The Ethical Use of Inherited Mink by Judy Kermis Blotnick
Recycling was the correct way to live even before Al Gore won the Nobel Prize and the brisk business being done in consignment shops and vintage clothing stores is just more proof. We dutifully put the blue containers out, separate paper from plastic and metal and all is well with the world, we hope. We are making a difference.
But in every home there are objects, clothes, family heirlooms that we no longer use yet can’t part with. They fill attics and closets and it is easier to just let them sit rather than figure out what to do with it all, deal with the emotional consequences and memories. Some of the boxes can be left to the offspring but they are just going to do the same thing, add their own stuff, stash it all and let the next generation worry about it. Al Gore wouldn’t be happy.
There was a time, in Boston as well as in all other cosmopolitan cities across the globe, when wearing a fur coat was acceptable as protection against the cold, as a gift of love given and received, as proof that all is well at home. However, PETA and other animal rights groups frown militantly on the use of animals’ skins for warmth and have taken to burning existing fur coats or giving them to the homeless, often shipping the coats off to third world countries.
Jari Ford, owner of Jari Boutique at 236 Clarendon Street is ambivalent about the issue. She carries no fur in her store, believes in animal rights but feels that “inherited” coats should also be recycled, not destroyed. On October 20, fashion designer Lorraine Parish of Martha’s Vineyard will make a personal appearance at the boutique and will transform the inherited coats brought in by their owners into fur trim on silk velvet jackets. Whether on the collar and cuffs or perhaps around the hem, Parish will select the best preserved fur parts of the coat and will use them to adorn a custom-tailored item of clothing.
“The fur coats already exist,” said Ford. “They frequently have sentimental value, perhaps left to daughters by their mother. I understand and agree with the issues about not harming living animals but once the coat has been made it is just recycling, not destruction.”
From noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, October 20, people can bring in their inherited and neglected furs and Parish and her staff will take orders to resurrect the unused item into a contemporary and fashionable jacket or cape, made to measure in her workshop on the Vineyard. Using silk velvet in burgundy, black or chocolate from France, the family heirloom will be restyled into guilt-free clothing. Opera coats, capes, riding jackets or even romantic dresses can be custom made and then trimmed to suit the owner. Sometimes even the monogram inside the fur’s lining can be sewn into the new jacket.
Credit: Courtesy photo
Caption: Sarah Monaco and Sharon Reilly.
Sarah Monaco was walking in her Back Bay neighborhood and observed women going into the basement of the Church of the Covenant on Newbury Street, site of the Women’s Lunch Place.
Then, a member of the Junior League at the time, Monaco attended a volunteer placement conference and saw representatives from the Women’s Lunch Place there. Shortly thereafter, Sarah Monaco began her 14 years of volunteer service to the Women’s Lunch Place, a daytime shelter for poor and homeless women and their children, located at 67 Newbury Street.
Monaco and her husband, Peter, will be honored for their dedicated and generous support of the Women’s Lunch Place at the 25th Anniversary Dinner on November 1 at the State Room. The Monacos are serving as the chairmen of the event that will also honor long-time supporters Sally and Jeb Bachman, Jay Bertelli and Mercury Computer Systems, Anne and David Bromer, Barbara and Steve Grossman, and Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Angela F. Menino.
Sarah Monaco, a graduate of Lake Forest College (Illinois) and a freelance broadcast producer, started at the Women’s Lunch Place as a Saturday volunteer, helping to serve warm breakfasts to the women. Peter Monaco would often accompany his wife to the Saturday breakfasts, where he would flip pancakes with his wife and lend his assistance.
Monaco, 42, extended her involvement to the Lunch Place development committee and then took a position on the board of directors. A member of the board for seven years, she is currently serving as its vice-president. And for the past five years, Monaco and her mother-in-law, Mary Lou Monaco, have volunteered at lunches.
Peter Monaco, 43, has been a member of the Women’s Lunch Place advisory committee for the past six years. A Harvard University graduate who is a managing partner at Tudor Investment Corporation, Monaco has made important connections with other donors and resources that have benefited the daytime shelter.
“We’re all so fortunate to be living in such an affluent neighborhood that it’s important to give back to the community,” said Sarah Monaco. “We feel very strongly about community service and the great work that the Women’s Lunch Place does.”
Monaco said she has enjoyed working with Sharon Reilly, the organization’s new executive director, who will be formally introduced to the 600 guests at the anniversary dinner.
“Sharon is so smart and eloquent and she’s brought a ton of fresh new ideas to the Women’s Lunch Place,” said Monaco. “She’s making partnerships with other non-profit organizations and leaders in the community.”
Reilly, who came to the Women’s Lunch Place from The Food Project, said there is an excellent staff in place to support the work of the organization, along with “a great board and advisory committee.” The Women’s Lunch Place serves 150 women per day.
Reilly is looking forward to celebrating the organization’s 25th anniversary on November 1. “The event is a success thanks to the hard work of Sarah and Peter Monaco, who are the co-chairs,” said Reilly, who grew up in Mississippi and holds a Master’s degree from the University of Mississippi. “The Monacos’ support of the Women’s Lunch Place, not just around the 25th anniversary dinner, but in general, has been absolutely tremendous. We could not have a better couple representing the Women’s Lunch Place in this capacity.”
The restaurant industry is a tough one, even in towns like Boston, where residents love to eat. As proof, many will point to an often-quoted statistic that has 90 percent of all restaurants failing. While the real failure figure may be closer to 60 percent (according to an Ohio State University study), those are still tough odds. And Boston’s Back Bay is one of the city’s most competitive areas for culinary entrepreneurs.
This fall, a handful of buzzed-about eateries are slated to open their doors to eager foodies. Haru, a stylish NYC Japanese fusion and sushi franchise, is set to open a Boston location at the Pru. Amrik Pabla of One World Cuisine, Cameron Grob of I Boutique and Eric Santiago of Metropolis are bringing Mediterranean-themed Cafeteria to the old INQ space on Newbury Street. And the folks over at 33 on Stanhope St. are opening a new dining destination next door called Stix, promising classy shish kabob served on flavor-infused sticks.
And in the past few months, more than a few new dining spots have debuted. In May, Pino Maffeo transformed the former space inside Louis Boston, Restaurant L, into Boston Public. Chef Maffeo had helmed Restaurant L for three years, and when he and his business partners had the chance to buy it, they did so — redesigning the space and refocusing the concept in the process.
Boston Public is, as Maffeo said, a concept restaurant, with a menu divided into categories named after Hub-inspired places. The Boston Meat Market, for example, is where you’ll find an 18-ounce Angus New York Sirloin, while the Boston Fish Pier is where you can order individual Wellfleet oysters or shrimp cocktail. Maffeo said business has been excellent, and he and his partners are looking to expand.
“It’s a concept restaurant, and we’re looking to take it to a couple of other places,” he said. “We hit it on the spot.”
The meals are prepared simply but beautifully, Maffeo said, with high-end ingredients. The menu is a departure from that of Restaurant L, which was largely French-Asian fusion. This change turned away some of his former customers, Maffeo said, but it also brought in new patrons. A good chunk of his regulars are New Yorkers, who know him from his lauded stints there at AZ and Pazo. Maffeo said he also serves the tourist trade, local residents and business people.
Having a bit more bumpy opening is Vlora, the Mediterranean debut from chef Aldo Velaj, who named his restaurant after his hometown in Albania. The problem, Velaj said, has been getting the name out without a sign. The Copley Square restaurant opened in the beginning of September, but struggles with the Back Bay Architectural Commission (BBAC) have delayed Velaj from being able to install a sign deemed “appropriate” by neighborhood standards. Velaj said his optimism about the signage situation reaching a quick resolution is not high — but he is high about his menu offerings. Word-of-mouth reviews and buzz have been positive too.
The biggest hit, Velaj said, has been the Fork-Tender Grilled Octopus appetizer, a daring dish whose popularity has even taken Velaj aback.
“Everybody is going crazy for it,” he said. “I’m actually surprised myself. I’m calling it the Octopus Craze.”
Also popular have been the Grilled Barbounia, a flaky Greek fish, and the Pan-Fried Sardines, served whole. From the land, Velaj said his customers have been responding to the Grilled Ostrich Steak, and the Greek Peasant Salad has also been a hit.
Velaj said he is already seeing a lot of repeat customers, which he loves, and he hopes this loyal patronage builds while the restaurant comes to an agreement with BBAC.
In April, Chinese chain powerhouse P.F. Chang’s opened its second Boston location in the immense former Marché spot. Sprawling over two floors, with a huge bar area and patio seating as well, this P.F. Chang’s is notably different from its sister location in the Theatre District, said P.F. Chang’s Michael Penna.
“This location and the other restaurant are seven blocks apart, but it’s like two different worlds,” said Penna.
An insider’s tip — when it’s rainy or overcast, the Pru P.F. Chang’s is packed, while when it’s sunnier, the Theatre District location is the one that is hopping. The Pru P.F. Chang’s also looks much different from older locations, with state-of-the-art lighting, an elevator and granite tabletops.
Popular menu items at the Pru P.F. Chang’s include the Chicken Lettuce Wraps and an appetizer platter that is only offered at select locations across.
“The Chicken Lettuce Wraps fly out of the kitchen at that location,” said Penna.
Penna said business has been trending upward since the opening in the spring, and he’s looking for business to continue getting busier.
“We’re just real happy to be a part of the Pru and a part of the community,” he said.
More than 100 children from Chernobyl Children’s Project USA recently enjoyed a pizza party hosted by The Skywalk Observatory and Top of the Hub Restaurant. Each year, the CCPU brings a carefully selected group of children to Boston to receive free medical care for health problems resulting from the long-term land, water and air contamination created by the Chernobyl nuclear catastrophe of 1986. Skywalk Manager Bridget Tivan (far left) welcomed the kids as well as CCPU Director Patty Doyle (at right). Prior to the sky-high luncheon, the children enjoyed a two-hour tour of the city, narrated in Russian, courtesy of Old Town Trolley Tours of Boston.
A lot of Red Sox watching has been going on in most neighborhood households recently.
Some of you have actually watched one of the games at Fenway Park itself.
It’s a curious community that exists in the stands, but a community nevertheless. It’s a lot like the Back Bay neighborhood, in fact.
The fans are packed into the stands just as we are densely packed into this neighborhood. Parking is hard to find and expensive. A lot of fans, especially season ticket holders, know some of the people who sit near them or know where friends’ seats are in the same way that neighbors here know neighbors, and they chat — sometimes barely watching the game — the way the dog owners chat on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall. When they sing Sweet Caroline or do the wave, it is as predictable as the Alley Rally or the Taste of the Back Bay.
But it is also different. Everyone in the stands agrees: they want the Red Sox to win. In the Back Bay, it sometimes seems as if no one agrees.
Columbus Center — the opinions range from believing the developers to be scoundrels with a bad project to thinking the project is good no matter what the developers are like to those who just want to build the project and get it over with.
Another flashpoint in the neighborhood is the Back Bay Architectural Commission, which some believe is an autocratic, self-aggrandizing group of censors out to punish residents and to which others are grateful for the intelligent and informed oversight that keeps a neighbor from defacing or destroying a building and reducing the value of all the neighboring buildings.
Coming up in the calendar is another time for disagreement. Planning and fundraising are going on right now to wrap the lights around the trees on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall for the fifth year in a row. There are many who love the lights. There are also a vocal few who still complain about them, considering them too gaudy for a straight-laced New England city.
Red Sox Nation? Maybe Complaining Nation.
But being able to disagree on some issues and having it be all right is important in a neighborhood. The next time around you might be on the same side with a neighbor you disagree with this time. It’s something Red Sox Nation doesn’t have to face.
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