Rachel Leah Blumenthal » union square

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.”

Read more…

CBS Boston: Restaurant Review: Neighborhood

Rachel Leah Blumenthal — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 15:13:56 +0000

Iâ€™m risking my relationship by writing this review. The lines are too long already, protests my boyfriend, who has threatened to break up with me if I write about it. But it has appeared on one of those ubiquitous coupon sites lately, so I figure the lines have already increased anyway.

Wake up early and find your way to Union Square in Somerville. (Sorry, the T doesnâ€™t go there yet, but this is worth the bus or the drive.) Owned and operated by the Borges family for more than 28 years,Â Neighborhood RestaurantÂ truly is a neighborhood spot, full of regulars and a charmingly gruff staff, many of whom have been there since the very beginning. The waiting list is self-serve, and if you donâ€™t arrive early, it will be long. Just put down your name and the size of your party and swing by theÂ coffeeÂ and pastry table for a complimentary treat â€“ but be sure to save room for the impending feast.

Read more…

July 2011 Events

Rachel Leah Blumenthal — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 17:49:06 +0000

Music

I’ll be performing with my band, The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library, twice this month:

7/24/11 – Artbeat Festival (Davis Square, Somerville, MA)

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.

7/30/11 – Union Square Farmers’ Market (Union Square, Somerville, MA)

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,Â 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.