Archives: Media Room

The Harvard Square Business Association held its First Annual Urban-Agricultural Fair at Winthrop Park in Cambridge yesterday, in an effort to celebrate locally-grown Cambridge produce and goods. The grassy area located in front of Peet’s Coffee Shop dates back to 1635 and was the location of the first marketplace in Newtowne, the city that predated Cambridge. The event, which lasted from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., featured cooking demonstrations, recipe sampling, and advising information and drew over 30 participating vendors and organizations.

After more than 27 years, Herrell’s Ice Cream shop in Harvard Square is shutting its doors, just months after another location closed in Allston.  Jeffrey Stanett, owner of the Dunster Street spot known for premium sweet treats, said the business had been losing money for years and he could no longer afford to subsidize the store in the face of higher rents, increased franchise fees, and growing competition from rivals like J.P. Licks.

With a name like “The Donkey Show,” it should be unsurprising that an appropriate adjective to describe Diane Paulus’ inaugural production at the newly named Oberon—the American Repertory Theater’s (A.R.T.) theatrical club space—is “loose.” In the world of theater, the word might have a negative connotation, but in the world of sex, drugs, and nightclubs—well, it’s just what we like to hear.

After 27 years of serving ice cream to the Harvard Square masses, Herrell’s Ice Cream’s Dunster St. location may close as early as November.  Financial pressure from rising costs and a new competitor in town with prime real estate on Mass. Ave. snowballed into “the perfect storm” for the much-loved ice cream shop, said Herrell’s owner Jeffrey Stanett, making its continued operation impractical, if not impossible.

With all its musty traditions, dozens of bookstores, hordes of university students, and streets crowded with hippies, the homeless and Nobel honchos, Cambridge, Mass., is never boring. September, though, is a singular time of year:

Ride your bike, walk or take Mass Transit to the “Go Green walk/ride” party…

In Harvard Square, Om Restaurant, The Red House, and Charlie’s Beer Garden offer popular outdoor dining rooms and a stunningly diverse range of food–all within a block. Inside, Om (www.omrestaurant.com; 617-576-2800) affords some secluded tables in clean, crisp, modern environs that match its exceptionally innovative Asian menu.

May – June 2009
Chez Henri, a Cambridge mainstay since 1994, might be overlooked in the constant rush toward the newly bold and beautiful. Don’t make that mistake this Commencement season. With his French-Cuban menu, chef Paul O’Connell dishes out some of the tastiest fare around. The cassoulet à la Toulouse is an array of slow-cooked white beans, lamb, and garlic sausage; the steak frites pays homage to the flash frier; and the fennel pollen-scented flounder is a delicate alternative to both.

As the nation celebrates Women’s History Month, Cambridge Residents…

Folk and acoustic music are no longer the only substances flowing freely at Club Passim—the legendary Harvard Square venue has begun serving beer and wine, breaking its dry spell for the first time since its founding in 1958.