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-   -   Framingham, Massachusetts (https://britishexpats.com/forum/usa-57/framingham-massachusetts-830464/)

brit_usa2014 Apr 4th 2014 10:02 pm

Framingham, Massachusetts
 
What's the city like in general? We might have a possible relocation there and wanted to know people's opinions about it?

We'll be looking to renting an apartment for the first couple of years so was wondering if $1400 for a 2 bed is realistic?:confused:

Any help / suggestions welcome!:)

Hotscot Apr 4th 2014 10:26 pm

Re: Framingham, Massachusetts
 
Horrible winters and I hope you enjoy toll roads:)
Separate stores for wine and beer.

At least that was my impression.

Gards1874 Apr 5th 2014 12:23 am

Re: Framingham, Massachusetts
 

Originally Posted by hotscot (Post 11205024)
Horrible winters and I hope you enjoy toll roads:)
Separate stores for wine and beer.

At least that was my impression.

Winters are cold and snowy - but manageable.

Only one toll road nearby and that's the mass pike. But not really an issue around Framingham

Every place I went to had beer and wine in same place. Not sure when you were there.

Framingham is probably 25 mins west of Boston. It's a little bit out there but lots of shopping nearby with Natick etc.

I live in Brookline and we go out to Natick/Framingham a lot for the shopping. Nearby is Wellesley which is also a nice town.

Depends what your expectations and aspirations are.

Hotscot Apr 5th 2014 1:24 am

Re: Framingham, Massachusetts
 
I used to go through it on the way from Logan to Sturbridge. Can't remember the store but I had to go buy wine in some other place cause they didn't carry it.
I just recall all the tolls from the airport to Sturbridge.

Gards1874 Apr 5th 2014 1:38 am

Re: Framingham, Massachusetts
 

Originally Posted by hotscot (Post 11205220)
I used to go through it on the way from Logan to Sturbridge. Can't remember the store but I had to go buy wine in some other place cause they didn't carry it.
I just recall all the tolls from the airport to Sturbridge.

Logan to Sturbridge is on Mass Pike (one of the few tolls in MA).

You would have had to come off the Mass Pike to get to Framingham and hit a wine/beer shop.

Just trying to help someone who's looking for some info on Framingham as part of a big move in their life.

Hotscot Apr 5th 2014 1:40 am

Re: Framingham, Massachusetts
 
No problem...it's been a good few years since I was out there and that was my impression...

dunroving Apr 5th 2014 7:23 am

Re: Framingham, Massachusetts
 

Originally Posted by brit_usa2014 (Post 11204993)
What's the city like in general? We might have a possible relocation there and wanted to know people's opinions about it?

We'll be looking to renting an apartment for the first couple of years so was wondering if $1400 for a 2 bed is realistic?:confused:

Any help / suggestions welcome!:)

Just an aside, but are you aware of the Framingham Study? If not Google it and find the Web site that describes it. It's fascinating. I studied health science in Speingfield MA, which is where I first heard of it.

robin1234 Apr 5th 2014 12:34 pm

Re: Framingham, Massachusetts
 
Toll roads in the northeast, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine, for instance, are easy to negotiate now that they all use the EZ Pass system. Years ago, you had to get a ticket on some, Mass Pike, Maine Turnpike, for instance. Others, NH for instance, you had to keep throwing quarters in the bucket and hope they ended up in the bucket rather than on the roadway. Now you just breeze though, if you have an EZ Pass account. Mind you, the NSA now know where you've been driving ...

DexterBerkeley Apr 5th 2014 1:09 pm

Re: Framingham, Massachusetts
 
I live in Boston but have worked in Framingham for the past 2 years. Nice enough place, pleanty of amenities near by, others have mentioned lots of shopping in Natick. There is a place there called Shoppers World which is the site of one of the first malls in America (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shopper's_World).

In terms of distance to Boston, it's about 30 mins in good traffic. That can escalate to 2 hours trying to get from Framingham to Downtown Boston during the Friday evening rush.

I can comment on rent but echo the comments about winters, was a bit of a shock but perfectly manageable.

There are a number of Brits around too, if you want to find some fellow countrymen, it's quite nice to do that for things like The Six Nations, World Cup etc.

nun Apr 5th 2014 1:57 pm

Re: Framingham, Massachusetts
 
If you work in Framingham you can live anywhere in the Western suburbs of Boston and western commuter towns and have a reasonable commute.

There's a wide range in rents...but I'd budget closer to $1800 fro a nice 2 bed place. Check out craigslist Boston and zillow website for rentals

dunroving Apr 5th 2014 2:32 pm

Re: Framingham, Massachusetts
 

Originally Posted by dunroving (Post 11205386)
Just an aside, but are you aware of the Framingham Study? If not Google it and find the Web site that describes it. It's fascinating. I studied health science in Springfield MA, which is where I first heard of it.

Damn, where's the spell check when you need it?

Karrie72 Apr 6th 2014 1:39 am

Re: Framingham, Massachusetts
 

Originally Posted by dunroving (Post 11205733)
Damn, where's the spell check when you need it?

whats the 'framingham Study' all about?

Michael Apr 6th 2014 4:10 am

Re: Framingham, Massachusetts
 

Originally Posted by Montfan72 (Post 11206242)
whats the 'framingham Study' all about?

That diet is not a contributing factor to coronary heart disease and that high cholesterol levels do not cause heart disease and from several studies, the mortality rate among people with high cholesterol levels tended to be lower than people with low cholesterol levels. However it took over 60 years to draw that conclusion even though studies indicated that from the beginning.

Previous to that finding, the "Farmington Study" determined that the intake of cholesterol did not increase cholesterol levels in the human body.

Only if you are a chicken or rabbit does increased intake of cholesterol cause increased coronary heart disease.:eek:

However even with extremely conclusive studies, many doctors still prescribe statin drugs, pharmaceutical companies still advertise expensive brand name cholesterol reducing drugs, and most people believe that eggs and butter are bad for them.

http://chriskresser.com/cholesterol-...-heart-disease

http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/c...ngham-follies/

So the Woody Allen movie "Sleeper" was right when they fed him a T-bone steak when he awoke in the future and said that researchers were wrong in the 20th century that fat was bad for you.:D

dunroving Apr 6th 2014 9:25 am

Re: Framingham, Massachusetts
 

Originally Posted by Montfan72 (Post 11206242)
whats the 'framingham Study' all about?

It's a long-term, longitudinal epidemiological study of the inhabitants of Framingham and their children and grandchildren, etc. It has looked at a variety of determinants of ill health, but the one I am most interested in is physical activity. It's a fascinating "living experiment" (except it's not an experimental study).

There have been 1,000's of papers published since the study began.

Bob Apr 6th 2014 12:04 pm

Re: Framingham, Massachusetts
 
The town in general is a shitter.

North Framingham is nice.

It's a great location to get to places and has good mall bording Natic...but look else where.

You'll struggle to find a decent 2 bed place that's not either crap or on the hell that is Rt9.

Learn Portuguese.

Look at Ashland, Holliston, Natick, the W's, Sherborn, Sudbury.

Rt 9 and Rt20 are carparks during the morning/afternoon. The Pike on Exit 13 is a carpark too.


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