365 Things to Do in Boston - New Tips Daily

If you are looking to improve your art skills than every Friday October 5 - November 20 from 4-6PM in South End is the place to be. You (or your teen artist) will discover new techniques and even create work with professional artists. These workshops are free but do have a required pre-registration.

"The BCA and USES have come together to engage youth with workshops that foster an appreciation for the arts and that serve as a national model of successful neighborhood engagement."

The workshops will cover figure drawing, collages, printmaking, and sculpture. After the workshop the teens will visit local galleries and art studios in the area. Sounds pretty awesome to me, and no money out of your pocket!

Hey there music lovers. Mike and Ruthy are back in Boston, and rumor has it that they have quite the reputation! As a duo Mike + Ruthy know the true meaning to acoustic American music. They demonstrate an uncommon ability to create songs as lyrically sophisticated as Bob Dylan while adding a harmonically beautiful touch. 

"Over a decade of touring has taken them worldwide where they've performed well over a thousand concerts in listening rooms, living rooms and festivals as well as performances at NYC's Carnegie Hall accompanying Arlo Guthrie in 2005 (with their former band The Mammals) and Madison Square Garden as part of Pete Seeger's 90th birthday celebration in 2009."

I've heard so many great things about Mike and Ruthy that I will even be going tonight! See them live tonight in Jamaica Plain at the historic Loring-Greenough House. Both concerts are the same suggested donation, $14-19 (less 20% discount for JPTC members) +$1 preservation fee.

Tavern in the Square is a well-known bar and grill in the Boston area! Although there are multiple locations, Cambridge and Porter Square are the hot spots for trivia! Their extensive food and drink menu also have something for everyone. Once you have had a few drinks, or stuffed your face with a juicy burger, it is then time to put your thinking cap on. People take trivia pretty seriously (or they pretend too like me.) Trivia is offered in Cambridge at Central Square on Tuesdays at 9:00 pm, while their Porter Square location allows you to get in on the fun twice a week, on Monday’s at 8 p.m. and Wednesdays at 9 p.m. 

PS: Just a few words of advice. If you don't want to be completely embarrassed you may want to drive a little further to Somerville's Porter Square. I have noticed a pattern in Harvard kids showing up at the Central Square location. HOW IS THAT FAIR?!?! good luck...

With winter approaching, it means that bathing suit weather is getting that much closer. I am one of those people that goes to the gym, finds the closest elliptical, and get my groove on to Jock Jams. Although my work out is considerably consistent, my diet and results are not. I found a place with two locations in Boston that know what it means to see results. (and how to get them)

Equinox Fitness Centers is offering a new class called Core Values. It is an intense sixty minute class that empowers a 24/7 Lifestyle. I highly recommend checking it out.

“Core Values was inspired by the buzzwords we hear a lot during election season: hope, change, transparency and moving forward,” said Lashaun Dale, senior national group fitness manager and co-creator of Core Values. “Our platform message is clear: if you eat poorly and are sedentary outside the gym, any momentum you gain in class will be lost before you return. Core Values helps you break the cycle of muscle pain, dysfunction and decreased mobility with an overall lifestyle shift into health, stability and strength.”

See ya there!

• 01 CHESTNUT HILL
• 02 DARTMOUTH ST.
• 03 FRANKLIN ST.

Begin planning your Friday night cocktail and call a babysitter! The Beehive on Tremont Street will be adding some new and exciting things to their menu. The expert mixologists at The Beehive have just released a new winter cocktail menu highlighting the very thing that makes The Beehive so popular for locals and out-of-towners alike; its impeccable skill at combining the desirable with the unexpected and serving it up in what can only be described as “The Beehive experience.”

"The Beehive’s newest incarnation of its cocktail menu features creative seasonal offerings such as the Cranberry Mojito, a spin on the classic, made in-house with drunken cranberries (marinated in rum and Cointreau) $12.50, the Alpine Mai Tai, dark & light rums, Zirbenz Pine liqueur, almond, falernum, $13, and the Kentucky Orchard, butter infused bourbon, fresh apple cider and St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, $12. But, while guests can go in expecting a twist on some of their favorites, they can also order lesser known libations such as the El Chicano, Bulleit Rye, Kahlua, Coffee Bitters, Dash of Illegal Mezcal Joven, $12.50 and theSmoking Jacket, Hennessey VS Cognac, Tobacco Simple Syrup, Cassis, $13.50."

So head on over to The Beehive and enjoy their nightly live performances which vary from Jazz to Blues... oh, and of course your pimped out cocktail!

WHERE:        The Beehive, 541 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02116 | P. 617.423.0069

WHEN:            Now through Spring 2013, (exact date not known).

INFO:              No cover charge, cash bar.

Head on over to 1325 Commonwealth Avenue tomorrow at noon and you will be in for quite the treat! Aerosmith has decided to play a free concert, in memory of the place where they created many of their top songs.

"On Monday at noon, the band will be immortalized at 1325 Commonwealth Ave. — the Brighton apartment building where Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Tom Hamilton, Joey Kramer and Brad Whitford began it all.

Not only will the band stage a mini-concert on the back of a flat-bed truck, they will also do the Hollywood Walk of Fame thing and imprint their hands in cement in front of the building." 

This is going to be awesome so make sure to go. If you plan on taking the train, keep in mind that it will be closed down for majority of the day. The green B line won't be running from Harvard Avenue to Washington Street from 630AM-430PM. This may cramp your style on the way to work, but for many it is completely worth it!

With the presidential election right around the corner, Every Four Years is a festive and appropriate exhibit to attend. Grand Circle Gallery and the Robert Klein Gallery of Boston have brought to Boston a flash back in time. This exhibit is educational, fun, and very interesting.

"Through vintage photographs and prints from the 1948 to 2008, this collaborative exhibit explores the public and private sides of presidential candidates, as well as pivotal moments in voting and Civil Rights for Americans over the years. Campaign posters from the Library of Congress and an annotated presidential time line round out the retrospective."

Take a look back at history and make it over to Grand Circle Gallery before November 17th.

Get involved in our next Boston first time home buying class if you're planning to buy in the near future.  This class is a great opportunity to learn how to buy a home or condo in Boston the right way, saving you time and money. The home buying process can be a bit intimidating at first, but it doesn't need to be.  Join a small group of your home buying peers in a low key setting for a lively and educational class.  There are usually about 20-25 home buyers in attendance - enjoying the pizza, beer, and wine we provide to keep the atmosphere casual and fun - all while picking up some really useful Boston specific real estate and home buying advice.  After our class, you'll be well on your way to buying a home or condo in Boston. The best part - the class is free to attend. Get more details and RSVP here.

At Charlesgate Realty, one of our core philosophies is to educate clients to make better real estate decisions.  We conduct regular educational sessions for the public to carry out that goal.  At this First Time Boston Home Buyer Classwe'll have a mortgage lender and a real estate buyer agent lead the class and discuss topics such as:

• Renting vs. Buying: Whether it even makes sense for you to buy right now
• Home buying process and timeline: How long it actually takes to buy
• Working with an agent: How it works and whether or not you really need one
• Listing Agent vs Buyer Agent: What's the difference and how it impacts your purchase
• What mortgages are still available for you to buy a home or condo
• How much cash you need to put down to buy
• Using neighborhood data (like discount ratios & real time trends) to value properties
• Negotiating 101: How to craft your offer to drive a hard bargain
• Top 10 online resources to aid your home search

This is a great way to learn about the Boston real estate market - and get a free dinner too!  Come and bring all your home buying questions - we're here to answer them. Get more information and register for our next Boston Home Buying Class on Tuesday, November 6th. We hope to see you there!  

If you love winter sports, than Boston is the right place to be. Each November, the Frog Pond in the Boston Common is turned into an ice skating rink. I'm not to sure which day in November they will make the big switch, so make sure to keep a look out every time you pass by, After opening day, you can count on the rink being open seven days a week. The times fluctuate by day, but no matter the schedule, Frog Pond is always filled with tourists and locals. If you enjoy a little bit of history in your rink, know that the Boston Common dates back to the 17th century and is known for being the central meeting spot for all Bostonians. Cool, right? Looks like it's true... some things just never change. Don't forget to tie your laces folks- i've heard that a fall on ice can be pretty painful. 

If you need me to tell you what to do today then we have some major problems... or you do anyways. It's Halloween so throw on a costume, and head on over to pretty much any place in Boston. Countless costume parties, neighborhood walk tours, children trick or treating (as well as high schoolers with curfews), and nonstop craziness at local pubs. Halloween in Boston has something for everyone. Whatever you do, don't miss it. Throw on a costume and just walk outside. You are sure to find something to do sooner than later. If you are lost for ideas than I suggest doing what I will be doing: Trick or Treating! If you have a witch hat you could even hide in the bushes and scare little kids. For some reason I feel like that will be somewhere on my agenda. Boo!!