New England Town of the Day: Norwood, MA


Article and Photo by Eric H.

There's an affectionate old, local joke that once you live in Norwood, MA, you never leave. The reasoning behind this "townie" tradition makes perfect sense, given Norwood has always offered a sense of place with its close-knit neighborhoods, good schools, proximity to Boston and Providence, and lots of town activities going on in this southwest suburban Boston town of about 29,000 people.

One of the big draws in Norwood, MA, is its thriving downtown -- perhaps the best mid-sized town center in suburban Boston. Becoming something of a "restaurant row," with an amazing diversity of dining spots, Norwood also features many local Mom and Pop stores that collectively allow you to do all of your shopping downtown. Although the type of businesses are becoming more modern with boutiques and galleries, there's still a sense of yesteryear with Brenner's Childrens Shop for clothing, old school dining spots like the Lewis Restaurant and Grille, Norwood Town Square Diner and Mug n' Muffin, the Norwood Sport Center for candlepin bowling, and the Learning Well for school supplies. There's also the Fiddlehead Theater -- a renovated movie theater -- that features award-winning theater productions!

The aesthetics of the downtown are really nice, too, with a beautiful town common with a gazebo, stunningly beautiful old, large town buildings and churches, nice sidewalks for strolling and shops generally sprucing up their exteriors to augment Norwood's community pride. Right now, the downtown is all lit up with white Christmas lights and the largest town common tree transforming into a Christmas tree. During the summer, concerts on the town common represent and validate Norwood's myriad community events and activities.

The rest of Norwood is also tremendous, although South Norwood could use a face lift -- but even this section is full of community spirit and relative safety despite a sketchy look. Otherwise, you'll find pleasant, tree-lined streets with homes that meet every budget that can afford the Boston area. The yards are generally not big, but these pleasant neighborhoods still offer a "Leave It To Beaver" look that will make you feel right at home.

Back to the restaurant scene, we recommend the Mint Cafe for Thai, Japanese, and Korean cuisine, The Old Colonial Cafe for steak, seafood and chicken, Napper Tandy's for pub food and drinks, and Abbodanza II for authentic Italian cuisine and its take-out pizza section.

You won't read about Norwood in your basic travel guide, as it is a suburb rather than a vacation destination. That doesn't mean Norwood isn't worth visiting, however, as some of life's best experiences come in suburban packages for "locals" like us. Yes, Norwood isn't exactly Newport, RI, but in terms of residential suburbs, this is one of Boston's best. It's why many people never leave this proud town!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Good Eeeevening!: A Perspective on New Hampshire Meteorologist Al Kaprielian

Article by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com Somewhere in the 1980s, my esteemed Arlington High School journalism teacher Len Tammaro tipped me off about a New Hampshire television weatherman that he called "Crazy Al Kaprielian." That night, I couldn't believe what I saw: this nerdy-looking guy with a high-pitched voice flailing his arms all over the weather map, contorting his face in every direction, and squealing, "Good Eeeevening!" and "HIGH PRESSURE!" (his future trademark phrases)." All that boundless energy and the myriad antics left the viewer laughing, yet enervated at the same time. In this world of slick, Ken and Barbie television meteorologists, Al Kaprielian has been the antidote to the standard, unctuous television personality. Twenty-five years later, Al is still going strong on MyTV New England with his unique style --perhaps validation that he really loves his job. No doubt, Al has always been an unconventional, unique-looking a...
Read more

Visiting My Grandmother Had That Antiques in Wrentham, Mass.

Image
My Grandmother Had That...Antiques  in Wrentham, Mass., is one of those "hidden gem" antique stores that is jam-packed with antiques, collectibles and other items from the past. Located in a charming, two-story old red barn at 446 South St. (Route 1A), My Grandmother Had That...Antiques certainly lives up to its name. You'll find furniture, lamps, desks, chairs, plant holders, fine China sets and just about everything your grandma had, and also didn't have -- like a web address, Facebook fan page or any hint on the Internet that this place exists! Unless you're a Wrentham native, one familiar with the antiques industry, have driven by the red barn on South St., or somebody that just reads maps of Wrentham all day, My Grandmother Had That...Antiques is as hard to find as the rarest antique. You won't even find the name, "My Grandmother Had That," on the building, just a sign that states "Antiques." The My Grandmother Had That name is on ...
Read more

Where To Live In Connecticut That Has A Small Town Feel?

Image
Noank, Conn. Editor's note: We recently received an email from one of our readers looking to possibly move to Connecticut. Here is her inquiry, followed by our response... Hi, my name is Courtney and I found your website completely truthful and helpful. I talked to my cousin who lives in the northern part of the east coast and she described exactly what you did! I am currently in Orange County, California, and don't like the "ingenuinity" (we're assuming the word is"disingenuous") and mindset of the people. I have found that Connecticut is a place with great weather and has a lot if cities with a small town feel. I was wondering if there was any way that you could help me specify my search in CT? I would like a city with a small town feel where your neighbors are sweet, but it still has a high quality of life. Essex and Stonington caught my eye, but I've never been so I can't say! Thank you for your time. Thank-you for your inquiry. We d...
Read more