By Richard Rouse and Barry Twomey
Special to the Gazette
Green begins with clean
Mission Hill Main Streets sponsors a poster design contest open to Mission Hill seventh-graders. This year’s theme is “Stop Littering in Mission Hill.” Two finalists have been selected. They are Angellize Rivera of the Tobin School and Amber Brown of the Mission Grammar School. Both students will be presented with a $100 United States Savings Bond and their poster will be reproduced and circulated throughout the Mission Hill business community. Mission Hill Main Streets participates in the mayor’s Boston Shines community cleanups and “Don’t Spill on the Hill” initiatives, which are local efforts to keep the neighborhood clean. Keep the empty water bottle, can, wrapper, paper plate or napkin until you come to a trash bin or BigBelly solar-powered compacting trash bin. Be a good citizen and Don’t Spill on the Hill!
Mission Hill Farmer’s Market
Mission Hill Main Streets will continue to sponsor the Mission Hill Farmer’s Market with our new partner, the Mission Hill Health Movement. The Farmer’s Market will be at Brigham Circle every Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. beginning June 16. This year’s market will feature a third farmer who will sell bread and other baked goods made fresh at the farm as well as Massachusetts-grown and fresher produce.
The Farmer’s Market also will have a health education table concentrating on a different health topic throughout the summer. MassArt will bring their Art Van periodically to display and promote art in the neighborhood. UMass nutritionist students will set up an educational table and offer healthy samples twice a month. The very popular Boston Cyclists Union’s free bike tune-ups will be offered every second Thursday in July, August and September. Last year, Mission Hill’s BCU free bike clinic broke the record for free bike tune-ups citywide.
Farmer’s Markets are a popular Main Street activity nationwide. They provide nutritious food, create a streetscape, increase foot traffic to local business and reduce crime. The Mission Hill Farmer’s Market accepts EBT Cards, Senior Coupons and WIC, and will continue to participate in the Mayor’s Bounty Bucks Program (up to $10 extra Bounty Bucks with your EBT Card). Stop by the Mission Hill Farmer’s Market and information tables, drop off your dry cleaning at the local establishments, do your banking, and enjoy our local eateries and this wonderful season.
Wok n Talk grand opening
Wok n Talk, the new “Asian Open Kitchen” with Wi-Fi, had its grand opening on May 20. Wok n Talk is located at the corner of S. Huntington and Huntington avenues on the edge of Mission Hill and Jamaica Plain. This unique open kitchen lets you watch the expert chowing techniques in a flaming wok while waiting for your order. The theme is quick, hot and healthy Asian cuisine and fresh smoothies, flavored fruit teas and flavored milk teas as well as great coffee and an array of soft drinks.
At the stir-fry station, chefs and co-owners Nathan Long and Richard Pan cook an assortment of specialties, such as Kung Pao with chili peppers, scallion heads and garlic, stir-fried with zucchini, bell pepper, celery, and finished with crispy peanuts. Other styles include black pepper, teriyaki and sweet-and-sour. There is also a noodle and soup station. Sides include Wok’s Fried Rice, Pad Thai and Pad Sew. There are several appetizers, spring rolls, rangoon egg rolls and tempura. If you have a crowd over, the Wok Feast features three entrees and two sides.
Co-owner Long made me a Hong Kong dish with noodles; lean, thinly sliced beef; broccoli; and carrots with a fish sauce. I felt satisfied, but not bogged down. Healthy ingredients make a difference. Wok n Talk is bright and cheerful with pleasant employees. Don’t forget your laptop.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Mission Hill’s own state Rep. Jeffrey Sánchez, who just completed his master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University. Jeff accomplished this while raising two children, serving at the Statehouse, and chairing important committees such as Housing and Health. Perhaps we have a future speaker representing our district!
Avenue of the Arts Film Festival
This year’s theme is “All Boston” at the Avenue of the Arts Film Festival at Boston Public Library’s West End Branch July 14-22. It features films made in Massachusetts in 2010, including “The Fighter,” “The Town” and “The Social Network,” as well as the documentary film “Boston,” a two-part series featuring the development of the Public Gardens and the South End. There will be an opening reception at the West End Library at 5 p.m. on Thurs., July 14. The Boston Public Library, Neiman Marcus and Whole Foods are sponsors of this citywide event.
There will be a preview party with live music, food and art at a venue in the Brigham Circle area in the next few weeks. The location is to be announced. For further information contact L.B. Gratun at 617-566-2368 or [email protected]. For more information, see www.lbgratun.com/avenueartsfilm.