A Guide to Day Care Centers Around the Boston Area

Pretty much the day after I found out I was pregnant, I started researching day care facilities near us. I had heard horror stories about waiting lists, sky-high tuition, etc. Since I will be returning to work full-time after my maternity leave is up, we needed to find full-time care. I liked the idea of the little one being out of the house during the day, hanging with little buddies and learning to get used to being around noise and groups of people, so we decided to actively explore day cares instead of nannies or nanny-shares.

Below is a list of centers we looked at- click on the links for location, contact info and hours of operations. I tried to include some info that's not necessarily listed on their websites, like fees and if there's a waiting list. Please note that this info may have changed since I first received it. I hope this brief guide can be helpful to others!

Labouré Child Care Center
I've lived in Southie for almost 9 years now, and walk by the Labouré Center on West Broadway several times a week; however, the tour we took in April was the first time I had been inside the building. The facility is very clean and safe, with 3 different rooms dedicated to infants and toddlers. The preschoolers are in a separate area; I was particularly impressed with preschool classrooms, as they were very bright and cheerful. The infant and toddler rooms seemed a little less inviting, but maybe that had something to do with the lighting. We met some infant teachers who were extremely friendly and took the time to answer our questions and tell us about a typical day. The Center staggers drop-off times, so when you're offered a spot, you're also told when you can drop off, which could potentially be inconvenient depending on when you have to be to work.
Fees for Infant/Toddler: $300 per week/$60 per day/$65 part time
Fees for Preschool: $215 per week/$43 per day
Waiting List: Daunting. We were told to call back after our baby is born to reiterate our interest and be added to the official waiting list.

The 2nd center we toured was...

KinderCare Learning Center on Atlantic Ave
This day care is not nearly as convenient to us as the Labouré Center would be, but there are enough bus and T options to make it work if you needed it to. This tour, unlike the first, took all of 15 minutes. Partly because the facility is a lot smaller and partly because the staff was busy juggling all the little ones being dropped off for the day. Overall, the center is very clean, bright and welcoming- just quite small. We also suffered a bit of sticker shock over the price, which they warned us goes up each September.
Fees for Infants (4 or 5 days): $493/week
Fees for Toddlers & Pre-School (4 or 5 days): $442/week
Fees for Pre-K (4 or 5 days): $347/week
Waiting List: None. They had spots available for late January/early February 2011.

2 other facilities we learned about, but haven't toured...
Bright Horizons at Harborview
Fees for Infants (5 days): $1875/month
Fees for Toddlers (5 days): $1550/month
Fees for Preschool (5 days): $1305/month
Waiting List: Unsure.

Columbia Point Infant and Toddler Day Care Program
Fees for Infants: $55/day
Waiting List: Unsure

Next we visited
Sunshine Child-Care
As soon as I walked into Sunshine Child-Care, I was impressed. After walking past the check-in/reception area, I was greeted by a small group of pre-schoolers sitting at a round table: "Good morning, Miss!" This tour, like the KinderCare tour, lasted maybe 15 minutes, because the infants, toddlers, and preschools are in the same big room, although the areas are sectioned off. The staff were actively engaged with the children, the facility is clean and bright with a real classroom feel to it. As I was leaving, it was so cute to see a group of children sitting in a circle being read to; most of them eagerly had their hands up waiting to be chosen to answer a question about the story. You could tell that both kids and adults were having a good time. It should also be noted that Sunshine Child-Care is a multi-lingual facility, from their website: "All programs are staffed with bi-lingual teachers speaking English, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese, or both.)"
Fees for Infants (5 days): $275/week
Fees for Toddlers (5 days): $250/week
Fees for Preschool (5 days): $185/week
Waiting List: Depends on when you are hoping to enroll

And finally, we visited:
Ellis Memorial & Eldridge House's Infant/Toddler Program
We learned about Ellis Memorial from friends of ours who go there. The tour probably lasted about 45 minutes, as the facility is housed in the first floor of a larger building. The infants are on one side of the hall, and the toddlers are on the other. I can't remember how many infant rooms there are, but each one was clean and welcoming and the staff was very friendly. I met my friends' baby, who was happily bouncing on a teacher's knee when we walked in. They have evening programs that involve the parents and families, a lending library and an area to leave your stroller for the day since many parents use public transportation to drop off/pick up.
Fees for Infants: $325/week
Fees for Toddlers: $325/week
Fees for Preschool : $195/week
Waiting List: Yes, but can get on the list as soon as you fill out an application, versus having to wait until the baby is born.

Got all that? Phew! We've been busy, but thankfully have chosen one of these facilities and have firm childcare plans in place.

Robots Have Feelings Too

For the past couple of weeks, I've had daily calls from either Brown or Coakley's campaign hassling me to vote for their candidate. These calls have gotten to be pretty annoying and even though I wouldn't pick up the phone when an unidentified number appeared on caller ID, I'd still have to listen to them as they left voice mails.

Yesterday, as I walked in the early morning down Broadway to Dorchester Street on my way to vote, even the candidate I was voting for had ticked me off in the end because I was so sick of the calls, the radio ads, the TV commercials, etc. Casting my vote, signified an end to being hassled by pleading recorded voices.

Last night, around 6:45 or so, the phone rang and I picked up without bothering to check the caller ID.

"Hello?" It was another recorded message! I heard the following being rattled off quickly by some robotic voice:

I am just calling to remind you that today is Election Day and the polls are open until 8 PM.

"F*ck off!" I yelled into the phone and was about to hang up when I heard the recorded voice stop and say, "uh, excuse me?"

Whoops.

Otto Titsling, Inventor and Kraut

When I first came to live in Boston, it was to attend BC in 1997. Almost immediately, I was struck by how many redheads there were. Honestly, now it sounds ridiculous, but I could only think of maybe 1 or 2 people from my high school that had naturally red hair. I had also never met people my age who went to church without being dragged along by their parents, and was surprised how many students attended the special Sunday night freshman campus mass. Eventually the newness of being surrounded by church-going redheads wore off, and I found something else to admire from afar: the Boston accent.

My history TA freshman year had an Irish surname, a thick head of red hair and an even thicker accent. I forget the context in which he said it, but on the first day of class he mentioned something about Karl Marx and it was music to my ears. "I am in Boston, and I love it," I remember thinking.

Five years later, I started working the 10-6 shift at a company in Norwood. There was a friendly German security guard who introduced himself as Ott. "Have a nice night, Ott," I'd say when I left for the evening. I'm not sure how long I had been there, before someone pointed out to me that Ott was neither short for Otto nor of German heritage. Art was short for Arthur, a retired Boston policeman and thankfully, very good-natured about the misunderstanding.

Now, after living and working in Boston since originally coming here for college, I like to think that the novelty of hearing the accent has worn off. For the most part it has; however, sometimes I hear someone (like I did this morning) that takes me back to freshmen history class and Kahl Mahx.

Disco Stu Likes the Party Trolley

While travelling around the city, I usually try to walk wherever I'm going. If that's not possible or convenient, I'll take a bus or the T. In some instances, I'll cab it or even drive myself. On Saturday night, I realized the best way to get around is the Party Trolley. You can't dispute the epicness of any mode of transportation that has its own disco ball.

Shake, shake, shake... shake, shake, shake... Shake your booty

In the almost 12 years I've lived in Boston, I've seen the party trolley about 100 times. It looks like the trolleys that give the daytime tours, but there's a disco ball and colorful flashing lights. Admittedly, every time I would see a group of people cruising around in one I'd think that it was either high school kids on their way to a prom, or a group of adults on an awkward corporate function.

We arrived at my friend's apartment in SoWa Saturday night for his 30th birthday party. John's wife had kept the outing a secret from everyone in order to ensure that he'd be completely surprised. About an hour into the party, Leigh blew a whistle and instructed a couple of guys to carry some coolers downstairs and for the rest of the party to follow them outside. We walked to the front of the building, and there it was waiting for us.

All aboard the drunk bus

Leigh plugged in an iPod, the lights started flashing, and we were on our way. At first, everyone sat and enjoyed the ride.

Much better than the T

However, it didn't take long for celebratory beers and shots to kick in, and seats were abandoned. We became that group of people that dangles beers out the window, while yelling, "Wooooooooo!" at anyone who would listen. Many asked to join our tour, several tried to force themselves on, and one man even tried offered us his ice cream cone from J.P. Licks in exchange for a lift.

Birthday boy & friends on the trolley

At one of our stops, Game On, doing my best to ruin a photo

All in all, a great (and safe) way to move a large group of people around Boston. The only downside to the freedom offered by the Party Trolley, is that its final destination is Hangover Station.

45 Province Not Adverstising its Greatest Asset

Last May, I wrote about the 45 Province building that was quickly being built. Well, yesterday while on my way to Chacarero, I noticed that there was a vehicle from the mayor's office and someone wielding a giant pair of scissors. I'm guessing there was some sort of grand opening official ribbon-cutting ceremony, or a Hagrid-type was getting a haircut.

The people with the giant shears are next to the car in the lower left-hand corner

Aside from the spa, library, catered kitchen, etc. I still think the greatest luxury would be living across from Chacarero. How is it not listed as a dining option under neighborhood highlights? Actually, where is Sam LaGrassa's too? This list needs a revision!

Opening Day in Photos

Yawkey Way pregame crowd

Welcome to Opening Day!

Relaxing before the game started & it was still sort of a pleasant temperature

As we got closer to 4:05, the winds picked up and we added more layers...

Layers + beer = warming strategy

The guy next to us started doing jumping jacks... then he asked us for our leftover pizza

A friend of ours couldn't make the game, so we were the lucky ticket recipients! These seats on the Bud Deck were awesome; you get a $50 food credit with them, so we splurged on an entire pizza. When the pizza arrived, Nick used the heat emanating from the hot pie to warm his hands for a bit before chowing down. The fact that the Sox won, we got to see Beckett pitch, Pedroia and Tek hit homeruns and Papelbon save combined with being at Fenway on Opening Day was very cool. The only downside was the weather, which was also very cool; however, that's a small price to pay for such an awesome experience. Go Sox!

Parade and Party Photos

Nick and I had some friends over to watch the St. Patrick's Day Parade yesterday. It was a gorgeous day, and we had a pretty sweet view of the festivities from our front window.

Here's the festive, "Ronworkers' " float

Bob, Nick, and Tom challenged Mia & Charlotte to see who could chug their drink the quickest...

Guess who won?

It wasn't even close!

And, finally, a reminder that everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day

Éirinn go brách

Are Regular Boston Celtics Fans Not Attractive Enough?

This posting on Craigslist is pretty funny; I wonder what the catch is? The post is pretty sketchy in the first place, but the spelling error definitely sucks all credibility from the ad. Let's remember to tune in on March 18th to see if we can spot the attractive ladies in the front row (who will most likely be sandwiched between the 2 schmoes who posted this ad.)

My Boston Limerick

As part of a contest on Boston.com, I wrote a limerick today. Readers were asked to submit one that sums up Boston. I wasn't sure if there were syllable requirements to take into consideration in addition to the a-a-b-b-a rhyming scheme. I also wasn't sure if a limerick should start out with, "There once was a..." Oh well, I had fun writing it! I wrote mine about the morning commute, because that sums up Boston to me. Or at least that's something I spend a lot of time thinking about.

Shivering outside, cold freezes my feet

I see the bus! Maybe I'll get a seat?

Ugh, line's out the door at Dunkies

Iced coffee, skim, no sugar, please

Melt snow! (So I can whine about the heat.)

And, as my family in Buffalo would say, "There ya go!"

Think globally, but drink locally.

While riding the bus into work this morning, I read a short article in the Wall Street Journal called "Holiday Beers: Tasting Seasonal Brews." I'm proud to report that not 1, but 2 out of the 4 featured beers are from Boston!

The Samuel Adams Winter Classics Mix-Pack was noted as "featur[ing] five different holiday brews including Old Fezziwig Ale, Cranberry Lambic, Holiday Porter, Cream Stout and Winter Lager. It's a good variety with flavors that pair well with sweet and savory foods. Our favorite of the bunch was the Holiday Porter. It has a root-beer-colored body and was a little heavy. The beer uses chocolate malts, but we didn't find it to be too chocolaty or overly sweet. It left a nice smoky after-taste."

The Harpoon Brewery Winter Warmer was the tasting team's favorite! They said, "This was our favorite beer of the ones we tried. The brew has an amber-colored body, was light and not very foamy. It has a fragrant nutmeg aroma and nice cinnamon taste with a hint of banana aftertaste."

Get drinking!

Soxy New Look

Everyone is going to have an opinion on the new uniforms, and I'm sure a lot of those opinions will be negative. Although I like the new uniforms a lot; more importantly, I like the Sox and baseball. They could wear floral prints for all I care. Hurry up and get here Valentine's Day!

I love these guys.

My City is Crappier than Yours!

I found Rob the Bouncer's blog, Clublife, via Jason Mulgrew's blog, Everything is Wrong With Me. I really enjoy reading Rob's blog; his posts are to-the-point, interesting and well-written. Anyway, he related a conversation he had with someone from South Boston and here's an excerpt:

I once had a conversation in a bar with a guy from South Boston. He, too, was a very smart guy. He, too, said something I disagreed with. He said South Boston was more dangerous than New York.

I asked him why he thought this.

He said it was because even though there were “tough guys” in New York, they weren’t as “tough” as the “tough guys” in Southie, because all the “tough guys” he knew in Southie were serial killers with dozens of bodies on them. I said this was because the serial killers around here don’t go around bragging about it, so they don’t get caught and the beat goes on.

I wanted to repost this because sometimes it seems like Bostonians and New Yorkers are always fighting to be the (insert superlative of your choice here) city; including most dangerous.

Free Downtown Crossing Wine Crawl

Last night, my friends Jen, Nell and I went on the First Annual Downtown Crossing Wine Crawl. The *free* event was sponsored by the Downtown Crossing Partnership, whose mission is:

The Downtown Crossing Partnership is a partnership of businesspeople and residents who work together to address neighborhood issues with one strong voice.
Our agenda is determined by our members, who share a collective vision of strengthening our neighborhood, the business environment and the natural vitality of this exciting urban area.
From ensuring clean, safe streets to promoting area events, the Downtown Crossing Partnership’s collaborative efforts are an urban success story.

The crawl started at 5:30 at Marliave, where we received our Wine Crawl Pass, a button indicating we were on the crawl, and a holiday savings pass good at many stores, restaurants & hotels in the Downtown Crossing area. (The holiday pass is also available on DCP's homepage.) By 5:50 or so, there were about 100 people gathered and a DCP representative briefly thanked us for coming and explained that we could visit the bars in any order we wished. Each bar we visited, had a variety of wines and appetizers to choose from, along with a designated spot for crawlees. Some bars even offered us 2nd glasses of wine (Max & Dylan's was especially generous.)

Cheers! (That's my man hand in the front)

We ended up going to 5 of the 7 crawl stops, stopping by Marliave, Lock Ober, Max & Dylan's, Mantra, and then Ivy for the wrap party. The crawl was so well organized and the bars actually looked happy to have us there, even though we weren't paying customers. This event was also a reminder that there are some other places to have dinner and drinks in the Downtown Crossing area besides Fajitas & 'Ritas (which is good, but it's nice to have variety.) I had never been to Mantra before, and was impressed by the layout and cool decor. Perhaps it was a little too trendy for me though, because the bathroom stalls feature two-way mirrors on the inside of the stall doors. The bathroom was empty when I went inside, but when I closed the stall door I could see 2 other women enter and start to fix their hair at the counter. Even though I knew they couldn't see me, it was still very unsettling to see them, and I was struck with performance anxiety for a bit!

Photo taken from inside the stall. You can see the stainless steel sinks through the door.

Also, I have to admit that on my way out of the bathroom, I couldn't help but wave enthusiastically at a closed stall door. Hopefully, I didn't give the girl too much of a fright!

The crawl was a fun time with friends and much better than my last documented Downtown Crossing experience.

Overheard in PO Square

After grabbing my coffee this morning, I was walking through PO Square, when I heard a snippit of a man's conversation.

"See the thing is, if you want to drink, don't drive. That's it."

Pretty good advice, if you ask me.

Scents and the City

An article on Boston.com discusses how the author strolls around Faneuil Hall with "home fragrance impresario" Harry Slatkin. I've never heard of the guy until this article, but I'm not sure I'd trust his opinion based on this:

"Surprisingly, the store that Slatkin applauds for superior scenting is Abercrombie & Fitch. It uses its fragrance, along with images on the walls, the clothes, the music, and the comely young sales clerks, to project an image of sensuality."

I've written before how Abercrombie & Fitch reeks like cheap cologne. Harry prides himself on his refined and heightened sense of smell, but if the entire store smells like a Guido on the prowl at an 18+ dance club, then I don't think that qualifies as superior scenting. And certainly not sensual.

The article also touches on how Boston, in general, just doesn't smell all that great. Being a city, that's expected; however, this also reminded me of a spot I pass on Tuesday and Thursday mornings on my way to the gym. I walk by the corner of Arch & Franklin half-asleep around 6:15, and am jolted awake by the stench of urine. I can't imagine what Finagle a Bagel did to provoke such wrath, but that is one pissed off customer.

Looking for a Boston Marathon number?

My awesome marathon charity, Team Eye and Ear, has a few spots left on the 2009 team. If you're interested in learning more about becoming a team member, please check out the link on Mass Eye and Ear's website: http://www.meei.harvard.edu/what/events.php

If anyone is thinking about running and has any questions about the training or fundraising experience, please feel free to send me an email or leave me a comment.

Why Go to College, When You Can Work for the Turnpike Authority?

$70,000/year to collect tolls? Yes, please.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/09/18/pike_wants_to_eliminate_100_toll_taker_jobs/

My Mom's 10,000 Step Plan; Plus a Fun Fact!

My parents came up to Boston for their 34th wedding anniversary this weekend. Happy Anniversary!

Mom & Dad at Mike's Pastry on Saturday night.

On Sunday we had tickets to the Sox, so I met them at their hotel before we headed over to Fenway. I asked them if they wanted to cab it over or take the T; however, my mom wanted to know how long it would take to walk. She had her pedometer in her pocket and was trying to reach her goal of walking 10,000 steps in one day; she was already up to 3300. We took a fairly direct route from the hotel, up High Street, through the Commons and Gardens and then down Comm Ave to Kenmore Square. When we arrived to our gate, my mom checked her pedometer and it read 9992.

So, I can now present this fun fact of the day: From the Boston Harbor Hotel to Gate D at Fenway park it's approximately 6492 steps.

Looking fresh and invigorated after 7000 steps and some Fenway Franks

By the time we walked back to the hotel, my mom was almost 19,000 steps into her day and could have probably knocked off another 10K had my dad and I been up for another stroll around the city. Instead, I went home, sat on the couch and got to watch the 4th quarter of the Patriots game. Yesterday was a monumental day; the Sox, Pats, and Bills all won... and we walked our daily recommended amount of steps.

Wax On, Wax Off

In order to prevent them from taking over my face, my eyebrows require the time, skill & patience that Mr. Miyagi invested in his bonsai trees. It's come up once or twice on this blog that I need to have my eyebrows waxed approximately every 12-14 days. When I was able to track down my girl Natalie, I breathed a heavy sigh of relief. She does such a good job, that I frequently get complimented on their shape. When was the last time you noticed someone's eyebrows? You can't remember, right? That's how good she is.

Of course, fashion and style are completely subjective, and I know that there are lots of women out there that wouldn't be caught dead in my beloved cargo pants (just like I wouldn't be caught dead in their fug ankle boots.)

Robin Hood called, he wants his boots back

There are approximately 3 different nails salons that I'll pop into if I need a quick (I'm talking 10 minute) manicure. One is close to my office in Downtown Crossing, another is close to Natalie in the South End and, the other is about 2 blocks from me in Southie. All 3 salons are inexpensive ($11 for a manicure) and quite good. They are also each run by Vietnamese men and women who think I am the hairiest woman in Boston. On separate occasions while I was getting my nails done, and in each of the locations, they have asked me if I also wanted an eyebrow wax. Last night, when after I washed my hands and before my technician started to apply the polish, I asked for the slip so I could pay. As I reached for the slip, she pulled it back and asked, "Maybe you should get an eyebrow wax too?"

"Oh, just the nails today!" I sang, as I watched her expression fall in disbelief and pity. Then she said something to the woman next to her that probably translated into, "Swamp girl doesn't want to trim down those brow bushes" and they shared a hearty chuckle. At least she didn't ask me if I wanted my chin waxed again.

"Blowin' and Burnin', Blinded by Thirst"

This graffiti is spray-painted on the sidewalk just across the street from the Dunkin Donuts in PO Square.

Life In the Fat Lane

The Dunkin Donuts is fairly new, so I'm not sure if the store or the graffiti came first. Either way, I get a kick out of watching people traipse across it. This is almost as good as the Pilgrim Hat Old School graffiti I've seen around the city. That never fails to make me smile.