The 1985 Men's Division of the Boston Marathon
Geoff Smith was walking at the end. And the second-place finisher was still out of sight when Smith crossed the finish line.
David Vendetti, South Boston Yoga
If you had told us a few years ago that one day we'd be scrambling to get to a yoga studio in Southie, we'd have thought you were nuts. Yet here we ar—and it's all a testament to David Vendetti. After his flowing, challenging class, we're sore but ready to take on the world, and looking forward to meeting him on the mat again. 36 W. Broadway, South Boston, MA southbostonyoga.net.
Ralph Memolo, Boston Redevelopment Authority
Same garage, Ralph, same floor. We'll be the one wearing the fake nose.
Cosmo Macer Jr., <em>Boston Herald</em>
An old-fashioned newshound with a tattoo of two Colt 45s on his forearm and a penchant for chewing tobacco in the newsroom, Macero has been at the forefront of just about every major sports-business story in town. He spent weeks throwing cold water all over the Pats' threatened move to Hartford, then broke the story behind Kraft's return. He's also been all over the Fenway deal, breaking the news that the Sox have more in mind than building just a ballpark—think mallpark—and that they probably want as much as $200 million of our tax dollars to do it.
Eileen McNamara, <em>Boston Globe</em>
She had no qualms writing a column criticizing disgraced fellow Metro writer Patricia Smith by name. But when the Globe's Steve Bailey tried to write a column criticizing McNamara by name, she complained to her bosses and voila—her name was removed from the column before the paper went to press.
The Boston Ballet's production of <em>Romeo and Juliet</em>
Club Hollywood Boston at Ekco Lounge
Butches and femmes hoist their bottles together here on Saturday nights, when this Chinatown karaoke lounge and dance club becomes the closest thing lesbians have to a downtown clubhouse. Two levels of dance floors offer ample space for the mostly young and urban crowd to get down to electro, house, and hip-hop. Once a month, grrls slip on suits and fedoras (and boys and butches, dresses) for "drag karaoke." 41 Essex St., Boston, MA .
The Boston franchise of Hard Rock Café
We were tired of it before it opened. 131 Clarendon St., Boston, MA .
<em>The Housing Project</em>, at the Boston Shakespeare Company
Choreographer Yoshiko Chuma presented one of the best constructions of the year.
Russell Tardanico's Rescue of the North End's So-Called Mini-Hamm Building From the Clutches of an Office Condo Developer Earlier This Year
<p>The neighbors were jubilant. However, shortly before Tardanico was scheduled to open his glass business on the Commercial Street property, the Boston Herald reported that the 42-year-old Milton resident had been convicted in 1970 of torching his fire-salvage company for the insurance money. After receiving a suspended sentence and probation, Tardanico moved his company, the Boston Fire Patrol, to Adams Street in Dorchester, where it reportedly burned three times before closing down for good. In 1982 the Suffolk County district attorney's office was said to have looked into a series of suspicious fires on properties owned by Tardanico, but no charges were brought.</p> <p>Oh yes, the broker who handled the sale of the North End building to Tardanico: Joanne Prevost Ansalone, former head of the Boston Licensing Board under Kevin White, and the wife of Theodore Anzalone, White's chief fund-raiser.</p>
Matt Damon in the Back Bay
Greater Boston’s favorite sons, Matt Damon and Casey Affleck, made quite a scene in late March while in town shooting their upcoming Apple TV+ heist flick, The Instigators. Filming took over North End landmark Bova’s Bakery and the firehouse on Hanover Street, with crowds of oglers waiting to catch a glimpse of Massachusetts royalty. It was outside the Public Garden, though, that two Boston staffers randomly happened upon Damon — clad in a Boston Fire Department hat, naturally — and snagged a requisite selfie.
Mighty Mighty BossTones
Ska may come and ska may go, but the BossTones are forever. Going on 20 years, the band is forcing listeners to again Pay Attention with a best selling new studio release. Notwithstanding some catchy hooks, the album features a more melodic side of the plaid-bedecked eight-some, or, as frontman Dicky Barrett says, songs that are "thought out, not just half-assed." Get your tix for the Throwdown now! bosstones.com.
Dropkick Murphys at Fenway Park
With our beloved ballpark’s 37,000-plus seats empty during prime baseball season this spring, what did Boston’s other hometown team, the Dropkick Murphys, do? They descended on the diamond to play a show, Streaming Outta Fenway, to raise money and spirits. The rocking two-hour set, which featured remote appearances from Bruce Springsteen and Fenway organist Josh Kantor, attracted more than 9 million viewers worldwide—and collected more than $700,000 for organizations such as Boston Resiliency Fund, Feeding America, and Habitat for Humanity in the process. dropkickmurphys.com.
Frugal Bookstore
The pandemic deeply challenged the future of Boston’s foremost Black-owned bookstore, with owners Leonard Egerton and Clarrissa Cropper holding online fundraisers to maintain not only their business focused on Black authors and subjects, but also their mission to encourage literacy in kids and adults. We’re so thankful they’ve managed to persevere: After all, where else would we find a wide range of children’s literature, Afrofuturistic sci-fi, memoirs, and local and national history, all lovingly curated by two people who grew up in Boston? 57 Warren St., Roxbury, MA 02119, frugalbookstore.net.
Software Tool & Die, Boston On-Line, http://www.std.com/NE/boston.html
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