Good morning, Waltham,
Welcome to Issue 12. Thank you to everyone who reached out with feedback last week. We are lucky to have so many incredible local historians in the community.
This week we are diving into an authentic tapas menu on Moody Street, exploring the very first park established by the state of Massachusetts, and checking out some great weekend events.
Let's get into it.
🍽️ THIS WEEK'S EAT
Solea Restaurant and Tapas Bar, 388 Moody Street
If you want an incredible dinner experience this weekend, you need to visit Solea. Located right in the middle of Restaurant Row, they are famous for their authentic Spanish tapas and vibrant atmosphere. The menu is packed with small plates perfect for sharing, like their golden fried cauliflower in sweet mojo rojo sauce and baby lamb chops glazed in honey herbed butter.
📍 Open Tue to Sun (closed Mondays) | 388 Moody St
📅 3 THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND
Waltham Recreation Spring Fest
Saturday May 30 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. The Waltham Recreation Department is hosting their annual Spring Fest at Prospect Hill Park. Expect carousel rides, lawn games, crafts, and bounce houses. It is also the seasonal opening day for the park amusements, so a great time to bring the family. Heads up that they tend to be cash only, so plan accordingly.Harmony in Bloom at the Waltham Museum
Sunday May 31 at 1:30 pm. The Waltham Museum is hosting Chaos Theory, an all women's barbershop quartet, as part of their Social Series. A lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon if you appreciate close harmony singing.Mission MetroWest 5K
Sunday May 31 at 8:30 am at Prospect Hill Park, 314 Totten Pond Road. This is a certified 5K fundraiser benefiting the Community Day Center of Waltham, the only drop in day shelter serving adults experiencing homelessness in MetroWest. The course is challenging with trail and road terrain, steep hills, and great views of the Boston skyline. Walkers welcome too.
🛍️ LOCAL FIND
Beaver Brook Reservation
Our feature last week sparked a great conversation about the history of Beaver Brook. In 1893, the newly formed Metropolitan Park Commission acquired this exact land to protect the famous Waverly Oaks. That purchase made Beaver Brook the very first reservation in the Metropolitan Park System, and the first park established by the state of Massachusetts. A genuine piece of conservation history sitting right in our backyard.
📍 539 Waverley Oaks Rd
💬 ONE GOOD THING
We are known for our watches and our mills, but Waltham also has a unique place in motorcycle history. In 1893, an inventor named Charles H. Metz founded the Waltham Manufacturing Company right here in the city. By 1899 they were producing a motorized bicycle called the Orient, widely credited as the very first production motorcycle in the United States. Both Indian and Harley Davidson came along years later.
See you next Thursday,
Pankhi
The Waltham Insider
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