New England Travel and Vacation Gazette and Other Wicked Good Content

Turner Pond, Walpole, Mass. (photo by Eric) A local well-known television reporter once covered the Turner Lodge at Turner Pond in Walpole, Mass., for a nighttime segment and told me: "If I lived around here, I'd be out here every night." Turner Lodge and Pond have that effect, being so close to Boston (18 miles) but coming across as a place you'd expect to find on vacation in, say, Vermont or New Hampshire. The Turner Pond Lodge (photo by Eric) The scenic pond, just outside Walpole center, is ideal for ice skating and the cozy, rustic red-colored lodge features sofas, a fireplace, television, books, board games, snacks, hot chocolate and a dining table where locals bring in, and sometimes share, home-cooked meals. There's really a great community feel at this little cabin situated by the pond and alongside beautiful forest land. The experience is especially incredible at night (when officially open) as locals of all ages skate along with the cold, cr...

Good morning from New England! Today, we'll focus on happenings in the Boston area. Let's start off the day by mentioning Coffee Sensations inside Lord's Department Store in Medfield, Mass. Coffee Sensations is actually an authentic, old fashioned luncheonette that brings back memories of the lunch counter at Woolworth's Department store. They serve lunch and dinner and know how to make great shakes, burgers, pancakes and other comfort foods. They also serve delicious homemade ice cream from the Black Cow in Millis, Mass. My favorite dish is the chopped chicken panini that features moist chicken, hots and the right touch of mayonnaise.  Lord's is in a bit of a time capsule, too, reminding us of the old neighborhood general stores that we grew up with -- no surprise, given Lord's is well over 60 years old!... Over in neighboring Walpole, Mass., The Walpole Farmers Market is still open through the end of October on the Walpole Town Common (Wednesdays, 2:00 p.m. ...

Here is a follow-up on recent posts about Dick and Jane's General Store in Walpole, Mass. -- tonight is the official Grand Opening, hosted by the Walpole Chamber of Commerce: If you are a fan of old-fashioned, locally-owned stores, we encourage you to attend the official grand opening of Dick and Jane's General Store, tonight, Feb. 2, 2010, at 944 Main St. in Walpole, Mass. The event is hosted by the Walpole Chamber of Commerce and runs from 6-9 p.m. Dick and Jane's General Store is a truly wonderful shop with a variety of delicious homemade fudge, retro candies, coffee and tea, bagels, muffins, gelato, and educational toys and games. They have a gigantic M&M machine where customers can dispense common and specialty M&Ms, right next to the barrels of penny candy. Dick and Jane's also offers limited seating to enjoy the yummy candy, food and drinks! Three wide-screen televisions reside in separate sections of the store and feature shows from the Food Netw...

Article and photo by Eric H. Everyone is an expert on life at Tee T's restaurant and lounge in Walpole, MA. Customers and staff talk about the economy, politics, social issues (mostly women), sports, and the direction of their hometown, sometimes with more clarity and sincerity than your local radio talk show host. It's a place where one can talk about the good old days of playing sports at Walpole High School while wearing your now tight-fitting varsity or junior varsity sports jacket. The conversation flows as well as the beer. The news on the television further elicits strong comments about our society where some Tee T's customers pointedly talk back at the television. Tee T's is indeed Moe's Tavern (from the Simpson's) come to life. And without the music ever playing, you can hear "Glory Days" by Bruce Springsteen blaring in your head as the unofficial soundtrack for Tee T's. On one visit, three older men talked about their health woes, one, u...

Article and photo by Eric H. As the Boston, MA, suburbs move toward a more overcrowded, unfriendly, keeping-up-with-the-Joneses mentality, there is a pocket of towns southwest of Boston that remain generally more laid-back, quaint and friendly. The towns of Walpole, Norfolk, Millis, Medfield, Medway, Wrentham and Franklin comprise a series of close-knit Norfolk County communities that include pretty village greens, meandering country roads leading from the town centers, road side farm stands, loads of community events, scenic ponds and lakes, and real estate prices generally lower than some other areas around Boston. The crime rates in Norfolk County are low and the schools are amongst the best in the United States, according to Forbes Magazine . It's especially nice to go out to breakfast or to the local supermarket, and meet people you know. After a few years of being involved in these communities, it's rare to go out and not see a familiar face. In the western suburbs where...