Rachel Leah Blumenthal » photos

CBS Boston: A Tour of the Taza Chocolate Factory

Rachel Leah Blumenthal — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 11:17:45 +0000

“The commute to a high school job had me driving by Mansfieldâ€™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 Somervilleâ€™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 â€“ no, this was something on another level: subtle floral notes, hints of spices, appetizing odors all around.”

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Photos: The Olson Pingrey Quartet

Rachel Leah Blumenthal — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 11:19:54 +0000

Way back in May 2010, I was asked to take some promo shots of Mighty Groove, a Boston wedding and event band.

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:

CBS Boston: The Museum of Bad Art: Even the World’s Worst Artwork Deserves to Be Seen

Rachel Leah Blumenthal — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 09:00:40 +0000

“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 â€“ or more likely because of â€“ 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 â€“ fantastically horrendous, unabashedly tacky, gloriously ugly art.”

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CBS Boston: Restaurant Review: Cambridge Common

Rachel Leah Blumenthal — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 11:19:18 +0000

“There are three main reasons to check out Cambridge Common, a restaurant and bar sitting betweenÂ Porter Square and Harvard Square on Mass. Ave: a fantastic beer selection, addictive tater tots, and anÂ intimate live music venue.”

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CBS Boston: Restaurant Review: Hungry Mother

Rachel Leah Blumenthal — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 09:00:04 +0000

Iâ€™ve noticed a fairly common unwillingness in this region to pay a high price for Southern cuisine. Grits, ham, sorghum, catfish: these words seem to trigger immediate outrage when paired with fine dining costs. Somewhere along the line, weâ€™ve managed to box Southern food into a small container of cheapness and deep frying. Fortunately, there are several Boston-area spots that destroy this stereotype, offering up high quality Southern food to packed houses night after night; once people are willing to take the plunge, theyâ€™re hooked. Kendall Squareâ€™s gem, Hungry Mother, is one of these places.

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CBS Boston: Photos: 6th Annual HONK! Festival

Rachel Leah Blumenthal — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 09:00:48 +0000

CBS Boston posted a gallery of some of my photos from this year’s HONK! Festival.
View it here.

My complete set is below:

CBS Boston: Restaurant Review: Max Brenner

Rachel Leah Blumenthal — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 09:00:35 +0000

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. Itâ€™s chocolate, chocolate everywhere, and all of it to drink and eat and slather on as body lotion. Max Brenner â€” â€œchocolate by the bald manâ€ â€” is a rich, sweet heaven for chocoholics (and hell for dieters). Dine in, buy gifts, or just stare in awe. Thereâ€™s something for every sweet tooth.

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CBS Boston: Restaurant Review: Church

Rachel Leah Blumenthal — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 09:00:04 +0000

Where can you find strong cocktails, pool tables, rock â€˜nâ€™ roll, and gargoyles?Â Church. Yes, really. Not exactly the most religious of places, Church is a combination restaurant andÂ musicÂ 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.

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CBS Boston: Gallery Review: Voltage Coffee & Art

Rachel Leah Blumenthal — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 09:00:13 +0000

Itâ€™s not so unusual to find coffee shops decorated with the works of local artists, but at Voltage Coffee & Art, itâ€™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-ceilingÂ windows, and a mix of high tables and standard tables. Bright light and clean lines make it a perfect home for art exhibits â€“ and not the timid landscapes and skylines you see in many coffee shops.

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CBS Boston: Food Truck Review: Momogoose

Rachel Leah Blumenthal — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 09:00:35 +0000

“MomogooseÂ is absurdly fast, cheap, and filling. Donâ€™t let the huge line scare you: within seconds of ordering, youâ€™ll be walking away,Â foodÂ 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 â€“ and keep an eye on the daily specials, as those are often the most exciting choices. If a menu item is covered with tape, itâ€™s out. Quick â€“ pick something else.”

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