features 

(22-AUG-25) At Two Friends Chocolates, chocolate is not just a treat. It’s an art form, carefully crafted by owner and chocolatier, Lavanya (“Lala”) Selvaraj. 

Selvaraj opened Two Friends Chocolates at 629 Massachusetts Ave in Boxborough in 2020 after starting the business in her Boxborough home in 2016. The business has been the recipient of two Boxborough local business grants and has evolved from making chocolates and hot cocoa to serving up hot and cold “drinking chocolate” as well as “sparkler” cold fruit drinks. 

Boxborough News reached out to Selvaraj to learn more about her chocolate-making process from idea to shelf. 

Boxborough News: How do you come up with ideas for new chocolates?

Selvaraj: “As makers, we thrive on bringing unique products to market—never replicating what already exists. We always listen to our customers’ needs, using their ideas as sparks of inspiration that guide us back to the drawing board, where we creating something entirely our own. For instance, when many asked us for a caramel-based treat, we didn’t just release another caramel - we developed our Caramel Barrels, a fresh concept built from the ground up. Similarly, while the viral Dubai bar has been widely replicated, we made a conscious decision not to follow that trend. Instead, we challenged ourselves to go above and beyond, creating a truly original offering: the Pistachio Kunafa Mendiant, with a never-before-seen flavor and design profile. Ideas ignite the process—but our craft lies in transforming those ideas into distinctive, original creations.”

Boxborough News: When you have an idea for a new flavor, how do you test it out before deciding to sell it? And how long do you typically work on creating a new product before it's ready to sell?

Selvaraj: “Before an idea becomes a flavor, and a flavor becomes a product, it goes through multiple rounds of creation, tasting, and refinement. The timeframe for this process varies, depending entirely on the complexity of the flavor, the ingredients involved, and the product itself. Some creations come to life quickly. For example, our Pistachio & Cranberry became a product almost exactly as it was imagined. Others, like our Rose & Tahitian Vanilla, went through several stages of development, each round fine-tuned until our team finally declared it ‘charming and elegant.’ At the heart of it all, our bottom line remains the same: a product only reaches the market after it has passed rigorous market testing, quality checks, and taste trials. Nothing less makes the cut.”

Boxborough News: Are all your chocolates made at your retail store location in Boxborough? 

Selvaraj: “Yes, all our chocolates are handcrafted at our main location in Boxborough. We also operate a dedicated studio in Markham, Ontario, to serve our Canadian market. At the moment, I personally handle all aspects of the chocolate crafting. I’m supported by a dedicated six member team who efficiently manage our retail shop, drinks hangout, extensive packaging operations, and the many behind-the-scenes processes that make everything possible.”

Boxborough News: What's the process for making truffles? How long does the process take? How many truffles do you make in each batch?

Selvaraj: “The handcrafting truffles is a meticulous multistep process. From hand-painting the molds, to crafting fresh batches of chocolate ganache, molding, and detailing- truffle crafting is split between a few days. Our batch sizes range from a minimum of 250 units to over 1000 units/ day depending on the season.”

Boxborough News: How many different kinds of ingredients are in an average truffle? Where do you get your ingredients?

Selvaraj: “Our Truffles are crafted using premium Belgian chocolate and other high-quality ingredients - locally sourced whenever possible. Each creation is guided by its unique signature flavor profile, so the exact number and type of ingredients can vary widely. We source our ingredients from carefully selected suppliers. We source our very popular bar packaging from an exclusive papermaker in Florence, Italy.”

Boxborough News: How often do you make more product? Are you making new chocolates every day? 

Selvaraj: “We restock our chocolates on an as-needed basis to ensure absolute freshness. With both our chocolate shop and a steady stream of wholesale orders to fulfill, chocolate crafting is part of our daily routine. That rich, decadent aroma that greets you when you step into the shop? It’s the result of our ongoing chocolate-making process happening right in the studio—freshly made, every single day.”

Boxborough News: What are your most popular chocolates?

Selvaraj: “Chocolates are always the most popular!! Throughout the year, we create a curated selection of seasonal specials—delicate Fall leaves, Halloween pops, special truffle boxes and Bar packages for Thanksgiving. The shop transforms into a winter wonderland for Christmas, a celebration for New Year's, and is filled with hearts for Valentine’s Day. We walk into Spring right after; we have a fan following for our Easter eggs and Mother’s Day Truffle Collection and more. So yes, our chocolates are popular, and so are our signature French-inspired chocolate drinks, whether it’s a cozy indulgence in winter or a refreshing treat in summer.”

Two Friends Chocolates is located in the Middlesex Bank Plaza at 629 Massachusetts Ave.  The retail shop is open Wednesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. 

(21-Aug-25) During the summer of 2024, Boxborough resident Jim Rober contacted Boxborough News about volunteering to help with photography. An award-winning photographer, Jim has an extensive portfolio that includes landscapes, portraits, events, and news. He recently earned his press credentials with the International Association of Press Photographers. 

Jim first became interested in photography at age 12 when his parents bought him a Kodak Instamatic camera. Rober says that he started just taking “goofy” photos and having fun. In high school, a teacher offered him an opportunity to learn how to develop photos in the dark room, and that really piqued his interest in the art of photography. His parents then bought him a 35mm camera, and he started experimenting, taking detailed notes that included which settings he used for each photo so that he could learn how the camera worked.

As a teen he received an Ansel Adams book as a gift, which inspired him to explore the art further. He began taking classes at Bridgewater State University, focusing on film, television, and theater. He was hoping to become the next Oliver Stone (an award-winning movie director). On campus, he had his own TV show called “Wide Angle.”

While at Bridgewater State, Jim earned first place in the Boston Globe Photo awards for a black and white photograph of two Sycamore trees titled “Outnumbered.”  A few years later, he entered another photo in the Globe contest that showed Birch trees hanging over a house, titled “Shadows,” and won third place.

In 1993, Jim took a photo at Mass Maritime Academy during a snow squall. The sun was setting and both bridges took on a gold tone reflection in the water. He showed the photo to his father, who named it “Bridge Over Tranquil Waters.” Jim entered the photo in the Rockland Trust Bank Art Show and won an award. Another family member displayed the photo in his office, where it was admired by many of his co-workers who asked about purchasing a copy.  That was his entry into professional photography.

Jim furthered his photography studies in an eight-week course at Stonehill College. The focus of that class was portraiture. He learned about lighting and how to pose a subject. After he completed the course, he invested in lighting equipment and a 2 ¼ format digital camera. At that point, Jim began shooting in digital format exclusively.

When asked what his favorite subjects are to photograph, Jim listed many: people, horses and equestrian events, fireworks, and nature. Jim is particularly drawn to waterfalls, noting how “each is unique.” And he loves shooting fall foliage. About a year ago, he began exploring astrophotography. He finds that Boxborough and Harvard provide many opportunities to photograph the stars.

Jim’s photos have been published in the Brockton Enterprise, the Patriot Ledger, and in several corporate publications and regional magazines. He lived in Brockton for many years and served on the Board of Directors for Brockton Community Cable. Jim’s interest in photo journalism led him to pursue certification with the International Association of Press Photographers. Early in 2025, Jim applied to the Association by providing a portfolio, submitting to a background check, and indicating his area of interest (lifestyle and magazine). A few weeks later, Jim was approved and granted a press ID that allows him access to newsworthy events.

Boxborough News asked Jim if he had any advice to aspiring photographers. He responded, “Figure out what you like to shoot, read books…start with a medium-priced camera…matching the camera’s capabilities to what you want to shoot…” Consider  “what you’re drawn to…look, study it, close your eyes, how do you see the image…You have control over how you want the shot to look.” To learn more about Jim and view a sample of his portfolio, visit his website: roberphotography.com 

(24-July-25) On Saturday July 19 the Ask Me Fair was held at the Sargent Memorial Library. This recurring event, presented by Open Door Theater and Think Outside the Vox, with support from the Mass Cultural Council and Acton-Boxborough Community Compass, was a chance for community members to meet people with different backgrounds and experiences to improve their understanding of fellow community members who have experienced marginalization.  This year there were roughly 30 participants, including children, teenagers, young adults, and seniors, mainly from Boxborough and Acton. One family came all the way from Shanghai!

The fair was first created in 2019, when a student from Blanchard experienced hate speech by a fellow student directed to her because she is Jewish. The affected student and her mother, Sam Gould, who runs Open Door Theater, decided to use this as an opportunity to educate other people in the community about their differences and hopefully improve understanding and appreciation for the uniqueness we all carry within us.

According to the Open Door Theater website, “The Ask Me Fair provides safe spaces for intentional and respectful conversations that will promote empathy, acceptance and tolerance while dispelling stereotypes and fear of those who are different. We hope that the unfamiliar can become known and understood through thoughtful questions and answers; and that people of different backgrounds and experiences can educate, learn from, and appreciate each other.” This year, there were five presenters: Via, Jae, Kwaku, Mona, and Evvy. The presenters and attendees all gathered in the large meeting room of the library, where Gould introduced the presenters and then sent them to individual meeting spaces in other parts of the library. Attendees were divided into groups and given 15 minutes to meet with each presenter and ask questions. 

Via is a Hard of Hearing producer, artist, and activist with a background in public relations, events, and accessibility. They use they/she pronouns. She is the marketing and communications manager for Think Outside the Vox (Vox) and presents music shows at the Museum of Science Planetarium. They identify as queer, Latinx, and communicate with English and ASL. Via said they grew up in New Jersey, but came to Boston for college and graduated Boston University in 2022. She joined Vox in early 2024, where she does marketing, access coordination and learned open captioning.  

Jae is a veteran of the Ask Me Fair, having participated every year since the first event. Jae, who also goes by Nala, is a queer trans nonbinary neurodivergent Asian American. Adopted from Southern China and raised in Acton, they are an illustrator, costume designer, actor, diversity and cultural consultant, and advocator for diversity and positive representation of minority groups in the media. 

Jae identifies as multi-marginalized. Kwaku, who was born in Ghana, is a Blind musician, teacher, and audio describer. He mentors blind/low-vision youth, writes poetry with the Boston Blackseed Writers, and recently performed his show Beyond the Blackbox, an all original Afro-fusion/spoken word show in a dark black box to educate the audience on blind-centered culture. When talking to Kwaku, it is quickly apparent that he has a deep love for music. He graduated this year from Berklee College of Music, where he studied many formats. He also embraces spoken word poetry and is starting to think about how to combine his poetry and music interests.  

Dr. Mona Minkara is legally blind. She is a bioengineering professor and PhD researcher with her own laboratory. Mona has traveled the world unassisted, using only public transportation, gone on a space flight, advocates for disability inclusion in space, conducted experiments in zero-gravity, and so much more. Mona said her primary interest is “the why of things.” She grew up on the south shore of Boston as a Muslim woman who lost her sight quite suddenly at the age of 7. She was playing with her toys, and suddenly they weren’t there anymore because of macular degeneration. Because of her love of science, she completed a PhD in chemistry and is now conducting a project to model lung molecules, which have a unique ability to fight disease.  

(11-July-25) On Saturday, June 21, friends and neighbors gathered to celebrate the spirit of Boxborough at the 57th annual Fifer’s Day festival, hosted by the Boxborough Minutemen Company and the Public Celebrations and Ceremonies Committee (PCCC). The day started with the 40th annual traditional four-mile “Fifer’s Four” road race, with 46 finishers. In the men's division, Vasili Kariolis won the race with a time of 20:55. In the women's division, Kate Warwick won the race with a time of 26:01.

The Fifer’s Day parade stepped off from Blanchard at 11 a.m. and proceeded down Massachusetts Avenue before turning left on Stow Road down to Flerra Meadows. Spectators along the route waved to fire trucks, local scouts, the Boxborough Minutemen, the Blanchard band, and others.  At Flerra, PCCC Chair Jennette Kollmann announced the recipient of this year’s Golden Fife award, John Markiewicz, and this year’s Parade Marshal, Kirby Dolak of Littleton Community Television. Kollman also recognized two students from Blanchard Elementary chosen to represent two of Boxborough’s historical figures, Luther Blanchard and Lucy Hager. 

The traditional volleyball tournaments began soon after and proceeded through most of the afternoon, with enthusiastic players and spectators. There were twelve volleyball teams across two divisions (Open and Players). “Wicked Squicken” won the Open playoff for the second year in a row; “Team Bodacious” won the Players playoff.

Festival-goers enjoyed plenty of food and drink throughout the afternoon; the Minutemen reported going through 150 sausage subs, 350 burgers, 150 hot dogs, 150 chicken sandwiches, and 200 pounds of potatoes for fries. Unused potatoes, onions, rolls, mustard, ketchup, and cooking oil were donated to the Acton Food Pantry. The Minutemen estimated “as many as a thousand or more” in attendance throughout the day. 

Other highlights included the live music, UCC Boxborough’s famous strawberry shortcake, choosing a white “Fifer’s Day 250” t-shirt, and a corridor of almost 80 booths by local businesses, artisans, nonprofits, and volunteer groups.

"We had beautiful weather for Fifer's Day this year, and a great turnout,” said Minuteman Lieutenant Rich Grady. “‘It takes a village’ to bring all the facets together -- the Minutemen, the Town, volunteers, musicians, crafts people, and more -- and it brings out the village vibe that makes Boxborough special.”

(20-JUN-25) Boxborough will gather to celebrate the 57th Annual Fifer’s Day at Flerra Meadows tomorrow, Saturday, June 21. The festivities include a road race, a parade, a volleyball tournament, and an old-fashioned fair with food, music, and booths. The event is jointly sponsored by the Boxborough District Minutemen Company and the Town of Boxborough's Public Celebrations and Ceremonies Committee. 

The Fifer’s Day tradition goes back to 1967, when the newly-formed Boxborough District Minutemen Company celebrated the first “Fifer’s Festival” to commemorate local contributions to the American Revolution. While the town of Boxborough did not exist during the American Revolution, namesake fifer Luther Blanchard lived in the portion of Littleton that later became Boxborough. 

Here’s what to expect:

Road Race: The Fifer’s Four Mile Road Race begins at 9:30 a.m. at the entrance to Flerra Meadows on Stow Road. The wheel-measured course will cover a four mile flat run through Boxborough. Trophies will be awarded to female and male runners in each of seven age divisions. A free Fifer’s Day T-shirt will be given to the first 100 entrants. Individual registration fee is $25 by June 18 and $30 after that date and on the day of the race (maximum payment per family is $60). 

Parade: The parade begins at 11 a.m. at the Blanchard School and ends at Flerra Meadows, the location of the day’s fair and volleyball tournament. The parade will be led by the parade marshal, a person chosen because they have done something exceptional for the town. At the end of the parade, the Golden Fife Award will be presented to a Boxborough resident who has demonstrated long-term volunteer service to the town.

Volleyball Tournament: This year, the tournament will start at 12:30 p.m. There will be three co-ed brackets: Open, Players, and Backyard. The Open bracket is intended for teams of "serious" volleyball players who play or compete on a regular basis. The entry fee is $80 per team; a $200 cash prize and trophies will be given to the first place team. The Players bracket is for teams with some volleyball experience, who may be or have been competing in volleyball league play. The entry fee is $70, and trophies will be given to the first place team. Backyard bracket is intended for teams of neighbors and friends who do not regularly play or compete in volleyball. The entry fee is $60 per team. 

Fair: Eat, drink, chat with neighbors, and visit the booths. Starting at noon, hamburgers, hot dogs, BBQ chicken, sausage, soft drinks, beer and hard cider will be available for purchase. Enjoy live music by The Rocky Woods Express and Final Mile. Peruse more than fifty booths and exhibits by both commercial and non-profit organizations, and enjoy plenty of kids’ activities, including a bouncy castle. 

For more information or to register for the road race or volleyball tournament go to http://fifersday.org.