The New England Confectionary Company (NECCO) has announced the new phrases that will be printed on its hearts. This year's themes include weather ("Melt My Heart" and "Get My Drift") and animals ("Wild Life" and "Nature Lover"). Regarding the animal theme, we dare them to put "Doggy Style" on a heart! You know that someone at Team NECCO thought it and then swiftly pushed it out of his or her mind. Weather also gave rise... [continue]

It seems that Bostonist's call for submissions inspired you. Say hello to Gerard Sloan, who is already working the political beat! And we hope you'll meet more writers in the next week. Interested in joining the team? Read our call for columnists and e-mail jobs@bostonist.com. Despite polls showing large leads for Barack Obama in the Democratic primary, the Granite State used its moment in the national spotlight yesterday to give Hillary Clinton a narrow victory... [continue]

With deep and heartfelt apologies to Clement Clarke Moore and all his descendents (read the whole thing after the jump): Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the town Not a sports fan in Boston was wearing a frown. The banners were hung from the chimney to the door, Lined up very caref'lly, with room for some more. The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of playoff games danced... [continue]

Ryan Montbleau Band Paradise Rock Club Saturday and Sunday Doors at 8 p.m., 18+ Ticket information With Nate Wilson Group and Tom Bianchi on Saturday; Dwight & Nicole and Jesse Dee on Sunday Website At first glance, one could believe that this weekend brings a perfect confluence of two of Ryan Montbleau's long-standing passions: making music and the Red Sox. On Saturday and Sunday, Montbleau and the rest of the Ryan Montbleau Band will return... [continue]

The Red Sox have been linked time and time again to reality television this season. There was "Sox Appeal," of course, but there were also calls for the jigging Jonathan Papelbon to Riverdance his way onto "Dancing With the Stars" and the segue FOX used last week to link the Boston bullpen band (the Black Pearl) to what looks like a God-awful new series, "The Next Great American Band." Sox bloggers, however, just might be...... [continue]

Have you played a show in Boston over within the last 18 months? Have you ever crashed on a Boston couch? Do you know someone who did? If so, check out the Boston Music Award nominations. You or they just might be nominated. Listen, we actually enjoy the fact that local musicians are honored once a year through the BMAs. Sure, it's always dominated by the usual suspects (Aerosmith, Dropkick Murphys, Dresden Dolls and, most...... [continue]

Dear Dane: We know that you have a lot on your plate, what with wrapping up "Bachelor No. 2," recording all these MLB commercials and keeping college kids in a frenzy. So we here at Bostonist wanted to help out. You see, the commercials you've been offering us between innings are driving us mad - as is your hair. We thought that, given the busy day you must have today, we'd help out out a...... [continue]

Imagine, if you will, sitting with a few hundred people clamoring for space around a campfire. Two storytellers are perched by the flames, spinning their tales. The language is unfamiliar to you, but that doesn't matter - the words are flying out of their mouths too quickly for anyone to be able to string them together into clear sentences. You can get the gist of what's happening in the story plot, largely due to the... [continue]

OK, we're as excited as anyone about the first game of the Boston-Anaheim ALDS. We'll get to that in a second. But let's begin by trying to imagine how thick the tension must have been within a conference room in the catacombs of Fenway Park recently, when Theo Epstein allowed Dan Shaughnessy to sit down and talk baseball. Seriously! After the columns and the gorilla suit, the jabs and the barbs, this was a matchup...... [continue]

Congratulations, Sox fans! You made it through approximately three minutes of the Red Sox Rally Monday festivities at City Hall Plaza before the first chants of "Yankees Suck" filled the air. New record! Well done! A few thousand fans descended upon the plaza early Monday afternoon to cheer on their hometown baseball team (and decry the arch rivals) for the Boston version of the shindigs going on across the country. Rally Monday was a tradition...... [continue]

We thought we might be able to squeak by with optimism (whether produced naturally or provided by alcohol), we thought that the worst was behind us. But here we are, rounding that final bend before we plunge into the postseason and...well...the Sox lost to the Blue Jays on Tuesday night, 4-3, while the Yankees pulverized the Orioles, 12-0. Here we go, gang: only two and a half games separate Boston and New York. Sox fans...... [continue]

Tom Brady has been opening his mouth a lot lately. Today, he brushed off TapeGate as nothing, but he is also taking a stab at giving men dating advice. Here's what he had to say in an interview with Rick Reilly of Sports Illustrated: "You can't let them know you're that interested. I try to get this across to my best friend. He's really into this girl, but I keep telling him she's got to...... [continue]