South Coast Insider - February 2011

the south coast February 2011 / Vol. 15 / No. 2

coastalmags.com

Love is everywhere

Understanding aphrodisiacs

Things to Do Celebrate our parks Happy V-Day!

Click to find love online

Wine Notes What’s that smell?

Thoughtful wedding gifts

Happenings that you’ll love!

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Contents In Every Issue

5 6

From the publisher

24

On my mind: Shooting stars

by Paul E. Kandarian

22

Book Picks

by Magoo Gelehrter

37

Tarot-Scopes

by The Celtic Cricket and Duir Kell

WORDS

30

Ideal for: Law Offices or Social Services/ Psychologist/ Therapist Off-street parking

32

Groundhog daze

by Sara Feijo

Love is a click away

by Cara Conelly Pimental

26 34

14

Thoughtful gifts

by Elizabeth Morse Read

38

17

20

Love potions?

by Elizabeth Morse Read

Plan for love

by Mali Lim

Island insights

by Stephen C. Smith

THINGS TO DO

10

Wine whiffs

by Alton Long

BUSINESS

COVER STORY

8

by Richard T. Clark

WINE NOTES

140 Purchase St., • Fall River, MA

What’s in a word?

Go park-ing

by Lori Bradley

Happy V-Day!

by Sara Feijo

Happenings: February fun

Last WORD

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God, parents need help

by Michael Vieira

ON THE COVER Talk about cold reality. Ava & Maxwell Cabana built a snowman, and then discovered that he needed a heart. Photo by Sheila Oliveira.

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February 2011 / The South Coast Insider

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2011 Greater New Bedford Home & Garden Show

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Sunday, March 6 10 am - 4 pm

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The South Coast Insider / February 2011

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February 2011 / The South Coast Insider

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FROM THE PUBLISHER February 2011 / Vol. 15 / No. 2 Published by Coastal Communications Corp.

February may be short and infamously cold, but it’s filled

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Ljiljana Vasiljevic

with interesting things, from Groundhog Day and Chinese New Year to Valentine’s Day and Presidents Day. It’s the

Editors Joe Murphy Michael J. Vieira, Ph.D.

month of love—and it’s Black History Month.

This issue is also full of cool and fun things to do.

Contributors Lori Bradley, Richard T. Clark, The Celtic Cricket, Duir Kell, Sara Feijo, Magoo Gelehrter, Paul E. Kandarian, Mali Lim, Alton Long, Cara Connelly Pimental, Elizabeth Morse Read, Stephen C. Smith, and Michael Vieira The South Coast Insider is published monthly for visitors and residents of the South Coast area. The Insider is distributed free of charge from Mount Hope Bay to Buzzards Bay. All contents copyright ©2011 Coastal Communications Corp.

Deadline 20 days prior to publication.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, by any means, without written permission from the Publisher. All information contained herein is believed to be reliable. Coastal Communications Corp. does not assume any financial responsibility for typographical errors in advertisements, but will reprint that portion of an advertisement in which the typographical error occurs.

Circulation 30,000

Acknowledging that love is in the air, Cara Connelly Pimental shares some cautionary online dating tips and Elizabeth Morse Read provides some careful options for love potions. Mali Lim talks about the importance of planning that special day.

For the wine tasters, Al Long offers some ways to describe and enjoy the scents arising from a glass, revealing a simple and often misunderstood truth about the art of appreciating good wines. Stephen Smith takes us to the Azorean and Madeira islands to discover some new ways to approach our old cities.

As always, there are exciting happenings and fun February frolics, thanks to our writers and advertisers. Look for Sara Feijo’s suggestions on how to celebrate V-Day. Enjoy!

Ljiljana Vasiljevic Publisher and Editor-in-Chief

Subscriptions $25 per year

Address The South Coast Insider 144 Purchase Street • PO Box 3493 Fall River, MA 02722 Tel: (508) 677-3000 Fax: (508) 677-3003

Website http://www.coastalmags.com

E-mail editor@coastalmags.com Our advertisers make this publication possible–please support them

The South Coast Insider / February 2011

5

ON MY MIND

It’s in our stars

by Paul E. Kandarian

M

el. Britney. Lindsay.

Paris. Charlie. One name is all it takes. One name, we know who they are. One name and we instantly recognize the people we revere, admire, respect—and love to watch crash and burn because when they do, we get to say “Wow! They’re even bigger jerks than the rest of us mere mortals!”

And God love ‘em all, they always come back to burn out even more darkly the next time, and the time after that, ensuring their once rising stars have blackened to the point they couldn’t even get a gig on “Dancing With the People We Think Are Stars and Hope You’re Dumb Enough to Think So, Too” or some equally mindless drivel.

But everyone deserves a second chance. Or third, fourth or fifth.

Whatever works. So here are some star predictions for 2011.

Britney Spears: A pop star by the age of 18, Brit went on to an illustrious career of shaving her head, doing drugs, marrying badly and popping out a couple kids—and still maintaining a semblance of being America’s sweetheart, at least that part of trailer-park America with nothing better to do.

And she’s always good for great quotes, one of which about her marriage to K-Fed reportedly was “I think I married for the wrong reasons. Instead 6

of following my heart and doing something that made me really happy, I just did it for the idea of everything.”

Well, that certainly narrows it down.

But rest easy, she’ll be back, issuing a remake video of “Oops, I Did It Again!” where her lips won’t match the words.

Lindsay Lohan: She got famous at age 11 in The Parent Trap. This year, her star is still shining weird as she labors through her third court-ordered rehab stab. She’ll be mocked in “Dogs in Pocketbooks,” a spoof that will star Lydia Hearst, yes, daughter of everyone’s favorite gun-packing ‘70s hottie, Patty.

Confirming that sometimes bad art imitates bad life, the writer of the movie, Charles Casillo, was quoted as saying “Lydia will play a bratty movie goddess in and out of rehab, in trouble with the law, and hounded by greedy agents, predatory paparazzi, off-thewall-stalkers and crazed media—a role obviously based on Lindsay Lohan.”

My prediction for Lindsay in 2011: She’ll stay in rehab and at least keep obscure actresses and schlock screenwriters employed.

Paris Hilton: Blonde, beautiful, rich and dumb as a stump, this is one girl who refuses to follow the course that many others took when they inherited millions of dollars for nothing more than their DNA: Take the money

February 2011 / The South Coast Insider

and shut the hell up.

Living up to the middle word in the title of a TV show for which she’s most famous—The Simple Life, which inexplicably ran for four seasons—Paris continues to show the world as much of her body and little of her non-existent mind as possible.

But she’ll be back this year, co-starring with an equally vacuous trio of bimbettes in a show called “Keeping It Simple with the Kardashians,” an episode of which will be “Like, How Do You Spell IQ Again?” in which they’ll try to add up their collective ones on all 40 of their fingers and still come up way, way short.

Another episode will be “The Do’s, Don’ts and Duh’s of Hiding Cocaine,” followed immediately by “Accessorizing for Court Appearances.”

Charlie Sheen: Drunk, naked, coked out, partying with whores, “accidentally” shooting Kelly Preston and trashing hotel rooms is no way to go through life, son. Oh, wait, unless you’re Charlie Sheen, also known as Martin’s biggest mistake since attempting a Kennedy accent.

Contrary to popular belief, Charlie won’t come back in “America’s Got Talent—Not Counting My Brother Emilio,” but will star in “Two and A Half Lifetimes Worth of Probation.”

Mel Gibson: Mel, Mel, Mel, how we love you, you crazy, racist, anti-Semitic misogynist, you!

If ever there were a poster boy for meteoric plummets, it’s this guy.

Following a pretty good career of establishing a reputation as a pretty good actor, Mad Mel completely undid it all by first getting arrested for drunk driving and using the opportunity to go on an anti-Semitic rant.

He followed that up by apparently forgetting the tape recorder had been invented (It’s OK, Brett Favre forgot, too) as he was recorded by his lady friend, Oksana Grigorieva, in invective-filled screeds that celebrity shows love to play over and over again

despite them sounding like a bleepintensive edited-for-TV version of Scarface.

But fear not, Mel will make a comeback this year with such movies as “The Year of Living Really Drunk,” “Lethal Weapons of I’m-An-Ass Destruction,” “Apocalpyto WOW!: My Life As I Sorta Remember It,” ”The Passion of the Christ, I’m an Idiot,” and “What Women Don’t Want Anymore—Me!” Sarah Palin: OK, so Sarah hasn’t crashed and burned and gone away.

I’m just predicting she will. And sadly, I’ll probably be wrong.

The South Coast Insider / February 2011

7

COVER STORY

Fairhaven Weather Spotter M. L. Baron

February weather mysteries revealed

by Sara Feijo How many times have you felt a change of weather in your bones? It may depress you to think that arthritis has made increased rainfall and lowered temperatures even more unpleasant, but there is a better, more positive way to look at it.

You’re not arthritic; you’re part groundhog.

Groundhogs keep following their traditions and predicting weather religiously. Their predictions are very, very popular.

Groundhog Day is celebrated on February 2nd, marking the day that groundhogs awake from their long deep winter sleep, and come out of their holes in search of their shadows.

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This old tradition links present times to a remote past when nature played a more obvious, central role in human life.

It’s official According to the Official Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, “the groundhog tradition stems from similar beliefs associated with Candlemas Day and the days of early Christians in Europe, and for centuries the custom was to have the clergy bless candles and distribute them to the people. Even then, it marked a milestone in the winter and the weather (on) that day was important” (www.groundhog.org).

If a groundhog sees its shadow when

February 2011 / The South Coast Insider

leaving its hole, it goes back inside for another sleep, thus predicting six more weeks of bad weather. However, if it is a cloudy day without shadows, the groundhog interprets it as a sign of spring and stays above ground, which symbolizes that winter will soon end.

Furthermore, nineteenth century American farmers believed that Groundhog Day symbolized the heart of the winter, which meant that spring was still a long way to come. Keeping this notion in mind, they created a proverb, “Groundhog Day—Half your hay,” meaning that if farmers did not have half their hay remaining, their cows might encounter lean times before spring brought fresh grass. They

knew that February 2nd is almost halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox.

But is it real?

What do today’s weathermen say about groundhog predictions?

Fairhaven SkyWarn Weather Spotter M. L. Baron views groundhogs as a questionable method of weather predictions.

“Punxstutawney Phil has a 39% accuracy rate according to the National Climatic Data Center. Pennsylvanians insist the accuracy of the fury marmot is 80%, predictably. [But] the animal is kept mostly in an environmentally man-made climate controlled room, so its natural instincts come into my question,” said Baron.

He further states that Groundhog Day is another form of entertainment, and calls it “weathertainment.” According to Baron, the holiday is a concoction of folklore, myths, and humor, making it a non-reliable form of weather prediction.

Nevertheless, Baron predicts February will likely be a busy winter with expected extreme conditions.

February is no joke “February is notorious for severe winter weather that has brought the Northeast and entire regions of the U.S. to its knees. The Blizzard of ‘78, The Valentine’s Day Blizzard of 1940, The Blizzard of 1958, and more infamous winter weather disasters all occurred during the month of February. It still remains as the coldest month on Modern Record in Southern New England, which brought sub-zero Arctic-like temperatures,” asserted Baron.

During this month, extreme bitter temperatures are common. Western and northern Massachusetts may well find 27 below zero temperatures; in certain parts 18 below zero can very well develop as in the case of Boston, while Providence, RI may drop to 17 below and Connecticut to 26 below.

“These sub-freezing temperatures smashed all time records with the last cold snap of this magnitude recorded in January 1857,” said Baron.

The weather spotter acknowledges that weather in February can be extremely deceiving as we find the days getting longer and experience an occasional 50-degree day once in a while.

As it is the last full month of winter, it tends to “put up a fight” and bring colder temperatures, while still having a wide spectrum of weather events.

“You have peak winter conditions as the season actually begins to wind down,” added Baron.

According to the national Climate Prediction Center, February is a tricky month as there is “an equal chance of above average or below average temperatures and precipitation.” Therefore, weather specialists employ caution for this month and don’t formulate concrete predictions, as the month likes to surprise us.

But if you can’t wait to find out what February reserves for us or are anxious to find out when the warmer temperatures will arrive, keep February 2nd in mind. For more information on Groundhog Day, visit groundhog. org or watch the scenes in the movie Groundhog Day, a comedy film directed by Harold Ramis, which show Punxstutawney Phil at his best.

To learn more about SkyWarn Weather Spotter M.L. Baron, visit www.westislandweather.com.

If you’d like to go right to the information source that television weather reporters use, visit weather.gov and set it to focus on your neighborhood.

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The South Coast Insider / February 2011

9

COVER STORY

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web places

by Cara Connelly Pimental

Dating can be intimidating to many singles, but with the invention of the internet, millions of people are able to dip their toes in the dating pool without the stress of diving right into the deep end.

Google online dating services and the options to subscribe to websites, log on and surf for a date are endless.

Last week, I noticed on the back of my church bulletin, amid advertisements for local florists, oil companies, tow services and bakeries, an ad for catholicmatch.com—an online dating service geared toward those that practice the Roman Catholic faith.

In compiling research for this article,

February 2011 / The South Coast Insider

I quickly learned the choices for online dating services can be tailored to different religions, lifestyles, sexual preferences, interests, hobbies or offers general dating sites with catchy names.

Match criteria can be narrowed down to how close someone lives to you, whether someone smokes, level of education, if someone minds that you have children or perhaps may

want children of their own, body type, exercise habits and age range, to name a few.

According to eHarmony, an online dating website which matches men and women with other singles taking into consideration what the founder, Dr. Neil Clark Warren, considers key dimensions of personality, the site is responsible for creating 2% of all U.S. marriages.

Markus Frind is chief executive and founder of the online dating site plenty of fish estimates his site generates 100,000 marriages each year. Match. com touts that one in five relationships starts online and they are a leader in the industry. The site guarantees a match in six months or get six months of free services.

Socially acceptable Over the last several years, online dating has become a socially acceptable way for people to meet. Lives are busy and full and hanging out at the local watering hole isn’t often where folks want to spend their time.

Online dating gives people the ability to find out basic information about a potential date and makes it easy to skip over those when there isn’t a mutual attraction without an awkward meeting. A polite “no, thanks” is easy to do online.

Choosing an online dating web site to subscribe to is pretty simple. Get online and type in the key search words such as online dating. Add a key word of interest- such as a religious affiliation or if you are interested in meeting single parents.

Most sites let you search by more specific criteria once you are on their web site. Reputable sites will offer you the option to customize your preferences. Most sites will also offer an option to search/surf for a few minutes to get a general idea if their site is an appropriate match for you before they require you to subscribe.

Subscriptions for online dating sites vary both in dollar amount and length of time options to remain a member.

Generally speaking, services are about $30 for a one month subscription.

Be careful There are a few things to remember and consider when engaging in online dating. It allows you to get to know people that you have not actually seen.

There may be a photo or two and sometimes there is an instant attraction to that but, online attraction is based more on online chats or email.

You may begin to feel connected to someone that you talk to frequently through online dating because the two of you are having a continuous exchange and you are both much less

Online dating is a very viable starting point for a relationship, but a relationship cannot thrive without some real-life contact. inhibited than you would be on an inperson date.

The reality is that you don’t know this person and you are just taking them at face value. Be cautious! Initially it is not a good idea to disclose your address, specific employment information, bank information or anything else of a personal nature.

If you are dating online in hopes that you will find a real relationship that can blossom into something longterm, then you really have to resist the temptation to lie when you are in an online relationship. That sounds obvious, but many people are compelled to tell little white lies about themselves when they chat online because it’s just so easy to get away with it.

People bend the truth about what line of work they are in, what they look

like, how much money they make, what kind of car they drive, interest or activities in the hopes of making a better impression or convincing the other person of their compatibility.

If you weren’t truthful to someone about important aspects of your life or about your appearance, how are you ever going to meet that person faceto-face, let alone forge a true, committed relationship with that person?

The foundation for any relationship is trust, so don’t build a house on sand by starting out a relationship with lies.

Keep getting to know each other until you are ready to take your relationship to the next level—meeting in person but, don’t limit yourself from meeting other potential dates just because you are in a quasi-relationship with someone on the internet.

You can’t hold hands online. You can’t have your first kiss online. Online dating is a very viable starting point for a relationship, but a relationship cannot thrive without some real-life contact.

Start off by talking on the telephone.

If you still feel a spark after several phone calls, then you should discuss meeting in person. Make sure that you meet in a well-lit public place during daytime hours.

Your first in-person meeting will mark the beginning of your real relationship, and from there you can start dating like you normally would, except you will have the advantage of already knowing a lot about each other’s tastes and personalities as the result of your online conversations.

In order to do this piece justice, I decided I needed to find someone that has been in the online dating world.

I know a few people who have tried meeting someone this way.

One married guy that was looking to jump from his marriage and seeking a girlfriend or two. He’s still looking and not the right candidate for this assignment. My three sons and I were in a wedding a few years back and the bride and groom met on eHarmony.

Continued on next page

The South Coast Insider / February 2011

11

Continued from previous page They remain happily married. My cousin is in a loving relationship with a great guy she met on match.com.

And then, there is my type A picky, dear friend that tried the match.com route. He found that the women he was meeting didn’t really describe themselves quite like what the mirror would see or what their lifestyle was really like.

He is big into treating your body well, exercising and eating right—a healthy lifestyle is a must and he wanted to share things like preparing healthy meals together, exercising together, having political conversations that challenged conventional thinking and wanted to meet a scrabble partner that could be a worthy opponent.

He found the women he was meeting weren’t truthful about their habits —exercise and otherwise and posted flattering photos from long ago. He gave up match after he met a great gal on a flight back from Philly. So for most, this process works to varying degrees but will work much better being forthright and direct up front about both what you are looking for and what you are able to offer.

Meet Keith After looking for someone who is currently going through the online dating process, I found my victim subject, rather, perfect contender in my friend, Keith. Keith was on match. com for a while with few results. He’s a good catch and is looking for the same in return—sounds easy but, not without some thought and effort.

A graduate of Boston College, Keith has been a history teacher in the same high school for the last 17 years and is also the track and field coach. He is a hard worker, owns a few rental properties and maintains the real estate single handedly. He is smart and funny.

The 40 year old is the father of two one in college and one in high school and is clear he doesn’t want to add to his family. Keith was recently inducted 12

into the Boston College athletic hall of fame for his track accomplishments. He holds several local, regional and national records in the event. His competitive running was sidelined after a significant injury when he was training for the 1996 Olympic trials.

Keith wants to find someone that is, like him, financially secure, emotionally grounded, without bad habits, a non-smoker is a must and someone that can share some of his interests.

He enjoys taking in a comedy show and motorcycle riding.

Putting all those great attributes into an online profile can be a challenge.

He doesn’t want to sound boastful, make his profile too long yet, wants to let his personality be heard by someone reading his profile synopsis.

Helpful hints Men’s Health offers some good advice when compiling a winning profile. Keith just listed himself on two other online dating sites and this time vows to heed the following advice: Photo tip: Post a photo of you doing an activity you like or at a place you enjoy visiting. Don’t post a photo of you with other people. Often times it’s difficult to pick you out of the group and never post a picture with you and someone of the opposite sex.

Someone looking doesn’t know if it’s your sibling or a former significant other and usually will assume the latter. Remember, not everyone tests well or photographs well.

Mention specific interests/places saying I like to ride my motorcycle to the beach or I enjoy a Saturday night comedy show in Providence serves as an instant icebreaker especially if the reader shares the same interest.

Give it time: 97% of men give up within three months. That means 3% of men, a very small percentage, are the ones seeing all the results.

Be sincere: The web is a great tool to learn about someone without them knowing. If your facebook account and your profile aren’t consistent, you look like you are not being genuine.

Also, Google yourself and see what prospective dates may learn about you.

According to a recent article published in Men’s Health, research shows that Americans now spend more than a billion dollars a year on internet dating services. 20% of all new couples claim to have found each other in the digital atmosphere.

To some skeptics, it may seem farfetched or an unromantic way to meet a mate. To others that have found success, they wished they tried it long ago.

Top 10 dating sites match.com – largest and most diverse user base chemistry.com – seeking committed relationships perfectmatch.com – highly compatible user base eHarmony.com – large user base seeking heterosexual relationships only seniorpeoplemeet.com – mature user base singleparentmeet.com – single parent user base loveandseek.com – fairly small Christian user base date.com – large user base seeking casual dates matchmaker.com – small user base seeking casual dates zooks.com – big international user base

February 2011 / The South Coast Insider

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COVER STORY

The Insider

wedding guide

by Elizabeth Morse Read

Weddings are one of those major life milestones, like births and deaths, by which we measure and celebrate our new and old communal connections.

No matter how “modern” a wedding may be these days, there are certain traditions, customs and expectations that need to be recognized and incorporated into the wedding plans.

Here’s a guide for everyone involved in the do’s and dont’s when a couple announces the big day.

Tips for invited guests Not everyone who is invited to a wedding will be able to attend, and being invited does not obligate the invitee to send a gift, but standard practice is to return the RSVP with your intentions to attend or not by the requested date on the invitation.

If you are declining to attend, a heartfelt note of congratulations and best wishes to the couple inserted in the return envelope can suffice as a “gift.” But many who can’t attend would like to send a gift anyway.

What to do? Although details are never included in an invitation, most brides register their “wish list” gifts with a local store or ser-

14

vice—usually such items as dishware, kitchen/household items, linens, specialty items.

Speak with a member of the bridal party or family members of the bride and groom to learn the details.

You’ll find gifts you can be sure the bride and groom want, and the internet sites will handle gift-wrapping and shipping!

Don’t be surprised if you learn that, instead of store-bought items on a registry wish list, the new couple has set up a means for donating money to a charitable cause or even to a special fund that will help them pay extraordinary costs they’re facing (e.g., medical bills, graduate

February 2011 / The South Coast Insider

school tuition, down-payment on a new home).

Is it ever appropriate to give cash money as a gift?

That’s a tricky issue. Learn more about the newlyweds’ wishes—as well as their cultural/religious customs, in case that’s a real no-no (as it is in some cultures).

And where do you present your gift?

Always have it delivered/ shipped to the return address on the invitation or gift registry soon after you receive the invitation. Never bring it to the actual wedding or reception—like cash, it can go astray during the festivities.

But rest assured that, within a few weeks after the wedding, no matter when your gift arrived, you’ll receive a thank-you note from the bride. It’s the thought that counts.

Gifts from the newlyweds The exchange of vows, rings engraved with the marriage date, and the first bite of the wedding cake are all traditional “gifts” brides and grooms give each other. But it’s also becoming more common that they also give special gifts to each other that commemorate the occasion.

The bride and groom-tobe are also expected to give “gifts,” if only symbolic, to all those people who helped with all the wedding arrangements; their parents, the maid/matron of honor, the best man, the bridesmaids and groomsmen all spend a great deal of time, energy and personal expense to make the wedding day a special event.

They all deserve acknowledgment with a commemorative gift. There are no hard and fast rules about what-to-give, but distinctive items, frequently engraved, like frames, jewelry, decorative items, are common.

Bridesmaids and grooms should all receive the same item of equal value; the parents, the maid/matron of honor and the best man should receive something a bit more distinctive. These gifts should be presented to all at the reception dinner or another intimate gathering before the actual wedding date. It’s the thought that counts.

The greatest gift of all In many countries and cultures, a wedding celebrates not just the marriage of the bride and groom, but also of two families, with all their cultural heritage, religious traditions and

wedding customs now intermingled. A truly wellplanned wedding celebration is mindful of this background and tries to incorporate significant observances and details of the “marrying” clans, so to speak.

We’re already accustomed to inter-religious and inter-racial marriages, and now, when globalization is becoming commonplace on the everyday level, it’s not unusual to have a marriage between a man and woman of widely-divergent backgrounds.

For instance, how could a bride, raised Irish and Catholic in San Francisco (with a huge network of family and friends across the country), marrying an immigrant computer whiz from India or Bulgaria (with few family-members stateside, but many valued American friends and colleagues), create a wedding celebration pleasing to everyone?

This kind of ever-increasing culture-clash only needs thoughtful research and planning—right down to colors, flowers, wedding favors, who-gets-invited, reception menu, music, cultural taboos, and traditional wedding customs on both sides.

For instance, it is accepted in the USA that the family of the bride pays for all the wedding and reception costs—but that’s not the norm in other societies. In France, the groom usually escorts his mother down the aisle before stepping up to the altar, and then the bride’s father escorts her down the aisle to “give her

away.” In the USA, we usually only do the second half.

An African tradition now incorporated into many African-American weddings is called “jumping the broom.” In Germany, guests smash dishes and crockery to greet the bride and groom; here, we throw rice (a fertility symbol) and in other countries they throw flower petals.

American brides and many others in the western world wear white when getting married, but this color has negative connotations in many other cultures. In countries such as Greece, guests pin money to the bride’s gown instead of sending gifts.

In India and many other Pacific Rim countries, floral wreaths, given to the bridal party and honored guests, instead of corsages and bouquets, are the norm.

The reception menu should be sensitive to cultural dietary needs (e.g., kosher, vegetarian) and culinary tastes. These may seem to be overwhelming details at first for those planning the wedding, but the symbolic value of making those special efforts will be the greatest gift of all to all those who participate in the celebration.

Look back to Chelsea Clinton’s summer 2010 wedding, where the wedding cake was vegan (her preference) and which incorporated many Jewish customs, recognizing her husband Mark’s heritage.

It’s all the little thoughts that count.

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February 2011 / The South Coast Insider

COVER STORY

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Recipes for romance

by Elizabeth Morse Read

By definition, an aphrodisiac is any substance or activity that arouses the libido and/or enhances sexual performance/pleasure. Named after the Greek goddess of love (Aphrodite), aphrodisiacs have been around almost since Adam met Eve, and just about every culture worldwide has traditional “cures” and remedies for impotence, frigidity or physiological changes (both male and female).

S

ome have withstood the test of centuries and actually prove effective, some are just quackery in disguise (and potentially lethal) and some are just downright dangerous indicators of high-risk behavior.

While no means a complete survey of aphrodisiac customs (nor intended as advocating any particular substance or behavior), here’s a fast primer in the do’s and don’ts of romance in the boudoir (or wherever).

Cautionary tales Let’s start with the bad ideas first, in case you’re ever faced with the situation or substance.

Contrary to myth and urban legend (i.e. “candy is dandy but liquor is Continued on next page The South Coast Insider / February 2011

17

Continued from previous page quicker”), alcohol is not a legitimate aphrodisiac. Sure, a glass of wine with dinner is a good way to start the evening, but getting blitzed on a full bottle is a sure way to ensure impotence or waking up the next morning not recognizing the passed-out body next to you.

As one rueful character in Macbeth said about drinking and sex, too much may provoke desire, but it takes away performance. And having unprotected sex with a slurring, stumbling partner is to court STDs,

HIV/AIDs, and unwanted pregnancies, never mind a whopping hangover the next day.

But the most dangerous role alcohol has played in sexual/social encounters is that it’s the perfect medium for mixing in some powerful drugs that you do NOT want to ingest (see sidebar).

Some good advice—if you wouldn’t accept candy from a stranger, don’t accept a drink from one, either. The person who would do this to someone doesn’t need an enhanced sexual experience—they need therapy

Not-so-nice pseudo-aphrodisiacs Spanish Fly – Neither Spanish nor a fly, this old-time western sexual “stimulant” is actually the ground-up carcass of the European blister beetle, which only creates a burning, swelling sensation of the urinary tract upon excretion. It has no effect on arousal or performance.

“Poppers” – (amyl/alkyl nitrate) – First popularized in the 1970’s disco scene, “poppers” is a recreational drug concoction that creates a sense of warmth and dizziness, but with potentially life-threatening side effects, especially when mixed with alcohol or other prescription drugs.

Some studies have indicated that the substance may have some legitimate pharmaceutical/industrial uses, but an aphrodisiac it is not.

“Ecstasy” – (MDMA) First popularized during the 1980’s “rave”/dance scene, “E” is an amphetamine which diminishes anxiety and creates a feeling of euphoria. Again, there may be legitimate uses for the substance, but taken indiscriminately can trigger psychedelic side effects and psychotic episodes. It is frequently combined with cooling camphor/mentholated substances like Vicks lozenges. In 2004 it was second only to marijuana as the most widely-used illicit drug.

“Roofies” – (rohypnol) – This most recent “date-rape” drug (along with alcohol) is most frequently associated with substance-assisted sexual assaults. Its victims suffer an amnesia state (black-out) that renders them incapable of fending off sexual aggression. Side effects and prescription drug interactions are very scary.

18

February 2011 / The South Coast Insider

and a good lawyer.

And then there’s the ancient formulas from China, India, Africa and the meso-American cultures of the new world. Some of the substances are useless placebos, some are potentially dangerous psychotropic substances associated with shamanism, witchcraft, vision-quests and casting spells/potions Some have proved to actually be effective in creating a romantic mood and/or enhancing sexual pleasure.

Just about all of them are available in consumer/online stores, but a word to the wise: don’t believe everything you read or hear about any particular “miracle” cure/remedy. The person it sickens or kills could be you.

Caveat emptor.

“Natural Viagra” – This OTC aphrodisiac is usually an encapsulated mixture of several west African and meso-American plant substances (such as yohimbe, iboga, niando, tribulus, maca) containing psychedelic alkaloids with potentially-toxic side effects. Not a good idea.

Angel’s Trumpet – Many supposed aphrodisiacs such as this flower/bush from tropical regions (brugmansia, datura) are actually substances that contain psychotropic chemicals that induce hallucinations (like psilocybin “shrooms”) or else dangerous alkaloids belonging to the nightshade family (like belladonna), which contain the “twilight sleep” narcotic scopolamine. Neither is a good idea for an enjoyable evening’s interlude.

Psychedelic plants – Morning glory seeds mimic

the effects of LSD. Poppy seed concoctions are related to opium/cocaine. Wild rose shrubs and even sunflowers have been listed as aphrodisiacs. Sure, you may want to take a trip without the kids, but indulging in these “mood-enhancing” substances is not the way to go.

Uncertain results Chocolate – Revered by the Aztecs along with damiana (see below) for increasing your libido and sexual pleasure, chocolate actually does contain anti-depressant substances that make you feel good. However, there’s no direct proof that it will improve your sex life.

Damiana – The favorite female aphrodisiac of the Aztecs, this herb is usually mixed with brandy, honey and vanilla extract as a “cordial” for the ladies.

It is openly sold in stores in Mexico – mixed results on whether it really works or not, but at least it’s not poisonous or intoxicating.

Ingesting ground-up rhino horns, deer-antler velvet, walrus testicles or tiger genitals, ambergris or musk-based derivatives not only endangers these species, but they’re basically ineffective as aphrodisiacs, no matter what the myths claim.

Crocin – Better known as Saffron, this Asian condiment, like spices, is an ancient aphrodisiac, effectiveness unknown.

Possibilities Oysters – part of their erotic appeal is their suggestive resemblance of the female genitals. However, like many other foods, oysters contain zinc, which is an important nutrient

(especially for men) associated with vigor and vitality.

Serve them with asparagus (which resembles the male genitals) and follow with chocolate-coated bananas.

Chinese and Ayurvedic (Indian) aphrodisiacs – Although these formulas and substances have been around for millennia, be aware that they’ve yetto-be-proved effective as aphrodisiacs, and some of them are definitely not ecofriendly.

But they are all based on an attempt to create the perfect chemical balance and general health of the body, both male and female, according to their traditional philosophical beliefs. So, if it makes you healthy, good things will follow.

Avena Sativa – One of the few western European traditional aphrodisiacs, “milky oats,” [a. Sativa] (which, yes, is botanically related to cannabis sativa) is actually made from plain old oats, giving rise to the English expressions “feeling one’s oats” and “sowing one’s wild oats,” when describing libidinous behavior. It apparently does work and is frequently combined with other herbal ingredients.

Ginseng – Considered an effective aphrodisiac for both men and women (especially when ingested over time), this Asian ingredient does have some interesting health-promoting qualities.

Asefoetida – This mildly intoxicating spice is considered the best aphrodisiac in Tibetan medicine.

The spices of life Here’s where it really gets interesting. The western

world has long craved the various exotic spices from far-flung tropical climes, but apparently not just because they’re a good way to flavor your foods.

There is actual scientific proof that many of them are highly-effective aphrodisiacs, especially for women.

Chemically, they contain substances that are mildly intoxicating over time, and which are easily incorporated into cooking and baking.

Nutmeg and mace (which share a chemical relationship with the drug Ecstasy), along with clove, cinnamon, cardamom, anise (licorice), ginger and vanilla and frequently combined with honey, chocolate and delectable fruits (cherries, strawberries, pomegranates, figs) create a potent (and tasty) treat that enhances your mood and enjoyment.

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So, what really works?

Here are some basic ingredients for a romantic encounter. One, make sure you’re with someone you really want to become intimate with. Be physically fit, clean, relaxed, patient and playful.

Setting is a game-changer.

Set the lights low, put out scented candles/incense, light the fireplace and turn off all electronic devices and telephones. Play soft music in the background (see sidebar), serve a prepared special meal (see sidebar), and let nature take its course.

Lock the doors, lock up your pets and swap your kids with a friend in promise of doing the same for them in the future. Eliminate all distractions and focus on each other—shower together, give a massage, linger on sensory sensations.

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19

COVER STORY

Getting married?

Start planning

by Mali Lim

Is there any other day more closely associated with love and romance than St. Valentine’s Day? Ever since the 1300s, people have showered loved ones with poetry, cards, candy and tokens of affection on February 14th, so it’s no surprise that statistics show that it’s the most popular single day for weddings in the United States. In addition, an estimated 10% of marriage proposals happen on Valentine’s Day, making it the second most popular day for proposals (after Christmas).

Even in these fragile financial times, weddings continue to hold a bright spot in the nation’s economy.

“We really haven’t seen a downturn in the industry,” says Dennis Jenks, CEO and President of Jenks Productions, Inc. “We’ve been doing bridal shows for 31 years, and even in the last couple of years vendors indicate that while brides are cutting back on expenses, they’re still not giving up too much.”

“They might cut back on the flower expenses or cut back from four or five limos to just a two or three, but they 20

still want the flowers and the limos and other special touches for their wedding.”

Jenks, who is currently planning the 7th Annual Foxborough Bridal Expo Show, to be held on February 20th at the Gillette Stadium Clubhouse, notes that in the last few years couples are returning to a more traditional format, having church weddings, booking reception halls, hiring bands or deejays.

“Right now the consumer show format is extremely efficient, and works well in tough economic times,” Jenks said. “We’re going to have over a hundred companies and vendors [at the Foxborough Bridal Expo] and people can plan their whole wedding right there, from rings and entertainment, all the way to the honeymoon.

“It’s a great comparative shopping experience if they haven’t set up particular aspects of the wedding yet. If they’re still looking for a photographer, a DJ or band, they can comparison shop all in one place.”

February 2011 / The South Coast Insider

Hoping to plan a wedding that’s fun and memorable? Below are tips from experts to help ensure that your wedding is unique and special!

Tip 1: Ready, set, get organized!

Jenks suggests that all brides make an outline of what they need, to save time, especially when visiting a bridal show, where the sheer number of options can be overwhelming. If you’re planning a large wedding and pulling it together sounds a little too daunting, consider hiring a wedding consultant or planner. Letting someone else keep the schedule on track while handling last minute mix-ups can be a boon for many brides.

When hiring a wedding consultant, however, make sure you choose a planner who’s detail-driven and time conscious, advises Rhonda English, the Director of Catering at the Hotel Providence and the Stone House in Little Compton.

Weddings that involve moving people from one venue to another – from a church to a reception hall, for example—makes organization crucial, and a good wedding planner should have a sense of timing and know how to take various details in account.

Another benefit to having an experienced wedding planner is the wide network of vendors that he or she can bring to the job.

“I once pulled together a New Year’s Eve wedding in three weeks,” says English. “It took a lot of planning in such a short time, but I was able to do it because I work with a group of fabulous vendors.”

“I’ve been in the wedding industry for twelve years, and I have vendors that I’ve built relationships with over the years. I try to fit the bride with a florist or DJ service, but if they already have someone they love, I can also work with those vendors as well.”

Tip 2: Find the right fit Brides often spend a lot of time finding the perfect wedding dress and making sure it fits, but finding a vendor who “fits” with an engaged couple’s plans and personalities can be just as important.

“Allow time and be patient when interviewing vendors for your wedding,” advises Dana Pierce, owner of Dana Pierce Photography in Dartmouth, MA. “With vendors such as DJs and photographers, it’s really important to get to know them and their personalities.”

“If you’re hiring a musician or a DJ, you should know what his style is, what he can or can’t do, what he’s willing to do, how he interacts with an audience,” Pierce says.

“A good wedding photographer talks to people and gets them to smile and do things that are interesting and fun.

If you get a good rapport with the photographer, chances are good you’ll get good pictures.”

Many vendors are willing to be flexible in pricing, but it’s also important to find out if they’re also flexible with their time. Find out if a photographer is going to stay and finish the job or if he or she will be leaving halfway through the wedding—it’s a question many brides don’t ask until too late, says Pierce.

“Some people only book a few hours and the photographer leaves right after

the ceremony—but then they miss out on the cake, the dancing after dinner,” he continues.

“I’ve seen some of the most dramatic family moments happen at the reception—a long lost friend or relative shows up unexpectedly or a rift among family members is healed.

Some of the best candid shots happen in the last half hour.”

Tip 3: Delight with little details Naturally, the bride and groom are the center of attention at a wedding, but adding little touches to show appreciation for the guests can make the day extra special for everyone.

Surround yourself with as many people who love you. If you get enough good family and friends there, you’ll have a good time and that’s what matters.

“If you’ve got guests traveling for the wedding, it’s a nice touch to give them welcome bags,” says English.

“For weddings held here in Providence, we try to include walking maps of the city, bottled water, snacks. Some brides individualize them, especially if it’s a small wedding, tailoring them to what they know the guest likes.”

Traveling to the wedding can be part of the fun, especially if you arrange for the guests to arrive by boat, says Diane Tomassetti, owner and innkeeper of the Baggins End Guest House in Fairhaven, MA. With panoramic views of Fairhaven’s and New Bedford’s harbors, Tomass-

estti’s bed and breakfast is ideal for couples who are looking for a waterfront venue for their wedding.

“We’ve ferried guests by water taxi from Pope’s Island right to the wedding site,” she says. “Some people like to offer their guests harbor tours, and we’ve arranged that as well.”

“We try to plan weddings around tides and sunsets, because the sunsets here are fabulous. There’s a big stone patio facing the water, with lots of wonderful places to sit and watch the sunset. We’ve even had a dock wedding, where people wanted to get married at the end of the dock.”

Which leads us to the next tip….

Tip 4: Let your personality shine “Some people want casual weddings, some people want more traditional—I try to work with people to have the type of wedding they want,” says Tomassetti. “I’ve set up tents for catered sit-down dinners for 150 guests, and I’ve also set up clam bars.”

One memorable event that English helped organize was a wedding where the bride was a music teacher.

“The groom hired a marching band to serenade them during their first dance,” she recalls. “It was a lot of fun —and one of the most joyful moments I’ve ever seen. It takes all sorts of things to create that sort of moment—things that show the bride and groom’s personalities.”

And finally, the experts say, try to keep a sense of humor. It’s impossible to guarantee a wedding without mishaps—English recalls an incident where a makeup artist inadvertently packed up and left with a bride’s cell phone—but a sense of humor can help save the day.

“Some of the best weddings to plan are when the couple is looking for good service and good product—but they want it to be fun, too—they want it to be a celebration,” says English.

“Surround yourself with as many people who love you,” finishes Pierce.

“If you get enough good family and friends there, you’ll have a good time and that’s what matters.”

The South Coast Insider / February 2011

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Like true love, the classics never go out of style. So here just in time for Valentine’s Day, are some beautiful new editions of your favorite classic romantic novels, plus a soon to be classic and very modern novel for those of you who insist on nothing but the very latest yet still want a compelling tale of love.

These classic novels will do the wooing for you, should you present them to the object of your affection along with, or even instead of, the more traditional gifts of flowers and chocolates.

JILL THE RECKLESS

by P.G. Wodehouse Penguin $19.95 hardcover The always clever P.G. Wodehouse gives us a light romantic comedy of Jill the Reckless, who finds herself suddenly penniless (though through some fault of her own, involving a fight over a parrot!) and ends up abandoned by her fiance and forced to take shelter with rich relations in Long Island who are not thrilled to discover she has gone broke. She ends up finding work as a chorus girl in a Boradways musical in New York and thus finds the man of her dreams.

EMMA

by Jane Austen Penguin $20 hardcover

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Beautiful, clever, rich, and single, Emma Woodhouse is perfectly content with her life and sees no need for either love or marriage.

Nothing, however, delights her more than interfering in

February 2011 / The South Coast Insider

the romantic lives of others. But when she ignores the warnings of her good friend Mr. Knightley and attempts to arrange a suitable match for her protegee Harriet Smith, her carefully laid plans soon unravel and have consequences that she never expected. With its imperfect but charming heroine and its witty and subtle exploration of relationships, Emma is often seen as Jane Austen’s most flawless work.

LADY CHATTERLEY’S LOVER

by D. H. Lawrence Penguin $20 hardcover Constance Chatterley feels trapped in her sexless marriage to the invalid Sir Clifford.

Unable to fulfil his wife emotionally or physically, Clifford encourages her to have a liaison with a man of their own class. But Connie is attracted instead to her husband’s gamekeeper and embarks on a passionate affair that brings new life to her stifled existence. Can she find a true equality with Mellors, despite the vast gulf between their positions in society? One of the most controversial novels in English literature, Lady Chatterley’s Lover is an erotically charged and psychologically powerful depiction of adult relationships.

DOCTOR ZHIVAGO

by Boris Pasternak Random House $30 hardcover

SUPER SAD TRUE LOVE STORY

by Gary Shteyngart Random House $26 hardcover

Boris Pasternak’s widely acclaimed novel comes gloriously to life in a magnificent new translation by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky, the award-winning translators of War and Peace and Anna Karenina, and to whom, The New York Review of Books declared, “the English-speaking world is indebted.”

First published in Italy in 1957 amid international controversy (the novel was banned in the Soviet Union until 1988, and Pasternak declined the Nobel Prize a year later under intense pressure from Soviet authorities) Doctor Zhivago is the story of the life and loves of a poet-physician during the turmoil of the Russian Revolution.

Taking his family from Moscow to what he hopes will be shelter in the Ural Mountains, Zhivago finds himself instead embroiled in the battle between the Whites and the Reds. Set against this backdrop of cruelty and strife is Zhivago’s love for the tender and beautiful Lara: pursued, found, and lost again, Lara is the very embodiment of the pain and chaos of those cataclysmic times.

Stunningly rendered in the spirit of Pasternak’s original—resurrecting his style, rhythms, voicings, and tone— and including an introduction, textual annotations, and a translators’ note, this edition of Doctor Zhivago is destined to become the definitive English translation of our time.

Gary Shteyngart’s hilarious and heartfelt new novel presents a deliciously dark tale of America’s dysfunctional coming years—and the timeless and tender feelings that just might save us.

In a very near future a functionally illiterate America is about to collapse.

Lenny Abramov is the thirty-nineyear-old son of an angry Russian immigrant janitor, proud author perhaps the world’s last diary, holding a job at an outfit called Post-Human Services, which attempts to provide immortality for its super-rich clientele. But death is clearly stalking Lenny. who lives in the wrong century, loves books even though most of his peers find them smelly and annoying, and adores Eunice Park, an impossibly cute and impossibly cruel twenty-four-yearold who just graduated from College with a major in Images and a minor in Assertiveness.

As America is crushed by a credit crisis, riots break out in New York’s Central Park, the city’s streets are lined with National Guard tanks on every corner, and our patient Chinese creditors may just be ready to foreclose on the whole mess. Undeterred, Lenny vows to love both Eunice and his homeland. He’s going to convince his fickle new love that in a time without standards or stability, in a world where single people can determine a dating prospect’s “hotness” and “sustainability” with the click of a button, there is still value in being a real human being.

This is a knockout novel, a book in which falling in love just may redeem a planet falling apart.

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The South Coast Insider / February 2011

23

WORDS

The power of words

by Richard T. Clark

In the Biblical story of Creation God speaks: “Let there be light,” and, as we know: “there was light.” Indeed, words do have power; sometimes creative, sometimes destructive. Words can incite people to do terrible things or inspire them to do wondrous things.

Modern technology even enhances the power of words. Sales hype for the new Ford Edge emphasizes its ability to respond to well over a thousand voice commands…words. Imagine!

I have talked to my car more than a few times, urging it to start on mornings that are in the deep freeze, and I’ve spoken words of encouragement when going up a rather steep incline.

I haven’t always been successful.

Perhaps it was the tone of my voice. At any rate, I can’t imagine having over a thousand things to say to my car unless it was really my best friend. It’s not, and I hope it never finds out I said that.

On a recent trip to California, the agenda called for some sightseeing.

While I was enjoying the beauty of Laguna Beach, the crashing waves of the Pacific, etc. I noted that my grandchildren were oblivious to the surroundings and totally absorbed in texting!

Words… typed out by nimble thumbs and sent whizzing off into the ether to be read, momentarily, by their friends who were quick to reply. I suppose it’s a form of communication, but it all happens so fast that there seems to be little evaluation as to the importance of the message.

Text this If you have access to Facebook you

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know what I’m talking (writing) about.

You might read a comment like: “I feel like shit today!” I try to reflect on that comment. I cannot imagine what shit would feel like. I’m not even sure if it has feelings. But do I really need to know?

Are we called upon to provide a running commentary on our changing feelings? Or to read of someone else’s?

Communication is important, but about what? Sometimes silence…or empty space is the most positive and precious thing.

With wireless technology millions of words are whizzing through the ether every moment. I do a lot of wondering while walking along the Fairhaven Bike Path. I’ve wondered what effect there might be upon the individual literally surrounded all of these unseen words.

Words in the wind When what little hair I have left gets blown out of control I wonder: was it the wind, or some text message passing o’er me, or through me on its way to Cuttyhunk? I know I’m being facetious, but are we not surrounded by, not only many witnesses, but many unseen, unheard, unperceived words whizzing on their way?

I remember (more than a few years ago) hearing stories of people who

February 2011 / The South Coast Insider

picked up radio transmissions with their fillings so that they were able to listen to music from their mouths. I never did quite understand the explanation.

But it gets me to thinking: what if, due to some quirky malfunction, your brain snags someone’s voice mail, leaving you quite confused, disoriented and stressed. Or, what if you’re standing near someone’s Ford Edge, and your brain picks up a command?

You might go into reverse!

We’ve all said things that we regret, and often we have the chance to apologize and restart a relationship.

In writing a letter to be mailed, there is time to think carefully, erase, start over, or even toss our efforts into the wastebasket. With texting, instant messaging, etc. there is no such hesitation and likely no adept way to apologize for words gone wrong.

I confess, I’m not a fan of Kindle. I like the feel of a book (or a magazine like The Insider) in my hands, the scent of paper and it’s texture. I like to be able to underline, make notes, move quickly between the index and the page I’m looking for. I like having the book readily available on the shelf.

And books speak to me of the creative process at the heart of which are…words, carefully chosen, edited, rewritten for clarity, etc. Books, to me, are tangible expressions of the creative power of words well chosen.

However, regardless of the medium, at a time in which we are all “publishers,” let’s watch our words. Let’s choose them carefully, and let them carry a message worth reading…or listening to. Let them be creative, enlightening!

Money Minute Tips Avoid Frequent Mistakes When Filing Personal Income Taxes

W

hen filing your personal income taxes, it’s often that small mistakes are made or a minor inaccuracy is overlooked. These simple errors might seem inconsequential, but can end up substantially hurting your refund. First, be sure to report all of your income. This includes freelance work and investment earnings. This information is reported to the IRS and failing to report it could present you with serious consequences. If you claim charitable contribution deductions, be sure to include receipts for each donation verifying the date, contribution amount and the name of the nonprofit organization. Also, be conscious of your calculations. While it may sound basic, math mistakes are actually one of the leading reasons the IRS adjusts returns. Any adjustments the IRS has to make will only delay your return. Finally, remember that the IRS will not process any returns that omit a signature, date or social security number. Take your time when filing your taxes. It’s important to make sure you’ve followed the IRS guidelines perfectly.

If questions or doubts arise, consult a tax professional who will be able to provide you with qualified information.

One small mistake could be costly!

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The South Coast Insider / February 2011

25

THINGS TO DO

Celebrate South Coast parks

by Lori Bradley

Colt State Park in Bristol

The United Nations designated 2011 as the International Year of Forests. Residents of the densely packed South Coast may be emotionally removed from large primary forests, but parks give cities a natural ambiance. The overall quality of life—our health and economy—are enhanced by the presence of natural, open spaces and parks.

Celebrate spring this year by spending some quality time in our South Coast parkland treasures.

Fortunately, the South Coast is home to numerous superb urban and suburban parks, sometimes so well integrated into the city landscape that they stop being noticed or valued. In challenging economic times parks are often viewed as unnecessary luxuries and threatened by development projects providing short-term municipal income.

Yet, the quality and quantity of park space attracts new residents and desirable long-term, sustainable investment.

The Project for Public Spaces cites reasons why establishing a sense of place through urban parks is an important economic development strategy: “Investing in parks as community 26

assets is an important economic development strategy that will help a city or town stay competitive in the 21st Century… Successful public spaces are lively places where the many functions of community life take place, and where people feel ownership and connectedness—true common ground.“ South Coast parks and reservations range in size from the massive 13,600acre Fall River Biosreserve to tiny, 2-square block historic Ruggles Park in Fall River, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. Large or small, the best urban parks have well-defined boundaries and engage residents in a variety of activities within a varied landscape.

Community connections Olmsted believed that parks should

February 2011 / The South Coast Insider

be inviting, inclusive, and accessible to people of all economic and cultural backgrounds. People with common interests, who might never otherwise meet, can establish lasting friendships and community bonds while jogging, walking dogs, playing a spontaneous game of basketball, or simply reading in the sun. According to British author of the book City as Landscape, Tom Turner: “…Municipal managers have made green deserts and grey deserts, using mown grass and concrete. It is time to set about the enjoyable task of differentiating urban space according to considerations of mood, age, ownership, history, culture, religion, ethnicity, politics, landform, habitat, climate and, yes, function.”

Boundaries are important to parks as they suggest safety within an exceptional space. Great parks offer a sense of freedom, have a rich and layered history, and are conducive to community interaction. Wooded buffers and fenced boundaries signify entry into places removed from everyday routine. Natural vistas suggest freedom and a sense of

adventure, a consistent theme in the parks designed by Olmsted.

Three South Coast parks especially exemplify Turner’s philosophy of optimal landscape diversity and Olmsted’s vision of harmony and community connectedness through experience of nature: Kennedy Park in Fall River, Colt State Park in Bristol, RI, and Buttonwood Park in New Bedford.

Sheila Oliveira

Kennedy Park, Fall River Originally a farm, 57–acre Kennedy Park stretches across densely populated southern Fall River between Bay and South Main Streets. Olmsted and Calvert Vaux developed the park in 1868. It was known as South Park and later renamed in honor of President John F. Kennedy after his assassination.

The sweep of parkland rolls out from magnificent St. Anne’s Church like a grand green carpet. Bordered by busy streets and triple-deckers, the grassland leads to a pleasant seating area surrounding a fountain and a hill providing stunning views of Mount Hope Bay. Further on is a wooded area near bordering Bay Street offering a pleasant setting for dog walking. Kennedy Park has a skating rink, swimming pool and playground.

In the spirit of Olmsted, varied community events take place at Kennedy Park. A farmers market runs from spring to fall offering fresh local fare. An eagerly anticipated event is the Great New England Feast of the Holy Ghost, a four-day Portuguese cultural event with food, fireworks, music and classic cars. Free theater and musical events take place throughout the year underscoring Kennedy Park’s importance as a community-gathering place.

Colt State Park, Bristol Colt State Park is an exquisite park in the center of suburban Bristol, RI. The entrance leads through gates mounted by two massive bronze bull sculptures and past a carefully landscaped graveyard. Large grassy meadows merge with playing fields and picnic groves.

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27

Continued from previous page juxtaposed with wooded wild spaces and stunning ocean vistas. During summer weekends the hundreds of picnic tables bordering the ocean are packed with people enjoying the view, flying kites, and playing ball.

Architectural surprises are abundant, including a historic stone barn and the hillside Chapel-by-the-Sea. In the early 20th century, Colonel Samuel P. Colt used the park and stone barn to house his prized Jersey cattle, memorialized in the sculptures at the park entrance.

Colt had them sculpted in France and shipped to Bristol, along with two impressive life-sized lion sculptures near the stone barn.

A lover of the arts, Colt placed many more bronzes with animal and mythical themes throughout the park. Colt had always intended to bequeath his land for public use, and after a lengthy process the park was purchased by the state in 1965. Sadly, in the interim, the park suffered a period of neglect and vandalism, resulting in many of the sculptural treasures being moved out of the park for protection.

Today, Colt State Park is considered the jewel of the state park system. A key feature is the four miles of paved bike paths winding through the park connecting with the East Bay Bike Path running from Providence to Bristol. A boat launch with parking area offers easy access to the Narragansett Bay. An adjacent placid saltwater pond invites canoeists and kayakers.

A farmer’s market takes place throughout the summer and the park attracts wedding parties and large gatherings at the lovely picnic areas facing the bay. Colt State Park is an extraordinary gift from Mr. Colt and a successful conversion from private playground for the wealthy to a park for all the people.

Buttonwood Park, New Bedford The 97 acre Buttonwood Park is the largest park in New Bedford. It is centrally located and within walking distance of thousands of residents. It also attracts visitors from outside of the city because of a horticultural abundance of 28

George Seurat’s painting Le Grande Jatte

old and rare trees.

The Park is lovingly maintained by a group of volunteers called Friends of Buttonwood Park. The Friends organize educational walks, sponsor outdoor volunteer opportunities for youth and adults, park clean-up days, and development of park resources such as a handicapped-accessible playground.

Charles Eliot, an associate in Olmsted’s architectural firm, developed the master plan for Buttonwood Park in 1895. Olmsted was nearing retirement at the time, but the park design remained true to his vision. It is truly an inclusive park. Several diverse community events take place during the spring and summer including the Annual Pet Fest, The Third Eye Open Hip Hop Festival, and the Whaling City Festival.

Densely wooded areas offer a scenic buffer to busy streets and are home to a Buzzards Bay watershed stream with a varied wetland habitat. The natural areas offer respite to city residents, while sculpted flower gardens produce vibrant color. Paved walking and bike paths bisect the park and provide easy access to playing fields, basketball and tennis courts.

Buttonwood Park is home to the small, well-run Buttonwood Zoo with a current theme of Berkshires to the Sea that is nicely reflected in the natural surroundings. An historic fountain, pond, warming house, greenhouse, and Holocaust monument created by

February 2011 / The South Coast Insider

local artist Peter London also grace the park.

Health benefits South Coast parks are gentle landscapes, easily accessible to people of all ages and health conditions. While gyms can be expensive and stifling, park use is an inexpensive way for people to get outdoors to build health through exercise, involvement in sports and games, and relaxation.

The Urban Institute of the Wallace Foundation recently published a report titled Beyond Recreation: The Value of Public Parks. The report cites community building, job creation, and health benefits as part of a broadened new view of parks—particularly compelling for an aging population: “A study in Cleveland confirms the promise of parks in promoting health for Americans age 50 and older…Older park users (bikers, joggers, walkers) were found significantly healthier than nonpark users and reported feeling ‘renewed’ after using the park, with greater frequency of use linked to better health. These active users also reported fewer physician visits.”

Economic benefits Proximity to parks enhances values of commercial and residential property.

The Wallace Foundation report examines property values in Philadelphia that rise exponentially with proximity

to a public park. Stable, long-term residents are attracted to neighborhoods with a vital public park. Parks also provide employment opportunities for youth that increase commitment to communities, encourage physical activity and respect for nature.

High-tech corporations consider quality-of-life factors when searching for new sites. The city of Portland, Oregon is situated in a lush natural setting. Caring for city green spaces is a priority, and Portland continues to attract the most successful companies like Intel and Hewlett-Packard.

And recently in Dallas, Texas, work began to create new green spaces in the midst of glass and concrete office parks with high levels of vacancy. In his 2005 article, “The Benefits of Parks”, Paul M. Sherer quotes a Dallas developer on the cities’ efforts: “I have winced over the demise of downtown over the years…” says Ken Hughes, a major Dallas developer who has been working on downtown green space plans. “I don’t believe people, on a permanent basis, want to live in an environment where they have no refuge from the hardness of downtown city buildings, without having any place to go out and stroll, take the dog, or just enjoy some sun.”

Art and history Sheila Oliveira, Gallery Director at the Greater Fall River Arts Association, can’t help but visualize Pointillist artist George Seurat’s painting Le Grande Jatte every time she walks in Kennedy Park in Fall River: “I grew up near this park and visited here often with my family. It was literally my backyard. We went skating, to band concerts, and sometimes just looked at the amazing view of Mount Hope Bay or Saint Anne’s Church.

“I always think of the Le Grande Jatte painting—all the people, all types of people together, peacefully enjoying the beauty of the park on a nice day.

It’s exactly Olmsted’s vision of diverse communities united in enjoyment of nature.”

South Coast parks provide layered aesthetic experiences. Great landscape

design and gardens are art forms onto themselves. Historic parks are repositories for historic and contemporary sculpture, monuments, fountains and architecture.

Parks are home to artistic community-building events and music. Oliveira wants to see more sculpture in local urban parks in the future, but cites some challenges: “It would be wonderful to have a large show of contemporary sculpture in a great park like Kennedy, perhaps with a theme of sustainability, or of sculpture made with recycled materials, or solar and wind-powered kinetic sculpture— the ideas are endless!

“Of course, there are issues of expense, maintenance, and even potential vandalism, but these problems can be overcome. I think the future of parks lies with community events, especially arts events where everyone can come together outdoors and appreciate art and creativity.”

Oliveira believes, in accord with Olmstead, that parks are not static places to be viewed at a distance. They are living works of art that invite interaction, unite communities, improve economies and, most importantly, are free, tranquil, magical places offering respite and sense of wonder in a stressful world. Ultimately, South Coast parks offer visitors enchantment—a valuable opportunity to experience life removed from the realm of routine.

Web resources United Nations International Year of Forests 2011 www.un.org/en/events/iyof2011 Garden Visit: The Garden Landscape Guide www.gardenvisit.com Olmsted’s Philosophy: Frederick Law Olmstead www.fredericklawolmsted.com Project for Public Spaces: Placemaking for Communities www.pps.org Rhode Island State Parks: Colt State Park History www.riparks.com/colthistory.htm Friends of Buttonwood Park www.buttonwoodpark.org

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29

WINE NOTES

Take a whiff of wine

by Alton Long

There are many aspects of wine that make it such an enjoyable beverage, but the most complex and perhaps the most important aspect is the aroma or bouquet.

Simply put, this means that the wine’s “smell” is critical to its pleasure. What many do not realize is that this aromatic component (smell) also is the basis for the wine’s flavor.

Flavor is NOT taste Keep in mind, that “taste” is fairly simplistic with only four basic components, salt, sweet, bitter and acid.

We normally and incorrectly confuse “flavor” as “taste.”

The best evidence of this is when you have a cold; you might say, “I have no taste.” But, you do; you can still experience saltiness, sweetness, bitterness and acidity, which are the basic “taste.”

The cold causes blockage of you nasal passage and prevents your detection of any “flavors.” You can accomplish this yourself by closing you noses with your fingers.

Not understanding the connection between smell and flavor is a basic error. Even wine experts say they “taste” berries or apples when they really mean that they smell (that is, detect) “berries” or “apples” in the aroma and flavor.

Just remember that the “taste” of a wine is very simple and consists of only a few components.

A wine may be sweet, sour (acidic), or bitter, which are three of our four basic tastes. We rarely experience the fourth basic taste, salt, in a wine.

We may think we taste cherries, ber© Gemenacom | Dreamstime.com

30

February 2011 / The South Coast Insider

ries or apples; however, these are not tastes, but flavors, which are detected by the nose. This is why wine tasters pay so much attention in the aroma of a wine.

Aroma complexity Whereas taste only has 4 or 5 aspects, there are over a thousand different aromas and flavors that the average person can recognize. A simple wine may have a simple aroma, such as apples or cherries. A great wine may have a complex aroma with various fruits, flowers, woods and spices. This is referred to as the bouquet.

Let’s look at some examples of wine descriptions. In a recent press release, Valley of the Moon, a winery in Sonoma, California describes their Pinot Blanc as having aromas of “ripe red apple, nectarine and lemon along with a hint of vanilla.” They go on to declare that there are “vibrant flavors of just picked nectarines, peach, lemon and leeches.”

Wow! No wonder the readers of such press releases are anxious to try the wine.

Kenwood describes a blend of Merlot as having “ripe plum, and blueberry” and “hints of clove and vanilla.” They add that their Cabernet Sauvignon has “cassis, red cherry, spearmint and cigar box.” And they say their Syrah has “ripe berry fruit with tones that range from herbal to peppery.” These are examples of the primary differences in different wines.

Are the writers of these descriptions kidding just themselves or the public?

Well let me tell you that they may be right on the ball.

Several years ago I was on a tour of the wineries of Long Island. I fell in love with one winery’s big rich Merlot wine, but could not really describe it.

Later, we rushed to take the last ferry back to Rhode Island.

As we hurried to board the ferry, I passed a café that was having its roof tarred and had window boxes with blooming petunias. I had a flash of memory and said “Oh my, that Merlot was a lot like this combination; the soft petunia floral character with a hint of tar!” So you can see that wines can be associated with all sorts of aromatic sensations.

Magical, elusive…

Now this experience of coming up on a combination of smells that can create an elusive aroma of a great wine rarely happens, but wine experts are able to slowly deconstruct the aroma to its contributing components.

No one has added these smells to the wine but somehow as the grape is undergoing its fermentation and aging, and especially of if is stored in an oak barrel, the simple grape smell transfigures itself into a complex combination of often very delightful aromas.

Valley of the Moon Winery describes their unoaked Chardonnay saying that it “brims with fresh apple, nectarine and citrus.” They go on to say that it has “Vibrant citrus and nectarine flavors (which) are accented with a hint of background mineral.”

They recommend that this wine can be paired with salads, seafood, Asian dishes or pasta in cream sauce. These description help to remind wine lovers about what flavors they like and hopefully attract buyers.

Even sparkling wines, which some people say have no aroma, are described by their scent. Korbel lists “sumptuous peach, apricot, and melon” as descriptors of their 2008 Riesling California Champagne.

They go on to say that the flavor also shows apricot but add lemon and clove honey to the list. So the aroma via

the front of the nose, does not always completely match that of the flavor, as detected by the nasal opening inside of the mouth.

Red wines seem to exhibit even more and different aroma/flavor components than white wines. Typically they often have a hint of oak from being in an oak barrel. Red wines frequently have aromas of cherries and berries as well.

But great reds get so complex one could write a whole article on the incredible complexity shown in the various red wines. Then there are some unique aromas that can tell the taster a lot about a wine. Real young red grapes often result in making a red wine with the aroma of bell peppers.

‘Taste’ and see There is a web site called the “Tasting Room” that describes many wines. They write that the aroma of Gewürztraminer is “very distinctive, a mix of lychee nut, rose petals, peach, and spice.” Then they add that the flavors are “delicate with rich spice and fruit flavors of peach, apricot, and tropical fruit.”

You will note that the two are very similar. They actually combine the aroma and flavor when describing a Pinot Noir wine. They describe the Pinot Noir as having “aromas and flavors of raspberry, cherry, sometimes spicy hints, and sometimes earthy flavors like the smell and taste of mushrooms.” Now that’s a complex description.

One could go on and on describing aroma and “flavor” of different wines. Many wine books provide good descriptions for the various kinds of wines. But variations are the rule.

Just because two wines are made from the same grape, grown in the same region, well... there are many variables that can affect the wines and make them very different. And that’s what makes wine so much fun. Viva la difference!

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BUSINESS

Lessons from the Portuguese

by Steve Smith

Travel provides us with insights we would not normally have. Whether we visit another part of the world, our own country, or even New England, it always raises the question: “What do they do differently from us? What can we learn from here?”

As a planner, I always look at how others use their land.

What do the development patterns look like? Are they more compact? Are stores and houses integrated or separated? How does the transportation network function? How do they preserve their open space and their farms? What do people do for jobs?

All these professional interest questions come on top of the usual tourist curiosities about the local customs, points of interest and cuisine.

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February 2011 / The South Coast Insider

Differences close to home You don’t need to venture far to find enormous differences from the South Coast—physically and culturally. Western Massachusetts and Vermont present striking differences within a three hour drive. It’s almost like going back in time—small villages with white clapboard houses surrounded by dairy farms.

Fly to the southwestern U.S. to see how climate affects everything from vegetation to building materials to local customs. The most immediately noticeable difference is the colors—reds, oranges and browns compared to our greens and blues.

Hop over to Europe to observe how development patterns established before the automobile have influenced the culture and the landscape so significantly (or to be more accurate, realize how completely the U.S. culture and landscape have been driven by the automobile).

Innocents abroad With these thoughts in mind, it was with heightened interest that my wife and I departed for a vacation to two

Portuguese islands that have significant ties to the South Coast—Sao Miguel in the Azores and Madeira Island. These islands lie in the Atlantic Ocean about 900 miles and 600 miles, respectively, from Lisbon on the mainland. They are politically part of Portugal, but different in many ways.

The South Coast region has a strong connection to the Portuguese islands—especially the Azores. Fully half of Fall River residents list their ancestry as Portuguese.

If I had not done any homework, I might have expected to dine on a selection of malasadas, sweet bread, caçoila, and chouriço and pepper sandwiches washed down with wine made from grapes grown in the backyard. But I had studied enough to know that wouldn’t be the case. (That did not stop me from being disappointed not to see any of those items on a single menu during our trip).

Old world discoveries But what did we observe and learn? First of all, the attraction of opportunity in the United States must be very strong, because leaving these islands with their stunning natural beauty and quaint villages must be a heart wrenching decision.

Our part of America is pretty, but seems ordinary compared to the bright green landscape surrounded by sparkling ocean found in Sao Miguel or the dramatic topography and stunning vegetation found in Madeira.

We also saw disturbing development trends on Madeira that seemed to be more about capturing euros (local currency) than preserving the natural beauty of the island.

They may be starting to kill the goose that laid the golden egg. This was less apparent in the Azores where development pressures were clearly lower.

Funchal in Madeira had a bustling café scene that provided energy and activity to the downtown that would be the envy of any community in the South Coast. It would be nice to be able to replicate that here.

Both islands could learn plenty from us about traffic management, signage, parking laws and general traffic law enforcement. Even though they are handicapped with older narrower streets (and in Madeira’s case) an unforgiving topography, they could do a lot better. While we debate the merits of police vs. civilian flaggers at construction sites, they could use more of either kind.

On the other hand, we could learn a lot from them on the subject of roundabouts and courtesy toward pedestrians.

Finally, I sense that South Coast residents who have immigrated from the old country remember these places frozen in time—like it was in the 1950s. The islands’ residents actually seemed to have moved forward and embraced the future better than we have. We even ate in a vegetarian restaurant in Ponta Delgada—not an experience that one can find in Fall River.

a t t e r o L Laroche!

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— Coastal Real Estate — The South Coast Insider / February 2011

33

THINGS TO DO

V-Day

Empowering women

by Sara Feijo Would it surprise you that between 60 million to 101 million of women and girls are missing from the globe today due to gender discrimination?

New York Times Journalists and Pulitzer winners Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, authors of Half The Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, state that each year at least another two million females disappear worldwide.

Human sex trafficking, female genital mutilation, and domestic abuse are some of the factors that contribute to our horrific reality.

The good news is that there are people fighting against women’s oppression, one of them being Eve Ensler.

For many years, the word vagina could not be said without an automatic reaction of disapproval or a scandalized look.

However, one day, one woman decided to shout out to the world that “vaginas rock.” Eve Ensler, author of The Vagina Monologues, began a revolutionizing movement that aids women in all parts of the globe.

children, Ensler has allowed groups around the world to produce a oncea-year performance of her play, The Vagina Monologues, as well as other works, as long as all the proceeds are donated to local projects and programs that seek to help women.

Performances usually take place in the months of February, March, and April. As a result, college students and local theaters worldwide perform Ensler’s shows to promote awareness and help women. Of course, Massachusetts and Rhode Island’s theaters and universities do not fall behind as they are showcasing The Vagina Monologues throughout these months.

Local action In past years, Dr. Juli Parker, UMass Dartmouth Women’s Resource Center

Director, has been involved in the production of The Vagina Monologues at the university. In 2002, she directed the play and was able to raise $15,000, which was donated to local shelters.

According to Dr. Parker, Ensler’s play is a blend of two central messages, one promoting attention to the issue of violence against women and the other involving the empowerment of women around their sexuality.

“If you’re disconnected from your sexuality, then so many other manifestations can come out of that, like low self-esteem and self-hatred,” said Parker.

The play is solely performed by women, which brings them together and allows them to bond at a profound level while introducing them to concepts of feminism, which Dr. Parker views as one its best aspects.

Although there seems to be a difficulty in casting women of color and getting them to watch the play, the contrary happens to men, as they seem to connect and respond to “The Vagina Monologues,” especially during specific scenes.

“My husband cries every time he sees the ‘Flood’ and he thinks that that is the saddest monologue. I think that the birth monologue at the end is really powerful and that anybody that has been part of a birthing experience can connect on some level with it. A lot of men can learn something from it,”

V-Day V-Day is a global activist movement that strives to end violence against women and girls. It was created by Ensler and a group of women in 1998 as a non-profit organization that distributes funds to grassroots, organizations at the national and international level, and programs that strive to stop violence against women.

As an attempt to promote awareness and end violence against women and 34

February 2011 / The South Coast Insider

Dr. Juli Parker sitting along side the 2009 cast of “The Vagina Monologues.”

stated Dr. Parker.

She describes The Vagina Monologues as being an empowering show. For instance, in the “Hair” monologue we are presented with a woman that is constantly pressured by her husband to shave her vagina, when in reality she has no desire in doing it.

Yet, the monologue is more than about shaving, as Dr. Parker argues, it is about “people respecting you.

“All of the monologues maybe have a surface story, but there is another story happening as well.”

Recent success In 2008, the production of The Vagina Monologues at UMass Dartmouth donated proceeds to Katie Brown Educational Program, and in 2009 all proceeds went to the Women’s Center in New Bedford.

Last year, the university raised a total of $2,790; The White Ribbon Campaign received $1395, and $1116 went to V-Day Haiti. The remaining $279 was automatically given to V-Day movement, as it is mandatory to bestow 10% of all proceeds to the organization.

However, The Vagina Monologues is not the only play being performed, as the Eagle Performing Arts Center in Fall River is organizing for the first time the production of A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant, and A Prayer, which is a play that incorporates both men and women.

Plans for 2011 Ensler decided to ask various writers to contribute memories, monologues, rants, and prayers on the subject of violence against women and was surprised at the amount of replies she received. In sum, the play is a collection of monologues written by various writers, Ensler and Nicholas D. Kristof being two of them.

Deborah Orlando and Annemarie Sharkey, V-Day Fall River 2011 Organizers, believe that A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant, and A Prayer sends out the message that women are strong.

“We are survivors that should be celebrated as often as possible,” they said.

The play covers a plethora of ages,

races, and cultures. By watching the play, people can learn about the efforts of the Fall River community to prevent violence.

“We are bringing together community members of all ages and backgrounds to support a global movement and raise awareness about violence against women. The more people who come to the show, the more people will learn, support, and prevent,” stated Orlando and Sharkey.

The production hopes to raise at least $3,000 for the Katie Brown Education Program, which promotes and raises awareness about the issues of domestic violence and healthy relationships in the Southern Massachusetts and Rhode Island region.

Each year, the V-Day movement focuses on a targeted area, hence Ensler writes monologues that spotlight women of the specific region. In 2010, the organization focused on Haiti.

According to the official V-Day website, the movement promotes “creative events to increase awareness, raise money and revitalize the spirit of existing anti-violence organizations. V-Day generates broader attention for the fight to stop violence against women and girls, including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation (FGM) and sex slavery.”

It is settled in 130 countries, from Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean to North America. For more information or to make donations, visit www. vday.org.

Local schedules The Vagina Monologues: University of Massachusetts Dartmouth – February 18 and 19 Bridgewater State College – February 13 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Framingham State College – March 3, 4, and 5 at 12 a.m.

Brown University – February 11, 12, and 13 Johnson & Wales University – February 11 at 5 p.m. and February 14 at 7 p.m.

University of Rhode Island – February 24, 25, and 26 A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant, and A Prayer: Eagle Performing Arts Center (Fall River) – February 25 and 26 at 8 p.m. and February 27 at 2 p.m.

The South Coast Insider / February 2011

35

ONGOING Visit CoastalMags.com for extended listings and to sign-up for our free weekly events email AHA! Night: Downtown New Bedford comes alive with Art, History and Architecture. Every second Thursday of the month. 508-996-8253. www. ahanewbedford.org

Calling All Homeowners

Buttonwood Park Zoo, 425 Hawthorn Street, New Bedford. 508-991-6178. www.bpzoo.org

Qualifying oil heat customers can receive rebates of up to $4,000 for oil system upgrades from the Mass Oil Heat Council.

Residential boilers and water heaters: Electric and Gas Co. rebate up to $1,500.

Solar systems: Federal tax credit of 30% with NO LIMIT. State credit of 15% up to $1,000.

Common Fence Music, 933 Anthony Road, Portsmouth. 401-683-5085. www.commonfencemusic.org

NEW oil heating systems can qualify for up to $5,500 in rebates/tax credits.

Mass Save offers interest free loans on new heating systems.

Four Corners Arts Center, 3850 Main Road, Tiverton Four Corners. 401-6242600. www.tivertonfourcorners.com/ artscenter

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Marion Art Center, 80 Pleasant Street, Marion. 508-748-1266. www. marionartcenter.org

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Memorial Hall, 124 Bay Street, Rehoboth. 8-11pm. 508-252-6375. www.contradancelinks.com

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Call Sherri Mahoney today 508-636-9829 sherilyn@taxingmatters.com

ne of the most often forgotten business deductions is vehicle expenses. The standard mileage rate for business miles for 2010 is 50 cents per mile. So, a taxpayer that drives 10,000 business miles will receive a $5,000 tax deduction. For a self-employed taxpayer in a higher tax bracket that represents a tax savings of $2,500! A taxpayer has two options for deducting vehicle expenses. You can use the standard mileage rate or actual expenses.

We often look at both methods to determine which provides the best deduction. In order to deduct actual expenses you must first determine the percentage of the vehicle used for business. If you drive 10,000 total miles and 5,000 were for business use, deduct 50% of the actual expenses for your vehicle.

Actual expenses include gas, insurance, repairs, loan interest, tax, registration and depreciation of the vehicle. Whether you use the standard mileage rate or actual expenses, the most important thing to remember is not to forget this important tax deduction!

w w w.taxingmatters.com 36

February 2011 / The South Coast Insider

Narrows Center for the Arts, 16 Anawan Street, Fall River. 508-3241926. For schedule of events visit www.ncfta.org New Bedford Art Museum, 608 Pleasant Street, NewBedford.

508-961-3072. www. newbedfordartmuseum.org New Bedford Whaling Museum, 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford. 508997-0046. www.whalingmuseum.org Providence Performing Arts Center, 220 Weybosset Street, Providence.

401-421-2787. www.ppacri.org Stone Church Coffee House, 280 High Street, Bristol. 401-253-4813. www.churchstreetcoffeehouse.com Trinity Trinity Repertory Company, 201 Washington Street, Providence.

401-351-41242. For schedule of events visit www.trinityrep.com Veterans Memorial Auditorium, One Avenue of the Arts, Providence. 401421-2787. www.vmari.com Zeiterion Performing Arts Center, 684 Purchase Street, New Bedford.

508-994-2900. For schedule of events visit www.zeiterion.org

TAROT-SCOPES

by The Celtic Cricket and Duir Kell

We use the tarot to predict your horoscope. If you’d like more in depth & personal information, stop by our shop—The Silver Willow in Rehoboth, MA for a private tarot reading.

Store CLOSIng

SALE

HUGE SAVINGS

Aries – Mending fences at work will prove to be profitable and productive. Try to be more agreeable to your mate this month; you’ll be better for it later.

Mirrors Bedding/linens Kitchenware Home accessories Jewelry Gifts And more!

Taurus – Your happy attitude motivates everyone around you. Starting a new relationship this month will have a good outcome.

Gemini – Love and money seem to bring balance to Gemini this month. The prospects for financial gain are excellent.

Cancer – Breaking away from tradition my set a new course for adventure and growth.

An off the wall idea may be popular with others.

Leo – This month belongs to you. Take time out for yourself. Meditation or a yoga class would be good for alone time and reflection. You’ll thank yourself later.

Virgo – Stop trying so hard. This month you’ll realize you’ve done all you can. Now is the time to let the chips fall where they may.

Libra – Stop confusing yourself. Don’t always follow your intuition; the vibes are leading you astray this month. What you feel is right could lead you to calamity.

Scorpio – What appears as a delay or miscommunication is actually a blessing in disguise. It will give you a new outlook.

Don’t let yourself assume the worst.

Sagittarius – New opportunities may present themselves this month. Take the risk and the results will be better than expected. Don’t be afraid to take the leap.

Marissa A. Gaboriau, LICSW Cou nseling Serv ices

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Capricorn – Finding a new hobby or online class will be a pleasant distraction from your everyday life. New ideas will flow much better by the end of the month.

Aquarius – Be careful not to reveal too much of your personal life this month.

Friends and co-workers may judge you poorly, leading to a chain of gossip that would put you in a bad light.

Pisces – A change in your neutral attitude about current events will benefit you in the long run. Stop wishing and hoping, make yourself get up and out there. Grab life by the reins or it may pass you by.

The South Coast Insider / February 2011

37

HAPPENINGS

Visit CoastalMags.com for extended listings and to sign-up for our free weekly events email

Through February 26 – Junior Duck Stamp Art Exhibit. Buttonwood Park Zoo, 425 Hawthorn Street, New Bedford. 10am-5pm daily.

508-991-6178. www.bpzoo.org

February 10 – Odair Assad: Classical in the Sanctuary. First Unitarian Church, 71st 8th Street, New Bedford. 7:30pm. 508-997-5664. www.zeiterion.org

and the Working Waterfront Festival. Corson Maritime Learning Center, 33 William Street, new Bedford. 7:00 PM. 508-993-8894. www. workingwaterfrontfestival.org

Through February 27 – Art Among Friends Exhibition. Presented by the Sakonnet Arts Network. Tiverton Town Hall, 343 Highland Road, Tiverton. 401-835-2996. www.SakonnetArts.org

February 11 – Have A Heart: A Benefit for Homeless Animals. Hotel Viking, One Bellevue Avenue, Newport. 5:30-9:00pm. 401846-8276. www.potterleague.org

February 18 – Girls Night: The Musical.

Veterans Memorial Auditorium, One Avenue of the Arts, Providence. 8pm. 401-222-1467. www.vmari.com

February 12 – 2nd Annual 2011 Fall River Children’s Healthy Heart Festival. CD Rec/ Bank Street Armory, 72 Bank Street, Fall River. 11am-2pm. 508-567-4944. www. myfallriver.org

February 18 – Italian Buffet at The Olde White Church, 1113 GAR Highway & Maple Ave. Swansea. 4:30-7pm. Lasagne, meatballs, pasta w/sauce, soup/salad, chicken parmesan, dessert and beverage. All are welcome! www.swanseawhitechurch.org

Through February 28 – Pack up the kids, grab their woolly mittens, and head out for winter walks and owl prowls. Events include story time, nature flicks, Wild Saturdays and special vacation week programs. Audubon Environment Education Center, 1401 Hope Street, Bristol. 401-949-5454. www.asri.org February 2 – Reiki and Energy Medicine.

Learn how to restore the body’s natural energy for better health and healing, and to restore balance. Presented by Bookseller and Reiki practitioner, Lynda Cavanaugh. Baker Books, Dartmouth. 6pm. 508-997-6700. www.bakerbooks.net February 3 – Armsted Christian and Peaceful Flight. Stage Door at the Z, Zeiterion Theatre, Spring Street, New Bedford. 7:30pm.

508-997-5664. www.zeiterion.org February 4 – Live Bait: True Stories from Real People. Perishable Theatre, 95 Empire Street, Providence. 10pm. 401-331-2695. www.perishable.org February 4 – Cheryl Wheeler and Kenny White in a special benefit concert for the Katie Brown Educational Program. Eagle Event Center, 35 North Main Street, Fall River. 8pm.

508-678-4466. www.kbep.org February 4 – Loretta Laroche 2011. Zeiterion Theatre, 684 Purchase Street, New Bedford.

8:00pm. 508-997-5664. www.zeiterion.org

February 12 – Winter Bird Walk. Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary, 1280 Horseneck Road, Westport. 9am-12pm. 508-636-2437. www. massaudubon.org February 12 – Craft an Animal Valentine’s Day Card. Buttonwood Park Zoo, 425 Hawthorn Street, New Bedford. 1-4pm. 508-9916178. www.bpzoo.org February 12 – Teddy Bear Tea. Sponsored by the Dartmouth YMCA. Wamsutta Club, 427 County Street, New Bedford. 2-4pm. 508993-3361. www.ymcasouthcoast.org February 12 – Classical IV: Transcendent Virtuosity. Performed by the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra. Zeiterion Theatre, 684 Purchase Street, New Bedford. 8:00pm. 508997-5664. www.zeiterion.org February 12 – 4th Annual Mardi Gras Ball.

Benefit for the Friends of the Bristol Animal Shelter. Linden Place Ballroom, 500 Hope Street, Bristol. 6:30-11pm. 401-253-4834. www.friendsofthebristolanimalshelter.org February 13 – The Solati Trio. St. Michael’s Church Community Concert Series, 399 Hope Street, Bristol. 3-5pm. 401-254-9626.

February 4 – Festival Ballet of Providence presents Carmen. VMA Arts and Cultural Center, One Avenue of the Arts, Providence.

401-222-1467. www.vmari.com

February 13 – Author Kevin O’Hara at the Swansea Public Library. Sponsored by the Friends of the Swansea Public Library, 69 Main Street, Swansea. 3-8pm. 508-6749609. www.swansealibrary.org

February 5 – Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams. Common Fence Point at Channing Church, 135 Pelham Street, Newport. 8pm. 401-683-5085. www.commonfencepoint.org

February 13 – Douglass and the Civil War. Friends Meeting House, 83 Spring Street, New Bedford. 2-5pm. 508-979-8828. www.nbhistoricalsociety.org

February 5-6 – 18th Annual Rhode Island Pet Show and TICA Cat Show. Rhode Island Convention Center, One Sabin Street, Providence. 401-846-1115. www.jenksproductions.com February 5-14 – Valentine’s Day Cookie Decorating. Bear’s Den Cafe,Buttonwood Park Zoo, 425 Hawthorn Street, New Bedford. 10am-3pm. 508-991-6178. www.bpzoo. org February 6 – Super Sub Sunday Fundraiser.

A benefit for F.A.M.E. (Fairhaven Association for Music Education). Order subs and pick up at the First Congregational Church, 34 Center Street, Fairhaven. 508-994-1098. http://f-a-m-e.home.comcast.net

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February 13 – Old Fashion Tea with the Governor. A benefit for the Bristol Statehouse Portrait Restoration Project. Bristol Statehouse, 240 High Street, Bristol. 3-5pm.

401-253-4627. www.bristolstatehouse.com February 15 – Reaching the Animal Mind: A Night with Karen Pryor. Buttonwood Park Zoo, 425 Hawthorn Street, New Bedford.

7pm. 508-991-6178. www.bpzoo.org February 17 – Jake Armerding. At the new On Stage Folk Cafe. A full bar, coffee and yummy desserts available. Zeiterion Theatre, 684 Purchase Street, New Bedford.

7:30pm. 508-997-5664. www.zeiterion.org February 18 – Fisherpoets. Dock-UMentaries film series sponsored by New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park

February 2011 / The South Coast Insider

February 18-27 – 23rd Annual Newport Winter Festival. Over 160 events at New England’s largest winter extravaganza.

Marketing and Events Inc., 28 Pelham Street, Newport. 401-847-7666. www.newportevents.com/winterfest February 19 – Rumbafrica. African traditional and pop music from the Congo.

Common Fence Point, 933 Anthony Road, Portsmouth. 8pm. 401-683-5085. www.commonfencepoint.org February 19-20 – Southern New England Golf Expo. Rhode Island Convention Center, One Sabin Street, Providence. 401-846-1115. www.riconvention.com February 19-20 – Maple Sugaring Weekend.

Coggeshall Farm, 1 Colt Drive, Bristol. 401253-9062. www.coggeshallfarm.org February 23 – Starting Seeds Indoors.

Plant propagation for beginners. Includes Seed saving 101. Presented by Bookseller Cindi Wood. Baker Books, 69 State Road, Dartmouth. 6pm. 508-997-6700. www.bakerbooks.net February 24 – Buille. Niall Vallely, concertina; Caoimhin Vallely, piano; Special Guest John Doyle, guitar & vocals.

February 24-27 – Gardening with Heart.

Rhode Island Spring Flower and Garden Show. Rhode Island Convention Center, One Sabin Street, Providence. 401-272-0980. www.flowershow.com February 26 – 1st Annual Swansea Winter Festival. Sponsored by the Swansea Recreation Commission and the Friends of the Swansea Public Library. Swansea Community Center (former St. Michael’s Church), 260 Ocean Grove Avenue, Swansea.

10am-4pm. 508-674-9609. www.swansealibrary.org February 26 – Pink Floyd Experience.

Zeiterion Theatre, 684 Purchase Street, New Bedford. 8:00pm. 508-997-5664. www.zeiterion.org February 27 – Blues at the Crossroads.

Featuring Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Stephen Johnson, Hubert Sumlin and Cedric Burnside & Lightnin’Malcom. Zeiterion Theatre, 684 Purchase Street, New Bedford.

8:00pm. 508-997-5664. www.zeiterion.org

A bold reimagining of

Arthur Miller’s

trinity repertory repertory

company

gripping drama…

The Crucible

Feb. 4 – March 13 • Tickets start at $12 A Screech Owl perched still on a twig in Dartmouth. his is a recent photo taken by Sally Johnston, Lloyd Center Volunteer and Member

Are you a night owl?

Join Lloyd Center Research Associate, Jamie Bogart on Feb. 20 at 3:30 in the morning as he travels to various locations in the quiet, dark winter woods of Dartmouth during the predawn hours when local owls of our region are highly active.

At 8 a.m., return to the center for a light breakfast of bagels and coffee. From there you may depart for the day or explore the Center’s trail system in all its winter glory.

In case of stormy weather or windy conditions, the Owl Prowl will take place on February 27 (3:30-8 am). $9 for Lloyd Center members and $12 for non-members (children under 12 years old: $4.50 for members, $6 for non-members). The program is suitable for ages 10 and up.

Meet at the Lloyd Center, 430 Potomska Road in Dartmouth. To register call 508-558-2918 or visit www.lloydcenter.org. Dress warmly. Call Bogart at 508-990-0505 ext. 23 with questions about the program or owls.

The Center is also sponsoring a free “Animals in Winter” story hour followed by a fun craft on Feb. 24 for parents and preschool children. Children must be accompanied by an adult. For more information call Amanda Wilkinson at (508) 990-0505 x16.

(401) 351-4242 • www.trinityrep.com 201 Washington St. • Providence • RI • Season sponsored by

Mooooove on over to

Cabin Fever Week February 21-25 Monday: Toe Jam Puppet Band Tuesday: Toe Jam Puppet Band Wednesday: Mad Hatter Magic Thursday: Sparky’s Puppets Friday: The Lucky Show

Buttonwood Park Zoo Open 10-5, Daily

Zoo event listings at WWW.BPZOO.ORG 425 Hawthorn St. • New Bedford, MA • (508) 991-6178

The South Coast Insider / February 2011

39

LAST WORD

Godparents:

An offer you can’t refuse

By Michael J. Vieira The cold nights of February are great for kicking back and watching a movie —and one of the classics has to be The Godfather. From Brando’s amazing performance to the “offer you can’t refuse” to the beautifully orchestrated and truly disturbing baptism montage, it’s a masterpiece.

It’s also redefined the role of the godfather. Thanks to the movie and the novel of the same name, we’ve come to associate the title “godfather” with negativity—or at least with some suspicion.

But, always, with respect.

I remember going to a wedding not long ago where a politician was out on a deck holding court. As the faithful flocked to see him, all I could think of was, it’s “the godfather.”

That’s too bad.

Good godparents Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about my own godmother, who’s been sick.

She is in her eighties, but she’s still cool.

She has a Facebook page. (In fact, she had one before I did!) She’s also an official member of the Red Hat Society, a group of over-fifty-ish ladies who do lunch and other social activities.

Looking back, she’s always been a combination of Auntie Mame and a Fifties sitcom mom. When most folks I knew were still living in tenements, she had a ranch with a finished basement (complete with circular padded seating around the support column) and a cat clock swinging its tail on the wall of her kitchen.

When we stayed with her, we did crafts (I remember making a piggy bank out of a bleach bottle) and ate food made in an electric frying pan.

40

And, yes, she did have an aluminum Christmas tree with a spinning colored light.

But it wasn’t all perfect. She was one of the first people I knew who got divorced and she did a great job of raising her daughter alone for many years. There was also her dog, Ginger, a mean cocker spaniel with an attitude —until I took a pan to his head when I was a toddler. After that, we had an understanding.

She was—and remains—very special.

But, really, what is a godfather or godmother? In the eyes of the church, it’s somebody who “helps raise the child in the faith.” These days, that’s either a full-time job or a meaningless position, depending on your religious point of view.

Parents chose (or should chose) people who are special. They might be family members or not, and if all works out, they become part of the support network we all need.

Family of choice We have a friend whose family is far away, who often refers to us as her “family of choice.” I appreciate the sentiment. That’s a great way of recognizing people who care enough about you to include you in holidays and events when your own people are not around.

(Oh yeah. They also watch your cat.)

My kids have lots of aunts and uncles who may not be on our official lineage, but who are just as close if not closer than some “real” family. For the most part, it’s like they’ve always been there —and for our kids, they always have been.

Some of this extended family goes

February 2011 / The South Coast Insider

back more than 40 years. That’s long enough to be grafted onto our family tree, I think. When it was time for our kids to pick their own sponsors or godparents for Confirmation, they selected special people from this “side” of the family.

The Portuguese (and some other countries) not only have a name for the godmother and godfather (madrinha and padrinho), but also titles of honor that connect parents and godparents and recognize that relationship.

Comadre and compadre means comother and co-father, acknowledging the idea of co-parenting.

That’s a great way of looking at the relationship. Although the term “it takes a village” is bordering on becoming a cliché, parents need help. Whether it’s a “family of choice,” compadres, or folks we call “aunt” or “uncle,” it doesn’t matter.

My kids have their “Minnie” (their own variation of madrinha or godmother) and their Confirmation sponsors or “godparents of choice.” We’re close to our compadres and most of our own godparents still hold special places in our hearts.

When one of my godsons and his wife had their sons, they asked me to do a reading at the baptisms. It meant a lot to me, knowing they recognized the importance of godparents in their children’s lives.

So when the cold winds of winter blow, you can take refuge in the warmth of family and thoughts of those closest and most special to you.

Whether by blood or water, birth or choice, it’s important to have people around who care.

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Partners Village Store Hosts its Annual Teas

The South Coast’s ­premier rental resource!

Invite a friend or family member and share traditional English Tea, tea sandwiches, mini desserts, and great conversation on Thursday afternoons through February and March, 3:00-4:00 pm. $12.95 per person Space is limited.

Please call for reservations.

Looking for a special place for that special day?

Our beautiful Victorian Gardens provide the perfect setting for your wedding day needs.

Call for rates and reservations

508-636-2572 865 Main Road, Westport, MA 02790 Daily 9:30-5:00

Fall River Historical Society 451 Rock Street • Fall River, MA

partnersvillagestore.com Like us on Facebook

(508) 679 -1071

Free on-site consultations Creative event planning services

Westport • Newport • Cape Cod

508-676-9214 • 800-697-9214

“Partying Out is In!”

Country Club 970 Tucker Road • Dartmouth, MA Wedding “Oil” Portrait – Tiago Finato

Hawthorne Country Club is a beautiful banquet facility surrounded by one of the areas most picturesque golf courses.

Overlooking the Paskamansett Valley, with its spectacular view, Hawthorne Country Club is the perfect choice for your special event.

423 Hope Street • Bristol, RI 401-396-9699

For dates and information call Kathi or Anne at

Please check website for hours and events

508-997-3377

www.bristolartgallery.net

www.hawthornecountryclub.com

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Claddagh Connection Sale

All Gold Claddagh Jewelry 15-20% Off All Sterling Silver Claddagh Jewelry 15% Off — Ends on Valentine’s Day — “Let Love and Friendship Reign” The HEART stands for love, the HANDS stand for friendship and The CROWN stands for loyalty.

259 Thames Street v Bristol, RI v 401-253-0000 www.thecladdaghconnection.com

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Get beautiful

Traditional, Contemporary and Theme Wedding Designs Free Wedding Consultations Floral Designs For Bridal Party, Church, and Reception Venues Indoor and Outdoor Designs

Lu x u ry S PA / F u l l S E RV IC E S A LON / C A F E

508.336.6676 1479 Fall River Ave, On Route 6, Seekonk, MA

147 Borden Street Fall River MA 508-672-5822 888-672-5822

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Chamilia PROMOTION February 1-14 Buy ANY three Chamilia beads and get a Sterling Silver bead for free

167 Borden Street • Fall River, MA • 508.676.7169 Hours: Tue. & Sat. 10-3, Wed. thru Fri. 10-6 www.JJJewelry.com

Baggins End Guest House All You Need is Love • Private waterfront weddings and receptions • Private gatherings and seasonal receptions • Waterfront accommodations, cozy guestrooms and sitting areas • Sunset views from the dock and patio

For 50 Years, We’ve Made Your Special Day Unforgettable!

• Continental breakfast

For five decades, the Ferris family has enjoyed a reputation of excellence, creating award-winning cuisine and outstanding service, all at an unmatched value. We offer luxurious banquet rooms, ample parking and are conveniently located less than 15 minutes from Providence and the South Coast.

Let our expert planners assist you with all the details of your special day.

2 West Street • Fairhaven, MA • 508-326-2567

75 Grand Army Highway (Route 6), Swansea, MA 02777 RI 401.861.2780 | MA 508.678.3901 | www.venusdemilo.com

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This is the cancer team

YOU want on your side.

THERESE MULVEY, MD Physician-in-Chief/ Medical Oncologist

MARK SHPARBER, MD Medical Oncologist/ Hematologist

ELIZABETH BLANCHARD, MD Medical Oncologist/Hematologist

TODD F. ROBERTS, MD Medical Oncologist/ Hematologist

TUSHAR KUMAR, MD Radiation Oncologist

HARRY W. MATELSKI, MD Medical Oncologist/ Hematologist

PATRICK GAGNON, MD Radiation Oncologist

Great local care with top national connections: Nobody fights cancer alone, not even our doctors.

nation’s leading cancer center — The University

Instead, we bring together the unique knowledge

of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

and experience of a whole panel of experts to develop the best treatment plan for each individual patient. And we use the same clinical guidelines and consultation services as the oncologists at the

Southcoast Centers for Cancer Care have advanced chemotherapy, radiation treatment and experienced oncologists credentialed by the MD Anderson Physicians Network®. This is the quality and care you’re looking for, and it’s just minutes away.

www.s re outhcoast.org/cancerca