They're back! (and so am I)

Alrighty, my little hiatus is over. I was home for three weeks eating delicious meals and spending some quality family time. It was great - but now, back to the grind.

Unless you've been living under a rock here in Boston, you've heard of Banditos Misteriosos. Misteriosos is a group of fun-loving everyday people, ready to have fun. They're committed to bringing Boston alive through a series of free and out of the ordinary events. How can we forget the epic Pillow Fight, or the Silent Dance Experiment? My personal favorite has been the The Revolutionary Water Gun Battle.

Well friends, they're back with another event to combat the cold. The exact date has yet to be set - it all depends on the weather. Banditos Misteriosos recently announced their Build-a-Snowmandito event. The concept is pretty self explanatory. The goal of the event is to make a garden of snowmen in the middle of the city. Whenever Boston is hit by another snowstorm, head over to Boston Common and start building! Banditos Misteriosos will send out an email with all the details - of course, I will post them here.

Let's make these snowmen fun, everyone! Bring anything your heart desires to decorate the snowmen. Work in groups, or go solo - just spread the word and have fun!

Amen sista

I've come to realize that I really hate New Year's Eve. The hype around the night is nowhere near proportional the the amount of fun. There's so much pressure to go out to the perfect place, find the perfect dress, the perfect heels - pressure, pressure, pressure. And you know what I say to that pressure: "Thanks, but no thanks."

I can't think back to a time that I have gone out and been like "dang, I had the time of my life." I mean, I love being with my friends and I really love some bubbly. Combine the two and you think I'd be on cloud 9. I really don't think what you're doing at 12 AM on January 1 reflects what you're year is going to be like. I don't believe in all that.

What I'm trying to get at is this: There's this blog 2birds1blog.com where this hilarious chick named Meg recounts her hilarious life in D.C. Anywho, last year she wrote a post on how much she hates The Dreaded Day. She perfectly captures my feelings. Amen, Meg McBlogger, Amen.

Click here to read the post.

Happy 2010!

Who let the dogs out?

Growing up 'Aladdin' was my favorite Disney movie. I mean, who can deny a hunk like our dear street rat Aladdin and his friendly monkey Abu? (TIME OUT: A quick Google search and I found out Aladdin was made in 1992. That's 18 years ago. Holy wow. TIME IN) Anywho, a close second would definitely be '101 Dalmatians.' A love dogs, let alone when there 101 of them.

If you're around Boston for the holidays, head over to the Wang Theatre. Broadway Across America is bringing The 101 Dalmatians Musical to town.

The musical promises "a surprise grand finale showcasing the tremendous talents of the professional and rescued Dalmatians that will leave audiences cheering!"

The show runs from Dec. 23 - Dec. 27. Showtimes vary and ticket prices range from $28-$75. The Wang Theatre is located at 270 Tremont St. Call 617.482.9393 for more info.


(If I was in Boston I'd definitely go to this. I mean, hellloooo, so many puppies!)

This blogger's taking a break

STOP THE PRESSES! Logan airport has free wifi. Guess I never got the memo. This.is.awesome.

As you've probably guessed, I am en route to Athens. I finally get to go home for a nice break. I'll be taking a break from Playground. It only makes sense since I won't be in Boston and I won't know of any fun events going on. I have a few things lined up so I will be posting those. I wouldn't leave you guys hanging like that. I'll be back in full-force come January 8.

Well wish me a safe flight - and I'll be in touch.

Love,
Mary Ann

"Une bonne soirée"

I'm not sure if I've talked about this before, but in this battle of dog breeds in Boston (Northeastern's mascot is a husky, BU's is a terrier, get it?) I'm a true Husky. BU and NU are rivals at pretty much everything. Hockey. Academics. Sports (even though we both suck at most of them). We give them crap for not having a campus, they call us out for being a 5-year school. Tit for tat.

Credit must be given where credit it due, though. Earlier this month, more than 120 BU students got together to make a LipDub of Jackson 5's "I Want you Back." Check it out:




On a similar note, check out this video a bunch of students in Quebec put together. They used the Black Eyed Peas' 'I Gotta Feeling."

(Personally, I think this Lipdub is way cooler than BU's version - and that has nothing to do with school rivalry. I swear.)

One final note: My friend Matt sent me these videos (again, giving credit where it's due) and I suggested Northeastern should pull this off to Miley's 'Party in the USA.' Who's with me?

Help some brothers out

I always get excited when a reality show contestants are from Boston. It's like their appearance on the show, no matter how trashy it might be, is a little shout out to B-town.

The fellas of Beelzebubs, the all-male a cappella group over at Tufts University, are contestants on NBC's new show "The Sing-Off." The show premiered tonight, so we unfortunately missed the premiere. The contest won't be as drawn out as other reality shows - it's a four-night event. Tune in December 15 and 16 at 8 p.m. Then on Dec. 21 is the big finale again at 8 p.m. Who can resist all those perfectly tuned voices bust pop hits sans instruments? Not this girl.

Visit the show's main site to vote for the Beelzebubs.

Check the guys out:


(I can't help but support these guys. Not only are they like a hand-full of Andy Bernard, The Nard Dog, replicas, but they're from Tufts - my brother's alma mater.)

Finals. LOLZ

It's finals season, dear readers. You know what that means, right? It's when I bust out all my favorite 90s rap. Here's a little something that helps me get through it all:


(you're welcome)

So.Many.Speedos.

If any of you were around the Boylston area today I'm sure you all witnessed the one day it's acceptable for Bostonians to be peeping-Toms. Today was the 10th Annual Santa Speedo Run.

Hundreds put on their tightest speedos and braved the cold temperatures (weather.com informs me it's 32F but feels like 21F out) to run through the streets of Back Bay to raise money for local charities. Last year, approximately $10,000 was raised. Click here to view photos from the 2008 Santa Speedo Run put together by the folks at Boston.com.

This year's run raised money for Crossroads for Kids and Bottom Line. My photos are definitely not as good as the ones linked to above (hey! it's hard being the shortest person in the crowd!), but here's what I got:


(A bunch of people lined Boylston Street to watch the event. These two guys got up on mailboxes for a better view. I should have followed their lead)


(...and the run began...)


(high-fives all around)


(more high-fiving)


(Double trouble: This lady had "Baby on Board" written on her. I wonder if she'll bring the kid along next year)


(Santa's very synchronized helpers)


(good times all around)

Nod your head like yeah, move your hips like yeah

I just got this Facebook invite and had to stop everything I was doing to share this treasure with you all. This is the best thing to hit us since Miley Cyrus publicly admitted she has never heard a Jay-Z song. (TIME OUT!: How is that even possible? Who hasn't heard '99 Problems'? Turn on the radio, Miley, 'Empire State of Mind" will most definitely be on. TIME IN)

Well, some geniuses at the University of Dayton have designated a time for us to all blast "Party in the USA" SIMULTANEOUSLY. (TIME OUT!: Why do I have so many posts on teen pop stars? I'm really not winning cool points now am I? TIME IN) As the Facebook invite tells us, ""Party In The USA" deals with Miley's personal struggle of adjusting to the fame and glamor of the upbeat Hollywood lifestyle while remaining true to her Southern and simple roots from back home; a struggle we all can relate to." Don't pretend like you don't know the lyrics, readers! I got my hands up, they're playing my song, and now I'm gonna be OK. Oh oh oh oh it's a party in the USA That's right, I know it. Click here if you're feeling a bit rusty.

Back to my point. So on Thursday, December 10, at 10:30 p.m. (Eastern time) play it loud and dance hard. For five minutes, let's all relish in that which is Miley Cyrus. At a time when most of us are in the midst of final exams, what more can we ask for than a mini Miley dance party? That's right, let's not be ungrateful here.

Click here to view the Facebook page.

For those of you who don't have the song, you can just play the video below. I wouldn't leave you hangin'.

No. 12 is the lucky number

On a completely unrelated note, Boston's very own Tom Brady is a candidate for the Associated Press' Athlete of the Decade. With three Super Bowls and unprecedented beauty under his belt Mr. Quarterback is up for this prestigious title.

As the AP story says, "Brady is the NFL's rock star, as much The Boss as Springsteen, as much the American Idol as David Cook." Click here to read the full story.


(Oh heeeyyy, Tom)

'Unwise' night out

Don't you just love a satirical re-tellings of biblical stories? Well, party people, say hello to The Three (Un)Wise Men. This adaptation sets Balthasar, Malchior, and Caspar off to find Joseph the Carpenter not because they want to meet his baby, but because Joseph owes them money. The three unwise men stumble across every possible obstacle on their way to intercept Joseph. The website promises a "light-hearted madcap, form," in which the three bumbling crooks "manage to find lepers, lovers, and laughs all before they find what they're looking for."

The show runs from December 11 (that's THIS Thursday) to December 19. Tickets cost $12. December 17's performance is pay-what-you-can at the door.

This all goes down at the The Factory Theatre, 791 Tremont St. Call them at 617-817-6600 for more info.

It's a love story, baby just say yes

(If I played the guitar, it would most certainly be sparkly with a studded strap! - photo courtesy of babak136378 from Flickr Creative Commons)

So I might dig myself a real big hole with this one, but here goes it: Taylor Swift is coming to Boston. Now, while her music may not be prominent on my iTunes (I'm more of a late 60s music type of girl) you can deny the catchiness. Maybe it's her long, golden locks. Maybe it's the sympathy I feel for the Kanye fiasco. Maybe it's because when "You Belong to Me" comes on while I'm working out, it motivates me to stay on the treadmill for an extra five minutes. Whatever it is, there's something about T.Swift I find adorable (Hello, did you not watch her on SNL?!) Will I go to the concert? Probs not - but in case you're interested, you closeted T.S. fans, here are the details:

Our girl will be at Gillette Stadium, in Foxborough, on June 5, 2010 at 6 p.m. Ticket go on sale TOMORROW (Dec. 5). Click here to visit Ticketmaster.

Finish (or if you're like me, start) your holiday shopping

So we've already talked about attempting (and usually failing) to finish holiday shopping early, before all the crazies come out around December 23. But, alas, we usually end up being one of these crazies. As I have promised though, I'm going to do whatever I can to get your lazy ass out of the house and buy gifts.

This Saturday, December 5, you have the opportunity to cross people off your gift list. The Old South Church is hosting its annual Holiday's Arts & Crafts fair. Consider this your one-stop-shop for all your needs: photography, textiles, soaps, jewelry, glass art and more. You can't say I'm not pushing you to do your holiday shopping!

The fair, which runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., is at the church, on the corner of Boylston and Dartmouth Streets - right in the heart of Copley Square.

Check it out, yo.

Let it shine!

(btw, this is in Moscow, not Boston)

The time has come, friends! Wrap yourself in your warmest sweater, bring a cup of tea, and head to Boston Common; it's time to turn on the lights!

American Idol Season 6 third place finalist, Melinda Doolittle, R&B artist Brian McKnight and the Boston Arts Academy Dance Troupe will all be there for the lighting of Boston's official Christmas tree. The shindig begins at 6 p.m.

Now who's ready for a little history lesson? As has been done for the past 35 yeras, the tree is donated by Nova Scotia. This act symbolizes the friendship between the Canadian province and Massachusetts. Aw, Nova Soctia and Mass, like two peas in a pod. Kinda like me and Roula, my very own Canadian pal.

Christmas shopping galore!

So I rarely venture down toward Downtown Crossing. Something about all that commotion really overwhelms me. While the H&M there is by far better than the one on Newbury Street, it still isn't a good enough reason to draw this Back Bayer to that side of town. Well, that's all about to change with this little gem I stumbled upon.

The Boston Redevelopment Authority and the Boston Public Market have teamed up to present the first Annual Downtown Crossing Holiday Market. The market will have a diverse selection from artists selling all sorts of goodies: handcrafted jewelry, blown glass, paintings, photography and even items for man's best friend. As if that wasn't enough the market will sell specialty food items such as homemade honey, breads, organic fruits and vegetables, cheeses (my mouth is watering) and the list goes on and on.

What's missing from this equation? Live performances, you say dear readers? Worry not, they have taken care of that. Each day there will be live performers from 12 - 2 p.m. and 5 - 7 p.m. Oh my oh my.

The market kicked off yesterday and will continue through December 24, so you have no excuse to not check it out. It will be open everyday. 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and Noon - 6 p.m. on Sundays. The market will be set up on Summer Street in Downtown Crossing.

Gobble gobble

(Why can't we have Thanksgiving food everyday?
photo courtesy of xybermatthew)

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. If you're anything like me you're still recovering from the overdose of tryptophans. It was all well worth it, though.

So Thanksgiving is over, and now it's full steam ahead to Christmas. Tis the season to be jolly, so stay tuned this week, dear readers. I have a lot of fun events for y'all.

Thoughts I couldn't flesh out into full entries

Hey remember that time I use to write a blog about events in Boston? Yeah, me neither. I apologize, friends. These past ten days have been unbelievably hectic^max. It brought me back to a few years ago when I was an editor at the school paper and would regularly stay up until 5 a.m. and then have to be at work at in class by 9. I don't know how I did it, honestly. I had a few nights of staying up into the wee hours of the morning writing term papers - mainly analyzing First Amendment cases - and my body hated me for it. At least I had friends to commiserate with me (Oh hey, Eric!) But it's all over now! (well, for the most part) Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and after that, there's only a week and a half of classes left! Woohoo!

So here are few things I've meant to write about, but can't justify having an blog post of their own:

- I'm here to encourage you all to go out - tous les temps. Friday night was a disaster. My body crashed after my sleepless nights. I sat on the couch, unable to move, watching the Celtics. Saturday night though, I met a friend at Boston Beer Works, the one near Fenway Park. I HIGHLY recommend their Blueberry beer. DELIC.

- If you all haven't seen this video, you need to do so immediately. I guess anything is possible, KG.

-I watched Pirate Radio tonight. I really loved it.


Ty Burr of The Boston Globe reviewed the film and only gave it 2 ½ stars. I disagree. Will Philip Seymour Hoffman win an Oscar again? Probably not. Was it an enjoyable two hours? Absolutely. *I feel the need to say that movies with great soundtracks like this one make me realize I'm alive during the wrong generation. Womp womp.

-Now, I'm no fashionista, and this is definitely not a fashion blog but seriously Rihanna? Seriously? Come on, RiRi, let's make better decisions, now.

(AP Photo/Matt Sayles))

Ok, that should be all for my random rants. I should be back to my regualarly scheduled posts mañana.

Boston is Beautiful - Part 1

As those of you who regularly read Playground know, this blog is new. It's still a baby; and like every newborn, it needs constant care, attention and affection. Every day I learn its likes and dislikes. I learn about the things it needs - and this brings me to a new installment.

I've decided to start a Boston is Beautiful segment to the blog. I'll just showcase different pictures I take around the city. I always carry my camera on me. You know, you never know when a photo op will present itself. My camera is kind of like my weapon, it keeps me safe and prepared for any situation I may encounter around the Hub. (This brings me back to high school with Dr. Math Teach calling calculators 'guns.' In full disclosure, I was never in his class, but all my close amigas were. Come on people, I'm a writer, I would never take advanced math.) So, my camera is to me, what calculators were to my friends circa 2004. Ok enough with this analogy.

So I took the following pictures Sunday night. I was sitting on my bed, writing an essay on how abstinence-only campaigns are ineffective, and pretty much hating life. I looked up and saw the sun setting. It made me realize, dear readers, that even when you're stuck indoors writing papers, life isn't all that bad.




(pretty sweet view from my window, huh? Now you all know what I see the moment I wake up, and the last thing I see before sleeping at night. Weird.)

Double double, toil and trouble

Time is flying by! How is it already this late in November? This is nuts, Thanksgiving is only a week away. *DEEP BREATHS*

Just today I came to realize how quickly the days race by. My buddy Jeremy is in a theater production of Macbeth and I've been meaning to blog about it. All is good, until I realized, there are only two days of production left! UNREAL!

So here's the deal. Shakespeare Now! Theatre Company , the leader Shakespeare-in-education provider in Massachusetts, adapted the classic 'Macbeth.' I went to the show today, and it was great! The play is extremely well done! The director, Steven Maler, has created a modern-day Macbeth. Think 'Romeo and Juliet' a la Leonardo Di Caprio and Claire Danes. Only different Shakespeare play. And on stage, rather than the big screen. It was honestly, very, very enjoyable. Grotesquely graphic at times, but nonetheless a very entertaining 2 hours.




So hurry up, dear friends - there are only two shows left. Thursday (11/19) and Friday (11/20). The theater is located at the Mass. College of Art (Tower Auditorium) at 621 Huntington Ave. This is right across the street from the Longwood T stop on the Green Line - E. There is also a 39 bus stop right in front of the building. Tickets cost $10 for students. Here's the slight catch though: performances are at 10 a.m. The play is intended for high school students (remember how excited you use to get for field trips?!) Today's performance was jam-packed with teens giggling every time Lady Macbeth recited the word 'breast.' Oh, high school.

The rain won't stop us now!

Did you also wake up this morning and cringe when you looked out the window? What is up with the rain?! So a day like this clearly calls for an indoors event - and I wouldn't leave you hanging, dear readers.

I was at the Garden a few days ago for a Celtics game and a poster caught my eye. A T ride home, and a google search later brought me to this: Star Wars in concert.

Star Wars in concert is a unique multi-media event featuring a live orchestra, choir, film footage, pages from John Williams' hand-written sheet music, production artwork, costumes, props, and music from all six epic Stars Wars scores. It's in town for one-night only. There are definitely some tickets left at different prices. Click here to buy tickets.


May the force be with you.
(Sorry, I couldn't resist)