Category: Resources

Emerald Necklace Conservancy, Our Friday Link

Living in Boston, you think you know all about the Emerald Necklace, the glorious string of parks created by Frederick Law Olmsted between 1878 and 1896. But, how many of these parks have you explored? This spring, we suggest you pick a section of the necklace that you haven't visited and spend some time there.

The Emerald Necklace Conservancy site has a wealth of information about the parks. Explore their site and then get out and see the parks in person.

Slowly, even these treasured places are being destroyed by special interest groups who insist on having passive areas and natural open spaces chopped up to create dedicated spaces for one type of park user.

Enjoy them while you can before every inch is filled with playgrounds, ball fields, tennis courts, statues, memorials, and special gardens. Olmsted knew the value of passive places and time spent with nature. It's sad that many who admire his work today don't understand that concept.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

March 23, 2012
Easter Sunday Dining Reservations 2012

Those in the know already have reservations for Easter brunch and dinner. This is one of the big days for dining out, and popular restaurants will fill their tables for Sunday April 8, 2012, quickly.

First up, the list of places that organize information about Easter reservations and special offerings.

Open Table seems to have the most complete information, and you can click right through to make reservations. They also give you some idea of prices and special menus. And, you'll find a few places that are offering their regular menus as well.

Boston Chef's offers a place to look at the offerings from their member chefs and restaurants.

Gayot lists favorite brunches at places like Henrietta's Table in Cambridge.

Next a few places we picked from these lists

To meet up with family who don't want to come into the city, consider AKA Bistro in Lincoln. We're happy to see that they're offering their regular brunch menu in addition to some Easter specials. The nearby deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum is the perfect place to walk off your brunch and take Easter photos.

Turner Fisheries Restaurant & Bar says, "For a Bountiful New England Seafood Buffet–visit us on Easter Sunday from 10am-3pm. We'll feature the freshest seafood and traditional Easter Sunday favorites." If you have a seafood lover in your family or typical Easter brunch is not your favorite meal, this could be an alternative.

Craigie on Main in Cambridge has a special prix fixe, three-course brunch but it was nice to discover that Chef Tony Maws is also offering some Passover favorites on April 6-7.

Don't be surprised if some places require a credit card to secure the reservation. This is the type of holiday when people may book multiple restaurants and decide where to go at the last moment. That can cause the restaurant to turn away other potential customers.

One thing we would look for, if we were dining out on a holiday, is a place that is offering its regular menu for the day. That's always a plus for us. We're not fans of special menus.

If you know of places where the regular menu will be served, let us know. If it's a place we can recommend, we'll add it to our list.

Opting Out of Easter

If this holiday stuff is really not part of your life, this is a great day to go ethnic. Chinatown will be wide open and filled with great menu options. Your neighborhood Indian, Korean, Chinese, or Persian restaurant will be happy to feed you. And, most BBQ and Pizza places do not have Easter menus.

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Don't miss an Easter photo opportunity. This Canon G12 digital camera kit will give you what you need to take stills and video of your Easter celebration. Canon's G series is our all-time favorite for everyday cameras. We own the G10 and G11. They're a little bigger than the compacts most people use, but let you shoot with automatic settings or easy-to-use manual controls that please the many pros who use them as second cameras. And, if you are ready to turn pro, follow our lead. We just added the Nikon D7000 Digital SLR to our camera fleet and are extremely happy with the performance it has delivered.

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Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino

Photos: from iStockphoto.com

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 comments 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 out of comments.

March 21, 2012
Tracking a Boston Marathon Runner 2012

UPDATE: Tracking a Boston Marathon Runner 2016

Here's how to track a friend or any runner competing in the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 16, 2012.

Whether you're following a leader, or a happy middle-of-the-pack pal, the computer chips worn by the runners will allow you follow their progress.

The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) Website explains:

The B.A.A. will post split times to its website during the race. This feature, complete with search access directions, will not show up on their official site until race day.

To learn how to Track a Boston Marathon Runner, Click Here then select, “Q: How can family members at home track me in the Boston Marathon?”

Mobile Phone Alert System

The Boston Athletic Association also has set up the "AT&T Athlete Alert Program." It allows you to receive updates on a runner’s progress. Here’s how to sign-up!

Where are the Leaders & Crowd Favorites?

For a rough idea of where the race leaders are, in relation to your viewing position, watch the sky for the helicopters that hover above them.

For favorites (like two-time Boston champion Joan Benoit Samuelson in the 2011 photo above) you must rely on the roar of the crowd as they approach. Or, you can track your favorite by using the mobile alert system.

Related Posts: A collection of tips for Marathon weekends

Parking Your Car for Boston Marathon Weekend 2012

Routes for Visiting Runners – Boston Marathon Weekend 2012

Work Out on a Public Parcouse along the Charles River

How to Get to the Esplanade from Boston

What’s Open in Boston on Patriots’ Day 2012

Do you have enough memory for all the photos you'll want to shoot at the Boston Marathon? Do you need a new camera for the race? Begin your shopping by Click righ here to check the prices at Amazon on great items like Transcend SDHC Flash Memory Cards and our favorite cameras the Canon G12 Digital Camera and the Nikon D300s & NIKKOR 18-200mm Lens.

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Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) Website
Words: Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2011 Penny Cherubino

March 19, 2012
Saint Patrick’s Day All Year Round, Adams Village Dorchester
Anytime you feel like wearin' the green or enjoying a taste of Ireland, you can visit Adams Village in Dorchester. Since we prefer our celebrations to be low key and without the crowds, we went last weekend.

Our visit began with an Irish Farmer's Breakfast at Sonny's Pub & Restaurant. Unlike many Irish pubs where Irish breakfast is a weekend brunch special, Sonny's serves it all day, everyday.

Two eggs (the way you want them), 2 slices of brown bread, beans, potatoes, grilled tomato, black pudding, white pudding, sausages, rashers, and a slice of orange overflowed the large plate. Ed proved himself to be a hearty trencherman. He finished his plate, and then went after Penny's leftover brown bread and potatoes.

Sonny's looked like the neighborhood pubs and bars Penny remembers from a childhood with Irish relatives…

…right down to the separate entrances for the bar and dining room and lots of "everybody knows your name" welcomes as regulars moved in and out of the place.

As we reported on Thursday, we stocked up at Greenhills Irish Bakery.
And, we made a stop at the Butcher Shop Market for some Rashers/Irish bacon to take home. The quality of the meat they were offering looked outstanding and this will be a stop to shop for meat, cut to order for us, anytime we're in the area. You can take a peek at the meat cases by clicking on the thumbnails above.

We took a Zipcar and found parking to be very easy. There's a large parking lot behind the bakery and butcher shop, but we just drove up the hill where there was plenty of on-street parking. Our spot didn't even have a time limit.

What's on your Amazon shopping list? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.
March 17, 2012
MBTA Apps Our Friday Link

We love knowing when the bus or train is coming and have used those iPhone apps for awhile. Recently, we noticed that the MBTA has added a page for Apps to its Rider Tools section.

And, don't forget that Google Maps also give you live transit updates.

We've used Catch the Bus for a long time but would like to hear what you are using and how well it works.

What's on your green living shopping list? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

March 16, 2012
Meet Hudson, He Doesn’t Need a Dog License!

That's because this adorable Chihuahua puppy is only four months old. He has settled into the Back Bay with his special person and is filling her heart with joy. He will need a license once he reaches six months.

For the rest of the pups, applications for the 2012 Boston Dog Licenses have been arriving in area homes. If your dog is currently licensed, you should receive the application in the mail. Under state law, all dogs over the age of six months must be licensed by April 1st of each year.

If you didn't get a Boston Dog license application in the mail, you can download one here.

The list of 2012 Boston Low-Cost Rabies Vaccination Clinics around the state is now posted. This includes the clinics in Boston and those where you can get your license at the same time.

If you get to meet Mr Hudson, you'll quickly learn that he's a charmer who probably should be given a special license for stealing hearts– because he's gonna do that anyway! I'm sure you'll be seeing more of this little guy in our Sunday Dog files.

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

What's on your dog walking shopping list? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! How about some walking shoes from Amazon's own free shipping, free U.S. return shipping shoe site, endless.com.

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Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny 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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

March 11, 2012
Health News Review, our Friday Link
Today, we're pointing you to a wonderful resource, Health News Review. This is a site where experts examine and comment on those health and medical stories we all see and hear in the media.

Reading about health issues, medical studies, and so-called "breakthroughs" can be difficult even for those trained to be critical readers. We are often left with more questions than answers. This site will help you evaluate those medical stories that may touch your life.

Health News Review says it is dedicated to:
- "Improving the accuracy of news stories about medical treatments, tests, products and procedures."
- "Helping consumers evaluate the evidence for and against new ideas in health care."
We Love:
- Their criteria for what users need in stories.
- Their journalist & consumer toolkit.
- Their careful analysis and clear writing.
You can bookmark the site for those times when you hear a report and want to read a review of it.

Subscribe to the blog or the reviews and get a regular dose of what's going on in this realm. Or, follow them on Twitter.

What's on your health supplies shopping list? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.
March 2, 2012
Learn about Cash Mobs on Here & Now

Our Friday link today is to a story on "Cash Mobs" that Robin Young did on her WBUR show Here & Now.

Since we love to support local businesses, great feature reporting, and Public Radio, we think of this as a triple recommendation.

Take a few minutes to click over and read the story or listen. Then, come back and tell us what you think of the concept. We think it's a great way to support locally owned businesses during those slower times.

And, when you need something that will send you online shopping, remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! We're a small local business too, and that's how you can "Cash Mob" us!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

February 24, 2012
7 Things We Learned at the BPL Conservation Lab!
After a rebinding, this Liber Chronicarum (Nuremberg Chronicle) from 1493 now opens completely.

Penny and I recently had the chance to go behind the scenes at the Boston Public Library’s (BPL) Conservation Lab to meet the talented experts who are preserving history one piece at a time! These specialists repair and stabilize rare books and documents to ensure that these items remain available to all of us.

Keeper of Special Collections at the BPL, Susan L. Glover (above) put it best, “They are wonderfully skilled, they are passionate, they are dedicated, and what they do looks like magic.”

We were so impressed, here are:

7 Things We Learned at the BPL Conservation Lab!
- The lab is only able to get to about 1% of the work that is needed.
- Some items can deteriorate just sitting on a shelf due to material content.
Conservation Assistant, Chris Letizia tests leather to bind a 12th Century illuminated manuscript.

And, here are their recommendations for your own items.
- Keep your valued pieces out of direct sunlight, away from acidic paper.
- Don’t store personal treasures (clipping, letters, etc) in basements (too humid) or attics (too hot).
- Handle them little, keep them unfolded in folders or archival albums.
- Never use any kind of household tape to make repairs.
- If you discover what might be an important item, contact the BPL Conservation Lab for advice and recommendations. (617-536-5400)
For more information, check out the BPL Rare Books Department

What's on your shopping list? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny 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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.
February 15, 2012
Your Special Place, Free Romance for Valentine’s Day

The best Valentine gifts are the ones that are part of your life throughout the year. It can be as simple as a special place where you feel happy together.

Ed and I were out in that little snow storm we had in January shooting some potential cover shots for The Back Bay Sun when this couple, strolling hand-in-hand, appeared.

A kiss was followed by…

…a few playful snowballs, and then they picked up sticks and drew valentines in the snow.

Naturally, we asked permission before we used these photos. Back Bay residents, Andre Sibilsky and Morgan Maglich are from down South, so snow is special to them. They ventured out to enjoy the snow in one of their favorite spots along the Muddy River. Now that is romantic!

Related Posts:

We're gathering all our Valentine posts at the bottom of this one:

Valentine's Day 2012 – Romantic Dining in Boston

Okay, if you need a more material Valentine's Day gift idea, click over to Amazon and do some planning, and if you do buy something there, they'll put a few coins in our tip cup.

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Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny 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 comments 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 out of comments.

February 9, 2012