Cocktails for Charity

Think about every cause you ever consider supporting. The telefunder whose calls you dread. The street campaigners you sidestep on your way to the T. Wouldn’t they be all the more convincing if they allowed you to carouse a popular bar, holding some citrus-infused punch in hand?

Graham Wright does charity in high style

Graham Wright looked out on the non-profit scene, and noticed that something was missing. That something was schmoozing. He founded Opus Affair, a nonprofit that throws monthly cocktail hours at the best venues around town.

An accurate representation of the Boston art scene.

Anyone can join as an altruistic A-lister. For a mere donation of $5, the sophisticated supporters of culture voted for a local arts group that would receive the proceeds of the evening. In 2012, the Punch Bowl fund raised over $7000 for local arts organizations.

Mingling and mixology at Moksa!

It’s Thanksgivikkuah, the season to give. Or a time to reflect on how much complex history is behind both the celebration of America’s first harvest and the Jewish Festival of Lights.

Everything aligned so that Moksa hosted this once-in-a-79,834 thousand year celebration. We opened our doors to the most stylish of philanthropists, letting up and coming artists mingle with art patrons. Manischewitz, turkey lettuce wraps, and cornbread bites at one bar, anyone?

Gobble shalom indeed.

Going beyond garam masala: Spice it Up Class

We kicked off our cooking lesson series with Spice it Up, a class on adding authentic flavors to your favorite Indian dishes. Chef Andy put on a show, with five small plate courses to sample. Each dish was delicious as the last.

The spices were the stars, from the mustard seeds that make the simple dal soup sing, to the cumin seeds that add robust complexity to paneer aloo tikki.

You might only be acquainted with turmeric from having it in your mustard. But the yellow powder is a foundation of South Asian seasoning as well as Ayurvedic folk medicine.

Coriander seeds tie simple chicken, tomatoes, and cream into pure decadence. The dish is called murgh kadai, and the diners agreed that they’ll make it again and again at home.

Tikka masala sauce is popular in Indian restaurants. The secret to making it taste as good at home as it does at Shanti? Fenugreek seeds.

Next time we’re unlocking the secrets to perfect chai tea, just in time to warm you up for the holidays!

Central ‘Raqs’ On with Belly Dancers

Last’s night’s demo of raqs sharqai highlighted a dance scene with rich cultural heritage. Our glamorous friends at Erzulie Dancer, an assembly of teachers and industry professionals led by Judith, showcased their talents.

Highlights from the group’s press and performances at our neighbor The Middle East

The troupe kicked off with some captivating solos, then opened the floor for a group dance.

The night only got better with drinks and specialty tapas. The real multitaskers among us shimmied while snacking on our shumai (pork dumplings).

From popular culture, you might have the impression that belly dancing is all about mysterious sensuality. But that’s just the icing on the cake -or the pistachios on the baklava. Belly dancing is great low impact exercise, working isolated muscle groups and toning you all over quickly. A trained dancer has to hold her arms at shoulder level for hours at a time, develops great hip strength, and enters into a kind of moving meditation.

No promises that you’ll get Shakira’s post-baby body, unless you’re also willing to only eat fish, spinach, and tofu. But then you’ll have to lay off from drinking the next creation Noon dreams up for our movie and cocktail pairing series…. You’ve got to ask yourself: are those abs really worth it?

Bocce for Dummies

Bocce Basics, from the official Bocce.org Rulebook. Demonstrated by some booze and sports enthusiatists of Central Square.

This European game is easier than it looks. Learn how to play, and pick up a little Italian while you’re at it.

Objective: have more of your team’s 4 balls be closer to the jack than your opponent’s.

Though traditionally played outdoors, Naga is spacious enough to transform from a club to a sports arena.

Two players from each team stand at opposite ends of the court. To start a match, the two team’s captains have a coin toss. The winning captain chooses the color of their team’s 4 bocci (larger balls) and decides which captain can first throw the small white pallino (jack). The captain throws the pallino through the center of the court.

Make sure to take breaks with beer and giant beirut.

In each giro (set), only two players from the team throw the balls. Your team scores a point for each bocce closer to the pallino than your opponent’s bocci. Example: if all your bocci are closer to the pallino, you score 4 points during that giro.

Throw the ball with feeling!

Aim to touch the pallino or knock the opponent’s bacci out of the way If any bocce touch or “kiss” the pallino, that team scores 2 points. If each team has a bocce the same distance from the pallino, neither team gets that point. Use the tape measurer to judge the distance.

Can’t you feel the intensity going on here?

First team to reach 9 points during the Giro (round) wins! If your team wins while drunk, it’s a double win!

Any questions? Get into the swing of things by starting a match at Moksa tonight! A rotating variety of all the games you loved as a kid, just bigger and better…and with beer.

On Capoeria and Cachaça

I’m still sore, and it’s not from my weekend of getting to werq at FUNKDAFIED or singing karaoke dressed as Ed from Cowboy Bebop during Sunday’s Anime Boston convention.

I took my first capoeria class at Dance Complex with Mestre Chuvisco. If done right, the Afro-Brazilian martial art will be the best workout of your life.

A circle of clapping, singing people from ages thirteen to sixty three surround two capoieristas. Mestre Chuvisco is holding the musical bow called a berimbau. In his upcoming bout, he is fighting to be ranked as one of the top 50 capoieristas in the world.

Johann Moritz Rugendas painted Capoeria or The Dance of War in 1825. Created by Brazilian slaves who wanted to practice self-defense without making their owners suspicious, it’s part gymnastics, part dance, and all exhilarating. Another plus: you’ll get an engaging workout without a treadmill or lifting weights. A capoeirista strings together a series of fluid dodges, and watching a mestre (master) reminds you of break dance.  

Or since I played video games instead of going outside, it reminds me of Eddy Gordo from Tekken.

The whole group was welcoming and willing to teach. I’m going to buy a class package, learn some Portuguese, and get ready to run away to Rio de Janerio.

Speaking of escaping to Brazil, last night I got swept away on a wave of Cachaça. This liquor, distilled from sugarcane like rum, goes into the national cocktail of Brazil, caipirinha. Add a little lime, and you’ll believe in mixology magic. Novo Fogo is the only organic, sustainable distillery of Brazil.

Teaming up with Corey Bunnewith from Inspired Beverage, Noon created some innovative cocktails, all served in stylish mason jars. I couldn’t decide if I liked the Bossa Novo or the Maine Kimura better. The caipirinha is sure to be a new fave at Moksa.

Maybe I’ll never be able to do multiple back flips during a roda. But I’m slowly but surely becoming a little more graceful, with every capoiera lesson. At the very least, I’ll use my new moves on the dance floor. After having a caipirinha, obviously.