The Hamster

Artisanal Cheesemaking Comes to Town

2012-01-21T07:16:00.000-08:00

Nestled away within one of the buildings at Eastleigh Farm on Edmands Road, Susan Rubel's Nobscot Artisan Cheese company is now making cheese from the milk the farm's cows produce mere feet away. When your main raw ingredient is that close you're truly talking about a local product.

After a long career in the education field, Rubel combined her passion for cheese and sustainable lifestyles by attending the Vermont Institute of Artisan Cheese in Burlington. She obtained an advanced certificate in cheesemaking and soon teamed up with farm owner Doug Stephan, who provides the facility and the milk, to complement her skills and equipment.

After debuting last December, Rubel's fresh, pasteurized soft cheeses are now for sale in the farm store and at local winter farmers markets. An aging room is now under construction, that, once completed, will allow Rubel to make hard cheeses, including Swiss alpine style, and a Taleggio style Italian cheese.

Wouldn't serving a made in Framingham cheese at your next party be a real conversation starter? Stop by the farm store and support your local cheesemaker! For more information visit the web site, call 508-433-0662, or e-mail info@nobscotcheese.com.

Framingham's Role in the Bay Circuit Trail Greenbelt

2011-12-04T11:29:00.000-08:00

Did you know that the Bay Circuit Trail, a 180 mile long recreational trail that spans 57 Boston area communities from Ipswich to Duxbury, passes through Framingham for several miles?

The Framingham section passes through the Nobscot Mountain area within the Nobscot Boy Scout Reservation, then traverses Wittenborg Woods and Callahan State Park. The high point within Nobscot offers views east to the Blue Hills and Boston. If you've ever hiked up Nobscot Mountain, you may have seen a Bay Circuit Trail marker, with its distinctive logo, on trees near the summit, where the trail crosses several reservation trails.

A nice day hike of 4-5 miles that features the Framingham section, if you can place a car at each end, is to hike from Route 20 in Sudbury down to Parmenter Street in Southborough, near the Sudbury Reservoir. Visit the Bay Circuit Trail web site for maps and trail descriptions.

With a trail like this in our town, who needs to travel afar for outdoor recreation?

Indie Rock From a Multi-Talented Guy

2011-11-14T12:52:00.000-08:00

Multi-instrumentalists, musicians who play most or all of the instruments on a recording, are nothing new to the rock world. Todd Rundgren was doing it in the 1970s, as was Stevie Wonder. In the 1990s, Trent Reznor exploded into the alternative rock genre with the first album for his one-man band Nine Inch Nails.

But did you know Framingham had such an artist? Recording under the band name Loam, Chris Rousseau has been writing the songs, playing all of the instruments, and independently releasing albums as Loam since 2003. Originally drawing on such indie rock influences as Nirvana, REM, and the Breeders, Rosseaus's more recent work has moved more toward radio-friendly pop in the vein of The Cars and Tom Petty. Intelligently written songs, played with great musicianship and professionally recorded, Loam's work goes far beyond the hobbyist stage, with a quality that's easily competitive with major label releases.

Loam's CDs can be purchased on Amazon, iTunes, and CDBaby, and numerous samples for your listening pleasures are also available on the band's web site. www.loamband.com.

Latest Nobscot Eatery Breathes New Life Into the Village

2011-09-05T06:46:00.000-07:00

After sitting vacant and dark for months, Nobscot's venerable old diner building on Edgell Road, just north of the Water Street/Edmands Road intersection, was reborn in June as CJ's Northside Grill. Owners Chris Gagen and Jamie Anderson completely renovated the interior with a sports theme, including a replica of Fenway Park's famed Green Monster wall.

CJ's food is getting rave reviews and has been packing them in for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as attracting passerby seeking sweet relief from the summer heat to their ice cream takeout window. And Saturdays in Nobscot have become much more lively with the return of the legendary classic car cruise-in, with the CJ's lot filled with the gleaming motor vehicles of yesteryear.

Gagen, a gregarious and very hands-on operator, is a visible and gracious presence at the restaurant. He and co-owner Anderson are savvy marketers as well, taking full advantage of social media tools like Facebook to stay close to their customers and build their clientele. So if you've got a suggestion, request, or question, let them know.

Goodbye to a Beloved Nobscot Gathering Place

2011-08-07T06:51:00.000-07:00

Community planners and social scientists often refer to the concept of a "third place" - the home being first and the work place second - where people gather.

For many people in Nobscot, that third place has been Annie's Book Stop/Espresso Paulo in the Nobscot Shopping Center on Water Street. But now, after over ten years, this beloved neighborhood institution is closing on August 31.

To say that owner Paul Ashton merely ran a bookstore cafe` is like saying New York City's Russian Tea Room is just a restaurant. Ashton essentially presided over Nobscot's de facto community and cultural center. Artists, writers, politicians, community groups, and lecturers on numerous subjects, were only part of the perpetual salon that enlivened the shop not only during its normal operating hours but often late into the evening as well. Exhibits by local artists hung on the walls and book signings by local authors were common events.

Routinely working seven days a week, often for twelve hours or more, Ashton's lively spirit and puckish British humor endeared him to his loyal patrons, many of whom became his good friends over the years.

Anyone who wanted to know what was going on in Nobscot merely needed to walk in the door. If Ashton, a tireless promoter of the village, didn't have an answer, he always had an opinion, and could probably steer you to someone who did have an answer. When the Nobscot Neighbors community group was formed in late 2008, Ashton was one of the founding members, and immediately offered his shop as a meeting space. Here, on many an evening, residents fervently talked about Nobscot's problems and potential solutions, and friendships and alliances formed.

Whether he was serving up a perfect cappuccino or one of his famous scones, recommending a book, bringing in a masseuse to provide chair massages to patrons, presiding over an artistic or literary event, or hosting one of his legendary after-hours pot luck dinners, Ashton brought an energy and community spirit to Nobscot that will not be easily replaced. When those doors close at the end of this month and the ubiquitous neon "Coffee" sign is turned off forever, a part of the village's soul will go with it.

Development in Nobscot Signals a New Era

2011-05-14T06:42:00.000-07:00

After years of decline, this spring signals the beginning of a new era in Framingham's village of Nobscot. This represents a ray of hope for the residents, business owners, and elected officials who formed the advocacy group Nobscot Neighbors, which now has nearly 300 members, over two years ago.

A lot of the criticism, and rightly so, has focused on the long-term vacancies and condition of the Nobscot Shopping Center on Water Street, the largest commercial property in the village. While it's easy to get overfocused on such a visible problem, it's instructional to look beyond it at the other positive developments in the immediate area.

Anyone driving through the intersection of Edgell Road and Water Street/Edmands Road sees that ground has been broken at the former Mobil gas station at 900 Edgell Road, where a new TD Bank branch will be completed by the fall. This new development will provide a strong anchor presence to one of the four key corners of the village crossroads.

Across Edgell Road at the former Redline Diner/Riley's Roast Beef site, the parking lot has just been repaved and interior building renovations are underway. A new restaurant operator will be re-opening this long-standing Nobscot dining spot soon.

At the Nobscot Village Plaza on Edgell Road, a new building facade has been constructed, from Datti's liquor store around to the side where Nobscot's Cafe` and other businesses are located, with new, improved signage on the way. There is also a new business, The All Natural Face, a vegan makeup store, located in this plaza.

Across Edgell Road at the former Jiffy Lube location, a new sign indicates the owner is now open to not just leasing the property, but also offering a lease to buy option and financing. This makes the property much more attractive to prospective businesses.

Meanwhile, at 49 Edmands Road, just a few hundred feet back from the crossroads at Edgell Road, Shillman House, a 150-unit senior independent living community, is scheduled to open in June. While it has been a controversial project to many Nobscot residents, the infusion of several hundred new residents within walking distance of the local shops represents an opportunity for village businesses to gain many new customers.

At the corner of Edgell Road and Water Street, the Nobscot Chapel building is now in the process of being taken by the town for non-payment of water and sewer bills. While unfortunate, once this matter works it way through the courts, the town would then be able to sell the property and have the site put back into active use.

And while anyone living or working in the area knows that the Water Street Roadway Reconstruction Project has been inconvenient at times, it will bring significant benefit to Nobscot. Its primary purpose, to replace and upgrade the existing water and sewer lines, means that Nobscot will have the infrastructure capacity to properly support not just present use, but future development.

It also relocated the pipes from beneath the parking lot of the shopping center, which is private property, onto the public roadway, which opens the shopping center to possible redevelopment opportunities as well. In addition, the shopping center benefits from a partially resurfaced parking lot, and the village has a brand-new roadway and sidewalks.

And finally, the proposed construction of a new branch of the Framingham Public Library in Nobscot has the potential to be transformational for the village. While there are many more hurdles to be overcome before this project would become a reality, many important steps have already been completed. This includes selection of a site on Water Street adjacent to the shopping center, and applying for a state grant that would provide half of the construction funding.

Nobscot definitely has far to go to reach the level of its heyday decades ago. And its future may not closely resemble its past in some ways. Yet with more development and renovation underway than we've seen in many years, however, it's clear that better days for this Framingham village are on the way.

Local Author's First Novel Features Framingham Scenes

2011-05-08T11:22:00.000-07:00

Southborough resident Steve Ulfelder needed some grit in his first novel, a detective story set in Massachusetts, and one of the places he found it is downtown Framingham.

Purgatory Chasm is being released this week and has several key scenes that take place downtown, including Salvation Army AA meetings and the nearby railroad tracks. His main character is named Conway Sax, perhaps in reference to our village of Saxonville?

The title refers to Purgatory Chasm State Reservation in Sutton, where a murder takes place that Sax sets out to solve. In the process Sax makes his way through some places that locals will easily recognize.

Ulfelder will be signing copies of his book on May 14 at Tatnuck Bookseller & Sons in Westborough. Maybe an appearance in Framingham could be next?

Framingham Brewery Scheduled to Open in July

2011-04-02T06:06:00.000-07:00

Grab your pint glasses folks, Framingham will soon have its own brewery!

As reported in today's MetroWest Daily News by their intrepid beer reporter Norman Miller, a very knowledgeable guy I've had the pleasure of draining a pint with, Jack's Abby Brewing is targeting July to begin producing their own beers in a former warehouse on the south side of town.

Technically the Ham has a brewery in John Harvard's Brewhouse at Shopper's World, but that's a brewpub where the house beers are produced and consumed on-premise. Jack's Abby will be a production brewery where the beer will be kegged and bottled in 64 ounce "growler" bottles for off-premise consumption. There will be tours and a tasting room where the beers can be sampled and purchased.

The starting lineup including four very interesting sounding brews - click on their link above to go to their Facebook page for full descriptions and background information on the brewery. If you're a Facebook member click on the "Like" button to help spread the word about this new local venture. It's nice to see another small business invest in Framingham and help build our brand.

Hopefully a lot of the pub and restaurant owners in town will support Jack's as well, and offer a brew or two of theirs on tap. After all, for Framingham eating and drinking establishments, can there be any better marketing pitch than a Framingham-brewed beer?

Cheers!

New Gallery Puts the Spotlight on Local Artists

2011-03-06T07:20:00.000-08:00

Last fall I wrote a post about the great Friday night open studios at Fountain Street Studios on the south side of town.

Now, the landmark Bancroft building that houses our largest artist community is also home to the Fountain Street Fine Art gallery. The first floor space will feature monthly exhibitions by local artists, many of whom have their studios in the building.

Run as a cooperative, artists must apply for membership, however, exhibitions will not be limited to member artists. Co-directors Cheryl Clinton and Marie Craig, who have their own working studios in the building, are focusing on contemporary art with a strong regional focus.

In addition to exhibitions, they plan on offering gallery talks, workshops, and film screenings as well. The founders also write a blog chronicling their efforts to convert the raw industrial space into the attractive gallery space that it is today. A fascinating story and perhaps an inpiration and possible blueprint for other budding artistic entrepreneurs in town.

The gallery is located at 59 Fountain Street and is open Friday - Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where Like, Everyone Knows Your Name

2011-02-19T13:49:00.000-08:00

Ever since the TV show "Cheers" became a big television show hit in the 1980s, nearly every pub has aspired to be a place where everyone knows your name.

But how often is it really true? Despite the amount of money spent by national chain restaurants trying to appear homey and local, most of the generic places that line Route 9 will never really be true local joints.

If you really want to experience a local pub, where as their web site cheekily states, "Like, everyone knows your name" head up Edgell Road to Nobscot's Cafe`at number 847 in the heart of Nobscot village.

From the Nobscot and Framingham memorabilia on the walls to the long-familiar faces behind the bar, Nobscot's Cafe` is truly a local place. It's locally-owned, and for the most part patronized by local people, some of whom can even walk there from their homes.

Divided up between a restaurant dining room and a bar area, this beloved spot has many loyal patrons who show up weekly for both the food specials like burger night on Mondays, or weekend entertainment that includes live bands, DJs, and trivia contests.

They also pack 'em in on game nights when free appetizers are often part of the deal, and at special events like Halloween parties. And of course one of the highlights of the year is Saint Patrick's Day, when the pub is packed wall to wall and the local Irish band the Belfast Cowboys is usually playing in the evening. For me I know spring is around the corner when I'm hoisting a pint of Guinness at Nobscot's while the band plays all of those classic Irish songs.

So the next time you're up for a casual meal, a drink, or a night of low-key entertainment, keep your dollars local at Nobscot's Cafe`. Come often enough and they really will know your name.

Framingham's Award-Winning Poet

2011-01-01T07:18:00.000-08:00

Given the size and diversity of our community, it's not surprising that it is home to people talented in a wide variety of endeavors. For a long-time poet and lover of poetry like me, however, it's particularly thrilling that Framingham is home to an award-winning poet.

Alan Feldman, a retired English professor who taught at Framingham State University for thirty-six years, has published award-winning books of poetry and numerous poems in many of the nation's leading literary magazines, as well as The Atlantic and The New Yorker. He has even been called "one of the best poets in America" by one reviewer.

I have known of Feldman's work and reputation for years, but after attending a recent reading by him I came away with a newfound appreciation of the great talent in our midst. And even more exciting for both novice and experienced local poets, Feldman leads a free poetry workshop on Wednesday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Framingham Public Library. What a great opportunity to learn from a master of his craft!

To learn more about Alan Feldman and read some samples of his work, go to http://www.alanfeldmanpoetry.com/.

Friday Nights With Some Of Our Artists

2010-11-14T08:11:00.000-08:00

The Fountain Street Studios, one of Framingham's two major artist communities (the other being Saxonville Studios), brings a little bit of a Boston or New York art scene flair to our town with its Fountain Street 2nd Friday Strolls.

Held once a month from 5:30 - 9:00 p.m., these strolls offer a more regular opportunity than annual open studios to mingle, sip, and nosh with your neighbors and local artists. The century-old Bancroft building, at 59 Fountain Street on the south side, a legacy of Framingham's industrial past, houses the eclectic community of artists in a setting that definitely is a window into the town's urban aspects. Like similar buildings in large cities, the large floor space has been segmented into numerous artist studios, each made unique by the artists' own individual decorating and artistic styles.

Most participating artists put out a bottle of wine or two as well as other drinks and snacks, so you can enjoy a happy hour of sorts after the long work week while admiring the art works and chatting up their creators.

See you there on the next second Friday of the month!

Framingham Mogul in the Making is Still in Middle School

2010-10-10T08:37:00.000-07:00

On the cover of today's Boston Sunday Globe is an article about Lane Sutton of Framingham, a social media guru and budding entrepreneur. Nothing too amazing about that, right, given our proximity to one of America's technology centers and some of the best universities and business schools in the country?

Then you get to the second paragraph of the article and read that Lane is just 13, an eighth grader at Walsh Middle School.

We've become accustomed to the tales of college dropout tech wunderkind like Bill Gates of Microsoft, Steve Jobs of Apple, and Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook. But this kid hasn't even started high school yet and he's already working as a consultant to social media companies and has over 2,500 Twitter followers. Of course, many kids his age are on Facebook, but how many 13 year olds do you know with a LinkedIn profile and an already enviable list of work experiences?

A quick Google search reveals that he's already a media veteran, having previously appeared in numerous print articles and videos, including a Boston Herald business piece about Boston area entrepreneurs. He was also profiled in a Forbes article about child entrepreneurs. Locally, he published an article in the Framingham Tab when he was a mere sixth-grader. One of his main online ventures is the web site he runs (complete with ads) at http://kidcriticusa.com/

Whew. Most kids his age are lucky to do their homework and get to soccer practice on time.

You can learn more about this amazing young man and his social network presence at http://www.lanesutton.com/.

Framingham Scores High on State's Great Places List

2010-09-20T18:08:00.000-07:00

Over the summer the Massachusetts 1,000 Great Places Commission, after eighteen months of research, released its list of yes, one thousand great places in the state.

Not surprisingly, given its size, and to those who know the town well, Framingham had the most entries for anywhere in Metrowest.

Making the cut were the Amazing Things Arts Center, Callahan State Park, the Danforth Museum, and Garden in the Woods. I know all of these places well, and have to agree that each one is worthy of the recognition.

For too many people in the eastern part of the state, Framingham is known mainly for the Route 9 strip-sprawl shopping area, and the state college, which was recently upgraded to a university. Those of us who live here, and some who don't but are in on the secret, know Framingham has some real gems, and despite the more visible heavily-developed areas, also has some beautiful natural settings.

If you're interested in seeing the entire list of great places by town, you can find it here on Boston.com.

Walk For Your Life

2010-03-07T14:54:00.000-08:00

In today's Globe West section of the Boston Globe, an interesting article about obesity in the western suburbs highlights a viewpoint that is near and dear to me. Research indicates a simple fact: people who live in walkable communities tend to be thinner and healthier than those who live in places where the automobile is the main transportation mode.

A bar graph charts the percentage of adults in each town that are obese, and I'm happy to report that Framingham is below the state average of 21%, but just barely, at 20%. The closer you get to Boston, the lower the percentage, with Brookline checking in at the lowest, at just over 10%.

As I've mentioned in a previous posting, Framingham has many walkable neighborhoods, but it seems to me that there are not as many people walking as there could be. Having a safe walking route is definitely important, but often I think people don't consider walking to a destination unless it's really close, say less than half a mile.

My fellow Framingham blogger Sharon has been beating the walkability drum for years on her excellent Planning Livable Communities web site. She's a strong advocate for making our town more accessible for walkers, and recently sent testimony to the state about making Route 9 more pedestrian friendly.

I live a mile from Nobscot village, and I walk there frequently, no matter what the season or weather. In fact, I go out of my way to walk there, combining errands with exercise. Interestingly, some of my neighbors seem to consider this a feat of sorts, if not a bit eccentric. If you're not in shape at first a couple of miles may seem difficult, but I generally walk a few miles a day (at 3-4 miles per hour) and it's definitely improved my fitness level, and a walk of several miles is not at all daunting to me.

If you don't live near destinations like stores or restaurants, remember that there's plenty of open space with walking trails in town as well, so walk to them as well if you can. Why get in the car to drive someplace to walk when you can make getting there part of the walk?

I did this during my years living in Saxonville, and have continued the tradition in Nobscot, with the Nobscot Boy Scout Reservation and adjoining Framingham conservation land being a mere half mile from my door.

So the next time you pick up your car keys for a trip to a nearby destination in town, ask yourself if you could walk instead. You'll get to know your neighborhood and neighbors better, enjoy some fresh air, and contribute to your health!

The Farms of Framingham

2009-12-31T09:29:00.000-08:00

With snow falling today it's perhaps a little difficult to think back a few months to when our local farms were finishing their fall harvest after the spring and summer growing season.

For a large town with the population density and commercial development that Framingham has, we are blessed to still have a living agricultural tradition to enrich our community. Clustered in the northwest corner of town, there are several working farms that offer a variety of products to the public.

Last October, the neighborhood group Nobscot Neighbors and the Framingham Agricultural Committee sponsored Framingham Farm Day, during which most of the properties described below were open to the public. If you missed the event, hopefully it will be repeated next year, but until then, drive by and admire the bucolic views, visit the web sites, and most importantly, support your local farmers!

Hanson's Farm at 20 Nixon Road has been run now by five generations of the Hanson family. With 52 acres dedicated to fruits and vegetables and over 100 acres of hay fields, Hanson's has an abundance of products that they offer at their farm stand, local farmer's markets, and through their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, in which local residents buy a share of the harvest.

Stearns Farm at 862 Edmands Road dates back to 1723 when Timothy Stearns bought a large tract of land in the area. It was run as a family farm for over 270 years before being incorporated as a non-profit CSA in 1994. Much of the work on the farm is performed by volunteers, most of whom are CSA share participants.

Eastleigh Farm at 1062 Edmands Road is a licensed dairy farm that was in the same family from the early 1900s until 1981. For fifteen years it operated as a beef farm until being converted to a dairy seven years ago by the current owner, Framingham native Doug Stephan. With the price of milk sold into the federal milk pool unprofitable for many producers, Stephan is now transitioning to selling raw milk, locally made cheeses and other dairy products directly to the public.

Baiting Brook Tree Farm at 32 Nixon Road is a blend of a commercial Christmas tree operation and 80 acres of permanently, publicly accessible open space. Owners George and DD Harrington still operate the seasonal tree business, but granted a conversation restriction to the Sudbury Valley Trustees so the land will remain protected from development.

Young Boxer Going Places Fast

2009-07-18T11:55:00.000-07:00

From his name to his green boxing gloves and trunks and Irish-themed tattoos, Danny O'Connor wears his heritage with pride. But did you also know that this 24 year old, up-and-coming junior welterweight is a Framingham native?

Considering he didn't take up boxing until 2004 when he was 19, O'Connor is going places fast. He won more than 95 bouts as an amateur, went to the Bejing Olympics in 2008 as an alternate on the US Boxing team, and is now fighting professionally.

Growing up in Saxonville, O'Connor was introduced to boxing by his late grandfather, who lived across the street and would show the boy videos of old boxing matches. He was a standout wrestler at Framingham High, but didn't take up boxing as a sport until after he graduated in 2003.

Since turning pro last September, O'Connor is an undefeated 7-0, with two knockouts. Boxing pundits have said he has the potential to become a world champion. Remember the name and face, give him a thumbs up if you see him around town, and maybe someday you'll be saying, "I remember him way back when ..."

Our Teacher of the Year - Another Thumbs Up for the Town's Education System

2009-07-04T07:15:00.000-07:00

In late June, as many Hamsters know by now, Jae Goodwin, a 5th grade teacher at Charlotte A. Dunning Elementary School, was named the state's 2009-2010 Teacher of the Year.

What's more, she lives in Framingham, and has had children in the school system, which is often not the case in many nearby towns, whose public servants are frequently priced out of the communities they serve. Having teachers who live in the community I believe strengthens their ties to it. And when they themselves have children in the school system as well, the commitment is even stronger.

Ms. Goodwin came to teaching as a mid-life career changer, after volunteering in her son's school, then becoming a kindergarten aide, and eventually returning to school herself for a master's degree and a full-time career as an elementary school teacher. She is an inspiration to anyone considering teaching as a career, and one of the jewels of the Framingham Public Schools.

Edgell Library Win Shows the Power of the Ballot

2009-06-22T15:14:00.000-07:00

By now many of us in Framingham have heard the great news that the Edgell Memorial library, one of the architectural jewels of Framingham Centre, has been awarded a $100,000 grant by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The money will go towards the renovation of the building's windows.

What's amazing and inspiring is that the award was obtained through online voting at the Trust's web site. Enough Framingham residents and other supporters voted to put the library in the winner's circle, against many other worthy, and in many cases more well-known, structures around the state.

But this was no happy accident or stroke of luck. The Framingham History Center, which uses the building as a cultural community center, really did a great job publicizing how to vote, relentlessly getting the message out in a variety of ways. Director Annie Murphy and the other staff and volunteers deserve a lot of credit for this effort. It's nice when a local story like this has a happy ending.

Framingham State College Newspaper Wins Awards

2009-05-28T14:54:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the student journalists at Framingham State College. The Gatepost, the college's student newspaper, was honored recently as one of the top three student-run news organizations in the United States for a story about a campus bomb scare in February 2008.

And the previous month, the newspaper won two first place awards from the Society of Professional Journalists' schools in the mid-Atlantic states region, one for editorial writing, the other for breaking-news coverage.

I cut my journalistic teeth as an editor at another Massachusetts state college newspaper, at Bridgewater State. As a proud graduate of the state college system, I can fully attest that it's often the experience you get, and not necessarily where you get it, that matters most.

The Spring Migration of Classic Cars to Nobscot

2009-04-06T17:06:00.000-07:00

In the village of Nobscot, there's no surer sign of spring than the return of classic cars to Riley's Roast Beef on Saturdays. From 2 p.m. until late into the evening, when the weather cooperates the parking lot of the 1950s-style eatery at 911 Edgell Road is crammed with enough beautifully-maintained autos from Model Ts to 70s muscle cars to open a museum. Give most of the owners, often sitting in folding chairs near their beloved vehicles, half a chance, and they'll tell you everything you ever wanted to know, and more, about their cars.

Music from the 50s and 60s blaring from loudspeakers adds to the festive atmosphere, and trivia contests and raffles keep things interesting for both the car owners and spectators. And motorcycle and truck owners are also represented as well. The only requirement is that the vehicle be at least 25 years old.

So stop by, grab a burger and a drink, and enjoy Nobscot's best free outdoor entertainment!

Santa Claus in Baghdad

2009-03-08T15:55:00.000-07:00

Framingham's own award-winning filmmaker, Raouf Zaki, has created a beautiful story in only 38 minutes of film. Santa Claus in Baghdad, released in 2008, was filmed almost entirely in our town. Unbelievably, a Baghdad marketplace in the film was actually a set constructed within an empty warehouse on the south side of Framingham.

A tale of sacrifices and the power of a simple gift, the film is being used as an educational tool in schools, featured at film festivals, and other public screenings. At a cost of only about $100,000, Zaki's work was made on a shoestring but is extremely well-crafted, and clearly a labor of love.

Check out the film's web site for a schedule of public showings, or better yet, buy a copy of the DVD to support your local filmmaker!

Framingham's Award-Winning Brewery

2009-02-14T08:54:00.000-08:00

Many of you from The Ham and nearby have probably drained a pint or two at John Harvard's Brewhouse at Shopper's World, and enjoyed both the beer and the food there. But did you know that the brewpub has the bragging rights of winning medals at a recent international beer competition?

Head brewer Maria Poulinas took home a gold medal at the World Beer Championship for her Mobay Stout, a Jamaican-style stout brewed with pure Jamaican cane sugar. She also brought back a bronze medal for another stout she created, Atomic Espresso Stout, a coffee stout brewed with espresso beans roasted for the brewpub by the Atomic Cafe` in Wakefield.

Congratulations John Harvard's, and Maria specifically! Save some for me.

A Walking Tour of Historic Saxonville

2008-12-13T06:02:00.000-08:00

While driving through McGrath Square in Saxonville, where Concord Street and Central Street intersect, you've no doubt glanced over at the looming red brick mill buildings that once housed the Roxbury Carpet Company. Perhaps you've wondered about the history of the mill and the surrounding buildings with their ornate architectural features. Or maybe you even know a bit about the history of the village, which is the oldest settled area in Framingham, and still retains many of the vestiges of its boom times as a classic 19th century New England mill village.

But it's probably a sure bet there's still a lot you don't know about the history of the village, and that unless you live in the neighborhood, you have not explored it on foot. The view from the sidewalk at two miles an hour is dramatically different than the one you get through your car's windshield at thirty miles per hour.

The Friends of Saxonville offers guided walking tours of the village once or twice a year (usually conducted by yours truly), typically in June or September, as part of their annual Discover Saxonville event.

But now you can easily take the tour on your own, with the new brochure in hand that Friends of Saxonville has published. It contains a map, photos, and descriptions of the village's historic buildings and sites, and is being distributed at various points around town, including the McAuliffe Library branch on Nicholas Road in Saxonville. You can also download a copy at http://www.saxonville.org/walk.htm or request that a printed copy be mailed to you.

So the next nice day that you've got a spare hour or two, or perhaps some out of town guests who want something to do, forget Boston, forget the Freedom Trail, take a look at what your town has to offer in terms of walkable history!

Autumn Fun at Hanson's Farm

2008-09-27T08:29:00.000-07:00

The rural country roads in northwest Framingham are one of my favorite places in town to bring visitors, particularly those who think of Framingham only in terms of the asphalt sprawlscape of Route 9.

In my opinion there's no better time than autumn to enjoy the scenic vistas in this undeveloped corner of town, as the changing leaves offer a painter's palette of colors, and the air is crisp and cool after the heat of summer has passed.

While Hanson's Farm and and its popular farm stand, at 20 Nixon Road, is a pleasant destination in the summer months for pick-your-own berries and fresh produce and flowers, autumn is when things really get fun. In addition to picking your own pumpkin out of the fields, you can go for a weekend hayride, or get lost in the Amazing Maize Maze. And every Friday and Saturday night in October, the Haunted Hayride is very popular as well.

In these days when family farms are becoming a rarity, the century-old Hanson's has wisely diversified to make their beautiful property a welcome destination for much of the year, for those who want a taste of the town's agrarian past.

Support your local farmer!

The Ice Cream Stands of Summer

2008-07-12T14:39:00.000-07:00

Is there a summer pleasure more sublime than eating ice cream outside on a warm evening? Of standing in line in shorts and sandals, pondering the plethora of flavors listed while you wait your turn at the counter?

Framingham is lucky to have several seasonal ice cream stands where you can indulge and sit outside in the warm months.

Mad Willie's on Route 9 in Framingham Centre is a favorite during the school year for students from Framingham State, right across the street, and attendees at the popular Friday night summer concerts on the town green, just a short stroll away.

Mad Willie's has 20+ flavors, plus other food, including a raved-about lobster roll. There are tables and chairs out front for al fresco enjoyment, although the parking lot and Route 9 beyond are not exactly a quiet and picturesque setting.

Sunshine Farm is technically just across the border from the Ham by a couple of hundred feet, in Sherborn at 41 Kendall Street, but is frequented by many Hamsters, since it's located near the Beaver Street area of the South Side, a short walk from this beautifully located vegetable/fruit/ice cream stand and its adjoining farm.

A third generation family business set on 100 acres, this is by far the most rural setting you'll find to lick a cone around Framingham. Sunshine Farm offers about 30 flavors, including some exotic fruity ones like Pomegranate Chip and Orange Pineapple. Sunshine Farm has picnic tables for outside seating, and offers peach, strawberry, and raspberry toppings made from fruit grown on the farm, which also can be obtained at the farm stand or by picking your own in season.

Gerard Farm on Water Street, midway between North Framingham's villages of Saxonville and Nobscot, has a charmingly rustic ice cream stand that adjoins the take-out food store of this former turkey farm. With more than 30 flavors you're sure to find a favorite. Chocolate Raspberry Truffle was a hit on a recent Hamster research mission.

While turkeys are no longer raised here, you can get roasted-daily turkeys and ducks and other hearty fare to enjoy at home. With ample outdoor seating and a pavilion where you can wait out any passing rain showers, Gerard's also offers a Thursday evening outdoor chicken and ribs barbecue special that attracts plenty of locals.

Framingham Makes Newsweek List of Top U.S. Public High Schools

2008-05-31T07:56:00.000-07:00

Now Newsweek's readers know what many people in the Ham have long believed: Framingham High School offers a high quality education to its students. In the shadow of the more affluent towns around it, Framingham's reputation sometimes suffers, unfairly, because of the diversity of its residents. But as Newsweek notes in its recent article Framingham High is 1,038 on its 2008 list of the top 1,300 public high schools in the U.S., ahead of its neighbors Holliston (1,293) and Ashland (1,050) and even the pricy town of Winchester (1,368).

Massachusetts as a whole appears to offer some of the best high schools in the country, with 34 schools from the Bay State making the Newsweek list. Interestingly, some of our other neighbors, including Natick, whose schools are sometimes seen as being better than Framingham's, did not even make the list. Most of the schools on the list are the usual suspects--the very affluent and exclusive towns that are renowned for their schools, such as Weston, Wellesley, and Newton, where the price of entry--if you want to own a home in the town--is exceeding high, and beyond the reach of many in the middle class.

That Framingham is in such company is good news for the vast majority of people who do not have incomes in the demographic top 5-10% for the country. The ideal of the American public school system has been that everyone's children should have access to a free, high quality education, an ideal that sadly has become less common in the past few decades. So once again, Framingham, the frequent underdog of MetroWest, has becoming a shining example of a town that can offer both a reasonable cost of living and high quality education. More proof of the veracity of the Boston Magazine article where Framingham is listed as being one of the metropolitan area's biggest bangs for the buck.

Newsweek's formula for determining the top schools admittedly is limited -- a ratio of the number of Advanced Placement, Intl. Baccalaureate and/or Cambridge tests taken by all students at a school in 2007 divided by the number of graduating seniors. This calculation is used to create a list of what Newsweek says is the top 5% of public high schools in the country. While some may rightly argue that there are many other measures of excellence, the number of students taking Advanced Placement classes and tests is often seen as a good indicator of future success in college. In a nutshell, taking the academically rigorous AP classes is important preparation for the degree of difficulty found in college courses.

Framingham High has long had a policy of offering numerous Advanced Placement classes, and allowing a wide variety of students to take them, unlike some schools that limit access to only the top echelon of students.

Principal Michael Welch, and all of the excellent teachers at Framingham High, take a well-deserved bow!

Framingham's Most Walkable Neighborhoods

2008-04-04T10:08:00.000-07:00

I am a big fan of walking instead of driving whenever possible. When I think back over all of the places I've lived, and visited, the ones I enjoyed most were places where everyday life was not ruled by getting in a car to go someplace. Unfortunately, suburban America has made a car a necessity for leaving your home in many communities.

Framingham, as it is in so many things, goes from one end of the spectrum to the other when it comes to being a walkable town. My fellow Framingham blogger Sharon Machlis Gartenberg has been writing about this for years on her excellent Planning Livable Communities blog.

From the pedestrian nightmare that is the Golden Mile stretch of Route 9, to the pedestrian friendly streets of downtown, Framingham has a little of everything for those traveling on foot.

Some of the principles of walkability include safety for pedestrians, attractiveness of the streetscape, and proximity to desirable destinations. In general, the south side of town is far superior to the north side in terms of walkability, if we use Route 9 as the dividing line.

Downtown Framingham, whatever its faults may be, has a lot of good streetscape; plenty of sidewalks, many street-level businesses for visual interest, and lots of key destinations within close proximity, including town hall, the library, commuter rail, the Danforth Museum, restaurants, entertainment venues, and shops. And hundreds of residences within easy walking distance.

But the north side has its highly walkable areas as well. The villages of both Nobscot and Saxonville offer stores, restaurants, banks, schools, churches, parks, a branch library (in Saxonville), and other services and amenities within easy walking distance of hundreds of homes. In Saxonville, for the eight years I lived there, and now in Nobscot, where I moved last year, I can accomplish many everyday tasks on foot. I can drop my car off for repairs, get a haircut, go to the bank, get a cup of coffee or something to eat, pick up a pharmacy prescription, and enjoy countless other small pleasures in the community.

What are the enemies of walkability? Lack of sidewalks. Distance from key destinations. Or, even when sidewalks are present and desirable destinations nearby, unappealing streetscapes, due to traffic, esposure to the elements, or just plain bad design. Just think of Route 30. Not exactly the kind of place you'd venture down for an afternoon stroll.

Some parts of town that are considered very beautiful and prestigious are terrible in terms of walkability. Miles from anything but other houses or major roadways. Situated on streets without sidewalks that you would be risking your life to walk down, particularly in bad weather or after dark. I daresay even many long-time residents have probably never ventured beyond their driveway unless they were in a car. Or met many of their neighbors. Is this what we truly want, or what we've been conditioned to believe we want?

Could it be that the Natick Collection and Shoppers World are so crowded because people just want to be able to stroll idly, look in store windows, interact with other people, and do the kind of everyday things other generations did in the walkable neighborhoods of years past?

Good Drama Lives in Unexpected Local Places

2008-03-15T09:57:00.000-07:00

Despite all of the portable digital, and at-home visual entertainment options, from iPods to DVDs to cable and satellite offerings on demand, live theater still continues to attract audiences. The intimacy of a live performance, the audience reactions, the excitement as the lights dim and the curtain rises, and perhaps a multitude of other reasons, make live theater the entertainment of choice for many people.

But if you don't want to travel to Boston, pay outrageously high ticket prices, and need binoculars to see the facial expressions of the actors, consider your drama options right here in the Ham.

Community theater, with its often amateur casts and limited budgets sometimes gets a bad rap, but there are sometimes gems to be found right in your proverbial back yard.

The Amazing Theater Company puts on several plays a year at the Amazing Things Arts Center. A recent production of Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie garnered rave reviews. The troupe will be staging Ivan Menchell's The Cemetery Club in April.

Framingham Community Theater makes its home at the Framingham Civic League building next to town hall downtown. This theater company has been around about three years. It produces a variety of types of plays, from A.R. Guerney's classic Love Letters last year, to a 2006 production of Nunsense, to a murder mystery dinner theater in 2005.

The Performing Arts Center of Metrowest, located in the same building as the Danforth Museum on Union Ave., has a lively children's theater company that produces several plays a year.

They also offer a summer musical theater program for kids. This is the place to be for young thespians who can't get enough of the drama bug acting in their school productions.

Speaking of school-based theater, the Framingham High School Drama Company puts on great productions that far exceed the quality of the average high school play.

And it's not just their parents who think so. Framingham High won the state-wide high school drama competition in 2006, and has advanced to the semi-finals this year. Go FHS Drama!

Alternatives to the Cineplex for Film Buffs

2008-02-22T13:52:00.000-08:00

Are you dispirited to look at the listings for the only movie theatre in town, to discover there's absolutely nothing you want to see on any of the sixteen screens?

Sure, there's always Netflix, the library's excellent DVD collection, or the local movie rental store, but some people still pine for the get-out-of-the-house, communal feeling of sitting in a dark room with a lot of other people and watching a movie on a big screen.

There are alternatives in The Ham, if you know where to look.

Framingham State College offers an international film series, with several screenings during the academic year in the College Center. Next up is the Danish film After the Wedding, on March 27. Check out the FSC events schedule for more information.

The Framingham Public Library has a frequent and varied schedule of free films screened at the main library downtown. On March 6 the award-winning American independent film Sweet Land is scheduled. Check the library events schedule for more information.

Amazing Things Arts Center has a very cool Indie Film Night on the third Wednesday of every month. This series features local, independent film makers, who both introduce their works and answer audience questions afterward. If you've never had this opportunity, it can open up a whole new aspect of the cinematic experience for you. And popcorn is included in the admission price!

So next time you're in the mood for a good film and the cineplex offerings don't cut it, plan ahead a little and have an alternative cinema experience in The Ham!

Wednesday Acoustic Open Mike Night at Firefly's

2008-02-14T17:34:00.000-08:00

As promised, here's another review of one of The Ham's live music venues. This time, we're visiting Firefly's, the self-proclaimed "Bodacious Bar-B-Que" at the Stop and Shop plaza on Old Connecticut Path.

Wednesday nights from 8-11 p.m., regional blues legend Bruce Marshall hosts an acoustic open mike sure to get your toes a' tappin'. Bruce opens with a 45-minute set of his own, and then opens the mike up to anyone brave enough to scrawl their name on the sign-up sheet resting on a clipboard next to the small stage area in the restaurant's bar. After about a year and a half, the open mike has built up a steady following, and the sign-up list often has fifteen or more names waiting for their time in the spotlight.

Ostensibly begun as an acoustic blues open mike, in reality a number of other music styles are frequently represented, including folk, rock, and jazz. There's a heavy presence of singer-songwriters playing acoustic guitar, but if you just want to sing or play another instrument, Bruce is ready and willing to support you with his guitar, as well as lead or backing vocals. With over thirty years as a professional musician, the man is a walking jukebox, and if he doesn't know the song you want, he can probably wing the guitar part pretty well if you tell him the general style and key.

And there's no cover, so feel free to stay for just a song or two or the entire evening. Many people come for dinner and then linger over a few drinks enjoying the music, supporting musician friends, or maybe belting out a few tunes of their own. The talent ranges from pros dropping in to practice new material, to amateur musicians eager to get some experience playing before a live audience. A two-song maximum per person keeps things moving nicely, from perhaps a Delta blues to a Bruce Springsteen cover, to an original folk song.

And of course there's also an occasional surprise guest who sits in for Bruce's set, and maybe with some of the open mikers as well. A recent standing-room only crowd cheered and clapped wildly when reknowned blues harmonica player and singer James Montgomery played an hour-long set with Bruce Marshall, then graciously played harmonica for a few of the open mike participants that followed.

So if you think Wednesday is just another boring middle of the week night, come on down to Firefly's for some barbeque and equally hot local music!

Our Diverse Art Scene

2008-02-03T09:25:00.000-08:00

For a suburban town, we've got a pretty healthy art scene. All of the components are present: gallery space to show the work, and of course, a strong community of working artists to actually create the art work. Having an acclaimed art museum, which also offers classes, additionally gives legitimacy, strength and diversity to the local art community.

The Danforth Museum of Art, with its eye-catching metal sculptures on its front lawn facing Union Avenue downtown, is a high-visibility icon of the role visual arts play in the community. Its exhibitions have featured artists with national and international reputations as well as regional and local practitioners.

Its permanent collection focuses on 19th and 20th century American and European artists, including household names like Whistler, Picasso, and Matisse. Its museum school offers over a hundred classes and workshops and includes fifty working artists on its faculty.

The Framingham Artists' Guild is, after over fifty years of existence, the town's oldest artist organization. To some people in town, the most visible evidence of the group's work is at the exhibits they offer during the band concerts on the town green in Framingham Centre every summer.

Saxonville Studios, a group of artists with loft studios in the old mill complex on Concord Street in Saxonville, is widely-known for its annual spring open studios, which brings a little bit of Soho or the South End to the village every year. In existence for sixteen years, the fifteen artists represent a wide diversity of styles and media.

Fountain Street Studios, in the historic Bancroft Building in South Framingham, is both the new kid on the block, founded in 1996, and the largest collection of artist spaces in town, with over fifty working artists represented. Fountain Street also opens its doors for an open studios weekend each spring.

So where else in town is original art being exhibited, and often available for purchase? The Mazimanian Art Gallery at Framingham State College features student, faculty, and professional artists in exhibits that change nearly every month during the academic year.

The Tower Gallery at Framed In Time, a frame shop on Central Street in the Saxonville mill, offers numerous exhibits throughout the year.

Amazing Things Arts Center exhibits art work in its Saxonville location on Nicholas Road, as well as its "satellite gallery" at the Starbucks coffee shop on the corner of Route 9 and Prospect Street. Looks for Amazing Things to bring more visual art to downtown Framingham as it completes its transition to its new location at the fire house on Hollis Street this year.

Espresso Paulo, the coffee shop/bookstore in Nobscot Shopping Center on Water Street, has regular art exhibits, as does the lobby of the main branch of the Framingham Public Library downtown on Pearl Street.

So with all this great art to see all over town, it's not hard to find if you know where to look. And while you're at it, consider buying a piece from a local artist, and give them the support and motivation to keep creating!

This Winter, We Live in Ski Country

2008-01-26T13:36:00.000-08:00

This winter, for the first time in recent memory, we've had snow cover for about six weeks straight now. That's right, most of us have not seen our lawns since about mid-December. I wake up some days and think I'm in Vermont, not Framingham.

If you loathe the snow and cold this winter must seem endless. If you enjoy cross-country skiing, like me, you're in paradise. I've been out more times this winter than most, and we still have quite a ways to go until spring.

With conditions like this there's no reason to head up into northern New England, or to the tame and polished expanses of the Weston ski track.

Many local skiers who can handle narrow trails and some hills head for Callahan State Park on Millwood Street. It has a variety of terrain and enough skier and foot traffic to pack many of the main trails down even by the day after a heavy snow.

Nobscot Boy Scout Reservation on Edgell Road, featured here in a previous posting, is a roller-coaster ride of hills, guaranteed to get your heart going on both the climb up and the speed runs down. There's some flat trails, but this is not the destination for beginners. There's not nearly as much foot or ski traffic here, so you may find yourself breaking trail after new snow has fallen.

The proposed Bruce Freeman Rail Trail (featured in the above photo), aka the Nobscot Trail, is the abandoned railroad bed that runs through Framingham from Route 9 to Route 20 in Sudbury. The rail line actually runs all the way to Chelmsford, where trail construction has begun. The most popular section is the unbroken stretch of trail between Water Street and Route 20, that passes through woods, wetlands, and fields, with no street crossings. Straight and flat, this is a perfect place for beginners to practice their skills, and more advanced skiers to really crank out some quick miles. And because the terrain is pretty predictable, it's an ideal place for a night ski under a full moon, or with a head lamp. A great experience if you've never tried it!

So rather than look out the window gloomily waiting for spring, strap on some skis and enjoy the snow!

The Live Music Capital of MetroWest

2008-01-21T16:59:00.002-08:00

Who said you have to go to Boston or Worcester to hear good live music? Perhaps, if your tastes run toward sitting in a cavernous building watching a famous band who charges way too much for tickets. But if you're like me and enjoy seeing local, regional, and the occasional national act in an intimate setting, you need never leave the Ham.

Most suburban towns have a dearth of places that feature live music. Not the Ham, since we're a big town with lots of city feel. Downtown, in fact, has plenty of happening places all within walking distance of each other.

One of the most well-known is The Chicken Bone on Waverly Street. If your last impression of "The Bone" was a parking lot full of motorcycles and blues blasting out the door, things have changed. Under new ownership, The Chicken Bone has a renovated interior and now features, in addition to blues, rock, funk, groove, hip hop, classic rock, and jazz, five nights a week. And don't worry about the crowd - it's a very laid-back atmosphere that attracts a wide demographic, and the staff is super-friendly.

Just a block west on Waverly Street is The Happy Swallow. How weird is it that there are two bars with birds in their names so close together? What is it they say about birds of a feather? The Swallow's live music schedule is not as full, generally just weekends, but they get some top-notch bands, mostly blues, to liven up the room. The Happy Swallow is a classic old-style bar with some colorful characters among its regulars, but they're harmless and the staff does a good job keeping order. Probably the cheapest beer you'll find in the Ham!

Another interesting development in the downtown music scene is the rock concert series being presented at the Framingham Civic League on Concord Street, near town hall, by Natick's own Allen Adrien Events promotional agency. Featuring up-and-coming bands with a national reputation, this is a great way for the underage crowd to see acts that would often be playing nightclubs.

Arguably the best news for the downtown music scene is the opening of the Amazing Things Arts Center at the old fire house on Hollis Street. Amazing Things has built a strong reputation and a loyal audience at its original Saxonville storefront location by offering a wide variety of musical and other cultural events, including theatre and spoken word. From Tuvan throat singers to jazz, to folk, rock, blues, world music and classical, the schedule at Amazing Things has something for every kind of music fan. If you have not yet attended an Amazing Things event, well, you'll be amazed. Better yet, become a member, to support the organization and get a discount on all events you attend.

Well, there are plenty of other live music venues in town, including Brazzille, The Rat Pack Cafe, Bruburger's, Firefly's, Nobscot Cafe, and Pepperoncini's, but that's enough for now. Look for more reviews in upcoming posts. And if you have a favorite place that's not mentioned, leave a comment and maybe it can be featured in a future post. Happy listening!

Nobscot's Treasured Open Space

2008-01-13T18:16:00.000-08:00

With a prominent sign just as Edgell Road crosses the town line and becomes Nobscot Road in Sudbury, Nobscot Boy Scout Reservation is hardly an off the beaten path secret. With over 400 acres of forested trails over rolling hills straddling both Framingham and Sudbury, with the summit of 602 foot Nobscot Hill looming in the background, the reservation is an oasis of open space and natural beauty.

Sure, there's also the largest public open space in town, Callahan State Park, but if you're looking for more solitude to walk in, and prefer not to be outnumbered by dogs and their sometimes incautious owners, Nobscot is a good bet. On some visits you won't encounter another soul the entire time you're there.

Nobscot is an ideal place for hiking year-round, and during a snowy winter like this one, a perfect spot to hone your snowshoe and cross-country skiing skills without even leaving town. Keep in mind however, that you're a guest visiting private property, and be sure to obey the rules, which are prominently posted on a sign in the main parking lot. Dogs must be leashed at all times, and no mountain biking is permitted.

Ten minutes into the woods, you'll find it hard to believe you're still in Framingham, and not a remote corner of northern New England, were it not for the whisper of traffic from Edgell Road to the east or Route 20 to the north. The only traces of civilization are the old stone walls from long-ago farms, and the cabins and lean-tos that the scouts use for their camping excursions here.

The steep ascent to the summit of Nobscot Hill, a hike of about a half hour or so from the parking lot, has the ultimate reward of a sweeping view to the east, with both the Blue Hills and the Boston skyline visible in the distance. Pause for a rest and enjoy the view before descending. And be thankful for this oasis in an increasingly-developed and densely-populated town, and the generosity of the Knox Trail Council of the Boy Scouts of America to allow the public access to it.

Coffee Shop Talk

2008-01-08T17:44:00.000-08:00

Framingham has plenty of chain coffee shops -- Dunkin' Donuts, Honey Dew Donuts, and of course, that symbol of 1990s gentrification, Starbucks. Depending on your viewpoint, they can be either comfortably consistent, or bland and boring. But what about the charm and intimacy of a single location, locally-owned and operated coffee shop?

Framingham's Nobscot village has the privilege of having just such a place, in the form of Espresso Paulo/Annie's Book Stop, at 774 Water Street in the Nobscot Shopping Plaza. Owner Paul Ashton transformed what was originally an ordinary used book shop into a vibrant community gathering place with top-notch coffee (from Hopkinton's Red Barn Coffee Roasters) teas, and baked goods.

The walls are hung with art from local artists, and jewelry is on display from area artisans. The shop also holds receptions for the artists, as well as appearances and book signings by local authors. How's that for a community orientation?

Espresso Paulo is open at 7 a.m. to cater to the work-bound commuter crowd, and stays open until 6 p.m. So bring your caffeine habit to the local guy, and let the big operators fend for themselves!

The Buddhist Monks of Saxonville

2008-01-01T11:15:00.000-08:00

Framingham has long been known as a town of racial, ethnic, and religious diversity. But did you know it's now home to a Buddhist temple with resident monks?

The New England Buddhist Vihara and Meditation Center has been located in an ordinary-looking 19th century house on a quiet street in Saxonville for over a year. Staffed by resident monks from Sri Lanka, the center primarily ministers to Sri Lankans living in the New England region, but also has a small following of Americans of other backgrounds who meditate and study Buddhism with the monks on Wednesday evenings.

The three resident monks, led by Bhante Dhammajothi, practice and teach Theravadan Buddhism, which is the dominant form of Buddhism in Sri Lanka and throughout Southeast Asia. While the monks live an ascetic lifestyle at the temple, they are also integrating themselves into the community, take English lessons at a Saxonville church, and are seen walking around Saxonville in their distinctive rust-colored robes. So if you see any of them in your travels around town, say hello and give a hearty welcome to the Buddhist monks of Saxonville.

Welcome to The Hamster

2007-12-29T09:02:00.000-08:00

This started out as somewhat of a joke actually, a joke that has now turned into a blog. Maybe you've heard Our Fair Town referred to as The Ham. So, I thought, does that make the people that live here Hamsters? Hey, wouldn't The Hamster be a catchy name for a blog? Or is it just lame?

Either way, hold on to your mouse button, and get ready for one man's opinions, observations, exultations, and occasional lamentations, on life in The Ham.