All parents of young boys will want to attend the free book discussion of Peg Tyre’s “The Trouble with Boys” on February 5.
As part of the school’s free Parent Speaker series, the Kingsley Montessori School at 26 Exeter St., with its preschool at 30 Fairfield Street, is hosting free talks on parenting in upcoming months, and you don’t have to have a child there to attend.
RSVPs are required by February 4 to discuss Tyre’s book, subtitled, “A Surprising Report Card on Our Sons, Their Problems at School, and What Parents and Educators Must Do,” the focus of an informal 8:45 a.m. coffee talk hosted by psychologist Martha Markowitz and Kingsley librarian Kris Salo.
The Kingsley launched the free series as part of its expansion three years ago, when school officials decided to offer a parenting resource center. “One of our goals was to become a resource center for the community, particularly on parenting issues, such as discipline, teaching, and nutrition,” said Kingsley’s head of school, Renee DuChainey-Farkes. “It was an opportunity for parents and members of the Kingsley community to learn from experts on child development.”
They run about 20 such lectures a year, some in the morning, and some in the evening, to accommodate different schedules. “We have a tiny budget, but many of our speakers are coming for free,” said DuChainey-Farkes. “We have researchers, educators, doctors, authors who are coming. It’s an opportunity for our parents to learn about an array of issues, but it’s also for the community.”
Coming up is “How Brain Development Affects Behavior,” by Dr. Charles Nelson, on February 11 at 6:30 p.m. in the Exeter Street building.
The Kingsley is also lining up speakers for next year. “We’re interested in hearing from the community if they want to hear any particular topics or know of any interesting presentations,” added DuChainey-Farkes Kingsley head of school. “We have an older generation in the Back Bay who might want to suggest different topics, not just about parenting.”

All parents of young boys will want to attend the free book discussion of Peg Tyre’s “The Trouble with Boys” on February 5.
As part of the school’s free Parent Speaker series, the Kingsley Montessori School at 26 Exeter St., with its preschool at 30 Fairfield Street, is hosting free talks on parenting in upcoming months, and you don’t have to have a child there to attend.
RSVPs are required by February 4 to discuss Tyre’s book, subtitled, “A Surprising Report Card on Our Sons, Their Problems at School, and What Parents and Educators Must Do,” the focus of an informal 8:45 a.m. coffee talk hosted by psychologist Martha Markowitz and Kingsley librarian Kris Salo.
The Kingsley launched the free series as part of its expansion three years ago, when school officials decided to offer a parenting resource center. “One of our goals was to become a resource center for the community, particularly on parenting issues, such as discipline, teaching, and nutrition,” said Kingsley’s head of school, Renee DuChainey-Farkes. “It was an opportunity for parents and members of the Kingsley community to learn from experts on child development.”
They run about 20 such lectures a year, some in the morning, and some in the evening, to accommodate different schedules. “We have a tiny budget, but many of our speakers are coming for free,” said DuChainey-Farkes. “We have researchers, educators, doctors, authors who are coming. It’s an opportunity for our parents to learn about an array of issues, but it’s also for the community.”
Coming up is “How Brain Development Affects Behavior,” by Dr. Charles Nelson, on February 11 at 6:30 p.m. in the Exeter Street building.
The Kingsley is also lining up speakers for next year. “We’re interested in hearing from the community if they want to hear any particular topics or know of any interesting presentations,” added DuChainey-Farkes Kingsley head of school. “We have an older generation in the Back Bay who might want to suggest different topics, not just about parenting.”

In the winter months, more people nest in. With this economy, they also may want to nest more of their dollars by entertaining at home.
“As we have learned, our customers like to entertain,” said Blackstone’s of Beacon Hill co-owner Jennifer Hill. Now, more than ever, and especially during the winter months, Hill has responded to what she’s hearing and is buying more products geared toward socializing more with their family or friends through cozy parties and intimate gatherings.
Here’s a few do’s and don’ts for ramping up as a host and party attendee:
Don’t: turn every weekend into a video and takeout weekend.
Do: talk to some friends and encourage more social gatherings.
Don’t: spend so much money on entertaining at home by buying enough expensive food that rivals eating out.
Do: flip through the cookbook.
Don’t: turn on the oven until you’ve taken the shoes and Christmas decorations out of your kitchen “storage closet,” i.e., the oven.
Do: encourage regular potluck parties. Don’t want to wash dishes? That’s what paper products are for – Blackstone’s carries a nice line of paper dishes and napkins.
Do: also consider a cocktail party alternative. You focus on making interesting cocktails, your friends bring fun hors d’oeuvres. Blackstone’s happens to have “The Essential Cocktail” book for ideas.
Don’t: forget those who’d like a non-alcoholic alternative, like good coffee and fine tea, flavored seltzer water and juices. Blackstone’s carries local brands, including Concord’s Tea Forté.
Don’t: be the guest who brings the chips and salsa.
Do: check out the interesting pre-made snacks at DeLucas, Savenors, and Whole Foods.
Don’t: bring cheddar cheese.
Do: bring a cheese you can’t pronounce. Don’t forget the crackers.
Don’t: forget about great condiments, like gourmet sauces, dips, and mustards. Blackstone’s recently added New England Cranberry’s Cranberry Chutney, Cranberry Pepper Jelly and Colonial Cranberry Sauce, and a customer favorite is Robert Rothschild Gourmet Foods Raspberry Honey Mustard Pretzel Dip. “It goes great with everything, including pretzels,” said Blackstone’s Mark Duffield.
Do: consider a dessert party instead. Try a Potluck Dessert Night. Jennifer Hill loves The Brass Sisters’ cookbook, “Heirloom Baking,” which made Food & Wine’s Annual 2007 Cookbook’s Best of the Best top 25 cookbook list. And hey, The Brass Sisters will be appearing at Blackstone’s next month, to sign copies of their book.
Don’t: flip on the TV.
Do: Turn on the radio or stereo, and get out the deck of cards, Monopoly, and other board games. Remember Pictionary? How about Scrabble? Blackstone’s just got in a very portable game for guests to bring to parties, Bananagrams, an anagram game that fits nicely in a purse. It’s great for entertaining kids, too.
Don’t: be a bad guest. Never arrive empty-handed.
Do: bring an interesting bottle of wine – Beacon Hill Wine and Spirits can recommend a nice bottle. For fun, bring it in a nice wine tote.
Do: also consider bringing chocolates. Blackstones carries a nice variety of local treats; Beacon Hill Chocolates has some nice ideas, too.
Do: consider a host/hostess gift, even when it’s not their birthday. Try bringing an interesting book, or make their job easier with paper napkins, candles and fun matches, said Hill. “Functional entertaining pieces such as trays, glassware, coasters or hand towels, to wine accessories, are perfect to give to those who already like to entertain. Who says you ever have enough entertaining pieces?”

Like everywhere in America, Newbury Street is not immune to the downturn in the economy.
There are darkened storefronts. Stil's Newbury presence went still, the Gap has left a gap, and Tess and Carlos is going to concentrate on its other stores.
"There are more than 20 vacancies, when you walk up and down the street, but so far, it's not as bad as it was in the late 1980s," said Newbury Street League (NSL) Vice President Tom Brennan, who sells commercial real estate for Talanian Realty. "Rents are stable. It's not as bad as it was in the late 1980s. In 1989, there were 49 empty stores on the street, and another 20 wanted out."
Today, the outlook is gloomy, but not THAT gloomy.
"We have a lot more stores who want to come in," said Brennan. "Things can't be too bad," added Brennan, who has been on Newbury Street for 25 years. "It's becoming more of the place to be, and some stores are doing well."
Bliss, Lily Bridal and L'Elite Bridal are moving to bigger and, in some cases, more rent-friendly spaces. American Apparel is taking on another store. A new tanning salon is looking for a space. And the gap at the Gap? "Right now we're working with various tenants to get it leased up," said Sam Hawkey of Dartmouth Co. "Newbury Street will be fine. There are plenty of people interested in Newbury Street."
Even Louis of Boston, which had said it was thinking of not renewing its lease in 2010, is rumored to be staying put.
Newbury Street has always cycled through businesses, and it will continue to see lots of activity, say local businesspeople.
"There's going to be more vacancies," said Michele Messino, membership director for the Newbury Street League. "There's a long list of people who want to come to Newbury Street, too."
And as they traded business cards and survival tips at 29 Newbury St. during a recent Newbury Street League networking meeting, veteran businesses were happy to toast several newcomers, too.
Nespresso Boutique nestled into the former Domain at 7 Newbury St. in December. "We've had a really positive reception," said Nespresso boutique manager Julie Carver, whose store sell 45 types of espresso machines and gourmet coffee. The boutique is the first Boston store for the New York City- based store.
Ed Hardy moved to 328 Newbury St. two months ago, and while business is slow, the chain is still looking to add another 10 stores along the East Coast.
"It was a really, really good experience opening the store," said store manager Teudy Gonzalez, who added the Boston store opened with live mannequins in the windows and also break dancers. "Christmas was pretty good. Traffic is picking up now that people know it's open. We're not doing bad at all. It will be a while for us to reach great sales."
Longtime Runway stylists Charles Erik Howard and Bill Daskowski didn't let the economy stop them from taking over their 11 Newbury Street salon when the owner decided to sell. "It fell together very quickly," said Howard.
The new Will Charles Salon is still on the third floor, and they have kept most of their clients, but they feel like the new kids on the block anyway as they start building the brand and getting a website up.
They believe their positive attitude will keep customers coming in. "Our motto is 'Beauty starts from the inside out,'" said Howard, who's been styling hair for five years. "We're a couple of people who really care. Our staff is really friendly. We don't want you to feel like the new person in the cafeteria and you're getting the once-over."
"There has been a change but I think people are getting rid of shorter term vacations, but keeping more affordable luxuries such as getting their hair done," said Howard. "Even a new outfit, you only wear a couple of times."
Said his business partner, 10-year stylist Daskowski, "There's a value in a precision haircut and color. If they try to do it themselves, it costs them more money in the long run."
Dr. Yanni Glavas had longed wanted a Newbury Street address. "I called Tom Brennan two years ago looking for a space here," said Dr. Glavas, who is active with the NSL in order to increase his business base. "I was waiting for the right spot," he said, found one at 79 Newbury St., and moved his Mass. Eye Plastic Surgery a few months ago from Cambridge to Newbury Street. Despite a slow summer, he's seen an increase in his customer base. "My business is actually growing, despite the economy. I've seen a few clients who had been laid off, and they're saying, 'Now that I don't have a job, I have time for procedures.'"
That's what Mike Morris of Fitness Together has been hearing, too. Fortunately for him, he sees more clients who now have time to work out. While he sees a few less clients because of the downturn, he said, "I've seen clients who are laid off come in more regularly, to discuss their goals and their program." Morris reports business is steady, but he also watches the street. "The downturn doesn't seem to affect the younger demographic, probably because they have less responsibilities," he said.
SkinHealth President Cheryl Clarkson also reports her business is level.
"Our loyal clients are still coming in, so far so good," said Clarkson, who has been on Newbury Street for 10 years. "It's the loyalty factor."

They say everyone has a second career in them. When John Hancock chief executive David D’Alessandro sold the business to a Canadian insurer, he decided to make a change and bought Ristorante Toscano on Charles Street, down the street from an apartment he keeps. D’Alessandro had been going there for years, and when he found out that the owner, Vinicio Paoli, was moving back to Italy with his family, he bought it. He runs it with his son, Andrew, a Boston College graduate who trained at the Cambridge Culinary Arts School, and recruited Richard Cacciagrani from the Palm over at the Westin. But D’Alessandro is hands-off for the most part, and the operation is run team-style by Andrew and Cacciagrani, along with longtime restaurant manager Rick Hayes.
They opened Toscano’s in January 2007, and then closed it that summer for a few months of renovations. The results were stunning, a cozy effect achieved with artist Ulla Darni’s gorgeous light fixtures, a striking wall of wine, a glassed-in 1,200-bottle wall, flooring that alternates between 85-year-old walnut flooring from New Hampshire and slate-looking porcelain floors, and heavy dining room doors carved with the restaurant’s fleur-de-lis design and also ironwork from a Sante Fe designer. There are several pockets that create intimate dining atmosphere, with comfy leather seats, including the downstairs’ 12-seat roundtable Grotto, a 25-seat dining room behind closed doors, and a bar that is expanded into a “café” (you can’t come in for a beer or wine unless you order food, so technically there’s no bar, according to licensing rules).
“We gutted everything,” said Andrew D’Alessandro, who lives on Boylston Street. And they dropped the “Ristorante” from the name.
Along with the locals, you can spot politicos and developers, the occasional celebrity who appreciates the low lighting and intimate corners. Despite the economic downturn, the owners say they haven’t experienced any real loss in business, from a few business dinners each week to regulars coming in two or three times a week.
“We have a real customer base,” said Cacciagrani, who used to work at Rebecca’s down the street. “Local business is our main focus. They’ve been very supportive of our restaurant. We’re lucky to receive support from Beacon Hill. In the North End, so many restaurants rely on tourism. We rely on the neighborhood’s support. The best time to see what our restaurant is about is during a snowstorm, when everyone comes in and is talking to each other and having a good time.”
As a result, they aren’t changing their menu with prix fixe discounts or 2 for 1 coupons, but they do offer a range of price points to appeal to a variety of budgets. Their quartino wine flasks carry a quarter of a liter of wine, or about two glasses, for the price of a glass elsewhere.
In fact, the classic Tuscan dishes haven’t changed much in 25 years, which please the regulars just fine. Among the favorites that fly out of the kitchen are the Rigatoni Toscano, a creamy and smoky pasta dish with bacon and herbs, the handmade gnocchi, and the pappa al pomodoro Tuscan soup. They bake their focaccia and Tuscan loaves daily, and make their own sausage, such as last week’s wild boar sausage special.
The chefs have been here more than a decade, and trained with the former Tuscan owner. Many are from Central America and Cambodia. There are no Italians in the kitchen, but, said Cacciagrani, “We have some of the best seasoned Tuscan chefs in the United States.” A few of the chefs trained under Paoli and have been at Toscano’s for 15 or so years.
The kitchen doesn’t have a flashy chef in Samuel Gomez, who moved from Colombia when he was 17 and discovered he liked cooking. Gomez is a cheerful but industrious, no-nonsense chef who just wants to create the same good food that his customers enjoy. “At home, I like to cook short ribs, stuff like that,” said Gomez, of Bremen Street in East Boston, husband of Deana and father of Shaun, 9, and Wendy, 10. “I like to make things that are very simple and easy to do. I don’t like Colombian food.” You can also spot him working a butcher’s shift at Whole Foods on Cambridge Street.
The restaurant owners don’t plan to open a chain. “It’s a nice life here,” said Cacciagrani. “We compare ourselves to Hamersley’s [Bistro], a single restaurant that’s a part of the community. We don’t want to lose that personal touch.”

Sal DiMasi's resignation

Nationally, the economy is a disaster. On the state level, we are in a fiscal disaster. And now on the municipal level, we are about to enter a devastating time when programs in schools and other municipal services will have to be cut for the remainder of this year and more cuts next year.
The resignation of Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives Sal DiMasi must certainly come as good news to some. To others, the resignation removes a very capable, liberal-minded and affable leader at the very time of a state fiscal crisis, when his expertise is most needed by all Massachusetts residents.
As with all public officials and in particular with DiMasi who has spent more than 30 years in office, there are bound to be critics of his voting record and the fact that during his tenure the almost geometric increases occurred in state spending. However, his voting record does show a strong position in taking and supporting unpopular issues, like gay marriage or the state’s healthcare reform system. These stands should be how DiMasi is remembered and also for his contribution to making the state more inclusive to all residents.
DiMasi leaves office under a cloud of suspicion, but to the voters in his district who know him well, he will always be the very popular and affable official that was always at home at community events, such as Santa Claus’ landing at Puopolo Park. Whatever the future holds, we hope the public trial of DiMasi will stop and let the rightful process be the only process. We wish DiMasi well in his future endeavors. We are the beneficiaries of his votes that have helped make Massachusetts more inclusive for all residents. We hope the words of Shakespeare are not the epitaph for DiMasi:
The evil that men do lives after them;
the good is oft’ interred with their bones.
This would truly be an injustice.