Category: Very inexpensive or FREE!

North Bennet Street School Open House in Their New Facility

We've told you about the open houses held at North Bennet Street School in the past. This Boston treasure trove is a place that turns dreams into reality. We have November 14 & 15 marked on our calendars because we can't wait to see the new facility at 150 North Street.

They say:

"Aspiring furniture makers, bookbinders, carpenters, jewelry makers – or those merely curious about the process of making beautiful things by hand – are invited to a special behind-the-scenes look at one of America's oldest schools of craftsmanship during a two-day open house at North Bennet Street School’s new facility at 150 North Street in Boston's historic North End."

We say:

This is a great way to spend some time meeting people who have gone after their dreams. Who knows, a door may open for you and you'll become a student. Or, perhaps you'll decide to explore one of the fine crafts they teach at a workshop or short course.

Or, you may decide to put someone's feet on the path to their dream with a North Bennet Street School gift certificate as a holiday gift.

Everything You Need to Know to Visit

As always, when the school provides us with information for an upcoming event, they think of all the little details that make it easy for our readers to get there and enjoy their visit.

Who: North Bennet Street School

What: Annual Open House and Open Studios

Where: 150 North Street, Boston, MA 02109 (North End, just off the Rose Kennedy Greenway)

When: Friday, November 14, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm; Saturday, November 15, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Cost: FREE

Handicap Access: Yes

Parking: Limited street parking (metered) and discounted parking at the Parcel 7 garage – http://www.nbss.edu/about/the-boston-area/visit/index.aspx#

Nearest T stop: Haymarket (Orange, Green lines)

Directions: via Google maps – http://goo.gl/maps/97sY4

More Open House details: www.nbss.edu/openhouse

More about NBSS full-time programs and workshops: http://www.nbss.edu

Contact: 617-227-0155 and admissions@nbss.edu

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: by Maureen Cotton, Courtesy of North Bennet Street School

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November 14, 2014
Roslindale: Open Studios & More Is Our Friday Link

On one of our many visits to the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, Penny picked up a flier for the 10th Annual Roslindale Open Studios to be held this weekend. (November 1st and 2nd from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.)

This is a great opportunity to explore Roslindale, one of Boston's "hidden treasure villages." We love this place – lots of great food and small businesses.

If you go on Saturday, you can add the Roslindale Farmers' Market to the mix. We haven't posted about this market for a while, but it's still going strong with a great group of vendors. Here's our post from a few years ago.

A Food Lovers Destination

We've also covered a few wonderful food spots that are still going strong:

Fornax Bread Company is a must stop for all bread-a-holics like Ed.

Romano's, where we recommend getting tacos from a pizzeria.

Boston Cheese Cellar is another must stop to put on your walking map.

While this may not be a typical tourist destination, it is a great outing for someone who wants to discover a new corner of the city.

What's on your Artistic Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your arts & craft needs and support this site!

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: Courtesy of Roslindale Open Studios & Roslindale Farmers Market, Other photos Penny Cherubino

October 31, 2014
Plan a Fall Photowalk with Your Sunday Dog & Your Dog Pals

The radiant colors of fall in Boston call us outdoors. If you are lucky enough to have a dog to walk, you can spend hours wandering the streets and parks.

Your pup will sniff the fallen leaves and you can pull out a phone or camera to record memories of your time together.

Pick a Destination

We walk the Commonwealth Avenue Mall daily and never cease to be rewarded with gorgeous sights as the seasons pass. Slow down, look around, and you can find beauty in many corners of our city. All that green that sets us apart from cities with more pavement and concrete will blaze into color in the weeks ahead.

Call a few dog walking pals and you can quickly organize a day of fun for your whole gang. Suggest that everyone bring cameras or use their phones to take and share some photos of the day.

My favorite photos of me with my Westie Maggie Mae were taken by a friend when we were out on a walk together. She caught a candid shot of me holding Maggie with big smiles on both our faces, printed it, tucked it into an album, and gave it to me for my birthday. I had it framed and it is on display on my bookshelf. Now that Maggie is gone, it’s a precious memory of a happy day with her.

Photowalks Are Fun

It’s not about who has the best camera or who knows how to choose all the manual settings. It’s about collecting views, visions, and vistas. It’s about recording happy moments, shared laughs, and memories.

If ten people walk through the Public Garden and take ten photos of people sitting enjoying the scene with their dogs, those photos will all be different and will tell ten stories from ten perspectives.

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!

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

October 26, 2014
A Sunset Sail on the Charles

This crew from MIT enjoyed the last hour of light shining on the river and through their red sail.

There are a couple more Monday Night sailing events (October 20th & 27th, 2014) out of the MIT sailing pavilion. It's fun to watch these skilled sailors compete from either the Boston or Cambridge shore.

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!

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2014 Penny Cherubino

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What's Happening in Boston in October 2014

October 20, 2014
What’s Happening in Boston in October 2014

October 2014 is going to be a busy, busy month in Boston with lots of visitors and many events.

Fall Foliage Season

You'll see visitors walking along staring at our trees. The fall foliage travel season is underway and Boston is the starting point for many tourists coming to New England for leaf peeping.

Here's one of our posts with links to resources for those who would like to get out and enjoy the foliage with a link that we'll update as the season progresses.

Fall Foliage Links & Resources

Columbus Day Weekend & Big Conventions

October 13th is Columbus Day, a holiday, and a three day weekend. Around here lots of people travel this weekend. Sort of the last blast of summer weekends. You'll find higher rates and lots of events taking place October 11th to the 13th. Tomorrow, we'll post a resource page on what's open on Columbus day, MBTA schedule changes, parking, and trash schedules.

There is also a large (10,000 employee benefit managers) convention that weekend. Other big convention dates are October 2nd (small business owners), 20th-22nd (Neurologial Surgeons), and 28th-30th (Architecture Boston.)

October Events

October 18th-19th is the Head of the Charles Regatta. It will draw 11,000 athletes and 400,000 spectators. If you have visitors coming to town, prices will be out of sight or unavailable. And, if you need a restaurant reservation that weekend, make it now!

Columbus Day is one of those holidays when, for a lot of people, it's "business as usual." Even the stock market is open. But, if you have the day off, you might enjoy a visit to Opening Our Doors 2014 in the Fenway Cultural District.

Last Visits to Season Favorites

Some of our favorite seasonal spots reduce their hours and begin to close as the cooler temperatures arrive. We'll make one more trip to Jake's Seafood before they take the winter off. They have fall hours in effect, so check the website before you drive to Hull.

More Local Tips on Trip Advisor

While we only cover topics and events that interest us, the team of local destination experts over on Trip Advisor have a much wider scope. Here's their take on what's happening this October from a topic that Penny started with some of the same information prepared for this post.

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!

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino

October 2, 2014
Edible Boston’s Fall 2014 Issue Is Available

You'll find copies of the fall 2014 Issue of Edible Boston with its dark, moody cover photo of apples at some of the best places for local food and drink in the area. The arrival of my preview copy always brings a smile to a busy day.

As reader's know by now, I'm a devoted fan of this publication and especially the photography and photographers selected by this team. Like editor Ilene Bezahler, I have apples on my mind this time of year.

This issue is filled with photos like this one that speaks of the days of less light that are on their way to our Boston area lives.

News and Deeper Coverage

The fall issue also has a portrait of Kate Stillman. It leads into the article, Taking Control: Stillman's at the Turkey Farm Builds an Abattoir. Those of us who chat with Kate on a regular basis have heard step-by-step the long, difficult process that led to having her own facility to slaughter and process some of the animals they raise. Author Andrea Pyenson and photographer Katie Noble have told the story for everyone who enjoys Stillman's meat.

If you've always dreamed of a backyard brick oven, they have a feature for you – From Beehive to Barrel: A Tale of Two Ovens.

And back to those apples. This issue offers a feature on Far from the Tree Cider.

How do you support a publisher like Ilene Bezahler and her remarkably talented team?

First, pick up a copy of the magazine at one of these locations. In fact, pick up two copies and share one with a food loving friend or leave it where someone might discover it among lesser publications and become a new fan.

May I suggest that you let their sponsors know you saw them in the magazine and grab an extra copy and get it to someone else who cares about supporting the local food movement. Also, if you have a blog, twitter account, or facebook page, write about them, link to them, follow them, retweet their tweets, like them on facebook, and in general, spread the word about this great asset to our community.

And, to be sure you never miss an issue, you can subscribe over on their website!

You can also buy the Edible cookbook! Edible: A Celebration of Local Foods as a bargain book or find more local food in the The Boston Homegrown Cookbook.

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Words: Penny Cherubino
Artwork: Courtesy of Edible Boston

September 29, 2014
This Wine Chiller Works for Both Champagne & Skinny Bottles

We love this wine chiller! We found it when we were searching for a larger chiller for our beloved sparkling wine bottles. It's called a Rapid Ice Champagne Cooler.

We were delighted when we realized it was also the perfect chiller for oddly shaped and skinny wine bottles like the rosé shown in the photo above. That little drawstring with a button lock lets you snug the chiller tightly around the neck of any bottle. That means you can lift and pour without removing the bottle from the sleeve.

We like it so much, we've bought a second one. That means it can make a wonderful gift for a host or hostess or a thank you gift for a wine lover. Even if someone has one, they can use another!

Want to learn more about wine? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! Here are three of our favorite wine books.

The Food Lover's Guide to Wine

The New Wine Lover's Companion

The Wine Bible

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2014 Penny Cherubino

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September 25, 2014
Thanks to the Flower People

We walk a lot, miles and miles each week. And, as we walk, we enjoy the work of all the people who bring brilliant color to Boston neighborhoods with their flower power. Walking and enjoying the gardens is free fun for many Boston residents and visitors.

This glorious morning glory is in a friend's front yard. I remember one year when she was so disappointed because her morning glory vines didn't bloom. They made up for it this year with an explosion of velvety purple trumpets.

The pale pink of these geraniums popped against the brick of a South End townhouse where someone had a great sense of floral design.

It was a hard year for hydrangeas. Some didn't bloom at all after the winter deep freeze. It makes me wonder about the special care this one had at the hands of a dedicated gardener. This bloom on the shady side of Commonweatlh Aveune was the size of a large cabbage.

Thanks to all who labor in gardens and add to the scene as neighbors and vistors enjoy walking the residential streets of Boston.

What's on your Garden Lover's shopping list? Shop Amazon from here for all your garden, roof deck, and patio needs and support this site!

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Words: Penny Cherubino
Photos: ©2014 Penny Cherubino

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September 23, 2014
Flu Vaccination Information Update for 2014 – 2015 Season
UPDATE: Latest Flu Vaccination Information … Boston Area Resources to Find a Flu Shot

Here's the latest Flu Shot information. We've compiled a list of sources to help in your search for, and understanding of, this season's vaccination.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reminds us that, “There are several flu vaccine options for the 2014-2015 flu season.” Besides the usual trivalent vaccines designed to protect against three different flu viruses, there are quadrivalent vaccines meant to protect against four different flu viruses. >>More Information Here

In this post, you'll also find assistance from federal, state, and local authorities – including medical institutions and retail stores. There are sites to track flu activity, plus suggestions that could help save you time and money.

As always, check with your doctor or other healthcare professionals for any flu-related advice.

Do federal, state, and city health officials have any updates on flu or flu vaccinations?
- Get all the latest facts on the 2014-2015 Flu Season and this year's vaccine @ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Massachusetts Health and Human Services is continuing its Flu Facts site. Learn more here.
- Commonwealth Conversations: Public Health has a Weekly Flu Report.
Where can I get a flu vaccination in the Boston area?
- Here's a search box made available to us by the U.S. Department of Health. Just enter your Zip Code, tap go, and you'll have a map of options.
- The Boston Public Health Commission lists the Latest Flu Clinics.
Where can I get a flu vaccination in the surrounding area?
- MyLocalClinic.com
More information below the ad.

Whether you're waiting in line for a flu shot or taking an easy day with a headcold, an Amazon Kindle makes a great companion. Buy new books on the fly, dig into your archive to re-read old favorites. And, thank you to everyone who supports the compiling of information like this by beginning all their Amazon shopping from BostonZest. It doesn't cost you a penny more, but it does put a few pennies in our pockets.

What's the level of flu activity in our area?
- Google flu trends will give you the current level of flu activity in Massachusetts.
- More on regional flu activity: Here.
More details below...
- Some Pharmacies have flu vaccine, including CVS, Walgreens, and RiteAid.
- If you haven't checked lately, this might be a good time to consult with your primary care physician for the latest flu shot information.
- Whichever flu shot location you choose, we recommend that you call the site directly before going.
Here's a link to information on caring for someone with the flu and preventing the spread of the disease.

And, for a friend suffering from a bad cold or the flu, remember Chicken Soup for a Sick Friend!

Follow us on Twitter for alerts when we update this article.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photo Credit: James Gathany, courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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September 19, 2014
People Watching: Marsh Chapel Cloister

The cloisters beside Marsh Chapel at Boston University are a great place for people watching.

There is a constant flow of people …

on their way to appointments, classes …

or exercise.

This space attracts such an interesting mix of people.

We've grown more attached to this clositer since discovering that it was designed and built by Raphael Guastavino.

We learned about this brilliant man and his famous arches when we wrote about the Boston Public Library's Exhibition, "Palaces for The People."

Do you have a favorite people watching place? Share in the comments and we might just share photos from your place with our readers.

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.

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

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September 11, 2014