Did you know there are roses in Boston just waiting for you to volunteer some time to deadhead, prune, and care for them?
One thing people miss when they move from the suburbs to the city is gardening. Yes, some folks have a small front or back yard garden area, but others find themselves without plants to tend.
Community gardens are one answer if you have lots of time to tend a plot of land. However, there are alternatives for those who would enjoy an occasional garden chore in the company of other rose lovers.
If you know of other opportunities for the occasional gardener, please share in the comments below. It doesn't have to be a rose garden, some folks might like to grow tomatoes or tend hostas!
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!
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.
These are the two extra, empty Charlie Cards that I carry with me as I travel on the MBTA. I've noticed how elusive Charlie Cards have become so I picked up some extra ones. Now, when an MBTA attendant tells someone, "We actually don't have Charlie Cards at this location," I have a solution.
I can hand over one of these with a request that the passenger pass on the kindness to someone else by picking up an extra card when they are at a station where the cards are available. I write, "Pass it on… " with a Sharpie so I won't give out my loaded card by mistake. It may also encourage the recipient to pay it forward.
If you can find an attendant, they are supposed to have Charlie Cards at these locations. I have found the booth between the westbound tracks at Park Street usually has them. But note the hours, 7 am – 7 pm. For some locations, the hours are shorter.
This post was inspired by a conversation over on Universal Hub. At the 5th comment down, the conversation changes to Charlie Cards. I shared my solution there but figured I should pass it on to the BostonZest community as well.
Even if you're not going to use a Charlie Card all that often, you should have one in your card collection because each year there is a book full of discounts you can have for flashing your Charlie Card. Those discounts are particularly good for visitors since they included attractions and museums.
Our household also has a guest card that we mail to friends coming into Boston or let them use while they are here. If they can't find a card at the airport or train station, we have them covered. We started it off with $5 and our guests have kept it filled for us. That one is marked with "Guest Card" on the front.
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!
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.
These are the two extra, empty Charlie Cards that I carry with me as I travel on the MBTA. I've noticed how elusive Charlie Cards have become so I picked up some extra ones. Now, when an MBTA attendant tells someone, "We actually don't have Charlie Cards at this location," I have a solution.
I can hand over one of these with a request that the passenger pass on the kindness to someone else by picking up an extra card when they are at a station where the cards are available. I write, "Pass it on… " with a Sharpie so I won't give out my loaded card by mistake. It may also encourage the recipient to pay it forward.
If you can find an attendant, they are supposed to have Charlie Cards at these locations. I have found the booth between the westbound tracks at Park Street usually has them. But note the hours, 7 am – 7 pm. For some locations, the hours are shorter.
This post was inspired by a conversation over on Universal Hub. At the 5th comment down, the conversation changes to Charlie Cards. I shared my solution there but figured I should pass it on to the BostonZest community as well.
Even if you're not going to use a Charlie Card all that often, you should have one in your card collection because each year there is a book full of discounts you can have for flashing your Charlie Card. Those discounts are particularly good for visitors since they included attractions and museums.
Our household also has a guest card that we mail to friends coming into Boston or let them use while they are here. If they can't find a card at the airport or train station, we have them covered. We started it off with $5 and our guests have kept it filled for us. That one is marked with "Guest Card" on the front.
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!
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.
These are the two extra, empty Charlie Cards that I carry with me as I travel on the MBTA. I've noticed how elusive Charlie Cards have become so I picked up some extra ones. Now, when an MBTA attendant tells someone, "We actually don't have Charlie Cards at this location," I have a solution.
I can hand over one of these with a request that the passenger pass on the kindness to someone else by picking up an extra card when they are at a station where the cards are available. I write, "Pass it on… " with a Sharpie so I won't give out my loaded card by mistake. It may also encourage the recipient to pay it forward.
If you can find an attendant, they are supposed to have Charlie Cards at these locations. I have found the booth between the westbound tracks at Park Street usually has them. But note the hours, 7 am – 7 pm. For some locations, the hours are shorter.
This post was inspired by a conversation over on Universal Hub. At the 5th comment down, the conversation changes to Charlie Cards. I shared my solution there but figured I should pass it on to the BostonZest community as well.
Even if you're not going to use a Charlie Card all that often, you should have one in your card collection because each year there is a book full of discounts you can have for flashing your Charlie Card. Those discounts are particularly good for visitors since they included attractions and museums.
Our household also has a guest card that we mail to friends coming into Boston or let them use while they are here. If they can't find a card at the airport or train station, we have them covered. We started it off with $5 and our guests have kept it filled for us. That one is marked with "Guest Card" on the front.
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!
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.
Whether you only think of altering your appearance on Halloween or also like to dress up for holidays, special events, parties, or other reasons, this post is for you.
Each year, we make a list and check it twice to help you locate places to buy or rent costumes for most any occasion. Costume season gears up at Halloween and continues for New Years, Saint Patrick's Day, Mardi Gras, and beyond!
This year, our list-check discovered New Millennium Costumes at 155 Tremont Street (map) across from the Boston Common. Penny made a visit to check it out, and we're happy to add it to our collection.
Owner Terry Anderson has more than 20 years experience managing a company that supplied Boston fun seekers with costumes. Realizing he missed the downtown vibe, he decided to opened his own shop.
When Penny visited the building, it had scaffolding hiding his signs and entrance so you may have to work a little to find it.
Google has been in to create an interior view of the shop and told him that it should be up soon. We'll post an update when it appears. Update:Here's a link to the Google inside view.
It's worth considering this as an option. Since it's newer and not everyone has discovered it yet, the lines may be shorter. And, check with them for details on a 10% discount to those showing a college ID.
By the way, this shop has a small section of costumes for dogs with some very clever saddle-style options for big dogs. (Seen in the lower right photo of the collage.) These sell out quickly, so shop soon for a good selection.
Check out these Costume Haunts:
Please let us know if we've missed one of your favorite sources of costumes and accessories. And, tell us about your all-time favorite Halloween Costume in the comments below.
The Garment District in Cambridge is probably the best known spot to outfit yourself for any costume party.
They sell and rent costumes and have lots of vintage & secondhand clothing if you want to create your own.
They also sell items to finish the look, like:
washout hair color in tones of atomic turquoise and cotton candy pink
prosthetics like scars, bullet holes, horns, pointed ear tips, and witch noses with the materials to attach them
masks from simple gold or black eye masks, to elaborate Venetian designs or feathery carnival styles
heads to transform you into a bear, lion, or gorilla
an endless selection of wigs includes: mullets, afros, clown colors, pigtails, geishas, ragdolls, cornrows, dreadlocks, flappers, and glam styles
accessories include: hats, boas, go-go boots, and wings
Their "Boston Costume"division rents full rigs for the likes of Batman, Green Hornet, and Marie Antoinette. Or, you can be a minute man, cowgirl, knight, or belly dancer.
Soon, you'll find people lined up (above) waiting to enter Dorothy's Boutique on Mass Ave. near Symphony Hall. They call themselves "Boston's Halloween Headquarters" and display masks, scary arm stumps, strange shoes, and accessories in the window. The website makes it clear that these are costumes for adults. Risque is their specialty.
Army Barracks Across the street from Dorothy's is the Army Barracks store. With a little imagination, you can use their surplus gear to create a costume for that upcoming party.
Party City has a store at 356 Boylston Street in Boston. (map) Last season, it was an iParty store.
And, remember to visit the Halloween Shop at Blackstone's of Beacon Hill. They have a fabulous selection of fun and tasteful decorations, masks, and accessories for the holiday.
Whether you only think of altering your appearance on Halloween or also like to dress up for holidays, special events, parties, or other reasons, this post is for you.
Each year, we make a list and check it twice to help you locate places to buy or rent costumes for most any occasion. Costume season gears up at Halloween and continues for New Years, Saint Patrick's Day, Mardi Gras, and beyond!
This year, our list-check discovered New Millennium Costumes at 155 Tremont Street (map) across from the Boston Common. Penny made a visit to check it out, and we're happy to add it to our collection.
Owner Terry Anderson has more than 20 years experience managing a company that supplied Boston fun seekers with costumes. Realizing he missed the downtown vibe, he decided to opened his own shop.
When Penny visited the building, it had scaffolding hiding his signs and entrance so you may have to work a little to find it.
Google has been in to create an interior view of the shop and told him that it should be up soon. We'll post an update when it appears. Update:Here's a link to the Google inside view.
It's worth considering this as an option. Since it's newer and not everyone has discovered it yet, the lines may be shorter. And, check with them for details on a 10% discount to those showing a college ID.
By the way, this shop has a small section of costumes for dogs with some very clever saddle-style options for big dogs. (Seen in the lower right photo of the collage.) These sell out quickly, so shop soon for a good selection.
Check out these Costume Haunts:
Please let us know if we've missed one of your favorite sources of costumes and accessories. And, tell us about your all-time favorite Halloween Costume in the comments below.
The Garment District in Cambridge is probably the best known spot to outfit yourself for any costume party.
They sell and rent costumes and have lots of vintage & secondhand clothing if you want to create your own.
They also sell items to finish the look, like:
washout hair color in tones of atomic turquoise and cotton candy pink
prosthetics like scars, bullet holes, horns, pointed ear tips, and witch noses with the materials to attach them
masks from simple gold or black eye masks, to elaborate Venetian designs or feathery carnival styles
heads to transform you into a bear, lion, or gorilla
an endless selection of wigs includes: mullets, afros, clown colors, pigtails, geishas, ragdolls, cornrows, dreadlocks, flappers, and glam styles
accessories include: hats, boas, go-go boots, and wings
Their "Boston Costume"division rents full rigs for the likes of Batman, Green Hornet, and Marie Antoinette. Or, you can be a minute man, cowgirl, knight, or belly dancer.
Soon, you'll find people lined up (above) waiting to enter Dorothy's Boutique on Mass Ave. near Symphony Hall. They call themselves "Boston's Halloween Headquarters" and display masks, scary arm stumps, strange shoes, and accessories in the window. The website makes it clear that these are costumes for adults. Risque is their specialty.
Army Barracks Across the street from Dorothy's is the Army Barracks store. With a little imagination, you can use their surplus gear to create a costume for that upcoming party.
Party City has a store at 356 Boylston Street in Boston. (map) Last season, it was an iParty store.
And, remember to visit the Halloween Shop at Blackstone's of Beacon Hill. They have a fabulous selection of fun and tasteful decorations, masks, and accessories for the holiday.
Whether you only think of altering your appearance on Halloween or also like to dress up for holidays, special events, parties, or other reasons, this post is for you.
Each year, we make a list and check it twice to help you locate places to buy or rent costumes for most any occasion. Costume season gears up at Halloween and continues for New Years, Saint Patrick's Day, Mardi Gras, and beyond!
This year, our list-check discovered New Millennium Costumes at 155 Tremont Street (map) across from the Boston Common. Penny made a visit to check it out, and we're happy to add it to our collection.
Owner Terry Anderson has more than 20 years experience managing a company that supplied Boston fun seekers with costumes. Realizing he missed the downtown vibe, he decided to opened his own shop.
When Penny visited the building, it had scaffolding hiding his signs and entrance so you may have to work a little to find it.
Google has been in to create an interior view of the shop and told him that it should be up soon. We'll post an update when it appears. Update:Here's a link to the Google inside view.
It's worth considering this as an option. Since it's newer and not everyone has discovered it yet, the lines may be shorter. And, check with them for details on a 10% discount to those showing a college ID.
By the way, this shop has a small section of costumes for dogs with some very clever saddle-style options for big dogs. (Seen in the lower right photo of the collage.) These sell out quickly, so shop soon for a good selection.
Check out these Costume Haunts:
Please let us know if we've missed one of your favorite sources of costumes and accessories. And, tell us about your all-time favorite Halloween Costume in the comments below.
The Garment District in Cambridge is probably the best known spot to outfit yourself for any costume party.
They sell and rent costumes and have lots of vintage & secondhand clothing if you want to create your own.
They also sell items to finish the look, like:
washout hair color in tones of atomic turquoise and cotton candy pink
prosthetics like scars, bullet holes, horns, pointed ear tips, and witch noses with the materials to attach them
masks from simple gold or black eye masks, to elaborate Venetian designs or feathery carnival styles
heads to transform you into a bear, lion, or gorilla
an endless selection of wigs includes: mullets, afros, clown colors, pigtails, geishas, ragdolls, cornrows, dreadlocks, flappers, and glam styles
accessories include: hats, boas, go-go boots, and wings
Their "Boston Costume"division rents full rigs for the likes of Batman, Green Hornet, and Marie Antoinette. Or, you can be a minute man, cowgirl, knight, or belly dancer.
Soon, you'll find people lined up (above) waiting to enter Dorothy's Boutique on Mass Ave. near Symphony Hall. They call themselves "Boston's Halloween Headquarters" and display masks, scary arm stumps, strange shoes, and accessories in the window. The website makes it clear that these are costumes for adults. Risque is their specialty.
Army Barracks Across the street from Dorothy's is the Army Barracks store. With a little imagination, you can use their surplus gear to create a costume for that upcoming party.
Party City has a store at 356 Boylston Street in Boston. (map) Last season, it was an iParty store.
And, remember to visit the Halloween Shop at Blackstone's of Beacon Hill. They have a fabulous selection of fun and tasteful decorations, masks, and accessories for the holiday.
Henry Ward Beecher also said: "Books are not made for furniture, but there is nothing else that so beautifully furnishes a house."
If books are one of your weaknesses, you should make regular trips to the Brattle Book Shop on West Street (map) near the Boston Common. These photos were taken in their outdoor bargain book annex.
What shops and stores are your weakness? What products do you find hard to resist? We added seven books to our Boston reference shelf in the past month. Yes, we are weak!
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!
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.
Henry Ward Beecher also said: "Books are not made for furniture, but there is nothing else that so beautifully furnishes a house."
If books are one of your weaknesses, you should make regular trips to the Brattle Book Shop on West Street (map) near the Boston Common. These photos were taken in their outdoor bargain book annex.
What shops and stores are your weakness? What products do you find hard to resist? We added seven books to our Boston reference shelf in the past month. Yes, we are weak!
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!
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.
Henry Ward Beecher also said: "Books are not made for furniture, but there is nothing else that so beautifully furnishes a house."
If books are one of your weaknesses, you should make regular trips to the Brattle Book Shop on West Street (map) near the Boston Common. These photos were taken in their outdoor bargain book annex.
What shops and stores are your weakness? What products do you find hard to resist? We added seven books to our Boston reference shelf in the past month. Yes, we are weak!
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!
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.
