A Fond Foodie Farewell

Last week, local editor Melanie Graham announced that she would be leaving Newton Patch for an exciting new opportunity at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. While I was excited to hear that the fabulous Brooklyn Lowery would be stepping into the local editor’s virtual shoes, I can’t imagine working without Melanie -– and, as I can now share, I won’t have to.

This will be my last column as the Newton Patch food writer and author of the “Newton in the Kitchen” column.

Not to steal her thunder, but my move was actually planned long before Mel’s.  In fact, when I first started thinking about moving to the Los Angeles area, which I will be doing at the end of the month, Melanie was in middle school!

I came east for college, and though I have enjoyed my 32 years here and am convinced it was the best place to raise Kyra and Max, I am ready for a change of scenery. The idea of not having to shovel snow ever, being able to always walk out my front door with no more than a sweater on for warmth, and finally living closer to the many SoCal friends I have made over the years fills me with excitement and joy.

I have an apartment in Santa Monica, arguably one of the hottest restaurant scenes in the greater LA area. My new digs are also within walking distance of three year-round weekly farmers’ markets, so I won’t completely abandon writing about food. But I am making another big change: come fall, I will be returning to the classroom full time to teach sixth grade at a wonderful independent school that is a mere mile away from my new home (and if you know LA, you know that that kind of an easy commute is a godsend).

But don’t think that I’m not at all sad about leaving the area, especially with all of the recent changes to the restaurant scene and those that are coming up. In the years since my first column ran on October 22, 2010 we have seen some dramatic shifts in food trends and dining out in Newton and Chestnut Hill.

There have been the closings of some beloved, longtime favorite spots like Bakers’ Best, South Pacific and Skipjack’s. There has also been some controversial and rather sudden shuttering of doors, as with Jonathan’s and C. Tsar’s.

We’ve seen the opening of three self-serve frozen yogurt storefronts (Sweet Tart, YoFresh and Pinkberry), with another soon on the way (Yogurtland). Coffee spots have changed hands and changed names (Taste to George Howell Coffee; Lincoln Street Coffee to Evesso). Diners have proliferated in the form of Deluxe Station Diner and Rox Diner (with the latter set to open a second Newton location in the Highlands as early as this month).

There has been a big move towards farm-to-table dining, exemplified by Farmstead Table, Sycamore and Waban Kitchen, but also embraced by chefs like up-and-comer Collin Davis of B Street and respected veteran Michael Leviton of Lumiere, among others.

The biggest changes have occurred, and continue to occur, along the Route 9 corridor. Gone is the Atrium Mall, though the Cheesecake Factory remains steadfastly in place. Bernard’s made the move from the Mall at Chestnut Hill to THE STREET, and Charley’s at the Mall closed altogether. In their place we can look forward to

THE STREET has seen more than just a change in name. While much-loved stalwarts like Legal Seafoods and Rosie’s Bakery remain in place (as well as relative newcomer The Cottage), these have been joined by the wildly popular Shake Shack and a second location of Treat Cupcake Bar. In the next few weeks, Davio’s Cucina will begin providing casual but upscale Italian cuisine to patrons of the brand new Cinema de Lux.

Finally, on the eastbound side of Route 9 there is Chestnut Hill Square, which has yet to open any of its eateries but which is already generating excitement. will be throwing down their welcome mats in the upcoming months. But arguably nothing is creating more buzz among area foodies than the fact that we will have the very first Wegman’s supermarket in the Greater Boston area (and the second in Massachusetts).

There is no question that I am leaving Newton at an exciting time on the local food scene, and I am truly going to miss seeing the growth and changes that will continue to happen in this vibrant area.

I’m also going to miss my wonderful friend and editor Melanie Graham and my supportive and understanding “uber-editor” (and fellow nerd!) Karla Vallance, who have made me a better writer and a clearer thinker.

I’ll miss my “Newton Foodie Girls” Candy Gold, Andrea Pyenson and Judy Rosenberg, who honored me by including me in their ranks and made me feel loved and cherished with their friendship (which doesn’t end just because I will be on the opposite coast).

And lastly, I will miss all of you, eager eaters. Thank you for your comments and questions, your suggestions and support. If you ate at any of the establishments about which I wrote, prepared any of the recipes I shared or just read the words I put down on this site, I thank you. Keep watching this spot, as there may be a rebirth of “Newton in the Kitchen” in the months to come.

In the meantime, goodbye and good eating. B’tayavon and bon appetit!