Very beautiful place to visit, I did not check them out but I saw a couple paths to walk on that…read morelooks well maintained. However going in the spring is your best bet to smell the lilacs and get to see all the amazing greenery!

nice scenery. not too much of a walking path or anything. the flowers smell lovely. wouldn't rush…read moreback but cool to checkout.

Attended a Valentines Day dinner at The Warren Center was a nice experience. About 60 people…read moreattended a buffet dinner that included pork loin medallions, statler chicken, sirloin steak topped with mushroom sauce along with salad and sides. The food was good, my favorite was the pork and side of roasted potatoes with a spicy aioli sauce. Dessert consisted of a blackberry chocolate cupcake, raspberry mousse and chocolate dipped strawberries. The venue easily seated 100+ people so everyone had plenty of room, but the carpeting and interior was a bit dated

Generally fine overall. We attended a wedding on site and stayed the night. Staff was mostly…read morefriendly enough, but seemed pretty overwhelmed with multiple on site events at one time. Facilities were nice enough, but the cost per night was double what I would expect to pay for upgraded motel lodging basically. Food was also fine but not particularly interesting. All in all solid but not notable

I recently attended a wedding at the Friendly Crossways and although I had a great weekend with…read morefamily and friends, I think my perspective is different than most of the previous reviewers. As others mentioned there were no other options close by in the Harvard area to stay, so we decided to stay on site (even though I tried to find alternative arrangements). We arrived on Friday and found our room, which had only twin beds (the same for almost all rooms) but were yet to receive our linens (sheets/towels/pillow cases). We did get those later and as another reviewer mentioned they were very worn. You could also not bring in your own pillows or linens (as I had brought) and the party would be fined if they saw you doing so. The bathroom/showers which I saw were pretty outdated and dingy (except the ones near the front door which appear to be newer). They weren't unclean, but were just in desperate need of some TLC. We were also informed of a strict 5 minute shower policy which there are signs posted for in the bathroom. As most have said, it is very much a DIY venue, even so far as to washing your own dishes throughout the weekend. We did help out with a lot throughout the weekend which was fun helping our friends set up their wedding and be a part of it, but many times we would need to ask Mary or Keith (the owners of the property) for assistance or direction with a given task. Most of the time they were very friendly and helpful, but not all the time. I certainly understand they have a job to do, and tasks the Bride/Groom set up for them, and that helping me wasn't on their priority list, but at least be a little bit pleasant because we are paying you to be there. I would have to agree that the food they provided was excellent, and they were able to meet the needs of many dietary issues in our group. If I was reviewing only their food it would be 5 stars, no question. They used fresh ingredients and were very passionate about what came out of the kitchen. The other issue was the firewood. We were lectured that it was to be a "camp fire" and not a "bonfire". We were only provided with about 6 tiny pieces of wood to keep the fire going for our allotted 2 hours...and NO wood was to be put on after 11pm as the fire had to be completely out by midnight... It was nice to be able to just walk back to my room after the wedding/reception. The ceremony was beautiful set back under the trees on the lawn. If you are looking for a DIY wedding where you have to do just about everything for set up and break down then this is probably your place.

We had our wedding at Friendly Crossways, about 30 guests. Friendly Crossways provided both the…read morevenue space and the catering, both were super huge parts in making our wedding day so perfect. Mary Helan was a breeze to work with, super quick to respond, so helpful and friendly. We had friends and family stay with us both before and after the wedding which was so special to have all at the venue location. THE FOOD!!! The cooks use fresh food from the garden right there, it was so soooo good and does not get any fresher than that! Everything was so seamless on our day, Mary Helan helped us with so many steps to make it all go so well. I would highly recommend this for anyone who wants to have a stunning outdoor venue with great food and people around you!

Plaster Fun Time was amazing! Maria was so friendly, kind, and attentive, and the fun music made…read morethe whole visit even better. My toddler loved going back and forth between painting and playing with the toys--it kept her happy the whole time. The space is great for kids' parties, and adults can even do BYOB nights after 6pm. Such a fun and welcoming spot for all ages! We will be back!

We hosted our daughter's 6th birthday party here in late 2024, so this is a belated review, but…read moreMaria deserves 10 stars for the way she runs her business here. She interacted with every child at the party and treated us like family. We never felt rushed to clean up. There are children's toys at the front of the store that kids could play with after they finished painting.

Brush and Easel is the way to go! My 9 year old went to a friend's birthday party at Brush and…read moreEasel when she was 8. She had such great memories (and such a fun picture to bring home) that she asked to have her 9th birthday there.. Working with Irina was smooth sailing. Planning, to hosting was so simple because of her help and simplicity. Kids all had a blast! I often think it would be fun to have a girls night out, or a fun surprise family outing! Irina is great and looking forward to the next time! Definitely recommend!

I met Irina in March, and four weeks later hosted an evening birthday party at B&E that included 12…read moreadults. Stressed professionals walked in, three hours later happy relaxed men & women walked out. Each with his or her own masterpiece! Irina makes it very informal and easy. We brought in platters of food and adult beverages, then sat at our easels and followed her instructions. Each attendee has a canvas on a wooden stretcher, brushes, and acrylic paints on a paper plate palette. Irina provides the smocks. So easy to plan and execute a wonderful, memorable evening. Highly recommend!

When people have asked "How was your wedding?" My answer has been, "More beautiful than I could…read morehave ever imagined!" and that's thanks to Wendy and the Phineas Wright House. Seriously. If you're considering an event here, book it now and you won't be disappointed. First off, the property is stunning. The house has beautiful rooms to get ready in with great light; the facade of the house makes for beautiful photos; the barn is iconic and warm; the gardens were stunning in full bloom; there are fences and paths through the woods galore. We had our ceremony at the top of a hill overlooking a scenic New England field and pond. The reception was in a beautiful field under a big tree for shade. And for those worried about unsteady grandparents, there were easy ways to help them get around. Everything was beautiful, a real classic New England farm. Then, the decorations! Every small detail was perfect. All of the flowers were fresh from Wendy's garden and the arrangements were PERFECT. The signage and table settings were gorgeous and involved freshly stripped bark with calligraphied names of all of our guests. There were blankets on the back of all of the chairs for when it got chillier at night! Seriously, Wendy thought of everything. And last, but certainly not least, Wendy! You couldn't ask for a better planner, friend, and kind soul. She has been a wedding planner for decades and now she and her husband run the Phineas Wright House. I didn't stress once on the day of the wedding because I knew Wendy had it all under control. From the moment my husband and I started planning the wedding, she was alongside us supporting and cheering us on. I would often say "I'm so grateful for Wendy!" We had started our wedding planning with Wendy when we were going to have a 100 person wedding elsewhere, and by the end we had a 12 person, socially distanced wedding at her home, and honestly it was absolutely perfect. I still dream of the Phineas Wright House and our magical wedding day. I wish you the same joy!

WCDA is an amazing dance studio!!! The staff is friendly and knowledgeable! WCDA has created a…read moresuper positive community for their dancers!!! The recitals are the best!!!!

I came here for almost 10 years as a child, so granted, my review is reflective of my experience…read more at WCDA from almost 20 years ago (woah! time goes by fast). However, it appears that the studio is still run and owned by Robin. I have the most amazing memories from my time at WCDA, and for that I'm extremely grateful. I remember that the instructors were so kind, the studio itself was beautiful and in a great location, and the recitals were organized and well-produced. I praise WCDA for instilling a sense of positive self-esteem in their students and providing such a sacred space for creative self-expression. I'll never forget the pure joy and excitement I felt on the day prior to our recitals that they hung up the photos of our dance recital costumes we'd be wearing. So many sequins!

So you want to hold a class reunion, or a special b-day party, or a charity beef & ale or a wedding…read morereception or some other event and you need a home for it. The back room of a restaurant just won't do. This is the kind of place you are looking for. Tucked away on a back road in Gardner is this clean, well-organized venue. I attended a class reunion there on Saturday for the lovely wife and they did an excellent job. * Large convenient parking lot. * Everywhere was spotless including immaculate bathrooms. * Large dance floor. * Beautiful fully stocked bar that you can purchase as needed. * Large fully equipped kitchen to support the caterer you use. The organizers of this reunion did what might be typical. 1. They rented the hall and included a bartender for a cash bar. 2. They had a catered meal from a local restaurant. 3. They brought in a local cover band. The end result was about 70 folks had a great time! This is definitely a place to check out if you need to book an event in the area.