The Swellesley Report

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

Wellesley’s own Elizabeth Suneby to read from her new picture book, “No Room For a Pup!”

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Elizabeth Suneby, Wellesley
EJ the pup.

When Mia’s mom says there’s no room for a pup in their apartment, she really, really means it. Mia doesn’t understand. It’s not like she’s asking for an elephant. When mom gets multiple-teamed by Mia, the neighbors, her book-club ladies, and even her own mother it seems resistance may be futile.

Author and Wellesley resident Elizabeth Suneby dedicated her new book, No Room for a Pup!, to her own precious pup EJ, who sadly passed away on Oct. 30 at 15 3/4 years old.

Suneby will read her book at Wellesley Free Library’s Children’s Room on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 10am.

 

 

Liz Suneby, Wellesley

 

 

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Linden Square

Holiday happenings in Wellesley

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There are lots of opportunities around Wellesley to get into the holiday spirit:

Town of Wellesley has kicked off the festivities

The Town of Wellesley has draped trees with holiday lights from the Hills to the Square. The tree lights and wreaths throughout Town are made possible by very generous donors and businesses in the community and are hung by Wellesley’s own Municipal Light Plant workers, all to make Wellesley festive during the holiday season.

In addition, look in front of Town Hall for the menorah, the Christmas tree, and the crescent to appear soon. And of course, the high holy tradition of free metered parking has been put in place.

Details on free 2-hour parking in Wellesley:

The Board of Selectmen has waived parking fees at all two-hour street meters in Town through Tuesday, December 31. This includes two-hour meters in all municipal-owned parking lots.

Parking fees are NOT waived at four-hour meters, private parking lots and commuter rail lots.

Wellesley Free Library activities for kids, teens, and adults

The Wellesley Free Library has a full roster of fun holiday activities planned including a holiday wrapping station at the Hills branch; a holiday jazz concert with the Kareem Sanjaghi Band; gingerbread houses construction with graham crackers and icing; Sankta Lucia story and craft; holiday sing-a-long with David Polansky; a LEGO Winter Village set-up; Giant Snowpeople craft; and more.

Details here.

Every neighborhood has that one over-the-top holiday house — nominate it for Town contest

Wellesley Holiday House

Wellesley Theater Project, Frozen, Jr., Dec 13-15

Wellesley Theatre Project, FrozenWellesley Theatre Project (WTP) will present Disney’s Frozen, Jr. Friday, December 13th at 5pm and 8pm and Saturday, December 14th and Sunday, December 15th at 2pm and 5pm. All performances will take place at the Sorenson Center at Babson College, located at 19 Babson College Drive, Wellesley, MA 02482.  Tickets are priced $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors, and may be purchased online at http://wellesleytheatreproject.org in advance, or at the door for $18 for adults and $12 for students and seniors.

Breakfast with Santa at The Cottage, Dec. 14

The Cottage, WellesleyThe Cottage will host the 8th Annual Breakfast with Santa on Saturday December 14th at 8am and 9:45am. Call 781-239-1100 for reservations.

Brunch with Santa at the Wellesley College Club, Dec. 14

The Wellesley College Club will host its annual Brunch with Santa. December 14, 10am – noon. Spend a delightful and fun Saturday morning enjoying a wonderful brunch buffet, while the children are entertained with holiday activities. Don’t forget to bring your camera and skip the hassle of the crowded mall to get your most memorable pictures of your child with Santa. Call 781-283-2700 for reservations.

Wellesley Symphony Orchestra, Holiday Pops, Dec. 15

Get into the holiday spirit with the Wellesley Symphony Orchestra on Sunday, December 15, at 3pm at MassBay Community College, for its presentation of Holiday Pops.

Community Messiah Sing, Dec. 15

Professional soloists and orchestra will perform the Christmas portion of Handel’s Oratorio, joined by audience members singing the choruses, on Sunday, Dec. 15, 1:30-2:30pm.  Scores available, though attendees are encouraged to bring their own.  Light refreshments served after the event.  Co-sponsored by UU Wellesley Hills and the Wellesley Village Church.  At UU Wellesley Hills, 309 Washington St. For more information, uuwellesleyhills.org or 781-235-7423

MassHort Festival of Trees

Festival of Trees, WellesleyThrough December 15, Mass Hort will display over 60 beautifully decorated trees, which will be raffled off on December 15. During the festival, visitors may purchase tickets for a chance to win the tree(s) of their choice. It’s fun, and for many it has become a family tradition. Also garden lights, visits from Santa, horse-drawn carriage rides, the Snow Village, model railroad display, and a fire pit with s’mores.

Following the tree raffle on December 15, Festival of Trees will continue for two more weekends, December 20 – 22 and December 27 – 29, with the Snow Village and garden lights

DATES TO VIEW TREES: through December 15
DATES FOR TRAINS AND LIGHTS: December 20 – 22 and December 27 – 29
LOCATION: Massachusetts Horticultural Society, 900 Washington St., Wellesley, MA
HOURS here.

[Read more…]

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Never again step barefoot on a LEGO piece — Wellesley Library can help

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We were heavily involved in LEGO projects for well over a decade in our house, and we loved every minute of the creativity and fun the interlocking plastic bricks provided. Eventually, though, the kids grew up, and the construction toys lay idle. We took most of ours to the RDF Reusables Area, which is currently closed for the winter months. Wish we’d known about LEGO’s Replay program.

If your kids have moved beyond the LEGO phase, bring them to the Wellesley Free Library and pay the fun forward. For two weeks between Sunday, December 8 and Saturday, December 21, the Children’s Room will be accepting old LEGO and DUPLO pieces to donate to new homes. Through the Danish toy company’s new Replay program, in conjunction with Teach for America and Boys & Girls Club of Boston, the library will gather old bricks. Then they will be sent for cleaning, and redistributed to bring the joy of play to young hands.

Lego Winter Village, Wellesley
The LEGO Winter Village created by Nick Tatar returns to the Wellesley Free Library, 530 Washington St., from Sunday, December 15 through the end of the month. Come see Santa’s workshop, the Clock Tower, and exciting winter scenes all made of LEGO. This remarkable festive display will delight families with children of all ages.

We still keep a bunch of LEGO pieces around for our now-college students, just in case spontaneous building sessions break out when they come home from school, so you might want to keep a few aside just in case. But if the idea of downsizing the collection sounds appealing, take advantage of the program, and know that the brain-building toys will be put to good use in another home.

A potential perk: never again step barefoot on a LEGO piece.

For further questions, please contact the Children’s Room at 781-235-1610 x1108.

This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Wellesley Free Libraries.

WHAT: LEGO Toy Drive
WHEN: Dec. 8 – 21
WHERE: Children’s Room, Wellesley Free Library

MORE:

Holiday Happenings in Wellesley: Gingerbread House construction; giant snow people craft; where to get your Christmas tree, and more

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Wellesley Library locations and hours — December 2019

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The main Wellesley Free Library, the Hills Branch, and the Fells branch  will close at 1pm on Dec. 24, Christmas Eve and will be closed Wednesday, Dec. 25, Christmas Day. The libraries will close at 1pm on Tuesday, Dec. 31, New Year’s Eve and be closed on Wed., Jan. 1, 2020, New Year’s Day.  Regular hours will be in effect for the rest of December, 2019.

Wellesley Public Libraries, locations and hours:

Wellesley Fells Library
Wellesley Fells Branch Library, located at 308 Weston Rd., Wellesley, Massachusetts

Wellesley Free Library, main: 530 Washington St., Wellesley, MA 02482

Monday: 9am – 9pm
Tuesday: 9am – 9pm
Wednesday: 9am – 9pm
Thursday: 9am – 9pm
Friday: 9am – 6pm
Saturday: 9am – 5pm
Sunday: 1pm – 5pm

Wellesley Fells Branch Library: 308 Weston Rd., Wellesley MA 02482

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10am – 5pm
Wednesday: 10am – 5pm
Thursday: 10am – 5pm
Friday: 10am – 5pm
Saturday: 10am – 5pm
Sunday: Closed

Wellesley Hills Branch Library: 210 Washington St., Wellesley, MA 02481

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10am – 8pm
Wednesday: 10am – 5pm
Thursday: 10am – 8pm
Friday: 10am – 5pm
Saturday: 10am – 5pm
Sunday: Closed

MORE:

Wellesley Library — top 10 most-borrowed “things”

About the Wellesley Free Library

Town’s supermodels come out in force at library

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Library event for teens: Real news (like in the Swellesley Report) vs. Fake news

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Life-Ready Basics: Fake News vs Real News (Dec. 9, 4-5pm)

At some point in your life, you’re going to be expected to know how to do things that nobody ever really taught you how to do. When will that be? Nobody can say for sure, but you won’t want to feel unprepared. We’ll teach you life-skills that you’ll need to know to be, like, a real adult.

Find us at the Wellesley Free Library this week learning how to tell the difference between fake, biased, or clickbait-y news with a special guest presenter. Let’s work together to find accurate news that you can use to stay informed.

Ages: 13-17

Registration is required as space is limited. Register online or by calling 781-235-1610 x1107, or in person at the reference desk.

More: The Swellesley Report finds kindred souls at LION Publishers Summit

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The write stuff coming to Wellesley Free Library

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Wellesley Library, writingNovember is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Come Write In (CWI) programs connect neighborhood spaces with local writers (Wrimos) to build vibrant writing communities.

Wellesley Free Library (WFL) on November 9 will host a NaNoWriMo Writer Development Leaders critique workshop – drop by to participate or simply watch.

Later, join the Wrimos at a Come Write In session and learn about a WFL-sponsored FLASH fiction contest.

EVENT: Wellesley Write Day and Critique Workshop
DATE: Saturday November 9, 2019
LOCATION: Main Library, Arnold Room
TIME: 10am – noon for the Critique Workshop
1pm – to 3pm for the Write-In

National Novel Writing Month is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that believes your story matters.

Jointly sponsored by Wellesley Free Library and National Novel Writing Month.

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Wellesley Library locations and hours — November 2019

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The main Wellesley Free Library, the Hills Branch, and the Fells branch  will be closed on Thursday, November 11 in honor of Veterans Day and Thursday, November 28 for Thanksgiving. Regular hours will be in effect for the rest of November, 2019.

Wellesley Public Libraries, locations and hours:

Wellesley Free Library, main: 530 Washington St., Wellesley, MA 02482
Monday: 9am – 9pm
Tuesday: 9am – 9pm
Wednesday: 9am – 9pm
Thursday: 9am – 9pm
Friday: 9am – 6pm
Saturday: 9am – 5pm
Sunday: 1pm – 5pm

Wellesley Free Library, main branch

Wellesley Fells Branch Library: 308 Weston Rd., Wellesley MA 02482
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10am – 5pm
Wednesday: 10am – 5pm
Thursday: 10am – 5pm
Friday: 10am – 5pm
Saturday: 10am – 5pm
Sunday: Closed

Wellesley Hills Branch Library: 210 Washington St., Wellesley, MA 02481
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10am – 8pm
Wednesday: 10am – 5pm
Thursday: 10am – 8pm
Friday: 10am – 5pm
Saturday: 10am – 5pm
Sunday: Closed

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Wellesley Library — top 10 most borrowed “things”

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Wellesley Free LibraryThe main branch of the Wellesley Free Library maintains a “Library of Things” that patrons can access with nothing more than a need for what’s on loan, and their library card. Librarians recently came up with a nifty Top Ten list of the most borrowed things from the Library of Things:

The Top 10 Most Borrowed “Things” from the Library of Things:

  • Film to digital converters
  • Ukuleles
  • Gaming systems
  • Code-a-pillars
  • Hotspots
  • External DVD drives
  • Children’s puzzles
  • Cassette to digital converters
  • Telescopes
  • Virtual reality glasses

New items to borrow from the Library of Things as of November 2019:

Puzzle Boards
Acoustic Guitar
Mini Projectors
3.5′ External Floppy Disk Drives
Bingo Game
 Portable Cassette Players
 Akaso Sports Camera w/Accessories
 3D Printing Pen
Selfie Sticks
Oculus Go VR Reality Headset
Raspberry Pi Kit

Wellesley Free Library locations and hours:

Wellesley Library, Main: 530 Washington St., Wellesley, MA 02482
Monday: 9am – 9pm
Tuesday: 9am – 9pm
Wednesday: 9am – 9pm
Thursday: 9am – 9pm
Friday: 9am – 6pm
Saturday: 9am – 5pm
Sunday: 1pm – 5pm

Wellesley Fells Branch Library: 308 Weston Rd., Wellesley MA 02482
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10am – 5pm
Wednesday: 10am – 5pm
Thursday: 10am – 5pm
Friday: 10am – 5pm
Saturday: 10am – 5pm
Sunday: Closed

Wellesley Hills Branch Library: 210 Washington St., Wellesley, MA 02481
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10am – 8pm
Wednesday: 10am – 5pm
Thursday: 10am – 8pm
Friday: 10am – 5pm
Saturday: 10am – 5pm
Sunday: Closed

MORE:

About the Wellesley Free Library

Town’s supermodels come out in force at library

 

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Town’s supermodels come out in force for Wellesley library exhibit

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It’s unusual for a town of 28,000 be able to boast that nearly one quarter of one percent of its populace identifies as a supermodel. Wellesley can boast just that, and my co-editor Bob Brown and I are just two of over 60 pin-up types who sashay around town daily, knowing full well that we can strike a pose with the best of them. How do we know? Because we have.

Wellesley Wednesdays, Beth Shedd
Bob and I had the honor of being the first subjects of Beth Shedd’s Wellesley Wednesdays Instagram project. The snow was falling lightly that winter morning as Shedd snapped away with her camera. We had no idea that the Wednesday pics would take on a life of their own.

It all started with photographer Beth Shedd and a big idea. She says, “I’ve lived in Wellesley for over 30 years and during that time I’ve met some truly wonderful people. Each person has an interesting story to tell, and I love hearing them all.”

So from January 2018 through February 2019, each Wednesday Shedd featured a photograph of someone in Wellesley and the story behind that person and posted it on her Instagram account. Here are just a few Wellesley residents who struck a pose for Shedd, then told her a little about themselves: author Liz Suneby; Berna Ozargun, owner of Wellesley’s Café Mangal; John and Dwin Schuller, raised in Wellesley, married since 1954, and dedicated community servants; Turkey Trot organizer and cancer survivor Carol Chaoui; Wellesley Dental’s Dr. Ejaz Ali and Dr. Femina Ali; animal control officer Sue Webb; Wellesley Free Librarian Joelle Toussaint, now deceased; and Santa Claus himself.

Wellesley Wednesdays, Beth Shedd
Carol Chaoui took time out of planning the annual Wellesley Turkey Trot in Linden Square to mix and mingle.
Wellesley Wednesdays, Beth Shedd
Katie Corscadden, artist, entrepreneur, and teaching assistant at Bates Elementary School was on hand.

It wasn’t long before her Instagram account was getting mad love. Most people would have felt pretty good at raking in the kind of Insta likes that each of Shedd’s posts racked up, but she tends to bump things up a notch. The Insta project morphed into a photography exhibit at the Wellesley Free Library, on display through October, at which every one of Shedd’s Wellesley Wednesday photos and accompanying biographies is framed. She chose a newspaper-style layout and and a simple black frame for each of the 60 Wellesley Wednesdays entries. The result: crisp, clean, uncluttered, like all of Shedd’s work.

Wellesley Wednesdays, Beth Shedd
Mary Bowers, one of the forces behind getting the Tolles Parsons Center built, reminded me that she was the second subject of Wellesley Wednesdays.

Conquer the Insta world. Check. Hold an art exhibition. Check. Did you know that Shedd also throws great parties? And…check. She invited every one of her muses to a reception at the library, along with their hangers-on and anyone else who simply wanted to bask in the presence of so many sought-after photographic subjects.

But really, at the party we all had just one burning desire. To stand next to Beth’s fire.

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