bostonzest

Tag: Boston

  • Shake Shack on Newbury Street

    We ran into a friend and her dog across the street from the new Shake Shack on Newbury Street a day after the grand opening. She asked where we were going for lunch and was surprised when we pointed to the burger place. "This is going to be a terrible thing for my diet," she said. 

    SM IMG_1631 shake shack tray copy

    Her whole family visit Shake Shack when they travel to see family in New York – now she has one a block from home. And, I know how she feels. I admit we went twice during opening week. 

    SM IMG_1637 shake shack Newbury copy

    We told you about our love for Shake Shack in Harvard Square. A menu check for this location shows that they offer beer and wine in addition to a great soft drink selection. And, the Shake Shack team has created special concretes (a blended ice cream drink) for the neighborhood. 

    IMG_8077 - Version 22015-03-03-park-bench-back-bay-boston© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    We dined-in on Newbury, but we can't wait to try out the patio (complete with a dog parking station) or to gather a bunch of dog walking pals and have a bench lunch on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall. The Collins Memorial is only a quarter mile from Shake Shack and makes a great place to gather a group for lunch or snacks.

    We were among the guests welcomed by Scott, the general manager, as he worked his way around the dining room on both visits. Merchants along the street have told us he has also stopped by to say hello to his neighbors. 

    IMG_8079 - Version 22015-03-03-park-bench-back-bay-boston© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    We may have to add a few miles a week to our walking goals but it will be worth it to have regular Shake Shack lunches. And, because it will make our Back Bay neighbors Jim and Jennifer Hill so happy when they hear it, we get to tell people Shake Shack on Newbury is, "Right across from KitchenWares and Reflections!"

    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: © 2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

    Related articles
    Our Improved Dog Boot Drying Hack
    The Hope of Spring …
    Snow, Freeze, Thaw, Freeze, Snow in the Back Bay – BostonZest

  • Shake Shack on Newbury Street

    We ran into a friend and her dog across the street from the new Shake Shack on Newbury Street a day after the grand opening. She asked where we were going for lunch and was surprised when we pointed to the burger place. "This is going to be a terrible thing for my diet," she said. 

    SM IMG_1631 shake shack tray copy

    Her whole family visit Shake Shack when they travel to see family in New York – now she has one a block from home. And, I know how she feels. I admit we went twice during opening week. 

    SM IMG_1637 shake shack Newbury copy

    We told you about our love for Shake Shack in Harvard Square. A menu check for this location shows that they offer beer and wine in addition to a great soft drink selection. And, the Shake Shack team has created special concretes (a blended ice cream drink) for the neighborhood. 

    IMG_8077 - Version 22015-03-03-park-bench-back-bay-boston© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    We dined-in on Newbury, but we can't wait to try out the patio (complete with a dog parking station) or to gather a bunch of dog walking pals and have a bench lunch on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall. The Collins Memorial is only a quarter mile from Shake Shack and makes a great place to gather a group for lunch or snacks.

    We were among the guests welcomed by Scott, the general manager, as he worked his way around the dining room on both visits. Merchants along the street have told us he has also stopped by to say hello to his neighbors. 

    IMG_8079 - Version 22015-03-03-park-bench-back-bay-boston© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    We may have to add a few miles a week to our walking goals but it will be worth it to have regular Shake Shack lunches. And, because it will make our Back Bay neighbors Jim and Jennifer Hill so happy when they hear it, we get to tell people Shake Shack on Newbury is, "Right across from KitchenWares and Reflections!"

    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: © 2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

    Related articles
    Our Improved Dog Boot Drying Hack
    The Hope of Spring …
    Snow, Freeze, Thaw, Freeze, Snow in the Back Bay – BostonZest

  • Ready or Not the Snow & Ice Will Fall

    CHE_6069 - Version 22015-03-09-snow-fall-preparation-back-bay-boston-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    This Commonwealth Avenue building set out some sacrificial boards to take the brunt of the snow slide to come.

    IMG_8090 - Version 22015-03-06-snow-fall-preparation-back-bay-boston-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    Elsewhere, on the avenue, this stairway was damaged. We passed when emergency crews were pumping water out of the basement.

    IMG_80862015-03-06-snow-fall-preparation-back-bay-boston-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    A few doors away, a banister was taken out by a seriously large icicle.

    IMG_8087 - Version 22015-03-06-snow-fall-preparation-back-bay-boston-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    Here are a few pieces of the ice that did that damage.

    IMG_8085 - Version 22015-03-04-snow-fall-preparation-back-bay-boston-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    Meanwhile, over on Newbury Street, we expected this snow formation to be short lived, but it survived for a few days last week.

    Ed suggested that maybe we should all be wearing hard hats.

    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: © 2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

    Related articles
    Our Improved Dog Boot Drying Hack
    The Hope of Spring …
    A Hand Warmer Has Been Added to My Boston Winter Equipment

  • Ready or Not the Snow & Ice Will Fall

    CHE_6069 - Version 22015-03-09-snow-fall-preparation-back-bay-boston-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    This Commonwealth Avenue building set out some sacrificial boards to take the brunt of the snow slide to come.

    IMG_8090 - Version 22015-03-06-snow-fall-preparation-back-bay-boston-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    Elsewhere, on the avenue, this stairway was damaged. We passed when emergency crews were pumping water out of the basement.

    IMG_80862015-03-06-snow-fall-preparation-back-bay-boston-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    A few doors away, a banister was taken out by a seriously large icicle.

    IMG_8087 - Version 22015-03-06-snow-fall-preparation-back-bay-boston-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    Here are a few pieces of the ice that did that damage.

    IMG_8085 - Version 22015-03-04-snow-fall-preparation-back-bay-boston-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    Meanwhile, over on Newbury Street, we expected this snow formation to be short lived, but it survived for a few days last week.

    Ed suggested that maybe we should all be wearing hard hats.

    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: © 2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

    Related articles
    Our Improved Dog Boot Drying Hack
    The Hope of Spring …
    A Hand Warmer Has Been Added to My Boston Winter Equipment

  • What Is Evacuation Day (Saint Patrick’s Day) and What’s Open & Closed & MBTA Schedules?

    This year, Evacuation Day (which most people admit is just an excuse for Saint Patrick's Day revelry) falls on a Tuesday – March 17th. City and state workers in Suffolk County no longer have this as a holiday. City Hall and the State offices in Suffolk County will be open. But, because of the parade and the drinking of the green beer, there will be a few adaptations around the city.

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    I do know that a lot of people will be taking advantage of the event to come to Boston. Questions about where to stay, which Irish Pub to visit, and how to get around the city have popped up over on the Boston Trip Advisor forum. It looks like visitors are coming here from all over the country and especially from Ireland.

    Do you celebrate Saint Patrick's Day?

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    About your holiday questions …

    According to the Secretary of State's website,

    "Evacuation Day – March 17th
    (Suffolk County only, state and municipal offices are open)"

    The day is not listed on Boston's list of holidays. Therefore, there's no change in parking regulations or trash pick up.

    • Update: 03.10.15 As Kate from Boston on Budget pointed out in her comment below, some years the city has tweeted out free parking notices on this holiday. We'll update with details if we find that happens. 
    • Here's the official word on that:

    Screen Shot 2015-03-17 at Tuesday, March 17, 201512.54.24 PM

    Basically, everything is open. But, in the past, the city has asked South Boston liquor stores and bars to cut off sales early. There has been no announcement regarding this that we could find this year.

    Some MBTA routes in South Boston will be changed because of the parade.  Download MBTA St Patrick's Day Parade schedule.

    We'll update as press releases come out from around the city.

    Update 03/13/15:

    Here's a link to and text of the City of Boston Traffic Advisory.

    "The City of Boston’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade will be held on Sunday, March 15, 2015, in South Boston. The parade will begin at 1 PM on West Broadway at Dorchester Avenue, will continue to East Broadway, and end at Farragut Road.

    View Map of Route

    The St. Patrick’s Day Road Race will also take place in South Boston on Sunday beginning at 11 AM.   Runners will proceed from West Sixth Street at F Street onto Dorchester Street, right onto East Broadway, down and around the Farragut Statue at Day Boulevard, to East Broadway, right onto West Broadway, left onto E Street, left onto West Sixth Street, ending at the Boys and Girls Club at #230 West Sixth Street.

    To accommodate the two events, staging/dispersal and clean-up, drivers should expect the following roads to be closed to vehicular traffic. Streets effected by the parade will close no later than 12 PM and streets effected by the road race will close no later than 10 AM.  

    • Broadway, from Dorchester Avenue to Farragut Road
    • On intersecting streets from Dorchester Avenue through Farragut Road, vehicular traffic will not be allowed to cross Broadway
    • Dorchester Avenue, in the vicinity of Gillette Park and Andrew Square
    • Old Colony Avenue, from Dorchester Avenue to C Street
    • Farragut Road, from Columbia Road to Shore Road/East First Street
    • All race route streets while the runners make their way to the finish line

    Due to a combination of snow and Resident Parking Only restrictions, parking in the neighborhood is limited. Additional parking restrictions that will be implemented temporarily to support Sunday’s events are as follows.

     “Tow Zone, No Stopping, Boston Police Special Event Sunday”

    • Dorchester Avenue: Both sides, from Gillette Park to Old Colony Avenue (Staging Area)
    • Old Colony Avenue: Both sides, from Dorchester Avenue to C Street (Staging Area)
    • West Broadway: Both sides, from Dorchester Avenue to Dorchester Street
    • East Broadway: Both sides, from Dorchester Street to Farragut Road
    • Farragut Road: East side (park side), from Columbia Road to Shore Road /East First Street (Dispersal area)
    • West Sixth Street: Southwest side, from Dorchester Avenue to F Street
    • F Street: Southeast side (odd side – Boys & Girls Club side), West Sixth Street to Bowen Street

    People coming into Boston to attend these events are kindly asked to take the MBTA.  Information on service may be found at www.MBTA.com.  For a faster return trip, the MBTA advises riders to purchase a round-trip rather than a one-way ticket."

    Related Posts:

    Irish Breakfast at the Squealing Pig

    Matt Murphy's Pub Saves the Day

    What's on your Amazon shopping list? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     


    Details:
    Words: Penny Cherubino
    Photography: © 2008-2011 Penny Cherubino  

  • What Is Evacuation Day (Saint Patrick’s Day) and What’s Open & Closed & MBTA Schedules?

    This year, Evacuation Day (which most people admit is just an excuse for Saint Patrick's Day revelry) falls on a Tuesday – March 17th. City and state workers in Suffolk County no longer have this as a holiday. City Hall and the State offices in Suffolk County will be open. But, because of the parade and the drinking of the green beer, there will be a few adaptations around the city.

    6a00e54fc42bb888340168e890b7b2970c-800wi

    I do know that a lot of people will be taking advantage of the event to come to Boston. Questions about where to stay, which Irish Pub to visit, and how to get around the city have popped up over on the Boston Trip Advisor forum. It looks like visitors are coming here from all over the country and especially from Ireland.

    Do you celebrate Saint Patrick's Day?

    6a00e54fc42bb888340112796f2a3328a4-800wi

    About your holiday questions …

    According to the Secretary of State's website,

    "Evacuation Day – March 17th
    (Suffolk County only, state and municipal offices are open)"

    The day is not listed on Boston's list of holidays. Therefore, there's no change in parking regulations or trash pick up.

    • Update: 03.10.15 As Kate from Boston on Budget pointed out in her comment below, some years the city has tweeted out free parking notices on this holiday. We'll update with details if we find that happens. 
    • Here's the official word on that:

    Screen Shot 2015-03-17 at Tuesday, March 17, 201512.54.24 PM

    Basically, everything is open. But, in the past, the city has asked South Boston liquor stores and bars to cut off sales early. There has been no announcement regarding this that we could find this year.

    Some MBTA routes in South Boston will be changed because of the parade.  Download MBTA St Patrick's Day Parade schedule.

    We'll update as press releases come out from around the city.

    Update 03/13/15:

    Here's a link to and text of the City of Boston Traffic Advisory.

    "The City of Boston’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade will be held on Sunday, March 15, 2015, in South Boston. The parade will begin at 1 PM on West Broadway at Dorchester Avenue, will continue to East Broadway, and end at Farragut Road.

    View Map of Route

    The St. Patrick’s Day Road Race will also take place in South Boston on Sunday beginning at 11 AM.   Runners will proceed from West Sixth Street at F Street onto Dorchester Street, right onto East Broadway, down and around the Farragut Statue at Day Boulevard, to East Broadway, right onto West Broadway, left onto E Street, left onto West Sixth Street, ending at the Boys and Girls Club at #230 West Sixth Street.

    To accommodate the two events, staging/dispersal and clean-up, drivers should expect the following roads to be closed to vehicular traffic. Streets effected by the parade will close no later than 12 PM and streets effected by the road race will close no later than 10 AM.  

    • Broadway, from Dorchester Avenue to Farragut Road
    • On intersecting streets from Dorchester Avenue through Farragut Road, vehicular traffic will not be allowed to cross Broadway
    • Dorchester Avenue, in the vicinity of Gillette Park and Andrew Square
    • Old Colony Avenue, from Dorchester Avenue to C Street
    • Farragut Road, from Columbia Road to Shore Road/East First Street
    • All race route streets while the runners make their way to the finish line

    Due to a combination of snow and Resident Parking Only restrictions, parking in the neighborhood is limited. Additional parking restrictions that will be implemented temporarily to support Sunday’s events are as follows.

     “Tow Zone, No Stopping, Boston Police Special Event Sunday”

    • Dorchester Avenue: Both sides, from Gillette Park to Old Colony Avenue (Staging Area)
    • Old Colony Avenue: Both sides, from Dorchester Avenue to C Street (Staging Area)
    • West Broadway: Both sides, from Dorchester Avenue to Dorchester Street
    • East Broadway: Both sides, from Dorchester Street to Farragut Road
    • Farragut Road: East side (park side), from Columbia Road to Shore Road /East First Street (Dispersal area)
    • West Sixth Street: Southwest side, from Dorchester Avenue to F Street
    • F Street: Southeast side (odd side – Boys & Girls Club side), West Sixth Street to Bowen Street

    People coming into Boston to attend these events are kindly asked to take the MBTA.  Information on service may be found at www.MBTA.com.  For a faster return trip, the MBTA advises riders to purchase a round-trip rather than a one-way ticket."

    Related Posts:

    Irish Breakfast at the Squealing Pig

    Matt Murphy's Pub Saves the Day

    What's on your Amazon shopping list? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     


    Details:
    Words: Penny Cherubino
    Photography: © 2008-2011 Penny Cherubino  

  • Get Ready for Amtrak’s “All Aboard” for Dogs & Cats

    It was just a couple of weeks ago when we asked you to "Lend Your Support to Allowing Dogs & Cats on Amtrak." The good news is that the bill we asked you to support has passed. While the bureaucrats slowly set up the program, you can get your companion animals ready to be great passengers.

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    Train on Local Trains

     

    Our Poppy is a subway pro. We take her on the MBTA often enough to keep her acclimatized to the noise, crowded conditions, and movement of the trains. But, as someone who has ridden trains along the Northeast corridor, I know that the motion of those trains is not exactly the same as subway sways.

     

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    Commuter rail photo courtesy of the Massachusetts Office of Tourism

     

    Under MBTA pet guidelines, your dog or cat is already welcome aboard the Commuter Rail. Pick a destination where you and your dog can have some fun and plan a day trip this spring.

     

    How about Salem as a first trip? It's a fairly short, half hour ride with lots to do when you get there. (In summer, there is also a ferry to Salem which can be a great way to get a dog ready for boat rides.)

     

    If that works out, you could try Newburyport for the next destination – it takes a little more than an hour to reach and should be a good test. 

     

    It would be a good idea for us to get Poppy used to riding in her Sherpa Pet Carrier because we usually travel off-peak on the subway and can hold her in a lap or in our arms. 

     

    CapeFLYER Is Pet Friendly

    If a trip to Cape Cod is more to your liking, you and your dog or cat can ride the CapeFLYER to one of its stops, once the train resumes for the summer season. Pets ride free aboard this popular service. And, I have to wonder if the pet option is one of the reasons it was an immediate success.

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    Acela photo courtesy of the Massachusetts Office of Tourism

    New York, Portland, and Philadelphia Here We Come!

    Once we are allowed to take Poppy with us, we'll be on board for three of our favorite car-free destinations: New York City, Philadelphia, and Portland, Maine. 

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    Downeaster photo courtesy of the Massachusetts Office of Tourism

    The Downeaster to Portland should be one of the first test routes considering how dog-friendly that city happens to be. And, we look forward to spending more time in New York and Philadelphia. 

    Where will you go by train with your favorite companion animal?

     

    Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

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

      *

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: istockphoto for the traveling dog image. Trains are courtesy of the Massachusetts Office of Tourism used under this creative commons license.

  • The Smallest Thaw Brings out the Picnickers

    IMG_8081 - Version 22015-03-03-park-bench-back-bay-boston© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    The courtyard at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square is a very popular place for outdoor dining on warm days year-round. But, I didn't expect to find people using it this week. I was wrong. Even the smallest thaw brings out the picnicker in many of us.

    CHE_5895 - Version 22015-02-19-park-bench-back-bay-boston© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    It looks like someone planned for the thaw and cleared a small section of the patio. Just a few days before, I took this photo of the opposite patio from where the women were lunching.

     

    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: © 2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

    Related articles
    Colorful, Bright, New Community Workspace at the Boston Public Library
    The Hope of Spring …
    Snow, Freeze, Thaw, Freeze, Snow in the Back Bay – BostonZest

  • Snow, Freeze, Thaw, Freeze, Snow in the Back Bay

    It has been a very photographic February with the cycle of snow, freeze, thaw, and freeze we've endured. Ed said it was as if Mother Nature wanted to add a fresh coat of makeup to the snow piles so they wouldn't look dirty. 

    IMG_8016 - Version 22015-02-17-icicle-commonwelath-ave-back-bay-boston© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    Icicles added a touch of frosting to the Victorian townhouses along Commonwealth Avenue.

    CHE_5885 - Version 22015-02-19-icicle-newbury-street-back-bay-boston© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    On Newbury Street, some took on the look of waterfalls.

    CHE_5890 - Version 22015-02-19-icicle-Boylston-street-back-bay-boston© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    On Boylston Street, the stonework and icicles set off one another beautifully.

    IMG_7991 - Version 22015-02-17-icicle-copley-place-back-bay-boston© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    Here's a view of icicles from inside one of the glass crossovers at Copley Place.

    IMG_8007 - Version 22015-02-17-icicle-library-courtyard-Bacchante-back-bay-boston© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    Bacchante does not seem to mind the snow at all and just continues to dance in the Courtyard of the Boston Public Library.

    As much as we may complain about the endless snow and cold, it's hard to resist photographing the way it changes our neighborhood. 

    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: © 2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

    Related articles
    The Hope of Spring …
    First Look Inside The Boston Library's Astonishing, Colorful Renovation

  • The Hope of Spring …

    IMG_7964 - Version 22015-02-11-Snow-spring-buds-© 2014 Penny Cherubino copy

    Notice the buds on the trees as you look up this week to avoid falling icicles and snow slides. Most years, we begin our hunt for the first signs of spring in gardens on the sunny side of Boston streets just after Valentine's Day.

    "That is one good thing about this world… there are always sure to be more springs."
    Lucy Maud Montgomery (Canadian writer and educator, 1874-1942)

    6a00e54fc42bb8883401a5118111cc970c-800wi

    Last year, things bloomed late, just as they will this year. But, these snowdrops were up by mid-March.

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    With so much snow to melt, the witch hazel may be our first sign of spring this time next month.

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    Then, in a few more weeks, we'll have lovely magnolias blooming along Commonwealth Avenue. 

    6a00e54fc42bb88834017d42f125e7970c-800wi

    The snow will melt, and spring will arrive within just a few weeks. 

    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: © 2013-2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino