escorsello, Author at Neighborhood View

MALDEN’S CHEFS: David Stein and Stock Pot Malden, Part 2

June 7, 2015 escorsello 0

While David Stein was creating his business at Triangle, Inc., Francis Gouillart, academic, business consultant, and co-author of “The Power of Co-Creation” and his group of angel investors were exploring Malden as a possible city to put the theory of co-creation to work on a local level. “Co-creation is a management initiative, or form of economic strategy, that brings different parties together (for instance a company and a group of customers) in order to jointly produce a mutually valued outcome.” As a blue-collar city and the second most ethnically diverse in Massachusetts, Malden fit the criteria as a community they wanted to work with. Their goal was to try a social experiment by empowering people, especially women and minorities, through food service, by reaching out to Malden food businesses and supporting them by encouraging, coaching, and investing in start-up businesses as equity partners, hiring from the community and supporting community growth in food service. Gouillart and his group had heard of Stein and were interested in working with him. When they finally met, they found […]

MALDEN’S CHEFS: Ferry Street Food & Drink cycles with the seasons

February 23, 2015 escorsello 0

When you see an old English Raleigh three-speed with a basket of flowers on the handlebars and chalkboard that reads “Open” you’ll know you’ve arrived at Ferry Street Food & Drink. Pull the large wooden door open and you will find a room filled with warm, amber light reflecting off of golden wooden panels and an old map of Texas, birthplace of Jason Ladd, head chef and co-owner. Ladd recalls, “I discovered cooking as a deep love when I was a very young lad, my teen years, and stuck with it ever since.” Ladd was influenced by the Tex-Mex cooking of his homeland that you can taste in his signature dish, pork meatballs with cheddar grits in barbecue sauce. He uses a combination of cumin, cayenne, and ground chile peppers and is ever refining his barbecue sauce. In his travels and work, he was influenced by the tastes of many places. The southwest, French creole and cajun is expressed in the jambalaya, and in the Louisiana cajun dish, shrimp and grits. House-made linguine with milk […]

Solup’s Shoe Case’s legacy lingers in Malden

December 12, 2014 escorsello 0

After 50 years of selling shoes at 130 Pleasant St., Solup’s Shoe Case has closed its doors. People came from far and wide to purchase from the large variety of shoes and receive quality shoe repair. In a time of inferior, mass-produced products, Herb and Faye Solup offered shoes from high-grade companies to adults and children. Herb was known for taking pride in his products and readily sharing his knowledge. He took the time to make sure the shoes fit properly and helped the client choose a shoe that would work for their individual needs. He cared about his customers and the shoes that he sold. Five storefronts at 130 Pleasant St. are now vacant to make room for luxury apartments. Solup’s Shoe Case and Firmani the Tailor were businesses that gave over 100 years of excellent service to the citizens of Malden. Maybe we, the citizenry have to ask ourselves: What kind of Malden do we want? -Elizabeth Scorsello with a special thanks to Cath Moore Photography Copyright Elizabeth Scorsello 2014

Malden High goes green with ‘Shrek’

December 4, 2014 escorsello 2

Based on the DreamWorks movie, “Shrek,” the ogre, rescues the princess and they fall in love. Don’t miss the largest musical in the past 20 years produced by the Malden High School Play Production Class. It’s being performed by 60 kids and two faculty members that are backstage, onstage and in the band. Great show for all ages. Sean Walsh – Director Todd Cole – Music Director Allen Phelps – Tech Director Miranda Libkin – Choreographer Four performances: Thursday 7:30 p.m., Friday 7:30 p.m., Saturday 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Character meet-and-greet Saturday 12:30 p.m. $5 students/seniors, $8 adults, kids under 5 free Buy tickets at the door or main office. –Photos by Elizabeth Scorsello

Anatomy of a Chinese Garden – Yan and Maggie’s Malden garden

August 23, 2014 escorsello 0

My journey into this Chinese garden began when I pushed the doorbell of the modern duplex home with the small “hut” in the front yard. Many times I have been intrigued as I have walked by structures that appear to be huts from another time, another place, completely covered in climbing vines with hanging fruit that I have never seen, in the front yards of modern day homes. Maggie is a very warm, generous woman. In an afternoon she introduced me to the family food garden. Later, I met her mother, Yan, who greeted me in the hot sun holding an umbrella with a beaming, open hearted smile. We communicated in smiles. Yan is the gardener and Maggie spends summers from college working together with her. They are from Canton, southeast China and have lived in Malden since 1998. Maggie showed me the backyard where every bit of land is used in this lush, beautiful garden that feeds more than 15 family members and friends. Six-foot tree branches hold up long rows of beans of […]

Malden’s Lincoln Commons in bloom

July 14, 2014 escorsello 0

Lincoln Commons was originally the site of the small, two-acre farm of Levi P. Nichols. In 1897 the Lincoln Junior High was built in its place until it was razed in 1998. The park is located on Cross St. between Bryant and Henry Streets on 4.3 acres. According to Landscape Architect, JP Shadley, of Shadley Associates, who designed the park, it was given by the City of Malden partly as compensation for the loss of Ferryway Green (also known as Newman Park). It recalls the work of Frederick Law Olmsted’s firm at Ferryway Green and other Malden parks rich in this heritage. The community asked for an “Olmsted-inspired” landscape as a way to heal from the loss. JP Shadley said, “In response, I used the flowing paths, rolling topography, defined seating areas, and irregular, naturalistic plantings to all contribute to achieving that goal.” The relics of reliefs once imbedded in the school’s facade have been encased into commemorative walls along with its motto, “Enter to learn – Depart to serve.” –Elizabeth Scorsello with a special […]

Rebirth in Malden’s Forest Dale Cemetery

June 8, 2014 escorsello 4

Once the 56-acre Pratt Hill farm, Forest dale Cemetery was purchased by the City of Malden in 1883. It is located at 152 Forest St. and extends north to Pine Banks Park. It was landscaped by Boston Surveyor, P. F. Pane in 1884 in the picturesque style of cemetery form according to the historic records at Malden Public Library. –Elizabeth Scorsello with special thanks to Stephen Nedell, Local History Librarian Perhaps it was flowers that made me a painter. -Claude Monet Photography by Elizabeth Scorsello

City of Malden passes ball to Miller Park

May 15, 2014 escorsello 0

Blighted Miller Park lost bid for $1,000,000 federal grant but city funds bring new hope. The City of Malden has awarded the much-needed funds to bulldoze and renovate Miller Park. Four steel girders topped with a roof of cinder block that became a massive lean to for drug dealers will soon be razed and replaced with trees, plants and pathways with painted hopscotches. The unrecognizable remnants of a vandalized tot lot exchanged for new playground equipment and one of the few remaining basketball courts in the area will be completely refurbished. The neighborhood will reclaim its long needed park that many had feared entering and a new green space will belong to the community. Originally called Harvard St. Park, it was renamed for YMCA outreach worker Robert Miller who devoted himself to the neighborhood youth. The park abuts the Malden Housing Authority and single family homes. Located in the city’s poorest area, Miller Park began its slow decline from neglect about 20 years ago because of the lack of city funds. Unlike other areas of […]