“Why Singapore?” some of our mystified friends and colleagues asked when my wife, Susan, and I announced, more than five years ago, that we were leaving our home in West Medford and our jobs in Greater Boston for a two-year stint in Singapore, a remote and tiny country somewhere in far-away Southeast Asia. “And where exactly is Singapore, anyway?” some puzzled folks asked. “Is it part of China, or what?” Now everyone knows that Americans have never been very good at geography. Singapore, long a British colony, and for a brief period part of Malaysia, has been an independent republic Continue reading >>>

BOSTON, Jan. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- WHAT: As Bostonians face a particularly tough flu and cold season, Salvatore's Restaurants, with five locations in Greater Boston, has launched a new "Feel Better Boston" takeout special. While not intended as a cure, the kit which includes a pint of chicken soup, fresh baked bread, your choice of orange juice, ginger ale or water and an individual pack of tissues, will certainly ease your symptoms! Priced at $5.99, the "Feel Better Boston" special is packaged in a brown paper bag with a special Feel Better Boston sticker to encourage those feeling under Continue reading >>>

A strong third quarter surge proved pivotal as the Somerville High boys basketball team silenced Medford, 67-57, Jan. 11, in the Greater Boston League opener. The loss dropped Medford to 6-2 overall in the league standings. Somerville held a five-point lead at halftime, before going on a crippling 9-0 run in the third stanza, essentially putting the game away. Medford’s Sean Doncaster, Jonathon Pires and James Hawkins, all got into foul trouble early in the second half. Each of them picked up three, forcing them to spend some time on the bench. Despite those setbacks, the Mustangs still Continue reading >>>

<!-- end javascript to email the article -->  By Frank Quaratiello, Boston Herald McClatchy-Tribune Information Services Jan. 15--Hub business leaders are worried that problems with Boeing's 787 Dreamliner could delay -- or even scuttle -- anticipated nonstop flights as early as 2015 from China to Boston that would have pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into the local economy each year. "The 787 was a real game changer for the region's visitor industry," said Pat Moscaritolo of the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau. "The Continue reading >>>

Hiring a plumber may no longer be a draining experience thanks to household service booking startup Handybook.Greater Boston residents who need their faucets replaced or their dishwashers installed can now make plumber appointments via the company’s website in a matter of seconds, said Handybook CEO Oisin Hanrahan.“We’re taking away a lot of steps in the booking process and saying, ‘Let’s just skip to the bit where you actually want to book,” Hanrahan, 29, told the Herald. Though Hanrahan, a former Harvard Business School student, wouldn’t flush out the number of Handybook Continue reading >>>

By Chris Reidy, Globe Staff By one metric of commercial real estate activity, Greater Boston’s central business district fared better than any other market in the country. Cushman Wakefield, a large commercial real estate services firm, compiled statistics in a study that examined business districts’ office market absorption rates, which measure the net rate of growth in leasing during a given period. The study looked at the central business districts in 28 cities across the country. Cushman Wakefield defines Greater Boston’s central business district, or CBD, Continue reading >>>

Now you can do good and eat well by dining at some of the Boston area’s most celebrated restaurants during the 31st annual Super Hunger Brunch on Jan. 26 and 27. With a list of more than 21 restaurants, diners can choose dishes from menus designed especially for the Super Hunger Brunch. Prices are set at $25, $35 and $50 per person. For more information and to purchase gift certificates visit www.gbfb.org/SuperHungerBrunch. To view menus and make reservations, visit the websites of participating restaurants. In 2012, more than 1,600 people took part in this fundraising effort for the Greater Continue reading >>>

  The new MBTA general manager addressed issues of unpredictable subways, lack of late night service and fare hikes on a popular local talk show Wednesday night. MBTA General Manager Beverly Scott was the guest on WGBH news talk show Greater Boston, where she said despite the complaints, T ridership is doing quite well. “The first thing I’ll say is our ridership is up,” she said. “I think that is a real testament to how critical…public transportation is.” “Greater Boston” host Emily Rooney asked Scott about the massive debt the MBTA needs to overcome. The debt is estimated at Continue reading >>>

(NOTE: Click here for upcoming events in Melrose and nearby towns and cities, including a day-by-day calendar.) The story of Irish immigration is part of the fabric of Greater Boston, and the historic Foresters Mortuary Records offer amazing views into the life of our local immigrant communities. The National Archives at Boston, located in Waltham, is offering a presentation and workshop on Thursday, Jan. 17 about tracing Irish immigration history. In 1879, a group of Irish immigrants founded the Massachusetts Catholic Order of Foresters to provide life insurance benefits for its members. Continue reading >>>