Category: Architecture

Season of Abundance: Gardens

This is the season to enjoy the lush abundance of gardens & parks around the city. This Back Bay front yard is lush with fully developed plants layering against the architectural elements.

On a side street, someone has created a window box with that same abundant impact.

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Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny Cherubino

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September 8, 2012
Boston Public Alley 101

Yes, in this college town we do understand the need for basic, entry level courses in everything. We even have Public Alley 101 in Boston's North End.

Some alleys in Boston descend from old footpaths while others, like those in the Back Bay and South End, were designed as service alleys to allow deliveries and services to have access from the rear of the buildings.

The website, Forgotten Boston has a section with more information on alleys.

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Public Alleys Can Be Beautiful

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

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BostInno's "21 Local Must-Read Food Blogs"

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August 28, 2012
Boston Public Alley 101

Yes, in this college town we do understand the need for basic, entry level courses in everything. We even have Public Alley 101 in Boston's North End.

Some alleys in Boston descend from old footpaths while others, like those in the Back Bay and South End, were designed as service alleys to allow deliveries and services to have access from the rear of the buildings.

The website, Forgotten Boston has a section with more information on alleys.

Related Posts:

Public Alleys Can Be Beautiful

Alley People

Greenough Lane, Then and Now…

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!

Details:

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

Related articles

BostInno's "21 Local Must-Read Food Blogs"

Greenough Lane, Then and Now….

Look Down, History Below Your Feet

Newbury Street 60% Off… the Sidewalk?

August 28, 2012
Boston Public Alley 101

Yes, in this college town we do understand the need for basic, entry level courses in everything. We even have Public Alley 101 in Boston's North End.

Some alleys in Boston descend from old footpaths while others, like those in the Back Bay and South End, were designed as service alleys to allow deliveries and services to have access from the rear of the buildings.

The website, Forgotten Boston has a section with more information on alleys.

Related Posts:

Public Alleys Can Be Beautiful

Alley People

Greenough Lane, Then and Now…

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!

Details:

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

Related articles

BostInno's "21 Local Must-Read Food Blogs"

Greenough Lane, Then and Now….

Look Down, History Below Your Feet

Newbury Street 60% Off… the Sidewalk?

August 28, 2012
Look Down, History Below Your Feet

The sidewalks of Boston are not only a pathway to history but also contain historic coal vault covers with prism lights that were part of another time.

Click on any small image to pop up a larger view.

A few are in great condition and may still let light into spaces below the sidewalk. Others are dangerous, with holes that could catch heels or puppy paws and ugly concrete, covering what was once a thing of craftsmanlike beauty.

In the days before the electric light, these were important features. The sidewalk access meant that dirty coal deliveries did not have to come through the house. And, the beams admitted and intensified by prism lights allowed you to see in dark basement spaces.

We are just beginning our research on these and photographing as many as we can. If you'd like to share your photos of coal vault covers you can upload them to the BostonZest Photo Pool on Flickr.

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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.

July 31, 2012
Look Down, History Below Your Feet

The sidewalks of Boston are not only a pathway to history but also contain historic coal vault covers with prism lights that were part of another time.

Click on any small image to pop up a larger view.

A few are in great condition and may still let light into spaces below the sidewalk. Others are dangerous, with holes that could catch heels or puppy paws and ugly concrete, covering what was once a thing of craftsmanlike beauty.

In the days before the electric light, these were important features. The sidewalk access meant that dirty coal deliveries did not have to come through the house. And, the beams admitted and intensified by prism lights allowed you to see in dark basement spaces.

We are just beginning our research on these and photographing as many as we can. If you'd like to share your photos of coal vault covers you can upload them to the BostonZest Photo Pool on Flickr.

What's on your Summer Fun shopping list? Shop Amazon Everything You Need for Summer Fun 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.

July 31, 2012
Love Those South End Fences

As a fan of traditional architecture, different parts of Boston attract me with their delightful details. The South End is rich in wonderful buildings filled with outstanding design elements. But as I walk there, my eye is constantly seeking out the rows of cast iron fences marching along the streets.

Fences, like the one in Ed's photo above, have an unmistakable strength and dignity and seem to unite buildings into strings of neighbors. With the brick sidewalks, they give you a sense of time and place.

A big thank you to The South End Historical Society for helping to restore and preserve this trademark in their neighborhood.

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Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 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.

July 21, 2012
Framing the Square

Copley Square seen through the frame of the doors at the McKim Building of the Boston Public Library.

Here are a few of the books on Boston architecture that Penny relies on to research her newspaper columns on architecture. Remember, when you Shop Amazon Gold Box with New Deals Every Day from here, you support this site and keep the Zest coming your way.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 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.

July 14, 2012
Esplanade Concert Stages before the Hatch Shell

Since 1940, Boston Pops Concerts on the Esplanade have been held at the Edward Hatch Memorial Concertorium, better known as the Hatch Shell. But, there have been concert stages along the river since July 4th, 1929.

(Photo courtesy of the Massachusetts DCR Archives)

The Hatch Shell replaced temporary music stages that had been used for Arthur Fiedler’s Esplanade concerts since the inaugural event. The first concert stage was a small platform backed by a shell-shaped sounding board made of wood. This structure was erected and dismantled for each season’s concerts.

In 1934, this was replaced by a temporary steel structure. While it was designed with an open back, it was described as, “insufferably hot” by Linda Cox in, “The Charles River Esplanade, Its Fascinating History.”

In 1939, the trustees of Maria E. Hatch’s estate entered into an agreement to give the Commonwealth of Massachusetts $300,000 to build a concertorium or music shell on the Storrow Memorial Embankment in Boston. It would be a memorial to her bother, Boston real estate auctioneer, Edward Hatch.

The agreement was very specific as to the use of the structure. It would be for “musical and artistic purposes… of general public interest and entertainment, except, however, that it shall not be used for sectarian, political or controversial purposes.”

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Postcards are from a private collection

June 28, 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