BostonZest

Happy Halloween & Holiday Street Closings in Boston

Here's to a safe and happy halloween to all our readers. If you plan to drive around Boston tonight, we want to share information we have on some holiday street closings.

If you know of more closings, please add them in the comment section.

The Back Bay Sun has all the details on Holiday Activities in the Back Bay including this street closing information...

"Marlborough Street from Berkeley-Fairfield Street and Dartmouth & Clarendon Streets from Beacon to Commonwealth Avenue will be closed to traffic from 5:00-9:30 p.m. to ensure safe trick-or-treating. Parked cars may stay on these streets, but will not be permitted to move during the street closing."

The Beacon Hill Times gives some details on the neighborhood's Halloween plans including this...

"Pinckney Street and Mount Vernon Street to be closed from Joy Street to Charles Street on Halloween, October 31.

Please note that these official road closures prevent access to Chestnut, Spruce, Walnut and Willow Streets, as well as Louisburg Square and sections of West Cedar Street and Cedar Lane Way.

At the request of several families, the spooky fun will begin earlier this year because Halloween falls on a Monday. The roads will be closed from 4:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m."

And from the city comes this listing of events around the city tonight...

"Monday, October 31st

• Tobin Community Center, 4-8 PM, Haunted Halls Halloween Party for all ages

BPD Halloween Events

• District E5 (West Roxbury/Roslindale) Friday October 28, 2011 5:00pm-8:00pm at E-5 District Station, 1708 Centre Street in West Roxbury. District E5 will host ghosts, goblins, princesses, fairies and various other creative creatures for an evening of Halloween fun! The district has planned a number of activities, entertainment and family festivities.
• District E13 (Jamaica Plain) Friday October 28, 2011 5:00pm- 8:00pm at E-13 District Station, 3347 Washington Street in Jamaica Plain. Join the officers at District E-13 for a Haunted House, costumes and Halloween fun!
• District E18 (Hyde Park) Wednesday October 26, 2011 from 4:00pm-6:00pm at the Hyde Park Community Center, 1179 River Street. Mayor Menino’s Office of Arts, Tourism and Special Events is collaborating with District E18 and the HP Community Center to host local residents for music, refreshments, games and Halloween fun!
• District D4 (Back Bay/South End) Saturday October 29, 2011 at 12:00pm-4:00pm. Officers from District D-4 will participate in the Blackstone Square Halloween Festival. Visit officers at the ‘Safety Table’ and receive a Boston Police goody bag and a Halloween safety coloring book! District B2 (Roxbury) Monday October 31, 2011 from 4:00pm-6:00pm at NEW! B2 District Station, 2400 Washington Street, Roxbury.
• District B2 is hosting its 1st annual children’s Halloween party! Local residents are invited to join officers for an evening of face painting, games, refreshments and a costume contest!
• District B3 (Mattapan) Thursday October 27, 2011 4:00pm-8:00pm at B3 Police Station parking lot, 1165 Blue Hill Ave. District B3 will host community members for some Halloween fun! Bring your costumes and enjoy the festivities." 

 

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: © 2011 Penny Cherubino

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Trick or Treat Pack- Sunday Dogs in Disguise

Remember when you were an evil teen and would go trick or treating with a bunch of friends? Only one or two of you would ring the doorbell, because you didn't want to scare the treaters. 

This pack of pals must be in their teen years. They were pulling the same trick. And, what's more, they've dressed in these clever disguises. That's not really a golden. She's a Cocker Spaniel in a Golden suit. And, what seems to be a Frenchie is actually a Chihuahua who's always wanted to be bigger.

The little one laying down is actually a cat. I think it may be Mr. Possum from A Proper Bostonian fame. And, that little grey guy is Smudge. He refused to wear a costume, holds the entire proceeding in total disdain, but was dragged along by his pals.  

These two were the lookouts making sure no one sneaked up on the gang and stole their treats. 

The next time you see this pack prancing around the Back Bay remember, things may not be what they seem. 

Related Post:

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Did you know you can buy Dog Treats at Amazon? You can! And, if you do and start your shopping here, you'll help keep Sunday Dogs coming your way! Here are some of our Maggie's favorites.

Words: Penny  Cherubino
Photos: © 2011 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 comments add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

These Pumpkins Are Feeling Very Blue

One of our readers' favorite posts this month was an oldie but goodie about blue pumpkins from Atlas Farm. There, we told you more about these beautiful additions to the fall color spectrum.

Atlas Farm had a nice selection at the Copley Farmers' Market again this week. There were even two with a blue hue, so we're adding this photo to our blue pumpkin file. We think that big one is a Black Futsu.

If you know what you like, you might check out the jewelry options on Amazon. And, thanks to everyone who begins their Amazon shopping here. It doesn't cost you anymore, but Amazon puts some coins in our tip jar.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: © 2011 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 comments add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

Suitcase Ready: Our Friday Link

You run into some great resources all around the internet. I clicked over and explored the site Suitcase Ready after reading a review on the Boston Trip Advisor Forum.

Do you have a favorite site you'd like to nominate for a Friday link? Let us know in the comments, and we'll take a look!

This site is filled with common sense, inside tips, and great travel advice for seasoned or seldom travelers. From researching your destination to finding the best prices, Suitcase Ready's, Eva will set your feet on a good path. 

Click around and explore all the topics this busy traveler has taken time to share. She says, "There is nothing I would rather do than travel, plan trips and provide travel information to friends, family, on places like Tripadvisor and here." 

When we travel light, we pack the Canon G series cameras. We shoot many of the photos for BostonZest and even some of our newspaper and magazine work, including some "covershots," with the Canon Powershot G10 and the Canon PowerShot G11. The latest in the series is this one: Canon G12 10 MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.8 Inch Vari-Angle LCD

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: © 2011 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 comments add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

What's Open in Boston on Veterans Day, November 11, 2011

This page is out of date. We have created an ongoing resource page for the Veteran's Day holiday at this link. We update that one each year with any new information that becomes available. 

Here's a run-down of what's open in Boston on Veterans' Day, information on Boston trash collection, parking meters, and MBTA schedules for Friday, November 11, 2011. This year, the holiday is on a Friday. That means you can start planning a long weekend.

We publish these reminders before each holiday to help our readers make their holiday plans.

Restaurants, bars: Open

Convenience stores: Open

Supermarkets: Open

Retail stores: Are allowed to open if the owners choose

Liquor stores: Open

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 most Banks closed.

Stock market: Open, as are international markets.

Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters. Other parking rules apply.

Street Sweeping: City says, "Daytime street sweeping is suspended on city holidays, but nighttime sweeping schedules remain in effect. Constituents are advised to call 617-635-4500 for exact details."

More information after this ad. Need a destination for a fall weekend? Here are a couple of books that might help you decide. Remember, begin your Amazon purchases here to keep information like this flowing your way.



Boston Trash Collection: The City says:

"Monday, November 7 – Saturday, November 12, 2011

Delay trash and recycling pickup one day ONLY IF your pickup day is Friday AND you live in Allston, Brighton, Dorchester, East Boston, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain*, Mattapan, Roslindale, West Roxbury, or South Boston.
*if you live in Jamaica Plain and your trash is picked up two times per week, do not delay"

Here's the link to holiday trash pick up information.

MBTA lists their Service Schedule for Veterans' Day 2011...

• "Blue, Orange, and Red line trains, Green line streetcars, buses, and trackless trolleys will operate on a weekday schedule.
• Commuter rail trains will operate on its regular weekday schedule.
• Inner Harbor Ferry service from Charlestown and Long Wharf will operate on its regular weekday schedule.
• Hingham, Quincy and Hull commuter boat service will operate on its regular weekday schedule.
• THE RIDE Service will operate on a Sunday schedule.

For additional information on routes, schedules, and fares, please call the MBTA Customer Service Center at 617-222-3200 or 1-800-392-6100 (hearing impaired TDD 617-222-5146)" or contact them at www.mbta.com.

Holiday Pay Information For Retail Establishments from the Secretary of State.
"Retail establishments which operate on New Year's Day, Columbus Day after 12 noon, or on November 11th after 1:00 p.m. are required to pay their employees time and one-half regardless of the number of employees on their payroll."
http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cishol/holidx.htm

(Photo of the Shaw Memorial on the Boston Common: ©2009 Penny Cherubino)

Bon Me Noodle Salads & Rice Bowls: Food Truck Tracking

Today, we come to sing the praises of Bon Me's Noodle Salads and Rice Bowls. We've already told you about their Classic Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, but over the months, we have really become fans of their mix-it-up combos of noodle salads and rice bowls. 

What do you order when you find the Bon Me Truck?

Ed's current favorite is the rice bowl. He opts for brown rice over white, and adds spice-rubbed, all-natural chicken. Bon Me's standard additions to this meal are pickled carrot and diakon, seasonal greens, bean sprouts, cilantro, scallion, and a soy drizzle. This is a healthy and delicious quick meal and a great value at $6.

Each bowl is prepared fresh for each customer, so speak up if you'd rather not have any ingredient or would like them to add a dash more of something.

Penny prefers the noodle salads. This one has barbequed pork with buckwheat soba noodle, but she'll opt for rice noodles most of the time. You can also have this with the chicken, or an organic tofu and shiitake mushroom topping.  

The normal add-ins are seasonal greens, bean sprouts, cilantro, carrot, diakon, and red onion. You can choose a Vietnamese vinaigrette seasoned with fish sauce or the vegetarian dressing du jour. 

And, after your healthy salad (or tucked away for a snack a little later), consider adding a bowl of chocolate rice pudding to your Bon Me order. It's lighter than you might think, yet has that wonderful flavor of a great chocolate dessert.

Website: www.bonmetruck.com

Twitter: @bonme

Facebook: Bon Me Foods

For more of our Food Truck/Street Food coverage: click here. Or, anytime you visit BostonZest, you can click on the "Food Truck/Street Food" tab at the top of the page.

Food Truck Tracking Link: Boston Food Truck Location Map 

Do you love giving gifts of food? Shop Amazon's grocery and gourmet food shop, and they'll do all the packing and delivery for you.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: © 2011 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Thanksgiving 2011 Dining in Boston Restaurants

You've Reached an Old Post! For an Update, go to:

Thanksgiving 2015 Dining Out in Boston

It's time to make your Thanksgiving 2011 dinner reservations, especially if you want to enjoy your holiday meal in one of the area's great restaurants. This post is a work in progress, so if you want to know when we update it, sign on to the comment feed for this post or follow us on twitter.

Each family has it's own needs and taste. Here are some suggestions that might fit your group:

Well-prepared local food is high on our list of requirements, and we've enjoyed a number of holidays at Sel de la Terre. Click here for our report on one of those meals.

A recent visit to Eastern Standard in the Hotel Commonwealth has put that spot back on our list of recommended places. This is a great choice if you have a cocktail officiando in the clan. They are known for their highly skilled mixologists.

When we had an elderly and frail family member to entertain for the holiday, we found Brasserie Jo at the Colonnade Hotel and The Top of the Hub in the Prudential Center to be good choices for easy parking and good handicap access. The views from the Top of the Hub can also provide a topic of conversation and distraction for someone with memory issues.

If you prefer a smaller more intimate setting, a lower price, but still want great food, we can recommend Petit Robert Bistro in the Fenway or South End. Another option would be La Voile on Newbury Street.

If you really want to spoil the person who has cooked so many holiday meals for you, consider taking them to L'Espalier where they will be pampered and well-fed.

If fun and festive is near the top of the list for your family, consider the "always dressed for a party" rooms at Upstairs on the Square.

Most places have special menus and sometimes set seatings for major holidays. Many will require a deposit or credit card number to place a reservation.

What Boston Area Restaurants are Open on Thanksgiving?

Hotel restaurants are normally open on all holidays. In Boston, this gives you some excellent choices including:

Asana at the Mandarin Hotel
L'Espalier at the Mandarin Hotel
Rialto at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge
Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons Boston
Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel

Woodward at the Ames Hotel 

 

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More recommendations after the ad! If BostonZest has helped you with your Thanksgiving search, consider supporting us when you start your holiday shopping. Just begin your Amazon shopping from any Amazon ad on our site, and we'll receive a commission on anything you buy.

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Here are links to some Master lists of Boston restaurants open for Thanksgiving.

The reservation site, Open Table is maintaining a list of restaurants with Thanksgiving menus. Listings include a price and information on offerings beyond traditional holiday fare. Remember, there are many more restaurants open that day. Put a time and number of guests into the system to see exactly what's available.

Bostonchefs.com has some information on its members' offerings. Here is the 2011 link to their information. 

Here are a few past discussions from the Chowhound Boston Board. We follow the chowhound crew daily and will add new links as they crop up. Sign up for notices on the comment feed here, and we'll let you know about all updates. Or follow us on Twitter. We tweet updates too.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/660298

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/661126

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/664135

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/663637

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/570430

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/557455

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino

Photography: istockphoto.com