South Coast Prime Times - March/April 2020 by Coastal Communications Corp.

S o u t h

C o a s t

Prime timeS M a r c h /A pr i l 2 02 0 • Volum e 16 • Num ber 2

Calm

waters Living large Hunt for treasure Season for seasonings Stitched together Rooster’s call

WHEN MINUTES COUNT, COUNT ON SAINT ANNE’S Now offering 24/7 Coronary Angioplasty/PCI For patients experiencing a heart attack, Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI, also known as coronary angioplasty with stent) can make a real difference. Saint Anne’s Hospital has expanded our cardiac care to include 24/7 coverage for the care and management of a type of heart attack known as ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

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MARCH/APRIL 2020 in every issue

Prime season

From the publisher

In brief by Elizabeth Morse Read

Prime living

10 16

A seasoned eye by Carissa Wills-DeMello

Spreading culture, spreading light by Steven Froias

Tap into your home’s equity! by Elizabeth Morse Read

S o u t h

A treasure hunt at Simmons Pond by Ann Katzenbach

Good times

Spring awakening by Elizabeth Morse Read

The fabric of Westport by Ann Katzenbach Stone Rooster’s sounds by Michael J. DeCicco Creak, don’t croak by Paul Kandarian

C o a s t

Prime timeS ber 2 • Volum e 16 • Num M a r c h /A pr i l 2 02 0

Calm

waters Living large Hunt for treasure Season for seasonings Stitched together Rooster’s call

April 30, 2020

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On the cover: Winter’s cooling arms give a final embrace before the first shoots of spring arise. Enjoy the calm brought by lower temperatures before things heat up on the South Coast once again! Photo of Simmons Pond by Michael Foley.

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FROM THE PUBLISHER March/April 2020 n Vol. 16 n No. 2 Published by

Coastal Communications Corp. Publisher and Editor-in-Chief

It might not seem like it yet, but winter is

Ljiljana Vasiljevic

already on its way out the door, and spring is slowly but steadily taking hold. Spend the rest of the season making the most of winter’s cool embrace before things start heating up once again!

Sebastian Clarkin

On page 8, Ann Katzenbach introduces us to Roger and Gail Greene, the stewards of Simmons Pond. Once essentially abandoned to the elements, the couple has worked tirelessly to cultivate a welcoming slice of nature. No matter the temperature, you’ll surely want to visit. Between winter chills and springtime sniffles, this is no time to let your guard down. Wash your hands as you may, you could still find yourself suffering from some unwelcome symptoms. Find some all-natural relief with Caries Wills-DeMello on page 10. – your body will thank you.

Editor

Online editor

Paul Letendre Contributors

Michael J. DeCicco, Steven Froias, Paul Kandarian, Ann Katzenbach, Elizabeth Morse Read and Carissa Wills-DeMello South Coast Prime Times is published bi-monthly. Copyright ©2020 Coastal Communications Corp.

Just because the days are longer doesn’t mean you can’t still spend a night out on the town! On page 14, Michael J. DeCicco opens the doors to the Stone Rooster, the Marion music venue owned by 95-year-old Gilda Pieregalla Downey. Thanks to a cadre of talented (and precocious) local musicians, she’s found a way to stay young.

This can be a tricky time of year to dress for – too warm for the ski jacket, but not nearly warm enough for the light sweater you love (you can also craft the perfect garment – turn to page 12 for advice on that). Whatever you end up wearing, you can rest assured that you’ll find some fun whoever your adventure may take you.

graphical errors in advertisements, but will reprint that

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 typo-

portion of an advertisement in which the typographical error occurs.

Next issue April 15, 2020

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Ljiljana Vasiljevic

M ailing address

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South Coast Prime Times P.O. Box 3493 Fall River, MA 02722

Phone (508) 677-3000

Website coastalmags.com

E-mail editor@coastalmags.com

facebook.com/thesouthcoastinsider

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If you’re 60 or older, get the most out of life by visiting your local Senior Center/Council on Aging! Fitness classes, day trips, health insurance counselors, computer workshops, Memory Cafes, support groups – and more! Food & Festivals! Beat the mid-winter blues at the 32nd Annual Newport Winter Festival February 14-23! Ten days of non-stop music, food and Fun! For more info, visit newportwinterfestival.com or call 401-847-7666.

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Don’t miss the spectacular Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in Newport on March 14, rain or shine! For details, call 401-846-5081 or visit newportirish.com.

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Show up hungry for the inaugural “VegFest RI” event at the Waterfire Arts Center in Providence on February 23! Learn about a plant-based lifestyle, try the food, meet vendors, chefs, cookbook authors – and more! For tickets and info, go to eventbrite.com.

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Check out the free monthly “Film and Potluck” events on the first Friday of the month through March at the Dartmouth Grange Hall! For more info, go to dartmouthgrange.org. Plan ahead for the Daffodil Days Arts and Artisan Fair April 25 at the Four Corners Arts Center in Tiverton! For more info, go to fourcornerarts.org. Don’t miss Wellness + Wine: Zumba on February 19 at the Newport Vineyards in Middletown! Plan ahead for February Beer Hall Night February 21 and Barrel of Laughs Comedy Night February 22! Then there’s the Scratch Series: Cooking with Beer March 12 or March Beer Hall Night March 13! For info, go to newportvineyards.com or call 401-8485161. Tickets are on sale now for the Annual Wine, Cheese and Chocolate Festival on June 15 at the Westport Fairground! For tickets, visit coastalwinetrail.com.

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Southcoast Health and the Buzzards Bay Coalition have created “Discover Buzzards Bay,” an initiative to promote active outdoor recreation. A series of guided monthly outdoor walks, called “Sunday Strolls,” and an online portal with information about more than 100 public places to walk, bird-watch, kayak/ canoe, fish, snowshoe or cross-country ski, can be found at savebuzzardsbay. org/discover – and check out thetrustees. org and massaudubon.org. To learn more about state parks and wildlife refuges in Rhode Island, go to asri.org, riparks.com or stateparks.com/rhode_island. Attend a series of Saturday lectures at Blithewold Mansion and Gardens in Bristol! The Secret World of Wildlife February 29, Learn about gardening with cold frames on March 13-14 or how to make wattle fences on March 21! Plan ahead for the “Gateway to Spring” events in April! For info, call 401-253-2707 or go to blithewold.org.

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Visit the whaling-era mansion at the RotchJones-Duff House in New Bedford! Plan ahead for the lecture “Planting Trees for Sustainability” on April 9! For more info, call 508-997-1401 or go to rjdmuseum.org.

Arthur DeMello GG (GIA) graduate Gemologist will be available to provide jewelry appraisal for your personal, estate or insurance purposes.

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PRIME SEASON GOOD TIMES

A treasure hunt at Simmons Pond

A nn K atzenbach

Some people find retirement offers too many empty, unfocused days, but at the Simmons Mill Pond Management Area in Little Compton, you will find a retired couple who wouldn’t know an empty day if it walked through the front door. And they likely wouldn’t be home anyway.

Roger and Gail Greene are officially retired, but they are volunteer stewards for over 400 acres of state land, and that’s a full-time job since children, grown-ups, dogs, joggers, bird-watchers, fishermen, history buffs, photographers, boaters, skiers, school groups, boy scouts, and handicapped visitors make use of the land every day. In 1995 Rhode Island purchased the acreage from the Chace family, who wanted its series of ponds, marshes, fields, forests, and stone walls to be preserved. Then the state realized that the property was so far from its headquarters in West Kingston that maintaining it wasn’t feasible. Luckily for the state (and the many people who love this area), the Greenes lived in the neighborhood and

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had been exploring the property for years. Most importantly, they had worked at the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, the same agency in charge of the acreage. The Greenes volunteered to look after the property, but waited until the state had burned down the Chace’s vacated cabin that had become a magnet for vandals and night-time parties. “It was an attractive nuisance,” says Gail. “No families wanted their kids coming here.” With the cabin gone, the Greenes got to work. Their goal was to open up the historic laneways, tend to the woodlands, and groom the roads that the Chaces had built. They wanted the land to invite people of all ages to explore and learn.

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Natural inclinations If you visit there today, their success is obvious. It speaks to years of work and dedication and caring. Everywhere there are signs of their creative solutions to downed trees (make a bench), dog waste (make a scooper to launch it into the woods), signage (put information on the back of a wood plaque and ask visitors to turn it back over when they’ve read what’s there), identification (keep current with the seasons – when a flower dies back, take away the sign. When a mushroom pops up that could make you sick, put up a sign), and, most importantly, knowing where you are (maps and signs strategically placed and approximate times for the various loops). Turning over the many hand-made wooden plaques to learn something about the trees, stone walls, wildlife, or rich history, is like going on a treasure hunt. Some of the information comes with illustrations and hand printing, done by Gail with a permanent marker at the dining room table. There is always something to be added or updated or cleaned or moved or mowed, so the Greenes are out there every day.

The best testament to their efforts is that appreciative community members also care for this special place. Visitors have added orange vests to the supply at the parking lot during hunting season. They clean up after others’ dogs. They turn over the plaques if someone else forgets to. An art student at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, made a beautiful map that greets you at the Coldbrook Road entrance. One woman has sewn special orange jackets for dogs – small, medium, and large. A mysterious volunteer plows the parking lot when it snows so that people don’t have to park on the road. “We didn’t know who it was for a long time,” says Gail. Another story that speaks to the community’s involvement was the gift of a state-of-the-art mower by a local couple who saw the Greenes keeping the grass cut with push mowers. If you visit, you might see Roger or Gail pushing a wheelbarrow or clearing a fallen tree or adding a sign. If you do, take a minute and thank them for all their hard work. Rhode Island, and especially Little Compton, is lucky to have such energetic, creative, devoted retirees. The main entrance to Simmons Mill Pond Management Area is on Coldbrook (aka Colebrook) Road in Little Compton. There is another entrance on John Dyer Road, but there’s a seasonal brook to cross if you go that way. The state stocks the ponds with trout and the fields and forests with pheasant each year. No motorized vehicles are permitted.

A nn K atzenbach has written for newspapers and magazines on art, travel, politics, and people. She has recently returned to the Southcoast after many years of nomadic life.

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PRIME LIVING

A seasoned eye Reach into your spice rack and you’ll no doubt encounter the usuals – Italian favorites like sage and thyme, their pungent complements like cayenne and garlic. The home cook is quite C arissa familiar with the culinary applications of their W ills spice rack (what’s a taco without cumin or D e M ello stew without bay leaf?). But what may be news is that their kitchen craft has its roots in ancient healing modalities. In fact, the abbreviation for “prescription,” Rx, is said to stand for the word “recipe” which is also Latin for “to take.” Your humble spice rack has the potential to be a tool for health and vitality, should you take a second look. Theories abound as to why people reach for spices at mealtime. Did early humans merely seek novel flavors? Or maybe it had something to do with the potential microbe-busting effects of these plants? Indeed, the act of spicing our food is

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connected to wellness, whether or not we consider it. But beyond the recipe, or perhaps before it, lies new purpose for your seasonings: wellness remedies. Modern science now confirms much of what tradition has told us about herbal preparations. So “old wives tales” may just be the modern folks’ answer for what ails ya’! Ready to reclaim your inner herbalist? Here are five simple recipes to get you going:

Rosemary & Lemon Tea For mental fog, give your coffee pot a break and reach for rosemary. It has been shown to improve systemic circulation and ease muscular tension, which includes bringing blood and oxygen to your overworked brain. To make, boil a cup of water and toss in a spoonful or two of rosemary. Close your lid and steep for 10 minutes. Then strain into your mug and stir in a good dose of honey and fresh lemon juice. Coupled with deep breathing, this tea is sure to offer a boost when you need it.

Sage & Thyme G argle A scratchy throat is not only unpleasant but foretells a potential illness unfolding. To instantly ease your pain and send those germs running, try this enhancement to a common remedy. Start by steeping two to three tablespoons of each herb as instructed above. Strain, reheat if needed, and dissolve a spoonful of salt in your “tea.” Whenever it crosses your mind, gargle your concoction. The fragrant oils in Sage and Thyme are powerfully antimicrobial, and both herbs gently reduce pain and inflammation.

Oregano Respiratory Steam One of the best ways to benefit from herbs is direct application. In the case of congested lungs, this may seem tricky. But fear not. Steam is able to carry phlegm-expelling, cough-easing, and microbial-busting plant chemicals right where you need them most. To do so, bring a small pot full of water to a boil, stir in a half a cup of oregano and inhale relief. For best effect, cover your head and pot with a towel, so no steam escapes. (Pro tip: you can add mint if you have it, but close your eyes!)

Cayenne & Ginger Foot Soak Even the achiest of feet are no match for this herbal duo. All you need is a teaspoon of each (powdered) and a foot basin full of hot water. Let your feet soak

until the water cools, so the herbs have time to reduce inflammation, enhance healthy blood flower, and ease pain. This soak works well for healing sprains, too. And as a bonus for the chillier folks among us, it works wonders for warming up from the inside out on cold days.

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Fennel Tincture A “tincture” is simply an extract, made with a solvent (aside from water) that draws beneficial compounds out of your herbs. Tinctures easily absorb into your bloodstream, bringing swift relief. And your solvent can be pulled right from your cabinet! Common options include vinegar, vodka, gin, and brandy. For wider applications (including cooking and kids) choose raw apple cider vinegar. Fill an eight-ounce jar with the vinegar and at least a quarter cup of fennel seed (plus honey, if you’d like). Wait one month, shaking your remedy periodically. After that time, strain your tincture and take a teaspoon as needed for digestive relief. Fennel is known to relax intestinal gas and bloating, and makes a lovely daily tonic for digestive function. In that “second look” at the spice rack you just might set sights on your herbalist roots; every one of us has them. Our ancestors were no doubt stirring up very similar remedies, whether it was a generation ago in America or a century past in the “old world.” And those who come after us surely will, too! Just remember that herbs have a shelf life, which reduces with exposure to light, air, and heat. The most effective herbs are the freshest herbs. To ensure potency and flavor, source organically and swap out annually. Find herbs online at Mountain Rose Herbs, Starwest Botanicals and Frontier Co-Op. And for the adventurous, explore Farmacy Herbs in Providence and Seven Arrows Farm in Seekonk where you’ll find knowledgeable on-staff herbalists who can advise and inspire your herbal explorations! Happy concocting, and be well.

C arissa W ills -D e M ello is a practicing Western Herbalist, the founder of Bilo Herbs, and a home-remedy enthusiast. She will be teaching “Backyard Herbalism: Garden Herbs & Weeds for Wellness” at SEMAP’s Agriculture and Food Conference this February – check semaponline.org for more info.

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GOOD PRIMETIMES SEASON

The fabric of Westport A nn K atzenbach

If you are a fabric fiend and you live east of Fall River, it’s time to celebrate. The little Somerset store where Amy Nadeau-Cantin has run her unique consignment business for so many years, Amy’s Fabric Treasures, has moved to Westport. Her new address at 1032 American Legion Highway is a two-story house.

At 3,000 square feet, it’s a third larger than her former Somerset shop, and the separate rooms allow for better organization of the fabric, buttons, ribbons, zippers, patterns, and everything else associated with sewing that anyone could think of and then some. Her inventory is unique and varied because everything for sale is on consignment. That means most of what Amy offers is older, of better quality, and more interesting than what you will find in a chain store. She reckons that 50% of her fabric was woven in Fall River or New Bedford because locals who are cleaning out their

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grandparents’ houses or their own closets or attics, bring bolts or yardage to Amy. “The consigning never stops,” says the fabric guru. This means everything must be measured and priced and labeled and recorded. It’s time consuming – 70 hours a week, Amy reckons – but she is doing what she loves. Amy was hand-embroidering doll clothes at age four, and a few years later, her mother taught her to use a machine. “I drove my mother nuts. All I wanted to do was sew.” She sewed professionally for 22 years, but her body finally protested and she came up with the idea of a consignment

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fabric store that today has grown into a business known by quilters and dressmakers and designers all over southern New England and beyond. Amy’s Fabric Treasures is, as far as Amy knows, the only shop of its kind in the country. For those who sew, the shop is a destination. Amy says, “It’s a wonderful community of people from all over. They’re doing something fun in a happy environment.” Consigners get a 50/50 split and most people simply take store credit. In addition to selling fabric, Amy gives sewing lessons and offers space for quilters and others working on projects to share ideas and chat. A repairman comes once a week to fix machines for customers. In the new space, there is more room for these offerings. “I was tripping over myself in that Somerset store,” she explains.

Patching things up Another destination for those who love to work with their hands is at 782 Main Road in Westport. Pat Brost opened Sisters of the Wool 11 years ago, and it is

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a favored stop for knitters and crocheters. 1 to 5 p.m. All open knitting groups are It is the largest yarn shop in the Northeast free of charge, and everyone is welcome at and caters to every level of fiber enthusiast. any time. Sisters of the Wool sells natural fibers If you want to learn knitting skills, from all over the world. “No cheap there are classes on Saturday from 10 acrylics,” she says, shaking her head. a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesday from 10 “That stuff will outlive a cockroach.” Her a.m. to 4 p.m. Pat asks that students call vast inventory includes wool, cotton, in advance. There’s a $10/hour charge yak, bamboo, silk, cashmere, and many for these classes but if you simply have others, in all weights, and at a reasonable a small problem, advice is always free. price. Arranged on shelves around the Sisters of the Wool also does repairs, room, the yarn finishing, and suffuses the shop steam blocking. Sisters of the Wool with color. Customers and woolsisters.com When she made friends of Fabric 774-264-9665 the floor plan, Treasures and Pat started by Sisters of the Wool Amy’s Fabric Treasures designating an do a lot of work amysfabrictreasures.com area for a circle for non-profits. 508-679-9301 of chairs where Knitters make Both businesses are on Facebook customers could sit hundreds of hats comfortably and for Dana Farber learn to knit or take Cancer Center. knitting lessons or bring their projects Quilts, blankets, scarves, and bags are all and work in an atmosphere of shared given away and leftover wool or fabric go endeavor. Like someone’s living room, to senior and youth centers. this space is the heart of the store. These Both Amy and Pat acknowledge that at groups have meeting times on Tuesdays the root of their businesses is the pleasure from 1 to 3 p.m., Thursdays from 1 to 4 they get from giving people a happy place p.m. and 4:30 to 7 p.m., and Friday from to meet and chat and make new friends.

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Seniors Real Estate Specialist/Partner

WWW.JFJHOMES.COM 774.240.8928 • jfuller-jones@kw.com 574 Washington St, Easton MA 02375

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GOOD TIMES

Stone Rooster’s sounds

Cameron Shave

Michael J. DeCicco

Gilda Pieregalla Downey hasn’t let turning 95 years old slow her down.

In fact, the owner and manager of Gilda’s Stone Rooster in Marion for the past 40 years has stepped up what her popular jazz venue has to offer and infused more youthful performers into the mix. For the past 11 years, the 17-piece Southcoast Jazz Orchestra has performed at the Rooster twice a month on Monday nights, and that group’s smaller but no less dynamically-sounding offshoot, The

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Southcoast Brass Band, plays there once a month on Thursday nights. But it’s on the weekends that Gilda Downey doubles down on thinking young. Three Saturday evenings a month, a trio or quartet of young Jazz musicians perform at the Rooster. Every fourth Saturday, 17-year-old trumpeter Cameron Shave and his 17-piece Big Band orchestra comprised of fellow high-school-age musicians takes the Rooster stage. The Stone Rooster’s current goal, Downey explained, is “promoting the younger generation, the young kids. There’s some great young talent around.” She said she first met Shave two years ago when he was around 15. She invited his teenage bandmate, tenor saxophonist Anthony Defeo-Gelmam, to the club to perform, and he brought Shave along with him.

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Downey told Shave to put a band together and then he could perform there. The Bridgewater resident chose to recruit his bandmates from a pool of talented young musicians at surrounding area high schools. “Now at 17 he’s getting to be great,” Downey said. “I’m there watching him, and he’s amazing. I don’t want them to bring a singer, because it takes attention away from the musicians. You’ve got to see them and see how good they are. You’ll think it’s a 40-year-old professional playing.” She said part of her goal in booking talent for the Rooster right now is encouraging these young performers and those who aspire to perform. “I tell parents to bring your kids to see these young people play and see that they can do it too,” she said. She has a similar goal when it comes to encouraging those who are already stage ready. “They need a place to play, and I give them whatever they want,” she said. It’s a generation that doesn’t care about the money, she added. They take the door, which means they take whatever proceeds arise from the cover charge. And they are happy with that. “They just want that chance to perform,” Downey said.

Gilda Pieregalla Downey photo by R ay Drueke

Shave’s band attracted a standing-roomthe local shoe cobbler, her mother a mill only crowd at the Rooster’s Holiday Big worker. At age 16, she fell in love with Band Bash on December 28, such that big bands, going out to see her brother’s Downey had to leave people waiting group perform and to dance at places like outside the door because the building was Dartmouth’s Lincoln Park Ballroom. at capacity. In her 30s, The band loved she became tell parents to bring playing there so a hairdresser much that they with her own your kids to see these immediately Mattapoisett asked to come salon, then a young people play and back for a cocktail waitsee that they can do it too ress, then a similar bash in January 25, she bartender. She said. “I said, was tending okay, why not. And that’s what it’s all bar at what is now the Stone Rooster in about. They love playing here and the 1978 when the owner asked if she wanted atmosphere here. The kids need a chance. to buy the place. She was able to do so And they know me. I can tell them if I like only after her late husband, Paul Downey, them, and if they’re lousy.” convinced her father to help financially. She, her husband, and then-18-year-old Fresh sounds daughter Toni, as chief cook, became Shave said he started his own jazz band co-owners. Her mother helped her decide as a middle school seventh grader when on the name. “Stone Rooster” is a rough the Bridgewater-Raynham Regional English translation of her maiden/middle High School band he had joined didn’t name, Pieregalla. play or practice enough times to keep She brought live music of the type she him interested in it. Student musicians loved as a teenager to the Rooster around from surrounding schools wanted to join 1981. The Rooster faded as a music venue that group, and he eventually formed a in 2004 when her husband died. Big Band group as well. His friend and Fate bandmate, Defeointervened Gelmam, was she was playing the fourth have a certain special when visited by Bob Saturday of every Williamson, place in my heart for month at Gilda’s the leader of and offered Shave the Southcoast ilda haven t found to take over that Jazz Orchesspot. any place as welcoming tra, in 2006. He has nothing “After I lost my but praise for as ilda s place husband, I was Gilda’s help. depressed,” “Gilda is the most she said. “I amazing person I know,” Shave said. became alive again when Bob first played “We reached out to 70-100 venues in for me. I said, Bob, don’t ever leave here!” Massachusetts to play. Not one would But without a doubt, Downey’s own take a chance on us, except Gilda. I energetic drive is the biggest reason live have a certain, special place in my heart music has never left the Rooster since for Gilda. I haven’t found any place as then. welcoming as Gilda’s place.” All of the above shows perform from 8 Don’t ask Downey to sing her own to 10 p.m. and require a minimal cover praises. At the celebration of her 95th charge. Gilda’s Stone Rooster is located at birthday last May, she was surprised when 27 Wareham Road in Marion. state senator Michael D. Brady presented her with House of Representatives M ichael J. D e C icco has worked as a and Senate official citations extending writer for over 30 years. He is also the author congratulations on her birthday. “At first I of two award-winning young adult novels, thought it was a joke,” she said. “I totally Kaurlin’s Disciples and The Kid Mobster. He didn’t expect it.” lives with his wife Cynthia in New Bedford. She was born and raised in the north end of New Bedford, where her father was

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PRIME LIVING

Spreading culture, spreading light

Steven Froias

One of the features that now distinguish New Bedford is its Seaport Cultural District, a section of the city centered and containing numerous cultural destinations.

Populating the district are anchor institutions like the New Bedford Whaling Museum, National Whaling Historical Park, and the New Bedford Art Museum. You’ll also find a plethora of creative shops, galleries, small businesses, and signature events, like the monthly AHA! New Bedford celebration. In all, New Bedford’s Seaport Cultural District contains 49 cultural attractions, over 30 creative economy businesses, and all the amenities of the city’s downtown. It functions as a regional hub on the South Coast, just one hour from Boston, half an hour from

Cape Cod and Plymouth, and also just half and hour from Providence and Newport. Now, the Seaport Cultural District is making room for even more partners by expanding its boundaries. Coming together Launched in 2011 by an act of the state legislature, cultural districts are overseen by the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC). A cultural district is a walkable, compact area that is easy for visitors and residents to recognize. Each is designed to help tell the story of their communities, and function as hubs of cultural, artistic, and

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economic activity. There are a limited number of districts throughout Massachusetts and all are rigorously designated or redesignated by the MCC. The idea of a Seaport Cultural District has been a successful one for the city. Indeed, the MCC has agreed with the City of New Bedford’s recent proposal to expand the boundaries of the Seaport Cultural District throughout the downtown. Along with that agreement, the MCC also redesignated the cultural district within this historic seaport city for another five years. Pushing the boundaries of arts and culture as well as history further than ever before in New Bedford, the expanded Seaport Cultural District will now include the Abolition Row Historic District and the Mechanics Lane Historic District within its continuous boundaries.

In its application to the MCC, Seaport Cultural District steering committee members wrote, “Borne aloft by the wind to the port of New Bedford, Abolition Row is where the revered national historical figure Frederick Douglass first tasted freedom from slavery. It comprises a unique and cohesive group of residential properties along Seventh Street, which represent the city’s significant role in the larger Abolition Movement.” Meanwhile, Mechanics Lane is aptly named for the laborers who once resided there. It is a distinctive concentration of working-class houses located just east of County Street, today comprised of a narrow lane between North Sixth and Eighth Streets. The Mechanics Lane Historic District also includes or abuts several significant cultural venues. Those include the former First

Baptist Church, currently being renovated by WHALE as The Steeple Playhouse (the future home of Your Theatre Inc.), and Gallery X, the city’s first cooperative arts venue. For the first four years of

considerable assets, and in concert with these new elements, New Bedford’s Seaport Cultural District is positioned for amazing growth over its next five years.” A steering committee of

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the experience of spending time in the cultural district its existence, the district was handled by the city’s Department of Tourism and Marketing. With the creation of the city’s first ever Arts and Culture Plan, and the hiring of a Creative Strategist to help guide and then implement that plan, it made sense to include the district in this comprehensive vision. It is now managed through the New Bedford Economic Development Council (NBEDC). Diffuse possibilities Today, Creative Strategist Margo Saulnier at the NBEDC is able to fully integrate the district into the larger arts and culture decision making process. (You can learn more and receive regular arts eNews alerts through the website, NewBedfordCreative.org.) Saulnier says of MCC’s continued support, “The Seaport Cultural District designation helped enlarge New Bedford’ identity beyond its historic roots as the one-time whaling capital of the world. Today, the city is recognized as a regional arts and culture leader, and having a cultural district validates that appeal. Now, the addition of the Abolition Row and Mechanics Lane Historic Districts will deepen the experience of spending time in the cultural district. “Together with its already

arts, municipal, and business leaders also help guide the course of the Seaport Cultural District, in partnership with other local organizations. In the redesignation and expansion application, the following was submitted to the MCC. “We believe that the next five years in downtown New Bedford will fundamentally alter the existing status quo and propel the city to new heights of cultural and commercial relevancy on the South Coast. Especially with the looming offshore wind energy industry about to turn New Bedford into the 21st century version of its 19th century self – a city that lit the world and adopted the motto, Lucem Diffundo, ‘I spread the light.’ “It is, then, an opportune time to vigorously seize the mantle of being not only New Bedford’s Seaport Cultural District, but a Seaport Cultural District for all off Massachusetts and New England. A place of creativity, enterprise, and opportunity defined not by borders but by unlimited imagination.”

S teven F roias is a freelance writer based in New Bedford and is a regular -contributor for The South Coast Insider and South Coast Prime Times. He can be reached at NewBedfordNow@gmail.com.

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PRIME LIVING

Tap into your home’s equity!

Eliz abeth Morse Read

We all want to stay in our home, living independently, for as long as possible as we age. But at some point, our financial costs will outstrip our financial resources. Can we afford increasing expenses as time goes on, whether they be medical bills, rising taxes, or an emergency home repair, on a fixed income?

As many as one third of US households have very little – or nothing – saved for retirement. And the remaining two-thirds have saved an average of only $73,200, which will not go far, even when supplemented by Social Security checks and pension funds. It’s time to look into tapping into your home’s equity as a way to secure your financial future.

Aging in place Many people don’t realize it, but your home equity may represent 60-80% of your overall retirement assets. Home equity is the difference between the appraised value

of your home minus what you owe on any mortgages. If you’re still living in the home where your children grew up, it might be time to downsize and sell your home, or else consider finding someone to live in with you and share the expenses. You could also consider any number of home equity financial products, such as a Home Equity Loan, a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) or a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM), which is more commonly known as a “reverse mortgage.” There are pros and cons associated with each product, so you need to consider and compare

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those options carefully. Home Equity Loans and HELOCs taken out for cash-flow problems are risky – if your health declines (and your expenses go up), keeping up with monthly loan payments can become more than you can handle. If you’ve lived in your home for many years, it may well be worth much more than what you originally paid for it, or else you might have almost paid off the original mortgage. Borrowing against that equity would give you extra cash to keep up the maintenance of your home, help you pay for day-to-day expenses and emergencies, and put enough

money aside to cover property taxes and home insurance. It can be an emotional decision to sell your home or to borrow against the equity, but it must always be balanced with the reality that you may not be able to afford staying in the home if you run out of funds. Discuss it with your adult children – they may well prefer receiving a smaller inheritance if it means that you’d be able to live independently in your home as you get older. Review your financial situation It’s important that you consult with a trusted financial advisor and your heirs before you make any decisions about your home – and no decisions should ever be made when you’re facing a sudden financial crisis. There are always other resources you can tap into to get over a financial emergency – help from your family, cashing in

stocks, selling valuables or other properties, investigating whether you’re eligible for property tax relief. But if you’re prudent, have a good credit history and are thinking long term, consider the possible benefits of a reverse mortgage.

Pros and cons of

reverse mortgages They’re called “reverse” mortgages because the lender pays you, not the other way around as with a conventional mortgage. The money you receive from a reverse mortgage is tax-free, does not affect Social Security

is an agency within the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The maximum amount of money available (the “principal limit”) is based on the appraised value of the home, the age of the youngest borrower (a spouse or adult child 62 years old or older who lives with you), and the interest rate offered. You can access the remaining funds in several ways (or in a combination of the different ways): a line of credit, fixed monthly payments, or a lump sum to be used to pay off an existing mortgage or some other

The money you receive from a reverse mortgage is tax-free, does not affect Social Security or Medicare benefits, can be used for any purpose, and you are not required to make any monthly payments for as long as you live in the home. or Medicare benefits, can be used for any purpose, and you are not required to make any monthly payments for as long as you live in the home. The loan isn’t repaid until you leave the home, either because you’ve sold it, you die, or you need to move to more suitable living circumstances, at which time your heirs can either take out a new mortgage or sell the property to pay off the loan. Ninety-five percent of reverse mortgages are governmentinsured Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs). Whether offered by a bank or another lending institution, HECMs are administered by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), which

mandatory obligation. You may be limited, in the first year, to borrowing no more than 60% of the loan amount. Just as with a traditional mortgage, there are closing costs with a reverse mortgage, but there is an additional cost of a mortgage insurance premium that covers FHA insurance (2% of the appraised value of your home). This mortgage insurance protects you in case of a lender failure and assures you and your heirs that you will never have to pay back more than what the house is worth. Also, unlike conventional mortgage closing costs, reverse mortgage closing costs are not

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Continued from previous page tax-deductible until the loan is paid off. Other differences when applying for a reverse mortgage is that you will not be considered if you are in default on any federal loans – such as student loans. Also, you must meet with a HUD-approved reverse mortgage counselor before a loan application can be processed. This insures that you will receive impartial advice from someone who will not profit from the loan. The most important qualification for anyone who wants to apply for a reverse mortgage is their ability to pay for their real estate taxes, home insurance, and maintenance of the property for as long as they live in the home. Failure to do so would result in foreclosure, although some allowances can be arranged in certain cases. The home must remain the primary residence, and absences of no more than

insurance, and keep the home well maintained, you can never lose ownership of your home. Additionally, there are no monthly payments, your adjustable-rate loan interest is capped to no more than a 5% increase over the original rate, there is no time limit on how long you keep the loan before you have to pay it off, as long as you live in the home, and you would never have to pay back more than the amount of the original loan upon sale, thanks to the FHA mortgage insurance – indeed, if the home’s value upon sale is larger than the original loan, the excess amount is yours free and clear. New changes to reverse mortgages When reverse mortgages first became popular, there were many nightmare stories of early foreclosure, poor money management, and less-thanhonest lenders who misled

There is no time limit on how long you keep the loan before you have to pay it off, as long as you live in the home, and you would never have to pay back more than the amount of the original loan upon sale six consecutive months a year, whether for short-term medical rehabilitation or time spent in a vacation home, are allowed. But if you leave the home for more than a year, then you will need to repay the loan in full, usually by selling the house. But there are many advantages to refinancing your home with a reverse mortgage. So long as you pay your property taxes, home

older consumers. Indeed, the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) fined three reverse mortgage companies in 2016 for alleged false claims, and in 2008, AAG (Tom Selleck does their TV commercials now) was kicked out of the Massachusetts market for falsely marketing reverse mortgages as a government benefits program and claiming that consumers couldn’t lose their homes to foreclosure

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with a reverse mortgage. Consumers can indeed lose their homes to foreclosure with a reverse mortgage –

also provide a much simpler solution for older couples undergoing a divorce (aka, a “gray divorce”), where the

The government has tightened regulations and demanded additional financial safeguards to make sure that qualifying seniors are being presented with viable financial choices and honest guidance between 2009 and 2016, 18% of reverse mortgages taken out defaulted due to unpaid property taxes and home insurance, compared with only 3% of federally-insured traditional mortgage loans. But the government has tightened regulations and demanded additional financial safeguards to make sure that qualifying seniors could be assured that they are being presented with viable financial choices and honest guidance about their financial futures. Protection for surviving spouses who didn’t sign the reverse mortgage loan have been made stronger, reducing the chance of them defaulting and facing foreclosure. Additionally, reverse mortgages are now much easier for single-unit condominium owners to obtain. Many seniors choose this living arrangement when they downsize, but previously found they had to jump through too many legal hoops to qualify for a reverse mortgage if the entire condominium project was not FHA-approved. Also, certain mobile homes are now eligible for reverse mortgages. A reverse mortgage can

family home would normally be sold to split the proceeds between the divorcing couple. In most divorce cases, one spouse remains in the home and “buys out” the departing spouse, creating a cash-flow nightmare for the one who stays in the home. A reverse mortgage allows the remaining spouse to cash out roughly half of the home’s value to pay off the departing spouse, allowing them to age in place without making monthly mortgage payments. In an ideal world, you should be able to retire and live comfortably on your Social Security benefits, a pension, and your savings. But you shouldn’t overlook the potential bounty of your biggest asset – your home’s equity. Consider a reverse mortgage as part of a sound long-term financial plan – but not as a crisis management tool.

Elizabeth Morse Read is an award-winning writer, editor and artist who grew up on the South Coast. After 20 years of working in New York City and traveling the world, she came back home with her children and lives in Fairhaven.

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For a complete

calendar of events, visit coastalmags.com

E xtra! E xtra!

In brief… Eliz abeth Morse Read

From the depths of winter to the start of springtime, there’s plenty to celebrate and do on the South Coast! There’s Mardi Gras, Saint Patrick’s Day, Easter, and plenty of festivals, indoor concerts, and outdoor events to warm you up! Spend some family time together during school vacation weeks, and don’t forget to vote in the Massachusetts “Super Tuesday” primary elections on March 3 and to change your clocks one hour forward on March 8!

Family fun

Take the little ones on the Itty Bitty Bay Explorers: Forest Exploration on March 7 or Signs of Spring on March 17 at the Acushnet Sawmills! Free! For more info, go to savebuzzardsbay.org/discover/ events. Take the kids on heated train rides throughout Edaville Railroad in Carver!

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For more info, call 508-866-8190 or go to edaville.com.

childrensmuseumineaston.org or call 508-230-3789.

Brave the outdoors and go ice skating (and bumper cars!) at The Providence Rink at the Bank Newport City Center – twice the size of the Rockefeller Center rink in New York! For info, call 401-3315544 or go to theprovidencerink.com.

Learn about Maple Tapping at the LaPalme Farm in Acushnet on February 22 or March 14! Free! For more info, go to savebuzzardsbay.org/discover/events.

Find out what’s happening at the Easton Children’s Museum! For info, visit

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It’s time to sharpen the ice skates (or rent them)! For schedules and info about indoor skating in Fall River’s Driscoll Arena (508-679-3274), New Bedford’s

Hetland Arena (508-999-9051), Taunton’s Aleixo Arena (508-824-4987) or Plymouth’s Armstrong Arena (508-746-8825), go to fmcicesports.com. Join in the Family Science Outings sponsored by the Natural Resources Trust of Easton! Plan ahead for “Owl Prowl at the Sheep Pasture” on March 19. For more info, call 508-238-6049 or go to nrtofeaston.org. Mark your calendars for the annual Easter Egg Hunt at Livesey Park in Fairhaven on April 11! For more info, go to fairhaventours.com or call 508-9794085. Find out what’s happening at the Marion Museum of Natural History! Check out the after school programs and books club! For more info, call 508-7482098 or go to marionmuseum.org. Mark your calendar for “Frozen Jr.” March 5-15 at the Alley Theatre in Middleboro! For details, call 508-9461071 or go to burtwoodschool.com. Gamers, team-builders and mysterysolvers! Head for “Mass Escape” in downtown New Bedford! For more info, go to massescaperoom.com or call 774-425-3295. Get a glimpse of snowy owls and other migratory birds at the Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge in Middletown! For more info, call 401-619-2680 or visit fws.gov/sachuestpoint. Enjoy free family fun and entertainment on AHA! Nights in New Bedford! Plan ahead for March 12 “All Sewn Up.” The April 9 theme is “Sustainable Southcoast.” For details, call 508-9968253 or go to ahanewbedford.org. Take the family to watch the Harlem Globetrotters March 20 at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence! Check out the hockey and basketball games! For info, go to dunkindonutscenter.com. Sign the kids up for “Frosty February Vacation” art classes February 18-21 at the New Bedford Art Museum/Artworks! For more info, call 508-961-3072 or go to newbedfordart.org. Mark your calendar for the Plymouth Philharmonic’s Sunday Family Concert: Music for All Ages on March 8 at Memorial Hall For info and tickets, go to plymouthphil.org.

Check out the Newport Car Museum in Portsmouth! Sixty-plus vintage cars and driving simulators! For more info, visit newportcarmuseum.org or call 401-8482277. Take the kids to the Providence Children’s Film Festival February 14-23 at various venues throughout the city! For details, call 401-209-7585 or go to providencechildrensfilmfestival.org. Find out what’s going on at the Children’s Museum of Greater Fall River! For info, go to cmgfr.org or call 508-6720033. Head for The VETS in Providence to see “Sesame Street Live!” February 29 and March 1! For tickets, go to vmari.com. Enjoy the outdoors at the Lloyd Center for the Environment in Dartmouth! Take the little ones to “Nature Discovery” on the third Saturday each month. For details and pre-registration, call 508-9900505 x 31 or visit lloydcenter.org. Explore the Children’s Museum in Providence! Go to childrenmuseum.org or call 401-273-5437. Bring the kids to free school vacation week activities February 18-21 the whaling-era mansion at the RotchJones-Duff House in New Bedford! For more info, call 508-997-1401 or go to rjdmuseum.org. Check out the Capron Park Zoo in Attleboro! Call 774-203-1840 or go to capronparkzoo.com. Find out what’s happening at the Easton Children’s Museum! For info, visit childrensmuseumineaston.org or call 508-230-3789. Let your kids explore the Whaling Museum in New Bedford – check out the Discovery Center! For more information, go to whalingmuseum.org or call 508-997-0046.

One of a kind events

Find out what’s happening at Linden Place in Bristol! Mark your calendars for the Bristol Bookfest March 27-28! For info, visit lindenplace.org or call 401-2530390. Applications will soon be available for vendors for the 2020 Huttleston Marketplace in Fairhaven starting in June. For more info, go to fairhaventours.com/

huttleston-marketplece or call 508-9794085. Sign up for the Nature Drawing Series, twice-monthly classes through August at Blithewold Mansion and Gardens in Bristol! For dates and more info, call 401-253-2707 or go to blithewold.org. Don’t miss the Wildlife Education Series 2020 at the Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford! “Restoring the Amazon Rainforest” will be presented on March 12, “A Deep Dive into the Ocean’s Twilight Zone” on April 9. For details, call 508-991-6178 or visit bpzoo.org or destinationnewbedford.org. Spend some time at the Newport Public Library! Movies, crafts, workshops, and music! Enjoy the bluegrass music of the Ocean State Ramblers on March 21! If you’re over 50, get tax preparation help from an AARP Tax-Aide! For details on all events at the library, call 401-847-8720 x 204 or go to newportlibraryri.org. Listen to lectures presented by the Sippican Woman’s Club in Marion! Celebrate Women’s History Month at the lecture “Spotlight on Annie” on March 13! For details, visit sippicanwomansclub.org. Get in touch with nature at the Norman Bird Sanctuary in Middletown! Take a free guided Sunday Bird Walk! For details, go to normanbirdsanctuary.org or call 401-846-2577. Check out the exhibits, musical performances and dock-u-mentaries at the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center in New Bedford! Listen to the music of Matthew Byrne March 11! Sign up for the Cribbage Tournament March 8! Check out the new exhibits and educational programs “F/V Innovations,” exploring the evolution of vessels and gear, through March. For more info, call 508-993-8894 or visit fishingheritagecenter.org. Stroll through the exhibits at the New Bedford Art Museum/Artworks! Classes available for kids, teens and adults! For more info, call 508-961-3072 or go to newbedfordart.org. If you’re 50 or older, check out the day trips sponsored by the New Bedford Senior Travel Program! For info and reservations, call 508-991-6171 or visit coastlinenb.org/news/seniorscope. Spend an afternoon in the galleries at

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Classical acts

Don’t miss “Three’s a Crowd” performed by the South Coast Chamber Music Series on March 29 at St Peter’s Church in South Dartmouth or on March 28 at Saint Gabriel’s Church in Marion! For info and tickets, call 508-999-6276 or visit nbsymphony.org. Enjoy the 2020 season of the Fall River Symphony Orchestra at Bristol Community College! Don’t miss the “Winter Concert: Blue” on March 8! Plan ahead for the Spring Pops Concert April 26! For tickets and more details, go to fallriversymphonyorchestra.org. Buy your tickets early for the Pilgrim Festival Chorus’ performance of “A Woman’s Voice” on April 25-26 at Saint Bonaventure Parish in Plymouth! For details, go to pilgrimfestivalchorus.org.

Get ready to laugh with National names at the South Coast Comedy Series at White’s of Westport! On February 22, see Lenny Clarke. Christine Hurley and Kelly MacFarlane take the stage on March 20. Then go see Artie Lange perform on May 2. To learn more, visit southcoastcomedy.com the RISD Museum in Providence! And check out the courses, workshops and “tours for tots”! For details, call 401-4546500 or visit risdmuseum.org.

All the world’s a stage

The Attleboro Community Theatre will perform “Over the River” February 21-23, February 21 to March 1, March 6-8! For info, go to attleborocommunitytheatre.com. Enjoy a dinner-theatre night out at the Newport Playhouse! Enjoy the opening comedy February 21 to March 29, Newport to Nashville musicians March 12 and April 9! For more info, call 401-848-7529 or go to newportplayhouse.com. Don’t miss the production of “The Fox on the Fairway” March 13-15, 19-22 at the Marion Art Center! For info, call 508748-1266 or visit marionartcenter.org. Find out what’s on stage at the Providence Performing Arts Center! Don’t miss “A Bronx Tale” February 21-23, “The Bachelor” March 28, “Jesus Christ Superstar” March 31 to April 5! For info, call 401-2787 or go to ppacri.org. Head for the Zeiterion in New Bedford for “County of Kings” March 5, movie

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“Moonstruck” March 9, “On a Winter’s Night” March 12, Buster Keaton movies March 29, “Seven” April 2, movie “A League of Their Own” April 6 – and more! For info and tickets, call 508-9942900 or go to zeiterion.org. Enjoy the new season of Your Theatre in New Bedford! Don’t miss “Two Rooms” March 19-22, 26-29. For more info, visit yourtheatre.org. Mark your calendar for the start of the new season at Trinity Rep! “Radio Golf” will be performed through March 1. “A Tale of Two Cities” will be performed through March 22. “Sweat” will be performed April 2 to May 3. For tickets and info, call 401-351-4242 or go to trinityrep.com. Check out the new season of The Wilbury Group in Providence! Don’t miss “Miss You Like Hell” March 5-29. For more info, visit thewilburygroup.org. Discover the Barker Playhouse on Benefit Street in Providence, the oldest continuously-running little theatre in America! Don’t miss “The Women” March 19-22, 27-29! For details, call 401-2730590 or go to playersri.org.

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Listen to the Essex Piano Trio on March 8 at Linden Place in Bristol! For info, visit lindenplace.org or call 401-2530390. Enjoy an evening of opera and dinner on March 15 with “Vino, Vidi, Vici” at Blithewold Mansion in Bristol! For more info, call 401-253-2707 or go to blithewold.org. Listen to classical guitarist Hiroya Tsukamoto on March 1 at the Four Corners Arts Center in Tiverton! For more info, go to fourcornerarts.org. Don’t miss the Sippican Choral Society’s concerts in Marion! Plan ahead for the Spring Concert on April 26! For details, visit sippicanchoralsociety.org. Listen to the performances of the Tri-County Symphonic Band! Plan ahead for “Rossini, Reed and Raum” on February 9 at Dartmouth High School or “Celebrating the March” on March 22 at Tabor Academy in Marion! For tickets and info, visit tricountysymphonicband.org. Mark your calendar for the Plymouth Philharmonic’s “Sunday Family Concert: Music for All Ages” on March 8 or “Plymouth 400: Adoration of Place” on March 28 at Memorial Hall For info and tickets, go to plymouthphil.org. Don’t miss the Newport String Project’s concert of Chamber Music at the Redwood Library on March 21! For details, visit newportstringproject.org.

Find out what’s playing at The Little Theatre of Fall River! Don’t miss “Blood Brothers” March 12-22! For info and tickets, call 508675-1852 or go to littletheatre.net.

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Mark your calendars -- the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra will perform Grieg’s Beloved Piano Concerto March 14, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8 on April 4! For more info, call 401-248-7000 or visit riphil.org. Enjoy the new season of Concerts at the Point in Westport with a performance by the Walden Chamber Players on February 23, the Neave Trio March 15 and the Muir String Quartet on April 19! For info, go to concertsatthepoint.org or call 508-6360698. Enjoy classical music with the Arts in the Village Series at Goff Memorial Hall in Rehoboth! Don’t miss the performance by the Neave Trio on February 29! Plan ahead for the Bay Winds Sextet on March 28. Go to rehobothantiquarian.org. for more information.

South coast sounds

Head for the Zeiterion in New Bedford for Colby James & the Ramblers February 27, Folklorico Nacional de Mexico March 7, NBSO “Breaking Boundaries” March 14, Natalia Zuckerman March 19, Rain March 22, Boston Comedy Jam March 26, Peking Acrobats March 27, Doo Wop XVIII March 28, Beach Boys April 1, Grace Morrison April 9, NBSO “Happy Birthday, Ludwig!” April 18-19 – and more! For info and tickets, call 508-994-2900 or go to zeiterion.org. The Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River has a fabulous lineup – don’t miss Todd Snider March 5, Bonerama March 6, Robbie Fulks March 13, Howard Jones March 17, Poussette-Dart Band March 20, Journeyman March 28, Marc Broussard April 4, Asleep at the Wheel April 11 –

and more! For a complete schedule, visit narrowscenter.com or call 508-324-1926. Enjoy the bluegrass music of the Ocean State Ramblers at the Newport Public Library on March 21! For details, go to newportlibraryri.org or call 401-847-8720 x 204. Head for Running Brook Vineyards in Dartmouth for free live music every weekend year-round! For more info go to runningbrookwine.com/entertainment or call 508-985-1998. If you’re a fan of Americana and roots music, check out “Music in the Gallery” at the Wamsutta Club in New Bedford – don’t miss Sol y Canto on March 6, Susan Werner April 3! For tickets or info, go to brownpapertickets.com/events/ or contact korolenko8523@charter.net or call 508-673-8523. Find out what’s on stage at the Providence Performing Arts Center! Don’t miss Blue Man Group March 20-22, Celtic Woman March 26! For info, call 401-2787 or go to ppacri.org. Head for Pilgrim Memorial Hall in Plymouth for great entertainment! Don’t miss the Fab Four on February 14, Robert Cray Band March 5, Irish Comedy Tour March 13, Red Hot Chili Pipers March 15, Classic Albums Live March 20, Tower of Power March 22, Three Dog Night April 3, One Night of Queen April 17 – and more! For tickets and info, call 800-514-3849 or go to memorialhall.com.

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Get back to your musical roots with Common Fence Music in Portsmouth! Don’t miss the Traditions Festival March 7, the Love & Harmony Benefit Concert March 28, or Caroline Spence on April

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Continued from previous page For dates and more info, call 508-9385127 or visit roundthebendfarm.org. Head for the year-round farmers market at Stoney Creek Farm in Swansea! For info, go to semaponline.org. Head for the Original Easton Farmer’s Market on Saturdays at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church! For info, go to facebook.com/eastonoriginalfarmersmarket. Head for the winter farmers market at Old Rochester Regional High School in Mattapoisett! For dates and details, visit semaponline.org. On Saturdays, visit the Aquidneck Growers Farmers Market at the Newport Vineyards in Middletown year-‘round! Cash, credit card, SNAP/ EBT, WIC and senior coupons accepted. For more info, call 401-848-5161 or go to newportvineyards.com or farmfreshri.org.

Check out what’s going on at the Sandywoods Center for the Arts in Tiverton! Listen to Magnolia Cajun Band on March 7, RI Songwriters Association March 14, Fellswater March 21, Atwater-Donnelly Trio April 4! For a complete schedule of concerts and info, call 401-241-7349 or go to sandywoodsmusic.com. 18! For a schedule and info, call 401-6835085 or go to commonfencemusic.org. Head for The VETS in Providence to see Angelique Kidjo February 22, Squeeze February 23, Rome & Duddy March 8, Brit Floyd March 10, Nate Bargatze April 1, Brian Regan April 5, The Wailin’ Jennys April 10, Lake Street Dive April 11, Black Violin April 15 – and more! For tickets and info, go to thevetsri.com. Don’t miss Mercyme 20/20 March 1, Harlem Globetrotters March 20, Nelson Freitas April 4, Lynyrd Skynyrd April 18 at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence! Check out the hockey and basketball games! For more information, go to dunkindonutscenter.com. Enjoy a Leap-Day concert of Irish and fiddle music on February 29 at the Rotch-Jones-Duff House in New Bedford! For more info, call 508-997-1401 or go to rjdmuseum.org. Listen to the concerts at the Marion Music Hall! For the 2020 schedule and more info, call 508-353-2150 or visit sixstringmusiccompany.com. Check out the exhibits, musical

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performances and dock-u-mentaries at the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center! Listen to Matthew Byrne March 11! For more info, call 508-993-8894 or visit fishingheritagecenter.org.

Winter farmers markets

Fill your baskets with local produce, baked goods and holiday decorations! To find a farm, vineyard or winter farmers market near you, visit semaponline.org, pickyourown.org, farmfreshri.org, or localharvest.org. To find events, go to farmcoast.com, coastalwinetrail.com or ediblesouthshore.com. Eat Fresh! Eat Local! Head for the winter farmers market at Plimouth Plantation! For dates and details, go to semaponline.org. Head for the Mount Hope Bristol Winter Farmers Market at Mount Hope Farm in Bristol! Cash, credit card, SNAP/ EBT, WIC and senior coupons accepted. For more info, go to farmfreshri.org. Take the family to the monthly Open Farm Days at Round The Bend Farm in Dartmouth! Grass-fed meats, local veggies, honey, maple syrup and botanicals!

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Enjoy fresh local foods year-round! Visit New Bedford’s Indoor Winter Farmers Market at the Kilburn Mill at Clark’s Cove on Thursdays through May! Credit, debit and SNAP accepted. For more info, call 508-817-4166 or go to coastalfoodshed.org. Head up Main Street from Providence to the Hope Artiste Village’s winter farmers market on Saturdays through April! Cash, credit, fresh bucks, WIC, SNAP/EBT accepted! For more info, go to farmfreshri.org.

Living history

Remember our veterans! Journey through time and discover a sailor’s life at Fall River’s Battleship Cove, America’s Fleet Museum (508-678-1000 or battleshipcove.org) or explore the Maritime Museum (battleshipcove.org/ maritime-museum or 508-674-3533). Visit the whaling-era mansion and gardens at the Rotch-Jones-Duff House in New Bedford! For more info, call 508-997-1401 or go to rjdmuseum.org. Explore the past at the Lafayette-Durfee House in Fall River! For complete details, go to lafayettedurfeehouse.org. Explore the city’s history at the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park! For a schedule of walking tours and special events, visit nps.gov/nebe. If you’re interested in the history of

Japan-America ties, visit the WhitfieldManjiro Friendship House in Fairhaven, where it all began. For details, go to wmfriendshiphouse.org or call 508-9951219. Explore the region’s military history at the Fort Taber-Fort Rodman Military Museum in New Bedford! For info, call 508-994-3938 or visit forttaber.org.

E xplore the outdoors

Go on a walk through Newport’s Ballard Park! For more info, call 401-619-3377 or visit ballardpark.org. Go on a guided Seal Watch boat tour through April with Save the Bay, departing from Bowen’s Ferry Landing in Newport! For a schedule and info, call 401-203-SEAL (7325) or visit savebay.org/ seals.

Take a wintery walk through the Acushnet Sawmills public park and herring weir! Canoe/kayak launch, fishing, trails. For info, visit savebuzzardsbay.org/ discover.

Explore the outdoors at the Caratunk Wildlife Refuge in Seekonk, operated by the Audubon Society of Rhode Island! Learn about maple sugaring on March 14, or enjoy Sip & Spa on March 21! For more info, call 401-949-5454 or visit asri.org.

Stroll through Mass Audubon’s Oak Knoll Wildlife Sanctuary and Nature Center! For more info, call 508-223-3060 or visit massaudubon.org.

Show up for Paddles & Pints on March 15 at the Westport River Boat Ramp! For info, go to savebuzzardsbay.org/discover/ events.

Plan ahead for the free Mindfulness Walk through Aucoot Woods in Marion on March 15! For more info, go to savebuzzardsbay.org/discover/events.

Sign up for the free Spring Equinox Sunrise Stroll on Gooseberry Island in Westport on March 20! For info, go to savebuzzardsbay.org/discover/events.

Check out what’s happening at the Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium in Bristol! Check out “Owls and Ales” on February 22! For details, call 401-9495454 or go to asri.org.

Explore the trails, wildlife and scenery of the Mattapoisett River Reserve – leashed dogs welcome. Hike, bird-watch, cross-country ski! For more info, go to savebuzzardsbay.org.

Find out what’s happening at the Lloyd Center for the Environment in Dartmouth! Go on a Mid-Winter Owl Prowl on February 2 or a Mid-Winter Nature Walk on February 22! Sign up for the Late Winter Seal Cruise to Cuttyhunk March 7 or the Full Moon Owl Prowl March 9! For info, go to lloydcenter.org.

Go on a guided hike, attend a demonstration/lecture or take a mansion tour at Borderland State Park in Easton! For more info, call 508-238-6566 or go to friendsofborderland.org.

Go on the free Mindfulness Walk through the Lyman Reserve in Plymouth on March 8! For more info, go to savebuzzardsbay.org/discover/events. Wander through Parsons Reserve or take a stroll through Paskamansett Woods, nature reserves operated by the Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust. Pre-register for the Wildlife Tracking Walk February 20 or the Leap Day Walk February 29! Sign up for the Women’s Walk March 5, the Spring Equinox Stroll March 19 or the Seal Walk March 21! For more info, visit dnrt.org. Explore the trails and properties of the Sippican Land Trust in Marion! Check out the schedule of lectures and activities. For more info, go to sippicanlandtrust.org.

Get in touch with nature at the Norman Bird Sanctuary in Middletown! Take a free guided Sunday Bird Walk or join in the Fireside Series events! For details, go to normanbirdsanctuary.org or call 401-846-2577. Take a winter’s ramble around rural Westport! For more info, call 508-6369228 or visit westportlandtrust.org.

Please note all times and locations listed are subject to change. Use the contact information provided to confirm details with event managers before planning your activities. S ou th C oast P r ime T imes

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GOOD TIMES

Creak, don’t croak The human body never ceases to amaze me, even my own. Not that it’s a work of sculpted art or anything – certainly not with 66 years of oft-hard Paul living chipping away at K andarian its efficacy and durability, and not even when I was in the more sculpturally amenable years of my youth when I couldn’t be bothered to keep in shape. Now I’ve joined a gym I sometimes get to (the definition of “sometimes” being very flexible, unlike me). I still play ice hockey once a week as a goalie, wearing 30-plus pounds of gear designed to stop the puck and make me sweat like a man wrapped in tin foil on the equator. And I take walks in the woods every chance I get, thus far not getting badly lost enough to warrant a full out search party and marveling, as I get older and more, shall we say, “prostate challenged,” how the entire forest is my scenic bathroom. But it’s amazing the beating we put on the body, physically and emotionally, and how, like the Timex ads of old, it keeps on ticking. It’s just that at my age, the ticking is much louder. Sort of like holding an amplification device up to a bowl of freshly milked Rice Krispies. Snap, crackle, and pop, that hurts! And it’s remarkable how inconsistent various maladies can be at times, which may or may not have anything to do with aging. But I was in Mexico recently, drinking bottled water the resort promised was fresh but which, face it, could have just been refilled from a rusty faucet down at the local garaje. I fared reasonably well, avoiding fullscale Montezuma’s Revenge, but the last day and a half, I felt like I was coming down with something, stuffiness, a bit of a cough, just an overall malaise, but livable. Then I got on a plane for home, aka a flying Petri dish. Planes are famous as

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incubators of airborne and surface viruses. It’s like sitting in a flying tube stuffed with sniffling, sneezing, snotty kindergarteners and trying not to breathe. Honestly, you have less of a chance contracting something horrible if you nursed on hanging subway straps. So on a plane, it’s inevitable that whatever you got going on icky-wise will enter the icky stratosphere once they vapor lock the doors and entomb you in a flying bacterial swamp.

I kid you not, an hour and a half into the flight, I felt like I was swimming upstream in the Ebola River. I kid you not, an hour and a half into the flight, I felt like I was swimming upstream in the Ebola River. I ached. I was cold. I was hot. My entire sinus system felt like someone had stuffed the air hose from the garaje up both my nostrils. As most of you likely know, icky at 35,000 feet just ramps up to the point you want to keep heading up until you hit heaven and be done with it. But then we landed and went through customs, and the second I stepped out into the jet fuel-infused chilly muck of a Boston night and inhaled mostly fresh air, I felt 100 percent better. Fever symptoms, stuffiness, the swell of icky, all of it, gone. The human body, I tell ya, it’s mystifying. I’ve had a wonky knee for months now, so finally got it looked at up at New England Baptist, the place to go for wonky body parts. The doc walked in, saw my x-rays and went “Oh my.” Mind you, this is the same doc I’d gone to a year earlier for a wonky

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shoulder (my epitaph will read “He was wonky, he was snarky, he was icky… how he lived this long, no one knows”), and at that exam, she walked in, looked at that x-ray and shook her head, “Oh, that’s not good.” Doc, you really gotta work on your bedside manner. But I digress. The point is, these things hurt. Often, a lot. But it’s arthritis. From 66 years of ofthard (read: stupid) living. I remember as a teen and working delivering chairs, I’d run from wall to wall in the back of the truck – shoulder first – as hard as possible to toughen myself up for high school football, right shoulder, left shoulder, back and forth, over and over and over. Seemed like a good idea at the time. Know how they say a young person’s brain isn’t fully formed until they’re like 25 or so? There’s something to that. And in my case, it could be 66, because with a wonky shoulder, knee, etc., I’m still playing hockey and going all out, the definition of “all out” being very flexible, unlike me. Especially now. But I fully intend to keep at it, to keep moving, to keep from rusting, because you sit still any length of time, you’ll seize up like old farming equipment left to rot in the field to use a perfectly wonderful agricultural metaphor. And I shall not rot in life’s field! I’ll keep doing what I’ve always done, just more slowly, more prudently, more wisely. In short, I refuse to go gently into that good night. I refuse to age. I believe this with all my hopefully non-wonky heart, and if need be, will shout it from the rooftops – and pray it can be heard over all the snap, crackle, and pop, noises I make now more than ever.

Paul K andarian is a lifelong area resident and, since 1982, has been a profession writer, columnist, and contributor in national magazines, websites, and other publications.

Cardiology Division

February is American Heart Month Isn’t it time to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke by committing to a healthy lifestyle? After all, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. CARDIOLOGY SERVICES Coronary Artery Disease & Heart Attack Heart Failure Structural Heart Disease, Septal Defects Valvular Heart Disease Risk Factor Modifications Abnormal Heartbeats

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South Coast Prime Times - March/April 2020

Articles inside

Creak, don’t croak

Tap into your home’s equity

Spreading culture, spreading light

A seasoned eye

In brief

The fabric of Westport

Spring awakening

Stone Rooster’s sounds

A treasure hunt at Simmons Pond