Dishing some South End restaurant gossip

There's been a lot of whispering about several high profile vacant restaurant properties in the South End getting snapped up. While the rumors are still swirling, I figured I would share what I've heard in recent weeks.

CONFIRMED This has already been reported on other blogs, but it is worth repeating that the SouthEnd Buttery will be opening a second location this fall at 37 Clarendon Street in the space previously occupied by Tadpole. Thank you Richard for taking back a bit of the South End. I love the fact that a former toy store will be converted to a coffee shop. That area has been under served ever since the Nashoba Brook cafe and bakery closed on Columbus in 2008.

BUTTERY UPDATE: The original location on the corner of Union Park and Shawmut will temporarily close once the second location opens to undergo a remodeling to better use the space in the cafe.

CONFIRMED I first commented on the space previously occupied by Rocca at 500 Harrison Avenue this past May. While negotiations between GTI Properties and The Aquitaine Group took longer than expected, a deal was signed recently and the successful restaurant company which already owns and operates 4 South End properties will open their first Italian restaurant in the space formerly known as Rocca. There are no details to share about the name or exact opening, but a complete remodeling will occur. Look for the restaurant to open in early 2012.

RUMORED The space previously occupied by Pho Republique at 1415 Washington Street was of interest to neighboring Foodies Market so they could expand, but renovations may be more than the owners are willing to take on since construction will require significant work to bring this property up to code. However, the optimist in me still hopes if Foodies doesn't snap up this space then someone else will come in, remodel and open a great restaurant - preferably one with a fun lounge.

RUMORED Space previously occupied by banq and Ginger Park at 1375 Washington Street is of interest to Brian Piccini owner of dbar in Dorchester and Deuxave in the Back Bay. Word on the street is this would be a high end steak house. However, nothing has been signed and negotiations continue.

Have you heard anything about these or other properties? Let this South End foodie know.

US Open: Robby Ginepri

The US Open started on Monday in New York City. In honor of the Open, I'm posting a handsome male tennis player each day there is play at the US Open.

Today, I'm featuring my first American tennis player, Robby Ginepri. He has moved on to the second round at the US Open but is a long shot. However, I've always thought this guy not only has a great game, but is easy on the eyes. I think most will agree that tennis might have a larger following if guys like Ginepri were allowed to play matches without a shirt (who needs those pesky sponsors anyway).

If you'd like to find out more about Robby Ginepri you can link here. For more information about this year's US Open you can visit the tournament's official website, www.USOpen.org.

You can click on the photo to enlarge.

Moving day in Boston

I was once told that 1 out of every 4 apartment leases in Boston starts on September 1st. This may or may not be true, but what is true is most of Boston and it's surrounding suburbs will be in gridlock starting today and much of the day on September 1st as tens of thousands move into their new apartments.

The large number of September 1st rentals is a result of the college population moving back to Boston and getting ready to start the new academic year. I cannot think of another large metropolitan area that is so significantly influenced by the local college population. Within the metropolitan area there are more than 100 colleges and universities, and according to Wikipedia there are more than 250,000 college students in Boston and Cambridge alone. If that figure is correct then that means college students comprise more than 35% of the population.
Despite the fact that parking will soon become near impossible with tens of thousands of college students (many for the first time) moving into Boston, I look forward to their return. The soul of Boston is tied to the students who come here and make it their home (at least for awhile). Its partly why Boston remains one of the youngest cities in the US despite the Northeast having one of the oldest populations. The students and those who stay after graduating shape and influence this city as much today as the immigrants who are a part of this city's history or the large employers who have helped draw people here with good jobs.

Boston Trivia: name the college / university shown in the 2nd photo

2011 US Open: Dmitry Tursunov

The US Open started on Monday in New York City. In honor of the Open, I'm posting a handsome male tennis player each day the Open is being played.

Today, I'm featuring Dmitry Tursunov from Russia who is currently ranked 43 in the world. Sadly this handsome Russian is not participating in the US Open this year.

If you'd like to find out more about Dmitry Tursunov you can link here. For more information about this year's US Open you can visit the tournament's official website, www.USOpen.org.

You can click on the photo to enlarge.


Source: Tennis Served Fresh blog

Red Sox and Yankees play this week

The Boston Red Sox start a 3-game series with the New York Yankees tonight. This is the last time the two teams will face each other in Boston during the regular season. Last week I wrote a post, Boston Sports Bars, and I'm pretty sure that all of these locations will be busy through out the 3-game series. Will you be watching these games? If so, where?

Photo from the blog odd jack

Après Irene

Work on Monday kept me busier than anticipated and I did not have a chance to get to the gym so last night I went for a walk through the neighborhood as an excuse to get outside. Boston was largely spared from significant damage resulting from hurricane / tropical storm Irene.

Of course there was some flooding, random branches and trees that were toppled from Irene. A large tree near the corner of Union Park and Shawmut Ave came crashing down on a car during the storm and yesterday crews removed the felled tree. All that remains is this stump and the mangled walk way

We were lucky that damage was so minimal here. My thoughts are with those who weren't as fortunate.

2011 US Open: Roger Federer

The US Open (the last of the four tennis majors) starts today in New York City; concluding on Sunday, September 11th.

I've attended this tennis tournament in the past and it is an amazing place to see some of the world's best tennis players compete. I especially love the raucous night games. In honor of the start of play, I thought I'd post a tennis player each day.

If you'd like to find out more about Roger Federer you can link here. For more information about this year's US Open you can visit the tournament's official website, www.USOpen.org.

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.

If you'd like to follow me on twitter, you can find me @BosGuy. Below are this week's #MenOfTwitter. Leave them a nice comment and start following these guys.

Guy_Interruptd – A.K.A. Kristian lives in South London and is described by friends as ‘the male Carrie Bradshaw’. He is also the author of the blog Sex Drugs and Sausage Rolls an hilarious blog about Kristian’s life in London. I think you’ll enjoy following this wild child who is on twitter nearly 24/7. Please be sure to wish Kristian well as he celebrates his 32^nd birthday on Tuesday, August 30^th. #UKHeartThrob

TheStyleWord – Twitter fashionistas (and fashionistas-in-training) should follow Steve. A native New Yorker who divides his time between NYC and Miami, he is more than just good looking (although that certainly is a nice perk - isn't it?) Steve is a fashion writer and editor for well respected blogs. Want to know more about this blue-eyed twitter fanatic? Interested in fashion and fashion trends? Follow him on twitter AskMichaelCohen.com / MakingofaMogul.com #StylishlySexy

BostonTweet – If size matters to you then Boston Tweet (A.K.A. - Tom) matters. Anyone who lives in Boston and is on Twitter knows and follows Tom. Without a doubt he’s more influential for all things related to Boston than any other individual I can think of on twitter. The fact that he’s handsome and always suggesting food and drink only adds to his appeal. #ManAboutTown

BTW if you like this post, retweet it. If you love this post, follow me, @BosGuy.

Link here to see past #MenOfTwitter postings.

Hit me with your best shot Irene

Hurricane Irene came and went and although it was pretty messy outside and killed the weekend, I think her bark was worse than her bite. Once people realized that Boston was spared from Irene's fury the bars that decided to open for business did quite well.

I started my afternoon with a couple of drinks with Sergio and a friend who came over then we headed over to my friend Ben's house. Ben was hosting a hurricane party. I have to admit his specialty apricot martinis were so good I found myself heading back to the bar again and again. All told about 20 of us ended up descending upon Ben's home. Thank you Ben!

Sorry the pictures aren't a bit better, but phone cameras leave a lot to be desired.

New cafe to open in Boston: Bourbon Coffee

Coffee lovers rejoice! A small, new coffee chain named bourbon coffee is rumored to be opening their third location in Boston very soon. Bourbon coffee currently has two locations in the US: Washington D.C. cafe @ 2101 L Street NW and New York City cafe @43 W 14th Street.

On my recent trip to NYC, I stepped in the coffee shop in the Village for breakfast. I liked it so much I snagged a card and chatted briefly with the helpful manager who indicated Boston was the next market they would be opening a coffee shop and the company's website confirms this.

About bourbon coffee:
Bourbon coffee is an international brand of specialty coffee and the first retail brand to originate from Africa. Our retail brand is built around the philosophy of producing great coffee from "crop to cup." By building the brand in this manner we are able to directly impact the value equation for coffee farmers in Africa.

Image from: A Popular Dude's Secret Life

Restaurant Review: Jules Bistro (NYC)

Earlier this week I had dinner in the East Village at a tiny French bistro. The place sports a postage stamp sized patio and has live jazz every night. We were seated inside the restaurant looking out at the patio and the street beyond which afforded us one of the better views. I liked the place the minute I walked in. There was a hum of conversation, soft jazz filling the background and incredible smells from the food being cooked and served.

The host also turned out to be our waiter. His thick French accent only served to enhance the mood and he quickly talked us into ordering a bottle of beaujolais ('06 Morgon V.V. Jean Paul Thevenet Gamay - $72). Although the restaurant provides a 3-course prix-fixe menu for $24.95 Monday - Thursday, we opted to order from the main menu. Dinner including 2 starters, 2 main dishes and a shared dessert (no drink or tip included) will cost approximately $75. First plates range from $7-$18 and main courses range from $16-$25.

I started with a tomato, basil and mozzarella salad. Along with the french bread at the table this provided an excellent beginning. The tomatoes and basil were extremely fresh and the cheese was as rich and creamy as it should be. Soon after our first plates were cleared, my main plate was brought over to our table. I ordered grilled hangar steak with shallot sauce, mushroom risotto, parmesan and truffle oil. The steak was cooked to perfection (pinkish-red in the middle) and smothered in the rich shallot sauce. The risotto with cheese and truffle oil complemented the steak, and I found myself going back and forth between the meat then the risotto.

The staff was both attentive and helpful without interfering with the dining experience so my friend and I could enjoy ourselves. Pet peeves of mine such as clearing our table before everyone was finished were avoided further impressing me. If asked, I would recommend the restaurant and happily return.

tomato, basil and mozzarella salad - $8.50

hangar steak w/ shallot sauce

and mushroom risotto, w/ parmesan and truffle oil - $18.00

Jules Bistro is at 65 St. Mark's Place (212) 477-5560
Reservations: recommended

Boston Sports Bars

Some of Boston's best sports bars are located just outside Fenway Park and over by the Boston Garden. For many people who cannot get tickets to a game, heading to one of the bars there is the next best thing. However, Boston is a great sports town with a long and proud history of supporting their local professional and college sporting teams. As a result there is no need to head down to Fenway Park or the Boston Garden. Nearly every neighborhood has a handful of excellent sports bars to check out. Here are some of my favorite places.

BackBay: Champions is located just outside of Copley Square in the Marriott Copley and it includes a 12' x 24' plasma screen that is pretty awesome. If you haven't visited this place since their renovation - come back. It's in a great location and affords great views from anywhere you sit as well as a huge bar. You can follow them on twitter at ChampionsBoston.

Fenway / Kenmore: Cask'n Flagon may be the most famous of all Boston's sports bars. It's location just outside Fenway Park is second to none and since its renovations a few years ago, it is far easier and more comfortable to watch a game. You can follow them on twitter at thecasknflagon.

North End / West End: The Fours is nestled between the North End and West End across from the Boston Garden. Despite having multiple locations outside the city, the best remains the original if only because its a stone throw from the Garden.

Seaport / Fort Point Channel: Jerry Remy's at Liberty Wharf this place is relatively new and is already a favorite. Situated between the Fish Pier and Harbor Lights, this bar also sports an excellent view of Boston harbor. I far prefer this location to the original just outside Fenway Park. You can also follow them on Twitter here, JerryRemysGrill.

South End: Fritz is first and foremost a neighborhood bar that also happens to be a sports bar. With trophies showing their support for neighborhood sporting leagues and TVs everywhere you can always watch whatever game is of interest to you. Located in the South End, patrons are nearly all gay.

Southie: Stadium Sports Bar is just a few blocks from Andrew T stop along the Dorchester border. It has a second location down in Foxwoods which may be why many people think it sounds familiar. The Boston location has multiple oversized screens and plasma TVs everywhere you look. You can follow this location on twitter at StadiumSBoston.

Just in case someone thinks I forgot about Beacon Hill or Charlestown, I couldn't think of a single place to watch a game. It has been awhile since I've spent much time there. Any suggestions?

What are some of your favorite places in Boston or where you live to watch games? Have any others to suggest or are you thinking, "Hey BosGuy... I never watch these games. I'm far more preoccupied with my drink order."

Taylor Northridge

For the past week, my very good friend and former roommate, his wife and their 10-month daughter, Taylor, have been staying with us. Its been fantastic for me to catch up, relax and chat with Mom, Dad and to meet Taylor for the first time.

This trip was full of firsts for Taylor. It was the first time she met me and a lot of her Dad's friends, it was the first time she saw rain (they live in Austin which is in the midst of a terrible drought) and the first time she was on a swing (which she enjoyed quite a bit). There were some other firsts related to her diet which caused her Mom to raise her eyebrows and threaten Dad with diaper duty. However, all told it was a very pleasant week and now I'll miss them quite a bit as I hug them goodbye and wish them safe travels back to Austin, TX.

Practice random acts of kindness

Last night I was on the Acela (the US version of high-speed rail) back from New York City to Boston. Upon boarding the train, I sat opposite a woman of similar age or slightly younger than me. We chatted off and on through out the ride vacillating between working and mindless conversation with each other.

As we were approaching Boston, a young woman walked over to us and inquired "Are you familiar with Boston?"

Apparently she needed to take the commuter train from Boston's North Station and was a little distressed she'd miss the train since the Acela from NYC had left 45-minutes late (due to the quake in DC earlier in the day). It sounded like she only had about 15-20minutes tops to get to North Station, purchase her ticket and get on board the train. I suggested that she not wait for the metro and opt for a taxi which would be easy to get and provide her with faster transport to North Station. She looked relieved after I assured her that the taxi ride would only be 5-10 minutes and they would accept her credit cards (apparently she had no cash)...

I thought that was the end of the conversation (and so did the she) until the woman across from me suddenly spoke up and said to the woman visiting, "excuse me - I noticed you said you only had a credit card with you and were afraid you wouldn't have time to get to an ATM machine"... the young woman who had just turned to go back to her seat looked a bit sheepish and said, "That's okay - I'll use my card for the taxi"...

Without skipping a beat the woman across from me pulled out a $10.00 bill and said "please take this to help you with your commuter rail fare. They won't take credit cards on the commuter train and if you're running late this will help." I think the woman visiting from NYC was so taken off guard by the random act of kindness she almost fell over. After a few more minutes of the woman insisting she wanted to give her the extra cash the woman accepted the offer.It got me to thinking... $10.00 is not a lot of money. However, the gesture was a significant one. It helped this stranger visiting Boston immensely and it reminded me that people do choose to do the right thing. Should a similar situation arise again in the near future - I plan on being the person offering the stranger in need the proverbial $10.00.

How will you react when you find yourself in such a situation in the future?

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.

If you'd like to follow me on twitter, you can find me @BosGuy. Below are this week's #MenOfTwitter. Leave them a nice comment and start following these guys.

CuddyCal This handsome guy is the second person this summer from Albany to be featured. I have to admit that I’m completely taken by his washboard stomach and handsome profile and I think you will too. #TooSexy

Back2Stonewall_ You’ll love following this guy. He’s easy to chat with on twitter, a big flirt and someone with a strong point of view. His tweets range from political to pop culture. He also has a political mind, which you can check out on his blog, www.back2stonewall.com. #Flirt

JohnnyDiazBooks This Cuban-American author originally from Miami now lives in Boston. When I see him out, I can never be sure if he’s collecting material for his next book, socializing or a bit of both. Johnny's latest book is Take the Lead and you can find out more on his blog, www.beantowncuban.com. #CalienteCubano

BTW if you like this post, retweet it. If you love this post, follow me, @BosGuy.

Link here to see past #MenOfTwitter postings.

Facial hair to stay

Last year when I was out, I started noticing more men sporting facial hair. Initially I chalked the scruff up to just one more 80s style coming back into fashion and was curious if it would actually "take". Fast forward to the summer of 2011 and the trend has continued to gain in popularity, and it is now blatantly obvious that the clean shaven (while never really out of favor) definitely is not the "in-look"...

However, all facial hair is not equal (or so it seems to me). While I would never say that Tom Selleck's, Magnum P.I., man-stache (because it was so much more than just your run of the mill mustache) is not cool, it is definitely nowhere near as popular as scruff like I've shown in the headline picture or beards and goatees.

If you are like me, you only appreciate those sporting this trendy look, which more and more of Hollywood also seems to be embracing. My stubble looks ridiculous, and I think it may be biologically impossible for me to grow anything resembling a beard, goatee, stache. For those contemplating growing facial hair or new to sporting this look, I wanted to share a quick grooming article from earlier this year in Men's Health, Snip Tips.

For all you who like this trend, I've included a few more photos.

Zipcar: Low-Car Diet Update

Red Bull Cliff Diving comes to Boston

Perhaps Red Bull really does give you wings...

The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series came to Boston on Saturday, August 20th. The tour had made stops in Chile, Mexico, Greece, France and Italy before coming to Boston. The final stop on the Red Bull tour is in Yalta, Ukraine next month, but today Boston was all about diving.

One thing I absolutely love about Boston is that this town embraces sports of all kinds and this extreme sport which had some of the world's best cliff divers jumping from over 90 feet (nearly 30 meters) attracted a HUGE crowd today in the Seaport District. To add to the drama, divers used the cantilever roof of the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) building on Fan Pier.

2011 Ptown Carnival Parade

The 2011 Provincetown Carnival Parade theme this year was "Can't Stop the Music". Commercial Street started to become a wall of spectators as individuals dressed up for this year's celebration. The parade was great this year, but if you were not able to attend here is a quick 3-minute video to show you what you missed.

AC360 Ridiculist: Gerard Depardieu

Proof that no matter how mature, all men find potty humor funny. Even the suave Anderson Cooper cannot contain himself with his potty-mouth double entendre.

Wednesday of Carnival week in Provincetown

The weather in Provincetown took a dramatic turn for the better Wednesday and was absolutely spectacular. It was one of those hot sunny days that never got oppressive because of a steady ocean breeze. Both the beach and the Boatslip (an alternative to the beach) was jammed packed. As a matter of fact by 12 noon, the Boatslip had run out of chairs; not that there was any space to place additional chairs if they had them.

For those who prefer a quieter, less crowded vacation, Provincetown is not the place to come. This tiny little village at the very tip of the Cape becomes so overcrowded that I sometimes wonder how it doesn't end up sinking into the ocean. I've bumped into Mo Rocca again. Remember him? I posted our picture from the 4th of July after he came out last month in my post, Mo Rocca: a little more 'mo now. Also super blogger and former MenOfTwitter, Andy Towle from the Towleroad blog is also here.

Provincetown will only get more crowded as today progresses. The annual Carnival Parade will begin in the afternoon but more will be arriving with the morning ferries and by car to get here in time for all the fun.

Provincetown Carnival Week Update

After the clouds and rain came and went, people were more than ready to get out and socialize on Tuesday. Tea Dance at the Boatslip competed with the annual "The Tide Is High" boat cruise (one of Carnival Week's official events). However, this made it so much easier to get drinks and socialize.

After the rains from the previous day, the thought of going out on a boat cruise sipping drinks with 4-5' wave swells had zero appeal. Boats & BosGuy simply don't mix. Its like two great things that don't go great together... sort of like Britney Spears and performing live.

Another great thing about Tea dance on Tuesday, was I had the chance to meet a young man from upstate NY, whom I've chatted with for quite awhile on Twitter. His handle on twitter is, biscuittmfs. "Biscuitt" is his nickname and its just eccentric enough that even I can remember it. This morning Biscuitt and his posse are at Provincetown's gay beach which is clothing optional. I can only imagine how many times guys will be walking back and forth all to sneak a peek at Biscuitt's buns.

BosGuy and Biscuitt at Boatslip Tea DanceFollowing Tea Dance, Sergio and dashed down to the Crown & Anchor to see Ryan Landry's musical Peter Pansy, which was hilarious. Oddly the nightclub had very poor audio so much of the witty rebuttals and double-entendres were missed. Despite the audio issues, the show was very funny. My only bit of advice for future shows is to do your best to get as close to the stage as possible otherwise you are likely to be left wondering what was said.

Sergio and I took this year's theme "Can't stop the music" seriously and went out to the A-House to get our dance on, but by midnight I was so full from drinking since 5 that I felt like I could hear the drinks swishing in my stomach as I moved so I called it a night and came home to unwind.

Restaurant Review: Ten Tables

Ten Tables has three locations; the newest opening earlier this year in Provincetown. Located near the center of town off Bradford Street, the Provincetown restaurant has more seating than its name would lead you to believe. There is a beautiful patio, a gregarious bar and two floors of dining in this cutely converted home.

For those unfamiliar with the Ten Tables philosophy, the restaurants maintain a smaller menu that is based upon handmade foods from home grown and local ingredients. You can read more about their philosophy on there website here.

Ten Tables offers vacationers another excellent dinner option and lives up to the reputation of its sister-restaurants back in Boston and Cambridge. Dinner for two, each having an appetizer, main course and sharing a dessert (not including drinks or tip) will cost $80-$90. First plates range in price from $9-$16; main dishes range in price from $21-$33; with desserts ranging from $9-$12. Diners can order from a full bar that includes some interesting selection of wines and locally brewed beers. I believe there is a separate bar menu on the second floor, but I did not have a chance to view this.

Our meal started with fresh lobster meat served on a bed of fennel and grapefruit flavored with pistachios and coriander as well as a cucumber gazpacho with thinly sliced apples and minced almonds. Both appetizers were extremely flavorful, but the lobster combined with the fresh citrus was so good I'm still obsessing over it.

First plates: Lobster $16 / Gazpacho $9
Our main plates soon arrived after our first course was cleared. We had ordered the striped bass plate which came with pancetta, frisee, potatoes and sauce, as well as handmade cavatelli with wild greens and sauce. The fish was cooked perfectly and the pancetta and sauce added so much flavor my partner who doesn't eat fish couldn't get enough. While the pasta was tasty and a good pick, it could not compare to the striped bass.

Main courses: Cavatelli $21 / Sea Bass $27

Although I was more than satisfied, for the sake of this review I soldiered on and we both ordered desserts including a chocolate terrine with vanilla ice cream and half of a peach slowly baked with crumble and vanilla ice cream. Both were beyond decadent and capped one of my more memorable dinners.

Desserts: Baked Peach Crumble / Chocolate Terrine

Ten Tables Locations:
133 Bradford Street, Provincetown (508) 487-0106
5 Craigie Circle, Cambridge (617) 576-5444 - Original location
597 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain (617) 524-8810

Reservations are strongly recommended for all locations.

Warren Buffett editorial in the NYT

Its been awhile since I've included a political rant, but an OpEd from Warren Buffett in Sunday's NYT Stop Coddling the Super Rich got me all fired up again. He starts his editorial saying,

"OUR leaders have asked for “shared sacrifice.” But when they did the asking, they spared me. I checked with my mega-rich friends to learn what pain they were expecting. They, too, were left untouched."

Mr. Buffet's editorial is well timed, coming on the heels of more political posturing than honest discussion and legitimate compromise, regarding raising the US debt ceiling and deficit reduction talks. Buffett points out that his tax rate last year was 17.4% (half the tax rate of the other 20 people in his office), and that the "super rich" now pay less than they ever have, despite benefiting from a system that has allowed them to reap record salaries, bonuses and perks. However, I don't believe Buffett's editorial is likely to budge an increasingly intransigent Congress, nor foster debate and dialog about his suggestion to raise taxes on the "super rich" with the newly appointed bipartisan Committee of 12.

Looking at the current list of Republican Presidential hopefuls, I wonder if they can even fathom his logic of what "Shared Sacrifice" really means. You can read Warren Buffett's editorial in its entirety here and decide for yourself.

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.

If you'd like to follow me on twitter, you can find me @BosGuy. Below are this week's #MenOfTwitter. Leave them a nice comment and start following these guys.

ChristopherFTL – Chris is a native Californian who has an unapologetic Liberal bent to most of his tweets. He also has a blog, From the left, which I like reading. I actually found out from Chris’ tweets that a CEO of a Boston-based sneaker company donated $500k to Romney’s presidential campaign. #NotCool is right Chris.

DavidGanhao – David is yet another example of how handsome Boston can be. Mix that in with his very funny tweets and he’s an obvious choice. A recent tweet of his – which I can relate to: “Twitter suggested I follow Bon Apetit magazine, so basically twitter just called me a fatass. #bigboned”#TooFunny

Naoij – Vincent lives in London and is a twitter-holic. He’s posted nearly 25K tweets, which are mostly conversational with the occasional, picture, quote or video included. He recently moved into a new “flat” so if you follow him – ask him how his move went. He's currently looking for a flatmate so give him a holler if you're looking for a place to call home in London. #SoHandsome

BTW if you like this post, retweet it. If you love this post, follow me, @BosGuy.

Link here to see past #MenOfTwitter postings.

Cheers from Provincetown

I arrived in Provincetown on Saturday enjoying what turned out to be the last bit of sun we will see for a few days. Today was mostly overcast albeit very comfortable. Everyone seemed to use the break from the good weather we've been enjoying to shop. Commercial Street was packed from one end to the next with people carrying shopping bags overflowing with items (so much for there being a recession).

This afternoon I purchased tickets to see Ryan Landry's play Peter Pansy for Tuesday evening. I first wrote about Ryan's latest musical back in April when it opened in Boston. If interested, you can read more about the storyline here.

If one is to believe the local forecast the weather will unfortunately remain fairly ugly, but will clear by Wednesday with the brightest and warmest day of the week on Thursday when the big parade and most of the celebrations for Carnival Week occur.

The photo above is of Sergio and one of the many helpful young men distributing rum test tube shots at the Boatslip Tea Dance this afternoon.

Zipcar Low-Car Diet Update

Carnival Week in Provincetown 13-Aug to 20-Aug

I am in a Ptown state of mind...

In just a few hours I'll be heading down to Provincetown for Carnival Week. I think many guys from Boston think of this week in Ptown as Boston's unofficial Pride. Sadly, as much as I love Boston, our city's Pride celebration is unbelievably boring.

Carnival brings a big city feel to this tiny little village at the tip of the Cape. Its not as risque as many of the marquee circuit events or major pride celebrations, but it's PG-13 rating doesn't detract from all the fun one bit.

So my next few postings will be coming from Provincetown. Should you happen to be there as well, leave a comment and we can try to meet for a drink. Here are some pictures from 2010 Provincetown Carnival Parade.

NYC Underwear Run

Fellow blogger over at DanNation included a write-up about NYC's 1.7 mile "Underwear Run", which took place last week (August 5th) in Central Park. The run drew a bit more than 500 participants. You can read his posting, here and you can check out the YT video from this year's event here.

However, I have to say it seems pretty lame that there were only 500 runners. C'mon NYC, where is your sense of adventure? Boston's annual Santa Speedo Run in December (which is capped at 500) sells out in minutes.

An underwear run in Central Park in August actually sounds delightful. I'd even do the run if I lived in NYC. I hope next year a few more of you will check your modesty at the door and participate in what looks like a very fun run.

Here's the video from the 2010 Boston Santa Speedo Run.

Achoo...

What a rather unique tissue dispenser.

Pictures from NYC

Here are some random pictures from my trip to New York City last weekend. I loved this vintage Leather Daddy photo. Its reminiscent of Tom of Finland don't you think? I saw this in a leather shop down in the West Village.

This giant sculpture entitled "Echo" was created by Spanish sculpture, Jaume Plensa and is on display in the Madison Square Park on Madison Avenue and 23rd Street. The oversized sculpture is hard to miss and evoked strong reactions by everyone I saw while I was there.

I'm a man of refined taste and extremely cultured so of course I went to one of New York's premiere museums...well actually I only went to the gift shop - I was pressed for time.

Hmm... you know you're really pretty gay when you find yourself walking down a street in New York City, look up and think, "So that's where all those designers go with Tim Gunn".
I've always loved the Fuller Building which was first completed back in 1902. The building also referred to as the Flatiron Building is another example of the amazing architecture NYC offers.