Mandarin Oriental Boston to be sold

The Boston Business Journal and The Boston Herald report that Anglo Irish Bank is seeking a buyer for the Mandarin Oriental Boston. Anglo Irish, which is also in the midst of selling all of its other US real estate loans and holdings, owns the Mandarin property and the 2008 $234 million loan it granted to the hotel's developers.

Earl of Sandwich eyes spring opening on Boston Common

Universal Hub reports today that the City of Boston today announced a 15 year lease with Earl of Sandwich to transform the former men's restroom near the Boston Common tennis courts into a takeout sandwich restaurant by next spring. The city gets an eyesore removed from the park at no expense, $50,000 a year in rent, and the neighborhood gets a good inexpensive breakfast/lunch/dinner option, badly needed in this area of the city. I'm looking forward to this great new addition to the Common.

More information on the Earl of Sandwich from today's Boston Globe.

Champions Sports Bar opens in Cambridge Marriott

Another restaurant has opened in Kendall Square. Boston Restaurant Talk reports today that Champions Sports Bar has opened a second Boston area location at the Boston Marriott Cambridge (the other location is in the Boston Marriott Copley). The new Champions features an outdoor patio and 20 flat screen televisions.

49 Social to add live music

49 Social, which opened this past May on Temple Place in Downtown Crossing, is adding live jazz and R & B on Fridays and Saturdays beginning at 9:30pm reports Grubstreet Boston.

Ice Cream Showdown coming to Community Boating

Eat Boston presents its third Ice Cream Showdown on Sunday September 11th from 4pm-6pm at Community Boating. The event, which takes place rain or shine, will benefit Community Servings and Lovin' Spoonfuls. Coop's Microcreamery, Batch, Giovanna Gelato e Sorbet, Christina's Homemade Ice Cream, Toscaninin's, Picco, and The Chily Cow are currently on the roster of participating ice cream makers. Tickets are now on sale!

Four Boston desserts featured on Food Network show tonight

Boston Restaurant Talk reports today that Duff Goldman will visit four Boston spots on tonight's episode of his Food Network show Sugar High to air at 10:30pm. He will taste the sticky toffee pudding at the Ashmont Grill, the Boston cream fried dough at Daddy's Fried Dough on the Boston Common, the sfogliatella at Modern Pastry, and the lemon ginger mousse and homemade fortune cookies at Myers + Chang.

Discord at the Ritz Carlton detailed

Boston Globe columnist Brian McGrory details today a legal battle between the residents of the Ritz Carlton Boston Common's south building and the three wealthy foreign students who occupy one of the 36th story penthouse units. It seems that the students' partying ways have gotten them on the wrong side of the residential association in one of the city's most upscale condo buildings.

In the nearly three years since the trio of brothers moved into a $3 million-plus unit that their father purchased on the 36th floor, they have become the scourge of the Ritz’s South tower, regularly blaring music during crowded after-hours parties that rage until 4 a.m.

How regularly? The condominium association has had more than 31 complaints about the brothers’ late night antics. At least 27 of those complaints have come in the fragile hours between midnight and dawn. Boston police have been called to the address some 10 times to get the brothers to quiet down.

South End restaurant proposal draws neighbors' concerns

South End New reported last week on how some South End residents are expressing concern about a restaurant that would be part of a new Washington Street residential development. Neighbors expressed their concerns at a recent community meeting with developers Jay Hajj of Mike's City Diner and his partner James Robertson Jr.

One resident, who declined to be identified for this article, said he and his brother were "vehemently opposed to the restaurant space because of the noise, the smells, the trash, the rodents... that one element changes the whole feeling of the space."

Hajj made mention during the meeting that he currently has two "nationally-known chefs" who are interested in the space, but declined to give names or specifics.

It's important to note that article also mentions how several residents at meeting spoke strongly in favor of the proposed restaurant and that the developers are committed to ensuring that the concerns of neighbors are addressed in their final plans.

USS Constitution to get postage stamp

The Boston Globe reports today the United States Postal Service will honor the USS Constitution with a new Forever series stamp to honor the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. The USS Constitution played a pivotal role in conflict, helping the United States defeat Great Britain for a second time.

South End Buttery to open 2nd location

South End Patch reports today that the popular South End Buttery will open a second location in the neighborhood. The cafe, located at 37 Clarendon Street in the former Tadpole space, will not have a kitchen.

In addition to café items, the Clarendon Street space will also house a small market, with upscale grocery items like olive oil available for purchase, Duffy said. The Buttery’s lease on the space begins September 1, and business should begin in November.

MBTA to run Kenny Chesney concert train on Saturday

Note that the Sunday August 28th Kenny Chesney show has been moved to Friday August 26th. There will not be a train to the show on Friday August 26th!

The MBTA will run a special train to Gillette Stadium this coming Saturday August 27th for the Kenny Chesney concert. The train will leave from South Station each day at 3:15pm, making stops at Back Bay Station at 3:20pm, Dedham Corporate station at 3:35pm and will arrive at Gillette at 4:20pm.

Round trip tickets are $15.00 and the trains are reserved seating only. Tickets will be sold at South Station and Back Bay Stations until the trains are sold out or up to 15 minutes before the train's departure time from each station. Tickets will also be sold at North Station until the close of business on Friday August 26th. If not sold out before departure, tickets will be sold on board. However, advance ticket sales are strongly encouraged.

As is the case for Patriots games, trains will depart from Gillette Stadium 30 minutes after the end of the concert.

This year the MBTA has run popular soccer trains to Gillette Stadium this year for the US-Spain match in June and the Manchester United-Revolution game in July.

Smith & Wollensky moving headquarters to Hub

Smith & Wollensky will move its corporate headquarters to 260 Franklin Street in Boston from Las Vegas reports The Boston Herald today. Smith & Wollensky has a location in the iconic Park Plaza Castle and will soon open up a Wollensky's Grill at Atlantic Wharf.

Redbones Rib Shack to open tomorrow

Boston.com reports today that the Redbones Rib Shack in Kendall Square opens tomorrow at 11am. It will be located at 300 Athenaeum Street at Linskey Way near the winter site of the Kendall Square community ice skating rink. The menu will be the same as the Redbones Food Truck, located weekdays in several spots around Copley Square.

Horse Jumping coming to the Common

On Thursday August 25th, the Boston Common will play host to a free event put on by the Putnam Boston Equestrian Classic. Called Boston Jumps on the Common, the event will be feature a preview of Olympic Grand Prix Jumping followed by an exhibition by the Boston Park Rangers Mounted Unit. It will begin at 5pm at the corner of Beacon Street and Charles Street.

Immediately following the Common event there will be a $250 per person cocktail and hors d'oeuvres reception on the roof deck of the Taj Boston to benefit the Boston Park Rangers Mounted Unit.

The Putnam Boston Equestrian Classic takes place September 8th-11th at the Myopia Hunt Club in Hamilton, Massachusetts.

Villa Mexico to close Beacon Hill location

Boston Restaurant Talk reports today that Villa Mexico will close soon as the gas station in which it operates in is to be demolished and redeveloped into an office building. Villa Mexico is exploring moving to a different neighborhood (possibly South End) or starting a food truck. Villa Mexico's office catering and salsa business will continue after the takeout spot closes.

Originally it was thought by the take out spot's owner that it would be able to operate until next summer, but the restaurant is involved in a legal battle with its landlord (the gas station owner) over several difficult issues, as the Villa Mexico owner details in a letter on the restaurant's website. They have a court hearing scheduled for September 1st, after which a definite closing date may emerge. In the meantime the owner has appealed for public support in the relocation process, along with a request for public input via an online survey.

As you see, something will come that is good and we hope you share the next experience with us. If you feel like lending a hand to our process please let us know, too. We are looking for resources to finance a female-owned business, like grants or low-interest loans. We would also love to have a meeting with our mayor and our governor to let them know, "we need more support for small businesses in the city!"

Because the costs of relocation will be high, we are also considering a KickStarter campaign. Any donation would help us cover permit, remodeling or law-related fees we need to cover. If you think you would like to donate $1, $5, or more, please stay tuned. Or if you have ideas for potential rewards, let us know!

Storyville to open at Copley Square Hotel

A new nightclub called Storyville will open soon at the Copley Square Hotel, replacing the recently closed Saint. Storyville, currently hiring for its September opening, will operate Thursday-Sundays with the possibility of Wednesdays. The original Storyville, a jazz club named after the famous area of New Orleans, was located in the Copley Square Hotel during the 1940s. The club relocated in 1950 to the Hotel Buckminster, where its space is now occupied by Uno's Chicago Grill. The new Storyville will continue to be by operated by Saint owner Brian Lesser.

Man murdered in Seaport District

Universal Hub reports today that a man was murdered near the Bank of America Pavilion in the Seaport District last night.

Three Arrested at Liberty Hotel

Universal Hub reports that three brothers from California were arrested Saturday morning outside of The Liberty Hotel. After being refused entrance to the hotel because they had had too much to drink they became combative.

According to hotel employees, upon being refused entry, members of the group began to verbally insult and assault patrons attempting to gain entrance. Hotel employees further state that one of the group members (Nicholas Beatrice, 26, of San Diego), who was holding an open container of beer when he approached the entrance, flicked a cigarette at one of the hotel employees when told entry was being denied

I wonder if any of the three brothers realized the irony of getting arrested at a hotel that used to be jail.

Boston Hostel wins GreenBest award

The Boston Metro reports that Hosteling International Boston was named the paper's 2011 GreenBest award winner at this past week's Boston GreenFest at City Hall Plaza. Hosteling International Boston was lauded for the environmental initiatives at its current Hemenway Street location and for the green features of its new location, set to open next spring on Stuart Street.

The new location will also feature a green elevator that recaptures energy as it moves, energy-efficient washing machines and large windows to maximize daylight and reduce electricity use.

Scampo to offer Monday pizza deal

Grubstreet Boston reports today that Scampo in the Liberty Hotel will offer half priced pizzas (with the purchase of a full priced one) on Mondays in September in celebration of The Food Network magazine honoring chef/owner Lydia Shire's lobster pizza as the best pizza in the state.

Fenway Park to host college hockey in January

The Boston Red Sox announced today that two men's college games will take place January 7th at Fenway Park. In the 4pm game the University of Vermont will face the University of Massachusetts. The 7:30pm game will feature the University of Maine verses the University of New Hampshire. Tickets, which start at $5, go on sale September 13th.

The Boston Courant reports today that the Red Sox are planning to bring back hockey to Fenway Park this upcoming January. The oldest ballpark in baseball will host a college hockey doubleheader featuring teams from Hockey East. Fenway Park was host to the Boston Bruins and the Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL Winter Classic in January of 2010 along with a BU-BC match up a week later. Fenway Park also celebrates its 100th anniversary next year.

Fairmont Copley celebrates 99th anniversary

The Fairmont Copley Plaza opened its doors on this date in 1912. Happy 99th birthday to the Fairmont Copley Plaza!

All Asia owner to open Valhalla in Central Square

Boston Restaurant Talk reports today the owner of All Asia, a popular Cambridge live music bar, will soon open Valhalla at a location further down Mass. Ave at the corner of Prospect Street in Central Square. All Asia faces imminent closure as the result of an MIT plan to redevelop its block. Valhalla will feature live music in a much large space than All Asia, and is looking to compete with the nearby Middle East for national acts.

Beacon Hill bank robber checks out of hotel after heist

Universal Hub reports today that police arrested a man who allegedly held up a Beacon Hill bank late yesterday afternoon and then took time during his getaway to check out of The Colonnade Hotel, paying for his room in cash. I wonder if he was able to enjoy the pool during his stay?

Catie Copley to visit USS Constitution Museum for Dog Gone birthday bash

The Fairmont Copley Plaza's canine ambassador Catie Copley will be at the U.S.S. Constitution Museum this Friday from 1:30pm-3pm to celebrate the birthday of Guerriere the terrier, the Constitution's famous furry friend who served aboard ship from1814-1815 and took his name from a famous batte. There will be songs, birthday treats, photo opportunities, and a book reading with “pawtographs” to celebrate the anniversary of the date the ship earned the nickname “Old Ironsides."

On August 19th, 1812 The Constitution captured the British Frigate HMS Guerriere in a battle off the coast of Nova Scotia during the War of 1812. It was in this battle that a member of the British ship's crew is said have seen one of his ship's cannonballs bounce off the Constitution's hull and proclaimed that the ship must be made of iron. The event this Friday is part of the Highland Street Foundation's Free Fun Fridays program.

Visitors to this family friendly event are kindly asked to leave their own dogs at home.

Boston starts to cite Segway tour companies

Northendwaterfront.com reports today that the city has started to cite segway tour companys for violations of the city's new regulations.

Apparently, the grace period is over for Segway tours violating Boston’s ordinance passed by the City Council and signed by the Mayor last June. A neighbor cites a ticket being given out and sends in these photos in what appears to be transportation department officer (white car & badge around neck) stopping a Boston Gliders tour on Atlantic Avenue.

Hawthorne to open at Hotel Commonwealth

Grubstreet Boston reports today the new craft cocktail bar at the Hotel Commonwealth will be called Hawthorne with the bar program to be run by Jackson Cannon with Jeremy Sewall to run the kitchen. The new spot will take over the former Foundation Lounge space.

The Second City to perform at Wilbur Theater this Friday

Chicago's legendary improv comedy company The Second City will appear at Boston's Wilbur Theater as part of its Laugh Out Loud tour this Friday at 8pm. Tickets are $25.

Tip Tap Room coming to Beacon Hill

Universal Hub reports today that Beacon Hill Chinese restaurant Shangri-La will be replaced by an American Bar & Grill called Tip Tap Room to run by Gordon Wilcox, owner of The Rattlesnake and The Parish Cafe.

Rumor cited for smoking, underage drinking

Universal Hub reported yesterday Rumor in the Theater District was before the Boston Licensing Board this week for a report of smoking in the club and also for underage drinking.

Club manager Tom Montgomery blamed the difficulties of catering to foreign students.

"There's a certain clientele, it seems like their whole purpose is to smoke," he said, estimating 90% of his security staff's time is spent dealing not with drunks but with smokers. "It's a difficult task. We've barred people, kicked them out ... Whatever we do, it is just an impossible situation." He estimated Rumor has 20 signs both inside and outdoors warning that smoking is banned.

Nico to be sold

Universal Hub reports today that Nick Varano is selling Nico in the North End to Scott Dyer who plans to call the restaurant Mico.

Donald Rumsfeld to speak at Old South Meeting House

The Old South Meeting House will host former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld September 26th at 7pm for a speaking event, which will include a question and answer session. Tickets to the event, which is cosponsored by WRKO, are $50 and include a signed copy of his new book, Known and Unknown. Part of Boston's Freedom Trail, The Old South Meeting House hosted the meeting that started the Boston Tea Party in December of 1773. Since then it has hosted numerous events where people have freely discussed the important events of their times.

Thanks to @DowntownXing for the heads up on this!

New England Dessert Showcase coming in September

Boston Restaurant Talk reports today that the New England Dessert Showcase will be held September 17th at the Sheraton Boston Hotel.

The event will once again feature a variety of exhibitors offering samples of desserts, including cakes, ice cream, pastries, chocolate treats, and more (wine will also be offered). Private tastings will also be held, as well as live chef demos from area pastry chefs, and a number of media members will be in attendance.

Atlantic Beer Garden could be cited for rooftop harbor dive

Universal Hub reports today the Atlantic Beer Garden could be cited by the Boston Licensing Board for a June 18th incident in which a patron jumped off of the restaurant's roof into the harbor holding a fake Stanley Cup(check out the YouTube video in the above link).

Restaurant attorney Jeremiah Sullivan said the Bruins jump was not something the restaurant could have anticipated and that in response, the restaurant has installed a fence and is meeting with local police to try to keep people from scaling to the top of the restaurant's roof again.

Artisan Bistro to open next month at Ritz

Artisan Bistro will open at The Ritz Carlton, Boston Common in September, replacing JerNe which closed in June for renovations. Upon the closing of JerNe the Ritz introduced Avery Bar in its lobby. Artisan Bistro will feature "approachable artisanal cooking" with the menu to be based on what's fresh and locally available during the different seasons.

The restaurant’s bar is an integral part of the fun. The cocktail program will include local favorites, numerous microbrews and a signature Bloody Mary menu. The mood at the bar, like the restaurant itself, will be lively, inviting, yet relaxed and casual at the same time. (Ritz Carlton website)

Thanks to @DowntownXing for the heads up on this.

Man causes $10,000 worth of damage at Marriott Copley

Universal Hub reports today that an intoxicated non guest was arrested at the Marriott Copley Hotel Sunday morning for entering one of the hotel kitchens and destroying over $10,000 worth dishes, glasses, coffee cups, saucers, and various other items.

Craft cocktail bar to open at Hotel Commonwealth

MCSlimJB tweets today the people behind Eastern Standard are going to take over the former Foundation Lounge space at the Hotel Commonwealth and open a craft cocktail bar. The Foundation Lounge closed last April. The folks behind Eastern Standard also partnered with Island Creek Oyster company's Skip Bennett and chef Jerermy Sewall to Island Creek Oyster Bar in the former Great Bay space.

Freshii to open first Boston spot on Monday

Freshii tweets today that its first Boston location will be opening tomorrow at 100 High Street in Downtown Boston. Freshii is a healthy customizable concept that serves salads, wraps, burritos, rice bowls, noodle bowls, quinoa, and soups prepared with high quality, healthy and often locally sourced ingredients.

Through our vision of Fresh Food, Custom Built, Fast, Freshii is focused on becoming the most convenient choice for healthy and fresh meals and snacks served quickly in a cool, clean, and environmentally sustainable setting for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in between. (www.freshii.com)

The restaurant also has a strong commitment to being environmentally sustainabile.




Thanks to @EatBoston for the heads up on this!

Island Creek Oyster Festival set for September 10th

The 6th annual Island Creek Oyster Foundation Oyster Festival takes place Saturday September 10th from 3pm-11pm at Duxbury Beach.

A fully tax deductible $50 ticket includes admission into the event, live music, and small bites from twenty of Boston's best chefs. Drink/Oyster tickets can be purchased at the event for $5 (each ticket is good for 1 beer or wine or 6 Island Creek Oysters). There will be an ATM on site.

Round trip coach bus transportation to Duxbury from the Island Creek Oyster Bar at the Hotel Commonwealth can also be purchased for $25. The bus leaves Boston at 4pm and leaves Duxbury at 11pm. The restaurant will be open at 2pm on Saturday and until 1am after the festival. The Hotel Commonwealth is also offering overnight packages for the festival.

All proceeds from the event directly benefit the Island Creek Oyster Foundation, which supports sustainable aquaculture projects around the world.

New this year will be an event on Friday evening September 9th called "Friends for Haiti" to benefit the Island Creek Oyster Foundation's project with Caribbean Harvest in Haiti. This project's aim is to help remake the fishing industry in Haiti through the establishment of a sustainable fish farming initiative.

Jerry Remy's to open Fall River location next May

Jerry Remy's Sports Bar and Grill is set to open a location in Fall River next May reports the restaurant's Facebook page (which already has nearly 2,000 people who like it). Jerry Remy's opened its Fenway location last year and this year expanded to Liberty Wharf in the Seaport District. A location at Logan Airport's Terminal C opened in 2008. The 5,000-square-foot Fall River location, complete with a 32-foot television screen, will have 250 indoor seats and room for roughly 350 more people on two outdoor patios which will overlook the Taunton River. Remy was born in Fall River and grew up in nearby Somerset.

For more information on the new location, check out this article.

Roxy's Grilled Cheese to host viewing party tonight

Boston Food Finds has a great piece today on the story behind Roxy's Gourmet Grilled Cheese Truck, set to appear on the second season of The Food Network's Great Food Truck Race tonight at 10pm. Roxy's is hosting a viewing party at Tavern in the Square in Allston tonight at 9:30pm. More information is available on the truck's Twitter feed @RoxysGrilledChz.

And so, what’s next for Roxy? When considering the long lines, can a Roxy, Jr. be too far off? While it’s a possibility, James noted that the focus is on running a quality operation with top-notch sandwiches, which requires continual recipe development. And don’t be surprised if you see a restaurant down the road, one at which Roxy might need to wear her Sunday best!

Beacon Hill residents work for agreement on DeLuca's reopening

The Beacon Hill Times reported several weeks ago on the status of the reopening of DeLuca's market on Charles Street, which was destroyed by a July 8th, 2010 fire. Progress has been slow due to neighborhood opposition to some aspects of owner Virgil Aiello's reconstructions plans which include adding an addition to his property and a commercial kitchen. The latest word is that two lawyers from the neighborhood are working to broker an agreement between Aiello and The Beacon Hill Civic Association to pave the way for the market to reopen.

“I see this getting resolved by Virgil presenting a wonderful plan for a new market that will be a little bit expanded so it has greater offerings for the neighborhood and will be attractive,” said Dangle.

Dangle said Aiello must sign and abide by a “good neighbor agreement,” that would give neighbors confidence he will do what he says.

But Dangle also said he expects neighbors to understand that the local merchants need to be profitable and they must accept some inconveniences that come from having convenient services and products nearby.

Restaurants close to make way for Berklee development

McDonald's (154 Mass. Ave) and Arirang House (162 Mass. Ave) closed this week to make room for a 16-story Berklee College of Music dormitory building on which construction will begin next month. Berklee purchased the restaurant property from the Christian Science Church in 2009 and its institutional master plan was approved by the Boston Redevelopment Authority this past May. A $90 million dollar bond sale to finance construction is set to take place today reports The Boston Business Journal.

Arirang House, a Japanese-Korean buffet spot popular with students and tourists, thanks all of its customers for their loyalty in sign posted on the door. It also indicates that the restaurant is actively looking for a space to reopen in the area. The new Berklee building which may house a street level restaurant with live music, is the first of three planned as part of the school's expansion.

Boston Film Festival coming to Radisson Hotel

The Stuart Street Playhouse at the Radisson Hotel Boston will host the 27th Boston Film Festival from September 16th-22nd. A highlight of this year's festival will be a panel discussion entitled "From Script to Screen" to be lead by Keith Dorrington, the Oscar nominated writer and executive producer of "The Fighter." The festival will screen feature films, documentaries, and shorts.

The Boston Film Festival provides a valuable contribution to the City's cultural community. The festival showcases the Bay State as an international tourism destination as well as making Massachusetts a desirable place to live and do business. Audiences are given first hand access to the motion picture process with the directors and actors providing a rare chance to interface with Hollywood's top names alongside of cutting-edge filmmakers. (www.bostonfilmfestival.org)

Tickets go on sale later this month.

Vlora sanctioned by Boston Licensing Board

Universal Hub reported yesterday that Vlora in the Back Bay will have its liquor license suspended for three days by the Boston Licensing Board for serving hard liquor during a July 1st private event. Vlora's license only allows for the sale of beer, wine, and cordials. The restaurant was also ordered by the board to close for one day for being fifty people over capacity during the same event, to which the police were called. Interestingly enough the restaurant gets to decide when to serve its suspension.

KC & The Sunshine Band to play Hatch Shell

KC & The Sunshine Band will perform a free show Saturday evening August 20th at 7pm at the Hatch Shell as part of the WODS Free Summer Concert Series.

My apologies to all for putting the wrong date on this event in the original post.

Liberty Hotel outside appearance cited by newspaper column

In her Downtown View column in this week's edition of The Beacon Hill Times Karen Cord Taylor writes about how some in the Beacon Hill neighborhood take care of the outside of their businesses and others do not. She takes aim at CVS and The Liberty Hotel in particular, though she does first offer praise of the hotel and its restaurants.

But what are they thinking about the outside of the hotel? For pedestrians the place is a disaster. Bare spots. Weeds. Tree pits, again uncared for—not even noticed in fact. The whole thing is shabby. Perhaps the hotel management doesn’t look outside and see scores of pedestrians using the sidewalk along Charles Street extension to get to the hospitals, the West End and the Science Museum. Perhaps the hotel owners don’t realize how bad things are. (I called them to tell them.) Such conditions are disrespectful of our neighborhood.

I'm guessing that these issues will most likely be resolved soon (if not already) as The Liberty Hotel cares deeply about the Beacon Hill neighborhood as is evidenced by the many public events the hotel offers (Movie Mondays, Gallery Night Tuesdays, Yappier Hour on Wednesdays and Yoga in the Yard Saturdays. The hotel also partners with Community Boating, and has offered free weekly walking tours of neighborhood.

Residential tower proposed for Theatre District

AvalonBay Communities is proposing to build a 29-story residential tower at 45 Stuart Street in downtown Boston. The 404-unit building, which would be built on a surface parking lot adjacent to the old Jacob Wirth restaurant and the new Bijou nightclub, would be all rentals with studios starting at $1800 per month. The neighborhood has seen the W Hotel open in 2009, Bijou this year, and a new youth hostel is set to open next to Jacob Wirth next year.

"The project has been designed to enhance the urban fabric of the neighborhood, bringing residential uses and active frontage to the site," AvalonBay wrote in the filing. "The project will transform an underutilized site, which currently is an open-air surface parking lot, into a residential ‘24/7' neighborhood. The project will contribute to the revitalization of this area and provide additional residential opportunities to complement the surrounding cultural, medical and education resources."

While the new proposed building will definitely be better than a parking lot the neighborhood still lacks too much, including a decent supermarket, to be considered a 24/7 vibrant community.

See complete coverage from The Boston Herald, Universal Hub, Banker & Tradesman, and The Boston Business Journal.

Man proposes at Sam Adams brewery

Boston.com reports today on a successful marriage proposal this morning on a tour of the Samuel Adams brewery, one of the city's popular tourist attractions.

On past journeys to Boston – a city they said they both love more than any other they’ve visited together – Pinto and Rebollido had made the brewery tour the first sightseeing stop of each trip.

So, the iconic beer manufacturing facility seemed like an ideal choice for Pinto to pop the question.

I saw a few wedding proposals during my time as a Fenway Park tour guide and it was always fun to be part of someone's special day. I never would have thought before today of the brewery as a place to propose but it makes so much sense for this couple. And then they got to celebrate with free beer. Having taken the tour several weeks ago I can definitely say it's one of the most fun things to do in Boston.

Boston restaurant owner offers house to Ochocino

Grubstreet Boston reports that Boston restaurant owner Frank DePasquale (Bricco, Mare, Umbria Prime, Trattoria Il Panino, Splash, Gigi Gelateria, The Ocean Club) has offered new Patriots wide receiver Chad Ochocino the use of his $8.5 million Marblehead Neck house for a few weeks. Ochocino had announced earlier this week that he is looking to live temporarily with a Patriots fan until he finds his own place.

Redbones coming to Kendall Square

The Feast reported Wednesday that Redbones will soon open a quick service BBQ Rib Shack in Kendall Square at 300 Aethaneum Street at the corner of Linsky Way. It will be open weekdays 11am-3pm.

Unlike Redbones, the BBQ Rib Shack is quick service with limited outdoor seating, Whitney says, and will feature a pared-down menu of St. Louis-style ribs, pulled pork and BBQ beef sandwiches and sides of mac and cheese, dirty rice, baked beans and cole slaw. There's no liquor license, meaning you will still have to head to Somerville if you're looking to take advantage of a massive draft list.

Thanks to Boston Restaurant Talk for the heads up on this.

NYC food truck to make Cape appearance

New York City's famous Big Gay Ice Cream Truck will make an appearance at Will Gilson's summer pop up restaurant, Eat @ Adrian's in Truro August 19th reports Grubstreet Boston yesterday. The articles hints that the founder of famed NYC ice cream truck would like to open a store on the Cape some day (maybe in Provincetown), though it's just a thought now.

Boston.com London-Boston comparison is in poor taste

Boston.com today posted a photo gallery today of eight things that London can learn from Boston. This came as an aside to a serious story about how British Prime Minister David Cameron told Parliament that British will look abroad for help with tackling issues that led to this weeks riots in the United Kingdom.

Not to diminish in any way the seriousness of the recent riots in London, but after Prime Minister David Cameron said his government would look to cities like Boston in tackling the issue, we decided to ask a far lighter question: What ELSE could London learn from Boston. Here are a few suggestions, but we want more from you.

Publishing a sidebar such as the gallery above in every way diminishes the seriousness of the riots in the United Kingdom. Comparing such inconsequential things as accents, the size of each city's sports players, beer temperature, and dental hygiene among other things is deplorable when considering the scale of the events in London. All cities have good things and bad qualities and can learn a lot from each others' experiences.

Shakespeare on the Common is a hit

Last evening I had the pleasure of attending Commonwealth Shakespeare Company's production of "All's Well That Ends Well" on The Boston Common. The production was excellent and one couldn't have asked for a better way to spend a cool summer evening under the stars. Local favorite Will Lebow was stellar as the King of France and the rest of the cast was superb as well. Though spoken in the English language of the time it was written, the play is one of Shakespeare's most modern works making it fairly easy to understand. I do not consider myself to be an avid follower of the bard but found this to be extremely engaging with its themes of love, marriage, sex, deceit, and war to name a few. If you haven't gotten a chance to experience Shakespeare on the Common this summer, there are shows tonight, Friday, and Saturday at 8pm, along with Sunday at 7pm. "All's Well that Ends Well" is truly an experience not to be missed.

Fenway Restaurant Row to reopen soon

The Boston Courant reports in its July 29th edition that Thornton's Fenway Grille will likely be the first of the restaurants to reopen on Restaurant Row on Peterborough Street in the Fenway. The article indicates that an August opening is likely for Thornton's, a neighborhood staple which was destroyed along with five other restaurants in a four alarm fire in January of 2009. Also aiming to open soon in the block are El Pelon Taqueria, Rod Dee Thai Cuisine, and Japanese hot pot spot Swish Shabu.

Vlora could cited by Boston Licensing Board in dispute over vodka, DJ

Universal Hub reports today that Back Bay restaurant Vlora could face sanctions from the Boston Licensing Board for possible license violations police found during a July 1st visit during a private event at the restaurant. Vlora's license allows them to sell beer, wine and cordials. The police seized bottles of whiskey, vodka, and bourbon which the restaurant claims are cordials by definition making them legal to sell. The police also cited the restaurant for having a DJ that night, in violation of the restaurant's entertainment license. Vlora claims that the DJ was not in fact a DJ because he only had a laptop, not turntables. The restaurant did admit to being over capacity. The board will decide what action to take against the restaurant, if any, when it meets again on Thursday.

Celtics coach is newest resident at Four Seasons

The Boston Globe reports today that Celtics head coach Doc Rivers has purchased a penthouse condominium at The Four Seasons Hotel for $2.2 million. Rivers previously rented an apartment at The Mandarin Oriental.

Sebastian's Cafe to open near Symphony

Sebastian's Cafe will open soon at the Church Park apartment building near Symphony Hall. The 251 Massachusetts Avenue location was formerly occupied by Au Bon Pain which closed suddenly several weeks ago. A sign on the storefront windows indicates that the restaurant will be opening as soon as they can. Sebastian's is a local, family owned business which currently has five other cafes in Boston and Cambridge along with a strong catering operation.

Franklin Park Zoo welcomes twin red pandas

The Franklin Park Zoo announced the birth of twin red pandas reported The Boston Globe yesterday. They should be on view to the general public in October. The birth of the still unnamed pandas is a first for the zoo.

Zoo New England participates in the nationally coordinated Red Panda Species Survival Plan, the zoo said, which is designed to create stable and diverse red panda populations within zoos.

Red pandas are small red-and-white creatures that are not related to giant pandas, the zoo said. They are found in cool bamboo forests in China, the Himalayas, and Myanmar, but their numbers in the wild are depleting.

GaGa Seafood opens in Chinatown

Boston Restaurant Talk reports today that GaGa Seafood Restaurant has opened in the former Pearl Villa spot on Tyler Street in Chinatown.

Fenway Park to host golf fundraiser

The Boston Herald reports that Fenway Park will host an event called “Chipping in for the Red Sox Foundation" on August 29th to help kickoff the Deutsche Bank Championship, to be held at the TPC in Norton August 30th-September 5th. Three raffle winners will be selected for the opportunity to hit a shot from home plate into a spot in outfield for a $50,000 prize. Raffle tickets are $25 and can be purchased at redsox.com/golf.

Provincetown inn to be sold at auction

The Boston Business Journal reports today that the 14-room Beaconlight Guesthouse in Provincetown will be sold at auction this fall after its owner filed for bankruptcy last year.

Built in 1850, The Beaconlight Guesthouse boasts private bathrooms and a roof-top deck as well as proximity to Provincetown’s Commercial Street, a primary restaurant and retail district that borders Provincetown Harbor. The inn is located at 12 Winthrop st. in Provincetown.

Closer to home the Boston Renaissance Waterfront Hotel is going to be sold at auction this month after defaulting on its mortgage.

Moska to open in November

Grubstreet Boston reports today that Patricia Yeo will open Moska in Central Square this November. Moska is envisioned as an izakaya type restaurant serving Asian street food. In the meantime she is running the kitchen at OM in Harvard Square.

Abigail's eyes Friday opening

UrbanDaddy reports today that Abigail's in Kendall Square (291 3rd Street) is set to open this Friday for dinner.

Think of this as your new go-to for those times when a BBQ’d Pork Shoulder with Tobacco Onions sandwich and a cold pint of Nantucket’s own Cisco Whale’s Tale are, for the moment, your key to happiness.

Boston Symphony tickets on sale Monday

Tickets go on sale Monday for the 2011-2012 season of the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Hall. The season opens on September 30th with world famous violinist Anne-Sophie Muter playing the dual role of conductor/soloist in Mozart's 3rd and 5th violin concertos. The conductor/soloist role was a common practice in the 18th century when Mozart's pieces were first performed. The season will feature many of world's most renown conductors and soloists including Yo Yo Ma, Kurt Masur, Charles Dutoit and Emmanuel Ax. The season will conclude with Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in May.

Preconcert talks will be discontinued on Thursday, Saturday, and Tuesday evenings but the popular BSO 101, a free adult education series, will be expanded to included 11 Tuesday and Wednesday sessions. All of the six Friday evening performances will part of the BSO's Underscore Fridays series with 7pm start times and post concert socializing with the artists.

This BSO season will also feature a range of special events and offerings including the popular $20 tickets for patrons under forty years of age.

Tickets will be available at 8am on bso.org, or at 10am by phone or in person at the hall.

Local meals tax brings in much needed revenue

The Boston Globe reports today on the positive financial impact the local meals tax option is having on the cities and towns that have decided to implement it. The local meals tax option was approved by the Legislature in 2009 when the state meals tax was raised from 5% to 6.25%. As part of that change cities and towns were given the option to add an additional .75% to the tax. While many in the restaurant industry, including the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, remain opposed to the extra tax, more than $60 million in additional revenue aided the budgets of 144 cities and towns in the state during the last fiscal year.

In many other communities, the revenue has exceeded expectations. In Somerville, which draws a large number of diners from surrounding towns, quarterly tax revenue jumped from last year despite the persistent economic doldrums.

In Provincetown, which raised $339,000 in its first year, tourism has been strong, easing some restaurant owners’ fears.

Earlier this year the idea of a state wide meals tax holiday was proposed in the Legislature to help bring more revenue to restaurants hit by the tough economic times.

What do you think of the local meals tax option? Would you support a meals tax holiday or is Restaurant Week enough of a stimuls for the industry?

Viability of proposed convention center hotel questioned

The Boston Business Journal questions today whether the Boston market can support a 1000 room headquarters hotel planned as part of the proposed expansion of the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. The article notes the recent default of the nearby 410 room Boston Renaissance Waterfront Hotel in its questioning of the new hotel plan.

And did we mention the MCCA’s projected cost to build its new hotel complex is $680 million, and that it has floated the idea of tapping the state for some $200 million in subsidies to see the project through? The whole thing would potentially run in excess of $600,000 per room key, or twice what it cost to build the Renaissance in 2008, when one could argue that sky-high room and occupancy rates were here to stay. No doubt those metrics will someday rebound, but when?

Whether public financing should be used for the convention center hotel is a question that should be discussed. It should also be noted that one of the reasons for building the hotel is that if there were an increased number of hotel rooms within walking distance of the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC), then the city could actually host more events simultaneously at the Hynes Convention Center in the Back Bay. Currently many of the large conventions taking place at the BCEC take up large blocks of rooms at hotels in the Back Bay meaning that those rooms are not available for for smaller conventions looking to book the Hynes. And as reported earlier this year, bookings are increasing for both the Hynes and the BCEC.

Capital Grill to open new Boston location August 24th

The Capital Grill will open its new location at the Hynes Convention Center on August 24th reports Boston.com today. The 10,000 square foot restaurant, located at the corner of Boylston and Dalton Streets, will have 315 seats, five private dining rooms, patio seating and will require 38 more staff than the Newbury Street location, which stays open until August 20th. The Capital Grill will join Towne Stove and Spirits which opened at the opposite end of the Hynes last year.

Radisson Boston to become upscale property

The Radisson Hotel Boston will be undergoing some big changes over the next several months reports Stuff Magazine recently in its Hot 100 issue. The Radisson's new owners are looking to rebrand the property into a four diamond luxury property.

Early details are sketchy, but supposedly the in-house restaurants (like Rustic Kitchen) will stay, while the Stuart Street Playhouse will get a fabulous face lift. Here's hoping this ho-hum hotel real estate sees a chic new guest check in.

It is good to see a signifcant investment being made in this property, but will another upscale hotel be able to compete in the Boston market?

Mandarin offers Shakespeare on the Common package

The Mandarin Oriental Boston is offering an overnight package in celebration of Commonwealth Shakespeare Company's production of "Alls Well that Ends Well" on the Boston Common running until August 14th. The package includes reserved VIP seating for two people and a picnic basket filled with delicious food prepared by the hotel's restaurant Asana to take to the show. If you book one of the hotel's suites, you will be invited to enjoy a backstage tour prior to the evening’s performance with Commonwealth Shakespeare Company Artistic Director Steven Maler. Rates start from $515. The Mandarin Oriental Boston is the official hotel sponsor of Shakespeare on the Common.

Liverpool FC may play at Fenway soon

The Boston Business Journal reports that it is very likely that the Liverpool Football Club will play a match at Fenway Park in the next several years. Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino and Sox Chief Operationg Officer Sam Kennedy hinted at the event during an event today at Fenway announcing the AdvaMed Conference which is coming to Boston next October. The Red Sox parent company Fenway Sports Group purchased the storied Liverpool Football Club last year and Fenway Park hosted a soccer match last July between Celtic and Sporting.

Boston to host major medical device conference next year

Boston.com reports that Boston will host the American Medical Technology Association's AdvaMed 2012 conference. The Boston gathering, which could draw up to 2500 attendees to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center from October 1st-3rd, will mark the first time the group has met outside of Washington, D.C. The American Medical Technology Association is the world's largest medical device trade group. Boston will also host the Biotechnology Industry Organization next June, which could attract up to 20,000 attendees.

Journeyman to reopen this Thursday

GrubStreet Boston reports today that Union Square restaurant Journeyman will re-open this Thursday for dinner. Journeyman has been closed since a car crashed into the restaurant in June.

Grillo's Pickles will soon be available at Fenway Park

Grillo's Pickles tweeted yesterday that its famous pickles will soon be sold on a stick at Fenway Park. Founded in 2008 by Travis Grillo, Grillo's Pickles are now sold at a cart outside the Park Street T station, the South End Open Market, 48 Whole Foods Markets, select Stop & Shop stores, and other retail outlets. The Roxy's Grilled Cheese Truck and Clover Food Truck also use Grillo's Pickles in their products.

Name suggestions sought for soon to open roof deck at Jerry Remy's

Jerry Remy's Grill tweets today that the Fenway restaurant's roof deck should be ready to open in three weeks. They are seeking help from the public to name the roof deck. Remy's request for names for the roof deck is similar to Jason Santo's public appeal for help in naming his new downtown restaurant, Blue Inc.

Rennaissance Boston to be sold at auction

The Rennaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel is to be sold later this month at an auction after its ownership defaulted on the hotel's mortage in early July reports The Boston Business Journal today. The 410 room hotel, which opened in 2008, is operated by Marriott.

According to the public auction notice, the property’s mortgage matured July 5 and is officially in default. The notice did not identify the creditor forcing the foreclosure auction, although it did say the sale was being held to “enforce the rights” of the property’s mezzanine lender concerning a debt originated Dec. 28, 2007.

Franklin Cafe honored by Playboy

The Franklin Cafe was recently named one of America's Great Late Night Bars by Playboy Magazine. The magazine is right on about the excellent food till 1:30am and drinks until 2, but I'm not sure if I've ever heard anyone there discussing the Babe Ruth trade. The article mentions only the South End location but there are also locations in South Boston and Gloucester. Franklin's owners are also behind Citizen Public House & Oyster Bar and Tasty Burger in the Fenway.

Ben & Jerry's Scoop Truck now in Boston

The Ben & Jerry's Scoop Truck is now in Boston, giving away free ice cream at different locations every day until August 28th. The locations will be determined by people's tweets about where they want the truck to come. The truck's Twitter handle is @BenJerrysTruck . It has been to Emmnauel College and Boston University during its first day in Boston. Tomorrow it will appear with @BostonTweet.

The Scoop Truck is looking to appear at community events and non profits all over the city as they have recently done in Miami and New York City. Flavors to be given away include: Late Night Snack inspired by Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (Vanilla bean ice cream, a salty caramel swirl & fudge covered potato chip clusters), Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (Vanilla ice cream with gobs of chocolate chip cookie dough), Stephen Colbert’s AmeriCone Dream (Vanilla ice cream with fudge covered waffle cone pieces & a caramel swirl) and Bonnaroo Buzz (Light coffee & malt ice creams with whiskey caramel swirls & English toffee pieces). All the flavors being given away contain Fair Trade Certified ® ingredients such as vanilla, cocoa and coffee.