The Pulse Magazine by Pulse Magazine

HERB CHAMBERS

OCTOBER 2018 IN THIS ISSUE: COVER STORY

32 The Luxe List: Make your fall season better

8 Central Mass Creeps Out

FOOD + DRINK

ENTERTAINMENT 14 Music Worcester celebrates 160 years 15 GameOn: Fox n Forests hits all the right buttons 16 NowStreaming: Animal Collective / Clutch / Jake Shears 17 PulseBooks: ‘Witch’ book will you read this Halloween? 18 The Central Scene

34 Dining Review: Black & White sets a new standard 35 Hot&Now 36 New Around the Woo: Kai Mook 37 PulseBrew: Stone Cow Brewery

SPORTS + FITNESS 38 Worcester scores women’s hockey team 39 FindingBalance: What’s your signature?

22 Club Listings 26 Pulse Shots

STYLE + BEAUTY

LIFESTYLE

40 Going pink for October

30 Making Strides in the fight against cancer

41 StyleSavvy: Fall’s biggest trends

31 Out+About: qFlix returns for second year

42 Steal the Style: Keep it simple

WORCESTER MOURNS JIMMY D’ANGELO Local music legend and guitarist Jimmy D’Angelo died Saturday, Sept. 22. The Worcester native was 65. Jimmy D’Angelo and his brother Joe D’Angelo fronted The Joneses and Mad Angel, playing often with Aerosmith. Later, Jimmy D’Angelo also led August and Pretty Poison. He then formed Code Blue, which was renamed Deep Six. Deep Six was scheduled to play in November at The Cove Music Hall.

READ PULSE ONLINE: THEPULSEMAG.COM • FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: TWITTER @WORCESTERPULSE • INSTAGRAM @PULSEMAG_WORC • FACEBOOK.COM/THEPULSEMAGAZINE PULSE Magazine is produced 12 times a year by Pagio Inc., 88 Winter St., Worcester, MA 01604. (508) 756-5006. Copyright 2015 All rights reserved. Pagio, Inc. does not hold itself responsible for statements made by any contributor. Statements or opinions expressed in Pulse reflect the views of the author(s) and not the official policy of the Pagio, Inc., unless so stated. Although all advertising material is expected to conform to ethical standards, acceptance does not imply endorsement by Pagio, Inc. unless so stated. Material printed in Pulse is covered by copyright. No copyright is claimed to any work of the U.S. government. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission. For information on permissions, reprints and other services, contact Pagio, Inc. Also by Pagio Inc.: Worcester Medicine, Vitality Magazine, Thepulsemag.com, Thevitalitymag.com, & TasteWorcester.com

Paul Giorgio, Publisher pgiorgio@pagioinc.com Donna Roberson, Editor droberson@pagioinc.com Vanessa Herbold, Art Director vherbold@pagioinc.com Berkeley Wlodarczak, Marketing & Event Manager berkeley@pagioinc.com David Simone, Vice President, Sales dsimone@pagioinc.com

Chris Reddy, Account Executive creddy@pagioinc.com Kim Dunbar, Sports Editor Jennifer Russo, Lifestyle Editor Kimberly Dunbar, Jennifer Russo, Jason Savio, Bernie Whitmore, Michael Wood, Paul Giorgio, Audra Brackett, Merilee Kern, John Trobaugh, Sloane Perron, Jamie Burke, Rachel Shuster, Writers

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COVER ST ORY

HALLOWEEN EVENTS

Halloween is approaching, and Central Massachusetts is getting spooky! There are festive events for all age groups happening throughout the month, so get your broomsticks and black cats ready.

Haunted Speakeasy

Sleepy Hollow

Oct. 12, 13, 19, 26, 27 Bull Mansion 55 Pearl St., Worcester $30-$55 eventbrite.com

Wednesdays-Sundays through Nov. 4 Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge $35-$45 osv.org

Step back in time to Prohibition-era Bull Mansion at the Haunted Speakeasy. This event is a little roaring ’20s and a little haunted mansion. Wear your best ’20s and ’30s vintage, opulent, retro, ghastly Gatsby, horrific costumes and dance and drink the night away. There will be a photo booth, music from Niki Luparelli and the Gold Diggers and entertainment from burlesque and variety acts.

Old Sturbridge Village is once again collaborating with producer/ director Brian Clowdus to put on The Sleepy Hollow Experience, which is an immersive, outdoor theatrical experience. Guests will be guided through the village and come into contact with characters from the story, including Ichabod Crane, Katrina Van Tassel, Brom Bones and the Headless Horseman.

October 2018

Great Pumpkin Nights Oct. 12-14, 19-21 and 26-28 The EcoTarium 222 Harrington Way, Worcester $8-$18 ecotarium.org Celebrate Halloween at the EcoTarium’s annual Great Pumpkin Nights! Wander the EcoTarium grounds to see striking displays of dinosaurs, safari animals and more. Then move inside and enjoy the museum’s exhibits while also getting to trick-or-treat. Friendly Halloween costumes are encouraged! Bring a flashlight to light your way at night and be sure to dress for the weather. This event takes place rain or shine.

Sloane M. Perron Candy, costumes, gothic get-togethers and haunted events make Halloween one of the most popular holidays of the year. However, Halloween also impacts local businesses, and whole industries are based on this one day of the year. This year, we looked at some local Halloween events and businesses to see how this haunted holiday influences their marketing strategies and their earnings. Because Halloween is not just a holiday, it is an enterprise. Niki Luparelli is a singer known in Worcester for her vintage style, bombshell appeal and saucy sense of humor. As a performer, she has performed at many venues throughout the city but was inspired by the history of Bull Mansion, located at 55 Pearl St., to create an original event that was full of goth glamour and eerie fun. The Third Haunted Speakeasy combines classy costumes and ’20s-era music with the Halloween hallmarks of death and mystery. Luparelli described her ideas as a “cross between The Shining and American Horror Story Murder House.” Bull Mansion has a rich history and was built by an owner of Weston & Smith company as a wedding gift for his daughter and her husband, Dr. Bull. Inspired by the history, Luparelli has used the real-life people from the mansion to give rise to ghosts who have faced bloody ends walking the corridors and interacting with guests. The goal is to create the feeling that guests are walking into a 1920s ballroom that is ghostly and frozen in time. Instead of being gory, Luparelli wanted the event to be eerie, yet classy. “Think Disney Haunted Mansion, not Factory of Terror. It is not gory. It is spooky but not diabolically depraved,” she said. From a business standpoint, the event is not just a night of Halloween fun, but it is part of a strategy and marketing plan tailored by Luparelli in hopes of expanding her fan base and diversifying her business. She purposely made the event an 18+ event instead of a 21+ event, so that most ages could enjoy the night. “I am trying to appeal to a younger audience,” she said. This event will hopefully be a way to introduce herself and her style of music to a new demographic. “I need to raise a new generation of fans.” To optimize her marketing game, Luparelli has partnered with Halloween New England to make sure her Haunted Speakeasy has the most effective marketing coverage. Facebook and Instagram are her primary marketing tools. She purchases ads that cover a certain radius of her targeted audience, and she also does keyword search optimization to reach out to people whose Internet searches show they might be interested in an event like the Haunted Speakeasy. While Luparelli does other holiday-themed events through her Haunted Speakeasy events company, her most popular event is the Haunted Speakeasy because of Halloween. The first Haunted Speakeasy was just one night, but throughout the three years, the event has gotten bigger and bigger. Eventually, Luparelli would like to do a Haunted Speakeasy every weekend in October. “I want to own Halloween in this town,” she said. Worcester is not the only place that will be having historic and eerie events. Old Sturbridge Village (OSV) has recently developed its own Halloween strategy to increase business with its Sleepy Hollow event. From Sept. 26Nov. 4, Old Sturbridge Village will be turned into a theatrical night of spookiness based on Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Director of Marketing and Public Relations Michael Arnum said, “We are always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to tell the story of 19th-century New England, and theatrical performances was one method we were looking into.” The former staging director went down to Georgia to learn more about shows at the Serenbe Theater. The director of the Serenbe Theater was invited to OSV, since the village already had the ready-made backdrop of historically accurate buildings, bridges and landscapes. “Once the Serenbe Theater director saw Old Sturbridge Village, he was convinced that this was the perfect place to stage the show,” Arnum said. After three years, The Sleepy Hollow Experience has been a huge success for OSV, boosting customer traffic for the entire month of October. Arnum explained that because the event takes place during the evening and outside of normal business hours, the company sees an increase of visitors coming solely for this event. There are nine Sleepy Hollow shows per week, each of which usually sells out at 250 people. As a result, this event gives OSV an estimated 2,250 customers per week, which is a huge success for the company.

H O W T O C A RV E YOUR PUMPKIN Owen Meyer

Halloween is just around the corner and with it comes the holiday’s most important activity: carving pumpkins. I don’t know about you, but whenever I finally get my shot at carving, my pumpkin ends up looking like a lumpy, misshapen mess. So this year, instead of sloppily carving a half-hearted, lopsided face, check out some of our tips for creating pumpkin art that is sure to wow trick-or-treaters! The battle truly begins with picking the perfect pumpkin for this year’s festivities. First, head to the pumpkin patch (do those even exist anywhere outside of Charlie Brown cartoons?) or wherever you get your pumpkins! Make sure to seek out pumpkins with minimal bumps, for ideal carving, as well as a fully intact stem. It is also important to choose a pumpkin that tends to slant upwards so that it is easier for you to actually see what you carve! This next step usually gets pretty messy! Carving a hole in the pumpkin seems to be everyone’s least favorite, yet the most important, step in the carving process. Make sure to cut a big enough hole so that your hand is able to fit in it – so that you can scoop all that disgusting goop out! After the “pumpkin guts” have been removed comes the fun part: carving. All this laborious prep work has finally led up to this moment. Whether you choose an intricate image of a witch and her cauldron or simply a traditional-style face, it is important to trace your design onto the pumpkin. Tracing your design gives you helpful guidelines and proportions while you are actually carving! You can also tape a pre-set design to the face of the pumpkin to give yourself structure. Once you have either traced or taped your design firmly onto the pumpkin’s surface, you can finally begin to carve! While sawing, make sure to fully pierce the pumpkin and use a gentle motion to allow the blade to do most of the work. In case you mess up, don’t freak out! Just have a toothpick handy to pin the fallen piece back into place!

The nature of Sleepy Hollow attracts a younger demographic to OSV, but the event is still popular across all age groups. Discounted student rates on Thursday nights help reach younger visitors. However, social media and magazine ads are generally enough for this event to sell out each show. While OSV has an array of events and programs throughout the year, these events are usually based on historical interpretations. Meanwhile, Sleepy Hollow is the only event at OSV that is based on theatrical performances.

After the carving is complete, properly displaying the pumpkin now becomes the issue at hand. Instead letting the edges of your freshly-cut pumpkin dry out, place some petroleum jelly in between the spaces to protect them from weathering!

“So Sleepy Hollow is a completely different animal, because it takes place at night and is a theatrical/musical performance with an historic context. It is designed to thrill and entertain, but also to simulate interest in this period of early American history,” Arnum said.

Then, try led lights instead of candles in your pumpkin to get a brighter shine and light that is sure to last all night!

Founded on its Haunted Hayrides, Davis Farmland in Sterling has changed its business model as it has grown and

Haunted Hounds Oct. 28 Tower Hill Botanic Garden 11 French Drive, Boylston Free with admission towerhillbg.org This year, Tower Hill is hosting its first doggy costume parade! Explore Tower Hill’s network of dog trails and enjoy the fall weather in the gardens. All costumed dogs are welcome, but botanicallythemed costumes are encouraged! Dogs can enter a contest to win a prize, and spectators can enjoy the festive, furry friends.

Zoo Boo Days

Moo Moo’s Halloween Party

Oct. 13-31 Southwick Zoo 2 Southwick St., Mendon $22-$28 southwickzoo.com

Oct. 20-21, 27, 28 Davis Farmland 145 Redstone Hill Road, Sterling $18.95-$21.95 davismegafarmfestival.com / davisfarmland.com

Join Southwick Zoo for its family-friendly Halloween event! The zoo will be decorated for Halloween, and kids will be able to trick-or-treat! Many animals will also be given pumpkins as fall-themed enrichment. During Zoo Boo Days, children 3-12 in costume receive free general admission.

Come down to the farm in a costume to join Moo Moo’s Halloween Parade. Check out the corn maze and participate in the Davis MegaFarm Festival, with animals, food, live music, beer, a zipline and more. While the Halloween Party is only on two weekends in October, the festival runs Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays throughout October.

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become more successful. Owner Larry Davis said that after opening its first corn maze in 1996, many events were held for test marketing purposes. One of these events was a hayride that partnered Davis Farmland with the Girl Scouts. The hayrides originally featured the Headless Horseman, but over the years, the hayrides and haunted mazes stopped as Davis wanted to focus more on family-based events. This shifted Davis Farmland’s business model to focus on the demographic of children 10 and younger and led to the development of Davis’s mascot, MooMoo the Cow. Davis Farmland now includes MooMoo’s Halloween Party, where kids dress up in costumes, win prizes and get candy that is given on the bridges of the corn maze. “Davis Farmland is completely a children’s facility,” Davis said. According to the longtime owner, the new focus on young kids and families makes it an “incredibly relaxing experience.” While the Children’s Discover Farm focuses on kids’ Halloween fun, the new Davis Mega Farm Festival is fun for people of all ages. Starting last year, the festival is full to the brim with attractions such as a petting zoo, laser tag, obstacle course, zip line, giant volleyball and so much more. There is also live music, food and beer and wine available for the adults. The first year of the festival was a huge success for the farm, with the business seeing a 40 percent to 50 percent increase in customer traffic. The strategy of most Halloween businesses differs from that of Davis Farmland. According to Davis, true Halloween businesses just focus on the one day. However, being a farm in New England, Davis Farmland already has the naturally made attractions of pumpkins, apples, corn stalks and fall foliage. As a result, the marketing strategy tried to take advantage of the entire fall season rather than just Halloween. This made the introduction of a fall festival a nice addition to the offerings at Davis Farmland. “You cannot beat a fall festival on a farm,” Davis said. Parker’s Candy at 9 Maple St., West Boylston, has been part of the community for 100 years. Founded by Susan Paradis’ step-grandparents and passed down through the generations, she started up the candy store again after it had been sold. Today, she rents the original location of Parker’s Candy and manages the store the same way she remembers it when she was a kid working at the store. “We are a true mom-and-pop store,” Paradis said. Originally a penny candy store, Parker’s now offers classic candies along with new sweets tailored for this generation. Running the candy store is a labor of love and a legacy for Paradis, who describes herself as a “one-woman show.” “It is hard; I do it all by myself,” she said. Halloween and candy just go together, and at Parker’s Candy, Paradis does see a slight increase in traffic during the season. However, the season also presents an unforeseen problem that only most people in the candy industry know about. While Halloween is candy-focused, the majority of customers go to big department stores for their Halloween candy fix. The bulk buying that these huge businesses can do means they get the goods for lower prices. This leaves small businesses like Parker’s Candy at a severe disadvantage, since they do not have the money to buy at such bulk. “It is hard to keep up with the Internet, Walmart and other bigger corporations,” Paradis said. This has led to many family owned and operated candy stores having to close, including Eaton Farms candy, a supplier for Parker’s Candy. Every member of Paradis’s family participates in the store. Her husband, Eddie, helps her with deliveries and picking up supplies and proudly brags that he makes the best popcorn in the store, since Parker’s gives one bag free with every purchase. Her sons, Benjamin and Zach, work at the store and help decorate for Halloween. Her 19-year-old son, Zach, is a huge Halloween fan and loves to wear costumes so much he tries them out a few months before the holiday. “He is our store mascot,” Paradis joked. Paradis calls her customers in West Boylston “great” and says that she enjoys that people are in a happy mood when they come into the candy store; some patrons say it is like being on vacation. But even with all this support, Paradis thinks that more focus should be on shopping locally this Halloween. “I love it. That is why I do it,” Paradis said about continuing her family legacy at Parker’s Candy.

Rock and Shock

Night of the Living Dead

Oct. 12-14 DCU Center, 50 Foster St., Worcester The Palladium, 261 Main St., Worcester $20-$85 rockandshock.com

Fridays-Sundays, Oct. 12-28 Alternatives Community Plaza 60 Douglas Road, Whitinsville $10-$20 braidproductions.com

Back again in Worcester, New England’s largest and longest running horror convention will showcase some of horror’s finest celebrities as well as vendors, artists, writers, tattoo artists, Q&A panels and much more at The DCU Center. Then, one block away at the historic Palladium, Rock and Shock will host three days of concerts for those that like to mix a bit of heavy sound with their horror.

When unexpected radiation raises the dead, a group of strangers must band together in an abandoned farmhouse and try to survive the onslaught of flesh-eating zombies. If they endure the night, what will they face at dawn? This stage adaptation of George A. Romero’s 1968 landmark horror film promises to be just as thrilling as the original. Celebrate Halloween with the walking dead.

October 2018

C R E E P Y C O C K TA I L S Jennifer Russo

Halloween is a holiday that spurs good excuses. It’s a good excuse to be weird, to dress up, to play pranks on people and, of course, to try a new cocktail or two! So grab one of these drinks and unwind (unless you happen to be a mummy – ha, get it?) and watch a few scary movies in the dark or host a Halloween party. Either way…these drinks are DEAD sexy. Spider Bite: Not for the faint of heart. Combine strawberry vodka with white rum, cranberry juice, cherry cola and a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper. A gummy spider on the glass finishes it off. Hurts so good! Pumpkin Patch: Combine 6 tablespoons of pumpkin puree, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 2 tablespoons coconut milk (or half and half if you don’t like coconut), 1 tablespoon whiskey, 2 shots of white rum, a pinch of cinnamon and ice. Shake all of this in a shaker and dip the rim of a glass in graham cracker crumbs, and you’ll swear you’re drinking a pumpkin pie. FrankenFizz: Easy, delicious and green. Combine half a gallon of lime sherbet, 2 cups of vodka and a 2 liter bottle of Sprite in a punch bowl. Add a little dry ice powder when serving. It’s alive! Poison Pineapple: Combine pineapple juice and Malibu in a shaker, add a bit of sprite (or champagne) to make it bubbly and a tablespoon of orange sorbet on top. A gummy worm can be fun on the side. These are dangerous. Don’t say we didn’t warn you. Blood Drop: Mix blood orange juice (fresh-squeezed is best, but you can get this at the store, too), grenadine for color and cranberry vodka. Serve these in plastic test tubes. Vamp’s Delight: This drink uses pomegranate juice, lemon juice, whiskey (we like rye) and simple syrup – shaken and poured over crushed ice. Add a few pomegranate seeds before serving and put a pair of those fake vampire teeth on the rim for fun. Spell On You: This shimmery cocktail is so pretty, you may be deceived by its innocent appearance. Use any flavored vodka you like, add some homemade sugar syrup or agave, so the liquid has a bit of texture and then a bit of edible luster dust (you can find this online) and a drop of food coloring or two. Give it a shake and be bewitched! Candy Corn Margatini: Combine gold tequila, butterscotch schnapps, orange juice and a dash of crème de cacao (or other chocolate liquor) and shake with ice and serve in a martini glass with a few candy corns at the bottom.

Canalloween Oct. 27 Canal District, Worcester Free canalloween.com Enjoy horse-drawn wagon rides throughout The Canal District and enjoy Halloween parties at watering holes throughout the district. It’s time for the annual Nightmare on Water Street!

WHY DO WE LOVE BEING SCARED?

So our amygdala is immediately screaming ‘Danger, danger, run, run!’ Then the frontal lobe comes on board and says ‘No, okay. I looked at the data, you can chill out you’re safe. This is going be fun!’”

Savanah Hippert

When there is real, serious danger, however, your fight or flight system comes on with the goal of keeping you safe and alive; there will be no enjoyment in the situation.

Why do we like being scared? First, the question implies that if we enjoy the experience of fear it’s – in some way – abnormal or bad. Not true; if we delve in to understanding our neurobiology, we’ll see that it’s actually not abnormal at all!

Since we experience a similar sensation with pleasure, if you could realize there’s no legitimate danger, you’d experience a sense of control. Your thinking brain assures the emotional brain that everything is safe, permitting us to re-label all of the experiences and sensations as pleasure.

“The experience of fear begins in a part of the brain often called the limbic or the emotional brain,” explained Dr. Kerri Augusto, professor of psychology and mental health counseling at Becker College. “Deep within the temporal lobe (the one that’s on the side), we have this almondshaped tube called the amygdala, and this structure is responsible for something we call ‘emotional salience…’ [It’s] a fancy word that says, ‘We detect when something stands out and when something is different.’ So when our senses feel something unusual or unwanted, the amygdala is the alarm center of the brain.”

Sarah Cavanagh, associate professor of psychology at Assumption College, refers to these sensations as high arousal and low arousal – high being a more thrilling experience and low being calm. Cavanagh said, according to a study, “Going to a horror movie is a good idea on a first date.” During these thrilling or high arousal situations, one of the chemicals that is released initially is the bonding chemical oxytocin! That chemical allows us to correlate that feeling of arousal with the person with whom we experience the horror movie. In this scenario, you’re mistaking the horror movie’s thrill as feelings of attraction for the person you’re on a date with. It could be both… Don’t take our word for it!

What we all know as “fight or flight” is then activated by our motor functions and a message is sent to another deep part of the brain known as the hypothalamus, which then releases chemicals into the body. Our sympathetic nervous system causes our bodies to become very efficient and energetic. Once triggered by something that appears to be unusual, we become alert, our pupils dilate, we experience rapid breathing and a quickened heart rate, all the while becoming less sensitive to pain. “Signals in our body are also going to a part of our brain called the hippocampus into the prefrontal cortex,” said Augusto. “This is where our brain is running data; it’s a more thinking part of the brain, and what the data is trying to do is say ‘Is this a threat or is it not; should we think dangerous here?’

Factory of Terror Fridays-Sundays in October and Halloween 201 Grafton St., Worcester $19.99-$39.99 factoryofterror.com Check out Worcester’s biggest haunted house. The five attractions include Phobia Mayhen, Clown College, 3D Nightmare, Dracula’s Hideaway and Bloodworth Dungeon, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to get scared!

Some of us, on the other hand, aren’t too fond of being scared or experiencing thrill. This could be for multiple reasons: just genetics, the environment you’re in, life experiences, various cultures created with different stories and myths, or even an imbalance. For people who don’t like being scared, “between the excitement that [they] feel when [their] animal brain kicks in and then that sense of control that [they’re] supposed to have when [their] cortical brain kicks in; for people who like fear, the cortical brain gives them that sense of control in context. For [others], [their] sense of the animal brain might be stronger, so strong that [their] cortical brain can’t override it – it basically feels too real,” said Augusto.

Witch’s Woods

Halloween Concert

Thursdays-Sundays in October Nashoba Valley Ski Area 79 Powers Road, Westford $38 witcheswoods.com

Nov. 2 Mechanics Hall, 321 Main St., Worcester $12-$42 mechanicshall.org

One of the staples of the Halloween season, Witches Woods at Nashoba Valley Ski Area is bigger than ever this season. Check out the Haunted Hayride, with the spirits of dead lumberjacks ready to cut your heart out. If you survive, you can explore Castle Morbid, Nightmare Mansion, The Keeper’s Crypt and the new Horrorwood Chamber of Chills. While there, walk through the Jack o’ Lantern Jamboree and admire the pumpkin works of art.

Celebrate Halloween with the New England Symphony Orchestra! All are welcome to the Halloween concert at Mechanics Hall. Children, as well as adults, can enjoy this costume party mixed with music and film. The concert will feature the music of John Williams with accompanying film Harry Potter. Audience members should dress up in costume.

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ENT ERTA IN M E N T

MUSIC WORCESTER CELEBRATES 160 YEARS

Savanah Hippert Providing the greater Central Massachusetts region with quality performances since 1858, this October, Music Worcester is gearing up for its 160th anniversary and upcoming season. A typical, annual season for the nonprofit organization starts in the fall and runs through April or May. Each season brings a variety of performances, including orchestral, some chamber music, bits of jazz, a sprinkle of world music and, of course, the talented Worcester Chorus, adding up to about 20 performances in each season. “Apart from that, we really take each year as it comes,” said Adrien Finlay, executive director of Music Worcester. “We book a significant number of international ensembles and artists, and so we are sometimes completely at the mercy of who’s touring for that year in question. So it’s a bit of a blessing and a curse.” Music Worcester has gathered a number of events across various locations and more are in the works. This season opens with Brandon Marsalis, an acclaimed musician, and includes performances by the Worcester Chorus, a New Orleans-inspired evening, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy, the

October 2018

Russian National Ballet’s performance of Swan Lake and a Maria Callas hologram in concert with a live orchestra.

and what’s fantasy. Just relax and leave the holographic work to the professionals from Base Hologram!

“We had Wynton Marsalis last year [at Mechanics Hall], and I got to meet him at deadhorse hill next door afterwards – that was a highlight of my employment I would say,” said Ethan Bates, patron services manager and marketing coordinator. “To have his brother follow up immediately [this] season, that’s going to be very, very exciting… I think it’s our most powerful season yet – that I’ve been around for – and I think that it’ll not only exceed in its moment, but give us momentum to all of the future seasons we’re already starting to plan.”

“We are really curious to see how our audiences [will], in general, respond. And if there’s interest in it and there’s good feedback afterwards, we would consider other opportunities as they come along, and if it’s something that’s a novelty – there’s not really interest long-term – then we’ll take that in to consideration, too,” said Finlay.

Wanting to become more known to the community at large and build its audience, Music Worcester experiments with different artists and types of entertainment rather than focusing on emulating the past.

“One of the things I look forward to the most after each concert: Being in the lobby watching people exit gives us such a good sense of how well we did, what the vibe is, did people really enjoy it, are people talking, are people hurrying out of the theater,” said Finlay with a laugh. “You know, whatever the case may be, it gives us a very good sense of how the evening was, and therefore, how well Music Worcester is doing.”

With technology that’s here to stay, as an experiment to see how overall audience reaction and enjoyment will be, one of the more futuristic and interesting events lined up features a holographic version of famous opera singer Maria Callas. The twist? A live orchestra, Symphony NH, will accompany the beautifully re-mastered tracks sung by Callas. The audience will be transported back in time to lose itself in the captivating voice and soul of the beloved La Divina. You might not even be able to tell what’s real

However, with plenty of performances to choose from in the upcoming season, each will stand out in its own unique way.

For more information about Music Worcester and the upcoming season, visit musicworcester.org and stay up to date on social media by following @music_worcester on Instagram, @musicworcester on Twitter and @ musicworcester.org on Facebook.

GAMEON: Fox n Forests hits all the right buttons

Jason Savio The season is just right, so let’s take a walk through the forest and appreciate a little nature. But this isn’t just any forest we’re going to venture through, and this isn’t your grandfather’s idea of nature – oh, no. This place has talking animals and trees, more magic than Houdini would know what to do with and plenty of glorious nostalgia that will have you feeling like a kid again. This is the world of Fox n Forests, an imaginative journey of fun that takes a page right out of the games of yesteryear. From the 16-bit presentation of the opening screen, you know exactly what you’re in for with Fox n Forests – a side-scroller that includes double jumping galore and plenty of gold coins to collect. You would think you’re in the early ’90s playing this game, and that’s a big part of its charm. Taking the role of a fox named Rick, you have made a deal with Patty the partridge to help save the forest from a troubling entity. Patty leads you to a giant talking tree – the Season Tree – that has a nose, eyebrows, psychedelic leaves for hair and a mustache. It tells you that a “mysterious force” has taken possession of its forest and is trying to “enforce some kind of devastating fifth season.” It’s up to you to try and fight off the evil lurking in the woods and help the Season Tree regain control of the forest and save its inhabitants. The keyword here is “season” because it is what helps separate Fox n Forests from others in its genre. To give Rick a fighting chance, the Season Tree bestows upon him a crossbow. However, this isn’t just any old crossbow; this is a magic melee crossbow that allows you to change back and forth between seasons instantly. In need of crossing a river? Just hold the crossbow high up in the air to change the season to winter, and it’s instantly iced over. Watch out, though, because the longer you stay in the alternate season, the more your mana bar depletes, the source of your season-changing power. Once the mana bar hits the bottom, you have to wait for it to recharge before you can be Mother Nature again. It’s certainly a unique and interesting element to the game and creates a new hook you’ll enjoy. Hopping onto giant, swaying leaves to get around during the fall season is especially fun. The animated characters are a hoot, particularly Retro the badger, who likes games himself. He wants to expand his game collection, so if you pay him gold, he’ll grant you access to checkpoints in each level. The character is a sly and comedic poke at developer Bonus Level Entertainment’s self, seeing as how Fox n Forests is about as retro as you can get. From magic potions to the overall gameplay, there are elements of Zelda and Mario, among other classic titles, that are unmistakable. Instead of jumping onto the top of a flag pole at the end of a level, as was custom in the early Mario games, Rick jumps on one end of a seesaw and comically shoots Patty, who’s sitting on the other end, off into the sky. It’s a nice homage in a game that isn’t afraid to show who its influencers are. It seems like the words “retro” and “nostalgia” get thrown around a lot nowadays by developers and companies, oftentimes failing to really recapture what it is they’re trying to sell. Fox n Forests is a rare example of a game living up to its description and leaving you wanting more. Fox n Forests is a pleasant surprise. As Rick would say, it’s “Foxtastic!” For more information, visit foxnforests.com.

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ANIMAL COLLECTIVE / Tangerine Reef

CLUTCH / Book of Bad Decisions

JAKE SHEARS / Jake Shears

Jason Savio

Mike Wood

Jennifer Russo

Twelve albums in and Maryland rock group Clutch sounds like it’s just getting started. Book of Bad Decisions, the band’s newest release, is a loud and bombastic slam of rock ‘n’ roll.

I came across Animal Collective (aka AnCo) in a novel way to find new music. Usually, I simply scour my Apple Music account for something I think I would like, or try a recommendation from a friend, or click on a link in an e-mail a PR firm might send me. Being a great lover of the ocean, I found this band because I happened to be doing an Internet search on coral depletion. So how did that happen? Animal Collective uses music to raise awareness of the issues concerning our planet. Tangerine Reef is a very experimental album, pairing echoed vocals in kind of a Pink Floyd-like cadence, electronic sound, metallic rhythm and space-age buzzing and chiming, resulting in a sound combination that I have never really heard anywhere before. He becomes the droning voice of an entity that cannot speak for itself, encouraging preservation and thinking twice about environmental effects. The sound is sad and haunting, a psychedelic and surreal journey that seems to take you underwater. The album is an audio-visual one, so it has a video that goes along with it – a collaborative effort between Animal Collective and Coral Morphologic. You can find the video album on YouTube (released in August). Keep in mind, this is art in its purest form and may not be for everyone, but it is interesting and raises awareness and stands up as unique in its own right. Give it a whirl. For more information, visit myanimalhome.net.

October 2018

Teaming up with producer and Grammy-winner Vance Powell, the guys in Clutch sound as alive and in-your-face as ever. The distorted boot stomp of the opening “Gimme the Keys” sets the tone for the rest of the album with its frantic energy and loose, swinging backbeat. There’s a definite classic rock feel on Book of Bad Decisions; the title track features some tasty guitar fuzz, while the slide guitar-fueled “Hot Bottom Feeder” turns into hard-edged Deep Purple-like space funk. These are all great highway songs to put the pedal down to, as is “A Good Fire.” You would have to be oblivious not to pick up on some of the political and social themes on Book of Bad Decisions. On the combustible “How to Shake Hands,” singer Neil Fallon makes his bid for the Oval Office, promising to “put Jimi Hendrix on the twenty-dollar bill.” Between this song, another titled “Weird Times” and the bald eagle on the cover (which has its back turned to the viewer), there is certainly aim taken at the current upheaval in our country. Take heart, though. Book of Bad Decisions isn’t bogged down in self-righteous soapboxing, if you can call it that, so if you’re tired of all things evening news, don’t be turned off from spinning this solid album. There are tons of awesome rock ’n’ roll tunes to be heard here, particularly the delirious beauty that is “In Walks Barbarella,” a jam that comes out of left field with a horn section and is what Fallon proclaims, mid-song, to be “weaponized funk” – with ray guns, to boot.

If you don’t know Jake Shears, you might want to get on board now if you’re one to embrace funky beats paired with the amped-up, outrageous musings of a talented singer. The Scissor Sisters frontman has gone solo for the first time whilst his band remains on a seemingly semi-permanent hiatus. Infused with disco, funk and a whole lotta sass, Shear’s self-titled debut album includes everything we love about Scissor Sisters…only with more excess (is that even possible?) and, yes, more Shears! It’s evident upon a first listen that an indulgence in all things electronica is the theme of the album, even if there is more than a little hint of honky-tonk. Recorded in New Orleans, this album could have been a disastrous experiment for him. But going south from the Big Apple really works for Shears (like it may not have for others: Kylie’s Golden or Lady Gaga’s Joanne). He’s having hella fun, and the beats are both lively and infectious, while the lyrics prove that Shears is witty with his words, even if it’s all with a sly wink.

Book of Bad Decisions is a non-stop barrage of guitar and drumdriven euphoria that leaves the feeling that it’s more than your run-of-the-mill rock release.

Sure, Shears may be too much for some: His electroclash, over-the-top glam could be considered tacky or catchy and borderline brilliant. Which camp are you in? Because he’s all camp! What you must respect is thathe’s unapologetic at every turn, and frankly, we don’t think he cares what you think. If you want to be a part of this parade he’s marching in, party on, and he’ll lead the way.

For more information, visit pro-rock.com.

For more information, visit jakeshears.com.

PULSEBOOKS: ‘Witch’ book will you read this Halloween? Kimberly Ruscitti Despite being 35, every Halloween I look forward to watching Hocus Pocus. It’s a not-so-guilty pleasure among my generation, and lucky for us, Disney recently released Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel (Freeform), a novelization of the original movie and a sequel that takes place 25 years later. (I skipped over the first half and went straight for the sequel). Fast forward to present-day Salem, in which Max and Allison’s 17-year-old daughter, Poppy, has spent her entire life trying to keep her family’s secret about the Sanderson sisters under wraps. She doesn’t believe that her parents and Aunt Dani managed to summon and defeat the Sanderson sisters 25 years ago. On Halloween, in an attempt to impress her friends and debunk the story, Poppy takes her friends to the Sanderson house. Not only do they discover that the Dennison family story is real, but summon the Sanderson sisters back to Salem. The sisters are looking to finish what they started 25 years ago, and the three teens must figure out how to defeat them in order to save their families and friends. Here’s to hoping Disney makes a movie version soon! Kate Morton is back with The Clockmaker’s Daughter (Atria Books). For centuries, Birchwood Manor has sat at a bend in the Thames, offering a safe haven for those living inside its walls. Though in the last 150 years there have been many visitors to the house, only one has stayed: the spirit of the only person who really knows that happened that tragic night in 1862, when artist and then-homeowner Edward Radcliffe’s fiancée was murdered and a priceless family heirloom stolen, an event surrounded by many theories, but no definite answers. Meanwhile, in present day London, a young archivist unearths some of Radcliffe’s belongings, including a sketchbook of a house and a framed photograph of a beautiful woman. Determined to figure out who the woman is and why the house feels so familiar to her, Elodie embarks on a search to uncover Radcliffe’s story, who the woman is and how they might be connected. As with every Morton masterpiece, the author manages to expertly weave together several characters’ stories across different eras, culminating in a great “aha!” moment in the end. Hester Fox’s The Witch of Willow Hall (Graydon House) is another story of witches that’ll get you in the Halloween spirit. In 1821, the Montrose family has been shunned by Boston socialites over rumors of a shameful family secret, and they are forced to start over in New Oldbury, Mass., in a home that seems to have an effect on all three Montrose girls. Lydia has possessed a peculiar power since childhood, and since moving to Willow Hall, it has been amplified. She is seeing and hearing things that haunt the history of the land, all while her family seems to be falling apart. Unless Lydia learns to control her powers, she could forever damage her family; if she uses them well, she may fix all that has gone wrong.

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EVENTS HAPPENING AROUND CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS IN OCTOBER: Savanah Hippert

Taste of Shrewsbury Street: Fall Edition Pulse Magazine presents the first fall edition of the Taste of Shrewsbury Street

– the food-tasting celebration the Worcester community has come to know and love (your taste buds love it, too)! With the purchase of a button, you’ll be able

to sample food from more than 40 “restaurant row” celebrated eateries. Plus, get grooving to live music, partake in the block parties, check out the vendors

and more! It’ll be the perfect entry into your fall season. 2 p.m.- 6 p.m., Oct. 7; Shrewsbury Street, Worcester; $25; buttons available on tasteshrewsburystreet.com and at participating restaurants.

35th Annual Apple Fest Enjoy 100 craft exhibitors, a farmers’ market, live music, the Giant Pumpkin

Weigh Off, apple pie baking and eating contests and the famous SkyRide (a

perfect time to get a glimpse of all the fall foliage from the sky). 10 a.m.- 5p.m. Oct. 13-14; Wachusett Mountain Ski Area, 499 Mountain Road, Princeton; tickets prices vary; wachusett.com.

29th Annual Harvest Festival With a mini food truck festival, live music and entertainment, this family fun

tradition includes local crafters and artisans, fresh farm harvests and even The

Publick House’s Scarecrow Contest! Think you have the best scarecrow? Enter

it for a chance to win cash prizes. 10 a.m.- 5p.m. Oct. 13 and 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. Oct. 14; Sturbridge Town Common and Publick House, 277 Main St., Sturbridge; free admission and parking; publickhouse.com.

Westminster Cracker Festival Held in the village center of downtown Westminster, home of the famous Westminster oyster cracker, you can enjoy a community celebration full of live

music, local crafts, competitions and even a 5K race! Join in on the excitement and

eat some crackers, of course! 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Oct. 20; 10 Village Square, Westminster; free; crackerfestival.com.

Mass Fermentational Raise a pint and funds for the Mass Brewers Guild during the Mass Fermentational, the organization’s second-largest beer festival and fundraiser of the year, set to return to the Worcester Common. More than 60 breweries will pour. Once inside

the park, attendees can drink in all that the Massachusetts craft beer scene has to

offer. 21+ event. 1-5 p.m. Oct. 6; Worcester Common Oval, Main Street, Worcester; $45, $10 for designated drivers, massferm.eventbrite.com.

Canalloween Get ready for The Canal District’s annual Nightmare on Water Street! Don your scariest Halloween costume and enjoy wagon rides throughout The Canal District

and Halloween parties at the area’s 15+ bars and clubs. Starting at 6 p.m. Oct. 29; The Canal District, Worcester; free; canalloween.com.

October 2018

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CLUB LISTINGS

435 Bar & Grill 435 Lancaster St., Leominster Fridays, Saturdays: Live music Barbers Crossing (North) 175 Leominster Road, Sterling 978-422-8438 barberscrossingrestaurant.com Thursdays: Open Mic, Local Musicians Showcase Fridays: Bill McCarthy Oct. 13: Chris Terp Oct. 20: Ken Macy Oct. 27: Arthur James Beatnik’s 433 Park Ave., Worc. 508-926-8877 beatniksbeyou.com Thursdays: Center Stage Karaoke Oct. 5: The Rails Oct. 6: Screwcart Oct. 12: Jesse and His Ghosts Oct. 13: Gold Star Boulevard with The Car Ride Home Oct. 19: Local Stand-Up Comedy Oct. 26: Ben Cote Band Oct. 27: The Groove Alado’s Halloween Party Black Sheep Tavern 261 Leominster Road, Sterling 978-422-8484 Fridays, Saturdays: Live Music Blueprint New American Bar & Grill 9 Village Square, Westminster 978-668-5580 Oct. 5: Jay Matarano Oct. 6: Ken Macy Band Oct. 11: Chris Reddy Acoustic Loops from Hell Oct. 12: Midnight Sharp Oct. 13: Scott Babineau Oct. 18: Dan Cormier Oct. 19: Retro Stew Oct. 20: Tim & Lou Oct. 25: Scott Babineau Oct. 26: Fred Ellsworth Oct. 27: Brian Chaffee Bull Run Restaurant 215 Great Road, Shirley 978-425-4311, 877-536-7190 bullrunrestaurant.com Oct. 4: Marcia Ball Oct. 10: Los Lobos Oct. 25: Patty Smyth & Scandal Canal Restaurant & Bar 65 Water St., Worc. (508) 926-8353 Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays: DJs

October 2018

Chuck’s Steak House and Margarita Grill 10 Prospect St., Auburn 508-832-2553 chucks.com Oct. 5: Fender Road Oct. 12: Cosby Sweaters Oct. 19: Blues House Between Oct. 26: Drunken Uncles Compass Tavern 90 Harding St., Worc. 508-304-6044 thecompasstavern.com Fridays, Saturdays: DJs Oct. 12: FM Live Oct. 19: Acoustic Soufle Oct. 26: David Garden The Cove Music Hall 89 Green St., Worc. 508-363-1888 thecovemusichall.com Thursdays: Live Rockin’ Karaoke Oct. 5: Metal 101 Oct. 6: Born to Party in the 90s Oct. 12: Trick or Treat Radio Masquerade Extravaganza, featuring The Deadites Oct. 13: Flannel Fest Oct. 19: The Great Escape ( Journey tribute) Oct. 20: The Flock›s Halloween Extravaganza Oct. 26: Schism (TOOL tribute), with Reservoirs & Influenza Electric Haze 26 Millbury St, Worc. 508-799-0629 Tuesdays: Tone Deaf Tuesday Karaoke Fridays: Airspray Queer Dance Party Oct. 3: Art gallery opening with Bethany Miller Oct. 4: Crushed Vinyl Oct. 6: 90s Bar Crawl, Fennario Oct. 11: Trichomes, Good Trees River Band, Immortal Jellyfish Oct. 14: iMaxx First Name Shayne, Boone, Cha$e Billz X Yee Oct. 18: Barber Acoustic Oct. 20: Sorry If You Don›t (Disco Biscuits tribute) Oct. 20: Don’t Let Go (Jerry Garcia Band tribute) Flip Flops 680 Main St., Holden 508-829-3008 flipflopsma.com Oct. 6: Chris Reddy Acoustic Loops from Hell Frank’s 274 Shrewsbury St., Worc. 774-420-2253 Oct. 5: Fellowship of The King Oct. 6: Foolish You Oct. 7: Dezi Garcia Oct. 12: Ken Macy Oct. 13: Dock 10 Oct. 19: Dezi to the Moon Oct. 20: Cactus Oct. 26: AGT Band Oct. 27: Backyard Swagger

Gardner Ale House 74 Parker St., Gardner 978-669-0122 gardnerale.com Sundays: Live Jazz Brunch Buffet Mondays: Blue Mondays Thursdays: Big Music Nights, Audio Wasabi Oct. 5: Lisa Marie & Johnny Juxo Oct. 6: The Bird Mancini Band Oct. 12: Chris Reddy Acoustic Loops from Hell Oct. 13: Graveyard Tan Oct. 19: Ryan Leddick Trio Oct. 20: Fellowship of The King Oct. 27: The Definite Maybes The GazBar Sports Grill 1045 Central St., Leominster thegazbar.com Oct. 4: Lizzie Marquis Oct. 5: Two Timers Oct. 6: Mike Melendez Oct. 12: Double Barrel Oct. 13: Dan Kirouac with Dorette Younkin Oct. 18: Zach Marquis Oct. 19: Kevin Shields Oct. 20: Rick Hamel Oct. 25: Heather Ralston Greater Good Imperial Brewing Co. 55 Millbrook St., Worcester ggimperials.com. Oct. 4: David Garden Oct. 5: Colt and the Coyotes Oct. 6: David Garden, Booty and the Jett Oct. 12: Jesse Ljunggren Oct. 13: Paul Courchaine Oct. 14: Arny Spielberg and Bob Sarkala Oct. 18: Ken Graff Oct. 19: Johnny Wheeler Band Oct. 20: Wheeler and Wibble Oct. 21: Hip Swayers Oct. 25: David Garden Oct. 26: Colt and the Coyotes Oct. 27: Jesse Ljunggren Greendale’s Pub 404 W. Boylston St., Worc. 508-853-1350 greendalespub.com Oct. 5: Boombox Oct. 6: Intersteller Oct. 7: Jim›s Blues Jam, featuring Scott Bronnes Oct. 12: Ed Sullivans Oct. 13: Inexpensive Winos Oct. 19: Rythym 44 Oct. 20: Silverbacks Oct. 26: Axis Oct. 27: No Alibi Halligan’s Sports Bar and More 889 Southbridge St., Auburn 508-832-6793 halliganssportsbarandmore.com Oct. 4: The Brumbletones Oct. 5: Stoneface Oct. 12: Hip Tonight Oct. 19: Undercover Oct. 20: Wilbur & The Dukes Oct. 27: Halloween Party with The Middlemen

Happy Jack’s 785 North Main St., Leominster 978-466-3433 Oct. 5: Chris Reddy Oct. 6: Steve Tolley Oct. 12: Dan Cormier Oct. 13: Santiono Oct. 19: Rick Hamel Oct. 20: Big Dave & The Captain Oct. 26: Dave Malouin Oct. 27: Dave Harrington Loft 266 Bar & Lounge 266 Park Ave., Worc. 508-796-5177 loft266.com Tuesdays: Karaoke Wednesdays: Musical Bingo Thursdays: DJ X Kaliber Fridays, Saturdays: DJ Joe T Oct. 4: Sam James Oct. 6: Nik Chisholm Oct. 11: Eric Fournier Oct. 12: Drunken Uncles Oct. 13: Dave O›Brien Oct. 18: Sam James Oct. 26: Jay Graham MB Lounge 40 Grafton St., Worc. 508-799-4521 mblounge.com Sundays: Seasonal Martini Sundays Mondays: Industry Night with Keith Tuesdays: Throw Back Tuesdays with Andy R. Wednesdays: Karaoke with Mikey Mics Thursdays: Drinks with Superman Shawn Fridays, Saturdays: Guest and House DJs Medusa Brewing Company 111 Main St., Hudson 978-310-1933 medusabrewing.com Thursdays: Open Mic Night Oct. 5: Stephen Lewis & The Big Band of Fun Oct. 6: Ricardo Barraza Oct. 12: Mike Melendez Oct. 13: Mike MacFonald of Strange Machines Oct. 19: Cara Brindisi Oct. 20: Mike Gargone Oct. 26: Adam Makes Noise Oct. 27: Halloween Bash with Blue Light Bandits Oct. 28: Jazz Sunday Michael’s Cigar Bar 1 Exchange Place, Worc. 508-459-9035 michaelscigar.com Oct. 5: Abraxas Oct. 6: Spaceout Oct. 7: Allston Police Oct. 11: Jim Devlin Oct. 12: Blue Light Bandits Oct. 13: Zeke Martin Band Oct. 19: AGS Band Oct. 20: Neon Alley Oct. 25: Chris Reddy Acoustic Loops from Hell Continued on Page 25

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October 2018

Continued from Page 22

The Mill 185 185 W. Boylston St., W. Boylston 774-261-8585 themill185.com Oct. 4: James Keyes Oct. 5: FM Live Oct. 6: Bill McCarthy Oct. 11: Ken Macy Oct. 12: Jay Graham Oct. 13: Doctor Robert Oct. 18: Steve Angellis Oct. 19: Josh Briggs Oct. 20: Sam James Oct. 25: Night Train Oct. 27: Joe Macey Mill City Pub 19 Airport Road, Fitchburg 978-342-2134 Oct. 6: Overdrive Oct. 13: Rockit Oct. 20: Lost Artifacts Oct. 27: Playin’ Dirty Oct. 31: DJ Gary The Monument Tap 13 Central St., Leominster 978-798-4653 monumenttap.com Oct. 5: DJ Ritchie Oct. 18: Chris Reddy Oct. 25: Jen Caissie Meet & Greet Padavano’s Place 358 Shrewsbury St., Worc. 774-823-3022 padavanosplace.com Oct. 3: Jodee Frawlee Oct. 5: Tony Soul Project Oct. 6: Take Two Oct. 7: Taste of Shrewsbury Street Parking Lot Party with Burning Sky, Adamsson, Gianfriddo, Sutka Oct. 10: Sean Ryder Oct. 12: Auntie Trainwreck Oct. 13: The Ed Sullivans Oct. 18: Jim Perry Oct. 19: Riff-Raff Oct. 20: ViVi & Da Funk Oct. 24: Johnny Vincent Oct. 26: Take Two Oct. 27: Dock 10 The Palladium 261 Main St., Worc. 508-797-9696 thepalladium.net Oct. 5: Modest Mouse Oct. 6: After The Burial, The Acacia Strain Oct. 11: Rock & Shock Official Kick Off Party with Ice Nine Kills Oct. 12: Rock & Shock: Twizid Oct. 13: Rock & Shock: Amorphis, Dark Tranquility, Wintersun Oct. 14: Rock & Shock Presents: Terror Oct. 14: Rock & Shock Presents: Trivium

Oct. 19-21: The Disco Biscuits Oct. 23: Good Charlotte Oct. 25: Clutch Oct. 28: Emmure & Stick To Your Guns Oct. 30: My Children My Bride Oct. 31: Wicked Halloween with Illenium Park Grill and Spirits 257 Park Ave., Worc. Oct. 5: Donald Prange Oct. 6: Roger Convery Oct. 12: TBA Oct. 13: Running with Scizzors Oct. 19: Drunken Uncles Oct. 20: Matt Soper Oct. 26: Highway Kind Partner’s Pub 970 South St., Fitchburg 978-345-5051 partnerspub.com Sundays, Wednesdays, Fridays: Karaoke Oct. 6: Jah Spirit Oct. 13: Billy Hill Oct. 20: Sean Daley Oct. 27: Halloween Party with Doctor Robert Quinn’s Irish Pub 715 W. Boylston St., Worc. 508-459-2025 quinnsirishpub.com Oct. 5: Ken Macy Oct. 7: Chad Clements Oct. 10: Lizzy Marquis Oct. 11: Sam James Oct. 12: Graham Brown Oct. 13: Kevin Shields Oct. 14: Terry Brennan Oct. 17: Chris Reddy Oct. 18: John Brazile Oct. 19: Ken Macy Oct. 20: Chad Clements Oct. 21: John Brazile Oct. 24: Mike Melendez Oct. 25: Sam James Oct. 26: Sara Carcia Oct. 27: Lyssa Coulter Oct. 28: John Brazile Oct. 31: Brett Brumby The Raven 258 Pleasant St., Worc. 508-304-8133 Wednesdays: Open Mic Thursdays: ComMutiny Oct. 20: Murdah Fest River Styx Brewing 166 Boulder Drive , Fitchburg http:www.riverstyxbrewing.com Oct. 12: Sean Daley Oct. 19: Ryan Hood Oct. 21: Comedy Night with Ryan Brauth, Mike Hanley, Rafi Gonzales Oct. 25: Montachusett Interfaith Hospitality Network Fundraiser Oct. 27: Halloween Costume Party with The Ashboys Oct. 28: Stoutfest

Rye & Thyme 14 Monument Square, Leominster 978-534-5900 ryeandthyme.com Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays: Live Music Oct. 6: The Petty Project Oct. 7: Ken Macy Oct. 11: Jay Graham Oct. 12: Hot Mess Oct. 13: Soulstice Oct. 14: Zack Slik Oct. 18: Lizzy Marquis Oct. 19: Trebek Oct. 20: BDK Oct. 21: Sean Fullerton Oct. 25: Rick Hamel Oct. 26: The Royal Furs Oct. 27: Mint Cover Band South Side Grille & Margarita Factory 242 W. Broadway, Gardner 978-632-1057 southsidemargaritafactory.com Oct. 5: Kyle & Matt Black Oct. 6: Sean Daley & The Hooligans Oct. 13: Neon Alley Oct. 19: Scott Babineau Oct. 20: Hit the Bus Oct. 26: Sean Fullerton Oct. 27: Go Gadget Go The Tavern on Central 3 Central St., Ashburnha 978-827-1272 thetavernoncentral.com Oct. 5: Scott Babineau Oct. 6: Go Gadget Go Oct. 12: Rita Tollman Oct. 13: The Petty Project Oct. 19: The Middlemen Oct. 26: Tim & Lou Oct. 27: Midnight Sharp Vincent’s Bar 49 Suffolk St., Worc. 508-752-9439 Tuesdays: Boogie Chillin’ Whiskey on Water 97 Water St., Worc. 774-578-8829 whiskeyonwater.com Sundays, Wednesdays: Karaoke with DJ Soup Thursdays: DJ Cuzn Kev Fridays: DJ Tec Threat Saturdays: Rotating DJs Oct. 5: Eric Paquette Duo Oct 6: Tequila Bonfire Oct 12: Traveling Wanna B’s Oct 13: The Flat 5 Oct 19: On the Rocks Oct 20: Whitney Doucette & Moonshine Oct 26: Sam James Oct 27: Souled Out Show Band White Eagle Polish Club 112 Green St., Worc. 774-245-1991 Thursdays: Musical Bingo Fridays: DJs Oct. 13: Playback Oct. 27: Halloween Party with Drive South William’s Restaurant & Tavern 184 Pearson Blvd., Gardner 978-632-7794 williamsrestaurantandtavern.com Oct. 26: Dan Kirouac with Glenn Jackson

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SHREWSBURY STREET COLLEGE SHUFFLE – WORCESTER

LOCK50 – WORCESTER

October 2018

CHUCK’S STEAK HOUSE – AUBURN

WORCESTER CHILI & CHOWDER FEST – WORCESTER

QUINN’S IRISH PUB – WORCESTER

SLATE BAR & GRILLE – LEOMINSTER

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LI F ESTY LE

MAKING STRIDES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER Kaycee Roy Imagine something as simple as taking a walk. You walk all the time – at work, at the grocery store and even just around the house. Now, imagine not having the energy or strength to get up and walk around like you used to. If you or anyone you know has battled cancer, then you know that sometimes taking a walk is not as easy as it sounds. That is why events like Making Strides Against Breast Cancer are so important to our communities. For the last eight years, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer has come to Worcester to give patients, survivors, caregivers, friends and family the chance to walk for hope. The walk brings together communities all over the nation to support the American Cancer Society’s efforts to save lives from breast cancer through fundraising, donations and volunteer work. This will be the second year that the American Cancer Society Community Development Manager, Anne Colacarro, has been involved with this event, but she said

October 2018

she can already see the positive impact this event has on those involved. “That’s one of the things we hear over and over again,” she said, “how great it is to connect with people who are going through the same thing. Both for survivors and caregivers to be able to share their experiences with others along the walk.” Sharing experiences, knowing that no one walks alone and having fun is truly what this event is all about. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women, and one out of every eight women will hear that diagnosis in their lifetime. This year, at the Worcester event, there will be an opening ceremony, a flash mob (all are encouraged to participate) and musical entertainment following the walk. Making Strides provides critical funding for the American Cancer Society research, as well as many of the programs that cancer patients and caregivers rely on every day. Some programs include Hope Lodges, a charitable

project that offers a free place to stay for cancer patients and caregivers while being treated in a city away from home; Road to Recovery, which helps cancer patients get to appointments; and a 24-hour call service to answer questions or just to have someone listening when you need it. “We would only be able to do a fraction of what we do without the support of walks like these,” Colacarro said. The walk is three miles, and it is not a race. Participants may stop anytime they wish or if they are unable to finish. The walk will be complete when the final walker crosses the finish line. Making Strides will be held Oct. 14 at Institute Park, 125, Salisbury St., Worcester. Registration is free and begins at 9 a.m.; the walk will begin at 10:30 a.m. For more information, main.acsevents. org/site/TR/MakingStridesAgainstBreastCancer/ MSABCCY18NER?pg=entry&fr_id=89579. Visit cancer. org to get information about cancer, treatments, support and American Cancer Society programs.

OUT+ABOUT: qFLIX returns for second year

John Trobaugh Presented by Discover Massachusetts, qFLIX-Worcester is the largest LGBTQ+ arts and cultural event in the region. This is qFLIX’s second year in Worcester, offering independent films from around the globe with its four-day festival, from Oct. 11-14, at The Hanover Theatre, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester, in the heart of the Worcester renaissance. Last year’s qFLIX film festival was amazing, not just because of the films, but because of the filmmakers, actors and directors from all over the world that we were able to meet at the various events. It was truly a highlight last fall. The festival presented more than 35 features, documentaries and shorts that screened at festivals as diverse as Toronto International Film Festival, Sundance, Tribeca, InsideOUT, Miami Gay Lesbian Film Festival and London Flare LGBT Film Festival. The festival also featured international films from 15 different nations, including Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, India, Italy, Mexico, Puerto Rico, South Africa and Thailand. This festival celebrated the growth and development of LGBTQ+ independent films by highlighting several first-time directors and student filmmakers, as well. I also had the honor of presenting, on behalf of the film festival, the Harvey Milk Community Service Award to both Worcester Mayor Joe Petty and City Manager Ed Augustus for their efforts in promoting diversity and LGBTQ+ rights. Some of the amazing feature length films they have in store for us this year, again held at the historic Hanover Theatre, are: • • • • • • • • • • • •

Blindsided – Directed by Lisa Olivieri, 2017, USA, Documentary, Drama, English. Shadowlands – Directed by Charlie David, 2018, Canada, Drama, English. Still Waiting in the Wings – Directed by Q. Allan Brocka, 2018, USA, Musical, Romance, English. Devil’s Path – Directed by Matthew Montgomery, 2018, USA, Drama, Thriller, English. TransMilitary – Directed by Gabriel Silverman (as Gabe Silverman), 2018, USA, Documentary, English. Ideal Home – Directed by Andrew Fleming, 2018, UK, Comedy, Drama, English. My Life with James Dean – Directed by Dominique Choisy, 2018, UK, Comedy, French with English subtitles. My Big Gay Italian Wedding – Directed by Alessandro Genovesi, 2018, Italy, Comedy, Italian with English subtitles. Mi Mejor Amigo – Directed by Martín Deus, 2017, Argentina, Drama, Romance, Spanish with English subtitles. Hooked – Directed by Max Emerson, 2017, USA, Drama, English. Porcupine Lake – Directed by Ingrid Veninger, 2017, USA, Drama, Romance, English. Speed Walking – Directed by Niels Arden Oplev, 2014, Denmark, Drama, Danish with English subtitles.

I have not seen them all, but I really like the international selections this year, especially the French film, My Life with James Dean; the Italian film, aptly named My Big Gay Italian Wedding; and Mi Mejor Amigo, an Argentinean film about friendship. Finally, if you liked The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo, then you may like the director’s new film, Speed Walking, which is about a 14-year-old Martin getting ready for one of the most formal transitions from boy to man: the confirmation. With more than 35 films, awards and numerous events throughout Worcester, qFLIX is one non-profit that will do Worcester proud. Check out more on Facebook @qFLIXWorcester and online qflixworcester.com. If you have ideas for this column, email John@JohnArt.com.

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THE LUXE LIST

MAKE YOUR FALL SEASON BETTER Merilee Kern

With summer behind us, the consumer marketplace is abuzz with brands eager to ease and enhance your fall season experience – and the holiday shopping cycle just beyond. With so much to choose from amid an influx of innovation, what’s truly worth “falling” for? We’ve got the answers!

cloudten Amora Sateen Bedding Bundle

This direct-to-consumer lifestyle brand designs luxurious all-natural bedding, including the Amora Sateen Bedding Bundle. This bedding features soft, smooth and weighted luxury sheets, cool pillowcases and a fluffy, buttery duvet cover that are all combed, ultra-fine, long-staple cotton. These sheets are absurdly comfortable with attention paid to every detail. And get this: Even after they are made, only 20 percent of the lot is deemed perfect enough for cloudten customers, while the rest are donated to those in need. Also cause conscious, each cloudten purchase directly helps fund Project Linus, a national nonprofit organization that provides security, warmth and comfort through the gifts of new, handmade blankets to children who are seriously ill or traumatized. $320, CloudTen.com.

FOREO LUNA fofo

This season you can also put your best face forward with the LUNA fofo from FOREO – the world’s first smart facial cleansing brush that analyzes your skin for a personalized skincare routine. It utilizes advanced skin sensors to analyze the skin condition and moisture level in cheeks, T-zone, forehead and nose via an iOS or Android app. Following 30 seconds of analysis of each zone, it sends all the information to the FOREO app, getting real-time, personalized tips for optimal skin health. The LUNA fofo features 8,000 T-sonic pulsations per minute, removing dead skin cells and unclogging pores of makeup residue, dirt and oil that contribute to adult-onset acne breakouts. $89, FOREO.com.

Amazource Skincare

With Amazource Skincare, you can help save the Amazon while also looking amazing using their products distinctively made with premium components sourced right from the Amazon rainforest. The Amazource team are on the ground, learning

firsthand from rainforest communities about the specific properties of unique trusted ingredients that deliver a higher nourishing effect on the skin. Plus, their products are cruelty-free (not tested on animals) and paraben free! Each product sold allows native communities to preserve fully 2,000 square feet of rainforest. $5.98-$28.98; Amazource.com.

SMACNE Acne Solution

SMACNE is different from all other acne treatments because it is oil based, containing a special blend of oils called Clearatin Oil. Skin actually needs oil to survive and naturally produces oil to keep it healthy and protected. If you strip that oil off every day by using harsh water-based products, your body fights back by producing more oil. SMACNE also contains acne-killing ingredients like benzoyl peroxide, so it can penetrate the skin deeper than water-based products since oil and oil mix. This product also combines eight of the very best ingredients scientifically known to alleviate acne, exfoliate and hydrate into a two-step solution called the Dream Team 8, which includes hyaluronic acid, shea butter, jojoba oil, aloe vera, tea tree oil and glycolic acid, to name a few. $19.95; SMACNE.com.

BeWeaved Hair Extensions

Looking for fine-quality hair extensions that will look great, last long and not break the bank? Then check out BeWeaved Hair Extensions – an upscale online hair boutique delivering top quality hair extensions and 3D mink eyelashes at affordable prices. The versatile line of extensions is available as sew-ins, tape-ins and clip-ins. All of the products have double-stitch wefts to reduce the chances of shedding, and they use high-demand “Remy” human hair, which means all the cuticles run in the same direction to minimize tangling and matting that can occur with other hair extensions. $175-$545, BeWeaved.com.

As the executive editor and producer of The Luxe List, Merilee Kern is an internationally regarded consumer product trends expert and hospitality industry voice of authority. She identifies and reports on exemplary travel destinations and experiences, extraordinary events and newsworthy products and services across all categories. Reach her at TheLuxeList.com, on Twitter @LuxeListEditor, on Facebook at TheLuxeList and on Instagram at LuxeListReviews.

October 2018

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FOOD + D R IN K

BLACK & WHITE SETS A NEW STANDARD

Bernie Whitmore On approach, the Black & White Grilled looked like a roadside drive-up where you’d stop for an ice cream cone or, perhaps, wieners and a soft drink and eat at one of the picnic tables. Then, after a closer look, you might notice that it has more of a sense of permanence, like one of those mid-century roadhouses that used to scatter the countryside before the Interstate system siphoned off so much of the traffic. In reality, the Black & White is a bit of both those things. More importantly, and much to our delight, it’s also a place to sit down and enjoy some delicious cuisine. Once we’d walked past the picnic area and ice cream window and actually stepped inside, we faced a sports barish lounge area and, to our left, a small dining room with a half dozen or so booths. The place gave off a friendly, embracing vibe. After my friend and I selected a booth, Emily, our server, introduced herself and assisted me in choosing a glass of beer. She’d prove to be “a natural” at the hospitality gig – always there when needed, knowledgeable about the menu, enthusiastic and honest in her advice. My first taste at the Black & White was from my glass of Amherst Jess IPA. Absolutely delicious, with a balance of bitter and citrus. A theme was advanced. In choosing appetizers, my attention was immediately drawn to the Honey Sriracha Shrimp. We decided to share an order. If there’s a better item on their menu, I’m going back tomorrow! Six jumbo shrimp had been fried in a tempura-

October 2018

like batter – golden brown and puffy, crisp and light. Then, they were coated in warm, honey-infused-withthe-spiciness-of-sriracha chili sauce and drizzled with a creamy cucumber wasabi dressing. From juicy shrimp to tasty coatings to spicy breading, we savored every bite. And, I admit, I even ate the tails and licked honey from my fingers. Basically, everything around me was sticky after this appetizer. When it came to entrées, I backed down on my personal decision to curtail fried foods and ordered the Whole Belly Clam Dinner. It was, after all, one of the last hot days of late summer; this was probably the final chance to observe one of the season’s finest traditions. In my opinion, the universe of fried clams divides neatly as thus: Strips (industrially processed) or Real (fresh and whole-bellied); Greasy or Crunchy (both have their place). Black & White’s clams were superior in every way. These medium-sized clams were free of grit, fried in impeccably fresh oil and served in huge quantity over a shallow bed of crispy French fries. No oily texture. No strange-flavored, overstuffed bellies. These were sweet and tender morsels that set the satisfaction meter to “sets new standard for excellence.” My friend’s entrée approached the Black & White’s claims to homemade from another direction. His choice of Chicken Cordon Bleu was gamble based on its sorrowful history. Anyone attending just about any banquet event in the ’80s will remember this menu item as a dried-out travesty, with chicken breasts that tasted as if they’d been extruded from an imitation food machine, cooked hours ahead of time and left to sit withering under heating

BLACK & WHITE GRILLE 206 N. SPENCER ROAD SPENCER, MA (508) 885-5018 BLACKANDWHITEGRILLE.COM

lamps. Cordon Bleu got such a bad reputation that no one’s been willing to touch it in years. Until now, that is. Black & White took real chicken meat, folded it around slices of tender ham and Swiss cheese and baked it in a mild cream sauce. It was not overbaked – the ingredients were moist and their honest flavors had melded together – but it was still served piping hot. Give the chef the blue ribbon! It came served with a huge baked potato and a medley of late-season vegetables. This had been a lot of food, but it was such a surprising encounter with distinctive flavors and accomplished cooking that dessert should at least be considered. Pumpkin items had already crept into the dessert offerings, but – primarily based upon Emily’s recommendation – we opted for a wedge of Pistachio Layer Cake. Nice choice. This looked like it came from grandma’s kitchen; two layers of white cake slathered with thick and rich pistachio cream frosting. In the center of the middle layer was a contrasting filling of raspberry cream. For good measure, it was topped with a cherry and fluffy whipped cream. We attacked it in a blaze of fancy fork work. And then it was history. After such a tasty meal, I was left wondering: Why did it take so long to find this place? Does the town of Spencer consider the Black & White to be its own big secret? That aside, I was happy to have finally discovered it. The Black & White’s coziness appealed to me as perfect for any time of year. Certainly a return trip, as we head into autumn and ice cream cones become a thing of fond roadside memories, is in order.

HOT&NOW: What’s hot and what’s happening now in the restaurant scene Paul Giorgio Taste of Shrewsbury Street redoux. The wildly successful Taste of Shrewsbury Street is launching a fall Taste on Columbus Day weekend. The Taste will take place 2-6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7. Same food, same fun. Buttons can be purchased

for $25 at participating restaurants or online at TasteShrewsburyStreet.com. Sponsors include Atlas Distributors, Pepsi, Maines and Infinity Valet.

Chili & Chowder winners. The fourth annual Worcester Chili & Chowder Fest

was held in September. Fourteen restaurants competed for the title of Best Chili or Best Chowder. Restaurants in Worcester’s Canal District swept the field. Chef

Chris O’Hara, of Maddie’s on Water Street, picked up four of the six prizes. He won second place for Best Chili, People’s Choice for Chili, second place in the Best Chowder category and the People’s Choice for Best Chowder. The

Dogfather, a perennial favorite, won Best Chili, while another Water Street eatery, Lock 50, garnered the Best Chowder award.

Blue Plate sold. The iconic Blue Plate in Holden has been sold by the family of

Tiny Stacy. The new owner is Tim Quinn, of Quinn’s Irish Pub in Worcester’s Greendale section. No word yet on what they plan to do with the place. If it is anything like the Worcester Quinn’s, it will be a home run.

Redemption comes in many ways. Redemption Rock Brewery will open soon at 333 Shrewsbury St. in Worcester, which is the old Coca-Cola building. The

brewery is named after Redemption Rock in Princeton. This is the place in Princeton where Mary Rowlandson, who was captured by Native Americans

during the King Philip War, was released in 1676. It will be owned by Dani Babineau and Greg Carlson. This is brewery number five for Worcester.

And speaking of beer. The Worcester Beer Garden opened the third week of

September at 64 Franklin St. in the city’s Grid District opposite the Worcester Common. The long-awaited beer garden will have more than three dozen beers on tap.

And more suds. HarvestFest, the fall edition of Brew Woo, will be held at The

DCU Center on Nov. 3. Tickets are priced at $38 and can be purchased online. There will be two sessions, the first from 1-4 p.m. and the second from 6-9 p.m.

It’s just across the parking lot. Meze Greek Tapas on Shrewsbury Street is

moving a few doors down Shrewsbury Street. Rumor has it that they have bought

the building that once housed Chameleon and prior to that, The Fix Burger Bar. Nice to keep them on the street. So, I guess a new restaurant may move into the space Meze now occupies. We will keep you posted.

The Murphy Triplets. First there was Funky, then along came Jose. Now, we have

Scruffy Murphys, the newest restaurant owned by the boys who own Shrewsbury Street’s Funky Murphys. Scruffy’s will be located on Worcester’s Chandler Street

in the space that most recently housed the Tatnuck Grill and Friendly’s before that.

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NEW AROUND THE WOO

KAI MOOK April Goddard Thai food is one of the most popular genres of food as of recently, and everyone

is looking for “The best place to get some pad thai.” But what does wholesome, authentic Thai cuisine really look like? Deep in the heart of Millbury lies a

unique hidden gem that offers not only authentic Thai street food, but can

accommodate customers with both vegetarian and gluten-free options for many dishes on their menu.

Kai Mook, owned by Lattham Rabin and Sudarat Srilum, is located at 3 Howe Ave., Millbury, and is already immensely popular among locals just a few months

after its July 8 grand opening. Upon entering, you are immediately welcomed

by the friendly people who run the establishment. The interior is thoughtfully

and colorfully decorated with art straight from Thailand sporadically displayed, making it a welcoming and casual family-friendly environment.

I had the opportunity to chat for a few minutes with Vana Tipjariyaudom (wife

of co-owner Lattham Rabin), who offered some insight into the origins of the menu. “We come from all corners of Thailand,” she said. “We try to sell the most popular [Thai] street food made from fresh ingredients...We try to keep true to roots.”

She said a lot of people come in asking “What really is Thai food? In response to this, the owners and staff at Kai Mook create only authentic dishes (the same that you would be able to find on street carts in Thailand) at reasonable

prices. “Just because it tastes good, does not mean the price needs to be high, so everyone can try this”.

Upon placing your order, staff proactively inquire about dietary needs

(vegetarian, gluten-free) and make appropriate suggestions for beverages, appetizers and entrees. My personal favorite way to start my meal is with their hibiscus tea or Thai tea. These are two of their most popular beverages, and for good reason: “We import the hibiscus flower [for the Hibiscus tea] from Thailand,” Tipjariyaudom said.

Appetizers start at just $4.99 and range in variety from Vegetarian Crispy Spring Rolls and Todd Mon Chicken to Curry Puffs and Cream Cheese Rangoons (the

latter with vegetarian options). Entries range from a variety of Thai soups like Tom Yum, to salads, stir fries and, my personal favorite, Red Curry.

When asked what the most popular dish was, Tipjariyaudom said, “The Pad Ka Pow and the soups are a number one favorite among customers.”

The menu is thoughtfully laid out with many options and opportunity to dive into authentic Thai street cuisine. Kai Mook is open for lunch and dinner MondaySaturday from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. For more information, visit kaimookmillbury.com.

October 2018

PULSEBREW: Stone Cow Brewery

Ryan Cashman If breweries were judged solely on location and facility, Stone Cow Brewery in Barre would, hands down, be the undisputed king. Carter & Stevens Farm is a 1,000-acre plot perched atop a hill with sweeping views – the white steeple of the Congregational Church just visible through the tree line – and home to five generations of dairy farmers and an enormous barnhouse beer garden. My fiancée and I had been wanting to check out the brewery for some time, so the news that Stone Cow started offering growlers (and our discovery of its popular barbecue) gave us an excuse to drive on up into the hills. We got a sampler flight of four: Gypsy Four-Star IPA (hazy, fruity and brewed with local hops), Bono Loco NE IPA (more haze and heavy on the citrus), Farmhouse Saison (peppery, but the smoothest to go down) and the Blue “Barre” Sour (made with blueberries fresh from the farm and delightfully crisp). Paired with them, some truly excellent barbecue, the most memorable being a tender and balanced pulled-pork sandwich. Unfortunately, our schedule for the coming weeks did not afford us the opportunity to indulge in a full growler of beer. Filling a 32-ounce or 64-ounce flagon is a tall order. Outwardly, it may not seem so, but once opened, a growler can be difficult to finish without company. An open growler needs to be consumed practically immediately. And seeing as we were not planning on having guests in the next two weeks – which is the generally agreed upon lifespan of a these large canteens of alcoholic suds – any beer we bought would’ve ended up going to waste. And one does not waste good beer. It’s always difficult to judge how certain drinks are going to affect you. It’s part of the reason why we have tastings, so we know what we like and what we don’t. Making a purchase and bringing something home is not only an act of trust on the part of the seller but also on the knowledge of the buyer, that they’ve been sold something they want. Luckily, for all of us here in Worcester County, Stone Cow is one of those businesses that will continue to rise in popularity and in trust and quality. And maybe next time we go, we’ll come home with a growler or two.

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SPORTS + FITN E S S

WORCESTER SCORES WOMEN’S HOCKEY TEAM Maxine Giza There is a new team in town – the Worcester Blades. At the end of August, the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) announced the relocation and renaming of the Boston Blades. The now Worcester Blades will play their 2018-2019 season at the Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center. The Blades are the latest addition to the sporting boom in the city. Over the summer, the Triple A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox announced that Worcester would be the team’s new home. The Blades’ strategic move was based on a couple of major factors, but most importantly, the need to be in a city with a strong, passionate hockey fan base. “They’ve had American Hockey League teams out here and now an East Coast Hockey League team. The one thing they lacked was a women’s professional league, so that was a huge draw for us,” said Derek Alfama, who was recently hired as the team’s general manager. When the team was playing in the Boston area, it was competing with the National Women’s Hockey League’s Boston Pride for fans. With the new Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center, the relocation seemed like a natural transition for the team. Prior to the move, the Blades played at the Larsen Skating Rink at the Mike Eruzione Center in Winthrop. The move marks the team’s second time being based out of Central Massachusetts, as several years ago, the team called the New England Sports Center in Marlborough home. “We’ve jumped around rinks in the past, and they’ve all

October 2018

been amazing to us, but I think we are excited to finally find a home,” said Megan Myers, forward for the Blades. “I’m so excited for us as a team, as an organization to get a fresh start, and I think Worcester is an awesome market for it.” The Blades are the only American-based team in the CWHL. The team, which dates back to 2010, won the league’s Clarkson Cup in 2013 and 2015. It’s been a bumpy road for the team more recently, so the new home, coupled with some new faces, may be just what the team needs to get back on track. “We’ve had some tough seasons in the past. With a new start, you have to wipe that all away,” said Myers. “We’ll be starting that new culture and camaraderie this season.” With a few other options to take in hockey in the city, such as the Worcester Railers of the ECHL and some college teams, there are a few reasons why fans will want to see what the Blades bring to the table. While checking isn’t formally allowed, the games are action-packed and more physical than one may think. “This is a tough league; we do push around a bit,” noted Myers. “We are very skilled. There is a lot of finesse; it’s all precision and good passing work.” Another incentive to check out the Blades this fall is the sheer caliber of athletes in the league. While there will be some new names on the Blades’ roster for the 2018-2019 season, fans will definitely see familiar faces. Multiple Olympians from the PyeongChang games play in the CWHL.

“If you loved watching the Olympics, you’ll love watching us play,” said Myers. “It’s watching the rivalry all season long.” As a child, Myers, who is also the assistant women’s hockey coach at Becker College, dreamed of being a professional hockey player, even though a women’s league didn’t exist at the time. Now, little girls can look up to professional female hockey players and know that being a paid athlete is a real possibility. That is part of the reason the Las Vegas native takes so much pride in her position as a role model for young athletes. “It’s an honor,” she said. “It’s pretty cool to say you play professional hockey. It’s even better to say you are growing the game of hockey. Growing women’s hockey everywhere.” Building awareness of the game is a big priority for the team, according to Alfama. “Our girls – I call them trailblazers because they are such great models – will be doing a lot of community service, getting involved with youth hockey programs,” he said. While the details are still being ironed out, Alfama anticipates some autograph sessions and opportunities to get to know the players. “It’s a grassroots effort for sure, and it’s not going to happen overnight. It’s going to take some (work), but we’re excited for the challenge.” The Blades regular season runs from October through March. The four other teams in the league are the Les Canadiennes Montreal, Calgary Inferno, Markham Thunder and the Toronto Furies. The Kunlin Red Star are based in China. For more information, visit Worcester.thecwhl.com.

FINDINGBALANCE: What’s your signature? Jennifer Russo

Celebrity chefs have their signature dish (like Gordon Ramsay’s Beef Wellington). Musicians have their signature song (like Michael Jackson’s Thriller). Many actors have their signature quotes (Arnold’s “I’ll be back,” for instance). It got me thinking. Then, I found a Buddhist quote that I thought was really compelling: “Every thought you produce, anything you say, any action you do, it bears your signature.”

Everything we do and think. If we give that some real thought, it makes a lot of sense. When we do or say something, it gives others a sense of who we are as a person. If all we do is walk around with a negative attitude, saying negative things, gossiping about others or complaining, we have now put it out there that we are a negative person, untrustworthy and not so much fun to be around. If we are consistently happy and smiling, helping people, being kind and optimistic, we have put it out there that we are a joyful person that people gravitate toward because it makes them feel good, too. We will become known by that personality, our signature.

If we put 100 percent into everything we do, whether that be cutting someone’s grass, building a house or getting that PowerPoint deck to look just right – our signature is attached. If we half-ass most things and just try to get them over with – our signature becomes that, too. I personally want anything with my name on it to be as good as it can be.

We need to be mindful of everything we put out into the world. We are creating our identity throughout our entire lives. Being our most authentic selves and showing we care about others and what we do, both in our work and personal lives, is critical. We need to consider what we have left behind us when our physical forms are no longer here. Did we leave a signature that people remember with a smile or an eye roll? First, consider carefully who you really are; then, consider if that is the person the world also sees. Does it match?

The pure light in me honors the pure light in you. Namaste.

thepulsemag.com

STYLE + B E A U TY

GOING PINK for October October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and many beauty companies are going pink and donating to the cause. Here are a few of our favorites!

Patti + Ricky Finding clothes can be challenging for any body type, but Patty + Ricky have made it easier for those with disabilities to find fashionable clothes that actually fit well. They strive to create an inclusive shopping experience for everyone and celebrate differences in body types. For the month of October, owner Alexandra Connell has researched clothes that make getting dressed easier after a mastectomy and while receiving treatments. Prices vary; pattiandricky.com.

Talbots Honors Breast Cancer Awareness Month Talbots has partnered with five internationally renowned female artists to create unique scarves that will be sold in Talbots stores and online. Each scarf is designed to

tell a story and showcases the strength of women struggling with breast cancer. During the month of October, 20 percent of net proceeds from these scarves will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. $79.50; Talbots.com.

Sabre Pink Pepper Spray Sabre has donated more than $1.55 million over the past 10 years to the National Breast Cancer Foundation from the proceeds of its Pink Pepper Spray. The donations

have allowed the foundation to provide life-saving treatment and preventive care to thousands of women in need. Their Pink Pepper Spray even comes with an instructional video for first time users! $11.99; sabrered.com.

Elemental Pink Bottle Twenty percent of proceeds from the Elemental Pink Bottle will be donated to Bright Pink during the month of October. Bright Pink is a national nonprofit focused

on the prevention and early detection of breast and ovarian cancer. The insulated Elemental Pink Bottle is perfect for professionals looking for a minimalist and modern style bottle to transport any drink, hot or cold. $34.99; elementalbottles.com.

October 2018

STYLESAVVY: Fall’s biggest trends

April Goddard If you can believe it, another summer has come and gone, and we are in the home stretch of 2018. Fall is officially here. The weather has gone from brutal and neverending humidity to chilly mornings and soft breezes. With cooler temps come the fall-only privileges of pumpkin spice coffee runs, warm apple pie and giving your air conditioning unit a rest for the season. But arguably, the most important things about fall is the fun in changing up your wardrobe, shoes, handbag, hair, etc. (says the fashion, beauty and lifestyle columnist). One of the best parts of a changing season is the opportunity for a change in you, however small. So, in honor of the idea of changing up your look, this month I have brought you some of fall’s biggest overall trends.

Cold brew hair While we’re on the topic of coffee, does anyone else love the fact that pumpkin spice is back at every local coffee shop on the block? (I know it will be my go-to flavor through December.) If you are just as excited about this coffee kick as I am and want this to translate to your overall fall look, try the newest hair highlighting trend known as the “cold brew” look. This dark-root-to-light-brunette transition is staying put for this season, fondly recognizable by its unmistakable coffee-hitby-cream color.

Boho bag Crossbody bags have been in for a while, and even though they are still considered a hot commodity, a less-structured look has been hitting the streetwear scene this season. Slightly oversized, somewhat slouchy, but never sloppy, boho-inspired handbags are making a serious comeback. These are great to pair with an already relaxed look and are handy, given that they can fit more stuff than their smaller, crossbodied cousins. These bags can just as easily be paired with a more dressedup look if it consists of a neutral color or renowned print or monogram.

The lob I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: The lob is not going anywhere. I myself had a huge hair overhaul and chopped off about 8 inches in favor of a more chic, effortless and, frankly, much lower maintenance haircut. Instead of the traditional, shoulder-grazing look, opt for an inch or two below traditional lob length with no layers and minimal angling to give your hair the illusion of some extra volume.

Dark mocha nails The only unfortunate part of this change in season is that we are, quite literally, losing daylight. These darker days can be paired with some darker choices in nail color, especially dark mocha. (Can we sense a coffee theme here?) Dark mocha is a bold, chic, yet neutral way to wear nail polish this season to appear festive and not overdone. Think coffee with just a touch of cream, and pair it with a wardrobe full of warm-toned neutrals. However you do fall, take an opportunity this change of season to make a change in you, big or small. One of the best ways to stay motivated as the days get shorter and a little more chilly is to find one or two seasonal commodities that get you excited. Plus, who doesn’t love a little change in the scenery every now and then?

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STEALTHESTYLE: Keep it simple Jamie Burke Sometimes, the smallest changes make the biggest impact. I have always said

one can of paint can change a whole room, and the look and feel of a beautiful space can change your mood and mindset. The trend of grays are slowly coming

to an end. I have enjoyed them, but admittedly, they are safe, sometimes boring

and, well, just gray. The latest trend, however, caught me by surprise. It was super unexpected, and I did a few double takes. But in the end, I needed to try this

simple change for myself to see if it was worthy. Hold on to your paint brushes; the new, chic way to update your space at home or work is the simplest concept in painting. Ready? White walls, black windows. That’s it. Sounds awful! It is actually

hard to even picture. In a few short hours, or even a day or two of painting, you can have a crisp, refreshing, hip, modern, reflective and magazine-inspired space.

Supplies •

2- to 3-inch cut in brush

•

Roller

• • • • • • • • •

1-inch window trim brush Tray

Small craft brush

Froggy Painter Tape Razor

Gold metallic spray paint

Behr Black Satin with primer Behr Ultra White flat

Benjamin Moore White Dove semi-gloss

Steps 1. Spend the time taping everything off. It is tedious. It is annoying. Some

paint will peel anyway. Just take the time to prep well. Wipe down all the surfaces and fill and sand holes with plaster if necessary. Remove hardware

from windows. Prepping is the most important step in the process. Do not skimp!

2. Tape windows off well. Open the bottom of the window slightly and be ready to leave it open for a bit. Paint the bottom portion of the window first

with the black paint and a 1-inch brush. Open the window into the room, if possible, as if you were cleaning the outside of the window. Let dry and repeat on all bottom portions of the windows in the room before touching the tops. Paint trim in White Dove with a 2- or 3-inch brush. Repeat this

step twice around the room, so everything has two coats. Take the window

hardware and spraypaint it gold. Spray the hardware at least twice and leave lots of time for it to dry in between.

3. Roll the walls with the Ultra White and cut in where necessary. Before you take your second lap around the room, paint the upper windows with the

black, using the same process you used on the window bottoms. Give two – maybe even three – coats to the walls.

The simplicity of this look gives the room a quiet and sleek sophistication with a chic, cutting edge. You have to see to believe, but give it a try!

October 2018

NORTH COUNTY • DINING • ENTERTAINMENT • NIGHTLIFE • SHOPPING • NORTH COUNTY • DINING • SHOPPING

NORTH COUNTY • DINING • ENTERTAINMENT • NIGHTLIFE • SHOPPING • NORTH COUNTY • DINING • ENTERTAINMENT • NIGHTLIFE • SHOPPING

NORTH COUNTY • DINING • ENTERTAINMENT • NIGHTLIFE • SHOPPING • NORTH COUNTY • DINING • SHOPPING