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 « January 2007 | Main | March 2007 » February 28, 2007
Massachusetts gets its Irish up
A sampling of St Patrick's Day Parades:
Other Irish activities:
Photo: Boston Irish Tourism Association February 25, 2007
Don't be a sap. Go maple sugaring.
Photo: ©Arthur Levine 2006. Licensed to boston.com. February 21, 2007
A matter of (three) courses: It's Restaurant Week Boston
Over 125 eateries will be participating in the promotion, scheduled for March 4 to 9. A three-course lunch, which will include an appetizer, entree, and dessert, will cost $20.07. (Damn inflation! Why only six years ago, the price was $20.01.) For example among the choices at the Seaport Hotel's Aura Restaurant (at the World Trade Center in Boston), you could start with New England Clam Chowder, move on to flash-fired polenta with sauteed broccoli rabe, smoked tomato jus, and Parmesan Reggiano, and finish with Tahitian vanilla creme brulee with chocolate crinkle cookies. Dinners will cost $33.07. Restaurant Week Boston is a bit of a misnomer. While most of the dining establishments will be in Boston, places in Brookline, Cambridge, Newton, and as far away as Rockport will also be participating. Tables fill up quickly for the popular event, so it makes sense to book reservations early. If a nor'easter blows into the area in early March, and the temperature drops to 50 below with the wind-chill factor, don't sweat it. Just ask for a second serving of creme brulee. Restaurant Week Boston Winter 2007 Photo: Aura Restaurant February 19, 2007
JFK Museum recalls President's Cape Cod connection
The times that JFK spent at his family's Hyannisport compound are an important part of his presidency's almost-mythic Camelot saga. The museum, which is located on Main Street in Hyannis, offers multimedia exhibits about Kennedy's Cape Cod ties, such as his childhood years, his PT109 shipmates, and his love of the seashore. Special exhibits include "Summer of 1960," which recalls then Senator Kennedy, the Democratic Party nominee for president, planning his general election campaign in Hyannisport. John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum Photo: John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum February 15, 2007
Feb. school vacation things to do on the Cape
Photo: Eventide Arts February 12, 2007
Sweethearts for your sweetheart in Revere
Founded in 1847, NECCO is the oldest multi-line candy company in the country. Other brands include Necco wafers, Mary Jane, Clark Bars, and Sky Bar. (I always go for the vanilla nougat first when I eat a Sky Bar.) All of the candies are available at the NECCO company store. I wonder what happens to the leftover Sweethearts after Valentine's Day? Maybe you could score some discounted boxes later in the week. But, don't even think of skipping Valentine's Day and trying to pass off some cut-rate candy to your sweetheart after the holiday. Otherwise, you might find yourself sitting alone on the curb eating HOW NICE Sweethearts. NECCO Photo: NECCO February 7, 2007
There's been something tricky going on in Beverly for 30 years
The adorned Cabot Street Theater and its staff are nearly as ornate as the magic show's colorful costumes and set pieces. A tuxedoed doorman ushers guests in, and a woman decked out in an evening gown takes their tickets. It's a lavish experience designed to please all ages. The theater presents the magic show nearly every Sunday. During the week, it shows second-run and art-house films. The troupe occasionally presents a different magic show at The Larcom Theater, another Beverly gem it restored. Le Grand David and His Own Spectacular Magic Company Photo: Le Grand David February 5, 2007
Chocolate undergarments spice up Osterville fest
Other shops will offer complimentary hot cocoa, free boxes of chocolates with purchases, and other on-the-house treats. The local banks will even be dishing out freebie chocolate donut holes and chocolate coins. For more discerning palates, there will be Kahlua chocolate-dipped strawberries, double-chocolate muffins, a chocolate fountain for dipping, and gourmet chocolate samplings. If you plan to go, dress appropriately for outdoor strolling. Chocolate undergarments are optional. Osterville Chocolate Fest Photo: Osterville Chocolate Fest     This blog is a feature of explorenewengland.com. It is not produced by
writers and editors of The Boston Globe. Questions or comments? E-mail us.
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St. Patty's day is looming, and the state is fairly bursting with Irish-themed events and celebrations. That's no surprise since, according to the Boston Irish Tourism Association, Massachusetts is "America's Most Irish State," the "Capital of Irish America," and "Ireland's Home Away from Home." (Shh, don't tell anybody, but California, New York, and, improbably, Florida all have more Irish-Americans living in their states. Let's keep this Capital of Irish America thing on the QT, OK?) Of course, there will be a slew of St Patrick's Day parades, but there are plenty of other Irish events planned over the next few weeks as well.
Forget the Vermont Maid. Sure, our neighbor to the north produces lots of maple sugar. But there's plenty of tree tapping going on in Massachusetts as well. In fact, when the sap is flowing, it's a welcome sign of spring here in the Bay State. If you want to join the seasonal ritual and learn more about the homegrown sweet stuff, the Department of Conservation and Recreation has some maple sugaring programs around the state. March is prime time for tapping, so you'll want to make your plans now. You may want to bring your own pancakes and French toast, however. Here's where to get in on the maple sugar fun:
With the ice, snow, slush, and frigid temperatures, February has been downright miserable. March may be Massachusetts' cruelest month, however. Daylight savings time returns and the calendar says spring, but the miserable weather generally lingers and lingers...and lingers. What to do? Short of skipping out of town for a warm-weather vacation, you could fall back on the time-honored remedy to deal with nearly all of life's hardships: Indulge yourself with a delicious meal. And to help lighten the load on your cracked and chapped hands when it's time to pay the bill, the winter edition of Restaurant Week Boston will have some great deals.
In honor of Presidents' Day, let's consider the impact that the Bay State has had--and will likely continue to have--on the Oval Office. Mitt Romney officially tossed his hat into the 2008 presidential ring. John Kerry and Michael Dukakis gave it their best shot. But the last Massachusetts politician to make it all the way to the White House was JFK. (The brief times that George W. and his father spent at Phillips Andover don't really qualify them as Bay State guys.) If you want to learn more about the popular president, you could visit the 
Kids love it. Parents dread it. It's February school vacation next week, and while students have a temporary reprieve from pencils and books, moms and dads may exhibit some dirty looks if their kids do nothing but plop themselves down in front of the TV. There are plenty of things to do on Cape Cod in lieu of mindless cartoons, MTV, or video games, but it'll take some planning on your part--which sort of sounds like homework, doesn't it? The kids get a break, but you're not off the hook. Here are some activities to consider:
Hey LOVER BOY. Do you want to BE GOOD and show your TRUE LOVE she's your ALL STAR this Valentine's Day? Then consider heading over to the New England Confectionary Company headquarters to pick up an assortment of Sweethearts, the classic heart-shaped candies with the silly imprinted sayings. NECCO has been manufacturing them since 1902 and now cranks out over 8 billion of the pastel candies annually at its humungous Revere plant. In addition to the traditional Sweethearts, the company offers versions that are sugar-free, tart, printed in Spanish, and chocolate-flavored.
Solid rings connect and come apart. Birds appear out of nowhere. People disappear into thin air. There's been some magic in Beverly's air for 30 years. Marco the Magi's Production of Le Grand David and His Own Spectacular Magic Company (what a long-winded and brazenly self-important name!) will present its 30th anniversary show this month. Without any Vegas glitz or modern-day irony, this throwback to the days of vaudeville and classic European stage magic nonetheless continues to dazzle modern-day audiences.
Tis the season. Earlier, I wrote about 
