BostonZest

May Is Preservation Month, Here's What's Happening!

Each May, the city of Boston turns its spotlight on preservation. Safeguarding the precious structures left in our care is difficult, even in a city like Boston where so much of the tourism is related to history.

The photo above is from the Boston Public Library Collection. They identify it as "Newbury Street looking east from Clarendon to Arlington Streets." (Map) It was taken circa 1898. Today, the only structure you can recognize is the Church of the Covenant which has just been added to the National Historic Registry. 

Take some time this month to attend one of the many Preservation Month events and learn more about our history, architecture, and how you can help protect the essential character of Boston.

Here's a full list of events from the city. Some are free, others have a fee, and some require reservations. 

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: Boston Public Library Collection © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

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The Commonwealth Requires...

"The Commonwealth Requires the Education of the People as the Safeguard of Order and Liberty."

These words are carved into the Boylston Street side of the Boston Public Library McKim building in Copley Square.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

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Painting the Town: Fresh Paint Event from the Copley Society

Once a year, the Copley Society sends its artist members across the city to capture Boston at that moment in time. The event is called Fresh Paint. The works produced are sold a week later at a gala auction to benefit the organization.

They say: "The Copley Society of Art, Co|So, is the oldest non-profit art association in the United States, with a history dating back to 1879. We currently represent over 500 living artist members, ranging in experience from students to nationally-recognized artists and in style from traditional and academic realists to contemporary and abstract painters, photographers, and sculptors."

We Say: This is one of our favorite walks of the year. It's free, you pick your route, you get to meet and chat with talented people, and you can even take your dog along. And, the Co|So gallery on Newbury Street is always worth a visit. Drop by before the weekend, pick up a map, gather some friends, and enjoy this uniquely Boston experience.

In the photo above from last year, artist Hilary Baldwin had a perfect day to paint a scene of the Public Garden and the Back Bay beyond. 

Copley Society of Art

158 Newbury St, Boston, MA

Phone: 617- 536-5049 ‎ 

www.copleysociety.org

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2012 Penny Cherubino 

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

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The Japanese Lantern in The Public Garden - New & Historic Photos

Early Spring: Henry Thoreau and Climate Change at The Concord Museum

We have a double Friday Link, today. First is The Garden Club of the Back Bay's blog that keeps us informed about wonderful programs, events, and exhibitions.

This week, they pointed out "Early Spring: Henry Thoreau and Climate Change" which opens this weekend at The Concord Museum.

The Concord Museum Says:

"Early Spring: Henry Thoreau and Climate Change, a ground-breaking exhibition at the Concord Museum from April 12 through September 15, 2013, explores three centuries of careful observation of seasonal natural phenomena in Concord, a pool of data on the relationship between climate and biology that is essentially without parallel in North America. The exhibition also provides an extraordinary opportunity to examine the Concord Museum’s renowned Thoreau collection that includes the desk on which Thoreau wrote Walden, together with examples of his original field notes, journal recordings, seasonal charts, and botanical specimens. This material has never before been exhibited together."

In additon to putting a visit to this exhibition on your calendar, there are links to ways that you can become part of this ongoing examination of climate change on the exhibition page.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: screenshot courtesy of the Concord Museum.   

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

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Boston in the Gilded Age: Mapping Public Places

Boston in the Gilded Age: Mapping Public Places, the current exhibition at the Boston Public Library's Norman B. Leventhal Map Center, continues through April 23, 2013.

Regular stops at the Map Center as we pick up books, do research, or enjoy the library as one of the most beautiful, public places in Boston, lets us take in exhibits like this, one bite at a time. 

If you need to make a special trip, let us assure you that this exhibit is worth it. You can take a look at the documentation of Boston’s evolving street pattern and emerging park system in the late 19th century. Maps and other graphics trace the development of the Boston Common, Public Garden, Frederick Law Olmsted’s Emerald Necklace, and the development of Copley Square.

If you are one of our readers from outside the Boston area, click here for an online version of the exhibit that will let you see the documents and read about the time and places represented.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

Time to Weigh the Coffee: Polcari's Beautiful Antique Scale

Shopping trips to Boston's North End should always include stopping for coffee beans at Polcari's Coffee on Salem Street. (Map & Reviews)

Part of the joy of buying coffee there is watching this beautiful antique scale in action! 

They will also be happy to help you create a custom blend designed for your taste. I watched a customer order his favorite mix of four beans.

Polcari's Coffee

105 Salem St, Boston, MA  (Map & Reviews)

www.polcariscoffee.com

phone: 617-227-0786

 

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

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New Boston Addition to the National Register of Historic Places

The Church of the Covenant, on the corner of Berkeley and Newbury Streets (map), has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. The building contains 42 Tiffany stained glass windows that are an integral part of the largest Tiffany-designed church interior in the country.

Sometimes, when we stroll around Boston's historic districts on daily errands or regular visits, we forget that we're walking though a National Treasure that visitors come from all around the world to see. 

A project is underway to restore the Tiffany windows. Tours of the interior will resume this spring. Until then, you can take this online tour.

Don't miss an Easter photo opportunity. This Canon PowerShot G15 camera will give you what you need to take stills and video of your Easter celebration. Canon's G series is our all-time favorite for everyday cameras. We own the G10 and G11. They're a little bigger than the compacts most people use, but let you shoot with automatic settings or easy-to-use manual controls that please the many pros who use them as second cameras. And, if you are ready to turn pro, follow our lead. Ed shoots with the Nikon D7000 Digital SLR too. We just added a Nikon D600 to our camera fleet and are extremely happy with the performance it has delivered.

   

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Writers: Penny & Ed Cherubino

Photos: from iStockphoto.com

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often those comments add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads out of comments.

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