Unexpected Fireworks Display

While up on “Walmart Mountain” in Lunenburg running some errands on Friday night, my husband and I were surprised to see fireworks bursting into the air as we started to pull out of the parking lot. We headed over to the far corner of the lot and got out of the car, and we were soon joined by many others. It turns out the display was part of Fitchburg State College’s Homecoming Weekend events. Anyone else out there happen to see the fireworks? We’ll have to keep in mind what a great vantage point the Walmart parking lot is!

House Hunting

After living in Fitchburg for two years, my husband and I have begun formulating plans for where to purchase our next home. Back in 2004, we bought our rather small starter home in Fitchburg with the assumption that we’d be heading back to the Metrowest area once we settled into our careers and made a dent in our student loans. We’ve experienced a rather dramatic change of heart since that time, and we now anticipate that our next home - which we hope to be our long-term “forever” home - will be in Fitchburg.

In recent months, we’ve had a lot of fun researching what’s available in Fitchburg in the price range that would barely buy us a starter home in the Metrowest region. We’ve been astounded by the array of new construction and large historic home options that are out there. But our favorite discovery of all pertains to the existence of a “rural” Fitchburg previously unknown to us. This past weekend alone, we visited two houses that were situated on four-acre parcels in the middle of the woods! I would highly recommend that anyone considering a move to the area take a ride on roads such as Ashburnham Hill Road, Ashby West Road, Pearl Hill Road, and Franklin Road to gain a full appreciation of all that Fitchburg has to offer.

Having grown up in Maine, my husband and I feel that privacy and a wooded setting are crucial...yet we’ve also become accustomed to easy access to Boston and proximity to things like grocery stores and restaurants. It’s incredible to think that, thanks to Fitchburg, we can have all of those characteristics someplace where we can actually pay the mortgage. We’re not certain exactly when we’ll be looking to purchase a new home, but it’s such a relief to know that now we can be truly excited about it, rather than slightly bummed out by the thought of downgrading to a tiny, deteriorating shack somewhere in Metrowest where we’ll be a slave to the mortgage payments and cursing the Mass Pike traffic.

Wine Tasting at Wyman's Liquors

I owe a big thank-you to my husband’s friend, who told us about Wyman’s Liquors in Leominster (at 30 Pleasant Street, just off route 13). With the holiday season (as well as a vote on question one) approaching, it’s official free beer- and wine-tasting season in Massachusetts. Simply out of habit, I tend to travel to Julio’s in Westborough for their events. This weekend though, my husband’s friend told us to try out a wine tasting event at Wyman’s. It was VERY well done! They’ve recently opened up a warehouse area that’s perfect for tastings, as it offers a lot more space and doesn’t interfere with customers who are simply trying to shop. Every guest was provided with a bound notebook summarizing the wines available for tasting, with a separate section for taking notes. There were easily over one hundred different options covering a price range from $6 to $70+ (including some very limited-production wines), in addition to cheese and crackers for snacking. The owner himself was present and mingled with guests throughout, and there was occasional entertainment such as a contest to open champagne bottles with a sword. To celebrate the event, all wine was 20% off - even the very high-end bottles! It served as a fabulous introduction to Wyman’s, as we had no idea that they carry such an extensive wine collection. We’ll definitely be returning!

Tre Sorelle

Continuing with the recent trend of blog entries regarding local restaurants, I want to mention Tre Sorelle, a wonderful new Italian restaurant/deli/marketplace that has just opened in Leominster. Now I can stop driving out to Boiano’s Italian Market in Southborough all of the time! Tre Sorelle doesn’t appear to have a website at this point, but it’s located at 544 North Main Street (route 12), shortly after crossing from Fitchburg into Leominster.

Tre Sorelle initially opened up the deli and marketplace component of their shop several months ago. I’ve been stocking my pantry ever since with items such as fresh pasta (I can’t get enough of the pumpkin tortellini!), gourmet sauces, pizzelles, and high-end olive oils. The selection of deli cheeses is quite good, but as a semi-vegetarian (I eat only chicken), I’m afraid I can’t comment on the meats - anyone out there have any input? I was particularly thrilled to discover the array of olives stocked in the deli, and the prices for these are unbelievably reasonable. The primary focus of the deli, however, is a wide variety of authentic homemade Italian foods intended to be heated up at home. There are numerous vegetarian options, including a remarkable veggie lasagna.

A few weeks ago, Tre Sorelle at last began serving sit-down meals as well, although they currently only have the kitchen established well enough to offer a lunch menu. I opted for the Zucchini Charlotte, and I can’t even begin to describe how amazing this dish was! I eagerly await the addition of a dinner menu, as I’m sure that it will offer many other creative, high-quality dishes. Until then, dining in for dinner is technically an option - the staff will heat deli meal items in the microwave - but I’ve found that nuking the food doesn’t quite do it full justice.

A final allure of Tre Sorelle is the dessert tray. Offerings include cannolis filled to order, tiramisu, and chocolate raspberry torte. My true weakness is the gelato, particularly the chocolate hazelnut flavor! Tre Sorelle is now open until 9:00 p.m., so it’s a great place to linger over dessert and a cappuccino. One warning though: they’re closed on Sundays. The owner has applied to the city for a liquor license, and this would no doubt become one of my most frequent places to eat out if I could add a glass of wine with an entree or a shot of liquor in my dessert coffee...I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed that the city pulls through!

Gloria's

When I arrived at Gloria’s (on Route 2A in Lunenburg, just after crossing the border from Fitchburg) for breakfast yesterday morning, I was completely shocked to learn that it was the restaurant’s last day. Gloria’s was one of the first places in the area that some friends introduced us to when we moved to Fitchburg two years ago, and we had returned many times for the fabulous food. Admittedly, the wait for a table was often a long one, prompting my husband and I to frequently wonder why the business didn’t expand. It made it that much more surprising that, despite the constant stream of customers, the owner has decided to close. Of course, I can certainly appreciate the desire to take a break from what was no doubt a very busy, time-consuming endeavor! I will be forever grateful to my waitress yesterday for speaking with the owner on my behalf and arranging to provide me with Gloria’s pumpkin pancake recipe. I’ve unsuccessfully scoured restaurants and the internet in an effort to recreate those pancakes, and I’m thrilled now to have the real thing! I just wish it was under different circumstances. Many thanks to Mary and her staff for all of the great meals...I’m one of many in the area who are sad to see you go!