Upcoming Events: ART SHOW: JF LYNCH: SOOT AND STARS Former Somerville resident JF Lynch exhibits new works in charcoal and assemblage. Opening: Thursday, September 26th, 6:00-8:00 pm Or, feel free to drop in to see the show whenever we are in the office. 10th ANNUAL EAST SOMERVILLE FOODIE CRAWL Eat your way through the international flavors at more than a dozen local restaurants — a local tradition that attracts people all over the region! Tuesday, September 17th, 6:30-9:30 pm (rain date September 18th) See www.eastsomervillemainstreets.org for more information Best Real Estate Agency
Best Real Estate Agent
Listings
32 Madison St. #2, Somerville
Treetop two-level condo with sweeping views, 4 bedrooms, 2 full baths, central air, 2 private porches, 2 parking spaces, and shared tiered multi-level garden in the backyard. Located on a residential side-street in Central Hill, just a block from the state-of-the-art high school under construction and a new GLX station.
87 Wallace Street, Somerville
A Victorian single-family gem in the heart of Davis Square awaits your reimagining. This grand home features 4 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms on 3 floors, detached garage, and yard on one of the most beloved streets in Davis Square.
35 Curtis Avenue, Somerville $1,095,000
Large Teele Square single family home with a mature wild flower garden and a 4 bay garage. It has 6 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and many original features including French doors and a warming cupboard tucked into the chimney breast.
348 Norfolk Street, Cambridge $1,950,000
Beautifully renovated, condo-quality, owner occupied 3-family between Inman Square and East Cambridge. First floor unit has open concept living, 1 bedroom, and 1 bath on the first level and finished lower level with study, media room, and laundry room. Second floor has 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, private w/d hook-ups in basement. Top floor has 3 beds, 1 bath, private w/d in basement and is rented for $3,000 through 5/31/20. Rear patio and small front yard. Units 1 and 2 delivered vacant. Residents with cars registered at this address are entitled to free parking in City-owned lot across the street.
156 Ivy Street, Brookline $5,995,000
This stunning historic Early Gothic Revival (c. 1851) single family sits on 8/10 acre and abuts conservation land in the Cottage Farm neighborhood, yet it is within walking distance of Fenway Park and Cambridge. The house offers 5 bedrooms, 4 1/2 baths, 3 studies, library, dining room, living room, 5 fireplaces, finished basement with media room, high ceilings, central air, beautiful architectural details, and 3-car garage with electric car outlet. Walk to Green Line B, C, and D trains as well as major hospitals and BU campus.
Coming Soon
Thalia Tringo
19 Putnam Street, Somerville
Lovely Union Square attached single family on 3 levels with 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, office with skylights, fenced yard, unfinished basement. Walk to all the delights of Union Square and 2 future GLX stations. Steps to the dog park, Nunziato Field, Community Growing Center, and Prospect Hill park.
31 Fairmount Avenue Unit 2, Somerville
In Teele Square, just a short walk to Davis, this 3 bedroom, 2 bath, condo has a private back porch, exclusive use of the driveway and garage, and large basement storage area.
President, Realtor ® 617.513.1967 cell/text Thalia@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
Jennifer Rose
Residential Sales Specialist, Realtor ® 617.943.9581 cell/text Jennifer@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
301 Lowell Street Unit 14 Somerville
There is great value to be had in this 2 bedroom, 1 bath condo with open floorplan, private balcony, and a parking space — all steps from Magoun Square restaurants, Trum Field, and the community path. Walkable to 2 Red Line Subways (Porter and Davis) now and 3 GLX stations in the near future.
East Arlington Condo
Beautiful 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom condo with in-unit laundry, 2 parking spaces, private yard, central air, and large basement storage area. Walk to the shops, cinema, and eateries on Mass. Ave. as well as the bike path and the Red Line station at Alewife.
Residential Sales Specialist, Realtor ® 617.895.6267 cell/text Brendon@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
First Time Home Buyers:
Wednesday, September 11th or Tuesday, October 1st
6:30 – 7:45 pm
If you’re considering buying your first home and want to understand what’s in store, this is a quick and helpful overview. Led by our agents and a loan officer from a local bank, it includes a 45-min presentation and 1/2 hour Q&A session. Handouts and refreshments provided.
How to Buy and Sell at the Same Time: for homeowners contemplating a move Monday, September 16th or Wednesday, October 23rd
Residential Sales Specialist, Realtor ® 617.216.5244 cell/text Lynn@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
Brendon Edwards
Free Classes an overview of the buying process
Lynn C. Graham
Seth Kangley
Residential Sales Specialist, Realtor ® 315.382.2507 cell/text Seth@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
6:30 – 7:45 pm
If trying to figure out the logistics of selling your home and buying a new one makes your head spin, this workshop will help make the process & your choices understandable. This workshop, led by our agents and a loan officer from a local bank, includes a 45-min presentation and 1/2 hour Q&A session. Handouts and refreshments provided.
Reading the Clues:
Sarasvati Lynn
Residential Sales Specialist, Realtor ® 617.702.4751 cell/text Sarasvati@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
recognizing the history of your old house With Architectural Historian, Sally Zimmerman Tuesday, September 17TH
6:30 – 7:45 pm
If you are a new owner of an old house, you may be wondering about how it’s changed over time and how you might go about bringing back some of its better attributes. Learn to read the clues about how old houses are frequently modified and how to uncover the history of your old house to reveal its best features in an illustrated 45-minute lecture on understanding how old houses evolve and why preserving them matters with architectural historian Sally Zimmerman, followed by Q&A on your old house projects.
How to Research Your Old House With Architectural Historian, Sally Zimmerman Wednesday, September 18TH
6:30 – 7:45 pm
You don’t have to go to the Registry of Deeds to find out a lot about your old house. Learn how to shortcut your way to great information about the history and occupants of your house in an illustrated 45-minute lecture by the Senior Preservation Services Manager at Historic New England. Submit a photo of your house ahead of time and we will share what we have learned in a Q&A session to follow the talk.
How Individuals Can Buy Property Together as a Group Tuesday, October 29th
6:30-8:30 pm
When two or more people, whether or not they are related, buy property together, what are their options for taking title? How do you determine each one’s financial contributions, percentage legal interest in the property, and expense allocation? What kind of arrangements can be made in the event one or more parties want to move on but others want to keep the property? What type of financing is available? We will address these and other questions, followed by a Q&A session. Lead by our team and a local real estate attorney.
To reserve space in any class, please email Adaria@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com. Admission is free, but we appreciate donations of canned goods for the Somerville Homeless Coalition.
Adaria Brooks
Executive Assistant to the President, Realtor ® 617.308.0064 cell/text Adaria@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
About our company... We are dedicated to representing our buyer and seller clients with integrity and professionalism. We are also commi ed to giving back to our community. Our agents donate $250 to a non-profit in honor of each transaction and Thalia Tringo & Associates Real Estate Inc. also gives $250 to a pre-selected group of local charities for each transaction. Visit our office, 128 Willow Avenue, on the bike path in Davis Square, Somerville.
BILL WHITE HAS THE VISION
to create a community where all of our residents, regardless of race, color, gender, class, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, political belief, sexual orientation or gender identity have the ability to live and flourish, not only for today, but for the future.
AND AS A CITY COUNCILOR HAS ACTED TO IMPLEMENT THAT VISION • Proposed zoning and development at Assembly Square and Union Square that was based on residents’ goals, including good jobs, affordable housing and commercial tax revenue • Drafted one of the most comprehensive municipal campaign finance laws in the country • Worked on efforts to reduce Somerville’s carbon footprint to combat climate change and also to create more green and usable open space • Increased the residential tax exemption to promote resident home ownership instead of ownership by absentee landlords, speculators and developers
LET’S KEEP BILL WHITE AS COUNCILOR AT LARGE TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT VISION!
PLEASE VOTE FOR BILL WHITE, COUNCILOR AT LARGE ON NOVEMBER 5TH!
For more information, check out Bill’s website www.councilorwhite.com
ELECT JOANN BOCCA-RIVIECCIO SOMERVILLE CITY COUNCIL-AT-LARGE • • • • •
• • • • •
Not your typical candidate Not your Average Jo All of us can live here in harmony We All Matter Let’s include the needs of all the people, not the select few. After all, we are a diverse group. We all need to address what’s good for our city the Somerville we love! More jobs good jobs union jobs better pay Cut taxes and water bills Be the vote that turns Somerville around! Our children, our future - more childcare and recreational options More community awareness on drug abuse for us all...
VOTE NOVEMBER 5TH!
Paid for by the committee to elect JoAnn Bocca-Rivieccio.
(617) 571-1630 • JOANNRIVIECCIO@GMAIL.COM
Paid for by the committee to re-elect Bill White.
ELECTJACK ON DATYH! I T C E L E BER 5 NOVEM OPEN POLLS- 8PM 7AM to the polls, e For a rid17-838-7077 call 6 tion Day. on Elec
CONNOLLY CITY COUNCILOR AT LARGE
MY PRIORITIES AS A SOMERVILLE CITY COUNCILOR AT LARGE KEEPING SOMERVILLE SAFE
Keeping Police, Fire, and Emergency Responders at their maximum efficiency. Supporting fair City Labor Union agreements, and fair compensation and respect for non-union City staffers.
FIXING DAVIS SQ. NOW
Somerville is City with an annual budget over over a quarter of a BILLION dollars, yet City officials can’t find $750K to FIX the distressed, and decaying Davis Sq., the Square that put Somerville on the map? See www.DavisNow.org for more information about what is needed. How about fixing and maintaining our Streets, Roads, and Bike Lanes? I’ll work with each Ward Councilor to prioritize the most needed and neglected streets and roadways.
ZEROING IN ON ZONING
Getting the long-overdue Citywide Zoning update DONE, and updating the Building Permit and Inspection process which is now painfully slow: Building permits should not take months to be issued.
HOUSING
Adding more housing of all types; Somerville needs to get Union Sq. residents and Master Developer united and development plans for four hundred housing units (20% affordable) underway and ready for the Green Line station.
SUPPORTING HOME AND PROPERTY OWNERS
Standing up for Somerville home owners and taxpayers property rights for fair condo and cooperative housing options, especially for one to four unit homes and apartments.
HUMAN SERVICES
Improving City liaison and support services for non-profit providers for Domestic Violence Prevention (Respond) The Somerville Homeless Coalition, and mental health and substance abuse/treatment programs, especially for Veterans.
Finally, experience matters. In order to be progressive, you actually have
to achieve progress.Working with others, I have been part of much progress in Somerville, and I am ready, with your support, to do it again.
Connolly4CouncilorAtLarge.com @JackConnolly4CouncilorAtLarge
@CitizenConnolly
@jackconnolly4councilor
PLEASE CONSIDER JACK CONNOLLY FOR ONE OF YOUR FOUR VOTES FOR SOMERVILLE COUNCILOR AT LARGE ON ELECTION DAY NOV.5TH, 7AM-8PM Paid for by the Committee to Elect Jack Connolly
SEPTEMBER 10 - NOVEMBER 11, 2019 ::: VOLUME 59 ::: SCOUTSOMERVILLE.COM
contents 8 // EDITOR’S NOTE 10 // WINNERS & LOSERS More help is on the way for the city’s minority business owners, and Travel + Leisure taps a local hotel as one of the best; meanwhile, proposed FCC rules threaten local media.
SCOUT’S HONORED 2019
56
19 // SHOPPING You told us that Somervelo can be counted on to keep you rolling; and that High Energy Vintage can get you dressed for a party, whether it’s disco or grunge.
42 // DRINKS At Backbar, you can experience the Heart-Shaped Herb, sip a Hogwarts-inspired drink, or just trust the bartenders to figure out the perfect cocktail for you.
22 // SERVICES Paws in the ‘Ville keeps your dogs happy and healthy; Nellie’s has the right flowers for your occasion; and Green City Growers will literally make your yard a garden.
46 // ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT In vino veritas: By throwing one inebriated actor into the mix, Shit-Faced Shakespeare creates an entirely new way to enjoy the Bard’s plays—and perhaps learn something new from them.
28 // BEAUTY Razors Barbershop & Shave Parlor owner Joe Berriola has the skills, experience, and tools to give a great haircut, but he knows there’s another critical element required for success: Listening to the customer. 34 // FOOD Sarma’s charm owes everything to its chef-owner, Cassie Piuma, who never tires of finding new ingredients, new methods, and new inspirations for her dishes.
12 // WHAT’S NEW? Union Square development, facial recognition ban, and condo conversion has its day in court.
Photo, top: A SCUL pilot and his ship. Photo by Adrianne Mathiowetz. Photo, bottom: A dish at Posto. Photo by Brian Samuels Photography. Cover illustration by Stefan Mallette. IG: @stefs_stuff
58 // DO-GOODERS, KEY PLAYERS, AND GAME CHANGERS: CHIEN-CHI HUANG Helping Asian women overcome the stigma of a breast cancer diagnosis. 59 // MEET THE SCOUT TEAM 62 // CALENDAR
50 // WELLNESS At the intersection of science and craft is the art of dentistry. 52 // WILD CARDS “Your local watering hole is your community,” Laurel Friel says, and she has made sure Rebel Rebel is a safe harbor for anyone who feels marginalized.
56 // SCOUT OUT: SCUL Bring together bicycle lovers, artisans, welding tools, and a spirit of superheroism and what will you get? You’ll get “a highly organized battalion of funk,” that’s what!
34
EDITOR’S NOTE
W
elcome to your annual Scout’s Honored issue! This is probably our favorite time of year, because we share your picks for all the great people and places that help make Somerville such a wonderful place to live and work. It’s … Excuse us, but … who are you? Me? Oh, I’m Eric J. Francis, the interim editor for Scout Somerville. I’m filling in after the departure of our fantastic editor-in-chief, Reena Karasin, who’s moved on to a new job. Your name sounds familiar. Have we met? Yes! Reena brought me in as a freelancer a couple of years ago. My stories have included the Photo by Eric J. Francis. profile of La Brasa chef and owner Daniel Bojorquez (“This Little Piggy …,” May/June 2018), the feature on Aeronaut Brewery’s board game night (“Going Cardboard in the Digital Age,” Jan./Feb. 2019), and any number of Scout’s Honored stories. Speaking of Scout’s Honored ... You did an amazing job, as usual, of finding and voting for the best places in Somerville to do, well, anything! I was especially pleased to talk with Chef Cassie Piuma of Sarma (p. 38) about how she evolves the Middle Eastern flavors she so loves, and it was great fun to learn more about the School of HONK! (p. 48) and their incredible program to turn all of us into budding musicians. You’ll also get to know more about Rebel Rebel (p. 54), the incredible Bow Market bar that has become a community focal point for women, LGBTQ, people of color, and others who’ve been marginalized. Somerville is an amazing city, as you’ve always known. In this issue, we get to share that hard-won knowledge for the benefit of everyone else—and we couldn’t do it without you. Thanks!
Eric J. Francis, Interim Editor-in-Chief efrancis@scoutmagazines.com
PUBLISHER Holli Banks hbanks@scoutmagazines.com INTERIM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Eric J. Francis efrancis@scoutmagazines.com ART DIRECTOR Nicolle Renick design@scoutmagazines.com renickdesign.com CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Jerry Allien jallien@scoutmagazines.com EDITORIAL FELLOW Abbie Gruskin agruskin@scoutmagazines.com STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Adrianne Mathiowetz EDITORIAL INTERN Jessica Blough CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Abby Feldman, Reena Karasin, JM Lindsay, Lilly Milman, Sarah Robbins CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Sasha Pedro COPY EDITOR Tasha Frank BANKS PUBLICATIONS 519 Somerville Ave, #314 Somerville, MA 02143 FIND US ONLINE scoutsomerville.com somervillescout
scoutsomerville scoutmags
Office Phone: 617-996-2283 Advertising inquiries? Please contact hbanks@scoutmagazines.com. GET A COPY Scout Somerville is available for free at more than 220 drop spots throughout the city (and just beyond its borders). Additionally, thousands of Somerville homes receive a copy in their mailbox each edition, hitting every neighborhood in the city throughout the year ... sometimes twice! You can sign up for home delivery by visiting scoutsomerville.com/shop. 8 Scout’s Honored 2019 | scoutsomerville.com
THE NEW GAUCHAO OPENING THIS FALL
WE’VE EXPANDED AND REMODELED. FULL SERVICE AND FULL BAR. 102-104 BROADWAY, SOMERVILLE CELEBRATE HIGH HOLIDAYS
Temple Brith Temple B’nai B’nai Brith JewishHome Home inin Somerville Your Your Jewish Somerville Welcoming • Inclusive • Egalitarian ROSH HASHANAH SEPTEMBER 29, 30 & OCTOBER 1 • YOM KIPPUR OCTOBER 8 & 9 Tickets required. Please go to templebnaibrith.org to purchase and view our complete schedule
FREE FAMILY AND TOT HIGH HOLIDAY SERVICES Reservations Required at templebnaibrith.org Rosh HaShanah: Monday September 30, | Yom Kippur: Wednesday October 9 Family Service 9:30-10:45am, Tot Service (ages 2-5 with adult) 10-10:45am MORE HOLIDAY SERVICES & PROGRAMS Sat Sept 21, 11:30pm – S’lichot (forgivenss) Service Sun Oct 6, 7:00pm – Awesome Chanting capturing the mood of introspection and holiness between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Fri Oct 18, 6:00pm – Potluck in the Sukkah (vegetarian) right after Kabbalat Shabbat Services Sat Oct 19, 10:00am – Tot Shabbat in the Sukkah with Rabbi Eliana
Registering Now for Fall Adult Education Classes at templebnaibrith.org 201 Central Street 02145 | 617-625-0333 | www.templebnaibrith.org | tbb@templebnaibrith.org
scoutsomerville.com | Scout’s Honored 2019
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W&L
WINNERS
LOSERS
THE ROW HOTEL AT ASSEMBLY ROW The Row Hotel at Assembly Row earned a spot at No. 44 on Travel + Leisure’s list of top 100 hotels in the world this July, according to The Boston Globe. The hotel boasts an indoor pool and 24-hour fitness room, and hosts public live music and cocktail events called “Terrace Thursdays.” “We expected it to be sleek and modern ... We didn’t expect the warm, homeaway-from-home vibe,” the Globe writes in a review. “The blend is tough to achieve, and will appeal to travelers looking for unpretentious luxury, and authentic, storytelling design.”
LOOSE QUARTERS Time to start searching your pockets for spare change—the city raised parking meter rates for the first time in over a decade this July, according to the Somerville Patch. The new cost of $1.25 per hour reflects a 25-cent increase that was approved during the Somerville Traffic and Parking Department’s June meeting. City officials told the Patch that the new rates match those of other greater Boston area cities and should “increase turnover of parking spaces in business districts and squares.”
CITY DEVELOPING GUIDE TO MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESSES Somerville announced in August that it’s compiling a Diversity Catalog to highlight “businesses owned by underrepresented communities,” according to the Somerville Journal. City Councilor Will Mbah, who has been pushing for this kind of recognition since his campaign in 2017, worked with city councillors, city staff, community members, and advocates to develop the plan. “I cannot even imagine what they went through to establish those businesses, and we don’t have any program to help them now this new wave of development is coming in,” he tells the Journal. “It is our moral responsibility as a city to create structures to preserve these businesses.” The Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development expects to wrap up their search for interested businesses by mid-September. LOCAL FAMILY BAKERY BUYS STOREFRONT IN MEDFORD Carla Barile, who has been running END Bakery (an acronym for “Everyone Needs Dessert”) out of her Somerville home for three years, has finally bought a storefront on Playstead Road in Medford, according to Wicked Local. “I wanted to make a life of my own,” she told the publication. “I wanted to build my own dream instead of helping somebody else build theirs.” Barile’s sisters Tricia and Michelle, along with her husband Gene Murray, will hold down the fort in Somerville home location while Barile sets up shop. Ideally, both locations will work together to maximize production and a new employee will be hired to help out in Medford.
CITY COMMUNITY MEDIA FUNDING The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted earlier this month to approve a change that could “limit the benefits communities get in return for the corporate use of public property and rights-of-way” while discussing cable franchising, the Somerville Journal reported. That appears to be bad news for community media outlets. Before the vote, communities could charge “franchise fees” for the use of public property and rights-of-way. Now, the FCC will “expand the definition of franchise fees” to include nonmonetary benefits like free cable subscriptions to schools and discounts for elderly populations, which could cost cities millions of dollars. “This is not the moment to take money out of the pockets of the groups who actually produce local content in order to give it away to the cable industry,” Alliance for Community Media President and CEO Mike Wassenaar tell the Journal. NEW GREEN LINE EXTENSION HURDLE The Green Line Extension has hit another snag. The relocation of existing Commuter Rail tracks that run from North Station through Somerville and Medford was scheduled to be completed in September, but will now continue through November, according to Boston Magazine. “It would be really, really, really damaging to not keep this project on schedule,” Fiscal and Management Control Board Chair Joseph Aiello says in a statement this August. The whole $2.3 billion project, however, is still projected to be completed on time in December 2021.
SCOUT TO THE SOUTH Here’s just some of what you’ll find in the Scout’s Honored Issue of our sibling publication, Scout Cambridge.
MIT COLLEGE OF COMPUTING When technology causes unwanted consequences, people often ask, “Why didn’t they see this coming?” The Schwarzman College of Computing wants to train students to do just that.
BETTER ACCESS FOR BETTER HEALTH Finding healthy foods and engaging in a more active lifestyle can be challenging for a lot of people. Cambridge in Motion Director Dawn Olcott is using a state grant to help make it easier.
A TASTE OF CUBA IN CAMBRIDGE Gustazo has captured diners’ attention.
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. 10 Scout’s Honored 2019 | scoutsomerville.com
—BY ABBIE GRUSKIN
If your home was built before 1978, you may be exposed to lead paint. Lead exposure can cause serious health issues, especially for children. Lead Paint Safe Somerville is a limited-time program that provides assistance to income-qualifying Somerville households to control lead-paint hazards.
Apply today: www.somervillema.gov/lead
617-625-6600 ext. 2577 leadpaint@somervillema.gov
- Se puede traducir esta carta si es necesario. - Serviços de tradução podem ser providenciados, se necessário. - Sèvis entèpretasyon disponib si ou bezwen li.
scoutsomerville.com | Scout’s Honored 2019
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WHAT’S NEW
BY ABBIE GRUSKIN
CITY BEAT
AYANNA PRESSLEY ANNOUNCES BILL TO BAN FACIAL RECOGNITION IN PUBLIC HOUSING
I
n July, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, whose district represents Somerville, announced a bill to ban the use of biometric recognition technology in public housing funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, according to the Somerville Journal. The proposed legislation, known as the No Biometric Barriers to Housing Act of 2019, is the first of its kind at a federal level, according to the Journal, and is designed to protect residents from “biased surveillance technology.” “Vulnerable communities are constantly being policed, profiled, and punished, and facial recognition technology will only make it worse,” Pressley told the Journal.
SOMERVILLE PROPERTY OWNERS COALITION SUES OVER CONDO CONVERSION CHANGES
An Aug. 15 hearing on a lawsuit against the city of Somerville’s proposed updates to the condo conversion ordinance didn’t bring any resolution to the issue, as a judge heard the arguments had not issued a ruling as of press time at the end of the month. The suit, filed by the Somerville Property Owners Coalition (SPOC) in July, contests the revisions to the ordinance, which was originally passed in 1985, including “regulations around vacancy, notice periods for conversion, tenants rights in public hearings and third-party purchase, and increasing relocation payments from landlords.” The SPOC believes that the recent revision will hinder rather than help small property owners, according to the Somerville Journal. “Somerville is one of the only communities that have a condo review board, so this is something that is already policed through a board, making it strict,” founding member of 12 Scout’s Honored 2019 | scoutsomerville.com
SPOC Steve Bremis told the Journal. “It’s clear they are trying to flat-out stop development and put small developers out of business.” The group has raised over $16,000 to fund its lawsuit.
NEW BILL AIMS TO REGULATE BODY-CAM USE City representative Denise Provost’s proposal of a new statewide bill regulating police body cam usage is sparking controversy. The bill is aimed at enforcing a “uniform code” of body-worn camera use across the state, with one section prohibiting members of the
public from viewing footage and exempting footage from the state’s public records, according to the Somerville Journal. Critics argue that a “one size fits all” approach fails to account for the differences in each city.
Harbor, and $400,000 to connect Draw 7 Park in Somerville to the Assembly Square Orange Line station head house.
CITY AWARDED GRANTS FROM MASSACHUSETTS GAMING COMMISSION’S COMMUNITY MITIGATION FUND
Boynton Yards will be getting a huge update in the next few years. Joint developers DLJ Real Estate Capital Partners and Leggat McCall Properties started construction on a ninestory building this summer at 101 South St., according to Somerville Patch. The building will be “the largest state-ofthe-art lab development in the city’s life science market,” the developers told Somerville Patch, and will also house first-floor retail space and four levels of underground parking. The building is expected to be ready for use in the summer of 2021.
Somerville and Everett received two shared grants from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission’s Community Mitigation Fund at the end of July to help offset costs associated with expanding transportation and infrastructure surrounding casinos (namely the new Encore Casino), according to Somerville Patch. The two cities received $425,000 to plan an MBTA Silver Line bus route with a stop at Encore Boston
NEW LAB BUILDING COMING TO BOYNTON YARDS
UNION SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL AGREES ON US2 COMMUNITY BENEFITS
The Union Square Neighborhood Council (USNC) is taking negotiations Ayanna Presley photo courtesy of Ayanna Presley.
with developer US2 slowly but steadily—the community group announced in early July that they reached an agreement with US2 on the “long awaited” community benefits after nearly a year of meetings, according to the Somerville Journal. The terms and amenities stipulated by the community benefits agreement (CBA) have not yet been announced, but next steps include voting to ratify the CBA later this fall.
STUDENT HOUSING DEVELOPER BUYS BUILDING IN DAVIS SQUARE British student housing developer Scape is stepping into Davis Square, according to The Boston Globe. The firm purchased property on Elm Street for nearly $10 million, and might have plans to convert
the string of storefront buildings into privately operated dorms for undergraduate and graduate students in the area. Scape also has larger plans—as its first undertaking in the United States, the firm intends to invest at least $1 billion in creating student housing around the Boston area, including constructing a proposed 15-story building on Boylston Street. Scape’s recent purchase on Elm Street includes the storefront of the Burren, but fear not—the Irish pub isn’t going anywhere, according to Boston Magazine. “I’m glad to say the Burren is not affected,” Burren owner Tommy McCarthy told the magazine. “Long live the Burren.” Sligo Pub, housed on the same block, might not be as lucky, and announced that it would be “directly affected” by the impending changes, according to Eater Boston.
ECSTATIC. MINDFUL. NOURISHING. H igH H oly D ays witH
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Erev Rosh Hashana 9/29, 6 pm, Somerville
Yom Kippur daylong retreat 10/9, 10 am, Stow, MA
Connect with the energy of new beginnings in a musical, soulful, chant-based service. Whether you’ve never been to a Rosh Hashana service or you’ve been doing it all your life, there’s something here for you!
Take a deep dive with us as we explore forgiveness and return in an intimate offsite retreat. We’ll experience an energy-clearing technique that guides us through emotional blockages, led by special guest Miriam Katz, a shamanic healer passionate about the shamanic roots of Judaism. Silence, time in nature, and traditional elements of Yom Kippur will round out the day, capped by a potluck break-fast.
Tashlich by the Charles 10/6, 2 pm, Cambridge Let’s embody the change we want to be in our lives by “tossing away” the negative patterns and stories we’ve accumulated over the past year. We’ll toss found matter into the river, and sing in our higher selves.
PROSPECT HILL
UNION COMEDY
Union Comedy promises to offer more than just a laugh—the soon-to-arrive theater plans to serve a wide selection of affordable alcoholic beverages and snacks like personal pizzas, taquitos, and chips, according to Eater Boston. The theater will also offer improv comedy classes, and is running a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to help ease the costs of construction and opening. Union Comedy has yet to announce an opening date, so keep an eye out.
Sukkot on the Farm 10/20, 9:30 am, Lincoln, MA
THIRD LIFE STUDIO MOVED
Third Life Studio, once a lively space for the “performing and healing arts,” is now closed after 16 yearsCOMING in SOON Union Square, according to the Somerville Journal. The cost of rent tripled since 2003 when the studio first opened, and the landlord recently switched to offering only a tenancy-at-will agreement instead of a traditional lease. Third Life Studio offered private lessons, workshops, and concerts, and hosted its final concert on July 24.
centered community of jewish spirituAl prActice inspired by
UNION SQUARE
COMING SOON
AsiyAh is A heArt-
MOVED
Celebrate Sukkot’s agricultural roots in a community-wide celebration with sauerkraut, cows, and honeybees. Build a sukkah, make a local lulav, and wave it in an embodied Hoshana Rabbah practice. Fun for all ages!
jewish renewAl More information and registration: asiyah.org/hhd All events will include care and activities for kids ages 3+. You’re also invited to join us for twice-monthly Kabbalat Shabbat services and other events—check out asiyah.org for our calendar and more!
asiyah.org /asiyahjewishcommunity @asiyahcommunity
scoutsomerville.com | Scout’s Honored 2019 13
WHAT’S NEW
FOOD & DRINK draft, customers are encouraged to bring in food from other local Bow Market vendors, and all of the art on the walls is for sale. SPRING HILL
CAROLICIOUS VENEZUELAN FOOD
Carolicious Venezuelan Food opened inside Aeronaut Brewing COMINGthis August Co.’s spacious taproom MOVED SOON with a focus on Venezuelan specialties, including arepas, according to a press release from co-owners Carolina Salinas and Carolina García, who hail from Venezuela. The Carolicious kitchen serves hungry Aeronaut taproom customers seven days a week. ASSEMBLY ROW
BURGER DIVE
TANUKI TEAMS UP WITH BUENAS FOR TWICE-A-MONTH COLLABORATION IN BOW MARKET
S
omerville company Buenas is kicking off its partnership with Tanuki with a bang—the “Tanukiin-Residence,” as the two eateries call it, began this August in Beunas’ Bow Market space and will continue twice a month “for the foreseeable future,” according to Eater Boston. Guests can expect bento boxes stuffed to the brim with a mix of South American and Asian treats, from quail egg onigiri with pebres sauce to empanadas “inspired by Japanese flavors.” BOW MARKET
NIBBLE KITCHEN
COMING SOON
Nibble Kitchen will soon be serving up cooking classes and a rotating menu of “global eats” in a permanent location in Bow Market, according to Somerville Arts Council News. Nibble is the “culinary arm” of the Somerville Arts Council, and has been a part of local festivals, the Union Square Farmers’ Market, and other community events for four years. UNION SQUARE
T&B PIZZA
T&B Pizza joined the pizza scene in the city this June, boasting two kinds of COMING SOON
crusts, a selection of side dishes, and a small, curated sampling MOVED of cocktails, wines, and beers. Husband and wife duo Tim and Bronwyn Wiechmann opened the new restaurant in the same building as their Central and Eastern European restaurant Bronwyn, and hope to finally fill the void left when Area Four closed in 2015. UNION SQUARE
BARRA
Barra—a bar featuring Latin American inspired cocktails, COMING craft beers, natural wines, and MOVED SOON a curated menu of six to eight small plates—is finally open this September, according to Co-
owner Paola Ibarra Deschamps. Customers can expect a seat at one of the two bars (there are no tables), as well as visual and audio effects reminiscent of Mexico City’s streets and lively bar culture. BOW MARKET
Popular burger joint Burger Dive closed this August after seven years in Assembly Row, but it may eventually COMING make a SOON return, according to Eater Boston. The owners are continuing to offer Burger Dive favorites through catering service, and are looking for a new location for the restaurant in Downtown Boston or the Seaport District. WARD 2
THE KIRKLAND TAP & TROTTER
The Kirkland Tap & Trotter unexpectedly shut its doors at the COMING end of July, according to Eater MOVED SOON Boston. Chef and Owner Tony Maws opened the restaurant almost six years ago with a focus on wood-fired grill cooking and full-animal butchery, intending the space to have a “more relaxed, neighborhood feel” than its sibling restaurant Craigie on Main.
CREATE GALLERY & COCKTAIL LOUNGE
Boston chef Louis DiBiccari’s new venture in the city—Create COMING Gallery & Cocktail Lounge— MOVED SOON showcases the artistry of local chefs, bartenders, artists, and musicians, and is inspired by his annual Create event, according to Eater Boston. The rotating bar menu features eight cocktails on
MOVED
14 Scout’s Honored 2019 | scoutsomerville.com
MOVED
Buena’s Bow Market photo courtesy of Buena’s Bow Market. Kirkland Tap & Trotter photo courtesy of Kirkland Tap & Trotter. Blue Bikes photo by Brent Arnold.
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BLUEBIKES ADDS FOUR NEW STATIONS IN THE CITY
Bluebikes is on a roll—the bikeshare system added four new stations to the city at the end of July, according to a tweet from the organization. Bikers can find the added stations at Edgerly Education Center, Clarendon Hill at Broadway, Elm St. at White St., and Teele Square.
PARTNERS HEALTHCARE IN SEARCH OF A NEW NAME
Partners HealthCare might be ready for a big change. The state’s largest health care provider, with a campus in Assembly Row, is considering changing its name to Mass General Brigham Health, according to The Boston Globe. “We’re looking at making sure we have a common brand that appropriately communicates who and what we are,” chairman of the board Scott Sperling said in the article. Rebranding the $13 billion organization could cost upwards of $100 million, and a benefit to patients is unclear.
CAMBRIDGE HEALTH ALLIANCE VOTES TO CLOSE CITY EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT The Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA) Board of Trustees voted this month to close
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Somerville Hospital’s emergency department and is proposing the space be converted into a 12-hour urgent care clinic by the spring of 2020, according to the Somerville Journal. Though overall admission at CHA EDs in the state has risen 3 percent since 2012, Somerville Hospital ED admission has dropped over 60 percent. The Massachusetts Nursing Association (MNA), in collaboration with Somerville Hospital nurses, is in the process of scheduling a hearing with the Department of Public Health to voice concerns about the decision to close the emergency department, which MNA Associate Director of Communications Joe Markman believes “would be a tremendous blow to local health care access.”
SOMERVILLE PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY & COMING ORTHODONTICS SOON
There’s a new dentist in town—Somerville Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics caters specifically to adolescents, teenagers, and young adults, and offers orthodontic services including clear braces and Invisalign, according to a press release from the business. The team also uses nitrous oxide sedation and hospital dentistry “for the very anxious.”
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617.628.1000
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scoutsomerville.com | Scout’s Honored 2019 15
NEWS
MAYOR’S PLAN FOR SUPERVISED DRUG-USE FACILITY DOESN’T SIT WELL WITH STATE’S U.S. ATTORNEY BY LILLY MILMAN
I
n August, Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone announced his plan to open a supervised consumption space for drug users within the next year, even though such a space would violate state and federal laws, according to the Somerville Journal. He is the first mayor in the state to commit to opening such a site, though other politicians like state Rep. Christine Barber and U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley have voiced support. A supervised consumption drug site—often called a safe injection site when referring specifically to opiods—is a facility staffed with medical professionals where people struggling with addiction can use drugs. There are two primary goals of a supervised site: to reduce infections and the risk of 16 Scout’s Honored 2019 | scoutsomerville.com
death by overdose, and to teach people strategies for recovery. Supervised consumption sites do not provide users with drugs. These facilities follow a harmreduction model, “which means they strive to decrease the adverse health, social, and economic consequences of drug use without requiring abstinence from drug use,” says Tiffany Atkins of Vancouver Coastal Health, which has run such a site for 16 years. “Harm reduction is a philosophy with a primary goal of any positive change. Any way to reduce harm to an individual or community, even in the smallest ways, is something that should be celebrated,” Aubri Esters, commissioner of the Massachusetts Harm Reduction Commission, tells the Journal. Currently, 12 countries worldwide use supervised
consumption sites. Vancouver Coastal Health opened the first North American location, called Insite, in 2003. According to Insite’s user statistics, the staff have intervened in over 6,400 overdoses and there have been zero deaths at the site. In addition to stepping in during emergencies, clients at Insite can also be treated for wound infections and tuberculosis, and be vaccinated against pneumonia and the flu. Insite employees also connect clients with mental health professionals and addiction counselors. “Once clients become more engaged with the health care system, and develop relationships and build trust with health care staff, people are more likely to pursue detox, addiction counseling, and addiction treatment services,” Atkins says.
Atkins also argues that supervised consumption services “can bring stability to the community by improving public order and reducing the number of injections taking place on the street.” In Vancouver, the police department supports Insite. There have been fewer discarded needles found in the streets and petty crimes have not increased in the neighborhood since Insite was founded, she says. Opponents of supervised consumption sites, like Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling, claim the harm-reduction model is not preventative enough and actually encourages drug use. “If you’re a drug dealer looking for customers, an injection site is where you’ll find them. If your neighborhood hosts an injection site, drug addicts will Photos courtesy of Vancouver Coastal Health.
go to your neighborhood,” Lelling writes in an opinion piece for the Boston Globe in January. If a supervised consumption site were to open in Massachusetts, Lelling would take legal action to close it down, he says in an interview with WBUR. “Heroin and fentanyl are not pot brownies,” Lelling writes. “Promoters of supervised injection sites need to understand that, short of legislative reform, any effort to open an injection site in Massachusetts will be met with federal enforcement.” U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain took a similar stance toward Safehouse in Philadelphia, which would be the nation’s first supervised consumption site if allowed to operate. McSwain sued the operation before it planned to open its doors back in February, and the case reached federal court in August. The case is still being considered, and U.S. v. Safehouse is expected to set a legal precedent for supervised consumption sites across the country, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. There have been recent efforts to open up supervised consumption sites in San Francisco, New York City, and Seattle, but the plans were shot down in the cities before they could come to fruition because of similar legal concerns. An informal working group in Somerville is currently meeting to further research the legality of supervised consumption sites by reaching out to advocates in Philadelphia and looking into the success of Canadian models, the Journal reported. Democratic presidential candidates Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have both endorsed supervised consumption sites in their criminal justice reform plans. “I’ll support evidence-based safe injection sites and needle exchanges, and expand the availability of buprenorphine to prevent overdoses,” Warren wrote in a post on the website Medium. Legislators expressed support for a site in Sanders’s home state of Vermont in 2018, but a report released as part of Gov. Phil Scott’s Opioid Coordination Council questioned the legality of the
project and ultimately prevented its opening, according to the Vermont Digger, a local news site. “Safe injection facilities are presently not a viable option for Vermont,” the report said. “They are illegal under federal law and highly controversial. Costeffectiveness and neighborhood impacts are unknown. Most importantly, they have an unproven track record of harm reduction and for providing a pathway to treatment.” The report also noted that syringe service programs—which provide sterile needles and dispose of used needles in order to prevent HIV and other bloodborne infections—can achieve similar results to safe injection sites. There are also no legal roadblocks to syringe service programs, and they are already present across the United States—including in Boston, one of the first cities to adopt the program. While the future of supervised consumption sites in Massachusetts is unclear, the support in the greater Boston area is evident. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and Cambridge Mayor Marc McGovern toured facilities in Canada, and McGovern told Boston.com that they are “absolutely” worth looking into, even though “there’s a long way to go” before one can be opened in Cambridge. “Not only the legal hurdles that have to be figured out, but then even if Cambridge were to open one of these sites … there’s a community process that has to happen, there’s an education process that has to happen. There’s a lot of steps. So nothing’s happening tomorrow,” he says in an interview on the website. Curtatone told the Journal that he understands the legal issues regarding the site, but that he is devoted to facing the opioid crisis in the city head-on. “My role, my greatest responsibility as a public official, is to continue to advance and improve the health of the public,” Curtatone says. “I have an opportunity, with a simple and practical policy decision, to have an impact. This epidemic has no signs of slowing. We need to rethink our approach.”
Best Liquor Store
Best Liquor Store
KIDS BACK IN SCHOOL WE CAN HELP YOU CELEBRATE
15 MCGRATH HIGHWAY, SOMERVILLE 233 ALEWIFE BROOK PARKWAY, CAMBRIDGE 2153 MYSTIC VALLEY PARKWAY, MEDFORD 48 BROADWAY, MALDEN
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scoutsomerville.com | Scout’s Honored 2019
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18 Scout’s Honored 2019 | scoutsomerville.com
SHOPPING Best Bike Shop
Somervelo BIKE SHOP
361 SOMERVILLE AVE. (617) 628-0328 SOMERVELO.COM Somervelo doesn’t want to try to sell you a bicycle as soon as you walk through the door, and they don’t care if you got your bike from another shop. They just want to make sure that you can keep it going. “We just keep everybody rolling. I mean, we don’t care where your bike comes from, we just, you know, keep it operating,” Tom Estrada, co-owner of Somervelo, says. Founded five years ago by Estrada and J.T. Hargrove, Somervelo is more like a
GIFT SHOP
DAVIS SQUARED
409 HIGHLAND AVE., (617) 666-6700 DAVISSQUARED.COM
Lather and Drift soaps, wrapped in plantable paper. $10.
workshop for bicycles than a traditional bike shop. They met while working at Cambridge Bicycle—“like, a million years ago”—after Estrada transitioned from working in a kitchen to working on the vehicle that would get him to work everyday, his bicycle. When they opened Somervelo, they wanted it to be different from other bike shops;
Herd Nerd spice mix, available in classic and hot flavor. $12.95.
Kwohtations cards and sticker sets, in themes including affirmation and self care. $5.50 for cards and $6 for stickers.
Somervelo photo courtesy of Somervelo. Davis Squared photos by Jessica Blough.
instead of prioritizing selling new bikes, Somervelo sells a limited number of bikes and focuses their efforts on servicing and repairing. “We don’t get caught up having to spend time on sales and that sort of thing. So we can kind of concentrate on fixing all that stuff and getting it back to you quickly,” Estrada explains. Most services take 24 to 48 hours if Somervelo has the
Sarah Dudek kitchen towels and prayer candles, all food-themed and food-decorated. $16.
parts in stock, Estrada says, or around a week if they need to purchase new parts. They offer tune-ups, wheel builds, and bicycle assemblies, as well as building custom bikes. They also sell bicycle accessories. “Even if you ride yearround, we still try to make it so that whatever vehicle that you’re driving, we’re here to fix it,” Estrada says.
Peshtemal Turkish towels from a women-owned business. $50.
Scout jewelry, multiple styles and meant for stacking. $14-$24.
scoutsomerville.com | Scout’s Honored 2019 19
SCOUT’S HONORED
Best Pet Supplies
RiverDog Daycare
PET SUPPLIES
321 SOMERVILLE AVE., (857) 998-3343 RIVERDOGDAYCARE.COM
Mendota Pet Collars, made from English bridle rope and easily adjustable. $8.99-$14.99 depending on size.
The Bear & The Rat Frozen Yogurt Dog Treat, multiple flavors available. $2.99 each or $9.99 for a case of four.
West Paw Dog Toys, buoyant and recyclable. $8.99-$19.99 depending on size.
Annamaet Dog and Cat Food, GMO-free and multiple flavors available. $12-$96 depending on size and type.
New England Dog Biscuit Birthday Cakes, based in Salem, Mass. $13.
NiteIze NiteHowl LED Safety Necklace, changes colors and can be seen from a distance. $19.99.
THRIFT OR VINTAGE
HIGH ENERGY VINTAGE
429 SOMERVILLE AVE., (857) 995-8055 HIGHENERGYVINTAGE.COM
Wiley never really meant to start a vintage store. His shop, High Energy Vintage, started out when the vintage clothing connoisseur set up his first stand at the SoWa Vintage Market, looking to get rid of some of his extra clothes and items. Nine years later, High Energy Vintage is now settled into its second location after a stint in Teele Square. “That’s what it first started out as, just me sort of selling off extra stuff. And then I got more 20 Scout’s Honored 2019 | scoutsomerville.com
stuff,” Wiley says. The one-room shop specializes in clothing and shoes from the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s, along with vintage records and old-school video games from the same period. The contents of the store spill out onto the street when the weather permits it, allowing passersby to browse through crates of vinyl or racks of clothing. The speciality of High Energy Vintage, Wiley says, is clothing that matches the store’s name. “We are always looking around for like really bright, wild, fun stuff,” he says. Maybe that’s a vibrant tie-dye Grateful
Dead T-shirt, or a Madonnaesque suede jacket, or a bright yellow caftan. The store also occasionally serves as an event venue, hosting live music or film screenings. The most recent one they’ve hosted is a film series “for no dudes” called Strictly Brohibited, where nonmale-identifying viewers can watch and discuss women-led films. If you can’t make it to their shop on Somerville Avenue, whose exterior looks like it could have come right off of one of the vintage video games the shop sells, you can find a selection High Energy Vintage goods on Etsy.
KIDS SHOP
MAGPIE KIDS
95 ELM ST., (617) 764-4110, MAGPIEKIDS.COM
HOME DECOR
4GOODVIBES
483 SOMERVILLE AVE. 4GOODVIBES.BIGCARTEL.COM
4GoodVibes is a family affair, opened by the four Peirce sisters. The store boasts products from over 190 local artisans, including the owners. A number of the artisans make custom and personalized goods, and the store offers 10 to 20 workshops a month on topics from wine etching to chunky blanket making. RiverDog Daycare photos by Jessica Blough.
YOUR ONE STOP SHOP FOR ALL YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS
OPEN SUNDAYS ~ FREE PARKING
11TH ANNUAL / 2019 ONE VIBRANT WEEKEND ACROSS CAMBRIDGE SATURDAY & SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 12–6PM & SEPTEMBER 29, 11AM–5PM PREVIEW PARTY
Thursday, Sept. 26th 5:30–7:30pm Cambridge Art Association 25 Lowell Street
MORE INFO:
cambridgeartscouncil.org/ openstudios
scoutsomerville.com | Scout’s Honored 2019 21
SCOUT’S HONORED
SERVICES
Zev Fisher Photography
Best Photography
PHOTOGRAPHY 343 MEDFORD ST., 617-797-9480, ZEVFISHER.COM
For someone who travels as much as local wedding photographer Zev Fisher, he’s incredibly committed to staying put. “Why would you ever want to leave Somerville?” he says with a laugh. It’s understandable, considering this city is where he first explored his love of photography. “When I was [a] super angsty teen, I used to skip school, and ... just walk around Harvard Square with my camera.” Since his vagabond teen days, Zev graduated from the Art Institute of Boston and landed in Somerville, where he’s been photographing weddings for the last 10 years. “I knew I liked photographing people, and weddings just seemed like the best possible excuse to go do that,” Zev says. Now he has a business under his own name, Zev Fisher Photography. Though he’s a Somerville kid at heart, Zev ventures all over New England. He’s also shot in far-off places like St. Lucia, as well as in barns, tea ceremonies, backyards, and big Boston landmarks like the Museum of Fine Arts or the Boston Public Library. Wherever the wedding, he brings his particular style of photography with him. “I like reaction shots. So for instance, bride and groom walk back down the aisle after the ceremony, all their friends just like rush ‘em and start slapping them on the butt, and giving ‘em high fives. [T]he actual people are stoked, screaming, hollering, real kind of reaction photos.” His approach to photographing weddings changed after he experienced his own wedding. “I used to focus way more on the bride and groom,” he
22 Scout’s Honored 2019 | scoutsomerville.com
says. “As I was looking through my wedding photos, they were focused much more on the guests. I realized that it was actually more interesting to see how other people experience the day.” Zev’s ability to capture intimacy and euphoria have landed him other gigs with a family. Several couples have asked him back to photograph their newborns. “It’s the best thing ever,” he tells me. “I didn’t do that until I had a baby myself. Now that I have one ... I totally understand the joy that you’re feeling right now, and it’s easier to go in and capture that.” After 10 years, Zev can pinpoint what makes a ceremony memorable. “For me, the venue is not really important,” he says. “It’s truly all about, are the people present and joyful? And at that kind of wedding the pictures take themselves.”
FRAMING
STANHOPE FRAMERS
55 BOW ST., (617) 666-2000 STANHOPEFRAMERS.COM
Many of the employees of Stanhope Framers are practicing artists, making them good candidates to handle the art that they frame daily. Richard Siegel, the owner of Stanhope Framers, loves the diversity of pieces of items they frame each day. “Everything from artwork to textiles to athletic jerseys to historic objects to children’s amazing art. Everyone here has an opportunity to see some of their personal favorite things,” he says. Zev Fisher photos courtesy of Zev Fisher.
FAMILY RECIPES WITH MODERN TWISTS. SERVING SOMERVILLE HAND-CRAFTED LATIN AMERICAN CUISINE MADE WITH THE FRESHEST INGREDIENTS
FROM THE WINNERS OF BEST TACOS AND BEST RESTAURANT IN MAGOUN SQUARE Best Restaurant in Magoun Square
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ALL-NATURAL & FRESH INGREDIENTS Try Michelada recipes from Mexico, Colombia and our native El Salvador. Our cocktail menu features delicious traditional Latin cocktails and American cocktails with a Latin twist.
505 Medford St. Somerville • 617-776-2049 ORDER ONLINE on our website: laposadasomerville.com
Best Tacos
SCOUT’S HONORED
COMMUNITY CLASSES
ARTISAN’S ASYLUM 10 TYLER ST., (617) 284-6878 ARTISANSASYLUM.COM
BANK OR CREDIT UNION
EAST CAMBRIDGE SAVINGS BANK
285 HIGHLAND AVE., (617) 551-2470 ECSB.COM
REAL ESTATE AGENT
TEAM JEN AND LYNN, THALIA TRINGO REAL ESTATE 128 WILLOW AVE., (617) 513-1967 TTRINGO.COM
REAL ESTATE AGENCY
INSURANCE AGENCY
ADAIAS SOUZA, ALLSTATE INSURANCE 53 UNION SQUARE, (617) 623-7966 AGENTS.ALLSTATE.COM
561 WINDSOR ST., (617) 718-9707 WWW.CENTREPOINTARCHITECTS.COM 24 Scout’s Honored 2019 | scoutsomerville.com
LANDSCAPING
519 SOMERVILLE AVE., (617) 591-0199 THEUPSSTORE.COM
600 WINDSOR PL., (617) 776-1400 GREENCITYGROWERS.COM
345 MEDFORD ST., (617) 775-0590
128 WILLOW AVE., (617) 513-1967 TTRINGO.COM
CENTREPOINT ARCHITECTS
PRINTING SERVICES SHIPPING SERVICES
MECHANIC
THALIA TRINGO REAL ESTATE
ARCHITECT OR ARCHITECTURE FIRM
GOOD GAS SOMERVILLE
Those taking classes at Artisan’s Asylum might find themselves using technology that spans decades: metal working with machines from the early 1900s or working with digital media and 3D printing. The Asylum is “a community of makers, learners, and dreamers that provide a world of inspiration,” according to Anne Wright, the education director. Classes offered at Artisan’s Asylum include screen printing, tool training, and figure drawing.
THE UPS STORE COWORKING
WORKBAR
31 UNION SQUARE, (617) 804-6695 WORKBAR.COM
GREEN CITY GROWERS For Jessie Banhazl, the CEO and founder of Green City Growers, intersection of urban landscaping and urban farming is about creating landscapes that are both beautiful and feed people. “Being able to transform the urban spaces around us to places where food can be grown is exciting and can have significant impact on the environment and our health,” says Banhazl. Of course, there can be some significant challenges in creating farmscapes in built-up areas. Like in 2011, when they installed an herb garden on the roof of Flatbread Co. in Davis Square. “We had to haul all of the soil and materials up to the roof by ladder, it was quite a task!,” she says. “Using that big, unused roof to grow food made it all worth it, though.” If that sounds overwhelming, take a breath and relax. You can also start small. “We always tell people to start small when getting into growing,” says Banhazl. “Maybe start with a few pots on your balcony, and then work your way to a raised-bed or bigger garden. Perennial herbs are pretty easy to grow, so that is usually a good place to start.”
Artisan’s Asylum photo by Adrianne Mathiowetz. Centrepoint Architects photo courtesy of Centrepoint Architects.
THANK YOU, SOMERVILLE! Best Dentist
Best Dentist
Best Dentist
2018 WINNER
2017 WINNER
2016 WINNER
2015 NOMINEE
2014 WINNER
• FAMILY AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY • TEETH WHITENING • CROWN AND BRIDGE WORK • RESTORATION OF DENTAL IMPLANTS • VENEERS • CLEAR ORTHODONTIC ALIGNERS
DR . KAT I E TALMO , D .M. D . • 6 1 7 . 8 6 4 . 6 1 1 1 • 1 8 0 HI G HL A ND AV E N U E
SCOUT’S HONORED
DOG WALKING
Paws in the ‘Ville
(413) 530-4780 PAWSINTHEVILLE.COM
Best Dog Walking
26 Scout’s Honored 2019 | scoutsomerville.com
Paws in the ‘Ville owner Seana Leigh decided to start her own dog walking business after noticing how her move to Boston and changing schedule impacted her own dog, Quincy (aka Mr. Pants). “ I realized that he couldn’t have been the only dog in the city that was longing for special attention while its people were stuck out making a living,” Leigh says. “That became my goal … to give city dogs some less-city experiences, oneon-one time, belly rubs, and connection while the people
they depend on and loved had to be away.” Starting the business was a game-changer for Leigh, who had been working as a personal trainer but was burning out. Now 10 years in, Paws in the ‘Ville had given her the opportunity to serve dogs of all breeds and ages and partner with a number of other businesses. “We had the pleasure of working at Google for National Dog Day,” she says. “It was fantastic—we were able to help Googlers with dog training tips, proper etiquette for leash
walking, positive training, pack expectations, and reading body language. It was a very cool experience because, as dog walkers, we are out and about and don’t see much of the corporate world.” But the best part, of course, is helping people have happy, healthy dogs. “A client came to us with two very high-strung, nervous pups,” Leigh recalls. “THe had tried a few walkers in the past, but it had taken time to figure out the best way to navigate their dogs’ needs. Now they tell us, ‘Our dogs have never been happier.’
Nellie’s Wildflowers photo by Jess Benjamin. Paws in the Ville photos courtesy of Paws in the Ville.
UPGRADE TO LOCAL Upgrade to East Cambridge Checking
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FLORIST
NELLIE’S WILDFLOWERS
72 HOLLAND ST., (617) 625-9453, NELLIESWILDFLOWERS.COM
Flower arrangements do many things—they share love at a wedding, express sympathy at a funeral, or just brighten someone’s day at home— and Joyce Mackenzie believes each one should have a personal touch, not merely be a selection off a menu. So she stocks her store with blooms from local flower markets and Massachusetts farms and helps customers decide what’s right for each occasion, be it Mother’s Day or a highly anticipated third date (a single yellow carnation is an elegant touch, she suggests).
VETERINARIAN
PORTER SQUARE VETERINARIAN
360 SUMMER ST., (617) 628-5588 PORTERSQUAREVET.COM
Porter Square Veterinarian is a “full-service general veterinary hospital.” What does that mean? Well, in addition to being a fully outfitted neighborhood vet for the animal residents of Porter Square and beyond, the clinic is also equipped to manage the kind of chronic illnesses that affect cats, dogs, rabbits, and any other household pets. So if your furry friend has the misfortune of being diagnosed with diabetes or kidney diseases, this is the place to help manage it. In addition, the facility is fully capable of handling all kinds of animal surgeries, including spaying and neutering, taking out tumors, and even exploratory surgery to look for any harmful objects that may have found their way inside your pet.
The more than half-dozen full-time veterinarians at Porter Square are all avid animal lovers, with specialties ranging from ultrasonography to neurology to emergency medicine in a state-ofthe-art facility.
Member FDIC | Member DIF
THANK YOU SOMERVILLE FOR VOTING PAWS IN THE VILLE
Best Dog Walking
BEST DOG-WALKING!
MOVING COMPANY
GENTLE GIANT MOVING COMPANY
29 HARDING ST., (617) 661-3333 GENTLEGIANT.COM
If you’re going to move house, you need the right crew. Gentle Giant was literally started on that principle—one of its co-founders was a rower at Northeastern, and many of its movers also row or participate in other sports. They’ll get you loaded, relocated, and unloaded in good order and with good cheer. It’s been 40 years since the company was started with a borrowed truck and a $17 newspaper ad, so clearly they’re doing something right.
Dog walking and pet care services including solo walks, group walks and play, puppy visits, senior care and more.
Our mission is to give your city dog a country dog’s life! Founded in 2010
www.pawsintheville.com • 413.530.4780 scoutsomerville.com | Scout’s Honored 2019 27
SCOUT’S HONORED
BEAUTY
Razor’s Barbershop
Best Barbershop
BARBERSHOP HAIRCUT
308 HIGHLAND AVE. (617) 625-4444 RAZORSBARBERSHOP.COM Best Haircut
Scout: How long have you been living here? Joe Berriola: I’ve been here since June of 2004. It was my brother’s idea to run the shop, and this was a location that was already a barbershop.
that this shop has been here and I have been here, I’ve seen this area change so much. When we first got here, it was a question of, did we make the right decision? We weren’t that busy. We were the new guys. We weren’t locals. The local shops took over the city, because that was the kind of community that was still here. Until about two years in, it started to really pick up. I think people started recognizing who we were. We’re local boys, we’re from Medford. I might be one city over, but I’m as local as they come.
S: Was there something that initially drew you to barbering? J.B.: I like working with my hands. I like the idea of working with people, instead of for people. So, [I] just started cutting my friends’ hair, having conversations, and I really liked it. S: What do you think people are looking for out of a barbershop experience? J.B.: I think nowadays more of the—don’t get me wrong, the haircut—but I think the conversation. It’s been spoken out loud in here that people come in here a lot because of our environment. I know more about customers than I probably should (laughs). But that’s what people want nowadays in a barbershop. They wanna feel comfortable. They don’t wanna come in and just get a quick 10-minute haircut, pay the bill and get out. They want to feel a connection with that person. S: How many new people are you having versus people that you’ve cut their hair before and are returners? J.B.: I’d say 50 percent of the clients that come in are new. Between the Somerville/Cambridge area it’s a turnover crowd, between college,
28 Scout’s Honored 2019 | scoutsomerville.com
summer break, new people coming in for work. Young professionals. Families. My personal clientele is about 75% regulars. I’d say a third of my day is working with new clients. S: What do you think is the most rewarding part of the process? J.B.: Hands down, the customer looking in the mirror at the end of the haircut and going, ‘This is what I wanted.’ I might look at it and go, ‘That’s great.’ If
one customer is unsure of their haircut, I’m not letting you out of my chair. So the second you walk out, and you’re happy with that, I’m happy. S: When your brother [opened] the shop, did he specifically want to do it in Somerville, or was there a particular reason he wanted to create this barbershop? J.B.: No, not really. ‘Cause when we came in, it was completely different. In the fifteen years
S: As a barber what goes into creating the perfect cut or shave for someone? J.B.: Honestly, taking your time with the customer. Talk to them. Make them feel comfortable in the chair. I like to think that’s what brings my customers back. Being able to take a few seconds and actually listen. If I have to take a few extra minutes, and get myself behind schedule, it’s fine. That customer’s gonna come back, and if I do it right the first time, I’ll know what to do the second time. I don’t want just a transaction. I want to get to know people a little bit about you, what you do, where you work. Talk to me. That’s what I’m here for.
Razors Barbershop photo by Adrianne Mathiowetz. Hair by Christine photo by Christine Andrade McSheehy.
“What we put into our bodies, how many hours we sleep, hormones, internal & external aggressors all contribute to our overall skin health.”
facials • waxing • online store
Thank you for your votes! Best Skin Care
HAIR COLOR
Best Skin Care
689 Somer ville Ave | shannon-noel.com | 617.784.0259
SAM VALLERY, HAIR BY CHRISTINE & CO.
290 HIGHLAND AVE., (617) 776-6470, HAIRBYCHRISTINEANDCO.COM
Salon owner Christine Andrade McSheehy knew she was going to be a stylist from a young age. “I would use my mom’s facial hair bleach to put highlights in my hair at the age of 9,” she says. McSheehy opened her salon in 2011 and has traded facial hair bleach for more advanced beauty tools, as well as makeup packages. She trains all HAIR staff herself and prioritizes making people of all identities comfortable in her salon.
SKIN CARE
NOEL HERBAL SKINCARE 689 SOMERVILLE AVE., (617) 784-0259 SHANNON-NOEL.COM
“I had worked in the skin care industry for 15 years, not feeling content or comfortable with the direction it was going in. I didn’t want to just follow what everyone else was doing because it was popular. Products were feeling very chemical-based, and machines were taking the place of hands, and that didn’t align with how I wanted to practice. Finding herbalism changed the direction of my path, and I am forever grateful. I always had a more holistic mindset, and learning more about plants helped me to
Best Hair Salon
Best Hair Color
hone in on my craft in a more mindful way. Tying herbalism in together with my skin care background has felt like the last puzzle piece. Finally, everything has come full circle.” —Shannon Curtis, holistic facialist HAIR SALON
HAIR BY CHRISTINE & CO. 290 HIGHLAND AVE., (617) 776-6470, HAIRBYCHRISTINEANDCO.COM
TATTOO OR PIERCING
BOSTON TATTOO COMPANY
260 ELM ST., STE. 102, (617) 625-8282 BOSTONTATTOO.COM
MANICURE
LISA’S NAILS
147C HIGHLAND AVE., (517) 776-0023
Thank you for voting us Best Hair Color (Sam) & Best Hair Salon - AGAIN! BEST HAIR SALON: 2013–2019 BEST HAIR COLOR: 2016–2019 BEST HAIRCUT: 2016–2018
290 HIGHLAND AVENUE, SOMERVILLE • 617-776-6470 WWW.HAIRBYCHRISTINEANDCO.COM
scoutsomerville.com | Scout’s Honored 2019 29
SCOUT’S HONORED
Brows by Renata
Renata Goncalves, the founder of Brows by Renata, has a knack for being her own boss— rather than continuing to lend her skills to another beauty practice in Everett, Goncalves opened her own brow shaping service in Bow Market just over a year ago. “I kind of really liked working for myself, thinking ‘Maybe I can
30 Scout’s Honored 2019 | scoutsomerville.com
do this on my own,’” she says. “So I was like ‘Let me just try this, and if all fails, I still have my degree, I can find a corporate job.’ I kind of just let it flow.” Originally from Brazil, Goncalves first learned to shape brows with instruction from her aunt and later attended beauty school at Flavia Leal Institute of Esthetics in Woburn. Now, the
eponymous Bow Market salon attracts clients from Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, and beyond, and Goncalves has recruited two brow artists, Mia LaRosa and Carli Bellmer, to work by her side. Brows by Renata offers eyebrow waxing and tweezing, facial waxing, and lash lifts, which are considered a low-maintenance way of giving
EYEBROW SERVICES 1 BOW MARKET WAY #21 BROWSBYRENATA.COM
Best Eyebrow Services
the eyes a more “open” look and last six to 12 weeks. It’s the social, personal side of Goncalves’ work, though, that makes her feel at home in the cozy, light-filled salon. “Sometimes, depending on the day that I’m expected to have, I get very anxious,” Goncalves explains. “And then when I walk through the door I kind of get a sense of relief. I’ve created this space where I feel like myself and very confident and at peace, kind of. “I’ve seen so many people grow up and go from graduating college to getting a really good job or having a baby, and the baby turning 1,” she adds. “I remember seeing girls go to prom and now graduate college. It’s been really fun to see my growth and other people’s growth at the same time, and sharing stories and ideas.” Beyond connecting with her clients, Goncalves is using her beauty practice to help other young, ambitious women, like LaRosa, get their start in the industry. “I feel like I can help mold her career,” Goncalves explains of LaRosa’s future after finishing school. “That was a challenge I had when I was trying to figure out what I was going to do after school, was I going to try to continue this on my own or was I going to try to work for a more franchise-y place in order to upgrade my license and then own my own place. So I think having Mia here will help not only me but her, too, in her journey to see what works for her.”
Brows by Renata photo by Morgana Mello.
KEEP IT REAL. KEEP IT GREEK.
KEEP IT REAL GREEK. at OPA GREEK YEEROS
THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOTES!
T
he flavors of Greece can be found in Davis Square at Opa Greek Yeeros. Traditional dishes are served up daily by George and his crew with ingredients imported straight from Greece to ensure the authenticity and quality of every item on the menu. It’s not only the menu that is steeped in tradition; Opa is a family affair. George’s mother has owned and run Sophia’s Greek Pantry for over 15 years and now she keeps Opa stocked with homemade fresh Greek yogurt, delicious desserts and pastries.
Best Greek Food
Follow us on Instagram @opa_greek_yeeros for quick-fire specials.
378 Highland Ave Somerville, MA 617-718-2900 www.opayeeros.com hours 11-9 daily
Delivery available through Grub Hub and UBER Eats
Even though yeeros are in the name, Opa offers so much more. The menu is a curated selection of Greek favorites from traditional Greek salads to spanakopita and “the best Greek yogurt” you’ll find outside of the Mediterranean. George will greet you with a smile, a friendly chat and delicious food that will keep you coming back for more.
Best Greek Food
Best Asian
Food
BEST A
SIAN
•
BE
ST
hi
SUS
Best Sus
HI
617-764-5556 • EBISUSHI.COM 290 SOMERVILLE AVE, SOMERVILLE
FREE PARKING AT MIKE’S AUTO ALL DAY
BES
T CHE
F - JOSE Best Sushi
Best Sushi
MON–THUR: 11:30AM-3:30PM, 5-10PM FRI: 11:30AM–3:30PM, 5–10:30PM SAT: 11:30AM–10:30PM • SUN: 11:30AM–10PM
SCOUT’S HONORED
FOOD RESTAURANT IN UNION SQUARE
JULIET
257 WASHINGTON ST., (617) 718-0958 JULIETSOMERVILLE.COM
Juliet has done away with the traditional restaurant structure and replaced it with open books, gratuity-free dining, and living wages for all its staff. The restaurant, which is open Wednesday through Sunday, offers a prix fixe menu as well as a la carte options, plus special “pay what you can” dinners on select days.
RESTAURANT IN BALL SQUARE
SOUND BITES
704 BROADWAY, (617) 623-8338 SOUNDBITESCAFE.COM
RESTAURANT IN TEELE SQUARE
RUDY’S CAFÉ
248 HOLLAND ST., (617) 623-9201 RUDYSCAFE.COM
RESTAURANT IN MAGOUN SQUARE TACOS
LA POSADA
505 MEDFORD ST., (617) 776-2049 LAPOSADASOMERVILLE.COM
RESTAURANT IN DAVIS SQUARE
ROSEBUD AMERICAN KITCHEN AND BAR 381 SUMMER ST., (617) 629-9500 ROSEBUDKITCHEN.COM
Rosebud is the ultimate destination for a Davis Square brunch, where patrons can enjoy heaping French toast and a selection of omelets, as well as Rosebud’s renowned pies. When talking about American cuisine, Rosebud Chef Shane Wall says, “The great thing about ‘American’ is that American is a melting pot, and that allows a huge variety of dishes & techniques to play with.”
34 Scout’s Honored 2019 | scoutsomerville.com
Juliet and Rosebud photos by Brian Samuels Photography.
RESTAURANT IN ASSEMBLY SQUARE
THE SMOKE SHOP BBQ 325 ASSEMBLY ROW, (617) 577-7427 THESMOKESHOPBBQ.COM
Lyndell’s Bakery BAKERY
720 BROADWAY, (617) 625-1793, LYNDELLS.COM
Owner and pitmaster Andy Husbands puts 25 years of barbecue passion on every plate he dishes up. His goal is to bring world-class ‘cue not just to his restaurant, but into people’s homes through his cookbooks and cooking lessons. With home-style flavors and hospitality always on his mind, he says the biggest compliment he ever got was, “This tastes like my grandfather’s barbecue.” But for Husbands, the most exciting day he’s ever had in the business is … “tomorrow.” “We love Somerville’s diversity and the constantly growing excitement of what’s to come,” he says. RESTAURANT IN EAST SOMERVILLE
AMERICAN BRUNCH RESTAURANT NOT IN A SQUARE
HIGHLAND KITCHEN
150 HIGHLAND AVE., (617) 625-1131 HIGHLANDKITCHEN.COM
Want to start a tussle? Finish this sentence: “The quintessential American food is….” No, wait, that’s silly— America is a melting pot and even our most treasured dishes have roots that span the globe. Besides, food should encourage dialogue, not diatribes. Here’s a better idea: Go to Highland Kitchen with some friends and eat your way through the menu and try to identify just how diverse American food is. There’s spicy Texas-style beef chili, which gets its name from chili con carne, showing
Anyone who’s ventured into baking knows it takes time to learn the craft. Well, Lyndell’s Bakery was founded in 1887 so there’s no question they’ve put in the time. And it shows in the cases full of traditional baked goods made according to century-old recipes. If you want for variety when you break bread, you will find it here: From the standards of white, wheat, and multigrain, to specialities like Pullman sandwich bread and honeycomb graham bread (their oldest recipe). Dinner roll? Take your pick: pan biscuits, snowflakes, Vienna rolls, and more. Of course, while you’re here its Spanish and Mexican roots. And of course, gumbo and jambalaya are deeply associated with Louisiana, whose history is so intertwined with other nations and cultures that even the food has its own accent. Naturally, some dishes do carry more American DNA than others, and perhaps nothing says “USA! USA!” quite like a hamburger (for all that the word refers to Hamburg, Germany). Highland makes theirs with
you might as well tiptoe over to the pastry cases, right? The array of treats just might make you swoon, though a cannoli or some macaroons will perk you right up. Or just shoot the moon with the regional favorite: A halfmoon or full-moon, made with either gold or chocolate cake, and iced with either vanilla or chocolate frosting or, of course, half of each. The cake they use is a special recipe, and the frosting is just sweet enough. A traditional bake shop is not merely a local business; if bread is the staff of life, the baker is a life coach, helping you feed your family and your spirit. It’s no wonder one as good as this is well into its second century. ground Angus steak and loads it up with caramelized red onions, plus bacon if you want. There’s a pulled pork sandwich, with Carolina-style sauce and cabbage slaw, and and you know barbecue is endemic to the South … and every culture that has ever cooked meat slowly with smoke. So it’s obvious: The quintessential American food is any food Americans make their own. And at Highland Kitchen, they’ve made all of it their own.
LA BRASA
124 BROADWAY, (617) 764-1412 LABRASASOMERVILLE.COM
Fire is one of man’s oldest tools, and Chef Daniel Bojorquez wields it like an artisan. Through the masterful application of char, sear, bake, braise, and other methods, he transforms wood into culinary works of art on his grill and in his oven. Calling on the techniques of both Mexican home cooking and French cuisine, he fills La Brasa’s tables with dishes that both inspire your imagination and embrace your appetite. BAR EATS
OLDE MAGOUN’S SALOON 518 MEDFORD ST., (617) 776-2600 MAGOUNSSALOON.COM
Olde Magoun’s Saloon is “a true neighborhood bar where we cherish our beer,” owner Greg Coughlin says. And they’ve got the bar eats to go with their beer: customers can order a variety of appetizers from hummus to beer cheese to nachos, plus burgers and brick oven pizzas. The saloon also hosts events and offers special menu items almost every day, plus shows major sports games. scoutsomerville.com | Scout’s Honored 2019 35
SCOUT’S HONORED
BREAKFAST OUTDOOR DINING
THE NEIGHBORHOOD RESTAURANT & BAKERY
25 BOW ST., (617) 623-9710 THENEIGHBORHOODRESTAURANT.COM
Sheila Borges-Foley’s family doesn’t just own the Neighborhood Restaurant and Bakery—they live in the same building. “I love the fact we can hear them enjoying their time with friends and family in our backyard, under our grapevine,” says Borges-Foley, who is the restaurant’s manager. “Summer is a magical time for us!” SS BEST CHEAP EATS
TACO LOCO MEXICAN GRILL
44 BROADWAY, (617) 625-3830 FACEBOOK.COM/TACOLOCOMEXICAN
There’s a menu above the counter at Taco Loco, but it is suspiciously short when compared to the cornucopia of foodstuffs laid out behind the glass-fronted heating table. With luck, you have a working knowledge of conversational Spanish and can learn the names of these mysterious delicacies … but even if you don’t, the trusty pointsmile-nod method will do. Let us pause right now to thank whatever forces, divine or terrestrial, that are responsible for slow-cooked pork. Taco Loco’s adobada is so incredibly tender and so full of flavor that it will make you want to thank a pig personally. The tamales are encased in a perfectly crumbly masa dough, the interior warm
and tasty—pollo is the way to go here, chicken fans. And there are pupusas and tacos and burritos, all for the asking. Just make sure to ask for the flan before you go! It’s a dense custard, astonishingly rich and with the perfect caramel glaze. The kind of dessert you will force yourself to eat slowly so you can commit the flavor to memory and relish it for the rest of the week.
ITALIAN
POSTO
187 ELM ST., (617) 625-0600 POSTOBOSTON.COM
GREEK
OPA GREEK YEEROS
378 HIGHLAND AVE., (617) 718-5566 OPAGREEKYEEROSSOMERVILLE.COM
George Georgoulopoulos owes it all to his mom. After 18 years in corporate IT jobs, he’d been ready for a change. At first he opened a sister store in Lowell to his mother’s shop, Sophia’s Greek Pantry in Belmont. Then his parents bought Opa Greek Yeeros from the original owner, and she asked him if he would run it. “She approached me and as soon as she said Davis Square, I was all in,” he says. “My sister now runs the Lowell shop and I’m personally glad I made the move to what I’m doing now.” What he’s doing is providing authentically real Greek food to the city he spent his childhood in, especially when festivals draw newcomers into town. “I meet lots of new people and really enjoy ‘spreading the Greekness’ to people that haven’t experienced it before,” says Georgoulopoulos.
SUSHI
EBI SUSHI
290 SOMERVILLE AVE., (617) 764-5556 EBISUSHI.COM
36 Scout’s Honored 2019 | scoutsomerville.com
Ebi Sushi photo courtesy of Ebi Sushi. Posto photo by Brian Samuels Photography.
GLUTEN-FREE
NU KITCHEN
195 WASHINGTON ST., (617) 764-2482 THENUKITCHEN.COM
A sign informs you that “NU in French translates to naked.” It’s not much of a stretch to say that NU’s vegan cuisine is naked food: Ingredients in their purest form, served in ways that highlight their greatest assets. NU’s menu of vegan-friendly fare might just make culinary nudists out of everyone. Make ours the miso curry bowl, please and thank you. Every single element in this hearty dish stands on its own, from the quinoa and brown rice to the pickled carrots and coconut miso curry dressing. But it’s the combination that makes it brilliant; you might not pair scallions and peanuts on a plate, but bring them into this party (along with some roasted sweet potato and cilantro) and top it with an egg? Exceptional eating, that. A busy restaurant is a happy restaurant, and NU is abustle at most any time of the day. The energy that flows from its open kitchen is infectious. And there’s a great visual contrast between the mostly neutral colors of the space—walls, tables, countertops, seating—and the often eyepopping colors of the foods that come out of the kitchen. The Caribbean sunset smoothie is the kind of orange that you’d find in a child’s box of crayons: Bold and bright enough to warm the heart just looking at it. Mangoes will do that, and even the strawberries that are in it can’t overcome the glorious orange-ness. Whether it’s sticking to a fruit smoothie or opting for the organic sriracha tofu as a protein, NU Kitchen’s approach to vegan fare truly is naked: It puts nature’s bounty on full display. BUTCHER
L’Shanah Tova
from Havurat Shalom! JOIN US FOR HIGH HOLIDAY SERVICES AT 113 COLLEGE AVE, SOMERVILLE
All services are free, wheelchair accessible, and open to everybody. No tickets necessary. Free childcare.
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9/29 6:10pm, 9/30 9:00am and 7:10pm Children’s Service 11:30am, 10/1 9:00am
YOM KIPPUR:
10/8 5:55pm, 10/9 9:00am Children’s Service 11:30am
www.thehav.org
617-623-3376
THANKS FOR VOTING JOE
BEST HAIRCUT
MCKINNON’S MEAT MARKET
239 ELM ST., (617) 666-0888 MCKINNONSMEATMARKET.COM
BURGER
BOSTON BURGER COMPANY
37 DAVIS SQUARE, (617) 440-7361 BOSTONBURGERCOMPANY.COM
AND FOR VOTING RAZORS
BEST BARBERSHOP
scoutsomerville.com | Scout’s Honored 2019 37
SCOUT’S HONORED
Cassie Piuma, Sarma
BEST CHEF RESTAURANT OVERALL RESTAURANT ON WINTER HILL MIDDLE EASTERN 249 PEARL ST., (617) 764-4464 SARMARESTAURANT.COM
Best Chef
Best Restaurant Overall
Best Restaurant in Winter Hill
Best Middle Eastern Food
38 Scout’s Honored 2019 | scoutsomerville.com
Chef Cassie Piuma thinks she started cooking in her midteens, a bit more than 20 years ago, and says that the constant challenge of improving a dish is what keeps her coming back to the kitchen at her restaurant, Sarma, for six years now. “I like fixing things and making them better and improving on something,” says Piuma. “My journey is something like working on things that are already good and seeing how we can improve them. To be creative and push boundaries.” On the other hand, though, sometimes you just get it right pretty much on the first try. Witness her addictive lamb köfte sliders, which she says are “representative of Sarma.” “They have been on the menu since day one,” the chef acknowledges. “We’ve certainly gotten more efficient in making them, but the components have not changed, the ingredients are the same. I love that dish! It’s never come off the menu and it never will.” Ground lamb. Browned butter. Tomato. Pickles. A bun.
Such a simple package, to bring such satisfaction. But even if Piuma hasn’t fiddled with the recipe, there is still that sense of invention behind it. After all, sliders are a decidedly American bit of nosh, while köfte can be traced back to ancient meatballs and meatloafs of the Balkans, Turkey, India, parts of Asia. That’s what Sarma is all about for Piuma. It’s a dedication to bringing farflung flavors—especially those of the Middle East and Mediterranean—and composing them into dishes that are tantalizing in both their familiarity and their newness. The integration of the old and the new in ways that are faithful to both. Even with more than two decades of cooking experience, Piuma says she’s constantly trying to treat her own skills the way she treats her recipes, looking for new angles to explore. Those may be found in her travels, or they may be found by Sarma’s stove. One of her sous chefs, who has a background in traditional French cuisine, showed her how to imbue a new green curry dish they were developing with
a bright, vibrant green color that had eluded her. “It’s because he’s using more technical cooking skills—specific ratios, timings, methods,” says Piuma. “Without his help, I wouldn’t be able to achieve the dish on that level. I intend on putting it on the menu.”
TAKEOUT
TASTY MO:MO
508 MEDFORD ST., (617) 764-0222 TASTYMOMO.COM
PIZZA
LEONE’S SUB AND PIZZA 292 BROADWAY, (617) 776-2511 LEONESSUBANDPIZZAS.COM
GOURMET OR SPECIALITY FOOD
DAVE’S FRESH PASTA 81 HOLLAND ST., (617) 623-0867 DAVESFRESHPASTA.COM
KID-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT
FLATBREAD COMPANY 45 DAY ST., (617) 776-0552 FLATBREADCOMPANY.COM
CATERING
REDBONES
55 CHESTER ST., (617) 628-2200 REDBONES.COM Sarma photo by Derek Kouyoumjian.
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Best Dentist
Specializing in preventative dentistry, quality restorations and cosmetic dentistry, we use the latest technology in combination with a thoughtful approach to provide you with the best dental care. Best Dentist
Best Dentist
2016
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We are committed to the doctor-patient partnership and will provide you with the information you need to play an active role in the maintenance and treatment decisions along the road to optimal oral health.
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Fall Classes for all ages begin 9/16 and 10/15 Thank you!
Cambridge’s center for artists and creators of all skill levels
Best Vegan or Vegetarian
BUILDING TACOS FROM THE GROUND UP
SINCE 2013
20 Sacramento Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 www.MaudMorganArts.org | 617.349.6287 MMA is a program of Agassiz Baldwin Community
711 BROADWAY, SOMERVILLE
617-764-0683
tacopartytruck.com scoutsomerville.com | Scout’s Honored 2019 39
SCOUT’S HONORED
Celeste
SWEET TOOTH SATISFIER
UNION SQUARE DONUTS 20 BOW ST., (617) 209-2257
LATIN AMERICAN
21 BOW STREET, (617) 616-5319, CELESTEUNIONSQUARE.COM
Brown Butter Hazelnut Crunch Brioche dough gives Union Square Donuts’ creations a glorious texture. Here it does yeoman’s work in supporting a healthy (figuratively speaking) coating of hazelnuts, toasted in brown butter and seasoned with a touch of salt. The crunch from that topping is a perfect counterpoint to the slightly chewy pastry.
Honey Glaze Honey is one of the world’s perfect foods, and its stickiness makes it an obvious candidate for glazing. Here a delicate balance has been achieved, coating the top of the donut with enough honey to flood your mouth with flavor without making a mess of your fingers. But lick them afterwards, so you get every iota of that delicious glaze.
VEGAN OR VEGETARIAN
COFFEE SHOP OR CAFE
711 BROADWAY, (617) 764-0683 TACOPARTYTRUCK.COM
278 HIGHLAND AVE., (617) 623-3447 3LITTLEFIGS.COM
TACO PARTY
If flavors were horses, there’d be a stampede every time you opened the door of this itty-bitty Broadway storefront, and a herd surrounding the truck every Friday at the Harvard Science Center. Here’s a couple of reasons why. Crispy Fried Tofu: Like tacos pescados? Here’s their vegan twin. The panko-coated tofu sticks have a gentle crunch, and the tang of the mango salsa evokes tropical locales. And, oh, that roasted garlic crema! We’re not saying we’d drink it out of a cup with a straw … well, all right, we totally would. Chorizo Seitan Taco: There’s just three components—spicy ground seitan, green cabbage, chipotle salsa—but that’s all this taco needs. Warm and tasty, so full it’s always threatening to spill out onto your lap, this isn’t some dainty nouveau taco. Feeling brave? Toss on a little (just a little!) of the house-made reaper chile sauce, which is extra-hot and boldly flavored. 40 Scout’s Honored 2019 | scoutsomerville.com
3 LITTLE FIGS
With its huge windows and small tables nestled close together, it’s feasible to say 3 Little Figs is both wide-open and intimate. Flooded with natural light, it possesses a comfy-cozy aura that would be the envy of any neighborhood cafe. Step up to the counter and order an apple cider donut muffin (It’s a donut! The size of a muffin!) covered in more sugar than can possibly be good for oh who cares, it’s delicious! Follow it with a mug of coffee that hails from one of the regional roasters they partner with. Lunchtime? Take advantage of one of the four ways they prepare toast (with lox, feta, sweet ricotta, or savory ricotta). Is the family recipe spinach pie sold out? Go for the brunch bowl! It’s roasted carrots and sweet potatoes, tossed with spinach, dried cherries, and walnuts, all on a bed of quinoa and topped with a poached egg and tahini turmeric sauce. On weekends and holidays,
At the beginning, JuanMa (short for Juan Manuel) Calderon and his partner Maria Rondeau just wanted to host some parties at their home. He’d learned to cook from his mother in Lima, Peru, and always enjoyed feeding friends. So they threw some parties. And the parties evolved into pop-up dinner events (still at their home) for 25 people. And then they started having lunch pop-ups. And then the crowds grew. “We started to lose control because too many people were coming,” Calderon says with a laugh. That’s the point at which they decide to open Celeste, which has an open kitchen facing tables that will seat—you guessed it—about 25 people. “The pop-up parties were
once every two weeks, but now it’s 25 people every two hours,” says Calderon. So he serves them the food he grew up on, like causa: Terrines of mashed potatoes with olive oil and Peruvian chiles, often filled with things like avocado and tomato, or shrimp, or really anything. There’s also long-simmering stews, or secos, like his mother made, where “you can cut the meat with a spoon.” He’ll make it with lamb in a cilantro sauce, served over rice and beans. At the end of the day, Calderon hopes people will come to think of Celeste in the same way a child thinks of special meals. “It’s like escaping from your mamma’s house and going to eat with your grandmamma,” he says. “Your grandmamma will do anything to make you happy.”
SERVICE STAFF
TRINA’S STARLITE LOUNGE 3 BEACON ST., (617) 576-0006 TRINASSTARLITELOUNGE.COM
3 Little Figs offers something else to its guests: They turn off the WiFi and ask you to leave the laptop at home. In a way, the policy is a throwback to the analog experience of the coffee shops of midcentury America— unpretentious counters were hard, black java was doled out
to men in fedoras as they caught up with each other and the news of the day. It’s a nod toward the coffee shop as community, a place you go to be with people rather than get away from them. So bring your friends and find out what’s going on with them IRL … fedoras optional.
Union Square Donuts photos courtesy of Union Square Donuts. Trina’s Starlite Lounge photo by Sasha Pedro.
Best Takeout
Thank you for voting Tasty Mo:Mo Best Take Out... Again!
Best Coffeeshop
Thank You Somerville! Love, Katie & Andy
NEW ADDRESS - 508 Medford St. Now Dine In or Take Out! 617-764-0222 • tastymomo.com
278 HIGHLAND AVE • 3LITTLEFIGS.COM • (617) 623-3447
Leone’s Sub and Pizza Pizza and Subs fit for a king! Since 1954
Creating unique solutions for each project.
Best Pizza
6-time Winner!
Everything made in-house to order! 292 BROADWAY, SOMERVILLE 617-776-2511 • OPEN DAILY 8AM-11PM
561 Windsor St. A404, Somerville, MA 02143 • centrepointarchitects.com
scoutsomerville.com | Scout’s Honored 2019 41
SCOUT’S HONORED
DRINKS Best Cocktails
Backbar COCKTAILS
7 SANBORN CT. INFO@BACKBARUNION.COM BACKBARUNION.COM Backbar serves up more than just a good cocktail—the Union Square bar prioritizes comfort and hospitality, according to bar manager Carlo Caroscio. “I love the atmosphere, because you come in and you get this really well-made cocktail with a lot of thought put into it,” Caroscio explains. “There’s a lot of prep that goes on behind the scenes, but it’s not stuffy or pretentious at all. We tell our staff, ‘It’s not a cocktail bar, it’s a hospitality bar.’ We try to go the extra mile and just make people feel special and give them that individual attention.” Opened in 2011 by Sam Treadway, Backbar is tucked away in what looks at first glance like a “storage closet,” according to Caroscio. But once customers enter, they’re not disappointed— the bar serves a rotating menu of carefully crafted cocktails, recently featuring exotic drinks from a “cocktails around the world” menu with locations ranging from Costa Rica to the fictitious world of Hogwarts. Next up, Backbar will highlight a literary-themed menu celebrating famous books, poems, and authors. Alongside the more
42 Scout’s Honored 2019 | scoutsomerville.com
adventurous, specialty drinks— like the Wakanda-inspired cocktail The Heart-Shaped Herb, which features a light-up purple ice cube immersed in a mixture of tequila, St-Germain, hibiscus, lime, and grenadine—Backbar has perfected the classics. One such drink, The Model T, is named in honor of the building’s history as a Ford dealership. “People definitely get super excited about those,” Caroscio says of the specialty drinks. Much of the behind-thescenes work at Backbar involves brainstorming new drink ideas and perfecting the menu, according to Caroscio. “I try to help with the new menu, we try to make sure that everybody is bringing good ideas to the table, and then we streamline those ideas,” he says. “Creatively, it’s a great job, because we get to make new cocktails all the time. We do specials all the time because we have so many regulars that we want them to always have
something new to be excited about.” Customers aren’t limited to options on the menu, though, and can ask any knowledgeable Backbar employee for suggestions or a specialty Bartender’s Choice concoction. “You don’t have to order something off the menu; you can talk to anybody, everybody who works here is a bartender,” Caroscio explains. “Anybody can talk to you about the drinks intelligently.” The Backbar atmosphere, drinks, and staff all keep customers coming back for more, whether city locals or patrons from out of town. “We have so many regulars, and it’s not necessarily always people you see three, four times a week,” Caroscio says. “It might be people you see two, three times a month or a couple times every few months, but there’s just so many of them, it’s great.” While the weeknight crowds tend to draw from the
neighborhood, and Friday and Saturday nights see people from outside of Somerville, as well, Caroscio says that Backbar focuses on the same thing for all their guests: Making them feel welcome. “The drinks are really important to us, we say it’s our nerdy hobby,” he says, “but our true passion is hospitality.”
WINE SHOP
BALL SQUARE FINE WINES 716 BROADWAY, (617) 623-9500 BALLSQUAREFINEWINES.COM
To Ball Square Fine Wines, selling wine in Somerville is exhilerating. “A wide variety of cultures and cuisines make curating our selection both challenging and exciting,” says Julian Crocamo, a wine associate and social media manager for the business. Ball Square Fine Wines sells spirits and beers as well, and they cater to both amateurs and experts in the wine field. Backbar photo by Adrianne Mathiowetz.
Please join us for our
Best Liquor Store
Thank you for voting us Best Liquor Store in Somerville! We appreciate local folks shopping local. ome c l e W ck, ba ts! n stude
Annual Grand Wine Tasting Sat, Sept 28 • 1pm - 5pm
Taste from 100+ wines from around the world Take home a free wine glass from the tasting.
20% OFF
ALL 750 ML BOTTLES WITH PURCHASE OF 12 OR MORE
Come join the fun, meet the Downtown family and experience the Downtown difference...cheers! DOWNTOWN WINE & SPIRITS 225 Elm St., Somerville • (617) 625-7777 downtownwineandspirits.com
scoutsomerville.com | Scout’s Honored 2019 43
SCOUT’S HONORED
BREWERY
AERONAUT BREWING CO. 14 TYLER ST., (617) 987-4236, AERONAUTBREWING.COM
Robot Crush “It’s like a crisp lager, in some ways like a really classic pilsner,” says Ronn Friedlander, cofounder of Aeronaut Brewing Co. “But we have a slight addition of citra-hops and that gives it this sort of American character. But it’s not overwhelming like an IPA. It’s really refreshing, it’s a good kind of go-to beer to just have on any time of year, really. It’s one of our best beers that we have.”
A Year with Doctor Nandu “People see it as our flagship beer, it’s one of our originals,” Friedlander says. “This is the first beer we ever put in cans, and we’ve made a lot of it ever since. It’s more like a West Coast style IPA, in the sense that it has some bitterness and it has some maltiness. And it’s not cloudy, it’s a pretty clear beer. It has a nice light orange color. The big feature of it, to me, are the hops, which are mosaic. Mosaic hops have this very strong tropical flavor, like a mango-passion fruit kind of thing going on.” 44 Scout’s Honored 2019 | scoutsomerville.com
For the Birds (In collaboration Mass Audubon) “We decided to kind of do a collaboration with them where we do a beer that would relate to their conservation work with birds,” Friedlander explains. “So we put this beer together, and kind of came up with a recipe that we thought had a bird element to it, because we use millet in the beer. Millet’s often used as a bird seed, but it also can be malted and made into beer. So we have some millet in this recipe, and it’s going to be like a New England style IPA. Really fruity, a little bit of pine, kind of hazy, a little bit of bitterness. Some of that comes from the hops, some of that actually comes from the millet.”
Double Nandu “It’s a double IPA, similar hop profile, but it’s made in a different style,” Friedlander explains. “It’s a little bit less bitter but more heavily hopped, so it has more fruity flavors, more fruity aromas. But it’s stronger, so it’s just a more intense version. But it’s more like a New England IPA as opposed to a West Coast style.”
Hop Hop and Away “It is a session IPA, or an India Session Ale,” Friedlander says. “So it’s a lighter beer. It’s in the style of a New England IPA, it’s got that fruitiness, the haziness. There’s some really nice citrahops which give it a citrusy note. It’s got a little bit of a tropical note, too, but it’s really easy drinking because it’s 4.6% alcohol. And it’s not too bitter. It’s a really well-balanced beer, so you could just drink a whole bunch of those, no problem.”
Passion Fruit Sour Planet “That’s sort of a Berliner weisse, so it’s a wheat-based beer but it’s soured,” Friedlander says. “In this case we added passion fruit as it ferments, so it has a very strong passion fruit flavor. It’s really light, like 3.7%, and it’s got a lot of tartness to it from this kettle souring process that we do. We have a whole series of beers with different fruit additions that we do, and they all have similar names. They all kind of follow this kettle sour process, where we kettle sour the beer, then we referment it and add fruit.”
Winter Hill Brewing - Annie BARISTA
328 BROADWAY WINTERHILLBREWING.COM Hometown: Fryeburg, Maine. I’ve lived in Somerville since 2011. Barista since: 2016 Favorite drink to make: Tough one! We make a seasonal specialty beverage—recipe testing and tasting that is always fun. Fun fact about you: I share a Bon Appétit subscription with my mom and try to cook something new every week. Best thing about working at Winter Hill Brewing: The customers and my coworkers!
BARTENDER
LAUREN FRIEL, REBEL REBEL
1 BOW MARKET WAY REBELREBELSOMERVILLE.COM
BEER PROGRAM
FIVE HORSES TAVERN
400 HIGHLAND AVE., (617) 764-1655 FIVEHORSESTAVERN.COM
LIQUOR STORE
DOWNTOWN WINE & SPIRITS
225 ELM ST., (617) 625-7777 DOWNTOWNWINEANDSPIRITS.COM
Annie photo courtesy of Winter Hill Brewing Company. Aeronaut Brewing Company photos courtesy of Aeronaut Brewing Company.
Best Asian Food
Discover the regions of Thailand with our new menu. 1933 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge • sugarspices.com • (617) 868-4200
SCOUT’S HONORED
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Best Performing Arts
Shit-faced Shakespeare PERFORMING ARTS
255 ELM ST., (617) 315-8942 SHITFACEDSHAKESPEARE.COM
“Give me some wine; fill full. I drink to the general joy of the whole table.”— Macbeth, from “Macbeth,” Act 3, Scene 4. Hey, think about it: If we change “table” to “theater,” you know what we’ve got there? A business plan! Okay, so maybe that’s not exactly how Shit-Faced Shakespeare came about. But if you’re looking for the Bard’s imprimatur on their alcoholimbued performances, it’s pretty close. The actors of SFS (for brevity’s sake) stage hour-long adaptations of Shakespeare plays with one important twist: A single cast member is inebriated. Not tipsy, not buzzing, but truly blotto. Whether it’s comedy or tragedy or history, from the moment the curtain rises to when it falls, that cast member plays their part drunk. Laura Sullivan has been that actor, as well as playing roles sober and producing performances over the past four years. She says this twist has proven appealing to audiences. “One of the things we always say is, people come for the shitfaced and end up staying for the Shakespeare,” says Sullivan, who joined in 2015 to do PR when SFS established its U.S. headquarters in Somerville, then segued into acting. “They don’t realize this isn’t just a free-forall and put together on a whim. We’re fully rehearsed, we have professional actors, and we do this year-round across the globe.” Verily. The troupe was
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founded in the United Kingdom by an actor named Lewis Ironside (“It’s almost like he made it up,” Sullivan says of his suspiciously actor-ish name, “but he didn’t—I’ve met his parents!”), who still runs the show as the “Chair Chap.” Sullivan recounted Ironside’s story of how he started the whole operation. “Lewis came up with the idea one night when he was out drinking with some of his buddies, all of them performers,” she says. “The next morning they woke up and there was a cocktail napkin with two ideas written down on it. He told me, ‘I can’t remember the first one, but the second was Shit-Faced Shakespeare.’ “That cocktail napkin wound up providing 10 years of employment” for actors, she adds. After a couple of rough performances at the start, the original crew finally figured out how to make it work. “We have an hour to do it in, and we throw someone who’s inebriated into the mix,” says Sullivan. “They are the master of chaos, and it’s our job to make sure the story gets told—whether or not Romeo and Juliet live at the end, or the friar is standing by himself. It’s wicked fun!” There is a very strict process by which each night’s inebriated actor has their blood alcohol level raised. It’s done by what they call “the Crock-Pot method”—starting four hours before show time, sipping not chugging, and in the company of friends. “We do take great care of
our people, make sure they’re feeling great, in a great mindset, and surrounded by positivity,” she says. It also turns out that the alcohol-augmented plays are actually more approachable for a lot of folks in the audience. But that doesn’t mean that dedicated Shakespeareans won’t come away enlightened, too. Sullivan says that there’s a dram of In vino, veritas to be found: “The snootiest amongst the people come and go, ‘Wow, I never understood that was what was
happening in that scene, and what those characters meant.’” Shit-Faced Shakespeare is kicking off its sixth season with “Macbeth,” and Sullivan says it’s always a big boost to see the people coming back week after week, often with relatives or friends in tow to experience it for the first time. “We’re super-psyched we’ve been in Somerville since we started in the U.S.,” says Sullivan. “It’s good to know A) people still like us, and B) they’re not sick of us.”
Shit-Faced Shakespeare photo by Rah Petherbridge Photography. Filomena Demarco photo by Ashley Vick.
Filomena Demarco Jewelry JEWELRY DESIGN
ONE BOW MARKET WAY #24, (401) 301-5382 FILOMENADEMARCOJEWELRY.COM Ashley Vick never got the chance to meet her great grandmother, Filomena Demarco, who inspired the jewelry line that carries her name. Though Demarco died in 1952—many years before Vick was born—her story lives on in the edgy handcrafted pieces on display at the small shop on the second floor of Bow Market. Vick, a Somerville resident for more than 10 years, began her business in 2009 after earning a BFA in metalsmithing from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2006. Prior to launching Filomena Demarco Jewelry, Vick based her career out of Joy Street Studio and sold at craft fairs around the east coast. Her gallery, open Thursday through Sunday (and on Wednesday by appointment), sells pieces from more than 20 local artists, as well as her own designs, she says. Curious customers can watch her work in the small studio at the back of her store. Vick’s store pays homage to her grandmother by bringing together fictional elements and bits of her history gleaned from her belongings. After discovering
a closet full of Demarco’s possessions—including her wedding dress and a collection of letters written to her great grandfather—Vick began to imagine what life was like for this unknown ancestor. She envisioned Demarco’s frequent trips back to her homeland of Italy. Perhaps she traveled by submarine? Many of the pieces in Vick’s collection reflect these fanciful elements of Demarco’s imagined life. The real Demarco was an entrepreneur who owned seven ice cream parlors all over Rhode Island at the turn of the 20th century. Portraits of her are scattered around Vick’s shop. “From what I know, she was a very successful, badass woman who didn’t care that it was a man’s world,” she says. The shop itself is a reflection of the jewelry Vick makes. She describes the look as “over-thetop baroque,” with green walls and orange accents. Customers may feel like they’ve walked into Demarco’s living room, filled to the brim with artifacts collected over the years. “I want people to walk in and for the space to be on-brand in a way that tells a story,” Vick says.
Thank You FOR CHOOSING US AS YOUR FAVORITE HOLISTIC HEALTH SERVICE! Best Holistic Health Service
515 MEDFORD ST (MAGOUN SQUARE) • 844-44-FLOAT
FLOATBOSTON.COM
scoutsomerville.com | Scout’s Honored 2019 47
SCOUT’S HONORED
School of HONK KID-FRIENDLY ENTERTAINMENT 290 WASHINGTON ST. SCHOOLOFHONK.ORG
So take the “give a man a fish” parable, and replace “man” with “anybody of any age” and “fish” with, say, “sousaphone,” and ... You know, let’s just stop there, because the potential of this idea is already almost too awesome to comprehend. Fortunately for Somerville, the good folks at the School of HONK have already run with it, bringing the masses to music so they can learn to make music to the masses. Based out of the Robert F. Argenziano School in Davis Square, the School of HONK originated with the Honk Festival—an October gathering of “activist street bands” that’s been going on for a dozen years, says cofounder Shaunalynn Duffy. One of the defining features of the festival is how it “blurs the lines between musicians and attendees,” which apparently was more impactful than the organizers originally realized. “We started noticing there was this growing community of people for whom once a year wasn’t enough,” says Duffy. “They wanted to participate more deeply to be able to make music and play music themselves, not waiting until October.” And thus was born the School of HONK, where people of all ages and skill levels—and yes, that includes Level Zero— are welcome to show up and learn not just how to play an
Best Kid-Friendly Entertainment
instrument but how to start performing pretty much right away. “Our approach to teaching starts with a belief that practicing music should look the same as performing music,” Duffy says. “Not only are there different parts for different instruments, but different parts for different musical skill levels, things that are still meaningful parts of the song. Now instead of just the annual festival, the School of HONK meets every Sunday afternoon to perform in public, including a summer tour around the greater Boston area. Naturally, the opportunity to make a joyful noise is appealing to kids, who are definitely welcome to join. One who has is Tim Molokov, a 9-year-old trumpeter from Belmont with experience at both School of HONK and the recently completed summer camp, Summer Honk. He particularly likes the instructors—and the snacks.
COMEDY
THE COMEDY STUDIO “Everything is awesome there,” Tim says. At the end of each day of camp, Tim and the other students would parade through the streets. He enjoys the experience of playing in public, since it’s such an unusual sight for most people these days. For her part, Duffy came to HONK as an experienced musician, having taken up the clarinet as a kid. She was a sousaphonist with the school for a while, but then she noticed that while there was a lot of interest in the saxophone among new musicians, there weren’t enough teachers. And so she became a student again herself, learning to play saxophone at the School of HONK, and now she mentors aspiring saxophonists who are ready to join the band.
1 BOW MARKET WAY, (617) 661-6507 THECOMEDYSTUDIO.COM
EVENTS SPACE
ARTS AT THE ARMORY 191 HIGHLAND AVE., (617) 718-2191 ARTSATTHEARMORY.ORG
LOCAL MEDIA (NON-SCOUT)
SOMERVILLE MEDIA CENTER
90 UNION SQUARE, (617) 628-8826 SOMERVILLEMEDIA.ORG
ART GALLERY
SOMERVILLE MUSEUM 1 WESTWOOD RD., (617) 666-9810 SOMERVILLEMUSEUM.ORG
VISUAL ARTIST
HILARY SCOTT
9 BROWNING RD. SOMERVILLEOPENSTUDIOS.COM
MUSIC VENUE
ONCE BALLROOM
156 HIGHLAND AVE., (617) 285-0167 ONCESOMERVILLE.COM 48 Scout’s Honored 2019 | scoutsomerville.com
Tiny Turns Paperie photo courtesy of Tiny Turns Paperie.
We love you too Scout readers!
“Wherever I looked I saw hands over mouths and bodies bent over shaking with laughter” “It’s chaotic, it’s crass, it’s fun, and it’s a show that certainly should not be missed”
WEST END WILMA
“Theatre for people who hate theatre. I hated it beyond words!”
EVENING STANDARD
HARVARD CRIMSON
Tiny Turns Paperie
the
rockwell DST
PRINT SHOP
ONE BOW MARKET WAY #28, SHOP.TINYTURNSPAPERIE.COM “My focus is on trying to help people connect with each other,” Jen Palacio says about her art. “It’s okay if it’s disposable.” That’s the idea behind Palacios’ stationary shop, Tiny Turns Paperie, where the “the special feeling of a receiving a handwritten note” is something worth celebrating, according to the shop’s site. Though the quaint stationary shop, located at Bow Market, opened just this past April, the store has already attracted attention from local shoppers. Palacios believes it’s her focus on stationary that perhaps sets her apart from other talented print artists in the area. “I think people feel it more now when you take the time to hand-write a letter,” she says. “It gives you the opportunity to slow down and make a connection.” Palacio’s road to the print industry was a circuitous one. She first moved to Somerville in
2006 to begin a job in corporate finance, but left the position after one year. From there, she said, she began pursuing a degree in sustainability at the Harvard Extension School, and eventually took up letterpress printing. What started as a hobby grew into a business. In 2010, she launched her homemade craft business, Just Enough Nonsense, and started selling her work at pop-up markets. It’s this brand of her personal work that she’s best known for, Palacio says. Now, having transitioned from running pop-up markets to selling at a brick-and-mortar location for the first time, Palacio said she’s still adjusting to fulltime work in retail. “It’s very different coming from studio life,” she said. The shop is open for business five days each week— Wednesday through Sunday— and sells work from local and nonlocal artists alike.
Best Jewelry
Best Jewelry
CAMBRIDGE 617.864.1639
BOSTON 617.874.7711
NORTHAMPTON 413.584.0905
www.rebekahbrooks.com
scoutsomerville.com | Scout’s Honored 2019 49
SCOUT’S HONORED
WELLNESS
HOLISTIC HEALTH SERVICE
FLOAT BOSTON
515 MEDFORD ST., (844) 443-5628 FLOATBOSTON.COM
The FLOAT Boston experience includes sensory deprivation: the tanks of warm water and Epsom salts shut out light and excess noise. The experience can trigger a physiological relaxation response, kind of like the counterpart of the fight or flight reflex, which eases stress and anxiety. FLOAT also recommends floating to relieve insomnia or as a spiritual practice, similar to yoga or meditation.
ACUPUNCTURE
OPEN SPACE COMMUNITY ACUPUNCTURE 70 UNION SQ. #102, (617) 627-9700 OPENSPACEACUPUNCTURE.COM
YOGA
O2 YOGA
288 HIGHLAND DR., (617) 616-5531 O2YOGA.COM
MASSAGE
MASSAGE THERAPY WORKS
255 ELM ST., (617) 684-4000 MASSAGETHERAPYWORKS.COM
PHYSICAL THERAPY
BOSTON SPORTS MEDICINE
259 ELM ST., (617) 623-6300 BOSTONSPORTSMED.COM 50 Scout’s Honored 2019 | scoutsomerville.com
Katie Talmo photo by by Jon Chomitz. Float Boston photos by Art of the Float. Achieve Fitness photos courtesy of Achieve Fitness.
Katie Talmo
Best Yoga
Voted Best Yoga 2013-2019
DENTIST
180 HIGHLAND AVE., (617) 864-6111
Katie Talmo finds joy in giving her patients the care they need to feel good about smiling. “The nice thing about my profession is that at the end of the day, there is a tangible result of what you’ve just done,” Talmo explains. “Restoring somebody’s ability to smile confidently again is very satisfying, it’s lifechanging for some people, and I really enjoy that.” Talmo has kept the work of her mother and father (a dental hygienist and a dentist, respectively) alive, taking over their cozy Somerville practice and caring for many of the same long-time patients. And just as her parents guided her, Talmo gives back to the future crop of dentists—as a
Best Dentist
clinical professor at the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Talmo instructs and assists students with a handson, case-by-case approach. What ultimately drew Talmo to dentistry, beyond being immersed in her parents’ work growing up, was the creativity of the field. “It always struck me that it was a really rewarding profession, and it was a really nice intersection of science and craft, almost,” she says. “It really blends artistry in a way—especially when you’re dealing with something cosmetic—and science and human anatomy and biology.”
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FITNESS
ACHIEVE FITNESS
42 MERRIAM ST., (617) 616-5801 ACHIEVEFITNESSBOSTON.COM
Best Frame Shop
Lauren and Jason Pak opened Achieve Fitness in 2012 with the goal of creating a “space where everyone felt comfortable and supported by both the staff and the other members of the gym.” Since then, they’ve grown from 25 members to 250, along with an Instagram following of over 575,000. To the Paks, the biggest compliments come when people “tell us that they feel like they’ve finally found their ‘home’ at Achieve Fitness.”
scoutsomerville.com | Scout’s Honored 2019 51
SCOUT’S HONORED
WILD CARDS
Somerville Theatre OLD FAVORITE
55 DAVIS SQUARE (617) 625-4088 SOMERVILLETHEATRE.COM The Somerville Theatre has survived all the events that were supposed to kill it. In its 105-year lifetime, the theater witnessed the rise of radio, then television’s popularity, then the growth of theater giants like AMC, and now the rise of streaming and home viewing, all of which were predicted to be the end for small movie theaters. But the Somerville Theatre has persisted, growing and changing and redirecting its focus as the city it serves does the same. The Somerville Theatre has always been a family-owned business. It was first owned by the Hobbs family, who built the building where the theater still resides, and began hosting vaudeville and operas in 1914. They passed it to the Viamo family in 1926, who shifted the focus of the theater first to movies only, then to repertory movies. The current owners, the Fraiman family, acquired the theater in 1984. Ian Judge, the director of operations for Frame One Theatres—which manages the Somerville Theatre and the Arlington Capitol Theatre— attributes the success of the Somerville Theatre to its ability to adapt to Somerville’s changing tastes. The theater’s vaudeville phase reflected Davis Square’s time as a bustling shopping district, while its change to a movie house served the working class neighborhood that the city became in the wake of the Depression.
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Best Old Favorite
“And then, as Somerville quote-unquote went downhill, or lost some of its luster in general, in the ‘70s or ‘80s, the theater also showed its age a little bit,” Judge says. “But just like the city has kind of been reborn, so too that theater has kept up with the times, and now has a little bit more of a diverse selection of movies and programming, which kind of reflects how the city has changed, and the tastes of people here are more divergent, and people who live here are more diverse.” At a time when Netflix is thriving and “it definitely takes more of an effort to get people out of their house than it used to,” Judge says that the
Somerville Theatre finds success in what makes it different from other theaters. That includes the film festivals that the theater hosts every year, or its summertime special series, or its 900-seat main theater complete with a balcony and rising curtain. Also included is a tight connection with the Somerville community. “Our role, first and foremost, is just to entertain. And it’s dangerous when you wax a little too philosophical about what is essentially just a movie house, but we have to entertain in a way that reflects what the people in the community want,” Judge says. “And as that changes and progresses, we hopefully
change our progress with it. If you’re going to be a business in a community, whether that’s a pizza shop, or a movie theater, or a factory, or whatever, you need to participate in the community.” Unlike other repertory theaters in the area, like the Coolidge Corner Theatre and the Brattle Theatre, the Somerville Theatre is not a nonprofit and operates as a small business. Judge stressed the importance of regular patronage to keep the theater in operation. “If people truly love any local businesses, it’s important to patronize them because a lot of people lament businesses once they’re gone,” he says. “But businesses that get customers are the ones that stick around.”
Somerville Theatre photo by Jessica Blough. Burren photo by Adrianne Mathiowetz. Union Square photos by Irina M. / IM Creative Photography.
ECO-FRIENDLY BUSINESS
NEIGHBORHOOD PRODUCE
415 MEDFORD ST., (617) 702-2811 NBRHOODPRODUCE.COM
The Burren
Neighborhood Produce combines the fresh ingredients of a grocery store with the size and ease of a convenience store. “Our focus is on fresh food accessibility,” says owner Matthew Gray, adding that the store strives to help shoppers reduce food waste and plastic waste. At the moment, Neighborhood Produce is one of the only grocery stores in Winter Hill.
LATE-NIGHT HAUNT
247 ELM ST., (617) 776-6896, BURREN.COM
From first dates to casual business lunches to catching last call after a movie, the Burren has been a popular hangout for any occasion since its opening in 1996. Davis Square’s most iconic Irish pub has a food menu that features bar favorites ranging from typical American fare like burgers and wings to more traditional Irish-style Guinness beef stew and shepherd’s pie. For almost 25 years, the Burren has provided Somervillians with a place to take in a show or just have a nice Irish whisky while waiting for the bus to Lechmere on a rainy day. Separated into two distinct rooms (three if you count the outdoor seating area), the Burren can host up to five musical acts in a single day. In the front room, you’ll often find a quartet or a trio playing Irish or bluegrass music in the corner. In the back room (which is also available for private parties), you’ll find a proper stage for louder acts. And, of course, the bar’s popular Wednesday night comedy show, usually starting around 10 p.m., features all kinds of acts from first-time comics to those with decades of TV credits. And if you’re on a budget? The traditional Irish bar features
some of Davis Square’s cheaper beers on tap. And cover charges are always affordable, too. In fact, next time you stop by, take note of the flyers lining the walls, which commemorate the venue’s years of hosting local and international acts in its familiar neighborhood setting. The Somerville Theatre has always been a family-owned business. It was first owned by the Hobbs family, who built the building where the theater still resides, and began hosting vaudeville and operas in 1914. They passed it to the Viamo family in 1926, who shifted the focus of the theater first to movies only, then to repertory movies. The current owners, the Fraiman family, acquired the theater in 1984. Ian Judge, the director of operations for Frame One Theatres—which manages the Somerville Theatre and the Arlington Capitol Theatre— attributes the success of the Somerville Theatre to its ability to adapt to Somerville’s changing tastes. The theater’s vaudeville phase reflected Davis Square’s time as a bustling shopping district, while its change to a movie house served the working class neighborhood that the city became in the wake of the Depression.
NEIGHBORHOOD TO LIVE IN NEIGHBORHOOD TO WORK NEIGHBORHOOD TO DINE
UNION SQUARE
scoutsomerville.com | Scout’s Honored 2019 53
SCOUT’S HONORED
Best New Business
Rebel Rebel NEW BUSINESS
1 BOW MARKET WAY REBELREBELSOMERVILLE.COM Can you tell me a bit about the inspiration for Rebel Rebel and how it got started? “I have been working in restaurants in Boston for 17 years,” says Lauren Friel, the founder and owner of Rebel Rebel. “I came after college and I started just to support myself, and I got into wine kind of along the way. I was the executive beverage director for Oleana and Sarma restaurants for about five years or so. I decided I wanted to take a few years off when I left that position, I just wanted to kind of take a little bit of a break. And I went to school for journalism, so I decided to go back to food and wine writing. Then I started a consulting company where I consulted on wine programs for retail and restaurant locations. The last big consulting client I had was Dirt Candy in New York, where I was actually working the floor in the restaurant a couple nights a week again, just kind of easing back into service. And I really missed it. I wasn’t totally sure what that meant.” How did you wind up at Bow Market? “Alexandra Whisnant, who owns Gâté Comme des Filles, the chocolate shop in Bow 54 Scout’s Honored 2019 | scoutsomerville.com
Market, around the same time actually reached out and said, ‘I just talked to these folks who are opening up Bow Market, and you should talk to them,’” she says. “I lived in Union Square for about five years several years ago and I really loved the neighborhood. I don’t think I could’ve built Rebel Rebel in the way that I built it in any other city, or it wouldn’t be the same. I knew I wanted it to be a wine bar because I don’t know how to do anything else. And I knew I wanted it to be a space that felt safe in ways that no other restaurant or bar I’ve ever worked in has felt.” Building on that idea of a safe space, what do you think makes Rebel Rebel unique? “Your local watering hole is your place of community,” Friel explains. “Historically, people have found their community in their places of worship and in their pubs. So if we’re these gathering places for community, I hope that we would feel a sense of responsibility toward the communities that we’re fostering or that we’re engaging with. I’ve chosen to foster the community that I believe is the future, and those are women, queer folks, people who are marginalized populations, and people of color. Anyone who normally might
not feel comfortable walking into a bar for any number of reasons, whether there are safety concerns or racism concerns, bigotted concerns. We owe it to ourselves to create space for those communities and also to reflect what we want to see happening in the world, because ultimately this is where people are spending time together, they’re engaging with each other, they’re sharing ideas. We’re very loud about the fact that we’re a queer space, which again Somerville’s very supportive of, but other parts of the world might not be.” In what ways has Rebel Rebel changed or grown, and on the flip side, are there any aspects that you definitely intend to remain the same? “We’ll continue to do what we can to disrupt both the way that hospitality workers are treated and also the way that hospitality culture exists in engagement with its community,” she says. “And we’ll always sell good wine. I am really committed to providing people with access to the best, most interesting, rare, hard-to-find wines, delicious wines I can find at a fraction of what they would normally cost elsewhere. It is a little bit higher than your average bar price point, but the value is extreme.
“In terms of things that have changed since we opened, we’re a lot busier than we were, which is great,” Friel says. “We’ve also grown—our staff has doubled, which is awesome. I’ve been able to hire an incredible staff of roughly 10 women, and that’s been incredible.” What have you learned from your experience bartending, and how has that informed what you’re doing with Rebel Rebel now? “Bartending is really fucking hard,” Friel says. “It’s a really hard job. It’s emotionally exhausting, it’s physically exhausting, bartenders aren’t supported in this industry. So I try to do what I can to make it easier to do that here. We do close early, nobody works five nights, doubles only happen if there’s an emergency. Because we are an all-female staff, I try to empower them to know that if anything feels uncomfortable or wrong or if a guest is giving them a hard time or being inappropriate or harassing them that they have the ability and the support to do whatever they need to do to change that situation so that they don’t feel uncomfortable, which is not something that a lot of bartenders really have the opportunity to do.”
Rebel Rebel photo by Sahsa Pedro. Bow Market photo Irina M. / IM Creative Photography.
Bow Market PLACE TO PEOPLE WATCH
1 BOW MARKET WAY, BOWMARKETSOMERVILLE.COM It’s quiet at Bow Market when I visit, maybe because I just missed the lunch rush, and maybe because it’s 90 degrees out and almost too hot for even the shady spots. But the market’s never quite abandoned; just when I think I might be the only one in the sunny courtyard, others wander in. Two guys walk into three separate establishments and walk out from each one, but are still pointing behind themselves as they leave the market. A woman wearing a scarf despite the heat walks out of In Season Food Shop with a quarter of a watermelon. She yells through the courtyard, “Hey, want some watermelon?,” then walks across with a large knife.
Two women celebrate a reunion with a long hug, then immediately complain about how sweaty they are. Their hands are too involved in their conversation to eat while they talk. A pair of very different dogs (one white and fluffy, one half spotted and half black) arrive, accompanied by their owners. They (the owners) sit outside and order iced coffees one at a time because one of the dogs “gets very anxious. She thinks I’m leaving her forever.” There is more loud conversation about the watermelon. A small crowd has gathered in the corner of the market, and each person gets a slice. Welcome to Bow Market.
Best Breakfast
Best Outdoor Dining
THANK YOU for your votes! NEIGHBORHOOD TO SHOP
DAVIS SQUARE
What do you need? Davis Square has it. Comicazi for your collectibles and, of course, comic books. Bike Boom for your cycling needs. Sira Naturals for your cannabis prescription. Robbins Cigar Co. for a smoke. Goodwill for other people’s stuff that you didn’t know you needed.
PLACE TO SPLURGE
SARMA
249 PEARL ST., (617) 764-4464 SARMARESTAURANT.COM
Best Outdoor Dining: 2013-2014, 2017-2019 Best Breakfast: 2015-2019
We also serve lunch, beer and wine!
DATE NIGHT SPOT
TRINA’S STARLITE LOUNGE 3 BEACON ST., (617) 576-0006 TRINASSTARLITELOUNGE.COM
WWW.THENEIGHBORHOODRESTAURANT.COM 25 BOW ST, SOMERVILLE • (617) 623-9710 scoutsomerville.com | Scout’s Honored 2019 55
SCOUT OUT!
SPACESHIPS AND SUPERHEROES: SOMERVILLE’S TWIST ON A BIKER GANG BY JESSICA BLOUGH | PHOTOS BY ADRIANNE MATHIOWETZ
“A
highly organized battalion of funk.” That’s how Skunk, the Fleet Admiral of SCUL, describes his SciFi Bicycle Chopper Gang to me. “Sometimes we say we make spaceships out of bicycles, that’s another catchphrase that we use,” he adds. “But we usually don’t break the wall and say ‘bicycle.’ We’re star pilots, flying ships on missions.” Skunk, who never discloses his “civilian” name to me, founded SCUL (which was an acronym at
56 Scout’s Honored 2019 | scoutsomerville.com
some point, but no longer is) in 1996. The troop of bikers/space enthusiasts/eager welders make their way through the Somerville area every Saturday night from April Fool’s Day to Halloween, often decked in blinking lights and jamming to funk. Skunk and I meet at Artisan’s Asylum, which is home to both SCUL headquarters and Skunk’s main gig (building robot sculptures and teaching welding classes). We’re surrounded by SCUL insignia and bikes welded by SCUL members to be taller,
larger, and generally more complex than the average twowheeled vehicle. Skunk started his own bicycle chopper gang after finding CHVNK666, a similar gang based in Portland, Ore. “I was so excited about seeing a tall bike for the first time and seeing all these kind of crazy things,” he says. “But I was most excited about seeing the culture that they had kind of built around a bicycle. It seemed to be the nucleus of all kinds of creativity.” But early in our conversation,
I learn not to call them bikes. With SCUL, pilots (riders) mount their ships (bicycles) to complete missions (rides), hoping to score some high fives from civilians (anyone not affiliated with SCUL) and trying to avoid getting derailed by radiation (rain) or a crash landing (that one is selfexplanatory). It’s tempting to assume that SCUL is just a bunch of adults who want to play pretend for a few hours every week. The purpose of the whole operations is to have fun, and for SCUL,
that does involve some twisting of reality. Every pilot adopts a moniker and has to stick to the space-inspired lingo. An average mission might lead the pilots to the “North Pole” or “The Moon.” But at the same time, you can’t ignore how very legitimate SCUL is. Skunk hands me a spiral-bound manual with enough information in it to teach a class. It contains the history of SCUL, starting back when it was a ship in Skunk’s basement, and hundreds of rules that pilots are expected to know and follow. There’s an apprentice-like training program for prospective pilots. And there’s the point system: pilots gain points for each mission, based off elements like the difficulty of their ship, or the number of cups they crush, or if they help with repairs. “There’s a ton of rules, and there’s tons of responsibility,” Skunk says. “But those rules and responsibilities allow us to be super organized, and really awesome when we’re outside dealing with the public. Being disciplined like that, and practicing those kinds of formations, allows us to cohabitate with Somerville traffic, or pedestrians, and hopefully the rest of the community.” Every SCUL mission (yes, every mission) has been recorded in a public database, which includes the name of the mission, the pilots involved, and the ships they mounted with their points. About 10 to 20 pilots fly in each mission, and 850 pilots have participated since SCUL’s founding. Skunk puts in several hours a week to prepare, from planning out roles for each pilot to designing and printing a new mission pin for each mission. A single ship can take dozens of hours to weld and perfect before it’s ready for flight. But Skunk says that SCUL members’ innovation, attention to detail, and commitment are inspiring. “To manage this over the years, it’s a ton of work. But it pays back like 10 times over because you have this beautiful thing happening, all this creativity,” he says. “Some people see the big picture with
us, but a lot a really interesting stuff are little tiny details, like little solutions to engineering problems or repairs, or just some little decoration somewhere that someone did.” Another thing to know about SCUL is that they don’t try to be anything that they are not. Early on, SCUL leaned more into the “biker gang named ‘skull’” image and blasted heavy metal life support (music) on their rides. But when SCUL replaced Motorhead with Curtis Mayfield and added bonuses for high fives, Skunk says he saw an evolution in the group that matched the members’ enthusiasm. “I think it was great that we explored that kind of bad side of skull,” Skunk says. “It really put a fine point on who we wanted to be. And since then, we’ve always tried to be the good guys, the superhero versions of ourselves. And there’s really not room for anything else.” That’s the motto of SCUL: “Be a superhero version of yourself.” SCUL is self-proclaimed “highly trained” but “anti-elite,” and inclusive of all gender identities. Skunk says being a superhero version of yourself doesn’t involve changing your personality to fit in SCUL; instead, it’s bringing out the best in yourself and in others. “It still has to be you, you can’t just be a superhero, you don’t just turn into something else,” Skunk says. “Whatever it is that makes you incredible, that’s what we want to polish out and make shine on Saturday night with your freaky, funky costume or in the background, doing what you need to do. Whatever it is, you know, and I think that’s important, the individuality of the person. And bringing out the best in that person is a really fun exercise for yourself, and to help nurture that in others.” If you see SCUL around, especially on a radiation night, look for the superhero in the shower curtain cape, riding a chopper named Cloudbuster amongst his fleet, and stick out your hand for a few high-fives. Civilians who wish to apply to become a pilot can contact SCUL at scul.ambassador@gmail.com.
LORDMCFUZZ ABOARD DPX BIEBER FEVER
SPROCKET ABOARD PVC CADUCEUS
STOGIE ABOARD DMC CHUBZ
YT ABOARD MSG SECRETASIANSCULLY scoutsomerville.com | Scout’s Honored 2019 57
DO-GOODERS, KEY PLAYERS & GAME CHANGERS
DO-GOODERS, KEY PLAYERS, AND GAME CHANGERS
CHIEN-CHI HUANG, ASIAN WOMEN FOR HEALTH WORDS AND PHOTO BY REENA KARASIN
CHIEN-CHI HUANG
W
hen Chien-Chi Huang was diagnosed with breast cancer, she noticed the many cultural and language barriers that stand between Asian American women and sufficient healthcare. “Stigma is the big factor. A lot of Asian women feel that it’s their fault, and they don’t want to burden the family if they have cancer,” she explains. “Particularly because some of these cancers involve body parts, an area that you feel really sensitive about—your breasts, your reproductive organs. It’s very difficult for Asian women to talk about this, even with peers.” Huang adds that some Asian American women tend to see doctors as unchallengeable authority figures, which can give them less autonomy over their medical decisions. Huang survived breast cancer, and has dedicated her life to helping Asian American women get the medical care they need and reducing stigma 58 Scout’s Honored 2019 | scoutsomerville.com
surrounding illness. She’s now the founder and executive director of Asian Women for Health, a peerled nonprofit with the mantra of “educate, advocate, reciprocate.” One of Asian Women for Health’s cornerstone programs is Achieving Whole Health, an eight-week program that trains people to become wellness coaches embedded in their communities. The program covers topics such as coping with stress, proper sleep, active lifestyles, and mind-body-spirit connections. The Asian Breast Cancer Project also relies on communitybased, person-to-person outreach to create a network of women battling breast cancer and breast cancer survivors. “We’re different from the other organizations [because we’re] peer-led,” Huang says. Asian Women for Health partners with local organizations, including women’s groups and Asian service agencies, and refers women to providers including Boston Medical Center, Cambridge
Health Alliance, and South Cove Community Health Center. The nonprofit is exploring how technology can support its work, Huang explains. A new project aims to create a digital network of women battling breast cancer on WeChat—a social media and messaging platform—in Chinese. Asian Women for Health also hosts a podcast that profiles “Asian women who overcome physical or emotional adversity,” Huang says. The podcast is designed to help reduce stigma by sharing individual women’s stories—a core goal of the nonprofit. “I’m a cancer survivor, and if I share my story then maybe I can bring hope, and also other people will feel more comfortable sharing their own recovery stories,” Huang says. “We have a ripple effect. One of our ideas is that we want to build capacity, confidence, and connection among Asian women so they can pay it forward.” Asian Women for Health’s
annual fundraiser, the CelebrASIANS Benefit Fashion Show, features Asian cancer or trauma survivors wearing designs by Asian American fashion designers. The fashion show is on Oct. 19 at Boston Medical Center from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $85 before Sept. 30 and $100 after. “I’ve seen firsthand how survivors of cancer and trauma have grown stronger through their connection to AWFH,” a donor to Asian Women for Health wrote in a testimonial. “Countless women tap into this powerful peer network that supports their healing, health, and wellbeing; many then give back to others by becoming advocates and ambassadors of the organization. Through conferences and research studies, AWFH also influences the public dialogue around women’s health among service providers and policy makers.” For more information, visit asianwomenforhealth.org.
MEET THE SCOUT TEAM
MEET THE SCOUT TEAM
MENU ITEMS INCLUDE GLUTEN FREE!
SASHA PEDRO STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
S
asha Pedro would like a dog. But as a onewoman professional photography business who also works at MIT and keeps active in the local music scene, well ... “I don’t have the time,” she laments. A South Shore native who lives in Weymouth, Pedro (which she pronounces with a long “e”) grew up in a family where everyone was artistically inclined but nobody did it full-time. That family trait expressed itself in her through photography; she saved up money from her paper route to get her first camera, a Canon Rebel XTI, an early digital SLR. “I just always had a camera on me, and more and more people would ask me to take photos until, over time, I realized how much I enjoyed it and turned it into a full-time gig,” says Pedro. In addition to playing guitar in Charmed and Strange, a four-piece rock/punk band, Pedro documents women and nonbinary gendered musicians. “I just love working with the music community because you can be creative in a way that you can’t necessarily be when you’re doing mainstream portraits,” she says. She has also, on and off over the years, been documenting her own generation—Pedro is 30—as they struggle to find a way to create a home of their own in the one of the costliest housing markets in the country while burdened by expensive school loans and faced with a limited job market. Whether it’s photographing local businesses for Scout, creating an imaginative wedding shoot, or documenting local musicians, Pedro finds the work endlessly interesting. “I like the variety of photography a lot,” she says. “Photography genuinely never has gotten boring to me in the way that other jobs have, thus the drive to want to keep doing it.” Top left: Sasha, photo by Meghan Ireland. Bottom left: Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. Bottom right: Part of a project reflecting on climate change and the future of nature; shot in her Rockland, Mass., studio.
PIZZA AND BEERS AT MIKE’S!
Best Place to People Watch
9 DAVIS SQUARE
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(617) 628-2379
MIKESONDAVIS.COM
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scoutsomerville.com | Scout’s Honored 2019 59
Please consider shopping with these and other Scout sponsors.
REAL ESTATE DIRECTORY TEAM JEN & LYNN
Thalia Tringo & Associates Real Estate Lynn 617-216-5244, Jen 617-943-9581 TeamJenandLynn@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
Bringing our expertise and good humor to help you find a perfect home or say good-bye to your old one.
RESTAURANT DIRECTORY LEONE’S SUB AND PIZZA
292 Broadway, Somerville 617-776-2511, leonessubandpizza.com Pizza and subs fit for a king since 1954. Now being delivered by Dash!
SUGAR & SPICE THAI RESTAURANT
1933 Mass. Ave., Cambridge 617-868-4200, sugarspices.com This sleek, modern Thai local supplies a broad range of standards for dine-in, takeout & delivery.
TACO PARTY MIKE’S FOOD & SPIRITS
IRENE BREMIS THE IBREMIS TEAM
617-905-5232, irenebremis.com irenebremis@gmail.com Real Estate Consulting, Listing, Marketing, Sales & Rental Specialist. iBremis Realty, Inc. powered by LAER.
Jennifer Rose
Residential Sales Specialist, ealtor R ® cell/text Jennifer@ThaliaTringoRe alEstate .com
Lynn C. Gr aham
Residential Sales Specialist, ealtor R ® cell/text Lynn@ThaliaTringoRe alEstate .com
CHARLES CHERNEY REALTOR AT COMPASS
CambridgeRealEstate.com 617-733-8937, cc@compass.com Helping You Buy the Right Home and Sell for the Best Price in Cambridge and Somerville, MA.
THALIA TRINGO & ASSOCIATES REAL ESTATE
617-616-5091, thaliatringorealestate.com
Our agents strive to make your experience of buying and selling as smooth as possible. From start to finish, we are here to help you. Free classes.
SHOPPING DIRECTORY PORTER SQUARE BOOKS
25 White St., Cambridge 617-491-2220, portersquarebooks.com Porter Square Books is your fiercely independent source for great books, magazines, fun gifts and more.
9 Davis Square, Somerville 617-628-2379, mikesondavis.com Pizza, Pasta, Seafood, Burgers and more! Dine in our casual dining room open to Davis Square or watch a game at the bar!
OPA GREEK YEEROS
378 Highland Ave., Somerville 617-718-2900, opayeeros.com Authentic Greek cuisine and a lively atmosphere. Expanding soon!
711 Broadway, Somerville 617-764-0683, tacopartytruck.com Building tacos from the ground up.
LA POSADA RESTAURANT
505 Medford St., Somerville 617-776-2049, laposadasomerville.com Somerville’s spot for delicious, hand-crafted Latin American cuisine.
MASS AVE DINER JULIET
21 Union Sq., Somerville 617-718-0958, julietsomerville.com Juliet is the place for you. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, or brunch. Casual dining and special ocassion options available. All in one tiny space.
HEALTH & WELLNESS DIRECTORY DR. KATIE TALMO, D.M.D.
180 Highland Ave., Somerville 617-864-6111 Dr. Talmo provides a personalize approach to dental care. Come enjoy a comfortable dental experience in her newly renovated office space.
906 Mass. Ave., Cambridge 617-864-5301, massavediner.com Since 2010 Serving Killer Brunch and Diner Fare. Now Open Late and Serving Craft Beer and Wine!
O2 YOGA
1001 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge 288 Highland Ave., Somerville o2yoga.com Athletic, empowering, energizing practice improving body, mind and spirit.
BLISS BRAIN
64 Union Square, Somerville 617-821-5560, bliss-brain.com Learn how to utilize your brain’s natural neuroplastic abilities to create the life you strive for through NeuroSculpting and meditation.
SUPPORT LOCAL MEDIA. ADVERTISE WITH SCOUT. Contact Holli at hbanks@scoutmagazines.com
somerville is on the road to net-zero emissions! you can help! get started by completing a no-cost mass save r home energy assessment. sign up today at:
www.somervillema.gov/seen or 855-891-9899 LED bulbs are 80% more efficient than incandescent bulbs!
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Programmable thermostats can save you $180 each year!
CALENDAR
SEPTEMBER 8 | ART
Photo by Noah Grigni.
ART FOR REPARATIONS BENEFIT AUCTION 5 to 8 p.m.; Free 257 Elm St., Somerville Add to your art collection while donating to the Black Power Blueprint organization at the Art for Reparations Benefit at Diesel Cafe, where over 70 works of art will be available for auction. Funds raised will go towards black community programs based in St. Louis, Missouri, according to the group’s Facebook page.
OCTOBER 10 | FOOD
Photo courtesy of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology.
SEPTEMBER 8 | ENTERTAINMENT
Photo courtesy Cambridge Carnival.
27TH ANNUAL CAMBRIDGE CARNIVAL 12 to 6 p.m.; Free Cambridge The annual Cambridge Carnival will once again take to the streets of the city with a parade of masqueraders, a long list of cultural presentations and performances—including by the Tempo International Steel Band—and food and craft vendors from around town. The parade begins at 12:30 p.m. on River Street and Blackstone Street.
OCTOBER 3-4 | ENTERTAINMENT
Photo by Quinn Cox.
SEPTEMBER 20-29 | ENTERTAINMENT
Photo courtesy of Concert for One.
CONCERT FOR ONE Noon to 6 p.m., Free Harvard University, Cambridge Harvard University’s Science Center Plaza will host two small, custom listening rooms where a variety of musical artists will perform one-minute concerts, each for just one person. Some 5,000 individual concerts will be performed over 10 days. For more details, visit ConcertForOne.org.
Photo by Tim Plenk.
LOCAL CRAFT SPIRITS FESTIVAL 4 to 7 p.m., $50+ University Park, MIT, Cambridge More than 25 New England craft distilleries and breweries will be serving up their creations at this annual event. Admission gets you 20 tasting tickets to sample drinks (plus free nonalcoholic drinks), and local restaurants will be offering food samples for $6 or less. And there will be a local cocktail throw-down competition, with local ingredients quite literally thrown into the mix.
SEPTEMBER 28 | FOOD & DRINKS
Photo courtesy of Open Kitchens Project.
62 Scout’s Honored 2019 | scoutsomerville.com
HONK! FESTIVAL Free Somerville Every year, brass musicians from around the country gather in Somerville to celebrate the art of street performing with a purpose—not only is the festival about music, but activism is also at the forefront. “These bands don’t just play for the people; they play among the people and invite them to join the fun,” the HONK! website proclaims.
OCTOBER 12 | ENTERTAINMENT
WHAT THE FLUFF? FESTIVAL 3 to 7 p.m.; Free Union Square, Somerville Celebrate the 107th birthday of marshmallow Fluff—a little piece of Somerville history— in Union Square, where it was created by Archibald Query in 1917. This year’s actionpacked day is dedicated to celebrating diverse backgrounds with the theme “Fluff Travels: All Roads Lead to Fluff.”
CLIMATE, SEASONALITY, AND AUTHENTIC CUISINE 6 to 9 p.m.; $40 500 Kendall St., Cambridge Head down to CultureHouse in Kendall Square for riveting conversation about climate change while enjoying an array of Ethiopian delicacies prepared by chef Meqdes, an Ethiopian immigrant. The event is limited to 30 guests and tickets are 15 percent off until September 22.
THE MARTHA GRAHAM CRACKER CABARET 8 p.m., $25 and up Oberon, 2 Arrow St., Cambridge Like Nina Simone? How about Black Sabbath? Maybe a little Prince? Drag queen Martha Graham Cracker and her four-piece band will mash-up all of these and more at the Oberon in the kind of over-the-top performance that earned Cracker the title “The Drag Queen King.” Each night features a unique show.
OCTOBER 8-11 | ENTERTAINMENT
SEPTEMBER 21 | ENTERTAINMENT
Photo courtesy of What the Fluff? Festival.
MOLINILLOS AND CHOCOLATE IN CONTEMPORARY MEXICO 3 to 4:30 p.m., $8+ Peabody Museum, Harvard The molinillo is a wooden whisk-like tool that has been used in Mexico for centuries to mix chocolate beverages to a frothy consistency. Join Ana Rita García-Lascuráin, founder and Director of the MUCHO-Chocolate Museum in Mexico City, and master woodworker Juan Alonso Rodriguez as they discuss the history of chocolate production, the use of the milinillo, and whip up several varieties of traditional chocolate beverages for you to try.
OCTOBER 13 | ENTERTAINMENT
Photo courtesy of Harvard Square Business Association.
OKTOBERFEST Noon to 6 p.m., Free Harvard Square, Cambridge Trinken Sie Deutsch? Beer isn’t just on the menu, it is the menu at the annual Oktoberfest in Harvard Square. Well, yes, there will also be food, and crafts, and dancing in the streets (highly encouraged), but when you get right down to it, all of that happens in support of the beer.
62 Tainter Street Medford 2 BD 1.5 BA 1,507 SF Listed: $560K
Sold: $645K
Erik Hook 617.461.4691 erik.hook@compass.com
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True Home Partners Lisa J. Drapkin & Team 617.930.1288 lisa.drapkin@compass.com
Exclusive to Compass, our Concierge program fronts the cost of home improvement services for a quicker, more profitable return. No hidden fees, no interest charged — ever. Learn more at compass.com/concierge
Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage.
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304 Allston Street Unit 2 Cambridge $700,000 2 BD 1 BA 869 SF
Oepktoberfest S t 4th- O c
t 30th
Wednesday, September 4th
Every Wednesday
TRADITIONAL CEREMONIAL KEG TAPPING TO KICK OFF THE 9-WEEK CELEBRATION
GERMAN-INSPIRED MENU, 5-11PM
Saturday, September 28th
TRADITIONAL GERMAN ROAST
• GERMAN FOOD SERVED ALL DAY STARTING AT NOON • CEREMONIAL KEG TAPPING AT 1PM – HACKER PSCHORR • LIVE GERMAN BAND FROM 12-3PM AND 6-9PM AS ALWAYS THERE IS NO COVER.
Every Sunday
Each Beer Chosen will have a Promotional Event Each Beer Chosen will be available in .5LTR and Full Liter Mugs
10 DIFFERENT GERMAN OKTOBERFEST BIERS
ONE FREE APPETIZER OF YOUR CHOICE WITH THIS COUPON. DUPLICATES NOT ACCEPTED. 1 PER TABLE. UP TO $12 VALUE. CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER DISCOUNTS. 518 Medford St. • Somerville, MA 02145 • (617) 776-2600 • www.magounssaloon.com
518 MEDFORD STREET, SOMERVILLE • 617.776.2600 • MAGOUNSSALOON.COM
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