Saxonville Mills Coffee

Nice Coffee Shop in Framingham

At the corner of Concord Street and Central Street is a small family-owned coffee shop - Saxonville Mills Coffee. This shop is very popular with locals. It first opened in June of 2018.

You can order ahead via postmates.com

I was in the area recently and decided to pay a visit.

Six Things I Learned

There is limited parking near the entrance as the parking area is also shared by other businesses in the Mill. There is additional parking directly across Concord Street. Note: It is a bit tricky to pull into the driveway when your heading North on Concord Street - watch for the turning traffic!

There's plenty of breakfast sandwiches and pastries. Lots of good selections. I opted for a croissant and a large coffee. They did have fresh hot oatmeal available - which would be great to enjoy on a snowy morning. The Cheese bread (P??o de Queijo) is not Gluten Free, they did have an egg dish that was gluten-free.

The coffee and croissant were very good. The croissant was nice and fresh!

The coffee cream station was next to the door, which is a bit weird if your eating in - you have to walk far away from the counter to get cream and sugar.

They have plenty of seating - I counted chairs for 25 people - with 2 high tables. Free WiFi is available - login information is available at the Coffee Cream station. I had no issues using Verizon's Data while I was enjoying my coffee.

They were very busy on a Saturday morning, which was surprising as a Dunkin Donut chain was right down the street. Most people ordered their drinks and treat to eat in. Service was a bit slow at times - I think it was they were busy with various coffee orders.

Fluff and Fold

Popular Framingham Laundry mat that once had a busy social media account

Fluff and Fold is a laundry service in Framingham. It's unique because, for a while, they had an active social media account. They currently have a Facebook and Instragram account.

Fun Facts

Opened in 2004

Open everyday from 6am to 10:30pm.

They offer self-service and full-service laundry - including dry cleaning.

You can drop off your dry cleaning and they will deliver your clean clothes to your home.

According to Yelp, Fluff and Fold is rated #1 Best wash and fold in Framingham, MA

Things I Learned

• $4.50 Regular White Washers
• $6.75 Large Washers - perfect for doing comforters.
• It cost $.50 for 10 mins to use the dryer. $2 for the standard 40-minutes dryer.
• There are 22 Dryers and 16 Washers.
• There are wheel baskets that you can take out to your car to easily bring in laundry.
• All the machines have credit card swipes. Make sure to follow the instructions on the dryers: ???Press Enter on the Reader to set Dry Time / Price before Making Payment. ???
• Fluff and Fold also accepts Apple Pay.
• The self laundry can get pretty busy, there are only 3 chairs to sit down. They don't have any TVs (The use to.) However, they do offer free wifi - so you can watch YouTube or learn something on Udemy.
• There are plenty of tables available to fold laundry. For $.50, you can buy large fabric bags to take your laundry home.

Finding Fluff and Fold

Fluff and Fold is located on 740 Waverly Street, directly across from Monnick Supply Company.

B. Sisters Cafe

Enjoy a nice coffee or tea in Framingham

B. Sisters Cafe is located at 680 Worcester Road in Framingham, in the Ski Market Plaza. The location was once owned by Panache Coffee.

B. Sisters offer Sandwiches and Coffee in a clean quiet setting. It's a perfect place to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee and relax from a crazy day ahead.

The nice thing about this place is that it makes you feel at home. While their menu and selection may seem overwhelming, they will help with getting what you want quickly.

Five Key Differences over Starbucks

Just across the street is Starbucks. Here are the key reasons why you should go to B. Sisters instead.

Free Wifi with available seats and tables - Working from the Coffee shop? B. Sisters Cafe has plenty of room. The cafe is nice and quiet and you won't smell like a coffee when you leave.

Coffee and Tea - Try something different. Their "ice tea" is just hot tea with ice. They have just as many coffee choices and the prices are similar to Starbucks. They have a nice tea selection - and they will suggest something different to try.

Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pao de Queijo) - The Pao de Queijo is a great snack. The best part is they are naturally gluten-free!

Lots of food options! - From fresh Omeletts to Crepes to Mozzarella Panini. If you're working on your laptop for a while, you won't have to leave to get a good bite to eat!

Drive Thru Window - They have a drive-up window where you can get your coffee to go. (The Window isn't open all year round.)

Lots of room to relax and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea.

Kanji Wind Chime

Garden Chime in Framingham

If you ever drove down Union Street towards downtown Framingham you might have seen a strange object in front of a house. This might catch your eye, as it did mine, wondering what it is and why it's there.

Is it some important historial marker?

This is a Kanji Wind Chime that was put up by the neighbors who live at this address. It's not a historical marker or some symbol. It has nothing to do with Framingham.

There are four Kanji symbols on the base, I could only transcribe three of them: Cut Grass, Hanging Scroll and 9th Calendar sign. (Thanks to Ben Bullock's Handwritten Kanji Recognition to help transcribe it.)

It is an interesting garden art - I wasn't able to find a copy of the design any place else.

Finding the Wind Chime

The Wind chime is located on 132 Union Ave in Framingham Ma. Google Maps doesn't have a picture of it.

Baltimore Riot Unknown Casualty

Remembering a fallen Civil War Solder

In the early days of the United States Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln requested volunteer forces to help put down the impending insurrection. On April 15, 1861, the Sixth Massachusetts Regiment answered that call by sending several groups from various towns around Metro Boston. A total of 64 men reported for duty.

Their task was to go to Washington DC, via Railroad, and protect the National Capital.

On April 19th, 1861, they arrived in Baltimore where they encountered supporters for the Confederacy. The crowds got bigger as people learned of the troop's arrival.

The troops had to switch stations in Baltimore, the crowd prevented the train from reaching the switching station - Camden Station. The troops had to march through the town from President Street Station to Camden Station.

Baltimore Riots

As they were marching through the town the crowd became restless and started throwing bricks and stones at the troops. At one point someone in the crowd fired on the troops. The troops returned fire. A riot then occured.

Private Luther Ladd, from Lowell, was hit in the head by a piece of scrap iron. Someone stole his musket and shot him in the leg. He died on Pratt Street - becoming the first person to die in the Civil War.

Three other members of the Sixth Massachusetts Regiment died that day Addison Whitney, Sumner Needham, and Charles Taylor. A total of 36 soldiers from the Sixth Massachusetts Regiment were injured.

George Stevens

One of those that was injured was George Stevens who was hit in the head by a brick. His troop took him to a Washington hospital but he wasn't able to recover from his injury. He was sent back to his hometown - Framingham.

On August 29, 1861, he died because of the injuries sustained in Baltimore. He is buried in the Church Hill Cemetery in Framingham Massachusetts.

Gravestone of George Stevens

His gravestone makes mention of the Baltimore Riots.

Text on Gravestone

Grand Army of the Republic

George Stevens is a honorary member of the Grand Army of the Republic and has a star next to his gravestone.

Baltimore Riot Deaths

Those that died at in Baltimore are remembered at a memorial in front of Lowell City Hall, where three of the soldiers are now buried.

1. Addison Whitney - Front of Lowell City Hall
2. Luther Ladd - Lowell City Hall
3. Sumner Needham - buried at Bellevue Cemetery in Lawrence, Mass
4. Charles Taylor - Lowell City Hall

Boards & Commissions Workshop

Attend this workshop to be part of the city

The City of Framingham Massachusetts will have a Boards & Commissions Workshop on Tuesday, August 13, This is a chance for ordinary citizens to learn how to participate in city government.

There are many open positions on different city commissions and committees. This is a chance to learn more about the positions and how to get involved.

Sample Openings

Some sample of Commission openings:

• Council on Aging - Four member seats expired on Jun2 2019
• Traffic Commission - Two Commissioner At Large positions available
• Historic District Commission - Three Seats open
• Conservation Commission - Two Member seats opened.
• Cultural Council - Four Member seats are opened.

Event Description

Boards & Commissions Workshop

The Workshop will be on Tuesday, August 13, 6-7 p.m. in the Ablondi Room of Framingham City Hall. Registration is required!

Boston Marathon Timeline

Timeline of Runners at the 5-mile mark

Next Monday is Marathon Monday, it???s a pretty big deal for most people in MetroWest. Some people are excited to run the Boston Marathon- while others are excited to spend some time cheering on the runners.

Some people in Framingham like to watch the runners come up the hill near the reservoir in Framingham.

Timeline of Runners

The "red" timeline indicates when it's difficult to cross Waverly Street.

For additional tips, check out the 2012 blog post: 2012 Boston Marathon

Best Time to Arrive

For the best view in front of the La Catina restaurant, your best to arrive before 8am. Most of the crowds around 9am.

In addition to a good view, you'll get a nice parking spot at Keefe Technical School. It's a short walk over the bridge to Waverly street.

La Catina side of Waverly Street is good because you can leave the marathon whenever you want.

Joan Buckminster Marcy

Unique Turtle Gravestone in Framingham's Church Hill Cemetery

Walking through the Framingham's Church Hill Cemetery, you may encounter many strange old gravestones. However, one stands out a bit more than others - its the gravestone of Joan Buckminster Marcy

Who was Joan Buckminster Marcy?

There isn't a whole lot of information on her. I did find her obituary in the Buffalo NY Courier Express (Page 7):

In addition, someone posted some information in a feedback section on the ThisIsFramingham website, I am not sure it's talking about same person:

Couple of Notes about the above comment:

• Joan was fourteen when she died, not 20.
• She didn't die in Egypt but in Guilford, VT.

Why a Turtle Gravestone?

The whimsical bronze turtle does stand out from all the other classic gravestones.

One possible reason for the turtle is its Indian meaning - The turtle symbol signifies good health and long life. The turtle has great longevity living up to 150 years. (Could also be that Joan had a special thing for turtles)

Mystery in the Graveyard?

I am not sure if Sarah comment is correct.

If you have any additional information about Joan Buckminster Marcy, please put it in the comments below. Also, I couldn't find any information on why she was buried in Framingham. Se spent her whole life in Connecticut and New York. Why was she buried in Framingham?

Framingham Commuter Rail Tips

Useful tips from a long-time MBTA Commuter

Are you new to traveling the Worcester/Framingham Commuter Rail? Here's some advice from a regular commuter

• Take the Express (if possible) - Framingham is lucky to have regular express trains and you'll arrive into the City of Boston about 25 minutes quicker than a standard train.
• Arrive at the Station Early - Most Commuters arrive at the station about 5 minutes before the train arrives. Try to get get there 10 mins early for a better parking space. The MBTA has worked hard to keep the trains running on time and they will not wait for you.
• Infield Lot - Fills up quickly by 7:45. After that your better off parking in the lot that you see when you arrive at the station. (Infield Lot Info)
• Leaving Downtown Framingham at peak time - There are several trains that arrive in downtown Framingham between 5:30 and 6:15, causing lots of backups at the Concord Street/126 Intersection. Your best bet would be to avoid that intersection at that time.
• Know Where to Board - The incoming trains usually stop at the track nearest 126 (Opposite the main parking lot.) In the mornings the crowds are always gathering on that side of the track. Keep an eye on the marquee signs as they will indicate the times of the arrival trains.
• Boarding the Train - Usually the front of the train is best for South Station, middle for Back Bay and the rear for Yawkey.
• No Credit Cards allowed for on Board Ticket purchases - Use the mTicket application to purchase tickets. Don't wait until you board, do it while waiting for the train. Conductors do not like to wait for you to enter your credit card info in the app.
• Sign up for MBTA Alerts - Go to MBTA T-Alerts and sign up to get notifications on delays.
• Monthly Pass Card - if you have a physical monthly pass card guard it as if its money. If you loose it you can't get a free replacement. I usually just hold it in my hands to show the conductor and then put it back in my wallet.

Getting to Logan Airport

Options of getting to Logan Airport from Framingham

Framingham residents do have several options for getting to Logan International Airport. Here's a look at the four possible options. I also include the costs and the benefits of each option.

In these options, I am comparing a party of 3, 2-Adults and 1 child on a typical 7-day vacation.

Using Logan Express

Total Airport Trip Cost: $93

You need to get to Logan Express really early to get the bus and make it to the airport. This is very popular during peak travel times. The overflow lot is near Kohls.

The first inbound service is 3 am and the last outbound service is 1:15 am (except Saturdays at 12:15 am). The service runs every half hour on weekdays and Sundays after 1 pm, and every hour on Saturdays and Sunday mornings.

Taking the MBTA Commuter Rail

Total Airport Trip Cost: $42.50

While this might be the cheapest option, it involves traveling on multiple public transportation vehicles (Train and Bus). This would not be a good option if you have a lot of luggage or children.

This would be a good option if your traveling for a long period.

Driving and Parking at Logan International Airport

Total Airport Trip Cost: $192.90

This is the most expensive option. However, gives you the most control on getting to/from the airport. The driver can always drop off the passengers and the luggage at curbside and then park the car in the long-term lot.

Always check to see the status of the long-term lot. If there is an overflow lot, it may be closer to the terminals.

Taxi to/from Logan International Airport

Total Airport Trip Cost: $126+ Tip

This would be a way to save money over parking at the long-term lot - especially for longer trips. Make sure to call Tommy Taxi Cab in advance so there is a car available for you.