BostonZest

Market Report: 2015 Summer Farmers Markets "One Every Day of the Week"

We are so happy that the Copley Square Farmers Market is open for the season. That's the home market for the BostonZest team and where we pick up lots of news from the farms. But, we also receive press releases, newsletters, and correspond with farm friends year-round to gather news for readers like you.

Today, we'll tell you about the "One Every Day of the Week" farmers market campaign over in Cambridge.

For years, we've pointed out that if you live in the central area of Boston, you have access to a farmers market seven days a week. The City of Cambridge has made a campaign of that fact to support the fresh, local food producers. If you'd like a copy of the poster, you can download one here. Download Farmers_Markets_poster_summer_2015

If the option for a particular day is not within walking distance from your home, it will be easy to reach by public transportation. That makes for a very lively, fresh, local food scene in and around Boston.

Since we shop at many area markets, we took the idea and information from Cambridge's poster and added the other markets we frequent.

• Sunday: Charles Square, Cambridge
• Monday: Boston Public Market, Blackstone Street and Central Square, Cambridge
• Tuesday: Copley Square, South Station/Dewey Square, and Harvard University Farmers Market, Cambridge
• Wednesday: Boston Public Market, Blackstone Street; Cambridge Center (Kendall MBTA); Davis Square, Somerville; and Charlestown
• Thursday: South Station/Dewey Square, Kendall Square (500 Kendall Street), Brookline/Coolidge Corner, Mission Hill/Roxbury, Brigham Circle, and East Boston/Central Square
• Friday: Copley Square and Charles Square, Cambridge
• Saturday: Union Square, Somerville; Cambridgeport, Cambridge; Roslindale/Adams Park; and Egleston, Jamaica Plain

For exact dates, maps, and other details on these markets check our post:

Summer Farmers Markets Opening Dates 2015

We'll do our best to keep you informed with a series of Market Reports throughout the season. And, we welcome your tips and suggestions. Add your thoughts in the comments below. Tweet them to @BostonZest or send us an email and we'll add your suggestions to this post as an update.

Here are more of our Local Food/Farmers Market posts.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

Tomorrow Is BostonZest's 11th Anniversary

While we talk about the things we do, the people and places we like, and send you links to other resources, this anniversary makes us realize we don't talk about BostonZest as a site very often. We registered the address on May 20, 2004 and began publishing links to our freelance work and a few new BostonZest exclusive posts from time to time.

 

In 2007, we switched hosting platforms and began to publish BostonZest work on a regular basis. Above is one of our first posts from the current era of the site published in January of 2008. It is still showing up on our web analytics on a regular basis.

In May of that year, inspired by Tammy from Boston Food & Whine, Penny pledged to post every day for a year. We kept that seven-days-a-week schedule for more than five years. 

BostonZest Has a Deep Archive

We're thrilled that many of the nearly 2500 pages in our archive are visited by longtime readers as well as first-timers. That interest has inspired us to occasionally feature some of the more popular pages at the top of our site and to then send out word to our followers on twitter. Also, some of that frequently viewed content needs an update, so we'll be redoing those during the next year.

Do You Have a Favorite BostonZest Piece?

Or have you discovered one of our past posts that needs an update? Add your suggestions in the comments below. Tweet them with a link to @BostonZest or send us an email and we'll try to get your faves on the schedule.

Most of all, as we think about this anniversary, thanks for reading BostonZest and a special thank you to those who shop on Amazon from here or support us in other ways. We appreciate your emails, tweets, retweets, and comments. 

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2008 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

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What's Open and Closed on Memorial Day 2015 In Boston + MBTA Schedules

UPDATE: Here's a link to our latest post on "What's Open and Closed on Memorial Day in Boston + MBTA Schedules, Parking, Trash & More" 

Here's a rundown of what's open and what's closed in Boston and the MBTA schedules for Memorial Day – Monday, May 25, 2015. 

We publish these reminders before a holiday to give our readers a nudge to finalize their holiday plans. This is the first big weekend of the summer. Get going on some fun plans! And, plan your shopping for adult beverages because this is one of those Blue Law holidays!

Will you stay in the city or enjoy a holiday weekend at a great beach house like this one on the harbor in Provincetown?

Restaurants, bars: Open

Convenience stores: Open

Supermarkets: Open

Retail stores: Are allowed to open if the owners choose

Liquor stores: Closed (See this page from the Secretary of State)

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 both Banks and the stock markets in the U.S. closed. Some international markets are open.

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

Street Sweeping: The city site 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

Save storage space with these collapsible coolers. Perfect for small city homes. We had many years of use from an older version of the Arctic Zone 30 model. It was amazing at keeping things chilled. We not only used it for picnics, but also grabbed it to go grocery shopping. 

    

Boston Trash Collection: The announcement from Public Works states:

"Monday, May 25 – Saturday, May 30, 2015"

"No Delay of trash or recycling pick up in Back Bay, Bay Village, Beacon Hill, Charlestown, Chinatown, Fenway, Leather District, Mission Hill, North End, Roxbury, South Boston, and South End
Allston/Brighton, Dorchester, East Boston, Jamaica Plain*, Mattapan, Roslindale, West Roxbury and Hyde Park, delayed a day

*If you live in Jamaica Plain and your trash is picked up 2 times per week, do not delay."

(5.18.15) UPDATE:

For a few days before each holiday, the MBTA schedule changes will show up at this link.

MBTA Memorial Day 2015 Service Schedules Quick Look -  

• The Red, Orange, Blue, Silver, and Green Lines will operate on a Sunday schedule. 
• Buses and trackless trolleys will operate on a Sunday schedule. 
• The Commuter Rail will operate on a Sunday schedule. 
• The RIDE will operate on a Sunday schedule.

Complete MBTA Details Here

For more information: 
Go to www.MBTA.com. Contact the MBTA Customer Communications Department at (617) 222-3200, TTY: (617) 222-5146. 

Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photo:© 2015 Penny Cherubino

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Leo Models for Us and Tutors a Tiny Pal at the Same Time

We met Leo on a walk, recently, and asked if this charming and well-behaved Havanese would serve as our model for an article Penny was writing on Urban Canine Good Citizenship. He and his personal manager agreed.

Here he is in one of his prettiest, most well-mannered sits.

You can see that Leo has mastered the art of paying attention.

He will lean in and follow any hand holding a treat. Such a smart boy!

He is one of those rare models that will follow the camera and offer the photographer many angles of his beautiful face.

And, as he put on this show of excellent canine behavior, he had an audience. We had all just met the little Maltipoo Wolfgang. With Leo for a tutor, Wolfie (as I think many of his friends will call him) will soon be showing off his own brand of outstanding urban puppyhood.

Watch for upcoming Sunday Dog posts on both Wolfgang and Urban Canine Good Citizenship!

Thanks for doing a great job with both the modeling and the tutoring, Leo! See you soon out in the park.

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

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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North Bennet Street School's "Made by Hand: an exhibit of extraordinary craftsmanship"

The North Bennet Street School is a Boston treasure where students follow their hearts and make their career dreams come true. From May 18th to the 29th, 2015 the school presents, "Made by Hand: an exhibit of extraordinary craftsmanship." (details below)

At this event, you can view dozens of one-of-a-kind objects created by North Bennet Street School students and alumni. 

If you've been following along with us for the past decade, you know that this BostonZest team is a big fan of fine craftsmanship. We admit to having a fascination with this magical place and the people who make it so special. Here are a few examples of what to expect.

Title: Spice Cabinet Artist: Chris Anderson, Materials: walnut, holly, black locust, red cedar

Title: Samurai Chain Mail Bracelet Artist: John Gifford,  Materials: 18-karat yellow gold

Title: 1580 Gasparo Da Salo (copy) Artist: Julia Felix, Materials: Ebony, Bosnian Maple, European Spruce

Title: The Robin and the Wren, Artist: Becky Koch, Materials: cave paper, goat skin

QUICK FACTS:

Once again, we must thank the information team at NBSS for putting together this great quick facts guide for our readers.

Event title: “Made by Hand: an exhibit of extraordinary craftsmanship”

Where: Windgate Gallery, North Bennet Street School, 150 North Street, Boston MA  02109

When: weekdays, May 18 through May 29, 2015 (closed Tuesday, May 19), and Saturday May 23

Hours: weekdays, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. (Friday, May 29, 8:00am – noon.) Saturday 9:00am – 4:30pm

Admission: Free

Handicap Access: Yes

Reservations: Not required for the main exhibition. Pre-arranged guided tours of the school available, provided reservations are made at least one day in advance.

Parking: Limited street parking (metered) and discounted parking at the Parcel 7 garage -http://www.nbss.edu/about/the-boston-area/visit/index.aspx#  

Nearest T stop: Haymarket (Orange, Green lines)

Directions: via Google maps - http://goo.gl/maps/97sY4

More exhibition details: http://www.nbss.edu/about/news/student-and-alumni-exhibit2015/index.aspx
More about NBSS full-time programs and workshops: http://www.nbss.edu

In conjunction with the annual exhibition, a limited number of daily guided tours will be offered beginning Wednesday, May 20th. Tours must be scheduled at least one day in advance. For reservations, contact Chris Jankowski at 617-227-0155, x170 and [email protected]. 

This is a wonderful opportunity to discover this amazing place full of very talented people.

What's on your Artistic shopping list? Shop Amazon for all your arts & craft needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: Courtesy of North Bennet Street School

What's That Pretty Blue Flowered Ground Cover?

This was one of the first flowers to make an appearance in local gardens this spring. Every year I admire it, every year someone asks me to name it, and every year I have to look it up and get back to the questioner.

It is a Lithodora. Which one in particular? I don't know, but I have learned it is a perennial shrub (be it a very low growing shrub) and that it is sometimes confused with the annual Lobelia.

According to WiseGEEK,

"The name of this genus is derived from the Greek words lithos and dorea, which translate to 'stone' and 'gift,' respectively. The common name for each species varies. Lithodora oleifolia is called olive-leaved gromwell, while the heavenly blue variety of Lithodora diffusa is called purple gromwell."

I think this plant needs an AKA. I may begin calling it "Early Blue Gift" or "Early Blue Star," since I seem doomed to never remember its proper Latin moniker.

What would you name this plant if you had the power to dub it something more memorable?

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Back Bay Hardware Is Moving June 1st

One of the longest standing and most useful stores on Newbury Street, Back Bay Hardware is moving a few doors East on June 1st. The new address will be 221 Newbury Street.

If you're a long time Bostonian, you may still call this store Parks True Value. The company has served the neighborhood since 1943. Even longer term residents may remember it as Parks Paint and Hardware on Huntington Avenue before it moved to Newbury Street in 1979.

Current owner Lex Stevens joined Parks True Value in 1995. He purchased the business in 2004 and renamed it Back Bay Hardware in 2010. 

Another memory for long time customers is long time employee and everybody's pal Eric Chudnoff. We wrote about him back in 2008. For those who miss him, here's that post:

We All Rely On The Hardware Guy-Eric Chudnoff.

If you cringe, as we do, whenever you hear the words "moving day," just think about moving the thousands and thousands of items they've managed to pack into that small shop. Be a good neighbor. Stop in and buy a few things so Lex won't have to move them.

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2015 Ed Cherubino  

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