Overtime, 107-102

For all of the love that I have expressed for the Red Sox, I have neglected the other Boston sports teams. Much to my deficit.

On Friday night I saw my first Celtics game at the Garden. It was a nail-biter to the end. The Celtics played the Atlanta Hawks. Gaining – and then losing – a 10 point lead, the Celtics soon found themselves in a shootout that didn't end until overtime. By the end, everyone in the Garden was on their feet, yelling at the tops of their lungs, and when the buzzer finally announced a win for the C’s, I found myself lifted into the air by my neighbor.

Maybe that’s not how all of the games go, but it was a great time. If you haven’t been yet, grab some tickets before the season ends. Even separate from the game, the Garden puts on a heck of a show.

As for the Garden itself, it is one impressive building. Not only does it house a stadium that seats thousands, it sits atop North Station (oh yeah, it accommodates trains, too). As home to both the Celtics and the Boston Bruins, its exterior façade glows team colors on game day. If the building is gold, the Bruins are up; green and it’s the Celtics.

The stadium seating is tall, not so wide – as in, construction went up because there wasn't any room left to go out. But, hey, it’s not like there’s much spare room around that end of the Bean, anyway. Climbing to the top rows feels a lot like it must have for Romans climbing the Coliseum back in its heyday. Which, I can’t lie, piques my interest for Wrestlemania, coming to the Garden this summer.

Til next time!

Mustachioed Monuments -- Part Deux

Tis the return of the mustachioed monuments!

With mustaches being all that these days, it seems fitting to put them where everyone can see them: skyscrapers. And so I dig into the character and history of the structure in question, finding which hirsute hairstyle is most complimentary.

100 Berkeley Street is home to one of the Bean’s oldest tallest buildings (second tallest from 1947-64), the Berkeley Building, aka the Old John Hancock. Though construction was completed in 1947, it is arguably the most prominent art deco building in Boston, making it something special to its two preceding decades.

Running with its art deco styling and the spirit of the Roaring Twenties (the decade that bore and best represented the movement), my search for the perfect ‘stache began with The Great Gatsby. Unfortunately, neither Robert Redford nor Leonardo DiCaprio wears a mustache in either of their movies (1974 and upcoming in 2013, respectively). And F. Scott Fitzgerald himself didn't either, old sport.

Then inspiration struck – not unsurprisingly – in the form of George Clooney. The mustache that best fits the Berkeley Building is the one that George Clooney wore for O Brother Where Art Thou, set in the 1930s.

Til next time!

Lazy Saturday!

Want the perfect way to wake up early(ish) this weekend?

The answer is simple: take a stroll. Step out of the apartment / condo / brownstone / townhouse / househouse that you call home. Head to a favorite coffee shop, grab a cuppa, and get all zen-like on your own two feet. Sip, walk, relax, and enjoy.

Should you need a suggestion on just where to begin, might I recommend entering the Theater District? Yes, even before primetime.

A quick T-ride to the Boylston Street station puts you within walking distance of Thinking Cup, the coffeehouse that has recently been ranked the best in Massachusetts. And, though I haven’t been to all of the coffee shops in the Commonwealth, the title is not undeserved. Walking into Thinking Cup is like entering the Narnia of all things java. Pull back the heavy brown curtain (just past the entrance) and let the visual and aromatic rush redefine morning buzz for you.

I only grabbed a house coffee (which was delicious) and a pastry. The selection was large and varied in both the pastry and coffee departments. Try the maple-bacon-pecan scone to experience amazing.

Now, regarding that stroll, you have two great options – head into the Common or turn down West Street. Coffee in hand, enjoy a good browse around the outdoor bargain books at the Brattle Book Shop (as long as it’s after 9 am). Maybe you’ll stumble upon the post-apocalyptic-biker-space yarn that I almost nabbed this weekend.

And that would have been another buck well-spent.

Til next time!