BostonZest

Small Luxuries Are Important

The end of the year is a time when many of us treat ourselves and our loved ones to small luxuries.

For us, this will often be a table for two in a special place.

We are off, in a little while, to enjoy a Christmas Eve lunch at L'Espalier.

If you love fine dining, pampering service and the feeling of having stepped into a more civilized time and place, consider having lunch (or afternoon tea) at one of the area's most luxurious restaurants. Dress for the occasion, savor the place, and the food.  You'll have the essence of the experience for far less than an evening meal would cost.

This is a big, small luxury but we'll be covering other, less pricy, small luxuries in the week ahead.

Beware of Falling Icicles!

While you're slipping and sliding on sidewalks that have not been cleared, you also have to look up to avoid dripping and falling icicles.

On Hereford Street, in the Back Bay, scaffolding was erected to protect pedestrians from material falling from the building's facade. Now that scaffolding has grown icy dangers of its own.

As temperatures rise later this week, these ice daggers may break free and crash to the ground.

Looking up, while you're trying not to fall down, can be a good idea.

Perfect Day For A Walking Stick In Boston

If you see me out walking for the next few days, I'll be using a walking stick.

Not because I had a fall and injured myself, but because I want to prevent falls by walking safely.

With icy sidewalks, unshoveled corners, and snow banks to navigate, I love the secure step that hiking sticks give me. 

Over the years, I've built a small collection of sticks.

One is a Irish Blackthorn Walking stick. This was always called a shillelagh in my family.

This was actually a very popular weapon in its day and its history is as a fighting stick. There is a link to a page with more on that aspect and the real history of these iconic staffs in our details section below.

I also have a simple hickory hiking pole with a rawhide strap. The strap on a walking stick is not just there to keep you from dropping the pole. It is an integral part of the tool.

I've found a site that tells you about using walking sticks and how to use the strap to transfer the work of walking with a stick from your hand to your arm and shoulder. Look for a link in details.

My favorite stick for city walking is the Hammers anti-shock, telescoping hiking pole shown, in all its useful variations, in the photos here. (photo from the Hammers site)

This one is so useful. It can be opened to a full five feet, if that is what you need, and then telescope down to 27.5 inches. That's small enough to stow in a suitcase, backpack, or shopping bag.

It comes with tips for smooth ground, ice,  snow, and even has a camera mount hidden under the knob at the top. Turning a walking stick into a monopod is useful when both hiking and photography are on the agenda. I've used it, successfully, with my compact Canon pocket camera and heavy Nikon D200.

Perhaps it's time to start our own fashion trend and make walking sticks the accessory to be seen with on Boston's icy streets. Walking sticks are a much saner statement than this year's open toed boots. If you haven't seen those visit this site:

http://www.stylelist.com/blog/2007/08/22/would-you-wear-it-balenciaga-boots/

Brrrrrr!

Fashion or no fashion, bet you won't see too many of those teetering down Newbury Street today!

Details:

More about Blackthorn Shillelaghs

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/AEmblem/shillelagh.html

Here is a good page on how to use a walking stick and especially the strap.
http://www.backpacking.net/walkstik.html

Here are links to my favorite and a couple others that are fun to have.

Meet Whitney and Wish Her a Happy Christmas Birthday

Meet Whitney- our special Sunday dog for Christmas week.

She's from Little Rock, AR where she lives with three West Highland White Terrier sisters.

(Photo by Carol Utley, all rights reserved)

While her sisters consider her a big honorary Westie, she's really a Great Pyrenees who will be 11 years old on Christmas.

She's a gentle and caring girl and for her birthday we are putting a spotlight on a cause important to her big heart.

Right now, two Great Pyrenees named Murphy and Hudson and their human companion, Luke, are walking 2000 miles from Austin, TX to Boston, MA. Their trek is to raise awareness of canine cancer and raise funds for the first-ever nationwide epidemiological canine cancer study.

Take a look at the 2 Dogs 2000 Miles website. You can follow the trio there or on twitter. Support their effort in anyway you can. We love their "puppy up!" bracelets.

 They have made it as far as Bowling Green KY so far and will be back on the road from there right after the New Year. We'll keep you updated and we can all give them a big welcome when they arrive here in Boston.

Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas Miss Whitney. We hope you like your present.

Details:

2 Dogs 2000 Miles
a walk from Austin to Boston

http://www.2dogs2000miles.org/
http://twitter.com/2dogs2000miles

For Plants and Dogs, use Sand Not Salt for Icy Paths

For the past few years the Boston Parks Department has perfectly groomed the center path of the Commonwealth Avenue Mall with sand.

Sand not salt is the choice for the mall and the Public Garden according to Assistant Commissioner of Parks, Bernie Lynch.

The Boston Common is treated with a salt and sand mixture, as are the heavily-traveled brick sidewalks along the streets that cross the Mall. “In a few locations, on the stairways, and the bridge in the public garden, we use the environmentally-friendly, calcium chloride pellets,” said Lynch.

Decisions on how to deal with icy surfaces are important to the health of plantings. “Salt applied on any pavement washes onto the grass and trees and is damaging to both.  The very wise policy of the parks department to suspend use of a salt mix on the central walkway has greatly helped the vigor of the trees and turf,” says Margaret Pokorny from the Commonwealth Avenue Mall Committee.

Salt on Boston roads and sidewalks is also bad news for city dogs. “The salt can cause ulcerations and lesions that can become very irritating for the dog and cause them to lick at their feet and lead to infection. The licking can result in GI irritation because they are ingesting the salt. It can result in vomiting or diarrhea,” says Pamela Bendock, VMD, owner of the Back Bay Veterinary Clinic on Newbury Street.

She has suggestions to protect your dog’s paws from salt damage. “There are some dogs whose feet are more sensitive than others. They can wear a protective boot." When you return from a salty walk you should “…rinse the dog’s feet off with warm water and dry them very carefully to make sure the feet don’t stay wet and moist.”

And, there are times when she thinks you should check in with your vet. This would be if a paw is bleeding, cracked or ulcerated and in the case of vomiting or diarrhea since these symptoms may not be related to the salt.

Salt is also one of the culprits in the stray electrical current that has killed at least four Boston dogs in past winters. Electrical problems can occur when salt applied to roads and sidewalks corrodes electrical equipment. Salty water can serve as a conductor allowing stray current to spread to metal grates, utility covers, and even to paving material and bare ground.

For those concerned with the problems caused by salt, there are alternatives. Pokorny suggests using calcium magnesium acetate or mixtures with sand, sawdust, and kitty litter. There are downsides with each of these in terms of expense or the mess they may track into your home, but these options are less damaging to plants, pets, and structural elements.

(This is an edited version of an article that ran in the Back Bay Sun and Beacon Hill Times. Photo © 2007 Penny Cherubino)

Boot scrapers near the entrance to your home or building are a great way to deal with the residue of sand, salt and other de-icing materials that we track in with us in winter.

Here is a related article we did on our favorite dog boots.

http://www.bostonzest.com/2008/12/maggie-mae-her-boots.html

Details:
Back Bay Veterinary Clinic

www.backbayvet.com

Boston Parks Department

www.cityofboston.gov/parks

Friend of the Public Garden

www.friendsofthepublicgarden.org

Commonwealth Avenue Mall Committee

www.nabbonline.com/committees/commonwealth_avenue_mall

Boston Snow Emergencies- What You Need to Know

We're doing a series of articles on winter in Boston. Today we'll tell the basic things you need to know about snow emergencies. 

 

Update 1.19.12 You've reached an old post. 

Click here for the 2012 Information.

 

Here's what you need to know about snow emergencies.

Before the storm
The city site requests that residents:
(http://www.cityofboston.gov/news/default.aspx?id=3726 )

• "Check and clear catch basins around their homes and remove any debris or snow that may clog them and prevent the proper drainage of water from the streets to avoid flooding and freezing in their area."
• "Not to park cars within 20 feet of an intersection. Parking too close to an intersection can restrict emergency vehicle access and plow/sander access."

We'll add that you might also locate and note the landmarks to find your nearest fire hydrant and work with your neighbors to dig around it and keep it clear for the entire winter season. This community action could save lives and homes.
 
Since this is the first big storm of the season, you may still need to find your winter boots, shovels, windshield scrapers, sand, salt and ice melt. (For the sake of dogs who walk barefoot on sidewalks, please choose a "Paw Safe" option when buying de-icing products.)

And, if you have a car, you may want to park it somewhere that is not signed as a "Snow Emergency Route."

Snow Emergency Parking in Boston Neighborhoods
www.cityofboston.gov/snow/parking
With a warning that Parking regulations will be strictly enforced, the city asks that residents:

• Don't park within 20 feet of an intersection, or further than one foot from the curb.
• During a snow emergency, don't park on streets with signs declaring "Emergency Snow Artery" or "Tow Zone- Snow Emergency".
• Disabled cars blocking the roadway must be removed as soon as possible.
• Cars parked in driveways must not extend to the sidewalk or street.
• Resident parking stickers must be visible within 24 hours after the end of a snowstorm.

There are off street parking spaces available to residents during the storm.
Go to the bottom of the parking page, www.cityofboston.gov/snow/parking, choose your neighborhood and you'll see a list of available parking lots and garages and what they charge under this program. Prices in private garages range from $1 to $12.50 for 24 hours. In some sections of the city municipal lots are free for those with resident stickers. All of these are on a first come first serve basis.

Digging out
Once snow falls, you see how seldom some cars in Boston are moved. We walk by cars that sit, snow-covered, for weeks on end. If you do dig your car out, you are not supposed to put the snow onto the street or a cleared sidewalk. That adds to the fun of the job.

If you live in a section of the city with a tradition of space savers, the city brochure says those must be and will be removed 48 hours after a snow emergency has been lifted. For those new to this game "space savers" are chairs, trash cans, and other objects that are placed in cleared and empty parking spaces to save the spot for the person who shoveled it.

Once snow, slush or ice is on the ground someone has to remove it from sidewalks.
In the city of Boston and most surrounding communities that someone is you or the people you hire to do it for you.

In Boston the rules are:
Between sunrise and sunset, if your building has six or fewer units, you have six hours to remove snow.
If your building has more than six units, you only have three hours.
And the degree to which you remove the snow, slush or ice is laid out in the city ordinance.

"Removal of any slush or snow should be conducted along the full paved width of such sidewalk and in a manner that ensures the orderly flow and safety of pedestrian traffic upon such sidewalks. Removal of any slush or snow shall be conducted in a manner that clears the full paved path or a minimum of forty-two (42) inches wide.

In the case of ice, it says:

"Removal of any ice shall be in a manner consistent with the requirements of the preceding sub-section, except that any such owner, manager, or tenant shall be deemed to
be in compliance with this paragraph if such ice is made level and completely covered with sand, sawdust, or other appropriate material to prevent slipping."

As to where you put the snow from your own stairs and walkways, that gets tricky because the ordinance says:

"No person shall remove slush, snow, or ice from privately-owned real property and place it upon any sidewalk or street."

French Toast Alert
If you're new to the area or haven't been paying attention, you may not know this term. French toast alert comes from the rush to groceries store for basic provisions (milk, bread and eggs) when storms are predicted.

Here's a link to the master page of the official French Toast Alert system for this area.

http://www.universalhub.com/french-toast

Details:
Here's the place to start for winter storm information from the city. You can download a complete copy of the city ordinance on snow removal on this page.

http://www.cityofboston.gov/snow/

Here's a page to sign up for Snow emergency alert by text or email.

http://www.cityofboston.gov/alerts/

Snow Emergency phone numbers in Boston (email contact address:snow@cityofboston.gov )
http://www.cityofboston.gov/snow/emergencyphone.asp

What Boston Restaurants are open for New Year's Eve 2008?

Planning to dine out on New Year's Eve in Boston? Festive evenings like these require reservations and usually have special menus.

You have reached an old post. Here's the 2011-2012 information. 

 

With First Night celebrations bringing crowds into the city you have to plan ahead to get a prized table or seat at the bar.

Master lists of Boston area celebrations on New Year's Eve.

The reservation site, Open Table, is has a page devoted to the evening. It lists restaurants both in the city and in suburban areas. They also note when restaurants like Mamma Maria or Lala Rokh are offering their regular menu.

http://www.opentable.com/promo.aspx?m=7&ref=289&pid=4

BostonChefs.com has good descriptions of the offerings at more than 50 area restaurants. You can link to more information on their site and to Open Table for reservations when that is an option.

http://www.bostonchefs.com/news/2008/12/16/new-years-eve-2008-at-boston-restaurants/

Zagat is listing 11 Boston restaurants on a special sponsored site. They say to be sure to click on the menu icon for New Year's Eve details.

http://www.zagat.com/Search/Results.aspx?N=120&Ntt=Web+Sponsorship&Ntk=Web+Sponsorship&VID=8&Nf=LatLong|GCLT+42.358299,-71.060302+20&Ns=Name&PCID=4134&sponsid=213&sponsorid=Grey%20Goose&stype=1&loc=Boston

Here are some tips and highlights.

Hamersley's Bistro was the site of one of our most memorable New Year's Eve celebrations. They are presenting a 4-course menu with a champagne toast your dessert for $110.
http://www.hamersleysbistro.com/menus/NYE08.php

La Morra can be a wonderful choice if you don't want to come into the city. It's near the MBTA's Brookline Village station and should not be overrun with the First Night crowd. They're serving a 5-course menu with a glass of Prosecco for $65.
www.lamorra.com

Tapeo could be a fun place to meet friends and share a meal. According to Open Table they are offering a good value. "Enjoy a 5-course tapas menu ($40/person). Incl. a choice of one cold tapa, 2 hot tapas, paella, dessert, & a glass of champagne."
www.tapeo.com

The Blue Room is always warm and welcoming with great food. Open Table says they have a "Special a la carte menu created especially for the New Year's festivities. No prix fixe offered."
www.theblueroom.net 

Here's a link to our resource page on everything else that is open an closed for the New Year's holiday. It also includes MBTA and Boston Trash schedules.

http://www.bostonzest.com/2008/12/what-is-open-in-boston-on-new-years-day-and-mbta-schedules.html

(Photo from iStockphoto.com)

Other Opinions:

Here are some conversations from the Boston Chowhounds:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/583158#4276473

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/579053