Dottie Hottie

The Dottie Hottie witnessed a hit-and-run this past weekend. In a word, the whole maneuver was BALLSY. Noon-thirty on a Sunday. People were coming back from church, going to see grandma, thinking about chicken dinners. Then BAM! The offending car set off an alarm, paused to inspect that indeed the damage probably exceeded his insurance premium, and cruised toward Dorchester Avenue.

Dorchester Avenue. On a Sunday afternoon. COME. ON! Did you not think the Dottie Hottie would be scribbling down your plate? Alerting the authorities? Making no dull racket?

While Boston’s finest work to apprehend this cowardly conductor, the Dottie Hottie sends condolences to the victim of this cowardly act. Hope that broken axel gets fixed post-haste.

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Had take-out from Mrs. Jones on Satureve. Lickity splits, that fried chicken gets better and better. Still waiting for them to post their menu online. What say you, Mrs. Jones, to a little more love on the interweb?

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Ran into Sam Yoon the day post-election. He offered the Dottie Hottie a heartfelt hug. He seemed somber but was kind as ever. Said it once and I’ll say it again, I love me some Yooooon.

The Dottie Hottie is feeling a bit on the fence about his pairing with Flaherty for November’s race. It’s a strategic coupling, but here at DH headquarters, we’re just a little dubious about Southie’s fair-haired boy. What are your thoughts?

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Keepin’ it real in this here Dot.
xoxo,
Dottie

So my boy Sam Yoon got bested by Menino (shocker!) and Flaherty, but only trailed second place by a couple thousand votes. I have to say that I’m always disappointed when I visit my little precinct in Dot. The Dottie Hottie does so love to exercise the right, and yet, I’m always the only voter there! Granted, I usually go mid-day, but surely my elder voters and my stay-at-home parents should be hitting up the polls prior to naptime, no? I suspect that voter turn-out in Dot is low, and it burns me pretty bad. I didn’t even see many Yoon banner wavers working the polls and this is Sam’s ‘hood! We are one of the greatest neighborhoods in terms of the richness of our non-profits and service agencies, and yet our voter engagement just doesn’t impress. If the primary wasn’t your bag, I really hope to see you on Super Tuesday in November. Be there or be a blank oval on the ballot, y’all.

You know you’ve passed it on Dot Ave. The suspicious green exterior. The window displays with the hodge podge of trinkets and trucker hats. And then you’ve probably scoffed at the signage: “Super 99 Cent Plus.”

What’s the plus?

And what’s so super about it?

You know you’ve been curious. But did you have the courage to enter beyond yon doors?

The Dottie Hottie investigated. And lo, a manifest destiny of chatchkes of all shapes and sizes was unearthed!

The store is actually very clean and organized. Yet, you could spend hours in it, trolling for itty bitty buddhas, birthday balloons, and a new belt buckle.

They even had a Michael Jackson Thriller belt buckle to boot! Thirteen dollah bills, y’all!

We managed to purchase a whole bevy of birthday products (kiddie whistle toys, streamers, balloons, forks, etc.) for $13. My arms were literally brimming with stuff and the sum total was less than I had spent at Lambert’s for some apple cider and grapes.

The store is staffed by some charming young Vietnamese chaps. Totally helpful with the Mylar balloon selection and while the MJ belt buckle was exciting, it’s fair to say the Super 99 Plus staff is what the “plus” is all about — they’re the icing, for shizz.

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Super 99 Cent Plus
1759 Dorchester Ave
Dorchester Ctr, MA 02124-2535
(617) 282-5460

The Dottie Hottie ventures into the South End every so often when there are spouses to see (well, really just one Dottie Biker spouse in particular) and yummy baked confections to enjoy at Flour. Flour bakery, while on the pricier end, is always enjoyable, but rarely has it ever snowed inside its quarters.

Today the Dottie Hottie entered Flour on the assumption that the Flaherty campaigners, including the councilman himself, were just handing out literature outside of the bakery.

The Dottie Hottie waved the literature away, but in a polite manner (natch), saying that the Dottie Hottie was a committed Yoonie. GO YOON!

However, then while ordering delicious maple oatmeal scone and chamomile tea, the councilman himself sidled up next to the Dottie Hottie to try and win a Dottie Hottie vote. Friendly enough guy, but was it necessary to bring his own video camera crew into Flour for some folksy footage? I mean, it wasn’t even 10 a.m. yet and already with the photography?!

The Dottie Hottie didn’t feel as though Flaherty was actively listening, just looking for little openings in the conversation to insert his qualifications…I was a District Attorney yada yada…I’ve worked with Sam blah blah blippity blah.

Here at Dottie Hottie Headquarters, we’re getting a little nervous about the impending primary. It would be great to hear that fellow Bostonians will be getting out to vote!!

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Also, wonder of wonders, look who the Dottie Hottie ran into, almost literally, boarding the train at Shawmut? They were off to yon duck boats or bust! Wouldn’t the Yoons make a great first family of Boston???

When did the word barista worm its way into the vernacular? When, officially, did “coffee dude” get swapped out for the Italian word for coffee bartender? Barista. It sounds like a surfer’s modifier, doesn’t it? Like, those waves are looking so far out, they’re like barista, man. “It’s just a fancy word for coffee maker,” said Kiersten Cohen on “The O.C.” when Ryan’s delinquent brother rolls up into Orange County looking for something to occupy his time (in case you missed that one). Barista. Maybe it’s not officially considered Stuff White People Like, but the Dottie Hottie would contend “applying for jobs as a barista” probably deserves marginal inclusion. It’s a nice word, it’s a word propagated far and wide by Morebucks, and the Dottie Hottie just wonders how we all came to adopt this Italian word as part of the English lexicon.

But no matter. The important thing is that a barista be a good one. And Dot’s own Flat Black is about to weed out the weakest link at the coffee bahhh.

They’re hosting ‘White Chrome’: Boston’s 1st Annual Barista Throwdown

When: Sat. Oct. 24th

What: Each competitor will have to prepare a medley of “espresso, latte/cappuccino art and original signature drinks to exacting standards in a 5-minute performance set to music.” They will be judged by foodie celebs!

Who: And YOU should totally come and cheer them on. GOOOOO BARISTAS! (Public is invited for a tasting from 2pm- 4pm during the practice rounds)

Also: The Dottie Hottie is also excited that there will be a cupping by Flat Black’s mastah roastah and co-founder, David House.

How much: Admission to the competition is free, but a donation of $10 is suggested to benefit the Greater Boston Food Bank.

A live video broadcast from the event can be found at www.UStream.tv.

Menino fumbled and bumbled and mumbled.

Flaherty’s tone was pompous; frankly, he bored me like a frat boy who thinks he is smarter and more clever than he really is.

McCrea’s points were interesting, though he stood like the Tin Man at the podium.

Yoon was a fan of the audible pause, but boy did he come prepared. Scot Lehigh from the Globe agrees.

Last night’s mayoral debate was great fun, I thought. Jon Keller of WBZ-TV was a jumpy, but highly capable referee. No low blows from the candidates, but certainly a few bristley topics raised. It’s clear from my view, having worked for the City of Boston for 2 years, that there are too many departments, particularly the BRA, that reside in the back pocket of Mayor Menino. It’s cliched to unseat a mayor with the mantra, “It’s time for a change,” and I’m not even sure I believe it. It’s not time for *a* change. It’s time for a clearly prescribed change, change that is measurable, change to which a mayor can hold himself or herself accountable.

My faith still remains in Sam Yoon for mayor. He is passionate about our schools and personally invested in them as his son now attends the Lee Academy in Dorchester. He has a clear vision for how City Hall can become more transparent, how we can stream tax revenue toward more youth programming, and I believe he is an intrepid in all ways that we need a mayor of such a diverse city to be. I hope you’ll give Yoon a second look as you take to the polls for the primary on September 22.

For a long time, the Dottie Hottie was a snob about the Franklin Park Zoo. Having grown up enjoying the Cleveland Metroparks zoo with its mock rainforest (yeah, like with rain and a forest and everything), the Dottie Hottie thought that a tiny zoo without its own rainforest would be somehow inferior. But all that zoopremacist thinking was just silly. Because Franklin Park Zoo ROCKS! It’s totally adorable. All the exhibits are so accessible, and yeah, maybe it’s small, but the animal cages still seemed pretty clean and humane, and small is kind of nice for an urban zoo when you have a rascal toddler likely to get lost easily.

The Dottie Hottie will definitely be purchasing a membership. With all the allegations that the Zoo might be shuttering its doors, the Dottie Hottie cannot help but think it’s just a cheap shot at Governor Patrick to paint him as some kind of animal euthanizer. For now, the chimps and chicks are still doing what they do, and they’re waiting for you, see you at the zoo?

Turtle would be shellshocked if you don’t buy a membership. You pay for it in 4 visits!

The Little Zoo Engine that could…get you to visit.

Come get your goat at Franklin Park Zoo.