This Is Framingham

I thought we’d try something a little healthy this time and go to “Big Fresh” at the strange route 30 mall.  I remember this mall used to have actual stores in it but now inside are just the back doors to restaurants you’re supposed to go in from the outside. Weird place.

Big Fresh was better than I thought it would be like inside.  It’s put together well for having such a small space and they display local artists’ work on the walls.

We just got ours to go.  I got a salmon and brown rice wrap and Ethan got some sort of Asian chicken wrap and a side of beet and asparagus salad.
The wraps were pretty good although I thought they could have lightened up on the amount of rice, I know its good filler but maybe a little more greens would have been good.  Ethan thought his was decent too.

The beet and asparagus salad was ok, nothing amazing but it I felt better about eating that than chips or fries.
I’d go back to Big Fresh, it’s nice to have a healthy option for fast food in the area.

I noticed a new store in the Trolley Square plaza called “nuwaves” and went to see what it was all about.
It’s a card/gift store that is well stocked and very well put together. They have fun little trinkets like decorative soaps, plush toys, “over the hill” stuff, chocolates and novelty items.

I was impressed with how neat and clean the store was even though it has so much inventory. Sometimes places like this in a small space can be too cluttered and disorganized but they do a good job with presentation.

I had a nice conversation with the lady working at the register. She said for 20 years they used to be down further west on route 9 and recently moved to this location.
Sometimes I find myself needing to get a card and a little something for an occasion and it’s great to have a nearby shop I can go to without going to the mall, shoppers (stupid) world or target and get something just as nice.

 
Bakeries that make bagels around in Framingham are kind of limited so it’s really between Breugger’s or Cafe Fresh Bagel. I used to think it was called “Cafe Bagel” but I guess it’s “Cafe Fresh Bagel”.
Since I like to support small business I go to Cafe Fresh Bagel.  It’s no H&H but they but they make a good bagel and have a good assortment of cream cheeses.

I usually get an egg bagel with lox spread and Ethan gets an everything bagel with plain cream cheese, which is step up for him.  He used to get a plain bagel with plain cream cheese and my family thought that was weird (no lox? no onion? just plain?), so this is progress : )  My little sister in NH really likes these bagels and asks me to bring some up when I visit her.

Of course I can’t go in here without missing Herbie’s Ice cream (that used to occupy the space with penguins painted all over the walls) and it’s too bad they went out of business but we can always use a bagel place around here so it’s alright.  I hope Herbie and the penguins are doing well somehwhere 🙂

I went to Monnick Supply (on rt. 135) last week to get some glass cut for a window.
The guys there really know their stuff and actually seemed happy to answer questions. ????? ???? ????? ?????? 2022   A very nice guy (who looks like “Uncle Jessie” from Dukes of Hazzard) helped me and cut the glass cut to the measurments I asked for.  I said hopefully this will fit but he may see me the next day because this is a first window-replacing attempt.

Of course the next day I had to go back because we mis-measured and the glass was just a little too big for the window.  I went in there and the guy who had helped me last time, smiled when he saw me holding the piece of glass I bought the day before and said “You’re back!”.
I told him I wasn’t sure if they can cut such a small amount off but I need 5/8 of an inch off this piece. ???? ????????? ??? ?????   He said “Sure, no problem!” and took the piece out back.

Another guy at the service desk saw my  cell phone and asked me how I like it and we compared phones and service providers until Uncle Jesse came back out with my resized glass. 
I asked him how much that would be and he said “Nothing, glad to do it!”
It was such a refreshingly pleasant experience compared to what I have gone through at Home Depot, where sometimes the parking lot alone is enough to keep me from going there.
They also have popcorn for customers 🙂

Yesterday we finally got up in time, thought of it and were around to go to Llyoyd’s Diner (on Fountain St.).  I haven’t been to Lloyds in almost 10 years but it was exactly the way I remembered it.
I forgot how tiny the booths are and how tight the space in the front is but in there are tables in back too if you like a little more space.  I always like sitting at the booths though and we were lucky there was one of the 4 booths were available so we took it.

A girl I used to wait tables with was working there, she wasn’t our waitress but came over to say hi and I asked her when she started working here and she said “oh about 16 years ago, my parents own this place” but before I could ask her anymore questions she had to go and then I didn’t get to talk to her again before we left.  Personally, it was interesting to see her working there because I’m used to being with her while serving cocktails at night so it was different to see her in the morning around breakfast food.

The menu is the usual breakfast diner fare.  Ethan got pancakes and sausage and I got eggbeaters with toast and home fries. beinoutq I’ve never ordered eggbeaters before, I’m not sure what made me order them but I like the texture of them. casino kuwait   (I forgot to take a picture until afte we started eating). ???? ????? ??? ????????

It’s great to have a little mom and pop place to go to (and it’s closeby!).  Like I said before, I just wish this place was open more hours but it’s a great place to go for breakfast.

 
Walkable from my house is the Asinayo Market, an Asian grocery store which is great to have close by and is one of the few reasons I walk downtown.
Unlike at Skazka, I’m not ignored because I don’t speak the language of the store’s products. It’s usually the same guy at the register but sometimes there’s a woman and they’ve both always been so nice and cheery and are happy to help me find something I’m looking for. ivermectina para animais serve para humanos

They have fresh greens and sprouts in the fridge, dumplings and seafood in the freezer and a very well stocked store of sauces, teas, rice, soups and anything else you can think of. ivermectin sheep drench for goats?  

They also have novelty snacks and chopsticks by the bundle, really anything you’re looking for I can’t imagine it not being there.
This is what I bought there on my last trip:

Nice to have Asinayo in the neighborhood – Ichiban!

 
Yet another place I’ve gone by 100 times and never stopped in is the Framingham Baking Co.
I’ve always noticed they had a nice sign right on 135 and kept meaning to check it out so I finally did.
The entrance is around the corner from the sign and inside its pretty much a counter with an open kitchen.

There are some shelves with some items like breadcrumbs, Fannie’s salad dressing and the day old bargains too.
There were cookies, breads and croissants but I decided to get some pizza since I was on my way home from work and figured we could try it for dinner.
I don’t know what style you call it but they sold it by the rectangle. I got three kinds: plain, pepperoni and a “white” pizza with broccoli.

I re-heated these in the oven and split them up with Ethan. Normally I don’t eat this style pizza because it’s usually cardboardesque but they do something right with the dough.  The bottom was a little crisp, and the rest was moist enough not to be like cardboard but cooked enough not to be doughy.
They were all good but surprisingly we thought the plain tasted the best, maybe “less is more” since the dough was so good or maybe the sauce and cheese they use makes the difference.
I’ll definitely go back to try some of their other stuff.