Weekend - May 28, 2020

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Weekend

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TELEVISION: Steve Carell charts return to TV comedy, E4 BIKING: How to safely take a family bike ride, E6 WINE PRESS: 3 continents, 3 outstanding rose wines, E10

Dream duets

PLUS

White Lion Brewing gets ready to roar, E10

5 cross-generational collaborations we’d like to see, Page E2

E2 | THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020

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ON THE COVER

Intergenerational duets 5 collaborations we’d like to see

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By George Lenker

Special to The Republican

veryone is understandably on edge these days. But it’s not helpful to get snippy with one another.

One recent trend has been for one generation to get surly about another generation. Whether it’s millennials blaming boomers for the state of the world, or boomers scoffing at millennials’ entitled attitude, or Gen X sarcastically rolling their eyes at both, the whole idea is a bit daffy. No generation is homogeneous and there are good people across the board who have done — and are doing — great things.

So in the spirit of all generations lifting their voices together as one, we present five cross-generational duets we’d like to see combine their voices (and talents) once the pandemic is over (or even before then, if they want to do it virtually).

From left, Dolly Parton and Taylor Swift.

(IAN GAVAN / GETTY IMAGES; JC OLIVERA / GETTY IMAGES / TNS)

Taylor Swift and Dolly Parton This is a no-brainer, and it’s surprising it hasn’t already happened. Both are great songwriters who started country but crossed over to pop (although Dolly’s pop period was more of a dalliance than a true crossover). They both are very funny and know how to put on a show. I hope no one says they are “never ever” getting together, to quote Ms. Swift.

Lady Gaga and Madonna OK, there is supposedly a “feud” between these two superstars, but if there ever was a perfect musical pas de deux, it’s combining the naked and blond ambition of these two. Imagine the dance moves, the costumes, and, of course, the music.

Even if there is some bad blood, that should only push both of them to make something even more special.

Paul McCartney and Harry Styles They have chatted already (Sir Paul actually interviewed Harry for the Another Man website), and Harry is a huge fan of Macca, according to what he told Howard Stern.

This is as natural a pairing as peanut butter and jelly, or fish and chips, if you’re British. Fans of great vocal chops alone would want to hear this combo.

From top, YG and Chuck D. (SER BAFFO / GETTY IMAGES FOR BET; EMMA MCINTYRE / GETTY IMAGES FOR KROQ)

From left, Janet Jackson and Beyoncé. (FRANCOIS NEL / GETTY IMAGES; KEVIN WINTER / GETTY IMAGES FOR COACHELLA)

Beyoncé and Janet Jackson Like Dolly and T-Swizzle, it’s hard to understand why this hasn’t occurred already. Janet was Queen Bey’s forerunner, and we know the younger artist is a big Janet fan, as she was seen dancing at Jackson’s Vegas residency last year. Bey also told the Atlanta-Journal Constitution in 2004: “I love Janet Jackson!” Let’s get this done.

YG and Chuck D Hip-hop has rarely seen the likes of Public Enemy, but PE’s Chuck D could push YG in a more socially conscious direction. YG released a hard-hitting track targeting Donald Trump when he was still just a candidate in 2016, but since then hasn’t done much along those lines. Pairing up with Chuck D could be just the trick to bring greatness to YG. Plus their names sound good together.

From left, Paul McCartney and Harry Styles.

(KEVIN WINTER / GETTY IMAGES; STEVEN FERDMAN / GETTY IMAGES)

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THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 | E3

MUSIC

Springfield for King & Country show postponed again

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HE GRAMMY Award-winning Christian pop duo for King & Country have once again postponed its “Burn the Ships | North America: 2020 Spring Encore tour” because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The local stop, originally scheduled for May 3 at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield and later moved to June 20, has been postponed again.

“The health and well-being of your communities is of paramount importance to us,” said the group in a statement. “The good news is that neither of these tours are canceling entirely — we do want to get to you as soon as we can. In an effort to get to you as safely as possible, we are working on a combination of maintaining, rescheduling, and pausing certain dates.”

The statement goes on to suggest that the group is looking at rescheduling all dates “before the end of the year.”

The Curb | Word Entertainment recording artists have won four Grammy Awards.

“Burn the Ships,” for King & Country’s third studio album, was released in 2017.

The single “Joy” was nominated for the 2019 Grammy

Donnie Moorhouse LiveWire

Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song.

Liner notes • Guns N’ Roses has scrapped its summer tour plans, including a scheduled Boston date.

The Rock Hall of Fame group’s long-running “Not In This Lifetime” reunion tour, which began in 2016, was slated for a stop at Fenway Park on July 21.

The group posted on its social media outlets that the tour was being postponed “out of an abundance of caution” due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The band is working on new dates and all tickets will be honored. Fans looking for a refund should go to livenation. com/refund.

• Green Day has put a halt to its summer touring plans, including a stop in Boston.

The band’s “Hella Mega” tour was scheduled to play the city’s Fenway Park on Aug. 27.

The tour included opening acts Weezer and Fall Out Boy. “As much as we were all looking forward to seeing you all this summer, everyone’s safety is our highest priority so we’ve officially made the call to reschedule all North American dates of the ‘Hella Mega’ tour until next year,” read a joint statement released on social media. “Please stay safe, and we look forward to seeing you in 2021.”

A rescheduled tour with the same venues will be announced in the coming weeks, as well as refund options. Current tickets will be honored at the new dates.

Christian music duo for King & Country’s local stop, originally scheduled for May 3 at the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield and later moved to June 20, has been postponed again.

Uncasville, Connecticut, on nominations and eight JUNO July 11; and Rockland Trust Awards.

Bank Pavilion in Boston on July 12.

• Brad Paisley has announced a new date for his To date, the Mohegan Sun performance at Mohegan Sun show is the only one with a new date. The tour will arrive Arena.

The country star will perform in Uncasville on July 10, 2021. at the Connecticut casino on All tickets will be honored Dec. 3. The concert was origfor this new date. inally scheduled for April but • The Deftones have Refund information is available at the point of purwas scrapped due to concerns canceled a summer tour that chase. over the coronavirus pandemwould have come to Massachusetts and Connecticut. ic.

Barenaked Ladies have The group was scheduled to written a number of Top 20 Paisley has an impressive play Agganis Arena in Boston hits, including “One Week,” store of accolades over his country music career including “Pinch Me,” and “If I Had on Aug. 14 and the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Con- $1,000,000.” They also wrote three Grammys, two American necticut, on Aug. 24.

Music Awards, 15 Academy of and recorded the theme song The tour was scheduled to to the TV series “The Big Bang Country Music Awards and 14 Country Music Association begin in Hungary on June 3.

Theory.”

“Due to current regulations, The Canadian band has been Awards, including “Entertainand uncertainty surrounding recognized with two Grammy er of the Year.”

COVID-19, we must reschedule our North American tour dates,” the band said Introducing the in a statement released on Instagram. “We’re currently rescheduling the dates for 2021.”

It would have been the Match with your favorite band’s first full summer tour Water-Based lube and toy cleaner! since 2017.

“S Satisfyer Wand”

Brad Paisley will perform at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut on Dec. 3. (ROB GRABOWSKI / INVISION)

• The “Last Summer on Earth” has been postponed.

The tour, featuring Barenaked Ladies, Gin Blossoms and Toad the West Sprocket, was scheduled for the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford, New Hampshire, on July 10; Mohegan Sun Arena in

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TELEVISION

Steve Carell charts return to TV comedy ‘Space Force’ available on Netflix tomorrow

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By Dave Itzkoff

New York Times

s an actor, Steve Carell has shown remarkable elasticity.

He can be an outright dope, like the barely articulate Brick Tamland of “Anchorman,” or a lovable, misapprehended loser, like Michael Scott, his breakthrough role on “The Office.” Occasionally, he has been a sheer terror, like John E. du Pont, the murderous scion he played in “Foxcatcher.” They are characters that don’t share much more than the actor behind them, and reveal almost nothing about him.

So the choices Carell made when he was helping to design his lead character in “Space Force,” his new Netflix comedy series, would seem to be telling. Given the opportunity to build a role from the ground up, he cast himself as the fictional Gen. Mark Naird, a tightly wound but highly capable military leader charged with creating a new branch of the U.S. armed forces.

For all his time as a film and TV star, Carell, 57, remains a bit of an enigma. Almost anyone who knows him will tell you

strident self-flagellation as he heard his own words. “God, it is so overused to say things like that when you’re talking about comedy. Ugh, shut up. ‘Rooted in humanity.’ Give me a break.”

It was only a phone interview, but you could practically hear him rolling his eyes.

Then a calm returned to his voice as he assured himself: “But I think things resonate more if there’s an underlying earnestness to them,” he said.

“Space Force,” which Netflix will release tomorrow, is highly anticipated: It is a series that

Steve Carell returns to television in “Space Force,” which reunites him with Greg Daniels, the creator of “The Office.” (AARON EPSTEIN / NETFLIX)

military and to find its humor in the competing demands of its protagonist’s home life and workplace.

It is a show that Carell knows will nonetheless be viewed through the lens of his previous sitcom. “We didn’t want to make the space version of ‘The Office,’” he said with a chuckle, “which is funny, because

“We didn’t want to make the space version of ‘The Office,’ which is funny, because as soon as it was announced, that’s what everybody started calling it. But that was a conscious decision. We didn’t want to retrace our steps in any way.”

Steve Carell

that he’s a nice guy — dedicated husband and father; generous, friendly collaborator.

But it turns out he does sometimes get the slightest bit disgruntled, at least with himself. Listen closely and you may hear it, in the course of a conversation about the making of “Space Force,” when you ask him how he decided who he wanted Naird to be.

“I wanted to find a certain humanity,” Carell said, his gentle tone giving way to

Carell created with Greg Daniels, the showrunner of “The Office,” and it features Carell in his first ongoing TV comedy role since he left that NBC series in 2011.

But “Space Force” might not be the show viewers expect.

It’s not a mockumentary and, despite its real-life inspiration, it’s not really a political satire.

Carell, whose father fought in World War II and served afterward in the Army, wants the show to have respect for the

as soon as it was announced, that’s what everybody started calling it. But that was a conscious decision. We didn’t want to retrace our steps in any way.”

“Space Force” is also a window into Carell as a performer and creator — one who sees his successes somewhat differently than viewers do, who finds contentment in blank slates and who seems comfortable remaining elusive to his audience as long as his choices make sense to him.

He just doesn’t find it easy to talk about himself or to talk about why he can’t quite talk about himself. “It’s so weird to break down a show like this and talk about the components and preparation,” he said.

“That doesn’t really matter to anybody except the actor. I just hope it plays.”

Though Carell might not want to acknowledge it, he possesses some industry clout.

Almost a decade after his exit from the Scranton branch of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Co., Carell, an Academy Award nominee for his turn in “Foxcatcher” (2014), had been on a run of starkly dramatic and darkly comic roles: a father grappling with a son in the throes of drug addiction in “Beautiful Boy”; a disgraced television host on “The Morning Show”; Donald Rumsfeld in the Dick Cheney biopic “Vice.”

As he planned his next round of work, Carell said, “I just wanted to do something funny and silly and lighthearted. A straight-ahead comedy.”

Netflix, meanwhile, had seen “The Office” become a pillar of its TV library - its deal to stream the show ends after this year –

and was eager to enlist Carell in a new comedy series. About two years ago, Netflix programming executives approached him with little more than a premise – a fictional take on the real-life efforts to establish an interstellar military wing – but it was enough to spark his interest.

“We just went out on a whim,” he said.

To build this new show, Carell wanted to re-team with Daniels, a creator of “King of the Hill” and “Parks and Recreation,” who had successfully adapted the British cringe comedy “The Office” into its kinder, more heartfelt U.S. incarnation.

Daniels (who also created the new Amazon comedy “Upload”) said that he and Carell had been seeking a new project to work on together.

He recalled his old “Office” leading man as an indefatigable problem solver who was ready with compromises when, say, Chili’s balked at an episode that had Pam, the receptionist played by Jenna Fischer, getting drunk in one of its restaurants. (Daniels said Carell supplied the fix in which SEE CARELL, PAGE E7

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What to stream?

By Noel Murray

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 | E5

DVD RELEASES

‘Invisible Man’ puts new twist on old story Tribune News Service

A new twist on an old tale leads DVD releases this week.

“The Invisible Man”: “I see you.” This simple statement of fact might be the most powerful and the most dangerous thing an abuse victim can say to their abuser. Because abusers operate in the dark, away from prying eyes, twisting their own warped reality into the truth. Cecilia (Elisabeth Moss) shouts “I see you” to a seemingly empty room. The declaration is the first step on her road to redemption in Leigh Whannell’s inventive and utterly riveting twist on “The Invisible Man,” says Tribune News Service film critic Katie Walsh.

Walsh writes that Whannell has flipped the notion of invisibility. In this take, invisibility is no superpower, and no affliction, but rather, it’s a threat.

In his script, Whannell centers a woman, Cecilia, as the target of the invisible man, who is her abusive, vindictive tech mogul partner, Adrian (Oliver Jackson-Cohen).

Working with a cool, gray palette allows Whannell and cinematographer Stefan Duscio’s camerawork to remain at the forefront of their visual storytelling, Walsh says. At the center of the film is Moss, who gives a virtuosic leading performance as the twitchy, terrified and tentative Cecilia.

Aldis Hodge appears in a scene from “The Invisible Man.” (MARK ROGERS / UNIVERSAL PICTURES)

In this take, invisibility is no superpower, and no affliction, but rather, it’s a threat.

Also new on DVD “Adventures of Rufus: Fantastic Pet”: Kids help creature save a dying world.

“Endings, Beginnings”: Love triangle starring Shailene Woodley, Jamie Dornan and Sebastian Stan.

“Once Were Brothers: Robby Robertson and the Band”: Documentary based in part on Robertson’s memoir.

New digital releases “I Will Make You Mine”: Three women confront past relationships with the same man. Written and directed

by Lynn Chen.

“The Man Standing Next”: Political thriller set during the presidency of South Korea’s Park Chunghee, who was assassinated in 1979. Based on a novel of the same name.

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phone. “The Vast of Night” is a charmer, and it’s also the A number of streaming rare arty genre picture that services have big premieres this film buffs can watch with their week. Here, our picks for the children. best of them. (Note: Streaming New to HBO services occasionally change “On the Record” schedules without giving Now available notice.)

Originally scheduled to run New to Netflix on Apple TV+, this eye-opening “Hannah Gadsby: Douglas” documentary — spotlighting Now available the testimony of several women who’ve accused hip-hop Given all the controversy and acclaim generated by pioneer Russell Simmons of Hannah Gadsby’s 2018 stand- sexual assault — was dropped up special, “Nanette,” the after one of its original producers, Oprah Winfrey, pulled Australian comedian faced a her support. An emotional tough challenge in delivering a follow-up — especially since world premiere at Sundance “Nanette” was in part about her helped turn “On the Record” into a must-see, and the film realization that telling jokes is ultimately became HBO Max’s an inadequate way to process trauma. According to the warm first high-profile acquisition.

Despite the tough subject reviews that greeted Gadsby’s matter, this is a remarkable, new show, “Douglas,” when far-reaching piece of journalshe took the new material on ism from co-directors Kirby tour last year, the sequel to “Nanette” remains a personal, Dick and Amy Ziering, who use the case against Simmons as an thoughtful and righteously opening onto a larger conversaimpassioned piece of comic tion about how some celebrities performance art, with pithy can be so entrenched in poppunch lines about patriarchal ular culture that they become privilege, the price of success almost untouchably powerful. and our enduring obsession with putting labels on people New to Apple TV+ and art.

“Central Park” New to Amazon Friday “The Vast of Night” Fans of the animated sitcom Friday “Bob’s Burgers” know that In this smart and energetic some of the show’s funniest science-fiction drama, two and most wondrous moments industrious late-1950s New come when the characters burst Mexico teens — one a radio into song. Now that show’s DJ, one a telephone operator — creator, Loren Bouchard, spend a wild night using all the has made what amounts to a resources at their disposal to cartoon version of a Broadway determine if an unusual audio musical, featuring the voices frequency has an alien origin. of Kristen Bell, Tituss Burgess, The movie’s director, Andrew Josh Gad, Daveed Diggs and Patterson, works similar magic Leslie Odom Jr. Set in New with his meager budget, makYork City, “Central Park” has ing a film that opens splashStanley Tucci playing ruthless ily — with an impressively hotel magnate Bitsy Brandenham, who has designs on filling well-choreographed take that moves through an entire small the park with high-rises. Odom town — and then settles into a plays Owen, a park manager series of lower-key scenes that with a crusading reporter wife work more like a stage play or a (Kathryn Hahn) and two advenradio drama. Sierra McCormick turous kids (voiced by Bell and and Jake Horowitz are captivat- Burgess). Like “Bob’s Burgers,” ing in the lead roles, whether this is a colorful, warmhearted they’re chasing extraterrestricomedy that balances an earthy als through the wilderness or sense of humor with some sitting still in front of a microlively musical numbers.

New York Times

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E6 | THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020

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How to have a safe family bike ride

By A.C. Shilton

can use existing lines to perfect stopping quickly and making tight turns. Or you can draw your own obstacle course with chalk, Goddard said. She points to something called “traffic gardens,” or courses used to teach kids the rules of the road in Europe. Draw out streets, stop signs, even your favorite destinations — like the ice cream shop — and let your kids practice turning and stopping on their way around “town.”

New York Times

The humble bicycle is the surprise star of lockdown. With youth sports on hold, car traffic down 75% or more throughout the country (according to the research firm StreetLightData), and cooped-up kids doing parkour on living room furniture, family bike rides have never sounded better.

“Since Pokémon Go started I have not seen so many people out,” said Tara Goddard, an assistant professor at Texas A&M University who studies transportation and urban planning. “I live in a place with a huge number of single-family homes with yards, and it’s clear that’s not enough. People want to move and get out and be around people in a safe way.”

Bike rides offer all of that.

If your beach cruiser has mostly served as a drying rack for the past decade, it’s time to put it back to its intended use. Before you roll, though, you need to know a few things about keeping your family safe — and having fun — out on the road or trail.

(METRO CREATIVE ARTS)

the gears to make sure everything is moving as it should.

• Quick release. These are the levers that hold on your front and back wheels. Make sure they are screwed in tightly and in the “locked” position.

For kids, the right equipment is the bike that’s going to give them the most confidence, said Arleigh Greenwald, who runs Bike Shop Girl, a family-oriHave the right equipment. ented bike shop in Denver. Sizing is a Your bike doesn’t need to be fancy or big part of that. Avoid the temptation of expensive, but it does need to work. If buying a bike a child will “grow into,” it has been a while since you’ve ridden as that too-big bike can feel scary and it, consider taking it to your local shop hard to control. (which in many states is an essential For younger kids, parents will need business) for a basic tune-up, Goddard to choose whether a pull-behind bike said. If you don’t have the cash for that, trailer or an add-on seat on their bike at least do a basic safety check, suggests is a better option. Greenwald said that Diana Hildebrand, a bike advocate and is an individual choice. Both have benefits and drawbacks. Riders, however, certified cycling instructor in Cleveland. She uses the abbreviation ABCQ: should be aware that a baby seat on a • Air. Check your tires. Usually the bike will change a bike’s handling — tire will show the suggested pounds per and you’ll need a stronger kickstand to square inch for inflation. make up for the added weight.

• Brakes. Pick up the front end of Does proper equipment require a

as people think. For example, Goddard says there is evidence that helmets may make drivers, and to some degree cyclists, less careful, because they give a false sense of security. Helmets, of course, won’t protect cyclists from the blunt force trauma of a pickup truck to the abdomen. Still: The aftereffects of traumatic head injuries are real and serious, and helmets may protect you in certain types of falls. Also, for parents: Your kids are watching. If you want them to take traumatic brain injuries seriously, it’s probably easiest to just model the behavior you want them to adopt.

Have a family plan.

Knowing what you’ll do in an emergency and how you’ll communicate on the road is vital to having a fun ride, Hildebrand said. Before you head out, make sure you’ve covered the following: • How you’ll communicate. For young kids, saying “turn left” may not work, since they may not always get their right and left correct on the first Protect yourself. try. Greenwald suggests color-coding Unless you’ll be riding deep out in the brake levers with electrical tape. For her country, proper equipment includes a daughter, “go to the green side!” means mask. Because many bike paths are see- move to the right. Make sure your kids ing upticks in use, it’s hard to guarantee also understand warnings like watch that you won’t run into other riders, and out for that pothole, or give that dog while transmission risk while briefly plenty of room. Finally, discuss how passing someone outside is quite likely your child will warn walkers or others low, the Centers for Disease Control re- that they’re passing. While bells are fun, they can be distracting for younger kids. For those who do understand which direction is which, vocal cues, such as “passing on your left,” may be a better option, because it tells other users exactly where you’ll pass.

• Where you’ll ride in relation to each other. Greenwald tends to ride behind and slightly to the left of her daughter. cently issued guidelines suggesting that Hildebrand usually takes up the same helmet? For your kids, yes. In many everyone wear masks in public spaces. municipalities, children must wear positioning since it allows her to both see helmets. They need to fit properly, too, To keep enough space between you and the road ahead and be a buffer to traffic other riders, wait to pass until the road which means covering your forehead approaching from behind. With older is wide enough to give plenty of space. and having straps that fasten snugly children, it may be OK to let them lead, under your chin. The National Highway but before you leave home you should set Start in a parking lot.

Traffic Safety Administration offers a the rules on how far they can ride ahead.

All those empty parking lots make good guide, if you’re not sure you’ve got • What the plan is in an emergency. the proper fit. For adults, they’re prob- perfect places to hone your skills, said Have a conversation about what to do ably a good idea, although some bike Alison Dewey, director for education at if one of you gets hurt or if you become SEE BIKES, PAGE E8 advocates argue they are not as useful the League of American Bicyclists. You

“I live in a place with a huge number of single-family homes with yards, and it’s clear that’s not enough. People want to move and get out and be around people in a safe way.”

TARA GODDARD

your bike, give the wheel a spin with your hand and then squeeze the brake to ensure it’s working. Repeat with the back wheel.

• Chain. Visually look over the chain to ensure it’s not completely rusted. Then, have another person pick up the rear half of your bike and give the pedal a turn to make sure your chain is rolling along as it should. Finally, while your helper is pedaling, shift through

Make it a game.

Right now, pathways and off-road bike trails are crowded, which means cyclists may need to pass on the grass to maintain proper social distancing.

Learning how to ride on a variety of surfaces, like grass and gravel, is important — and a good confidence booster — Hildebrand said. Consider playing follow-the-leader through a nearby park, soccer field or green space to practice riding on dirt, gravel, grass and any other surfaces you can find.

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MOVIE REVIEW

Issa Rae, Kumail Nanjiani shine in ‘The Lovebirds’ Comedy follows couple embroiled in murder mystery

W

By Mark Olsen Los Angeles Times

atching another couple’s terrifying night out can make for a passably decent night in with “The Lovebirds.”

The film was initially going to premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival before a scheduled April theatrical release from Paramount, but then a global pandemic happened and it is now streaming on Netflix.

Which is perhaps oddly fitting, as “The Lovebirds” is a movie about circumstances and complications. Directed

by Michael Showalter from a script by Aaron Abrams and Brendan Gall, the film opens with the sweet and cute beginnings of romance between Leilani (Issa Rae) and Jibran (Kumail Nanjiani) before cutting to four years later, when the compounded small grievances and major annoyances of being a couple have them on the verge of breaking up.

That is before they find themselves mixed up in a strange series of events, convinced they are wanted for murder and now on the run through nighttime New Orleans.

On a scale of other recent films that mixed the longterm rom-com with the action thriller, “The Lovebirds” lands somewhere between “Game Night,” starring Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams, and “Date Night,” starring Tina Fey and Steve

Issa Rae as Leilani, left, and Kumail Nanjiana as Jibran in a scene from “The Lovebirds.” (SKIP BOLEN / NETFLIX VIA AP)

starred Nanjiani in a story based on his real-life relationship with Emily V. Gordon and Rated: R earned the couple an Oscar Running time: 86 min. nomination for their screenPlaying: Streaming on play — Showalter is unflashy, Netflix efficient and willing to let the performers fully take the Carell. spotlight. In “The Lovebirds” Rae and Nanjiani have his touch is most strongly felt a quicksilver chemistry, in the film’s breathless pacing, flashing from playful banter as he, along with editors Vince to genuine, hurtful arguing Filippone and Robert Nassau, keep the less-than-90in an instant. It’s often up in the air whether to root for this minute film moving briskly, putting the characters and the couple to even stay together audience slightly off-balance, — someone holding them at gunpoint says, “You seem like never settling on any detail too long. a nice though somewhat annoying couple” — which gives There’s also a knowing nod the movie an extra charge. to the TV series “Search Party,” co-created by Showalter, Whether improv or scripted, the film is at its best when a self-involved guy-girl during moments such as couple in hipster headwear when Rae offhandedly calls are eyewitnesses to the a college frat guy “little Brett inciting incident and are later Kavanaugh,” Nanjiani fastid- reported as being treated for iously parses the distinction emotional distress. between a reality show and What’s disappointing about a docuseries or the couple “The Lovebirds” is that a find themselves reconnectgroup of talents this dynamic ing by singing Katy Perry’s would produce a movie that “Firework” full voice in the is this much just kind of OK. back of a Lyft. (And after the With the collective cultural conspicuous Uber placement savvy of Rae, Nanjiani and in Nanjiani’s “The Big Sick” Showalter behind it, “The and “Stuber,” that feels like a Lovebirds” should have more joke unto itself.) bite and insight, taking a stand rather than just being As with his direction on swept along for the ride.

“The Big Sick” — which

‘THE LOVEBIRDS’

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 | E7

Carell CONTINUED FROM PAGE E4

a Chili’s manager revealed that Pam was pilfering drinks from other customers and banned her from the chain.)

Daniels also watched Carell become a bankable movie star, starting with “The 40-YearOld Virgin,” which opened the summer after “The Office” debuted on NBC. Daniels commended him for fulfilling his commitments to “The Office” even as his fame grew, noting that Carell continued to be the sort of actor who remained on a shoot until 3 a.m. to do his own driving when the task could have been handled by a stunt performer.

“If it were me,” Daniels explained, “I probably would have said, ‘I love the show — but I could do twice as many movies if I wasn’t on the show.’”

The endurance of “The Office” also means that Carell and Daniels will get asked about it when they talk publicly about “Space Force,” and they expect this. Naird, they said, is neither a floundering clone of Michael Scott nor Carell’s attempt to escape his association with his best-known character.

“Michael Scott is not a millstone around his neck,” Daniels said. “He’s a point of pride.”

“It’s good to be relentless in pursuit of something. It’s good to keep after it.”

John Malkovich

As Daniels explained: “Michael Scott was a very mediocre leader who would do anything that anybody else suggested.

All he cared about was being liked by other people.” Naird, by contrast, he said, “is a guy who’s had a lot of success, has a family, is a great leader and is very inflexible.”

Rather than try to tie together the strands of the many different characters he has played, Carell pointed to his admiration for actors like Peter Sellers, the chameleonic star of films like “Being There” and “The Pink

Panther.”

“He could play the broadest character while at the same time being completely human and relatable,” Carell said. “His Inspector Clouseau was just this side of a cartoon, and yet, it was a guy who was always trying to maintain a sense of dignity in the face of his own bumbling.”

In “Dr. Strangelove,” Sellers’ multirole masterpiece, Carell said, “his Captain Mandrake was a completely different character than his President Muffley.” (His voice rising to a Brick Tamland-esque volume, Carell emphasized that he was not putting himself on the same level as his idol. “Please, I’m not equating myself with Peter Sellers, in any way, shape or form,” he said.)

The spirits of “Dr. Strangelove” and military comedies like “M A S H” and “Catch-22” are also palpable in “Space Force,” which Carell and Daniels have populated with a wide variety of bureaucratic foils for Naird, including an inscrutable chief scientist (John Malkovich) and a bullying military rival (Noah Emmerich), as well as a wife (Lisa Kudrow) and daughter (Diana Silvers) who complicate his life at home.

The cast also features Fred Willard, the comic actor who died May 15, in a recurring role as Naird’s father. In a tweet, Carell said that Willard “was the funniest person that I’ve ever worked with.”

Malkovich, a two-time Oscar nominee making a rare foray into comedy, said that he could see Carell quietly striving to meet his own personal standards of perfection in their scenes together.

“He wants to get it really right,” Malkovich said. “I always had the feeling he maybe hears something and/or feels something, some secret tone or a hieroglyphic that he’s trying to get. I think he knows when he gets it, and I think he knows when he’s not quite getting what he wants. I don’t think it’s something, necessarily, that I or anybody else would know.”

Even if he could not fully comprehend Carell’s exacting approach to his work, “It’s good to be relentless in pursuit of something,” Malkovich said.

“It’s good to keep after it.”

WEEKEND

E8 | THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

VIDEO GAME REVIEW

‘Arcade Spirits’ is video game equivalent of beach read

By Christopher Byrd

Special To The Washington Post

For those who carry fond memories of basking in the backlit glow of arcade machines, “Arcade Spirits” will elicit some warm fuzzies. This visual novel written by Stefan Gagne and Aenne Schumann is about the ups and downs of a staff working to keep a small-time arcade afloat. The game, which was recently released on consoles, plays on nostalgic feelings with knowing references to game culture while speaking to the economic anxieties that underlie so much of modern life.

“Arcade Spirits” tells the story of Ari Cader, a 20-something (you can choose Ari’s pronouns at the start of the game) whose post-adolescent life has been marked by financial hardship.

Owing to an unstable upbringing — punctuated by frequent moves and her parents slide down the economic totem pole — Ari has adopted a philosophy of apathy. “Going with the flow” is the favored catchphrase she uses to temper her ambitions and protect herself from disappointment. It’s also a way for her to come to terms with what she calls the “Cader family curse” — her notion of implacable destiny.

At the start of the game we find Ari, who has just lost another job, in the small apartment she shares with her friend Juniper. Eager to see Ari overcome her fatalistic despondency, Juniper advises her to download “Iris,” a digital assistant, to help with her job search. After securing her permission, Iris sifts through Ari’s personal data to gain a sense of her interests and motivations and recommends that she apply for a job at an arcade. As it happens, some of Ari’s favorite childhood

Bikes CONTINUED FROM PAGE E6

separated. Hildebrand said she and her family had many conversations about what they would do if they felt unsafe while riding or even if they were stopped by the police.

Plan your route.

Cycling when you feel scared isn’t much fun, so picking a place to ride that feels safe is the key, Goddard said. The good news is that many cities are making rapid changes to try

the Funplex’s business manager, has a cold demeanor which belies his concern for his fellow employees. Naomi, the arcade’s technician who keeps the games running, is more at home with her soldering iron than with new people. Ashely, the Funplex’s other floor attendant and costumed mascot, is bubbly and artistic though uncomfortable in her own skin; she excels at cosplay. They, as well the Funplex’s regular patrons, can be romanced if one wishes.

As Ari takes on more responsibilities, Iris records her conversational choices and calculates which traits most exemplify her. Different conversation options are pegged to different character attributes such as gutsy, quirky, kindly, steady (i.e. prudent), and basically (as A scene from “Arcade Spirits.” (PQUBE /PQUBE) in basic — a person who sticks with the most pedestrian options.) Raising her an entry-level job. Ari’s duties in‘ARCADE SPIRITS’ clude watching over the establishment specific character attributes closes off to make sure that customers are happy some conversational branches, so the Developed by: Fiction Factory and not engaging in unruly behavior as story invites multiple playthroughs.

Games well as helping them to redeem tickets Though the story moves around to Published by: PQube different locations, many static images for cheap prizes. Francine tells her Available on: Mac, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One are numbingly repeated. The art style, that while the Funplex can provide a unfortunately, is not strong enough to steady paycheck, the employees who bear such repetition. The story, on the thrive there are those whose dreams memories — from before her parents’ other hand, held my interest in part align with working at an arcade. Over fortunes took a nose-dive — were of for its levity and willingness to look the rest of the game’s eight levels, the sinking quarters into arcade machines narrative explores the trade-offs that at some of the downsides of gaming, with nary a concern for the future. like toxic players. In different ways, arise with following those dreams, Heeding Iris’ advice, Ari wanders “Arcade Spirits” also raises the queswhere reality is capable of turning tion of whether the Funplex’s most over to the Funplex, a scrappy arcade them to ash. situated along a strip mall. At the arIf players choose to help Ari fight for devoted patrons would be better off if cade, which was founded in the 1970s her dreams — at different points she they spent less time gaming. Accordingly, there is a note of ambivalence in and is mostly a haven for retro games, can give up on them which ultimateits overall celebration of game culture she meets Francine, the Funplex’s oc- ly results in a Game Over — they’ll togenarian proprietor. Francine leads encounter the diverse set of employees which adds a welcome counterpoint. her through a gentile job interview — and enthusiasts whose lives converge “Arcade Spirits” is the video game “If you were a dinosaur, what dinosaur around the arcade. Each of these char- equivalent of a beach read. It is charming, relatable, and knows its audience. would you be?” — and eventually offers acters has their own struggles. Gavin,

to accommodate social distancing as more families ride outside. In May, Seattle announced it would permanently close 20 miles of low-volume streets to through traffic to make room for more bikes and pedestrians.

New York recently announced it would temporarily close 12 miles of streets.

If you aren’t near any closed streets, consider letting your city know how much safer streets would mean to you.

Then, look for routes where traffic moves slowly, Goddard said. Sometimes that means opting for a street that may be

narrower but sees more languid traffic. “If drivers have to move more slowly that tends to feel a lot safer,” she said. Consider elevation gain, too. Google Maps shows topography, so you can make sure you aren’t in for a monster hill climb.

Greenwald always rides her planned route at least once by herself before bringing her kids out. “I look at the route and I try to predict: One, what will traffic be doing? And two, what will they do?” she said, meaning her children. She also looks for trouble spots, for example, whether to ride onto the side-

Do what you need to do to feel safe.

Goddard is a firm advocate in Pack a few things. cycling where you feel safest, A first-aid kit is a must, Hileven if that’s the sidewalk. debrand said. Hers always has However, Goddard adds Band-Aids, hand sanitizer, alco- that the sidewalk has its own hol wipes and poison ivy lotion problems. just in case they go exploring To begin with, some municioff-road. If your child has aller- palities ban bikes on sidewalks. gies or asthma, bring an extra You’re also outside the main inhaler and EpiPen. And bring line of sight of many drivers. If snacks and water. “Kids will get a driver turns into a driveway, dehydrated before you do,” she you may not be seen. said, adding that trying to coax That said, there’s never a hungry child through the last shame in getting off your bike mile of a bike ride is no one’s and walking until you feel it’s idea of a good time. safe to begin riding again.

walk to cross at a particularly dangerous intersection.

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

WEEKEND

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 | E9

DINE & WINE

Food service distribution companies feel COVID-19 impact

I

Two starter selections are included in the package along with four sides, three desserts, and two fruit-infused beverages that can double as cocktail bases. Grill-ready main dish selections range • Chez Josef in Agawam is from black bean veggie burgers and pesto shrimp skewers prepared to assist with small group outdoor get-togethers; to salmon fillet, BBQ ribs, and tri-tip steak. it’s “Chez2Go” program provides two options to spice up Orders must be placed 24 weekend plans. hours in advance and are Chez2Go’s “Build Your Own available for curbside pickup Barbecue,” which is designed or delivery within a 30-mile for two, includes entree seradius. lections, three sides, and two Call 413-355-5393 or go to Max Burger, 684 Bliss Road in the Longmeadow Shops, has beverages as well as dessert. chezjosef.com for online begun to accept lunch to-go orders, as well as weekend BBQ Main course options include ordering information.

Packages. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO) ribs, pulled pork, salmon, and lemon thyme chicken.

• The Federal in Agawam nouncing an a la carte menu A “Grill ’N’ Chill Experiis offering “Federal Famence” can be sized to accom- ily Packages” on Tuesday that will be available on SEE MENU, PAGE E11 Thursday and Friday evenings modate four, eight, or more. beginning at 4 p.m. The menu will be revised weekly.

“Hot and ready to eat” options available will include choices such as crab toast with avocado, herb roasted chicken, Parisienne gnocchi with mushrooms and asparagus, and salmon finished with an Hugh Robert arugula and sorrel pesto.

Off The Menu Pre-ordered “Family Meals” continue to be available; these require early week preorders Industry observers at the restaurant’s website, predict that the ACROSS FROM THE BEACH - bistrolesgras.com. weather permitting. Check maxrestaurantgroup.com for more information; individual locations in Connecticut should be contacted for advance reservations.

NewEngland TRAVELER CAPE COD

ultimate result of this crunch will be consolidation, with the major distribution firms acquiring financially weakened smaller wholesalers.

weakened smaller wholesalers.

For restaurants that’s likely to result in fewer supplier choices and higher wholesale costs that they, in turn, will have to pass on in their menu prices.

Side dishes • Bistro Les Gras in Northampton has expanded its “to go” options by an-

• Max Burger in Longmeadow has begun to accept lunch to-go orders.

The restaurant is additionally offering weekend BBQ Packages sized for two or four diners. Available for pickup on Fridays and Saturdays, the BBQ packs include baby back ribs, pulled pork, coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans, mac and cheese, potato rolls, and assorted cookies.

The BBQ bundle components are packed cold for at-home reheating. Orders must be called in by 4 p.m. on Friday.

Max Burger answers at 413798-0101.

MAX Restaurant Group locations in Connecticut that have patio seating are now providing outdoor dining Wednesday through Sunday,

THE VILLAGE GREEN. Rates from $75- $105 to 6/7/20 (excluding holidays, some restrictions apply). Ocean views and efficiencies available.

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All rooms have refrigerators and cable TV. Heated outdoor pool. Take children to the beachside playground. Close to several golf courses, tennis courts, whale watch cruises, ferries to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, restaurants, shops, bike trails and many more of the Cape’s unique attractions.

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TO ADVERTISE HERE CALL 413-788-1165

3134063-02

T’S NOT JUST THE customer-facing part of the food service industry that’s finding itself disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Food service distribution companies — those one-stop suppliers that sell everything from food and beverages to paper goods, cleaning supplies, and small equipment — are being equally stressed.

With restaurants as well as retail food service locations in business, industry, and education either shutting down or drastically downsizing, food service distributors are experiencing substantial drops in revenue and profit.

The three major players in the distribution industry — Sysco, Performance Food Group, and US Foods — have all reported significant declines in sales, and several smaller firms have already shut down for good.

Chain restaurants, especially those with well-developed drive-thru and curbside pickup programs, have been able to maintain business volume better than independent restaurants, but those multi-unit operations are often supplied through inhouse subsidiaries rather than traditional distributors.

Independent restaurants are thus the bread-and-butter of the food service distribution industry. Not having the purchasing leverage of large chains, independents typically pay full list price for wholesale food and supplies, making them the most profitable of customers.

As independents have shut down — some permanently — distributors have been consequently taking revenue and profit hits. Add to that the business lost from closedup school lunchrooms and college dining halls, and the impact on the distribution business is adding up.

Industry observers predict that the ultimate result of this crunch will be consolidation, with the major distribution firms acquiring financially

WEEKEND

E10 | THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

DINE & WINE

White Lion Brewing gets ready to roar in Springfield

T

HE CORONAVIRUS pandemic has of course caused immense large tragedies in numerous lives. But it also has caused minuscule twinges of pain, which although perhaps microscopic in comparison, still elicit a sigh or two.

One such local mild annoyance for beer fans is the delay in White Lion Brewing’s opening of its brewery and taproom in downtown Springfield. The company, which is set to become Springfield’s first fully operational independent craft brewery, has seen its launch delayed by the pandemic’s reach.

I checked in with founder Ray Berry to see when we can expect to hear White Lion’s roar in its new digs in Tower Square. The 11,000 squarefoot facility at 1500 Main St. sits in the space formerly occupied by Spaghetti Freddy’s.

Berry said the company had been in a position to likely have a series of soft openings in June if the COVID-19 pandemic had not taken place.

But now he’s looking at actual brewing at the new facility to take place in August, followed by some soft openings of the taproom in September.

Finally realizing the dream that he envisioned five years ago was worth the wait, Berry said.

“We’re super excited to be downtown,” he said. “That was our original objective.

We’ve been able to meet that, and it will be an extra attraction/destination for folks — individuals and families — who want to come and experience a downtown brewery

Three of the rose wines featured in this week’s wine column.

(PHOTO BY KEN ROSS)

Dave Monko of Holyoke is served a beer by White Lion Brewing Co. President Ray Berry at the White Lion Summer Beer Garden in downtown Springfield, June 14, 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic has delayed the opening of the company’s brewery and taproom in downtown Springfield. (DANNY NASON PHOTO)

George Lenker Beer Nut

that is returning brewing to the city of Springfield.”

If there was any silver lining for White Lion during the current crisis, it was that the new facility wasn’t online yet.

But Berry stressed that the overall community was at the forefront of his mind.

“We’ve been able to work with our contractors and banks to assure there is little to no disruption or penalties, and I’m thankful for that,”

he said. “But we extend our condolences and blessings to everyone who has been impacted by COVID-19 and we wish them and their families well. The pandemic has also impacted the hospitality industry, which has caused a countless amount of unemployment and uncertainty.”

Berry lauded brewer Mike Yates for his ever-expanding role during the crisis. Yates at first acted as a consultant and adviser, and put together a number of recipes back when the business was just a dream.

“Since that time, our relationship and partnership has evolved to a point where Mike was in a position to work with our architect, our engineer, the facility management at Tower Square, and our design team to really mold and frame out what the brewery would look like from an infrastruc-

SEE BEER, PAGE E12

“Society wants to get back to ‘normal normal,’ but we have to understand there’s probably gonna be a new normal. And if we can wrap our heads around that and embrace it, we’ll be better off in the long term.”

RAY BERRY, FOUNDER, WHITE LION BREWING

3 continents, 3 outstanding rose wines

‘O

MY LUVE IS like a red, red rose.”

And no, I don’t mean the flower.

No offense to Robert Burns. I’m talking about the two-syllable version of the same word that refers to the wine that falls somewhere in between red and white.

Rose wine.

There was a time not long ago that rose wine was the Rodney Dangerfield of wines — it didn’t get any respect.

No more.

Sure, there are definitely some terrible rose wines out there. Too sweet, too syrupy, just depressing.

But you can just as easily find many outstanding rose wines that rival great red and white wines for flavor, complexity and taste.

And for many people (including myself, I confess) rose wine often only means one thing — wines from France’s Provence region.

But there are many other parts of the world where you can also find great rose wine.

So this week I thought I

Ken Ross Wine Press

would write about three rose wines from three different continents which absolutely blew me away in terms of quality.

One (or maybe two) are from Provence.

The other’s from California.

And the third is from New Zealand.

These rose wines represent the cream of the crop.

And let me add you can find many of these wines for under $20 a bottle. And if you’re looking for even more affordable rose wines, last year I wrote about six great French rose wines for under

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THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

WEEKEND

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 | E11

DINE & WINE

Wine

the head seat at the table when it comes to rose wine for so many different reasons.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE E10 First and foremost, its wines $10 a bottle, see story on consistently taste great year MassLive.com. I hope you after year. While some wines enjoy. try to overpower us with their flavors, many Provence roses Rose wines recomtake a much more understatmended this week ed, subtle approach. In most • 2019 Chateau Minuty cases, the flavors caress your Rose et Or ($43 Suggested palate, like a passing breeze or Retail Price) a gentle wave carefully caress• 2019 Justin Rose Wine ing the sand.

Central Coast ($20 SRP) The same is true for this rose • 2017 Kim Crawford Rose wine from Chateau Minuty, New Zealand ($19 SRP) an outstanding winery located near the Mediterranean Sea in Wine tasting notes the dream-like village of Saint 2019 Chateau Minuty Tropez. I could have easily Rose et Or written about three or four Region: Provence, France different outstanding rose Grapes: Grenache blend wines from this winery. Some Tasting notes: I could write are outstanding but a little out almost every week about of most people’s price range the amazing wines from (the out-of-this-world 2019 Provence. There are so many Chateau Minuty 281 costs great winemakers in this around $70 a bottle). Others wonderful corner of the world are much more affordable making outstanding rose (the delicious 2019 Cotes de wines, along with terrific reds Provence ‘M de Minuty’ Rose and whites. comes in at about $18 a botProvence rightfully deserves tle). Somewhere in between is

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You can just as easily find many outstanding rose wines that rival great red and white wines for flavor, complexity and taste. the 2019 Rose et or Chateau Minuty, a beautiful, subtle, understated dry rose wine perfect for any occasion.

2019 Justin Rose Wine Central Coast Region: Paso Robles, California Grapes: Cabernet sauvignon, grenache blend Tasting notes: Many people may only know Napa or Sonoma when it comes to California wines. But the more you get into wine, the more you realize there are great things happening a few hundred miles south in the Paso Robles region.

There seems to be no limit to what great winemakers can do here with grapes grown in this dry, dusty part of California. This region is especially well-known for its cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel and other hearty red wine grapes.

Judging from this outstand-

ing, dry rose wine from Justin Vineyards, this part of California could give Provence a run for its money. I absolutely adored this wine’s crisp yet dry fruit flavors, which ranged from strawberry and raspberry to peach and melon. Again, these flavors were very subtle, very understated and absolutely delicious.

This wine is one of the most unusual and delightful rose wines I have ever tasted. It’s not like the distinct dry rose wines from Provence that I love. It’s different and distinct and that’s what I love about it.

This dry rose wine definitely captures the flavors that make New Zealand wines so unique and so delightful. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not a grassy 2017 Kim Crawford flavored rose. It’s more dry Rose New Zealand and slightly tart, like a fresh Region: New Zealand picked Macoun apple in September in New England.

Grapes: Merlot blend Combine those flavors with Tasting notes: Fans of the flavors you often find in crisp, dry sauvignon blancs many great dry roses — strawand earthy yet refined pinot noirs know New Zealand well. berry, watermelon and raspberry — and you have a real And when it comes to New Zealand wineries, the best of winner ready to drink now.

Cheers! the best includes Kim Crawford, one of the finest and most consistent winemakers Wine Press by Ken Ross south of the equator. appears on Masslive.com every Monday and in The RepubThat’s why it came as no lican’s weekend section every surprise to me when I tasted Thursday. its outstanding rose wine.

traffic levels as people commute to work, Dunkin’ is now instead seeing a late morning CONTINUED FROM PAGE E9 drive-thru uptick in business through Saturday evenings. as at-home workers take a The packages, which are break by getting out of the sized to serve five, include a house for a bit. choices of salad, an entree Pre-boxed assortments of such as chicken Bolognese, donuts to-go have replaced truffled mac and cheese, rosethe pick-and-choose ritual of mary roasted chicken, or red the past, and the chain is now wine braised beef short ribs. A providing a curbside pickup dessert selection from among option. such temptations as vanilla Murphy also revealed poppy-seed cake, warm Nutethat Dunkin’ is in no rush to lla crepes, and pecan caramel reopen inside seating, and cheesecake is also included. he speculated about whether A significant subset of the doing so would even make Instead of coping with peak traffic levels as people commute restaurant’s regular menu sense under social distancing to work, Dunkin’ is now seeing a late morning drive-thru uptick is additionally available for protocols. in business as at-home workers take a break by getting out of takeout, including such faCurrent company plans call the house. (MICHAEL DEMPSEY / NJ.COM) vorites as “a bucket of balls,” for testing inside seating in seared sea scallops, and Feda few locations, then evaleral fra diavolo.

• Stay-at-home and lockwhich reports on trends in the uating its overall impact on Individual-portion takedown orders have changed operations before making any food service industry, Scott out can be ordered online at the way America lives, with decision on a chainwide move Murphy, the president of thefederalrestaurant.com, independent restaurants and Dunkin’, described the shifts in that direction. but family package orders The entire article can be read major chains alike consein business one of country’s quently forced to rethink the can only be placed by phone online at nrn.com/restaulargest “coffee-and” chains way they do business. at 413-789-1267. Delivery is has experienced over the past rants-ready/dunkin-adaptscoronavirus-era-customersIn a recent interview with available to Agawam, Feeding several months.

Hills, and Suffield addresses. Nation’s Restaurant News, Instead of coping with peak find-new-uses-restaurants.

• Figaro Restaurant in Enfield continues its family meal takeout specials, offering both customer favorites like chicken francese and rigatoni Bolognese as well as the likes of baked ham with mashed potato and scrod Florentine with ziti and spinach. All family meal specials are sized to serve five and come with salad and bread.

The restaurant is also offering jumbo chicken wings with a choice of ranch dressing or homemade blue cheese dip.

Consistent with Connecticut’s guidance on reopening restaurants, Figaro Restaurant plans to offer outside dining on Saturday and Sunday afternoon and evening, with tables available on a first-come, firstserved basis.

Contact Figaro at 860-7452414 for more information or to order from the takeout menu.

• The Duck in Sturbridge is welcoming the unofficial

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E12 | THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020

THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM

DINE & WINE

Beer CONTINUED FROM PAGE E10

ture perspective. No one else on the team had that experience, and Mike was perfect to facilitate and drive all of those conversations,” Berry said.

“His bandwidth is far greater than just brewing beer.”

Yates’ attention now encompasses the entire breadth of the business, from dealing with the facility and contractors to doing quality control of the beer at the contract brewing site in Williamsburg to sales and even doing deliveries.

“So he’s wearing four or five hats just because of his commitment to seeing White Lion move forward,” Berry said.

“And that’s just a tribute to who he is. Every team needs a franchise player, and Mike is that guy.”

Springfield used to be a major brewing hub before Prohibition, when the city had three or four breweries brewing up to 100,000 barrels.

“So to follow those breweries 80 years later ... and bring

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it back to the city, it’s very humbling, and we’re very grateful to be in a position to do so,” Berry said.

Berry noted that he has always envisioned White Lion as representing inclusion and community and he expressed gratitude to the community for helping the brewery becomes a reality “So many people stepped forward, private companies, giving advice, wanting to see this project come to fruition,” he said.

While he remains hopeful, he is practical about the current pandemic situation.

“We see a light at the end of the tunnel. It’s coming.

As long as folks follow the guidelines and the recommendations, we’re all going to benefit at the end of the day. It’s just a matter of being patient. Society wants to get back to ‘normal normal,’ but we have to understand there’s probably gonna be a new normal. And if we can wrap our heads around that and embrace it, we’ll be better off in the long term.”

PepsiCo Inc, which produces soft drinks and snack foods under the Frito-Lay brand.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE E11 PepsiCo has launched two start of summer with a “Build new websites, PantyShop. a BBQ” program of pre-porcom and Snacks.com, each tioned and grill-ready items of which offers bundled selections of food and beverage and prepared side dishes.

The array of choices is products. extensive, from frenched pork Pantryshop.com, for chops and NY sirloin steaks instance, features family pack to house-made knockwurst, assortments of items containing the likes of Smartfood jerk chicken, and vegetable popcorn, Life cereal, and kabobs.

Sides include Caesar salad, Quaker Oat granola bars, pasta salad, and marinated while Snacks.com allows mushrooms to a variety of online shoppers to customize sauces. a bundle of snack foods from Orders can be placed online Frito-Lay’s extensive brand at table3restaurantgroup. lineup. com/bbq.

Shipping is free with a miniSame day pickup after 2 p.m. mum $15 order. is available for orders placed before 11 a.m.

Hugh Robert is a faculty The Duck is also offering a member in Holyoke Commuseparate to-go menu. nity College’s hospitality and Call 508-347-2321 for more culinary arts program and has details. nearly 45 years of restaurant and educational experience.

• The shift to online food Robert can be reached online at ordering has not been lost on OffTheMenuGuy@aol.com.

90 William Street, Springfield • 732-5428 159 Shaker Rd, East Longmeadow • 525-9400

Gift delivery gift packages for the family members we haven’t seen in a while.

Packages start around $60 Checkout our delicious prepared family packages of Lasagna, Chicken, Meatloaf and more.

For full list of mea e ls l see frigofoods.com and register to get daily email specials.

We are also accepting orders for curbside pickup and local delivery.

Credit cards are preferred to minimize cash handling.