Category: Boston:101

Tracking a Boston Marathon Runner 2012

UPDATE: Tracking a Boston Marathon Runner 2016

Here's how to track a friend or any runner competing in the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 16, 2012.

Whether you're following a leader, or a happy middle-of-the-pack pal, the computer chips worn by the runners will allow you follow their progress.

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 (like two-time Boston champion Joan Benoit Samuelson in the 2011 photo above) 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 2012

Routes for Visiting Runners – Boston Marathon Weekend 2012

Work Out on a Public Parcouse along the Charles River

How to Get to the Esplanade from Boston

What’s Open in Boston on Patriots’ Day 2012

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 righ here to check the prices at Amazon on great items like Transcend SDHC Flash Memory Cards and our favorite cameras the Canon G12 Digital Camera and the Nikon D300s & NIKKOR 18-200mm Lens.

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Details:
Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) Website
Words: Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2011 Penny Cherubino

March 19, 2012
Saint Patrick’s Day All Year Round, Adams Village Dorchester
Anytime you feel like wearin' the green or enjoying a taste of Ireland, you can visit Adams Village in Dorchester. Since we prefer our celebrations to be low key and without the crowds, we went last weekend.

Our visit began with an Irish Farmer's Breakfast at Sonny's Pub & Restaurant. Unlike many Irish pubs where Irish breakfast is a weekend brunch special, Sonny's serves it all day, everyday.

Two eggs (the way you want them), 2 slices of brown bread, beans, potatoes, grilled tomato, black pudding, white pudding, sausages, rashers, and a slice of orange overflowed the large plate. Ed proved himself to be a hearty trencherman. He finished his plate, and then went after Penny's leftover brown bread and potatoes.

Sonny's looked like the neighborhood pubs and bars Penny remembers from a childhood with Irish relatives…

…right down to the separate entrances for the bar and dining room and lots of "everybody knows your name" welcomes as regulars moved in and out of the place.

As we reported on Thursday, we stocked up at Greenhills Irish Bakery.
And, we made a stop at the Butcher Shop Market for some Rashers/Irish bacon to take home. The quality of the meat they were offering looked outstanding and this will be a stop to shop for meat, cut to order for us, anytime we're in the area. You can take a peek at the meat cases by clicking on the thumbnails above.

We took a Zipcar and found parking to be very easy. There's a large parking lot behind the bakery and butcher shop, but we just drove up the hill where there was plenty of on-street parking. Our spot didn't even have a time limit.

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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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.
March 17, 2012
MBTA Apps Our Friday Link

We love knowing when the bus or train is coming and have used those iPhone apps for awhile. Recently, we noticed that the MBTA has added a page for Apps to its Rider Tools section.

And, don't forget that Google Maps also give you live transit updates.

We've used Catch the Bus for a long time but would like to hear what you are using and how well it works.

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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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

March 16, 2012
Out and About from Paris to Boston

Last week, Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris was in Boston for a few days and we met for lunch. She had been following our food truck coverage, so my friend Laurie and I met her at The Dining Car in front of the library.

After a lingering lunch and some good conversation in the courtyard, we took Mary Kay on a brief tour of a couple of our favorite spots in the McKim building: the main staircase, the Puvis de Chavannes Gallery, the Abbey Room, and Bates Hall.

With a spectacular day outside, this appetizer was enough to tempt Mary Kay to explore more of one of my favorite buildings on her own. The three of us took to the outside world. We made a quick stop at the Society of Arts and Crafts and then strolled down Commonwealth Avenue Mall.

It is such fun to meet the people behind blogs. Mary Kay is as warm, friendly, and interesting as her persona on the web.

What's on your "dreaming of a trip to Paris" shopping list? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! Here are some ideas!

From another great blogger Clotilde's Edible Adventures in Paris

From the wonderful Patricia Wells, The Paris Cookbook

Learn to Speak French

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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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

March 14, 2012
Mary Chung Dun Dun Noodle Craving– Satisfied!
All you have to say is Mary Chung and Penny starts craving Dun Dun Noodles. (The noodles are hiding under all that lovely, spicy topping in the photo above.)

Last week, the crew over on Boston Chowhound began a discussion of Chinese and Chinese-American food, so of course Mary Chung was included. That was enough to put it on our lunch list. We arrived at 12:30 pm and had to wait a few minutes for a table. It's good to see an old favorite still filling the seats on a Thursday afternoon.

We're convinced that the Sichuan pepper in those Dun Dun noodles is addictive. It numbs your mouth just enough to make you receptive to the chili oil and other heat-makers in the dish. You have to make yourself stop reaching for the noodle bowl so you can try the other dishes on the table.

In our case, this included one of the daily specials, this wonderful, fresh, crisp plate of aspargus and pork. While the printed menu is giant, always check the daily specials taped to the register area up front.

And, we did have to take home the leftovers because we couldn't resist starting with the pan fried Peking ravioli.

This Central Square, Cambridge institution has been delivering great Chinese food for years. Reviewers mention that it's been around since the early 1980s. And, this is a perfect place to gather a group and fill one of the big round tables with shared food.

Do you have a favorite Mary Chung menu item? Please tell us, we want to get out of our ordering rut and work our way through the menu!

Tips:
- Check those specials.
- They do a type of Dim Sum on weekends.
- You can reserve a table for a group, and if you want it on a weekend, call early.
- Order rice if you want it.
- They only take cash so come prepared.
- They do serve beer and wine, but somehow the pots of tea they put on the table seem perfect with the food.
Related Posts: Here's more about Food & Drink!
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Details:

Mary Chung Restaurant

464 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139-4132 (map & reviews)

(617) 864-1991

marychung.com‎

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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.
February 22, 2012
Rumanian Pastrami from Sam LaGrassa’s

Walking back from City Hall on Friday afternoon, I was considering my options for a lunch to take home. Sam LaGrassa's came to mind. So often when I'm craving a great sandwich from this legendary downtown lunch spot, they're close. So, the first lesson in getting your hands on a great pastrami sandwich is to go at the right time.

Sam LaGrassa's is open Monday through Friday from 11:00 am to 3:30 pm. Etch that fact into your mind so you will take the opportunity to indulge whenever you're in their area during those golden hours.

I'm usually a corned beef lover, but the crew over at Boston Chowhound has consistantly named the pastrami at this place among the best in town. And, I remembered seeing it made on a food show. So this time I grabbed one corned beef and one pastrami to take home and share with Ed.

Moving in for a close up!

After posing for a quick photo shoot, the pastrami sandwich was ready for my first bite. It was instant regret. Why didn't I buy two pastramis? I mean, I like their corned beef but with this pastrami, it was love at first bite.

It is soft, melting, spicy, and full-bodied all at the same time. It's a Cote du Rhone of the sandwich world.

P.S. The pickles are so good, that I don't get to have Ed's share. He likes these!

Related Posts:

Here is the report I did on Sam LaGrassa's Corned Beef for Serious Eats.

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Details:

Sam La Grassa's

44 Province St. Boston MA 02108 (map & reviews)

617-357-6861
www.samlagrassas.com

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny Cherubino

February 8, 2012
What’s Open On Presidents’ Day in Boston 2012 and MBTA Schedules
Here's a run-down of what's open in Boston on Presidents' Day and the MBTA schedules plus information on Boston parking for – February 20, 2012. We'll update this post as more information becomes available. And, if we didn't answer your specific question, leave a comment or tweet us @BostonZest. We may just add it to the list.

Note: This is an out of date post!

This is an old post. Here's the 2015 information on this topic.

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. Some international markets are open.

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 on Presidents' Day. Other parking rules apply.

Boston Recycling and Trash Collection:

Recycling and trash information from the City of Boston:
- "Monday, February 20, 7am – Saturday, February 25, 2012, 5pm
- Delay trash and recycling pickup 1 day only if you live in Allston, Brighton, Dorchester, East Boston, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain*, Mattapan, Roslindale, or West Roxbury.
- *If you live in Jamaica Plain and your trash is picked up 2 times per week, do not delay."
MBTA Schedule Changes (Announced 2.17.12)

"The MBTA has announced its service schedule for the Presidents' Day holiday.

•    Blue, Orange, Green, and Red line trains will operate on a Saturday schedule.
•    Commuter rail trains will operate on a Saturday schedule.
•    Buses and trackless trolleys will operate on a Saturday schedule. Note: Express bus service on the following routes will operate on a modified schedule: 325, 326, 352, 354, 355, 501, 502, 504.
•    Inner Harbor Ferry service from Charlestown and Long Wharf will operate on a regular weekday schedule.
•    Hingham, Quincy, and Hull commuter boat service will operate on a regular weekday schedule.
•    Quincy ferries will operate on a normal weekday schedule
•    THE RIDE Service will operate on a Saturday schedule. Customers should contact their contractors for service information.

For additional information on routes, schedules, and fares, please call the MBTA Customer Service Center at (617) 222-3200 or 1-800-392-6100 (hearing impaired TDD 617-222-5146)," or log onto the MBTA’s website www.mbta.com.

Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 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.
February 6, 2012
Skating in Shirt Sleeves, Show This to That Groundhog!

Before we listen to the opinion of some silly rodent from Pennsylvania, I think we should slip Phil a copy of this photo of a guy skating in shirt sleeves on Boston Common on February 1, 2012!

There were also other strange phenomena in Boston yesterday. Everyone wanted to be outside to enjoy the weather. We have proof. We walked into Neptune Oyster at 12:19 pm and were greeted by one of our favorite Neptune bartenders like this!

(Needless to say, these seats soon filled in.)

So Mr Phil, no matter what you say, we're going to enjoy each sunny day until it gets too hot to indulge in long hours outside. And, if it snows some more, we'll hold you personally responsible!

We told you this was not going to be an easy call for the rodent!

Groundhog Stressed Over 2012 Prediction!

Need some Valentine's Day gift ideas? Click over to Amazon and do some planning, and if you do buy something there, they'll put a few coins in our tip cup.

Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: © 2012 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.

February 2, 2012
Voter Registration Deadlines & Election Dates 2012
Here are the deadlines you need to meet to vote in elections scheduled for 2012 in Massachusetts.

From the Elections Division of the Secretary of State's Office and the City of Boston's Election Department.
- Wednesday, February 15, 2012: Last day to register to vote and change party enrollment for the Presidential Primary.
- Tuesday, March 6, 2012: Presidential Primary Election
- Friday, August 17, 2012: Last day to register to vote and change party enrollment for the State Primary.
- Thursday, September 6, 2012: Voting day for the State Primary
- Wednesday, October 17, 2012: Last day to register to vote and change party enrollment for the Presidential Election.
- Tuesday, November 6, 2012: Voting day for the Presidential Election.
How to Register to Vote

If you're reluctant to register to vote because you think it will make you more likely to be called for jury duty, we've already researched that idea and learned that it is a myth. Click here for our full report.
- You can download a voter registration form here.
- If there is time, you can mail it to:
```
City of Boston Election Department   
City Hall, Room 241   
Boston, MA 02201
```
- The safest way to do it is to stop by the Election Department at City Hall and complete the form.
- The Boston Elections Department is located in room 241 at Boston City Hall and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, except on city holidays.
- Complete information, including the identification documents you need, and other ways to register to vote can be found at The Secretary of State's Office
- Absentee Ballot applications are available here
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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2009 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 reserve the right to edit ads out of comments.
January 31, 2012
A Bunch of History Tipping & Tilting

Inside the King's Chapel Burying Ground the stones tilt and lean into, and away from, one another. Like a group of people at a gathering, they stand in clusters of two, three, or more. Perhaps, this is what those they memorialize once did in life.

Need some Valentine's Day gift ideas? Click over to Amazon and do some planning, and if you do buy something there, they'll put a few coins in our tip cup.

Details:

King's Chapel

Tremont & Beacon Street, Boston, Massachusetts (map)

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photos: © 2012 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 reserve the right to remove adverstising from comments.

January 28, 2012