If You Start With a High School Band, Norman Greenbaum Proves You Can Make It

During these fleeting months of summer, a book-loving team of Malden community members have been considering which book to choose for the 2019 Malden Reads program. Now entering its ninth year, the popular “One City, One Book” program works to promote literacy and a love of reading AND build community in the city of Malden. For the 20+ members on the Book Selection Committee, this meant reading a lot of books! The group has whittled down a list of more than 30 suggested book titles (gathered from the community) to the top four selections. Now, YOU have a chance to share your thoughts and comments on these titles as the committee considers the final pick. Detailed descriptions and reviews are provided below. Chris Kosta, a veteran on the Book Selection Committee describes the process. “The group is open-minded to book suggestions, and has thoughtful and insightful discussions about which book should be the one for this year, trying to come to a group consensus on the decision.” Karen Lynch, a new  member to the Book […]

Have a sweet tooth? Head over to Hoff’s Bakery located at 35 Green Street in Malden. The 110,000 square feet facility features a retail component where residents can purchase desserts during regular business hours. Hoff’s, formerly located in Medford invested nearly $8.3 million in renovating the site of the former Asahi America building in order to triple their size. Hoff’s, a family owned and operated company, takes pride in being a forward thinking company that offers exceptional quality products with a personal touch. Nicole and David Frattura, the brother-and-sister team behind the Malden move, talk to MATV’s Neighborhood View about their gourmet cakes, European style tortes, individual desserts, brownies, mini pastries and more.

By Bryan Liu The tablecloth is a faded floral—the kind that was initially made to look vintage and over time actually became vintage. The menu is laid out in print: CHEF SPECIALTIES, APPETIZERS, FRESH SPRING ROLLS, BEEF NOODLE SOUP—there are 16 pages in total arranged to fit the tabletop. The whole affair is topped with a thick glass table-protector that gets wiped down after every meal. The table is wood. Not that it’s obvious—but after 22 years, the flowers still bloom. Three lucky cats sit on the counter with gold paint over their ceramic bodies—their paws wave back and forth in unison as if they’re stuck in salute. Each one is clutching a gold coin. The newscast is on but nobody really cares enough to look away from their food. The talking head is drowned out by low-key restaurant-esque jazz music and ambient dining room chatter. It smells delicious.  This is a memory. One for the books—a page for Malden’s collective unconscious.  Wynn Tran ran Pho99 for over two decades, and before that he didn’t […]