Tag: Boston

Free Open House at Washington HQ in Cambridge on the 22nd

Today may be the Federal holiday called Presidents' Day, but in Massachusetts today is officially Washington's Birthday.

And, this year, on Thursday the 22nd, you can tour the house in Cambridge that served as Washington's headquarters during the Siege of Boston. While the building is officially closed for the season, it will be open on Washington's birthday to celebrate the new designation of this National Parks Service property as the Longfellow House – Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site.

Details of the change are here.

The Parks Service Invites You to:

"Celebrate George Washington's birthday! Join NPS staff as they guide visitors through General Washington's Brattle Street headquarters. Washington used the house at 105 Brattle Street as his headquarters during the Siege of Boston in 1775-1776.

Tours given every half hour, starting at 11:30 a.m to 3:30 p.m."

Related Posts:

Did you know that anyone age 62 and over can get a lifetime Senior pass to our National Parks for $10?

And, check: What's Open On Presidents' Day in Boston 2012 and MBTA Schedules

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Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photo of Washington statue in the Boston Public Garden: © 2012 Ed Cherubino
Photo of the House: From the collection of the Library of Congress, taken February 1963.

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February 20, 2012
Sunday Cat, Sophia and Her Glass Harmonica

Wine shop cat Sophia pawsing for our BostonZest cameras as she practiced her bottle-browsing technique at Bauer Wine & Spirits. This 9-month-old cutey is impossible to ignore as she seemingly grows more adventurous and entertaining by the day.

We’re not really sure whether Sophia is checking the wine inventory or learning to play the glass harmonica– an under-appreciated instrument (a version of which was) invented by Ben Franklin in 1761. As far back as the Renaissance, people were making sounds by rubbing the rim of a wine goblet with moistened fingers, so damp paws could work.

Whatever this playful feline is up to, we wanted to share her photo and hope it makes you smile. Sophia, you are one special cat!

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs (and an occasional cat) at Boston Dogs.

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Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

February 19, 2012
It Was Warm, But Not THAT Warm…

While the rest of us were enjoying mild weather this week, someone got carried away. Or, at least his shoes and coat did!

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Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny 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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

February 18, 2012
Get Out and Count the Birds…

The 15th annual Great Backyard Bird Count is our Friday link. This weekend, they invite you to join the annual check of our feathered friends.

A big thank you to The Garden Club of the Back Bay for bringing this, and so many other wonderful opportunities to have fun and learn something new, to our attention. (That makes this a double Friday Link!)

The Great Backyard Bird Count says:

"Warmer temperatures and lack of snow in parts of North America are setting the stage for what could be a most intriguing 15th annual Great Backyard Bird Count, coming up February 17-20."

We Say:

This is the perfect excuse to get outside and enjoy nature.

If you enter your zip code, the site will prepare a checklist of the birds you might see in your area. That can be fun to have anytime and a great start on the peaceful pastime of birdwatching. We're saving our list and will continue looking all year to see how many birds we find by this time next year.

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Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Illustration: courtesy of The Great Backyard Bird Count

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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

February 17, 2012
21st Century Lamplighters Arrive in Historic Boston

While Boston’s historic gas-powered street lamps still need to be lit, the 21st century lamplighter looks a lot different then our friend pictured above.

Last week, Michael Doyle and his colleagues from the Boston Public Works Street Lighting Division installed 12 new solar-assisted gas light fixtures on Marlborough Street. This is a test of a new technology designed to save money by having gas street lights turn on when needed, rather than remain on 24 hours a day.

Here’s a closer look at the system as it was being installed. The solar panel charges a battery. A photo sensor tells the system when light is needed, and a control opens the gas valve and lights the lamp. In daylight, the control turns off the gas.

This crew had just come from Thompson Square in Charlestown where they’d installed 8 similar units. According to the Charlestown Patriot-Bridge, the plan to give a solar assist to hundreds of gas lamps throughout the city of Boston is expected to save hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.

Officials claim the lamp’s battery can last almost 3 weeks without sunlight and won’t need replacing for at least 5 years. Now, that's a Lamplighter!

Learn more about Boston’s solar-assisted gas lamp project at Going Greener: Gas Lamps Grow More Efficient from the Charlestown Patriot-Bridge.

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Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino
Illustration: courtesy of the Library of Congress

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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

February 16, 2012
Boston, Say “Welcome” to Burdick Chocolate on Valentine’s Day

Yes! We have "mice" in the Back Bay!

What better day to welcome Burdick Chocolate to the Boston side of the river? Right in time for Valentine's Day they've opened the retail part of their new location on Clarendon Street between Boylston and Newbury.

Have you ever seen a more perfect use of an existing building? This little shop has been waiting all its life to be a chocolate shop & café. You can buy chocolates today and soon they will be offering their famous café menu with that luscious single source chocolate drinks, a great tea selection, and excellent pastries.

For now, we were happy to yield to temptation and select a few treats from the case. Choose your own or pick up one of their boxed assortments. But, be sure to include at least one mouse in the selection. They love going home with you.

You still have time to tuck an Amazon gift certificate into that chocolate box. You can also send one by email!

Details:

Burdick Chocolate

Back Bay Boston Chocolate Shop & Café

220 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA 02116 (map)

www.burdickchocolate.com

617-303-0113

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny 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 comments 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 out of comments.

February 14, 2012
3 Warm Tips for Frigid Dog Walks!

Br-r-r-r! Dog Walker Dan Hazelwood with Cleo (left) and Cooper

While wrapping your pup for a cold winter walk, remember to turn-up your own heat. If you’re warm, you’re pup will have more fun!

Let’s be honest, once all the important “business” is done, it’s very tempting to quickly head back inside.

But, you both need time to stretch your legs, greet some friends, and sniff (at least one of you does). So, in the interest of doing right by our furry friends, we asked veteran dog walker Dan Hazelwood of Boston Pet Sitters how he conquers the winter chill.

Play Time! Duddly (foreground) with Cleo and Cooper…

3 Warm Tips for Frigid Dog Walks

Layering is Key- “I always start off with a heavy hooded sweatshirt, a fleece scarf, and my Patagonia parka,” Dan said.

“When the temperature is above freezing, I can get away with wearing jeans with extra shorts underneath, but sub-freezing calls for my EMS rain pants over sweat pants. The rain pants are great insulators, and I wear this combination down to zero degrees.”

Shoes Made for Winter Walking- “I have a few different pairs of shoes or boots I wear in the winter, from North Face Hedgehog walking shoes for everyday use to the Sorel Caribou, the most heavy-duty snow boots you can find.”

“The key with any footwear is to start with polyester sock liners under wool or synthetic hiking socks.”

Warm Hands- “I have found the best leather gloves at Army/Navy surplus stores, and I often have 10-hour hand warmers, too.”

What's on your cold weather shopping list? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! It doesn't cost you any more but Amazon puts some coins in our tip jar.

Details:
Words: Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny 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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

February 12, 2012
See Anyone You Recognize?

This is the south facing side of the frieze on the tower of the First Baptist Church of Boston.

This work of art was designed by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, the same sculptor who created the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor.

Bostonian Edward Everett Hale wrote, "…he told me himself that the heads which you will see there are portraits of distinguished citizens of Boston of that time. If you buy the right photographs, and magnify them with the right glasses, you will find Sumner and, I think Garrison, and probably Everett and Phillips."

Next time you're walking near here, stop and look up. The tower is 176 feet high. The frieze was carved by Italian craftmen, after the stones were set in place. They worked up where we see the figures.

Need some Valentine's Day gift ideas? Click over to Amazon and do some planning and if you do buy something there, they'll put a few coins in our tip cup.

Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino
Photos: © 2012 Penny Cherubino

February 11, 2012
Your Special Place, Free Romance for Valentine’s Day

The best Valentine gifts are the ones that are part of your life throughout the year. It can be as simple as a special place where you feel happy together.

Ed and I were out in that little snow storm we had in January shooting some potential cover shots for The Back Bay Sun when this couple, strolling hand-in-hand, appeared.

A kiss was followed by…

…a few playful snowballs, and then they picked up sticks and drew valentines in the snow.

Naturally, we asked permission before we used these photos. Back Bay residents, Andre Sibilsky and Morgan Maglich are from down South, so snow is special to them. They ventured out to enjoy the snow in one of their favorite spots along the Muddy River. Now that is romantic!

Related Posts:

We're gathering all our Valentine posts at the bottom of this one:

Valentine's Day 2012 – Romantic Dining in Boston

Okay, if you need a more material Valentine's Day gift idea, click over to Amazon and do some planning, and if you do buy something there, they'll put a few coins in our tip cup.

Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny 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 comments 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 out of comments.

February 9, 2012
Rumanian Pastrami from Sam LaGrassa’s

Walking back from City Hall on Friday afternoon, I was considering my options for a lunch to take home. Sam LaGrassa's came to mind. So often when I'm craving a great sandwich from this legendary downtown lunch spot, they're close. So, the first lesson in getting your hands on a great pastrami sandwich is to go at the right time.

Sam LaGrassa's is open Monday through Friday from 11:00 am to 3:30 pm. Etch that fact into your mind so you will take the opportunity to indulge whenever you're in their area during those golden hours.

I'm usually a corned beef lover, but the crew over at Boston Chowhound has consistantly named the pastrami at this place among the best in town. And, I remembered seeing it made on a food show. So this time I grabbed one corned beef and one pastrami to take home and share with Ed.

Moving in for a close up!

After posing for a quick photo shoot, the pastrami sandwich was ready for my first bite. It was instant regret. Why didn't I buy two pastramis? I mean, I like their corned beef but with this pastrami, it was love at first bite.

It is soft, melting, spicy, and full-bodied all at the same time. It's a Cote du Rhone of the sandwich world.

P.S. The pickles are so good, that I don't get to have Ed's share. He likes these!

Related Posts:

Here is the report I did on Sam LaGrassa's Corned Beef for Serious Eats.

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Details:

Sam La Grassa's

44 Province St. Boston MA 02108 (map & reviews)

617-357-6861
www.samlagrassas.com

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny Cherubino

February 8, 2012