Barolo

Italy is all about great wine, and one of the stars is Barolo. Barolo is the namesake of a little village in Piemonte, one of the best wine producing regions in Italy. Barolo is bold, flavorful and tannic with a high alcohol volume. In other words, delicious! It's produced from Nebbiolo grapes, which also make Barbaresco wine, and it must be aged for at least 3 years before being sold. The sommeliers say Barolo has flavors of cherry, leather, and my favorite truffles, which is another delicacy native to Piemonte. My palate isn't quite advanced enough (yet) to pick up the truffles, but I'll keep looking!

Barolo will definitely be a stop on the the Italy tour!

Boston's Best Beer

Boston is home to two great breweries, Harpoon and Sam Adams. I can't claim to prefer one over the other because both have some of the tastiest microbrews in the country. Today I went to a Tasting at Harpoon. The Tasting takes place in the Harpoon Brewery Store, which also doubles as a kind of open bar area. As the hour of the Tasting approaches the store gets busier and busier with eager beer enthusiasts waiting for the taps to begin flowing. The tasting consists of six brews, UFO, Ale, Seasonal, IPA, Munich Dark, and 100 Barrel. At the beginning of the Tasting everyone receives a small glass, which you bring up to the bar, repeatedly, to sample the different brews. After about 20 minutes the Tasting Host exlains how each beer is made and throws in a bit of history about Harpoon. Then you have about 10 or 15 minutes to go back to tasting before the taps are cut of at 15 minutes before the end of the hour. They stick to that cut-off point stricktly, so make sure to give yourself enough time to get back up to the bar for that last delicious glass. My favorities were the Ale, which only composes 2% of Harpoon's sales and is their oldest brew, and the Munich Dark, which is their most award winning beer.

After a Harpoon Tasting you may be a little hungry. Check out LTK Bar and Kitchen, which is just about a five minute walk down Harbor Street. It's a new restaurant opened up by the Legal Seafood chain. LTK is going for a high tech, swanky atmosphere. I didn't get that kind of vibe at my late afternoon visit, but the Cape Cod and Komotu oysters were fresh, flavorful, and delicious!

The Nutcracker at the Opera House

Every December the Boston Ballet puts on a lovely production of The Nutcracker at the Opera House. The Boston Ballet is one of the top ballet companies in the world, which is evident through the dancers' confident, graceful movements. The unwavering kicks and twirls of the Russian Dancers are particularly impressive. The Boston Ballet puts on other productions throughout the year, so even if you aren't in Boston during the holiday season you'll be able to enjoy a show.

The Opera House was recently renovated and provides an elegant home to The Nutcracker. The glass chandeliers, white carved marble, gold leafing, and rich red drapes give the Opera House a royal feel. Even if you aren't able to catch a performance at the Opera House, it's worth it to stop by the lobby to see the elegant decor.

Before a show at the Opera House, I recommend dinner at Ivy Restaurant. Located right around the corner from the Opera House, Ivy boasts small plates of Italian inspired dishes and low priced bottles of wine. This set up is perfect for sampling lots of different dishes and not feeling guilty about spending too much on wine!

If you want to see a performance by the Boston Ballet, a show at the Opera House, or a show at one of the many other Boston venues, check out BosTix, which has same day half-price tickets available to many shows.