Tag: MA

  • Piattini for Pasta, Pizza, Panini, and a Pretty Patio!

    As you may have noticed, we've been featuring restaurants, like Piattini Wine Cafe on Newbury Street, that have earned their place in our rotation and yours. 

    CHE_2089

    Update: In October a two-alarm fire that began in an art gallery above Piattini caused damage to the restaurant.

                                   Screen Shot 2016-10-18 at Tuesday, October 18, 20166.33.44 AM

    Fans, like us, are hoping for the restaurant to be up and running soon. You can check in with Piattini's site or follow them on social media. We'll help spread the word when they big reopening happens.

    IMG_0989

    Piattini's scampi with sautéed shrimp, garlic, olive oil, fresh tomatoes, and white wine over linguini is one of Penny's favorite menu items.

    Penny's pal Linda introduced her to Piattini years ago. While this little Back Bay gem has expanded over the years, they have not compromised on the quality of the food and the warmth of the service.

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    For a recent lunch, Ed chose a daily special of chicken piccata over angel hair pasta

    We mentioned to a neighbor that we were going to Piattini for lunch and she broke into a smile and began to tell us how much she enjoys the place. We hear that a lot from those who live in the area. It's good to have a few local places serving good food in a neighborhood overrun with mediocre chain restaurants.

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    The "Wine Cafe" in the name means that the wine list is well-matched with the food. In fact, we often order one of the house wines like the Pinot Grigio with our meals. This one was a great match for these lighter, warm weather pastas. 

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    On a cooler day, we paired this meatball panini with a Chianti from the wine specials list.

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    IMG_1595 nero D'avola

    A Nero D'Avola from the regular wine list was perfect with the Piattini bolognese with homemade fusilli.

    IMG_0965

    This time of year, we often opt for a seat on the patio when there is an open table.

    IMG_0987

    Well-tended flower boxes serve as buffers from the busy street. They change their look throughout the seasons. The combination of sunken patio, sheltering umbrellas, and tall greenery makes these some of our favorite sidewalk dining seats. 

    IMG_1016

    And we are not alone. We arrived early but before we finished lunch, every seat on the two-sided patio was filled. One table of four was having a great time passing dishes and sharing laughs and food as if at the home of an Italian Nonna.

    This is the perfect patio season, so add Piattini to your seasonal bucket list!

    What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

     

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

  • Piattini for Pasta, Pizza, Panini, and a Pretty Patio!

    As you may have noticed, we've been featuring restaurants, like Piattini Wine Cafe on Newbury Street, that have earned their place in our rotation and yours. 

    CHE_2089

    Update: In October a two-alarm fire that began in an art gallery above Piattini caused damage to the restaurant.

                                   Screen Shot 2016-10-18 at Tuesday, October 18, 20166.33.44 AM

    Fans, like us, are hoping for the restaurant to be up and running soon. You can check in with Piattini's site or follow them on social media. We'll help spread the word when they big reopening happens.

    IMG_0989

    Piattini's scampi with sautéed shrimp, garlic, olive oil, fresh tomatoes, and white wine over linguini is one of Penny's favorite menu items.

    Penny's pal Linda introduced her to Piattini years ago. While this little Back Bay gem has expanded over the years, they have not compromised on the quality of the food and the warmth of the service.

    IMG_2931

    For a recent lunch, Ed chose a daily special of chicken piccata over angel hair pasta

    We mentioned to a neighbor that we were going to Piattini for lunch and she broke into a smile and began to tell us how much she enjoys the place. We hear that a lot from those who live in the area. It's good to have a few local places serving good food in a neighborhood overrun with mediocre chain restaurants.

    IMG_0982

    The "Wine Cafe" in the name means that the wine list is well-matched with the food. In fact, we often order one of the house wines like the Pinot Grigio with our meals. This one was a great match for these lighter, warm weather pastas. 

    IMG_1900

    On a cooler day, we paired this meatball panini with a Chianti from the wine specials list.

    IMG_1888

    IMG_1595 nero D'avola

    A Nero D'Avola from the regular wine list was perfect with the Piattini bolognese with homemade fusilli.

    IMG_0965

    This time of year, we often opt for a seat on the patio when there is an open table.

    IMG_0987

    Well-tended flower boxes serve as buffers from the busy street. They change their look throughout the seasons. The combination of sunken patio, sheltering umbrellas, and tall greenery makes these some of our favorite sidewalk dining seats. 

    IMG_1016

    And we are not alone. We arrived early but before we finished lunch, every seat on the two-sided patio was filled. One table of four was having a great time passing dishes and sharing laughs and food as if at the home of an Italian Nonna.

    This is the perfect patio season, so add Piattini to your seasonal bucket list!

    What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

     

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

  • The Million Pollinator Garden Challenge

    As with so many things that have to do with gardens or nature, I learned about the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge from the The Garden Club of the Back Bay's website. It is an amazing resource!

    Screen Shot 2016-07-31 at Sunday, July 31, 20164.30.58 PM

    The garden club post explained that they will be joining with others to help restore and protect pollinators' habitats, "… members will be providing food and habitat for pollinators in our home gardens (can even be a container on a deck or a condo window planter), as well as through public garden projects, youth garden projects, nursing homes, botanical gardens, business areas, and government offices."

    20100730IMG_4567 - Version 5 (1) copy

    You can help by taking the three steps outlined in this handout. 

    Screen Shot 2016-07-31 at Sunday, July 31, 20164.27.50 PM

    If you have your own garden, all the resources you need to get underway are at this site. If you live in a rental or condominium, ask the management company or board of trustees to take a pollinator mindset when planning the common area gardens. 

    When you consider the importance of what pollinators do for us, learning more and taking action is the least we can do to help turn around this critical shortage. 

     

    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: © 2009 Penny Cherubino  

  • The Million Pollinator Garden Challenge

    As with so many things that have to do with gardens or nature, I learned about the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge from the The Garden Club of the Back Bay's website. It is an amazing resource!

    Screen Shot 2016-07-31 at Sunday, July 31, 20164.30.58 PM

    The garden club post explained that they will be joining with others to help restore and protect pollinators' habitats, "… members will be providing food and habitat for pollinators in our home gardens (can even be a container on a deck or a condo window planter), as well as through public garden projects, youth garden projects, nursing homes, botanical gardens, business areas, and government offices."

    20100730IMG_4567 - Version 5 (1) copy

    You can help by taking the three steps outlined in this handout. 

    Screen Shot 2016-07-31 at Sunday, July 31, 20164.27.50 PM

    If you have your own garden, all the resources you need to get underway are at this site. If you live in a rental or condominium, ask the management company or board of trustees to take a pollinator mindset when planning the common area gardens. 

    When you consider the importance of what pollinators do for us, learning more and taking action is the least we can do to help turn around this critical shortage. 

     

    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: © 2009 Penny Cherubino  

  • Townsman for the Win at Lunch

    We love going out to lunch and have added Townsman to our list of great lunch spots. (map)

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    We admit to having a soft spot for alumni from Rhode Island where we first met Chef Matt Jennings at his cheese shop, Farmstead, when we were in Providence visiting family. He introduced us to a favorite cheese for which we have been grateful over the years. 

    IMG_8744

    Now he's joined the Boston scene and is serving up great lunchtime options like this outstanding Vermont Pork Cubano with light, airy, housemade chips, and tangy bread & butter pickles. Ed is a Cubano fan and this one made him very happy.

    IMG_8760

    Maine mussels with herbed cottage fries was Penny's choice. If you order this, it will come with a bit of aioli (not shown above, since they honored her request to avoid the raw egg in that addition). Happily, she dipped her frites in the rosé sauce.

    IMG_2778

    We would have skipped dessert but our bartender sensed our hesitation and let us know that at lunch the desserts are smaller than the evening selections. Three wee ice cream sandwiches were the perfect conclusion to our meal. 

    IMG_8732

    This is a bright, sunny room with comfortable bar seating in addition to indoor and outdoor dining areas.

    IMG_2772

    If you find yourself in the Financial District, the Greenway near South Station, or Downtown, add Townsman to your list of places to lunch.

    What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

  • Townsman for the Win at Lunch

    We love going out to lunch and have added Townsman to our list of great lunch spots. (map)

    IMG_8768

    We admit to having a soft spot for alumni from Rhode Island where we first met Chef Matt Jennings at his cheese shop, Farmstead, when we were in Providence visiting family. He introduced us to a favorite cheese for which we have been grateful over the years. 

    IMG_8744

    Now he's joined the Boston scene and is serving up great lunchtime options like this outstanding Vermont Pork Cubano with light, airy, housemade chips, and tangy bread & butter pickles. Ed is a Cubano fan and this one made him very happy.

    IMG_8760

    Maine mussels with herbed cottage fries was Penny's choice. If you order this, it will come with a bit of aioli (not shown above, since they honored her request to avoid the raw egg in that addition). Happily, she dipped her frites in the rosé sauce.

    IMG_2778

    We would have skipped dessert but our bartender sensed our hesitation and let us know that at lunch the desserts are smaller than the evening selections. Three wee ice cream sandwiches were the perfect conclusion to our meal. 

    IMG_8732

    This is a bright, sunny room with comfortable bar seating in addition to indoor and outdoor dining areas.

    IMG_2772

    If you find yourself in the Financial District, the Greenway near South Station, or Downtown, add Townsman to your list of places to lunch.

    What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

  • Do a Kindness and Share Your Dog with Lonely Tourists …

    And with others who are missing their dogs.

    IMG_9850

    Our Poppy has a serious bench habit and she considers the Collins Memorial on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall as one big bench. Perfect for posing and sitting with her belly on the cool stone on a hot day.

    Sitting in the city parks, we meet a lot of visitors to Boston because they are drawn to Poppy. Two women were walking down the Mall last summer and one of them looked at Poppy and said, “I miss my dog!”

     IMG_9950

    We invited her over for some surrogate puppy therapy and enjoyed learning a bit about her and how she was spending her time in Boston. Seeing the city through the eyes of visitors can make you appreciate what we have here.

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    Noah is another neighborhood dog who is always ready to accept a few pats from a friend or a stranger. His smile and bright eyes could uplift anyone's day.

    Sharing your dog with those who miss theirs, because they are separated for a short time or because they've lost their companion animal, is a kindness. Open your mind to the concept, tune in your awareness to those around you, and you will be rewarded with smiles, good karma, and a dog who is well socialized and happy with an extra dose of love and attention.

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

    Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

     

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

  • Do a Kindness and Share Your Dog with Lonely Tourists …

    And with others who are missing their dogs.

    IMG_9850

    Our Poppy has a serious bench habit and she considers the Collins Memorial on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall as one big bench. Perfect for posing and sitting with her belly on the cool stone on a hot day.

    Sitting in the city parks, we meet a lot of visitors to Boston because they are drawn to Poppy. Two women were walking down the Mall last summer and one of them looked at Poppy and said, “I miss my dog!”

     IMG_9950

    We invited her over for some surrogate puppy therapy and enjoyed learning a bit about her and how she was spending her time in Boston. Seeing the city through the eyes of visitors can make you appreciate what we have here.

     IMG_7849

    Noah is another neighborhood dog who is always ready to accept a few pats from a friend or a stranger. His smile and bright eyes could uplift anyone's day.

    Sharing your dog with those who miss theirs, because they are separated for a short time or because they've lost their companion animal, is a kindness. Open your mind to the concept, tune in your awareness to those around you, and you will be rewarded with smiles, good karma, and a dog who is well socialized and happy with an extra dose of love and attention.

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

    Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

     

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

  • Here’s to August and Old Friends, Westport Rivers RJR Brut Cuvée

    Look what we found at Boston Public Market, Westport Rivers Brut Cuvée RJR 2007 – an old friend that still has its sparkle!

    IMG_8951

    We visited this winning Massachusetts winery more than 15 years ago and still have fond memories of sitting outside with our last Westie Maggie toasting each other in full view of thriving grape vines.

    IMG_8785-COLLAGE

    Wandering through Boston Public Market last week, we discovered a great selection of Massachusetts wines including those from Westport Rivers.

    Their RJR Brut Cuvée is mostly Pinot Noir. This sparkler became our favorite all those years ago and it’s nice to know how easy it is to find, today.   

    IMG_8934

    What to expect from the Award winning 2007 Westport Brut RJR:

    • “Fine bubbles and a gentle mousse”
    • “Notes of brioche, flint, Granny Smith apple peel, and candied lemon”
    • “Rich, grippy mouthfeel with youthful acidity”
    • “Long, clean finish”
    • “Hints of ginger and savory tangerine”

    Here’s to the Russell family that’s worked so hard to bring us consistently outstanding wines.

    For more information on their wines, visit Westport Rivers Winery (online & in person) and be sure to stop by The Massachusetts Farm Wineries and Growers booth at Boston Public Market.

    Related Posts:

    Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post: Join Us as We Toast …

    A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

    Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

    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

     

     Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

  • Here’s to August and Old Friends, Westport Rivers RJR Brut Cuvée

    Look what we found at Boston Public Market, Westport Rivers Brut Cuvée RJR 2007 – an old friend that still has its sparkle!

    IMG_8951

    We visited this winning Massachusetts winery more than 15 years ago and still have fond memories of sitting outside with our last Westie Maggie toasting each other in full view of thriving grape vines.

    IMG_8785-COLLAGE

    Wandering through Boston Public Market last week, we discovered a great selection of Massachusetts wines including those from Westport Rivers.

    Their RJR Brut Cuvée is mostly Pinot Noir. This sparkler became our favorite all those years ago and it’s nice to know how easy it is to find, today.   

    IMG_8934

    What to expect from the Award winning 2007 Westport Brut RJR:

    • “Fine bubbles and a gentle mousse”
    • “Notes of brioche, flint, Granny Smith apple peel, and candied lemon”
    • “Rich, grippy mouthfeel with youthful acidity”
    • “Long, clean finish”
    • “Hints of ginger and savory tangerine”

    Here’s to the Russell family that’s worked so hard to bring us consistently outstanding wines.

    For more information on their wines, visit Westport Rivers Winery (online & in person) and be sure to stop by The Massachusetts Farm Wineries and Growers booth at Boston Public Market.

    Related Posts:

    Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post: Join Us as We Toast …

    A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

    Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

    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

     

     Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino