For Dinner 20, we left the cooking to a professional (you can see the complete menu here), letting us concentrate on assembling a beautiful summer table setting at our friend Marshall’s craftsman bungalow. We went tableclothless, exposing the veneered mahogany grain of Marhsall’s table, on which chamomile Chilewich Bamboo placemats set off the rich color of the wood with a bright pop of summery exuberance. Continue Reading

By Hairee Lee

Sunset from Dorchester Heights Monument

When I think Southie, I think of Matt Damon’s character in Good Will Hunting, abused and scared and brilliant, I think of The Town with Ben Affleck back in Southie, but smarter and rougher than his character in the former film. I think of Mystic River, which makes me think of Clint Eastwood, which makes me think of Dirty Harry. The whole romance surrounding South Boston or Southie is that it’s rough, redolent of a violent history.

Melissa‘s been trying to get us to head over to her hood for a picnic since summer. Something about a great view and a pretty park.

Summer flew by and it’s fall. Finally, we make it over to South Boston where Melissa lives and we see for ourselves the great view and the very pretty park full of happy canines romping on the lushest grass since my sister’s backyard’s. Continue Reading

If you live in or around Boston and haven’t visited one of Formaggio Kitchen‘s two locations (244 Huron Ave. in Cambridge and 268 Shawmut Ave. in the South End), you’re missing out on foodie heaven. One could spend an entire afternoon browsing their selection of gourmet imports, wines, small production specialty foods (like Taza Chocolate), baked goods, delicious prepared foods, and most mouth-wateringly, their deli case of fine cheeses and charcuterie. The friendly and expert staff is always more than helpful in assisting customers navigate their well stocked deli case, making shopping at Formaggio something of a learning experience. They’re so good in fact, that they offer fantastic classes in wine, cheese, and charcuterie geared towards novices and aficionados alike. The popular Cheese 101 course always books up quickly. Of course, the only way to learn about food is to try it, so as much as these classes are educational, they all take the form of tastings that more than justify Formaggio’s nominal fees.

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