While out on my evening promenade, I stepped into one of the lovely little local wine shops and found a bottle that piqued my interest.  It’s called “Monte Antico” and it’s produced by Neil Empson and Franco Bernabei.  From the little bit of research I’ve done, the wine is a blend consisting mostly of Sangiovese with a splash of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  The importer and proprietor of the estate, Neil Empson, has collaborated with winemaker Bernabei to create a juicy quaffable wine at an affordable price.  I paid $11.99 for the bottle.

Monte Antico is a tasty wine.  It has plenty of dried red cherry flavor, and on the palete it retains a relatively high level of acidity making it delicious with the smoked trout that I’m eating and trying not get on the keyboard.  I often find Sangiovese to be a little on the thin and acidic side.  For Monte Antico, the addition of the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot give it a pleasant plumpness that fleshes out the sinewy character that is typical of Sangiovese.  The tannins are fading though still evident.  With the right tomato-based sauce, cured meats or sausages, they will be hardly distinguishable.  There are also some nice leathery and sandalwood aromas that evoke the fall – think crunchy leaves underfoot and smoke coming from the fireplace chimney.  It spent one year in an oak cask before being released and though the oak is well integrated, after three years in bottle the flavors of the barrel are beginning to dominate the wine, but only slightly so.  I would venture to say that the wine is about at its peak, which makes it all the more pleasurable to be knocking back a glass or two this evening.

Look for it on the shelves at your local wine shop and treat yourself to a home-cooked Bolognese sauce.  I will be enjoying this combination later this evening when my better half returns from a night of rehearsing.  Following is my recipe that has won rave reviews from friends recently.  Cheers!

Ragu Bolognese Majestica

• 1/2 lb. ground bison
• 1/2 lb. ground pork
• 1/2 lb. 80/20 ground beef
• 2 carrots chopped
• 1 large yellow onion chopped
• 2 stalks celery chopped
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 or 4 stalks of fresh thyme
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• salt and pepper

1. sweat the garlic, onion, celery, and carrot in a large Dutch oven over low heat until tender but not brown.  Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the bay leaf, thyme, meat and continue to cook over low heat until almost dry (about two hours).  With a spatula or wooden spoon, work the meat into small pieces stirring every twenty minutes or so.  Season with salt and pepper.
3. Stir in tomato paste, milk, cinnamon until all ingredients are well incorporated.  Add more milk to achieve the desired consistency.
4. Bring ragu to a simmer.  Adjust final seasoning with salt and pepper and serve over pasta of your choice.

Several weeks ago, The Weekday Rambler, aka my mom, paid me a visit from Louisiana.  It’s always great when mom comes because it gives me a chance to do one of the things I love best in life, and that is being a tourist in my own Boston.  We have seen many sights together since she has visited several times now.  In an effort to find something new I turned to the internet and found the Rose Nichols House in Beacon Hill.

The Nichols house was built in 1804 and still stands more or less in original form today with a few modern additions.  It has been preserved with funding from generous benefactors since the time that it’s latest resident Rose Standish Nichols died in 1960.  The original furnishings are beautiful and there are some nice examples of Miss Rose’s fine needlepoint throughout the house.  The house is also filled with numerous paintings, portraits, and sculptures – some made by family members and some by famous European artists.  One painting of gondolas in Venice particularly caught my eye.  I think I remember the guide saying that it was painted by Guardi, whose work you can also see at the MFA here in Boston.

Mom and I visited the Nichols House on a weekday and were treated to a private tour filled with lots of personal information about Miss Rose and her life on Beacon Hill.  Growing up she must have been quite obstreperous testified to by the fact that she finagled her way into her own bedroom in a house with only two bedrooms at the age of thirteen.  The other was occupied by her parents.  Her two sisters, with whom she constantly fought, lived on the top floor with “the help”.

Later in life, she became a landscape architect as well as a published author.  She held salons or tea parties in which she deliberately invited people who had divergent viewpoints so as to generate conversation.  Miss Rose was known to defend her own ideas and opinions, and it sounds like she must have been a force to be reckoned with in a social or political debate.  Too bad she is not around today – I think I’d like to know her if she were.

Below are a few snapshots of our tour there.  The people who hosted us couldn’t have been more gracious and we really enjoyed spending time after the tour chatting with them about Boston, Beacon Hill, and the mint green vintage refrigerator in the employee kitchen.  Check out the Nichols House if you find yourself with a free afternoon in Beacon Hill on these waning days of summer for a taste of Boston rich history.

Their wine-making approach, admirably, is summed up by a hands-off philosophy in the vineyard utilizing organic and biodynamic techniques.  For example, though irrigation is allowed in Oregon, Belle Pente chooses to grow their grapes without aiding Mother Nature.  It’s an old world approach to making wine that involves a little more risk for the wine maker, but in the hands of a skilled farmer, it can produce fantastic results.  Some might argue that drought, or too much rain fall is really just “terroir”.  If you’re changing the amount of water that a vine is receiving, you are essentially changing its environment.  Of course, you’re opinion of all of this depends on how much of a purist you are, but no one can argue that Belle Pente’s wines are first rate in every respect no matter how they are made.

On the night of the dinner, we tried their lovely Pinot Gris, a Charonnday, three Pinot Noirs, and a surprising Muscat (Ottonel – not Blanc a Petit Grains au Jus Blanc).  In general, I found the wines to be well crafted.  The Pinot Gris was especially well-paired with an oyster and a gazpacho “shooter” with cucumber foam by Alex.  I found the floral/melon nuance of the wine to be a fantastic foil to the mild vegetal quality of the gazpacho and the briny taste of the oyster.  The Chardonnay, likewise showed a good balance between restraint and opulence so as not overwhelm the delicate sweetness of the lobster and to stand up to the heady earthy morels in the dish with which it was served.

Belle Pente’s Pinot Noirs also deserve special mention.  Some of the them had been bottle and shipped fairly recently just for the dinner.  Although, I feel that we were drinking them a bit young that evening, I could tell that there was something there that would turn into really great wine in a five or ten years time.  They were tightly wound, full of dense black cherry flavor, and layers of spice that lingered on the palate well after the glass was empty.  And though there was a noticeable difference between them, as time marches on, the differences will become exaggerated in my opinion showing the characteristics of each individual vineyard site.

A memorable duo of roasted lamb chop with cumin flavored ground lamb moussaka was served with the final Pinot Noir, the most chewy and dense of the three opened for sampling.  Thinking back on it now is making me hungry for more food from Scampo skilled kitchen, and thirsty for more of that delicious Pinot Noir.

The standout wine for the night, however, was the final pairing: a dry Muscat.  It was grapey, floral, and bursting with melon flavors with just a touch of residual sugar.  It was served alongside a cheese course that included some fantastic domestic cheeses: Kunik from New York, and Winnimere from Vermont.

I spoke with the winemaker, Brian, about the wine which had so engaged me.  He told me that they bought the grapes from a neighbor and were just beginning to figure out a winning formula for making the wine.  We seemed to agree that the lower alcohol content (around 11.5%) was one of the most charming aspects of the wine.  That coupled with a tease of sweetness made the wine so refreshing and summery.  I was pleased to be served a relatively dry and light bodied wine at the end of the meal as well, in place of something syrupy and/or with high alcohol as many dessert wines are.

Muscats of this style are not uncommon in Alsace or Spain, but to see one being made in this country is a real treat and speaks volumes to the potential of the grape grown on domestic soils.  Furthermore, one that is as delicious as this is something to be celebrated under any circumstance regardless of its country of origin.  I only wish Belle Pente made more.  So far their production of this wine has not exceeded 99 cases in its third vintage.  I hope that someone in Massachusetts will pick up the wine and pour it by the glass or sell me a case of it for drinking over the summer.

Thanks to Scampo for a terrific meal, and for the chance to taste Belle Pente’s lineup.  The evening was a treat all around and I’ll look forward to more in the future.

Annie and I met at Canteen near Central Square around 1 this afternoon.  I was pleased to see quite a crowd come and go in the half hour or so that we were there.  It seems they’re doing a “soft” opening – one that has been unpulicized more or less – just to get their land legs.

I arrived first and ordered the “Crafty.”  I sat and started to enjoy my sandwich while I waited for Annie.  I was hoping she would order something different and we could split half and half, but I also didn’t want to persuade her decision.  She ended up ordering the same sandwich that I did.  I guess great minds think alike!  I must confess however that I heard one of the owners (I think) tell another customer that it seemed to be the most popular so far.

The “Crafty” was served on good ciabatta bread and filled with roasted turkey, smokey bacon, creamy avocado, and dressed with a mildly spicy cherry pepper mayo.  It had nice texture from the chewy bread and the crispy bacon, and I liked the way that the fat from the avocado and mayo carried the intense flavor of the bacon and the subtle fruity spice of the cherry peppers.  I also really liked that I could still taste the turkey, even with all of the other flavors on the sandwich, since it could have easily been lost.  Great sandwich all around!

After Annie and I finished enjoyed our sandwiches, we decided that we needed ice cream.  It seemed like a logical progression on such a hot day, and we were relatively close to Christina’s, an Inman Square classic.  We both opted for sorbets feeling full from lunch.  I chose lemon rose and she had black cherry.  Both had a nice silky texture, and were bursting with tangy fruit flavors.  Annie remarked on the subtlety of the rose flavor in my sorbet.  It was just the right amount of a floral note so as not to overwhelm the delicate fresh lemon juice flavor of my sorbet.

I was disappointed that they were out of the coconut butterfinger ice cream that I love so much.  It sounds odd, but I’d venture to say that it might be the most delicious ice cream I’ve ever eaten.  The silver lining to that cloud, of course, is that it does justify another return to Christina’s… and soon.

Annie had to go to work, and I was left to my own devices with bulk of the afternoon ahead.  I couldn’t let the day go by without more adventure so I decided to head down to my new favorite hangout, Boston’s beautiful waterfront.  In a moment of serendipity, it turns out that my friend Teri had also chosen to spend the afternoon cooling off on the waterfront with a crossword puzzle in the shade.

Once Teri and I met up, I convinced her that we should go on a harbor cruise.  It was a perfect day to be out on the water – warm with blue skies and a light breeze.  We basked in the stunning scenic beauty of Boston Harbor and enjoyed relaxing while we were taken on a nice tour for the better part of an hour.  I snapped a number of photos, a few of which I am sharing with you below.

Teri and I wrapped up our afternoon at Sel de la Terre right on Long Wharf with a couple of refreshing adult beverages.  Some friends of mine work there, so we enjoyed telling them about our little adventure on the harbor, and they treated us to some delicious bites of food.  We had a tasty tomato salad and seared scallops with celery root puree.  We also succumbed to temptation by ordering the grand dessert – a sampler plate of sweets in miniature.

These kinds of days are the ones you wish you could relive over and over, but alas, all good things do come to an end.  Tomorrow it’s back to work and the busiest of all graduations of the year, Harvard.  Nevertheless, I will return refreshed and invigorated from a fantastic afternoon spent with dear friends in the town I love.

I have been spending more and more time concentrating on music lately and practicing almost everyday.  I also have new job(s) at my current place of employment that have been taking much more of my time than before.  I suspect that once the air clears a bit, I will have more of a routine, but for now I am enjoying new challenges and learning lots of new information about work.  I’d like to believe that shaking things up from time to time is a good thing.  I also have to say that though I have much less leisure time as of late, I have found myself a much happier and contented person as of late.

With all of that said, I was overjoyed to have a day off this past Sunday with no prior commitments and the afternoon spent lazily strolling around Boston on a perfect spring afternoon.  On a whim, I chose the historic North End for my adventure, and upon arrival, I began to question why I don’t spend more of my time there.

I spent the early part of the afternoon touring around a little.  On a pretty day, like this past Sunday, mere people watching in the North End can keep you occupied for hours without a chance of boredom.  People were out in droves – locals and tourists alike.  There was a line around the block for Giacomo’s, a popular seafood standby, as well as lines for Modern Pastry and Mike’s Pastry.  Actually, just about everywhere I looked, cafes were full and shops at least had browsers.  So much for the economic slump…

I took a little time to meander through St. Leonard’s, Boston’s oldest Catholic church.  It was built in 1873 to accommodate a growing community of Italian immigrants arriving in Boston by the Franciscans and named for one of their greatest friars, Dominic Casanova, who late became canonized as St. Leonard.  The church had some pretty stained glass windows and a lovely domed ceiling.

I also popped into the Old North Church where Paul Revere lit the fires to notify everyone of the British invasion.  They offer free tours (donations encouraged), and I caught the tail end of one and heard some interesting bits of history about a few of the artifacts in the church.  The clock in the picture below was built by early parishoners and is still in working order.  The angels that flank the pipe organ were stolen by a pirate/parishoner of Christ Church, Thomas Grucy, in 1746 en route to Quebec.  When the church was contacted to return the angels, the Quebecoise told these wild Boston Episcopaleans just to keep the angels, and that’s the truth!

With all of the lovely walking and historical touring that took up my afternoon, I managed to work up a mighty hunger.  Thank goodness the North End is full of amazing restaurants.  Figuring out which one to eat at was probably the hardest thing I did all day.

I wound up at Marco, a little second story eatery near Modern Pastry on Hanover.  The menu features both small and large portions of just about everything, only a few dishes only being offered as large portions.  Large portions prevented me from trying more than two things on the menu, although both were excellent.  I would have preferred to try more things, but I will keep Marco in mind for future meals with friends since the prices were so reasonable and the menu best suited to sharing.

Once I ordered, a ramekin of caponata with homemade focaccia arrived.  It had a nice sweet sour balance and I enjoyed eating it with the densely textured bread.  As much as I felt I should save room, I couldn’t resist gobbling up the tasty olives, raisins, and peppers with their lovely simple bread.  I also greatly appreciated their departure from the standard bread and olive oil service so common nowadays in Italian restaurants.

My first course was orechiette pasta with ramps, favas, and housemade sausage to start.  It was delicious and full of sinful cream.  I couldn’t finish it!  I was glad I only ordered a small.  It would have easily been enough for a pasta course for two or three people.  Still it was delicious, and I savored the rich sauce against the delicate spring vegetables and the mildly seasoned house sausage.

After the pasta, I tried one of the antipasti – yes, I know I went backwards, but I wasn’t sure I could handle a portion of a more expensive main course, and I didn’t want to waste food or money.  I chose their obligatory take on prosciutto and melon for what ended up being my final course.

The prosciutto was nice enough, as was the ricotta salata.  What made the plate, however, was the melon.  It seemed to have a little brown sugar syrup on it and I’m guessing at some point it had been caramelized in a skillet, though it was served chilled, so as to be refreshing on a nice day.  I really liked that little touch.  The exaggerated sweetness of the melon played nicely off the salty ham and cheese that I was eating it with and there was a nice combination of texture on the plate.

Their wine list is pretty good and includes some lesser-known producers.  I also liked the fact that there were some interesting varietals from Northern Italy that aren’t often represented, but definitely deserve to be enjoyed.  I liked even better their house wines by the litre, 1/2 litre, or 1/4 litre.  I thought the Feudo Arancio Grillo from Sicily was delicious for short money.  It went great with everything I ate and was easy on my wallet.

It was a delicious meal all in all, though I wished I could have tried more from their menu.  I’ll keep Marco in mind for future dinners when I’m out with a group.  With delicious and unique bread service, a unique and affordable wine list, and overall tasty food suitable for sharing,  It’s sure to make for a perfect evening of dining “family style” like a big Italian family.

Dan and I ended up having dinner there after my lovely city hike and tour of the gardens on Saturday.  I had encamped myself there at the bar drinking the first of the season’s gin and tonics.  When he called after his chamber music coaching was over, I invited him down to join me for a bite to eat.

The menu is full of wonderful options.  Our server emphasized that their pastas were made in house, and also pointed out the specials for the night, of which Dan ordered two.  Dan joined me in a g&t while I finished my second, and I opted for a nice bottle of Barbera produced by Pio Cesare.  The spicy dried cherry flavors of the wine went well with our food, and I was glad to see such a revered producer represented on their list.

My first course was a tagliatelle with clams and bacon.  It was a generous portion, the pasta was cooked just right and did indeed taste fresh.  I really enjoyed the smoky flavor of the bacon against the briny clams – a classic combination, but nonetheless, delicious.

Dan ordered the pork belly from the specials menu.  It had lovely flavor and a firm texture.  We both expected that it would fall apart a bit more, but enjoyed the meatiness of the dish.  However, as I write these lines, I’m also remembering that the pork was from a Tamworth pig, so the texture makes sense, although this did not occur to us at the time.  It was paired with what I believe was rhubarb.  It gave a nice tart accent that refreshed the palate while eating an otherwise very rich first course.  It was also nice to have a little crunch incorporated into the dish with the crispy seared bits on the pork belly and the crunch of the rhubarb.

I had the tea cured duck breast with an Asian sauce for my main course.  It finished with quite a bit of luxurious tamari soy sauce and served with asparagus and a creamy buttery sorrell risotto.  I enjoyed the unctuous salty character of the tamari against all of the other intensely rich items on the plate.  The duck was nicely cooked and had delicious crispy seared skin.

Dan had the bucatini special, which was really more of a spaghetti.  Neither of us could see the whole on the inside of the pasta.  The pasta, whatever it was, was again delicious, but isn’t bucatini supposed to be hollow?  Regardless, it had just the right texture and again tasted fresh.  I liked the simplicity of the dish – just bacon, some herbs, and grated cheese over the top – a lovely lighter style of carbonara.

Often, restaurants that put so much energy into their savory food don’t deliver on the dessert end of things, but the BHB fortunately follows through when it comes to sweets as well.  Both of our desserts were wonderful.  I had a light and airy Meyer lemon cheesecake and Dan had a hazelnut “gateaux.”

Our only complaint was that the gateaux was really more of an ice cream cake and tasted more like coffee than hazelnut, although the hazelnut flavor was definitely there.  Although the dessert delivered on every count: presentation, flavor, and originality, Dan was a little disappointed since he was expecting cake without so much emphasis on ice cream, and we felt the description was the tiniest bit misleading.  In any case, we devoured both desserts and felt quite satisfied after the meal.

Service throughout the meal was gracious and accommodating from the bar to the maitre-d’ to the dining room.  Plates were cleared efficiently and the food was served in a timely manner and succinctly and elegantly described.

Although we don’t frequent the BHB more than once a year or so, it does remain one of our favorite spots in Boston.  Likely, if we lived in Beacon Hill, we would be there a great deal more often.  You’re assured a pleasant dining experience when you go there, and please tell them that CQ sent you.

Since I found myself suddenly with nothing to do, I decided to take advantage of Mother Natures gift and embarked on a little city hike through my neighborhood of Brookline down to Beacon Hill in Boston.  I didn’t really have any particular purpose in mind, and just decided to wander and see what I might discover along the way.  People were out in droves and it seems many had the same idea, so I was in good company.

My first discovery was the Hall’s Pond Sanctuary in my own neighborhood Brookline.  It has a huge field that was being used for soccer and football, and there were a few folks soaking up some rays.  There is also an area set aside with a natural pond and wetlands, not dissimilar to the ones back home in Louisiana.  There is a lovely boardwalk built around the pond so that you can easily traverse it and enjoy the trees and flowering plants.  It was previously unknown to me, and I just happened to notice a sign on Beacon Street as I walked by.  I was glad I explored it, and I’ll be back sometime with a picnic, or just to lay out for a while and enjoy the sunshine in the near future.

After that I headed towards the Fenway area to see if the Rose Garden was in bloom yet.  It wasn’t, but I was treated to lots of tulips, daffodils, and what I think were lilacs.  Since I was already in the area, I headed over to the MFA for a bit to check out the Japanese Garden.

I found some busy sidewalk chalk artists at work on the granite steps facing Fenway and enjoyed the cheerful renderings.  Some were really quite impressive.  There were unicorns, butterflies, flowers, loud jazzy designs, and even a still life.  I think the good weather had put everyone in a good mood.

The Japanese Garden was stunning as always.  The last few times I’ve been to the MFA, I’ve walked by, but been disappointed that it wasn’t open.  It was worth the wait seeing it however, and perhaps the anticipation made it even more special.  The garden is an interpretation of a 15th century Zen garden by Kinsaku Nakane.  It features large rocks and gravel taken from the North Shore and plantings of local species that can survive the cold winters.  I have never seen it in the Spring, and it was a real feast for the eyes and soul.  I spent a half hour or so in the quiet and peaceful garden and felt happy that I could just be there.

I couldn’t let the afternoon end without heading to Boston most famous garden, the Public Garden at the middle of town.  It was packed with people.  There were plenty of performers as well – a man with a long grey beard rocking out on an electric guitar, a hurdy-gurdy player, a bagpiper, tight rope walkers, and even a magician.  I’ve never seen the Public Garden quite so alive.

I sat on the banks of the reflection pond for a while and watched the Swan Boats.  I’ve never actually been on one, and not sure I really want to.  It is fun nice to watch them go around the pond though, and it’s certainly a Boston tradition that has been in place since 1910!

Besides the swan boats, the Public Garden was amazingly beautiful.  Everything was green and fresh.  There were beds full of tulips and daffodils, and people posing for pictures in and with the beautiful plantings.  As always, there were tons of kids and I had fun watching the littlest ones by the “Make Way for Ducklings” statues.

I ended my afternoon at the Beacon Hill Bistro with the first of the season’s Gin and Tonic.  I felt quite satisfied with my day of free entertainment, and it made me feel glad to live in such a beautiful city.  I hope that you can get out and enjoy taking in the sights as much as I did on your day off in Boston or your own hometown.

Downtown Concord is a really cute area, but be warned if you are there on a Sunday, not much is open.  By the time we arrived, I was half-starved since I foolishly skipped breakfast before we got on the road.  We had planned on eating lunch in Concord before the concert since there are so many restaurants in the immediate vicinity of the church where the performance was held.  We walked around for almost a half hour becoming very frustrated and sadly surprised to find that only  a handful of places were even open for lunch, and were mostly short-order or self service.

Slightly off-topic…  If you are a media-phile like Dan and I are, you must check out Pitchfork records while in downtown Concord.  We did after lunch, and found an amazing selection of used records, cd’s, and even cassettes.  Better yet, all used items were half-off!  I purchased some amazing finds – Susan Graham singing Berlioz, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra under Hugh Wolff playing Haydn symphonies, and an out of print and hard to find cross-over album by Bert Lucarelli called “The Sensual Sound of the Soulful Oboe”.

The first time we walked by Bistro Rustica, I decided to pass.  The menu was mostly sandwiches at first glance, and I was really hoping for a little more, despite the fact that I do love a good sandwich.  We ended up back there because the other two options looked even less appealing.  I couldn’t have been more wrong about my initial assessment on an empty stomach, however.  Every now and then, even with 15 years in the restaurant business, I am still blown away by an unassuming place like this.

Bistro Rustica is owned by a couple from former Yugoslavia.  All of their food is home cooked and made with plenty of love – that was easy to taste in what we ordered.  Obviously many agree, since they were out of several things after a busy Sunday.  Undeterred, I ordered the lasagna.  We found out later that it was made from a recipe borrowed from a friend of the proprietor’s who is an Italian chef.  Dan had a gorgonzola and roast beef panini, and we shared a generous order of stuffed grape leaves with kefir.  We were pleased to find Boylan’s sodas there too, and Dan and I each had the delicious black cherry with our meal.

The grape leaves were off the chart.  They were bursting with savory rice and meat filling and were warmed through for service.  There was fresh dill on top of the creamy and tangy kefir making for a perfect counterpoint to the mildly and refreshingly bitter grapeleaves themselves.  I felt the leaves had to be fresh, rather than the vinegary canned ones that are usually used to make dolmas.  Granted, I was starving and cranky, so I reserved my judgment for the lasagna, but I was ready to give this place at least one thumb up.  A good first course did indeed sooth the savage beast, and Dan asked, “Are you better now?” as I finished off the last dolma with a smirk on my face.

When the lasagna finally arrived, my second thumb went way up in the air even before I tasted the first bite.  There must have been eight or nine layers of Bolognese alternated with creamy, tomato-y bechemal sauce.  The cheese was golden brown and the sauce was bubbling hot surrounding the pasta in the ceramic crock.  It was delicious – satisfying, hearty and perfect for a cold and damp spring day.  We both loved it so much that we ended up sharing the generous portion of lasagna and taking Dan’s panini to go.  I’ve not had better lasagna anywhere.

I ate the roast beef and gorgonzola panini in the car on the way back to boston, and it was tasty too!  I watched one of the owner’s making another sandwich as we were leaving Bistro Rustica.  She was rubbing oil, salt and pepper into the bread before assembling the sandwich – I guess a kind of Mediterranean mayonnaise.  The gorgonzola was whipped into a paste with some yogurt possibly and was not too strong for the mild beef.  The bread was nicely toasted and good quality as was the beef.  Although it didn’t beat the lasagna, it was well-made and good deal considering the price to quality ratio.

Bistro Rustica is a must for a visit to downtown Concord if you happen to be there.  It’s unbelievably inexpensive for the quality and love that goes into the food.  You won’t have better homemade lasagna anywhere else and the grape leaves are to die for.  I’m glad to find that the old adage still holds true: “You can judge a book by its cover!”

You can find Bistro Rustica at 80 North Main Street in downtown Concord, NH in the shadow of the beautiful capitol building.  Their menu features soups, salads, and sandwiches (hot and cold).  I will be back for the Mediterranean Specialties: Moussaka, Goulash, Stuffed Peppers, Burek, and Maslanica.  They serve breakfast and lunch and are open until 5:30 Monday through Saturday, and until 4:00 on Sunday.

So, last Thursday, I checked out ArtsBoston.org, and discovered that a play called Opus (2006) was being performed in nearby Watertown.  We head out there every once in a while to go to Target and stock up on the necessities, but I had no idea that just a couple blocks from Target was a theater in which the New Repertory Group is in residence.  It’s called the Arsenal Center for the Arts, and it was a very happy discovery.  I’m thrilled to know about yet another excellent venue for the arts nearby.

New Repertory Theater focuses on recent theater as well as producing tried and true classics.  We saw their production of “Opus” by Michael Hollinger, a former violist, now turned playwright.  It’s a small ensemble piece for five actors that presents the challenges that a chamber music ensemble faces in the competitive world of performing arts.

Opus accurately depicted many of the quirky personality traits that are stereotypes in the world of instrumentalists.  The first violinist was a show-off and a prima dona, the second violinist was laid back and a jokester, and so on.  I had to giggle a few times with some of the jibes that were directed at the musicians in the audience because they really hit home, being that my partner is a violist in a professional string quartet.  He laughed too.

Controversy ensued almost at the very beginning of the play when the violist was fired from the group for unspecified reasons.  There were many twists and turns as the plot evolved that kept drawing you in more and more as the play went on, and though I was worried that the entire play would revolve around the afore mentioned stereotypes, by the end, I was engrossed in the intense situation that had come to a head in the final scene.

Though the play was almost two hours, and performed without and intermission, Dan and I had felt that the time flew by.  We were happily transported out of our everyday lives and into the lives of the characters on stage.  It reminded us both that though there were times of stress ahead for both of us, things could be much worth.  It also begged the question of how much should one sacrifice for one’s art – or greatness.  The evening spent at the Arsenal Theater proved to be provocative as well as entertaining.

3rd Sundays @ 3 Presents: Arneis Ensemble from Douglas McRay Daniels on Vimeo.