Category: Places

  • Patio & Picnic Season Means More Dining Out Options

    As the temperatures rise, our dining options increase. We love dining on the patio at a select group of area restaurants and we are dedicated to picnics in parks, on a bench, on an oceanside deck, or high above the city on our roof deck.

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    We admit we prefer picnics that include a glass of great wine. Even simple fare, some bread, cheese, olives and fruit seem elegant with a splash of bubbly.

    IMG_7502 - Version 22014-06-19-coppa- boston-gnocchi-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

     

    One of our favorite patios is the one at Coppa in the South End. It's where we can be sure that the food will be as wonderful as the lovely days that draw us to outdoor dining. That's Coppa's "Ricotta gnocchi with nasturtium butter-cacio e pepe,"  in the photo above.

    IMG_75082014-06-20-Boccos- bento-box-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    We'll often pick up a picnic to go from a place like Bacco's Wine + Cheese and try to find a spot in the Public Garden away from the noise where we can relax and nibble an hour away. There, the sparkle has to be sparkling water but that's okay with us. 

    We're hoping to win a table on the patio at the new Tatte Bakery & Café on Charles Street one of these days. So far, we've had to order our food to go and make our way back to the Garden to dine.

    IMG_75902014-08-23thinking cup breakfast© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    We'll often make a stop at Thinking Cup on Newbury for breakfast while we're out walking. They make great breakfast sandwiches.

    While our selection of patios for dining is narrow, Eater Boston has put together a much more comprehensive map of options. Here's a link to their piece: These Patios Are Officially Open for the Season. They have pointed out a few places we've been meaning to try and the possibility of sitting outside will move them up on our list. 

    Happy Spring, get out and enjoy an al fresco meal at one of your favorite places.

    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: © 2012-2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

  • Patio & Picnic Season Means More Dining Out Options

    As the temperatures rise, our dining options increase. We love dining on the patio at a select group of area restaurants and we are dedicated to picnics in parks, on a bench, on an oceanside deck, or high above the city on our roof deck.

    6a00e54fc42bb88834017c3716e2f6970b-800wi

    We admit we prefer picnics that include a glass of great wine. Even simple fare, some bread, cheese, olives and fruit seem elegant with a splash of bubbly.

    IMG_7502 - Version 22014-06-19-coppa- boston-gnocchi-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

     

    One of our favorite patios is the one at Coppa in the South End. It's where we can be sure that the food will be as wonderful as the lovely days that draw us to outdoor dining. That's Coppa's "Ricotta gnocchi with nasturtium butter-cacio e pepe,"  in the photo above.

    IMG_75082014-06-20-Boccos- bento-box-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    We'll often pick up a picnic to go from a place like Bacco's Wine + Cheese and try to find a spot in the Public Garden away from the noise where we can relax and nibble an hour away. There, the sparkle has to be sparkling water but that's okay with us. 

    We're hoping to win a table on the patio at the new Tatte Bakery & Café on Charles Street one of these days. So far, we've had to order our food to go and make our way back to the Garden to dine.

    IMG_75902014-08-23thinking cup breakfast© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    We'll often make a stop at Thinking Cup on Newbury for breakfast while we're out walking. They make great breakfast sandwiches.

    While our selection of patios for dining is narrow, Eater Boston has put together a much more comprehensive map of options. Here's a link to their piece: These Patios Are Officially Open for the Season. They have pointed out a few places we've been meaning to try and the possibility of sitting outside will move them up on our list. 

    Happy Spring, get out and enjoy an al fresco meal at one of your favorite places.

    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: © 2012-2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

  • Our Favorite May 2015 Activities and Events

    May is one of those months when we like to get out and enjoy our city and perhaps schedule a few day trips or short getaways to places around the area. After this winter, we have worked to get our assignments ahead and will now take some time off to enjoy spring. 

    CHE_8136 - Version 22013-06-21-back-bay-garden--© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    We already gave you the lowdown on What's happening around Boston in May 2015. That post puts the month into a planning perspective for you. This one is about our faves.

    When if comes to events, we tend to enjoy the quieter side of the happenings roster. Lilac Sunday at the Arnold Arboretum on May 10th is more our style. It is the only day you are allowed to picnic on the grounds and they now have a small fleet of food trucks available for the event. 

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    Food Truck Season

    Speaking of food trucks, by May it's normally warm enough to dine al fresco and that means we can do more food truck sampling. The city seems to have lost interest in supporting this great aspect of Boston. So rather than recommend you use the city's site, we suggest you depend on Steve Leibowitz's site, Hub Food Trucks.

    One of our favorite food truck spots is near the fountain at the Christian Science Plaza. It's listed as Belvidere on the schedules. In addition to more trucks and more choices, it has great seating for eating and fun people watching. Here's a link to the Hub Food Trucks schedule.

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    Community Gardens

    It's planting and sprucing up season at community gardens throughout the area. We always plan a walk and photo shoot in the Fenway Victory Gardens in May. Here are some scenes from a past walk. From the Boston Natural Areas Network, here's a community garden locator.

    For Other Tastes

    Over on TripAdvisor's Boston Forum, Penny starts a monthly conversation on what's happening in Boston. The local volunteers who answer questions for visitors and share information among themselves add their favorites to that discussion. If you prefer big organized events, sports, and celebrity events to our quieter tastes, you may find great ideas at this link.

    What's your favorite pastime or event in May? 

    Add your thoughts in the comments below. Tweet them to @BostonZest or send us an email and we'll add your suggestions to this post as an update.

    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: © 2012-2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

  • Roses for Sarmiento

    Those who walk by the statue of Domingo Faustino Sarmiento on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall may not realize how important this spot is to those visiting Boston from Argentina. 

    DSC_5434 - Version 22015-04-13-sarmiento -roses-commonwealth-avenue-mall-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    This week, someone placed roses on the paving stones that The Garden Club of the Back Bay members added among the plantings around the sculpture.

    These stones were put in place to make it easier for people to have photos taken of themselves or their group with the statue. Ed and I often volunteer to take these photos with visitors' cameras and we're fairly sure other neighbors do the same.

    DSC_5446 - Version 22015-04-13-sarmiento -roses-commonwealth-avenue-mall-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    This was not among my favorite sculptures when I first encountered it, but over the years I've come to associate it with the people who take time out of their few hours in Boston to stop and pay tribute, have a photo taken for the folks back home, and, in at least one instance, stand with tears in their eyes looking up at a former President of Argentina being honored in a foreign land.

    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 Cherubino
    Photography: © 2015 Ed Cherubino 

  • Roses for Sarmiento

    Those who walk by the statue of Domingo Faustino Sarmiento on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall may not realize how important this spot is to those visiting Boston from Argentina. 

    DSC_5434 - Version 22015-04-13-sarmiento -roses-commonwealth-avenue-mall-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    This week, someone placed roses on the paving stones that The Garden Club of the Back Bay members added among the plantings around the sculpture.

    These stones were put in place to make it easier for people to have photos taken of themselves or their group with the statue. Ed and I often volunteer to take these photos with visitors' cameras and we're fairly sure other neighbors do the same.

    DSC_5446 - Version 22015-04-13-sarmiento -roses-commonwealth-avenue-mall-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    This was not among my favorite sculptures when I first encountered it, but over the years I've come to associate it with the people who take time out of their few hours in Boston to stop and pay tribute, have a photo taken for the folks back home, and, in at least one instance, stand with tears in their eyes looking up at a former President of Argentina being honored in a foreign land.

    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 Cherubino
    Photography: © 2015 Ed Cherubino 

  • What’s Happening Around Boston in April 2015

    April is a busy month with the Boston Marathon and other events making hotel rooms expensive and restaurant reservations scarce.

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    Easter Sunday April 4th & Passover April 4th-11th 

    On Easter Sunday, you'll find special menus in many restaurants. If you have suggestions for places not doing this or alternative dining suggestions for Easter, please add them. And, Passover is a great time to enjoy some of the special kosher foods that are easier to find at this time. 

    Related BostonZest Post:  Where to Dine in Boston on Easter, April 5, 2015

    Do you have a favorite place to buy chocolate for Easter Baskets?

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    Patriots Day Weekend/Boston Marathon & other BAA races 18th to the 20th

    The Boston Athletic Association is expecting 30,000 runners and half a million spectators for the Marathon on April 20th. There are other races and marathon related events all weekend.

    There will be road closures and changes in MBTA routes surrounding the Marathon course. Here are some links to information on those aspects of the race. 

    If you need to get somewhere on Marathon Monday – before the roads close – try to place yourself on the side of the course that will allow you to get where you're going.

    Related Posts: A collection of tips for Marathon Weekend, some from past years, that we'll be updating between now and Marathon Monday.

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    Other Events

    For a long list of events for people with varied tastes, check out The Boston Calendar for April 2015.

    For free and budget events, follow along with Kate from Boston On Budget.

    For a curated list of historic events, you can depend on historian Liz Covart.

    • April 1st – New Food Truck Schedules go into effect with a few new trucks and new spots for some of your old favorites.
    • April 3-5 is the Anime Boston event at the Hynes Convention Center. This is a fun time to walk the area and take photos of the people dressed as their favorite characters. Most of them love to pose. If you're in town for some other reason, this is just a short lived event, not how Bostonians dress.
    • April 18 – Greenway Spring Food Festival: Noon to 4:00 p.m. Some of our favorite food trucks will be on hand. 
    • April 18 – The Swan Boats will sail out from under the bridge onto the Boston Public Garden Lagoon
    • April 26 – 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. - Fresh Paint, Sunday! "View Copley Society artist members at work creating their "fresh" canvases around the city."

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    Who Are all These Conventioneers?

    Here are the dates of conventions that will impact hotel pricing and availability:

    • April 9-10 – Boston National College Fair, estimated attendees – 15,000
    • April 16-18 – National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Meeting 2015, estimated attendees – 17,000
    • April 29-May 2 – American College of Physicians Internal Medicine 2015, estimated attendees - 7,000

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    Graduation Season kicks off on April 25th

    Every year, we publish a list of the spring graduation dates that make hotel and restaurant reservations harder to find in the weeks ahead. This year, we've added Wentworth Institute of Technology on April 25, 2015. If you need restaurant reservations or hotel rooms for friends and family from that date to June 5th, make them now. 

    You're up Next

    What are your favorite April events or things you look forward to doing in Boston in April? Add your thoughts in the comments below. Tweet them to @BostonZest or send us an email and we'll add your suggestions to this post as an update.

    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: © 2012-2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino  (graduation caps are from istockphoto.com)
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  • Shake Shack on Newbury Street

    We ran into a friend and her dog across the street from the new Shake Shack on Newbury Street a day after the grand opening. She asked where we were going for lunch and was surprised when we pointed to the burger place. "This is going to be a terrible thing for my diet," she said. 

    SM IMG_1631 shake shack tray copy

    Her whole family visit Shake Shack when they travel to see family in New York – now she has one a block from home. And, I know how she feels. I admit we went twice during opening week. 

    SM IMG_1637 shake shack Newbury copy

    We told you about our love for Shake Shack in Harvard Square. A menu check for this location shows that they offer beer and wine in addition to a great soft drink selection. And, the Shake Shack team has created special concretes (a blended ice cream drink) for the neighborhood. 

    IMG_8077 - Version 22015-03-03-park-bench-back-bay-boston© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    We dined-in on Newbury, but we can't wait to try out the patio (complete with a dog parking station) or to gather a bunch of dog walking pals and have a bench lunch on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall. The Collins Memorial is only a quarter mile from Shake Shack and makes a great place to gather a group for lunch or snacks.

    We were among the guests welcomed by Scott, the general manager, as he worked his way around the dining room on both visits. Merchants along the street have told us he has also stopped by to say hello to his neighbors. 

    IMG_8079 - Version 22015-03-03-park-bench-back-bay-boston© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    We may have to add a few miles a week to our walking goals but it will be worth it to have regular Shake Shack lunches. And, because it will make our Back Bay neighbors Jim and Jennifer Hill so happy when they hear it, we get to tell people Shake Shack on Newbury is, "Right across from KitchenWares and Reflections!"

    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: © 2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

  • Shake Shack on Newbury Street

    We ran into a friend and her dog across the street from the new Shake Shack on Newbury Street a day after the grand opening. She asked where we were going for lunch and was surprised when we pointed to the burger place. "This is going to be a terrible thing for my diet," she said. 

    SM IMG_1631 shake shack tray copy

    Her whole family visit Shake Shack when they travel to see family in New York – now she has one a block from home. And, I know how she feels. I admit we went twice during opening week. 

    SM IMG_1637 shake shack Newbury copy

    We told you about our love for Shake Shack in Harvard Square. A menu check for this location shows that they offer beer and wine in addition to a great soft drink selection. And, the Shake Shack team has created special concretes (a blended ice cream drink) for the neighborhood. 

    IMG_8077 - Version 22015-03-03-park-bench-back-bay-boston© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    We dined-in on Newbury, but we can't wait to try out the patio (complete with a dog parking station) or to gather a bunch of dog walking pals and have a bench lunch on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall. The Collins Memorial is only a quarter mile from Shake Shack and makes a great place to gather a group for lunch or snacks.

    We were among the guests welcomed by Scott, the general manager, as he worked his way around the dining room on both visits. Merchants along the street have told us he has also stopped by to say hello to his neighbors. 

    IMG_8079 - Version 22015-03-03-park-bench-back-bay-boston© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    We may have to add a few miles a week to our walking goals but it will be worth it to have regular Shake Shack lunches. And, because it will make our Back Bay neighbors Jim and Jennifer Hill so happy when they hear it, we get to tell people Shake Shack on Newbury is, "Right across from KitchenWares and Reflections!"

    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: © 2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

  • Ready or Not the Snow & Ice Will Fall

    CHE_6069 - Version 22015-03-09-snow-fall-preparation-back-bay-boston-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    This Commonwealth Avenue building set out some sacrificial boards to take the brunt of the snow slide to come.

    IMG_8090 - Version 22015-03-06-snow-fall-preparation-back-bay-boston-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    Elsewhere, on the avenue, this stairway was damaged. We passed when emergency crews were pumping water out of the basement.

    IMG_80862015-03-06-snow-fall-preparation-back-bay-boston-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    A few doors away, a banister was taken out by a seriously large icicle.

    IMG_8087 - Version 22015-03-06-snow-fall-preparation-back-bay-boston-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    Here are a few pieces of the ice that did that damage.

    IMG_8085 - Version 22015-03-04-snow-fall-preparation-back-bay-boston-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    Meanwhile, over on Newbury Street, we expected this snow formation to be short lived, but it survived for a few days last week.

    Ed suggested that maybe we should all be wearing hard hats.

    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: © 2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

  • Ready or Not the Snow & Ice Will Fall

    CHE_6069 - Version 22015-03-09-snow-fall-preparation-back-bay-boston-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    This Commonwealth Avenue building set out some sacrificial boards to take the brunt of the snow slide to come.

    IMG_8090 - Version 22015-03-06-snow-fall-preparation-back-bay-boston-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    Elsewhere, on the avenue, this stairway was damaged. We passed when emergency crews were pumping water out of the basement.

    IMG_80862015-03-06-snow-fall-preparation-back-bay-boston-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    A few doors away, a banister was taken out by a seriously large icicle.

    IMG_8087 - Version 22015-03-06-snow-fall-preparation-back-bay-boston-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    Here are a few pieces of the ice that did that damage.

    IMG_8085 - Version 22015-03-04-snow-fall-preparation-back-bay-boston-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    Meanwhile, over on Newbury Street, we expected this snow formation to be short lived, but it survived for a few days last week.

    Ed suggested that maybe we should all be wearing hard hats.

    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: © 2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino