Cottonwood Cafe, almost a week ago now!

So, weeks ago, the girlfriend and I were thinking about new places to eat. It's not that we don't have quite a few favorites, but exploration is almost always fun. We came upon this Back Bay restaurant online and it sounded really good. It also read as more than a bit pricy. But the lunch menu seemed not too dear, and we filed it away for some morning when we had extra time to get there and enjoy the fare.

Friday, the girlfriend took a mental health day. Her job has been raking her over the coals with extra work and training new people, so she certainly deserved it. And we sauntered on down to the place. It had a semi-intimidating business casual atmosphere, fancy enough we both noticed. In a rare show of brio (but not of nonconformism) I remarked that it was tourist season anyway and they'd never know we were locals playing down to the fancy pants. So we went on in.

They had six chile chili! It was hearty. My girl thought it a little salty but for a Texas variant (no beans, almost completely meat, chiles, and onions) it was flavorful. I ordered a BBQ chicken sandwich with ancho chile fries for my entree and she got a salad with grilled steak.

My sandwich and fries were good, with homemade BBQ that was sweet and tomato-y, with succulent grilled chicken and fluffy french bread. The fries were just shoestrings with ancho chile powder sprinkled over them, but crispy and plenty on the plate. Her salad seemed yummy, and it was the first place in many that the griled well-done steak was cooked to order and still had some semblance of texture. We disagree rather violently on the proper cooking time for beef, so to satisfy us both is quite a feat.

All in all, lunch cost us just under $40, and it was served promptly and in a quiet and charming space. I don't know if dinner there would be in my budget, but it might be a nice place to treat oneself from time to time.

The S eats at the fancy places in a t-shirt and khakis. Try and stop him, if you dare!

is it Munda1 yet?! LOLOLOLz

By can_I_haz_new_job_plz on Wed, Aug 6, 2008 12:30 pm

I watched the ENTIRE Kathy Griffin "Allegedly" special. Wut iz that, 90+ minutes? Now I'm bored. I need a new scrabulous alternative. Wut'z the new "it" application? Word Twist? Thesaurus Mash? I'm so fucking kunfuzed.

Speaking of WorstBook, my new doctor sent just "poked" me. :( is THAT crossing the line? or was the kiss on the cheek and caressing of my back enuff to press chargez? I totally feel like I'm in some1 else's shoez... like a Little League Baseball player with a pervy coach or something (if he wore Lacoste slip-onz/ LoloLOLol)

'Sup with restaurant week? A girl in my office was confused by all of the participating restaurantz, and wuz 1dering why places like Boloco, and Uno's aren't included... I think it's bkuz the state payz for 1/2 of her rent. :(

JUST SAYIN'!

Did you watch flipping out lazt night? wut did you think?

I don't know if I've complained about thiz before, but haz you ever snuck into an empty conference room or office to make a personal call (or, just spin around in an office chair) and 1 of the guyz from City Scapes tries to come in and water the 1 hanging plant in that room? he knocks, and you avoid making eye contact, but he STILL comes in, and you're all like "wut the FUCK?! but it'z k0ol, cuz you're on the phone w/ yr friend, and you start saying thingz like "I don't know, $150 an 1/8th is a little steep... how good is it? I'll need to taste it first."

wut if I wuz on the phone with another Firm / trying to sell sekretz?! wut a rude asshole! you and your watering can can w8 outside, or move on to another fern while I talk about lazt night's Teen Choice awardz with my friend.

can u believe thiz is sold out? "Jimmy Buffett & The Coral Reefer Band "The Year Of Still Here" Tour 2008 Thursday, September 4 SOLD OUT Saturday, September 6 SOLD OUT " how stupid can ppl be? I wouldn't be caught dead there, even if the arena gave out turtle wax wipez to clean all of the parrot shit off my car... just sayin'! I h8 jimmy buffet...

ok, thyme 4 lunch... I'm outta here.

So long stoop rats

By Dargus on Wed, Aug 6, 2008 10:43 am

When the nausea subsided this morning, I decided it'd be better to breathe than smoke. (Must relay this message to drunk Laura somehow.)

Also, I can't lift my arms. Showering proved to be difficult for a couple members of our team. (I know, wa wa wa.)

However, sweating it amidst delirious South End dog walkers is a hilarious and welcome distraction.

Checking out Baltimore's Virgin Fest

By Baltimanda on Tue, Aug 5, 2008 12:23 pm

If you're heading to Baltimore this weekend, find out which bands deserve your attentions and which should be skipped in favor of standing in the water line. Here's Baltimore.Metromix.com's Virgin Mobile Festival guide

"NO STATIC" Steely Dan Tribute Friday 08/15/08 TCAN in Natick!

By rmstg on Mon, Aug 4, 2008 3:00 pm

"NO STATIC" Steely Dan Tribute at The Center for Arts in Natick (TCAN), Friday 08/15/2008

Inspired by the genius of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker and hundreds of studio artists who've helped create their legacy, NO STATIC delivers impeccable live performances recreating the recordings of the incredible music of Steely Dan. With ten musicians onstage, including a three-piece horn section, female backing vocalists and a rock solid rhythm section with players truly committed to The Dan. Kick off your high heel sneakers -- it's party time! The band will perform two sets of Steely Dan's music. One set will feature the entire "Aja" album from 1977, widely considered to be Steely Dan's masterpiece! "Musical dedication is what made Steely Dan such a great band. And No Static follows in that tradition. They craft the songs beautifully, but also warmly bring their own personalities to the sound. Using multiple singers gives a different touch -- and yet they're all on the same page when it comes to paying deep and impressive homage to one of rock's greatest, most intelligent groups. See No Static if you can -- and prepare to enjoy yourself.''

-- Steve Morse, longtime Boston Globe correspondent Date: Friday, 8/15/2008

Address:

The Center for Performing Arts in Natick (TCAN)

14 Summer Street Natick, MA 01760 Phone: 508.647.0097

http://www.natickarts.org Time: 8:00PM Cost/Cover: $18.00 non-members/$16.00 members Band website: www.nostaticband.com

Corporate Bootcamp Challenge

By Dargus on Mon, Aug 4, 2008 11:39 am

Well, the ladies of the Dig have been selected to compete (with five other teams) in Healthworks Corporate Bootcamp Challenge. When I mentioned this to Paul McMorrow, he insisted we blog about the experience, so with trepedation (and already increasing soreness in my weak-ass forearms), I'm beginning this process.

Let's just say this morning's first workout was an eye-opener.

Our trainer Jane Taylor, aka G.I. Jano, showed decked out in camo shorts. She was pumped, and despite the fact that we were instructed to not have any caffeine (so as to not interfere with our baseline measurements, body composition, etc.) I was excited to be there (at 7am!), if not a little scared of what was in store.

Let's just say that my period of relative physical idleness (after college) has made a significant impact in my ability to do a proper push-up, squat or sit-up (certainly harder to do without someone nailing your feet to the floor too). However, our team leader, Ms. Christine Liu has been keeping up with things. Able to do an astounding amount of reps, she's going to provide some much needed motivation for us all.

I, myself have been a member of Healthworks for some time now, and apart from running (cardio I happen to enjoy), I haven't spent a lot of time on other crucial areas of my body—the core primarily—which became increasingly apparent throughout our session this am. Hopefully, that is all about to change because if I don't get my ass in gear, well, Mondays and Wednesdays are not going to be pretty. And, unless I want a Gomer Pyle-esque reputation on this team, I'll need to apply myself.

Our session today was shortened due to the assessments, but stay tuned for what are sure to be some colorful lessons in physiology. (Jane's informed us we're taking this shtick outside and God knows I'll need some good-vibe Vitamin D to get through the month of August.)

On the bright side, we're all in this together. And, if nothing else has motivated me up until this point, maybe some public humiliation mixed in with coworker comradery will. So until next time, Go Devilgirls!

CRIMES IN GRACELAND INTERESTED IN BOSTON MA GIGS!

By CRIMES IN GRACELAND on Sun, Aug 3, 2008 9:44 pm

BOOPSYTHEKID@YAHOO.COM OR UGLYJAM@AOL.COM

CRIMES IN GRACELAND ARE A ORIGINAL BAND WITH THREE BROTHERS.

CRIME SIN GRACELAND INFLUENCES RANGE FROM KISS SOCIAL D AND CHEAP TRICK.

IF INTERESTED IN BOOKING US PLEASE LET US KNOW AND E MAIL US ATLINGYISSPORTO@YAHOO.COM OR

WE ARE INTERESTED TO PLAY ANYWHERE ANYTIME IN BOSTON CHEAP OR JUST FOR THE BEER!

ROCK ON PEACE LOVE DRINK AND SMOKE

CRIMES IN GRACELAND.COM OR MY SPACE CRIMES IN GRACELAND

Rock the Bells

By PerpleReign on Thu, Jul 31, 2008 4:00 pm

Half the people at Saturday’s Rock the Bells had no clue who Naeem Juwan was, but that didn’t stop Spank Rock (who was supposed to be joined by Amanda Blank, but she bailed in favor of going to a George Michael concert) from providing the only source of true hip-hop entertainment that day. Juwan, Devlin and Darko drew an impressive crowd, all screaming, all grinding and all smiling, to the tiny side stage, and had everyone, from the hipsters in red plastic shades (Mos Def was sporting the same kind), to the trashy broads in bikinis, to the bros in Hollister t-shirts, singing “shake it til my dick turn racist.” By the end of their forty-five minute set, they had the whole crowd on stage sweating, half naked and screaming as Juwan swung from the light rigging. They had people singing and rhyming into the mic. They had people laughing. They were, oddly enough, the truest hip-hop act there, if I do say so myself. They elicited the most positive response, drew the largest active crowd (technically, there were more people sitting in the main arena, but the bored looks on people’s faces during the Pharcyde’s set made my heart break) and deepened the crowd’s love when Juwan threw a chair at a trio of bro dudes in the front row. It did seem odd that a side stage act triumphed in the crowd department, especially over all members of the Wu-Tang present (Method Man, Raekwon and Ghostface). But then again, it seemed like every single person there, both concertgoers and talent, were phoning it in. The festival’s M.O. was “true old school hip-hop,” complete with people walking around in “I Used to Love H.E.R.” shirts, supposedly geeked on seeing Rakim, Afrika Bambaataa and Native Tongues De La Soul and the headlining (reunited, again, but only for the sake of the tour) A Tribe Called Quest. And if the impressive lineup, which also included Nas, the aforementioned Tony Starks and Dead Prez, didn’t drive the message of true hip-hop home, basically every main stage act rhymed over the same classic breaks, as if to remind everybody they were at a hip-hop show and not Camp Bisco or a DMB fest, which was hard to remember, considering the number of dudes I saw shirtless, bleeding and pouring beer over their heads while being escorted out of the Comcast Center was at least seven, within one hour. And the place wasn’t even at full capacity by the end. I saw more hours clocked in line at the Rockin’Rita stand than I did seeing people actually listening to the music. And for all the game talked and forced enthusiasm, Rock the Bells was similar to a tailgate, but with louder and more superfluous and shitty bass levels (which was no doubt worsened by the lack of bodies to absorb the extra noise). Rock the Bells 2008 made me want to go home, listen to 3 Feet High and Rising and weep.

Republicans say the darndest things

By CaraBayles on Thu, Jul 31, 2008 11:47 am

"What do you want, you little jerks?"

Attention Bill Cosby! You're needed, STAT!

--John McCain, to some (diminutive?) reporters. 7.29.08

"What is it about George W. Bush that makes you want to serve him?"

--Justice Department counselor Monica M. Goodling and chief of staff D. Kyle Sampson's routine question for job applicants at the DoJ. 7.28.08

Adorable!

ugh, I wouldn't mind some earthquake action around here... just sayin'

By can_I_haz_new_job_plz on Tue, Jul 29, 2008 3:44 pm