Along the Boston Marathon route, even the fire hydrants receive a new coat of spring paint.
Hydrant visibility is important all year round! This one is across from the fire station at the Hereford Street turn onto Boylston Street.
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Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2016 Ed Cherubino
Whether you're coming to run or watch the 2019 Boston Marathon or just want to log some miles, it's an exciting time to visit the city. And, we hope this piece will help all the runners who are new to the city, here for vacation, or a business trip.
I remember my first Boston Marathon as a spectator. Penny and I booked a hotel room for the weekend and left the car parked. We took in the runners' expo, pasta supper, and other pre-race activities, then watched a spectacular Boylston Street finish.
As an out-of-state runner staying near Faneuil Hall, I still wanted to get in a run or two, but wasn't sure where to head.
Now, as a Boston resident, I can recommend a couple of my favorite routes.
Charles River Run …
If you're a visiting runner staying anywhere near the finish line, you can't beat a daytime run along the Charles River. It offers great views and a more open course without having to constantly cross roadways. This multi-use path is shared by bikes, blades, skate boards, dogs, and walkers. It can get congested as the day wears on but, who knows, you may find yourself sharing the trail with some famous, elite runners. It's easy to make any number of loops between the Boston and Cambridge sides of the river by using the many bridges along the way.
From Back Bay, you can access the Charles River Esplanade from Massachusetts Avenue, Fairfield, Dartmouth, and Arlington Streets. If you head west from the Massachusetts Avenue ramp, you can also use the parcourse workout station that's located just up-river. Click here for photos and details including a map to find it.
Parks in the Heart of the City
For a tree-lined route, try the Commonwealth Avenue Mall – not a shopping center, but a park – that runs down the center of this residential street. At Commonwealth and Arlington, you can enter the pristine Public Garden for a slower pace. Moving through the center of the Garden will lead you across Charles Street to the Boston Common.
Inside tip: Local-isms
Mass Ave = Massachusetts Avenue
Comm Ave = Commonwealth Avenue
And, it's Boston Common (singular) not Boston Commons
Related Posts:
Parking Your Car for Boston Marathon Weekend
Tracking a Boston Marathon Runner
How to Get to the Esplanade from Boston
Photos from past Boston Marathons:
Other Resources:
Here's a great site. You'll find dozens of local running routes, including along the Charles River.
For more places to run, Bostinno has a post on this topic – How to Train For the Boston Marathon: Where the Runners Run.
Details:
Words: Ed Cherubino
Photos: (Top) 2011 Boston Marathon, (Bottom) Esplanade Run ©2013 Penny Cherubino
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
Whether you're coming to run or watch the 2019 Boston Marathon or just want to log some miles, it's an exciting time to visit the city. And, we hope this piece will help all the runners who are new to the city, here for vacation, or a business trip.
I remember my first Boston Marathon as a spectator. Penny and I booked a hotel room for the weekend and left the car parked. We took in the runners' expo, pasta supper, and other pre-race activities, then watched a spectacular Boylston Street finish.
As an out-of-state runner staying near Faneuil Hall, I still wanted to get in a run or two, but wasn't sure where to head.
Now, as a Boston resident, I can recommend a couple of my favorite routes.
Charles River Run …
If you're a visiting runner staying anywhere near the finish line, you can't beat a daytime run along the Charles River. It offers great views and a more open course without having to constantly cross roadways. This multi-use path is shared by bikes, blades, skate boards, dogs, and walkers. It can get congested as the day wears on but, who knows, you may find yourself sharing the trail with some famous, elite runners. It's easy to make any number of loops between the Boston and Cambridge sides of the river by using the many bridges along the way.
From Back Bay, you can access the Charles River Esplanade from Massachusetts Avenue, Fairfield, Dartmouth, and Arlington Streets. If you head west from the Massachusetts Avenue ramp, you can also use the parcourse workout station that's located just up-river. Click here for photos and details including a map to find it.
Parks in the Heart of the City
For a tree-lined route, try the Commonwealth Avenue Mall – not a shopping center, but a park – that runs down the center of this residential street. At Commonwealth and Arlington, you can enter the pristine Public Garden for a slower pace. Moving through the center of the Garden will lead you across Charles Street to the Boston Common.
Inside tip: Local-isms
Mass Ave = Massachusetts Avenue
Comm Ave = Commonwealth Avenue
And, it's Boston Common (singular) not Boston Commons
Related Posts:
Parking Your Car for Boston Marathon Weekend
Tracking a Boston Marathon Runner
How to Get to the Esplanade from Boston
Photos from past Boston Marathons:
Other Resources:
Here's a great site. You'll find dozens of local running routes, including along the Charles River.
For more places to run, Bostinno has a post on this topic – How to Train For the Boston Marathon: Where the Runners Run.
Details:
Words: Ed Cherubino
Photos: (Top) 2011 Boston Marathon, (Bottom) Esplanade Run ©2013 Penny Cherubino
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
It was recently announced that with the settlement of a lawsuit Strategic Marks, a company with plans for its future, at least online, has acquired the rights to the Jordan Marsh name. This had me thinking about the past and the importance of Jordan Marsh here in Boston.
This postcard circa 1907-1915 from the Boston Public Library Collection shows the expanded main store on the corner of Summer and Washington Streets.
By 1938 the company had acquired more property and added the home furnishings annex across Avon Street. In the years to follow, they would acquire all the property on those blocks. I seem to recall that they also owned or rented space in some additional buildings in the area that were used for sales support departments. (Disclosure: I worked for Jordan Marsh for a number of years.)
Locally we have the site: Shopping Days in Retro Boston with some great coverage of Jordan Marsh. I found the story of the sky bridge from the main store to the annex, interesting.
There are national sites like the Department Store Museum that specialize in retail history state by state. From the homepage you can look up the major stores in most states.
And the store has been featured on Mass Moments.
What are your Jordan Marsh memories? Did you ever work in a department store? If so, what do you think of service today?
Watch for our upcoming post on Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins.
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
Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: as noted and linked under each image.
It was recently announced that with the settlement of a lawsuit Strategic Marks, a company with plans for its future, at least online, has acquired the rights to the Jordan Marsh name. This had me thinking about the past and the importance of Jordan Marsh here in Boston.
This postcard circa 1907-1915 from the Boston Public Library Collection shows the expanded main store on the corner of Summer and Washington Streets.
By 1938 the company had acquired more property and added the home furnishings annex across Avon Street. In the years to follow, they would acquire all the property on those blocks. I seem to recall that they also owned or rented space in some additional buildings in the area that were used for sales support departments. (Disclosure: I worked for Jordan Marsh for a number of years.)
Locally we have the site: Shopping Days in Retro Boston with some great coverage of Jordan Marsh. I found the story of the sky bridge from the main store to the annex, interesting.
There are national sites like the Department Store Museum that specialize in retail history state by state. From the homepage you can look up the major stores in most states.
And the store has been featured on Mass Moments.
What are your Jordan Marsh memories? Did you ever work in a department store? If so, what do you think of service today?
Watch for our upcoming post on Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins.
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
Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: as noted and linked under each image.
We took a walk and collected some photos for you.
We both love this Himalayan Birch tree in the Public Garden. This scene actually looks wintry.
But a change of perspective that included the White Willows shows the changeling nature of this season's weather.
On the sunny side of the Back Bay streets, the White Magnolias are ready to burst into bloom and we even found one of the Pink ones with blossoms opening.
Flower arrangements planted to welcome Spring had a bit of snow frosting.
We took this one at the start of our walk and the snow was gone by the time we returned. Now let's hope we can all get back to enjoying time sitting on park benches and maybe even dining outdoors.
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
Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino
We took a walk and collected some photos for you.
We both love this Himalayan Birch tree in the Public Garden. This scene actually looks wintry.
But a change of perspective that included the White Willows shows the changeling nature of this season's weather.
On the sunny side of the Back Bay streets, the White Magnolias are ready to burst into bloom and we even found one of the Pink ones with blossoms opening.
Flower arrangements planted to welcome Spring had a bit of snow frosting.
We took this one at the start of our walk and the snow was gone by the time we returned. Now let's hope we can all get back to enjoying time sitting on park benches and maybe even dining outdoors.
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
Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino
On a walk this week, a Dalmatian trotting along ahead of us set off a conversation about the dog breeds that were once abundant in our neighborhood and now are rare.
Leslie Jones photograph of a Dalmatian as fire chief.
We all think of Dalmatian's as firehouse dogs, but their work began in Dalmatia (a region in what is today Croatia) where they guarded the borders. Wikipedia goes on to outline all the other tasks this working breed has performed.
"The roles of this ancient breed are as varied as their reputed ancestors. They were used as dogs of war, guarding the borders of Dalmatia. To this day, the breed retains a high guarding instinct; although friendly and loyal to those the dog knows and trusts, it is often aloof with strangers and unknown dogs. Dalmatians have a strong hunting instinct and are an excellent exterminator of rats and vermin. In sporting, they have been used as bird dogs, trail hounds, retrievers, or in packs for boar or stag hunting. Their dramatic markings and intelligence have made them successful circus dogs throughout the years. Dalmatians are perhaps best known for their role as fire-fighting apparatus escorts and firehouse mascots. Since Dalmatians and horses are very compatible, the dogs were easily trained to run in front of the carriages to help clear a path and quickly guide the horses and firefighters to the fires.[39] Dalmatians are often considered to make good watchdogs, and they may have been useful to fire brigades as guard dogs to protect a firehouse and its equipment. Fire engines used to be drawn by fast and powerful horses, a tempting target for thieves, so Dalmatians were kept in the firehouse as deterrence to theft.[39]"
Dalmatians were not the only dogs to serve as firehouse mascots. Leslie Jones titled the photo above as, "Dog responds to every alarm, Braintree."
This one, photographer Jones noted as, "Dog goes to every fire, Braintree." Both are from 1928.
Here's a photo of one of our current Dalmatian neighbors. His name is Cy Young and he's a year old and very friendly.
Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.
Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon
Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2016 Penny Cherubino, Leslie Jones photos courtesy of the Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection.
On a walk this week, a Dalmatian trotting along ahead of us set off a conversation about the dog breeds that were once abundant in our neighborhood and now are rare.
Leslie Jones photograph of a Dalmatian as fire chief.
We all think of Dalmatian's as firehouse dogs, but their work began in Dalmatia (a region in what is today Croatia) where they guarded the borders. Wikipedia goes on to outline all the other tasks this working breed has performed.
"The roles of this ancient breed are as varied as their reputed ancestors. They were used as dogs of war, guarding the borders of Dalmatia. To this day, the breed retains a high guarding instinct; although friendly and loyal to those the dog knows and trusts, it is often aloof with strangers and unknown dogs. Dalmatians have a strong hunting instinct and are an excellent exterminator of rats and vermin. In sporting, they have been used as bird dogs, trail hounds, retrievers, or in packs for boar or stag hunting. Their dramatic markings and intelligence have made them successful circus dogs throughout the years. Dalmatians are perhaps best known for their role as fire-fighting apparatus escorts and firehouse mascots. Since Dalmatians and horses are very compatible, the dogs were easily trained to run in front of the carriages to help clear a path and quickly guide the horses and firefighters to the fires.[39] Dalmatians are often considered to make good watchdogs, and they may have been useful to fire brigades as guard dogs to protect a firehouse and its equipment. Fire engines used to be drawn by fast and powerful horses, a tempting target for thieves, so Dalmatians were kept in the firehouse as deterrence to theft.[39]"
Dalmatians were not the only dogs to serve as firehouse mascots. Leslie Jones titled the photo above as, "Dog responds to every alarm, Braintree."
This one, photographer Jones noted as, "Dog goes to every fire, Braintree." Both are from 1928.
Here's a photo of one of our current Dalmatian neighbors. His name is Cy Young and he's a year old and very friendly.
Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.
Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon
Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2016 Penny Cherubino, Leslie Jones photos courtesy of the Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection.
Last weekend, sitting on a chilly bench with some friends and dogs, we spotted this guitar man watching the squirrels at play in the Public Garden.
But knowing warmer days were on the way, we all looked forward to our first Public Garden Picnic of the year. Whether you pack a lunch from home or pick up something from a nearby spot, we highly recommend you pull up a bench and enjoy an al fresco meal in one of Boston's parks.
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
Related Posts:
Rain, Rain Go Away, We Want a Picnic Day!
Public Garden Picnic from Parish Cafe
Picnic from Falafel King on the Boston Common
Food Tips for Shakespeare on the Common
Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2016 Penny Cherubino