5th Annual Boston Seafood Festival

The 5th Annual Boston Seafood Festival recently took place on Fish Pier in Boston's historic Seaport district.

The festival features a variety of activities and entertainment and an assortment of seafood. The Dragon dance took place during this year's festivities.

Chef demos, battle of the shuckers, and the blessing of the fleet all took place during the 5th annual festival.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Outside the Box

Outside the Box Festival was held on Boston Common and brought many amazing acts right to the center of the city.

The 5 day festival featured a curated line-up of musicians, poets, and artists.
New this year, the festival featured an innovation section.

Daughtry, Smashmouth, Ruby Rose Fox, and many, many other artists brought an array of culture, art, and music into beautiful Boston Common. Check out the photos for yourself:

Keep on thinking "Outside the Box" Boston!

Man of the Year 2016

The Red Balloon is posting a favorite photo from this past Friday night's Hasty Pudding 50th Man of the Year Celebration: seriously, women everyone are asking, "Who wouldn't want to be that Pudding Pot?"

It was an honor to be part of a tradition with the utmost artistic integrity, including that one part when Joseph Gordon-Levitt took his pants off.

This year Joseph Gordon-Levitt became the 50th Hasty Pudding Man of the Year joining the ranks of Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese, Christopher Walken, Steven Spielberg, Sean Connery, Robert Downey Jr. and Billy Crystal, all of whom have their very own Hasty Pudding Pot. The story of how the Man of the Year title started comes from the very first man of the year, Bob Hope, who contacted the Hasty Pudding Theatre as he knew they had only a Woman of the Year distinction at the time. He told them he had the perfect candidate for Man of the Year: Himself! And so the rest is history. Today the tradition continues as Joseph Gordon-Levitt received his latest title with honor! Here's to the Man of the Year!

Top of the Hub

The Red Balloon recently visited the Top of the Hub. The restaurant offers ambiance unknown in most other places around the city of Boston. A perfect spot for lunch, dinner, or a late night drink. There is no denying that sunset offers a perfect time to see the city aglow in a whole new light, from 52 floors above the city!

The view is truly spectacular. Whatever the season, Top of the Hub, is a great spot to dine. The food is exceptional and the atmosphere top notch. A nightly jazz ensemble adds another element of sophistication to the Top of the Hub's lounge. Whatever the occasion, Top of the Hub is the place to see Boston like no where else!

Salem: Sights & Sounds

Get ready for a special edition of Sights and Sounds. Today we look at the city of Salem. Best known for it's connection to the Salem Witch Trials, the city has quite a bit to offer in terms of culture, art, and more.

Here's a look at some highlights from The Red Balloon's recent travels in the city of Salem.

First, we start with the Salem Witch Museum, established in 1692. Any visit to Salem is not complete with a trip to this place.

Next, the Peabody Essex Museum offers an array of art including the Yin Yu Tang Ancestral Home, pictured below.

The House of Seven Gables is not to be missed. The secret stairway is one that a visitor who had not been to the house in nearly 50 years still remembered while taking another tour of the house. 

Artwork is in the center of the city.

A replica of the schooner Fame from the War of 1812 is another must see while in the city.

Happy Travels!

Sights & Sounds: Part VI

The Red Balloon  begins the Sixth part in the Sight and Sounds series.

Viga Boston offers a variety of options including catering. The menu offers a wide array of choices including vegetarian options. Viga has recently add a chocolate fondue option to their catering menu.

The above life-size chess game is currently at the Sheraton Boston. The reason behind the gigantic game: Mathworks is in town and they've brought with them both the game and a hashtag: #makeyourmove.

Quentin Tarantino's latest film is still in theaters. If you catch the 70mm Roadshow it includes a program and be prepared: there's an intermission as well. Intermissions were typical of movies made back in the 1950s through the 1970s: leave it to Tarantino to go all "old school."

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. weekend!

Four Seasons in the City

Enjoy The Red Balloon's presentation of "Four Seasons in the City" in photo form. Winter is currently upon us so now seems as good a time as ever to reminder that there are other seasons in New England.



This photo is "Snow White City" showing Boston from 50 floors up.

   

Above, "Springtime in the City" captures the essence of the Public Garden. If you look between the tree and small bush, you can see the Swan Boat.


"Summer in the City"

    

And, "Fall from Harvard Square."

Sights & Sounds: Part Quattro

Sights & Sounds coming at you:

New England Aquarium:

The Aquarium provides a quiet respite from the hustle and bustle of downtown Boston. Outside the Aquarium and open to the public, anyone is welcome to see the Seals up close. Inside the Aquarium, there is much aquatic life including the penguins (pictured above.)

Museum of Fine Arts:

On a snowy day or any day, the MFA offers a great array of art. One of the most current exhibits is Rembrandt and Vermeer.

The Lawn on D:

The playground in South Boston recently announced that they would be opening again in May of 2016, so mark your calendars!

Once:
At the Shubert Theatre, The Red Balloon had the opportunity to see the musical the same day that a record breaking event took place there. 250 guitar players performed the show's smash, "Falling Slowly," which set the record for the most people playing the song together on guitar.

Sights & Sounds in the City: Part One

Now that we are nearly at Thanksgiving, it seems like a good time to highlight the "Sights & Sounds of the City" (The first of a ten part series.) With that fitting title, let us begin the journey ~

Skywalk

Can you think of a better place to start than 52 floors above the city. It is a must-see and a great space with 360 degree views of the city. Whether it is summer (as seen above) or winter (as seen below) the views are breathtaking. If you are visiting for the first time, I recommend taking the small walkie talkie device with you which will provide you with a guided tour of what you are seeing through the glass. Soak in the sights because there is no shortage of beauty from any vantage point here.

Swan Boats

A must see in the Public Garden is the Swan Boats. A scenic tour while also a peaceful boat ride and a chance to see both Romeo and Juliet (the swans that is!) The photo below is from when Swan Lake performed on the Swan Boats as an added sight to see!

Liquid Art House

If you haven't visited this restaurant and art house it is a place to see both for its art of the visual kind and of the edible kind. The outer facade contains large windows and is easy to walk by but be sure to turn back around and walk inside since the Liquid Art House is truly a hidden gem. I took the photo below from inside the Liquid Art House but....I will not say where ~

A Highly Unusual Sight to See

I couldn't pass up the opportunity to take this portrait. The rabbit happened to be eating when I spotted him or her but stopped and looked DIRECTLY at the camera for his or her close-up. This rabbit just happened to be minutes from Kenmore Square, stopped along Commonwealth avenue to sample some vegetation.

HONK
If you missed it this year be sure to take the time to see HONK - there is seriously something for everyone at Honk.

Stay tuned to The Red Balloon for a Blog and Fly post in which I review Flywheel.