Author: Alyk
Alyk resides in what she considers the greatest city in the world: Boston. As a cheerleader for the city, she’s learned to love, or at least appreciate, all things Boston, including impassible traffic, cold weather, and bad attitudes. Alyk loves celebrity gossip, and, somehow, she turned that love into a career. She wrote her first daily column for Suicide Girls in 2005, then quickly moved to A Socialite’s Life and Celebrity Baby Blog. Alyk also operates several websites of her own, including CelebWarship, MusicWarship, and the soon-to-be-launched BostonWarship. When Alyk isn’t enjoying the cozy, blue glow of her monitor, she tries to take advantage of city life. Exploring her favorite neighborhoods for hours at a time, she often wonders why anyone would choose to live elsewhere.
Please feel free to contact Alyk at: alyk at redfin dot com.
Recent posts
October 11, 2008
Sunday, I’ll continue my indulgence in all things patisserie. A friend of Mr Alyk introduced us to the Chinese Pork Bun, and damn, if those things aren’t addictive. We’ve sampled pork buns from several Chinatown bakeries, and one of the best is Hing Shing Pastry at the corner of Beach and Hudson. The tiny bakery sits across the street from the Chinatown Gate, and its yellow sign is visible in most photos of the gate. The perfect mix of chewy, yeasty dough and savory, sweet pork filling can be picked up for under a dollar; an excellent deal by any standard.
The housing in Chinatown isn’t as bargain-oriented as its pastry: $860 per sq. ft. is average, but that jumps to over $1400 sq. ft. at the Ritz-Carlton. As with other downtown neighborhoods, the location drives up the cost, but Chinatown has the best transportation options in the city: easy access to the Red Line, Green Line, Orange Line, Silver Line, and the Commuter Rail. Loads of dining and Theatre District entertainment make the area perfect for anyone who doesn’t mind the grit of the city and wants to feel smugly superior to the Bridge and Tunnel crowd.
Part of the convenience of Chinatown is hitting all the open houses in under thirty minutes.
40-44 Harrison Avenue, #7D
Boston, 02111
Beds:1 /Baths: 2
SQ.FT.: 885
$479,000
Open House: Sunday, October 12, 2008 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
multiple units showing
170 Tremont Street, #205
Boston, MA 02111
Beds: 0/Baths: 1
SQ.FT.: 537
$319,000
Open House: Sunday, October 12, 2008 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
151 Tremont Street, #8M
Boston, 02111
Beds: 1/Baths: 1
SQ.FT.: 590
$469,000
Open House: Sunday, October 12, 2008 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Hitting the Links
Boston Sweet Digs Home
Image: Flickr user Shoothead under Creative Commons
October 6, 2008
Filene’s still plans to develop Downtown Crossing. [CondoDomain]- $1.75 bought some lucky eBay winner a house in Michigan. [MSNBC]
- The City set aside plans for its 1000-foot tower. [Boston Reak Estate Blog]
- The T finally decides to enforce the no-cell-phone-at-work rule. [Boston Herald]
- Are the police really trying to make the streets unsafe by preventing flagmen from doing their jobs? It sound like it. [Universal Hub]
- A Pentecostal church hopes to turn Whitey Bulger’s old headquarters into its new home. [Boston Magazine]
- The Rose Kennedy Greenway officially opened. [Bostonist]
- Harvard University wants to install a wind turbine above Harvard Square. [MetaBoston]
- Lesley University doesn’t want to deal with the same community outrage Harvard is dealing with, so administrators want help from residents. [Allston Brighton Community Blog]
- National Grid is considering solar power. [Globe St]
- A sad video showing a “trashout,” the removal of an abandoned home’s contents. [Zillow Blog
- The Mandarin Oriental offers discount packages, but I still can't afford a night's stay. [The Beantown Bloggery]
Hitting the Links
Boston Sweet Digs Home
September 29, 2008
Take your kids to work MBTA-style. [Michael Critz]- What defines a bedroom? [Boston Real Estate Blog]
- How to stage that second bedroom. [Home Staging Blog]
- Seafood in Chinatown: Peach Farm Seafood is worth the trip. [The Chinatown Blog]
- The East Boston market took a hit. [Tony's Realty]
- The W Hotel in the Theatre District seems to be making progress, but people are still up to no good at 7-Eleven across the street. [The Beantown Blogger]
- It’s good to see T employees putting out their best efforts. [Universal Hub]
- Desperate times call for desperate measures, but sometimes desperate measures don’t pay off. [The New York Times]
- So, how exactly will this bailout work? Nobody really knows yet. [CNN Money]
- I checked Monster.com for jobs in the $78,000 per hour range and found nothing. [Matrix]
- Britney Spears’ Studio City home hit the market for $7.9 million. How much will it cost to get rid of the stench of bacon, body odor, and moldy laundry? [CelebWarship]
Dine and Dash: Jamaica Plain and El Oriental De Cuba
Boston Sweet Digs Home
September 26, 2008
Monday evening, Mr Alyk and I hoped to have a Cuban sandwich at Jamaica Plain’s El Oriental De Cuba; however, the gods didn’t cooperate. As we strolled through the door, an apologetic gentleman let us know we were a bit too late; they closed at nine o’clock.
Someday we’ll enjoy our sandwiches, but not this weekend. As we left, the breakfast menu begged us to visit Sunday morning, but they probably don’t serve from the lunch menu until lunch. Go figure…
While we won’t sate the craving for a Cuban sandwich, we should get a top-notch Cuban breakfast before we hit a few Jamaica Plain open houses.
17 Kingsboro Park, #2
Jamaica Plain, 02130
Beds: 3/Baths: 1
SQ.FT.: 1210
$409,000
Open House: Sunday, September 28, 12pm – 2:00pm
526 Centre Street, #5
Jamaica Plain, 02130
Beds: 1/Baths: 1
SQ.FT.: 456
$174,900
Open House: Sunday, September 28, 12pm – 1:30pm
44 Lockstead Avenue
Jamaica Plain, 02130
Beds: 3/Baths: 3.5
SQ.FT.: 2016
$769,000
Open House: Sunday, September 28, 12pm – 2:00pm
Hitting the Links
Boston Sweet Digs Home
September 22, 2008
According to its own marketing brochure, Archstone Boston Common “provides a catalyst for the revitalization of Boston’s Chinatown and strengthens the integrity and vitality of the community.” But does it provide a view of Boston Common? [The Chinatown Blogger]- Fairmont Hotels and Resorts took over management of Battery Wharf. [Hanover and Prince]
- “The numbers are looking bad.” [The Boston Real Estate Blog]
- I don’t know if Barking Crab owners are wicked sleazy or wicked smart. [Universal Hub]
- Service with a smile? Not on the T. [Boston Herald]
- I never attended BC, but I learned nothing good can come of a barbecue on the roof. [7 News]
- Menino wants to turn Park Drive into a lifestyle center. Isn’t that just double-speak for a shopping mall? [Boston Daily]
- If a fire department captain says “When you open the door the smell just hits you right in the face. You can smell it six feet out,” perhaps it’s time to crack open a window to get some fresh air [wbz tv]
- Why is a program to have artists paint utility boxes in the city limited to ten locations? Don’t we have thousands of these things throughout the city? [Allston Brighton Community Blog]
Dine And Dash: Bay Village and Masa
Boston Sweet Digs Home
September 19, 2008
If the fall weather holds up, Sunday will be a good day for a short walk to Bay Village. Masa on Tremont Street promises a decent way to begin a walk through the shady (as in no sunshine, not sleazy) streets of Boston’s quietest and coziest inner-city neighborhood. Masa’s Texas Toast with carmelized bananas and dulce de leche sounds amazing.
If brunch includes a pitcher of Habanero-Watermelon Margaritas, we should have a fun afternoon viewing homes and annoying agents.
12 Isabella Street, #6
Bay Village 02116
Beds: 1/Baths: 1
SQ.FT.: 340
$275,000
I can’t wait to see a home in this city for under $300K. The pics make it look surprisingly cute.
129 Charles Street, #2
Bay Village, 02116
Beds: 1/Baths: 1
SQ.FT.: 795
$399,000
1 Bay Street
Bay Village, 02116
Beds: 2/Baths: 2.5
SQ.FT.: 1361
$899,000
This is the only one we’re viewing that breaks half a mil, but it looks like a lot of house for the money.
17 Cortes Street, #4
Bay Village, 02116
Beds: 1/Baths: 1
SQ.FT.: 700
$439,000
Hitting the Links
Boston Sweet Digs Home
September 15, 2008
Learn all about the Old State House preservation. [MetaBoston]- Some discussion about a reasonable down-payment & how a 20% down requirement would change the market. [Boston Real Estate Now]
- Bryant on Columbus pictures. [Boston Condos]
- Another story of the housing crisis. [The Chinatown Blog]
- This is why off-street parking is a good idea. [Allston Brighton Community Blog]
- Sounds like Brighton residents still aren’t happy with Boston College. Are any neighbors and neighborhoods happy with a college next door? [Brighton Centered]
- We need a Don’t-Block-The-Box campaign in Boston to save us from all sorts of traffic-related indignities: gridlock, taxi cabs, delivery trucks, and any other vehicle that stops traffic. If Boston puts out the effort, it should also focus on jaywalkers blocking intersections. [John A. Keith]
- The next big thing in housing: basements! [The New York Times]
- The next big thing in housing: libraries! [The Wall Street Journal]
Stale Listings Need Love, Too
Boston Sweet Digs Home
September 11, 2008
I noticed a few stale listings in the South End that need a little attention. Some have been waiting for some love for years, but I assume they were listed in MLS before contractors began renovations. In some cases, I bet they were listed even before the first shovel hit the ground:
I can see why they’ve been sitting around for a while- purchasing on spec involves some risk. That’s a risk I’ll probably never take. I want to see the completed home, ready to go— floors, walls, ceilings… I’m a bit odd that way.
A pair of listings, however, surprise me. Although agents listed 19 Worcester Square at almost $1.3 million, it’s a good size place. Almost 2100 feet for $618 per foot isn’t a bad deal, but the place has been languishing for over 500 days.
The home that disappoints me the most is the Diver House, the star of A Common Ground, one of the greatest books of Boston history. The bowfront at 118 West Newton has been wasting away for 1183 days.
Three years.
But it looks like the price hasn’t changed in three years, either. It makes me wonder if they really want to sell it or if they’re waiting for a sucker like me who wants it because it was in the book. Are these owners are really considering offers, or are they holding out for someone who doesn’t know any better?
Hitting the Links
Boston Sweet Digs Home
September 6, 2008
Columbus Center finances are up for a six-week review to see if the project can ever be completed. [Boston Globe]- Give up your car and buy a T pass; the T saves commuters more money than any other mass transit system in the country. [Bostonist]
- Speaking of the T: the Silver line might be cutting an under-used route. [Universal Hub]
- It nice to see residents caring for their neighborhoods. Thank you, Sam. [Little Impact]
- Apparently first-time buyers don’t want fixer-uppers. [Boston Real Estate Blog]
- Franklin Cafe expanding to South Boston. [Boston Condos]
- Boston is creating some new laws to make smokers’ lives even more difficult. [Boston Daily]
- Gucci is moving to the Mandarin Oriental on Boylston street. [Condo Domain]
- And… Agent Provocateur is opening on Newbury street. [The Beantown Bloggery]
- The tallest building in the world: 160 stories. [The Real Estate Bloggers]
Five New South End Listings for Seven Figures
Boston Sweet Digs Home
The W Hotel and Residences is topping out this week. [The Chinatown Blogger]
