by Sandra Miller
Back Bay Sun
Residents invited to a meeting at the Boston Public Library (BPL) were able to air their concerns about pedestrian and bike access that will be disrupted during a major overhaul of area bridges.
Part of Gov. Deval Patrick's $3 billion Accelerated Bridge program, designed to create jobs and stimulate the economy by fast-tracking long-overdue bridge repair projects, the BPL meeting provided an overview of 29 bridges that need replacing or major repairs, and maintenance work on another 50 bridges. However, most attending the event were interested in Charles River basin bridge projects.
"A great number of people are concerned with bicycle and pedestrian issues regarding the bridges," said Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) spokesperson Wendy Fox. "DCR is in the process of hiring a consultant in the next couple of months whose sole responsibility will be looking at the whole Charles River basin and planning bike and pedestrian access and safety issues."
The DCR will also hold public meetings to address individual bridge projects, the first project which will target repairs and rehabilitation work on the BU Bridge and Craigie Dam and drawbridges, both of which cross over the Charles River between Boston and Cambridge.
On January 27, from 6 to 8 p.m., the DCR will hold a meeting on these projects, to be held at MIT's Stata Center, 32 Vassar St., Cambridge
"It's an exciting project," said DCR Commissioner Richard K. Sullivan Jr. "It shows great leadership and vision, and in the long run it will bring construction in cheaper over the next decade, so we can take advantage of cheaper pricing now and beat inflation."
The "accelerated" portion of the project means that a lot of projects will be happening all over the state in a short period of time. But Sullivan said they are working with the Executive Office for Transportation and other agencies on the least disruptive sequencing of the project. "We are focused on the public process and getting public input, and we are committed to looking at pedestrian and biking access," Sullivan said.
Other Charles River Basin projects planned for 2009 include the Magazine Beach pedestrian bridge in Cambridge and the Mystic Valley Parkway over Alewife Brook in Somerville.
The DCR is working with Mass Highway and Boston Transportation Department officials to minimize traffic that will impact residents. For this summer's projects, the Craigie and BU bridge repairs will impact traffic around the Back Bay, West and North ends, and Beacon Hill. "This agency will do everything it can to minimize traffic problems," said Fox.
"We know the traffic patterns in Boston, and we want them to hear our opinions," said BTD Deputy Commissioner Jim Gillooly. "We try to work out a traffic plan to try to minimize traffic."
Gillooly cautioned that while public comments are welcome, he hoped the project would occur as soon as possible to make the project go faster. "Nobody should forget … the quicker the work gets done, the quicker it goes away. Being overly cautious extends the process forever. When you do an enormous amount of work, you'll have hiccups," he said.
One attendee at the hearing was concerned about more than “hiccups”. In fact, she felt that the larger picture isn't being considered, she said.
"The devil is in the sequencing," said Jeannette Herrmann, who is active in transportation issues for the Beacon Hill Civic Association. "These projects need to happen. However, it's extremely unclear how they all happen in short order. All of the Charles River Basin projects have an effect on the downtown neighborhoods. We really wish the state would look at the regional state transportation issues as we enter the design phases for these projects -- the role of the Mass Pike ramps is critical. Whether you do the Craigie or the BU bridge first, there's more to this."
Herrmann believes the DCR and state and area traffic departments are all working hard on communicating with each other, but she thought this wasn't translated in the BPL meeting. "I wish we were hearing more about transportation planning rather than simply construction sequencing. Residential life in the downtown neighborhoods is a fragile balance that we need to maintain, that respects issues of accessibility for businesses and residences. If we become a vehicle congested neighborhood surrounded by highways, we will have lost something really, really precious," she said.
The $7.2 million Craigie Dam bridge construction is slated to occur soon, with a summer 2010 completion; the $44 million Craigie drawbridge also will begin soon, with a summer 2011 completion. The $26 million BU bridge deck replacement also begins soon, and will finish up in the summer of 2011. The $2.3 million pedestrian walkway is currently in the works, with only one side open to pedestrian and bike traffic at a time. It is slated to be completed this summer.
Meanwhile, the $5.6 milion Bowker overpass over Storrow Drive is slated for a summer 2010 completion, while repairs to the Storrow Drive Tunnel has no end date scheduled yet.
The Longfellow Bridge repairs to steel beams under the road bend are also finishing up, with the next project to complete the pedestrian path, said Fox. However, the more major $256 million Longfellow renovation, which has already had some advance work, begins in 2011 and is scheduled to finish in 2015.
"They're working to make sure things don't fall in," said Rep. Marty Walz, who is monitoring the Craigie Bridge projects to make sure bike lanes are included. "It's a very contentious issue," said Walz. "The bridges should be designed to include bike lanes."
As for the BU Bridge project, Walz is concerned about the pedestrian section of the bridge, on both the Cambridge and Boston sides.
"Those sidewalks are a high priority," reassured DCR's Fox.
The Accelerated Bridge Program by DCR and Mass Highway is a huge investment in state bridges over the next eight years. Not only will this fix a number of structurally deficient bridges, but it also creates jobs in this dire economy.
"DCR is probably going to be adding another 50 or 75 engineers," said Fox, who heard that statewide, the Accelerated Bridge projects will also generate thousands of construction jobs.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Newbury Street maintains its status as one of Boston's top business addresses
by Sandra Miller
Back Bay Sun
Like everywhere in America, Newbury Street is not immune to the downturn in the economy.
There are darkened storefronts. Stil's Newbury presence went still, the Gap has left a gap, and Tess and Carlos is going to concentrate on its other stores.
"There are more than 20 vacancies, when you walk up and down the street, but so far, it's not as bad as it was in the late 1980s," said Newbury Street League (NSL) Vice President Tom Brennan, who sells commercial real estate for Talanian Realty. "Rents are stable. It's not as bad as it was in the late 1980s. In 1989, there were 49 empty stores on the street, and another 20 wanted out."
Today, the outlook is gloomy, but not THAT gloomy.
"We have a lot more stores who want to come in," said Brennan. "Things can't be too bad," added Brennan, who has been on Newbury Street for 25 years. "It's becoming more of the place to be, and some stores are doing well."
Bliss, Lily Bridal and L'Elite Bridal are moving to bigger and, in some cases, more rent-friendly spaces. American Apparel is taking on another store. A new tanning salon is looking for a space. And the gap at the Gap? "Right now we're working with various tenants to get it leased up," said Sam Hawkey of Dartmouth Co. "Newbury Street will be fine. There are plenty of people interested in Newbury Street."
Even Louis of Boston, which had said it was thinking of not renewing its lease in 2010, is rumored to be staying put.
Newbury Street has always cycled through businesses, and it will continue to see lots of activity, say local businesspeople.
"There's going to be more vacancies," said Michele Messino, membership director for the Newbury Street League. "There's a long list of people who want to come to Newbury Street, too."
And as they traded business cards and survival tips at 29 Newbury St. during a recent Newbury Street League networking meeting, veteran businesses were happy to toast several newcomers, too.
Nespresso Boutique nestled into the former Domain at 7 Newbury St. in December. "We've had a really positive reception," said Nespresso boutique manager Julie Carver, whose store sell 45 types of espresso machines and gourmet coffee. The boutique is the first Boston store for the New York City- based store.
Ed Hardy moved to 328 Newbury St. two months ago, and while business is slow, the chain is still looking to add another 10 stores along the East Coast.
"It was a really, really good experience opening the store," said store manager Teudy Gonzalez, who added the Boston store opened with live mannequins in the windows and also break dancers. "Christmas was pretty good. Traffic is picking up now that people know it's open. We're not doing bad at all. It will be a while for us to reach great sales."
Longtime Runway stylists Charles Erik Howard and Bill Daskowski didn't let the economy stop them from taking over their 11 Newbury Street salon when the owner decided to sell. "It fell together very quickly," said Howard.
The new Will Charles Salon is still on the third floor, and they have kept most of their clients, but they feel like the new kids on the block anyway as they start building the brand and getting a website up.
They believe their positive attitude will keep customers coming in. "Our motto is 'Beauty starts from the inside out,'" said Howard, who's been styling hair for five years. "We're a couple of people who really care. Our staff is really friendly. We don't want you to feel like the new person in the cafeteria and you're getting the once-over."
"There has been a change but I think people are getting rid of shorter term vacations, but keeping more affordable luxuries such as getting their hair done," said Howard. "Even a new outfit, you only wear a couple of times."
Said his business partner, 10-year stylist Daskowski, "There's a value in a precision haircut and color. If they try to do it themselves, it costs them more money in the long run."
Dr. Yanni Glavas had longed wanted a Newbury Street address. "I called Tom Brennan two years ago looking for a space here," said Dr. Glavas, who is active with the NSL in order to increase his business base. "I was waiting for the right spot," he said, found one at 79 Newbury St., and moved his Mass. Eye Plastic Surgery a few months ago from Cambridge to Newbury Street. Despite a slow summer, he's seen an increase in his customer base. "My business is actually growing, despite the economy. I've seen a few clients who had been laid off, and they're saying, 'Now that I don't have a job, I have time for procedures.'"
That's what Mike Morris of Fitness Together has been hearing, too. Fortunately for him, he sees more clients who now have time to work out. While he sees a few less clients because of the downturn, he said, "I've seen clients who are laid off come in more regularly, to discuss their goals and their program." Morris reports business is steady, but he also watches the street. "The downturn doesn't seem to affect the younger demographic, probably because they have less responsibilities," he said.
SkinHealth President Cheryl Clarkson also reports her business is level.
"Our loyal clients are still coming in, so far so good," said Clarkson, who has been on Newbury Street for 10 years. "It's the loyalty factor."
Back Bay Sun
Like everywhere in America, Newbury Street is not immune to the downturn in the economy.
There are darkened storefronts. Stil's Newbury presence went still, the Gap has left a gap, and Tess and Carlos is going to concentrate on its other stores.
"There are more than 20 vacancies, when you walk up and down the street, but so far, it's not as bad as it was in the late 1980s," said Newbury Street League (NSL) Vice President Tom Brennan, who sells commercial real estate for Talanian Realty. "Rents are stable. It's not as bad as it was in the late 1980s. In 1989, there were 49 empty stores on the street, and another 20 wanted out."
Today, the outlook is gloomy, but not THAT gloomy.
"We have a lot more stores who want to come in," said Brennan. "Things can't be too bad," added Brennan, who has been on Newbury Street for 25 years. "It's becoming more of the place to be, and some stores are doing well."
Bliss, Lily Bridal and L'Elite Bridal are moving to bigger and, in some cases, more rent-friendly spaces. American Apparel is taking on another store. A new tanning salon is looking for a space. And the gap at the Gap? "Right now we're working with various tenants to get it leased up," said Sam Hawkey of Dartmouth Co. "Newbury Street will be fine. There are plenty of people interested in Newbury Street."
Even Louis of Boston, which had said it was thinking of not renewing its lease in 2010, is rumored to be staying put.
Newbury Street has always cycled through businesses, and it will continue to see lots of activity, say local businesspeople.
"There's going to be more vacancies," said Michele Messino, membership director for the Newbury Street League. "There's a long list of people who want to come to Newbury Street, too."
And as they traded business cards and survival tips at 29 Newbury St. during a recent Newbury Street League networking meeting, veteran businesses were happy to toast several newcomers, too.
Nespresso Boutique nestled into the former Domain at 7 Newbury St. in December. "We've had a really positive reception," said Nespresso boutique manager Julie Carver, whose store sell 45 types of espresso machines and gourmet coffee. The boutique is the first Boston store for the New York City- based store.
Ed Hardy moved to 328 Newbury St. two months ago, and while business is slow, the chain is still looking to add another 10 stores along the East Coast.
"It was a really, really good experience opening the store," said store manager Teudy Gonzalez, who added the Boston store opened with live mannequins in the windows and also break dancers. "Christmas was pretty good. Traffic is picking up now that people know it's open. We're not doing bad at all. It will be a while for us to reach great sales."
Longtime Runway stylists Charles Erik Howard and Bill Daskowski didn't let the economy stop them from taking over their 11 Newbury Street salon when the owner decided to sell. "It fell together very quickly," said Howard.
The new Will Charles Salon is still on the third floor, and they have kept most of their clients, but they feel like the new kids on the block anyway as they start building the brand and getting a website up.
They believe their positive attitude will keep customers coming in. "Our motto is 'Beauty starts from the inside out,'" said Howard, who's been styling hair for five years. "We're a couple of people who really care. Our staff is really friendly. We don't want you to feel like the new person in the cafeteria and you're getting the once-over."
"There has been a change but I think people are getting rid of shorter term vacations, but keeping more affordable luxuries such as getting their hair done," said Howard. "Even a new outfit, you only wear a couple of times."
Said his business partner, 10-year stylist Daskowski, "There's a value in a precision haircut and color. If they try to do it themselves, it costs them more money in the long run."
Dr. Yanni Glavas had longed wanted a Newbury Street address. "I called Tom Brennan two years ago looking for a space here," said Dr. Glavas, who is active with the NSL in order to increase his business base. "I was waiting for the right spot," he said, found one at 79 Newbury St., and moved his Mass. Eye Plastic Surgery a few months ago from Cambridge to Newbury Street. Despite a slow summer, he's seen an increase in his customer base. "My business is actually growing, despite the economy. I've seen a few clients who had been laid off, and they're saying, 'Now that I don't have a job, I have time for procedures.'"
That's what Mike Morris of Fitness Together has been hearing, too. Fortunately for him, he sees more clients who now have time to work out. While he sees a few less clients because of the downturn, he said, "I've seen clients who are laid off come in more regularly, to discuss their goals and their program." Morris reports business is steady, but he also watches the street. "The downturn doesn't seem to affect the younger demographic, probably because they have less responsibilities," he said.
SkinHealth President Cheryl Clarkson also reports her business is level.
"Our loyal clients are still coming in, so far so good," said Clarkson, who has been on Newbury Street for 10 years. "It's the loyalty factor."
I do, I won't: Helpful tips for dining at home
Blackstone's co-owners Jennifer Hill and Mark Duffield.
by Sandra Miller
In the winter months, more people nest in. With this economy, they also may want to nest more of their dollars by entertaining at home.
“As we have learned, our customers like to entertain,” said Blackstone’s of Beacon Hill co-owner Jennifer Hill. Now, more than ever, and especially during the winter months, Hill has responded to what she’s hearing and is buying more products geared toward socializing more with their family or friends through cozy parties and intimate gatherings.
Here’s a few do’s and don’ts for ramping up as a host and party attendee:
Don’t: turn every weekend into a video and takeout weekend.
Do: talk to some friends and encourage more social gatherings.
Don’t: spend so much money on entertaining at home by buying enough expensive food that rivals eating out.
Do: flip through the cookbook.
Don’t: turn on the oven until you’ve taken the shoes and Christmas decorations out of your kitchen “storage closet,” i.e., the oven.
Do: encourage regular potluck parties. Don’t want to wash dishes? That’s what paper products are for – Blackstone’s carries a nice line of paper dishes and napkins.
Do: also consider a cocktail party alternative. You focus on making interesting cocktails, your friends bring fun hors d’oeuvres. Blackstone’s happens to have “The Essential Cocktail” book for ideas.
Don’t: forget those who’d like a non-alcoholic alternative, like good coffee and fine tea, flavored seltzer water and juices. Blackstone’s carries local brands, including Concord’s Tea Forté.
Don’t: be the guest who brings the chips and salsa.
Do: check out the interesting pre-made snacks at DeLucas, Savenors, and Whole Foods.
Don’t: bring cheddar cheese.
Do: bring a cheese you can’t pronounce. Don’t forget the crackers.
Don’t: forget about great condiments, like gourmet sauces, dips, and mustards. Blackstone’s recently added New England Cranberry’s Cranberry Chutney, Cranberry Pepper Jelly and Colonial Cranberry Sauce, and a customer favorite is Robert Rothschild Gourmet Foods Raspberry Honey Mustard Pretzel Dip. “It goes great with everything, including pretzels,” said Blackstone’s Mark Duffield.
Do: consider a dessert party instead. Try a Potluck Dessert Night. Jennifer Hill loves The Brass Sisters’ cookbook, “Heirloom Baking,” which made Food & Wine’s Annual 2007 Cookbook’s Best of the Best top 25 cookbook list. And hey, The Brass Sisters will be appearing at Blackstone’s next month, to sign copies of their book.
Don’t: flip on the TV.
Do: Turn on the radio or stereo, and get out the deck of cards, Monopoly, and other board games. Remember Pictionary? How about Scrabble? Blackstone’s just got in a very portable game for guests to bring to parties, Bananagrams, an anagram game that fits nicely in a purse. It’s great for entertaining kids, too.
Don’t: be a bad guest. Never arrive empty-handed.
Do: bring an interesting bottle of wine – Beacon Hill Wine and Spirits can recommend a nice bottle. For fun, bring it in a nice wine tote.
Do: also consider bringing chocolates. Blackstones carries a nice variety of local treats; Beacon Hill Chocolates has some nice ideas, too.
Do: consider a host/hostess gift, even when it’s not their birthday. Try bringing an interesting book, or make their job easier with paper napkins, candles and fun matches, said Hill. “Functional entertaining pieces such as trays, glassware, coasters or hand towels, to wine accessories, are perfect to give to those who already like to entertain. Who says you ever have enough entertaining pieces?”
by Sandra Miller
In the winter months, more people nest in. With this economy, they also may want to nest more of their dollars by entertaining at home.
“As we have learned, our customers like to entertain,” said Blackstone’s of Beacon Hill co-owner Jennifer Hill. Now, more than ever, and especially during the winter months, Hill has responded to what she’s hearing and is buying more products geared toward socializing more with their family or friends through cozy parties and intimate gatherings.
Here’s a few do’s and don’ts for ramping up as a host and party attendee:
Don’t: turn every weekend into a video and takeout weekend.
Do: talk to some friends and encourage more social gatherings.
Don’t: spend so much money on entertaining at home by buying enough expensive food that rivals eating out.
Do: flip through the cookbook.
Don’t: turn on the oven until you’ve taken the shoes and Christmas decorations out of your kitchen “storage closet,” i.e., the oven.
Do: encourage regular potluck parties. Don’t want to wash dishes? That’s what paper products are for – Blackstone’s carries a nice line of paper dishes and napkins.
Do: also consider a cocktail party alternative. You focus on making interesting cocktails, your friends bring fun hors d’oeuvres. Blackstone’s happens to have “The Essential Cocktail” book for ideas.
Don’t: forget those who’d like a non-alcoholic alternative, like good coffee and fine tea, flavored seltzer water and juices. Blackstone’s carries local brands, including Concord’s Tea Forté.
Don’t: be the guest who brings the chips and salsa.
Do: check out the interesting pre-made snacks at DeLucas, Savenors, and Whole Foods.
Don’t: bring cheddar cheese.
Do: bring a cheese you can’t pronounce. Don’t forget the crackers.
Don’t: forget about great condiments, like gourmet sauces, dips, and mustards. Blackstone’s recently added New England Cranberry’s Cranberry Chutney, Cranberry Pepper Jelly and Colonial Cranberry Sauce, and a customer favorite is Robert Rothschild Gourmet Foods Raspberry Honey Mustard Pretzel Dip. “It goes great with everything, including pretzels,” said Blackstone’s Mark Duffield.
Do: consider a dessert party instead. Try a Potluck Dessert Night. Jennifer Hill loves The Brass Sisters’ cookbook, “Heirloom Baking,” which made Food & Wine’s Annual 2007 Cookbook’s Best of the Best top 25 cookbook list. And hey, The Brass Sisters will be appearing at Blackstone’s next month, to sign copies of their book.
Don’t: flip on the TV.
Do: Turn on the radio or stereo, and get out the deck of cards, Monopoly, and other board games. Remember Pictionary? How about Scrabble? Blackstone’s just got in a very portable game for guests to bring to parties, Bananagrams, an anagram game that fits nicely in a purse. It’s great for entertaining kids, too.
Don’t: be a bad guest. Never arrive empty-handed.
Do: bring an interesting bottle of wine – Beacon Hill Wine and Spirits can recommend a nice bottle. For fun, bring it in a nice wine tote.
Do: also consider bringing chocolates. Blackstones carries a nice variety of local treats; Beacon Hill Chocolates has some nice ideas, too.
Do: consider a host/hostess gift, even when it’s not their birthday. Try bringing an interesting book, or make their job easier with paper napkins, candles and fun matches, said Hill. “Functional entertaining pieces such as trays, glassware, coasters or hand towels, to wine accessories, are perfect to give to those who already like to entertain. Who says you ever have enough entertaining pieces?”
A staple of the menu: Ristorante Toscano, recipe for Tutto Peppe
by Sandra Miller
Beacon Hill Times
They say everyone has a second career in them. When John Hancock chief executive David D’Alessandro sold the business to a Canadian insurer, he decided to make a change and bought Ristorante Toscano on Charles Street, down the street from an apartment he keeps. D’Alessandro had been going there for years, and when he found out that the owner, Vinicio Paoli, was moving back to Italy with his family, he bought it. He runs it with his son, Andrew, a Boston College graduate who trained at the Cambridge Culinary Arts School, and recruited Richard Cacciagrani from the Palm over at the Westin. But D’Alessandro is hands-off for the most part, and the operation is run team-style by Andrew and Cacciagrani, along with longtime restaurant manager Rick Hayes.
They opened Toscano’s in January 2007, and then closed it that summer for a few months of renovations. The results were stunning, a cozy effect achieved with artist Ulla Darni’s gorgeous light fixtures, a striking wall of wine, a glassed-in 1,200-bottle wall, flooring that alternates between 85-year-old walnut flooring from New Hampshire and slate-looking porcelain floors, and heavy dining room doors carved with the restaurant’s fleur-de-lis design and also ironwork from a Sante Fe designer. There are several pockets that create intimate dining atmosphere, with comfy leather seats, including the downstairs’ 12-seat roundtable Grotto, a 25-seat dining room behind closed doors, and a bar that is expanded into a “café” (you can’t come in for a beer or wine unless you order food, so technically there’s no bar, according to licensing rules).
“We gutted everything,” said Andrew D’Alessandro, who lives on Boylston Street. And they dropped the “Ristorante” from the name.
Along with the locals, you can spot politicos and developers, the occasional celebrity who appreciates the low lighting and intimate corners. Despite the economic downturn, the owners say they haven’t experienced any real loss in business, from a few business dinners each week to regulars coming in two or three times a week.
“We have a real customer base,” said Cacciagrani, who used to work at Rebecca’s down the street. “Local business is our main focus. They’ve been very supportive of our restaurant. We’re lucky to receive support from Beacon Hill. In the North End, so many restaurants rely on tourism. We rely on the neighborhood’s support. The best time to see what our restaurant is about is during a snowstorm, when everyone comes in and is talking to each other and having a good time.”
As a result, they aren’t changing their menu with prix fixe discounts or 2 for 1 coupons, but they do offer a range of price points to appeal to a variety of budgets. Their quartino wine flasks carry a quarter of a liter of wine, or about two glasses, for the price of a glass elsewhere.
In fact, the classic Tuscan dishes haven’t changed much in 25 years, which please the regulars just fine. Among the favorites that fly out of the kitchen are the Rigatoni Toscano, a creamy and smoky pasta dish with bacon and herbs, the handmade gnocchi, and the pappa al pomodoro Tuscan soup. They bake their focaccia and Tuscan loaves daily, and make their own sausage, such as last week’s wild boar sausage special.
The chefs have been here more than a decade, and trained with the former Tuscan owner. Many are from Central America and Cambodia. There are no Italians in the kitchen, but, said Cacciagrani, “We have some of the best seasoned Tuscan chefs in the United States.” A few of the chefs trained under Paoli and have been at Toscano’s for 15 or so years.
The kitchen doesn’t have a flashy chef in Samuel Gomez, who moved from Colombia when he was 17 and discovered he liked cooking. Gomez is a cheerful but industrious, no-nonsense chef who just wants to create the same good food that his customers enjoy. “At home, I like to cook short ribs, stuff like that,” said Gomez, of Bremen Street in East Boston, husband of Deana and father of Shaun, 9, and Wendy, 10. “I like to make things that are very simple and easy to do. I don’t like Colombian food.” You can also spot him working a butcher’s shift at Whole Foods on Cambridge Street.
The restaurant owners don’t plan to open a chain. “It’s a nice life here,” said Cacciagrani. “We compare ourselves to Hamersley’s [Bistro], a single restaurant that’s a part of the community. We don’t want to lose that personal touch.”
Gail Weber of Winchester shared two salads, the chicken Milanese and rigatoni Toscano and a few desserts with her cousin, Linda (Battistini) Poulin last Friday. “I think it’s wonderful here,” said Weber. “It’s a restaurant that’s part of the neighborhood. Weber has been coming here since it opened and she began working in the Back Bay. She started eating here in good weather, and soon trekked over for lunch or dinner even in the winter. She knows a lot of the regulars and the new owners, and even visited the former owner when she was in Florence. “It’s priced for all people’s tastes and needs. It’s a younger feel, with no pretentiousness. The food isn’t oversauced, it’s clean food,” she said.
Tutto Peppe
(Serves Two)
This is a simple and quick recipe, using only a few simple ingredients to create a fully flavored and yummy dish. The meat melts in your mouth, it’s so tender and juicy.
Ingredients
1 T. extra virgin olive oil (they use Manini brand)
(2) 10 oz. beef tenderloin (They use Brandt Black Angus, which is all natural)
1 T. black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
¼ cup brandy (cheap is fine)
1 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt
Preparation
1. Heat In a medium sauté pan, heat oil on high heat.
2. Take filets out of refrigerator and press peppercorns into one side of both filets.
3. Sear the steaks peppercorn side down for 4-5 minutes – do not move them at all.
4. Flip the steaks over and cook for another 4-5 minutes or until steaks are medium rare. If you use a digital thermometer, take the steaks off a few digits shy of the 137 degrees required for medium-rare status – the steaks will cook on their own a little.
5. Add brandy – when you put it back on the heat, it should flambé, or catch fire, so prepare your stove area accordingly!
6. When the fire is gone, add heavy cream and a pinch of kosher salt. Reduce the cream and brandy sauce until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon – if necessary, take the meat out of the pan so you don’t overcook.
7. Remove the steaks and plate them on a dish. Pour brandy cream sauce over steaks, garnish with fresh parsley, let it rest a few minutes so the juices will rest in the steaks.
This can be served with potatoes. Gomez made his with red bliss potatoes, halved and tossed with pepper, salt and rosemary in olive oil, roasted in a 450 degree oven for 35 minutes.
The chef recommends a side of spinach or broccoli rabe, sautéed in garlic and olive oil until wilted.
Bartender Giacomo Romoli, a native of Florence, Italy, recommended a glass of Rosso Di Montalcino, which he said has enough “acidity to cut through the cream sauce, but won’t overpower the steak.”
Beacon Hill Times
They say everyone has a second career in them. When John Hancock chief executive David D’Alessandro sold the business to a Canadian insurer, he decided to make a change and bought Ristorante Toscano on Charles Street, down the street from an apartment he keeps. D’Alessandro had been going there for years, and when he found out that the owner, Vinicio Paoli, was moving back to Italy with his family, he bought it. He runs it with his son, Andrew, a Boston College graduate who trained at the Cambridge Culinary Arts School, and recruited Richard Cacciagrani from the Palm over at the Westin. But D’Alessandro is hands-off for the most part, and the operation is run team-style by Andrew and Cacciagrani, along with longtime restaurant manager Rick Hayes.
They opened Toscano’s in January 2007, and then closed it that summer for a few months of renovations. The results were stunning, a cozy effect achieved with artist Ulla Darni’s gorgeous light fixtures, a striking wall of wine, a glassed-in 1,200-bottle wall, flooring that alternates between 85-year-old walnut flooring from New Hampshire and slate-looking porcelain floors, and heavy dining room doors carved with the restaurant’s fleur-de-lis design and also ironwork from a Sante Fe designer. There are several pockets that create intimate dining atmosphere, with comfy leather seats, including the downstairs’ 12-seat roundtable Grotto, a 25-seat dining room behind closed doors, and a bar that is expanded into a “café” (you can’t come in for a beer or wine unless you order food, so technically there’s no bar, according to licensing rules).
“We gutted everything,” said Andrew D’Alessandro, who lives on Boylston Street. And they dropped the “Ristorante” from the name.
Along with the locals, you can spot politicos and developers, the occasional celebrity who appreciates the low lighting and intimate corners. Despite the economic downturn, the owners say they haven’t experienced any real loss in business, from a few business dinners each week to regulars coming in two or three times a week.
“We have a real customer base,” said Cacciagrani, who used to work at Rebecca’s down the street. “Local business is our main focus. They’ve been very supportive of our restaurant. We’re lucky to receive support from Beacon Hill. In the North End, so many restaurants rely on tourism. We rely on the neighborhood’s support. The best time to see what our restaurant is about is during a snowstorm, when everyone comes in and is talking to each other and having a good time.”
As a result, they aren’t changing their menu with prix fixe discounts or 2 for 1 coupons, but they do offer a range of price points to appeal to a variety of budgets. Their quartino wine flasks carry a quarter of a liter of wine, or about two glasses, for the price of a glass elsewhere.
In fact, the classic Tuscan dishes haven’t changed much in 25 years, which please the regulars just fine. Among the favorites that fly out of the kitchen are the Rigatoni Toscano, a creamy and smoky pasta dish with bacon and herbs, the handmade gnocchi, and the pappa al pomodoro Tuscan soup. They bake their focaccia and Tuscan loaves daily, and make their own sausage, such as last week’s wild boar sausage special.
The chefs have been here more than a decade, and trained with the former Tuscan owner. Many are from Central America and Cambodia. There are no Italians in the kitchen, but, said Cacciagrani, “We have some of the best seasoned Tuscan chefs in the United States.” A few of the chefs trained under Paoli and have been at Toscano’s for 15 or so years.
The kitchen doesn’t have a flashy chef in Samuel Gomez, who moved from Colombia when he was 17 and discovered he liked cooking. Gomez is a cheerful but industrious, no-nonsense chef who just wants to create the same good food that his customers enjoy. “At home, I like to cook short ribs, stuff like that,” said Gomez, of Bremen Street in East Boston, husband of Deana and father of Shaun, 9, and Wendy, 10. “I like to make things that are very simple and easy to do. I don’t like Colombian food.” You can also spot him working a butcher’s shift at Whole Foods on Cambridge Street.
The restaurant owners don’t plan to open a chain. “It’s a nice life here,” said Cacciagrani. “We compare ourselves to Hamersley’s [Bistro], a single restaurant that’s a part of the community. We don’t want to lose that personal touch.”
Gail Weber of Winchester shared two salads, the chicken Milanese and rigatoni Toscano and a few desserts with her cousin, Linda (Battistini) Poulin last Friday. “I think it’s wonderful here,” said Weber. “It’s a restaurant that’s part of the neighborhood. Weber has been coming here since it opened and she began working in the Back Bay. She started eating here in good weather, and soon trekked over for lunch or dinner even in the winter. She knows a lot of the regulars and the new owners, and even visited the former owner when she was in Florence. “It’s priced for all people’s tastes and needs. It’s a younger feel, with no pretentiousness. The food isn’t oversauced, it’s clean food,” she said.
Tutto Peppe
(Serves Two)
This is a simple and quick recipe, using only a few simple ingredients to create a fully flavored and yummy dish. The meat melts in your mouth, it’s so tender and juicy.
Ingredients
1 T. extra virgin olive oil (they use Manini brand)
(2) 10 oz. beef tenderloin (They use Brandt Black Angus, which is all natural)
1 T. black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
¼ cup brandy (cheap is fine)
1 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt
Preparation
1. Heat In a medium sauté pan, heat oil on high heat.
2. Take filets out of refrigerator and press peppercorns into one side of both filets.
3. Sear the steaks peppercorn side down for 4-5 minutes – do not move them at all.
4. Flip the steaks over and cook for another 4-5 minutes or until steaks are medium rare. If you use a digital thermometer, take the steaks off a few digits shy of the 137 degrees required for medium-rare status – the steaks will cook on their own a little.
5. Add brandy – when you put it back on the heat, it should flambé, or catch fire, so prepare your stove area accordingly!
6. When the fire is gone, add heavy cream and a pinch of kosher salt. Reduce the cream and brandy sauce until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon – if necessary, take the meat out of the pan so you don’t overcook.
7. Remove the steaks and plate them on a dish. Pour brandy cream sauce over steaks, garnish with fresh parsley, let it rest a few minutes so the juices will rest in the steaks.
This can be served with potatoes. Gomez made his with red bliss potatoes, halved and tossed with pepper, salt and rosemary in olive oil, roasted in a 450 degree oven for 35 minutes.
The chef recommends a side of spinach or broccoli rabe, sautéed in garlic and olive oil until wilted.
Bartender Giacomo Romoli, a native of Florence, Italy, recommended a glass of Rosso Di Montalcino, which he said has enough “acidity to cut through the cream sauce, but won’t overpower the steak.”
Saturday, January 24, 2009
A staple of the menu: Ristorante Toscano, recipe for Tutto Peppe
by Sandra Miller
Beacon Hill Times
They say everyone has a second career in them. When John Hancock chief executive David D’Alessandro sold the business to a Canadian insurer, he decided to make a change and bought Ristorante Toscano on Charles Street, down the street from an apartment he keeps. D’Alessandro had been going there for years, and when he found out that the owner, Vinicio Paoli, was moving back to Italy with his family, he bought it. He runs it with his son, Andrew, a Boston College graduate who trained at the Cambridge Culinary Arts School, and recruited Richard Cacciagrani from the Palm over at the Westin. But D’Alessandro is hands-off for the most part, and the operation is run team-style by Andrew and Cacciagrani, along with longtime restaurant manager Rick Hayes.
They opened Toscano’s in January 2007, and then closed it that summer for a few months of renovations. The results were stunning, a cozy effect achieved with artist Ulla Darni’s gorgeous light fixtures, a striking wall of wine, a glassed-in 1,200-bottle wall, flooring that alternates between 85-year-old walnut flooring from New Hampshire and slate-looking porcelain floors, and heavy dining room doors carved with the restaurant’s fleur-de-lis design and also ironwork from a Sante Fe designer. There are several pockets that create intimate dining atmosphere, with comfy leather seats, including the downstairs’ 12-seat roundtable Grotto, a 25-seat dining room behind closed doors, and a bar that is expanded into a “café” (you can’t come in for a beer or wine unless you order food, so technically there’s no bar, according to licensing rules).
“We gutted everything,” said Andrew D’Alessandro, who lives on Boylston Street. And they dropped the “Ristorante” from the name.
Along with the locals, you can spot politicos and developers, the occasional celebrity who appreciates the low lighting and intimate corners. Despite the economic downturn, the owners say they haven’t experienced any real loss in business, from a few business dinners each week to regulars coming in two or three times a week.
“We have a real customer base,” said Cacciagrani, who used to work at Rebecca’s down the street. “Local business is our main focus. They’ve been very supportive of our restaurant. We’re lucky to receive support from Beacon Hill. In the North End, so many restaurants rely on tourism. We rely on the neighborhood’s support. The best time to see what our restaurant is about is during a snowstorm, when everyone comes in and is talking to each other and having a good time.”
As a result, they aren’t changing their menu with prix fixe discounts or 2 for 1 coupons, but they do offer a range of price points to appeal to a variety of budgets. Their quartino wine flasks carry a quarter of a liter of wine, or about two glasses, for the price of a glass elsewhere.
In fact, the classic Tuscan dishes haven’t changed much in 25 years, which please the regulars just fine. Among the favorites that fly out of the kitchen are the Rigatoni Toscano, a creamy and smoky pasta dish with bacon and herbs, the handmade gnocchi, and the pappa al pomodoro Tuscan soup. They bake their focaccia and Tuscan loaves daily, and make their own sausage, such as last week’s wild boar sausage special.
The chefs have been here more than a decade, and trained with the former Tuscan owner. Many are from Central America and Cambodia. There are no Italians in the kitchen, but, said Cacciagrani, “We have some of the best seasoned Tuscan chefs in the United States.” A few of the chefs trained under Paoli and have been at Toscano’s for 15 or so years.
The kitchen doesn’t have a flashy chef in Samuel Gomez, who moved from Colombia when he was 17 and discovered he liked cooking. Gomez is a cheerful but industrious, no-nonsense chef who just wants to create the same good food that his customers enjoy. “At home, I like to cook short ribs, stuff like that,” said Gomez, of Bremen Street in East Boston, husband of Deana and father of Shaun, 9, and Wendy, 10. “I like to make things that are very simple and easy to do. I don’t like Colombian food.” You can also spot him working a butcher’s shift at Whole Foods on Cambridge Street.
The restaurant owners don’t plan to open a chain. “It’s a nice life here,” said Cacciagrani. “We compare ourselves to Hamersley’s [Bistro], a single restaurant that’s a part of the community. We don’t want to lose that personal touch.”
Gail Weber of Winchester shared two salads, the chicken Milanese and rigatoni Toscano and a few desserts with her cousin, Linda (Battistini) Poulin last Friday. “I think it’s wonderful here,” said Weber. “It’s a restaurant that’s part of the neighborhood. Weber has been coming here since it opened and she began working in the Back Bay. She started eating here in good weather, and soon trekked over for lunch or dinner even in the winter. She knows a lot of the regulars and the new owners, and even visited the former owner when she was in Florence. “It’s priced for all people’s tastes and needs. It’s a younger feel, with no pretentiousness. The food isn’t oversauced, it’s clean food,” she said.
Tutto Peppe
(Serves Two)
This is a simple and quick recipe, using only a few simple ingredients to create a fully flavored and yummy dish. The meat melts in your mouth, it’s so tender and juicy.
Ingredients
1 T. extra virgin olive oil (they use Manini brand)
(2) 10 oz. beef tenderloin (They use Brandt Black Angus, which is all natural)
1 T. black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
¼ cup brandy (cheap is fine)
1 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt
Preparation
1. Heat In a medium sauté pan, heat oil on high heat.
2. Take filets out of refrigerator and press peppercorns into one side of both filets.
3. Sear the steaks peppercorn side down for 4-5 minutes – do not move them at all.
4. Flip the steaks over and cook for another 4-5 minutes or until steaks are medium rare. If you use a digital thermometer, take the steaks off a few digits shy of the 137 degrees required for medium-rare status – the steaks will cook on their own a little.
5. Add brandy – when you put it back on the heat, it should flambé, or catch fire, so prepare your stove area accordingly!
6. When the fire is gone, add heavy cream and a pinch of kosher salt. Reduce the cream and brandy sauce until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon – if necessary, take the meat out of the pan so you don’t overcook.
7. Remove the steaks and plate them on a dish. Pour brandy cream sauce over steaks, garnish with fresh parsley, let it rest a few minutes so the juices will rest in the steaks.
This can be served with potatoes. Gomez made his with red bliss potatoes, halved and tossed with pepper, salt and rosemary in olive oil, roasted in a 450 degree oven for 35 minutes.
The chef recommends a side of spinach or broccoli rabe, sautéed in garlic and olive oil until wilted.
Bartender Giacomo Romoli, a native of Florence, Italy, recommended a glass of Rosso Di Montalcino, which he said has enough “acidity to cut through the cream sauce, but won’t overpower the steak.”
Beacon Hill Times
They say everyone has a second career in them. When John Hancock chief executive David D’Alessandro sold the business to a Canadian insurer, he decided to make a change and bought Ristorante Toscano on Charles Street, down the street from an apartment he keeps. D’Alessandro had been going there for years, and when he found out that the owner, Vinicio Paoli, was moving back to Italy with his family, he bought it. He runs it with his son, Andrew, a Boston College graduate who trained at the Cambridge Culinary Arts School, and recruited Richard Cacciagrani from the Palm over at the Westin. But D’Alessandro is hands-off for the most part, and the operation is run team-style by Andrew and Cacciagrani, along with longtime restaurant manager Rick Hayes.
They opened Toscano’s in January 2007, and then closed it that summer for a few months of renovations. The results were stunning, a cozy effect achieved with artist Ulla Darni’s gorgeous light fixtures, a striking wall of wine, a glassed-in 1,200-bottle wall, flooring that alternates between 85-year-old walnut flooring from New Hampshire and slate-looking porcelain floors, and heavy dining room doors carved with the restaurant’s fleur-de-lis design and also ironwork from a Sante Fe designer. There are several pockets that create intimate dining atmosphere, with comfy leather seats, including the downstairs’ 12-seat roundtable Grotto, a 25-seat dining room behind closed doors, and a bar that is expanded into a “café” (you can’t come in for a beer or wine unless you order food, so technically there’s no bar, according to licensing rules).
“We gutted everything,” said Andrew D’Alessandro, who lives on Boylston Street. And they dropped the “Ristorante” from the name.
Along with the locals, you can spot politicos and developers, the occasional celebrity who appreciates the low lighting and intimate corners. Despite the economic downturn, the owners say they haven’t experienced any real loss in business, from a few business dinners each week to regulars coming in two or three times a week.
“We have a real customer base,” said Cacciagrani, who used to work at Rebecca’s down the street. “Local business is our main focus. They’ve been very supportive of our restaurant. We’re lucky to receive support from Beacon Hill. In the North End, so many restaurants rely on tourism. We rely on the neighborhood’s support. The best time to see what our restaurant is about is during a snowstorm, when everyone comes in and is talking to each other and having a good time.”
As a result, they aren’t changing their menu with prix fixe discounts or 2 for 1 coupons, but they do offer a range of price points to appeal to a variety of budgets. Their quartino wine flasks carry a quarter of a liter of wine, or about two glasses, for the price of a glass elsewhere.
In fact, the classic Tuscan dishes haven’t changed much in 25 years, which please the regulars just fine. Among the favorites that fly out of the kitchen are the Rigatoni Toscano, a creamy and smoky pasta dish with bacon and herbs, the handmade gnocchi, and the pappa al pomodoro Tuscan soup. They bake their focaccia and Tuscan loaves daily, and make their own sausage, such as last week’s wild boar sausage special.
The chefs have been here more than a decade, and trained with the former Tuscan owner. Many are from Central America and Cambodia. There are no Italians in the kitchen, but, said Cacciagrani, “We have some of the best seasoned Tuscan chefs in the United States.” A few of the chefs trained under Paoli and have been at Toscano’s for 15 or so years.
The kitchen doesn’t have a flashy chef in Samuel Gomez, who moved from Colombia when he was 17 and discovered he liked cooking. Gomez is a cheerful but industrious, no-nonsense chef who just wants to create the same good food that his customers enjoy. “At home, I like to cook short ribs, stuff like that,” said Gomez, of Bremen Street in East Boston, husband of Deana and father of Shaun, 9, and Wendy, 10. “I like to make things that are very simple and easy to do. I don’t like Colombian food.” You can also spot him working a butcher’s shift at Whole Foods on Cambridge Street.
The restaurant owners don’t plan to open a chain. “It’s a nice life here,” said Cacciagrani. “We compare ourselves to Hamersley’s [Bistro], a single restaurant that’s a part of the community. We don’t want to lose that personal touch.”
Gail Weber of Winchester shared two salads, the chicken Milanese and rigatoni Toscano and a few desserts with her cousin, Linda (Battistini) Poulin last Friday. “I think it’s wonderful here,” said Weber. “It’s a restaurant that’s part of the neighborhood. Weber has been coming here since it opened and she began working in the Back Bay. She started eating here in good weather, and soon trekked over for lunch or dinner even in the winter. She knows a lot of the regulars and the new owners, and even visited the former owner when she was in Florence. “It’s priced for all people’s tastes and needs. It’s a younger feel, with no pretentiousness. The food isn’t oversauced, it’s clean food,” she said.
Tutto Peppe
(Serves Two)
This is a simple and quick recipe, using only a few simple ingredients to create a fully flavored and yummy dish. The meat melts in your mouth, it’s so tender and juicy.
Ingredients
1 T. extra virgin olive oil (they use Manini brand)
(2) 10 oz. beef tenderloin (They use Brandt Black Angus, which is all natural)
1 T. black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
¼ cup brandy (cheap is fine)
1 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt
Preparation
1. Heat In a medium sauté pan, heat oil on high heat.
2. Take filets out of refrigerator and press peppercorns into one side of both filets.
3. Sear the steaks peppercorn side down for 4-5 minutes – do not move them at all.
4. Flip the steaks over and cook for another 4-5 minutes or until steaks are medium rare. If you use a digital thermometer, take the steaks off a few digits shy of the 137 degrees required for medium-rare status – the steaks will cook on their own a little.
5. Add brandy – when you put it back on the heat, it should flambé, or catch fire, so prepare your stove area accordingly!
6. When the fire is gone, add heavy cream and a pinch of kosher salt. Reduce the cream and brandy sauce until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon – if necessary, take the meat out of the pan so you don’t overcook.
7. Remove the steaks and plate them on a dish. Pour brandy cream sauce over steaks, garnish with fresh parsley, let it rest a few minutes so the juices will rest in the steaks.
This can be served with potatoes. Gomez made his with red bliss potatoes, halved and tossed with pepper, salt and rosemary in olive oil, roasted in a 450 degree oven for 35 minutes.
The chef recommends a side of spinach or broccoli rabe, sautéed in garlic and olive oil until wilted.
Bartender Giacomo Romoli, a native of Florence, Italy, recommended a glass of Rosso Di Montalcino, which he said has enough “acidity to cut through the cream sauce, but won’t overpower the steak.”
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Suffolk students take part in inauguration seminar
by Sandra Miller
Beacon Hill Times
Suffolk students are learning firsthand about American politics, especially about how the system works when it comes to getting inauguration tickets.
Matthew Chamberlin, a sophomore American policy major at Suffolk University, was able to score tickets to the inauguration by writing his congressman last fall. He didn't know who the winner would be, although he was hoping for Obama. "I was very lucky," said Chamberlin.
"The environment is absolutely incredible," Chamberlin said over the weekend. "Basically, we're seeing people visiting here who never expressed any interest in politics … It's a generally good feeling in the area."
He's one of 90 Suffolk University students and five faculty leaders who traveled to Washington last week for a 12-day presidential inauguration seminar entitled "Media and the Presidency".
"The seminar offers Suffolk students a rare opportunity to experience the historic transition of power from one administration and party to another and the key role the media play in shaping and describing the inaugural process," said Assistant Professor of Government Brian Conley. "The small-group discussions, guest lectures and site visits will give students a hands-on introduction to official Washington, the inauguration and the operations of the fourth estate."
Additional faculty leaders who are leading the daily small-group sessions are professors Teri Fair and Roberto Dominguez, Meri Power and Erin Cheuvront.
The class, offered in conjunction with The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, focuses on the 2008 presidential election, the media's impact on the election process and the transition to a new administration, as part of its requirements for a course offered by the Government Department. They were among many Suffolk students who were able to travel to D.C. to witness history firsthand.
“This city has been energized since we got here on the 10th,” said Conley, one of the faculty leaders for the seminar. “Even then, we could sense people were quite excited, and each day it gets recognizably more intense. Just the scope of it, like at the mall - you look at the infrastructure put in place and it’s just breathtaking.”
Five million are predicted to flood D.C., a crush that will shut down many Metro stations, halt pedestrian travel on many bridges, ban auto traffic throughout the city, and otherwise make travel difficult, said Conley. He wasn't sure over the weekend how he'd try to negotiate the crush, but was discussing it with his students to make sure they'd have the best opportunity to view the historic event. He warned students holding tickets to the inauguration that there was a predicted 10-hour line, which meant standing in line overnight, in freezing temperatures, without benefit of the not-allowed camping gear. Most of the students don't live far, but they're not that close, either, staying in nearby Virginia and Maryland.
Some of the students may pay the $175 to $300 to go to one of the dozens of inaugural balls – that is, if they can gather up some Black Tie or formalwear. One student won a ticket, but was disheartened by a $180 tux rental. A handful of students also secured tickets to the actual inauguration back in the fall, when it wasn’t clear who would be sworn in. But those students are facing a 10-hour wait that would have started overnight, in the freezing cold, just to go through security. “Having a ticket means having to be there at 7 a.m. and an overnight wait,” said Professor Brian Conley, who requested but didn’t get a ticket. “You can’t bring any kind of camping gear. It was 2 degrees recently.”
The sheer logistics also worried the group. “Imagine two-plus million people are showing up at the Boston Common,” said Conley. “Imagine what the subways will look like.”
Most of the students are staying in Bethesda, Md., while the faculty is in Arlington, Va., all within Metro access of D.C. There’s a lot of walking ahead of them today - that is, if they can move at all.
Only Lyndon Johnson received such high attendance figures, and that was about a half-million, said Conley. “In the local news they said this will be the biggest event in the history of Washington DC. They don’t really know how many are coming. The feeling of this is intense. The scale is intense. They plan to close off areas to foot traffic. They’re going to shut down the entire Washington Downtown area – no cars, just police vehicles. I just asked a cab driver what he planned to do, and he said, ‘I have absolutely no idea.’ I plan to concentrate on Lincoln Memorial. Traveling with 90 students is challenging, because the logistics are heightened. There are some coordination issues, but students are highly motivated.”
Chamberlin scored tickets to the inauguration, but he knows he’s facing long lines. "I guess my strategy is to leave my apartment very early, at 5-6 a.m., and be prepared to walk," said Chamberlin, who has a few friends who decided at the last minute to come down, only to face $700 plane and train tickets, one-way, and hotels far from D.C. with jacked-up prices. When the student group first arrived, the excitement was only beginning. "I went out [Saturday]. There are police everywhere, streets are blocked off, it's already hard to move around. People are generally happy. It's been truly incredible this weekend talking to Republicans who believe in Obama and finding common ground with Obama."
Chamberlin voted for Obama, and is a self-described "political junkie" who has been following politics since sixth grade. "I watched both Bush inaugurations," he said, so he’s intent on witnessing history.
"It's definitely gone through my head about being a little concerned with these large crowds, but 50 years from now I can tell my kids I was at the Obama inauguration," said Chamberlin. "It's the opportunity of a lifetime. It's incredible."
That’s the sort of feeling also represented in the Suffolk group – Republican or Democrat, Conservative or Liberal. Everyone has Obama fever.
“We have a whole range of political philosophy in our group, with both parties well represented,” said Conley. “I know a number of the college Republicans who have come who are excited. They aren’t debating his policies at all at this point. They are learning the complex issues and the nuances of the process.”
Together, his students are noticing bipartisan support and the politicians’ willingness to work on the economic crisis together.
"It's crazy out here -- no matter where you go there are hundreds of street vendors selling everything from pens to T-shirts and hats," said Suffolk junior Rachel Sledge, a philosophy major on an "ethics and public policy" track who is also attending the trip. She didn't vote for Obama, so she's not exactly buying Obama pens or bobble heads, but she is excited about everything she's learning in such a short period of time, including listening to congressional leaders tell firsthand what it's like to work in politics. "My academic pursuits are in hope of ending up in Washington," said Sledge. "I want to hear some of the solutions we have to look forward to, in order to regain the title we lost -- as the greatest nation in the world."
Like many of the Republicans she has encountered on her trip, she intends to be "respectful and supportive of my soon-to-be president,” she said. “I think everyone is extremely excited. I am definitively supportive of his hope to bring us back together and close the partisan gap facing Washington and the nation for the past four-six years."
For everyone, it’s the first inauguration they’ve attended in Washington, but Suffolk has been sending classes to D.C., including during inaugurations, since 1984, and has been working with the Washington Center since 1978.
For this seminar, sessions with the students have been broadcast nationally on C-Span last week. Suffolk and other students asked questions of NPR news analyst Juan Williams, Fox News anchor Brett Baier and others who took part in a session at the University of the District of Columbia that addressed President-Elect Barack Obama's presidential transition. On Wednesday, C-Span broadcast a discussion of the Bush presidency and the media, which featured Suffolk students asking questions.
"That was a real thrill," said Chamberlin.
In the past few days, students have also heard from leading government, political and media figures, such as Ambassador Hussain Haqqani of Pakistan and Sam Donaldson of ABC News. Daily small discussion groups with Suffolk University faculty complement site visits to federal agencies, think tanks, and embassies and attendance at a variety of inaugural events. Sledge and Chamberlin were especially impressed by their visit to the Israeli embassy, where they talked with the ambassador. "While we were waiting outside, there were protesters against what Israel is doing in Gaza," said Sledge. "They were very peaceful, and there was a police presence."
Beacon Hill Times
Suffolk students are learning firsthand about American politics, especially about how the system works when it comes to getting inauguration tickets.
Matthew Chamberlin, a sophomore American policy major at Suffolk University, was able to score tickets to the inauguration by writing his congressman last fall. He didn't know who the winner would be, although he was hoping for Obama. "I was very lucky," said Chamberlin.
"The environment is absolutely incredible," Chamberlin said over the weekend. "Basically, we're seeing people visiting here who never expressed any interest in politics … It's a generally good feeling in the area."
He's one of 90 Suffolk University students and five faculty leaders who traveled to Washington last week for a 12-day presidential inauguration seminar entitled "Media and the Presidency".
"The seminar offers Suffolk students a rare opportunity to experience the historic transition of power from one administration and party to another and the key role the media play in shaping and describing the inaugural process," said Assistant Professor of Government Brian Conley. "The small-group discussions, guest lectures and site visits will give students a hands-on introduction to official Washington, the inauguration and the operations of the fourth estate."
Additional faculty leaders who are leading the daily small-group sessions are professors Teri Fair and Roberto Dominguez, Meri Power and Erin Cheuvront.
The class, offered in conjunction with The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, focuses on the 2008 presidential election, the media's impact on the election process and the transition to a new administration, as part of its requirements for a course offered by the Government Department. They were among many Suffolk students who were able to travel to D.C. to witness history firsthand.
“This city has been energized since we got here on the 10th,” said Conley, one of the faculty leaders for the seminar. “Even then, we could sense people were quite excited, and each day it gets recognizably more intense. Just the scope of it, like at the mall - you look at the infrastructure put in place and it’s just breathtaking.”
Five million are predicted to flood D.C., a crush that will shut down many Metro stations, halt pedestrian travel on many bridges, ban auto traffic throughout the city, and otherwise make travel difficult, said Conley. He wasn't sure over the weekend how he'd try to negotiate the crush, but was discussing it with his students to make sure they'd have the best opportunity to view the historic event. He warned students holding tickets to the inauguration that there was a predicted 10-hour line, which meant standing in line overnight, in freezing temperatures, without benefit of the not-allowed camping gear. Most of the students don't live far, but they're not that close, either, staying in nearby Virginia and Maryland.
Some of the students may pay the $175 to $300 to go to one of the dozens of inaugural balls – that is, if they can gather up some Black Tie or formalwear. One student won a ticket, but was disheartened by a $180 tux rental. A handful of students also secured tickets to the actual inauguration back in the fall, when it wasn’t clear who would be sworn in. But those students are facing a 10-hour wait that would have started overnight, in the freezing cold, just to go through security. “Having a ticket means having to be there at 7 a.m. and an overnight wait,” said Professor Brian Conley, who requested but didn’t get a ticket. “You can’t bring any kind of camping gear. It was 2 degrees recently.”
The sheer logistics also worried the group. “Imagine two-plus million people are showing up at the Boston Common,” said Conley. “Imagine what the subways will look like.”
Most of the students are staying in Bethesda, Md., while the faculty is in Arlington, Va., all within Metro access of D.C. There’s a lot of walking ahead of them today - that is, if they can move at all.
Only Lyndon Johnson received such high attendance figures, and that was about a half-million, said Conley. “In the local news they said this will be the biggest event in the history of Washington DC. They don’t really know how many are coming. The feeling of this is intense. The scale is intense. They plan to close off areas to foot traffic. They’re going to shut down the entire Washington Downtown area – no cars, just police vehicles. I just asked a cab driver what he planned to do, and he said, ‘I have absolutely no idea.’ I plan to concentrate on Lincoln Memorial. Traveling with 90 students is challenging, because the logistics are heightened. There are some coordination issues, but students are highly motivated.”
Chamberlin scored tickets to the inauguration, but he knows he’s facing long lines. "I guess my strategy is to leave my apartment very early, at 5-6 a.m., and be prepared to walk," said Chamberlin, who has a few friends who decided at the last minute to come down, only to face $700 plane and train tickets, one-way, and hotels far from D.C. with jacked-up prices. When the student group first arrived, the excitement was only beginning. "I went out [Saturday]. There are police everywhere, streets are blocked off, it's already hard to move around. People are generally happy. It's been truly incredible this weekend talking to Republicans who believe in Obama and finding common ground with Obama."
Chamberlin voted for Obama, and is a self-described "political junkie" who has been following politics since sixth grade. "I watched both Bush inaugurations," he said, so he’s intent on witnessing history.
"It's definitely gone through my head about being a little concerned with these large crowds, but 50 years from now I can tell my kids I was at the Obama inauguration," said Chamberlin. "It's the opportunity of a lifetime. It's incredible."
That’s the sort of feeling also represented in the Suffolk group – Republican or Democrat, Conservative or Liberal. Everyone has Obama fever.
“We have a whole range of political philosophy in our group, with both parties well represented,” said Conley. “I know a number of the college Republicans who have come who are excited. They aren’t debating his policies at all at this point. They are learning the complex issues and the nuances of the process.”
Together, his students are noticing bipartisan support and the politicians’ willingness to work on the economic crisis together.
"It's crazy out here -- no matter where you go there are hundreds of street vendors selling everything from pens to T-shirts and hats," said Suffolk junior Rachel Sledge, a philosophy major on an "ethics and public policy" track who is also attending the trip. She didn't vote for Obama, so she's not exactly buying Obama pens or bobble heads, but she is excited about everything she's learning in such a short period of time, including listening to congressional leaders tell firsthand what it's like to work in politics. "My academic pursuits are in hope of ending up in Washington," said Sledge. "I want to hear some of the solutions we have to look forward to, in order to regain the title we lost -- as the greatest nation in the world."
Like many of the Republicans she has encountered on her trip, she intends to be "respectful and supportive of my soon-to-be president,” she said. “I think everyone is extremely excited. I am definitively supportive of his hope to bring us back together and close the partisan gap facing Washington and the nation for the past four-six years."
For everyone, it’s the first inauguration they’ve attended in Washington, but Suffolk has been sending classes to D.C., including during inaugurations, since 1984, and has been working with the Washington Center since 1978.
For this seminar, sessions with the students have been broadcast nationally on C-Span last week. Suffolk and other students asked questions of NPR news analyst Juan Williams, Fox News anchor Brett Baier and others who took part in a session at the University of the District of Columbia that addressed President-Elect Barack Obama's presidential transition. On Wednesday, C-Span broadcast a discussion of the Bush presidency and the media, which featured Suffolk students asking questions.
"That was a real thrill," said Chamberlin.
In the past few days, students have also heard from leading government, political and media figures, such as Ambassador Hussain Haqqani of Pakistan and Sam Donaldson of ABC News. Daily small discussion groups with Suffolk University faculty complement site visits to federal agencies, think tanks, and embassies and attendance at a variety of inaugural events. Sledge and Chamberlin were especially impressed by their visit to the Israeli embassy, where they talked with the ambassador. "While we were waiting outside, there were protesters against what Israel is doing in Gaza," said Sledge. "They were very peaceful, and there was a police presence."
McIntyre is reborn as Sammy Davis Jr.
by Sandra Miller
Beacon Hill Times
Sammy Davis Jr. is alive and well in the Beacon House, where The Showman entertains residents and Back Bay Station commuters.
The Showman is actually Eric McIntyre, who not only lives there, but organizes talent shows for appreciative residents. There’s only one Showman on the Hill – he’s the one who wears spats and a three-piece suit, his hair neatly tied in a ponytail under a showman’s hat.
At 66, McIntyre is thankful for the opportunity to make people smile. One of 10 kids in New York, he left his crowded home at 16 to hitchhike around the country and pick up odd jobs. “I’ve lived in over 50 cities,” he said. “I’ve been a longshoreman, a stevedore, done construction…I did everything from dishwashing to warehouses, to a shoe factory. Whatever they threw at me, I did it.” More recently he was doing security for Verizon here, until he was laid off three years ago. He has a son who is 38, and family around the country.
He always liked to tell people funny stories about things that happened to him, like the time he was slapped by a monkey when he was a kid. But he was in his 40s when he discovered he was funny, and worked for years as a standup comedian around town and in New York, as “Rick the Flip”. He performed at Catch A Rising Star, the Famous Blue Note, Boston Comedy Club in Greenwich Village, the Cantab, and others, and shared the stage with Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes and George Benson.
But for years, people kept telling McIntyre that he looked like Sammy Davis Jr., so when he was 58, he gave in and learned how to imitate the star. “I was sort of forced into doing it,” said McIntyre. “I was doing construction, and everywhere I went they said I looked like Sammy Davis Jr. I didn¹t even know if I could sing.”
To his surprise, he found he could. He started studying Sammy Davis Jr.’s voice, and soon he not only looked like him, he sounded just like him. “I got it down to a science,” he said. “I enjoy doing it.” In an odd coincidence, McIntyre is actually blind in the same eye that Sammy Davis Jr. was, although instead of a glass eye, McIntyre used an eye patch for a while.
He used to do his Bojangles act around town, sometimes with Rat Pack look-alikes, and even auditioned for “America’s Got Talent”. As the “Candy Man” and “Mr. Bojangles,” he’s appeared at fundraisers and Vegas style events, even on Horizon’s Edge casino cruises of Lynn, along with an Elvis impersonator. “I never got around to getting over to Vegas,” he said.
You can also hear him perform at Back Bay Station, where he sets up an amplifier, microphone, and CD player, usually on Mondays and Fridays. “I do my little thing there, to keep a couple dollars in my pocket,” he said.
Otherwise, he only performs now for charity. A pious man who always travels with his small Bible and a rosary around his neck, he’s a regular at Beacon Hill Baptist Church, which helped find him a room at the Beacon House when he needed it. “The good Lord comes through for me in my life,” he said. “Entertainment is secondary. The church is a big part of my life. I was going through a hardship, and the Beacon House came through for me. Hanging out with my pastor is like hanging out with Jesus Christ. My dream is to become a deacon.”
He had been trying to run a talent show for years at Beacon House, where he’s active on the Tenant’s Board, and finally got it off the ground in October. His recent show on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve drew about 60 residents, and they want more of his Sammy Davis Jr. impersonation. “A lot of people showed up,” he said. “I had 12 performers, a poet, singers - they gave me some money to give out for the winners for first, second and third, and I let the audience choose the winners to take the weight off me,” he said. Poet Bill Barnham won first place.
“I’m just trying to put a smile on their faces. I put some music on in the building and make people feel better. It worked - now they won¹t leave me alone. They want me to do another one,” he said, adding that he¹s working on it.
“I love performing,” he said. “I do it because it keeps me going, instead of sitting around the building. The audience is the biggest part of my performance, putting a smile on their faces and making them happy. Sammy did all these happy songs, like ‘Singing in the Rain,’ and ‘The Candy Man,’” which he said little kids just love to hear.
To hear Eric McIntyre online, go to his website, www.theshowmanofboston.com.
Beacon Hill Times
Sammy Davis Jr. is alive and well in the Beacon House, where The Showman entertains residents and Back Bay Station commuters.
The Showman is actually Eric McIntyre, who not only lives there, but organizes talent shows for appreciative residents. There’s only one Showman on the Hill – he’s the one who wears spats and a three-piece suit, his hair neatly tied in a ponytail under a showman’s hat.
At 66, McIntyre is thankful for the opportunity to make people smile. One of 10 kids in New York, he left his crowded home at 16 to hitchhike around the country and pick up odd jobs. “I’ve lived in over 50 cities,” he said. “I’ve been a longshoreman, a stevedore, done construction…I did everything from dishwashing to warehouses, to a shoe factory. Whatever they threw at me, I did it.” More recently he was doing security for Verizon here, until he was laid off three years ago. He has a son who is 38, and family around the country.
He always liked to tell people funny stories about things that happened to him, like the time he was slapped by a monkey when he was a kid. But he was in his 40s when he discovered he was funny, and worked for years as a standup comedian around town and in New York, as “Rick the Flip”. He performed at Catch A Rising Star, the Famous Blue Note, Boston Comedy Club in Greenwich Village, the Cantab, and others, and shared the stage with Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes and George Benson.
But for years, people kept telling McIntyre that he looked like Sammy Davis Jr., so when he was 58, he gave in and learned how to imitate the star. “I was sort of forced into doing it,” said McIntyre. “I was doing construction, and everywhere I went they said I looked like Sammy Davis Jr. I didn¹t even know if I could sing.”
To his surprise, he found he could. He started studying Sammy Davis Jr.’s voice, and soon he not only looked like him, he sounded just like him. “I got it down to a science,” he said. “I enjoy doing it.” In an odd coincidence, McIntyre is actually blind in the same eye that Sammy Davis Jr. was, although instead of a glass eye, McIntyre used an eye patch for a while.
He used to do his Bojangles act around town, sometimes with Rat Pack look-alikes, and even auditioned for “America’s Got Talent”. As the “Candy Man” and “Mr. Bojangles,” he’s appeared at fundraisers and Vegas style events, even on Horizon’s Edge casino cruises of Lynn, along with an Elvis impersonator. “I never got around to getting over to Vegas,” he said.
You can also hear him perform at Back Bay Station, where he sets up an amplifier, microphone, and CD player, usually on Mondays and Fridays. “I do my little thing there, to keep a couple dollars in my pocket,” he said.
Otherwise, he only performs now for charity. A pious man who always travels with his small Bible and a rosary around his neck, he’s a regular at Beacon Hill Baptist Church, which helped find him a room at the Beacon House when he needed it. “The good Lord comes through for me in my life,” he said. “Entertainment is secondary. The church is a big part of my life. I was going through a hardship, and the Beacon House came through for me. Hanging out with my pastor is like hanging out with Jesus Christ. My dream is to become a deacon.”
He had been trying to run a talent show for years at Beacon House, where he’s active on the Tenant’s Board, and finally got it off the ground in October. His recent show on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve drew about 60 residents, and they want more of his Sammy Davis Jr. impersonation. “A lot of people showed up,” he said. “I had 12 performers, a poet, singers - they gave me some money to give out for the winners for first, second and third, and I let the audience choose the winners to take the weight off me,” he said. Poet Bill Barnham won first place.
“I’m just trying to put a smile on their faces. I put some music on in the building and make people feel better. It worked - now they won¹t leave me alone. They want me to do another one,” he said, adding that he¹s working on it.
“I love performing,” he said. “I do it because it keeps me going, instead of sitting around the building. The audience is the biggest part of my performance, putting a smile on their faces and making them happy. Sammy did all these happy songs, like ‘Singing in the Rain,’ and ‘The Candy Man,’” which he said little kids just love to hear.
To hear Eric McIntyre online, go to his website, www.theshowmanofboston.com.
You can take Fred's Video off the Hill ...
by Sandra Miller
Beacon Hill Times
Fred’s Videos on Charles Street may be only a nice memory, but Fred Rose is still kicking around the Hill, doing real estate and still sharing his Fred’s Picks.
We thought we’d ask him what the best movies of 2008 were.
“I generally go for more offbeat or indie films, but this seemed to be the year when some of the more obvious, commercial films really shined - definitely, ‘The Dark Knight’ and ‘Iron Man’-- two genre pictures that really transcended their comic book origins and delivered on every level. A ‘popcorn’ movie, if done right, not only grabs the box office but also attracts A-list stars, like Robert Downey, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Heath Ledger. It kind of legitimizes popular films, and can help merge commerce and art.”
For a "popular" comedy, he chose “Tropic Thunder,” which he said was “another example of having zero expectations, and pretty much being blown away.”
For drama, he chose “Doubt” and “The Reader”.
For DVD reissues, he was thrilled to get “LA Confidential” and “An American In Paris,” while the 2008 DVD release of “American Gangster” tops his list for a "new" release.
He also recommends the 2008 books by Harlan Coben, Linwood Barclay, Robin Cook, Dean Koontz, and Jeffery Deaver; and for music, he really likes the new Killers CD, as well as Bruce Springsteen’s "Magic," new releases by old grade-school faves the Pretenders, B-52s and Debbie Harry. He also discovered online Gaslight Anthem, a new band, and Great Big Sea out of Newfoundland.
A new release
He still has the old Fred’s Video sign that was taken down when he shut the doors in 2007 when cable, Netflix and rising rents started rolling him the closing credits. He had bought the store 11 years before, the former Beacon Hill Video on Charles Street, where he began working while an Emerson College student. He continued to work part-time after graduation, and bought the store in 1996. When times got tough, he moved from Beacon Hill to Quincy to save on rent, so he could continue working in the neighborhood.
“The year-plus since I closed my store has been a definite transitional period for me, and I miss being part of what was a destination spot for so many people in the neighborhood,” he said.
He turned 40, got a tattoo, tried dyeing his hair black again, took up listening to country music, started writing a novel – a psychological thriller -- and eventually began selling real estate for Marston Voss a year ago this past fall, so he’s still connected to the neighborhood.
“The switch to real estate was a logical jump, neighborhood-wise, and I love that I am still Beacon Hill-centric, despite living in Quincy these days,” he said. “Business has been good, despite the ups and downs inherent in this market. I sold three places over the summer, and do lots of rentals throughout the year.”
Beacon Hill “is my favorite place on earth,” he said about the place where he lived and worked for nearly 20 years. “It still feels like home to me, and it always will … It’s a thrill to introduce potential new residents to this wonderful enclave, and I love hearing feedback from clients I have placed here.”
Does he miss the video store? Not so much. “I miss seeing all the old familiar faces that were my ‘regulars’. I would have people come in and shoot the breeze for 10 or 20 minutes, constantly. I miss talking movies with people, and turning people on to films I loved. The ‘Fred's Picks’ section of my store lives on in my apartment. I started stealing from myself once I realized I would be closing up shop.”
He also misses playing hide and seek behind the counter with the neighborhood kids, but not the feeling of working in a dying industry. “I did very well for much longer than many other ‘brick and mortar’ shops, but that last year was pretty scary,” he recalled. “Of course, the economy now is such a huge question mark, so there are some flashback moments to that period, definitely...”
And in a weird twist, his old store is now a real estate office, albeit not his.
Fred Rose is now blogging about his favorite movies and other cultural obsessions at http://fredspicks.blogspot.com/.
Beacon Hill Times
Fred’s Videos on Charles Street may be only a nice memory, but Fred Rose is still kicking around the Hill, doing real estate and still sharing his Fred’s Picks.
We thought we’d ask him what the best movies of 2008 were.
“I generally go for more offbeat or indie films, but this seemed to be the year when some of the more obvious, commercial films really shined - definitely, ‘The Dark Knight’ and ‘Iron Man’-- two genre pictures that really transcended their comic book origins and delivered on every level. A ‘popcorn’ movie, if done right, not only grabs the box office but also attracts A-list stars, like Robert Downey, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Heath Ledger. It kind of legitimizes popular films, and can help merge commerce and art.”
For a "popular" comedy, he chose “Tropic Thunder,” which he said was “another example of having zero expectations, and pretty much being blown away.”
For drama, he chose “Doubt” and “The Reader”.
For DVD reissues, he was thrilled to get “LA Confidential” and “An American In Paris,” while the 2008 DVD release of “American Gangster” tops his list for a "new" release.
He also recommends the 2008 books by Harlan Coben, Linwood Barclay, Robin Cook, Dean Koontz, and Jeffery Deaver; and for music, he really likes the new Killers CD, as well as Bruce Springsteen’s "Magic," new releases by old grade-school faves the Pretenders, B-52s and Debbie Harry. He also discovered online Gaslight Anthem, a new band, and Great Big Sea out of Newfoundland.
A new release
He still has the old Fred’s Video sign that was taken down when he shut the doors in 2007 when cable, Netflix and rising rents started rolling him the closing credits. He had bought the store 11 years before, the former Beacon Hill Video on Charles Street, where he began working while an Emerson College student. He continued to work part-time after graduation, and bought the store in 1996. When times got tough, he moved from Beacon Hill to Quincy to save on rent, so he could continue working in the neighborhood.
“The year-plus since I closed my store has been a definite transitional period for me, and I miss being part of what was a destination spot for so many people in the neighborhood,” he said.
He turned 40, got a tattoo, tried dyeing his hair black again, took up listening to country music, started writing a novel – a psychological thriller -- and eventually began selling real estate for Marston Voss a year ago this past fall, so he’s still connected to the neighborhood.
“The switch to real estate was a logical jump, neighborhood-wise, and I love that I am still Beacon Hill-centric, despite living in Quincy these days,” he said. “Business has been good, despite the ups and downs inherent in this market. I sold three places over the summer, and do lots of rentals throughout the year.”
Beacon Hill “is my favorite place on earth,” he said about the place where he lived and worked for nearly 20 years. “It still feels like home to me, and it always will … It’s a thrill to introduce potential new residents to this wonderful enclave, and I love hearing feedback from clients I have placed here.”
Does he miss the video store? Not so much. “I miss seeing all the old familiar faces that were my ‘regulars’. I would have people come in and shoot the breeze for 10 or 20 minutes, constantly. I miss talking movies with people, and turning people on to films I loved. The ‘Fred's Picks’ section of my store lives on in my apartment. I started stealing from myself once I realized I would be closing up shop.”
He also misses playing hide and seek behind the counter with the neighborhood kids, but not the feeling of working in a dying industry. “I did very well for much longer than many other ‘brick and mortar’ shops, but that last year was pretty scary,” he recalled. “Of course, the economy now is such a huge question mark, so there are some flashback moments to that period, definitely...”
And in a weird twist, his old store is now a real estate office, albeit not his.
Fred Rose is now blogging about his favorite movies and other cultural obsessions at http://fredspicks.blogspot.com/.
20 Somerset continues to be a work in progress
by Sandra Miller
Beacon Hill Times
The Suffolk University Task Force for the project on 20 Somerset St. held its last public meeting on Wednesday, January 7, before the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) will vote up or down on the project on January 29. However, the task force will meet again in February when board members will discuss the remaining architectural details for the new building.
Patrick Todisco of the architectural firm led the board members through the drawings of the buildings but left several options open concerning the lights on Roemer Plaza or the exterior material that will be used at the corners of the Somerset Avenue and the Garden of Peace as well as Roemer Plaza.
The facades at both Roemer Plaza and Garden of Peace will be more reflective of the abutters, with a more subdued façade facing the Garden of Peace, and the main entrance, landscaping and a glass façade revealing the classrooms, studios and activity within the area facing Roemer Plaza.
The sidewalk on Somerset Street in front of the building will be widened from five feet to 12 feet. Roemer Plaza will probably hold street activities that aren’t held on Temple Street. Suffolk University and state park rangers will oversee the policing of the plaza, which will memorialize the legacy of the Metropolitan District Commission.
Financing must be in place before any demolition of the existing building or construction can occur, according to an agreement with the Mass. Historical Commission and Boston Landmarks Commission. “We are proceeding with caution, but believe we can finance this project as presented,” Suffolk University Vice President John Nucci told the members.
A few board members expressed reservations about approving the project with architectural details and a mitigation package for demolition and construction to be nailed down. “The BRA must approve the construction document in design, and any changes must be approved by the BRA,” said BRA spokesman Gerald Autler. “Suffolk cannot make major alterations to the project.”
“What lies ahead for the task force?” asked Rob Whitney of the Beacon Hill Civic Association. “The big issues are dealt with. We will now focus around the design issue.”
All members agreed that the efforts of longtime Beacon Hill resident and activist Billie Lawrence who died a month ago should also be permanently recognized somehow in the final design of the project.
Nucci said he looks forward to the task force staying engaged to help with the final design elements.
“This has been a great process to work with,” Autler said. “The task force is so interested in detail, and it was great to be part of the process.”
Beacon Hill Times
The Suffolk University Task Force for the project on 20 Somerset St. held its last public meeting on Wednesday, January 7, before the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) will vote up or down on the project on January 29. However, the task force will meet again in February when board members will discuss the remaining architectural details for the new building.
Patrick Todisco of the architectural firm led the board members through the drawings of the buildings but left several options open concerning the lights on Roemer Plaza or the exterior material that will be used at the corners of the Somerset Avenue and the Garden of Peace as well as Roemer Plaza.
The facades at both Roemer Plaza and Garden of Peace will be more reflective of the abutters, with a more subdued façade facing the Garden of Peace, and the main entrance, landscaping and a glass façade revealing the classrooms, studios and activity within the area facing Roemer Plaza.
The sidewalk on Somerset Street in front of the building will be widened from five feet to 12 feet. Roemer Plaza will probably hold street activities that aren’t held on Temple Street. Suffolk University and state park rangers will oversee the policing of the plaza, which will memorialize the legacy of the Metropolitan District Commission.
Financing must be in place before any demolition of the existing building or construction can occur, according to an agreement with the Mass. Historical Commission and Boston Landmarks Commission. “We are proceeding with caution, but believe we can finance this project as presented,” Suffolk University Vice President John Nucci told the members.
A few board members expressed reservations about approving the project with architectural details and a mitigation package for demolition and construction to be nailed down. “The BRA must approve the construction document in design, and any changes must be approved by the BRA,” said BRA spokesman Gerald Autler. “Suffolk cannot make major alterations to the project.”
“What lies ahead for the task force?” asked Rob Whitney of the Beacon Hill Civic Association. “The big issues are dealt with. We will now focus around the design issue.”
All members agreed that the efforts of longtime Beacon Hill resident and activist Billie Lawrence who died a month ago should also be permanently recognized somehow in the final design of the project.
Nucci said he looks forward to the task force staying engaged to help with the final design elements.
“This has been a great process to work with,” Autler said. “The task force is so interested in detail, and it was great to be part of the process.”
Cowen celebrates his place at Legal Sea Foods at Park Square, and recipe for Mascarpone Oysters
by Sandra Miller
Back Bay Sun
Chris Cowen, the chef at the Park Square Legal Sea Foods, started cooking at an early age growing up in Rhode Island. “My mom, grandmother and uncle in particular were great role models in the kitchen,” said Cowen. “My family’s Italian-Polish background set the foundation for wonderful meals and a good understanding of the principles of flavor, food combinations, and
presentation.”
Cowen got jobs in local restaurants, and while attending Johnson & Wales University he started working at Legal in Warwick.
“For years, my birthday treat was enjoying a meal at one of Legal’s Massachusetts restaurants,” recalled Cowen. “Then, when my father noticed that the company had opened a Warwick unit, that was my ticket to a job as well.”
By the time Cowen graduated from school, he was a Legal kitchen manager, and took many jobs at Legals, including opening stores in Baltimore, New York, and the Long Wharf and Park Square spots in Boston.
Eventually, he served as chef at Bethesda , Md., before moving to his current ‘home’ store at Legal’s downtown flagship Park Square. As area chef, he oversees not only Park Square but also the Charles Square unit in Cambridge and Legal Test Kitchen in the Seaport District.
Along the way, Cowen has made a few interesting detours. He represented Legal Sea Foods at a Food & Fun Festival in Iceland some years ago, cooked at the prestigious James Beard House in New York City, and he
worked at demonstration kitchens at the PGA golf tournament.
He ended up befriending Dave Matthews, and sometimes is the rock star’s traveling personal chef. “The guys love Legal Sea Foods and always stop by the restaurant when they’re performing on tour,” he said. “Sometimes I tag along for a week or so to cook….”
Cowen, 31, prefers to live in rural Hudson, NH, and loves the long daily commute to catch up with phone work.
He describes the Park Square clientele as sophisticated, global, and accustomed to the best. “We get theater people, hotel guests, world travelers,” said Cowen. But he said working with fish that’s gone through the quality control process makes his job really easy. “All I have to do is cook what our kitchen receives,” Cowen said. “That’s a huge advantage over other restaurant groups.”
***
Cowen will be teaching “The Delicate Pairing of Lobster and Wine” at the Boston Wine Expo this Sunday. He joins noted wine expert Sandy Block to help expand the range of wines enjoyable with luxurious lobster through the use of creative culinary seasonings. For more Information, go to http://www.wine-expos.com/Wine/Boston.
He’ll also be doing an oyster and wine tutorial with WBUR donors at an event.
MASCARPONE BAKED OYSTERS
This oyster is not on Legal’s menu until Valentine’s Day. If you’d like to make this for your Valentine, be sure to find the freshest oysters.
Legals is known for quality control, holding onto oyster bag tags for 90 days instead of the usual 30-60 days, and testing the oysters in batches. They quarantine the shellfish for a day to make sure it’s “legal,” and then send it onto the stores. For his oysters, he used Saddlerock NY/NJ oysters, which were sharp but able to stand up to the baking. Cowen doesn’t recommend Pacific oysers, or oysters with a shallow cup. You want an oyster that can hold the topping.
When you buy the oysters, Cowen said to be very concerned with contamination. Don’t keep it lingering in the fridge for more than two days, and make an effort to avoid cross-contamination by placing it in a perforated pan, not in ice or water, which can stagnate. And don’t place it near fruit.
Of course, Cowen recommends buying your oysters from The Chestnut Hill Legal’s market, which sells them in a gel pac for home.
And FYI, Legals is running an oyster special at Legal Sea Foods in Copley Place, Long Wharf, Kendall Square, Charles Square, Framingham and Warwick -- between 3-6pm enjoy a half-dozen oysters for only $6.
Ingredients:
6 ea shucked Cape Cod oysters
6 T mascarpone topping:
6 T pine nut crust
1 ea lemon wedge
PINE NUT CRUST
1 pound pine nuts (toasted until golden)
1 quart panko crumbs
Blend in food processor just until combined, do not over-blend.
Mascarpone Topping
16 ounces mascarpone cheese
6 ounces choriszo
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Mix to taste; this topping mixture can be used in many other applications, which is why Cowen suggested making a big batch.
Preparation Method:
Step 1. Shuck oysters. Wearing stiff gloves, insert an oyster knife into the joint of the shell, going in and then upward, to pry it open. “It has a kick to it,” said Cowen. “If you aggravate it, it will tense up.” Then gently slice muscle at top of shell to separate oyster from shell.
Step 2. For this recipe, discard the oyster’s liquid – this liquor would be good in an oyster stew, if you wanted to save it, said Cowen. If there’s no liquor, throw out the oyster. If it’s too sandy, throw those oysters out, too. It’s best to buy more oysters than you need.
Step 3. Top each shucked oyster with 1 tablespoon of mascarpone topping.
Step 4. Then top each oyster with 1 tablespoon pine nut crust.
Step 5. Place oysters, hinge side in, on a oven-safe plate thickly lined with pretzel or other heavy salt. This will keep the oysters from sliding, and is visually appealing for presentation. It’s also a good insulator to keep the oysters warm when they come out of the oven.
Step 6. Bake until golden brown about 7-9 minutes. Do not over cook or the mascarpone topping will break.
Step 7. Remove from oven and place on a dinner plate. Garnish with lemon wedge and cocktail fork.
Step 8. The chef recommends a nice Chablis, such as Joseph Drouhin.
Back Bay Sun
Chris Cowen, the chef at the Park Square Legal Sea Foods, started cooking at an early age growing up in Rhode Island. “My mom, grandmother and uncle in particular were great role models in the kitchen,” said Cowen. “My family’s Italian-Polish background set the foundation for wonderful meals and a good understanding of the principles of flavor, food combinations, and
presentation.”
Cowen got jobs in local restaurants, and while attending Johnson & Wales University he started working at Legal in Warwick.
“For years, my birthday treat was enjoying a meal at one of Legal’s Massachusetts restaurants,” recalled Cowen. “Then, when my father noticed that the company had opened a Warwick unit, that was my ticket to a job as well.”
By the time Cowen graduated from school, he was a Legal kitchen manager, and took many jobs at Legals, including opening stores in Baltimore, New York, and the Long Wharf and Park Square spots in Boston.
Eventually, he served as chef at Bethesda , Md., before moving to his current ‘home’ store at Legal’s downtown flagship Park Square. As area chef, he oversees not only Park Square but also the Charles Square unit in Cambridge and Legal Test Kitchen in the Seaport District.
Along the way, Cowen has made a few interesting detours. He represented Legal Sea Foods at a Food & Fun Festival in Iceland some years ago, cooked at the prestigious James Beard House in New York City, and he
worked at demonstration kitchens at the PGA golf tournament.
He ended up befriending Dave Matthews, and sometimes is the rock star’s traveling personal chef. “The guys love Legal Sea Foods and always stop by the restaurant when they’re performing on tour,” he said. “Sometimes I tag along for a week or so to cook….”
Cowen, 31, prefers to live in rural Hudson, NH, and loves the long daily commute to catch up with phone work.
He describes the Park Square clientele as sophisticated, global, and accustomed to the best. “We get theater people, hotel guests, world travelers,” said Cowen. But he said working with fish that’s gone through the quality control process makes his job really easy. “All I have to do is cook what our kitchen receives,” Cowen said. “That’s a huge advantage over other restaurant groups.”
***
Cowen will be teaching “The Delicate Pairing of Lobster and Wine” at the Boston Wine Expo this Sunday. He joins noted wine expert Sandy Block to help expand the range of wines enjoyable with luxurious lobster through the use of creative culinary seasonings. For more Information, go to http://www.wine-expos.com/Wine/Boston.
He’ll also be doing an oyster and wine tutorial with WBUR donors at an event.
MASCARPONE BAKED OYSTERS
This oyster is not on Legal’s menu until Valentine’s Day. If you’d like to make this for your Valentine, be sure to find the freshest oysters.
Legals is known for quality control, holding onto oyster bag tags for 90 days instead of the usual 30-60 days, and testing the oysters in batches. They quarantine the shellfish for a day to make sure it’s “legal,” and then send it onto the stores. For his oysters, he used Saddlerock NY/NJ oysters, which were sharp but able to stand up to the baking. Cowen doesn’t recommend Pacific oysers, or oysters with a shallow cup. You want an oyster that can hold the topping.
When you buy the oysters, Cowen said to be very concerned with contamination. Don’t keep it lingering in the fridge for more than two days, and make an effort to avoid cross-contamination by placing it in a perforated pan, not in ice or water, which can stagnate. And don’t place it near fruit.
Of course, Cowen recommends buying your oysters from The Chestnut Hill Legal’s market, which sells them in a gel pac for home.
And FYI, Legals is running an oyster special at Legal Sea Foods in Copley Place, Long Wharf, Kendall Square, Charles Square, Framingham and Warwick -- between 3-6pm enjoy a half-dozen oysters for only $6.
Ingredients:
6 ea shucked Cape Cod oysters
6 T mascarpone topping:
6 T pine nut crust
1 ea lemon wedge
PINE NUT CRUST
1 pound pine nuts (toasted until golden)
1 quart panko crumbs
Blend in food processor just until combined, do not over-blend.
Mascarpone Topping
16 ounces mascarpone cheese
6 ounces choriszo
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Mix to taste; this topping mixture can be used in many other applications, which is why Cowen suggested making a big batch.
Preparation Method:
Step 1. Shuck oysters. Wearing stiff gloves, insert an oyster knife into the joint of the shell, going in and then upward, to pry it open. “It has a kick to it,” said Cowen. “If you aggravate it, it will tense up.” Then gently slice muscle at top of shell to separate oyster from shell.
Step 2. For this recipe, discard the oyster’s liquid – this liquor would be good in an oyster stew, if you wanted to save it, said Cowen. If there’s no liquor, throw out the oyster. If it’s too sandy, throw those oysters out, too. It’s best to buy more oysters than you need.
Step 3. Top each shucked oyster with 1 tablespoon of mascarpone topping.
Step 4. Then top each oyster with 1 tablespoon pine nut crust.
Step 5. Place oysters, hinge side in, on a oven-safe plate thickly lined with pretzel or other heavy salt. This will keep the oysters from sliding, and is visually appealing for presentation. It’s also a good insulator to keep the oysters warm when they come out of the oven.
Step 6. Bake until golden brown about 7-9 minutes. Do not over cook or the mascarpone topping will break.
Step 7. Remove from oven and place on a dinner plate. Garnish with lemon wedge and cocktail fork.
Step 8. The chef recommends a nice Chablis, such as Joseph Drouhin.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Super Hunger Chef Challenge set for Jan. 21 at the Four Seasons
by Sandra Miller
Back Bay Sun
Four Seasons Chef Brooke Vosika has been running the Super Hunger Chef challenge, a sort of Iron Chef type of competition using only ingredients stocked by the Greater Boston Food Bank.
Scheduled to be held January 21 at The Four Seasons Hotel Boston, the event features cocktails and hors d'oeuvres for guests as they watch the competition heat up among Chef Anthony Susi of Sage, Chef Gabriel Frasca of Straight Wharf, Chef Will Gilson of The Garden at the Cellar, and Chef Evan Deluty. These chefs aren't only competing for culinary bragging rights, but vying to set the record for raising the most money of any Super Hunger Chef event ever.
The chefs use the ingredients from the food bank, but Vosika and his team are in the back, recreating recipes using their own supplied ingredients, to serve to 150 guests who will choose the winner.
This is Vosika’s third year hosting the challenge. “It’s not a serious competition. We’re having so much fun, that it’s not about the winning and losing. What’s so great is we take products from the food bank, and the chefs each have a basket to work with to make appetizers and entrees. The real challenge is that my kitchen has to reproduce any dish. … This year it is tuna and chicken for the appetizers, and salmon and beef for the entrees. Judges come up with some witty comebacks on what they taste.”
There’s also a live auction, and the master of ceremonies this year is the Phantom Gourmet.
“We do two events a year for the food bank,” said Vosika, who competed against Mistral during the first year he held the event. “I thought it was a good way for people to get together during the cold weather months.”
The series of January food events to benefit the Greater Boston Food Bank began 18 years ago when Davio’s Steve DeFillipo and Frank Bell started the brunch series, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the food bank.
The brunch was always popular, but three years ago they decided to grow the fundraiser with the support of the Boston restaurant community, said Greater Boston Food Bank’s marketing director, Marion Kassler.
The brunch is January 24 and 25, where more than 20 Boston restaurants donate their time, food, and services to offer brunch for $25, $35 or $50. All proceeds go directly to The Greater Boston Food Bank.
Despite the economy, about the same number of restaurants are participating in the brunch. “We have great friends in the restaurant community who are very generous and dedicated to helping us fight hunger. They’ve really stepped up,” said Kassler.
Kassler added the food bank hopes to raise the same as last year, $125,000.
Yes, it’s a hard time to ask people for money, never mind to ask people to go out to eat for charity. But Kassler said many people who otherwise would go out to eat, can choose one of these events for a win-win meal. “I think in some cases everyone’s looking at their budget, but you want to go and do something, this makes you feel good, so it motivates you to say, ‘Oh wow, I can do something to help others.’ When you hear about the increase in need for food and people who are asking for help from agencies is up 30-40 percent, people can feel good about going to lunch for $25. They can go out with friends and help out other people.”
The Greater Boston Food Bank distributes approximately 30 million pounds of food and grocery products annually to more than 600 hunger-relief agencies in a dedicated partnership to end hunger in eastern Massachusetts. The Food Bank serves 83,000 people every week through soup kitchens and meal programs and food pantries.
Even a dollar helps. “I think one dollar donated to the Greater Boston Food Bank provides $4 worth of food,” said Kassler. “It’s the way we’re able to distribute food from donations and things like that. That’s the kind of lean, mean fighting machine we are here.”
They can also use volunteers, although the biggest need right now is in the warmer months. On their website, the food bank also offers ways everyone can help out painlessly, such as doing a can drive at work and bringing them to the food bank, host events at their home, and organizing a day where everyone in the office skips a meal and donates what they would have spent for lunch, like $5. “Every little bit counts,” said Kassler. “You don’t have to be the big corporation. We’re doing well, but the need is up so much.”
Back Bay Sun
Four Seasons Chef Brooke Vosika has been running the Super Hunger Chef challenge, a sort of Iron Chef type of competition using only ingredients stocked by the Greater Boston Food Bank.
Scheduled to be held January 21 at The Four Seasons Hotel Boston, the event features cocktails and hors d'oeuvres for guests as they watch the competition heat up among Chef Anthony Susi of Sage, Chef Gabriel Frasca of Straight Wharf, Chef Will Gilson of The Garden at the Cellar, and Chef Evan Deluty. These chefs aren't only competing for culinary bragging rights, but vying to set the record for raising the most money of any Super Hunger Chef event ever.
The chefs use the ingredients from the food bank, but Vosika and his team are in the back, recreating recipes using their own supplied ingredients, to serve to 150 guests who will choose the winner.
This is Vosika’s third year hosting the challenge. “It’s not a serious competition. We’re having so much fun, that it’s not about the winning and losing. What’s so great is we take products from the food bank, and the chefs each have a basket to work with to make appetizers and entrees. The real challenge is that my kitchen has to reproduce any dish. … This year it is tuna and chicken for the appetizers, and salmon and beef for the entrees. Judges come up with some witty comebacks on what they taste.”
There’s also a live auction, and the master of ceremonies this year is the Phantom Gourmet.
“We do two events a year for the food bank,” said Vosika, who competed against Mistral during the first year he held the event. “I thought it was a good way for people to get together during the cold weather months.”
The series of January food events to benefit the Greater Boston Food Bank began 18 years ago when Davio’s Steve DeFillipo and Frank Bell started the brunch series, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the food bank.
The brunch was always popular, but three years ago they decided to grow the fundraiser with the support of the Boston restaurant community, said Greater Boston Food Bank’s marketing director, Marion Kassler.
The brunch is January 24 and 25, where more than 20 Boston restaurants donate their time, food, and services to offer brunch for $25, $35 or $50. All proceeds go directly to The Greater Boston Food Bank.
Despite the economy, about the same number of restaurants are participating in the brunch. “We have great friends in the restaurant community who are very generous and dedicated to helping us fight hunger. They’ve really stepped up,” said Kassler.
Kassler added the food bank hopes to raise the same as last year, $125,000.
Yes, it’s a hard time to ask people for money, never mind to ask people to go out to eat for charity. But Kassler said many people who otherwise would go out to eat, can choose one of these events for a win-win meal. “I think in some cases everyone’s looking at their budget, but you want to go and do something, this makes you feel good, so it motivates you to say, ‘Oh wow, I can do something to help others.’ When you hear about the increase in need for food and people who are asking for help from agencies is up 30-40 percent, people can feel good about going to lunch for $25. They can go out with friends and help out other people.”
The Greater Boston Food Bank distributes approximately 30 million pounds of food and grocery products annually to more than 600 hunger-relief agencies in a dedicated partnership to end hunger in eastern Massachusetts. The Food Bank serves 83,000 people every week through soup kitchens and meal programs and food pantries.
Even a dollar helps. “I think one dollar donated to the Greater Boston Food Bank provides $4 worth of food,” said Kassler. “It’s the way we’re able to distribute food from donations and things like that. That’s the kind of lean, mean fighting machine we are here.”
They can also use volunteers, although the biggest need right now is in the warmer months. On their website, the food bank also offers ways everyone can help out painlessly, such as doing a can drive at work and bringing them to the food bank, host events at their home, and organizing a day where everyone in the office skips a meal and donates what they would have spent for lunch, like $5. “Every little bit counts,” said Kassler. “You don’t have to be the big corporation. We’re doing well, but the need is up so much.”
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Joe's is on the move
by Sandra Miller
Back Bay Sun
The bad news: The Joe’s American Bar and Grill on Dartmouth is closing. The good news: it’s moving into a slightly bigger space, the old TGIFriday’s at Exeter Street.
“We’re not closing!” said Back Bay Restaurant Group spokesperson Amy Daniels. “Joe’s is moving to a new state-of-the-art location.”
Planned for a summer opening as early as June, the new Joe’s will riff on the greenhouse part of the old TGIF by adding a retractable ceiling along Newbury Street. “It will open up [kind of like a convertible top] on nice days to expose the sunlight and fresh air,” said Daniels.
Papa Razzi had been eyeing the TGIF space, but the Back Bay Restaurant Group decided to stay since there are several years left on their Dartmouth Street lease. The new space is slightly bigger, and they like the location better.
“It’s a great location, with seats along Newbury Street,” said Daniels. “It will get more visibility – it’s the heart of Newbury Street.”
The Joe’s lease isn’t up until February 2010, but they’ll close that location when the Exeter Street location is ready.
In other Back Bay restaurant news, Atlantic Fish will reopen tomorrow. It had closed months before due to a fire, although most of the staff was relocated until it could be renovated.
And in sad news, the Casa Romero on Newbury Street suffered severe water damage just before Christmas, from a pipe that burst in the kitchen of the old L’Espalier. “We are now in the process of repairs and renovations,” said their voice mail message. “We expect to open in early February.”
Back Bay Sun
The bad news: The Joe’s American Bar and Grill on Dartmouth is closing. The good news: it’s moving into a slightly bigger space, the old TGIFriday’s at Exeter Street.
“We’re not closing!” said Back Bay Restaurant Group spokesperson Amy Daniels. “Joe’s is moving to a new state-of-the-art location.”
Planned for a summer opening as early as June, the new Joe’s will riff on the greenhouse part of the old TGIF by adding a retractable ceiling along Newbury Street. “It will open up [kind of like a convertible top] on nice days to expose the sunlight and fresh air,” said Daniels.
Papa Razzi had been eyeing the TGIF space, but the Back Bay Restaurant Group decided to stay since there are several years left on their Dartmouth Street lease. The new space is slightly bigger, and they like the location better.
“It’s a great location, with seats along Newbury Street,” said Daniels. “It will get more visibility – it’s the heart of Newbury Street.”
The Joe’s lease isn’t up until February 2010, but they’ll close that location when the Exeter Street location is ready.
In other Back Bay restaurant news, Atlantic Fish will reopen tomorrow. It had closed months before due to a fire, although most of the staff was relocated until it could be renovated.
And in sad news, the Casa Romero on Newbury Street suffered severe water damage just before Christmas, from a pipe that burst in the kitchen of the old L’Espalier. “We are now in the process of repairs and renovations,” said their voice mail message. “We expect to open in early February.”
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
At Avila, all ages are satiated
by Sandra Miller
Back Bay Sun
Students from the area come into Avila for the beef carpaccio, and brunches are very popular among area families here. Chef Rodney Murillo is the new dad of a two- month-old boy, so his mind is on making his restaurant more family friendly.
“You have to bring the kids to a restaurant, so they get used to it,” he said. They have a children’s menu, but Murillo said most parents just order what they want and share it with their children to introduce them to new tastes. “Pastas are kid-friendly – they love a spaghetti with Bolognese sauce, or truffled macaroni and cheese. We don’t want to freak them out too much, but we want to get them to a different level,” he added. They’ll also customize recipes to accommodate food allergies.
Avila is also providing different price points to make it more affordable for families, with wine bottles starting at $26, bar tastings at $5, quality entrees starting in the low $20s. “You get cheese, pasta, and a dessert, and you can walk out of here in less than $50 for a great meal,” Murillo said. “We are trying to be an everyday restaurant.”
Murillo lives in Boston with his wife, who recently graduated from law school, and their son, Joaquim; his sister’s in town helping with the baby, and making some of Murillo’s childhood favorite foods, like empanadas and radish salad, which got him thinking about how far he’s come. “I went from plantains to truffles,” said Murillo.
Murillo grew up on a 110-acre coffee, pineapple and cattle farm in Costa Rica, with regular fishing trips out on the ocean with his grandfather. While out in the field with his dad and workers, they hunted for some food and only came up with a wild pigeon. Murillo, then 10, offered to cook it up for the crew. Amused, they sent him back to the shack to give it a try. Remembering how his mother prepared chickens, he killed the pigeon, dressed it, and five hours later, when the workers and his father arrived, he had prepared a meal. “They thought I would have made a soup,” Murillo recalled. “I made this big pot of arroz con pollo, with only two ounces of pigeon on top, for eight hungry guys.”
It was funny. But his father also knew back then that his son was probably going to become a chef. Since then, Murillo was cooking for the crew with more generous ingredients.
When he was 16, Murillo relocated to Boston to pursue a culinary career, staying with his uncle who worked in food service for Sheraton. He picked up English as well as cooking tips while washing dishes at Davio’s, and worked his way up in the kitchen, being named sous chef in 1997 in both the Boston and Cambridge Davio’s locations. When Davio’s Boston relocated to the much larger space at 75 Arlington Street, Murillo was promoted to chef de cuisine.
In anticipation of the opening of Avila Modern Mediterranean, the self-taught chef spent time with Guillermo Pelion of Pasion in Philadelphia and Daniel Boulud of Daniel in New York City. He also did a tasting tour with Davio’s owner Steve DeFillipo, dining in Michelin-starred restaurants in Portugal, Spain, and France. He also tries every new restaurant, reads up on recipes and techniques on the Internet while his family sleeps, and visits New York as much as he can.
Avila Modern Mediterranean offers the flavors of Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, and Greece, made in an open kitchen.
The restaurant has a few special promotions this month, including offering a $50 bottle of Veuve Clicquot, a Sunday $28 three-course prix fixe menu called Sabor de España.
And on February 17, Murillo will host a “Young Guns of the Industry” five-course dinner, with wine pairings. Diners will be able to meet Marc Orfaly of Pigalle & Marco, who will prepare the hors d’oeuvres; Tony Susi of Sage, who’ll create a pasta dish; Dante deMagistris of dante, who will serve up the fish course; Murillo will do the meat dish; and Tom Ponticelli of Davio’s will serve dessert.
Fried Halloumi Cheese
6 oz. Halloumi cheese (sliced into 8 slices)
3 oz. dates (pitted & sliced)
2 oz. fresh salted cashews
3 oz. ouzo
1 oz. olive oil
2 oz. whole butter
Heat oil in non-stick pan. When hot add cheese until browned then turn. Add dates and cashews cook 1minute. Add butter. Take pan away from heat. Add ouzo put back on heat (be careful it will flame). Cook 1 minute and serve hot.
Serving Size: 2
Back Bay Sun
Students from the area come into Avila for the beef carpaccio, and brunches are very popular among area families here. Chef Rodney Murillo is the new dad of a two- month-old boy, so his mind is on making his restaurant more family friendly.
“You have to bring the kids to a restaurant, so they get used to it,” he said. They have a children’s menu, but Murillo said most parents just order what they want and share it with their children to introduce them to new tastes. “Pastas are kid-friendly – they love a spaghetti with Bolognese sauce, or truffled macaroni and cheese. We don’t want to freak them out too much, but we want to get them to a different level,” he added. They’ll also customize recipes to accommodate food allergies.
Avila is also providing different price points to make it more affordable for families, with wine bottles starting at $26, bar tastings at $5, quality entrees starting in the low $20s. “You get cheese, pasta, and a dessert, and you can walk out of here in less than $50 for a great meal,” Murillo said. “We are trying to be an everyday restaurant.”
Murillo lives in Boston with his wife, who recently graduated from law school, and their son, Joaquim; his sister’s in town helping with the baby, and making some of Murillo’s childhood favorite foods, like empanadas and radish salad, which got him thinking about how far he’s come. “I went from plantains to truffles,” said Murillo.
Murillo grew up on a 110-acre coffee, pineapple and cattle farm in Costa Rica, with regular fishing trips out on the ocean with his grandfather. While out in the field with his dad and workers, they hunted for some food and only came up with a wild pigeon. Murillo, then 10, offered to cook it up for the crew. Amused, they sent him back to the shack to give it a try. Remembering how his mother prepared chickens, he killed the pigeon, dressed it, and five hours later, when the workers and his father arrived, he had prepared a meal. “They thought I would have made a soup,” Murillo recalled. “I made this big pot of arroz con pollo, with only two ounces of pigeon on top, for eight hungry guys.”
It was funny. But his father also knew back then that his son was probably going to become a chef. Since then, Murillo was cooking for the crew with more generous ingredients.
When he was 16, Murillo relocated to Boston to pursue a culinary career, staying with his uncle who worked in food service for Sheraton. He picked up English as well as cooking tips while washing dishes at Davio’s, and worked his way up in the kitchen, being named sous chef in 1997 in both the Boston and Cambridge Davio’s locations. When Davio’s Boston relocated to the much larger space at 75 Arlington Street, Murillo was promoted to chef de cuisine.
In anticipation of the opening of Avila Modern Mediterranean, the self-taught chef spent time with Guillermo Pelion of Pasion in Philadelphia and Daniel Boulud of Daniel in New York City. He also did a tasting tour with Davio’s owner Steve DeFillipo, dining in Michelin-starred restaurants in Portugal, Spain, and France. He also tries every new restaurant, reads up on recipes and techniques on the Internet while his family sleeps, and visits New York as much as he can.
Avila Modern Mediterranean offers the flavors of Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, and Greece, made in an open kitchen.
The restaurant has a few special promotions this month, including offering a $50 bottle of Veuve Clicquot, a Sunday $28 three-course prix fixe menu called Sabor de España.
And on February 17, Murillo will host a “Young Guns of the Industry” five-course dinner, with wine pairings. Diners will be able to meet Marc Orfaly of Pigalle & Marco, who will prepare the hors d’oeuvres; Tony Susi of Sage, who’ll create a pasta dish; Dante deMagistris of dante, who will serve up the fish course; Murillo will do the meat dish; and Tom Ponticelli of Davio’s will serve dessert.
Fried Halloumi Cheese
6 oz. Halloumi cheese (sliced into 8 slices)
3 oz. dates (pitted & sliced)
2 oz. fresh salted cashews
3 oz. ouzo
1 oz. olive oil
2 oz. whole butter
Heat oil in non-stick pan. When hot add cheese until browned then turn. Add dates and cashews cook 1minute. Add butter. Take pan away from heat. Add ouzo put back on heat (be careful it will flame). Cook 1 minute and serve hot.
Serving Size: 2
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Experts weigh in on New Year's resolutions
by Sandra Miller
Beacon Hill Times, Back Bay Sun
According to USA.gov, the most popular New Year’s resolutions include Lose Weight, Get Out of Debt, Save Money, Get a Better Job, and Quit Smoking. We pick the start of a new year to get a fresh start on a nagging problem or habit, and about 50 percent of us are still working on our resolution a few months later.
While many of us resolve to improve relationships, balance a budget, or organize the attic, good health should be the top priority. Forget about fitting into a size 4; if your BMI is outside of normal, you’re at risk of many health problems.
Weight loss is also the lifeblood of authors, inventors, marketers, and salespeople. Look at the Sunday flyers, and they’re all filled with sales on exercise equipment, books on self-improvement, and diet food. Do you know ANYONE who doesn’t want to lose 10 pounds?
Aside from saying it out loud and eating a lot of salads, making a successful resolution to lose weight requires some mental exercise as well.
Many experts tell you to think about what worked and what didn’t in 2008, to come up with a game plan for this year. Envision your goal, then break it down into steps, to assemble all the things you need or each step that is needed to lead up to your goal.
Identify roadblocks to this goal. Think about your goal and yur progress before you go to sleep, to program your subconscious mind.
Helena Collins, who owns the Life in Synergy studio on Boylston Street, has been in the fitness industry for more than 20 years, and knows what works and what doesn’t.
• Begin on a Saturday. “We always begin our new fitness regimens on a Monday, when you do this it feels like work!” said Collins. “Not very fun. When you begin on a Saturday it will feel more like time for yourself.”
• Make it social. Start your workouts with a friend. “Think of it as a fun time to catch up,” she said.
• Learn something new. Try a class in something that you have never done before, Dance, Yoga or a Martial Art.
• Try a new vegetable each week. “Instead of dieting, buy a cookbook for vegetables and create,” said Collins. “You will be eating better and flexing your culinary skills.”
• Take up a new sport. “Snowshoeing or cross-country skiing are excellent exercise but being out in our winter wonderland is pure vacation!”
• Make small changes. Lose over 10 pounds in a year just by eliminating one soda a day and replacing it with water.
• Look for fitness opportunities. “Having a bad day at work? Instead of going for the cookie, go for a brisk walk,” said Collins. “You will feel better, release stress and stay on track.”
• Remember your youth. Join a basketball, bowling or volleyball league. “Think of it as going to gym class a few times a week without the need for the uniform.”
• Outsource. Hire a professional trainer. “Think of it as getting your Masters for your body,” said Collins.
• Have fun. Find new ways to move and groove, new things to learn, new places to go. “Life is an adventure,” said Collins. “Make your workouts one too, and enjoy.”
Beacon Hill Times, Back Bay Sun
According to USA.gov, the most popular New Year’s resolutions include Lose Weight, Get Out of Debt, Save Money, Get a Better Job, and Quit Smoking. We pick the start of a new year to get a fresh start on a nagging problem or habit, and about 50 percent of us are still working on our resolution a few months later.
While many of us resolve to improve relationships, balance a budget, or organize the attic, good health should be the top priority. Forget about fitting into a size 4; if your BMI is outside of normal, you’re at risk of many health problems.
Weight loss is also the lifeblood of authors, inventors, marketers, and salespeople. Look at the Sunday flyers, and they’re all filled with sales on exercise equipment, books on self-improvement, and diet food. Do you know ANYONE who doesn’t want to lose 10 pounds?
Aside from saying it out loud and eating a lot of salads, making a successful resolution to lose weight requires some mental exercise as well.
Many experts tell you to think about what worked and what didn’t in 2008, to come up with a game plan for this year. Envision your goal, then break it down into steps, to assemble all the things you need or each step that is needed to lead up to your goal.
Identify roadblocks to this goal. Think about your goal and yur progress before you go to sleep, to program your subconscious mind.
Helena Collins, who owns the Life in Synergy studio on Boylston Street, has been in the fitness industry for more than 20 years, and knows what works and what doesn’t.
• Begin on a Saturday. “We always begin our new fitness regimens on a Monday, when you do this it feels like work!” said Collins. “Not very fun. When you begin on a Saturday it will feel more like time for yourself.”
• Make it social. Start your workouts with a friend. “Think of it as a fun time to catch up,” she said.
• Learn something new. Try a class in something that you have never done before, Dance, Yoga or a Martial Art.
• Try a new vegetable each week. “Instead of dieting, buy a cookbook for vegetables and create,” said Collins. “You will be eating better and flexing your culinary skills.”
• Take up a new sport. “Snowshoeing or cross-country skiing are excellent exercise but being out in our winter wonderland is pure vacation!”
• Make small changes. Lose over 10 pounds in a year just by eliminating one soda a day and replacing it with water.
• Look for fitness opportunities. “Having a bad day at work? Instead of going for the cookie, go for a brisk walk,” said Collins. “You will feel better, release stress and stay on track.”
• Remember your youth. Join a basketball, bowling or volleyball league. “Think of it as going to gym class a few times a week without the need for the uniform.”
• Outsource. Hire a professional trainer. “Think of it as getting your Masters for your body,” said Collins.
• Have fun. Find new ways to move and groove, new things to learn, new places to go. “Life is an adventure,” said Collins. “Make your workouts one too, and enjoy.”
Back Bay robbery suspect arrested
by Sandra Miller
Back Bay Sun
In a nice New Year’s resolution to a series of armed robberies around the Back Bay, Boston Police Saturday arrested a suspect who allegedly had tried to hold up Bon Bon, at 197 Massachusetts Ave.
When they got a radio call at 8:30 p.m., police responded to an attempted robbery at Bon Bon, and based on a description of the suspect tracked him down. According to the report, police said the man resembled Preston Jackson, who was wanted in connection with several other armed robberies.
According to police, the officers noticed that while they handcuffed him, the suspect dropped a piece of paper that they said was a handwritten note that read, “Give me the money quietly and no one will be shot.”
Officers took the suspect back to the store, where several store employees positively identified the suspect as the man who had entered the store and handed them the note. The store employees say they told the suspect about their in-store security cameras, upon which the suspect grabbed his note and left.
Officers arrested Preston Jackson, 42, of Boston, and charged him with attempted armed robbery; Jackson reportedly will also be charged for his role in several other armed robberies in December.
“We appreciate the involvement of property managers, security personnel, and retail managers in the Back Bay Security Network working collaboratively with BPD,” said Back Bay Association president Meg Mainzer Cohen.
Area merchants in the Back Bay reported armed robberies, including a Dec. 29 holdup at around 8:30pm at the Brookline Avenue Starbucks that produced a surveillance video. Boston police believe the same robber could be the same one who held up Newbury Street businesses on Dec. 18, Dec. 21, Dec. 23 and Dec. 24.
In a robbery last week at a tanning salon on Huntington Avenue, the Herald reported that a 21-year-old clerk was criticized for not fighting off the robbery, and was later dismissed allegedly for taking time off to recover from the traumatic incident. While the recent spate of robberies did nothing to help businesses already feeling pressure by the economic downturn, it’s no reason to risk injury in order to preserve cash in the till. Police stress that anyone being robbed should comply with any demands, and then dial 911.
The Newbury Street League recommends panic buttons and written guidelines to employees on how to handle themselves in a robbery attempt, advice given by longtime NSL member John Glover of Metropolitan Protective Services.
"Armed robberies in the area … is the kind of thing that comes and goes, and we must always remain prepared and vigilant,” stated Newbury Street League president Joyce Hampers. “Good communication, sharing security tips, etc. is extremely important.”
Hampers also notes an increase in police attention. “The new Commissioner has significantly increased resources to Newbury Street,” she said. “They have finally discovered us!”
Back Bay Sun
In a nice New Year’s resolution to a series of armed robberies around the Back Bay, Boston Police Saturday arrested a suspect who allegedly had tried to hold up Bon Bon, at 197 Massachusetts Ave.
When they got a radio call at 8:30 p.m., police responded to an attempted robbery at Bon Bon, and based on a description of the suspect tracked him down. According to the report, police said the man resembled Preston Jackson, who was wanted in connection with several other armed robberies.
According to police, the officers noticed that while they handcuffed him, the suspect dropped a piece of paper that they said was a handwritten note that read, “Give me the money quietly and no one will be shot.”
Officers took the suspect back to the store, where several store employees positively identified the suspect as the man who had entered the store and handed them the note. The store employees say they told the suspect about their in-store security cameras, upon which the suspect grabbed his note and left.
Officers arrested Preston Jackson, 42, of Boston, and charged him with attempted armed robbery; Jackson reportedly will also be charged for his role in several other armed robberies in December.
“We appreciate the involvement of property managers, security personnel, and retail managers in the Back Bay Security Network working collaboratively with BPD,” said Back Bay Association president Meg Mainzer Cohen.
Area merchants in the Back Bay reported armed robberies, including a Dec. 29 holdup at around 8:30pm at the Brookline Avenue Starbucks that produced a surveillance video. Boston police believe the same robber could be the same one who held up Newbury Street businesses on Dec. 18, Dec. 21, Dec. 23 and Dec. 24.
In a robbery last week at a tanning salon on Huntington Avenue, the Herald reported that a 21-year-old clerk was criticized for not fighting off the robbery, and was later dismissed allegedly for taking time off to recover from the traumatic incident. While the recent spate of robberies did nothing to help businesses already feeling pressure by the economic downturn, it’s no reason to risk injury in order to preserve cash in the till. Police stress that anyone being robbed should comply with any demands, and then dial 911.
The Newbury Street League recommends panic buttons and written guidelines to employees on how to handle themselves in a robbery attempt, advice given by longtime NSL member John Glover of Metropolitan Protective Services.
"Armed robberies in the area … is the kind of thing that comes and goes, and we must always remain prepared and vigilant,” stated Newbury Street League president Joyce Hampers. “Good communication, sharing security tips, etc. is extremely important.”
Hampers also notes an increase in police attention. “The new Commissioner has significantly increased resources to Newbury Street,” she said. “They have finally discovered us!”
Monday, January 5, 2009
Suffolk helps quiet student life on Beacon Hill
By Sandra Miller
Beacon Hill Times
The midyear report cards are in, and it looks like things are going well between residents and Suffolk University.
"Suffolk is really invested," reports City Councilor Michael Ross, who is on the City Council's Problem Properties Task Force that met recently to report on Suffolk's progress. "They hire police to patrol over the weekends, they're trying their best to be good neighbor."
The task force also works with Emerson College, which could be doing a better job, says task force member Michael Ross. "Emerson should help fund a police detail. If there's some issues they do talk to their students. We're working with them."
Emerson spokespersons did not return phone calls for this article.
"What I want to do is encourage residents who are having problems with students or properties to call our office," said Ross.
The task force meets monthly with residents, university officials and police to check in on problems with students, specifically concerning loud parties, drinking in public, and noise, what Ross calls "Typical student issues."
Reports over the summer about overcrowded housing in violation of new city ordinances have not been reported, Ross said. "The overcrowding hasn't come up yet as an issue. We have protections in case that comes up, but we haven't had any issues."
Michael Feeley, Suffolk's Office of External Affairs' in-house counsel, says a combination of education and a reduction in students living on Beacon Hill – a 24 percent decrease in the 02114 area code since last year, he said -- has seen great results. "We educate the students about their responsibilities as neighbors in the city, and how to act appropriately in the neighborhoods. It's an intensive program where we speak to the students. We make clear our expectations, and we also speak with the parents at orientation."
He also applauds Suffolk's Office of Neighborhood Response, headed by Rick Grealish, which has a 24 hour hotline – 617-549-7503 – for any problems. Grealish also accompanies Boston Police details on patrols through the neighborhood Thursday through Saturday nights. "We hear that a lot from residents about the quickness of our response," said Feeley.
The office also meets weekly with the Beacon Hill Civic Association, which also reports a better relationship between neighbors and the university.
"The relationship with Suffolk is very much improved since they established the Office of Neighborhood Response," said BHCA executive director Suzanne Besser. "We have received very little response to student behavior on Beacon Hill. They've done a great job in teaching students how to be good neighbors. The students help us with holiday decorating, too."
Beacon Hill Times
The midyear report cards are in, and it looks like things are going well between residents and Suffolk University.
"Suffolk is really invested," reports City Councilor Michael Ross, who is on the City Council's Problem Properties Task Force that met recently to report on Suffolk's progress. "They hire police to patrol over the weekends, they're trying their best to be good neighbor."
The task force also works with Emerson College, which could be doing a better job, says task force member Michael Ross. "Emerson should help fund a police detail. If there's some issues they do talk to their students. We're working with them."
Emerson spokespersons did not return phone calls for this article.
"What I want to do is encourage residents who are having problems with students or properties to call our office," said Ross.
The task force meets monthly with residents, university officials and police to check in on problems with students, specifically concerning loud parties, drinking in public, and noise, what Ross calls "Typical student issues."
Reports over the summer about overcrowded housing in violation of new city ordinances have not been reported, Ross said. "The overcrowding hasn't come up yet as an issue. We have protections in case that comes up, but we haven't had any issues."
Michael Feeley, Suffolk's Office of External Affairs' in-house counsel, says a combination of education and a reduction in students living on Beacon Hill – a 24 percent decrease in the 02114 area code since last year, he said -- has seen great results. "We educate the students about their responsibilities as neighbors in the city, and how to act appropriately in the neighborhoods. It's an intensive program where we speak to the students. We make clear our expectations, and we also speak with the parents at orientation."
He also applauds Suffolk's Office of Neighborhood Response, headed by Rick Grealish, which has a 24 hour hotline – 617-549-7503 – for any problems. Grealish also accompanies Boston Police details on patrols through the neighborhood Thursday through Saturday nights. "We hear that a lot from residents about the quickness of our response," said Feeley.
The office also meets weekly with the Beacon Hill Civic Association, which also reports a better relationship between neighbors and the university.
"The relationship with Suffolk is very much improved since they established the Office of Neighborhood Response," said BHCA executive director Suzanne Besser. "We have received very little response to student behavior on Beacon Hill. They've done a great job in teaching students how to be good neighbors. The students help us with holiday decorating, too."
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