New Haven magazine February 2010 by Second Wind Media Ltd

FEBRUARY 2010

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to do, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll stick to my guns. With a Democrat-controlled legislature, how can you get things done? The next governor has to be strongly centered and has to have all of the facts â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the knowledge, the information and the history of this state â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and be able to say, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Here is where we are, and to change here is what we need to do.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Will everyone be jumping up and down â&#x20AC;&#x201D; â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hurrah, hurrahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;? No. I know enough about the state, what is right and wrong, and I will always be informed and depend on a highly competent staff, regardless of political stripe. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Here are the objectives; the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future depends on it.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; I will have a lot of political will because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not on the political make. The next governor is not going to make a lot of friends. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m at a point in my life that if Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m unpopular, that will not be a problem. Where do you place yourself on the liberal/ conservative spectrum? Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never done that. In the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;70s and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;80s I was always regarded as a ďŹ scal conservative but a very independentminded person. I vote for the issue. I supported a lot of things in the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;70s that I thought were right in terms of education,

transportation and the environment, that may not have been classic Republican votes. Many of us care about economic issues, but a lot of the public cares about these other issues, too. That may be the case. But I know the next governor will be consumed with economics. That is my background and experience, but fostering a vibrant business environment is the highest priority. I will not be deterred from doing that. On the Republican side several other candidates will be putting forth their â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;business credentialsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; too. I will match my credentials with anyone. I ran a private university that was very thinly resourced and brought it from a commuter institution to being a residential institution without a lot of money available to do it. I put it on a good path; my successor [Steven Kaplan] has taken it further along that path. That was a big change in the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;90s and it required skills that translate [to the public sector]. Is being governor a management job or a leadership job?

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Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a management job and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a leadership job. You have to be involved in setting the goals and picking the right people. I will be involved, not as a micromanager, but I will be involved with all of my commissioners and their people so they know I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just set the goals and walk away. To become governor you have to win two races. You havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been in the political mainstream for a while in terms of fundraisingâ&#x20AC;Ś Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve worked on fundraising. I worked on it for the university. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve worked on Jodi Rellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fundraising, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve worked on John McCainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fundraising. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not unfamiliar with modern fundraising. What all the candidates have to confront ďŹ rst is [state] campaign ďŹ nance law. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a pretty stiff law. If you want state money [to ďŹ nance a campaign] thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about $4 million [available in total] if you qualify. [To quality] you have to raise [at least] $250,000, but you must do it in increments of $100 or less. That means 3,000 people or more have to contribute. The moment I declare candidacy, I have to decide to go into the public system or the private system. [Republican candidate Tom] Continued on 45

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NEW HAVEN’S

Coolest Singles By Melissa Nicefaro

e hear it all the time from our single friends: “Online matchmaking Web sites are borderline scary.” “All the good ones are taken.” “I’m happy alone and single.”

Maybe that’s true, but just in case you are still looking, New Haven is a great place to ﬁnd a match. Who has time, right? Sp we’ve taken some of the guesswork out of the search. There is no need to spend this Valentine’s Day curled up on the couch with a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Chubby Hubby. We found some of the coolest singles in the New Haven area and share their stories here.

Reiki master and yoga instructor Prevosti says her dream date is Daniel Day Lewis. But she might be willing to be a tiny bit flexible.

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All hands on deck (clockwise from left): Singles Raphael Massey, Maryann Ott, Matt Feiner, Julie Braun, Michelle Demers and Tina Somers. PHOTOGRAPH: ANTHONY DECARLO

Photo Location: New Haven Business Center

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Jessica Dubey, 34 (pictured right: center) Occupation: Clinician/clinical care manager Marital status: Divorced for six years, no children. Favorite book: The Great Gatsby Favorite ﬁlm: Deﬁnitely The Goonies. That’s been my favorite since I was ten years old! Favorite TV show: Law & Order Favorite Web site: Okay, I’ll admit it: Facebook. Favorite music: Anything from old country to ‘80s New Wave. Celebrity lookalike: I was once told by a patient of mine that I looked like Pink. I think she was trying to talk her way out of her therapy session that day. Love me, love my…: Ridiculously large shoe collection. When it comes to dating, what’s the deal breaker? Someone who is self-absorbed is a complete turnoff. Wait — what was your name again? Is it okay to break up by e-mail? I’m okay with e-mail, because sometimes it’s easier to express oneself in writing. I know it is for me. Telephone? Sure, as long as neither party is sobbing uncontrollably and it’s [using] free minutes. If I could have dinner with any three living people, they’d be: President Obama, Pink (so I can show her how much she and I look alike!) and Antonio Sabato Jr. Three items I can’t live without: My sunglasses, my space heater and my cell phone. Favorite reality TV show: One that I admit to: The Bachelor. The one that I don’t want anyone to know that I watch: Rock of Love. Game show I would totally clean up on: Anything trivia -related, excluding Jeopardy. Favorite talk show host: Ellen DeGeneres America’s obsession with celebrity culture is: Pathological! The sunrise: Stay up late? Or wake up early to see it?: Stay up late — I am a night owl. Make dinner or make reservations?: Love to cook, but not one to pass up reservations — if someone else is making them. Favorite thing to do alone: Knit warm things. Habit I’d like to break: Letting the laundry pile up (in a well-hidden hamper, of course). My ‘type’: If you live by the Golden Rule, then you’re my type. 16

february 2010

Making beautiful music together are (l-r) Benjamin Straley, Jessica Dubey and Mark Abraham. PHOTOGRAPH: ANTHONY DECARLO

Photo Location: New Haven Business Center

I NT EL in Woburn, Mass. will close its Manchester, Newington and Orange stores. A Torrington location will stay open.

A Streetcar Desire EAST HAVEN — If you have a hankering for the clang, clang, clang of the trolley you don’t have to wait until New Haven brings streetcars back. You can head over the Shore Line Trolley Museum in East Haven and sign up to become part of the museum’s all-volunteer crew. The museum will train you to become trolley motormen or conductors. You’re eligible if you’re over and 18 would like to run the cars and present the story of the trolley car at the at Branford Electric Railway National Historic District. The museum’s “comprehensive training program” will meet Saturdays beginning February 27 through March and they’ll teach you everything you need to know. To sign up call 203-467-6927, email trolleymuseum@verizon.net.

99 Eateries 86’d The recession is reducing the carb load at some of the country’s chain restaurant offerings. The Ninety Nine Restaurant chain headquartered

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The Pizzeria Uno chain is also feeling the pain of many main street restaurants and retailers. It has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and is turning over its mozzarella, ovens and any dough they can find around to the bankers in exchange for $120 million in debt.

To Haiti and Back OXFORD — Executive charter service Tradewinds Aviation has been delivering supplies, food and doctors to an isolated area near the epicenter of both the earthquake and aftershock in Haiti. There are no airports in the area, so a 1,200-foot stretch of road has allowed the company to fly in with Cessna Grand Caravans to land and deliver up to 2,500 pounds of supplies from Santiago, Dominican Republic up to eight times a day.

Hollywood East LEDYARD —We’re quite sure that when legislators voted to subsidize the film and TV industries they didn’t expect a headline like “Snooki Snubs Jerry.” But that’s what we got when Nicole (Snooki) Polizzi from the reality TV show Jersey Shore and Jerry Springer were rubbing elbows at a restaurant at the Foxwoods Casino. Snooki was there for an “appearance.” Aparently Springer, who was taping America’s Got Talent, wanted to meet Snooki, but her manager and father didn’t like the idea. According to Radaronline.com she told a waiter “I am way classier than that — we are not The Hills.” OMG

Free Speech for Lawyers Upheld? NORWICH — Attorney Zenas Zelotes doesn’t like Internet directories — at least not when lawyers have to post their names. A three-person panel of Connecticut’s Statewide Grievance Committee has dismissed his cases against five Connecticut bankruptcy attorneys whose listing ads were posted on a Web site run by Total Attorneys. Zelotes contended that the listings violated Connecticut Practice Book rules by “improperly paying for client referrals”. Zelotes

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was not deterred by his defeat; he now is challenging Total Attorneys on the federal level.

Dr. Pepsi To Town NEW HAVEN — Yale scientists have a new colleague in PepsiCo. Apparently the food and beverage giant, which has opened up a research laboratory at 25 Science Park, doesn’t quite know why slugging down a liter of sugar or gobbling oil- and salt-drenched chips is making us obese. Along with the new lab the company will fund a graduate fellowship program at the Yale School of Medicine for research on nutrition and obesity-related diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes. The laboratory, which is PepsiCo’s ninth global research laboratory, is part of a “plan to improve the nutritional value of its foods and beverages.” Six researchers are working at the laboratory now, a number that may rise to ten. The graduate fellowship is worth $250,000 over five years.

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PHOTOGRAPHS: ANTHONY DECARLO

Tina Sommers, 41

Matthew J. Feiner, 46 (inner-child, 12)

Occupation: Full-time creative director and part-time artist

Occupation: Owner, Devil’s Gear Bike Shop

Marital status: Single, no children

Marital status: Never married, no children

Favorite book: Grifﬁn & Sabine by Nick Bantock

Favorite book: Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal, by Christopher Moore.

Favorite ﬁlm: The Thomas Crown Affair with Rene Russo and Pierce Brosnan Favorite TV show: Oprah Favorite Web site: tablethotels.com Favorite music: Anything from the 70s–80s. Celebrity lookalike: Melissa Gilbert Love me, love my: Passion for travel. When it comes to dating, what’s the deal breaker? Liars Is it okay to break up by e-mail? Yes. Telephone? Yes. If I could have dinner with any three living people, they’d be: David Copperﬁeld, Antonio Banderas, Joel Osteen.

Favorite ﬁlm: Roman Holiday. Favorite TV show: Right now, Dead Like Me. All-time favorite, X-Files.

Favorite TV show: The Ofﬁce.

Celebrity lookalike: When I was young, I got Mel Gibson a lot. Now it’s mostly Dan (Tool Man) Taylor or Nicholas Cage.

Favorite Web site: Tut.com. I love the daily e-mail messages from the Universe.

When it comes to dating, what’s the deal breaker? Rude, arrogant or self-centered. Is it okay to break up by e-mail? Telephone? Not really, but if that’s your coping style…

Three items I can’t live without: Shelter, food and water.

Game show I would totally clean up on: Wheel of Fortune

Favorite reality TV show: Being at the shop is better than any reality TV show.

Favorite talk show host: Oprah

Game show I would totally clean up on: Whose Line Is It Anyway?

Favorite thing to do alone: Photograph Habit I’d like to break: Don’t know of any. My type: Mediterranean/Italian, lots of interests, healthy lifestyle, positive attitude. 18

february 2010

Favorite book: I read mostly non-ﬁction on business, health and personaldevelopment topics. I keep Jack Canﬁeld’s Success Principles close by for reminders and inspiration.

Favorite music: Pop rock.

Favorite Reality TV show: Do You Think You Can Dance?

Make dinner or reservations? Reservations

Marital status: Divorced, no children

Favorite ﬁlm: There are many, but if I have to choose one: The Color Purple.

Three items I can’t live without: My iPhone, Starbucks and my camera.

The sunrise — stay up late or wake up early: Wake up early to see it.

Occupation: Internet entrepreneur and one-half of the dynamic duo of SuperInterns.com

Favorite Web site: Google Maps.

If I could have dinner with any three living people, they’d be: Greg LeMond, Del Weiding and my sister Becky.

America’s obsession with celebrity culture is: Ridiculous.

Michelle Demers, 36

Favorite talk show host: Charlie Gibson when he was on Good Morning America.

Favorite music: An eclectic mix of rock, jazz, new age, ambient and lounge. Celebrity lookalike: My friends say I resemble Lauren Graham from Gilmore Girls. Love me, love my: Tibetan terrier, Birch. When it comes to dating, what’s the deal breaker? Smoking. A close second is being unreliable — not doing what you say you are going to do. Is it okay to break up by e-mail? Telephone? E-mail? Never — it’s a cop-out. The phone is okay for short-term or casual dating. For more serious relationships, a face-to-face conversation is warranted and is also the best way to preserve the friendship, if that’s an option.

America’s obsession with celebrity culture is: Out of hand. Way out of hand.

If I could have dinner with any three living people, they’d be: Oprah, Jack Canﬁeld and Jim Carrey.

The sunrise: Stay up late or wake up early to see it?: Wake up early, meditate and have something good to eat.

Three items I can’t live without: Laptop, cell phone and car.

Make dinner or make reservations: Lately Continued on 22

Favorite reality TV show: Top Chef. Continued on 22

PHOTOGRAPH:

Steve Blazo

A Kiss That Lasts Forever

t age 72, Lawrence J. DeNardis of Hamden has a long career in public service. He was a Republican state senator for ten years (1970-79) and served a single term in Congress representing Connecticut’s Third House District. Defeated for reelection in 1982, he then served as an assistant secretary for Health and Human Services (1985-87). He’s been chairman of the state Board of Education and Tweed-New Haven Airport. He was president of the University of New Haven for 14 years until he retired in 2004. Today, he does consulting work for governments in eastern Europe and central Asia. Last month he announced the formation of an exploratory committee for this year’s gubernatorial campaign. NHM Publisher Mitchell Young interviewed him for ONE2ONE.

vvv Before we get into local politics, I’m interested in some of your work outside Connecticut. Since I stepped down from the presidency of the University of New Haven about ﬁve and a half years ago, I decided to devote myself to international activities. I became afﬁliated with a non-governmental organization [called] the Institute for New Democracies. Six months later, they asked me to be chairman. We do contract work in various locations in eastern Europe and Asia, now central Asia…

upon for international election monitoring, generally in hotspots, [working] with European parliamentarians or current members of Congress. I have done that twice in the Ukraine. Wasn’t that a hot time? Yes, that was the hottest time — the socalled Orange Revolution, which [in 2004] brought a democrat — small ‘d’ — to the presidency [Viktor Yushchenko]. Now five years later, he is in the throes of being dumped. He wasn’t democratic enough? Well, revitalizing the economy is such a daunting task in Ukraine that unless you have a lot of silver bullets in your belt, it’s not going to happen. So Viktor Yushchenko, the one who had his faced scarred [by dioxin poisoning at the hands of government agents] finished a poor fifth just yesterday [January 17] in the parliamentary elections.

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But this was a regular free and fair election — not like the last one? Yes. The one in December 2004 was about as corrupt as an election can be and caused the people to take to the streets in Kiev. I was staying at a hotel in Independence Square. People were in the streets and it was cold and they were there morning, noon and night. They had the orange pennant, which became the symbol of the campaign to democratize Ukraine.

Like Kazakhstan?

Why?

Yes, the ‘stans.’ We’re currently in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. The other organization I’m afﬁliated is called Global Concepts and Communications. I’m there as a senior adviser and part of a group that is available to do consulting work. It’s former ambassadors, academics, Ph.Ds galore — people with a lot of international experience. However, not with a lot of political experience, so when a job comes in that involves a political dimension, the CEO calls me. I’ve done some work in Bulgaria and in Kosovo. I was there [Kosovo] in December. I’m going again in a week.

The opposition at that time could not buy advertising; they weren’t allowed to get billboard space or to be on the radio. The best they could do was this small orange pennant which became the way for them to advertise to fellow Ukrainians what was going on. It was one of the most incredible moments of my life to see that. They beat a guy (Viktor Fedorovych), Yanukovych, who was considered a tool of the old Communist masters and the new economic oligarchs. They had taken off their Communist hats and put on their capitalist caps, with an orientation toward Russia. When his election was certiﬁed, people said no. It was outrageous — ‘we know how our neighbors voted, this won’t stand.’ Finally, the Ukrainian Supreme Court overturned it.

Another organization I’m involved in is the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress. We sometimes get called

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Let’s put aside the politics, and talk about the person: Why would you rather do that job than what you are doing now? I was born and bred in Connecticut. Although I’ve traveled very widely, I’ve lived here all my life. I have great concerns for Connecticut at this time. I have never felt this way before, that we are on a downward arc. This [current state] budget — we’ll be more in the hole than at any time in the 20th century. It is a huge structural deﬁcit that cannot be easily repaired. But [equally important] Connecticut’s economy is on this downward arc, and there doesn’t seem to be a strategic vision for where we head.

Hamden. My parents moved the family to Hamden when I was a teenager.

constitutional amendment — but one with a lot of holes in it.

You went to Hamden High?

Is Connecticut overtaxed or under-taxed now?

Well, you’re not new to the game.

Yes, met my wife there and we have stayed in Hamden. My state senate time I think we’re currently overtaxed, largely was the 1970s, congressman in the early because state government has just grown ‘80s and in Washington for the rest of the like kudzu. Municipal governments have ‘80s. I was a guest scholar for the Woodrow as well. Wilson International Center for Scholars Is state government too large or are state and came back to head the Connecticut employees just too well paid? Public Expenditure Council [CPEC]. It There is a propensity for mission creep was largely supported by business; it was the ‘green eyeshade’ research organization — things get added that in good times are a feel-good thing. We’ll add a commission, to look at the Connecticut budget and ﬁve members we’ll only pay them per to produce timely research. It didn’t diem, and all of sudden that grows and really have an ax to grind other than to grows. Governor Rell was not wrong in look at every expenditure and put it in focusing on the plethora of boards and perspective for business leaders. People commission we have. in government, we always waited for the CPEC analysis. What does the next governor need to achieve real results? I recall you talking about tying total state government expenditures to the overall They should have knowledge, experience, personal wealth in the state. the right skill set and above all the

I’m deeply rooted in Connecticut affairs. I was a delegate to the Connecticut Constitutional Convention in 1965, the youngest of all the delegates and my start in politics. I was a state senator for ten years in Hamden. I have always lived in

I wrote an op-ed piece in the Courant in 1991 when we were in a ﬁerce debate on the [income tax] saying that if we have an income tax, we should have a constitutional amendment to guide spending. As it happened, they did pass a

The next governor has to have a creative vision to structurally transform state government and its operations so it will perform more economically, more intelligently, more effectively. I am intrigued by that challenge.

political will to accomplish what needs to be done. They need to do this in the next four years. I don’t have a lot of time to be playing governor. If I do it based on knowledge and information and communication, and if it’s the right thing

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new haven

Benjamin

Berta

Continued from 20

Is it okay to break up by e-mail? Telephone? Do people really do that? And no, deﬁnitely not.

he tells me to “Stay alive! No matter the cost!” (Swoon.)

If I could have dinner with any three living people, they’d be: Jude Law, Queen Elizabeth and Anderson Cooper. Three items I can’t live without: ChapStick, my phone and the Episcopal Hymnal. Favorite reality TV show: I don’t get reality TV, and stopped watching it about three years ago. At the time, I liked Project Runway and Top Chef. (Are they still on?) Game show I would totally clean up on: Jeopardy, for sure. Favorite talk show host: Can’t say I have one, but I bet Ellen DeGeneres would be at the top of the list. Does Anderson Cooper count? America’s obsession with celebrity culture is…: A sad reality. I could say I don’t get it, but I’d be deceiving myself. However, I think it has gotten really out of control, and I don’t understand why [celebrities] are so newsworthy every time they screw up their lives. The sunrise — stay up late to see it? Or wake up early to see it?: Deﬁnitely wake up early to see it, with a nice cup of gourmet dark roast coffee in my hand as I watch it rise. Make dinner or make reservations?: Depends on the person and the occasion, but I do love going out to a nice restaurant and enjoying an exceptionally good meal. Fortunately, New Haven has many to choose from. Favorite thing to do alone: Hmm. After a long day of running around and being exhausted, I look forward to just coming home, taking off my shoes, and sitting down in front of the TV with a nice glass of red wine. (Malbec or Grenache, preferably.) Habit I’d like to break: Waiting until the last minute to do really important things. My ‘type’: Someone brooding and sarcastic, with a sophisticated sense of humor, who loves being active and outdoors, and can appreciate haute cuisine without being snobby about it. Oh, and they have to be a morning person.

Love me, love my…: My house and all that is in it! It’s an old 1772 center-hall Colonial. Sound charming? Well, it’s all original, even the windows and window panes. Add the two dogs, two cats, large teen boys and a little bit of clutter. When it comes to dating, what’s the deal breaker? If there is not laughter. Well, there are many deal breakers, but the less obvious one is the lack of a sense of humor. I want to have fun. I can be serious, of course, but especially early on, there should be laughter. Is it okay to break up by e-mail? Telephone? It all depends. I generally wouldn’t, but once there was a guy who only texted me — never wanted to talk on the phone — except to say that he wanted to hang up and talk to me online and instant message. So I texted him his ‘Dear John.’ But generally, no. If I could have dinner with any three living people, they’d be: President Obama, [Osama] bin Laden — so that they could ﬁnally meet — and Daniel Day Lewis (of course). Three items I can’t live without: Hair product, a book and now my laptop. In that order. Favorite reality TV show: Survivor. I love to watch this with my kids. At least that’s what I tell everyone, that we are bonding. Game show I would totally clean up on: To Tell the Truth Favorite talk show host: David Letterman

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America’s obsession with celebrity culture is…: Frightening. The sunrise — Stay up late to see it? Or wake up early to see it?: Stay up late to see it. Make dinner or make reservations: Reservations. Favorite thing to do alone: Putz around. That’s my mother’s word. I just putz around — a little of everything without any concern for time or others. Habit I’d like to break: Interjecting my thoughts into other peoples’ conversations. My ‘type’: Should ﬁt like a glove. TEMPLE MEDICAL BUILDING 60 Temple St, New Haven • Hrs: M–F, 9–5 203-772-3884 • www.justriteshoes.com

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Brander

Demers

Ott

Continued from 15

Continued from 18

Margaret Cho and Deepak Chopra.

Game show I would totally clean up on: Deal or No Deal! No esoteric trivia to remember — you just have to pick cases and know when to quit!

Three items I can’t live without: Food, water and shelter. Favorite reality show: My Life on the D List Favorite talk show host: Jon Stewart or Conan O’Brien America’s obsession with celebrity culture is: Schadenfreude. I think most people like to see the rise and fall of celebrities because it reafﬁrms that no matter how much money or privilege someone has, we all take a pie in the face once in a while. The sunrise: Stay up late or wake up early to see it?: Wake up early — although if I can get a nap in the next day, I’ll do both. Make dinner or make reservations?: Make dinner when it’s comfy, cozy and romantic. I love to cook! Make reservations when I need to get dolled up. Favorite thing to do alone: Take a long, meditative walk with my dog. Habit I’d like to break: Being ﬁve to ten minutes late. My type: Hilarious, passionate, smarty pants, sociable, inventive.

WAVE Chocolates

Continued from 20

Favorite talk show host: Oprah (but I bet you knew that!) America’s obsession with celebrity culture is: Sad. If people invested the same interest, attention and energy into their own lives, they’d probably be living happier, more meaningful lives. The sunrise: Stay up late or wake up early to see it?: Wake up early! I’m actually up before sunrise on most days. I like going to the gym ﬁrst thing in the morning and getting a jump-start on the work day.

Favorite talk show host: Jon Stewart The sunrise: Stay up late or wake up early to see it?: Wake up early. Each New Year’s Day I join a group of friends to climb up to the top of East Rock to view the ﬁrst sunrise of the New Year. Make dinner or make reservations?: Make dinner. Favorite thing to do alone: Develop and print photographs in the darkroom. Habit I’d like to break: Twirling my hair when I’m concentrating. My type: Really smart and hysterically funny is a killer combination.

Make dinner or make reservations: Deﬁnitely reservations! I love trying all sorts of different restaurants.

Feiner

Favorite thing to do alone: Off-leash walks with my dog in the woods or at the beach.

it’s reservations. Favorite thing to do alone: Take a hot bath

Habit I’d like to break: Falling asleep on the sofa with my contacts in.

Habit I’d like to break: Facebooking so much

My ‘type’: In ten words: healthy, happy, mature, compassionate, romantic, multifaceted, ambitious, intelligent and fun.

My type: Kind, patient, outdoorsy, self assured.

Continued from 18

Joseph A. Conte Jewelers, Inc.

39 Years of Jewelry Manufacturing

The Finest

HANDMADE CHOCOLATES in New Haven

Specializing in engagement rings, wedding rings and settings. Set while you watch by Joseph A. Conte personally. www.josephacontejewelers.com

WAVE New Haven | 1046 Chapel St. 203.624.3032 | wavenewhaven.com 22

february 2010

203.248.9853 or 203.248.9852

2582 Whitney Ave, Hamden

A DIY Valentines Day Recession-proof February fun for you and the love of your life By Chelsea Jacob Tyler

las, the ever dreaded and adored day of February — 14 in which loved ones are entitled to share artifacts and treasures with one another that express their love and admiration — is at hand. It’s 2010. Let’s get creative.

your fabulous newfound cooking skills. Really impress her by serving handmade chocolate covered strawberries for dessert. End the night with a DVD in the comfort of your own living room.

Gifts from the heart, thought-provoking adventures, and stimulating activities are what get the blood ﬂowing and the memory lanes churning with excitement. With the economy being what it is (in a state of seemingly neverending recession) why not use this to our advantage by expressing love through innovative and affordable ways that are right outside our greater New Haven doors.

Get Out!

Get Cooking Grab your better half and stop by your favorite legendary Elm City pizzeria. Purchase some tasty dough to whip up your own homemade pizzas for a romantic dinner. Pick up some fresh produce from your New Haven County local vendors (the Wooster Square farmers market is open even in dead of winter; visit cityseed.org) and get to work! The act of cooking together is not only fun but also exciting. Or take a cooking class at Wooster Street legend Consiglio’s (consiglios.com). Light some candles and take your ﬁrst delicious bites into what you as a couple prepared. Pick up an affordable bottle of wine from a local vineyard such as Wallingford’s Gouveia or Chamard in Clinton to complement

Bundle up together, grab your camera, and bring the dog to Sleeping Giant in Hamden or the lesser-traveled Mattabesset Trail in Guilford. There’s nothing more romantic then walking hand in hand throughout the beautiful trails with the only noises being the birds chirping and leaves blowing. Take photographs to document your Valentine’s Day in the southern Connecticut wilderness.

Culture Vultures Like New Yorkers who have never visited the Statue of Liberty or Empire State Building, hordes of New Haveners never think to take advantage of the Elm City’s cornucopia of low- or no-cost cultural offerings. The Yale University Art Gallery has more than 185,000 objects for your viewing, while the British Art Center houses the largest collection of British art beyond the British Isles. They’re nearly right across the street from each other — and they’re free. Stroll through the gallery and take in the culture Chapel Street has to offer. Talk to each other and share an intimate moment listening to each other’s views on paintings, sculptures, and objects. Take in a world premiere — Rinne Groffe’s

Compulsion, starring Mandy Patinkin — at the Yale Repertory Theatre. Or for an even cheaper and more intimate even of theater, check out Park Street’s best-kept secret: the production of Missed Connections at Yale Cabaret (yalecabaret. org), where the performers are literally inches away.

Creature Comforts Sojourns to New York City can be overwhelmingly exciting — and devastatingly expensive. The Yale Peabody Museum is an ideal excursion for the history buff whose eyes are constantly glued to the “modern marvels.” Women can have a tough time contemplating what the perfect male VDay gift is without being too feminine. Ladies, this the perfect plan for the man who enjoys his (natural) history hobby. At $7 per person, it’s a deal you just can’t beat.

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Watch him enjoy his “dinosaur daunting” while you think about what fabulous outﬁt you can wear to dinner. Open noon-5 p.m. this Valentine’s Day (a Sunday).

The Soulmate Stroll

the view. Beach in February? Doing the unexpected is sometimes the most exciting. Make it your own. Bundle up and keep each other warm. Listen to the waves and enjoy each other’s company with a luscious glass of Champagne in hand.

Up the Creek Wake up bright and early. Spend your Sunday morning eating freshly baked scones with a fresh cup of joe at the Stony Creek Market. Watch the waves and gaze out onto the Thimble Islands. Take a walk to the docks and soak up the scenery. There is something very special about Stony Creek. A small village nestled within Branford lies quaint and charming homes with a view that one must only see to believe.

’Tiquing Togetherness It’s all in the hunt! Spend the day traveling up and down the shoreline visiting your local vintage and antique stores. Connecticut is known for its hidden treasures and houses some of the best antiques shops in the county. Search for that perfect bureau or that table you’ve been jonesing for for the foyer. Remember to look for the imperfections so you both can head home and refurbish together. Get down and dirty with some paint and sanding materials and have a blast designing something beautiful for the home you share together.

Life’s a Beach Grab a bottle of bubbly and head to Hammonasset Beach in Madison to watch the sunset. Lay down some blankets, snuggle up next to your loved one and take in

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If dinner plans are already in the works, make sure to stroll hand in hand throughout the center of whichever restaurant you have visited. Branford, Guilford, Madison and of course New Haven itself have beautiful downtown shopping districts with great displays and beautiful lighting. Sip some evening coffee, tea or hot chocolate and window shop together. Take in the scenery of your local town and remember how charming, romantic and simple an evening walk can truly be. In more ways than one can even count, New Haven County truly does offer the world at your ﬁngertips. Harness your creative energy, contemporary sensibility and local resources to design a fabulous day full of love and awe. A day ﬁlled with excitement and heart-warming fun will satisfy any female more than a necklace that can be seen on every other woman who walks by. From exploring the art and culture scene to hundreds of hiking trails to choose from, let this year’s Valentines Day be one you won’t forget — and one your wallet will survive as well. v

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Welcome to America An Elm City agency that aids refugees receives help from an unexpected source By CINDY SIMONEAU

‘Wisconsin 10’ during a break in the action during a whirlwind week last month. At top left is IRIS executive director Chris George. PHOTOGRAPHS: Sarah Zitzler

new haven

ollege students on winter break between semesters traditionally use the valuable time to reconnect with family and friends, work at jobs to ďŹ nance the next semester and catch up on sleep. Not so for a group of University of Wisconsin students, who opted to put their time to important use serving refugees in New Haven.

Dubbed the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wisconsin 10,â&#x20AC;? the team volunteered to help new refugees through the work of the Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services (IRIS) on Nicoll Street in New Haven. They scrubbed ďŹ&#x201A;oors and bathrooms, washed ďŹ&#x201A;oors, hanged curtains, built and made beds and selected clothing for an Iraqi family of six to move into an Orange Street apartment starting life in the United States.

IRIS Director Chris George. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re so fortunate they chose to come here.â&#x20AC;? George said the move-in time for the Iraqi family was moved up and the hard work of the students was critical in making the apartment a home ready for everyday living. They ďŹ nished just as the family came in the door. In fact, the students did not even unpack their own bags or take a rest from their own long journey to the East Coast before setting about the task of making accommodations and selecting the needed household and clothing essentials the family would require. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Their work was essential for us, and for these refugees,â&#x20AC;? says George. For the remainder of their weeklong stay, students performed a wide array of tasks including sorting through a warehouse of donated household items, building a rack for clothing storage, stocked and worked at the food pantry, tutored clients in English and helped relieve ofďŹ ce staff.

In addition, two of the student accompanied family members to Yale New-Haven Hospital to help them ďŹ ll out forms and understand medical information provided during examinations for the children.

They also blanketed the city with posters for upcoming IRIS fundraising events including its â&#x20AC;&#x153;Run for Refugees,â&#x20AC;? a ďŹ vekilometer run and walk on Super Bowl Sunday (February 7), and an art exhibit and sale at Atticus Bookstore/CafĂŠ to

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Interestingly, when these students drove 17 hours out here from Wisconsin, they passed probably 20 to 30 resettlement agencies where they could have worked, but they chose to come here,â&#x20AC;? says

GOT

beneďŹ t the fund. Some of the Wisconsin students can personally relate to the plight of refugees adjusting to a new country and language since they too hail from overseas. Huiyu (Charlotte) Deng, a student in international studies, hails from Chengdu, China, while DaEun Kim, a sophomore studying religion is from Ulsan, South Korea. Both are studying at Wisconsin. Another student, bilingual with English and Spanish understands the frustration some of the clients feel with trying to master important information they need for school, housing, health care and jobs when they can barely speak the language. Jose Hernandez of Highwood, Ill. , a senior majoring in biology and pre-med studies, says he felt a keen sense of accomplishment helping others navigate the English language. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really a good feeling when you know something weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done, or our work this week, has really helped so many people,â&#x20AC;? says Shannon Sullivan, a senior psychology major from Highland Park, Ill. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Working with IRIS, I found out how difďŹ cult it is for these refugees to come to the Untied States and basically start

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a new life,” says Sarah Zitzler, freshman elementary education major from Walworth, Wisc. “I was glad we are here to help, even if it was only for a week. I know some of us have been looking into working with a refugee organization in Wisconsin. It was an amazing experience, and I’ve met so many great people from all parts of the world.” a work on While the IRIS is dependant on d Coua Mou w Jee Yong an e donated clothes Yo ry en H the hard work of volunteers, help Students to help stor resale othing rack of sold at a building a cl to refugees from outside the region is new to n refugees ve g gi in er lp th toward he at will be ei the organization. Students from New th op where all proceeds will go sh Haven and other Connecticut schools Students Hen ry Yow Jee Yong and Coua Mou rack to help sto are active, weekly participants in a work on build re donated clo ing a clothing thes that will at Cuba, Congo, Afghanistan and a re sale shop wher helping to provide needed services. Others be either given e all proceeds to refugees of will go toward sold Somalia. Among the services helping refuge are interns with specific skills. es provided are housing, adult education Each year at IRIS, established in 1982, 300 — especially in learning language and other apartments individual clients are helped — 150 new skills — child-care services, health-care to newcomers. Clients are then refugee arrivals and 150 previous clients. appointments and job placement. Finding able to walk to the center for services and “Our goal is to give them a good start on jobs is the most difficult area for refugees. consultations. their new lives,” George explains. “We’re George says his agency works with a “Access to services if key to their successful in a constant race against the clock, and “good group” of landlords within walking assimilation to the community,” he says. money is very limited to support them distance of the office, just around the with all their needs.” To learn more about IRIS, to make a donation corner from Wilbur Cross High School, or to volunteer, visit its Web site: IrisCT. Currently about 70 percent of IRIS who are willing to help with renting org. v clients are from Iraq, with others from

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ATH OME

he Phoebe Wallace Jewett House was described in Elizabeth Mills Brown’s classic 1976 book New Haven — A Guide to Architecture and Urban Design as “a particularly crisp and wellﬁnished example, with a good Ionic porch and a delectable balcony on the east side.”

The house is indeed a historic residence in the classic 19th century Elm City neighborhood of Wooster Square. Phoebe Wallace Jewett lived out her life there, but some time between her death and recent history this single-family home became a legal two-family residence. During last year’s downward slide of real estate values it was placed on the market. Soon after Jonathan Weinberg and his partner of 26 years, Nick Boshnack, snapped it up. Along with housing the pair and their pair of cats, Stieglitz and Gertrude, the new owners took in a stray named Sybil who had Feline Immune Deficiency disease, also known as cat AIDS. But this is not a story about a house that became an animal shelter. This house easily falls into the Federal style of dwelling. The “normal” layout of a Federal has the entry and stair to one side, a hallway that runs the length of the house beside the staircase, and one bay of rooms that runs from the front to the back of the house. What makes this home exceptional is the second floor, where a seamless curve redirects the hallway from the stair and allows for an east face bump out to create a “double loaded” hallway back to the second master bedroom. The luminosity of the natural light of the stair flows down through these curves and that one simple curving gesture (as well as the sinuous stair and an alcove that is carved out below it) make this example of a traditional house type delightful in its interior elaboration. On the exterior, as Miss Brown noted, the focus on the Ionic columns makes this home a special place in a special neighborhood. This is also not a tale of renovating a house that was in bad shape — the previous owners cared for it very well. For example, the wood floors, largely verticalgrain fir, were in exquisite shape. The exterior of the house would not need 28

february 2010

By DUO DICKINSON

A Wooster Square gem becomes infused with a thoroughly modern sensibility

Sofas, paintings, radiator enclosures, light fixtures and art are all visually detached from the existing white walls and trim which were left completely untouched by this homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new occupants. PHOTOGRAPHS: ANTHONY DECARLO

new haven

Straley

Prevosti

Continued from 20

Is it okay to break up by e-mail? Telephone? Do people really do that? And no, deﬁnitely not.

he tells me to “Stay alive! No matter the cost!” (Swoon.)

create

ENROLL NOW in visual art classes and workshops for adults and young people OPEN HOUSE: Sunday, February 28, 2 pm – 5 pm

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Continued from 18

Margaret Cho and Deepak Chopra.

Game show I would totally clean up on: Deal or No Deal! No esoteric trivia to remember — you just have to pick cases and know when to quit!

WAVE Chocolates

Continued from 20

Make dinner or make reservations: Deﬁnitely reservations! I love trying all sorts of different restaurants.

Feiner

Favorite thing to do alone: Off-leash walks with my dog in the woods or at the beach.

it’s reservations. Favorite thing to do alone: Take a hot bath

Habit I’d like to break: Falling asleep on the sofa with my contacts in.

Habit I’d like to break: Facebooking so much

My ‘type’: In ten words: healthy, happy, mature, compassionate, romantic, multifaceted, ambitious, intelligent and fun.

My type: Kind, patient, outdoorsy, self assured.

Continued from 18

Joseph A. Conte Jewelers, Inc.

39 Years of Jewelry Manufacturing

The Finest

HANDMADE CHOCOLATES in New Haven

Specializing in engagement rings, wedding rings and settings. Set while you watch by Joseph A. Conte personally. www.josephacontejewelers.com

WAVE New Haven | 1046 Chapel St. 203.624.3032 | wavenewhaven.com 22

february 2010

203.248.9853 or 203.248.9852

2582 Whitney Ave, Hamden

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The view upon entry. The ascending and bending stair and perfectly restored newel and rail provide a vertical lift to the oversize window (above), while a hallway (left) leading back to the living room beyond and the dining room (left).

A proud hybrid of Federal massing using semi-Victorian and neo-classical elements including the entry portico and demi-balcony (far right), a simple shape with extraordinary adornments set in a Wooster Square neighborhood.

An array of portraits by homeowner Weinberg evidences an extraordinary sense of character, color and insight. A portrait of legendary Yale architectural historian Vincent Scully is at lower right.

february 2010

Just as Weinberg’s paintings are statements of color applied to the predictable backdrop of an antique home, the brightly colored and crisply detailed furnishings they’ve filled the house with pack maximum impact at minimal expense. The preponderance of furnishings come from Ikea and other standard purveyors and use crisp lines and bold colors to create bold distinction from the soft, lumpy and familiar quality of the harboring home. This is a lowimpact inhabitation of heavy contrast, using the 19th-century home as the passive counterpart to the intense (and sometimes humorous) artistic endeavors and obsessions of its owners. Some rooms are completely dedicated to the cause of Weinberg’s art. He has created his own “gallery” from a living space on the second floor. His studio, like his paintings’ storage room, was created from an existing bedroom, and the aroma of paint is ever-present. Lastly his office — a place where his work as both a professor and art historian working with words takes place — dominates the space as clearly as his artwork does other rooms. This Wooster Square home is representative of thousands of others

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A curving wall allows a shift in the upstairs hallway turning a classic stair and hall into a center-hall plan and organization of a wider home.

Perhaps when Weinberg and Boshnack found Sybil, the abandoned AIDSinfected cat, it was a metaphor for the new uses they imposed on their old home. They have created a place of physical refuge in this small New England city where, despite a vibrant arts community and the intellectual crucible of Yale, different perspectives can illicit unpredictable and sometimes challenging reactions. where homeowners ﬁnancially stretched to afford a great location and a solid “move-in-ready” place to live. In this case the structure itself evokes a sensibility that is unmistakably in counterpoint to its contents. Many antique homes have an enormous overlay of historic gravitas and speciﬁc

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stylistic “correctness.” The choices when dealing with an antique home are pretty stark — either you kowtow and toe the line with historicist religiosity, or you contrast the history with an eclectic attitude. Just as Weinberg’s artistic outlook and intellectual focus counterpoints much of the classical art world, this home’s stolid normalcy serves as the foil for an exultant artist within.

B uilding a F oundation

There are hundreds of personal refuges like this one throughout the Elm City: beautiful older, traditional homes where non-traditional lives ﬁnd comfort and unconventional attitudes ﬁnd safe harbor — not only within the welcoming shelter of a home’s protective walls, but in the embrace of an open and engaged neighborhood and city. v

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ART GALLERY TALKS/TOURS Focus On is a weekly series of talks by gallery curators, Yale faculty, graduate students and independent scholars that concentrates on one or a small group of works. Come learn more about the YUAG collection. 12:20-1:10 p.m. Wednesdays at Yale University Art Gallery, 1111 Chapel St., New Haven. Free. 203432-0600, artgalleryinfo@yale.edu. Art Slide Lecture Series with Joy Marie Pepe, This series looks at the emergence of American painting and its independence from European tastes. Two lectures: “Teacher and Protégé: Benjamin West, 1738-1820 & Gilbert Stuart, 1755-1828,” the latter famous for his painting of George Washington on the $1 bill. The second is “Family Affair: Charles Willson Peale 1741-1827 & Sons.” An accomplished painter and naturalist, Peale founded a natural history museum in Philadelphia. 2-3 p.m. February 2, 9 at Guilford Free Library, 67 Park St., Guilford. Free. 203453-8282.

Eero Saarinen was a prolific and famously controversial architect and furniture designer. His works range from the Sydney Opera House, Dulles Airport, three Yale buildings and the “tulip chair.” Eero Saarinen: Shaping the Future is the first major exhibition to examine his wide-ranging career from the 1930s through the early 1960s. February 19-May 2 at Yale University Art Gallery, 1111 Chapel St., and Yale School of Architecture, 100 York St., New Haven. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat. (until 8 p.m. Thurs.), 1-6 p.m., Sun. Free. 203-4320600, artgallery.yale.edu, Varieties of Romantic Experience: Drawings from the Collection of Charles Ryskamp is the first exhibition of its scope (some 200 pieces) dedicated to northern European drawings — British, German,

primarily for his printmaking and color block paintings, Sillman also privately and extensively examined materials and new techniques, seen here for the first time. Exhibition features Sillman’s abstract drawings and watercolors as well as color studies created in collaboration with Albers. February 13April 18 at the Florence Griswold Museum, 96 Lyme St., Old Lyme. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily except Mon., 1-5 p.m. Sun. $9 ($8 seniors, $7 students, under 12 free). 860-434-5542, flogris.org.

Continuing Out of House and Home is the second half of Work/Place, a two-part series exploring the environments on which our survival depends. Here, the Arts Council of Greater New Haven

EXHIBITIONS Opening Early architectural drawings, manuscripts, maps, models and scientific instruments are the subject of Compass & Rule: Architecture as Mathematical Practice in England, 1500–1750. The first exhibition of its scope in North America illuminates the expanding role of architecture in the period with objects ranging from medieval masons’ drawings on stone to detailed drawings from the 18th century. February 18–May 30 at Yale Center for British Art, 1080 Chapel St., New Haven. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tues.-Sat., noon-5 p.m. Sun. Free. 203-4322800, ycba.yale.edu.

february 2010

Traces of Things That Are Living & Dead. New Haven sculptor Phil Lique is known for his fantastical, hybrid-style animals and other imaginative figural works. He frequently subverts the functionality of ordinary materials while pushing the conceptual boundaries between renewal and decay, nature and artifice, and stability and chaos. Through February 20 at Artspace, 50 Orange St., New Haven. Open noon-6 p.m. Tues.-Thurs., noon-8 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Free. 203-772-2709, artspacenh.org. New Haven painter Anna Daegle exhibits new work using unconventional materials that engage in her long-standing investigation into the sublime and the grotesque. Through February 20 at Artspace, 50 Orange St., New Haven. Open noon-6 p.m. Tues.-Thurs., noon-8 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Free. 203-772-2709, artspacenh.org. Wall Art: The Photography of Philip Rubin. Proceeds from the sale of photographs will benefit Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services (IRIS). Through February 21 at Atticus Bookstore/ Café, 1082 Chapel St., New Haven. Free. info@atticusbookstorecafe.com. In Julika Rudelius: Social Studies — Photographs and Videos the German-born artist explores private experience in a public context. Her occasionally provocative subjects ranges from adolescent boys talking about their sexual experiences to politicians telling interns about the realities of Washington social life. Through February 28 at Zilkha Gallery, Wesleyan Center for the Arts, 283 Washington Terr., Middletown. Open noon-4 p.m. daily except Mon., noon-8 p.m. Fri. Free. 860-685-3355, wesleyan. edu/cfa.

Drawing and the Northern Romantic Tradition, 30-minute gallery talk by Timothy Barringer, Paul Mellon professor history of art at Yale. Part of the “Art in Context” series. 12:30 p.m. February 23 at Yale Center for British Art, 1080 Chapel St., New Haven. Free. 203432-2800, ycba.info@yale.edu. Anthony Gerbino gives the opening lecture for the Compass and Rule exhibition: The Paper Revolution: Drawing in English Architectural Practice, 1500-1750. Gerbino is the architectural historian and senior research fellow, Worcester College, University of Oxford. Exhibition examines the role of mathematics in architectural design and building technology. 5:30 p.m. February 24 at Yale Center for British Art, 1080 Chapel St., New Haven. Free. 203-432-2800, ycba. info@yale.edu.

Boston Post Rd., West Haven. Open 1-5 p.m. weekdays except Mon., noon-3 p.m. weekends. Free. 931-6065, newhaven.edu.

That’s why they call it Wall Art. Photographs by Philip Rubin are on view at Atticus Bookstore/Café through February 21.

French, Danish and Dutch. It treats Romanticism (1789-1848) as an international phenomenon by including British as well as Continental artists. British artists include J.M.W. Turner, Cornelius Varley, William Blake and Henry Fuseli. February 4-April 25 at Yale Center for British Art, 1080 Chapel St., New Haven. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tues.Sat., noon-5 p.m. Sun. Free. 432-2800, ycba.yale.edu.

contrasts the comforts and securities of home with the uncertainties and anxieties attending the recent mortgage crisis, record foreclosures and plummeting real-estate values. Curated by Debbie Hesse and Joy Pepe. Through February 5 at the Parachute Factory, Erector Square, 319 Peck St., Bldg. 1, New Haven. Open 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Wed., noon5 p.m. Thurs.-Fri. and by appointment. Free. 203-772-2788. newhavenarts.org.

Image 2010 exhibits works from the 29th annual juried photography competition for Connecticut photographers, organized by the Shoreline Arts Alliance. February 8-27 at Guilford Art Center, 411 Church St., Guilford. Open noon-4 p.m. Free. 203-4586699, shorelinearts.org.

Recent work by Kevin Van Aelst includes photographs and constructions of common materials and images of everyday life rearranged and reassembled to reflect and soothe the fancies of the artist’s mind. Van Aelst attempts to impose order on the uncontrolled and discover large ideas in the minute details of our surroundings. Van Aelst currently teaches art at Quinnipiac University and the ACES/Educational Center for the Arts. Through February 16 at Seton Art Gallery, University of New Haven, 300

Sewell Sillman: Pushing Limits. Artist, fabled teacher, art publisher and protégé of Bauhaus master Josef Albers, Sillman (1924-1992) was heavily influenced by Albers’ approach to color, design, drawing and education. Known

The distinctive, stylistically varied textiles in Splendid Details are richly colored and detailed. Examples include Chinese silk jackets, Japanese robes and Mongolian horsemen’s gowns, intricately embroidered in vibrant floral patterns, Chinese characters and symbols, and woven dragons. All pieces are from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Through March 5 at Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies Gallery, Wesleyan University, 343 Washington Terr., Middletown. Open noon-4 p.m. daily except Mon. Free. 860685-2330, wesleyan.edu/east. Small Works — Big Voices is an exhibition of eight-by-ten-inch works in multiple media (photography, oils, collages, watercolor) by female artists from the shoreline. Exhibition is the product of a new collaboration between the Shoreline Arts Alliance and the Women & Family Life Center. Proceeds of the sale of artworks will benefit both sponsoring organizations. Through March 21 at the Carriage House Gallery, Women & Family Life Center, 96 Fair St., Guilford. By appointment. 203-453-3890, shorelinearts.org, womenandfamilylifecenter.org. — Susan L. Hartt

a new life,” says Sarah Zitzler, freshman elementary education major from Walworth, Wisc. “I was glad we are here to help, even if it was only for a week. I know some of us have been looking into working with a refugee organization in Wisconsin. It was an amazing experience, and I’ve met so many great people from all parts of the world.” a work on While the IRIS is dependant on d Coua Mou w Jee Yong an e donated clothes Yo ry en H the hard work of volunteers, help Students to help stor resale othing rack of sold at a building a cl to refugees from outside the region is new to n refugees ve g gi in er lp th he ei that will be ill go toward w ds ee oc pr the organization. Students from all shop where New Haven and other Connecticut At IRIS, Wiscon sin students — so themselves — schools are active, weekly help newly arriv me of them new to America n ed refugees pr th clients are from Iraq, with others eir adopted Engli participants in helping to provide needed actice hone sk sh tongue. ills in from Cuba, Congo, Afghanistan services. Others are interns with specific and Somalia. Among the services skills. provided are housing, adult education apartments to newcomers. Each year at IRIS, established in 1982, 300 — especially in learning language and other Clients are then able to walk to the center individual clients are helped — 150 new skills — child-care services, health-care for services and consultations. refugee arrivals and 150 previous clients. appointments and job placement. Finding “Our goal is to give them a good start on jobs is the most difficult area for refugees. “Access to services if key to their successful their new lives,” George explains. “We’re assimilation to the community,” he says. George says his agency works with a in a constant race against the clock, and To learn more about IRIS, to make a donation “good group” of landlords within walking money is very limited to support them or to volunteer, visit its Web site: IrisCT. distance of the offi ce, just around the with all their needs.” org. v corner from Wilbur Cross High School, Currently about 70 percent of IRIS who are willing to help with renting

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help Cupid hit his mark. Steichen will even read audience members’ love dedications from the stage. 7:30 p.m. February 12 at East Haven High School, 35 Wheelbarrow La. $45-$35. 203-8650831, newhavensymphony.org.

Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34. 8 p.m. February 23 at Sprague Hall, 470 College St., New Haven. $34-$27 (students $14). 203-432-4158, music.yale.edu. Music for chamber orchestra is performed by a lean and mean Yale Philharmonia. STRAVINSKY Dumbarton Oaks, Concerto in D Major; NIELSON Clarinet Concerto (with Woolsey Competition winner Paul Won Jin Cho); COPLAND Appalachian Spring (original version). 8 p.m. February 26-27 at Sprague Hall, 470 College St., New Haven. Free (but ticketed). 203-432-4158, music.yale.edu. In Praise of American Music. Celebrated choral conductor Dale Warland leads the Yale Schola Cantorum, Yale Camerata and Yale Glee Club in music of Barber and Kyr, as well as a premiere by Daniel Kellogg. 3 p.m. February 28 at Woolsey Hall, 400 College St., New Haven. Free. 203-432-4158, music.yale.edu. Harpsichordist Linda Skernick performs works of J.S. Bach. 3 p.m. February 28 at Yale Collection of Musical Instruments, 15 Hillhouse Ave., New Haven. $20 (students $10). 203-432-0825, music.yale.edu.

POPULAR Wench is an all-girl band that plays danceable music spanning the genres of rock, pop, blues and more. Originating in fall 2008 in Bennington, Vt., this quartet has been getting Bennington College on its feet to dance

Cambridge, Mass.-based singer/ songwriter/bandleader/musical alchemist Eilen Jewell performs music that melds vintage R&B, Midwestern garage rock, Chicago blues and early rock and rockabilly. Her newest CD is Sea of Tears on the Signature Sounds label. Dog Bite opens. 10 p.m. Feb. 12 at Café Nine, 250 State St., New Haven. $8. 203-789-8281, cafénine.com.

Violinist Ani Kavafian has embarked on a project to record the complete Mozart violin concerti (there are five). On February 18 she joins the New Haven Symphony in a performance of Concerto No. 3 at Woolsey Hall.

for the last year, and now they’re ready to share the experience. With Fey Ray, Motion Sick, Field Recordings and the Press. 9 p.m. February 4 at the Space, 295 Treadwell St., Bldg. H, Hamden. $10. 203-288-6400, thespace.tk. Jjoin the New Haven Symphony Pops under Gerald Steichen for My Irish Valentine. An evening of surprises featuring romantic standards loved by lovers everywhere. Look for special guest surprises at what promises to be a memorable evening sure to

Wesleyan University, 283 Washington Terr., Middletown. $5. 860-685-3355, wesleyan. edu/cfa.

ONSTAGE OPENING

In Unexpected: Voices of Incarcerated Women stories written by women previously or presently incarcerated in York Correctional Institute will be performed by the women themselves and Wesleyan students. Novelist Wally Lamb will read from I’ll Fly Away: Further Testimonies of the Women of York Prison (2/25). Proceeds will support education programs for incarcerated women. Directed by Ron Jenkins. 8 p.m. February 25-26 at Center for the Arts,

february 2010

The Neighborhood Music School continues its popular Children’s Concert Series with a performance by singer/songwriter Jay Mankita. Mankita’s concerts for children and families promote kindness and respect, sustainability, healthy choices, literacy and appreciation for the natural world. His newest CD, Eat Like a Rainbow, is a “Parents’ Choice Approved” award-winner. 4

CONTINUING Aging and love are the themes of Lil’s 90th, a new play by Darci Picoult that makes its world premiere at LWT (see review this issue). The excitement of a birthday celebration is interrupted by a surprise intended to be happy that tests loving bonds. Playful and touching, Lili’s 90th stars veteran actors and life-partners Lois Smith and David Margulies. Jo Bonney directs. Through February 7 at Long Wharf Theatre Stage II, 222 Sargent Dr., New Haven. $65-$30. 203-787-4282, longwharf.org.

James Lewis Carter Ford is a Mississippi blues musician better known by his stage name, T-Model Ford. Unable to remember his exact date of birth, he began his musical career in his early 70s and has continuously recorded for the Fat Possum Records label. His musical style melds traditional Chicago blues and juke joint blues styles with the rawness of Delta blues and the rebellious attitude of 1970s-style punk. 10 p.m. February 26 at Café Nine, 250 State St., New Haven. $12. 203-789-8281, cafénine.com. Back by popular demand: Irish Night at Lauralton Hall. Music by the Highland Rovers Band, Trad (featuring Lauralton teacher and Celtic music master Damien Connolly), the Fairfield Gaelic Pipe Band and champion Irish step dancers from the Lenihan School of Irish Dance in Monroe. Plus, “Luck of the Irish” raffle, table contests, coffee and dessert. 7:30 p.m. February 27 at Lauralton Hall, 200 High St., Milford. $25. Reservations. 203-877-2786, ext. 114, lauraltonhall.org. As part of the 33rd annual Essex Winter Series of concerts, the Northeast Traditional Jazz Ensemble performs. 3 p.m. February 28 at Valley Regional High School, Kelsy Hill Rd., Deep River. $25 ($20 seniors, $6 children, students). 860391-5578, essexwinterseries.com.

Inspired by the story by Meyer Levin, Compulsion concerns the singular determination of a man to translate Anne Frank’s diary into English and adapt it for the stage. His passion becomes lifelong obsession, intensified when he learns a publisher is also intent on bringing the diary to American audiences. Mandy Patinkin stars; Rinne Groff directs. Through February 28 at Yale Repertory Theater, 1120 Chapel St., New Haven. $67-$35. 203-432-1234. yalerep.org. — Susan L. Hartt PHOTOGRAPH: Paul Kolnik

The longest-running musical in Broadway history, A Chorus Line returns! Everyone knows the absorbing story of 17 dancers auditioning for spots in the chorus of a new show on the Great White Way. The stage is bare as the hopefuls audition and reveal their histories and desires in song and (obviously) dance. February 16-28 at Palace Theater, 100 E. Main St., Waterbury. Performances 8 p.m. Fri., 2 & 8 p.m. Sat., 1 p.m. Sun. $59-$49. 203346-2000, palacetheaterct.org.

Neil Simon’s The Sunshine Boys. The comedy to end all comedies. Al Lewis and Willie Clark, are elderly, retired vaudevillians who were once a redhot beloved comedy team onstage, but offstage bickered over trivialities in real life. February 25-March 21 at Seven Angels Theatre, 1 Plank Rd., Waterbury. $37.50-$29. 203-757-4676, sevenangelstheatre.org.

The 15th annual Amity Teen Center Benefit features more bands than you can (or probably would) shake a stick at, and it’s all for a good cause. Featuring Oath of Insanity, Expiry, Parkland Ave., Ocecmic, She Eats Planets, Falling Up Stairs, Salty Grapes, Same Mistake Twice, As Pirates Often Do, Beyond Her Eyes and For Never Yours. 4 p.m. February 15 at Toad’s Place, 300 York St., New Haven. $12 ($10 advance). 203-6248623, toadsplace.com.

p.m. February 26 at Neighborhood Music School, 100 Audubon St., New Haven. $10 ($5 children). 203-624-5189, nmsmusicschool.org.

That singular sensation, A Chorus Line, comes to Waterbury’s Palace Theater for a two-week run.

PHOTOGRAPH:

Anthony DeCarlo

Uncomfort Zone LWT’s drama of life neverlasting doesn’t disturb enough

By BROOKS APPELBAUM Lil’s 90th, by Darci Picoult. Directed by Jo Bonney. Through February 7 at Long Wharf Theatre Stage II, 222 Sargent Dr., New Haven. 203-787-4282, longwharf.org.

really wanted to admire every aspect of the world premiere of Lil’s 90th at Long Wharf’s Stage II. Directed by Jo Bonney, Darci Picoult’s play tells a story that urgently needs telling: what happens when one partner in a 65-year marriage becomes increasingly compromised, while the other remains strong and healthy in body and mind. In her moving production notes, Picoult writes that she wanted to “capture denial and how tempting it is to get comfortable.” She adds, “I wanted to get really uncomfortable.” Yet one of the major problems with the script, at least at this stage of its development, is that it doesn’t make us uncomfortable enough. Picoult tips her hand early so that we see the plot wheels turning much too soon. It’s always easy to rewrite someone else’s play, but I can imagine Lil’s 90th being more successful if we had only the merest hints, until much later into the action, about the climactic and destructive event that is occurring. As it is written, we learn about this event too early, and the rest of the plot from there feels like a suspended dénouement. Beyond this, the plot itself lacks the nuances and shades of grey that make most family conﬂicts so maddening, even when they are less dire. Ironically, I felt as if no one associated with this production wanted the audience to feel too bad about what ought to feel unbearable. I always admire the playwright who can combine humor with pathos, but here the humor too often comes across as a protective shield against the deep darkness that the play announces as its subject. Only in the last beat does the playwright approach the level of discomfort that she claims to have intended. By then it’s almost too late. That beat has lingered with me, but

L-r: ‘Fly-by-Night’ writers Connolly and Mitnick with Summer Cab Artistic Director Rosenstock outside their Park Street lair. PHOTOGRAPH:

Anthony DeCarlo

Lois Smith stars in the title role of Darci Picoult’s world premiere, Lil’s 90th, on Long Wharf’s Stage II. PHOTOGRAPH: T. CHARLES ERICKSON

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much of the rest of the play faded too soon, considering the emotional potential of its subject.

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february 2010

Lil’s 90th is the ultimate kitchen-sink play: the kind in which you can see from the back of the Stage II theater the contents of the refrigerator. Unfortunately, Scenic Designer Frank J. Alberino does nothing unusual, interesting or aesthetically meaningful with the set. Instead, three rooms are crowded onto the relatively small stage, and one of these — in which important action takes place — is barely visible. The set lacks depth or levels, so that the actors are forced to walk in increasingly familiar and uninteresting paths from left to right and right to left with only occasional excursions downstage. If this is meant to be a metaphor for the characters’ lives, the choice doesn’t work — especially because each character is in a different emotional and mental place in his or her life. None is stuck in a way that would justify this kind of visual ﬂatness. Because music is such an important element in the play, one can’t help but wonder why the director signed off on the choice of loud contemporary jazz for curtain and between-scene interludes. Not only does it become almost instantly distracting and jangling, but it has no relation to Lil’s and Charlie’s generation (we are told they married in 1945). The signature song of this production, in particular, seems grossly out of place. There are numerous upbeat love songs from the 1930s or ‘40s that would have been a better choice to signify Lil’s and Charlie’s music — the music they would have shared in the ﬁrst blush of love and thus remembered forever after.

To its credit, this production has a Lil and a Charlie who could not be better. Lois Smith plays Lil with charming gusto, and she manages to find what nuance there is in the lines she has been given. David Margulies as Charlie is maddening, heartbreaking and loveable beyond belief, sometimes all at once. His performance, especially, gives this play its tragic heart. In supporting roles, Nick Blaemire (Tommy) and Lucy Walters (Deirdre) do strong and specific work. Blaemire brings welcome energy to the stage, and his scenes with his mother (Kristine Nielsen, as Stephanie) and his grandmother, Lil, introduce the complicated nuance missing elsewhere. Walters, who makes spoton physical choices with her lithe dancer’s body, has a lovely scene with Margulies in which she unveils Deirdre’s intelligence and instinct when we have almost decided that Deirdre is just a pretty face with a shallow soul behind it. Not so, we discover, and this is a welcome discovery in a play that needs more discoveries, more layered characters, and more genuine suspense. I applaud Picoult for taking on this fascinating and important subject, and I’m glad, too, that the Long Wharf has brought these excellent actors together. I hope Lil’s 90th has a future in which Picoult does some considerable revision and allows her audiences to become more deeply involved and uncomfortable with the painful and distressing truths she has begun to uncover. We need these stories. However, since in our own families we are all too likely to protect ourselves with denial, we especially need these stories to show us, without flinching, the damage denial can do. v

BELLES LETTRES The Mystery Book Club meets first Wednesdays to discuss a pre-selected book. Books available for loan in advance of discussion. 3-4 p.m. February 3 at Blackstone Library, 758 Main St., Branford. Free. 203-483-6653, blackstone.lioninc.org/booktalk.htm. 2010 Thornton Wilder Writing Competition. Open to all Connecticut high school students with a chance to win $600. Entries of up to 2,500 words can be one-act plays, TV scripts, essays, stories, and poems. Deadline February 3. Miller Memorial Central Library, 2901 Dixwell Ave., Hamden. 203-287-2680, hamdenlibrary.org. New members are welcomed to the Blackstone Library Second Tuesday Book Club. Group meets to discuss a pre-selected book. Books available for loan in advance of discussion. 6:45-8 p.m. February 9 at Blackstone Library, 758 Main St., Branford. Free. 203-4881441, ext. 318, blackstone.lioninc.org/ booktalk.htm. Fiction Writing Seminar with Patricia Lapidus, writing consultant and local author of two books (Sweet Potato

a Pushcart Prize. She is the author of Cloisters, which won Tupelo Press’ First Book Award and the da Vinci Eye Award. Jim Reese’s poetry and prose has been published in New York Quarterly, Prairie Schooner and Connecticut Review. 8 p.m. February 16 at English Department Common Room (D253) Southern Connecticut State University, 501 Crescent St., New Haven. Free. 203-392-6745, parrisht1@southernct.edu.

Book Discussion: Dear American Airlines by Jonathan Miles. A hilarious but moving story of Bennie Ford, who misses his estranged daughter’s wedding when his flight is canceled. He pours his frustration into a letter of complaint that becomes a lament for all that is wrong with his life. 7 p.m. February 22 at Miller Memorial Library, 2901 Dixwell Ave., Hamden. Free. 203287-2680.

Elm Street Book Club meets to discuss Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson. After a failed attempt to climb K2, Mortenson was taken in and cared for by Pakistani villagers. Their generosity moved him to promise to return and build a school. Thus began a remarkable humanitarian campaign to fight terrorism and build a nation one school at a time. 6 p.m. February 17 at New Haven Free Public Library, 133 Elm St., New Haven. Free. 203-946-8835, 3cups.eventbrite.com.

Release your inner poet. Time Out for Poetry meets third Thursdays and welcomes those who wish to share an original short poem, recite a dearly loved stanza or simply to listen. Ogden Nash, Robert Frost, William Shakespeare, Dr. Seuss and even the Burma Shave signs come to life. 12:30-2 p.m. February 18 at Scranton Library, 801 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Free. 203421-1961.

The Comic Book Artist Guild brings together professional and aspiring writers of the genre to talk about the process of producing comic books. Attendees participate in workshops about writing, artistic production,

The Hagaman Memorial Library sponsors a Let It Snow Adult Reading Contest. Participants read as many books as they can between January 4 and March 26. With each book read participants are entered in one of the library’s random drawings to win a gift card to local restaurants and stores. The person who reads the most books will earn a $25 gift card to Aniello’s Restaurant. Through March 29 at Hagaman Memorial Library, 227 Main St., East Haven. Free. 203-468-3890, hagamanlibrary.info.

BENEFITS Lift your glass to celebrate the fifth year of Green Street Arts Center. A Feast for the Senses features a silent auction to benefit Green Street’s after-school program and scholarship fund. Live performances, visual arts, world cuisine, beverages and delectable dessert bar. 6-9 p.m. February 18 at Green Street Arts Center, 51 Green St., Middletown. $50. 860-685-7871, greenstreetartscenter.org.

Think spring by taking in the Connecticut Flower & Garden Show February 18-21 at the Connecticut Convention Center.

Suppers and Swamp Walking Woman). Open to fiction writers of all levels. 6-7:30 p.m. February 10 at New Haven Free Public Library, 133 Elm St., New Haven. Free. Registration. 203-946-8835, writingfiction.eventbrite.com. Writers Out Loud: Literary Open Mic. Green Street offers writers a night to share works-in-progress, socialize and seek constructive comments. Readings limited to prose short stories or excerpts under ten minutes, with feedback and sharing to follow. 7-9 p.m. February 11 at Green Street Arts Center, 51 Green St., Middletown. $3 members, $5 others. 860-685-7871, greenstreetartscenter.org. Support your local poet. Poetry Reading: Bock + Reese. SCSU grad Kristin Bock has been nominated for

storyboarding and publishing. 1-3 p.m. February 20 at Green Street Arts Center, 51 Green St., Middletown. Free. 860-6857871, greenstreetartscenter.org. Contemporary Book Discussion: The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë by Syrie James. Named Best First Novel in 2008 by the Library Journal, James’ account blends historical fiction and fact to explore the life of Charlotte Brontë, whose real life reads like a contemporary soap opera. Living in secluded Yorkshire with her sisters, a drug-addicted brother and an eccentric father losing his sight, poor, plain Charlotte poured all of her passion into her stories. 3 p.m. February 22 at Hagaman Memorial Library, 227 Main St., East Haven. Free. 203-468-3890, hagamanlibrary.info.

Get ready for Fat Tuesday fun at the Mardi Gras Gala & Silent Auction benefiting the New Haven Free Public Library, a night of good food and jazz. Costumes and masks are optional. 5:30 p.m. February 26 at New Haven Lawn Club, 193 Whitney Ave., New Haven. $75. 203-946-8130, ext. 314, barbara. segaloff@nhfpl.org.

CINEMA It’s been called the ultimate melodramatic, atmospheric, glamorous chick flick. Now Voyager (1942, USA, 117 min.), starring Bette Davis as a repressed spinster who transforms herself, takes control of her life and ultimately discovers happiness. It earned an Oscar for Best Picture and a Best Actress nomination for Davis. 5:30 p.m. February 3 at New Haven Free Public Library, 133 Elm St., New Haven. Free. 203-946-8835. Cupid just turned eight. Valentin (2002, Argentina, 83 min.) is a comingof-age story by director Alejandro Agresti about a boy abandoned by his parents and raised by his eccentric

CALENDAR grandmother. His dream — to reunite with his mother — takes a turn when he suddenly finds that he has a strong connection with his father’s new girlfriend. 1-3 p.m. February 11 at Blackstone Memorial Library 758 Main St., Branford. Free. 203-488-1441, blackstonelibrary.org. What could be more romantic for Valentine’s Day than Wuthering Heights (1939, USA, 104 min.)? Laurence Olivier stars in the story of two star-crossed lovers, Cathy and Heathcliff, who are separated by prejudice and class. Based on the novel by Emily Brontë. 2 p.m. February 13 at Yale Center for British Art, 1080 Chapel St., New Haven. Free. 203-432-2800, ycba.info@yale.edu. Set in the world of artists and musicians, Gertrud (1964, USA, 119 min.) follows the idealistic protagonist who leaves her husband to have an affair with a composer. In flashbacks we learn of her adolescence and how it defined her ideal of love. 2 p.m. February 20 at Yale Center for British Art, 1080 Chapel St., New Haven. Free. 203432-2800, ycba.info@yale.edu. Bon apetit! Julie and Julia (2009, USA, 123 min.). A wonderful slice of a movie based on two true stories. Julie Powell, a young writer working in a dreary job, blogs about her attempt to cook every one of Julia Child’s recipes from her cookbook The Art of French Cooking in one year. With Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. 1 p.m. February 23 at Blackstone Memorial Library 758 Main St., Branford. Free. 203-488-1441, blackstonelibrary.org. Play it again, Sam, with Casablanca (1943, USA, 102 min.). Life, death, intrigue, Nazis and romance all set against the backdrop of Rick’s Café Américain in this most romantic of motion pictures from Hollywood’s Golden Age. Incomparable cast includes Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Peter Lorre, Sidney Greenstreet, Claude Rains. 5:30 p.m. February 24 at New Haven Free Public Library, 133 Elm St., New Haven. Free. 203-946-8835. A Sense of Wonder (2007, USA, 55 min.). The Branford Land Trust presents a documentary-style film based on the life and writings of pioneering environmentalist Rachel Carson. In the final year of her life as she battled cancer, Carson worked to spread the word about the risks posed by chemical pesticides. 7-8 p.m. February 24 at Blackstone Memorial Library 758 Main St., Branford. Free. 203488-1441, blackstonelibrary.org. Divided We Fall: Americans in the Aftermath (2006, USA, 90 min.). An award-winning film written and produced by Valerie Kaur and directed by Sharat Raju. Kaur was a 20-year-old

new haven

New Haven I February/2010

08 ONE2ONE Back in the day he was a congressman, university president and chair of the state’s Board of Education. Now, at 72, Larry DeNardis is eyeing the governor’s mansion.

13 NEW HAVEN’S COOLEST SINGLES Back by popular demand, one of 2009’s most popular NHM features returns for an encore presentation

23 A DIY VALENTINE’S DAY

In AT HOME, a New Haven classic gets a not-quite-extreme makeover

Steve Blazo

Streetcar desire, Dr. Pepsi comes to Science Park and other things you might not know (but should)

28 WOOSTER STREET OASIS

PHOTOGRAPH:

07 INTEL

37 THE UNCOMFORT ZONE At Long Wharf, a world premiere drama of life neverlasting

42 WORDS OF MOUTH Talk about a study in contrasts: Liese Klein profiles Le Petit Café, Ay! Salsa and Grille Cheese To Go.

46 DISCOVERED At Wallingford’s On Track Karting, the thrill is in the competition. And the competition is fierce

How to make the most of February 14 for you and your mate — without breaking the bank

25 WELCOME TO AMERICA A New Haven non-profit that helps refugees settle in America gets some unexpected resettlement help of its own

13 New Haven

| Vol. 3, No. 5 | February 2010

Publisher Mitchell Young, Editor Michael C. Bingham, Design Manager Larissa Philllips, Design Consultant Terry Wells, Contributing Writers Brooks Appelbaum, Duo Dickinson, Liese Klein, Cindy Marien, Caitlin Marquis, Melissa Nicefaro, Tashema Nichols, Joanna Pettas, Steven Scarpa, Cindy Simoneau, Chelsea Jacob Tyler, Editorial Intern Alyssa Casey, Photographers Steve Blazo, Anthony DeCarlo, Senior Publisher’s Representatives Mary W. Beard, Roberta Harris

february 2010

New Haven is published 12 times annually by Second Wind Media Ltd., which also publishes Business New Haven, with offices at 85 Willow St., New Haven, CT 06511. 203-781-3480 (voice), 203-781-3482 (fax). Subscriptions $24.95/year, $39.95/two years. Send name, address & zip code with payment. Second Wind Media Ltd. d/b/a New Haven shall not be held liable for failure to publish an advertisement or for typographical errors or errors in publication. For more information e-mail NewHaven@Conntact.com.

OUR COVER Ice sculpture by Bill Covitz of Ice Matters (icematters. com), Waterbury. Model Jasmim Figueroa. Makeup/hair by Leanne Harpin. Dress from Seychelles, New Haven. PHOTOGRAPH BY STEVE BLAZO.

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or some time I had read any number of accounts of a New Haven organization that assists refugees with transitioning to life and work in the United States. Imagine my surprise to discover that the non-profit group known as Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services (IRIS) is housed on the very same East Rock block as NEW HAVEN magazine. Small world, indeed.

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Immigration has of course become a hot-button issue in the United States — and nowhere more so than in New Haven, where Mayor John DeStefano Jr. has garnered national attention (by no means unanimously positive) by making city-issued identification cards available to recent immigrants irrespective of whether they’re here legally or not. The resulting firestorm over the Elm City’s role as “Sanctuary City” continues to this day. Regardless of how you feel about the immigration controversy, it is clear from Cindy Simoneau’s article that our well-intentioned neighbors at IRIS are performing a life-giving service to its wide-ranging clientele, many of whom are political refugees from troubled places such as Cuba and Somalia. Currently about 70 percent of the average 300 clients IRIS will see this year came to American from war-ravaged Iraq. Over the holidays the IRIS volunteers received some volunteer help of their own from ten students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. They trekked halfway across the country to spend one very busy week scrubbing floors and bathrooms, hanging curtains, making beds and selecting clothing for an Iraqi family of six moving into their new American home, right here in New Haven.

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It’s a heartwarming story for a month symbolized by the heart. And speaking of hearts, last February NHM published its first survey of “New Haven’s Coolest Singles” (some thought it should be “hottest” singles — but then that seemed to open up that whole global-warming can of worms). Our readers liked it so much we knew we had to do it all over again. And if that seems like pandering to readers’ lurid curiosity — well, maybe a little. But the main point was to illustrate that all the cool (and/or hot) single people in the Northeast aren’t all holed up in Manhattan or Boston. A lot of them are right here, too.

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college student (Yale Law ’11) when she set out across America in the aftermath of 9/11 to learn about hate against her community of Sikhs and Muslims. The film is celebrated as “a starting point for the new dialogue on race and religion that is essential to America’s future.” 6 p.m. February 26 at Whitney Humanities Center, 53 Wall St., New Haven. Free. 203-432-6556, arjan. singh@yale.edu.

CULINARY Chef’s Table Tastings provide the opportunity to find out how to prepare some of Zinc’s signature dishes. Chef Denise Appel and her team will discuss techniques and ingredients over a light dinner and wine tasting. This month learn all about chocolate and sparkling wines just in time for that big romantic day. Reservations are required and must be pre-paid. February 3 at Zinc, 964 Chapel St., New Haven. $35. Reservations. 203-624-0507, elizabethciarlelli@zincfood.com. Consiglio’s Cooking Class Club. Chef Maureen Nuzzo will demonstrate how

behind the bar and into the kitchen to whip up the tasty tapas this restaurant is renowned for. 7 p.m. February 9 at Barcelona Wine Bar & Restaurant, 155 Temple St., New Haven. $25. 203-8483000, barcelonawinebar.com.

DANCE Collaborations, a faculty dance recital featuring Patricia Beaman, Rachel Boggia, Hari Krishnan and Nicole Stanton. Joining them in this provocative program are guests Vipul Bhatti (from London), Rodney Brown (Santa Fe College and director of the Brown Dance Project), Austin McCormick (Company XIV). 8 p.m. February 26-27 at Center for the Arts, Wesleyan University, Middletown. $8-$6. 860-685-3355, boxoffice@wesleyan.edu.

EXPOSITIONS, FAIRS & FESTIVALS For an early taste of spring, visit the 29th annual Connecticut Flower & Garden Show, one of New England’s most celebrated garden shows, with 12,000

Come see birds of prey at the live raptor presentation by Wingmasters at the Peabody Museum February 20.

to prepare mouth-watering southern Italian dishes that have been passed down generation to generation. This month’s menu features grilled mozzarella, hearts of palm salad, grilled hunter steak and winterberry fruita di bosco. Reservations required. 6:30 p.m. February 4, 25 at Consiglio’s Restaurant, 165 Wooster St., New Haven. $65. Reservations. 203-865-4489, consiglios.com. City Farmers Markets New Haven. Eat local! Enjoy seasonal fruits, vegetables and herbs from local farms including seafood, meat, milk, cheese, handcrafted baked goods, honey and more. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. February 6, 20 at Wooster Square Russo Park, Chapel St. and DePalma Ct. 203-773-3736, cityseed. org. Cook the Book. Cook, taste, sip, read and blog your way through Barcelona’s cookbook. Find out what it takes to go

february 2010

square feet of design and horticulture competition, more than 250 judged entries, horticultural seminars, floral and garden arts and crafts, hundreds of displays and activities. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. February 18-20; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. February 21 at Connecticut Convention Center, 100 Columbus Blvd., Hartford. $14 ($12 seniors, $2 children, under 6 free). 860844-8461, ctflowershow.com. It’s time for the annual Guilford Antiques Show. Some 50 dealers offer antiques from the 18th to early 20th centuries. Room-like settings featuring furniture, estate jewelry, pottery, oriental carpets, garden items, paintings and folk art. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. February 20; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. February 21 at Elisabeth Adams School, 233 Church St., Guilford. $8. 845-876-0616, barnstar. com. Hundreds of booths will line the 13th annual Northeast Fishing & Hunting

Expo showcasing the latest products for outdoor enthusiasts. Meet flyfishing experts and test your skills on the Fishing Simulator to win a rod and reel. Hunters can try out the laser shooting range. For kids, an air shooting range and bass casting competition. Noon to 8 p.m. February 26; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. February 27; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. February 28 at Connecticut Convention Center, 100 Columbus Blvd., Hartford. $14 ($2 children 5-12, under 5 free). 860-844-8461, ctflowershow.com.

FAMILY EVENTS Creating Readers Saturdays at 2 Program. A fun, interactive program that engages young readers by bringing books to life using theater, dance and music. Each family that attends receives a copy of that week’s book to take home. 2 p.m. Saturdays at Connecticut Children’s Museum, 22 Wall St., New Haven. $5/person. 203-5625437, childrensbuilding.org. A Super Bowl Sunday event especially for kids! The Tanglewood Marionettes perform a tasty production of Hansel and Gretel, the timeless classic by the Brothers Grimm with music from the Humperdinck opera. Gingerbread, breadcrumbs, a witch and two children — what could be more intriguing? 2 p.m. February 7 at Center Gymnasium, Woodbridge Library, 10 Newton Rd., Woodbridge. Free. 203-389-3439, childresprograms@lioninc.org. School may be out, but the annual celebration of dinosaurs is in! Dinosaur Days at the Yale Peabody Museum. Hands-on activities for the whole family at the famous fossil dig and touch table. Watch museum experts prepare dino bones for display or see a Roxi Foxi puppet show (11 a.m. weekdays) and visit the Leitner Planitarium just two blocks away for free planetarium shows (3 & 4 p.m.). 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. February 15-20 at Yale Peabody Museum, 170 Whitney Ave., New Haven. $7 ($6 seniors, $5 children, under 3 free). 203-432-5050, peabody.yale.edu. Eli Whitney Museum and Workshop February Vacation Day Program. Museum offers a day-long program to enrich the school holiday with woodworking projects related to the theme of Winter Olympics 2010. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. February 15-19 at Eli Whitney Museum, 915 Whitney Ave., Hamden. $54 members, $58 others. 203-777-1833, eliwhitney.org. Spend four days at the Connecticut Audubon Society’s Winter Vacation Camp. Beachcombing, games, crafts and live creatures! Learn about how animals get ready for winter, look for treasures along the shoreline, identify animals by their tracks and conduct water experiments. Bring lunch and wear clothing for all weather conditions. 9 a.m.-noon February 16-19 at CAS Nature Center at Milford Point, 1 Milford Point Rd., Milford. $35/day, $120/4 days CAS members, $45/$160 non-members. 203-878-7440, ctaudubon.org.

Birds of Prey is a live raptor presentation by Wingmasters. Come find out how these feathered friends hunt, why they are at the top of the food chain and what their standing is in our rapidly changing environment. 11 a.m., 12:15 & 1:30 p.m. February 20 at Yale Peabody Museum, 170 Whitney Ave., New Haven. $7 ($6 seniors, $5 children, under 3 free). 203-432-5050, peabody. yale.edu. Winterfest. Bundle up and celebrate the season with snow and ice sculpture demonstrations, snowboarding and skiing exhibitions, free food samples, horse-drawn wagon rides and more. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. February 20-21 at Lyman Orchards, 32 Reeds Gap Rd., Middlefield. Free. 866-349-6015, lymanorchards.com. Winter Dino-Snore. What happens when the lights go out on the dinosaurs at the museum? Bring your sleeping bag and find out at the annual Peabody sleepover. This fun and adventurous evening includes activities, snacks and a movie. Limited to museum members only, children five and older, and one adult for every three children. 5:30 p.m. February 27-28 at Peabody Museum of Natural History, 170 Whitney Ave., New Haven. $40, 203-432-5050, peabody. yale.edu.

LECTURES Pulitzer Prize winning author Eugene Robinson will deliver a Black History Month keynote address: “We’re Someplace We’ve Never Been: Race, Diversity and the New America.” Robinson won the Pulitzer for his commentary on the 2008 presidential race for the Washington Post, where he pens a twice-weekly column on American society. In his 25 years at the Post he has worked as a city hall reporter, city editor, foreign correspondent (Buenos Aires, London) and assistant managing editor for the Style section. Robinson also broke racial barriers at the University of Michigan by becoming the first black editor of the Michigan Daily. 7 p.m. February 3 at Alumni Hall, Quinnipiac University, 275 Mount Carmel Ave., Hamden. Free. 203-582-8652. The Englishness of English Drawings, a 30-minute gallery talk by Scott Wilcox, senior curator of prints and drawings. Part of the YCBA’s “Art in Context” series. 12:30 p.m. February 9 at Yale Center for British Art, 1080 Chapel St., New Haven. Free. 203-432-2800, ycba. info@yale.edu. Quinnipiac University hosts the Celebrating Women’s Creativity Conference featuring Judy Norsigian, who will offer the keynote address Creative Women’s Health Activism — Our Bodies, Ourselves: We’ve Come a Long Way with a Long Way To Go. Norsigian is co-author of Our Bodies, Ourselves and is the executive director of the non-profit public interest women’s health education, advocacy and consulting organization of the same name. Conference offers workshops, discussions and a “yoga experience.” 8:45 a.m. February 20 at

5K run and walk course through East Rock Park. Benefits Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services (IRIS), which assists refugees from the U.S. resettlement program who may have had to flee their homes to avoid torture, persecution or death. T-shirts, computerized timing and a post-race party. 10 a.m. February 7 at Wilbur Cross High School, 181 Mitchell Dr., New Haven. $20-$14. 203-481-5933, jbsports.com.

Buckman Theater, Quinnipiac University, 275 Mt. Carmel Ave., Hamden. $35 ($30 seniors) advance; $40/$35 at door ($15 students). 203-582-8954, delany@ quinnipiac.edu. Sunday Salon with Peter Patton, who will discuss Water Crisis and Environmental Change in the American West. This Wesleyan professor of earth and environmental sciences has studied the impact of catastrophic floods on river systems and spent a decade focusing on the land shapes of the Escalante River Basin on the Colorado Plateau. His book, A Moveable Shore: The Fate of the Connecticut Coast concentrates on the development of small coastal coves on the Connecticut shoreline. 1 p.m. February 21 at Green Street Arts Center, 51 Green St., Middletown. $3 members, $5 others. 860-685-7871, greenstreetartscenter.org.

MIND, BODY & SOUL Yoga for Vitality, Peace, and Deep Relaxation. Enliven your spirit with a night of yoga with certified Kripalu instructor Sue Neufeld. Kripalu yoga reflects an interplay of body, mind and energy and includes physical postures, breathing techniques, deep relaxation and meditation. 7:30 p.m. February 3 at Case Memorial Library, 176 Tyler City Rd., Orange. Free. 203-891-2170. Full Moon Gong Relaxation. Deep sound healing with Kundalini yoga and meditative gong vibrations promise to bring you awareness and balance, physically and spiritually. 4 p.m. February 26 at Your Community Yoga Center, 39 Putnam Ave., Hamden. $20/session. 203-287-2277, yourcommunityyoga.com.

SPORTS/RECREATION Cycling Elm City Cycling organizes Luluâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ride, weekly two- to four-hour rides for all levels (17-19 mph average). Cyclists leave at 10 a.m. from Luluâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s European CafĂŠ as a single group; no one is dropped. 10 a.m. Sundays at Luluâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s European CafĂŠ, 49 Cottage St., New Haven. Free. 203-773-9288, elmcitycycling.org.

Spectator Sports

You must remember this: Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman star in perhaps the most romantic movie ever made: Michael Curtizâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Casablanca (1942), screened February 24 at the New Haven Free Public Library. The Little Lulu (LL) is an alternative to the long-standing Sunday morning training ride. The route is usually 20-30 miles in length and the ride is no-drop, meaning that the group waits at hilltops and turns so that no rider is left behind. The LL is an opportunity for cyclists to get accustomed to riding in groups. Riders should come prepared with materials to repair flats. 10 a.m. Sundays at Luluâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s European CafĂŠ, 49 Cottage St., New Haven. Free. 203773-9288, paulproulx@sbcglobal.net, elmcitycycling.org.

Green at 5:30 p.m. on the last Friday of each month for a slow-paced ride through New Haven streets. The ride ranges from 30 minutes to over an hour depending on weather. Critical Mass is not an organization; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an â&#x20AC;&#x153;unorganized coincidenceâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a movement of bicycles in the streets as traffic. After the event, everyone is invited to a potluck dinner at the Devilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gear Bike Shop. 5:30 p.m. February 26 Temple and Chapel streets, New Haven. Free. elmcitycycling.org.

Tuesday Night Canal Rides. Medium paced rides up the Farmington Canal into New Haven. May split into two groups based on peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s speed but no one will be left behind to ride alone. Lights are essential. 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays at CafĂŠ Romeo, 534 Orange St., New Haven. Free. william.v.kurtz@gmail.com.

Hikes

Note new time! Elm City Cycling monthly meeting occurs on the second Monday of every month. ECC is a nonprofit organization of cycling advocates who meet to discuss biking issues in New Haven. 7 p.m. February 8 at City Hall Meeting Rm. 2, 165 Church St., New Haven. Free. elmcitycycling.org. Critical Mass. Participants meet at the flagpole on the New Haven

Winter Tree Identification Hike. It could be romantic. Join the Sleeping Giant Park Association as they explore and name the trees of the park. Hikes leave from the bulletin board at the park entrance. Wear comfortable shoes, bring snacks, water and be ready for any kind of weather. No pets. 1:30-3:30 p.m. February 14 at Sleeping Giant Main Entrance, 200 Mt. Carmel Ave., Hamden. Free. 203-789-7498, sgpa.org.

Road Races/Triathlons Slip on your running shoes for a good cause and start your Super Bowl Sunday off with Honest Teaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Run for Refugees. A challenging certified

SCSU Men and Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Swimming and Diving host the Notheast-10 Championships for three days of intense competition. 4 p.m. February 5; 9 a.m. February 6-7 at Moore Field House, Southern Connecticut State University, 501 Crescent St., New Haven. Free. 203-392-6026, southernct.edu. Heroes Hat Trophy: Quinnipiac Bobcats vs. Yale Bulldogs Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hockey. The Heroes Hat Trophy is a memorial to the victims of September 11 and is dedicated to two Connecticut residents who lost their lives in the tragedy. Find out who skates off the ice with this prize when these teams meet up in this season series ender. 7:30 p.m. February 27 at TD Bank Sports Center, 305 Sherman Ave., Hamden. $14. 203-5823905, tickets@quinnipiac.edu. Cheer on the cheerleaders at the Quinnipiac All-Star & Competitive Cheer Challenge. Maryland, UConn, CCSU and Quinnipiac squads come together for a competition filled with fantastic flips, impressive routines and high voltage energy. 9 a.m. February 28 at TD Bank Sports Center, 305 Sherman Ave., Hamden. Free. 203-582-3905, tickets@quinnipiac.edu.

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WO RD S of MOUT H

By Liese Klein

PHOTOGRAPH:

NEW EATS: Grilled Cheese To Go

Anthony DeCarlo

One of a growing number of Yale SOMspawned entrepreneurs starting home-grown businesses, Inwald hopes to become a big cheese.

et both a taste of home and a glimpse of the entrepreneurial life at the new Grilled Cheese To Go stand in the Connecticut Post Mall in Milford. This food-court eatery is the ﬁrst in a chain of sandwich franchises and is a fresh alternative to the heavy, additivelaced fare offered nearby.

The pioneering Post Mall store has been bustling since it opened last year, Inwald says, and it’s not hard to see why. Centrally located near the escalators, Grilled Cheese To Go emits a tempting fragrance of toasted bread and offers shoppers a quick meal at the perfect size and price point.

Owner Michael Inwald says he has long been acclaimed for the tasty grilled cheese sandwiches he crafts for friends, using the best cheeses and breads he can ﬁnd.

My Swiss cheese on multigrain bread was prepared to order by a staff that took the grilling operation very seriously, checking and rechecking the sandwich for the perfect color and texture. Burnished and piping hot, the sandwich was generously sized and so tempting I came close to searing the roof my mouth. The hot cheese brought out the best in a pallid winter tomato and shards of red onion for a gooey, tasty and not-too-greasy treat. Although mild in ﬂavor, the light Swiss on my “Healthy Melt” delivered in the stringy goodness department.

“I’ve always had an obsession with grilled cheese — it’s the perfect food for a student with a tight budget and tiny kitchen,” says Inwald, 28. Inwald’s specialty became a business at the Yale School of Management, where he honed his plans and courted investors. He’s now on leave from the school and scouting new locations for additional stores.

february 2010

Other offerings include the classic American cheese on white bread and a cheddar on rye bread. Make your own combo with cheeses including provolone and Muenster, Italian and multigrain breads and toppings like bacon and basil. For the full childhood experience, add a serving of the fresh-tasting tomato soup, always warm by the grill. Sandwich prices top out at $3.49, with toppings 49 to 99 cents each. By delivering tasty, inexpensive comfort food, Inwald hopes to take Grilled Cheese To Go to the masses with stores in malls, train stations and other hightrafﬁc areas. Judging by the quality and satisfaction found in his sandwiches, he’s likely to do his business-school professors proud. Grilled Cheese To Go, Connecticut Post Mall Food Court, 1201 Boston Post Rd., Milford (800-348-5950).

some time to savor the bread — yeasty and as fresh-tasting as any you’ll ﬁnd in the area — or the seasoned olives and pickled beets, musky with mint and spices.

Anthony DeCarlo

Few can match Le Petit Café’s Ip in his ability to bring sophistication and classic technique to bear to elevate local and organic ingredients to art.

PHOTOGRAPH:

JUST A TASTE: Le Petit Café

Le Petit Cafe’s prix fixe menu — a set price for three courses — has long been its signature and is still an inflationadjusted bargain at $48. Diners choose from among four or five options for each course, with a variety of proteins represented, if not many vegetarian dishes. An appetizer of duck confit was generously sized, a meltingly tender leg and thigh served with microgreens and sliced radish. Apple and fruit jam added a touch of sweetness to bring out the richness of the meat. A scallop ceviche bathed the shellfish in a citrusy, brightgreen cilantro vinaigrette. Artfully presented on white plates, the arrival of each dish brought conversation to an appreciative halt. Entrées were equally eye-catching: A beautifully seared piece of Angus steak came in a complex peppercorn sauce with a profusion of classic French fries. Our server took pains to explain exactly what “medium rare” signified and the beef had a depth of flavor rare at any price. Stick-thin, crisp and greaseless, the fries put their fast-food cousins to shame. Ahi tuna was also expertly cooked with a crust of sesame and tangy mustard sauce. Devotion to quality ingredients and technique also paid off in an apple tart, as simple as a spray of paper-thin slices of apple arrayed on a buttery crust. Flavor and texture came together in perfect harmony, taking this diner all the way across the pond to the finest French patisseries.

trip to Paris is the perfect way to salute this most amorous of months, although a trip to Le Petit Café in Branford might be the next best thing. This intimate bistro has been seducing Shoreline diners since 1997 and continues its winning ways into a new decade.

Local chefs are ﬁnally catching up to Le Petit Cafe owner Roy Ip, who has long been crafting his menu around local and organic products. But few can match Ip in his ability to bring sophistication and

“I want to do simple food, but with flavor that is deep and true,” Ip says of his classic technique to bear to elevate those cooking style, which blends classical ingredients to art. Fewer still offer the French training and the fine-dining attentive service — overseen by Ip’s wife, traditions of his native Hong Kong. Winnie — and warmth found in this So if the City of Light isn’t on your eatery near Branford’s Green. itinerary this Valentine’s Day, you’d be The restaurant’s size makes for tight well served to make a reservation at Le seating, but soundproofing prevents Petit Cafe for a transporting meal. The the convivial atmosphere from turning Branford institution has kept up its cacophonous. standards and is the perfect setting for the meal of your dreams. To start, sip some wine, available by the glass or bottle, from a well-edited list Le Petit Cafe, 225 Montowese St., Branford starting at around $35 a bottle. Also take (203-483-9791).

new haven

PHOTOGRAPH:

EDITOR’S PICK: Ay! Salsa

Anthony DeCarlo

A veteran of Roomba and Bespoke, Gonzalez opened Ay! Salsa last year in a tiny High Street storefront.

ew Haven gets its share of rain and snow, but that hasn’t inhibited the growth of a lively food-cart culture at the margins of the Yale campus. Now a food-cart favorite has taken its act indoors (to a degree) and diners seeking quality Latin food are rejoicing.

Franco Gonzalez, who has cooked at Roomba and Bespoke, and partner Ernesto Garcia opened Ay! Salsa late last year in a tiny storefront across from the Yale British Art Center, just off Chapel Street on High. The space had long been home to Gastronomique, which offered French food to go, and the take-out tradition continues due to space constraints. However, two chairs and a metal counter offer some space for dining, if you don’t mind being serenaded up-close by Yale students in line complaining of their onerous reading assignments. It’s worth a little discomfort if only for Ay! Salsa’s arepas, sweet corn cakes studded with cheese and topped with a variety of sauces and meats. Addictive and satisfying, arepas are a staple snack

february 2010

in much of South America and it’s only a matter of time before they catch on here. Watch your back, quesadilla.

Ay! Salsa’s version of the arepa delivers with an appealing texture, lots of cheese and corn ﬂavor, although the marinated beef topping had some tough bits. A better pick is the adobo-spiced chicken, tender and smoky, enlivened by pico de gallo and creamy guacamole. The vegetable empanada also offered an appealing blend of ﬂavors and textures, anchored by savory black beans. The menu travels to Peru for a salad

with quinoa and a mango vinaigrette and stops south of the border with a full array of tacos, quesadillas and burritos. The house hot sauce and a rainbow of Mexican bottled hot sauces are on hand to spice things up. For about $7, most dishes come with flavorful yellow rice with fried plantains on top, making for a satisfying if not gut-busting meal. Mexican soft drinks are available, including a (non-alcoholic) sangriaflavored one that is nicely dry and fruity and goes well with the food. The only dessert is a mushy tres leches cake — you’d be better off stopping at nearby Liberry for a frozen yogurt to finish off your meal on a sweet note. After your arepa or empanada, you can visit the British Art Center or Yale University Art Gallery for free or take in some of Chapel Street’s boutiques and bookstores. The fresh flavors and skillfully prepared pan-Latin cuisine at Ay! Salsa is another jewel in this lively neighborhood’s crown. Ay! Salsa, 25 High Street, New Haven (203752-0517).

One2One

about is bioscience, but we have no big vision.

Foley has chosen to remain outside the [public] system, because raising money is his forte. [Lt. Gov. Michael] Fidele is going to play it by the system, because he was lieutenant governor to Rell when she signed the bill and he supported it. It is in court right now and being challenged.

What other economic engines should we be talking about?

Continued from 12

A lot of people agree that Connecticut must build a stronger economy. The factors of growth are many â&#x20AC;&#x201D; affordable housing, transportation, workforce, energy costs and supplies. The effect of local zoning, brownďŹ elds, the list is innumerable. All those elements have to be assessed. Where is our potential [competitive] advantage? We had an [economic] â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;clusterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; program a few years ago; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s now fallen by the wayside. There was only one [industry â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cluster] that has any semblance of organization â&#x20AC;&#x201D; thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bioscience. Governor Rowland was on the right track: He had a committee of business leaders and educators. It kept the ideas of strategic planning before the leadership of the state. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no longer in focus. We were the arsenal of democracy for so long because of our defense industry, but that is going by the board. The only thing we seem to be able to talk

I will be as supportive of the new technologies, research and development. I have an academic background; I understand technology-transfer. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nice to talk about [bioscience] but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not the salvation of Connecticut. No one thing is. Connecticut still has a huge ďŹ nancialservices industry â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Hartford insurers, Stamford investment banks â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and they are large employers. How do we support those employers in an environment where our companies are under attack? All of those are assets. There is a professional [workforce] tier that hopefully we can resupply with the people that have the professional education. But I worry about the kids simply graduating [from high school], not to mention going on to college. We can talk about the achievement gap, but we have a huge gap of educating all of our children. How can the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Department of Education operate in a way that goes beyond being a compliance enforcer to provide inspiration and support? If there was a strategic plan â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean a 700-page tome â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that was pushed

by the governor and supported by the legislature, with a lot of buy-in, then you can work with the different agencies. The education department isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going to go in a direction like you suggest without it being part of a whole with blessing from the top. You said that Connecticut was overtaxed. But large segments of the public and lawmakers in Hartford want to tax the folks down in FairďŹ eld County a whole lot more. How do you address that? First, I would want to know the facts. A lot of what will go on will have to be fact-based. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m someone who enjoys facts, research and understands it and will put it to work for the state. In many ways New Haven Mayor John DeStefano ran an issues-oriented, maybe even fact-based campaign, but it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take him far. The message that Connecticut needs to hear is that Connecticutâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very severe troubles are going to require leadership at all levels of society. It must be, in effect, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;All hands on deck.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; It will require a good communicator but it will also require someone who has integrity and I hope people will see me as someone who is not given to rhetoric. I will tell the truth but I will also try to set aspirations, because I will feel them. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a passionate person. v

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On Track’s highperformance Sodi karts are no toys — they can get up to about 40 mph on straightaways.

dd, but the in-laws from the Garden State recently suggested a DISCOVERED in Wallingford to cover. Now I’ve lived here for more than four decades, been through Skip Barber training at Lime Rock and attended races at Stafford Springs and Waterford Speedbowl, but hadn’t the foggiest that Connecticut has an indoor gokarting facility — this isn’t exactly Indy. The adrenaline was ready for activation! On Track Karting operates one of the country’s longest and most competitive indoor racing facilities. The 63,000-squarefoot indoor facility has an 1,800-footplus track and a ﬂeet of 40 mph-high performance Sodi Karts — real European racing karts.

You might suppose that this would be most appropriate for a kids birthday party, but those in the corporate outing demographic or mid-life crisis mode would have just as much fun. On Track Karting offers “arrive and drive” racing for both adults (ages 16 and up with valid driver’s license or learner’s permit) and juniors (ages eight to 15). Safety equipment and instruction are provided 46

february 2010

to all racers, and all must have a signed waiver to race. Those under 18 must have a waiver signed by their parents. Junior karts have four-horsepower engines and are designed ages eight to 15. Adult karts are 6.5 horsepower and are for drivers 16 and up, although experienced juniors ages 12 and up can attempt to qualify to run the adult karts through the junior upgrade program, explains Martin Tyrrel, CEO of On Track Karting. Junior and adult karts run on the same track, though not at the same time. An 8,000-square-foot build-out includes several viewing areas to watch the action, corporate meeting rooms, a lounge with leather couches and a big-screen TV, an arcade, an event room that can accommodate groups of up to 48 people anda new addition: the Grand Prix Grill. Budget $20 for a race and $5 for a license (all drivers must purchase a license). Or, jump right in with an annual license ($20) and a race package (5 races for $80, ten races for $150, or 25 races for $300). Drivers get around ten laps per race, and then a time sheet at the end to see

what their lap times are as well as where they placed. On “Ten-Minute Tuesdays” drivers get an extra two minutes of race time (it’s normally eight minutes a pop). Oh, and for those of you who’ve been to the facility in years past, it’s changed. There’s a new track that’s more than 100 feet longer, faster and more challenging than its predecessor. The pit lane, formerly at the far left of the building, is now in the center, and customers need to cross a 40-foot steel pedestrian bridge to access the pit lane. “In addition, customers now get a half-lap warm-up before the clock starts,” Tyrrel explains. “At the end of the session, it now takes less time for the karts to re-enter the pits. We also split the caution lights, so we have the option of putting only half the track under yellow when someone spins out (karts at the opposite end of the track should not have to slow down). We are also in the process of installing radiant heaters over the new pit lane and trackside viewing areas.” On Track Karting, 984 N. Colony Rd., Wallingford. 203-626-0464, info@ ontrackkarting.com. v

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Elementary and K-8 Schools

BARNARD ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES (PreK-8) 170 Derby Ave., (203) 691-3500 Wednesday, Jan. 20, 6-7:30pm Monday, Feb. 1, 6-7:30pm

L.W. BEECHER MUSEUM SCHOOL OF ARTS & SCIENCES (PreK8) 100 Jewel St., (203) 691-3800 Wednesday, Jan. 20, 6-7:30pm Thursday, Jan. 21, 10-11am & 6-7:30pm

HARRY A. CONTE/WEST HILLS (K-8) 511 Chapel St., (203) 946-8613 Wednesday, Jan. 20, 6pm Thursday, Jan. 21, 10am

JOHN C. DANIELS SCHOOL OF INT’L COMMUNICATION (PreK-8) 569 Congress Ave., (203) 691-3604 Wednesday, Jan. 20, 6pm Thursday, Feb. 4, 6pm Tours by Appointment any school day

DAVIS STREET ARTS & ACADEMICS (PreK-7) 130 Orchard St. (temporary), (203) 946-8660 Thursday, Jan. 21, 10:30am (SNOW: Jan. 22) Sunday, Jan. 24, 1pm (SNOW: Jan. 31) NEW SCHOOL BUILDING TOURS at 35 Davis St.: Tuesday, Feb. 9, 10:30am Wednesday, Feb. 10, 10:30am

EAST ROCK GLOBAL STUDIES (K-8) 133 Nash St., (203) 946-8867 Wednesday, Feb. 3, 10am & 6pm

EDGEWOOD MAGNET (K-8) 737 Edgewood Ave., (203) 946-8611 Thursday, Jan. 14, 6:30pm Thursday, Jan. 21, 10am Wednesday, Jan. 27, 10am

BENJAMIN JEPSON MULTI-AGE (PreK-8) 15 Lexington Ave., (203) 691-2900 Thursday, Jan. 21, 10:00am Tuesday, Jan. 26, 6:00pm

KING /ROBINSON INT’L BACCALAUREATE (PreK-8)

MAURO-SHERIDAN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & COMMUNICATIONS MAGNET (PreK-8) 191 Fountain St.., (203) 691-2800 Thursday, Jan. 21, 10am-12pm Wednesday, Feb. 3, 6-8pm SNOW DATE: Tuesday, Feb. 9, 6-8pm

MICROSOCIETY (PreK4-8) 311 Valley St., (203) 946-8828 Wednesday, Jan. 20, 10am-2:30pm & 5-7pm Wednesday, Jan. 27, 10am-2:30pm Wednesday, Feb. 3, 10am-2:30pm Tuesday, Feb. 9, 10am-2:30pm & 5-7pm

ROSS WOODWARD CLASSICAL STUDIES (PreK-8) 185 Barnes Ave., (203) 691-3100 Wednesday, Jan. 20, 6pm Wednesday, Jan. 27, 10am

WINTERGREEN - ACES (K-8) 670 Wintergreen Ave., (Hamden), (203) 281-9668 Thursday, Jan. 21, 6:30pm Thursday, Jan. 28, 6:30pm Any Wednesday (Jan. 13-Feb. 10), 9-10am

AMISTAD ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL (K-8) Elementary School Program (K-4) 540 Ella Grasso Blvd., (203) 772-2166 Wednesday Jan. 27, 6pm Saturday, Feb. 6, 10am Middle School Program (5-8) 407 James St., (203) 773-0390, ext. 16606 Wednesday, Jan. 27, 5:30pm Wednesday, Feb. 3, 5:30pm Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010, 10am

ELM CITY COLLEGE PREP CHARTER (K-8) Elementary School Program (K-4) 240 Greene St., (203) 498-0702 Thursday, Jan. 21, 6pm Saturday, Jan. 23, 10am Middle School Program (5-8) 794 Dixwell Ave., (203) 772-5332 Saturday, Jan. 23, 10am Thursday, Jan. 28, 7pm

Middle Schools

COOPERATIVE ARTS & HUMANITIES 177 College St., (203) 691-2400 Tuesday, Feb. 2, 6:00pm Wednesday, Feb. 3, 8:30am

HIGH SCHOOL IN THE COMMUNITY 175 Water St., (203) 946-7022 Thursday, Jan. 21, 6-8pm (SNOW: Jan. 28) Saturday, Feb. 6, 12-2pm (SNOW: Feb. 7)

HILL REGIONAL CAREER HIGH SCHOOL 140 Legion Ave., (203) 946-5845 Tuesday, Jan. 19, 4-6pm (SNOW: Jan. 21) Saturday, Jan. 30, 11am-1pm (SNOW: Feb. 6)

HYDE LEADERSHIP 306 Circular Ave., (Hamden), (203) 946-8121 Friday, Jan. 15, 9am Thursday, Jan. 28, 5:30pm Thursday, Feb. 4, 9am

METROPOLITAN BUSINESS ACADEMY 495 Blake St., (203) 946-6731 Saturday, Jan. 16, 12:30-2:30pm Tuesday, Jan. 19, 5-7pm Saturday, Jan. 23, 10am-12pm Thursday, Feb. 4, 9-11am Tuesday, Feb. 9, 5-7pm

NEW HAVEN ACADEMY 444 Orange St., (203) 946-8995 Saturday, Jan. 16, 10am-12pm Wednesday, Jan. 20, 12-2pm Sunday, Jan. 31, 12-2pm Wednesday, Feb. 3, 5:30-7:30pm Wednesday, Feb. 10, 12-2pm

RIVERSIDE EDUCATION ACADEMY 560 Ella T. Grasso Blvd., (203) 946-7181 Wednesday, Jan. 20, 1-3pm Thursday, Feb. 11, 5-7pm

EDUCATIONAL CENTER for the ARTS - ACES 55 Audubon St., (203) 777-5451 Monday, Feb. 10, 6 pm Any Tuesday through Feb., 2:30pm (Call Ahead to Reserve a Spot)

150 Fournier St., (203) 691-2700 Thursday, Jan. 14, 10:30am Thursday, Feb. 4, 5pm Any Thursday in Jan., 10am-12pm

ENGINEERING & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL (6-8) 804 State St., (203) 946-6610 Thursday, Jan. 21, 6:30-7:30pm Thursday, Jan. 28, 6:30-7:30pm

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150 Kimberly Ave., (203) 946-8974 Tuesday, Jan. 19, 10am Thursday, Feb. 4, 5pm

26 Old Post Road (Northford) (203) 484-9501 Thursday, Feb. 11, 5-7pm 358 Springside Ave., (203) 389-4333 Wednesday, Jan. 20, 4-6pm Saturday, Jan. 23, 11am-1pm

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PHOTOGRAPH:

Steve Blazo

Back to the Future New Havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s go-to Republican lion mulls a run for governor

february 2010

PHOTOGRAPH:

Bailey Cornell

Gentlemen, Start Your Engines By SUSAN E. CORNELL

On Track’s highperformance Sodi karts are no toys — they can get up to about 40 mph on straightaways.

february 2010

Steve Blazo

could be misconstrued. But he may come to regret that and change that the next time there is an opportunity.

PHOTOGRAPH:

We don’t hear much about Kazakhstan. What’s going on there? Kazakhstan is this huge land mass in the center of Eurasia with less than 20 million people that shares this long, long border with Russia. Kazakhstan has an old commie boss, [Nursultan] Nazarbayev. He is a very smart, shrewd and has quite adroitly steered his country westward, with the Russian bear to the north and the Chinese dragon to the east. His goal is to be considered part of Europe. Don’t they all want to be part of Europe there — Georgia, Armenia? But [Nazarbayev] has achieved this stunning success. Kazakhstan became the chair of the Organization for the Security and Cooperation of Europe, which was created as a result of the troubles of eastern Europe as a consequence of the Helsinki Accords in the 1970s. It has 56 [member] nations. The Organization for New Democracies [that DeNardis chairs] was approached six months ago to help them prepare for the chair. They were serious about it. I’ve been over and our people have been there. They are now the ﬁrst country chair that is a predominantly Muslim nation. Are they secular Muslims? Yes, like the ones I met in Kosovo — quite secular. It may be hard for Americans to believe there are truly secular Muslims. DeNardis: ‘ The next governor has to have a creative vision to structurally transform state government and its operations so it will perform more economically, more intelligently, more effectively.’

There was a lot of controversy about how President Obama should react to the elections in Iran. Should America lend more support to the opposition? We have botched things badly in Iran since the ’79 revolution that brought the Ayatollah Khomeini to power. Truth be told, we haven’t handled things well going back to the ‘50s, when we supported the Shah over [Mohammed] Mosaddeq, who was a democrat. We didn’t like him because he was a socialist. There is a lot of bad blood between the United States and Iranians who remember [that period]. There are a lot of Iranians who were born since [1979] and they may not be as scarred. It’s a large group and they want a 10

february 2010

different life. But in ‘79, the Revolutionary Guard was established. It was a small group at the time, carrying the banner for revolution. Now they have become larger and larger — now they’re carrying the banner for their own pocketbooks and don’t want to give up their power. Jimmy Carter had a foreign policy, especially in Latin America, that said ‘don’t deal with bad regimes.’ He wasn’t wrong, but you have to be very artful. I think we’re doing the best we can. I would like to see us [lend] stronger support to the people in the street, but Obama had just come to power and was trying to prove himself to the leadership in Iran by not making comments that

I’ll give you an example from Kosovo. It became Muslim in the 15th century when the Ottoman Turks took over that part of southeastern Europe. If you talk to Kosovars, they don’t know when their family became Muslims. It was not a few generations ago; it was a long time ago. But they don’t practice. So here you are with these important and interesting responsibilities all around the world. Why do you want to focus your attention and life back in Connecticut — on budgets and battles and toil in the mines? I’ve announced an exploratory committee that gives me an opportunity to explore the feasibility of declaring my candidacy for governor. But it means you would like to be governor? Yes, I would like to be governor.

Hamden. My parents moved the family to Hamden when I was a teenager.

constitutional amendment — but one with a lot of holes in it.

You went to Hamden High?

Is Connecticut overtaxed or under-taxed now?

Well, you’re not new to the game.

Yes, met my wife there and we have I think we’re currently overtaxed, largely stayed in Hamden. My state senate time because state government has just grown was the 1970s, congressman in the early like kudzu. Municipal governments have ‘80s and in Washington for the rest of the ‘80s. I was a guest scholar for the Woodrow as well. Wilson International Center for Scholars Is state government too large or are state and came back to head the Connecticut employees just too well paid? Public Expenditure Council [CPEC]. It There is a propensity for mission creep was largely supported by business; it was the ‘green eyeshade’ research organization — things get added that in good times are a feel-good thing. We’ll add a commission, to look at the Connecticut budget and ﬁve members we’ll only pay them per to produce timely research. It didn’t diem, and all of sudden that grows and really have an ax to grind other than to grows. Governor Rell was not wrong in look at every expenditure and put it in focusing on the plethora of boards and perspective for business leaders. People commission we have. in government, we always waited for the CPEC analysis. What does the next governor need to achieve real results? I recall you talking about tying total state government expenditures to the overall They should have knowledge, experience, personal wealth in the state. the right skill set and above all the

Web: www.aces.org Phone: (203) 498-6800

new haven