Blast Magazine» new years

The single girl’s guide to New Year’s Eve

Patricia Leavy — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:44:59 +0000

Sometimes people use New Year’s Eve as a barometer to measure how well their life is going: Big plans equals a big life. Over-bloated expectations can make this a tough holiday, especially when you’re single. It is impossible to escape the questions that highlight great expectations others have for your “big night.” And on top of it all, if you’re single there’s the dreaded tradition of someone to kiss at midnight.

There are two typical ways single gals may deal with the New Year’s Eve pressure-cooker: avoiding it or faking it. But there’s no reason to crawl under the covers or to slap on a make-believe happy face and stay out until all hours. Here are my top tips for single women looking to genuinely enjoy New Year’s Eve, either with your single friends or on your own.

If you have some other single gal-pals this is a great opportunity to spend some time with them. Use New Year’s as an excuse to capitalize on the importance of strong female friendships and to celebrate the women in your life.

Have a girlfriend get-together at your place.

If you’re with your friends I recommend avoiding the bar or club scene. It’s a high-pressure night and you’re likely to feel like it’s all about forced-fun, flirting with anyone around, and potentially hooking-up with someone you would avoid on a “normal” day. Instead, grab your girlfriends and stay in.

Host a finger food party.

Have each guest bring an appetizer and a bite-size dessert. These fun foods can be passed around all night or set up on a buffet. You can munch throughout the evening as you talk, drink and laugh. This will be less work than serving a traditional dinner and a lot more fun.

Have a classic movie marathon.

Pick up a set of classic mysteries (like Hitchcock) or have a horror film festival. Avoid anything sappy, like dramas and romantic comedies. Pop a few batches of popcorn (you can add fun flavors to them to make it more festive) and ask each of your friends to bring a bag of their favorite fun-size candies/chocolates. Create a little movie buffet, sit down and have some fun. Incidentally, this movie night can just as easily be adapted for one. Don’t skimp on yourself—do up the popcorn and candy and see some of the movies that have always been on your “list.”

Make your own spa night.

Stop at your local beauty supply store and splurge on some relaxing spa treatments: bubble bath, a body exfoliator, a face mask and some luxurious lotion. Follow-up with a do-it-yourself manicure and pedicure in a cheerful color that embraces the day.

Don’t forget, in life you need to take care of yourself first so kick off the New Year celebrating the most important person in your life – YOU – and get ready for your best year yet!

Where to celebrate New Year’s Eve 2011 in the Hub

Shannon O'Neill — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 02:52:06 +0000

You can ring in the new year with this hottie at Revolution Rock Bar's NYE 2011 burlesque celebration

Let’s face it: It’s pretty lame to spend New Year’s Eve in PJs watching a disco ball drop on TV at some cool celebration you’re not at. Even though 2011 is only days away, it’s not too late to make plans for a night on the town. Blast has put together a list of our top five spots to ring in the new year, each offering a unique NYE experience. Cheers!

A red carpet celebration

Calderwood Pavilion

Guys, dust off that tux and ladies grab that dress you’ve been waiting for an excuse to wear and attend the ultimate NYE celebration, which just so happens to be the official NYE event of Blast Magazine! The James Bond-themed event, hosted by Miss Massachusetts 2010 Lacey Wilson and Miss Maine 2010 Katie Whittier, will feature a red carpet entrance, professional photographers and videographers, live music and DJ entertainment, party favors, complimentary appetizers from 10 to 11 p.m. and prizes awarded to the best dressed party-goers!

Where: Calderwood Pavilion, 527 Tremont St., Boston

When: 9:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Tickets: $85 for general admission, $140 for VIP, VIP table for five $999. A portion of the profits will benefit The Home For Little Wanderers charity. For tickets and more information, go here. 21+ event

A sexy, scandalous soirée

Revolution Rock Bar

Enter 2011 with some va-va-voom! The world-famous burlesque group, Ivan Kane’s Forty Deuce, wants to celebrate the new year with you! Enjoy the sultry and scantily-clad ladies’ performances along with complimentary appetizers, a champagne toast and party favors.

Where: Revolution Rock Bar, 200 High St., Boston

When: 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Tickets: $60. More information and tickets available here. VIP tickets also available. 21+ event

A soulful and stylish night

The Beehive

This hip spot, known for its live jazz, old school-style cocktails and fabulous food, just might be the coolest place to ring in the new year. Choose from over 69 champagnes to fill your glass, nosh on a buffet of hors d’oeuvres and desserts and feast your eyes on shimmying belly dancers while listening to live funk music.

Where: The Beehive, Boston Center for the Arts, 541 Tremont St., Boston

When: 9 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.

Tickets: $65 without food, $95 with food. Cash bar. For tickets and more information, go here or call 617-423-0069. 21+ event

A casual, inexpensive experience

Kings Lounge

Tuck that cash back in your wallet and enjoy a cover-free evening at Kings’ Back Bay and Dedham locations. There will be bowling, music, party favors and a menu available all night long. Looking to add a little romance? Then order from the three-course pre fixe menu, complete with a champagne toast, for $45 per person.

Where: Kings Back Bay, 50 Dalton St., Boston and Kings Dedham, 600 Legacy Place, Dedham

When: Doors open at 8 p.m.

Tickets: None needed; no cover charge.

For more information, go to KingsBackBay.com or KingsDedham.com or call 617-266-2695 (Back Bay) or 781-329-6000 (Dedham). 21+ event

A high-energy, club-atmosphere

The Estate

Dance your way into the new year with music from award-winning DJ Buddy Costa at this swanky, celebrity-studded night spot. Get party favors and join in a champagne toast with all the other hot, young partiers you’ve been grinding against all night!

Where: The Estate, One Boylston Place, Boston

When: Doors open at 10 p.m.

Tickets: $75, $60 in advance. For tickets and more information, go here or call 617-351-7000. 21+ event

Sam Adams to release limited edition champagne-like beer

Shannon O'Neill — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 22:21:15 +0000

Bostonians and beer enthusiasts alike already know that Samuel Adams beer is delicious, but it doesn’t hurt that the beer masters at the world’s oldest brewery think so, too. In early December, Infinium ale, the product of a two-year partnership between Germany’s Weihenstephan Brewery and the makers of Samuel Adams, Boston Beer Co., will be available for sale in the United States.

Jim Koch, the founder of Boston Beer Co., told the “Boston Globe” that Infinium’s taste is “sort of in between a champagne, a dessert wine, and maybe a Sam Adams Noble Pils.” He added, “You get some of the body and mouthfeel of a beer, some of the hop character of a beer, but it’s very dry and acidic without being thin.”

The ale is golden and bubbly and has notes of pear, apple, peach, and apricot, but don’t be fooled by the fruit or the fancy bottle — Infinium contains 10.3 percent alcohol, which is more than twice as much as the typical American beer.

So you can forget Miller High Life, as Infinium just might take its place as the “champagne of beers,” and it could just as easily take the place of your glass of bubbly on New Year’s Eve. But you’d better start hoarding cases the moment it hits shelves this December, because Jim Koch told the “Boston Globe” that he expects liquor stores to be sold out of Infinium by New Year’s Day. Cheers!

The 750-milliliter bottles of Infinium will be sold for $19.99.

Resolve to refresh your active lifestyle in 2008

Blast Magazine Newsroom — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 07:00:09 +0000

(ARA) — New Year’s resolution time is here. Many of us focus on the new diet or exercise regimen that we promise ourselves we’ll stick to â€¦ until the first business trip or unexpected family crisis throws our routine out the window. This year, instead of trying to fulfill an unrealistic New Years declaration, resolve to refresh your active lifestyle on your terms, doing activities that are fun and fit into your already busy schedule.

Lack of time is the biggest challenge to achieving fitness goals, according to a recent poll by IDEA, the world’s leading organization of health and fitness professionals. The organization recently polled more than 1,500 of its members to identify the top challenges that keep us from sticking to our fitness resolutions, as well as what is on the fitness horizon for 2008. More than 60 percent of those polled cited a lack of time.

“Exercise is fun when you find a fitness routine that you enjoy and fits into your lifestyle,” says Jake Steinfeld of CEO Body by Jake and Founder of ExerciseTV. “Burning calories, feeling great and looking great on your terms — now that sounds like a plan!”

Consider one of the following to refresh your active lifestyle in 2008; who knows, you just might have fun in the process:

Downward Dog — Relieve stress and burn some calories through yoga or Pilates. Classes are usually smaller than group fitness classes and are a great option for people looking to ease back into a wellness routine. According to the survey, fitness experts predict these activities will see the most growth in 2008. Calories burned in yoga or Pilates exercises: 230-250 calories per hour.

Drop and Give Me 20! — Already a popular group activity, fitness boot camps are expected to continue to grow in popularity. These classes offer nontraditional, in-your-face fitness instruction, hold participants accountable for proper nutrition and deliver noticeable results in as little as 30 days. If you enjoy being outdoors, this could be just the activity for you. Calories burned: 300 per hour or more.

Bring Sexy Back — Dance continues its resurgence as a way to burn some calories in 2008. Fitness professionals surveyed are talking about Zumba, a fusion of Latin and international music combined with unique moves that is based on the principle that a workout should be fun and easy. If you’re looking to unleash the exotic "diva" in you, consider signing up for a fitness pole dancing class. These classes not only get you in shape, but also are known to be great self-esteem boosters. Calories burned: 280-400 per hour, depending upon your "boogie level."

Get Personal — While it’s definitely an obvious recommendation (82 percent of the fitness professionals surveyed recommended), engaging a personal trainer might be worth another look. Personal training provides a one-on-one, customized experience tailored to your individual fitness abilities and goals in a manner that is convenient for you. So, if you hate to use weights, a trainer can develop a program using resistance bands to achieve the same goals. Smaller, more personal facilities are springing up around the U.S., and many personal trainers are willing to come to you — whether at work over the lunch hour, to your home on weekends or to the local neighborhood park. Calories burned: varies with exercise.

More, More More — There are many ways to burn a few extra calories staring us in the face everyday, all that’s needed is to take advantage of the opportunities. Some of the most popular activities to stay active away from the gym that are recommended by fitness professionals to their clients include:

Taking the stairs — Resolve to walk up three flights or less instead of taking the elevator. Calories burned: 10 per flight.
Walking at lunch — Commit to a quick 20-minute power walk three days a week. Calories burned: 80 calories per walk.
Playing with your kids — A quick game of tag can elevate the heart rate and just may sharpen your reflexes. Calories burned: 115 per hour.
Gardening — Putting a bit more "elbow grease" into pulling weeds and planting flowers may have extra benefits in the long run. Calories burned: 230 per hour.

So take some simple, positive steps toward a health lifestyle, like eating right and pursuing fun exercise. Remember, weight loss requires a reduced calories diet and regular exercise. Make a New Year’s commitment to a fitter you.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Hit up the Beehive, Boston’s hottest spot, for New Years Eve

Blast Magazine Newsroom — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 02:05:27 +0000

Come celebrate 2008 in style at The Beehive’s first annual New Years Eve celebration. The Beehive is offering an extravagant night of bohemian decadence and eccentric fun. Spend your New Year’s Eve exploring your senses as you take in the wonder of a Parisian Burlesque show and dance the night away to the live Latin sounds of Grupo Fantasia, a seven piece Salsa band.

Executive Chef Rebecca Newell will feature passed plates of gypsy fare and desserts (including chocolate fountains and a cotton candy machine) throughout the evening with influences from Europe, the Mediterranean and good ol’ Americana, all served in a cocktail setting. Continue your celebration and toast the evening with The Beehive’s list of over 25 Champagnes!

The event Begins at: 9:30 p.m. and runs until 2:30 a.m. Cost is $95.00 per person plus cash bar. Tickets/Reservations are available by calling the Beehive at 617.423.0069.

Quick hits:

Where: The Beehive, 541 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02116

When: Monday, December 31, 9 p.m. — 2:30 a.m.

Cost: $95.00 Reservations/Ticketing Available by logging on to: beehiveboston.com

About:

The Beehive or "La Ruche" — was an early 20th-century artists’ colony in Paris where the likes of Matisse and Chagall worked and made merry. Today The Beehive is an underground Bohemian bistro featuring amazing cuisine, libations, artwork and live music nightly. Nestled below the Boston Center for the Art’s historic Cyclorama in Boston’s South End, The Beehive serves the eclectic fare of Chef Rebecca Newell, rustic comfort foods infused with American, European, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern influences. Open for dinner 5:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. seven days a week, and with cocktails and live entertainment available nightly until 2:00 am.