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I live near Roslindale Square and have come to adore the Roslindale Farmers’ Market. The fresh produce, the cheese, the crafts, the community…it’s all there. So I happily accepted an assignment last month from the Roslindale Transcript to write about the Roslindale Farmers’ Market opening day.

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As part of my effort to catch up on my recent freelancing work: Last month, Boston Globe West published two local news articles dealing with some contentious issues in my towns. Franklin voters contemplated a Proposition 2 1/2 tax override (it failed), one of many such votes across the region, while a proposed affordable housing development in Bellingham has irked some residents, as well as opponents of current Chapter 40B legislation.

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I haven’t updated this blog in more than a month! Not because I haven’t been journalism-ing — quite the opposite. I’ve been learning about my new editing role at TechTarget while also keeping busy with some Boston Globe and TableCritic work. Then, there were the NBA Finals…. I also recently got my renewed passport in the mail, which means I’ve been using free time to figure out where I want to go this fall and/or winter. Plus, the weather’s been gorgeous in Boston (we even hit 100 degrees one day last week!), so I’ve been spending a lot of time outdoors in the Arnold Arboretum and Forest Hills Cemetery in Jamaica Plain. I also went kayaking on the Charles River yesterday and saw five turtles and a family of swans!

Enough with the excuses. I’ll get caught up on posting my recent stories here shortly.

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There’s no way around it: A trip to Europe during the summer is a pricey plane ticket. Heck, even a trip downtown for dinner can suck your wallet dry. So why not seek out some transplanted Irish hospitality at Townsend’s Restaurant in Hyde Park? The oft-neglected Boston neighborhood is not as far out as it seems: It’s accessible via the commuter rail, and almost a straight shot down Hyde Park Avenue from the Forest Hills T station.

The owners, Mike and Rosaleen Tallon, live in Hyde Park with their 14-year-old son, but both grew up in Ireland and still carry lovely lilting accents. They owned and ran a restaurant in Cambridge for many years but two years ago decided to stick closer to home and opened Townsend’s on Fairmount Avenue.

The Townsend’s concept is modern, upscale American and British comfort food in a neighborhood setting. In addition to pub classics like fish and chips and more sophisticated options like grilled herbed salmon, the emphasis is on beer. “I’ve always believed that good beer deserves a place at the table with food,” Mike said. “I’m naturally curious. I find a beer I like, and I try to find out as much as I can about it.”

Read more beer musings in my full review of Townsend’s Restaurant in Hyde Park, Mass., on TableCritic.com.

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Plainville is getting socked recently. Boston Globe West published my article on the dual lawsuits Plainville is facing from a local developer, who alleges that town politics have slowed his efforts to reopen an asphalt plant, and also that the local Planning Board didn’t do its due diligence in considering an expansion at the Plainridge Racecourse, which could see increased gambling activities in the future.

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Boston Globe West published my piece last week on the latest on the Save Warren Woods effort in Ashland. Northeastern University, which owns the Warren Woods property, has rejected two bids by town officials to purchase the land. Save Warren Woods proponents are hoping a rejiggered Board of Selectmen will return with a third bid.

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I had a feature in Boston Globe West this week about a Medway resident who is relaunching a miniature golf course in Ashland, Massachusetts. I grew up playing mini-golf at Twinkle Town near Keene, N.H. (back then, I think it was only $1 or $2 a round), as well as many courses in Cape Cod each summer, so this was a fun throwback!

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“The grand arched portico along the harbor leading to the luxury Boston Harbor Hotel is also the entrance to one of the hotel’s luxe dining establishments: Rowes Wharf Sea Grille. Meritage’s little sister, the Sea Grille celebrates the sea, and its prime harbor location means that Chef Daniel Bruce and his staff get their hands on some of Boston’s freshest seafood, prepared in both traditional New England style and, in many cases, with an Asian twist.”

Read my full review of Rowes Wharf Sea Grille at TableCritic.com. You can also on the photos to the left to enlarge them.

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The West Roxbury Transcript published my story this past week on the latest wine tasting at Blanchards Wine and Spirits in West Roxbury. This session focused on wines of the Pacific Northwest — mainly Oregon and Washington state, with four whites and four reds to sample, along with some dreamy cheeses from the Boston Cheese Cellar in Roslindale.

Previous Blanchard’s sessions have explored the wines of northern and southern California, and they’re now moving onto Europe, with a series of classes on France’s most famous wine-producing regions.

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I received great news this week: TechTarget has promoted me to assistant managing editor for the CIO/IT Strategy Media Group! This means that, in addition to continuing to manage some production aspects and content production on SearchCIO.com, I’ll be in charge of the 30-plus electronic magazines and books we produce for SearchCIO.com, SearchCIO-Midmarket.com and SearchCompliance.com. I’ll be assigning stories, editing our content before sending it to our art director and proofreading the final versions. I’m sure it will keep me busy, but I’m psyched for the challenge!