Tag: brookline

  • Where to Dine on New Year’s Eve 2015 & New Year’s Day Brunch 2016

    Our readers are already searching our past posts to figure out where to dine on New Year's Eve in Boston. It's time for you to grab a reservation at a special place!

    And, since it was popular last year, we're adding a few places we think might be great for starting off 2016 with friends and family around a brunch table.

    IStock_000035340368Small

    We all have our ideas of the perfect New Year's Eve.

    • Are you looking for a place to ring in 2015 with a happy crowd?
    • Will you be out and about dropping in on events or house parties?
    • Or will you make a reservation for a quiet dinner before popping a cork for a private celebration? 
    • Is a walk to view skating on the Frog Pond more your style?

    We'll leave the New Year's Eve reservation for those of you who like to be part of a bigger celebration, while we spend the evening with some sparkling wine, good food, and great companions. However, we have gathered resources to help you find a place for any kind of New Year's Eve you'd like. 

    Everyone can begin at Open Table. They maintain a list of special New Year's Eve celebrations at area restaurants. 

    You can put a time into the reservation box on the main page and see what's available. Remember, many places have special prix fixe menus for occasions like this and some may require a credit card to hold a reservation.

    The site Boston Chefs always posts a listing of its member restaurants that have special plans for New Year's Eve. Here is their New Year's Eve list. And, here's the list for New Year's Day. We'll update this section as we spot new information from these sources.

    We'll add updates with other lists, as they become available, from trusted sources around town. Please remember that when we provide a link to a list, we are just giving you a resource. It doesn't mean we are recommending the restaurants on that list. These summaries often include places we love, but since other publishers have different standards, their list may include restaurants we would never recommend.

    We Do Recommend!

    There are restaurants that have planned a special New Year's Eve menu but have built their reputations on high quality food. These are places where you can expect to have a wonderful meal any day of the year.

    • Select Oyster Bar will serve a 7-course tasting menu. There are still a few seats left for a 6pm and 9pm seating.
    • Island Creek Oyster Bar is serving its regular menu and that kindness puts them high on our list. 
    • Row 34 will serve their regular menu with a special addition: "Caviar and Champagne are the name of the game this New Year's Eve. Ossetra caviar and NV Krug Grand Cuvee are available for enjoying at cost …"
    • Bistro du Midi is offering two seatings at two prices with two prix fixe menus.
    • Craigie on Main will present a five course tasting menu.
    • Grotto on Beacon Hill, Kitchen in the South End, and Marliave downtown all join that list of places sticking with the food you love.
    • La Morra in Brookline will serve a three-course prix fixe menu with a glass of Prosecco!
    • Myers + Chang will add special items to their regular menu and serve it all Dim Sum style.

    Update: 12/17/15 - From Eater Boston here's a list and map of Where to Eat on New Year's Eve in Boston.

     

    Where are you spending the evening? What's your favorite way to celebrate? Come back on January 1st and tell us about your New Year's Eve.

    New Year's Day Brunch

    Here is a list of brunches from the members of Boston Chefs. Our pick from this list would be Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel. 

    Open Table did not have a New Year's Day Brunch list when we prepared this post. We put a request in for a table at 11:30 AM to come up with our recommendations. 

    • Craigie on Main decided to do away with their regular Sunday brunch, but they will have brunch on a few selected holidays like New Year's Day. 
    • Petit Robert Bistro would be a great place to enjoy the beginning of a new year with a gang. 
    • Eastern Standard will be open with their great brunch menu.
    • La Voile on Newbury serves a lovely meal and is a great way to start the year.

    Update: 12/17/15 - From Eater Boston here's a list and map of Where to Eat on New Year's Day in Boston

    To be notified of updates to this post, sign-on to the comment feed for this post or follow us on Twitter for updates. 

    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: Photo: iStockphoto.com

  • 2015-2016 Winter Farmers Market Schedule Around Boston

    The open air farmers market season is over and it's time for us to start our list of the 2015-2016 Winter Farmers Markets in the Boston area. We'll add to this list as we discover more markets opening.

    IMG_8892 - Version 22015-11-20-stillman's-copley-market-public-market-winter-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    Stillman's Farm and  Stillman Quality Meats will both be at the Boston Public Market.

    Boston Public Market

    This will be the first year-round season for the new Boston Public Market. Here, you’ll find farmers, craft brewers, cheesemakers, local meat and seafood vendors, bakeries and artisan food producers.

    6a00e54fc42bb88834017d3d90d8a3970c-500wi
    Brookline Winter Farmers' Market
     

    Winter Indoor Farmers Markets Around Boston 

    Updated 01/08/15

    Check the links to confirm details on these markets before you set out on your shopping trip.

    Boston Public Market , 100 Hanover Street at Haymarket Station, Wednesday–Sunday 8:00am–8:00pm (year round)

    Boston/Egleston Winter Farmers Market, Urbano Project, 29 Germania St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 (map) Saturdays, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, (Mid-November thru February)

    Brookline Winter Farmers Market at The Arcade Building, 318 Harvard Street, (map) Sundays
    11:00 am to 3:00 pm (November thru April)

    Newton Winter Farmers Market, 250 Albemarle Rd, Newton, MA 02461(map) Saturdays, 10:00 am – Noon (November and December) 

    Somerville Winter Farmers Market, 191 Highland Avenue, (map) Saturdays, 9:30 am to 2:00 pm (December thru March)

    Cambridge Winter Farmers Market, 5 Callender Street, (map) Saturdays, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (January 9th – April 30th)

    Dorchester/Carney Hospital Year Round and Winter Farmers Market, 2100 Dorchester Ave. Seton Building Entrance (map) Wednesdays  8:00am – 12:00pm (year-round)

    Dorchester/Codman Square Winter Farmers Market, 6 Norfolk Street, Dorchester, in the Great Hall (map) Saturdays 10 am to 1 pm (January 9th to March 19th)

    Chelmsford Agway Winter Farmers Market, 24 Maple Road, Chelmsford, MA (map) Saturdays, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (November 7th – February 27th) Thanks to the reader who sent this one our way. 

    Roslindale Winter Farmers Market, 30 Birch Street, Roslindale, MA (map) Saturdays, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (January thru March). 

    20110123-134038-market-scene-Somerville-MA-Greens-greenhouse 

    20110123-134038-market-scene-Somerville-MA-purple-top-turnips

    Destination Markets Worth the Trip

    Wayland/Russell's Garden Center Winter Farmers Market – 2016, 397 Boston Post Road, Rte 20 (map) Saturdays, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (January 9th – March 12th)

    Newburyport Winter Farmers Market, Tannery Marketplace, 50 Water Street (map)
    Sundays 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, Dec. 6 & 13 – 2015, Jan. 17 & 31, Feb. 7 & 21, March 6 & 20, April 3 & 17, 2016

    Do you have a favorite place to shop for local foods in winter? Let us know!

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

     

     Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2011 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

  • Market Report: 2015 Summer Farmers Markets “One Every Day of the Week”

    We are so happy that the Copley Square Farmers Market is open for the season. That's the home market for the BostonZest team and where we pick up lots of news from the farms. But, we also receive press releases, newsletters, and correspond with farm friends year-round to gather news for readers like you.

    Today, we'll tell you about the "One Every Day of the Week" farmers market campaign over in Cambridge.

    Farmers_markers_poster_summer_2015 copy 2

    For years, we've pointed out that if you live in the central area of Boston, you have access to a farmers market seven days a week. The City of Cambridge has made a campaign of that fact to support the fresh, local food producers. If you'd like a copy of the poster, you can download one here. Download Farmers_Markets_poster_summer_2015

    If the option for a particular day is not within walking distance from your home, it will be easy to reach by public transportation. That makes for a very lively, fresh, local food scene in and around Boston.

    Since we shop at many area markets, we took the idea and information from Cambridge's poster and added the other markets we frequent.

    • Sunday: Charles Square, Cambridge
    • Monday: Boston Public Market, Blackstone Street and Central Square, Cambridge
    • Tuesday: Copley Square, South Station/Dewey Square, and Harvard University Farmers Market, Cambridge
    • Wednesday: Boston Public Market, Blackstone Street; Cambridge Center (Kendall MBTA); Davis Square, Somerville; and Charlestown
    • Thursday: South Station/Dewey Square, Kendall Square (500 Kendall Street), Brookline/Coolidge Corner, Mission Hill/Roxbury, Brigham Circle, and East Boston/Central Square
    • Friday: Copley Square and Charles Square, Cambridge
    • Saturday: Union Square, Somerville; Cambridgeport, Cambridge; Roslindale/Adams Park; and Egleston, Jamaica Plain

    For exact dates, maps, and other details on these markets check our post:

    Summer Farmers Markets Opening Dates 2015

    We'll do our best to keep you informed with a series of Market Reports throughout the season. And, we welcome your tips and suggestions. Add your thoughts in the comments below. Tweet them to @BostonZest or send us an email and we'll add your suggestions to this post as an update.

    Here are more of our Local Food/Farmers Market posts.

    What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

  • Market Report: 2015 Summer Farmers Markets “One Every Day of the Week”

    We are so happy that the Copley Square Farmers Market is open for the season. That's the home market for the BostonZest team and where we pick up lots of news from the farms. But, we also receive press releases, newsletters, and correspond with farm friends year-round to gather news for readers like you.

    Today, we'll tell you about the "One Every Day of the Week" farmers market campaign over in Cambridge.

    Farmers_markers_poster_summer_2015 copy 2

    For years, we've pointed out that if you live in the central area of Boston, you have access to a farmers market seven days a week. The City of Cambridge has made a campaign of that fact to support the fresh, local food producers. If you'd like a copy of the poster, you can download one here. Download Farmers_Markets_poster_summer_2015

    If the option for a particular day is not within walking distance from your home, it will be easy to reach by public transportation. That makes for a very lively, fresh, local food scene in and around Boston.

    Since we shop at many area markets, we took the idea and information from Cambridge's poster and added the other markets we frequent.

    • Sunday: Charles Square, Cambridge
    • Monday: Boston Public Market, Blackstone Street and Central Square, Cambridge
    • Tuesday: Copley Square, South Station/Dewey Square, and Harvard University Farmers Market, Cambridge
    • Wednesday: Boston Public Market, Blackstone Street; Cambridge Center (Kendall MBTA); Davis Square, Somerville; and Charlestown
    • Thursday: South Station/Dewey Square, Kendall Square (500 Kendall Street), Brookline/Coolidge Corner, Mission Hill/Roxbury, Brigham Circle, and East Boston/Central Square
    • Friday: Copley Square and Charles Square, Cambridge
    • Saturday: Union Square, Somerville; Cambridgeport, Cambridge; Roslindale/Adams Park; and Egleston, Jamaica Plain

    For exact dates, maps, and other details on these markets check our post:

    Summer Farmers Markets Opening Dates 2015

    We'll do our best to keep you informed with a series of Market Reports throughout the season. And, we welcome your tips and suggestions. Add your thoughts in the comments below. Tweet them to @BostonZest or send us an email and we'll add your suggestions to this post as an update.

    Here are more of our Local Food/Farmers Market posts.

    What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

  • Where to Dine on New Year’s Eve 2014 & New Year’s Day Brunch 2015

    Our readers are already searching our past posts to figure out where to dine on New Year's Eve in Boston. It's time for you to grab a reservation at a special place!

    This is an outdated post. Click below for the link to:

    Where to Dine on New Year's Eve 2015 & New Year's Day Brunch 2016

    And, this year we're adding a few places we think might be great for starting off 2015 with friends and family around a brunch table.

    IStock_000043524502Small

    We all have our ideas of the perfect New Year's Eve.

    • Are you looking for a place to ring in 2015 with a happy crowd?
    • Will you be out and about dropping in on events or house parties?
    • Or will you make a reservation for a quiet dinner before popping a cork for a private celebration? 
    • Is a walk to view the ice sculptures and skating on the Frog Pond more your style?

    We'll leave the New Year's Eve reservation for those of you who like to be part of a bigger celebration, while we spend the evening with some sparkling wine, good food, and great companions. However, we have gathered resources to help you find a place for any kind of New Year's Eve you'd like. 

    Everyone can begin at Open Table. They maintain a list of special New Year's celebrations at area restaurants. 

    You can put a time into the reservation box on the main page and see what's available. Remember, many places have special prix fixe menus for occasions like this and some may require a credit card to hold a reservation.

    The site Boston Chefs always posts a listing of its member restaurants that have special plans for New Year's Eve. Here is their New Year's Eve list. And, here's the list for New Year's Day. We'll update this section as we spot new information from these sources.

    We'll add updates with other lists, as they become available, from trusted sources around town. Please remember that when we provide a link to a list, we are just giving you a resource. It doesn't mean we are recommending the restaurants on that list. These summaries often include places we love, but since other publishers have different standards, their list may include restaurants we would never recommend.

    We Do Recommend!

    There are restaurants that have planned a special New Year's Eve menu but have built their reputation on high quality food. These are places where you can expect to have a wonderful meal any day of the year.

    • Island Creek Oyster Bar is serving its regular menu and, for that kindness, we've put them at the top of this list. 
    • Eastern Standard, next door, is doing the same. Regular menu, great wine list, craft cocktails.
    • Coppa Enoteca will close from 3-5 on the 31st to prepare for a three-course Chef's menu – $55 per person.
    • Bistro du Midi is offering two seatings at two prices with two prix fixe menus.
    • Grotto on Beacon Hill, Kitchen in the South End, and Marliave downtown all join that list of places sticking with the food you love.
    • Brasserie JO has a special menu but alway provides great food in a relaxed atmosphere, and their desserts are a party in themselves. 

    Where are you spending the evening? What's your favorite way to celebrate? Come back on January 1st and tell us about your New Year's Eve.

    New Year's Day Brunch

    Here is a list of brunches from the members of Boston Chefs. Our pick from this list would be Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel. 

    Open Table did not have a New Year's Day Brunch list when we prepared this post. We put a request in for a table at 11:30 AM to come up with our recommendations. 

    • Craigie on Main decided to do away with their regular Sunday brunch, but they will have brunch on a few selected holidays like New Year's Day. 
    • Petit Robert Bistro would be a great place to enjoy the beginning of a new year with a gang. 
    • Island Creek Oyster Bar will be open with their great brunch menu.

    To be notified of updates to this post, sign-on to the comment feed for this post or follow us on Twitter for updates. 

    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: Photo: iStockphoto.com

  • 2014-2015 Winter Farmers’ Market Schedule Around Boston

    The open air farmers' market season is over, and it's time for us to start our list of the 2014-2015 Winter Farmers' Markets in the Boston area. We'll add to this list as we discover more markets opening.

    20110123-134038-market-scene-Somerville-MA-Enterprise-farm

    Somerville Winter Farmers' Market 

    Winter Indoor Farmers’ Markets Around Boston

    Boston/Egleston Winter Farmers Market, has a new location at the Urbano Project, 29 Germania St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 (map) Saturdays, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, (Through February 2015, except Dec. 27th.)

    Brookline Winter Farmers Market, Arcade Building, 318 Harvard Street, (map) Sundays
    12:00 pm to 5:00 pm (11/02 to 06/01/15)

    Cambridge Winter/Alexandria Technology Square Farmers Market
    700 Technology Square Atrium, (map) Wednesdays, 11:00 am to 3:00 pm (11/12/14 to 04/29/15)

    Newton Winter Farmers' Market, 90 Lincoln Street-Hyde Community Center, Newton, MA 02461(map) Tuesday, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm (November 18, 2014 to June 16, 2015) 

    Somerville Winter Farmers Market, 191 Highland Avenue, (map) Saturdays, 9:30 am to 2:00 pm (December through March)

    Cambridge Winter Farmers Market, 5 Callender Street, (map) Saturdays, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
    (01/03/14 to 04/25/15)

    Dorchester/Codman Square Winter Farmers Market has moved to Fridays: 6 Norfolk Street, (map) Fridays, 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm (01/09 to TBA. Last year they stayed open through March)

    Chelmsford Agway Winter Farmers Market, 24 Maple Road, Chelmsford, MA (map) Saturdays, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (11/1 -2/28) Thanks to the reader who sent this one our way last year. 

    Update 12.8.14: (Thanks to Ben Sommer!) 

    Roslindale Winter Farmers Market, 30 Birch Street, Roslindale, MA (map) Saturdays, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (1/3 – 3/28 2015). 

    20110123-134038-market-scene-Somerville-MA-Greens-greenhouse 

    20110123-134038-market-scene-Somerville-MA-purple-top-turnips

    Destination Markets Worth the Trip

    Wayland/Russell's Garden Center Winter Farmers Market 397 Boston Post Road Rte 20 (map) Saturdays, 10:00am to 2:00pm, 01/10 to 03/14/2015

    Newburyport Winter Farmers Market, Tannery Marketplace, 50 Water Street (map)
    Sundays 9:00am to 1:00pm, Dec. 7 & 14, 2014, Jan. 4 & 18, Feb. 1 & 15, March 1, 15, & 29, April 12, 2015

    Do you have a favorite place to shop for local foods in winter? Let us know!

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

     Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2011 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

  • Easter Dining in Boston 2014 (This year It Falls on Marathon Weekend 4/20/14)

    Those in the know already have reservations for Easter brunch and dinner. This year, Easter falls on April 20th and that is Marathon weekend in Boston. This may be the year to plan your holiday gathering for a location outside of the city center.

    6a00e54fc42bb88834014e602c6dd6970c-800wi

    First up, the list of places that organize information about Easter reservations and special offerings:

    Open Table seems to have the most complete information, and you can click right through to make reservations. They also give you some idea of prices and special menus. And, you'll find a few places that are offering their regular menus as well. 

    Boston Chefs has a list of offerings from their member chefs and restaurants.

    The number of places listed will increase as we near the date, so do check back if you don't see one you like.

    Next, a few places we picked from these lists:

    The Blue Room in Cambridge is offering a special version of their Sunday Buffet. There is parking in the area and it is just far enough from the fray in Boston for a relaxing meal.

    La Morra in Brookline is a great place to meet up outside the city. This is one of the few days a year when they serve brunch. Here's what they say about their Easter offering, "Join us for a 3-course brunch w/favorites such as fresh donuts with spiced sugar and cream, Tuscan toast and homemade frittatas for $35."

    Don't be surprised if some places require a credit card to secure the reservation. This is the type of holiday when some people would try to book multiple restaurants and decide where to go at the last moment. That can cause the restaurant to turn away other potential customers and makes the venues require a deposit to hold a place. 

    One thing we would look for, if we were dining out on a holiday, is a place that is offering its regular menu for the day. That's always a plus for us. We're not fans of special menus.

    If you know of places where the regular menu will be served, let us know. If it's a place we can recommend, we'll add it to our list. And, we'll add updates and links to this post as we find them. Check back here or follow us on Twitter to learn about updates!

    UPDATES:

    Zagat's list: 10 Best Bets for Easter Brunch in Boston. 04/08/14

    Here's a list of great lamb dishes for Easter from Eater.  3/29/13

    From BostInno's Lisa DeCanio: Dyed Eggs & Ham: 9 Go-To Easter Brunches in Boston

    Opting Out of Easter

    If this holiday stuff is really not part of your life, this is a great day to go ethnic. Chinatown will be wide open and filled with great menu options. Your neighborhood Indian, Korean, Chinese, or Persian restaurant will be happy to feed you. And, most BBQ and Pizza places do not have Easter menus.

    We know a lot of runners will be looking for places to load up on carbs the day before the race. We suggest they make their way to the North End for some great Italian food.

    Sign-up for the comment feed or follow us on Twitter for a notice, if we add updates to this page.

    Don't miss an Easter photo opportunity. This Canon PowerShot G15 camera will give you what you need to take stills and video of your Easter celebration. Canon's G series is our all-time favorite for everyday cameras. We own the G10 and G11. 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 second cameras. And, if you are ready to turn pro, follow our lead. Ed Shoots with the Nikon D7000 Digital SLR too, and we just added a Nikon D600 to our camera fleet and are extremely happy with the performance it has delivered.

       

    Details:

    Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino

    Photos: from iStockphoto.com

  • Easter Dining in Boston 2014 (This year It Falls on Marathon Weekend 4/20/14)

    Those in the know already have reservations for Easter brunch and dinner. This year, Easter falls on April 20th and that is Marathon weekend in Boston. This may be the year to plan your holiday gathering for a location outside of the city center.

    6a00e54fc42bb88834014e602c6dd6970c-800wi

    First up, the list of places that organize information about Easter reservations and special offerings:

    Open Table seems to have the most complete information, and you can click right through to make reservations. They also give you some idea of prices and special menus. And, you'll find a few places that are offering their regular menus as well. 

    Boston Chefs has a list of offerings from their member chefs and restaurants.

    The number of places listed will increase as we near the date, so do check back if you don't see one you like.

    Next, a few places we picked from these lists:

    The Blue Room in Cambridge is offering a special version of their Sunday Buffet. There is parking in the area and it is just far enough from the fray in Boston for a relaxing meal.

    La Morra in Brookline is a great place to meet up outside the city. This is one of the few days a year when they serve brunch. Here's what they say about their Easter offering, "Join us for a 3-course brunch w/favorites such as fresh donuts with spiced sugar and cream, Tuscan toast and homemade frittatas for $35."

    Don't be surprised if some places require a credit card to secure the reservation. This is the type of holiday when some people would try to book multiple restaurants and decide where to go at the last moment. That can cause the restaurant to turn away other potential customers and makes the venues require a deposit to hold a place. 

    One thing we would look for, if we were dining out on a holiday, is a place that is offering its regular menu for the day. That's always a plus for us. We're not fans of special menus.

    If you know of places where the regular menu will be served, let us know. If it's a place we can recommend, we'll add it to our list. And, we'll add updates and links to this post as we find them. Check back here or follow us on Twitter to learn about updates!

    UPDATES:

    Zagat's list: 10 Best Bets for Easter Brunch in Boston. 04/08/14

    Here's a list of great lamb dishes for Easter from Eater.  3/29/13

    From BostInno's Lisa DeCanio: Dyed Eggs & Ham: 9 Go-To Easter Brunches in Boston

    Opting Out of Easter

    If this holiday stuff is really not part of your life, this is a great day to go ethnic. Chinatown will be wide open and filled with great menu options. Your neighborhood Indian, Korean, Chinese, or Persian restaurant will be happy to feed you. And, most BBQ and Pizza places do not have Easter menus.

    We know a lot of runners will be looking for places to load up on carbs the day before the race. We suggest they make their way to the North End for some great Italian food.

    Sign-up for the comment feed or follow us on Twitter for a notice, if we add updates to this page.

    Don't miss an Easter photo opportunity. This Canon PowerShot G15 camera will give you what you need to take stills and video of your Easter celebration. Canon's G series is our all-time favorite for everyday cameras. We own the G10 and G11. 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 second cameras. And, if you are ready to turn pro, follow our lead. Ed Shoots with the Nikon D7000 Digital SLR too, and we just added a Nikon D600 to our camera fleet and are extremely happy with the performance it has delivered.

       

    Details:

    Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino

    Photos: from iStockphoto.com

  • Easter Dining in Boston 2014 (This year It Falls on Marathon Weekend 4/20/14)

    Those in the know already have reservations for Easter brunch and dinner. This year, Easter falls on April 20th and that is Marathon weekend in Boston. This may be the year to plan your holiday gathering for a location outside of the city center.

    6a00e54fc42bb88834014e602c6dd6970c-800wi

    First up, the list of places that organize information about Easter reservations and special offerings:

    Open Table seems to have the most complete information, and you can click right through to make reservations. They also give you some idea of prices and special menus. And, you'll find a few places that are offering their regular menus as well. 

    Boston Chefs has a list of offerings from their member chefs and restaurants.

    The number of places listed will increase as we near the date, so do check back if you don't see one you like.

    Next, a few places we picked from these lists:

    The Blue Room in Cambridge is offering a special version of their Sunday Buffet. There is parking in the area and it is just far enough from the fray in Boston for a relaxing meal.

    La Morra in Brookline is a great place to meet up outside the city. This is one of the few days a year when they serve brunch. Here's what they say about their Easter offering, "Join us for a 3-course brunch w/favorites such as fresh donuts with spiced sugar and cream, Tuscan toast and homemade frittatas for $35."

    Don't be surprised if some places require a credit card to secure the reservation. This is the type of holiday when some people would try to book multiple restaurants and decide where to go at the last moment. That can cause the restaurant to turn away other potential customers and makes the venues require a deposit to hold a place. 

    One thing we would look for, if we were dining out on a holiday, is a place that is offering its regular menu for the day. That's always a plus for us. We're not fans of special menus.

    If you know of places where the regular menu will be served, let us know. If it's a place we can recommend, we'll add it to our list. And, we'll add updates and links to this post as we find them. Check back here or follow us on Twitter to learn about updates!

    UPDATES:

    Zagat's list: 10 Best Bets for Easter Brunch in Boston. 04/08/14

    Here's a list of great lamb dishes for Easter from Eater.  3/29/13

    From BostInno's Lisa DeCanio: Dyed Eggs & Ham: 9 Go-To Easter Brunches in Boston

    Opting Out of Easter

    If this holiday stuff is really not part of your life, this is a great day to go ethnic. Chinatown will be wide open and filled with great menu options. Your neighborhood Indian, Korean, Chinese, or Persian restaurant will be happy to feed you. And, most BBQ and Pizza places do not have Easter menus.

    We know a lot of runners will be looking for places to load up on carbs the day before the race. We suggest they make their way to the North End for some great Italian food.

    Sign-up for the comment feed or follow us on Twitter for a notice, if we add updates to this page.

    Don't miss an Easter photo opportunity. This Canon PowerShot G15 camera will give you what you need to take stills and video of your Easter celebration. Canon's G series is our all-time favorite for everyday cameras. We own the G10 and G11. 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 second cameras. And, if you are ready to turn pro, follow our lead. Ed Shoots with the Nikon D7000 Digital SLR too, and we just added a Nikon D600 to our camera fleet and are extremely happy with the performance it has delivered.

       

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    Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino

    Photos: from iStockphoto.com

  • Where to Dine on New Year’s Eve 2013 in Boston

    Our readers are already searching our past posts to figure out where to dine this New Year's Eve in Boston. It's time for you to grab a reservation at a special place!

    This is an outdated post. Click below for the link to:

    Where to Dine on New Year's Eve 2015 & New Year's Day Brunch 2016

     

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    We all have our ideas of the perfect New Year's Eve.

    • Are you looking for a place to ring in 2014 with a happy crowd?
    • Will you be out and about dropping in on events or house parties?
    • Or will you make a reservation for a quiet dinner before popping a cork for a private celebration? 
    • Is a walk to view the ice sculptures and skating on the Frog Pond more yours style?

    We'll leave the New Year's Eve reservation for those of you who like to be part of a bigger celebration, while we spend the evening with some sparkling wine, good food, and great companions. However, we have gathered resources to help you find a place for any kind of New Year's Eve you'd like. 

    We always recommend Hamersley's Bistro as a perfect place to enjoy a meal on a special occasion. It's been one of the few exceptions to our stay-at-home rule. This year, they're planning a four-course prix fixe menu with a champagne toast if you're there at midnight.

    Everyone can begin at Open Table. They maintain a list of special New Year's celebrations at area restaurants. 

    You can put a time into the reservation box on the main page and see what's available. Remember, many places have special prix fixe menus for occasions like this and some may require a credit card to hold a reservation.

    The site Boston Chefs always posts a listing of its member restaurants that have special plans for New Year's Eve. Here is their New Year's Eve list. And, here's the list for New Year's Day.

    And, here are a few suggestions published by Boston's great food sites last year: We'll update this section as we spot new information from these sources.

    There are also restaurants that have planned a special New Year's Eve menu but have built their reputation on high quality food. These are places where you can expect to have a wonderful meal any day of the year.

    • Island Creek Oyster Bar is serving its regular menu and, for that kindness, we've put them at the top of this list. 
    • Eastern Standard, next door, is doing the same. Regular menu, great wine list, craft cocktails.
    • Grotto on Beacon Hill, Kitchen in the South End, and Marliave downtown all join that list of places sticking with the food you love.
    • Brasserie JO has a special menu but alway provides great food in a relaxed atmosphere, and their desserts are a party in themselves. 
    • La Morra in Brookline – chef Josh Ziskin says he saves some of his most prized dishes just for this evening. He's serving a four-course Italian dinner with a glass of Prosecco for toasting. 

    Where are you spending the evening? What's your favorite way to celebrate? Come back on January 1st and tell us about your New Year's Eve.

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    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!

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    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: Photo: iStockphoto.com

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