Boston

Capo Restaurant in South Boston

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This blog post isn’t turning out as intended.

My friend and I planned to meet for lunch at a restaurant in South Boston that had corn and crab chowder. I was really looking forward to it and was planning to bring back The Chowdah Project.

I got to the place first and it was wall to wall people with blasting music. I hadn’t been in a place like that since dorm parties in my college days. No thank you! I walked out with no intention of returning.

Oh, and parking was an absolute nightmare. It took close to a half an hour to find anything and it was a somewhat problematic space. I’m not used to South Boston and didn’t know the area. Now I better understand all the stories about people getting so upset when there’s snow and people remove their space savers. I cannot even imagine trying to park there when there is snow.

Anyway, my friend found a spot and then we walked around a bit and ended up finding Capo Restaurant. Unfortunately, there was no chowder. But I may have had the best squash ravioli of my life. It was perfect.

A light cream sauce. So much squash filling that you could really see, taste and feel it. Perfectly seasoned with brown butter and crispy sage. The restaurant is very spacious and airy with ceiling fans going. Lots of space between the tables. Just a nice vibe.

I definitely recommend Capo Restaurant. But leave your car at home.

Spice Bank at the Boston Public Library

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spices

Unlike a regular bank where you deposit money, instead, the Boston Public Library‘s Spice Bank is looking for spices and dried herbs. Tasty!

Since 2021, the Greater Boston Food Bank and the BPL have joined forces to collect and distribute spices, along with food, to people across Eastern Massachusetts. Library patrons can bring unopened spices and dried herbs to any of the participating library branches (Brighton, Central Library in Copley Square (Newsfeed Café), Charlestown, Connolly, Fields Corner, Jamaica Plain, Lower Mills, Roslindale, Roxbury and South Boston) through April 15, 2024.

The spice bank came about because, “the BPL hopes to offer a way to maintain a sense of cultural identity and family traditions, encourage creative and nutritious cooking, and promote the abundant cultural make up that is found in Massachusetts.” Hopefully this bank will yield a lot of interest. Sorry, I couldn’t help myself!

The BPL is no stranger to innovative programs like this. They have a seed library and over the past few years have given away free gardening kits.

Recently I’ve been trying to visit BPL branches that I’ve never been to before. I visited the Adams Street Dorchester branch most recently, and took out a bunch of books. One of the books is aptly called The Last Chance Library, by Freya Sampson. So far I’m enjoying it. It’s lighthearted and set in England, about a librarian who finds out that her library may be closed down due to budget issues.

Libraries have always been a big part of my life. It’s wonderful that there are many available near where I live. I love seeing how libraries continue supporting communities in so many new and innovative ways.

Restaurant Rant: Not a Grain Bowl

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Allegedly a grain bowl.

Am I insane for thinking that a grain bowl should have a decent proportion of, uh, grain?

I went out to dinner with friends on Saturday night to a Dorchester neighborhood bar and restaurant. I’m not going to name it, because I don’t like trashing places. The one time that I did, they kept contacting me to go back so they could make it up to me. I didn’t want to go back and the whole thing was very uncomfortable. Lesson learned.

But this has been sitting on my mind and bothering me for days now. The only way to get it out of my system is to write it out of me.

Looking at this dish pictured above, does this look like a grain bowl to you? It does not to me. It’s a green salad masquerading as a grain bowl. I know it’s almost Halloween, but I didn’t plan on getting tricked by my meal!

When I read the menu it seemed pretty straightforward. Here it is below from the website with slight descriptive edits.

“Grain Bowl: couscous, chickpeas, baby kale, feta cheese, cucumber, cherry tomato, Kalamata olives, pickled red onion, and tahini dressing with pan roasted salmon.”

The salmon was an extra that I added on, so the whole meal was $26.00. Not cheap, but a fairly typical price for dinner.

As someone who cooks a lot at home, I’m always very hopeful that what I have at a restaurant is way better or at least as good as what I could have prepared myself.

Based on the menu description, I expected that at the very least, a quarter to third of the dish would be grains and chickpeas. I often make this type of dish at home. I love harvest bowls! There was literally just a dusting of couscous and very few chickpeas underneath the greens. It was basically all greens.

Over the past couple of months, I’ve had some not great meals at restaurants, so I haven’t written about them. But this just seemed ridiculous.

Overall, the meal was good. This green salad was good. It’s just not what I ordered and not what was described on the menu. I even told our server. She asked to take it back, but I said that a side of couscous would be fine. I expected to get a fairly generous portion. Maybe a half a cup? Instead, I received about a quarter cup, if that.

I was shocked. Did they run out of couscous? Rationing chickpeas? Was it a new cook who didn’t know what a grain bowl was and didn’t see the menu description? Good lord why?!

The place had a nice ambience, our server was very attentive and friendly, so I separated my thoughts about the meal from her tip. It wasn’t her fault.

I was so looking forward to a night out with friends. And the three of us had somehow managed to arrange this dinner at the last minute. It was like a miracle! I hadn’t seen them in a while and the most important part was our gathering together. With all that’s happening in the world, the news breaks our hearts a little more everyday.

But my sadness won’t make things any better. So it’s especially important to enjoy my loved ones while I can.

In the greater scheme of life, this grain bowl fiasco could not be more trivial. But the restaurant industry takes the customers as they find them and I was looking for at least what I had seen on the menu.

Boston’s Hotel Alexandra for Sale Again

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Hotel Alexandra

Like that classic 90s jam by Portrait, here we go again. Boston’s Hotel Alexandra is up for sale.

As I mentioned in my post back in 2019, I’ve been following this property for decades. Whenever the lottery goes really high, I start having real estate fantasies about buying it if I won. With the Powerball jackpot now up to a billion dollars and Mega Millions not far behind, I’ve played a few times. Even won a few bucks! So I’m reinvesting my winnings and continue to try my luck.

Silence remains on the project website about construction starting on the most recent plan for development and I’m wishing for winning lottery numbers. So I started wondering what was going on. I searched and found an article from last month on The Boston Sun stating that Hotel Alexandra is now up for sale by Cushman & Wakefield. What?!?!

I emailed the Boston Planning & Development Agency project contact, Nick Carter, and asked if he knew anything. He replied, “I have not heard anything to that effect but I would also say that we often are not updated on things like this.”

Huh. So I dug a little deeper and found information on the Cushman & Wakefield website. It’s true! There is a post dated June 1, 2023, stating that they are marketing The Alexandra. See below.

Cushman & Wakefield’s Multi-Family Advisory Group is now marketing The Alexandra, a former luxury hotel primed for redevelopment in Boston’s thriving South End neighborhood. Approved plans for the redevelopment include a 70-unit condominium project with a gym, bike storage, rooftop terrace with adjoining amenity room and ground floor retail. The property is within minutes of some of the city’s top dining destinations including Toro, Flour Bakery & Café, and Barcelona Wine Bar.

Further information about the sale states, “The Alexandra is offered on an ‘as-is’ basis and without a formal asking price. Upon receipt of a signed confidentiality agreement, qualified investors will be provided with access to the offering memorandum and due diligence materials. Once investors have had an opportunity to review the offering materials and tour the property, C&W will schedule a ‘Call for Offers’.”

This is so very interesting! Now would I really go through with buying it if I won? I don’t know.

Toying with the idea is different than the reality of what this would mean day to day in taking on such a massive construction project. Especially one that seems doomed to fail. But then again, maybe Hotel Alexandra just hasn’t found the right owner yet. And I can’t help but dream.

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Photo Credit: Nina LaNegra

Free Yoga Boston (Summer 2022)

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Free Yoga Boston

It’s the 10th Annual listing of free yoga classes for Greater Boston and beyond! There are dozens of classes, so hopefully you can find at least a few that work with your schedule.

Most classes listed are free or donation based. Please tip for donation and pay generously what you can afford for sliding scale. Classes are weekly unless otherwise stated.

Click on links for more details and to be sure there is a class at the time listed. Sometimes registration is required. Also double check in case of bad weather, because classes might be cancelled. Bring your own mat, props, water and anything else you might need.

Make sure to check the Free Yoga Boston Facebook Group in addition to the Free Yoga Boston Facebook page. The group is private, but you can request to join. Members share information and there are additional classes and events listed on both pages.

As always, this list is a work in progress that will have changes and updates. Please let me know if you have any questions, corrections and/or tips! Enjoy!

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MONDAY

Boston Parks Fitness Series: Through September 26
(Yoga, Adams Park, 4225 Washington St., Roslindale)
6pm -7pm

Fitness On The Greenway: Through September 26
(Gentle Yoga, Rowes Wharf Lawn, Boston)
6:15pm  – 7pm

Seaport Sweat: Through September 26
(Yoga Sculpt, Seaport Common, 85 Northern Ave., Boston)
6:30pm – 7:15pm

TUESDAY

Boston Parks Summer Fitness Series: Through September 27
(Yoga Flow), Doherty Playground, 349 Bunker Hill St., Charlestown)
6:30am – 7:30am

P.O. Fitness Classes – Sunrise Yoga: Through September 1
Norman B. Leventhal Park (Financial District, Boston)
7:30am – 8:15am

Fitness On The Greenway: 7/12, 7/26, 8/9, 8/23, 9/6, 9/20
(Yoga with Malaika, Dewey Square Lawn, Boston)
5:30pm  – 6:30pm

P.O. Fitness Classes – Slow Flow Yoga: Through September 1
Norman B. Leventhal Park (Financial District, Boston)
5:30pm – 6:30pm

Yoga In The Parks – City of Quincy: 9/20
(Click link for different park locations in Quincy)
6pm – 7pm

Boston Public Library Summer Yoga: Through August 30
(Central Library Branch, McKim Exhibition Hall, Copley Square, Boston)
6pm – 7pm

Boston Public Library Hatha Yoga: Through August 30
(Fields Corner Branch, 1520 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester)
6:30pm – 7:45pm

HarborFit – Sunset Yoga at the Charlestown Navy Yard: Through August 30
(20 1st Ave., Charlestown)
7pm – 8pm (Starting in August the time changes to 6:30pm – 7:30pm)

WEDNESDAY

YOGA with B/SPOKE: Through August 31
(Fiedler Field, Charles River Esplanade, Boston)
7:30am – 8:30am

Community Yoga Class: Ongoing
(Thomas Crane Public Library, 40 Washington Street, Quincy)
9:30am – 10:30am

P.O. Fitness Classes – Power Vinyasa Yoga: Through September 1
Norman B. Leventhal Park (Financial District, Boston)
5:30pm – 6:30pm

 Yoga at the Lake: July 13 through August
(Sunset Lake, Safford St. (off Franklin St./Route 37) Braintree)
6pm – 7pm

HarborFit – Sunset Yoga at Piers Park: Through August 31
(East Boston Piers Park, 95 Marginal St., East Boston)
7:30pm – 8:30pm

THURSDAY

P.O. Fitness Classes – Sunrise Yoga: Through September 1
Norman B. Leventhal Park (Financial District, Boston)
7:30am – 8:15am

Boston Parks Summer Fitness Series: Through September 29
(Chair Yoga, Symphony Community Park, 39 Edgerly Rd., Boston)
10am – 11am

Fitness On The Greenway: Through September 29
(Gentle Yoga, North Street, Boston)
10:30am  – 11:30am

Fitness On The Greenway: 7/28, 8/25
(Vinyasa Flow with Hannah, Dewey Square Lawn, Boston)
5:30pm  – 6:30pm

Boston Public Library Mindful Movement: Through August 25
(Parker Hill Branch, 1497 Tremont St., Roxbury)
4:30pm – 5:30pm

Boston Parks Summer Fitness Series: Through September 29
(Yoga @ The Frog Pond, Boston Common, 38 Beacon St., Boston )
6pm – 7pm

The Street Sweat: Through August 25
(The Green,The Street, Chestnut Hill)
6pm – 7pm

Seaport Sweat: Through September 29
(Mindful Warrior Yoga, Seaport Common, 85 Northern Ave., Boston)
6:30pm – 7:15pm

FRIDAY

Boston Parks Summer Fitness Series: Through September 30
(Gentle Yoga, McLaughlin Playground, Parker Hill Ave, Boston)
10am – 11am

Yoga with Lori Scott: Through October 28
(Kilroy Square Farmers Market, 25 Cottage Ave., Quincy)
12pm – 1pm

SATURDAY

Blue Sky Kripalu Yoga: Through August 27
(The Green at Partners Village Store, 865 Main Rd., Westport, MA)
8:30am – 9:30am

Yoga in The Park: Through September 24
(Assembly Row, Sylvester Baxter Riverfront Park, Somerville)
9am – 10am

Yoga in Franklin Park: Through October 1
(School Master Hill, 1 Circuit Drive, Dorchester)
9:15am – 10:30am

NamaStay Flowing: Through the summer
(Revere Beach, Revere)
9:30am – 11am

Seaport Sweat: 7/9, 8/13
(Lululemon Yoga & Movement, Seaport Common, 85 Northern Ave., Boston)
10am

Fitness On The Greenway: 8/13, 8/27, 9/10
(Gentle Morning Hatha Yoga with Eleonora, North Street, Boston)
10:30am  – 11:30am

HarborFit – Island Yoga: Through September 3
(Spectacle Island, East Boston)
11:30am – 12:30pm

SUNDAY

Vinyasa Yoga (Biweekly – Registration Required)
(Allbirds, 29 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge)
9:30am – 10:15am

Yoga @ Jamaica Pond: Through September 4
(Pinebank Promontory, Perkins Street and Jamaicaway, Boston)
11:30am – 12:30pm

Lotus Community Class: Through September 4
(Magnolia Park, 111 Magnolia St., Arlington)
12pm – 1pm

Fitness On The Greenway: Through October 2
(Yoga 4 All with Soma Yoga, North Street, Boston)
5pm – 6pm

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