Tag: Boston

  • What’s Open in Boston on Thanksgiving and MBTA Schedule Changes 2013

    UPDATE: What's Open in Boston on Thanksgiving 2015, Plus MBTA Schedule Changes, Parking, Trash & More

    What's open in Boston on Thanksgiving, 2013? What's closed?

    Do I have to feed the parking meters? What about street sweeping? Are the liquor stores and packies open? When do I put out my trash? And, what changes are there to the MBTA schedules?

    We have the answers for you, all organized on one post that we'll update as new information comes our way.

    .IStock_000027399006XSmall

    Here's a rundown of what's open in Boston on Thanksgiving, November 28, 2013.

    We post these rundowns early, when we notice our readers looking for the information on older posts. Because it's early, we will update as new information is announced. So, bookmark this page and check back. We'll send out notice of updates on Twitter.

    Restaurants, bars: Many will be open, check for special hours and menus. Here's our post on where to dine out on Thanksgiving. 

    Convenience stores: Many are open, check for special hours

    Supermarkets: Closeddue toMassachusetts "Blue Laws" (scroll to the bottom of the page)

    Retail stores: Closeddue toMassachusetts "Blue Laws"  

    Liquor stores: Closeddue toMassachusetts "Blue Laws" 

    Financial Services: As the British would say, this is a Bank Holiday with both banks and the stock markets in the United State closed. International markets are open.

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

    Parking & Street Sweeping

    Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply.

    Street Sweeping: The city says, "Daytime street sweeping is suspended on city holidays, but nighttime sweeping schedules remain in effect. Constituents are advised to call 617-635-4500 for exact details."

    Trash Collection & Recycling

    Boston Trash Collection for Thanksgiving weekThe city says:

    "Thursday, November 28, 7am – Saturday, November 30, 2013, 5pm"

     "Delay trash and recycling pickup 1 day only if you live in South Boston, Allston, Brighton, Dorchester, East Boston, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain*, Mattapan, Roslindale, or West Roxbury AND your trash and recycling is normally collected on Thursday or Friday. *If you live in Jamaica Plain and your trash is picked up 2 times per week, do not delay."

    Update 11/26/13: The city has published its red box summary of the day. Here it is: Screen shot 2013-11-26 at 4.46.37 PM

    Two Hours of Free Metered Parking

    And the city has issued a press release with additional parking information for the shopping season.

    "The City of Boston will be offering two hours of free parking at the City's parking meters on the following six days this holiday season.

    1. Friday, November 29
    2. Saturday, November 30
    3. Saturday, December 7
    4. Saturday, December 14
    5. Saturday, December 21
    6. Saturday, December 28

    While payment at meters will not be required on these six days, the time limit on the meters will be in effect and enforced in order to give as many visitors as possible a chance to take advantage of this opportunity. Parking at the vast majority of Boston's parking meters is limited to two hours. However, at parking meters where the time limit is four hours, vehicles may park for free for up to four hours on these six days."

    MBTA information after the Ad from Amazon!

    More information after these camera deals from Amazon. Order today and you'll be ready to record memories this holiday season. When you shop Amazon from here, you keep information like this coming your way!

     

    MBTA Schedule Changes

    Here is the link to the MBTA schedule changes. This link will change sometime before the holiday. We have created a PDF version of the page that for the weekend that you can download if you wish. 

    Download 2013 MBTA Thanksgivng weekend schedule

    For further information check with the MBTA Customer Communications Department at 617-222-3200, TTY 617-222-5146, or visit them at: www.mbta.com.

    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.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.

  • What’s Open in Boston on Thanksgiving and MBTA Schedule Changes 2013

    UPDATE: What's Open in Boston on Thanksgiving 2015, Plus MBTA Schedule Changes, Parking, Trash & More

    What's open in Boston on Thanksgiving, 2013? What's closed?

    Do I have to feed the parking meters? What about street sweeping? Are the liquor stores and packies open? When do I put out my trash? And, what changes are there to the MBTA schedules?

    We have the answers for you, all organized on one post that we'll update as new information comes our way.

    .IStock_000027399006XSmall

    Here's a rundown of what's open in Boston on Thanksgiving, November 28, 2013.

    We post these rundowns early, when we notice our readers looking for the information on older posts. Because it's early, we will update as new information is announced. So, bookmark this page and check back. We'll send out notice of updates on Twitter.

    Restaurants, bars: Many will be open, check for special hours and menus. Here's our post on where to dine out on Thanksgiving. 

    Convenience stores: Many are open, check for special hours

    Supermarkets: Closeddue toMassachusetts "Blue Laws" (scroll to the bottom of the page)

    Retail stores: Closeddue toMassachusetts "Blue Laws"  

    Liquor stores: Closeddue toMassachusetts "Blue Laws" 

    Financial Services: As the British would say, this is a Bank Holiday with both banks and the stock markets in the United State closed. International markets are open.

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

    Parking & Street Sweeping

    Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply.

    Street Sweeping: The city says, "Daytime street sweeping is suspended on city holidays, but nighttime sweeping schedules remain in effect. Constituents are advised to call 617-635-4500 for exact details."

    Trash Collection & Recycling

    Boston Trash Collection for Thanksgiving weekThe city says:

    "Thursday, November 28, 7am – Saturday, November 30, 2013, 5pm"

     "Delay trash and recycling pickup 1 day only if you live in South Boston, Allston, Brighton, Dorchester, East Boston, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain*, Mattapan, Roslindale, or West Roxbury AND your trash and recycling is normally collected on Thursday or Friday. *If you live in Jamaica Plain and your trash is picked up 2 times per week, do not delay."

    Update 11/26/13: The city has published its red box summary of the day. Here it is: Screen shot 2013-11-26 at 4.46.37 PM

    Two Hours of Free Metered Parking

    And the city has issued a press release with additional parking information for the shopping season.

    "The City of Boston will be offering two hours of free parking at the City's parking meters on the following six days this holiday season.

    1. Friday, November 29
    2. Saturday, November 30
    3. Saturday, December 7
    4. Saturday, December 14
    5. Saturday, December 21
    6. Saturday, December 28

    While payment at meters will not be required on these six days, the time limit on the meters will be in effect and enforced in order to give as many visitors as possible a chance to take advantage of this opportunity. Parking at the vast majority of Boston's parking meters is limited to two hours. However, at parking meters where the time limit is four hours, vehicles may park for free for up to four hours on these six days."

    MBTA information after the Ad from Amazon!

    More information after these camera deals from Amazon. Order today and you'll be ready to record memories this holiday season. When you shop Amazon from here, you keep information like this coming your way!

     

    MBTA Schedule Changes

    Here is the link to the MBTA schedule changes. This link will change sometime before the holiday. We have created a PDF version of the page that for the weekend that you can download if you wish. 

    Download 2013 MBTA Thanksgivng weekend schedule

    For further information check with the MBTA Customer Communications Department at 617-222-3200, TTY 617-222-5146, or visit them at: www.mbta.com.

    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.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.

  • Two Views of Admiral Morison: It’s Photo Day!

     DSC_9828 - Version 22013-11-05-morison-statue-commonwealth-avenue-mall-autumn-foliage-© 2011 Penny Cherubino  

    In this shot of the statue of Samuel Eliot Morison on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall, Ed caught the wonderful light that was shining through the foliage and striking the elm tree in the foreground. I like how the green of the elm and the trees in the yards across the street punctuate the fall colors.

    We wander through our days with two cameras and two different photography prospectives. One of our weekly assignments is a cover shot for the Back Bay Sun. When it’s time to edit the photos and decide which to submit, it’s fun to see how the two of us capture different moments of the same scene. 

     PC2_0959 - Version 22013-11-06BBS Short Cover Samuel Eliot Morison © 2011 Penny Cherubino copy

    When I walked by a day later, the sprinkler system on the Mall was being drained by Parks Department staff. As the water ran out and the spray turned to fog, I was able to capture the diagional rays of mist in the sunshine over the horizontal stripes of green and gold.

    Don’t miss a holiday photo opportunity. This Canon PowerShot G16 Digital Camera will give you what you need to take stills and video of your celebrations. Canon’s G series is our all-time favorite for everyday cameras. We own the G10 and G11 and they still give us great service after many years.

    They’re a little bigger than the compacts most people use, but let you shoot with automatic settings or easy-to-use manual controls that please the many pros who use them as “always with me” cameras.  

    And, if you are ready to turn pro, follow our lead. Ed shoots with the Nikon D7000 Digital SLR and Penny uses the Nikon D600. Nikon and Canon make up our camera fleet and we are extremely happy with the performance delivered.

       

    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.

  • Two Views of Admiral Morison: It’s Photo Day!

     DSC_9828 - Version 22013-11-05-morison-statue-commonwealth-avenue-mall-autumn-foliage-© 2011 Penny Cherubino  

    In this shot of the statue of Samuel Eliot Morison on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall, Ed caught the wonderful light that was shining through the foliage and striking the elm tree in the foreground. I like how the green of the elm and the trees in the yards across the street punctuate the fall colors.

    We wander through our days with two cameras and two different photography prospectives. One of our weekly assignments is a cover shot for the Back Bay Sun. When it’s time to edit the photos and decide which to submit, it’s fun to see how the two of us capture different moments of the same scene. 

     PC2_0959 - Version 22013-11-06BBS Short Cover Samuel Eliot Morison © 2011 Penny Cherubino copy

    When I walked by a day later, the sprinkler system on the Mall was being drained by Parks Department staff. As the water ran out and the spray turned to fog, I was able to capture the diagional rays of mist in the sunshine over the horizontal stripes of green and gold.

    Don’t miss a holiday photo opportunity. This Canon PowerShot G16 Digital Camera will give you what you need to take stills and video of your celebrations. Canon’s G series is our all-time favorite for everyday cameras. We own the G10 and G11 and they still give us great service after many years.

    They’re a little bigger than the compacts most people use, but let you shoot with automatic settings or easy-to-use manual controls that please the many pros who use them as “always with me” cameras.  

    And, if you are ready to turn pro, follow our lead. Ed shoots with the Nikon D7000 Digital SLR and Penny uses the Nikon D600. Nikon and Canon make up our camera fleet and we are extremely happy with the performance delivered.

       

    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.

  • Two Views of Admiral Morison: It’s Photo Day!

     DSC_9828 - Version 22013-11-05-morison-statue-commonwealth-avenue-mall-autumn-foliage-© 2011 Penny Cherubino  

    In this shot of the statue of Samuel Eliot Morison on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall, Ed caught the wonderful light that was shining through the foliage and striking the elm tree in the foreground. I like how the green of the elm and the trees in the yards across the street punctuate the fall colors.

    We wander through our days with two cameras and two different photography prospectives. One of our weekly assignments is a cover shot for the Back Bay Sun. When it’s time to edit the photos and decide which to submit, it’s fun to see how the two of us capture different moments of the same scene. 

     PC2_0959 - Version 22013-11-06BBS Short Cover Samuel Eliot Morison © 2011 Penny Cherubino copy

    When I walked by a day later, the sprinkler system on the Mall was being drained by Parks Department staff. As the water ran out and the spray turned to fog, I was able to capture the diagional rays of mist in the sunshine over the horizontal stripes of green and gold.

    Don’t miss a holiday photo opportunity. This Canon PowerShot G16 Digital Camera will give you what you need to take stills and video of your celebrations. Canon’s G series is our all-time favorite for everyday cameras. We own the G10 and G11 and they still give us great service after many years.

    They’re a little bigger than the compacts most people use, but let you shoot with automatic settings or easy-to-use manual controls that please the many pros who use them as “always with me” cameras.  

    And, if you are ready to turn pro, follow our lead. Ed shoots with the Nikon D7000 Digital SLR and Penny uses the Nikon D600. Nikon and Canon make up our camera fleet and we are extremely happy with the performance delivered.

       

    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.

  • Boston Area Commencement Dates, Spring 2014

    With or without a Boston area college graduation in your family, you'll likely need to coordinate your dining and travel plans around the spring 2014 commencement ceremonies. We're running this very early because so many readers have been making their way to last year's post. 

     

    This is an old post here is an updated page with the current information!

    Boston Area Commencement Dates for Spring Impact Hotel Prices, Availability, Restaurant Reservations and More.

     

    And, it helps vistors to Boston understand why hotel rooms are so expensive and restaurant reservations so scarce on some dates in May. The experts who guide Boston visitors over on Trip Advisor are already answering questions about spring visits to the city.  

    IStock_000022090619XSmall copy

    Reservations at area restaurants will be harder to find May 9th through 11th with Mother's Day and six commencements, and scarce May 16th through 19th when twelve schools, including BU and BC, will hold ceremonies. Harvard commencement is May 29th and MIT June 6th – each of these schools is large enough to have an impact on its own. Harvard can also interfere with traffic as they move busloads of people from one place to another around event time.

    To help you plan your dining options in May and early June, here are the dates of the major commencement ceremonies for your 2014 calendar.

    If you know of a college or university graduation date that we missed, send us a comment.

    Thanks to everyone who supports us by beginning their Amazon shopping from here. It doesn't cost you anymore but when you click on an Amazon link like this one, they put a few coins in our tip cup.

    The perfect gift for a graduate!

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino

    Photo: 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.

  • Boston Area Commencement Dates, Spring 2014

    With or without a Boston area college graduation in your family, you'll likely need to coordinate your dining and travel plans around the spring 2014 commencement ceremonies. We're running this very early because so many readers have been making their way to last year's post. 

     

    This is an old post here is an updated page with the current information!

    Boston Area Commencement Dates for Spring Impact Hotel Prices, Availability, Restaurant Reservations and More.

     

    And, it helps vistors to Boston understand why hotel rooms are so expensive and restaurant reservations so scarce on some dates in May. The experts who guide Boston visitors over on Trip Advisor are already answering questions about spring visits to the city.  

    IStock_000022090619XSmall copy

    Reservations at area restaurants will be harder to find May 9th through 11th with Mother's Day and six commencements, and scarce May 16th through 19th when twelve schools, including BU and BC, will hold ceremonies. Harvard commencement is May 29th and MIT June 6th – each of these schools is large enough to have an impact on its own. Harvard can also interfere with traffic as they move busloads of people from one place to another around event time.

    To help you plan your dining options in May and early June, here are the dates of the major commencement ceremonies for your 2014 calendar.

    If you know of a college or university graduation date that we missed, send us a comment.

    Thanks to everyone who supports us by beginning their Amazon shopping from here. It doesn't cost you anymore but when you click on an Amazon link like this one, they put a few coins in our tip cup.

    The perfect gift for a graduate!

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino

    Photo: 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.

  • Boston Area Commencement Dates, Spring 2014

    With or without a Boston area college graduation in your family, you'll likely need to coordinate your dining and travel plans around the spring 2014 commencement ceremonies. We're running this very early because so many readers have been making their way to last year's post. 

     

    This is an old post here is an updated page with the current information!

    Boston Area Commencement Dates for Spring Impact Hotel Prices, Availability, Restaurant Reservations and More.

     

    And, it helps vistors to Boston understand why hotel rooms are so expensive and restaurant reservations so scarce on some dates in May. The experts who guide Boston visitors over on Trip Advisor are already answering questions about spring visits to the city.  

    IStock_000022090619XSmall copy

    Reservations at area restaurants will be harder to find May 9th through 11th with Mother's Day and six commencements, and scarce May 16th through 19th when twelve schools, including BU and BC, will hold ceremonies. Harvard commencement is May 29th and MIT June 6th – each of these schools is large enough to have an impact on its own. Harvard can also interfere with traffic as they move busloads of people from one place to another around event time.

    To help you plan your dining options in May and early June, here are the dates of the major commencement ceremonies for your 2014 calendar.

    If you know of a college or university graduation date that we missed, send us a comment.

    Thanks to everyone who supports us by beginning their Amazon shopping from here. It doesn't cost you anymore but when you click on an Amazon link like this one, they put a few coins in our tip cup.

    The perfect gift for a graduate!

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino

    Photo: 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.

  • Nino Franco Rustico: A Wine for Holiday Gifts & Celebrations

    Nino Franco Rustico has been one of our favorite sparkling wines since we first sipped a glass in a Boston restaurant many years ago.

     

    CHE_9923 - Version 22013-09-10-nino-franco-Rustico-sparkling-prosecco-provincetown-ma-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Recently, we enjoyed a bottle of Nino Franco in Provincetown and couldn't resist doing a photo shoot with the fantastic light and wonderful backdrops we found at Chandler House.

    We bring you these photos today with a message.

    Please don't give your clients, business associates, and friends the wines you see in TV ads as holiday gifts. A good wine shop can recommend a good wine value that you can give with pride. And, it will be one that will please both the occasional sipper and wine aficionado.

    If you buy a good wine by the case, you can save even more. Stock up on "just-in-case gifts for the season" and be ready for a party at a moments notice. 

    CHE_9886 - Version 22013-09-10-nino-franco-Rustico-sparkling-prosecco-provincetown-ma-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    This classic sparkler bottle and elegant label will show your good taste from the moment you hand it to a host, pop a cork for a pre-dinner toast, or when a client unwraps your gift. A second round of applause will come with the first taste of this prosecco.

    "The golden color and peach nectar scent predict this to be rich, but a potent, nutty savor keeps it balanced. It finishes clean, tight and grippy – a mouthwatering aperitif," is how Bauer Wine describes Nino Franco Rustico. 

     CHE_9936 - Version 22013-09-10-nino-franco-Rustico-sparkling-prosecco-provincetown-ma-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    And, should you find that after the holidays you have a bottle or two left, we assure you this wine is the perfect match for a chair-for-one, on a deck by the ocean.

    CHE_9892 - Version 22013-09-10-nino-franco-Rustico-sparkling-prosecco-provincetown-ma-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Or, an evening for two by a fireplace in a mountain cabin or a city apartment. 

    Always give a wine you will be happy to have in your own wine rack for a special moment. 

    Want to learn more about wine? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! Here are three of our favorite Wine Books.

    The Food Lover's Guide to Wine

    The New Wine Lover's Companion

    The Wine Bible

     

     Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2009-2012 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.

  • Nino Franco Rustico: A Wine for Holiday Gifts & Celebrations

    Nino Franco Rustico has been one of our favorite sparkling wines since we first sipped a glass in a Boston restaurant many years ago.

     

    CHE_9923 - Version 22013-09-10-nino-franco-Rustico-sparkling-prosecco-provincetown-ma-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Recently, we enjoyed a bottle of Nino Franco in Provincetown and couldn't resist doing a photo shoot with the fantastic light and wonderful backdrops we found at Chandler House.

    We bring you these photos today with a message.

    Please don't give your clients, business associates, and friends the wines you see in TV ads as holiday gifts. A good wine shop can recommend a good wine value that you can give with pride. And, it will be one that will please both the occasional sipper and wine aficionado.

    If you buy a good wine by the case, you can save even more. Stock up on "just-in-case gifts for the season" and be ready for a party at a moments notice. 

    CHE_9886 - Version 22013-09-10-nino-franco-Rustico-sparkling-prosecco-provincetown-ma-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    This classic sparkler bottle and elegant label will show your good taste from the moment you hand it to a host, pop a cork for a pre-dinner toast, or when a client unwraps your gift. A second round of applause will come with the first taste of this prosecco.

    "The golden color and peach nectar scent predict this to be rich, but a potent, nutty savor keeps it balanced. It finishes clean, tight and grippy – a mouthwatering aperitif," is how Bauer Wine describes Nino Franco Rustico. 

     CHE_9936 - Version 22013-09-10-nino-franco-Rustico-sparkling-prosecco-provincetown-ma-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    And, should you find that after the holidays you have a bottle or two left, we assure you this wine is the perfect match for a chair-for-one, on a deck by the ocean.

    CHE_9892 - Version 22013-09-10-nino-franco-Rustico-sparkling-prosecco-provincetown-ma-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Or, an evening for two by a fireplace in a mountain cabin or a city apartment. 

    Always give a wine you will be happy to have in your own wine rack for a special moment. 

    Want to learn more about wine? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! Here are three of our favorite Wine Books.

    The Food Lover's Guide to Wine

    The New Wine Lover's Companion

    The Wine Bible

     

     Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2009-2012 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.