If you’ve watched Aladdin you know the magic of finding a genie lamp at the open air market in Agrabah!

Well..you might not find a magic lamp here (or atleast one with a genie)…but you will find just about everything else….hand-crafted accessories….original art….indie designer clothing….a fresh loaf of bread…..painters…..sculptors……photographers…..jewelry designers…..milliners…….handbag designers……house wares…..florists…..bakers……local farmer’s produce and more (it changes every week). You might even spot celebrities like John Malkovich if your lucky. The SoWa team says he loves it!

Located at 460 Harrison Ave, Boston, every Sunday from 10-4pm…

And new this season are the parade of gourmet food trucks that rotate from the cupcake truck (where Lisa Azizian will be hanging out!) to a veggie truck.  Apparently all the hip restos have food trucks. Who knew?

Check them out online at http://www.sowaopenmarket.com and in person! I’ll be there this Sunday rain or shine.

His brother took the picture, in one of those arms-stretched- cell-phone-clicks and he’s the dashing chef on the left!

It’s Chef Paul Wahlberg who opened his new restaurant Alma Nove in the Hingham Launch (where the boats launches!) this summer. http://www.almanovehingham.com/

Alma is his mom’s name. Nove means nine; which just happens to be the same number of kids in the Wahlberg family.  Mom’s signature is the logo.  His brothers Mark and Donnie are investors and everyone friends and family turned out for the under-the-tent opening last month including a premier of Marks’ new movie The Other Guys.

(more…)

Words cannot describe the ethereal experience the South Shore Live Entourage has here at Ember so I’m gonna tell you in pictures. Enjoy. And call owner Charly to make a reservation. This spot is amazing. Tell him the Entourage from South Shore Live sent you.

I make no secret every week of my cupcake crusade and I’ve recently found a total home run in Plymouth. More to come on that later though. First, let me tell you of my crusade. I, connoisseur or cupcakes, am on a mission to find the best cupcakes on the south shore. It’s a tough job but I’m a professional. I go from town to town on my quest, never leaving a the town without sampling their fairy cakes (that’s for our British listeners).

My latest visit, before Plymouth, was to Marshfield where I stumbled upon Veronica’s Sweetcakes. I enjoyed their homage to red velvet, and their simple vanilla on vanilla was good too.

And speaking of cupcakes, I want to give a big shout out to John Earle, Mr. Johnny Cupcakes, (and my very first interview on South Shore Live!!) for being voted the 237th fastest growing private company by Inc. Magazine’s annual Inc. 500. Way to go, John! This cupcakes for you!!

Your visit to Quincy is not complete without a trip to Ginger Betty’s Bakery located at 215 Samoset Ave in Quincy!  We were recently fortunate to interview our good friend Beth Veneto, the founder of Ginger Betty’s!   Here you will find a magical gingerbread fantasy land that brings out the kid in all of us! Modeled after Candy Land, you’ll find murals of gum drops and candy concoctions everywhere. The shop has its own ice cream shop, cookie, cake, cupcake and whoopie pie stations, not to mention every kind of gingerbread you can imagine.  Children have a birthday party room as well where they can build and design their own gingerbread houses or decorate their own gingerbread men or women. Can you tell I am a big fan?  Check out Ginger Betty’s Bakery! Find it on the web at www.Gingerbettys.com You’ll be glad you did! (more…)

Three Cheers for Ryan Silva, the bartender extroidinaire at Alba Restaurant.  Dear I say the best pour on the South Shore? : ) We can atleast attest  that he is one of the best!  Thanks to Ryan, we have two new fun cocktail recipes to share with friends this summer! 

Thanks Ryan!

Our tour of Quincy had a luxurious pit stop at one of my favorite haunts, Alba Restaurant!  In a nutshell, Owner Leo Keka knows how to do everything right when if comes to gourmet greatness!  Alba is located at 1486 Hancock Street- with free valet parking every night.  If the weather is nice, be sure to go upstairs to the rooftop deck- you’ll be back!

As the Self Proclaimed Queen of calimari, I have decided I know a thing or two about my favorite app.  Alba’s calimari is to die for! The menu describes it as Crispy Calamari with pickled jalepenos, chipotle aioli, and smoked paprika. For the record, I describe it as Heavenly!  You’ll see it’s not too heavy, made with just enough batter, the rings and tentacles are just chewy enough..and the spices, super wow! Try it and you’ll agree!

Last Saturday the SSL entourage headed to Italy, I mean Scituate to dine at Riva’s on Front Street [aka my hometown]. Although it had been a little while, I’d definately eaten there before and always enjoyed it. But this time something was different. The bartender Jay, is now the owner and the Executive Chef Brett is now leading the flavors and the waitress Cara is marrying Brett and Danielle the veteran server who has been there since the start [she came from The North End with the original owner] is the mom of not one, but two, of the delightful waitresses — Gabby and Bianca. So in addition to exceptional flavors, the place feels like everyone knows your name. And I’m pretty sure it boasts the only [not closed in] sidewalk cafe in Scituate. TK Omalley’s a few door’s down has a patio, but that doesn’t cast the same sidewalk eatery feel. (more…)

The SSL entourage also visited Phins Restaurant on Saturday night, while we were sampling the tastes of the Irish Riviera [aka Scituate]. Phins was named in honor of Phineas Pratt —one of the first colonists in Massachusetts who arrived in the Scituate Harbor in 1622. So 387 years later, his great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great……great relative is the proud owner and chef — Aaron Pratt. Aaron opened the restaurant with a superb Front Street location in 2007.

There to meet and greet us as we entered Saturday night was the hostess who is also his fiance — Christine. Love must be in the air in Scituate as it was our second chef engagement that night. Christine tells us the wedding is on for September! (more…)

Last week Tina called in and asked “What’s the name of that new restaurant coming to Milton?”

Well Tina – we looked and we found 2 new ones:

#1 a restaurant called 88 Wharf is coming to Milton Landing this month [July]. Looks like it might be an upscale bistro with Mediterranean and American cuisine, overlooking the Neponset River

#2 Across town, is a restaurant called Abby Park also opening this month [July]. It’s at 550 Adams Street in the former Videos to Go spot in East Milton Square near the Southeast Expressway. The website says to expect American cuisine and it looks yummy from the photos. http://www.abbypark.com/

Thanks for calling in Tina!