Tag: Boston

  • Dancing with Bagheera

    Girl-Dancing-with-Bagheera-fountain- copy

    We spotted this woman dancing with the Bagheera statue in the Boston Public Garden.

    She reminded us of this quotation:

    “You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,
    Love like you'll never be hurt,
    Sing like there's nobody listening,
    And live like it's heaven on earth.”
    ― William W. Purkey 

    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: © 2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

  • Easter Dining in Boston 2014 (This year It Falls on Marathon Weekend 4/20/14)

    Those in the know already have reservations for Easter brunch and dinner. This year, Easter falls on April 20th and that is Marathon weekend in Boston. This may be the year to plan your holiday gathering for a location outside of the city center.

    6a00e54fc42bb88834014e602c6dd6970c-800wi

    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 Chefs has a list of offerings from their member chefs and restaurants.

    The number of places listed will increase as we near the date, so do check back if you don't see one you like.

    Next, a few places we picked from these lists:

    The Blue Room in Cambridge is offering a special version of their Sunday Buffet. There is parking in the area and it is just far enough from the fray in Boston for a relaxing meal.

    La Morra in Brookline is a great place to meet up outside the city. This is one of the few days a year when they serve brunch. Here's what they say about their Easter offering, "Join us for a 3-course brunch w/favorites such as fresh donuts with spiced sugar and cream, Tuscan toast and homemade frittatas for $35."

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

    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. And, we'll add updates and links to this post as we find them. Check back here or follow us on Twitter to learn about updates!

    UPDATES:

    Zagat's list: 10 Best Bets for Easter Brunch in Boston. 04/08/14

    Here's a list of great lamb dishes for Easter from Eater.  3/29/13

    From BostInno's Lisa DeCanio: Dyed Eggs & Ham: 9 Go-To Easter Brunches in Boston

    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.

    We know a lot of runners will be looking for places to load up on carbs the day before the race. We suggest they make their way to the North End for some great Italian food.

    Sign-up for the comment feed or follow us on Twitter for a notice, if we add updates to this page.

    Don't miss an Easter photo opportunity. This Canon PowerShot G15 camera 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. Ed Shoots with the Nikon D7000 Digital SLR too, and we just added a Nikon D600 to our camera fleet and are extremely happy with the performance it has delivered.

       

    Details:

    Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino

    Photos: from iStockphoto.com

  • Easter Dining in Boston 2014 (This year It Falls on Marathon Weekend 4/20/14)

    Those in the know already have reservations for Easter brunch and dinner. This year, Easter falls on April 20th and that is Marathon weekend in Boston. This may be the year to plan your holiday gathering for a location outside of the city center.

    6a00e54fc42bb88834014e602c6dd6970c-800wi

    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 Chefs has a list of offerings from their member chefs and restaurants.

    The number of places listed will increase as we near the date, so do check back if you don't see one you like.

    Next, a few places we picked from these lists:

    The Blue Room in Cambridge is offering a special version of their Sunday Buffet. There is parking in the area and it is just far enough from the fray in Boston for a relaxing meal.

    La Morra in Brookline is a great place to meet up outside the city. This is one of the few days a year when they serve brunch. Here's what they say about their Easter offering, "Join us for a 3-course brunch w/favorites such as fresh donuts with spiced sugar and cream, Tuscan toast and homemade frittatas for $35."

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

    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. And, we'll add updates and links to this post as we find them. Check back here or follow us on Twitter to learn about updates!

    UPDATES:

    Zagat's list: 10 Best Bets for Easter Brunch in Boston. 04/08/14

    Here's a list of great lamb dishes for Easter from Eater.  3/29/13

    From BostInno's Lisa DeCanio: Dyed Eggs & Ham: 9 Go-To Easter Brunches in Boston

    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.

    We know a lot of runners will be looking for places to load up on carbs the day before the race. We suggest they make their way to the North End for some great Italian food.

    Sign-up for the comment feed or follow us on Twitter for a notice, if we add updates to this page.

    Don't miss an Easter photo opportunity. This Canon PowerShot G15 camera 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. Ed Shoots with the Nikon D7000 Digital SLR too, and we just added a Nikon D600 to our camera fleet and are extremely happy with the performance it has delivered.

       

    Details:

    Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino

    Photos: from iStockphoto.com

  • Easter Dining in Boston 2014 (This year It Falls on Marathon Weekend 4/20/14)

    Those in the know already have reservations for Easter brunch and dinner. This year, Easter falls on April 20th and that is Marathon weekend in Boston. This may be the year to plan your holiday gathering for a location outside of the city center.

    6a00e54fc42bb88834014e602c6dd6970c-800wi

    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 Chefs has a list of offerings from their member chefs and restaurants.

    The number of places listed will increase as we near the date, so do check back if you don't see one you like.

    Next, a few places we picked from these lists:

    The Blue Room in Cambridge is offering a special version of their Sunday Buffet. There is parking in the area and it is just far enough from the fray in Boston for a relaxing meal.

    La Morra in Brookline is a great place to meet up outside the city. This is one of the few days a year when they serve brunch. Here's what they say about their Easter offering, "Join us for a 3-course brunch w/favorites such as fresh donuts with spiced sugar and cream, Tuscan toast and homemade frittatas for $35."

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

    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. And, we'll add updates and links to this post as we find them. Check back here or follow us on Twitter to learn about updates!

    UPDATES:

    Zagat's list: 10 Best Bets for Easter Brunch in Boston. 04/08/14

    Here's a list of great lamb dishes for Easter from Eater.  3/29/13

    From BostInno's Lisa DeCanio: Dyed Eggs & Ham: 9 Go-To Easter Brunches in Boston

    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.

    We know a lot of runners will be looking for places to load up on carbs the day before the race. We suggest they make their way to the North End for some great Italian food.

    Sign-up for the comment feed or follow us on Twitter for a notice, if we add updates to this page.

    Don't miss an Easter photo opportunity. This Canon PowerShot G15 camera 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. Ed Shoots with the Nikon D7000 Digital SLR too, and we just added a Nikon D600 to our camera fleet and are extremely happy with the performance it has delivered.

       

    Details:

    Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino

    Photos: from iStockphoto.com

  • Routes for Visiting Runners – Boston Marathon Weekend

    UPDATE: Routes for Visiting Runners – Boston Marathon Weekend 2016

    Whether you're coming to run or watch the 2014 Boston Marathon or just want to log some miles, it's an exciting time to visit the city. And, we hope this piece will help all the runners who are new to the city, here for a vacation or business trip.

    DSC_6214 - Version 22011-04-18-runners-boston-marathon-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Right onto Hereford Street – Less Than a Mile to Go!

    I remember my first Boston Marathon, as a spectator – I've yet to put in the training needed to actually compete. Penny and I booked a hotel room for the weekend and left the car parked. We took in the runners' expo, pasta supper, and other pre-race activities, then watched a spectacular Boylston Street finish.

    As an out-of-state runner staying near Faneuil Hall, I still wanted to get in a run or two, but wasn't sure where to head. 

    Now, as a Boston resident, I can recommend a couple of my favorite routes.

    Charles River Run

    If you're a visiting runner staying anywhere near the finish line, you can't beat a daytime run along the Charles River. It offers great views and a more open course without having to constantly cross roadways. This multi-use path is shared by bikes, blades, skate boards, dogs, and walkers. It can get congested as the day wears on but, who knows, you may find yourself sharing the trail with some famous, elite runners. It's easy to make any number of loops between the Boston and Cambridge sides of the river by using the many bridges along the way. 

    From Back Bay, you can access the Charles River Esplanade from Massachusetts Avenue, Fairfield, Dartmouth, and Arlington Streets. If you head West from the Massachusetts Avenue ramp you can also use the parcourse workout station that's located just up-river. Click here for photos and details including a map to find it.

    CHE_0719 - Version 32013-01-09-runner-charles-river-misty-winter-morning-© 2011 Penny Cherubino2013-01-09-women-running-charles-Esplanade-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Morning Run Along the Esplanade

    Parks in the Heart of the City

    For a tree-lined route, try the Commonwealth Avenue Mall – not a shopping center, but a park – that runs down the center of this residential street. At Commonwealth and Arlington, you can enter the pristine Public Garden for a slower pace. Moving through the center of the Garden will lead you across Charles Street to the Boston Common.

    Inside tip: Local-isms

    Mass Ave = Massachusetts Avenue
    Comm Ave = Commonwealth Avenue
    And, it's Boston Common (singular) not Boston Commons

    Related Posts:   

    Tracking a Boston Marathon Runner 2014

    Parking Your Car for Boston Marathon Weekend 2014

    What’s Open in Boston on Patriots’ Day 2014

    How to Get to the Esplanade from Boston

    Here are some Photos from past Boston Marathons

    The View from Hereford Street 

    Marathon Kisses 

    Just Hangin on Hereford Street 

    Other Resources:

    Here's a great site. You'll find dozens of local running routes, including along the Charles River.

    For more places to run, Bostinno has a post on this topic – How to Train For the Boston Marathon: Where the Runners Run.

    Details:
    Words: Ed Cherubino
    Photos: (Top) 2011 Boston Marathon, (Bottom) Esplanade Run ©2013 Penny Cherubino

    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!

    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.

     

  • Routes for Visiting Runners – Boston Marathon Weekend

    UPDATE: Routes for Visiting Runners – Boston Marathon Weekend 2016

    Whether you're coming to run or watch the 2014 Boston Marathon or just want to log some miles, it's an exciting time to visit the city. And, we hope this piece will help all the runners who are new to the city, here for a vacation or business trip.

    DSC_6214 - Version 22011-04-18-runners-boston-marathon-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Right onto Hereford Street – Less Than a Mile to Go!

    I remember my first Boston Marathon, as a spectator – I've yet to put in the training needed to actually compete. Penny and I booked a hotel room for the weekend and left the car parked. We took in the runners' expo, pasta supper, and other pre-race activities, then watched a spectacular Boylston Street finish.

    As an out-of-state runner staying near Faneuil Hall, I still wanted to get in a run or two, but wasn't sure where to head. 

    Now, as a Boston resident, I can recommend a couple of my favorite routes.

    Charles River Run

    If you're a visiting runner staying anywhere near the finish line, you can't beat a daytime run along the Charles River. It offers great views and a more open course without having to constantly cross roadways. This multi-use path is shared by bikes, blades, skate boards, dogs, and walkers. It can get congested as the day wears on but, who knows, you may find yourself sharing the trail with some famous, elite runners. It's easy to make any number of loops between the Boston and Cambridge sides of the river by using the many bridges along the way. 

    From Back Bay, you can access the Charles River Esplanade from Massachusetts Avenue, Fairfield, Dartmouth, and Arlington Streets. If you head West from the Massachusetts Avenue ramp you can also use the parcourse workout station that's located just up-river. Click here for photos and details including a map to find it.

    CHE_0719 - Version 32013-01-09-runner-charles-river-misty-winter-morning-© 2011 Penny Cherubino2013-01-09-women-running-charles-Esplanade-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Morning Run Along the Esplanade

    Parks in the Heart of the City

    For a tree-lined route, try the Commonwealth Avenue Mall – not a shopping center, but a park – that runs down the center of this residential street. At Commonwealth and Arlington, you can enter the pristine Public Garden for a slower pace. Moving through the center of the Garden will lead you across Charles Street to the Boston Common.

    Inside tip: Local-isms

    Mass Ave = Massachusetts Avenue
    Comm Ave = Commonwealth Avenue
    And, it's Boston Common (singular) not Boston Commons

    Related Posts:   

    Tracking a Boston Marathon Runner 2014

    Parking Your Car for Boston Marathon Weekend 2014

    What’s Open in Boston on Patriots’ Day 2014

    How to Get to the Esplanade from Boston

    Here are some Photos from past Boston Marathons

    The View from Hereford Street 

    Marathon Kisses 

    Just Hangin on Hereford Street 

    Other Resources:

    Here's a great site. You'll find dozens of local running routes, including along the Charles River.

    For more places to run, Bostinno has a post on this topic – How to Train For the Boston Marathon: Where the Runners Run.

    Details:
    Words: Ed Cherubino
    Photos: (Top) 2011 Boston Marathon, (Bottom) Esplanade Run ©2013 Penny Cherubino

    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!

    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.

     

  • Routes for Visiting Runners – Boston Marathon Weekend

    UPDATE: Routes for Visiting Runners – Boston Marathon Weekend 2016

    Whether you're coming to run or watch the 2014 Boston Marathon or just want to log some miles, it's an exciting time to visit the city. And, we hope this piece will help all the runners who are new to the city, here for a vacation or business trip.

    DSC_6214 - Version 22011-04-18-runners-boston-marathon-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Right onto Hereford Street – Less Than a Mile to Go!

    I remember my first Boston Marathon, as a spectator – I've yet to put in the training needed to actually compete. Penny and I booked a hotel room for the weekend and left the car parked. We took in the runners' expo, pasta supper, and other pre-race activities, then watched a spectacular Boylston Street finish.

    As an out-of-state runner staying near Faneuil Hall, I still wanted to get in a run or two, but wasn't sure where to head. 

    Now, as a Boston resident, I can recommend a couple of my favorite routes.

    Charles River Run

    If you're a visiting runner staying anywhere near the finish line, you can't beat a daytime run along the Charles River. It offers great views and a more open course without having to constantly cross roadways. This multi-use path is shared by bikes, blades, skate boards, dogs, and walkers. It can get congested as the day wears on but, who knows, you may find yourself sharing the trail with some famous, elite runners. It's easy to make any number of loops between the Boston and Cambridge sides of the river by using the many bridges along the way. 

    From Back Bay, you can access the Charles River Esplanade from Massachusetts Avenue, Fairfield, Dartmouth, and Arlington Streets. If you head West from the Massachusetts Avenue ramp you can also use the parcourse workout station that's located just up-river. Click here for photos and details including a map to find it.

    CHE_0719 - Version 32013-01-09-runner-charles-river-misty-winter-morning-© 2011 Penny Cherubino2013-01-09-women-running-charles-Esplanade-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Morning Run Along the Esplanade

    Parks in the Heart of the City

    For a tree-lined route, try the Commonwealth Avenue Mall – not a shopping center, but a park – that runs down the center of this residential street. At Commonwealth and Arlington, you can enter the pristine Public Garden for a slower pace. Moving through the center of the Garden will lead you across Charles Street to the Boston Common.

    Inside tip: Local-isms

    Mass Ave = Massachusetts Avenue
    Comm Ave = Commonwealth Avenue
    And, it's Boston Common (singular) not Boston Commons

    Related Posts:   

    Tracking a Boston Marathon Runner 2014

    Parking Your Car for Boston Marathon Weekend 2014

    What’s Open in Boston on Patriots’ Day 2014

    How to Get to the Esplanade from Boston

    Here are some Photos from past Boston Marathons

    The View from Hereford Street 

    Marathon Kisses 

    Just Hangin on Hereford Street 

    Other Resources:

    Here's a great site. You'll find dozens of local running routes, including along the Charles River.

    For more places to run, Bostinno has a post on this topic – How to Train For the Boston Marathon: Where the Runners Run.

    Details:
    Words: Ed Cherubino
    Photos: (Top) 2011 Boston Marathon, (Bottom) Esplanade Run ©2013 Penny Cherubino

    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!

    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.

     

  • A Moment of Silence…

    PC2_2474 - Version 22014-03-27bbs-cover-short-memorial- fallen-firefighter-© 2011 Penny Cherubino copy

    Photo © 2014 Penny Cherubino

  • A Moment of Silence…

    PC2_2474 - Version 22014-03-27bbs-cover-short-memorial- fallen-firefighter-© 2011 Penny Cherubino copy

    Photo © 2014 Penny Cherubino

  • A Moment of Silence…

    PC2_2474 - Version 22014-03-27bbs-cover-short-memorial- fallen-firefighter-© 2011 Penny Cherubino copy

    Photo © 2014 Penny Cherubino