Category: All About Newton

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

Engine 6 Project: Low Income Housing in Waban Round Up

Here’s a round up of links on the Engine 6 Project which is housing for homeless people.

Mayor faces heat for housing stance from The Boston Globe.

With his reelection campaign underway, Mayor Setti Warren of Newton stunned some of his supporters and gave grist to his opponents when he came out against funding a housing program for homeless people in Waban, one of the city’s wealthiest neighborhoods.

Viability of Newton’s Engine 6 project unclear in wake of Warren decision from Wicked Local Newton.

Warren described the proposed $3 million redevelopment of the historic Engine 6 station on Beacon Street as a “worthy proposal” for individuals and families in need, some of which “have not been served as well as they could in the past.” Despite those needs, Warren said he “can’t support the allocation of funding for the proposal at this time.”

John Rice: Mayor Setti Warren made the right decision on Engine 6 from Wicked Local Newton

As a strong supporter of affordable housing and ward alderman for the Waban community, I am voicing my support for Mayor Warren’s withdrawal of the proposed Engine 6/Pine St. project.

Arons-Barron: Liberals were unfair to Setti Warren re: Engine 6 from Village 14.

Marjorie Arons-Barron writes that Newton liberals unfairly criticized Mayor Setti Warren over the recent affordable housing discussions around Engine 6. She was one of the affordable housing activists in the 60′s and recalls the importance of public dialogue during those days.

Hess-Mahan calls on Newton Mayor Warren to reconsider afford housing project from Village 14

Alderman-at-Large and Mayoral candidate Ted Hess-Mahan today called on Mayor Setti D. Warren to reconsider his decision to block funding for a proposal to build affordable housing for once homeless people at the former Engine 6 Fire Station in Waban.

Newton Mayor Setti Warren blocks homeless housing bid in Waban from Boston.com.

“There are several reasons why I cannot support the allocation of federal funding for the proposal at this time,” Warren said in a statement. “For an affordable housing project to move forward anywhere in the city, I believe it is essential that we first allow for an appropriate period of time for our residents to be heard.”

Opponent Criticizes Mayor’s Decision to Block Housing for Homeless from Newton Patch.

Alderman-at-Large Ted Hess-Mahan said the decision “stifled” public discussion into the project planned to be built in Waban.

Read more: Judge for yourself: PDF of Engine 6 Proposal.

Engine 6 Redevelopment Permanent Supportive Housing from Waban Area Council.

July 19, 2013
Hot Dog Throwdown at Whole Foods Newton

Come to a Hot Dog Throwdown at Whole Foods in Newton off Walnut Street! Celebrate with us from 11:00 am to 1:00pm on July 20th.

$1 Hot Dogs- Let the teams top your dog!

A July 20^th Event- National Hot Dog Day!

Help choose which team has the best hot dog toppings! Now that’s a celebration!

Whole Foods Market

916 Walnut Street

Newton, Ma. 02461

July 17, 2013
Summer Lovin’ for Animal Rescue League of Boston Adult Cats

Summer can be a tough time for adoptable adult cats. People walk in and are immediately smitten by an adorable kitten and often overlook many fabulous older felines! Please consider an adult cat.

Animal Rescue League of Boston currently has 60 cats between the ages of one and five years.

On top of that, they have 16 cats in our shelters that are over five years old.

Sadly, their average stay in the shelter is 31 days. That’s a long time for a kitty to be waiting for a home! Don’t these cats deserve to be living out their golden years in a loving home?

There are many benefits to adopting an older cat. Please adopt one (or two) today! By adopting these fantastic felines, you also help our ranking in the ASPCA Rachael Ray Challenge, which ends Aug.31.

July 16, 2013
Body After Baby: How My Fitness Routine Launched My Business

Please welcome Kimberly Negron, owner of The Studio Empower in Newton Centre!

Growing up, I played a lot of different sports, danced and I’ve always been a cardio junkie. A few years ago, I had my first child, and I became both self-conscious of my post-baby body and, like most new moms, more time-crunched than ever before to fit in fitness.

Searching for a workout that I could do quickly but that would give me results, I came across Lagree Fitness (formerly known as SPX fitness or Pilates Plus on the West Coast), and I fell in love! I found that going to a 45-minute class two or three times a week was giving me a better body than I’d even had before becoming a mom.

I had no idea that the workout I was rocking to get my confidence and body back after my first child would lead to an entrepreneurial venture, but after about six months of faithfully doing Lagree Fitness (and getting my sister addicted in the process), I found myself with some exciting news: I was opening The Studio Empower in Newton Centre with my sister while also pregnant with my second child!

As a busy mom and business owner, I can more than feel our clients’ pain when it comes to how time crunched their days can be. Fitness so often falls to the bottom of the priority list for parents like myself, and so providing others with the chance to work out quickly, efficiently and effectively is a really important mission for me in owning my business.

Lagree Fitness draws from the restorative, lengthening properties of Pilates while also incorporating strength training and cardio. We use a patented machine called the Megaformer M3, which allows the workout to be extremely low-impact. It’s great for those with joint issues or injuries, those new moms just coming back to fitness, or even women who are still pregnant.

The workout burns tons of calories (our clients are always dripping with sweat!) while stretching, lengthening and toning every muscle group. It works small muscle groups that you might not otherwise ever feel—you’ll leave a class with a sense of accomplishment and you’ll know why the next day when you feel those sore muscles! It’s always felt good to me to get in, get out and to know that I am doing the best thing for my health and body.

Of course, along the way, as an entrepreneur, mom and fitness junkie, there have been a few lessons learned about balancing health and motherhood with the rest of life!

1. Always have a healthy snack on you. (My favorite is almonds.) Things get so hectic, and with children and a small business, I’m always on the go. This ensures I don’t resort to junk food or other unhealthy habits and keeps me fueled.

2. Make lists. It sounds simple, but list-making is about more than just keeping things organized. I feel so good every time I cross something off. To-do lists for multi-tasking moms can stretch forever, so it’s important to pause and feel that sense of accomplishment.

3. Prioritize exercise. Being a good parent, partner and professional means being good to yourself first. Staying fit and health is important for the longterm well-being of your family and your business. Use your mind to make some affirmations for yourself. Find ways to relax, relieve tension and minimize stress. Taking time off for yourself isn’t just a benefit for you—it’s a benefit for your work and your family, as well!

We’d love to have Pragmatic Mom readers join us for a workout at The Studio Empower in Newton Centre! We can’t wait to help get those bodies back quickly and efficiently, whether your baby was born a few months or a few years ago!

Kimberly Negron is the owner of The Studio Empower in Newton Centre. For more information or to try a class, visit www.thestudioempower.com. New clients can take their first class for $10.

July 12, 2013
Does Your Dog Have What It Takes to be on TV?

In anticipation of the national launch on DIRECTV, DOGTV has also announced a pre-sale promotion, as well as “MyDOGTV,” a social media casting call to find new dogs to be featured in a special program called “My Dog.”

DOGTV is the first television network for dogs

DOGTV is a trusted source of scientifically developed content for dogs. DOGTV programming content is organized into relaxing, stimulating, and behavior-improving segments that work together to provide just the right balance for the daily cycle of our beloved “stay-at-home” pups. DOGTV’s revolutionary content is designed for a dog’s visual, auditory and emotional sensibility.

For more information, please visit: www.dogtv.com/directv.

The video is meant to relax your dog.

July 11, 2013
Summer Arts Weekend Boston: July 26-28

From July 26-28, Boston Summer Arts Weekend takes over Copley Square, showcasing Boston’s thriving arts community by bringing local and national artists to the city for a variety of performances. But on Saturday morning, July 27, the main stage comes alive with Boston’s best family musicians, performing a range of music guaranteed to have people of all ages tapping their toes and dancing to the beat. With costumed characters, face painting, balloon art and much more, Boston Summer Arts Weekend becomes a destination for the entire family.

The morning begins at 11 am with Vanessa Trien, a Boston-based singer-songwriter who has become a rock star among the young and young at heart. The “Nessa Groupies” have been known to sing and dance in the aisles at her packed shows with her lively band, the Jumping Monkeys.

Vanessa Trien will be followed by Airborne Comedians, two performers who’ve traveled the globe performing their high energy, unorthodox comedy juggling show to the delight of all ages. Dan Foley and Joel Harris throw and catch birdbaths, lawn-chairs, electric guitars and baseball bats in their hilarious juggling routines while balanced atop 6 and 7-foot high unicycles.

With countless awards to their credit, including five Parent’s Choice awards, Ben Rudnick and Friends will round out the main stage programming with an adventurous, high-energy blend of happy, upbeat acoustic music, guaranteed to entertain an entire family. Blending musical styles from country to rock, their original songs and fun takes on familiar tunes make the audience stand up, sing and dance.

The Fountain Stage will feature a variety of dance and music, including the Harney Academy of Irish Dance, the non-profit music organization Zumix, Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band, and much more. Also joining in the fun for the day will be costumed characters from WGBH, including Clifford the Big Red Dog, Curious George and Arthur.

Blues and jazz icon Dr. John and the Nite Trippers as well as the legendary Preservation Hall Jazz Band will headline Friday’s opening concert at Copley Square. Noe Socha, a guitar and harmonica blues artist and student at Berklee College of Music will open the evening’s performance and will be followed by the bluegrass band Della Mae.

Saturday will celebrate music of the world. The day will feature performances from Carlos Nunez, a Galician bagpipe player from the Celtic region of Spain, ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro, Grammy-Award winning Beninoise singer-songwriter Angelique Kidjo, Brooklyn-based Bhangra band Red Baraat and Boston’s own Session Americana.

Sunday will feature a performance from the Boston Landmarks Orchestra with Carlos Nunez, the New England Conservatory Jewish Music Ensemble and The Boston Conservatory Broadway Revue before the festival closes with a full set from Alison Krauss. Krauss, who has released 14 albums, has helped spur a renewed interest in bluegrass music in the U.S. She has been nominated for 41 Grammy Awards and has won 27, making her the most awarded living recipient.

Boston After Dark

Once the main stage at Copley Square darkens, the music will continue with a series of ticketed After Dark performances. In this relaxed and intimate cocktail party setting, attendees will be treated to short-form, intimate performances from the artists who were featured earlier that day on the main stage. Sometimes acoustic, occasionally amped, these performances will feature unique collaborations by the artists and special guests. Tickets for the Boston Summer Arts Weekend After Dark events are $65.00 per night and tickets for the Baroque Brunch are $75.00. All tickets can be purchased online at www.bostonsummerarts.com.

Local Arts Participation

Local arts organizations will offer discounts and unique programming for the public, all of them featured in a special guide. All arts and entertainment organizations are invited to list their events in the guide and on the Summer Arts Weekend website free of charge. The guide will be distributed in The Boston Sunday Globe and the Worcester Telegram & Gazette and will be available online at WGBH.org. To submit a listing, please visit www.BostonSummerArts.com.

Presented by Citizens Bank, the 2013 Boston Summer Arts Weekend takes place July 26-28, 2013. The weekend will feature a free festival on Copley Square, special offers around the city, and a series of ticketed unique performances. With music ranging from classical and jazz to Latin, bluegrass and soul, dramatic theater and dance, Summer Arts Weekend will showcase Boston’s thriving arts community by bringing local and national artists to the city for a variety of performances. The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) will also be onsite at the festival. Staff from GBFB will be collecting monetary donations to help local residents in need through GBFB member agencies in eastern Massachusetts.

Summer Arts Weekend is presented by Citizens Bank. For more information, follow Boston Summer Arts weekend on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/BostonSummerArts and follow @BSAW_Tweets on Twitter. More details are also available at www.bostonsummerarts.com.

July 9, 2013
Newton Resident Pens Auto Memoir

Memoirs of a Hack Mechanic is by the longtime Newton resident Rob Siegel. It’s a pretty funny book about being a car guy and how best to balance that with being a dad, a husband, a guy that’s got to contribute to household chores and expenses.

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In Memoirs of a Hack Mechanic, Rob Siegel shares his secrets to buying, fixing, and driving cool cars without risking the kids’ tuition money or destroying his marriage. And that’s something to brag about considering the dozens of cars, including twenty-five BMW 2002s, that have passed through his garage over the past three decades.

A geophysicist by day and self-professed car junkie in his free time, Siegel explores his passion for cars with unflinching honesty and offers a unique window into the Car Guy mind. For over 25 years, Rob has written a monthly column called “The Hack Mechanic” for the BMW Car Club of America’s magazine Roundel. Along the way he reflects on the genesis of his fascination with boxy little German sedans, the miserable Triumph GT6+ he owned in college, rebuilding the engine of his wife’s VW bus in the kitchen of their first apartment, how cars affect family dynamics, and why men really love cars. And in showing how cars have repeatedly been the conduit for deep human connections in his life, Siegel reveals his controversial theory that beyond their greasy fingernails, gearheads are actually intimate, caring creatures. Siegel also explains why, in a world over which we have so little control, the act of diagnosing and painstakingly fixing broken cars can be immensely therapeutic. Just don’t ask him to fix other people’s cars!

With a steady dose of irreverent humor, Memoirs of a Hack Mechanic blends car stories, DIY advice, and cautionary tales in a way that will resonate with the car-obsessed (and the people who love them).

Rob is the longtime columnist for BMW Roundel magazine. His first book has already received terrific reviews in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and Autoblog.

More information on the book here.

p.s. My husband is reading the book right now and he really likes it. We are hoping to bump into Rob in Newton for more details!

July 8, 2013
Auburndale Commuter Rail Accessibility Project

On Wednesday, July 10 (7:30 -9 PM), a community meeting will be held at The Village Bank, 307 Auburn St. in Auburndale, to discuss the Auburndale commuter rail accessibility project.

The MBTA project team and its architect will provide a slide presentation and answer questions about the design of the Auburndale station and plans to make it handicap accessible.

July 6, 2013
Stayin’ Alive Performance by Cambridge Youth Dance Program

Join the Cambridge Youth Dance Program in their quest to stay alive and continue to impact young artists in our community.

The evening includes cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction and live entertainment from Khalid Hill, Beantown Lockers, Floorlords, CYDP Dancers, DJ Leanski & Safire and Emcee Al Vasallo from WHDH TV.

Stayin’ Alive

at the A.R.T. in Cambridge.

One Night Only! Thursday, July 25th at 7:30 pm

July 3, 2013
Newton’s 4th of July
For the past 24 years, Newton Community Pride has sponsored the July 4th Festivities for the City of Newton. With the help of our sponsors, this celebration has been totally free to the public.

Like most non-profit organizations, Newton Community Pride is feeling the pinch of the present economic crisis. We cannot continue without your help. Having enjoyed this event for so many years, free of charge, we hope that you will help keep this tradition alive. As Newton Community Pride celebrates its 24th Anniversary, please consider giving $24 (or any amount you choose) to help continue this fun-filled day for another 24 years!

Send a check payable to Newton Community Pride to 225 Nevada Street, Newton, MA 02460 or use your credit card to make a tax deductible donation on-line.

Newton 4th of July Celebration

Newton Centre Playground at Tyler Terrace from 10 AM – Noon

For children 3 – 12.

Cancelled in the event of rain.
- Grande Pet Parade
- Teddy Bear Parade
- Decorated Doll Carriage Promenade
- Foot Races
FREE ice cream, candy and drinks sponsored by Cabot’s Ice Cream, Trader Joe’s!

Russell J. Halloran Field & Sports Complex

OPEN AIR MARKET & AMUSEMENT RIDES
1 – 9 PM
- Handmade and International Crafts
- Food Vendors
- Children’s Activities
- Amusement Rides
NoonMaestro Muscians, String Quartet2:00 pmThe Kapps – Classic Rock & Roll3:00 pmThe Circuit Theatre Company4:30 pmKevin McNamara – Troubador

Entertainment in the Gazebo

Maestro Muscians, String Quartet at Noon

The Kapps – Classic Rock & Roll at 2 pm

The Circuit Theatre Company at 3 pm

Kevin McNamara – Troubador at 4:30

Music and Dancing at 6 PM
- Live music performed by the Bo & Bill Winiker Orchestra.
- Bring blankets and lawn chairs
- Food vendors, crafters and novelties on site!
Firework show at 9 PM at Albemarle Field in Newton.

Many thanks to Newton Community Pride, The Mayor’s Office for Cultural Affairs and, The Newton Parks and Recreation Department, Cabots Ice Cream and Trader Joe’s for this spectacular day of fun and celebration!
July 2, 2013