july 3, 2012 - july 16, 2012
www.stuffboston.com
cocktails
drink like a champion | beer + liquor = buzzworthy | hollywood treasures
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july 3, 2012 – july 16, 2012
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FEATURE
olympic spirits 22 waiter, there’s a beer in my cocktail! 29
FEED
29 Can’t decide between beer or liquor? Have both. Here Noon Inthasuwan of Moksa prepares her Irish Dragon, one of several cool concoctions featured in “Waiter, There’s a Beer in My Cocktail!” on page 29. Or maybe you need to quench an Olympian-strong thirst like our cover model (Shawn Sweeney of Maggie Inc.). He raced all the way to The Hawthorne in Kenmore Square, one of several spots featured in “Olympic Spirits” on page 22.
Letter from the Editor
I need a drink. I’m writing this letter on the first 90-plus-degree day of the year. (I think. Have fun factchecking that one, Ms. Houton.) My office feels like a greenhouse, and I’m as red as a tomato. I’m not a hot-weather kind of guy, and <4> 7.3.12
fanning myself with back issues can only do so much. Sitting on the windowsill, just beyond arm’s reach and mocking me like a lineup of little boozy dwarves, are several still-unopened liquor bottles acquired in the course of lifestylemagazine research: some vodka, some whiskey, some mysterious unmarked bottle that, when uncapped, may or may not give birth to a bean stalk. You know, tools of the trade. It’s all I can do to resist rewarding myself with a long pour of — well, something. Because on a hot summer day, nothing tastes better than a cold cocktail. It doesn’t even have to be of the colorful Miami Vice variety, the type served poolside in fake coconuts with miniature umbrellas or Krazy Straws. Any will do, provided it’s well-made. And if you
food coma 37 5 courses 38 stuff it 39 liquid 40 RESIDE 42 SEX 43 FLASH 44 david nicholas’S STUFF 46
ask us, Boston has no shortage of innovators who consistently raise the bar on cocktails, from inventive individual mixologists to collectives like the Greater Boston Beverage Society, which is spending the summer planning the Hub’s first city-wide cocktail festival for October (a prospect that has us, pardon the bad pun, totally buzzing). So we were able to find a number of delicious drinks that are perfect for sipping this summer. Since you’ll probably spend the next few weeks glued to the tube (and next to the A/C) watching athletes swim, cycle, and sweat their way to gold medals, Adam Tokarz penned “Olympic Spirits,” a guide to sporty cocktails you’ll find on page 22. (Along the way, he uncovered a slew of fascinating sports-related factoids that will
help me finally score an orange pie slice in Trivial Pursuit.) And since even cocktail nerds can crave an ice-cold beer when the mercury rises, Liza Weisstuch investigated the increasingly prevalent trend of beer cocktails. On page 29, she explores the myriad ways — from enhancing aroma and texture to adding new flavor notes — that beer can be used to create killer mixed drinks. And the rest of the issue runneth over with more cocktail, style, and entertainment coverage. Pour yourself something strong and enjoy. I plan to. Lucky for me, drinking on the job is all in a day’s work.
Scott Kearnan Editorial Director @TheWriteStuffSK
Editorial Director: Scott Kearnan Senior Managing Editor: Jacqueline Houton Design Manager: Janice Checchio Staff Writer: Miles Howard Food Editor-at-Large: Louisa Kasdon Fashion & Beauty Editor-at-Large: Lauryn Joseph Contributing Writers: Kara Baskin, Marissa Berenson, Renata CertoWare, Cheryl Fenton, Jeannie Greeley, Meghan Kavanaugh, Heather Bouzan McHugh, MC Slim JB, Luke O’Neil, Erin Souza Contributing Photographers: Natalia Boltukhova, Lara Callahan, Kelly Davidson, Michael Diskin, Kim Gray, Tim Gray, Eric Levin, Gina Manning, Melissa Ostrow, Chris Padgett, Joel Veak Party Photographers: Derek Kouyoumjian, Erica Magliaro, Natasha Moustache, Michael Young Interns: Luke Milardo, Hilary Milnes Vice President, Sales and Business Development: David Garland Vice President, Print Media Sales: Marc Shepard General Sales Manager: Sean Weymouth Senior Account Executive: Luba Gorelik Account Executives: Nathaniel Andrews, Chris Gibbs Advertising Operations Manager: Kevin Lawrence Traffic Coordinators: Jonathan Caruso, Colleen McCarthy Director of Marketing and Promotions: Brian Appel Interactive Marketing Manager: Lindsey Mathison Director of Creative Operations: Travis Ritch Advertising Arts Manager: Angelina Berardi Production Artist: Kelly Wight Online Content Coordinator: Maddy Myers Senior Web Developer: Gavin Storey Director of Finance: Scotty Cole Circulation Director: Jim Dorgan Circulation Manager: Michael Johnson STUFF Magazine is published by the Phoenix Media/ Communications Group Chairman and Publisher: Stephen M. Mindich President: Bradley M. Mindich Senior Vice President: A. William Risteen Vice President, Integrated Media Sales: Everett Finkelstein Director, Interactive Media Sales: Brian Russell Senior Account Executive of Integrated Media Sales: Margo Dowlearn For advertising rates, call 617.425.2660. For editorial inquiries, call 617.536.5390. Subscriptions: Bulk rate $89/year. Bulk-rate postage paid, Boston, MA; allow 10 days for delivery. Send name and address with check or money order to: Subscription Department, STUFF, 126 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215 • Copyright ©2009 Stuff Magazine LLC, 126 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, 617.536.5390. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission, by any method whatsoever, is prohibited. Printed by Cummings Printing, Co.
617. 457. 2626 200 Stuart Street | EmeraldUltraLounge.com 7.3.12 <5>
HOT THREADS
h o t
Our last experience with “nose art” was not a good one. It involved a particularly, ahem, phlegmatic classmate and a wad of compromised construction paper during indoor recess. (Move over, Pollock?) But for its new summer collection, Boston T-shirt brand Regan Smith Clarke (regansmithclarke.com) was inspired by a different kind of nose art: the graffitilike images that creative military personnel paint on aircraft. Though it’s still done today, nose art is mostly associated with military life in the early and mid– 20th century, when pin-up girls and cartoon characters were especially popular subjects. (One famous example is a warmongering Mickey Mouse that German general Adolf Galland slapped on his Condor Legion.) The RSC designs hew mainly to such vintage-style illustrations, with bombs and missiles paired with goofy wolves and rabbits. If the Looney Tunes characters ever enlist, we have their uniform. Now, anyone know a fighter jet that drops Acme anvils?
HOT STEPPING
Forget breaking in high heels; if you ask us, transitioning into flip-flop weather is the more painful prospect. (Plus, there’s the added embarrassment of those mangled talons we hid all winter long.) Luckily, Lush (166 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.375.5874) just trotted out its limited-edition package Happy Feet ($24.95), specially designed for sandal season. It includes the Volcano Foot Mask for cleaning and deodorizing, Fair Trade Foot Lotion for moisturizing, an exfoliating Stepping Stone, and the Geo Phyzz Bath Bomb, which will soothe your achy feet (and the rest of you) with a mix of sea salts and medicinal Hawaiian clay. It’s the toe-tal package.
HOT TEA
Ever wonder what the Boston Tea Party would look like in 2012? (Our wager: hashtags like #OccupyOolong.) At the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum (Congress Street Bridge, Boston, 855.832.1773), which opened in late June, it looks an awful lot like it did in 1773. Just in time for Uncle Sam’s birthday, the museum has unveiled its centerpiece: replicas of all three ships involved in the American Revolution’s precursory protest. It also boasts impressive exhibitions of artifacts, but the museum isn’t just for field-trip day: at the onsite Abigail’s Tea Room, overseen by nationally known tea master Bruce Richardson, you can pour a cup of tea inspired by the varieties that our forefathers poured overboard. Sounds steeped in history.
HOT AND HOMESPUN
The name M3 (382 Highland Avenue, Somerville, 617.718.6666) sounds awfully high-tech, like a secret government warplane or a men’s razor that shoots aloe — and laser beams. But the newly opened restaurant from chef Jason Owens has a decidedly low-fidelity feel and appeal. Owens, formerly of South Boston’s Local 149 and Newton’s The Biltmore, was inspired by his Nashville upbringing, and his grandmother’s recipes, to craft a menu of Southern comfort food: think she-crab soup, chicken and waffles, panfried catfish, and pig’s ear sandwiches. It’s served up in a 40-seat room of reclaimedwood floors and countrified accents — pendant lights made from Mason jars, a pressed-tin ceiling, vintage wood-grainvinyl trim, and a recycled ’50s-style fridge — that leave us feeling like we’ve found down-home deliverance from big-city bustle. Popping the top on a can of beer from M3’s selection of 20 doesn’t hurt, in that regard. Oh, and the name? It nods to the “meat and three” style of Southern diner, where patrons choose one main and three side dishes. Owens also offers composed plates inspired by childhood memories. Yum-mm. <6> 7.3.12
bottom photo by melissa ostrow
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Anyone can make a martini or mai tai with a plain old cocktail shaker. But it takes an artist with equal parts swagger and street savvy to wield the Graffiti Cocktail Shaker ($22). Cleverly disguised as a spray can, this 14-ounce stainless-steel shaker has a built-in strainer and drink recipes conveniently printed on its label. (Of course, in true street-artist fashion, you can always go freestyle by mixing up your own alcoholic creations.) Pick up this cool tool at Davis Squared (409 Highland Avenue, Somerville, 617.666.6700), and make your next batch of beverages with an artistic flourish.
or that...
If you’re more scientist than street artist, then study the chemical properties of rum and tequila with the Test Tube Shot Set ($14). This playful plastic set includes six colorful shot glasses, which should help you determine the precise formula for hydrating yourself and your, um, study buddies. Snag a set at Urban Outfitters (11 JFK Street, Cambridge, 617.864.0070). Pretty soon, you’ll have athome imbibing down to a science.
— Susan Johnston
left photo by Janice Checchio
7.3.12 <7>
GETSEEN ...at the Young Friends of the Public Garden’s Summer Celebration
Christina Pierce, stylist and owner of Christina K. Pierce Agency & Showroom
Nina Lewis-Schroeder, therapist
She turned heads in a bold floral Milly dress, YSL sandals, and a Louis Vuitton bag. Christina’s style is all about contrast: she defines her look as a mix of conservative and uptown with a sexy edge. For the finishing touch, she swears by Essie nail polish — especially her shade of choice, “Trophy Wife.” (Nice work if you can get it!) As a rule, she never precisely matches her nail polish to her outfits. Instead, she chooses a nail color that accentuates a single shade in her outfit to make it really pop.
STUFFY:
This lucky woman has a husband with style. He bought her this DVF dress, which she paired with a YSL clutch. We were fascinated by her headwear, loaned to her by her friend Marie Galvin of GALVIN-ized Headwear. Nina confesses that she has cut herself off from buying more fascinators and hats. She already owns too many to count! She loves them not only for the fabulous fashion statements, but for the easy fix on bad hair days.
William Schroeder, principal at W.R. Schroeder Interiors We spotted him and his turquoise slacks from across the room. He bought the Isaia pants, which he paired with a Battistoni jacket and Tom Ford shoes, just before heading over to the event — and even managed to have them tailored in the nick of time! So we weren’t surprised by his top styling tip: invest in a good tailor. He recommends Sordillo’s on Newbury Street. William uses his interior designer’s eye to create perfect bowtie and pocket-square pairings. His rule? Make sure the colors and patterns complement each other, but don’t make the mistake of being too matchy-matchy.
Jessica Klapman, yoga instructor
That body-con dress looked fab on this fit yogi. Sign us up for her (clearly effective) classes. Jessica paired the floral number from H&M with nude YSL shoes and a matching Christian Louboutin clutch for a perfect summer-party ensemble. This look embodies her style philosophy: she loves mixing highend pieces with High Street finds, and she thinks that a good pair of shoes and a great bag can make any outfit. No argument here!
High(-Proof) Society
At one point or another, many of us have dreamt of entering an elite society. But the Skull and Bones, Freemasons, and Illuminati all seem like awfully tight circles. (And besides, we just don’t know any virgins we can sacrifice at the next full moon. They’re a dwindling lot, okay?) Thankfully, we can still enjoy a sense of privilege and prestige, minus the cloak-and-dagger initiation ceremonies, with the help of Todd Maul, bar director at Clio (370A Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, 617.536.7200). Those with deep pockets and deeper tolerance can rise to the ranks of the Clio Cocktail Club by trying each and every concoction on the restaurant’s cocktail menu. But wait: with more than 90 drinks listed, this is no small (or inexpensive) feat. The roster is divided into some traditional departments — aperitifs, gin cocktails, and Tiki drinks and daiquiris, for instance — but also includes outliers like the forebodingly named “Mad Scientist’s Lab” category. (Ooh! Abandon sobriety all ye who enter here!) Club applicants receive a personal cocktail list that Maul will sign after each order, and those brave souls who complete the challenge reap great reward — though not global domination as part of the New World Order. (Bummer!) But we’re perfectly happy with the offer of a private cocktail class with Maul and a free overnight stay at the luxurious Eliot Hotel, located right upstairs from Clio. After all that imbibing, something tells us we’re going to need it.
— Miles Howard
<8> 7.3.12
GET SEEN PHOTOS BY michael young; text by renata certo-ware
GETclose ...with Aubrey O’Day Boston sports fans know what it’s like to come this close to a title, only to have it snatched away. So does singer — and devout Boston Celtics fan — Aubrey O’Day. O’Day, who rose to fame as Diddy’s protégée on Making the Band as part of girl group Danity Kane, was an odds-on favorite to win this year’s Celebrity Apprentice season. But she placed an unexpected third, getting fired because her fiery attitude didn’t sit well with Donald Trump. (Nor did it with the ultimate winner, Arsenio Hall, O’Day’s frequent verbaljousting partner on the show; the two haven’t spoken since.) But O’Day is already on to the next thing: April saw the release of her power-pop single “Wrecking Ball,” a taste of her upcoming album. And the hardcore Celtics fan — who once modeled for a photo shoot covered only by green paint and a strategically placed basketball — was a fixture at playoff games. We caught up with O’Day while she cheered courtside, partied at the Greatest Bar and GEM, and popped by a Boston Pride event at the Emerald Lounge. Have any good-luck rituals during Celtics games? I always wear my green Hanky Panky underwear. I have to keep washing them over and over. I don’t know why I haven’t bought extra pairs at this point. But that’s how you know it’s playoffs: my assistant is constantly washing green thongs. You’re from California. How’d you become such a Celtics fan? I fell in love with basketball through the Celtics when I moved to the East Coast. There was something about Celtics fans. I’d never seen fans who loved basketball more. There’s such a camaraderie with the team and passion for the athletes. And I have such respect for a team that plays like a team. Speaking of team players, one article called you the most “polarizing” contestant in Celebrity Apprentice history. Unfair? I am polarizing. But you know what? So is Donald Trump. So is Diddy. So are all the successful people I’ve ever worked for. To be a success, you have to stand out. If you were watching a man on that show and he behaved the same way I did, you’d respect him. You’d want him to win. You’d appreciate every move he makes and think he has a strong business mind. When it’s a woman, they call her a bitch or terms that have historically been used to keep people in their place. I played it smart and with confidence, I knew my value, and I made sure everyone knew what was on my mind. How’d “Wrecking Ball” come about? I wanted to bring back the old-school pop feeling, where it’s not all about the way a track bumps in clubs, and really force myself to sing. I love that the song is about taking ownership of a relationship. There are so many songs about breaking up and hurting. This song represents someone who is able to destroy a relationship that is unhealthy. I like that message. Would you do another reality show like Oxygen’s All About Aubrey? I’d revisit it with a better network and more completed thought. I <10> 7.3.12
like projects that are indicative of me as a woman and what I’m learning at the time. I’ve grown up on television, starting with little 18-year-old Aubrey on Making the Band. I did Celebrity Apprentice to see what kind of business woman I was, where I couldn’t depend on my looks. I went through a phase, like with Playboy, where I almost grew to depend on looks in an unhealthy way. Celebrity Apprentice was getting back on track. I even dyed my hair red to get away from that whole blonde-sex-kitten thing. You competed for the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network on The Celebrity Apprentice, and you stopped by a GLAAD fundraiser in Boston. Do you have a lot of gay fans? I was always exposed to the community. I
have a very liberal mother; she’s an entertainment lawyer and marched on the front line for women’s rights. I don’t believe in judging or limiting anyone’s lifestyle. That’s made me lovable in the gay world. I’m also super fashionable, gorgeous, and fierce. But I fight for what’s right, including equal marriage. . . . And this sounds silly, but when they picked Arsenio, a man who called a woman a [expletive], slut, and whore on the show, I understood what it was like to have everyone just smile in your face about acceptance. . . . I said to GLSEN, I wanted you guys to take a stand against everything Arsenio said. For every boy sitting in a sandbox scared to be gay, there’s a girl about to be called a slut.
— Scott Kearnan
photo by trevor rains
Belgium is renowned for its vibrant and diverse beer culture. A rich tradition of culinary invention and improvisation, combined with centuries of brewing passion and expertise, helped craft a stunning variety of beer styles enjoyed around the world.
Leffe Blonde was first brewed in 1240 by the monks of Abbaye de Notre Dame de Leffe in Belgium. A spicy, faintly clove-like aroma is balanced by Leffe's creamy body and restrained dry finish. Stella Artois' rich brewing heritage dates back to 1366 in Leuven, Belgium, where it was first brewed to celebrate the holiday season. Traditional malted barley and the highest quality European hops give Stella Artois its full flavor and delicately crisp finish. Hoegaarden is the Original Belgian Wheat Beer, dating back to the 15th Century. A naturally cloudy beer, Hoegaarden features a secret to its refreshing flavor and spicy nose: real Curaçao orange peel and a dash of coriander. Always Enjoy Responsibly. © 2012 Anheuser-Busch InBev S.A., Stella Artois® Beer, Leffe® Blonde Ale and Hoegaarden® Beer, Imported by Import Brands Alliance, St. Louis, MO
GETCULTURED Scene Stealer
We’ve always suspected that our driver’s license photos would have boasted a lot more aesthetic appeal — and a lot less nostril hair — had Annie Leibovitz been behind the camera. (Alas, we shudder to think of the DMV lines for that.) The legendary American photographer has made her mark on art history with some of the finest and most famous portraits committed to film, from John Lennon’s nude embrace with Yoko Ono to those topless Miley Cyrus shots that sent shockwaves through the Disney Channel crowd. But now, after decades of shooting live subjects from the worlds of music, film, and fashion, Leibovitz has set her lens on new models: landscapes and the homes and artifacts of historic figures — subjects she chose to shoot simply because they captivated her, not because she was on assignment for Vanity Fair or Vogue. Leibovitz’s left-hand turn was big news for photography enthusiasts. And luckily for local ones, an exhibition of her new work — “Annie Leibovitz: Pilgrimage” — is currently just a quick commuter-rail trip away at the Concord Museum (200 Lexington Road, Concord, 978.369.9763). Its 60-plus photographs of dramatic landscapes, quiet interiors, and talismanic objects (like Lincoln’s bloodstained gloves) are entirely free of people, the focus of Leibovitz’s career for four decades. Why shoot these scenes, and why now? In an interview with London’s The Guardian, she cited a variety of precipitating events: the death of longtime partner Susan Sontag, financial problems in 2009, and the subsequent desire for a serious artistic challenge. “Creativity needs to be taken care of,” Leibovitz explained. “It’s like a big baby that needs to be nourished. I went into this project to fill myself back up.” Leibovitz refueled by exploring places and objects imbued with the presence of inspiring figures — creating portraits of a sort, sans people. She ventured to Georgia O’Keeffe’s home in rural New Mexico, rendering its bone-dry hills blood-red and intimidating. Massachusetts provided several subjects, from Emily Dickinson’s Amherst home to the site of Henry David Thoreau’s cabin at Walden Pond. Leibovitz even travelled to London to capture Sigmund Freud’s famous reclining couch, portrayed as more of a crouched beast than an outlet for Oedipal confessions. The photos in “Pilgrimage” are already available in book format, but you’d have to be a total Philistine to miss out on Leibovitz’s largescale blowups. The Concord Museum’s newly arrived exhibit runs through September 23, providing plenty of time for you to make your own pilgrimage to the ’burbs — and pay your respects to a real industry icon.
Taking Stock
When The Departed put Boston back on Hollywood’s radar in 2006 and filmmakers began flocking to the city, the Hub swelled with pride like a struggling actor who’s finally been discovered. (At last! They’ve recognized our gifts!) Alas, we beamed less brightly when we saw some of the resulting flicks, especially those that involved Kevin James, fart jokes, and atrocious accents. Luckily, Boston is long on its own locally raised talents. And at 8 p.m. on July 6 and July 7, a number of them will converge for FILMSTOCK, a free showcase of experimental films and other cinematically inspired works at the Fort Point Channel Theatre (10 Channel Center Street, Boston, 617.750.8900). The genre-jumping lineup includes an impressive range of works from the Theatre’s resident artists and collaborators. At the top of the bill is Nick Thorkelson and Amy MacDonald’s animated fairy tale Où est Fleuri Rose?, which chronicles a pink teddy bear’s travels through Quebec. (Sounds like a sophisticated supplement to the new Mark Wahlberg flick Ted). Then there’s Pelle Lowe’s Earthly Possessions, which promises to marry the words of Brontë’s Wuthering Heights and Foucault’s Herculine Barbin with haunting black-and-white photography, exploring “the eroticism of grief and the fluidity of gender identity.” (Sounds sort of like some college parties we remember.) We’re also stoked for the live performance of playwright David Henry Haan’s It Always Rains When John Cusack Is in Anguish, which presents a comedic encounter between Cusack and a woman at a bus stop. We’re not quite sure what to expect from an experimental work with that kind of description, but as long as it ends with a boom box held aloft, we’ll consider it a happy Hollywood ending. For the full schedule, check out fortpointtheatrechannel.org.
— M.H.
Earthly Possessions
— Miles Howard
Museum admission is free for members and $8–$10 for nonmembers. Find out more at concordmuseum.org. <12> 7.3.12
Top photo copyright Annie Leibovitz. From “Pilgrimage” (Random House, 2011).
ICAFIRSTFRIDAYS Art goes overtime on the first Friday of the month with guest DJs, live performance, gallery talks, specialty cocktails, and more. LAUNCH PARTY | ICA FIRST FRIDAYS: ART STARS | FRIDAY, JULY 6, 5-10 PM Celebrate the launch of ICA First Fridays! Experience dazzling glass sculptures of starbursts and galaxies by Josiah McElheny, then head to the Water CafĂŠ for exhibition-themed cocktails and summer night stargazing. FREE for ICA members, $15 nonmembers Includes museum admission, live entertainment, and a complimentary drink. This event is 21+
THE INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART/BOSTON 100 Northern Avenue Boston, MA 02210 icaboston.org
GETpretty Metro 2.0
Guyliner: it’s not just for Johnny Depp anymore. First we noticed more guys sporting painted nails and eye makeup. (Besides Depp, mainstream stars like Billie Joe Armstrong and Adam Lambert regularly rock men’s makeup.) Then Italian hosiery designer Emilio Cavallini unveiled his collection of unisex tights, quickly dubbed “mantyhose.” They’re prominently featured in Madonna’s most recent video, “Girl Gone Wild,” where her all-male crew of backup dancers pairs them with sky-high stilettos. It seems style and beauty rituals typically reserved for ladies are now fitting into many men’s lives. The trend is even spilling over into home décor: the Massachusetts-based Yankee Candle Company, usually associated with feminine fragrances, recently debuted Man Candles, a new line boasting guy-friendly scents like the woodsy “2x4” and the grassy “Riding Mower.” The trend spans sexualities, attracting men who are straight, gay, and somewhere in between. And these are average guys, not celebrities in movies and music videos. Think of it as a followup chapter to the “metrosexual” movement, explains Sean, a Back Bay resident who preferred not to share his last name but admits to some nontraditional indulgences. “Guys dove head-first into trends that were originally for women, but weren’t properly tailored to men yet.” That’s changing. Spas have rolled out guy-focused offerings like the He-Wax menu at Bliss in the W Boston, which Sean enjoys every few months. The most popular selection is the “Ultimate He-Wax, a male Brazilian of cheeks, between cheeks, and as much off the front as you want,” says Emily Payne, Bliss’s lead esthetician. Since the spa introduced the service in February 2011, the staff have performed more than 170 HeWaxes. Not all of those guys would openly admit to having tried it. “There’s a definite stigma surrounding these trends,” says Sean when asked why he keeps his manscaping on the down-low. “I have a friend who lives with his wife in the suburbs and gets He-Wax done quite frequently. But it isn’t a common topic of discussion.” Payne doesn’t think it should have to be taboo territory. “If a guy’s going through the pain and paying the money, it only says positive things about him, not something weird or deviant,” she says. “He’s just taking care of himself.” And it’s not necessarily a reflection of his sexuality. “It’s a stereotype that it’s just a gay thing,” says Payne. “Ninety-five percent of our guests are straight. Girlfriends and wives send them in.” Besides, men need pampering too, adds Sean. “While waxing isn’t the most relaxing thing, visiting the spa or getting what I refer to as a ManlyPedi — no polish/buff — shouldn’t be seen as taboo.” “I never get polish, but I have a few friends who have jumped on that bandwagon,” he continues. They’re not exactly in bad company: celebs Zac Efron, Cash Warren, and Steven Tyler (who also had a hand in that hair-feather trend) have all been dipping into colored nails. <14> 7.3.12
Though given the names of man-centric shades like Evolution Man’s Pavement and Alpha Nail’s Burnin’ Rubber, it’s clear they’re being marketed as war paint as much as polish. Makeup for men is also on the rise, says Reva Loudermilk, salon coordinator at Stilisti. While ’80s rockers were known to slather the stuff on (Twisted Sister, anyone?), today’s man is using makeup more subtly. “Some will initially wear bronzer for a wedding or headshot and realize they enjoy the effects of it on a daily basis,” explains Loudermilk. She’s noticed that the SPF-boasting bronzer and concealer from Jane Iredale’s H\E, a product line for men, is selling big. New entrants to the scene include Jean Paul Gaultier’s Monsieur, a line that offers eyeliner, powder bronzer, and concealer, and Canada’s 4VOO Distinct Man, which features lash and brow styling glazes and shine-reduction powders. Such products may have once been aimed
at women only, but their crossover appeal testifies to a universal quality. “There’s a sense of vanity in everyone,” says David, another local guy on the trend train. “No one wants to be unattractive to the same or opposite sex. Guys take a little more care now than they used to. If there are little quick fixes, then why not?” Still, a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy remains. “You want the effect of these things, but don’t want the world to know you’re doing it,” says David, explaining why he wants to remain anonymous. Under his shirt is Spanx for Men, his own secret weapon. The recently launched shapewear line finally brings men the same physique help that has allowed women to squeeze into body-con dresses for years. “They don’t want to tell each other they do it,” says Payne of men’s policies on such products and services. “I’m trying to change that . . . one He-Wax at a time.”
— Cheryl Fenton
GETOUT pleasures on the weekend, which is why you’ll often find us at MFA Summer Fridays. Hosted in the beautiful Calderwood Courtyard at the Museum of Fine Arts (465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, 617.267.9300), each weekly party fills the sunny space with live music and signature cocktails. And this year’s kickoff will feature one of our very own Boston’s Sexiest alums: Kiss 108 producer and crooner Rich DiMare, who will DJ from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The fete is free with museum admission ($20–$22 for nonmembers).
SATURDAY, JULY 7
TUESDAY, JULY 3
Noise-punk duo Sleigh Bells once reminded us of our early guitarlesson days, when we’d crank the overdrive to 10 and rock the dentures from our downstairs neighbor’s jaws. But on their recently released sophomore album, Reign of Terror, Brooklyn’s Alexis Krauss and Derek Miller seriously stepped up their distortion-soaked game. Cuts like “Born to Lose” and “Comeback Kid” boast a more harmonic blend of pop vocal work and jagging guitar waves, sharpening Sleigh Bells’ distinctive sound. They’ll showcase the new tracks with an 8 p.m. show at House of Blues (15 Lansdowne Street, Boston, 888.693.2583). Grab tickets ($22.50–$35) at livenation.com.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 4 Ever since we found ourselves on the wrong end of a Roman candle at the local fireworks display, the Fourth of July has been a sore subject for us. (No, seriously — we’re still sore.) This year, we’re avoiding public-park pyrotechnics and celebrating Independence Day with a healthy dose of independent electronica at Wobble Wednesdays, a weekly ritual at Wonder Bar (186 Harvard Avenue, Allston, 617.351.2665). Each Wobble features a lineup of genre-jumping beat savants, spinning everything from fuzzy glitch-hop to ear-canalcrushing dubstep. Fuel your dancefloor moves with a Wobblesauce cocktail, heavy on high-end vodka and festooned with glowing straws. Doors open at 9 p.m., and the cover is $5.
THURSDAY, JULY 5 For nearly three decades, WFNX served as our portal to new sonic universes, helping us establish <16> 7.3.12
first contact with acts like Florence and the Machine, Franz Ferdinand, and even Nirvana. Though our sister radio station will soon bid listeners adieu, we can’t think of a better way to celebrate the station’s groundbreaking run than by partying like a rock star at tonight’s WFNX Downtown Crossing Block Party. The weekly parties turn Summer Street into a destination for live music from local bands, free bites from nearby restaurants like Max and Dylans, and, of course, cold brews and creative cocktails. The party runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., provided the weather is up to July’s sunny standards.
In music, a name like Wolf Gang might suggest a pack of grizzled, long-nailed guitar shredders. But this breakout London outfit is the brainchild of a lead singer who looks better suited for GQ than Metal Maniacs: the vocally gifted and impeccably groomed Max McElligott. After touring with Miike Snow and Metric, McElligott and the gang released their debut album, Suego Faults, a soaring, soulful cascade of numbers like “Lions in Cages” and “The King and All of His Men.” Heavy on synth waves and falsetto howls, they play like a leaner, meaner Passion Pit. Check them out for yourself during tonight’s 9 p.m. show at Brighton Music Hall (158 Brighton Avenue, Allston, 617.779.0140). Listen to WFNX 101.7 for ways to win free tickets.
SUNDAY, JULY 8 Props do not always enhance an entertainer’s act. (Exhibit A: Carrot Top.) Fortunately, the sight gags
will be accompanied by uproarious true stories at Prop It Up, a spirited 7 p.m. story slam at Doyle’s Café (3484 Washington Street, Jamaica Plain, 617.524.2345). The rules are simple: come armed with a true tale of your own and a special prop or costume, and be prepared to “slam” for five minutes in front of the crowd. We suggest putting in some practice; notes are the only off-limits accoutrement, and the most inspired performers will receive prizes. Grab tickets ($8) at eventbrite.com
MONDAY, JULY 9 We’ve still got our fingers crossed that 2012 will yield great things for the Red Sox. But should the whole game go up in flames in July, you can turn your despair into a badge of honor at Ceremony, a stone’s throw from Fenway at An Tua Nua (835 Beacon Street, Boston, 617.262.2121). This 9 p.m. weekly throwdown is the longest-reigning goth and industrial dance party in Boston — and a reliable source of indulgence for anyone who has ever nursed a bad breakup with the Cure’s Disintegration or dreamt of exploring East Berlin’s underground club circuit. Come before 9:45 p.m. on game nights to bypass the $5 cover, and wear your best black.
TUESDAY, JULY 10 Too often, Europe’s summer festival circuit attracts the hottest acts in house music to the eastern side of the pond, while we North Americans get the expired leftovers. (What’s next? Eiffel 65 on the Esplanade?) Thankfully, we continued on p18
FRIDAY, JULY 6 Once upon a time, we’d only have kicked off the weekend with a museum trip if it involved a big yellow school bus, a signed note from Mom or Dad, and an obligatory lunch stop at the Mass Pike McDonald’s. But as adults, we actually (gasp!) crave cultured
WFNX Downtown Crossing block part y
Red Hot.
The Langham, Boston, 250 Franklin St., Boston 617.956.8765 bondboston.com
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can rely on Rumor (100 Warrenton Street, Boston, 617.422.0045) to add subwoofer-frying flair to our schedule with Venu Tuesdays. This long-running weekly party features veteran DJ Roger M and brings the latest cuts of international house to the floor. When tossed with Top 40 tracks through a killer sound system, his live mash-ups get the weekday workforce freewheeling till the wee hours. Doors open at 10 p.m., and tickets are $25 at rumorboston.com.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 11 We never thought we’d be back at the Boston Children’s Museum (308 Congress Street, Boston, 617.426.6500) after we smuggled out a pair of slippers from the Japanese House at age six. (Shh!) But this summer’s Fort Point Music Series gives us reason to return. Thrown on the wharf just outside the museum doors, this evening series — formerly known as Night Life — caters to a young professional crowd with a soft spot for a lounge atmosphere and
THURSDAY, JULY 12
At first, the Kate Miller-Heidke song “Politics in Space” seems like rote but competently made pop rock. Then Miller-Heidke blasts the song into the stratosphere, complementing its acoustic guitar slaps with spiraling vocal swells that would be at home in an opera house. It’s no new trick for the Australian songstress. Since 2000, MillerHeidke has combined classically trained pipes, melodic piano work, and six-string compositions with an alt-pop sensibility, resulting in dramatic numbers like “The Last Day on Earth.” Fresh off the release of her third album, Nightflight, Miller-Heidke comes to Cambridge for a 9 p.m. show at T.T. the Bear’s Place (10 Brookline Street, Cambridge, 617.492.0082). For tickets ($9), visit ticketweb.com.
eccentric sounds. Tonight’s kickoff, the first of four weekly installments, will feature Boston sax legend Elan Trotman, gourmet appetizers and cocktails, and plenty of magic-hour dancing. The soiree starts at 5:30 p.m., and admission is free.
FRIDAY, JULY 13 If you thought the Occupy protests were a sight to behold, imagine living in 1789 Paris. Storming a prison to challenge the king’s reign makes public chanting and tent cities look awfully cordial by comparison. Tonight, we salute those riotous revolutionaries with the French Cultural Center (53 Marlborough Street, Boston, 617.912.0400), which is celebrating its 37th Bastille Day Party. From 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., the epic dance party will take over Back Bay’s Marlborough Street between Berkeley and Clarendon. Expect performances from lightningfingered guitarist Diblo Dibala and Franco-funk band Sarazino, plus gourmet French munchies, beer, and wine. Reserve your tickets ($28) at frenchculturalcenter.org.
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GETOUT the table. Samples are unlimited, but get there early to make sure you can sip all the best stock. Sessions start at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., and tickets ($45) are available at eventbrite.com.
Sara zino
SUNDAY, JULY 15
SATURDAY, JULY 14 We remember when a cool Corona would keep us sated during a July day. But with so many craft breweries and bars in the area, our palates now crave copious hops, rare malt extracts, and more unorthodox ingredients (see: Rogue’s bacon-maple ale). So
we’re clearing our schedules for the Drink Craft Beer Summerfest at the Center for Arts at the Armory (191 Highland Avenue, Somerville, 617.718.2191). The fest will focus on earthy farmhouse ales, bringing New England’s best brewers — like Smuttynose, Pretty Things, and Peak Organic — to
These pages have frequently featured the work of Opus Affair, a networking group for young professionals with a taste for the fine arts. Now four years old, the growing group is throwing its biggest bash to date: The Big Party. From 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., regulars and newcomers alike will converge at Eastern Standard (528 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, 617.532.9100), which will be transformed into a 1920s-style garden party à la The Great Gatsby, complete with tasty snacks, inventive cocktails, live music, and games like croquet. Also on the agenda is the unveiling of Opus Affair’s first Audience Choice Award, which will go to an arts organization (like the Boston Ballet’s Young Partners or the Huntington Theatre’s 35 Below program)
that excels at reaching young professionals. Grab tickets ($75) at opusaffair.org.
MONDAY, JULY 16 We’ve spent plenty of ponderous nights under a starry sky, contemplating our place in the universe (or maybe just wondering whether that fried chicken pilfered from the office fridge was still edible). But sometimes, the mysteries of the cosmos just aren’t enough to blow our minds. So we thank Boston rock quintet Ghosts of Jupiter for shaking up our solar system with Ghosts of Jupiter: Music Experience. Now playing at the Charles Hayden Planetarium in the Museum of Science (1 Science Park, Boston, 617.723.2500), this new show pairs the band’s booming drums, screaming guitars, and chilly vocal melodies with a retinapopping video and light show. For tickets ($10) to this evening’s 5:30 p.m. show and the complete schedule, check out mos.org.
— Miles Howard
For more event picks, sign up for our email list at stuffboston.com/subscribe.
Light and crisp. It’s mead, only cooler. Now available throughout New England.
mainemeadworks.com. 7.3.12 <19>
tyle
On the Rocks
The gold statement piece has gotten a mineral makeover. When polished precious metal meets rough-cut agate, lepidolite, and quartz, the results truly rock. They’re the perfect accessories to shake up conventional cocktail wear — so serve that standard LBD with a twist.
— Justin Reis
Alana Douvros lepidolite prong earrings, $285, and Kenneth Jay Lane crystal bib necklace, $815, both at Good; Alexis Bittar pavé gold gem-cluster tear earrings, $255, Yves Saint Laurent “Arty” oval ring with green stone, $290, and Alexis Bittar pavé gold imitation-emerald pendant, $275, all at Intermix; Taolei square stone ring, $62, and Kolton.J lemon-quartz bracelet with figure-eight links, $195, both at LIT on Newbury; Sonya Renée teal adjustable drusy ring, $98 at Crush Boutique; London Manori cut-stone pendant, $118, and Samantha House “Toni” agate bracelet with gold chain, $118, both at Flock
WHERE TO SHOP
Crush Boutique, 264 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.424.0010 Flock, 274 Shawmut Avenue, Boston, 617.391.0222 Good, 88 Charles Street, Boston, 617.722.9200 Intermix, 186 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.236.5172 LIT on Newbury, 223 Newbury Street, Boston, 617.421.8637 Styled by Justin Reis
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Photo by Ian Justice
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Olympic Spirits By Adam Tokarz
When the 2012 Summer Olympics kick off in London on July 27, athletes from around the globe will prepare to hoist javelins, sink into tuck positions, and square off in fighting stances — all with the common goal of raising their arms in triumph and wrapping medals around their necks. It’s a noble goal, one that’s steeped in tradition and drenched in blood, sweat, and tears. But across the pond in Boston, the only liquids we plan to spill are cocktails, sloshed as we take in the games from a bar’s big-screen TV. So where should we go to get in the intoxicating spirit of the Olympics? STUFF scoured sports history books, culled enough athletics-related trivia to fill a season of Jeopardy, and curated a list of cocktails that seem like appropriate alcoholic companions for half a dozen of the summer’s featured competitions. So sit back, tip back, and let the games begin.
photo by conor doherty; model: shawn sweeney of maggie inc
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SPORT: Archery SPOT: Clio (370A Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, 617.536.7200) COCKTAIL: The Bull’s-Eye Gin & Tonic Archery is a sport with a significant place in English history, and not just because the country boasts folklore’s greatest archer. (Apologies to Katniss Everdeen, but Robin Hood and his merry men have had fans since the 15th century.) Archery was once considered central to the strength of England’s military; from 1330 to 1414, British kings actually banned other sports because they distracted men from practicing archery — which was, by royal decree in 1363, a requirement on Sundays and holidays. Funny enough, British soldiers also played a surprising role in the development of the modern-day gin and tonic: in the 19th century, malaria-suffering army officers of the British East India Company took to combining curative quinine tonic with gin, lime, and sugar to improve the taste. We’ll toast to the two legacies with Clio’s Bull’s-Eye Gin & Tonic. The cocktail features specialty ice cubes filled with loomi (dried black lime), which <24> 7.3.12
SPORT: Cycling SPOT: Island Creek Oyster Bar (500 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, 617.532.5300) COCKTAIL: The Bicyclette Drinking has long been central to the world of cycling, but riders have imbibed more than just water. Over the past century, some have downed dangerous concoctions in attempts to dull pain and gain a competitive edge. (Here’s one infamous tragedy: renowned British cyclist Tom Simpson died on Mont Ventoux during the 13th stage of the 1967 Tour de France after ingesting a combination of alcohol and amphetamines.) We certainly recommend steering clear of such volatile cocktails, and we’ve discovered a much safer, sweeter course of action. As Olympians cruise the English countryside and pop wheelies on BMX courses, you can coast into Kenmore Square for Island Creek Oyster Bar’s Bicyclette, an aperitif of St. Germain, Campari, lemon juice, and cava. It bears some resemblance to the classic Italian Bicyclette, a Campari spritz supposedly named for older Italian men’s preferred mode of transport when heading into town for an afternoon drink. (Then they “wobble home on their bikes,” writes famed chef Fergus Henderson in his book Beyond Nose to Tail.) And the inclusion of St. Germain brings to mind Seattle-based mixologist Jamie Boudreau’s cocktail La Bicyclette; its name nods to the bikes that deliver elderflowers from the Alps to market, where they’re bought by St. Germain’s distillers. ICOB has perfected its own approach here, and the refreshing result goes down very smoothly. Even though you won’t be racing, enjoy responsibly. Too many of these, and your head will be spinning faster than a Schwinn tire.
creates a marked bull’s-eye effect. Once the cubes are doused with Death’s Door gin and tonic water, the ice melts, transforming the
drink’s color and infusing a citrusy taste. The result: a creative cocktail that really hits the spot. photos by joel veak
SPORT: Tennis SPOT: Deep Ellum (477 Cambridge Street, Allston, 617.787.2337) COCKTAIL: The Tommy Noble At this year’s Olympics, men’s and women’s tennis competitions will take place on the well-manicured grass courts of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, home to the annual Wimbledon tournament. If these historic courts could talk, they would recount epic back-and-forth battles between tennis greats like Sampras, Agassi, and McEnroe. (They’d also probably complain about the constant foot traffic.) But spectators might best appreciate Wimbledon’s claim to England’s first Pimm’s bar, a significant milestone in the intersecting histories of sport and drink. Pimm’s was created in 1823 by James Pimm, a British oyster-bar owner who offered his pub’s signature drink (a gin-based beverage containing quinine and spices) as a digestive aid. The soothing concoction was served in a small tankard called a “No. 1 Cup,” which became the name of the brand’s first and most popular formulation. The drink won fans across England, and the first Pimm’s bar debuted at Wimbledon in 1971. Now more than 80,000 pints of the modern-day Pimm’s Cup cocktail — a pairing of Pimm’s No. 1 Cup and lemonade — are poured there annually. Though we can’t make it to the club for the Olympics, we can try Deep Ellum’s riff on the tennis world’s trademark cocktail: the Tommy Noble, a dignified blend of gin, Pimm’s, lemon, and bitters. The proof is lower than that of many cocktails, so you can have a few without fear of seeing doubles. continued on p26
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SPORT: Football SPOT: Forum (755 Boylston Street, Boston, 857.991.1831) COCKTAIL: The Golden Boot In the 1960s, English football was synonymous with drinking. Many of the league’s top-tier talents led booze-fueled public lives, and it wasn’t uncommon for teammates to stop practice for a liquid lunch at the pub or share a bottle of whiskey in the locker room before a coldweather game. Manchester United’s George Best, perhaps Britain’s first celebrity footballer (who later received a liver transplant as a result of his drinking), famously said, “I spent 90 percent of my money on women, drink, and fast cars. The rest I wasted.” Boozing permeated football culture until the mid ’90s, when an influx of foreign players and managers arrived at English clubs. But if you ask us, English football fans have reason to raise a glass this year: in 2012, England’s football squad will participate in the Olympics for the first time since 1960. To celebrate, head down to Forum and order the Golden Boot, a featured cocktail on the “Liquid Brunch” menu. Sure, it’s delicious, a blend of Double Cross vodka, apricot, and cream with a Galliano mist. But the Golden Boot is also, appropriately enough, the name of an award given to a football league’s top goal scorer — which makes it the perfect choice for cheering England’s return to the Olympics’ esteemed competition.
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SPORT: Equestrian Dressage SPOT: The Beehive (541 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.423.0069) COCKTAIL: The Beehive Julep In 1938, Churchill Downs began selling mint juleps in souvenir cups for 75 cents a pop. Since then, the cocktail has become a full-flavored fixture on the equestrian scene, synonymous with the venerable Kentucky Derby, floppy hats, and the infield antics of bow-tied boozehounds. To celebrate the drink’s 75th year at the races, Woodford Reserve created 75 collectors’ glasses for the 2012 Kentucky Derby (10 of which, deemed “prestige” cups, were plated in 24-karat gold, outfitted with a diamondencrusted horseshoe, and accompanied by a whopping $2,000 price tag). Of course, we’re still content to honor tradition by sipping mint juleps from the customary silver cup, as they’re served at — surprise, surprise — Julep Bar (200 High Street, Boston, 617.261.4200). But in celebration of the lesser-known practice of equestrian dressage (aka “horse ballet”), an Olympic event, we suggest trying a horse of a somewhat different color: trot down to the Beehive for its Beehive Julep, a twist on the trackside classic that swaps the standard bourbon base with Don Q rum and Clement Creole Shrubb liqueur. Stirred with fresh orange, lime, and mint, it’s bound to put some giddy-up in your step.
SPORT: Swimming SPOT: City Bar (65 Exeter Street, Boston, 617.933.4800) COCKTAIL: The Willy Wonka Speed, strength, and stamina are crucial for swimmers competing in this year’s Olympic Games. And if we’re to believe 2008 Olympic gold medalists Nathan Adrian and Ricky Berens, among other swimmers, so is chocolate milk. Wait — what? For 2012, the Milk Processor Education Board (the gang behind those “Got Milk?” ads) has teamed up with USA Swimming, the national governing body of competitive swimmers, for a marketing partnership that has half a dozen Olympians touting chocolate milk as an effective after-workout drink. (Chocolate milk’s appeal is further buoyed, the campaign claims, by research data.) We’ll subscribe to any chocolate-based regimen that leads to six-pack abs, but something tells us we shouldn’t trade in protein shakes for Nesquik quite yet. While we’re skeptical about chocolate milk’s ability to replace electrolytes, we do have faith in the buzzworthy benefits of City Bar’s Willy Wonka, a smooth chocolateflavored vodka martini that features Godiva white and dark, swimming with white crème de cacao. It’s like a grown-up answer to a chocolate shake, and it sure does a body good.
cross-country drinking
When it comes to cocktails, few local minds are as inventive as Jackson Cannon, bar manager of Eastern Standard, Island Creek Oyster Bar, and The Hawthorne (500A Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, 617.532.9150), where he is also a co-owner. What’s his latest feat? Starting July 27, he’ll unveil a new cocktail inspired by a different Olympics-participating country on each day of the games. Cannon, working with his winning beverage team (including Nicole Lebedevitch and Scott Marshall, seen here), drew from the Hawthorne’s extensive collection of hand-selected spirits, beers, and wines from around the world. They will steer clear of the standard Irish coffees and Moscow Mules. Rather, personal travel and cocktail experiences have inspired the imaginative program. To give us a taste, Cannon shared three exciting sneak peeks — plus recipes for trying them at home.
COUNTRY: The Netherlands COCKTAIL: The Dutch Oven • 2 oz. of barrel-aged Bols Genever • 2 sugar cubes • 3 dashes of Peychaud’s bitters • 1 dash of Regans’ orange bitters • 1 capful of soda water
Place sugar cubes, bitters, and soda water in a mixing glass. Muddle into a smooth paste. Add Genever and ice and stir. Place an ice ball into a chilled double Old Fashioned glass and strain the cocktail over the ice. Garnish with in-and-out grapefruit twist.
COUNTRY: Argentina COCKTAIL: The Argentino • 1½ oz. of Fernet-Branca • 1 dash of Angostura orange bitters • Mexican Coca-Cola
Mount Fernet and bitters in a highball glass. Fill with KoldDraft ice and top with Mexican cola. Garnish with a long channel-knife peel of orange.
COUNTRY: Ireland COCKTAIL: The Tipperary • 1½ oz. of Slieve Foy six-year-old Irish whiskey • ¾ oz. of Green Chartreuse • ¾ oz. of Carpano sweet vermouth
Stir, strain into a chilled cocktail coupe, and garnish with a maraschino cherry.
photos by joel veak
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Waiter, Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a
Beer in My
Cocktail!
By Liza Weisstuch photos by gina manning
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The Zimmermann Telegram at No. 9 Park
On a recent Friday night at the tony No. 9 Park, bartender Ted Kilpatrick fumbled in his pockets. He couldn’t find the wine key he was looking for, so he grabbed a shaker tin and used it to pop the cap on a hefty bottle of Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout. A bartender cracking open a beer shouldn’t be a noteworthy moment — but this was. With focus and precision, Kilpatrick poured some of the mighty brew into a highball glass bearing a potent mix of spirits. To many, this act might be a sacrilege. Or just nonsense. What’s a bartender at a high-end establishment doing mixing beer and spirits? (Eew!) To the cocktail purist, this might seem like a misstep akin to wearing a Red Sox cap in the Bronx. To the beer purist, something as complex as imperial stout is a work of craftsmanship worth savoring on its own, like a single malt Scotch or a vintage Bordeaux. But Kilpatrick’s creation, the Mad Monk Fizz, is a work of craftsmanship in its own right: a dense, burly formula of spicy Rittenhouse Rye, funky Old Monk Rum, sweet Zirbenz Stone Pine Liqueur, Tahitian vanilla, and a whole egg, finished with the stout. It’s rich and dry, with roasty, darkchocolate notes. Pick up a cocktail list in any <30> 7.3.12
bar and the variables are legion: shaken or stirred, white spirits or aged, up or on the rocks, bourbon or rum or tequila or vodka. Mention of stout or lager? Not so much. But a movement is afoot. Bartenders are adding brews to their ingredient lists, harnessing beer’s assorted qualities to introduce effervescence, enhance aromatics, modify mouthfeel, and boost the body of a cocktail. And while not all beverage experts are convinced, many are happy to innovate in this way. “We always consider the classics, but we want to progress,” says Kilpatrick, who is also the bar manager. While mixing beer and liquor willy-nilly is a recipe for disaster, Kilpatrick demonstrates that, when done right, it can yield intriguing results. “Beer as a base won’t work,” he explains. “That would bastardize everything. Whereas if you use it as a modifier, it’s beautiful. It can echo something in the drink. It can accent a high point. . . . Or, if it’s used as a fizzing agent instead of wine or soda, it adds layers of flavor to the drink instead of something blank or flavorless.” Translation: why pair a black cocktail dress with black pumps when you could kick things up a notch with polka-dot platform
“Beer as a base won’t work. That would bastardize everything. Whereas if you use it as a modifier, it’s beautiful.” — Ted Kilpatrick
sandals? Functionality is fine, but eccentricity is often better. Consider another one of Kilpatrick’s inventions: the Zimmermann Telegram. It evolved from the Morning Glory, a drink popular in the late 19th century, made with Scotch, a tiny bit of absinthe, lemon, sugar, and egg whites. It’s finished with soda water to give it some snap, and the fizz of the soda lightens the intensity of the Scotch. But Kilpatrick took a different approach for his Zimmermann Telegram. “It peaks too early if it’s just soda,” he explains. “The Scotch needs something bigger to finish it. It’s traditionally finished with soda, but I found that it worked with a hefeweizen.” That led him to try switching some of the other ingredients. Swap out Scotch; add mezcal. And tequila. Get rid of the soda, and bring in a Belgian beer, Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel. Protein in the egg amplifies the yeastiness of the Belgian brew, making for a decadent, formidable head. At Local 149 in South Boston, beery effervescence serves a different purpose. Bar manager and bartender John Mayer uses a hoppy pale ale to give his cocktail a bit of continued on p32
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sparkle and lift its aromatics. “I’m always thinking about aroma,” says Mayer. “In cocktails in general, there’s not always a lot of aroma going on. It’s common to add lemon oil or orange peels, or top it with something like mezcal, to bring it all to the nose.” But he employs another method for his creation Prison Nickname, which incorporates Pimm’s No. 1, crème de cassis, and a touch of lemon juice. He tops this with Ommegang Belgian-style Pale Ale and a spritz of Branca Menta, a variety of Fernet-Branca, the notoriously heady, extremely polarizing Italian digestif. Mayer uses it as an alternative to the common mint sprig. “In wine and beer, aroma is everything. It adds so much to the flavor experience,” explains Mayer. “Beer is carbonated, and having the proper head gives it terrific aroma. Carbonation propels aroma molecules into the air. Cocktails — not so much. They’re served icecold.” Forward-thinking though Mayer may seem, he is quick to note that he’s merely sticking to tradition. “What we as Americans have done is take ingredients that, for whatever reason, taste good and combine them with other ingredients,” says Mayer. While, say, the Italians may be satisfied drinking amari and grappa on their own, creative combinations are part of America’s cocktail culture. “It’s the American way to take worldwide
The Prison nickname at local 149
“Beer is carbonated, and having the proper head gives it a terrific aroma. Carbonation propels aroma molecules into the air. Cocktails — not so much.” — John Mayer
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spirits, and recently American spirits, and make cocktails out of them. Same thing happens in the beer world. As long as you have drinkers who like individual liquids, spirits, wine, and beer are going to make their way into cocktails.” In fact, mixing beer with other ingredients has been a norm in some regions for a long time. The Michelada, for instance, is a brawny blend of tomato juice, lime juice, and assorted sauces and spices, like Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, Tabasco, salt, and pepper, all mixed into a pale Mexican lager like Corona. Try walking a block in Mexico City without finding a bar that serves them. In Germany it’s long been routine to add raspberry syrup to the sour wheat beer Berliner Weisse. And there are as many variations on the shandy (aka shandygaff), a blend of beer and something bubbly, as there are wine regions in Europe: in Italy the Bicicletta combines beer and classic Italian soda; in many Latin American countries they reach for Fanta; and in Japan it’s beer and cola. Drinks like that have helped some skeptics, like noted beer writer Lew Bryson, come to terms with the growing trend among mixologists. “My initial reaction was, why bother? I like beer. I like cocktails. I don’t know why you would do that,” says Bryson. “Most mixes as I’ve known them would knock the beerness out of beer and take away what I like about it. At the same time, I’ve drank the stuff. Occasionally I’ll make myself a shandy, or do the Michelada thing when I’m in Mexico. I don’t hate them and wanna blow them up with dynamite, but I’ve never had one that blew me away.” Other beer authorities express a more reluctant acceptance. “I can’t say I’ve ever had any experience with having a good beer cocktail, but nor have I actively sought it out,” says Will Meyers, the highly awarded brewmaster at Cambridge Brewing Company. “I’m familiar with the fact that they exist, especially because the beers I make require blending a lot of things to make a finished product, and I know other people enjoy blending other things.” He admits, however, to having used beer in a mixed drink on a lark. At an Extreme Beer Fest one year, he made beer Bloody Marys, mixing his Big Man Ale, a winter IPA that’s robust and malty and aggressively hopped, with spiced tomato juice and homemade pickled vegetables. continued on p34
beau sturm of trinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s starlite lounge
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“People liked it so much we had it on our brunch menu for a while,” he says. “It was delicious, but it also seemed silly.” Perhaps. But Noon Inthasuwan will make any agnostic a believer. The bar manager and bartender at Moksa in Cambridge loves vermouth, fortified wine flavored with aromatic herbs. Inthasuwan finds that wines add a mouthfeel to a cocktail that you just can’t get from high-proof spirits. If wine’s lower alcohol content can have a useful effect, she figured, why not try beer? Especially in the summer months. Or better yet, why not wine and beer? Enter: the Irish Dragon. In it, she blends robust Spanish ruby port, a bright Italian digestif called Cocchi Barolo Chinato, and Murphy’s Irish Stout. (If only all international gatherings yielded such spectacular effects. Take notes, United Nations.) The drink has a rich roastiness thanks to the stout, offset by raisiny and ripe-cherry fruitiness. There are other reasons why bartenders are using beer as they develop drinks. Some employ it as a stand-in for a spirit. Jason Goodwin, another bartender at Local 149, used beer to craft a variation on the Prospect Park, a dark, stirred rye whiskey drink with Aperol, Punt e Mes vermouth, and Luxardo Maraschino liqueur. Substituting a smoked rye beer for the whiskey gives the drink body and blasts it with a gust of smoke. Of course, no trend is official until a brigade of ironic practitioners unleashes a witty sneak attack. Witness the cocktail list at Trina’s Starlite Lounge. Here you’ll find five drinks that list “BLL” among the ingredients. No, it’s not the newest house-made vermouth or artisanal Latin American spirit made from the nectar of an obscure stone fruit. It’s a beer — a popular one, in fact. You’ve probably seen an empty bottle of it littering your sidewalk if you live anywhere in the vicinity of a college campus. Need us to spell it out? “BLL” stands for Bud Light Lime. “The cocktail revolution is strong in Boston. I’m proudly in the thick of it, but it can get a little bit stuffy,” says Beau Sturm, bartender and co-owner of Trina’s. “Our mainstay is serious cocktails, but what we really want to do in spring and summer is put some levity on the list, to move away from that really scholastic attitude toward cocktails.” “Also, they’re delicious,” he continues. “If you’re an open<34> 7.3.12
the irish dragon at moksa
“My initial reaction was, why bother? I like beer. I like cocktails. I don’t know why you would do that [combine them].” — Lew Bryson
minded cocktail enthusiast and you taste it with your eyes closed, you’ll never know Bud Light Lime is in there.” Among the BLL-laden results at Trina’s is Jackie’s Packie, a nod to those spoofy “Real Housewives of South Boston” videos — it’s a Tom Collins with a light beery fizz. The Somerville Cup #2.1 is a spin on the Pimm’s Cup, a quintessential summer sip. And the Framingham Mojito has BLL folded in at the end instead of soda water. In many ways, the use of what Sturm refers to as a “lawnmower/
beach beer” in a serious cocktail echoes the foodie trend whereby chefs give comfort food a classy makeover. If chefs can gussy up mac ’n’ cheese with truffle oil, or if a high-end establishment like Clio can deliver an upscale twist on ramen, why can’t a lawnmower beer find its way into a well-crafted cocktail? “We’re providing what customers want,” says Sturm. “Last year it was derivatives of Old Fashioneds that sold. Now that’s shifting. People are going out and wanna have fun again. Mixologists are responding to that.”
Elaine and Jerome Rosenfeld
summer 2012 Enjoy an evening under the stars in the music-filled Calderwood Courtyard
The Campbell Brothers
The Campbell Brothers July 11
Ghost Train Orchestra
Prepare yourself for a “sound as hot as brimstone that kicks holy butt” (NPR). Get your groove on with electric steel-guitar driven gospel music.
July 18
Celebrate with “music from the heart of the Jazz Age that still has a raucous immediacy” (The Boston Phoenix).
Ghost Train Orchestra
Animal Hospital Ensemble
August 1
Oliver Mtukudzi and the Black Spirits
A herd of guitarists, string players, and drummers forge “an intense beauty” ( Boston Globe) through layered loops and meticulously crafted melodies.
July 25
Experience a rare, intimate performance with this Zimbabwean superstar whose husky voice shakes the trees.
Oliver Mtukudzi
Patty Larkin August 2
Don’t miss this perennial favorite—“a virtuoso guitar player and mood shaper . . . whose mature work is comparable to the best of Bonnie Raitt and Lucinda Williams” (The New York Times).
Animal Hospital Ensemble
Red Baraat
Freshlyground
Freshlyground August 15
You heard their hit song with Shakira during the 2010 World Cup. Join South Africa’s legendary Afro-fusion band for a dance party that crosses cultures and generations. Patty Larkin
Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three
Red Baraat
August 22
August 29
Newport Jazz Festival favorites play a mix of original hits and early jazz, string ragtime, country blues, and western swing.
For more information, visit www.mfa.org /concerts.
“One of the best party bands around, Red Baraat plays rollicking funk music steeped in northern India’s wedding celebrations, with a dash of DC go-go beats and hip-hop” (NPR). Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three
Sponsored by Staples, Inc.
Media sponsor is The Boston Phoenix.
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5 COURSES
STUFF IT
liquid
foodcoma Egg in a Jar at West Bridge
Not very long ago, Kendall Square became a desert every weeknight, as thousands of nearby office workers fled the area at the stroke of six. Who could blame them? The neighborhood had barely any worthy dining and drinking destinations. But a dozen terrific places have opened there in the past year, many of them reviewed in this column, though frankly we’ve wondered when the winning streak might end. West Bridge (1 Kendall Square, Building 300, Cambridge, 617.945.0221) won’t be that failure: it’s a terrific independent effort doing original, French-leaning, locally sourced New American cuisine. The look is familiar in a neighborhood where many restaurants occupy ground-floor spaces in modern office buildings: soaring ceilings, reclaimed wood, industrial metal finishes, many tall windows, a cozy patio. The first-rate craft-cocktail program is helmed by Josh Taylor (ex-Eastern Standard) and features inventive specialties like the Wheelwright ($11), a superb aperitif made with fino sherry, Dolin bianco, Galliano liqueur (which lends a radioactive yellow tint), and Wray & Nephew overproof rum. A small plate of crispy pig’s head ($13) obviates any potential offal horror by rendering it as a puck coated with crunchy batter; mustard aioli and tart little cubes of pickled rutabaga provide a lovely counterpoint to its faintly gamy notes. Dandelion ($11), falsely advertised as “small,” features spiky, slightly metallic, grassy dandelion greens, darkly rich and moist duck confit, PHOTO BY joel veak
bitter greens, and tart, firm gooseberries. Any two of those elements pair beautifully; in total, they’re a minor symphony. This big salad goes nicely with a glass of draft sparkling wine(!): Montelvini prosecco ($8) is a lightly acidic, gently fizzy, and bargain-priced refresher. The highlight of dinner is less conventional: egg in a jar ($12), a gently poached duck egg served in a miniature mason jar, floating in a suspension of pomme purée, layered with hen-of-the-woods mushrooms, and topped with crunchy, flat shards of fried chicken skin, meant to be gently stirred to combine. It’s slightly absurd in its faint echoes of baby food, but the contrasting textures and flavors of the creamy potatoes, runny yolk, earthy fungi, and crisp skin offer a dreamy comfort that the overused term “comfort food” doesn’t begin to approach. Maybe infantilization is the point: this dish can make you coo like a contented newborn. Chef Matthew Gaudet doesn’t always veer so far afield of convention, serving plenty of entrées centered on beautifully plated slabs of protein like Arctic char ($25) and bone-in ribeye ($53, serves two). But his early efforts here show a confidence and wit that makes West Bridge a worthy competitor to nearby indie-chef smashes like Bergamot and Bondir, raising Kendall Square’s newfound game to a pricier, more refined level.
— MC Slim JB 7.3.12 <37>
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75 Arlington Street, Boston, MA 02116 617.357.4810 • www.davios.com <38> 7.3.12
COURSES with:
Susan Regis of UpStairs on the Square
Perhaps the least-known member of Boston’s culinary royal family, Susan Regis landed her very first job working with the young Lydia Shire at Seasons, the fabled kitchen that also launched Jasper White, Gordon Hamersley, and Jody Adams. Regis was the pixie at the prep table, a high-energy, lowprofile, natural cook who was respected by her colleagues, beloved by her staff, but possibly overlooked by the public (even as she earned a James Beard award and other accolades). Now that she’s stepped up as the executive chef at UpStairs on the Square (91 Winthrop Street, Cambridge, 617.864.1933), we thought this would be a good time to let everyone in on the secret that is Susan Regis. Why are you always so under the radar? Call me the reluctant chef. I love cooking but hate talking about it. Cooking is what I do best, and I really, honestly, truly don’t care who gets the credit. I suppose I have phobias. I have a little of the “I’m not worthy” mentality. You spent a lot of time working with Lydia Shire. Did you ever mind being in her shadow? Are you kidding? Lydia was an amazing mentor! I worked with Lydia for 18 years in Boston at Seasons, in LA at the Four Seasons, and back together in Boston at Biba. We used to say that I was the “ba” in Biba. We traveled the world together — Europe, China, South America. I still have a box of all the menus we wrote together, over 50, and they are still “au courant.” When people in LA still wanted skinless, boneless chicken breasts, we were already preparing offal. I did get overshadowed by Lydia, but I learned so much being in her shadow! Maybe a few years on the couch would help? You could work anywhere. Why UpStairs? I am sitting here looking at the pink and gold walls, bright colors that pop and bring me energy — like adding sea salt and lemon to a dish. UpStairs is such an energizing place to be. Every day is different. In the course of a day, I’ll do eight different things: a private lunch, a cocktail party, plan a menu for Grill Night. . . . I love working where there are so many balls in the air and I have to respond in real time. For a chef, having to improvise is great. Cooking on the fly is an invitation to excellence. What’s the hallmark of a Susan Regis dish? Simple is best, but simple is hard. There is no place to hide with simple. I try to do brilliant things with beautiful ingredients. What I love most is working with things that are in season and not over-fussing with the ingredients in a dish. There is something mind-blowingly fantastic about a perfectly made sandwich, a perfectly roasted chicken, or an aged piece of beef. I love teaching a young cook how to make a salad, being gentle with the lettuce leaves, chopping the fresh herbs and being mindful with the olive oil and the lemon, and carefully placing it on the plate — not just dropping it on the plate. Nuance is the genius of cooking and the privilege of being a seasoned cook. Why are you excited about cooking tonight? I am grilling artichokes, braising Korean short ribs and baby bok choy. I might add some ramps that I pickled, and if there are some amazing mustard greens at the farmers’ market, they might find their way into the mix.
— Louisa Kasdon
Louisa Kasdon can be reached at louisa@louisakasdon.com. photo by colleen magyar
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STUFFIT
Adulthood has its heartbreaks. For us, the most painful has to be accepting that, no matter how strong the urge, it is socially unacceptable for a grown man to chase after the local ice-cream truck in pursuit of a Pink Panther popsicle.
Maybe that’s why we’ve become so fascinated with food trucks over the last few years. Somehow, ordering a gourmet grilled cheese, a bánh mì sandwich, or a veggie burger from a tin-can kitchen allows us to retain our dignity in
a way that ordering a cartoon-shaped ice-cream bar does not (at least until we get back to the office and realize there’s soy sauce on our shirts). Most of the food trucks roaming Boston streets have been developed by locals looking to jumpstart a new business. But an out-of-towner recently rolled in: The Taco Truck, which first revved up on the streets of New Jersey in 2009. Founded by husband-and-wife team Jason and Shachar Scott, it serves up an authentic, allnatural array of tacos and tortas. After garnering good business in Jersey, the Scotts extended their operation to New York and Boston, giving locals a chance to try the truck’s carnitas Michoacán ($4.50), a classic with slow-braised sweet pork, onions, cilantro, and pleasantly spicy salsa verde in two corn tortillas. We’re also fans of the seasonal agua fresca ($2), infused with organic, tangy lime. But make sure you save room for the real deal: the pescado ($5). Combining savory, fried-to-a-golden-crisp catfish with red cabbage, pico de gallo, zesty Mexican tartar sauce, and a mouthwatering chipotle salsa in a hot flour tortilla, this baby left us sated and longing for a siesta back at the office — even without any ice cream for dessert. (For details on the Taco Truck’s stops around town — which include City Hall Plaza, Copley Square, and Cleveland Circle — visit thetacotruck.com.)
— Miles Howard PHOTO BY joel veak
The Back Bay’s BesT PaTio is oPen 7 Days Per Week It’s THE place to stop by pre and post Sox games!
Friend us on
for details on all our Summer Events!
Dillon’s • 955 Boylston Street, Boston 617.421.1818 • www.glynnhospitalitygroup.com 7.3.12 <39>
liquid Slurred Words For a lot of us, summer reading assignments were a dreadful chore. (For others, they fueled our imaginations and made us dream about the magic of the written word. Then we got jobs at lifestyle magazines.) As adults, though, we find summer reading is actually exciting; it’s our chance to turn off the brain for a while, crack open some trashy lit at the beach, and read with a margarita in hand. But wait, what kind of margarita? Or maybe we’d rather a Tom Collins or a Pimm’s Cup. But how do you make a Tom Collins again? And where were Pimm’s Cups invented, anyway? Now these are important subjects for summer studying. So we tapped some boozy bibliophiles for their picks for the best cocktail-related tomes around.
— Luke O’Neil
Got an idea for Liquid? Email lukeoneil47@gmail.com.
• The Savoy Cocktail Book By Harry Craddock • Recommended by Mike Batliner, bartender at Petit Robert Central
• Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails: From the Alamagoozlum to the Zombie and Beyond, 100 Rediscovered Recipes and the Stories Behind Them By Ted Haigh
Back when the US was in the midst of Prohibition, American barman Harry Craddock was becoming a legend at the American Bar in London’s Savoy Hotel. Bartenders have been singing his praises ever since. “He was the bar master, creating amazing flips, fizzes, and smashes,” says Batliner, who calls this book “a must-have for a true barman.” It features 750 of Craddock’s most popular recipes, many of which he invented, like the Corpse Reviver #2, and they all feel as timeless now as they did when the book was first published in 1930. It just proves that everything a serious bartender needs to know today was already perfected by Craddock then — except, maybe, how to work the bar’s iPod.
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• Recommended by Michael Florence, bar manager at Pigalle When this indispensable compendium was published just a few years ago, many of the cocktails we now take for granted as staples of the craft-bar world had been, as the title suggests, forgotten. But Haigh, a Hollywood graphic designer and cocktail historian (aka Dr. Cocktail), did a marvelous job resurrecting many of them from the dead. Here he includes background stories about the recipes, with brilliant graphics, period photos, and resources for some of the uncommon ingredients, many of which were no longer being imported in the States until books like Haigh’s renewed interest in them. Says Florence, “This is the bible of the lost classics.”
• “Spirit Journal” and Kindred Spirits 2 By F. Paul Pacult
• The Essential Cocktail: The Art of Mixing Perfect Drinks By Dale DeGroff
• Recommended by Josh Taylor, bar manager at West Bridge One problem home bartenders encounter when reading cocktail books is that they may not always know what certain ingredients taste like. Luckily Pacult possesses one of the most renowned palates in the world, and his quarterly print newsletter (available through subscription at spiritjournal.com) and his second book of tasting notes are great resources. Says Taylor: “If you find a product you really like, you go in there [in the book] and say, ‘I like Beefeater gin. What’s similar to that?’ And there are amazing tasting notes about everything. Or maybe you say, ‘I wonder what this sherry tastes like?’ You can look in there, and he has very descriptive notes of what the spirit really is.”
• Boozehound: On the Trail of the Rare, the Obscure, and the Overrated in Spirits By Jason Wilson
• Recommended by Wayne Curtis, renowned spirits writer at The Atlantic One of the most influential bartenders in the world, DeGroff is credited with reintroducing the splendid art of the well-made drink at the beginning of the cocktail revival. This invaluable resource walks readers through 100 essential cocktail recipes, variations, and histories. “Everything you need to know to entertain friends all summer, with a mix of enduring classics and more-modern libations,” says Curtis. “Master three or four of these, and you’ll have friends for life.”
• Recommended by Frederic Yarm, blogger at cocktail virgin slut (cocktailvirgin. blogspot.com) The best books transport us to another place and make us drunk on words. That happens to be author Wilson’s job description: he’s a travel and spirits writer for the Washington Post and other publications. Boozehound is part travelogue, part spirits history, and part recipe book — so his globetrotting adventures researching spirits (and pursuing the next great buzz) are as interesting to casual readers as they are to cocktail nerds. “Boozehound gives a great history and overview on cocktails and spirits, all with a dash of travel adventure,” Yarm says.
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At Home with Brian Piccini The restaurant owner’s home décor hits all the right notes
Restaurant owner Brian Piccini knows how to entertain guests — on and off the clock. They come to Dorchester’s dbar and Back Bay’s Deuxave for a refined but lively scene, filled with neighbors chatting, wine glasses clinking, and, not infrequently at the former, piano keys tinkling. And Piccini’s Dorchester home likewise reflects his sophisticated and super-social personality. As he puts it, it’s a space that’s “clean, efficient, and classy, with a wild party side” — much like its owner. When he’s hosting fetes, this open living area is where you’ll find guests gathered for food, music, and wine. So we stopped in for a sip and a spot of conversation.
— Scott Kearnan
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B.
A. If you’ve been to dbar during one of its sing-along-style Show Tune Tuesdays, you probably know its owner is a music fan. But we were surprised to learn Piccini was classically trained on the piano for 12 years. At age 16, he was playing professionally in a hotel lobby, where he first observed the ins and outs of the hospitality biz; as a college student, he tickled ivories in Top of the Hub’s lounge. And Piccini once recorded his own Christmas album as a gift to friends and family when holiday funds were tight. Now you might find him playing Mozart, Chopin, or even a little Adele for party guests at this Sojin baby grand. But acoustic sounds aren’t his only love: Piccini once owned his own recording studio, Decibel Productions, which turned out Billboard-charting dance music. (Classy with a party side, indeed.) B. Souvenirs from a favorite getaway can brighten any room (and mood). Piccini owns a beach house in Provincetown, and he keeps reminders of his Cape retreat in his home in the Hub. On one wall hangs a piece from artist Christopher Marley’s Pheromone collection, a jaw-dropping mosaic of iridescent beetles from WA in P-Town. (You can check out Marley’s work at pheromonedesign.com.) And Piccini’s coffee table boasts a striking red seaweed centerpiece from Provincetown boutique Shor. Each piece of the plant has been meticulously dried and glued upright, so it looks much as it did underwater. Piccini named the plant Ursula after the voice-thieving villain of Disney’s The Little Mermaid (a flick whose songs have popped up more than once at Show Tune Tuesdays). C. The key to hospitality? “Making people feel welcome — and keeping their wine glasses full!” says Piccini. So it’s no surprise he keeps his prominently displayed wine rack filled with dozens of selections, including, naturally, a few bottles of Piccini Chianti from Tuscany. Turning your own collection into a showpiece is definitely one way to create an intoxicating accent wall. “The different labels of wine bottles are beautiful, so why not showcase them?” says Piccini. Other stylish details include Piccini’s silverware, glassware, cloth napkins, and candles, all the same as those kept at his restaurants. “And yes,” he admits, “I’ve had to run home to restock.” D. Many of us have managed to make party favors part of our permanent décor. (We hate to break it to you, but that vase filled with wine corks isn’t that original.) But Piccini’s unique choice of throw pillow really takes the cake. If the face on it looks familiar, that’s because it belongs to Ricardo Rodriguez, a local realtor and social scenester. It’s a fun little remnant from one of Rodriguez’s birthday parties — and a reminder to get more creative with party souvenirs.
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phoTos by melissa ostrow
sex
The GreaTer BosTon BeveraGe socieTy PresenTs… BosTon Bar sTars hall of fame
Sexually Spirited Of all the sexual lubricants on the market, the most effective is that slippery, strangely emboldening substance known as alcohol. And on those occasions when the nightclub was too loud and your speech too slurred to resort to (gasp!) conversation, you may well have tried to size up a sexual prospect with a look at what he or she was drinking. So lest this benevolent barfly’s enormous tabs and numerous blackouts be for naught, I’ve come up with a helpful guide that describes what a choice of beverage says about the imbiber’s libido. (Warning: these are only the opinions of one tipsy tramp who has swilled from many a questionable watering hole, so take them with a rim of salt.) Cosmo Cougars. The cast of Sex and the City is now menopausal, and this drink is no longer trendy. Don’t be fooled by attempts at age-defying facelifts: this is usually clutched in the taloned hand of someone who still thinks vibrators are sexually avantgarde. Bed this woman, and you’ll likely end up at her suburban ranch with the kids sleeping in the next room. She’ll expect to wake to a marriage proposal. Beware! Jug Heads. Just as he pounds the aluminum can to his forehead, the cheap-beer drinker is probably going to pound your precious vagina. Ladies, when he’s talking about wanting a Silver Bullet, sadly, he’s not referencing your favorite pocket vibe. Often seen surrounded by likeminded former frat members, he’s clearly too young — or too cheap! — to be interested in satisfying anything but his own simmering bromances. Crafty Cunnilinguists. My, oh my. Evidently, craft-beer drinkers like their brews with lots of bawdiness. Yes, there’s a real brew called Wasatch Polygamy Porter. (“Why have just one?”) Then there’s the SweetWater Happy Ending Imperial Stout, billed as “a dry hopped stiffy, leading to an explosive finish.” (Hot.) And the Dogfish Head Golden Shower . . . well . . . that was taken off the shelves. Sex with such audaciously artsy folks will be as inventive as such oh-so-clever labels. And expect these ale aficionados to work almost as hard at pleasing you as they do at becoming Mug Club members at the Parish Cafe.
Brought to you by the Greater Boston Beverage Society, the Boston Bar Stars Hall of Fame highlights Boston’s own homegrown mixological talent! One of the GBBS’s main goals is to preserve and promote Boston’s cocktail and hospitality culture and history. What better way is there to do that than by getting up close and personal the city’s finest? In October of 2012 the Greater Boston Beverage Society with hold the first ever Boston Cocktail Summit, a three-day celebration of Greater Boston’s cocktail culture designed to highlight the city’s fascinating history of mixology, New England’s breweries, wineries, and distilleries and raise funds to help local charities. The Boston Cocktail Summit will celebrate the culture of the cocktail with three days of events, parties, educational seminars, and an opening gala with proceeds benefitting the newly established Greater Boston Beverage Society. For more information visit www. bostoncocktailsummit.com. Meet Kelly Unda, when she is not on her motorcycle or flying helicopters you can find her behind the bar at the Harvest or the Citizen Public House. She has been a part of the Boston night-life for over a decade mixing, stirring and shaking up cocktails. Her cocktails have been featured in numerous publications in the Boston area. Brown-Liquor Boozers. Freaks. Plain and simple. (And in the best sense!) Fans of anything that has roots in Kentucky or the land of the kilt are guaranteed to be buck wild. Rock Stars. If they go for the unabashedly undiluted — downing, say, just vodka on the rocks — things could go either way. Expect bipolar sexual behavior: either they’re alcoholics who won’t be able to get it up, or they’re so numb to the effects of alcohol that you’ll be spending the next week telling people you just returned from a dude ranch while you really recover from the liquor-fueled equivalent of a vicious Viagra erection. Artisanal A-holes. Alcohol elitists run the gamut, coming in all shapes, sizes, and spirit preferences. But you can expect their drink-ordering behaviors to mirror their bedroom practices. The douchey, demanding guy who claims to know every alcohol invented since mead — and insists on sharing his wealth of expertise (yawn!) — will likely try to dominate you in bed. This is, of course, despite not actually knowing what he’s doing. Unless, that is, you’re that girl at the bar squealing, “Geez, I don’t know what I want!” You giggle, “I’ll try whatever!” He hears, “Jackpot.” Cheers! And happy bar (and bed?) hopping.
• First bar job in Boston? saffron - indian restaurant formerly on newbury st. • Spirit you can’t live without? Whiskey • Spirit/liqueur/mixer you wish people would drink/use more? Pierre Ferrand dry curaçao
• Guilty pleasure cocktail? strawberry margarita! it even makes me feel guilty writing that! But, they are so delicious! • Most exciting up & coming trend in mixology? not calling yourself a mixologist.
• What you’re most looking forward to about the Boston Cocktail Summit? Bringing the party to Boston. showcasing our amazing bartenders and showing how we have become a competitive cocktail city.
— Jeannie Greeley
Jeannie Greeley is a pickled freelance writer. She can be reached at jeannieg@comcast.net or her local bar.
CHEERS! SEE you at tHE Summit! this is an advertorial
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1. Laurel Ciarcia and Cole Thompson; 2. Paul Morelli, Jeanne Racioppi, and Carl Christian; 3. Lisa Tiernan, John Collings, and Pamela Collings; 4. Erin Fitzgerald and Victoria Belliveau; 5. Marilyn Riseman and Mark Schwindenhammer; 6. Stephanie Schwartz and Meghan Johnson; 7. Brianne Chirokas and Caroline Meehan; 8. Mark Schwindenhammer, Bill Emery, and Chase Pennington; 9. Stephen and Tammy Menard; 10. Kathleen McAndrew, Eric Gauster, Christina Pierce, and Ryan Pierce; 11. Bill Belichick, Linda Belichick, Susan Wornick, Bianca de la Garza, and Jess Williams.
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the solid gold summer party at the museum of fine arts
1. Katherine Ramsey and Jason Post; 2. Elizabeth Georgantas and Monica Numa; 3. Bianca de la Garza and Jess Williams; 4. Harry and Mandy Ross; 5. Janice Checchio and Jordan Winkler; 6. Michaela Flatley and Jessica Clew; 7. Elio Maggini and Jacqueline Houton; 8. Lauren Isabel, Jordan Lee, and Simreet Khaira; 9. Tatiana Webb and Dean Cestari; 10. Elsbeth Pratt, Ann Ehrhart, Tasha Manes, and Matt Manes; 11. Jason Rothe, Ashley Wisneski, Samantha House, and Nick Mathews.
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1. Tom Weigel, Heather Willis, and Charlie Siegal; 2. Claudia Dunn and Steve Holmgren; 3. Ellen Soderberg and Mary Griffenhagen; 4. Vincent Yao, Melissa Pocek, and Lachlan Hicks; 5. Alison Morris, Jack Loftus, and Arestia Rosenberg; 6. Sarah Hall Weigel and Meg Siegal; 7. Abby Bridgeo and Michelle Laczkoski; 8. Caitlin Thompson, Rachel Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor, and Elisha Law-Simmonds; 9. Leah Lovgren and Julian Lewis; 10. Becky Firth, Matt Sullivan, Lisa Patterson, Liz Sullivan, Scott Firth, Will Willis, and Ian Nurse; 11. Joanne Connelly, Beth Gillis, Daniel Avery, and Robb Silva.
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1. Mia Chartrand, Julie Parks, and Paloma Cabrera-Lustig; 2. Adjovi Alice Koene, Jeannie Hannigan, and Marcos Rocha; 3. Emily Lombardo and Nate Hayden; 4. Diana Lisanto, Pat Hussey, and Julia Driesch; 5. Vilma Cataldo and Sandra Donovan; 6. Anthony Musto and Robert Barrett; 7. TJ Connelly; 8. Danielle Medico and Jenna Carando; 9. Ashley Stanley, Aimee Corrigan, and Suzi Maitland; 10. Zach Watkins, Douglas Rodrigues, Louis DiBiccari, Johnny Sheehan, and Edmund Amore; 11. Edward Linton, Marc Sheehan, and Tim Surprenant.
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PHOTOS BY gina manning
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David Nicholas’s STUFF Makeup specialist David Nicholas has beautified countless stars, from modern trendsetters like Sarah Jessica Parker to screen legends like Tony Curtis. And alongside husband and co-president David Miranowicz, he runs David Nicholas International, a business that boasts a cosmetics line, an elite makeup training center, and a photography studio. But Bostonians may best recognize his work for Marilyn Riseman, grande dame of the Hub’s social scene. She’s never glimpsed without her kabuki-esque maquillage — a signature look created by Nicholas more than 30 years ago. (He still applies it for Riseman about once a week.) But she’s hardly the only glamour icon in his life. Nicholas is a longtime collector of Hollywood memorabilia, from Clark Gable’s camera to a headdress from Cher’s world tour. Appropriately, many treasures belonged to the big screen’s most stylish stars: he has Ginger Rogers’s dancing shoes, Mae West’s earrings, Judy Garland’s cocktail gloves, Lucille Ball’s henna (used to achieve her hair’s distinctive red hue), Bette Davis’s sunglasses and stocked makeup bag, and even a Some Like It Hot shooting script signed by his other favorite Marilyn: Monroe. You could build a museum. What was your first major find? My first big collection was Bette Davis’s sunglasses and accoutrements. I remember being in the auction house at Christie’s in Rockefeller Center. Steven Spielberg did a phone bid and won her Oscar for Jezebel. Then I saw the sunglasses and those accoutrements and said, “I have to have those.” . . . It was between me and one other person in the room. We wouldn’t even look at each other; I just kept my paddle up. And then there they were: Bette Davis’s personal makeup — powder compact, lip brush, perfume bottle, makeup bags. . . . Inside one of them was holy water from Lourdes, and there are lipstick stains around the bottle neck. I thought, “Oh my! She must have been desperate.” [Laughs] There are even smelling salts inside. It really is like old Hollywood revisited. These aren’t just memorabilia. They’re part of cultural history. Exactly. I don’t care about saying I own something. It’s more that I feel I should, as a master makeup artist and pioneer in my craft. Steven Spielberg purchased Bette Davis’s Oscar; I purchased Bette Davis’s makeup. We did it for the <46> 7.3.12
same reasons. Not to say, “Look what I got!” I don’t care about that. I care about giving it the proper homage it deserves. What inspired your look for Marilyn Riseman? She inspired me, but so did her apartment. At the time she lived in her Beacon Street apartment designed by her late husband, a famous architect. It reeked of 1920s Art Deco meets Africa and Asia, but at the same time it was period, with a real old-world feel. At the time she was in her 50s. She said, “I want you to create a look for me.” I thought I’d do something heavy and dramatic, like Dynasty. Everyone was doing dramatic. But she said, “I don’t want just dramatic. I want different.” So I looked about her humble abode, and it was that kind of eclecticism combined with her passion for the ’20s that made me create this look. What keeps you motivated professionally? When I entered the industry, it was because I loved the fashion, the beauty, the glamour, the drag, the theatrics, like anyone would — or should! But I found it was a very tight, cliquey little industry. And I don’t float with that. . . . If you go to a magazine rack and look at the covers, they’ll all be a bunch of young, thin white women. If they are black, they’re a lovely shade of mocha. I believe that beauty comes in every color, gender, size, and shape. If you want to be a ton of fun, I’ll make you look great. I don’t care if you’re 99 and want stripes on your face. I’ll say, how many, how wide, and what color? You do a lot of volunteer work. Tell us about that. I do a lot of specialty work with the Shriners Burns Hospital. I teach the blind how to apply makeup through touch and feel. I do makeup for cancer patients, transgender people, battered and abused women. And I’ve worked with AIDS patients: in the mid ’80s, I had a friend who would get Kaposi’s sarcoma, and they wouldn’t go near him with a 10-foot pole. People were fired from jobs, evicted from housing — well, the minute I hear that, my back goes up. So I’d go in and do makeup on their lesions and teach them how to conceal it themselves. That way, while they still had their health, they could maintain their livelihoods, their jobs. I do the makeup that people are afraid to do.
— Scott Kearnan
PHOTO BY michael diskin
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