Christmas Eve Archives - Page 2 of 3

What’s Open in Boston on Christmas Eve & Christmas Day & MBTA Schedules 2013

Here's a rundown of what's open in Boston on Christmas, December 25, 2013, plus information on: trash collection, parking, MBTA schedule changes, and whatever else we were able to gather to answer your Chrismas week questions.

UPDATE …This is an old post here's the latest!

What's Open in Boston on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day & MBTA Schedules 2014

Remember, many businesses close early on Christmas Eve. Call before you leave, if you plan to visit a business on the 24th.

Welcome to all of you who have found BostonZest.com while looking for this information. We hope you'll look around at the other resources we provide, subscribe to our RSS feed, follow us on Twitter, and come back often.

Restaurants, bars: Some will be open. Check for special hours and menus and take a look at our piece on Where to Dine on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day 2013 in Boston.

Convenience stores: Some will be open. Check for special hours.

Supermarkets: Closed due to "Massachusetts "Blue Laws" on Chrismas Day, December 25th.

Retail stores: Closed due to "Massachusetts "Blue Laws" on Chrismas Day, December 25th.

Liquor stores: Closed due to "Massachusetts "Blue Laws" on Chrismas Day, December 25th.

City, Town, State and Federal offices and facilities are closed: This includes Schools, Libraries, and the Postal Service. Only emergency services are available.

Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply. When we have official hours for the Tow Lot over the holiday we'll update this section. Call before going on Christmas eve or Chistmas day.

Boston Trash Collection: The city says the following about trash collection Christmas week:

"Christmas Day Collection
Wednesday, December 25 – Saturday, December 28, 2013

Trash and Recycling collection will be cancelled in all sections of the City on Christmas Day (Wednesday, December 25).

Regular collection schedule Back Bay, Bay Village, Fenway, South End, Mission Hill, Leather District, and Roxbury for the rest of the week;

North End, Beacon Hill, Bay Village, Chinatown – regular collection schedule Monday, Friday (Wednesday cancelled);

Charlestown, delayed a day;

Allston/Brighton, Dorchester, East Boston, South Boston *Jamaica Plain, West Roxbury and Hyde Park, delayed Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

*If you live in Jamaica Plain and your trash and recycling is collected 2 times per week, no delay."

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.

MBTA Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Schedule Changes:

Again this year, the T has included New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, so you can do all your MBTA travel planning at this link! (Please note that the content on this page will change throughout the year.)

Wednesday, December 25, 2013 – MBTA Christmas Day Schedule (Quick Look)

• Blue, Orange, Green, Red, and Silver Lines will operate on a Sunday schedule.

• Buses will run on a Sunday schedule, however some routes will not operate on Christmas day. See those details here.

• Commuter rail trains will operate on a Sunday schedule (which means some lines will not operate).

• Hingham and Charlestown boat service will not operate.

• THE RIDE will operate on a Sunday schedule.

For additional information on MBTA services, routes, schedules, and fares, please call the MBTA Customer Communications Department at (617) 222-3200 or 1-800-392-6100 (TTY 617-222-5146)," or visit the MBTA website.

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: © 2013 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 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.

December 12, 2013

Where to Dine on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day 2013 in Boston

UPDATE: Where to Dine on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2015 in Boston

Where can you dine on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the Boston area? There are a few great choices! But, if you're planning to dine at one of Boston's fine restaurants over the holidays, make a reservation!

Don't be surprised if a deposit is required to hold your reservation or if there are special menus and seatings for these special holiday meals. Unfortunately, restaurants have been forced to do this because of people who make multiple reservations so they can decide at the last minute where to go. This leaves other diners without choices and the restaurants with empty tables.

What's Open on Christmas Eve?

There are more choices on Christmas Eve than on Christmas Day. Some of our favorite, special places have wonderful holiday meals planned for those who reserve for the 24th.

The legendary team from L'Espalier offers a prix fixe Christmas Eve menu.
La Morra in Brookline is an ideal spot to meet friends or family from that side of the Boston area. They are offering family style dining, "sharing traditional dishes of Piedmonte."
Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel has a four course prixe fixe menu set for the 24th.
The Petit Robert Bistro locations will be open with regular meals and specials. We like the one on Columbus Ave in the South End.

At the early date of this posting, some places have not announced their traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes events for Chistmas Eve. Check back or follow us on Twitter for updates on this fun holiday dining option.

Grotto has their Feast listed on Boston Chefs. This tiny Beacon Hill gem was one of the first to present this holiday tradition.
Kitchen and Marliave, Grotto's siblings in the South End and Downtown, are joining in the festive fish feast.

What Boston Area Restaurants Are Open on Christmas?

Hotel restaurants, since they must serve the hotel's guests, are normally open on holidays.

In Boston, hotel restaurants open both the 24th and 25th include some excellent choices:

Asana at the Mandarin Hotel
The Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons Hotel
Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel where you'll have a choice of a buffet or four course prix fixe menu.
Brasserie JO at the Colonnade Hotel
Taj Boston Cafe at the Taj Hotel

Other places open on holidays would include chains like Legal Seafoods and many restaurants in Chinatown. We once asked a long time Boston cabbie where we could get something we needed on Christmas, and he said Chinatown was the place to go.

Here are some conversations on Chowhound.com and Trip Advisor about Christmas dining. We'll add more as we see them pop up this year.

Trip Advisor on Christmas Dinner (2013)

Eater Boston's Christmas Map (Updated 12/16/2013)

What Chinese Restaurants are Open On Christmas Day– (2012)

Christmas Day Brunch (2012)

Open on Cape Cod on Christmas Day (just in case you're going there) (2012)

Xmas Lunch in Boston (2012)

Restaurant open Christmas Day in Newton or nearby (2012)

Other resources:

The reservation site, Open Table has a feature list of its member restaurants with Christmas Eve Specials and Christmas Day Dining.

But, you can also input information on the reservation you want on Open Table and come up with a list of restaurants open at that hour. Change the hour and the list will change and some are not on the featured lists. It's a good place to start.

The Boston Chefs site has posted a list of its participating member restaurants with special features for the holidays. Here's the Christmas Eve List & the Christmas Day list.

From Last Year: Eater Boston has a list of Where to Eat on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We'll update with the new one when it's available.

They have many good choices to add to your holiday options. We'd particularly like to recommend:

Island Creek Oyster Bar for Christmas Eve. It's one of our favorite places, and I can just imagine what a happy scene it will be on that evening.

Eastern Standard: They will be open Christmas Day for breakfast and then for a special 3-course prix fixe meal.

Market by John-Georges: They will have a la carte items from their regular menu in addition to a special holiday menu on Christmas Day.

Subscribe to the comment feed of this post or follow us on Twitter, and we'll notify you of updates to this post.

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:

Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino

Photo: 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 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.

December 9, 2013

Where to Dine on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day 2013 in Boston

UPDATE: Where to Dine on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2015 in Boston

Where can you dine on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the Boston area? There are a few great choices! But, if you're planning to dine at one of Boston's fine restaurants over the holidays, make a reservation!

Don't be surprised if a deposit is required to hold your reservation or if there are special menus and seatings for these special holiday meals. Unfortunately, restaurants have been forced to do this because of people who make multiple reservations so they can decide at the last minute where to go. This leaves other diners without choices and the restaurants with empty tables.

What's Open on Christmas Eve?

There are more choices on Christmas Eve than on Christmas Day. Some of our favorite, special places have wonderful holiday meals planned for those who reserve for the 24th.

The legendary team from L'Espalier offers a prix fixe Christmas Eve menu.
La Morra in Brookline is an ideal spot to meet friends or family from that side of the Boston area. They are offering family style dining, "sharing traditional dishes of Piedmonte."
Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel has a four course prixe fixe menu set for the 24th.
The Petit Robert Bistro locations will be open with regular meals and specials. We like the one on Columbus Ave in the South End.

At the early date of this posting, some places have not announced their traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes events for Chistmas Eve. Check back or follow us on Twitter for updates on this fun holiday dining option.

Grotto has their Feast listed on Boston Chefs. This tiny Beacon Hill gem was one of the first to present this holiday tradition.
Kitchen and Marliave, Grotto's siblings in the South End and Downtown, are joining in the festive fish feast.

What Boston Area Restaurants Are Open on Christmas?

Hotel restaurants, since they must serve the hotel's guests, are normally open on holidays.

In Boston, hotel restaurants open both the 24th and 25th include some excellent choices:

Asana at the Mandarin Hotel
The Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons Hotel
Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel where you'll have a choice of a buffet or four course prix fixe menu.
Brasserie JO at the Colonnade Hotel
Taj Boston Cafe at the Taj Hotel

Other places open on holidays would include chains like Legal Seafoods and many restaurants in Chinatown. We once asked a long time Boston cabbie where we could get something we needed on Christmas, and he said Chinatown was the place to go.

Here are some conversations on Chowhound.com and Trip Advisor about Christmas dining. We'll add more as we see them pop up this year.

Trip Advisor on Christmas Dinner (2013)

Eater Boston's Christmas Map (Updated 12/16/2013)

What Chinese Restaurants are Open On Christmas Day– (2012)

Christmas Day Brunch (2012)

Open on Cape Cod on Christmas Day (just in case you're going there) (2012)

Xmas Lunch in Boston (2012)

Restaurant open Christmas Day in Newton or nearby (2012)

Other resources:

The reservation site, Open Table has a feature list of its member restaurants with Christmas Eve Specials and Christmas Day Dining.

But, you can also input information on the reservation you want on Open Table and come up with a list of restaurants open at that hour. Change the hour and the list will change and some are not on the featured lists. It's a good place to start.

The Boston Chefs site has posted a list of its participating member restaurants with special features for the holidays. Here's the Christmas Eve List & the Christmas Day list.

From Last Year: Eater Boston has a list of Where to Eat on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We'll update with the new one when it's available.

They have many good choices to add to your holiday options. We'd particularly like to recommend:

Island Creek Oyster Bar for Christmas Eve. It's one of our favorite places, and I can just imagine what a happy scene it will be on that evening.

Eastern Standard: They will be open Christmas Day for breakfast and then for a special 3-course prix fixe meal.

Market by John-Georges: They will have a la carte items from their regular menu in addition to a special holiday menu on Christmas Day.

Subscribe to the comment feed of this post or follow us on Twitter, and we'll notify you of updates to this post.

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:

Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino

Photo: 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 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.

December 9, 2013

Where to Dine on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day 2013 in Boston

UPDATE: Where to Dine on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2015 in Boston

Where can you dine on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the Boston area? There are a few great choices! But, if you're planning to dine at one of Boston's fine restaurants over the holidays, make a reservation!

Don't be surprised if a deposit is required to hold your reservation or if there are special menus and seatings for these special holiday meals. Unfortunately, restaurants have been forced to do this because of people who make multiple reservations so they can decide at the last minute where to go. This leaves other diners without choices and the restaurants with empty tables.

What's Open on Christmas Eve?

There are more choices on Christmas Eve than on Christmas Day. Some of our favorite, special places have wonderful holiday meals planned for those who reserve for the 24th.

The legendary team from L'Espalier offers a prix fixe Christmas Eve menu.
La Morra in Brookline is an ideal spot to meet friends or family from that side of the Boston area. They are offering family style dining, "sharing traditional dishes of Piedmonte."
Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel has a four course prixe fixe menu set for the 24th.
The Petit Robert Bistro locations will be open with regular meals and specials. We like the one on Columbus Ave in the South End.

At the early date of this posting, some places have not announced their traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes events for Chistmas Eve. Check back or follow us on Twitter for updates on this fun holiday dining option.

Grotto has their Feast listed on Boston Chefs. This tiny Beacon Hill gem was one of the first to present this holiday tradition.
Kitchen and Marliave, Grotto's siblings in the South End and Downtown, are joining in the festive fish feast.

What Boston Area Restaurants Are Open on Christmas?

Hotel restaurants, since they must serve the hotel's guests, are normally open on holidays.

In Boston, hotel restaurants open both the 24th and 25th include some excellent choices:

Asana at the Mandarin Hotel
The Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons Hotel
Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel where you'll have a choice of a buffet or four course prix fixe menu.
Brasserie JO at the Colonnade Hotel
Taj Boston Cafe at the Taj Hotel

Other places open on holidays would include chains like Legal Seafoods and many restaurants in Chinatown. We once asked a long time Boston cabbie where we could get something we needed on Christmas, and he said Chinatown was the place to go.

Here are some conversations on Chowhound.com and Trip Advisor about Christmas dining. We'll add more as we see them pop up this year.

Trip Advisor on Christmas Dinner (2013)

Eater Boston's Christmas Map (Updated 12/16/2013)

What Chinese Restaurants are Open On Christmas Day– (2012)

Christmas Day Brunch (2012)

Open on Cape Cod on Christmas Day (just in case you're going there) (2012)

Xmas Lunch in Boston (2012)

Restaurant open Christmas Day in Newton or nearby (2012)

Other resources:

The reservation site, Open Table has a feature list of its member restaurants with Christmas Eve Specials and Christmas Day Dining.

But, you can also input information on the reservation you want on Open Table and come up with a list of restaurants open at that hour. Change the hour and the list will change and some are not on the featured lists. It's a good place to start.

The Boston Chefs site has posted a list of its participating member restaurants with special features for the holidays. Here's the Christmas Eve List & the Christmas Day list.

From Last Year: Eater Boston has a list of Where to Eat on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We'll update with the new one when it's available.

They have many good choices to add to your holiday options. We'd particularly like to recommend:

Island Creek Oyster Bar for Christmas Eve. It's one of our favorite places, and I can just imagine what a happy scene it will be on that evening.

Eastern Standard: They will be open Christmas Day for breakfast and then for a special 3-course prix fixe meal.

Market by John-Georges: They will have a la carte items from their regular menu in addition to a special holiday menu on Christmas Day.

Subscribe to the comment feed of this post or follow us on Twitter, and we'll notify you of updates to this post.

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:

Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino

Photo: 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 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.

December 9, 2013

Seafood Feast for Christmas Eve

Lobster photo by Man Pikin. Link in details below.

While you may think of lobster as summer fare, around our house it's a Christmas Eve tradition. Think about it, the reason Maine Lobster is so good is those freezing cold waters that make swimming from Maine’s ocean beaches a shocking experience. This time of year, water temperatures drop throughout our area and lobsters have better flavor.

Our Lobsters will come from James Hook & Company (below) on the Waterfront.

Do you have a traditional Christmas Eve meal? Please share it with us and our readers in the comments or via Twitter.

Feast of the Seven Fishes

For many Italian families, the Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes, or La Vigilia di Natale, is a tradition. And, because preparing this meal at home can be daunting for the cook, it’s a good time to invite guests who will bring a dish or help in the kitchen – especially if your family’s version actually calls for 9, 11, or 13 fishes.

(Update 12.20.12 @ 5:12 pm) Just found this coversation over on Chowhound's Boston Board about other places doing the Feast with some reviews on past feasts. Feast of the Seven Fishes on Chowhound

Get the Salt Cod Early

One element of most traditional Christmas Eve feasts is salt cod or baccalà. This is the one product you need to buy right away. Soaking it, to rehydrate and remove the salt, can be a long process and is best begun at least a couple of days before you plan to use it.

We’ve purchased excellent salt cod from Salumeria Italiana in the North End. Baccalà is one of those products you want to buy from a trusted specialty shop or fishmonger. There's a very wide range of salt cod quality and if this is for a special occasion, why not buy from someone who's made sure you will have the best.

There was a discussion with Boston Chowhounds about a good place to buy salt cod, earlier this year. Lots of good advice there.

Join a Restaurant Feast

For the non-cooks, there are area restaurants serving their versions of the feast this year. Grotto in Beacon Hill has had rave reviews of their special feast menu in past years. Sister restaurant Marliave is also joining in the feasting with their own version.

Other places for fish feasting are Dante in Cambridge, Davio’s in the Theatre District, and Legal Harborside out in the Seaport area. The North End’s Neptune Oyster is doing it tonight (12.20.12) for those who have to be elsewhere on Christmas Eve. For all these places, reservations are recommended.

Upddate 12.20.12 one of our favorite places, Coppa has added a feast and they are doing prixe fixe or a la carte.

Make Up Your Own

You might decide to have your own taylor made seafood feast during the holidays. You can buy and cook your favorite fish or dine out choosing the menu items that appeal to you. Another option is meeting up with friends at a great seafood restaurant like Island Creek Oyster Bar and sharing a bunch of items that appeal to the group. That could help nudge you out of your seafood comfort zone.

The nice thing about menus for this holiday is that they are less prescribed, letting you start your own traditions. Let us know what you decide to create for your own Chistmas eve menu.

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: Lobster photo by Man Pikin. Used under this creative commons license.

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.

December 20, 2012

Seafood Feast for Christmas Eve

Lobster photo by Man Pikin. Link in details below.

While you may think of lobster as summer fare, around our house it's a Christmas Eve tradition. Think about it, the reason Maine Lobster is so good is those freezing cold waters that make swimming from Maine’s ocean beaches a shocking experience. This time of year, water temperatures drop throughout our area and lobsters have better flavor.

Our Lobsters will come from James Hook & Company (below) on the Waterfront.

Do you have a traditional Christmas Eve meal? Please share it with us and our readers in the comments or via Twitter.

Feast of the Seven Fishes

For many Italian families, the Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes, or La Vigilia di Natale, is a tradition. And, because preparing this meal at home can be daunting for the cook, it’s a good time to invite guests who will bring a dish or help in the kitchen – especially if your family’s version actually calls for 9, 11, or 13 fishes.

(Update 12.20.12 @ 5:12 pm) Just found this coversation over on Chowhound's Boston Board about other places doing the Feast with some reviews on past feasts. Feast of the Seven Fishes on Chowhound

Get the Salt Cod Early

One element of most traditional Christmas Eve feasts is salt cod or baccalà. This is the one product you need to buy right away. Soaking it, to rehydrate and remove the salt, can be a long process and is best begun at least a couple of days before you plan to use it.

We’ve purchased excellent salt cod from Salumeria Italiana in the North End. Baccalà is one of those products you want to buy from a trusted specialty shop or fishmonger. There's a very wide range of salt cod quality and if this is for a special occasion, why not buy from someone who's made sure you will have the best.

There was a discussion with Boston Chowhounds about a good place to buy salt cod, earlier this year. Lots of good advice there.

Join a Restaurant Feast

For the non-cooks, there are area restaurants serving their versions of the feast this year. Grotto in Beacon Hill has had rave reviews of their special feast menu in past years. Sister restaurant Marliave is also joining in the feasting with their own version.

Other places for fish feasting are Dante in Cambridge, Davio’s in the Theatre District, and Legal Harborside out in the Seaport area. The North End’s Neptune Oyster is doing it tonight (12.20.12) for those who have to be elsewhere on Christmas Eve. For all these places, reservations are recommended.

Upddate 12.20.12 one of our favorite places, Coppa has added a feast and they are doing prixe fixe or a la carte.

Make Up Your Own

You might decide to have your own taylor made seafood feast during the holidays. You can buy and cook your favorite fish or dine out choosing the menu items that appeal to you. Another option is meeting up with friends at a great seafood restaurant like Island Creek Oyster Bar and sharing a bunch of items that appeal to the group. That could help nudge you out of your seafood comfort zone.

The nice thing about menus for this holiday is that they are less prescribed, letting you start your own traditions. Let us know what you decide to create for your own Chistmas eve menu.

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: Lobster photo by Man Pikin. Used under this creative commons license.

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.

December 20, 2012

Seafood Feast for Christmas Eve

Lobster photo by Man Pikin. Link in details below.

While you may think of lobster as summer fare, around our house it's a Christmas Eve tradition. Think about it, the reason Maine Lobster is so good is those freezing cold waters that make swimming from Maine’s ocean beaches a shocking experience. This time of year, water temperatures drop throughout our area and lobsters have better flavor.

Our Lobsters will come from James Hook & Company (below) on the Waterfront.

Do you have a traditional Christmas Eve meal? Please share it with us and our readers in the comments or via Twitter.

Feast of the Seven Fishes

For many Italian families, the Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes, or La Vigilia di Natale, is a tradition. And, because preparing this meal at home can be daunting for the cook, it’s a good time to invite guests who will bring a dish or help in the kitchen – especially if your family’s version actually calls for 9, 11, or 13 fishes.

(Update 12.20.12 @ 5:12 pm) Just found this coversation over on Chowhound's Boston Board about other places doing the Feast with some reviews on past feasts. Feast of the Seven Fishes on Chowhound

Get the Salt Cod Early

One element of most traditional Christmas Eve feasts is salt cod or baccalà. This is the one product you need to buy right away. Soaking it, to rehydrate and remove the salt, can be a long process and is best begun at least a couple of days before you plan to use it.

We’ve purchased excellent salt cod from Salumeria Italiana in the North End. Baccalà is one of those products you want to buy from a trusted specialty shop or fishmonger. There's a very wide range of salt cod quality and if this is for a special occasion, why not buy from someone who's made sure you will have the best.

There was a discussion with Boston Chowhounds about a good place to buy salt cod, earlier this year. Lots of good advice there.

Join a Restaurant Feast

For the non-cooks, there are area restaurants serving their versions of the feast this year. Grotto in Beacon Hill has had rave reviews of their special feast menu in past years. Sister restaurant Marliave is also joining in the feasting with their own version.

Other places for fish feasting are Dante in Cambridge, Davio’s in the Theatre District, and Legal Harborside out in the Seaport area. The North End’s Neptune Oyster is doing it tonight (12.20.12) for those who have to be elsewhere on Christmas Eve. For all these places, reservations are recommended.

Upddate 12.20.12 one of our favorite places, Coppa has added a feast and they are doing prixe fixe or a la carte.

Make Up Your Own

You might decide to have your own taylor made seafood feast during the holidays. You can buy and cook your favorite fish or dine out choosing the menu items that appeal to you. Another option is meeting up with friends at a great seafood restaurant like Island Creek Oyster Bar and sharing a bunch of items that appeal to the group. That could help nudge you out of your seafood comfort zone.

The nice thing about menus for this holiday is that they are less prescribed, letting you start your own traditions. Let us know what you decide to create for your own Chistmas eve menu.

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: Lobster photo by Man Pikin. Used under this creative commons license.

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.

December 20, 2012

What’s Open in Boston on Christmas & MBTA Schedules 2012

IMG_4053 - Version 22011-11-28-farimont-copley-plaza-chrismas-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

Fairmont Copley Plaza lobby filled with holiday spirit.

UPDATE …This is an old post here's the latest!

What's Open in Boston on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day & MBTA Schedules 2014

Here's a rundown of what's open in Boston on Christmas, December 25, 2012, plus information on: trash collection, parking, and whatever else we were able to gather to answer your Chrismas week questions.

Remember, many businesses close early on Christmas Eve. Call before you leave, if you plan to visit a business on the 24th.

Welcome to all of you who have found BostonZest.com while looking for this information. We hope you'll look around at the other resources we provide, subscribe to our RSS feed, follow us on Twitter, and come back often.

Restaurants, bars: Some will be open. Check for special hours and menus and take a look at our piece on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Dining in Boston 2012.

Convenience stores: Some will be open. Check for special hours.

Supermarkets: Closeddue toMassachusetts "Blue Laws" on Chrismas Day, December 25th.

Retail stores: Closeddue toMassachusetts "Blue Laws" on Chrismas Day, December 25th.

Liquor stores: Closeddue toMassachusetts "Blue Laws" on Chrismas Day, December 25th.

City, Town, State and Federal offices and facilities are closed: This includes Schools, Libraries, and the Postal Service. Only emergency services are available.

Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply. The Tow Lot will be open Monday – Friday 7am-10:30 pm, Saturdays 9 am- noon, and it is closed on all city holidays. (We'd recommend calling before going on Christmas Eve.)

Boston Trash Collection: The city says the following about trash collection Christmas week.

"Tuesday, December 25, 7am – Saturday, December 29, 2012, 5pm

City Calendar Event

Monday December 24th regular trash and recycling for all sections of the City.

Tuesday December 25th, no trash or recycling collection in all sections of the City.

Back Bay [Tue-Fri], Fenway, Lower Roxbury, Mission Hill, South End, trash/recycling cancelled on Tuesday December 25th. Next schedule trash day is Friday December 28th.

Back Bay [M-Th], Bay Village, Beacon Hill, Charlestown, Chinatown, Leather District, North End, regular schedule, no delays.

Allston, Brighton, Dorchester, East Boston, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain*, Mattapan, South Boston, West Roxbury, regular schedule on Monday, December 24th, and delayed, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, one day.

*If you live in Jamaica Plain and your trash is picked up 2 times per week, do not delay.

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.

(MBTA information after this message.)

If BostonZest helps you by delivering information you need and use, consider helping us by starting all your Amazon shopping from here. Just click on a link like this or an Amazon ad, and you'll be transported to their site. They pay us a small commission on anything you buy on that shopping trip.

The MBTA Christmas Eve and Christmas Day schedule changes. Bonus! This year they included New Years's Eve and NewYear's Day as well so you can do all your planning MBTA travel planning at this link! (Please note that the content on this page will change throughout the year.)

Tuesday, December 25, 2012 – Christmas Day

• Blue, Orange, Green, and Red Line trains, buses, and trackless trolleys will operate on a Sunday schedule.

• Many buses will run on a Sunday schedule however there is a long list of buses that will not operate on Christmas day. See those details here.

• Commuter rail trains will operate on a Sunday schedule except for the Fairmount, Greenbush, Kingston/Plymouth, and Needham lines, which will not operate.

• Hingham, Quincy, and Charlestown commuter boat service will not operate.

• THE RIDE will operate on a Sunday schedule.

For additional information on MBTA services, routes, schedules, and fares, please call the MBTA Customer Communications Department at (617) 222-3200 or 1-800-392-6100 (TTY 617-222-5146)," or visit the MBTA website.

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:

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.

November 29, 2012

What’s Open in Boston on Christmas & MBTA Schedules 2012

Fairmont Copley Plaza lobby filled with holiday spirit.

UPDATE …This is an old post here's the latest!

What's Open in Boston on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day & MBTA Schedules 2014

Here's a rundown of what's open in Boston on Christmas, December 25, 2012, plus information on: trash collection, parking, and whatever else we were able to gather to answer your Chrismas week questions.

Remember, many businesses close early on Christmas Eve. Call before you leave, if you plan to visit a business on the 24th.

Welcome to all of you who have found BostonZest.com while looking for this information. We hope you'll look around at the other resources we provide, subscribe to our RSS feed, follow us on Twitter, and come back often.

Restaurants, bars: Some will be open. Check for special hours and menus and take a look at our piece on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Dining in Boston 2012.

Convenience stores: Some will be open. Check for special hours.

Supermarkets: Closeddue toMassachusetts "Blue Laws" on Chrismas Day, December 25th.

Retail stores: Closeddue toMassachusetts "Blue Laws" on Chrismas Day, December 25th.

Liquor stores: Closeddue toMassachusetts "Blue Laws" on Chrismas Day, December 25th.

City, Town, State and Federal offices and facilities are closed: This includes Schools, Libraries, and the Postal Service. Only emergency services are available.

Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply. The Tow Lot will be open Monday – Friday 7am-10:30 pm, Saturdays 9 am- noon, and it is closed on all city holidays. (We'd recommend calling before going on Christmas Eve.)

Boston Trash Collection: The city says the following about trash collection Christmas week.

"Tuesday, December 25, 7am – Saturday, December 29, 2012, 5pm

City Calendar Event

Monday December 24th regular trash and recycling for all sections of the City.

Tuesday December 25th, no trash or recycling collection in all sections of the City.

Back Bay [Tue-Fri], Fenway, Lower Roxbury, Mission Hill, South End, trash/recycling cancelled on Tuesday December 25th. Next schedule trash day is Friday December 28th.

Back Bay [M-Th], Bay Village, Beacon Hill, Charlestown, Chinatown, Leather District, North End, regular schedule, no delays.

Allston, Brighton, Dorchester, East Boston, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain*, Mattapan, South Boston, West Roxbury, regular schedule on Monday, December 24th, and delayed, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, one day.

*If you live in Jamaica Plain and your trash is picked up 2 times per week, do not delay.

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.

(MBTA information after this message.)

If BostonZest helps you by delivering information you need and use, consider helping us by starting all your Amazon shopping from here. Just click on a link like this or an Amazon ad, and you'll be transported to their site. They pay us a small commission on anything you buy on that shopping trip.

The MBTA Christmas Eve and Christmas Day schedule changes. Bonus! This year they included New Years's Eve and NewYear's Day as well so you can do all your planning MBTA travel planning at this link! (Please note that the content on this page will change throughout the year.)

Tuesday, December 25, 2012 – Christmas Day

• Blue, Orange, Green, and Red Line trains, buses, and trackless trolleys will operate on a Sunday schedule.

• Many buses will run on a Sunday schedule however there is a long list of buses that will not operate on Christmas day. See those details here.

• Commuter rail trains will operate on a Sunday schedule except for the Fairmount, Greenbush, Kingston/Plymouth, and Needham lines, which will not operate.

• Hingham, Quincy, and Charlestown commuter boat service will not operate.

• THE RIDE will operate on a Sunday schedule.

For additional information on MBTA services, routes, schedules, and fares, please call the MBTA Customer Communications Department at (617) 222-3200 or 1-800-392-6100 (TTY 617-222-5146)," or visit the MBTA website.

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:

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.

November 29, 2012

What’s Open in Boston on Christmas & MBTA Schedules 2012

Fairmont Copley Plaza lobby filled with holiday spirit.

UPDATE …This is an old post here's the latest!

What's Open in Boston on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day & MBTA Schedules 2014

Here's a rundown of what's open in Boston on Christmas, December 25, 2012, plus information on: trash collection, parking, and whatever else we were able to gather to answer your Chrismas week questions.

Remember, many businesses close early on Christmas Eve. Call before you leave, if you plan to visit a business on the 24th.

Welcome to all of you who have found BostonZest.com while looking for this information. We hope you'll look around at the other resources we provide, subscribe to our RSS feed, follow us on Twitter, and come back often.

Restaurants, bars: Some will be open. Check for special hours and menus and take a look at our piece on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Dining in Boston 2012.

Convenience stores: Some will be open. Check for special hours.

Supermarkets: Closeddue toMassachusetts "Blue Laws" on Chrismas Day, December 25th.

Retail stores: Closeddue toMassachusetts "Blue Laws" on Chrismas Day, December 25th.

Liquor stores: Closeddue toMassachusetts "Blue Laws" on Chrismas Day, December 25th.

City, Town, State and Federal offices and facilities are closed: This includes Schools, Libraries, and the Postal Service. Only emergency services are available.

Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply. The Tow Lot will be open Monday – Friday 7am-10:30 pm, Saturdays 9 am- noon, and it is closed on all city holidays. (We'd recommend calling before going on Christmas Eve.)

Boston Trash Collection: The city says the following about trash collection Christmas week.

"Tuesday, December 25, 7am – Saturday, December 29, 2012, 5pm

City Calendar Event

Monday December 24th regular trash and recycling for all sections of the City.

Tuesday December 25th, no trash or recycling collection in all sections of the City.

Back Bay [Tue-Fri], Fenway, Lower Roxbury, Mission Hill, South End, trash/recycling cancelled on Tuesday December 25th. Next schedule trash day is Friday December 28th.

Back Bay [M-Th], Bay Village, Beacon Hill, Charlestown, Chinatown, Leather District, North End, regular schedule, no delays.

Allston, Brighton, Dorchester, East Boston, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain*, Mattapan, South Boston, West Roxbury, regular schedule on Monday, December 24th, and delayed, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, one day.

*If you live in Jamaica Plain and your trash is picked up 2 times per week, do not delay.

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.

(MBTA information after this message.)

If BostonZest helps you by delivering information you need and use, consider helping us by starting all your Amazon shopping from here. Just click on a link like this or an Amazon ad, and you'll be transported to their site. They pay us a small commission on anything you buy on that shopping trip.

The MBTA Christmas Eve and Christmas Day schedule changes. Bonus! This year they included New Years's Eve and NewYear's Day as well so you can do all your planning MBTA travel planning at this link! (Please note that the content on this page will change throughout the year.)

Tuesday, December 25, 2012 – Christmas Day

• Blue, Orange, Green, and Red Line trains, buses, and trackless trolleys will operate on a Sunday schedule.

• Many buses will run on a Sunday schedule however there is a long list of buses that will not operate on Christmas day. See those details here.

• Commuter rail trains will operate on a Sunday schedule except for the Fairmount, Greenbush, Kingston/Plymouth, and Needham lines, which will not operate.

• Hingham, Quincy, and Charlestown commuter boat service will not operate.

• THE RIDE will operate on a Sunday schedule.

For additional information on MBTA services, routes, schedules, and fares, please call the MBTA Customer Communications Department at (617) 222-3200 or 1-800-392-6100 (TTY 617-222-5146)," or visit the MBTA website.

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:

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.

November 29, 2012

Tag: Christmas Eve

UPDATE …This is an old post here's the latest!

Wednesday, December 25, 2013 – MBTA Christmas Day Schedule (Quick Look)

Tuesday, December 25, 2012 – Christmas Day

Tuesday, December 25, 2012 – Christmas Day

Tuesday, December 25, 2012 – Christmas Day