Ever wonder where City business gets done? Not business that falls under the State’s OML Regulation, Heaven forfend, but smaller legitimate assemblies of two or three who exchange information with each other. Around Election time, candidates sit in public places…the Highlands’ Bread and Chocolate, Newtonville’s Rox Diner, Newton Centre’s Johnnie’s, and they schmooze about the issues du jour in hopes of garnering signatures or votes. They bring their clipboards to City Hall and the Library and LWVN as well. But where do they go for daytime work/gatherings after they are elected?
I happened to be meeting with another Waban Area Councilor and a Newton Highlands Councilor to further the planning of the Zervas Street Design Meeting that both Councils will be sponsoring (on April 14 at 7:30pm at the Waban Library Center). Since I have been ultra busy and my house was not presentable, I suggested Barry’s in Waban as a meeting site. One of the members counter-suggested a meeting place I had never heard about, hidden behind the Newton Police Annex in West Newton on tiny Spencer St., off Davis St. that looks like it is a driveway. Parking is sketchy there…you might have to park behind CVS or even in the Municipal lot near the main Police Bureau and walk on over. There is an alleyway between two buildings on the south side of Washington Street that you can use to walk through if you can’t find parking on Davis (which is mostly reserved for Police cars) or on the nearby streets at meters. It is called L’Aroma and its coffee and baked goods rival the best in town while it is priced remarkably well!
Two of us arrived and exchanged greetings with a City Councilor who was leaving. Since we didn’t know whether our colleague was waiting upstairs, we went there and found several couch-studded rooms and up one more step, a large room with several conference tables that would comfortably seat six.
As we settled into one of these tables, we noticed that the other was occupied by three of the four City Council and School Committee members who sport double last-names! That got me to wondering… where do the “pols” do their work in each village? If you want to bump into one of the Newton “machers” (Yiddish for “people who get things done”) where in each Ward or Village would you go?
Newton Highlands: Bread and Chocolate!
Newtonville: Village Cafe (a quieter place, tables nicely spaced), George Howell’s
West Newton: L’Aroma!
Nonantum: DD’s or the tables in the front of Whole Foods (where Scott Lennon knows everyone who walks in)
Auburndale: Brueggers, Knotty Pine, or Boca Bella
Waban: Starbucks
Newton Centre: Johnny’s or Panera
Four Corners: DD’s
All good places for a conversation.
Newton Highlands: Bread and Chocolate!
Newtonville: Village Cafe (a quieter place, tables nicely spaced), George Howell’s
West Newton: L’Aroma!
Nonantum: DD’s or the tables in the front of Whole Foods (where Scott Lennon knows everyone who walks in)
Auburndale: Brueggers, Knotty Pine, or Boca Bella
Waban: Starbucks
Newton Centre: Johnny’s or Panera
Four Corners: DD’s
All good places for a conversation.
Newtonville rocks in this regarding.
Rox and village Cafe for breakfast, Starbucks and George Howell for coffee, Cook for lunch/brunch/dinner. Brewer’s Coalition for a beer flight with friends. Cabot’s for dessert for the win. Or Ranc’s for the upscale cone. Meet me at any of the above.
Seriously, I love my village.
Newtonville rocks in this regarding.
Rox and village Cafe for breakfast, Starbucks and George Howell for coffee, Cook for lunch/brunch/dinner. Brewer’s Coalition for a beer flight with friends. Cabot’s for dessert for the win. Or Ranc’s for the upscale cone. Meet me at any of the above.
Seriously, I love my village.
little known is the secret commissary at 124 Vernon St. -shhh
little known is the secret commissary at 124 Vernon St. -shhh
L’Aroma Café in West Newton, behind the cinema and the police annex, is ideal for meeting with colleagues, constituents and friends. There are café tables downstairs, and comfy chairs and a conference room with large tables upstairs, with free wifi and plenty of space to spread out. The councilors and school committee member from Ward 3 meet there monthly to talk about what is going on in the ward. But I meet people there all the time to talk about everything and nothing at all. L’Aroma has a terrific selection of coffees and teas, and they serve breakfast and lunch.
Drop by anytime. You don’t even need a passport if you come from another village.
L’Aroma Café in West Newton, behind the cinema and the police annex, is ideal for meeting with colleagues, constituents and friends. There are café tables downstairs, and comfy chairs and a conference room with large tables upstairs, with free wifi and plenty of space to spread out. The councilors and school committee member from Ward 3 meet there monthly to talk about what is going on in the ward. But I meet people there all the time to talk about everything and nothing at all. L’Aroma has a terrific selection of coffees and teas, and they serve breakfast and lunch.
Drop by anytime. You don’t even need a passport if you come from another village.
L’Aroma is fabulous. The first time I went there I was blown away by how spacious it is.
Bread and Chocolate is my favorite on my side of town.
L’Aroma is fabulous. The first time I went there I was blown away by how spacious it is.
Bread and Chocolate is my favorite on my side of town.
L’Aroma is a favorite of mine for meeting people. Great baked goods, tea and coffee.
Try Village Café early and you may see many of your electeds chatting over breakfast.
L’Aroma is a favorite of mine for meeting people. Great baked goods, tea and coffee.
Try Village Café early and you may see many of your electeds chatting over breakfast.
@Harry: I expect the commissary at 1000 Comm Ave. is a good place, too!
@Harry: I expect the commissary at 1000 Comm Ave. is a good place, too!
Village Cafe and L’Aroma seem to be the most likely destination when I’ve asked one of our north side councilors to meet with me in the past.
Personally, I’m a big fan of Brewer’s Coalition.
Village Cafe and L’Aroma seem to be the most likely destination when I’ve asked one of our north side councilors to meet with me in the past.
Personally, I’m a big fan of Brewer’s Coalition.
Waban Starbucks occasionally gets used for the purpose. Agree with l’Aroma as an excellent location. Also there are occasional meetings at Pete’s in Newton Centre.
Of course, I may just be partial to these due to caffeine affinity.
Waban Starbucks occasionally gets used for the purpose. Agree with l’Aroma as an excellent location. Also there are occasional meetings at Pete’s in Newton Centre.
Of course, I may just be partial to these due to caffeine affinity.
I consider myself a maven of Newton coffee/brunch/dinner places and, with the exception of L’Aroma Café, had been to all of the places mentioned in the comments above, and more: Panera on Needham Street, The Depot Coffee House in Upper falls; Mick Morgan’s and O’Hara’s in Newton Highlands, to name a few. But, L’Aroma Café is so well hidden that I wondered whether there were more clandestine meeting places in the various villages like that.
I consider myself a maven of Newton coffee/brunch/dinner places and, with the exception of L’Aroma Café, had been to all of the places mentioned in the comments above, and more: Panera on Needham Street, The Depot Coffee House in Upper falls; Mick Morgan’s and O’Hara’s in Newton Highlands, to name a few. But, L’Aroma Café is so well hidden that I wondered whether there were more clandestine meeting places in the various villages like that.
The most hidden spot in Newton by far is the McDonald’s on Needham Street. That’s where I go when I don’t want anyone knowing who I’m meeting with and for what purpose. And McDonald’s Senior Coffee is quite good for this coffee addict and at 87 cents a cup, not a bad bargain. The fruit and vegetable salads are also quite good.
The most hidden spot in Newton by far is the McDonald’s on Needham Street. That’s where I go when I don’t want anyone knowing who I’m meeting with and for what purpose. And McDonald’s Senior Coffee is quite good for this coffee addict and at 87 cents a cup, not a bad bargain. The fruit and vegetable salads are also quite good.
Bread & Chocolate (where I host my office hours) for the south side of Newton and Village Cafe for the north side. L’Aroma when there will be 3+ people.
Bread & Chocolate (where I host my office hours) for the south side of Newton and Village Cafe for the north side. L’Aroma when there will be 3+ people.
The room where it happens . . .
The room where it happens . . .