Everyone, like us, who has missed them at the Copley Farmers Market, can pick up holiday gifts for themselves or others of fresh, healthy fruit and nuts.
When a walk takes us to Charles Street, we often come home with a container of gazpacho from Panificio Bistro and Bakery. They are the inspiration for this addition to this classic, Spanish cold soup. Thank you to the chef who came up with this idea.
Penny uses a very classic recipe from The New Spanish Table cookbook. On the bread or no-bread side of the gazpacho discussion, we are most decidedly on add-bread-to-the-mix side. When you top this thick soup with avocado pieces, you have a main dish.
With ripe, ready summer tomatoes arriving at farmers markets and farm stands, this is a great lunch or supper. But, anytime you'd rather let someone else do the work, call Panificio and ask if they have their great gazpacho with avocado on the menu. When days are hot, they have been known to sell out of this customer favorite, so do call.
Would your Dad love to get his hands on some great seafood offerings at Select Oyster Bar? (They do have a steak on the menu, if that would make it a good choice.)
Our Picks:
Select Oyster Bar is a great option this Father's Day. Here are a couple of links to some of the meals we've enjoyed there.
Row 34 in the Fort Point Neighborhood. Wouldn't Dad love to slurp a few Island Creeks or Row 34 oysters? And match those beauties with the perfect brew from one of the taps or the current cask beer?
Sweet Cheeks Q in the Fenway may seem to be just for the meat lovers in the clan, but they put out some great veggies and a tray of hot and cold scoops (as they call them) with a remarkable farm salad that will put a smile on anyone with a preference for vegetarian fare. And remember to order the crazy-good biscuits. (You may want to treat Dad to a doggie bag of them for the rest of the week!) Check out our Sweet Cheeks posts:
Another great spot to share a meal, any day of the week, is Coppa in the South End. You can even top off your meal with a quick shopping trip to Formaggio Kitchen South End across the street. We always do! And that will let you create a super take-home gift that Dad can help select. Need more convincing? Take a look at:
Our final suggestion is a trip down memory lane. Take Dad someplace where he used to take you if you have an old favorite that survives to this day. For Penny, this might be Evelyn's Drive-In. For Ed, The Bubbling Brook in Westwood. This day would be about remembering and laughing as much as about the food.
And, for the best gift, let Dad choose something from his Wish List. Get an Amazon gift card! You can send it by email or print it out to tuck into a greeting card. And, if he doesn't shop online, offer to sit with your Dad and take him on an Amazon shopping trip.
Would your Dad love to get his hands on some great seafood offerings at Select Oyster Bar? (They do have a steak on the menu, if that would make it a good choice.)
Our Picks:
Select Oyster Bar is a great option this Father's Day. Here are a couple of links to some of the meals we've enjoyed there.
Row 34 in the Fort Point Neighborhood. Wouldn't Dad love to slurp a few Island Creeks or Row 34 oysters? And match those beauties with the perfect brew from one of the taps or the current cask beer?
Sweet Cheeks Q in the Fenway may seem to be just for the meat lovers in the clan, but they put out some great veggies and a tray of hot and cold scoops (as they call them) with a remarkable farm salad that will put a smile on anyone with a preference for vegetarian fare. And remember to order the crazy-good biscuits. (You may want to treat Dad to a doggie bag of them for the rest of the week!) Check out our Sweet Cheeks posts:
Another great spot to share a meal, any day of the week, is Coppa in the South End. You can even top off your meal with a quick shopping trip to Formaggio Kitchen South End across the street. We always do! And that will let you create a super take-home gift that Dad can help select. Need more convincing? Take a look at:
Our final suggestion is a trip down memory lane. Take Dad someplace where he used to take you if you have an old favorite that survives to this day. For Penny, this might be Evelyn's Drive-In. For Ed, The Bubbling Brook in Westwood. This day would be about remembering and laughing as much as about the food.
And, for the best gift, let Dad choose something from his Wish List. Get an Amazon gift card! You can send it by email or print it out to tuck into a greeting card. And, if he doesn't shop online, offer to sit with your Dad and take him on an Amazon shopping trip.
Whether you're coming to run or watch the 2019 Boston Marathon or just want to log some miles, it's an exciting time to visit the city. And, we hope this piece will help all the runners who are new to the city, here for vacation, or a business trip.
Right onto Hereford Street – Less Than a Mile to Go!
I remember my first Boston Marathon as a spectator. Penny and I booked a hotel room for the weekend and left the car parked. We took in the runners' expo, pasta supper, and other pre-race activities, then watched a spectacular Boylston Street finish.
As an out-of-state runner staying near Faneuil Hall, I still wanted to get in a run or two, but wasn't sure where to head.
Now, as a Boston resident, I can recommend a couple of my favorite routes.
Charles River Run …
If you're a visiting runner staying anywhere near the finish line, you can't beat a daytime run along the Charles River. It offers great views and a more open course without having to constantly cross roadways. This multi-use path is shared by bikes, blades, skate boards, dogs, and walkers. It can get congested as the day wears on but, who knows, you may find yourself sharing the trail with some famous, elite runners. It's easy to make any number of loops between the Boston and Cambridge sides of the river by using the many bridges along the way.
From Back Bay, you can access the Charles River Esplanade from Massachusetts Avenue, Fairfield, Dartmouth, and Arlington Streets. If you head west from the Massachusetts Avenue ramp, you can also use the parcourse workout station that's located just up-river. Click here for photos and details including a map to find it.
Morning Run Along the Esplanade
Parks in the Heart of the City
For a tree-lined route, try the Commonwealth Avenue Mall – not a shopping center, but a park – that runs down the center of this residential street. At Commonwealth and Arlington, you can enter the pristine Public Garden for a slower pace. Moving through the center of the Garden will lead you across Charles Street to the Boston Common.
Inside tip: Local-isms
Mass Ave = Massachusetts Avenue Comm Ave = Commonwealth Avenue And, it's Boston Common (singular) not Boston Commons
Whether you're coming to run or watch the 2019 Boston Marathon or just want to log some miles, it's an exciting time to visit the city. And, we hope this piece will help all the runners who are new to the city, here for vacation, or a business trip.
Right onto Hereford Street – Less Than a Mile to Go!
I remember my first Boston Marathon as a spectator. Penny and I booked a hotel room for the weekend and left the car parked. We took in the runners' expo, pasta supper, and other pre-race activities, then watched a spectacular Boylston Street finish.
As an out-of-state runner staying near Faneuil Hall, I still wanted to get in a run or two, but wasn't sure where to head.
Now, as a Boston resident, I can recommend a couple of my favorite routes.
Charles River Run …
If you're a visiting runner staying anywhere near the finish line, you can't beat a daytime run along the Charles River. It offers great views and a more open course without having to constantly cross roadways. This multi-use path is shared by bikes, blades, skate boards, dogs, and walkers. It can get congested as the day wears on but, who knows, you may find yourself sharing the trail with some famous, elite runners. It's easy to make any number of loops between the Boston and Cambridge sides of the river by using the many bridges along the way.
From Back Bay, you can access the Charles River Esplanade from Massachusetts Avenue, Fairfield, Dartmouth, and Arlington Streets. If you head west from the Massachusetts Avenue ramp, you can also use the parcourse workout station that's located just up-river. Click here for photos and details including a map to find it.
Morning Run Along the Esplanade
Parks in the Heart of the City
For a tree-lined route, try the Commonwealth Avenue Mall – not a shopping center, but a park – that runs down the center of this residential street. At Commonwealth and Arlington, you can enter the pristine Public Garden for a slower pace. Moving through the center of the Garden will lead you across Charles Street to the Boston Common.
Inside tip: Local-isms
Mass Ave = Massachusetts Avenue Comm Ave = Commonwealth Avenue And, it's Boston Common (singular) not Boston Commons
Would your Dad love to get his hands on some great seafood offerings at Select Oyster Bar? (They do have a steak on the menu if that would make it a good choice.)
Our Picks:
Select Oyster Bar is a new option this Father’s Day. Here are a couple of links to some of the meals we’ve enjoyed there.
Row 34 in the Fort Point Neighborhood. Wouldn’t Dad love to slurp a few Island Creeks or Row 34 oysters? And, match those beauties with the perfect brew from one of the taps or the current cask beer?
Sweet Cheeks Q in the Fenway may seem to be just for the meat lovers in the clan, but they put out some great veggies and a tray of hot and cold scoops (as they call them) with a remarkable farm salad that will put a smile on anyone with a preference for vegetarian fare. And, remember to order the crazy-good biscuits. (You may want to treat Dad to a doggie bag of them for the rest of the week!) Check out our Sweet Cheeks posts:
Another great spot to share a meal, any day of the week, is Coppa in the South End. You can even top off your meal with a quick shopping trip to Formaggio Kitchen South End across the street. We always do! And, that will let you create a super take-home gift that Dad can help select. Need more convincing? Take a look at:
Our final suggestion is a trip down memory lane. Take Dad someplace where he used to take you if you have an old favorite that survives to this day. For Penny, this might be Evelyn’s Drive-In. For Ed, The Bubbling Brook in Westwood. This day would be about remembering and laughing as much as about the food.
And, for the best gift, let Dad choose something from his Wish List. Get an Amazon gift card! You can send it by email or print it out to tuck into a greeting card. And, if he doesn’t shop online, offer to sit with your Dad and take him on an Amazon shopping trip.
Would your Dad love to get his hands on some great seafood offerings at Select Oyster Bar? (They do have a steak on the menu if that would make it a good choice.)
Our Picks:
Select Oyster Bar is a new option this Father’s Day. Here are a couple of links to some of the meals we’ve enjoyed there.
Row 34 in the Fort Point Neighborhood. Wouldn’t Dad love to slurp a few Island Creeks or Row 34 oysters? And, match those beauties with the perfect brew from one of the taps or the current cask beer?
Sweet Cheeks Q in the Fenway may seem to be just for the meat lovers in the clan, but they put out some great veggies and a tray of hot and cold scoops (as they call them) with a remarkable farm salad that will put a smile on anyone with a preference for vegetarian fare. And, remember to order the crazy-good biscuits. (You may want to treat Dad to a doggie bag of them for the rest of the week!) Check out our Sweet Cheeks posts:
Another great spot to share a meal, any day of the week, is Coppa in the South End. You can even top off your meal with a quick shopping trip to Formaggio Kitchen South End across the street. We always do! And, that will let you create a super take-home gift that Dad can help select. Need more convincing? Take a look at:
Our final suggestion is a trip down memory lane. Take Dad someplace where he used to take you if you have an old favorite that survives to this day. For Penny, this might be Evelyn’s Drive-In. For Ed, The Bubbling Brook in Westwood. This day would be about remembering and laughing as much as about the food.
And, for the best gift, let Dad choose something from his Wish List. Get an Amazon gift card! You can send it by email or print it out to tuck into a greeting card. And, if he doesn’t shop online, offer to sit with your Dad and take him on an Amazon shopping trip.
As the temperatures rise, our dining options increase. We love dining on the patio at a select group of area restaurants and we are dedicated to picnics in parks, on a bench, on an oceanside deck, or high above the city on our roof deck.
We admit we prefer picnics that include a glass of great wine. Even simple fare, some bread, cheese, olives and fruit seem elegant with a splash of bubbly.
One of our favorite patios is the one at Coppa in the South End. It's where we can be sure that the food will be as wonderful as the lovely days that draw us to outdoor dining. That's Coppa's "Ricotta gnocchi with nasturtium butter-cacio e pepe," in the photo above.
We'll often pick up a picnic to go from a place like Bacco's Wine + Cheese and try to find a spot in the Public Garden away from the noise where we can relax and nibble an hour away. There, the sparkle has to be sparkling water but that's okay with us.
We're hoping to win a table on the patio at the new Tatte Bakery & Café on Charles Street one of these days. So far, we've had to order our food to go and make our way back to the Garden to dine.
We'll often make a stop at Thinking Cup on Newbury for breakfast while we're out walking. They make great breakfast sandwiches.
While our selection of patios for dining is narrow, Eater Boston has put together a much more comprehensive map of options. Here's a link to their piece: These Patios Are Officially Open for the Season. They have pointed out a few places we've been meaning to try and the possibility of sitting outside will move them up on our list.
Happy Spring, get out and enjoy an al fresco meal at one of your favorite places.
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!
As the temperatures rise, our dining options increase. We love dining on the patio at a select group of area restaurants and we are dedicated to picnics in parks, on a bench, on an oceanside deck, or high above the city on our roof deck.
We admit we prefer picnics that include a glass of great wine. Even simple fare, some bread, cheese, olives and fruit seem elegant with a splash of bubbly.
One of our favorite patios is the one at Coppa in the South End. It's where we can be sure that the food will be as wonderful as the lovely days that draw us to outdoor dining. That's Coppa's "Ricotta gnocchi with nasturtium butter-cacio e pepe," in the photo above.
We'll often pick up a picnic to go from a place like Bacco's Wine + Cheese and try to find a spot in the Public Garden away from the noise where we can relax and nibble an hour away. There, the sparkle has to be sparkling water but that's okay with us.
We're hoping to win a table on the patio at the new Tatte Bakery & Café on Charles Street one of these days. So far, we've had to order our food to go and make our way back to the Garden to dine.
We'll often make a stop at Thinking Cup on Newbury for breakfast while we're out walking. They make great breakfast sandwiches.
While our selection of patios for dining is narrow, Eater Boston has put together a much more comprehensive map of options. Here's a link to their piece: These Patios Are Officially Open for the Season. They have pointed out a few places we've been meaning to try and the possibility of sitting outside will move them up on our list.
Happy Spring, get out and enjoy an al fresco meal at one of your favorite places.
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!
cookbook. On the bread or no-bread side of the gazpacho discussion, we are most decidedly on add-bread-to-the-mix side. When you top this thick soup with avocado pieces, you have a main dish.
! You can send it by email or print it out to tuck into a greeting card. And, if he doesn't shop online, offer to sit with your Dad and take him on an Amazon shopping trip.