Biography

5 Friends

4 Firsts

2 Compliments

desertrose5418

Brookline, MA
Member since 06/05/2008
Last login: 07/23/2008

Knowledge

Vegetarianism, Vegetarianism, Green Restaurants, Public Land Policy, Sustainable Backcountry Camping Practices

Interests

Hiking, Camping, Camping, Hiking, Food (especially Veggie Recipes)

Confusions

Recycling, Recycling, Eco-friendly Cleaning Supplies

view full profile

Hero

My dad, who taught me how to camp -- and grill -- like a pro

I would do anything for green, but I won't

eat terrible food

My favorite place in the whole wide world is

Calf Creek Falls, Utah

reviews
posts
compliments

July 08, 2008

MAGPIE

378 Highland Ave , Somerville, MA, 617-623-3330

Magpie is forever my retail happy thought. I've been a loyal customer
since the days when they had a teeny-tiny little nest on the outskirts
of Davis Square, and now that they've taken over the former Poor
Little Rich Girl space on Highland, it's even easier to make a T-accessible trip.

The great thing about Magpie's wares is that they are by definition
made locally -- it's an outlet for the many artists in Cambridge and
Boston who make Etsy-style crafts, earrings, t-shirts and
useless-but-completely-necessary tchotchkes. Many products are also

July 08, 2008

BROOKLINE GROOMING & PET SUPPLIES

146 Harvard St , Brookline, MA, 617-738-6682

Like Jordan, I was also a new pet owner when I came to Brookline
Grooming and Pet Supplies. We spent money like new parents, trying to
make sure we had all the right toys and all the right foods and treats
for our little bundle of joy, Eko, a chocolate lab rescue. (I highly
recommend adopting rescued dogs instead of buying from breeders,
btw. Very environmentally friendly.)

Brookline Grooming has it all. They specifically state on their Web
site that their focus is on natural foods, which, if you read about
what goes into non-natural, traditional dogfoods, is so important to

June 05, 2008

Achilles - Persephone: The Achilles Project

283 Summer St , Boston, MA, 617-695-2257

I visited The Achilles Project (and inside it, their Persephone restaurant) on the day after it opened. The energy was high - its four owners were as jubilant as new parents. General Manager Derek Wilson was kind enough to take me and a few friends on a tour of the restaurant, which has a serious composting outfit and uses water conservation techniques in its kitchen. They also used recycled building materials when constructing the Fort Point space, including the attractive light fixture that hangs in Wilson's office.

July 08, 2008

Tj Scallywaggles Vegan House Of Pizza And Subs

487 Cambridge St , Allston, MA, 617-787-9884

I grew up in Buffalo, where sub shops, pizza and chicken wings constitute the "native cuisine", so I am so grateful for TJ Scallywaggles when I need a meatball sub fix (their vegan meatball subs are wonderful).

July 08, 2008

MIDDLESEX LOUNGE RESTAURANT

315 Massachusetts Ave , Cambridge, MA, 617-868-6739

Most people know the Middlesex as either a stylish after-work lounge
for the MIT crowd, or a too-cool-for-school dance night destination
for the non-bridge-and-tunnel nightlife crowd. But it also serves as
a sometime headquarters for the Bueno Queso Social Club, a
not-so-secret society of cheese-lovers who meet on the last Sunday of
every month at 2:30pm to talk local curd.

I recently sampled the cheese plate at Middlesex, which is put
together by Robert Aguilera, the leader of Bueno Queso. (Another
founding member is Julie Capellano, manager of South End Formaggio.)

July 08, 2008

Grasshopper Vegetarian Restaurant

1 N Beacon St , Allston, MA, 617-254-8883

Greasy Chinese takeout for the vegan crowd. It's not healthy, but it's pretty good. Get the No Name if you have a hankering for sesame chicken - it's wheat gluten based, I believe, but it'll bring back memories of the real thing.

Also, the tofu-based cheesecake is tasty -- and makes me feel much less guilty than the real thing.

July 08, 2008

Herrells Cafe

155 Brighton Ave , Allston, MA, 617-782-9599

At first, Herrell's came to mind as an eco-friendly business because
they offer a soy peanut butter ice cream that's actually edible, and
when a store offers an alternative to animal products in an industry
known for leaning heavily animal products (i.e. ice cream), veggies
and vegans always take note and appreciate it. This is probably why
it's so popular in Allston and Cambridge.

However, after browsing around Herrell's Web site, I found that there
was more to the story. Apparently Steve Herrell is a bit of a
revolutionary - back in the day, he was the first to make premium ice

July 08, 2008

SPIKES JUNKYARD DOGS

1076 Boylston St , Boston, MA, 617-266-0909

Sure, it's great to grab a bite at an obviously organic, eco-friendly
restaurant, but sometimes -- especially in the summer -- you just want
a hot dog.

What I like about Spike's is that it has all the appeal of a
real junkfoodery -- it's unpretentious, with plastic tables and
shwag covering the walls -- but it's also takes said junk food
seriously, with lots of different options for toppings and combos, and
it has veggie dogs and veggie burgers as an alternative for those who
want to avoid supporting the meat industry. Anyone who's read "Fast

July 23, 2008

Veggie Planet Pizza

47 Palmer St , Cambridge, MA, 617-661-1513

I always look forward to attending shows at Club Passim, because it means I will be getting an order of "Henry's Lunch", an amazing pizza with butternut squash and savory cheese, and a cup of addictively bitter iced herbal tea from Veggie Planet.

July 08, 2008

Z SQUARE CAMBRIDGE

17 Dunster St , Cambridge, MA, 617-576-0101

It's obvious that Z Square has roots in California -- their first
location, it seems, was in the Bay Area, birthplace of the locavore
movement and California cuisine, in which fresh ingredients and
flavorful vegetables are de rigeur.

However, much like vegetables that are trucked across the country,
this concept seems to have arrived in Boston in a somewhat wilted
form.

I was excited to try Z Square when it opened a while back. Service
was a bit spotty, and while the menu had some great ideas, the
execution was a bit inexpert. The apple slaw wasn't quite tart; the

2 Compliments

June 20, 2008

Jlynnefrank

Yay Emerson.....I mean way to put my reviews to shame with your killer writing style? And we need to go to one of these hot green places for drinks soon!

June 16, 2008