A Wild Affair (A Tasting Event) Returns to the Stone Zoo

Stoneham will be the site of a tasting event this weekend, as a yearly event returns to the Stone Zoo. The sixth annual "A Wild Affair" will be held this Saturday night (June 19) from 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM, featuring tasting stations with area restaurants and caterers offering a variety of food, as well as a silent auction, live entertainment, and the chance to see the animals at the zoo, which is located on Pond Street.

Some of the restaurants participating at A Wild Affair include Agave Mexican Bar and Grille in Malden, Dockside Restaurant in Malden and Wakefield, Gaetano's in Stoneham, Harrow's Chicken Pies in Reading and Medford, La Cascia's Bakery and Deli in Burlington and Medford, and On the Border in Woburn.

Tickets to A Wild Affair are $45 in advance, and $55 at the gate. (Note: This is a 21+ event.)

For more information on the sixth annual A Wild Affair at the Stone Zoo in Stoneham, please go to the link below.

http://www.zoonewengland.org/Page.aspx?pid=413

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The Market Restaurant on Lobster Cove Opens in Gloucester

A new restaurant focusing on locally sourced foods including seafood and produce has opened on a quiet peninsula in the Annisquam section of Gloucester.

The Market Restaurant on Lobster Cove opened its doors earlier this month on River Road in a space overlooking the water, a few minutes north of where Routes 127 and 128 meet. The dining spot initially opened for breakfast and dinner only, but will also start featuring takeout lunches next month, according to their website. The Market Restaurant has moved into the space where Stone Soup used to be, and before that, the Annisquam Restaurant and Market. (The Stone Soup location on High Street in Ipswich remains open.)

The menu at The Market Restaurant on Lobster Cove features mostly healthy, organic fare, with a recent menu on their website showing such items as asparagus salad, tuna carpaccio, goat cheese souffle, baked salmon, scallop and lobster cakes, and bread pudding.

The address for this new restaurant in the Annisquam section of Gloucester is: Market Restaurant on Lobster Cove, 33 River Road, Gloucester, MA 01930. The phone number is (978) 282-0700. And the website is at: http://www.themarketrestaurant.com/

For more information on the opening of The Market Restaurant on Lobster Cove, please go to the North Shore Dish link below.

Local Takes on New Meaning at The Market in Annisquam

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2010 Phantom Gourmet BBQ Beach Party Coming to Suffolk Downs, June 25-27

The Phantom Gourmet BBQ Beach Party is returning to the area later this month, and this year, the entire event will be held at Suffolk Downs in East Boston. After being held at both Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut and Suffolk Downs last year, this year's beach party will be held solely at Suffolk Downs, from Friday, June 25 to Sunday, June 27. Admission will be free on Friday, with ticket prices (not including food or drink) being $5 on Saturday and Sunday (free admission for children aged 2 and under).

Participants in this year's BBQ Beach Party include Aussom Aussie BBQ (Sydney, Australia), Joey's Texas Thunder BBQ (Texas), Two Fat Guys BBQ (Ohio), Chicago BBQ Company (Chicago), Jack's Down Home Barbecue (Philadelphia), Johnson's Bar-B-Que (Chesapeake, Virginia), and Firefly's Bar-B Que (Boston).

Hours for the Phantom Gourmet BBQ Beach Party are 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM on Friday and Saturday, and 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Sunday.

Suffolk Downs is located at 111 Waldemar Avenue in East Boston, a short distance east of where Route 1A and the Revere Beach Parkway meet.

For more information on the 2010 Phantom Gourmet BBQ Beach Party, please go to the link below.

http://bbq.phantomgourmet.com/SD/home.aspx

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Feast of the East Coming to Arlington, June 19, 2010

An annual neighborhood celebration in Arlington is returning this weekend, featuring food from several local restaurants as well as music and a variety of activities.

The 12th annual Feast of the East will be held this Saturday (June 19) along Massachusetts Avenue in East Arlington from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, with food offered from Capitol Creamery, Flora, Francesca's Kitchen, Kathmandu Spice, Quebrada Bakery, Sabatino's, and Za. Activities will include face painting, crafts for children, pony rides, and more. The Dave Sammarco Band, the Mystic Drummers, and The Tony Fonseca Drummers will be playing music during the event.

For more information on the 12th annual Feast of the East, please go to the link below.

http://www.feastoftheeast.com/

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2010 Taste of Beacon Hill to Be Held June 30

Another culinary event is coming to Boston later this month, with this one taking place in the heart of the city.

The 10th Annual Taste of Beacon Hill, which will be held at the Liberty Hotel on Charles Street on Wednesday, June 30, will feature a number of neighborhood dining spots as well as a silent auction and parties before and after the event. Restaurants that will be participating include 21st Amendment, Artu, Beacon Hill Bistro, Bin 26 Enoteca, Clink, Harvard Gardens, Panificio, Scollay Square, The Sevens Ale House, Zen Sushi, and more.

A portion of the proceeds of the silent auction will go to the Taste of Beacon Hill Scholarship Fund.

Ticket prices to the 2010 Taste of Beacon Hill are $75 per person ($70 for Beacon Hill Business Association members). The event is being held from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, with the pre-party going from 5:00 to 6:00 and the after-party going from 9:00 to 11:00.

For more information on the 10th Annual Taste of Beacon Hill (including how to purchase tickets), please go to the Beacon Hill Business Association website below.

http://www.tasteofbeaconhill.com/

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Starbucks to Offer Free Wi-Fi Starting in July

The global coffee chain Starbucks has announced today that it will be bringing free Wi-Fi to its customers starting July 1. According to the Washington Post and several other sources, the coffee giant, which had already started to provide two free hours of Wi-Fi a day to those with Starbucks cards, will also be starting something called the Starbucks Digital Network this fall, which will allow customers to access news and entertainment sites such as the New York Times and iTunes for free.

Starbucks joins a number of competing chains that already offer free Wi-Fi to patrons, including Cosi, Panera, and Caribou. Free access will apparently be available in all Starbucks stores, including the more than 100 that presently exist in the Boston area.

For more information on the introduction of free Wi-Fi to Starbucks customers, please go to the Washington Post link below.

Starbucks caves, will make WiFi free July 1

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