"What are you doing this weekend?" It's a question some students spend all week asking &- and for many Bostonians, the answer is just a tweet away.
BostonTweet, a Twitter account established to help promote Boston-area bars and restaurants, has in just under two years amassed nearly 20,000 followers on Twitter for inside scoops on cheap food, free deals and fun events.
Company founder Tom O'Keefe explained that BostonTweet was created as a reaction to the economic recession in November 2008.
"We had this fear that we were going to be in this great depression and [BostonTweet] was a way to get people looking locally," O'Keefe said.
O'Keefe now spends his days traveling around Boston, exploring different spots in the city on the lookout for the cheap, the free and the thrilling.
"I average about 10 tweets a day," he said.
Tidbits of Boston history, brief reviews and photographs of food and drinks make up the majority of O'Keefe's tweets.
They also often include special deals and information about local events.
Though there is always pressure to provide content, O'Keefe said he never worries about running out of places to go in Boston.
"When I'm stuck for content, I usually just go walk out on the street," O'Keefe said. "Some days there's just a ton of information for me. If not, I can ask a question like "what's your favorite bagel in Boston?' and get a lot of responses."
He explained that BostonTweet's followers consist primarily of people in their 20s living along the Green and Red Lines in Boston.
His focus on places of value in Boston draws in many college students, O'Keefe said.
Valentina Monte, a junior in the College of Communication, said that she has been an avid follower of BostonTweet for about a year.
"BostonTweet has made my Boston college experience what it is," Monte said.
COM freshman Lauren Dezenski started following BostonTweet in the summer before her arrival in Boston.
"Even before the plane touched down, I felt like I already knew what was going on the city," Dezenski said. "Somehow he manages to have his finger on the pulse of this city."
"One time, I noticed smoke coming up Comm. Ave. For some reason, I checked Twitter, and lo' and behold, BostonTweet had already tweeted a picture and info of a fire on Harvard Ave.," Dezenski said.
Though originally an undergraduate at Boston College, O'Keefe expressed his fondness for BU.
"Outside of BU is a place called Tasty Burger which has a great student special. It's an old converted garage with good deals and free pool," O'Keefe said.
Dezenski also took note of O'Keefe's frequent praise for Anna's Taqueria.
"Because of him, I'm dead-set on visiting Anna's Taqueria before I return home for Thanksgiving break," Dezenski said.
"Basically, if you live in the city of Boston, you need to follow BostonTweet. Even if you don't have a Twitter, get one, and follow it. You won't regret it," she said.
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