bostonzest

Tag: urban

  • Where to Dine in Boston on Easter, March 27, 2016

    Those in the know already have reservations for Easter brunch and dinner. This is one of the big days for dining out, and popular restaurants will fill their tables for Sunday, March 27, 2016, quickly.

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    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.

    Gayot lists favorite Easter brunches at places like Henrietta's Table in Cambridge. 

    Next, places we picked from these lists (we'll add more as we learn about particular offerings):

    Erbaluce invites you to join them for an Easter Feast.

    Bistro du Midi says, "For brunch we are only serving a three course prix fixe menu with 5 options per course for $55 pp. For dinner, join us for our a la carte menu and early spring specials." We say, you can plan a walk through the Public Garden after your meal.

    Craigie on Main is offering both an Easter Prix Fixe menu and special additions to their regular menu for Passover. 

    To meet up with family who don't want to come into the city, consider AKA Bistro in Lincoln. We're happy to see that they're offering their regular brunch menu in addition to some Easter specials. The nearby deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum is the perfect place to walk off your brunch and take Easter photos. 

    Another good suburban/urban meeting place is La Morra in Brookline. They are serving a $38 prix fixe menu.

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    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! 

    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.

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

  • 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. 

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

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