Pulse Magazine by Pulse Magazine

NOVEMBER 2011

NOW SERVING Zorba’s Taverna: Everyone Say, “Opa!”

ON THE COVER FOUR YEAR STRONG at Green Hill Park Photo by: Justin Hammond of Flash House Studios

IN THIS ISSUE ON THE COVER 6

NEW ON THE SCENE: Mahoney’s: What a Difference a Makeover Makes

NOW SERVING Zorba’s Taverna: Everyone Say, “Opa!”

Four Year Strong

ENTERTAINMENT

EXCLUSIVE ON-LINE CONTENT @ THEPULSEMAG.COM ENTERTAINMENT

Comedian Dan Levy: Life Is Funny

Our Lives in Motion

SPORTS & FITNESS

Trebek Is Back!

UP AND COMERS CD: Go’s Fairground Serenade BAND: Thistle & Twine BAND: Bovachevo

The Biggest Winner “Biggest Loser” contestant Jessica Limpert talks about how she lost it.

THE SKINNY Combatting the Freshman 15

TOURS AND NEW RELEASES

ON CD Wayne Static’s Pighammer Grand Hotel’s In Color Matthew Bonazzoli’s Quiet Little Towns The Trews’ Hope & Ruin

The Glowing Green Smoothie

ART & CULTURE

Sweat? Who, Us?

ART & CULTURE

Davis Art Gallery Exhibit: Alternative Focus

CLUB & COFFEEHOUSE LISTINGS

The Wachusett Music Series

PULSE SHOTS

STYLE & BEAUTY

Artist Julie Carlson ~ Into the Fire

STYLE & BEAUTY

COOL CAREERS Michael McMenemy, Master of the Graphic Novel

Sizes, Spanx, and Sucking It All In: A Figurative Observation

PULSEAPPS Star In A Glossy Magazine Spread with “Click, You’re It!” ~ The New Facebook App From Smashbox

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The Keyport Slide ~ Everything He Needs

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DINING & ENTERTAINING 34

REVIEW: Pho Dakao

HOT AND NOW

PULSEBREW ‘Tis the Season for… Inﬁnium Ale!

PULSECOCKTAILS Sip into Fall with New Cocktails from Tommy Bahama

Portishead’s Long-Awaited Return to the Stage

LIFESTYLE 30

REVIEW: Deadmau5’s Killer Show

Get Red Carpet Ready with OnGossamer!

COLLEGE 52

Assumption College’s “Crazy Stupid Love”

The One CD You MUST Have This Semester: Blink 182’s Neighborhoods

Keep Your Dorm Room Smelling Yummy!

PULSEBEAUTYBAG COLLEGE Worcester Art Museum and College of the Holy Cross Students Collaborate on “Tableaux Vignets” DINING & ENTERTAINING PULSEBREW: A Sneak Peek at Samuel Adams’ Single Batch Grifﬁn’s Bow

Get Whipped with CREAM AlcoholInfused Whipped Cream!

Paul Giorgio, Publisher Lara Dean, Sr. Editor Justin Perry, Art Director Katelyn Putelis, Graphics & New Media Designer Chris Reddy, Tony Troiano, Aaron Walker, Account Executives David Simone, Sales Consultant Kim Dunbar, Sports Editor Elise French, Copy Editor Frank Poulin, Special Concerts Photographer

Jillian Locke, Tine Roycroft, Jennifer Russo, Cristal Steuer, Bernard Whitmore, Steph Moore, Alex Kantarelis, Rachel Shuster, Bruce Sullivan, Kimberly Dunbar, Sasha Fastovskiy, Sam Blier, P. Giorgio, Matt Holcomb, Cristal Steuer, Susan Miller, Katey Khaos, Craig Lindberg, Elise French, Rick Garner, Hillary Stone, Leslie Roberts, Writers

PULSE Magazine is produced 12 times a year by Pagio Inc., 88 Winter St., Worcester, MA 01604. (508) 756-5006. Copyright 2011. 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

NOV. 2011 | THEPULSEMAG.COM 5

ON THE COVER

By Jillian Locke

Photo by Justin Hammond of Flash House Studios

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Four Year Strong perform at the House of Blues, Boston on 10.16.2011 Photo by Justin Perry

“It’s just so weird, when I think about last year it seems so far away in my brain, but it still seems like everything happened so fast,” Dan O’Connor, vocalist and guitarist for Worcester’s own Four Year Strong, reflects. In 2010, FYS joined the Vans Warped Tour, played the Soundwave Festival in Australia, the Slam Dunk Festival in Hatfield and Leeds, and the Bamboozle Festival, and headlined the Tonight We Feel Alive! Tour with Comeback Kid, The Wonder Years, American Fang, and Mountain Man. After nearly a decade of relentless touring and sticking with the vision they shared as junior high and high schoolers, O’Connor, vocalist/ guitarist Alan Day, bassist Joe Weiss, and new drummer, Jake Massucco are joining the ranks of Bane, Silent Drive, The Acacia Strain, Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall, and All That Remains as another local Worcester band who’s made it big and is proudly putting...no, make that keeping!...our city on the map. This past year FYS kept with the set pace, and ~ along with joining Rise Against and Bad Religion at the House of Blues ~ found themselves right back at the Lansdowne venue last month, where they headlined the Alternative Press Tour with Gallows, Title Fight, The Swellers, and Sharks. On the eighth of this month, they’ll see the release of their fourth studio album, In Some Way, Shape, or Form, out on Universal Republic records. “We’re doing a proper tour for our CD release ~ some of the bigger venues we’ve ever had, and more press than we’ve ever had out.” OK ~ let’s rewind. Let’s take a step back from the new album and the monster festivals and tours to see exactly at what point the boys realized that something ~ something bigger and monumentally better ~ was happening. “The first time we really felt like things were taking off was 2009 or 2010. We toured with New Found Glory, then we did Reinventing the Wheel with Avalanche. There were actually people there and they actually know the songs and we’re not a few blocks from our house. People actually have our Tt-shirts on and are singing the words and crawling all over each other. That was the time we had actually realized something bigger was happening,” O’Connor recalls. NOV. 2011 | THEPULSEMAG.COM 7

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Four Year Strong perform at the House of Blues, Boston on 10.16.2011 Photo by Justin Perry This year marks the band’s 10 year anniversary. Way back in 2001, FYS was pounding the chords and the skins, creating a certain unique chemistry that would keep them rolling forward, together. “We were in high school and everybody has their stupid high school band; people change bands a million times and then they ﬁnally have their one band that takes off, but we stayed the same band,” says O’Connor. “People say our sound really changed, but it’s like Jake was 13 and in seventh grade when we started. There’s a weird feeling we get about this band because we’ve been together for so long and been working at it for so long ~ we feel like we did it ourselves; it just feels like there’s a lot of pride in it for us and the fact that we can do what we do is amazing.” They’ve been forging forward together and building their musical family, and the result is an ever-expanding production of off-the-wall friends and the predictable antics and tomfoolery that not only makes for a great time, but for great videos as well. The video for “Tonight We Feel Alive! (On a Saturday)” was a direct result of all of that pride and camaraderie that O’Connor and the boys infuse into everything they do. “We kind of really like to get ridiculous with things like that ~ we always seem to come up with something that makes us laugh a lot and should remain an inside joke, but we kind of just roll with it. We’re all from Massachusetts and we have a lot of New England pride, and just the thought of doing a Revolutionary War video and having that New England/Boston video

just always felt cool to us. When we finally found the director [Tom Colella], we talked to him and told him our idea, he just got really stoked on it and we gave him free reign. It was us verses the red coats, and we shot it in three days. We were on our way out to Warped Tour, so we worked it out so that everyone on our bus was in the video too. We’re going to work with Tom again to do a video for our new record.” Speaking of which, In Some Way, Shape, or Form is a landmark effort and deviation in a few ways. “This record has kind of been a big deal for our band in the sense that this is the first we’re doing as a four piece,” as they parted ways with keyboard player Josh Lyford in April. “It’s the fourth record on our fourth label, and it’s our first as a four piece. We went into studio in January, then took a two month break for the Rise Against/Bad Religion tour, then went back into the studio and slaved over this record more than we ever have. It’s going to sound like FYS but with different twists ~ we really set out to challenge ourselves and evolve ourselves with this one.” The departure of Lyford meant the departure of synths from the band’s trademark pop-punk/keyboard sound. From 2007’s Rise or Die Trying to their 2009 nostalgic cover album Explains it All and last year’s Enemy of the World, In Some Way, Shape, or Form is set to deliver a new band, a revamped sound, and a new NOV. 2011 | THEPULSEMAG.COM 9

platform from which to deliver it. “We were on Universal Motown, but they sold it not too long ago, and are no longer a label, so now we’re technically on Universal Republic.” As for the path that led them to Universal: “I Surrender was our ﬁrst label with Rob Hitt, our manager. When we signed to Universal, we explained we still wanted to be partly on I Surrender. Rob has always been another member of the band, and we wanted to technically still have a little piece of us on I Surrender Records. We’ve been a really lucky band because we’ve been able to ﬁnd a lot of people who have become kind of family to us throughout our career, and we never want to leave anybody behind that’s put a lot of work into the band. We’ve been lucky to work with people and labels who have allowed us to grow our team and take them along with us.” There’s also another large population that they’d like to see grow with them: their fans. Their recent decision to remove the synth from the band came naturally and organically. “We made the decision while writing the new songs. There just wasn’t any room for the synth. We had been thinking about it for a while, but it just made sense then.” Their approach to the fan’s reactions also came just as easily as the change. “We weren’t nervous about the fans’ reaction, really. I mean, we basically knew how they would react, but at the end of the day, we made the decision we needed to make,” O’Connor asserts. This mind-frame is consistent with the entire energy through which FYS exists and creates; they do what they want, they play what they want, they put out the records they want, and at the end of the day, they just hope their fans will enjoy the whimsical, high-volume, offthe-wall pop-punk rollercoaster ride they’ve been constructing ~ and join them for the ride. “At the end of the day, we don’t have any regrets in this band, because there’s no point. Of course I know that we owe everything we have to the fans, and I am unbelievably grateful. But this band is still our lives ~ we don’t take days off. Even if we aren’t on tour, it’s all we do. This band has ALWAYS been about having fun and writing the music we want to write. If we did it any different, we’d be lying to our fans.” So ~ how have the fans reacted? According to O’Connor, “The reaction so far has actually been pretty good. I mean, there are obviously people who aren’t stoked on it, but we knew that was going to happen...but that was the point ~ we wanted to challenge our fans. There have been bands that I’ve loved and lost interest in as they continued to put out records because they never changed or progressed. They became stale. Some of my favorite bands in the world put out records that challenged their fans ~ New Found Glory’s Coming Home,

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Photo by Justin Hammond of Flash House Studios

Four Year Strong perform at the House of Blues, Boston on 10.16.2011 Photo by Justin Perry

Saves the Day’s Stay What You Are, The Starting Line’s Direction. All of those bands put out a record that showcased their ability to write different types of songs, and most of the time those became my favorite records. The thing that I don’t think some of our fans realize is that just because this record is different than our old stuff doesn’t mean that we are no longer going to play our old stuff, and it boggles my mind. I think with this record and the songs on it, fans will find that we have a more well-rounded live show. Our other two prominent records are full-on up-tempo the entire time. We’ve never written a mid-tempo song before this record, so now when we make a live set, we can make the set actually have rises and dips in different types of energy. Some fans need to realize that this is a RECORD, not a brand new band. We’ve always said, from the moment we did our first interview about Rise or Die, that we would NEVER put out the same record twice. Anyone expecting to hear another Rise or Die, or Enemy of the World, or even In Some Way, Shape, or Form, will be disappointed.” Self-assured and secure in who they are and want they want, FYS also wants what everyone ~ musician or otherwise ~ wants: to be able to make it on their own, on their own terms. “Our dream is to get to a point where we’re self sufficient ~ working with Republic has been one of the coolest things our band has been able to do, and has opened up a whole new world for us. It actually runs low key, and we never feel left behind. Things are working out really great right now, and we’re really, really excited. We all have really good feelings about things but have no idea what’s come in the next year...we are going to play our annual holiday show in Worcester obviously ~it’s gonna rule! And we’re starting to plan a few overseas things ~ Southeast Asia and Japan in January and February, then probably do what this band does best, and tour tour tour until the wheels fall off!” But what’s really next for the fearless foursome? “Most likely, we will write a west coast gangster rap record, and will no longer play shows live; we will only play shows via satellite. Also we are all switching instruments. Jake is going to be the next singer of Four Year Strong. Oh, and our name will change to a symbol, most likely it’ll just look like a penis though.” You heard it here first! www.fouryearstrongmusic.com

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ENTERTAINMENT

Comedian Dan Levy - Life Is Funny By Jennifer Russo

Most of us know Dan Levy as a regular guest at the round table on the hilariously improper late night hit “Chelsea Lately,” but his professional story actually began when he won the Funniest College Comedian award in Aspen, Colorado back in 2001. From a young age, though, always assumed that he would do something in the world of entertainment. Now he’s also the winner of Young Hollywood’s Comedian of the Year award, has established himself as one of the best improvisational comedians and funniest sitcom writers over the last decade, and has one of TV’s hottest actresses for a wife. Not too shabby for a former Emerson student who used to live off Ramen noodles, walking around Boston Common looking for some good herbal fun, right? “Going to Emerson was great because there’s really no campus; you have to walk through the city to get there. It’s deﬁnitely one of the best cities to

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go to college in. It’s also a great comedy city with some great clubs and a lot of history and I love that I got my start there.” Along with his gig on “Chelsea,” Dan recently did a stand up tour with Aziz Ansari, during which he worked on material for his new album, Congrats on Your Success, which was released in August and has already made it to #3 on iTunes. One joke from that album is his “Whateva Whateva Shoes” story about his sneaker fetish and a run in with Justin Timberlake. It has a hilarious animated video that goes along with it that quickly went viral. Drawing the bulk of his comedy from real stories and events in his life, Dan takes observational humor and storytelling to a farcical place where you can vacation from the doldrums of your work day and laugh until your

eyes tear up. His cynical brand of humor is sometimes absurd but always entertaining ~ and it doesn’t just make you laugh, it sometimes even makes you think. I asked him how his wife, Rachel Specter, feels about being the butt of some of his jokes and he tells me, “Oh she loves it and wishes there were more of them. She loves the attention!” So…what exactly does Dan find funny? “LIFE is funny ~ it inspires me,” he says. “I think about everyday life, why things happen and why there’s humor in it. This is a 5 or 6 day a week job. I’m paid to think of jokes and of course there is huge pressure in that, but I’m used to it and I get to work with some super funny people who make my job even better.” One of these super funny people is Whitney Cummings, star of the new Fall sitcom show “Whitney,” on which Dan is one of the writers. He assures us the show is going to be one of the best new offerings out there this season. He also has another show called “Stevie TV” coming up next year on VH1 which he collaborates on with the very funny Stevie Ryan. “Right now I’m sick of myself ~ I do love performing, but I also love writing for other people and collaborating with other friends in the business so that’s what I’m doing until the next tour,” says Dan. About his choice of profession, Dan tells me that “…the most difficult thing about being a comedian is grasping the fact that it takes time. The older you get, the better you get and the more experience you have the better your jokes are, so basically when I’m 85 I’ll be the funniest I’ve ever been.” Catch Dan well before he’s performing for the elderly at his nursing home in Aspen ~ check out his CD release Congrats on Your Success on iTunes or purchase it on Amazon and be on the lookout for him in the area when he starts his stand-up tour beginning in April ‘12. You can also see some sidesplitting videos, tour schedule and current news on his official website: www. danlevyshow.com, and of course tune it to E! to watch Dan and the rest of the “Chelsea Lately” gang make fun of…well, just about everyone!

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Our Lives In Motion By Alex Kantarelis Worcester’s own ambient rock band Our Lives In Motion has continued their speedy rise through the local scene and has crafted their distinctive sound into a new record called Stages. They have spent the last year gaining respect from various avenues and look to continue their rise going into 2012. The band is the brainchild of vocalist Dave Beaudreau and guitarist Tony Langone, who set out to start a project that was completely original in both style and sound. “We had no intent on modeling ourselves after any particular band but instead just writing straight from the heart and reinforcing this with a go big or go home attitude which we still hold true to,” Beaudreau said. The two of them spent the summer of 2009 recording demos and brainstorming ideas. As the first batch of songs started to unfold, they were joined by Camden Harrison on bass and Jeff Amadei on drums. Together, the quartet began playing shows and writing songs, developing a fresh sound all their own. It didn’t take long for things to get rolling for OLIM. In 2010, they were named one of purevolume.com’s top 20 unsigned bands, and won the Vans Warped Tour Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands. They finished off the year by sculpting their unique blend of rock, melody, and ambiance into their debut EP Salvation in Secrets, and scored Earshot Media as their publicity machine. As 2011 hit, they continued to play shows and get the attention of everyone who heard them, eventually finding themselves returning to the studio to record a follow up. Drawing influences from a variety of different genres of music, and keeping their no-limit thought process, OLIM delivered their second EP, Stages, which was a step in a slightly new direction (and was produced by Brooks Paschal, who has produced such bands as There For Tomorrow and Paramore). “It displays our lighter yet still edgy side and allows listeners to see a different side of us but still get that OLIM

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sound,” Beaudreau said, who takes pride in their ability to making songs their fans can really relate to, while still keeping things interesting. “We wanted our fans to see how versatile we could be when it came to writing and give them a taste of things to come,” he said. 2011 also saw the guys hit the ampmagazine.com radar and get a coveted interview with the online mag. Some of the new songs are heavy hitting, while other songs lean more towards the melodic side. Beaudreau credits a variety of influences in shaping the songs of OLIM. “Surprisingly enough you can find me listening to a huge variety of music anywhere from country, classic rock, to metal,” he said. Taking that into account is what places OLIM on a different category from your run of the mill local band. They manage to leave no stone unturned as they create their tunes. “I feel it’s extremely important to be well versed in all genres of music in order to broaden creativity. This is a very important aspect of our writing style as a band. Our open mindedness to music in general is what has really molds our sound,” Beaudreau said. The future sure looks bright for this band, as they will be spending 2012 playing lots of shows and working on their first full length album. Of course, they will also be shopping themselves to record labels, trying to be the next big band to come out of the 508. Keep your eyes out for them. For a free stream of their records, check them out on purevolume.com by searching Our Lives In Motion. www.myspace.com/ourlivesinmotion www.facebook.com/ourlivesinmotion PS ~ And to the band Anberlin, if you’re looking for an opening act, OLIM would love to fill that slot!!

Trebek Is Back! By Alex Kantarelis

Worcester rock band Trebek has decided it’s time for a comeback! The band, named after the famous “SNL” celebrity “Jeopardy” skit where Will Ferrel plays Alex Trebek, called it quits almost 2 years ago, when the “real world” stepped in the way; it seemed as though the band was ﬁnished, but luckily for Worcester and the rest of Central MA, they are back ~ and stronger than ever. Trebek was born in 2005 when vocalist Matt Dionne and bassist Mike Kelly got together to start a new band. Things took off quickly as they found themselves playing everywhere in MA, soon to be followed by shows all over New England. They played at pretty much every venue within a 100 mile radius of Worcester ~ including Gillette Stadium ~ and reached out to Philly and New York as well. Most local bands simply hope to play gigs and draw large enough audiences so that they’ll be asked back to play again. But Trebek had different plans. They took home not one, but four Pulse Worcester Music Awards in 2006 and had a very strong top 5 placing at a Battle of the Bands in Boston that thousands of bands entered. In 2008, they had a song play on TV during the Patriots game. But as they continued their rise, things started to level off. Shows became the same old story every time, and nothing new was happening. “It just got a little stale for us. We had all been in bands before. A few of us were presented with

other opportunities, so we decided to split up,” Dionne said. But going their separate ways did not ruin the relationship among the members. “There were no band blow ups or anything too crazy,” Dionne shared. After a year and a half apart, the band was presented with an opportunity to reunite for a beneﬁt show. “To have the fans come out again and sing all the songs, it was just a great feeling,” Dionne remembered. Getting back together to play re-invigorated the guys, and suddenly they found themselves back in the studio recording their 2nd full length album, In The Dark, which came out earlier this year. “[The album] is the best thing I’ve ever been involved in, and I think we all feel the same way,” said Dionne, who made it a point to stress that they didn’t just record an album but are back full force. The future of the band seems bright. They plan on playing out in the college scene as much as possible and continuing their shows across New England and the Northeast, with their sites set on reaching out to the rest of the country soon as well. Keep your eyes open for them, because they are not a band that should be overlooked.

www.trebekband.com

NOV. 2011 | THEPULSEMAG.COM 17

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Go’s Fairground Serenade

Bovachevo

By Alex Kantarelis Central MA band Go has blazed new ground with their second full length album. Longtime veterans of the Worcester music scene John Docimo (keyboards, rhythm guitar, and vocals) and Chris Tomaiolo (lead guitar) have paired up with Henry James (bass) and Mike Murdo (drums) to create a band that is well worth your attention. OK, so maybe “Up and Comer” suggests that these guys are newbies, which is far from the case, since the band has been kicking for more than10 years, getting their start way back in 2000 when they released their ﬁrst CD, Go!. The band did spend the next few years focusing on live shows before eventually deciding it was time to record a follow- up. But, since these guys have real jobs and real lives, and of course suffer from musicians’ perfectionism, it took time…a little bit more than they expected, in fact. “It was about 5 months of work, which we stretched into 4 years,” said Docimo. The end result is a 10 track disc called Fairground Serenade, which shows off the band’s chemistry and songwriting ability that has a certain level of maturity which most younger bands don’t. While Docimo and Tomaiolo have been playing in Go for over a decade, their musical history goes back to even before that. In 1981, they played together in a band called Sage that won the battle of the bands at E.M. Lowes (now known as The Palladium). Their chemistry never waned, and when they reached their 30s they decided it was time to start a new band. “We always hung out together and played songs together, so eventually we decided let’s put a band together,” Docimo said. Even with the new CD out and available, Docimo insists that the best way to hear the band is live. “We have a lot of energy and we really explode live. You hear the song on the CD and it’s not how we do it live,” he said. So be sure to check out their new CD, but don’t stop there ~ deﬁnitely check them out live, too.

Thistle & Twine By Matthew Holcomb Worcester’s own Thistle & Twine stirs up satisfyingly under-produced sounds, fashioning intimate storytelling experiences over the span of two EP releases. These folk inspired acoustics ~ elevated by airy violin and piano accompaniment and infused with a hearty influence of pop rock ~ are a welcomed fusion of genre and sound. “I always found the storytelling side of music very fascinating,” said Thistle & Twine’s vocalist and songwriter Behzad Massah. “That’s what I based my music on. If I were to perform in Europe, I hope they would still be able to feel and experience the same things I’m singing about despite the language differences.” Thistle & Twine’s first album, Asking For Rain, is the product of a collaborative effort between Massah and two other Worcester musicians, Josh Knowles and Dave Anthony ~ members of the folk-indie rock group Nemes. “I always had a good connection with them through the Worcester music scene,” said Massah, “I wanted a fun group to work with and we just went with it. I only had the rhythm and vocals written, so we wrote a lot of new music as we recorded the album and finished the whole process in just two days.” Massah wrote and recorded his second album, Songs of Love and Heartbreak, in similar speedy, improvised fashion and is currently writing Thistle & Twine’s third EP release. Early in the process, Massah already notes a striking difference in his newest effort: “This album will be less organic and a bit more driven,” said Massah. “It will have a more full band sound than my last two albums. It should be a lot different.” Thistle & Twine’s Asking For Rain and Songs of Love and Heartbreak are generously offered free to stream or as purchasable downloads at thistletwine. bandcamp.com.

By Katey Khaos Let’s start off by answering the question that is on everyone’s mind after seeing the band’s name ~ what the hell does “Bovachevo” mean? To put it simply, Bovachevo is a Peruvian word meaning “grave plant.” Peruvians used Bovachevo, which is red, to create a drink called “tonga,” which they believed would enable them to communicate with the dead. Now that we’ve got that squared away, let’s talk about why these guys rock! Bovachevo is one of Worcester’s very own and is Eric John Yankus-Franco (a bartender at the awesome Ralph’s Diner), Greg Olson, Mike Finch and Liam Sullivan. (Fun fact: Bovachevo actually began as an instrumental band, and their music didn’t contain any lyrics whatsoever until YankusFranco joined the mix later on.) It’s hard to pin these guys down to a single genre because their music takes bits and pieces of so many genres to create a brand new, ear-shattering sound. To help give you an idea as to whom or what Bovachevo sounds like, their inﬂuences include Black Flag, Drive Like Jehu, and the Dead Kennedys. Bovachevo’s music is loud, fast and angry, but don’t take them at purely face value! Take their latest EP, Ancient Skeletons, for example ~ upon ﬁrst play-through of the album you might be left with the impression that these guys are just angry about everything…but you’d be WRONG! Their music is actually [sneakily] positive and humorous with song subjects ranging from Greek mythology (OK, positive AND brainy!) to movies like Pee Wee’s Big Adventure. Did I mention that these guys are a blast live, too? Their crazy amount of energy and passion for their music rubs off onto their fans and then look out, it’s chaos both onstage and in the pits! Be sure to check out Ancient Skeletons at www. bovachvo.bandcamp.com NOV. 2011 | THEPULSEMAG.COM 19

ON CD Wayne Static’s Pighammer By Jennifer Russo

Do not judge a CD by its cover. When I picked up my copy of Pighammer my initial thought of the album image was, “Really? What the f**k?” I admit it. Granted, this guy looks like a cross between a psychotic Sonic the Hedgehog and Mugatu (Will Ferrell’s character in Zoolander), but it’s all good…and so is his music. I found it unexpected and irresistibly catchy, a little bit of the trippy industrial accented with well- placed blasts of speed metal and a techno backdrop. The Static-X front man begins his long awaited solo-album with the title song, “Pighammer;” a gruesome story about a deranged plastic surgeon with an unhealthy obsession with pigs that endeavors to turn beautiful women into disgusting pieces of pork-art, but a closer listen reveals the song is a metaphor for life transformation and creative growth. “The Creatures are Everywhere” teleported me into a world of post apocalyptic machinery and jagged remnants of skyscrapers in a colorless, gray and dystopian society lorded over by robots. I’m not sure if that was Wayne’s intention, but that’s deﬁnitely where it brought me. Think the Terminator running around in the Matrix. I felt as though I wanted to be in a video game shooting at zombies. The overall feel of the album is technical yet gritty, high energy and yet zoned in. Wayne Static takes music in its most chaotic form, twists it around like a Rubik’s cube, and makes sense of it all. In the end, the colors line up and your brain feels like it ran a marathon. For more information on Wayne Static and Pighammer, check out his ofﬁcial web-page at www.waynestatic.com or check out his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/waynestatic.

Grand Hotel’s In Color By Bruce Elliot

I have awoken in an alternate universe ~ and no, not of the damn dirty ape variety. This one is a much more surprising upside-down musical world where the newest indie power-pop sensations emanate from Portland, ME. I know. I know. The apes thing is much more believable, but bear with me, because this sci-ﬁ tale comes with a happy ending (so to speak!). The band is called Grand Hotel, and their new CD, In Color, is catchier than an STD during a ten cent lap-dance. Vocalist / guitarist Kyle Gervais has all the indie pop swagger and attitude of a rebellious young Elvis Costello, with equal parts Adam Levine and Mick Jagger thrown in for good measure. His band mates, Glen Capen on guitar / vocals / keyboards, Jason Elvin on bass, and Aaron Lachance on drums, create a sonic power-pop tapestry with equal parts satin sheen and torn red ﬂannel. In Color is a dynamic aural experience which ranges from the guitar heavy, Costello-esque “Walken” to the indie-pop groove of “BoomBoomBoom.” The album’s strongest track is the soulful love plea “Denise.” Here, Gervais is

20 THEPULSEMAG.COM | NOV. 2011

at his best, moving easily from passionate rasp to smooth falsetto. In the tradition of girl-named pop songs, “Denise” is one of the best, with a killer white-soul vocal, strong back-beat, reverb-heavy guitar riff, and funky bass line. The entire album is a sublime pop experience that must be heard. Check out Grand Hotel’s In Color on iTunes, or at www.facebook.com/ grandhotelmusic .

ON CD Matthew Bonazzoli’s Quiet Little Towns By Alex Kantarelis Hudson, MA born Matthew Bonazzoli is known on the local music scene for his band Gearhead, which played quite a bit in Worcester until just a few years ago. After Gearhead, Bonazzoli moved to Florida and continued to write songs. His brother Damian, who did some time with Gearhead (and still lives in Worcester County) ﬂew down to help by adding some lead guitar to the recording. “He is a virtuoso guitarist, and has an undergraduate degree in music,” said Matthew. As the recording process rolled on, Bonazzoli found himself with 11 tracks of rock tunes that manage to cover every element of rock you can think of ~ and maybe a couple that you can’t. The result is Quiet Little Towns, a concept album about coming back to your home town for after the death of a loved one, and how different the world you know has become. “The album itself is a metaphor for the changing culture and the disappearing small town America,” he explained. Throughout the album, songs take twists that add a certain element of surprise that is really nice to hear. “Where Did Tomorrow Go” has a bit of a gospel blues feel to it, while “Most Beautiful Place in the World” has more of a swing or ragtime feel, which can be attributed to the piano work of Patrick Thompson, who really

evens out the band’s sound. “[Patrick] is a ragtime jazz piano player, and he plays like it’s 1922,” Bonazzoli said. But then things take a turn with “Every Color Blue,” which can easily pass as a punk song. It’s quite the eclectic (and magnetic) mix that Bonazzoli has put together on this album. With the genre mashup that Bonazzoli and his band has created, fans of real rock music will be psyched to hear the CD. Check it out, along with the Gearhead back catalogue, at Bonazzoli.com.

The Trews’ Hope & Ruin By Jennifer Russo

The Trews have already made quite the name for themselves with radio hits up in their homeland of Canada, but with their newest album offering, Hope & Ruin, they’re rocking the states as well. Having won four East Coast Music awards and boasting ﬁve Juno award nominations, working with notable music producers like Jack Douglas and Mike Fraser and sharing the stage with rock and roll heroes like the Rolling Stones and KISS, this band has catapulted themselves right over the industry’s brick wall. Their music struck me as highly commercial (not in the overdone sense, but in the appealing to a very wide crowd sense) and the lyrics are extremely well written and somewhat poetic. The band obviously strives to reach their audience and tap into real life emotion. True musicians, they told me that “It’s important to remain open to whatever it takes to serve the song and not get attached to any methodology.” The album ranges from the mellower and laidback rock style with ballads like “Burned,” and then picks up with heavier tunes like “People of the Deer,” a song title taken from a book the band saw on the shelf in the studio as they were writing. “It’s about a group of nomadic native Americans who move across the arctic tundra following the deer they’re hunting. I guess in a way a touring musician can relate to that lifestyle.” “The World I Know” ofﬁcial video takes you on a hallucinogenic tour of some “freak show party” with bikini clad pigs and a transvestite. Not really the world I know, but hey…

whatever floats ya! About their new album the band tells me, “It’s the most natural feeling album we’ve done and the most exploratory while staying within the parameters of what we do as a band. I don’t think we were 100% sure what kind of record we wanted to make, but by the time we found ourselves working in Bath we had hit a new stride and ideas were flowing effortlessly. It’s our most collaborative effort to date.” Check out The Trews on their official web-page at www.thetrewsmusic.com for news, media and tour info. They will be playing for us at Church in Boston on January 19th and may possibly have more Massachusetts dates coming up, so stay tuned!

NOV. 2011 | THEPULSEMAG.COM 21

Canal District

22 THEPULSEMAG.COM | NOV. 2011

Canal District

NOV. 2011 | THEPULSEMAG.COM 23

Club Listings

Happenings at clubs, bars, restaurants, coffee houses, & other select venues ATTENTION CLUB OWNERS!!

All listings MUST be entered into Social Web (socialweb. net) NO LATER than November 15 to be included in our December print issue. 3-G’s Sports Bar 152 Millbury St., Worc., 508-754-3516 Fri. Pete the Polak, DJ Tue. Orlando’s Underdog Comedy Open Mic Fri. DJ Pete the Polock Sat. Open Mike Comedy Mon. Karaoke With Mike Rossi American Grafﬁti 113 Summer St., Lunenburg, 978-345-1010 Banner Pub, The 112 Green St., Worc., 508-755-0879 Tue. Terry Brennan / Live Wed. thru Nov 30 Sam James Thur. thru Nov 24 Ricky Duran Bar 2011 274 Shrewsbury St., Worcester Barber’s Crossing Road House 861 Main St., Leicester, 508-892-7575 Barbers Crossing (North) 175 Leominster Rd., Sterling 978-422-8438, barberscrossing.com Beatnik’s 433 Park Ave., Worc. 508-926-8877, beatniksbeyou.com Nov 3 The Smile Makers Nov 4 Gorilla Radio Nov 5 Sunlea CD Release Party Nov 10 Ukulele Thursdays with Rich “Amazing Dick” Leufstedt Nov 11 DPR (Danny Pease & The Regulators) Nov 12 The Silence, 99 Moon Nov 17 Two Hour Mic Check Nov 18 Ska-Prest, Riki Rocksteady, Navarone Reggae Sound System Nov 19 Wolfman Conspiracy, Seed Nov 25 Ed n’ Da Ve with T and friends... Nov 26 Fungus Amungus Beemer’s Pub 114 River St., Fitchburg, 978-343-3148 Black Sheep Tavern 261 Leominster Rd., Sterling, 978-422-8484 Thur. thru Nov 24 Karaoke Sat. thru Nov 26 Live Music Tue. thru Nov 29 Pop Team Trivia Sun. Nov 6 - Nov 27 Ton of Blues Bah Jam Blackstone Tap 81 Water St., Worc. 508-797-4827, blackstonetap.com BLU Ultralounge & Nightclub 105 Water St., Worc. 508-756-2227, blu-nightclub.com Blue Plate Lounge 661 Main St., Holden, 508-829-4566 hometown.aol.com/blueplatelounge Nov 25 Dubble D & The Khaos Junkies Boiler Room 70 Winter St., Worc. Bolton Roadhouse Bar & Grille 544 Wattaquodock Rd., Bolton 978-365-5757, 978-365-3036 Boulder Cafe 880 Main St., Fitchburg, 978-345-0008 Breakaway Billiards 104 Sterling St., Clinton, 978-365-6105 myspace.com/breakawaybilliardsclinton

Nov 5 Latino Night with DJ Pedro Nov 11 Hip Hop Night - 4 Acts Nov 12 Mud Soup Nov 26 XRB Band Brew City 104 Shrewsbury St., Worc. 508-752-3862, brew-city.com

Bull Run Restaurant 215 Great Rd, Shirley 978-425-4311, bullrunrestaurant.com Nov 3 The Tubes w/ Fee Waybill Nov 4 Jeffery Broussard & the Creole Cowboys Nov 5 Susy Bogguss Nov 11 Roy Book Binder Nov 13 John Waite Nov 17 Ryan Cabrera Nov 18 Shemekia Copeland Nov 19 Air Trafﬁc Controller and Liz Longley Cafe Destare 320 Main St., Fitchburg 978-345-5734, destare.com Fri., Sat. Nov 4 - 26 DJs Friday & Saturdays Nov 10 Andy Cummings Nov 16 Jo Jo & Patch Industry Night Nov 17 Glenn Bouchard Nov 25 Salsa Passions Cantina Bar & Grill 385 Main St., Worc. 508-459-5325, cantinaworcester.com Celtic Tavern 45 Belmont St., Northborough 508-366-6277, celtictav.com Thur. thru Nov 24 Celtic Idol Thursdays! Mon. Open Mic Night w/ Bill McCarthy Local Musicians Showcase! Nov 4 Hit the Bus Nov 5 Chris Reddy Acoustic Loops from Hell Nov 11 Electric Barrelhouse Nov 12 Jediah & Aaron Nov 18 Tony Gahan Band Nov 19 48 Miles Nov 23 Thanksgiving Eve wSam James Nov 25 5 on Friday Center Bar & Grill 102 Green St., Worc. 508-438-0597, thecenterbar.com Centerfolds 2000 139 Southbridge St., No. Oxford 508-987-5222, centerfolds2000.com Chopstick’s Restaurant & Lounge Commercial Rd, Leominster Fri., Sat. Nov 25 - 27 Touched - Classic Rock and 80s Pop Christopher’s Pub 7 Pleasant St. Leominster, 978-534-8250 Cicero’s Cafe 17 Suffolk St., Worc., 508-767-9728 worcesterscene.com/admin/location_images/ ciceros.jpg Cigar Masters 1 Exchange Place, Worc., 508-459-9035 Nov 3, 23 Jim Devlin Nov 4 Sean Fullerton Nov 5 Eisman Hunter Band Nov 10, 26 Andy Cummings Nov 11 Jon Bowser Nov 12 Audio Nation Nov 19 Eisman Hunter Band Nov 25 Ben Frochette Classic’s Pub 285 Central St., Leominster 978-537-7750, classicspub.net Sun., Tue., Thur. thru Nov 29 Karaoke Nov 4 Dope Slap Nov 5 Still Aggravated Nov 11 Hurricane Nov 12 Hat Trick Nov 18 High Strung Nov 19 S.T.M. Nov 23 Thanksgiving Eve w/ Sin City Nov 25 - Nov 26 Under Pressure

24 THEPULSEMAG.COM | NOV. 2011

Club Instyle 41 Pleasant St., Worc., theclubinstyle.com

Club KasBar 234 Southwest Cutoff, Worc., 508-798-8385 Nov 26 Auntie Trainwreck Club Universe 371 Park Ave., Worc., 508-755-5542 clubuniverseworcester.com Cornerstone’s Restaurant 616 Central St., Leominster 978-537-1991, cornerstonesrestaurant.com Creegan’s Pub 65 Green St., Worc. 508-754-3550, creeganspub.com Dance Ranch & Saloon 70 James St., Worc., 508-757-6977 danceranchandsaloon.com Days End Tavern 287 Main St., Oxford 508-987-1006, daysendtavern.com Thur. DJ Brian Spinnin’ & Scratchin’ The Hottest Dance Music Sat. Hip Hop Dance Party with DJ HappyDaze Fri. Karaoke with Making Memories Nov 5 Flock Of A$$Holes Nov 12 Randy & Dave show Nov 19 No Alibi

PULSEPICK Sever the Drama, Friday, Nov. 18th @ Ralph’s. Presented by Tru Entertainment. Bill is Sever the Drama, FullBlooded Mutt, Tung, and The Slobbies. Show starts @ 8pm and is 21+. There is a $5 cover at the door. Devens Grill 4 Ryans Way, Devens 978-862-0060, devensgrill.com Doherty’s Pub 377 Park Ave., Worc., 508-751-4000 Dunnys Tavern 291 East Main St., East Brookfield Nov 19 Bill McCarthy & His Guitar Patsy Duggan’s 49 Millbury St., Worc., 508-792-3830 Fat Tony’s Pub 1102 Main St., Worc., 508-798-8908 Fiddlers’ Green Pub & Restaurant 19 Temple St., Worc. 508-792-3700, aohworcester.com Thur. Pitch League Sat. Karaoke with Outrageous Greg Firefly’s / Dante’s 350 East Main St., Marlborough 508-357-8883, fireflysbbq.com Flip Flops 680 Main St., Holden Nov 10 Chris Reddy Acoustic Loops from Hell Flying Rhino Cafe 278 Shrewsbury St., Worc. 508-757-1450, flyingrhinocafe.com Funky Murphy’s Bar & Grill 305 Shrewsbury St., Worc., 508-753-2995

Fusion 109 Water St., Worc. 508-756-2100, fusionworcester.com Sun. Reggae Fusion Sundays with DJ Nick Thru Dec 31 Now Booking Private Parties! Fri. Blurry Nights & DJ SOUP - DJ B-LO Sat. Spinsuite Saturdays - Top 40 Galway Bay Irish Pub 186 Stafford St., Worc., 508-753-8909 Gardner Ale House 74 Parker St., Gardner 978-669-0122, gardnerale.com Thur. Audio Wasabe Nov 4 Chris Reddy Acoustic Loops from Hell Fri., Sat. Nov 5 - 26 Live Music Sun. Nov 6 - 27 Live Jazz Brunch with Chet Williamson Mon. Nov 7 - 28 Blue Mondays - Live Blues Gilrein’s 802 Main St., Worc. 508-791-2583, gilreins.net Nov 26 WCUW Blues Fundraiser 10th Annual Greendale’s Pub 404 W Boylston St., Worc., 508-853-1350 myspace.com/greendalespub Tue. Open Mic Night w/ Bill McCarthy Sun. Sunday Blues Jam, hosted by Jim Perry Nov 4, Dec 2 Ed & Da’ve Nov 5 Valvatross Nov 11 Desert Rain Nov 12 Auntie Trainwreck Nov 18 The Invaders Nov 19 Time Machine w/Jim Perry Nov 23 Silverbacks Nov 26 No Alibi Halligan’s Sports Bar and More 889 Southbridge St., Auburn, 508-832-6793 halliganssportsbarandmore.com Hotel Vernon 1 Millbury St., Worc. Thur. Good Times with Your Friend DJ Steve Nov 5 Another Soldier Down Nov 12 Dusty Cobb & The Millbury St Band Ixtapa Cantina 308 Massachusetts Ave., Lunenburg 978-582-9701, ixtapacantina2.com Jak’s Pub 536 Main St., Worc. www.jakspubworcester.com Sun. Acoustic Open Mic/WARL Charity Event Tue. T.J. Peavey Wed. Patty Keough Nov 3 Sarah Levecque Nov 4 Tom Beaudreau Nov 12 Don Prange Nov 18 Bob Moon Nov 19 Ordinary Heart Nov 25 Patty Keough & The Boys JC Fenwick’s 37 Mechanic St., Leominster, 978-840-4845 Jillian’s - Worcester 315 Grove St., Worc. 508-793-0900, jilliansworcester.com Wed. Girls’ Night Out! ~ FREE Billiards & Gamecards & Appetizers & Desserts Thur. Pong Tournament with Snatch Alley Nov 5 UFC 138: Leben vs. MuÃ±oz Nov 12 TigerLILY Nov 18 Joe’s Equipment Nov 23 Thanksgiving Eve with Audio Nation Nov 25 Flock of Assholes Nov 26 Mullethead JJ’s Sports Bar and Grill 380 Southwest Cutoff, Northborough 508-842-8420, jbag.biz Nov 4 Mindrift Nov 5 The Issues Nov 11 No Alibi Nov 12 Dirty Deeds Nov 18 Shaky Ground Nov 19 Groove Street Band Nov 23 Thanksgiving Eve Bash w/Flock of

Continued on pg. 29

Pulse

ShOtS

FEel the beat of the City!

Photos by Justin Perry

Shrewsbury Street Oktoberfest - Worcester

Loft 266 - Worcester

Blacksheep Tavern - Sterling

Ralphâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Diner - Worcester

Breakaway Billiards - Clinton

Square One Sports Bar - Worcester

Club Universe - Worcester

Greyhound Pub - Worcester

Perfect Game - Worcester

28 THEPULSEMAG.COM | NOV. 2011

Continued from pg. 24 Assholes Nov 25 Lacquerhead Nov 26 Probable Cause Joseph’s Bistro & Pub 97 Main St., Westminster 978-874-9918, josephsbistro.com Leitrim’s Pub 265 Park Ave., Worc. 508-798-2447, leitrimspub.com Wed. Open Mic Night! Lidio’s Restaurant & Lounge 1045 Central St., Leominster 978-534-6600, lidios.com Loft 266 Bar & Lounge 266 Park Ave., Worc. 508-796-5177, loft266.com London Billiards / Club Oasis 70 James St., Worc. 508-799-7655, londonbilliards.com Lucky Dog Music Hall 89 Green St., Worc. 508-363-1888, luckydogmusic.com Fri. “VINYL-Ly FRIDAY PARTY” Nov 3 Flock Of A-Holes, the ultimate 80s tribute band with guests Hey Now Morris Fader and S.M.B. Project Nov 4 80s rock Mullethead w/ Squeezer (A Tribute to Weezer) and My New Disaster! Nov 5 Maﬁa Bonghit, Betty Poison ~ Popular alternative rock band all the way from Italy! ~ with The Saphire Sun, Chaotic Origins. Nov 6 Sippin’ & Stylin’ Sunday with Josh Brown and a whole night of dance & hip hop. Live performances. Nov 9 FREE Wed. night Concert series with Robert Delaney, Think, and Colin Loveless Nov 10 Flock Of A-Holes, the ultimate 80s tribute band with guests Day One and Light Up Nancy Nov 11 Godsmack’d ~ The ultimate Godsmack Tribute with Black Sabbath band Supernaut and more guests TBA Nov 12 Go Gadget Go! performing party and dance hits from the past 3 decades with Next To Nothing and Miranda Nov 17 Flock Of A-Holes, the ultimate 80s tribute band with special guests The Abominables and more Nov 18 Kiss Forever (ultimate Kiss tribute band) w/ classic rockers Optical Drive and 1 more. Nov 19 Beneﬁt for The Community Cat Connection w/ performances by Sanveen, The Charms, Vulgarrity, Caged Heat, and more Nov 23 Thanksgiving Eve Bash w/ 80s rock Mullethead and Opening Night Nov 24 Flock Of A-Holes Thanksgiving Bonanza Nov 25 Deep Six (CD release party) with guests Kim, Joseph Michael’s Group and TBA Nov 26 Kung Fu Grip with Hard #9 and TBA Nov 27 All the way from Philly “Haley” Extrashlight Vision Nov 30 FREE Wednesday night Concert series with Endsus and TBA Mahoney’s Pub 413 Park Ave., Worc., 508-277-1073 facebook.com/mahoneyspub.ma Marty’s Pub 225 Cantebury St., Worc. 508-754-0033, martyspub.com MB Lounge 40 Grafton St., Worc. 508-799-4521, mblounge.com Mon. Free Pool Night McNally’s Grille & Pub 88 Sargent Rd, Westminster, 978-874-1444 Mickey Sheas 324 Electric Ave., Lunenburg, 978-342-5825 Mill Street Brews (@ The ADC) 18 Mill St., Southbridge 508-764-6900, millstreetbrews.com Monument Grill & Down Under Pub 14 Monument Sq., Leominster 978-537-4466, themonumentgrill.com Wed. thru Nov 23 Team Trivia Nov 4, 18 DJ Monty Nov 5 Live Music

Nov 11 Pocket & Keys Moynihan’s Pub 897 Main St., Worc. Wed. Moynihan’s Trivia Night! Nick’s Bar and Restaurant 124 Millbury St., Worc., 508-753-4030 myspace.com/NicksWorcester

PULSEPICK As I Lay Dying celebrates their 10th anniversary by bringing their Decade of Destruction Tour in support of their new album Decas to The Palladium on Dec. 3 On The Rocks Sports Bar & Grill 96 Lakefront Ave., Lunenburg, 978-342-6692 Overtime Tap 50 Front St., Worc. 508-757-0600, overtimetap.com Mon. thru Nov 28 Monday Beer Pong Tourny Thur. thru Nov 24 Red Carpet Thursdays - DJs Fri. thru Nov 25 Friday Night DJs Oxford Tavern 314 Main St., Oxford, 508-987-5397 Paisanos Pizza & Spirits 450 Lancaster St., Leominster, 978-534-7117 Palladium, The 261 Main St., Worc. 508-797-9696, thepalladium.net Nov 6 Mayhem (upstairs) Nov 7 Cynic / Three / Scale The Summit (upstairs) Nov 8 Exhumed (upstairs) Nov 9 NV Concepts Presents Tyga Nov 11 Anthrax / Testament / Death Angel Nov 12 Vanna Bring Me Your Bones DVD Shoot Nov 13 Hollywood Undead / Asking Alexandria Nov 25 Simple Plan Nov 26 Streetlight Manifesto / Reel Big Fish Nov 29 Thrash And Burn Tour Winds Of Plague Dec 2 Pierce The Veil / Miss May I (upstairs) Partner’s Pub 970 South St., Fitchburg 978-345-5051, partnerspub.com Perfect Game Sports Grill and Lounge 64 Water St., Worc., 508-792-4263 perfectgameworcester.com Point Breeze On the Lake 114 Point Breeze Rd., Webster, 508-943-0404 pointbreezeonwebsterlake.com Nov 6 23rd Annual Sawyer Saxophone Student Solo Workshop Concert Ralph’s Chadwick Square Diner 148 Grove St., Worc. 508-753-9543, ralphsdiner.net Tue. “Totally Tuesdazed!!!!!” Tunes in the Diner Wed. Wed.Night KaraokE 10pm ‘til Close!!! Mon. Dirty Gerund Poetry & Variety Show Nov 3 Metal Thursday CXLIV! w/ Hessian, Black Trip, Skull Hammer, & Triforium Dawn Nov 4 A Tribute To Rick Blaze w/ Classic Ruins, Rose Elliott, The Missionarys, groupaction, Loose Salute, Sean Revoltah Nov 5 Hallelujah The Hills, Coyote Kolb, & The Minions Nov 19 Sound Guy Steve Merrow’s 50th Birthday Bash! w/ Huck, Thinner, Buddaﬁnga, and more! Food, Fun!!! Red Onion - Otter River Hotel 29 Main St., Baldwinville 978-939-7373, myspace.com/theredonion Sakura Tokyo 640 Park Ave., Worc. 508-792-1078, sakura-tokyo.com Salty Dog Saloon

1 Kelley Square, Worc. 508-752-6600, saltydogsaloon.net Sean Patrick’s Family Restaurant 494 Electric Ave., Lunenburg, 888-824-3924 South Side Grille & Margarita Factory 242 West Broadway, Gardner 978-632-1057, southsidemargaritafactory.com Wed. “A Night Of Barnburning Blues,” Every Wed, hosted by Sean Fullerton Speakers Night Club 19 Weed St., Marlborough 508-480-8222, speakersnightclub.net Thur. Karaoke Fri. Ladies’ Night - Top 40 Dance Party Sat. Live bands Every Sat. Night Spruce Street Tavern 68 Spruce St., Clinton 978-368-1255, SpruceStreetTavern.com Squire Whites Pub & Restaurant 347 Greenwood St., Worc. 508-752-7544, squirewhites.com Fri. Live Bands and No Cover Charges! Nov 23 Auntie Trainwreck Stagecoach Inn and Tavern 128 Main St., Groton 978-448-5614, grotonstagecoachinn.com Sunset Tiki Bar 79 Powers Rd, Westford 978-692-5700, skinashoba.com/summer Tammany Hall 43 Pleasant St., Worc. 508-753-7001, tammanyhallrocks.com The Cannery 12 Crane St., Southbridge, 508-764-1100 12crane.com/canneryhall/index.php The Columbia Tavern 11 Merriam Ave., Leominster, 978-227-5874 The Grey Hound Pub 11 Kelley Square, Worc., 508-754-6100 thegreyhoundworcester.com Thur. Thursday Night Team Trivia Thur. Holy Cross Night Nov 18 Traditional Irish Music with Madra Rua The Lazy Dog 31 Main St., Marlborough 508-229-2264, doggonelazy.com

142 Southbridge St., Worc. 508-753-3702, unionmusic.com Nov 16 Uke Can Too workshop and concert Nov 30 Recording and Sound Reinforcement Seminar Upper Deck Sports Bar & Grille 377 Stetson Rd., Barre, 978-355-2224 upperdecksportsbarandgrille.com Vegas Lounge 5 Summer St., Lunenburg, 978-400-7524 Verona Grille 81 Clinton St., Shrewsbury, 508-853-9091 Thur. Karaoke With DJ Jimi Fri. Arizona Doug & Scott Marshall - Rock Music Victory Bar & Cigar 56 Shrewsbury St., Worc. 508-756-4747, victorycigarbar.com Vincent’s Bar 49 Suffolk St., Worc. 508-752-9439, myspace.com/vincentsbar Sun. Big Jon Short Wed. Tiki Night with Frank & Eric! Nov 12 Jubilee Gardens Whistle Stop Bar & Grill 85 Main St., Oxford 508-987-3087, StopByTheWhistle.com Nov 12 Bret Talbert: 6-String Time Machine! Nov 23 Bill McCarthy Nov 26 Dana Lewis Live! Wonder Bar Restaurant 121 Shrewsbury St., Worc., 508-752-9909 Ye Olde Tavern 7 East Main St., West Brookﬁeld 508-867-9709, westbrookﬁeldtavern.com

CoffeeHouses Acton Jazz Cafe 452 Great Rd., Acton 978-263-6161, actonjazzcafe.com Bean Counter Coffee Bar and Bakery 113 Highland St., Worc., 508-754-3125 Books & Beans 15 Hamilton St., Southbridge 508-764-6774, booksandbeans.org

The Mill 185 West Boylston St., West Boylston Wed. thru Nov 30 Karaoke Sat. thru Nov 26 Acoustic Saturdays Thur. thru Nov 24 Live Jazz Nov 23 Thanksgiving Eve w/Chris Reddy The Nines Neighborhood Bar 136 Millbury St., Worc., 508-340-0318 The Outlook Restaurant 79 Powers Rd, Westford Nov 11 Chris Reddy Acoustic Loops from Hell The Pumphouse 340 Main St., Southbridge, 508-765-5473 facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Pump-House/ 374917818127?sk=info Nov 4 Ron Jones Band Nov 5 Spare Parts Nov 11 Wildcat O’Halloran Nov 12 Charlie Dee Nov 18 Reprobates Nov 19 A Ton of Blues Nov 23 Thanksgiving Eve w/Special Guests! Nov 25 Bistro Boys Nov 26 Sharp Drezzed Man The Raven 258 Pleasant St., Worc., 508-304-8133 facebook.com/people/Raven-Worcester/100001 022046717 Tino’s Pub Main St., Winchendon, 760-880-1438 Trumbull Bar & Grill 117 Main St., Spencer, 508-885-6901 Union Music

Buzz Bean Espresso Lounge 32 Main St., Webster, 508-943-4039 Cafe Palermo 139 John Fitch Hwy., Fitchburg, 978-345-4501 Caffe Dolce 154 Shrewsbury St., Worc., 508-754-3761 Espress Yourself Coffee 2 Richmond Ave., Worc., 508-755-3300 Green Rooster Coffeehouse 6 Institute Rd., Worc., 508-798-3010 www.ucc-worcester.org/greenrooster Olive Branch Coffeehouse 30 Main St., Northborough 508-393-1333, thebranch.com Spiritual Haze 482 Park Ave., Worc. 508-799-0629, spiritualhaze.com Steeple Coffeehouse 15 Common St., Southborough 508-845-4847, steeplecoffeehouse.org Sturbridge Coffee Roasters / SCR Cafe 210 Hamilton St., Southbridge 508-765-5520, sturbridgecoffeeroasters.com Udderly Delicious 273 Main St., Oxford 508-987-9636, udderlydelicious.net Wholly Cannoli 488 Grafton St., Worc. 508-753-0224, whollycannoli.com

NOV. 2011 | THEPULSEMAG.COM 29

LIFESTYLE

Cool Careers

Michael McMenemy at the signing of his graphic novel at That’s Entertainment on Park Ave..

Michael McMenemy - Master of the Graphic Novel By Sam Blier

Local illustrator/designer/web designer/muralist/etc… Michael McMenemy is a jack-of-all artistic trades, but a master of the graphic novel. Growing up, he always seemed to have a pencil or pen in his hand and even at an early age was illustrating memorable scenes from his life. He also grew up on a steady diet of martial arts cartoons and movies. In high school, he began to study Huan Shou Kung Fu at a school in Worcester while devouring any Kung Fu ﬂick he could get his hands on. Both of his hobbies turned to passions, and when it came time to further his education after high school he attended the Pratt Institute, a renowned art school in New York City, with the goal of working in the comic book industry. There he studied illustration while continuing his Kung Fu training in George Crayton, Jr.’s school of Huan Shou style, in which Mike is a 6th Level Black Sash Disciple. After college, Mike found that the comic industry was nothing like what it used to be, so he moved back to the Worcester area and put his range of artistic skills to good use by turning to freelancing. Graphic design, logo development, wall murals ~ you name it, Mike has done it. But despite the gratifying work, comic books remained his personal passion. After developing his freelance business with local bands, business and organizations, Mike made the decision to focus on his core skill of illustration. To that end, he embarked on his very own comic book, Pale Dragon, and just released the ﬁrst edition.

30 THEPULSEMAG.COM | NOV. 2011

Pale Dragon is a well-written and artistically illustrated comic that follows an unlikely hero named Macu as he makes his way through a dangerous alien world. Comic aficionados will see influences of Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman, the creators of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which is only fitting for a product of the 80s like Mike. The Turtles were also one of the inspirations for his lifelong interest in the martial arts. Speaking of martial arts, they play a starring role in Pale Dragon, albeit surely with more accuracy than your average comic book, owing to Mike’s own proficiency. Macu is an awkward loner, more intimidated than intimidating, who lives in a bustling, violent metropolis inhabited by both humans and intergalactic beings alike. Not much is known about Macu, not even by the only two friends on the planet he has, Shino and Gus. The first issue has a surprising twist ending, which I won’t ruin, but needless to say I’m already looking forward to the second episode. To learn more about Pale Dragon and to order your own copy, visit www.paledragon.com and palebloggin. blogspot.com. You can purchase your own copy at That’s Entertainment and Dr. Gonzo’s Uncommon Condiments in Worcester. Follow Mike McMenemy via his blog at mcnemesis. blogspot.com.

PULSE

APPS

Star In A Glossy Magazine Spread With “Click, You’re It!” The New Facebook App From Smashbox By Steph Moore

You don’t have to be Hollywood royalty to be a star ~ with Smashbox, life is your set. The paparazzi may not camp out your front yard, but you can still share your rock-star life with “Click, You’re It!,” the new Facebook app from Smashbox. It’s easy: you already chronicle your fabulous life on Facebook ~ all you have to do is upload the photos into the Smashbox app. The new app lets you create your own editorial spreads with those photos, turning every experience into a glossy magazine feature, complete with automatic photography ﬁlters. Customize the headlines and design themes ~ how you personalize your spread is up to you. Then publish the spread on Facebook and share with your social network to become a star in your own right. Smashbox Cosmetics’ “Click, You’re It!” campaign wants to show consumers that life is their stage. It provides unique perspective into what really happens when the posing stops and reality starts. The brand is taking a fresh approach to beauty ~ getting honest and keeping it real behind the lens in a casual, candid way. It’s about not taking things too seriously. It’s about having fun and reveling in the unplanned during a photo shoot, because the best moments happen when you least expect it ~ just like in life. From snapping photos on smartphones to making movies on Flip-Cams, life is your photo shoot and you never know when it’ll be your turn for a close-up. Discovery, play and creativity have always been at the heart of Smashbox. It’s what happens in the brand’s studios on a daily basis. Now Smashbox invites you to play and have fun with makeup. Discover who you want to be today. And

all along the way, Smashbox will be there to make sure you’re camera-ready. Because you never know when it’ll be your turn for a close-up: Hey, you ~ Click, You’re It! Try it yourself ~ but careful, it can be addictive! www.facebook.com/smashbox-cosmetics?sk=app_249807901705469

The Keyport Slide Everything He Needs By Steph Moore

Savvy guys know that their accessories have to have style and substance if they’re going to take up valuable pocket real estate. Keyport Slide replaces the ordinary, bulky keychain with technology, convenience, and style. The Keyboard Slide V.01 is the universal access device that combines up to six keys and/or essential hi-tech inserts into one sleek device that requires only one hand to maneuver, is lighter than six standard keys, and is about the same size as a pack of gum. Easily ﬁtting in the palm of your hand, Keyport has six ports for keys and various inserts including: LED light, bottle opener, ﬂash drive, RFID chipped auto keys, gym/reward barcodes. Keyport is available online at http://mykeyport.com.

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Park Ave.

New England Baked Haddock one of many delicious entrees to choose from at the Registry Restaurant at two entrees for $18.99 through Nov. ’11

Hurry! Two Entrees just $18.99!

Please present this ad to your server when ordering. Certain conditions. Cannot be combined with other offers. No cash value. Through 11⁄2011.

The Registry of Motor Vehicles 264 Park Ave, registryrestaurant.com, 508-752-2211 5 pm - 10 pm Sun. Tue, Wed. 11 am - 10 pm Th. - Sat.

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Park Ave.

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DINING & ENTERTAINING

By Bernie Whitmore

Pho Dakao 593 Park Ave, Worcester (508) 756-7555

My fondest memories of Vietnamese cuisine are of steaming bowls of noodle soup on cold winter days. And that’s about where they end. But there’s much more to Vietnamese food, and to help us venture deeper into the menu, we asked our friend George to accompany us to Pho Dakao; although the time he spent in Viet Nam included the Tet Offensive, where some of the fiercest battles almost cost us the War, George left with a fondness for and interest in the country’s people and cuisine that’s never waned. The plan worked; soon after being seated, George announced, “No noodle soup!” and then ordered a martini. After ordering our appetizers I looked up from the table and realized Pho Dakao had grown since my last visit. They now have a full bar and spacious lounge area. The original dining room is mostly unchanged, with its eye-popping neon sign and photos scattered on the walls. Aimee, our waitress, soon returned with condiments for our appetizer course: small bowls of peanut sauce and nuoc mam, a clear light sauce of fermented fish ~ yeah, it sounds scary, but it’s actually light and fresh-tasting. We started with a couple favorites. Fresh Summer Rolls made with shredded lettuce, pork and sliced shrimp were delicious dipped in peanut sauce or the nuoc mam. Pho Dakao’s Sautéed Mussels were large and juicy, the edges of the shells opalescent-green. Fresh ginger and scallions packed them with zesty flavor ~ fortunately, there were plenty for sharing. Glasses of ‘33 Export’ bottled beer provoked more stories of Vietnam and tasted crisp and fresh. This was the first time I had ordered Shrimp Paste on Sugar Cane. Four chunks of cane fashioned to the size of flattened Chapstick tubes were dabbed in a creamy concoction and served on a dish heaped with

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springy-fresh watercress. Frankly, I was suspicious of the very idea of making paste from seafood and expected mischief (seafood spam?). This apprehension vanished with my first nibble; the flavor was of unadulterated shrimp and the warm cane was pure, exuding sweet juice when chewed. After clearing our appetizer dishes, Aimee started setting up the table for our entrées. George needed half the table for the four plates and bowls that made up his Steamed Vermicelli with Grilled Spicy Hamcake. Taking a rigid Frisbee-sized disc of rice paper, he dipped it into a bowl of hot water and it immediately became pliable. He carefully loaded it with lettuce, scallions, mint and fresh cilantro. Over that he layered slices of the ground ham cake, cucumber and carrots sticks. The carefully assembled mound was wrapped into the rice paper like a precious gift, dipped in nuoc mam and happily devoured. My choice was simple in comparison but, I daresay, tastier. Pho Dakao’s ‘Traditional Family Dish’ of caramelized pork was served in a wooden-handled covered cooking pot. When I removed the lid I was met with fragrant steam and strips of pork coated with onions that had sautéed to the vanishing point. It would be difficult to devise a tastier treatment for pork, yet when I added sprigs of fresh cilantro the flavor seemed to burst. I enjoyed it so much I even scraped the rich caramelization from the bottom of the pot with one of my chopsticks. Each time I leave Pho Dakao it’s with the same reaction: “That was so good, why don’t I go more often?” When it comes to the Worcester dining scene, Pho Dakao is synonymous with Vietnamese cuisine ~ honest fresh ingredients, elegantly simple preparation, and attentive service.

Hot & Now By Paul Giorgio JIMMY’S TAVERN & GRILL. Jimmy’s Tavern has opened in the space that once housed Bugaboo Creek in Shrewsbury’s White City Shopping Center. Gone are the talking moose and the wacky Christmas tree ~ In their place is an understated steak house that is family-friendly and affordable, specializing in steak , seafood and grill items. Jimmy’s is owned by Tony Karas and brothers Jimmy & Nick Miminos. The trio also owns Jimmy’s Steer House in Arlington and Jimmy’s Steer House on Route 1 in Saugus. They also own Prime Bar & Grill in Wayland on Route 20. Seems like they know what they’re doing. NAME CHANGE. It looks like the Tin Tin Buffet located on Park Ave at Webster Square has undergone a name change and a change in ownership. The new name is Rice Garden, but the set up is the same as before with a large buffet area. SAKURA TOKYO HAS REOPENED. Sakura Tokyo, the first Japanese restaurant in Worcester, has reopened after extensive renovations. They were closed for several months and reportedly spent over a million dollars renovating the space, which was the first in the area to feature Tepanaki tables. OLE OPENS. Ole, a new Mexican restaurant which features homemade food at very affordable prices, opened in the middle of October. Ole is in the space that once housed Tom’s International Deli on Water Street, kitty corner across the street from Jose Murphy’s in Worcester’s Canal District. JUNIOR’S CLOSES. Junior’s Restaurant, which has been on Shrewsbury Street for almost 10 years, recently closed its door. Junior’s was the perfect place to go in the summertime because of its a great outdoor patio. We hear that a few people are interested in reopening it. SUSHI ROCK. It looks like a new restaurant is going to be opening in the space that was home to Ti NoVo and 55 Pearl.. The new place is Sushi Rock, located at Worcester’s 55 Pearl Street, right off of Main Street in the heart of downtown. Stay tuned for further details. The owners include Jacob Head and Frank Zirpolo. Zirpolo was involved for a while in the El Morocco restaurant after the Aboody family closed it down. PEPE’S NEW EXPANDED MENU. Pepe’s Italian Restaurant on Franklin Street in Worcester has recently expanded their dinner menu to included several grill items as well as sauteed items including seafood fra diavolo and chicken Marsala. They have added almost a dozen new menu items and are booking parties for the holidays. JOEY’S OPENS. Joey’s Restaurant & Bar, formerly located for a number of years on Mill Street, took up its new residence on Chandler Street in Worcester, almost across the street from the post office. Joey’s, a long time dining hit on the city’s West Side, is owned by Joey and Erika Rovezzi. They moved into a space that formerly housed The Struck after it moved from the corner of June and Chandler Streets. The move may bring Joey’s closer to their clientele. NEW KID ON THE BLOCK. Joseph Panerelli is opening a restaurant at 255 Park Ave., adjacent to Biaggio’s and across the street from El Basha. This little area of Park Ave. at the corner of Pleasant Street has quite a few restaurants ~ Blue Jeans and The Registry on one corner, Leitrim’s Pub across the street, and then further down Haiku, El Basha, and ~ on the opposite side of Park Ave. ~ Biaggio’s and Shiraz. NOV. 2011 | THEPULSEMAG.COM 35

PULSE ‘Tis the Season for… Infinium Ale! By Rick Garner

First released in 2010, Infinium is the [delicious] end result of a two year, cross-continental collaboration between Jim Koch, brewer and founder of Samuel Adams beers, and Dr. Josef Schrädler, managing director of Germany’s Weihenstephan Brewery. It unites close to 1000 years of combined brewing knowledge and innovation between the two breweries, and it’s the first new beer style created under the Reinheitsgebot ~ the ancient German beer purity law (started in 1516) stating that beer can be brewed using only four ingredients: water, hops, malt and yeast. So what do these four ingredients yield under the masterful hands of Koch and Schrädler? They yield a crisp, champagne-like beer that pours out a deep golden color with fine bubbles and a fruity, elegant aroma. The crisp, clean malt character and delicate fruit notes are complemented by a slight citrus flavor from dry hopping with Bavarian Noble hops. Bottle conditioning adds another layer of complexity and light spice notes. All this flavor and body comes only in 750 ml cork-finished bottles and contains 10.3% abv. And not only is the ale itself festive, the champagnelike bottling makes it perfect for the holidays ~ which makes sense, since Infinium is only available during the holiday season. Grab a couple of bottles for yourself, grab a couple to give as gifts…and enjoy [safely]! For more information, visit www.samueladams.com.

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Brew

PULSECocktails

Sip into Fall with New Cocktails from Tommy Bahama By Leslie Roberts Just because summer is over doesn’t mean the fun has to stop. Tommy Bahama, the iconic island lifestyle brand, offers the perfect solution to those end-of-summer blues with three refreshing cocktails sure to make you feel like you are on vacation. Inspired by global travels and a renaissance of classic cocktails, these refreshing Fall elixirs will take your taste buds on an adventure with Pisco, a clear brandy made from grapes in South America, Kentucky Burbon from the good old US of A, and Calvados, an exquisite apple brandy from France ~ all mixed with the freshest fruit juices. You can imbibe these creative cocktails at any of the 13 Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar locations across the country or with a few simple and easy to ﬁnd ingredients, create them at home for yourself and friends. At Tommy Bahama, the motto is: “Make life one long weekend.™” So, whether you’re hosting a cocktail party or enjoying Island Time (our version of happy hour) at a Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar, you can step out of your routine and shake up the Autumn season by trying one of these exclusive cocktails. Tommy Bahama’s Pineapple Pisco Sour ~ Journey to South America with a tropical twist on the cousin of the Ciapirina, punched up with fresh pineapple. 2 parts Pisco 3/4 part Orange Curacao 1 part Pineapple Juice 1 part Sour Mix 1/2 part simple syrup 4 pineapple cubes

Tommy Bahama’s Kentucky Mai Tai ~ Take a trip to the heartland with a down home take on this classic Hawaiian libation. 1 part bourbon 1 part Southern Comfort 1 part Orange Juice 1 part Orgeat 1/2 part fresh lime juice 1 dash Angostura bitters Mix all ingredients together with ice, serve in a double rocks glass, garnish with an orange peel. Tommy Bahama’s New Amsterdam ~ Everything old is new again with this twist on the classic Manhattan, infused with French ﬂavors of Lower Normandy. 2 parts Calvados 1 part Bourbon 1/2 part creme de cassis 1 part apple juice Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass and garnish with a ﬂoating dried apple slice.

Mix all ingredients together with ice and serve in a tall glass.

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Get Whipped with CREAM AlcoholInfused Whipped Cream!

New On the Scene

Mahoney’s:

What a Difference a Makeover Makes By Rachel Shuster

By Erin Hansen

From CREAM comes a new and refreshing version of “the icing on the cake” that takes cocktails to a whole other level. Try Cherry, Orange, Raspberry, Chocolate, Vanilla or Caramel on top of your favorite mixed drinks ~ they’re also great on top of Jello shots, ice cream, or even on their own (and yes, I’m sure some of you are already thinking of some very… creative…uses!). CREAM is (besides delicious) completely shelfstable and will last (opened or unopened) for 9 – 12 months ~ just be sure to store it at room temperature for best results and shake before using. Each 375ml can makes approximately twenty six 1 oz. shots, so get one in each flavor and add some fun and flavor to cocktail time! Head to www.givemecream.com for more information including a location finder, photos, mouth-watering drink recipes featuring CREAM, and to join the CREAM Team.

CREAM is 15% ALC/VOL (30 proof), so please enjoy it responsibly!

Located at 413 Park Ave in Worcester, Mahoney’s has had a serious makeover. Owner John Bartosiewicz has revamped the bar and turned it into a community focused Worcester hotspot. Twenty-four year-old Bartosiewicz is a busy guy with a knack for giving back. “I’m a paralegal by day, on the ﬁnance committee for Millbury and volunteer at Sherry’s House. When I bought Mahoney’s in February, I wanted to take something ‘just ok’ and make it gold,” he says. The new Mahoney’s offers specials that maintain the “giving back” vibe. “Instead of the 10 cent wings on Mondays, we have ‘No rules wings’ on Mondays. No amount limit and they’re free,” Bartosiewicz says. There’s beer pong on Tuesdays, Wednesdays are for the two Worcester dart teams which Bartosiewicz sponsors, Thursdays offer up homemade Jello shots and live music from Rob Benton, who has toured with Daughtry, and more live entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays. Mahoney’s also has specialty drinks like their take on the scorpion bowl ~ the Mahoney bowl, weekly beer and shot specials, and 8 beers on tap! Mahoney’s offers sandwiches from Bushel and Peck in Worcester, which Bartosiewicz’s uncle owns, for around $4. Bartosiewicz isn’t looking to rob people. He lets people rent Mahoney’s for parties, after work socials, etc. for FREE He also provides sandwiches and Jello shots for these parties for FREE. Oh and there’s never a cover…ever! Hardwood ﬂoors, a TV to play Playstation 3, lottery and Keno complete Mahoney’s face-lift. “I want to bring life back to Park Ave. I want to bring in a versatile crowd. I want to make a name for myself, and for Mahoney’s,” Bartosiewicz adds. Mahoney’s is open Mon-Wed 7pm-close, Thurs-Fri 2pm-close, Saturday 11am-close and Sunday 1pm-close. Contact John Bartosiewicz at 508-277-1073 for more info.

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Now Serving

Zorba’s Taverna Everyone Say, “Opa!” By Rachel Shuster

Zorba’s Taverna, located at 97 Stafford Street in Worcester, is the prime spot for authentic Greek cuisine. Owned by Nusa Dimopoulos, her husband Christos, and their two sons ~ Phil and Theo ~ Zorba’s is the real deal. With its ﬁrst location ~ opened in June of 2005 in Charlton ~ and a location in St. Thomas, Dimopoulos and her family felt the need to spread the delicious love. “We looked for a location for years. We saw this location on Stafford Street was up for auction and decided to go for it,” she says. Opened on June 25th, the new spot has been a hit. “The community has been extremely welcoming,” Dimopoulos says. The name “Zorba” is a perfect ﬁt as it comes from the character “Zorba the Greek,” a man who loved and embraced living life to the fullest, drinking, and celebrating. The menu includes Greek cuisine like braised lamb shank, musaca, grape leaves, gyros and souvlaki. Zorba’s also offers dishes like pizza, pastas, pressed sandwiches and soups. “All our dishes are homemade. Nothing is from a can. That goes against everything we believe in,” Dimopoulos says. The menu consists of family recipes, but several are creations of executive chefs Ethan Kramer (Worcester) and Bruce Shanbaum (Charlton). Prices range from $7-$21. Check out the daily specials, too, as well as the late night menu that has about ten items like salads and sandwiches. There will be a catering menu soon as well. The full bar offers fun drinks like the Zorbatini and the Painkiller. “The painkiller is like a scorpion bowl but better!” Dimopoulos says with a smile. Zorba’s is open seven days a week, 11am – 10pm, for the regular menu and 10pm – 12am for the late night menu. Check out www. zorbastaverna.com, Facebook or call 508-796-5828 for more info.

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Shrewsbury Street

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Shrewsbury Street

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The SPORTS & FITNESS

BIGGEST Winner

“Biggest Loser” contestant Jessica Limpert talks about how she lost it. By Kim Dunbar Jessica Limpert, a 26-year-old traveling nurse, is currently kicking butt on Season 12 of NBC’s “Biggest Loser.” Limpert started her journey at 254 pounds and is now happy, healthy and at the time of this interview training for the final BL challenge ~ running a marathon. She took a break from her sweat sessions to talk about how life’s changed since living on the “BL” Ranch. KD: What was your “a-ha moment” to get healthy? JL: I traveled to Haiti after the earthquake and realized, ‘Jessica, you are the biggest person here …’ What if one day I didn’t fit in an airplane seat? I didn’t want my weight to be the cause for me not doing what I love … We had to fly home from training and I am happy to say there was lots of seatbelt left! KD: What’s life like back in the “real world?” JL: You have to plan, that’s the biggest thing. I have to do my grocery shopping and my cooking ahead of time, bagging it up in case I have a grab-and-go situation … You have to [set aside] 1-2 hours a day for yourself [to work out] … It was OK that I saw myself on TV with my big stomach hanging out because I don’t want to go back there. KD: How do you curb cravings? JL: It’s about finding an alternative … Mushrooms are my go-to snack now. I’m also a late-night eater, which was one of my problems, so when I get hungry, instead of going for cookies or pretzels I cook up some mushrooms or slice some sweet potatoes into fries.

KD: Do you count calories? JL: Yes, but … Bob Harper (“BL” trainer) will say that real life is about having a treat here and there. My problem, and the other 14 people on the show, was that we had too many little bites. It’s not about depriving yourself; it’s about eating in moderation. KD: What’s your workout like? JL: I have three trainers. A running coach I work with three times a week, another helps me with things from the show like working with the ropes and the tires, and a trainer in the gym. I try to get in three hours a day … The more weight you lose the harder it is to lose weight, so keeping the heart rate up and tricking the body is key. KD: How do you convince yourself to work out? JL: I have a new frame of mind … I want to be a fit and healthy person ~ this focus keeps me going. KD: Any fitness tips you’ve learned from the show that you want to share with our readers? JL: In the morning … do 50 crunches and … five sets of 15-30 planks. You’ll work your core, arms and whole body … It will jumpstart your day and get your metabolism going. And don’t forget to eat breakfast! For an extended interview with Limpert, visit www.thepulsemag.com and watch her journey on NBC Tuesdays at 8 p.m. EST.

Jessica’s Baked Apples With the holiday season fast approaching, Limpert isn’t worried about how she’ll stick to her diet and still enjoy herself. Her solution: “I plan to bring my own treats and teach others how I eat,” Limpert said. She shared the details of one of her new favorite low-cal recipes ~ baked apples. “I used to make this for everyone on the Ranch,” she added. To get the taste of apple pie but none of the fat and calories, follow the simple steps below.

1. Cut one apple in half and cut out the core 2. Fill center with cinnamon and Truvia (natural sweetener) 3. Bake apples in oven on 350- 400 degrees for about 15 minutes 4. When brown, remove from oven and top with 1⁄4 cup frozen mixture of Greek yogurt and Truvia (sweetened to taste) 5. Enjoy!

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The Skinny

By Craig Lindberg

“The Skinny” is a Fitness column by Craig Lindberg, CPT and Founder/Co-owner of Optimal Performance Center in Shrewsbury (www.opcﬁtness.com). If you have a question about training, nutrition, bodybuilding, or anything else that falls under the topic of Fitness, please send it to craig@opcﬁtness.com. Craig will answer one or two questions each month, so check here as soon as a new issue of Pulse hits the streets to see if he’s chosen yours!

Combatting the Freshman 15

The Freshman 15 is a product of the perfect storm of 3 weight-gaining properties:

Q: What can I do to avoid gaining weight my ﬁrst year in college? I don’t want to be a victim of the Freshman 15. Traci from Millbury

1. Poor nutrition: School cafeterias have come a long way over the years, but there are still far too many fatty foods to choose from. Not to mention, in our value meal society, the worst foods for you are often offered in abundance and for the cheapest price. If there’s one thing you learn quickly in school its how to make a dollar stretch as far as you can.

I know this topic might seem a bit strangely times to some of you, since school’s been in session for a good 6 weeks now. But with all that you, as freshmen, have experienced these ﬁrst weeks of school, a ﬁtness article about the dreaded “Freshman 15” would have at best been glossed over and at worst been used to mop up the evidence of the previous night’s beer pong challenge. Now that the honeymoon of collegiate life, if you will, is somewhat over, and the number on the scale is creeping up and up, I think you may be a little more receptive to some of my suggestions.

The solution? Take advantage of your school’s eating plan and eat in the cafeteria as much as possible. Salads and stir-fry are healthier choices than pizza and frozen yogurt. Straying off campus will limit your choices for healthy eating and expose you to a smorgasbord of fat. 2. Inactivity: If you aren’t in school on a sports scholarship, chances are your activity level consists of walking to classes, studying, and participating in the occasional bar crawl. Now the ﬁrst two are to be expected, after all, that is why you’re there. That doesn’t mean it’s not detrimental to your abs, butt and or thighs. The solution? A daily jog around campus can help keep your metabolism up and the love handles at bay. If you have the funds and the will, there are many gyms or training studios around that offer classes of all types. Most don’t have long term contracts so you can pay as you go. So go. 3. Alcohol: Those of you who are familiar with my nutrition philosophies know a glass of red wine or beer with dinner will not kill you, calorically speaking. A case of your favorite cheap beer or box of wine is a different story altogether. Never mind the barrage of useless calories, increased alcohol ingestion = decreased inhibitions...food wise, people, try to stay with me here. It’s much harder to say no to those fatty, late night snacks with a few drinks in your belly. The solution? Realistically, there is no solution other than saying no. If you can socially have “a” drink and shut yourself down, you’ll do OK. If one drink leads to keg stands sprinkled with vomit and regret...just say no.

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Hollywood is buzzing about the exciting news of Hilary Duff’s pregnancy. Just recently, the actress and mom-to-be was spotted on her way to a Pilates class with a mysterious green drink. That drink is none other than celebrity nutritionist and author of The Beauty Detox Solution Kimberly Snyder’s Glowing Green Smoothie. Made up of about 70% green vegetables, the Glowing Green Smoothie, packed with minerals and chlorophyll, will keep her body ~ and any other pregnant moms’ ~ healthy and balanced throughout pregnancy. And it’s super nutritious for the rest of us, too! It is not just the quantity of greens that makes the smoothie so amazing: because the fruits and vegetables are blended (“pre-digestion”), your body is able to absorb more of the vitamins and minerals without working so hard.

The Glowing Green Smoothie Ingredients 1 1/2 cups water 1 head organic romaine lettuce, chopped 3-4 stalks organic celery 1/2 head of a large bunch or 3/4 of a small bunch of spinach 1 organic apple, cored and chopped 1 organic pear, cored and chopped 1 organic banana Juice of 1/2 fresh organic lemon Optional: 1/3 bunch organic cilantro (stems okay) 1/3 bunch organic parsley (stems okay)

Directions Add water and chopped head of romaine to blender. Blend at a low speed until smooth. Add celery, apple and pear and blend at high speed. Add cilantro and parsley (which help chelate heavy metals out of your body). Finish with banana and lemon. For more recipes and beautifying tips, visit Kimberlysnyder. net/blog, or pick up a copy of The Beauty Detox Solution available on www.amazon.com.

The

Glowing Green Smoothie

Pictured: Kimberly Snyder making her Glowing Green Smoothie.

By Hillary Stone

Sweat? Who, Us? By Steph Moore

OK, Ladies, now I know we like the world to think that we don’t sweat, we just…glisten, but c’mon, the truth is that if we’re kicking butt at the gym, or spending the whole night dancing with our bffs, or tackling Mother Nature and going hiking with our boyfriends, we sweat! And not only is it hard to feel sexy when you’re sweating, it can also wreak havoc on your clothes! Well, I’ve got a great solution… What it is: Vichy Deodorant Stick ($16) neutralizes odor while providing clear application with no residue. The formulation is allergy and dermatologist-tested.

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What it does: Formula contains Zinc Gluconate to ﬁght odors naturally by capturing and neutralizing odor-causing substances. Enriched with skin conditioners, moisturizes and soothes the skin and is effective for 24 hours. How to use: Apply to underarms daily. Why it’s HEALHTY: • Aluminum salts-free • Formulated with Vichy Thermal Water • Paraben-free • Fragrance-free Vichy Deodorant is available nationwide at CVS/pharmacy and Duane Reade as well as www.vichyusa.com.

ART & CULTURE

Artist Julie Carlson Into the Fire By Tine Roycroft

Working in temperatures that reach up to 3000 degrees Fahrenheit, blacksmiths in the 19th century faced the fire each day to create vehicle parts, cooking and fireplace tools, and custom iron and steel work that was in high demand. In front of the blaze, they worked away, sweating through the flames and creating gorgeous, handmade pieces. Back then, in early New England, blacksmithing was considered a gentleman’s job. Fast forward to 2011, when artist Julie Carlson, 28, stepped up to the forge. “I love the fire and being able to form something with my own hands and my own strength,” Carlson says. “The instructors and the students at Sturbridge [Village] have been really supportive and being a blacksmith is certainly one direction I’d like to head in. I haven’t worked on any big projects yet ~ just tools. And I just joined the New England Blacksmith Association.” Carlson’s talents don’t stop at blacksmithing. In fact, they don’t stop at all. And trying to fit all of her artistic pursuits into her life can sometimes be a challenge. She’s forever creating ~ be it with metal, paint, wood or clay. And her artistic journey started with the complete support of her mother and may have been helped along by a sketch of a sneaker. “I have an early memory of seeing my brother’s drawing of a sneaker and thinking, ‘If he can do it, I can do it!’ I really idolized my brother growing up and I started sketching animals in pencil when I was nine.” Over the years, Carlson immersed herself in art. She would find random objects around the house, like scraps of wood, and, using hammer and nails, make unique creations, including a personalized mailbox for her mother and a throne for herself. She began taking formal art classes in high school. She tried drawing and painting, learned about art history, did pottery, and studied photography using a 35mm camera. The Spencer resident went on to study at the Worcester Center for Crafts, where she took courses in drawing, Photoshop, sculpting and watercolor. Most recently, she studied jewelry-making at the Worcester Center for Crafts and oil painting at the Woodstock School of Art in New York.

One can only hope that Carlson has found time to sleep every so often, but with the boundless energy and curiosity that this artist has, we cannot be sure! Yet, there have been moments in her life, she insists, that Carlson did try to narrow down her interests. “There was a time in my life when I told myself, ‘You can paint, so you’re going to be a painter.’ And I think I tried to focus on painting, but then I’d start daydreaming about working with metal and making jewelry. And so I stopped forcing myself to paint and told myself to move on and take a jewelry making class,” Carlson says. “Life is too short!” Perhaps Carlson is living for the present, but she’s also thinking about the future. With a degree in Biology from Worcester State College, Carlson is now studying Dental Laboratory Technology at Middlesex Community College. In this ﬁeld, she’ll use her artistic skills and knowledge of mold-making to make crowns, bridges and other dental prosthetics. And this blacksmith/painter/photographer/ jewelry maker/carpenter couldn’t be happier. “I could see myself having my own dental lab and also doing the jewelry on the side,” Carlson hopes. “I’d like to get deeper into jewelry. And surprisingly, the two overlap. If I had the supplies to make teeth, I’d have the supplies to make jewelry.” To see some of Julie Carlson’s work and catch up on her adventures, go to http://carlsononthemap.blogspot.com/ NOV. 2011 | THEPULSEMAG.COM 45

NORTH COUNTY • DINING • ENTERTAINMENT • NIGHTLIFE • SHOPPING •

NORTH COUNTY • DINING • ENTERTAINMENT • NIGHTLIFE

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• NORTH COUNTY • DINING • ENTERTAINMENT • NIGHTLIFE • SHOPPING NORTH COUNTY • DINING • ENTERTAINMENT • NIGHTLIFE • SHOPPING • NOV. 2011 | THEPULSEMAG.COM 47 NOV. 2011 | THEPULSEMAG.COM 47

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Style & Beauty Sizes, Spanx, and Sucking It All In: A Figurative Observation By Sasha Fastovskiy

If you’ve seen Bridget Jones’s Diary, you already know. You know those scenes hold the most weight in being the least sexy yet most accurate description of women’s undergarments of all time. “Scary stomach holdingin panties.” “Enormous panties.” P.C.-put: shapewear. No longer a modesty issue, it’s panties and other Lycra contraptions carefully, seamlessly (literally) stitched together with synthetic fibers that women cleverly stuff themselves into like sausage casings in hopes of concealing imperfections so they can trick the naked eye ~ er, technically it’s the un-naked eye ~ that they look more taut and tiny than they actually are. Today’s Lycra offerings can stretch from our ankles to our wrists and are such convincing garment optical illusions that we women fiddle and finagle for every inch of fabric and every inch on our waists. Given the artificial effect on our figures, we start to barter sizes when we resign ourselves to wearing particular underclothes. While it’s normal to vary between say, 6 and 8, or 10 and 12, the way we vary in half-sizes for shoes, is it normal to vary between 6 and 12 so long as we solemnly swear on shapewear? That is where, my ribcage-crushed friends, we encounter the problem. When we conceal a little here, and pad a little there, we forget what size we really are. And let’s not negate the stress and popularity of online shopping, where we must guesstimate how our bodies will look in clothes from different retailers that, naturally, size differently. Considering trick-clothing, when push up comes to suck in, do measurements really measure up? The mechanics of body-clothes contorting isn’t by any means novel: recall the bustle, hoop skirt, the corset, the girl, the bullet bra. Upon surveying my own closet inventory, I noticed a range in sizes that I can only attribute to industrial strength underwear. Like most, I prefer to wear a smaller size, but it will only happen if I don killer underwear. When shopping, I have to try on two sizes to check if I can get away with the smaller one, keeping in mind that I then become contractually obligated to wear underpinnings. Sure, I can buy the larger one, but at the core of the issue, I don’t want to feel or look larger. Brawear? Same. If I wear a strapless/multiway bra, my goodies don’t sit as rightly in the dress as they do in the plunge/wireless/underlined/whatever one. I could wear a padded bra,

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but it gets hot and bulky. Shapewear is as tricky to maintain during the day as it is to maneuver into at the beginning of the day. Women have to be mindful of how they sit and stand. It’s a pain to get into and out of. It’s hot and itchy. Heaven forbid anyone touch me and feel the steel plated panties, forget ever see them. They are just not sexy. Damn it, sometimes a girl just wants to breathe. Alright, while there certainly won’t be a foreseeable end to hide-and-go-lycra innovations, and we will only ﬁnd more ways to conceal our congealed wobbly bits, maybe we’ll just get more comfortable in them. Maybe retailers’ sizes will become obsolete. Maybe sucking in won’t be all that sucky for long. And remember, there IS such a thing as sexy, supportive undergarments…nay, lingerie…that do offer a BIT of support and (if they’re ever viewed by someone other than the wearer) a bit of sexiness ~ minus the whole cutting off our ability to breathe thing. We just have to be smart enough to choose those items. We don’t all have to take a page out of the Steel Magnolias handbook: “...these thighs haven’t gone out of the house without Lycra on them since I was 14.”

If You’re Looking For Sexy, Look No Further…

Betsey Johnson & OnGossamer Have Got You [Un]Covered! By Elise French Betsey Johnson Intimates Calling all fun, fierce, females...make a statement with famed New York designer Betsey Johnson’s playful and flirty intimates collection. Known for her celebration of the exuberant, the embellished, and the over-the-top, Betsey brings her unique design aesthetic to the boudoir with whimsical details like ruffles, bows, and lace in sexy silhouettes. Featuring flirty unmentionables, bold bridal styles, and sexy sleepwear in an eclectic mix of irresistible patterns, colors, and prints, the Betsey Johnson intimates collection has the perfect style to make every girl feel sexy and stunning both in and out of the bedroom. The Betsey Johnson Intimates collection ranges from $12.00 to $89.00 and is available at Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Lord & Taylor and online at www. BetseyJohnson.com as well as at specialty boutiques nationwide. To preview the virtual holiday lookbook for Betsey Johnson, please visit: www.visualitypro. com/web/visuality.web?id=543056&mkey=651218423 OnGossamer Intimates Since the brand’s inception in 1988, OnGossamer has revolutionized the lingerie market with its signature fashion-forward foundations that blend

OnGossamer Mesh Bump It Up Boyshort - Red Velvet

visionary techniques, seductive fabrications, and eye-catching original prints. OnGossamer’s luxurious lingerie embodies a European-inspired aesthetic fused with the brand’s Miami-based beach roots. From ultimate boudoir basics including signature low-rise bikinis and hip g-strings to bras and underpinnings that are coveted for their perfect contouring and support, as well as exquisite handmade camisoles, bralettes, and panties, the OnGossamer intimates collection offers the modern women a complete lingerie wardrobe. Created using the sheerest mesh, the most sumptuous cottons and opulent laces, the OnGossamer intimates collection of delicate, feminine innerwear makes you feel chic and luxurious, sensual, and completely comfortable, whether on a tropical weekend getaway or a sexy night out on the town. The OnGossamer Intimates collection ranges from $16.00 to $85.00 and is available online at www.OnGossamer.com as well as Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue and specialty boutiques nationwide. To preview the virtual holiday lookbook for OnGossamer please visit: www.visualitypro. com/web/visuality.web?id=517663&mkey=1829585206 See more OnGossamer styles in “Get Red Carpet Ready with OnGossamer” in our online Style and Beauty section at www. thepulsemag.com!

Betsey Johnson Stretch Cotton Tank & Shortie - Raven Black

OnGossamer Velvet Garter

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Fashion-forward and Sustainable - Icebox Knitting hats and gloves are the perfect accessory for the outdoors. By Steph Moore Icebox Knitting Company has been crafting head wear and accessories for 17 years using the finest elements: quality fiber, excellent made-by-hand craftsmanship, and eco-friendly products. Icebox Knitting’s Dohm knit hats are made from wool, one of the most widely used renewable and sustainable natural fibers. N e a r l y impossible to synthesize, the wool fiber is both resilient and elastic that shapes itself perfectly to your head while providing excellent UV protection. Dohm knit hats help retain warmth in the coldest conditions while allowing you to get noticed for style. Dedicated to implementing a sustainable workforce, Icebox Knitting is introducing new yarns in their production, pieces which include 100% recycled wool fibers. The yarn will debut this fall in various hats and accessories in both the Dohm and Xob line. The Dohm Super Sweet knit cap is made out of brushed merino wool, and the “tuff and fluff” yarns wick moisture away when conditions are wet and retain warmth when they’re super cold. With its adjustable knit draw cord and foam visor, the knit cap can contour to any desired look, a super sweet accessory for anyone! The Xob Upcycled Collection features fun and funky art you can wear! All products are handcrafted from pieces of gently used wool, wool blend jackets and suit jackets. Each upcycled sweater product is overstitched with bouclé yarn, giving it a

contemporary, crisp exciting look. Ditching the basic black color, each Xob product is available in bright and vibrate colors, reminiscent of t h e 1980s’ vibe. Display your love for funky fashion with the X o b Trio

The World’s #1 Eyebrow Pencil The YBF Eyebrow Pencil Really IS Your Best Friend! By Elise French

“Numbers don’t lie...over the past 14 years, 10 million ybf universal eyebrow pencils have been sold, used and demanded by girlfriends all over the globe!” Want perfect brows? Of course you do! They’re what frames the most important and alluring feature on your face ~ your eyes! So how do you get brows that wow? Keep reading! Peace Visor. Upcycled from various sweater panels using conditioned repurposed thrift sweaters and a ﬂeece headband liner, this visor will give you a unique look with both comfort and satisfaction. The Xob Mittens are made from upcycled sweaters, are fully ﬂeeced lined, and feature cuffs that are knitted from recycled yarns. The Xob Mittens allow for sustainability and eco-friendly craftsmanship by not using any dyes, synthetic yarn, or discharge that could ruin the environment! For additional information, to browse, and then to order, visit www. iceboxknitting.com!

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Preparing Your Brows Well-groomed and well-defined brows have the power to alter the appearance of your face significantly. You should comb your eye brows before applying eye brow pencil, and then ever so lightly comb them when you have completed. Use your eye brow pencil with feathery strokes. Blend carefully and remove any telltale marks. Using the YBF Eyebrow Pencil Hold a pencil vertically against the side of the nostril. The point at which the pencil crosses the brow is where the natural brow line should start. Lightly mark this spot with pencil. Don’t tweeze brows too far behind this line. While keeping bottom of pencil stationary at base of nostril, slide the top slightly across the front of the eye. Stop at the outer edge of the iris. Where the pencil crosses the brow is where the arch should be. Lightly mark this spot. Again, keeping bottom of pencil stationary at base of nostril, move pencil diagonally so that it extends past the outer corner of your eye. Lightly mark this spot. Your brow should not go past this point, or your eye will appear to droop. Use short, feathery strokes to fill in brows. Often times we make the mistake of going too dark ~ no worries ~ don’t remove! Just apply a light dusting of Neutralizing Powder over the brows to soften until the shade is perfect for you. Using the powder also serves to set the brow. To order yours, head to www.hsn.com or www.ybfstacey.com!

KeratinPerfect By Elise French

When you’re getting ready for a day of classes, you want to look and feel your best, right? With help from KeratinPerfect, looking your best can be easier and faster ~ no more getting up at 6 am to get pretty for first period! KeratinPerfect, the first ever at-home Keratin Smoothing treatment, will help you shave time off the getting ready process. This 30-Day Brazilian Hair Smoothing System smoothes, strengthens and protects strands to deliver instant and long-term hair health. You’ll notice that the effects of past damage are erased, frizz and flyaways are dramatically reduced, and daily styling becomes a snap. Hair looks smoother, shinier and healthier on the outside and is strengthened from within. http://keratinperfect.com

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COLLEGE

Assumption College’s “Crazy Stupid Love” By Tine Roycroft

Remember the ex-girlfriend who continued celebrating your anniversary long after you two had broken up? Crazy! Or your friend’s boyfriend who dumped her butt via text? Stupid! Yes, love can be insufferable. Luckily, we have talents like Brian Tivnan and Jacqueline Carlson who seek to turn our pain into viewing pleasure… with dinner included! “Crazy Stupid Love,” a dinner theater production that will be performed at Assumption College’s Taylor Dining Hall on November 17, 18, and 19, is sure to delight students and the general public alike with fabulous entertainers and fantastic food. This sensational night of fun is the brainchild of Tivnan, Assumption’s Visiting Instructor of Theatre Arts, and Carlson, a senior at Assumption who recently spent a semester studying with Second City. “Second City is a school that has prepared a lot of people to go onto ‘Saturday Night Live.’ It was a very comedy-intensive program,” Carlson says. “[Tivnan] and I had been talking about what we could do for the fall production that would incorporate many of the things I learned there. Originally, we were going to do an improv show or something similar to ‘Tony and Tina’s Wedding,’ but it was too much. So we thought about having an assortment of different scenes so we could have a lot of different people having big roles.” According to Carlson, who will be assistant directing and producing the production, the show will feature a combination of scenes from plays, movies, and musicals that all have the underlying themes of comedy and relationships ~ scenes from My Cousin Vinny, When Harry Met Sally, Romeo and Juliet, The Boys Next Door and Chicago, to name just a few. And there will be exciting dance numbers, too, choreographed by Assumption College senior Kristen Ficorilli. The dinner theatre aspect of the production is truly intriguing. Mike Ward, a general manager at Sodexo Food Services who works with the college, had suggested the idea to Tivnan and went as far as helping plan out the position of

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the stage and what might be served on the menu. The student performers will also be the waiters and waitresses who serve the multiple-course dinner. “At ﬁrst, when we told the students that they were also going to be serving the meals, they were a little hesitant,” Carlson laughed. “But then I was like, ‘We’ll get tips and let’s face it ~ we’re all poor and we like money!’” At auditions for “Crazy Stupid Love,” Carlson was thrilled to discover how much talent they had to work with. With 30 parts to ﬁll, the task of casting might have been overwhelming. “But we were blown away by the talent!” says Carlson. “And all of these freshmen came to auditions and they were great. And that’s wonderful to keep the theatre program going.” Once she graduates from Assumption, Carlson will be heading to sunny California to pursue sitcom writing. But before that, she’ll be playing Betty in “Sure Thing” and singing the part of Tzeitel in “Fiddler on the Roof” in “Crazy Stupid Love.” Tickets are only $25 for a full dinner and show, and can be ordered through jchlapowski@assumption.edu. Check out www.assumption.edu for details.

Pictured: Cell Block Tango from Chicago with Kristen Ficorilli (‘12), Siobhan Bennett (‘12), Olivia Echteler (‘13), Marie Ebacher (‘13), and Katie Reynolds (‘12) Photo by Jacqueline L. Carlson

The One CD You MUST Have This Semester Blink 182’s Neighborhoods By Katey Khaos Everyone’s favorite childhood pop-punk band is at it again! After eight long years, Blink182 is back in action with their sixth studio album entitled Neighborhoods, which features the new single “Up All Night!” For those Blink fans who could list every song ~ in order ~ that the band has ever written, be advised that Neighborhoods is being released as both a standard and deluxe edition (Yeah, yeah, I know, you’re a huge fan, of course you’re going to get the deluxe edition!): The deluxe edition includes four bonus tracks, including my favorite track, “Snake Charmer.” Mark Hoppus put it best when describing what Neighborhoods was all about: “We each bring a very different aesthetic, talent and sound to the band … So we’re each like different neighborhoods in a city. The world is wide, exciting and very different. That’s what Neighborhoods means to me.” Mark’s right, Neightborhoods is a little bit of everything. There’s the unmistakable sound of Blink182 in songs like “Natives,” hints of Tom’s Angels & Airwaves in “Wishing Well” and Mark’s +44 in “Heart’s All Gone.” Travis’ incredible drumming skills tie all of these sounds together to create what can only be described as a mature version of the pop-punk band everyone’s come to know and love. Yes, the days of Blink’s poo-poo pee-pee comedy may be long gone, but for those who were young when Blink ﬁrst hit the airwaves, you’ve probably done some growing up, so it’s perfect that they have, too!

Neighborhoods is available now ~ go check it out!

Keep Your Dorm Room Smelling Yummy! By Steph Moore Introducing Slatkin & Co.’s fall sweet treats, a delectable collection of sweet fall aromas. As the leaves change and the temperature drops outside, bring the spirit of fall inside with the Fall Treats collection by Slatkin & Co. Inspired by the season’s fresh-baked fragrances, each candle emits sweet, spicy scents and rich, creamy notes, letting you indulge in yummy autumn treats guilt-free. The collection includes: SLATKIN & CO. FALL 2011 SILVER LID CANDLES •

• • •

NEW Pumpkin Caramel Latte: A frothy blend of creamy pumpkin, sweet vanilla cream and rich pralines is topped with spiced caramel swirl NEW Smores: Layers of gooey marshmallow, melted dark chocolate and sweet graham crackers NEW Apple Crumble: Baked Granny Smith and McIntosh Apples topped with vanilla crumble, cinnamon and nutmeg NEW Oatmeal Raisin Cookie: Fresh baked oatmeal blended with sweet raisins, caramelized brown sugar and vanilla extract Available at Bath and Body Works and www.bathandbodyworks.com. NOV. 2011 | THEPULSEMAG.COM 53

Ceres_Pulse_1-4_Page_ExpressLunch.ai

10/24/11

2:25:06 PM

Working lunch. Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re on the clock or not, Ceres Bistro serves up an express dining experience to accommodate any busy schedule. Ceres Bistro, an unparalleled food and wine affair that delivers award-winning cuisine in an elegant yet casual atmosphere.

20 Minute Express Lunch Menu!

Open Every Day for Breakfast & Lunch! Ceres Bistro at the Beechwood Hotel 363 Plantation Street ~ Worcester, MA 508.754.2000 ~ ceresbistro.com

Revel in the harvest.