The South Coast Insider - February 2022

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Inside derr

FEBRUARY 2022 Vol. 26 / No. 2

Home sweet home

Romantic brunch

Women in arts

Cool events

Love potions

Now Leasing

DISCOVER WHY EXCITEMENT IS BUILDING IN FALL RIVER Find yourself in the midst of Fall River’s most up and coming location. Opening in February 2022, The Residences at River’s Edge are modern apartment residences just steps from an eclectic mix of waterfront dining, shopping, urban parks and more. Living here means you’ll also be just a short stroll from the new, highly anticipated Fall River Depot (opening in 2023), offering direct commuter service to and from Boston.

Unrivaled location, unmatched amenities • State-of-the art, new construction with an elegant, modern “edge” • Dedicated parking for each resident • Laundry in each residence • Spacious, open floor plans with waterfront views • Stainless steel kitchen appliances • Quartz countertops in kitchen and bathrooms • Secure lobby with intercom in each residence • Exercise room on site • Walking distance to Fall River Depot (opening 2023) • Pet friendly (small pets under 35 pounds)

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February 2022 | Vol. 26 | No. 2 Published by Coastal Communications Corp.

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Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Ljiljana Vasiljevic Editor Sebastian Clarkin

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Online Editor Paul Letendre Sales Manager Mari Burns (508) 916-0374

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Contributors Michael J. DeCicco, Steven Froias, Paul Kandarian, Tom Lopes, Brian J. Lowney, Sean McCarthy, Elizabeth Morse Read, Carissa Wills-DeMello

THE MOST AWARDED AND FASTEST GROWING

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With more than 20 Surgeons, 3 locations and over 5,000 procedures annually, our Center for Orthopedic Excellence is the area’s fastest growing orthopedic program. We are the first in Bristol County to receive The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal Certification for Knee and Hip Replacement and recognition as a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement.

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Our Center was first in the state to offer MAKOplasty robotic assisted surgery, is a leader in rapid rehabilitation and offers outpatient joint replacement. It’s no wonder more patients (and their doctors) are choosing our Center for Orthopedic Excellence.

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CONTENTS FEBRUARY 2022

COVER STORY

10

Artistic women

through time

By Michael J. DeCicco

16

A lovely brunch

By Brian J. Lowney

THINGS TO DO

6

18

A fabulous February

By Elizabeth Morse Read

In love with aphrodisiacs Carissa Wills-DeMello

BUSINESS BUZZ

12

Maximizing your home’s value

By Sean McCarthy

14

Star Store’s next act

By Steven Froias

ON MY MIND

22

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A fickle friend

the south coast

coastalmags.com

Inside derr

Home sweet home

FEBRUARY 2022 Vol. 26 / No. 2

The real estate market is hot!

But how will you finance that new Romantic brunch Women in arts kitchen, bathroom, Cool events Love potions or living room?

BayCoast Mortgage Company is ready to help you! So go ahead, dream about those home improvements, with a loan from BayCoast Mortgage Company. See how they may help you on page 12 or by visiting BayCoastMortgage.com

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5

THINGS TO DO

ENJOY A

Fabulous Februrary

February may be the shortest month of the year, but it’s jam-packed with celebrations and special events!

by Elizabeth Morse Read

F

ebruary 1 starts off with Chinese New Year celebrations (it’s the Year of the Tiger) followed

by February 2, America’s beloved (if goofy) Groundhog Day. Super Bowl Sunday is on February 13 this year, followed by Valentine’s Day on February 14. Don’t forget that it’s Black History Month, that there’s a school vacation week to plan for, and that Mardi Gras will be celebrated on March 1!

FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

Take the kids to see Monster Jam on February 4-6 at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence (dunkindonutscenter.com).

Watch the Festival Ballet Providence’s performance of “Goldilocks and the

6

Three Bears” at the Black Box Theatre February 5-20 (festivalballetprovidence.org).

Sharpen your ice skates (or rent them) at indoor skating rinks in Southeastern Massachusetts (fmcicesports.com/rinks), the huge outdoor rink (and bumper cars) in Providence (theprovidencerink.com), or the outdoor skating rink in Newport (gurneysresorts.com).

Enjoy free family fun and entertainment on the second Thursday of every month at New Bedford’s AHA Nights (ahanewbedford.org).

Treat the little ones to “Trolls Live!” at The VETS in Providence February 19-20 (vmari.com).

“Discover Buzzards Bay” offers an online portal with information about more than 100 public places to walk,

February 2022 | The South Coast Insider

bird-watch, kayak/canoe, fish, snowshoe or cross-country ski (savebuzzardsbay.org/ discover). You can find other outdoor recreation spots along the South Coast at thetrustees.org and massaudubon.org, asri.org, riparks.com, or stateparks. com/rhode_island.

Go on a guided Seal Watch boat tour with Save The Bay, departing from Bowen’s Ferry Landing in Newport through April (savebay.org/seals).

Get a glimpse of snowy owls and other migratory birds at the Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge in Middletown (fws.gov/ sachuestpoint)!.

Buy your tickets online for the indoor planetarium shows on Saturdays and Sundays year-round, and daily during school vacation

week (February 21-17) at the Museum of Natural History and Planetarium in Roger Williams Park in Providence!

For more details, go to provideneri.gov/museum.

CLASSICAL ACTS

Relax and listen to the “English Folk Song Gala: The Music of Grainger, Holst and Vaughn Williams,” performed by the Tri-County Symphonic Band, on February 13 at Old Rochester Regional HS in Mattapoisett (tricountysymphonicband.org).

Don’t miss the Fall River Symphony Orchestra’s Winter Concert on February 27 at Bristol Community College’s Jackson Theatre on February 27 (fallriversymphonyorchestra. org).

Listen to “Scheherazade!”

performed by the Rhode Island Philharmonic on February 11 and 12 at The VETS (riphil.org).

FOOD AND BREW

Celebrate American craft beers on February 5 at the Rhode Island Brewfest at the WaterFire Arts Center in Providence (ribrewfest.com).

Fill your baskets with local produce, baked goods and dairy products! To find a farm, vineyard, or winter farmers market near you, visit semaponline.org, coastalfoodshed.org, farmfreshri.org, or localharvest.org.

Show up hungry on February 12 and 13 for “VegFest RI” at the WaterFire Arts Center in Providence! Learn about a plant-based lifestyle, try the food, meet the vendors, chefs, authors, and more (rivegfest.com)!

TRY SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT

Check out the Northeast International Auto Show 2022 on February 4-6 at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence (providenceautoshow.com).

Then head for the Newport Car Museum in Portsmouth, which features sixty-plus vintage cars and driving simulators. For more info, call 401-848-2277 or visit newportcarmuseum.org.

Celebrate Black History Month by checking out the special events scheduled by the New Bedford Historical Society, like the Frederick Douglass Community Read-athon (nbhistoricalsociety.org).

Enjoy the Providence Children’s Film Festival on February 18-27 at various venues in Providence and Newport (providencechildrensfilmfestival.org).

Prepare your gardens for spring! Attend the Saturday Winter Lecture Series about the great gardens of the world with John Tschirch at Blithwold Mansion and Gardens in Bristol on February 4-25 or the workshop “Flower Power: Becoming a Better Flower Gardener” with Matt Mattus on February 5 (blithewold.org).

LISTEN TO THE MUSIC

Head for the Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River to hear Mike Dawes & Yasmin Williams February 2, Tom Rush February 18, Marcia Ball February 24 (narrowscenter. org).

Enjoy a Valentine’s Concert with Austin Burns and Michelle Gordon on February 13 at the whaling-era RotchJones-Duff House in New Bedford (rjdmuseum.org).

Find out who’s on stage at The District Center for the Arts in Taunton!

There’s Barefoot Rebel February 5, Draw the Line February 12, Rose Wharf Band February 19, and Dancing Dream February 25 (thedistrictcenterforarts.com).

Head for The VETS in Providence to hear Angelique Kidjo on February 13, and Dr. Jordan B. Peterson: Beyond Order on February 17 (vmari.com).

Find out who’s on stage at the Spire Center for the Performing Arts of Greater Plymouth! There’s Jay Psaros February 3, Shemekia Copeland February 4, Peter Wolf February 11-12, Tinsley Ellis February 18, Ali McGuirk February 24 and the Greg Abate Quartet February 26 (spirecenter.org).

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

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February 2022 | The South Coast Insider

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

Visit us February 10th for a Galentines Day Event

Head for the Zeiterion in downtown New Bedford to hear On A Winter’s Night on February 2, Grace Morrison February 17, and the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra’s “Hollywood Pops” February 19 (zeiterion.org).

On 2/10, from 2-5pm, we are hosting our annual Galentines Day party.

Store wide specials including John Medeiros collection, goodie bags, raffles and treats.

THE SHOWS MUST GO ON

Mark your calendar for the performances of “Tiny Beautiful Things” through

February 13 and “Gem of the Ocean” February 24 through March 27 at Trinity Rep in Providence (trinityrep.com).

Watch the film “Rushmore” on February 8 at the Zeiterion in downtown New Bedford (zeiterion.org).

Don’t miss a performance of “An Officer and a Gentleman” February 18-20 at the Providence Performing Arts Center (ppacri.org)!

BE PREPARED!

Many South Coast venues have reopened, but strict Covid-19 safety precautions apply – whenever you’re indoors, wear a mask and keep your distance, even if you’re fully vaccinated and boostered. Some venues may require proof of vaccination or negative Covid-19 test results. Always check the event/attraction’s website for Covid safety rules, ticket pre-purchase information, last-minute cancellation or scheduling changes and refund policy. And remember – if you don’t feel well that day, stay home!

LOOKING FORWARD TO MARCH

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Take a Polar Plunge for charity on March 5 at Nelson Memorial Park in Plymouth (jordanhospitalclub.org).

Don’t forget to change your clocks forward to daylight savings time on March 13!

Listen to “America,” part of the South Coast Chamber Music Series, at St. Gabriel’s Church in Marion on March 12 (nbsymphony.org).

Register now for the New Bedford Half Marathon on March 20, sponsored by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick (newbedfordhalfmarathon.org).

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COVER STORY

Artistic women T

THROUGH TIME

he New Bedford Whaling Museum is offering the perfect opportunity for people to see women's past contributions to South Coast society with its "Celebrating Women and Work" workshop. The program is on Zoom on Wednesdays January 26, February 2, 9, and 16 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and Thursdays January 27, February 3 and 17 from 9:30 a.m. to Noon. On Saturday, February 12 from 9:30 a.m. to Noon, the workshop will be conducted in-person at the museum.

“Lifelong learners are invited to join us for an eight-session program celebrating women's work,” explained Catherine Saunders, coordinator of the museum's "Lighting the Way: Historic Women of the SouthCoast" virtual exhibit, of which this program is an off-shoot.

Saunders said this will be a chance for attendees to explore treasures in the Whaling Museum's collection made by women, learn about women who succeeded in the traditional maledominated workforce, and see past women’s handiwork in the home.

She said this is the museum's first such program. Women over the age of 65 are encouraged to apply. Though the program

10

In advance of March being Women's History Month, it's time to see how the Women of the South Coast have contributed in the past and will contribute into the future.

is open to the general public, priority will be given to women who are part of the ARAW (Association for the Relief of Aged Women). The program is made possible through the participation of the ARAW and through its Community Partnership Grant funding. Advance registration is required; the fee is $15 for the eight sessions.

The program will include a presentation from Whaling Museum staff who will bring out treasures from the museum collection not on display that have been made by or used by women. On the in-person day (Saturday), attendees will visit the museum's exhibits with the help of docents who will point out items of interest from the women's perspective, such as mementos of the captain's wives who accompanied their husbands on whaling voyages. One example, she said, is the work of Marian Shaw Smith, who took some of the first photographs ever taken of whaling life.

Attendees will also meet with the museum librarian who will show them original papers of historic women from the museum collection. Once such woman, Edith Guerrier, taught immigrant women to make pottery as a way for them to make

February 2022 | The South Coast Insider

by Michael J. DeCicco

money. Guerrier compiled a notebook for their thank-you notes to her. Attendees will also be able to see original recipe books and do family recipe swaps.

Additionally, there’ll be a presentation from the Lowell Maritime History Park on women who worked in the textile industry and a visit to New Bedford's Fishing Heritage Center to explore its exhibit on "Women's Work on the Sea, On Shore, At Home, In the Community".

Saunders said the program has two goals. The first is to provide a meaningful program for older women who, especially under current COVID pandemic conditions, can be isolated and forgotten about. The program gives them the opportunity to share their own stories as well as hear of stories like theirs, she said.

The second goal, she added, is to "shine a woman's lens on the story of the South Coast."

FINDING FILMMAKING

In Fairhaven, you'll find a bright future star of the women of the South Coast.

Alyssa Botelho, a recent graduate of the film program at the University of Rhode Island, is already an award-winning filmmaker.

One of her first short films in high school was “A Normal Life”. You never see the narrator, and it's a sob story, she said. At the end, (spoiler alert!) the anonymous narrator is revealed to be a bird.

The film won first place in the short form category in the MA Organization of Video Educators state competition and an Honorable Mention New England Student Emmy Award.

In high school alone she won a total of three first-place awards from the state Organization of Video Educators and three Honorable Mentions from student Emmy awards.

But it's no boast when you consider her award-winning streak has continued beyond her college years. For college, she said, she chose a different route than most aspiring filmmakers, "as an underdog of sorts," she said.

"A lot of them go to Emerson College or the film schools in California,” she explained. “My aunt, who is involved in publishing, said I could be a big fish in a small pond rather than the other way around. So I became a URI major in film media and second major in business management."

At URI she earned a BA in Film Media and a BS/BA in Business Management, and there she completed her first real short film, “Junkie”, based on a true story of a drug addict who in the end finds inspiration to change through something unexpected: a conversation with a police officer.

Her second college-level production, “To Dust All Return”, became her next award-winner. It premiered at Fairhaven Town Hall in early October, and it was recently entered

for competition into the Shawna Shea Memorial Film Festival based in Sturbridge, where it won first place in the short Folk Horror genre.

Her latest film, “Seacrets”, another award-winner, was produced for a worldwide 48-hour Film Project competition As part of a team in Providence, she co-wrote and directed the film after being given a series of prompts: a character, a prop, a line of dialogue. Each team had 48 hours to write, film, and edit their entry using those prompts.

The film won first place awards in Best Acting and Audience Favorite, against 20 RI teams in the September 2021 competition. As a result,the film will represent RI in the 48-hour Film Project's World Wide Competition in Washington, DC, in March.

Also this past year, she served as a Production Assistant on “Space Oddity”, a film directed by Kyra Sedwick and starring Sedwick's husband Kevin Bacon and Alfie Woodward, and she was recently hired as a producer's assistant (a position with higher-level duties, she said) within Rob Goodrich's Walk Like A Duck Entertainment. Soon she'll be heading to New Mexico to shoot a film there for that company.

"I'm very grateful and excited for the chances I've had," she said.

She recalled that when she was a freshman at Fairhaven High School, she was struggling to find a focus. "I ran out as soon as the bell rang," she said. "I wasn't happy."

Choosing video production as a minor course in her freshman year "transformed me from someone who couldn't wait to leave school to someone who wanted to stay," she said. "The teacher, Drew Furtado, had to kick me out sometimes."

She said she enjoys filmmaking "because to me it's the most powerful form of storytelling there is. You give people a perspective they haven't had before. For those that have had the same experience that's on the screen, it's cathartic. There's nothing like sharing a story together in one room and feeling connected.

It reminds me of when I first started filmmaking in high school. I was pretty shy.

People started coming up to me after my film and said 'Wow!' or 'it made me laugh, cry!'. Filmmaking is a way of creating those connections with people."

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BUSINESS BUZZ

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the people and businesses on the South Coast. With low inventory in a very competitive real estate market, more people may be considering renovating their current home or adding an addition instead of buying a new house. BayCoast Mortgage can help provide the right financing for your project.

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February 2022 | The South Coast Insider

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The South February 2022 | The South Coast Insider 13 Coast I

BUSINESS BUZZ

Star Store’ s NEXT

Before 2022 gets into full swing, we should first acknowledge a milestone for the City of New Bedford which occurred in the fall of last year.

N

ot least because heading into 2022 and beyond, it will be a key barometer of the city’s central position in the region’s creative economy.

For many decades, Star Store defined downtown shopping and wove itself into the fabric of this community. Yet, just over 20 years ago, the physical structure at 715 Purchase Street assumed a new role – one of more profound consequence to the city and region.

In 2001, the vacant former Star Store was transformed into the urban satellite campus of the UMass Dartmouth College of Visual and Performing Arts, thereafter beloved anew as CVPA Star Store.

As CVPA Star Store enters its third decade, its impact on the cultural landscape is being evaluated once again with an eye toward where it’s been – and where it’s going. Nothing less than CVPA Star Store 2.0 is being envisioned to build

14

Star Store 2.0 will retain the core elements of what has made it successful, while embracing new fields of design study into the future. upon the solid legacy and achievements of the last twenty years even as the next twenty beckon.

The goal, says CVPA Dean Lawrence Jenkens, is to maintain the downtown campus as a vital hub of artistic achievement for the region. Star Store 2.0 will retain the core elements of what has made it successful, while embracing new fields of design study into the future.

February 2022 | The South Coast Insider

ACT

by Steven Froias

That means textiles will mix with virtual reality, and fine arts will brush up against gaming.

Looking ahead, Jenkens and UMass Dartmouth see a CVPA Star Store that drives design in all its forms in the region, just as the first twenty years of the school helped drive arts and culture in New Bedford and for the South Coast region.

Growing up together

Around the time CVPA Star Store was established, New Bedford was at the beginning of the creative renaissance that captures the city’s imagination to this day. Within a span of several years, The New Bedford National Historic Whaling Park, the New Bedford Art Museum, and AHA! New Bedford all sprung to life in downtown New Bedford.

“We all grew up together,” says AHA!

CVPA proposes that the Star Store Campus be transformed into a state-of-the-art facility for design and technology in the arts Director Lee Heald. She calls CVPA Star Store an important partner in that journey, and places the downtown campus into a much broader historical context.

“CVPA Star Store fits into the legacy institutions of design and learning have had in New Bedford,” she says. She references the former New Bedford Textile School as an apt example.

It opened its doors at 1213 Purchase Street around the turn of the 20th century. By century’s end, the building was repurposed after the textile school closed. A studio arts building housed in that space was put to use by Southeastern Massachusetts University (SMU), the forerunner of today’s University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, in 1988 after it absorbed the Swain School of Design. Swain itself enjoyed over a century of artistic life in the city.

Even more, Heald believes CVPA Star Store caught the arc of urban redevelopment at just the right time when it opened in 2001, as arts and culture and placemaking came to the fore and helped reinvigorate urban economies.

The next 20 years

Even as UMass Dartmouth CVPA Star Store celebrated its twentieth anniversary in September 2021, Dean Lawrence Jenkens was eagter to share the details of what the next twenty years in downtown New Bedford can look like.

The vision for tomorrow is referred to as Star Store 2.0 by UMass Dartmouth administrators, faculty, staff, and students.

Working in partnership with local and state government and the private sector, CVPA proposes that the Star Store

Campus be transformed intoTheir a state-ofthe region’s coastal charms. new property was afor former tomato farm, perthe-art facility design and technology fect for supporting theacouple’s newthat hobin the arts, essentially Design Hub by: raising chickens. will brand UMass as a destination school Fortunately for them, they had a knack for the visual and performing arts, and for it.Bedford Before too the Bishops New andlong, the South Coasthad as a more eggs than they knew what to do center for contemporary design across with. They began selling the surplus, and several in-demand industries. learning about how to expand the farm in Dean Jenkens says that a reimagining a healthy and sustainable way. of the Star Store campus is about To give anot sense of how successful addition, subtraction.

Naturally, this the expansion has been, thehave farm’s chicken popular galleries which welcomed population has ballooned origiso many visitors from nearfrom andthe far will nal 20 to over 3000. remain a feature of the building. It will still Whilethe herheavy husband has keptwhich his ITthe job, house equipment Ester has been able to commit herself building was designed for when it was to the farm full-time. It She herself on first redeveloped. willprides also continue to providing her animals with joyful, stresshouse facilities for CVPA’s ceramics and free lives.

“People should know where jewelry programs, including kilns, ovens, their food comes from – you can and metal fabrication equipment.really taste the difference,” said Bishop.

A second phase of redevelopment

into Star Store 2.0 will, though, allow Green acres the campus to accommodate so much Bishop’s commitment to “beyond ormore. Like showcasing new and existing ganic” farming extends beyond cuddles interdisciplinary programs such as the and words of affirmation to her livestock. collaboration between CVPA and the She ensures all the animals are provided College of Engineering to create a Game with healthy, organic meals, and that their Design program (in collaboration with waste is repurposed as manure.

MassDiGi).

“You can see how green the grass is And allowing the room for a design where the turkeys have been,” Bishop concentration which would include says. “That’s because they fertilize the graphic design, animation, game art, soil with their manure. Manure is the illustration, interior architecture, and basis of organic fertilizers. There are no fashion design. Additionally, the Star chemicals added, or needed, when the Store campus will provide a home for animals do their job.” the Music and Technology initiative, Speaking of animals doing their jobs, spotlighting CVPA’s commitment to the Bishop has conscripted her goats and intersection of the arts and technology pigs into clearing away swaths of underwhile making these pursuits available to brush on the property – the “gnarly vines” the public. that give the farm its name.

Star Store 2.0coordinates also outlineswith plans for Gnarly Vines neigha Design Incubator, providing young boring farms to provide its customers entrepreneurs opportunities with a variety ofaffordable sustainable and organic to build design businesses through will products. Angus beef, for instance, access office a smart sell out to almost asspace, soon as it comes into conference room, and most importantly, stock. access tofarm the students andby facilities of But the is not bound terrestrial CVPA’s design limitations: the programs.

Bishops have partnered LeeCaptain’s Heald sums up CVPA and the with Finest and Sakonnet plan by noting that it has helped Lobster to bring fresh seafood tocreate market. a Bishop different portrait of New Bedford is particularly proud of a new inifor over years now, built on a tiative attwenty the farm: food security commutraditional model of the economy of nity supported agriculture (CSA) plans.

New Bedford reflected in nationits textile CSAs, popularas among farms manufacturing heritage, which is also wide, allow customers to but pre-purchase something ofproduce, leaning into theare “shares” of capable the farm’s which future and embracing a variety of people to effect systematic change.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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The South February 2022 | The South Coast Insider 15 Coast In

A lovely COVER STORY

Brunch

by Brian J. Lowney

While there’s no doubt that February is certainly a frosty and frigid month, the one consolation is that that St. Valentine’s Day on February 14th is a special day where loved ones, family, and friends celebrate with colorful cards and hearts and deliver gifts of festive flowers, candy, and other presents to demonstrate their love, affection, and appreciation.

16

C

ouples often celebrate their love with champagne and a delightful dinner that culminates with a celebratory dessert and chocolate hand-dipped strawberries to mark the special day.

Fairhaven resident Cathy Melanson, who produces The Family Table, a monthly food-related feature on the town’s cable access television station, shares that a Valentine’s Day Brunch is the perfect way to enjoy a mid-winter family celebration that highlights good food, friendship, and laughter.

“This is an easy, fun menu that both adults and children will enjoy,” she begins. This year, because Valentine’s Day falls on Monday, a work and school day for many folks, the celebration is ideal for late Saturday or Sunday morning entertaining.

“These two brunch dishes are delicious and can be prepared the day before the

February 2022 | The South Coast Insider

gathering,” Melanson continues. “When you make the Baked Caramel French Toast with Bananas, the key is using brioche or challah bread. I like an ‘eggy’ or sweet bread. Both dishes will soon become family favorites.”

Brunch guests begin the festivities with a mimosa for the adults or cranberry juice with a splash of sparkling water for children and others who don’t imbibe.

“The children love it when I serve the juice in champagne glasses,” Melanson says. “It makes them feel very special.”

Another magical touch that the hostess likes to offer her guests is a platter of large chocolate-dipped strawberries.

“I drizzle some of them with melted white chocolate to add a little pizzazz,” she adds. “The grandchildren love the bright red, heart-shaped lollipops and the miniature strawberry muffins that I drizzle with a little icing for a festive touch.”

Melanson says that she’s always had a McGovern’s Family Restaurant passion forStreet, good food and baking.

310 Shove Fall River “I have four daughters and we all love to 508-679-5010 bake,” she observes. “We once owned mcgovernsonthewater.com Emma Jean’s Bakery, Candy House, This well-known restaurant and banand Ice Cream Parlor in and quet facility overlookingFairhaven Laurel Lake we had packs a lot ofthem fun and enjoyed usually in for a largemuch buffet

success.

I also trained several 1955 on the historic wharf thatstudents dates in chocolate presented to the 1700s,making isn’t all and about summer. demonstrations in local Last year they served upappliance a feast of stores. turkey, roast prime rib, sausage stuffing, and I keep very busy.” more.

The restaurant Melanson shares thecurrently followingoffers recipes dine-in and takeout, including ovfor a fun-filled Valentine’s Daysome brunch: en-ready dishes like seafood casserole and stuffed lobster.

on Thanksgiving Day. The menu typically includes traditional turkey dinner with White’s of Westport Paul’s stuffing, butternut squash, prime 66 State Road, Westport rib, ham, and much more. The restaurant 2 lbs. offering bulk pork sausage 508-675-7185 has been dine-in and takeout, 1/4 cup each sweet red corned and yellow shop.lafrancehospitality.com including its locally famous beefpeppers, green can be used as well and cabbage, for 50 years. Here’s a proWhite’s has been offering family-style tsp can’t yellow mustard tip: if2you wait until Thanksgiving for takeout and curbside meals pickup for 12 slices bread, crusthave removed a roast turkeywhite dinner, you don’t to – months, so when Turkey Day comes 1lb.the Shredded Swiss cheese it’s on regular menu. around, it’s a good bet they’ll have a han6 large eggs dle (or rather a drumstick) on that too.

4 cups milk Currently, the restaurant is offering meal Merrills on the Waterfront packages and platters like its “Taste of 1tsp Worcestershire sauce 36 Homers Wharf, New Bedford New England” that comes with chow1/8 tsp black pepper 508-997-7010 der, quahogs and clam cakes or its Italian 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg merrillswaterfront.com package of salad, lasagna, meatballs and 1/8 tsp salt This favorite restaurant and function breadsticks. Both meals serve six. Also facility sits on the waterfront overlooking available are dinner-for-two packs Day before serving, spray a 13x9" baking dish with nonstick cookingmeal spray.

In the busy fishing port. But if fish isn’t your like fish and chips, lobster rolls, bourbon a large skillet, sauté sausage and peppers until sausage is well-browned. Drain thing on traditional turkey day, be sure beef tips, and even kid-sized pasta and off fat.

Stirfor mustard into the sausage mixture.

Place aside. to keep watch their holiday offerings. meatballs for two. With more than 60 Arrange bread in bottom of baking Top with sausage mixture and Swiss Last year, Merrill’s served up turkey and dish.years in the hospitality industry, White’s cheese. prime rib, all the sides like apple sage is accustomed to cooking for a crowd.

In a large bowl, lightly beat eggs. Beat in milk, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, stuffing, and sweet corn and polenta ravinutmeg, and salt. Pour over layers in baking dish. Cover tightly and refrigerate oli, plus pies galore. overnight.

Next day, preheat oven to 350℉. Bake strata, uncovered, 40 to 50 minutes or Theuntil Pasta House center seems set and top is golden-brown. Let set for five to 10 minutes 100 Alden Road, Fairhaven and serve.

508-993-9913 First you’ll need to concoct cinnamon thepastahouse.net syrup. Mix ½ cup sugar, ½ cup water, If their Pumpkin Patch Old-Fashioned and aTOAST three-inch cinnamon stick in a FRENCH (nowTOPPING on the bar menu) doesn’t get you small pan.

Bring it just to a boil, turn off 3 eggs 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar inside, nothing will. Luckily, you can find the heat and let it cool. Remove the 6 tbsp. butter a recipe in the sidebar for this drink and 1/2 cup milk cinnamon stick and discard or use it to 1tsp. vanilla 1/3 cream serve it cup withwhipping your Thanksgiving dinner garnish the cocktail if you like. The syr1/4 tsp. salt 1tbsp. light corn syrup takeout up(3/4" will last forslices three challah weeks in the fridge.

6 to 8 thick) bread The Pasta House served up a spread To make the cocktail, fill a shaklast year that included dinner, ham or brioche 2 bananas, sliced turkey for topping er halfway with ice. Combine ¼ cup dinner, fillet mignon, braised short rib, pumpkin pureespray. with three ounces and more. pickup and delivery SprayCurrently, a 13 x 9" glass baking dish with nonstick cooking In a medium bourbon, two ounces maple syrup, is available from the regular menu, includsaucepan, combine all topping ingredients; mix well. Cook over medium heat¼ ounce cinnamon syrup, one ounce oring their apple cider sangria to go.

We’ll until smooth, stirring constantly, DO NOT BOIL. Spread topping in baking dish. ange liqueur, and two just have to wait and see what they dream Beat eggs in a shallow bowl. Add milk, vanilla, salt; beat well. Dip bread slices dashes orange bitup for in Thanksgiving. egg mixture, making sure all egg mixture is absorbed. Place bread slices ters. Shake well. over topping in a baking dish. Cover; refrigerate a minimum of eight hours or Fill two old fashTheovernight.

Wharf Tavern ioned glasses with To serve, preheat oven to 400℉. Uncover and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until 215 Water Street, Warren ice, pour in the bubbly and toast is golden brown. Let stand for three minutes. Invert onto a 401-289-2524 strained cocktail thewharftavernri.com large serving platter, (being very careful), scrape any extra caramel topping and garnish with a ontostuffed to the toast.

Topnibbled with sliced bananas. Serve immediately.

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The South Coast | November 2020 February 2022Insider | The South Coast Insider

19 17

THINGS TO DO

n i g n i Fall h t i w love

Aphrodisiacs

by Carissa Wills-DeMello

The elusive aphrodisiacs – everything from oysters to chocolate boast the moniker.

B

ut do they really exist? If so, how do they work? And where can I get my hands on them?! This is when an understanding of the way that plants work in our bodies can really come in handy. From the common to the exotic, there are many herbs that have an aphrodisiac quality to them. Kimberly Gallagher, author of Aphrodisiac: The Herbal Path to Healthy Sexualual Fulfillment and Vital Living defines an aphrodisiac plant as one that “cultivates and amplifies the flow of erotic source energy to fuel your vitality, ignite your creativity, and heighten your sexual fulfillment.”

Our sexual energy is our vital force, and as living beings, plants are key to stimulating, nourishing, and maintaining that vital force throughout our lives. It is that vital force that helps us create – whether that is sexually, or through art, music, dance, gardening. It’s within each of us regardless of age, gender, or relationship status. We could all use the

18

gentle, igniting power of aphrodisiac herbs in our lives, not only on Valentine’s Day but on the other 364 days, too. So light a candle, put on some sultry tunes, and let’s explore aphrodisiacs!

Ginger + cacao: circulatory stimulants

For any vital organ to work well, circulation is key. That is especially true of our sexual organs, which require the healthy flow of blood to enliven them! Ginger is a warming herb that enhances the “fire” in the body which invigorates our reproductive system.

It literally “brings the heat,” earning a strong reputation for bringing circulation to the pelvic area. Cacao on the other hand, while not fiery in the same way, is an energetically warming herb. It’s full of antioxidants that gently support circulation by dilating our vasculature.

We don’t need to get too creative here;

February 2022 | The South Coast Insider

enjoy chocolate by reaching for an organic brand, extra dark.

Oat tops + marshmallow: tissue nourishers

Just as we need the vibrant flow of blood throughout our body to feel enlivened, we also need tissues that can respond to this healthy blood flow.

We want to feel like flowing springs, not arid deserts, if you get my drift! Queue the “mucilaginous” herbs. Mucilage is a plant compound that sounds yucky and feels anything but. It’s a slippery nutrient that soothes, nourishes, and hydrates our tissues. Sounds nice, right? Oat tops specifically work to nourish frayed nerves and remediate exhaustion. With stress a major culprit of sexual havoc, oat tops are miraculous. Marshmallow on the other hand specifically nourishes our reproductive system. It has an affinity

for all along the urinary tract right down to the genitals, bringing moisture to the membranes that need it most. To best access that juicy mucilage, enjoy oat tops and marshmallow in a tea steeped for at least 15 minutes.

Rose + lemon balm: heart openers

Anyone in any sort of relationship knows that “open heart” feeling that leads to better communication, connection, and vulnerability. When our hearts feel open and free, we are better able to love ourselves and others. This is both a physical experience, of having a healthy heart, and an emotional experience, of feeling emotionally safe. “When I think of receptivity and an open heart,” explains herbalist Jenny Lee of Common Roots Botanicals, “I think of lemon balm and rose. They also feel really playful, making them a sweet addition to any aphrodisiac medicine cabinet.” Rose has been known since antiquity to soften and open the heart, allowing us to receive and experience love. Lemon balm, an easyto-grow garden herb, opens our heart by uplifting our spirit and easing nervous tension. The two are easily enjoyed under the tongue as tasty glycerite extracts as needed.

Passionflower + kava: calming nerves

If there ever were two plants that banish tension and welcome ease, it’s this tropical duo. Lucky for us New Englanders, they aren’t hard to access.

Just check out your local herb shop or mountainroseherbs.com. Herbalist Jenny Lee adds that “When considering herbal aphrodisiacs I think ‘relaxing and restoring.’ I think that the first step to relaxing is to be grounded in the present.

Nothing does that better than roots.”

Kava is a powerful calming root native to the South Pacific, used in traditional ceremonies to relax the body while awakening the mind. It’s known for supporting emotional openness and social connection, which might be just what you need for an impromptu date

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February 2022 | The South Coast Insider

19

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 night. Passionflower is a prolific vine, perfect for those who struggle with obsessive thinking. It helps you release tension and settle deeply into the present moment.

Ginseng + schisandra: reproductive tonics

Scientifically speaking, a reproductive system that is healthy and nourished is foundational to sexuality. So while herbs that cultivate reproductive wellness might not fall under the list of “fun” aphrodisiacs, they certainly are

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indispensable when it comes to erotic vitality. Ginseng has long been turned to as a strengthener of both male and female reproductive systems. It’s specifically looked to in ancient Chinese medicine to increase sexual function and energy. Pair ginseng with schisandra for a powerful synergistic effect. Schisandra is a tonic herb known world-wide for promoting longevity. It also regulates the function of the liver which is foundational to hormone balance.

Enjoy these deliciously sensual recipes to add a spark to your valentines, galentines, or any day that you’re needing to feel the love flow!

Love potions

Sweet Heart Truffles

Ginger, Cacao, Kava, Rose, Cinnamon, Coconut cream (full fat), Dark Chocolate Chips Simmer one can of coconut cream on low with 2 tbsp kava root and 2 tbsp rose petals for 20 minutes, being careful not to burn.

Pour hot coconut milk through a strainer over 2 cups of dark chocolate chips. Stir until melted, adding 2 tsp ginger powder and 1 tsp cinnamon powder as you mix. Add in flaxmeal, hazelnut meal, or coconut flakes for structure if you’d like.

Let set in fridge for 1-2 hours. Once set, scoop out mixture rolling to form balls. Dust outside with coconut powder, cinnamon, or powdered sugar to keep from sticking. Keep refrigerated and enjoy!

Lover’s Cordial

Schisandra (1 part), Ginseng (½ part), Kava (½ part), Hibiscus Petals (1 part), Damiana Leaf (½ part) Fill a pint-sized jar a quarter of the way full with your herbs. Cover your herbs with brandy or apple cider vinegar, leaving an inch or so of space at the top. Fill the remains of the jar with maple syrup or honey. Shake well and close tightly.

Steep your cordial for one month in a shady place. After that time strain out the contents and enjoy your cordial alone or as a sensual drink mixer!

Enamored Infusion

Rose Petals (2 parts), Lemon Balm (2 parts), Oat Tops (1 part) Passionflower (1 part), Marshmallow Leaf (1 part) Blend herbs and steep 1 tablespoon of blend per 8 ounces hot water. Let steep in a covered vessel for 15 minutes. Enjoy in the evening with a good scoop of local honey.

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February 2022 | The South Coast Insider

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ON MY MIND

A fickle friend

by Paul Kandarian

In the ongoing saga, The Aging of America, we bring you the latest chapter, “If It’s Not One Thing, It’s Arthur.”

I

’ve got arthritis in my, well… pick a body part, any part, be it north, south, east or west, I guarantee you’re right.

And one place in particular are my knees, the right one worse than the left. But for the last year or so, that’s largely gone away, oddly, with very little pain which leaves Arthur (I call it that because my Dad was a master of malapropisms and called it “Arthuritis”), to just take up residence in another location and make that part and me miserable.

It’s truly bizarre: when my knee hurts, my shoulder doesn’t. When my shoulder does, my knee doesn’t. Nice that Arthur is such a caring and sharing soul, isn’t it?

But in the last several months, I got what I thought was “a floating body” in my knee, not to be confused with that horrific scene in War of the Worlds where Dakota

22

Fanning sees a ton of them bobbing past her on a river.

This floating body – cartilage, bone, a piece of an old hockey puck, who knows – has found a home in my knee, or so it feels. Somewhere in my knee. I know not where.

I just know that at random moments, it furtively wiggles into the bendy part and locks it up and I don’t even know it until I try to straighten my leg out and I scream like someone stuck a white-hot knife into the joint.

That happened on a set most recently on a film where I played a 19th-century British naval captain during the War of 1812. I was sitting alone in a room we were going to shoot in and straightened out my leg and screamed like a banshee when it locked up and people ran in assuming I’d been shot by pirates or something. I mean, they could’ve heard me

February 2022 | The South Coast Insider

all the way to the UK, it hurt that much.

A few minutes later whatever caused it dissipated and I walked around like nothing happened, like that white-hot knife to the knee never happened. Arthur, you fickle minx.

So I made an appointment with my ortho doc at New England Baptist, and that’s how you can tell you’re of a certain age: you have Medicare and a steady ortho doc. This woman also treats Arthur in my shoulder, which at any given time feels like an alligator is gnawing it with great, slow, savoring intensity.

They take x-rays, my doc comes in and says the same thing she says about my shoulder: “You need to have that replaced. There’s nothing left there, it’s bone on bone,” ruling out my medical opinion

of floating bodies ravaging my joints.

She also said she can’t believe I’m not in a whole lot more pain, given the severity of the deterioration and the fact there is technically no cartilage left, which is of course because Arthur eats cartilage like mosquitos suck blood.

So now I’m on a mission, and after obtaining various advanced degrees from The Google University School of Medicine, I feel qualified to try anything, up to and including a voodoo doll with bad knees.

In other words, acupuncture.

I’ve heard a lot of good things about it but there’s a caveat: trying to find a provider who’ll take insurance.

The ones I’ve called are small operations and don’t have the means to leap through insurance hoops, notably Medicare turning down the

claim only to bounce it to the supplemental insurance carrier, notably making yet another case why American health care sucks.

Thankfully, we live in an area with arguably the best medical care on the planet, so I turned to the Graduate School of Medical Education – Facebook – for advice from friends and got tons of docs I can hit up for a second opinion.

I will do that, of course, fully aware of the futility of that because Arthur is eating my cartilage like a fat man at an all-you-can-eat buffet, chomp

by chomp, and that well-fed alligator will just move from joint to joint until there’s nothing left but a clattery pile of bone on bone covered in the slack body suit of flesh that used to be young and hale and hearty and didn’t hurt from just being. Nothing else. Just being.

And then The Aging of America will be done with the final installment: “Med School Cadavers: The Last Volunteer.”

For now, pass the ibuprofen and fetch the ice pack. Take that, Arthur, you fickle minx.

Hawthorn Medical Welcomes

Kimberly Lewis, MD Family Medicine

Dr. Lewis is a graduate of the University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston McGovern Medical School where she completed a residency in Family Medicine. She will be seeing patients of all ages (newborn through geriatrics) and has special interest in adolescent, young adult, and LGBTQ+ health.

508-996-3991 Welcoming new patients.

531 Faunce Corner Road | Dartmouth, MA www.hawthornmed.com

February 2022 | The South Coast Insider

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Most Awarded Dispensary IN MASSACHUSETTS MEDICAL & ADULT USE 21+

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February 2022 | The South Coast Insider

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