When Bobby Brown returns to Massachusetts, he always makes a splash. While cable-TV audiences can watch him sleeping and holding conversations with sandwiches, Brockton fans got to see him as he headed to Brockton District Court to address cocaine possession charges. Luckily for Brown, a court magistrate delayed the decision on whether or not to charge Brown for having cocaine in his SUV at a Holiday Inn parking lot. Laurel Sweet describes the scene and......

After what could be considered a triumphant show at this year's Boston Music Awards, Bobby Brown still can't find any love from local law enforcement. According to Laurel Sweet, the State Police want to charge Brown with cocaine possession. The state police had to deal with Brown, who caused a ruckus at a Holiday Inn in Brockton last December and allegedly had some cocaine. Brown's case will be heard in Brockton District Court on February......

First Night Monday, December 31 Everywhere (see below) All outdoor events are free. All indoor events are accessible with a First Night button ($15) Official First Night site Artists use the cold weather to their advantage with ice sculptures. The sculptures will be on the Common starting at 1:00 pm until midnight. You can look at a frozen version of Florida courtesy of Donald Chapelle, an American eagle that would make Stephen Colbert proud, and......

What would the holidays be without a Matzo Ball, where Jewish singles or those who like to party on Christmas Eve can party? This year, we'll find out if this city is big enough for two Matzo Balls. The Matzo Ball will kick off at the The Estate at 9:00 pm. More info. And then there's the Matzo Ball's smiliarly named competitor--the JBall. If you aren't celebrating Christmas and want to pack in as much......

Boston is a college town, and right about now it's chock full of stressed-out students who've just finished finals and are looking forward to a few weeks of rejuvenation at home--whether home's here or somewhere less disgustingly cold. Since student types--or at least those of us not able to borrow Daddy's black AmEx on a whim--tend to be dirt poor, they're relatively easy to please. Still, there's always that relative who gives out homemade doilies......

We received such a great reaction to our Vegan Thanksgiving post we wanted to offer a sweet treat for the Christmas holiday. This Bostonist made these cookies last weekend and they were a big hit - the omission of eggs/milk, etc certainly didn't hurt their taste or consistency...these were gooey and delicious. The addition of chocolate chips makes them just a bit more naughty, but since they're so healthy otherwise you can munch away guilt......

Already feeling the pressure of holiday family time? Leave the house. Run away. Tonight's events will help add some spice to your Santa. Music --Holiday stress? Family freaking out on you? Swap "Jingle Bells" for "Raw Power" with The Scrooges--a band that dresses in Santa suits and covers the Stooges. They'll be at Great Scott tonight at 9:00. 1222 Commonwealth Ave, Allston. Theater --The New Repertory Theater is showing David Sedaris' Santaland Diaries, which......

As Bostonians we pride ourselves on our history as a city steeped in sea-faring tradition. Whether it be our statuesque U.S.S. Constitution, the ubiquitous story of the Boston Tea Party, or the ever-present duck boats, Boston and the ocean will be forever intertwined. As such, Bostonist presents some last-minute gift ideas that pay homage to our salty roots. Looking for the perfect gift for the animal lover in your life? Consider giving a "Proud Parent......

Everybody's making "best of" lists at this time of year, but who's in charge of making a list of these best of lists? Well, nobody really, so we've put ourselves in charge and assembled a list of the "best books" lists of 2007. Nobody really needs another list, but a compilation of lists--and determining what's best according to all lists--is something helpful that nobody else really does. Bostonist has checked out several "best of" book......

When Bostonist entered Buckaroo's Mercantile, a pop-culture store across the street from T.T. the Bear's and the Middle East in Central Square, stocking stuffers were on our mind. The owner of Buckaroo's Mercantile, Brooks, layers retro images over metal wallets, night lites, light-switch plate covers, and more. Brooks told Bostonist that all of the above items were hot sellers at the Bazaar Bizarre, and you can buy them at the store. You can also choose......

The 2008 Golden Globe nominees were announced yesterday, and to nobody's surprise, they skewed heavily toward the period drama Atonement. Charlie Wilson's War, No Country for Old Men, American Gangster, and Sweeney Todd all emerged with at least 4 noms each. Local fave Casey Affleck was nominated for his (non-Jesse James) title role in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, and though Gone Baby Gone didn't get a nod in the......

Santa Speedo Run Saturday, December 15, 1:00 pm Lir, 903 Boylston, Boston Run goes down Boylston to Berkeley and back up Newbury Official Site For some reason, people are compelled to prove their strength by taking off their clothes in winter and running around, displaying their pasty, quivering flash to one and all. (Tufts, we're talking to you.) But the people participating in the 8th annual Santa Speedo Run are stripping down to their skivvies......

Jiffy Cat captured the aftermath of the havoc-wreaking storm that hit Boston yesterday afternoon. The blue tones of this shot make us feel the chill, and the lights in the right of the shot provide just the right dose of holiday cheer. Any snow horror stories from yesterday? Let us know! And get ready....there's another storm on the way this weekend - eek!......

Jim McCue Book Launch Party Comedy Connection Faneuil Hall (T: Government Center) Sunday, December 16, 8:00 pm, $15 Free for veterans and military personnel Official Jim McCue Site AnySoldier.com The troops could use a lot from us right now, whether it be body armor or sunblock. But one local performer is using his specific talents to make the lives of the troops a little bit better. Comedian Jim McCue, who is also co-founder of the......

Is there a Republican in your life that you really love? Or a Democrat you love to hate? Get them the perfect holiday present by going--we're not kidding--holiday shopping with former Massachusetts governor and presidential aspirant Mitt Romney. The following gifts are available for the Mitt-lover in your life: $50: Signed Romney family photo (it's probably large for obvious reasons) and mugs $100: The above, plus a Romney for President ornament and signed recipes......

Please View it large for the full effect. Flickr superstar shoothead shares with us another reminder that Christmas is just around the corner. We could say much about the artistry of this amazing picture and how it perfectly captures the innocence of a child, but the image truly speaks for itself. Everything about this shot is evocative of the spirit of the holiday season. It is not about the beliefs of one particular religion,......

The Holiday season is in full swing in NYC, with holiday lights in Brooklyn, a giant snow globe in Bryant Park and Chanukah specials for ham. One citizen decided to go vigilante on annoying car alarms, a murder suspect used a fake Asian accent on the stand and a video of a man being beaten up by teenage girls on a subway shocked the city. And we interviewed soon-to-be-leaving-Gawker editor Choire Sicha, who said,......

Brrrrlesque Saturday, December 15, midnight Coolidge Corner Theater, 290 Harvard St., Brookline (T: Coolidge Corner) $12.50 in advance, $20 at the door Official Boston Babydolls site In the press release we got, Boston Babydolls impresario Scratch declares, "People hate the cold, the rising gas prices, and - of course - the snow. But there's a lot that's beautiful about new England in the winter, and we wanted to remind people of some of those things."......

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Bostonist. Go Eight, a Hanukkah party on December 8th at TT The Bears. Sony Card, because you'll get a free MP3 player if you apply. Love is a Mix Tape, Rob Sheffield's book about women, music, and love. Busted Tees, where they've got naughty holiday-themed shirts. If you're interested in advertising on Bostonist or any other site in our network, check out......

We've been big suckers for film photography lately, perhaps its the focus on tradition around the Holiday season. A fellow film-lover Across 110th Street captured this vintage looking shot of some of Boston's most recognizable buildings. We love the yellow tone but our favorite part is the lens flare situation from the sun. Speaking of vintage looking shots, check out this fabulous photo of Charles Street in the rain. Welcome to our new contributor......

School of the Museum of Fine Arts Sale Through Sunday, December 9 12:00 pm-6:00 pm 230 The Fenway, Boston (T: Museum of Fine Arts or Ruggles) Surprise your friends and family with original art instead of the standard old holiday presents like gadgets, bath soap, and socks. Five thousand pieces of art will be on sale at the School of Museum of Fine Arts this weekend, including original art by Ellsworth Kelly, which you......

Illuminations Holiday Tour Saturday, December 15 Tour times: 4:30, 5:00, 5:45, 6:15, 7:00, 7:30, 8:15, 8:45, 9:15 Tickets on sale at McIntyre and Moore Booksellers, 255 Elm Street, Davis Square More info Fighting off a raging case of Seasonal Affective Disorder? Somerville has a cure. The city's residents know how to decorate, and when it's the holidays they want to share their spirit with everyone. The Somerville Arts Council will be offering 45-minute-long trolley tours......

Last night WFNX radio put on their "Miracle on Tremont Street" Holiday concert at the Orpheum. The show featured recent alt-rock favorites Spoon, The Cold War Kids, Against Me!, and Mute Math. By the time Bostonist got there to check out the headliner Spoon, the crowd seemed to have thinned considerably. We're going to assume that the Tuesday night date and bitter cold helped to keep attendance lower than would be expected. The Orpheum's......

The Transportation Department and Mayor Tom Menino want you to know that, if you get a parking ticket, you can pay for your ticket if you donate a toy "of equal or greater value than the fine on the ticket." As Amy Derjue at Boston Daily points out, "some lame toy from Family Dollar" will not do. If you have a parking ticket that you've been putting off paying, the offer doesn't apply to you.......

The cold weather - and holiday festivities - descended upon Gothamist. The Rockefeller Christmas tree was lit, Broadway stagehand finally ended their strike, and NASCAR decided to run their victory lap through Times Square. There were disturbing photographs revealing the working conditions in which many city manholes are produced and ninjas were also a hot topic, either robbing homes or entering into alibis. But the city was really rocked by how Rudy Giuliani's visits......

Indoor Yard Sale at the Papercut Zine Library Saturday, December 1, 10:00 pm to 5:00 pm Concert: 6:00 pm, $5 donation 45 Mt. Auburn St., Cambridge More info The Papercut Zine Library is sniffing at the idea of holding a yard sale during the cold weather. They're taking their goodies inside and throwing their doors open to you, the discerning shopper, so you can pick up some cool holiday presents. The many items for sale......

Happy post-Thanksgiving and food hangover wishes from Bostonist with the help of PotD contributor hmmlargeart. We're suckers for macro 'food porn' and love how this shot captures the essence of a yummy Thanksgiving meal. We hope everyone had a great Holiday, while you're getting back to the daily grind don't forget to keep tagging with 'bostonist' for us!......

--The violence that has plagued the city all last week will not stop. A 17-year-old was shot early this morning in Mattapan, according to the Globe. He was shot in the jaw. And it could have been worse. He was shot in front of his home, where a daycare is located. He hasn't been named, but WCVB is reporting that neighbors said he was a "star athlete." --The DA's Office sent out a release announcing......

--Paul F. Ware Jr., the special prosecutor looking into the Big Dig has cost the state $1 million so far. Maybe, if the AG's office actually gets around to getting some money out of Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff, they can foot the bill. [Boston Globe] --More gratuitous limos and tour buses in New Hampshire! Oprah's coming to town to campaign for Obama! She'll be in Manchester, NH, on December 9. [WBZ] --The Worcester Telegram & Gazette gets......

In Los Angeles, LAist most definitely celebrated Thanksgiving like no other. After all, one has to keep up all the energy to keep on walking the line at the Writers Strike and fighting the unfortunate return of the wildfires in Malibu, which single handedly destroyed over fifty homes within the first 24 hours. National outlets may be covering the fires, but CNN also found it is easier to buy a gun than fruit and......