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A Delicious Odyssey

For lunch, dinner or drinks, Boston’s Big Boat is a great time!

 

Sing in me, Muse of a ship that has sailed

Lo’ these 20 years

And through me tell the story

of a three-hour tour

that will surely not leave the people of Boston

stranded with the likes of one forlorn Gilligan,

But will refresh them body and soul

with delicious food, attentive servingmen (and women),

lively entertainment,

and beautiful views of their fair city.

 

For over 20 years, The Odyssey (www.odysseycruises.com) has hosted some of the most exciting, romantic, and all-around fun times in Boston. From a special dinner for two to a corporate event, wedding or just a change of scene, The Odyssey can more than accommodate.

With a diverse and creative menu created by Executive Chef Michael Almond and a long list of wines, champagnes, beers, and creative cocktails, The Odyssey has something to satisfy every appetite. Throughout the cruise, your table is your domain. With no reason to flip the tables (please don’t say “flip” on the boat, though a nice “tip” is well deserved!), the attentive, at-your-service staff encourage appropriate menu choices and dining pacing, allowing and encouraging you to relax and take it all in at your own pace.

As you linger over your meal, enjoy the on-deck bands who welcome requests and rock as comfortably as the ship itself. In between courses and dances, feel free to wander the three decks, visiting the well-stocked bars and getting new perspectives on Boston with every turn.

Whether you are from Troy or Ithaca or just Troy or Ithaca, NY, The Odyssey will inspire you to leave your Home-r for a night and have an adventure on the not-so-high seas.

 

Quebec’s Cultural Cup Runneth Over

44^th Festival D’Été to feature everyone from Elton John to Metallica

 

Though their countrymen lost the Cup, Quebeckers still have a lot to crow about, not the least of which is the stellar line-up for their latest summer arts explosion, the Festival D’Été (www.infofestival.com).

Though the Festival is always a high point of Quebec’s congested cultural calendar, the 44^th edition of annual convergence of international music and art stars stands to be the biggest party yet. Even in a city that is known for its festivals, this summer’s “Musical Planet” (as the Festival is being themed) is sure to be HUGE!

 “We aimed to stand out, to be major players on the big events scene,” explains Festival Board Chair Nancy Savard. “[We wanted] to attract top names and to promote Quebec City.”

Though its historic charm is an attraction all year, Quebec makes extra efforts to attract visitors and to encourage its own citizens to come out and play at many times during the year- the two most prominent of which are the summer and winter festivals. During Winter Carnival, the city lights the snow and ice on fire with parades and dog sled races through the historic Old City and visits to the nearby Ice Hotel and other area attractions. For summer visitors, the city is alive with multi-lingual and multi-talented musicians and artists, and also offers fireworks festivals and tours of area wineries on Ile D’Orleans. Even for the locals, however, the Festival D’Été is something special.

“A lot of Quebeckers now plan their vacation around the Festival,” Savard suggests, “and more and more people from outside Québec…want to come.”

Among the special musical guests who will help attract more visiting guests to Quebec this summer will be Sir Elton John and the Rock royalty of Metallica, as well as Ben Harper, The Black Keys, Simple Plan, and Boston’s own Dropkick Murphys.

Apparently, the attraction is strong.

“For the first time of its history, [much of] the Festival is sold out many weeks before the beginning,” says Communications Director Luci Tremblay. “People don’t wait anymore for the full release of the line-up to buy their Hydro-Québec passes. They believe in the Festival!”

In addition to the English-language music, the Festival will also feature such international stars as South Africa’sFreshlyground, Austarlia’s Blue King Brown, Klezmer heroes The Klezmatics, Mali’s Afrocubism and Peru’s Novalima. Three will also be plenty of Quebecoise talent, including Éric Lapointe, François Duchesne, a reunited Death from Above and Quebec’s own rising star, Marie-Mai.

“This year line-up is as diversified as it has always been,” says Tremblay, noting what a “big achievement” it is to be able to invite such an acclaimed assemblage of artists.

Though the foreign forces have grown, the Festival tries to be true to its local supporters.

“We always try to have a balance between Québec and international artists,” Tremblay says, noting how many French-speaking artists can attract a crowd. “That is why we create a show involving many artists from France and Québec.”

In addition to all the music and merriment, the Festival also offers an array of other attractions, including street performers and theatre troupes from Canada and beyond. There will even be performances by the world famous Cirque du Soleil five nights a week! “We [also] have a family place called Place de la famille,” Tremblay says, listing such family-friendly activities as kite making, horseback riding, ferry rides across the St. Lawrence River, acrobatics and (for the very adventurous families) a skate park.

As the Festival takes place right in downtown Quebec, the city is also available day or night to entertain and enchant.

“A walk in the Old Québec city and on the Dufferin Boardwalk is definitely a must,” Tremblay suggests. “By taking part in theFestival, tourists will discover the beauty of the city.”

From the Plains of Abraham to the Chateau Frontenac to the banks of the mighty St. Lawrence, Quebec has plenty of beauty and grandeur to offer at the Festival or anytime. So whether you make it for this year’s summer festival, next year’s winter carnival, or just a weekend getaway, a visit to Quebec is sure to leave you with a happy “souvenir.” 

BOSTON BLOGGER: BIG BALLS BLAZE TRAILS

People always say, “Do what you love.”  Meaning, if you can make money doing what you love to do, then do it!  We’ve all had jobs we’ve hated, lifestyles we’ve hated… and most of the time, people just resign themselves to their situation.  “My job sucks. I hate it.  I want a new one.”  But, if you’re lucky enough to know what drives you, what you love to do… then I have one piece of advice for you, and it is this, “Fuckin’ do it already!  Blaze your own trail and stop wasting time!”

Is it easy?  Hell, no.  Easy is the job you have.  Easy is looking busy at a moment’s notice whenever the boss is around (he’s pretending to be busy, too).  If doing what you love was easy, then everyone would do it.  Doing what you love takes a few things: Passion for something, an idea, sacrifice, never looking back, and BALLS.  Balls are the most important.  Most people are too pussy to put themselves out there.  Too scared.  Too worried about embarrassing themselves.  So, balls should be #1 on this list. Lots of balls.  Big/fat/shiny BALLS.  Without them… you don’t stand a chance. They should drag behind you while you walk because they’re so heavy… you’ll have to set them on a skateboard or a wheelchair just to get around.

There are plenty of examples of seemingly regular people that took an idea/passion and turned it into something big.  Something successful.  Some are rich and some are going to be rich.  But the difference is that they’re more rich in pride/fulfillment/spirit than anything else.

Here are just 3 prime examples of enterprises/people based out of the Boston area that you’ve probably heard of… if not, here are 4 new heros to inspire you.

Travis Grillo of Grillo’s Pickles: Travis Grillo’s family made pickles.  It wasn’t a business, it was a family tradition.  But Travis took his love for those pickles and did something about it.  He started selling Grillo’s Pickles out of the back of his 1985 Cutlass Supreme in 2008.  He was selling pickles out of an Oldsmobile.  Who does that?  He did.  In 2009 he built a wooden cart and sold pickles out of it at Park Street Station on Boston Common.  By 2010, Grillo’s Pickles were in 48 Whole Foods Markets and sold in Fenway Park.  I met him last year at a Whole Foods and he was wearing a fucking pickle costume, standing on the street, waving at cars and passersby, just like he always has.  To sell pickles out of a car takes balls.  To wear a pickle suit and wave at strangers takes huge balls.  I was recently at the Park Street cart with E.A. Horton…  &feature=player_embedded" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204); " target="_blank">we meet there on the regular and gladly pay $3 for a combo plate of pickles, pickled tomatoes and carrots.  Good shit.

The Jacobs Brothers: Two brothers, John and Bert made T-Shirts.  They sold these T-Shirts out of their Plymouth Voyager.  They sold their shirts to college students and made extra money as substitute teachers, ski instructors, and even delivering pizzas.  But they loved their T-Shirts and the lifestyle they lived as they put it, “We just wanted to have a good time, make some money and, it sounds corny, but spread good vibes.”  But, after 5 years, they had $78 in the bank.  John drew up what they thought symbolized their outlook on life, a little face wearing a beret and sunglasses with the words “Life is good.”  They put it on 48 shirts, took them to a street fair in Cambridge in 1994.  They sold them all in hours.  Today, their company is huge.  How huge?  They’re filthy rich… doing what they love.  Selling t-shirts out of a minivan?  Big balls.

Jim Koch: At the age of 35, Jim Koch busted out his old family beer recipe from the 1800′s and brewed it in his kitchen.  With the help of two friends from Harvard, he quit his job at a Boston based consulting firm and in April of 1985 he launched Samuel Adams, the Boston Beer Company.  If you’ve never had a Samuel Adams Boston Lager, you’re probably not living in the U.S., you definitely don’t live in Boston, or you drink white wine with your pinky sticking out while making a face like somebody just farted.  This guy Jim Koch had a job… but he had a love for beer passed down from his beer brewing bloodlines.  He decided to quit his job and do what he loved.  That takes balls… big drunken balls (and friends with money).

You’ve gotta love it when people chase a dream and do what they love.  But, without action, a dreamer is just a dreamer… and nobody likes a “dreamer”.  And, nothing is more boring or uninspiring than sitting in a cubicle, making cold calls, staring at a computer screen and pretending to work all week.  Personally, I can’t do that… so I don’t.

Everyone’s dreams have a price… what’s yours?  Take your giant balls and drag behind you as you set your own course… people will see the trail from your balls and say, “That trailblazer had some huge balls.”

Blaze your own trail and support others who do.

Mike Paul (Quincy, MA) is a Model, an Athlete, and a Dad.

p.s., My triathlon relay team (TEAM NRG), took 1st place at the Ashland Lions Olympic Distance Triathlon.  Great race.   &feature=player_embedded" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204); " target="_blank">I did the 1 mile swim leg and crazy run through the woods back to transition.  If you aren’t using your body and pushing it to the limit now and then, you’re missing out.  Try it, you’ll thank me later.

BOSTON BLOGGER: If I Had Life All Figured Out...

My woman (E.A. Horton) and I are so damn busy outside of our regular jobs (she sells software and I put on clothes for a living) doing things like brewing our own beer, hitting the gym, going on road trips… shit, we’re even having a big cookout in June at our place where our friends will get to drink the beer we made with our own bare hands (pussybrew.com).  My neighbor said it best the other day when he said, “You guys are so cute… I’m gonna go throw up.”

Do I have life all figured out?  Hell, no.  If I did, I’d be chillin’ out butt naked on an island, drinking an ice cold beer and eating a fish I caught with a spear… after cliff diving and showering under a waterfall.  But, in the 33+ years I’ve been alive, I’ve had some experiences and learned some simple truths everyone should hear:Look, we all work hard, but life is about being happy.  Happy for me is living a long time, being fit enough to handle anything, and having a massive amount of fun.  Pretty simple.  I’m lucky in the fact that I don’t punch a clock anymore.  I get paid to put on clothes and make them look good.  Which means I have to stay fit, healthy and get my hair cut once in awhile.  This week I even wore a pair of capri running tights in front of strangers for a job, but  beats bangin’ nails for a living!  I’m not rich, but I’m 100% grateful for the life I’ve created for myself.

-  “Imagine what your life would be like if nothing embarrassed you.”  My old neighbor, a great guy, highly overweight and a P.E. teacher, said to me, “I want to start working out with my students, running and what not, but I don’t want those little fuckers to laugh at me.”  Guess what, homeboy… they’re already laughing.  People can only embarrass you if you let them.

-  “Mike, a great couple is two people that are best friends… that like to fuck.”  My father said this to me when I was probably 12 or 13 years old.  I still can’t think of a better description.

-  “Don’t tell stories about what an amazing high school athlete you were.”  The older you get, the worse it looks.  It’s embarrassing, nobody cares and it doesn’t make you look any less fat and pathetic now.  You’re only as good as what you’re doing today.

- “Always have fun.”  We’re all guilty at some point of focusing on the shitty parts of our lives.  And I’m going to let you in on a little secret… generally, we all have the same problems.  Money issues/job issues/relationship issues.  That shit transcends class, race, gender… we all want more/better/bigger/nicer/etc.  Appreciate what’s good in your life and the rest will fall into place.  Allow yourself to have fun and enjoy the life in front of you.

-  “The way you do anything is the way you do everything.” (from the walls of the Crossfit gym at Reebok Int’l Headquarters in Canton, MA).  Think about this the next time you’re at work half-assing your job thinking you deserve a promotion and more money.

-  “Excuses are like rectal thermometers, they work best when shoved up your ass.”  I wrote this quote over a year ago and it still rings true.  You’re not fooling anybody when you use your shitty excuses to avoid doing what’s right.  There’s no excuse for not being an good person/parent/friend day in and day out.

-  “Life isn’t fair.”  Whoever told you life was fair lied to your ass.  We are NOT all created equal or born into equal circumstances.  Don’t waste your time and effort worrying about the next guy, it’s fruitless.

-  “Nobody likes a crybaby and nobody wants to hear you bitch.”  I was in New York a week ago and got interviewed by ESPN about how Jorge Posada threw a tantrum after being moved to 9th in the batting order.  Whether you make millions of dollars to “play games” or $8 an hour working at the mall, when faced with adversity you’d better handle it like an adult and make the most of the situation.  My daughter cries when she doesn’t get her way… she’s 4.  Even she’s realizing she needs to develop better tactics.