bostonzest

Category: History

  • Menus from the Hotel Braemore, Kenmore Square in 1956

    Boston restaurants may thrill food lovers today but, back in 1956, plain Yankee fare was on the menu at the Hotel Braemore.

     
    Braymore menu luncheon

    Lets see, I think I'll order the "Boiled, Smoked Daisy Ham with Buttered Cabbage" and have sherbet for dessert. You did have to add on the 5% Massachusetts Old Age Tax. Still, with a generous tip, that should come to about $3. (Click on any image for a slightly larger version.)

    Brawmore dinner menu

    Dinner did cost slightly more unless you decided to go with the Chef's Suggestion for $1.95.

    Hotel Braemore Post card

    Today, the Hotel Braemore is the The Braemore, a condominium community. Its website features two pages of history with wonderful old images of the building and photos taken from the building.

    They call it, What's Old and What's Old II.

    When it opened, the Braemore was an apartment hotel. In his book, Built in Boston, historian Douglas Shand-Tucci wrote that by 1919 this area around Charlesgate, "… had emerged as the most prestigious address." 

    Braemore ad
    Residence or apartment hotels offered options like those shown in this ad for the Braemore as it opened. "Suites from one room, reception hall and bath to five rooms, reception hall and two baths…" Notice that they don't mention kitchens. In many places like the Braemore, the residents would eat in the hotel's dining room or at their social club.

    Let's hope that the "Chef's Suggestion" changed daily!

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

    Details:

    Words: Penny Cherubino
    Artwork from a private collection, Dinner menu from The Braemore site.

    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.

  • Menus from the Hotel Braemore, Kenmore Square in 1956

    Boston restaurants may thrill food lovers today but, back in 1956, plain Yankee fare was on the menu at the Hotel Braemore.

     
    Braymore menu luncheon

    Lets see, I think I'll order the "Boiled, Smoked Daisy Ham with Buttered Cabbage" and have sherbet for dessert. You did have to add on the 5% Massachusetts Old Age Tax. Still, with a generous tip, that should come to about $3. (Click on any image for a slightly larger version.)

    Brawmore dinner menu

    Dinner did cost slightly more unless you decided to go with the Chef's Suggestion for $1.95.

    Hotel Braemore Post card

    Today, the Hotel Braemore is the The Braemore, a condominium community. Its website features two pages of history with wonderful old images of the building and photos taken from the building.

    They call it, What's Old and What's Old II.

    When it opened, the Braemore was an apartment hotel. In his book, Built in Boston, historian Douglas Shand-Tucci wrote that by 1919 this area around Charlesgate, "… had emerged as the most prestigious address." 

    Braemore ad
    Residence or apartment hotels offered options like those shown in this ad for the Braemore as it opened. "Suites from one room, reception hall and bath to five rooms, reception hall and two baths…" Notice that they don't mention kitchens. In many places like the Braemore, the residents would eat in the hotel's dining room or at their social club.

    Let's hope that the "Chef's Suggestion" changed daily!

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

    Details:

    Words: Penny Cherubino
    Artwork from a private collection, Dinner menu from The Braemore site.

    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.

  • Menus from the Hotel Braemore, Kenmore Square in 1956

    Boston restaurants may thrill food lovers today but, back in 1956, plain Yankee fare was on the menu at the Hotel Braemore.

     
    Braymore menu luncheon

    Lets see, I think I'll order the "Boiled, Smoked Daisy Ham with Buttered Cabbage" and have sherbet for dessert. You did have to add on the 5% Massachusetts Old Age Tax. Still, with a generous tip, that should come to about $3. (Click on any image for a slightly larger version.)

    Brawmore dinner menu

    Dinner did cost slightly more unless you decided to go with the Chef's Suggestion for $1.95.

    Hotel Braemore Post card

    Today, the Hotel Braemore is the The Braemore, a condominium community. Its website features two pages of history with wonderful old images of the building and photos taken from the building.

    They call it, What's Old and What's Old II.

    When it opened, the Braemore was an apartment hotel. In his book, Built in Boston, historian Douglas Shand-Tucci wrote that by 1919 this area around Charlesgate, "… had emerged as the most prestigious address." 

    Braemore ad
    Residence or apartment hotels offered options like those shown in this ad for the Braemore as it opened. "Suites from one room, reception hall and bath to five rooms, reception hall and two baths…" Notice that they don't mention kitchens. In many places like the Braemore, the residents would eat in the hotel's dining room or at their social club.

    Let's hope that the "Chef's Suggestion" changed daily!

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

    Details:

    Words: Penny Cherubino
    Artwork from a private collection, Dinner menu from The Braemore site.

    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.

  • Boston City Archives, a Fun Friday Link

    When you think of archival collections, you may not think of fun. But, if you follow today's links to Boston's City Archives, you will learn a bit about the city while you're playing their "Where is this photo?" game.

    Boston archives

    Follow the Archives Twitter feed or their Facebook account and see if you can spot today's locations in photos from yesteryear!

    While the work they do is very serious historic preservation, they've found a way to show the value and educate the public that is lighthearted, fun, and engaging. 

    What do you know about Amazon Prime? We use it and love it. You pay once a year for free 2-day shipping delivery charges. Amazon throws in access to instant streaming movies and tv shows and they let you borrow a free ebook each month. They will even give you a one month free trial. Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

    Join Amazon Prime – Watch Over 40,000 Movies

    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.

  • Boston City Archives, a Fun Friday Link

    When you think of archival collections, you may not think of fun. But, if you follow today's links to Boston's City Archives, you will learn a bit about the city while you're playing their "Where is this photo?" game.

    Boston archives

    Follow the Archives Twitter feed or their Facebook account and see if you can spot today's locations in photos from yesteryear!

    While the work they do is very serious historic preservation, they've found a way to show the value and educate the public that is lighthearted, fun, and engaging. 

    What do you know about Amazon Prime? We use it and love it. You pay once a year for free 2-day shipping delivery charges. Amazon throws in access to instant streaming movies and tv shows and they let you borrow a free ebook each month. They will even give you a one month free trial. Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

    Join Amazon Prime – Watch Over 40,000 Movies

    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.

  • Boston City Archives, a Fun Friday Link

    When you think of archival collections, you may not think of fun. But, if you follow today's links to Boston's City Archives, you will learn a bit about the city while you're playing their "Where is this photo?" game.

    Boston archives

    Follow the Archives Twitter feed or their Facebook account and see if you can spot today's locations in photos from yesteryear!

    While the work they do is very serious historic preservation, they've found a way to show the value and educate the public that is lighthearted, fun, and engaging. 

    What do you know about Amazon Prime? We use it and love it. You pay once a year for free 2-day shipping delivery charges. Amazon throws in access to instant streaming movies and tv shows and they let you borrow a free ebook each month. They will even give you a one month free trial. Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

    Join Amazon Prime – Watch Over 40,000 Movies

    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.

  • Wollaston Beach and Quincy Shore Drive: Then and Now

    DSC_5555 - Version 22013-06-20-tony's-clam-shop-boston-skyline-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Wollaston Beach and Quincy Shore Reservation are a perfect destination when you want to grab a Zipcar and spend an hour or two at the shore. We like to go on weekdays when the crowds are moderate and we can relax and enjoy the views back to Boston and out to sea.

    2381765290_5dc3b2598d

    Just like in days of old, we pull into one of the angled spaces that line the beachside. (This postcard is from the Boston Public Library Collection.)

    The state undertook the creation of this park in 1899 and opened it to the public on May 30, 1908. It was part of the historic Metropolitan Parks System designed to preserve open and natural spaces for Boston area residents. 

    A Quick Beach Escape

    We sit on the seawall and "people watch." (We are not allowed on the beach in summer because we take our dog with us.) We join the constant stream of locals walking the wide 2.3 mile seaside walkway.

    And, we have lunch at one of the seasonal beach restaurants across from the beach. The photo above is from Tony's Clam Shop. If the wait for a table on the patio is long, we'll order our meal to go and take it back to the seawall or if we're lucky, dine on a shaded bench.

    8548766887_920bebabf7

    Here's another postcard view of the Squantum and Wollaston Yacht clubs. 

    While it is very busy in summer, you'll find people drawn to this place all year long in good weather and on downright nasty days when surf pounds the seawall.

    It's just 8.5 miles from downtown Boston. Without a traffic jam, you can be there in 20 minutes. And, if you are willing to walk a bit, it is only a mile from the Wollaston station on the MBTA Red line. 

     
    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a birthday or wedding gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2013 Ed Cherubino  with postcards from the Boston Public Library and a private collection.

    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.

  • Wollaston Beach and Quincy Shore Drive: Then and Now

    DSC_5555 - Version 22013-06-20-tony's-clam-shop-boston-skyline-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Wollaston Beach and Quincy Shore Reservation are a perfect destination when you want to grab a Zipcar and spend an hour or two at the shore. We like to go on weekdays when the crowds are moderate and we can relax and enjoy the views back to Boston and out to sea.

    2381765290_5dc3b2598d

    Just like in days of old, we pull into one of the angled spaces that line the beachside. (This postcard is from the Boston Public Library Collection.)

    The state undertook the creation of this park in 1899 and opened it to the public on May 30, 1908. It was part of the historic Metropolitan Parks System designed to preserve open and natural spaces for Boston area residents. 

    A Quick Beach Escape

    We sit on the seawall and "people watch." (We are not allowed on the beach in summer because we take our dog with us.) We join the constant stream of locals walking the wide 2.3 mile seaside walkway.

    And, we have lunch at one of the seasonal beach restaurants across from the beach. The photo above is from Tony's Clam Shop. If the wait for a table on the patio is long, we'll order our meal to go and take it back to the seawall or if we're lucky, dine on a shaded bench.

    8548766887_920bebabf7

    Here's another postcard view of the Squantum and Wollaston Yacht clubs. 

    While it is very busy in summer, you'll find people drawn to this place all year long in good weather and on downright nasty days when surf pounds the seawall.

    It's just 8.5 miles from downtown Boston. Without a traffic jam, you can be there in 20 minutes. And, if you are willing to walk a bit, it is only a mile from the Wollaston station on the MBTA Red line. 

     
    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a birthday or wedding gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2013 Ed Cherubino  with postcards from the Boston Public Library and a private collection.

    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.

  • Wollaston Beach and Quincy Shore Drive: Then and Now

    DSC_5555 - Version 22013-06-20-tony's-clam-shop-boston-skyline-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Wollaston Beach and Quincy Shore Reservation are a perfect destination when you want to grab a Zipcar and spend an hour or two at the shore. We like to go on weekdays when the crowds are moderate and we can relax and enjoy the views back to Boston and out to sea.

    2381765290_5dc3b2598d

    Just like in days of old, we pull into one of the angled spaces that line the beachside. (This postcard is from the Boston Public Library Collection.)

    The state undertook the creation of this park in 1899 and opened it to the public on May 30, 1908. It was part of the historic Metropolitan Parks System designed to preserve open and natural spaces for Boston area residents. 

    A Quick Beach Escape

    We sit on the seawall and "people watch." (We are not allowed on the beach in summer because we take our dog with us.) We join the constant stream of locals walking the wide 2.3 mile seaside walkway.

    And, we have lunch at one of the seasonal beach restaurants across from the beach. The photo above is from Tony's Clam Shop. If the wait for a table on the patio is long, we'll order our meal to go and take it back to the seawall or if we're lucky, dine on a shaded bench.

    8548766887_920bebabf7

    Here's another postcard view of the Squantum and Wollaston Yacht clubs. 

    While it is very busy in summer, you'll find people drawn to this place all year long in good weather and on downright nasty days when surf pounds the seawall.

    It's just 8.5 miles from downtown Boston. Without a traffic jam, you can be there in 20 minutes. And, if you are willing to walk a bit, it is only a mile from the Wollaston station on the MBTA Red line. 

     
    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a birthday or wedding gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2013 Ed Cherubino  with postcards from the Boston Public Library and a private collection.

    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.

  • The Esplanade: A View from the Charles River with Linda Cox, July 23rd

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    Spend an evening on the river aboard The Charles Riverboat Company's beautiful tour boat, the Henry Longfellow, and learn about the Esplanade from one of the most respected of the park's advocates, Linda Cox. 

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    This event is sponsored by the Boston Preservation Alliance. And, Linda's talks about the Esplanade always receive rave reviews.

    They say:

    "Join the Boston Preservation Alliance and Linda Cox, Esplanade advocate and historian, for a historical overview of the Charles River Esplanade and its changing landscape. Enjoy an up-close look at this designated Boston Landmark as we cruise aboard the Henry Longfellow, a custom designed riverboat from the Charles Riverboat Company fleet.

    This event is $30 for Alliance members; $40 for non-members and includes light refreshments and a cash bar.

    Boarding occurs at the Charles Riverboat Company dock located outside of the food court at the CambridgeSide Galleria. Parking is available in the CambridgeSide Galleria parking garage.

    Space is limited. Please reserve your spot by July 17th by registering securely via Eventbrite. For more information, please email admin@bostonpreservation.org or call 617.367.2458."

    By the way, here's a link to Penny's review of Linda's book, Lone Holdout, A Memoir.

    The book Lone Holdout: A Memoir
    is available on Amazon and in the Kindle shop.

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a Birthday or Wedding gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: Courtesy of the Charles Riverboat Company and Charles Street Press.   

    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.