, $15 for members.

111209 STUFF We Love

Stuff Boston — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:10:00 GMT

"The British are coming! The British are coming! And this time, they're carrying adorable little purses!" Okay, that's not the warning cry most Bostonians learned on their elementary-school field trips, but please allow us some historical revision as we celebrate the new arrival of Jocasi handbags at Persona (flagship store at The Shops at the Hotel Commonwealth, 504 Comm Ave, Boston, 617.266.3003; additional locations at the Taj Boston, Ritz Carlton, and Colonnade), which will serve as the exclusive U.S. outpost for the London-based bag and belt designer. There are cute quilted leather clutches and distressed styles with straps or chains, and most feature the brand's trademark "Union Jack boutique buckle," a bulky moon-shaped crescent capturing that other red, white, and blue subtly in brass. You can spot that on one of our favorites, the Miss City bag ($245), though we also love the version that replaces the buckle with a silver snake clasp. But among all the styles, probably the most dramatic is the one with a loud leopard-print backdrop setting off a screaming-red patent-leather Union Jack ($110). Come by land, come by sea, come however you like — just come over to our place afterwards so we can borrow your bag.

111109 Get Out

Stuff Boston — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:11:00 GMT

Sometimes, mixing disparate elements together can be a bad idea (like when your die-hard Republican cousin and your punk-rock best friend ended up seated next to each other at your last dinner party). In other cases though — like that fig-and-gorgonzola pizza you can't resist devouring in one sitting — combining eclectic flavors can result in perfect harmony. Falling into the latter category is Rupa & The April Fishes, a San Francisco-based band that rocks a boundary-blurring sound, incorporating everything from Gypsy swing and French chanson to Columbian cumbia and Indian ragas. Frontwoman Rupa Marya is quite the convention defier herself — she's a physician and professor of medicine by day, a songbird by night. She and the rest of the band will be promoting their new second album, este mundo, tonight with a 7:30 p.m. show at Regattabar (1 Bennett St., Cambridge, 617.661.5000). Get your ticket ($15) here.

111109 STUFF We Love

Stuff Boston — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:10:00 GMT

Our idea of winter sports generally involves a few tentative trips down the bunny slope — followed, of course, by a retreat to the lodge to find a steamy hot tub and mug of spiked cocoa (and, ideally, a smoking-hot ski instructor to share them with). But to others, the snowy season is all about the chance to drop jaws and defy gravity. Such daredevils’ gasp-inducing feats are getting a loving hi-def treatment courtesy of Warren Miller’s Dynasty, the 60th annual installment of the legendary skiing and snowboarding film series. The tour for the latest documentary will glide into the Hub for screenings on November 11 and 12 at the Somerville Theatre (55 Davis Square, Somerville, 617.625.5700) and on November 13 and 14 at the Berklee Performance Center (136 Mass Ave, Boston, 617.747.2261). An inside look into this world of extreme sports, Dynasty takes the viewer to peaks across the globe and follows everyone from Olympic skiers to a nine-year-old prodigy who much prefers snowboards over Barbie dolls. It’s sure to leave you stoked to hit the powder (not to mention a lot less bitter over the fact that Mother Nature has cursed — ahem, blessed — Boston with a super-sized winter). For tickets and screening times, visit somervilletheatreonline.com for the Somerville screenings or ticketmaster.com for the Boston screenings.