Barcelona Wine Bar, Washington Square

Barcelona is the best thing that could have happened to Brookline. Barcelona is Brookline's Sonsie multiplied by 1,000! 

I have been walking past Barcelona to and from work for several months now and wondered how this place had no signage but maintained to attract people every night of the week! There is no other place in Brookline that is that busy Sunday through Saturday. It's amazing and it's perfect :)

On Sunday night, I finally got around to going to Barcelona. The vibes, the music, the people - everything was so upbeat! Food was fantastic. Service was phenomenal (especially Raffy!)

Barcelona is grandiose. Barcelona is quality. Barcelona is sexy. It's a GREAT date place. Won't be shocked if I become a regular here ;) I'll definitely have to take one of the cooking classes they offer. Check it out people. XOXO

Theme Song: Domingo by Gotan Project

Cinquecento, South End

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of brunch-ing at the somewhat new restaurant Cinquecento located in the trendy SOWA neighborhood. 

Not knowing what to expect from the menu and being on a "serious" diet, I was excited to see what Cinquecento had to offer!

Of course, I started with an extra spicy delicious Bloody Mary... what is brunch without one of these? For a starter, my friend and I shared a kale salad. Now let's get one thing straight, I HATE salad. Don't ever eat it voluntarily. But my friend highly recommended this one so I tried it. OMG it was AMAZING! First of all, my newfound love for kale is unstoppable and the lemon vinaigrette and truffle honey was a fabulous touch.

For our main course, we both got poached eggs on truffled polenta. Writing about this is making my mouth water. It was light but totally satisfying. Perfectly portioned though if someone offered me more, I'd eat it up in a heartbeat :)

I have to commend the interior decorators of Cinquecento. It boasts a very modern, urban style without being too pretentious. I don't expect anything less than an Aquitaine restaurant. The location is awesome but that goes without saying. Service was fantastic. Food was superb. Can't wait for the patio to open up. 

Though only 4 months old, I'm confident this restaurant will make its mark as a must-go-to in the South End neighborhood.... Ciao!!

LASIK Surgery @ Boston Laser

Soooo ... I had LASIK surgery yesterday! I have been wearing glasses since middle school and though my prescription wasn't awful - it was annoying enough for me to want LASIK. 

I documented my entire experience so you all could see how easy and wonderful it is - I was dancing seconds after my surgery was over! ;) Less than 24 hours later, I am seeing better than 20/20!

What an amazing feeling. 

I'm not blogging about Boston Laser because this is my place of employment but because I truly believe we change people's lives (like my own) on a daily basis!

Check it out! PS... I don't normally slur when I talk, I just took Valium for the 1st time LOL. Ciao bellas! 

Back Bay Social Club

There are two instances in my life when I've been tossed around like a rag doll in public (and in private), The first was January 2011 when I happened to be in the way of a guido vs guido brawl at Royale. The second was last night when I also happened to be in the way of a fight while innocently eating my rice and beans...

This was my second visit to the Back Bay Social Club. My first experience wasn't positive but I was willing to give it a second chance. I was so excited to go out last night - it had been a month and a half since I last raged. I wore my new DVF safari kaftan and felt like a jungle woman ready to paint the town red...

First, I HATE waiting in a line outside to have dinner.
Second, what an odd mix of people.
Third, GREAT hospitality... NOT. (with the exception of our server)

Most importantly... I got trampled over in a bar fight which started with 2 guys and ended with like 5. Ok, whatever I got pushed into a table by a few grown ass men. I am more upset about how management handled the situation.

A suited up young man came up to me and asked "can I get you something?" I replied, "I'm sorry, I'm a little shaken up. Where are your bouncers?" He replied, "they're around." Me, "okay well that was weird." He says, "yeah, sorry this doesn't really happen here. Can I get you another drink?" Me, "fine." 

It's not what he said, it's how he said it - like way too bro-ey if ya know what I mean. I don't want to pull this card but I work in customer service too and I know that regardless of who's fault it is, you always do and say what you need to to satisfy your customer ESPECIALLY since my table was spending more money than anyone else in that restaurant. 

Anyway, everything else was ok besides the fight and its aftermath but because I was so annoyed with this bro, I am giving this place a thumbs DOWN! Sorry BBSC but I'm not sorry!

PS Your lower level smells like a dirty rag. 

Ciao bellas! xoxo

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (and other concerns) by Mindy Kaling

I'd be lying if I said I was a reader - a book reader that is. Sure, I read things on the internet all day long, but reading a book has never been my thing - unless it's a Chelsea Handler sort of book filled with shameless accounts of one-night stands. I do however appreciate the ambience of libraries and the smell of old books.

Within the past three months, about 9 or 10 people told me I reminded them of Mindy Kaling. Now, for those of you who do not know who she is, Mindy Kaling is most notably known for her character of Kelly Kapoor on "The Office". She was also a writer for the show and now has an NBC prime time sitcom titled "The Mindy Project" - which premiered in the Fall hence why all these comparisons started happening recently. 

Anyway, the first time I heard that I reminded someone of her, I was instantly insulted. I immediately thought that they were saying I was annoying and flighty like Kelly Kapoor. After the 8th comparison, I decided to take matters into my own hands and watch the show myself. 

I got hooked after 3 free episodes on Hulu. Watching the show made me understand the comparisons - and now I can say I am flattered. ;) The show intrigued me enough to Google Mindy and I learned that she recently published a book. 

"Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (and other concerns)" is brilliantly hilarious. I finished the book in 1 day; this is an accomplishment for me. The book gives readers a VIP tour of the craziness that happens in the writer's room of "The Office" to all the shenanigans that occur on set. She shares funny stories of childhood, her struggling days, and her new life in Los Angeles which shape who she is today. 

Her success story is so empowering to women, South East Asians, and thicker girls. I love Mindy because she's brown (LOL), totally relatable, funny, smart, we both love pink, and doesn't care about being a size 8 in Hollywood. I would say Mindy is kind of a role model now (although if you truly care about me, don't ever let me get to a size 8). 

This is a MUST read. I highly recommend putting this on your reading list if you have one. You'll get a lot of great chuckles. Until next time, ciao! ;)

PS. Ms. Kaling grew up in Cambridge and spent a lot of her life in Boston - perhaps this is why I especially enjoyed her stories of awkward yet hysterical adolescence.  

Uber - Everyone's Private Driver

The first time I took an "Uber" car, I was in Chicago. I thought it was exclusive to Chicago and boy do I wish I didn't know that it wasn't! Not because it's a bad service, but because this is the only way I now want to travel around the city! Ugh, #divaproblems. 

Anyway, jokes aside, let me share with you all how amazing Uber is (if you don't already know.) 

Uber is a brilliant car service that sends a town car to you at the tap of a finger. The app is super easy and user friendly. Once you tap where your pick up location is, you are instantly notified of who is coming to get you and approximately how far they are. 

There are many great things about Uber:

1. You get picked up in a town car.

2. It's not that expensive compared to overpriced Boston taxis.

3. Everything is already paid for.

4. You don't have to worry about tipping (it's already taken into account).

5. The drivers are always so nice.

6. You feel like a superstar.

7. You don't get called a "SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY" for wanting to pay with a credit card - yes, this actually happened with a Boston taxi cab driver. 

8. The seats have butt warmers.

I am hooked on Uber. Especially on those late, freezing winter nights in the city and I can't find a cab for the life of me. 

If you haven't tried Uber yet, I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend! It's the easiest and most fabulous way to get around! xoxo... 

PS. Speaking of car services, Zip Car (another brilliant city-living idea) just got bought by AVIS for $500 million dollars! CHA-CHING!

Maggiano's Little Italy, Back Bay

This year, I spent New Years Eve with two great friends at Maggiano's Little Italy for dinner and drinks. 

I've never claimed to be a non-picky eater so don't judge me when I say I don't particularly like Italian food. Something about it just doesn't work for me. In any case, I wanted to keep an open mind and try something new for the new year. 

After browsing through the menu options over and over again, I finally chose a crap&shrimp crepe sort of thing. Seemed enticing at the time. So the food came out and it was basically baby pieces of crab and shrimp doused in cream and Alfredo sauce - yikes! Not my style. Not to mention it was a HUGE plate! (Family style portions) I tried to eat it as much as I could but it was a little too much. Felt like a complete glutton. (FYI...I got VERY sick from the food - ugh.) 

Aside from the food though, the place itself is super cute. Very traditional Italian feel. Service was meh. Overall, I had a great time because I was with lovely company, but will I ever eat here again? Probably not... 

Theme song: L'Italiano by Toto Cotugno

Papagayo, Waterfront

To recap NYE festivities, some of my girlfriends and I got together for a Mexican brunch this afternoon at Papagayo located on Summer Street in the Waterfront neighborhood. 

Though I am not a fan of Mexican food, I will tell you that overall, I had a very positive experience here. 

From the "Bloody Marias", to delicious food, to the vibrant atmosphere and creative decor, this place definitely a winner in my book. 

I will definitely come back to Papagayo when in the mood for salsa, chips, guacamole, and margaritas!

Theme Song: La Camisa Negra

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2013

Aaaaannnnnndddd I'm BACK! After a long hiatus from blogging, I have finally returned to my commitment of delivering wining, dining, and nightlife recommendations in Boston. 

I wish you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year! ;) xoxo

Christopher Huang Photography, BOSTON

They say that if you're involved in the entertainment industry, you should be updating your portfolio every 6 months or so. The last time I took any pictures was over a year and a half ago. With my first movie releasing in less than 5 months from now, I figured I gotta update my pictures. I wanted to make sure to hire the best of the best in Boston therefore I called an old acquaintance - Christopher Huang. 

For those of you who are not aware, Christopher Huang is an acclaimed photographer in Boston who beautifully photographs for fashion spreads, advertising/marketing purposes, events, editorials etc. He has a unique approach toward photography and he is a magician when it comes to working with his camera. 

Take a look at some photographs from my latest photo shoot with Christopher Huang. Visit his website at www.christopherhuang.com and like his Facebook page - "Christopher Huang Photography". Thanks Chris for giving me such great pictures and making me feel comfortable :)

A special thanks to Aldo Velaj - owner of Vlora Mediterranean Restaurant - for letting me use his BEAUTIFUL restaurant; Beacage Salon & Spa for making my hair faboosh; & Beverly Langston of Chanel for doing my make-up! XOXO ciao.