N ovember ⁄D ecember 2012 · Volume 8 · N umber 5
H arvest holiday Things to do Enjoy South Coast music Get fit over 50 Meet Robert Duquette
Plus Holiday shopping tips, local news and more.
Keep learning! Second half courses Discover history Embrace the future
We are
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Are you caring for a disabled adult in your home? Beacon Adult Foster Care pays caregivers a taxfree stipend to care for your loved ones at home, as an alternative to assisted living or nursing home placement. Adult Foster Care (AFC) is a MassHealth-funded program that provides 24-hour home care services for people with chronic health care needs. AFC lets people maintain their daily routines with ongoing supervision and assistance from a qualified live-in caregiver. An AFC member must live in Massachusetts and have MassHealth Standard or CommonHealth insurance. An AFC caregiver must be 18 years of age and may not be the spouse or legal guardian of an AFC member.
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SATURDAY, DEC. 22 3:30PM & 7PM ZEITERION THEATRE, NEW BEDFORD
Amanda Carr, Soloist Concert Sponsor:
HANDEL’S MESSIAH SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25 / 3PM
ST. ANTHONY’S CHURCH, NEW BEDFORD | Kristen Watson, Soprano;
Deborah Rentz-Moore, Alto; Matthew Anderson, Tenor; Andrew Garland, Bass The NBSO and the South Coast: A Community of Music! The most joyful classical music ever wri en, performed at the historic, beautiful and acoustically stunning St. Anthony’s Church. By your symphony, with singers from choruses throughout the South Coast community. Free shu le and convenient parking available from the Market Basket parking lot, 122 Sawyer Street, New Bedford, starting at 2pm.
Season Presenting Sponsors
HEAR THE CHEER! Festive holiday decorations, friends and family sharing the joy of the season with the music we all love, a great orchestra, and maybe even a visit from Santa’s elves! It’s a one-of-a-kind holiday season tradition on the South Coast. Free and convenient parking in the Zeiterion Parking Garage adjacent to the theatre.
Get conductor David MacKenzie’s take on upcoming concerts by signing up for his Classical Coffee videos at info@nbsymphony.org. Concert tickets available through the Z Box Office at (508) 994-2900 or online: WWW.NBSYMPHONY.ORG Season Underwriters
Foll Fol low owing
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trinity repertory Unique source for holiday gift items at surprisingly affordable prices! Books • Candy • Home Accessories • Fashion Accessories Including jewelry, handbags and scarves Items of Local Interest Visit our Candy Department for the largest selection of nostalgic treats in the area!
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S ou th C oast P r ime T imes
Season sponsored by
N ov ember / D ecember 2012
1
Nov/dec 2012
contents 16
20 14
32 34 F e atures
6
In Brief By Elizabeth Morse Read
24 Technology:
home automation By Dan Logan
Prime se ason
14 Feed my sheep
By Brian J. Lowney
20 Art for the holidays
By Lori Bradley
34 South Coast music
By David Prentiss
36 Holiday harvest O n the cover
By Elizabeth Morse Read
On the cover: Skip the mall this holiday season. For unique art like Lori Bradley’s Forest Floor, check out local studios. See pages 20 -21 for information about Men’s Shopping Night Out, Hatch Street Holiday Sale and more.
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P rime living
G ood times
16 Meet Robert Duquette 26 Financial balance
By Mel Yoken
by Sherri Mahoney-Battles
22 Learning never stops 28 Finding history
By Jay Pateakos
by Kenneth Sutcliffe
32 Fit and fifty
40 Email gets old
38 Embrace change
Flash
By Cara Connelly
By Richard Clark
27
by Paul E. Kandarian
Society’s fine wine benefit
WE’RE
PROVIDING THE
quality care
you
NEED IN THE
Thanks to the commitment of our clinicians and employees, Saint Anne’s Hospital received an “A” grade for Patient Safety from the nationally recognized Leapfrog Group. Saint Anne’s Hospital received a higher Hospital Safety ScoreSM than other hospitals in our community. World-class health care where you live. saintanneshospital.org
community
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Hospital Safety ScoreSM results were published June 2012. The grades used in the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Score Program are derived from expert analysis of publicly available data using national evidence-based measures of patient safety. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Score Program grades hospitals on their overall performance in keeping patients safe from preventable harm and medical errors. For more information visit www.hospitalsafetyscore.org
Look as Young as You FeeL InsIde You have many options available to keep you looking as young as you feel, but how do you know which one is right for you? Dr. Gregory Hofeldt, Ophthalmic Plastic Surgeon, can help. Call to schedule your FREE consultation. 508-730-2020
Kevin D. O’Brien, MD Robert M. Kelly, MD Gregory T. Hofeldt, MD Keegan S. Johnson , MD Fatima Raposo, OD Cristina Lopes, OD Christopher Covello, OD
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Located in the Narragansett Mill: 1565 N Main Street, Suite 406 Fall River, MA
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From The Publisher November/December 2012 n Vol. 8 n No. 5 Published by
Coastal Communications Corp. Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
Holiday season is coming, as good a time
Ljiljana Vasiljevic
as any to give yourself a gift or two. This issue is
Editors
packed with ideas to help you welcome in a new
Michael J. Vieira, Ph.D. Joe Murphy
year and a new you.
Contributors
Sherri Mahoney-Battles, Lori Bradley, Richard Clark, Cara Connelly, Paul Kandarian, Dan Logan, Brian Lowney, Jay Pateakos, David Prentiss, Elizabeth Morse Read, Kenneth Sutcliffe and Mel Yoken
South Coast Prime Times is published bi-monthly.
Second Half offers members great opportunities to learn. Jay Pateakos provides the details. Want to get fit? Cara Connelly shares some tips. And for those cool nights, David Prentiss describes some great South Coast places for music. For others, Lori Bradley suggests doing some holiday shopping in our local artists studios. If you want to give back to the community, you
Copyright ©2012 Coastal Communications Corp.
can help Mercy Meals and More serve a hot breakfast to those in need;
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.
Next issue
Brian J. Lowney explains why and how you can help. Looking for more? Paul Kandarian shares a 59 year old’s perspective on email for the elderly, Elizabeth Morse Read offers holiday harvest hints, and Richard Clark remembers the past while embracing the future. ‘Tis also the season to support our advertisers and to visit our website
December 15, 2012
at www.coastalmags.com for more exciting holiday ideas.
Circulation 25,000
Enjoy,
Subscriptions $14.95 per year
M ailing address South Coast Prime Times P.O. Box 3493 Fall River, MA 02722
Ljiljana Vasiljevic Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
Phone (508) 677-3000
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facebook.com/thesouthcoastinsider
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E xtra! E xtra!
Activity moves indoors – concerts, family get-togethers, holiday shopping at local shops and church fairs – so dress warmly in layers and walk to as many events as weather permits.
In brief…
But cooler weather shouldn’t curtail your time outdoors, whether it’s a walk through the woods, watching a Veterans Day parade, or visiting local farms for mums and pumpkins. And once there’s a hard frost – no more mosquitoes!
Eliz abeth Morse Read
The kids are back in school, but there’s plenty of time for leaf-peeping, going to football games, and visiting friends and family. The elections On the road again… are just around the corner (finally!) more about the bus trips and the holiday season is upon us. It’s Learn sponsored by the New Bedford time to unpack the woolens, stock up Senior Travel Program. Visit the Winnepesaukee Turkey Train and on cordwood and clean your chimTilton Outlets on Oct. 17, and there’s the Oct. 28-30 trip to Atlantic City. ney and furnace. In November, there’s the Christmas Festival at Boston’s Seaport Trade
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Center (11/2); the Kings of Country at the Art Garde Theatre and Mohegan Sun (11/13); Foxwoods Casino (11/26); and “Memphis” at the Providence Performing Arts Center on December 8. Call 508-991-6171 for more info. The Fairhaven Council on Aging is sponsoring a trip to Foxwoods on Oct. 24 for “Oh, What a Night!” – a musical tribute to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, and the Historic Deerfield Holiday Tour on November 27. Call 508-979-4029.
Sightings on the south coast… Reverse-911 calls warned Fairhaven residents of shark sightings off West Island and Sconticut Neck just before Labor Day weekend. And a very large and very scary-looking (but dead) great white shark washed ashore in Westport the same weekend. Da-dum, da-dum… And although not as scary, but just as unusual, a dolphin washed up in Dartmouth and the carcasses of a leatherback turtle and a gray seal came ashore in Mattapoisett. (Must be something in the water…) In a rare reverse sighting, several dozen cows disappeared from a communal farm in Dartmouth on Labor Day weekend. They mysteriously reappeared (mostly in Pennsylvania) a few days later. Perhaps these were the same cows found wandering on Rt. 195 in Dartmouth the week before?
Good news, bad news… SRTA’s proposed fare increase, from $1.25 to $3.00, for “demand response” door-to-door service is getting serious push-back from political action groups, who say it will hurt seniors and the disabled who rely on it for getting to doctor’s appointments. Stay tuned. The proposed sale of the Brayton Point Coal Plant in
Somerset has local environmentalists hoping that the move will end the 30-mile radius spread of toxic emissions from the plant. The adult basic education program in Taunton has a new home at 43 Taunton Green. The program is operated by the Taunton school district and Bristol Community College. The Neuro-Rehabilitation Center at Middleborough will close its doors at the end of November. Efforts are underway to find alternative care for current patients and employment for the 140 staff members. The five-campus UMass system has seen a 16% jump in enrollment since 2007, from 61,000 to 71,000. The South Coast’s fishing industry continues to be battered by near-crippling regulations. There are new (and severe) restrictions on herring, cod and flounder catches; even scallopers are impacted because of by-catch mandates.
Chowin’ down Check out the Food Truck Fest October 20 in Newport. For complete details, go to www. newportwaterfrontevents.com or call 401-846-1600. Fill your bowl at the 5th Annual Kale Fest at BCC on Oct. 27, hosted by the Luzo American Gallery of Antiquities. For details, call 508-673-6624 or go to slcabral@yahoo.com or www.lagoagallery.org. Don’t miss the Newport Restaurant Week Nov. 2-11. Visit www.gonewportrestaurantweek.com or call 800-975-5122. Farmers markets and road-side stands are still around – to find one near you, go to www.semaponline. org. Enjoy a year-‘round farmers market at Attleboro Farms. Visit www.attleborofarms.com or call 508-695-7200. Continued on next page S ou th C oast P r ime T imes
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Continued from previous page
Make my day (or night)… Enjoy an evening of free family fun and entertainment at AHA! Night on the second Thursday of every month in New Bedford. The theme for November 8 is “AHA! Please Be Seated!” and for December 13 is “AHA! Made in New Bedford.” Go to www.ahanewbedford.org or call 508-9968253 x 205. Make a pilgrimage to King Richard’s Faire on the weekends in Carver through Oct. 21 for some unusual family fun. Call 508-866-5391 or visit www. kingrichardsfaire.net. Retreat into a day of Peace of Mind on October 27 at the Serlingpa Meditation Center in New Bedford. Call 508-979-8277 or go to www. meditationinmass.org.
Get into the spirit! Visit an authentic spooky house (probably not the place for little kids…) the Lizzie Borden B&B in Fall River offers evening ghost tours throughout October. It was mentioned in “Every Day with Rachel Ray” magazine as a “seriously spooky house.” For info, go to www.lizzie-borden.com or call 508-675-7333. Join the Downtown Holiday Stroll in New Bedford on Dec. 1 & 2. Go to www.downtownnb.org/calendar. Celebrate the holiday spirit on the South Coast at the “Festival of Lights” at the La Salette Shrine in Attleboro! Free evening illuminations starting Nov. 22, with hayrides, a trolley and carousel. Learn more at www.lasalette-shrine. org/Christmas. Lift up your voice and join the New Bedford Choral Society. Call 508-644-2419.
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Kudos! For the 12th consecutive year, New Bedford has been named the nation’s No. 1 dollar-value fishing port! The state MCAS test results are out, and several South Coast schools – including all of the vocational high schools – have earned special commendations. In New Bedford, the Jireh Swift and Carlos Pacheco Elementary Schools reached Level 1 status for their students’ proficiency. Mattapoisett’s Old Hammondtown School was named a statewide “Commendation School” for its excellent test results. New Bedford’s Harbor Development Commission was awarded a $284K grant from the Department of Homeland Security to upgrade surveillance cameras and security boats in the port. The Phoenix Crew Club of Fairhaven won multiple awards and trophies at the Diversity Invitational in Rochester NY, inphoto: newbedfordcommunityrowing.org cluding the overall team points trophy. New Bedford Community Rowing has received a $10K grant from the Island Foundation of Marion. To learn more, call 508-717-9799. The YouthBuild program in New Bedford has won a nearly $1 million grant from the US Department of Labor to continue its work with at-risk youth, providing life skills training, GED classes and hands-on experience in the construction trades.
South coast stars Janelle Guenette of Acushnet was crowned the 60th Miss New Bedford 2013 in September. Mystery solved! That iconic photograph of the sailor kissing a nurse in Times Square at the end of World War II – the previously-unknown sailor turns out to be 89-year old Rhode Island native George Mendonca, finally identified by historian and author Lawrence Verria, also of Rhode Island. Both were on deck at Fall River’s Battleship Cove as part of the WWII weekend in September for a book-signing of
Verria’s “The Kissing Sailor: The Mystery Behind the Photo that Ended World War II.”
end this spring, a year ahead of schedule! After 2 ½ years, the Wood Street Bridge in Swansea is open. It will be renamed for town resident Army Sgt. Kyle Harrington, who died in 2009 while serving in Iraq.
Musical duo Jennel Garcia and Jillian Jensen of Rochester were a hit at their “The X Factor” audition in Providence. (Watch Jennel on YouTube – she even wowed Simon Cowell!)
And for the first time in two years, the Gurney Road Bridge in Freetown has reopened, the last of 28 repair projects after the floods of March 2010. The Forge Road Bridge and the Narrows Road Bridge reopened over the summer.
Fairhaven native Bill Baldwin was named “Broadcaster of the Year” by the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters. Rochester Police Chief Paul Magee has been chosen to attend the National FBI Academy in Quantico VA, one of only 250 police officers nationwide selected for the 8-10 week executive police training program. Art students from Bristol Community College spent some of their summer vacation fabricating exhibits for the dinosaur room in the Greater Fall River Children’s Museum, which recently moved into its permanent home at the former Superior Court building and hopes for a holiday opening.
Construction updates A new bicycle path on Sconticut Neck Road in Fairhaven will lead to West Island, and an extension will also be added to allow children to ride their bikes to the Wood School. The South Coast Bikeway continues to progress with the recent “interim” plan in Dartmouth, which would connect Westport to Padanaram, with a spur through the UMass Dartmouth campus. When completed, the Bikeway will stretch from Swansea to Wareham. A massive redesign project at the intersection of Route 140, Route 6 and Brownell Avenue near Buttonwood Park in New Bedford is slated to begin in 2014. The Sakonnet River Bridge between Tiverton and Portsmouth RI may be reopening, but not without controversy. Plans to collect tolls on the bridge are facing stiff opposition. Stay tuned… The I-195 construction work near the Rt. 140 ramps may be over, but work starts soon to replace the River Ave. bridges in Fairhaven… The Rt. 18 overhaul along New Bedford’s waterfront may
Lights! Camera! Action!
The indie movie “Fairhaven” will make its local debut at the Zeiterion in New Bedford on Nov. 11 as part of the Buzzards Bay Film Festival. “Fairhaven” was filmed on the South Coast in January 2011, premiered at the TriBeCa Film Festival in NYC, and won the Audience Award at Boston’s Independent Film Festival. Give yourself the shivers at the Horror Film Fest Oct. 25-28 throughout Rhode Island. For information, visit www.film-festival.org. Check out the first Buzzards Bay Film Festival Nov. 9-11. Screenings start in Falmouth on the 9th, then move to New Bedford’s Gallery X on the 10th, with an all-day event at the Zeiterion on the 11th. Proceeds go to the Coalition for Buzzards Bay. Go to www.buzzardsbayfilmfest.org or call 508-999-6363. Treat yourself to a red-carpet screening of “Pretty Old” on Oct. 21 at BMC Durfee High School in Fall River. A documentary about the Ms. Senior Sweetheart Pageant, produced by Sarah Jessica Parker, it won “Best Documentary” at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Free tickets are available at all BankFive locations. For more info, visit www.prettyoldthemovie.com. Continued on next page S ou th C oast P r ime T imes
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Continued from previous page
Support your community! Enjoy dinner at Marion’s Kittansett Club on October 27 to raise funds for the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra. For details, go to www.nbsymphony.org or call 508-999-6276. Laugh it up at the Venus de Milo in Swansea on October 26 at “Laughter is the Best Medicine 2,” a benefit for the Southcoast Centers for Cancer Care in Fall River and Fairhaven. Find out more at www.southcoast.org/give/events-laughter or call 508-961-5353. Help raise money for the Neediest Family Fund! Sign up for the 3rd Annual Souper Bowl Supper in New Bedford on Nov. 10 – a handmade ceramic bowl is included with your donation. For details, contact Lisa Nicolaus at 508-979-4497 or at lnicolaus@s-t.com. Work has begun on the Swansea Veterans’ Memorial Green, with hopes of an official opening on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. Anyone interested in purchasing a commemorative paver should call Donald Banville at 774-488-4288.
Biz buzz… The New Bedford Medical Associates new Walk-In Center in Dartmouth offers an alternative to emergency room visits – no appointment needed. A grand opening was held in September. Start-up venture Logi Coul Solutions of Fall River is improving the capabilities and performance of batteries. They got their start for this potentially-lucrative technology at UMass Dartmouth’s incubator site, the Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Center. After successful lobbying by state Congressional delegations, New England fishermen will be better protected against financial disaster. Emergency assistance legislation now being worked out in Washington includes a $100 million aid package for fishermen.
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Hyannis-based HopeHealth, a non-profit hospice organization, is set to expand its services into Plymouth and Bristol counties. It was previously known as Hospice and Palliative Care of Cape Cod. Fall River’s John Matouk & Co., manufacturers of upscale linens, will break ground in the spring for a $10 million expansion of its Industrial Park operations and a near doubling of its workforce. The WalMart Supercenter expansion in Dartmouth is scheduled to open by August 2013, with 20K more square feet and a greatly expanded grocery section and garden center. Philips Lightolier of Fall River, a leader in LED lighting technology, will retrofit the Ernst & Young office in New York City, saving the company $1 million annually and reducing their energy consumption by 54%. At the Governor’s Conference on Travel and Tourism held in September, both Fall River’s Battleship Cove and New Bedford’s Whaling Museum were named as two of the state’s premier tourist attractions. In addition to being the South Coast’s largest employer, South Coast Health Systems has a $1.4 billion economic impact throughout the region, according to a study conducted by the Center for Policy Analysis at UMass Dartmouth. Salvatore Giglia and his wife Sharon Jorgensen of Marion have established the sole American distribution site of Ovtene, a revolutionary food wrap imported from Italy. Originally created to preserve cheese, Ovtene is 100% recyclable, made from egg shells and can double or triple the refrigerated life of perishable foods. The couple plans to set up production of Ovtene on the South Coast in the future. St. Anne’s Hospital in Fall River broke ground on its new three-story patient care wing in August. First it was Circuit City and now Best Buy is in danger of closing its doors. And there are rumors that Shaw’s and Star Markets are in danger of being sold off. Hawthorne Medical Associates in Dartmouth has announced a new affiliation with Steward Health Care System, the for-profit medical provider which currently
Enjoy a performance of “The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?” at the 2nd Story Theatre in Warren RI through Oct. 21. “An Inspector Calls” runs from Nov. 2 – Dec. 2. For details, call 401-247-4200 or go to www.2ndstorytheatre.com.
operates St. Anne’s Hospital in Fall River and Morton Hospital in Taunton. Cape Wind has cleared its final hurdle, with the FAA declaration that the 130-turbine project off Cape Cod poses no hazard to air traffic. Construction could begin as soon as next year, and a lot of the construction activity will start here on the South Coast. Cape Wind chose Falmouth Harbor as the site for its future operations and maintenance facility.
Head for the Newport Playhouse’s performance of “The Second Time Around” through Nov. 18. Go to www.newportplayhouse.com or call 401-848-7529.
When the kiddies come to visit…
The Mashpee Wampanoag tribe made its first payment to the City of Taunton as part of the casino agreement, which awaits only federal approval to move forward. Meanwhile, KG Urban Enterprises continues to beat the drum, in hopes of building a casino on New Bedford’s waterfront. Stay tuned.
Take the kids to “The Monster Bash” Oct. 19-21 at BCC’s Jackson Performing Arts Center in Fall River. Call 508-259-9054 or visit www. littlefolkstheatre.com. Get out those art supplies! Alan Iveson will offer a six-week session of art classes for children at the Union United Methodist Church in Fall River starting on Oct. 20. Call 508-672-3153.
All the world’s a stage… Join the Zeiterion’s 30th anniversary celebration with a production of “Pride and Prejudice” on October 19. Go to www.zeiterion.org or call 508-994-2900 for details.
Dress up the kids for the Hallowe’en Horribles Parade, which starts at 5 PM from Benoit Square in North Fairhaven on October 28.
There’s something for everyone at Rhode Island College’s Performing and Fine Arts Series – music, dance, drama, art. For complete details, go to www.ric.edu/pfa or call 401-456-8144.
Woooo! Wander through the Fortress of Nightmares at Fort Adams State Park in Newport Oct. 12-28. Go to www.fortressofnightmares.com or call 401-847-2400.
New Bedford’s Little Theatre will be performing “Denial” Nov. 8-18. For info, call 508-993-0772 or got to www.littletheatre.org. “King Lear” will be performed at Trinity Rep in Providence through October 21. “A Christmas Carol” runs from Nov. 10 – Dec. 29. Call 401-351-4242 or go to www.trinityrep.com. Discounts for seniors, students, educators and heroes (military, police, and firefighters). And get discount tickets there for performances of the RI Philharmonic, too! For a schedule, call 401-248-7000 or visit www.ri-philharmonic.org. The Festival Ballet Providence will perform “Up Close on Hope” Oct. 19 – Nov. 3 at the Black Box Theatre. Call 401353-1129 or go to www.festivalballet.com.
Join the party at the Hallowe’en event at the Providence Children’s Museum on Oct. 28. Call 401-273-5437 or go to www.childrenmuseum.org. Celebrate Christmas on Thanksgiving weekend in Wareham, Nov. 24 & 25, sponsored by the Wareham Village Association. Kids can wear their pj’s for the “Frosty Christmas Train,” story-telling, a petting zoo and a visit from Santa. Make reservations by calling 508-291-3677 or by going to wva2012@gmail.com. What would the holiday season on the South Coast be without a trip to Edaville Railroad in Carver? Take the whole family to the National Cranberry Festival Oct. 20 & 21; the Great Pumpkin Pageant Oct. 27 & 28; the Christmas Festival of Lights starting Nov. 16, or the “Polar Express” Continued on next page
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Continued from previous page starting Nov. 26. For complete details, call 508-866-8190 or go to www.edaville.com. Go for a pumpkin ride or wander through mini-mazes at 4 Town Farm in Seekonk 11-5 on the weekends in October. Visit www.fourtownfarm. com or call 508-336-5587. Enjoy the weekend events and activities at the Pumpkin Palooza at Frerichs Farm in Warren RI through Oct. 31. Call 401-245-8245 or go to www.frerichsfarm.com. The Ocean Explorium in New Bedford saw record attendance this past year, with twice the number of school groups visiting. For hours and activities, go to www.oceanexplorium. org or call 508-994-5400. Wander through the 8-acre corn maze at Escobar’s Highland Farm in Portsmouth RI, open until Nov. 4. Call 401-683-1444 or 401-864-1064 or visit www.escobarshighlandfarm.com for details. New Bedford’s Buttonwood Park will host “Boo at the Zoo” from 6-9PM on Oct. 12-14,19-21,26-28. Get full details at www.bpzoo.org or 508-991-6178. Stroll through the “Jack-o-Lantern Spectacular” at Roger Williams Park
Zoo in Providence RI starting October 4. Visit www.rwpzoo.org or call 401-785-3510. The Taunton Public Library offers free or discounted tickets/passes to many area attractions such as Buttonwood Park Zoo, the Children’s Museum and Science Museum in Boston.
Listen to the music… The Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River has an incredible line-up for the next few months – kick it off at the first Spindle City Americana Music Festival Oct. 27; Peter Wolf Oct. 30 & 31; Rickie Lee Jones Nov. 3; Roomful of Blues Nov. 21; Rita Coolidge Dec. 1 and Savoy Brown Dec. 7. For complete details, visit www.ncfta.org or call 508-324-1926. What more beautiful venue for music could there be than St. Anthony of Padua’s Church in New Bedford? There’s the David Chalmers organ recital on Nov. 4 (followed by a Holiday Bazaar in the church hall); the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Handel’s “Messiah” on Nov. 25; the Paul Winter Consort on Dec. 7; and the Spirit of St. Anthony Christmas Concert on Dec. 16. For complete details, visit www.musicatsaintanthonys.org or call 508-993-1691. The new season of Westport’s Concerts at the Point has kicked off – enjoy a piano trio on Oct. 21 and Strata on Nov. 18. Call
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508-636-0698 or visit www.concertsatthepoint.org. The Rhode Island Philharmonic will perform Handel’s “Messiah” on December 8. (You can get discount tickets at Trinity Rep.) For details, call 401-248-7000 or visit www.ri-philharmonic.org. It’s a full roster at New Bedford’s Zeiterion – Pride and Prejudice (10/19), ETHEL with Todd Rundgren (10/24), Lyle Lovett (11/2), Doo Wop: Sounds of New York City (11/10), Sing-a-long Sound of Music (11/17), Celtic Fire (11/24), and A Christmas Carol (12/1). Go to www. zeiterion.org or call 508-994-2900. The Sippican Choral Society will present their holiday concert at the Congregational Church in Mattapoisett on Nov. 30 and Dec. 2. For more info., go to www.sippicanchoral.org. Enjoy the ambiance at Common Fence Music in Portsmouth RI – the Jonathan Edwards Trio (10/27), Aztec Two-Step (11/10), the Washington Blues Band (11/17). Call 401-683-5085 or go to www.commonfencemusic.org. Enjoy the 12th season of “Arts in the Village” in Rehoboth with the Chiara String Quartet on Nov. 10 at the Goff Memorial Hall. For details, call 508-252-5718 or go to www.carpentermuseum.org. Elizabeth Morse Read is an award-winning writer, editor and artist who grew up on the South Coast. After twenty years of working in New York City and traveling the world, she came back home with her children and lives in Fairhaven.
Southcoast Health System’s impact on economy
The Center for Policy Analysis at UMass Dartmouth released the results of a study depicting Southcoast™ Health System’s economic contribution to regional and state economies, revealing a combined economic impact of $1.4 billion per year on the Massachusetts and Rhode Island economies alone.
Economic impact Southcoast Health System totaled $696 million in direct operating, construction, and community benefits expenditures in Massachusetts and Rhode Island in fiscal year 2011. These expenditures generated a total economic impact of $1.4 billion in output, 12,314 jobs, and $747 million in labor income. In addition to its own operations, Southcoast Health System’s economic activity generates “spin-off” which creates a multiplier effect on other companies and their employees. For example, for every $1 million spent directly by Southcoast, an additional $1 million in spending is generated by other businesses in the Massachusetts and Rhode Island economies. For every 100 jobs created by Southcoast an additional 70 jobs are created by other businesses in Massachusetts and Rhode Island (both in the health care sector and non-health care sector). For every $1 million in labor income generated by Southcoast, an additional $0.6 million in labor income is generated in other industries in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Employment Southcoast Health System is the largest employer in Southeastern Massachusetts, employing almost 7,000 people. This directly accounts for nearly 2 out of every 100 jobs in the region, with the majority of employees (88 percent) residing in Southeastern Massachusetts. Southcoast is the largest employer in Fall River and New Bedford, the two largest cities in Southeastern Massachusetts. The health care sector consists of a variety of occupations that require a wide distribution of skill and educational levels. This broad range of positions matches well with the education and skill levels of Southeastern Massachusetts residents, a region characterized by traditional working class urban areas bordered by more affluent suburbs. The study shows that 19 percent of Southcoast positions require a minimum education level of a high school diploma; 41 percent require an associate degree or technical certification; 33.4 percent require a bachelor’s degree; while a total 6.6 percent require a master’s degree, doctorate degree or a medical degree.
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Prime season
Rev, Russell Chamberlain
Mercy
meals For a growing number of area residents, breakfast is not an option. Imagine waking up every morning huddled in a doorway with an empty stomach, or not being able to afford a bowl of cereal before heading to work. Brian J. Lowney
While nutritionists tell us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, for many homeless people and those often described as the
At Mercy Meals and More, 634 Purchase Street, New Bedford, breakfast is served 6 days a week.
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“working poor,” even a simple early morning meal is a luxury that they often go without as they start their day. Two years ago, Rev. Russell Chamberlain coordinated Mercy Meals and More, a nondenominational early morning breakfast ministry located in downtown New Bedford. The outreach provides guests with a nutritious breakfast six days a week, as well as with gently used clothes and books. Guests also receive monthly health screenings courtesy of the Southcoast Hospitals Group, and weekly blood pressure exams offered by the nursing students and faculty from the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth. Since its founding on October 5, 2010, the ministry has served more than 57,000 nutritious breakfasts. “We run a free will diner,” the minister begins, adding that guests offer a donation for a delicious hot meal that may include pancakes, French toast, a cheese omelet or eggs to order with sausage. They also enjoy steaming cups of coffee or hot tea, English muffins and bagels as they eat at tablecloth-covered tables adorned with fresh flowers. Take home meals are available for individuals unable to visit the dining room, and for those who are unable to make a monetary offering, a simple “thank you” is truly appreciated.
No one left out “Everyone deserves to have a breakfast,” Rev. Chamberlain continues, noting that he and a dedicated corps of volunteers serve
more that 115 breakfasts each day, Monday-Saturday. The doors open at 5:45 a.m. and guests are served from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. “No one is left to stand outside,” he emphasizes, mentioning that some grateful guests arrive before dawn to set up tables and perform other chores. One dedicated volunteer, Steven, discovered the breakfast ministry one morning 18 months ago while searching for his estranged son. Rev. Chamberlain invited him to have breakfast, and he visited the dining room several times before eventually reuniting with the young man.
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Everyone deserves to have a breakfast “It’s a good way to start your day,” Steven says. “When you go there, you feel good.” Like many of the ministry’s guests, Steven is diabetic and requires a nutritious breakfast. He adds that while the early morning meal sustains him physically, he is also spiritually nourished by helping others who seek hope and consolation. “I see a big change in some people,” Steven reveals. “”They have hope that things are going to change.”
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Feed my sheep According to the grateful man, what’s unique about the breakfast ministry is that Rev. Chamberlain “cares” about the guests and always shows great concern for their well being. The volunteers also treat everyone who walks through the door with respect and dignity. You have to see it to believe it, Steven reveals. “The volunteers make it a happy place. They are always smiling and laughing.” According to the minister, funding for the breakfast program come from grants and private donations. The Friends of Mercy Meals and More, a fundraising group, hosts special events and programs to benefit the ministry. The Stop and Shop supermarkets on Dartmouth St., New Bedford and in Fairhaven generously supply bread and pastry. “I’m a shrewd bargain hunter,” Rev. Chamberlain tells, adding that he faithfully scours local markets searching for deals. One item, however, that he seldom can afford is fresh fruit, which he’d like to offer more frequently to diabetic guests and others with dietary concerns.
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A real need As winter approaches, Rev. Chamberlain is afraid that the need for the breakfast program will grow exponentially. He estimates that about half of the guests already work -- some more than one job – and can’t meet expenses. “They have a challenge stretching their money to make ends meet,” he emphasizes, adding many more people will have difficulty purchasing groceries once they start paying utility bills when temperatures drop. Individuals interested in donating to the breakfast ministry may visit the meal site at 634 Purchase St., New Bedford, MondaySaturday, from 6:30-8:30 a.m., call (508) 728-1489, visit the Web site: www.mercymeals.org, or e-mail rev.russ14jc@gmail.com. BRIAN LOWNEY is an award-winning reporter and freelance writer. He lives in Swansea.
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Prime Living “...an absolute gentleman, full of most excellent differences, of very soft society and great showing... the continent of what part a gentleman would see.” ---Hamlet, Act V, scene ii
meet Robert duquette Mel Yoken
Here in the South Coast, we have some very good theatrical companies, and my wife and I try to support them – and attend their performances – as frequently as we can. Amongst the best actors I have observed, one man stands out for his extraordinary attention to the details of portraying major and minor characters in diverse roles in such plays as “Night Watch,” “Love Letters,” and, most recently, “Moon Over Buffalo.”
Robert Duquette is a very successful optometrist, and a very successful actor in local theater. His unwavering stentorian voice, his impeccably disciplined, earthy demeanor, and his amazingly gutsy versatility make him truly one of the foremost actors of his generation, not only locally, but nationally. I interviewed my friend, Bob Duquette, for Prime Times. M Bob, how did you first get into acting?
My parents loved the theater and took my brother and me to plays from a very young age. My father also had a very large collection of show tunes, and we would listen to all the original cast albums on the radio at night. So, by the time I began doing musicals myself--such as My Fair Lady, South Pacific, Oklahoma, Annie Get Your Gun and Kiss Me Kate--I knew these classic shows by heart. This early introduction to theater was invaluable in that it gave me a background B
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and knowledge of theater and its conventions long before I actually became a participant. M What type of play do you prefer as an actor?
I have been lucky as I have been able to do dramas, musicals and comedies. My great joy, therefore, has been variety. When I am doing a drama, I look forward to doing a musical, and when I am doing a musical, I look forward to doing a drama. The challenge is important, not the form. I like to try something new with each role, to stretch myself to do something I have never done before. There is always a danger to that, of course, like walking a tightrope, but that is what is exciting to me as a performer. If I go in thinking “this role is beyond me,” then I know that this role is going to be a challenge, and I’m ready to get to work. I like to work with actors who are preB
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pared. I like most of all to work with actors who are there for you, who are at that moment totally with you. On the other hand, I cannot tolerate prima donnas who care more about themselves than the other actors or the production itself. There is never an excuse for that! M What do you consider your best – and proudest – performances?
Different plays stand out for different reasons. There is, of course, one’s first play, the first time you are on the stage. One of my fondest memories is “Oklahoma,” where I met my wife. It was actually my third play, and I was playing the juvenile lead. It was her first role, and she was the soloist in the chorus. I saw her across the proverbial “crowded room,” and the rest is history. Some roles you enjoy because you like the person you are playing. Such was the case when I did “The Sum of Us,” where I played a truly decent, loving father. B
On the other hand, the most difficult part I found to rehearse was the sociopath killer in “Angel Street.” (Having to get in this man’s head was truly very disturbing!) My proudest production was definitely a show that I wrote, directed and starred in called “Peace for Our Time” which was first produced in 1982, and has been revived a number of times since then.
My proudest production was definitely a show that I wrote, directed and starred in called ‘Peace for Our Time’ There are certainly some plays or moments where I felt I came the closest to successfully expressing what I was aiming for. However, for me, each play is a learning experience.Like most actors, I hate watching myself on film. However, as difficult as it is, it is the only way to objectively observe yourself – how you walk, your diction, your pauses, to see all the many details that go into a full-bodied performance. M Have you had any truly embarrassing moments on the stage?
Of there, there have been many! One of the things that makes live theater exciting, and completely unlike movies, is that, once the play begins, it keeps going, no matter what! The true test is always how do you keep the play on track no matter what happens. I did a play once where the janitor had just installed a new chandelier for my “wife.” Later in the scene, after my entrance, all the lights on the set went off. Because I had some knowledge about lighting, I surmised that the lights had not blown but, rather, there had been a complete glitch. So, I began ad-libbing in the dark to my “wife,” running down the hall calling out for the janitor until, about 10 minutes later, the lights went back on. I then turned to my “wife” and, referring to the janitor, said “I hope you don’t pay that guy,” and just continued with the scene where we had left off. Apparently, almost everyone in the audience thought all of this was part of the play! B
M This, I think, addresses a question that many ask: how much an actor is “into his
character” during a performance. That is a very interesting question in B that an actor always has to tread a very fine line between being totally “in character,” and, at the same time, being completely conscious of all that is required of him such as staging, movement, sight angles, diction and dealing with dropped lines.
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M How do you learn your lines so readily?
It is called work – pure and simple! Plays can be very fulfilling and enjoyable to do, but it requires a good deal of time and dedication to do well. Unlike many actors, I do not work on my lines with another person. In fact, unless it is a long monologue, I don’t start by studying the lines. I start by analyzing the play, that is what the play is about, what my part is in the story and what are my objectives. I then start at the beginning, and work out the development of the character in relation to the things he says. I work on it slowly, always trying to ask myself why the character says this line and not something else. I then try to memorize sequences of lines, again keeping in mind the objectives of the character. I call this stage “light memorization,” and am more concerned with sequence of thought than the exact words. Next, I meld the line of thought with the director’s staging to sharpen the objective. I then firm up the lines. (I always try to eventually say the lines exactly as written!) Once I am able to “speed read” the lines in my head, I reverse the process somewhat. I now try to “forget” the lines, and just have them come out naturally without thinking about them. At this point, I am able to truly focus on what the other person is saying, and let my responses “surprise” me. This allows me to discover new insights into the script and my character. Then I can experiment, and try some bold choices to see where they lead me. Ultimately, at performance time, my objective is to only think of my first line and let the play unfold for me “in the moment.” This way, I feel, can be the most spontaneous and fresh. B
M Which roles would you eventually like to play? B
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The two classic roles I would like to play are Hamlet and Cyrano de
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Continued from previous page opportunity to perform in either of these plays, I did get a chance to place comedic versions of both of those roles, in the past year, playing John Barrymore as Hamlet in “I Hate Hamlet” and “ham actor” George Hay as Cyrano in “Moon Over Buffalo.” As to the future, I would most like to play some of the classic roles that have been written by the great playwrights of modern theater such as Ibsen’s “An Enemy of the People,” Miller’s “All My Sons,” Albee’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf,” Mamet’s “Oleanna,” Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd” and, closest to my heart, Odets’ “The Country Girl.” Whether it is a play with a message or pure entertainment, I would want it to be a challenge.
Jacques Brel
M What is your feeling about critics and censorship?
I remember an incident once when a professionally trained actress in a play I was doing was confronted by an audience member with a small criticism, and she turned to me and said ‘If a person doesn’t have something nice to say, he shouldn’t say anything at all.’ I totally disagree with that. B
M Is there anything unique about working in regional/local theater?
In many ways, it is much harder than working on Broadway or in Hollywood. For one thing, we work on much smaller budgets. We don’t have drivers, hair stylists, costumers, etc. When I played a murderer in “Angel Street” I didn’t have the luxury of access to a prison where I could interview a convicted killer. When I played an Australian factory worker, I wasn’t provided with a vocal coach. I could, however, go home after rehearsals, and listen to an Australian radio in order to study the Australian accent and speech patterns. As a result, I spend a lot of time doing my own research for a play. I will not normally watch a film version, since I like the character to speak to me just through the lines, rather than through someone else’s interpretation. I like to read everything I can about the original production, including reviews that may give me a hint as to the strengths and the pitfalls of the piece. I like to write a backstory for my character to help explain to me why my character does what he does. Sometimes, special skills, such as fencing, are required. All of this must be done while holding down a full-time job! I recall once agreeing to rehearse for two plays at one time. I figured that people in repertory companies did that all the time. What I did not take into consideration was that they did not have a day job! B
M What is your next theatrical project? B
I think that accepting good criticism is an essential part of any type of work. I have special friends I see after a performance whom I know will give me an honest appraisal of my work, and can offer technical insight that can be very helpful in the future. Although it can be difficult when negative criticism is splashed across the newspaper, I think the observations of a theater-knowledgeable and objective audience member can be very insightful. The important thing must always be “the work,” and how to make it better. Both the actors and audience must insist on the best, if quality theater is to survive.
M How has acting helped you as a person? B
Robert Duquette
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Two things stand out.
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Robert Duquette with his wife M arilyn in “Pal Joey”
First of all, theater has allowed me a creative outlet. Acting has allowed me to exercise my imagination which is something, I’m afraid, people don’t get a chance to do in this very computerized, very scientific society. Secondly, it has led me to be more tolerant of people, and this was unexpected. To play a character well, you have to walk in his shoes. You have to force yourself to see the world through his eyes. You must understand him, to somehow like him, and to feel his pain. I think all this has made me much more understanding and much less judgmental. M What is a typical day in the life of Bob Duquette?
Luckily, I am able to compartmentalize the different parts of my life. When I am rehearsing a play, I usually begin my day doing a speed-through of all my lines without a book while I am getting ready to go to work. At work, I change gears, and completely focus on my professional responsibilities as an optometrist. After work, I do a second speed-through of my lines as I prepare to get to rehearsal which usuallyruns about three hours. Upon returning home, I try to absorb, in my mind, what has I have gone over in rehearsal, and consolidate it with the lines, and how I have been developing my character and his objectives. Hopefully, I get have some supper! B
M Finally, Bob, how do you balance your
busy professional life with your important theatrical career? As an optometrist, I find these two “careers” to be strange bedfellows; however, they actually complement each other quite nicely. My background in science has aided me in the logical analysis of character situation and development. On the other hand, being able, through the process of acting, to experience and develop some understanding of the complexities of human behavior has allowed me, as a doctor, to better relate to and care for my patients on a one-to-one basis. Over the years, I have been fortunate to play a wide variety of individuals from many different walks of life. Many have had great crosses to bear, including grief, loss, suffering, depression, physical and mental illness, alcoholism, speech impediments and various physical deformities. The most profound and frightening was when I played a man who suffered a stroke and could only move his eyes. It was horrifying to experience the pain from being unable to talk or communicate about how you felt with the ones you loved. Such experiences have helped me far beyond acting. For example, I used the knowledge I gained when I worked on a program for bringing the Arts to stroke rehabilitation patients at a local hospital as part of their therapy. It really goes beyond all this; it begs one to want to do more. For years, my wife and I performed at a nursing home on Christmas Eve to ease the pain of those who had no family with whom to share the holidays. We spearheaded theatrical fundraisers for a local hospital emergency room, as well as for eye research. We even had the opportunity, through the Arts, to facilitate the release of a political prisoner behind the Iron Curtain, and bring him back to his young family. Over the years, I have received many honors, both professional and artistic, for which I am honored and grateful. However, in the end, it comes down to one thing. You use whatever talents God blessed you with, and you use perseverance and hard work. You really don’t need Broadway; all you need to do is to brighten your “little corner of the world.” B
Mel B. Yoken is Chancellor Professor Emeritus of French Language and Literature at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
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Chad Frownfelter maintains a ceramics studio at H atch S treet
Prime season
Art
for the holidays
L ori Bradley
Two events in New Bedford offer shoppers the rare experience of feeling invigorated while undertaking the grueling task of seeking perfect gifts for a long list of recipients.
One event is well established – the tried and true “Annual Hatch Street Studios Holiday Sale” at 88 Hatch Street. And new to the holiday shopping scene is “Men’s Shopping Night Out” in downtown New Bedford, created by artist Nicole St. Pierre. Both events offer shoppers the opportunity to support the South Coast creative economy while finding fabulous handmade and homegrown gifts.
Men’s Shopping Night Out On December 20 galleries and shops in historic downtown New Bedford will stay open late until 9 pm. Free holiday treats and drinks will help visitors relax and enjoy the experience. Knowledgeable gallery attendants and shop owners are on hand to help men find perfect, locally made gifts,
complete with free wrapping service. And, with holiday lights and decorations framing warmly lit windows, the atmosphere will be inspiring and relaxing – a welcome antidote to the hectic shopping scene at the malls. St. Pierre was looking for a way to bring new buyers into downtown New Bedford to shop at the many wonderful small galleries and shops. As she managed the artist’s cooperative Gallery 65 on William in New Bedford, she noticed that men tend to linger shyly near the door or allow their more vocal female partners to direct purchasing decisions. St. Pierre says, “We were looking for a way to help men feel comfortable shopping. We want them to have their own night to shop where everything is relaxing and they can feel comfortable asking questions.
We were looking for
a way to help men feel comfortable shopping Hopefully they’ll find really nice personal gifts that are a little different, and mean something special, as opposed to just grabbing something off a rack at the last minute at the mall.”
The A nnual H atch Street Studios Holiday Sale In 2000, several artists set up studios in the drafty old mill near the hurricane barrier on Cove Street and opened their doors to other artist friends to show and sell their work for a weekend during the holiday season. The event grew in popularity each year. When the Cove Street location was sold and closed the holiday sale moved with the artists to 88 Hatch Street, in the north end of the city. Ten years later, the Annual Hatch Street Holiday Sale is an eagerly anticipated shopping event for many local buyers of fine art and crafts. In recent years, the sale has been attracting buyers from longer distances such as New York, Rhode Island and New Hampshire. The Hatch Street Studios are far more comfortable and accessible than the drafty spaces on Cove Street, with an elevator attendant on hand to escort visitors on the freight elevator to the studios on the third and fourth floors of the expansive brick mill building.
Dozens of studio spaces
Nicole St. Pierre in her studio
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The atmosphere of the Holiday Sale is always warm and welcom-
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ing, with music wafting through the halls and a great variety of free homemade treats.
The atmosphere of the Holiday Sale is always warm and welcoming Over 30 artists are participating and many are visiting artists setting up booths especially for the weekend. The Holiday Sale features a wide variety of affordable gift items, such as hand-printed tiles and trivets, wooden chopsticks, hand bags, bright and homey hand stitched kitchen items, beaded and silver jewelry, felted hats and scarves, fine furniture and ceramics, and wall art in many sizes and styles. Visitors have an entertaining shopping experience while connecting personally with artists and craftspeople. And it’s educational – every artist loves talking about their artwork and the creative process – lessons adults and children can enjoy together. Chad Frownfelter maintains a ceramics studio at Hatch Street. He creates vessels, teapots and cups covered with layered glazes in opulent colors. He attended college in Cortland, New York and spent months in China before coming to the South Coast to attend the Master of Fine Arts program at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. The holiday sale is one of the reasons he chose to live in the area after school. Frownfelter smiles, “Over the years I’ve managed to build up a group of repeat clients. Also, this studio building has become home for me, a way to feel supported and have roots here.”
LYLE LOVETT FRIDAY, 8PM
NOV 2
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Men’s S hop
ping Nig in Dow ht Out ntown New Be Thursd d ford ay, Dec . 20, 5p Contac m to 9 t: Nicole St. Pier nstpier re re@com cast.ne t Hatch S tre
et St
88 Hatc udios Holid ay Sale h Stree t, Nov. 23 New Bedford Nov. 24 – 2pm to 7pm Nov. 25 – 10am to 5p m – 111am to 5pm w w w.h atchs Visit Ha treetstudios.c o Holida tch Street Stud m y Sale o n Faceb ios ook
This holiday season shoppers can attend the “Men’s Shopping Night Out” and the “Hatch Street Holiday Sale” knowing they are helping support a growing community of artists who enrich and enhance life in the South Coast. Lori bradley is an artist, writer, and educator living in New Bedford,MA. She’s an adjunct professor in the Art Department at Bridgewater State University.
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Prime Living
Learning never stops Jay Pateakos
Like many career-minded people who traveled a great distance to work each day for most of their lives, Betty Jeanne Nooth of Mattapoisett had little time to partake in the things she loved like reading or continued learning.
At her retirement at the age of 53, Nooth felt the best years could still be ahead of her. And she was right. Introduced to The Second Half: Lifelong Learning Institute, a learning community of adults looking to increase their knowledge and dig deeper into their interests, Nooth found subjects like foreign languages, history, theater, Writing from the Heart, the Supreme Court and so much more. Nearly a decade later, Nooth said Second Half has helped open her eyes to so much that was missed while most hours of the day were spent driving or working.
Finally, time to learn Based out of the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth Fall River Campus on South Main Street and part of the UMD Foundation, the Second Half is an affiliation with the Elder Hostel Institute Network. The Second Half is a community-based membership organization where programs aim to provide intellectual stimulation as well as social interaction. Small, informal classes encourage open discussion and students and teachers continue those conversations long after the class is over. Classes include such academic-types as “Michelangelo, the Genius;” and “Socrates, The Apology;” to modern issues like “How will our grandchildren survive climate change?” and “Our Health System.”
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There are also fun offerings like “Bridge Beginner,” (plus “Intermediate,” and “Advanced”) and “The History of Broaway Musicals in America.” The Second Half was born out of an idea to create a lifelong learning center, a suggestion made to former UMass teacher Ellen Christie, just when her contract with the University was about to expire. And Christie would not only create Second Half, nearly a decade ago, but would become its first director – and is still involved today. The two goals of the Institute are to stay intellectually stimulated and to provide social interaction, said current director Beverly Stevens.
The two goals of the Institute are to stay intellectually stimulated and to provide social interaction. “It started with just retired people, but now we are getting semi-retired people and other people that are looking for a chance to learn more.” With the classes not being for any certificate or class credit, the program takes on a more informal tone, and students and
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teachers spend a great deal of time debating and discussing.
Members, not just students Stevens said the Second Half currently has 250 members – membership costs $25 annually – with a goal to have 300 by next year. “I see it as an opportunity to explore things people never had time to explore while they were earning a living,” said Stevens. “We have a former judge that is taking classes. This was a person who had little time to read for pleasure while he was working.” Nooth, now 64, and 9 years into her membership with Second Half, knows that drill all too well. After retiring, Nooth would take a number of classes, as well as work part-time at the former Baker Books, once located in the UMass Building. More than two dozen classes later, Nooth said Second Half has helped change her for the better. “I always loved school and I loved the classes I took through Second Half, and the social aspect gave me so many new friends and interests,” said Nooth, who has taking literature classes as well as theater and Conversational Spanish. “It’s just an intellectually stimulating place. During your work life, you are so focused on work, getting the job done and then getting home that you forget the Photo: These “A rmchair Travelers, no passport required” used photos, videos, food, descriptions and anecdotes to “visit” San Miguel in the A zores, Lisbon, Krakow, Paris, Italy and H awaii, guided by instructors M adeline Brauch (2nd from right, back row) and S teve Brauch (3rd from left, back row).
things you love.”
E xpansion plans While Nooth has been making the trek to Fall River from Mattapoisett, she, like Stevens, hopes the creation of a number of satellite offices around southeastern Massachusetts will make things more convenient for others who want to learn while also increasing the membership. Stevens said they are planning upcoming classes at the Westport Council on Aging, Southworth Library in Dartmouth, and are hoping to soon branch off into New Bedford, Mattapoisett and Marion. “The plan is to keep building the program because more and more people are retiring and looking for learning opportunities, and we want to make sure we have enough courses to offer them.” In addition to the annual $25 membership fee, class participants pay $120 for up to two classes, with the third class costing just $30. Most of the classes meet weekly for about two hours and last anywhere from 4-10 weeks. Classes are generally in the morning or afternoon with the Second Half open Monday to Friday, 930am430pm.
Save the date Stevens is planning a major Second Half/Lifelong Learning event next spring, sponsoring a North East Lifelong Learning conference on April 19 and 20th, 2013 at the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Downtown New Bedford. The conference, dubbed “Live, Learn and Connect”, will include lifelong learning institutes from across New England, New York and Eastern Canada that make up the Northeast regiment. Dr. Paul Nussbaum, a clinical neurologist and psychologist from the University of Pittsburgh, will discuss the brain and overall health across a lifespan. “A lot of people don’t know about us, though the people we are serving have drastically increased. We’ve had 71 new members sign up so far this year,” said Stevens. “We’re hoping the conference will raise awareness about us here and in other areas.”
Finding the time Like Nooth, Robert Miller, 65, of Dartmouth had little time to partake in learning experiences or hobbies as he navigated the corporate world from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. But after his retirement in 2010, you could say he’s trying to make up for lost time. Focusing initially on his love of science, Miller took a number of courses like “Origins of the Universe “and “The Big Bang Theory,” and now has moved on to governmental courses like “Gridlock Government.” “When I retired, I was looking at the UMass course offerings, and I saw Second Half and thought I’d give it a try. The courses proved to be very interesting,” said Miller, who takes two classes each session. “The biggest benefit is the quality of instruction and how the classes are informal. It’s really your course to make what you want of it. We have great discussions, and though we don’t always agree, it’s very constructive and enlightening.” As an example of some of the instructors, Gridlock government is being taught by a retired superior court judge while another course features a retired Physics professor and other former teachers.
Charting your own course Miller said with no grading or structure like college courses, students are able to navigate through the course as they see fit. “It gives me the opportunity to pursue topics that I was never able to do while I was working and I’ve been able to turn a lot of friends onto Second Half,” said Miller. “Some of the topics we touch on, like the Industrial Revolution or other history courses, have themes that still exist today. It’s just fascinating to get these kinds of views that are triggered with each other in the classroom. I can explore these topics a few hours a week on my own whenever I want to. I have the time now.” For more information on The Second Half: Lifelong Learning Institute, call 508-677-4694 or email at secondhalf@ umassd.edu. You can see them on-line at www.umassd.edu/secondhalf. Jay Pateakos has been a freelance writer for more than 10 years including daily and weekly newspapers and monthly magazines. A native of New Bedford, he currently lives in Marion and has three children.
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Technology
Home automation: slouching toward acceptance
Dan L ogan
Some of us recall the excruciating inconvenience of having to get off a comfortable couch to change the television channel. My family would play channel chicken-we’d hold out as long as we could in hopes someone else would break first and get up to change the channel rather than miss the first few moments of a favorite show.
If no one cracked, my father would order one of us to get up and change it. Death, taxes and getting up to change the channel. There was really no good way around it. One of my buddies located his chair close enough to his TV so that he could change the channel with his toes. But that approach only works with a real small audience. Home automation has had a history of slow and painful groping toward sensible solutions to the inconvenient aspects of daily living. The widespread implementation of running water was a landmark in home automation, as was the introduction of electricity. We put away the bucket and the matches.
Enter the TV remote Though television remotes weren’t the first examples of home automation, they were certainly high on the list of desirable devices. Development was slow going. The wireless Zenith Space Command appeared in 1956, but well into the 60s, and even the 70s, remotes were something of a luxury. At some point we moved on to accept motion-activated flood lights, and even programmable thermostats. Delve into the current state
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of home automation and you get the sense there are still issues to be resolved. Read the comments about any home automation online, and you’ll find people either love or hate their system of choice. If you wonder whether you should be employing more home automation in your life, your first objective should be to evaluate where on the home automation spectrum you’re situated. Perhaps you’d really like to be freed from having to do one or two inconvenient and repetitive tasks that really bug you--why did they put the light switch there, of all places? Or perhaps you’re an omnivorous devourer of gadgetry who wants to automate every imaginable household task simply because it can be done, and damn the time or expense. Once you pinpoint your attitude toward home automation, you can narrow down the systems that suit you.
Basic systems Many people use home automation in its simplest form-call it convenience-level home automation. They use it to turn on lamps or coffeemakers, water plants, or run the lawn sprinkler through its paces. X10, which has been around since the late 70s, is a basic,
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fairly inexpensive and popular home automation technology that uses your home’s electrical system to transmit its signals. X10 and other powerline systems such as Insteon are convenient, but they’re also susceptible to interference from noise in the lines.
x 10 module
To use X10, you typically plug a module the size of a small power brick into a wall outlet. For example, if you want to set up a lamp to turn on and off at certain times, you set the timer on the module, then plug it into a wall socket, and the lamp into the module. One of these modules costs $20-30. Other X10 units include remote controls in various sizes and capabilities, dimmers, appliance modules with higher load capacities, and transceivers. You can buy individual modules or save a few bucks by buying a kit containing the most popular modules. You don’t have to go whole hog at first. You can start small,
then add on as you become more familiar with the system. X10 also offers wall socket replacement units ($25-50) that eliminate the need for bulky modules at every outlet. (You might want to hire a qualified electrician to install them.) X10 systems also can be set up and run from your personal computer, so that you can coordinate all your devices from one spot. I began using X10 devices in the 1980s. I use it for turning lamps on and off from a convenient spot, but I also like being able to create unpredictable patterns of lights and TV turning on and off if I’m away from home on a trip. My biggest gripe about X10 is that a significant percentage of the modules seem to go belly-up in much too short a time. About half of the units I bought gave up in a year or less. On the other hand, the rest have lasted for years.
More advanced systems Wireless systems that work via radio signals have been gaining in popularity. While more expensive than X10, they’re also more sophisticated, featuring two-way communication that is giving rise to the “smart” home. Such systems can sense changes such as a person walk-
ing into a room or a change in temperature, and turn out the lights or turn up the heat, or send out an alert. These advanced systems are helping to make the home operate with greater energy efficiency. For example, if you have the system set up to sense motion in a room, lights will go on when someone enters. No activity, the light stays off, saving electricity. You can also set your heat or air conditioning to a daytime setting, then have it ramp up just before you get home from work, which also saves energy. You can even change your settings via the Internet. The two best-known wireless protocols are Z-Wave and Zigbee. Zigbee uses an open-source protocol that gives developers more freedom to do neat things with the system, but also opens the door to complications created by freewheeling programming. Z-Wave’s protocol is closely controlled, so there’s less chance a device won’t work because some code has been tweaked a little bit. More than 150 companies make products using the Z-wave transceiver chip.
Many, many options Home automation is being used to distribute the audio and video in entertainment centers. These systems are being used to make it more convenient to play different movies or music in different parts of the house to suit every family member, not to mention to create the desired ambience for a romantic evening. Advanced home automation systems are often tied in to home security and safety networks. Sensors can detect movement, fire or a gas leak and call in a warning to a security company or fire department. You’ll pay a monthly fee for such services. Security is an increasingly
popular feature of home automation, and it’s a big topic that I’ll cover in more detail in a future article. The most advanced systems are wired systems using ethernet cable installed in the walls of a house. This is obviously the most elegant and desirable solution, but it’s one that only makes sense if you’re building a new home or doing major renovations to an existing structure. With computers and the Internet and our society’s prowess with technology, one might think automating a home might be simpler than it is. As a result, acceptance of more advanced home automation features is still developing slowly. A home automation system relies on a number of technologies that enable components to communicate and interact with each other. Many of these technologies don’t play nicely together without a lot of tinkering, so be wary of attempting to combine systems to get the most beneficial aspects of each. Home automation has always attracted the do-it-yourselfer, but professional installers are now doing the more advanced systems. Being satisfied with an elaborate home automation system may come down to using a conscientious installer who knows the system well. Still, automating your home in ways that suit you can be worth trying. If nothing else, controlling lights, TVs, audio systems and other inconveniently placed devices from your favorite chair or from bed can be hugely satisfying. Kick back and enjoy. Dan Logan is a freelance writer and photographer from Fairhaven, MA. He also teaches classes about Nikon cameras and software at the Learning Connection in Providence. E-mail him at dlogan@ thegrid.net.
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good times
Financial balance Sherri MahoneyBattles
In yoga class we learn that when we balance our breath with our movement we are able to stretch further distances. We also work on aligning our spine because when our spine is in alignment the movement becomes easier, more fluid and we are less likely to suffer physical injury.
For most people every day is a juggling act of balancing work, family, home, and pleasure, but what happens when our financial lives are not in balance and alignment? Sometimes the effects can be devastating. We all know what happens when our checkbook is out of balance. Many years ago I worked with a client whose successful business had a small group of employees, and each year when he came in to have his tax return done I was impressed with the financial statements and the copies of payroll reports he provided. He did all of his own bookkeeping and processed his own payroll reports using QuickBooks. He always came in late in the filing season, but he compensated for his lateness with his winning smile and a box of chocolates. He usually bemoaned the amount of tax he owed, and left complaining about the large checks he would be mailing out to cover his liability.
A balancing act He was a well-known and loved family and businessman who was always the first to write a check to sponsor a local baseball team or support a needy cause. In his late-fifties he was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer, and in a short time I and the local community were saddened to hear he had passed. The heartache deepened, however, when I learned more about the legacy he had left behind for his wife and family. Just a few weeks after his death I received a phone call from his widow. She had discovered a hidden box that contained year’s worth of notices from both the federal and state tax agencies. Not only had he not been paying his own federal and state income taxes, but he had
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withheld taxes from his employees for years without remitting them. He had taken elaborate steps to hide this information from everyone. He maintained a separate post office box and in the last year or two of his life had shuffled around from one local bank to another always staying one step ahead of tax levies. A quick review of the tax notices revealed a tax debt of over $150,000. His widow and children were devastated to learn about the debt, and they quickly rallied to hire outof-town attorneys to help with the disaster, thus protecting the façade of success which he had struggled to maintain. For many years this story has haunted me, and I have wondered about the shame and the guilt that must have shadowed this man in the last days of his life.
Unbalanced, and unhappy I am often called upon to help clients who have large tax debt or who have not filed taxes for many years. These clients are almost always afraid, and they are always ashamed. They are worried the government will take their home, seize their bank accounts and garnish their wages. Sometimes people wait until legal proceedings have already started before they decide to ask for help. Most clients whom I work with who have tax debt, unfiled tax returns or severe financial problems are isolated in a puddle of shame. The most comforting thing I can tell these people is that they are not alone. Humans by nature are flawed. We make bad business decisions, get into bad mortgages, and, for reasons that seem good, or perhaps merely expedient for the moment, fail to file tax returns. The first step towards fixing a problem is admitting its existence. Often a pressing
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and difficult situation can seem insurmountable.
Finding the center Once you admit a problem exists you can get the help you need and implement a plan to resolve the problem. First, we compartmentalize the situation into small problems, stating what the resolution would be for each. We then work on resolving each individual situation, checking off and acknowledging successful resolutions as we move along. For example, a client might come in who hasn’t filed tax returns for five years. We make a list of all of the returns which need to be filed, obtain the information needed for each year and complete each year’s filing, one at a time ,checking each one off as we go. As each year is completed the client feels a sense of relief and accomplishment. Many people, including other accountants, have asked me why I bother to work with clients who have tax or financial problems.
The answer is easy Yoga has taught me the importance of keeping a sense of balance in my life. When I help clients bring balance to their tax and financial problems they are freed from a life of fear of shame. I believe that when we bring financial balance and alignment into our lives we are able to stretch further with more ease and reach bigger goals. In order to obtain complete balance in our lives we need to look at all areas, and we cannot afford to neglect our financial lives.
Sherri M ahoney-Battles, of Taxing Matters specializes in income tax preparation for small businesses and individuals. As an Enrolled Agent, licensed by the IRS, Sherri has been representing clients for over twenty-five years in cases of audit, collections, and appeals and does extensive work with non-filers. Visit her website at www.taxingmatters.com email Sherilyn@taxingmatters.com or call her at 508-636-9829.
FLASH
An historic wine tasting From Venice to Vesuvius: the wonderful wines of Italy! was presented last month as a fundraising event to benefit the Fall River Historical Society. Sponsored in part by BayCoast Bank and Italian Wine Services, the event, held at The Lusitano Restaurant, featured a presentation by wine expert Alan Amaral and a sampling of some of Italy’s most popular
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wines, followed by a wonderful meal. Vino eccelente! Mangiare Ottimo! Buena Musica! With the holiday season fast approaching, be sure to visit the Historical Society during its annual Victorian Holiday Open House, beginning on November 17, and marvel at the lavish decorations.
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6. Paula and Charles Cullen 7. Emily Phenix and Sean Todisco 8. Nick and Meg Christ 9. Rosemary Hopkins, Beverly Arruda and Judy Duval
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10. Carl Yates and Betty Welch 11. Debby and Richard Pelletier 12. Patrick and Laura Long 13. Christal and Mark Gendreau
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Finding history Kenneth sutcliffe
I’m not really a major history buff, nor do I consider myself anywhere even close to an expert regarding matters of historical significance. Still, I like history.
I like what I consider to be real history, not that sort of pseudo-history that one finds lurking in the “immersive interactive environments” of many museums and internet sites these days, where a screen projects images of what might have been and nothing is left for the imagination. I like looking at artifacts and trying to figure out what might have been, all by myself.
Touching the past I admit it, I am a bit of a luddite. I like getting out in the dirt, rummaging in old abandoned cellar holes, searching for bits and pieces of a past that seems to be eroding like the land. I like to find rusting bits of old automobiles in parts of the woods, a chimney that once belonged to a house standing in a clearing, or a gravestone so marred by time that its letters are no longer legible. They each remind me of what life is about
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and how quickly it all passes. They each give an opportunity to think about my relationship with the world and also of how I may leave my own small mark. So, when I found out about a unique historical site called Parting Ways, I had to take a look for myself. Parting Ways will not be found in many textbooks. It is not yet a mecca for tourists from around the United States. It does not yet have a museum to celebrate its rich and unique history. The names of the men buried there do not yet ring many bells. In fact, it is barely marked, easily passed, and undeservedly unremembered. The story of Parting Ways is a story of four men: Cato Howe, Quamony Quash, Plato Turner and Prince Goodwin. All were American Patriots of African descent who enlisted and fought in the Revolutionary War. Upon their return, the men were granted land by the town of Plymouth
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photo by Joey Andrews
upon which they and their descendants established one of the first free black settlements in the United States. The families of these men and those of their descendants lived upon this land and established a thriving community. The land was broken up, bought and sold, and whittled away.
History fading Some claim that the original land granted to the men consisted of thousands of acres. Now under thirty remain, and these have finally been granted some measure of protection as they were sold to the Parting Ways organization by the Town of Plymouth. The fact that they were preserved at all is something of a miracle when one considers the general myopic attitude towards historical sites. When it is politically or economically advantageous to do so, it seems that many historical sites are literally buried and bulldozed to make way for a highway ramp providing easy access to “attractions” or a ideal location for yet another quickie mart and gas station combo. The land of Parting Ways, containing the cellar holes of the original settlement and the burial plot of the four Patriots, is located on MA-80 (Plympton Road), between the intersections of Bishops
Highway and Willowbend Boulevard, and the land straddles the border of Plymouth and Kingston. At first glance it doesn’t appear to be very much. From the road, it’s easily missed and hardly visible. A small and metallic government-issued sign announces its presence in a whisper. A small area of land has been cleared, containing both the burial plot and dirt parking area, and a recently erected sign explains the historical significance. The sign, I understand, was erected at the expense of a descendant of one of the men.
Sad neglect In what appears to be an afterthought, a small wooden monolith holds an official marker reading: “National Historical Landmark.” The marker was erected in the late seventies and then, it seems, promptly forgotten and left to fend for itself. The burial plot is understated, containing five gravestones that appear to be nothing more than stone stubs barely projecting from the soil and grass upon which they sit. Four of the stones belong to the men previously mentioned. The other belongs to an unknown person, perhaps another soldier. In the center of the grave markers is an additional stone upon which the names of the men have been carved. Around the plot is a small white fence and a row of ground level field stones. The rest of the site contains the heavily treed forest and a path used by hunters on ATVs, a desecration, in my opinion, of hallowed ground. Parting Ways should be as well-known as Plimouth Plantation, for it too represents a unique cultural crossroad in our Nation’s history. The four Revolutionary soldiers who settled at Parting Ways formed what came to be known as the New Guinea Settlement, a settlement that lasted and survived into the early twentieth century. The site was “rediscovered” in 1975, and excavation of the site began, led by the late Dr. James Deetz, a world renowned archeologist and then professor of Anthropology at Brown University. The findings of the digs revealed a uniquely American settlement that shared traits of both colonial and African cultures. In many ways, Parting Ways/ New Guinea Settlement was a uniquely American place, melding disparate cultures in order to cre-
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Special Events
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October
A LITTLE WINE WITH MURDER Wine Tasting & Murder Mystery
Wareham | 10/19 HALLOWEEN HAYRIDE Mattapoisett | 10/19 HAUNTED BARN & HAYRIDE Dartmouth | 10/19 & 10/20 HAUNTED FOREST Wareham | 10/26
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FLICK N’ FLOAT Wareham | 11/9
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December CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING Mattapoisett | 12/6 FLICK N’ FLOAT Wareham | 12/7 Fall River | 12/14 BREAKFAST WITH SANTA Fall River | 12/15 Wareham | 12/22 COOKIE SWAP Fall River | 12/15
January FLICK N’ FLOAT Wareham | 1/18 Fall River | 1/18 Contact the branch for information and event times. For a listing of more events visit ymcasouthcoast.org.
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collections of historical artifacts from the colonial period. Flocks of camera toting ate something new. Add to this the fact that history buffs create cleverly posed snapthe burial plot contains four soldiers who shots in front of a rock symbolizing the fought in the American Revolution and arrival of religious pilgrims in the “New you have a very special place indeed. World.” Mobs of the devoted stare in vague apScattered remnants preciation at an obelisk atop Bunker Hill, What these men’s lives were like remains thinking remotely about those long ago a mystery for anyone lucky enough to find acts of valor performed during the RevoluParting Ways, for the artifacts have been tionary War. These acts of reverence at our removed, and some can been seen at the altars of history, of which I too have been Courthouse Museum in Plymouth. Othguilty, in and of themselves, are not worthy ers are housed in of condemnation. various locations, They are decent he four frican scattered in a way attempts by decent that makes them to explore merican veterans people difficult to view and appreciate a past and appreciate. that is fading at such who lived on Some rarely see the a rapid rate that it is light of day. a wonder that any the ew uinea Several years of it is left for us to back, the Amerisettlement owe considered at all. can Society of the The same can be Sons of the Ameriuash urner and said for the apprecan Revolution of history oodwin should be ciation marked the grave through television, sites in recognition and internet. properly honored film, of the service and The History Chansacrifices of these nel presents facts but and remembered men. American dolls them up in the flags still flutclothing of CSI style ter atop the graves. However, work still filming, flashing to a magical x-ray view of needs to be done to properly honor these a bullet severing an artery or lung. veterans, and to honor their place in our So-called “historical” films about war, Nation’s history. like the 1989 film “Glory,” present forceful According to Parting Ways.org, one of arguments but are decorated with poetical the primary goals regarding the settlement rather than actual truths. In “Glory,” the site should be to “...educate and promote 54th Massachusetts Regiment is depicted positive contributions of Africans duras being composed of runaway slaves. In ing the Revolutionary War of the United reality, the 54th was composed mainly of States.” The four African American veterans freed slaves, an important distinction. who lived on the New Guinea settlement, The internet is so full of conflicting facts Howe, Quash, Turner, and Goodwin, and dates that it has become all but imposshould be properly honored and rememsible to make heads or tails out of any bered. historical information. Still, we genuflect The artifacts should be gathered and at these repositories of modern history, properly displayed. Parting Ways should ignoring those real things, like Parting be found in textbooks. It should become a Ways, that will give us a sense of perspecmecca for tourists from around the United tive about who we are as a people. States. It should also have a museum to celebrate its rich and unique history. The More information about Parting Ways names of the men buried there should roll can be found at www.partingways.org. off tongues and ring many bells.
Uncover the facts It is strangely ironic that many people prefer to experience a sort of symbolic history in preference to real history. Groups of tourists explore the recreated Plantation in Plymouth while ignoring real
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KENNETH SUTCLIFFE leads a mysterious double-life. He is a mild-mannered English instructor and father of three by day and a fiendish espresso drinking writer by night. He resides in a woodland paradise in Lakeville, Massachusetts.
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Big Tax Increase Coming! by michelle d. beneski n January 1, 2013 the federal estate tax is scheduled to increase from a top rate of 35% to a top rate of 55%! Additionally, the personal exemption from estate tax is scheduled to drop from $5,000,000 to $1,000,000! An individual with a $5 million estate will go from owing no federal estate tax in 2012 to owing approximately $2,200,000 in estate tax in 2013! The estate tax is based on the value of what a person owns at death. There is both a federal and a Massachusetts estate tax. Massachusetts has a $1 million exemption and an approximately 10% estate tax rate on the amount above the exemption. The total taxes on a $5 million estate (federal and state) will be over $2,500,000! Over half of the estate! What should you do if you have an estate over $1 million? You should be talking with your accountant and your estate planning attorney to make sure you are utilizing all the tools available to minimize your tax. If you have a revocable living trust it may be written to minimize estate tax but you should have it checked to make sure it is compliant with the new law. You should ask about gifting some of your property during 2012 so that the property is out of your estate in the future when the exemption will be lower. There are several different strategies to help clients with higher net worth reduce and sometimes eliminate estate taxes but the strategies can be complicated and you should definitely consult a qualified estate planning attorney before acting. At Surprenant & Beneski, P.C. we have many clients dealing with estate tax issues. We would be happy to help you if we can. Please call for an appointment.
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Michelle D. Beneski is an Attorney at Surprenant & Beneski, P.C. For specific questions call her at 508-994-5200 or send e-mail to mdb@nbelderlaw.com
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oday, with nursing homes costing an average of $9,000 a month, you must plan ahead. As Elder Law Attorneys, we can show you how to protect your assets from nursing homes, probate fees and estate taxes. Even with a relative in a nursing home now, assets can still be protected. Call us today to set up a consultation.
Michelle D. Beneski, Esq.
Daniel M. Surprenant, Esq.
Robert L. Surprenant, Esq. of Counsel
The family team of Attorney Robert L. Surprenant, Attorney Michelle D. Beneski and Attorney Daniel M. Surprenant are resolute in their goal of providing the highest quality of services to their clients. This also includes presenting free educational talks in the community on topics of Medicaid, Estate Planning, Veterans Benefits and Elder Care. All you need to do is call us at our toll free number 1-800-929-0491 and request which guide you need us to send you.
We are members of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and the Bristol County Estate Planning Council. Attorney Beneski is a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) and she also has her Masters in Taxation (LLM).
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Prime Living
Fit and 50 I started running a little over 5 years ago; I enjoy the 5K and 10K race circuit and have participated in 2 ½ marathons. At the suggestion of my training Cara Connelly partner and partner in crime, John, I started cross training a bit- biking and going back to the Y to be able to run further, be stronger and enjoy more than just road races. My youngest son, Cole, caught the running bug and has been running a few races with me as of late. I recently did 2 legs of a triathlon event. My 15 year old son, Keegan, did the swim and I did the bike and run portions. At the Y, I noticed that there were a fair amount of folks in their 50s and 60s, all working out pretty hard – walking on a treadmill or elliptical, playing racquet ball or working on strength training machines. John has always been athletic and at age 52 is in great shape and is still pretty competitive – mostly with himself. My motto is – finish and don’t be last. His is more like strive to be better, wanting a PB (personal best) in a certain race or be able to go from a duathlon event to a triathlon event within a few months.
Why make the effort That made me wonder what a fitness story could look like from two angles: those who are motivated later in life due to illness or potential or real health risks such as diabetes, cardiac issues or even joint replacement, and, those who have always maintained good health, played sports as a kid, in high school or maybe on a collegiate level and continued through their 50+ years. Most people over 50 who I watched work out at the Y seemed to be in good to great shape and were really enjoying themselves and wanted to be there, whatever their motivation. Fitness Director at Healthtrax Wellness
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Center in Dartmouth, Matt Nottingham, says they cater to adults over 50. In fact, over 50% of their clientele are in the age bracket 50-80 years young. Most of these folks, he reports, work out to maintain and enhance their recreation outside of the club. He reports, “Both men and women are working out an average of 3 times a week not just to keep active and strong but for social purposes as well.” Healthtrax is a wellness center and concentrates on health more than physical appearance.
Getting F.I.T. There is a rehabilitation center within the facility that helps people who are recovering from joint surgery, cardiac surgery or issues. They also provide general support for those who are ready to make healthy lifestyle changes to tackle other potential health risks such as diabetes or elevated cholesterol. Nottingham said that clients are schooled in the area of being FIT- an acronym for Frequency per week, Intensity or rate in which the heart is being pushed (heart rate), and Time or length of workout. Racquet ball is a favorite among the older men, most of whom have been playing for well over 30 years. “It’s a great cardio workout that builds up endurance and strength”, says Nottingham. Cardio machines, strength training and weight lifting are all popular activities enjoyed by any age or ability at the facility. Healthtrax offers different membership opportunities. They have an indoor pool, steam and sauna rooms, locker rooms, state of the art cardio machines, personal training, free weight room, swim lessons, kids programs, yoga and other wellness activities and group fitness activities. For more information about Healthtrax and the programs they offer, call 508-9992171 and visit www.healthtrax.com
Active for always I interviewed Rich Ghiorse, a gentleman
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who clearly falls in the second category, those who have always been active. Rich has been into athletics since 7th grade. He mostly ran track and cross country until graduation from high school. He ran one year of collegiate track and continued to stay fit by running “seasonally” through his 40’s. He says he “became an avid fitness nut at age 49. I am now 57 so I have been fitness conscious for about 45 years.” His interests vary. “In my 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s I was a diehard golfer (100+ rounds a year), a seasonal runner, and a gym rat playing basketball 2 nights a week. At age 49 I sustained a serious injury to my right shoulder due to a skiing accident. This left me unable to golf or play basketball for 18 months. I latched onto distance running as an outlet and I joined a noncompetitive running club (Colonial Road Runners). I caught the marathon bug immediately and have not looked back.”
Running over 50 At age 50, Ghiorse ran his first of 11 marathons. “I believe all human beings are made for endurance sports. As a species we are uniquely designed to do aerobic exercise for long periods of time, we are also pack animals by nature. I witness this within my running club; a group run is a natural thing for humans.” “I think it is really cool that I am in better shape now at age 57 than I was at age 27. I am not attached to my race results too much, but I do take great pride in running the same 10k race course 2 years ago in a faster time than when I was 27.” Ghiorse offers good advice to age fitness gracefully, so to speak. He says, “Age takes its toll. I am a firm believer that if you stay away from major injury and stay consistent with your training, decline in performance will be ‘glacial’ over a period of years.” Ghiorse’s love for fitness is evident in the way he mentors anyone with the desire to put in the work to achieve better health. “I am analytical by nature (an engineer).
I found I had a passion for teaching and helping others. When I became an avid runner, I bought many books on training and also asked a lot of question of more experienced runners. There was a void in my running club: we did not have any formal coaches. I filled this void because out of interest in the science behind training to maximize their running performance and enjoyment.”
Encouraging others In 2009 Ghiorse became a Road Runners Club of America certified running coach. His services are available to anyone in the club (and beyond) at no charge. He says he is “most passionate about the mid- and back-of-the-pack runners. I shamelessly promote running to anyone that even thinks they might like it.” He actively coaches about 25 runners in the club and is easily able to coach every type of runner from “newbies” who can barely run a step to highly competitive runners. “People approach me because they want to improve their performance or have lost their mojo for running. Most have goals they want to reach but don’t know how, and feel they need some help. The goal can be anything from running their first 5k to a completing a Marathon. Everyone wants to get faster. A lot just want to learn how to enjoy the activity more.” Ghiorse refers to coaching as a practice. “I often don’t know how to help the person at first meeting. My first action for any of my runners is to have them tell me their story and gather information”. The best way do this is by running and talking with them, often several times. “Conversation flows when you run with other people, this I how I get to know my runners. Details about health status, their likes, their dislikes, goals, motivation level, life situations. “I constantly monitor how the person is feeling, and adjust training loads and expectations along the way to get the best out of individual. Always my primary responsibility is to keep the athlete from getting injured. Running is a relentless sport and will exploit any weak spot in your body. At the level of a recreational running, a coach can protect the runner from himself; more is not always better. A wonderful example of one of Ghiorse’s mentees is Alison. They met almost 5 years ago; she ran a few races each year – what Ghiorse refers to as a seasonal runner. She ran the Hingham 4th of July race, and a
Thanksgiving race in Weymouth. She liked to run, but had a history of injury (knee problems). She ran regularly a few times a week, and would never run longer than 7 miles. When Ghiorse became friendly with Alison and two of her friends they ran together at least once a week. As time went on Alison became interested in improving her race times. Ghiorse suggested she concentrate on being consistent (year round) with her running, setting aside 3 days a week to run and make all the runs easy pace. “We were able to structure her runs so that she could improve and not re-injure her knee. We worked on the most basic principles of running: hard days followed by easy days, making the runs different distances: 3 mi , 5 mi, and 7 mi with days off between. She also did a lot of XT with yoga. Her times improved dramatically over the period of four months.”
303 State Road n Westport, MA
Reasonable goals Like so many people in training, Alison responds well to structure. She continues to set goals, and Ghiorse says he is able to help coach her to reach those goals. “I know now she can take training plans in 4-6 week doses. It takes 16 weeks to train up for a HM (half marathon), but she would be overwhelmed if all 16 weeks were thrown at her at once, so I adapt her training along the way without having her worry about a missed run or setbacks due to sickness. She could care less about why we do certain workouts certain ways, she trusts my guidance.” Ghiorse still loves to run and likes swimming and golfing. He would “like to like” biking but is “afraid of getting whacked by a car.” He and his wife are into kayaking and he still skies too fast. “My least favorite thing is injury, or to have any of my athletes get injured. Oh, and my new favorite thing is REST! We are only as good as our rest.” Good advice for any level athlete, at any age.
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Lighthouse Promotions New Year’s Day
Antiques
Show & Sale Tuesday, January 1, 2013 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Venus de Milo Restaurant Route 6 - Swansea, Mass. — Upcoming Show —
CARA CONNELLY PIMENTAL, a freelance writer who recently completed her first children’s book, has published in several New England magazines, the Standard Times and whatitcosts.com. She lives in Dartmouth with her three sons, Keegan, Colin and Cole.
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Patriot’s Day, Monday April 15, 2013
Early buyer’s preview – 10 A.M. $10.00 each Admission $6.00 each With this ad, admit 2 at $5.00 each
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Southcoast Chamber Music Society
good Primetimes season
South Coast music Celtic Fire
The great problem facing the South Coast, of course, is that there is too much good stuff to do. It’s next to impossible to get to all the excellent concerts. But we can try.
David Prentiss
The Zeiterion is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its rebirth as a performing arts center, and the Narrows Center for the Arts is celebrating its 11th anniversary. Both have incredible line-ups over the next couple of months.
The Z
Zeiterion Performing Arts Center (www.zeiterion.org) kicks things off with the incomparable Lyle Lovett on November 2. Lovett is a four-time Grammy Award-winner whose musicianship and showmanship guarantee a night of unforgettable musical entertainment. He blends country, folk, pop, gospel, blues, jazz and big-band swing in his own distinctive style. Chris Botti takes over the Z on November 4. The jazz trumpeter has been compiling #1 hits, gold and platinum records, and Grammy Awards since his 2004 critically acclaimed CD When I Fall in Love. Crossing over from jazz to pop and back again, Botti has become one of the most popular instrumental artists in the world. For anyone who hopes that the hills are alive with the sound of music, you’ll have a chance to join in at the Z’s Sing-a-Long Sound of Music on November 17. The classic The Sound of Music film will be shown with song lyric subtitles so you can sing with Julie Andrews. An MC will guide you and the audience is encouraged to come dressed as their favorite characters. The Zeiterion stage will burn with Chris Botti energy and excitement on November
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Iris DeMent
24 with Celtic Fire starring Michael Londra, renowned Irish tenor and lead voice of Riverdance on Broadway. Dancers include Blaine Donovan, the North American Irish Dance Champion, Christine Dolzall of Lord of the Dance, Meghan Lucey, of Riverdance fame, and Owen Barrington, the World Irish Dance Champion. Also coming up from the Z: Doo Wop 8 on November 10, Chucho Valdes Quartet on November 30, A Christmas Carol on December 1, and Paul Winter on December 7.
The Narrows The Narrows Center for the Arts (www.narrowscenter.org) seems to want to be open every night, and why not when there is so much great music to be heard? They begin their 11th anniversary celebration on November 1 with Toots and the Maytals Unplugged, with New Orleans bluesman Anders Osborne as special guest. Ricki Lee Jones takes the stage on November 3 and the legendary Blues Project, featuring original members Danny Kalb, Steve Katz and Roy Blumenfeld, are in town on November 9. Singer-songwriters Iris DeMent performs on November 10, and Nellie McKay on November 16. You better be ready to party on November 21 when Roomful of Blues fills the house with their non-stop, high energy blues sound. Rock/pop singer Sarah Borges performs on November 24, Steve Earl on November 26 and the Ryan Montbleau Band closes out the month of November on the 30th. There’s no better way to start the holiday season than on December 1 with a Rita Coolidge Christmas. Savoy Brown featuring British boogie blues king Kim Simmonds takes the stage on December 7. Troubadour Chris Smither performs on December 8 and have a “Yulegrass” holiday on December 14 when bluegrass Grammy winner Tim O’Brien, violinist and vocalist Lauren Rioux, and Crooked Still violinist Brittany Hass
celebrate the season. On December 15 get Under the Covers with Jake Armerding, Mark Erelli and Lori McKenna. Since 2004 they have performed this special annual concert, “Under The Covers,” at Club Passim in Harvard Square and now they bring it to Fall River. Two guitar gods, Nels Cline and Julian Lage, come together on December 18 and Girls, Guns & Glory – A Tribute to Hank Williams performs on December 27. You can then ride out of 2012 on December 29 with New Riders of the Purple Sage.
The South Coast classical scene The Southcoast Chamber Music Society (www.southcoastchambermusic.org) kicks off their season with the stunning Trio in G minor, Op. 15, by Bedrich Smetana. This work is considered one of the greatest of all piano trios and never fails to amaze audiences. The program will also feature Chausson’s Piano Trio Op. 3 and Poulenc’s Oboe Sonata. The concert will be performed at St. Gabriel’s Church in Marion on November 3, and at Grace Church in New Bedford on November 4. On November 18, Concerts at the Point (www.concertsatthepoint.org) presents Strata, featuring James Stern, violin/viola; Nathan Williams, clarinet; Audrey Andrist, piano, performing a program of Bolcom, Bartok, Bruch and Mozart. The concert starts at 3pm at the Westport United Methodist Church. The Sippican Choral Society performs their “The Many Moods of Christmas” on November 30 at the Grace Church in New Bedford and on December 2 at Wickenden Chapel in Marion. Tickets are available at the Book Stall in Marion, No Kidding in Mattapoisett, and Symphony Shop in Dartmouth (www.sippicanchoral.org). The choral ensemble Sine Nomine (www.sinenominechoir.org) is joined by saxophonist Marcus Monteiro in a Hildegard von Bingen’s original compositions in A manda Carr a variety of interpretations, along with polyphonic works celebrating her canonization, and the concert premiere of a Hildegard-based work by Rhode Island composer, Jennifer Charleson. The concert is November 10 at Saint Pius V Church in Providence, and on November 11 at Saint Lawrence Church in New Bedford. The New Bedford Symphony’s annual sold out performance of Handel’s Messiah at St. Anthony’s Church has become a South Coast tradition (www.nbsymphony.org). This year’s concert will take place on November 25 at 3pm. The NBSO also presents its annual Holiday Family Pops concert on December 22 at 3:30 and 7pm. This year’s guest artist is jazz vocalist Amanda Carr. David Prentiss, a resident of New Bedford, is the President and CEO of the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra. He is also active in the South Coast community as a volunteer, serving on the board of the Alma del Mar Charter School and as basketball coach at Our Sisters’ School.
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Prime season Most Americans are confronted with more vegetable choices during holiday meals than at any other time throughout the year – and that’s probably why so many people don’t like vegetables.
Holiday harvest Think back to holiday feasts of yore – mountains of instant mashed potatoes with a lava of greasy gravy and butter running down the sides, canned green beans drowning in creamof-mystery soup and crumbs of French’s onion rings, and – the worst – sweet potatoes or yams buried beneath an avalanche of melted Eliz abeth Morse Read marshmallow fluff. Oh, and the perennial pickle-and-olive dish no one ever touches. No wonder everyone stuffs themselves with bread-and-butter, pie and Grandma’s stuffing! But the bounty of the harvest should be the centerpiece of our holiday tables – a smorgasbord of healthy, tasty morsels that even the kiddies would enjoy. Make them ahead of time and reheat gently just before serving while the turkey is cooling off – and don’t be surprised if someone asks for seconds or the recipes!
like the red-and-green riot of roasted peppers on the side. Core and quarter three red and three green bell peppers. Spray both sides with a healthy cooking spray (or drizzle with olive oil), place on a foiled cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees, turning once, while you’re roasting something else (saves energy) for @ 40 minutes, or until edges blacken. You can also sprinkle some crushed rosemary leaves on them for a more savory flavor. Who needs a pickle dish??
juice; sprinkle with freshlychopped dill weed and toss to coat. This tastes better when refrigerated overnight and served at room temperature. Or you can serve it cold, with halved cherry tomatoes, sliced black olives and chopped red onions, as a colorful side salad.
S weet, savory, or sassy?
Absolutely simple sweet potatoes
Who would have thought that you could improve upon classic mashed potatoes? This superhealthy mix doesn’t need to be drowned in gravy. Prepare potatoes as usual for boiling in a large pot, but add an extra 3-4 inches of water than normal. Cut up a large head of cauliflower while the potatoes are boiling, When the potatoes are soft, add the cauliflower florets and continue boiling for another five minutes. Drain thoroughly in a colander (cauliflower holds a lot of water), return to pot and mash. Add one 6 oz. container of non-fat plain Greek yoghurt per pound of potatoes, a generous handful of freshly-snipped chives or parsley and blend thoroughly.
You want to tickle everyone’s taste buds, but you don’t want to overwhelm them with clashing flavors or sensations. By experimenting with herbs and spices, you can turn the simplest vegetable into a conversation piece and something that complements the turkey (see sidebar). Spices and natural sugars (honey, maple syrup) bring out the best in squashes and root vegetables. Herbs and seeds go well with green beans and cabbages. Crushed red peppers or lemon liven up dark greens. Create a medley of sensations and flavors – and serve them with a minimum of butter or sauces. I’ve been deliberately vague about quantities in the following recipes – you know best whether you’ll be feeding a hungry horde of college
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students, or just the two of you and maybe three picky children. Aim for quality, not quantity, and use the freshest ingredients you can find and afford.
“Licorice” carrots
Find star anise pods in the ethnic spice aisle. Scrub and trim a pound of carrots (they don’t need to be peeled) and cut them into rounds. In a saucepan, cover the carrots with water, throw in a handful of the star anise and simmer, covered, until just soft. Discard the anise pods. Your kitchen will smell wonderful!
Roasted peppers
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Nothing screams “holidays!”
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Scrub and pierce four medium sweet potatoes. Place atop a paper towel and microwave on high, turning over at least once, for about 30 minutes or until a fork pierces them easily. When they’re cool enough to handle, slice them in half lengthwise, then in quarters, and peel off and discard the skins. Transfer to a serving dish – you can dust them with a little cinnamon, spritz them with a “buttery spray,’ or leave them just plain. Cover and keep warm until it’s time to serve.
Dilly beans Rinse, drain and snap off ends of fresh green beans (figure that a handful will serve two people). Steam until softened, but still crunchy. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, drizzle with olive oil and a squirt of lemon
Caulipots
Never-bitter spinach Most people gag at the sight of cooked spinach, but one simple
trick will have them asking for seconds! Spread rinsed fresh baby spinach (never frozen or canned) atop a steamer basket in a large cooking pot. (Make sure there’s enough water beneath the steamer so that it doesn’t boil off and scorch the pot.) Sprinkle ground nutmeg liberally on top, cover and gently steam until the leaves are thoroughly wilted. Transfer to a serving bowl (reserve liquid for making gravy or broth), toss with a few swirls of olive oil to coat and serve immediately. If you want a zingier flavor (the nutmeg taste disappears while cooking), add a tablespoon of crushed red pepper while you’re tossing it. This makes a nice “bed” for a blander food, like slices of turkey. The nutmeg trick works with other dark leafy greens, like kale, chard or escarole.
Asian kale This super vegetable is not just for Portuguese soups, and it’s a great substitute if you’ve got spinach-haters at your table… leftovers are great for making minestrone or mixed with rice dishes. Cut kale leaves from tough spines (save the spines to chop for soups or stir-fry), cut into one inch slices and soak thoroughly in a pot of water to get rid of dirt, bugs, etc. for a few minutes. Drain, rinse, then boil leaves, barely covered with water, until limp. Drain again (save water for gravy or broth), then toss with liberal dashes of low-sodium tamari (Japanese soy sauce) and a tablespoon of chopped garlic. Voila!
Sweet peas with mint A super-easy and elegant side dish, best made the day before so that the minty flavor becomes more pronounced. Frozen peas work well, especially as it’s almost impossible to find fresh peas around holiday time. You can find the fresh
mint leaves in the produce section of the grocery store. Melt two tablespoons of “butter” (see sidebar) in a saucepan, add a 16 oz. bag of slightly defrosted frozen petite peas and stir to coat. Heat on medium for three minutes, stirring occasionally, until peas soften, then add ½ cup shredded fresh mint leaves. Cover and continue cooking for two or three more minutes (until you can smell the mint), then remove from heat. If you like your peas very sweet, sprinkle a packet of Splenda on top. Keep covered and reheat on low in the microwave just before dinner.
Maple acorn squash No holiday meal would be complete without a squash dish, and no one can resist a wedge or two of this! Ask your produce manager to cut small acorn squashes in half lengthwise for you (plan on a quarter of a squash per person). Scrape out seeds with a grapefruit spoon, if you have one. Place the halves, cut-side down, on a foiled cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. Remove and transfer to a glass baking dish, cut side up, so that they fit snugly and don’t tip over. Fill each scooped-out center with a dab of “butter,” then drizzle maple syrup on top of each. Pierce the flesh with a fork so that the buttery syrup seeps in, then return to the oven for another 30 minutes. Transfer to a platter and cut into slices or wedges and drizzle a bit more maple syrup on top. You don’t have to remove the dark skin – just scoop out the squash as you would when you’re eating a cantaloupe. Make sure to soak the glass baking dish as it cools so that the syrup residue doesn’t harden.
Tangy brussles sprouts They’re not just for old ladies
anymore! Plan on three or four sprouts per person – trim off ends and tough outer leaves and cut in half. Finely dice a large onion and set aside. In a covered skillet, melt two tablespoons of “butter” and stir in two tablespoons of a good hot paprika; let heat for a minute. Add onions, stir to coat and simmer until translucent, stirring often. Add sprouts, stir to coat, and 1-2 cups water and a tablespoon of caraway seeds (You can crush them in a mortar for a fuller flavor.). Cover and simmer until sprouts are tender (but not mushy) and most of the water has cooked off, about 15 minutes. Optional: serve with a small dollop of fat-free sour cream/ Greek yoghurt and a sprinkle of more paprika.
Lemon-dill zucchini
If you can still find zucchini at the market, here’s a fresh and tasty way to prepare them – one medium zucchini will serve three people. Make them in separate batches for a larger group – don’t try to overcrowd the skillet. Wash and trim ends, then slice in ¾ inch rounds. Melt 2-3 tablespoons of “butter” in a large skillet over medium heat, add ¼ cup lemon juice and ¼ cup freshly chopped dill weed. When mixture bubbles, lay out zucchini slices, turning to coat; cover and simmer gently until the centers are fork-tender and both sides are browned. Use a spatula to turn them, rather than a fork, and sprinkle additional lemon juice and dill weed whenever you turn them. Avoid overcooking them – they’ll get mushy fast.
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Keeping it skinny It’s a given that holiday dinners are the downfall for dieters or anyone watching their cholesterol. Do your waistline (and arteries) a favor and switch to healthful substitutes for all the sugars, fats and greasy gravy. A little bit of real butter in the cooking stage probably won’t hurt, but there are low/ no-cholesterol substitutes out there (like Smart Balance) that work just as well for cooking, and then use a “buttery spray” (like Olivio) at the table. Pass on the sweet potato pie and just eat the sweet potatoes as a side dish. Try using non-fat plain Greek yoghurt instead of sour cream or whole milk. And serve whole-wheat pita wedges with a dipping sauce of olive oil and herbs instead of the Parker House rolls and butter, or pass around a basket of low-fat, high-fiber corn bread and cranberry-nut muffins. The heart you save may be your own!
A bout herbs
and spices Many people will hesitate to experiment with herbs and spices when cooking holiday vegetables, so it’s a good idea to make a sample batch before the big day to find the perfect balance. Most grocery stores will have small packets of fresh herbs in the produce section, and you can find spices on the baking goods aisle or in the ethnic foods section. Fresh herbs are most effective when added toward the end of cooking; dried herbs at the beginning. Dried herbs are also more potent than fresh, so go easy – if a recipe calls for a cup of fresh dill weed, substitute only 1/3 cup dried.
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Prime Living
Embrace change Richard Clark
Many years ago, while nestled secure in our mother’s womb, our sensory systems were developing in precise union with our amazing brains. We were fairly comfortable with our selves. However, impressions were being registered, some of which might have been judged as uncomfortable, maybe even frightening in a primitive way.
Of course we were somewhat soothed and assured by the sound of our mother’s heart beating to an elemental rhythm. It was all the beginning of consciousness which developed gradually over the months in preparation for our grand entry into the “real world.”
E arly discoveries The day of our delivery dawned, and our comfortable existence became less and less comfortable. We were being evicted! The process seemed to take forever, but then suddenly we were launched forth, and the warm, fluid world of those nine months was replaced with a cold, brilliantly lighted space that was hardly welcoming. We were assaulted (spanked) and tightly wrapped in a blanket before being taken away from our mothers and placed in a starkly lighted room that was quite unlike the warm cozy place we had enjoyed for as
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far back as we could remember. It sure took a lot of getting used to! The above words pretty much describe the experience we have all shared…so many years ago, coming into this world as conscious human beings. Our tiny brains were processing it all, sorting things out between two files; one marked “comfortable,” and the other marked “uncomfortable.” There soon evolved another file labeled Me, containing words, impressions, expectations, criticisms and even elementary condemnations ready to be woven together into a concept, an identity…our egos. As we grew, we worked on these files, reclassifying the contents as either “good” or “bad.” Our parents, and maybe even our siblings, helped us expand and sort through these files even further as part of our enculturation process. If we were lucky, the process was not too difficult…or traumatic.
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Over time, that enculturation process expanded tremendously with input from all directions: family, church/synagogue/ mosque, school, community, friends, idols of various kinds, government, media personalities, etc.
Settling in We reworked and reformulated our identity, our egos, allowing us to find a fairly comfortable niche within family and society and to pay homage to the culture in which we found ourselves. The secret of “success” was found in never openly questioning or doubting the wisdom of the culture into which we were born… including the family, school or religious institutions. So many of our personal fears, selfdoubts, moods, etc. owe their existence to this whole process of enculturation which we have accepted as “normal,” or simply the way life is. We accept the authorities who speak on behalf of the mindsets into which we have been born and with which we have been indoctrinated. Those mindsets include dogmas, creeds, paradigms, prohibitions and prognostications of many kinds.
E valuating One of the advantages of achieving Senior Citizen status is the privilege of review-
ing this whole developmental journey, questioning the dogmas, challenging the creeds, poking the paradigms and probing the prohibitions and prognostications. This process is often referred to as “enlightenment,” seeing things…seeing even ourselves more objectively through an expanded consciousness. There may be some anguish in the process as we realize more fully that the ego is not quite the same as the Self, that entity endowed by the Creator with positive qualities, skills, gifts that were never allowed to evolve. There has always been so much chatter, so many voices in our minds that have drowned out the voice of the Self. In this age-related enlightenment process, I find that I have become much more of a “free spirit’ than I ever dreamed of being. I understand now why I made some of those decisions earlier in my life that set my feet on a certain path, but I also realize that I could have chosen otherwise if only someone had challenged my conclusions or assumptions. But alas, my growing up experience was all part of the culture into which I had been born, a culture that was perhaps a bit more homogenous or standardized than the current one.
can be. A beautiful collect in The Book of Common Prayer contains this petition in reference to the Scriptures: Grant that we may in such wise hear them read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them… The prayer offers a good plan or method for busting out of the old paradigms to embrace more and more of the liberating Truth about our personal potential.
Finding perspective With the freedom that comes with retirement and the perspective that comes with age, the time is ripe for thinking new thoughts and listening to new voices, reading, marking, learning and inwardly digesting some of the exciting and challenging ideas that are becoming more and more accessible, thanks in part to new technology. Astronaut Edgar Mitchell, founder of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, is convinced that “Man’s purpose is to become more conscious, more aware of the nature of consciousness. By expanding personal consciousness into transpersonal consciousness, we become a party by agreement to the functioning of the universe.” Our individual quests are part of a far greater enterprise with universal proportions. Awesome! One of the leading voices of our time is Ken Wilber, philosopher, integral theorist and author of A Brief History of Everything. Wondering out loud, he muses: “Maybe the evolutionary sequence really is from matter to body to mind to soul to spirit, each transcending and including, each with a greater depth and greater consciousness and wider embrace.” So…we’re all in this together, well on our way. Let’s enjoy the journey.
In this age-related enlightenment process, I find that I have become much more of a ‘free spirit’ than I ever dreamed of being.
Re-discovering In the Judeo/Christian tradition we are informed that we have been created and fashioned according to an image in the mind of God, the Creator. That’s a lofty concept that would seem to imply that each and every one of us is destined for greatness of some kind and with a uniqueness of far greater dimensions than most of us realize. It also suggests that we’re all in the same human family and explains why Jesus and others have sought to open our eyes and hearts in compassion for one another, regardless of differences in culture, traditions etc. “Be all you can be,” is a bit of an oxymoron as a slogan for the Army, but it is a workable concept or challenge for each maturing, individual human being…especially for you! Right now! It’s never too late to stretch your psyche, soul or self into it’s fullest dimensions to become all that you
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Richard Clark formerly worked in the incentive travel industry and is a free-lance writer with an interest in psychology, spirituality and human potential. Recommended reading to go with Richard Clark’s article “Spirituality” can be found on the Prime Times website: www.coastalmags.com/prime-times
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S ou th C oast P r ime T imes
N ov ember / D ecember 2012
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good times
Email gets old I turned 59 in October. That’s just one year shy of “Holy crap, 60?!?!!?!” One good thing about the modern era is that if you didn’t know you Paul were getting older from K andarian the sagging, aching and worn-out parts you never used to have, you always have email. I got a couple recently that I just know were meant for someone else. I mean, no way these were meant for me, it’s just not possible, they were downright humiliating. I got one from the Premier Care in Bathing people, touting a walk-in shower. Correct me if I’m mistaken, but aren’t most showers walk in? You turn the water on, you walk in, you shower. At best, there’s a lip to get over, but these don’t have a lip, they’re flush to the floor. Hence “walk-in” I guess. Or if you’re really old, “shuffle in.” In the email was a picture of an old guy in a bathrobe, towel up to his head like he was cleaning his ear, a slight smile, or a look of confusion, on his face, not sure which, but it was not a very flattering oldguy shot. He was coming out of, or rather standing on, the walk-in shower. The ad said the shower is “commended by the Arthritis Foundation.” Commended? They ran out of space for the “Re?” The ad said for a limited time, they’d chop $1,000 off the price. A grand? Off the starting price? Which they don’t list? Maybe that’s why the old guy had a look of confusion on his face, he realized how badly he got screwed on the shower he just stepped out of. Or was standing on. Not sure which. Now I’ve been in hotels all over the world, and the really nice ones have gorgeous bathrooms with, you guessed it, walk-in showers. I was just at the Swissotel Living in Istanbul, as beautiful a place as I have ever seen anywhere in the world, two bedrooms, two baths and one of which had a
40
S ou th C oast P r ime T imes
black-stone shower that you – ta-da! – just walked into. No lip, just shuffle on in, the floor was pitched slightly to keep the water going down the drain. Best part: No old guy in a bathrobe with a look of confusion on his face. Well, unless you count that old guy I saw in the mirror as I got out of the shower. But he was WAY better looking than the guy in the ad. Then a day later, another ad, this one from, I kid you not, “The Scooter Store,” which I’m guessing is right next to “The Depends-A-Bility Boutique,” hard by “Viagra Villa.”
The scooter ad asked if I have health issues that limit my mobility. No, not physical health issues, but thanks for asking. The ad had a picture of a very attractive white-haired woman sitting on a scooter, arms raised in the air (and no turkey waddle arms, thankfully, but trim, athletic), a big, happy smile on her pretty face as if to say “This scooter I’m sitting on makes me happier than the life insurance check I just got from my rich, dead husband’s policy, wheeeeeeeeeee!!!!” I’m pretty sure it was a fake out. I’m pretty sure that after they shot the photo, she jumped off the chair and fairly raced away, unimpeded by health issues that limit
N ov ember / D ecember 2012
her mobility. Probably ran home to take a shower in a unit she actually had to step up to get into, just because she could. If they really want to sell these things, portray them as we’ve seen them, maybe with a fat guy wearing a flannel shirt in the chair with an oxygen tank strapped to the back, tubes up his nose, as he wheezes his way around the store getting in everyone’s way and on their nerves before rolling to the checkout line and taking 20 minutes to find exact change in his little plastic coin purse. I’m not saying these things aren’t helpful. My dad, for example, could probably use them. He’s 84, his health is getting worse. I look at him and right after feeling bad, I think “Holy crap! Is that MY future?” Happily, I have children who say “No, dad, that’s not your future. That’s your present,” and then laugh as I say “Huh? What’d you say? What?” with a confused look on my face. Perhaps the worst, but most well intended, was an email notice I got that the AARP is hosting a local driver-safety course in Mattapoisett Nov. 1 for, and lord, this hurts more than anyone less than this number will know, people over the age of 50. Yes, 50. As in five zero. As in nine years ago for me. As in shut the hell up, AARP, and go after REALLY bad elderly drivers. Most of these emails come with the direction that if you don’t want to get them anymore (Duh, ya think?) to click on a link to unsubscribe. Which I fully intend to do. The second I get stronger glasses to read the tiny $#%%$ print telling me where it is.
Paul Kandarian is a lifelong area resident and has been a professional writer since 1982, as columnist, contributor in national magazines, websites and other publications. He is a regular contributor to The South Coast Insider and South Coast Prime Times. He can be reached at pkandarian@aol.com.
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