Jamaica Plain is a great neighborhood for birding. Here are my five favorite feeder birds. Maybe you get different customers at your feeders? Goldfinch. I love to see this bright-yellow guy and his more olive-hued gal. The finch sock outside our bedroom window sometimes has as many as six at a time. Chickadee. For sheer brazeness, no one tops chickadee. Cat in the window? Human on the hammock just feet away? No problem. Chickadee swoops in, gets a seed and swoops out. Cardinal. Here's another visitor I love to see in pairs. Downy woodpecker. Between our suet feeder and the dead tree in the …

JP is one of Boston's greenest neighborhoods, and an awesome one for walking a dog. Here are my top five walks: Forest Hills Cemetery. It's one of the nation's oldest garden cemeteries and hard to beat for a lovely dog walk. If you keep to the woods at the edges of the cemetery, it's also pretty easy to let your dog off leash without arousing the ire of the security guards. Arnold Arboretum. Arguably the single best place in JP to let your dog play with other dogs is Peters Hill. And any route you take through the Arboretum is sure to lower your own nature deficit. From anywhere in the …

Quick - what's the first thing you think of when I say the word "spa?" Admit it, you thought of yourself in a big fluffy white robe, cucumbers on your eyes and a big ol’ grin on your face. There are few things better then a trip to the spa. Indulge in a day just for you at one of Patch Picks' Boston Spas: Several Bostonians heeded the call when we tweeted, “tell us your favorite spa.” BostonMo and Chasinj both quickly replied Bliss Spa at the W Hotel. The bright and cheery spa located at 100 Stuart St. opened its doors last fall to rousing success. The space is so cheerful, it makes me think …

Fact: St. Patrick’s Day is the number one holiday to call in sick to work in Boston.* Boston is known as the Irish City. We love our “everything is green” day almost as much as we love the Red Sox. Boston, this is your day. Call in sick and celebrate. As any good Bostonian will tell you, the Sunday Southie St. Patrick’s Day Parade is a must for all ages. We will be there along with our twitter friend @KBGiltCity. The festivities kick off at 1 p.m. at the Broadway T station and continue all afternoon. Celebrate the actual day at any number of spots around the city, including The Beehive at 541…

The winter weather seems to be sticking around a bit longer than usual, but don’t fret. Instead, enjoy the last few weeks of winter curled up with a good book and your (hopefully) last cup of hot cocoa. Our Twitter friends sent us a few of their favorite books, from childhood favorites to adult classics. See if you share any favorites with them: Someone who knows a thing or two about books, Twitter user @BostonBookFest, “Just finished Cleopatra & Emperor of All Maladies (both awesome). Loved Super Sad True Love Story & Goon Squad 2!” 1. Emperor of All Maladies takes readers through a journey …

Spring is almost here, and man oh man, are we ready for it. Get ready for the best season in fashion at Boston's best boutiques, chosen by you. Jamaica Plain - Sonia's Bridal and Quinceañera If you're looking for a wedding dress for yourself or a quinceañera dress for your daughter, don't miss Sonia's. The Hyde Square boutique has built a reputation for customer service, thanks to decades of work by founder Patria Valenzuela and her son, Jesús Jimenez. Beacon Hill - Uncle Pete’s Our twitter friend @KBGiltCity sent us to this Beacon Hill hot spot saying simply, “Uncle Pete's On Beacon. The …

Jamaica Plain is rich with venerable, hard-working non-profit organizations and charities. Here are five you should consider giving to. Hyde Square Task Force Why: There's a lot of talk about developing the talents of young people in JP and Roxbury. For my money, no one in JP does that better than Hyde Square Task Force. The peer leaders who come out of this organization tutor younger kids and make a real impact in our neighborhood — like fighting for better sex ed and keeping the former Blessed Sacrament campus mostly affordable housing. Donate to the Hyde Square Task Force via this link. …