Natick Report

More than you really want to know about Natick, Mass.

Entertainment media reports ‘The Little Couple’ has moved to Natick

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Dr. Jen Arnold, husband Bill Klein, and their kids—known to many as the family who starred on the long-running TLC docu-drama “The Little Couple” —has reportedly moved into a new home in Natick. They’d been living in an apartment while their house was being made accessible and modernized.

Arnold and her daughter recently shared an update via social media on their move to “Boston,” as Arnold has taken on a new job at Children’s Hospital.

Entertainment media like the U.S. Sun follow the family closely and have posted articles about the move (“BIG MOVE: Little Couple’s Dr Jen Arnold & Bill Klein drop $2.1M on massive Boston mansion featuring 6 bedrooms & outdoor kitchen”).

The biggest entertainment excitement around here since Khloé Kardashian was spotted at Lookout Farm (where apparently, these new residents have been seen as well).

Welcome to the neighborhood!

Golden Tones chorus back in action

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The Golden Tones chorus, a singing group consisting of dozens of retirees from about a dozen area communities, will be performing an outdoor sing-along at the Natick Farmers’ Market on Natick Common this Saturday, Aug. 13 from 12:15-12:45pm.

This will be the group’s first public performance since March of 2020.

That concert will be followed by an indoors open rehearsal on Tuesday, Aug. 16 from 11am-12:30pm (call 508 318 6318 for details).

The Natick-based group, which has been around since 1988, has no auditions and invites anyone who wants to sing with the group to do so. No choir experience or ability to read music needed.

Golden Tones performs throughout the MetroWest area.

Golden Tones photo

 

More: Resources for Natick seniors

10 summertime things to do in Natick, Massachusetts

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There’s lots to do in the summer time in Natick. Here’s our top-10 list things to do in Natick on summer days and nights. Don’t see your favorite? Let us know at natickreport@gmail.com

1) Dug Pond

Natick’s favorite place to cool off, Memorial Beach at Dug Pond, is open and available to both Natick residents and non-residents through Sunday, August 14.

memorial beach dug pond

Beach hours:
Mon.-Fri: noon-7pm
Sat. & Sun: noon-6pm

There’s a complicated pricing structure you can study up on here before you go. Lifeguards are on duty and swim lessons are available (but classes fill up fast). No concession stand this year. The changing rooms and bathrooms are open, but the  showers are not available. Docks and ladders are in the water, the diving board will be closed indefinitely. Sounds like a lot of rules to take in, but once you feel that breeze come across the beach, and you’re splashing around in the water, the summertime vibe just takes over.

2) Bike the Cochituate Rail Trail

The Cochituate Rail Trail is a 4-mile multi-use trail that runs from Natick Center to Saxonville in Framingham. The trail officially opened in late 2021 and has been an instant hit among cyclists, runners, and walkers for its smooth, paved surface that covers defunct train tracks. We like to park in the lot adjacent to Navy Yard Field at 41 South St., or at the circle at the end of Chrysler Road next to Home Depot and access the trail there.

Cochituate Rail Trail, Natick

3) Mini-golf at Village Green

Colonial-themed Village Green with its Ben Franklin statue and Statue of Liberty replica, historic-themed buildings, and huge center flag pole is a route 9 institution. Management seems always one step ahead of upkeep needs at the tidy 315 Worcester St., recreational spot, popular with families as well as the dating crowd. Prices are reasonable, and you win a free round if you sink a hole-in-one on #18.

Golf on the Village Green

4) Big golf at Sassamon Trace Golf Course

Sassamon Trace is a nine-hole executive length golf course designed in the classic tradition with the beginning golfer in mind. The public course,  located at 233 South Main St., opened in 2001.

Lessons are available, as are leagues for men, women, and juniors. The course hosts events such as an upcoming tournament to support the Natick Sons & Daughters of Italy. Register for the Sept. 16 event here.

5) Ice cream at Park Street and Maggie & Milo’s

Park Street Ice Cream Shoppe at 14 Park St., on Natick Common has been a family-owned town classic since 1980. Get your cones, sundaes, milk shakes and more at their indoor counter or the outdoor take-out window. They’ve got standard flavors like vanilla, chocolate, mint chip and more, but Park Street isn’t afraid to get a little wild with stuff like coffee oreo, vanilla lemon meringue, and orange pineapple chip.

Park Street Ice Cream, Natick

Maggie & Milo’s opened up at 57 Eliot St., in South Natick last summer, and the neighborhood (and those beyond) instantly embraced the place, owned by the folks who supply you with caffeine at the Charles River Coffee House. Maggie and Milo’s has had a late start this summer due to a staffing shortage, but we’ve seen their “open” flag flying during a few recent drive-bys (not that we’re stalking them for the salted caramel pretzel frappes we got addicted to last summer, or anything). In addition to ice cream, they’ve got hot dogs and savory snacks.

6) Fitness Trail behind Leonard Morse Hospital & other Natick trails

Editor’s note: the placement of a fitness activity directly after the ice cream listing was intentional.

During the early days of COVID, we often hit the trails behind Leonard Morse Hospital. It was a time when every other hiking area in town seemed overrun with desperate people who had never hiked before, and therefore knew only of the most obvious spots they’d previously driven by.

heavy big on leonard morse fitness trail

During a recent visit to the area, we were pleasantly surprised to see the addition of a punching bag to the pull-up/chin-up bar area. Since we are way better at hitting the bag than pulling or chinning ourselves up, we’re pretty happy about the new fitness arrival.

More on Natick Trails here.

7) Catch live theater by Natick’s newest performing arts group

Actors Company of Natick is a new theater company, on a mission to create art with a purpose, and they’re starting out strong with overlapping performances this summer of Julius Caesar, July 22-30 and You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, July 23-31, both taking place at Kennedy Middle School’s brand-new 450-seat auditorium.

Tickets here.

8) Visit Art Alley then catch dinner at a Natick Center restaurant

If you’ve never heard of Art Alley, seek out the creative spot, tucked away on Adams Street in Natick Center. You could think of Art Alley as a gallery that’s open 24/7, an eclectic outdoor installation, an ongoing public art project, or a combination of all three. Look for Ginger McEachern’s UnconVENTional Garden; Denise Girardin’s peacelovenatick01760; Wings of the Butterfly; and more.

Natick Art Alley

After, try out one of Natick Center’s great restaurants. The newest addition is 7 South Bottle + Kitchen, an American comfort food spot located in the former Dolphin seafood location. Also nearby are Agostino’s (Italian); Buttercup (farm-to-table); Dah-Mee (Asian), and more.

9) Catch a Legion baseball game

Head over to Mahan Field near the high school and catch high quality Natick Legion baseball during the day or under the lights.

John Carrol Baseball Complex at Mahan Field, Natick

10) Go to the Natick Cultural District on a Thursday night

Food, shopping, music, and family-friendly fun is on the agenda every Thursday night during Natick Nights in the Natick Cultural District. Every Thursday night features a different theme and schedule of events.

Coming up on July 21: 

5pm-7:30pm—The annual summer ArtWalk festival. Downtown Natick’s largest summer arts festival will feature painters, photographers, potters, jewelry-makers, quilters, glass artists and mixed media artists who will show and sell their work in conjunction with many of the center’s businesses. Washington Street in Natick Center will also be closed to vehicular traffic during the event for outdoor dining, and local restaurants will have booths set up on the street.

7:30pm-9pm—Los Goutos will bring their modern Americana music to the Common.

natick concert on common

Natick ArtWalk event to showcase the area’s talent

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Dozens of artists will station themselves outside local businesses and studios in Natick Center to share their work with the public on Thursday, July 21, 5-7:30pm, rain or shine, at the annual summer ArtWalk festival.

natick ArtWalk

Downtown Natick’s largest summer arts festival will feature painters, photographers, potters, jewelry-makers, quilters, glass artists and mixed media artists who will show and sell their work in conjunction with many of the center’s businesses. Washington Street in Natick Center will also be closed to vehicular traffic during the event for outdoor dining, and local restaurants will have booths set up on the street.

More: Natick portion of Cochituate Rail Trail to get artsy come September

Please send tips, photos, ideas to natickreport@gmail.com

Natick Vintage Camera Museum is a snapshot of history

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Camera Museum

Tucked away on a side street in Natick Center is a museum that many residents may have unknowingly wandered past. The Natick Vintage Camera Museum, located on the second floor of 5 Summer St., has been put together and curated by Scott Pressler. Scott began collecting cameras in his high school days as evidenced by a photo of him in his bedroom, antique cameras on the shelves behind him. Since then, he has found cameras at yard sales, antique stores, and even in trash bags. His collection eventually grew into what is now a public display of film cameras, pocket cameras, spy cameras, cameras that look like soda cans, Polaroids, film projectors, and a dozen other types of cameras.

Camera Museum

Not all these cameras were part of the original collection, however. Scott opened the museum exclusively to display his own collection, but things quickly ramped up. What really tipped things over the edge was when WCVB’s Chronicle featured the museum in early 2019. Ever since, people looking to offload their own antique cameras have come in and either offered to hand them over or sell them to the collection. At this point, Scott has more cameras than he has display room, and more keep coming. It’s his hope that the collection can be taken on by a university or some other qualified organization. Scott says that he wants to see the cameras taken care of and preserved, something he feels he can’t do properly. Scott described himself as a caretaker for the cameras, not an owner, and it is his wish that the history they represent can be carried on, which he says can only be done by more qualified and dedicated professionals.

The museum opened shortly before the pandemic and was receiving a steady stream of visitors. Since it has reopened, there have been slightly fewer people coming to see the exhibit, but guests still come from as far away as the Cape. Admission is free, and it’s a very interesting display, with all sorts of cameras, which Scott seems to know all about. There is no glass in front of most of the displays, because Scott wants people to come and actually “pick up and interact with the cameras.” He said that he’s not worried about them being damaged, as they’re from a “rough and tumble era,” and that they would probably be fine if they were dropped.

Camera Museum

One particularly interesting artifact was a Kodak instant camera, which was designed to print pictures on the fly. Polaroid was also interested in the camera, and thought that Kodak’s technology was a bit too similar to theirs, which had hit the market first. After a protracted legal battle, Polaroid was awarded $900 million from Kodak, and Kodak stopped making both instant cameras and their film. This wasn’t the only way a Polaroid has touched the museum, however. A donation of cameras was given to the museum by Marsha Haskell, who worked on creating Polaroid’s instant photo technology.

Not everything in the museum is a camera. Recently received was a box of glass slides from the 1880s, an early precursor to film. Images on the slides include portraits, and pictures of old boats. 

natick camera museum

Hopefully Scott’s wish of seeing his collection picked up by a museum comes true, but until then we urge you to go and check out this unique part of history in Natick.
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PLACE: Natick Vintage Camera Museum
ADDRESS: 5 Summer Street, 2nd floor, Natick, MA 01760
PHONE: 508-651-0180
HOURS: By appointment or by chance

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