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Stuff Haverhill Needs: A Supermarket

April 17th, 2010 by

One of the reasons that Cosmic Amanda and I started this blog was because we both realized that Haverhill has a lot of potential – but it seems reluctant to make any significant growth.

I’ve only lived in the city for two weeks – but already the lack of a good supermarket has become a challenge.

Haverhill has THREE Market Baskets. Three. But not a single supermarket that sells edible produce.

Sure – I can go the Loop for Stop & Shop, Plaistow for Shaw’s, or stop at Whole Foods in Andover on my way home from work. But none of those options are really convenient when you just need a few items (trust me – don’t go to Plaistow).

When I’m driving home from work and realize that I need a cucumber for my Pimm’s Cup – I’m a little scared about stopping at MB and seeing what they have to offer.

On a recent trip to the store in Central Plaza, I found some green peppers:

I shouldn’t need to rub ProActiv on my peppers before I eat them.

(Strangely, while I was taking these pics – the green-jacketed produce department guy was dealing with a possibly-deranged woman complaining about the cost of peppers.)

I wouldn’t pay a penny for that peck of paltry peppers.

And, can someone please explain why EVERYTHING needs to be wrapped in plastic and styrofoam:

Bradford would be an ideal location for a Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods, and either section of town could easily support a Hannaford, Shaw’s (if the strike is over), or Stop & Shop.

Luckily, the Haverhill Farmer’s Market will be in action soon and then we can all get quality fruits and vegetables.

And my cocktails will no longer suffer from sub-par garnishes.

Welfare Records: Rocking on River St.

April 16th, 2010 by

Okay, I’ll admit it- I still call music shops “record stores.” But really, when was the last time you saw more than a handful of vinyl for sale anywhere?

Today’s record stores are few and far between, but Haverhill is lucky enough to be home of one of the best around. So, in honor of National Record Store Day tomorrow, we thought we should show you around Welfare Records, located at 58 River St.

Welfare Records

Welfare Records, 58 River St. Haverhill, MA

Not a ton of light makes it in through the windows, most of which are postered over or full of merchandise, but that’s perfect. You WANT to get sealed off from the rest of the world in a place like this. All sense of time and space is irrelevant when you’re getting lost in the bins.

I stepped inside and was immediately whisked back to my early college radio days. I found an old Beat Happening EP and actually hugged it. (then paid for and made off with it- sorry!)

Inside Welfare Records

Inside Welfare Records

If you’re of the punk persuasion, hanker for a hunka hardcore, or are ridin’ the new wave, there’s plenty here to keep you occupied.  Worried you’ll never be able to sufficiently browse with your favorite mopey indie rocker in tow? NO problem- there’s a respectable little indie section, too, as well as jazz, disco, rock and Oi!

My favorite section? One I have never seen in any other record store. One that only needs to be seen to be believed. I give you…THE ODD STUFF SECTION.

Odd Stuff!

I don’t want to give too much away here…you’ll have to come and see for yourself. In the meantime, take in the tantalizing subcategories and know that there’s something for everyone.

And hey, all you hardcore fans should be sure to stop by tomorrow, National Record Store Day, and grab one of 75 limited edition recordings of Fucked Up, taped on reel to reel, live in Toronto. 14 tracks for only 15 bucks.

Welfare Records is open Noon – 8pm everyday, and there’s also an online shop and a MySpace page, so there’s no excuse not to check ’em out!

(If, god forbid, you don’t have a record player, they do sell a few cds and tapes, too.)

A Brief Interview with a Hungry Man

April 15th, 2010 by

Everyone loves a good cheeseburger. But some people REALLY love a good cheeseburger.

Meet Jeremy. He’s the brains (or the stomach?) behind MassCheeseburgers.com, which is a blog about – you guessed it! – cheeseburgers.

Turns out that this modern-day Wimpy lives right here in Haverhill, so we thought it’d be cool to pick his brain and find out all about the Haverhill cheeseburger scene.

Cheeseburgers 4 Lyfe

1. How often do you eat cheeseburgers?

I try to limit myself to four burgers a week. For a while I was eating them every day but then my body got pissed and I had to scrap the daily blog plan.

2. What is the craziest thing you’ve used as a bun?

Long before KFC’s Double Down sandwich… I was clogging my arteries with a McDonald’s double cheeseburger with two mcchicken patties in place of bread.

3. Have cheeseburgers ever come between you and your love life?

Of course not. I let every girl know the second I meet them that the cheeseburger will always come first. That way they won’t be let down when I can’t go to their cousin’s wedding because Burger King is launching a new meat monstrosity. Have I mentioned that I’m single?

4. Has your love of cheeseburgers had any kind of negative effect on your life?

Yeah. I just had to go 2 weeks without a burger because of chest pains. Getting back on that horse any day now though. Health is a great thing to have but I do this for the fans.

5. What do you think is the best burger in the Haverhill area?

The Grill Next Door is the most amazing place in Haverhill that I’ve been to. I haven’t blogged about it yet because it didn’t sit on my plate long enough to get it’s picture taken. I got the Club Burger and it was fantastic. They got awesome beer and stuff too.

Pizza Burger

6. What makes a good cheeseburger? What do you like in yours (besides Ellio’s Pizza)?

I’m a pretty basic burger guy. A lot of places will try to fancy their meat up with weird cheeses and dressings and junk. That’s just not cool.

But here’s the perfect burger: Toasted and buttered bun, romaine lettuce, american cheese, ketchup, bacon and a hand-formed patty.

Mayo does not belong on a burger and tomatoes seem like a good idea but they make the bun soggy.

Also… The burger patty goes directly on the BOTTOM bun. That way the bun soaks up the juices of the meat. Too many places put the veggies under the patty. It’s just not right.

7. Who would win in a fight: The Hamburglar or Grimace?

That honestly depends on which Grimace you mean. The original Grimace was a bad guy. That Grimace could easily demolish the Hamburglar. If you mean today’s Grimace… He would probably still win. Think about it… Giant purple blob vs a guy who keeps getting caught stealing burgers from 6 year olds by a clown with big red shoes. Throw in the McNugget Buddies though and all bets are off.

Frankenburger

8. Do you think Haverhill has what it takes to become the cheeseburger capital of the Merrimack Valley?

Absolutely I do. Who else can take the title? Amesbury? Not with a silly name like that. Methuen? I hear they can’t even spell cheeseburger. So yeah. Pretty sure Haverhill’s got that locked up.

9. How far would you travel for the perfect cheeseburger?

When I created the “Wendy McKing” I had to drive to 2 different towns to assemble the ingredients. If I have to spend more than an hour on the road then it really isn’t worth my time.

10. What about the fries? How important are those to creating a satisfying cheeseburger experience?

Fries are delicious, but irrelevant. It’s nice to have something in case you’re still hungry after the burger though.

11. I love fries – who has the best fries?

You want good fries? You gotta go to The Grill Next Door. 7 different kinds of fries. Place is fricking amazing.

12. I’m a vegetarian – where can I get a good veggie burger?

…In my mind there is no such thing as a “good veggie burger”. Call it what it is. Pile of mushy vegetables smooshed into a ball and then flattened… But that probably wouldn’t fit on the label.

13. How tasty would a cheeseburger in paradise be?

Real quick… I hate Jimmy Buffet. I hate him so much that I refuse to put the second “T” at the end of his last name! Joking of course. He seems like a nice guy. You know he has a restaurant chain right? I see cheeseburgers as a comfort food, so I’d rather have a cheeseburger in Hell than a cheeseburger in paradise.

14. Finally, what would your life be like if you could never have a delicious cheeseburger again?

It would be one suckfest day after another. Give it time though. It’ll probably happen. The world of the future is going to be exactly like the movie Demolition Man.

BREAKING NEWS: Tupac is alive!!!

April 14th, 2010 by

Holy cow, you guys! I was just surfing Craigslist and I saw this:

Tupac is alive and living in Haverhill. And, good for him, he finally upgraded his cellphone.

Under the bridge and on the edge.

April 12th, 2010 by

I can’t decide if this is utter insanity, or a brilliant security maneuver. I guess if you’re in a position to have to bed down under a bridge, why not situate yourself next to a GIANT SINKHOLE? If someone comes to bother you in the night, chances are high the earth will swallow them whole.

I’m not sure if this would really work for me, personally. I toss and turn a lot.

(Photo taken underneath the 125 bridge)

Just a Cosmic Girl from the Shoe City Galaxy

April 12th, 2010 by

The Feeve’s own Cosmic Amanda was featured last night on the Shoe City Stories’ Haverhill-themed podcast.  Marc and Amanda Chit-Chat about the grittiness of downtown, the uselessness of Newburyport-envy, Jennie’s Inc., and the definition of hipster.

The ‘Blog Goddess’ also mentioned another ‘contributor’ to this blog but failed to mention a name.

It’s me! Chris!

And this is my first post.

Listen to the podcast!

Alley Spelunkin’

April 11th, 2010 by

I ‘spose if nothing else, this blog has already pumped up my inquisitiveness towards the things I stumble upon downtown. Case in point, what is now officially my favorite alley in all of Haverhill: a sketchy crevasse located between Newman’s Discount Furniture and Royal India Restaurant.

How amazing are those old department store windows!? Once I spied those, I knew I had to investigate closer- for blog and for country!

It felt like I was stepping back in time. Stepping in something magical…and oddly slippery…and, in fact, I quickly found myself sliding downhill on a tiny stream of soon-to-be-recycled cooking oil that was seeping out of the giant drums waiting at the alley’s mouth.

If I hadn’t stopped myself, I may have wound up inside John Malkovich! I guess we’ll never know.

At the alley’s deepest point there’s a murky pool of stangant water, from which this haphazard fire escape emerges. I didn’t linger down there, but it looks like someone did:

Now that I’ve been spelunking in Haverhill’s coolest alley, you can feel free to keep a safe distance as you pass. Um, hopefully I don’t contract Haverhill Fever for the reals!

And if you’re as fascinated as I am about what it must have been like back when this end of downtown was lined with department stores, check out this cool video.  The very first Macy’s (and Macy’s Parade!) was actually located right in good old Haverhill.

Never anything good on TV on Sundays

April 11th, 2010 by

Channel 40

I saw this nice TV sitting down by the river, and thought I’d take in some programming, but all I could get was channel 40.

Bradford debate club

April 8th, 2010 by

Hmmm, who to root for? A real brain tickler.  Compelling arguments on both sides.

(The Bradford Debate Club meets behind Academy Plaza, which I pass every day on my way to my job at a huge multinational corporation.)

Where the riverwalk ends.

April 6th, 2010 by

The weather was beautiful Sunday. Hoping to reverse the effects of our Easter gluttony, we decided to head down to the newly opened Haverhill Riverwalk and get our power walk on.

Problem is, the riverwalk is 300 feet.

I mean, they’re glorious and all, don’t get me wrong, but that’s barely a stroll! It looks more like the parking lot was jealous of The Tap and went out and got it’s own totally kick ass deck. (There were two ladies sunbathing on it.)

Well, I guess this is only Phase A, right?  I checked the mayor’s monthly newsletter:

Phase B awaits further funding.

*crickets*

What DID seem to get funding though, was PHASE C! which is a more nature trail-esque walk on the Bradford side of the Merrimack. From the Mass Highway Dept. project web site:

The project begins at the Route 125 bridge over the Merrimack River and ends at the Gonzalian Bridge near the MBTA commuter rail station in Bradford. The section is approximately 3700 feet long. A linear park and interpretive elements are planned as well as several gateway entrances and parking.

So, we have that to look forward to…in 2015!

But hey, being a true Hillie is all about patience. Plus, we didn’t let the slow grinding gears of progress stop us. We enjoyed our own (albeit somewhat gritty) riverwalk behind Washington and Merrimack Streets instead. I give you the Haverhill Fever Back Alley Riverwalk!

Behind Washington St. Haverhill

To begin, cut across Riverfront Park.  If you’re lucky, your gateway to the Haverhill Fever Back Alley Riverwalk is pleasantly scented of beer brewing at The Tap. (It was Whittier White when we were passing by) Here are some of the more scenic highlights:

Like Swayze.

Like Swayze.

Hellllllo, Newman.

Helllllllo, Newman’s.

Working Man's Parking

Behind Woolworth's

The Haverhill Fever Back Alley Riverwalk’s colorful conclusion.

I don’t know. I’ll be excited when the new riverwalk is finally finished, but in the meantime, this one isn’t half bad. There’s interesting architecture, a glimpse into local culture, and even some art!

*shrug* I guess you can take your time, 2015.