BostonZest

The Esplanade Is Now Protected with Landmark Status

The process of granting the protection of Landmark Status to the Charles River Esplanade was completed on Wednesday. Below the photo, we turn the BostonZest keyboard over the the Boston Preservation Alliance for the details.

(From my photo files is a photo of Linda Cox, in the center, sitting on a bench enjoying the parkland she has done so much to protect. Photo 2004 Penny Cherubino)

Charles River Esplanade Designated as a Boston Landmark

On Wednesday, July 8, 2009, the Boston City Council approved designation of the Charles River Esplanade as a Boston Landmark. This approval followed a unanimous vote in favor of designation by the Boston Landmarks Commission and Mayor Menino’s approval of the designation last week. City Council approval was the last step in making the designation official.

Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino said, "Today, the City of Boston has bestowed an honor on the Charles River Esplanade that puts it in good company with other historic Boston parks and open spaces such as the Boston Common, the Commonwealth Avenue Mall and the Riverway. The petitioners, advocacy organizations and the Boston Landmarks Commission are to be commended for their dedication to our City's historic resources and recognition of the historic importance of the Charles River Esplanade."

In November 2007, eight-hundred and fifty residents of Boston, an unprecedented number, signed a petition to designate the Esplanade as a Boston Landmark. The Boston Preservation Alliance and Beacon Hill resident Linda Cox took the lead on advocacy for the petition, which was also endorsed by the Esplanade Association, the Beacon Hill Civic Association and the Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay.

The petition has been actively supported by State Representative Marty Walz and City Council President Michael Ross.

“The Esplanade now joins the Boston Common, Public Garden, and the Back Bay Fens in enjoying landmark status. This protection will ensure access to this cherished green space for years to come,” commented City Council President Michael Ross.

“Individual landmark designation has been a valuable tool to ensure preservation of the most important features of the city’s historic parks while allowing for necessary maintenance and improvements,” stated Sarah D. Kelly, executive director of the Boston Preservation Alliance.

Concern for the historic park mounted after the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) announced in 2007 that it was considering rerouting traffic onto the Esplanade in order to repair the Storrow Drive tunnel. While DCR later postponed its plans, petitioners moved forward with the petition in an effort to ensure the park’s longterm protection.

A designated Boston Landmark is a property (or a district comprised of multiple properties) with historic, social, cultural, architectural, or aesthetic significance to the City and the Commonwealth, the New England region, or the nation.

Follow MC Slim JB to Great Food in Boston

Who is MC Slim JB? I don't know, and that's fine with me. What I do know is that Boston's serious eaters owe him a round of applause. For years, he's been scouting the hoods and carving trails to hidden dining treasures. Slim's blog is our "Friday Link."


In a recent Stuff Magazine cover story, "Boston street food: A moveable feast, with paper napkins," he showed to way to the city's best street-cart food.

That's a Speed's hot dog on the cover. Slim was the one who inspired my first visit to Speed's Hot Dogs, and Angela's Cafe, and Trattoria Toscana.  The list could go on and on.

When someone mentions a new place, I do a search on Chowhound, where I first recognized the value of the pen name "MC Slim JB."  I read what everyone has to say, but give a bit more weight to some opinions, Slim's among them. 

      

Since March, I've had an additional resource, Slim's blog.  It's described as, "Commentary on the Boston restaurant scene by MC Slim JB, a Boston-based restaurant critic and food/drinks feature writer, plus links to his published articles."

You'll find links to his articles in Stuff Magazine, The Boston Phoenix, Boston Magazine, DrinkBoston.com, 3buckbites.com, and more. He also shares new thoughts and expands on work that he's published elsewhere.

If you are new to Boston, new to the food scene, visiting Boston or an aspiring food writer, click over to www.mcslimjb.blogspot.com.  You'll find your way to some of Boston's best food and enjoy some of this city's really great food writing.

Details:

(Photo: Screengrab from Stuff Magazine)

MC Slim JB

Boston Food and Drink Resource

www.mcslimjb.blogspot.com

Two Weeks of Dining in Boston

We promised our readers a list of the restaurants where we dined on out two-week vacation in Boston. We began strong but switched to take-out along the way when a couple of nasty head colds slowed us down. However, with outstanding places for quick bites and take-out we still maximized our dining experiences.

Our choices were a mix of old favorites, places we don't get to often enough, with a few places we hadn't tried before. We'll write more about some of these in the weeks ahead.

Tarantar (North End)
This was our first visit. The signature pork chop is worth the price and worth the trip. And we picked up a loaf of B & R bread around the corner at Salumeria to enjoy the next day.
www.tarantarist.com

Upstairs On the Square (Cambridge)
An old favorite. We love lunch at the Monday Club Bar. Ed had their burger and I had shrimp tacos.
www.upstairsonthesquare.com

Central Kitchen (Cambridge)
We hadn't been back in a while but are pleased to report that the food (chicken fricassee especially) and the service (at the bar) are as great as ever.
www.enormous.tv/central/

Trattoria Toscana (Fenway)
This tiny gem is one of our all time favorite restaurants and they have the cod ragu on the summer menu.
No website - Here's a post with more information
http://www.bostonzest.com/2008/11/trattoria-toscana-menu---fall-2008.html

L' Aroma Cafe (Back Bay)
A wonderful little cafe with great coffee, sandwiches and salads. We stopped for a quick bite after attending an auction preview at Skinners. We love the Caffe Umbria coffee beans they carry.
www.laromacafe.com

Taberna de Haro (Brookline)
This is another place we'd like to visit more often. Small plates are our favorite way to eat, and they do it well. The wine list is fabulous. Bring a group of friends and enjoy!
http://www.tabernaboston.com/

Tamarind Bay Indian Coastal Kitchen (Brookline)
A friend who is from London added this to our list. Our first visit here will not be our last. The Butter Chicken Curry was wonderful.
www.tamarind-bay.com/coastal

Craigie on Main (Cambridge)
We already reported on our brunch at Craigie. It is part of our regular restaurant rotation. We love it and recommend it highly for anyone who wants to experience the best of what a chef can do with fresh local ingredients.
www.craigieonmain.com
Here's our report: http://www.bostonzest.com/2009/07/craigie-on-main-brunch.html

Pad Thai Cafe (Back Bay)
Another vacation discovery. Friends with great knowledge of Thai food sent us here and even wrote out what they suggested we order. It is now on our "quick supper take-out" list. Tip: Order your items Thai style for more flavor and heat.
No website - 1116 Boylston St. Boston, MA 02215- (617) 247-3399

James Hook & Co. (Waterfront)
This was the source of a fabulous crab feast for one of our stay-in nights. We steamed up a pile of Dungeness crabs and had a leisurely evening of crab pickin'.
www.jameshooklobster.com

Bina Osteria (Downtown)
Another favorite place for us to dine at the bar. Ed had a perfectly cooked loin of lamb that was one of the outstanding meals of the vacation.
www.binaboston.com

L'Espalier (Back Bay)
A reservation here a is passport into a more civilized world. You are welcomed, pampered, extremely well fed, and the only regret is that the experience has to end. Even a visit to the Salon for a cheese course will give you a taste of the L'Espalier experience.
www.lespalier.com

India Samraat (Back Bay)
This is our regular Indian food take out spot. Be sure to check the specials menu. Excellent food that they are happy to spiced to exactly your comfort level.
www.indiasamraat.com

 

Union (South End)
It's one of those places that can be taken for granted and it shouldn't be. Wonderful food, great service, and cornbread! Our meals here bumped this up to a higher spot in our regular rotation.
www.unionrestauraBoston

Toro (South End)
For a return visit without the night time crowds, noise and scene, we had lunch at Toro. The sandwiches (Bocadillas) were memorable with great matches from the wine list.
www.toro-restaurant.com

Pazzo (Back Bay)
We were looking for Italian comfort food in the neighborhood the night we tried this. It looks as if we found a place that has it. A fine addition to the Back Bay.
www.pazzoboston.com

Details:

Photos: © 2009 Penny Cherubino