It is easy to order things over the web, and have them delivered at your front door. It is easy. I will admit it, however our local businesses need YOU!
1. New England Mobile Book Fair - a treasure! New owners are changing it up a bit, but they offer TONS of books, and they support the local schools. They need you to pick up the latest best seller there (plus they will discount it).
2. The Green Planet - another local treasure - find wonderful toys there, and the staff can really help you locate the perfect toy. It is in Newton Highlands. They also support local schools and have really tried to rebuild Newton Highlands since the closure of Bakers Best.
3. Weston Optical - Wayland, MA - the best place to buy glasses, and their personal service is amazing. My kids love visiting the gang there, and the staff again has great advice!
4. One Stop Dry Cleaners in Newton Highlands - another great place. The owners are really nice and want to provide great service.
5. Leather World in Newton Highlands (Needham Street)
6. China Fair in Newton Highlands (Needham Street) - great buys!
7. Bread and Chocolate in Newtonville and Newton Highlands!
8. The Local in West Newton
9. The Urban Grape in Chestnut Hill
10. Shubies in Marblehead, MA
Shop and Eat locally. If we don't support local businesses, they will disappear! We need local business and they need us!
Friday, August 16, 2013
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Class Time
I don't go to many classes as a student. I just don't have the time. However, I made time for a set of two classes at Shubie's in Marblehead. Let me give you some history. I grew up in Marblehead, MA, and I worked at Shube's supermarket - the owner of Shube's Supermarket is a relative of the current owner's of Shubie's. Of course, working at Shube's meant that I also knew the owners of Shubie's (then just a liquor store). Also in Marblehead, MA was this AMAZING French Master Baker. I don't remember when Delphin Gomes opened his French Pastry Shop on Washington Street, but I remember the pastry really well. Delphin is a Master French Pastry Chef, trained in France. His pastries are one of a kind. I remember my mom serving the pastries on special occasions. One of my favorite pastries was a round chocolate mousse and raspberry mousse pastry. Amazing. I still remember it years later.
Years later he closed the shop to join the Cambridge Culinary School and to open his own pastry school. Sadly, the shop wasn't a place where you could pick up dessert for that night. But I never forgot those pastries.
This year, my mom sent me an email from Shubie's stating that Chef Gomes was teaching some classes at their store. I signed up for the French Pastry and French Fillings and Custards. Sadly the Chocolate Classes were on days that I could not attend.
My mom and I attended two Monday night classes. Delphin is the type of guy that teaches you alot, and both nights the two hour class was well over three hours. On the first night, we learned about sweet dough, regular dough, puff pastry dough, and we made them all! We learned how to make individual tartlets and smaller pastries. He taught us a few secrets.
The second night was amazing - chocolate mousse, raspberry mousse, lemon cream, brown butter, Almond cream and more. We spent the night stirring, cooking and tasting lovely creams to fill our tarts. He taught us how to arrange the fruit nicely on top on the creams.
I really enjoyed learning from a Master Chef who has a great sense of humor. It was a long ride to Marblehead and back again (twice), but I am sure my family will benefit from what I learned.
I included a few photos. The first is the apricot tartlets. The second is Chef Gomes filling little boats with almond cream, and the last is a classmate completing the lemon tarts with Italian Meringue.
Years later he closed the shop to join the Cambridge Culinary School and to open his own pastry school. Sadly, the shop wasn't a place where you could pick up dessert for that night. But I never forgot those pastries.
This year, my mom sent me an email from Shubie's stating that Chef Gomes was teaching some classes at their store. I signed up for the French Pastry and French Fillings and Custards. Sadly the Chocolate Classes were on days that I could not attend.
My mom and I attended two Monday night classes. Delphin is the type of guy that teaches you alot, and both nights the two hour class was well over three hours. On the first night, we learned about sweet dough, regular dough, puff pastry dough, and we made them all! We learned how to make individual tartlets and smaller pastries. He taught us a few secrets.
The second night was amazing - chocolate mousse, raspberry mousse, lemon cream, brown butter, Almond cream and more. We spent the night stirring, cooking and tasting lovely creams to fill our tarts. He taught us how to arrange the fruit nicely on top on the creams.
I really enjoyed learning from a Master Chef who has a great sense of humor. It was a long ride to Marblehead and back again (twice), but I am sure my family will benefit from what I learned.
I included a few photos. The first is the apricot tartlets. The second is Chef Gomes filling little boats with almond cream, and the last is a classmate completing the lemon tarts with Italian Meringue.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Paternity Leave
RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES - Father's Don't Get Paid Paternity Time!
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2013/07/23/study-many-dads-dont-get-paternity-leave/
NO KIDDING! I can't believe this is NEWS! And you know what, during my maternity leaves, I worked for a small business, and I had to PIECE together my maternity leave. In fact, because it was a small business (less than five employees), I didn't use vacation the year I was pregnant or the year before, and that was my paid maternity leave. And then instead of taking my bonus, I used that for some additional time off.
Adam at the time of our son's birth, took one week of vacation time. That was it. Yup. He worked for a smallish start up (100 or so employees), and they didn't offer paid paternity. At the time of our daughter's birth, was working for a huge company, that offered a FOUR WEEK PAID PATERNITY leave, and we used it! And it could be used NON CONSECUTIVELY. So, he took one week off as vacation for the week of the birth, and then once we exhausted my maternity leave (of my "vacation") he then spent four weeks at home. . . bonding with the kids. Our son wasn't in full time daycare at the time, so twice a week, he had BOTH kids.
I will admit, I did not have him cook dinner or do the things that I did, but I was grateful that he was bonding with our kids. What he did during the hours I was at work . . . . he decided. He did the diaper changes, the meals, and if he did a load of laundry - GREAT! But, we also knew that not everyone got this opportunity. The opportunity of what life is like as a stay at home parent. . . . . a stay at home parent of a infant girl who was not as healthy as we expected. He watched her like a hawk for any potential seizures, and of course he had to clean up after an "eruption" caused by her reflux. Our little baby girl generated ALOT of laundry those early months, and he understood during his leave why we had so much laundry EVERY DAY.
I am really happy that Adam had this opportunity, and I wish more companies offered this benefit, because it benefits the family, and the company. Adam, for four weeks, did not have to work at his job and work at home. He didn't have to do the 60 minute commute on four hours of sleep for four weeks. I am sure his body appreciate that.
But right now most dads in this country don't have this opportunity.
What do we have to do in order to change it from this headline to Father's Get Paid Paternity Time and we chastise the companies that DON'T offer this perk.
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2013/07/23/study-many-dads-dont-get-paternity-leave/
NO KIDDING! I can't believe this is NEWS! And you know what, during my maternity leaves, I worked for a small business, and I had to PIECE together my maternity leave. In fact, because it was a small business (less than five employees), I didn't use vacation the year I was pregnant or the year before, and that was my paid maternity leave. And then instead of taking my bonus, I used that for some additional time off.
Adam at the time of our son's birth, took one week of vacation time. That was it. Yup. He worked for a smallish start up (100 or so employees), and they didn't offer paid paternity. At the time of our daughter's birth, was working for a huge company, that offered a FOUR WEEK PAID PATERNITY leave, and we used it! And it could be used NON CONSECUTIVELY. So, he took one week off as vacation for the week of the birth, and then once we exhausted my maternity leave (of my "vacation") he then spent four weeks at home. . . bonding with the kids. Our son wasn't in full time daycare at the time, so twice a week, he had BOTH kids.
I will admit, I did not have him cook dinner or do the things that I did, but I was grateful that he was bonding with our kids. What he did during the hours I was at work . . . . he decided. He did the diaper changes, the meals, and if he did a load of laundry - GREAT! But, we also knew that not everyone got this opportunity. The opportunity of what life is like as a stay at home parent. . . . . a stay at home parent of a infant girl who was not as healthy as we expected. He watched her like a hawk for any potential seizures, and of course he had to clean up after an "eruption" caused by her reflux. Our little baby girl generated ALOT of laundry those early months, and he understood during his leave why we had so much laundry EVERY DAY.
I am really happy that Adam had this opportunity, and I wish more companies offered this benefit, because it benefits the family, and the company. Adam, for four weeks, did not have to work at his job and work at home. He didn't have to do the 60 minute commute on four hours of sleep for four weeks. I am sure his body appreciate that.
But right now most dads in this country don't have this opportunity.
What do we have to do in order to change it from this headline to Father's Get Paid Paternity Time and we chastise the companies that DON'T offer this perk.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
He is BACK
We picked up Mr. Mark on Sunday from overnight camp. He came home tired, dirty and loving camp. The first question out of his mouth was "Can I go for the whole summer next year?"
As much as I love my kid, and I want to do right by him, I still missed him - alot. He is entering the pre-teen stage, and we have our moments, but I love him, and I missed him. Three and a half weeks flew by for both of us. I know that he is safe and happy at camp. I know that he is learning more independence at camp. I also know that I promised he could go for the WHOLE summer in 2014. Now, I just have to figure out how to make it work for me.
Little sister will LOVE being an only child - again. She loved having the world revolve around her, and we did GIRL things and we did family things (trip to the MFA), and she decided on which exhibits.
It is great to have my boy home again. He is attending day camp for the rest of the summer, but he is already planning summer of 2014 in his head. He can't wait. Camp truly is a special place!
As much as I love my kid, and I want to do right by him, I still missed him - alot. He is entering the pre-teen stage, and we have our moments, but I love him, and I missed him. Three and a half weeks flew by for both of us. I know that he is safe and happy at camp. I know that he is learning more independence at camp. I also know that I promised he could go for the WHOLE summer in 2014. Now, I just have to figure out how to make it work for me.
Little sister will LOVE being an only child - again. She loved having the world revolve around her, and we did GIRL things and we did family things (trip to the MFA), and she decided on which exhibits.
It is great to have my boy home again. He is attending day camp for the rest of the summer, but he is already planning summer of 2014 in his head. He can't wait. Camp truly is a special place!
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Movie Review
Last night, I had the opportunity to see the movie, "Fill the Void" at the West Newton Cinema. The movie is in Hebrew with subtitles. It was a fabulous movie, that was much different than any Hollywood produced film. The film is about an ultra Orthodox family in Israel. The movie focuses on Shira. Shira is an 18 year old girl, who is about to meet her future husband. Shira looks up to her older sister, Esther. Esther is 9 months pregnant, and happily married to Yochay. Esther dies and leaves her newborn son (extra moments of sadness when the family has to bury the Esther and attend Mordechai's circumcision).
Shira's mother is distraught to think that Mordechai might be moving to Belgium, because that is where Yochay finds a new wife. Shira's mother wants Shira to marry Yochay, and here is where the film really gets good. Shira is desperate to get married. . . . all her friends are getting married. . . . but her parents aren't ready to become empty nesters so soon after Esther's death (even though they are caring for Mordechai). I won't ruin the movie for you, but the relationship between Shira and Yochay moves from strangers. . . . to intimate . . . . and back again and back again, many times.
The movie is wonderful . . . . and I love how I knew that Shira looked up to Esther and Esther loved being the big sister. The relationship is real. I love how near the end of the movie, Shira lets her emotions go, and her mother realizes that Shira needs her love. . . . (and Yochay witnesses this) . . . . and how Yochay weeps (and not only does Shira witness this, in her own way, reaches out to him and speaks with him honestly.
I would also recommend a coffee session to de-brief after this movie. So much of this movie is NOT spoken, and you really need to think about and discuss. Much of the movie needs to be discussed because we live so differently compared to Shria and her family, even though this is a modern day film.
It is a move that I recommend to people who want something that is NOT Hollywood.
Shira's mother is distraught to think that Mordechai might be moving to Belgium, because that is where Yochay finds a new wife. Shira's mother wants Shira to marry Yochay, and here is where the film really gets good. Shira is desperate to get married. . . . all her friends are getting married. . . . but her parents aren't ready to become empty nesters so soon after Esther's death (even though they are caring for Mordechai). I won't ruin the movie for you, but the relationship between Shira and Yochay moves from strangers. . . . to intimate . . . . and back again and back again, many times.
The movie is wonderful . . . . and I love how I knew that Shira looked up to Esther and Esther loved being the big sister. The relationship is real. I love how near the end of the movie, Shira lets her emotions go, and her mother realizes that Shira needs her love. . . . (and Yochay witnesses this) . . . . and how Yochay weeps (and not only does Shira witness this, in her own way, reaches out to him and speaks with him honestly.
I would also recommend a coffee session to de-brief after this movie. So much of this movie is NOT spoken, and you really need to think about and discuss. Much of the movie needs to be discussed because we live so differently compared to Shria and her family, even though this is a modern day film.
It is a move that I recommend to people who want something that is NOT Hollywood.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
I grew up listening to Cyndi Lauper. I remember when I bought myself the "She's so Unusual" album (cassette). I loved that album and sang "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" for HOURS at end. There was no question in my mind when my husband came home one night telling me about Cyndi's 30th Anniversary of the album. . . . and the tour. I had to GO! I HAD TO.
The concert was in New Bedford at the Zeiterion Theater. . . . yes you read that correctly. It took an hour to get to the theater, but the theater is beautiful on the inside. It is a small venue but wonderful.
Another surprise - over 50% of the crowd was either 65 or over. I had no idea that Ms. Lauper would attract that age group. I had imagined dancing with people my age, and yelling out the words of MONEY CHANGES EVERYTHING with people of my generation.
There was an opening act - Harper Vallentine - nothing to write home about. But Cyndi sang the WHOLE album. And during the show she talked to us. . . . she told us how "hear the clock tick. . . . I think of you . . . . " and other lyrics. At times it was very intimate. Once during the show she started the song over again, because she was a beat off from the instruments.
The songs that she sang:
Money Changes Everything
Girls Just Want to Have Fun
When You Were Mine
Time After Time
She Bop
All Through the Night
Witness
I'll Kiss You
He's So Unusual
Yeah Yeah
The first encore was Sex Is in the Heel, and it was awesome. . . . but it was late. . . . I had to work the next day . . . . we were paying a baby sitter and I was still an HOUR away from the house. . . . and I heard EVERYTHING that I had wanted to hear.
Would I go back to the Zeiterion???? Yes. . . . but it would have to be for someone special and a good day of the week . . . . Getting back at midnight is rough for this under 65 person!
The concert was in New Bedford at the Zeiterion Theater. . . . yes you read that correctly. It took an hour to get to the theater, but the theater is beautiful on the inside. It is a small venue but wonderful.
Another surprise - over 50% of the crowd was either 65 or over. I had no idea that Ms. Lauper would attract that age group. I had imagined dancing with people my age, and yelling out the words of MONEY CHANGES EVERYTHING with people of my generation.
There was an opening act - Harper Vallentine - nothing to write home about. But Cyndi sang the WHOLE album. And during the show she talked to us. . . . she told us how "hear the clock tick. . . . I think of you . . . . " and other lyrics. At times it was very intimate. Once during the show she started the song over again, because she was a beat off from the instruments.
The songs that she sang:
Money Changes Everything
Girls Just Want to Have Fun
When You Were Mine
Time After Time
She Bop
All Through the Night
Witness
I'll Kiss You
He's So Unusual
Yeah Yeah
The first encore was Sex Is in the Heel, and it was awesome. . . . but it was late. . . . I had to work the next day . . . . we were paying a baby sitter and I was still an HOUR away from the house. . . . and I heard EVERYTHING that I had wanted to hear.
Would I go back to the Zeiterion???? Yes. . . . but it would have to be for someone special and a good day of the week . . . . Getting back at midnight is rough for this under 65 person!
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
My Kid is Growing Up
It seems like yesterday my son left the safety of preschool,
and started Angier Elementary School. It
was yesterday. It was yesterday that I
was worried about the large class of 25, the new teacher and making new
friends. It was yesterday that we found out you needed glasses. It was yesterday that you were telling me what the tooth fairy wore (a pink sparkly dress - even though it is Daddy who plays the part of the tooth fairy.) It was yesterday that I signed
him up for his first summer of Meadowbrook Day Camp. It was yesterday when he asked to join
Succariah, the Israel Dance Program. It was yesterday that I signed you up for Hebrew School.
It was yesterday that he entered the safety of Ms. Brody’s
first grade classroom. It was yesterday
when he made his own Flat Stanley (based on the book Flat Stanley by Jeff
Brown) in first grade, and it was mailed to my cousin, Jeff in Hong Kong. It was yesterday that you wanted to be a tooth for Halloween. It was yesterday that I made him the presidential
seal birthday cake. It was yesterday when you ran into a pole while flying a kite. It was yesterday
that he met Jason Varitek at his first grade end of year party.
It was yesterday that he entered Ms. Wigder’s second grade
classroom. It was yesterday that a
chipmunk ran into his second grade classroom.
He went to the Chinese Cultural Center and made a Chinese lantern. It was yesterday that he studied Ghana, China
and Mexico. It was yesterday that you joined the boy scouts and had your first overnight. It was yesterday when we took you to the top of Mount Washington.
It was yesterday that he entered Ms. Powell’s third grade
classroom. It was yesterday that Ms.
Powell instructed him on how to build a paragraph with an interesting first
sentence, three sentences that contain details and the concluding
sentence. It was Ms. Powell who taught
him about WETU’s and assigned him the New England Mammal – the woodchuck. It was in third grade that he requested to
learn how to play trombone and we found Aubrey Logan, musician and teacher extraordinaire. It was yesterday that you joined the synagogue's youth group. It was yesterday when we took you to your first Red Sox game. And
after a really great, hardworking year, we went to Disney.
It was yesterday that he entered Ms. Bauer and Ms. Allen’s
fourth grade classroom. It was yesterday
that my son built the pentagon for his Washington DC project. It was yesterday that he became my
grandmother for the immigration unit. It
was yesterday that I packed him up for his first time at overnight camp. It was yesterday that we got his Bar Mitzvah
date.
It was yesterday that he entered Ms. Wink’s fifth grade
classroom. It was yesterday that he was
accepted into All City Chorus. It was
yesterday that he was accepted into All City Band. It was yesterday that he attended his first
Funtastic Friday as a Fifth grader.
It is today that he is leaving Angier Elementary and soaring
off to middle school. It is TODAY that
he is leaving Angier and starting overnight camp for three plus weeks. It is today that my baby is no longer my
baby. It is today that I have to accept that I have
parented him through the infant, toddler, preschool and elementary years and
hopefully prepared him for middle school and all the social events of middle
school and beyond.
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