BostonZest

Where Is This Beautiful Window? Attention to Detail

Here we go on another visual scavenger hunt. Find this window on Commonwealth Avenue in the Back Bay

Here's a hint: it's near a corner. 

"Attention to Detail™" is one of Penny's newspaper columns. It has appeared in the Back Bay Sun since 2008. A second set of Details will soon be appearing each week in the Beacon Hill Times. 

When you think you have the answer, scroll down or click through for the details.

Street Sweeping Alerts– New Features for Boston Residents

Can't remember when to move your car for street sweeping? Sign-up at the city of Boston website and they'll notify you.

While you may already use the system, there are now some new features to help make your life even easier.

How about:

• Year-round reminders, because night-time sweeping never sleeps?
• Alerts for all those temporary "No Parking" signs that pop-up to make way for moving trucks, construction, or special events?
• An online search feature or way to pre-register to be notified if your car is towed?

Those who signed-up for street-sweeping reminders got the following details: 

"We would like to inform you of five new features recently added to the City of Boston's street-sweeping reminder system:

1. Earlier reminder options. No-Tow reminders have always been sent at 5pm, which is later than several of you said you leave from work. Now you can get your No-Tow reminders at 7am or 2pm or the default 5pm, whichever you prefer.
2. Street-occupancy alerts. You know those temporary "no parking" signs that appear in your neighborhood? You can now get alerts for those signs as they go up on your street. Alerts are sent the day before street occupancy permits go into effect, and are conveniently included in the same email as your street sweeping reminders. To register, visit the street occupancy lookup and enter your street-name to get started.
3. Towing alerts. For when your car actually does get towed, you can now search for the car's location online, or be notified of the tow by registering for Towing Alerts from cityofboston.gov with your email address and license plates.
4. Year-round reminders. While morning and afternoon sweeping won't get you a parking ticket in the wintertime, nighttime sweeping will. No-tow reminders are now sent year-round to keep you alerted of overnight parking restrictions whenever they are in effect.
5. Improved lookup. The street-sweeping lookup at cityofboston.gov now lists upcoming-dates when streets are next scheduled for sweeping, to help with the mental feat of predicting when exactly is the 3rd Wednesday or 4th Tuesday when you'll next have to move your car." 

 

Related Post:

Changes to Boston Street Sweeping Schedules 2012

 

Details:

Learn more at http://www.cityofboston.gov/

Writer: Ed Cherubino
Photos: © 2010 Penny Cherubino

Rain Rain Go Away, We Want a Picnic Day!

It's Spring, and picnics are on our minds– even on a rainy day. To brighten the mood around BostonZest, here's a report on another great picnic combo– a lunch from Cafe Vanille, enjoyed on the Esplanade.


 

On one of our latest "sunny day adventures" we took a walk to Beacon Hill, checked the menus outside a few places and decided on lunch from Cafe Vanille. They offer a wide selection of picnic options- quiche; panini; croissant, baguette, or wrap sandwiches; salads; and soups.

We scored a picnic table near Community Boating for our meal, but a bench, a seat on a wall or on the grass would work too.


 

Ed chose the "Chipotle Chicken Panini" in the photo at the top. It was beautifully toasted, juicy and well made. He loved it. Penny enjoyed a beet salad with goat cheese- two of her favorite ingredients were perfect together!

 

Since we planned to walk for miles (we logged more than 7 miles by the end of our adventure) we each added a small treat. Penny had a miniature eclair and Ed picked an oatmeal cookie. 

With weather like today's, we write and write so we can go out and play when the sun shines. Maybe you can get ahead in your work and make time for enjoying the warmth and sunshine coming at the end of the week. 

Related Posts:
Public Garden Picnic from Parish Cafe

Picnics can be a very low cost way to enjoy time with friends and family, especially if you get together and make your lunch at home. Here are some ideas for perfect picnic menus including sandwich ideas for vegetarians.



Details:

Cafe Vanille
119 Mount Vernon Street, MA 02108 (map & reviews)
617-523-9200
www.cafevanilleboston.com

Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: © 2010 Penny Cherubino

Sunday Dog Daisy Loves to Sniff!

She's a Basset Hound! Of course Daisy loves to sniff! 

"Daisy Checks Out Low Water Along the Charles River Basin"

Dog experts point out that those long ears brushing along the ground actually help her capture, and fixate on, some of the world's most irresistible smells. If you've ever tried to get the attention of a Basset Hound who's on the scent, then you understand perfectly.

Daisy is 10-years-old and lives in the Back Bay. She likes dogs more than people, has a great bark and can run for miles with her human.

Surprised? While the breed may seem content to wander all day with nose-to-the-ground, the late Roger Caras insisted, "the Basset requires a great deal of exercise."* We think Daisy would agree. 

"Daisy Enjoys an Intoxicating Aroma" 

And, one more thing. All this talk about dogs sniffing got us thinking that it's the time of year when candy, especially chocolate, finds its way into many homes. Rather than assume everyone knows about the potential danger to dogs, we want to remind you that chocolate is, "one of the most toxic foods your dog can consume." (From the Doctors Foster and Smith website)

Learn more about protecting your animal from dangerous foods, along with warning signs of poisoning. Check out these links:

Doctors Foster and Smith    

"People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets" 

ASPCA 

Sure, we all go to the internet for information about dog matters. But, it's helpful to have a good reference shelf at home. Here are three books you might want to consider. And, remember, when you shop Amazon from here, you support BostonZest. The price to you is the same, but some of the money stays local!

Related Links:

Here are more Sunday Dogs. 

Details:

Writer: Ed Cherubino

Photos © 2009 Penny Cherubino

*From: The Roger Caras Dog Book - Second Edition. If you find a copy of this wonderful book in a used book store- grab it! It's out of print, but one of our favorites. 

Spring Comes in Many Colors...

Spring comes in many colors,

Some tranquil, quiet, and serene.

Buds of pink give way to leafage,

Supplanting boughs of showy blooms.

Rosey hues obscure the boundary,

Of the hard, cold shape of winter.

Details:

Writer: Penny Cherubino

Photo: © 2010 Penny Cherubino

As Minds Turn to Gardening...

Each day the Garden Club of the Back Bay adds new events, resources, and information for New England gardeners to its great website. We're making them our Friday link today to remind our readers to use this fabulous resource as gardening season begins. 

 

The site compiles links, and information on hundreds of events, classes, talks and activities, of interest to gardeners and lovers of gardens. (We don't have a garden, but we love learning about them.)

Over in their right hand column, they list related sites with even more resources. It is updated constantly, and filled with color and a bit of fun in its look and feel. Your spirits get a lift on every visit.

You keep tips like this coming your way when you support BostonZest by starting all your Amazon shopping from our site. Just use the Amazon search box over on the left or click on any Amazon banner to transfer to Amazon.com. It doesn't cost you anymore and it provides income to the BostonZest crew. 

Details:

Garden Club of the Back Bay

www.gardenclubbackbay.org

Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino

screengrab: courtesty of Garden Club of the Back Bay.

Find this Set of Windows- Play Attention to Detail!

Where would you find this set of windows on a walk down Commonwealth Avenue in the Back Bay?

With the warmer weather and nicer days upon us, we'll send you on a few more visual scavenger hunts to find details and learn more about Boston Architecture. 

Click through or scroll down for the answer and a bit more information about his building.