Date Night at the SuperLux!

Last week, Travis and I had the privilege of going on a date.  Yep...a real date that didn't include Owen!  Travis' parents were up for a long weekend and were gracious enough to keep Owen so we could get away for a few hours.

We have been hearing really great things about the SuperLux theater in Chestnut Hill (outside of Boston) and wanted to see a movie there.  It did NOT disappoint!  What an awesome experience!

The Showcase Superlux isn't your typical movie theater.  Dark wood, modern furniture, full bar...who knew movie-going could be such a swanky experience!  We seriously felt under-dressed.

After hanging out in the lobby for a little while, we were ushered to our theater and seats.  None of that checking-the-ticket-and-sending-you-on-your-way nonsense...you're ushered to your theater here!  They explained what was included in our ticket and how to order dinner, and left us to look over the menu.

We thought we might be the only ones at the movie.  Who else would be going to see Imitation Game (a movie that has been out for a month) on a Thursday at 5pm?  We had the theater to ourselves for a while, but finally 4 or 5 others wandered in.

With the SuperLux ticket, you get your own, reserved leather recliner.  Every two recliners are separated from another set, so you're not right next to a stranger - pretty nice!  The seats were soft, the feet reclined all the way out and there was enough room in in front of the seats for people to walk in front of you.  It's a bummer to have to put your feet up and down at other theaters with reclining chairs when there isn't enough room for those in the middle to get through (#FirstWorldProblems).  Every seat also has a call button for your waiter, if you need a refill or want to order some food during the movie.

Back to the food:  the menu was great - lots of options and creative apps!  We ordered Steak & Cheese Springrolls with spicy ketchup, the SuperLux Burger with guacamole (to split), and drinks (Travis got a S'mores martini and I got a mango strawberry mixed drink).  Everything was delicious.

Buttered popcorn and drink refills are included in the price of the ticket (along with a $5 food credit per ticket), so we asked for those immediately (of course!).  I rarely order popcorn at theaters, so I'd forgotten how good it is!  Maybe that's a good thing...

The movie was fantastic - now I see what all the fuss was about!  It was so nice to go to the movies without neon signs, loud music, or long lines.  It was a quiet evening, which is what I really needed since I haven't been feeling like myself lately.

After the movie, we decided to walk around the Chestnut Hill Mall for a while.  I haven't been to that mall without a purpose before, so I didn't realize how small it was!  So much for walking around a lot.  We spent most of our time in Brooks Brothers marveling at how CRAZY EXPENSIVE everything was.  I'm used to Brooks Brothers outlets...holy cow, prices are different at the real thing!

Guess how much the shoe below cost.  No really...guess...

SIX HUNDRED TWENTY EIGHT DOLLARS.

I don't get it.

Before heading home, we swung past Cheesecake Factory and picked up a few slices to split with Trav's parents back at the house.

It was a fun night out with my sweetest husband!

I Saved a Movie Theater from Burning Down

So maybe it wasn't quite as dramatic as the title, but it WAS a pretty wild way to pass the time before the movie began.  (hehehe)

Sunday night, Travis and I decided to go see Quartet.  I couldn't wait to see it, as we love most of the actors in it, and husband LOVED the idea of musicians (actually) being able to retire one day.  The movie was fantastic - the characters are both charming and hilarious, and the story line is great.  We were excited  the movie was playing at the West Newton Cinema - my favorite.  

The excitement started right before the previews began.  Know how they'll usually show a "5", "4", "3", "2", "1", counting down to the previews?  Well, something got hung-up on the projector, and the film froze on "4".  We all sat there, waiting for things to pick back up, and I noticed a small black spot forming in the bottom right corner of the screen.  Travis and I watched it, wondering if it was part of a preview...you know the kind these days where there's a scene and some alien will burst out of the screen and terrorize the planet?  

We kept waiting for the alien to come, but the black spot just got bigger and bigger.  Then we started to see white in the middle like the center was tearing.  About that time we wondered (loud enough for the people around to hear us)...um....do you think something is wrong?  Is someone in the film booth?  Does anyone know what's going on?  

THEN we started to see smoke rise from the black spot and we knew no one was in the film booth and this was about to be bad, so I scooted down the steps, across the theater and out to the lobby.  Thankfully the lobby was pretty empty besides staff at the concession stand, or I would have certainly caused a panic, as I leaned over the balcony and hollered "Umm...I think the film is about to catch on fire in theater 3!!"

The staff FLEW into action, and zoomed up the steps, into our theater, and into the film booth, and quickly rescued the projector.  

And that, dear friends, is how I saved the West Newton Theater.  You're welcome.  :)

Date Night - Audubon Circle and the Lorelei Ensemble

Friday night, Travis and I went on our first date since coming back from Christmas vacation.  Being sick for three weeks really puts a damper on going out, so we were excited to have a nice evening!  Our friend Kim is in the Lorelei Ensemble, who was having a concert that evening at Boston University's Marsh Chapel, so we decided dinner and the concert would be perfect.

About a year ago, I put together a power point presentation for my boss with the pros and cons (mostly pros...) of moving to Arizona (he was trying to convince his wife to move there).  As a thank you, he gave me a gift card to a restaurant down the street, Audubon.  Not much better than dinner on the boss!  :)

We got to Audubon around 6 and had no trouble getting a table (apparently the crowd shows up around 8).  The inside is like a nice lounge - dark wooden walls, metal pendant lights and a cool triangular table down the center of the restaurant for after hours.  Across from the long bar running down one side of the restaurant are the dining tables where we sat.

Since the gift card was for $75, we decided to live large and get an appetizer, dinner, and dessert.  We started with the Grilled Shrimp with Citrus Sauce (which was sweet with a serious kick).

Travis immediately knew he wanted the bowl of Turkey Chili, but I had more trouble deciding on the main course.  It was between the Vegetable Risotto and Pan Roasted Chicken.  I decided that the chicken dish is usually a cop-out, so I gave the risotto a try.

The Turkey Chili was massive and was topped with cheddar and sour cream.  It was thick, "nice and spicy", and great once he added a little salt.

The risotto, on the other hand, was just really bland.  The veggies (peas, asparagus, and mushrooms) were cooked perfectly, but there just wasn't much flavor to the dish.  I decided that since we had more than enough money to cover dinner in the gift card, I was going to order something different (after-all...dinner was on the boss!).   I asked the waitress if I could see the menu again to pick something else and assured her that it wasn't something wrong with the dish...it just wasn't to my taste.

I decided to go with my gut the second time and got the Pan Roasted Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and Mushrooms. It was amazing.  This was no ordinary chicken dish - the chicken was juicy, tender and FULL of flavor.  The mountain of mashed potatoes was rich and fluffy, and paired well with the mushrooms and gravy.  I gobbled most of it up almost immediately and was more than happy!

The icing on the cake was that the restaurant comp'd the risotto (even though we weren't expecting it) for good measure.  You can tell a really great restaurant by the way they fix issues that come up.  Audubon was fantastic.

There was only one option on the menu for dessert, Goat Cheese Cheesecake with an Oreo crust and crumb - but with a dessert like that...who needs a second?

It was tangy, sweet, and chocolaty - everything we could wish for.

At this point we were completely stuffed.  There was, however, one more pleasant surprise (which doesn't happen often around here), which was the BILL.  Appetizer, 2 entrees, dessert, and a beer (Travis was so excited they had a local brewery's Fisherman's Ale) - all for about $55.00.  We handed over the $75 gift card and walked out with some extra cash from the unused value.  We MADE MONEY eating here.  :)



After dinner we hopped in the car and headed over to Boston University's Marsh Chapel for the Lorelei Ensemble concert.  Thankfully we we found a parking spot right outside (which is unheard of), so we didn't have to walk too far in the cold.

Wrapping your entire face in a scarf helps...

The inside of Marsh Chapel is beautiful (as you just saw) and was the perfect place for the concert.  I have to say, this was one of the best concerts I've been to in a long time.

The Lorelei Ensemble is a group of 8 ladies (and their leader, Beth) who performs both new and early music for women's voices.  They perform pieces for the entire ensemble and in smaller groups (solo, 3, 4 or 5 voices).  Friday's concert was titled Lineage, and focused on the shared musical language between sixteen-century repertoire, colonial America, and the new music of today.  It's not often you go to a concert that includes chant, shape note music, lyrical pieces, and works composed just this year, and have it not just make sense, but be a fantastic and inspiring evening!

The concert included pieces by Paul Chihara, John Sheppard, William Billings, William Byrd, Mary Montgomery Koppel, Joshua Shank, Thomas Tallis, and Karin Hoghielm.  The pieces that particularly struck me were Chihara's Magnificat and Joshua Shank's Magnificat for the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo.  Shank's Magnificat takes on the heavy subject of Argentina's "Dirty War", using text from an organization of Argentine mothers whose children had "disappeared".  He took a truly heartbreaking event and paid honor to what the families and children experienced through the settings of their stories.  The piece is not yet finished (they premiered the first 4 movements in this concert), and I can not wait to hear the rest.

The Lorelei Ensemble will be performing with the Harvard Women's Choral Festival in February, so if you're in the Boston area, you should definitely go hear this group!

Such a fun evening out with husband!