“The commute to a high school job had me driving by Mansfield’s century-old ADM Cocoa factory several times a week for a few years awhile back. What a heavenly smell, right? Wrong. I quickly came to believe that the production of chocolate is pretty foul smelling. Imagine my surprise, then, when I arrived at Somerville’s own Taza Chocolate factory recently, and the aroma was simply amazing. Not bitter and burnt like ADM or cloyingly sweet like at the Hershey theme park in Pennsylvania – no, this was something on another level: subtle floral notes, hints of spices, appetizing odors all around.”
Recently, the trombonist from Mighty Groove, Randy, asked if I could take photos of his jazz group, The Olson Pingrey Quartet. Here are some posed and live shots from their CD release at The Lilypad in Cambridge, MA on October 23, 2011.
I had a bit of fun with some of the individual portraits and put them together into a collage:
“It can be tough dating a pizza snob. There’s that time I brought him to one of my old favorites from childhood – Town Spa in Stoughton – and he was less than impressed by my beloved bacon pizza, extra crispy. Or that time he made me wait in line for two hours – and then at the table for another two hours – to try Sally’s Apizza in New Haven. (I’ll admit that that one was out of this world, but I’d never wait that long for pizza again.)”
“One generally assumes that museums house collections of art, artifacts, or other objects that have some value, be it intellectual, aesthetic, or perhaps even controversial. The Museum of Bad Art, however, meets none of these standards. In spite of – or more likely because of – this, MOBA is a must-see attraction in Somerville, Dedham, or Brookline (or all three if you have high stamina for bad taste). Exactly as the name suggests, it features art – fantastically horrendous, unabashedly tacky, gloriously ugly art.”
“There are three main reasons to check out Cambridge Common, a restaurant and bar sitting between Porter Square and Harvard Square on Mass. Ave: a fantastic beer selection, addictive tater tots, and an intimate live music venue.”
I feel like I should be led into Max Brenner by an eccentric man in a purple coat, swinging a cane and singing about imagination. There is no chocolate lake here, but there might as well be. It’s chocolate, chocolate everywhere, and all of it to drink and eat and slather on as body lotion. Max Brenner — “chocolate by the bald man†— is a rich, sweet heaven for chocoholics (and hell for dieters). Dine in, buy gifts, or just stare in awe. There’s something for every sweet tooth.
When I was in grad school, there was a nearby cheap pan-Asian noodle place where we’d often grab lunch between classes. It was fast, inexpensive, and… mediocre. One dish, though, became an addiction for me: something called Cambodian-style sweet lime soup. A sweet and sour broth with pineapple, tomato, shrimp, and fried bits of garlic on top, it was a perfect pick-me-up between long lectures, and I’d never seen it elsewhere. I don’t get out to that neighborhood much anymore, but I still think of that soup. Now, two years later, I’ve finally found it, and it’s closer to home and tastier than the one I remember. It’s at Floating Rock in Central Square, the new Cambridge location of an old Revere gem.
Where can you find strong cocktails, pool tables, rock ‘n’ roll, and gargoyles? Church. Yes, really. Not exactly the most religious of places, Church is a combination restaurant and music club in the Fenway area, tucked just far enough away to avoid being part of the cluster of loud, packed sports bars.
The gargoyles are part of the slightly medieval ambiance. Heavy red velvet curtains and candles help round out the theme. Large windows let in the sun during the day, and at night Church becomes moody and romantic.
It’s not so unusual to find coffee shops decorated with the works of local artists, but at Voltage Coffee & Art, it’s part of the name and part of the mission. Not even a year old, this Cambridge cafe/gallery has already made a name for itself in the bustling tech heart of Kendall Square.
The layout is a maze of white walls, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a mix of high tables and standard tables. Bright light and clean lines make it a perfect home for art exhibits – and not the timid landscapes and skylines you see in many coffee shops.
“Momogoose is absurdly fast, cheap, and filling. Don’t let the huge line scare you: within seconds of ordering, you’ll be walking away, food in hands. Momogoose, a pan-Asian food truck, is parked closest to the main street in the mega-row of food trucks near the Kendall Square T station in Cambridge, so it tends to draw the biggest crowd of all the trucks, but they certainly know how to handle the hordes. Food trucks like Momogoose are a fun adventure; items are constantly running out, so you have to be a bit flexible – and keep an eye on the daily specials, as those are often the most exciting choices. If a menu item is covered with tape, it’s out. Quick – pick something else.”
“Boston’s got plenty of music venues, and a fair number of pool halls, but what if you want to see a live show and play pool at the same time? You’re in luck! There are a few good spots where you can do just that.”
In June, I had the pleasure of participating in Murder Ballads ORG, a night of performances at Oberon curated by Mali Sastri of Jaggery. Mali and her band performed their new EP, “Private Violence,” in full, and I played flute for the second song, “Hostage Heart,” which was written by Mali and arranged and conducted by Mary Bichner of Box Five. Here’s video of the entire Jaggery set, shot by Alexia Prichard:
“Can we, like, come here all the time and plot rebellions and stuff?†a college student asked his friend as they ducked inside the basement cafe looking for change for a dollar. Something about Cafe Pamplona does evoke a revolutionary feeling, although it’s unclear just what gives that impression at first glance.
4pm at the Park Stage, Seven Hills Park, behind the Somerville Theatre
…but please consider coming at 3pm to hear my boyfriend’s fantastic “jewfro beat” band, Somerville Symphony Orkestar. Click that link to find out more about the band and hear a couple songs.
After a fun show at last summer’s market, we’ll be returning this summer. I don’t know the details yet, but I believe we’ll be running through our set a couple times throughout most of the open hours of the market…possibly 10am to 1pm. I’ll add more when I know for sure. Bring the kids and the dogs!
Food
On Tuesday, July 12, from 7pm to 10pm, I’m hosting a Boston Food Bloggers event at the Lansdowne as part of their Twisted Tea Tweetup Tuesdays series. If you’re a Boston food blogger, I hope that you can attend! Please register here.
On Sunday, July 24, I’ll be attending TECHmunch Boston all day – and speaking on one of the morning panels. Find more information about the event here.
Pixability
We’re hosting a webinar on Tuesday, July 19, from 12:30pm to 1:30pm as part of our educational series of free webinars, PixTV. Our special guest this time is Laura Fitton (@pistachio), founder of oneforty, co-author of Twitter for Dummies, and ultimate microsharing-for-business guru. You don’t want to miss this one. We’re calling it Shoot, Tweet, Repeat: How Video and Social Media Can Build Your Business. The webinar is free, but spots are limited, so please register here.
Current Happenings
As of June 2013, I'm working full-time as the editor for Eater Boston, a news source for people who care about dining and drinking. I also perform regularly around the Boston area in an indie folk/pop band called The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library, and I recently acted in a horror film called TEN, which is currently in post-production.
