Category: All About Newton

News, events, children’s activities in Newton, MA.

Newton is Among Safest Suburbs in Nation

What are the safest suburbs in America according to Movoto? They looked at 120 suburbs of the 50 most populous American cities. They formed the rankings on per capita statistics of property crime, violent crime, and the chance of being a victim of crime using the FBI’s most recent crime report.

The complete top 10 list of safest suburbs looks like this:

1. Carmel, IN
2. Fishers, IN
3. Parma, OH
4. Dublin, OH
5. Newton, MA
6. Cary, NC
7. Apex, NC
8. Oro Valley, AZ
9. Cupertino, CA
10. Germantown, TN

Source: Flickr user christopdesoto

Newton, MA

This Boston, MA suburb, which just over 85,000 people call home, ranked 12th-safest in terms of violent crimes per capita, but third-safest when it came to property crimes per capita. Its 1 in 88 odds of crime earned it a fourth-place rank in that criterion.

Newton saw 970 total crimes in 2012, with 76 of them categorized as violent and 894 being property related. There were no murders reported, and aggravated assaults made up the majority of violent crimes. Burglaries in Newton were 1.6 times higher than in the similarly sized (and first-place) Carmel.

The 10 Safest Suburbs In America By Movoto Real Estate

March 5, 2014
2014 Newton Open Studios

Come join us for the 2014 Newton Open Studios this April 5th and 6th. Over 150 artists
in homes, studios and shared spaces across the city of Newton.

“Upstairs at L’Aroma Artists” features 6 local artists organized by local photographer Sharon Schindler www.sharonschindlerphotography.com.
Stop by L’Aroma Cafe, 15 Spencer Street, to see a great mix of talent – jewelry, ceramics, photography, fabric pillows,
pastel landscapes and abstract works of art.

Featuring:
Larry Grob
Hog Wild Pottery
River View Gems
Jocelyn Scheirer
Sharon Schindler Photography
Silver Lining Lifestyle

The show comes at a great time before Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and graduations …
www.newtonopenstudios.org

March 4, 2014
Wellesley Books Kids’ Events!

Kid Events at Wellesley Books

82 Central Street, Wellesley, MA

Angela DiTerlizzi and Brendan Wenzel – SOME BUGS

Wednesday, March 12, 2014 @ 4pm

Presentation, story time, drawing demonstration, & book signing

Hop on down to Wellesley Books for a zippy rhyming exploration of backyard bug behavior in Some Bugs in celebration of Youth Art Month. We are hosting author Angela DiTerlizzi and illustrator Brendan Wenzel for a colorful and encyclopedic look at backyard entomology. With a drawing demonstration, story time, and a take-away message to get outside and explore, this event is perfect for budding artists, naturalists and insect enthusiasts alike.

Scott Magoon – BREATHE

Saturday, March 29, 2014 @ 10am

Story time, art activity, book signing

Youth Art Month continues with Breathe, a new picture book from award-winning author and illustrator Scott Magoon. This simply told story follows a young whale on a journey of discovery as he experiences his first day at sea on his own. He swims, explores, and makes friends in his marine habitat. After a day of independence, this little whale delights in returning home to his mother. Scott will be sharing this reassuring story of adventure, his illustrations, and leading young readers in an art activity.

March 3, 2014
Japanese Home Cooking Class at The Sweet Kitchen
I signed up with my friend Nathalie for the Japanese Style Salmon Dinner at The Sweet Kitchen in Newton. It’s a three and a half hour cooking class in which we made the following Japanese homestyle meal:
- Salmon Yuan-Yaki (Japanese style marinated & broiled Salmon)
- Sauteed shrimp-stuffed Shiitake mushroom
- Grilled Eggplant with Sweet Miso Paste
- Tataki Kyuuri (smashed and pickled cucumber)
- Steamed Japanese rice in Dutch oven pot
- Miso soup with vegetables
Even though I am half Japanese, my teacher’s techniques were new to me. It was also great to learn about high quality Japanese ingredients that can be found nearby.

It was new to me that the Mirin that I bought is not the authentic stuff. Real mirin is not syrupy. Her preferred sake brand is on the right; her sake on the left. She says you can buy this at Ebisuya Japanese Market in Medford.

Her rice vinegar is also different from the brand that I usually purchase with a much deeper flavor.

If you’ve ever been to Japan, the Grilled Eggplant with Sweet Miso Paste is popular bar food. Since it’s difficult to find Japanese eggplant that is really fresh here in Boston, she uses regular eggplant. She showed us how to score it and then it gets soaked in a water bath to remove bitterness.

This dish is typically deep fried, but she showed us a healthier version that uses microwaving and pan frying instead. The sauce can be made in larger quantities and stored for use on other vegetables. It’s addicting!
Nathalie is Vietnamese and we both cook a lot of rice at home but Ayako showed us how to make it on the stove top using a Dutch oven. It was the best rice we had ever eaten. It’s not just the cooking method though. she took a special rice cooking class in Japan and used techniques that Japanese sushi chefs employ. It involves spring water, soaking and cooking at three different temperatures at a precise schedule. It’s worth it though! The rice was light and extremely fluffy with an almost sweet flavor.

We wondered how to get the minced shrimp not to fall out of the Shitake mushroom caps! She uses cornstarch and even when pan fried upside down, the filling stays put!

We did a Japanese quick pickle that involved smashing cucumbers. She demonstrates the technique in the video below.

The Sweet Kitchen cooking classes make great gifts! We took the class with a young couple, Mary and Allen. It was her birthday gift to him because he is Japanese American and grew up on Japanese home cooking.

At the end of the class, we all got to eat the product of our work. It was delicious!

The Sweet Kitchen teaches cooking classes from many different countries including Japan and Europe. If you want to learn something in particular, you can also request. Her class schedule is here. I’ll be back. I want to learn to make Japanese cheesecake!
March 1, 2014
Newton Youth Summit III with Kevin Breel Rescheduled for March 26

Newton Youth Summit III Rescheduled

Newton Youth Summit III is rescheduled for March 26th due to unforseen events with featured speaker Kevin Breel. We are sorry to have to reschedule, but are looking forward to featuring Kevin at the summit in March, which will be held from
6 to 9 p.m.

Thank you to everyone who was planning to attend on Feb. 5th and we hope you will be able to reschedule and join us in March. Looking forward to making the event even bigger and better!

February 28, 2014
Summer Camp 101: An Educational Forum for Parents at Zervas

Summer Camp 101: An Educational Forum for Parents

Wednesday, February 26th, 2014

7:00 to 8:30 PM

Zervas Elementary School

30 Beethoven Street, Waban

Enrolling your child at day camp or overnight camp is a significant decision that should be as fully informed as possible. This is an evening intended to do just that—assist families who are exploring camping options for their children. This is neither a sales pitch, nor a camp fair, but a unique opportunity for parents to hear from experts in the field.

A local camp referral agent and four different camp owners and directors, representing a day camp and girls, boys, and co-ed
overnight camps, will participate. In addition to answering your questions, this diverse panel will address a broad range of topics including:
• benefits of camping
• types of camps available & differences between them
• practical strategies for matching your child to the right camp
• ways to assess your child’s readiness for camp
• questions to ask a camp’s owners and directors
• how camps extend and enrich the work going on in schools

Please join us for this special event!

February 25, 2014
Shop and support NSHS’s Sustainable Agriculture Project

Shop and support Newton South High School’s Sustainable Agriculture Project. Did you know there is a fabulous vegetable garden at Newton South High School? There is!

Thanks to the students of the Sustainable Agriculture Project! 5% of the sales on 2/25/2014 from the Walnut Street Whole Foods Market will be donated to the project.

Support the students and help them pursue organic certification, start a CSA for the community, build season extending equipment & more!

February 24, 2014
Get Smart on Raising Healthy Eaters

Title: Get Smart on Raising Healthy Eaters

Date: Tuesday, February 25th

Time: 5:30pm

Location:

Bright Horizons

Wellesley

60 William St.

Cost: FREE

RSVP: Here

Description:

Raising healthy eaters is a critical, and often challenging, job for parents and caregivers. But we all know how important it is to raise children who prefer nutritious choices.

Danielle Shea Tan, Holistic Health Coach of Healthy Mamas for Happy Families, will be presenting this interactive seminar discussing the key factors that influence your child’s eating habits and what you, as parents and caregivers, can do to raise children who prefer nutritious foods. You’ll learn strategies for helping your child develop a positive relationship with food, fostering openness for trying new foods and how to effectively model healthy eating at home.

*Children of all aged welcome! Bright Horizons’ teachers will be hosting a children’s activity during the workshop so moms can relax and enjoy the seminar.

February 24, 2014
Bread & Chocolate Wins Judge’s Award at Cookie Competition

Eunice Feller, Owner & Chef, Bread & Chocolate, Wins Judge’s Award at Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts’ Cookie Creations Event

Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts’ Cookie Creations contest featuring local chefs took place last night at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge. Each chef was challenged to create a unique dessert or appetizer using Girl Scout cookies as a key ingredient.

Guests had the opportunity to taste each creation and vote for “Crowd Favorite.” Guest judges Maggie Battista, founder, Eat Boutique; Matt Herron, lead chef instructor, Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts; and Earle M. Test, director of education & executive chef, Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts chose “Best Overall Creation.” This adult fundraiser supporting leadership programs for Girl Scouts also featured a silent auction.

Both of the winning recipes featured the newest Girl Scout Cookie, Cranberry Citrus Crisps. Jon Riley, executive chef, Capers Catering of Stoneham won “Crowd Favorite” with his savory creation, Cranberry Orange Turkey Rangoons with Creamy Sage Dip. The judges selected the Cranberry Citrus Chutney with Lemon Coconut Mousse or with Goat Cheese & Arugula from Eunice Feller, Owner & Chef of Bread & Chocolate in Newton as the “Best Overall Creation.”

Other chefs who competed last night were Susan Abbott, executive pastry chef, The Catered Affair; Danny Angelopolus, Henrietta’s Table, The Charles Hotel, Harvard Sq.; Danielle Buxton, general manager, A Day to Remember, LLC; Brian Dandro, executive chef, The Royal Sonesta Hotel; Monica Glass, pastry chef,Clio & Uni Sashimi Bar; Donald Hernstrom, head chef and ice cream creator, J.P. Licks; Katie Kimble, pastry chef, Area Four; Lauren Kroesser, executive pastry chef, Eastern Standard; Christina Mercado, restaurant manager & pastry chef, Finale, Harvard Sq.; Brian Mercury, executive pastry chef, Harvest; and chefs from Kings Bowl America and Shake Shack.

Girl Scout cookies, on sale now through March 4, are $4 a package; gluten free are $5 a pouch. To find out where to buy cookies in your area visit www.hergirlscouts.org, click on the “cookie locator” and enter your zip code. Special thanks to event sponsor Yelp Boston.

February 23, 2014
Newton Places #60 for Safest City in United States

Newton is one of the United States’ safest communities, according to NeighborhoodScout whose list of the 100 safest cities in America with 25,000 or more people is based on the total number of property and violent crimes per 1,000 residents.

Crimes include burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, murder, forcible rape, armed robbery, and aggravated assault. Data used for this research are 1) the number of total crimes reported to the FBI to have occurred in each city, and 2) the population of each city.

Newton placed #60 on the list of 100 “Safest Cities 2014.”

The list of safe cities in Massachusetts include:

#79 Marshfield

#78 Arlington

#76 Billerica

#73 Melrose

#67 Belmont

#60 Newton

#52 Milton

#48 Dracut

#40 Agawam

#26 Needham

#24 Wellesley

#22 Andover

#13 Reading

#10 Shrewsbury

#7 Lexington

#1 Franklin

February 22, 2014