Author: Ed

Greenough Lane, Then and Now….

Today, we nominate Charter Street Park and Greenough Lane (map) in the North End as a delightful pocket of serenity. Ever since we met Lynn Schweikart author of Peaceful Places Boston, we've been taking note of places to nominate for her consideration in a future edition.

Running through Charter Street Park is Greenough Lane. Early records of Boston’s streets listed this as Greenough's Alley. In 1732, it was called Greenough’s Lane, which changed to Greenough's Avenue in 1848. Finally, the apostrophe "s" was dropped and it has been Greenough Lane, since 1858.

From the BPL collection used under this creative commons license.

As we were researching Greenough Lane, we came across this Henry Blaney sketch of the scene as it stood in July 1891. It is part of the Boston Public Library Collection.

We'd also like to encourage our readers to stand up for and protect a few of these little gems. We need a few places where you can sit and enjoy nature without organized events, street performers, or other diversions planned by all the sad, little, busy minds who need constant distraction to keep from thinking.

Discover more peaceful places here and around the country. And, please nominate your favorite pockets of serentity for one of our upcoming posts.

For those who read us from other parts of the country, the publisher has some peaceful books for other cities.

Peaceful Places: Boston: 121 Tranquil Sites in the City and Beyond

Peaceful Places: Chicago: 119 Tranquil Sites in the Windy City and Beyond

Peaceful Places: San Francisco: 100+ Tranquil Sites in The City and the Greater Bay Area

Peaceful Places: Los Angeles: 100+ Sites for Tranquility Across the City of Angels

Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino
Cover art © 2012 Lynn Schweikart

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

June 27, 2012
Get Your Fresh, Local Strawberries While They Last

We heard the first warnings that strawberry season may be short this year from Barbara Hamilton of Hamiliton Orchards last Friday at the Copley Square Farmers' Market.

We were telling her how much we've been enjoying this year's crop of super sweet, juicy berries when she said that with the heat, hers may be gone soon. (But, her blueberries are almost ready and a few may show up this week.)

As you can see from the photo, these strawberries are totally ripe and very delicate. Penny carefully carried this container home because she wanted to photograph these plump, rosy jewels in their wooden cradle.

But, most of the time, we tuck our own covered containers into our market backpacks to protect delicate items like berries, ripe tomatoes, or delicate pastries. We pick out the container of berries we want and dump them into a sturdy, sealed bowl for the trip home.

We're also coming to the last week of the Mass Farmers' Market Association Strawberry Festival fund raising event. Choose a special strawberry dessert from a participating restaurant and they will donate to the group that helps our farmers and farmers' markets.

And, speaking of farms, here's a link to find the MassGrown map where you can search for places to pick your own berries.

Related Posts: Here are our Local Food & Farmers' Market Posts

What's on your Summer Food shopping list? Shop Amazon – Get Ready for Summer – Everything You Need and support this site! Here are the containers we use for berry transport. Perfect to keep in your market cooler or tote bag.

Details:

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

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

June 26, 2012
Romancing the Rhubarb

It was a rhubarb spring for me. Looking at the photos I took during an early season trip to Provincetown, a big smile crossed my face as I recalled taking these pictures early one morning in our Chandler House kitchen, before enjoying a perfect breakfast.

That little, lovely jar, shining in the morning sun, was full of rhubarb preserves from PB Boulangerie in Wellfleet.

We always stop there on our way into P-Town to supply ourself with their crusty baguettes, buttery croissants, and bike trail cookies.

These oh-so-satisfying, sweet/tart preserves (made by the owner's mother when she visits from France) inspired me to seek out rhubarb in other forms all spring.

I bought fresh rhubarb at the Copley Square Farmers' Market and, following my Grandpa's lessons, turned it into a rhubarb compote. He didn't actually use recipes. He just cut the rhubarb in his back yard, removed the leaves, washed it, chopped it, and then cooked it down with a bit of cinnamon, nutmeg, and a touch of water.

Here is a basic recipe. But, read the comments. There are great ideas there that I'm going to try.

I've spotted strawberry rhubarb pies at the markets. Barbara Hamiltion of Hamilton Orchards said she's planning to make some rhubarb preserves and may even make some with low sugar or honey for those who like a touch of sour.

On my tasting list are Fee Brothers Rhubarb Cocktail Bitters, Rhubarb soda, and– when she makes them– Vianne Chocolat's Raspberry Rhubarb Truffles!

What's on your rhubarb shopping list? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

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

June 25, 2012
Sunday Dog, Toby Has “the Look!”

Sunday Dog, Toby has “the Look,” but I’m not really sure what that look is. It’s what a critic might say about a successful fashion model, actor, or a best in show winner. It’s that special look that makes you pause and feel as though someone is peering inside your soul. Or, it just might be Toby’s way of saying, “What’s that strange looking thing you’re pointing at me?”

Actually, he didn’t seem to mind our cameras and was happy to pose– nice profile!

At just a year old, this Basset Hound plays in spurts but sleeps most of the time– he “is” still a puppy! His person admits, “He does bark a lot, but he doesn’t know how to howl like a big boy, yet.”

While Toby can be very stubborn, he is a very good boy who loves to play and chase a favorite ball. Bassets need a lot of exercise, you have to "keep them fit and thin or they’ll have really bad back problems.”

This intriguing little character is already very well socialized– he’s being raised around a lot of people and other dogs. And, Toby is definitely one of the friendliest pups we’ve ever met, you can tell just by … “the Look!”

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

We met Toby at the MSPCA table at a Dog Day event at the Greenway Open Market. He was a great ambassador for one of our favorite animal organizations.

In his honor, we are replacing our ad today with an opportunity for our readers and our neighbors to support the MSPCA just by shopping at the Whole Foods Markets Jamaica Plain & Symphony locations on Tuesday June 26th. When you do, 5% of the net sales will go to MSPCA Angell. Click here for more details.

Details:
Words: Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers’ comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

June 24, 2012
Everyone’s Photographing the Big, Round, Giant Allium

In the Boston Public Garden and along the Greenway, we watched people stop to photograph the Giant Allium plants that have been blooming during the past couple of weeks. For a short time each year, these blooms add a pop of color and fun to the landscape.

Add a link to your favorite Allium photo in the comments section!

What's on your Summer Fun shopping list? Shop Amazon – Get Ready for Summer – Everything You Need and support this site!

Details:

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

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

June 23, 2012
The Walking Bostonian, Our Friday Link

A very well presented report on MassDOT's meeting about the Bowker Overpass brought The Walking Bostonian blog to our attention. We instantly subscribed and are catching up on back posts.

On the about page, this description made us see a bit of a kindred soul in Matthew, the blogger.

"This blog is a place for me to write down some of my thoughts. I live in the city of Boston, MA and I work in the field of Computer Science. I use my two feet, augmented by mass transit, to get around. Although I am not an urban planner, I try to pay attention to the city around me, many parts of which we take for granted. I am attempting to figure out why some cities decline, why some succeed, and how we can help."

We live in the city, don't own a car, use our feet (goal of 10,000 steps a day), and the MBTA for most of our transport. We're also people who notice things, and we're walking advocates.

We don't understand why walkers are not given top priority in city planning. Hey, we are way less expensive and even more environmentally friendly than bikes!

There is a lot to think about and learn on the pages of the Walking Bostonian. Questions are raised, background information is supplied, throughtful options considered, and some interesting walks are mapped on Google Earth.

Related Posts: For our Friday Link collection click here.

What's on your Summer Fun shopping list? Shop Amazon – Get Ready for Summer – Everything You Need and support this site!

Details:

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

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

June 22, 2012
A Perfect Gift for a Pal on Crutches

A few years ago, a good friend and neighbor took a bad fall and we learned a lot about helping someone with a foot, ankle, knee, or hip injury, or recovering from surgery. One of the best items we found for her was a three pocket waiter's apron.

If you, a family member, or friend is on a walker, crutches, or about to be, click over and buy one of these as a get well, heal fast gift. Tie the apron around your waist and you can, for example, carry a travel mug of coffee and a sandwich back to your chair from the kitchen. Think about trying to do that on crutches.

Everyone we've presented with an apron has mentioned keeping a phone in one of the pockets. And, the most recent neighbor to receive one told us that she had been wearing jackets and vests to hold things while she used her crutches, and now it's too warm for that!

Backpacks are great when you're out and about. But, if you're up to wearing the apron in public, you can tuck your wallet, phone, or shopping list in the front where it's easier for you to access.

Here's the apron we give to friends who are about to spend awhile on crutches– a 3-Pocket Waiter's Apron. It seems to happen so often, that we keep a supply of aprons on hand. Tie it on and you can, for example, carry a travel mug of coffee and a sandwich back to your chair from the kitchen.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photo: istockphoto.com

June 21, 2012
Happy Summer: We Declare Rosé Wine Season Open!

We’ve told you before, don’t be afraid of pink wines! Or, copper, salmon, or clear cherry-colored ones for that matter. We have been drinking rosé wines through all the warm spells leading up to this summer.

These lovely rosés were enjoyed at Bistro du Midi.

Officially, summer begins tonight at 7:09 pm EDT. That makes this an excellent day to shop for a bottle of rosé, chill it down, and pour a glass or two to toast the new season.

Stores who know their wines are ready for summer with big displays of rosé wines. At South End Formaggio, we found a veritable mountain of choices. And, these are the places where you can ask for guidance to find the rosé that fits your taste– bone dry to fruity, still to sparkling.

Add a bottle or two to your next wine purchase and follow the lead of the wise folks from Provence to Basque Country who sip pink in the warm days of summer.

Want to learn more about wine? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! Here are three of our favorite wine books.

The Food Lover’s Guide to Wine

The New Wine Lover’s Companion

The Wine Bible

Details:

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

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers’ comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

June 20, 2012
Our Collection of 7 Cooling Tips for Hot Days!

With years of posts behind us, we sometimes forget how many tips we have for something like a heat wave. Here's what you need to know for the temperatures they're forecasting for the next few days.

Bonus tip: go find a cool place to sit and relax like a dock along the Charles!

Cool Summer Sips – A couple of cool drink ideas to welcome summer to Boston

Someplace Cool to Walk… If you still want to get some exercise, we have some air-conditioned paths to follow.

Surviving a Heat Wave – What You Need to Know – Tips from everyone from the city to the CDC.

Cool Food for a Hot Day - One of our favorite hot day suppers

Miss lilibeth and Gisselle are Issuing a Hot Car Alert – Be sure to protect your pets inside and out!

Poached Chicken Becomes Curried Chicken Salad – Another cool supper and you can make it with take-out chicken too!

Maggie says, “Drink Up!” – Tips on giving your dog a drink when you're out and about.

What's on your Summer heat shopping list? Shop Amazon – Get Ready for Summer – Everything You Need and support this site!

Details:

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

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

June 19, 2012
Where is this Bridge? Play Attention to Detail.

Do you pay attention to the architecture around you in Boston? Penny’s Attention to Detail newspaper columns run in the Back Bay Sun and Beacon Hill Times. But, often, we see great details in other neighborhoods. Like this one…

Do you know where this bridge between two buildings is located? Hint: it’s in Kenmore Square.

Think you know? Add your guess to the comments. Tweet with @BostonZest in your message. Or Send us an email.

Click through below the ad or scroll down for the answer.

(more…)

June 18, 2012