Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost

I was in  Harvard Square last night and stopped in the Curious George children's store.  I was browsing the book selection when I stumbled across "Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening.  That book brought back so many memories.   I learned that poem in the 8th grade at the Houghton School in Cambridge.  The school curriculum at the Houghton School was the best ever.  The things I learned have stuck in my head over the years.  Did you know that the Great Lakes spells HOMES:
HuronOntarioMichiganErieSuperior. 

Our  teacher Regina B. Key,  used to rap, before rapping became a phenomenon. She would write on the board "Mary went to the store" and we would recite while she tapped the ruler on the desk with a rhythmic beat,  "Mary is the subject therefore nominated case, first person singular".  Let me share one of my favorite  poem's with you.

Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening

By Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep

Enjoy!

The Misses in Neighborhood Nine

I was down at the South Postal Annex in South Boston last night mailing a letter.  I didn't go there purposely to mail a letter, I was just in the area having been to the Children's Museum.  Oh how I miss the post office on Huron Ave.  In neighborhood nine we used to feel so special.  The post office was right in the pharmacy, where you could fill a prescription and mail a letter at the same time.  I also miss Henry Bear's Park, now we have Magic Beans, which I used to visit in Coolidge Corner.  I also miss the Jamaican Restaurant,  which was next to a  much needed pet shop. 

Speaking about pets, neighborhood nine has such a dedicated pet community. When I had my loaner dog Barron (actually I believe I was the babysitter).  I met so many wonderful people.  It's a small community where everybody meets at Danehy Park/St. Peter's field to walk their dogs and talk about the days events.  You can meet such interesting people with an array of interest and good information.

That is truly one of my personal misses.....Barron!

Happy New Year Everybody!

Here We Go Again - Avis

Okay everybody listen up.  I rented a car from Avis this week and I was the third person in line.  I am telling you this must of been the most embarrassing moment for these customers.  Now unbeknownst to me, they do an Equifax credit check when you are renting a car using your debit card.  The first person presented their debit card and the customer service agent said, "You have been declined" and the man got very angry asking why did it get declined and the agent said, you didn't meet the credit criteria, so she asked him did he have a credit card and he said no, so he proceeded to the exit.  I tried my hardest to contain my laughter, it wasn't funny, but oh well. 

The next customer went to the agent and gave her Bank of America debit card, the agent swiped it and said "You have been declined".  She pleaded I have to drive to Washington, DC, I am moving and the movers are on their way to meet me as we speak.  The agent asked the same question she asked the previous customer.  Do you have a credit card, she says, no we only use debit.  I really felt bad for her, so I suggested she try Hertz down the street.

Then it was my turn and I was using a credit card to be on the safe side "hahahaha", so I thought.  She swiped my card and the infamous words came bellowing in my ears " You have been declined", I said oh no, I know I have available credit on my credit card, because I looked at my available balance, which I thought was $82.00 and the rental was "$79.66".  So she and I said there must be something wrong with Avis' computer terminals, so she called my credit card company on the phone and put it on speaker phone so I could hear,  and I heard it "declined".  I couldn't believe it, so I called the company myself and spoke to a customer service person and he said, you did have $82.00, but we had to take out $7.00 for interest.

I said oh snap.  I had to take out the dreaded debit card.    I handed the agent the debit card, she swiped it and Voila!!! Approved!!.  The one thing that is good about using the credit card is that they only hold the amount of the rental and as I had stated in my previous post on the debit, they hold the cost of the rental, plus  $200.00.  So if you have bad credit and you don't want to be embarrassed don't use Avis, but if you have a credit card, be my guest!

Get Your Swagg On!!

 SWAGGgift valued at $25 to one lucky Swagger!

No more plastic No more plastic hmmmm "Gift Cards, Loyalty and Memebership Cards.

I know you got a lot of gift cards for the holiday's, I know I did.  They can be a real pain carrying them in your wallet and continuously checking your balances.  How would you like to have every gift card in one place and also you balances available to you with the click of your app. I  put my  my Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts Gift Cards on my Swagg

SWAGG has launched a new app that deals with the troublesome problem of how to deal with the overabundance of gift cards, loyalty & membership cards that clutter up your wallet or handbag. Basically you can load all those gift cards, loyalty points, etc into your iPhone or Android mobile device. Voila, now you can shop from your phone. Did I mention the app is free?

Another cool thing is that the app allows you to "give or get." Wondering what to give your sister-in-law Stephanie? You can give a gift card directly from your mobile device. You can also enter your zip code upon downloading and get offers that are redeemable at stores in your area.

And if giving and getting aren't enough, the very download of the app gives back. SWAGG has partnered with the non-profit organization Stand Up to Cancer. Every time you download the app between now and December 31,2011, SWAGG will donate $1 to Stand Up to Cancer – up to $125,000.

Fast facts:

This holiday season is a big one for gift cards. According to the National Retail Federation, 60% of Americans will ask for gift cards this year.

SWAGGSM is turning the gift-giving world upside down in time for the holiday season by allowing consumers to toss their plastic to better manage gift, loyalty and membership cards on their mobile devices.

Consumers can download the free app at the App Store by clicking here. For the Android Market, search for Swagg from your Android mobile device.  It's just a click away or go to http://www.swagg.com/ and find out more information..

Download You Swagg!

Disclaimer: I was given a $25.00 Swagg Gift to review this product.  This did not influence my opinion either way.  I only review things that are safe and my obligation is to my readers in giving them my honest opinion.

I have been  engaged by SWAGG and The b-Link for this campaign

ChicaLogic! - A Women's Personal Computer Assistant





ChicaLogic is a software for woman by woman.  ChicaLogic's goal is to empower women between the ages of 16-65 who want more than just a click of the mouse for their computer experience.  Many times women who are not that computer savvy like to rely on another person's point of view when it comes to a computer, may it be slow, infected with a virus, etc., but with ChicaLogic it's one stop shopping.  ChicaLogic software gives you all the tools necessary for that slow computer or for a computer that is just not acting right.

I downloaded the software, because I felt that my computer was running a little slow and I am a very energetic person who likes things to be done fast, so I had Chicalogic scan my computer and lo and behold I had 192 errors.  I instantly clicked on repair and Voila! ..this woman is back in business.

I want you to have the opportunity to try ChicaLogic and become a fan, just like I am. I will be giving away twenty FREE One Year License Keys of ChicaPC-fix valued at $29.95 to the  first twenty people who either retweet, or post on my blog a free One Year License Key is yours.  You won't regret it....trust me!  

The following are some serious facts:

ChicaPC-fix:

■Fix and cleans computer errors within 1-click

■Speeds up a slow computer for improved performance

■Prevents computer crashes

■Instant downloadable software for Windows

■Very easy to use software designed just for women

■Compatible with: Microsoft Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 2000

 

ChicaLogic is a Microsoft Certified Gold Partner

 

Ciao

Disclaimer: I was given a free activation key to review this product and I was also compensated.  This did not influence my opinion either way.  I only review things that are safe and my obligation is to my readers in giving them my honest opinion.

Update Update on Avis -- I forgot to tell everybody!!

Avis has discontinued the discount with your AAA card.  When I looked on my receipt it actually had the letters AAA on the receipt and in actuality, there was no discount.  So I called the 800 number and they told me they do not honor it anymore and I said to myself somebody needs some retraining, because when I went to the counter to rent the car, they did indicate that they do take AAA, so be careful not to include this in your rental discount.
 
Ciao!

ZipCar or Avis



I am an avid ZipCar driver and I also rent cars from Avis.  I want to just share some observations.  I like ZipCar, because it's basically one stop shopping, i.e. insurance,gas and locations.  I also like Avis, because they just reduced their retaining fee when using a debit card, which I really think happened, because of the competition from ZipCar and RideShare, etc.  Avis used to hold $400.00 on your debit card regardless of the cost of the rental.  They are now charging $200.00, plus the cost of the actual rental, which isn't bad, if you don't mind having $200+ on hold on your debit card.  ZipCar on the other hand lets you rent by the hour, but if you are at least 1 minute late, you will be guaranteed a $50.00 late charge, which is steep.  I know there have been many times when there were unexpected traffic delays, but I was sure to get back to my location on time. 

Another thing don't forget to swipe your card at the end of your rental, because that could also cause you to get a $50.00 late fee.  I was having a conversation with the next person renting the car and forgot to swipe my card and there it was a $50.00 late fee on my invoice.  I called ZipCar and they said as a courtesy they would take the $50.00 late fee off this time.  Avis on the other hand does have a few minutes grace period, because they do have a lot of cars at the same location to offer.  ZipCar's customer service I hate to say is not really convenient, you could be waiting 10 minutes or more to get a live person on the phone, which is not good.  Avis on the other hand as soon as you dial the 800 number there is somebody there to help you.

At Avis be very careful,  those of us who use the rental, just for city driving or to run a few errands.  If  you do not drive at least 75 miles, they will add on a $13.00 fueling fee.  If you just need $1.00 to fill up the tank I would  do it and be sure to show them your receipt or else you will be charged the $13.00 fueling fee.

The customer service agents at ZipCar have some flexibility in refunding charges, but most of them have to go through the main office, which can take 24 hours, so be patient.  You can only rent ZipCar's by the hour, which can be very convenient and you have to rent from Avis for at least 24 hours.   I would say if you want to rent for 24 hours, the price comparison is almost the same give or take a few dollars and this is including the LDW from Avis,  but remember with ZipCar you don't have to pay for gas and another thing you are only allowed 150 miles with ZipCar and with Avis mileage is unlimited.  So if you are going to do some long distance driving, to NY, Maine, and some parts of N.H., I would go with Avis and if you just want to do city driving and only need the vehicle for a 2 - 4 hours I would use ZipCar, because it's much cheaper.

So these days I alternate, between ZipCar, Avis, walking and the good ole MBTA.  How do you get around?

Ex-Sec. of State Rice to speak at Harvard

Ex-Sec. of State Rice to speak at Harvard

Neigh9 Update

Harvard Medical School - Politics, Policy and Palliative Care

Special Event



November 10, 2010 "Politics, Policy, and Palliative Care" with David Weissman, MD
at Harvard Medical School. For more information please contact: venus_watson@dfci.harvard.edu or (617) 582-7859. Please share with colleagues/medical students you think may be interested.

Cambridge city councilor says no thanks to Worcester-Boston commuter line - Cambridge, Massachusetts - Cambridge Chronicle

Cambridge city councilor says no thanks to Worcester-Boston commuter line - Cambridge, Massachusetts - Cambridge Chronicle

The Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus - 2010

 The circus was at the TD Garden in Boston.  It was one of the best Ringling Bros circus' that I have ever been too.  They added an international flair, very colorful and diverse.  The clowns were their usual happy selves.  The tiger tamer really put on a good show, he really connected with the tigers, which was amazing and they seemed to connect with him and were very obedient.  Adults and children alike enjoyed the show.  They had a show with dogs, which was really great, with the different tricks that they performed, i.e., jump rope, walking through mazes and climbing stairs...Oh and they were also walking upright on their hind legs.

Enjoy the slide show!

NPR Fire's Juan Williams

There are something’s that just make you go hmmmm. I have been watching Juan Williams’s commentaries and I really couldn't get a handle of where he was coming from...."that's a lie". I guess Juan just got a reality check, meaning just because you are a Fox reporter, that doesn't give you the right to make statements about ethnic religious groups. Muslims are here and they are here to stay, and people really need to get over it.

Juan you are not Bill O'Reilly, you are Juan Williams, you should of called Armstrong Williams, before you decided to take a page from Bill's O'Reilly playbook, he would of warned you, you see where it got him...... Fired!!

Singing "When will they every learn, when will they ever learn".

The Prison Industrial Complex

diversityinc20100910-dl

New Bus Service Cambridge to New York

Listen to this....Did you hear?  We are getting a new bus service in Cambridge, called World wide bus service that is going to run from Cambridge, Newton and straight to Manhattan.  I am so excited about this, because we don't have to go downtown to catch the bus to New York,  it will be in our own backyard.

 New York that's where concrete dreams are made of, there's nothing you can't do....New York.  Oh let me not get carried away.  The fare is going to be $15.00 on the weekdays one way and $20.00 on the weekends.  The first stop will be at 31st and 8th near Penn Station.  Oh I forgot they will be picking up the Cambridge peeps at Alewife and the Newton peeps at Riverside.

The service will begin on Oct. 27 at an introductory price of $10 one-way for weekend  travel through Nov. 18.

I can't wait!!!!  Check out the link http://www.worldwidebus.com/

This Mysterious Street with no Accountability

I had the scare of my life about a year and a half ago.    I always felt real comfortable walking the streets of Cambridge and not having a care in the world.  It's not that I had a pattern of walking the same route every night, but it was a late night at work and I wanted to catch up on an impending deadline.  So I did my usually walk this time deciding to walk down Brattle and up "Sparks".  I am always aware of my surroundings, so I was cognizant of every move, every snow flake and car passing by.  When I was about to proceed up Sparks I saw a man run out of his car and hide behind a fence in somebody's yard, so I  continued to walk up the street, which I felt  was my only option, because if I continued down Brattle, turned on Craigie, up Buckingham,  he could of followed me, because they were all one ways to my destination.

As I proceeded up Sparks the man jumped out of the gate and I said if you come near me, you are going to get your  $$#%$*@  head knocked-off.  So he stared at me and then looked back into the yard that he jumped out of , and I started walking backwards up Sparks with my cellphone, while calling the police.  What a waste of time calling the police I could of been assaulted or killed, because the response time was unacceptable. The police can be slow in their response,  especially if they are somewhere sleeping or harassing somebody for no apparent reason and another thing most of the Cambridge police are not from Cambridge and they have no idea of  where they are or how to get there. What Cantabrigian doesn't know "Henry Louis Gates".  This incident might of given me an opportunity of a Beer Summit with the President, had it been reported, we'll never know.

The police finally came after about 15 minutes after I fended off this nut and walking down Huron Ave. What is also so disturbing about the Cambridge Police is that they never took a report and to think a murder happend on the corner of Sparks and Brewster, some 20 years ago, it didn't seem to be significant or that important to take a police report from me.  All they asked me was what did he look like.  I said a white male, tall, glasses and about 45 years old, that didn't matter that he sort of fit the description of a man about 20 something lurking in the neighborhood the week Mary Jo Frug got murdered 20 something years ago.

Fashion - Anthropologie Harvard Square

I have been walking by Anthropologie in Harvard Sq., since it's been open for about 4 months.  Just looking in the window I didn't think the products or clothing would appeal to me, but you know something the clothes are really nice and simple and the prices were very reasonable to my surprise.  I browsed the 3 floors of the store and they had a hodgepodge of items, i.e., dishes, clothing, books and furniture. 

I wanted to give you a view of what was inside,  but to tell you the truth I 'm going  back to browse a little more when I have some time and hopefully I will see something affordable.   I took a few pictures of the inside and a couple of the outside, so you can get an idea of their of what they sell..  If you get confused of where it is, it's the building that Crate and Barrel used to occupy and I can say it is a welcome replacement.  Enjoy!

Getting To Happy!

Terry McMillan did a reading from her book "Getting To Happy" at Booksmith in Brookline on Saturday, September 11th. The book is a sequel to "Waiting to Exhale". It was standing room only and she took questions after reading the chapter. She told the audience, that she had forgiven her ex-husband Johnathan, who is gay for lying to her and putting her life in jeopardy. She indicated that she needed to move on and it was about her getting to "happy". As everybody knows, this is Oprah's last season on television and she is bringing back her best segments, which Terry and Johnathan spoke about his deceit of not telling her he was gay. Terry said that Oprah's people had called her, but they haven't finalized her appearance and she made it a point to say that she doesn't have to go on Oprah to sell books. One gentleman asked Terry what does she think of Walter Mosley another African-American writer, who was half Jewish. Terry said she doesn't get into labels and to me she seemed quite annoyed.

I did buy the book and had it autographed, but I haven't read it yet, when I do....I will let you know my thoughts.

Contrary to Popular Belief -- Things We Do Need in Neighborhood Nine

• Laudromats - Where people could talk and get to meet their neighbor's and of course do their laundry
• Taxi's
• Beauty Salon's - We do have one,  Monica's on Concord and Walden
• Better publicizing of Yard Sales, instead you have to stop on every pole in the neighborhood to see where the next one is being held -- I will volunteer to post them on my blog.
• More ZipCar locations
• A place where we can share information about contractor's and different services, instead of paying for Angie's lists.
• People being more friendlier and not so stuck up

What are your wishes for Neighborhood Nine?

This Friday and Saturday October 1st and 2nd

Oh noes! E. Cambridge Saucony Outlet to close in October

Oh noes! E. Cambridge Saucony Outlet to close in October

Trends in Cambridge street robberies

Trends in Cambridge street robberies

A Get Together

On Friday night I went to a get together of the of old Polaroid alum's.  This get together has been going on for awhile, but I have never been invited.  So a friend told me about it, and I asked another friend was she going and she said yes and I said I will go with you.  Mind you I was inviting myself and decided to suffer the consequences if I got a weird look or if I heard somebody whispering in the corner say,  "She wasn't  invited, what is she doing here".  Well lo and behold it didn't happen, not that I expected it to, but I was prepared.

The host was just so glad to see me, I think, he welcomed me with open arms and I really felt like I was somebody, that they never expected to see.  Well with that said I had a wonderful time.  Getting to see all the old faces, some  looking like they haven't aged a bit and others looking a tad older, but nevertheless they were happy and everybody was glad to see each other.  We sat and told old stories and had a lot of good laughs.  I heard somebody say to a friend of mine, you are going to have to give me her email address and I was saying to myself, " I am right here just ask me", but it was okay, because if you ever worked at Polaroid,  people talk about you like you don't exist and you can be standing right next to them.

I couldn't believe that people were so impressed about my blogging.  These are the same people who you would never expect to be impressed by you, because they held such high positions in Polaroid, but now you know something , we are all on the same playing field, aging, new careers, working  and waiting on our next paycheck.

I truly enjoyed everybody's company and the  host was always his pleasant self and always so welcoming.  I can't wait for the next one and hopefully I will be on the email list.

Ciao!

Okay The Jury Is O-U-T!!!

As you know I am a fan of public transportation and previously I blogged about how I enjoyed the new app called Nextbus.  Well well well,  I was completely Wrong.  I don't know if it's a Harvard Sq. bug or what.  One thing I do know is that Nextbus and the Harvard Sq. upper level bus stops, where you catch the ,72,74,75, 77, and 78, etc. are definitely not in sync.  I don't know if I can really blame it on Nextbus, because these buses have always been late.  The following buses never come on time: 78, 74 or 75.  I don't know what seems to be the problem. 

One day I asked the bus driver why the buses were never on time  and he says it's traffic. Traffic 365 days of  the year -- I don't think so.  I knew somebody that worked at the MBTA in the scheduling department and he said that the manager of scheduling lived on the 71 and 73 bus routes. You better believe those buses came like clock work and two and three at a time and sometimes only with  two passengers on board, what an unfair distribution when the people who live on  my route have to wait hours for a bus.  The 78 bus is just like the 47 in Central Sq...Late.  What have been your experiences on the good ole MBTA.

Boston Family History Day 2010

Make a date to meet generations of your family.

Seaport World Trade Center

Ancestry.com and the New England Historic Genealogical Society are pleased to bring you Boston Family History Day 2010, a day to discover and celebrate your family history. This exciting event can help you start or hone your genealogical skills with informative classes, expert consultations and more.

Join us for Boston Family History Day 2010

October 16th, 2010

Just $38 to attend this all-day event.

Don't miss out on this wonderful day — space is limited and will sell out.

Register now


Don't miss Boston Family History Day 2010


brought to you by Ancestry.com and the New England Historic Genealogical Society


A full-day registration is just $38 and includes family history classes designed to help you grow your tree, NEHGS and Ancestry.com experts on hand to answer questions, opportunities to have photos and documents scanned, and much more!

Choose from 20 Family History Classes – Included in full-day registration

Get pro tips and guidance from the experts at NEHGS and Ancestry.com. You’ll be able to choose from 20 family history classes that include something for every family historian:



• Fast Finds in Immigration Records

•Researching New England Families

•Organize, Organize, Organize

•Getting the Most from Ancestry.com

•Using AmericanAncestors.org

•Trace Your Roots to Ireland

•And many more…

Yard Sale!!!

Come one come all to the Yard Sale at the Corner of Fayerweather and Concord Ave. The time is 9:00am -4:00pm , tomorrow, Sunday, September 19, 2010.  I was there today and they had a lot of nice items to choose from, such as  clothes, small appliances, toys and bric a brac.

Don't miss out --- See you there!

Ciao

Beantown Jazz Festival

JOBS!

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Career Fair

Thursday, September 30th, 3pm-8pm
Best Western Longwood Galleria in the Longwood Hall
342 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA 02115


Work at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and stand together with world-renowned caregivers and researchers committed to conquering cancer.

Our expansion is creating new opportunities throughout the hospital. Opening in 2011, the Yawkey Center for Cancer Care will add 275,000 square feet of light-filled, spacious clinical areas, all in a “green” building. There couldn’t be a better time to join Dana-Farber. Don’t wait.

Our opportunities include:
Oncology Nurses (Research and Infusion)
Radiology and Imaging Professionals
Pharmacists and Pharmacy Techs
Billing and Referral Specialists
Business and Operations Professionals
Clinical and Administrative Support
Research Administration(Grants Management)
Research Scientists and Technicians


Please visit http://www.dfcicareerfair.com/ to RSVP for the Career Fair.

To see a complete list of our current opportunities – or to apply for positions if you can’t attend the Career Fair –please visit http://www.dana-farbercareers.com/.

Dedicated to Discovery...Committed to Care.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

They are Finally Here!

I have been waiting so long for the new MBTA apps and they are finally here.   I bought the app MassTransit about 8 months ago for my iTouch.  It works even better now that they have real time.  These tools are absolutely a necessity living in neighborhood nine, because you know that the buses do not run that frequent in our area and forget about Saturday's and Sunday's you might as well get on a donkey, because you will get to Harvard Sq. faster.  I am a walker, so the app is very handy for me, when I am late for an appointment or want to get into work real early.  I was saying to myself the other day "I hope this doesn't make me lazy and then I start taking the bus for convenience".   Naw I put that right out of my head real quick, and started my mantra,  "I am not going to submit to the MBTA",   "I am not going to submit to the MBTA".   I tried  Nextbus yesterday,  I like it , because I can use it on my blackberry and it's free.  I think I paid $3.99 for MassTransit for my iTouch, but if their is no wifi available, you can't get real time, but it keeps an updated bus schedule, which works for me.   

 I haven't tried any of the others, but if I do or if you do,  let me know the pros and cons  Today I just noticed that they have schedule apps too.  So go to http://www.mbta.com/rider_tools/apps/ and check them out.

In My Humble Opinion

I have tried this restaurant at least 4 times or maybe even 5.  The reason that I have gone back so often, is  because I really thought that there was something wrong with my taste buds and didn't want to believe that I  just didn't like the food.  The first time I went in was when they first opened and I wanted to give them a chance.  The owner was so pleasant and she even gave me a sample of their fried scallion pancakes, which were delicious, but my main course was beef and broccoli and it just didn't have the usual taste of Chinese food, it was very bland and uneventful.  Another time I tried the shrimp fried rice, which first of all was white, which took me by surprise and that was very bland also.  Then I thought I would try the mongolian beef and it was blah and overtaken by onions.  The boneless barbecued honey ribs had a hint of honey and  a rubbery consistency. 

The one thing that I can give this restaurant is that it has a lovely decor, which is a high-end upgrade from Lucky Gardens, which looked like some hole in the wall Chinese restaurant.  You could always count on getting your nutritional value of vegetables at Lucky Gardens, because they gave you more carrots and pea's than fried rice and their chicken wings looked like they came from the Flintstones diner or maybe they were injected with steroids.  Needless to say the  House of Chang, in my humble opinion just doesn't do it for me, but I will say one thing, they have excellent customer service.

Now this is one of my favorite restaurants.  Chipotle just saying the name makes your mouth water.  Their burritos are so good and nutritional and everything is made fresh and most of their beans are organic.  You know mostly everybody in neighborhood nine is into health and fitness and wouldn't settle for anything less (I hope I don't offend anybody, that is not my intention, but it is what it is ). My favorite is the chicken and steak bowls, where you can get mounds of good toppings like, salsa, hot or mild, guacamole, cheese, beans, vegetables and the list goes on.  I want to give you a hint on something at Chipotle.  I think the regular price of a chicken bowl is $6.35, that's with all the toppings, but if just get the chicken with rice and cheese it only cost $4.65, now that is what I am talking about.  So if you have time and want a quick and really tasty meal try Chipotle it's located on 227 Alewife Brook Pky, Cambridge, MA    

Bon Appetite!

Ken Reeves Endorses Michael Flaherty for State Senate

Cambridge City Councillor and former Mayor endorses Michael Flaherty for State Senate.  There are several candidates running this year, since the resignation of Michael Galluccio.  Denise Simmon's who is a colleague of Ken Reeves is also running.  The list also includes: Charlestown lawyer Dan Hill; Cambridge lawyer Tim Flaherty; Michael Albano, son of former state Sen. Sal Albano of Somerville; Cambridge attorney Dennis Benzan and Marjorie Decker.   Don't forget to Vote!!

2010 Basketball Hall of Fame Inductees

One of our Neighborhood Nine homeowner's had the opportunity to attend the  2010 Basketball Hall of Fame Inductees celebration in Springfield, Mass on August 14, 2010.   She said it was a wonderful and exciting trip, where she got to see the likes of Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Scotty Pippen, Cynthia Cooper, Larry Bird and many more.  She gave me a few pictures to share.

Enjoy!

                                                             Picture credits M. Colbert

A Fresh Pond Reservation Walkabout

Chip Norton, Cambridge Watershed Manager, will give a tour of Fresh Pond Reservation's conservation and recreation areas using maps and diagrams to help illustrate the goals for this major restoration project.

Date: Monday, August 9  6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Location: Walter J. Sullivan Water Treatment Facility, 250 Fresh Pond Parkway, Cambridge

Contact: Deb Albenberg Phone: (617) 349-6489 dalbenberg@cambridgema.gov

Shred Shred Here and a Shred Shred There, Here a Shred There a Shred Everywhere a Shred Shred

I am looking for a group of people in the West, North Cambridge area that would be interested in getting a private shredder company, where we could just dump all of our  paper that we need to shred instead of saying to ourselves day in and day out "I need to do some shredding" .  I just want to be able to just dump those personal papers and not continuously put it off and just having piles and piles of paper stacking up.  You know what I am talking about....I just have nightmares of being a potential hoarder.

Let me know.   I will organize it and have the truck parked in my driveway or in front of my house and charge a small fee depending on how many people are interested.

How 'bout it?

Grafton Street

Tonight we went to Grafton Street, located at 1230 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge, just right in Harvard Square.  We  perused the menu and decided first on the appetizer of clam chowder with smoked bacon, which was nice and creamy with a very good thick consistency with plenty of clams and potatoes with the essence and taste of smoked bacon.  I really enjoyed the chowder, which was very filling.  We asked the waitress if they had ice tea, which they did, but they didn't have any variations, i.e., peach, raspberry, etc.  I was really surprised that they didn't have lemonade and I am still shocked as I sit here blogging.  I am thinking maybe the waitress didn't hear me or she just didn't know,  oh well.

For the entree I selected the lobster macaroni and cheese(orecchiette pasta, four cheese sauce with herbed bread crumbs, light truffle oil and lobster)  and my dinner friend had the special, which was the lobster ravioli.  The lobster ravioli was really nice and soft, with plenty of lobster.  I wasn't to pleased with my baked macaroni, because it had to much cream and wasn't cohesive enough to have that firm consistency, which I am used too.  I've had their macaroni and cheese in the past without the lobster and it was very good.  They serve nice rolls and butter, which are very filling.  The atmosphere is very eclectic and busy, with a nice pleasant aura.  I would recommend Grafton Street, if you want a nice quick dinner. The one thing I will say about them is that they don't have you waiting hours for your meal, so if you are really hungry and want something good fast.  Grafton Street is your place.

Enjoy!

New anti-rape female condom, Rape-axe, debuts at South Africa's World Cup

By Joe Tacopino

DAILY NEWS WRITER
Sunday, June 20th 2010, 11:28 AM

A South African doctor has developed a new female condom that she hopes will combat rape in the most painful way possible. Dr. Sonnet Ehlers has invented Rape-axe, a female device with jagged hooks that latch onto a man's penis during penetration.


The doctor is distributing 30,000 of these condoms in South Africa during this year's World Cup.
"It hurts," Ehlers told CNN. "He cannot pee and walk when it's on.  If he tries to remove it, it will clasp even tighter."

South Africa has one of the highest rape rates in the world, according to Human Rights Watch. It is also believed that 16 percent of the population is living with HIV.

Rape-axe is inserted like a tampon and when embedded to a man the device can only be removed by a doctor. Some have accused Ehler of creating nothing more than a new-age chastity belt.

"It not only presents the victim with a false sense of security, but psychological trauma," said Victoria Kajja, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Uganda. Burt Ehlers said that she had taken the proper research and development steps before launching the product.  "I consulted engineers, gynecologist and psychologists to help in the design and make sure it was safe."  she said.

Ehlers also pointed out how women take extreme measures such as placing razor blades in their nether regions to prevent rape in South Africa.

Guegcia/Getty

"I believe something's got to be done," she said. "This will make some men rethink before they assault a woman."

 

Dancing in the Street

Hey everybody you should be dancing yeahhhhh!....This is one event you don't want to miss. It's Cambridges' Annual Dance Party. The date is June 25th, this Friday from, 7pm - 11pm. in front of Cambridge City Hall - 795 Massachusetts Ave. Only in the People’s Republic.  Don't forget to put your dancing shoes on and partayyyyyyyy -- See you there!!

I'mmmmmm Baaaaaackkk!!!!

Wow it feels so good to be back blogging. I have been on a hiatus just doing me, working hard and just "chilllaxing" (chilling and relaxing) after getting my Master's and figuring out what I want to do when I grow up. Well I just want to share some tidbits that I have been biting to blog about. I will start off with Trader Joe's. I was in there last week and they had some of their specials. I tried the Low Calorie Lemonade, Low Calorie Pink Lemonade and the Pomegranate Green Tea, which was the bomb! The low calorie lemonades were really good, they were made with organic lemon juice and organic cane sugar...yummy. The Pomegranate Green Tea, now that was delicious.  Really who would of thought of such a combination, because you know green tea can be strong and with the sweet kick of the pomegranate and pear juice was just the right balance.

The customer service at Trader Joe's is really pleasant. I was at the counter and I asked one of the cashiers where did they have the chocolate chip cookie dough, which I actually tried last year and just had a taste for some. Lo and behold this woman took me right where they were, in the freezer section, let me tell you I was impressed. Oh Oh Oh...don't let me forget. This is the Trader Joe's on Alewife Brook Pkwy..whew!

Tell me about your Trader Joe's experience...........