Zillow has Jamaica Plain outpacing all of it’s neighbors, including but not limited to Roslindale, North Dorchester, West Roxbury, Mission Hill, etc.  The multiple listing service provides very accurate, real time data as well. In comparison, Jamaica Plain has remained surprisingly level over the last five years.

5 year real estate inventory for Jamaica Plain

I’m no analyst mind you, but it seems to me that we have a much healthier market now. While the number of homes on the market spiked throughout 06′, the number of properties going under agreement and making it to closing is very strong. I attribute this market resilience to our strong community. Despite the best efforts of the recession, Jamaica Plain drew a hipster line in the sand and we’re not crossing it.

$/SF values showing pretty steady over last 5 years.

$/SF values are a good way to commoditize real estate values if you’re looking at large quantities of property. It’s too easy to get hung up on the listing prices and overlook the varying size of a given unit.

If you would like more relevant real estate market data – feel free to ask for customized reports. I can drill down to almost any parameter and track it. Just email me at www.TheBostonHomeTeam.com, or better yet, check out our new website and sign up for regular market updates.

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)

]]> http://www.thebostonhometeam.com/blog/first-thursday-jamaica-plain-catalina-viejo-lopez-de-roda/feed 0 http://www.thebostonhometeam.com/blog/free-history-lesson-jamaica-plain-walking-tours http://www.thebostonhometeam.com/blog/free-history-lesson-jamaica-plain-walking-tours#comments Fri, 14 May 2010 16:56:38 +0000 wbrokhof http://www.thebostonhometeam.com/blog/?p=757 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!

A bike lane is a separate, narrower lane for bikes running along the right-hand side of the road. A sharrow is an image of a bicycle and an arrow painted on the street as an encouragement for bicyclists and as a bike-rights reminder to motorists.

Bike lanes come to Jamaica Plain

The plan calls for:

• Bike lanes on both sides of the street on: Centre between Green Street and Lakeville Road; and Centre and South between Sedgwick and Burroughs streets.

• A bike lane going uphill and a sharrow going downhill on steeper sections of the corridor: Centre between Hyde and Jackson Squares; and South between McBride and Sedgwick streets.

• Sharrows on both sides of the street on: South between New Washington and McBride streets; Centre between Burroughs and Green; and Centre between Lakeville and Hyde Square.

The city is also considering adding short painted lines running perpendicular to the edge of the bike lanes to alert bicyclists to the “door zone.” That is the area where an opening door of a parked car can hit a bicyclist.

Signage and an education and police enforcement campaign are planned. Many motorists and bicyclists don’t know, for example, that using a bike lane is optional.

While the plan was generally well-received, there were some concerns that the variety of markings in central JP will be less safe, especially for younger riders. Gupta said the city will talk with merchants in the area between Burroughs and Green streets about possibly removing some parking. That would allow for bike lanes, rather than sharrows, to be installed there as well, creating a bike lane-only section between Sedgwick Street and Lakeville Road.

In a larger scale, the city also is looking at ways to mark bicycling routes on side streets to connect Centre/South to the Southwest Corridor and Emerald Necklace bike paths.

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.

‘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.

1. It’s incredibly efficient. The highest energy bill of the year is less than $100, and most are a fraction of that. It is heated by compact Rinnai heaters on each floor.

2. The location is perfect. Situated right in the middle of Jamaica Plain’s Brewery District – walking distance to Mikes Fitness, Bella Luna, Ula Cafe and both Green Street and Stoney Brook stations. It’s also a few blocks from Franklin Park and Centre Street with all it’s shops and restaurants.

3. This is a one-of-kind property. There is nothing like it. Designed from the humble beginnings of a shoe factory – now one of three market rate units in an artist live/work community. From the historic architecture and smokestack to the old boardwalk that runs the length of the building allowing the community to chat and engage each other.

4. Really good space. The plan is incredibly flexible – use it how you see fit, but currently the entire first floor is set up as a wicked studio space.

Check it out at www.65brookside.com. I’m happy to show it to you anytime. Just call me at 617-828-7956.

Community Servings is sponsoring a new Farmer’s Market this Sunday, July 26th from 10a-2p. It will be located at 18 Marbury Terrace in Jamaica Plain near Stony Brook T station.  Organizer Edith Murnane said, “We are excited at the prospect of starting a market that will both provide community members with fresh, local produce and products, as well as, create relationships with farmers that may assist us in better serving our critically-ill clients fresh, nutritious home delivered meals! Let us know what you think!” You can provide Edith with your feedback at Neighbor’s For Neighbors.

In fact, Edith needs your help. She wants you to vote the Farmer’s Market at Community Servings #1 on the Care2 website. Winner takes away $5000 in spoils for their organization. The market originally launched on July 12th and  was a huge success. Come on out this weekend and help support locally grown food. Some of the purveyors are:

Featured purveyors:
Silverbrook Farm, which provides organic fruits, veggies, flowering plants, honey and eventually eggs, jams and jellies;
Big Sky out of Newton – a baker that uses primarily local and organic ingredients;
The Greenest Bean – that produces small batch, organic, free trade coffee beans;
Sheldon Farm Herbs – local organic herbs

Later in the season:

There are other possible purveyors who may (hopefully) join later in the season:
Green City Growers, out of JP – that grows veggies out of your own yard for a small fee and a portion of the ‘produce’;
Boston Smokehouse out of Mattapan;
Cheshire Garden out of Winchester, NH; and
And possibly even the Boston Cheese Cellar out of Roslindale. The owner Kathy has graciously said she’d consider joining with some local cheeses!

Once the market starts they’ll be organizing chef demonstrations – such as Phil from JP Seafood who has agreed to come and demonstrate how you make fresh organic veggie ‘sushi’.. Other chefs that have agreed to participate include: Felicia from Centre Street Café, Brian from James’s Gate, Carlos from The Alchemist and Jake from The Milky Way/ Bella Luna! I’m still working on more . . . so, again, any ideas or connnections — send them!

And of course they’re looking to add a musical component. If you know any musicians who would like to donate an hour of their time to create a really lively environment, please let Edith know.

Contact Edith here: emurnane@servings.org

And here’s web directions to the location so that you can find it Sunday and the Sunday after that . . . and on and on until October 18th:

http://www.servings.org/about/directions.cfm