bex77

Wishes

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 20:41:39 GMT

Happy Thanksgiving to you! Hope you can see some blessings to be thankful for!

-B

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My 50th birthday celebrations

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 05:03:32 GMT

In March 2024 I got talking with Neil about my 50th birthday in 2009 and couldn't recall what I did. I dug up old emails to create a record of the amazing festivities! I had lots of birthday celebrating.

My uber-generous little sister got us 4th row seats to see a Cirque du Soleil show in Boston Aug. 29 and took me out for a tasty Chinese dinner.
Saturday Neil took me away overnight to our favorite hotel in Waterbury CT to soak in their whirlpool and eat a fabulous dinner. We headed out Saturday morning and drove down to Bridgeport, CT to see where our pal Becky D hangs her hat these days. She has a gorgeous, brandy-new apartment downtown in an area that is resurrecting itself. We worshiped her kitty, then she took us to lunch at El Idolo, an Ecuadoran place. We had plantains and cheese, then I tried their "shrimp casserole" which was not that at all, but lots of shrimp in a lovely orange sauce, sort of like butternut squash bisque, over rice. Yum. We drove around Bridgeport, saw the lovely waterfront along the Sound and the University of Bridgeport and the new minor league baseball stadium

We headed north to Waterbury, just 30 minutes up Rte 8, to the marvelous Courtyard by Marriott. They'd been sold out when I looked online and called Friday, so I'd made a reservation across the street, but when I walked in, they had a room! We had a relaxing soak in their huge whirlpool then enjoyed some "Mythbusters" on the LG LED flat screen TV. Heh, Then came the higlight of the weekend - an elegant dinner at Diorio's Restaurant. http://www.diorios.com/. We made a reservation for the quiet dining room that is separate from the big bar area with booths. We started with the hot antipasto - samples of shrimp scampi, crab cakes, eggplant rollatini and fried mozzarella. The lobster bisque followed...a revelation. It was water-based instead of creamy, and had a ton of shredded lobster meat, so you got it in every bite. N. had the NY strip steak au poivre - a huge rectangle 2 inches high, with garlic mashed potatoes and sliced zucchini. This is the steak he dreams about - the marinade is incredible! I ordered the special twin lobster tails, taken from the shell then settled back on it for effect, stuffed with lump crab meat, pistachio and bread crumbs, accompanied by the same sides. Each bite was divine. We shared a slice of banofeee pie for dessert - a light, heavenly mixture of chocolate crust, toffee cream, bananas, whipped cream and chocolate drizzle. Our waitress was fun - a nifty young woman who wants to be an actress, Jennifer. We took over two hours to eat, so I was pleasantly full rather than overstuffed.

Sunday was another beautiful day! We had the hot breakfast buffet in the hotel lobby. They put out an amazing spread of fruit, scrambled eggs, hash, home fries, sausage, bacon, french toast, make-your-waffles, muffins, breads, coffee cake, cereals, yogurt...yum. We packed up and headed east.

We stopped in Vernon, CT at the quintessential NY-style deli, Rein's. http://vernon.reinsdeli.com/ordereze/default.aspx We got a variety of goodies to bring home - Reuben sandwich, half sour pickles, sour cream coffee cake, spicy beef chili, herring in cream sauce, Dr. Brown's sodas, and pecan pie.

Monday my parents took me out for a nice lunch at Jimmy's Steer House - I had baked stuffed schrod and rice pilaf with spinach. I had a ghiradelli brownie sundae...yum.

Tuesday the students at the Bok Center were wonderful to me! James brought me cookies from Burdick's, another student gave me a tiara, and a third brought cupcakes from Sweet, a new bakery in Harvard Square

I spent my actual birthday with Alice. Alice sang to me and gave me a big hug. We shared a bologna sandwich and watched TV. Her mom reported, "She made her first pun yesterday! She asked her mom what was for dinner, and E said "Beef stew. Do you like beef stew?" And she replied, "I stew! I stew!" Bad pun, but great to know that she is good enough at language to play with it. She knew exactly what she'd done, made an impy little face."

Wednesday I took myself to the Barnes & Noble book store in Framingham for a book reading by my favorite blogger, Jon Katz. He brought his dog, Izzy, and talked about his new book about whether dogs have souls.

Thursday we had dinner at Helmand with Judy Yen and Renee Johnson. Their kaddo caused Renee to say it was the best thing she ever put in her mouth!

For a final flourish, we took two other theater folks out to Framingham to the Olive Garden I'd discovered on my trip out there earlier in the week. I had a sausage festival of sausage soup, their pasta bowl with a sausage tomato sauce over oriechette with sausage on the side! Heh

I got lots of Facebook shout-outs. Heh.

I am a lucky woman.

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RIP Humphrey

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 04:44:24 GMT

RIP Humphrey

Obituary for Humphrey

April 15, 2009 - February 2, 2024

Woburn, MA

Humphrey, an orange tabby feline, age 14, died on Friday, February 2 at the VCA Animal Hospital in Wakefield MA, after a short illness, with his human roommates, Neil P. Marsh and Beckie Hunter, and Dr. Couts at his side. His brother Nicholas is left to manage the humans.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to MSPCA - Angell Memorial Animal Medical Center in Jamaica Plain (https://www.mspca.org/), or a no-kill animal shelter in your area.

MEMORIES

Humphrey lived an indoor life in the Hunter/Marsh household for thirteen years, in Cambridge and Woburn. He and his brother arrived on January 31, 2011 from a friend of a friend. They were named after two wacky brothers in the play Theatre@First was producing, “The Lady’s Not for Burning.” Humphrey was the sweet, smarter, savvy younger brother to Nicholas, a rather doofy, sometimes clever, humorous fellow. He had a loud purr, and a distinctive chirpy meow that often heralded his ascent to a counter or the sofa. He had a white tail tip and chin, which distinguished him from his brother for the careful viewer.

The story of his birth was distinctive - Nicholas was born first, then four siblings and then 36 hours later, Humphrey arrived as the surprise sixth in the litter! They were adopted by a nice lady in Malden, who turned out to be allergic and after trying numerous remedies, reluctantly gave them up before their second birthday.

He was fastidious in his grooming, and often cleaned his brother’s head. He found great places to sit that Nicholas came along to join in enjoying. They enjoyed tussling and chasing - Humphrey usually let Nicholas win. He would also lick his human roommates, and adored sleeping on them, often covered up except for his head. He adored being brushed and having his tummy rubbed without reprisal. He did not care for “people” food but was a great admirer of Fancy Feast gravy or pate. Unlike many felines, he had no use for boxes or bags, and toys that cost money were eschewed. He liked high places such as the top of the bookcase, the top of a round cat condo found discarded by a neighbor, or a window sill in the sunshine. He did enjoy a catnip indulgence now and again.

He and Nicholas had different approaches to visitors - Humphrey would come running to be the first to check them out, then retreat to a distance to observe. Nicholas would then know the person was safe and come for pets. Then leave. Then come back for more pets.

He was completely healthy until the past few weeks - there was talk of him being immortal! He recently lost half his weight and then refused to eat, hiding in the back closet, tipping his roommates off to his illness and his wish to have them end his suffering. Many thanks to the kind staff at the VCA, who were charmed by him even in his diminished state, and did their best to make his last days easier.

He was a bit of a Facebook celebrity, often shown in his favorite spot in the sunbeam on the comforter at the bottom of the bed, the top of the cat tree, supervising traffic from the sunroom window, or helping his human roommates on their computers. Thank you to his fans online and visitors who enjoyed his adventures, and consoled his brother and human roommates during these sad days.

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2022 Beckie's Best Beyond Boston Restaurants

Mon, 02 Jan 2023 23:00:25 GMT

Here's my second annual stab at making a spreadsheet of my favorites over the past year: "2022 Beckie's Best Beyond Boston" with restaurants to the north from Cambridge to Newburyport, from fine dining to "cheap, fast and good." Happy eating in 2023!

http://bit.ly/3WXvPdQ

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July cool foods

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 03:57:30 GMT

Due to the extended heat wave I got on a kick of eating cool foods at home. This was a winning situation in five ways:

1) Saved money
2) Less exposure to COVID
3) Less time preparing and eating
4) Better food
5) No blood sugar spikes

I ended up eating 14 meals at home since July 10!

I need to remember to do this more often.

Here are the ten times that worked best:

1) Caprese cucumber salad
2) Seafood salad sandwiches with Cheee Chex mix
3) Lobster rolls with Quaker sour cream & onion rice cakes
4) Ham & dill pickle sandwiches
5) Turkey & Swiss cheese sandwich with Utz Cheese curls
6) Starbucks box with chicken, hummus, pita, carrots and peapods
7) Hot dogs on Martin's long rolls
8) Fancy flavored meatballs, cheese and crackers, carrots
9) Frozen blueberry pancakes & breakfast sausage
10) Fred's Franks kielbasa with kraut and brown mustard on a small bun

The first six required very little prep, and the rest involved a little microwave oven time.

Everything came from Market Basket except the sixth one and the last.

If you have any other ideas for easy cool meals, please let me know!

Here's to dinner innovations!

-B

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"1776" at the A.R.T.

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 04:08:28 GMT

I got to see "1776: The Musical" 1at the American Repertory Theater in Harvard Square this afternoon!

It was a beastly hot day - in the 90s! I dressed up in my gauzy floral summer dress and got a ride to Cambridge with Laurie M. She arranged the entire outing and drove - a real treat for me who usually plans every step of most adventures.

She got a handicap parking spot right in front of the theater! We sat in the car chatting until it was time to go in.

The theater opened at 1:30 pm and we strolled in masked, with a vax card and photo id!

I went downstairs to the bathroom, then we waited for the house to open.

I sat up in row I Seat 2 with Laurie's friend Bernie from Natick while she sat with Denis, her brother, down below. Excellent seats!

2 pm "1776: The Musical" at the American Repertory Theater

The show was delightful - diverse and talented cast of female-presenting actors including cis-women, non-binary and trans actors with beautiful voices. They sped up the music but other than that stuck to the script and lyrics. It was a long show - lasted until 4:50 pm! This show was one of my Dad's favorites - we saw the original production on Broadway and he wanted to watch the movie every July 4th! My toughest task was not singing along!

5 pm Dinner at Source restaurant on Church St

I tasted the
1) Za'cuterie platter - a charcuterie assortment of cheese, meats and condiments on a pizza shell, and
2) Spaghetti with brown butter hazelnut sauce, sweet sausage, spring peas, and asparagus

https://sourcerestaurants.com/menu/

I was quite impressed with the creativity of the ingredients and presentation!

I posted photos to Facebook and Google Maps. Pop over there to see!

It was fun being back in Harvard Square for a few hours. I popped into the Wholesome Fresh market on the corner for old times sake... didn't find anything to buy.

Laurie drove me home and received massive thanks for such a delightful outing!

-B

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Shakespeare in the Park - "Henry V"

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 03:50:28 GMT

I got to see a Theatre@First main stage show live on Saturday night! The first time since March 2020! It was so good to be back with those folks, and seeing talented people produce a dramatic work of art.

I drove down to Somerville. I found a space in the block beyond my sister's house on her street, and she met me with a parking pass! Makes it so easy to go there.

I carried my new beach chair up to Nathan Tufts Park with her and my niece. We staked out a spot on the grass. She brought me a bowl from Waikiki Poke - salmon teriyaki with cabbage, quinoa, carrots, edamame and pineapple for a picnic in the park before the show. It was so tasty!

Mother Nature blessed us with a perfect evening for theater outdoors! I saw lots of folks I haven't seen in ages. The show went well. It was "Henry V" - "once more unto the breach," The English and French St Crispin's day battle at Agincourt...etc. We ended up with 105 people in the audience, which seems like a lot as the church basement we usually use only seats 80! My new beach chair was just the thing to keep me upright and paying attention for just over two hours!

I chatted with folks and told actors, the director and producer how well it went!

There are two more performances next weekend June 11-12 Saturday and Sunday at 6 pm, weather permitting. Enjoy Shakespeare in the park!

-B

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Easter @ Jo's

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 17:15:10 GMT

I had a delightful celebration of Easter Sunday at Jo's house with friends and family! The food was delicious, everyone behaved and the weather did not! We had an elegant tent to protect us from the cold, wind, rain, bright sun and HAIL!

I got dressed up to be festive and warm - blue cotton dress, festive overshirt, leggings, black sneakers and purple beads!

We took off at 1:30 pm down Main St. to Arlington. We just before 2 pm. Neil petted a friendly kitty on the sidewalk, and we found Drea and Jo in the elegant tent in the backyard!

We were soon joined by Elizabeth, Jason, Alice, Anne, George, and Leah, so 10 of us sat around a beautiful cherry blossom tablecloth table with fine silver and gorgeous flowers! I was seated between Neil and Leah, across from Drea and Alice. Jeanne Callinan applied her expert event skills, and a Task Rabbit named Lily helped out. They put on a delicious catered buffet!

Cheese and charcuterie

Aged cheddar, smoked gouda, brie, salami, sweet and hot capicola, prosciutto, caponata, & and artichoke dip garnished with fresh and dried fruit, nuts and crackers.
Coconut shrimp with apricot sauce

Buffet

Spring salad of arugula, cucumber, peas, tomatoes, snow peas, shaved red onion, radishes, and walnuts with a balsamic vinaigrette
Roasted Potatoes
Beef tenderloin with merlot sauce on the side
Glazed Ham with spiced marmalade sauce on the side
Sauteed Brussel sprouts, zucchini, and summer squash with lemon zest
Warm rolls and butter

Dessert

Pies - Apple, Pecan, and Cherry
Vanilla ice cream

The coconut shrimp and warm artichoke dip were my favorites.

Best news - I managed not to trigger a blood sugar alarm!

Everyone behaved. The weather did not - it was windy, 40s, with rain, bright sun and HAIL! The tent and our warm clothes protected us.

We took off at 5:30 pm and headed home smiling! So good to see everyone!

-B

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Vaxxed

Sun, 07 Nov 2021 19:46:20 GMT

Happy to report that I've made it through the vaccines gauntlet!

I did three of them over the past two weeks:

1) Oct 22 - Flu vaccine at Walgreens in W. Medford

2) Oct 29 - Shingrix #1 at CVS in North Woburn

3) Nov 5 - Moderna COVID-19 booster (shot #3) at the CVS inside Target on Commerce Way in Woburn - they gave me a $5 coupon!

That should be it for 2021!

I suffered no side effects from any of them, except a sore arm, which was a big change from the 18-hour "Modern Flu" from my second dose in March.

Here's to a healthy holiday season!

-B

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Memorial Day in Hudson OH

Sun, 13 Jun 2021 18:01:14 GMT

I want to thank the misguided leaders of the Hudson Ohio American Legion Post who turned off the microphone on their Memorial Day speaker, retired Army Lt. Col. Barnard Kemter, to prevent the crowd from hearing about a moment in history involving freed slaves honoring Union dead in Charleston SC in 1865. Due to their racist action, a small-town ceremony turned into nationalI news and gave me the opportunity to read the speaker's words and learn important facts.

-B

======

https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/2021/06/03/read-draft-speech-given-vet-whose-mic-cut-hudson-memorial-day-service/7530051002/

Here is a draft of the speech that retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Barnard Kemter delivered during the Memorial Day ceremony hosted by the Hudson American Legion Lee-Bishop Post 464 at Markillie Cemetery.

======

What did he say? Read a draft of speech by veteran silenced at Hudson Memorial Day service

Phil Keren

Akron Beacon Journal

Published 4:30 p.m. ET June 3, 2021

His microphone was intentionally cut by organizers during a portion in which he talked about the contributions of Black Americans to the creation of the holiday.

The following text was provided by Kemter:

Welcome all. It is a pleasure to see so many of you turn out to honor and pay our respects to those who gave their lives while serving our country.

I am Lieutenant Colonel Barney Kemter U.S. Army Retired and an alumnus of Hudson High School, Class of 1962. I shall do the math for you, I’m 77 years old. Many of you may have seen my posts on the Facebook page "I grew up in Hudson." Now you have the opportunity to place a face to those postings. Some of you may recognize me from five years ago when I was here and was the featured speaker.

Today is Memorial Day. This is the day that we pay homage to all those who served in the military and didn’t come home. This is not Veterans Day, it’s not a celebration, it is a day of solemn contemplation over the cost of our freedom. Memorial Day was born out of necessity. After the American Civil War, a battered United States was faced with the task of burying and honoring the 600,000 to 800,000 Union and Confederate soldiers who had died in the single bloodiest military conflict in American history. The first national commemoration of Memorial Day was held in Arlington National Cemetery on May 30, 1868, where both Union and Confederate soldiers were buried.

Several towns and cities across America claim to have observed their own earlier versions of Memorial Day or 'Decoration Day' as early as 1866. (The earlier name is derived from the fact that decorating graves was and remains a central activity of Memorial Day.) But it wasn’t until a remarkable discovery in a dusty Harvard University archive [in] the late 1990s that historians learned about a Memorial Day commemoration organized by a group of freed black slaves less than a month after the Confederacy surrendered in 1865.

But in recent years the origins of how and where Decoration Day began has sparked lively debate among historians, with some, including Yale historian David Blight, asserting the holiday is rooted in a moving ceremony held by freed slaves on May 1, 1865, at the tattered remnants of a Confederate prison camp at Charleston’s Washington Race Course and Jockey Club – today known as Hampton Park. The ceremony is believed to have included a parade of as many as 10,000 people, including 3,000 Black schoolchildren singing the Union marching song "John Brown’s Body' while carrying armfuls of flowers to decorate the graves.

More importantly than whether Charleston’s Decoration Day was the first, is the attention Charleston’s Black community paid to the nearly 260 Union troops who died at the site. For two weeks prior to the ceremony, former slaves and Black workmen exhumed the soldiers’ remains from a hastily dug mass grave behind the racetrack’s grandstand and gave each soldier a proper burial. They also constructed a fence to protect the site with an archway at the entrance that read "Martyrs of the Race Course."

The dead prisoners of war at the racetrack must have seemed especially worthy of honor to the former slaves. Just as the former slaves had, the dead prisoners had suffered imprisonment and mistreatment while held captive by white southerners.

Not surprisingly, many white southerners who had supported the Confederacy, including a large swath of white Charlestonians, did not feel compelled to spend a day decorating the graves of their former enemies. It was often the African American southerners who perpetuated the holiday in the years immediately following the Civil War.

African Americans across the South clearly helped shape the ceremony in its early years. Without African Americans, the ceremonies would have had far fewer in attendance in many areas, thus making the holiday less significant.

My generation grew up listening to the famous radio personality Paul Harvey. Paul would say at the end of his broadcast, "And now you know the rest of the story." And now you know the rest of the story about the origin of Memorial Day.

If you visited the moving tribute to the fallen heroes from Hudson on what we old timers call the village green, all the men shared this oath and obligation:

"I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

It is a gift or pledge of their lives to the United States of America. That oath is a major part of who we are in the military. It forms the bedrock of what we stand for and are willing to fight for.

The oath fully embraces what we do and we let them guide our military service. I distinctly remember being administered that oath 56 years ago, almost as if it was just yesterday. I was in Cleveland going through my preparations to enlist in the U.S. Army. I stood in a room with at least 40 or 50 other people, all standing at what we called "attention," facing the front of the room. An officer entered and said he was going to administer the Oath of Enlistment to all of us. At this point, I had never heard the words so I had no idea as to what we were going to say.

We raised our right hands, as he asked us to, and began to recite after him. It seemed as if time stood still, because I mentally paused and reflected on the words I was repeating. I thought to myself this is not a joke — this is real.

As soon as he had administered the Oath of Enlistment, I immediately felt a strong sense of patriotism. I felt as if I was invincible. Don't laugh. I'm not sure why, but I was young, I really felt a sense of belonging to something bigger than myself.

I thought, I could very well die. I would be defending the framework and the beliefs of a nation. I would do so against all enemies meaning I might have to fight to save my life, or another's, or our way of life. I might have to do it far removed from the safety of our country — but the country would be safe, or so I thought.

I chose to join the military and part of making that official is the oath — the promise we make to be a part of this elite group of Americans. We made that oral commitment so all will know what our country means to us and what we will do to defend it, its values, and the right to our way of life.

We are here today to pay tribute to those who freely took this oath and ultimately gave their lives. Part of the Memorial Day celebration is a period of silence and reflection at 3 p.m. Please join with me at that time in remembering these young men whom I personally knew that were a part of my generation who answered their country’s calling:

Marine Corp 2d Lt. Ronald Davidson

Marine Corp 1st Lt. Jerry Gorney

Navy Commander John D. Peace, III

Air Force Captain Joseph Resato

Army Sergeant Armor Wilcox, III

From Peninsula were two people who attended Hudson High School:

Army Sergeant Joseph Sobczak

Army Captain Thomas Shafer.

I am a soldier.

I do not choose the time or the place.

Convenience is not in my vocabulary.

I stand at the ready.

When my orders come, I go.

I am a soldier.

I may not see a child born,

A wife, a husband, parents, friends, I may never see them again.

But willingly and with conviction I go.

I am a soldier.

The job that I’m given to do.

I will do even if it costs me my life.

I will do it.

I am a soldier.

A car approaches, a bicycle, a cart.

I fix my stare and hone my senses.

I have but a short time to take action.

But I show restraint, it is part of my job.

I am a soldier.

I repair hospitals, schools and homes.

I help rebuild smiles for people that I’ve never met before.

This too is part of my job.

I am a soldier.

I gaze at those around me.

In a foreign land I see a child.

A wife a husband, parents, friends.

Oh how I wish I were home.

Oh how I wish they were mine.

I am a soldier,

Yes, take me home, but only when the job is done.

Only when the job is done.

I am a soldier.

Thank you for your participation today.

God bless you and God bless America.

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New dishwasher!

Fri, 04 Sep 2020 01:47:08 GMT

I am the proud owner of a new dishwasher.... in Woburn! With a 2-bedroom condo attached! So excited to have closed the deal on this step to our new home!

Photo: https://bex77.dreamwidth.org/file/431.jpg

-B

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Mary Chung's reopening August 1

Tue, 21 Jul 2020 16:57:08 GMT

Good news! The best news I received last week was that my favorite Chinese restaurant is reopening! Mary Chung's in Central Square in Cambridge has a sign up on their door that says "OPEN August 1st Saturday." I am so relieved and happy that they are returning! I can get my suan la chow show that is not available anywhere else. It is a small thing but I am taking it as GOOD SIGN!

Hope you are finding good news somewhere in these strange days.

-B

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Giving notice

Fri, 22 Mar 2019 14:20:58 GMT

I gave notice. I told my boss I am planning to leave on June 21! Gonna check out this "retirement" thing!

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Farewell Foodler

Mon, 16 Oct 2017 23:13:05 GMT

Welcome to my personal wake for Foodler this evening.

Tonight is the final night before my favorite restaurant delivery service ceases to exist, having been absorbed by the more pedestrianly named GrubHub during some corporate shenanigans. So I went for a little cruise around their website for the last time. After 904 personal orders and 104 for work, I will be headed elsewhere the next time I want to order in.

We've been together for nearly 10 years - my first order was from Cinderella's in Central Square on November 9, 2007. My final order was October 9, 2017 from Beantown Taqueria in the same area.

I ordered from restaurants around the corner and across the river, from places I know to places I learned about on Foodler and have never been inside. There are lots of places long gone - Pu Pu Hot Pot, Dolphin Seafood, Snack Bar, Spice & Rice, Alfresco, Lady Siam, Cambridge Coffee & Pizza, Potato Freak. Some places we placed one order and decided never again, others we ordered over and over... and over. I never lost the thrill of not having to call to place an order or read my credit card - just click on "repeat order," tweak it a bit and hit SUBMIT.

I remember the breakfasts, lunches, dinners, late night snacks and random indulgences like ice cream or chocolate cake. I've had all sorts of food - pizza, burgers, omelettes, muffins, rice, noodles, mashed potatoes and home fries and fries and chips, wraps, subs, gyros, wings, smoothies, sushi, dim sum, turkey dinners, dumplings, soups and even Cream of Wheat! I enjoyed Thai, Chinese, Italian, Vietnamese, Korean, Mexican, Indian, Japanese, Greek, Swiss and more!

I learned all the tricks to maximize the points earned for each order, and ended up with hundreds of dollars in free food over the years. I am so sad to see that benefit go!

I adored their "Best Bets" section, telling me what they thought I'd like to eat, based on my past orders. I especially like the little green check marks telling me I'd ordered it before. I often look for those on menus in restaurants and then slowly realize why they aren't there!

It wasn't all good times - we had delivery drivers who wanted us to go out in the street to meet their car rather than coming up to the fifth floor, a few who "got lost" and made us wait 90 minutes for them to appear, wrong items, missing items... but the nice folks at support@Foodler.com always made it right. I wonder what will happen to them.

It seems just my luck that I tried a number of delivery sites - Doordash, GrubHub, AllMenus, BeyondMenu, MixMenu - and decided I like Foodler best, so of course, they are the ones who are disappearing. *sigh I may have to... cook more. Argh!

So Farewell Foodler. Thank you. It's been delicious!

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My own restaurant week

Sun, 10 Sep 2017 04:43:17 GMT

I had my own version of restaurant week surrounding my birthday!

I made the most of my birthday, stretching out the celebrations to several nights, with several friends and family! I indulged my passion to explore new restaurants and cherish old favorites in six different cities and towns!

1) Tango Argentinian Cuisine in Arlington
http://tangoarlington.com/

They're famous for meats - steaks, sausages, lamb and pork chops - but I was most impressed with the special cold soup - gazpacho - and the polenta with parmesan and malbec mushroom sauce! I had the mile-high pork chop with a delightful side of mashed butternut squash and sweet potato.

2) The Loading Dock in Belmont
http://tmgcos.com/theloadingdockmacom/

We had Sunday brunch at this beautiful new Mediterranean bakery, deli and restaurant. We ate well in a quiet corner of their dining room, and brought home prepared foods like curried cashew chicken salad and soups!

3) Texas Road House in Everett
https://www.texasroadhouse.com/restaurant-locations/massachusetts/everett

We went late evening and found a quiet corner table for their delicious chili, house salads, steak and ribs. Basic American food with country music and dancing servers! And fun non-alcoholic drinks! I had the red raspberry lemonade.

4) Lobsta Land in Gloucester
http://lobstalandrestaurant.com/

My favorite place on Cape Ann with a lovely view of the salt marsh just off Rte 128. I had lobster for lunch! They make a delicious lobster chowder! I was tempted by the lazy man lobster or paella but went with the combo appetizer of crab cakes, coconut shrimp and calamari.

5) Nichols Candy House in Gloucester
https://nicholscandies.com/

This is the best old-fashioned candy shop! It's run by a cheery group of older ladies who walk around the displays while you point at your favorites and they fill a box of handmade chocolate. You can pick up lobster lollipops, jelly beans, poppycock, Boston Baked beans, molasses puffs and more!

6) S&S Deli in Cambridge
http://www.sandsrestaurant.com/

This deli in Inman Square is on my way home from work but we rarely stop. I was starving so we ducked in for dinner. They have a huge menu of deli favorites and basic American breakfast, lunch or dinner choices. Choosing is tough! I ended up with the gazpacho and the most delicious chicken pot pie! Oh... and blueberry blintzes. Mmmm.... they were good at breakfast the next day!

7) La Casa de Pedro in Watertown
http://lacasadepedro.com/watertown/home

We enjoyed the Venezuelan treats at this restaurant with the fanciful tropical interior. I adore their tapas menu! Another place where it's tough to choose. I got to taste the shrimp ceviche, sweet plantains, "Pedro's Old Times with Vargas" - a spicy pork nuggets dish, fried cheese sticks and then the paella - an immense mixture of seafood, rice, and snap peas in a cast iron wok.

8) Oleana in Cambridge
https://www.oleanarestaurant.com/

I was blown away by this place! It's spectacular! I can't believe this was my first time. I tried to make a reservation a week ahead, but ended up on the wait list with little hope. The universe smiled on me - they finally called at 2:30 pm the night I wanted to go saying they had a 6:30 pm table! Perfect! We got an outdoor table in a quiet, covered corner of their magical patio, next to an open plug where I could charge my almost-dead phone! This is another "lots of tapas with a few entrees" place owned by award-winning chef Ana Sortun. If she puts ingredients together, you know they will coordinate to delight your palate! I got to taste several tapas:

Tapas
Deviled eggs with tuna,
Sultan's Delight of tamarind beef short rib with smokey eggplant puree,
Fatteh- Caramelized Onion, Romanesco, Crispy Mushrooms, Pinenuts, Yogurt;
Swordfish special meze

Entrees
Sister's Lemon Chicken with Za’atar, Turkish Cheese Pancake

Hubby's Beef Shish w/ Pepper Relish, Fried Green Tomato, Tomato Brown Butter, Yogurt
My Softshell Crab with Saffron-Almond Skordalia, Heirloom Tomato, Couza Fries w/ Olive tapenade

Desserts
Pistachio Ma’amoul Cookie w/ Lemon Verbena Peaches, Olive Oil Ice Cream
Sweet Corn Ice Cream w/ Blueberry Spoon Sweets, Corn Puff, Sumac Kettle Corn
My first ever Baked Alaska - Coconut Ice Cream and Passion Fruit Caramel

Drinks
My companions enjoyed their creative cocktails. I enjoyed the festive drinks without alcohol! I adored the hibiscus iced tea. And the rooibos hot tea with dessert.

Our server was a friendly, efficient younger woman with a way of asking how things were going that encouraged us to gush compliments to the chef.

It is pricey but worth it for a special occasion!

I recommend all these spots to you for happy eating!

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Soups to remember

Wed, 14 Jun 2017 18:19:33 GMT

I've been sick with a wretched cough for nearly 2 weeks. I have eaten so much soup and want to remember them for the next time the germs catch up with me. These are from restaurants that deliver via Doordash, GrubHub or Foodler, or available by sweet-talking Hubby into picking up for me.

Greek Corner - Avegolemono chicken lemon rice soup
India Palace - spicy chicken soup
Au Bon Pain - chicken noodle soup
Pandan Leaf - Thai chicken coconut milk soup
Asian House - Thai rice chowder
Mary Chung's - suan la chow show - spicy pork wontons soup with bean sprouts
Panera - French onion soup
Flour - beef chili (do not buy this again)
Genki Ya - Miso soup
Dumpling House - chicken corn soup

Just Crust in Harvard Square has soups but I didn't make it there this time.

Other soothing concoctions:
The Neighborhood - The Cream of Wheat is soupy and comforting
Mary Chung's Yu Shiang Eggplant with shredded chicken has a spicy sauce that feels great on a sore throat and opens the sinuses

Here's to better health in the days ahead!

-B

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Barry Manilow rocks

Mon, 29 May 2017 01:43:55 GMT

Neil and I had a fantastic time with gambling, dinner and the Barry Manilow concert at Foxwoods on Saturday!

( Read more... )

What a special adventure!

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Mom reading Psalm 37

Sun, 30 Apr 2017 16:31:57 GMT

A year ago, in one of my mother's last gasps of rationality, we sat together in her room at the assisted living community and she earnestly read me this psalm and commented on its applicability to the presidential primaries. I need to hear its message even more today.

Holy Bible, New International Version

Psalm 37
Of David.

1 Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.
3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9 For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.
10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.
11 But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.

12 The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them;
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.
14 The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.
15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.
16 Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked;
17 for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.

18 The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care, and their inheritance will endure forever.
19 In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.
20 But the wicked will perish: Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field, they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.
21 The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously;
22 those the Lord blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be destroyed.

23 The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him;
24 though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.
25 I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
26 They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing.
27 Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.
28 For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed; the offspring of the wicked will perish.
29 The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.
30 The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just.
31 The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip.

32 The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, intent on putting them to death;
33 but the Lord will not leave them in the power of the wicked or let them be condemned when brought to trial.
34 Hope in the Lord and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.
35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a luxuriant native tree,
36 but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found.
37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace.
38 But all sinners will be destroyed; there will be no future for the wicked.

39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
40 The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.

Footnotes:
This psalm is an acrostic poem, the stanzas of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

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Wishes

Sun, 16 Apr 2017 11:02:16 GMT

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How to cancel Xfinity / Comcast in 6 steps

Wed, 12 Apr 2017 00:29:47 GMT

Amazing news! I managed to cancel my Comcast account in less than 5 minutes today [Yes, I know... a sign of the apocalypse!] and turn in my equipment easily thanks to an article I found at
billfixers.com/blog/how-to-cancel-comcast

Here are my notes:

1) Call to cancel - Speak to retention

Hours M-F 7 am - 8 pm
Sat 8 am - 5 pm

1-800-XFINITY (1-800-934-6489)

Have your account number ready
Say "Cancel Service" when the robot asks what you called for
When you get to a person, ask if you’re talking to Retention

2) Have your excuse ready

Say you are moving to where there is no Comcast
[England is a good answer]

[Will cut short them trying to convince you to stay]

3) Stay firm and be friendly

You don’t want to piss off the rep who can do bad things like
make it look like your account is closed but it’s not and you
won’t see a bill until you hear from the collections company

4) Ask what they think you have in terms of equipment

I cable box, power cord
1 Modem, power cord
1 remote (optional)

Anyone can drop off equipment at their store.

They said I can continue to send and receive emails, as they offer free email like Yahoo or Hotmail now.

5) How to return equipment

Check for locations on their site.

116 Beacon St - Store hours 9 am - 6 pm M-F

Ask them to verify what equipment they think you have in their records
Take a photo of what you turn in sitting on the counter at their store
Get receipt with name and ID of person who processes your returns
Save the receipt in a safe place

6) Call back after you pay your final bill
to confirm your account is closed and has no balance

Adapted from: https://billfixers.com/blog/how-to-cancel-comcast

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Dali dinner

Tue, 11 Apr 2017 08:23:12 GMT

Following through on my resolution to post and comment more often, here's my first Dreamwidth-only post. Whee!

Hubby and I had tasty Spanish tapas at the Dali Restaurant in Somerville!

I keep forgetting to go there. I think it's been over two years. Every time I go, I wonder why I am not there more often. It is unique and delicious! And on my way home from work. I have only been for "occasions" in the past, but hope to go more often.

We had that secluded 2-top tile table tucked into the window well in the corner of the beautiful dining room. I adore their eclectic decor! It was empty when we went in at opening time (5:30 pm) but was almost full when we left a couple of hours later.

We shared small elegantly displayed plates of seafood, spices, cheese, meats and fruity sauces:
1) Ceviche - salmon, scallops and shrimp (served on a scallop shell nestled in a bed of fresh seaweed!)
2) Garlic soup
3) Fried Cheese with honey and sweet onions
4) Beef turnovers with olives, raisins and egg
5) Lamb chops in peach sauce
6) Duck in berry sauce
7) Lamb meatballs
8) Beef tenderloin with dried fruit and creamy brandy sauce
9) Dessert - we shared churros with chocolate and dulce de leche sauces

My favorites - #2, #5, #6 and #8! The cheese was a little strong for my tastes, the beef turnovers unremarkable and I've had better ceviche (but it was a wonderful start to dinner on a warm day).

The most amazing part was the non-alcoholic sangria! This was the most festive, delicious drink option I've seen in a long time - a deep purple, fruity mix of flavors that was the perfect cold libation on the first warm day of spring! They also have a creative cocktail list and wines and beers.

If we're connect on Facebook, you can see 9 photos posted over there.

The hostesses and servers are so pleasant! Their pacing is perfect.

If you want vegetarian options, almost half the tapas menu is creative veggie choices! I need to explore more of those next time.

They also have three versions of paella that are tempting but I never get past the tapas part of the menu.

The parking meters around there run until 8 pm but have that new app thing, so you don't need quarters.

It is on the pricey side, but well worth it for the creative cooking, beautiful interior and pleasant service.

-B

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The end of LJ and a move to Dreamwidth

Sun, 09 Apr 2017 15:14:00 GMT

Dear LJ friends,

It's time for LJ and I to part company. This will be my last entry to show up on LJ. It's been an amazing 12+ years but it is time to go elsewhere due to moving of the servers to Russia and their criminalization of LBGT materials. I am exporting everything to Dreamwidth - you can find me over there under the same name.

I plan to post about once a month and I am definitely reading what you write. Hope to see you there or on Facebook or even in "real life" one of these first days! Au revoir!

-B

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Silent Sky and Venezuelan treats

Sun, 26 Mar 2017 05:18:50 GMT

Hubby and I made the best use of a rainy afternoon with a trip to Watertown to see the Flat Earth Theatre production of "Silent Sky" by Lauren Gunderson. I always enjoy seeing other theaters and folks I know from Theatre@First in a different setting. The play was performed on a simple yet elegant set in a black box theater with 80 seats in 5 rows ramped across the back. This matinee was sold out, so they started right on the hour.

I adore plays that teach me about important overlooked women in history, entertain and make me think about life. Theatre@First produced a great example - "The Margaret Ghost" - and "Silent Sky" provided that in a "Hidden Figures" with astronomy way. Go look up Henrietta Leavitt, Annie Jump Cannon and Williamina Fleming who worked at the Harvard Observatory in the early 20th Century charting the stars. They were portrayed by talented actresses who made it easy to know and like the characters. I went to see the always fabulous actor Juliet Bowler, and she rocked this role as a feisty Scot.

There are a few tickets left for the added matinee at 2 pm Sunday, March 26. Go!

We walked across the courtyard to La Casa de Pedro, a Venezuelan/Spanish restaurant, for an early dinner. It has a huge menu of drinks, tapas, appetizers, entrees and desserts! We started with two small plates - the shrimp ceviche and the pork Vargas, then moved on the shrimp enchiladas and pork loin. The sides were special - plantains, jicama fries - along with the more usual sour cream, salsa and guacamole. We finished with the coconut flan! Such a treat!

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Laughs! Tartuffe!

Fri, 24 Feb 2017 21:07:51 GMT

Do you need a laugh? or a lot of laughs? Seems like we all do these days!

I have just the thing - Theatre@First, the community theater I have fun with in Somerville, is presenting Moliere’s madcap comedy “Tartuffe” this weekend and next. Pop over to Davis Square for a meal in a funky restaurant, then make your way to a church basement turned into a theater! It’s 4 quick blocks up College Ave. from the Red Line Davis Square T stop.

Tickets are only $15 for adults, $12 for students and seniors

Performance dates:
Friday February 24, 2017 8 pm Opening Night
Saturday February 25, 2017 2 pm matinee and 8 pm
Thursday March 2, 2017 8 pm
Friday March 3, 2017 8 pm
Saturday March 4, 2017 2 pm Closing matinee

Get more details and buy tickets:
http://www.theatreatfirst.org

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Cooking at home

Mon, 16 Jan 2017 04:19:45 GMT

I cooked four nights in a row this week and ate leftovers the fifth night! I don't think that has ever happened before, and may never happen again. The stars aligned with work being relatively quiet and Hubby out at rehearsals every night, so I took the time to use up supplies on the shelves and satisfy some cravings for dishes I can't delivered!

Monday - Hormel Chili with onions, franks and melted cheese on top

Tuesday - Dinty Moore's Beef stew with garlic, onions and fresh mushrooms over egg noodles

Wednesday - Annie's spiral macaroni with parmesan cheese and diced ham, with a side of buttered sweet peas

Thursday - I turned on the oven! Betty Crocker scalloped potatoes with diced ham and a green bean casserole

Friday - Leftovers from Thursday

Here's hoping that writing it down here will give me a head start if I decide to cook again!

If you have an easy dinner favorite for me to try, please point me to a recipe URL or jot down the details. Thanks!

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