I recently sold a home in Jamaica Plain to a very cool young couple named Laura & Drew. Now, I work with all kinds of folks. They run the gamut. I get all kinds. Luckily, I have gotten pretty good at communicating with all types of personalities and generally learning who meshes well with me. However, I have to admit that just this once – I felt a little less cool than usual. These two are about the hippest couple I ever met, and apparently at least one of them is quite talented (the jury is still out on Drew – I have no evidence as to his abilities other than a very strong propensity to wear extremely fashionable shoes).

Our business transaction was nearly complete when I learned that Laura is partners in a company called Orange Street Design Studio. This is an excerpt from their website:

Orange Street Design Studio is the collaborative project of two designers brought together by a unified philosophy and passion for design. Brooke Richard and Laura Watson combine innate sensibilities with formal education, both having earned their Master of Arts in Interior Design. Following graduate school, each designer went on to gain a breadth of experience in prominent commercial and residential firms, and have since become adjunct professors of design. Ultimately, they merged their individual talents to establish a design studio with an uncommon approach.

The studio covers a broad scope of design, including architectural renovation, interior and event design, and custom furniture. From the Vegas strip to a quaint street on Nantucket, they have worked on high-end residential spaces, retail stores, offices, and restaurants, and are always ready for the next challenge.

Studio design by Orange Street Design

POINT OF VIEW

We believe a well-designed space should inspire, surprise, humor, delight, and comfort those who experience it. Every project brings its own story and depth, and that uniqueness is brought to the forefront of each design. Our goal is not to achieve a particular style or look, but rather to create a design that is harmonious and relevant. Our inspiration has no boundaries, from an elegant urban boutique to a rough and tumble lumber yard with simple reclaimed timber. Deep roots in fashion, psychology and the arts are manifested in thoughtful and unexpected ways. The result is an authentic collaboration of minds and materials, with a bit of edginess and humor for good measure.

Dining room design by Orange Street Studio

CREATIVE STRATEGY

Throughout our creative process we assume various roles. We are part psychologist, understanding the visions, objectives, and lifestyles of our clients; we are part artist, tapping into our passion, innate design sensibility, and background in the arts; and we are part technician, using learned tools and advanced technology to actualize our design effectively and skillfully.

Personally, I’m in love with the style they evoke. It seems to me, and this is just one man’s opinion, to be a successful marriage of classic furniture, Danish or Swedish simplicity and just a pinch of Brooklyn Hipster. Don’t tell Laura, but I have already stolen a number of ideas from her website. Shhhhhh!

Anywho, welcome to Jamaica Plain Watsons! If you are in need of some killer interior design skills, Laura’s your gal.

Urban gardening is sexy.

Okay, well maybe that’s pushing it a little bit – but it can certainly be fun and healthy. In Jamaica Plain it’s even a bit cool possibly. I recently went to a panel discussion at the Universalist Church entitled The Carnivore’s Dilemma and the place was packed with hip shaksters, albeit the kind with dirty finger nails.

I’m one of those people that spends an inordinate time on the web perusing feeds, reading blogs, researching topics in an admittedly impatient A.D.D. sort of way. In any case, I’ve learned a great deal about the benefits of having an urban garden, not to mention the other benefits of greening up the surface of the planet and reducing storm water runoff. I have found gardening to be incredibly rewarding and soul centering. No really! It calms me.

In fact, according to an article by Susan Wyatt,  getting outside and getting dirty could make you smarter. “A new study finds that naturally occurring bacteria in soil could enhance learning. And as a side benefit, it appears to be a natural anti-anxiety drug, but without the side-effects.”

One of the things I’ve learned in my short five years of gardening is to be patient. This is not a talent in abundance in my life. However, as I’ve watched my garden morph over the years I’ve learned to not get too uptight about the little setbacks. Mother Nature is on an entirely different timeline than us.

My front garden in Jamaica Plain

For example, when I started working on my yard, the entire property was covered in a nasty layer of asphalt. I pried this all up and recycled it. We then had to build a huge sieve out of 2×6s and 1/4in chicken wire – and hand shoveled the top 8-12 inches of soil through it, removing as much of the yucky stuff and rocks as possible. I can’t even begin to tell you how hard this was. Then we brought in a lot of loam.

I worked with a landscape architect named Jen Russ to begin with to create a plan. She had great ideas and a good knowledge of plants that would work well in my location. The problem in hindsight (unforeseeable) was that we set up the focal points of the yard based on which properties around my house were crappiest and should be shielded from view. Surprise! The Brewery District emerged shortly afterward with the development of the old Haffenreffer Brewery by the JPNDC and the old crack house behind me and the rest of the real

estate abutters turned over and fixed up the dilapidated old wrecks, hence, changing the view. Now the best view was the worst view. I realized quickly that I needed to bring in the BIG GUNS. This is when I really got to know Rich Gargiulo. Rich owns Treeworks Earth Designs (617-983-0813) and also lives in Jamaica Plain. He’s a big bear of a dude – and watch out – he’s full of ‘piss and vinegar’ as my mom used to say. Rich loves the outdoors. He will literally hug your trees. It’s a little overwhelming at first, but his energy is catchy and his work ethic is astounding. Rich doesn’t stand around talking about how to get something done. Over the last three years Rich has taken exquisite care of us and created an amazing place for my family to enjoy. We started with the ‘hardscaping’ which wasn’t even on my radar before Rich showed up. I had some stepping stones planned, but Rich was thinking bigger. The giant granite blocks and very organic Japanese-esque stones create a real sense of permanence.

Japanese Pine and Mountain Laurel

Rich and the rest of the guys on his crew are artists. He has transformed my property into something extraordinary, a real diamond in a previously rough neighborhood. Also, as I am a Realtor, property value is always on my mind. Landscaping is the #1 most overlooked item for people when considering selling their homes. Don’t just spread some fake red mulch around. Put some thought in and you will be rewarded. Every year we make tweaks, get rid of dead plants, plant some new ones, and spend a little time making design changes. This year I moved the vegetable garden around a bit. The plants that grow below ground and the lettuces went down in the raised bed – where the gal-darned squirrels won’t eat them. (The little buggers don’t even steal the whole thing, they just sample a little bit and leave it. Yuk, who wants to eat a veggie some squirrel slobbered all over?)

The tomatoes, peppers, pickling cukes, etc. are all going to be grown hanging upside down from shepherds poles on our 2nd level deck. This way we can water them easily, monitor growth and our daughter Vitoria can take part in the process and be fully engaged with the growing cycle of the plants.

Hanging baskets for growing veggies upside down.

I’m going to rig up the poles with stainless steel inserts so I can quickly attach them every year and take them down again in the winter.

There are a number of El Cheapo upside down hangers out there, but you can do it cheaper and better. If you want to go really low tech, just get some old 5 gallon buckets and cut a hole in the bottom. There’s no shortage of websites to give you advice on the subject. I’m ordering mine online, and I’m going with a reusable wire basket design. It has a canvas outer bag that literally zips up for ease of planting.  Supposedly you get better, stronger plants with less  water consumption and higher yields.

I have been experiencing a lot of stress in the last couple months as I prepared to plant my first veggie garden. Newbies have so many questions and so little experience after all. Have no fear, there are no shortage of resources. I recommend reading a lot of info on the web before you even start asking humans questions.

5 Gal planter

There is definitely some lingo involved in gardening and it helps to know the basics. Create a bookmarked file and start dumping stuff in as you go. One of the best resources I have found so far is the no frills University of New Hampshire – Garden Guide. It has an overwhelming amount of info about all aspects of gardening. And yes, there’s an app for that. For iPhone users, check out Gardening Toolkit. It helps pick plants that are appropriate for the location, has a todo list, how much to water, when to harvest, etc.

The bottom line is that we need to do whatever we can to help the recent movement toward a more ’slow food’ culture. Not only do we need to learn how to grow our own food, but we need to teach our kids the importance of land stewardship. Just like foreign language, these types of concepts are easier to learn as a child. They become second nature. My daughter, for instance, now instinctively conserves water, ‘to save Mother Nature’.

There really isn’t a downside that I can see to all this. Feel free to comment if I’m wrong. As I see it:

1.  By planting a garden you get free food and the satisfaction of having grown a living organism.

2.  No fossil fuels are burned to transport your food.

3.  Storm water runoff is slowed and cooled – preserving the environment.

4. The heat island effect is mitigated.

5. Everything looks a lot more attractive – unless you’re into that post apocalyptic look.

Each First Thursday of the month businesses along Centre and South Streets are transformed into galleries featuring works from local artists. Open receptions, at each location, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, offer a chance to meet the artists, enjoy refreshments, and experience Jamaica Plain’s fabulous businesses in an entirely new light. Artworks usually remain on display for the remainder of the month.

Viejo’s portraits show an intimate relationship with her subjects, real or imagined, with often surreal effects. The paintings investigate the division of the painting surface and the relationship of the figure to pulsating color and geometric environments. In addition to the amazing artwork on display at the reception, DJ Just Joan (Casey Williams of Bella Luna’s Cash For Gold fame) will be spinning an eclectic sound to set the mod. Come share a glass of wine

Anclados (Anchored)

Last Saturday, May 8 began the annual walking tour season of the Jamaica Plain Historical Society.

Horse-drawn wagon on Centre St in Jamaica Plain

2010 Historic Walking Tours
All tours are free and open to the public and are offered on Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. sharp. Tours last approximately one hour except for the Jamaica Pond tour which lasts 90 minutes due to the longer distance covered. Tours are canceled in case of rain. No reservations are required. Please join us and bring along a friend!

Okay, my pick for Home of the Week isn’t even in Jamaica Plain. I know, I know, I’m not following the rules, but hey I’m the boss right? Whose blog is this anyway?

I was on a tour today through Cambridge, Somerville and Jamaica Plain. About midway we had a look at a condo on Elm Street near Inman Square. This home was across the street. It captivated me. It’s right next to the well known restaurant Oleana, but from that side it’s not quite as dramatic. However if you swing around to the Elm Street side you’ll see it’s real character.

The original structure is clearly mid 1800s but a garage of sorts with a greenhouse has been added to the top. It has an amazing door on the garage, but also a sort or Hobbit door under the front porch that must access the basement.

I’d give my left leg to see the inside. I’ll do some more research and let you know what I find out. If anyone has a historic tidbit they’d like to share about this house or others -chime in…

It almost feels like Spring again – but I know better. Boston has a way of tricking you with a nasty snow storm in March. Let’s hope this 53 degree day proves Spring is finally here.

Gorgeous Sumner Hill Mansard Victorian

Are you in the dog house? Have you besmirched your good name? I have an opportunity for you to redeem yourselves. At the base of beautiful and historic Sumner Hill, across from the old Congregational Church,  you will find this gorgeous Mansard Victorian. Bring your sweetie and give the Valentine’s Day gift of a lifetime! We’ll be having an open house for neighbors only from 11a-11:30a, and then a public open house from 11:30a-1p.

Unique architecture

A landmark property to anyone who travels the streets of Jamaica Plain – the unique overhang is thought to be an architect’s sneak. There’s about 70SF hanging out over the sidewalk. Don’t quote me on that little historic tidbit – I’m not sure where I heard/read it anymore. I’ve got a request into a local historian to find out what I can on this lovely manse.

Fully one-third of this home resides out of view from the street. There is another unit that is roughly half the size of the upstairs, that opens on three sides the the pretty back yard. It’s really neat to see the massive, rough hewn granite blocks that form the foundation under the sidewalk. You can see it from within the fence at yard level.

This stately home got a serious facelift less than 10 years ago. The entire Mansard “hip” was replaced with architectural shingles, new windows and soffits were added as well as copper gutters and downspouts. Quite a bit of old siding was replaced at this time as well. Generally, the exterior is in perfect condition. The current owners have done a smashing job with the interior as well. Josh & Julie have added their own brand of sophisticated, modern charm. There’s definitely more than a hint of the Orient in the decor – including a very tasteful bamboo wall treatment in the master bedroom.

Giant master suite

There are three bedrooms that are  small, medium and large and have a gentle slope to the wall from the roof line. It adds a lot of charm and character without adversely effecting the layout or space whatsoever.

If you’re used to New England bedroom sizes, you’ll find the master suite to be a pleasant surprise.  It’s spacious and light with views out over the neighbor’s roofs to Green Street and the grand architecture of The Bowditch School. The bedroom opens to the bath by passing through a custom closet outfitted with a very well thought out organizational system. Someone with lots of clothes and an analytical mind clearly designed it. The bathroom is large for a Victorian. I doubt this room always served as a bathroom, but it certainly should have. There’s an old clawfoot tub and some bath fixtures that are reminiscent of the period, but in reality everything is new.

There is another full bath on the second level for the other two bedrooms. All the rooms open off a landing flooded with natural light from a skylight opening above the exposed rafters. Downstairs, the first floor flows just as well. The kitchen, dining and living rooms are large and perfect for entertaining – although, make everyone take off their shoes because the floors are truly luminous and it would be a crime to mar them.

The kitchen isn’t so easy to pin down to a specific style. Although the Bosch stainless steel appliances and white cabinets give it a decidedly modern look, the counters are darkly stained wooden butcher block that have a warmer feel than the typical granite counters that are so common of late.

There is a laundry cabinet that doubles as a pantry adjacent to the kitchen – and an ample deck through sliding glass doors, leads down to a beautifully landscaped yard.

The dining room is probably my favorite room in this house. One wall is covered with books, and the others are practically all windows – looking out over the yard, deck and Green Street. There’s a large closet as well, so if you put the table in the kitchen this could actually be a fourth bedroom or an office – but I think it’s configured best as it is.

The location doesn’t really get any better. When I write that this home is steps from everything – I mean it. Maybe 127 steps to the subway? (Give or take 10.) There are shops, boutiques, restaurants, pubs, etc. just a few blocks away on Centre as well as the Mosaic school across the street in the Congregational Church, and Hollow Reed up on Sumner Hill.  There’s a playground around the corner with water sprinklers in the summer and a great play structure. Further up Lamartine Street there’s a baseball field, basketball courts, the list goes on and on.

Check out our website at www.TheBostonHomeTeam.com for more information on this home and other property in and around Jamaica Plain as well as  the virtual tour at www.84Seaverns.com.

Powder Tower #1, Staré Město, Prague, Czech Republic, 2006

more info: thehallwayjp.com

In my photographs of different cities and countries, I convey a sense of place through architectural and other distinctive regional details – indoors and outdoors. The pictures I make document surfaces long-exposed to time and use, and place importance on ordinary things, usually overlooked or ignored. I search for random events of light and shadow to bring out these details. Many of my photographs transform small fragments of built structures into abstractions, and so they are also formal examinations – of color, texture, light, shadow, shape, and space.

I had to run an errand for my wife Christine today as our first storm of the year wrapped up. One of her clients is an absentee landlord and it was reported that his rental unit had no heat. Nice. Why does it always happen in the middle of a snow storm? Nevermind, I know why…it’s not profound, just a pain in the ass that heating systems always go kaputt at the least convenient time.

It’s like they’re mocking us. “How you like me now?” the client lives in NH so it’s just a favor to go check out the place for him. (That’s just the kind of operation we run here.) Anyway, I enjoyed my walk across town. It was beautiful and people were coming out to walk their dogs and shovel. I reminded everyone I passed that was shoveling to remember to bend their knees. They all seeded truly appreciative. The snow was frenzied and occasionally defied Mother Nature herself to reverse direction and hang out inside my hood.

The walk brought to my mind the longstanding Boston feud. Oh, yes. We have one too. I thought I was leaving all that behind when I left the Ozarks. Nay, Beantown has it’s own version of The Hatfields & The McKoys. Back home it was The Yokums & The Gideons. Who knows why these people were really feuding but the rumor has it it was about land. Specifically a piece of land with a silver mine. I’m not sure it ever produced more than they required for the fillings in their teeth but nonetheless, that’s the story. Oh yes, and how can we forget the Sneetchs or even better, the Zax?

Yes Boston is no exception. Ours is a battle over real estate as well. It has divided friends, neighbors, even lovers. I’m curious what you think? If you shovel out after a snow storm – do you have right to the spot indefinitely? Do you prefer everyone respects the public way? Here’s a couple of differing points of view. Leave yours in the comments…

“The King of parking space savers”

Elvis space saver

By Globe Staff

Elvis Presley may be gone, but a bust of the King lives on — as a parking space saver.

Reader Jon Titone took this photo on P Street in South Boston, in response to a recent Globe story about the proliferation of space savers that violate the city’s 48-hour rule.

Without adequate enforcement, the space savers remain. That means law-abiding drivers must find another place to park or move the savers — which are often much less creative than Elvis — and live with the fear that their car could be keyed or their tires slashed.

According to the City of Boston’s website, space savers are only allowed after the declaration of a snow emergency, which hasn’t occurred since Dec. 18. Most drivers, however, use space savers after digging out from any plowable snow.

The enforcement of the 48-hour rule resides with city sanitation workers on regular rounds. Trash pickup occurs once a week, which means that at best space savers will be tossed once every seven days. Garbage pickup in some neighborhoods, however, occurs prior to 9 a.m., with sanitation trucks making the rounds well before drivers have left their parking spots.

That means some step stools and buckets can remain virtually undisturbed, saving a parking space from now until Opening Day on April 6.

Dot Joyce, a spokeswoman for Mayor Thomas M. Menino, said earlier this week that any parking space savers that remain on the street should have been removed long ago. The city, however, has not received enough complaints about space savers from a specific neighborhood to necessitate the dispatch of a special public works crew to collect the cones, chairs, and shovel-and-box combos, Joyce said.

The mayor’s office urged people to report illicit place savers by calling the 24-hour constituent services hot line at 617-635-4500.

Have an stubborn space saver on your block? E-mail a picture here with a precise description of the location.

After Wednesday’s snowstorm, the 48-hour rule was reset. By Friday or Saturday, the Globe will be looking for additional illicit parking space savers.

***

Then check out this great thread on the Yelp forum. Very entertaining stuff. The “no spot saving” crowd is definitely outspoken here.

Saving parking spots in Southie is wrong.

Another fun article is on Universal Hub called:

To protect my parking spot, I use:

Whatever you believe is the best plan of action is your business. All I have to say is that on my street there’s no space saving. We all dig out immediately and deal with the cards we’re dealt just like every other day. Sometimes we help shovel each other out and have a few laughs while we’re doing it. If you put out a lawn chair on my street – it’s toast. Bring it on.

Okay, I’m a little latent on this announcement, but better late than never. Riders on the Train will end on December 19th so if you hurry over you’ll catch it. Axiom is in the Green Street subway station in Jamaica Plain. Here’s the write up:

‘RIDERS on the TRAIN’ is an interdisciplinary art exhibition exploring new relationships between artist, audience, site, and context. Drawn from an international call for submissions, these artists and writers explore ‘the private within the public’ experience of mass-transit in Sweden, Australia, South Africa, India, Switzerland, NYC, London, Madrid, Paris, Berlin, Mexico City, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, LA, DC, Portland, and Boston. The poetics of acceleration, compression, fragmentation and sensory immersion are explored as the artists record, collaborate, and devise small scale tactical interventions – juxtaposing high with low technology. ‘Riding Artists’ sample their ‘ride’ and generate an aggregate description of the mass-transit experience through a diversity of lenses and media including video, sound art, photography, web-based interactivity, performance, installation and writing.

Click on the image to go to the website.