I Love Newton

Category: Spotlight

Local companies highlighted in Newton, MA.

  • Massachusetts: 2nd Safest State in America

    Massachusetts: 2nd Safest State in America

    WalletHub released its report on 2016’s Safest States in America.

    Massachusetts: 2nd Safest State in America

    “Safety” of course takes many forms, and in order to help families find the “safest” place to lay down roots, WalletHub’s analysts compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 25 key metrics. Our data set ranges from “number of assaults per capita” to “unemployment rate” to “estimated losses from climate disasters.”

    Safety in Massachusetts (1=Safest; 25=Avg.)

    • 7th – Number of Murders & Non-Negligent Manslaughters per Capita
    • 11th – Estimated Property Losses from Climate Disasters per Capita
    • 1st – Fatal Occupational Injury Rate per 100,000 Full-Time Workers
    • 1st – Number of Fatalities per 100 Million Vehicle Miles of Travel
    • 26th – Number of Law-Enforcement Employees per Capita
    • 23rd – Unemployment Rate
    • 3rd – Bullying-Incidents Rate
    • 10th – Number of Sex Offenders per Capita
    • 1st – Share of Population Lacking Health Insurance
    • 6th – Number of Thefts per Capita

     

  • First Stationery Boutique on Wheels at The Street

    First Stationery Boutique on Wheels at The Street

    PAPERS & PRESENTS POPS UP
    AT THE STREET
    AND LAUNCHES THE COUNTRY’S
    FIRST STATIONERY BOUTIQUE ON WHEELS
    First Stationery Boutique on Wheels at The StreetPhoto Credit: Papers & Presents

    Papers & Presents rolls into and pops up at The Street this Friday, May 20th. As part of its activation, Papers & Presents will officially launch Penelope, the country’s first stationery boutique on wheels, to the public and will offer a comprehensive gift shop experience through The Pop-Up. The adorable, custom-made truck will be parked directly in front of Papers & Presents at The Pop-Up (3 Boylston Street, next to Star Market and MiniLuxe). Perfectly timed to graduation and wedding season, Papers & Presents is open daily, Friday, May 20, 2016 through June 13, 2016 from 10am-6pm.

    Between The Pop-Up and Penelope, the Papers & Presents shopping experience at The Street will offer a colorful selection of customizable gifts, party supplies and stationery that is expertly curated by owner Carolyn McCoy. McCoy started her business in 1988, selling stationery, invitations, and birth announcements via the trunk of her car. After running a beloved storefront in Wellesley for 16 years, McCoy recently closed her shop and created Penelope to allow for maximum freedom and flexibility.

    Penelope is a beautiful and petite 90 square feet. She features a skylight, hardwood floors, Jonathan Adler upholstery, a custom bookcase with uplighting, and a desk and bulletin board chock full of stationery and invitation displays.

    Popular items found both within The Pop-Up and Penelope include catchy cocktail napkins (like those that read Rosé all day), fleece blankets with college logos that can be customized with students initials and class year, monogrammed totes, laundry bags, Lucite trays, catchalls, clutches, accessories, and of course an array of personalized stationary, classic correspondence cards, and notepads. Papers & Presents can also monogram gifts purchased elsewhere.

    To connect with Papers & Presents on social media, follow @PapersPresents on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter; #goodiesonthego

  • Don’t ask for a job, Ask for advice…

    Don’t ask for a job, Ask for advice…

    “No matter how difficult your life may be, there is a path forward,” says Miller in his new book, Moppin’ Floors to CEO: From Hopelessness and Failure to Happiness and Success. “This is not a book about some quick tips to change your life, but rather about my true journey from feeling hopeless, despondent, and a failure, to transforming my life into one filled with much joy, happiness and success.”

    Miller’s advice includes:

    • No matter where you start, you can find success and achieve your goals.
    • The importance of having great mentors—reaching for help when you need it, and creating opportunities for those who need guidance.
    • Why the best piece of advice he ever received was, “don’t ask for a job, ask for advice.”
    • You need to have faith and believe in yourself. The biggest difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is the belief that they can turn their dreams into reality.
    • Why success is the best form of revenge.
  • Arsenal Food Truck Wednesdays

    Arsenal Food Truck Wednesdays

    Arsenal Food Truck Wednesdays

    Arsenal Food Truck Wednesdays

     

  • Juice Press Opens in Chestnut Hill’s The Street

    Juice Press Opens in Chestnut Hill’s The Street

    Juice Press Opens in Chestnut Hill’s The Street. Here’s footage from the blogger event.

    At Juice Press, we are committed to providing a premium plant-based product that tastes great and is free of all processed ingredients. Throughout the food and beverage industry descriptions including “healthy,” “low fat,” and “low sugar,” are overused and misused to confuse people about what the correct decisions are about food consumption.

    But in fact, there is not much to be confused about. At Juice Press, we believe the foundation of every diet should be based on leaving out processed foods. JP never uses preservatives, refined sugars, nor salts and only uses the highest quality organic produce. Customers have become hooked to our products because a diet made of real foods, makes them feel good!

    Juice Press Opens in Chestnut Hill's The Street

  • Valeo FC Partners with NE Revolution

    Valeo FC Partners with NE Revolution

    Valeo Futbol Club Announces New U12 Academy Alliance Partnership

    with the New England Revolution

    Valeo FC Partners with NE Revolution

    Valeo FC is excited to announce a new partnership with the New England Revolution Academy that will create enhanced opportunities for elite player development and provide worthy players with a defined pathway to professional soccer.

    The U12 Academy Alliance is a new collaboration between the Revolution Academy, Valeo FC and two other U.S. Soccer Development Academy teams. It will provide a high-level age-appropriate development platform for the region’s top young male players.

    “Gaining access for some of our players to compete at the highest level of youth soccer is a tremendous enhancement to our club,” says Valeo FC Director Emelio Williams. “Our mission is to develop a collaborative program to assist in identifying and developing elite-level soccer players within the New England region.”

    The Alliance will begin training players during the 2016-17 season and includes two other U.S. Soccer Development Academy clubs.

    The alliance clubs will work together on player development methods, best practices and other integrated MLS Youth Development inititives throughout the year. Players from any of the three U12 alliance teams will have a clear pathway into the New England Revolution Academy, starting at the new U13 age group.

    “We will have the opportunity to reach some of the region’s most talented youth players,” said Garry Hall, head coach of the Revolution Academy’s Under-14 team and the director of the new alliance. “The alliance offers young players an important number of training and competition opportunities at a critical age and allows us to identify and influence more players at a younger age level than a stand-alone team.  We look forward to helping prepare these young players to compete and continue their careers at the highest levels.”

    Once within the club partnership structure, the top players will be closely monitored and may be selected to transition to New England Revolution Academy’s new U13 Development Alliance team.

    Valeo Futbol Club’s mission is to provide the very best environment for soccer and personal development for committed players who are passionate about the game. Valeo coaches work closely with each player individually to instill the virtues of teamwork, discipline, respect, commitment, leadership and a strong work ethic.

  • Massachusetts 5th Best State for Working Moms

    Massachusetts 5th Best State for Working Moms

    Massachusetts Is the 5th Best State for Working Moms

    MA 5th best state for working moms

    Solo moms with young children constituting nearly three-quarters of all working women, the personal-finance website WalletHub conducted an in-depth analysis of 2016’s Best & Worst States for Working Moms.

    In order to help ease the burden on an underappreciated segment of the population, WalletHub’s analysts compared the attractiveness of each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia to a working mother. We did so using 13 key metrics such as median women’s salary, female unemployment rate and day-care quality.

    Life as a Working Mom in Massachusetts (1=Best; 25=Avg.)

    • 17th – Day-Care Quality
    • 4th – Access to Pediatric Services
    • 15th – Gender Pay Gap (Women’s Earnings as % of Men’s)
    • 21st – Ratio of Female Executives to Male Executives
    • 21st – Female Unemployment Rate
    • 16th – Parental Leave Policy
    • 7th – Length of Average Woman’s Workday
    • 11th – % of Single-Mom Families in Poverty

    For the full report, please visit here.

  • U.S. Soccer’s Girls Development Academy in 2017

    U.S. Soccer’s Girls Development Academy in 2017

    U.S. Soccer is starting a Girls Development Academy that is shaking up the girls’ soccer world. ECNL is in turmoil since losing its commissioner and is struggling to define itself. Will top players leave ECNL now that it’s downgraded a level to NPL? Will the top female soccer players turn, instead to the U.S. Soccer’s Girls Development Academy?

    U.S. Soccer started its Development Academy Program for boys in 2007 and the program, which currently consists of 152 clubs across five age groups, serves as the elite player development model for the country and has significantly improved the everyday environment for players, coaches and clubs. The Girls’ DA will be structured with many of the same principles and will begin play in the fall of 2017. The application process for clubs interested in being part of the new program will open in May of 2016.

    The guidelines for members will feature increased training requirements with fewer, but higher quality games. U.S. Soccer’s technical standards have been designed to benefit players and coaches, and allows clubs to work directly and collaboratively with U.S. Soccer technical staff and Youth National Teams. The overall focus of the program is to assist in developing world class players, coaches and referees by prioritizing training and player development within the team concept.

    From the start, the program will feature three combined age groups in the Girls’ Development Academy: U-14/15, U-16/17 and U-18/19. Clubs will be expected to train a minimum of four times a week. The players in the Girls’ Development Academy clubs will play exclusively within the Academy program and will not play in any outside competition, such as ODP or high school. The use of combined age groups will require clubs to form teams with a balanced roster of players from two distinct birth years. The games will be scouted by U.S.Soccer and the program will serve as a pathway to U.S. Soccer’s Youth National Teams. from Soccer Wire

    Part of the issue with ECNL was the uneven level of teams. Former ECNL coach and club executive in Connecticut, Anthony DiCicco, notes the challenges the ECNL Connecticut teams faced:

    We didn’t win as many games as most of you.

    Connecticut was tough – that’s another post for another time – but while the ECNL’s Northeast regional league benefited from two clubs who could serve as travel partners, it probably stretched the player pool too much. What’s going to happen now? Where are all these players going to come from to make up another top-tier league?

    The bottom line is where will college coaches recruit from? With two leagues ECNL versus U.S. Soccer’s Girls Development Academy, can they cover twice as much territory? Anson Dorrance, college coach at University of North Carolina will follow the talent:

    Assuming the new U.S. Soccer Girls Academy and the ECNL are dividing up the youth talent, we’re going to have to genuflect to both organizations if we want to effectively recruit.

    We’re going to have to follow where the best players are wherever they happen to be. We’re going to have to make that adjustment as collegiate coaches, unquestionably.

    While the FC Boston Scorpions are not going to pursue U.S. Soccer Girls Academy and stay with ECNL it seems, their ECNL teams are not ranked top 3 in Massachusetts (ranking from GotSoccer.com). And, Division 1 coaches don’t necessarily recruit by which league a player plays in; they recruit by going to certain tournaments.

    U.S. Soccer’s Girls Development Academy in 2017

    What the top girls’ soccer teams in Massachusetts? The newest standings (September 2016) are here.

    U13:

    1. SOUTH SHORE SELECT U13 ELITE
    2. GPS-MA NPL GIRLS 02/03
    3. AZTEC SOCCER GIRLS 02 NPL
    4. NEFC ELITE U13 GIRLS
    5. FC BOSTON SCORPIONS GU13 ECNL
    6. FC STARS OF MASS ECNL
    7. NEFC PREMIER NORTH U13 GIRLS
    8. FC STARS SOUTH UNITED 02/03
    9. CSU U13G NPL ELITE
    10. GPS MA METRO NORTH ELITE RED GIRLS 02/03

    U14:

    1. SOUTH SHORE SELECT U14 ELITE
    2. NEFC ELITE U14 GIRLS
    3. GPS-MA NPL GIRLS 01/02
    4. FC BOSTON SCORPIONS GU14 ECNL
    5. FC STARS OF MASS ECNL
    6. NEFC PREMIER NORTH U14 GIRLS
    7. FC STARS OF MASS WEST UNITED 01/02 GIRLS
    8. FC BOSTON SCORPIONS NORTH U14 ELITE/NPL
    9. GPS MA METRO NORTH ELITE GIRLS 01/02
    10. FC BOSTON SCORPIONS GU14 NPL

    U15:

    1. NEFC ELITE U15 GIRLS
    2. SOUTH SHORE SELECT U15 ELITE
    3. AZTEC SOCCER GIRLS 00 NPL
    4. FC STARS OF MASSACHUSETTS ECNL 00/01
    5. GPS-MA NPL GIRLS 00/01
    6. FC STARS OF MASS NORTH UNITED
    7. FC BOSTON SCORPIONS GU15 ECNL
    8. SPIRIT OF LIVERPOOL 2000 G REDS
    9. NEFC PREMIER NORTH U15 GIRLS
    10. CSU U15G NEP ELITE

    U16:

    1. NEFC ELITE U16 GIRLS
    2. GPS-MA NPL GIRLS 99/00
    3. NEFC PREMIER NORTH U16 GIRLS
    4. FC STARS OF MASSACHUSETTS ECNL 99/00
    5. AZTEC SOCCER GIRLS 99 NPL
    6. NEW ENGLAND RUSH G99-00 RUSH
    7. FC STARS OF MASSACHUSETTS NPL
    8. FC BOSTON SCORPIONS GU16 NPL
    9. GPS BAYERN NATIONAL
    10. CSU U16G NEP ELITE

    U17:

    1. NEFC ELITE U17 GIRLS
    2. FC STARS OF MASSACHUSETTS ECNL 98/99
    3. AZTEC SOCCER GIRLS 98 NPL BLACK
    4. NEW ENGLAND RUSH G98-99 RUSH
    5. SOUTH SHORE SELECT 98/99 ELITE
    6. NEFC PREMIER NORTH U17 GIRLS
    7. NOVA PREMIER SPARKS
    8. GPS-MA NPL GIRLS 98/99
    9. FC STARS OF MASSACHUSETTS NPL 98/99
    10. FC BOSTON SCORPIONS NORTH GU17E

    U18:

    1. GPS-MA NPL GIRLS 97/98
    2. FC BLAZERS GIRLS 97/98
    3. FC STARS OF MASSACHUSETTS NPL 97/98
    4. AZTEC SOCCER GIRLS 97 NPL
    5. FC BOSTON SCORPIONS NORTH GU18E
    6. SOUTH SHORE SELECT 97/98 ELITE
    7. FC STARS OF MASSACHUSETTS ECNL 97/98
    8. NEW ENGLAND RUSH G97-98 RUSH
    9. WESTERN UNITED PIONEERS FC RED 97/98
    10. FC STARS OF MASSACHUSETTS CENTRAL UNITED

    The question is what teams in Massachusetts will be invited to join the U.S. Soccer’s Girls Development Academy in 2017? My guess would be Breakers Academy’s new affiliation with NEFC indicates that NEFC would be chosen. If a second team is selected, it looks like South Shore Select would in contention as would GPS/NPL if they chose to switch leagues. But, who knows? Soccer is game of politics, after all!

  • Legit Activewear Pop Up Store at The Street

    Legit Activewear Pop Up Store at The Street

    The Street announces that Wellesley-based Legit Activewear is now open inside The Pop-Up, The Street’s storefront concept devoted to a rotating mix of innovative and locally grown businesses.

    Legit Activewear Pop Up Store at The Street

    The Pop-Up opens, April 1, 2016, through April 16, 2016, bringing luxury activewear brands like Adidas by Stella McCartney, ALO, Michi NY, HPE, Vimmia, Koral, and Spiritual Gangster from Legit’s flagship Wellesley boutique to The Street.

    Previous tenants in The Pop-Up include Kane’s Donuts, Alice’s Table, The Third Piece and OMG! Bagels. The Pop-Up at The Street is located at 3 Boylston Street Chestnut Hill, MA.

    Since opening last April, Legit Activewear has offered Wellesley shoppers the best in luxury, fashion, and fitness with their mix of designer activewear brands including SukiShufu, Ultracor, Blanc Noir, pheel and L’urv. Legit’s emphasis on the athleisure trend has caught the attention of The Boston Globe, which placed the boutique on their “Best of the New” list of shops and services.

    Legit Activewear is open daily, Monday through Sunday, from 10am to 6pm at The Pop-Up at The Street.

    Following Legit Activewear, The Pop-Up will host gourmet marshmallow and confection maker Sweet Lydia’s, with a special selection of cards from local stationary brand Crumple & Toss in celebration of Mother’s Day from April 25 to May 15, 2016.

    Looking ahead to summer, Rancatore’s Ice Cream will occupy The Pop-Up space, bringing specialty frappes and ice cream flavors such as Hazelnut Cream, Lemon Lemonsnap, and Tiger Milk, available by the cup, cone and pint, to The Street.

  • Indoor Cycling Class with Sue Bear

    Indoor Cycling Class with Sue Bear

    An indoor cycling class with Sue Bear

    All levels welcome.

    Indoor Cycling Class with Sue Bear

    Whether you have never been on an indoor bike or you are an expert, this class is for you.

    Get back in shape. Recover. Get stronger. Thoughtful music. Easy cues. Pedal hard. Dream Big. Come along for the ride.

    April 2 10am-11am

    April 5-May 24: Tuesdays, 9am-10am

     

    Premier Fitness Training/Power pedal

    55 Charles Street

    Needham, MA behind Staples

    $15 per class Bring sneakers, indoor cycling shoes and water. Towels provided.

    Questions: Ask Sue Bear

    Call/text: 617-413-6109

    Email: sue.bear@mac.com