Boston

I See You Boston

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Two aerial images of Boston, the left shows snow covered rooftops, the right shows green tree lined streets.

My current project has me working at the Pru in Boston. The view is always different and amazes me everyday.

In the winter, the snow covered buildings look so different from the plain red brick. The snow adds a powdered sugar look to the rooftops.

But as the seasons go by, what is normal changes. Seeing the city from such a great height each day, I notice the big picture.

After the snow melts, the rooftops go back to being red. But I didn’t notice or miss anything in between them.

With the warmer weather, the trees have leaves on them again. I notice spring blooming while walking around on the street. The other day I suddenly noticed all the green between the rooftops.

I see you Boston and you’re beautiful!

Subway Stories: Singing In The Rain

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Person wearing green Hunter rain boots standing on rain soaked walkway.

Wasn’t me singing in the rain. Didn’t break out dancing Gene Kelly style either.

I was more trying to stay warm and dry and hoping for sun again. But I walked by three people singing today! Just randomly singing.

While I was walking to the train going to work, I passed a man who was trying to stay dry, walking quickly and covered up with a huge clear piece of plastic.

After he passed me, he broke out into song —  “Oh My Love” from Ghost to be exact. He had quite a nice voice.

Then after getting off the escalator at Prudential Center, a homeless man that I always see, was singing his heart out. Into a cell phone. He was singing Always and Forever by Heatwave. Again, he sounded pretty good and I’ve always loved that song.

Then when I was leaving work tonight, I passed a man who was actually not singing, but  loudly and happily humming.

Not sure what was in the air, but it was quite a musical commute. While I was waiting at Park Street, there was a man playing a saxaphone. Something about a sax that gives such mood and ambiance. Even when just waiting for the train on a rainy day.

Nift: You Got Me Miffed

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Colorful circles in shades of red, green, orange and yellow, on a Nift Neighborhood gift card.

Have you heard of Nift? I hadn’t until this past fall when I received a Nift card as a gift.

When I went to the website to redeem my gift, I was very excited. According to the face of the card (see picture above) I would have $50.00 or more to spend. The “or more” should have put me on notice that something might be a bit off.

Anyway, Nift seems more business focused than consumer friendly. It’s a way of introducing local businesses to consumers. Which is actually a great idea.

But most of the suggested businesses weren’t that easy for me to get to in my normal day to day routine and I wasn’t that interested in the merchandise of many of them. However, there was one suggestion for a place that I had planned on going to anyway — Chill On Park. A new ice cream shop in Dorchester.

Within days of activating my card, I planned to meet a friend there. I arrived first, during their normal Saturday business hours and they were closed for some reason. Maybe Thanksgiving? I don’t know.

But my friend and I had to find another place to go, so we went to Dot2Dot Cafe, which was very close by and a place we had been to before and really enjoyed. I had planned to blog it, but never got around to it.

Anyway, back to my being miffed by Nift. You should note that Nift expires very quickly. I activated it around November 17, 2016 and the expiration date was December 22, 2016. It was only good for a little over a month. That seemed odd to me. And rather unfair.

It was my understanding that in Massachusetts, gift cards are good for at least seven years. This is true, according to the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. I emailed Nift’s customer service about this and received the following response.

Thank you for reaching out! We are well versed in gift card law. If the gift expires any funds if paid are returned. If you have any questions about this, please refer to our Terms of Service.

I just extended the expiration date of your Nift to March 1st, 2017, so you can now use it at Chill On Park, in Dorchester. You can also find again your gift certificate here. After having used your gift, click on the “Redeem in Store” button. This lets Nift know that you’ve used your gift. We will then send you a new gift code, via email, including your residual value.

Please let me know if you have any other questions, and enjoy your gift!

Based on my understanding of their TOS, the business that purchased the Nift card is the customer, not me, and any money left on the card after the expiration goes back to the purchaser.

I didn’t get a chance to use Nift by March 1st either, so I sent another email and received another extension until March 30th.

You can probably see where this is going. I didn’t get a chance to go by March 30th either. When I sent another email, I was told that there were no more extensions.

Then I received an email stating that my “gift” had expired and would I please give some feedback. I told them that I didn’t have a chance to use it.

It seems to me that if you really want people to use a gift card, they should have more time to use it. It’s probably why Massachusetts state law allows at least seven years for gift certificates to be redeemed. Four months is hardly enough time. Especially when that time is the winter. Oh well.

For anyone considering buying Nift for their customers, buyer beware.

Breaking Dessert News: Ben & Jerry’s at the Prudential Center!

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Walled off area in the Prudential Center food court area with Coming Soon Ben & Jerry's written on it.

Did you know that Ben & Jerry’s is opening a new catering location at the Prudential Center?

My current project is in the building, so this ice cream news is very relevant information for me. Maybe for you too. My co-workers and I have been talking about it and are looking forward to the day it opens.

My curiosity always gets the best of me when it comes to dessert. Well, most things actually. But dessert too. So as I was walking by to take a picture, I saw someone getting ready to go inside this boarded up area in the picture above. I asked if he knew when they would be opening. He said by the end of this week! Let’s hope it’s true!

Let’s also hope that Ben & Jerry’s CEO Jostein Soheim will sign the Milk with Dignity Agreement as he agreed to do back in May 2015.  Solheim’s Conscious Capitalism profile says that “Ben & Jerry’s must continue to aspire to be a social justice company that just happens to make ice cream.”

Migrant Justice is an organization focused on human rights and food justice. They are working with Vermont dairy workers and have relaunched the Milk with Dignity Campaign in order to get Ben & Jerry’s to fully implement the Milk with Dignity Program.

I was disappointed to learn that there hasn’t been the follow through with this agreement as expected. We expect a lot from Ben & Jerry’s and I believe that the founders do as well. Ice cream tastes a lot sweeter when we know that workers who make the final product possible are all being treated fairly. Don’t you agree?

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Updated 4/13/2017: As of today, it’s open!

Two people standing in front of Ben & Jerry's ice cream kiosk.

All You Can Eat Fenway Franks at South Street Diner on Opening Day!

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Glass of beer next to plate with two hot dogs topped with mustard in buns.

Baseball is back! The Red Sox kick off their 2017 season tomorrow, Monday, April 3rd! Their home opener at Fenway is against the Pittsburg Pirates.

From 11am to 10pm, on Opening Day, South Street Diner (located at 178 Kneeland Street in Boston) is making the day even more special!

Come to the diner wearing your Red Sox gear and you’ll be entered to win a raffle for tickets to an upcoming game this season.

Of course the game will be on, so you can stay a while, sit back, relax and enjoy the first game. Purchase just one beer and you can eat all the steamed Fenway Franks you want.

Yup! All you can eat!

Not a bad deal. Narragansett, PBR and Miller Lite are $3.50. All other beers are $6.00, so there’s no need to break the bank.

Drink up, responsibly of course. Eat up and enjoy!

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Image: Courtesy of DPA Communications