Review Roundup

One show and one restaurant:

1. Last night I saw Portland, Oregon native Laura Gibson perform at TT The Bear's. She sings very folksy, mellow tunes backed up by a keyboardist and a percussionist (who also plays a saw...that's the ghostlike sound on the track). She has a lovely voice and although she seems pretty shy onstage, she came down and mingled with the crowd afterwards. If you're in the mood for some calming music, I'd recommend checking her out.
Funeral Song - Laura Gibson

2. I have driven by the restaurant 224 Boston Street in Dorchester (located at...224 Boston St.!) many times and have always wanted to give it a try, so Ern, Pat, and I finally went. Located in a mostly residential neighborhood near Andrew Square, the inside of 224 Boston Street is exactly how I had imagined it would be- cozy, friendly, and full of locals. The entrees are a little on the pricey side (well, for a grad student) but the menu also contains cheaper pizza and sandwich options. They serve caipirinhas, so I ordered one (obviously) and found it quite satisfying. We started off the meal with a delicious calamari appetizer and then moved on our main courses- Pat got the steak, Ern had pasta with veggies, chicken, and sausage, and I had grilled pork. Everything was tasty but I liked Ern's meal the best, but then again, I am highly susceptible to food envy. After dinner, we relocated to the bar for a couple of beers- none on tap, which was strange, but I tried a bottled IPA from Colorado that I liked. Okay, two bottles. I had a great time at 224 Boston St. and would definitely go back, especially now that the weather is getting nicer- the garden patio is small but really cute (and the winner of Mayor Menino's annual Garden Contest.