NOVEMBER 2010
www.newhavenmagazine.com www www.newhavenm newhavenm h magazine com
ONE2ONE
The ‘feet
& fork’ doctor
is in
FRIDAY FRIDA D
NIGHT NIGH
LIGHTS LIGHT
High school sch
football at
its be best THE ART OF LIVING L
AM Marcel
Breuer Bre masterpiece mast
Real Housewives
in O Orange
of New Haven County 85 Willow Street New Haven, CT 06511
Pre-sort Standard U.S. Postage PAID New Haven CT Permit P Per Pe ermit er miit m it No No 37 375 375
$3.95
HE WANTS TO MAJOR IN
SUPERHERO WITH A MINOR IN
WRESTLER. Your kids don’t have a clue about college.
Which is why you need a plan. It’s okay for kids to dream about college, as long as you have a plan. CHET is Connecticut’s official 529 college savings plan. Anyone with a Social Security Number or Federal Taxpayer Identification Number can open an account, regardless of income, and you can begin saving with as little as $25. Check CHET out at www.aboutchet.com/chetcollegeplan or call 800-974-0106. Contribute by December 31 for a 2009 109Connecticut tax deduction.
Ferrucci Experience For men who value quality, luxury clothing with the genuine service you have come to expect.
Complimentary Parking Across the Street
Hours: | Mon–Fri: – : pm | Sat: – pm Elm St. (Corner of Orange) | New Haven | ..
Fleurville & Petunia Pickle Bottom Diaper Bags • Kissy Kissy
the
Mariposa • Baggallini Bags • Robeez • Archipelago • Hanky Panky
• Melissa & Doug Toys • The Big Buddha Handbags •
UO
URBAN OBJECTS URBAN BABY
Just Arrived at Urban Objects
Michael Stars Maternity Hours: Mon - Sat: 10-6, Sun: 12- 5 (203) 865-5236 1022 Chapel St New Haven UrbanObjects.com
• Beatrice Ball • Thymes • Zents Body Products •
ge
-
ee
r rF
ou
r
se
Re
Y ve
ey
k ur
cT
i an
rg
O
n Ra
ROMEO & CESARE’S GOURMET SHOPPE
Holiday Catering
To browse our catering menu visit ROMEOCESARE.COM
FOR HOME & BUSINESS OCCASIONS
Everyday: Breakfast Lunch & Dinner To Go
Open Daily: 7-7, Sun: 7-4 771 Orange St, New Haven • 776-1614
BREAKFAST LUNCH & DINNER TO GO • FRUITS & VEGETABLES • FLOWERS • PREPARED FOODS • HOT/COLD SUBS • CATERING • DELIVERY
New Haven I November 2010
A human-rights heroine gets feted, plus men’s fashions take centerstage
t residence, 360 State St. welcomes its first occupants
PHOTO: SUSAN FALZONE
08 INTEL
30 Bibliofiles A new history of America’s most ancient road — Rt. 1
08 ONE2ONE Dr. David Katz says what we do with our feet and our forks make or break our lives
14 Real Housewives of New Haven County Real wives, real lives, real drama
19 Friday Night Lights Madison hosts Connecticut’s coolest high-school football scene
23The Greatest Gift Organ donors and the patients who love them
34 Perfect Match An unusual doubles tennis team plays for peace
35 Onstage Goodspeed’s How To Succeed moves mountains
42 Words of Mouth Kelly’s Pub, Mama Del’s Pasta and more
46 Discovered Sheep may safely graze at Beaver Brook Farm
26 At Home A couple remakes a one-of-a-kind Marcel Breuer home
18 New Haven
| Vol. 3, No. 11| November 2010
Publisher Mitchell Young, Editor Michael C. Bingham, Design Manager Larissa Philllips, Design Consultant Terry Wells, Contributing Writers Brooks Appelbaum, Duo Dickinson, Liese Klein, Margaret A. Little, Caitlin Marquis, Melissa Nicefaro, Joanna Pettas, Jack Dickey, Makayla Silva, Cindy Simoneau, Chelsea Jacob Tyler, Photographers Steve Blazo, Anthony DeCarlo, Susan Falzone Senior Publisher’s Representatives Mary W. Beard, Roberta Harris, Ronni Rabin
4
November 2010
New Haven is published 8 times annually by Second Wind Media Ltd., which also publishes Business New Haven, with offices at 85 Willow St., New Haven, CT 06511. 203-7813480 (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 Christine Haney cover model. hotography and cover image by Steve Blazo Cover Design and Typography by Terry Wells.
apparel
jewelry
footwear
accessories 1156 Main St. Branford 203.481.2827
Mon–Sat: 10-5, Thurs: 10-7, Sun: 12–4
www.arabellact.com
Experience nce at: ORANGE Š 435 BOSTON POST ROAD ACROSS FROM HOME DEPOT 203.795.0022 PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT MICHAELSJEWELERS.COM ©
new haven
5
IN T E L
More Magic, Less Money
Donations have increased by 13 percent but that is barely keeping up with surging demand. Food bank executives told the Yale Daily News that one in seven Connecticut homes needed food assistance and they didn’t expect things to get better any time soon. At the moment the Food Bank is actively purchasing food to fill demand. Visit ctfoodbank.org.
Food Famine NEW HAVEN — The Connecticut Food Bank reports that demand for food supplies is up in counties across the state.
Arts & Ideas Honors a Visionary NEW HAVEN — The International Festival of Arts & Ideas will bestow its “first annual” Visionary Leadership Award in honor of the late Jean M. Handley’s leadership as a founding director of the International Festival of Arts & Ideas on Zainab Salbi, founder and CEO of Women for Women International, which provides female survivors of war, civil strife and other conflicts with the tools and resources to move from crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency.
HARTFORD — Connecticut Mormons are celebrating the announcement last month that Hartford will be the home of the first Mormon temple in the state. Mormon leaders estimate there are 15,000 Mormons in state who are currently served by 32 meeting houses (churches). Temples in Mormon tradition are very sacred places and only Mormons may enter them. Mormons can marry in a meeting house, but marriages for all eternity can be held only in a temple.
Better Living Through Better Living STAMFORD — Adnan Durrani, an American Muslim and CEO of Stamford-based American Halal Co., was at the Vatican in early October promoting interfaith relations, and his
knit new haven
26 whitney ave, new haven • 203-777-5648
hrs: m,t,w,f 10–6 • th 10–8 • sat 11–5
6
November 2010
initiative called “Equitable and Ethical Development.” Durrani’s company recently launched Saffron Road, a line of all-natural, Halal-certified frozen Indian entrées available at Whole Foods. The company says it “promotes the sacred Halal tradition of respect for the land, fair treatment for farmers, humane treatment of livestock and clean, healthy food to eat.”
A Mormon Tabernacle
HARTFORD— Basketball great Earvin (Magic) Johnson was in Hartford in mid-October to help the YMCA raise money. The Laker immortal has been selling assets and reportedly is seeking to purchase an NFL (!) team. Johnson’s trip may have been the result of some political payback or fancy ball handling. The YMCA was recognizing Johnson for his investments in urban neighborhoods. Unfortunately, the state pension fund, run by Connecticut Treasurer Denise Nappier, put $45 million into play in a Johnson’s real estate investment fund. The investment sank like an air ball and “our team” is down $15 million.
Salbi is the author of Between Two Worlds: Escape from Tyranny: Growing Up in the Shadow of Saddam and The Other Side of War: Women’s Stories of Survival and Hope. The event will take place from noon to 2 p.m. November 18 at the New Haven Lawn Club, 193 Whitney Avenue. Visit artidea. org, or phone 203-498-3758.
1014 Chapel St New Haven 203-782-2280 • idiomboutique.com
Whale Devours Wolf Pack HARTFORD — The Hartford Wolf Pack, the American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers, will change its name (permanently) to the Connecticut Whale on November 27 at a game against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at the Arena at Harbour Yard in Bridgeport. Howard Baldwin, former owner of the Hartford Whalers, is chairman of Whalers Sports and Entertainment which controls the minor league hockey team’s business operations. Visit ctwhale.com.
Days of the Condor BRIDGEPORT — The Beardsley Zoo has added two young Andean condors to take the place of Thaao (pronounced TAYoh), who was eight decades old and the longest-living condor in captivity when he died in January. One of the new birds is a 27-pound male who is expected to grow to 33 pounds. His sister will join him after an initial quarantine period. The avians have yet to be named.
Foxwoods Looking Up?
Guys Get Their Groove On
LEDYARD — Foxwoods Casino and MGM Grand at Foxwoods have reported an earnings increase for the month of September. Revenue for the month was $56.1 million, a 2.1-percent increase in slot wins and a 4.1-percent increase in handle over September 2009. Mashantucket Gaming President William Sherlock told the Norwich Bulletin that the economy was still a challenge and the casino would be looking for new ways of attracting guests News wasn’t that promising at the Mohegan Sun, which cut 355 jobs in September. The casino reported that September revenue fell to $57.6 million from $59.4 million a year earlier, and the handle fell to $733 million from $734.2 million.
NEW HAVEN — Just in time for holiday shopping comes the firstever New Haven Men’s Fashion Week from Monday, December 6 through Saturday, December 11.
Ann Lindsay of Style of Success Image Consulting for Men is organizing the event, she says, “The quality and uniqueness from these four stores matches Manhattan haberdasheries”. Lindsay will be on hand in each store for free consultations. Visit nhmfw.com or call 800-798-1643.
Calling All Oenophiles
Four downtown men’s clothiers — Ensons Gentlemen’s Fashions, Ferrucci’s Fine Men’s Clothiers, J. Press and Raggs Clothing & Accessories for Men — will celebrate with 20-percent-off sales, as well as extended hours, refreshments and door prizes.
NEW HAVEN — The Junior League of Greater New Haven will host its seventh annual Wine Tasting and Live & Silent Auction. WTNH-TV’s Jocelyn Maminta will emcee. Come for a wide array of white, red and sparkling wines as well as hors d’oeuvres and desserts and bid on rare wines, spa treatments, jewelry, golf packages, theater tickets, fine art and more. November 11 6-9 pm at the Yale Peabody Museum. Tickets are $50, visit jlgnh.org.
Aging Parents? Let Us Help! Nurses’ Aides, Live-in Aides, Homemakers/Companions H
The Premier Provider of Private Duty Care
Registered with CT DCP, Homemaker-Comanion Agency Reg. # HCA.0000159
WAV E
203-891-8270 • vnascc.org • caresourceinc.org
WAVE New Haven • 1046 Chapel St. • 203.624.3032 • wavenewhaven.com
new haven
7
Photos: Steve Blazo
Physician David Katz wants to revolutionize the way we think about food
D 8
November 2010
avid L. Katz, MD, 47 lives with his wife and five children in Hamden. The 47-year-old may be best known locally for his Monday column in the New Haven Register, where he dishes out information and advice on everything from food choices to public health policy. But he is also a internationally recognized authority on nutrition, weight management, and the prevention of chronic disease. He is a board-certified specialist in both internal medicine, and preventive medicine/public health. Katz has been perhaps the country’s most active promoter of preventive medicine, especially in the field of obesity and diabetes. Now Katz’s efforts as the principal inventor of the Overall Nutritional Quality Index used in the NuVal nutrition guidance program (nuval.com) is receiving even more attention. The system currently is offered in more than 500 supermarkets nationwide and locally in Big Y Supermarkets. New Haven Publisher Mitchell Young interviewed Katz for his recognition as a 2010 New Haven Healthcare Hero as cited by the publication Business New Haven.
Joseph A. Conte Jewelers, Inc.
How did you get interested in preventive medicine?
prevented in the first place is really a shame.
While I was training in internal medicine I was spending an awful lot of time in hospitals and you can’t help but notice that an awful lot of people who wind up in hospitals don’t necessarily have to. We could have altered their trajectory two decades earlier and they would have avoided it altogether. That compelled me to preventive medicine and once I got involved in preventive medicine I quickly adopted a focus on lifestyle and nutrition.
Is that a public health issue?
Many of your peers treat disease and aren’t that friendly toward preventative medicine. When you have a hammer the world looks like a nail. In medical school and residency you learn how to treat disease. We’ve fallen into the pattern of the treatment of disease as health care. I think that is a misnomer — it is disease care. Frankly, when you’re sick you need us and we come in quite handy. But we need to recognize that the master levers of medical destiny are not stethoscopes and scalpels, but what people do each day with their feet and forks. What do you mean? What have we got to say about physical activity in the school day? Not much. What do we have to say about what’s in a supermarket? Not much. About what’s on TV? Not much. We can’t expect doctors to have a focus on building health in supermarkets, cafeterias, the media. What I do is as much about public health as about clinical care — maybe more. I used to spend the bulk of my time on taking care of patients, now I spend the bulk of my time on public-health practice and a small part seeing patients. Surgical treatments for obesity are extremely common now. Doesn’t that send a dangerous message? I have colleagues who do bariatric surgery; it is an important procedure. The goal with bariatric surgery is to make sure nobody ever needs it. The idea that you’re going to go into an operating room for a major surgery to do what better use of feet and fork could have
The medical system refers to itself as a health care system, but it is conflating disease care with health care. We have a big pharmaceutical industry that drives enormous profit from defeating disease with drugs. You have biomedical system that derives enormous profits by treating conditions with procedures, and they work. It is hard to find the argument against bariatric surgery when it can extend survival and reverse Type II diabetes but the argument against it is if we did some things better outside of the clinical realm — in restaurants, supermarkets, cafeterias, neighborhoods — fewer people would ever need this in the first place. But is the doctor doing bariatric surgery responsible for thinking about what should happen in the supermarket? Maybe not. But we hear more and more about the importance of a more integrated health care system. Doesn’t everybody have to own a piece of the problem? Agreed. But even the most fully developed versions of the health-care reform, or revolution, is still mostly about disease care. And those fully integrated systems are about chronic disease management, they’re not about comprehensive work-site wellness, they’re not about a ‘GPS’ for the food supply in every supermarket, every restaurant, every cafeteria. They’re not about programs that routinely interrupt the school and workday for bursts of physical activity.
38 Years of Jewelry Manufacturing
Specializing in antique restorations. Set while you watch by Joseph A. Conte personally. www.josephacontejewelers.com
203.248.9853 or 203.248.9852
2582 Whitney Ave, Hamden
the smile natural t l by b design d i
Isn’t it asking a lot for institutions to change? The path of least resistance is obesity and diabetes. And health lies around the road less traveled and is very hard to take — we need to switch that. Switching that calls for not just reform but a revolution that has very little to with clinics and hospitals and chronic disease care, and hell of a lot to do with what every parent knows, and every child knows and what every one of us does every day.
holistic dentistry restorative • cosmetics • implants
Jack M. Levine, D.D.S. 375 Orange St • New Haven
203-624-7571 orangestreetsmiles.com
Fifty years ago we didn’t have this health new haven
9
care problem driven by lifestyle, did we?
Photo: Steve Blazo
The proximal causes of epidemic obesity, diabetes and all the related chronic diseases are bad use of feet and forks. We eat too much of all the wrong things and we get too little physical activity. But the root cause is modern — the incredible surpluses of modern agriculture, the excesses of modern marketing techniques that encourage people to eat all the wrong foods, the clever messaging. When I go to the supermarket a huge percentage of the food there is bad for you, why are supermarkets willing to promote your NuVal system? That’s the reason it was either a great insight on my part, or simple naiveté, that the place to do this was the supermarket and not the [food] manufacturers. If you’re a manufacturer and most of what you make is junk, you certainly don’t want to tell people that. On the other hand, if you’re a supermarket and you sell everything, the worst-case scenario is [customers] will buy less of A and more of B. But people are going to have to buy fewer calories in the end, aren’t they? Yes — but not necessarily less food, and that’s an important distinction. Going all the way back to Dean Ornish’s book Eat More. Weight Less, and more recently Barbara Rolls’ book Volumetrics, the argument has been made if you eat better you don’t have to eat less. You can get the same calories in a tiny bit of cheese as you do in a big apple. In some New Haven restaurants you don’t always get much in the way of portion size, but you are getting good taste. A good metric would be nutritional quality: total nutrition per dollar spent. What we would find then is a shift to more food but fewer calories. One of the important things about the ultimate benefit of NuVal is when you tell people to control portions they think that you are telling them to eat less — being on a diet. Everybody is going to do that for six weeks but nobody’s going to do it forever. If you tell people to choose more nutritious foods — that they fill you up on fewer calories — people can live with that answer. You probably went to medical school thinking you were going to be a ‘typical’ doctor. Was there an ‘ah-ha’ moment that made you realize that was wrong for you? There was a series of ‘ah-ha’ moments beginning when I was 13, when I first 10
November 2010
Katz in his ktichen, as a med-student he considered a career change to chef. He now say’s ’Throughout most of human history, calories were scarce and hard to get and physical activity was unavoidable and went by the name of survival. We’ve devised a modern world where physical activity is scarce and calories are unavoidable.’
recognized the importance of exercise and nutrition in my own life. I had been oblivious to it. When you were 13 you were probably oblivious to most things. I tried out for the wrestling team, and the coach said, ‘You should be able to do this many push-ups and sit-ups’ — and I couldn’t. I said, ‘This is pitiful,’ so I started exercising that day and by and large I’ve exercised every day of my life for the past 34 years. Nutrition is the fuel. That became part of the equation and wound being a major influence on my family. I carried that with me into medical school. But you were still thinking traditional doctor? Yes, I thought I might be a surgeon. I didn’t have a clear idea. I found the first couple of years of medical school painful and I started thinking what a contingency plan would look like. One of the contingency plans was to hang in there and get through this, get my MD degree, get my dad a return on his investment. And then maybe go to a culinary institute
and learn how to be a chef. I love to cook and take my medical knowledge with me into the kitchen. But then I got into the [hospital] wards and started taking care of patients. The first years of medical school you’re just in the classroom. Basically they saw off the top of your head, put a funnel into it and just dump data into it all day, every day, ‘til it feels like it’s going to explode. But the third and fourth year you’re taking care of patients — and I loved it. And I said, ‘I do want to be a doc after all.’ But where did the shift to preventive medicine come from? The next ‘ah-ha’ was I realized I was taking care of a lot of people who have horrible stuff that didn’t need to happen. I like being the guy that can step in, when they have that horrible stuff, and help them deal with it — but I would really rather prevent them from having the horrible stuff. And that’s when your career took off? To some extent I was fortunate and caught the wave — and to some extent because there was a wave, I decided to get on the
surfboard. If we weren’t living in an age when there was a lot of preventable illness related to feet and forks, I probably would have done something else. You said at a talk I attended that more people in the world were overweight than malnourished. Sounds like you’re losing the battle doesn’t it? Clearly we’re losing the battle — but that doesn’t mean we’ll lose the war. I am optimistic we’ll win the war. We’re losing the battle because everything that makes modern living modern is part of the problem. Throughout most of human history calories were scarce and hard to get and physical activity was unavoidable and went by the name of survival. We’ve devised a modern world where physical activity is scarce and calories are unavoidable. We had 10,000 years of civilization devoted to reducing the demand of work and increasing the availability of food. Now we realized we overshot, and it’s not that easy to reverse that momentum. It’s like applying the brakes to a freight train — it doesn’t stop on a dime. Isn’t the high cost of health care directly related to the fork-and-feet equation? Absolutely. And the danger is to think that
disease care is health care and that the answer is more. So we let more and more people use their feet and fork badly and not fix that in schools and supermarkets and neighborhoods — and [instead] deal with it in medicine and surgery. Actually, I remember that your talk was at a health-care company and the breakfast was bacon and eggs — kind of ironic. The eggs are okay; the bacon not so much. There are omega-enriched eggs that score in the 40s [on the NuVal scale], higher than most meat. The typical egg is a 33. But we’re not going to get to where Woody Allen was in Sleeper, that eating hamburgers and smoking cigarettes is actually good for you? No, but we can eat eggs, and we do make mistakes from time to time. Where did the idea for the NuVal system come from? I had been thinking along these lines for a long, long time — that [understanding nutrition] was too confusing and needed to be fixed. The initial ‘ah-ha’ was very clear then-Secretary of Health & Human Services Tommy Thompson convened a meeting of 15 academic thought leaders and I was one of them. Thompson was
Admission Tour Days Wednesday, November 17 at 9 am Wednesday, December 15 at 9 am
there, the commissioner of the FDA, we were around a big conference table, he said he wanted each of us to offer up one idea that the FDA or the department could do to reverse the trends of obesity and diabetes. My suggestion was to convene a multi-disciplinary panel of top nutrition experts and let them take what they know and turn it into guidance to make everyone a nutrition expert — a ‘GPS’ for the food supply. Make it foolproof, so that Madison Avenue can’t game the system. The next ‘ah-ha’ was they’re never going to do it. Why didn’t you think they would do it? I waited two years and lost my patience. I said to myself, ‘It was a really good idea, I wonder if I can do it just the way they should have done it?’ I talked to the administration at Griffin [Hospital] to see if they would support it. Fortunately for me and public health, they did. But what about bringing the others in? The people that joined me on this panel were really unbelievable. The chair of nutrition at Harvard, the single most published biomedical researcher in history, Walter Willet. The inventor of the Glycemic Index from the University of Toronto. David Jenkins. If I get some credit here, it was my conviction that this
Stay Injury Free This Bicycle Season WEAR YOUR HELMET...
RSVP to the Admission Office
Celebrating 350 Years
Hopkins School A coeducational college preparatory day school for grades 7–12 986 forest road new haven ct 06515 203.397.1001 admission@hopkins.edu www.hopkins.edu
MILLS LAW FIRM Representing Cyclists Throughout Connecticut John W. Mills Board Certified Civil Law Trial Advocate
One Whitney Ave, New Haven 203.776.4500 For 9 More Ways to Stay Safe on Your Bicycle Visit Safety Tips @ www.millslawfirm.org new haven
11
could be done. Did being a doctor make you the person to promote this? As a doc, you don’t have the luxury of saying there is no answer. The patient looks you in the eye and says, ‘Tell me what to do.’ So you get very pragmatic. I understand your system is simple, but I thought all I had to do was taste something, and if tasted good, spit it out. That’s not true: We can love food that loves us back. And I think that NuVal shows us that, because in any [food] category there are good choices. Were there skeptics among your group?
organization has done that with any other nutrition guidance system. There was just a formal adoption [of NuVal] by the American Council of Exercise. We are in close discussion with the FDA, but the government moves at the speed of government, and they have politics to look at as well as public health. Ultimately NuVal should win in the court of public opinion and then the government should get back in to make it available to everybody, not have price be a barrier. Supermarkets have to license it now. There are many restaurants that have introduced heart-healthy menus. Is that a competitor?
I made the point that every doctor who takes care of patients is trained to take a lot of information and sum up the health of a person. If we can sum up the health of a person, than you can’t convince me we can’t sum up the healthfulness of a loaf of bread — and we should.
The problem with that is it tends to be one nutrient at a time. We’ve had this silly attitude for a long time, that if you have heart disease you have to worry about saturated fats. What about the fact that the leading risk factor for heart disease is sugar — which all of those heart-healthy checks on menus ignore.
You’ve been working with some supermarkets, are doctors also on board?
Don’t we usually have sugar in our food or fat for taste?
The American College of Preventive Medicine has endorsed the NuVal system, and to my knowledge no other
That’s right. Than we have the silly idea if you’re a diabetic you have to worry about sugar, but what about the fact that
! !
&KDSHO 6WUHHW ZZZ +XOOV1HZ+DYHQ FRP
eye exams • contact lenses distinctive eyewear
248-8224 2313 WHITNEY AVE, HAMDEN
November 2010
I don’t think good nutrition has ever been
$UW 6XSSO\ )UDPLQJ 6XSSOLHUV RI <RXU ,PDJLQDWLRQ 6LQFH
VISION CENTER
12
There is a lot of reporting on different foods, and studies, and diets. Doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t this create a fad mentality?
+XOO]V
FRITZ & HAWLEY
2862 Whitney Ave, Hamden, CT 06518 (203) 248-READ | (866) 248-READ www.sgbookandtoy.com
They are. We had the president of the American Cancer Society, past president of the American Diabetes Society and American Dietetic Association on the panel that built the thing. Ultimately there will be an alignment, but we have the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;military industrial establishmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to deal with. A lot of these big organizations, despite the purity of their mission, have ties to big industry. The way to get this done is build the right tool, ďŹ nd a way to get it into the hands of people.
&XVWRP )UDPLQJ $UW 6XSSOLHV (DVHOV )XUQLWXUH
7,500+ books 1,000+ related educational toys Encourages early literacy Charming shopping experience
VOHHSLQJ JLDQW ERRN WR\ FR
Wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the different health groups that sponsor some of these menu approaches be NuVal proponents?
&UHDWLYH *DPHV 7R\V &UDIWV )RU $OO $JHV
Unique, high-quality books, games & toys that stir your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s imagination. !
Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s either good for you or itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not.
7KLV +ROLGD\ 6HDVRQ )LQG (YHU\WKLQJ <RXU $UW 'HVLUHV 5LJKW 'RZQWRZQ
Awaken your little oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love of learning.
!
the thing most likely to kill a diabetic is heart disease? So we have to worry about saturated fats and sodium. And what about the effect of all these properties on cancer risk? When you get your arms around the whole story, the only conclusion we can reach is we have to look at food holistically.
a fad. I would flip the question around: How do you make consistent advice about being healthy work in the media? I worked for Good Morning America for two years and I had this very problem. They wanted me to talk about a different diet every week and I would try to reach the same conclusion every week. ‘This is good as far as it goes, but it’s pretty silly and the real answer is eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains.’ And the producers would push back and say, ‘You can’t say that — you said it last week and it’s going to be boring.’ You can’t change the message about nutrition every week and have it be legitimate. I’ve noticed some other doctors who seem to run into this problem on TV, too. [Laughs] Then they kick you off and find someone who will play [the game]. That’s what happened to me on Good Morning America, I guess. I don’t want to say they got bored of the message, but there is a tension there. The answer to how to make it stick to make it so useful that people rely on it every day. If NuVal is objective, impartial, reliable, effortless, then people will start to depend on it — as a tool as opposed to a gimmick. Have you had better success with state
governments that have to deal directly with health costs? My experience with the National Governors Association has been a good one. That was largely due to [thenArkansas governor] Mike Huckabee when he was the chair. He became a champion of the cause. Speaking of politics, some of your colleagues at Yale want to see a soda tax, for example. What do you think about that approach? The question is: Would a soda tax be effective and would it do net good? I think a more interesting approach was raised by New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg that [government] food assistance with food stamps, which has expanded dramatically to around 50 million people, should not be allowed for soda purchases. I support the soda tax; I support the use of food stamps that you can’t buy soda. Wouldn’t there be a reaction to upper class paternalism? That’s where there ought to be outrage. I’m a taxpayer. You’re telling me you have a hungry family and I’m giving money to the government for them to give it you to help you get food and you’re spending
it on junk that going to make you fat and diabetic — and I’m supposed to be okay with that? If your kid is hungry, buy them real food. Soda is not food. But I see a better way, built around NuVal. Our society will always object to taxes and paternalism. What if you could link the purchasing power to a measured nutritional quality? You weren’t penalizing bad food, but the more nutritious the food you buy, the less it costs. We have a $25 million grant currently under review for the stamp program. ‘We’ is a very large group of researchers around the country but I led the group. If we get the grant [for eight states], the purchasing power of food stamps is linked to NuVal scores. The better the food, the less it costs. We want to show that the money you spend subsidizing nutritious foods you make back by reducing the costs of caring for diabetes and heart disease. Who’s paying those bills for the stamp program’s recipients? Government. We can do better than singling out a food like soda with a penalty. We can say across the board, the more nutritious, the less it will cost you.
Y
9 JB LONDON 9 LTD
Overweight?
9 9
9
AN ECLECTIC SELECTION OF GIFTS & GIFT BASKETS FOR THE HOLIDAYS & EVERYDAY
9
Something For Everyone
Call Us Today:
203.786.5007 (New Haven) 203.318.0100 (Madison)
A Nutrition, Preventative Medicine & Weight Management Practice •
Drug Free, Safe & Effective
•
Pediatric & Adolescent Programs
•
Behavioral / Nutritional Sessions
•
Regulate Diabetes, BP & Cholesterol
•
Long Term Maintenance Plans
• PCOS
•
Customized Whole Food Plans
•
– Related Infertility Program
Weight Regains After Bariatric Surgery
BARIATRIC ASSOCIATES OF NEW ENGLAND, LLC
200 Orchard St, Suite 402, New Haven • 168 Boston Post Rd, Suite 4, Madison
9
1209 CHAPEL ST, NEW HAVEN
9
(FREE PARKING IN REAR)
new haven
13
Real Housewives
of New Haven County
Real women, real lives, real drama hold the glamour By MELISSA NICEFARO
W
ives have been getting a bad rap for years, especially on television. In the 1970s, the Stepford Wives, a novel and movie satire about perfect American housewives had husbands wondering where they could get their own. Then the ABC television hit Desperate Housewives revealed the secrets, crime and philandering that takes place behind the doors of seemingly idyllic homes on a stereotypical suburban side street called Wisteria Lane. In 2008 Bravo TV threw fiction to the wind (or did it?) and took housewives to reality television. There are now seven Real Housewives series, the latest iteration originating in that typically middle American, Norman Rockwell-esque community of Beverly Hills. So…why not New Haven County, too? Move over Joanna Eberhart, Susan Mayer and Gretchen Rossi — we’ve got the story from real people. Sharon Lovett-Graff says today’s housewives are the PTA worker bees, the volunteers and the career women who make big things happen. She runs programs such as story-time and book clubs at New Haven’s Mitchell Branch Library, and was intrigued when asked if she knew any noteworthy housewives.
“What’s a housewife?” she asks. “I think a housewife and a mom falls under the same umbrella,” says Valencia Goodridge of Westville. She is on the board of Friends of Edgewood Park and played an active role in the principal search at Wilbur Cross High School. She also runs a book club at Westville’s Mitchell Library. 14
November 2010
‘When I think of ‘housewife,’ I think of cooking, cleaning, ironing,’ says Westville’s Kane. ‘I think they did away with housewives in the 1950s.’
To her volunteering is important. It’s vital. But, why? Her teenage daughters see she’s very active in the community and they are now more involved with the community themselves, she says. In addition to her work at the library and with the park group, Goodridge was involved with the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Program last year. Her team put together a campaign centered around educating kids in kindergarten through eighth grade on gun violence. Her group at the chamber partnered with the YMCA, the police and the schools and came up with a slogan, “Find a Gun, Call 9-1-1,” for what she calls a hugely successful program. “As a housewife, things like this take me out of the house during the day, but if I’m not involved in other activities, there’s
only so much time I can spend cooking and cleaning and putting around the house,” Goodridge says. She’s also involved with SWANA — Sisters with a New Attitude — working as a grantwriter and project manager and helping secure grants. A project last fall entailed buying groceries and turkeys for 100 families in need throughout the greater New Haven community.
Gift Certificates Make Great Gifts
“It’s rewarding to participate in these types of initiatives,” Goodridge says. “These projects fall into my lap and I run with them.” Along the way, she makes friends and finds some of the best camaraderie of her life. And she has learned to say no, especially to projects that take her out of the house and away from her family in the evening.
Employee Co-worker Wife Boss Sister Brother.
Just say no.
Goodridge: ‘I think a housewife and a mom fall under the same umbrella.’
Salon S alon n
Rimagé é & Spa 203-562-4247 • rimagesalon.com Complimentary parking in the building rear
Photo:Katie Hayes
1210 Chapel St • New Haven
Did you know... Gorg Gorgeous G geouss Clothes, Cloth thes h Accesssories, and Jewelry at The Red Barn in Woodbridge
senberg
Ellen Ei
Owner,
Hrs: M-Sat 10-6; Sun 11-5 • redbarnwoodbridge.com
378 Amity Rd • 203-389-2910 new haven
15
Being ‘painfully optimistic’ helps Haney manage the challenge of balancing a high-powered NYC career and raising 13-yearold twins.
16
November 2010
“I weigh the value of a particular project trainer and her day is long started before to see who is going to be touched by it. she boards the 7:30 a.m. Metro-North Anything to do with young people, I’m up train for Grand Central Station. for. But at the end of the day, I want to be “It’s kind of like a good cup of coffee,” she home with my girls and my husband and says. “When I don’t go to the gym in the make sure dinner’s on,” Goodridge admits. morning, I’m more sleepy.” She ran the One daughter, a high-school senior, is on IMG New York Marathon five years ago her way to college next fall and Goodridge and would like to run one more. ÐNot is already having bittersweet feelings two Ð just one.Ð about it. “Most important is my family, but the “Every day I make breakfast, lunch and career allows us to do everything. I never dinner for my girls, and I really enjoy considered myself to be a stay-at-home doing it,” she says. “Some people say I’m mom,” she says. “I think that’s just my spoiling them, but I really don’t mind. makeup. I was asked the question when In another three years, it’ll just be my the kids were first born, ‘You must hate husband Gary and I, and I’ll just have him going back to work and leaving your to spoil.” babies home.’ Of course, that’s difficult, Most of the volunteers she works with are but it’s just as difficult for me to say I’d moms whose lives share a similar focus. stay home.” Whatever she takes on, she makes sure Haney, who is vice president of business to “feed herself” — mind, body and soul. development and relocation services for a “I’ve got the mind and soul down; now I high-powered Madison Avenue real estate need to get back to spinning class and take firm, Prudential Douglas Elliman, used to care of the body,” Goodridge says with a work from home and travel several times laugh. “I never ever pigeon-hole myself a month. A daily commute to New York so I always have freedom to relax a little. seemed a better option. She sees the kids Once the kids get home, I put my mom every day — and insists the whole family hat on and it’s hustle and bustle.” eats dinner together whenever possible. Laid off from her job almost two years ago, “What makes me tick is the Goodridge has an MBA from Southern communication with the kids and the Connecticut State University and works relationship I have with them. A great part-time as a court-appointed GAL relationship with 13-year-olds isn’t easy! I (Guardian Ad Litem), conducting home insist they look me in the eyes when they and school visits and writing monthly talk to me,” she jokes. reports. Winter weekends, she and her family head ÐAs parents we hope for the best with our to Vermont to ski. In the summer months kids, but we canÐt be so naïve as to think they spend weekends at her parents’ that we donÐt have to keep our eyes and summer home in Rhode Island. ears open,Ð Goodridge says. “When I say I hit the beach on weekends, it’s with my kids,” she says. “I enjoy their company. I very rarely go out with other couples.” Christine Haney has 13-year-old twins Ð a girl and a boy Ð and has had very When Haney’s looking for camaraderie or few naïve moments, especially when it friendship, she finds it in the many close comes to her children. She commutes to friends she’s made through business. her high-powered job in New York City “My friends haven’t been made through daily from North Haven, staying over at the traditional path of school, kids and a Manhattan apartment once or twice a moms,” Haney says. Her closest friends week to break up the commute. are in her own industry and those who “People would call me painfully optimistic,” share her philosophy: “Your attitude and she says. While many of us gag at the optimistic aspect on life are everything.” thought of a two-hour train ride to and A housewife, Haney asserts, is one of the from Manhattan each day, Haney views it most difficult jobs on the planet. And yes, as time to put to good use. she does consider herself a housewife. “It Somehow, the commuter train has has to do with the degree to which you remained sacred from cell phone use, so spend time in your house. A housewife to Haney uses the quiet time to get a jump me is someone who manages all aspects on her workday. Although, that may not of the home and family, regardless of be entirely true. She wakes at 4:30 three what they’re doing outside of the home. mornings each week to meet her personal You’re kind of like the general contractor,”
she says. “Because of my working arrangement and being in New York, my husband is very involved as well.”
While Haney finds camaraderie through her job, Gloria Star of Clinton found it in politics. She is one of the founding members of the Shoreline League of Democratic Women. A group of seven women worked on congressional campaigns six years ago and wanted to continue working together on issues that were important to them. Now the group has grown to 100 members who advocate and educate about issues concerning the environment and families. What grew out of a political advocacy group was a bunch of closeknit friends who found camaraderie in similar interests. “We have women of all ages, from their early 20s up to 92,” says Star. The majority are married housewives, though some are single. “We have some stay-at-home moms and some career ladies, and it’s not all about politics anymore,” she adds. “It’s an opportunity for women to dialogue — to put their opinion out there,” she says.
Laser Body Solutions Med Spa Services: • Laser Hair Removal Freedom from Shaving • Anti-Aging Facial Rejuvenation Titan/Genesis/IPL Remove fat, reduce inches. • ZERO Pain • ZERO Surgery • ZERO Downtime
• Laser Vein Removal Wear Shorts & Bathing Suits Again Before
After
Before
After
Look better. Feel better. Be better
www.ZERONA.com
ZĞĐĞƉƟŽŶ ZŽŽŵ ŽƉLJ
• Non-Invasive Body Sculpting Fit Into Those Skinny Jeans • Vibradermabrasion Exfoliate Without Sandblasting Your Face & Body
Medical Director: Jeffrey D. Gold M.D.
203.281.5737 • 2440 Whitney Ave, Hamden • www.LaserBody.com
She chuckles at the term “housewife,” saying it has almost become a negative word. “It’s a weird off-shoot of the woman’s movement. Housewives are a most important part of the population, but there has unfortunately grown a negative connotation. That said, I think women who have chosen to take on the role of home and family should be paid,” Star says. The Shoreline League of Democratic Women covers 13 towns along the shoreline from Branford east through Essex. The group has become a social fellowship, not just a political outlet. Jaime Kane of Westville found her outlet and camaraderie with fellow housewives through a preschool. She didn’t have enough of the Westville Community Preschool when her kids were little, so now she’s become a teacher there. She calls “housewife” a joint effort at her home. Her husband cleans the house, cooks dinner and does the laundry in addition to working
REAL HOUSEWIVES Continued
Continued on 35
new haven
17
Frrida F Frid rid ida day ay Nig Nig ig ght gh htt h Light L Lig ig ights gh htts ts 18
November 2010
Madison’s Surf Club may be Connecticut’s most magical field of gridiron dreams By Duo Dickinson
Ph
W
hat makes a memory? An event married to a place. Every autumn for 40 years a field of memories has been vibrantly glowing (literally) on the Connecticut shoreline.
Madison is known for its tiny, terrific downtown, an extraordinary public beach — the Surf Club — and an enviable public school system.
Following a hard-fought 14-13 Hand victory over Cheshire Oct. 8, the Tigers’ Leif Colberg (left) and Rams’ Michael Skibicki paid their respects.
But what is also known to just about everyone in the New Haven area with school-aged athletes is Daniel Hand High School’s outsized tradition of athletic excellence. It boasts of 45 state championships and 70 conference championships. Hand was recently recognized by Sports Illustrated as the best athletic program in Connecticut. Of course, there are many great athletic programs in Connecticut. This story focuses on just five events each year: Hand’s home football games at Strong Field at the Surf Club combine a site, a town and a team to create an experience that is both electric and classic — the very stuff of memories. Football started late at Hand. Six-man football was phased out after World War II and although a club football was started in the 1960s, it took until 1971 to actually field a varsity eleven under the extraordinary devotion and care of its first coach, Larry Ciotti. By merely its third season of varsity competition, the Hand football team went undefeated. Hand has had five other undefeated teams since then and has gone to a total of 16 state championship games, winning nine. Unlike, say, Pennsylvania or Texas, high school football in Connecticut is not exactly a matter of life and death. But by Nutmeg State standards, Madison is a perennial force to be reckoned with. That, however, is only half of the story. Back in 1970, when Larry Ciotti was musing about football in Madison, almost no high-school teams played night games. Gridiron tilts took place almost uniformly on Saturdays at 11 a.m. or 1 p.m.
Photo: Susan Falzone
But through a serendipitous connection between a generous local patron, Harold Strong, and a town willing to site its football field apart from its high school, Larry Ciotti helped to forge perhaps the most celebrated high-school sporting venue in New England: Strong Field at the Surf Club. When Strong came to Ciotti and asked if he could help create a field for Hand’s brand-new football team, the latter leapt
at the offer and a grass field was installed just north of the beach. The coach then gently suggested that it might be a good idea to build stands for fans. Strong agreed, and that emboldened Ciotti to suggest further that it would be a wonderful experience for Hand to play at night, under the lights. True to his generous spirit, Strong wrote the check, and the tradition of Friday night lights at the Surf Club was born exactly 40 seasons ago. Ciotti recalls, “The first home night game was the middle of September 1971 — Mt. Everett High School of Great Barrington, Mass. — and we won.” If the tradition of football played at this exquisite setting was a losing or even mediocre one, the games played there would be just another event at a great town beach. But those 40 years have spawned successive generations of young Madison men dedicating themselves with such ardor that among them they have won more than 300 games over that span — half of them on the shores of Long Island Sound. Numbers are one thing, but the competition has been historically at the highest level, often involving competition against schools twice the size of Hand, which has about 1,200 students. Clearly, the iconography of playing at night under the lights was not lost on those who originally “art-directed” the fashion statement with which the Hand Tigers confront their opponents. Black uniforms topped by gleaming gold helmets create a stoically fierce nocturnal presence. But football is just the seed corn of what these autumn eves have evolved into. Hand’s 200-strong marching band underscores the intensity of the experience with classic complementary musical moments like the menacing “Emperor’s Theme” from Star Wars, usually played when the home team is in the middle of a long march down the field. But the classically recurring theme is “On Wisconsin” — loudly proclaimed with every Hand score — and given the team’s history, that’s a hit tune for the band. A full complement of cheerleaders and color guard make the games full-blown events. Attendance can be upwards of 5,000 at a “big game” (Clinton’s Morgan High School in early years, now Guilford on Thanksgiving). But many Connecticut high school teams can put fannies in the seats and stage a spectacle for the faithful. But what makes playing on Strong Field
new haven
19
20
November 2010
PHOTO: Susan Falzone
PHOTO: Susan Falzone
INTRODUCINGINTRODUCING
LIBERO O JEWELERS 32C Middletown Ave. North Haven (203) 624-0525 • liberojewelers.com
Tiger RB Kevin Frey (24) goes airborne against Cheshire October 8 at the Surf Club
JUST RITE
Photo: Jeff Reyka
COMFORT SHOES
at the Surf Club a unique experience for so many? Erich Hamel, a captain of the 1994 team who received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy and played football for the Middies, speaks for thousands of young men who have played on that field. “I’m really not sure what it was, but under those lights, on the field and before that crowd, we felt and believed it was okay and acceptable to strive for perfection — to try to be the best,” Hamel recalls. “In an uncertain time, the field represented a world where we could all work as one and wildly dream that we, like those before us we so admired, could achieve what was once unthinkable — that we could be winners. That’s the field to me.”
In 1989 Steve Filippone took over the reins from legendary Larry Ciotti. Filippone had been an assistant under Ciotti as well
as a teacher at the high school. Filippone and Ciotti are the only coaches Hand Football has ever had — another reflection of the program’s powerful underpinning of tradition. The last 20 years have seen much of the rest of the state join most of the country and now a majority of Connecticut high school football games are played on Friday nights. Beyond the obvious glittering excitement under the lights, adults who work on Saturday or have other children with Saturday youth-sports commitments can now attend the games. Having been a part of this tradition for 30 years, Filippone naturally has strong feelings about the place where his team plays. “The natural beauty is overwhelming,” he says. “Look down toward the field and the contrast is unmistakable. There young men in full battle gear prepare to defend
Comfort with Style
Expert customer service
Arch supports for sore feet
Specialized socks for support & comfort
Dress & Sport Shoes for Women & Men TEMPLE MEDICAL BUILDING 60 Temple St, New Haven • Hrs: M–F, 9–5 203-772-3884 • www.justriteshoes.com
new haven
21
this patch of green from all intruders. It is loud and violent. It has been nourished by 40 years of blood, sweat and not a few tears. These tears have been shed by hundreds of boys on their way to manhood. It is for us a sacred place.” This writer has personally experienced the veracity of Filippone’s statement. As an assistant coach of the 1985 Branford High School football team, the bustling excitement of a large crowd in full-moon fervor helped facilitate a thorough beatdown of my Hornets by the Tigers. And as the father of a Hand football player over the last four years, I have felt the same rush of emotion and fierce devotion that radiates through the thousands who gather on these autumn eves. Despite the site’s obvious natural beauty, the facilities are beginning to show their age. The stands have no wheelchair accessibility. The circa 1975 fieldhouse has restrooms that are similarly unfriendly to wheelchairs and without substantial renovation is at the end of its viable lifecycle. The sad truth is that when you walk in the front portal (a gap in a chain link fence) you immediately see doors opening to reveal brightly lit toilet bowls.
The chronically ragged salt water-stunted grass and the need for renovation of the facilities has now prompted yet another Larry Ciotti intervention. Even though he has not coached at Hand for almost 20 years, he recruited me and scores of others to assist him to rebuild the site as the Strong Center — erecting new fieldhouses and stands, a large paved plaza and an expanded field area. The project will extend the tradition of football to soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and create outdoor performing-arts opportunities that can take the Friday Night Lights experience to every household in Madison and the shoreline, not just those with athletic high-schoolers. But places alone do not generate wild enthusiasm — if that were true, New Haven Coliseum would still be standing. At the core of all the sights and sounds and socializing is the incredibly intense emotional devotion that young athletes find in shared sacrifice. The Strong Field experience happens just south of the 12th tee of the Madison Country Club. Madison is a comfortable town populated largely by affluent families, not a hellhole from which young men seek escape via athletic endeavor. At
Hand the practices are both lengthy and intense — not the norm for most high school teams in Connecticut, but the key to this program’s winning tradition. Where does the extreme dedication of players and coaches come from? In Madison, most kids really don’t want for much. If they desire something desperately enough, they can usually buy it — or get Mom or Dad to. But winning in football or any sport is something money can’t buy. Larry Ciotti says the kids who play football at Hand know that what really matters to them “cannot be purchased with Mom’s or Dad’s checkbook.” Young boys who think they might want to play football see the sport’s most compelling realities on those magic nights at the Surf Club where sunset, brass and percussion and small-town America weave a seductive portrait of possibility. As with all other athletes, the price paid every fall Friday night by 60 or 70 young men at Hand High School has created an event of undeniable beauty and compelling consequence — and these athletes have a gridiron home that is the equal of their own commitment. Y
Connecticut Connecticut Oral & & Maxillofacial Maxillofacial Surgery LLC Surgery Centers, LLC
dental implants implants dental Extractions Jaw Surgery Surgery Extractions rr Jaw OralPathology Pathology rr TMJ TMJ Oral Most insurances accepted Most insurances accepted
Mention this ad for a free implant consultation West Haven, CT (203) 937-7181
North Haven, CT (203) 239-7181
Meriden, CT (203) 639-0800
Mansfield, CT (860) 423-2587
Putnam, CT (860) 963-7151
New York, NY (212) 223-4405
www.ctoralsurgery.com 22
November 2010
Call To Book Your Holiday Party Today. Our incredible facility, delicious food, and outstanding service are without equal! Call for an appointment to tour Amarante’s Sea Cliff today! 62 Cove Street, New Haven, CT 203-467-2531 Fax: 203.466.7444
www.amarantes.com
Organ donors and the patients who love them
By KAREN SINGER Says donor Capone Almon of recipient Sanchez: ‘I love him, and I got so much more out of this than I gave.’
A
PHOTO: Susan Falzone
pril Capone Almon was at her computer when a message arrived last fall from a Facebook friend seeking a kidney donor.
prompted Sacred Heart University senior John Vales to donate part of his liver to another school undergraduate -- a total stranger.
She immediately replied, saying she was willing to be tested to see if she was a match.
Michael Gonzalez also donated a lobe of his liver to a fellow police officer’s 15-yearold daughter, who was in dire need of a transplant.
She was. So on April 8 of this year Capone Almon, who is mayor of East Haven, underwent surgery to remove her left kidney, which was transplanted into Carlos Sanchez, a constituent she barely knew when she offered to help. A mother’s impassioned e-mail plea
Although family members and long-time friends frequently donate organs, others do so anonymously, or to recipients with whom they have little connection, perhaps after learning about their plights through acquaintances, press reports or
the Internet. These donors share a desire “to help other humans in desperate condition,” but each “has their own reasons” for volunteering, says Sukru Emre, MD, director of the Yale-New Haven Transplantation Center, where all three surgeries were performed. “It’s a very elite group,” adds Ruthanne Leishman Hanto, clinical program manager for the New England Program for Kidney Exchange, which matches donors and recipients. “Usually they’re people who have a history new haven
23
of altruistic behavior,” she adds. “They “As far are we know, of the nearly 15,000 donate blood. They’re on the bone-marrow liver transplants since 1900, there have registry. Or they’ve lived a life of public been 21 donor deaths since 1990, With service.” kidneys, I would expect one donor death per thousand.” Hanto says data from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) show that in Capone Almon, Vales and Gonzalez 2009 there were 142 non-biological, nonsurvived the selection process to become related kidney donors in the U.S., who living donors, and decided to proceed, did not have an emotional connection despite the risks. with the recipient. Of those, 14 were in The decision has changed their lives, in the New England region, and two in unexpected ways. Connecticut. A desire to donate is only the beginning of a vetting process that makes the pool of prospective altruistic donors even smaller. Living donors are so thoroughly screened that only the healthiest are selected, so the quality of their organs is better (than those from deceased donors), and the likelihood of disease and tumor transmissions “will be eradicated,” Emre says. “The most important issue for us is the donor’s safety, and only 15 percent of our candidates become real donors.” Some fail during the hematological testing, while others may have anatomical variations that preclude donation. At the Yale-New Haven Transplantation Center, candidates must be approved by donor-advocate team, which includes an independent social worker, an independent psychiatrist and a medical doctor never involved with the recipient. “I empower them with independent veto rights, and everyone should agree it’s a good match,” explains Emre. Richard Luskin, president and CEO of the New England Organ Bank, describes altruistic donors as “pretty unique and pretty special. “There’s a fair amount of clinical testing to make sure they’re physically able and capable of donating. There’s also an examination to try to understand what are their motivations -- are they somebody mentally stable, are they being coerced -- and to make sure nobody’s paying them, which is illegal. “It’s quite a commitment for someone to make to a stranger,” Luskin adds. “They’re volunteering to undergo a very extensive surgery with some risk.” Emre does not minimize the potential downside, which could involve bleeding, bile leaks, hernia, intestinal obstruction and “other small complications, like pain and gastric emptying problems.” The donor also could die.
24
November 2010
When the East Haven mayor received an e-mail message from Carlos Sanchez last September, saying he needed to go back on the transplant list and on dialysis if he couldn’t find a kidney donor, she “just responded. “I really didn’t think about it,” says Capone Almon. “I knew I had two kidneys and I knew I only needed one.” She also knew who Sanchez was (a local resident), but didn’t know much about him. A diabetic who underwent a transplant surgery in 2007 to get a kidney from a deceased donor, which was failing, Sanchez, 45, wasn’t eager to publicize his illness but posted the message at the urging of his transplant coordinator at Yale-New Haven Hospital. He was stunned the first response came within a few minutes from the mayor, whom he followed on Facebook. “Oh she probably means, ‘I’ll pray for you’ or ‘Good luck,’” he remembers thinking. When Sanchez didn’t answer right away, Capone Almon sent another message, telling him “I am serious about this.” He wrote back, thanking her for her interest and providing a contact number to schedule testing. Several months elapsed before that took place. Capone Almon was in the midst of a contentious re-election campaign. She kept reassuring Sanchez she would get tested. Meanwhile, he was growing worse, but didn’t tell her. “She would text me every night, and one night, she texted me, ‘You’ve got to be positive. From day one I felt like I was a match.’” And that, says Sanchez, a part-time office
manager and contemporary Christian singer, made him feel more hopeful Late last December, Capone Almon saw Sanchez at a Christmas party for a local fire company. “He just looked terrible, and I thought I’d better get on the ball and get this testing going,” she says. “I did very early in January, and found out I was a match, which is fairly unlikely because he’s Hispanic and I’m white. Then you have go through all the tests to make sure you’re healthy and speak with a social worker and go through a panel to let you know if you’re cleared as a donor. “I wasn’t nervous at all,’ Capone Almon adds. “I just felt like from the time I saw his message it was meant to happen. I believe in the power of positive thinking, just believed it was going to happen.” The surgery took place on April 8, and was a success. “When he came into my room the next day, it gave me a lift, like a burst of energy to see him coming back to life,” says Capone Almon. Since then, she has recovered fully, and she and Sanchez have grown closer. “We are like brother and sister, and text or talk at least once a day,” the 35-year-old Capone Almon says. “We go out to lunch and do things together. I’ve met his family, and been to his son’s birthday party. “I love him, and I got so much more out of this than I gave. It has been the most fantastic experience of my life”. Sanchez calls Capone Almon “my little sister” but says she “doesn’t like it when I call her an angel and when I put her on a pedestal. I tell her, ‘April, I gotta say how I feel. I have a son, and I can see more of his future because of you.’”
John Vales was at his parents’ home in Somers, N.Y. last August when he saw an e-mail sent to all Sacred Heart University students from Karen Cubbellotti. It was about her daughter, Alison, a nursing student whose liver was failing, and described how her brother, a match, was on the operating table when the surgeon decided it would be too risky to remove a portion of his liver. “She was desperate and looking for answers,” Vales says, adding he “sat on [the e-mail] for a little while before I worked up the courage to respond. I didn’t
After donating a liver to his colleague’s 15-year-old daughter earlier this year, ‘People who I don’t know are sending cards’ to Gomzalez. PHOTO: Susan Falzone
Naumann Gallery
pottery crystal jewelry baby gifts
www.thewriteapproachinc.com
Voted Elm City’s Best Stationery Store 2010
Two Stores in One Full Stationer & Unique Gift Store
Artist, Dana Baldwin Naumann, creates unique, one-of-a-kind, abstract sculptures. His visual masterpieces are the perfect addition to every home and office. 279 Branford Road . North Branford, CT 203.488.7778 . Open by Appointment www.naumanngallery.com . naumanngallery@gmail.com
custom gift baskets filofax gourmet food gift wrapping
245 Amity Road, Woodbridge ph:(203)397-8272 new haven
25
have the heart to delete it, or not just do anything.â&#x20AC;? Vales, a slender 22-year-old young man who describes himself as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;religious Christian,â&#x20AC;? kept thinking about what he would do â&#x20AC;&#x153;if it was my sister [he in fact has a younger sister] and no one in my family could help.â&#x20AC;? In early September, Vales called the number at the Yale Transplantation Center and began initial tests, including blood work and psychological screening. Once conďŹ rmed as a match, he told his parents, who supported his decision and gave their consent. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was scary, and there were moments of doubt, but I never thought I was going to back out,â&#x20AC;? Vales says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really tell my friends until it was deďŹ nite. Some people thought I was crazy, mostly because it was for somebody Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d never met. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To me, that didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter. Everybody deserves a chance, and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got to do what you hope people would do for you.â&#x20AC;? The transplant surgery took place on October 19, 2009 -- but Vales had complications resulting in two more operations. He missed school, but was able to catch up and graduate on time with an undergraduate degree in business.
Center Podiatry Foot Pain Specialists
Pain & Emergencies Seen Immediately
and I told him, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m O positive, which is universal. I think I can donate to everyone. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the procedure?â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? Leos told him to contact the transplant coordinator at the Yale-New Haven Transplantation Center.
Emre, his surgeon, was in the front row at Valeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s graduation ceremony, during which the graduate received the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bishop Walter W. Curtis award for his selďŹ&#x201A;ess act. The award usually goes to an established priest, Vales says, adding all the hoopla was â&#x20AC;&#x153;kind of nerve-wracking. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I appreciated it -- it was cool,â&#x20AC;? he acknowledges. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But I felt a little bit out of place because all these other people got medals for earning it academically.â&#x20AC;? He has recovered fully -- the liver regenerates -- and become friends with Alison, who he agreed to meet ten days after the surgery. They now speak several times a week, Vales says, and both families recently met to celebrate the ďŹ rst anniversary of the transplant. His act of generosity is still causing ripples, as more people ďŹ nd out his story.
Several months later, after six other potential donors were disqualiďŹ ed, Gonzalez began a series of tests, and by late August he proved to be a match. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I really saw no reason not to do it,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was going to be able to get the time off from work, had family and a girlfriend supporting me. The only drawback I saw was Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m really into working out [Gonzales is a former wrestler now studying Brazilian jujitsu), but thought â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s six months out of my life compared to saving someoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life?â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? The transplant surgery on September 22 went well, and a month later, Gonzalez was healing, his liver regenerating, and he was spending most of his time playing video games, and spending time with his dogs and girlfriend (now ďŹ ancĂŠe).
â&#x20AC;&#x153;My friend just texted me that her friend told her parents about it, and they are being tested to donate their kidneys, which makes me feel good.â&#x20AC;?
In Trumbull, where Michael Gonzalez is a police offer, most folks know the story of Kyleigh Leos, who was born with a blockage of tubes carrying bile from the liver to the gallbladder, had surgery shortly after birth to bypass the tubes and was likely to need a liver transplant at some point. Her father, Jay, also is a Trumbull police ofďŹ cer, always was thought to be the probable donor. But in April of this year, Kyleighâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s liver began to fail, Jay Leos found out he wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be able to donate a portion of his liver to his now 15-year-old daughter. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They did a blood drive for her, and a bunch of us went,â&#x20AC;? the 33-year-old Gonzalez recalls. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jay was there talking to everybody and thanking everybody,
â&#x20AC;&#x153;For me everything has been great,â&#x20AC;? he says, adding press reports of his good deed have generated praise from strangers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People who I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know are sending cards to the department,â&#x20AC;? Gonzalez says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A lot of them say itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an amazing thing, and some people say Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a hero.â&#x20AC;? Gonzalez ďŹ nds it weird â&#x20AC;&#x153;to get a card from somebody who has no clue who you are, just because they saw something in the paper.â&#x20AC;? The unsolicited expressions of goodwill are far different from the usual responses he elicits while on patrol. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It tells me there is a good community out there,â&#x20AC;? Gonzalez says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a police ofďŹ cer I work in a good town, but 90 percent of my contact is with people who are not happy to see me.â&#x20AC;? Y
There is a Difference Dr. Gary N. Grippo Board Certified Foot Surgeon Bone & Joint Specialist
Dr. Sean Lazarus
Sports Injuries - Biomechanics Pediatric Footcare
New Fungal Nail Treatments 1-800-676-3668 or 203-799-3668 CENTERPODIATRY.COM Make your appointment online
CUSTOM MADE ORTHOTICS & DIABETIC SHOES Sat Appts Available â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Guilford â&#x20AC;˘ Orange East Haven â&#x20AC;˘ Higganum â&#x20AC;˘ Clinton 26
November 2010
=c` c\W_cS O^^`]OQV Wa b] PcWZR SRcQObW]\OZ SfQSZZS\QS ]\ O T]c\RObW]\ ]T 8SeWaV b`ORWbW]\ dOZcSa O\ O^^`SQWObW]\ ]T []RS`\ QcZbc`S O\R O ¿ `[ PSZWST W\ bVS W[^]`bO\QS ]T eSOdW\U ZSO`\W\U W\b] ZWdW\U =^S\ 6]caSa ]\ =Qb]PS` B6 <]dS[PS` %B6 O\R 2SQS[PS` AB '(! O[ 9W\RS`UO`bS\ ´ &bV U`ORS %# @W[[]\ @]OR E]]RP`WRUS 1B DWaWb 3h`O/QORS[g \Sb ]` QOZZ ! !&' ## b] ZSO`\ []`S
ATH O M E
O
n the surface, Phyllis and Joe Satin were like any other couple coming of age in the 1960s. They met in college (University of Bridgeport), they started their marriage working in New York City and then moving to Connecticut to pursue their twin interests (Phyllis ended up in retail and Joe is an engineer with an architectural bent). Soon after they came to Connecticut they had two children: son Joshua and daughter Heather. Like millions of other
young families, Phyllis and Joe realized that growing children need a “permanent” home to grow up in. In 1975 they settled on a property in Orange (Joe’s engineering office is in Shelton). This “normal” move crystallized an artful outlook toward domestic expression. For most families, a “forever home” is intended to be safe, soft and nurturing. Its furnishings are all about comfort, durability and an easy “fit” with that home.
The Art of Living
The Satin family turned that comfort imperative on its head. Rather than play it safe with a nice center-hall Colonial on an acre or two of land in the ‘burbs, the Satins opted for an architectural gem. They fell in love with architect Marcel Breuer’s Clark House, built in 1949 for scions of the Asgrow Seed Co. Since they acquired the property, Satins have become the home’s longest-tenured — and most dedicated — occupants. As you might expect, the purchase of this
An unusual Marcel Breuer house and the unusual couple who have made it home By DUO DICKINSON
New free-standing cabinets address a sweeping view of the front yard (right) with wall-hugging cabinets left to ‘take care of business’ (left). The natural wood ceiling was renewed in a recent renovation.
new haven
27
A linear expression of materials creates recesses for entry (left) and the kitchen window (right).
A 1930s French dresser is set amid paintings, books and ceramic art â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a typically informal display of the results of the Satinsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lifelong patronage of the arts.
28
November 2010
Kitchens By Gedney, Inc. Fine Cabinetry for the Home Madison â&#x20AC;˘ 203.245.2172 â&#x20AC;˘ www.gedneykitchens.com
Pyllis and Joe Satin in a house where art appears evrywhere.
new haven
29
The sole vertical space in a sea of horizontality, added mirror and a skylight balances the light from the full glass entry (right) and open access to a courtyard opposite the front door
Modernist icon was just the beginning of this family’s interactive inhabitation of a very powerful building. Initially the farmland site was quite spare in its foliage — something that time has helped to heal. The initial sense when you drive onto this six-acre parcel is that it is more park than residence. Very large trees and evocative sculptures draw attention and beckon and lead to a long line of a house peek-a-booing with the trees and ultimately focusing on a glowing void amidships — the recessed entry. The subsequent growth of the flora and installation of sculptures (by the likes of John Landino and Eric Snowden as well as a Satin relative, Paul Jefferies) complement a building that was intended by Breuer to provide a counterpoint to the rolling Connecticut landscape. Breuer was the architect of the famed lofted Pirelli Tire Co. building on Sargent Drive in New Haven that lost its manufacturing plant “tail” as part of the property’s acquisition by big-box retailer Ikea. In his book Sun and Shadow, Breuer grouped this house with several other rural commissions, all with very similar approaches to the landscape. These starkly linear, flat-roofed homes are clearly Modern, but have a rich materiality 30
November 2010
(fieldstone slabs/walls counterpointed by panelized wood structure, with plate glass infill set for maximum interplay between the solid parts. Breuer’s explicit intention was to contrast the bright sunshine and the cast shadow created by the interaction of the voids, lines and shapes that his designs provided. Breuer noted in the book that “Transparency is definitely one of our objectives. But transparency also needs solidity. Not only for aesthetic reasons but also because total transparency leaves out such considerations as privacy, reflecting surfaces, transition from disorder to order, furnishings, a background for you, for your everyday life. Transparency becomes more so next to solidity — and solidity makes it work.” In these mid-century homes created by Breuer, his secondary intention was to use them also as small museums for his extraordinary furniture designs. But when the Satins bought the house, it had been completely stripped of Breuer furniture. In a sense this freed up the Satins to rethink the entire interior of the home. As envisioned by Breuer, the house was cleaved in two: an upper level set to a raised grade for entry and a floor that was completely given over to the original
occupants, the Clark family, and the social areas (entry, living, dining, study and eat-in kitchen) of the house using planes, voids, and long axes — the kind of Modernist aesthetic that feels as much an example of sculpture as architecture. The downstairs took care of business — the storage of two commodities: children and automobiles. As such it had a very different sensibility. The central stair void down to that level was clearly meant as the descending vertical counterpoint to this horizontal stretch of a house. Both floors were marvelously integrated to exterior spaces — patios, decks and courtyards with huge custom sliding glass windows and doors, defined with painted trellis work — a High Modernist aesthetic that fleshed out an abstracted and universal approach to architecture. Despite these high-minded intentions, homes are uniquely interwoven with the fabric of a specific family — unlike Breuer’s Pirelli building, which intentionally grabbed attention from the zooming cars that sped by it on I-95 to provide a corporate identity. A similarly bold presence is Breuer’s other New Haven building: the Becton Center on the Yale campus. But a home is a place of intimate
accommodation, and the Satins set out almost immediately to make the home their own. They completely reversed the intended occupancy of the architect cleaning out the downstairs so they could have dominion over it, creating a master suite and office and ultimately taking over the garage to create an exercise area to battle the bodily ravages of time. The upstairs bedroom area was then given over to children where a master suite became one child’s domain, while a pair of bedrooms became the other’s. The kitchen has been renovated three times, most recently just a couple of years ago. Additionally there has been an extraordinary amount of resurfacing, mostly mirroring (“It was the 1970s,” Joe Satin notes wistfully). Besides the trees, the sculpture and the functional changes they imposed upon the house, the next great evolution of the home’s character ended up dovetailing wonderfully with Phyllis Satin’s ultimate career choice. Always interested in both art and retail, Phyllis has given those two life forces a mission: to provide beautiful objects and interesting accoutrements at accessible prices to a devoted clientele
of her Wave Gallery in downtown New Haven. The 25-year-old store has had several offshoots, including most recently a second-generation store run by Phyllis’ daughter Heather in New Canaan. Joe and Phyllis have imbued the house with their effervescent eclecticism. A slab of stone is virtually used as a painting, nooks, shelves and built-ins wonderfully accommodate the many pieces that Phyllis purchased to sell at Wave but then decided she couldn’t bear to part with. “The things I like the best are not always the best sellers,” she acknowledges. The Satins are clearly multi-focused in all things residential. They have had two houses in Rhode Island, antiques that were heavily renovated and served as a perfect conceptual counterpoint to this High Modern art piece.
for ventilation provided by the gigantic sliding glass doors/windows proved to be ineffective. The heating plant has been updated, bathrooms have been renovated, a skylight insinuated into the entryway and many of the recent accommodations have actually brought the expanded family into play as son-in-law Robert Roland, an architect, ended up renovating this classic with minimal noticeable interruption. Having interior walls of Masonite and ceilings of cypress may not be exactly conventional, but this home perfectly reflects its owners’ desire to be completely surrounded by fine art and the craft of the human hand.
This home has been a place where two children grew up to appreciate the things their parents lived for, but it has also All this construction experience allows become the architectural focal point of for a positive perspective on the two very busy, independent careers. As ongoing maintenance necessitated by an Joe Satin notes, “This is the perfect house experimental design residing in the fairly for me.” To which Phyllis quickly adds, destructive New England climate. The “You are inside but you are always outside.” flat roof has been redone three times, huge Sentiments any successful marriage of trees that overgrew the house had to be house and family experience made all the removed before they endangered it, and air richer by three and a half decades of life conditioning was retrofitted as the hopedtogether.
Come Visit Our Brand New Showroom
The Kitchen Factor showcases the highest quality cabinets and hardware available in the market today. Our knowledgeable design associates will help you explore a wealth of design ideas in our beautiful showrooms. We can help homebuilders and homeowners choose custom features that will make their new home unique and distinctively their own. We are committed to providing value and world class customer service to all our customers. We look forward to working with you, as we promise to fulfill all of your interior needs. Call or visit The Kitchen Factor today!
193 Silver Sands Road, East Haven, CT | (203) 469-7601 | www.kitchenfactor.com | info@kitchenfactor.com new haven
31
BIBL IO F I L E S
The Road More Traveled A delightful new history illuminates the central role of the Post Road in the rise of American civilization
By MICHAEL C. BINGHAM
The King’s Best Highway: The Lost History of the Boston Post Road, the Route That Made America, by Eric Jaffe. Scribner, 2010, 336 pps., $27.50.
T
he rather sleepy street that runs in front of my home in Stratford is called, not terribly originally, Elm Street. But a tiny plaque two blocks away (not even most of my neighbors have ever noticed it) identifies it as “the oldest post road in America.”
Stratford’s Elm Street is about a mile south what in our town is called Barnum Avenue. Across the Washington Bridge in neighboring Devon, it’s known as the Boston Post Road. To the west, across the Bridgeport city line, it’s Boston Avenue. Today, much of the Post Road’s span between New York and Boston is a sea of gas stations, Dunkin’ Donuts and discount retailers — as Eric Jaffe puts it, “a gluttonous commercial wild.” But in his new history, The King’s Best Highway, Jaffe burrows beneath the asphalt to reveal a thoroughfare of deeper distinction. Starting with its pastoral founding by the earliest European colonists, who exploited 32
November 2010
rocky, slippery paths that Indians had literally burned out of the wilderness, Jaffe tells how the road became the artery for a primitive mail service, with post riders carrying wax-sealed letters from tavern to tavern (the first post offices) and distributing newspapers that united the scattered colonists to revolt against the British. Jaffe deftly recaptures a time — the early 1700s — when people took two weeks to get from Manhattan to Boston on horseback. (The Post Road is actually two roads: a high road through Springfield, Mass. and a low coastal road through Rhode Island — the fork is at New Haven.) As the centuries unfold, Jaffe traces the changes brought on by stagecoach, trolley, bicycle, reminding us that robust railroads led to a nearly century-long neglect of highways, until the automobile enabled the highways’ revenge. Sometimes Jaffe, a former editor of Smithsonian magazine’s Web site, strains some to make his case for the road’s place in history, telling us about curious happenings and personalities that came in contact with the road but left little lasting
impact. Did the fact that Lincoln chose Cooper Union — at the two-mile point of the road to Boston — for a February 1860 speech defending the federal government’s right to control the spread of slavery really mean that the road played a crucial role in shaping events?
On the other hand, Jaffe does make a convincing case that Lincoln’s latewinter whistle-stop tour of cities along the upper and lower Post Roads (including Providence, R.I., Boston, Hartford and Bridgeport) in that critical Presidential election year was instrument in vaulting Honest Abe from long shot to the man who would preserve the Union and become its eternal martyr. The railroad consigned the Post Road running alongside it to stepchild status. But the road recovered when Albert Pope, wanting smoother trails for his Columbia bicycles, led a movement for state-of-the-art paving.
Bui l di ng a F oundat i on
Hamden Hall Country Day School
An Independent College Preparatory, Co-Educational PreSchool through Grade 12 Day School
For a Lifetime of Learning
Then came the horseless carriage. By 1930, with 26 million cars on the burgeoning network of highways, Americans found it easy to live outside
1108 Whitney Ave. • Hamden, CT 203.752.2610 • www.hamdenhall.org
Custom Framing Since 1934 Rare and Unusual Views of Yale and New Haven
MERWIN’S ART SHOP
Japanese Woodblock Prints Antique Prints Assorted Art Prints and Posters Open Monday Through Saturday 1052 Chapel St, New Haven 203.865.3721
shoreline school of montessori preschool & kindergarten
Road warrior: Author Jaffe traces four centuries of people and progress along the Post Road.
cities, and the Post Road began its transformation into a commuter corridor — a function it would fulfill until the creation of Eisenhower’s interstate highway system in the 1950s. In the final chapter Jaffe cruises the latter-day Post Road in a Mini Cooper like an archaeologist, seeking old taverns and milestones. He observes how the ancient highway has been “relegated, in most places, to a glorified local street.” But not even time can erase the Post Road’s central place in the rise of American civilization. A “best highway,” indeed.
Parents’ Open House November 10th at 7p.m.
When learning starts fun, it stays fun!
675 east main street • branford, ct • (203) 481-5888 visit: www.shorelineschool.com
Same Out of this World Service
– New Location – By Am
203-483-7900 220 East Main Street, Branford CT • By Appointment • Amy Hinc, VMD
BECAUSE CATS ARE NOT SMALL DOGS new haven
33
Loesser Is More
C
horeographer Kelli Barclay thinks quickly and talks quickly. She also takes great joy in translating onto the stage the “quick wit” of Frank Loesser, who wrote the music and lyrics for How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, playing at Goodspeed Musicals through November 28. “What is so amazing about the show is that the writing is so quickwitted,” she says. “It pokes fun at what happens in a business office in ways that weren’t talked about in the 1950s and ‘60s.” How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying: The Dastard’s Guide to Fame and Fortune was originally penned by a former businessman, Shepherd Mead, in 1952. Mead based the book on his own experiences of climbing the corporate ladder from mailroom clerk to the vice president of his company, the advertising agency Benton & Bowles. Joshua Ritter, Goodspeed’s education director and librarian, describes the book as “a caustic satire of the business world written in the form of a comedic instructional manual.”
Nothing — not even the furniture — sits still in Goodspeed’s edgy How To Succeed in Business By BROOKS APPELBAUM
simultaneously express the frustrations of businessmen and their secretaries and banish those frustrations with laughter — at least until the next workday. Laughter was Frank Loesser’s specialty. By the time his previous producers, Cy Feuer and Earnest Martin, brought him the stage play of Shepherd’s book, Loesser had already written the music and lyrics to the hit Where’s Charley? in 1948 and Guys and Dolls in 1950. Guys and Dolls had won him two Tony Awards. Loesser knew his way around a musical, a Broadway audience, and the kind of hilarious lyrics that would not only please himself and his critics but set the box-office registers ringing.
Along with her Goodspeed collaborator, director Greg Ganakas, Barclay used Loessor’s signature wit as the point of departure for this production. Where Loessor’s music and lyrics mirror the fast pace of office life, Barclay sought to match him by creating dances and movements that were, as she says, “whimsical, edgy and smart.” The opening number, lit in black and white, is set up as if the audience is looking down on the workers as they rush to get to their office buildings. Inside the office of World Wide Wickets, the set “suddenly pops into Technicolor.” Employing these kinds of touches, Barclay and Ganakas stay true to the era portrayed but give their production “a new stylistic edge, a fresh point of view.”
A choreographer with a sharp eye for how words can inspire vision and movement, Barclay notes that “the quick-witted aspect of the writing drives the show. The lyrics “The set takes advantage of every inch of are loaded.” She points out that for How the stage, and every piece of furniture To Succeed, Loesser wrote his lyrics before dances,” she says. “That means the desks the music, helping to create one of the dance; the mailroom’s mail carts dance; most integrated musicals ever written. and the wash stations in the executive Each number moves the story, and the washroom dance. Ritter also points out that when the book comedy of the story, forward. “All the As for the actors and dancers themselves, was published, Broadway musicals were dances are story-driven,” she explains. Barclay is very clear. “I don’t even like to aimed not at tourists, but instead needed “I’ve worked on a lot of big dance shows, use the word ‘ensemble.’ My goal was to to appeal to those “sitting in nearby offices, and this one is so unusual in that the big fi nd performers who would look like real wealthy and weary after a long day of dance numbers in themselves are funny. office workers from the time. I wouldn’t work.” Mead’s original book presented a That doesn’t happen often in a big dance let anyone audition in dance shoes because perfect vehicle for a musical that would show.” 34
November 2010
PHOTOGRAPHS: Diane Sobolewski
The cast of How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying at Goodspeed.
if you put a dancer in dance shoes, it’s automatically, ‘I’m dancing!’ This show is not about ‘Here come the dancers!’ We have all these great character actors, including some older actors who can darn well move it.” Barclay is thrilled to reunite with director Ganakas, with whom she collaborated as choreographer for a Goodspeed production of George M! And she is obviously thrilled to be working — although she makes it sound like nothing but play — in Frank Loesser’s witty world. “What a fun thing to do!” she says. “I’m so fortunate to be part of it.”
Housewives Continued from 17
a full-time job and attending graduate school. “Our lifestyle has changed,” Kane says. With three children (17, 15 and 12) she’s still quite actively involved in her daughter’s elementary school, Edgewood Magnet School. She’s got a decade of PTA involvement under her belt and now is running the after-school drama club at Edgewood. “Once January hits, I’m putting together the play and leave my job at the preschool and get home from drama club at 6 p.m.,” she says. It’s a busy day for a “housewife” who still values sitting down with her family for dinner. Except that it’s at 8 p.m., not 6 p.m.
Choreographer Barclay (above) and director Ganakas aimed to give a half-century-old musical ‘a new stylistic edge.’
“Sometimes I’ll sit back and wonder if the kids really do appreciate all how involved I’ve been over the years, or if it’s just been too much,” Kane acknowledges. “It’s something I love doing. I love to be involved in things. I’ve come full circle:
I’m back working with little kids now that my kids are big.” It was through the same preschool that her kids attended that Kane built her network of friends. “It’s a nice continuum of a neighborhood. We’ve all continued on going to grade school and we’ve become ensconced in the neighborhood.” The term housewife seems almost archaic to Kane. “When I think of housewife, I think of cooking, cleaning, ironing, I can’t even describe it! I think they did away with housewives in the 1950s. Sometimes I think that might be nice, but I prefer the kitchen a mess from baking cookies.” Now that’s something that would make one famously red-headed, yet nevertheless desperate, housewife named Bree Hodge collapse: messy baking.
Serving New Haven County Since 1951 Ser ving O v Cities Wo er 550 rldwide
Tower One/Tower East offers an active lifestyle for its residents. Dine with friends, enjoy an avid discussion in our philosophy group or book club, Ànd your hidden talents behind a paint brush in our art classes, reacquaint with old friends & making new ones.
It’s All Right Here!
Limousine
worldwide transportation
Hy’s Is One of the Top 50 Limousines Operators In America & Has One of the Largest & Newest Fleets in Connecticut!
Tower One/Tower East 18 Tower Lane Ɣ New Haven, CT 06519
203.772.1816 www.towerone.org A distinctive non - profit apartment and assisted living retirement community. Fostering Independence and Community — It’s All Right Here
www.HYSLIMO.com | 800 255.LIMO (5466) new haven
35
ONSTAGE Cabaret A 16-year-old girl just wants to see her favorite band perform the day after Christmas. But at the edge of a typical New England town sits a typical wooden shed, with a not-so-typical monster inside who holds the whole town under his sway. Second-year Yale School of Drama (YSD) playwright Caroline V. McGraw tells this story in the form of your favorite record — an album of scenes that skip, repeat, speed up, slow down and sing of a teenage girl’s world teetering at the edge between fantasy and reality. The not-very-felicitously-titled Debut Track One Chord One Verse One (Or, the
strong-willed Southern matron and her equally indomitable black chauffeur, Hoke. November 3-21 at Ivoryton Playhouse, 103 Main St., Ivoryton. $38-$15. 860-767-7318, ivorytonplayhouse.org. Miche Braden stars in the title role of The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith. It’s 1937 and the final performance of Bessie, as the fiesty singer regales her audience with tales from her life, and many loves and losses. Braden not only captures the soulful richness of the singing style of the “Empress of the Blues” and one of the greatest singers of her era, but the essence of her boozy, feisty personality. November 4-28 at Seven Angels Theatre, 1 Plank Rd., Waterbury. $48-$32.50. 203-757-4676, sevenangelstheatre.org. There may be no more quintessentially American musical than Rodgers and
features two dozen traditional Christmas carols including “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen,” “The Holly and the Ivy,” “Here We Come a-Wassailing” “Away in a Manger” and “O Come, O Come Immanuel.” 7:30 p.m. November 26, 2 & 7 p.m. November 27, 2 p.m. November 28 at the Shubert Theater, 247 College St., New Haven. $42-$15. 203-562-5666, 800-228-6622, shubert. com.
The East Coast premier of Athol Fugard’s latest, The Train Driver. The title character is Roelf Visagie, who searches among the amangcwaba (the unnamed ones) for the final unmarked resting place of a young woman and child he unintentionally killed. As he wanders the graveyards of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, he encounters a mysterious gravedigger who guides him towards a tenuous and troubling understanding. Through November 21 at Long Wharf Theatre, 222 Sargent Dr., New Haven. $70-$32. 203-787-4282, longwharf.org. In this hysterical satire of American industry, an ambitious window-washer uses a bit of charm, a lot of flattery and a little self-help manual called How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying to vault upward from mailroom clerk to executive suite boss. A triumph of musical theater
PHOTOGRAPH: Ethan Heard.
The Yale Rep stages the world premiere of Kirsten Greenidge’s Bossa Nova, which earned the 2010 Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Award. Dee Paradis has never fit in. Raised on the gentle swing of bossa nova and educated at elite, predominately white schools, she has led a life meticulously designed by her elegant and strong-willed mother, Lady. In the split second when she locks eyes with Lady in the mirror before a dinner party, Dee — nearly 30 years old and still torn between her mother’s expectations and a former lover’s ideals of authenticity — comes face to face with a choice that will determine her future. Evan Yionoulis directs. November 26-December 18 at Yale Repertory Theatre, 1120 Chapel St., New Haven. $67-$35. 203-432-1234, yalerep.org.
Main St., Chester. $42. 860-873-8668, goodspeed.org.
Continuing
Bawdy of work: Miche Braden channels the incomparable Bessie Smith in The Devil’s Music at Seven Angels in Waterbury. Shed) is a listening party with 70 of your closest friends. Drew Lichtenberg directs. 8 p.m. November 4, 8 & 11 p.m. November 5-6 at Yale Cabaret, 217 Park St., New Haven. $15 ($10 student). 203432-1566, yalecabaret.org. Your chance to see the acclaimed but rarely performed The Other Shore. This playful and poetic odyssey by Gao Xingjian, a renowned, controversial playwright and the first Chinese Nobel Prize Laureate in literature, paints the struggle of an individual within a collective striving for utopia (“the other shore”). A team of YSD designers with multi-cultural backgrounds (Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, the U.S.) creates a production that transcends cultural boundaries by combining Eastern and Western theatrical aesthetics with sound, objects, movement and text. 8 p.m. November 11, 8 & 11 p.m. November 12-13 at Yale Cabaret, 217 Park St., New Haven. $15 ($10 student). 203-432-1566, yalecabaret.org.
Opening Ivoryton stages Alfred Uhry’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. This graceful, moving drama affectionately chronicles the quarter-century relationship between a wealthy,
36
November 2010
Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain. Featuring such classic numbers as “People Will Say We’re in Love”, “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” and “Surrey with a Fringe on Top.” One night only! 8 p.m. November 12 at the Shubert Theater, 247 College St., New Haven. $75-$15. 203-562-5666, 800-2286622, shubert.com. David B. Jaffe, Wesleyan’s Frank B. Weeks Visiting Professor of Theater, directs Shakespeare’s Richard III. This complex portrait of a “defused infection of a man” provides fertile soil for a theatrical exploration of villainy and the seductive nature of power. Through a developmental process of collaborative creation, the company of actors unravels the core text to craft a world soaked in treachery, deceit, deep love and profound loss. “Conscience is but a word that cowards use...” 8 p.m. November 18-20, at CFA Theater, Wesleyan University, Middletown. $5-$4. 860-685-3355, wesleyan.edu/cfa. A Thanksgiving weekend treat for the whole family is the Shubert’s staging of Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol. Performed by a spirited ensemble cast of actors, singers and dancers, this production
Three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edward Albee (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?) makes his Yale Rep debut with a new production of his masterpiece, A Delicate Balance. Agnes and Tobias are a well-off, longmarried couple who share their home with Agnes’s older sister, Claire, a self-proclaimed “drunk.” The delicate balance of their lives has already begun to teeter when their best friends arrive unexpectedly, asking if they can stay — indefinitely. The next day, their grown daughter shows up, expecting to move home again after the collapse of her fourth marriage. Agnes and Tobias soon realize they must make some difficult choices about what to do next. Artistic Director James Bundy (2009’s Death of a Salesman) stages this social comedy about the fragile nature of marriages, families and friendships. Through November 13 at Yale Repertory Theatre, 1120 Chapel St., New Haven. $85-$10. 203-432-1234, yalerep.org. James & the Giant Peach is a brand, spanking new musical with choreography by the esteemed Pilobolus Dance Co. When James is shipped off to live with his wretched aunts, he longs for a real family and a new home. All seems hopeless until he discovers a magical giant peach filled with a menagerie of fantastical creatures. Through November 21 at Norma Terris Theatre, 33 N.
Kathleen Chalfant and Edward Herrmann star in the Yale Rep’s production of Edward Albee’s A Delicate Balance. (seven Tonys) with a winning and witty score that includes “”The Company Way,” “I Believe in You” and “Brotherhood of Man.” Greg Ganakis directs, with musical direction by Michael O’Flaherty and choreography by Kelli Barclay. Through November 28 at Goodspeed Opera House, 6 Main St., East Haddam. $71-$27.50. 860-8738668, goodspeed.org.
Orchard crisp
apples
,
fresh baked pies, cider donuts,
fresh cider, gourmet food, seasonal decor&much more.
HICKORY HILL ORCHARDS
PROFESSIONAL FRUIT GROWERS SINCE 1977 351 South Meriden Rd. • Cheshire • (203) 272-3824
hickoryhillorchards.com
ART GALLERY TALKS/TOURS Stories and Art. On the second Sunday of each month, tales of distant times and faraway lands inspire children of all ages to view art in new ways. All ages are welcome, and drawing materials will be provided for older children. 1 p.m. November 14 at Yale University Art Gallery, 1111 Chapel St., New Haven. Free. 203-432-0600, artgallery.yale.edu. Describing Beauty: Dance, Exoticism and Figuration in the Paintings of John La Farge, by Anna AribindanKesson, Ph.D candidate in history of art and African American studies at Yale. In conjunction with the exhibition John La Farge’s Second Paradise: Voyages in the South Seas, 1890-91. 4 p.m. November 16 at Yale University Art Gallery, 1111 Chapel St., New Haven. Free. 203-4320600, artgallery.yale.edu.
EXHIBITIONS Opening The Firehouse Art Gallery presents Small Works, an exhibition of works in any and all media that have one thing in common — they’re no larger than 18 inches in any dimension (sculpture less than 100 pounds). Best of all, all works are for sale. Juried by painter, printmaker and potter Emily Bett. November 11-December 16 at Firehouse Art Gallery, 81 Naugatuck Ave., Milford. Open noon-5 p.m. Thurs.-Sun. Free. 203306-0016, milfordarts.org.
Christmas in Asia, the sixth annual Christmas crèche exhibition, includes more 100 crèches (also known as Nativities) from 22 Asian countries. The crèches come from the Holy Land in the Middle East, across Asia, to Japan in the Far East. Also included are original Holy Family paintings and prints from Japan, China and Korea. November 19-February 13 at Knights of Columbus Museum, 1 State St., New Haven. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Free. 203-865-0400, kofcmuseum.org.
Continuing A Privileged View: Paintings by Lockwood de Forest is among the first public exhibitions of both plein air sketches and major easel paintings of Lockwood de Forest (1850-1932). This exhibition features early works from his travels to the Middle East portraying the acrid sun of the desert in stark contrast to the paintings from his summer travels in Maine as well as those painted later in his life along the coast of California with their uniquely Pacific light and atmosphere. Through November 13 (opening reception 4-8 p.m. 10/9) at the Cooley Gallery, 25 Lyme St., Old Lyme. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Free. 860-434-8807, cooleygallery.com. A Mano: New Works in Paper by Jennifer Davies. The artist processes Asian fibers to make paper into which she includes yarn or etchings. Some sheets are patterned by burn marks, ink or clay, and overlaid with translucent paper. Included in this new show are weavings of various shapes, dipped into liquid pulp to make translucent nets. Through November 21 at City Gallery, 994 State St., New Haven. Open noon-4 p.m. Thurs.-Sun. Free. 203-7822489, city-gallery.org.
Claes Oldenburg, Flying Pizza, from New York Ten, color lithograph,1964. From the exhibition Art & Appetite at Wesleyan’s Davison Art Center. Works by Connecticut artists Megan Craig and Will Lustenader. Through December 3 at Gallery 195, 195 Church St. (4th floor), New Haven. 203-772-2788, newhavenarts.org. Connections between the systems that shape our existence are frayed, eroded — even gone. A major shift in our social environment has occurred, removing the direct and instinctual connection with our fellow man and environment.
CRITIC’S PICK Sea Section: Art on the Shoreline Untitled image by Guilford photographer Rosemary DeLucco-Alpert, on view as part of the Nov. 21-22 Shoreline ArtsTrail Open Studios Weekend.
On November 21-22, the shoreline arts community springs to life with the ninth annual Shoreline ArtsTrail Open Studios Weekend. Thirty-seven artists from Branford, Guilford and Madison open their studios to share
their work, local businesses offer discounts for visitors, and the Guilford Art Center presents a special Shoreline ArtsTrail exhibit through January 9. Visit with more than a dozen painters, 11
potters and sculptors, and artists working in such diverse media as glass, jewelry, printmaking, photography, textiles and fiber, quilts, paper cutting, engraving, mixed-media art and goldsmithing. In addition to returning
members, this year’s Open Studios Weekend includes seven new artists: painters Lorraine Lewin, Laurie Douglas, and Phyllis Lynch, fiber artist Diane Wright, calligrapher and mixedmedia painter Maureen Squires, sea glass designer Betsy Clark Gay and stained glass artist Jayne Crowley. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. November 21-22 at various locations Branford, Guilford, Madison. Free. 203-4813505, shorelineartstrail. com.
Connectivity Lost identifies a body of work based on this disconnect that addresses the ways we are estranged from each other and from the environment in which we live. Artists working in painting, installation, video, prints, photography and mixed media include Daniel Alcalá, Chris Ballantyne, Richard Barnes, Matthew Bryant, Brian Collier, Maria Hedlund, Jason Middlebrook, Matthew Moore and Lucy+Jorge Orta. Through December 6 at Zilkha Gallery, Wesleyan University, Middletown. Open noon-4 p.m. daily except Mon. (until 8 p.m. Fri.). (Closed 11/24-28.) Free. 860-685-3355, wesleyan. edu/cfa. From ordinary bread to frosted wedding cakes, from pig roasts to pizza, food has delighted artists throughout the ages. An exhibition of more than 40 prints and photographs from the Davison Art Center collection, Art & Appetite explores the depiction of food and drink across five centuries. Pieter Bruegel the Elder designed the engravings Fat Kitchen and Thin Kitchen (1563) as comic allegories of feast and famine. Pop artist Claes Oldenburg monumentalized modern fast food with Flying Pizza (1964), and Dieter Roth used cheese as a printing material in his Small Landscape (1969). Through December 12 at Davison Art Center, Wesleyan University, Middletown. Open noon-4 p.m. daily except Mon. (until 8 p.m. Fri.). (Closed 11/24-28.) Free. 860685-3355, wesleyan.edu/cfa. New Gods and Old in Sichuan: Photographs from the Twenties is the first exhibition of images made from Wesleyan graduate George Neumann’s luminous hand-tinted photographs, a
Continued on 41
new haven
37
Scarlatti and Robert Schumann. The West End String Quartet will perform with Berman on Wesleyan music professor Neely Bruce’s new arrangement of the Chopin variations. 8 p.m. November 5 at Crowell Concert Hall, 50 Wyllys Ave., Middletown. $22 ($18 seniors, students). 860-685-3355, wesleyan.edu/cfa.
MUSIC The New Haven Symphony Orchestra hosts a “cultural happy hour” called SymphonyCity: The Nature of Art. The language of music and poetry glorify nature, while the sustainablefood movement tantalizes your palette. Featuring poet Margaret Gibson, finalist for the National Book Award and a five-time Pulitzer Prize nominee. SymphonyCity provides the audience an opportunity to meet the faces of the NHSO — from musicians and staff to patrons — at an event that promises to feed the soul and the palette. 5:30-7 p.m. November 29 at the Study at Yale, 1157 Chapel St., New Haven. Free. 203-865-0831, newhavensymphony.org.
On Easter Sunday of 1935, the Aeolian Skinner Co.’s state-of-the-art pipe organ, Opus 927, was heard in public for the first time at historic Trinity Church on the Green. Possessing an unusual richness of sonority, wealth of timbral colors and dynamic expressivity across its three manuals and 79 ranks, this instrument endures as a monument to its creator — G. Donald Harrison, a seminal figure in the development of the modern “American Classic” pipe organ. In commemoration of its 75th anniversary, Trinity Church presents the Wendell H. Piehler Memorial Organ Series of concerts and talks. For this event former Trinity assistant organists and choirmasters Brian Harlow and Christopher Jennings put the “King of Instruments” through its paces. 7 p.m. November 6 at Trinity Church on the Green, New Haven. Free. 203-776-2616, trinitynewhaven.org.
Classical As part of Wesleyan’s continuing “Chopin@200” celebration, American pianist Donald Berman (Wesleyan ‘84) performs Chopin’s Barcarolle and variations on La Ci Darem la Mano, along with works by Luciano Berio, Charles Ives, Eric Moe, Domenico
American pianist Donald Berman plays Chopin, Ives, Scarlatti and Schumann November 5 in Middletown. Sponsored by
Have Yourself a Merry!
Seeking Overweight Women Problems with Binge Eating? Want to Lose Weight? No Cost.
rbur y Wate ale r o Ch 4 Dec
Dec
No Health Insurance Necessary.
FREE Study Medication. New Haven and Hartford locations.
12
EARN UP TO $100 All information is kept strictly confidential. Qualifications include: Dec
llet’s y Ba r dbur Woo tcracke Nu 18 Dec
5 5 5
7- 9
Man ha Tran ttan s Dec fer 15
18-65 years old Compulsive eater or binge eater and feel out of control Do NOT have diabetes or thyroid disease Funded by the National Institutes of Health
HIC # 0511000832
To view the rest of the star-studded 10-11 season visit www.palacetheaterct.org
Please call: (203) 785-6040
Ask us about having your holiday event here!
Or go to https://www.surveymk.com/s/YaleTreatmentStudy to see if you may be eligible
203.346.2000 • 100 East Main Street, Waterbury, CT
38
November 2010
Adam Pearl, harpsichord, performs one of the special Collection Concerts at the Yale Collection of Musical Instruments. 3 p.m. November 7 at 15 Hillhouse Ave., New Haven. $20 ($10 students). 203-4324158, music.yale.edu. Yale Guitar Music Today, directed by classical guitar virtuoso Benjamin Verdery, will feature music by Yaleaffiliated composers. World premieres by Ezra Laderman, David Lang, Jack Vees, Kathryn Alexander and Samuel Adams will be performed alongside music by Martin Bresnick, Ingram Marshall and Benjamin Verdery. In addition to music for solo classical guitar, there will be pieces for various duos (alto flute and guitar, two electric guitars) and ensembles (guitar quartet, guitar octet and guitar with string quartet). 8 p.m. November 8 at Sprague Hall, 470 College St., New Haven. Free. 203-432-4158, music.yale.edu. Join the Yale Baroque Ensemble for an evening of nuove musiche — 17thcentury masterpieces from Italy and Germany. Robert Mealy directs. 8 p.m. November 9 at Sprague Hall, 470 College St., New Haven. Free. 203-432-4158, music.yale.edu. As part of the Horowitz Piano Series, Wei-Yi Yang performs in recital: SCHUBERT Drei Klavierstücke, D. 946; SCHUBERT-LISZT Lieder transcriptions; CHOPIN 24 Préludes, Op. 28. 8 p.m. November 10 at Sprague Hall, 470 College St., New Haven. $22$12 (students $6). 203-432-4158, music. yale.edu. Under the baton of Music Director Toshiyuki Shimada, the excellent undergraduate ensemble the Yale Symphony Orchestra performs. BACH Orchestral Suite No. 2 in B minor, BWV 1067 (Rhiannon Bronstein, flute); VIVALDI The Four Seasons, Op. 8, Nos. 1-4; BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 2 in D major. 8 p.m. November 13 at Woolsey Hall, 500 College St., New Haven. Free. 203-432-4158, music.yale.edu. Shinik Hahm leads the graduate Yale Philharmonia in concert. STRAUSS Don Juan (Adrian Slywotzky, conductor), Oboe Concerto in D Major (Carl Oswald, oboe); BRAHMS Symphony No. 4 in E minor. 8 P.M. November 18 at Woolsey Hall, 500 College St., New Haven. Free. 203-432-4158, music.yale.edu. “All Music, All Delight” is the title of this evening of American art song by the Yale Voxtet. 8 p.m. November 19 at Sprague Hall, 470 College St., New Haven. Free. 203-432-4158, music.yale. edu.
One of the leading figures of the last 50 years of American folk music, the incomparable Joan Baez comes to the Shubert November 5 for one show only.
Saturday after Thanksgiving. That’s when Music Director James Sinclair, ONE instrumentalists and guest soloists don powdered wigs, silk breeches and other sundry finery to perform “new works” by composers such as Haydn and Mozart in candlelit United Church as part of the 31st annual Orchestra New England Colonial Concert. 8 p.m. November 27 at United Church on the Green, New Haven. $35-$20. 203-562-5666, orchestranewengland.org.
Popular Over a career that has spanned half a century now, the incomparable Joan Baez has been an incalculable influence on American popular music. 8 p.m. November 5 at the Shubert Theater, 247 College St., New Haven. $55-$35. 203562-5666, 800-228-6622, shubert.com. A Night To Remember: The Classic Soul Sounds of the ‘70s. Featuring the Legendary Intruders, Rolls Royce Review, James (D-Train) Williams, the Original Joneses and James Brown tribute Black Velvet. 8 p.m. November 6 at the Shubert Theater, 247 College St., New Haven. $50-$40. 203-562-5666, 800-228-6622, shubert.com.
As part of the Great Organ Music at Yale series, Sophie-Véronique Cauchefer-Choplin brandishes the mighty Newberry Organ in a recital of music by Bach, Franck, Ropartz, Bedard, plus an improvisation. 8 p.m. November 21 at Woolsey Hall, 500 College St., New Haven. Free. 203-432-4158, music.yale. edu.
Dex Romweber Duo. Former frontman for the world-famous psycho-surfrockabilly-garage-punk combo Flat Duo Jets, Romweber is one of the most original and larger-than-life personalities since the days of Gene Vincent and Little Richard. (The other half of the “duo” is his sister, drummer Sara Romweber.) 9 p.m. November 9 at Café Nine, 250 State St., New Haven. $10. 203-789-8281, cafénine.com.
For more than three decades, the unofficial kickoff of the holiday season in New Haven has taken place on the
The Spampinato Brothers. Founding member Joey and brother Johnny (Come Lately) cut their teeth with
critically acclaimed and much-loved NRBQ. Among that band’s many superlatives is becoming the first group to appear on The Simpsons in both live and animated form. The Zambonis open. 9 p.m. November 11 at Café Nine, 250 State St., New Haven. $12. 203-7898281, cafénine.com. Under the auspices of Yale’s Ellington Jazz Series is On Common Ground, Pt. II. With Ben Allison, bassist and composer, the St. Luke’s Steel Band and an ensemble of Yale School of Music musicians performing music by steel pan virtuoso Andy Akiho and other Yale composers. 8 p.m. November 12 at Sprague Hall, 470 College St., New Haven. Free. 203-4324158, music.yale.edu. Be very afraid of Atlanta’s Coathangers, a four-piece punk/pop/experimental band of hardcore feministas who hammer out “a bat cave crunk-punk dirge that explodes with energy and creativity.” 9 p.m. November 12 at Café Nine, 250 State St., New Haven. $8. 203789-8281, cafénine.com. Folk music icon Arlo Guthrie (“Alice’s Restaurant” — need we say?) rocks the Palace. 7 p.m. November 14 at the Palace Theater, 100 E. Main St., Waterbury. $59.50-$29.50. 203-346-2000, palacetheaterct.org. The foremost Doors tribute band is Riders on the Storm, now in their 20th year. 8 p.m. November 19 at Toad’s Place, 300 York St., New Haven. $12 ($8.50 advance). 203-624-8623, toadsplace.com.
St., New Haven. $18-$12. 203-785-0468, firehouse12.com. The 11-member New Haven Improvisers Collective returns to Firehouse12 to celebrate the release of its new CD, Lubricity, recorded live at last year’s Firehouse 12 gig. 8:30 p.m. November 20 at Firehouse 12, 45 Crown St., New Haven. $15. 203-785-0468, firehouse12.com. Fairfield County jazz- and funkmeisters Deep Banana Blackout bring da noise to York Street for an all-ages show. 9 p.m. November 24 at Toad’s Place, 300 York St., New Haven. $20 ($18.50 advance). 203-624-8623, toadsplace.com. Saxophonist, composer and Wesleyan professor Anthony Braxton, known for his ground-breaking jazz and experimental music, performs in an intimate, small-ensemble setting. 8 p.m. December 2 at Crowell Concert Hall, 50 Wyllys Ave., Middletown. $22 ($18 seniors, students). 860-685-3355, wesleyan.edu/ cfa.
World The Singhini Ensemble of Kathmandu performs an evening of Nepalese music and dance. Presented by the Yale Department of Religious Studies with support from the Institute of Sacred Music and the South Asian Studies Council. 8 p.m. November 5 at Sprague Hall, 470 College St., New Haven. Free. 203-432-4158, music.yale.edu.
Drummer/composer Ches Smith visits the City of Elms with his working quartet These Arches to celebrate their new release, Finally Out of My Hands (Skirl Records). 8:30 & 10 p.m. November 19 at Firehouse 12, 45 Crown
new haven
39
CALENDAR
BELLES LETTRES In celebration of the 40th anniversary of G.B. Trudeau’s syndicated comic strip Doonesbury (which began life as “Bull Tales” in the Yale Daily News), the exhibition Doonesbury in a Time of War traces the evolution of the quixotic yet representative figure B.D., a character known for his ever-present helmet. Named for the Yale quarterback Brian Dowling, B.D.’s journey from Walden College football captain to injured Reservist in the Second Gulf War brings to light not only one of Doonesbury’s enduring themes, but the ways in which the subject of war permeates public consciousness. Drawing upon Trudeau’s working notebooks and original artwork, the exhibition highlights key moments in B.D.’s long-running story. Through December 17 at the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, 121 Wall St., New Haven. Free. Open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Fri., noon-5 p.m. Sat. 203-432-2977, beineckelibrary@ yale.edu.
Doonesbury’s inimitable B.D. is the subject of the exhibition Doonesbury in a Time of War at the Beinecke. The Mystery Book Club meets the first Wednesday to discuss a pre-selected book. Books are available for check out prior to the meeting. 3-4 p.m. November 3 at Blackstone Library, 758 Main St., Branford. Free. 203-483-6653, blackstone. lioninc.org/booktalk.htm. Tracy Chevalier (Girl with a Pearl Earring) is a master of historical fiction. Her latest book, Remarkable Creatures, reimagines the life of 19th-century British fossil hunter and paleontologist Mary Anning and her unlikely relationship with Elizabeth Philpot, an intellectual, independent member of London’s upper middle class who also collected and studied fossils. At age 12 Anning found the first complete ichthyosaur specimen, and her later findings include the first two plesiosaur skeletons. Chevalier will share what she learned about Anning’s life, her discoveries and the social conditions of the time while doing research for Remarkable Creatures. Book signing to follow. 5:30 p.m. November 4 at Yale Peabody Museum, 170 Whitney Ave.,
40
November 2010
New Haven. Free. 203-432-5050, peabody. yale.edu.
$15 students). 203-392-6154, lyman. southernct.edu.
New members are welcomed to the Blackstone Library Second Tuesday Book Club. The group meets on the second Tuesday to discuss a preselected book. Books available for loan in advance of discussion. 6:45-8 p.m. November 9 at Blackstone Library, 758 Main St., Branford. Free. 203-4881441, ext. 318, blackstone.lioninc.org/ booktalk.htm.
Michael Ian Black brings his hilarious standup comedy material to SCSU. He is best known for the Comedy Central show Michael and Michael Have Issues and the cult hit movie Wet Hot American Summer. 8 p.m. November 19 at Lyman Center, Southern Connecticut State University, 501 Crescent St., New Haven. $20 ($8 with SCSU ID). 203-3926154, lyman.southernct.edu.
Release your inner poet. Time Out for Poetry meets third Thursdays and welcomes those who wish to share an original short poem, recite a stanza or simply to listen. Ogden Nash, Robert Frost, William Shakespeare, Dr. Seuss and even the Burma Shave signs live again. 12:30-2 p.m. November 18 at Scranton Library, 801 Boston Post Rd., Madison. Free. 203-245-7365.
Lewis Black is one of the brainiest (he went to Yale, duh) and funniest comedians working today — anywhere. 8 p.m.. November 21 at Oakdale Theatre, 95 S. Turnpike Rd., Wallingford. $69.50$57.60. 203-265-1501, livenation.com.
BENEFITS The Guilford Art Center’s second annual Halloween Costume Party is for revelers 21 and over (you know — those “sexy witch” costumes and all). Adult beverages, appetizers, deejay, dancing, prizes for best costumer. And it all benefits the Guilford Art Center, of course. 7-11 p.m. October 29 at 102 Broad St., Guilford. $35. Reservations. 203-453-5947, guilfordartcenter.org. The tenth annual gala and auction known as the Black & White Ball benefits Marrakech Inc., a New Haven non-profit that serves some 1,700 children and adults with development, physical and behavioral health disabilities. Live and silent auction (including cruise to Mexico or the Caribbean, Hamptons cottage, etc.), dinner, dancing, fabulosity — all for a great cause. 6 p.m. November 13 at Grassy Hill Country Club, 441 Clark La., Orange. $150. 203-389-2970, ext. 1030, jkorman@marrakechinc.org. The New Haven Symphony Orchestra hosts Women of Note, the NHSO’s fourth annual luncheon and fashion show. Ten area women of “note” will be honored, including WTNH-TV anchor Sonia Baghdady, longtime arts patron Ruth Lapides and NHSO composer-in-residence Jin Hi Kim. Noon-3 p.m. November 14 at Pine Orchard Yacht & Country Club, 2 Club Pkwy., Branford. $85. 203-865-0831, ext. 15, newhavensymphony.org.
COMEDY Wild West presents the Vince Vaughn & Kevin James Comedy Roadshow. 8 p.m. November 2 at Oakdale Theatre, 95 S. Turnpike Rd., Wallingford. $79.75$57.60. 203-265-1501, livenation.com. Using just their quick wits, Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood take contributions from the audience to create hilarious and original scenes — just like a live version of Whose Line Is It Anyway! 8 p.m. November 6 at Lyman Center, Southern Connecticut State University, 501 Crescent St., New Haven. $35 ($25 SCSU faculty/staff,
uncover the mysteries of these amazing nocturnal hunters. It’s a hoot! 7:15-9:15 p.m. November 5 at CAS Nature Center at Milford Point, 1 Milford Point Rd., Milford. $35. 203-878-7440, ctaudubon. org. Comic actor Mark Stolzenberg and Moscow Circus star Anna Jack combine their talents in Circus Follies, a one-of-a-kind tour de force. 7:30 p.m. November 5 at Paul Mellon Arts Center, Christian St., Wallingford. $20 ($15 seniors, students). 203-697-2398, choate. edu/boxoffice.
CULINARY Consiglio’s Cooking Class Club. Chef Maureen Nuzzo explains and demonstrates how to prepare mouthwatering southern Italian dishes that have been passed down from generation to generation. This month’s menu features potato and parsley soup with pesto, risotto balls with black olive pesto, chicken Supreme filled with shrimp, spinach and prosciutto and lemon mascarpone cheesecake. Are you hungry yet? 6:30 p.m. November 4 & 18 at Consiglio’s Restaurant, 165 Wooster St., New Haven. $65. Reservations. 203865-4489, consiglios.com. City Farmers Markets New Haven. Eat local! Enjoy seasonal fruits, vegetables, and herbs from local farms including seafood, meat, milk, cheese, handcrafted bread and baked goods, honey, more. DOWNTOWN: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesdays through November 24, Church St. at the Green. WOOSTER SQUARE: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays through December 18 at Russo Park, corner Chapel St. and DePalma Ct. EDGEWOOD PARK: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sundays through November 21 corner Whalley and West Rock Aves. 203-7733736, cityseed.org.
DANCE Holiday family fave The Nutcracker comes to the Palace for six performances over Thanksgiving weekend. November 26-28 at the Palace Theater, 100 E. Main St., Waterbury. $45$28. 203-346-2000, palacetheaterct.org.
FAMILY EVENTS Each Tuesday the Yale Astronomy Department hosts a Planetarium Show. Weather permitting there is also public viewing of planets, nebulae, star clusters and whatever happens to be interesting in the sky. Viewable celestial objects change seasonally. 7 & 8 p.m. Tuesdays at Leitner Family Observatory, 355 Prospect St., New Haven. Free. cobb@astro.yale.edu, astro.yale.edu. The Connecticut Audubon Society (CAS) hosts an Autumn Owl Prowl. When the sun retreats, owls awaken to search for prey. Some say that owls are wise, others that they sparked legends of ghosts. Whatever the truth, a night near All Hallows Eve is a fine time to
Born in Russia to a prominent circus family, hula-hoop artist Anna Jack spent four years with the Moscow Circus before coming to America and teaming up with comic actor Mark Stolzenberg to create Circus Follies, coming November 5 to Choate’s Mellon Arts Center.
HOLIDAY BAZAARS Our Lady of Mercy School’s tenth annual Christmas Boutique is this year partnering with Mercy Center’s Fair Earth Bazaar to create a holiday extravaganza with 40-plus artisans, food, music and more. 5-9 p.m. November 5, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. November 6 at Our Lady of Mercy, 149 Neck Rd., Madison. Free. 203-458-3364, olmchristmas.com. The Trinity Church Holiday Bazaar features homemade crafts, silent auction, tag sale, raffles, food court, surprise packages and more — a must for the serious holiday shopper. Proceeds benefit the restoration of the church’s magnificent stained-glass windows, a New Haven treasure. Noon8 p.m. November 18, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. November 19-20 at Trinity Church on the Green, New Haven. Free. 203-624-3101.
MIND, BODY & SOUL Led by Nelie Doak, Yoga promotes a deep sense of physical, mental and emotional well-being. Classes are designed to help cultivate breath and body awareness, improve flexibility, strengthen and tone muscles, detoxify the body and soothe the spirit. All levels welcome. Bring a yoga mat. 5-6:15 p.m. Fridays at Blackstone Library, 758 Main St., Branford. $10. 203-488-
Hikes
CRITIC’S PICK Sides Will Split Forgot To Laugh is a multimedia extravaganza combining new animation with one-of-a-kind sideshow acts.
The Forgot To Laugh Sideshow & Animation Festival is back, produced an emceed by the incomparable Tony
Baloney. Among the live sideshow acts are comical contortionist Jonathan Burns, LED hula hoop duo Pam Terror & Dollie
1441, ext. 313, yogidoakie@earthlink. net or events@blackstone.lioninc.org, blackstone.lioninc.org.
NATURAL HISTORY A Guide to Understanding the Times, Biology & Appearance of Dinosaurs Great and Small, with Gregory Paul, whose recently released Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs covers the explosion in dinosaur research and illustration since the 1970s, when a renaissance in science and paleo-art replaced the traditional view of dinosaurs as obsolete reptiles. Paul will explore the fact that birds with high metabolic rates are descendents of dinosaurs, but also that fossils prove that feathers first evolved in high-energy dinosaurs well before the advent of birds. 1 p.m. November 20 at Yale Peabody Museum, 170 Whitney Ave., New Haven. $9 ($8 seniors, $5 children). 203-432-5050, peabody.yale.edu. Black Holes: Space Warps & Time Twists. The Peabody Museum’s fall exhibition explores some of the most mysterious and powerful objects in the universe—black holes. These regions in space, sometimes only a few kilometers
Arts Calendar Continued from 37 vision of the encounter of Methodist, Daoist, Buddhist and folk spirituality in the Chengdu basin in the early part of the 20th century. Through December 14 at Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies, 343 Washington Terrace, Middletown. Open noon-4 p.m. daily except Mon. Free. ‘That Independent Eye’: The Lurie Collection of Modern and Contemporary British Painting. Samuel and Gabrielle Lurie have amassed a dynamic collection of contemporary British art spanning the past four decades. Through January 2 at Yale Center for British Art, 1080 Chapel St., New Haven. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily except Mon., noon-5 p.m. Sun. Free. 203-432-2800, ycba.yale.edu. Notes from the Archive: James Frazer Stirling, Architect and Teacher. The
Danger, “static” trapeze D by b Stephanie Santoro of Fierce Circus, belly and F other dance forms by the o lovely Lydia, and swordl swallowing (kids — don’t s try t this at home!) by the Great Fredini. G Also, animation from Bill Plympton (including his newest short, The Cow Who Wanted To Be a Hamburger), Aardman
across, have gravity so powerful that matter drawn into them is lost forever. Einstein predicted black holes, but doubted whether they could exist in nature. Today evidence suggests they are quite common. There is even a “supermassive black hole” at the center of our own galaxy, the Milky Way. Through May 1 at Yale Peabody Museum, 170 Whitney Ave., New Haven. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, noon-5 p.m. Sun. $9 ($8 seniors, $5 children). 203-432-5050, peabody.yale.edu.
SPORTS/RECREATION Cycling Elm City Cycling organizes Lulu’s Ride, weekly two- to four-hour rides for all levels (17-19 mph average). Cyclists leave at 10 a.m. from Lulu’s European Café as a single group; no one is dropped. 10 a.m. Sundays at Lulu’s European Café, 49 Cottage St., New Haven. Free. 203-773-9288, elmcitycycling.org. 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 Yale Center for British Art and the Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montréal (CCA), have co-produced the first-ever exhibition of the archive of British architect, Yale School of Architecture professor and Pritzker Prize laureate James Stirling (1924-92). January 2 at Yale Center for British Art, 1080 Chapel St., New Haven. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. daily except Mon., noon-5 p.m. Sun. Free. 203-432-2800, ycba.yale.edu. John La Farge’s Second Paradise: Voyages in the South Seas, 1890-91. In 1890 John La Farge and his friend the historian Henry Adams embarked on a journey to the islands of the South Pacific, Hawaii, Samoa, Tahiti, Rarotonga and Fiji, among others. This exhibition showcases many of the most important La Farge oils, watercolors and sketches from that sojourn. Through January 2 at Yale University Art Gallery, 1111 Chapel St., New Haven. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat. (until 8
Animations (of Wallace & Gromit fame), KR47, Happy Tree Friends and others. (Some may not be suitable for younger viewers.) 8 p.m. November 13 in Arts Hall, ACES/ECA, 55 Audubon St., New Haven. $15. forgottolaugh.com.
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 (tubes, tools, pumps and/or CO2 inflators) to repair flats. 10 a.m. Sundays at Lulu’s European Café, 49 Cottage St., New Haven. Free. 203773-9288, paulproulx@sbcglobal.net, elmcitycycling.org. Tuesday Night Canal Rides. Mediumpaced rides up the Farmington Canal into New Haven. May split into two groups based on riders’ speed but no one will be left behind to ride alone. Lights are essential. 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays at Café Romeo, 534 Orange St., New Haven. Free. william.v.Kurtz@gmail. com. Elm City Cycling monthly meeting occurs on the second Monday. ECC is a non-profit organization of cycling advocates who meet to discuss biking issues in New Haven. Dedicated to making New Haven friendlier and more accessible to cyclists and pedestrians. 7 p.m. November 8 at City Hall Meeting Rm. 2, 165 Church St., New Haven. Free. elmcitycycling.org.
Join the Sleeping Giant Park Association for a Fall Hikers’ Hike, a strenuous hike over rough terrain recommended for experienced hikers only. No pets. 11 a.m. November 7 at Sleeping Giant Main Entrance, 200 Mt. Carmel Ave., Hamden. Free. 203-7897498, sgpa.org. An alternative to the rigors of the above is Giant 102: An Introduction to Hiking in the Giant. Wear comfortable shoes and bring snacks and water. Be ready for any kind of weather. No pets. 1:30 p.m. November 14 at Sleeping Giant Main Entrance, 200 Mt. Carmel Ave., Hamden. Free. 203-789-7498, sgpa.org. Road Races/Triathlons Race for a good cause through beautiful Edgewood Park in the fivemile MADD Dash (with new two-mile walk), which benefits Mothers Against Drunk Driving. 9 a.m. (kids; fun run 8:30, walk 8:45) November 14 at Edgewood Park, New Haven. $20 ($17 by 11/4), kids $10/$5. msrunningproductions@ yahoo.com. It’s the Ulbrich Boys & Girls Club annual Turkey Trot five-mile road race through scenic downtown Wallingford. 1 p.m. November 21 at Stevens Elementary School, 18 Kondracki La., Wallingford. $15 advance ($20 after 11/10). bgcawallingford.org. Work off that turkey and stuffing in advance by getting up early for the Stratford Masonic Bodies’ eighth annual Turkey Day Trot, a USATFcertified 5K that’s flat and fast. 8:15 a.m. November 25 in Stratford Center. $15 advance ($20 after 11/24). 203-377-6056. Please send CALENDAR information to CALENDAR@conntact.com no later than six weeks preceding calendar month of event. Please include date, time, location, event description, cost and contact information. Photographs must be at least 300 dpi resolution and are published at discretion of NEW HAVEN magazine.
p.m. Thurs.), 1-6 p.m., Sun. Free. 203432-0600, artgallery.yale.edu.
students, free under 13). 860-434-5542, flogris.org.
The Arts Council of Greater New Haven and Haskins Laboratories present Mind Sets, which explores the potential for collaboration between artists and scientists. Through January 29 at Haskins Laboratories, 300 George St. (9th Fl.), New Haven. Open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wed.-Fri. (panl discussion followed by reception 5 p.m. 11/4). Free. 203-772-2788, newhavenarts.org.
Majestic Mosaics. The Knights of Columbus’ Incarnation Dome — a 3,800-square-foot mosaic at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. — depicts the manifestation, of Jesus through the rendering of four New Testament scenes: the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Wedding Feast at Cana and the Transfiguration. More than 2.4 million tiles in more than 1,000 colors were assembled by Travisanutto Mosaics SRL of Spilimbergo, Italy. This exhibition includes photographs, design elements, mosaic tiles, artisans’ tools and a full-scale del, in mosaic, of the head of Christ represented in the finished dome. Continuing at Knights of Columbus Museum, 1 State St., New Haven. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Free. 203-865-0400, kofcmuseum.org.
With Needle & Brush: Schoolgirl Embroidery from the Connecticut River Valley. The first in-depth exhibition of its kind, With Needle and Brush contributes to the understanding of the traditions of needlework and provides insight into the nature of women’s schooling before the advent of widespread public education. Through January 30 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. $14 ($13 seniors, $12
new haven
41
W OR D S o f M O UT H
By Liese Klein
JUST A TASTE: Kelly’s Pubs
Patrick Hogans serve up ‘contemporary American with European flair.
Photo: Anthony DeCarlo
D
owntown New Haven has — somewhat infamously — become a nightclub hub in recent years, but grown-ups can also benefit from the district’s ever-changing lineup of bars and restaurants.
Kelly’s Pub, a spacious and welcoming transformation of the Crown Street space once home to Marius, has emerged as a great place for a business dinner or night out with co-workers without the formality and high prices of other adult refuges in town. Both the stacks of paperbacks next to the couches and comfy leather furniture signal right away that Kelly’s aspires to be more than an undergraduate hangout. Flattering lighting and a mercifully muted soundtrack of 1980s classics allow diners to look good as they relax in relative peace and speak in conversational tones. The well-edited selection of draft beers encourages further relaxation, from innovative American brewers like Dogfish Head to the Belgian abbey brewers and 42
November 2010
their high-alcohol masterpieces. The wine list also ranges across the globe and menu descriptions extend beyond a line or two to both tempt and educate. Kelly’s gets its style from Patrick and Lisa Hogan, an Irish couple who opened the restaurant after running a successful pub in Bridgeport. “We’re doing contemporary American with some European flair,” says Patrick Hogan. He says his crab cakes, burgers and steak entrées have been popular with New Haven diners. That European flair made an appearance in the crab cake appetizer, where a citrusy remoulade sauce added a nice kick to the meaty patties. A mango-onion relish was cut too large to eat with the cakes, but brought the dish to a refreshing finish. Lobster ravioli arrived next, swathed in a rich sauce with each al dente bite unleashing a flood of lobster flavor. Although this luxurious dish has become ubiquitous around the region, it’s welcome nonetheless on a chilly evening and
Kelly’s serves it well. Firm and succulent shrimp topped a New York strip steak in another entrée, which balanced the crustaceans’ garlicky dressing with a side of bleu cheese-infused mashed potatoes. The assertive cheese masked all flavor of potato, but the mash went well with the well-aged and perfectly cooked beef. A crisp-tender thicket of broccoli crowns served as a generous additional side and attested to a kitchen adept at both proteins and vegetables. The evening’s single off note was sounded with dessert, when an alleged Key lime pie betrayed no hint whatsoever of its namesake fruit. Reclassified as cheesecake, the slice still underperformed. Still, with most entrées around $20 and great happy hour specials, Kelly’s charms with both value and ambience — an oasis of adult sophistication in the heart of New Haven’s club district. Kelly’s Pub, 196 Crown St., New Haven (203776-1111).
EDITOR’S PICK: Mama Del’s Pasta ld-school favorites and new-school attention to quality and freshness intersect at the revived Mama Del’s Pasta shop in East Haven, the perfect place to pick up top-shelf pastas and prepared food as the holidays approach.
An East Haven institution since the 1960s, Mama Del’s had changed hands multiple times and been closed for months when Renee and Chris Acabbo bought the place earlier this year. The couple gutted the interior and replaced a lot of vintage machinery before reopening, offering products true to Italian-American tradition but with a new focus on seasonal and high-quality ingredients. “We’re all about fresh and clean flavors,” Chef Chris Acabbo says. “But we do it in the old-school way.” Top-quality tomatoes form the base of Acabbo’s sauces, which stand out with bright flavor and an expert hand with seasoning. Acabbo’s marinara — the true test of an Italian-American cook — ranks among the best in area, with the tang of the fruit combining with a hint of basil and an effervescent texture.
with garlic, black olives and capers made for a fine-restaurantquality pairing. Although new, the store has already seen its share of holiday rushes and does a healthy catering and takeout business, Renee Acabbo says. Mama Del’s manicotti are especially sought after, along with a dozen fresh ravioli varieties including lobster and butternut squash. Dried pasta flavors range from lemon pepper made with real lemon zest to hot pepper with fresh jalapenos. For a sweet finale, make sure to stop by the Sugar Bakery a few storefronts over to appreciate the rainbow of cupcake flavors. This mom-and-pop boasts a candy-based décor that must qualify it as the region’s most over-the-top shrine to sweets. A quick detour off I-95, Mama Del’s and its neighbor are well worth a stop for their impeccably fresh and tasty fare. Mama Del’s Pasta, 420 Main St., East Haven (203-469-6255). Photo: Anthony DeCarlo
O
That marinara also elevates Mama Del’s lasagna dinner, a bargain at $7.50 considering the quantity of meat, cheese and fresh pasta in every slice. The sauce melds with the perfectly balanced layers, topped off with a dusting of parsley and Parmesan for a satisfying (if not gut-busting) portion. Fresh fettuccine highlighted Acabbo’s skill with a staple often taken for granted — the tender bite and springy texture of these noodles made them worthy of being eaten on their own with a bit of butter. However, a sultry puttanesca sauce thick
At Mama Del’s Pasta, Renee Acabbo & Co. do pasta the ‘old school’ way.
The perfect setting...
Call To Book Your Holiday Party Today.
Weddings • Showers Engagement & Birthday Parties Christenings • Golf Outings Holiday parties • Bar/Bat Mitzvahs
Our incredible facility, delicious food, and outstanding service are without equal!
203-795-3100 203.795.3100 441 Clark Lane, Orange
grassyhillcountryclub.com
fine pastries and confections
Call for an appointment to tour Amarante’s Sea Cliff today! 62 Cove Street, New Haven, CT 203-467-2531 Fax: 203.466.7444
www.amarantes.com
marjolainepastry.com
961 State Street • New Haven
203-789-8589 new haven
43
NeEW EATS SAB’S PLACE
T
here comes a time in the life of every serious diner when the thought of eating something seasonal, organic, freerange or any of the other buzzwords of the day is downright unappetizing.
For times like these, a visit to Sab’s Place in New Haven is the perfect antidote. Sab’s serves up classic diner food in an urban setting with all the carbs and comfort foods you’ve been missing. Located on a stretch of Upper State Street known for its dining diversity, Sab’s opened last year at the site of a defunct breakfast joint. Owner Sabatino (Sab) Kikis and his wife set out to serve quality breakfasts and lunches in keeping with their background in family businesses. “I’ve been in restaurants all my life,” Kikis says. “That’s what I know.” The couple’s experience and instinct for hospitality is evident in the eatery’s homey atmosphere, with lots of wood paneling and seating right up against the windows. Servers joke and chat with regulars and the single TV screen is
unobtrusive and at low volume, adding to the eatery’s retro appeal. Sab’s also does right by the Reuben sandwich, with a healthy serving of corned beef and sauerkraut piled between buttery layers of rye. Each bite was creamy with Russian dressing and tangy with kraut, making for a satisfying venture into the deli classics. Seasoned fries on the side added crunch along with a spear of dill. My sandwich didn’t leave much room for dessert, but rice pudding beckoned. Creamy, fresh-tasting yet light, with a hint of cinnamon, Sab’s diet-busting portion of this childhood favorite brought the meal to a triumphant close.
breakfast kept the hits coming, with tasty versions of eggs Benedict and French toast particularly good. So don’t look for heirloom vegetables or crystal glassware on your visit to Sab’s Place, just appreciate the hearty, well-prepared eats and old-fashioned hospitality. Sab’s Place, 970 State St., New Haven (203789-1833).
’I’ve been in restaurants all my life,’ says Sabatino (Sab) Kikis of his namesake eatery. ‘That’s what I know.’
Later visits for
takeout & catering available
Wine Bar & Bistro
CAFFÉ BRAVO
Fine Italian Cuisine & Wines
203.772.2728
Experience downtown New Haven as you never have before! Our meticulously composed small plates provide our guests with a premier dining experience minus the snobbery.
794 Orange St, New Haven • cafebravo.com
Enjoy press200’s extensive wine list, featuring 17 wines by the glass. All bottled wines priced under $35
Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday 3 Course Prix Fixe Menu $19 per person
We’re Gonna Make Your Day... www.press200.com
www.CTcalendar.com 44
November 2010
www.press200.com
press200 Wine Bar & Bistro 200 Crown Street New Haven CT / Tel 203.787-0227 / www.press200.com
JUST A SIP: Ripe Cocktail Mixers
C
ocktail culture is hot, but the bill after a night of sampling the latest concoctions at a trendy bar can make your blood run cold.
Enter the mixologists at Fresh Bev of Wallingford, who have recently brought to market a selection of tasty mixers available fresh in the refrigerator case. For about $9, you get a small party’s worth of mixer using premium ingredients like San Marzano tomatoes and agave nectar, an allnatural sweetener made from the succulent of tequila fame. Ripe mixers, in flavors like margarita, sour and San Marzano Bloody Mary (with minty mojito coming soon) have been doing well in the Northeast at outlets like Whole Foods and may soon go nationwide, according to company co-founder Michel Boissy. He and business partner Ryan Guimond started the business when they were horrified by the mixers they found in liquor stores. “We both were very picky about taste and loved good food, but there were just no good mixers out there — they were loaded with high-fructose corn syrup and concentrates”, Boissy says Fresh juice from lemons, limes and oranges are the base of Ripe’s margarita mix, which brings the perfect balance of sweet and tart to its pairing with tequila. Recipes are printed on the side of the bottle with variations listed if you prefer a stronger or fruitier drink. Pass the liquor and let the experimentation begin! Ripe cocktail mixers are available at the Wine Thief, Amity Wine & Liquor and Whole Foods, among other stores. More information at drinkripe.com.
Cooking Classes $65 includes four-course dinner, instruction and recipe booklet. Menus change monthly. Reservations required.
165 Wooster St, New Haven | 203.865.4489 | www.consiglios.com
WAVE CHOCOLATES The Finest HANDMADE CHOCOLATES in New Haven
New Haven | 1046 Chapel St. 203.624.3032 | wavenewhaven.com
WAV E
Join Our E-mail List CRU@MTCARMELWINE.COM
• Sales • Tastings • Dinners • News
Since 1934
est Voted B cticut! e n n o C in ECTICUT
BY CONN
E
MAGAZIN
2977 WHITNEY AVE, HAMDEN • 203-281-0800 • mtcarmelwine.com new haven
45
At Connecticut’s largest sheep farm, all’s wool that ends wool.
Animal Farm By SUSAN E. CORNELL
N
o matter how many farms I’ve driven past over the years, no matter how many cows and sheep I’ve admired in the fields, and no matter how many petting zoos we visited when the kids were little, I still adore farm animals and roll the window down when driving by them to get just a couple of inches closer. Since owning a farm is not on our family’s agenda, visiting one feeds my farm fix. But it’s definitely not just the cows, chickens, and 600-plus sheep at Sankow’s Beaver Brook Farm in Lyme that’s appealing, it’s the shopping — 100-percent natural and local.
Beaver Brook Farm, situated on 175 acres, was originally a dairy farm but transitioned to sheep in the 1980s when the Sankows introduced their first pair, Sherry and Ding, to the farm. Named for the creek that runs through the property (and eventually to the Connecticut River), it is now Connecticut’s largest sheep farm. “The farm, purchased by Grandfather Buzzell in 1918, has been handed down, third-generation,” explains Suzanne Sankow, who runs the place with her 46
November 2010
husband Stan Sankow. “It’s a beautiful spot and we’re working to keep the land open and we believe in the quality of the product,” she adds. “We mainly do it because we believe in the dignity of the animals,” says Sankow. “They’re on pasture. That’s what makes our product so good.” People should visit, she says, because the animals are in their natural environment. “We’re not a petting zoo,” she explains. One visiting mother, Sankow recalls, was actually livid because the animals would not come up to her child. “With children, it’s nice because if they learn to stand quietly, the animals will approach them,” she says. Even if you’re not a huge farm-animal lover, there’s still plenty to enjoy. The farm makes and sells artisanal sheep and cow’s milk cheeses as well as yogurts, milk and gelato. Farm foodstuffs also include special cuts of farm-fresh lamb, roasts, chops, gourmet lamb entrées and poultry. Notes Sankow: “Normally we have products available, but not all of them all of the time. We’ll have sheep’s milk yogurt into October and then we switch into cow yogurt. We’ll have sheep cheese until November, and we have cow cheese all of the time. We also do entrées — shepherd’s pie in lamb, lamb Bolognese, lamb white bean curry and lamb chili. We
make a batch of one one day and another another day.” Chickens are also pasture-raised. “Because of the way they’re raised, they’re not inexpensive,” Sankow acknowledges. “It’s a different way of doing things. That’s why people like to come and why they like our products.” There’s also a onsite shop filled with woolen goods including boiled wool jackets, socks, sweaters, hats, mittens, vests, scarves, blankets, yarn and fleece. Knitting classes are held in the winter. Cooking classes are likewise offered to small groups (six or eight). “It’s fun because they’re usually all friends and we offer a selection such as Mediterranean or Italian and then the chef gears everything using our lamb, our veal and our cheeses,” Sankow explains. Beaver Brook goods can be found at select retail markets and at nine farmer’s markets throughout the state including New Haven and Madison. Each year on the Saturday and Sunday following Thanksgiving, the Sankows host a Farm Day featuring horse-drawn hayrides, sheep-shearing and spinning demonstrations, and free samples of the farm’s cheeses and meats. Sankow’s Beaver Brook Farm is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Beaver Brook Farm, 139 Beaver Brook Rd., Lyme (860-434-2843).
Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be left out in the cold!
Winter Intersession December 28, 2010 - January 14, 2011 Registration begins December 1st
MORNING SESSION DP SP BIO ENG ENG HIS
110 101 102 102
Principles of the Human Body Composition Literature & Composition Western Civilization II
$)7(51221 6(66,21 SP SP COM 171 CSC 101 ENG 101 POL 111 SPA 101 SPA 102
Fundamentals of Human Comm. Introduction to Computers Composition American Government Elementary Spanish I Elementary Spanish II
EVENING SESSION SP SP ART 101 COM 171 CSA 105 ENG 102 ENG 200 HIS 201 MUS 101 PSY 111
ONLINE
Â&#x160;Quality
Â&#x160;Affordability Â&#x160;Flexibility
Accelerate your studies with accredited courses that apply WR \RXU GHJUHH RU FHUWL¿FDWH SURJUDP &RPSOHWH D FUHGLW FRXUVH LQ WKUHH ZHHNV ZLWK PRUQLQJ DIWHUQRRQ HYHQLQJ DQG RQOLQH FRXUVHV IRU FUHGLWV LQFOXGHV EDVH PDQGDWRU\ IHHV IRU &7 UHVLGHQWV IRU FUHGLWV LQFOXGHV EDVH PDQGDWRU\ IHHV IRU QRQ UHVLGHQWV
BIO BIO BMK HIM NUR NUR PSY PSY PSY SOC
110 113 201 101 103 202 111 201 245 101
Art History I Fund. Human Communication Introduction to Software Appls. Literature & Composition Advanced Composition U.S. History I Music History & Appreciation I General Psychology I
Principles of the Human Body Physiology of Aging Principles of Marketing Medical Terminology Pharm. Family Lifespan Pharm. Intermediate Needs General Psychology I Life Span Development Abnormal Psychology Principles of Sociology
Spring 2011 classes begin January 21 For a full schedule of courses and program offerings, visit us online at
ZZZ JZFF FRPPQHW HGX new haven
47
They Heal, They Help, They Care, They Save Lives... It’s Time To Say Thanks! 2010 Healthcare Heroes
You’re Invited Greater NewHaven Healthcare Heroes Recognition Dinner
Tuesday November 16 5:00 - 7:30 pm Amarante’s Sea Cliff 60 Cove Street, New Haven Tickets $50 Help Us Recognize Some of the Finest Healthcare Professionals in our Region
ForTicktets: www.conntact.com/hchtickets.html Presented By:
With Special Support From:
Award Sponsorships Still Available Call Publisher Mitchell Young at 203-781-3480 x 104.
48
November 2010
Corporate Achievement
Researcher of the Year
Masonicare
Milind Deshpande, Ph.D.
Advancements in Healthcare
President of Research and Development and Chief Scientific Officer Achillion Pharmaceuticals
454 Life Sciences A Roche Company Advancements in Healthcare Individual
Health-Care Professional
Carla Giugno, RN, BSN Vice President of Clinical Services VNA South Central Connecticut Administrator
Dr. David L. Katz Director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Center
Person of Merit
Marvin Lender Trustee - Yale New Haven Hospital since 1986
Community Service
Looking Forward Program
Organization
Fellowship Place 50 Year Anniversary
Volunteer
Roger Kim Volunteer for Leeway, which provides short-term, long-term, hospice and respite skilled nursing care to people living with HIV/AIDS. Kim volunteered as a student and is a med student at Yale Medical School now.
Hospital of Saint Raphael: The Looking Forward program has reached out to more than 30,00 patients with serious illnesses,since 1994
Nurse of the Year
Education
More than 25 years as a nurse in cancer care, now at Multispecialty Treatment Center, in Smilow Cancer Hospital at YNHH
Barbara Nadeau Assistant Clinical Professor at Quinnipiac Univ. Former director of educ. Brain Injury Association of Connecticut
Maria Wasko
Physician of the Year
Dr Sukru Emre, MD FACS Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics Chief, Section of Transplantation and Immunology Director, Yale-New Haven Transplantation Center Department of Surgery Chief, Section of Transplantation Center