Waltham Christmas Tree Lighting

Last Friday was Waltham's annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony. Stuff like this makes me feel like Waltham is a really small town (although it's actually 60,000 plus students from Brandeis & Bentley)

The cub scouts led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance. Then the Waltham High show choir led Christmas caroling. This was pretty much the only part my 2 year old enjoyed. He's at the point now where he kind of sings along with songs. Jingle Bells goes like this: hum hum hum hum snow, hm hm hm hm sleigh, hm hm hm hm go, etc.

Mayor McCarthy was, of course, the master of ceremonies. That woman is everywhere. One lucky Waltham-ite then got to flip the switch that lit up all the trees on the common. Then the mayor told everyone to look toward Moody Street where Santa was coming toward the common on a fire truck. Craziness!

Waltham Brunch - Tapas

Moody Street in Waltham is well known for it restaurants. There must be a hundred on the lower half. My favorite ones include Bison County (super barbecue), New Mother India, and Solea - to which this post is dedicated. Note: I started a diet today, which might be why I am drooling on my computer while typing this.

Solea is a restaurant and tapas bar. Tapas are roughly defined as "small meals." They are generally in the price range of 5-8 bucks and one is probably not enough for a hungry person. The beauty of tapas, though, is that you and a friend or family can order a bunch of them and share. I do love variety (hence my weakness for the Olde Country Buffet) and tapas fills this need.

My ideal meal at Solea to share with another person for about 25 bucks would be:
Aceitunas Alinadas, An Assortment of Marinated Olives
Patatas Bravas, Wild, Hot & Spicy Potatoes
Ameijoas Bulhão Pato, Steamed Littlenecks in Garlic, White Wine & Cilantro
Vieiras al Azafrán, Scallops in Saffron Cream

Solea also gives you bread and this delicious spread gratis. The spread is made of mashed red beans, garlic, olive oil and who knows what else. It is SO GOOD!

Also, their sangria is pretty damn good. Just walking by the place makes me happy. On a nice day, the front windows are thrown open wide for everyone to see how much the patrons are savoring their wine, their food, and their time together. Solea is awesome. Go there!

Waltham Wildlife Part Deux

Wow. Wildlife in this area is even making national news! In neighboring Brookline, Mass., it seems that there is a Wild Turkey problem. Yes, the recession is making everyone in this rich town turn to bourbon. That's a joke.

Anyway, National Geographic reports that wild turkeys are harassing residents. They're pecking at houses and leaving significant damage. The males get in your face if you threaten them, but the ladies run away. National Geographic recommends that if you can't scare the turkeys away with a broom. Hit them. Hard. I would love to see someone having a fistfight with a turkey. That would be awesome.


Also, I hear that fishers are in my hood. They are a member of the weasel family, which includes wolverines. I'll be damned. Check out what their skills are according to wikipedia:

"the only regular predators of porcupines, the fisher is the only predator to have a specialized killing technique. A fisher first approaches from the direction the porcupine is facing. The porcupine tries to protect itself by turning to present its tail, covered with quills, to the attacker. The fisher then jumps directly over its prey, forcing the porcupine to keep turning to protect its vulnerable head. A dozen or more such maneuvers suffice to exhaust and confuse the porcupine into a stupor in which it can no longer protect itself. Then, by repeatedly biting and scratching at the porcupine's face, the fisher causes it to bleed to death."

Awesome. They also hunt dogs. And probably babies. I wish I believed in guns.

Waltham Delicacies Part 1

Legend has it that the toasted ravioli had its humble beginnings in Waltham, Mass. The Chateau Restaurant (home of the toasted rav) is an old Waltham mainstay, though it also has several other locations around the state. It's definitely my sons' favorite restaurant in Waltham. No matter how full Daniel is, he always finishes off his meal with a hot fudge brownie sundae.

Insider's Tip: The fried seafood platter is to die for and is enough for two.

Also, the Chateau features some very interesting paintings (sit in the Gold Room if you're curious) of every famous Italian American over 55. Slightly unnerving at first, but charming once you're used to it.

Oh no! In doing some Wikipedia-ing, I just found that St. Louis claims to be the birthplace of the toasted rav. This definitely calls for some further investigation. Post to be updated........

Waltham Wildlife In My Yard

You wouldn't think that there would be much wildlife in Waltham, considering it is super close to Boston. But you would be wrong.

If you've never been to the Boston area, you would be pleasantly surprised by how green it is and how close it is to forests and farmland. This is mostly thanks to town and independent preservation efforts. Let's take the neighboring town of Lincoln, for example. It's so woody and green and so close to Boston. Preservation efforts generally mean there's less land to build on, which drives housing prices sky high (the median house value in 2006 was a meager $1,062,000), but it sure is pretty!

Anyway, even when I lived in downtown Waltham I would see a skunk every so often.



Now that we've moved across town, I feel like I live in the country. I still see lots of skunks (which I love...they're so cute), but my yard also features groundhogs, coyotes, and some massive groundhog/woodchuck/possum hybrid. This monster ate my whole damn garden this year.

A few weeks ago I was having dinner with my boys and my friend in Cambridge, when I got a call from my SO. He asked if I had heard about the coyote......I first thought maybe he was telling a joke. Turns out that one of our neighbors whose yard connects with ours called saying they had seen a coyote in our yard that morning. Oh yeah, and the coyote was devouring one of the aforementioned beasts. I hope it was the monster. Too late for the garden this year, but there's always next.

Awesome Saturday Brunch in Watertown/Waltham

photo from: visitingnewengland.com

So close to Waltham, just had to include it.

My kids love going to Friendly's...well known for the fribble, but not particularly well known for its ambiance or creativity. A good friend stayed over with us on Friday night and on Saturday we all went to the Deluxe Town Diner on Mt. Auburn Street in Watertown.

There was a substantial crowd outside waiting to get in....mostly cambridge-y looking 20 and 30 somethings. It was only a 15 minute wait (and in the meantime, we crossed the street to check out Fastachi. This totally cute store had mounds and mounds of fresh salted nuts, plus chocolates to die for, licorice, etc. I bought caramel lollipops for the boys since we were waiting to have brunch. I think I'll buy xmas gifts from here.)

So we get into the Deluxe and were presented with this menu. Drool drool. It took me at least 20 minutes to decide what I wanted. I ended up getting a rockin western omelette with home fries, homemade wheat toast and endless coffee. My buddy got ployes. (click previous link for more info). Yum! This place is totally original and totally awesome. Go here!

Everyone in Waltham Goes to Disney World

like, every year. I don't get it.

My almost 10 year old has been begging to go for a few years now, so I visit here every day because I really don't feel like spending a couple grand to go.

I went when I was 12 and it left no impression on me, or my brother....or my parents (I just asked them), except that it was really clean. Scary clean. Maybe it's so popular with Waltham-ites b/c it's the antithesis of Waltham in the winter.

Though I think we secretly embrace the opportunity to settle in for the cold season, Waltham folks also love to complain about the weather and the crustiness that results from sand and salt trucks that lasts well into July. What else is funny is that snow shovels and window scrapers outside the front door or in the front seat of the car are usually not removed in the summer. My own included. It's like we're just waiting for that summer blizzard.

I guess this is some of what makes Disney appealing to the locals....but I prefer the crust.

Stuff Near Waltham, cont.

Went to Big Bugs exhibit at The Garden in the Woods with the boys yesterday.

It was awesome. Huge, like, 20 foot long, wooden bug sculptures.

My favorite was a huge dragonfly that was perched on a log jutting out of the pond.




I thought the baby might be scared....one of his newest words is bup (bug). He's fascinated and scared by regular bups like ants and worms and lobsters, so I was worried we might have to leave. But he loved it! And he even walked most of the mile path through the woods.

So much cool stuff to do around here.

Waltham Craigslist Scores

I think craigslist is a great way to get to know people and places a little better. For example, I had a pile of cement blocks in my backyard that I probably could have moved out to the curb, but it would've taken me a long time and the garbage man probably wouldn't have picked em up. So, last year I posted on craigslist: Free landscaping bricks! I got 50 flippin' responses and they were gone within a few hours. Pretty sweet.

Anyway, here are some of my killer craigslist finds:

1. Cheap townhouse. Super close to the Waltham library and Moody Street kick-ass restaurants and the Farmer's Market, and pretty much everything. I miss that place....I now live in a more residential part.

2. 3 jobs!

3. Almost got a free one of these, but its owner left it out in the rain *sigh*.

4. 20 bucks for my guinea pig. Alas, I was the only one cleaning her poop, which caused a lot of turmoil. Don't be a hater. She went to a sweet family.

5. Hundreds of bucks for my son who participates in craigslist "volunteer opportunities" at the Shriver Center. He's like a human guinea pig. Just kidding. There are hundreds of these things, considering we're in a place with about a billion universities and hospitals. He's had to do things like: wear a device monitoring how many steps he took over a week's time, record his eating habits for a few days, match pictures, etc. All in the name of science and new games for his PSP!

6. A treehouse in NH where my boy and I stayed for a night for $25. The people who owned the mostly farmland and wooded property actually built a 2 bedroom structure into a tree.

Probably not too good in the winter, and no kitchen or bathroom, but awesome for an overnight in the summer. There was a fire pit right outside, a river for swimming not too far away, and a homemade organic breakfast in the main house. The proprietress and daughter were fascinating people. The mom had lived in Alaska for a while and showed us (among many other cool things) actual baleen from a whale. Zoiks! Finally, we got to feed the chickens, but we had to wave sticks behind us the whole time to keep an angry black rooster from sinking his talon into our backs....which he had apparently done to some other unsuspecting folks.

Plus, all manner of other free and cheap stuff. Just writing about this makes me want to go on over to craigslist. See ya!

Keep Your Eyes on the Driving Prize

and don't show any signs of weakness. In traffic.

This is probably not just a Waltham thing, or even a New England thing, but an urban vs. rural thing.


and I LOVE it! Driving here is war.

It's referred to as giving information to the enemy.
What is it, you wonder? The answer is......using turn signals! Who needs turn signals when you've got mad driving skills? There is a certain zen, a beautiful one with the universe feeling, that comes when the stars align and no one in a cluster of say 50 cars all going 80 miles an hour uses turn signals to switch lanes....and no one wrecks.

And hey, late for work? Bored? Change that lane and a half wide city street into a 2 laner and pass that slow broad weaving down the middle. Don't ever hesitate to merge and forget about going less than 10 miles over the speed limit. Never disrupt the zen or you will be cursed (by everyone around you and by the universe)!

And. AND. During rush hour you can often drive in the "active breakdown lane." WTF?!? What if you need to break down!

Nothing is better for my low blood pressure than taking a spin around Waltham.

Driving in the Waltham vicinity lost again

Sometime back in 2002 or 2003, I take a wrong turn and what do I happen upon, but this:





Oh, hi omniscient-looking bronze god head up there on that hill. Was in the neighborhood and just thought I'd stop by.

One of my favorite places in the world must be the DeCordova Museum Sculpture Garden. It used to be free, but now you have to pay to walk around the grounds (there is a wonderful museum and art school here too). Totally worth it. Even after the surprise of seeing metal sharks swimming in the pine trees above your head wears off, you will enjoy coming back again and again with your friends, your kids, your grandchildren, or maybe just yourself.

It is truly unique.

Oh, this installation by Nina Levy up on the roof of the museum in 07 was pretty cool too.




These lovely sculptures are both about 15 feet tall. My one year old was petrified.

Waltham Boys & Girls Club

The Waltham Boys & Girls Club is so cool because even my SO's 80+ year old great auntie can belong!
In fact, she swims there every day.

It used to just be called the Boys Club, which is how my hubby and his parents still refer to it.

But now they let in women, even. Very liberal, no? I think back when it was the Boys Club in the 50s and 60s, the boys used to swim in the buff, though. Wonder if they were sad when girls started being admitted and they had to put the trunks back on. Ha!

We were pretty poor and had a somewhat limited social network our first couple years in Waltham and I didn't have childcare for Daniel a few days a year that I had to work like the day after Thanksgiving, certain snowdays, and others that don't immediately come to mind.

The club has an open door policy where you can drop your kid off for a membership price of like $10 per year and they are somewhat supervised in the games room and the gym, but can leave when they feel like it. A kind of scary prospect esp. considering that the club is right downtown. Also kind of scary when your kid is six years old and not very (at all) street smart.

I had a psycho boss though, and had to go to work, so I dropped him off there with my cell phone and specific instructions to not leave unless in a large group with other kids to get lunch at mcd's right down the street. I was on pins and needles all day these few days I left him. Called him all the time, to the point where he finally begged me to stop.

Turns out some Guatemalan pre-teens took him under their wing and taught him bumper pool and helped him order at mcd's since he couldn't add or read yet. My heart melted just a little when he told me this.



I heart you Waltham.

Inadvertently Found Places Close To Waltham

My significant other thinks I'm veering off course here by talking about non-Waltham places, do you?

One place close by is Walden Pond, which I inadvertently found within a week of living in Waltham. I got lost driving in what I thought was still Waltham and literally ended up at the North Bridge in Concord (where the shot heard 'round the world was fired). Then on my way back to Waltham, I noticed a beautiful lake on my right. Pulled into the parking lot and saw a sign welcoming me to Walden Pond!

Did you know you can swim in Walden Pond? I mean, sure, you can go have transcendental thoughts in the surrounding woods. Or you could don a thong and sunbathe on the beach. They even have a roped off area for kids and a lifeguard. It's a pretty large place, actually.

I explained to my little boy the amazing significance of the place. He didn't really quite get it, but he sure likes to swim and thought the statue of Thoreau was pretty cool. There's a replica of his cabin there also. So, every time we went there we had to pay a visit to "Henry Davin Fro" and his house.



Hi Mr. Fro!

Old Waltham-ites with Attitude

Oh sweet old folks sitting outside ye olden folks home eating thy 4th of July picnic. What's that you say? You want us to offer us some watermelon! How lovely!

Oh wait, what's that you're saying?

"Ya can't pahk heah! Ya can't pahk heah!"

We simply couldn't find anywhere to park within a few miles of the fireworks on the 4th of July! My darling little 5 year old just wanted to be part of the action and maybe buy a glow-in-the-"dahk" necklace!

We were caught way off guard by the crescendoing "ya can't pahk heah's" and the shaking of multiple elderly fists. I'm glad that you all were able to present a united front. One pissed off human can be laughed off. A dozen 85+ year olds with voices and fists raised, not so much.

We hauled ass out of that lot before you could catch us, though. Ha!

Waltham - Exotic and Patriotic!

I had never lived on my own with my little boy before, having spent the first 3 years of his life sheltered by my parents. It was scary for a bit, but when I finally found my groove of juggling him and 5 hours of statistics homework each night, I began to relax. Not really. But I got by with a little help from my friends.

One girl and I made up the "Appalachian Power Team" in our small class of 30 students. Except she was actually from suburban DC. But, we did bond over that sort of common shared regionality and a love of Marlboro Lights. We would venture into Boston for a trip to the MFA or to Concord to frolic around Walden Pond. This helped put things in perspective.

My boy started pre-school and half the kids were from other countries, which was awesome--especially having come from 99% American-born Caucasian WV. My neighbors across the hall were from Sri-Lanka! There were 3 Indian restaurants down the street from me! I reveled in the new-ness of it all. I became more cosmopolitan through osmosis.

There are signs all over Waltham for things like: George Washington slept here, or Paul Revere ate here. They're totally unassuming metal signs and nobody notices them (I think) except me! Houses have little signs saying when they were built (1700s, 1800s!)

The sheer history surrounding me makes me feel important. You can feel the ghosts here.

Introduction - The Waltham Pull

My aspirations were somewhat limited. Armed with a degree in Art History from WVU and a 6 month old baby boy, the first of many magical events leading me to Waltham revealed itself in a job listing in the Clarksburg Telegram one cold January evening. Habitat for Humanity seeks Resource Coordinator. Well, that certainly sounded fancy and I figured I could coordinate some resources, so I borrowed my mom's navy blue polyester blazer and set out for my first proper interview. Sure, I'd done the McDonald's route (actually was banned from ever working there again--more on that later), but this was the big time.

Whooo! I landed it, despite blushing, hyperventilating, and only vaguely remembering my vague answers to some pretty vague questions. I was christened into the AmeriCorps*VISTA program in early March and began my proud work in an abandoned tire store with a whopping salary of 750 bucks a month! Full time!

Fast forward 2.5 years. I was still a VISTA and vaguely pondering grad school, when lo and behold! An informational postcard from the Heller School of Social Policy from Brandeis comes addressed to me in the mail. This was entirely unsolicited and was part of a campaign to recruit VISTAs into their MBA in nonprofit management program. I applied, just for fun, and somehow was accepted!

MBA? Moi? It didn't even really occur to me until I got there that I would have to be taking courses in statistics, economics, friggin corporate finance, and more. I zoned in on the phrase "nonprofit management" and everything else faded into the blue, until statistics started, of course.

20 pounds lost (thanks to anxiety) and the acceptance that I'd actually be paying 1500/month for rent later, I hopped into my chevy cavalier and moved 5 states away to WALTHAM with my sweet 3 year old boy. My parents sure didn't want us to leave. Not yet, anyway, but I could feel that Waltham pull.

And it won't let me go.