A new experience at 18/8 mens salon and a giveaway!

Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to check out a fine mens salon at University Station Shopping Center in Westwood called 18/8: A Fine Mens Salon. They just celebrated their one year anniversary at the end of May and look forward to years to come.

I arrived at 9 am and was greeted and had a short wait. I was treated to a nice fresh cup of coffee and relaxed in the waiting area. After a few short moments, I was welcomed by my barber, Julian, who brought me to his pristine work area. He offered me a robe so I wouldn't get my clothes dirty and then I sat down in the oversized, very comfortable leather chair.

He first asked how I wanted my hair cut then washed my hair with a quick scalp massage then we chat as the cut my hair. The entire cut took around 30 minutes and then he started the preparation for my executive shave. This was the first time I've ever gotten a shave from a barber. I'm totally used to my Gillette power fusion 5-blade razor with shave cream. What was interesting was that Julian used a few hot towels along with shave oil to loosen up the hair and my skin before we moved to the next room.

The new room had an interesting machine that used steam to further prepare my skin and I found it to be a little warmer than my liking but all in all it worked well so that when Julian went to give me a shave, I didn't feel anything and it was the closest shave I've ever received. You can see the photos below for yourself! Julian also took his time and was very careful so I didn't get cut.

I was also treated to my first pedicure by a nice woman named Maggie. The folks at 18/8 offer a MANicure as well as pedicure that you can add on to your hair cut or just get it by itself. I went to sit down in the massaging pedicure chair as Maggie prepared the foot bath. She started out by introducing herself and explaining that if I was ticklish on my feet we might be laughing. I had warned her that this was my first pedicure and indeed I was ticklish.

She started out by inspecting my feet and was surprised at how well kept and nice my feet looked since I had never had a pedicure. I said I just cut my nails regularly and that's about it. She started out by massaging my feet with a sugar scrub that was quite relaxing then clipped my nails and explained a bit what she was doing as she did it.

Then she massaged them with some lotion and then some oil to protect the nails and cuticles. I'll be honest... I learned WAY more than I ever knew about feet and nails and to be frank, now I understand why Emily likes pedicures, it's a relaxing time that you get just to yourself and don't have to worry about the day-to-day, minute-to-minute journey called parenting that we all have to manage.

As guys, all too often we take time to ourselves by hanging out with friends, enjoying a past-time (baseball, tennis, golf), or some "me" time by hiking, walking, exercising. I would strongly recommend adding this place as another spot for "me" time as dads. It's a great space and a fun time!

The nice folks over at 18/8 gave me an executive shave package to giveaway to one of my readers! Since father's day is coming up next Sunday, we'll run this giveaway until 12:00 am next Sunday, June 18.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NOTE: I was provided with a complimentary Executive Shave package and pedicure in order to facilitate this review as well as an Executive Shave package to offer to one of my readers for a giveaway. No other compensation was provided and all opinions are my own.

A new WiFi experience for your house, introducing Comcast’s xFi

This post was sponsored by Comcast xfinity. All opinions are our own.

Recently, I was invited by Comcast to their #xfinitynight at the Watermark Seaport Apartments in South Boston on a beautiful night in May. We were treated to some delicious food and drinks and had the chance to try out some of their new offerings which I’m happy to tell you about.

First up, they had a virtual reality simulator which they are going to have at all Celtics and Red Sox games where you can put on a pair of virtual reality goggles and get a chance to see what it’s like to step on center court at the TD Garden for a celtics game or get a behind the scenes tour of the locker room and practice facility.

Next, we went into an apartment that was staged to showcase the latest home offerings for the consumer. Here are some of the highlights:

xFi

There is an upgraded WiFi home router and modem as well as the latest edition cable box along with their xfinity home products as well. Recently they launched xFi, a next-generation method of controlling your home WiFi straight from your mobile device or tablet, available right now to customers with compatible routers/modems. As you follow the easy set up process, you can create different device groupings per individual so that you can troubleshoot connectivity issues per device as well as control network access per individual/device in case you want to only have the kids’ tablets accessible to the internet during daytime hours. xFi provides a simple dashboard to set up your home WiFi network, find your password, see what devices are connected, troubleshoot issues , set parental controls and even pause network access during dinnertime or bed time. xFi can be controlled from a mobile app, website or from your X1 voice remote on your TV.

X1 Platform

As we previously mentioned, Comcast xfinity came out with the X1 platform and we’ve been loving it! You can now get an xfinity report with voice control which makes it easy for your little ones to play the latest episodes of their favorite TV show. You can also get Netflix on X1 and even a special area on the platform just for kids called Kids Zone.

Updated xfinity stream app

xfinity stream (formerly xfinity TV): this app makes your cloud DVR available on your mobile device including most of your service available while in the home. If you’re outside of the home you can view select channels as well as download previous recordings to your device to watch on the go.

Enter the Revolution's “Play, Eat, Score” Contest for Youth Soccer Teams

image from RevolutionSoccer.net

Papa Gino’s and the New England Revolution are teaming up for a fifth consecutive year for the “Play, Eat, Score” contest. The contest awards five local New England youth soccer teams with the ultimate prize: a surprise visit from a Revolution player and a Papa Gino’s pizza party at their soccer practice.

“The Revolution are proud to once again partner with Papa Gino’s for the ‘Play, Eat, Score’ contest,” said New England Revolution President, Brian Bilello. “Papa Gino’s has been a fantastic supporter of the Revolution and we are excited to be able to work with them again to give some of our young fans a chance to meet and learn from their Revolution heroes while enjoying Papa Gino’s pizza.”

Teams can be nominated to win “Play, Eat, Score” by completing an entry form online at www.revolutionsoccer.net, the official website of the Revolution. Coaches, family members, and players are encouraged to enter their teams. Winners will be selected and awarded from May – June 2017.

NOTE: This was not a sponsored post, no compensation was provided. All text and the image was provided by the Revolution. I'm just passing along this information since I have quite a few readers who are coaches of their kids' soccer teams and thought you guys would like to enter! Good luck!

Vice Cream: A new ice cream that is decadent, delicious and worth it. Live life, dig in!

I'm SUPER excited to tell you about Vice Cream, a new ice cream that is decadent and delicious. Recently, I joined the inaugural Creamy Crew for Vice Cream, where I get to try all of their flavors and help spread the word.

Vice Cream is locally headquartered in downtown Boston and was started a year ago by Dan Schorr. Dan has run marathons, half-marathons, created energy drinks, and didn't always follow the indulgent  track of things. In 2014, he was diagnosed with cancer, despite being the healthiest guy his doctor knew, and decided to do what it took and as of August 2016 is cancer free.

Vice Cream has really indulgent and rich flavors. So far we've tried Minted, Afternoon Delight, Bourbon Mash and Higher Grounds. My favorite is Higher Grounds, which has dark roast coffee ice cream interlaced with swirls of mocha fudge, crunchy chocolate cookie crumbles and pillows of sweet espresso.

As they say on their website: "At Vice Cream, we take our business and our ice cream very seriously. But never ourselves. Because life is funny. Maybe not always ha-ha funny, but still funny. The important thing is to indulge in it while you can."

I agree.

NOTE: I was provided with some pints of Vice Cream in exchange for this post. No other compensation was provided.

Red Sox Jedi Mookie Star Wars Bobblehead Night and Flash giveaway - ends 5/4 at 12am

The Boston Red Sox are celebrating the 40th anniversary of Episode IV: A New Hope this year with a Star Wars Night on May 4th. May the Fourth be with you, Red Sox fans!

You can still get a special ticket at http://www.redsox.com/starwars which will get you a ticket for the game as well as an awesome Jedi Mookie bobblehead which includes his very own lightsaber bat!

All fans in attendance will have the chance to see Star Wars characters walking around Fenway Park as part of the fun

In honor of the Star Wars themed night, I am giving away one Jedi Mookie bobblehead to one of my blog readers! Hurry up, though, this giveaway ends at 12:00 am on 5/4/17.


a Rafflecopter giveaway
NOTE: I'm providing this information and giveaway as I'm a proud member of #RedSoxParents 

New Kid-friendly initiatives from the Red Sox!

Here's a few new kid-friendly initiatives from the Red Sox that I want to let you guys know about...

Virtual Reality: 
There is a new Virtual Reality Home Run Challenge in the Kid’s Concourse where you can test your hitting skills. By putting on the VR goggles, you can step up to the plate at Fenway Park and have batting practice at the park. Don't worry, there is still the Virtual Reality Dugout right next to the Home Run Challenge, which has behind-the-scenes videos of spring training and the players.

Kid Nation:
The Kid Nation program is back and is available now for kids to sign up. In Mid-May, there will be a new Kid Nation booth coming to the Kid’s Concourse that will allow families to sign up for the program via iPads inside the ballpark. With each membership, each child will receive a free ticket code (one per email) with the purchase of an adult ticket (limited quantity available, so be sure to redeem it soon)!

Student 9’s: Student 9’s tickets are offered again this season for both high school and college students. Students can subscribe to get Student 9 game-day alerts, and will be notified with an alert sent to their cellphone on the day of a home game when $9 tickets are available. Students can sign-up online or by texting Students to 23215.

Red Sox Showcase:
The mobile Red Sox Showcase will be touring New England again this summer and will kick-off in Faneuil Hall this coming weekend, Saturday, May 6. The Truck has planned stops so far in the following cities and more to be announced later on this year...
Massachusetts: Boston, Franklin, Hopkinton, Hanover, Danvers, Springfield, Worcester, Wrentham
Rhode Island: Pawtucket
New Hampshire: Laconia

New Food Concessions:
The concession stands have some new, kid and healthy food options at Fenway this season:

• Fresh fruit cups and a customizable salad bar will be offered and feature select product from Fenway Farms.
• Lobster Poutine which just sounds amazing.
• New kids meals give a choice of mini hot dog, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or a grilled cheese and are served in a Wally and Tessie brown lunch bags.
• Pretzel bites with cheesy dipping sauce are available. I found the sauce to be a little on the spicy side, just to be forewarned.
• One thing that was pretty innovative was a bowl that fits on the top of a souvenir soda so you can have a drink and each nachos at the same time! Genius!
• Back again this year was the Cheetos Popcorn which was a fan-favorite from last season.

NOTE: We were invited to Fenway for a game at the beginning of the season to learn about all of the new kid-friendly initiatives from the Red Sox! All opinions are our own.

New things at Fenway for 2017!

I'm excited to be able to tell you all about the new things when you come to Fenway Park to catch a Sox game this year! You will notice new concession offerings, a new Pesky Pole, Virtual Reality Batting Cage, a Right Field Terrace Video Board (where Cumby's sign used to be), a larger dugout and more items!

I had a chance to try the new VR Batting Cage and it's pretty amazing what they have been able to do with this technology.

Virtual Reality Batting Cage

The club will expand the virtual reality station in the Kids Concourse by introducing a VR batting cage experience where fans can feel what it’s like to take swings against Major League players at Fenway Park. The club first introduced VR during the 2016 season with the Virtual Dugout station that shows behind-the-scenes, 360 videos with players. The VR Dugout will return in 2017 with new content. 

Concessions
Aramark, Fenway Park’s concessionaire, will introduce new and locally inspired items to the Fenway Park concession menu in 2017. Regina Pizzeria is now the official pizzeria of the Boston Red Sox and will be serving their renowned pizza at the ballpark, and Strega’s new creation, a baseball-inspired meatball-in-a-bread-cone will be available at pizza stands throughout the concourses.

Yankee Lobster, the popular seafood restaurant in the Seaport neighborhood of Boston, will showcase their signature New England lobster rolls and other new lobster-themed offerings at the Fish Shack on Yawkey Way, and at seasonal locations throughout the ballpark. Fans can also try new signature items on Yawkey Way from Savenor’s Market, Fenway Park’s official butcher and meat supplier. The Cambridge-based company will offer a short-rib grilled cheese sandwich and will also feature turkey and steak tip sandwiches at other Savenor’s locations throughout the ballpark.

Fenway Park’s Big Concourse will feature several new items this season. The area now includes a new build-your-own-salad and fruit bar in the lower level featuring select produce from Fenway Farms, and new kids meals will be served in the Kids Concourse area in Wally and Tessie commemorative brown lunch bags. The kids meals offer a choice of a mini kids hot dog, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or a grilled cheese, and are served with Lay’s chips and a mini Poland Spring water.

Aramark will continue its test kitchen concept by introducing monthly rotating items at a stand in the Big Concourse located across from the Champions Club. Featured items for the month of April include lobster melts with steamed lobster, melted Muenster cheese, and sliced tomatoes; or surf & turf kebabs with skewered shrimp and/or marinated steak tips.

Fans with a sweet tooth will have more dessert options to choose from in 2017. In addition to the popular Hood soft serve ice cream locations throughout the ballpark, the newly added “Cookies n’ Creamery” stands will be located at gates A and C offering ice cream sundaes, creamsicles, ice cream sandwiches, hard ice cream, and freshly baked warm cookies.

The popular Tasty Burger restaurant added a third location at Fenway Park in the Right Field Concourse to complement existing stands at the 3rd Base Deck and at Gate C. And to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Impossible Dream team, Aramark will feature five different souvenir cups throughout the season celebrating memorable moments from that special year for fans to collect throughout 2017.

A refurbished Pesky Pole

The Right Field Foul Pole, “Pesky Pole,” underwent extensive structural repairs this offseason to reinforce areas that were impacted by general wear and tear over the years.   

Right Field Terrace Video Board

A new video board in right field, installed by ANC, has replaced the Cumberland Farms sign that previously occupied that space. The new 16mm Mitsubishi Diamond Vision LED display measures 14’ high by 46’ wide and will provide improved access to game information, replays, and video content, particularly for those seated on the Green Monster and in Bleacher sections where viewing the main video board is challenging.   

NOTE: As a Red Sox Parent, I was invited to a game at the beginning of the season to see all of the new improvements to Fenway Park and learn about the new initiatives for kids and families! All opinions are my own.