Post-pandemics update:…read more This is a weekly (Fridays) swing dance venue on the industrial outskirts of Cambridge, MA. A beginner lesson starts at 8PM, the dance goes on from 9PM to midnight (finding a dance partner after 11:30PM is not easy). Masks are required, so is the proof of vaccination (with a booster!). The latter is better send via email in advance. The venue: the dance goes on inside the Q ballroom (formerly Extreme Dance Studio). The dance floor is pretty large, almost square in shape and of high quality. The only obstacle is a large red support pole in the center that is easy to avoid (or play around it). I had visited in late November, and the temperature control was adequate. The logistics: parking is free and easy. At 8PM, many parking spots are available in the parking lot of the ballroom itself. At this time, feel free to disregard the "restricted" signs and use the parking spots of other businesses nearby. However, per the Central's own web site, avoid the spots assigned to Evolve Fitness (I did not find any). There are coat hangers for the winter clothing in the lobby, cubes for the rest of your possessions at the far wall of the ballroom. Admission is $10 on DJ nights, apparently $15 on the band nights. Water is provided in the corner of the dance floor. Seating is very limited, experienced crowd tends to congregate in and around the front row of the seats closer to the entrance. The music: I have danced to the DJ music. As I understand, the live music is more typical, except during the holiday season. The music selection was excellent for lindy with many familiar mid-tempo pieces and practically no slow blues tunes. The lesson: starts at 8PM and is geared towards beginners, although covers a lot of ground at a pretty fast pace, so it is unlikely that a single lesson will be of much help to an absolute beginner. The crowd: about 50 dancers for the lesson, about 80 for the party. The dancers are mostly on the young side, their skills vary very significantly. There is a significant percentage of true beginners, to the point that leading them is very challenging, very few excellent dancers (on the night I have visited, there was a swing camp in the city, on my previous visit few years ago the number of advanced dancers was way higher), and many intermediate ones. There were more follows than leads during the party, but not disastrously so. The lesson was perfectly balanced. Overall: a must-go-to event in the Boston area. True beginner's mileage might vary. A minor advice for the beginner follows: if you want to dance, do not stand at the counter next to the entrance behind the row of seats: many people use this place to chill out, so a lead like me would rarely venture there - disregarding all the dancers in the front row! - to invite you to dance; sides of the floor will work much better.

This is the best weekly swing dance in Boston. They have a live band almost every week, including…read morelocal greats Beantown Swing Orchestra and the Fried Bananas. They also pull in great imports such as Solomon Douglas and Gordon Webster. The dance crowd is mostly Lindy Hop with some blues and East Coast (the step you learn in the free lesson before the dance). A lot of the dance instructors and advanced dancers frequent this dance. When you aren't dancing it is fun to sit back and watch and listen. You don't need to bring a partner. Most folks will dance with you if you ask them. Several people sport an "angel" bandana meaning they are experienced dancers looking to dance with people new to the dance. The drink of choice in this crowd is water so they are sharp and well balanced on the dance floor. There are jugs of water in the back left corner as well as light snacks. Check out the videos on the Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cambridge-MA/Boston-Swing-Central/15316440838, and the events for upcoming bands. The pictures give an idea of what the crowd wears. You can wear jeans, however you won't be out of place if you dress up, though tuxes or sequins is probably over doing it. Swing Central has quite the following. Recently they reached capacity when a very popular band played and there was a wait to get in. If you get there before 9:30 or after 10:30 you should be able to get in with no problem. If you are new to dancing by all means attend the 8:00 lesson a few times. The instructors rotate so it isn't the same lesson every week. The dance has moved from St. Mary's Church in Central Square to a dedicated dance space, Crosby's Whistle stop at 24 Roland Street in Charleston (how appropriate). It is in an industrial building, but don't let that put you off. The brick walls and wooden floor are a nice step up from the church basement.

I went to see a mortified show at WBUR city space a couple weeks ago. It was so incredibly…read morehilarious. That kind of funny where you get an ab workout from laughing so hard. We walked in about two minutes after the show was scheduled to start. Most people were already seated. Several people in our group waited in line for drinks while one person went into save seats. Because we did not arrive early, we did not get the best seats. (I recommend arriving when the seating opens versus doing what we did !) Also, make sure you use the bathroom before finding seats if you're drinking (or have a tiny bladder), because the show is long and if you are sitting in the wrong spot, it is really awkward to get up and walk out in front of everybody during the show so you can use the bathroom LOL. 10 out of 10 highly recommend going to see a show in the space, which is very intimate with nice acoustics.

This venue is amazing. I do think it would be nice if the stage was just a little higher because…read moreit's hard to see people who are sitting if the person in front of you have a big head. But overall, modern, comfortable, every seat is a good seat.

I got married here, so of course I am going to be somewhat biased about the place…read more As a wedding venue, it was perfect for a smallish wedding of about 90 guests. The grounds were fantastic for everyone to wander around, the foliage and landscaping actually made the need for us to spend half our budget on flowers unnecessary, and the interior was equally gorgeous, with hard wood everything, a grand staircase/foyer that was excellent for dancing and toasts and lots of rooms for a dessert buffet and a large dining area. It is however a historic estate, which means that there are limitations in terms of vendors you can use and decorations (eg, no lit candles indoors) however since we had a late summer wedding, we pretty much stayed outside the entire time so these weren't huge concerns. The event coordinator is -terrifying- but she knows what she is doing. She's very gruff, all business, but really, you're not there to make friends with her, so just smile and nod and everything will go ok. The price wasn't bad for the event, and there is a discount for Waltham residents (which we were not. boo)

I cannot believe this place can run in such a rude manner. We have been calling and emailing this…read morehistorical place about some lost AirPods. They have not responded at all. We've searched for them and then got yelled at because we brought a lot of people to search for them. I found out anyone can simply reset them. I am very disgusted because they least they could do is email me or call me and say they have or have not seen them. They will not respond. I am starting to wonder if they found them and choosing to keep them. I do not know!

Well, I saw the Blue Man Group in December of 1999 as part of a company holiday celebration in…read moreBoston's Theatre District. Sorry it took me so long to Yelp them! I think they started in Las Vegas and then opened branches/troupes in various cities, Boston being one of them. Performance artists who did some crazy tricks, played unconventional PVC tube type instruments to rhythmic tribal beats, and had the uncanny habit of making audience members be a part of the show and feel nervous. The band was above the stage, oddly, on a platform above where the tricks and performance artists were. The music was OK, but after hearing two or three songs you realize the music all sounds pretty much the same. The band was a music-only/non-vocal four piece band: Chapman Stick, Bass, Keyboards, and Drums. The show was OK. The company bought us the ticket, after we had lunch in Central Square, Cambridge, and we all met up at Park Street Station and walked over to some theater. I never would have gone on my own accord, but it was a company event. If you've seen it once there is no reason to see it twice, good but not that captivating. Thing is, that really struck me as odd and trashy... the tickets were not cheap, in fact back then it was $55.00. But as we all exited, two of the band members were at the exit doors with these big buckets looking for donations/tips. I've never seen that before.

Blue Man Group has been performing at the Charles Playhouse since 1995!…read more This is the second time I've had the pleasure of seeing Blue Man Group. The first time was over 20 years ago. They still had a lot of the same acts that still stand and bring lots of laughs as well as new and hilarious ones. This time I was sitting in the fourth row, pancho section which was perfectly close enough to the stage, but not too close where I was cranking my neck. I don't wanna spoil any thing from the show, but here are some helpful tips: - if you can, get middle section poncho seats - if you're in the poncho section, dress light! it gets hot under there - the music is amazing and loud! (They provide ear protection by request). - they also provide masks - boosters available for the littles - have a special occasion? You can contact them 48 hours before the show to have a special LED message displayed. - post show meet & greet for additional $$ - bathrooms are super clean as well as the waiting area - merch available - Bar with small snacks and lots of seating in the waiting area Bring the whole family it's very kid friendly and they will have an awesome time ! Street Parking not that great and be careful of parking on Tremont as there is tour bus parking after 6 PM and they will tow! Lots of lots available, where you can also pre-pay

STOP........You all need to see this Bombastic Production of :…read more"MOULIN ROUGE" The Musical! From the moment we sat down and the Music was playing you will experience the VERY BEST IN MUSICAL PRODUCTION! I have seen countless Broadway Productions all around from New York to Atlanta to Chicago and more BUT THIS MOULIN ROUGE, Truly and Honestly the Very Best I have ever sat through Ever!!! It Dazzled all of us ! The Songs, The Costumes, The Stage, The Choreography, The Synchronized Dancing, The Characters, The Enthusiasm was The Best in every which way! I can tell you that each Character played their part perfectly! I focused on how the voices which were strong and powerful. The pace of this amazing Production truly kept your attention and grabbed it through out the show! You could not blink for you might miss its stunning visual performance! I can tell you I LOVED IT AND CRAVED FOR MORE AND MORE WHEN IT ENDED! The Audience went wild with claps and shouting praise! It was a wonderful spectacle to witness! The Cast Gabriela Carrillo/ Satine was Brilliant and Powerful Actress and her Voice truly a gift for all to hear! Luke Monday/Christian Commanded your attention by his incredible voice! I have never experienced such range and perfection he demonstrated, Robert Petkoff/ Harold Zidler a character of great talent and style, Alex Nicholson/ Toulouse-Lautrec a beloved character and style with amazing talent, Aaron C. Finley/ The Duke of Monroth played his character so well that I believed in his bad behavior but brilliantly played! So many actors and singers to mention but they all performed the best on any stage. 35 talented cast for sure! Thank you for sharing your talent with the audience! I know I will not forget you all! this Production shows the real Spirit of the Moulin Rouge The Stage is set in 1899 inside the Moulin Rouge and parts of Paris! this theatrical imagination will transport us all back October 6, 1889 when the Moulin Rouge opens in Paris ! The Moulin Rouge in Paris is so Famous all around the World and is Celebrating its 135 Anniversary! I was lucky to be in Paris and experience this Landmark of the World!

Wow is the only word I can think of as well. It doesn't even matter which show you choose, this…read morevenue is stunning! And I've been to a lot of theaters in Chicago, NYC and LA. It's also very big, so if you're choosing seats, keep that in mind. We were mezzanine but already felt so far away from the stage.

I was just searching around playing with Yelp and I saw that the Center Bar actually is set up to…read moreget its own reviews?? I didn't know this. I would've reviewed it a long time ago. The Center Bar is actually located in the center of the casino.. This is a great place to socialize and get a real drink. They have beers in bottles and alcoholic beverages with higher shelf liquors. FYI, *you need to pay for these. These are not free drinks like when you're playing slots and gaming. The bartenders are very astute, polite, and make great drinks with prompt service. On Friday and Saturdays it's a great place to converse and meet friends. As with everywhere else at Encore parking, entrance and everything is the same as the casino as this is just one of the bars in the middle of the casino. It's located at the bottom of the big stairway in between the slots and the tables and the cashier. On the weekends, FYI, this is basically standing room only. There's only a few chairs scattered around each side of the bar and then the rest of the crowd is standing around the bar, since there are no walls other than one stairway so there's plenty of room to spread out of people actually wanted to .

Center Bar is Encore Boston Harbor's bar on the casino floor. There are about 30 seats that have…read morevideo poker machines. The area is in between the curved marble stair cases that lead to the high limit gaming area. It's a vibrant, busy, and relatively noisy spot. The problem with this bar is that they're very short staffed and when busy it can take 20+ minutes to get a drink ordered. They also struggle to keep the bar stocked and so the beer you want may not be available. Another issue is they serve some drinks in plastic disposable cups, which is unacceptable for a luxury place and especially one where you are paying $16 for a cocktail, $8 to $12 for a beer, and $13 to $23 for a glass of wine. It also feels insulting to pay that much and be served in disposable plastic, especially when even the comped drinks at the tables are coming in glass.

I went to the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.)'s Loeb Drama Center for a performance of…read moreRhinoceros two weeks ago with my husband and a couple of friends. A.R.T. was founded in 1980, and it's been an important professional, not-for-profit theater since its founding. It's gone lots of Tony awards and other theater accolades to show for it. Our experience was great. The play was outstanding. It was a treat to see that cast in such a unique, timely play. The theater was intimate, and there's not a bad seat in the house. The line for the bar and bathrooms wasn't bad. And it just felt like a special theater experience. A.R.T. is moving soon - to a new theater: the David E. and Stacey L. Goel Center for Creativity & Performance in Allston. While I think it's too bad that the theater's new location won't be as accessible by public transportation (it's now just a short walk from Harvard station), but I'm sure it will be beautiful facility. I'm glad I got to see this incredible production in Loeb Drama Center before they move in 2027! A special and unique place for theater if you're lucky enough to find yourself in Boston. If you can go see Rhinoceros before it closes, you should!

I always have a wonderful time visiting the American Reparatory Theater (ART). I've seen fabulous…read moreshows here - Six, Life of Pi, The Odyssey, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), and most recently Wonder. Every seat I've sat in has had a great view of these high-quality productions. I appreciate that you are given a physical program, but you scan the QR code for the full program. The staff are all friendly and happy to help. They offer a nice selection of snacks and drinks to purchase that you can bring into the theater. They also validate parking at the information desk after you scan your ticket. There's plenty of great restaurants nearby to have dinner at before an evening show - I try a new one each time I visit the ART. Plus, cannolis from Mike's Pastry are nearby, so no need to travel to the North End!

Whether you're looking to join the company or just take some no pressure dance classes, OnStage…read moreDance Company is great for both. Super nice people. Great dancers who are willing to teach less experienced people taking class too. Classes get added often and the schedule is always being updated, so it's really helpful to check the website.

I'd never seen a modern dance performance before. I just happened to have a friend performing so I…read morethought I'd give her some support. The performance was fun, eclectic, and thoughtful. Add it to your list of random cultural browsing (if you keep that kind of thing) in the greater Boston area for sure! The music could have been a little louder (the volume was sometimes awkwardly low for my tastes) so that's why I'm giving it 4 not 5.