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  • When It’s 65 Degrees in July, You Can Play in the Fountain All By Yourself!

    IMG_0297 copy

    Walking by the Christian Science Center on this cool weekend, we watched this young man enjoy playing in the fountain all alone. 

    IMG_0296

    This plaza is a great spot to hone your photography skills. Normally the area is full of people enjoying a cooling dash through the spray. Yesterday a few spectators sat along the wall and everyone else gave the water a wide berth. 

    IMG_0298

    While there were no food trucks in place on this weekend, it is also one of our favorite food truck destinations. 

    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 Cherubino
    Photography: © 2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

  • When It’s 65 Degrees in July, You Can Play in the Fountain All By Yourself!

    IMG_0297 copy

    Walking by the Christian Science Center on this cool weekend, we watched this young man enjoy playing in the fountain all alone. 

    IMG_0296

    This plaza is a great spot to hone your photography skills. Normally the area is full of people enjoying a cooling dash through the spray. Yesterday a few spectators sat along the wall and everyone else gave the water a wide berth. 

    IMG_0298

    While there were no food trucks in place on this weekend, it is also one of our favorite food truck destinations. 

    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 Cherubino
    Photography: © 2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

  • How to Check Your Dog’s Vital Signs: Great Instructions via Go Pet Friendly

    Go Pet Friendly is a wonderful resource for those of us who like to travel with our pets. But whether traveling or not, I always gain valuable information from this great site.

    Update: 01/28/17 – With Canine influenza moving slowly towards the Boston area, this seemed like a good time to feature this post on how to check your dog's vital signs.

    Here's a related post we wrote about canine flu and the vaccinations for it.

    Go pet friendly

    I found myself making a note to reread a post, "How To Check Your Dog’s Pulse, Respiration, and Temperature," that appeared on the site's "Take Paws" blog this past spring, because I wanted to reinforce what I had learned.

    GarciaDog0412

    While we rely on professionals to diagnose serious illnesses, we all should know how to do a basic assessment of a dog's vital signs. This post does a great job of telling you how to do just that.

    6a00e54fc42bb88834016768d67ef9970b-800wi

    You might be able to spare your pup the trauma of a scary visit to the vet if you assure yourself that all his vital signs are normal and that he's just tired from something like an extra long dose of exercise and not sick.  

    As you can see, some puppies (like our Poppy when she was only a few months old) are not at all upset by vet visits. She has been known to kiss the vet tech and fall asleep on the exam table! But most dogs would rather have you, the human they trust the most, doing things to them than some stranger.

    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 

    Related articles
    Once Upon a Time Dogs Sold Soap
    A Sunday Beach Dog Playing on the Tidal Flats

  • How to Check Your Dog’s Vital Signs: Great Instructions via Go Pet Friendly

    Go Pet Friendly is a wonderful resource for those of us who like to travel with our pets. But whether traveling or not, I always gain valuable information from this great site.

    Update: 01/28/17 – With Canine influenza moving slowly towards the Boston area, this seemed like a good time to feature this post on how to check your dog's vital signs.

    Here's a related post we wrote about canine flu and the vaccinations for it.

    Go pet friendly

    I found myself making a note to reread a post, "How To Check Your Dog’s Pulse, Respiration, and Temperature," that appeared on the site's "Take Paws" blog this past spring, because I wanted to reinforce what I had learned.

    GarciaDog0412

    While we rely on professionals to diagnose serious illnesses, we all should know how to do a basic assessment of a dog's vital signs. This post does a great job of telling you how to do just that.

    6a00e54fc42bb88834016768d67ef9970b-800wi

    You might be able to spare your pup the trauma of a scary visit to the vet if you assure yourself that all his vital signs are normal and that he's just tired from something like an extra long dose of exercise and not sick.  

    As you can see, some puppies (like our Poppy when she was only a few months old) are not at all upset by vet visits. She has been known to kiss the vet tech and fall asleep on the exam table! But most dogs would rather have you, the human they trust the most, doing things to them than some stranger.

    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 

    Related articles
    Once Upon a Time Dogs Sold Soap
    A Sunday Beach Dog Playing on the Tidal Flats

  • Yes, The Boston Sun Newspaper Is Available Online!

    Back in February, The Back Bay Sun expanded to cover more neighborhoods and became The Boston Sun. Readers who follow our work in this paper have asked us how they can find it online when they are traveling.

    The boston sun

    Bookmark this link The Boston Sun. If you are searching for it, be sure to enter all three words – "The Boston Sun." If you use just two, you'll get a different website.

    Attention to detail

    You'll find our weekly Attention to Detail columns. With the expanded neighborhoods, these rotate with the South End, Fenway, and Back Bay neighbors featured in turn.

    City Paws

    Some weeks you'll also find one of the two newspaper columns, City Paws or Fresh & Local that we send to a number of newspapers each week.

    Fresh & local on v acation

    If all this is new to you, click over to the The Boston Sun's homepage.

    Screen Shot 2016-06-30 at Thursday, June 30, 201612.48.10 PM
    Once a week the "Full Print Edition" should be updated with a new paper. You can click on that thumbnail and download a PDF copy of the paper to read at your leisure. (Or to keep if you, your home, your dog, or cat happen to be featured.)

    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: © 2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

  • Yes, The Boston Sun Newspaper Is Available Online!

    Back in February, The Back Bay Sun expanded to cover more neighborhoods and became The Boston Sun. Readers who follow our work in this paper have asked us how they can find it online when they are traveling.

    The boston sun

    Bookmark this link The Boston Sun. If you are searching for it, be sure to enter all three words – "The Boston Sun." If you use just two, you'll get a different website.

    Attention to detail

    You'll find our weekly Attention to Detail columns. With the expanded neighborhoods, these rotate with the South End, Fenway, and Back Bay neighbors featured in turn.

    City Paws

    Some weeks you'll also find one of the two newspaper columns, City Paws or Fresh & Local that we send to a number of newspapers each week.

    Fresh & local on v acation

    If all this is new to you, click over to the The Boston Sun's homepage.

    Screen Shot 2016-06-30 at Thursday, June 30, 201612.48.10 PM
    Once a week the "Full Print Edition" should be updated with a new paper. You can click on that thumbnail and download a PDF copy of the paper to read at your leisure. (Or to keep if you, your home, your dog, or cat happen to be featured.)

    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: © 2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

  • Kilachand Hall, Shelton Hall … 91 Bay State Road, Then and Now

    Today 91 Bay State Road (map) is a Boston University dormitory for Kilachand Honors College students. Since September 2012 it has gone by the name Kilachand Hall. Over the years it has had other names and an interesting history.

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    Postcard from the Boston Public Library's collection.

    It was opened in 1923 as the Sheraton Apartment Hotel. It was one of the popular "apartment hotels." 

    V_12_HotelShelton_001

    In his book, Built in Boston, architectural historian Douglass Shand-Tucci explained how these differed from commercial hotels, "… apartment hotels did not seek transient guests." He added, "… they were popularly described as the habitats of the 'newly wed and the nearly dead.'"

    Bu today

    BU Today published a story, "One Address, Many Stories: Shelton Hall’s stately, swinging past" on the history of the building in 2012. 

    If you click over and read this article, you'll learn:

    • The Sheraton Hotel chain was named after this building when new owners acquired it in 1939 and unified their holdings under the Sheraton moniker.
    • The rooftop was famous as a place for society entertaining.
    • In 1950 new owners created the name Shelton possibly as a money saving measure.
    • Some say the building is haunted by the spirit of Eugene O'Neill who died on the 4th floor. 
    • BU bought the building in 1954 and renamed it Shelton Hall and used it as a female dormitory.

    06_10_000107

    When you approach the building from Bay State Road, it's easy to forget that it stands on the banks of the Charles as shown in this postcard.

    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: © 2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

    Related articles
    A Summer Weekend Walk Down Bay State Road
    Charles River Waterline on Bay State Road
    People Watching: Marsh Chapel Cloister

  • Kilachand Hall, Shelton Hall … 91 Bay State Road, Then and Now

    Today 91 Bay State Road (map) is a Boston University dormitory for Kilachand Honors College students. Since September 2012 it has gone by the name Kilachand Hall. Over the years it has had other names and an interesting history.

    2380176643_8e4ef1e1bb_z

    Postcard from the Boston Public Library's collection.

    It was opened in 1923 as the Sheraton Apartment Hotel. It was one of the popular "apartment hotels." 

    V_12_HotelShelton_001

    In his book, Built in Boston, architectural historian Douglass Shand-Tucci explained how these differed from commercial hotels, "… apartment hotels did not seek transient guests." He added, "… they were popularly described as the habitats of the 'newly wed and the nearly dead.'"

    Bu today

    BU Today published a story, "One Address, Many Stories: Shelton Hall’s stately, swinging past" on the history of the building in 2012. 

    If you click over and read this article, you'll learn:

    • The Sheraton Hotel chain was named after this building when new owners acquired it in 1939 and unified their holdings under the Sheraton moniker.
    • The rooftop was famous as a place for society entertaining.
    • In 1950 new owners created the name Shelton possibly as a money saving measure.
    • Some say the building is haunted by the spirit of Eugene O'Neill who died on the 4th floor. 
    • BU bought the building in 1954 and renamed it Shelton Hall and used it as a female dormitory.

    06_10_000107

    When you approach the building from Bay State Road, it's easy to forget that it stands on the banks of the Charles as shown in this postcard.

    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: © 2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

    Related articles
    A Summer Weekend Walk Down Bay State Road
    Charles River Waterline on Bay State Road
    People Watching: Marsh Chapel Cloister

  • Garnish Gazpacho with Avocado Like Panificio Does!

    This week we are enjoying a big batch of gazpacho that Penny made over the weekend. 

    IMG_7777

    We like it chunky in texture and have learned to add a non-traditional garnish–avocado!

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    Photo by Peter Rukavina used under creative common's license.

    When a walk takes us to Charles Street, we often come home with a container of gazpacho from Panificio Bistro and Bakery. They are the inspiration for this addition to this classic, Spanish cold soup. Thank you to the chef who came up with this idea. 

    IMG_7793

    Penny uses a very classic recipe from The New Spanish Table cookbook. On the bread or no-bread side of the gazpacho discussion, we are most decidedly on add-bread-to-the-mix side. When you top this thick soup with avocado pieces, you have a main dish.

    IMG_7784

    With ripe, ready summer tomatoes arriving at farmers markets and farm stands, this is a great lunch or supper. But, anytime you'd rather let someone else do the work, call Panificio and ask if they have their great gazpacho with avocado on the menu. When days are hot, they have been known to sell out of this customer favorite, so do call. 

    What's on your Food Lover's shopping list?

       

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino Panificio photo by Peter Rukavina used under creative commons license.

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  • Duchess Poppy Speaks Up About July 4th Fireworks Noise

    Hello there Boston Dogs, Duchess Poppy here!

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    I can tell you from experience that Boston's July 4th Celebration is going to be noisy. And I do not like noise! I like things cool, calm, and quiet. 

    Did you know that there are silent fireworks? Penny found this article about a town that made things better for us noise averse critters by choosing those.

    Update: Here's another article from the Boston Globe.

    But here there will be lots of flashing lights in the sky and big booms going off along the river. I'm planning on staying home, but even if I hide in the bathroom, I know it will make my building shake.

    I found a bunch of tips Over on PetFinder about preparing for big parties like this. 

    Screen shot 2013-06-28 at 10.07.38 AM

    Tap your paw or click on the poster for easier reading.

    And, just in case you were wondering, dogs and cats are not allowed at the Boston Pops Concert on the Esplanade. Only official, working, or service animals may attend. (But I don't know why any of us would want to go to this noisy, crowded place. Besides, we would only distract the police dogs who have important work that day.) 

    Have a safe and Happy July 4th! 

    Duchess Poppy Whitehead

    P.S. Here's a link to all our Sunday Dogs. I'm in charge of recruiting the talent for these features, so let me know if you want to star some week.

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a Birthday or Wedding gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     Details:

    Words: Duchess Poppy Whitehead (Edited by Ed)
    Photography: © 2013 Penny Cherubino   

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