365 Things to Do in Boston - New Tips Daily

If you're a fan of sketch comedy and improv, go to The Improv Asylum. If you've never seen an improv show, and have no idea what it's like, go to the Improv Asylum.  Trust us on this.  Described as a cross between Whose Line is it Anyway and Saturday Night Live, Improv Asylum is one of the "funnest" ways to spend a night in Boston.

Right in the North End on Hanover Street (grab dinner before at one of the great neighboring restaurants), it's open Tuesday through Sunday with regular recurring shows (though never the same show twice since it's improv) and some occasional specials like "You're a God Man, Scott Brown".  The actors encourage audience suggestions and create scenes based on those suggestions, leading to some wacky and hilarious skits. It's never the same twice!

To see their full schedule check out this link.

It might not say so on the calendar yet, but for us it's officially summer when the farmers markets open here in Boston! Take a little stroll during your lunch break and check out the Copley Square Farmers Market today.   It runs every Tuesday and Friday throughout the summer and fall (until Nov 23) from 11am to 6pm.

Grab some baked goods, fresh veggies and fruit, flowers....you name it. See the complete vendor list here to see what you can get.  Plus on another beautiful day, just go out, bask in the sun, people watch, and support our local farmers!

If you miss Copley Farmers Market you can hit up Boston/Prudential Center Farmers Market at 800 Boylston Street on Thursdays starting at 11am-6pm.  From Dorchester to City Hall, there are several farmer's markets throughout Boston, one every day. To find a farmers market closer to you, you can always check out Mass Farmers Markets website.

It's Thursday, sunny and 75 degrees, so I'm thinking a few cold drinks outside after work could really hit the spot.  There's nothing better than visiting one of Boston's roof deck bars to ease out of the workday.  Although there's not a lot of them in Boston, there's a roof top bar for everyone, from lounge, to pool, to Red Sox, here you go:

Splash Ultra Lounge:  A tropical twist with covered cabanas, lounge chairs, and even a fountain, the feel is more Miami than Boston but it can be a nice change of pace from the usual around here.
150 Kneeland St., Leather District

Atlantic Beer Garden: With a great beer list and amazing views of the Boston skyline and Harbor, it's the place to be if you like seeing the action on the water.
146 Seaport Blvd., Seaport

The Baseball Tavern: Great, high energy bar, especially during a game - and the Sox are playing tonight!  The roof deck has a mini version of the Green Monster, or just gaze over at the real one a block away!
1270 Boylston St., Fenway

Rattlesnake Bar: Popular since the early 90's, and smack dab in the middle of all the "tall" buildings on Boylston St., you'll get a unique perspective of the city up here.  Plus the food from Poe's Kitchen downstairs is top notch.
384 Boylston St., Back Bay

Market: Just steps from Faneuil Hall Marketplace, and a quick walk from the financial district, Market is popular after work material.
21 Broad St., Financial District

Ristorante Fiore: Think Italian patio cafe brought up to a Boston roof deck. This hot spot serves up great Italian food and cocktails right over Hanover Street.
250 Hanover St., North End

Bonus pick (since it's not opening for the season until May 28th, you'll have to wait a week or so to check this one out):

Colonnade Hotel: Voted the Best U.S. Hotel Pool Bar in 2008 by MSNBC.com, the roof deck pool at the Colonnade doesn't come cheap with a $30 entry fee, but it makes up for it with the views and relaxation potential by the pool.
120 Huntington Ave, Back Bay

Let us know, what's your favorite roof deck bar?

Thanks to a suggestion by Heather Zengilowski on the discussion page, get yourself over to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum!

If you haven't been to the Museum, you really need to indulge yourself and visit.

History. Music.  Amazing works of art, not to mention the building itself! This isn't your ordinary art museum, folks.

There's even a mystery involved! Known as one of the largest art thefts in history, in 1990, two people dressed as guards, broke into the museum, and stole a total of 13 paintings, and to this day...wait for it....the paintings have never been found. For the past 20 years their frames have remained empty as placeholders awaiting the artwork's return.

ISGM also hosts "After Hours" night every third Thursday from 5:30pm to 9:30pm.  Next one is tomorrow night.  Enjoy drinks while you sit in the courtyard garden and peruse the museum afterward. Jazz on the second floor. It's a great night and a great time.

Admission is $12 to the general public/ $10 for Seniors and $5 for students. Located at 280 The Fenway.

To find out more information check out the ISGM website.

On what is shaping up to be a beautiful weekend day this Saturday, get yourself down to the Boston Athletic Club to play in one of the largest Cornhole Tournaments on the East Coast.  Make some new friends, have some fun, plus raise money for a great cause!

Don't know what Cornhole is? Read this.

There's room for few more teams to participate this weekend.  Or you can always just come down and watch the action!

From the event organizers:

Join us for our 1st Annual Cornhole for a Cause MS Fundraiser! You’ll have the opportunity to compete in one of the largest, most fun Cornhole Tournaments to hit the East Coast, eat, drink and possibly win Fantastic Prizes.

All proceeds will benefit the National MS Society and will sponsor Liam Kennedy's (BC High '93, Babson '97) Lucky Charms Team for their 150 mile Bike Ride from Quincy to Provincetown in this June’s 2010 MS Cape Cod Getaway!

For more information about the MS Society go to www.nationalmssociety.org

Location: Boston Athletic Club
653 Summer Street
Boston, MA 02210

Date: May 22nd, 2010 at 12:00 p.m.

Email: cornholeforacause@gmail.com with questions.

Cost: $40 per person/2 person team (price gets you in the tournament, food, beer and one raffle ticket). $25 per person not playing.

**Don’t forget to bring Cash or Checks for Raffle Tickets! **

ONLY 128 TEAMS CAN PLAY…SIGN UP SOON!

For more info see the event Facebook Page!

Are you a huge fan of restaurant week in Boston?  Yeah, we all are.  But did you know that every week you can partake in similar deals?

Early week dining is the way to go to eat out without breaking the bank.  From burgers to sushi, many of Boston's best restaurants offer special deals on Monday nights.  So technically you don't have to wait for restaurant week to roll around!  Here are a few samplings....

Sel de la Terre - Back Bay
Sample "Mini Burger Mondays"with $2 sliders and $5 small bites every Monday from 5-7pm

Estragon - South End
$1 Tapas at the Bar ("until they're gone!")

L'Espalier - Back Bay
For $60 per person join in on Wine Monday at 7pm. A selection of wines, inspired by the changing season, wine regions or varietals, paired with a four-course tasting menu composed by Chef McClelland.

The Ashmont Grill - Dorchester
At "Monday Night Wine Club" they offer a four course meal with wine for $30. Not too shabby.

Mistral Restaurant - Back Bay
Offers a special prix fixe menu on Monday (and Sunday) for $35. A three course feast!

Myer's and Chang - South End
"Cheap Date Night" on Mondays (and Tuesdays) offers a range of different menus for $40 per couple.

Uni - Back Bay
Enjoy all you can eat Maki for $32 on "Maki Mondays"

Any others you'd like to suggest?

Get to know the South End a little better, sample a lot of delicious chocolate, and get a good walk in on a spectacular Saturday today....tough to beat!

Learn the history and life of chocolate in the South End with a 2 1/2 hour walking tour that highlights the South End while eating the best chocolate from local boutiques and restaurants in the neighborhood.  With everything from chocolate chip cookies to coffee to cupcakes to truffles, there's something for every type of chocolate lover.

Here are some of the highlights (from the Boston Chocolate Tours website):

• Feature stop:  Aroa Fine Chocolate featuring a chocolate tasting with acclaimed Executive pastry chef Tim Brown
• Enjoy chocolate heaven in the form of a homemade Oreo at a bakery owned by Celebrity Chef Joanne Chang
• Yelp reviews call this hidden spot’s “chocolate chip cookies” to die for
• A neighborhood landmark restaurant with a celebrity chef shares their special chocolate martini during their pajama brunch
• The best homemade chocolate ice cream in Boston can be found at this Pizza restaurant
• Enjoy cupcakes named The Madison, The Harriet and The Simon voted “The Best of Boston” by the Improper Bostonian
• A Best of Boston chocolate re-opens
• Equal Exchange is known for their coffee AND chocolate
• There is a bonus stop on this tour that we can’t promise but when they are open, it will be the coolest chocolate shop/antique store you will ever see, anywhere.

To find out more or get tickets, check out this link:

http://tasteofchocolate.com/tours/boston/south-end/

Okay, I apologize, but I just had to use that legendary quote from The Godfather as a lead in to a little North End pastry tour....

Have a wicked sweet tooth as of late?  Just looking for a mid week pick me up.  There's no better place than the North End for delicious Italian pastries like cannoli, ricotta pie, torrone,  biscotti, you name it!

With the list below, you could wander the North End for days eating pastries, and pick up a lot of the local neighborhood heritage and European style while you're at it.

Stop drooling!  Start walking the bakery trail....stop drooling! Here's a short list to get you started, but be adventurous and see what else you can find.  There are plenty more bakeries and treats to find in the North End!

1. Mike's Pastrey | 300 Hanover Street

2. Pariale's Bakery Inc. | 80 Prince Street

3. Bova's Bakery | 134 Salem Street

4. Lyndell's Bakery | 227 Hanover Street

5. Napoli Pastry Shop | 120 Salem Street

6. Lulu's Sweet Shoppe | 57 Salem Street

7. Maria's Pastry Shop |  46 Cross Street

Let us know - What's your favorite North End bakery?

We're lucky enough to have two world class breweries right here in Boston.  With Harpoon and Samuel Adams both brewing beer in Boston since the late 1980's, it's high time to pay them a visit if you haven't had the opportunity yet (or even if you have before!). 

There is a lot of fun to be had at both breweries.  You'll learn the difference between lagers and ales, and other fun facts like the average American annually consumes 47.3 gallons of soda, 26.5 gallons of coffee, and 23.1 gallons of beer.  Touring their facilities you can get a first hand look at how craft beer is made, witnessing the brewing process from start to finish, and even diving in and smelling the hops used. 

Of course, what tour is complete without tasting the finished products.  With over 20 different styles of beer available for tasting between the two of the breweries, there's plenty to keep you busy after the tour!  Drink responsibly, of course!

• Samuel Adams Brewery
Tours and tastings occur on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from noon to 3 p.m., Fridays from noon to 5:30 p.m., and Saturdays between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., starting every half hour. Located at 30 Germania Street in Jamaica Plain.

• Harpoon Brewery
Monday thru Friday tastings at 4PM. Wednesday thru Friday offers a 2pm tour as well. Saturday starting at 11:30AM to 5PM (starting every half hour), Sunday starting at 12pm to 3pm (starting every half hour).  Located at 306 Northern Ave in the Seaport District.

If you visit the breweries (or even if you don't), which is your favorite?

On a nice, clear day like today, take the opportunity to visit the Prudential Building Skywalk Observatory, Boston's tallest vantage point open to the public.  With sweeping 360 degree views of the region, and a guided audio tour highlighting the important points of interest in Boston you'll get a great perspective of the city!

It's $12 for admission and the Skywalk is open 7 days a week, from 10am to 10pm, so whether its a daytime or a night view you're interested in, head on over!

 Get more info on The Prudential Skywalk Observatory here