Author: Colette GreensteinBlack Thought of The Roots performs at Showcase Live at Patriot Place.
Robert Kelly at the Wilbur Theatre
Nothing like kicking off the New Year with some comedy. I caught up with friend Robert Kelly (he’ll always be Bobby to me) at the Wilbur Theatre. Bobby hit the stage with his “Meffa swag” and just ripped into his set. He just makes me laugh and feel good when I leave his show. Bobby is fun, silly and just simply playful.
He began the show with his recent weight gain and how he wasn’t the “sexy Bobby” this time around. As he aptly put it, he’s going through his “unsexy” phase now. He also touched upon the personal aspects of his marriage and having his wife (who’s an esthetician), wax his backside because he “wanted to see what women go through.”
The visual alone of him telling his story about this episode of “manscaping” and how she spread the hot wax on his backside, quickly ripping it off with cloth strips before he could utter a word, was totally worth the price of admission. I hadn’t laughed out loud like that in some time.
The Roots at Showcase Live
The incredible The Roots crew more than made up for their postponed concert at Showcase Live with a show-stopping, heart-thumping performance. They hit the stage with the lights off and roared into their first song “WEB.” When the lights went up the crowd went bananas.
Black Thought prowled the stage and hit the mic hard with his nonstop, no breath-taking, rapid-fire delivery. They performed for over two solid hours and didn’t miss a beat. The eclectic crowd made up of everyone from hip hop heads, backpackers, yuppies and buppies to the alt-rock crowd and even a couple of Justin Bieber look-a-likes, all bobbed their head and fist-pumped the air.
I loved their live version of “You Got Me,” which was at least 20 minutes long with a little bit of “Fela Kuti” thrown in for good measure. Their encore song was “Dear God 2.0” and the show couldn’t have ended on a better note. If you haven’t seen The Roots live, make sure you do at some point bcause it’s an experience you won’t soon forget.
Canary Square Restaurant
So, I met up with a “foodie” friend for an early dinner at a new restaurant in Jamaica Plain called Canary Square. I was really excited to go because I recently saw a segment on the news about their macaroni and cheese and just knew I had to try it. I absolutely love mac and cheese, especially during this time of the year. It’s the perfect comfort food. We got there and the bar was packed for the Pats vs. Jets game (not going to touch that sore subject), but there was plenty of room in the dining area. We didn’t order any appetizers. We went straight for the entrees and let me say, it was a fabulous choice. The baked macaroni and cheese was made with taleggio cheese and fine herbs (which gave it a nice little zing) and accompanied by a fresh (and surprisingly filling) mixed green salad.
It was a perfect blend of pasta and cheese with, wait for it — chunks of ham. Normally, I just like my mac and cheese simple and straight forward, but the ham was a nice touch. Although the ham was plentiful and filled every bite, it did take a little bit away from the yummy taste of the mac and cheese, but, who am I kidding? I ate every last bite.
And we topped off the meal by splitting the butterscotch bread pudding with a dollop of maple walnut ice cream on top from J.P. Licks. It was so good with the warm butterscotch melting over the warm bread pudding. It created a pool at the bottom of the dish that you could literally scoop with your spoon and the bread pudding actually tasted a bit like French toast.
I would highly recommend Canary Square if you’re looking for a new restaurant to try out. It’s casual, yet has an upscale feel to it, plus it’s a great place to meet up with friends at the bar for drinks and appetizers (with several flat screen TVs on display), or even better for a first date. And one of the best things about the restaurant is that it’s reasonably priced with really good service and great food. Canary Square is definitely one of my new spots. I’ll be back very, very soon. You can count on that!
Coming Up ….
The Huntington Theatre Company presents the play “Ruined,” the 2009 Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, now through Feb. 6 at the Boston University Theatre.
Tonight, Cafe Tatant, Roxbury’s new supper club at Hibernian Hall features The Fred Woodward Trio at 7:30 p.m.
It’s the Big Funny Sunday — AFC Championship Comedy Show this Sunday, Jan. 23 with Corey Manning and Chris Tabb at the Stadium Sports Bar and Grill in South Boston. Music by Big Chicago DJ Reggie Beas. The fun kicks off at 6 p.m.
Get Konnected! at the ArtBar at the Royal Sonesta Hotel beginning at 6 p.m. this Tuesday, Jan. 25.
The Color of Film Collaborative, Inc., in association with The Roxbury International Film Festival, Future Boston Alliance and Night Life Executives premieres the New England Screening of “Night Catches Us” starring Kerry Washington and Anthony Mackie Thursday, Jan. 27 at the Stuart Street Playhouse.
If you would like me to cover or write about your event, e-mail me at inthemixwithcolette@gmail.com.
