Photos by Abby, via the photo archive of the JP Historical Society

The White Squirrel of Jamaica Pond, circa August 2007

Each weekday we post a random image from around the neighborhood. On Thursdays we reach into the photo archive of the Jamaica Plain Historical Society. Today we’ve got a real gem.

Remember the Albino Squirrel of Jamaica Pond? This famous furry denizen lives on as the symbol of the JP Music Festival. This photo was taken in August 2007 by Photos by Abby.

If you have a photo that screams (or even whispers) “Jamaica Plain,” here are four ways to nominate it as our “Photo of the Day”:

• Email me at chris@jamaicaplainnews
• Tag a picture on Twitter with @02130News
• Put your photo in the Jamaica Plain News photo pool on Flickr
• Tag a picture on Instagram with #02130News

Is Portland the number one "coffee-crazed" city in the United States? Men's Health says yes, based on coffee consumption. Apparently the habit is rooted in the pre-Revolutionary War tea taxes. Thoughts? [Men's Health via PPH]
Coffee by Design.

This week, Portland makes it onto CN Traveler's best American cities for foodies: "Just as the city of Portland has transformed itself from scruffy to sophisticated, so too has its cuisine," the listicle says, noting restaurants like Fore Street, Eventide Oyster Co., Miyake, and old-school institution DeMillo's. [CN Traveler]

sushiesque via Creative Commons license on Flickr. For more of this photographer's work please visit https://www.flickr.com/photos/sushiesque/

Somerville Porchfest 2012

Good morning, neighborhood. Here’s your morning memo for Monday, April 21.

What’s Open, Closed for Patriots’ Day: Of course today is a holiday in Boston and Massachusetts. You know the Marathon is being run this morning and the Sox play at home before lunch. Here are the other details like how much your trash and recycling pickup will be delayed and whether the packie will be open.

Porchfest is Coming to JP: I’m starting to hear a buzz around the neighborhood about bringing a pretty cool event they do in Somerville (among other places) here to JP. The idea for Porchfest is simple. On Saturday, July 19, from noon to 3 p.m., bands will play at various host porches. Whether you’re a band looking for a porch or a porch owner willing to have yours used, head to the event’s Facebook page for more details.

Historical Society Walking Tour Schedule Announced: In another rite of spring, the full schedule for the JP Historical Society’s slate of walking tours is out. If you’ve never taken one of these free tours, which focus on sub-neighborhoods like Hyde Square, Sumner Hill, Stony Brook, etc., you owe it to yourself to try them out. Here’s the full schedule on the Historical Society’s website. You can also see the events here on the Jamaica Plain News calendar.

New Feature of Jamaica Plain News — Add Your Event to the Calendar: I’m thrilled to announce Jamaica Plain News is now set up so you can add your own events to the calendar. As more people use the site, I hope the calendar becomes your first stop when you want to know what’s happening in our neighborhood. It’s easy to do. Here’s the link. Please note that while we offer free event listings for non-profit and community organizations, we charge $5 for businesses to list events. We waive that small fee as a perk to our advertisers.

Have a great day, everyone.

Wally Gobetz via Flickr Creative Commons license: https://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg/

The 2007 Wake Up The Earth Parade

Hello neighborhood! It’s Tuesday, April 29 and here’s your Morning Memo on all things JP.

Wake Up The Earth on Saturday: A handful of yearly festivals mark the rhythm of life in our neighborhood. One of them is coming Saturday: The 35th annual Wake Up The Earth Festival. If you’re new to the neighborhood, this is a real don’t miss. There’s live music, dance, theater and storytelling. There are craft vendors, tasty Caribbean food, community group information tables and more. Here’s a map of the whole extravaganza, which takes place between Boylston and New Minton along the Southwest Corridor Park. Noon to 5 p.m., Saturday, May 3. Right now the forecast is for partly cloudy weather and a high of 61.

Wake Up The Earth Parade: To get the neighborhood in the mood for the big party, this year’s parade steps off from the Egleston YMCA at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. Here are more details if your community group would like to participate.

Beekeepers Unite!: Bees are social animals, so why shouldn’t beekeepers also be social? Agricultural Hall, a JP store dedicated to urban farming, is hosting a get-together for beekeepers to assemble your frames on Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Agricultural Hall is at 245 Amory St.

Have a great day, JP!