Executive Chef Richard Garcia of Tastings Wine Bar & Bistro at Patriot Place has teamed up with Duckhorn Winery for an eclectic celebration of food and wine this Saturday at the home of James Beard, the man considered to be the father of American gastronomy. (Photo by Matthew Demers)

Congratulations are in order! The nation's most celebrated culinary establishment, the James Beard House in New York City, has invited Executive Chef Richard Garcia of Tastings Wine Bar & Bistro at Patriot Place to "perform his culinary magic" at the Beard House.

Chef Garcia will prepare a special menu this Saturday at the home of the man considered to be the father of American gastronomy, James Beard. Chef Garcia has teamed up with Duckhorn Winery for an eclectic celebration of food and wine.

"It's an honor for me, my team and Tastings to be invited to cook at such an esteemed location," said Garcia. "There is no bigger stage for a chef than the Beard House."

The James Beard Foundation was created after Beard's death in 1985, when Julia Child had the idea to preserve his home in Greenwich Village in New York City as the gathering place it was throughout his life.

Today the James Beard Foundation celebrates the country's culinary artists and provides scholarships and educational opportunities, while the historic James Beard House serves as a culinary performance space for chefs, cookbook authors and winemakers.

Tastings Wine Bar & Bistro is located at 201 Patriot Place in Foxboro. Adjacent to Gillette Stadium, Patriot Place features more than 1.3 million square feet of shopping, entertainment and commercial uses. Chef Richard Garcia offers globally inspired dishes utilizing the freshest ingredients in a small plates format.

For more information, call 508-203-WINE (9463) or visit www.tastingswinebarandbistro.com.

"An Evening with Jim Rice" Scheduled at the Kowloon

We are all invited to "An Evening with Jim Rice" at the Kowloon Restaurant in Saugus on Tuesday, April 7. Hosted by NECN's Chris Collins, the event will be an opportunity to congratulate the newest Red Sox legend to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Johnny Pesky, Dennis Eckersley, Bill "Spaceman" Lee and Luis Tiant, along with many other legends and current players, will all share intimate stories about Jim and his accomplishments.

Admission includes the Super Kowloon Buffet. For more information, call 781-233-0077 or visit www.kowloonrestaurant.com.

Swan Boats Return to Public Garden Lagoon

Saturday, April 18 marks opening day for one of the most popular attractions in the city of Boston, The Swan Boats. We are all invited to take a relaxing 15-minute "cruise" at the historic Boston Public Garden lagoon.

Open daily through Sunday, September 20, The Swan Boats are wheelchair accessible. Animals, except for seeing-eye dogs, are not permitted.

For hours and fares, call 617-522-1966 or visit www.swanboats.com for more information. The 24-acre Public Garden is bound by Arlington, Boylston, Charles and Beacon Streets. The Boston Common Underground Parking Garage on Charles Street is the closest parking garage.

Restored Symphony Hall Windows Win Design Award

The restoration and opening of Symphony Hall's clerestory windows has won an Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America's 2009 Build America Award.

The Build America Award is one of the industry's most prestigious awards with winners selected by a panel of industry peers. Walsh Brothers Incorporated won the award at AGC's annual convention in San Diego, California. Walsh Brothers completed the project in only 76 days.

The clerestory windows project restored the windows to their original design completed by McKim, Mead & White in 1900. Photographs of Symphony Hall in 1940 reveal that wooden "shutters," hinged at the bottom, were applied to the clerestory windows so they could either be left open to daylight or closed. The shutters were permanently closed in the 1940s, probably for black-out purposes during the war, and left closed.

The Boston Symphony Orchestra opened Symphony Hall's clerestory windows last July.

Enjoy!

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