Author: Ed

Sunday Dog, Golden Gus!

Say hello to Golden Retriever Gus, a definite contender for “cutest puppy that ever lived.”

At seven months old, our newest furry friend already has the poise of a grown-up.

Gus walks with style and follows commands, no doubt helped by his time at puppy kindergarten where he won an award for "Best Sit.”

Of course, training can work both ways, “A little more to the right, behind my ear … Oh, yeah, that’s got it.”

Poppy and Gus at Play

Gus loves squeakers and has a favorite bone-shaped, stuffed toy that says, “I make yellow snow!”

As with most pups, a good play is followed by a good nap, no matter where you happen to be.

See you soon, Gus.

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

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Words: Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2015 Ed Cherubino

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December 20, 2015
Stop and Smell the Beans – the Gorgeous Coffee Beans

What’s so great about coffee? Besides the fact that many of us can’t start or survive the day without it, there has to be more to this all but magical drink than just the caffeine.

There’s the unmistakable aroma of fresh brewed coffee in the morning. The close your eyes, “mmm …” after that first sip. And, the shameless excuse it provides to take a much needed break anytime of day.

While all of that works for me, there’s also “the look” of coffee, especially as it’s being prepared. Tearing open a package of freshly roasted beans and watching those glistening nuggets of goodness cascade into the grinder bin is not to be dismissed lightly. I should explain.

In our home, we’ve been ordering coffee beans from the same company, Beanstock Coffee, for years. These guys roast their coffee, “… locally, in small batches and always to order.” Because we love robust, dark roast coffee, our favorite is the Black Fish Creek Blend that they describe best as, “… “Very dark and smooth without being burnt and finishing with subtle berry notes.”

After grinding, and before brewing, there’s another beauty shot moment of a fresh mound of tiny ground granules that’s quickly upstaged by its intoxicating fragrance.

Gorgeous coffee beans – that shouldn’t be overlooked – on their way to becoming an outstanding cup of joe.

Warm up the espresso machine!

And, before we get emails asking, we use a Breville Cafe Roma Espresso Maker and a Capresso Burr Coffee Grinder.

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Words: Ed Cherubino

Photography: © 2015 Ed Cherubino

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December 9, 2015
A Pinot Noir Rosé Sparkler from Leitz to Light Up December!

Our Sparkling Resolution finds us toasting the arrival of December with a glowing bottle of Leitz Spätburgunder Weissherbst Sekt Brut.

What better way to shine some light on the month that needs it most than by popping the cork on this lively, frothy bottle of bubbles we found by chance.

Penny had stopped into Formaggio Kitchen South End looking for a specific sparkler that a friend said they carried and met Julie Cappellano, the store’s General Manager and Wine Buyer. While that particular wine was not in stock and Penny wanted something right away (preferably Pinot forward) to take on a trip, Julie was able to recommend something perfect for our taste – a bottle of 2013 Leitz Spätburgunder Weissherbst.

This sparkling Pinot noir rosé from Germany’s Rheingau region is 100% tank-fermented, lees-aged and, as the winemaker puts it, “is light and sprightly,” and “exudes cool, fresh fruit and lean minerality.”

Julie describes the dominant fruit as, “deliciously juicy grapefruit, making this a perfect wine to sip on its own before dinner, or with hors dʼ’oeuvres & salads.”

We went the sip-on-its-own route and opened our first bottle on a deck overlooking the ocean just before sunset. It was perfect. And, an ideal way to add some sparkle to the shadows of December on our way to the Winter Solstice.

Here’s to our German friends, Zum Wohl!

Available at Formaggio Kitchen South End, or at Formaggio Kitchen Cambridge with one dayʼ’s notice.

More About: Our Sparkling Resolution

Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

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Words: Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2015 Penny Cherubino

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December 1, 2015
Fresh & Local August Tomatoes: Our Recipe & Tips Round Up

It’s the season to enjoy local tomatoes in New England. I’m carrying home bags of them from the farmers’ markets but I know some of you are fortunate enought to have them in your own gardens.

Last week, in response to a question, I shared a few of the posts we have in our archives with a small group of online friends. One of them said I should post the same information on BostonZest. Good idea! Here it is.

My First tip is to buy what you will use quickly and shop for them often while they are in season. Once you have them home, here’s the:

Best Way to Store Tomatoes via The Kitchn

They agree with me that tomotoes should not be refrigerated.

Even If You Don’t Cook

Sandwiches & More – Bread and tomatoes are perfect companions. You can make a real locavore BLT sandwich with a visit to the farmers’ market. Gather francese bread from Iggy’s, bacon from Stillman’s, tomatoes and lettuce from Silverbrook, and you have the makings of a great sandwich.

If you only have scraps and leftovers around the kitchen, get creative. Here’s what I did one evening.

Bacon, Parsley & Tomato Bites

Practice Your Knife Skills

Over at The Kitchn, they posted this piece to help you cut those tomatoes to perfection.

Three Essential Tips for cutting Tomatoes-Tips from The Kitchn

Once you master cutting, you can move on to our posts:

Can you chop a tomato?

Simple Tomato Cucumber Salad

Farmers’ Market Pasta from Our Archives

And, if this is not enough:

More tomato mania from The Kitchn…

And even more, a round up of their tomato week.

Finally, while we’re on the topic of fresh & local:

Here are more of our Local Food/Farmers’ Market posts.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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August 21, 2014
Great Hospitality at Jake’s Seafood in Hull, MA

We've been zipping down to Jake's Restaurant and Fish Market in Hull for years but we hadn't brought one of our dogs with us until recently. Our plan was to get some take-out and sit on one of the small stone benches they provide for folks waiting for tables on busy weekends.

I went in and asked the hostess if we could order take-out and if she had a menu I could bring outside to Ed so he could make his selection. I explained that we had our dog with us and would eat on one of their parking lot benches.

Her response was that we were welcome to eat on the patio if we didn't mind sharing one of the servers from inside. While the day had turned out perfect, the forecast had been for rain, so they had closed the patio for the day.

We didn't mind at all and set ourselves up at the corner table,

with this fantastic view!

I had a lobster roll on a grilled bun with fries and a bit of lemon and drawn butter on the side.

Ed opted for their Mediterranean Salad topped with grilled scallops. Check this menu for all the choices you have on top of a selection of salads.

And, as I noted in our post on Lobster Rolls vs Lobster Salad Rolls, Jake's does it right.

They have Jake's Original Lobster Roll. This is described on the menu as:

"Our classic! A full 1/4lb. of freshly picked lobster meat on a traditional hotdog bun (toasted with butter upon request), served with mayo on the side"

And, they have a Lobster Salad Sandwich:

"Freshly picked lobster mixed with our herb mayo & topped with sliced Hass avocado, lettuce & tomato, served on our toasted brioche roll"

The woman serving our lunch could not have been nicer, despite the fact that she had to leave her station inside and come out to the patio for one table. But, perhaps this great hospitality all around paid off because soon we were not alone out there.

If you take a ride to Jake's bring a cooler. The seafood market side of the business will have you taking home the makings of a second meal.

Thanks for the great hopitality Jake's, we'll be back soon!

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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August 19, 2014
What’s Open on Labor Day 2014 in Boston, Plus Parking, Trash & MBTA Information

Here's a rundown of what's open and what's closed in Boston on Labor Day. We'll also keep up with parking information, trash schedules, and changes to MBTA schedules for Monday, September 1, 2014.

This is an outdated post. We have created a permanent Labor Day holiday resource page that we'll update each year with new information. This will keep our readers from finding outdated pages like this one.

Labor Day In Boston Resource Page

We publish these reminders well before a holiday (especially big ones like this) to give you a nudge to finalize your holiday plans. Follow along on Twitter (@bostonzest) or bookmark this page to check back. We'll update as information comes to us.

We hope you find time to enjoy some of the holiday weekend. How about a walk in the Pubic Garden?

Restaurants, Bars: Open

Update: 08/27/14: Eater Boston has posted a list of specific restaurants that are open.

Convenience stores: Open

Supermarkets: Open

Liquor stores: Open

Retail stores: Are allowed to open, if the owners wish to open.

City, Town, State and Federal offices and facilities are closed: This includes Schools, Libraries, and the Postal Service (express mail will be delivered). Only emergency services are available.

Financial Services: In general, as the British would say, this is a Bank Holiday with both Banks and the stock markets in the United State closed. Some international markets are open. And, check with your bank, they might have some offices open.

Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply.

Update: 08/29/14: Traffic Advisory for College Move-ins

Traffic and Parking Advisory, Student Move-In, 2014 - There are some temporary restrictions from 8/25 to 9/1 in Allston, Brighton, Fenway, Mission Hill details here.

Street Sweeping: The City says, "Daytime street sweeping is suspended on city holidays, but nighttime sweeping schedules remain in effect. Constituents are advised to call 617-635-4500 for exact details."

Boston Trash Collection:
The City says,

"Labor Day Week: Monday, September 1, 6am – Saturday, September 6, 2014, 5pm

No Delay of trash or recycling collection in Back Bay, Bay Village, Beacon Hill, Charlestown, Chinatown, Fenway, Leather District, Mission Hill, North End, Roxbury, South Boston, and the South End.

Allston/Brighton, Dorchester, East Boston, Jamaica Plain*, Mattapan, Roslindale, West Roxbury and Hyde Park, delayed a day.

*If you live in Jamaica Plain and your trash is picked up 2 times per week, do not delay."

MBTA Labor Day Schedule For Labor Day 2014 can be found at this link through the holiday. (updated 08.21.14)

Download MBTA Labor Day Service Schedule 2014

Most of the system will operate on a Sunday Schedule but there are some commuter rail lines, buses, and boats that will not operate on the holiday. Please check the links above for these exceptions.

For additional, specific information on routes, schedules, and fares, please call the MBTA at (617) 222-3200, TTY 617-222-5146, or visit www.mbta.com."

If information like this from BostonZest is helpful to you, support us by beginning all your Amazon shopping from one of the Amazon ads on our site or by Clicking here to go to the Amazon home page.

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Ed Cherubino

August 18, 2014
Dogs in Danger from the Xylitol Around Your Home

Do you have a dog who likes to explore and can seem to get into everything? Then you should be on watch for xylitol lurking around your home because it is toxic to dogs.

Start checking labels. Low sugar and artifically sweetened items including peanut butter, gum, candy, baked goods, and toothpaste may contain xylitol among their ingredients. Some cooling clothing is even impregnated with it.

Here, from two sources, is what you need to know about this ingredient that could lead to hypogylcemia or liver failure in dogs. (So far, toxicity in cats has not been proven.)

From Veterinary Medicine, here is a report on the effects of xylitol that the ASPCA is making available via their poison control center.

If at some point that link doesn't work, you can Download: Effects of Xylitol Ingestion in Dogs, here.

A more recent report from the site Pet Poison Hotline reports:

"In addition to finding xylitol in gum, sugar-free candies, mints, and baked goods, we are now seeing it in many healthcare products. There is even a line of clothing with xylitol embedded in it! Some of the places we have seen xylitol include chewable vitamins, gummy vitamins, lozenges/cough drops, sublingual supplements and medications (over the counter and prescription), liquid medications (over the counter and prescription), breath sprays, medication/supplement sprays, toothpastes, nasal sprays, mouth rinses/washes, essential oil products, cosmetics, and many sugar-free foods and baking ingredients."

Download Xylitol – It’s Not Just in Gum Anymore – Pet Poison Helpline

The Many Names of Xylitol

In addition to inclusion in many products besides the sugarless gum we learned about initially, it is not always called xylitol. You may see it listed as sugar alcohol, birch sugar, E967, Meso-Xylitol, Méso-Xylitol, Sucre de Bouleau, Xilitol, Xylit, Xylite, or 1,2,3,4,5-Pentahydroxypentane, XyliteXylo-pentane-1,2,3,4,5-pentol.

Keep it Away

If you have sugarless gum in your bag or backpack, be sure to put it somewhere your dog can't reach. If you have other products in your home, place them out of reach. If you have clothing embedded with xylitol, keep your dog from mouthing it or licking it until we find out if it, too, is dangerous.

In our house, sugarless gum is kept in sealed mason jars and carried in sealed plastic bottles. And, we don't discard gum in any trash can our Poppy can reach.

When outside, we keep a watch for wads of discarded gum. Not only is that dangerous if ingested, but also we recall spending one long session of cutting gum out of the fur and between the pads of a dog's paw. Not fun!

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs (and other critters) at Boston Dogs.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

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Words: Penny Cherubino, edited for BostonZest from her CIty Paws Newspaper Column.
Photography: iStockphoto.com

August 17, 2014
Could You Be a Lifeguard? Appreciating Those Who Qualify
Do you take lifeguards like these two at Nantasket Beach for granted? Was there a point in your life when you thought being a lifeguard would be a cool summer job? Do you know what you would have to prove to qualify?

Lifeguard Shortage

There has been much written about the shortage of lifeguards nationwide and here in Massachusetts. The state admitted in an interview with the Boston Globe that it can't get all the lifeguards it needs. Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) spokesperson S. J. Port told the Globe, "The state has seen 'a significant drop-off' in lifeguard candidates with proper training in recent years."

Qualifications for a DCR Waterfront Lifeguard Position

What does it take to prove you could do this job? In additon to certification in CPR, First Aid, and Lifeguard training, you must pass a rigorous test of your ability to swim and retrieve a person in trouble in the surf.

Here's the full list of requirements. Here are the highlights:

The DCR’s test for pool/inland lifeguards requires candidates to:
- Finish a timed 500 yard swim in 11 minutes or less
- Retrieve a 10 pound object in water that is 12-15 feet deep
- Pass the Lifeguarding, First Aid, & CPR written exams with a score of 80% or higher
- Demonstrate passive victim recovery skills
- Demonstrate active victim recovery skills
- Demonstrate submerged victim recovery skills
In addition to the above, the test for “surf” or ocean beach lifeguards requires candidates to:
- Run 100 yards before entering the water
- Swim for 150 yards
- Run 100 yards after the swim
- Complete the timed 500 yard swim in 9.5 minutes or less (not 11 minutes)
This job needs an Aquathlete!

It makes you appreciate those who sit and scan the beach, count heads in the water, watch the lone swimmers, and are perpared to run if they see someone like you in danger.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino
August 15, 2014
Broken Bricks Boon to Boston Bandits

Ed and I came upon the aftermath of this incident. I don't know if the other part of the brick was inside the car whose window was broken. Another vehicle, with all its windows intact, had taken the parking space at this point.

Bricks or large rocks used in some landscaping, or broken bricks from sidewalks and walkways can become tools of opportunity when one of the area denizens sees something inside a car. I recall one Boston police woman who told me these guys will break your car window to get a single quarter you left in the cup holder.

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Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2014 Penny Cherubino

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August 14, 2014
Something’s Missing at the Prudential Center
You may be here, as the arrow says, but something that was there for a long time is missing. What has been removed from this scene?

Hints:
- It is forty-seven years old and in great shape
- It was created by Donald De Lue (1897-1988)
- It is 27 feet tall
- It weighs 5 tons
- It was made of bronze and granite
- It was cast in one piece, despite its size, most likely at the Vittorio Lera Artistic Foundry at Viareggio, Italy.
- It has been moved to a storage facility while plans for its future are in progress. (According to it's entry on the Boston Public Art site. )
Yes, seen here with a group of young swing dancers is the missing statue – Quest Eternal. It was on this plaza on the Boylston Street side of the Prudential Center since 1967. It was removed for the upcoming construction of a building in this space.

When we walked by Monday there was a frontloader instead of the statue and the concrete barriers were being set in place.

Thanks to everyone who hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support. What's on your "Off to College" shopping list? Shop Amazon for all your back to school needs and support this site!

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012-2014 Penny Cherubino

Vittorio Lera Artistic Foundry, at Viareggio, Italy

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