Thomas "TPapi" T.'s Profile

Bay State Fencers is a great club with 6 strips for epee, foil and sabre.  The facilities are good and well maintained, Stacy, Daniel, Vitaliy and all the instructors and staff at the club are nice and helpful for fencers of all levels from kids and adults just starting to nationally ranked competitors. Lessons are fun and the fencers progress through basics to competition at a good pace without uncomfortable pressure and the turnout for open fencing is pretty good.

My daughter has been fencing epee with the club for about 4 years going from lessons to local and now national competition.  The club has helped and supported this growth through spectacular coaching as well as the assistance and encouragement from members of the club.  Bay State Fencers has an esprit de corps that I haven't found at all clubs.  The fencers are honest, respectful and supportive of each other forming a community where fencers thrive and excel.

This taco track in Back Bay station makes a mean al pastor burrito.  The tortilla is toasted rather than steamed, which makes for a more chewy burrito and the distribution of filling is not always even, but the al pastor is very tasty, the ingredients pretty fresh and guys friendly for an excellent lunch option in the back bay.

Fastest car inspection ever!

I've filled up the car at Jack's before; prices are low and, despite the look of the place, yes you can use a credit card.  This time I went to get the car inspected and it was the fastest ever.  

They only take cash for inspections so I hoofed it over to the ATM at the Dunkin Donuts down the street and by the time that I was back they were done with my car and on to the next one.   Fast, convenient, indoor waiting room, what more do you want from a gas station for car inspections?

I'll start by saying that I cannot walk the dogs anywhere near Porter Square without them dragging me into Tags because of the free dog treats and the attention that they get.  Kids also have their pick of lollypops or popcorn, or if you are one of my daughters, both.  Tags is a neighborhood, family owned place and if that's not enough to get you to go there instead of a bigger hardware store then it should,

There are 2 Tags.  Upstairs and downstairs and just like the old show on PBS the upstairs is all show and downstairs is all business. Upstairs they have their somewhat over priced kitchen, dining and bathroom stuff.  You can find stylish organizers, small appliances, good knives and mid-range cookware as well as a good selection of grills in the summer, dorm stuff in the fall, and holiday stuff for whatever season we're in at the time.

Downstairs are the tools, hardware, paint, light bulbs, small garden area, electrical and plumbing needs, etc.  The employees are easy to find, very helpful and if they don't have something the will order it for you.  

You may pay a bit of a premium at Tags, but it's worth it for the service and to keep a good neighbor around.

Coffee shops and book stores are like chocolate and peanut butter.  Go in for a book and you're likely to buy a coffee and stay with that coffee long enough and you're bound to find another book you did't know that you needed.

Porter Sq Books and Zing were meant for each other with the same neighborly vibe and easy going atmosphere. The coffee is good and pastry's are fresh.  I've particularly enjoyed the Vietnamese spring rolls that they have and wish that the options didn't turn over so often that they are available more often, but then variety is the spice of life.

The cafe is usually not too crowded and the additional window seating that they just opened and the outdoor seating on nice days helps relieve the occasional crowding.  However when there is a line the seats in the main area of the cafe are a real pain and difficult for people waiting in line and enjoying their coffee.

Do sign up for their coffee ring in order to earn free drinks, you'll be back and it's worth it.

Boloco is a Boston burrito place in all the right and wrong ways.  Boloco seems to do a great job of being part of the neighborhood, keeping aspects of the original architecture, listening to their patrons, outdoor seating, engagement with the community.  I love that.  But the burritos taste like an anglicized version of a burrito, not the deliciously spicy and comforting meld of cheese, rice, beans and meat wrapped in a tortilla for easy consumption that delivers a full taste experience in every bite. These are not those San Francisco burritos that I first fell in love with.

Boloco burritos are a little bland and dry.  Give me some cilantro and salsa to liven these poor guys up. The wrap is good and tight so that it doesn't fall apart on you, but the mojo just doesn't seem to be in the filling.  Boloco has a rotating special burrito like the Memphis this summer and the new Jambalaya.  Some say it's a wrap not a burrito, but if I can accept a California sushi roll then I'll allow Boloco to serve me a Jambalaya burrito and admit that it was good enough to bump my review a star.

If you are a fan, be sure to sign up for their customer appreciation program to earn free meals, get special deals on their new burritos, etc. It's well worth it. You can even order online and pick up, not that the wait is long. But I suggest that you let this wet your appetite for more adventurous experiences in taquerias.

Porter Square Books is a neighborhood bookstore and and they are a great neighbor.  They provide a great selection, including a rich kids section, travel, non-fiction and all varieties of fiction.  They schedule a nice series of readings.  They host the community well, with ample seating in the kids area, a quiet table in the back, and outdoor seating.  Their staff is friendly and helpful.  They do a great job in recommendations and will go out of their way to order you a book that you want quickly.  They've even had my girls in to discuss young adult books in order to increase their collection.   Porter Square Books is exactly what a community needs to feed their mind and soul.  Frequent them and keep them around for year to come.

China Fair is the spot in North Cambridge for inexpensive kitchen stuff.  It's a little shabby, what's there is what's there (you may not find a particular name brand if that's what you are looking for), the stuff is wrapped in this morning's newspaper and you absolutely want to wash the accumulated dust off of anything you buy there, but you get back in price what you gave up in ambiance.  

China fair is perfect for plates, bowls, mugs and glasses and another side of the store is full of pots, pans and kitchen utensils that you didn't know that you needed and make great gifts.  There is a room full of wicker baskets and downstairs has all sorts of storage, canning stuff and Tupperware.  You can also pick up party stuff (plates, cups utensils), gift wrapping stuff and even pinatas.  

Basically a great place for cheap stuff for entertaining.  Keep an open mind and you will get what you need for a good price.

This is the hotel that I stay at when I am in San Francisco.  I love this boutique hotel that is just outside Union square toward the Tenderloin.  The staff is friendly and amazingly helpful. Rooms are clean and attractive, with nice furnishings, very comfortable beds, stereo, and DVD player, though small, but isn't that what you expect at a hotel like this.  For business travelers there is a desk and ergonomic chair in every room as well as free wifi.

In the evenings guests are invited out of their rooms to the lobby for a wine tasting.  Their gym has just been redone with new equipment and the restaurant downstairs is good, but there are plenty of options nearby for culinary exploration.

The hotel is dog friendly, so you can bring your pooch if you like and Zac, a chihuahua hangs out at the front desk.  Stay here to enjoy the atmosphere, friendly help and make your stay in San Francisco as pleasant as possible.

Big airy, bright and clean  this place looks practically suburban despite the giant virgin of Guadeloupe mural.  It's the kind of place that my waspy grandmother wouldn't be concerned about eating at the tables.  Despite all that the burritos are delish,

The wrap was quality ensuring that every bite had a good mix of meat, beans, salsa, rice, sour cream and guacamole and that it kept it's form to the very end.  The chile was well seasoned, but not particularly spicy and neither was the salsa, but I'll bet a better order could have solved that.  I read some complaints about having a hard time getting salsa when ordering to-go, but that was no problem for me.  I got just what I ordered with my chips.  I'm going for the burritos, but the tamales, chiles and chorros looked good too.