Everybody Wants To Be Italian - Filmed in Boston

Looks like I completely missed a movie that was filmed in Boston. Although IMDB says it was filmed in 2007, so if it was filmed during the first half of the year, I hadn't started this blog yet - so it's not my fault. =)

Coming out in September is a movie called Everybody Wants to Be Italian - I just happened across the trailer on the Apple website and it the entire trailer screamed Boston (The North End to be exact).

Here are a few of the things I recognized: Cafe Vittoria, one of the Churches, Mike's Pastry, the esplanade. The whole trailer is like walking through the North End - it's pretty fun to watch. Lots of scenes with the characters wearing Red Sox gear. I'm sure you guys can identify more of the scenes than I can.

Here's the youtube version of the trailer below:





There's a better resolution version on the movie's official site (here) - which uses the Boston skyline as their background.

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New Condo Project in the North End

There's a proposal on the table for a new condo project in the North End that sounds pretty big and it's got some people upset.

At the nexus of Stillman, Cooper, and North Margin streets is a parking lot whose fate has been the subject of consternation and controversy in the North End. Steve Fustolo and his development group, 30 North Margin Street Development, have proposed building a 55-foot-tall condominium building with a four-level underground parking garage.

The underground garage will provide two spots for each of the building's 61 units and an additional 121 spots to be leased or purchased by North End residents or businesses for long-term parking.

What's interesting in the article is that people are apparently quite opposed to the underground parking garage. Why is that? I had several ex-coworkers at my old job that lived in the North End (and commuted out to Weston for work) and they would always complain that they'd have to circle the neighborhood for at least 30 minutes a day trying to find parking in the evening. Would an underground parking garage in the area really be that bad?

Parking fees downtown strike me as pretty egregious these days. I currently pay $300 a month, and that's apparently a bargain. The parking in my apartment building is so pricey that I'm forced to park elsewhere and make the 10-15 minute walk to my car each time I need it.

In my mind, more availability = lower prices, hopefully.

Click (here) to read the article.

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North End Summer Feast Schedule 2008

Doh, I already missed one of the feasts that took place in early June. That's ok, there's plenty more running through the rest of the summer. For those of you that haven't been to one yet, there's a bunch of Feasts that take place in the North End during the summer. I went to a few of them last year like St. Anthony's Feast (here) and The Fisherman's Feast (here) - and those were just random weekends that I'd happened to go there.

This year, I had the foresight of pulling the schedule so that I can actually plan my jaunts over to the North End and now so can you. Here's the schedule.

June 28, 2008
Society of Saint Jude Thaddeus of Boston
Procession

July 6, 2008
Maria del Graze Society
Procession

July 13, 2008
St. Rocco Society
Procession

July 20, 2008
St. Domenic Society
Procession

July 25 - 27, 2008
St. Joseph Society
Feast Celebration
Battery & Hanover Streets

August 1 - 3, 2008
St. Agrippina di Mineo Society
Feast Celebration
Battery & Hanover Streets

August 8 - 10, 2008
Madonna Della Cava Society
Feast Celebration
Battery & Hanover Streets

August 14 - 17, 2008
Fisherman's Feast of the Madonna
Del Soccorso di Sciacca Society of Boston
Feast Celebration
Fleet & North Streets

August 29 - 31, 2008
San Antonio Di Padova Da Montefalcione, Inc.
Feast Celebration
Thatcher & Endicott Streets

September 1, 2008
St. Lucy Society
Feast Celebration
Thatcher & Endicott Streets

September 7, 2008
Santa Rosalia Di Palermo Society
Procession

Click (here) to go to the official North End webpage.



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The New Regent Hotel No Longer A Regent

Well this can't be a good sign. You know that new Regent Hotel and Condos that's being built on Battery Wharf? Apparently it's not a Regent Hotel anymore.

Regent's departure not only leaves Battery Wharf without a signature operator for its 150-room hotel, but the developers have also lost their provider of top-shelf concierge services to the buyers of the multi-million-dollar condominium units in the building. Without Regent, Battery Wharf may have trouble selling its remaining units, priced from $1 million to $4 million.

In a joint statement, Regent and Battery Wharf said they have "entered into discussions to terminate" their agreement, and blamed "philosophical differences on strategies for the project." Regent spokesman Thomas Polski, declined to comment further.

Philosophical differences? That's like when celebrities get divorced and cite "irreconcilable differences." Very, very vague.

So as I was typing this, I was trying to think about who could swoop in and take over. We've already got a Ritz, Four Seasons, Taj, Intercontinental. They're already building a new W Hotel. What's left? I think Donald Trump should swoop in and turn it into a Trump Hotel. Just a suggestion.

Click (here) to read the entire article.

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Gas Disruption Downtown Worse Than Expected

I say "worse than expected" in the title because "wayyyyyyyyyyy worse than expected" wouldn't fit. Holy cow, when I first read about the gas line being flooded in the Financial District & North End the articles reported that it'd be fixed in a matter of days.

Now, a report today says:

Residents and businesses in the Financial District and parts of the North End could suffer sporadic failures of gas service through the spring and possibly into summer and beyond, because it will take months for utility crews to remove all water trapped in gas lines by a weekend water-main break, officials said.

Uhhh, that's insane. Not only are restaurants in the area unable to cook, but people who live in the area do not have heat or hot water.

At least one building that I know of that is affected is The Devonshire. I was there yesterday and they confirmed - no heat or hot water.

Not cool guys. How can an original estimate of a couple of days suddenly turn into a several months. Saying that the damage is worse than you thought is quite the understatement don't you think?

I'm moving into that area in a month and half and I expect to be able to take a hot shower.

Click (here) to read the Globe article for yourself.

UPDATE 4/30/08

The news just continues to get worse. Here's the latest from a Globe article today.

While the bulk of the water has been removed, the complicated process of removing the remaining pockets of water could stretch into winter, meaning that customers will see periodic disruptions of gas service for the rest of the year.

People are already bailing out of the area for lack of hot water, but the only saving grace is that it's warming up and we're in the midst of Spring. If these problems stretch into winter - people cannot survive without heat. Better start making contingency plans - that goes for tenants as well as landlords.

Click (here) for the latest globe article.

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Grezzo the 100% Raw Organic Vegan Restaurant

No need to rub your eyes, it's true. Something that I once saw in an episode of Sex and the City (Yes, I've seen a couple of episodes) is coming to Boston. Chef Alissa Cohen is planning on opening Grezzo, a 100% raw organic vegan restaurant next month in the North End.

What exactly does raw mean? Apparently it means nothing will be heated over 114 degrees "in order to retain enzymes believed to be crucial for optimum digestion and absorption of nutrients.

What can you expect to eat there? Saffron-infused butternut squash soup, wild mushroom ravioli with asparagus cream and dark chocolate ganache truffles.

But the aforementioned ravioli, cream, and ganache are stylized replicas. The end result of soaking, sprouting, dehyrating, blending, and juicing basic ingredients to render them more digestible, then assembling incredibly complicated, labor intensive dishes.

It really does not sound very tasty to me. I don't think I'm even curious to try it. If i'm going to the North End, you'll find me at Giaccomo's or The Daily Catch. Anyone out there excited for this place? Let me know your thoughts. Click (here) to read the current chat about Grezzo on Chowhound or click (here) to read more about Alissa Cohen.

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North End Caffe Graffiti To Close Soon

This is nuts, I was just at Caffe Graffiti this past Saturday and there was no indication whatsoever that it was closing. According to an article in the Globe a couple of days ago it could close "as soon as Friday."

So the close date is up in the air? Any regulars at Caffe Graffiti have the inside scoop on when it will really close down?

Damien DiPaola, the landlord is expected to start a restaurant at that site now that he's sold his other restaurant: Carmelina's (in Hadley).

He said he now wants to operate a smaller restaurant with about 40 seats in the bustling North End. He's planning a tapas-style menu, with small samplings of Italian cuisine served from morning to late night.

Well, my advice to everyone is to assume the worst and that it's closing this Friday. If that's the case, hurry down there and have a cappuccino and some hazelnut gelato before it's too late. First Bob's Southern Bistro closes, now this. Oy. Click (here) to read the article.

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1000 Words - St. Anthony's Feast

St. Anthony's Feast
North End
Saturday, August 25th


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1000 Words - The Fisherman's Feast

Swinging By the Fisherman's Feast On Sunday
The North End (Fleet & North Streets)
Click (here) here for details on the 2 Feasts Left in August


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August in the North End

August is THE month to hang out in the North End. A number of historic feasts are celebrated during this summer month and what else are you going to do in the North End besides eat great food? I missed the St. Agrippina Feast, as I was in NYC last weekend, but don't worry there's four more left this month.

Friday August 10th - 12th
Feast of Madonna Della Cava - Battery & Hanover Streets

Thursday August 16th - 19th
Fisherman's Feast - Fleet & North Streets

Friday August 24th - 26th
Feast of St. Anthony - Thacher & Endicott Streets

Sunday August 27th
St. Lucy's Feast - Thacher & Endicott Streets

Also finishing up this weekend is the 18th Annual North End Family Pride Week. Click (here) for the schedule. There's still a host of events to go: bake sale, flea, BBQ, outdoor concert, etc.

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