Author: Mandile Mpofu

Neighbors rally to keep the Brookline Community Fridge going

The community refrigerator in Brookline Village was recently replaced by a group of volunteers who are aiming to keep the public service going. Photo by Mandile Mpofu

At the end of 2024, Vena Priestly, a fourth-generation Brookline resident and real estate agent at Rise Realty, needed to find a home for an extra refrigerator one of her landlords had. Unsure about what to do with the appliance, she posted a notice in the “Buy Nothing Brookline” Facebook group, where people give and… Continue reading Neighbors rally to keep the Brookline Community Fridge going

How a retired Brookline physician’s intricate card table won ‘best in show’ at a regional woodworking competition

Michelle Hallee Wong explains her process for beginning a new woodworking project. Photo by Taylor Coester

The interior of Michelle Hallee Wong’s home near Fisher Hill is striking. Amid the white crown molding, gold-framed artwork and wooden floors dressed in large rugs with ornate patterns, the standouts are various furniture pieces she created, like the tripod side tables in the living room and the tea-caddy-turned-jewelry-boxes in the dining room. The pièce… Continue reading How a retired Brookline physician’s intricate card table won ‘best in show’ at a regional woodworking competition

Step by step: Local artists paint dance lessons on Brookline sidewalks

“A Mat that Seats Many,” a mural representing ballet choreography by dancer Caitlyn Kwan. Photo by Mandile Mpofu

Caitlyn Kwan stood on the balls of her feet, as instructed by the footstep silhouettes painted on the ground beneath her and the directions that told her to “travel on your toes.” With her arms held out in front of her in a semicircle, she lightly walked four steps — right, left, right, left —… Continue reading Step by step: Local artists paint dance lessons on Brookline sidewalks