Getting Festive, and Getting Shopping in Maynard

Holiday decorations have started going up in Maynard's downtown area. So nice to see! Thanks to the crew who installed them.

Black Friday is next week. You could choose to go do your crazy-shopping in the mall, or you could walk around a lovely downtown, have a nice meal in a friendly restaurant, and catch a blockbuster movie in an old-time theater. No rush, taking it easy.

Things you might not know to look for (or give) while you're on your holiday hunt:

• an amazing wool sweater: Outdoor Store
• a pile of books: Video Signals
• Legos: Paperstore
• a hand-painted (by you, or your kids) plate for someone you love: Video Signals
• a piece of art or craft by a local artist: Denault Studios, ArtSpace Downtown, Art and Soul
• a collector's item you never imagined you'd find again: Collector's Paradise
• a basket for goodies: Summer Street Fine Consign
• a bicycle helmet, water bottle, or horn: Ray and Sons
• a gift certificate for a facial: Flawless
• comic books: Excelsior, Legends
• a pair of binoculars: the Outdoor Store
• a gift certificate for a massage: Pathways, Massage Visits.
• a season subscription to plays: ACME Theater
• a frame on a special object that you cherish: Gallery 7
• a really cool chair: This and That.
• a lovely something for the home: Bon Marche
• a lovely piece of jewelry: Richard Goddard
• a funky Christmas decoration: Picker's Pocket
• a great deal on a new jacket: Manufacturer's Direct
• stocking stuffers galore: Sugar Snap
• tools: Aubuchon
• a swiss army something or other: the Outdoor Store
• and of course plenty of gift certificates for restaurants.

And as for you and what you'd like for Christmas, tell your family you're keeping it local and would love a gift certificate to one of the many stores we have in town.

What have you found as you've made your way around town? I certainly haven't listed everything.  Feel free to post your findings in the comments.

Happy Retirement to Peg Brown!

Having worked there for twenty years, Peg Brown has become a local fixture at the Maynard Post Office. As of November 14th, she officially retired, so you won't see her stamping your packages behind the counter there. But you'll still catch this Maynard citizen of thirty-five years around town. "Where else would we find a town like Maynard?" she asked me when I asked if she planned to head to retired-people's land.

Peg serves on the Maynard Historical Commission. She is also an avid golfer, so you'll find her at the Maynard Country Club when the weather warms up.

Many congratulations!

Mark Your Calendars: Holiday Sip & Stroll, Dec. 6th, 6-8pm

The Maynard Business Alliance is hosting the third annual Holiday Sip & Stroll. Come downtown for some community merry making! This event keeps getting better each year. Go check out the downtown windows and vote for your favorite.  

You Can Get Local Meat, Cheese, and Eggs in Maynard

Balance Rock Farm in Berlin has been one of the Maynard Farmers' Markets vendors for years. I often thought about making the drive out to Berlin in the off-season, but never managed to do it. Last year I learned that they actually do a weekly drop in Maynard. You can go onto their Web site and email them a list of what you want, and then go and get it from their truck, which will be parked out near Babico's

I'm doing this blog post because they were smart enough to send an email reminder that their service is beginning, and I was thinking that there would be plenty of people in the community who would be interested. 

Here's the information. 

Hi everyone!
Thank you so much for a wildly successful Farmer's Market season! We took a little time to regroup and catch up on things that got let go over the summer, and now we are ready to resume the Drop in Maynard.

We will be in Maynard on this Saturday November 15th between 12:00 and 1:30. As before, we will meet in the parking lot between Warriors Way and the Bank.

For anyone interested, we still have turkeys available. They are $4.19/lb. and there is a $40.00 deposit required. They must be picked up at the farm either Monday,Tuesday or Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
All that was offered at the Farmer's Market is available for drop and more. If you know of something you'd like us to bring, just ask.

Ice cream will not be available until the weather turns freezing.

If you would be so kind as to spread the word about this drop, we would be very appreciative. The more people we serve, the better for everyone who would like it to continue.
Anyone interested can e-mail  at Linda@balancerockfarm to get on the list.
Feel free to e-mail with questions and special requests as well as regular orders.

Please try to get your orders to us by Friday @ 6:00 to insure that they come through in time.

Thanks and hope to see you on Saturday.

Happy Fall.
Linda and the Balance Rock Farm Family

This message was sent to denishe.hats@gmail.com from:
Linda Wheeler | Linda@balancerockfarm.com | Balance Rock Farm | 104 Highland St. | Berlin, MA 01503

ArtSpace 2nd Saturday, November 8th. Opening Reception for "Disambiguation" and "Ex Situ"

ArtSpace is having their Second Saturday event this weekend. Along with a really cool show in the gallery by guest artists Ishikura and Chong, you'll be able to visit with some of the artists who have space in the studio building.

My quick look at the hanging taking place in the gallery tells me that this is going to be a very interesting exhibit—bright colors, layers of plexiglass, curious subjects.

This event is free and open to the public.

Fine Arts Theatre Opens to Maynard today, Wednesday, Nov. 5th.

It's finally here! The theater is really going to open! Unfortunately, due to some occupancy permit delays, it's with short notice—tonight, Wednesday, November fifth! The Fine Arts Theatre will have a soft opening for Maynard residents this very evening.

The movie they will be showing is Interstellar. Here's what's amazing—Christopher Nolan, producer of the film, decided to limit the first two days of the movie's release to be only for 35mm film projectors. That means that for the first two days of release, Maynard is only one of six theaters in the whole state that can show it! Can you believe that? Take that big-box-office movie theaters!

I think Steve Trumble knows that everyone is pretty excited. As excited as he is, he's actually a little nervous about it. It's a given that the staff is going to make mistakes, and knowing that, Steve has decided that he wants to have a soft opening; a little time for the team of Maynard teenagers who will be working there to make some mistakes and figure out how to fix them.

Steve thought that this soft, ever-so-gentle opening should be with a loving, supportive audience who would give the kids the bit of wiggle room they'd need. He asked me what I thought, and we both agreed—who better than the Maynard community?

But then the question became, How could you invite only people from Maynard? Steve seemed to think that I might know or be connected to enough people, so I said I'd try.

The theater crew wants to practice on about a hundred people. I must know a hundred people, right? So if you you're part of the Maynard community, think that opening-day mistakes are no big deal, and want to make history and be one of the Fine Arts Theatre's first customers, then come down to the show on Wednesday, November 5th at 7pm. I'll be there with my honey and some Jr. Mints.

I can't begin to tell you how excited I am for everyone to see the theater.

New Selectmen: Tim Egan and Chris DiSilva

Just read this.

"Chris DiSilva and Tim Egan are Maynard's newest selectmen. Check maynard.wickedlocal.com for the complete story."

Well, there you have it.

You Want to Know When the Fine Arts Theatre Is Opening, Don't You?

You want to know when the Fine Arts Theatre is going to open, and so do I.

I met again with Steve Trumble to find out what I could find out. People, opening day is so close I can almost taste the popcorn! Steve has promised to keep me posted on when opening day will be, so be ready.

In the meantime, here's a shot of some of the classic movie posters that are going to be adorning the halls of the theater. The blue plastic is just there to protect them till opening day.

When you finally get into the theater, it may be so crowded that you won't get a chance to notice the beautiful iridescent tiles that are covering the front of the concession stand, so here's a picture.

If you haven't done so already, go on their Facebook page and "like" them. Don't forget to turn notifications on so that you get any information they post—like all the up-coming movies they'll be showing!