Meet Me in Medford | Page Buldini, Neighborhood Ambassador

By 4Squares Residential Group with Judi 411

Business Owner, Community Connector, and Hillside Neighborhood Ambassador

Page Buldini is a natural-born connector.

Whether she's introducing neighbors to one another, helping a business owner find the right opportunity, connecting a resident with a city resource, or cheering on the next generation of local entrepreneurs, she has a knack for bringing people together. It's an instinct that shows up in every corner of her life—from Page Aesthetics to the Medford Chamber of Commerce to her role as the Hillside Neighborhood Ambassador.

For Page, community isn't just about where you live. It's about making sure people feel seen, supported, and connected to one another. That philosophy has made her a familiar face across Medford—and a passionate advocate for the city she proudly calls home.

What brought you to Medford, and what made you decide to stay?

I’m originally from Holliston, and I met my husband at Fenway, which feels very fitting, given the great run the Red Sox have had recently. I went to Emmanuel College, so I was already spending a lot of time around Fenway, and one of my best friends worked at a concession stand there. We would go visit him, and there was this cute beer guy. The rest is history.

My husband and I got together in 2007, and in 2010, I moved into the house on Winter Street where he grew up. Now our daughter is growing up in the same house her dad grew up in, which is really wonderful.

We co-own the house with my oldest brother-in-law, and during COVID, we were especially grateful for that setup. Our daughter was almost two, and her cousin was about six months younger, so we became our own little pod. I honestly don’t know what we would have done without each other.

The whole street has that kind of feeling. We babysit each other’s kids, and now some of the kids who were little when we moved in are old enough to babysit ours. There are still second- and third-generation families living in many of the homes. We’re really lucky. We love it here.

What do you love most about the Hillside neighborhood?

If you ask my husband what neighborhood he grew up in, he probably wouldn’t say the Hillside. He’d say they were their own little neighborhood near the Mystic River. But to me, everything from Boston Avenue down to the river — the Hillside Extension if you will — is a really special part of the city.

You can get almost everything you need right here. You can stop at Trove Green Provisions for books and home goods, get coffee at Tamper Cafe or at Tasty Cafe, pick up a bagel or breakfast sandwich at Goldilox, and then head down to the Condon Shell or the Farmers Market. Tamper even has Vinyl Night on Wednesdays now, with beer, wine, food, and music. It’s incredible.

During COVID, when we couldn’t really gather, a group of us with little kids would walk the path along the river every night. We might have had a cocktail with us, but we were walking. That became our routine.

I love the Middlesex Fells, and I love the Brooks Estate, but sometimes people forget how much we have right here. You can walk the path, go to a concert, visit local businesses, and cross the bridge into Medford Square. 

It’s this great little neighborhood that I feel like we all know about, but maybe the rest of the city doesn’t fully appreciate yet.

What inspired you to become a Medford Neighborhood Ambassador?

The minute I saw the application, I thought, yes. One hundred percent.

I live here, I work here, and my daughter attends Missituk Elementary School, which we absolutely love. I already spend a lot of time connecting with residents, business owners, and city employees, so becoming an ambassador felt like a very natural fit.

Communication is tricky. The mayor, the elected officials, and city employees all have a lot on their plates. Sometimes a resident has what seems like a small question about a pothole, a tree, or who to call, but those questions add up. Having someone who can give that issue a little more attention can go a long way.

We’re not going to fix your parking ticket, and we’re not going to come trim your tree, but we can give you the phone number. We can connect you with the right department or help you figure out where to start.

That’s what I hope the ambassadors can be: a conduit between residents, business owners, and the city.

I also love that the ambassadors bring different viewpoints. We don’t all have to agree. In fact, we shouldn’t. If we’re all thinking exactly the same way, we’re probably not going to make much progress. What matters is that everyone wants the best for Medford and the people who live here.

Taking care of people seems to connect many of the roles you’ve taken on. Tell us a little about that.

I think that’s really what ties everything together. I just like taking care of people.

I opened Page Aesthetics because I love skincare and I believe it can be simple. We literally provide skin and care. It doesn’t need to be more complicated than that.

Over time, my business became much more focused on hair removal. People come into the salon, lie down on my table, and trust me when they may already be feeling vulnerable or awkward. Whether someone is coming in for a bikini wax, laser hair removal, or another treatment, I want them to know they can be themselves. I’m not trying to change anyone. I’m simply removing whatever they don’t want.

I’ve also had the privilege of becoming a trusted provider for clients who are transitioning. I realized I was a tiny little part of that process for some people, and I wanted to make sure I was educated about how hormones, surgery, and other treatments can affect hair growth and removal. Being able to provide a safe space for gender-affirming hair removal is such an honor.

My business has also given me the opportunity to support other solo estheticians. I originally built the salon thinking I would have employees, but after the pandemic, I started renting rooms instead. A number of people have come through, built their businesses, and moved on to their own spaces. I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a mentor, but I’m proud that Page Aesthetics has been a place where people could figure things out.

That same instinct shows up in the other work I do. I’m president-elect of the Medford Chamber of Commerce, I serve on the Community Development Board, and I chair the Chamber’s Women & Minority-Owned Business Committee. I also support the arts and help with sponsorships for Medford Youth Girls Softball.

Another project that's especially meaningful to me is Run Medford. I had the opportunity to help connect Run Medford with our PTOs and schools to strengthen our partnership. Seeing students, families, runners, local organizations, and businesses come together while raising money for Medford's PTOs is exactly the kind of community collaboration I love. I'm incredibly grateful to Dave McGillivray, DMSE Sports, and the entire Run Medford team for their commitment to giving back to Medford.

It all fits together in a funny way. Whether I’m working with a salon client, another business owner, a neighborhood resident, or someone at City Hall, I’m usually trying to connect people with what they need.

Photos, from upper left: view of Medford, by local photographer Michael Last; the Medford Chamber of Commerce; Buldini's Hillside shop; Buildini and her family. Above portrait and all photos courtesy of Page Buldini.

What are some of your favorite places and experiences in Medford?

I’m obsessed with the Voke.

Medford Vocational Technical High School is such an incredible resource, and I don’t think everyone realizes how much is happening there. I’ve been to the bistro, which is fantastic, and I’ve worked with the graphic design students through Medford Youth Girls Softball. We needed banners printed for our sponsors, so we went to the Voke. Some of the students had played softball themselves, and then they got to see the banners they created hanging at the field for the younger girls. That kind of connection is so cool.

I'm also continually inspired by the educators and instructors at the Voke. The care they put into preparing students, the opportunities they create, and the partnerships they build with our local business community are remarkable. They deserve so much credit for everything they're doing.

There are also so many opportunities for local businesses to support and mentor Voke students. Someone can show a student how to use Square, work with clients, or handle some of the day-to-day tasks of running a business. These are skills many of us have learned along the way and can now share.

I also love the Medford Room at the Medford Public Library, the Condon Shell, the Farmers Market, the river path, and all the businesses around the Hillside and Medford Square.

There is so much here. You could do a nine-part series on everything I love about Medford.

What would you tell your best friend if they were considering a move to Medford?

You need to live here.

Medford is evolving, and that’s exciting, but it still has so much character. We have a rich history, incredible neighborhoods, a growing local business community, and people working really hard to think about what the city can become.

I see this vision taking shape through my work with the Chamber of Commerce and the Community Development Board. We’re thinking about how to strengthen our business districts, create more reasons for people to visit, and find creative ways for people to stay in the city as their lives change.

But the biggest thing is that people here in Medford take care of each other.

There are people quietly coaching teams, sponsoring events, supporting the arts, volunteering on boards, mentoring students, checking on their neighbors, and stepping in when someone needs something. It isn’t always publicized, but it’s happening all the time.

That’s what makes Medford special. There’s a lot of neighborly love here, and people really do have each other’s backs.

Have a question or an idea?

As the Neighborhood Ambassador for Medford's Hillside neighborhood, Page Buldini is passionate about connecting residents with the people, resources, and information that help our community thrive. Whether you have a question about City resources, want to share an idea, or simply want to get more involved in your neighborhood, she'd love to hear from you.

You can reach Page at pagebuldini@gmail.com.

Meet Me in Medford is one of the ways 4Squares Residential Group celebrates the people, places, and everyday connections that make this city feel like home.

As we continue to highlight Medford's Neighborhood Ambassadors, we'll also keep introducing you to the local business owners, volunteers, artists, educators, community builders, and neighbors who help shape life here in ways both large and small.

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