My nephew Jack

On Sunday I was tweeting quite a bit about my niece Abby (age 2) and my nephews' Austin (age 5) and Jack (age 7) who spent the day with us and stayed for a sleep over. The video below is of Jack when he was two years old singing along to Alicia Keys. I recognize that I'm biased, but he is damn cute.

Zipcar Low-Car Diet: Week 1

Monday, August 1st signals the start of the second week of the Zipcar low-car diet program. The intention of the program is to encourage people to use alternative forms of transportation both to live a healthier life and reduce our dependency on our cars. I wrote a bit about the program last week in my post, Zipcar low-car diet 2011. You can also find out more by visiting, www.zipcar.com/lowcardiet.

This past week Sergio and I have forgone our car, which ironically is in the shop. For the most part we've relied on our bicycles and walking to get from point-A to point-B. I have not used a single taxi cab or driven even a .1 of a mile this first week, which I'm fairly certain is a first for me.

How have we modified our lifestyle to accommodate the low-car diet? We've increased the amount we walk and use our bicycles much more. For example Sergio has used his bike to get to and from the college he teaches. I'm rather proud of him for being such a good sport and doing this since I never consulted him about participating in the Zipcar program. I may have caused irreversible harm to our local economy by forsaking taxi cabs. I'm not sure if there has been a solid week since moving to Boston in the late 90s that I have not used a car. All I can say to Boston taxi drivers is I'm sorry. However, I have to admit - I don't mind the walking (even when its late after a fun night out at the bars).

Restaurant Review: Pigalle Boston

Pigalle is conveniently located just blocks from the Boston Common and near where the Theater District and Bay Village meet. This weekend's menu offers patrons the choice of a 3-course prix fixe menu for $40.00 or ordering a la carte. Dining prix fixe is the more economical choice with starters ranging from $14-$23 and main dishes ranging from $29-$44.

The staff is a bit formal but very helpful and the space is comfortable with ample sized tables and seats mixed with cozy banquettes all dimly lit with bossa nova playing in the background creating for a rather romantic setting.

Food was creatively prepared and delicious; exactly what I would expect from a French restaurant with entrees in this range. I started with gazpacho that was served in a teapot and poured into my bowl it came plated with grilled calamari, cherry tomatoes, avocado and basil infused oil. Sergio opted for the prix fixe and started with an arugula salad that exploded with flavor between the fingerling potato crisps, and fried (OMG!!) goat cheese croutons.

I ordered the baked sole with potato gnocchi stuffed with horseradish potato on a bed of sautéed spinach and red onion with caper and buerre blanc. Sergio had a mushroom risotto with root vegetables and topped with pea tendrils. Although both meals were very flavorful, I think my meal was better. It was also one of the more creative I’ve had in a long time.

We finished our dinner sharing Sergio’s dessert, vanilla bean crème brulee which was as consistently delicious as the rest of the food.

Dinner is going to put a dent in your wallet, but I’ll come back again.

Pigalle is located at 75 Charles Street South (617) 423-4944

Reservations strongly recommended.

David Williams Rugby God

I felt the need to up my quotient of #ManCandy on my site. You see I love writing on my blog, but from time to time I just get jealous of all those blogs that have such handsome and alluring photos of men. You can find more photos of David on the Man Crush of the day blog who by coincidence also recently featured him in a post.

Back in early June I included a photograph of the jaw-dropping, hunky model, David Gandy. This time I opted to post photos of a jock who has caught my eye recently. If you'd like to learn more about this Australian hunk you can check out his page on Wikipedia here.

WranglerMan would be so proud of me for this post, although he does prefer his #ManCandy in uniform and playing ball rather than looking pretty.

Mo Rocca (a little more 'Mo now)

I met Mo Rocca in Provincetown, MA this past 4th of July, and have to say he was so delightful and interesting to talk to. If you're not familiar with Mo Rocca, he regularly appears on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! and is a former contributor to The Daily Show.

I always assumed that this 'Mo was out and proud, but apparently Mr. Rocca had always kept his sexuality in the closet so to speak... that is until today.

Welcome to "The Club" Mo... but let's be honest, with a name like Mo it's not a huge surprise.

Social media agita

Does your YOUTUBE DIGG GOOGLE+

Has your FACEBOOK LINKEDIN with TWITTER?

MYSPACE is no longer DELICIO.US and as a result is no more.

Obviously I'm being a bit facetious, but today I was looking at web icons for social media and tagging and it dawned on me how ridiculous we've become embracing nearly anything labelled "social". I should say up front that I'm a huge fan of social media and leveraging technology but I have to wonder where is the tipping point? I wonder which of these sites will still be around and relevant in a decade and which will follow in the footsteps of MySpace.

What social media tools / sites do you regularly use? What social media tools totally flummox you?

Boston bike-sharing program "The Hubway" starts today

Will Bostonians take to the new bike sharing program that launched today? I hope so.

The Boston bike-sharing program called The New Balance Hubway (or The Hubway for short) includes more than 600 bikes in 61 locations through out the city, and for as little as $60.00 (a special introductory rate), one can join "The Hubway" program for one year.

If you are visiting the city and don't want / need an annual membership they have set up 24-hour passes for as little as $5 a day and $12 for a 3-day membership. For those unfamiliar with Boston, fear not, there is only one hill in the entire city (A.K.A. Beacon Hill) making the city relatively bike friendly.

Similar bike-sharing programs exist in many European cities and Boston joins Denver and Minneapolis as the first cities in the US to launch a comprehensive sharing program, but hopefully more cities will follow.

Would you like to learn more about how this program works? Visit The Hubway website "How it Works" page. I've posted an image of where the bike stations are located and for those in downtown, it appears like there are plenty of locations to make this program easy for tourists and residents alike.

Trojan 'food' truck to dispense toys in NYC

According to Eater.com, condom brand Trojan is coming to New York next week with its "good vibrations" food truck. The truck will hand out free condoms, Trojan vibrating rings, and will be promoting a new product with the dubious name of "vibrating Twister."

You can find the "good vibrations" truck around Manhattan, Brooklyn and Montauk next Thursday, Friday and Saturday, promoting sexual health awareness.

Hey Trojan, how can we convince you to drive up to Boston and Provincetown this summer?

Thanks SerbianDejan for the tip.

Men's Warehouse nearly naked charity drive in Boston

Photo from The Boston Globe and courtesy of Men's Warehouse

Tuesday, August 2nd, Men's Warehouse is sending out a fleet of "attractive men, dressed only in boxers, dress shoes, socks and ties" for the first time into the streets of Boston with signage that asks men to donate their gently-used suits and accessories to local charities, as part of the fourth annual nationwide charity effort by the retailer.

I may just have to head to Downtown Crossing on Tuesday morning to ogle the models if they look like the hunk in white boxers photographed above in NYC from last year's charity drive.

Zipcar: Low-Car Diet 2011 SWAG

Usually "Free Stuff" is code for "crap nobody wants". Clearly I'm not accustomed to the classy outfit that is Zipcar because today I received a basket of goodies including:

-MBTA Charlie Card

-Whole Foods gift card from Symphony store

-Urban AdvenTours perks

-Boloco gift card

-LogMeIn SWAG

-Jabra pair of sport headphones

-Bags and bags of PopChips

-New England Aquarium movie passes

All this was sent to me because I was fortunate enough to be selected to participate in the Zipcar Low-Car Diet campaign, which you can read more about here.

Earlier this week I wrote about the start of the program which you can read here. I plan to post periodic updates about the 30-day challenge on my blog. If you are a Zipster (apparently that is what Zipcar users call themselves) let me know. For those not familiar, Zipcar is a car-sharing service that operates on numerous college campuses and in many cities in North America and the United Kingdom.

This particular challenge from Zipcar focuses on ways we can use alternative forms of transportation (e.g. Metro, biking, walking etc...) I plan on riding my bike to the Whole Foods Market at Symphony Hall later this week and use the home delivery service. I know I'll be using most of the items that the generous corporate sponsors provided and I want to say "Thank You" to Zipcar for selecting me and to the cool sponsors for lending their support and name to promoting the Low-Car Diet.

Tweet of the Day: High Maintenance

From time to time I read tweets that I feel compelled to share. AdamCooperBB's tweet from earlier today definitely made me laugh. I hope it brings a smile to your face as well. For the record, I don't think you're high maintenance; I think you're very important. :-)

Shakespeare on Common starts

Free performances from The Commonwealth Shakespeare Company begins tomorrow, Wednesday, July 27th. Every year The Commonwealth Shakespeare Co. hosts free performances open to the public on the Boston Common. This year's play is All's Well That Ends Well and will run from July 27th thru August 14th. No performances are held on Mondays, from Tuesday through Saturday performances start at 8PM and on Sundays performances start at 7PM.

All's Well That Ends Well is a story of how far one woman will go to win the heart of her beloved. With boundless wit and tenacity Helena pursues the object of her desire, Bertram, from Paris to Florence and through a maze of obstacles.

Will Helena find true love with Bertram? For those familiar with Shakespeare's plays, I think you know already, but come down and see a performance. Support the local art and theater scene by helping to spread the word and planning an evening with friends down on the Common. Local Pizzeria's (e.g. Upper Crust in Beacon Hill) will deliver orders to the show and its easy to smuggle a bottle or two of wine, making an impromptu picnic on the Common.

For more information about the program, The Commonwealth Shakespeare Co. website.

World map of useless stereotypes

Source: Seduced by the new blog

Boston's rising rents pose problems for all of us

According to an article in today's Boston Globe, Boston-area rents are hitting new heights with the median price recently reaching $1,665 a month and a vacancy rate of 4.4% (down from 6.2% one year ago). If you are looking for an apartment in the Back Bay the news is even worse with average rentals running $2,650+ for a 2 bedroom and a 1.2% vacancy rate.

Boston's growing population of graduate students only exacerbates the problem. The Globe article points out that over the past decade 20,000+ graduate students have been added to the Boston area and new housing / rental units have not kept pace. These residents are only here a short time and the cost of living issues outlined serve as a serious impediment to many of these highly qualified, educated and skilled workers remaining in the area.

The city of Boston has long been aware that the cost of living and cost of rent / homes in particular are a huge issue. It would really be wonderful to see how Mayor Menino and other local politicians are working to make this less of an issue in the future so articles like this can quickly become part of our past.

If you would like to read the Boston Globe article, you can link to it here.

Men of Twitter

Each Monday I post #MenOfTwitter profiles of men who catch my eye and whom I think you may enjoy following. As always, suggestions for profiles to feature are welcome and if you'd like to follow me, you can find me at @BosGuy. Below are a few more #MenOfTwitter you may want to follow.

JordanJaric – (A.K.A. Jason Hanan) I’ve only recently started following, but his story is as dramatic as his good looks and I wanted to feature him right away. This spring he underwent brain surgery to remove a tumor. Despite facing such adversity, his tweets are light hearted, up-beat and funny. You can read more about his story here.

alcondorado100 – I’ve been following Carlos for quite some time. He is the first person I’ve ever featured who I know absolutely nothing about, because he doesn’t tweet in English. The only thing I can tell you for certain is that this guy is gorgeous (or as we say here in Boston, GawJus).

AlanIlagan – I’ve been reading Alan’s blog for years. This handsome guy from upstate NY spends a fair amount of time in Boston too so I’ve had the chance to meet him in person. He’s even more charming in person than online where he’s known to ham it up in front of the camera. I’ve opted to use one such photo rather than his current Twitter pic so you can see more of him (so to speak).

BTW - If you like this post, ReTweet. If you love it, follow @BosGuy
Link here to see past #MenOfTwitter

Zipcar: Low-Car Diet 2011

Last week I was selected to participate in a promotion called the Zipcar: Low-Car Diet. For those unfamiliar, Zipcar is a car-sharing program that started here in Boston and is now in 50+ cities in North America and the U.K. The idea of a car-sharing program may seem strange, depending on where you live, but here in Boston and in cities around the country its been hugely successful.

What is Zipcar's promotion all about? The Low-Car Diet is a 30-day challenge not to use my car starting Monday, July 25th. I'll be seeking alternate forms of transportation, such as Zipcar, my bike and feet to get me most places. I'll be recording how I get from point-A to point-B for the next 30-days. I'll do my best to keep you posted. You can see my profile on the Zipcar Low-Car Diet profile page.

In a somewhat related story, earlier this month, Boston became one of the first US cities to implement a comprehensive bike-sharing program. I hope that Boston's bike-sharing program which includes 600 new bikes in more than 60 bike stations throughout the city will prove to be as successful as Zipcar.

Provincetown cheap eats

Provincetown has some truly excellent dining options, but more often than not I eat outside on the remodeled deck shared by the Aqua Bar at 207 Commercial Street. You can access this deck through the Aquarium Marketplace (a mini arcade that includes a half dozen eateries serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner). Adding to the appeal of these food vendors is the very comfortable patio and deck overlooking the harbor complete with a bar that serves excellent drinks and a raw bar to satiate all those hankering for fresh seafood.

I'm most partial to Big Daddy's Burritos and often order the Fish Burrito. Each year there are new eateries and this year a bakery and seafood vendor have opened for business. The half dozen eateries in this arcade all serve up good cheap eats and the view from the deck only enhances the dining experience. So should you find yourself in Provincetown looking for a quick and easy dining option that won't place a dent in your wallet, consider checking out the Aquarium Marketplace at 247 Commercial Street, easily identifiable by the HRC store that faces the street.

Lightly battered Fish-N-Chips was excellent and filling; $10.95Big Daddy's fish burrito in a bowl is filling and delicious; $8.50

Restaurant Review: El Centro

Tonight I visited El Centro, a Mexican restaurant that opened this past May in Boston's South End neighborhood. A few weeks ago when I posted a review of Zocalo, I admitted my lack of experience eating Mexican. I recognize a second visit to a Mexican restaurant does not make me an expert so take this review with a grain of salt.

First impressions of this restaurant are of a cozy, bustling place that is comfortable but not fancy. The staff was friendly and attentive despite being very busy. Main dishes cost between $15 - $23 and most starters cost from $5 - $10. A dinner for two including a shared appetizer, two main dishes and shared dessert is approximately $50 - $60 (drinks and tip not included).

The food was flavorful, good portions and arrived promptly. I've included pictures of both our main dishes (a traditional chicken plate and a chiles rellenos stuffed with ground beef). Although I like the look of El Centro and the food was good, I don't feel like it was a great value. Prices were comparable to dinner at Zocalo which provides a far more elegant dining experience if you are hungry for a Mexican dinner. I'm sure I'll end up going back (friends will inevitably want to try El Centro), but I won't be the one making the suggestion.

Pictures of our dinner: chicken and rice in a mole sauce and chiles rellenos stuffed with ground beef were $18.00 each.

El Centro is located at 472 Shawmut Ave in the South End (617) 262-5708

Reservations: first come; first served

Heading back to Provincetown

I leave for Provincetown Thursday, July 21st and will remain on the Cape through the weekend. With the weather forecast calling for plenty of sun and temperatures in the low 90s, I can't think of a better place to be. The image above shows just how crowded the deck at the Boatslip can get. If you prefer the feel of the sand under your towel and crave a bit more free space, Provincetown's beaches will tempt anyone.

Although I love the sun; sadly the sun does not love my pale skin so I tend to seek the shade available from The Boatslip and similar places that have decks along the Provincetown harbor. If you happen to be visiting Provincetown - let me know by leaving me a comment. If you will not be able to get away from your home this weekend, let me tempt you with a few pictures of Ptown.

Provincetown is pretty as a postcard

After the bars close everyone goes to Spiritus Pizza

Provincetown welcomes everyone, but its still a Gay Ol' Town

Men of Twitter

Each Monday I post #MenOfTwitter profiles that catch my eye and whom I think you may enjoy following. Suggestions for profiles to feature are welcome and if you'd like to follow me, you can find me at @BosGuy

Below are a few more#MenOfTwitter you may want to follow.

Str8cam is a delectable combination of sexy and friendly. Straight as an arrow, the gay community should thank Jeff for his work to make sex so satisfying. Not only is he sexy as the day is long, but he markets a product that makes sex so pleasurable. Not sure of what I'm talking about? Check out his site, http://STR8camLube.com.

Rybrator is a young man living in New York City. Aside from his obvious good looks (which I cannot stress strongly enough), I think he is worth following because he's funny. Maybe it's an age thing but anyone who rants on twitter about not hearing enough Britney I find amusing. Combine that with what I think are classic good looks and you get #MenOfTwitter candidate.

@TheRealTheoD it seems like hardly a week can go by without a sexy guy from London being featured in my #MenOfTwitter posting... Despite the fact that London has had their fair share of men featured, I couldn't help but post The Real Theo D... Follow this handsome guy. You'll enjoy his tweets #promise.

BTW - If you like this post, ReTweet. If you love it, follow @BosGuy. Link here to see past#MenOfTwitter.

Adam

With the exception of my visit to the movie theater in December to take my nephews to see Yogi Bear in 3-D, I'm not even sure if I saw a movie in the theaters in 2010. At home I may have seen as many as 3-4 movies on demand or on television. So I suppose what I'm saying is that I'm no movie reviewer.

However, tonight I settled on an HBO channel while eating dinner - the movie which had just started was called, Adam. I had never heard of the independent film written and directed by Max Mayer, about a young man who suffers from Asperger Syndrome and becomes interested in an attractive neighbor living in his apartment building. But I am really glad I watched the movie... and should you see it - I hope you enjoy it too.

More about Adam.

Tracey - should you watch it... bring your tissues.

Whose Town?

The Boston Globe has a great section to the paper called "Your Town", which features local news from specific neighborhoods and towns around Boston.

The "news" section from "Your Town" also includes feeds from local bloggers. Yours truly has had posts on this site in the past, but a quick look at the Your Town: South End might make Bostonians wonder what is going on. Nearly every story appears to be about hotels in Chicago and Orlando... Oh yeah, and lets not forget about the article about the 405 shutting down today in Los Angeles. Glad that was there!

Perhaps this section of The Boston Globe should be called "Some Other Town". You can click on the image below to enlarge the image. Its sort of comical.

The Wholy Grain: South End cafe

I first wrote about the Wholy Grain coffee shop when it opened earlier this past spring. This tiny coffee house has quickly become a personal favorite and with the recent opening of their patio and garden, I can easily see myself coming here even more often.

Come in, check out this cute cafe and make use of their free wi-fi. I would recommend trying some of their over sized sweets. The Wholy Grain is located at 275 Shawmut Avenue.

A peek inside the Wholy GrainWholy Grain's private patio and garden

I'm a lucky S.O.B.

I rarely talk about my work, because I think that there are so many more interesting things to discuss. However, every once in awhile I feel the need to share. Because I work from home, my work hours can be somewhat unorthodox. However, I recognize that there are many people who have longer and more demanding days no matter how chaotic my week may be.

I have to admit that I also think that I do a very good job of disengaging from work and managing my down time. So today when I received a notice from my firm's HR department regarding my vacation time I was wondering if I'd incorrectly filled out my time for the 4th of July holiday.

Imagine my surprise when upon reading the email I was receiving a notice asking me to consider taking more vacation time because I had maxed out the amount of vacation hours I was allowed to bank. According to the email, I need to schedule time off otherwise I'll stop accruing vacation time. The email went on to describe how having a healthy work-life balance is important and I should speak to my manager about scheduling time away from the office.

I suppose the email came right in a nick of time. One week from today, I will be taking a few days to enjoy more fun in Provincetown. I also have a week's vacation time scheduled for the second week of August.

I'm a lucky S.O.B.

Bastille Day: Vive la France

I've never actually been in Paris during this holiday and wonder what the celebrations are like. For those who have read my blog for awhile you know I am a huge fan of Paris and French culture in general. I would imagine there are huge parades along the Champs Elysee, fire works and sorts of festivals and fun in all the neighborhoods.

After careful consideration, I opted for this bit of French eye-candy over some of the more traditional sights one would come to expect. I hope you approve.

Like BosGuy blog on Facebook

Although I acknowledge I'm hardly a facebook power user, I have figured out how to have all my blog posts publish there. If you would prefer to read my blog on facebook, you can search for my blog by typing "BosGuy blog" and select "Like".

To paraphrase a line delivered by Sally Field at the Oscars, "Do you like me? Do you really, really like me?"

Boston: Fort Point Channel and Seaport District

This weekend I rode my bike through Fort Point Channel and the Seaport District. Growing up, this part of Boston was referred to as Southie and it was mostly vacant and considered undesirable, which is crazy when you realize its proximity to downtown and it is waterfront property. These neighborhoods still have a far way to go, but the city is doing a great job wooing businesses and setting aside public space for everyone to enjoy. Some of my favorite bars (drink anyone?), great restaurants (too many to list), cool shops (e.g. Louis Boston) and points of interest like the Institute of Contemporary Art and Children's Museum now dot these neighborhoods.

Fort Point Channel sits next to the Leather and Financial District. Most of the buildings are refurbished mills dating back to the second half of the 19th century.

The Seaport District has a more modern look with newer buildings and public art.