Category: Places

Public Garden Lagoon Ice Mystery, Perhaps We’ve Found an Answer

Our daily walks often take a group of friends and their dogs on a loop around the lagoon in the Boston Public Garden. Over the past couple of weeks with the freeze/thaw cycles, we've all noticed a growing number of ice fragments scattered across the lagoon and wondered about their origin.

As the ice sparkled in the sun, another garden visitor speculated it might be a beautiful art installation. He had a point. It was stunning in this light.

There were areas of the lagoon that had a lot of these ice fragments and other sections that were free of them.

This area near the wall seemed to have some new fragments being pushed out from the ice sheet.

Theories were discussed each time we circled the pond. Was someone tossing these chunks onto the ice? We all agreed there were far too many for that explanation. Spray from duck and geese landings? Aliens?

We came home and set to researching this phenomenon. In the process, we found the site Lake Ice and learned more about ice on lakes and ponds than we could have ever imagined.

Our ice mystery might be brash ice. The ice glossary at Lake Ice describes this as, "… loose small pieces of ice floating in water or the same in refrozen form. The term is normally used with arctic ice but it applies to lake ice. It is common to see isolated pieces of thicker ice in a new, ice sheet. Usually these pieces are reasonably close to an ice edge."

Any ideas? Let us know.

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

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Growing Fond of the Boston Public Garden Fence

The Witch Hazel Thinks It's Spring!

January 20, 2017
Public Garden Lagoon Ice Mystery, Perhaps We’ve Found an Answer

Our daily walks often take a group of friends and their dogs on a loop around the lagoon in the Boston Public Garden. Over the past couple of weeks with the freeze/thaw cycles, we've all noticed a growing number of ice fragments scattered across the lagoon and wondered about their origin.

As the ice sparkled in the sun, another garden visitor speculated it might be a beautiful art installation. He had a point. It was stunning in this light.

There were areas of the lagoon that had a lot of these ice fragments and other sections that were free of them.

This area near the wall seemed to have some new fragments being pushed out from the ice sheet.

Theories were discussed each time we circled the pond. Was someone tossing these chunks onto the ice? We all agreed there were far too many for that explanation. Spray from duck and geese landings? Aliens?

We came home and set to researching this phenomenon. In the process, we found the site Lake Ice and learned more about ice on lakes and ponds than we could have ever imagined.

Our ice mystery might be brash ice. The ice glossary at Lake Ice describes this as, "… loose small pieces of ice floating in water or the same in refrozen form. The term is normally used with arctic ice but it applies to lake ice. It is common to see isolated pieces of thicker ice in a new, ice sheet. Usually these pieces are reasonably close to an ice edge."

Any ideas? Let us know.

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

Related articles

Growing Fond of the Boston Public Garden Fence

The Witch Hazel Thinks It's Spring!

January 20, 2017
Morning 5K with Hill Work on Boston Common’s Historic Beacon Mall- Then and Now!

I've been trying for an early morning 5K (3.1 miles) walk these days. My path is a loop that runs along Commonwealth Avenue from Massachusetts Avenue to the top of the Common (across from the State House) and back. You could jump in anywhere along this path and loop around to where you began to walk or run a 5K.

As you can see, a lot of people use the hill, officially called the Beacon Mall, for early morning exercise and as a walking commuter route. Thankfully this path had been clear and salted since the weekend storm.

Looks like back in the day [ca. 1873–1877], Bostonians would "take the air" and perhaps their "daily constitutional" along this path. (Lithograph from The Boston Public Library Collection)

Here's an 1865 photo from the top looking down from the Boston Public Library Collection.

Here is what it looked like as walkers and runners enjoyed the balmy day on Wednesday.

Look how lush and shady the Beacon Mall was in 1892! (Photo from the Boston Public Library Collection)

You can map any loop you like on Google maps. Just set the walking option and watch the mileage add up to something around 3.1 miles. My loop looks something like this.

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: © 2017 Penny Cherubino

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Getting Us Outside: Another Way Dogs Are Good for Us

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January 13, 2017
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!

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

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

December 26, 2016
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!

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?

December 26, 2016
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.

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

Related articles

SELECT Oyster Bar: Our First Taste

Notes on a New Year's Eve Toast with Bollinger Rosé
December 21, 2016
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.

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

Related articles

SELECT Oyster Bar: Our First Taste

Notes on a New Year's Eve Toast with Bollinger Rosé
December 21, 2016
“The willow which bends to the tempest …”

A lovely willow still providing us with color in December: Today In Boston! We must speak out for the Public Garden. There is one more hearing.

Save These "Shadow Hearings Dates," Boston's Historic Parks Need Your Voice

"The willow which bends to the tempest, often escapes better than the oak which resists it; and so in great calamities, it sometimes happens that light and frivolous spirits recover their elasticity and presence of mind sooner than those of a loftier character." Albert Schweitzer

About Today in Boston: We keep hearing that people miss our cover photos that ran for years in the Back Bay Sun. That assignment was to provide a photo that showed what the week was like in the neighborhood. Often the photos illustrated favorite quotations. Today in Boston is an occasional offering to our BostonZest readers featuring photos along the same theme but taken wherever we happen to be.

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: © 2016 Penny Cherubino

December 6, 2016
“The willow which bends to the tempest …”

A lovely willow still providing us with color in December: Today In Boston! We must speak out for the Public Garden. There is one more hearing.

Save These "Shadow Hearings Dates," Boston's Historic Parks Need Your Voice

"The willow which bends to the tempest, often escapes better than the oak which resists it; and so in great calamities, it sometimes happens that light and frivolous spirits recover their elasticity and presence of mind sooner than those of a loftier character." Albert Schweitzer

About Today in Boston: We keep hearing that people miss our cover photos that ran for years in the Back Bay Sun. That assignment was to provide a photo that showed what the week was like in the neighborhood. Often the photos illustrated favorite quotations. Today in Boston is an occasional offering to our BostonZest readers featuring photos along the same theme but taken wherever we happen to be.

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: © 2016 Penny Cherubino

December 6, 2016
“Snow isn’t just pretty. It also cleanses our world …”

George Washington crossing the snowy scene in the Public Garden this morning.

"Snow isn't just pretty. It also cleanses our world and our senses, not just of the soot and grime of a Fife mining town but also of a kind of weary familiarity, a taken-for-granted quality to which our eyes are all too susceptible." John Burnside, Scottish Writer

About Today in Boston: We keep hearing that people miss our cover photos that ran for years in the Back Bay Sun. That assignment was to provide a photo that showed what the week was like in the neighborhood. Often the photos illustrated favorite quotations. Today in Boston is an occasional offering to our BostonZest readers featuring photos along the same theme but taken wherever we happen to be.

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: © 2016 Penny Cherubino

Related articles

A Delicious Autumn Day: Today In Boston! – BostonZest

A New Day in the Public Garden – BostonZest

A lot of Color and a Bit of Frost in The Public Garden: Today In Boston! – BostonZest

"In order for the light to shine so brightly…" The Weekend Foliage Was Beautiful! – BostonZest

December 5, 2016