Who knew that I would love pickled celery? Isn't it wonderful when you discover a new taste that thrills you?
On a recent visit to Eastern Standard, I order the Ploughman's Lunch to go with my Gin & Tonic. The menu description said, "decade cheddar, pickles, pate maison." When my board arrived, it also had olives, radishes, grilled bread, and some greens. It was a perfect selection for my mood that day.
Then, I tasted the pickles. Cucumber, "very nice." Onion, "tasty." Celery, "who knew pickled celery was this good? Is pickled celery a new thing I had not yet discovered?"
Duchess Poppy Whitehead here! (Once we're friends, you can call me Poppy.)
Lately, I've been sniffing up with a lot of new members of the Boston Canine Court. So I thought I might let them, and the rest of the dogs who are new to Boston, know what they should put on the to-do list of their human servants.
License
Just like you have to make sure your chauffeur has a valid driver's license, you have to be sure one of your human staff members gets you a Boston dog license. (If Boston is your main residence and you are more than six months old.)
Please don't come running up to me on one of those long, thin, dangerous strings with a pulley. I'm a bit shy and I don't trust those things. You'll make me stamp my little paw down!
Boston's leash law is clearly stated on the city’s site, “When your dog is off your property, it must be on a leash.” City ordinance calls for a leash of 10-feet or less. That makes most retractable leashes technically illegal in Boston. If a person tries to attach one to you, growl at them.
One more interesting aspect of Boston’s dog rules is that while out with you, your retainers, if asked, must be able to show that they are carrying something to pick up dog waste. This makes city dog walks a prime reason to attach a roll of pick-up bags to your leash.
Even if your people use recycled bags to do the majority of clean ups, the roll will give them a back up supplies if you are stopped after your business is done, but the walk isn’t.
Sir Felix is one of my special knights. He prefers a leather leash or halter when he escorts me around the pond.
Dog Parks
I must admit, I'm not much of a dog park dog. I prefer a nice chat on a park bench or a picnic lunch under a shady tree.
But, for those who like to romp, the legal exceptions to the leash law are: the “official off-leash hours” on the Boston Common, and inside the fences at dog parks like Peter’s Park in the South End, DeFilippo Park in the North End, and Ronan Park in Dorchester.
Emergency Services
The one bit of guidance you must be sure your humans note is that Angell Animal Medical Center Emergency Services are available, as they say, “… every day of the year, 24 hours each day.” My people have their number on all our cell phones in case of an emergency. And, it can't hurt to have your chauffeur practice a drive to the location so he or she will know where you are going in a stressful time. You don't want to be giving the driver directions if you have an upset tummy.
Questions?
If you have questions about living in Boston, have your people send them to my people and I'll try to dig out answers. (I do love to dig.) Add your thoughts in the comments below. Tweet them to @BostonZest or send us an email.
Get to know all of the wonderful Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.
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!
Duchess Poppy Whitehead here! (Once we're friends, you can call me Poppy.)
Lately, I've been sniffing up with a lot of new members of the Boston Canine Court. So I thought I might let them, and the rest of the dogs who are new to Boston, know what they should put on the to-do list of their human servants.
License
Just like you have to make sure your chauffeur has a valid driver's license, you have to be sure one of your human staff members gets you a Boston dog license. (If Boston is your main residence and you are more than six months old.)
Please don't come running up to me on one of those long, thin, dangerous strings with a pulley. I'm a bit shy and I don't trust those things. You'll make me stamp my little paw down!
Boston's leash law is clearly stated on the city’s site, “When your dog is off your property, it must be on a leash.” City ordinance calls for a leash of 10-feet or less. That makes most retractable leashes technically illegal in Boston. If a person tries to attach one to you, growl at them.
One more interesting aspect of Boston’s dog rules is that while out with you, your retainers, if asked, must be able to show that they are carrying something to pick up dog waste. This makes city dog walks a prime reason to attach a roll of pick-up bags to your leash.
Even if your people use recycled bags to do the majority of clean ups, the roll will give them a back up supplies if you are stopped after your business is done, but the walk isn’t.
Sir Felix is one of my special knights. He prefers a leather leash or halter when he escorts me around the pond.
Dog Parks
I must admit, I'm not much of a dog park dog. I prefer a nice chat on a park bench or a picnic lunch under a shady tree.
But, for those who like to romp, the legal exceptions to the leash law are: the “official off-leash hours” on the Boston Common, and inside the fences at dog parks like Peter’s Park in the South End, DeFilippo Park in the North End, and Ronan Park in Dorchester.
Emergency Services
The one bit of guidance you must be sure your humans note is that Angell Animal Medical Center Emergency Services are available, as they say, “… every day of the year, 24 hours each day.” My people have their number on all our cell phones in case of an emergency. And, it can't hurt to have your chauffeur practice a drive to the location so he or she will know where you are going in a stressful time. You don't want to be giving the driver directions if you have an upset tummy.
Questions?
If you have questions about living in Boston, have your people send them to my people and I'll try to dig out answers. (I do love to dig.) Add your thoughts in the comments below. Tweet them to @BostonZest or send us an email.
Get to know all of the wonderful Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.
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!
Something like Select Oyster Bar's Black Mission Fig Tartinettes with Smoked Rhode Island Bluefish qualifies for one of our "Best Bite" posts when we have to work at not ordering it every time we visit the restaurant. Or, when we order it anyway after we promised ourselves we'd skip it this time and try other things on the menu.
The first time we tasted this menu item, Chef Michael Serpa brought a sample over for us to try. Since Penny can't have mayo, he explained that the bluefish was mixed with crème fraîche. The menu listing also mentions verjus and chives.
It not only became a frequent order from our seats at the bar, but also a fun photo subject.
While you may be tempted to dive right in for your first big bite, relax and enjoy the beauty of the colors and textures first. This is one good thing about taking food photos. It makes you think about the look of the dish and notice the work that the kitchen staff has put into presenting your food.
Not only will this be something we'll keep ordering for ourselves, but it also will be one of the shared items we'll make sure the table has when friends return from summer places and join us at this lovely addition to the Back Bay restaurant scene.
Since the menu at Select changes frequently, we did check with chef to be certain this dish would be around for a while. It will be. But with his creativity, it could have a bit of a change or twist here and there. We recommend you stop by for lunch one day soon and give this version your own taste test.
Something like Select Oyster Bar's Black Mission Fig Tartinettes with Smoked Rhode Island Bluefish qualifies for one of our "Best Bite" posts when we have to work at not ordering it every time we visit the restaurant. Or, when we order it anyway after we promised ourselves we'd skip it this time and try other things on the menu.
The first time we tasted this menu item, Chef Michael Serpa brought a sample over for us to try. Since Penny can't have mayo, he explained that the bluefish was mixed with crème fraîche. The menu listing also mentions verjus and chives.
It not only became a frequent order from our seats at the bar, but also a fun photo subject.
While you may be tempted to dive right in for your first big bite, relax and enjoy the beauty of the colors and textures first. This is one good thing about taking food photos. It makes you think about the look of the dish and notice the work that the kitchen staff has put into presenting your food.
Not only will this be something we'll keep ordering for ourselves, but it also will be one of the shared items we'll make sure the table has when friends return from summer places and join us at this lovely addition to the Back Bay restaurant scene.
Since the menu at Select changes frequently, we did check with chef to be certain this dish would be around for a while. It will be. But with his creativity, it could have a bit of a change or twist here and there. We recommend you stop by for lunch one day soon and give this version your own taste test.
Last month we told you that we love sparklers that are rich with Pinot Noir flavor. This one, a blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay, comes from a family collection that includes variations for different tastes. We've tried the others in the past, but this is the one we come back to when we want an inexpensive, fun glass of fizz.
(This photo courtesy of www.Blason.com)
You may find the brut, the rosé, or the reserve (which we have not found around here as of yet) more to your taste.
Sometimes your reason for buying a sparkling wine might not call for spending big bucks, but you still want good flavor and dependable bubbles. Blason delivers both. So sip it on a boat as you sail through September. Pack it for a picnic. Add it to a sangria base to create a sparkling sangria. Make mimosas for brunch or get creative with sparkling cocktails.
We hope you'll join us in our resolution to start each month with a glass of sparkling wine. Toast to something you're looking forward to in the month ahead or were thankful for in the month past.
Last month we told you that we love sparklers that are rich with Pinot Noir flavor. This one, a blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay, comes from a family collection that includes variations for different tastes. We've tried the others in the past, but this is the one we come back to when we want an inexpensive, fun glass of fizz.
(This photo courtesy of www.Blason.com)
You may find the brut, the rosé, or the reserve (which we have not found around here as of yet) more to your taste.
Sometimes your reason for buying a sparkling wine might not call for spending big bucks, but you still want good flavor and dependable bubbles. Blason delivers both. So sip it on a boat as you sail through September. Pack it for a picnic. Add it to a sangria base to create a sparkling sangria. Make mimosas for brunch or get creative with sparkling cocktails.
We hope you'll join us in our resolution to start each month with a glass of sparkling wine. Toast to something you're looking forward to in the month ahead or were thankful for in the month past.
If you want news that really matters to your life in Boston, you need to know about Universal Hub.
I have shortcuts to get to UH, as many fans call it, on every computer in the home, my iPhone and iPad. It's usually the first site I visit each morning. And, when I want to know what's going on: why traffic is stopped on Storrow Drive or why I'm hearing helicopters or non-stop sirens, I call up Adam Gaffin's @universalhub timeline on Twitter.
What's more, much of this hard work is done with a good dose of fun whenever possible. Some of the world's greatest punsters have been known to participate in a string of punny comments that will have you moaning in that good way that only bad puns can create.
Mainstream Media Failure
A few times this week, I've turned off the local news because more and more of these programs have become promotional vehicles for the station or the network. Or, they are filled with stories, from who knows where, about things that have no impact on your life. Why? Because they have video and because they are really about entertainment rather than news.
Instead of a half hour of news, you get three minutes of news, endless sports blather, and lots of hype. They just take the feed from the network to fill the time. If I want local news, I have to turn to sites like UH.
Support Universal Hub
As with many other sites, Universal Hub is supported by advertising, affiliate programs, and contributions.
Last year Adam added a link that asks readers,
"Help keep Universal Hub going. If you like what we're up to and want to help out, please consider a (completely non-deductible) donation."
You'll find the place to click by scrolling down in the right hand sidebar. The next time you get a great, timely, local answer to your question, "What's going on right now in Boston?" click the link and drop a few coins in the UH tip jar.
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!
If you want news that really matters to your life in Boston, you need to know about Universal Hub.
I have shortcuts to get to UH, as many fans call it, on every computer in the home, my iPhone and iPad. It's usually the first site I visit each morning. And, when I want to know what's going on: why traffic is stopped on Storrow Drive or why I'm hearing helicopters or non-stop sirens, I call up Adam Gaffin's @universalhub timeline on Twitter.
What's more, much of this hard work is done with a good dose of fun whenever possible. Some of the world's greatest punsters have been known to participate in a string of punny comments that will have you moaning in that good way that only bad puns can create.
Mainstream Media Failure
A few times this week, I've turned off the local news because more and more of these programs have become promotional vehicles for the station or the network. Or, they are filled with stories, from who knows where, about things that have no impact on your life. Why? Because they have video and because they are really about entertainment rather than news.
Instead of a half hour of news, you get three minutes of news, endless sports blather, and lots of hype. They just take the feed from the network to fill the time. If I want local news, I have to turn to sites like UH.
Support Universal Hub
As with many other sites, Universal Hub is supported by advertising, affiliate programs, and contributions.
Last year Adam added a link that asks readers,
"Help keep Universal Hub going. If you like what we're up to and want to help out, please consider a (completely non-deductible) donation."
You'll find the place to click by scrolling down in the right hand sidebar. The next time you get a great, timely, local answer to your question, "What's going on right now in Boston?" click the link and drop a few coins in the UH tip jar.
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!
to your leash.
from here to support this site!
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