I'm thrilled to share another Local Gems post today (be sure to check out the Arlington Center, Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Lexington, Medford, and Watertown features)! Today's Jamaica Plain recommendations come from my rad friend Casey, who writes about her city adventures with her wife and daughter over at Life with Roozle. Thanks for sharing these 10 local gems in Jamaica Plain, Casey!

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1. Arnold Arboretum. Dog walks. Bike rides. Hikes. Sledding. A view of the July 4th fireworks. Arnold Arboretum has it all. Not only is the Arboretum easy to get to (accessible by both the Orange Line and has loads of parking), once inside, you feel like you've stepped out of the city and into a magical green space.

2. The Dogwood Cafe. The Dogwood is a staple in Forest Hills. When I first moved to JP 11 years ago the pizzas were square and named after trees -- perfect for our big roommate meetings, as we had a lot of roommates in a large Victorian house overlooking the nearby Forest Hills Cemetery. Now, the pizzas are circles, but still named after trees. We've exchanged our late nights of beer and baseball and pizza at the bar for my daughter's favorite giant $3 pancake at brunch and live music on Friday and Saturday nights.

3. Fazenda Coffee Roasters. There are two things I love most in the world (besides my family, of course): writing and coffee. Fazenda is a coffee shop and bakery in Forest Hills that brings my two loves together. Well, my three loves often too, as it's one of my daughter's favorite spots as well. At Fazenda, the wifi is strong (and never shuts off!), the tables are big enough to work, but not too big that any space is wasted. People stay for hours drinking coffee and writing or reading or working, but the turnover is always just fast enough to never have to wait long for a table. Sandwiches are tasty and the lattes are perfect. It's my favorite.

4. Salmagundi. You might not know you needed a hat. Or a fancy bow tie. Or all the fancy things. But when you enter Salmagundi, you become aware of all your needs. You suddenly need a lot more fancy in your life.

5. City Feed and Supply. Do you need a fair trade latte and a few groceries? Look no further! City Feed is the place to be! Local produce, Equal Exchange coffee, Batch ice cream, amazing sandwiches (including my favorite, the Farmer's Lunch), and now even beer and wine make City Feed a one stop local shop.

6. Bikes Not Bombs. JP is known for being progressive, hipsterish, and full of families. And what do all progressive hipster families need? A refurbished bike from Bikes Not Bombs! My family has a bit of a bike hoarding problem, thanks to BNB. Bikes Not Bombs rules as a non-profit, of course, but is also a bike retail shop, and the best place in JP to stop in to get that sidewalk sale bike you picked up for your kid all fixed up with purple grips. I'm speaking from experience here.

7. Southwest Corridor. The Southwest Corridor is a bike path that runs all the way through JP. It splits in several places with walking sides too, great for jogging or walking. We love to playground hop our way through on our bikes as there are six playgrounds along the Corridor.

8. The Brewery. The Sam Adams brewery is a staple in JP. Boston invented awesome. And beer. Or we can pretend. The brewery building isn't just beer, though. Ula Cafe, Bella Luna, Mike's Fitness, Tony Williams Dance Studio, and the Sam Adams Brewery are just a few of the great spots in the Brewery building. Parking is a bit of a disaster, but the ramp out front is my 5-year-old's most favorite place in all of JP.

9. Hatched. Hatched is JP's own eco-friendly children's shop. They carry cloth diapering supplies, wooden baby toys and books, and the most adorable children's clothes ever.

10. Vee Vee. No neighborhood is complete without a perfect date night spot. Vee Vee is it. For our date nights, I tend to be a vegan-leaning wine drinker and my wife enjoys oysters, steak, and seltzer. Vee Vee is perfect for both of us. We both leave happy every time. Especially since we stopped trying to share dessert. You definitely each need your own here.

Do you have other Jamaica Plain gems you love? Feel free to share in the comments below! And if you want to pen a Local Gems guest post, contact Christine at editor@bostonmamas.com to check on availability.

Image credits: all images via linked websites or associated Facebook pages

Happy Monday everyone, I hope you had a great weekend! Ours was filled with tons of fun, including helping to execute a 5K (my first school committee work...such fun!) and lots of time outdoors with friends and family. I am really feeling the love and power of the village this morning! And now, it's on to a new week; enjoy this roundup of fun events via the Weekly Blueprint:

May 19: Preview the Sea Squirts aquarium program. (Boston)

May 21: Opening day for Long Hill Children’s Garden (Beverly)

May 21: Boston Harbor Islands wine release party. (Boston)

May 21: Trucks, tractors and tools! (Lincoln)

May 22: Discover the secret life of fireflies. (Hull)

May 22: Ooey, gooey story fun. (Concord)

May 23: Native animals and nature walk. (Acton)

May 23: A storytime of lost things. (Cambridge)

May 23: I’m a little tadpole. (Lincoln)

May 23: Legoland Discovery Center opens. (Somerville)

Image credit: LEGOLAND Discovery Center

May 19: Preview the Sea Squirts aquarium program. (Boston)

May 21: Opening day for Long Hill Children’s Garden (Beverly)

May 21: Boston Harbor Islands wine release party. (Boston)

May 21: Trucks, tractors and tools! (Lincoln)

May 22: Discover the secret life of fireflies. (Hull)

May 22: Ooey, gooey story fun. (Concord)

May 23: Native animals and nature walk. (Acton)

May 23: A storytime of lost things. (Cambridge)

May 23: I’m a little tadpole. (Lincoln)

May 23: Legoland Discovery Center opens. (Somerville)

Image credit: LEGOLAND Discovery Center

Happy Friday everyone, I hope you're enjoying a wonderful week! Among various things, I made two creative discoveries: glam oil cloth exists and I am officially obsessed with art therapy through watercolor! Anyway, let's hope the rain holds off (or makes a limited appearance to benefit the plants) because whoo boy, I've got a 32 event monster roundup for you today -- enjoy!

1. Magic show with Rupayan Neogy. (Acton)

2. Franklin park bike and kite festival. (Boston)

3. Connect the West End of today to the West End of yesterday. (Boston)

4. EarthFest! (Boston)

5. Le Grand Continental outdoor dance extravaganza. (Boston)

6. A guide to living well from the inside out. (Boston)

7. Whale discovery day at the aquarium. (Boston)

8. Spirit-finger-knitting visiting artist workshop. (Boston)

9. An afternoon of Shaker arts and culture. (Boston)

10. Ben Rudnick Home for Little Wanderers benefit show. (Boston)

11. The 6th Boston Environmental Film Festival. (Boston)

12. It’s Pirate’s Day in Bourne me heartys. (Bourne)

13. Endangered species day at the zoo. (Boston, Stoneham)

14. PVP Brighton Spanish Immersion Preschool open house. (Brighton)

15. Father Goose’s Tales puppet show. (Brookline)

16. Free family concert featuring Vivaldi… and kazoos. (Cambridge)

17. The Parents Nursery School annual Spring Fair. (Cambridge)

18. The 6th annual Massasoit Arts Festival. (Canton)

19. Powisset Farm Spring Festival (Dover)

20. Snakes Alive! Snake hunt and live snake show. (Ipswich)

21. The historical Long Meddowe Days. (Longmeadow)

22. Brooks Elementary School Run for Education. (Medford)

23. Sample sips at the Nantucket Wine Festival. (Nantucket)

24. Touch the trucks. (Needham)

25. Yummy puddingstone geology. (Sharon)

26. Join these musicians as they make good use of The Porch. (Somerville)

27. Dancing in the Streets city-wide dance festival begins. (Somerville)

28. Wizards of Words, young writers workshop. (Wellesley)

29. Apple blossom festival. (Westford)

30. Join the Birthday Wishes Cake Walk. (West Roxbury)

31. WorldFest Woburn. (Woburn)

32. A night at the museum gala. (Worcester)

Image credit: www.thetrustees.org

Take a gander in my closet, friends, and you will see a whole lotta knits. As much as I like my fancy clothes, knits are comfy, cute, and WASHABLE -- basically, an essential part of the mom arsenal (anyone else find toddler food ground into their clothing at the end of the day?). Which is one reason why I'm thrilled to be hosting Splendid's Chestnut Hill Spring Celebration along with my dear friends Audrey McClelland and Roxanna Sarmiento.

Bring the whole family (Splendid has stylish picks for women, men, and kids!) and your friends too, Saturday, May 31 (2:30-4:30) for an afternoon of fun. The event is free, but please RSVP to rsvp_ChestnutHill@vfc.com so we can get a head count (read: procure enough treats). I can't wait to meet you!

I'm thrilled to share another Local Gems post today (be sure to check out the Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Lexington, Medford, and Watertown features)! Today's Arlington Center recommendations (East Arlington + Arlington Heights are forthcoming separately) come from reader Justine Uhlenbrock, a birth doula, minimalist mom of two girls, and writer who shares about motherhood, building a family legacy, and the intersection of food and family. Thanks for sharing these 11 local gems, Justine!

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Arlington is a delightfully walkable, bike-friendly town, home to lovely parks and thriving shops. Its central location, bordering no less than six towns, means you're always a quick ride to anywhere (on the roads or via the Minuteman Bike Path)! Here are my favorites in Arlington Center:

1. Blue Ribbon BBQ. As a southern girl, I can attest to the authentic taste of Blue Ribbon's delicious barbecue. Their trio platter is huge, enough for two adults to share. Our favorite meats are the pulled pork, beef brisket, and jerk chicken. All the sides are good, but I'd go for the collard greens to get the genuine Dixie experience. The restaurant also caters, and they encourage you to take free homemade pickles on your way out, y’all. Don’t mind if I do!

2. Toraya. What Toraya lacks in ambience, it makes up for with simple, well-crafted, top-notch sushi; it's some of the best north of the river.

3. Kickstand Cafe. This café spot has changed hands several times over the years and the new ownership has made great improvements to this coffee shop on the bike path. They offer a few lunch items, and I love that they use quality local ingredients when available. Their Aztec hot chocolate knocks my socks off; I mix it with coffee to tone it down and pair my concoction with a ginger-lemon or chocolate-coconut scone.

4. Derby Farm Flower & Garden. This eclectic shop creates beautiful flower arrangements and also offers a gorgeously curated collection of gifts and gardening accoutrements. When the winter doldrums strike, I pop in to imagine what could be in the spring.

5. Arlington Centered. AC is little sister to D2 in neighboring Somerville. I could wander lazily around this funky Etsy-like boutique all day, provided my kids aren't with me. It’s full of perfect, well-priced gifts for anyone on my list from babies to men.

6. Pink Dolly. This resale boutique offers clothes for kids and adults (including maternity!). They make excellent use of their limited space.

7. Wild Child. Offering an impressive and adorable range of gears, gifts, and clothing in a relatively small footprint, I love that Wild Child carries one of my much-loved brands, Tea Collection.

8. The Book Rack. Reviewed earlier on this site, The Book Rack is simply the best used bookstore around. New titles also are available, and the friendly, knowledgeable staff always can put a finger on what you’re looking for.

9. Playtime. Need craft supplies for a school project or a last minute birthday present for your kid’s friend? In operation for an astounding 70+ years, Playtime is stuffed to the gills with craft and art supplies, toys, and more.

10. Helena’s. Flummoxed about what to wear? Helena's prides itself on offering versatile separates and accessories that make it easy (and fun) to get dressed. Cheers to that!

11. Robbins Library. A brilliant historical gem, Robbins Library is the country's oldest free children's library. The reading room is also a great place to catch up on your favorite magazines!

Do you have other Arlington Center gems you love? Feel free to share in the comments below! And if you want to pen a Local Gems guest post, contact Christine at editor@bostonmamas.com to check on availability.

Image credits: all images via linked websites or associated Facebook pages

Happy Monday everyone, I hope you had a great weekend and a delightful Mother's Day. It was so fantastic to soak in the beautiful weather, putter around our little yard (we bought peonies to plant...yay!), and browse open studios, among other things. I'm looking forward to a productive and fun week, and hope you are as well. Let's kick it off with the Weekly Blueprint!

May 12: Bullying and cyberbullying parent presentation. (Needham)

May 13: We’re going to see the goats! (Belmont)

May 13: Parent lunch and learn with Dr. Howard Gardner. (Boston)

May 13: Afternoon chores and ice cream. What a treat! (Lincoln)

May 14: Let’s go fly a kite. (Westport)

May 15: Ooey, gooey story fun. (Concord)

May 15: Introductory lecture for families with a special needs child. (Needham)

May 15 - 18: Father Goose’s Tales puppet show. (Brookline)

May 16: Music and movement with Ms. Bernadette (Acton)

May 16: Interactive musical program by cellist Lev Mamuya (Boston)

May 16: Cello story time. (Boston)

May 16: Friday night pajama party. (Boston)

May 16: Duckling month story time. (Cambridge)

May 16: Dirt don’t hurt, right? (Easton)   

May 16: Friday evening hay ride and campfire. (Lincoln)

Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Happy Saturday everyone, I hope you're enjoying a wonderful weekend! We kicked things off with a neighborhood cleanup this morning (I've truly never been so excited to pick up trash!) and will be cheering on the Bruins later today, among other things. Meanwhile, if you're looking for some good reads/visuals, here's what caught my eye this week. Have a great rest of the weekend!

- Humans of New York captures the Met Gala.

- On kids and privacy (and how it could impact your relationship).

- Rob Lowe is unprepared (and amazing).

- How parents are ruining youth sports.

- Congrats to the incredible winners of the Iris Awards.

- A beautiful bangle to benefit the incredible organization ONE.

- And speaking of ONE, remember how I went to lobby in February? The Electrify Africa Act passed! Simply AMAZING.

- Could the internet have saved my mother?

- Things to do in Boston with kids (my guest post at my friend Jo-Lynne’s site!).

- Have an artist at home? Their work could appear in a book!

Image credit: a trio of mosquito repelling plants via Pinterest

Happy Friday everyone, I hope you've had a wonderful week and are looking forward to a great weekend (hey, including Mother's Day!). I'm excited to relax and finally shake this post-conference plague. Enjoy this roundup of 20 event picks for the weekend, and also, there are a few hours left to enter to win 1 of 5 copies of Minimalist Parenting. Go on and win a copy for yourself or a friend!

1. Free evening at the museum for families with children on the spectrum. (Acton)

2. Beauty and the Beast on the puppet show stage. (Brookline)

3. Footprint art on the boardwalk. (Boston)

4. It’s Lilac Sunday at the Arboretum. (Boston)

5. Create your own superhero. (Boston)

6. Visit the music studio and record your own song for mom. (Boston)

7. Buy a bulb for Mother’s Day. (Boston)

8. The wonderful Wizard of Oz made even better with the Boston Pops. (Boston)

9. Duckling Day is back! (Boston)

10. A Mother's Day walk for peace. (Boston)

11. Moms get free admission to the zoo. (Boston, Stoneham)

12. Fitness for a cause. (Canton)

13. Turn your toddler into a farmer. (Ipswich)

14. Community Nursery School’s Yellow Balloon Fair (Lexington)

15. West Medford Open Studios. (Medford)

16. Mother’s Day brunch and stroll. (Milton)

17. 37th annual Birds and Breakfast event. (Natick)

18. Kids FunFEST. (Newton)

19. Take mom on a hike. (Princeton)

20. Mother’s Day brunch at the Peabody Essex Museum. (Salem)

Image credit: Arnold Arboretum

Today, Judy shares 7 great suburban spots for date night (hey, did you know it’s Date Your Mate Month?):

When I was pregnant, I fully expected that after the baby arrived my husband and I would still enjoy date nights at fancy restaurants in the city. In reality, three years into parenting, it’s proven a real challenge for us to get out, particularly since we both work full-time, want to spend our non-work hours with our little man, and feel uncomfortable overtaxing my parents (our only babysitters at present).

The result is that regular date nights are just not part of our routine. And I know we’re not alone. My mom group had an entire conversation on the topic of how we can all carve out a little more kid-free time for ourselves and our marriages. Since most of us with kids live in the 'burbs and don't always have time to trek into Boston for a night out, I wanted to share ideas for some great suburban spots for your next date night.

1. AquiTaine (Dedham). In the mood for French cuisine? AquiTaine has a very reasonably-priced “Date Night, Dinner, and a Movie Promo” which includes dinner and movie passes for Showcase Cinema de Luxe Legacy Place, available Sunday through Wednesday, 4pm to close. The warm roasted beet salad is delightful, as is the shopping at Legacy Place.

2. The Cottage (Wellesley). I love the open and airy space, streams of natural light (because let’s be honest -- our date “nights” often happen during the day), calming colors, and ocean decor of The Cottage. If you’re a fan of seafood, you’ll want to try the sesame ahi tuna nachos and granola-encrusted mahi mahi.

3. BOKX 109 American Prime (Newton). Located at Hotel Indigo, BOKX 109 American Prime offers a trendy steakhouse option with exceptionally high quality food and service. Consider a daytime date in the summer lying out by their South Beach style rooftop pool. With fire pits and cozy private cabanas, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen in Massachusetts.

4. Blue Ginger (Wellesley). Asian fusion at its best lives in the heart of Wellesley. Dining here always feels like a special occasion. Plus, who can resist the chance to see celebrity chef Ming Tsai, frequently spotted in-house and engaging with patrons?

5. The Met Club (Chestnut Hill; also Natick and Dedham). If you’re looking for a high-end steak house in the Newton-Brookline area, this is the place to go. Warm, sophisticated, and upscale, we appreciate the quiet, calm atmosphere, where we can actually engage in conversation and hear every word. Complimentary valet parking in this area is nice a bonus.

6. Capitol Grille (Burlington). It may not be the trendiest place around, but you can’t go wrong with Capitol Grille. When we don’t want to take a gamble on a new place, we head here knowing they will deliver a top-quality dining experience every time. You might not think to order fries at a place like this, but trust me, you won’t regret trying their parmesan truffle fries (or the lobster mac and cheese).

7. Bar Louie (Foxboro). Comfort food and jeans more your style? Conveniently located in Patriot Place, Bar Louie is a great option when you’re looking for a casual, laid back night out in an upbeat, lively atmosphere. There’s also roof deck seating in the summer which offers a pretty sweet view at sunset.

Have other suburban favorites? We’d love to hear your favorite suburban date night spots in the comments below!

Image credits: per linked websites above