WE’RE GOING TO AVOID THE CLICHÉ puns that could easily accompany an article about 33 Management’s latest Back Bay dining endeavor, STIX (surely there’s something about food that STIX to your ribs, maybe even a defiant challenge about STIX and stones). Instead, let’s just give credit to a new and innovative dining concept in Boston’s somewhat saturated cuisine scene. STIX, whose menu revolves around food grilled on flavor-infused skewers, made a quiet debut in November and after a few months of fine-tuning, co-owner Greg Den Herder says it is ready for a bigger celebration next month.
“Our goal was to create a neighborhood restaurant, somewhere you could throw on your pajamas, come down and grab a beer and a few STIX,” Den Herder says. “And Boston has actually enjoyed it.”
Den Herder is the CEO and Managing Partner of 33 Restaurant Management Group, and with Managing Partner Igor Blatnik he owns and operates 33 Restaurant and Lounge on Stanhope Street. In August, the group bought the former Bomboa space directly next to 33 Restaurant, and over the next several months transformed it into STIX with General Manager Steven Carrerio. Design firm 3SIX0 was brought in to incorporate stylish details that give the impression that a ribbon can be traced from the front to the back of the space. Cork, two tones of oak, brick, steel and leather are the primary materials used to create the rich and comfortable atmosphere.
Den Herder says the concept for STIX came from friends in New York who told him about a lounge that was serving food on lollipop-type sticks. With finger foods becoming more popular, Den Herder set out to create a new type of culinary experience. He partnered with Callisons Seasoned Skewers, a Seattle-based company with more than 100 years of experience in the food industry. Den Herder and his team worked with Callisons develop seasoned skewers in varieties that are proprietary to STIX and let Executive Chef Peter Eco loose to create a menu.
“He’s a phenomenal chef. He’s been able to take our idea and run with it, which is great,” Den Herder says.
The result – a menu that features half of its food served on STIX infused with flavors such as tropical coconut, ginger, lemongrass, red pepper and kaffir lime. More traditional small and large plate entrees are also available. Den Herder says that typically, a table may order a variety of STIX to share – they are priced at $9 for three STIX – and also a few large and small plate entrees.
His favorite is the Grilled Lamb on Citrus Rosemary STIX, which is complemented with cucumber raita.
“The lamb skewer is the one to get,” he says.
But Den Herder also enjoys the Grilled Steak on Honey Bourbon STIX -- made with Maker’s Mark bourbon and honey – and the Waffled Lardon on Honey Bourbon STIX
(translation: hard boiled quail eggs and maple syrup).
Den Herder says servers give an introduction to the concept to any new diners, and many customers love it so much they ask if they can replicate the STIX concept at home. They can – STIX are for sale at the restaurant, and recipes are available as well.
STIX also plays up the creativity in the bar, with choices like the Ten Cane Raspberry Sashimi – a drink/appetizer hybrid served in a bento box. It’s difficult to describe, but it involves raspberry puree-gelatinized Ten Cane rum and chopsticks. And Den Herder is also proud of the innovate design that allows for creative rental space for functions.
Den Herder dreams of taking the STIX concept and expanding it elsewhere – in Boston, the suburbs or through franchisees.
“It’s a simple concept, it’s a delicious concept, and it’s good food,” he says.
But first, he has to succeed with STIX here and now, in a crowded and competitive environment he describes as markedly different from that of 2002, when 33 Restaurant opened.
“I am predicting there will be a natural shakeout by the end of 2008. It’s going to be an interesting year,” Den Herder says.
And he’s pinning his hopes not to his STIX, but to the folks behind them, his restaurant team.
“You want the customer treated right,” Den Herder says. “If you have poor service, I don’t care how unique your concept is, you’re not going to succeed.”

ANDREW FRIEDLAND IS A SHINING example of a successful mid-life career-changer. Having worked in computer software marketing and development for 35 years, including owning his own company, he moved into real estate 5 years ago. This past year his sales (including “under agreements”) totaled $17 million, and he was top producer in number of transactions at RE/MAX Destiny, with offices in Back Bay & Cambridge.
Friedland is a people’s person. He thrives on contacts with his clients and extends himself to go the extra distance for them. “This was missing for me in the high tech industry and is an aspect of my current career that I cherish. I derive great personal satisfaction when I know that I have helped my clients to achieve their goals and fulfill their dreams.”
Friedland entered real estate with a wealth of knowledge. His graduate business degree helped him in establishing his new career. More importantly, his engineering degree gives him a valuable edge in understanding the construction and system underpinnings of residential buildings.
Friedland has owned and renovated 14 homes. More recently he and his wife, Marilyn Levitt (a psychotherapist and coach), bought and renovated their 4-story townhouse located in the Symphony Hall neighborhood. Their home underwent a major transformation including the installation of a new kitchen and 5 new bathrooms; all new heating, windows, electrical, lighting; some rooms changed with new walls and doors and new stairway built; floors rebuilt and refinished; and painting throughout. This was all done in four months!
Friedland was on the premises daily working closely with their contractor. Marilyn, with her exquisite innate design sense, was largely responsible for the interior design and decoration. Throughout, they worked as a team and always ran ideas by each other and took final decisions together. It is this sense of functioning as a team that is an integral part of what Andrew brings to his real estate work with clients.
And Friedland loves Boston! Having raised two children in the suburbs, he brings to his work the experience of having moved to Boston as an empty nester and indeed empathizes and works effectively with those following that pattern. Andrew also especially enjoys working with people relocating to Boston and introducing them to some of the unique and wonderful features of life in this city. He is a regular instructor at Boston Center for Adult Education where he teaches “Secrets of the Boston Real Estate Market” and “Ready, Set, Sell” which are standards at the school.
And Friedland walks the talk! He and Marilyn frequent the Boston Symphony Orchestra; subscribe to the Huntington Theatre, the Boston Opera and the Boston Lyric Opera (Marilyn studies voice at New England Conservatory); help support the Boston Conservatory and are benefactors of their beloved Boston Ballet.
In addition they are active members of NABB. Andrew served for several years on the NABB City Services Committee and currently is a committee member of the Wine Tasting Group. For the past 3 years, Marilyn and Andrew have hosted the opening party for NABB’s Wine & Dine Group in their stunning home. They are also active with Symphony United Neighbors—Andrew serves on their board—and were instrumental in establishing the Symphony Neighborhood Task Force, with joint leadership with Councilor Mike Ross, Northeastern University and the BPD.
Having been raised in California and having lived, as well, in both Chicago and upstate New York, he appreciates all that life in Boston offers. He brings that spirit into his real estate work in a way that is genuine and infectious. “Boston is simply the best!”

“To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring.”
George Santayana
US (Spanish-born) philosopher (1863 - 1952)

It's the undecided season in the Back Bay. One day it's 60 degrees and the next day feels like 20. The first crocuses are breaking through in sunny corners and the buds on the trees are fattening to burst into bloom. Meanwhile some Newbury Street merchants are showing Spring and Summer clothing while others are still clearing out winter goods or continuing their holiday decor.

CAPTION: Richard M. Primose, a Beacon Hill resident and president of Palladion Services, LLC.

Richard M. Primrose learned the importance of teamwork as a starting offensive lineman for the Yale University football team. He was an integral part of three Ivy League championship teams.
Primrose graduated from Yale in 1983 with a degree in Economics and received his MBA Degree from Harvard in 1991.
A Beacon Hill resident, Primrose, 46, started Palladion Services, LLC 11 years ago from scratch and today the business, headquartered on High Street in Boston, employs 500 people and has the highest customer and employer retention rates in its market in the city.
Primrose said Palladion has earned its reputation and its business “by establishing a track record, of keeping our promises, and really exceeding our customers’ expectations in terms of service quality.”
“We conduct our business the old fashioned way,” said Primrose. “We’re close to our customers and we work very hard at servicing our accounts. What we really sell is trustworthiness and responsibility. Our customers entrust us with keys to buildings that are worth millions of dollars.”
Palladion began as a security company and Primrose faced the issue of how could he differentiate an intangible in an intensely competitive market
“We sell an intangible [services], not something you can touch,” said Primrose. “One of the ways we were able to distinguish our business was by establishing a rigorous selection process in terms of background screening and the processes job candidates go through before becoming employed with our company.
“I found it produced a better quality candidate – the very best in our labor pool and our market,” said Primrose.
Primrose said he approached one of his first clients and offered to do more than a traditional, one-dimensional security provider. The client, who owned a residential building in Cambridge, asked Primrose if his company could provide concierge services as well.
“That was nine years ago,” said Primrose. “Today, the concierge side of our business is our fastest growing market segment. We have the largest market share of the high-end residential market in Boston. And it’s a direct outgrowth of our service philosophy. We’ve been able to capitalize on the growth in the area’s high-end residential market because we were the first company that positioned ourselves as a concierge provider.”
Among the properties where Palladion provides concierge services is a 220-unit luxury condominium building on Beacon Hill and other downtown luxury properties. All told, Palladion provides services at 55 buildings, half with security services in high-rise, high-end commercial buildings, and the other half with full concierge services in high-end residential buildings.
Primrose grew up in Everett and graduated from Everett High School in 1979. His mother, Theresa, was the secretary to three different Everett superintendents of schools for 25 years.
“I’m very big on public education,” said Primrose. “I think Everett High gave me a great education. My mother is a remarkable woman who stressed education to my brother and me.”
After graduating from Yale, he worked for Bank of New England for six years, first as an analyst and later in commercial real estate. While studying for his MBA at Harvard, he took a highly competitive internship for Disney Development Corp. in Orlando. He was offered a job from Disney to help build a hotel at EuroDisney Land in France but turned it down to take a position in a security services business [Guardsmark] in Boston, where he became the executive vice president and chief operating officer overseeing 11,000 employees and more than 200 offices.
He wrote a business plan for Palladion in 1996. “I saw an opportunity in Boston because I felt the term “security services” was a bit of an oxymoron in that there more security and less service in the industry so I thought a locally owned company that really focused on service at some of Boston’s non-iconic buildings could do well and that was our target market,” said Primrose.
Through Primrose’s hard work and aided by an excellent management team that includes 16-year business associates and friends, Patrick Knight, vice president, and Paul Chicarello, senior manager, Palladion has built an impeccable reputation in the security and concierge business in Boston. Knight holds undergraduate and MBA degrees from Syracuse University while Chicarello holds undergraduate and MBA degrees from Harvard.
“We learned the business the same way and they’re two of the most dedicated people I’ve ever met and they’re both exceptionally talented,” said Primrose.
Knight credits Primrose for his exemplary leadership and his ability to motivate his employees on a daily basis.
“I think Rick’s leadership qualities are what motivates all of us and gives us direction,” said Knight. “When I came on board, there were 15 employees and now there are 500. Rick’s strength is that he knows every single employee that works here. He’s very focused and very driven. He demands excellence all the time. There is no room for mediocrity.”
Reflecting on his business career, Primrose said his athletic background helped set the foundation to his success.
“I was an offensive lineman in college and you fight for inches, and this is a business that you build one hour at a time,” said Primrose. “Brick by brick, you build this business. I love what I’m doing because we earn our way and we are able to positively impact people’s lives. We have a positive impact on our employees. We keep our promises to our customers and I think it’s the noblest way to make one’s livelihood.”

No stopping signs went up last week to clear Commonwealth Avenue inbound between Exeter and Dartmouth Streets. This was to allow crews from the Boston Public Works Street Lighting Division to make repairs to street lights on that block. Residents cooperated with the sign request and workers reported that they did not have to tow any vehicles.

It is becoming more and more common to see moves facilitated by furniture elevators like this one from Gentle Giant Movers. This system avoids the problems presented by winding staircases and narrow hallways, lessens potential damage to common areas and can make for a faster move.