We have recently returned from a trip to Provincetown where I realized that my morning walks in both that town, at the tip of Cape Cod, and Boston pass by a sculpture by Penelope Jencks.
In Ptown, I pass Dune Woman relaxing on the front lawn of the Provincetown Art Association and Museum (PAAM.)
In Boston it's her bronze & granite sculpture of Samuel Eliot Morison that attracts my camera (especially in the fall) as I walk the Commonwealth Avenue Mall.
If you like one piece by a certain artist, do some research and see what else they've done and where it's located. You might find that you can fit a visit with another piece of their art into an upcoming summer trip.
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It was such a pleasure to see Winston and his mounted Park Ranger adding a highly visible degree of protection to our parks.
Watching this pair interact with park visitors proved what great ambassadors the mounted patrol and their most attractive horses are for our parks. Each year The Friends of the Boston Park Rangers Mounted Unit have to raise enough money to keep this program going.
There are two hearings scheduled in the busy weeks ahead on the City's attempt to allow a developer to construct buildings that will cast additional shadows on the Boston Common, the Boston Public Garden, and the Commonwealth Avenue Mall.
Plan to speak up for our precious, historic parks at one of the two scheduled meetings.
6:30 PM ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 5TH:
Suffolk Law School, Moot Court Room, 4th Floor, 120 Tremont Street (map)
6:30 PM ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 19TH
290 Congress Street (near South Station) in the Fort Point Room (map)
The Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay has taken a strong stand on this issue, saying: "It is critical that citizens attend these meetings and voice their concerns about the project and the importance of protecting our open spaces. Even if you can't attend the meeting, please express your concerns in writing (by letter or email) so that they are received by the BPDA (formerly the BRA) by January 2nd, the new deadline the BPDA has established for public comments. Your comments should stress the importance of protecting the parks by retaining the existing shadow laws, and should be sent to:
Christopher Tracy, Senior Project Manager
Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA)
One City Hall Square
Boston, MA 02201
christopher.tracy@boston.gov"
Here at BostonZest, we'll continue to show you photos of sunlight in the parks to remind you of what's at stake.
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!
There are two hearings scheduled in the busy weeks ahead on the City's attempt to allow a developer to construct buildings that will cast additional shadows on the Boston Common, the Boston Public Garden, and the Commonwealth Avenue Mall.
Plan to speak up for our precious, historic parks at one of the two scheduled meetings.
6:30 PM ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 5TH:
Suffolk Law School, Moot Court Room, 4th Floor, 120 Tremont Street (map)
6:30 PM ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 19TH
290 Congress Street (near South Station) in the Fort Point Room (map)
The Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay has taken a strong stand on this issue, saying: "It is critical that citizens attend these meetings and voice their concerns about the project and the importance of protecting our open spaces. Even if you can't attend the meeting, please express your concerns in writing (by letter or email) so that they are received by the BPDA (formerly the BRA) by January 2nd, the new deadline the BPDA has established for public comments. Your comments should stress the importance of protecting the parks by retaining the existing shadow laws, and should be sent to:
Christopher Tracy, Senior Project Manager
Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA)
One City Hall Square
Boston, MA 02201
christopher.tracy@boston.gov"
Here at BostonZest, we'll continue to show you photos of sunlight in the parks to remind you of what's at stake.
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!
Pull out your calendars and mark the dates when you can go and see our Boston area farmers market friends at their outdoor spots. Our Friday Links today will take you to your favorite markets for the 2016 spring to fall season.
On the day I took this photo, I learned that the Stillman stand at the Boston Public Market would be expanding around the corner!
First, The News!
This year there will be a second day for the South End/SoWa Farmers Market on Harrison Avenue. You can shop for local food at this popular venue on both Saturdays and Sundays this season.
The Boston Public Market now serves Bostonians as their primary year-round farmers market. Beginning on July 18th, this local food marketplace will be open 7 days a week – an increase from the current 5 days.
Here are the opening dates for some of our favorite markets. The links are to maps of the locations:
May Markets
Boston Public Market: Wednesdays through Sundays year-round increasing to daily beginning July 18th
If you have confirmed dates for your favorite farmers market, please tell us in a comment or send us an emailand we'll add it as an update to this post.
We use and highly recommend a Rolser Shopping Trolley for your farmers market visits. It stands on its own and can haul your purchases over city sidewalks without a problem.
There is nothing like watching a puppy bound through the park discovering the world and the people and dogs around him or her.
We keep running into these two little pups on our walks on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall. Their antics are sure to make you smile.
They circle and sniff one another and then take notice of all their human admirers and dash away to get some smiles and pats from their fans.
This youngster jumped for joy when he saw our friend Greer. She is very tolerant of puppy play and will only give a silly little growl when the kids get out of hand.
Lilly, the Westie pup, was visiting Boston. Her person stopped us near the Public Garden to ask suggestions for a great place to buy a hostess gift. (We sent her to Blackstone's Beacon Hill on Charles Street where we knew the well-mannered Lily would be welcomed and the selection would result in a perfect gift.)
You met Guinness in a post last month but he is such a cutie and was quickly surrounded by a gathering of fans as he walked down Columbus Avenue in the South End that we had to include him in this post too.
Thanks to all the people who allow us to enjoy their new pups. But, just one reminder, if someone is keeping that puppy away, it may be because he or she is not ready for the meet-and-greet scene. The little dog might be in the "window of susceptibility." More about that in this post about another adorable puppy.
Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs. (This post will be first in the group, so scroll down to meet more of our canine pals.)
Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.
Whether you're coming to run or watch the 2019 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 vacation, or a business trip.
Right onto Hereford Street – Less Than a Mile to Go!
I remember my first Boston Marathon as a spectator. 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.
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
Whether you're coming to run or watch the 2019 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 vacation, or a business trip.
Right onto Hereford Street – Less Than a Mile to Go!
I remember my first Boston Marathon as a spectator. 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.
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
If you walk by the statue of General John Glover (November 5, 1732 – January 30, 1797) on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall near Berkeley Street (map) this week, stop for a moment to say thank you. Three times, Glover and his “amphibious” regiment of Marblehead fishermen saved the American Revolution.
The famous painting of that Christmas Day event focuses on George Washington standing bravely in the bow of a small boat. The painting is filled with historic inaccuracies. The boat is the wrong size and shape. And, diaries describe the weather as an awful mix of rain, sleet, and snow.
It is the depiction of a critical moment in the American Revolution. A moment when a small group of Massachusetts fishermen, led by Glover, accomplished a very difficult task that was a key to winning the war. Glover and his men ferried the Americans safely across the river, so that Washington could lead a surprise attack on British troops in Trenton, New Jersey.
Now that you know how important the men rowing were, look at the determined boatmen instead of Washington.
John Glover was known as a stylish dresser and that is how sculptor Martin Milmore portrayed him in this statue.
Escape from Brooklyn
Washington had good reason to trust Glover. He and his men had been tested and had proven their skills in August of that year. After the disastrous Battle of Long Island, it was this regiment that organized and conducted a successful evacuation, bringing 9,000 troops and supplies across the treacherous East River without a casualty.
The Battle of Pelham
And, that October, Glover led his men into a day-long fight where they battled with such tenacity and ferociousness that author David McCullough, in his book 1776, wrote that the Americans appeared to have “… stunned [British General] Howe, leading him to conclude that, with stone walls lining every road and adjacent field, more deadly fire could be waiting at any turn."
Thus, John Glover earned his inclusion in this place of honor. And, it seems appropriate that he stands just two blocks from George Washington who trusted and respected him and his men.
In an upcoming post, we'll tell you a bit about this statue and Martin Milmore, the young Irishman who created it.
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!
If you walk by the statue of General John Glover (November 5, 1732 – January 30, 1797) on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall near Berkeley Street (map) this week, stop for a moment to say thank you. Three times, Glover and his “amphibious” regiment of Marblehead fishermen saved the American Revolution.
The famous painting of that Christmas Day event focuses on George Washington standing bravely in the bow of a small boat. The painting is filled with historic inaccuracies. The boat is the wrong size and shape. And, diaries describe the weather as an awful mix of rain, sleet, and snow.
It is the depiction of a critical moment in the American Revolution. A moment when a small group of Massachusetts fishermen, led by Glover, accomplished a very difficult task that was a key to winning the war. Glover and his men ferried the Americans safely across the river, so that Washington could lead a surprise attack on British troops in Trenton, New Jersey.
Now that you know how important the men rowing were, look at the determined boatmen instead of Washington.
John Glover was known as a stylish dresser and that is how sculptor Martin Milmore portrayed him in this statue.
Escape from Brooklyn
Washington had good reason to trust Glover. He and his men had been tested and had proven their skills in August of that year. After the disastrous Battle of Long Island, it was this regiment that organized and conducted a successful evacuation, bringing 9,000 troops and supplies across the treacherous East River without a casualty.
The Battle of Pelham
And, that October, Glover led his men into a day-long fight where they battled with such tenacity and ferociousness that author David McCullough, in his book 1776, wrote that the Americans appeared to have “… stunned [British General] Howe, leading him to conclude that, with stone walls lining every road and adjacent field, more deadly fire could be waiting at any turn."
Thus, John Glover earned his inclusion in this place of honor. And, it seems appropriate that he stands just two blocks from George Washington who trusted and respected him and his men.
In an upcoming post, we'll tell you a bit about this statue and Martin Milmore, the young Irishman who created it.
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!
for your farmers market visits. It stands on its own and can haul your purchases over city sidewalks without a problem.
. It's full of chefs, farmers, and food producers you know, and we highly recommend it. Remember, 
, wrote that the Americans appeared to have “… stunned [British General] Howe, leading him to conclude that, with stone walls lining every road and adjacent field, more deadly fire could be waiting at any turn."