"A bystander, in addition to animal control officials, law enforcement or firefighters, may enter the vehicle if “reasonably necessary to prevent imminent danger or harm to the animal.” Any action by a person or first responder would follow checking to see if the door was locked, calling 911, and making an effort to locate the owner. The person must stay with the animal until law enforcement arrives, and is immune from liability resulting from the animal’s removal.
The Act also prohibits dogs being tethered outdoors for more than 15 minutes during a weather advisory or watch issued by federal, state or municipal agencies, as well as extreme weather conditions. Additional restrictions were placed on dog tethering “for longer than 5 hours in a 24-hour period and outside from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., unless the tethering is for not more than 15 minutes and the dog is not left unattended by the owner, guardian or keeper.”
This article is national in scope and may be of help to our friends and readers around the U.S.
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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino Photos: Screengrab courtesy of Mother Nature Network.
This month we are chilling a bottle of Robert Barbichon Blanc De Noirs. It's an organic, biodynamic, grower Champagne from a small producer. You may have noticed that we toast with a lot of wines similar to this one. Like many of you, there are flavor profiles, business philosophies, importers, and regional terroirs that we prefer over others. This wine checks a lot of boxes on our preference list.
Humboldt Importers describe this wine maker well, "Located in the Cote des Bar in the Aube region to the southeast of the Marne, the Barbichon family have been growing Champagne grapes for 4 generations. Today Robert Barbichon produces a range of elegant, stylish Champagnes with bright mineral-driven fruit and just a hint of toast."
And (here's the part we especially like) Humboldt Importers characterize the Blanc de Noirs Brut NV as, "Crafted of pure Pinot Noir, it exhibits a creamy nose filled with bright white fruit, chalk/mineral notes and a crisp, elegant finish. 100% Pinot Noir from the Cote des Bar."
One of the fun things about this bottle is that it's a "Transatlantic Bubbles Selection." This is a new import category to us. But reading about their love of sparkling wine and the places where their selections are served makes us open to other wines from their portfolio.
They say:
"Transatlantic Bubbles LLC. specializes in finding and importing grower-producer Champagnes that offer superior quality at a better cost to the customer. We are a trusted supplier in the growing niche market for recoltant-manipulant Champagne."
We're looking forward to raising our glasses to the extension of this lovely summer that we have declared, "… will not end until October 15th, at the earliest!"
We purchased our bottle of Champagne Robert Barbichon Blanc De Noirs Brut at City Liquors in Cambridge for ~ $45.
UPDATE: (09.02.17) We had such high hopes for this Champagne and, well … at the risk of stooping to a cliché, "It exceeded our highest expectations!" We chilled the wine to ~ 55ºF and began tasting while enjoying some thinly sliced pork loin, pepper-flavored boursin, Jasper Hill Moses Sleeper (cows milk cheese inspired by French Brie), figs, and local cherry tomatoes – why skimp?
This combination added to the enjoyment of the Barbichon Blanc De Noirs Brut which only improved as it warmed.
Penny was haunted by a flavor she was experiencing tasted in the fruit of this wine. Then she realized it was like the charred, caramelized pineapple served with our Jamaican jerk chicken wings plate at Little Donkey. I liked the wine's yeasty character and hints of chalk.
We both agreed that the full, rich, round, "elegant finish" remained throughout our meal. And, the best news, we saved some more of this lovely bottle of bubbles for today.
We are buying another bottle the next time we find this little gem!
For us, meal planning becomes far easier when the local farmers market swings into town with an evolving selection of seasonal food. Our food selections for the week start at the market. We call it our “walk-the-market, chat-with-farmers, buy-what-looks-great, and plan-for-what’s-coming” method of shopping. We visit one or more farmers markets a week.
If this walk-around, scout-the-best-system doesn’t suit you, consult a seasonal vegetable chart available from a site like www.farmfresh.org. There you can enter your zip code, select the harvest calendar, and see a full-season chart of what’s expected to be fresh each month. If you combine this with social media updates from your favorite farms, you can plan your meals from your desktop.
Star of the Day!
When asparagus appears on farm stands, we plan meals around that short-lived, local season. Yes, we can buy asparagus other times of the year. But, while nice, the asparagus that appears in the mass market just doesn’t compare to what sprouts from rich Hadley, Massachusetts soil.
In season we tend to eat the freshest crops we can find, as simply as possible. This might mean steamed asparagus with hard boiled eggs and a hollandaise sauce on the side. At other times of year, the star of supper might be tomatoes, corn, or Brussels sprouts.
Watch the Sales
Sometimes we plan our week around something we found on special when we shopped, or at a good price because of a seasonal supply at our fishmonger or butcher shop. In winter we watch for sales on organic vegetables and fruit.
The price for the Faroe Islands salmon (above) was exceptionally good. Penny bought enough for two portions for one meal and leftovers for another. She sous vide cooked our Faroe Islands salmon to 115 degrees and then seared it in a blazing hot pan.
The leftovers became part of our salad bowl-for-two the next day.
Look at Your Schedule
There are weeks when Penny will have time to cook a few meals and weeks when her schedule means that there will be a bit of cooking and a bit of takeout to get us through some busy days. Shopping and cooking take time. If you try to cram both into an already full week, you’ll only add stress to your life.
Most cooks have a handful of meals they make all the time without a formal recipe in sight.
If you are ready for a change in routine or if you have a special occasion, pull out a cookbook or visit a favorite food site and find a variation on one of your family favorites.
If your beef meatloaf is met with yawns, find a recipe that uses a different meat, spice, or glaze. Instead of your usual lasagna, find one that features a new vegetable, sauce, or cheese.
Here’s where it’s important to know which cookbooks, websites, and resources will give you well-tested recipes that work the first time you follow them. Food sites that include recipe testers’ comments along with the recipe are favorites around here. Two sites we trust are www.Epicurious.com and www.LeitesCulinaria.com.
Some cooks accomplish meal planning on the run by standing in front of the open refrigerator and seeing what’s on hand. Others plan a week by having special days like meatless Monday or Sunday roast. You may write out the week’s plan on a blackboard or ad lib around what you found in the marketplace.
All these forms of meal planning are great, especially if, by the end of the week, you and your family have had a nutritious, balanced diet that included a lot of whole grains, fruit, and vegetables.
For us, meal planning becomes far easier when the local farmers market swings into town with an evolving selection of seasonal food. Our food selections for the week start at the market. We call it our “walk-the-market, chat-with-farmers, buy-what-looks-great, and plan-for-what’s-coming” method of shopping. We visit one or more farmers markets a week.
If this walk-around, scout-the-best-system doesn’t suit you, consult a seasonal vegetable chart available from a site like www.farmfresh.org. There you can enter your zip code, select the harvest calendar, and see a full-season chart of what’s expected to be fresh each month. If you combine this with social media updates from your favorite farms, you can plan your meals from your desktop.
Star of the Day!
When asparagus appears on farm stands, we plan meals around that short-lived, local season. Yes, we can buy asparagus other times of the year. But, while nice, the asparagus that appears in the mass market just doesn’t compare to what sprouts from rich Hadley, Massachusetts soil.
In season we tend to eat the freshest crops we can find, as simply as possible. This might mean steamed asparagus with hard boiled eggs and a hollandaise sauce on the side. At other times of year, the star of supper might be tomatoes, corn, or Brussels sprouts.
Watch the Sales
Sometimes we plan our week around something we found on special when we shopped, or at a good price because of a seasonal supply at our fishmonger or butcher shop. In winter we watch for sales on organic vegetables and fruit.
The price for the Faroe Islands salmon (above) was exceptionally good. Penny bought enough for two portions for one meal and leftovers for another. She sous vide cooked our Faroe Islands salmon to 115 degrees and then seared it in a blazing hot pan.
The leftovers became part of our salad bowl-for-two the next day.
Look at Your Schedule
There are weeks when Penny will have time to cook a few meals and weeks when her schedule means that there will be a bit of cooking and a bit of takeout to get us through some busy days. Shopping and cooking take time. If you try to cram both into an already full week, you’ll only add stress to your life.
Most cooks have a handful of meals they make all the time without a formal recipe in sight.
If you are ready for a change in routine or if you have a special occasion, pull out a cookbook or visit a favorite food site and find a variation on one of your family favorites.
If your beef meatloaf is met with yawns, find a recipe that uses a different meat, spice, or glaze. Instead of your usual lasagna, find one that features a new vegetable, sauce, or cheese.
Here’s where it’s important to know which cookbooks, websites, and resources will give you well-tested recipes that work the first time you follow them. Food sites that include recipe testers’ comments along with the recipe are favorites around here. Two sites we trust are www.Epicurious.com and www.LeitesCulinaria.com.
Some cooks accomplish meal planning on the run by standing in front of the open refrigerator and seeing what’s on hand. Others plan a week by having special days like meatless Monday or Sunday roast. You may write out the week’s plan on a blackboard or ad lib around what you found in the marketplace.
All these forms of meal planning are great, especially if, by the end of the week, you and your family have had a nutritious, balanced diet that included a lot of whole grains, fruit, and vegetables.
We have been visiting Provincetown for many, many years and we've seen the town change over the years. On a recent morning, Penny took photos of some of the places we are always recommending to friends when they travel to our favorite home away from home.
We often sing the praises of Utilities If you find the place you rented doesn't have good wine glasses, a sharp knife, a cutting board or any home essential, this is the place to find a quality item that you will be happy to take home with you.
You will often see us wearing shirts and hats with fabulous Provincetown graphics. Those all come from Birdie Silkscreen Studio. Once upon a time, we owned a company that created silkscreen designs. We know how difficult it is to do that well and we are long time fans of this graphic artist.
If it is something odd that you need or if you are looking for a way to spend a bit of time inside on a rainy day, make your way to Marine Specialties. This year we found and bought some fish net that we could use to block off the stairs to the deck and keep our dog Poppy contained.
We both have shoes that we've bought at Cape Tip Sportswear. Ed swears by them as the source of his running shoes and the sales they have before and after the prime season are always great.
Supporting independent bookstores is important so make sure you visit and make a purchase at Provincetown Book Shop.
Forgot to pack a sun hat? Visit Mad As A Hatter and you'll find exactly what you want.
There was a time when we brought the wine we wanted to P-town. Now we have two favorite wine shops in town. Glass Half Full is in the center of town.
Perry's Wine and Liquors is in the West End. Now we bring wines back to Boston with us because both these shops have excellent.
It talked about the problem of people who buy service dog vests and certificates online to obtain some of the accommodations meant for real service dogs. This, of course, makes if even more difficult for those who actually need the assistance their service animal provides.
Then when you see a dog off-leash and are told that she is a service dog, you'll know that is very unlikely. When you see a dog wearing a service vest acting up, you'll have your doubts. And, perhaps, you'll speak up when an acquaintance tells you they are going to buy a vest and get a certificate.
The Globe article is actually about a piece of legislation filed this session in Massachusetts. As originally proposed, this says, “A person who violates this section commits a civil infraction, punishable by 30 hours of community service for an organization that serves individuals with disabilities, or for another entity or organization at the discretion of the court, to be completed in not more than 6 months and/or pay a fine no more than $500.”
We will be following this bill and trying to think of ways to address this problem.
Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.
Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.
Here's a rundown of what's open and what's closed in Boston on Presidents' Day and the MBTA schedule changes, plus information on Boston trash pick-up and parking information for February 20, 2017.
We publish these resource pages early to assist you in planning your holidays. We'll keep updates coming as new information is published. Follow us on Twitter to learn about updates.
Restaurants, bars: Open
Convenience stores: Open Supermarkets: Open
Retail stores: Are allowed to open if the owners choose
Liquor stores: Open if the owners choose
City, Town, State and Federal offices and facilities are closed: This includes Schools, Libraries, and the Postal Service (express mail will be delivered). Only emergency services are available.
Financial Services: As the British would say, this is a Bank Holiday with both banks and the stock markets in the United States closed. Some international markets are open. In recent years, we've noticed some banks keep some branches open at unexpected times so check with your own bank.
Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply.
Boston Trash and Recycling:
The city has changed the way it publishes the schedule for holidays so that you now have to go to thecity site and look up your specific addressin order to get information.
MBTA Schedule for Presidents' Day, February 20, 2017, is not published as of this writing. Here's what happened last year to help you with planning.
Here's a rundown of what's open and what's closed in Boston on Presidents' Day and the MBTA schedule changes, plus information on Boston trash pick-up and parking information for February 20, 2017.
We publish these resource pages early to assist you in planning your holidays. We'll keep updates coming as new information is published. Follow us on Twitter to learn about updates.
Restaurants, bars: Open
Convenience stores: Open Supermarkets: Open
Retail stores: Are allowed to open if the owners choose
Liquor stores: Open if the owners choose
City, Town, State and Federal offices and facilities are closed: This includes Schools, Libraries, and the Postal Service (express mail will be delivered). Only emergency services are available.
Financial Services: As the British would say, this is a Bank Holiday with both banks and the stock markets in the United States closed. Some international markets are open. In recent years, we've noticed some banks keep some branches open at unexpected times so check with your own bank.
Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply.
Boston Trash and Recycling:
The city has changed the way it publishes the schedule for holidays so that you now have to go to thecity site and look up your specific addressin order to get information.
MBTA Schedule for Presidents' Day, February 20, 2017, is not published as of this writing. Here's what happened last year to help you with planning.
Light is an important part of our enjoyment of the Boston Public Garden. Every moment of every day, the places kissed by the sun give enjoyment to visitors and residents.
"Embrace light. Admire it. Love it. But above all, know light. Know it for all you are worth, and you will know the key to photography.” – George Eastman
About Today in Boston: We keep hearing that people miss our cover photos that ran for years in the Back Bay Sun. That assignment was to provide a photo that showed what the week was like in the neighborhood. Often the photos illustrated favorite quotations. Today in Boston is an occasional offering to our BostonZest readers featuring photos along the same theme but taken wherever we happen to be.
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!
Light is an important part of our enjoyment of the Boston Public Garden. Every moment of every day, the places kissed by the sun give enjoyment to visitors and residents.
"Embrace light. Admire it. Love it. But above all, know light. Know it for all you are worth, and you will know the key to photography.” – George Eastman
About Today in Boston: We keep hearing that people miss our cover photos that ran for years in the Back Bay Sun. That assignment was to provide a photo that showed what the week was like in the neighborhood. Often the photos illustrated favorite quotations. Today in Boston is an occasional offering to our BostonZest readers featuring photos along the same theme but taken wherever we happen to be.
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!
from here to support this site! Here are three of our favorite wine books …
or ad lib around what you found in the marketplace.