GOBOS_Rum_0516

Thursty: Take a tropical booze staycation at newly expanded RumBa

If there’s one spirit that most of us associate with the warmer seasons, it’s rum. That’s because most of it is produced in the tropical island climates we spend all winter longing for around here. While we can’t necessarily transport ourselves to the Caribbean or Latin America on a whim, a trip to RumBa at the InterContinental Hotel offers a more cost-effective — and immediate — fix. With the opening of their summer patio season right around the corner —and a recent expansion of the waterfront fixture just completed — now seems like as good a time as any to set sail on the molasses seas.

Drink Skool partner doug Frost

THURSTY: Home Remedy: Drink Skool raises the bar for boozing in sweats

With so many bars turning their attention to the craft of the quality cocktail, it can be easy to assume that the concept has saturated the bar market. That’s not true, sadly, and, depending on where you live, it can be hard to track down a well-made cocktail in your neighborhood. There’s no reason why you have to actually leave the house to drink in style, however. A new online teaching program called Drink Skool, from some of the most respected names in the beverage industry, cuts out the middle-man, and gives you the basics on how to turn your own bar into a craft cocktail haven.

The Rattlesnake's roof deck is always hopping

Spring has finally come to Boston: here are ten patios and roof decks where you can drink al fresco

Oh hai Spring, there you are. We sort of felt like you’d been avoiding us for awhile. Called your cell, and it went straight to voicemail. Heard you were hanging around with some hussies from out of town. But you’re here now, and that’s all that matters. We totally forgive you for giving us the cold (so, so cold) shoulder this past month because the minute you come around, we just feel all warm and happy and better about life in general. Damn, you know how to play it, Spring. And while we know we really should be playing hard to get, we’re just way too excited that it might actually be getting balmy around these parts. Which is why we went ahead and rounded up some of our favorite places in this town to eat and booze alfresco. Which are basically our two favorite things to do alfresco.