100 Delightful Things in Worcester 35 – Bancroft Tower

Hello and welcome back to the 2018 Rabbit Heart Poetry Film Festival’s 100 Delightful Things in Worcester Project! This year, our wonderful interns Fay, Julie, and Lori are #TeamEatYerVeggies – exploring Worcester to bring back the best of  the best for you to enjoy.

For Rabbit Heart’s 35th out of the 100 Delightfuls, the crew went up to the iconic Bancroft Tower in Salisbury Park on Bancroft Tower Road in Worcester, MA. The “crew” consisted of the Rabbit Heart interns of summer 2018, Julie Wyman, Lori Shanley, and Fay Bcharah, and also expert reader of plaques, Aisha Naseem.

As you drive through the windy and hilly road up to Bancroft Tower, you sense almost an eerie vibe, but the 56-foot high natural stone and granite tower surrounded by grass and trees uplifts the mood, and makes you want to jump out your car and check the monument out.

The castle-like building was constructed in 1900 in memory of George Bancroft, who was a native Worcester politician and historian. It was built by his friend and admirer Stephen Salisbury III.

This monument has become a sightseeing area for the people of Worcester. It has a great view of the city landscape, including the clock tower of city hall. This view is particularly beautiful in the fall and winter, when the trees have lost their leaves, leaving a clearer view of the landscape. With its greenery and unique tower, this monument is also a space high-schoolers use to take pictures for their proms.

Though you cannot go inside the tower, there have been openings in the past by a team of organized Worcester volunteers called Park Spirit. The last tour was back in October 2016; they opened it to the public for five days, and it has not opened since.

If you are ever looking for something to do that includes scenic views, historical sights, and no money at all, head to Bancroft Tower! For mroe information, about Bancroft Tower, check out this rad writeup from Roadside America. 

100 Delightful Things in Worcester 34 – The Queen’s Cups

Hello and welcome back to the 2018 Rabbit Heart Poetry Film Festival’s 100 Delightful Things in Worcester Project! This year, our wonderful interns Fay, Julie, and Lori are #TeamEatYerVeggies – exploring Worcester to bring back the best of  the best for you to enjoy. This week they headed over to The Queen’s Cups (56 Water Street) for treats of the cupcake variety.

This was my first time visiting The Queens Cup since their new Worcester bakery opened. I once visited their location in Millbury, but upon arriving to their new joint I immediately noticed a revitalization of their brand. What was once a tiny mom n’ pop shop has since metamorphosized into a trendy establishment with a contemporary feel consisting of lots of natural lighting, an open floor plan, and all sorts of modern decor. The mason jars and picture frames of customers on the wall still gave it a bit of charm and character, and it was cool to see from the entrance a little window that peeks into their kitchen/bakery. Their signature cupcakes are still as massive and mouthwatering as I remember them  being upon my first visit, and the employees were just as warm and welcoming. While many things are new and different, the Queens Cup has never lost sight of their vision of specialty sweets with a smile. They are continuing a legacy of bringing delicious sweets for all two and four legged friends in central massachusetts, and it’s certainly a treat to have this gem right here in the heart of this city.
xox,
Julie

 

100 Delightful Things in Worcester 33 – Asian Supermarket

Hello all, and welcome to the 2018 Rabbit Heart Poetry Film Festival’s first edition of our 100 Delightful Things in Worcester Project! This year, our wonderful interns Fay, Julie, and Lori are teaming up to explore Worcester and will be bringing back the best of  the best for you to enjoy.This week Fay and Julie headed over to Asian Supermarket (50 Mill Street, right off Park Ave) to grab ingredients for taro smoothies and to tour the aisles.

You might never think to go into the Asian Supermarket if no one would have told you how great it is. Like many interesting areas in Worcester,  Asian Supermarket is a hidden gem in the busy streets of Park Ave and Mill St. Not only did our fantastic interns not know about this ethnic supermarket, they did not know how big it is! Right when you walk in you will be shocked that you haven’t seen this or heard about it before – there are aisles and aisles of colorful produce, from fruits, to veggies, to beautiful greens that are so familiar from favorite Asian restaurants. And if you’re ever looking for pomegranates in the middle of the summer when they’re off-season, or for strawberries for under $2, this is the place to come! Our team also found delicious snacks and drinks, and of course, a whole aisle of just RAMEN! Food has such an influence on culture, and going to Asian Supermarket gave #TeamEatYerVeggies a little peek into the diversity of Asian culture just by observing the aisles of food at AS.

Some favorites our team found include matcha green tea flavored Kit Kats, and fresh lychees – these little fruits are sweet, refreshing, with a flavor somewhere between rose petals and grapes, and perfect for summer! Along the way, Fay and Julie also picked up taro, coconut milk, and tapioca pearls (boba!) for making some delicious homemade smoothies. The recipe is below if you want to try it out too <6

Taro Smoothie – makes 2 small, or one large
1 c ice
~⅓ c coconut milk (add more for a thinner smoothie)
generous dash of coconut extract
2 tbs sugar
¼-⅓ c cubed and cooked taro (add more for a thicker smoothie)
handful of boba cooked according to package instructions (optional)

1. Start by peeling the taro and then cutting it into cubes. Add to boiling water and cook for about ten minutes, until soft but not falling apart, then rinse under cool water to bring to room temp.
2. Cook boba according to directions and cool
3. Combine ice, coconut milk, cooled taro, sugar, and a generous dash of coconut extract in a blender.
4. Pulse ingredients until smooth.
5. Pour the smoothie into glasses, add boba, and enjoy!