Farewell Improper Bostonian

This past week it seemed as though everyone in Boston was lamenting the demise of Improper Bostonian as if it were a close friend who died too young.  Indeed, we were not only an aficionado of the events coverage but also often featured in said columns.  It was always a great resource for new and fun things to do in an around the city. 

This prompted us to look back over some of our favorite party pics and celebrity sightings over the years.  So, if there is any way in which we can pick up the slack and help fill the void we will be providing even more of all those happy, shiny faces on our blog.  Let the fashion and food events continue! 

Happy Anniversary Mr. Sid

If you can survive for forty years in the fashion industry then you can survive anything.  So, it was time to celebrate this week at the legendary Mr. Sid in Newton Centre, home of luxury fashion brands for men.  God only knows how much we enjoy men's fashion events and shows.  Sponsored by fashion house Ermenegildo Zegna and hosted by Esquire Magazine, it was a class act from start to finish.

We shopped the store, forgetting how big the place actually is and the extent of all that is offered.  It's a classic haberdashery with that old-world feel of total quality, a touch of modern but never trendy. And the basement is devoted to Chivalry, the men's "Grooming Parlour", an exclusive, hidden gem.

Alongside the suits that can be custom-tailored were custom-made drinks and tastes being served up by none other than Chef Ming Tsai of Blue Ginger and Blue Dragon, one of our favorite Ft. Point spots to dine.  The Smashed Shrimp was delicious.

Andrew and Bik.

(R) Barry Segel (co-owner) and guest.

And what would an elegant fashion event be without Boston Herald Lifestyle Editor Erica Corsano in the house? We are huge fans of the Status Report weekly radio show.  Congratulations Mr. Sid and here's to another forty years of classic looks for men.

Mr. Sid
1211 Centre Street
Newton, MA  02459
Telephone:  617.969.4540
Twitter:  @Newtonsid 

Taste Of Ginger 2016 At The MFA

Bik-Fung Eng (who has lost several family members to diabetes) was the honoree at this year's annual Taste Of Ginger at the Museum of Fine Arts.  The event raised over $300,000 for Joslin's AADI (Asian American Diabetes Initiative).  

Did you know that Asian Americans are far more likely to develop diabetes than the average American?  That message was driven home very clearly at the 12th annual Taste Of Ginger event at the MFA this week.

We joined over 30 local Chefs and hundreds of supporters in the Art of The Americas wing in support of the initiative.  Suffice to say, the food was glorious and the setting gorgeous.  It's one of our favorite annual food events.

Joanne Chang (now working on her fourth cookbook) and the crew from Flour were there, as always, to show their support.

Chef Ming Tsai of Blue Ginger congratulating Bik-Fung Ng, who has worked tirelessly as an event committee member since its inception in 2005 and is a well-known as an activist in the Asian community.

And of course our old friend Chef José Duarte of Taranta was there.  Chef José has supported the event for many years.  We had a very interesting conversation on what restaurants must do to reach out to millenials. More on that hot topic later.

Congratulations to all of the honorees, restaurants and supporters on another great event!

Boston Wine Expo 2015

We braved yet another threat of an impending blizzard recently to attend the Boston Wine Expo 2015 and spent the better part of the day at the Seaport exploring new wine trends and lots of food and new products.  We didn't see any real new trends emerging.  The Rieslings from the Finger Lakes region continue to be very hot with an emphasis on less sweet varieties.  

You'd never know that another wintry storm was brewing by the size of the crowd.  As usual, the place was packed and we staked out our seats in the front row of one of the two culinary demonstration stages.

Chef Ming Tsai of Blue Ginger and Blue Dragon just down the street opened the show, mixing up a delicious pineapple smoothie type drink.

Chef Chris Coombs of Deauxave demonstrated a Duck Breast dish which was absolutely delicious. One of  great things about this particular wine event is that the chefs share all of their dishes with the viewing audience so you get a great taste of what one can expect to find in their restaurants.  Plus, you get an unlimited supply of wines to go with it!  It's simply one of those events in Boston (and the biggest wine expo in the country) that every food and drink lover should attend at least once in their lives.  Don't miss it next year!

Ming Tsai and Simply Ming At Twelve

We were invited by one of our favorite Boston Chefs, Ming Tsai, recently to help him celebrate the twelfth season of his hit PBS cooking Show:  Simply Ming.  We gathered at Blue Dragon in Fort Point, Boston's new food mecca.  If you haven't been there's a real tavern-like homey feel to the place that invites gathering with friends for a cocktail and some excellent small plates.

We sipped cava and devoured passed plates of Shrimp Shumai, Pork Belly Bao and this, our favorite, Lobster Cakes, fried to perfection and loaded with lobster meet.

It was a great night to catch up with Chef (we asked about his Finding Your Roots segment with Henry Louis Gates which resulted in the oldest documented genealogical tree he's found to date) and an opportunity to meet a slew of new food bloggers we have never met before, including Elizabeth of Little Moments Of Happiness.

The new series explores comfort food across cultural influences and includes a visit to Australia for a peek at their cutting-edge cuisine.