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I love the idea of repurposing, upcycling, and re-using. In our town, Tiverton RI, the Four Corners began an annual event many years ago called Bright Night which centered around a “re Tree” contest. Participants were challenged to create the “best tree” from items found in the garage and re-purposed into a tree that lit up and could stand up for 2 weeks. Over the years, I have enjoyed spending weekends in the fall designing and building my trees—and the competition keeps gets tougher. I have made trees from indoor/outdoor carpet, old fishing polls, golf memorabilia, and vintage toys. This year, I challenged myself to make something that would spin and make music, which led to my spinning, multi-level umbrella tree. My love of repurposing provides me with a di erent type of creative outlet and continues to bring me closer to our community. Each year I think I couldn’t possibly do another one, and then an idea is sparked.
As a financial planner, I am often asked what do about old insurance policies. Commonly, people have purchased something at an earlier stage of life and keep paying premiums without considering if the policy is relevant to their current situation. The questions I ask are: “What was the original intent? How does it fit in your current financial plan? Can this policy be re-purposed to service the plan in a new way?” There are strategies to pivot (and repurpose) if your policy is no longer suitable, such as donating to a charity by changing the beneficiary or the titling, moving the coverage into an irrevocable life insurance trust which removes it from your estate and opens it up for legacy planning, or converting the policy into one that provides optional long term care coverage rather than death benefits. Financial planning is where I get to be creative every day. Each client is unique. cgrinkis@aafwealth.com
“Finding the perfect home for your family is a daunting task these days but as soon as we met Rachael it was clear where her priorities fell. She works so hard to find the right house and will do anything it takes to see it through. In our case, she made the transition of buying and selling at the same time feel e ortless and easy. We are so grateful to have worked with such a forceful yet passionate expert in the field.”
The Buzz
Buzz on the Bay Calendar Voices of the Bay Rhody Gem
Goats on the Go
A historic Middletown farm offers a unique opportunity to walk with livestock
It’s quite a sight to behold – 27 tufty-tailed goats out for a scenic stroll, each tethered to their human guides by brightly colored leashes. Hooves and boots move forward in tandem, bar one spirited gal who is relentlessly pogoing upwards, demanding treats from farm owner and hike leader Karla Simmons.
“Annie Oakley!” Simmons hollers with a mix of affection and exasperation, pausing to feed a handful of grain and point out her single horn. “I call her my magical unicorn,” she says, beaming. “She brings the chaos!”
In the goat community, there are as many personality types as coat hues, and guests are invited to make their selection from an eager cluster of volunteers. “We need willing participants; otherwise they put on the brakes and you’re not moving them!”
The Buzz
ON THE BAY
By Belinda JonesLuckily, the majority relish the opportunity to take a mile-long jaunt around the 120acre family farm, while guests enjoy taking in views of the bay and the bridges en route. “The goats get to be part of the party and receive love and cuddles, plus goats are firm believers that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence – and at least two or three times a year, it really is!”
Several goats insist on joining every hike and repeat visitors even request goats by name. “Last week, a group of young women were crushed to hear that Philip was busy at the Kid Corral,” recounts Simmons, “and pleaded to have him join them. ‘This will be our third time; we first walked with him when he was just a baby!’”
The twist here is that Philip is typically the last to get picked – with his long legs, big horns, and dramatically black, shiny fur, he can look intimidating. “Goats are a great reminder to not judge a book by its cover,” Simmons says. “Philip is actually the easiest to walk –slow, steady, majestic, even.” On the other end of the spectrum, you have petite cutie Twinkie, a bottle-fed diva who used to insist on being carried, until she reached 50 pounds!
The goats at Simmons Farm grow accustomed to human interaction at a young age, joining the petting zoo at just one week old – not to mention goat cuddling sessions, which begin mid-February.
The hikes, however, have become the farm’s most popular offering. “Before we
launched them in 2019, my husband Brian and I were close to being at the end of our rope,” Simmons confides. “Farming will always be a struggle, but these hikes have made a significant difference to the prospect of continuing our 146-year-old legacy, as well as bringing so much joy.”
It really is a win-win, for the farm, the goats, and the visitors, who get the added bonus of rounding o the hour-and-a-half educational walk with a steamy hot chocolate and a visit to the Simmons Farm stand. Wares range from organic vegetables, fresh eggs, and pasture-raised pork to yummy honey, cheeses, and butter. And don’t forget the goat milk soap – a great daily reminder of this mahhh-velous experience! SimmonsFarmRI.com
The Buzz
ON THE BAY
In Partnership with The Public’s Radio • ThePublicsRadio.org
Farewell Don Kaull, a True Keaney Blue URI Ram
Rhode Island’s sports media fraternity has lost a respected voice
By Michael SzostakDon Kaull was more than a high school and college basketball star. More than a successful insurance executive. More than the color guy on URI basketball broadcasts for 35 years.
Don Kaull was also Santa Claus. That’s right. Santa Claus. And Shane Donaldson has proof.
“As a matter of fact, somewhere I have a photo of Don dressed as Santa Claus and me on his lap at two years old,” Donaldson, now a grown-up associate athletics director at the University of Rhode Island, recalled in an email.
“Don was Santa Claus to the children of Newport County. Literally. He would dress as Santa and ride on the Newport fire trucks, going through neighborhoods and waving to the children everywhere.”
Aquidneck Island old-timers will remember Kaull playing for Rogers High School long before he was riding those fire trucks and waving to neighborhood kids. He finished as the school’s career scoring leader. URI old-timers will remember him as a three-year stalwart and a captain on coach Ernie Calverly’s Rams of the mid-1960s. Ram fans since the late 1980s will remember Kaull’s sharp analysis of URI basketball games from Keaney Gym, the Ryan Center, and every other arena the Rams visited in their quest for hoops glory. His declining health limited his work in 2021-22, and he retired officially before this season.
Kaull had a relaxed approach to explaining what Jim Norman and, later, Steve McDonald described on the court. He was easy on the ears, and it was clear that his commentary was about the game and the players, not the voice behind the microphone.
Kaull was one of the most genial fellows one could hope to meet. Upon his death, many admirers paid tribute with words like kind, caring, and generous.
“Don had a way of making everyone feel like they mattered,” Donaldson wrote. Kaull sent notes and called folks to compliment a job
well done. Last season, when Kaull could not attend games, Donaldson pinch hit.
“When Don was unable to do the games on the radio, it was a bit surreal to fill in for him,” Donaldson said. “Having grown up listening to Don and Steve, I felt immense pressure to even serve as a stop-gap. But throughout the season Don would either call or text and offer words of support pretty much every game. That meant the world to me… hearing from him after a game is something I will treasure forever.”
We all knew that Kaull bled Keaney Blue, but we also knew that he did not let his a ection for URI prejudice his analysis.
“Don always had a way with honesty. You know he wanted the best for Rhode Island every time out, but he was always honest with his assessment on the air. That was the main thing I wanted to bring to each broadcast, to honor his approach,” Donaldson wrote.
Kaull’s death leaves a hole in the Rhode Island sportscasting fraternity – a band of brothers, if you will, that we have been fortunate to listen to for decades.
Joe Hassett, the shooting star of Providence College in the 1970s, an NBA champion with Seattle in 1979, and a veteran of seven professional seasons, has occupied a courtside seat and shared his views for 38 years – most of them with play-by-play man John Rooke. They celebrate the Friars when they play well, and criticize them when they don’t.
Terry Lynch, a quarterback-turnedtight-end at URI, a Rams assistant coach, and now athletics director at South Kingstown High School, has shared the radio booth on football Saturdays with the late Jim Norman and with McDonald for what seems like forever.
At Brown, Scott Cordischi has been a fixture behind one microphone or another since 1996. He has done football play-by-play since 1998, and launched
basketball broadcasts in 2001. John Anderson, who played football at Colby and watched his son John play at Brown, has shared the booth for 10 years. Russ Tyler, among Brown’s great basketball players, has sat beside Cordischi during the hoops season forever, it seems.
These broadcast teams benefit from fabulous chemistry. Cordischi described his working relationship with Tyler.
“It’s very important. He knows when to step in. He knows my tendencies. Russ adds great color to the broadcast. He has a fabulous sense of humor,” he said. “Don and Joe do the same thing. They played for their schools. They know the game. And they are great human beings.”
Also, Lynch, Hassett, and Tyler can offer historical perspective as well as expertise to their comments, as Kaull did. They are committed to their schools and their state. For them, Rhode Island is home, not just a stepping stone to a bigger job in a bigger market.
On the television side, the same is true for Frank Carpano. He has been with NBC10 – or WJAR, if you are old enough to remember call letters – since 1980, and sports director there since 1984.
That sportscape is changing. Radio voices have died. Longtime newspaper writers have passed on, been bought out, or retired. The end of a golden era approaches. Cordischi suggested that radio broadcasts as we have known them will disappear.
“Now everything is moving online, streaming. That’s where we’re heading,” he told me.
So, when an esteemed colleague like Kaull dies, it’s time to step back and appreciate the voice he lent to URI basketball, and the waves he gave to neighborhood kids as Santa Claus.
This article was originally posted on December 8, 2022. Michael Szostak can be reached at News@ThePubicsRadio.org
The Buzz ON THE
BAY
Art for All
By Ken AbramsFor a Rhode Island town of around 6,000 residents, Jamestown has a considerable arts scene, including the newly renovated Out of the Box Studio and Gallery. Home to a vibrant community of over 30 professional and aspiring artist members, the now state-of-the-art facility launched in 2011 and was upgraded in 2018. Along with being a liated with Looking Upwards – an agency that supports individuals with disabilities –the unique gallery provides exhibition and studio space, technical support, networking,
and inspiration. Their goal is to assist clients in living full lives, which includes having a sense of self-expression through the arts.
“Out of the Box serves the whole community,” explains creative art director Casey Weibust. “We are an inclusive space for art enthusiasts, artists who want to create and/or exhibit, and artists who want to share their knowledge through talks and workshops. Our membership is diverse, including artists with various interests and many artists with disabilities.”
Regular programming – like Crafty Sunday open studios for all ages and experience levels – invites the whole community to get involved. They also host live poetry readings organized by the Rhodeo Poets every second Thursday of the month.
New exhibits open every couple of months. Irish Eyes , featuring artists Ann Biddle and Izzy Goff, ran through December 31. “Several Out of the Box studio members who created work during a workshop with Ann and Izzy also had their work on
display,” says Weibust. Next up is Mirror Mirror opening January 12, featuring a theme of self reflection.
Another exhibit, Outsider Art: Harnessing Color , opens January 27 and will be housed at the Jamestown Arts Center. “We will be exhibiting alongside six other art spaces that provide services to artists with disabilities,” says Weibust. “This will be the third exhibit at the Jamestown Arts Center that Out of the Box has helped organize and curate, and the first time that we are
exhibiting alongside other studio spaces that are outside of Rhode Island.” The studio is partnering with the Center for Creative Works in Philadelphia, Spindleworks in Maine, The Studio in Maine, Artists Exchange in Cranston, Downtown Design in Newport, and Studio 57 in Middletown.
No doubt, the studio’s reach is widespread, including their inclusive Looms and Libraries project popping up around the state. “Six libraries will house a 36x48inch loom through February 2023, and all
community members are invited to contribute,” explains Weibust. “The finished tapestries will be displayed at Out of the Box Gallery in March 2023. After the exhibit, each tapestry will be donated back to the library where it was created for patrons to admire for years to come.”
Out of the Box Gallery
11 Clinton Avenue, Jamestown Monday – Saturday, 10am-2pm; Sunday 9am-12pm OutOfTheBoxArt.net
The Buzz CALENDAR
Explore the woods in the winter at Norman Bird Sanctuary’s wellness workshop
January 1:
Take a dip into the frigid Atlantic for the annual New Year’s Day Polar Plunge at Easton’s Beach to benefit A Wish Come True. Rejects Beer Co. hosts a pre-event bu et and postplunge reception. Newport, AWish.org
January 7:
Say Hello II Heaven, a Chris Cornell tribute band covering favorite tracks from Temple of the Dog, Soundgarden, and Audioslave, will be ringing in the first weekend of 2023 at the Hometown Tavern. Warren, HometownTavernRI.com
January 8:
statewide listing
January 19-21:
Settle in for a night of laughs at the Comedy Connection when Chris Redd comes to town. Known for SNL appearances and Peacock series Bust Down, Redd’s new comedy series Why Am I Like This? premieres this year. East Providence, RIComedyConnection.com
January 20:
Renew your spirit for the new year with a day of personal growth, self-discovery, and relaxation learning the creative mindfulness process known as SoulCollage, facilitated by Jennifer Watson, owner of Soul Unfolding. Warren, SoulUnfoldingRI.com
January 13:
Spend a Friday evening in nature for the New Year’s Winter Wellness Workshop at Norman Bird Sanctuary, where you’ll learn about herbs, set intentions through guided meditation, and hike under the night sky. Middletown, NormanBirdSanctuary.org
January 21
Get crafty at the Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium for Stamp and Sip, a card-making workshop using a variety of techniques. Enjoy a glass of wine while picking up a new hobby, with all materials provided. Bristol, ASRI.org
January 21 & 28:
Newport Art Museum’s Winter Speaker Series kicks o this month with Darrell West on “Deciphering the Political Environment” and Monica Young on “The Art & Science of James Webb Space Telescope.” NewportArtMuseum.org
January 28:
Want to honor your dog or cat in acrylics? Pet Portraits with Allie Elia at the Bristol Art Museum lets you do just that – bring a few photos of your furry, feathered, or finned friend and paint their portrait. BristolArtMuseum.org
January 29:
Pat Halpin and the 351’s bring authentic blues, swing, rockabilly, and American roots music certain to chase away the mid-winter blues at a Sunday afternoon show at the ‘Ganny. Jamestown, NarragansettCafeRI.com
Photo courtesy of Norman Bird Sanctuary
The Buzz VOICES OF THE BAY
By Nina MurphyPaving a Path to Fitness
How a Warren trainer turned a high school incident into a career helping others crush their
strength goals
This January, before you lace up the sneakers and hit the gym, take note of personal fitness instructor Thiago Santos’ sage advice: 1) have the right expectations; 2) don’t bite off too much at once; and 3) be consistent. Owner of Tsantosfit located in Warren’s Handkerchief Factory building, Thiago has become known in the East Bay for creating a welcoming community using ice breakers, name games, and challenges in a bright space where everyone from senior citizens to high school students are vested in each other’s success, whether that’s making the soccer team to carrying a 20-pound frozen turkey. Seeds of the Warren resident’s career began unexpectedly in high school when he was on the receiving end of a punch delivered by an upperclassman that landed Thiago unconscious on the gym floor. The incident ignited a mindset for the ninth grader: he would never feel physically vulnerable again. This evolved into an interest in anatomy and physiology, leading Thiago to attend CCRI, and graduate from URI with his bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology, Health, and Fitness.
SUCKER PUNCH: After that punch, I said “that’s never gonna happen again.” I got in the weight room almost seven days a week. I read magazines and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding . I worked out pretty much every day for three years straight until I graduated from high school. It set me on a path.
JOB SATISFACTION: I find it really rewarding to work with middle-aged women. Many of them don’t have any experience in the gym. They are intimidated and don’t think they are able to lift more than a five-pound dumbbell. Then they realize they can do a lot
and start picking up 20 pounds or more. Seeing them not be intimidated by lifting weights and pushing themselves – overcoming those mental barriers, blossoming and growing in confidence – is what I find really rewarding.
BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION: People think they have to be in shape in order to work out, or they underestimate their ability. Anyone, no matter what limitations they have, can show up and they’re going to work at their own pace. It’s not like there’s one exercise that works for everyone. You have to have bite-sized goals, and doing a little something every day is better than doing nothing.
EVERYDAY AGILITY: Functional fitness is using your body to learn how to move – getting up from the ground efficiently, learning how to pick up a heavy weight from the floor without hurting your back, or walking with a weight and not compensating by leaning to one side. Functional fitness is really helpful for middle-aged people because they may want to be able to pick up their grandkids down the road, or they want to garden and have to carry a heavy bag of mulch. I heard one client say, “I had to carry two turkeys –one 20 pounds and one 15 – all the way to my basement.” She had confidence in herself because she’s stronger now and she correlated some of the movements that she’s done here. I love stuff like that.
BUSINESS 101: Being a business owner is not for the faint of heart. I’ve learned to become a person who takes action. It’s easy to consume knowledge and feel productive about it. However, knowledge without action is useless. I feel so blessed to do something I‘m so passionate about.
Know someone who might be a good fit for Voices of the Bay? Email Nina at YourHomeWithNina@gmail.com
The Buzz
RHODY GEM
By Elyse MajorThe Lady Next Door
Vintage, Antiques & Collectibles
We’re on the hunt for Rhody Gems! Every neighborhood has that secret, hidden, cool and unusual, or hole-in-the-wall spot that locals love. Email or tag us on social media using #RhodyGem to suggest yours, and we might just feature it!
What it is:
A boutique filled with all things vintage and antique – from fashion and jewelry to housewares, decor, and textiles – even the occasional light fixture or three.
Where to find it:
Look for the teal building on Water Street in Warren, a short walk from The Square Peg. If you see two large windows and, weather-permitting, wares and chairs out front, you’re in the right place.
What makes it a Rhody Gem?
Owner Christine Stulik isn’t just selling cool old stu ; she’s curating a retro lifestyle. “I always say it’s like exploring your cool grandma’s attic,” says Stulik. The Lady Next Door isn’t new – it’s been in business for over 40 years; Stulik bought it from original owner Sandra Nathanson in June of 2020, after moving back home to the East Bay from NYC during the pandemic. “I was an old friend of the shop and had been frequenting since high school,” says Stulik, who credits Nathanson for sparking her love of vintage. “It’s been a wonderful journey taking over the store, breathing new life into it, getting to know the incredible community of Warren and the larger East Bay, and honoring Sandy’s memory through it all (who passed December 2020).” Be on the lookout for shop dog Poppy, and visit the shop’s Instagram account for updates and peeks of what’s “new” as modeled by Stulik herself.
The Lady Next Door
196 Water Street, Warren • 245-2245
LadyNextDoorVintage.com
Instagram: @ladynextdoorvintage
Life & Style
A custom laundry room keeps a family living in a Historic Hill home in ship-shape
Centuries-old homes in Colonial-era seaport towns have their undeniable charms, but they also have their quirks: wide-plank wood flooring that’s become gently uneven over hundreds of years, narrow doorways that virtually promise any large furniture is coming in through a window or in pieces (or both), and slightly uneven spaces begging to be repurposed.
Candice and Victor Sandman knew this when they moved into their circa 1790 Historic Hill home in Newport seven years ago, and thought they successfully turned what the previous owners used as an office into a second-floor laundry room.
HOME
By Andrea E. McHughSimply styled with a rug from Target and a nine-cube IKEA shelf system that functioned as spaces for washed and folded clothing for the couple and their two young children, the small room worked fine – until it didn’t. Unassigned cubes silently acquired beach towels, cleaning supplies, and other miscellaneous items without a place, mounds of dirty clothing would pile up quickly, and the lack of storage space waned on the homeowners. “The room where everything goes to die,” laughs Candice. “I had this dream: what if everything went away, and I had this peaceful space?”
What do you do when you live in an 18th century captain’s home and are committed to retaining its architectural integrity… but you need a laundry room to meet modern-day needs?
Candice reached out to Althea Tower, founder of Riveted Woodworking & Design based in Bristol, to rethink the space. “I was drawn to the fact that it was a female carpenter who was kind of kicking butt,” says Candice. “She had named her company Riveted, after Rosie the Riveter, and I thought, ‘I love everything about this woman and I’ve never met her.’”
RING IN THE NEW YEAR!
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EWELERS
YOUR TRUSTED FAMILY JEWELER SINCE 1956 G E R M A N M O T O R S I N C Sales & Service
BEFORE
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Ideas and resources for making the most of living in the Ocean State.
COLOR WHEEL
Tower says that a good portion of the custom cabinetry and other woodwork she does is painted white per her client’s request, but she appreciated the Sandman’s creative eye and decision to make the woodwork pop in a soothing shade of blue. “My husband always jokes everytime we start a project, ‘is this going to be white again?’” Tower laughs. “So it’s always fun when we get to do a color. It’s such a statement and a fun thing to see at the end.”
AROUND TOWN
Tower came back with two designs for a highly functioning laundry room with ample storage space. “She hit it out of the park from the beginning,” says Candice.
Tower, who custom builds every project, says the Sandman laundry room forced her to get creative. “Older homes like to throw us fun curveballs all the time, and Candice’s for sure was a whole new set of challenges,” she explains. While all homes settle and slope over time, this one has had more than 230 years to do so. Tower typically builds a lot of the components for a project in her Bristol workshop, but she spent more time on site for the laundry room. “This was on the second floor of an older home with a narrow staircase, so some things we had to build in pieces and assemble like a puzzle once we got there.”
“During install, we knew it would be complicated,” says Victor. “They had to account
for the crazy floors and windows in this really old house.”
Tower laughs at some of the home improvement time-lapse videos online. “With a lot of the Instagram DIY stuff out there, it seems to be this, ‘Boom! It’s done,’ and that’s not the case, especially if you have an older historic home,” she says.
Using a laser in Tower’s workshop for cutting custom designs, Candice, a RISD grad, was able to tap into her creative side. “Together, we designed a pattern for her to laser cut into the radiator cover, which completely blends with the style of the rest of the house,” says Candice.
The result? A beautiful space with storage “beyond my wildest dreams,” says Candice, that provides “a calmness and appreciation for organization” in an otherwise utilitarian space. “I’m super proud of how it came together,” adds Tower.
With an eye for design, the Sandmans shop locally for unique home accessories and decor. A favorite is Little Chateau in Newport’s Washington Square, which has a carefully curated collection of candles, textiles, coffee table books, and beautiful finds.
CUSTOM CREATIONS
“A lot of time people think they can’t do built-ins because they have baseboard heating or radiators, so we get creative,” says Tower. She recently completed a bench that was built over a heater that allows heat to easily escape without compromising the beauty of the project. “It just adds another element of custom, which to me is why you’re working with someone like me.” Learn more at RivetedWoodworking.com
Want your home featured in The Bay?
to learn morePhotos courtesy of Riveted Woodworking By Elyse Major
Bright Ideas
You don’t need expert advice to know how important lighting is to a room. Beyond the utility of illuminating work areas, a beautiful fixture can set the mood and be a statement piece. Across Rhode Island, makers (many with RISD ties) have studios, small factories, and showrooms where they’re busy hand-making lamps and more sure to infuse spaces with artisan appeal.
1. Plant Lamp by Peter Pots Pottery
Made in West Kingston Oliver and Elizabeth Greene founded their business when they were students at RISD. Seventy-five years later, they still follow a process that begins with a sketch for their hand-crafted line. They blend their own stoneware clay and formulate their own glass resulting in works that are both durable and lustrous. PeterPots.com
2. Glass Pendant Light by Providence Art Glass
Made in Cumberland
The award-winning fine arts duo of Rebecca Zhukov and Terence Dubreuil founded Providence Art Glass in 2006. Luminaries and glassware are made to order, and all types of customizations are always welcome. Staying true to their handmade pledge, every item is custom crafted in their Blackstone Valley factory. ProvidenceArtGlass.com
3. Large Incense Tripod by Hwang Bishop
Made in Warren
Saturated glazes, vibrant hues, and organic shapes have made Hwang Bishop a source for bespoke lighting for over 20 years. Founder Felicia Hwang and her team of ceramic artists handcraft each piece to order in a line that includes lighting and furniture in over 40 standard finishes and customization options. ShopHwangBishop.com
4. Somerset Table Lamp by O&G Studio
Made in Warren
O&G Studio was founded by Sara Ossana and Jonathan Glatt, two friends who met as grad students at RISD. Renowned for their hand-built Windsor chairs, O&G’s growing portfolio includes a range of furniture types in signature finishes, decorative accents, hardware, and lighting, all built in their Warren factory. OAndGStudio.com
Life & Style
RHODY READS
Soup for You
By Hugh MinorSeinfeld: The Official Cookbook is the perfect companion for creating meals enjoyed on the couch while you binge the sitcom. Co-written by our former editor Julie Tremaine and the East Bay’s own Brendan Kirby, one of the hosts of WPRI’s The Rhode Show and a superfan of the comedy, which ran over nine seasons on NBC. The hardcover includes 60 recipes drawing from foods referenced in episodes – from Mrs. Choate’s Marble Rye to Elaine’s Mulligatawny Soup. We chatted with the pair about their collaboration, cooking, and, well, nothing.
The Bay: Seinfeld has been off the air for more than 24 years. What’s the deal with this cookbook?
Julie Tremaine: I had already written three books with my publisher Simon & Schuster, including one based on The Office TV show, when they approached me with the idea for a cookbook based on Seinfeld.
Brendan Kirby: A cookbook for a show about nothing.
TB: Sounds like a great idea. So how did the two of you connect on this project?
JT: We’ve known each other for years from the Providence scene through Brendan’s work on The Rhode Show and my time at Providence Media. And everyone is aware of his encyclopedic knowledge of Seinfeld
BK: She needed help from someone with a pathetic knowledge of a 24-year-old sitcom.
JT: That, and I wanted his help incorporating comedy, and it’s a very specific kind of comedy.
BK: Seinfeld is still one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. It still remains a part of the culture.
TB: But you don’t necessarily think of food when you think of Seinfeld
JT: Not at first. But there are so many food references in the show. So many food scenarios. My challenge was to figure out how to turn them into recipes.
BK: And my job was to make it funny. Seriously, though, if you look back, there are so many conversations happening around food, whether it was in the diner or Jerry’s kitchen, from soup to nuts.
TB: Who is the book for? Who is your audience?
BK: The book is fun for hardcore fans and people who may not be as familiar with the show. The series has a real-world presence. It’s culturally significant and relatable. I watch
it now – as an adult, I guess – and I understand it di erently from when it first aired.
TB: I remember watching it on Thursday night and talking about it at work the next day. You assumed everyone in the office had seen it. Now, people are binge watching it, especially since COVID.
JT: Right. I think people watched all of Friends , then maybe all of The Office and were looking for something else to binge. They found Seinfeld either for the first time or all over again.
BK: The book is kind of like that for me, too. It seems like we wrote it so long ago and now it’s published and I’m seeing things I forgot about and I still think they’re really funny.
TB: Now that the book is out there, how do you
feel about it? What has the response been like?
BK: Nervous. I love the show. I want passionate fans to love it.
JT: He was afraid that he would have to cook, really.
BK: I have an abject fear of cooking.
TB: Cooking is scary. I get that.
JT: The response has been great. We’ve been interviewed all over the country. People get the mass appeal of it.
BK: People really like it. What’s not to like? It’s a ride for your tastebuds.
Ask for Seinfeld: The Official Cookbook at your favorite local bookseller.
AboutFace
By Andrea E. McHughOnce upon a time, we lived in an analog world, when the name “Kardashian” was solely associated with a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney, influencers weren’t a thing, and filters were just used to make your morning pot of co ee or oxygenate a fish tank. It was a time when cosmetic procedures were treated like shameful secrets, a taboo tinkering of the face and body seemingly reserved for the rich and famous. Unless you were Joan Rivers, procedures were rarely spoken about openly. One day you woke up, and Frances “Baby” Houseman from Dirty Dancing had a new nose.
Today, TikTokers share everything from live Botox injections to butt-plumping procedures,
medical professionals take to Instagram to advise on how many units of filler you may need, and HydraFacialists proudly show the floating funk collected from spending a half hour of vacuuming their client’s now-radiant pores.
Mimicking much of the country, the cosmetic procedure industry in Rhode Island is thriving. One quick Google search and you’ll find pages upon pages of beauty outposts ready to prick, plump, resurface, and rejuvenate your skin – and other body parts – to help you achieve your best self.
Medspas are more popular than ever –East Bay pros share what to know before you go
We ve come a long way, baby.
TOP: In the pink at Radiant Esthetics Medspa
BOTTOM: Coastal vibes at SeaMist MedSpa
What is a Medspa?
Short for “medical spa” (and sometimes called medi-spa), medspas are defined by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons as “a combination of an aesthetic medical center and a day spa that provides nonsurgical aesthetic medical services under the supervision of a licensed physician.”
Treatments at these facilities can range from administering commonly known injectables –including Botox and Dysport, which are types of neurotoxins used to treat wrinkles and other conditions – to dermal fillers, like Juvederm and Restylane, for example, used to replenish areas that experience volume loss with age (think fuller lips and smoothing the wrinkles around them).
Many local medspas also o er laser treatments to address everything from hair removal to minimizing the appearance of age spots, sun spots, acne scars, and even treat skin conditions like rosacea. Chemical peels, microneedling, dermaplaning – a method of exfoliation that gently uses a scalpel to remove the face’s top layer of dead skin cells and fine hairs (“peach fuzz”) for a smoother, brighter and more rejuvenated complexion – body contouring via Coolsculpting (a popular nonsurgical fat reduction treatment) and Emsculpt Neo (an FDA-approved high-intensity electromagnetic therapy that uses radio frequency to eliminate fat and build muscle) are just some of the common procedures unfolding at local medspace here in the East Bay and Newport County. But who is performing these procedures, and is it safe?
A New Day, a New Dawn
“When people come in for a consultation about their skin, we can give them a lot of options,” says Jana Magarian, who founded Radiant Esthetics MedSpa in Newport in 2017. “We have other tools now – lasers, microneedling with radio frequency energy, facials, peels, and all sorts of things.” Magarian, an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), started her practice as a one-woman show. Today, she oversees a sta of six at her o ce on Bellevue Avenue. Market demand, she says, has risen meteorically since she first opened, with no end in sight. “I don’t think it’s quite so taboo anymore. People talk about it openly with their friends,” she explains. Magarian also credits national advertising campaigns promoting products that she uses in her own practice, including Botox and Juvederm, for bringing the conversation about aesthetic medicine, the term used to describe non-invasive to minimally invasive cosmetic procedures, to the forefront. “The other thing that I think drove patients to seek out medspas is the aversion to surgery,” adds Magarian. Recovery time, expense, and higher risk associated with going under the knife are all factors that have motivated people to seek out alternatives.
“Surgery has been the gold standard for years, but not everyone is a surgical candidate, but also, not everyone needs to have surgery,” explains Dr. Mary Christina Simpson. A boardcertified OB/GYN for more than two decades, Simpson opened SeaMist MedSpa in Newport in 2020, an expansion of her flagship medspa by the same name in South Kingstown.
LEFT PAGE: Jana Magarian, APRN, owner of Radiant Ethetics, and below, surrounded by her team RIGHT PAGE: Laser hair removal (top) and a hydrofacial (bottom) at Radiant EstheticsWho is Doing What?
Not all practitioners are created equal – and that’s okay, but it’s important for clients and patients to do their homework.
While their paths to medical aesthetics may vary, there’s a general consensus among practitioners that the rules and regulations of the industry in the State of Rhode Island are murky at best. Many are in favor of better oversight, and not necessarily because there are bad actors, but simply too much ambiguity.
Dr. Mary Christina Simpson of SeaMist MedSpa says it’s imperative to have either a physician or an advanced practice nurse practitioner on staff to monitor procedures. “Although we never think of procedures with complications, we do like to always plan ahead and really have that training under our belt. The surgical training that I’ve had, and being in an operating room the majority of my career, as well as seeing patients in emergency situations, has really prepared me to handle complications if they were to arise.”
Meaghan Macrae of Macrae Medical in Middletown says she thinks Rhode Island should implement better defined regulations, suggesting perhaps a required amount of training hours annually. “I think that’s totally fair to ask to have it as a requirement, and I do think some states are pushing for that.”
Jana Magarian of Radiant Esthetics MedSpa says along with her staff, she regularly attends trainings to stay on top of newer, better, safer ways to practice. “To take a basic Botox or filler course and think that you can come out of the gate and practice is not nearly enough. You really have to keep taking courses… It’s not atypical for someone at my level, with upwards of 50 patients a week, to be doing some sort of training a few times a month.”
Photos courtesy of Radiant Esthetics“These services have really blossomed and the demand for them has increased, as well as what’s available. I think the trend to transition to non-surgical cosmetic procedures has increased so much over the past five years because people really want a no-downtime procedure with the e ects of being able to see a di erence,” explains Simpson. “I think doing smaller procedures in a well thought-out plan is more of the trend people are moving toward as opposed to the one-and-done face lift.”
Every practitioner we spoke with says they start with a consultation with prospective clients so they can find out their long-term goals, review their medical history, and explain that not all services are a fit for all people. Budget is also a critical piece of the conversation as few procedures are “one and done” and most start at a few hundred dollars.
“A lot of people see things online and think that’s what they need or want, but having a consultation with a trained professional is key to making sure that the anatomy is really analyzed,” says Simpson.
“People will come in and pull the skin down by their jaw back to their ears and they will say, ‘I want this done,’ and I say, ‘Well, that’s a lower facelift,’” says Meaghan Macrae, a board-certified primary care nurse practitioner who owns Macrae Medical in Middletown. “We turn people away a lot if we think that they are not a candidate for filler, or if it won’t look natural.” Other factors, including a client’s lifestyle, can play a role in decisions about procedure. Diet, sun exposure, alcohol consumption, and smoking can all impact results.
LEFT PAGE: Dr. Mary Christina Simpson, CEO, physician and founder of SeaMist MedSpaRULES & REGS
In 2021, Rep. Jacquelyn Baginski (D-Dist. 17, Cranston) along with Rep. Julie Casimiro (D-Dist. 31, North Kingstown, Exeter) and Rep. David Bennett (D - District 20, Cranston, Warwick) introduced House Bill 5844. “A number of practitioners reached out to me and said there are some regulations, but it’s not entirely clear who can do what, so the goal of the bill is really to put to paper some best practices and guidelines for establishing a medspa,” says Rep. Baginski. “It’s not to include or exclude any provider type from the practice, [it’s] just to make sure whoever is working at these places is doing so with the proper license. If they are not licensed to practice independently at a physician or APRN, we want to make sure there is medical oversight if it’s required and to make sure anyone performing these procedures has the proper training to secure patient safety.”
Photos courtesy of Seamist MedspaBudgeting for Beauty
In most cases, aesthetic services are ongoing treatments. “This is a financial commitment. It is not a one and done, or you are throwing your money away,” explains Macrae, who discusses costs with potential clients at their consultation. “And I say [neurotoxins] are probably going to be every three or four months… Filler can last longer, but you will need touch ups every nine to 15 months or so.”
Injectables including Botox and Juvederm are typically priced by the amount of product being used per unit, so the cost will depend on your specific treatment. Injectables can run anywhere from $200 to $600 every three to four months. Specialized facials can easily cost hundreds, and body contouring can range from $700 to $1,000 – and that’s just the tip of the beauty iceberg.
But there are some budget-friendly tactics to ensure you’re getting the most bang for your buck. Start with a consultation so you can express what you’re looking to accomplish, and your practitioner can advise on the course of treatment to help you reach your goals – and what the financial commitment will be. Second, ask your provider if there are any loyalty programs they participate in. Galderma, the pharmaceutical company that makes Dysport, Restylane, and Sculptra Aesthetic, o ers a point-system rewards program that allows clients to redeem points for future use, similar to frequent flier miles. Third, many providers, like SeaMist Medspa, send monthly email newsletters that include specials and promotions. Sign up for savings. Fourth, ask if providers have a membership program, costsaving packages or value-based incentives. Lastly, some practitioners accept financing from companies like Cherry (similar to CareCredit healthcare financing) which allows clients to pay for services via monthly payment plans with some qualifying 0 percent APR options.
Photos courtesy of Macrae MedicalLEFT PAGE: Meaghan Macrae at work
TOP:
Medical Associates
BOTTOM: Before and after a Restylane treatment
Not-So-Natural Au Naturel
For the unindoctrinated but interested, concerns about cosmetic procedures typically center around looking “fake” or “frozen,” but practitioners steer clients to procedures that will enhance what they already have.
Macrae calls making people look natural is her “bread and butter.” Living and working in the small community of Aquidneck Island, she says her clients are “walking billboards,” and she wants them to only look like their best selves. “It’s a small town. I don’t want people to be like, ‘What did you have done?’ I don’t want people looking like they had anything done, just looking refreshed,” she explains.
When Macrae opened the business in 2019, it was most focused on primary and preventative medical care, including annual physical exams, wellness exams for Medicare patients, treatment of acute and chronic diseases, and same-day sick visits. While these services are still a substantial part of the practice, it expanded to include aesthetics and has grown to a sta of five. “The demand is here for sure. From a business sense, it’s profitable, and I personally love doing it,” says Macrae. “I could do it all day long. It gives a lot of people confidence.”
“I never tell people ‘You’re going to look younger.’ I tell them they are going to look rested and feel better about themselves when they look in the mirror,” says Simpson, adding that practitioners can’t reverse aging, but help people age a little more gracefully.
Before and two weeks after a first-time Dysport treatment at MacraeSupporting Families. Funding Research
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Food & Drink
Experience In The Kitchen Food News
Home Cooking 101
Channel your inner chef with the help of a cooking teacher who brings the workshop to you “I’m here to help!” is chef and food educator Marissa Joinson’s upbeat motto – and she means it. No matter your age, ability, or dietary needs, The Intuitive Kitchen is Joinson’s way of making home cooking less daunting.
“Whether public classes or private events, I love to bring play, laughter, and a light approach to a fundamental human need,” says Joinson, who uses her expertise to build folks’ confidence and comfort in the kitchen, acting as both instructor and cheerleader every step of the way, from roux to scrumptious sauce.
With an emphasis on seasonal produce (think winter squash for January) and a healthy slant, Joinson’s classes are tailored to what her students are looking for, whether that’s kid-friendly snacks and smoothies or the basics of seafood cooking. The traveling chef brings the ingredients to your home for programming like Cooking Parties – her most popular offering – encouraging groups of friends to get crafty in the kitchen. Joinson also accommodates virtual classes and hosts T.I.Kids Parties for young chefs. Through a partnership with the Gloria Gemma Foundation, The Intuitive Kitchen contributed to a wellness program emphasizing clients’ various health concerns.
If your New Year’s resolution involves cooking more – and you’re in a roughly 50-mile radius of Joinson’s Warren base at Hope & Main – it may be time to enlist a pro. “I’m happy to work and play in any kitchen, whether indoor or outdoor, with anyone, novice or experienced!” TheIntuitiveKitchen.com | By
Abbie LahmersEXPERIENCE
By Gina MastrostefanoChicken with a Side of History
“The bird has landed!” was the gripping Instagram caption that led me to Honeybird on the night of their debut last summer. A photo on their feed showed a generous platter of fried chicken adorned with decadent sides and eye-popping cocktails. I immediately called and secured a reservation. Long-awaited Honeybird Kitchen + Cocktails is the latest hatchling from Nick and Tracy Rabar, owners of Avenue N American Kitchen and its o shoot, The Pantry, both housed in the micro-mecca of restaurants that make up the commercial level of the Rumford Lofts just a short drive away from the new kitchen on Massasoit Avenue.
Honeybird certainly has added some spice to the small industrial section of East Providence. The restaurant inhabits a brick building with double garage doors, which just so happens to be the former site of a gas station owned by my great-grandfather. I felt a strong sense of nostalgia walking through the doors, which was only enhanced when I spotted the vintage gas pump the Rabars included to pay homage to the building’s roots. The garage doors allow plenty of natural light to spill across the dining room and reflect off the honeycomb tile backsplash of the bar.
Our waiter was quick to greet us and offer us water while we decided on drinks. Initially in the mood for a PBR, we pivoted in the moment and ordered cocktails instead: a Side Chick for me and a Bee Sting for my honey. The Side Chick’s ingredients sounded so luxurious I would have believed it were a perfume – orange honey blossom, coconut milk, and mint with a base of gin. Yum.
CUISINE: Contemporary BBQ
PRICES: $5 (for sides) to $45 ATMOSPHERE: Casual, Lively
Must-Try Items
Side Chick Cocktail ($13):
Rhodium gin, fresh lime, egg white, orange blossom honey, coconut milk, Topo Chico, mint
Bucket of Chicken ($45):
10-piece bucket of chicken with choice of marinade, side sauce, four BBQ sides, Texas toast, and pickles
For appetizers, we ordered Hushpuppies and Pimento Cheese. The deep-fried cornmeal balls elicited a mouthful-of-food “oh my God” from the two of us, mostly due to the accompanying green onion butter. The Pimento Cheese was served with a spread of celery, red onion, and Saltine crackers; we asked for more to get every last tangy bite.
We kept it traditional with the main course –a 10-piece Bucket of Chicken came with Texas toast, pickles, and a choice of sides. For sauces, we went with the Honey Cholula marinade and Black Tru e Mayo (which I may or may not have finished o with a fork). The chicken
was fried to perfection and falling o the bone. I was so satisfied at this point that I could hardly consider eating another bite but managed to dip into our sides of mashed potatoes with gravy and honey butter-covered cornbread.
The plethora of southern staples was the epitome of comfort food – we left with full hearts and full stomachs. I’d return often to Honeybird even if it weren’t right in the neighborhood, but the fact that it is makes it all the sweeter.
Honeybird
230 Massasoit Avenue, East Providence 919-5885 • HoneyBirdRI.com
IN THE KITCHEN
By Maggie PearsonPizza Perfection
Learn to make authentic Neapolitan-style pies with an expert chef in Newport
How do four simple ingredients – flour, water, salt, and yeast – come together to create the perfect Neapolitan pizza crust? How does one achieve the signature thin layer of crispness while also producing a pie that’s light and airy? What about the difference between fresh and fermented dough? With over 20 years of cooking experience, chef Brian Ashness of Surf Club Newport has all the answers.
In 2016, while Surf Club was under construction, Ashness – who knew little about the craft at the time – flew to San Francisco to attend 13-times World Pizza Making Champion Tony Gemignani’s intensive International School of Pizza. It was there that he learned the secrets to making authentic Neapolitan-style pizza from a true master instructor. During his training, he briefly worked at one of Gemignani’s San Francisco Pizza restaurants to further
hone his skills. With his newfound knowledge, he continued his pizza pilgrimage traveling to the USA headquarters of Marra Forni in Beltsville, Maryland to gain experience using the style of commercial brick oven that, Ashness shares, “the Surf Club would essentially be built around.”
In October 2017, the restaurant opened its doors with a prominently located Marra Forni pizza oven drawing the eyes of curious
onlookers and Ashness at the helm. Today, he focuses on new concepts and consulting for the parent company of the restaurant but returns to the Surf Club kitchen once a month to teach his popular hands-on pizza-making classes.
The classes, held on the third Wednesday of every month, start at 6pm and include appetizers from the restaurant’s menu as well as beer and wine. Guests learn every step of the process, from mixing, balling, shaping, and stretching their 72-hour fermented dough to topping and baking their own Neapolitan pie.
To make the classes even more exciting, Ashness says, “I like to make each class a bit of a competition by having the kitchen crew come out to taste each of the pizzas and collectively decide on a winner.” The best pizza of the night earns a $25 gift certificate to Surf Club – and, of course, bragging rights. Ashness shares that the classes have been a huge hit for groups of friends and families, but if you can’t make the mid-week visit, the restaurant also o ers private classes that can accommodate up to 24 people.
Seeing the popularity of the pizza classes, Ashness is currently working on adding di erent
kinds of workshops, too. Watch for charcuterie and cocktail courses on the horizon.
After all these years of eating and making delicious pies, Ashness has trouble selecting his personal favorite. “It definitely varies,” he says, “but at the moment, it’s Neapolitan-style with spicy crushed tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, arugula, olive oil, and pecorino Romano.”
Visit online or call the restaurant at 401-6195701 to sign up for a future class. While the January 18 o ering is already sold out, the February 15 and March 15 classes still have availability at time of press. SurfClubNewport.com
Fun and Healthy Eats
Who says eating healthy has to be boring? The East Bay is full of nutritious and fun snacks if you know where to look. From smoothies to pickled veggies, here are some easy ways to add wholesome and delicious pick-me-ups to your routine this season.
Meal prep made easy in EP and Warren Jumpstart the year juicing in Middletown
Whether you’re a committed New Year’s resolution-maker with sights on a healthy refresh or just looking for an alternative to the occasional fast-food stop, Naked Foods RI may become your new favorite cafe this winter. The conscious eating-focused spot o ers chef-prepared meal plan services and nutrition programs, as well as grab-n-go wraps, sandwiches, soups, salads, and more from their East Providence and Warren locations. “We make everyone’s favorite dishes but cook them in a way that’s healthy,” says founder Mary Santana. So you can still enjoy baked chicken parmesan, but with whole-grain penne, or pasta primavera but with zucchini noodles.
For folks looking to forge a leaner lifestyle, Santana recommends a few tried-and-true tips: “Try to eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and some low-fat dairy products, and keep portion sizes reasonable.” With meal prep options tailored to individual tastes and diets, Naked Foods RI takes the work out of portioning and grocery shopping – just choose your protein, carb, and veggies. Stop in and try their daily lunch special this month.
NakedFoodsRI.com –Abbie Lahmers
If you’ve heard of juicing but never understood the hype, step inside The Power of Juice and you’ll become a believer. The Middletown cafe, juicery, and market boasts only 100 percent organic and sustainable snacks and bevvies, with Cordon Bleu-trained chef Brigid Ra erty at the helm. Juice Reboots – subscription services of perfectly portioned bottles – are a great introduction to the cleanse craze, with options like the Inflammation Buster and Green Antioxidant reboots targeting di erent health goals.
Prepared fresh and cold-pressed, each bottle is packed with vitamins and nutrients, perfect for combatting flu season. A line of autoimmune system-focused products include electrolyte replenishing coconut-water, metabolism-boosting kale, protein-filled nut milks, and more. No matter your nutrition goal, The Power of Juice probably has a blend for it – and winter means the return of Neuro Nut Milk (with a dash of nutmeg) and cranberry-forward Crantastic, best served with one of their vegan mu ns. ThePowerOfJuice.com –Abbie Lahmers
Pickle lovers rejoice: Rhode Island’s specialty pickle maker is expanding with a new production facility in Coventry, and there’s a lot to relish. Pickily products can be found in over 50 stores in southern New England, including Tom’s Market in Warren and Sweet Berry Farm in Middletown.
“I’ve been making pickles since I was a little kid with my grandmother, and over the years, I started making all sorts of di erent pickled vegetables,” shares owner Sam Chesebrough. “At some point I realized that I wasn’t seeing anything similar in grocery stores and felt like there was an opening in the market for a product like Pickily.”
The company started up in 2019 at Hope & Main and has grown into a four-person operation which produces a line of veggies ranging from cucumbers to beets. “Our brine is more sour than sweet and is made using only simple, clean ingredients,” says Chesebrough. “We’ve come a long way already but think that we are ultimately at the early stages of what Pickily can become.” Pickily.com – Ken Abrams
Pic of the Bay
ABOUT
KAYLA
@k___elizabeth Awkward millennial sarcastically MacGyvering my way through marriage, motherhood & life with my camera in hand.
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