As the French Cultural Center clears room for a new year of tastings, you have one last chance to taste some of their favorite bottles.

Over the past seven decades the French Cultural Center has had the opportunity to partner with an abundance of fine institutions, vintners, and wine collectors.

And now, it is time again to make room for a new year of tastings. Join them for this fun evening of fine wine, featuring a broad selection of vintners that we know and love. This exceptional tasting will feature six wines, from various domains, regions, and even countries!

This tasting will be led by Certified Sommelier Alexandre Sojfer, resident Sommelier at La Voile Boston.

The event will start no later than 7:10 PM.

ON THE MENU

L’Ameillaud – Vin de Pays de Vaucluse – 2012 – Vaucluse, France
Smoky black and blue fruit scents are complicated by suggestions of licorice and cracked pepper. Focused and chewy on the palate, offering bitter cherry and black currant flavors and a hint of cured meat.

Tinhorn Creek – Merlot – 2010 – South Okanaga, Canada
Established by the Shaunessy and Oldfield families on the South Okanagan’s legendary Golden Mile Bench in 1993, Tinhorn Creek is a very special winegrowing project, comprising 150 acres of spectacular vineyards in two distinct areas, one on either side of the valley.

Domaine Isle Saint Pierre – Cabernet – 2010 – France
Isle Saint-Pierre is a small island in the middle of the Rhone River, just 25km south of Arles and 15km from the sea. The vineyards, planted at the very heart of the Camargue region, stretch over 170 hectares around the island.

Jackson Triggs – Sauvignon Blanc – 2013 – Niagara Estate, Canada
Pale straw colour with a lively nose of gooseberry and lemon; fruit character is replayed on the palate; crisp and dry, with light / medium body.

Réserve Durand – Sauvignon Blanc – 2015 – Sancerre, France
From a small producer in France’s Loire Valley comes this dazzling white wine, rich with grapefruit and gooseberry aromas. The estate boast mature 25-30 year old vines and a mix of chalky, silicious soils.

Château Roc de Ségur – Bordeaux – 2011 – Bordeaux, France
This ripe, smoky, wood-aged wine shows ample fruit as well as solid tannins. The wine has richness and spice, the wood well balanced by black plum and final juiciness.

“What’s Galentine’s Day? Oh, it’s only the best day of the year!” – Leslie Knope

OAK Long Bar is throwing a party for ladies to celebrate ladies the day before Valentine’s Day, popularly known as Galentine’s Day. On Wednesday, February 13, from 6:00–9:00 PM, join The Food Lens and OAK Long Bar + Kitchen for a Galentine’s Day soirée, a night of sipping, snacking, and sweets—all while supporting a local charity that serves homeless women.

Here’s how they’ll be honoring the ladies:

• With a cheese & charcuterie spread from female purveyors
• With a tasting of standout wines produced by lady vintners
• With decadent hors d’oeuvres by OAK’s Executive Chef Graham Lockwood
• With a sweets station composed by OAK’s Pastry Chef Lindsay Le Blanc
• With a raw bar featuring live-shucked shellfish
• With chances to win gift bags filled with pampering and indulging items from local women-owned businesses
• With a photo booth to snap shots with your WCWs

…and more!

Tickets are $55 and include all food, two specialty cocktails, the wine tasting, and a charitable monetary donation. *OAK Long Bar will donate $10 from your ticket* to Women’s Lunch Place, a daytime shelter on Newbury Street offering a safe sanctuary, nutritious meals and critical support services for Boston women experiencing poverty and homelessness.

“What’s Galentine’s Day? Oh, it’s only the best day of the year!” – Leslie Knope. The holiday was created by the show “Parks and Recreation” and has since transcended the TV screen to become a beloved tradition of celebrating female friendships annually on February 13, whether that be your friend, sister, co-worker, mom, partner, or whoever!

ABOUT THE FOOD LENS
The Food Lens is a curated website that enables the culinarily curious to discover or rediscover Boston’s dining scene. Eternally curious and always hungry, female founders Molly Ford and Sarah Jesup have eaten their way through the city, culling the most authentic dining experiences Boston has to offer.

Celebrate Back Bay Social Club’s 1st Annual Beer Festival on National Beer Day.

Enjoy food truck inspired snacks, live music from 12 pm to 3 pm, and the opportunity to try 12 different beers!   The lineup includes:

You’ll al receive a “Back Bay Brew Card” to you can keep track of everything you tried and giveaways and swag from the beer sponsors.

This event is 21+.

Did someone say trivia? Abso-f-ing-lutely.

Kick up your Manolos because Sex and the City Trivia is coming to MJ O’Connor’s Park Plaza. Grab your girlfriends and test your knowledge of the fabulous four. We’ll cover everything from Post-it breakup notes to the wedding that never was.

Trivia will begin at 6:30pm – teams will be registered on a first come, first served basis and will close after the first 35 teams have signed up. Teams cannot exceed 6 people.

Celebrate Pride and National Donut Day with OAK Long Bar + Kitchen

National Donut Day is this Friday, June 7, coinciding with Boston PRIDE week. Fairmont Copley Plaza is waving its PRIDE flag loud and proud outside in Copley Square, and to further celebrate with the community OAK Long Bar + Kitchen will give away complimentary mini PRIDE donuts to its patio customers from 4–8PM on Friday, with the purchase of any drink or food, while supplies last. The three-inch minis baked by OAK’s Pastry Chef Lindsay Le Blanc will be a Funfetti Brioche Donut with Rainbow Glaze.

Chef Lindsay is known for her creative donuts and crullers. Every weekend she bakes a new flavor for the Brunch menu’s “French Cruller” special. Last weekend’s cruller was Orange Creamsicle, and past flavors include Vanilla Bean w/ Peanut Butter, Mexican Hot Chocolate and Raspberry Hazelnut.

Eat, drink and be scary with Oak Long Bar on Halloween night! After all, it’s just a bunch of “hOAKus pOAKus.”

The Fairmont s throwing the chicest costume party in town, complete with a la carte on-theme drinks, spooky games, and dollar test tube shooters!  

$25 gains you entry the party between 7 and 10 p.m., one drink ticket for the punch bowl and unlimited spooky & sweet treats. The best costume wins Celtics tickets!

DRINK

The ticket includes one scoop from the spiked “Zombie Punch” bowl. Additional drinks are a la carte. The bar team is creepin’ it real with the following:

Four Halloween-themed cocktails available for $15 each, such as the “Monster Smash” (bribon tequila & midori) and “Witches Brew” (dos maderas rum, eden ice cider wine & pineapple).
$1 test-tube shooters in fall flavors like pumpkin spice & apple, and black cherry & cranberry.

FOOD

The ticket includes all-you-can-eat desserts from Pastry Chef Lindsay Le Blanc, such as spider web cupcakes and spooky sugar cookies. Additional food is a la carte. Chef Graham Lockwood is serving a to-die-for Halloween slider special:

$5 for a 2oz wagyu patty slider with a black bun, dijonnaise, tomato, Boston bib, B&B pickles

COSTUME CONTEST

Halloween costumes are encouraged! Two clever dressers will be awarded “Best Costume” prizes. *No face masks, weapons, or replica weapons of any kind are permitted*

1st prize: a pair of Celtics tickets to the Nov. 13 game vs. Wizards
2nd prize: a free tour & tasting for two at Eden Specialty Ciders in Newport, VT (transportation not included)
In addition to the above tricks, partygoers can play games such as graveyard ring toss, enter a raffle to win gift cards and swag, and watch clips from black & white horror films projected behind OAK’s bar.

For more on OAK Long Bar, please click here.

The most wonderful time of the year calls for a FEAST and we know just the place to #WineDown in the Back Bay for the holidays!

PRE-FIXE MENU

1st Course
Four Cheese Crab & Artichoke Dip
parmesan, cheddar, cream, mayo, mustard

2nd Course
Braised Beef Short Rib
sautéed spinach and red wine gravy

3rd Course
Churros
fried churros, chocolate dipping sauce

This event is 21+.

For more about Back Bay Social, please click here.

Galentine’s Day = a celebration of female friendships. Galentine’s Day Party at OAK = a fun night out to celebrate with food, drink & more!

Back for year two! OAK Long Bar + Kitchen and The Food Lens are joining forces again to throw a party for ladies to celebrate the ladies in their lives the day before Valentine’s Day, popularly known as Galentine’s Day. On Thursday, February 13, from 6:00–9:00 PM, join their soirée for a night of sipping, snacking, and sweets—all while supporting a local charity that serves homeless women.

Here’s how they’ll be honoring the ladies:

• With a tasting of standout rosés produced by lady vintners
• With signature Galentine’s themed cocktails
• With a sweets station from OAK’s pastry chef, Lindsay Le Blanc
• With cheese sourced from female purveyors, plus a charcuterie spread
• With delicious passed hors d’oeuvres and a bountiful raw bar
• With a chance to win a gift basket filled with tasty and pampering items from local women-owned businesses
• With a playlist featuring the queens of pop

Tickets are $55 and include all food, two specialty cocktails, the wine tasting, and a charitable monetary donation. *They will donate $10 from your ticket* to Women’s Lunch Place, a daytime shelter on Newbury Street offering a safe sanctuary, nutritious meals and critical support services for Boston women experiencing poverty and homelessness.

“What’s Galentine’s Day? Oh, it’s only the best day of the year!” – Leslie Knope. The holiday was created by the show “Parks and Recreation” and has since transcended the TV screen to become a beloved tradition of celebrating female friendships annually on February 13, whether that be your friend, sister, co-worker, mom, partner, or other! 

For more about OAK Long Bar + Kitchen, please click here.

ABOUT THE FOOD LENS

The Food Lens is a curated website that enables the culinarily curious to discover or rediscover Boston’s dining scene. Eternally curious and always hungry, female founders Molly Ford and Sarah Jesup have eaten their way through the city, culling the most authentic dining experiences Boston has to offer.

The north remembers, TRIVIA IS COMING!

Trivia kicks off at at 7 pm and all teams are welcome

During the event, Back Bay Social will be offering a $10 build-your-own-burger.

The winning team will take home a $100 gift card.

This event is 21+.  There is no cover.

If you have a larger group and would like to reserve space for your party, please email info@backbaysocial.com

As Renata said, I will NOT not win trivia!

Trivia kicks off at at 7 pm and all teams are welcome

During the event, Back Bay Social will be offering a $10 build-your-own-burger.

The winning team will take home a $100 gift card.

This event is 21+.  There is no cover.

If you have a larger group and would like to reserve space for your party, please email info@backbaysocial.com