Daniela: Into the City We Go

Daniela ImageHey everyone! As a new COM Ambassador, this is my first blog, and let me just say I’m so excited for this semester. It’s only been two weeks, and already my schedule is crazy hectic. As much as I love everything I’m a part of, taking a break every once in a while can do wonders to your mindset.

Boston is one of my favorite cities in the world. I grew up in the suburbs, and even though I had Miami and Fort Lauderdale nearby, it’s not the same as actually living in a city. When I came to BU, I told myself I was going to take full advantage of what the city had to offer me, everything from concerts to internships. Sometimes though, it’s difficult to find those precious free moments. These past couple of weeks have definitely been like that. So yesterday, after a long weekend of work and studying, I decided to put everything on hold and enjoy a stress-free night.

Last night, a couple of my friends and I went into the city to watch a movie. Instead of just walking to the Fenway Regal, we took the T downtown to the AMC Loews Theatre by Boston Common. I had never been there before, but I liked it immediately. It was a huge theater, practically empty since it was a Sunday night. The walls were decorated with classic movie posters and large black and white photographs. I looked up to find famous quotes beautifully inscribed on the ceiling. We bought our tickets for Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, which I was dying to see after reading the books. We got some ice cream and made friends with the people who worked there, which got us about four extra scoops each!

When the movie ended, it was too late to take the T back. So we walked. There’s something really beautiful about a quiet city in the middle of the night. The chilly air kept our legs moving as our voices echoed in the silent streets. We passed by the Fairmont Copley Plaza and stopped outside the entrance. It was built in 1912, one hundred years ago. We admired the huge golden lions that guard the hotel and decided at once to go in and explore. It’s a beautiful building. Golden lights flood the hallways and the lobby. Everything was polished and classy. We walked around slowly, talking in hushed voices, completely in awe. As we were making our way out, one of the managers came out and politely inquired what exactly we were doing. We told him we had never been inside and were just about to leave. We were then subtly escorted back outside, in the classiest manner possible. We burst out laughing as we walked away, all agreeing that was probably the nicest, most sophisticated way we’ve ever been kicked out of a building.

We kept walking through the streets, until we turned onto Newbury and then finally Commonwealth Avenue. We talked about our happiest memories, and I thought in the back of my mind that this night would have to be added to my list.

I feel very lucky to have such simple opportunities like this. Life moves so fast; it’s easy to get swept away. In everything I do, I’m always looking ahead. But it’s nights like those that remind me how important it is to look around.

So work hard and get involved as much as you can in the BU community. I know I wouldn’t have my schedule any other way. But if you ever need to relax or clear your mind, take a walk around and explore. It might just be exactly what you need.

Alexa: All About Boston Restaurants

Alexa ImageHey everyone! Boston is such a great place for so many things! We have awesome sports teams, great sightseeing places and incredible food! The dining halls here are great, especially at West campus where I eat frequently, however it’s always nice to go out to eat once in a while.

Roast Beast is located at 1080 Commonwealth Avenue and it’s delicious.  No seriously. This place specializes in both roast beef and turkey sandwiches.  It’s a charming little hole in the wall with a really friendly staff. They can make your order any way you can imagine. I personally order a regular roast beef on onion bread with house barbecue on the side and a bottled cream soda to take it down.  For anyone who is up to a challenge Roast Beast offers the “Thermonuclear Challenge” The task is eating a sandwich with a fiery sauce that has hot peppers in just five minutes. While this may seem like no big deal, I have witnessed this challenge and it is crazy. People cry. However if you win, you’re meal is free and you get a free t-shirt! This place is definitely a must try and if you say Alexa sent you, they’ll… ok they won’t do anything special except for probably comment on how frequent of a visitor I am. But seriously go!

Another great place is called Bottega Florentina. This is an Italian eatery that specializes in many Italian cuisines, especially pasta. There are two locations, one on Newbury Street and the one I usually visit at Coolidge Corner in Brookline. On Tuesdays you can get any type of pasta with any type of sauce imaginable for only five dollars! I usually stick to the classic spaghetti with meat sauce but they have so many delicious options. Like Roast Beast, this place isn’t huge so service is very quick and pleasant and with every order you get fresh, homemade bread. Trust me this place will redefine all your expectations of pasta.

I promise the rest of my blogs will be more about my activities ie. (BUTV, COMlife, Intermural Basketball…) but for now I think it’s worthwhile to know some of the great food establishments that surround BU! Until next time…

Tom: First Summer in Boston

Tom Schrank
Tom Schrank

Hey all! Hopefully your summers are turning out for the best and you are getting excited for your first semester at Boston University in the fall. I remember last summer I was both excited and a little bit scared for my first college semester. But now, looking back, I can’t understand why I was ever nervous as my first year exceeded all of my expectations.

Now for the summer after my first year of college, I made the decision to spend most of it in the city of Boston, working in the COM Student Services office. I went back to Long Island for a month and a half to meet up with my friends from back home, but after that time I was ready to come back to Boston. However, summer on Long Island turned out to be better than I expected. I made an eight day trip with my three best friends to the sunny state of Florida and got to relive my childhood in Disney World. In addition to that, I spent much of my time (maybe a little too much of my time) on the Long Island beaches. Now after a month and a half, I’ve been told I look like Snooki’s cousin. Not sure if I should take that as an insult, but hey, at least my tan is natural… and thankfully not orange.

Now that I’m back in Boston, I’m excited to try out some of Boston’s summer events that you can’t normally experience during the fall and spring semester here. I spend a lot of my time taking walks exploring Boston, although sometimes the heat makes this a little overbearing. Students also have FitRec access during the summer, so I’ve been going to the gym throughout the summer as well. Boston is also in the vicinity of Revere Beach, so I can even get my beachtime while here in Boston. Most of the time, I’ve spent checking out some of Boston’s restaurants, especially in Coolidge Corner, which is right near my apartment. Some of my personal favorites are U-Grill (located right on campus), Angora Café (great frozen yogurt and wraps), Zaftigs (for the best omelets), and Fugakyu (for some authentic Japanese cuisine).

Summer in Boston is definitely new for me, but I would definitely recommend trying it out over the next few years you’ll be spending in Boston. Take some classes, get an internship or a job, or just come by the city for a weekend if you can’t manage to stay. Boston is a great city and most students miss out on the opportunities located outside the classroom.

Kate: Boston Summer Bucket List

Kate Scott
Kate Scott

It’s summertime, and while most of my friends from BU and high school have returned home, I am still in Boston enjoying this amazing city in warm weather (when you actually want to get out and see it)! I am still working at COM (stop in and say hello when you get here for orientation!) and am also a New Media intern for TalentCulture, a company that focuses on the world of work through blogging and social media.  It has been a fantastic experience so far and I am learning a ton! But I live by the motto “Work hard, play hard” so I made myself a Bucket List of Boston activities to do this summer! Here we go:

1.     Go to the beach. If you’re from a landlocked state, you will understand how excited I was to finally live closer than 10 hours from the ocean.  Castle Island, the Harbor Islands, and the North Shore have all been recommended to me and I am determined to hit the beach as many times as possible this summer.

2.     Buy fresh fruit and vegetables from a Farmer’s Market. There are a TON of markets all around Boston with fresh fruit, veggies, fish, cheese, bread, and all the noms you could want.  There is a HUGE one down near the North End that I could shop at all day and the SoWa market in the South End every Sunday. Yumm….

3.     Watch a free show in the Common. Free Movie Fridays and Shakespeare in the Park are all highlights of summer.  I’ll see you all at Toy Story 3 at the end of July! J

4.     Pet sharks at the New England Aquarium. Boston has a fantastic aquarium, home to penguins, sting rays, seals, and thousands of fish.  It’s a little expensive but this is a must-see for me this summer.

5.     See the Chihuly Exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts. In case you didn’t know, we go to the best school in Boston- BU pays for its students to go to the MFA for free (that’s a $22 savings)!  Chihuly glass is gorgeous so it should be a fabulous exhibit in addition to all the other awesome art in the MFA.

6.     Hang out on the Greenway. Boston is definitely a busy and crowded city, but there is a great green space downtown called the Rose Kennedy Greenway.  It’s a mile long set of parks with fountains, a carousel, and tons of events every weekend to enjoy! Oh and did I mention free Wi-Fi?  At some point, I will be grabbing a big blanket and heading down there to enjoy the gorgeous weather!

7.     Attend a festival. Boston is home to tons of different ethnic festivals and parades.  While St. Patrick’s Day may have fallen during spring break keeping me from experiencing the Irish heritage, I refuse to miss the Italian celebration in the North End on August 6.  Your fellow COM Ambassador Tom Schrank will be joining me for this one!

8.     See a movie at the Coolidge Corner movie theater. Open since 1933, the Coolidge Corner Theater is a Boston landmark that shows everything from great old black and whites to intriguing indies, even that newly released romantic comedy you’re embarrassed to admit looks good.  Coolidge Corner is only a 15 minute walk from campus so this may be happening more than once this summer.

9.     Walk the Esplanade. The Esplanade is a great area along the Charles River.  It goes right by campus and into downtown.  There are boat houses, river landings to hang out on, and the Hatch Shell where they put on summer concerts.  It should be much nicer now that it is not negative ten degrees outside.

10.  Enjoy a Fenway Frank at a Red Sox game. A Boston classic, I couldn’t go the summer without entering Red Sox nation at least once.  I’ll be decked in my Cardinals gear but hey, at least the colors are the same.

Let me know if there is anything I left off this list, I am looking for tons of fun things to do this summer!  Can’t wait to see you guys this fall- BU is a blast!!

Richie: A Picnic in Boston

Richie Duque
Richie Duque

Hey guys!

Everyone on campus has been super excited since Spring finally decided to come to Boston. I walk around campus and see people playing frisbee, tossing a football around, or just laying out on the grass trying to catch a tan (yes there are some areas with grass on the BU Campus). Well, since my girlfriend was visiting for the week I decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and plan a little picnic in the Boston Common.

We went to a Whole Foods Market and bought some “picnic” food on Saturday. I’m not to sure of the usual “picnic” food, but we did get cheese and crackers, some all-natural sodas, sandwich materials, vegetables for salad, and some raspberry licorice for dessert. Then on Sunday we prepared everything, put it in a backpack, grabbed a blanket from my dorm, and were off. I have to admit the floor was a little wet from some rain earlier in the morning, but the day was beautiful. The sun was out and we had an awesome meal. I even brought my laptop and put a chill Spring-time playlist on my iTunes to accompany the beautiful day.

The Swan Boats were open in the Boston Commons and my girlfriend and I went on a ride around the little lake. Afterwards, we packed everything back up again and walked down Newbury Street. A lot of the shops had prices that scared my wallet away, but my girlfriend managed to find a bunch of awesome sales at the new Forever 21 store.

It was also the day before the Boston Marathon so we got to walk on Boylston Street and see where the finish line would be. People from all over the world were walking around. We were in a sea of different languages.

The day was basically awesome. It took a while for Winter to end but Spring time in Boston is great. I definitely recommend the picnic idea to anyone who hasn’t tried it yet. The only thing I regret was we were missing the big red and white checkered blanket!

Anna: More Music, Please!

More music, please!

Anna
Anna McKeon

Boston may still be looking a little bleak this time of year, but don’t let the snow stop you from warming up with some fantastic music. I recently saw the incredible Joshua Radin at the House of Blues, and made a vow to take advantage of as many upcoming shows as I can….and you should too!

Luckily because prices are always cheaper in the winter and the majority of concerts in Boston are 18+, there are always a ton of amazing and often ignored music options for BU students this time of year. No matter if it’s dubstep, classical, pop, or anything in between, there are a ton of great acts heading this direction in the next couple months.

Here are a few of the shows I’m looking forward to the most, but don’t just take my word for it. Check out some of the venue sites at the bottom of this post and go see your favorite band…or even better someone brand new.

Cut Copy

House of Blues: April 4, 2011

Tickets start at $20.00

A fantastic electro-pop Australian band. Be ready to feel like you’re in the 80’s though…

Iron and Wine

House of Blues: April 19,2011

Tickets start at $25.00

Good folk music and an even better beard. Do you need anything else?

Naked and Famous

Paradise Rock Club: May 2, 2011

Tickets start at $16.50

Awesome New Zealand band who were recently the US iTunes download of the week!

Make sure to check out these links to find a local show you’re into. Summer lineups are even posted now!

House of Blues Boston- www.houseofblues.com/venues/clubvenues/boston/

Paradise Rock Club- www.thedise.com/rockclub

Citi Performing Arts Center- http://www.citicenter.org/events/

The Middle East Restaurant and Night Club- www.mideastclub.com

Boston Symphony Orchestra- www.bso.org

TT the Bear’s Place- www.ttthebears.com