Interview with Alex Brown

This is an interview I did with 17 year old Alex Brown who has lived in JP his entire life.

Jeremy Maher: How long have you lived in JP?

Alex Brown: Almost 18 years.

JM: Have you always lived in the Forest Hills area?

AB: Yeah.

JM: What do you like most about JP?

AB: It’s accessibility to the city and such.

JM: Like on the T?

AB: Yeah.

JM: What do you not like about [JP]?

AB: I don’t like the gentrification. The like all the shit that causes it.

JM: What can you tell me about it?

AB: Well I mean how it’s pushing lower income people out and just like screwing them over. That’s what the issue is with gentrification. Also like destroying the [diverse] culture that is has. That JP has had for a really long time, especially in the latino community.

JM: How do you feel about people who call Jamaica Plain the hipster capital of Boston?

AB: I mean it kinda makes sense. A ton of people who are like moving in are yuppies in there 20’s that are sorta just getting by off of super super wealthy parents, driving the rent up and a lot of people who have been living there for decades who haven’t necessarily had fix rent, but people who assumed that the rent would stay the same, now it’s going up and it’s pushing all of them out.

Jamaica Plain...in my notebook

This picture is captures some awesome attributes of Jamaica Plain.
By: Jabari Canada

The Massachusetts State House

by Ben Poser

      One very important Boston landmark which tourists seem to find interesting but native Bostonians (like me) seem not to really notice is the Massachusetts State House. Completed in 1798, it has been the seat of the state legislature ever since and is — I am told — one of the iconic symbols of the city. Located sprawling across 24 Beacon Street, it is an imposing yet elegant structure which looks over the Boston Common like a very real kind of judicial “big brother.”

      For sure, the most obvious and eye-catching feature of the building is the golden dome crowning it. On sunny days, it shines so brightly that it can be seen for miles, and even when it’s cloudy it is still almost as visible. The gold is real gold leaf; the dome was originally lined with copper (installed by Paul Revere’s smithing company), then painted, and was later gilded in 1874 — that gold deteriorated over the years, and was finally re-gilded by order of the Commonwealth in 1997.

      My group spent a reasonable amount of time walking around the State House, looking at the architecture, the surroundings, and the people milling around. Probably the most memorable episode from our trip was something which caught Kendi’s eye on the gate to the entrance on the building’s right-hand side, a sign which read “Hooker Entrance.” We giggled like teenagers do and went off to look for this possibly licentious entrance. We found it on the building’s left wing dominated by a massive bronze statue of the notorious ladies man General Joseph Hooker on horseback to welcome visitors. Kendi still found this so funny that, as I remember, he insisted on being photographed in front of the pedestal bearing the name “Hooker”; for fun, in a great moment of naughtiness I suggested that he pose holding a dollar bill, which he did, and the desired effect was achieved.

      Since we were going to be walking around Beacon Hill, in truth I had expected that we might visit the State House, however I made the mistake of also expecting that it would be boring — obviously, I was wrong.

photo by Ben Poser

Samuel Adams Brewery Tour

By: Jack Capotorto

Located on 30 Germania Street in Boston, Massachusetts the Samuel Adams Brewery is one of the most unique and popular places in Jamaica Plain. Although you must be 21 and over to witness this historic brewery tour it is must-see part of the Jamaica Plain suburb of Boston for of-age adventurers. I sent my investigative reporter, Conor McDonough, to experience the brewery.

“It was a really interesting and informative tour,” McDonough explained. “They took you through all the steps in preparing, making and bottling the beer.” He later explained how Samuel Adams let you smell and taste ingredients as well as sample some of their most famous beers. “They let our group taste up to fifteen beers by just passing them around and in my opinion about ten of them were really good.” McDonough also went on to say that some of the last beers they tasted were new beers added to the Samuel Adams collection. “I think they made us the test dummies for some of the new beers and although some of them weren’t too good I was happy they were utilizing my feedback.”

Once you are old enough to experience the brewery, Samuel Adams offers tours Monday through Thursday from 10AM till 3PM, Fridays from 10AM till 5:30PM, and Saturdays from 10AM till 3PM. Finally, the best part about this brewery tour is that it is 100 percent free but donations are always greatly appreciated.

Mothers Make the Best Critics in the North End

By Devin Fletcher

As a rice-and-bean vegetarian who loves food yet knows very little about it, the North End with its vast array of choices can be a wildly overwhelming place. Especially when my mother is with me, hungry, a meat-eater, and I’m a college student trying to prove knowing my way around – while eating on a dime.

Fortunately, while wandering around the North End, I took a dive into the lovely corner restaurant that is the Florentine Café – a surefire win based on the name alone, similar to my mother’s favorite haunt in Venice: Café Florian. 

Located on the corner of Hanover and Prince, and renovated in 1995, the Café has served the Boston area for over seventy years, and welcomes costumers with an old-world charm as well as a contemporary sophistication. Of course, initially entering a place with fine wooden furnishings, enormous windows, and sweet paintings made my pocketbook skittish, but within moments these fears were laid to rest. While not cheap, the menu was perfectly manageable on my bi-weekly Emerson Stage paycheck, yet suitably nice enough to treat my magnificent mother.

The space itself it wonderful and comfortable, with light music playing and the classic North End windows that open from door to ceiling and wall to wall, allowing plenty of fresh air (when warm enough) and ambient noise. The food was simple and delicious, easily pleasing vegetarian and omnivore alike – for just over twenty dollars, I was able to order two salads, two paninis, and drinks for us as a pair – and seriously, thess paninis were the perfect balances of melting cheese, fresh tomatoes, crisp mesclun, and a splendid array of herbs. Thinking about it just made me hungry. Perhaps greatest of all was that in moniker it reminded my mother of Venice; but it food and charisma, service and charm, she immediately noted: “wow, this is so like our French café in Los Angeles!” Wrong nationality, but high compliment: she was always happiest when we lived in LA. Clearly, Café Florentine is a success in every way.  

A Tasty Review

By Sienna O’Han

       If you are a food lover, or particularly fond of sweets, then the North End is the place to be. Hanover Street is known for being flooded by family owned pastry shops, that honor traditional recipes straight from Italy with their unique and tasty treats. Mike's Pastry, which is world renowned for its mouth watering desserts, constantly has crowds lining the streets even on week days. If you show up outside its doors on a weekend night though expect to wait...and when I say wait I mean at least an hour. The desserts are good, but good enough to wait an hour for? Thank god for options. 
        If you are impatient like me, then there is another option right around the corner. And believe me you won’t be selling yourself short! Though Modern Pastry always has the shorter line of the two, this pastry shop is just as famous and delicious. If you're lucky you can snag one of the few tables inside and savor some of the most fantastic pastry outside of Italy.

        Loyal customers expect freshness every time they receive one of Modern’s quality desserts, which is one of the reasons they keep coming back again and again. After a short chat with a customer in front of me I learned that Mikes always wins when it comes to snagging the tourists, but Modern Pastries is loved by the locals. Mikes may have a larger menu, Modern’s smaller menu ensures that no items will be sitting around waiting to be bought up...plus the same pastries are far more expensive at Mikes. Why pay more when you are getting the same product for half the price?! 
       I’ve been to Mikes a couple of times, so of course I had to try out this rivalry pastry shop, and see what all the hype was about. I was not disappointed. The cannoli I ordered was rich, creamy, and filled with whipped ricotta that put my favorite New York pastry shop to shame. My vote goes to Modern. It’s true, the locals definitely know whats best!

A Stroll Down Hanover Street
By Sienna O'Han