Category: We recommend!

Where is human nature so weak as…

"Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore?"

Henry Ward Beecher – US abolitionist & clergyman (1813 – 1887)

This customer brought his own seat. He didn't realize that he could have stacked up a pile of books as a seat or a table.

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!

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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.

October 8, 2013
On Vacation with Mas de Daumas Gassac Rosé Frizant

While on a late summer vacation in Provincetown, we were introduced to an amazing bottle of wine – Mas de Daumas Gassac Rosé Frizant. Ptown is a perfect place to search out a special sparkler, especially one that further enhances the feeling of being in such a beautiful place (no small task).

On one of our walks through town, we stopped into a wine shop hoping to uncover a gem. We picked up what looked like an interesting bottle and heard, "It's my favorite wine in the store, right now!" It was Jerry, official wine geek at Glass Half Full on Commercial Street in Provincetown, and we soon learned that he has very good taste!

Realizing we'd found a sparkling wine with a singular taste (90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Manseng), we had to share a taste with our vacationing neighbors. They were so impressed that everyone planned on buying some the next day. The best comment was from the woman who put down her just emptied glass and simply said, "Lovely."

The winemaker says, “A genuine rosé wine … with lively fine bubbles … smooth fruity aromas … ideal apéritif, delightful with desserts … very fresh thanks to its low alcohol content.” (11 % by Vol.)

Ellis Wharton Wines calls this rosé, "A pretty, sparkling, and uplifting pink … less intense fruit from young vines."

Even if you’re not on vacation, when you taste this amazing sparkler, you’ll feel as though you are. And, we can’t think of a better way to ring in a new month. Cheers!

Our Monthly Tradition began with a Sparkling Resolution!

Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

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: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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.

October 1, 2013
On Vacation with Mas de Daumas Gassac Rosé Frizant

While on a late summer vacation in Provincetown, we were introduced to an amazing bottle of wine – Mas de Daumas Gassac Rosé Frizant. Ptown is a perfect place to search out a special sparkler, especially one that further enhances the feeling of being in such a beautiful place (no small task).

On one of our walks through town, we stopped into a wine shop hoping to uncover a gem. We picked up what looked like an interesting bottle and heard, "It's my favorite wine in the store, right now!" It was Jerry, official wine geek at Glass Half Full on Commercial Street in Provincetown, and we soon learned that he has very good taste!

Realizing we'd found a sparkling wine with a singular taste (90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Manseng), we had to share a taste with our vacationing neighbors. They were so impressed that everyone planned on buying some the next day. The best comment was from the woman who put down her just emptied glass and simply said, "Lovely."

The winemaker says, “A genuine rosé wine … with lively fine bubbles … smooth fruity aromas … ideal apéritif, delightful with desserts … very fresh thanks to its low alcohol content.” (11 % by Vol.)

Ellis Wharton Wines calls this rosé, "A pretty, sparkling, and uplifting pink … less intense fruit from young vines."

Even if you’re not on vacation, when you taste this amazing sparkler, you’ll feel as though you are. And, we can’t think of a better way to ring in a new month. Cheers!

Our Monthly Tradition began with a Sparkling Resolution!

Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

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: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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.

October 1, 2013
On Vacation with Mas de Daumas Gassac Rosé Frizant

While on a late summer vacation in Provincetown, we were introduced to an amazing bottle of wine – Mas de Daumas Gassac Rosé Frizant. Ptown is a perfect place to search out a special sparkler, especially one that further enhances the feeling of being in such a beautiful place (no small task).

On one of our walks through town, we stopped into a wine shop hoping to uncover a gem. We picked up what looked like an interesting bottle and heard, "It's my favorite wine in the store, right now!" It was Jerry, official wine geek at Glass Half Full on Commercial Street in Provincetown, and we soon learned that he has very good taste!

Realizing we'd found a sparkling wine with a singular taste (90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Manseng), we had to share a taste with our vacationing neighbors. They were so impressed that everyone planned on buying some the next day. The best comment was from the woman who put down her just emptied glass and simply said, "Lovely."

The winemaker says, “A genuine rosé wine … with lively fine bubbles … smooth fruity aromas … ideal apéritif, delightful with desserts … very fresh thanks to its low alcohol content.” (11 % by Vol.)

Ellis Wharton Wines calls this rosé, "A pretty, sparkling, and uplifting pink … less intense fruit from young vines."

Even if you’re not on vacation, when you taste this amazing sparkler, you’ll feel as though you are. And, we can’t think of a better way to ring in a new month. Cheers!

Our Monthly Tradition began with a Sparkling Resolution!

Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

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: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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.

October 1, 2013
What’s Happening during October 2013 in the Boston Area
Here's an edited version of a subject that Penny posted over on the Trip Advisor Boston Forum. Many visitors don't understand why hotel prices are sometimes higher one week than the next and why restaurant reservations may be hard to obtain.

Foliage on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall

As other locals and destination experts added to the list, we discovered the conversation was useful to us, too. So, we're sharing the highlights for us with our BostonZest readers.

Foliage can be beautiful right here in Boston

Fall Foliage is a big tourist draw throughout the month and is fun for all of us, too.

Screenshot courtesy of the Fenway Cultural District

October 14th, Opening Our Doors 2013 with lot's of free admission and special happenings in the Fenway Cultural District.

Racers at the Head of the Charles Regatta

October 19th-20th – The Head of the Charles Regatta will jam hotels throughout the region and is a wonderful spectator event. An estimated 9,000 participants and 300,000 spectators are expected to attend.
- From a couple of years ago, here's a post we did on the event: 3 Things I Didn’t Know About the Head of the Charles – Our Friday Link
Lots of things that are of interest to other Bostonians and visitors will be added to the trip advisor conversation so be sure to click over there for more ideas.

Add what you love to do in October to the comments section! Save this page and we'll update it as the month goes on.

Thanks to everyone who hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support. It doesn't cost you any more but they put a few coins in our tip jar.

What's on your Fall Shopping List. Click here for Fall Season Savings over at Amazon.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2011-2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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.
September 30, 2013
What’s Happening during October 2013 in the Boston Area
Here's an edited version of a subject that Penny posted over on the Trip Advisor Boston Forum. Many visitors don't understand why hotel prices are sometimes higher one week than the next and why restaurant reservations may be hard to obtain.

Foliage on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall

As other locals and destination experts added to the list, we discovered the conversation was useful to us, too. So, we're sharing the highlights for us with our BostonZest readers.

Foliage can be beautiful right here in Boston

Fall Foliage is a big tourist draw throughout the month and is fun for all of us, too.

Screenshot courtesy of the Fenway Cultural District

October 14th, Opening Our Doors 2013 with lot's of free admission and special happenings in the Fenway Cultural District.

Racers at the Head of the Charles Regatta

October 19th-20th – The Head of the Charles Regatta will jam hotels throughout the region and is a wonderful spectator event. An estimated 9,000 participants and 300,000 spectators are expected to attend.
- From a couple of years ago, here's a post we did on the event: 3 Things I Didn’t Know About the Head of the Charles – Our Friday Link
Lots of things that are of interest to other Bostonians and visitors will be added to the trip advisor conversation so be sure to click over there for more ideas.

Add what you love to do in October to the comments section! Save this page and we'll update it as the month goes on.

Thanks to everyone who hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support. It doesn't cost you any more but they put a few coins in our tip jar.

What's on your Fall Shopping List. Click here for Fall Season Savings over at Amazon.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2011-2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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.
September 30, 2013
What’s Happening during October 2013 in the Boston Area
Here's an edited version of a subject that Penny posted over on the Trip Advisor Boston Forum. Many visitors don't understand why hotel prices are sometimes higher one week than the next and why restaurant reservations may be hard to obtain.

Foliage on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall

As other locals and destination experts added to the list, we discovered the conversation was useful to us, too. So, we're sharing the highlights for us with our BostonZest readers.

Foliage can be beautiful right here in Boston

Fall Foliage is a big tourist draw throughout the month and is fun for all of us, too.

Screenshot courtesy of the Fenway Cultural District

October 14th, Opening Our Doors 2013 with lot's of free admission and special happenings in the Fenway Cultural District.

Racers at the Head of the Charles Regatta

October 19th-20th – The Head of the Charles Regatta will jam hotels throughout the region and is a wonderful spectator event. An estimated 9,000 participants and 300,000 spectators are expected to attend.
- From a couple of years ago, here's a post we did on the event: 3 Things I Didn’t Know About the Head of the Charles – Our Friday Link
Lots of things that are of interest to other Bostonians and visitors will be added to the trip advisor conversation so be sure to click over there for more ideas.

Add what you love to do in October to the comments section! Save this page and we'll update it as the month goes on.

Thanks to everyone who hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support. It doesn't cost you any more but they put a few coins in our tip jar.

What's on your Fall Shopping List. Click here for Fall Season Savings over at Amazon.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2011-2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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.
September 30, 2013
The Apple Lover’s CookBook by Amy Traverso
As the displays of apples grow abundant at local farmers' markets and farm stands, I've pulled my copy of The Apple Lover's Cookbook by Amy Traverso from the shelf. In addition to page after page of tempting recipes, this book is just plain good reading. What's more, it's a perfect reference book for apple season.

Food lovers are familiar with Amy Traverso's writing from the Boston Globe, Salon, Travel + Leisure, and Yankee Magazine where she was Lifestyle Editor.

The Apple Lover's Cookbook begins with an in depth reference section including an "Apple Varieties Primer" that has me reaching for apples I've never tried before with a surprising degree of skill.

Next comes a section of "Cooking Tips and Pantry Notes." This will answer many of the questions that will run through your mind as you begin cooking or baking with the recipes.

Here are a few of the recipes that already have Post-it flags permanently in place on my copy:
- Autumn "Coleslaw" with Dates, Apples, and Pecans
- Cider-Glazed Root Vegetables
- Squash and Apple Gratin
- Sausage with Braised Cabbage and Apples
- Baked Apple Oatmeal Pudding
- Apple Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce
- Lowfat Gingerbread Applesauce Cake
Sprinkled throughout is the background information Amy gleaned visiting orchards and meeting the people who grow this splendid fruit. This is a book you will want to add to your collection and that you will pull out and keep at hand each autumn.

If you like this book you might also enjoy Amy's work in Yankee's Lost & Vintage Recipes.

What else is on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Coverart from W.W. Norton & Company, Publishers
September 25, 2013
The Apple Lover’s CookBook by Amy Traverso
As the displays of apples grow abundant at local farmers' markets and farm stands, I've pulled my copy of The Apple Lover's Cookbook by Amy Traverso from the shelf. In addition to page after page of tempting recipes, this book is just plain good reading. What's more, it's a perfect reference book for apple season.

Food lovers are familiar with Amy Traverso's writing from the Boston Globe, Salon, Travel + Leisure, and Yankee Magazine where she was Lifestyle Editor.

The Apple Lover's Cookbook begins with an in depth reference section including an "Apple Varieties Primer" that has me reaching for apples I've never tried before with a surprising degree of skill.

Next comes a section of "Cooking Tips and Pantry Notes." This will answer many of the questions that will run through your mind as you begin cooking or baking with the recipes.

Here are a few of the recipes that already have Post-it flags permanently in place on my copy:
- Autumn "Coleslaw" with Dates, Apples, and Pecans
- Cider-Glazed Root Vegetables
- Squash and Apple Gratin
- Sausage with Braised Cabbage and Apples
- Baked Apple Oatmeal Pudding
- Apple Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce
- Lowfat Gingerbread Applesauce Cake
Sprinkled throughout is the background information Amy gleaned visiting orchards and meeting the people who grow this splendid fruit. This is a book you will want to add to your collection and that you will pull out and keep at hand each autumn.

If you like this book you might also enjoy Amy's work in Yankee's Lost & Vintage Recipes.

What else is on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Coverart from W.W. Norton & Company, Publishers
September 25, 2013
The Apple Lover’s CookBook by Amy Traverso
As the displays of apples grow abundant at local farmers' markets and farm stands, I've pulled my copy of The Apple Lover's Cookbook by Amy Traverso from the shelf. In addition to page after page of tempting recipes, this book is just plain good reading. What's more, it's a perfect reference book for apple season.

Food lovers are familiar with Amy Traverso's writing from the Boston Globe, Salon, Travel + Leisure, and Yankee Magazine where she was Lifestyle Editor.

The Apple Lover's Cookbook begins with an in depth reference section including an "Apple Varieties Primer" that has me reaching for apples I've never tried before with a surprising degree of skill.

Next comes a section of "Cooking Tips and Pantry Notes." This will answer many of the questions that will run through your mind as you begin cooking or baking with the recipes.

Here are a few of the recipes that already have Post-it flags permanently in place on my copy:
- Autumn "Coleslaw" with Dates, Apples, and Pecans
- Cider-Glazed Root Vegetables
- Squash and Apple Gratin
- Sausage with Braised Cabbage and Apples
- Baked Apple Oatmeal Pudding
- Apple Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce
- Lowfat Gingerbread Applesauce Cake
Sprinkled throughout is the background information Amy gleaned visiting orchards and meeting the people who grow this splendid fruit. This is a book you will want to add to your collection and that you will pull out and keep at hand each autumn.

If you like this book you might also enjoy Amy's work in Yankee's Lost & Vintage Recipes.

What else is on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Coverart from W.W. Norton & Company, Publishers
September 25, 2013