Author: Ed

Cardinals’ Songs: a Sweet Sound of Spring

While the neighborhood cardinals have been around all winter, we seem to have noticed their sweet song more in the past couple of weeks. They sing and we stop, eyes turned to the tree tops and roof tops to try to spot that splash of red.

When we saw this blog post from The Cornell Lab of Ornithology,

Why So Red, Mr. Cardinal? NestWatch Explains, we had to share. We learned so many new things about our neighbors the Northern Cardinals.

We turn to Cornell's All about Birds site anytime we want to know more about any bird. Here's their entry on the Northen Cardinal complete with sound, photos, video, and what you can do to join in the research on this beautiful additon to our lives.

Don't miss a Bird photo opportunity. This Canon PowerShot G15 camera
will give you what you need to take stills and video for your life list. Canon's G series is our all-time favorite for everyday cameras. We own the G10 and G11. They're a little bigger than the compacts most people use, but let you shoot with automatic settings or easy-to-use manual controls that please the many pros who use them as second cameras. And, if you're ready to turn pro, follow our lead. Ed shoots with the Nikon D7000 Digital SLR too. We also just added a Nikon D600
to our camera fleet and are extremely happy with the performance it has delivered.

Details:

Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino

Photos: ©2013 Penny Cherubino with screenshot from The Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

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 comments 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 out of comments.

Related articles

Edible Boston Spring 2013 Issue Has Arrived!

Easter Dining in Boston 2013 (and this year Easter is March 31st)

For the Birds – Cornell Lab of Ornithology Launches Archive of Bird Calls and Animal Sounds

Snowdrops, Crocus, and Tulips, Oh My!

The Healing Power of Color: Spectacular Spring Florals

March 20, 2013
We’ll Pass on Restaurant Week, But We’ll Share 5 Tips…
We know that Restaurant Week (RW) has it's fans, but it's not the type of event that appeals to us. We're grazers! We often have a couple of appetizers or share an entree. We like to sit at the bar and nibble our way through a meal. We seldon eat three courses. What's more, most of our favorite restaurants don't take part in the event.

Since we don't have recent Restaurant Week experience, we can't comment on the service or the overall quality of the offerings. But, we can link you to conversations over on the Boston Chowhound Board about last year's event and we'll add new links as they pop up this year.

Restaurant Week Boston, Winter 2012 reports?

Here are a few tips that might increase your enjoyment of Restaurant Week.
1. Check the menus carefully. Is there something on that special menu that is on the chef's regular menu or that this restaurant will do very well. Skip the places with the chicken, short ribs, and salmon specials.
2. A few places offer their full menu. Here's a Chowhound report on that from LAST year. Things change but you can check the menu on the RW site or call ahead for confirmation.
3. Support and enjoy the places that are not taking part. Again, here is a Chowhound list from LAST year that you can check against the official RW list.
4. Pick a chef-driven place that takes pride in its food every day of the year over a chain experience. Support small and local.
5. Tip your server as if you paid full price for 3-courses at this restaurant. This is a very hard week on servers. They didn't decide to run the promotion but they take the brunt of the problems from the event and work harder for less money. Since you're saving money, share a bit of it with your server.
Give us your Restaurant Week thoughts and experiences in the comments below or send us an email and we'll add your ideas when we do updates.

Updates:

(03/19/13) From www.welovebeantown.com : Boston Restaurant Week 2013 – Staff Picks!

(03/19/13) Here's Rendezvous in Central Square's answer to RW. A much better deal!

(03/24/13) Over on BostInno, Lisa Decano has reported on 7 Unofficial Menus for Boston Restaurant Week
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
Photography: istockphoto.com

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.

Related articles

Guest Commentary: The real winner of Denver's Restaurant Week

High Back Booths or Irish Snugs, a Solution to the Noise Problem?

Where Are These Grazers? Play Attention to Detail

Your 17 Best Bets for Boston Restaurant Week
March 19, 2013
We’ll Pass on Restaurant Week, But We’ll Share 5 Tips…
We know that Restaurant Week (RW) has it's fans, but it's not the type of event that appeals to us. We're grazers! We often have a couple of appetizers or share an entree. We like to sit at the bar and nibble our way through a meal. We seldon eat three courses. What's more, most of our favorite restaurants don't take part in the event.

Since we don't have recent Restaurant Week experience, we can't comment on the service or the overall quality of the offerings. But, we can link you to conversations over on the Boston Chowhound Board about last year's event and we'll add new links as they pop up this year.

Restaurant Week Boston, Winter 2012 reports?

Here are a few tips that might increase your enjoyment of Restaurant Week.
1. Check the menus carefully. Is there something on that special menu that is on the chef's regular menu or that this restaurant will do very well. Skip the places with the chicken, short ribs, and salmon specials.
2. A few places offer their full menu. Here's a Chowhound report on that from LAST year. Things change but you can check the menu on the RW site or call ahead for confirmation.
3. Support and enjoy the places that are not taking part. Again, here is a Chowhound list from LAST year that you can check against the official RW list.
4. Pick a chef-driven place that takes pride in its food every day of the year over a chain experience. Support small and local.
5. Tip your server as if you paid full price for 3-courses at this restaurant. This is a very hard week on servers. They didn't decide to run the promotion but they take the brunt of the problems from the event and work harder for less money. Since you're saving money, share a bit of it with your server.
Give us your Restaurant Week thoughts and experiences in the comments below or send us an email and we'll add your ideas when we do updates.

Updates:

(03/19/13) From www.welovebeantown.com : Boston Restaurant Week 2013 – Staff Picks!

(03/19/13) Here's Rendezvous in Central Square's answer to RW. A much better deal!

(03/24/13) Over on BostInno, Lisa Decano has reported on 7 Unofficial Menus for Boston Restaurant Week
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
Photography: istockphoto.com

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.

Related articles

Guest Commentary: The real winner of Denver's Restaurant Week

High Back Booths or Irish Snugs, a Solution to the Noise Problem?

Where Are These Grazers? Play Attention to Detail

Your 17 Best Bets for Boston Restaurant Week
March 19, 2013
Tracking a Boston Marathon Runner 2013
Here's how to track a friend or any runner competing in the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 15, 2013.

UPDATE: Tracking a Boston Marathon Runner 2016
- You can check the BAA site for those who finished before the explosions.
- Google.org has activated its Person Finder. There you can enter the name of the person you are trying to locate or add information that you have about someone others might be seeking. If you were part of the race and are safe, you can add your status.
- You can call the City of Boston Hotline for families trying to locate loved ones, 617-635-4500.
- From @notifyBoston: "Information & resource center open today, 9am, Park Plaza Castle. Latest City details: http://ow.ly/k6J4C " (map)
The rest of the tracking information on this page no longer applies!

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) Website explains:

The B.A.A. will post split times to its website during the race. This feature, complete with search access directions, will not show up on their official site until race day.

To learn how to Track a Boston Marathon Runner, Click Here then select, “Q: How can family members at home track me in the Boston Marathon?”

Mobile Phone Alert System

The Boston Athletic Association also has set up the "AT&T Athlete Alert Program." It allows you to receive updates on a runner’s progress. Here’s how to sign-up!

Where are the Leaders & Crowd Favorites?

For a rough idea of where the race leaders are, in relation to your viewing position, watch the sky for the helicopters that hover above them.

For favorites, you must rely on the roar of the crowd as they approach. Or, you can track your favorite by using the mobile alert system.

Related Posts: A collection of tips for Marathon weekends

Parking Your Car for Boston Marathon Weekend 2013

Routes for Visiting Runners – Boston Marathon Weekend 2013

What’s Open in Boston on Patriots’ Day 2013

Work Out on a Public Parcourse along the Charles River

How to Get to the Esplanade from Boston

Do you have enough memory for all the photos you'll want to shoot at the Boston Marathon? Do you need a new camera for the race? Begin your shopping by Click here to check the prices at Amazon on great items like Transcend SDHC Flash Memory Cards

This Canon PowerShot G15 camera will give you what you need to take stills and video the event. Canon's G series is our all-time favorite for everyday cameras. We own the G10 and G11. They're a little bigger than the compacts most people use, but let you shoot with automatic settings or easy-to-use manual controls that please the many pros who use them as second cameras. And, if you are ready to turn pro, follow our lead. Ed Shoots with the Nikon D7000 Digital SLR to and we just added Nikon D600 to our camera fleet and are extremely happy with the performance it has delivered.

Details:
Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) Website
Words: Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2011 Penny 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 comments 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 out of comments.
March 18, 2013
Tracking a Boston Marathon Runner 2013
Here's how to track a friend or any runner competing in the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 15, 2013.

UPDATE: Tracking a Boston Marathon Runner 2016
- You can check the BAA site for those who finished before the explosions.
- Google.org has activated its Person Finder. There you can enter the name of the person you are trying to locate or add information that you have about someone others might be seeking. If you were part of the race and are safe, you can add your status.
- You can call the City of Boston Hotline for families trying to locate loved ones, 617-635-4500.
- From @notifyBoston: "Information & resource center open today, 9am, Park Plaza Castle. Latest City details: http://ow.ly/k6J4C " (map)
The rest of the tracking information on this page no longer applies!

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) Website explains:

The B.A.A. will post split times to its website during the race. This feature, complete with search access directions, will not show up on their official site until race day.

To learn how to Track a Boston Marathon Runner, Click Here then select, “Q: How can family members at home track me in the Boston Marathon?”

Mobile Phone Alert System

The Boston Athletic Association also has set up the "AT&T Athlete Alert Program." It allows you to receive updates on a runner’s progress. Here’s how to sign-up!

Where are the Leaders & Crowd Favorites?

For a rough idea of where the race leaders are, in relation to your viewing position, watch the sky for the helicopters that hover above them.

For favorites, you must rely on the roar of the crowd as they approach. Or, you can track your favorite by using the mobile alert system.

Related Posts: A collection of tips for Marathon weekends

Parking Your Car for Boston Marathon Weekend 2013

Routes for Visiting Runners – Boston Marathon Weekend 2013

What’s Open in Boston on Patriots’ Day 2013

Work Out on a Public Parcourse along the Charles River

How to Get to the Esplanade from Boston

Do you have enough memory for all the photos you'll want to shoot at the Boston Marathon? Do you need a new camera for the race? Begin your shopping by Click here to check the prices at Amazon on great items like Transcend SDHC Flash Memory Cards

This Canon PowerShot G15 camera will give you what you need to take stills and video the event. Canon's G series is our all-time favorite for everyday cameras. We own the G10 and G11. They're a little bigger than the compacts most people use, but let you shoot with automatic settings or easy-to-use manual controls that please the many pros who use them as second cameras. And, if you are ready to turn pro, follow our lead. Ed Shoots with the Nikon D7000 Digital SLR to and we just added Nikon D600 to our camera fleet and are extremely happy with the performance it has delivered.

Details:
Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) Website
Words: Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2011 Penny 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 comments 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 out of comments.
March 18, 2013
Ollie Says, Time to Get a New Dog License
Here's our pal Olivier – better known to the local dog pack as Sir Ollie. Today, he's here to remind you to get a shiny, new dog license to add to that collection of tags on your collar.

It's the Law

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.

Ollie says, since most dogs can’t write out a check or fill out forms, responsibility for following this law falls to the people who love them and choose to have a dog in their life.

A Few Tips & Links
- Applications for the 2013 Boston Dog Licenses arrived in homes earlier this month.
- You can also download the forms on the city's website.
- 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.
  - The ordinance that set a separate price for pit bulls was voided by a new state law that went into effect on November 1, 2012.
- If you happen to be near city hall, you can bring everything you need with you 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.
Don't worry, Ollie did get a little reward for helping us with this message. And, he said to tell you that 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 will send a message.

So, stand up and be counted!

Related Posts:

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

Tips on "Being" from Sunday Dog Ollie

Sunday Dog New Year's Resolutions (including one from Ollie)

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
Photography: © 2013 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.
March 17, 2013
Ollie Says, Time to Get a New Dog License
Here's our pal Olivier – better known to the local dog pack as Sir Ollie. Today, he's here to remind you to get a shiny, new dog license to add to that collection of tags on your collar.

It's the Law

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.

Ollie says, since most dogs can’t write out a check or fill out forms, responsibility for following this law falls to the people who love them and choose to have a dog in their life.

A Few Tips & Links
- Applications for the 2013 Boston Dog Licenses arrived in homes earlier this month.
- You can also download the forms on the city's website.
- 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.
  - The ordinance that set a separate price for pit bulls was voided by a new state law that went into effect on November 1, 2012.
- If you happen to be near city hall, you can bring everything you need with you 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.
Don't worry, Ollie did get a little reward for helping us with this message. And, he said to tell you that 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 will send a message.

So, stand up and be counted!

Related Posts:

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

Tips on "Being" from Sunday Dog Ollie

Sunday Dog New Year's Resolutions (including one from Ollie)

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
Photography: © 2013 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.
March 17, 2013
Time to Weigh the Coffee: Polcari’s Beautiful Antique Scale

Shopping trips to Boston's North End should always include stopping for coffee beans at Polcari's Coffee on Salem Street. (Map & Reviews)

Part of the joy of buying coffee there is watching this beautiful antique scale in action!

They will also be happy to help you create a custom blend designed for your taste. I watched a customer order his favorite mix of four beans.

Polcari's Coffee

105 Salem St, Boston, MA (Map & Reviews)

www.polcariscoffee.com

phone: 617-227-0786

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2013 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.

Related articles

North End's Newest Property: The Utility Building

Brew the Perfect Cup, Lesson 2: How to Select Your Beans

Chicken Soup for a Sick Friend

A Sprinkle of Urfa Pepper…

Edible Boston Spring 2013 Issue Has Arrived!

March 16, 2013
Time to Weigh the Coffee: Polcari’s Beautiful Antique Scale

Shopping trips to Boston's North End should always include stopping for coffee beans at Polcari's Coffee on Salem Street. (Map & Reviews)

Part of the joy of buying coffee there is watching this beautiful antique scale in action!

They will also be happy to help you create a custom blend designed for your taste. I watched a customer order his favorite mix of four beans.

Polcari's Coffee

105 Salem St, Boston, MA (Map & Reviews)

www.polcariscoffee.com

phone: 617-227-0786

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2013 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.

Related articles

North End's Newest Property: The Utility Building

Brew the Perfect Cup, Lesson 2: How to Select Your Beans

Chicken Soup for a Sick Friend

A Sprinkle of Urfa Pepper…

Edible Boston Spring 2013 Issue Has Arrived!

March 16, 2013
High Back Booths or Irish Snugs, a Solution to the Noise Problem?

Are there restaurants you don't go to because of the noise level? I have a long list of places I've put on my, "not worth it because of noise level" list.

Do you miss those old high back booths that gave you some protection from the sounds crashing around the interior of an otherwise great place to dine?

Photo: iStockphoto photo

I saw a link between two discussions over on the Boston Board of Chowhound. One was about "Great Booths." Someone was looking for the highest back booths they could find. Members of the community gave a few suggestions like Doyle's Cafe in Jamaica Plain.

From the answers, came an interesting twist to Irish Snugs. These were small rooms within Irish Pubs where you could have a tipple in private if you were a woman or perhaps a policeman on duty.

Here is one sample image.

Here's one for sale on eBay should you want your own.

There are also ongoing discussions about the noise levels in area restaurants.

Ideas for good food and quiet conversation?

Let’s make a list of obnoxiously loud restos (This one ran to 48 replies as of last check.)

Good, Quiet Restaurant in Back Bay? (only 6 replies here)

If you put the word "quiet" into the Chowhound Boston seach box, you'll find dozens of conversations.

While I know that it's not going to happen, wouldn't it be nice if a few spots were set aside in some of the unreasonably loud restaurants so that those of us who would like to try the food could reserve a snug or high backed booth with no speakers nearby or a private volume control for the nearest ones?

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
Photography: iStockphoto.com

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.

Related articles

Urban noise 'reduces bird diversity'

Acoustical Solutions Releases Noise Pollution Infographic

It's Irish Soda Bread Season!

March 15, 2013