Newton in the Kitchen

A Fond Foodie Farewell

After two-and-a-half years as Newton Patch's food writer and freelancer, Wendy Schapiro is moving to warmer climates and back into the classroom

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 …

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$100K to Kick Off Support of The One Fund Boston by Simon Malls

The One Fund is the central nonprofit raising money for the victims of the Boston Marathon attack.

Simon Malls and Premium Outlets across New England, including The Mall at Chestnut Hill, have donated an initial $100,000 to The One Fund Boston to support victims of the Boston Marathon bombing that left three dead and more than 170 wounded. Customers who visit the New England malls are also encouraged to donate to the fund through May 31 at Guest Services. “Simon Property Group has a large presence in Boston and the surrounding communities. We are proud to be assisting in the donation process for the families affected by the unfortunate events on Marathon Monday,” Brian Jenkins, Vice President, Simon Property Group – New England said in a statement.  “We are a part of the great city of Boston and proud of our commitment to the city and …

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Newton in the Kitchen

Daikanyama Brings Tokyo to Chestnut Hill

Judy Chow, owner/chef of Daikanyama in the Mall at Chestnut Hill talks about why her restaurant is a perfect fit for its location in Bloomingdale's and what makes her happy (hint: it's all about people).

Judy Chow, owner and chef at Daikanyama in Bloomingdale’s in the Mall at Chestnut Hill, had no trouble coming up with a name for her restaurants (her other location is in Lexington). She wanted a moniker that reflected the caliber of the towns where the restaurants were located but also reflected the elegant Japanese fare served within. So she named them after the Daikanyama neighborhood of Tokyo. “It’s like the Newbury Street of Tokyo,” Chow explains. “Very upscale, little shops and restaurants. It’s really nice, just like Chestnut Hill, like Newton.” In spite of the difficult economy, Chow opened her first Daikanyama in Lexington in 2008. A year later, she had a conversation with her son about how she wanted to grow her business, and …

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J.Crew, LUSH Among New Stores Coming to The Mall at Chestnut Hill

Six new stores are coming to the Mall at Chestnut Hill in Newton, and one new store has already opened.

Shoppers will soon be able to check out a couple of new clothing stores and a handmade cosmetics shop at The Mall at Chestnut Hill.  In a press release issued Thursday, Simon Malls announced a batch of new stores coming in between now and the fall, bringing several new clothing stores, shoes and a cosmetics shop. The list of stores to come: J.Crew, LUSH Cosmetics, Vineyard Vines, Loft®, Stuart Weitzman and Soft Surroundings (the last two previously reported by Patch in May).  J.Crew and Vineyard Vines sell men and women's clothing, with the latter also catering to children. Soft Surroundings is a women's clothing store, and Stuart Weitzman designs shoes. LUSH sells beauty, bath and cosmetic products that are hand-made from organic fruits, …

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First Night of Hanukkah Celebrated in Chestnut Hill

Members of Chabad at Chestnut Hill lit a menorah Tuesday night at the Mall at Chestnut Hill.

The Mall at Chestnut Hill was filled with music and families Tuesday night as members from the Chabad Center at Chestnut Hill celebrated the first night of Hanukkah. The annual event takes place on the lower level of the mall, just outside Bloomingdale's, and includes the lighting of the menorah as well a DJ, food and entertainment. 

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Chestnut Hill Square Appeal Settled, Shopping Malls Agree to "Work Together"

An appeal filed against the Board of Aldermen's Chestnut Hill Square permit decision was settled earlier this week.

More than six months after its special permits were approved by the Board of Aldermen, the planned Chestnut Hill Square project recently passed a legal obstacle involving its future neighbors. Shortly after the Board of Aldermen gave the OK for the project's plans and permits in December, The Mall at Chestnut Hill and Atrium Mall filed an appeal against the decision. But earlier this week, that appeal was settled and a formal dismissal will be filed in the coming days, according to the malls' attorney Bill Shaevel.  "[The appeal] was mutually settled; all parties believe that they will work together to create a vibrant Chestnut Hill Shopping area," Shaevel said, noting that the appeal was settled Tuesday. According to the appeal, the board…

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As Talbots Says Goodbye to Chestnut Hill, Other Shopping Areas Plan Expansion

The Chestnut Hill Shopping Center will be before the Land Use Committee tonight for a public hearing on potential expansion.

Adding its name to the list of recent store closings in Chestnut Hill, Talbots in the Mall at Chestnut Hill closed its doors earlier this month. Talbots Corporate Communications & Community Relations Director Betsy Thompson said in an e-mailed statement the clothing store chain closed down the Chestnut Hill location on June 11. The shut-down came with the company's plans to close 110 of its stores "as part of an ongoing effort to optimize the productivity of our retail stores." The Chestnut Hill location was closed, Thompson said, after the company did a "market by market analysis."  "We look forward to serving customers at one of our many stores throughout the Boston area," Thompson said in the e-mail. The majority of the 110 shore shut-…

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