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Today, Sharon offers a fabulous local find for all things shiny and beautiful, plus a couple of suggestions for fueling and refueling, before and after your shopping adventure:
“Sometimes I feel like a raccoon; I instantly gravitate towards things shiny and colorful. And during some recent adventures through Somerville, I was happy to rediscover Blue Cloud Gallery.
Given the real estate market, I have yet to figure out who is filling all of the luxe condo complexes that have sprouted up along Mass. Ave. in North Cambridge over the last year, but the Good Food Café is good news for these residents (and locals in striking distance).
Weekend fun is doubly sweet when it benefits those in need. Tomorrow’s Boston Pumpkin Festival at City Hall Plaza includes a free day (12 – 8pm) of family friendly entertainment, food, and pumpkins galore. Proceeds from the event will benefit Camp Sunshine, a national retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. And through Sunday nationwide, indulge in a cupcake at a participating bakery and mention Cupcakes for a Cause. Cupcake proceeds will benefit CancerCare for Kids. Locally, Rosie’s Bakery takes the cake as a major participant.
It’s a little pathetic when things get so hectic that you forget your own birthday. Lucky for me, last week Jon ensured a festive day by bringing home one of my favorite confections (cupcakes) from one of my favorite bakeries (Lulu’s in the North End). Boston guides typically point North End visitors to Mike’s or Modern’s, but what’s the point of standing in ridiculous lines when this cheery little gem awaits? Right this minute, I’d give anything for an espresso and a plate of their amazing almond apricot biscotti.
Lulu’s Bake Shoppe, 229 Hanover Street, Boston; Tel: 617-720-2200
I’m hard pressed not to pounce on any fresh baked treats that are set before me, but there truly is something uniquely cozy and comforting about cobbler (and no, it’s not just because you can rationalize the fruit intake). And while there's still some good summer produce available, try Jules's new cobbler recipe. No doubt it’ll make your weekend even sweeter.
As convenient as chain coffee shops are, I won’t go anywhere near the baked goods, instead holding out for the nearest independent bakery where I can be pretty certain that “fresh baked” doesn’t mean that my treat was pulled out of the freezer earlier that morning (after spending who knows how long in transit from baked good headquarters). This afternoon, Kate writes on a lovely downtown spot to indulge both sweet and savory cravings:
For all the time that Jon and I revolved around Davis Square as young twenty something’s, we never hit Gargoyles, probably because we only could afford burritos at the time. Thanks to a babysitting offer from Auntie Sha-Sha, we recently tried Gargoyles and it was a downright lovely experience.
Laurel heartily agrees that there’s no better way to take the edge off of summer heat than with a scoop of ice cream. This week you can sample fabulous flavors from ten of New England’s major frozen treat purveyors at the 25th Annual Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl. The Scooper Bowl runs today until 6pm, tomorrow (June 6) from 11:30am – 8pm, and Thursday (June 8) from 11:30am – 6pm at City Hall Plaza. Tickets are available at the entrance ($7 for adults, $3 for kids ages 3 to 10, kids under 3 free); proceeds benefit The Jimmy Fund’s cancer initiatives.
Sometimes you just don’t have the steam to get dinner together at the end of a hectic day. If you’re looking for take out meals suitable for the whole family (I have yet to meet a kid who doesn't like pasta and cheese), guest contributor Jules (our house professional foodie) recommends checking out the fresh, flavorful dinners and sauces of Capone Foods in Cambridge and Somerville:
“The storefront is discreet, but don’t be fooled; the food is anything but. Capone Foods, with its first location at 14 Bow Street (Somerville), and its new, second location at 2285 Mass. Ave. (North Cambridge), is warm and inviting and stacked to the ceilings with quality products.
I'm an avid baker, but that by no means stands in the way of Jon and my devoted quest to find excellent baked treats (and coffee…) out in the world. Our latest find – Summerhouse Baking – is a must try for cookie lovers.
Made from scratch using quality ingredients (including products from local, family-owned farms and mills), pastry chef Lauren Ferrone’s cookie collection is classic with a decadent twist. Despite our chocoholic tendencies and Ferrone’s chocolate-based stunners, our favorite is the Oatmeal Coconut Cranberry, a buttery, vibrant cookie loaded with enough toasted oat goodness to nearly justify that it might do for breakfast.
I have eaten a lot of birthday cake in my years, but every now and then I sample one so good that there’s no choice but to throw polite airs (and any standing resolutions) to the wind and go back for seconds. Such was the case yesterday at the one year birthday party for Laurel’s pal Sebastian.
Sebastian’s cake – Fresh Strawberries & Cream with Chocolate Meringue Buttercream frosting – came from Dessert Works in Norwood. The vanilla chiffon cake layers were moist yet airy, and the delicate sweetness of the whipped vanilla pastry cream & fresh strawberry layers perfectly contrasted the deadly chocolate frosting.
Dessert Works offers cakes, pastry, and seasonal confections fashioned in simple to complex designs (the wedding cake gallery is breathtaking to browse); Laurel went nuts over Sebastian’s cake, but I suspect the Jungle Animal cupcakes (shown) also would be a huge hit.
Dessert Works, 38 Vanderbilt Avenue, Norwood; Tel: 781-769-1133
Regular readers may know that Jon and I have developed skepticism about the ability to have a relaxed meal out with a busy two-year-old in establishments other than cafes or diners. But last night we tried again, and Laurel rewarded us by being an angelic dinner companion for nearly an hour and a half at Tamarind House in Porter Square.
It’s possible that the 15-minute post-nap tantrum over Laurel’s distaste for wearing pants depleted her crazy mojo reserve; or perhaps she’s just growing into a more mature dining out buddy. Those possibilities aside, a few other factors no doubt helped the cause. We hope these "dining dos" will prove useful for your future family dining:
I’m all for testing the waters at eateries that don’t necessarily promote themselves as kid friendly, but the truth is, kid friendly establishments just make life that much easier.
Jon and I first learned about Sweet Sue’s when it was an out-of-home operation selling baked goods at the Government Center farmer’s market. Last spring, Sweet Sue’s opened a bakery café in Arlington, where the vibe is cozy and warm (either due to the sunny space or the walk about coffee refills), decidedly family friendly (a kids table and toys are available, as is a real standing changing table in the bathroom), and brimming with treats. During the weekdays Sweet Sue’s serves breakfast and lunch; on Saturday they serve brunch. They also offer catering services.
Sweet Sue’s, 795 Mass. Ave., Arlington; Tel: 781-646-1118
You’d think I would have backed off coffee once Laurel started saying, “Mommy has coffee breath! Laurel has milk breath!” but old habits die hard. If you’re downtown in the beautiful weather today and looking for an independent fix, check out Flatblack Coffee Company. Possibly the only independent cafe in the financial district, this Australian-themed, Boston-based gourmet coffee company offers single country of origin coffees from around the world; most products are organically grown, shade grown, and fair trade.
You can purchase Flatblack’s products online or visit their locations in Boston (50 Broad Street; Tel: 617-951-1440) and Dorchester (1170 Washington Street; Tel: 617-298-1800).
It’s been far too long since Jon and I have connected downtown for lunch, but on Friday, he reminded me of our last lunch date by bringing home a marvelous taste of Sel de la Terre.
With a variety of menus available throughout the day (including a kid’s menu), Sel de la Terre offers French fare in a warmly appointed, casual brasserie atmosphere. The restaurant is lovely for sit down (the assiette de charcuterie with toasted brioche, mustard, and chutney first course is a must for anyone who enjoys pates and a variety of nibbles), and their entrance way boulangerie is a particular boon. To celebrate my finishing an important deadline on Friday, Jon picked up a couple of desserts for us to enjoy after Laurel was off to bed. Particularly divine was the chocolate mousse, constructed in a round mold on a thin layer of chocolate nut cake, with another layer of cake hidden inside the mousse.
Sel de la Terre, 255 State Street, Boston; Tel: 617-720-1300
I have to admit that I’m a little nervous reporting on the hidden gem that is the Grand Prix Café in North Cambridge, lest it results in us not being able to get a table on weekends. But it is the holidays after all, so here goes.
Initially wary of the racecar reference (I still need Jon to remind me of the difference between the Grand Prix and NASCAR), the Grand Prix is now a favorite, whether I’m on my own with my laptop, with Jon, or out with the whole family. This morning wasn’t the first time that we spent over an hour enjoying breakfast and watching soccer highlights (the owners are avid soccer fans) while Laurel happily munched her food, chatted with the staff, and enjoyed people watching. The staff is kind and professional, and they serve what quickly has become my favorite coffee in the area, in addition to a full menu of snacks, sandwiches, and desserts (including several homemade items).
The Grand Prix Café is a terrific addition to a block that includes the stylish and modern Asierica and the bounty that is Pemberton Farms. Just remember to bring quarters for the Mass. Ave. meters.
Grand Prix Café, 2257 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, Tel: 617-547-4700
It’s embarrassing how many days of the week I say, “OK, today, no sweets!” And yesterday, mere hours after patting myself on the back for exercising will power against the pull of the local bakery, I was going berserk over a treat Jon brought home from Faneuil Hall: a cream puff from Beard Papa’s.
Bizarre business identity aside, these cream puffs are spectacular. When given a range of options, I typically don’t share Jon’s penchant for all things choux, but the delicate crispness of Beard Papa’s puff pastry, coupled with the smooth, fresh whipped cream custard knocked out my existing cream puff skepticism (based on the sickly sweet artificial filling and rubbery pastry of cream puffs in days past).
Beard Papa’s is known for its cream puffs (made in small batches on the premises using natural ingredients and no preservatives), and also offers other dessert treats. They currently have locations in Asia, Australia, and the US, with more international locations apparently on the way.
Beard Papa’s, 1 Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston; Tel: 617-570-9070
Now that you’ve had a couple of weeks to recover from Halloween, it’s time to gear up for the good stuff and head to the new Taza Chocolate Lounge in Central Square.
Taza’s approach is blissfully minimal; they source cocoa beans directly from farming communities and co-operatives, and grind the beans into chocolate in their Somerville studio, focusing on the preservation of pure, single-origin flavors. Their products are offered at the Taza Chocolate Lounge, Thursdays and Fridays from 7:30 – 11:30pm, in partnership with Mariposa Bakery. In addition to coffee and select baked items from Mariposa, the Taza menu currently includes Madagascar chocolate ice cream, chocolate fondue, tasting plates of South American or Indonesian chocolate, and two types of iced or hot chocolate.
No reservations are required for this intimate yet casual drop in spot, but for groups of 8 or more, reservations are available at 7:30pm or 10pm. Taza also books private parties (25 person minimum) Sunday through Wednesday at Mariposa, and are pleased to accommodate birthday cakes or other requests in addition to their regular menu offerings. For details about private parties or factory tours, contact Larry Slotnick.
Taza Chocolate Lounge at Mariposa Bakery, 424 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, Tel: 617-876-6500
Sometimes the best theories evolve on sleepy Sunday mornings.
Jon and I were barely conscious yesterday morning after a bad night of sleep (Laurel’s two year molars are coming in); Jon suggested shaking up the mojo with an old college solution: the greasy breakfast.
We headed to the Arlington Diner and Restaurant; I assumed it would be packed (as it tends to be on weekends), but at 8am there were plenty of tables. The diner has booster seats, the waitresses were terrific with Laurel (and completely on task in keeping me caffeinated), and the food arrived about 5 minutes after we ordered it; literally just as I was asking Jon whether I should take Laurel for a walk around the restaurant so we didn’t burn our seated time waiting for food. Equally excellent was that Laurel loved the giant breakfast (enormous pancake covered with blueberry topping, toast, eggs), and the vinyl/plastic décor made blueberry-print cleanup a breeze. For the first time ever we left a restaurant with Laurel because we were ready to leave, not because we had to deal with an emergency of the diaper or disposition variety.
Anyhow, so the theory goes something like this. Going to a diner early on a Sunday morning with a child is: 1) the most satisfying dining out solution you will experience with a little one in tow; and 2) the grown up equivalent of Sunday brunch with your friends in college, the differences of course being the source of your fog and the company you’re keeping.
Arlington Diner & Restaurant, 134 Mass. Ave., Arlington, Tel: 781-646-9266
Boston is replete with excellent restaurants, but the suburbs have mounted an impressive charge, offering first-rate dining with the added bonus of easier parking. For seafood lovers, Catch is a must-try. Located in Winchester Center, Catch has an intimate and elegant feel from which the small open kitchen delivers top-notch French-influenced American cuisine. Fresh local produce is incorporated throughout the menu; you’ll want to try the potato gnocchi with English peas, lobster mushrooms, and lobster reduction ($12), which presents with a smooth and subtle richness, as well as the Asian-inspired, well-balanced red snapper with gulf shrimp, baby bok choy, fingerling potatoes, grilled portobello mushroom, cipollini onion, and soy ($26). Be sure to leave room for the warm chocolate truffle cake with brandied cherries and whipped crème fraiche ($8).
Catch, 34 Church Street, Winchester, Tel: 781-729-1040
If you are itching to be part of the city nightlife but couldn’t secure a sitter, check out the East Coast Grill in Inman Square. The Grill offers some of the best seafood in the city; the restaurant is brimming with bustle and fire, but is surprisingly kid friendly.
While there is no formal kid's menu, the staff is happy to accommodate little ones with the more kid-friendly elements from the menu (e.g., cornbread, watermelon, fried plantains) and can down-spice entree elements on request. And your babe will have plenty to soak in visually, what with lots of large, brightly colored fish hanging on the wall, funky light art, different patterns and textures on the floors and walls, and little toys and baubles in the beverages. You also can take your babe to see the chefs working their mojo behind the open kitchen.
East Coast Grill, 1271 Cambridge Street, Cambridge (Inman Square), Tel: 617-491-6568
Venezuelan cuisine isn’t abundant in the Boston area, but it hardly matters with La Casa De Pedro on the block. During lunch and dinner, you’ll likely see chef-owner Pedro Alarcon welcoming guests, directing staff, and ensuring that patrons are enjoying their authentically and flavorfully prepared meals.
La Casa De Pedro offers a bright yet warm dining room with an open kitchen concept, and an enclosed courtyard out back. You’ll do well starting with the crispy, piping hot empanadas (filled corn turnovers) and ending with the superb coconut flan; whatever you choose in between those courses surely will not disappoint.
La Casa De Pedro, 51 Main Street, Watertown, Tel: 617-923-8025
If you’re looking to squeeze a little more summer out of summer, check out the 17th Annual Hampton Beach Seafood Festival running today through Sunday (September 8-10, 2006). A mere hour drive from Boston, the festival has been heralded as "One of the Top 100 Events in North America" by the American Business Association, and includes seafood offerings from over 50 of the Seacoast's top restaurants, nearly 200 local arts & crafts and merchant vendors, a full schedule of events for kids at KiddieLand, culinary chef demonstrations, and live entertainment. Fireworks and skydiving also are on the schedule, as is a 5K road race (pre-registration required).
Festival planners have organized free parking and shuttle service from 13 in-town satellite parking lots; for those who want to park closer to the beach, Hampton Beach Trolleys offers free shuttle service from the State Park near the Seabrook Bridge.
Festival admission: Friday night is free, individual Saturday and Sunday adult admission is $5 per day or a 2-day pass is available for $8. Children under 12 admitted free of charge.
I recently heard someone refer to Arlington as the new Cambridge. I won’t get into that argument in detail, but the fabulously yummy Za - minutes from the Cambridge/Arlington line - offers strong evidence for the case file.
Za followed the closing of Full Moon, the closing of which was a mystery given Full Moon’s seemingly steady stream of customers. Za has stepped up to the task, though, serving gourmet pizzas and salads that are suitable for both adults and kids. Kids will delight in the bright artwork and pig sculptures; the staff happily will fill up your sippy with milk, chocolate milk, or apple juice.
Za offers a regular menu (build your own and specialty pizzas, the latter of which change on occasion) as well as chalkboard specials that change more frequently and incorporate seasonal ingredients often garned from local farms. Za also recently made a smart move in developing a fine dessert menu.
The citrus infused beet, pea green, and goat cheese salad is spectacular, as is the Portobello mushroom (with roasted red pepper, caramelized onion, roasted garlic, and goat cheese) specialty pizza.
Za, 138 Mass. Ave., Arlington, Tel: 781-316-2334
I must be hungry. I have written a lot about food lately. Thing is, as much as I love cooking and baking, I also love getting served.
It’s time to start plotting out your babysitters. Boston Restaurant Week (weeks, really) is coming up, August 13 – 18 and August 20 – 25 (excluding Sundays, where noted). Three-course, prix fixe menus are $20.06 (lunch) and $30.06 (dinner) per person, excluding beverages, tax, and tip.
To see the list of participating restaurants and make reservations, check out OpenTable.com.
Pursuant to a recent post on dining out with babes, I’m writing fresh on the heels of dinner out with the babe. It was time to give her another chance. We hit Tu Y Yo in Somerville where the staff is friendly and courteous and our waitress was especially kind. When I ordered a glass of milk for the babe and was fumbling around for the sippy cup, the waitress offered to fill the cup up directly. When she returned, it was clear – from the warmth of the cup and the lack of peanut butter stains – that she had washed out the sippy cup before filling it up. I truly was touched.
The food at Tu Y Yo is terrific; I just wish I had had a chance to really enjoy it. In reality, the babe was super; she sat in the booster seat for about 15-20 minutes entertaining herself with a saltshaker. In retrospect, we probably should have used this time to walk her around and saved the saltshaker for dinner time. When the food arrived, she picked a little, but otherwise was ready to be up and toddling around. We spent the next 15 minutes trying to wolf down our food, entertain her, and keep her from petting the man sitting behind us.
I’m thinking it’s not an accident that my husband and I haven’t taken our babe to a real sit down restaurant for what feels like several months, ever since a particularly crummy dining experience in Cambridge. Normally the babe does fine in restaurants, but on that particular day she was downright squirrelly. The toys I brought were, like, so 10 minutes ago, and none of the food interested her. She even thought the quesadilla we ordered for her was too cheesy (and that’s saying something…). There weren’t any interesting distractions in the restaurant so we ended up firing our food back and packing it in quickly. We were totally grumpy.
But really, I’m not trying to scare you off. We've had plenty of other easy dining out experiences with the babe! If you’re feeling adventurous this weekend, Meg Muckenhoupt’s Globe feature (July 5, 2006) suggests some Boston area restaurants that offer real food for the adults while satisfying the little ones. The selected restaurants suit kids well by virtue of serving food that caters to little fingers and autonomy (e.g., selecting dim sum), or offering space to wander around (supervised, of course).
Lunching with a fellow mama who had an infant in tow, I was pleasantly surprised by the baby-amenability of Grafton Street in Harvard Square. The restaurant is spacious enough to accommodate strollers (even the wide-girthed Bugaboo), the atmosphere is cool and calm, and the tables are spaced well enough such that nursing was a piece of cake. Oh yeah, and the food for the mamas was quite nice. The lunch menu offers a variety of salads, formal entrees, pizzas, and sandwiches ranging from $6.95 to $14.95.
Ah, the weekend. Perhaps you had the forethought to arrange a sitter. But if that was as far as you got, and you still don’t know where you and your love monkey are heading to, check out OpenTable online reservations. This online reservation system serves restaurants across the US and internationally; plug in your search neighborhood (e.g., Back Bay) and scope out reservation availability (and descriptions, reviews, ratings, and menus where available) for multiple restaurants at a time. No more individual phone calls!
Summer is more than half over but there’s still time catch one of the noontime performances of Club Passim’s Culture for Kids concert series at the Boston Children’s Museum. Today’s (July 28) show features Roots music; the August roster includes African drumming (Aug. 4), Latin rhythms (Aug. 11), Jazz (Aug. 18), and Folk (Aug. 25). All events are free for kids (8-12 years old); a $5 donation is suggested for adults.
I will forever be indebted to restaurant owners who realize that foodies are still foodies, even if they have kids. Stone Hearth Pizza Company is just such a place. They offer thin crust pizzas and gourmet salads incorporating organic, locally produced, sustainable ingredients. Imagine, you can both enjoy your meal and know that you are supporting family farming, protecting natural resources, and strengthening local economies.
Stone Hearth knows it’s located in family suburbs and operates in a very kid-friendly manner, while still retaining warm décor that leaves no doubt that you are not at Chuck E. Cheese.
Located in Belmont and Sudbury. Open Mondays 5 - 9pm, Tuesday - Thursday 11:30am - 9pm, Friday & Saturday 11:30 am - 10 pm, and Sunday 11:30 am - 9 pm.
Do Tupperware parties sound too square for the hip 2000’s mama? Then check out The Traveling Vineyard. Boston mama Judi McLaughlin conducts wine tastings in people's homes, and leads a team of consultants in developing their own Traveling Vineyard businesses.
Invite your friends and family over for a free wine tasting with Judi. She will come equipped with five full bottles of wine, glasses, and tasting notes and food pairing suggestions for the featured wines. As a party host, you can earn rewards and specials based on the success of your event.
Check out Judi’s site or contact her directly for more information.
UPDATE (8/9/06): Judi McLaughlin has decided to pursue opportunities outside The Traveling Vineyard. However, she did connect Boston Mamas with a “wine goddess extraordinaire” in her stead. Contact Debbie Nilan, a Boston area mama of three, if you are interested in learning more about Traveling Vineyard tastings.
Too exhausted to think about having your babe’s next birthday party at home? Full Moon, the perennial top rated family-friendly restaurant in Cambridge, offers birthday party hosting services; choose from one of five themes: wild animals, trucks & engines, dinosaurs, under the sea, princess tea party. Full Moon provides the decorations, balloons, drinks, cake and ice cream, set-up, service, and clean up. Basically, all you need to do is show up.
Party slots are weekdays from 3 - 4:30pm and weekends from 3:15 - 4:45pm (the restaurant is closed during your party); size limit is 10-18 kids (plus parents). Cost is $15 per child, plus 18% gratuity and 5% MA sales tax. You also can pre-order food platters (fruit, cheese and crackers or hummus, pita and olives) for grown ups. Adult cake and drinks charged separately.
Regular service hours include lunch (11:30am - 2:30pm Monday – Friday), dinner (5 - 9pm every day), and brunch (9am – 2:30pm weekends).
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