MAY EVENTS in Boston!

Hello Friends!
Here is big list of fun springtime events happening in Boston! Maybe i can put my dancing shoes on again before my baby bump gets too big??! LOL! Don't know how long I'll last...but a girl can always try! I so miss being able to see my feet! :P There are plenty of ideas to go around, and of course, I can always EAT! See below and let me know if anything looks good to you! xo mel


CHECK OUT THE ARTS -- OUTDOORS!

SoWa Open Market...and the SoWa Art Walk both open this weekend...
Join us as we kick off our 7th season at the SoWa Open Market! Saturday and Sunday, May 15 & 16, 10AM -5PM.
This is our biggest season opener to date, featuring 140 indie designers, crafters, artists, musicians, farmers and much more. We've moved down the block to a new location.
Now at the humongous parking lot at 460 Harrison Ave at the end of Thayer Street.
The market will be open every Sunday through October 31, 2010, excluding 3 major holiday weekends (May 30, July 4, and September 5).
Official Site: http://www.sowaopenmarket.com


SoWa Sundays
Here you will find all the details for fun arty and foodie events!
www.sowasundays.com


SoWa Art Walk
www.sowaartwalk.com
The SoWa Art Walk takes place in late May each year and is a weekend-long standing invitation to visit the artists in their studios. This year, the SoWa Art Walk will occur on Saturday and Sunday May 15+16, 2010 from 11:00am to 6:00pm. Creative stores, cafes, boutiques and some of the city’s finest restaurants take part in the SoWa Art Walk by opening their doors all weekend, hosting artists who display on their walls and offering special event discounts.


Sel de la Terre in Back Bay

Here are some fun events i found at Sel de la Terre in Back Bay, connected to the Mandarin Oriental...Sel de la Terre offers the rustic country fare of Provence & surrounding Southern France. Fresh local bounty is the motivation behind our creative, yet rustic menu, and the warm and comfortable atmosphere of Sel de la Terre makes it the ideal place to enjoy a meal no matter the occasion.

NOTE: While i'm current not in the market for any of the big dinner/wine pairing events (being prego, I can't enjoy the wine!) but the Mini Burger Mondays sounds good! Visit site for more details: http://www.seldelaterre.com

Triple crown Parties
We're celebrating a month of racing with a trio of soirees in our downstairs bar. One drink minimum to bet on a horse. Prizes are based on odds - win one of our award-winning bar bites, including arancinis, sandwiches or a famed SDLT burger!
May 1 - Kentucky Derby; 6-7pm
May 15 - Preakness Stakes; 6-7pm
June 5 - The Belmont Stakes; 5-6:30pm

Mini Burger Mondays!
$2 sliders every Monday from 5-7pm! Click here to view the menu
Cookbook Dinner Series-On the last Sunday of every month, unwind from the weekend with Chef DiBiccari as he cooks up dishes from our chefs' most influential culinary artists from around the world. Enjoy four courses with wine pairings and light commentary for $45 per person. 7pm
{ 05-30 } Wine Mondays: Simple Wine Pairings with Seasonal Menus by Frank McClelland
{ 06-27 } Bouchon by Thomas Keller
{ 07-25 } The Fat Duck by Heston Blumenthal
{ 08-29 } Momofuku by David Chang

Wine Wednesdays
Every Wednesday at 7pm.
4 courses - 4 wines - $44 Each Wednesday, guests are treated to a selection of wines inspired by changing seasons, wine regions or varietals paired with a four-course tasting menu composed of Chef DiBiccari's rustic French cuisine. Guests are seated at large tables that foster lively conversation, while Wine Director Erik Johnson leads an engaging, informal talk touching on the highlights of the evening's wines.


GET UP and DANCE!

Wolfgang, our resident DJ and man about the South End sent along these awesome dance events. I LOVE that these events are FREE! what could be better than that?!

... a few fun events coming up with DJ Francesco and friends spinning this month. hope you made it to the premiere of heartbeats last Friday? Great party at 28degrees! If you missed it - here is your chance to make up for it :) Ciao, Wolf


From DJ Francesco Spenga:

Friends, Night Crawlers, Insomniacs, Dancers, DJs, Househeads....Lots happening in May. This month I'm throwing all of my regular parties, so hopefully I may see some of those who I haven't seen in a while :) I don't have all the flyers done yet, but doesn't mean we can't start spreading the word.

1) Friday May 14th, Heartbeats at 28 Degrees, One Appleton St, Boston (South End), 9pm-1am
**No Cover, No List

The opening night of Heartbeats in April was euphoric, and I'm still feeling it. Seems everything just came together that night and it's definitely one of my most memorable parties to date. You never know when you'll have one of those types of nights, but youjust learn to enjoy them once you realize they're unfolding in front of you. If the next one has half the vibe of the first, it will still be a killer party.

This night is a little different in that I can take a break from house and play a bit of funk, soul, Latin, Italian, Brazilian, and yes, even some Serbian Gypsy music...but inevitably the house music tugs at me like a crying child and I have to give in.


2) Friday May 21st, UNITY at The Good Life, 28 Kingston St, Boston, 9pm-2am
**No Cover, No List

My partner in crime Enrique Florendo and I will be spinning all night, after DJ Do JaJa (Milan Vatovec, NYC) kicks off the night around 9. Come early to chill out and here his sound (more classic funk and soul than house, if any). Then Enrique and I tag team on the decks from about 11 til 2. I love this night in that anything goes, both on the turntables and in the realm of dance moves. Some of you people are amazing the way you move. It's inspring to see from our perspective and once we get to that level in the night the symbiosis between DJ and dancer is evident.
**No Cover - No List - No Dress Code - No Dancer Left Behind - Just Deep House Grooves From Our Soul to Yours

3) Thursday May 27th, Baci & Abbracci Returns to Lucca Back Bay, 116 Huntington St, Boston, 9pm-2am, **No cover
It's been a while since Jay and I have thrown the B&A party, but it's on again on Thursday the 27th, just before Memorial Day Weekend. I'm trying to convince Lucca Back Bay to throw in some strawberries for the night - who doesn't like free strawberries? They go well dipped in house music :)
**No Cover, No List, No Dress Code, 9-2

Fun things to do in Boston - When it's cold & snowing outside!

The weather outside is frightful...as we suffer through yet another snowstorm in New England. So, while we wait patiently for the first day of spring to arrive (April 21st), I have come up with some fun ideas to do every day of the week to keep you busy when it's cold outside. Enjoy!

SUNDAY: This is your well-deserved day of rest. But first, cook up a nice big batch of homemade chicken soup or turkey chili (see my recipe in an earlier posting) so that you’ll have enough for the next few meals. Snuggle up on the couch and catch up on your favorite TV shows on your DVR. My faves include: The Real Housewives of Orange County (and NYC), Nip/Tuck, The Mentalist and Spain...On the Road Again. Because I feel it’s good to channel both your trashy and your cultured side.

MONDAY: Back to work. Roll out of bed, grab leftovers, get in car or on subway. At night, consider going to the gym, but instead, make your workout useful as well as energizing! Put on your ipod and shovel your driveway and walkway out to the sounds of Kanye West, Lady Gaga, The Killers and Katy Perry. While you are at it, throw in a little Madonna, Linkin Park and James Brown into the mix. That should get your blood pumping!

TUESDAY: It’s only Tuesday, but with a long, cold week ahead, why not jump-start the weekend in Harvard Square?! Every Tuesday at 7:00 is FREE live jazz at Redline. The Joe McMahon Trio, a Boston-based jazz trio of rotating members will play their hearts out for you while you eat tasty food and drink some stiff cocktails.


If you are still out and about…then head over for some weekly Karaoke at Charlie’s Kitchen around the corner in Harvard Square. Charlie’s has long been a favorite destination for college students and indie rockers who enjoy this bargain burger institution with a cold beer, basket of waffle fries, and a dash of kitsch. It starts late (around 9:30), but get a good seat at the bar and get ready to rock! http://www.redlinecambridge.com/


WEDNESDAY: There are many reasons to go out midweek, but others would insist that staying in and watching American Idol (Fox) followed by Lost (ABC) is a priority if not an obsession. So, if you are an Idol or Lost fanatic, put on your pj’s, order a pizza, and turn your cell phone on silent because you just can’t be disturbed while trying to follow your favorites either get booted off for their bad singing - or killed on a fictitious island. (If you do get the urge to go out, I suggest hitting the gym for a good sweat, then heading over to CVS to buy some extra tissues and cough drops in case you catch that nasty cold that’s been going around.) http://www.americanidol.com/ http://abc.go.com/primetime/lost

"Mujer Fatal," 2006 image courtesty of Shepard Fairey.

THURSDAY: Every Thursday from 5:00-9:00 pm is FREE admission at the ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art) Boston! So, grab your friends and head down to this funky museum dedicated to all things pop, edgy and modern. Have a glass of wine in the museum café and shopin the uber cool gift shop. Visit the brand new exhibit featuring the controversial and popular graffiti artist turned pop icon creator Shepard Fairey. You will know him from his iconic blue & red Obama portrait seen on stickers, subways and t-shirts throughout the presidential election. For those old skool skaters, you will know him as the creator of the ridiculous “Obey Andre” stickers that appeared on mailboxes, bumpers and notebooks across the country and the world in the early 90s. http://www.icaboston.org/exhibitions/exhibit/fairey

FRIDAY: It’s date night! Grab your sweetie and head to dinner and movie. My new favorite thing to do is to go to the Patriot Place Showcase Cinema De Lux in Foxborough, MA. With so many great films out this year, it’s the perfect time to go see Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire (truly amazing), The Reader (intense) or The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (uplifting). What better way to watch a movie then in a real restaurant high above the movie screen with your favorite cocktail and some buffalo wings? Good idea to reserve your tickets online during the weekends as they can sell out. http://www.patriot-place.com/Cinemadelux.aspx

SATURDAY: It’s party time! Make it a Girls Night Out and let loose! After such a long, cold week of slushy snow and freezing rain… why not put on some sexy heels, a new top, rocking pair of jeans and go dancing! There are plenty of free or inexpensive places to go in Boston to hear good live music. Visit http://www.going.com/ for their “Recession Busters” events for some great places with reduced admission guest lists or even FREE entry to spend your Saturday night!

Beacon Hill snow image courtesy of planetware.com