bostonzest

Category: Events

  • Make Way for Ducklings: The Art of Robert McCloskey at the MFA!

    Our Monday Post, "No Way for Ducklings" reminded us to tell you about the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) current exhibition "Make Way for Ducklings The Art of Robert McCloskey."

    Screen Shot 2017-03-06 at Monday, March 6, 20178.41.58 AM

    The MFA says:

    "With art from Make Way for Ducklings at its center, the retrospective presents more than 50 works, including studies for other books written and illustrated by McCloskey: Lentil (1940), Homer Price (1943) and Centerburg Tales (1951), which recall his youth in rural Ohio, and popular Maine tales including Blueberries for Sal (1948) and Time of Wonder (1957). Works are drawn primarily from the rich, but rarely exhibited holdings of the May Massee Collection at Emporia State University in Kansas.

    "An exhibition highlight is the miniature bronze model for Nancy Schön’s Make Way for Ducklings sculpture, commissioned for the Boston Public Garden in 1985. As well as celebrating McCloskey’s achievements as author-illustrator, the retrospective also includes a selection of his independent work connecting him to prominent American painters such as Thomas Hart Benton and Edward Hopper."

    Sounds like a good reason for a visit to the MFA!

    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: © 2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

  • Lucy Stone’s Wisdom for Women’s History Month

    The next time you walk by the Boston Women's Memorial, think about the words of wisdom these and other women of Boston have left behind for us.

    IMG_3505 copy

    Ed took this great photo of Lucy Stone with Abigail Adams in the background at the beginning of one of last month's snowstorms. We saved it to remind our readers that March is National Women's History Month.

    Here are three quotes from Lucy Stone (1818-1893):

    "I expect to plead not for the slave only, but for suffering humanity everywhere. Especially do I mean to labor for the elevation of my sex."

    "I think, with never-ending gratitude, that the young women of today do not and can never know at what price their right to free speech and to speak at all in public has been earned." 

    "Now all we need is to continue to speak the truth fearlessly, and we shall add to our number those who will turn the scale to the side of equal and full justice in all things." 

    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: © 2017 Penny Cherubino  

  • Lucy Stone’s Wisdom for Women’s History Month

    The next time you walk by the Boston Women's Memorial, think about the words of wisdom these and other women of Boston have left behind for us.

    IMG_3505 copy

    Ed took this great photo of Lucy Stone with Abigail Adams in the background at the beginning of one of last month's snowstorms. We saved it to remind our readers that March is National Women's History Month.

    Here are three quotes from Lucy Stone (1818-1893):

    "I expect to plead not for the slave only, but for suffering humanity everywhere. Especially do I mean to labor for the elevation of my sex."

    "I think, with never-ending gratitude, that the young women of today do not and can never know at what price their right to free speech and to speak at all in public has been earned." 

    "Now all we need is to continue to speak the truth fearlessly, and we shall add to our number those who will turn the scale to the side of equal and full justice in all things." 

    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: © 2017 Penny Cherubino  

  • What’s Open or Closed on Presidents’ Day in Boston & MBTA Schedule Changes, Parking, Trash & More

    Here's a rundown of what's open and what's closed in Boston on Presidents' Day and the MBTA schedule changes, plus information on Boston trash pick-up and parking information for February 20, 2017. 

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    We publish these resource pages early to assist you in planning your holidays. We'll keep updates coming as new information is published. Follow us on Twitter to learn about updates.

    Restaurants, bars: Open

    Convenience stores: Open

    Supermarkets:     Open

    Retail stores: Are allowed to open if the owners choose

    Liquor stores: Open if the owners choose

    City, Town, State and Federal offices and facilities are closed: This includes Schools, Libraries, and the Postal Service (express mail will be delivered). Only emergency services are available.

    Financial Services: As the British would say, this is a Bank Holiday with both banks and the stock markets in the United States closed. Some international markets are open. In recent years, we've noticed some banks keep some branches open at unexpected times so check with your own bank.

    Parking, Boston trash, and MBTA after the ad.

    This weekend is a great time to start your tax preparation. Step one, order your software by following this link to Amazon.You can even download some versions right from the Amazon Download Store. Shopping Amazon from here keeps information like this coming your way. 


    Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply.

    Boston Trash and Recycling:

    The city has changed the way it publishes the schedule for holidays so that you now have to go to the city site and look up your specific address in order to get information. 

    MBTA Schedule for Presidents' Day, February 20, 2017, is not published as of this writing. Here's what happened last year to help you with planning.

    For a short time before the holiday, a complete list of schedule changes will appear at this link.

    Briefly:

    • Blue, Orange, Red, Green and Mattapan Lines will operate a Saturday schedule.
    • Silver line will operate a weekday schedule.
    • Commuter Rail trains will operate a Saturday schedule. 
    • Buses and trackless trolleys will operate a Saturday schedule. Check this link for bus routes that will not operate. (Note: this link will only work up until the holiday.)
    • Hingham, Hull, and Charlestown Boat Service will operate a regular weekday schedule.
    • THE RIDE will operate a Saturday schedule, but contact your local RIDE contractor for details.

    For more information on routes, schedules, and fares, contact the MBTA at 617-222-3200, TTY 617-222-5146, or check the MBTA’s website www.mbta.com. 

     

    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: ©2017 Penny Cherubino

  • What’s Open or Closed on Presidents’ Day in Boston & MBTA Schedule Changes, Parking, Trash & More

    Here's a rundown of what's open and what's closed in Boston on Presidents' Day and the MBTA schedule changes, plus information on Boston trash pick-up and parking information for February 20, 2017. 

    @@@@IMG_1376 copy

    We publish these resource pages early to assist you in planning your holidays. We'll keep updates coming as new information is published. Follow us on Twitter to learn about updates.

    Restaurants, bars: Open

    Convenience stores: Open

    Supermarkets:     Open

    Retail stores: Are allowed to open if the owners choose

    Liquor stores: Open if the owners choose

    City, Town, State and Federal offices and facilities are closed: This includes Schools, Libraries, and the Postal Service (express mail will be delivered). Only emergency services are available.

    Financial Services: As the British would say, this is a Bank Holiday with both banks and the stock markets in the United States closed. Some international markets are open. In recent years, we've noticed some banks keep some branches open at unexpected times so check with your own bank.

    Parking, Boston trash, and MBTA after the ad.

    This weekend is a great time to start your tax preparation. Step one, order your software by following this link to Amazon.You can even download some versions right from the Amazon Download Store. Shopping Amazon from here keeps information like this coming your way. 


    Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply.

    Boston Trash and Recycling:

    The city has changed the way it publishes the schedule for holidays so that you now have to go to the city site and look up your specific address in order to get information. 

    MBTA Schedule for Presidents' Day, February 20, 2017, is not published as of this writing. Here's what happened last year to help you with planning.

    For a short time before the holiday, a complete list of schedule changes will appear at this link.

    Briefly:

    • Blue, Orange, Red, Green and Mattapan Lines will operate a Saturday schedule.
    • Silver line will operate a weekday schedule.
    • Commuter Rail trains will operate a Saturday schedule. 
    • Buses and trackless trolleys will operate a Saturday schedule. Check this link for bus routes that will not operate. (Note: this link will only work up until the holiday.)
    • Hingham, Hull, and Charlestown Boat Service will operate a regular weekday schedule.
    • THE RIDE will operate a Saturday schedule, but contact your local RIDE contractor for details.

    For more information on routes, schedules, and fares, contact the MBTA at 617-222-3200, TTY 617-222-5146, or check the MBTA’s website www.mbta.com. 

     

    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: ©2017 Penny Cherubino

  • What’s Open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2018 in Boston Plus Trash, Parking & MBTA Links & More

    Here's a rundown of what's open in Boston, plus Boston trash collection, parking, and MBTA schedules for Martin Luther King Jr. Day – January 15, 2018. We are updating these resource pages rather than creating a new one each year. 

    Updated January 3, 2018

    8609103883_2394134237_z copy

    Free at Last sculpture, by Sergio Castillo is located on Marsh Plaza, Boston University (Photo by Peter H. Dreyer from the Boston City Archives )

    • Restaurants, Bars: Open
    • Convenience Stores: Open  
    • Supermarkets: Open 
    • Retail Stores: Are allowed to open, if the owners choose
    • Liquor Stores: Open 
    • City, Town, State and Federal offices and facilities are closed: This includes Schools, Libraries, and the Postal Service (express mail will be delivered). Only emergency services are available.
    • Financial Services: As the British would say, this is a Bank Holiday with both Banks and the Stock Markets in the United States closed. International markets are open. 
    • Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply.
    • Boston Public Libraries closed.
    • BCYF Community Centers are closed.

    Free Open House at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston 

    If you're looking for something to do on this holiday, the MFA has a full schedule of special events and invites the community to visit for free that day.

    Screen Shot 2018-01-03 at Wednesday January 3 20187.17.17 AM

    Boston Trash and Recycling:

    The city has changed the way it publishes the schedule for holidays so that you now have to go to the city site and look up your specific address in order to get information. 

    Street Cleaning: 

    The city says, "On City holidays, we suspend street sweeping during the day, but we still sweep streets at night. On the weekends, we sweep some streets at night. Please always check posted street sweeping signs for information. If you still have questions, please contact 311."

    Parking:

    "Monday, January 15 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
    City offices closed. Sunday parking rules in effect."

    You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply.

    MBTA Schedule for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 15, 2018: 

    The MBTA no longer publishes holiday schedule in an easy to use format. You must now go to their website and click around to find the information.

    For more information about MBTA services, routes, schedules, and fares, please call the T’s Customer Communications Department at 617-222-3200, (TTY 617-222-5146) or go to www.mbta.com

     

    Keeping warm is on the top of everyone's agenda. Amazon has excellent underlayers to keep you toasty.

     

    Details:
    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: (Photo by Peter H. Dreyer from the Boston City Archives )used under creative commons license AttributionNoncommercialNo Derivative Works Some rights reserved 

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    A Few of Our Favorite Kitchen Gifts

  • What’s Open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2018 in Boston Plus Trash, Parking & MBTA Links & More

    Here's a rundown of what's open in Boston, plus Boston trash collection, parking, and MBTA schedules for Martin Luther King Jr. Day – January 15, 2018. We are updating these resource pages rather than creating a new one each year. 

    Updated January 3, 2018

    8609103883_2394134237_z copy

    Free at Last sculpture, by Sergio Castillo is located on Marsh Plaza, Boston University (Photo by Peter H. Dreyer from the Boston City Archives )

    • Restaurants, Bars: Open
    • Convenience Stores: Open  
    • Supermarkets: Open 
    • Retail Stores: Are allowed to open, if the owners choose
    • Liquor Stores: Open 
    • City, Town, State and Federal offices and facilities are closed: This includes Schools, Libraries, and the Postal Service (express mail will be delivered). Only emergency services are available.
    • Financial Services: As the British would say, this is a Bank Holiday with both Banks and the Stock Markets in the United States closed. International markets are open. 
    • Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply.
    • Boston Public Libraries closed.
    • BCYF Community Centers are closed.

    Free Open House at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston 

    If you're looking for something to do on this holiday, the MFA has a full schedule of special events and invites the community to visit for free that day.

    Screen Shot 2018-01-03 at Wednesday January 3 20187.17.17 AM

    Boston Trash and Recycling:

    The city has changed the way it publishes the schedule for holidays so that you now have to go to the city site and look up your specific address in order to get information. 

    Street Cleaning: 

    The city says, "On City holidays, we suspend street sweeping during the day, but we still sweep streets at night. On the weekends, we sweep some streets at night. Please always check posted street sweeping signs for information. If you still have questions, please contact 311."

    Parking:

    "Monday, January 15 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
    City offices closed. Sunday parking rules in effect."

    You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply.

    MBTA Schedule for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 15, 2018: 

    The MBTA no longer publishes holiday schedule in an easy to use format. You must now go to their website and click around to find the information.

    For more information about MBTA services, routes, schedules, and fares, please call the T’s Customer Communications Department at 617-222-3200, (TTY 617-222-5146) or go to www.mbta.com

     

    Keeping warm is on the top of everyone's agenda. Amazon has excellent underlayers to keep you toasty.

     

    Details:
    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: (Photo by Peter H. Dreyer from the Boston City Archives )used under creative commons license AttributionNoncommercialNo Derivative Works Some rights reserved 

    Related articles
    A Few of Our Favorite Kitchen Gifts

  • What’s Open in Boston New Year’s Eve 2017 and New Year’s Day 2018 & MBTA links plus Parking, Trash & More

    Here's a rundown of what's open in Boston on New Year's Day and the MBTA schedules for New Year's Eve, December 31, 2017 and New Year's Day, January 1, 2018.

    This page will be our permanent resource of New Year's information and we will update it in future years.

    What's closed? Do I have to feed the parking meters? What about street sweeping? Are the liquor stores and packies open? When do I put out my trash? And what changes are there to the MBTA schedules? We have the answers for you, all organized in one post!

     NYE2014

    Some businesses close early on New Year's Eve but others, especially those in the hospitality business, remain open. Call before you leave if you plan to visit a business on the 31st.

    Here's what we've learned about January 1st, 2018 – New Year's Day

    Restaurants, bars: Are allowed to open if the owners choose

    Convenience stores: Are allowed to open if the owners choose

    Supermarkets: Are allowed to open if the owners choose

    Retail stores: Are allowed to open if the owners choose

    Liquor stores: Are allowed to open if the owners choose

    City, Town, State and Federal offices and facilities are closed: This includes Schools, Libraries, and the Postal Service (express mail will be delivered). Only emergency services are available.

    More after the ad…

    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!

    Make your own holiday wish come true. Find the gift you really want on Amazon! And, by starting from here, you'll be supporting BostonZest and keeping the information flowing your way.


    Financial Services: As the British would say, this is a Bank Holiday with both Banks and the stock markets in the United State closed. Some international markets are open.

    Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply.

    Boston Trash Collection:

    Boston Trash Collection for Christmas

    The city has changed the way it publishes the schedule for holidays so that you now have to go to the city site and look up your specific address in order to get information.  

    The MBTA no longer publishes schedule information before each holiday

    For information, call the T’s Customer Information Center at 617-222-3200 (TTY 617-222-5146) or visit the MBTA website."

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © iStockphoto 

    Related articles
    Do You Have a Signature Dish that You Bring to Food Gatherings?

  • What’s Open in Boston New Year’s Eve 2017 and New Year’s Day 2018 & MBTA links plus Parking, Trash & More

    Here's a rundown of what's open in Boston on New Year's Day and the MBTA schedules for New Year's Eve, December 31, 2017 and New Year's Day, January 1, 2018.

    This page will be our permanent resource of New Year's information and we will update it in future years.

    What's closed? Do I have to feed the parking meters? What about street sweeping? Are the liquor stores and packies open? When do I put out my trash? And what changes are there to the MBTA schedules? We have the answers for you, all organized in one post!

     NYE2014

    Some businesses close early on New Year's Eve but others, especially those in the hospitality business, remain open. Call before you leave if you plan to visit a business on the 31st.

    Here's what we've learned about January 1st, 2018 – New Year's Day

    Restaurants, bars: Are allowed to open if the owners choose

    Convenience stores: Are allowed to open if the owners choose

    Supermarkets: Are allowed to open if the owners choose

    Retail stores: Are allowed to open if the owners choose

    Liquor stores: Are allowed to open if the owners choose

    City, Town, State and Federal offices and facilities are closed: This includes Schools, Libraries, and the Postal Service (express mail will be delivered). Only emergency services are available.

    More after the ad…

    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!

    Make your own holiday wish come true. Find the gift you really want on Amazon! And, by starting from here, you'll be supporting BostonZest and keeping the information flowing your way.


    Financial Services: As the British would say, this is a Bank Holiday with both Banks and the stock markets in the United State closed. Some international markets are open.

    Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply.

    Boston Trash Collection:

    Boston Trash Collection for Christmas

    The city has changed the way it publishes the schedule for holidays so that you now have to go to the city site and look up your specific address in order to get information.  

    The MBTA no longer publishes schedule information before each holiday

    For information, call the T’s Customer Information Center at 617-222-3200 (TTY 617-222-5146) or visit the MBTA website."

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © iStockphoto 

    Related articles
    Do You Have a Signature Dish that You Bring to Food Gatherings?

  • Where to Dine on New Year’s Eve & New Year’s Day Brunch 2017

    Our readers are already searching our past posts to figure out where to dine on New Year's Eve in Boston. It's time for you to grab a reservation at a special place! (From now on we'll just update this post for future years, so you can come back here anytime for our latest information.)

    And, since it was popular last year, we're adding a few places we think might be great for starting off 2017 with friends and family around a brunch table.

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    We all have our ideas of the perfect New Year's Eve.

    • Are you looking for a place to ring in 2017 with a happy crowd?
    • Will you be out and about dropping in on events or house parties?
    • Or will you make a reservation for a quiet dinner before popping a cork for a private celebration? 
    • Is a walk to view skating on the Frog Pond more your style?

    We'll leave the New Year's Eve reservation for those of you who like to be part of a bigger celebration, while we spend the evening with some sparkling wine, good food, and great companions. However, we have gathered resources to help you find a place for any kind of New Year's Eve you'd like. 

    Everyone can begin at Open Table. They maintain a list of special New Year's Eve celebrations at area restaurants. 

    You can put a time into the reservation box on the main page and see what's available. Remember, many places have special prix fixe menus for occasions like this and some may require a credit card to hold a reservation.

    The site Boston Chefs always posts a listing of its member restaurants that have special plans for New Year's Eve. Here is their New Year's Eve list. And, here's the list for New Year's Day. We'll update this section as we spot new information from these sources.

    We'll add updates with other lists, as they become available, from trusted sources around town. Please remember that when we provide a link to a list, we are just giving you a resource. It doesn't mean we are recommending the restaurants on that list. These summaries often include places we love, but since other publishers have different standards, their list may include restaurants we would never recommend.

    We Do Recommend!

    There are restaurants that have planned a special New Year's Eve menu but have built their reputations on high-quality food. These are places where you can expect to have a wonderful meal any day of the year.

    • Select Oyster Bar offering a 3 course New Year's Eve menu all day Saturday, December 31st alongside their full regular menu this NYE.
    • Coppa will be serving their regular a la carte menu throughout the evening for revelers who want to end the year with a meal full of familiar favorites.
    • Row 34 Chef Sewall will be serving the regular dinner menu with luxurious additions, like Ossestra caviar service or plates like potato latkes with caviar and salmon pastrami.
    • Bistro du Midi is offering two seatings at two prices with two prix fixe menus.
    • Craigie on Main early seating for a five-course prix fixe menu, with optional add-on wine pairings. Or, if you're ready to celebrate into night, choose the later seating for a six-course menu and Champagne toast.
    • Grotto on Beacon Hill, and Marliave downtown all join that list of places sticking with the food you love.
    • La Morra in Brookline will serve a three-course prix fixe menu with a glass of Prosecco!
    • Myers + Chang will add special items to their regular menu and serve it all Dim Sum style.

     

    Where are you spending the evening? What's your favorite way to celebrate? Come back on January 1st and tell us about your New Year's Eve.

    New Year's Day Brunch

    Here is a list of brunches from the members of Boston Chefs. Our pick from this list would be Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel. 

    Open Table did not have a New Year's Day Brunch list when we prepared this post. We put a request in for a table at 11:30 a.m. to come up with our recommendations. 

    • Craigie on Main decided to do away with their regular Sunday brunch, but they will have brunch on a few selected holidays like New Year's Day. 
    • Petit Robert Bistro would be a great place to enjoy the beginning of a new year with a gang. 
    • Eastern Standard will be open with their great brunch menu.
    • La Voile on Newbury serves a lovely meal and is a great way to start the year.

    To be notified of updates to this post, sign-on to the comment feed for this post or follow us on Twitter for updates. 

    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: Photo: iStockphoto.com

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    Notes on a New Year's Eve Toast with Bollinger Rosé