The brand new Fastachi shop at 83 Charles Street is filled with bins of nuts, gift packages, nut butters, and all the wonderful sweet and fruity gourmet goodies we've grown to love at their farmers' market stands and their original Watertown shop.
Back in 1965, this address was the home of Ski Hut as you can see in this photo from the City of Boston Archives.
When Penny found this photo, the Beacon Hill Fastachi was just in the planning phase. She saved it to share with fans of this fabulous, family business when the shop finally opened.
Bins of nuts welcome you when you step inside this address today.
They also carry our favorite almonds roasted in their shells. We are addicted to these!
And, at the back of the store are some of the nuttiest chocolates you'll find anywhere.
Today, 83 Charles Street is a must-see stop. Drop by when you need a gift, to stock up on healthy snacks for home, or to pick up a scoop of freshly roasted nuts to take on your walk through the Boston Common, Public Garden, or the Charles River Esplanade.
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Do you have a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary that you'd like to celebrate at an area restaurant in the next couple of months? Or, do you have family or friends coming to Boston who need hotel and restaurant reservations? Were you hoping to dine out on Easter Sunday or Mother's Day?
If so, put "Make Reservations" at the top of your to-do list this week.
Why?
Because Boston is expecting a lot of visitors between now and mid-June. Here are some of the dates when you will be competing with big crowds here for graduations, conventions, or events.
Graduation Season
Each year, we publish a calendar of the area's major college commencements and graduations. Here's a link to this year's edition.
This list runs from May 4th to June 6th with a blockbuster weekend hosting eleven commencements between May 17-19th. Many visitors are shocked at the price of hotel rooms during our commencement season and are having difficulty reserving tables for family meals during this time.
Events
March 15-17, Saint Patrick's Day Weekend – If the questions over on Trip Advisor are any indication, visitors from the UK come to Boston to join in our festivities. As always, this is on March 17th when a strange holiday called Evacuation Day was created that just happens to coincide with a desired date for celebration. With the 17th on a Monday, plans for a long weekend of green beer are on more than a few calendars. (Plus two conventions noted below.)
April 18-21, Patriots' Day Weekend will host the largest Boston Marathon in years with an official field of 36,000 runners and an estimate of twice the traditional half-million spectators.
This is also a weekend of other BAA races as well as sporting events elsewhere in the city. Some locals look forward to this annual happening, others will leave the city until it's over. Oh, and it's also Easter Sunday this year!
May 11, Mother's Day is always a day with a shortage of reservations since it happens during our graduation season. There are five schools holding commencement that weekend.
May 24-26,Memorial Day Weekend is a traditional time to open summer homes and perhaps enjoy a first summer weekend away. If you want the best choice of hotel, Zipcar, or to be assured of a table at your favorite restaurant in places from Portland, Maine to Provincetown, reserve soon.
Move-Out Season – Many of the two hundred thousand plus students will be moving out of Boston in late May and early June. In some neighborhoods, this is a major event impacting traffic, parking, and trash collection.
Conventions
Spring is also a time for large conventions in Boston. Here are a few dates when 10,000 people or more will be added to the city's population. Fortunately, many of these large events are out in the Seaport District and will not impact most residents. A few are at the Hynes Convention Center in the Back Bay and will be more noticeable.
March 16-18, two conventions in the Seaport District are expecting 26,000 attendees. This is also Saint Patrick's Day Weekend so it will make a difference throughout the city.
March 21-23, the Anime Boston event at the Hynes will have colorful characters roaming the Back Bay and scattered throughout Boston. There is also a a smaller convention in the Seaport District for a total of 25,000 attendees.
April 3-5: 20,000 in the Seaport District
May 1: 16,000 in the Seaport District
May 8-10: 15,000 in the Seaport District
May 18: 11,000 in the Seaport District
June 8: 13,000 in the Seaport District
Then, we switch to summer tourists with the next big convention in October.
Don't Forget
You may need reservations for a pet sitter or childcare so get that underway too.
If you travel on the MBTA, use UBER, or taxis, some of these events will have a big impact on those means of travel with crowded trains and shortages of cars and taxis.
All these visitors will also give you a wonderful opportunity to meet people from around the world. If you see someone who seems to be in need of help or looks lost, be a good host and offer a hand.
When you see a group posing for photos, offer to take one of the entire gang. It only takes a minute, but gives the visitors a great memory of both the photo and the friendly Bostonian.
Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!
Do you have a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary that you'd like to celebrate at an area restaurant in the next couple of months? Or, do you have family or friends coming to Boston who need hotel and restaurant reservations? Were you hoping to dine out on Easter Sunday or Mother's Day?
If so, put "Make Reservations" at the top of your to-do list this week.
Why?
Because Boston is expecting a lot of visitors between now and mid-June. Here are some of the dates when you will be competing with big crowds here for graduations, conventions, or events.
Graduation Season
Each year, we publish a calendar of the area's major college commencements and graduations. Here's a link to this year's edition.
This list runs from May 4th to June 6th with a blockbuster weekend hosting eleven commencements between May 17-19th. Many visitors are shocked at the price of hotel rooms during our commencement season and are having difficulty reserving tables for family meals during this time.
Events
March 15-17, Saint Patrick's Day Weekend – If the questions over on Trip Advisor are any indication, visitors from the UK come to Boston to join in our festivities. As always, this is on March 17th when a strange holiday called Evacuation Day was created that just happens to coincide with a desired date for celebration. With the 17th on a Monday, plans for a long weekend of green beer are on more than a few calendars. (Plus two conventions noted below.)
April 18-21, Patriots' Day Weekend will host the largest Boston Marathon in years with an official field of 36,000 runners and an estimate of twice the traditional half-million spectators.
This is also a weekend of other BAA races as well as sporting events elsewhere in the city. Some locals look forward to this annual happening, others will leave the city until it's over. Oh, and it's also Easter Sunday this year!
May 11, Mother's Day is always a day with a shortage of reservations since it happens during our graduation season. There are five schools holding commencement that weekend.
May 24-26,Memorial Day Weekend is a traditional time to open summer homes and perhaps enjoy a first summer weekend away. If you want the best choice of hotel, Zipcar, or to be assured of a table at your favorite restaurant in places from Portland, Maine to Provincetown, reserve soon.
Move-Out Season – Many of the two hundred thousand plus students will be moving out of Boston in late May and early June. In some neighborhoods, this is a major event impacting traffic, parking, and trash collection.
Conventions
Spring is also a time for large conventions in Boston. Here are a few dates when 10,000 people or more will be added to the city's population. Fortunately, many of these large events are out in the Seaport District and will not impact most residents. A few are at the Hynes Convention Center in the Back Bay and will be more noticeable.
March 16-18, two conventions in the Seaport District are expecting 26,000 attendees. This is also Saint Patrick's Day Weekend so it will make a difference throughout the city.
March 21-23, the Anime Boston event at the Hynes will have colorful characters roaming the Back Bay and scattered throughout Boston. There is also a a smaller convention in the Seaport District for a total of 25,000 attendees.
April 3-5: 20,000 in the Seaport District
May 1: 16,000 in the Seaport District
May 8-10: 15,000 in the Seaport District
May 18: 11,000 in the Seaport District
June 8: 13,000 in the Seaport District
Then, we switch to summer tourists with the next big convention in October.
Don't Forget
You may need reservations for a pet sitter or childcare so get that underway too.
If you travel on the MBTA, use UBER, or taxis, some of these events will have a big impact on those means of travel with crowded trains and shortages of cars and taxis.
All these visitors will also give you a wonderful opportunity to meet people from around the world. If you see someone who seems to be in need of help or looks lost, be a good host and offer a hand.
When you see a group posing for photos, offer to take one of the entire gang. It only takes a minute, but gives the visitors a great memory of both the photo and the friendly Bostonian.
Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!
Sometime this week, you should see the renewal package for your Boston Dog license in the mail. Whether you get that or not, we want to remind you to get a shiny, new, dog license to add to that collection of tags on your dog's collar.
The law says that by April 1st of each year, all dogs in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts must obtain a new license from the city or town where they reside.
Those who mail in their applications should be certain to include copies of the requested neutering and rabies vaccination certificates, a check payable to animal control, and a stamped self-addressed envelope.
That envelope will be used to return your dog’s license and tag to you.
Once your dog is registered with the city, Animal Control will provide a business reply envelope for you to mail in your application, and you will only have to pay the postage one way.
Boston has a two-tiered price structure for dog licenses.
It costs $6.00 per year to license a neutered male or spayed female dog.
That fee jumps to $17.00 if the animal is intact
If you happen to be near city hall, you can bring everything you need and pick up the forms and obtain a dog license in room 811.
Only checks are accepted for payment, in person or by mail – no cash or credit cards.
A license is proof that your dog has had a rabies shot. That's important to anyone who might have to help you find a lost dog or treat a hurt one.
It's really important to let the city know how many dogs live here and should be considered when the politicians do their planning and spend our money. Getting everyone to license their dogs will send a message. So, stand up and be counted!
Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs!
Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or, do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!
Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino Poster: Courtesy of Boston Animal Care & Control 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.
Sometime this week, you should see the renewal package for your Boston Dog license in the mail. Whether you get that or not, we want to remind you to get a shiny, new, dog license to add to that collection of tags on your dog's collar.
The law says that by April 1st of each year, all dogs in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts must obtain a new license from the city or town where they reside.
Those who mail in their applications should be certain to include copies of the requested neutering and rabies vaccination certificates, a check payable to animal control, and a stamped self-addressed envelope.
That envelope will be used to return your dog’s license and tag to you.
Once your dog is registered with the city, Animal Control will provide a business reply envelope for you to mail in your application, and you will only have to pay the postage one way.
Boston has a two-tiered price structure for dog licenses.
It costs $6.00 per year to license a neutered male or spayed female dog.
That fee jumps to $17.00 if the animal is intact
If you happen to be near city hall, you can bring everything you need and pick up the forms and obtain a dog license in room 811.
Only checks are accepted for payment, in person or by mail – no cash or credit cards.
A license is proof that your dog has had a rabies shot. That's important to anyone who might have to help you find a lost dog or treat a hurt one.
It's really important to let the city know how many dogs live here and should be considered when the politicians do their planning and spend our money. Getting everyone to license their dogs will send a message. So, stand up and be counted!
Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs!
Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or, do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!
Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino Poster: Courtesy of Boston Animal Care & Control 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.
This season's unending cold makes it perfect weather for Chowder. In "Thoughts on Clam Chowder," food writer Jane Lear echoes what many of us feel, "…this dratted weather (we’re eagerly awaiting an alleged 'warming trend') calls for something more substantial and nourishing."
Wonderful Tidbits of Information Seasoned This Piece
Lear also includes tips and background on milk, choosing and cutting potatoes, and thickening agents like crackers. She finishes up with her recipe for New England clam chowder.
The other reason I loved this essay is that while rich chowders will warm us in our current deep freeze, chowder is a staple of summer. It's perfect for spooning up before the fried clams at your favorite clam shack. A giant pot of chowder is part of a great clam bake or clam boil.
Thinking about this gives me hope that the warmth will return and with it days by the shore with a cup of chowder in hand.
For more delicious writing, you can follow Jane Lear on Twitter, @janelear
This season's unending cold makes it perfect weather for Chowder. In "Thoughts on Clam Chowder," food writer Jane Lear echoes what many of us feel, "…this dratted weather (we’re eagerly awaiting an alleged 'warming trend') calls for something more substantial and nourishing."
Wonderful Tidbits of Information Seasoned This Piece
Lear also includes tips and background on milk, choosing and cutting potatoes, and thickening agents like crackers. She finishes up with her recipe for New England clam chowder.
The other reason I loved this essay is that while rich chowders will warm us in our current deep freeze, chowder is a staple of summer. It's perfect for spooning up before the fried clams at your favorite clam shack. A giant pot of chowder is part of a great clam bake or clam boil.
Thinking about this gives me hope that the warmth will return and with it days by the shore with a cup of chowder in hand.
For more delicious writing, you can follow Jane Lear on Twitter, @janelear
This is Thomas F. Galvin from an article in the 1900 edition of The Successful American. The editors talked about his accomplishments, "…he has created at the corner of Boylston and Fairfield Street one of the most exquisite and charming conservatories to be found in the world."
I have to wonder what he would think about what is left of his treasure today.
