A guide to Bradford, Massachusetts
Bradford, Massachusetts is not one of the big cities but when it has its share of population and events. The Mayor, Paul Stuart, tries his best to keep the town in good shape and has his hands always full with projects, although some end up not being accomplished for one reason or another. The point is, he does try. After all, Bradford is not that small and he can't possibly control everything. His wife believes he is becoming feeble-minded as time goes by. That could hardly bode well for Bradford's future. His appearance does little to really impose respect – short, balding, and unimpressive - but he has brought some prosperous changes to the town, reason why he is well liked by many. Besides, he has his counselors and his working team who do much of the work, anyway. They can manage the thousands of inhabitants of Bradford, even though they barely do it. The elections will come soon and then Bradford's population may choose a new Mayor they may think to be better suited. Mayor Stuart has already stated his decision not to run again for the job so the path is open – to the worthy or to the vulture-like… But that's politics…
The
Mayor's House and the Town Hall are both located on beautiful Liberty Avenue, which ends in a wide rotunda, all green and flowered with grass letter-like sculptures saying 'Welcome to Bradford' - which the town's gardeners always keep in a very good state. After all, every newcomer to town is immediately greeted by that 'grassy' message when they reach the center of the town. Mr. Thomas Brown, the President of Bradford Historical Society, claims it is indeed 'the way Bradford people show to others just how hospitable they are and how the town is as beautiful as we paint it'. Of course, it also has it's wrongs and it's problems, like every other place - or it wouldn't be somewhere where human beings lived - but the good apparently shadows the bad... when one closes their eyes, of course. Mr. Brown is an optimist... Liberty Avenue also extends through the South of Gardner High School, and its main entry.
Bradford has its beauty indeed. The
Central Bradford Park with it's high lustrous trees and the well taken care of pond is but one of the most enjoyable places in town. People go there every day for one reason or another - to walk to dogs, to ride their bicycles freely and with no risk of being hit by a motor vehicle, to study or make picnics, to jog and practice other such exercises... It is most enjoyable for the young and old couples who feel like walking through Bradford Park's stone paths, sitting on the wooden benches or laying on the grass. The last one is especially favored - the grass is always clean and most inviting. One can always see the Park workers around, always taking care of something within the Park... There are many shades provided by the trees and the benches are strategically positioned throughout the entire park. There are to entries (and exits) to the park, one from the south, through Lazarus Street and the other at the north, through Madison Street.There are a few museums and theatres on Bradford as well, though those do not appeal as much to the youths as their parents might desire. The
Bradford Museum of Arts and History is open every weekday, from 9:00am to 8:00pm, and on Saturday's from 10:00am to 6:30pm, located between Bradford's Courthouse and the Bradford Health Center, on Delaware Avenue. Although it usually has very interesting expositions rarely any modern teenager visits it - except if they are interested in any aspect of the exposition. Awareness campaigns to promote further culture on this 'MTV generation' are being implemented but there are doubts it will work. It has been attempted throughout the whole country - the whole world actually - and still today's youths are not open to anything traditional. As the Mayor's own son claims: "This is the future, pops. We have color TV now. We have the Internet. Get a grip on yourself." Needless to say, the Mayor's son is the perfect example of today's modernized youth...
The
William Shakespeare's Theatre, also on Delaware Avenue, is in no better condition regarding teenagers as the aforementioned Museum of Arts and History. Students rarely ever step on it and if they do it is because it's in some class requirement. There are always new plays on show though, some of them really good. Gardner High's Drama Club usually performs here their annual plays, which must be one of the rare occasions all students sit on the theater's chairs. Although it is usually empty of the younger generation, it is almost always full with the older one who still believes in culture. The theatre has a very nice though small library with playwriters' works – focusing on Shakespeare, of course – and a café where the theatergoers usually sit to sip a cup of coffee before or after the play. There are daily theatre sessions usually at 4:30pm, at 7:30pm and at 10:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Then there is Bradford Music Hall, where classical concerts and Opera's are played. If going to the theatre is thought hard by the students, much less appealing the prospect of going to a classical music concert is! The Music Hall usually opens at 6:00pm - the box-office, for example, opens at this time - and has concerts, Operas or the such at variable times commencing at 8:00pm. It is located on Bradbury Street and is very unimpressive if you compare it to, say, Sydney's Opera House - but it serves its purposes.And if the Museum and the Theatre do not get much attention by the students (unless they belong to the stereotyped clique of 'nerds' and 'geeks'), then the Library is in no different. Amazingly enough, the
Bradford Municipal Library is located right within Gardner High School's building, on it's West wing. Its antiquated environment may not be exactly attractive to the students though the library has been modernized in many aspects. There is a large computer room connected to the Internet on one of the library's rooms and an audio-visuals large room where someone can watch video movies, among other things. A large amphitheater, with all modern amenities, is used for conferences and reunions. But most of all, there are the books, from old documents to daily newspapers, the library has it all.Ms. Lila Danvers, 43, and Ms. Irene Thomas, 32, are the librarians, and they are always willing to help - though be careful with the tone you talk with when near Ms. Danvers; she is very strict about silence within the library. Ms. Thomas always has a smile for the people who come looking for books or asking information about one. She is quite capable in her job and much nicer than the more conservative Ms. Danvers (who looks exactly like the 'old mean librarian' image everyone has - she has glasses, uses conservative clothes, has a pointed and thin nose and a narrow face with hard lines, always with the same expression of constant intolerance), always willing to help. If you want to enjoy your stay on the library, do so when Ms. Thomas is there. The point is, students almost always only go to the library to either request their textbooks for the year – some even don't – or to work in school projects or assignments that need the assistance of proper literature… The library's schedule is from 9:30am to 8:30pm on weekdays and from 10:00am to 6:00pm on Saturdays. It closes on Sundays. .
To the outskirts of the large town there is
Hampton Woods, a wide conglomerate of woods to the South, which makes it an undeniable focus of any Ecology, Biology and Geology class, somewhere in the school year. There is a lake in the other side of Hampton Woods, with fresh water that invites one to step inside and swim – though it clearly states no swimming is allowed, or fishing for that matter. A wide variety of plant life can be found within the woods and a certain amount of animal life as well – no dangerous carnivorous creatures though – such as squirrels, owls and other birds, inoffensive snakes, and all sorts of insects and other creatures. The woods are often used for hide and seek games as well as treasure hunts but most of all it is used when the Geology class demands a field trip where the student has to orient him/herself only with the help of a compass and a map with orientation points. The perfect place for exploration.Adding a fair share of stores, restaurants, cafés and supermarkets, Bradford has a high commercial life and has no problems maintaining it. The inhabitants can hardly complain of little to do…
For example, there is that cute and wonderful vegetarian restaurant on Liverpool Street,
"Daisy" (one will undoubtedly find that naming commercial establishments after flowers is very common in Bradford), a familiar place that belongs to the Brown family (Jack Brown, 50, his wife Lila, 49, and their children, Roy, 23, Amelia, 21 and Trent, 17), all of them fierce vegetarians and animal rights activists. The decoration is very simple, with paintings of flowers and fruits – copies of great paintings by famous artists – within polished old frames. It has a rustic look to it, or weren't the Brown from deep within North Carolina, having moved to Bradford, Massachusetts, only three years ago. They serve very good food, confectioned with care, but not overly decorated or confectioned – simplicity is the best and it is less vulgar. The prices are very accessible – the vegetables supply is almost all from the Brown's farms in Bradford and in their old town on North Carolina where Mr. Brown's brother still remains. The service is very good and attentive, but not overly so, and one always leaves with a full stomach and a content mind – that is, if you're a vegetarian since there are plates that make others twitch their nose. It opens at 11:00am for lunch and closes at 11:30pm after dinner.Contrasting with "Daisy" is the
Bradford Stake House which, through some twist of fate, ended up being opened right on the other side of Liverpool Street… in front of "Daisy", three months after the latter opened its doors. What one would call an antithesis lying there, looking at each other. What the vegetarians defend, the Stake House demolishes. Every kind of stake, from chicken to buffalo meat, can be found there, grilled, fried, any type of cooking. The environment is one of relaxation and guffaws, most of it inundated with cigarette smoke. To those who love a good meat meal, the Stake House is the place to go. Cheap, with a reasonable service – often takes a lot of time but when one is laughing and talking it's harder to notice – and good food, this restaurant is almost always practically full at lunch time but not as much during dinner time. The 'ladies' spend their time criticizing the rotten environment on the restaurant and it's bad influence to their lives – but rumor is one of those ladies has been secretly meeting one of the rough looking cooks, leaving a husband at home, or more often work, to go play under the sheets… But that is only rumor. The schedule of the Stake House is also from 11:00am to 11:30pm. Coincidence?There are, of course, other cafés and restaurants, such as the
MacDonald's on 5th Street, the Pizza Hutt on Washington Avenue, or the KFC on Madison Street, among others such places. One could not forget the "Italian Family Place", a rip-off of a "Pasta Café", serving Italian food from Salatas to Risotto and Pizza. Reasonable prices, more used for the 'dinner night out' or some more informal business reunions or even friends gatherings than anything else. The food is very good though, but the prices can vary a lot within the menu, which dissuades some.Then there is
"The Den", the only coffee/bookshop in Bradford, and a hang out place for many people, mostly those who are interested in books though. That is not a problem since the working personnel appreciates the usually calm environment in "The Den" and too much commotion would made it all worse. As a bookstore it has many variety of books, from the latest romances to travel books. Paperback, Hardcover, Audio Cassettes… old, new, apparently out of print volumes or hard to find books, "The Den" seems to always find a way of having the requested books. The personnel is helpful and they actually know what they're doing, most of them being quite literate when literature is concerned. From 10:00am to 9:30pm.The
Bradford Police Station is located on Paris Street, the Fire Department on Lazarus Street, quite close to the Park, actually. The Community Hospital, on the 3rd Street, though small, compared to others, serves all the needs of the population although it's sometimes chaos around there. But that's to expect. There are two Garages both with Gas Stations as well in Bradford. One of them has a better mechanical service, the one on Wyoming Street. The other is at the end of 7th Street and serves better those who enter the town by south, southeast or southwest. There are a few others, but not really worth mentioning at the moment. There are also other stores, such as Jewelry, Electronics, Toys, etc., but those exist in every town… The population knows exactly where to find them if they want to or need to.There are a few places of great interest to the students of Gardner High which are mainly the following:
The Bradford Mall
The Bradford Mall is located on Washington Avenue and is a four story high stone building with around ten to fifteen stores per floor, except on the third where the Restaurants are and the fourth, home to the Cinema. Although it looks antiquated on the exterior a person cannot help but be fascinated by the decoration inside, almost all made of white, gray and pinkish marble, with white stone columns and grayish stone floors. It looks like a rather expensive place though most stores have quite accessible prices. Some people feel intimidated when walking inside but that soon changes when they loose themselves on the various stores within.
1st Floor
On the first floor there are various stores of interest for all people, as described below:
:: Keats Bookstore ::
Always has the latest books as well as old ones. Holds monthly signing sessions with best-selling authors. Owned by Michael Keats, it opened on September 25, 1974. The two usual booksellers, Tamara Keats – the owner's daughter – and Dennis Paris, are very helpful. Has a Webpage from which a customer can order existent – and non-existent – items from the store's catalogues.
Schedule: 9:00am to 7:00pm
:: Wal-Mart ::
One of Wal-Marts supermarkets and not much more needs to be said. Some of Gardner High School students work here part-time.
Schedule: 8:30am to 11:30pm
:: Angelic ::
This store basically sells candles and incenses, as well as necklaces and some decorating items for the house, all New Age related. The woman behind the counter, Dinah, is very spiritual and she gives Oriental Dances classes at Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays, around 8:30pm, after she closes her store. She and Ms. Talbot are good friends though Dinah is more knowledgeable in the spiritual ways – many think her to be a witch and Dinah does not deny her Wiccan beliefs.
Schedule: 9:00am to 8:00pm
:: "The Rose" – Tea House ::
The place for all the rich country-clubber women in town. They usually gather around "The Rose" at afternoons, when they feel like sharing their gossips among themselves – usually about the 'lower class' people or the so-called new riches. They usually don't have anything else to do except go there, go shopping or maybe do some 'politically correct' philanthropic acts – in which they smile to maintain appearances but are quite capable of looking with contempt to the poor people they are 'helping'.
Schedule: 9:00am to 7:00pm
:: "The CD Barn" ::
Quite the Paradise for the MTV generation. A couple of Gardner High Senior students work here part-time, under the supervision of Larry (24) and David (23), two alternative looking youths. Larry dropped out of school before even graduation whereas David still succeeded to have a high school diploma. Both have been working in music stores ever since they finished their school period. This store is usually only frequented by teenagers or liberal adults. It always has the newest music though they don't sell Jazz, Blues and certainly not classic music. Usually it is Rock, Pop, RnB, Metal, Funky, among other new rhythms.
Schedule: 9:00am to 10:00pm
:: "Beautiful" – Boutique ::
All the grown women are fascinated by "Beautiful", an elegant boutique that only sells the best of the best, including Haute Couture clothing. It's not a store for everybody, especially not the less wealthy. Very selective and the shopkeepers are capable of courteously asking a customer of doubtful appearance to leave. The store is often compared to the store from where Julia Roberts was expelled from in 'Pretty Woman', for it is that snobbish. The society ladies like bringing their stuck-up daughters to buy clothing here.
Schedule: 9:00am to 8:00pm
:: "Romeo" – Men's Clothing ::
Sells all kind of Men's clothing, from new to second hand clothes. The prices vary according to the clothes. Good service though some employees seem a little too eager selling which can end up in people buying what doesn't really fit them the best – but only occasionally. Also sells wedding garments and makes clothes by request.
Schedule: 9:00am to 8:00pm
:: "Hannah's Hairdressing" ::
Hairdressing saloon, unisex, with mediocre service – though they do try to achieve higher levels of performance. Most of the hairdresser's customers are what the country-clubbers call 'trailer trash' people. Hannah is the owner, a slender woman with too much make-up and hair that has gone through thousands of hairstyles and hundreds of different color changes – right now it's platinum blond with some fading bluish stripes. If one is low in money but needs a haircut, they go to Hannah's.
Schedule: 9:00am to 8:00pm
:: "Rodeo" – Clothing Store ::
Sells all kinds of clothing, mostly to teenagers and young adults – under 30. From Levi's and Lee to the label-less clothes, it sells it all. The prices vary accordingly. The employers are all young and helpful, some of them with a plastic smile on their faces, yes, but still helpful. Teenagers in need of some extra money try to find some part-time work in these kind of stores. Always has the latest trends but the not so trendy disappear from stock quickly to give space to the newest products in the clothing department. At least it has quite some interesting and large variety of T-shirts and sweatshirts.
Schedule: 10:00am to 8:30pm
:: Bowling Saloon ::
When people are in need of some entertainment, they can usually come and play Bowling at the Saloon in the mall. With ten bowling tracks, rental equipment at accessible prizes (discount for large groups and students) and a snack bar in it's interior, the Bowling Saloon is a good place to be. Even if you know next to nothing about bowling.
Schedule: 9:30am to 11:30pm
:: Delta Café ::
A simple café, unpretentious and practical; serves hot and cold drinks, sandwiches and cakes, chocolates and bubblegum, among others.
Schedule: 9:30am to 11:00pm
:: "The House" – Decoration ::
"The House" has everything you ever wished for the decoration of any room in your house. From traditional wooden furniture to art-deco decoration, "The House" has a little bit of everything. The prices vary with the product though it holds monthly promotions over some of its products. Also every month they hold a week dedicated to one style of decorating in which they decorate a part of their store within a certain style (traditional, modern, romantic, etc.) and promote it. The personnel is rather helpful though some do have those plastic smiles… but, then again, stores with much more costumers than "The House" have employees that after three hours are already ready to attack a customer who isn't very quick…
Schedule: 10:00am to 11:00pm
2nd Floor
Again, various different stores adorn this level:
::
"Parlor" – Ice Creams ::
"Parlor" has the most amazingly delicious Ice Creams, a rival of substance to Haagen Daas on the third floor. With many different varieties of flavors and ice creams, the "Parlor" is always full during spring and summer, and even in the winter. The good thing about "Parlor" is that they have two vans selling ice creams on the streets, which delights its customers – especially those too lazy to walk more than two steps out of their homes.
Schedule: 9:00am to 10:00pm
:: Levi's Clothing Department ::
The name says it all. This is the place in the entire mall where clothes exclusively from Levi-Strauss are sold, which makes the delights of some, and the concealed envy of others. From Jeans, to denim jackets and blouses, one can find much. Levi-Strauss is a brand with a history and the material they use for jeans and jackets is very tough, which means, longer durability. So is Levi's clothing...
Schedule: 9:30am to 11:30pm
:: "Flowered" – Clothing and Accessories Store ::
This store makes its living by selling psychedelic clothing, i.e. '60's and '70's outfits, and a large number of accessories such as purses, hats, necklaces, bracelets, etc. Ms. Kaman, one of Gardner High School's teachers, does much of her shopping here. But, then again, she has brought a new sense to the Hippie look. If you're not interested in the '60's jeans or the flowered blouses, you still have the necklaces (most of them are pretty psychedelic themselves, to say the truth, but there are plain and simple ones too), bracelets, and other accessories. Most people come here just for those, in fact.
Schedule: 9:30am to 10:00pm
:: "Children's Paradise" – Toy Store ::
As the name indicates, the toy store on the second floor is 'children's paradise'. Its large area is full with shelves of toys, of all kinds, and even the corridors have products that can be experimented. Take that lighted floor piano (imagine 'BIG', the movie) to where children jump and play with their feet with others do with their hands! Any kid who crosses this store will not want to go on without entering and when inside will not want to leave!
Schedule: 9:00am to 9:30pm
:: "Music House" – Music Store ::
Imagine that disc store in the movie 'High Fidelity' and you have drawn "Music House" to a T. Even the employees are much like those in the movie – strange to say the least. It sells old record disks long forgotten – the CD player invention muffled any attempt to resurrect the old records industry. Much more than selling old records, though, the "Music House" also sells second hand instruments such as guitars, organs, drums and others. If you want to start a band and you are short in money, you can buy instruments here. Of doubtful quality, yes, but cheap. Besides, little complaints have been heard from those who bought there anything. The employees and the owner, a Trent Davis, take good care of their products.
Schedule: 9:30am to 10:00pm
:: "Lorena's Saloon" – Beauty Saloon ::
Lorena's Saloon is for the upper class ladies what Hannah's is for the middle and lower classes. Everything you can't find in Hannah's you find in Lorena's – including much higher prices and a more selective clientele. From manicures, to sophisticated hairstyles, to professional massages, Lorena's offers its clients everything... of the best. All Bradford's finesse comes here, weekly, if not more. The clientele is too snobbish and so are the employees. Some girls have come here to work on their hair and body before their prom nights and they have complained of how superior the people there act.
Schedule: 9:30am to 10:30pm
:: Bodyshop ::
The Bodyshop is a famous complex of stores that sells beauty and body care products, all natural. From an Eucalyptus lipstick to dry lips to bath salts, it has an immense variety of products that will make the wonders of many, especially those more attuned to the caring nature, i.e., the ones who refuse using anything synthetic. It always smells wonderfully within the shop, usually soft scents from fruits and dry flowers... Even if you don't want anything from there you can always look around... and feel the scents.
Schedule: 9:00am to 11:00pm
:: C&A ::
The C&A is a line of clothing stores spread throughout the world which sells clothes or all kinds and of all brands – even those without any known one. More than that, it's heaven for the 'not so thin' population for it has a section for larger numbers.
Schedule: 10:00am to 11:30pm
:: Worten ::
This store has everything, from music CD's to TV sets, refrigerators, washing machines and cell phones. You can find it all on Worten. Anything electronic and all kinds of home appliances as well as CD's, DVD's, VHS's, etcetera.
Schedule: 9:30am to 11:30pm
:: Parfois ::
Parfois is a French brand of stores selling fashion accessories from necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings to purses, hats and others. A very nice place, pleasantly decorated.
Schedule: 10:00am to 11:00pm
:: Mango ::
Clothing store. Contains many fashion trends clothing in store, changing its stock every season – as trends change – but also contains simply non-trendy clothes such as jeans and T-shirts, among others. It's not too expensive but the prices vary accordingly, like many clothing departments. Also sells Mango accessories, perfumes and such.
Schedule: 9:30am to 11:00pm
::
"Tridium" – Computer House ::It sells computers, modems, accessories, and such. Heaven for the hacker population. It has monthly promotions on selected products.
Schedule: 10:00am to 11:30pm
:: "Arena" – Game House ::
Heaven for teenagers. From electronic games to pool tables and others, "Arena" has it all. It's always almost full. If you are under 16 you're not allowed to enter unaccompanied by an adult. No one under 10 is allowed to enter, accompanied or not. Some games are violent and the owner doesn't want to contribute to the further worsening of a child's education. There's too much around to corrupt a child.
Schedule: 11:00am to 2:00am
:: Gap ::
Needless to say, this is the most loved clothing store for the 'popular' crowd and the most hated by the 'unpopular' one. Gap contains everything trendy and it's perfect for the country-clubbers and followers.
Schedule: 9:30am to 11:30pm
3rd Floor
The third floor is mainly subordinated to restaurants, fast food franchising, cafés and such:
:: Pans & Company ::
Sandwiches... Wonderful, delightful, tasty sandwiches. A franchising that has given fruits, Pans & Company is here to stay - and Bradford is just one of the few places where it has arrived at. Come and taste a tuna sandwich or drink the wonderful orange juice. You won't regret it. And they serve fast! Just don't pay much attention to some of the employees... it's natural that they get grumpy after a while doing the same thing...
Schedule: 11:00am to 11:30pm
:: Burger King ::
Does not need any presentation. It serves grilled burgers in various economic menus. A hard place to work, and underpaid for the amount of work one does when they first get employed there, but teenagers prefer it as their first jobs – mostly because they'll accept anyone there.
Schedule: 11:00am to 00:00am
:: Haggen Daas ::
German ice-cream house. It has the best of ice creams with such flavors as strawberry cheesecake, one of the more famous. They serve ice creams in cones or cups, and prices change according to the number of ice-cream balls. Very good but a tad expensive.
Schedule: 10:00am to 11:00pm
:: Soup House ::
This small self-service restaurant contains a variety of soups and salads that makes the delights of many who want a change from the fast-food line.
Schedule: 12:00pm to 11:00pm
:: "Taz Mahal" – Indian Food ::
Accompanied with a nice and soft Indian music, Taz Mahal does justice to the Indian cuisine. It's not a restaurant for the faint of heart – it's very spicy – nor the empty of wallet – it's not exactly cheap but as restaurants go, it's not that expensive either. It's perfect for friends' lunch or dinners out though – sharing expenses makes it easier to support and the food is really worth it.
Schedule: 11:30am to 11:00pm
:: "Chinatown" – Chinese Restaurant ::
Chinese food. Decorated with a variety of Chinese motives, from tables and chairs to the paintings on the walls, it is very pleasant to look at. Serves a great variety of Chinese food as well as some Thailand's and Korean food.
Schedule: 11:30am to 11:30pm
:: "Tokyo" – Japanese Restaurant ::
Japanese food, including the oh so famous sushi and the equally famous Japanese drink, sake. People sit either on the floor – the tables' height demands the customer to sit Japanese style – or on the counter facing chairs. Owned by a very nice and warm Japanese family who insists on serving the customers themselves. A family business.
Schedule: 11:00am to 11:30pm
:: "Prime" – Snack Bar ::
Simply a snack bar, serving normal lunch snacks and everything a café has. The difference is, "Prime" has a few electronic games and a pool table on the backroom. There are a lot of people hanging around here. Kind of has become the 'hanging' place of some.
Schedule: 11:00am to 10:30pm
:: "Cactus" – Mexican Food ::
One has everything in Bradford Mall so a Mexican restaurant couldn't not exist. Spicy and tasty, Cactus has everything from nachos to tacos, among others. It's very good. Of course, it isn't the food, which is spicy, it is the sauces poured onto it, but few people stop to think about this so those who don't like spiced food stay away from this restaurant…
Schedule: 12:00pm to 00:00am
:: "The Grill" – Restaurant ::
It serves only grilled food, as fish, meat and even grilled vegetables. It always smells wonderfully there – unless you're a vegetarian. They have a specialty, which is Grilled Chicken – it's simply wonderful! They have a secret sauce they put on the chicken as they grill it which gives it a wonderful palate.
Schedule: 11:30am to 11:00pm
:: Lilac – Café::
A café. There's nothing overly interesting to say about a café except it is a café. And 'Lilac' is one. Serves coffee, refrigerants, juices, cakes, sandwiches and the such. It has a good variety of cakes and sweets.
Schedule: 9:30am to 10:00pm
4th Floor
:: "Vision Dream" – Cinema ::
This is paradise for the moviegoers, which are both young and old. The biggest cinema in Bradford, "Vision Dream" has twelve movie theaters, a snack-bar which serve the all so famous popcorns and a candy store, all within the large Cinema. Cinema Rooms 1 to 8 usually show the latest blockbuster films or the new releases. Showrooms 9 to 12 show other films, including foreign movies. "Vision Dream" is almost like a big community, it only lacks beds to sleep in. There are always endless lines to buy tickets for the films which have sessions usually at 12:00pm, 2:30pm, 5:30pm, 9:00pm and 0:00am though it depends on how long the films last. Ticket offices are opened from 11:00am to 10:30pm and no ticket reservations are allowed. Movies usually start five to ten minutes after the scheduled hour – advertisement still takes a lot of time. Midnight movies do not have breaks, all others have one of 10 minutes. You are allowed to buy tickets for the following day but not two days in advanced. It sells popcorns in small, medium, large and extra-large packages with a wide variety of refrigerants. Coca-Cola is the most requested – must be that 'secret ingredient' thing that makes people hooked up on its flavor, who knows? The Cinema occupies almost all the fourth floor of the Mall, the rest being used for offices.
---
Note: Not all the stores within Bradford Mall are specified in this guide.
---
Night Clubs and Bars
Bradford has an active nightlife and most teenagers will sneak out of their bedrooms if not allowed to experience it, even on school nights. Which is why sometimes they have hard awakenings and are sleepy when they enter the school gates. The adults, when they aren't too old to appreciate it, will also swarm these clubs at nights like flies. The following list is only a few of the most famous among Bradford's inhabitants:
:: Alternative Nation ::
According to the students of Gardner High, Alternative Nation is the place to be. The environment is what the modern teenagers appreciate, the music is perfectly attuned to their state of minds, and of the type the Club's own name indicates – Alternative. Every week there is a band playing live on the club's stage, usually on Wednesdays or Fridays, and they have, most of the times, pretty good bands. "Only the best for our clients" says Mr. Isaacs, the club's owner. It serves all kinds of drinks, from non-alcoholic to the famous 'shots', it's open all night with non-stop music all night long, and in the words of one customer, to put it simply, "it rocks, man!". Of course, you won't find, unless under disguise, any 'country-clubbers' there. The crème-of-the-crème cannot be seen interacting with the 'commoners' or 'trailer trash' which is what they usually call the people who actually enjoy their lives…
Schedule: 10:00pm to 8:00am
:: Galaxy ::
Galaxy is… well… Galaxy. It is very frequented in Bradford and has as good an environment as any club can have. All kinds of disco music - 'the beat must go on kind of deal' - liven up the night and the bartenders are nice - when you have money and you don't yell too much at them. The monkeys at the door - called, nicely, as securities - are not as nice though and they'll expel one without a blink of an eye if they see fit. It's the most frequented by teenagers though 'Alternative Nation' ranks next to it.
Schedule: 7:30pm to 6:30am
:: Gaelic ::
An Irish Pub with good environment and more adequate to the young adult and the older population at large than teenagers, but some do appear around there, once in a while. It has a good environment though sometimes the Irish whiskey and beer is drank in too many quantities and drunken stupor or frenzy settles. The authorities usually deal with this problem on daily - or nightly - basis.
Schedule: 10:30am to 5:00am
:: Trina's Bar ::
Possessing a funky/punk environment, Trina's is a bar of women for women. Dedicated to the feminism and the female mystic, Trina's combines punk rock, RnB and other such styles of music, all from female performers. Live concerts of famous or non-so famous female bands every Friday from midnight. The bartenders are women, the manager is a woman (Trina Star) and even the security 'guys' are women. Drugs are not allowed. Nor are men... Unless exceptions are made or if the man is very persuasive. But why would a man go to a women club, anyway?
Schedule: 11:30pm to 6:00am
:: Jazz Club ::
The Jazz Club is what the name says, a Jazz Club. But more than that, it is a club where every Wednesday there are poetry readings. If you like that type of music and/or if poetry is your thing, the Jazz Club is the place to be. The owner is a fanatic of Jazz and plays the saxophone. Rather well actually. He plays it with a few companions and they offer different live music most days. They have guests as well, at least once per month.
Schedule: 9:00pm to 5:00am
:: Club Phantom ::
This is the elite club. Only the crème-de-la-crème comes here. You have to be over 21 (which warrant lots of fake ID's) or you have to be a connoisseur of the club's owner, a Mr. Zhane. Either way, only the 'in' ones get in. If someone under 21 wants to enter there, that person will have to have parents whom Mr. Zhane knows. He directs every entry to his club. The Phantom is very selective. Mr. Zhane's weakness is women though. Even if a woman is underage and doesn't rank around his rank, if she is sexy in any way, he'll be smitten. And he can be dangerous also…
Schedule: 9:30pm to 5:30am
:: Le Blue's Bar ::
The owners came from New Orleans to Massachusetts and opened this bar, which is the perfect copy of their previous one in their old town. Mr. Joseph Ashley is an old war veteran with a serene look to him (imagine Joe Dawson from the 'Highlander' TV show) who plays the guitar in an admirable way and has this smoking-sounding voice (rough but pleasant) which he uses to sing his blues. It is very famous to those who appreciate this kind of music and even those who don't... they should just go there and they might just be surprised.
Schedule: 8:00pm to 4:00am
A quick look over Bradford
|
Business: Major industries are high technology, defense companies, furniture manufacturers, and metal and plastic fabricators, among others. Churches: Six Protestant churches, three Catholic churches, two Baptist Churches, one Friends Meeting House and one Seventh Day Adventist church. Elder Services: Council on Aging Bradford Senior Center, Community Action, Inc., etc. Hospital and Health Services: Bradford Health Center, Liberty Rehabilitation Center, various adult care facilities. Post Office: Full service, on Delaware Avenue and on Madison Street. Recreation: Central Bradford Park; Hampton Woods (fishing and boating in the lake, bird watching, cross-country, etc.; Bradford Sports Park (snow tubing, driving range, among others); Bradford Golf & Country Club, Bradford Sports Center (all kinds of sports competitions), etc. Safety: Police and Fire Departments; Ambulance service, and Emergency Management. Social Services: Community Action Inc.; Transitional House for Women and Children, Bradford Community Center. Young People’s Groups: Boy Scouts; Girl Scouts; Bradford Parent/Child Co-op; Bradford Community Partnership, Mayor’s Council for Youth. (more may be added in the future) |
-----
NOTE: The locations, stores, shops and others indicated on this guide are not all those that exists in Bradford. The player is allowed to mention in their posts other places. These are just to serve as a guide to what locations are more important in the game and will possibly be more used. The player has free reign to invent as much as they see fit.
Also, there is a real Bradford, Massachusetts not to be confused with this one. I simply did not know that there was a town called that until I came across it. By that time I had come to name the game's town Bradford and didn't feel like changing it…