Our daily column, 5 Things You Need to Know Today, will help you to get your day started and offer you some fodder for water cooler conversation. 1. Framingham Special Town Meeting voted TJX voted 139-1, with 2 members abstaining to adopt the agreement between Selectmen and TJX Corporation. The agreement asks TJX to maintain its world-wide HQ in Framingham for the next 20 years, employee 1,600 workers in town and add 225 jobs over the next five years. In return the Town of Framingham would give an estimated $7.6 million to $9.4 million on new property taxes to be generated under the company's…

Our daily column, 5 Things You Need to Know Today, will help you to get your day started and offer you some fodder for water cooler conversation. 1. Congrats to author Kevin Swope, editor James Parr, photographer Lynne Damianos and designer Lisa Breslow Thompson on the sell out of their book: The Saxonville Mills: Three Centuries of Industry in Framingham at their book launch party. A book signing and launch party was held Friday night in conjunction with the 16th Annual Fountain Street Open Studios. Although they sold out Friday night, more copies will be available by this weekend. Swope …

1.  New Year's Eve Comedy Show and Party with Paul Nardizzi: Laugh in the New Year with Paul Nardizzi, Dave Barend and Amazing's own Dave Hornfischer. See link for more exciting details. $30.  Students and seniors $28. Members $25. Catered post-party show additional $15. 2. Angry Ham's New Year's Eve with Freeballin" No cover. Starts at 9:30 p.m. Ends at 12:30 a.m. 3. The Bone "Chicken & Tunes" Chris Fitz New Year's Eve Party: $10 admission includes champagne toast and party favors. 4.) British Beer Company: New Year's Eve Party featuring Radio Daze. 5.)  Nobscot's Cafe: New Year's Eve Party …

1. Bluetooth Keyboard for the ipad 2: Makes your tablet feel like a laptop. Comes with a case with built-in stand and has a magnetic closure. About $99. 2.Remote Controlled Rolling Beverage Cooler: For the Dad that has everything, but a waitress. This remote controlled rolling beverage cooler works up to 40 feet from the controller. About $65 3.POP Phone Handset for the iPhone: "Old school" design for he modern Dad. Handset built like the old days plugs into an iPod, Blackberry or iPad.  $25+ 4. Garmin Approach S1 GPS Watch:  The Approach S1 is "golf's first full-featured sports watch and …

1. Pangea New England Patriots Pro Toast Toaster:  This is the perfect gift for the sports nut in your life. This "retro-style," 2-slice toaster leaves the Patriots' logo emblazened on the piece of toast! Now that's a hot gift! Approx $40 2. Beer of the Month Club: May be purchased month to month or in 3,6,12 or quarterly lengths. (There are many different Gift of the Month clubs available)  3. Brookstone Pillow Remote: This remote will never get lost or swolled up by the couch, because it is a pillow, with built-in 6-in-1 universal remote control. Approx. $40 4. Bose Audio Headphones: So he'…

1. Cat Towers & Kitty Condos: Price range from $20-$200+ Your feline will feel like a king perched up ontop of his new castle. 2. Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper Duplex Bunk Bed: What pet wouldn't love a cozy new bed for Christmas? This is really a gift for the master more than the mutt. It looks like a baby's co-sleeper (portacrib) but is designed for your pet so he can snuggle next to mom and dad, without hogging the bed. (approx $200) 3. PetHoliday Dog & Kitty Collars: Cute, glittery, pet collars suitable for any holiday party!  (down to earth price of $6-$20) 4. Fleece Jacket of Hoodie: Ohh Baby …

1. AMC Theaters: Open All day, so consider a movie Christmas Day. 2. Chef Orient: Choose from the Chinese or Japanese Menu. Dine in or take out! 3. Samba Steak and Sushi: Samba specializes in Hibachi (Teppanyaki), Sushi and entrees that fuse traditional Japanese cuisine with South American spices and techniques. On Sundays: Samba offers a Family Day Special: kids under age 10 eat free! 4. CVS: Pharmacy and store open 24 hours. 5. Walgreens: Pharmacy and store open 24 hours

1. 20th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting on Friday, Dec. 9. Framingham Girl Scouts will lead the crowd in a sing-a-long of holiday favorites, starting at 6:15 p.m., until Santa arrives on a fire truck (about 6:45 p.m.). Santa will light the town's tree. Then, the public is invited inside the Memorial Building for holiday music, light refreshments and a chance to meet Santa. 2. Framingham's Downtown Renaissance organization is hosting the first-ever Winter Wonderland  on Saturday, Dec. 10. Organizations, youth groups and businesses will be decorating trees from 10 a.m. to noon. Check out the …

Whether you ran out of time, or just can't master grandma's famous crust, here is our recommendations on five places in Framingham to find that pie for the Thanksgiving table: CJ's Northside Grill North End Treats Whole Foods Market Stop & Shop Trader Joe's

This week's Patch Picks highlights our five favorite place to grab a burger or cheeseburger in Framingham. John Harvard's Brew House. This is the first restaurant my husband and I ate at when we moved to Framingham. In my opinion, you can never go wrong with a Brew House Burger and their latest brew. CJ's Northside Grill. Try the triple with cheese. The homerun is a bit much. Five Guys Burgers and Fries. I'd recommend the bacon cheeseburger, although you can't go wrong with any burger here. Alergy alert: They fry everything in peanut oil. British Beer Company. Try the British Beer Burger, …

It's hot, humid and just plain uncomfortable outside. The heat index is in triple-digits. Tired of being in the water or stuck inside in the air conditioning? Well, venture out to your favorite ice cream parlor in the Framingham area. Here are a few of the best places to cool off your taste buds in Framingham this summer:  CJ's Northside Grill Cold Stone Creamery in Southborough Mad Willie's Ben & Jerry's in Natick Friendly's Dairy Queen in Ashland   Do you have a favorite spot in Framingham to get ice cream? Tell us in the comments section.

1. Grab an ice cream at Mad Willie's. 2. Read a book or the latest magazine at the main Framingham library with its air-conditioning. The McAuliffe branch is open, but due to the failure of its air conditioning compressor, there is no AC. The branch and the main library, with AC, will be open until 9 p.m.. 3. Drink lots of water and stay hydrated. Or consider a frozen mocha chocolate cherry coffee at Panache Coffee and sit outside at their new patio. 4. Don't cook. Eat dinner out at one of Framingham's scores of restaurants. Consider checking out Framingham's newest eatery: CJ's NorthSide …

1. Tomorrow night, May 27 make plans to attend the kickoff event of the 30th Annual Memorial Day Classic Soccer Tournament at Bowditch Field at 6 p.m. A couple of soccer games will be played under the lights. The Tournament draws 135 teams from new England and New York and brings almost 5,000 families to Framingham. Admission is free. Other planned activities include a DJ, face painting, food, raffle prizes, etc. 2. Make plans to enjoy music and more at the Amazing Things Arts Center. Located in a former firehouse there are events almost nightly and multiple shows on weekends. 3. Check out …

This week, Patch Picks focuses on my picks for organizations working to make Framingham better.  1. MetroWest Chamber of Commerce 2. Leadership MetroWest 3. Framingham Education Foundation 4. Jewish Family Services of MetroWest 5. United Way of Tri-Valley  

1. Cushing Memorial Park 2. Town Common, even better with the summer concerts on Friday nights. 3. Farm Pond 4. Garden in the Woods (Note: admission is required) 5. Callahan State Park

1. Anyone else thinking the movie Groundhog Day? Well, Town Meeting meets tonight at 7:30 in Nevins Hall at the Memorial Building. Framingham Patch will be live blogging tonight. To read what action Town Meeting has taken thus far read, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Special Town Meeting, and Day 5. 2. Framingham High School's will stage four shows of the classic musical West Side Story this weekend. Framingham senior citizens are invited to attend a FREE performance this afternoon at 4 in the high school auditorium. Show later this week are tomorrow at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday …

This week, Patch Picks focuses on my picks for best places in Framingham (and Natick) to enjoy Cinco de Mayo - Thursday, May 5.   Here are the Patch Picks for the week: La Carreta Mexican Restaurant: Margaritas:  For Cinco de Mayo specials, visit here: http://www.margs.com/locations/framingham Moe’s Southwest Grill: Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with one deal on May 5: Buy one entrée and two drinks and get another entrée free. Chipotle: The burrito restaurant is offering buy one burrito, get one free from 5 to 8 p.m., on May 5. Aztec Restaurant:

Welcome to Patch Picks. This list highlights the editor's picks of great local businesses, destinations, services, organizations, ways to spend a day off,  and more.  Today's Patch Picks focuses on Earth Day events:       Garden in the Woods is celebrating Earth Day Saturday, April 23 with free admission & parking. Visitors can explore the Curtis Path on a guided walking tour. Families can find exciting natural wonders on a scavenger hunt. Learn about trees, native plants, gardening, conservation, invasive plants, spring ephemerals, compost tea, medicinal herbs, edible gardens, pollinators, …

Patch Picks highlights editor and reader picks of great local businesses, destinations, services, organizations, ways to spend a day off,  and more.  Sunday, April 24 is Easter. If you don't want to cook, we have identified five place to either have Easter brunch or Easter dinner. A couple of restaurants in town, including the British Beer Company, will be closed on Easter; so please call ahead before stopping by a favorite place. Today's Patch Picks focuses on places to celebrate Easter: * Crowne Plaza Boston-Natick: Brunch runs from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., with an appearance from the Easter …

Passover begins April 18 and the traditional Seder meal takes place on the first two days of Passover. Here is a compilation of recipes we found for the Seder. Please add your own family recipes below. 1. Chocolate Matzo Torte 2. Traditional Apple-Walnut Charoset 3. Gefilte Fish 4. Raisin Farfel Kugel 5. Matzo Ball Soup