Boston + New England Archives - Page 24 of 32

Boston Public Market: It’s Open!

July 30, 2020July 30, 2015 by Lisa Johnson

Yesterday, I went on a food blogger tour and got a preview of Boston Public Market. I had the best time!

Today, Boston Public Market is officially open for business! More than 37 vendors are located at this permanent indoor market at the corner of Hanover Street and Congress Street.

It’s actually in the same building with the Registry of Motor Vehicles and is easy to get to by taking the T to Haymarket.

We are very lucky to have this market in Boston. It’s the only one of its kind in the whole country! Here’s a little more information about the market.

The Boston Public Market is a permanent, year-round, self-sustaining market featuring fresh, locally sourced food brought directly to and from the diverse people that make up Massachusetts and New England. At the Boston Public Market, farmers, fishermen, and food producers from Massachusetts and throughout New England offer the public a year-round source of fresh, local food and an opportunity to taste, buy, and understand what our region has to offer. The market houses over 35 vendors selling locally produced items such as farm-fresh produce, meat and poultry, eggs, milk and cheese, fish and shellfish, bread and baked goods, flowers, and an assortment of specialty and prepared foods.

The Boston Public Market is the only locally sourced market of its kind in the United States. Everything sold at the Market is produced or originates in New England. The Market is a civic resource, educating the public about food sources, nutrition, and preparation.

Getting Your Falafel Fix In Boston: Pita

July 30, 2020July 29, 2015 by Lisa Johnson

I love falafel far more than it loves me. Hummus is one of my favorite things to spread on a sandwich or use as a dip for a chip.

Chickpeas can do a number on my stomach, but I can’t resist them or foods made with them. So I have to eat them in moderation. Considering the health benefits and my love for them, it’s a shame that I cannot eat chickpeas to my heart’s content. But alas, it cannot be so.

So when I decide to treat myself to some falafel and more, I have found a place that gets it right every time: Pita.

While working in the Financial District, I used to go just around the corner from my building to Pita on Summer Street.

This week, I was meeting someone for lunch and she suggested we go to Pita on Albany Street in the South End. It’s right on the corner of Union Park Street and there is a cute little park across the street.

You can sit and look at the nice plants and flowers, while enjoying eating your meal outdoors in this lovely summer weather.

There is metered parking in the area, if you are driving. So bring a few quarters. But be careful. I drove down Albany Street from Mass. Ave. and was not sure of the exact location.

If you are driving in that direction, turn around before you get to the corner of Union Park. If you don’t, you can get swept up in traffic.

I should have taken the left at the light to make the loop around to get back on Albany. Instead I ended up back on the Expressway! Not fun! At least I didn’t end up on the Pike!

Anyway, the food at Pita is delicious and reasonably priced. For lunch, I ordered a small side of tabouli, which is a very generous portion. I added two falafel to that and I was all set for my meal.

The one down side was the Moroccan mint tea, which was just okay. Not sure that I’d order it again. Other places where I have ordered it, you get a vary large portion and it is very minty and sweet. This was neither.

I tried taking a picture of my meal, but it was so sunny and there was such a glare that I couldn’t even see to take it. Anyway, I highly recommend Pita and know that I’ll be going again!

To Kill A Mockingbird Read-A-Thon: Today at Barnes & Noble in Braintree

July 30, 2020July 13, 2015 by Lisa Johnson

Today, Barnes & Noble in Braintree, will host a special To Kill a Mockingbird Read-A-Thon from 9am – 9pm, in celebration of tomorrow’s release of Go Set a Watchman, by Harper Lee.

If you’re on Twitter, celebrate the book by following the hashtags: #MockingbirdMonday and #GetPopCultured.

In light of the news of the past few months, and most recently the tragedy in Charleston, the objective of the Read-A-Thon is to provide a space for members of the community to gather, reflect and give voice Harper Lee’s classic, and timely novel on social justice.

By the way, despite a recent New York Times review of the new book that is shocking many fans of To Kill a Mockingbird, I still plan to read Go Set a Watchman.

Throughout the day, participating readers, including yours truly, will read passages from the book. A list of confirmed readers, and their scheduled reading times are below. I will be reading at 7:45pm.

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10:00 am: Virginia Polio, Executive Director,Braintree Community Youth Center

10:30 am: Terri Stano, Director, Thayer Public Library, Braintree

11:00 am: Joanne Tully, Vice President, Braintree Cooperative Bank

11:30 am: Jeannette Travaline, Director of Marketing and Community Relations, Braintree Cooperative Bank

1:00 pm: Clayton Cheever, Assistant Director at Thomas Crane Public Library, Quincy

1:45 pm: Meaghan Thompson, Library Director, Turner Free Library, Randolph

2:00 pm: Frank Schroth, Member of the Board of Trustees, Milton Public Library

2:15 pm: Will Adamczyk, Director, Milton Public Library

6:00 pm: Mayor Joseph C. Sullivan, Braintree

6:15 pm: Chazy Dowaliby, Editor, The Patriot Ledger, The Enterprise Newspapers

6:30 pm: Lori Earl, Quincy

7:00 pm: State Representative Tackey Chan, 2nd Norfolk District, Quincy,

7:15pm: State Senator John F. Keenan, Norfolk and Plymouth District

7:45 pm: Lisa Johnson, Attorney, Writer & Blogger, Quincy

8:00 pm: Alan Howarth, Poet, host of “For the Love of Words”

* * *

The event is free and to open to the public. All ages are welcome, so stop by if you can!

If you have any questions, please contact Barnes & Noble, Braintree at 781.380.0914 or e-mail crm1989@bn.com. The location is 150 Granite Street, which is near South Shore Plaza.

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*Updated* 5/14/2016: With a new more liberal interpretation of my life list, I consider this #73. While I didn’t read a poem in public for a happy event, I did read a passage from a book for a happy event. Close enough! 😀

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Screenshot: Barnes & Noble

Tatte Bakery and Cafe: A Favorite Place

July 30, 2020July 9, 2015 by Lisa Johnson

Five years ago, I blogged about finding one of the best bakeries in the world.

Since then, Tzurit Or, the founder and owner of Tatte has expanded to five locations, including the newest space on Charles Street on Beacon Hill.

Being at Tatte Bakery is like stepping into a little piece of heaven. If heaven has a bakery. Everything is pleasing to the eye and the palate.

I had never seen anything like a nut box before. Aren’t they beautiful?

That high level of detail and perfection flows through each location and even the Instagram feed. While baked goods and desserts are the specialty, you can also buy food to eat in or take out. Tatte Bakery also caters. I’d like that for an event!

I told two co-workers about Tatte Bakery and we visited one day after work. Sitting outside in the warm summer air and enjoying the beauty of Beacon Hill is a perfect way to wind down.

There are so many choices of what to eat, but I decided on a cherry clafoutis. It was so good, I gasped out loud. Not exaggerating here.

I’d like to try and make a cherry clafoutis at home. I’ve been buying a lot of cherries recently and now have a recipe, so maybe it will happen. For now, I will savor the memory.

Have A Ducky Week!

April 10, 2021July 6, 2015 by Lisa Johnson

This duck (goose??) is a poser. Yup! It walked right up to me, apparently expecting to be fed. I didn’t have any food, so it just looked me in the eye and posed for this picture. So cute!

If you follow me on Instagram, you can see all the pictures that I took. G and I were in Watertown, walking around the park to burn off some calories from our meal. I don’t know the name of the park that we were in. It was my first time visiting, but there were some beautiful scenes. Here are some more sights for you to enjoy.