June 26th 2022: EBar at Nordstrom, Natick

 Today, while at the Natick Mall in Natick, 

we decided to get the Up Beet and Berry (coconut milk, strawberries, blueberries, beet blend, agave) fruit smoothie from EBar at Nordstrom here.

Not bad, and refreshing for a really hot Sunday.

June 25th 2022: Lavender Farm Fest, Holden

 Today, we had tickets to the Lavender Farm Fest at the Farm at SummitWynds in Holden.

Nice farm, although the lavender was shorter than we expected, but we still managed to get good pictures regardless.

We got a Lavender Lemonade, which was pretty good,

and took a wagon ride around the farm.

We also got a Hot Dog from Flippin the Bird BBQ, a food truck from Rutland providing food for the event.

Wanting to get some lavender beer to take home, we decided to head out to get Buzzsaw (Honey Lavender Blonde Ale)

from 7 Saws Brewing Company in town.

At this point, we decided to get lunch from Thai House of Holden nearby, a new Thai place that has taken over from the Local Tavern, which I visited a long time ago. Still recognize a bit of the old decor from then.

We got the Thai Iced Tea,

the Wonton Noodle Soup (Pork wonton in clear broth with rice noodles and topped with garlic oil, cilantro and scallions)

and the Drunken Noodles (wide noodles stir fried with ground chicken, egg, onion, carrots, green peppers and basil).

Not bad flavors, though typical Thai food.

For dinner, we decided to get takeout from NOLA Cajun Kitchen in West Boylston, this time getting the KIDS FRIED CATFISH (Served with regular fries and juice)

and the GATOR SAUSAGE PO BOY (Alligator and pork seasoned with authentic Cajun spices. Served with Cajun fries.)

Once again, really tasty food from this place. Really can't go wrong here.

 

Recommended Places to Visit: Holden

Recreation

Farms

Farm at SummitWynds

69 Summit Street

Events

Lavender Farm Fest

Breweries

7 Saws Brewing Company (chain)

1148 Main Street

Recommended Dishes:

Buzzsaw

Beaches

Eagle Lake
~100 Hilltop Avenue


Hiking
Recommended:
Trout Brook Conservation Area
332 Manning Street

Tried:
Oak Hill
Jordan Road

Potter Sanctuary
247 Paxton Road

Poutwater Pond
99 Sterling Road

Eagle Lake Wildlife Sanctuary
Causeway Street near Main Street

Asnebumskit Ridge
South Road


Waterfalls
Lovellville Falls
73 Mill Street

Water Bodies
Kendall Reservoir
Kendall Road and South Road

Chaffin Pond
513 Main Street

Bryant Pond
54 Bailey Road

Stump Pond
45 Causeway Street

Maple Spring Pond
Princeton Street near Cobb Street

Quinapoxet Reservoir
Princeton Street and Elmwood Avenue

Cournoyer Pond
Mason Road near Wood Street

Holden Reservoir #1
Reservoir Street near S Road

Holden Reservoir #2
Stonehouse Hill Road near Reservoir Street

Unionville Pond
645 Wachusett Street

Architecture

Schools
Holden Christian Academy
279 Reservoir Street

Mayo Elementary School

351 Bullard Street

Places of Worship

Immanuel Lutheran Church
346 Shrewsbury Street

First Congregational Church
1180 Main Street

Chaffin Congregational Church
155 Shrewsbury Street

First Baptist Church
1216 Main Street

St. Mary's Church
114 Princeton Street

Commercial Buildings
Residences at Holden Hills
1818 Main Street

Town Facilities
Gale Free Public Library
23 Highland Street

Restaurants

Highly Recommended:
Dessert
Stewart's Chocolates
1116 Wachusett Street
Recommended Dishes:
Cinnamon Bun
Tiramisu
Apple Pie 

Thai

Thai Island (closed)
456 Main Street
Recommended Dishes:
Massaman Curry 

Siam 9
456 Main Street
Recommended Dishes:
Pad Thai 

Thai House of Holden

680 Main Street

Recommended Dishes:

Drunken Noodles

Thai Iced Tea

Wonton Noodle Soup

Chinese
Wong Dynasty Restaurant
176 Reservoir Street
Recommended Dishes:
Kunbu Roll
Kung Pao Triple Delight
Seafood Soup


Western
Ethan's Family Restaurant (closed)

1 Princeton Street
Recommended Dishes:
Seafood Risotto
French Onion Soup
Prince Edward Island Mussels

Harvest Grille
1 Princeton Street
Recommended Dishes:
Greek Salad

The Local Tavern (closed)
680 Main Street
Recommended Dishes:
Pizza Special

Val's Restaurant

75 Reservoir Street
Recommended Dishes:
Greek Lemon Rice Soup
Atlantis Platter

Tried:
Deli
Specialty Sandwich Company

624 Main Street
Recommended Dishes:
The Cuban

Goodhile's
1122 Wachusett Street

Recommended Dishes:
Egg, Bacon and Cheese Sandwich

Breakfast
122 Diner

1392 Main Street
Recommended Dishes:
Polish Benedict

Bagel Inn
785 Main Street

Recommended Dishes:
Sunflower Bagel with Cream Cheese

Dessert
Donut Kitchen
623 Main Street
Recommended Dishes:
Boston Creme Donut


Sweets N' Java

1207 Main Street
Recommended Dishes:
Caramel Hot Chocolate

Western
Flip Flops Bar and Grille (closed)

680 Main Street
Recommended Dishes:
Lobster Rav

Blue Plate Lounge
661 Main Street
Recommended Dishes:
Hot Pastrami Sandwich

Vietnamese

Pholicious Asian Fusion Restaurant and Bar (chain)

1062 Main Street

Recommended Dishes:

Jim Beam Milk Tea

Korean Fried Chicken Bao

Nha Trang Rolls

Holden Tonkotsu Black

Vietnamese Pandan Waffle

Mexican

Playa Del Carmen (closed)
700 Main Street
Recommended Dishes:
Playa Chimichanga 

June 24th 2022: Movie Night at Fenway

 Today, we had tickets for Movie Night at Fenway, so we headed into Boston for dinner at Hojoko, a Japanese restaurant with a Japanese bar vibe in the Fenway area.

We got the TOKYO TEA (tequila, lemon, bittered midori, green tea melony LIT), 

the SHIITAKE MUSHROOM TEMPURA ROLL (truffle salsa, miso caramel, fried garlic, truffle froth),

the FUNKY CHICKEN RAMEN (48 hour chicken broth, soy egg, menma, robata grilled koji chicken), 

and the BLT OKONOMIYAKI (nueske's bacon, sourdough yamaimo batter, sundried tomato, Hojoko honky tonk, ao nori, bonito flakes).

The sushi was excellent with truffle flavor, while the chicken for the ramen was really good too, despeite the ramen itself feeling a little bland. The okonomiyaki was not bad in flavor too. Overall, not too bad an experience here.

It was nice to be able to walk on the baseball field at Fenway Park,

and eat popcorn out of a baseball cap,

but watching the movie itself from far away was a little underwhelming,

and we left after a while. At least we had a good meal, and I was lucky enough to find parking close to the stadium.

June 23rd 2022: Atlantis Oysters and Raw Bar, Worcester

 Today for dinner, we decided to check out Atlantis Oysters and Raw Bar, a new seafood bar that has opened within the Worcester Public Market. Nice decor, but no tables for sitting inside.

Nothing substantial by way of food either on the menu. We got the Gin Gin Mule (Hendrick's Gin, Fresh Mint, Lime & Ginger Beer),

the Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail (Mama Lil's Cocktail Sauce),

the Crispy Octopus (Fried Fingerling Potatoes, Chili Mayonnaise),

the Lobster Roll ("Crust" Brioche Roll),

and of course Oysters (Lemon & Mignonette (Duxbury, Salt Nugget, Katama Bay, Kumamoto, Wellfleet, Deer Creek, Pickering Passage, Salutations)).

The seafood was really fresh, and the cooked food was not bad either, but I think this place is more for drinks and small bites than to get an actual meal. Worth a try though.