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MAY/JUNE 2015
NO. 33
WHAT’S GROWING ON AT HERBSTALK, GREENTOWN LABS, RELISH MANAGEMENT & MORE NOMINATE YOUR FAVORITES
PLUS
THE ANXIETIES AND ADVANTAGES OF RAISING GENERATION Z
somerville real estate 2015
Spring – and Spring Market –
arrive at last! The snow has finally melted and the inventory has started to come on—not fast enough for most buyers, though. There are lots of bidding wars—having a good buyer agent will help you understand the market and craft a strong offer. It looks like the inventory is starting to loosen up. We anticipate lots of listings coming on through May and June. Buyers will have more choices, but the competition will still be intense.
Current Listings
1 Gold Star Court, North Cambridge ~ $799,900
Solid, owner-occupied 2-family lovingly cared for by the same family since 1968. First unit has 1 bed/1 bath; 2nd unit is on 2 levels with 2+ bedrooms/1 bath. Beautiful fenced backyard and 2 recently renovated porches.
156a North Street, West Somerville ~ $389,000
Contemporary loft-style Teele Sq.condo on 2 levels with roof deck, parking, 1 1/2 baths, storage.
39 Beacon Street, East Arlington ~ $649,000
Stunning contemporary TH with 3 bedrooms/2.5 baths, study, unfinished basement, C/A, private deck and yard, exclusive driveway.
16 Grand View Avenue #1, Somerville ~ $659,000
Lovely and unusual 2 bedroom/2.5 condo with garage and driveway parking spaces nestled between Union Sq. and Prospect Hill. Both bedrooms have a full bath and private porch en suite. Small private fenced rear yard. C/A
DON’T SAVE THE DATE: Gone With the Gala A VIRTUAL Fundraiser for a Worthy Local Charity, Community Cooks
No tickets to get, no outfit to buy, no parking to worry about... and 100% of your donation will help nourish hungry families with homemade meals On Friday, May 15th, Community Cooks will celebrate its 25th anniversary. Since 1990, this local organization has engaged residents in preparing food for struggling neighbors. Community Cooks has more than 650 volunteer cooks and works with 33 human service partner agencies to prepare and deliver home-cooked meals to feed more than 2,750 people each month. To buy a ticket and stay home, knowing your ticket is a gift for the food insecure,
go to www.communitycooks.org/25th-anniversary or call 617.501.1073.
Current Listings
Thalia Tringo 43 Belle Avenue, Medford ~ $319,000
Enjoy 1-level living in this renovated single-family ranch on a corner lot with 2 bedrooms/1 bath, 2 driveways, backyard with fenced area. Walk to Wrights Pond. Near buses to commuter rail and Orange line (bus routes for 99, 325, & 100). Easy access to Routes 93, 28, 38, 95, 90, Logan.
22 Lincoln Street #1, East Somerville ~ $375,000
Great 2-bedroom/2 bath condo with exclusive driveway, porch, and basement storage. Near E. Broadway and Assembly Row shops, food, cinema. Walk to 2 Orange Line stops today (and 2 Green Line stops slated for 2017).
83 Ronald Road, Arlington ~ $569,000
Beautiful Arts & Crafts style bungalow with 3 bedrooms/1.5 bath near Stratton School, bus to Alewife, and bike path. Fenced backyard has koi pond, landscaping, and in-ground pool.
President, Realtor ® 617.513.1967 cell/text Thalia@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
Todd Zinn
Residential Sales Specialist, Realtor ® 617.852.1839 cell/text Todd@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
Niké Damaskos
Residential Sales and Commercial Sales and Leasing 617.875.5276 Nike@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
14C Belmont Street, Somerville ~ $849,000
Jennifer Rose
173 Morrison Avenue, Somerville ~ $1,100,000
Lynn C. Graham
Spacious, renovated Spring Hill contemporary TH with 3 bedrooms/2.5 baths, large finished basement media room/ playroom, C/A. Two parking spaces. Walk to Porter and Union Sqs.
Large Davis Sq. 2-family on corner lot. First unit has 3 bedrooms/2 baths on 3 levels with granite/ss kitchen, in-unit w/d. Upper unit has 3 bedrooms/1 bath on 2 levels with in-unit w/d.
Residential Sales Specialist, Realtor ® 617.943.9581 cell/text Jennifer@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
Residential Sales Specialist, Realtor ® 617.216.5244 cell/text Lynn@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
COMMERCIAL - FOR LEASE
96 Middlesex Avenue, East Somerville
Steps from Assembly Row Orange Line T stop and just off I 93. This 4500 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 buildout requirements and whether the property is leased wholly or subdivided.
Coming Soon
Brendon Edwards
Residential Sales Specialist, Realtor ®
617.895.6267 cell/text Brendon@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
Cambridge: Somerville:
Huron Village single family ~ 4 bed/1.5 bath Davis Sq. ~ 3 bed/2 bath condo with exclusive driveway Spring Hill ~ 2 bed/1.5 bath condo with parking, storage
Hannah Walters
Medford:
Medford Sq ~ Large 2-level condo with 3 beds/1 bath, 2 porches, 2 parking
Hannah@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
Free Classes
How to Buy and Sell at the Same Time for homeowners contemplating a move Monday, May 10th OR Tuesday, May 19th
6:30-7:45 pm
If the logistics of selling your home and buying a new one makes 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, will include a 45 minute presentation and 1/2 hour Q&A session. Handouts and refreshments provided.
Prepping Your Home for Sale
for homeowners preparing to list their house Monday, May 18th
6:30-7:45 pm
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.
To reserve space in a class, please email Lynn@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com. Admission is free, but we appreciate donations of canned goods for the Somerville Homeless Coalition.
Residential Sales Specialist, Realtor ®
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.
Meet
Chef Li Chef Li originally served as an executive chef at a 5-star hotel in Beijing. He ventured to United States in 1999 and has since worked in multiple restaurants around Boston. In 2005, he was named a top chef by the Improper Bostonian. He went on to become chief Chef at the popular suishi restauran Haru. In 2014, he joined Mixit as our chief Chef. Chef Li would like to bring innovative food pairings to your plates and comfortable feelings to your heart.
FREE SPICY TUNA ROLL
WITH PURCHASE OF ANY SUSHI $35 OR MORE
WE DELIVER
LUNCH&DINNER TEL: (617) 547-0212 | WWW. MIXITRESTAURANT.COM 1678 MASSACHUSETTS AVE, CAMBRIDGE | MIDWAY BETWEEN HARVARD SQ. AND PORTER SQ.
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5
MAY | JUNE 2015 ::: VOLUME 33 ::: SCOUTSOMERVILLE.COM
contents 8 // EDITOR’S NOTE City shakes off winter, opens its doors 11 // SCOUT THIS Win $50 12 // WINNERS & LOSERS Sarma: yay. Carbon emissions: nay. 14 // NEWS: COLLABORATION IS KEY AT STARLAB STUDIOS Teamwork makes the dream work 17 // WHAT’S NEW? Casa B, cooking classes and calendars
32
20 // RAISING GENERATION Z The anxieties and advantages of parenting today 28 // SCOUT OUT: GUIDE TO SUMMER FARMERS MARKETS On the prowl for produce 30 // SCOUT OUT: A GREEN THUMB GROWS IN SOMERVILLE Natural healing with Herbstalk founder Steph Zabel 32 // SCOUT OUT: INSIDE GREENTOWN LABS Eco-startups seek a better future 34 // SCOUT OUT: GROWING GAINS Somerville’s urban agriculture programs take off 36 // CALENDAR & SCOUT PICKS 40 // LOCAL BUSINESS DIRECTORIES
14
46 // SCOUT YOU
Photo, top: The BAT, by Greentown Labs startup Altaeros Energies, courtesy of Altaeros Energies Photo, bottom: Behind the scenes at Starlab Studios, photo by Lilia Volodina On the cover: Herbalist Steph Zabel, photo by Todd Danforth
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7
editor’s note
PUBLISHER Holli Banks hbanks@scoutmagazines.com
Wings Over Crossfit Somerville
Emily Hopkins ehopkins@scoutmagazines.com
By Emily Cassel
I
t was one of those dreary, rainy, how-is-it-still-so-cold-out days at the end of March when I found myself heading out into the drizzle to feed chickens at CrossFit Somerville in Union Square. I was there to talk urban agriculture with the gym’s founder, J.T. Scott, and while we did spend some time chatting about the logistics of raising animals in a relatively small urban space (p. 34), we kept coming back to one theme: the importance of connecting with your neighbors. Since kicking off its urban agriculture program, CrossFit Somerville has been hosting community meetings and discussions during off hours. And they’re not the only area business actively working to welcome Emily Cassel Emily Hopkins community members into their space. Just down the street, the passionate team behind Starlab Studios is winning awards for their multimedia services—but they’re also organizing movie screenings and comedy shows (p. 14). Around the corner, Greentown Labs is providing a shared workspace for more than 50 clean technology startups that might otherwise struggle to find the resources they need to see their vision come to life (p. 32). For this farm-themed issue, here’s a journalism take on Organizers from Davis “American Gothic.” Somerville Gothic, if you will. Square to Assembly Row (which will kick off its inaugural farmers market this June) are preparing for the summer season, when they’ll connect Somerville residents with produce from small farms around the area. And the Shape Up Somerville Mobile Farmers Market is taking their involvement in the community one step further by actually bringing locally-grown food into underserved communities (p. 28). We suffered through an unusually brutal winter this year, and judging by the smashed windows and slashed tires that were a result of a few space saving disputes, it froze some of us down to our cores. But the city is thawing, plants are sprouting and, all around us, our neighbors are opening their doors. All we have to do now is to walk through them.
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May | June 2015 scoutsomerville.com
MANAGING EDITORS Emily Cassel ecassel@scoutmagazines.com
OFFICE MANAGER Melinda LaCourse mlacourse@scoutmagazines.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Nicolle Renick design@scoutmagazines.com renickdesign.com CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER Nicole Casinelli CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Leanne Cushing, Leslie Fowle, Emily Gaudette, Laura Quincy Jones CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Chrissy Bulakites chrissybulakites.com Todd Danforth toddjdanforth.com COPY EDITOR Bill Shaner WEB HOST Truly Good Design trulygooddesign.com IT SUPPORT FirstCall Computers firstcallcomputers.net BANKS PUBLICATIONS c/o Scout Somerville 191 Highland Ave., Ste. 1A Somerville, MA 02143 FIND US ONLINE scoutsomerville.com twitter.com/scoutsomerville www.facebook.com/SomervilleScout Office Phone: 617-996-2283 For advertising inquiries please contact scout@scoutmagazines.com. CIRCULATION Scout Somerville is direct-mailed bimonthly to every home and business in Somerville, reaching more than 35,000 postal addresses. An additional 1,000 copies are available at key locations in every Somerville neighborhood.
scoutsomerville.com May | June 2015
9
NOMINATE YOUR FAVORITES FOR 2015 SCOUT’S HONORED AWARDS Now through June 5 Scout Somerville is accepting your nominations for the 2015 Scout’s Honored Awards. We are looking for the best of the best. From hair salons to bike shops and burgers to sushi, we want to know your favorite businesses in Somerville.
NOMINATE YOUR FAVORITES AT SCOUTSOMERVILLE.COM/VOTE Finalists will be announced in our July/August edition. June 5 deadline for accepting nominations. Paper ballots are available upon request. Paper ballots are available upon request: 617.996.2283.
BEST DENTIST
SALES SERVICES CLASSES We sell buttons, thread, zippers, notions and more!
D R . K AT I E TA L MO, D.M .D. 6 1 7 . 8 6 4 .6111 1 8 0 H I G H LA N D AV ENUE 10
May | June 2015 scoutsomerville.com
Bring in ad for $10 OFF purchase of sewing machine!
280 Elm St, Davis Square | www.singersewandvac.com | 617-625-6668
Scout this!
Where in Somerville Scout This! Winners Marcella was this photo taken?
and Scott MacKenzie
C
ongratulations to Marcella and Scott MacKenzie, who correctly identified the image in our March/April edition as the electrical box near the corner of Highland Avenue and Conwell Street! The MacKenzies didn’t initially recognize the kitty when they saw it in the issue, but since they live in Union Square, and spend a lot of time in Davis Square, they walk down Highland all the time. They had just seen a movie at the Somerville Theatre (“I can’t remember which one—it was a long time ago!” Marcella says with a laugh), and spotted the electrifying cat on their walk home. The pair plans to spend their winnings at a local restaurant, but they’re not sure where just yet. Marcella thinks her hubby will probably opt for Redbones, but says she’d always rather try something new.
Win ! $50
Three Ways to Enter:
» E-mail scout@scoutmagazines.com with “Scout This!” in the subject line. » Call 617-996-2283. » Enter on our website at scoutsomerville.com.
Please include your name, contact info and a photo of you with the object in the photo, if possible. Winners must be available for interview and photograph.
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Data Recovery, Backup Systems, and Disaster Recovery Planning
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617-629-0264 | www.firstcallcomputers.net scoutsomerville.com May | June 2015
11
W&L WINNERS
LOSERS
SARMA This Mediterranean-style restaurant (249 Pearl St.) has been unstoppable lately. In the March issue of GQ, food critic Alan Richman hailed Sarma as one of the “25 Most Outstanding Restaurants of 2015,” calling the food “irresistible” and the kitchen staff the “hardest-working” in Somerville. Later in March, it was announced that Sarma’s Cassandra Piuma was one of five finalists for the prestigious James Beard: Best Chef Northeast Award. The awards ceremony takes place on May 4, after we go to press, but we’re wishing Piuma all the best!
ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANT BACTERIA Pass the parmesan, please! According to TuftsNow, Tufts microbiologist Benjamin Wolfe is studying cheese, along with other fermented foods, to unlock the secrets of microbes. By looking at the ways that bacteria and fungi interact with one another in a cheese rind or a bit of salami, Wolfe hopes to draw broader conclusions about the ways they behave in their environment and to educate the public about microbes— both benign, like those in your gut, and threatening, like E. coli.
RISE ROBOTICS Congratulations to Somerville-based tech company Rise Robotics, which took home the Best Hardware award at San Francisco’s Launch Festival in March. The company invents “powered exoskeletons” for robots. For example, they replace automated forklift gears with mechanisms that both lower the cost and increase the speed of next-day shipping. How did it feel to be recognized at the festival? “It was great!” says Rise co-founder Arron Acosta. “It gave us a boost that we needed because … we didn’t have a lot of visibility. We were stealthy, almost by accident.” UNION SQUARE BUSINESSES In March, four Union Square businesses— Cantina La Mexicana, Reliable Market, CrossFit Somerville and Local Supply Company—were awarded support program partnership from Union Square Station Associates (US2). The organization hopes to work with the city’s SomerVision goals to preserve Union Square’s “funk” as the area changes. “This program will help us grow our business in ways that benefit our community,” Kim LaFoy, co-owner of Loyal Supply Company, said in a statement from US2. Another round of funding will be available this spring, and businesses who are interested in being considered can find the application online at somervillema.gov.
CARBON EMISSIONS Can Somerville truly become carbon neutral by 2050? City officials and MIT’s Climate CoLab think so. They’ve teamed up for a competition that asks residents to share their ideas for innovative ways to reduce carbon emissions. “With the goal of being carbon neutral by 2050 we’re going to need ideas big and small, conventional and wacky, to get there,” the city said in a Facebook post. To share your thoughts and learn more about the contest, head to climatecolab.org. POTHOLES Somerville car owners watched helplessly this winter as an unusually high number of potholes battered their suspension systems. Luckily, those craters shouldn’t be around much longer. As part of the Winter Recovery Assistance Program (WRAP), Somerville has received $169,736 in road and bridge repair assistance. City drives should be a lot less bumpy come June 30, when roadwork funded by WRAP must be wrapped up.
Someone rustle your jimmies or tickle your fancy? Let us know at scoutsomerville.com/contact-us, and we just might crown them a winner or loser. 12
May | June 2015 scoutsomerville.com
SHOUT OUT! We’re talking urban agriculture in this issue (p. 34), so we asked Villens the question: Which farm animal do you relate to most, and why?
“Definitely the goat. You see them up on those cliffs and you think they can’t get down, but they manage to somehow ... you get into those situations in life sometimes.”
- Nate G.
“I would say a sheep. They’re very fluffy; they look like they like to cuddle.”
- Rosalie Z.
“The dog of the farm, because I like to chill out as much as I possibly can, but when you ask me to do some work you can tell me what to do and I’ll do it.” - Anthony B.
LEARN TO ROW IN SOMERVILLE THIS SUMMER Rowing provides a full body, intense cardiovascular workout and is the ultimate team sport. NORA GOMEZ-DEARS, HEAD TRAINER
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The Blessing of the Bay Boathouse 32 Shore Drive | Somerville scoutsomerville.com May | June 2015
13
news
Lilia Volodina sets up a shot of Marc Valois. Photo by Richard Hawke.
COLLABORATION IS KEY AT STARLAB STUDIOS By Emily Gaudette
F
ive thirty-somethings pool their resources, renovate a warehouse and attempt to create a sustainable scene that’s conducive to the artistic process—and, faced with the possibility of losing the space they’ve created, they band together to save it. That’s the story behind Starlab Studios, and it’s one that encapsulates Somerville’s collaborative culture. As a media production outlet, Starlab Studios isn’t just focused on one part of the creative process. They want to do it all, to “handle all aspects of a client’s creative project under one roof,” says Matt Price, the studio’s general manager. Their services are ideal for artists who have an idea but don’t have the team to back them up. “For example, if you’re a band that wants to record a new album, we can track and produce the album, film and edit a music video and produce the promotional materials for your album release party,” Price says. Starlab (453 Somerville Ave.) is a full-service music, multimedia and entertainment production studio. The extent of the crew’s services is stunning: they already offer video production, music composition and scoring, voice over recording, photography and space to host classes or rehearsals. And they’re looking to add even more to their repertoire. Their efforts haven’t gone unnoticed, either. In March the team was awarded a grant through the American Small Business Championship. According to Price, Starlab “operates as a team of equal partners with varying responsibilities,” but the studio is at its most electrifying when its team works together. Rich Hawke, Starlab’s video production 14
May | June 2015 scoutsomerville.com
expert and photographer, works in his second floor office, surrounded by screens and equipment. James Lindsay supervises creative content, copy-editing and sifting through raw footage in his office, which is packed wall-to-wall with books. On the other side of the studio, Marc Valois, Starlab’s audio engineer, mixes a local band’s recording. Nearby, Price writes press releases and prepares to attend city meetings. Starlab originated in 2009, when Valois and Price recorded albums and hosted punk and noise shows at Starlab’s first location in Union Square. Across town, Hawke and Lindsay managed their own studio for video production and editing. When Starlab’s first location was acquired by the City of Somerville in 2013 to facilitate the development of the Green Line, the four men threw in together. “Thankfully, Somerville was helpful with our relocation,” Price says. “The place we chose had to be built from the ground up, so we’ve spent the last 18 months doing that. It’s only in the last few months that we’ve started to focus on establishing our business and our future as a company.” The entire team credits Somerville for supporting the enterprise. “We’ve been very vocal about Union Square being our home base,” says Lisa Vidal, Starlab’s most recent staff addition. “If you can’t figure out how to do something, there’s always someone in a related field in this city who can help you.” Vidal works as the studio’s financial manager, and she’s tirelessly pragmatic. “I like when one plus one adds up to two, you know? You construct your plan, you work hard, and sometimes it pays off directly.”
Lisa Vidal, Starlab Financial Manager. Photo by Lilia Volodina.
The team has hosted comedy nights and movie screenings in the past, and they still plan to produce their wildly popular Starlabfest Music & Arts Festival this summer. But Vidal says the company’s new emphasis is on products and creative services. “We’ve figured a lot out, you know, the rules of the game, and now we get to watch something bigger come together.” Price agrees. “We’re finally at a point where we can effectively operate the business that we envisioned,” he says–not just as a venue for parties and punk shows. It’s an allencompassing hub for creative work in Union Square. That shared outlook for the future binds the Starlab team together. “I’m working with my best friends,” says Vidal. There’s no trust issues, there’s no ego, it’s just smooth sailing.” Starlab sustains itself on the efforts of a small and talented team. It’s the dream of something more that drives them, the ability to please clients with meaningful work and set aside time to produce their own art. Lindsay enjoys a comedy career while Valois features prominently in several bands, including his infectious project Blinders. The entire team has won honors through the 48 Hour Film Festival, and Lindsay and
Hawke produced Champions of Champions, a quiz night that won them attention from The Improper Bostonian and The Boston Calendar. The team is poised to deliver much more in the coming years. It’s easy to see how much they admire one another. Earlier this year, at one of their monthly Stand-Up at Starlab shows, Vidal gave a warm introduction to Lindsay, who hosted the evening of comics while also delivering his own biting material. Seated among an almost sold-out crowd, Hawke laughed at his friend’s act between making adjustments to his recording equipment. When Starlab hosted Disasterpiece Theater, Hawke sat by the projector while Valois worked out an original theme song on the studio’s organ. After the show ended and the crowd went home, Starlab’s core group of five gathered in the lounge. They debated walking over to A4 Pizza. Lindsay and Price moved chairs aside, preparing the intimate theatre space for the full line-up of bands that would rehearse there in the morning. “That was good, right?” Vidal asked, coiling cables while Valois steadied a ladder for Hawke. The rest of the team nodded, satisfied.
“We’ve figured a lot out, you know, the rules of the game, and now we get to watch something bigger come together.”
scoutsomerville.com May | June 2015
15
what’s new?
SCOUT SPECULATES
Photo courtesy of Veggie Planet Facebook
VEGGIE PLANET
DAVIS SQUARE
ALPINE RESTAURANT COOKING CLASSES (POSTO, ROSEBUD, PAINTED BURRO)
I
f you aren’t already learning how to become a master chef at Shiso Kitchen or KITCHENiNC (or if you already are and want to add some more skills to your repertoire), Alpine Restaurant Group is now offering tips and tricks at its trio of restaurants. We stopped by a preview class at Posto (187 Elm St.) in April, where we watched as Alpine founder Joe Cassinelli whipped up an incredible mushroom risotto. We can officially say that this series is delicious, informative and well worth your time. For info on upcoming classes, head to our local events calendar (p. 36).
Veggie Planet has been looking for a new home since it closed its doors back in August, and they haven’t ruled out Somerville as an option. In fact, according to a March 17 post on the restaurant’s Facebook, they almost opened up shop here. “We were very close to signing a lease on a location in Davis Square,” the post read, “but ultimately the full investment to open a restaurant in the specific space we were looking at was just a little more than we could afford.” Veggie Planet hopes to jump back into the storefront search soon.
ROXY’S GRILLED CHEESE
In early April, Eater Boston reported that Roxy’s Grilled Cheese plans to open two new locations, one in Boston, and one not in Boston. Could a Roxy’s be on its way to the ‘ville? We know we shouldn’t get our hopes up, but … it’s kind of too late for that.
MEALS ON WHEELS CITYWIDE
PROJUICE BUS
Somerville residents (and Scout fans!) Maribeth Macaisa and Paul Cunningham are rolling into town on the wheels of health and wellness. What was once a bland white bus has been transformed into a funky juicemobile thanks to the illustrations of Shelli Paroline Lamb. The pair will serve what Cunningham calls “blended produce drink,” a step away from smoothies that often 16
May | June 2015 scoutsomerville.com
include added sugar or dairy. The bus will also serve healthy snacks like kale chips or the “yet-to-benamed beet/corn/ cilantro/jalapeno chips,” which are Macaisa’s favorite. As of our press date, Macaisa and Cunningham were finalizing Boston locations in for the bus and hope to add shifts in
CITYWIDE
MOBILE FARMERS MARKET BIKES
Photo courtesy of ProJuice
Cambridge and Somerville soon. They’re hiring! For more info, email info@bostonprojuice.com.
The Shape Up Somerville Mobile Farmers Market is back this year, with one important addition: For the first time, the produce will be delivered to hard-to-reach parts of the city by both truck and bike. You can learn more about the Mobile Market’s foray into twowheeled territory in our urban agriculture feature (p. 34).
Photo courtesy of 311 Somerville
CITYWIDE
SPACE SAVERS
P
hotos of the giant “space saver graveyard” went viral earlier this year, leading many to speculate on what Somerville was going to do with all of them. Could they become an art installation or find a new home as upcycled park benches? According to city spokesperson Jaclyn Rossetti, some of the chairs (and other items) have already been recycled, while others are being saved for a forthcoming art project. “We’re working out a potential celebration for this spring and haven’t confirmed any details yet,” Rossetti said.
AND NOW, THIS
MANUAL LYMPH DRAINAGE
TH
The lymphatic system is a vital bodily defense against infection and disease. Lymphatic drainage massage is one of the best things you can do to help your body help itself. Cheryl MacMillan, our Manual Lymph Drainage specialist at Massage Therapy Works uses very gentle pressure. The treatment is not painful and doesn’t have a stimulating effect. Lymphatic massage can increase the volume of lymph flow thereby vastly increasing the system’s ability to remove toxins and infectious materials. Studies have found lymphatic drainage massage to be a medically beneficial form of physical therapy for a range of lymphedema-related problems.
Ther relea of de tech to re Ther mod hand stag prop is ve have
Cheryl was recently featured in a new film in New York City called You Mean It’s Not My Fault: Lipoedema, a Fat Disorder. One of her clients produced the documentary honoring Cheryl’s extraordinary work and it explains the health benefits and how (she says) Cheryl saved her life.
Learn more about Cheryl MacMillan at www.massagetherapyworks.com.
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POP UP
KAKIGORI
In early March, Kimberly Scott launched a Kickstarter to fund NOODLE, an “eclectic Asian comfort food” spot that will pop up around the Boston area. But before NOODLE launches in earnest, you can find Scott at the Somerville Flea in Davis Square this summer, where she’ll be serving up Japanese shaved ice called kakigori. WINTER HILL
FALAFEL PLACE
Somerville’s falafel lovers now have one more spot to get their chickpea
fix. Falafel Place (1 Main St.) opened in early March and has already been a hit with Winter Hill residents, who have been raving about its spicy hummus and shawarma rolls.
EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY
If you’re suffering with a severe illness:
CONSIDER CANNABIS THERAPY
UNION SQUARE
CASA B
As of mid-March, SpanishCaribbean small plate spot Casa B (253 Washington St.) is open on Mondays, meaning that you can grab their buñuelos and bacalaitos fritos seven days a week. They’ve also rolled out a half-price tapas menu that’s available from 5 to 6 p.m., Sunday through Thursday.
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Learn more at inhalemd.com scoutsomerville.com May | June 2015
17
What’s New?
UNION SQUARE
SOMERVELO EXPANDS
MO MOMOS, PLUS MEATBALLS
T
hey’ve been open for a little less than a year, but Somervelo is already growing. The bike shop recently expanded into the space next door, giving them more room for retail and storage. “Now we can hold onto people’s bikes a little longer,” says Somervelo’s Tom Estrada. UNION SQUARE
MOMO N CURRY
Photo courtesy of Somervelo
BOOZE NEWS WINTER HILL
TASTING COUNTER
Photo courtesy of Slumbrew
BOYNTON YARDS
SLUMBREW BREWERY & TAPROOM
It’s been a hectic few weeks for Slumbrew’s “Marketing and Mayhem” Director Catilin Jewell, who was painting walls and approving light fixtures
right up until the brewery’s new taproom (15 Ward St.) opened in April. “Things are fine now,” she says with a laugh. The beers are flowing every day from 11 a.m. until midnight, and you can also chow down on charcuterie, cheeses and more.
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The 20-seat dining concept known as Tasting Counter was first teased in 2013, and last June the restaurant announced that it had found a home in Aeronaut Brewing Company (14 Tyler St.). According to Zagat, the ticketed, prixe fixe spot is finally poised to open in early June and will offer a tasting menu that ranges from $150 to $180 (including beverages, tax and gratuity). For more info on this spot, head to facebook. com/tastingcounter, which has already amassed almost 2,300 likes. Not bad for a restaurant that hasn’t served its first dish.
May | June 2015 scoutsomerville.com
(617) 864-5922 21 Bow St, Union Square 617-718-7555
1815 Massachusettts Ave, Cambridge Inside the shops at Porter Exchange TOKAIGIFTS.COM
In our previous issue we told you about Tasty Mo:Mo:, which opened its doors in Magoun Square in early April. But in March, another momo spot announced its arrival on the scene: Momo n Curry (431 Somerville Ave.). This newest Nepali restaurant also opened in April. The mo, the merrier! DAVIS SQUARE
CERTIFIED COMING SOON MEATBALL COMPANY
It looks like the newest eatery to make its home in Davis Square will be something called Certified Meatball Company (261 Elm St.). Additional information is scarce right now, but Eater Boston reports that the restaurant will be brought to you by Boston Nightlife Ventures, the group that owns Griddler’s Burgers and Dogs.
MANUAL DRAINAGE DOWN TOLYMPH BUSINESS
The lymphatic system is a vital bodily defense against infection and disease. Lymphatic drainage massage is one of the best things you can do to help your body help itself. Cheryl MacMillan, our Manual Lymph Drainage specialist at Massage Therapy Works uses very gentle pressure. The treatment is not painful and doesn’t have a stimulating effect. Lymphatic Photo courtesy of Mark Nierdergang massage can increase the volume of lymph flow thereby vastly increasing toxins and infectious CITYWIDE the system’s ability to remove to crafting sessions and more. materials. Studies have found lymphatic drainage massage To submit an upcoming eventtofor ZONING REFORM your business or organization, be a medically benefi cial form of physical therapy for a range The public comment period for head to scoutsomerville.com. of lymphedema-related citywide zoning reform problems. came
to a close at the end of March,
leaving was the Board of featured Aldermen in a DAVIS Cheryl recently new fiSQUARE lm in New York City with 90 days to either approve the TECHHUB called You Mean It’s Not My Fault: Lipoedema, a Fat Disorder. proposal or let itOne die. “Most us In our last the issue, we of herofclients produced documentary think there’s a lot of worthwhile joked that the arrival of software honoring Cheryl’s extraordinary work and it stuff in there,” says Ward 5 company SmartBear at Assembly explains the health benefi ts and how (she Alderman Mark Niedergang of Row heralded a technology says) Cheryl saved her life. the proposed ordinance, though
revolution in Somerville. But it he adds that there are also areas turns out, we may not have been with “major problems.” The board entirely wrong; in March, the UKneeds a two-thirds majority to based collaborative workspace pass the new You still TechHub opened its first US Learn moreordinance. about Cheryl MacMillan at have time to write your alderman www.massagetherapyworks.com. location in Davis Square (212 Elm with your concerns; the comments St.). Annual memberships start at Located Square since 1997 won’t be partinofDavis the official record, $450 or $250 for students. 7 Days, says 6 Evenings butOpen Niedergang he and the 255aldermen Elm Street Somervillein COMING other are| interested UNION SQUARE SOON 617-684-4000 gathering as much feedback as 197 UNION possible from the community.
THERAPEUTIC CUPPING Therapeutic Cupping helps to relieve chronic pain by releasing extremely tight restrictions by combining aspects of deep tissue & myofascial massage. It is based upon a technique used by acupuncturists for thousands of years to relieve congestion and stagnation in the body. Our Therapeutic Cupping specialist, Piseth Sam practices a modernized technique using controlled suction through a hand pump and BPA-free cups. Cupping effectively draws stagnant inflammation and toxins from the body to be properly disposed through the lymphatic system. Cupping is very relaxing and the perfect choice when your muscles have become so tight that even deep tissue massage is unable to release the accumulated tension. You’ll also receive added benefits of increased ranged of motion, tissue hydration, and fluid circulation for healthy cells.
Learn more about Piseth Sam at www.massagetherapyworks.com. Located in Davis Square since 1997 Open 7 Days, 6 Evenings 255 Elm Street | Somerville 617-684-4000
SQUARE
THE INTERNET
OUR ONLINE CALENDAR
We’ve spent a lot of time in 2015 trying to make our web presence as up-to-date and as useful to you as possible, and we’re pleased to announce that the latest digital Scout component to get a makeover is our online calendar. The calendar has been completely revamped and is ready to accept community event submissions—anything from cookoffs to book club meetings
The first Green Line Extension stop will open in Union Square in 2017, and developers are already eyeing the area. Case in point: 197 Union Square (197 Washington St.), which should open this fall. Described on their website as “urban chic one bedroom and two bedroom condominiums,” these condos don’t have a price tag yet, but Curbed Boston has reported that the building will have a fitness center, a roof terrace and a solar lounge, whatever that is. Fancy shmancy!
SCOUT CHECK Wherein we follow up on news that we’ve covered recently—in print or online. • T asty Mo:Mo (503B Medford St.) celebrated its grand opening in the first week of April. Set hours have not yet been posted. • The hot pot restaurant that will replace the former Davis Square Pinkberry (263 Elm St.) now has a name, Yumi, but there wasn’t much additional information at press time. When we hear more, you’ll hear more. • 7 ate9 Bakery’s Somerville location (199C Highland Ave.) is now open! Get your cheesecake on. Spot something new in your neighborhood that we didn’t mention here? Send us a tip: scout@scoutmagazines.com.
scoutsomerville.com May | June 2015
19
Kids
Raising Generation Z
RAISING
GENERATION BY EMILY HOPKINS
W
hen we first sat down with area parents to talk about the challenges of raising Generation Z, we were thinking about all the factors that might give them anxiety: finding the right school, living in a good neighborhood, giving their children access to the best pediatric care—the kinds of things that influence your decision to live where you live. Along with these anxieties was something new, something wholly unique to this generation: how and when to introduce their children to the digital realm. The days of kids playing unsupervised down the street from their homes are largely over. Now, children are left to their own devices—literally, as screens have entered nearly every part of daily life. We talked to a few local families to see how they’re handling these new questions. We also caught up with parenting instructors at the Cambridge Center for Families and Parenting Journey to talk about other concerns for the parents of Cambridge and Somerville. 20 May | June 2015
scoutsomerville.com
SEEKING BALANCE FOR THE
iGENERATION
W
ho, exactly, is Generation Z? which means one of them still gets no screentime. She says that the We first started naming generations after World War II. decision to limit their interaction with electronics so early in life is The period of peace allowed Americans to resume their lives, important from both an emotional and neurological standpoint. In and for many that meant having children. The shear synchronicity of 2011, the American Association of Pediatrics released new guidelines this generation’s births earned the name common to all of us: Baby about young children and screentime. While they recommend limits Boomers. Since then we’ve seen the cultural shift brought on by on screentime for all age groups, they strongly advocate for restricting Generation X and the rise of the Millennials. Now, we’re ushering in the screentime completely for kids under the age of two. In a report they next group, Generation Z, the most technologically released with the guidelines, they found that electronic integrated kids to walk the earth. The boundaries media can affect a child’s brain development. This are a little fuzzy–this generational stuff isn’t an exact media can be entertaining, but even videos marketed science–but the kids we’re talking about were born as educational can’t compare to playtime where around the mid-2000s through today. children are encouraged to use their imaginations and “I get that some Generation Z has many names, many of them problem solve. Screentime can also adversely affect defined by the technological precedence into which sleeping habits and mood. So until their children are of what I feel they’ve been born. Monikers like iGeneration, Net two years old, parents like Murthy are keeping screens Gen, Gen Wii and Gen Tech all set out to describe out of their children’s lives. After that? It gets a little is probably just a group of children whose lives are technologically trickier. any historical integrated from birth, though few do it quite so well “They have since become totally infatuated with as Digital Natives. The term was coined in a 2001 anything with a screen,” says Jessica Alpert Silber, anxiety about new paper by Marc Prensky, an education writer and who lives in Somerville. Her twins will be three this technology … consultant. The rest of us, those who came before summer. Like Murthy, she kept screens away from her Generation Z, are Digital Immigrants—we are coming kids until they were two, at which point she and her I get that some to this plane as foreigners and must learn the digital husband slowly started introducing cartoons and other of this is my own language. Digital Natives, on the other hand, are media to their son and daughter. Alpert Silber and her fluent. Even so, just when to bring electronics into a husband try to keep their kids’ screentime to less than folklore, but it’s child’s life is a concern on the minds of many parents. an hour a day and emphasize that it’s a privilege. But “I know some people say, ‘This generation, she’s been approached while in public for letting her instinct too.” they’re born digital, they’ll never know any different, kids play on her phone. and therefore don’t worry so much, don’t have that “I had someone came up to me and say, ‘Oh, we anxiety,’” says Rekha Murthy, a mother of two young had coloring books in our day.’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, children. Murthy is immersed in media. She oversees this is the modern day coloring book,’” she says. digital distribution at PRX in Cambridge and Before Alper Silber had children, though, she says completed her thesis at MIT’s Comparative Media she underappreciated the value of having a screen for Studies program. “I get that some of what I feel is probably just any children to interact with. Things can get pretty hectic when you’re at a historical anxiety about new technology … I get that some of this is my restaurant with twin toddlers. “I was that person that was like, ‘Come own folklore, but it’s instinct too.” on people, how hard is it to converse and keep your kids calm?’ Well Murthy’s two children are three years old and nine months old, you know what? It’s really hard. I had no idea what I was talking about,” scoutsomerville.com May | June 2015
21
Kids
Raising Generation Z
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May | June 2015 scoutsomerville.com
Rekha Murthy says she worries about what her children might find on the Internet. Photo by Emily Hopkins
she says. The problem, of course, isn’t just how parents are letting their children use technology. The rest of us might be digital immigrants, but we live here nonetheless. With the proliferation of smartphones, computers, tablets and gaming consoles, we as a culture are suddenly facing a new set of habits. And we’re teaching those habits—good and bad—to the next generation. “You have the generation that didn’t grow up with this and are raising children who are now completely [surrounded by technology]. You have to set limits that you never had to before,” says Christine Doucet, Family Support Specialist at the Center for Families in Cambridge. At the center, they run a workshop on media and families to educate parents about healthy habits. “That is a challenge for parents: What does that mean? What kind of limit do you set? What is the effect of that?” she asks. While parents are trying to set limitations on how much time their children are spending with screens, some are looking at their own habits and being critical of the way that they’re using technology. Murthy, for example, says she’s trying to train her brain for “slow Internet,” forcing herself to focus her attention on one thing, like reading a long article, in an effort to make her screen use intentional. “I see it in myself—too much virtualization and the inability to entertain yourself with your mind and your imagination,” she says. That’s something that she wants her children to avoid. “So we do encourage [our oldest] to have a lot of space where she’s not being
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entertained but she’s entertaining herself.” Parents aren’t just passing down their habits. These days, our phones can have their own place at the dinner table. “You have the parent with the phone and they check each time [it goes off], or you have the parent who puts the phone [face down], and then they check only one time. And you have the parents who have “I had someone the phone in the bag,” says Doucet. “And the quality of the relationship came up to me with the children changes.” A study published last and say, ‘Oh, year found that parental use of we had coloring cellphones during meals had an immediate effect on children. books in our day.’ They termed use of a device “absorption,” cataloguing the And I was like, degree to which the use of a device ‘Yeah, this is maintained the parent’s attention, and to what degree. What they the modern day found is that higher levels of absorption (when caregivers used coloring book.’” their phones continuously) led to an escalation in the child or children’s bid for attention. In one case, the study noted, a child tried to pull his caregivers face away from a tablet.
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scoutsomerville.com May | June 2015
23
Kids
Raising Generation Z
She pushed his hands away. “My hope is that eventually we will know how to use ... technology in a positive way,” says Doucet. “I think it is really something that will evolve with time.” Distraction and development aren’t the only two ways that technology affects the lives of Generation Z. More and more, children are occupying virtual space and learning about social interactions there. Over the past few decades, the physical spaces children occupy alone have become more and more limited. Add to that the jam-packed schedules that kids are now asked to maintain, and it’s easy to see why so much of a child’s life is now pushed online. While older generations might remember being left alone to wander their blocks and play with other neighborhood children, that concept is largely outdated. “One of the things that we’ve noticed that’s different is there isn’t a physical space for kids to necessarily see their friends in the afternoon or the evening, so when they’re texting or emailing or sending goofy photos, that’s actually a way of unsupervised interaction,” says Sara Zucker of Somerville, whose daughter Raphaella is 12. Zucker grew up in a rural Rhode Island town, where she says she’d finish her homework and then go out and play with the kids in the neighborhood, sans adult supervision. Something that to her was so natural at the time is unheard of now, except as the controversial “free-range parenting” style. The thought of letting a kid walk around the city alone is a tense one. No matter your philosophy on “There are days how much space to give children, from a cultural standpoint, we have where I’m praying collectively adopted this anxiety over children’s safety, even if it’s that the Internet subconscious. But increasingly, children are hanging out in virtual collapses before spaces, not physical ones. This is [my daughter is] brand new territory. “I think professionals don’t old enough for it even know yet how to speak about that,” says Doucet. “It’s just the to be an issue.” beginning now. I mean, really. That generation.” While most of us learned about healthy social interactions through in-person trial and error, children are now testing these waters in the oft-impersonal space of the Internet. A bully who does their worst to you on the playground can at least see the hurt on your face. If kids are no longer able to associate their actions to an emotional response, it’s up to parents to figure out how to fill that gap. Except that adults don’t necessarily have this whole Internet thing figured out either. “There are days where I’m praying that the Internet collapses before [my daughter is] old enough for it to be an issue,” says Murthy. “[The] psychological energy that would be required to constantly maintain vigilance on your own emotional reactions to the things you encounter online, I feel like that’s too much to ask of so many people. And that’s where I feel like I want to really restrain my children’s exposure until they really are old enough to navigate it.” There’s a lot still to learn about the full effects a technologically integrated society will have on our brains and social lives. We’re on a new frontier, and Generation Z is at the front of it, swiping and Snapchatting their way through childhood. But as the adults–the digital immigrants– fret over the future, nostalgic for a past that was a little less backlit, our digital natives are setting out to be smarter than any generation that came before. Now it’s up to us to try and keep up.
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May | June 2015 scoutsomerville.com
WHAT THE By Emily Hopkins Photos courtesy of Parenting Journey
EXPERTS SAY
E
very year, we learn more about the ins and outs of good parenting. To be brief: It’s a tough job, and many people often face it with limited resources and support. That’s where Parenting Journey in Somerville and the Cambridge Center for Families come in. They help teach parents good parenting skills and provide them with the information they need to parent successfully. Scout sat down with Maury Peterson and Noel Twigg from Parenting Journey and Christine Doucet from Cambridge Center for Families to ask a few questions about their work and what it takes to be a parent these days. HOW DO YOU HELP PARENTS? PETERSON: [Our programs] are really focused on you as an individual first, as a human being and secondly as a parent … It’s really an opportunity for you to first start as an individual and self-reflect on how you were parented because how you were parented is going to affect how you parent your own children. You kind of walk back through how you were parented–what was the good, the bad, the ugly. What did you inherit, what did you receive from your mom and dad or maybe what didn’t you receive, and help people kind of unpack that bag, and process, and bring it forward to present day of how are those experiences impacting your parenting now? If your mother was a screamer when she got stressed, when you’re under stress, whether you like it or not, you’re probably going to scream … But you can break that cycle if you decide that you don’t want to do that with your own children. And we can help you work through some of those processes to choose a different path. DOUCET: We are a family center and we provide services to families living in Cambridge that have children ages zero to eight years old. And it’s universal services, meaning that the only criteria is that you live in Cambridge … What we see is, parents want to find education. They know that it’s important, so they want to find ways. … Parenting education comes from feeling supported. Parenting is very difficult, and it’s not just by reading a book or going on the web—it’s going to give you information, but it’s not going to [give you] the strategy. We do, for example, parenting education for 11 weeks, because they really have time to explore and change. We provide playgroups where we bring toys and activities … And we provide this to help families interact, play with their children and also to meet other families and create their own support. So that’s community building.
WHAT CHALLENGES DO PARENTS FACE TODAY, SPECIFIC TO CAMBRIDGE OR SOMERVILLE?
PETERSON: Boston and Somerville seems like its a transient population, people are from all over the place, so their extended family may not be nearby, so you might not have those family supports that you need. It’s an opportunity in a small group to realize, you know, I’m not the only one that’s, you know, I’m exhausted, I can’t sleep, the baby’s screaming at the top of her lungs all the time, or my three year old this or that. And then you’re in a group saying, I’m not the only one. And you’re in a group sharing those experiences. TWIGG: We also work with a lot of immigrants from other countries, and they have very unique challenges in that, parents are raising kids in a culture that is completely different than the one they grew up in. Often the disciplinary techniques are different, perhaps the child speaks English better than the parent at this point. DOUCET: There is the reality of living in Cambridge, and I think living in the United States, where childcare is very expensive, so you definitely need to work ... The two parents need to work or maybe you have to take an extra shift, and at the same time you have to spend time with your children ... So this is all that balancing that parents have to do, and I think that is different than the generation that came before. Cambridge is very diverse, and we often think that Cambridge is more middle class, but there are families in Cambridge that are barely able to provide. So they have different type of challenges. And still, these parents, they want to be good parents, and they hear about all of these things, and that’s another stress to have. And they might have other things in their lives that [make it] hard. They might have other priorities. And yes the cost of living in Cambridge, that adds to it. WHAT PARTICULAR CHALLENGES ARE UNIQUE OR MORE PRONOUNCED IN FOR PARENTS OF GENERATION Z? PETERSON: I think it’s really that whole work-life balance thing. It’s kind of, you have to be Super Woman, right? You have to be Super Woman. A lot of people want to continue to work, and you want to be a great employee, and you want to continue to do what you were doing before you started to have kids, and then you also want to be a great mom and how you balance all of that. And I think also the role of dads might have changed over time, you have more parity in terms of roles. Dads are more involved these days, and they’re willing to take on a bigger role of household duties and taking care of a child. When I was a kid, if I scoutsomerville.com May | June 2015
25
Kids
Raising Generation Z
GET YOUR KIDS UNPLUGGED AND OUTSIDE THIS SUMMER: COWEMOKI SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAM
This full-day summer program features a variety of indoor and outdoor activities including a number of athletics, cooking, music and gardening as well as field trips to the New England Aquarium, Castle Island and more. Open to Somerville residents. Grades: K-8 Sessions run June 29 - August 21 Cost: $350/session, $200/week, $50/day plus $25 registration fee (financial assistance available) Contact: enrollment@cambridgecc.org
SPROUT SPORTS SUMMER SESSION
Children will learn sports basics to gear them up for playing on team sports when they’re older. Sports include soccer, basketball, baseball, football and hockey. Ages 3-5 and 6-8 July 7 - August 13 Cost: $40 Visit somervillerec.com for mor infomation.
GREEN TEAM GROUNDWORK SOMERVILLE
The 20 hour per week job program will give your teen a hands-on green education. Participants will help maintain community gardens in Somerville, sell Groundwork produce at the Somerville Mobile Market and learn tree care. They’ll even take a three-day camping trip in mid-July. Ages 14-18 July 1 - August 21 Teens will be paid $9 per hour Contact: Jess Bloomer, jess@ groundworksomerville.org
PARKOUR SUMMER CLINIC
This street sport takes gymnastics and martial arts and splays it across city infrastructure. Three sessions run throughout July and August. Ages 8-13 Cost: $105-$175 Visit somervillerec.com for more infomation.
GIRLS’ INVENTION WEEK
It’s girls only for one week at Parts and Crafts (577 Somerville Ave.), where they’ll get to tinker and invent on their own terms. Ages 7-13 June 29 - July 3 Cost: $75-$300 sliding scale Visit partsandcrafts.org for more information.
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May | June 2015 scoutsomerville.com
YOUTH ARTS ARISE SUMMER SESSION
Let your child harness their artistic powers through a number of artistic media at Arts at the Armory. Youth who hope to pursue a career in art are eligible to become peer leaders, who will receive a small stipend for assisting instructors. Ages 11-19 July 6-10 Cost: FREE Contact education@artsatthearmory.org.
SOMERVILLE ADVENTURE CAMP
This summer enrichment camps is organized by Somerville Community Schools and offers a variety of educational experiences, including field trips, art and cooking classes. Each week features a different theme! Grades: K-6 July 7 - August 15 Cost: $200/week, $20-$30 registration fee Visit somervilleadventurecamp.com for more information.
SOMERVILLE ADVENTURE CAMP COUNSELOR-IN-TRAINING PROGRAM
For older kids, this program will provide leadership training and assist counselors in daily activities. They’ll also attend all Somerville Adventure Camp field trips. Grades: 7-9 July 7 - August 15 Cost: $35/week, sliding scale Visit somervilleadventurecamp.com for more information.
was left alone with my father, he was babysitting. Oh, dad’s babysitting. I think that there is a better balance now for those couples that are together. But I’m always kind of in awe of women and what they’re able to accomplish. Really. It’s amazing. DOUCET: We were talking for example of the generation of Facebook … You know some people call it Fakebook because you post happy pictures. You don’t ever see a picture of the tantrum, a picture where you are like crying, and so you might have an idea, “Oh my friend, they are doing so good, I’m bad, I’m bad” … There was a mother in one of my playgroups who was saying that … one of her friends had another baby, and she said, “I was looking at the picture and I was saying to my husband, look at that! Their house, they look so neat, and our house is so messy, and what are we doing wrong.” And he was saying, “Stop looking at Facebook!” So that’s another thing where everything is public but it’s not really real. So that’s another thing where you compare all the time. Another unique problem that you didn’t have before. DO YOU SEE A COMMON TREND FROM PARENTS OF THINGS THEY EXPERIENCED FROM THEIR PARENT’S GENERATION? TWIGG: I think that one of the interesting things about the group setting is that no matter what your background or where you came from, how much money you make, where you grew up, whether it was here or in another country, the group members I think across the board find some sort of commonality. PETERSON: Right, and I always say that everyone comes from a dysfunctional family, it’s just a matter of degree. And so I think that some people are more successful with dealing with issues that come up. I think that the one thing that has changed is that people are much more open to ask for help. I think that in my mother’s generation they just had to suck it up and do it. And now I think people … want to learn. Asking for help is a sign of strength, right? Not a sign of weakness, which I think in the past maybe that was kind of how things were. Find out more about Parenting Journey at parentingjourney.org and Cambridge Center for Families by calling 617.349.6385.
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Scout Out
Commerce
Scout Out!
Photo by Rachel Offerdahl
GUIDE TO SUMMER FARMERS MARKETS Old Favorites and New Venues for Somerville Shoppers By Laura Quincy Jones
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armers markets are the original pop-up. Every summer we live in a little utopia, finally able to access fresh, local ingredients on a regular basis. This usually ends up being more of a treat than something that’s integrated into our day to day, but Relish Management Mary Cat Chaikin says that could be changing. “Now that we have a critical mass of farmers markets in the area, it’s realistic for people to use these markets as a source for their regular grocery shopping,” says Chaikin. She and her business partner, Mimi Graney, run Relish Management, a local business that oversees the Union Square and the new Assembly Row markets, as well as the Somerville Winter Market. They visit each of the farms and businesses that set up shop at their markets to handpick vendors and avoid overlapping products. 28
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“The Union Market feels like a neighborhood brunch,” Graney says. “It’s a place for community connection,” adds Chaikin. “People walk down or ride their bikes, meet their neighbors, enjoy the events, listen to some music—it’s a fun outing.” Graney and Chaikin hope the new Assembly Row market will create a similar neighborhood vibe by making the most of its location. Family-friendly events like nature walks along the Mystic River in the adjoining park, yoga by the river and fun fitness classes are in the works. Cooking demos with Assembly Row restaurants will show marketers how to cook veggie stews in LeCreuset pots, mix cocktails using herbs from the market and use Slumbrews newest offerings in cooking. Over in Davis, a market that’s served the community for 25 years is still going strong. Market manager Peter Ward says, “This is not the kind
of market with a lots of frills—it’s for people who want good local, fresh produce in their neighborhood.” “People are happy at the farmers market—they’re smiling!” Ward says. “Here, there’s a sense of anticipation about good food—people are outside, they’re thinking about what they’re going to make for dinner with a friend, trying a new variety of tomato, curious about what’s in season now.”
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UNION SQUARE FARMERS MARKET Facebook: Union Square Farmers Market • When: Saturdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m. from June 6-October 31 • Where: The plaza in Union Square • SNAP accepted: Use SNAP benefits here for double EBT credit • Vendors: All the same vendors from last year, plus a few new stalls: Myso Terra mushrooms, Steve Parker of Parker Farm mushrooms, Nicewicz Family Farm orchard, Flats Mentor Farm Asian vegetables, Stillman Quality Meats, Misty Brook Farm produce, Tipping Cow Ice Cream, Hosta Hill tempeh & sauerkrauts and Hutchins Farm organic produce ASSEMBLY ROW FARMERS MARKET Twitter: @assemblymarket • When: Sundays from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., June 7-October 25 • Where: On the riverfront at Assembly Row • SNAP accepted: Use SNAP benefits here for double EBT credit • Vendors: Many favorite vendors from the Somerville Winter Market and a few additions including Heron Pond Farm’s veggies and greens, Lilac Hedge’s ethically-raised and -processed meats, Farmer Dave’s CSA, Plato’s Organic Harvest, and Apotheker’s Kitchen chocolates DAVIS SQUARE FARMERS MARKET Facebook: Davis Square Farmers Market • When: Wednesdays from 12-6 p.m. from May 20-November 25 (closing at 5 p.m. after November 4) • Where: at Day and Herbert Streets parking lot in Davis Square • SNAP accepted: Use SNAP and EBT benefits here • Vendors: Kimball Fruit Farm, C&C Lobster Company, Flats Mentor Farm, Copicut Farms ethically raised meats and eggs, Velicenti Organico pastas and sauces, Danish Pastry House, Blue Heron Organic, Nicewicz Family Farm orchard and Birch Tree Bread MARKET HIGHLIGHTS Apotheker’s Kitchen: These chocolates and mallows are all sweetened naturally using honey. (Assembly) Flats Mentor Farm: This non-profit cooperative farm in Lancaster provides many Hmong immigrant and refugee farmers with hands-on training to build their small farm businesses. Check out their hard-tofind varieties of Asian greens like pea tendrils, water spinach and lalloo grown. (Davis, Union) Hosta Hill: Pucker up for some tempeh and sauerkraut, and even get a quick tutorial in fermentation and the mighty micro-biome. (Union) Misty Brook Farm: This farm, which calls itself a “full diet farm,” produces everything a human could need in their diet: grain, meat, cheeses and vegetables, all using holistic farming practices to mimic natural systems. (Union) Myso Terra: plentiful varieties of cultivated mushrooms and mushrooming kits (Union) Nicewicz Family Farm: These farmers have mastered what was once thought of as impossible in New England: growing apples pesticide-free by finding unusual and delicious pest-resistant varieties. (Davis, Union) Steve Parker of Parker Farm: Check out their wild foraged mushrooms. (Union) Stillman Quality Meats: Kate Stillman has just opened an abattoir for on-site butchering, bringing super fresh, local meats and custom cuts to the market (Union) Tipping Cow Ice Cream: This small creamery started by a vivacious young entrepreneur offers flavors like cranberry and Earl Grey & lemon. (Union)
favorite early summer blooming perennials
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fter the flush of spring is over, the cherry blossoms have dropped their petals and the bulbs have been cut back, it is time for the early blooming perennials to shine. These are my top 5 favorite early summer blooming perennials that will sure to make a huge impact in your garden. 1. ASTILBE (ASTILBE CHINENSIS) Excellent plant for sun/shade in between spots with many cultivars to choose from. 2. LADY’S MANTLE (ALCHEMILLA) Perfect plant to soften the edges of a walkway. Silverchartreuse leaves make it a great plant for planting in a containers with annuals. 3. BARREN STRAWBERRY (WALDSTEINIA) Native and low maintenance ground cover with evergreen foliage and tiny yellow flowers. 4. SALVIA ‘MAY NIGHT’ Makes a statement with bright purple spikes grow tall and vigorous! 5. FALSE INDIGO (BABTISIA AUSTRALIS) Perfect plant that sits proudly in the back of a perennial border. Lovely green-grey foliage and pea like flowers bloom in sun or part shade!
Happy Gardening! Jocelyn Jones Generous Earth Gardens, LLC.
DESIGN, INSTALL, MAINTAIN Find out more at GenerousEarthGardens.com! jocelyn@generousearthgardens.com 774-392-0637 scoutsomerville.com May | June 2015
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Scout Out
Horticulture
A Green Thumb Grows in Somerville By Leslie Fowle Photo by Todd Danforth
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Photo by Todd Danforth
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n her bohemian yet tidy Somerville home, Steph Zabel recounts the journey that has led her off the beaten path–away from the laboratory, where her degrees in biology and horticulture could have taken her. But first, she pours a cup of herbal tea made from an aromatic blend of holy basil, lemon balm and rose petals. “I made this blend for the winter because it’s so uplifting,” she explains. “A lot of people can get the winter blues, and certain herbs like these can help.” Zabel is a practicing herbalist, botanical educator and ethnobotanist, and she talks about different plants with the same sparkle in her eye young parents may have while flipping through wallet photos of their children. She owns her own business, Flowerfolk Herbs (flowerfolkherbs.com), where she offers private counseling, workshops, classes and plant walks. In the front living room, where Zabel meets with her clients, a fire burns in a small furnace. Mozart records are tucked neatly next to heavy botany books and quirkier titles, like Shel Silverstein’s “Where the Sidewalk Ends.” When you have a knowledge of plants as broad and deep as Zabel’s, the world is your garden, and many of the herbs she collects are found, quite literally, where the sidewalk ends. Some of the most healing herbs and plants in cities are also the most familiar, she says, cropping up in cracks in the pavement or lining highway meridians. Zabel points to dandelions as an example of this. The layman may not know that the entire plant – from the roots to the flower – is both edible and nutritious. When spring rolls around, Zabel likes to put the yellow flowers in her salads. Though these kinds of plants can pop up on even the most paved city streets, Zabel says to exercise caution. She doesn’t recommend harvesting near busy streets where pollution may be an issue. Zabel never harvests from public parks or private property, instead growing her herbs in two personal gardens in the front and back of her home, from which she collects herbs like St. John’s Wort, yarrow and calendula for her practice as well as personal use. “The irony is that many of the plants people consider weeds are actually beautiful and healing herbs,” says Zabel. “They spend all this time working in the garden, when they could actually be harvesting free food.” Zabel’s love for nature began during her childhood in South Carolina. She remembers visiting her grandparents’ nearby 10-acre property, her grandmother pointing out edible plants during their long walks together. In college, Zabel studied horticulture and biology. She would eventually go on to the University of Kent at Canterbury, UK to get her masters in ethnobotany (the study of the relationships between plants and people). Zabel could have easily spent the rest of her days in a lab, but she felt there was a better way to help people find herbal healing. “I didn’t want to be studying plants in a purely intellectual setting anymore,” says Zabel. “I felt there was more.” So Zabel packed her bags and moved to Boston, where she apprenticed herself to a few herbalist teachers and worked at Harvard’s herbarium collections, where she helped curate plant specimens used for botanical research. As an unregulated profession, there’s no way to become a licensed herbalist in the United States. Zabel says they act more like health coaches than doctors and are unable to officially diagnose diseases. “I feel like herbalism as a profession is old school in that way,” says Zabel. “You need to become an apprentice, and you form meaningful relationships.”
These days, there’s more on Zabel’s plate than just dandelions. Aside from her one-on-one herbalism practice, Zabel also offers seasonal six-week “Herbs for Everyday Living” classes. The spring semester begins on March 16 and addresses everything from herbal nutrition to aromatics, and students leave each class with their own salve, oil or tincture. In the summer, Zabel will co-host a women’s summer solstice retreat to Nantucket with her best friend and yoga instructor Jenn Pici Falk. On top of all that, Zabel also founded the annual herbal open house Herbstalk, the first event of its kind in the Boston area. The gathering, which this year takes place June 6-7 at the Somerville Armory, brings together hardcore herbalists as well as dilettantes and curious community members for a weekend of classes on herbal and holistic topics. In the making of the event that has become a semi-institution in Somerville,
“There’s something for everyone, and everyone is welcome.” Zabel’s main goal was to bring her neighbors together over a shared interest in nature. “There’s something for everyone, and everyone is welcome. We get beginners and more experienced herbalists,” says Zabel. “There’s even a small market for people who just want to shop.” There must be something to that tea: Zabel shows no sign of slowing down. There’s even talk of a retreat to Iceland in the works. This herbalist seems clear-headed and excited for the future. “I still feel like the world of plants is so vast and amazing that maybe it will keep me busy for the rest of my life.”
You came to Somerville to be part of the community.
SO DID WE. Our bank opened in Somerville in 1906.
Since then, other banks have merged with out-of-town banks, some closed down, and some just moved out.
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Scout Out Technology Photo courtesy of Grove Labs
INSIDE GREENTOWN LABS
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any commercialized products promise a better tomorrow, regardless of whether or not they actually invest or assist in creating that future. Companies claim to be green by planting consolation trees with a car purchase or brag about reducing materials needed to dispense their product, while every year it gets harder to deny that the human influence is changing the climate of the planet. This isn’t the case at Greentown Labs, the Somerville clean technology (cleantech) incubator where scientists and engineers work to help reduce or fix that problem in a meaningful way. Greentown Labs works by helping to give life to startups with green ideas. Their shared workspace comes with tools for prototyping, access to important industry software and even marketing and HR services. The bulk of the companies housed at Greentown prioritize energy efficiency, storage and alternative energy resources, highlighting the demand for fossil fuel-free (or more efficient) functions. Some of the businesses focus on improving the farming industry with soil, crop and weather surveillance. Many members form their companies around solar power, working on a variety of applications like music festival charging stations, digital billboards and water heaters. We sat down with three Greentown startups to learn about their vision for a greener future.
GROVE LABS Following a few notable food fear-mongering documentaries and the increasing social awareness of a healthy diet, the demand for fresh, chemical-free foods has skyrocketed. In cities, high population dejsirt and inaccessibility to local farms exacerbated that demand. To solve the urban farm-to-table problem, Grove Labs (28 Dane St.) has developed a product that brings the farm to the city. That product, called Grove, consists of a bookshelf-sized ecosystem that grows fresh food through a system that cycles through an aquarium. Grove Labs, born less than two years ago out of an MIT fraternity, soon set up shop at Greentown and created a whole test bed of hydroponically grown greens, fruiting crops and culinary herbs. The company, now delivering 50 units to early adopters in the Boston area, hopes to make their product as standard in a home as a refrigerator. “The refrigerator is where you store cold food, and a Grove is where you grow fresh food,” explains CEO and co-founder Gabe Blanchet. “We believe that everybody can grow some of their own fresh fruits and vegetables right where they live.” Over the next year, the Grove Labs team plans to provide extensive support to their first customers, which will hopefully help pave the way for a larger scale population. Beyond their company expansion, Blanchet hopes to introduce their household Groves into other markets like education. 32
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By Leanne Cushing
ALTAEROS ENERGIES One of the larger, head-turning companies within Greentown Labs is Altaeros Energies, which works to provide lower cost wind energy to off-grid and poor grid areas. Their product, the Buoyant Airborne Turbine (BAT), resembles a donut-shaped blimp with a wind turbine inside that floats out of sight and up to 600 meters in the air. The energy drawn from the turbine is then sent down a multi-tethered system that connects the shell to the ground station. The goal is to give better energy production options to areas, like islands, lay are off the grid or have poor power infrastructure. “Almost every island is a remote utility with limited infrastructure, and they rely on mostly fossil fuels. They’re also on the front lines of climate change,” explains Altaeros’s Business Development Manager, Ryan Holy. By directing their technology at places where oil and gas are at a higher premium, Holy hopes to broaden their market. With a sizable investment from the Japanese corporation Softbank, Altaeros has increased their product development team and hopes to deploy their first commercial product at a customer’s site within the next year.
AVALANCHE ENERGY Solar power generation has been one of the more rapidly growing renewable options on the market for many years now. The blue-black panels are common fixtures around the city, perched on emergency call boxes, trash bins and even on Hubway stations. One of Greentown’s solar companies, Avalanche Energy, founded itself around the idea of utilizing the sun to heat water and replace gas and oil dependent units. Before Greentown, Avalanche founder Alex Pina worked out of his apartment creating a satellite-shaped mirror to efficiently heat water. “The ultimate goal is to have made solar power—solar hot water specifically—affordable and accessible for all of the general community. We’re trying to lower the initial investment that this takes, which decreases the payback period,” Pina explains. Avalanche would also like to target people in more rural areas where natural gas pipelines and grid are less common. In 2013 they unveiled the SunTracer, and they’re now developing a larger, more refined iteration, currently on display in Greentown’s prototype space. Ideally they’ll have more than 20 units deployed in the field for testing by 2016. “If we can prove the system works in all of the crazy weather we get here, then bringing it to warmer climates or sunnier climates isn’t going to be a problem. We can guarantee the system is going to work.”
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Scout Out Agriculture
GROWING GAINS
How Somerville is Planting the Way for Farming in the City By Emily Cassel
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n an unseasonably chilly March morning, J.T. Scott walks me through a rear exit of his Union Square business, grabbing a bag of birdseed on the way out the door. He heads over to a wooden coop, painted with the gym’s logo, where six chickens enthusiastically cluck a greeting. “You want to make some fast friends?” he asks, opening the birdseed. “Hold out your hands nice and flat.” This wouldn’t be so strange if Scott ran a small farm or even a farm-to-table restaurant. But he’s the owner of CrossFit Somerville, a training facility he founded in 2011. For the last three years, ever since a few of his members asked if they could plant a garden behind the building, Scott and a team of 20 to 30 fitness enthusiasts have been growing vegetables in raised beds. In the summer, tomatoes and beanstalks snake their tendrils through a chain link fence at the edge of the property. They added chickens two years ago. CrossFit members built the coop themselves inside the spacious gym, which used to be a garage, and last year, they added bees.
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omerville has seen an urban agriculture boom over the last few years, so much so that in January, Modern Farmer identified the city as one of the five most urban livestockfriendly areas in the nation. That recognition is largely a result of City Hall’s increased focus on green issues. In 2012, the Somerville Board of Aldermen approved the Urban Agriculture Ordinance, the first initiative of its kind in Massachusetts, which established consistent policy regulations for practices like beekeeping and chicken farming. To make it simpler for residents to raise animals or plant vegetable gardens in Somerville, Photo courtesy of Yardbirds Backyard Chickens
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the city also turned its urban farming laws into a book, “The ABCs of Urban Agriculture,” which is available for download on the City of Somerville website. The book simplifies rules from the city’s Board of Health and urban agriculture ordinances by subtracting the legalese and adding photos to help residents who are interested in growing their own food understand the requirements. Today, six residential properties in the city have a permit to keep bees, while 14 have the proper permits to raise chickens. That may not seem statistically impressive, but in Somerville’s 4.2 miles, it’s not bad. And, as Khrysti Smyth points out, those figures don’t necessarily reflect all of the livestock that’s raised within city limits. “There are way more than that,” says Smyth, the founder of Yardbirds Backyard Chickens. “They just either think that chickens are not legal, so they haven’t approached the city in the first place because they don’t want to be found out, or they know that chickens are legal but didn’t bother to go through the permitting process.” According to Smyth, chickens are a relatively easy animal to raise—easier, even, than dogs and cats can be. But the initial costs associated with these birds, including the price of materials for building a coop and the $50 permit from the city (should you go through the proper channels), are fairly high. It can take a year or two for new chicken farmers to recoup their losses. Still, she also says that Somerville has been extremely supportive of urban agriculture. That permit was initially going to cost much more, and the city was willing to bump the price down after they realized how prohibitive the price tag would be for many of Somerville’s residents.
Even before the aldermen passed the ordinance, there were city programs taking advantage of both the health and financial benefits of urban agriculture. One of those groups was Shape Up Somerville, which has been promoting sustainability and community through food for years. According to Shape Up coordinator Erica Satin-Hernandez, residents of Somerville’s low income areas,
produce to people in these communities. One of their most effective programs has been the Mobile Farmers Market, a project they took on with area nonprofit Groundwork Somerville. The Mobile Market goes into Somerville’s underserved communities, bringing fresh produce grown at Groundworks’ quarter-acre South Street Farm and other local farms directly into neighborhoods that might not
food security mentality,” says Yardbirds’ Smyth.
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ack at the CrossFit Somerville chicken coop, it’s starting to drizzle, so J.T. Scott closes the gate and heads back inside. He tucks the bag of chicken seed into a corner of the concrete building, where a shelf is stocked with watering cans, trowels and shovels that found a permanent home among the
USDA photo by Lance Cheung
including Winter Hill and East Somerville, often don’t have access fresh produce at their local grocers. They might not even have a local grocer—at least, not one that they can reach with a short walk. Giving these residents the tools to grow and raise their own food could change lives. “That kind of support and research from the urban ag ordinance … it’s really important,“ Satin-Hernandez says. “The question of food availability as a health equity issue can be approached by urban agriculture opportunities.” In addition to teaching locals how to plant and raise their own food, Shape Up Somerville actually brings reduced-price
otherwise have access to highquality fruits and vegetables. The mobile market has increased its sales and reach every year since it opened in 2011, and this year, they’ll increase their access by adding bicycle produce delivery. “It’s hard for people in some parts of the city to get over to Union Square for a farmers market, or even get to Market Basket,” says Groundwork Somerville Executive Director Chris Mancini. “But we can bring the food that we’re growing here and partner with other local farms nearby to get to those parts of the city.” “For cities in general, a lot of them are starting to approach this from a public health and
gym’s barbells, weights and ropes. Scott likes urban farming. He’s proud of what his gym members have accomplished in a few short years, and he’s grown very fond of the chickens. But for Scott, this project is about more than just the birds and the bees— it’s about community, and it’s about the future of Somerville. “If somebody’s got a dream, a vision, a hope, and what they need is physical space, I’ve got physical space,” he says, gesturing to the open room in front of him. “If what they need is a few strong friends to help them, I’ve got a few strong friends. This is about using our shared resources and community to make those visions happen.”
THE ANTI-
CARPENTER Though they may share a name with the noble guild that built your home, carpenter ants in fact threaten to undo all the good work of their namesake. In the United States the most commonlyfound carpenter ant is the black carpenter ant, and Somerville is no different. These little beasties hole up in and around moist, decaying or hollow wood. Though they don’t eat the wood like termites, they do a number on the wood through their nesting process. The resulting damaged wood is not only often unattractive, but it can be far less stable and therefore dangerous. Carpenter ants tend to spring up in spots most vulnerable to moisture, like under and around windows and roof eaves, and on decks and porches. You’ll know they’re there if a sawdustlike material starts showing up in these or other moisturesensitive areas. And you’ll want to act fast to get rid of them because of the effect they can have on the wood in your home. If you think you have a problem – or just want the peace of mind that comes with knowing you don’t – make a quick call to Best Pest Control Services. Unlike other companies, Best Pest will treat your home only if it’s necessary. We are a locally owned and family-operated business. We’ve been serving Somerville and greater Boston since 1984 – and not just for roaches. Ants, bedbugs, mice, rats – you name it, we’ll get rid of it. Our rates are reasonable and customer service is our top priority.
63 ELM ST, SOMERVILLE 617-625-4850 • bestpest.com
Calendar
calendar Music Sundays
Live Music 10 p.m., No Cover Highland Kitchen, 150 Highland Ave. There’s never a cover and the musician changes every week, so you can come out and discover your new favorite artist on the cheap.
Mondays
Americana Mondays 7:30 p.m., No Cover PA’s Lounge, 345 Somerville Ave. A weekly evening of stringtwangin’, foot-stompin’ Americana, led by local Greg Klyma.
May 15 and 16
Orgone 8 p.m., $15 Thunder Road, 381 Somerville Ave.
Funk, soul, rock and disco meet in the Los Angeles-based act Orgone. With support from SOPHISTAFUNK.
are stopping by Cuisine en Locale on their first East Coast tour in 34 years.
May 15
Miele 8 p.m., $8 Thunder Road, 381 Somerville Ave. Miele means honey in Italian, and this band sure is sweet, combining rock, psych, folk and world music influences in one sugary package. With support from Airacuda.
Shepley Metcalf and pianist Ron Roy 8 p.m., $15 in advance or $20 at the door Third Life Studio, 33 Union Square An evening of “traveling tunes and divine destinations with music from lyricists as diverse as Cole Porter, Joni Mitchell, Stephen Sondheim, and Mary Chapin Carpenter,” according to Third Life. Tickets and additional info at thirdlifestudios.com.
May 20
The Insect Surfers 7 p.m., $10 Cuisine en Locale, 156 Highland Ave. These West Coast surf-rockers
Scout picks
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MUSIC | May 16
Porchfest 12-6 p.m., Free Citywide This annual musical celebration returns, letting Somervillians transform their porches into pop-up music venues for an afternoon of fun in the sun. According to the Arts Council website, this year’s participating musicians perform in a variety of styles that span the globe, including “bollywood funk, cosmic americana, killer blues, Moroccan, Balkan, gospel, American space rock and clawhammer banjo.” We’re ready to kick out the jams.
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May 23
June 18
Sundy Best 6 p.m., $10 Thunder Road, 381 Somerville Ave. Catch Kentucky-based duo Sundy Best performing their newly electrified music on the road.
June 26
Tigers Jaw 7:30 p.m., $20
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The Armory, 191 Highland Ave. These Pennsylvania pop rockers are unplugging for a seated, acoustic show at the Armory. Grab tickets on Ticketmaster or at the Sinclair box office.
Arts Saturdays
Comedysportz Boston 6:30 p.m., $15 Davis Square Theatre, 255 Elm St. You can bring the family to this weekly sports-themed improv battle—the jokes are clean and the fun is plentiful.
May 8 & June 19
Drink and Draw 7 p.m., Free Comicazi, 407 Highland Ave. BYO beer and art supplies and draw up a storm. (Word on the
MUSIC | May 30
Hutch & Kathy 8 p.m., $12 Cuisine en Locale, 156 Highland Ave. Before they were the noisy punks you know and love as The Thermals, Hutch Harris and Kathy Foster were—you guessed it—the eponymous duo behind Hutch and Kathy. The pair’s debut LP was released on vinyl for the first time in April for Record Store Day, and their tour to support the reissue stops by Cuisine en Locale on May 30. Grab your tickets on Ticketmaster.
Calendar
street is that local legends like Ming Doyle sometimes make an appearance at Drink & Draw.)
May 31
Unlocking the Voice Workshop With Philip Hamilton 2-5 p.m., $50 Third Life Studio, 33 Union Sq. Ready to unleash the powerful singing voice inside you? Philip Hamilton is here to help, with breathing exercises, rhythm games and more. Get your tickets at thirdlifestudio.com.
June 6
We Actually Broke the Internet 9 p.m., $10 Davis Square Theatre 255 Elm St. Music, comedy and even magic collide in this variety show hosted by Boston-based comedian Kofi Thomas. No word on whether or not Kim Kardashian will make an appearance.
June 11
Wendy Liebman and Friends 7:30 p.m., $30
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Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Sq. Funnywoman Wendy Liebman stops by the Somerville Theatre for the eighth annual Community Works Share-a-Laugh show.
June 14
Talk: Union Glass Company 2-3 p.m., $8 Somerville Museum, 1 Westwood Rd. Kelly Conway, curator of American glass at New York’s Corning Museum of Glass, will be on hand to talk about the former Union Glass Company.
June 18
Bare Bones: An Evening With Death 8 p.m., Free with a suggested $5 donation Unity Somerville, 6 William St. Theatre@First presents this latest Bare Bones production, a performance of several short plays by Mike Haddad. As the series title suggests, these will be readings performed sans costumes, blocking sound or lighting.
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DAVIS SQUARE
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ARTS | June 6
Dig if U Will the Picture: Art Inspired By Prince 7-10 p.m., Free Washington Street Art Gallery 321 Washington St. It’s art inspired by Prince— that alone should be enough to convince you to attend this exhibit at Washington Street Art Gallery. Opening reception is June 6, and you can also view the works during gallery hours from noon to 4 p.m. each Saturday.
Somerville Neighborhood News SCATV cable channel 3 Tuesdays 7:00pm
SomervilleNeighborhoodNews.org
We have Somerville covered!
Drawing by Marissa Falco
Does YOUR closet look this organized?
Porter Square Showroom 617-628-2410 www.closet-solutions.com
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Calendar
Scout picks
Photo courtesy of East Somerville Main Streets
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EVENTS | June 7
Carnaval 12-4 p.m., Free East Broadway Take to the streets for East Somerville Main Streets’ annual neighborhood celebration! Performers haven’t yet been announced, but the Carnaval standards—a parade, music and delicious food—are already scheduled. Learn more as the event draws closer at eastsomervillemainstreets.org.
Events Sundays Starting May 31
The Somerville Flea 10 a.m.-4 p.m., No Cover Davis Square Corner of Holland and Buena Vista The best flea market around is back for the 2015 season, where vendors including High Energy Vintage, Atomic Flat and the Nevermind Shop will be selling their wares.
Mondays
Learn English at the Library 6 - 7 p.m., Free Alternates Between West Branch Library and East Branch Library 40 College Ave. or 115 Broadway These English classes are free, there’s no waiting list and no registration is required.
Second Tuesdays
Trivia Night 9 p.m., No Cover Area Four, 445 Somerville Ave. Because the only thing better than pizza and beer is pizza, beer and showing off how smart you are with trivia.
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May 13
BOLD SPRINTS Indoor Bike Race 7 p.m., Free Aeronaut Brewing Company, 14 Tyler St. All the fun of a bike race—without any of the cars and pedestrians.
May 17
Somerville’s Agrarian Past 2-3 p.m., $8 Somerville Museum, 1 Westwood Rd. If our green-themed issue got you excited about agriculture, join Massachusetts Master Gardening Association certified principle master gardeners Dyan Blewett and Vilma Sullivan to learn about Somerville’s green history.
May 21
Crypto Party 6-9 p.m., Free Parts & Crafts, 577 Somerville Ave. Online privacy has been a hotbutton issue of late—do you know how secure your web habits are? The staff at Parts & Crafts will take you through the basics of anonymous web browsing and email encryption.
June 6
Muppet Trivia 8 p.m., Free
Photo by Todd Danforth
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EVENTS | June 6-7
Herbstalk The Armory, 191 Highland Ave. You’ve read our feature on natural healer and Herbstalk founder Steph Zabel, now make your way to the annual event that she founded! Try one of the classes that will be offered, including Linda Patterson’s “Introduction to Aromatherapy” or Nancy Anderson’s “Using Medicinal Herbs for Dogs.” You can also take a plant walk with one of many experts that will be on hand or shop around the herbal marketplace. Learn more and grab your tickets at herbstalk.org.
Comicazi, 407 Highland Ave. Show off your knowledge of Grover, Kermit, Animal and the whole gang at Comicazi’s muppet trivia night.
Bakes fundraising event, including The Independent, Cask ‘n Flagon, River Bar and more. Learn more about the participants at bakesforbreastcancer.org/ boston-bakes.
Food & Drink
May 16
Mondays
Tacos, Tacos, Tacos! 5 p.m. No Cover Cuisine en Locale, 156 Highland Ave. We we we love love love tacos tacos tacos.
Fridays
Firkin Fridays 5 p.m., No Cover Aeronaut Brewing Company, 14 Tyler St. FYI: A firkin is a small cask that holds 10.8 gallons of beer. The more you know!
May 4-10
Boston Bakes for Breast Cancer Citywide Many of your favorite Somerville establishments will be participating in this year’s Boston
Cooking Class: Festive Summer Dishes 3 p.m., $55 The Painted Burro, 219 Elm St. Ladies and gentlemen, fire up your grills (and your appetites).
May 23
Couples Date Night 6 p.m., $89 Shiso Kitchen, 374 Washington St. Get the skinny on romantic dinners for two you can make in the comfort of your own kitchen.
June 12-13
Hyperlocal Craft Brew Fest Three Sessions, $48-$89 The Armory, 191 Highland Ave. Not just local but hyperlocal, this beer fest features complimentary food samples, homebrewing demonstrations and so much more. Tickets get you as many 2 oz. tasters of beer as you can down. Brought to you by the Sustainable Business Network of MA.
COME IN AS A CUSTOMER, LEAVE AS A FRIEND Photo courtesy of KulbakoPhoto.com
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”I’d buy another car from John tomorrow and I’d tell all my friends to go there too.” – Suzanne Fontano
FOOD & DRINK | June 3
Taste of Somerville 5:30-7:30 p.m., $40 Davis Square, 50 Holland St. Taste of Somerville returns in 2015, bringing the best food and drink the city has to offer to Davis Square. Last year’s sold-out ToS event featured more than 50 local favorites— including Redbones Barbecue, Kirkland Tap and Trotter, Bergamot and Bibim—and raised more than $45,000 to benefit The Somerville Home. Grab your tickets and learn more at tasteofsomerville.com.
June 20
Cooking Class: Summer Entertaining Basics 3 p.m., $55 Posto, 187 Elm St. Is summer entertaining really that different from spring and fall entertaining? Apparently, yes! Stop by Posto to learn the basics.
June 25
Tapas and Small Plates 6 p.m., $89 Shiso Kitchen, 374 Washington St. Mmm, tapas—or as we call them, finger foods for adults. Learn to make a caramelized onion and goat cheese crostini, caprese salad skewers with balsamic glaze and more.
Kids & Teens
years. Caregivers are required to stay, but Knucklebones staffers will be on hand to make sure everyone is having a great time!
Month of June
June Days 3 sessions, $75-$300 sliding scale Parts and Crafts, 577 Somerville Ave. The kids can kick off their summer at Parts & Crafts, which will offer three week-long sessions of summer activities in June. From June 1-5, the theme is “bikes and biology,” from the 8-12 it’s “sewing and soldering” and the 15-19 is theater week. Register online at partsandcrafts.org!
June 28
Alastair Moock CD Release 4:30 p.m., Price TBA The Armory, 191 Highland Ave. Moock brings his family-friendly tunes to the Armory for an afternoon of fun and friendship.
FINANCING FOR
EVERYONE 40
YEARS
SAME QUALITY SERVICE SAME LOCATION
100% WARRANTY
WE PAY MORE FOR YOUR CAR!
617-628-5511
A VEHICLE FOR EVERYONE IN THE FAMILY!
JOHN’S AUTO SALES
Mondays
Knucklebones Playspace 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., $15 The Armory, 191 Highland Ave. Each week, the Armory’s performance hall becomes a play place for kids ages 8 months to 5
”In a world where used car dealers have terrible reputations, John’s Auto is the exception to the rule.” – Bruce Desmond
QUALITY USED CARS BOUGHT AND SOLD FOR MORE THAN 35 YEARS SEE FULL LISTINGS AT SCOUTSOMERVILLE.COM/ CALENDAR
USED CARS BOUGHT AND SOLD FOR 40 YEARS JohnsAutoSales.com 181QUALITY Somerville Ave
617-628-5511
(across from Target) AVE (ACROSS FROM TARGET) 181 SOMERVILLE JOHNSAUTOSALES.COM
scoutsomerville.com May | June 2015
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FOOD & DRINK
AMERICAN
ASIAN
907 Main Street 617-491-6616 dumplingroom.com
255 Elm St. 617-628-9999 foundryonelm.com
DON’T FORGET TO ASK ABOUT OUR DUMPLING SCHOOL
290 SOMERVILLE AVE | (617) 764-5556 | EBISUSHI.COM
1933 Massachusetts Ave. (617) 868-4200 sugarandspicecambridge.com
44 Brattle Street | (617) 868-2255 | harvestcambridge.com
NOMINATED FOR:
BEST THAI FOOD
BRAZILIAN 59 JFK Street 617-491-9851 parkcambridge.com
NEW FULL BAR! OPEN DAILY 11 AM – 1AM ASSEMBLY ROW WWW.RIVER-BAR.COM
40 May | June 2015
scoutsomerville.com
120 Washington St. 617-764-0455 www.oliveirassteakhouse.com
BBCO Logo Proof-NOGLOW.pdf
12/15/08
GASTROPUB
FOOD & DRINK
BURGERS 10:59:50 PM
65 Holland St. 617-591-2100 Menu and nightly entertainment schedule at orleansrestaurant.com
37 Davis Sq. 617-440-7361 bostonburgerco.com
ITALIAN CAFE
Assembly Square 60 Middlesex Ave. Somerville 617-623-0057 stylecafeonline.com
FULL BAR • FREE DELIVERY
9 Davis Sq. 617-628-2379 mikesondavis.com
MENTION THIS AD AT THE REGISTER, GET 10% OFF!
CATERING 1 Bennett Street 617-661-5050 rialto-restaurant.com
514C MEDFORD STREET | SOMERVILLE TRUCK: (857) 523-8948 RESTAURANT: (857) 523-8053 PENNYPACKERSFINEFOODS.COM
VICTOR’S DELI & CATERING Daily Specials Mon, Tue, Sat 8-5 Wed, Thu, Fri 8-6 710 Broadway, Somerville (617) 625-3076
scoutsomerville.com May | June 2015
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GOODS & SERVICES
CLOTHING
JEWELRY
GIFTS
PAWN
LBC BOUTIQUE & LOAN
Sell, Buy and Loan Gold, Silver, Platinum, Coins, High-end Purses like (Louis Vuitton, Channel, Gucci), High-end Jewelry, Diamonds, Antiques, Musical Instruments.....
fun, modern gifts for him, her, house and baby.
Highest cash in the State Paid in the Same Day. Proven by Text.
617.666.6700 409 highland ave Davis Square
233 Elm St. Somerville, Davis Sq. • (617)-821-6229 • Sell - Buy - Loan • www.Bostonpawnbroker.com
davissquared.com SPECIALTY FOODS VISIT OUR TASTING ROOM — 50 FRESH OILS AND VINEGARS ON TAP — OR SHOP ONLINE.
Salt& O live Fresh oils and vinegars, artisan salts and spices
Saltandolive.com | 1160 Massachusetts Avenue | (857) 242-4118
Shiny things for your nest
WINE & BEER
416 Highland Ave | 617-623-3330 | www.magpie-store.com
500 Medford Street, Somerville Open Mon-Sat 10–11, Sun 12–11 www.k2beerandwine.com
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May | June 2015 scoutsomerville.com
SALON & SPA
• • • • • •
Acupuncture And Massage Services For appointments, call 617-666-0143 or email: info@kenkodoclinic.com www.kenkodoclinic.com
GOODS & SERVICES
ACUPUNCTURE & MASSAGE
PERMANENT & SEMI-PERMANENT MAKEUP EYELASH EXTENSIONS SKINCARE & ADVANCED SKINCARE HAIR REMOVAL MANICURE/PEDICURE EAR CANDLING
310 CAMBRIDGE STREET | CAMBRIDGE, MA 617.661.1113 | AESTHETICAREDAYSPA.COM
LANDSCAPING
FROM LIQUID IN THE SOUTH END, NOW IN SOMERVILLE TONI LOPRESTI
Hair Stylist For appointments please: Call/text 339-927-1913 Or email toniloprestihair@gmail.com
DESIGN, INSTALL, MAINTAIN Find out more at GenerousEarthGardens.com! jocelyn@generousearthgardens.com 774-392-0637
FROM LIQUID IN THE SOUTH END, NOW IN DAVIS SQUARE TONI LOPRESTI
Hair Stylist ACUPUNCTURE FLOORING For appointments please: Call/text 339-927-1913 Open Space Community Ace Floor Covering Acupuncture Or email toniloprestihair@gmail.com 617-628-2514 70 Union Square #102 617-627-9700 OpenSpaceAcupuncture.com see ad page 37 WE USE AN ORGANIC APPROACH IN ALL OF YOUR GARDEN’S NEEDS!
176 ALBION STREET • SOMERVILLE, MA 02144 • TEL: 617-710-0243 YOURGARDENCURATOR.COM • INFO@YOURGARDENCURATOR.COM
UNION SQUARE ACUPUNCTURE 21 Bow St 617-718-7555 Unionsquareacupuncture.com see ad page 18
PHOTO EDITING AUTO SALES
Mom never liked her, anyhow...
ALSO AVAILABLE FOR COMMERCIAL CLIENTS
John’s Auto Sales 181 Somerville Ave 617-628-5511 johnsautosales.com see ad page 39 n n n n n n n
SCANNING CUSTOM PHOTO PRINTING DIGITAL PHOTO REPAIR DIGITAL EDITING RETOUCHING/PHOTO EDITING PHOTO MANIPULATION FOR BUSINESS & PERSONAL USE
PICTURERENEWAL.COM 34 EVERETT AVE. SOMERVILLE • 617.666.2080
BARBERSHOPS Alibrandi’s Barber Shop 194 Holland St 617-628-4282
CLOSETS/ORGANIZATION
acefloorcoveringco.com
INSURANCE WEDGWOOD-CRANE & CONNOLLY INSURANCE 19 College Ave, Davis Sq. 617-625-0781 wccins.com see ad page 22 PROPERTY MANAGEMENT/ MAINTENANCE Clean Homes, LLC 166 School St. 617-412-0026 www.cleanhomesllc.biz
TUTORS Bootstrap Tutors 617-214-0430 www.bootstraptutors.com ryan@bootstraptutor.com
Closet Solutions Showroom 46 White St. 617-628-2410 closet-solutions.com see ad page 37 scoutsomerville.com May | June 2015
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Residential Sales Specialist, Realtor 速 617.216.5244 cell/text Lynn@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
REAL ESTATE
About our company...
RESIDENTIAL SALES
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.
RENTALS
Dedicated to representing our buyer and seller clients with integrity and professionalism. Committed to giving back to our community.
Visit our office, 28 Willow Avenue, n the bike path in Davis Square, Somerville.
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.
LUXURIOUS AMENITY PACKAGE AND COMPLIMENTARY SHUTTLE TO BOSTON
30 Newberne St. | 617-616-5091 | thaliarealtor.com
New & Adaptive Reuse Lofts Between Union & Inman Squares www.2SquaresLofts.com $779,000-$1,099,000
12 QUARRY LANE | MALDEN, MA | 781.322.7200 WWW.THECHASEATOVERLOOKRIDGE.COM
Presented by Louise Olson & Scott Kistenberger Your Team for Exemplary Real Estate Service
H A R VA R D S Q UA R E
|
at Assembly Row
19 Arrow Street, Cambridge
www.olsonhomes.net | lolson@robertpaul.com | (617)470-5077
333 Great River Road, Somerville (866) 587-7371
True Home Partners
www.avaloncommunities.com
LUXURY URBAN RESIDENCES, HIGH TECH, HIGH DESIGN CONTACT US TODAY 617-577-0707 Watermark@gables.com www.watermarkkendalleast.com www.watermarkcambridge.com
1730 Mass. Ave. 617-930-1288 TrueHomePartners.com watermarkkendallwest
YOUR PLACE. YOUR SPACE. 30 CALDWELL STREET CHARLESTOWN (617) 242-0999 www.mezzodesignlofts.com
44 May | June 2015
scoutsomerville.com
OUR EARLY SUMMER PICKS
PATIO BRUNCH ABIGAIL ROSE SAUVINGNON BLANC $13.99 This pale yellow Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough New Zealand has an intense floral nose with aromas of lime, pineapple and stone fruit that will dance in your glass. It’s lively acidity and silky entry combine to provide a long and pleasant finish.
WEEKEND BBQ PETIT RIMAURESQ ROSE $12.99 All the way from the Cote de Provence in France comes this dry-style of Rose. Floral and red apples decorate the nose, whilst the palate is bright and citrusy, with kisses of red fruit flavors, crunchy acidity, and a dry, fresh finish. It’s a versatile food wine that would go well with everything from chicken dishes to Thai curries.
SURPRISE GUEST
DATE NIGHT A TO Z PINOT NOIR $20.99
CANTINA ZACCAGNINI PINOT GRIGIO $20.99 Pale yellow with green nuances; very delicate bouquet, fragrant with extremely pleasant aromas. Very fresh and well-balanced flavors. With a crisp and elegant finish. Perfect with medium to light-flavored food, especially light hors d’oeuvres, bronzino or other white fish and white meat based dishes.
Leads with aromas of cherries, raspberries, and blackberries, developing to iris, blueberries, strawberries and minerals. A beautiful attack has vibrant red fruit flavors and floral notes, then deepens with hints of blood orange and blueberry jam. Ripe tannins are balanced by perfect acidity and the mid-palate reveals spice, tobacco and earth notes adding richness and complexity. The finish is quite long which allows all the elements of the wine to come together and show the intrinsic balance and complexity of the 2013 Oregon vintage.
EXPANSIVE SELECTION INCLUDES PORT WINES, CHAMPAGNES AND 100 PLUS CRAFT BEERS. YOU'LL ALSO FIND FINE CIGARS, CHEESES AND CRACKERS. 7 DAYS 10 A.M. – 11 P.M. K2BEERANDWINE.COM 617-776-0309 500 MEDFORD ST. MAGOUN SQUARE, SOMERVILLE
Scout You
Scout You
Photos by Chrissy Bulakites
Scott tends bar at The Burren in Davis Square
The School of Honk plays music in Davis Square Jenny staffs the counter at Gracie’s Ice Cream, Union Square
Krysia hands out samples at Taza
Robin and Yara shoot hoops in Ball Square
Jaime and Robin walk home from brunch in Davis Square 46 May | June 2015
scoutsomerville.com
Marliese and Chelsea keep busy at Found in Davis Square
True Home Partners: We Partner With You
THE ELBRIDGE NEWTON HOUSE (c. 1896) is a gracious shingle style single family with a wonderful turret and a gambrel roofline. This 11 room Spring Hill home has beautiful stained glass windows, deep moldings, original pocket doors and handsome period woodwork throughout. 2014 Gourmet kitchen and master bath, 6-7 bedrooms and 3 full baths. Spectacular landscaped back yard and patio, garage and driveway parking. Coming to market in early June. Call Lisa or Nancy for more information.
LISA J. DRAPKIN
NANCY M. DIXON
Mobile: 617-930-1288 Lisa.Drapkin@NEMoves.com
Mobile: 617-721-9755 Nancy.Dixon@NEMoves.com
PREMIER ASSOCIATE
REALTOR®
“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®
Mobile: 617-461-6797 Debbie.Lewis@NEMoves.com
LAURIE CRANE REALTOR®
Mobile: 617-866-8865 Laurie.Crane@NEMoves.com
DAVE WOOD REALTOR®
Mobile: 617-388-3054 Dave.Wood@NEMoves.com
“Laurie, you were fantastic! You made everything look so easy. Thank you for all your hard work and getting my house sold.”
• A partnership of five full-time Coldwell Banker real estate professionals • Full-time Executive Assistant • Combined 55 years of experience
• Honed negotiation skills • Innovative marketing • Intimate knowledge of current market conditions
www.TrueHomePartners.com Call us to find out how we can partner to sell your home or find your next one.
old
May | June 2015 Scout Somerville 191 Highland Ave, Suite 1A Somerville, MA 02143
FROM HAIR SALONS TO BIKE SHOPS AND BURGERS TO SUSHI, WE WANT TO KNOW YOUR FAVORITE BUSINESSES IN SOMERVILLE. NOMINATE THE BEST OF THE BEST AT SCOUTSOMERVILLE.COM/VOTE Paper ballots are available upon request: 617.996.2283. One nomination per category per person. Nominations will not be accepted past June 5, 2015.