The 2017 Pint Slice Tour

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon, and free ice cream called.  I knew that the Ben & Jerry's Pint Slice Tour was here in Boston and they were scheduled to give away the goods at the Greenway till 5pm.

My walk to the Greenway Open Market on State Street led me to hit and surpass 10,000 steps, which for me is quite a feat!  There was a line, but it didn't look bad at all.

When my turn came, I spun the virtual wheel and was awarded their Americone Dream Pint Slice - Vanilla Ice Cream Bar with Caramel Swirls & Fudge Covered Waffle Cone Pieces, Covered in a Dark Chocolate Coating with Waffle Cone Pieces.

Just what I wanted!  And it was good, and a nice treat!  Basically a petite round Klondike Bar with tasty add ins.

They are scheduled to be in Chicago this upcoming weekend.  And if you reside in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, or Miami, they'll be headed your way too!  Just check their website for more information.

Free Cone Day 2017!

With April comes the much anticipated annual Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day!

This year, with it also came April Showers.

The shop at Boston Park Plaza shuttered last year, so the most feasible location was the store on Newbury Street.  I figured that perhaps the rain would keep the crowds away, and decided that a run was in order during my lunch break.

Still, I was lucky.  I scored my free scoop after but a 4 minute wait, and when I headed out, there was a line perhaps 25 people deep leading to the entrance.

Noon - 8pm, the first Tuesday in April

Thanks Ben & Jerry's!

Tasting Counter: Unplugged

On September 28, 2014, the Tasting Counter held its free introductory event - Unplugged.  Advertised as "A Taste of What's to Come" with a flight of three paired bites by Peter Ungár, previously of Aujourd'hui and The Bristol Lounge and most recently of The Dining Alternative, it was a casual affair which enabled the curious to get an eye of the shell that will soon house his newest endevour.  To arouse the taste buds, we had the opportunity to sample three of Ungár's creations: Blackback Flounder (sake, dashi, rice), Miso Basil Cured Hake (roe, orange sesame crisp, cilantro), and Fennel Seed & Sichuan Peppercorn Macaron (acorn squash, marscarpone).  Each was a conglomerate of textures, and tasty to boot!

The event took place in Somerville's Aeronaut Brewing Company in a raw open space shared with a few other food businesses (barismo and Something GUD).  Using their own words, “Tasting Counter is a 20-seat, ticket-only, experiential dining restaurant where guests face an open kitchen, observing talented chefs prepare superbly balanced tasting menus from locally sourced seasonal products.”

 

Kayem National Hot Dog Day

The Prize?  Have your hot dog sold at Fenway all summer long!

The Contestants?  "Greenville Southern Drive Dog" and "The Monstah"

What do I get out of it?  Free samples of both contestants.  Autographs by Red Sox icons Steve Lyons and Rico Petrocelli.  The chance to wear a replica of the World Series Ring.  A visit with Wally the Green Monster and his buddies.

The Winner? The Greenville Southern Drive Dog - topped with warm, smoky pulled pork and creamy coleslaw.

 The Monstah hot dog was topped with Boston baked beans, honey mustard, warm sweet onion, sharp cheddar cheese, and crispy smokey bacon bits.

Phantom Gourmet BBQ & Music Festival 2014

I guess they decided that the bit of sand they would spread out on the ground wasn't quite worthy of co-billing anymore, as the name of this event has changed to the Phantom Gourmet BBQ & Music Festival from the Phantom Gourmet BBQ Beach Party.  With this year's focus on as a music festival featuring Salt-N-Pepa on Friday night and The Mighty Mighty BossToneS on Saturday evening, tickets are offered at a variety of prices this year - $5 for Daytime tickets for admission in advance/$10 at the event (kids 6 and under free), $15 for the Salt-N-Pepa concert, and $32.50 for The Mighty Mighty BossToneS.

A benefit for the local worker-bees in the City of Boston, however, is free admission on Friday from noon till 4pm.  With the two year construction project underway at the Government Center MBTA station, the set up of the BBQ Festival was a bit turned around, which we unfortunately did not realize till we ran into a dead end, as they lacked both directional signage and staffers pointing the way.  The entrance this year is located at the Congress Street side of the plaza, across from the glass towers of the Boston Holocaust Memorial.  Though entrance was free, they had a bag check line that was more than a formality.  Water and other liquids were the target of their search as there was water available for sale within for $3 per pop in addition to the alcohol in their beer gardens and other additional chilled drinks.

With no idea as to how the six BBQ stars compare to one another, I just popped into a short line and waited nearly 20 minutes for my lunch.  Hey, and we were there on the early side!

With my bounty from Johnson's Hickory Smoked Bar-B Que in hand, we headed over to the relatively shady beer garden by the JFK Federal Building, where entrance was allowed even for those with no interest in a liquid lunch.

The meat in my one meat boneless rib sandwich ($5) was unexpectedly a molded meat patty, reminiscent of the old McDonald’s McRib in shape, though not in flavor.  It was actually pretty tasty.  The cole slaw it was advertised to come with was easily swapped out for potato salad, but it also arrived with unannounced soft, sweet baked beans - which my cashier informed me comes with everything.  I also got a side of your average one in the blue box looking creamy mac & cheese made with overcooked elbow pasta for $3.  Not a bad meal on the whole - could have been better, but could have been worse.

Phantom Gourmet BBQ & Music Festival
June 20-22, 2014
City Hall Plaza
Boston, MA

Pret A Manger Free Lunch - 101 Arch Street

On my way in to work, a girl was able to get me to take one of the cards she was offering with the magical words - "Would you like a free lunch?"

Well, turns out you didn't actually *need* the card, but it did the job and got me to venture out to 101 Arch Street for their pre-grand opening free lunch day.

Although we could see that the 101 Arch Street location was quite nice and large through the window as we waited in line, they kept things organized by letting a few people in at a time.

I selected my sandwich, was handed a soda, and offered a bag to drop them into, and off I went, to enjoy my lunch!

Spread the Happy!

Yesterday the Nutella Truck made a stop at Faneuil Hall - it's fifth and final stop in the Boston area before it heads onward on its 20 city tour across America.  Free sample packets of the luscious chocolate hazelnut spread were given out, and I had immediate gratification in the piece of waffle I ate with a generous smear of the stuff.  Yum!

Tour locations through October:
New York, New Jersey, Boston, Baltimore, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Raleigh, Greensboro, Atlanta, Charleston, Orlando, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Minneapolis, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, and New Orleans.

Cheeseboy - Free Grilled Cheese Day 2014

Thoughts of oozing cheese fill the mind as the anticipation of Friday as Free Grilled Cheese Day sets in.  Not just Prince Spaghetti Day anymore, right, Anthony?

Harvard Square Chocolate Festival Tips

After my first attendance at the annual Harvard Square Chocolate Festival, I've come up with a tip to better enjoy the experience next year.

The Harvard Square Chocolate Festival is a three day event with a free sampling on Saturday, January 25, 2014 from 1-2pm outside 18 Brattle Street.  It is only from 1-2pm.  It ends at 2pm, or when the food runs out, whichever is sooner.

We arrived a bit later than we planned, a bit after the start time, and found the end of the line all the way past Otto.  While it moved faster than expected... we ended up leaving chocolate-less as, still yards away, we were informed that it was 2pm and they were now closed.  Sadness.

Tip:  Go early or go home.

What would you do-oo-oo... for a Harvey Bar?

Today was day #1 of 3 straight days of Hood Harvey Bar giveaways!  Perfect for the current Boston heatwave!

There's two more days of this, supposedly from 11am - 3pm, although the pedal pusher I interacted with had told me that at 1:40pm I was fortunate to have come by on their last trip of the day!

If you're up for a cool treat, keep an eye out for the bow-tie wearing cyclists or the red-Hood-shirted ladies lugging large cooler packs around the City Hall Plaza.

Source: http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2013/07/17/free-ice-cream-city-hall-plaza-hood-harvey-bars/#ss__357717__5__ss

Taste of Fort Point Channel 2013

While last year's event was rather hot, yet otherwise ideal weatherwise, this year's Taste on June 13th was cloudy and damp the whole time through.  But Bostonians are a hardy bunch, and we like free food.  So, the crowd was significant and peppered with those who were up for the challenge of juggling an umbrella in one hand and samples in the other.

Me, I decided to keep my hands free with a rain jacket on my back and a wide brim head keeping my glasses dry.  Smart move, I thought, especially when the the table with the longest and slowest moving line yielded two plates of tasty treats after a wait of 15 minutes... thanks MCCA, for being the last to close up shop despite the intensifying rain!

Goodies from the MCCA station

Line for the MCCA table as I was leaving the festival

Club - Godiva Chocolatier

Godiva CHOCOLATE REWARDS CLUB MEMBERS ENJOY:

FREE piece of Chocolate every month *
Spend $20 and receive a free gift the following month *
FREE standard shipping for one online order *
Exclusive offers every month

I finally signed up for a card at a store just yesterday.

And for my first free piece of chocolate pick, I got the Chocolate Lava Cake - yum!

Pret A Manger Free Lunch

Well, I missed day one, but a friend emailed me last night an article that said that the new Financial District Pret A Manger was giving out free lunches on Wednesday and Thursday this week.  So, I knew what I was having for lunch today!

I headed over a tad early, and as I approached the new restaurant, I realized that there was already a healthy line forming down the block.  At 11:50am, I found myself at the end of the line half way down the block.  But by noon, when the doors opened, the line was down the block and half way back once again.  Chatting with my line mates, I found out that 1,000 freebie lunches were being given out per day.  Pret Teammates cheerfully made their way down the line trying to ellicit enthusiasm among the shivering crowds lined up on the sidewalk on this chilly autumn day.  One gal even offered a flip for a cheer, and gave us her best shot at a cartwheel.

The line moved quickly enough, and when I entered the establishment, I understood why.  Once we where greeted by the manager with a big smile on her face, a short line of other staff members offered us one of a short list of selections and at the end of the line was a fellow with an open bag ready to receive the sandwich we had in our hands.  The bag was handed to me, and off I went with my free bag lunch.

In addition to my selected balsamic chicken and avocado sandwich, my lunch consisted of a sea salt popcorn, a can of Pret A Manager's own natural soda, and a rich little brownie.  Also found in the bag were coupons for a free soup and a free coffee.

My sandwich consisted of a grainy sort of bread stuffed with a layer of (green!) avocado, another layer of thinly sliced dressed white chicken, and a handful of mixed greens.  The inner surface of the bread was moistened due to the contact with the avocado which made for a slightly messy eating.  While the sandwich tasted okay, I was reminded that I prefer toasted sandwiches over the deli sort, or in this case, the pre-made (even though it was made earlier the same day, according to the packaging) sort.

From what I read online and in the materials found with my bag lunch, I get the impression that Pret A Manager prides itself in using fresh, natural ingredients, and while they take their food seriously, they don't take themselves seriously (the use food to create faces, animals, and other fun stuff!).

Unfortunately, I did not manage to snag a take-out menu, and when I went back later, they were out.  So, I have no idea as to their prices.  But the attitude of the Pret Team was pleasant - I hope that continues beyond the Grand Opening tomorrow.

Freebie: muller Greek corner

My friend called this afternoon - Can you come down?

Sure.

Turns out he found himself passing by a truck in the city of Boston giving away samples of muller Greek corner.  They were rather generous, so he ended up with a bounty of two cartons, and gave one to me.

Each individual serving of Greek yogurt came with a separate section containing a blackberry/raspberry sauce.  The yogurt was thick and tangy.  The fruit sauce was sweet.  Although the seeds did their part to convince me that the sauce was made of real fruit, still I wish it were seedless.

No Soup for Me

Larry Thomas, the Soup Nazi of the Seinfield TV series fame, arrived in Boston today along with the Seinfield food truck to greet fans and to give away a variety of Seinfield-themed food and drink.  They were scheduled to be at the Dewey Square location by South Station from 3-4pm, however, I heard that they had arrived late as they had been delayed at the Harvard Square spot (noon - 2pm) due to the wonderful turn-out.

The line was super long when I arrived on the scene shortly after 3:30pm, and those of us at the end of the line were were soon told that we were unlikely to get the chance to meet the Soup Nazi, as they had to shut things down at 4pm on the dot.

So nope, I didn't get to have my picture taken with the Soup Nazi.  I did, however, go home with a keychain, black & white cookie, Twix, and Snickers (the latter two both rather melted), as after the Soup Nazi departed, his henchmen continued to give away the remaining goodies.  But there was no soup for me... as the literal soup had sadly run out early on.

Cupcakes for Charity

For a limited time (July 17-22), you can buy a cupcake ("The Green Monstah,"), contribute to a charity (100% of the sales will be donated to Jason Varitek's Pitching in 4 Kids), and beat New York (Georgetown Cupcakes' Sophie LaMontagne is teaming up with Bernie Williams to sell a special New York “Pinstripe Pretzel” cupcake baked with gourmet butterscotch chips and crushed pretzel and topped with a butterscotch-infused buttercream frosting... yeah, that sounds good!) with a single purchase!

Georgetown Cupcakes is open on Newbury Street, at 83 Newbury Street, Boston, MA  02116, 617-927-2250 or go to www.georgetowncupcake.com to order your box of "Green Monstah" cupcakes!

As a special treat however, Jason and Katherine, with the help of his wife and her mom, came out to Faneuil Hall this afternoon to personally hand out free cupcakes to the masses, of which, I was one. :)

Jason Varitek hands out "The Green Monstah," a limited edition Green "Red Velvet" flavored cupcake

Katherine Kallinis of Georgetown Cupcakes and TLC's DC Cupcakes

The goods (ours anyhow) -  "The Green Monstah" and coconut

Food for Blood

If you want to eat as well as I did today, you just have to yield a baggie of the red stuff to the Red Cross.  I got to say, those Kelloggs Keebler Elf Graham Cinnamon Crackers are really good!

South Street Diner's Customer Appreciation Day

It was a beautiful Sunday today and my friend told me about South Street Diner's free bbq today. So, I checked it out, and not only did they have an ice cream truck planted out front, but inside they offered cheeseburgers, hot dogs, cole slaw, potato salad, and chips, in the narrow space beside the diner, they offered drinks, condiments, and tables/chairs, but they offered face painting, and across the street I spotted three ponies! They sure know how to appreciate their customers!

Cheeseboy Freebie!

As a continuation of my free dairy week (so it seemed), I stopped by the Cheeseboy stand at the South Street Station Food Court for a free Classic Grilled Cheese - Italian bread & American cheese, $2.99 normally - served 1 to a customer (no purchase required) from 1pm - 4pm on 4/17/2011.

Actually, it was kind of funny... as I had walked by an empty stand just 5 minutes earlier to pick up my monthly T-pass, but when I turned back for my grilled cheese at 1pm, there was already a line a couple of dozen deep!

A fresh Grilled Cheese definitely takes longer than a free scoop, but for my patience I was rewarded with golden toasty bread with creamy melted cheese at its heart - yum!

Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day!

With April came... just wait for this... FREE CONE DAY! Yes, Ben & Jerry's annual freebie treat in celebration of their anniversary that always seems to fall on a lucky Tuesday in the month of April.

This year, I decided to try a new flavor - Late Night Snack: Inspired by Late Night with Jimmy Fallon – Fair Trade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with a Salty Caramel Swirl & Fudge Covered Potato Chip Clusters (the fudge uses Fair Trade cocoa, too!). It was tasty, but perhaps a touch too salty. Oh well, it was free!