Spring Market has arrived!
New Listings...
24 Appleton Street, Somerville ~ $1,375,000
Beautifully renovated single family on a Davis Square side street with 4 bedrooms and a study; 2.5 baths; large designer kitchen; living room with gas fireplace; fenced backyard with 2-level deck, patio, lawn, shed; and driveway for 2+ cars. Large unfinished basement makes a great workshop/studio. Walk to Davis and Porter T stations, shops, nightlife.
9 Cedar Street #2, Somerville ~ $645,000
Second floor Porter Square condo with 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, in-unit laundry, large deck, and 2 parking spots. Ideal location near Porter Square T station, shops, and nightlife; also walkable to Davis and Union Squares.
1 Summer Street #5, Somerville $2,950,000 Stunning, award-winning renovation of a historic church in the heart of Union Square. Grand living and entertaining space with 65 ft. ceiling; 500-bottle wine storage in dining room; 3-4 bedrooms and 3 1/2 baths on 3 levels; chef’s kitchen; 2 garage parking spaces.
51 Craigie Street #2, Somerville ~ $395,000 Large Porter Square 1 bedroom/1 bath condo with 2 side-by-side parking spaces, and treetop views. Walk to Porter Square T station and to shops and nightlife in Porter and Union Squares.
1 Belknap Street #5, Arlington ~ $207,000
Nestled in a residential neighborhood between East Arlington and Arlington Center, this adorable top-floor studio condo has a flexible floor plan, full bathroom, and 1 covered parking space. Walk to Spy Pond, Alewife T station, and shops, restaurants, and theaters.
Coming Soon
Thalia Tringo
40 School Street #6, Somerville ~ $525,000 Top floor Union Square condo with sweeping city views, 2 bedrooms, study/office, 1 bath, in-unit laundry, driveway parking space, basement storage, and shared yard. Walkable to the delights of Union Square, several buses, and Porter Square.
President, Realtor ® 617.513.1967 cell/text Thalia@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
Todd Zinn 20 Hicks Avenue #1, Medford ~ $tba Adorable first floor condo with 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, and 2 parking spaces. Convenient location near the Ball/Magoun Squares neighborhoods of Somerville.
Niké Damaskos
Commercial – For Lease
Residential Sales and Commercial Sales and Leasing 617.875.5276 Nike@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
North Cambridge
Office space in 2,100 sq. ft. commercial loft with high ceilings, 2 parking spots, walkable to 3 Red Line T stops, Mass. Ave. #77 and #83 buses, commuter rail, shops, restaurants. Lease terms subject to build-out requirements.
Assembly Row/East Somerville
Steps from Assembly Row Orange Line T stop and just off Rt. 93. This 4,500 sq. ft. space on 2 levels has exposed brick walls and abundant natural light from windows on 3 sides and comes with 12 parking spaces. Lease terms subject to build-out requirements and whether the property is leased wholly or subdivided.
Free Classes for homeowners contemplating a move
Monsday, March 14th or Wednesday, March 30th or Wednesday, April 6th
How Individuals Can Buy Property Together as a Group:
Prepping Your House for Sale
for homeowners preparing to list their house
6:30-7:45 pm
What do you need to do to get your home ready to put on the market? Is it worth updating a kitchen or bath? Finishing basement space? Landscaping? Decluttering? Repainting? Which repairs do you get your money back on? Which ones make your house sell faster? Get your questions answered in this short, informative session. Handouts and refreshments provided.
First Time Home Buyers:
an overview of the buying process Monday, March 7th
6:30-7:45 pm
If you’re considering buying your first home and want to understand what’s in store, this is a quick and helpful overview. Led by our agents, it includes a 45-min presentation and 1/2 hour Q&A session. Handouts and refreshments provided.
To reserve space in any class, please email Adaria@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com. Admission is free, but we appreciate donations of canned goods or coats/gloves/hats for the Somerville Homeless Coalition.
Lynn C. Graham
Brendon Edwards
Residential Sales Specialist, Realtor ® 617.895.6267 cell/text Brendon@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
6:30-7:45 pm
When two or more people, whether or not they are related, buy property together, what are their options for taking title? How do you determine each one’s financial contributions, percentage legal interest in the property, and expense allocation? What kind of arrangements can be made in the event one or more parties want to move on but others want to keep the property? What type of financing is available? We will address these and other questions in this class with a follow-up Q&A session. Lead by our team and a local real estate attorney. If you are a first time home buyer, please attend the First Time Home Buyers Workshop (March 7th) or make an appointment with one of our agents (which we will schedule for you) so you’ll have your prerequisites for this class.
Wednesday, March 16th or Tuesday, March 29th
Residential Sales Specialist, Realtor ® 617.943.9581 cell/text Jennifer@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
6:30-7:45 pm
If trying to figure out the logistics of selling your home and buying a new one make your head spin, this workshop will help make the process understandable. This workshop, led by our agents and a loan officer from a local bank, includes a 45-min presentation and 1/2 hour Q&A session. Handouts and refreshments provided.
Tuesday, March 8th
Jennifer Rose
Residential Sales Specialist, Realtor ® 617.216.5244 cell/text Lynn@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
How to Buy and Sell at the Same Time
a primer for non-traditional homebuyers
Residential Sales Specialist, Realtor ® 617.852.1839 cell/text Todd@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
Adaria Brooks
Executive Assistant to the President, Realtor ® 617.308.0064 cell/text Adaria@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
About our company... We are dedicated to representing our buyer and seller clients with integrity and professionalism. We are also commi ed to giving back to our community. Our agents donate $250 to a non-profit in honor of each transaction and Thalia Tringo & Associates Real Estate Inc. also gives $250 to a pre-selected group of local charities for each transaction. Visit our office, 128 Willow Avenue, on the bike path in Davis Square, Somerville.
MARCH | APRIL 2016 ::: VOLUME 19 ::: SCOUTCAMBRIDGE.COM
contents 6 // EDITOR’S NOTE 8 // WINNERS & LOSERS The Smiths were wrong: There is a light, and it sometimes goes out. 10 // NEWS: THE FIGHT FOR 15 Should Cambridge bump up the minimum wage—and does it even have the authority to? 12 // WHAT’S NEW? We bid farewell to a longstanding favorite and get you up to speed on the restaurant-themed edition of musical chairs in Harvard Square.
CAMBRIDGE AT WORK
16
16 // FOR CAMBRIDGE’S FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESSES, IT’S ALL RELATIVE Whether you’re building bikes or fashioning floral arrangements, sometimes it’s nice to keep it in the family.
38 // SCOUT OUT: MAKING THE PAST PRESENT The Cambridge Historical Society wants to bring history to your neighborhood watering hole. 40 // SCOUT OUT: GET TO THE GALLERY Three off-the-beaten-path exhibition spaces for when you think you’ve seen it all. 42 // CALENDAR 44 // MARKETPLACE 46 // SCOUT YOU
38
20 // GOOD BONES A Broadway body shop becomes a brewery. 22 // GIRLS TO THE FRONT END Closing tech’s gender gap with the help of the Women’s Coding Collective. 24 // A SHOW OF HANDS When you work a trade, things can get a little messy. 32 // BEHIND GLASS WALLS We ask area scientists to tell us what’s going on in their shiny Kendall Square offices. 36 // DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT Burlesque performer Allix Mortis talks about the separation of day job and night job.
Photo, top: Madhouse Motors’ Sayre Anthony and J. Shia. Photo by Mary Schwalm. Photo, bottom: Behind the scenes at the Cambridge Historical Society. Photo by Emily Cassel. On the cover: Hub Bicycle Company owner Emily Thibodeau isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. Photo by Jess Benjamin.
scoutcambridge.com March | April 2016
5
EDITOR’S NOTE
PUBLISHER Holli Banks hbanks@scoutmagazines.com EDITOR IN CHIEF Emily Cassel ecassel@scoutmagazines.com emilycassel.me MANAGING EDITOR Emily Hopkins ehopkins@scoutmagazines.com genderpizza.net OFFICE MANAGER Melinda LaCourse mlacourse@scoutmagazines.com
Computers and coffee: the ingredients for a successful workday here at Scout.
“C
ambridge is a progressive city,” begins Erin Kappeler in her breakdown of the Fight for 15 movement (p. 10), but it’s “also a city divided.” Kappeler is speaking strictly in financial terms—like many cities, this is a place where there are distinct lines between haves and have nots, where people with six-figure biotech salaries ride the Red Line with employees making $10 an hour at McDonald’s. But really, that’s just one of many lines dividing Cambridge’s workers. You have creatives and cubicle dwellers. Those who work days, those who work nights. Blue collar tradespeople and blue-chip tech companies. People who make headlines, people who write them. As we put together our cover story about the way the city works, we wanted to blur some of those lines, to break down some of those barriers. Have you wondered what the literal geniuses in Kendall Square are working on? We asked a few of them (p. 32). Ever pondered what burlesque dancers do to pay their bills? One told us (p. 36). Whether you’re curious about people doing manual labor in a digital age (p. 24) or hoping to learn about the unique challenges facing family businesses (p. 16), there’s someone in the city who can offer their insight. It would be bold, bordering on absurd, for us to claim that we’ve provided a complete and panoramic picture of what the city’s workforce looks like. But what we hope to do—what we try to do in each issue of our magazine—is to show the vast range of human experience that exists in Cambridge’s 7 square miles. Whether you’re in a bike shop or a brewery, it’s your neighbors who make those places run. Maybe you’ll think about that the next time you walk through Kendall Square—or order a cheeseburger and fries.
ART DIRECTOR Nicolle Renick design@scoutmagazines.com renickdesign.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Frederick Choi, Becca DeGregorio, Marisa Dellatto, Erin Kaeppler, JM Lindsay, Beryl Lipton, Katherine Rugg CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Jess Benjamin jsbenjamin.com Mary Schwalm instagram.com/maryschwalm COPY EDITOR Joshua Eaton BANKS PUBLICATIONS c/o Scout Cambridge 191 Highland Ave., Ste. 1A Somerville, MA 02143 FIND US ONLINE scoutcambridge.com scoutcambridge
scoutcambridge @scoutmags
Office Phone: 617-996-2283
Emily Cassel, Editor in Chief ecassel@scoutmagazines.com
Advertising inquiries? Please contact hbanks@scoutmagazines.com. CIRCULATION 40,000 copies of Scout Cambridge are printed bimonthly and are available for free at more than 250 drop spots throughout the city (and just beyond its borders). You can find a map of our pickup locations at scoutcambridge.com/pick-up-spots or sign up for home delivery by visiting scoutcambridge.com/shop.
6
March | April 2016 scoutcambridge.com
True Home Partners: We Partner With You
LISA J. DRAPKIN
NANCY M. DIXON
Mobile: 617-930-1288 Lisa.Drapkin@NEMoves.com
Mobile: 617-721-9755 Nancy.Dixon@NEMoves.com
PREMIER ASSOCIATE
“Lisa engenders immediate trust, with a strong knowledge of the real estate market, great ideas for how to prepare for a sale, and an infinite network of connections to help you get the job done.”
DEBBIE LEWIS REALTOR®
REALTOR®
DAVE WOOD REALTOR®
Mobile: 617-388-3054 Dave.Wood@NEMoves.com
Mobile: 617-461-6797 Debbie.Lewis@NEMoves.com “Debbie has a charming personality, bringing humor to the often stressful process of home buying, and always brightens our day. We would not hesitate to recommend Debbie to anyone looking to purchase in Cambridge, Somerville, or the surrounding areas.”
• A partnership of five full-time Coldwell Banker real estate professionals. • Full-time Executive Assistant. • Combined 55 years of experience.
LAURIE CRANE REALTOR®
Mobile: 617-866-8865 Laurie.Crane@NEMoves.com
• Honed negotiation skills. • Innovative marketing. • Intimate knowledge of current market conditions.
TrueHomePartners.com Call us to find out how we can partner to sell your home or find your next one.
scoutcambridge.com March | April 2016
7
W&L WINNERS
LOSERS
THE GAY AGENDA In January, the LGBT publication The Advocate named Cambridge the thirdqueerest city in the U.S. “The queer community in Cambridge exists outside the walls of Harvard Yard; just ask the city’s openly gay mayor, David Maher, or the two mayors before him who were also out of the closet,” The Advocate wrote. The piece fails to highlight recently inaugurated Mayor Denise Simmons, who in 2008 became the first African-American lesbian mayor to be elected in these United States. Now that has us seeing rainbow flags.
BRIGHT LIGHTS If New York is the city that never sleeps, then Cambridge must be its upstairs neighbor who stomps on the floor for it to keep the music down. One of the newest additions to the city’s limited housing stock caught heat in January because of the bright lights illuminating its roof. The 15-story residential building, called “Zinc,” ultimately shut down the LEDs for a supposed non-complaint reason. Uh-huh. Sounds legit.
JULIA KANNO & CHRISTINE TIERNEY When’s the last time someone offered to do you a favor that involved major surgery? Julia Kanno, a single mom and artist, did just that when she offered Christine Tierney one of her kidneys. Tierney, who runs a popular after school program at a school adjacent to Kanno’s home, revealed months ago that she had a kidney disorder that would ultimately lead to her needing a transplant. Nothing much came of it, until one day Kanno bluntly made the offer. It turns out, according to the Globe, that Kanno had used those months to do research and bloodwork. You can’t make up that sort of kindness. MAN ON THE STREET A random act of kindness? A blessed act of God? Or an unlucky accident that went to benefit some strangers? It’s a mystery what sent $20 bills raining from the sky near Hancock Street in late January. Authorities first noticed the cash when people started catching it out of the air. A letter to the editor of Cambridge Day suggested that the money belonged to a young woman and that anonymous bill-grabbing benefactors could return the cash to the Cambridge PD. Here’s hoping that this is actually some kind of perk of climate change.
SANDWICH BOARDS Who could think of a more contentious or pressing matter than the fate of sandwichboard advertising on the streets of Cambridge? Probably everyone, but the issue is causing some concern over at city council. Streets are already pretty busy without having to dodge the a-frame wooden signs (along with bike racks, patio seating and rubbernecking tourists). There’s also the question of whether large corporations should be allowed to add so much to the sidewalk noise. No word yet on what would happen to any obsolete sandwich boards in the event of a crackdown, but our guess is they’ll be turned into space savers. LUNG CANCER What if you could know if you had lung cancer just by breathing out? That’s the future that meditech startup Astraeus Technologies imagines with the L-card, which can detect a particular gas that only those with lung cancer exhale. The company won $13,000 in February when they pitched their idea in an MIT accelerator contest. Needless to say, it’s about time lung cancer made like a tree.
Someone rustle your jimmies or tickle your fancy? Let us know at scoutcambridge.com/contact-us, and we just might crown them a winner or loser. 8
March | April 2016 scoutcambridge.com
SCOUT STATS
90
Gene Bonacci’s age when he stopped landscaping (p. 16)
500+ Beers on the menu at the forthcoming World of Beer location (p. 12)
1912
The year Lamplighter Brewing Co.’s building, a former auto body shop, was built (p. 21)
14% Of computer science degrees from major universities are earned by women (p. 22)
2000
The year tattooing finally became legal in Massachusetts (p. 26)
Proud nominee of Scouts Honor Award
617.876.1414 | 19 Arrow Street, Harvard Square | 1693 Massachusetts Avenue, Agassiz | www.robertpaul.com
SAVVY SEASONED AGENTS. WE ARE ROBERT PAUL Successfully listing & selling across Cambridge and Somerville.
True Brickbottom loft on the Union Square/East Cambridge line featuring two bedrooms and a custom kitchen Somerville $585,000 - JUST LISTED!
Bright, beautiful, and sunny two bedroom condo near Teele and Davis Squares Somerville $629,000 - UNDER AGREEMENT!
One bedroom condo in full service building One First Cambridge $634,000 - COMING SOON!
Experienced local agents, passionate about their business, supported by an industry vanguard. Robert Paul Properties saw the need for a client-focused, service-centric market alternative, and found just the people to provide it. If you are considering buying or selling, now is the best time, and we will show you why. Just call!
Tara Spitzen 610.745.8536
Bri Grady 617.312.0764
Ferle Bramson 617.304.1129
Ilona Kuphal 617.592.2310
Robin Repucci 617.388.3312
Louise Olson 617.470.5077
Scott Kistenberger 617.733.3633
Susan Wayne 617.899.8800
Susan Schlossberg 617.799.2175
Donna Marcantonio 617.784.7102
Edger Hernandez 857.209.1175
Make a good impression on your friends, family, & co-workers.... ...not your couch. NEW TO IMPROV? Check out our 100% FREE Intro-to-Improv drop-in Every Saturday from 1-230PM. Find out more at improvboston.com
IMPROVBOSTON • 40 PROSPECT ST. CAMBRIDGE - IMPROV, SKETCH & STANDUP COMEDY + BEGINNER AND ADVANCED CLASSES, YOUTH PROGRAMS AND MORE! scoutcambridge.com March | April 2016
9
NEWS
MINIMUM-WAGE WORKERS FIGHT FOR 15 By Erin Kappeler
C
ambridge is a progressive city—it’s not known as the People’s Republic for nothing. And yet, Cambridge is also a city divided, split between haves and have-nots. For workers trying to get by on the minimum wage, the city can seem less like a forward-thinking haven and more like a prohibitively expensive dream world. The high cost of living makes it impossible to make ends meet on an hourly wage, even given Massachusetts’s nation-leading pay floor, which is currently $10 per hour and is set to rise to $11 per hour by 2017. This is a situation that a diverse group of progressives, from city officials to fast food workers, is fighting hard to change. For Cambridge City Councillor Nadeem Mazen, who is seeking a way to implement a citywide $15-an-hour minimum wage, this is not only a crucial social justice issue but also a key to the city’s continued development. “An increased minimum wage is a time-tested way to protect economic mobility and quality of life,” Mazen explains. “We risk eroding basic American economic growth and strength if we don’t hark to this moment here in Cambridge and across the country.” Mazen began investigating the city’s ability to set its own minimum wage as soon as he was elected to the city council in 2013. His goals are idealistic, but they come from a pragmatic understanding of the daily lives of people trying to get by on the minimum wage in Cambridge. He
10
March | April 2016 scoutcambridge.com
describes how a recent experiment in which city councilors attempted to live on $10 per day—the amount left over after paying an average Cambridge rent for a full-time minimum wage worker—found that there is simply no room for those workers to spend money in the local economy. “Even transit becomes difficult, which makes it hard to work multiple jobs,” Mazen notes. “The minimum wage now is just under the amount you need to stay afloat, so people feel like they’re drowning. This raise would put them above water and give them escape velocity so they can start to invest in longer-term success.” For Mackinley Celestin, a father of three who currently works three jobs in Cambridge and Boston to make ends meet, $15 would be a game changer. “I’ve been living check by check, even though I’m working all the time,” says Celestin. He explains that for him, a $15 minimum wage would allow him to spend time with his family, which is difficult given his current work schedule. “If I had that $15 on my check, I could breathe easier, have one job and have time with my four-year-old daughter. She needs her daddy time,” Celestin says. “I know it’s the same for my coworkers— some work more than three jobs and also have families.” Though time is a precious commodity for Celestin, he is committed to putting in time organizing other workers. “This is about us fast food workers against big corporations—we rally together as a family,” he explains.
Cambridge’s Fight for 15 is part of a larger national movement to raise the minimum wage. Here, SEIU members protest outside the Feb. 6 Republican debate in Manchester, N.H. Photo by Derek Kouyoumjian.
Many business owners have paid attention to voices like Celestin’s, and some have started to implement unsolicited wage increases. At local vegetarian fast food restaurant Clover, for instance, founder Ayr Muir announced in October that the company will gradually raise its average wage to $20 per hour. Muir wrote in a blog post that it simply isn’t acceptable that “somebody is working full time and earns $16,000 per year, and is living in Boston. Low wages … make crazy little things in life like paying to get on an MBTA bus to go to work an obstacle.” Mazen is heartened by stories like Clover’s, but he argues that “these independent changes are infectious, but not sufficient.” The testimony of Lenvil Cole, a Dorchester resident who works at Harvard University as a custodian, at a city council meeting in December speaks to the limits of waiting for employers to raise their wages. Cole explained that he had to struggle to get fair pay at Harvard, in spite of the institution’s wealth, and that when he did finally receive higher wages—thanks to pressure from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU)—he was able to put aside money for his children’s education and to worry
If you’re suffering with a severe illness:
CONSIDER CANNABIS THERAPY
“This is about us fast food workers against big corporations—we rally together as a family.”
• • • • •
RA Headache Crohn’s ALS MS
• • • • •
Cancer Neuropathy Chronic pain HIV/AIDS Anorexia
Seizures Glaucoma Hepatitis C Parkinson’s Insomnia
We’re here to help you feel better, and return to a more productive, enjoyable life.
Safe, Effective and Legal Cambridge | 617-477-8886 | Parking
less about daily expenses. According to Cole, the Cambridge City Council “can make a difference by allowing this proposal [for a citywide minimum wage] to become a reality.” Some residents are wary of what actions the city might take. Steve Kurland, general manager of Cambridge restaurants EVOO and Za, sympathizes with the movement, but he worries about how the city would implement a higher minimum wage. “People who work for $10 an hour work hard, and that number is low. Every employee at EVOO is making more than the minimum wage. But we also want a seat at the table in this discussion,” Kurland explains. He argues that the proposal for a citywide minimum wage would bankrupt his restaurants if it was implemented without exceptions. “There needs to be more discussion about how this would be phased in, whether all employees would be covered, including tipped employees,” says Kurland. “People should make a living wage, no question. But we can’t just push a proposal through without more discussion.” Many city officials, including City Solicitor Nancy Glowa, City Manager Richard Rossi and Vice Mayor Dennis Benzan, have argued that Cambridge does not have the authority to set its own minimum wage under the state constitution. But those fighting for change have been undeterred. And it looks as though the tide may be turning in their favor; recently, State Senator Dan Wolf sponsored a bill that would authorize municipal increases in the minimum wage, as well as a bill to increase the minimum wage to $15 for workers at big box stores and fast food restaurants statewide. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh has also convened a working group to look into the possibility of raising his city’s minimum wage to $15. According to Mazen, that “changes the game and increases Cambridge’s lobbying power.” It could take a significant amount of time Wolf’s to Callfor or Senator visit any of our 10bills convenient, clear the legislature, meaning that an increased minimum is still full-service bankingwage centers. only a future possibility for Cambridge workers. But it’s a possibility that many are willing to push for. “We’re fighting for ourselves and our families,” says Celestin. “We just want what normal families have.”
• • • • •
Learn more at inhalemd.com
SM
OPEN A NO HIDDEN FEES CHECKING ACCOUNT TODAY! Account Features: • Only $10 to open account • No monthly maintenance fees • No minimum balance • Online Banking with Bill Pay • Open online (ecsb.com) or at any Banking Center • Mobile and Online tools
1.866.354.ECSB (3272) • Member FDIC Member DIF NMLS ID# 441396
www.ecsb.com
Arlington • Belmont • Cambridge • Chelsea Medford • Somerville • Waltham
Personal deposits of Massachusetts residents only. Other fees may apply, please refer to our Schedule of Charges. Product offering may be withdrawn at any time. Fees and other conditions may reduce earnings on accounts; ask for details. For other terms and conditions, please refer to account disclosures available at account opening and upon request. scoutcambridge.com March | April 2016
11
WHAT’S NEW? BEER TODAY, GONE TOMORROW EAST CAMBRIDGE
WORLD OF BEER
H
ere’s some hopeful hops news: World of Beer is coming to the Cambridgeside Galleria (100 Cambridgeside Pl.) this June, bringing pub-style fare and more than 500 beers—yes, that’s 500 beers—with it. Originally slated for Davis Square, this will be the chain’s first Massachusetts location. Hope you’re all thirsty! CENTRAL SQUARE
to formally halt on-site brewing was due to maintenance expenses.
The conjoined nightclub and restaurant Naga and Moksa (50 Mass. Ave.) closed for good at the end of 2015 and reopened in mid-January as Monroe. Stop by the new restaurant, lounge and nightclub for what Monroe’s Brig Dauber calls “the next evolution of nightlife.”
INMAN SQUARE
NAGA AND MOKSA REPLACED BY MONROE
HARVARD SQUARE
JOHN HARVARD’S NO LONGER BREWING
As of early January, John Harvard’s Brewery and Alehouse (33 Dunster St.) is officially just an alehouse. The restaurant reportedly stopped brewing beer back in the fall, and the brewing equipment was removed during the first week of 2016. General Manager Ashley Tart told Boston magazine that the decision
EAST COAST GRILL
In “just a flat out bummer” news, East Coast Grill (1271 Cambridge St.) is no more. The Inman Square staple (and multiple Scout’s Honored award winner), which served up some of the neighborhood’s best seafood for three decades, bid farewell on January 23 with one final, sold-out “Hell Night” starring the spiciest dishes its chefs could create. NORTH CAMBRIDGE
FORAGE
Ten Tables’ Cambridge location (5 Craigie Cir.) closed abruptly on January 2—and we mean abruptly. Eater COMING Boston SOON
reports that after New Year’s Eve service and a break on New Year’s Day, then-owner Krista Kranyak Chalfin told the staff that the restaurant had been sold to Stan Hilbert, the general manager of Ten Tables in Jamaica Plain. According to the Globe, Hilbert plans to open a “cozy,” “neighborhood place” called Forage in the space.
DISNEY LAB
Until February, Disney had what the Boston Herald calls a “secretive facility” here in Cambridge. Disney Research Boston opened in 2011 and was the smallest of four Disney labs around the world. Its researchers were apparently working on artificial intelligence and 3-D printing, but there isn’t a lot of other information online—and they apparently denied all of the Herald’s interview requests for more than a year.
COME TOGETHER FIGHTING FOOD INSECURITY
In January, Food for Free teamed up with Cambridge’s Weekend Backpack Program to help deliver meals to the hungry throughout the city. “We have transportation and food infrastructure, so we can ideally help in the long run to reach more families as a whole unit and do more within schools to have a greater impact,” Food for Free executive director Sasha 12
March | April 2016 scoutcambridge.com
Purpura told the Cambridge Chronicle. CITYWIDE
COMMONWEALTH CONNECT
Cambridge just joined more than 70 other communities statewide as part of Commonwealth Connect, a mobile app and web platform that will replace Cambridge iReport in letting citizens log non-emergency
COMING SOON
notifications about everything from graffiti to malfunctioning traffic signals to broken bike racks. “With Commonwealth Connect, departments will be better able to receive, address and resolve issues reported by the public while also improving communications to the public regarding the status of their request,” City Manager Richard C. Rossi said in a statement. Learn more at cambridgema.gov/ commonwealthconnect. Photo, top left, courtesy of World of Beer. Photo, top right, courtesy of Twenty20.
UP TOP, DOWN LOW, BYO
NIGHT MARKET H A RVA R D S Q U A R E R ESTAU R A N T
BEER WINE SAKE SKEWERS NOODLES VEGGIES
EAST CAMBRIDGE
TWENTY20
East Cambridge is on the up and up—literally, thanks to the neighborhood’s newest residential tower. Twenty20 (20 Child St.) opened in June, offering layouts from studios to threebedroom apartments. But the recently completed penthouses on the 21-story building’s top floor are the real draw. Many have floor-to-ceiling windows that offer near-unbeatable views of the city, as well as walk-in closets and hardwood floors. If the views don’t do it for ya, something here sure will: There’s also a two-floor gym (complete with a half-regulation basketball court), a rooftop garden and lounge (pictured here), a library—even a pet spa. So, when can we move in? CENTRAL SQUARE
BOUTIQUE HOTEL
Some of our favorite eateries (Toscanini’s, Patty Chen’s Dumpling Room) could be getting some new upstairs neighbors. PW Realty owner Patrick Barrett III, who bought the building that houses these restaurants (907 Main St.) in 2008, has been renovating the space ever since. Barrett told the Cambridge Chronicle in February that he hopes to transform the upstairs into a boutique hotel. He’d like to convert the 12 residential units into 58 rooms, revitalizing the historic building and encouraging tourists to come to Central Square by keeping prices on the (relatively) low end ($250 to $300
a night). “Central Square is an arts and entertainment district waiting to happen,” Barrett told the Chronicle. “We need things to come to the area that highlight the good and preserve some of the past, and this building has both.” CITYWIDE
BASEMENT APARTMENTS GET THE OKAY
On January 11, the city council voted to allow basement apartments. The Barrett petition—yup, it’s named after the same Central Square landlord who’s revamping 907 Main St.— will go into effect on May 1 and could add 1,000 units of housing to the city. “People are leaving the city,” councilor Tim Toomey said of the pressures currently facing Cambridge’s low-income and middle-class residents, according to Cambridge Day. “I cannot justify another year delay.” CITYWIDE
BYOBAG
Bust out those canvas totes: Cambridge’s Bring Your Own Bag Ordinance officially goes into effect on March 31. The ordinance flat-out bans single-use plastic bags, and reusable paper or compostable bags will now cost you a minimum of 10 cents each at the checkout counter.
li f v
N IG H T M K T
N IG H T M K T C A M B R I D G E N IG H T M K T. C O M 8 5 7. 2 8 5 . 6 9 4 8
B E LO W 7 5 W I N T H R O P S T R E E T
CAM BRIDGE
Specializing in small businesses, Accounting for Creativity provides an opportunity for all businesses to have access to quality professional bookkeeping. Working with a personal approach will insure that your accounting system works best for you. Offering flexible service options and affordable rates.
Spend more time pursuing your passion. STACEY SIMON
Accounting Consultant 617.335.7300 stacey@accountingforcreativity.com www.accountingforcreativity.com
scoutcambridge.com March | April 2016
13
What’s New?
EATING GOOD IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTRAL SQUARE
PAMMY’S
The husband-wife duo of Pamela and Christopher Willis will bring fresh pasta to the old India Castle space (928 Massachusetts Ave.) this spring. And they’re serious about the fresh part. There’s not a lot of info about the menu just yet, but Cambridge Day reports that Christopher plans to mill wheat berries for the pasta dishes the very same day they’re made. INMAN SQUARE
THE RISING
Sure, its name makes it sound kind of like a new zombie movie, but The Rising is actually a great new neighborhood bar and restaurant with an abundance of draft beers—and a delicious cheeseburger calzone— located in the old Hit Wicket spot (1172 Cambridge St.). Curried Maine mussels, cider braised pork shank and a whole rotisserie chicken are all on the menu, but honestly, we’re just thrilled to have another spot in the area that serves poutine. INMAN SQUARE
WUBURGER
Wuburger’s Cambridge location (1128 Cambridge St.) could be open by COMING mid-March, if all SOON goes according to plan. In February, cofounder Kal Gullapalli told Eater Boston that the building was nearly finished, hiring had begun and they were waiting on the necessary approvals. KENDALL SQUARE
THE AUTOMATIC
We may have bid adieu to East Coast Grill, but here’s some good news: Eater Boston reports that founder Chris Schlesinger and B-Side Lounge’s Dave Cagle will team up to open The Automatic (50 Hampshire St.) in May. “There aren’t enough neighborhood-feeling bars around there,” Cagle told Eater. He wants this to be an everyday hangout spot with a casual vibe and great music—he plans to spin his LP collection (“old country, old proto-punk, stuff like that”) over the restaurant’s speakers. CENTRAL SQUARE
SHANGHAI FRESH
KENDALL SQUARE
SHANTI
Y
ou no longer need to cross the river to get a taste of Shanti’s fare. In February, the beloved Indian and Bangladeshi eatery, which has outposts in Dorchester and Roslindale, opened its third location right here in Cambridge (250 Kendall St.). If you haven’t experienced Shanti before, just go. Now. This magazine will be waiting for you when you get back.
14
March | April 2016 scoutcambridge.com
Shanghai Fresh opened in the old Picante Mexican Grill space (735 Mass. Ave.) in late January, where they’re serving authentic Chinese food, beer and wine. And once it warms up, you’ll be able to grab a seat on their patio. CENTRAL SQUARE
HAPPY LAMB HOT POT
Central Square’s newest Asian eatery is the adorably named Happy Lamb Hot Pot (485 Mass. Ave.), which opened in mid-February. The spot already has some passionate fans—including one Yelp reviewer who said of Happy Lamb, “This has COMING been the first hot pot place to impress me.” SOON Photo, left, courtesy of Shanti. Photo, top right, by Jess Benjamin.
REAL ESTATE OFFICES MOVE, TOO! MAKING MOVES HARVARD SQUARE
SMITH CAMPUS CENTER RELOCATIONS
In a little game of Harvard Square musical chairs, the forthcoming construction at Harvard University’s Smith Campus Center has caused a number of the neighborhood’s businesses to seek new storefronts. Clover is leaving its current location in the neighborhood (7 Holyoke St.) and plans to take over the old Yenching space (1326 Massachusetts Ave.). Oggi Gourmet Foods will bid farewell to 1350 Mass. Ave. for the old Finale space at 30 Dunster St., while the women’s clothing store Looks is moving into the Bow and Arrow District near Oberon. Gino Salon, which was located at 20 Holyoke St. for more than four decades, has reopened in the Charles Hotel. Unfortunately, Au Bon Pan and Al’s Harvard Square Cafe, both of which have spaces that are on the large side, have struggled to find new homes, according to Harvard Square Business Association Executive Director Denise Jillson. “We’re so full,” Jillson says, though she adds, “It’s a good problem to have, to be 99 percent occupied.”
FIRE UPDATES
Kendall Square restaurants Flat Top Johnny’s, Beantowne Coffee House, Belly and The Blue Room have all been shuttered since the August fire that left the eateries with smoke and water damage, but it looks like they could be back in action soon. Belly and Blue Room co-owner Nick Zappia told Eater Boston that they hope to reopen in March or April, and Beantowne is shooting for a March reopening. Flat Top Johnny’s has set a finish date and tentatively scheduled a welcome-
back party for April 16, though, as the restaurant explained in a Facebook post, “Nothing is cut in stone, you know how construction schedules can be.” Elsewhere in the city, MuLan Taiwanese Restaurant and Beauty’s Pizza (228 Broadway), are still working to recover from a December 2014 fire. MuLan plans to reopen in roughly three months, according to a February 23 License Commission general hearing agenda, while the Beauty’s website promises that the restaurant will be opening again “soon.” EAST CAMBRIDGE
O’CONNELL BRANCH LIBRARY REOPENS, VALENTE BRANCH CLOSES
In January, the Cambridge Public Library’s O’Connell Branch (48 6th St.) reopened after some cosmetic renovations that included the restoration of the building’s exterior bricks and historic woodwork and the installation of new, energyefficient windows. “Much of it is not obvious to the naked eye,” Director of Libraries Susan Flannery told us. “But it really is transformed; it looks fantastic.” Inside, visitors will find new paint, carpeting and furniture— and more outlets. “Because god knows you can’t have enough places for people to plug in their computers!” Flannery laughs. The nearby Valente Branch (826 Cambridge St.) closed in mid-January for some serious renovations of its own. This is a much bigger project that involves the complete demolition and rebuilding of the branch and the neighboring King Open School. Demolition is scheduled to begin in March, and the school and library will reopen in September 2019.
We are pleased to announce our move to a larger office, just 1‐block away!
2285 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge, MA 02140 Office: 617.354.5888
T R U S T. KNOWLEDGE. EXPERIENCE. VA L U E . www.VisitGriffin.com scoutcambridge.com March | April 2016
15
CAMBRIDGE AT WORK
16
March | April 2016 scoutcambridge.com
FOR CAMBRIDGE’S FAMILYOWNED BUSINESSES,
IT’S ALL RELATIVE By Marisa Dellatto and Emily Cassel
T
here’s a lot to love about running a family business. You’re working with people you know are reliable, people you can trust to do their job well. You get to spend time together you otherwise wouldn’t, and you can (theoretically) be forthcoming with your ideas and opinions. “No matter how much you bicker—usually—you can keep your job,” laughs Central Square Florist’s Jackie Levine. When your coworkers are your cousins, kids and uncles, business isn’t just business—a fact that 22-year-old Levine understands well. She’s the fourth generation to work at her family’s flower shop, which opened its doors in 1929, and she knows how hard her parents and grandparents worked to keep the store afloat. Running an independent business is stressful enough, but combining work and family takes it to another level, no matter how closely related the staff is. “It’s definitely not easy,” says Levine. One challenge? Keeping shop talk at the shop. Business chatter often spills over into after hours conversations—though Levine adds that this probably wouldn’t happen if she didn’t enjoy talking about her job. Bringing work home used to be a necessity for J. Shia, who owns the motorcycle shop Madhouse Motors. Shia grew up in a biker family, and her siblings would pass the days working on bikes in their yard, fixing motorcycles for fun. As the family became a neighborhood name for their mechanical abilities, people started stopping by their Central Square home—the “Madhouse”— looking for fixer-uppers. “The name literally reflects the crazy house,” Shia says. “The shop started on its own.” In 2010, Madhouse Motors moved out of the family garage and into its very own storefront in Somerville.
J. Shia and her father Michael Shia of Madhouse Motors swap stories at the original “Madhouse” in Central Square. Photo by Gretchen Devine. scoutcambridge.com March | April 2016
17
Cambridge at Work
Though the business itself has moved out of the house, the people of the house have not left the business. Shia runs the shop alongside her business partner, Sayre Anthony, but her father, Michael Shia, is still a fixture at the space, and her older brother Sam advocates for the shop on a grassroots level. It’s Michael who taught J. everything she knows about building and fixing bikes. He still owns the original Madhouse, which J. says is an almost magical place. “It’s sort of a like a community watering hole, filled with bikes and kids and dogs and—most importantly—great conversation,” she says. The older Shias are a huge factor in keeping Madhouse Motors firing on all cylinders. “They’re the wise men of the family,” Shia explains. When she needs advice about ordering rare or specialty parts, she knows exactly who to ask. The way a family business operates, or even the way customers feel when they visit, can have a lot to do with family itself. “I’ve learned a lot about how to treat people through my upbringing,” says Sal Bonacci, 18
March | April 2016 scoutcambridge.com
owner of Bonny’s Garden Center. Bonacci’s father and uncles worked together as landscapers in 1947 and eventually decided to open a garden center. Bonacci and his brother Joe have been running the business fulltime since 1980, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. His uncle, Gene, is 92, but he continued landscaping up until about two years ago. “We do things differently. I’ve met a lot of people who go beyond a business relationship,” Bonacci says. He and his brother have cultivated a familial atmosphere at Bonny’s throughout the years—so much so that the shop has an almost unheard of 5-star rating on Yelp, notoriously a place where disgruntled shoppers go to bicker and complain. Bonacci’s mother never actually worked in the shop, but when she passed away in 2014, he and his family received an outpouring support from their customers. Like Levine, Bonacci says that working with family can be a blessing and a curse. “The greatest challenge is being around someone so much,” he agrees. “You have to be cut out and prepared for that. It’s
EIGHTY GRIT
DESIGN
LOGO DESIGN, FLYER DESIGN, WEB DESIGN PLUS MUCH MORE!
BRANDING LOGO & BRANDING DEVELOPMENT.
Photo by Mary Schwalm
one thing to disagree with a coworker, but you don’t have to see them when you go home.” Shia says that the Madhouse team tries to encourage a separation between work and personal time. “Talk about business issues at the time of business, and family with the family,” she recommends. “There’s a time and a place for [those] conversations—it can be unhealthy to mix the two.” Potential for conflict aside, having that connection can help strengthen family relationships. “My customers become close friends, the apprentices become like brothers and we all mesh together under this one chaotic roof with the rest of the family,” Shia says. “I love working with my family—be it the Shia family or Madhouse team. It’s all the same to me at this point.” “If it was just business all day, we wouldn’t be doing what we are doing,” Bonacci agrees. “If I didn’t like what I was doing, I would have quit a long time ago.”
PHOTOGRAPHY PORTRAIT, PRODUCT & EVENT PHOTOGRAPHY.
scoutcambridge.com March | April 2016
19
CAMBRIDGE AT WORK
GOOD BONES WORDS AND PHOTOS BY EMILY HOPKINS
20 March | April 2016
scoutcambridge.com
O
ver the past few decades, Cambridge has changed. Buildings have been built up; others have been bulldozed. But not everyone wants to tear down the old and replace it. We spoke to two businesses who are taking structures with “good bones” and making something entirely new out of them.
GATHER HERE 1343 CAMBRIDGE ST.
“A
ll of my big life changes are when I’m eating, I think,” laughs Virginia Johnson, co-owner of Gather Here. The craft shop’s first incarnation was born over a meal at Christopher’s. When their building got sold in the summer of 2014 and time was running out for Johnson and partner Noah Dubreuil to find a new place, she found herself at the table once more. It was February 2015, and she was dining at the S&S Restaurant in Inman Square. “I was saying at lunch, ‘I don’t think I’m gonna find a space in time, and so we might just close,’” she says. “And so, I was having an omelette and looked out the window and said, ‘Well, there’s that place!’” “That place” was a supermarket across the street that had been vacant for a couple of years. It wasn’t zoned to be a restaurant, and the narrow storefront made it impossible to subdivide. So when Johnson called, she turned out to be just the tenant they were looking for. “There must have been enough light for me to look past some crazy stuff,” laughs Johnson, thinking back to when she returned to the space just after signing the lease. There was a meat locker, complete with meat hooks, in the corner that took three people two days to remove. There were holes in the floor and no lights in the basement, so that when she went down there, the only light came from the holes in the floor. No heat, but an old heating system that didn’t work. No windows. The only light fixture was a single bright light in the center of the ceiling. “And then the whole thing was covered in graffiti and fliers!” Johnson says. But, she adds, “I saw how long the space was, how tall
the ceilings were … and nothing looked like it was going to fall down.” Good bones and a blank space allowed Johnson and her partner to imagine what the place could be. They set to work to raise the funds, and they launched a Kickstarter in December. They found out that they could keep the brick wall exposed, all of its plaster having been ripped away long before. “We thought that it was in keeping with who we are, too, like what our business is about,” she says. “We consider ourselves not just retail space but worker space and a place to be industrious.” Another one of Gather Here’s principles is represented in the sources of their parts and labor. Johnson had the front windows sourced from Pella Windows, a company from her native state of Iowa. And whenever they can, they want to find their building materials locally. It’s also important to her that the labor stays local and, more specifically, within her community. Johnson, who is also a costume designer for feature films—recent titles include Spotlight, Ghostbusters and Joy—is part of a strong collective of artists and makers based in the area. On the day I visited her, Joe Barillaro, Somerville-based scenic artist for film and television, was filling in a mural of Gather Here supporters who had contributed to their Kickstarter. Even the folks hammering away are friends from the film industry. “When you’re in the position to make those types of decisions, like staying true to your own roots, it’s really important,” Johnson says.
LAMPLIGHTER BREWING CO. 284 BROADWAY
W
hen I meet Cayla Marvil and AC Jones in front of their soon-to-be brewery, an unbearably loud, metal-againstconcrete sound comes roaring from inside, where a white, spray-painted line marks out a large perimeter. A man is sawing through the concrete floor, which is about six to eight inches thick. These trenches will make way for the plumbing and utilities required to sustain a brewery. What Marvil and Jones are attempting far surpasses a retrofit—it’s a full blown conversion. “As of right now, it’s basically just a concrete box with no utilities whatsoever,” Jones says of the structure. Jones and Marvil hadn’t originally set their sights on the building that eventually won their hearts. They’d been looking for a space for about a year, but Cambridge’s tight real estate market made finding a place a game of cat and mouse. “We had looked at four or five other places prior that all ended up being out of our price range or got snatched up by people who could outbid us,” says Marvil. “MIT and Harvard own basically everything,” Jones adds, “so any kind of vacant space like this, MIT was like, ‘Sorry, we’re gonna repurpose that.’” The building that will soon house Lamplighter Brewing Co. sits just down the street from the couple’s home, and it was never meant to be a brewery. The current structure was built in 1912, and by the 1920s it was a car repair shop. For the last 90 years, it’s been either an auto shop or a warehouse. While on the hunt for a location, Jones and Marvil got to know the father-son partners who own 284 Broadway and operated
Metric Systems Auto Service out of the space. The team was looking to downsize or retire the business, but they loved the building. “I’m sure they could have sold the building for millions of dollars, and someone could have ripped it down and built a biotech place right here,” says Jones. Jones says that they came into the deal with the owners by agreeing to keep the structure of the shop the same and preserve the historic brick facade. It was important to everyone that this be a continuance of the neighborhood, not a trendsetter or propeller of change. They’re even going so far as to keep the shape of the Metro Systems sign that hangs above the sidewalk. Besides the necessary physical transformation, Jones and Marvil had to make sure that it was environmentally safe to build a taproom on a mechanic’s floor. They took samples, looked for asbestos and passed the tests with flying colors. Most of the concrete that touched oil will be ripped out or covered up. They had to deal with some water damage in the roof—hey, the building is more than 100 years old—but there was nothing structurally wrong with the building. All the hard work of the conversion is worth it, says Marvil, to keep the brewery near downtown rather than setting up in an industrial park outside city limits. They’re looking forward to joining the brewing community alongside the vets at Cambridge Brewing Company just down the street, as well as Lord Hobo, with its impressive tap list. “We’re hoping it’s the sort of thing that can attract beer tourism, right? People can visit them and pop over to our spot,” says Marvil. “‘Beer Square.’” scoutcambridge.com March | April 2016
21
CAMBRIDGE AT WORK
GIRLS TO THE FRONT END AT THE WOMEN’S CODING COLLECTIVE By Becca DeGregorio Photos courtesy of the Women’s Coding Collective
T
he tech industry may be at the forefront of consuming it as opposed to creating it, that’s a real discovering all earthly possibilities, but from differential,” says Noll, who describes herself as a a diversity standpoint, it’s not doing so hot. “newbie” to coding. According to 2010 U.S. Census data, the ratio of “The web is a megaphone,” adds Buck. An computer science degrees earned by women at major experienced programmer and educator at Harvard universities has dropped to a slim 14 percent, down Extension School and Wellesley College, she from 37 percent in 1985—before the web even had its teaches the technical side of most WCC courses. first browser. This problem is not lost on Susan Buck “To put those tools in the hands of women and other and Nicole Noll, founders of the Women’s Coding minorities is important, so they’re equally a part of Collective (WCC). the conversation.” The two Harvard professors started their According to Buck, she and Noll initially founded coding education community six years ago in South WCC as a way of giving entrepreneurs the tools SUSAN BUCK Philadelphia. They relocated from what they call a to launch their ideas online. Greater Boston is by “good soil” tech culture there to Cambridge’s more established and no means short of women with bright ideas, but those ideas need vibrant one in 2011. Since then, they’ve taught HTML, CSS and web websites. A cost-effective solution? Teach women how to build sites design to an estimated 500 women online and in person out of the themselves—preferably for less than $25 a class. Cambridge Innovation Center. A strict “no boys” policy keeps this goal in focus—not because men “Technology is obviously a huge part of daily life. If you’re only wouldn’t benefit from learning to code, but because Noll and Buck
22
March | April 2016 scoutcambridge.com
believe women learn best without the distraction of boils down to is white women in technology.” Much their own socialized disadvantage. According to Noll, like Cambridge startups seeking to diversify their flattening gender in the classroom can help female staffs, Buck and Noll are aware and contemplating the students forget about their statistical obstacles in the fact that, as one of them put it, “Who’s at the head of tech world. the room says a lot about who we are.” That theory seems to be working. Jenah BlitzBut it’s the women sitting down in the desks Stoehr approached WCC with little more than the who say even more about WCC. Phoebe Sinclair of ability to italicize. Six courses later, she’s an aspiring Jamaica Plain says that, unlike some other coding web developer who attributes much of her fullclasses in the area, WCC made her feel welcomed time commitment to the support she felt in WCC’s rather than ostracized. “There’s something about [Noll gender-specific setting. “I always had in mind, ‘This is and Buck] and the way they teach that makes it so important to [Noll and Buck], and it’s important that I, I’m not the only black person in the room, and that is NICOLE NOLL a female, learn this.’” super rare for me here [in Boston],” she says. Prioritizing women may be what got them into the game, but To her, this model holds for the actual process of learning to code for Noll and Buck, it’s also a priority to to build a space where the and the options that, as a result, opened up. marginalized can learn. “It’s great that there’s so much attention to this “It’s not a matter of being left out so much as you want the capability issue of diversity in technology, and I think often that gets simplified to to go a new direction if you don’t like the direction everything else is women in technology,” says Noll. “Although it’s not said, what that really going in,” Sinclair says. “You want that ability to make choices.” scoutcambridge.com March | April 2016
23
CAMBRIDGE AT WORK
A SHOW OF HANDS BY KATHERINE RUGG PHOTOS BY JESS BENJAMIN
T
hese days, there’s something almost revolutionary about working in a manual trade—in creating a thing, in experiencing the tactile fruits of physical labor. As our world and work increasingly move online, there are still those working to perfect a craft, tradespeople who are tied to their toolbox rather than their inbox. We asked four Cambridge makers to tell us about working with their hands.
24
March | April 2016 scoutcambridge.com
EMILY THIBODEAU
Owner, Hub Bicycle Company
E
mily Thibodeau has been working in bike shops for more than 20 years, and she currently owns Hub Bicycle Company in Inman Square. At the shop, she expertly repairs and builds bikes by hand with her team of mechanics, in addition to teaching workshops ranging from flat tire fixes to a more intensive six-class maintenance series. She’s naturally a lover of projects that have complete stories, and she sees a bicycle repair as a fun challenge with a beginning, a middle and an end. “Bicycles are one of the few things we have left that get repaired,” she explains. “There are so few things in life now. Bikes can be repaired and serviced, and I think that’s really special. It’s very satisfying to take something that doesn’t work and make it awesome. Or to take something that works enough and then make it work to the best of its ability.” Bike repairs are hard work on mechanics’ hands. With so many small components, you have to be strong but also possess precise fine-motor skills. In addition to balancing this duality, Thibodeau enjoys the customer relationships that develop in a speciality shop like Hub Bicycle. She likes to solve problems, and she appreciates the unique experience of being able to help people improve or build their dream machines. Her one tip for all cyclists? “There are really only two things that any person needs to do with their bike. One: keep air in the tires, and two: lubricate the chain. Do those things and you’ll be happy.” scoutcambridge.com March | April 2016
25
Cambridge at Work
ERICK LYNCH
Co-Owner, Redemption Tattoo
A
s a kid, Erick Lynch always had a love for drawing. At age 13, after seeing a movie that showed someone creating their own tattoo, he started tattooing himself. This quickly turned into tattooing his friends, which eventually led to opening Redemption with partner Mike Shea in 2002. “I never planned to tattoo; this is just all that I’ve done,” Lynch says. “I don’t consider it work. This is what I do.” Before they founded Redemption together, Lynch and Shea worked in New Hampshire. Tattooing was illegal in Massachusetts until 2000, when a Superior Court judge struck down the 38-year-old ban, allowing the two friends to move their craft to Cambridge. “I wanted to be back in the city doing something, and we’ve had this place for over 14 years now. I’m proud of that … of building a business.” At Redemption Tattoo, everything from sketching out designs to operating the tools is done entirely by hand. “I think of it as a craft because we work with our hands. Everything’s hand-drawn. And the equipment that we deal with is all hands-on,” Lynch explains. “But that’s why I enjoy it. Actually, sitting down and tattooing is my off-time.” This manual process allows artists to grow through the trade itself. “When you work with people who have different styles and ideas,” says Lynch, “you learn with them.” The communal aspect of the craft extends to the relationship between the artist and the client, and the trust involved there. “When you spend a lot of time with someone, you get to know the person,” Lynch says. “And when I have a great client, it makes my life so much better.”
26
March | April 2016 scoutcambridge.com
GRAND OPENING!
781.267.4539 • 378 Somerville Ave Oddsandendsthriftshop.com
PRIVATE PARKING
OPEN FOR DINNER Now Serving Beer & Wine
Mon/Tue: 6:30am to 4:00pm Wed/Thu: 6:30am to 10:00pm Fri/Sat: 6:30am to 10:30pm Sun: 7:30am to 4:45pm 906 Massachusetts Ave • Central Square www.massavediner.com • (617) 864-5301 scoutcambridge.com March | April 2016
27
Cambridge at Work
NINA PARK Nail Artist
B
y day, Nina Park is a high school English teacher in the Boston Public School system. But when she’s off the clock, she’s a nail artist. She’s able to paint vivid designs in impressive detail— especially considering the tiny size of the canvas with which she has to work. Her nail art has been received with enthusiasm by everyone from amateur manicure fans to couture designers; on top of gaining more than 43,000 Instagram followers, she has worked behind the scenes with models at New York Fashion Week and has collaborated with the MFA. “I just really enjoy being able to sit down and clear my head of everything else, and then focus on the design,” Park explains. “So it’s unbelievable, to me, that people are really interested in this! I feel so lucky and am just amazed by the responses. So much of what [nail artists] do is all about trying something new and putting yourself out there. It’s a lot like when I’m putting together a lesson for school. I think, ‘Oh, I hope this works. I hope they get this idea!’ You just have to take risks, and you learn from your mistakes. And you keep doing the things that work.” There’s a lot of overlap between Park’s work as a BPS teacher and her art; not only does she offer manicures to her honor roll students, but she teaches nail art sessions for teenagers at the Cambridge Public Library. “I get to know kids from other high schools who I would never otherwise meet, and it’s great because I get to see these students not just as students but as people, which is so fun. We relate on a different level, and I don’t have to be like, ‘Where’s your homework?’ Here, I can be more of a mentor, painting nails together with them.” 28
March | April 2016 scoutcambridge.com
RANKED 3RD IN USA TODAY FOR BEST ASIAN FOOD IN BOSTON!
TEL: (617) 547-0212 | MIXITRESTAURANT.COM 1678 MASSACHUSETTS AVE, CAMBRIDGE MIDWAY BETWEEN HARVARD SQ. AND PORTER SQ.
WE DELIVER LUNCH & DINNER
Residential Restoration, Remodeling and New Construction We sub out very little work, saving you time and money.
“I love what I do and take great pride in every job. It is my absolute pleasure to create the perfect home for my clients.” - Joel Luis
(617) 201-2765
Insured
License #181472
scoutcambridge.com March | April 2016
29
Cambridge at Work
CHRISTOPHER WALKER
Lead Butcher, Savenor’s Market
“M
y one piece of advice,” offers Christopher Walker, “is to never be afraid to get messy.” Walker, Savenor’s lead butcher, is candid about his lifelong passion for the culinary arts and his interest in the relationship between people and food. He wants people who walk into Savenor’s to feel like participants rather than mere consumers. “We really try to connect with farmers to create a partnership, and we make sure everyone in our staff is well-versed in an array of cuts. We’ve developed a strong relationship that connects the farm to the butcher to the customer,” he explains. “We’re a craft butcher shop that works with farms and aims to teach, as well as supply people with healthy, wellsourced meat.” To help achieve this goal, Savenor’s offers private classes in knife skills, pasta making and even one called “Whole Animal Butchery.” People have traveled all the way from Louisiana and New York for these hands-on courses, where Walker happily shares his culinary expertise and explains the fundamentals of butchery and the importance of respecting the whole animal, always with the objective of empowering his students. “Butchery is like holding a pencil,” he says. “I can show you my exact way of doing it, and in 10 minutes, you’ll be doing something totally different. It really doesn’t matter. Of course, there are certain basics to properly holding a knife, but you know you’re truly engulfed in your craft when you pick up your tool one day, whether it be a knife or a paintbrush, and you do something original and it feels totally natural.” 30 March | April 2016
scoutcambridge.com
PetsiPies_ScoutAd_HalfPageHorz_1_4_16.pdf
1
1/4/16
11:54 PM
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
scoutcambridge.com March | April 2016
31
CAMBRIDGE AT WORK
BEHIND GLASS KENDALL SQUARE SCIENTISTS TAKE US INTO THE LAB
T
BY BERYL LIPTON PHOTOS BY PAUL AVIS, COURTESY OF LABCENTRAL
he scientists and scholars of Cambridge are attractive assets for the growing biotechnology industry. Between self-starting entrepreneurs and big global pharma, the city has become a garden of research and development, a hotbed for whole new medical ecosystems. At its center is Kendall Square, where brick-lined sidewalks give way to a distinctively new landscape of high-rise glass boxes and the honeycombs of activity within them.
32
March | April 2016 scoutcambridge.com
SMALL GROUP PERSONAL TRAINING 6 weeks of training
for $279!
50
OFF%!
Offer ends 3-29-16.Valid for new clients only at participating locations.
Our unique combination is scientifically proven to work!
WEIGHT TRAINING
You’ll increase your muscle tone and resting metabolism
CARDIO
You’ll burn off fat and calories faster - and get your heart in shape
NUTRITION
You’ll learn how to eat, so you never have to diet again
ACCOUNTABILITY
We’ll schedule your appointments, track your progress, and check your weight every week
CALL OR COME IN TODAY!
617-497-0011
1764 Massachusetts Ave. • Porter Square getinshapeforwomen.com Portersquare@getinshapeforwonen.com
WALLS AUXOCELL
O
ne of these buildings is LabCentral, a coworking space unlike any other. Tucked away at 700 Main St., the historic space once held Alexander Graham Bell as he received the first long-distance call—all the way from Boston—in 1876. The next year, Bell Telephone Company launched. Eventually, it merged and evolved into a little outfit known as AT&T. Appropriately, LabCentral aims to encourage a new entrepreneurial, scientific vision via its 28,000-square-foot startup incubator. Twenty-five companies share the space with a 30-bench lab, private lab suites, freezer rooms, lounge areas, biosafety cabinets and an array of other equipment that makes the entry-level fee into the biotech game significantly lower than if each startup needed to finance its own lab. Even more companies occupy a waitlist, scoutcambridge.com March | April 2016
33
Cambridge at Work
as this is one of the few options that science startups have to develop their technology outside of a university environment. On one wall are the names of major equipment and pharmaceutical companies, sponsors of the space, who are as interested in connecting with the minds inside as the researchers are in using the freshest equipment available. Auxocell was one of the first companies to move into LabCentral after the state-supported venture launched in 2014. A single office serves as both storage space and the headquarters for the firm, which has been around for eight years and employs only five people. Rouzbeh Taghizadeh, Chief Scientific Officer, is the only employee who works out of LabCentral, developing the processes and tools needed to extract stem cells from previously discarded biological materials—including umbilical cord blood and afterbirth. As stem cells age with our bodies, they become less useful. Expanded collection and use can be crucial, and afterbirth material carries some of the youngest stem cells around. Auxocell has devised a way of standardizing the initial collection and processing of umbilical tissue for stem cell extraction and research. The startup’s current goal is to introduce its mechanics and techniques—including a patented collection system—to processing banks around the world. Part of this mission is encouraging a culture that understands the utility of having an additional, standardized way of collecting cells for research. “We have our plates full in terms of just getting this product regulatory approval, whatever that is in the different areas of the world,” Rouzbeh said. “We’re just kind of pushing that forward.” For Rouzbeh, the decision to set homebase in Kendall Square was an obvious one; he grew up outside of Boston and has spent his life at MIT, from the time he was a babe at his mother’s side right on up through his graduate career. “I’m really happy I’m part of a community here in Cambridge and part of the growth of Cambridge. Both from a societal standpoint and from an infrastructure standpoint—and just as a community— we’re all growing,” Rouzbeh said. “It makes you realize how different and how unique this area is and the things that we’re trying to do together.” 34 March | April 2016
scoutcambridge.com
BIOPACT
“T
here are two things that are going on here. One is the development of our technology, and I can say that the development of our technology is complete,” says BioPact CEO Joe Dillon. “We know how to make the tubes. We can make them in large batches if we wanted to, so we have solved scale up. Now, what causes there to be a time lapse between now and when the tubes are used in a product depends on what use the tubes are being used for.” The tubes to which Dillon is referring are carbon nanotubes— BioPact’s version is patented as Medical Grade Molecular Rebar (MGMR). Each tube is essentially a 10-sided straw, just 900 nanometers long, rolled up from graphene, a honeycombed, molecule-thick graphite sheet 100 times stronger than steel. Guiding agents—proteins, antibodies or peptides—can be attached to the outside of the straw to direct the vessel to its destination; inside can be placed drugs, like those used in chemotherapy, promoting more targeted administration. “These people—the chemotherapy makes them very, very sick, and that’s because the drug is hitting places in the body that they don’t need the drug, so it’s having these adverse effects on them,” Dillon explains. “By using something like the carbon nanotubes to deliver directly to tumors, you then avoid hitting this drug in places you don’t want it, so side effects should be profoundly lower.” The MGMR™ is the primary patented offering of the company, which has been active for two years and moved to First Street in 2015. While these nanotubes aren’t the only ones available, Dillon says that BioPact’s product hasn’t created the toxicity found with other versions, in part because BioPact’s act individually, rather than in bundles as others do. BioPact is currently working with partners and potential partners in the Boston area to find new uses for the material. FDA approval, which all new medical products need in some form, will be dependent on each individual use of the nanotube; they’re currently considering options involving drug delivery, transdermal patches and regeneration. “There are so many potential uses for our tubes that we have to at some point focus,” Dillon says. “Our goal is to get as many partners as we can and as many of these potential uses as possible so that we can improve medicine.”
everywhere need $15 an hour and if they can do it in New York we “ Workers can do it in Massachusetts too. Passing this bill and marching on April 14th is a march towards changing the lives of working families. ” -Mackinley Celestin, Cambridge, MA McDonald’s Worker
JOIN WORKERS AND SUPPORTERS FROM ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS AT THE STATE HOUSE ON APRIL 14TH 2016 AT 4:30PM Call your legislator at (617) 722-200 and ask them to support:
An Act To Establish A Living Wage for Employees of Big Box Retail Stores and Fast Food Chains (S1024/HB1773)
fo llow us on Fac eb ook, Tw i tter @ fi ghtfor15ma ss • fi ghtfor15. org
CAMBRIDGE AT WORK
g n i c Dan in the
Moonlight Words and photo by Emily Hopkins
A
few years ago, burlesque entertainer and drag king Allix Mortis was in the midst of the city grind. They were stretched thin, trying to make it work between two jobs and freelance gigs. Seeking an outlet, they found the burlesque community. Now, Mortis balances a more vanilla daytime work life with performing and coordinating shows by night. So tell me about Allix? Allix is my stage name. They’re kind of my alter ego or brand. It’s interesting because I do a lot of character work, and I guess when I originally started out I was like, “Well, I don’t know if I really want to have a stage name.” But I quickly found out that it became the kind of thing that I had to keep my real name out of it, because it became too 36 March | April 2016
scoutcambridge.com
much of a distraction for people. It’s not like I’m ashamed if someone finds out I’m Allix Mortis, but I want them to be focused on me and the work I’m doing. When you got involved with burlesque, you were sort of behind the scenes and you were still like, “People can know that I’m involved with this.” Did things change when you started performing? Yeah. I had some weird incidents. I had a woman come to a show and find out my real name and apply for a job at my company and try to blackmail me. She said, “If you don’t help me get this job, I’m telling everyone what you do.” And I was like, “Well they already know and they don’t really care.” So that was sort of a wake up call. I had sort of a weird run-in with someone at a professional event where they
were being kind of gross and, “wink wink, nudge nudge.” It was like, you should be embarrassed of this. I’m not embarrassed, you should be embarrassed that you’re being so terrible and creepy. Aside from being a video game designer, I used to also write a lot for progressive outlets, and I would tackle topics like misogyny in fandom and misogyny in the nerd community. And a lot of ire would get directed towards me. I had a guy go off the rails and contact my brother and rant at him. At the time, my brother was deployed in Afghanistan. So it was kind of like, okay, there are people out there who want to chase this stuff down the rabbit hole. When I’m in my space, I want to think about art. I want there to be a buffer away from my day job and away from the industry that I work in and some of the weirdness and complications that come with that. I just want it to be a separate place where it’s just something that’s mine that I own, outright. So that’s been a real motivation for keeping the stage name. I keep it very, very separate. At my current job, nobody knows, and I don’t think I’d ever bring it up. Is it more conservative than your previous job? Yeah. Like, I cover my tattoos at work. And everyone there is delightful and nice, but again, it’s the thing, I don’t want it to be a distraction ... But there’s also something powerful and awesome about knowing that this part of my life is just mine. No one else can lay claim to it. It’s nice to have a secret sometimes. In my old day job, it’d be nice sometimes, like, I’d be sitting there in a long, drawn out, boring, terrible meeting going around in circles, and I’d be like—as soon as I’m done with this, I get to go play. I get to go scream and yell on stage or conduct a show full of amazing people. And then there were parts too, where I had one project I was working on [for my day job]—we were working with an outside party that was very difficult to work with. Our office was contracted by a much larger, kind of monolithic entertainment entity, and it was massively difficult. It was like working with people stuck in the 1950s who wanted to make a progressive thing. And it was so hard coming out with all this creative output, and watching over and over again things being stripped away or sanitized, or watching this great female character I’d been working on, watching them be like, “No, we don’t like women having roles like that,” and seeing all of her dialogue handed off to a male character. And it was a little bit soul crushing. But at the time, I was financing my first show and I was like, “The money I am making doing this, I can pay everybody for my first show. Even if nobody shows up. I can pay people to make art.” In some ways, that goes against a more traditional understanding of your identity where you go to work and that is “you.” For you, you go to work, sometimes you like it, sometimes you don’t, and then after work you get back to “you.” For the bulk of my professional career, I’ve been lucky enough to feel like, in some way both these parts are reconcilable. My identity is not, “Oh, I’m so and so and I’m a video game designer.” It’s, I’m me, and I’m a creative person. And I get to be creative at my day job—with a lot of constraints—and then I get to be creative and batshit crazy and a total weirdo on the outside. And the other nice thing about performing is, through performance, I’ve gotten to be every single thing I’ve wanted to be as a little kid. You know, like everything I wanted to be when I grew up. I didn’t even, as an adult, know that I’d fall into the career paths I’ve fallen into. But with producing shows, I’ve gotten to be the Karate Kid! I’ve gotten to be a scientist, I’ve gotten to be a crazy housewife and mom of 12 men. I’ve gotten to be a robot. With working and then, really, having another job, it must be exhausting. What keeps you going? Intentional breaks. And it’s like, opportunities will always be there. And if they’re not, fuck it, you make them. You find a venue, you find some friends, you scrimp and save and put some money away, and off you go.
COME IN AS A CUSTOMER, LEAVE AS A FRIEND ”I’d buy another car from John tomorrow and I’d tell all my friends to go there too.” – Suzanne Fontano
”In a world where used car dealers have terrible reputations, John’s Auto is the exception to the rule.” – Bruce Desmond
FINANCING FOR
EVERYONE 40
YEARS
SAME QUALITY SERVICE SAME LOCATION
100% WARRANTY
WE PAY MORE FOR YOUR CAR!
617-628-5511
QUALITY USED CARS BOUGHT AND SOLD FOR 40 YEARS
181 SOMERVILLE AVE (ACROSS FROM TARGET) JOHNSAUTOSALES.COM scoutcambridge.com March | April 2016
37
SCOUT OUT!
MAKING THE PAST PRESENT By JM Lindsay Photos by Emily Cassel
T
ucked away in the 17th-Century Hooper-Lee-Nichols House, about halfway between Harvard Square and Fresh Pond Parkway, the Cambridge Historical Society doesn’t see much foot traffic. And that’s just fine with recently hired Executive Director Marieke Van Damme. “We’ve realized that being a museum is not what’s going to bring people to this site,” Van Damme explains. The society moved into its current location at 159 Brattle St. in 1957, but the building isn’t meant to be a static vault housing relics from the city’s past. “It’s more important for us to get out into the city and meet the people there.” A Cambridge resident since 1960, Van Damme has worked for historical nonprofits for more than 15 years. And while working with local institutions like the Freedom Trail has its appeal, Van Damme says she’s come to realize that she doesn’t like catering to tourists. The society’s mission, and the mission of historians in general, has changed
38 March | April 2016
scoutcambridge.com
over the past century. Today’s Historical Society is all about increasing civic engagement right here in Cambridge by presenting current issues through the lens of history. “We want to be relevant to the city, to the people of Cambridge,” says Van Damme, one of just two fulltime staffers at the society. “We’re hoping to spark a curiosity and a thoughtful process about how we got here.” In doing so, the Historical Society has introduced the first in a series of annual themes meant to both serve as a springboard for community members to voice their opinions to city hall and document those concerns so that future generations of historians and civic leaders can look back and know what today’s Cantabrigians were thinking. This year’s thematic question, “Are we home?” explores the ever-present issue of affordable housing in Cambridge. By moving away from being a physical showroom for historical artifacts and documents, the society hopes to become a resource for city officials, residents and future archivists.
“We’re asking people questions and having people ask us their questions, and we’re recording that,” Van Damme says. “We’re writing everything down, we’re taking pictures, we’re conducting surveys and capturing all that so that in 100 years’ time, another organization can have another year about housing in history and have material.” One method of facilitating more discussion is the society’s new series of events called “History Cafe,” which will take place in bars in different Cambridge neighborhoods from April through September of this year. Each History Cafe installment will feature a lecture from an expert in local history followed by a conversation among the residents in attendance. The dates and locations of these lectures have not yet been finalized, but Van Damme is already excited about their potential. “It’s really important for me that people know that they’re a piece of history and that they’re connected to this larger humanity,” she says. When the Society was formed in 1911, according to Van Damme, it was more a neighborhood association than a formal society. The city’s history-loving residents would gather in private residences in West Cambridge to share scholarly articles they had written. Though gathering in living rooms for a glass of wine and an intellectual discussion of the city’s past is a “lovely” idea to the executive director, today’s Historical Society wants to be more inclusive. These discussions
are part of a larger effort in the museum field over the past 20 years to “move away from the rich white guy’s recorded history to the history that the rest of us have and experienced—the social history.” That means including all the people who make this city what it is, not just homeowners. As a lifelong renter, Van Damme resents the bias some historical organizations have against short-term residents. “We’re not just for people who were born and bred here in Cambridge,” she says. “We’re for everyone.” Another plan for further participation is the Cambridge History Fellows program, through which members of the community can come up with a historical question they want to answer, apply to the society and, if approved, receive a cash stipend and expert guidance to research the question and present their findings at a public event. Of course, the society still accepts donations of artifacts and documents, and the HooperLee-Nichols House is available for tours by appointment. Anyone who’s interested in research can run a keyword search of the society’s digital collections on cambridgehistory.org. And the archives aren’t going anywhere soon. For Van Damme, however, the future of the society lies in writing the history being made today. “We collect people’s thoughts and give them to the city,” she says. “We want people who come to our events to know that they are participating in a larger civic process by offering their opinions.”
Salt& O live Fresh oils and vinegars, artisan salts and spices
“WE’RE NOT JUST FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE BORN AND BRED HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. WE’RE FOR EVERYONE.”
Voted Best of the New 2015 by The Boston Globe Delight-Infused Gifts Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Aged Balsamics on Tap Artisan Salts from Around the World Saltandolive.com 1160 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA (857) 242-4118
Scout Out Hidden Gems
Hidden Gems VISIT THE CITY’S LESS FAMOUS SITES By Frederick Choi and Emily Cassel Photo by Emily Cassel hen you’ve lived in any area for a while, you start to run out of ideas for places to go when your siblings, in-laws or old college roommates come to visit. In Greater Boston, there are the old reliables: the Science Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Harvard Art Museums. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find Cambridge has a surprising number of lesser-known galleries that are well worth a visit. Whether you’re a jaded host or a visitor yourself—or even a local who’s looking for something to do on your “staycation”— here are a few places you may not have experienced yet.
W
Harvard Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments
Harvard Science Center, 1 Oxford St. Main exhibition (Room 136), M-F 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Special exhibitions (Room 251) and Foyer Exhibition Space (Room 371) M-F 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free Harvard’s Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments is a natural, outward-facing extension of Harvard’s Department of the History of Science. The main exhibit area is located on the first floor of the Science 40 March | April 2016
scoutcambridge.com
Center, just steps away from Harvard Yard. Be sure to check out the IBM Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator (ASCC), more succinctly known as the “Mark I,” which is prominently displayed on your way to the exhibits. The computer was one of the first of its kind and dates to 1944, when computers filled rooms rather than pockets and a real-life bug could get trapped in the system and gum up the works. The main exhibit (Room 136) packs a ton of history into a relatively small space. After a fire destroyed the original collection, Harvard hired Benjamin Franklin himself to help rebuild it, and many of the items’ descriptions display a symbol indicating they were one of Franklin’s selections. Many parts of the collection illustrate the speed at which technology progresses. A beautiful collection of clocks traces the evolution in timekeeping that came with the advent of trains. Previously, individual locales each had their own separate local times, but the frequency of train accidents made it clear that time would have to be standardized. Easily synchronizing time became an important, non-trivial task, which was aided by the electrical telegraph. Many of these archaic instruments, while practical, also have a pleasing aesthetic quality about them. Sextants (used to calculate longitude and latitude), telescopes and microscopes have a shiny brass Photo: An interactive exhibit at the Kurtz Gallery of Photography asks visitors to envision Central Square in 2116.
finish and a satisfying geometric design. And then there’s the Grand Orrery by Joseph Pope—an impressive mechanical model of the solar system dating to 1787 that includes bronze figures of scientists cast by Boston’s much-beloved son and silversmith, Paul Revere. (F.C.)
Hart Nautical Gallery
MIT Museum (55 Mass. Ave., Building 5) Open daily: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Free Cambridge residents have probably noticed the two anchors prominently displayed in front of the entrance to MIT’s Hart Nautical Gallery, but you may not know that the anchors aren’t just a bit of fanciful décor. The gallery dates back to the early 20th century and formed a connection to the Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, which would become the Department of Ocean Engineering before merging with the Department of Mechanical Engineering in 2005. The bulk of the Nautical Gallery is a collection of some 40 models of ships of great variety. The British SS Turbinia (1894), which was the first to use steam-powered turbines and the fastest ship in the world for its time, is one of many examples that map technological advances in the nautical industries. The Cutty Sark (1869), aside from lending its name to a Scotch whisky, was one of the last and fastest clipper ships used in the tea trade. The Korean “turtle” warship (1591) is one of the most unique models on display, with its spiky exterior and dragon head in the front that spewed smoke in order to both mask its movements and intimidate the enemy. These—and many more—await the seacurious adventurer. Sails, masts, complicated crisscrossed rigging—all have been meticulously recreated to scale. Adjoining the Hart Nautical Gallery is a “Mechanical Engineering @ MIT” exhibit, which introduces the breadth of research areas the brainiacs at MIT are involved with, including nanoengineering, bioengineering and robotics. (F.C.)
Kurtz Gallery of Photography
Live Music 7 Nights a Week Full Kitchen Nightly Open At 5pm Enjoy A Game Of Pool In The Walnut Room Brunch Begins Sunday, May 1 Dance Union Kids Dance Party Every Other Sat Afternoon
MIT Museum (265 Mass. Ave.) Open daily: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., $10 ($5 for students and seniors) The Hart Nautical Gallery is part of the MIT Museum, and if it whet your appetite, you might want to consider checking out another lesserknown MIT space: The Kurtz Gallery of Photography. It’s located upstairs at the MIT Museum’s main building, but Josie Patterson, the museum’s director of marketing, says many people don’t even realize it’s there. That could be because the gallery is a relatively new addition to the list of MIT offerings—it just opened its doors in 2012. The Kurtz Gallery’s current exhibit, “Imagining New Technology,” celebrates the 100th anniversary of MIT’s move to Cambridge. It features much more than just photographs. This is an interactive exhibition, with recorded interviews from lifelong Cambridge residents and a station where you can add your own 3-D printed building to a map of the city. While you’re up there, you might as well check out some of the other less-patronized MIT Museum gallery spaces. The “Gestural Engineering” exhibit highlights the moving, interactive sculptures of Arthur Ganson. By pressing a pedal or pushing a button, visitors can watch as his works come to life. There’s a historic collection of holograms upstairs as well; the MIT Museum actually owns the world’s biggest, most comprehensive hologram collection. The Thomas Peterson Gallery houses a rotating collection of work—scientific, artistic or some combination of the two—done by current MIT students. And there’s an exhibit titled “Images of Discovery” that features the photography of Harold “Doc” Edgerton and others. Attendees can even capture their own high-speed videos and photographs. From the Kurtz to the Peterson, Patterson explains that these gallery spaces are designed to let visitors engage with the MIT community in a physical, emotional way. “You find an MIT freshman looks not that much different than you,” she says. (E.C.)
EVERY WED Grateful Dead Night Featuring Bearly Dead SAT MAR 26 Lazer Lloyd FRI / SAT APR 15+16 Lez Zeppelin FRI APR 29 Rev Peyton’s Big Damn Band THU MAY 19 Joanne Shaw Taylor
379 SOMERVILLE AVE, SOMERVILLE • 617.776.ROAD (7623)
THUNDERROADCLUB.COM
scoutcambridge.com March | April 2016
41
CALENDAR
1
EDUCATION (& MORE!) Opens March 1
IMAGINING NEW TECHNOLOGY: BUILDING MIT IN CAMBRIDGE 10 A.M.-5 P.M., $10 FOR ADULTS, $5 FOR STUDENTS AND SENIORS KURTZ GALLERY OF PHOTOGRAPHY 265 MASSACHUSETTS AVE., CAMBRIDGE Celebrate art, architecture, community, education and more with “Imagining New Technology,” which opens March 1 and runs through September 6. This expansive exhibit celebrates the 100th anniversary of MIT’s move to Cambridge with rarely and never-before-seen artifacts as well as photographs and interviews with longtime members of the Cambridge community. Visitors can even 3D print their very own building and add it to a model of the neighborhood!
4
3
2 NATURE | March 12
MAPLE SYRUP BOIL DOWN FESTIVAL 10 A.M.-2 P.M., FREE Community Growing Center, 22 Vinal Ave., Somerville How sweet it is! On March 12, foodies, naturalists and hungry folks of all stripes can watch and learn as sap from local sugar maple trees is boiled down over a fire into pure maple syrup. Syrup tasting, kids’ activities—and of course, waffles— are all on the menu for this fun, free and family-friendly outdoor event. Follow the hashtag #mmmsyrup for updates.
BOOKS | March 17
SHIRIN EBADI 7 P.M., FREE 6:30 P.M., $5 OR $28 (INCLUDES BOOK) FIRST PARISH CHURCH 1446 MASS. AVE., CAMBRIDGE Certified badass Shirin Ebadi, a human rights lawyer and the first Muslim woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, comes to Cambridge to discuss her memoir Until We Are Free, which documents her life spent fighting for justice under a brutal regime in Iran. Her incredible story shows the lengths to which the Islamic Republic was willing to go—wiretapping, death threats, arrests—and her unstoppable spirit in the fight for a better future.
ARTS | March 19
FITNESS | March 13
CRAICFEST 5K 2016 5:30 P.M., $20.25 CAMBRIDGESIDE GALLERIA, 100 CAMBRIDGESIDE PL. Running is hard—but it’s easier if there’s beer at the end of the tunnel. Celebrate this St. Patrick’s Day with Cambridge 5K, who are bringing you a green-themed road race sponsored by Notch, Slumbrew and Bantam Cider. And if that’s not enough incentive, your registration gets you a race shirt plus free food and beer.
42
March | April 2016 scoutcambridge.com
5
“THE UNCANNY HOME OF OUR IMAGINATION” 6-9 P.M., FREE NAVE GALLERY ANNEX 53 CHESTER ST., SOMERVILLE This offbeat exhibit explores the Uncanny Valley—the unsettling, creepy place that exists when something appears human, and yet isn’t, exactly. Curated by Lisa Crossman and Julia Csekö, “Uncanny Home” will transform the Nave Gallery Annex into a house of not-quite-horrors, where everyday objects are ever-soslightly off. The exhibit opens March 19 and runs through April 9.
6
SCIENCE | April 15 - 24
CAMBRIDGE SCIENCE FESTIVAL CITYWIDE This 10-day celebration of science and tech returns in April with a host of events throughout the city. There’s a sidewalk astronomy presentation in Harvard Square, a “robot zoo” at the Cambridge Public Library, a workshop teaching aspiring bioengineers how to build their own living organism and much, much more. Find the whole list of happenings at cambridgesciencefestival.org.
8
9
COMMUNITY | April 21
FINAL RACE AND RACISM BOOK DISCUSSION 7 P.M., FREE SOMERVILLE LIBRARY MAIN BRANCH 79 HIGHLAND AVE., SOMERVILLE In January, the Somerville Public Library kicked off a new series of book discussions and panel presentations that center on race and racism in our community and beyond. The series continues on March 17 with a discussion of Michelle Alexander’s award-winning The New Jim Crow, and wraps up on April 21, when the library will welcome a panel of speakers that includes Guerlince (“Lince”) Semerzier, executive director of the Haitian Coalition of Somerville, and Sassiane Estany, program coordinator for Somerville’s Center for Teen Empowerment.
7 CREATIVITY | Saturdays
#WHATIMAKE CONFERENCE 9:30 A.M., $35 OR $45 AT THE DOOR AERONAUT BREWERY AND ARTISAN’S ASYLUM 14 TYLER ST. AND 10 TYLER ST., SOMERVILLE Inspiration and perspiration meet at the 2016 What I Make conference, where local artists and artisans come together to talk about their creative process and then lead a series of hands-on creativity workshops. Dance, music, cooking, printmaking, farming—it’s all here. Grab tickets and reserve your spot on Eventbrite.
MUSIC | April 16 and 17 MURDER BY DEATH 8 P.M., $20 THE SINCLAIR 52 CHURCH ST., CAMBRIDGE The brooding country five-piece Murder by Death is only hitting the road once in 2016. Luckily, you have two nights to catch them in Cambridge, and double-luckily, they’ve promised to pull out some more obscure tracks from their discography for this run of shows. With support from Kevin Devine & the Goddamn Band.
10 TECH | April 7
GEEK GIRL BOSTON TECH CONFERENCE 8 A.M.-6 P.M., $75-$129 MICROSOFT NERD CENTER 1 MEMORIAL DR., CAMBRIDGE This traveling tech conference brings together geeky gals from filmmaker Alecia Orsini of Good Natured Dog Productions to Get Smart Web founder Bridget Ayers for a day spent learning, talking code and more. Startup founders can even pitch their idea to the “Sharekette” Tank. Find more info and tickets at boston.geekgirltechcon.com. scoutcambridge.com March | April 2016
43
MARKETPLACE VOTED BEST BREAKFAST BY BOSTON.COM
704 BROADWAY • 617.623.8338 • OPEN 6:30AM - 9:30PM WWW.SOUNDBITESRESTAURANT.COM
CATERING TO THE SEASONED MIXOLOGISTS AND THE COCKTAIL CURIOUS ALIKE
Shiny things for your nest
69 HOLLAND ST, SOMERVILLE | (617) 718-2999 THEBOSTONSHAKER.COM
416 Highland Ave | 617-623-3330 www.magpie-store.com
FULL BREAKFAST, BURGERS, SANDWICHES, PASTA AND SALADS All made to order • Free wifi
Handcrafted toys, organic clothing, curated books and unique gifts for your little ones. 95 Elm Street | 617-764-4110 magpiekids.com
Lofts for Living & OfficeStudio Use!
Winchester: telephoneexchangelofts.com >3000 sq ft ea. $1,425K & $985K
PERFECT BREAKFAST SPOT IN MAGOUN SQUARE
NOW OFFERING TRANSITIONING BEAUTY CONSULTATIONS Call the salon to book.
Louise Olson & Scott Kistenberger Your Team for Exemplary Real Estate Service
H A R VA R D S Q UA R E 19 Arrow Street, Cambridge
www.olsonhomes.net | (617)470-5077 lolson@robertpaul.com
501 Medford St, Somerville 617-625-2868 • www.modelosmarket.com
“
T R U S T.
”
Love & be who you are.
WWW.SAVENORSMARKET.COM
Somerville: Loft 1495 sq ft $585K
KNOWLEDGE. EXPERIENCE. VA L U E . www.VisitGriffin.com
Winner! 2013, 2014, and 2015 BEST HAIR SALON
217 HIGHLAND AVENUE SOMERVILLE • 617-776-6470 WWW.HAIRBYCHRISTINEANDCO.COM
44 March | April 2016
scoutcambridge.com
907 Main Street | 617-491-6616 dumplingroom.com MAKE DUMPLING SCHOOL YOUR NEXT TEAM BUILDING EVENT!
MARKETPLACE
Rasayana: Rasāyana: Where the Guru is YOU
30+
Online booking & gift On- lin e boo ki ng and gift certif icat es a va ila ble certificates available
(Between Davis and Porter Squares)
www.rasa-yana.com
www.rasa-yana.com
Certified Management Accounting Services Specializing in startup, small and medium businesses
516B MEDFORD ST. SOMERVILLE
DIFFERENT FLAVORS
175 El m St., Su ite C3 | S om ervi lle, MA | 617 3 31.6303 175 Elm St., Suite C3 | Somerville,(Between MA Davis and Porter Squares) 617.331.6303
Monday: 4pm-12am Tuesday-Sunday: 4pm-2am
PEPISPIZZERIA.COM
St
• Traditional Ayurvedic Bodywork and Bodywork and Therapeutic Massage • Traditional Ayurvedic Therapeutic Massage Diet & Lifestyle Counseling • Ayurvedic • Ayurvedic & Lifestyle Counseling • Diet Vedic Yoga Instruction • Vedic Yoga Instruction • Educational Workshops & Events • Educational Workshops & Events
OPEN LATE!
ORDER ONLINE
als
thlyt SpGuru eci Where is YOU Mondthe u en
• Accounting • Tax • Bookkeeping • Consulting • Payroll • Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor • Notary Public
vanciniaccounting.com | 617-433-0043
1/2 PRICE BURGERS MON–WED, 3PM–5PM DINE-IN ONLY
( JUST SHOW US YOUR SCOUT )
OPEN DAILY: 11AM - 11PM
282 BEACON STREET, SOMERVILLE • 617-492-7773 WWW.RF-OSULLIVAN.COM
Leone’s Sub and Pizza
The
RESTAURANT Neighborhood & BAKERY
Pizza and Subs fit for a king!
No one knows Cambridge like a Hammond agent.
Since 1956 3-time Winner!
Everything made in-house to order! 292 Broadway, Somerville 617-776-2511 • Open Daily 8am-11pm
WWW.THENEIGHBORHOODRESTAURANT.COM 25 BOW ST, SOMERVILLE • (617) 623-9710
Make a splash with your gifts this spring TRY OUR NEW FLATBREAD PIZZAS
NEW MENU ITEMS INCLUDE GLUTEN FREE!
Hammond Real Estate is the only real estate company in Cambridge and Belmont that has been locally owned and operated for over 35 years. TWO BRATTLE SQUARE • 617-497-4400 • HAMMONDRE.COM
TRIVIA TUESDAYS MUSIC BINGO THURSDAYS
fun, modern gifts for him, her, house and baby.
617.666.6700 409 highland ave Davis Square
davissquared.com NOMINATED FOR:
BEST THAI FOOD 9 DAVIS SQUARE (617) 628-2379 MIKESONDAVIS.COM
1933 Massachusetts Ave. (617) 868-4200 sugarandspicecambridge.com scoutcambridge.com March | April 2016
45
SCOUT YOU
Photos by Jess Benjamin
Zack from Cambridge tries out his skates at the ice rink in Kendall Square.
Friends in matching outfits take a stroll through Harvard’s campus.
A man browses the shelves at Xylem in Kendall Square.
Antonio Maycott spray paints his artwork in Harvard Square.
46 March | April 2016
scoutcambridge.com
Christina Bailey-Burke and Priscilla Badu share a laugh outside the Harvard Science Center.
Jacob Demopore and Alex Daniels serve customers at the Bon Me food truck in Harvard Square.
Work better. We offer flexible plans that are designed around the way you get things done. Our convenient locations have everything you need—unlimited coffee, fast wifi, color printing—but it’s the small things that make the difference: accessible outlets, call boxes, and a diverse community focused on being productive.
To sign up, visit www.cove.is. We’re located at 375 Somerville Ave, Union Square.
$1 N W y DO on an p
Rock’N Fitness
It’s all in the name!
i h s r e emb pril
m
A u r h t Now ! Hurry, 2016 oday! join t
ROCK’N FITNESS: Great Music. Beautiful Artwork. Fantastic videos from some of the greatest music artists of all time. Come in and enjoy a positive atmosphere, where you can feel comfortable, achieve your goals and have fun doing it!
• HUGE CARDIO AREA • WEIGHT MACHINES • FREE WEIGHTS • GROUP CLASSES • PERSONAL TRAINING • TANNING • MASSAGE • SHOWERS Some restrictions may apply.
Cambridge – Porter Square
One Porter Square 617.499.9944 rocknfitness.com Monday – Thursday: 5:00 am to 11:00 pm Friday: 5:00 am to 9:00 pm Saturday and Sunday: 7:00 am to 7:00 pm
FREE PARKING!!