Tag: MA

Where to Dine on New Year’s Eve 2012 in Boston
This is an outdated post.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

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!

We all have our ideas of the perfect New Year's Eve. Are you looking for a place to ring in 2013 with a happy crowd? Or will you make a reservation for a quiet dinner before popping a cork for a private celebration?

We fall into the food-loving, quiet celebration group, and we'll tell you about some places where that's possible.

But, we have to admit one of our more memorable New Year's Eves was spent at the bar at Hamersley's Bistro. We had planned to slip in and out for a quick, quiet dinner and managed to stay for a much longer time enjoying the company of a great group at the bar. 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. This is perfect if you're meeting up with a group here in the city and the site even offers places like AKA Bistro in Lincoln for those who prefer a suburban location.

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.

Update 12.27.12: Eater Boston has added its Map of What to do on New Year's Eve.

Update 12.28.12: Grub Street Boston put up their, "Grub Guide: Where to Get Dreamy Takeout on New Year's Eve" Some good choices there.

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.
- Craigie On Main is planning two sets of seatings for two prix fixe menus. Call fast, these reservations will be snatched up quickly.
- 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.

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

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.
December 14, 2012
Where to Dine on New Year’s Eve 2012 in Boston
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

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!

We all have our ideas of the perfect New Year's Eve. Are you looking for a place to ring in 2013 with a happy crowd? Or will you make a reservation for a quiet dinner before popping a cork for a private celebration?

We fall into the food-loving, quiet celebration group, and we'll tell you about some places where that's possible.

But, we have to admit one of our more memorable New Year's Eves was spent at the bar at Hamersley's Bistro. We had planned to slip in and out for a quick, quiet dinner and managed to stay for a much longer time enjoying the company of a great group at the bar. 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. This is perfect if you're meeting up with a group here in the city and the site even offers places like AKA Bistro in Lincoln for those who prefer a suburban location.

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.

Update 12.27.12: Eater Boston has added its Map of What to do on New Year's Eve.

Update 12.28.12: Grub Street Boston put up their, "Grub Guide: Where to Get Dreamy Takeout on New Year's Eve" Some good choices there.

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.
- Craigie On Main is planning two sets of seatings for two prix fixe menus. Call fast, these reservations will be snatched up quickly.
- 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.

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

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.
December 14, 2012
Where to Dine on New Year’s Eve 2012 in Boston
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

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!

We all have our ideas of the perfect New Year's Eve. Are you looking for a place to ring in 2013 with a happy crowd? Or will you make a reservation for a quiet dinner before popping a cork for a private celebration?

We fall into the food-loving, quiet celebration group, and we'll tell you about some places where that's possible.

But, we have to admit one of our more memorable New Year's Eves was spent at the bar at Hamersley's Bistro. We had planned to slip in and out for a quick, quiet dinner and managed to stay for a much longer time enjoying the company of a great group at the bar. 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. This is perfect if you're meeting up with a group here in the city and the site even offers places like AKA Bistro in Lincoln for those who prefer a suburban location.

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.

Update 12.27.12: Eater Boston has added its Map of What to do on New Year's Eve.

Update 12.28.12: Grub Street Boston put up their, "Grub Guide: Where to Get Dreamy Takeout on New Year's Eve" Some good choices there.

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.
- Craigie On Main is planning two sets of seatings for two prix fixe menus. Call fast, these reservations will be snatched up quickly.
- 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.

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

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.
December 14, 2012
Holiday Spirit in Concord & Lexington

A table of fresh, holiday wreaths at Wilson Farm

There’s nothing like a visit to a beautiful New England town, decorated for the holidays, to give you a dose of holiday spirit. Concord and Lexington fit this bill perfectly and you can get a bit of shopping done at the same time.

We spent the early part of the day in Concord. Our puppy Poppy was with us as we walked around the town stopping to window shop and paying our traditional visits to the Concord Shop to pick up a few kitchen items and to the Concord Cheese Shop for a few delicious things to take home.

It was a nice day, so we ordered cups of a great chili from the Main Streets Market & Cafe and dined al fresco. The chili had big pieces of winter squash – an idea Penny plans to copy – and was delicious! It also came with big pieces of cornbread.

Photo by StevenErat used under creative commons license

Concord is a great place to shop with someone who appreciates quality and is looking for a selection that goes beyond the chains. For example, The Grasshopper Shop on Main Street sells clothing and accessories that are selected to appeal to women of all ages.

A stop at Wilson Farm is always on our list when we’re in the area, so we were off to Lexington after lunch. The greenhouses were filled with red, white, and green, and the smell of pine was in the air.

They had gingerbread houses ready to go or with tubes of frosting to do your own decorating. They even had Holiday Gingerbread Decorating Workshops coming up on Thursday.

And, of course, this working farm is always a beautiful place for us city folk to feel more connected with the land. Ed and Poppy relaxed on a bench overlooking the fields and woods while I shopped for our supper.

We recommend a road trip to Concord and Lexington whenever you feel the need to enjoy the taste of small town life. It can be a wonderful alternative to holiday shopping at the mall or a great daytrip with holiday guests.

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: © 2012 Penny Cherubino, Grasshopper Shop photo by StevenErat here it is on Flickr.

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.

Related articles

Design a Gingerbread House in CAD, then cut pieces with a laser

Spend an Afternoon in Concord, Massachusetts

Brookline Winter Farmers’ Market in the Arcade Building, Coolidge Corner

What’s Open in Boston on Christmas & MBTA Schedules 2012

5 Reasons to Have Cider on Your Holiday Menu

Tip for Cleaning Hands Stained & Sticky from Holiday Greenery

December 11, 2012
Holiday Spirit in Concord & Lexington

A table of fresh, holiday wreaths at Wilson Farm

There’s nothing like a visit to a beautiful New England town, decorated for the holidays, to give you a dose of holiday spirit. Concord and Lexington fit this bill perfectly and you can get a bit of shopping done at the same time.

We spent the early part of the day in Concord. Our puppy Poppy was with us as we walked around the town stopping to window shop and paying our traditional visits to the Concord Shop to pick up a few kitchen items and to the Concord Cheese Shop for a few delicious things to take home.

It was a nice day, so we ordered cups of a great chili from the Main Streets Market & Cafe and dined al fresco. The chili had big pieces of winter squash – an idea Penny plans to copy – and was delicious! It also came with big pieces of cornbread.

Photo by StevenErat used under creative commons license

Concord is a great place to shop with someone who appreciates quality and is looking for a selection that goes beyond the chains. For example, The Grasshopper Shop on Main Street sells clothing and accessories that are selected to appeal to women of all ages.

A stop at Wilson Farm is always on our list when we’re in the area, so we were off to Lexington after lunch. The greenhouses were filled with red, white, and green, and the smell of pine was in the air.

They had gingerbread houses ready to go or with tubes of frosting to do your own decorating. They even had Holiday Gingerbread Decorating Workshops coming up on Thursday.

And, of course, this working farm is always a beautiful place for us city folk to feel more connected with the land. Ed and Poppy relaxed on a bench overlooking the fields and woods while I shopped for our supper.

We recommend a road trip to Concord and Lexington whenever you feel the need to enjoy the taste of small town life. It can be a wonderful alternative to holiday shopping at the mall or a great daytrip with holiday guests.

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: © 2012 Penny Cherubino, Grasshopper Shop photo by StevenErat here it is on Flickr.

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.

Related articles

Design a Gingerbread House in CAD, then cut pieces with a laser

Spend an Afternoon in Concord, Massachusetts

Brookline Winter Farmers’ Market in the Arcade Building, Coolidge Corner

What’s Open in Boston on Christmas & MBTA Schedules 2012

5 Reasons to Have Cider on Your Holiday Menu

Tip for Cleaning Hands Stained & Sticky from Holiday Greenery

December 11, 2012
Holiday Spirit in Concord & Lexington

A table of fresh, holiday wreaths at Wilson Farm

There’s nothing like a visit to a beautiful New England town, decorated for the holidays, to give you a dose of holiday spirit. Concord and Lexington fit this bill perfectly and you can get a bit of shopping done at the same time.

We spent the early part of the day in Concord. Our puppy Poppy was with us as we walked around the town stopping to window shop and paying our traditional visits to the Concord Shop to pick up a few kitchen items and to the Concord Cheese Shop for a few delicious things to take home.

It was a nice day, so we ordered cups of a great chili from the Main Streets Market & Cafe and dined al fresco. The chili had big pieces of winter squash – an idea Penny plans to copy – and was delicious! It also came with big pieces of cornbread.

Photo by StevenErat used under creative commons license

Concord is a great place to shop with someone who appreciates quality and is looking for a selection that goes beyond the chains. For example, The Grasshopper Shop on Main Street sells clothing and accessories that are selected to appeal to women of all ages.

A stop at Wilson Farm is always on our list when we’re in the area, so we were off to Lexington after lunch. The greenhouses were filled with red, white, and green, and the smell of pine was in the air.

They had gingerbread houses ready to go or with tubes of frosting to do your own decorating. They even had Holiday Gingerbread Decorating Workshops coming up on Thursday.

And, of course, this working farm is always a beautiful place for us city folk to feel more connected with the land. Ed and Poppy relaxed on a bench overlooking the fields and woods while I shopped for our supper.

We recommend a road trip to Concord and Lexington whenever you feel the need to enjoy the taste of small town life. It can be a wonderful alternative to holiday shopping at the mall or a great daytrip with holiday guests.

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: © 2012 Penny Cherubino, Grasshopper Shop photo by StevenErat here it is on Flickr.

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.

Related articles

Design a Gingerbread House in CAD, then cut pieces with a laser

Spend an Afternoon in Concord, Massachusetts

Brookline Winter Farmers’ Market in the Arcade Building, Coolidge Corner

What’s Open in Boston on Christmas & MBTA Schedules 2012

5 Reasons to Have Cider on Your Holiday Menu

Tip for Cleaning Hands Stained & Sticky from Holiday Greenery

December 11, 2012
Sunday Dog, Rose– Her Search Is Over!

Sometimes it takes more than one try to get what you really need in life. And sometimes, no matter how much effort you put into the search, there’s has to be a certain amount of luck involved. Just ask Rose!

This gentle two year old Australian Shepherd/Jack Russell Terrier mix has a nose for tracking, especially when it comes to finding a safe and loving home. It was only about a year ago that Rose found a new family with the help of the folks at Save A Dog in Sudbury, MA.

She’s still a little afraid of men, and not fond of loud noises, but is adapting well to her new digs in Quincy. The day we met on the Greenway in Boston (she was playing ambassador for the MSPCA) this adorable little girl warmed-up to us in no time.

But, there’s no doubt that Rose is happiest melting into the arms of her loving person– safe, secure, and by the look in her eyes, exactly where she really wants and needs to be. Nice …

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

What's your creative outlet this summer? Amazon has Art, Craft, and Sewing Supplies to inspire you to follow your dreams.

Details:
Words: Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 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.

July 8, 2012
How’s the Patient Doing? Air Spading Project Update!

Just as you might require further tests after a medical procedure, there is a Boston landmark park getting a follow-up health exam of its own. So, how’s the patient doing?

After undergoing a thorough air spading one year ago, a block of the Commonwealth Avenue Mall is beginning to show signs of recovery.

We had a chance to follow arborist Chuck Sherzi Jr., this spring, as he performed a series of tests to assess the health of this historic park between Mass Ave & Hereford Street. (map)

(Once the video starts, you can select the HD video option for higher quality viewing.)

Using Cornell University’s Soil Health Assessment guidelines, Sherzi demonstrated how he checks the physical, chemical, and biological condition of the soil with special emphasis on compaction– a major threat to this area. He stressed the need for turf management that includes: irrigation, mowing, reseeding, aerating, and a yearly top-dressing with compost, to help minimize the problem.

As we await analysis of all the data gathered, Sherzi told us he was encouraged by what he’d found during his day of testing. And, what’s more, he said results from this demonstration project will benefit not only parks like this, “but also smaller spaces, the backyard garden, commercial sites, among others.”

For a look at how this pilot restoration effort began, see the first video in this series: Air Spading a Boston Landmark.

If you are a serious gardener, parks advocate, or farmer, here are links to download copies of two publications that Chuck Sherzi recommends:

The Cornell Soil Health Assessment Training Manual

Building Soils for Better Crops: Sustainable Soil Management

To donate to this project or for more information, click this link to: Send an email to the Commonwealth Avenue Mall Committee @CommAveMall@verizon.net.

The Commonwealth Avenue Mall Committee is a joint effort of the Friends of the Public Garden and the Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay.

What's on your Summer Fun shopping list? Shop Amazon – Get Ready for Summer – Everything You Need and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny Cherubino
Videography: © 2012 Ed Cherubino
Written, Produced, and Narrated by 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.

July 5, 2012
Sunday Dog, Harvey– a Poodle Not a Pooka!

Sunday Dog, Harvey is a Poodle not a pooka! But, he was named after the title character in the movie “Harvey” who was, supposedly, a pooka playing the part of a 6 foot 3 ½ inch invisible rabbit. And, since Harvey the poodle’s person, not the pooka, had an imaginary childhood friend who was a poodle and also wanted a “person name” for her puppy, it all just came together. Phew!

Our Harvey, who’ll turn 8 years old on the 4th of July, is (as it happens) a very independent guy! While a happy and friendly Standard Poodle, we’re told, “He likes his space” and “likes to cuddle when he wants to cuddle.”

Harvey also likes to stay cool. His person says, “He won’t sleep on my bed except when I have the window fan on, when he can put his head right in front of the fan. I call it, ‘the all night car ride.’”

Even though Harvey’s a Poodle, “He doesn’t like swimming– he never got that memo!” But, he is very athletic and energetic.

Harvey plays hard with a whole bunch of his buddies twice a day at their Cambridge dog park, and also manages to squeeze in some quality, off-leash time with his walker and 8 other dogs in his spare time. That’s 3 hours of exercise a day! No wonder he’s in such great shape!

Amiable, social, with a lot of acquaintances, h-m-m. So, while Harvey is definitely a Poodle, he might have a little imaginary, shape-shifting Harvey the pooka in him, after all.

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

What's your creative outlet this summer? Amazon has Art, Craft, and Sewing Supplies to inspire you to follow your dreams.

Details:
Words: Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 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.

July 1, 2012
TerraVino Wines: Places We Shop

We live a city lifestyle. Our shopping trips are more likely to take us to three or four small shops than to one big box store. Here in Boston, and on the road, we'll share our great shop finds with you. -The BostonZest Team!

Update: Alas we can't shop here any longer because the store closed a few months later.

Name: TerraVino Wines

Address: 234 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA 02446 (Map & Reviews)

Phone: 617-232-1180

Do you have a roster of small, well-curated shops where you find the best selections? Let us know in the comments below or send us an email. We're always ready to add new resources to our list.

(Click on any photo for a larger image)

Shop Description: Calm and soothing. You can see the thought that was put into designing the shop. What you may not see is that it is also very green– environmentally responsible that is! Here are the details about that aspect of this store.

People: Christopher and Rayna Carbone are the owners. Christopher (above) is a Certified Specialist of Wine. But, more important than the letters after his name is his ability to communicate his love of the wines he stocks to customers with any level of wine knowledge. He asks the right questions, tries to figure out what you like, what food you are matching, offers tastes, and refines his recommendations from there.

What makes this shop special: A very warm welcome. Great wine knowledge. A carefully curated selection. Plus, a great location right off the Green Line in Coolidge Corner. You know you'll be going there soon, for something, so stop by and explore this new shop while you're there.

They say: "We believe in wines that are Real, honestly made, in the most Natural way. We offer wines that we truly believe in, allowing them to express their origins, the talent and commitment of the producers, and the inherent quality of the vintage. We put our dedication to work through our commitment only offering exceptional Natural wines that are sustainable, organic and biodynamic. "

We Say: Our first visit was like walking into a room filled with old friends. As we circled the selection, we took turns saying, "Look they carry…." followed by the name of a longtime favorite wine, producer, or importer.

Nice Touch: They have four reds and four whites available for tasting. This allows you to try wines that might be a bit out of your comfort zone and helps guide the staff to offer better recommendations for you.

Regulars say: Richard Auffrey, The Passionate Foodie said, "This is very much a hand sell store where customer service is key. Many of these wines will be unfamiliar to the average consumer, and even the avid wine lover is likely to find plenty of wines they have not tasted before. It is a very intriguing selection of wines, and there were plenty of wines which interested me."

Gretchen (@MoralBeast) and Urban Wine Dweller wrote: "The brilliant Thierry Triolet Champagne Brut from @terravinowines. Really great stuff. Perfect with sushi." Our thanks go to Gretchen for recommending TerraVino Wines.

Did you know? Another part of this couple's green and natural lifestyle is a gluten-free, vegetarian diet.

Don't Miss: Their sparkling wine selection on the center table. Here's a Grower Champagne we bought from TerraVino. You know how we love sparkling wines!

Phone: 617-232-1180

Website: www.terravinowines.com

Twitter: @TerraVinoWines

Facebook: Terra Vino Wines

While you're in the neighborhood: Coolidge Corner is home to many great, local businesses, and a fabulous farmers' market on Thursday afternoons from mid-June to late October.

Here are reports on a few of our favorite places in the area:

Michael's Deli

When Pigs Fly Bakery

Party Favors

Brookline Farmers' Market

While we love to support local shops, we also hope you'll support us when you shop on Amazon. When you click over to Amazon from one of our links, they put some change in our tip cup. It doesn't cost you anymore, but it helps keep BostonZest coming your way.

Fine wine glasses that are dishwasher safe? While Ed insists on washing our stems, I can't swear to it but the manufacture says that, the Schott Zwiesel Tritan Crystal Forte Collection can go in the dishwasher. We do put our barware from the same line through the dishwaser all the time. How about this Stemless Snifter?

Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 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 a 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.

May 10, 2012