Boston - family, food and fond memories!

This weekend I was in Boston visiting my Great Aunt Peggy.  She is my mother’s Aunt and one of the great female role models I had growing up.  Throughout my visit we went to many local businesses - most of them to eat but all of them fantastic... She lives near Quincy, and there is a stretch of road in Quincy that has a few really great fish shacks. Only they now all have dining rooms but they’re the kind of joint that you place your order and wait for your number to be called, totally self-serve.  Friday night we went to The Clam Box.  It was so good. We chose the healthier option of broiling over deep frying.  I got shrimp and she got scallops.  For $16 each we got a huge plate of food that included cole slaw (of course) and rice (for her), salad (for me) or french fries.  The shrimp was good, they were nice medium size shrimp and there were probably 8 of them.  But the reason I would go back is the scallops.  They were amazing, huge and there were probably 10-12 big, sweet, juicy scallops in the serving.  So good!  We took our dinner’s to-go and sat in the car across the street and I got a tour of the Boston skyline and Squantum while enjoying this delicious meal.  The next day Peggy and I ran some errands with my Uncle Joe and Aunt Mary which will be relevant in a minute.  Our next meal was at a similar place to The Clam Box, its Sullivan's - or Sully's to the locals. It is located in South Boston or Southie.  They are at the far south end in front of the fort at Castle Island.  It’s a place where people come to walk and watch planes.  It is in the flight stream for incoming planes to Boston's Logan International Airport and the planes get so low you can feel the vibration and you wonder for a moment if they might be too low.  Sully’s makes a solid cheese burger but the two reasons I would go back are their fresh fried whole belly clams and their onion rings.  This is not the place for the health conscious eater but it is for those who love the freshest seafood money can buy.  My big regret here is I didnt see the lobster roll special before I ordered because I am sure it was “wicked good” and I am a connoisseur of lobster rolls and the bar is very high.  After lunch we were done running errands and my uncle asked if we wanted to go to Watertown.  He had heard there was an Armenian Festival and he was going to pick up dinner for his girlfriend.  It was food related and even though we had just finished a big lunch we were all in. So off we went to Watertown but not the direct route.  We went the scenic route and Peggy gave us the historical tour of her favorite haunts and best places to park - some of which were there and some were not. This has been her home for 80 years and a lot has changed.  One of the highlights for me was driving by Our Lady of Good Voyage.  I remember as a kid my Grandfather would drive 40 minutes into Boston from Rockland (where he lived) to take us to this church because it had a 30 minute mass.  I always loved that.  Inevitably he would take us to No Names for dinner or an Italian festival in the north end.  I though it was long gone with the development of the convention center and the many new corporate office buildings.  I am grateful it survived.   Good memories! We then went by Charleston, Cambridge and ultimately into Watertown.  If it sounds familiar, this was the town just over a month ago, where they held the manhunt for the second Boston Marathon bomber.  We got there only to find out the festival is next weekend.   So instead we went to a couple of Armenian Bakeries and my Uncle stocked up on all his favorite treats which he ultimately gave the majority to me.  The second place we visited was Sevan Bakery and I got a bag of huge pita breads (this is my aunt's favorite) what I love is they are thin.  Not the traditional thick and bulky pita.  The first bakery was the one I actually went in to.  My Great Aunt is not as mobile as she once was and is recovering from some surgery so still requires a walker so I stayed back at Sevan to keep her company in the car.  The first bakery was Eastern Lamejun Bakery.  It was more than just a bakery it was a specialty store.  Here we got imported pistachios, garlic meat lamejun, pakliva, and this dessert that was a cross between a custard and a cake with shredded crispy filo dough.  I finished half the bag of pistachios on the 2 hour ride home.  They were smaller than what we typically see and a little crispier. The pakliva is basically bakliva - and have yet to meet one I haven't thoroughly enjoyed.  This one had chopped pistachios on top.  The garlic meat lamejun is like a really thin pizza with no cheese.  it had ground lamb with spices and tomato sauce.  It was so good I could have eaten 2, which is good because I have 11 more to go.  I put the remaining in the freezer and I can just pull them out as needed and they will bake up really nicely.  As for the last nameless dessert – OMG – UGH! SOOOOO delicious.  I will definitely go there again to get more but also because there were a few things that I will want to try in the future not the least of which is their imported feta cheese.  Two more great finds.  So if you are in Boston or get there check them out.  I have included the links to all their websites and addresses below.  I have not experienced this kind of  cultural diversity in Hartford like Boston seems to have but I am going to see if there are any festivals and check them out.  I may even start with some of the Italian deli's and bakery's and go from there.  These are the business that become the heartbeat of the community and ensure the customs of our heritages continue.  I for one want to take more time to celebrate them.  If you have a favorite ethnic restaurant, bakery or festival let me know – post a comment.. Share the wealth!

The Clam Box
789 Quincy Shore Drive  

Quincy, MA 02170
(617) 773-6677

Sullivans

Castle Island,

South Boston, Mass

617-268-5685

Our Lady of Good Voyage

56 Northern Avenue

Boston, MA 2210

617-268-8100

Eastern Lamejun Bakery

45 Belmont St,

Belmont, MA, 02478
Tel.: (617) 484-5239, Fax: (617) 484-3643

Sevan Bakery

599 Mount Auburn St  

Watertown, MA 02472
(617) 924-9843

Bicycles East - Glastonbury CT

So I have made a few commitments to this blog and then just dropped the ball.  SO here I am again only this time I am making no commitments I will just talk about some of my local suppliers as I find them.  I have even added the app to my phone so I will have two options for posting.  So, on to my new favorite local shop and a great example of a genre of shops that is historically locally owned and operated - the bike shop.  I purchased my bike from Pig Iron a few years ago and they merged with another shop.  They were doing a fine job but I didn't feel compelled to go back.  I have been trying out other shops since then and a few of those closed and none really knocked my socks off.  I am not sure what I am looking for but I will know it when I experience it.  While I have a nice bike I can't say that I am an expert, in fact the opposite.  I once tried to put new pedals on my bike and it ended up costing me $300 to repair the damage I inflicted in the installation of these pedals. Suffice it to say I try not to fix anything on it.   This year I decided once again to try a new place and I had a recommendation from a work colleague about Bicycles East.  Bicycles East is a bike shop in Glastonbury Connecticut.  So I go in with my bike about two weeks ago for its annual tune up and a potential issue with the chain.   Generally they take the bike and my name/contact information and tell me they will call me when its ready and you’re out the door.  Not here.  I was greeted as soon as I entered and was escorted over to the service area where it was busy but I was helped almost immediately. They took my bike and put it up on the little thing that they use to fix it (that is the technical term) and he proceeds to ask me a series of questions.  When was the last time it was tuned? Am I having any problems? etc.  And then he did a pretty thorough once over, he took my contact information looked at the schedule and printed out a receipt.  He went over the information in detail.  The receipt showed me that they would be working on my bike on Tuesday of the following week, and it would be ready for pick up on Wednesday.  It also showed the cost for all the parts and labor with an estimate of the final cost.  I loved it!  I felt they were experts and had great customer service.  It is the kind of service I long for.  Then I was off on other errands.  Just like they said I got a call on Tuesday afternoon letting me know that my bike was ready for pick up.  I went in the very next day and was once again greeted with a smile and the women took my ticket and fetched my bike.  I was asked if there was anything else I needed and I said no, she rang me up and asked me if I needed assistance getting it in/on my car.  I said no thank you and I went happily on my way.  I would highly recommend them.  Not only will I use them to service both of my bikes (I have a Cannondale road bike and a Gary Fischer hybrid mountain bike) but when I am in the market for a new bike I plan to check out their bikes.  They sell a full line of great Trek bikes along with a few other brands. This is the experience I look for.  That feeling that they are good at what they do and appreciate you chose them to do it.  From start to finish it was a great experience.  They were professional, courteous and appreciative of my business.  So if you are in the market for a tune up, fix up, or the purchase of a new bike check them out!  I plan to continue to use them.  Now if you are not in the Hartford area and need to have work performed on your bike I hope you have the same experience.  If you do, tell me who you use…  Here is the contact information for Bicycles East post a comment with your favorite shop and their contact information.

Bicycles East

Address:  331 New London Turnpike Glastonbury, CT 06033

Phone: (860) 659-0114

Website http://bicycleseast.com/ 

Vermont Christmas 2012

Vermont Christmas 2012, a set on Flickr.

Vermont Country Store

I am committed to highlighting a small business of the day but frankly, it is hard to keep up.  In the New Year I think one of my resolutions will be to blog 2x a month.  I should be able to manage that.  Time just passes so quickly.  I spent some time in Vermont over the holidays.  As you might imagine it was a terrible time. :-) Really, it was great.  Lots of down time, some holiday cheer with family and friends, snowshoeing, and some shopping.  

On the way in I stopped at the Vermont Country store (exit 6 of 91 North towards Chester) because I wanted to pick up some cheese they sold.  It was a Naked Cheddar and thought it would be a great addition to a cheese plate. The Vermont Country Store is run by the Orton Family and was originally a catalog started in 1945, with their first store opening in 1946.  It is also one of my favorite stores to poke around in.  They call themselves "purveyors of practical and hard-to-find products."  If you are looking for Turkish Taffy, flannel PJ's or a bottle of Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific.... Well you will find it at the Vermont Country store.  They have everything you could imagine and yet nothing ordinary.  Lots of games, toys, outdoor gear, wool socks, hats, mittens,  and a whole section dedicated to penny candy.  Another section dedicated to toiletries you probably were not sure they even made any more but glad to find a few. They sell bedding and clothes, sleds and rockers, and they have a food section where you can taste salamis, cheeses, cookies, sweet and savory dips galore.  It could be your lunch stop there is so much to taste.  They have 2 shops and I went to the other shop in Vermont Route 100 in Westin just yesterday.  It’s slightly larger and has a restaurant - which I am told is excellent.  I wasted my appetite on the cheese section.  It’s difficult to leave without picking up a little treasure weather its cheese, maple syrup, maple candy, or a great winter hat. In any case it’s a great stop on your way in or out of Vermont or just on a day of rest from skiing or to just get out of the house...

Another great stop I found is Gillingham's & Sons in Woodstock Vermont, it is a similar store but really it’s much more like a general store.  Woodstock Vermont is a quintessential New England town.  And Gillingham's seems to be the place to go to get anything.  In operations since 1886, at Gillingham's you can find Vermont Maple Syrup, a variety of Maple products, Vermont cheese, housewares, hardware, sporting and fly fishing supplies, and great wines & lots of beers. 

So check them both out, two great businesses that really illustrate the charm, service and customer appreciation that you won’t likely get at your big box stores...  SO if you are in Vermont check them out its worth the effort.  If you aren't is there a general store near you?  I would love to hear about it!

Farmers Markets Not Just a Summer Activity

One of my favorite summer activities is going to the farmers market.  You have to be an early riser to get the good stuff.  Fresh fruit and vegetables are the summers bounty!  But farmers markets are not only fruit and veg, they now sell flowers, cheese, meat and a variety of hand crafts... The community comes together once a week in the summer.  Then September/October hits and we head back to our houses to hibernate for the winter.  But folks that doesn't have to be the case.   I recently found out that one of my local farmers markets moves inside for the winter and has a winter market from November to February.  I am heading over to Coventry High this Sunday to check it out.

The rise of the local farmer is abound.  An industry that I once worried would be consolidated into corporate farming is coming back.  Not only is it a great way to buy local but it has great health benefits too!  In some communities you don't even have to go to the farmers market.  Many farms have stands and year round stores.  There are also subscription services.  You sign up and every week/month you get a basket of fruit and veg.  You get what you get and you don't get upset.  So its not for someone not interested in trying new things but I have some friends that have used it and it really had opened them up and their kids get excited about it too.  Sometimes these subscriptions are called CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and are a way to support our farmers in their growing all year long.  Its also not just about fruit and veg.  You can buy eggs, and meat too.  At one farm you could by a half share and get 2 dozen eggs and 10 pounds of chicken a month for six months for just over $300.  It also included a turkey for thanksgiving.  All fresh and certified organic.  I think that is pretty inexpensive...

So if your not the outdoorsy type and don't see yourself ever interested in visiting a farm or farmers markets.  Your local and national grocery stores generally have a variety of local grown produce - so no excuses - check it out!

Coventry Farmers Market Info:
http://coventryfarmersmarket.com/winter-market/

Connecticut Community Supported Agriculture
http://www.ctnofa.org/CSAs.htm

Local Harvest is a website that may be able to direct you to resources in your area.  They have a lot of information and were very helpful when writing this blog.
http://www.localharvest.org/

SBOD - JousJous.com

It's Monday and I am trying to be more consistent.  Today's Small Business of the Day is JousJous. They don't have a store front. They largely sell online at www.jousjous.com.   This is important because small businesses are not just in your local community but they are also online and support communities across the country.  Full disclosure - one of my friends is an owner in Jousjous.  She and a few grad school friends started Jousjous in honor/memory of their friend and a portion of all the sales are donated to earlier.com (an organization dedicated to the early detection of breast cancer).  So its not just a small company, it's also a company that cares.  The best part of Jousjous is their product line - which is a colorful array of accessories. Jewelry, scarves, headbands, etc.  I have bought a few gifts over the years and people always love them because they are unique pieces you won't see everywhere.  Today I went online and bought my niece her Christmas present. I looked high and low for a unique leather wrap bracelet and really came up empty. I checked out Jousjous at their amazon.com store and found the perfect gift.  Not only are they great pieces but they come in beautiful boxes.  I cant wait for my next purchase and I am really hoping its for me and not someone else.  So this holiday season, if you are looking for a great gift check them out!

Small Business of the day - the cosmic omelet

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. All week it is all about oatmeal, or yogurt, fruit, bran cereal. You got the idea- it's the healthy stuff. Well for me on the weekends there is nothing better
than going out to breakfast. And there are few better small businesses than your local diner or breakfast joint. In Manchester Connecticut one of my go to favs is the Cosmic Omelet on Hartford Road @ McKee. If you like omelets they have a huge selection of inspired/unusual and its their specialty. I go for their egg in a basket which we used to call egg-in-a-whole-in-the bread.... So good! Generally busy but worth it.. Some if my other fav breakfast spots are the Brass Key (also in Manchester). Jack's Outback II in Yarmouth Mass - Cape Cod. The Virginian in Jackson Hole WY. In San Francisco it's all about dim sum - and my family's fav is Ton Kiang on Geary in the outer Richmond. So this month get your pre-shopping fuel in by visiting your favorite family owned breakfast spot. What are your favorite spots where you live?

Lins Garden, Manchester CT - Best Chinese Food

If you are like me, Chinese food can sometimes be a dime a dozen. Doesn't really matter where you go because they are all about the same. About a year ago I found a Lin's Garden on Main Street in Manchester. I am not sure what brought me in but I ordered some food to go. One of the items was #5 on their menu. Crab Rangoon. Don't be fooled they are not the healthiest option on the menu. They may even be the least healthy. They are essentially deep fried wantons with a cream cheese & imitation crab filling. It was something my family ordered and I have had them from more places than I can count. These were, hands down, the best I have ever eaten in my entire life. In a visit to Lin's a few months ago I had the opportunity to see them make them by hand. In fact, I think they make many of the items on their menu by hand. I have arrived to pick up my order and they are chopping carrots and other vegetables. Their egg drop, orange chicken, general tso's chicken, szechuan beef and lo mein are so good. Last night a friend and I ordered the cashew chicken and the flavor was so great. I can't wait to the next time I go to Lin's and try something new. If you are in the mood for Chinese I encourage you to give it a try. We need to keep it around for years to come! Oh I for got - open 7 days a week and they DELIVER!! Nothing ling Chinese on New Year’s Eve...

Lins Garden
846 Main Street
Manchester, CT
860-647-8888

 

What does it mean to be a local yokeler?

I mean technically speaking a local yokeler would be someone who supported businesses in their own communities but I like to take a broader perspective. I think it's also about movement; about seeking out local businesses where ever you are. When I travel for work I often look for a local shop, coffee joint or restaurant I want to check out before getting to the place I am traveling to. One of my all time favorite finds was Fran's chocolate shop in Seattle Washington. Fran's is a locally grown business, but she also can be found in boutiques across the country. I love dark chocolate covered caramels and she makes one with a little salt topping that I can not get enough of. They are dangerous.

For me when I travel for work I do not often have time to do sightseeing. But this is a way for me to get a "taste" of the place I am visiting. I can not wait to go back to Seattle and stay a while. Of course where I stay will need to be close to a Fran’s! Do you have any local places you can recommend in other cities?? A few of my other fav’s are:

Black Rose – Irish Pub in Boston
Jack’s Outback for Breakfast – Cape Cod - Yarmouth
Cha Cha Cha – Tapas for dinner – Best sangria in town!
Paper & Grace – my sisters’ gift shop in Jackson Hole, WY
Mamasake – Best Sushi at Squaw – also owned by my sister-in-law
Barn & Company (gifts) – Cape Cod – Dennis

I am headed to Washington DC in a few weeks, anyone have any suggestions?

Favorite Shop

So I started this blog and have been completely remiss.... I do not have many followers that said, this is just for fun and if one person reads this and goes to one of the businesses I feature or just any local business then I have accomplished my goal.

I cannot decide what my favorite local place is, however the one I visit most often is Highland Park Market. It is conveniently located just a half mile from my house and I pass it on my way home from work. I have to admit I love it for the convenience but I think even if it wasnt convenient I would still shop there. They have a few locations but the one I favor is the original. It's not only by my current house but it is around the corner from the house I grew up in. I even think two of my sisters worked there at some point... While I may have started going for the convenience I continue to go because I think it is a great business. Great bakery, deli and awesome meat counter. Not to mention they support the communities they exist in. They have an array of local products, they hire lots of high school students and they are generous contributers. A friend of mine once had a little fun run for close family and friends to raise money for a charity Highland Park donated a case each of apples, bananas and oranges. this was not a bid non profit or a big race but they were asked and they responded.

Some will say, its expensive and I cannot disagree but they also have quality you can not get from the larger stores and service you cant beat. For me it makes me focus on what I need rather than distracting me with all these "deals" (2 for 1, 3 for 1 etc) which I am not sure at the end of the day save you any money. HPM has some of those but not to the extent of other shops...

There is so much I respect about this shop from the amount of products they carry made in Connecticut, to the fact the family is still very much locally rooted and live in the same house they have for years. Of course some of the children have started families but they all live close by and lastly the employees. You can tell its a great business by the employees who always seem proud to work there and who have been there for years and years. So the next time you see it dont drive by stop in.... I recommend the homemade soups they always have going by the deli with a ciabatta roll from the deli.... delish!!

A Time to Reflect, Celebrate and Plan

So its the end of 2009, and I am just thinking about the year. With all the financial and world turbulence I have a lot to be grateful for. Still gainfully employed, family relatively healthy, happy and looking forward to the arrival of a new niece, money in the bank (regardless of how little), and intrigue of a new year just around the corner.

Somewhere in the middle of 2009, I became very interested in purchasing from local businesses. Subsequently, I read the 3/50 Project website and was jealous I didn't think of it myself. If you haven't seen it check it out. (www.the350project.net)

In 2010 I want to talk about the local business. While I have a job and a busy schedule I hope to highlight some of my favorites and I hope you all will share yours too.

I live in Connecticut and there are lots of great businesses in Connecticut that need our support to survive. This is true of every state. If we, as consumers, want options of where we can purchase products and services we need to purchase from those businesses. It should be easy, but it may require you go slighlty out of your way, make an additonal stop or pay slightly more. But what you get in return is, hopefully better service and a connection to the business owner and a more vital and successful community. When I take my dry cleaning to Luca's on Spring Street, Luca always greats me with a smile, gives me great service and cleaning and I know he is a long time supporter of Manchester. It's also nice to think the money I spend there supports his family with children and grandchildren. If I chose somewhere else, I would be supporting a business but wouldn't have the direct connection to where my money goes.

Based on the 350 Project site 68% of every $100 spent in a local business goes back into our local communities, versus other business where the percentage is only 43% and online it is zero. My family directly benefits from customers who purchase locally two of my sisters own Paper & Grace a fine stationery and gift store in Jackson Hole Wyoming. They wouldn't exist if their community didn't purchase from them. In part, because of their customers, Erin's daughter can take swim lessons, Bruce & Erin can go out to dinner at one of their local favorites, and from time to time they can come home to Connecticut for a visit. For that I am specifically grateful for every one who purchased from Paper & Grace in 2009 and hope for more purchases in 2010.

Now my mission is not necessarily to say purchase everything locally but rather look for a balance that works for you. I love some of the major stores and they serve a purpose as well. But if we all can find a few ways each month to purchase locally the benefits will be significant.

I hope this has gotten you to think a little more about your purchasing and the impact you and your dollars have on the communities you live. If you have business you would like to recommend post a comment with information.