I'll catch you on the flip side...

Looking for something to do tonight? Or are you looking to see what you missed when you didn't go out last night? Check out The Flip Side.

This is a blog from the Boston Globe Sidekick team. It's a cool little thing that provides info on local Boston events, unique goings-on around town, and it's rounded out with a little humor. I really enjoy this one a lot, so check it out kids.

Warning: Upcoming Celebrity Event!

So as some of you may know, Christina Aguilera is making her way to the Hub and playing a much-anticipated show at the TD Banknorth Garden this Friday night, March 30th. And she's bringing the Pussycat Dolls with her.

If you are a big Christina fan, the official concert after-party is happening at Aria nightclub. You can enter to win a chance to have dinner with Ms. Aguilera in NYC and you get reduced admission with your ticket stub from the concert.

BUT, if you are like me, and you'd rather actually party with the celebrities, the Pussycat Dolls are going to be at Gypsy Bar after the concert on Friday night for their official after-party. Admission is only $10 and according to the invite, the girls we'll be around to meet and greet fans.

Thanks to HeyLetsGo Boston for the head's up!

Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous

So my friends and I, sometimes, revert back to our childhood. We like to play pretend. But this is more of a grown-up game of pretend. You see, if we've recently gotten paid or have something to celebrate, we like to pretend to be rich. We'll go shopping in Copley or get dinner and wine on Newbury. Or, we'll go get drinks at somewhere entirely out of our price range.

Yesterday evening, my friend Chris and I decided to get dressed up and get drinks at the Skybar at the Top of the Hub, located on the 52nd floor of the Prudential Tower. And it was totally worth it.

Sitting in the lounge, drinking top-shelf martinis while looking out at an almost 360 degree view of the city of Boston made me feel like I had all the money in the world to spend. Martinis ran about $11 and other cocktails were $8 or $9, but definitely worth it. I ordered the Purple Rain martini and it may have been the best drink I have ever had.

Now I may not be able to afford $11 martinis everyday, but it's definitely fun to splurge and pretend once in awhile.

Organic Beer

I came across this article from the Boston Phoenix about Peak Organic Brewing Company. Now I've had a lot of different kinds of beer, but I had never heard of such a thing as organic beer. The organic thing is pretty big now, so it makes a lot of sense that there is an organic brewing company out there. Here's a little snippet from the piece:

Put aside for a moment the personal, environmental, and social dimensions of organic food and drink. Think instead about the flavor. One of beer’s strong points is its simplicity: barley, hops, water, yeast. Shouldn’t it follow that those ingredients be as unadulterated as possible? Peak’s hops (from the Midwest, Pacific Northwest, Canada, and New Zealand) and barley are grown entirely without pesticides or chemical fertilizers.

“The most important thing in a beer is the purity of the ingredients,” says Cadoux, who’s been brewing Peak Organic from Portland, Maine, since last spring. “They just really make it pop with flavor. That’s why organic products are doing so well.” (Organic beer sales topped $19 million in 2005, a 40 percent increase.)

Luck 'o the Irish

OK, so I know this is going to seem a little belated, but after hearing my podcast and listening to some of the low points of my St. Patrick's Day, I was pretty excited to find the website I am about to share with you.

On St. Patrick's Day in Boston, if you try to set foot into any establishment with an Irish-sounding name, you are guaranteed endless lines and excessive admission fees. It seems appropriate that one would want to spend St. Patrick's Day in one of Boston's many fantastic Irish pubs. However, I think that all these places are equally as fun any other time of the year.

In my searching, I found this site. BostonIrishPubs.com lists any and every Irish establishment in the greater Boston area. I could think of at least 7 or 8 pubs off the top of my head, but this site lists 30 or 40 others that I hadn't even heard of!

So, if you are still seeing green and haven't fully finished your St. Patty's Day celebrating, check out this site. But, don't be too jealous of the fact that in less than two months, I will be floating from pub to pub...in Ireland.

Show me your Shamrocks!

Hello all! So, after spending, oh, the past four or five days recovering from St. Patrick's Day, I'm finally back in action! Instead of writing a big, long post about what I did to celebrate the holiday, I've put together a podcast! For my ramblings and rantings on St. Patrick's Day in Boston, check this out...

Spring Break Photos!

Ok I said I would be back with some pictures from my trip and here they are:

This is a picture of the Bacardi Distillary off the coast of Old San Juan.

Some of my friends and I posing by the wall of Bacardi Superior bottles. These bottles are actually there, I did not photoshop them in!

A view from one of the historic forts in Old San Juan. There are two forts on opposite ends of the city, both with amazing views overlooking the water.

Beautiful cemetery on the edge of the city overlooking the water.

Waterfall at the base of the El Yunque rain forest. We swam in it after our 4 hour hike to the peak of the rain forest and back.

My entire spring break group after we had reached the top of the rain forest. Definitely the highlight of our trip for me.


Beach that our hotel was located on.

But alas, now I am back in Boston and it's snowing :-( I'll get back to some real updates very soon!

La Isla Bonita

Hello hello! I have made it back from Puerto Rico pretty much the same way I left, only with a little bit weaker of an immune system, a slight tan, and a few bruises that I honestly don't remember acquiring.

Since I have to do everything in excess, I spent 10 glorious in a beach-side condo in beautiful San Juan, Puerto Rico. I couldn't have asked for a better spring break.

I went to San Juan last year for spring break with four friends and stayed in the same condo complex. We had so much fun, that we decided to go back this year. Two of my best friends who I went with last year and I left on March 3rd and met up with my other roommate and her boyfriend who were staying with us at the complex, but in a different condo.

We also had a whole slew of visitors lined up for our extended stay. Two of our NU friends who were staying in Ponce came down to spend a night with us. One of our other friends who transferred out of NU came to stay with us for five nights. Also, my best friend from home in Connecticut (who also knows all of my Boston friends) came down with one of HER friends for a long weekend. It was like a new vacation started every time we had a new visitor!

The whole vacation was pretty much a whirlwind. We spent our time lounging on the beach, frolicking in the ocean, relaxing on our balcony, playing poolside bingo against retirees, touring the Bacardi factory, riding banana boats, exploring old San Juan and the historic forts, singing karaoke with the locals, hiking to the top of the El Yunque rain forest and swimming in waterfalls. All that, in addition to mid-day tiki bar excursions, pina coladas by the pool, pitchers of sangria and plantains every night, and drinking more rum than I ever thought imaginable. And that's only the PG-rated stuff my friends.

Let's just say that I'm still not adjusted to being back in the states and we're already talking about what we're going to do when we go back. And I probably won't be able to drink another rum and coke until then.

P.S. - Pictures to follow in a later post!

I really wish I could be around to see this...

So the one Friday night when I definitely can't go out, I stumble upon an event that I would die to see. Well, not really, but this will prove to be highly entertaining I'm sure.

So one of today's most popular events on HeyLet'sGoBoston is "WeeMan Rides the Bull." For those of you who are not familiar with WeeMan, he is one the skateboarding "Little person" of MTV's Jackass fame. And apparently he is going to be riding the mechanical bull at The Liquor Store tonight and judging the bull riding contest.

I've been DYING to go to this bar and ride the bull. Not so unfortunately, I will be spending the next at least 12 hours preparing to get on a place tomorrow morning to spend 9 wonderful, glorious days in San Juan, Puerto Rico. That being said, I will be back with an Island-themed update on March 13th. Happy Spring Break everyone!!!