Things to Do this Week in Belmont: Tiny Circus, Yoga at the Beech, Keep Your ID

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• The Belmont Board of Selectmen will be hearing a request from contractors to do night-time construction work along Trapelo Road on Monday, July 21 at 7 p.m. in Town Hall. The additional work is likely required due to the Trapelo/Belmont Corridor is now running slightly behind schedule. 

• The Belmont Senior Center welcomes the Better Business Bureau for a talk on “Stopping Identity Theft” on Tuesday, July 22 at 1:15 p.m. at the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St. The talk will discuss the most common tactics identity thieves are using to steal personal information and the precautionary steps seniors can take to protect themselves from falling victim to fraudulent activity.

• Yoga for everyone at the Beech Street Center on Tuesday, July 22 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.: join Susan Harris, a registered yoga teacher and associate professor of Nutrition at Tufts University for this Iyengar-inspired class which practices yoga postures slowly and with attention to alignment and safety, adapted to the abilities and needs of individual students. Practice is done with bare feet; mats and props are provided. Cost: $15/class. Non-seniors, beginners and experienced are welcome. This is a non-Council on Aging class held at the Beech Street Center. For more information, call Susan at 617-407-0816.

• The Belmont High School Teen Techs are back at the Belmont Public Library to help residents and patrons who are looking for help with computers, the internet, e-readers, tablets and the hows and whys of the social media world. The crew will be doing their tech wizardry on Wednesday, July 23 from 11 a.m. to noon in the Young Adult Room. Register online, stop by the reference desk to register in person or call 617-993-2870 to register by phone.

• Circus Minimus is an entire circus that emerges from a single suitcase including a tent, a family of acrobats and much more. Come see this circus “unfold” on Wednesday, July 23 from 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Belmont Public Library’s Assembly Room. 

• With so much going on around the world, this might be the week to join Hot Topics, the Beech Street Center’s current events group, taking place on Thursday, July 24 at 10 a.m. at 266 Beech St. 

• Here is a silly puppet adventure for families: Sylvie the Squirrel will discover a whole magical world while searching for her stolen underpants at the Belmont Public Library on Thursday, July 24, from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the Assembly Room.

Belmont House of the Week: 22 Vernon Rd.

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So what constitutes “The Middle” of the Belmont housing market? With the median price of a Belmont residence hovering around $777,000, it is always interesting to see just what the “average” home that’s on the market. And one that just went on sale is what many residents would call that “archetypical” Belmont single-family home.

Listed at $749,000 – with most homes selling above the initial price, the final sale should be close if not above the town’s median – the six room, three bedroom and one-and-a-half bathrooms side entrance Garrison Colonial, circa 1934, is located in the Kendall Gardens neighborhood off Mill Street near McLean Hospital.

This house features an entry foyer with deep coat closet, a living room with a fireplace and French doors, a formal dining room with built-in corner china cabinets, a cabinet kitchen with stainless steel appliances and breakfast bar, three season sun room, a large second-floor hallway with access to walk-up attic, a master bedroom with two closets, hardwood floors, crown molding, ceiling molding, ceiling fans, a first floor laundry, a partially finished basement, a walk-up attic, large deck overlooking beautiful yard and a two-car garage. The house has gas cooking, heat and hot water.

The house is a short walk from Rock Meadow Conservation Land with walking/jogging trails.

Belmont Yard Sales, Saturday July 19

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Here are this weekend’s yard/moving/garage sales (and a free item giveaway event) happening in the 02478 zip code:

• 4 Grove St., Saturday, July 19, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• 15 Ledgewood Place (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints parking lot), Saturday, July 19, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

• 22 Scott Rd., Saturday, July 19, 9 a.m. to noon.

 

 

What to Do Today: Judy and the Jitterbugs at Payson Park, Will at the Beech

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• Judy and the Jitterbugs, one of the BEST children-music bands in the US, will be performing at noon at Payson Park as part of the Payson Park Music Festival’s Kiddie Concerts. This is a concert – thanks to a generous contribution from Ralph and Sherry Jones – especially made with kids in mind so what better way to start the weekend then to stop by for songs, dancing and a lot more. See them today or you’ll need to travel to Brooklyn for next week’s shows.

• State Sen. Will Brownsberger will be holding office hours at the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St., at 10 a.m. 

• It’s game day this Friday at the Beech Street Center as it holds “Tea and Games on the Patio” at 1 p.m. There will be scrabble, checkers, cribbage and Trivial Pursuit along with iced tea and some cookies.

• Remember that town offices will be closing at 1 p.m. on summer Fridays.

With Mosquito Season Upon Us, Ways to Protect Self, Family

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It’s nearing mid-summer and with the recent rainstorms that passed through the region, it’s certain that in time at all, outdoor activities will be impacted by an influx of mosquitoes. The Belmont Department of Health has issued this press release to warn residents of the danger the insect can inflict on people: 

As we all recall, last winter saw significant snowfall and the mosquito breeding environments in and around Belmont are primed for a large number of mosquitoes this year. As always, we need to think about avoiding mosquitoes as well as ensuring that we keep our home environment and yards mosquito free. Mosquitoes are not just a nuisance.  Unfortunately they also carry disease to humans which makes it exceedingly important to practice safeguards against mosquito bites.  The risk of becoming infected with mosquito-borne disease is highest from late July through September; you should also know that the recent heavy rains will contribute to a large population of mosquitoes.

Belmont is part of the East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project, and as in recent years, workers from that project have already started to treat Belmont’s catch basins with mosquito growth inhibitors, which help to reduce one of the biggest sources of mosquitoes in this community.

Residents should, however, take note of the following suggestions to protect themselves from mosquitoes:

  • Avoid outdoor activities between dusk and dawn, if possible, as this is the time of greatest mosquito activity.
  • If you must be outside during that time, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants. If you choose to apply a chemical based repellant containing DEET, follow the manufacturer’s directions carefully.  Parents should NEVER use DEET on infants; use a 10 percent or less DEET concentration on children and 30 to 35 percent or less on adults.
  • Make sure as much skin as possible is covered when children are outdoors and cover baby carriages with netting.
  • Fix all holes in screens and make sure doors and screens fit tightly.

To reduce the mosquito population around your home, eliminate all standing water that is available for mosquito breeding and follow these simple guidelines:

  • Dispose of, or regularly empty, any metal cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots and other water holding containers.
  • Pay special attention to discarded tires that may have collected on your property. Tires are a common place for mosquitoes to breed. For that reason, it is a violation of the Nuisance Regulations to leave tires stored outdoors.
  • Clean clogged roof gutters; remove leaves and debris that would prevent good drainage. This may be the single biggest source of mosquitoes in any neighborhood.
  • Turn over plastic wading pools and wheelbarrows when not in use.
  • Swimming pools should be kept properly filtered and chlorinated. They should never be allowed to remain stagnant. Mosquito “dunks” can be purchased at many hardware stores to treat pool water if you must leave your pool unattended for keep the pool cover on for a significant period of time.
  • Use landscaping to eliminate areas of standing water on your property. Reducing insect harborage is one of the goals of the Health Department’s nuisance regulations, which ask that residents remove piles of rubbish, debris, yard waste, etc. from their yards.

            If you have any questions, please call the Health Department at 617 993-2720   

Sold in Belmont: (Mostly) Modest Single-Families Dominate Market

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A weekly recap of residential properties bought in the past seven days in the “Town of Homes.”

14 Emerson St. Colonial (1929), Sold for: $810,000. Listed at $795,000. Living area: 1,660 sq.-ft. 7 rooms; 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. On the market: 62 days.

49 Sharpe Rd. Split-level Ranch (1956), Sold for: $850,000. Listed at $719,000. Living area: 2,708 sq.-ft. 8 rooms; 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. On the market: 40 days.

30 Brookside Ave. Side-entrance Colonial (1936), Sold for: $752,000. Listed at $699,000. Living area: 1,808 sq.-ft. 8 rooms; 4 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. On the market: 40 days.

35-37 Chandler St. Two-family (1948), Sold for: $685,000. Listed at $699,900. Living area: 1,984 sq.-ft. 11 rooms; 4 bedrooms, 2 baths. On the market: 54 days.

23 Centre Ave. An antique Victorian-era farmhouse and separate carriage house (1861), Sold for: $1,597,000. Listed at $1,649,000. Living area: 4,437 sq.-ft. 14 rooms; 5 bedrooms, 4 baths. On the market: 108 days.

65 Vernon Rd. Garrison Colonial (1961), Sold for: $840,000. Listed at $785,000. Living area: 1,868 sq.-ft. 7 rooms; 3 bedrooms, 3.5 baths. On the market: 60 days.

32 Taylor Rd. Split-level Ranch (1946), Sold for: $715,000. Listed at $740,000. Living area: 1,503 sq.-ft. 5 rooms; 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. On the market: 60 days.

515-517 School St. Condominium, Sold for: $537,000. Listed at $525,000. Living area: 1,900 sq.-ft. 8 rooms; 3 bedrooms, 2 baths. On the market: 61 days.

50 Winslow Rd. Condominium, Sold for: $506,500. Listed at $499,900. Living area: 1,432 sq.-ft. 7 rooms; 3 bedrooms, 1 baths. On the market: 80 days.

12 Upland Rd. Condominium, Sold for: $495,000. Listed at $455,000. Living area: 1,420 sq.-ft. 8 rooms; 3 bedrooms, 1 baths. On the market: 77 days.

27 Underwood St. Two-family (1928), Sold for: $726,500. Listed at $699,000. Living area: 2,033 sq.-ft. 10 rooms; 4 bedrooms, 2 baths. On the market: 29 days.

11 Highland Rd. Garrison Colonial (1920), Sold for: $1,819,962. Listed at $1,850,000. Living area: 3,958 sq.-ft. 10 rooms; 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths. On the market: 55 days.

20 Irving St. Condominium, Sold for: $405,000. Listed at $389,900. Living area: 939 sq.-ft. 5 rooms; 2 bedrooms, 1 baths. On the market: 58 days.

Produce at Its Summer Peak at the Belmont Farmers Market

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It’s been a bit rough for local farmers as the growing season was late in coming. But shoppers at this week’s Belmont Farmers Market (today, Thursday, July 17 from 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Belmont Center municipal parking lot) will find a wide range of fresh produce and fruit available: arugula, beets, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, chard, pickling cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, green beans, herbs – dill, parsley, cilantro and more – salad greens, onions, peas (snap and green), peppers, potatoes, radishes, raspberries, scallions, spinach, summer squash and zucchini. Look for tomatoes and corn coming soon.

Westport Rivers Winery, Sugar + Grain, Soluna Garden Farm and Bedford Blueberry Goat Farm are the occasional vendors this week joining the market’s weekly merchants. The Nicewicz Family Farm, a long-time market vendor, is eager to return to Belmont. However, their fruit tree crops have been affected by the late arrival of spring and they will not be at the Market until they have plenty of produce to offer.

The food truck this week will be Rhythm ‘n Wraps Food Truck.

The Belmont Farmers Market accepts and doubles SNAP benefits (formerly called Food Stamps) up to an extra $25 per market day, while matching funds last. Donations to the market’s parent organization, Belmont Food Cooperative,  help with programs like this.

In the events tent:

• Music by Sarah Fard from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

• Storytime: Deborah Borsuk of the Belmont Public Library Children’s Department will read about farms and farming for children of all ages from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• The Hoot Owls will liven up the afternoon with their old-time string music, featuring Ruth Rappaport on guitar, Ben Wetherbee on fiddle, and Celeste Frey on banjo. From 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Don’t Be Left Out: ‘The Leftovers’ Premiers Sunday Night on HBO

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Belmont author Tom Perrotta’s 2011 novel “The Leftovers” about the aftermath on a small suburban New York town three years after a Rapture-like event in which two percent of the world’s population randomly vanishes premiers tonight, Sunday, June 29, at 10 p.m. on HBO cable.

View the series trailer here.

The book, which was the 2013 One Book One Belmont selection, is being brought to the wide-screen TV by producers Perrotta and Damon Lindelof, best known for his work creating the ABC series “Lost” which dealt with many similar themes of coping within mysterious unsolved circumstances.

So far, media criticism has been widely mixed – see a sample of the reviews here – for what many are calling a bleak but interesting television.

Belmont House of the Week: 90 Somerset St.

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30 Somerset St.

Not nearly as famous as its neighbor at 90 Somerset, the literary destination “Red Top,” the Albert Higgins house is a wonderful example of New England antebellum-style architecture. While the listing agent believes the house’s design is Greek Revival, it’s more a mashup of Greek Revival (more prominent on the Boston-facing east side of the house) and the tried-and-true Federalist style with the centered main entry, twin brick chimneys and a distinct cornice. 

First off, the house, built in 1850, is not named after a previous owner but for the “house wright” who constructed it; one of the numerous carpenter builders who put up homes in that era, according to Belmont Town Historian Richard Betts.

The home’s superior interior woodwork and craftsmanship with high ceilings, a graceful Bullfinch staircase, three fireplaces, long front windows with projecting cornices over the windows and doors. All three floors have stunning views of Boston.

Entering into a grand foyer, the main floor contains a formal living room, library,unique oval dining room, a gracious sunny family room and open eat-in kitchen looking out on the property’s professionally landscaped gardens, fruit trees, patio and stone walls. A private office is off the family room.

The second floor has a master bedroom with en-suite bath plus four additional bedrooms and a family bath. The finished area in the basement has a home spa complete with a sauna and shower. The home has a new Bulderus boiler heating system. Also on the property is a newly-renovated Carriage House which has an apartment.

  • Rooms: 10
  • Bedrooms: 5
  • Full Baths: 2
  • Partial Baths: 2
  • Square Footage: 3,648
  • Lot Size: .51 acres.

Listed at: $2,325,000

Listed By: AG McEvoy Realty, Anne McEvoy Kilzer.

Yard Sales in Belmont, June 28-29

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Here are this weekend’s yard/moving/garage sales happening in the 02478 zip code:

• 64 Creeley Rd. Saturday, June 28, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, June 29, 10 a.m. to noon.

• 111 Fairview Ave., Sunday, June 29, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• 76 Foster Rd., Saturday, June 28, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• 68 Gilbert Rd., Saturday, June 28, 8 a.m. to noon.

• 105 Lexington St., Saturday, June 28, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• 65 Oak Ave., Saturday, June 28, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.