After a week of suffocating under overdue papers, group projects and "résumé building," I'm reminded of what gets me through it all - a proper night on the town.
Now I try to be as diplomatic as possible and deliver an unbiased guide to Boston. But the reality is, I'm a girl, and ladies' night is an essential part of my Boston routine.
Below I outline the Boston spots I feel best meet the criteria a lady looking for a night on the town demands - a mean mixed drink, songs to which she can both sing along and "move her body like a cyclone," and a crowd in which she won't feel out of place strutting that European fashion sense she brought back from abroad.
And fellas, I suppose if you're interested in meeting some honeys in the city, these would be good places to start.
First on the agenda is to pry my constant Boston companions - the lovely ladies of 205 College Ave. - away from their respective boyfriends, get dolled up, have some girl talk over fruit-flavored vodka (no, I'm not ashamed), and call a couple cabs.
If you're getting your night started early, I suggest stopping at one of Cambridge's sleek cocktail bars for a stiff drink that is shaken, not stirred. Noir Bar in the Charles Hotel has the kind of sexy, sophisticated, red-lamped boudoir atmosphere only a dame could appreciate. The drinks, from my personal favorite, the "Gin and Sin," to the "Naughty O'Pear," will certainly put you in a femme-fatale mood for the rest of your night's exploits.
B-Side Lounge in Inman is another one of my staples. B-Side boasts a hip, but not too-hip, '40s boxcar decor and a menu of nearly 50 classic cocktails organized by their liquor base and poured to perfection. Last weekend I was introduced to Scofflaw, a deadly mixture of whiskey, vermouth, Chartreuse and fresh lemon - it's sweet up front and lacks the lingering bite normally associated with whiskey cocktails. My friends and I agreed that it kind of tastes like you're drinking "nothing." Dangerous. Very dangerous.
Just a hop and skip from Noir or B-Side is the Enormous Room. The Enormous Room has a reputation for being where the beautiful people of Cambridge (all five of them) let loose. The Enormous Room has more of a relaxed vibe. Big comfy palettes of pillows and dim candlelight make this a good place if you're looking to curl up and gab with the girls. The lack of a dance floor makes dancing a little awkward, but once inhibitions go out the window around 12:30, this doesn't seem to stop anyone.
And finally, my personal mecca, which I am somewhat reluctant to divulge, is the Middlesex. While I understand many might not share my fondness for this lounge nestled between Central and Kendall, it is for me this understatedness that keeps me coming back. If you dare go anytime after 10:30, be prepared to wait in a serious line (that means 30 to 45-plus minutes).
Once inside the sleek, single-room, minimalist lounge, the music will branch out from Top-40 repetition to include the early hip-hop and '70s funk that makes for a truly good dance track. The bar and bathroom lines are virtually non-existent (due to the strict occupancy limit), and the crowd is never obnoxious. You can relax with a flute of prosecco and people-watch or groove with your girls until your feet go numb (the latter being my choice).
So this weekend, don your best, grab your girls and remember there is nothing better than being a "hot child in the city." Boston, watch out.
Robin Alberts-Marigza is a senior majoring in psychology. She can be reached at Robin.Alberts_Marigza@tufts.edu.
