TEEN TAKES!
Halfway to heaven if you eat at
Red Sky
Right next to Faneuil Hall is a restaurant glimmering on the horizon. Red Sky is not just a restaurant, but a stress free environment with a lounge for relaxing while you enjoy your meal. Located at 16-18 North Street in Boston, Red Sky is a great place to sit back and have a bite to eat after a night on the town.
The name Red Sky describes what the restaurant looks like inside, with red walls and plenty of space. The restaurant has three sections: a bar, a lounge with couches (which can be reserved for up to 60 and has a beautiful view of Faneuil Hall), and a rather ordinary looking dining area. Open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m, food is served until 1 a.m.
One problem I had with the lunch menu is they worry more about appetizers than main courses. The menu I ordered from had 15 appetizer choices and only 8 choices of burgers or sandwiches. They also had two choices of soup.
First, I wanted to see how the salads were, so I tried the buffalo chicken salad ($11). The portion was solid and the fixings were typical, with tossed buffalo chicken; and, of course, where there is buffalo chicken, there is blue cheese dressing. The salad did get me ready for the main course, although for $11 it wasn’t worth the money because it didn’t fill me. Needing the next course, I decided on the Southwestern burger with french fries ($9.50). Don’t get me wrong: it tasted fantastic. It’s an 8-ounce burger covered in barbecue sauce, pepper jack cheese, bacon, and avocado. But if I hadn’t ordered the salad, it wouldn’t have filled me. By now it was clear: portion size is not Red Sky’s strength.
It’s great I was comfortable, but how long did I have to wait? Even though it was only 4:30 p.m. when I arrived, there was only one person working the floor and she wasn’t always around when I needed service. The only worker was hanging out at the bar chatting with customers. When it was finally time to get my check, she was nowhere to be found. When I finally found her she was in a corner talking on her cellphone. That wasn’t just bad service, but bad business.
During certain hours, Red Sky has menu discounts. This helps when you have to pay $9.50 for a burger that doesn’t fill you. Drinks were refillable, so I guess that makes up for it. I did enjoy my food, and I was full when I left, but these discounts aren’t always on. So if you’re going to try Red Sky, I suggest you call 617-742-3333 to find out when discounts are available.
I rate Red Sky a 5 on a scale from 1 to 10. It did have a relaxed atmosphere and good food. On the other hand, that doesn’t make up for the lack of portions and service. For more information on menus go to www.redskyboston.com.
Bite into the Southwestern burger and fries at Red Sky.
photos by Darius Cephas and Mary Nguyen // Artists for Humanity
Book review: "The Farming of Bones"
The book “The Farming of Bones” is written by one of my favorite authors, and also a fellow Haitian, Edwidge Danticat. I’ve read nearly all her books and each time I learn new things and I understand and get to know her better. What I really enjoy in each of her books is that she includes Creole and old Haitian Creole sayings. This makes the stories very personal.
“The Farming of Bones” tells the story of a young Haitian woman named Amabelle. Orphaned at the age of 8, Amabelle lived in the Dominican Republic with a Dominican family, Señor Pico and Señora Valencia. She and her lover, Sebastien, a sugarcane cutter, live in a difficult time, during a massacre of Haitians, and love each other a lot. The story feels real because it is based in history and the characters could be real.
One of the best chapters is the first. In the beginning, the author describes little details in subtle ways. For example, she never mentions the word “sex,” but gets the point across to the reader. I thought it was a powerful way to start a book. The writing describes every detail. It felt like I was in the scene and someone else was putting it in words, especially the parts describing the persecution of Amabelle and other Haitians. This writing style shows the author’s personality. The reader gets to know the author by reading her writing.
In the book, the reader sees how characters interact and wonders why they act like they do. I think Señor Pico didn’t like Amabelle as much as Señora Valencia did because there is nowhere in the book that Señor Pico talks to Amabelle. Even so, I think Amabelle shouldn’t leave the household. No matter how tough it was, Señora Valencia would never let anyone hurt Amabelle. She would do anything to protect her because she loved Amabelle, she grew up with her, and she considered her as her sister.
My second favorite chapter is the last, where the story of love, war, struggle, survival, and hope ends. Although I had many questions, I understood how Amabelle felt about how things had turned out. I recommend this book to anyone who is Haitian, or anyone who wants to know more about Haitian history and people. It’s a great story and a good read.
