This weekend, as I jumped over puddles on poorly drained corners and climbed over unshoveled snowbanks on others, I spotted this fashionista slowly falling back to the rear of her large group as they moved en mass down Boylston Street. Let's hope she doesn't have to walk on any of the less maintained residential streets of the city.
"Fashion as King is sometimes a very stupid ruler." E. T. Bell
About Photo Tales & Quotes: We keep hearing that people miss our cover photos that ran for years in the Back Bay Sun. That assignment was to provide a photo that showed what the week was like in the neighborhood. Often the photos illustrated favorite quotations. Photo Tales & Quotes is an occasional offering to our BostonZest readers featuring photos along the same theme but taken wherever we happen to be.
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.)
Here is something you need to put on the to-do list of your human servants.
GET YOUR 2017 DOG LICENSE
In Boston it's so simple even a human can do it. I nagged a bit when I spotted the envelope from Inspectional Services in the mail pile, sat Penny down at her computer, and I already have an official 2017 dog tag from the city.
License
Because I already had all my information in the system, the city sent a reminder to my staff. But, this year, it arrived early in February instead of late March or April. Good work dog license crew.
My new tag arrived in a week!
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, g-r-o-w-l 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 during 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.)
Here is something you need to put on the to-do list of your human servants.
GET YOUR 2017 DOG LICENSE
In Boston it's so simple even a human can do it. I nagged a bit when I spotted the envelope from Inspectional Services in the mail pile, sat Penny down at her computer, and I already have an official 2017 dog tag from the city.
License
Because I already had all my information in the system, the city sent a reminder to my staff. But, this year, it arrived early in February instead of late March or April. Good work dog license crew.
My new tag arrived in a week!
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, g-r-o-w-l 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 during 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!
Here's a rundown of what's open in Boston, plus Boston trash collection, parking, and MBTA schedules for Martin Luther King Jr. Day – January 15, 2018. We are updating these resource pages rather than creating a new one each year.
Retail Stores: Are allowed to open, if the owners choose
Liquor Stores: Open
City, Town, State and Federal offices and facilities are closed: This includes Schools, Libraries, and the Postal Service (express mail will be delivered). Only emergency services are available.
Financial Services: As the British would say, this is a Bank Holiday with both Banks and the Stock Markets in the United States closed. International markets are open.
Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply.
Boston Public Libraries closed.
BCYF Community Centers are closed.
Free Open House at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston
If you're looking for something to do on this holiday, the MFA has a full schedule of special events and invites the community to visit for free that day.
Boston Trash and Recycling:
The city has changed the way it publishes the schedule for holidays so that you now have to go to thecity site and look up your specific addressin order to get information.
Street Cleaning:
The city says, "On City holidays, we suspend street sweeping during the day, but we still sweep streets at night. On the weekends, we sweep some streets at night. Please always check posted street sweeping signs for information. If you still have questions, please contact 311."
Parking:
"Monday, January 15 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day City offices closed. Sunday parking rules in effect."
You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply.
MBTA Schedule for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 15, 2018:
The MBTA no longer publishes holiday schedule in an easy to use format. You must now go to their website and click around to find the information.
For more information about MBTA services, routes, schedules, and fares, please call the T’s Customer Communications Department at 617-222-3200, (TTY 617-222-5146) or go to www.mbta.com
Here's a rundown of what's open in Boston, plus Boston trash collection, parking, and MBTA schedules for Martin Luther King Jr. Day – January 15, 2018. We are updating these resource pages rather than creating a new one each year.
Retail Stores: Are allowed to open, if the owners choose
Liquor Stores: Open
City, Town, State and Federal offices and facilities are closed: This includes Schools, Libraries, and the Postal Service (express mail will be delivered). Only emergency services are available.
Financial Services: As the British would say, this is a Bank Holiday with both Banks and the Stock Markets in the United States closed. International markets are open.
Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply.
Boston Public Libraries closed.
BCYF Community Centers are closed.
Free Open House at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston
If you're looking for something to do on this holiday, the MFA has a full schedule of special events and invites the community to visit for free that day.
Boston Trash and Recycling:
The city has changed the way it publishes the schedule for holidays so that you now have to go to thecity site and look up your specific addressin order to get information.
Street Cleaning:
The city says, "On City holidays, we suspend street sweeping during the day, but we still sweep streets at night. On the weekends, we sweep some streets at night. Please always check posted street sweeping signs for information. If you still have questions, please contact 311."
Parking:
"Monday, January 15 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day City offices closed. Sunday parking rules in effect."
You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply.
MBTA Schedule for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 15, 2018:
The MBTA no longer publishes holiday schedule in an easy to use format. You must now go to their website and click around to find the information.
For more information about MBTA services, routes, schedules, and fares, please call the T’s Customer Communications Department at 617-222-3200, (TTY 617-222-5146) or go to www.mbta.com
Here's a rundown of what's open in Boston on New Year's Day and the MBTA schedules for New Year's Eve, December 31, 2017 and New Year's Day, January 1, 2018.
This page will be our permanent resource of New Year's information and we will update it in future years.
What's closed? Do I have to feed the parking meters? What about street sweeping? Are the liquor stores and packies open? When do I put out my trash? And what changes are there to the MBTA schedules? We have the answers for you, all organized in one post!
Some businesses close early on New Year's Eve but others, especially those in the hospitality business, remain open. Call before you leave if you plan to visit a business on the 31st.
Here's what we've learned about January 1st, 2018 – New Year's Day
Restaurants, bars: Are allowed to open if the owners choose
Convenience stores:Are allowed to open if the owners choose
Supermarkets: Are allowed to open if the owners choose
Retail stores: Are allowed to open if the owners choose
Liquor stores: Are allowed to open if the owners choose
City, Town, State and Federal offices and facilities are closed:This includes Schools, Libraries, and the Postal Service (express mail will be delivered). Only emergency services are available.
More after the ad…
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!
Make your own holiday wish come true. Find the gift you really want on Amazon! And, by starting from here, you'll be supporting BostonZest and keeping the information flowing your way.
Financial Services: As the British would say, this is a Bank Holiday with both Banks and the stock markets in the United State closed. Some international markets are open.
Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply.
Boston Trash Collection:
Boston Trash Collection for Christmas
The city has changed the way it publishes the schedule for holidays so that you now have to go to thecity site and look up your specific addressin order to get information.
The MBTA no longer publishes schedule information before each holiday
For information, call the T’s Customer Information Center at 617-222-3200 (TTY 617-222-5146) or visit the MBTA website."
Here's a rundown of what's open in Boston on New Year's Day and the MBTA schedules for New Year's Eve, December 31, 2017 and New Year's Day, January 1, 2018.
This page will be our permanent resource of New Year's information and we will update it in future years.
What's closed? Do I have to feed the parking meters? What about street sweeping? Are the liquor stores and packies open? When do I put out my trash? And what changes are there to the MBTA schedules? We have the answers for you, all organized in one post!
Some businesses close early on New Year's Eve but others, especially those in the hospitality business, remain open. Call before you leave if you plan to visit a business on the 31st.
Here's what we've learned about January 1st, 2018 – New Year's Day
Restaurants, bars: Are allowed to open if the owners choose
Convenience stores:Are allowed to open if the owners choose
Supermarkets: Are allowed to open if the owners choose
Retail stores: Are allowed to open if the owners choose
Liquor stores: Are allowed to open if the owners choose
City, Town, State and Federal offices and facilities are closed:This includes Schools, Libraries, and the Postal Service (express mail will be delivered). Only emergency services are available.
More after the ad…
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!
Make your own holiday wish come true. Find the gift you really want on Amazon! And, by starting from here, you'll be supporting BostonZest and keeping the information flowing your way.
Financial Services: As the British would say, this is a Bank Holiday with both Banks and the stock markets in the United State closed. Some international markets are open.
Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply.
Boston Trash Collection:
Boston Trash Collection for Christmas
The city has changed the way it publishes the schedule for holidays so that you now have to go to thecity site and look up your specific addressin order to get information.
The MBTA no longer publishes schedule information before each holiday
For information, call the T’s Customer Information Center at 617-222-3200 (TTY 617-222-5146) or visit the MBTA website."
Our readers are already searching our past posts to figure out where to dine on New Year's Eve in Boston. It's time for you to grab a reservation at a special place! (From now on we'll just update this post for future years, so you can come back here anytime for our latest information.)
And, since it was popular last year, we're adding a few places we think might be great for starting off 2017 with friends and family around a brunch table.
We all have our ideas of the perfect New Year's Eve.
Are you looking for a place to ring in 2017 with a happy crowd?
Will you be out and about dropping in on events or house parties?
Or will you make a reservation for a quiet dinner before popping a cork for a private celebration?
Is a walk to view skating on the Frog Pond more your style?
We'll leave the New Year's Eve reservation for those of you who like to be part of a bigger celebration, while we spend the evening with some sparkling wine, good food, and great companions. However, we have gathered resources to help you find a place for any kind of New Year's Eve you'd like.
You can put a time into the reservation box on the main page and see what's available. Remember, many places have special prix fixe menus for occasions like this and some may require a credit card to hold a reservation.
The site Boston Chefs always posts a listing of its member restaurants that have special plans for New Year's Eve. Here is their New Year's Eve list. And, here's the list for New Year's Day. We'll update this section as we spot new information from these sources.
We'll add updates with other lists, as they become available, from trusted sources around town. Please remember that when we provide a link to a list, we are just giving you a resource. It doesn't mean we are recommending the restaurants on that list. These summaries often include places we love, but since other publishers have different standards, their list may include restaurants we would never recommend.
We Do Recommend!
There are restaurants that have planned a special New Year's Eve menu but have built their reputations on high-quality food. These are places where you can expect to have a wonderful meal any day of the year.
Select Oyster Bar offering a 3 course New Year's Eve menu all day Saturday, December 31st alongside their full regular menu this NYE.
Coppa will be serving their regular a la carte menu throughout the evening for revelers who want to end the year with a meal full of familiar favorites.
Row 34 Chef Sewall will be serving the regular dinner menu with luxurious additions, like Ossestra caviar service or plates like potato latkes with caviar and salmon pastrami.
Bistro du Midi is offering two seatings at two prices with two prix fixe menus.
Craigie on Main early seating for a five-course prix fixe menu, with optional add-on wine pairings. Or, if you're ready to celebrate into night, choose the later seating for a six-course menu and Champagne toast.
Grotto on Beacon Hill, and Marliave downtown all join that list of places sticking with the food you love.
La Morra in Brookline will serve a three-course prix fixe menu with a glass of Prosecco!
Myers + Chang will add special items to their regular menu and serve it all Dim Sum style.
Where are you spending the evening? What's your favorite way to celebrate? Come back on January 1st and tell us about your New Year's Eve.
Open Table did not have a New Year's Day Brunch list when we prepared this post. We put a request in for a table at 11:30 a.m. to come up with our recommendations.
Craigie on Main decided to do away with their regular Sunday brunch, but they will have brunch on a few selected holidays like New Year's Day.
Petit Robert Bistro would be a great place to enjoy the beginning of a new year with a gang.
Our readers are already searching our past posts to figure out where to dine on New Year's Eve in Boston. It's time for you to grab a reservation at a special place! (From now on we'll just update this post for future years, so you can come back here anytime for our latest information.)
And, since it was popular last year, we're adding a few places we think might be great for starting off 2017 with friends and family around a brunch table.
We all have our ideas of the perfect New Year's Eve.
Are you looking for a place to ring in 2017 with a happy crowd?
Will you be out and about dropping in on events or house parties?
Or will you make a reservation for a quiet dinner before popping a cork for a private celebration?
Is a walk to view skating on the Frog Pond more your style?
We'll leave the New Year's Eve reservation for those of you who like to be part of a bigger celebration, while we spend the evening with some sparkling wine, good food, and great companions. However, we have gathered resources to help you find a place for any kind of New Year's Eve you'd like.
You can put a time into the reservation box on the main page and see what's available. Remember, many places have special prix fixe menus for occasions like this and some may require a credit card to hold a reservation.
The site Boston Chefs always posts a listing of its member restaurants that have special plans for New Year's Eve. Here is their New Year's Eve list. And, here's the list for New Year's Day. We'll update this section as we spot new information from these sources.
We'll add updates with other lists, as they become available, from trusted sources around town. Please remember that when we provide a link to a list, we are just giving you a resource. It doesn't mean we are recommending the restaurants on that list. These summaries often include places we love, but since other publishers have different standards, their list may include restaurants we would never recommend.
We Do Recommend!
There are restaurants that have planned a special New Year's Eve menu but have built their reputations on high-quality food. These are places where you can expect to have a wonderful meal any day of the year.
Select Oyster Bar offering a 3 course New Year's Eve menu all day Saturday, December 31st alongside their full regular menu this NYE.
Coppa will be serving their regular a la carte menu throughout the evening for revelers who want to end the year with a meal full of familiar favorites.
Row 34 Chef Sewall will be serving the regular dinner menu with luxurious additions, like Ossestra caviar service or plates like potato latkes with caviar and salmon pastrami.
Bistro du Midi is offering two seatings at two prices with two prix fixe menus.
Craigie on Main early seating for a five-course prix fixe menu, with optional add-on wine pairings. Or, if you're ready to celebrate into night, choose the later seating for a six-course menu and Champagne toast.
Grotto on Beacon Hill, and Marliave downtown all join that list of places sticking with the food you love.
La Morra in Brookline will serve a three-course prix fixe menu with a glass of Prosecco!
Myers + Chang will add special items to their regular menu and serve it all Dim Sum style.
Where are you spending the evening? What's your favorite way to celebrate? Come back on January 1st and tell us about your New Year's Eve.
Open Table did not have a New Year's Day Brunch list when we prepared this post. We put a request in for a table at 11:30 a.m. to come up with our recommendations.
Craigie on Main decided to do away with their regular Sunday brunch, but they will have brunch on a few selected holidays like New Year's Day.
Petit Robert Bistro would be a great place to enjoy the beginning of a new year with a gang.
About Today in Boston: We keep hearing that people miss our cover photos that ran for years in the Back Bay Sun. That assignment was to provide a photo that showed what the week was like in the neighborhood. Often the photos illustrated favorite quotations. Today in Boston is an occasional offering to our BostonZest readers featuring photos along the same theme but taken wherever we happen to be.
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!
from here to support this site!
to your leash.
