This Is Framingham

Today I stopped in at Sweet Boutique to say goodbye because they’re closing up shop at the end of the month. I didn’t go in there all the time but when I did, I ended up talking with Jean, the owner, or her daughter Michelle for a while and they are both such incredibly nice people.
When I walked in, Michelle’s husband who owns the Bedrock Comics next door, recognized me and cheerfully teased me that I finally got a new camera. ????? I thought it was funny that he remembered how crummy my camera was over 5 years ago when I posted about his shop.
We had a nice talk about Framingham and what it’s like for small businesses in town. It’s not easy. I understand there are rules and everything, but from doing this blog and talking to a lot of small business owners, I hear a lot of anguish they get from the town with permits for signs and flags just to let people know they’re open. Framingham can be a really tough place to run a small business and compete with the big businesses, a lot of which are “exempt” from the same rules to hang the same types of signs. It can be really frustrating.
It’s not all town-related reasons that they’re closing. Online vendors and the fact that specialty candy is available even at places like Marshall’s and TJ Maxx have been slowly effecting business since they started 6 years ago.

Goodbye to a really nice small business and good luck to Jean and Michelle! ????? ?? ??? ?????

I was looking through the permit listing on the town website and noticed some recent permit action at 2 Beacon St. The photo above is when this location was Michi Kusa but it was last occupied by Green Tea II. Ethan and I loved a scallop dish of theirs and were really bummed out when they closed.
As of January 12th, there are permits approved for a liquor and victualer license under the business name “Green Tea 2”, so I hope this means they’re coming back. Stay tuned!

Sometimes I walk to work and when I do, I like to add on another few minutes and get a yogurt or piece of fruit at Whole Foods because they open at 8am.  I’d always like to go to Trader Joe’s but they aren’t open until 9am (which is when I have to be at work)- until now.  The other day I went to Whole Foods and as I was walking through the Trader Joe’s parking lot to go to work, I saw someone walking out with groceries- but it was only 8:30am! ruralking ivermectin
I went in and an employee said hi and we started talking about the new hours (8am-9pm) and she said they just started the new hours this week. ivermectina é seguro   It seems like a minor thing but it’s a nice convenience to have them open at 8 now since I’m a morning grocery shopper on the weekends and would sometimes plan my grocery shopping around TJ’s opening at 9am.
Anyway, I just thought any fellow morning shoppers would be interested to know this. à quelle fréquence peut-on prendre le stromectol

Over the holiday season I got a gift certificate to Acapulco’s, which has quite a few locations, including Framingham, so Ethan and I headed out last night to see what it was like.
The building they’re in at 1656 Worcester Road, used to be the Iguana Cantina and I can’t remember what it was before that, Fortune house or Fortune Cookie. 
I didn’t get a good picture of the outside but it’s always struck me as kind of an odd building to have a restaurant in and inside is a little tight but  they make it work.  The atmosphere in there is really nice and festive but not in-your-face festive.  There was a mariachi band walking around and playing at tables, which I know is in-your-face festive, but they were so laid back, it was comfortable and a nice treat to have on a quiet Tuesday night.

Our waiter was really friendly and attentitive, he started off by bringing over some chips and salsa.

Then we each got a glass of Sangria – which I didn’t see on the menu so I asked the waiter of they had it and he said “the best!”
Which was very good and served in a generously sized Margarita glass.

Since we had a gift certificate for a good amount, we got an appetizer plate called the “fiesta platter” which had nachos, mini-quesadillas, mini-flautas and buffalo wings.

For dinner Ethan got a chicken burrito

I got Pork Carintas in a quesadilla, which I should have just got the dish on it’s own, but it was still okay, the pork was a little on the dry side but not terrible.

I’d wrap up the experience as good.  The food is decent, the guacamole is very good and the atmosphere and service are excellent.  At first when I got the gift certificate to this place I wasn’t thrilled because I’m not a huge Mexican food fan but I’m glad we got to go because it was so nice inside and had a really nice night.
Here’s their website for more information: http://www.acapulcos.net

I heard about a meeting that will be on Monday night at the main library about possibly setting up a community garden in Framingham.
The people setting this up will talk about a few location options on unused Parks and Rec land who they are currently discussing this idea with. 
I’m going to this because I think it would be great for people like me who have tiny yards but would like to have space to grow vegetables and get to know some neighbors who also like to garden.
Of course I  wonder how you keep people/critters from taking your crop and things like that, but I’m sure it will be discussed.  I think a community garden would be a such a nice thing for Framingham to have.  So if anyone else is interested, here are the details:
Costin Room at the Main Library
Monday, January 4th
6:00-8:00pm
Pot-luck dinner (although it’s optional to bring something)

I lost the phone number to the person setting this up but if you have any questons, I’m sure the library can give you the contact information.