Peabody Square Tree Lighting 2008

On Saturday, Nov. 29th the annual Peabody Square Holiday Tree Lighting will be held at 7 pm. As usual Santa and Mrs. Clause will visit via a city tour trolley and holiday munchies will be provided by the Peabody Square Firehouse.

Check out our post from last year: Peabody Square Tree Lighting 2007

DotPark2 and Lower Mills Merchant Holiday Stroll

On November 10th the Dorchester Park Association will be holding DotPark2, a fundraiser to support the Dorchester Park maintainance of the urban forest. It will be held at Tavolo. For more information and tickets: http://dotpark.org/dotpark2.htm

On November 13th from 6-8 pm, the Lower Mills Civic Association and Lower Mills Merchant's Association will be sponsoring the First Annual Lower Mills Holiday Stroll. Over 30 participating shops in Lower Mills will be offering discounts, giveaways, and exhibits. The fun begins at St. Greg's Auditorium, where you can pick up your eco-shopping bag, food, live music, and raffle.

Martinis on the Avenue: Dotini Election Special

"Martinis on the Avenue", which is now in its fourth year, is an annual fund-raiser for the Fields Corner and St. Mark's Main Streets. $30 in advance or $35 at the door, including the Blarney’s famous hors d'oeuvres, a live auction and taste the new "Presiden-Tini." And of course, you can still get a Dotini, Dorchester's unofficial cocktail!

www.fieldscorner.org/events
Martinis on the Avenue: Dotini Election Special Featuring the Presiden-tini
@ The Blarney Stone (Tuesday 10.30.08 @ 7 PM)
1505 Dorchester Avenue. Dorchester
617.436.8223
Located in Fields Corner on Dorchester Ave. Just south of the Fields Corner T stop.

Wainwright Bank and Flat Black in The Carruth

The new Flat Black Coffee Shop and Wainwright Bank are finally open in the Carruth! We checked out the bank and the employees were very nice and the ATM works well. They also have a socially progressive mission, which makes opening up an account all the better. We also visited the new Flat Black cafe inside the bank, and it was great. The coffee continues to be high quality and their pastries were excellent (word on the street is that are from Sel de la Terre). They will also be offering free wi-fi if you want to check your e-mail. It is a great addition to Peabody Square.

www.wainwrightbank.com
www.flatblackcoffeecompany.com
1906 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester
617.825.1440
Located in Peabody Square on Dorchester Ave. Just west of the Ashmont T stop.

Have you been to Wainwright Bank & Flat Black in The Carruth? Rate it below.

Dorchester Open Studios Next Weekend

It is time again for Dorchester Open Studios! Dorchester Open Studios showcases the best artists in our neighborhood. Check out our blog entry from two years ago for a description: Dot Open Studios 2006

www.thedac.org
Dorchester Open Studios 2008 (Saturday 10.26.08 and Sunday 10.27.08)
12-5 PM

Lower Dot Locations:
Walter Baker Artists Lofts
1231 Adams Street, Dorchester
617.436.8223
Located in Lower Mills on Adams Street. Just north of the Milton T stop (Mattapan-Ashmont Trolley).

The Boston Home
2049 Dorchester Avenue. Dorchester
Located on Dorchester Ave. Just south of the Ashmont T stop.

Tết Trung Thu

Over a hundred people attended the first annual Tết Trung Thu - Vietnamese Harvest Festival at Dorchester Park this year. The festival begin with Vietnamese music and an opening ceremony, followed by dragon dances and traditional drums and percussion. Celebrants brought homemade lanterns or purchased some there, and after sundown they were lit and followed by a procession. Everyone also enjoyed the traditional moon cakes.

Dorchester Symphony Orchestra Debut

The Dorchester Symphony Orchestra (DSO) debuts this month at All Saints Church near Ashmont Station. The program of two symphonies including works of Mozart, Beethoven, and Hayden, is scheduled for September 20th at 7 pm.

www.dorchestersymphony.org
617.822.3979

www.allsaints.net
All Saints Church
209 Ashmont Street, Dorchester

Located on Ashmont Street. just east of the intersection of Dorchester Ave. Just northeast of the Ashmont T stop (near the northern entrance/exit).

Tết Trung Thu - Vietnamese Harvest Festival At Dorchester Park

The first annual Tết Trung Thu Festival will be held Saturday, September 13th at Dorchester Park from 6-8 pm. Tết Trung Thu is a Vietnamese traditional holiday that celebrates harvest. The celebration will include lanterns, singing, and moon cakes.

Tavolo

It's new, stylish, yet unpretentious in their attempt at Italian food for the modern eater. Aside from the chalk-artwork in the dining area, our favorite part is the bar. It hosts a large U-shaped bar made out of slate where the friendly bartenders write your names down and offers you chalk to play with your own artistic abilities. Look up and you'll see the three flat screen TVs and light fixtures made out of small drink bottles. The food is standard Italian - Erin had the Arugula pizza with prosciutto and Chris had the cheesy pasta with funghi and mortadella. They offer a build-your-own anitpasti platter which we are very excited to try next time. The cherry citrus biscotti should not be passed up, perhaps made by the same baker that does the desserts for the Ashmont Grill? We look forward to making Tavolo a regular afterwork stop. Some other perks include: espresso drinks, bar open 'til 11pm, and offer take-out.

www.tavolopizza.com
1918 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester
617.822.1918
Located on Dochester Ave. just north of the intersection of Beale Street. Just west of the Ashmont T stop (near the southern entrance/exit).

Have you been to Tavolo? Rate it below.

Tavolo Opens August 9th

Word on the street is that Chris Douglass opens his third restaurant Tavolo tomorrow. It is located in the new Carruth Building adjacent to Ashmont Station on the red line. If the restaurant is up to Lower Dot expectations then expect a review in the next few weeks. Until then consider checking them out and let us know what you think.

News: Co-op Houses Become Popular in Lower Dot

(Photo courtesy of Chris Lovett)

Joining other urban areas such as San Francisco and Brooklyn, the Boston Globe reports that co-op houses are becoming very popular in certain neighborhoods of the Boston, including Fields Corner in Dorchester. Co-op houses are hip these days with high rents and living costs, especially with the under 35 crowd (although the article also highlights a co-op for people over 50 and one resident in The Big Top Co-op in Dorchester who has been living there for 25 years). Co-ops are essentially urban communes, where residents pool money for rent, heating, and food. The triple-decker commonly found throughout Dorchester appears to be "the" building for co-ops and many are quite able to use the small urban back yard to grow vegtables and gardens.

The Boston Globe August 2, 2008 Article: Cheaper by the Dozen

Summer Is the Time for Lower Dot Farmer's Markets...

There are two farmer's markets in Lower Dot! The Milton Village Farmer's Market (just over the bridge from Dorchester - behind the store fronts on Adams Street) takes place every Thursday from 1 - 6. The Fields Corner Farmer's Market takes place in the Orlando's Food Basket parking lot on Saturdays from 9 - noon. Check out our blog entry from two years ago: Milton Lower Mills Wharf Farmer's Market blog entry

For the Milton Lower Mills Wharf Farmer's Market: Milton Lower Mills Wharf Farmer's Market

For the Fields Corner Farmers Market: Fields Corner Farmer's Market

Wine Club at the Ashmont Grill

We finally made it to the much acclaimed "Monday Night Wine Club" at the Ashmont Grill. Wine Club offers a four-course meal paired with four wines (and on occasion beer...). We went on Portugal wines night and enjoyed a wonderful meal with Portugese flavored dishes such as bacalhau (salted codfish), clams, grilled beef, and o bolo de chocolate (decadent chocolate cake). Along with each dish is served a wine with a description. The wine flowed, Erin couldn't finish it all, but Chris did. Wine Club tries to create a social atmosphere so you may get seated with other guests, but it seemed inconsistent. (It might be nice if they gave you the choice...) Wine Club starts at 6:30pm on Mondays and costs $30.

Check out our blog entry from two years ago for a description: Ashmont Grill

www.ashmontgrill.com
555 Talbot Avenue, Dorchester
617.825.4300
Located in Peabody Square at the intersection of Dorchester Ave, Ashmont Street and Talbot Ave. Just north of the Ashmont T stop.

News: Haitian Restaurant Opens in Fields Corner

We love Haitian food, so it is great news that a new Haitian restaurant called Belle Cuisine is now open in Lower Dot. The Dorchester Reporter says that the restaurant is owned and run by Antoine Dorcena, a former Boston University cook and owner of a catering business called Leave It To Us. If the restaurant is up to Lower Dot expectations then expect a review in the next few months. Until then consider checking them out and let us know what you think.

Belle Cuisine
272 Adams Street, Dorchester
Located on Adams Street near the intersection of Adams Street and Lincoln Street. Just east of the Fields Corner T stop.

Lower Mills Library

The Lower Mills branch of the Boston Public Library has many activities going on this summer. We hope to review the library soon, but until then here is a link to their Summer Flyer. Lower Mills Library Summer Handout and Lower Mills Library July Calendar.

www.bpl.org/branches/lower.htm
617.298.7841
27 Richmond Street, Dorchester
Located on Richmond Street. Just north of the Milton T stop (Ashmont-Mattapan Trolley).

Lower Dot gets a new URL: www.lowerdot.com

Our Lower Dot blog now has a new url address! You can type "www.lowerdot.com" into your favorite browser and it will redirect you to our blog... Happy web-surfing.

Update/News: New Restaurant Coming to Lower Mills

The Dorchester Reporter has reported that two brothers originally from Ireland have purchased Donovan's Village Tavern and Restaurant and are going to convert it into "The Ledge" restaurant and bar, which will serve "standard American food, such as burgers, fish and chips and chicken, for a lunch and dinner crowd". The brothers are planning a major renovation of the establishment. Currently there are two separate entrances and rooms, one for the bar and one for the restaurant. The renovations will include making the restaurant and bar one room with one entrance, creating an outdoor patio with a seasonal bar, and bringing in a new chef. Stay tuned for updates on this...

Anh Hổng Vietnamese Restaurant

We knew of the wonders of Anh Hổng before we even moved to Dorchester. This place has perhaps the best Vietnamese food in the city (don't insult us by saying Pho Pasteur is the best around - try this place and you will never eat there again). Although the decor is not hip or trendy, it certainly is authentic and the prices are incredibly reasonable. On a cold winter day nothing beats a hot giant bowl of their phở. If it is hot out, then the Vietnamese spring rolls are a must. They are light, fresh, and served with a great peanut sauce. If you want fine dining try the bò 7 món (seven meals of beef), but just be prepared to fast for a few days before you go because this is more beef than any human should eat.

291 Adams Street, Dorchester
617.265.8889
Located on Adams Street at the corner of Park Street. Just east of the Fields Corner T stop.

Have you been to Anh Hổng? Rate it below.

Dorchester Park: Family Fun Day

The annual Family Fun Day at Dorchester Park will be held on Sunday July 13th, 2008 starting at noon. It will include a a cookout, face painting, children's games, and a softball game between the Boston Police Department District C-11 and the Dorchester Board of Trade.

www.dotpark.org
Dorchester Park
2174 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester
Located on Dorchester Ave. just north of St. Gregory's Parish on Dorchester Ave. Just south or the Carney Hospital. Just west of the Cedar Grove T stop (Ashmont-Mattapan Trolley) or about 3/4 miles south of the Ashmont T stop.

Dorchester Day Parade 2008

It is time once again for the Dorchester Day Parade. For those of you that don't know about it, Dorchester Day celebrates the incorporation of Dorchester as a town in 1630. Although Dorchester became part of the city of Boston in 1870, the Dorchester Day Parade has for over a hundred years celebrated the uniqueness of the neighborhood, inviting the city to come and enjoy the festivities. It will start from Lower Mills at 1 p.m. on Sunday June 1st, 2008 and proceed north up Dorchester Ave.

Check out our review of Dorchester Day 2007:
Dot Day 2007

Our New Adventure in Blogging: The Dorchester Think Tank

Just over two years ago we started the Lower Dot blog to showcase the great things happening in our neighborhood. It was intended to highlight the best of the best. After the popularity of our first blog, we have decided to start a second Dorchester blog that will this time create a forum to highlight those things in the neighborhood that could use improvement or should be commended as examples for others to emulate. We also intend it as an interactive blog allowing people from the neighborhood to suggest things they think would make our neighborhood continue in a positive direction and perhaps a place for people investing in the neighborhood to get a better idea of the community's needs.

Features include:
-Interactive thumbs up/thumbs down ratings for each entry
-An e-mail address to contact with your ideas
-Links to local community organizations

We would like to introduce to you, the Dorchester Think Tank:
dorchesterthinktank.blogspot.com

Dot-2-Dot Cafe

We just couldn't wait to visit the newly opened Dot-2-Dot Cafe! We went on the second day they opened for brunch. Erin ate a slice of the quiche which was wonderfully flavored accompanied by a flaky crust. Chris had the special pancakes made with feta cheese, sundried tomatoes and spinach. Although the menu seemed limited on our visit, it changes daily along with the fresh baked bread made by the chef-owner. The cafe is clean and friendly, displays works by local artists on its walls, and has free wifi... a wonderful addition to Dorchester Ave.

www.dot2dotcafe.com
1739 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester
617.938.9342
Located on the edge of Melville Park just south of St. Mark's Parish on Dorchester Ave. Just southeast of the Shawmut T stop.

Have you been to Dot-2-Dot Cafe? Rate it below.

Peabody Square on Channel 5's Chronicle - May 7th

WCVB TV's award-winning news magazine Chronicle will feature an episode about Dorchester's Peabody Square. The show will air this Wednesday, May 7, at 7:30 PM on Channel 5. Tune in for business profiles, a tour of the Carruth building, a lesson in antique timekeeping by one of the Square's official clock winders, and more.

Dot-2-Dot Opening Saturday

St. Mark's Main Streets reports that Dot-2-Dot Cafe will open on Saturday, May 3rd. It is located at 1739 Dorchester Ave. Also mentioned was that "owner Karen Henry-Garrett, a Cordon-Bleu-trained chef and local resident, will be serving up everything from coffee & pastries to cuisines from around the world, in a menu that changes daily." We hope to review it on the blog next month.

Their website its at: www.dot2dotcafe.com

The Blarney Stone

Most people in the neighborhood already know The Blarney Stone. This former Irish Pub (where Guinness allegedly was first served in America) turned hip and trendy restaurant and bar a few years ago. It is always packed on a Friday night and the reason is the great food and atmosphere. It makes up the third restaurant in what we like to refer to as Dorchester's Big Three (including dbar and the Ashmont Grill). Erin loves the crab cake sandwich and the spicy salty calamari. Chris enjoys the grilled bbq steak tips. The mini-burgers also get an honorable mention because you can taste the flavor of grill in each bite!

www.blarneystoneboston.com
1505 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester
617.436.8223
Located in Fields Corner just north of the intersection of Park Street and Dorchester Ave. Just south of the Fields Corner T stop.

Have you been to The Blarney Stone? Rate it below.

News: Things Are Happening in Lower Mills

You may think all the new restaurants and shops are only coming to Peabody Square and Fields Corner, but Lower Mills is showing it should not be left out. The Dorchester Reporter reports that major projects are in the works for this section of the neighborhood. This includes two restaurants on the Milton side of the river. The first will be a gourmet restaurant in the first floor of the Milton Landing condos overlooking the Neponset River, while the second will be a more casual hip establishment modeled after the Ashmont Grill and the Blarney Stone located on the ground floor of a new development (pictured above) to be built on the parking lot of the storage company next to the Milton Trolley stop. This development will also include offices for UMass Boston's environmental science department. Meanwhile WinnCompanies (the company that manages The Carruth) continues to finish condominiums in the former Baker Chocolate Factory and a local developer starts work on the wooden mill buildings that sit across the street, converting them in condos and restoring the picturesque wooden footbridge over the river.

The Dorchester Reporter April 10, 2008 Article: "Historic Lower Mills is all abuzz with talk of new developments"

Osaka Shabu

Although they have not begun advertising yet, Osaka Shabu has been open about a week and we had to go check it out. We ordered beef and seafood shabu-shabu, which came with the prepared raw meats and a large plate of fresh vegetables for cooking in the boiling broth. We chose the spicy Szechuan broth, which was excellent. The inside has been recently renovated and is still waiting to be fully decorated, but the food and service was welcoming. Go try it out for yourselves!

203 Adams Street, Dorchester
617.288.8889
Located in Fields Corner just north of the intersection of Dorchester Ave. and Adams St. Just north of the Fields Corner T stop.

Have you been to Osaka Shabu? Rate it below.

News: Upcoming Food Ventures in Lower Dot

Dot-to-Dot Cafe has their sign up (see above) and has begun interior construction! It is located on Dorchester Ave. in the block just south of St. Mark's Church on the same side of the street.

The first Japanese-food eatery to serve Lower Dot: Coming very soon is a Japanese Shabu-shabu restaurant to where Chan O'Mally's once served Chinese take-out food. Under the same management, they're changing to a sit-down restaurant where diners cook their meal in boiling broth at their tables.

An independent convenience store is taking the place of the Lil' Peach on Washington Street in Lower Mills. Set to open up in a couple of months, they hope to sell some wine, Mediterranean items (olive oil, greek olives), perhaps organic food as well. They are planning to have a patio with some chairs and umbrellas.

And you may have noticed that we have expanded our blog to include the Fields Corner section of Dorchester.

Ashmont Hill Yardsale

The annual Ashmont Hill Yard Sale will be held on Saturday May 17th.

To see our blog entry from last year: Ashmont Hill Yard Sale

For more information go to the Ashmont Hill Neighborhood Association.

Easter Egg Hunt This Weekend at Dot Park

The annual Dorchester Park easter egg hunt is this Saturday (March 22, 2008) at 10 am at the tennis courts. It is great fun for children and families, and is free and open to the public.

For our blog entry from last year:
Dorchester Park Easter Egg Hunt

Upper Dot Adventure: Shanti

One of the best Indian restaurants in the city makes its home here in Dorchester! Shanti is located in the Savin Hill section of the neighborhood and offers both a great atmosphere and a fairly-priced wide-variety of cuisine. The Naan (which comes in several different types) is a must and the perfectly fried Samosas are perfectly prepared. Erin loves the wonderfully marinated Tandoori Chicken, while Chris prefers the Goat Gosht Curry, but almost everything on the menu is definitely worth a try. They have a great beer and wine selection, and the wait staff is excellent.

www.shantiboston.com
1111 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester
617.929.3900
Located in Savin Hill at the intersection of Dorchester Ave, and Savin Hill Avennue. Just west of the Savin Hill T stop.

Have you been to Shanti? Rate it below.

The Carruth Near Completion

The Carruth building is near completion. The transit-oriented development will include condominiums, apartments, and retail space (see our other blog entry: The Carruth). The building held its open house on Saturday and Sunday (March 8th and 9th) where many local businesses and organizations had displays. Flat Black Coffee Company (who will have a cafe in the building) and Tavolo (a new Italian eatery in the building) handed out delicious samples for visitors and there was even a DJ. The condos were amazing inside, and if you would like to see for yourself, images are available at the building's website: www.thecarruth.com

Update: Yelp Recognizes Dot!

Our campaign was a success! We are pleased to report that Dorchester is now recognized by the popular social-networking website Yelp.com as a neighborhood of Boston. Thank you to all of you who e-mailed them demanding Dorchester be included!

At the top of their Dorchester list are such great establishments as Shanti, Mrs. Jones, McKenna's Cafe, Chef Lee's, Common Ground, and the Ice Creamsmith. There is also a separate neighborhood entry for Fields Corner. It should also be noted that now Mattapan, Roslindale, and West Roxbury are also listed.

Go to Yelp Boston's site (Yelp Boston) and click on "Neighborhood" and then on either Dorchester or Fields Corner to check it out.

Check out our original posting on this: Why Does Yelp Not Consider Dorchester A Neighborhood of Boston?

dot aht: Street Art in Dorchester

A guerrilla art movement has come to the streets of Dorchester. According to their website, the promoter of dot aht is "inviting artists to produce small pieces of art to be displayed on the streets and sidewalks of Dorchester." She makes it clear that the art should be "non-destructive" and "meant to build not to destroy."

We are intrigued by this art movement that has become commonplace in NYC and SF, and await with anticipation to see what local artists will add to the Dorchester scene.

www.dotaht.com

Welcome Back Trolley!

For over a year one of the coolest facets of our neighborhood has been missing. Due to improvements on the Ashmont-Mattapan T line, our beloved 1940s-era trolleys have been absent. These trolley's provide not only transportation from Ashmont Station to Mattapan Square, but also give the neighborhood a unique attraction and hipness. Not only do these trolley's provide Lower Dot with transportation (including Dorchester stops at Ashmont, Cedar Grove, and Butler Street, and a stop on the Milton-Lower Mills border), but they have a personal connection for us. An identical trolley graces the Embarcadero in San Francisco, (Boston donated it after the 1988 earthquake) reminding Erin of her native soil. I know we are not the only people in the neighborhood to cheer "Welcome back trolley"!


(Last photo courtesy of Peter Ehrlich)

Calling All Dot Residents... Why Does Yelp Not Consider Dorchester a Neighborhood of Boston?

The neighborhood of Dorchester's hip establishments are rapidly growing, but you wouldn't even know it was part of Boston if you regularly go to the popular user review website Yelp (www.yelp.com/boston) because it is not listed as so. After several attempts to contact Yelp about this, including a response telling us they are "working on it", nothing has been done.

This omission seems almost purposeful. Several neighborhoods of the city that offer far fewer resturants and shops than Dorchester are listed (including Dudley Square, Egleston Square, Mission Hill, South Boston, Hyde Park, etc.). On top of this, many places that are not even in Boston are listed as neighborhoods of the city, including Central and Harvard Squares (in the city of Cambridge), Coolidge Corner (in the town of Brookline), Davis Square (in the city of Somerville), Arlington Center (in the town of Arlington), and Winthrop (which is a separate town in itself), etc.

We are asking our readers to take a moment and send a comment to Yelp that Dorchester needs to be added to their list of Boston neighborhoods. This simple action will encourage more people in the city to visit Dot (because Yelp is such a widely used website by people under 40), having a positive effect on our local businesses.

NOTE: Please see the update on this entry.

Please join the campaign to add Dot to Yelp Fill out a contact form (and be sure to mention you use Yelp when you contact them).
Contact Yelp

Lower Dot for Obama

Although it seems to be close, Lower Dot appears to be voting for Barack Obama on Super Tuesday. There are numerous Obama signs on cars and homes around the neighborhood. We have seen local volunteers from "Dorchester for Obama" going door-to-door on the weekends making sure everyone shows up to the polls. Not to mention, Obama has earned the support of Lower Dot's state rep. Linda Dorcena Forry, city councilors Sam Yoon, Charles Yancy, Michael Flaherty, and congressman Michael Capuano (who represents half of Lower Dot), not to mention the always crucial Dorchester Reporter.

We will be taking our own pilgrimage to Florian Hall to vote for him. As usual don't forget to vote on Tuesday February 5!

www.barackobama.com

Dot Art Clay Station and Dot-2-Dot Collaborate on a Project

As Dot Art opens a second studio dedicated to ceramics and clay (the Dot Art Clay Station at 1782 Dorchester Avenue), there is news that they will be collaborating on a sculpture project that will be permanently installed as part of the storefront of the new Dot-2-Dot Café (the European-style coffee and sandwich café that is in the process of opening in what was a hair salon at 1739 Dorchester Avenue). The hope is that this will help create Dot-2-Dot as a Dorchester Avenue landmark and help increase the visibility of the local Dorchester art community.

Dot Art (1775a Dorchester Avenue) is the Dorchester Community Center for the Visual Arts, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to make exemplary visual arts education available to the community.

Donovan's Village Tavern & Restaurant

UPDATE: Donovan's Village Tavern & Restaurant now closed. In its former location is now Ledge. Please see our update post.

The decor is outdated and the wood paneling kitschy. There is a bar connected to the restaurant that reminds you of decades gone by, but Donovan’s Village Tavern & Restaurant is as close as you can get to diner-styled food in lower Dorchester. Not to mention it is a classic Dorchester establishment. The people who work there are incredibly nice and the prices cannot be beat! You can eat breakfast for two for under $15. Although Chris is not Irish, he certainly enjoyed the Irish breakfast and Erin thought the two-egg breakfast was excellent. Don’t come here for a hip environment or gourmet cuisine, but an awesome breakfast for a great price..

2261 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester
617.296.2316
Located in Lower Mills just north of the intersection of Dorchester Ave, and Washington St. Just north of the Milton T stop (Ashmont-Mattapan Trolley).

Have you been to Donovan's Village Tavern & Restaurant? Rate it below.