Tag Archives: Boston

While I sympathize with the North End and understand their concerns, I don’t know that they can prevent a national chain like Starbucks from opening, but I thought I’d share this video. I hope that if Starbucks does eventually open, local opposition remains and the public continues to support one of the existing family-owned coffee shops and cafes in the North End.

I loved this quote from the video, “We don’t need a company such as them showing the people what it’s not like to be Italian,” says an employee at the Modern bakery.

Sign this petition to show your support.

Earlier this week The Boston Globe shared a story about how traffic in metro Boston has gotten worse.  According to the article, a study by  INRIX Global Traffic cited that the average Boston-area driver will spend 60 hours a year in traffic, that ranks Boston as the 7th worst in the nation. If you don’t live in Boston but are curious to see how your city ranks visit: inrix.com/scorecard

Fortunately, Sergio and I remain largely unaffected by this since we both live and work in the city and on most days both of us are working from home. I found the study surprising because it seems like today there is more flexibility for people to work from home a couple times a week and/or commute during off hours, but clearly I am wrong or it isn’t enough of a trend.

Source: Boston Globe

For those of you who will be packing up soon to face the traffic, which was the impetus for the article in the Globe, you can read the full article here, Boston drivers are spending more time in traffic.

I was recently approached by a reader of this blog who let me know that the Chandler Inn, a 50+ room, boutique hotel in the South End, has been sold. I did a little nosing around and it appears the friend of this blog was correct. From what I’ve learned, last week the staff was made aware of the sale which is either pending or just happened.

The Chandler Inn has some significance to Boston’s gay community because many LGBTQ travelers stay there, the ground level bar and restaurant, Trophy Room, is one of a very few gay bars that remain in Boston and each year after the Pride parade finishes a large outdoor block party virtually surrounds the hotel.

Details of the sale are a bit sketchy but it sounds like it was purchased by Pineapple Hospitality Company, a Seattle-based boutique hotel chain with properties on the west coast and in Chicago. At this time it doesn’t appear as if any changes are imminent. If anyone has any details to share about the sale, feel free to reach out to me directly.

Tuesday February 27 | 6:00 – 7:30p.m. | JFK Presidential Library 

Tuesday night there will be a discussion that is free and open to the public at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Dorchester. The discussion will bring together The Boston Globe Spotlight Team reporters and community and business leaders to discuss The Globe’s recent seven-part series, Boston.Racism.Image.Reality.

The Globe’s series was painful for me to read, noting so many missed opportunities. But the best course of action when faced with a difficult problem is to do exactly what The Globe’s team did – shine a light on the issue and keep talking about it. Join award-winning journalist and pastor of Roxbury Presbyterian Church, Liz Walker, who will lead Tuesday’s conversation.

There is no cost to attend but please RSVP HERE!

On a whim, I decided the morning of January 1st that I would refrain from any alcohol for the month of January; sometimes referred to as ‘dry January’. For many people I’m sure this wouldn’t be an issue but I admit I was unsure how this would go since I basically drink coffee, water and wine.

Now that the month has passed I have to admit I was surprised by how easy it was (and how much money I saved). I’m not so certain this would be as easy to do during the summer months but I am considering trying this again, possibly later this year. However, for now I’m going to celebrate the end of dry January by going to the Godfrey Hotel’s second anniversary bash. I think we can all agree that the swanky Godfrey Hotel and its delicious restaurant Ruka which I previously reviewed here is a great place to enjoy a delicious cocktail or two.

The Seaport is comprised of approximately 1,000 acres and for most of the second half of the 20th century the land was overlooked and neglected. But for the past 10-15 years Boston’s newest neighborhood has transformed into a second financial district and home for million dollar glass condos.

While everyone is happy to see the city revitalize prime real estate, The Boston Globe’s Spotlight Team took a closer look at the neighborhood and shared some of their findings in this article, A brand new Boston, even whiter than the old. The Spotlight Team found that this neighborhood, is really only for the white and affluent (89% white and only 3% black). The Seaport may as well be a gated community in Alabama for all the racial diversity you’ll find there.

While I understand that developers can make far more money selling $2million condos or building office buildings, The Globe team reminds us that more than $18 billion of public funding was used to transform this land so it seems like Boston should be able to do better in making space for more of its population and creating a neighborhood that is more racially and economically diverse.

The Seaport’s story is still unfolding and there is much more development that will happen over the next decade. I hope that excellent reporting like this article in The Boston Globe will get the attention of Mayor Marty Walsh, our City Council and Massport so they can work to reconcile this and insist on development that will make the Seaport a more diverse neighborhood.

You can read the full article online here: A brand new Boston, even whiter than the old.