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LIVING CHEERS to SUMMER!
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JIM KOCH
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2021 ISSUE 1 NEWENGLANDLIVING.TV
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The indoors, now outdoorsy.
Meet Skycove™, an immersive outdoor experience designed to be enjoyed within the comfort of the indoors. Seamlessly connect your home to light and add valuable space with Skycove’s innovative glass structure, for a cozy space wrapped in views. Because the feeling of nature is far too perfect to leave outside. Invite the outdoors in at marvin.com/newenglandskycove
©2021 Marvin Lumber and Cedar Co., LLC. All rights reserved.
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2015-2020 2018-2020
Kitchen & Bath Gallery EDGARTOWN, MA
25 East Line Road (508) 696-9930 FALMOUTH, MA
343 Dillingham Ave. (508) 457-9720 WEST YARMOUTH, MA
40 Aaron’s Way (508) 790-2259
NORTH ATTLEBORO, MA
Living better by design.
No matter what look you have in mind, Kohler has your style. And Kohler is just one of the 65 famous brands we represent – in fixtures, cabinetry and tile surfaces. Our experienced kitchen and bath designers have access to them all, giving you the creative freedom to select from the finest materials and products. And making sure your project is exactly as you dreamed it would be. All the choices you could imagine – in a single creative space!
Triboro/Shaw’s Plaza 11 Robert F. Toner Blvd. (508) 695-1770
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A SUPPLY NEW ENGLAND COMPANY
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The indoors, now outdoorsy.
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©2021 Marvin Lumber and Cedar Co., LLC. All rights reserved.
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Without Sandy, it wouldn’t be Clarke. Without Sandy, it wouldn’t be Clarke.
More than 20 years ago, Sandra Lashway career in home More thanleft 20ayears ago, Sandra economics education to Lashway leftand a career in home join the Clarke She to economics andteam. education is expertise personified. join the Clarke team. She Ask her anything about is expertise personified. cooking and howabout to Ask her anything create your cooking andbeautiful, how to functional create yourkitchen. beautiful, functional kitchen.
Spend an hour at a Clarke Showroom and one thing is clear: your Spend an ahour at aConsultant Clarke Showroom and valuable one thingpart is clear: your time with Clarke is the most of your time withjourney. a ClarkeWhile Consultant is the most valuable part your kitchen they’re not designers, these are theofpeople kitchen journey. nottodesigners, are the people designers call on While when they’re it comes appliance these recommendations. designers when itatcomes recommendations. You won’t call buy on anything Clarke,tosoappliance there’s simply no pressure. What You won’t anythingmore at Clarke, so there’s no pressure. What you can dobuy is compare Sub-Zero, Wolfsimply and Cove models than you can doinisNew compare more Sub-Zero, and Cove models than anywhere England. And explore aWolf living portfolio of kitchens anywhere New England. And explore a living portfolio kitchens created byinthe region’s top designers. You’ll leave inspiredofwith new created by the region’s top designers. You’ll leave with new knowledge to make your appliance selections withinspired confidence. knowledge to make your appliance selections with confidence.
New England’s Official Showroom and Test Kitchen New England’s Official Showroom and Test Kitchen Boston & Milford, MA • South Norwalk, CT Boston & Milford, MA • South Norwalk, CT 800-845-8247 • clarkeliving.com 800-845-8247 • clarkeliving.com CLK_ModLux_1-21.indd 1
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D o C om e by, m y de a r . Dr a m atic . Scin til l ating . En ticing . Petrified Wood.
Cumar is New England’s preeminent source and fabricator of the finest marble, granite, limestone, and exotic stones. | 617.389.7818 | cumar.com
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IN THE ISSUE 12 WELCOME LETTER 14 CONTRIBUTORS DESIGN 14 Style Files Check out what’s trending in home design 20 Go Fish How two sisters on the Cape land their trophy fish 22 If These Walls Could Talk The future of home automation is here CULTURE 32 What’s Poppin’ New England Living host Rachel Holt gives her top tips for summer living 36 Lager Than Life How Jim Koch brewed up the American Dream 44 Way José Chef Jose Duarte brings exquisite Peruvian cusine to Chelsea
ON THE COVER
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Boston Beer Company founder Jim Koch appears on the cover of our summer edition. S U M M E R 2 0 2 1 | N E W E N G L A N D L I V I N G. T V
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IN THE ISSUE
HEART & MIND 120 Riders in the Storm How Billy Starr and the Pan Mass Challenge pedaled through the pandemic
SPACES 50 Page in Time Check out a legendary hardware store in Connecticut 48 Heart of the City A hotel breathes new life into a town outside the Berkshires 56 Making Old New Again An estate gets an old fashioned makeover
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126 Health Clubs Take a swing at an ancient form of excersize 130 Magnetic Force A revolutionary treatment is giving new hope to those riddled with Lyme disease and other acute ailments
FUN 66 Nantucket Bound Get your summer wardrobe on island time courtesy of Nantucket Whaler 75
136 Numbers Guy Making sense of your dollars and cents in today’s economy
Silver Linings How a group of New Englanders turned lemons into lemonade during the pandemic
REAL ESTATE 140 Summer in the City Boston’s real estate market continues to heat up
81 On The Road Again Pack up the station wagon and hit these top spots in New England HOME 96 Most of All Behold a dazzling summer retreat on Nantucket
142 Eastern Aspect Check out one of the hottest new neighborhoods in Boston FINAL THOUGHT 144 A bird’s eye view of Marblehead Harbor courtesy of photographer Gray Malin
104 This is Light A home brimming with light, love and laughter 112 The Great Indoors A cabin in New Hampshire receives a Scandanavian facelift
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Electric Blue
Custom cabinetry for every room Kitchens | Vanities | Wardrobes | Bars | Outdoor Kitchens Destination projects begin with a call 833-BY-DEANE Nantucket Martha’s Vineyard Cape Cod Hamptons Naples Palm Beach Ocean Reef Jackson Hole Kiawah Island Stratton Stowe Newport Watch Hill Visit our design showroom in Stamford SUMMER 2021 or online at deaneinc.com
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| N E W E N G L A N D L I V I N G. T V
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welcome letter
cheers to summer!
S
NE W E NG L A ND
LIVING VOLUME 5 • NUMBER 1
UMMER IS UPON US ONCE AGAIN and we have a lot to toast. Dare I say that the light at the end of this
PUBLISHER
COVID tunnel is getting brighter
Tom Clarke
and brighter by the day. We’ve learned plenty of
PRESIDENT
lessons along the way, but perhaps one of the
Sean Clarke
greatest takeaways is regarding our resiliency as people have perfected the art of the pivot, reinventing careers, reimagining workspaces and redesigning their homes. Our summer issue pays homage to this creative resiliency by profiling a number of New Englanders who have managed to turn lemons
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR / CREATIVE DIRECTOR PH OTO BY K ER RY B R E T T
a species. Throughout this daunting experience,
Sharon Bartholomew EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Robert Cocuzzo ............................................ ADVERTISING COORDINATOR
Lori Hawes ............................................ CFO
into lemonade during the pandemic by transforming their passions into professions. On this point, few exemplify what can happen when you follow your dreams better
Chris Parker
than our cover star, Jim Koch. The founder of the Boston Beer Company, Koch has
CONTROLLER
notched a foothold on the Forbes list without ever forgetting his scrappy, underdog
Kelsey Hodde
roots. During the pandemic, the Sam Adams creator emerged as a hero for many small businesses, particularly restaurants, in need of a safety net during these trying times. One local restaurateur who mastered the pivot was Chef Jose Duarte. After his North End eatery was shuttered by COVID-19, the chef refocused his culinary might on an unlikely dining destination in Chelsea called Tambo 22. The Peruvian-inspired restaurant might just be the best-kept secret in Boston, offering a dazzling array of dishes that you really have to taste to believe. Equally nimble amid the pandemic was Billy Starr, the founder of the Pan-Mass Challenge. After switching gears to a reimagined ride last summer—which succeeded in raising a remarkable amount of money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute—Starr and his team launched new routes this summer for PMC riders to safety get back on the road together and continue their mission of fighting cancer. Of course, many of us don’t need to leave the comfort of our home to see how the creative juices have been flowing over the last year. Home projects have soared as a result of our time of forced hibernation. We highlight a selection of exquisite design projects—from a beach house on Nantucket, to a historic estate in Wayland, to a charming hotel in Pittsfield—that provide no shortage of inspiration. We hope you enjoy this summer edition of New England Living. As always, we’re honored to tell the stories of this remarkable region and continue to find inspiration from the folks who have made it their home.
............................................ MARKETING
Mike Nelson Sam Pericolo ............................................ CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Lisa Cavanaugh Rob Duca Haley Grant Stacey Marcus Juliet Pennington Johnathan Soroff CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Liesl Clark Megan Diehr Kit Noble Melanie Chandler-Blood Steve Depino Erin Little Bruce Luetters Ken Richardson ............................................
Best always, Published by
Tide Street Group www.tidestreetgroup.com
Sharon Bartholomew Editorial Director / Creative Director FOLLOW @newenglandlivingtv
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Single copy price $5.95/$6.95 Canada. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher. Publisher disclaims all responsibility for omissions, errors, and unsolicited materials. Printed in the USA.
5/12/21 2:52 PM
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CONTRIBUTORS
Liesl Clark
Kit Noble
Johnathan Soroff
Photographer Liesl Clark is the owner of Liesl Clark Photography and Civic Image and operates out of her southern New Hampshire-based studio located in an old mill building with plenty of natural light. Her work has been featured in local and national magazines, including New Hampshire Bride, Boston Bride, Martha Stewart Living, Time and others. Clark’s ultimate goal is to create lifestyle images that tell a story of one’s personal empowerment, love, community, commerce and family. She is dedicated to wellness and enjoys yoga, meditation, a vegetarian diet and hiking in the woods with her dog Rosie. For this issue of New England Living, Clark photographed New Hampshire Health and Wellness practitioner Janelle Elyse Salzman.
Originally from Connecticut, Kit Noble lives and photographs on Nantucket. He’s been wielding a camera since the age of twelve and has made a living at it for over thirty-five years. He’s passionate about photographing people and has captured powerful portraits over the years for magazines, Fortune 500 companies and local businesses. He also serves as chief photographer for Nantucket Magazine. When he’s not behind the lens, Noble can be found hiking and biking the many trails of Nantucket or exploring the planet with friends. In this issue of New England Living, Noble photographed chef and restaurateur Jose Duarte as well as club twirler and instructor Derek Notman of Plymouth, Massachusetts.
After growing up in Newton and graduating from Duke University, Jonathan Soroff began his journalism career at the Boston Herald. For 28 years, he was the lead columnist for The Improper Bostonian magazine, writing the social column and a celebrity interview in each issue and contributing numerous features. He’s written for a variety of publications, including People, London’s Royal Academy Magazine, the South China Morning Post, Modern Luxury, DuJour, The National and the South African editions of Elle and Elle Decor. He is currently a contributing editor at Boston magazine, writing the Person of Interest interview, a quarterly column and travel content, and he produces travel stories for numerous national and international publications. In this issue of New England Living, Soroff profiled the talented Jose Duarte, chef and owner of Tambo 22 in Chelsea.
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Stacey Marcus Stacey Marcus is a freelance lifestyle, luxury and travel writer. Her work has appeared in top regional and national outlets, including Apartment Therapy, Boston magazine, Boston Common, Destination I Do, Northshore magazine, playboy.com and RD.com (Reader’s Digest), where she is a regular contributor covering subjects ranging from penguin secrets to Jeopardy! conundrums. For this issue of New England Living, Marcus provided a rundown of the top New England road-trip destinations and took readers into two spectacular beach-side properties.
Juliet Pennington After graduating from college, Juliet Pennington made her way from New York to Boston for graduate school with the intention of staying for a couple of years. More than thirty years later, she is still calling the Bay State home. In addition to New England Living, Juliet writes for People and VegNews magazines, and The Boston Globe. She is also an adjunct professor at Boston University, where she takes pride in mentoring the next generation of journalists. A vegan who is committed to animal welfare/ environmental issues, Juliet and her husband have three wonderful children, a most-awesome son-in-law, and a lovable, precocious rescue pup, Scout. For this issue of New England Living, Pennington profiled five New Englanders who found a silver lining during the COVID pandemic.
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design TRENDS | RESOURCES | PRO ADVICE
STYLE FILES Page 14 GO FISH Page 20 IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK Page 22
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Photo by Melanie Chandler-Blood/ Oak Development & Design
STYLE FILES
california DREAMING Lizzy Antonik is the lead designer and brand ambassador for Oak Development and Design. Every Saturday and Sunday, you can watch her in action alongside her husband PJ as they execute some of the most ambitious and creative home projects in Massachusetts on their television series Heart of Oak. Lizzy brought us behind the scenes of their most recent projects to share how they created a California-style bungalow in Hingham. What was the objective for this overall space? We get a ton of inspiration from Southern California designs. For a long time now, we have wanted to build a California-style bungalow in New England. Crow Point in Hingham proved to be the perfect place. The goal for this space was to combine West Coast aesthetic and New England charm to achieve a modern New England home. Photo by Melanie Chandler-Blood/ Oak Development & Design
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Any interesting unique details about this project? This 3,900-square-foot home sits on a small lot but has a large backyard for the Crow Point area. There are four beds, two and a half baths, a dedicated office space, gourmet kitchen and walkout basement with mudroom and custom features throughout. In the kitchen, the liveedge wood, waterfall island and stone front on the sink are unique elements that served our vision of a California-style bungalow in New England. What role did windows play in achieving that vision? Our Wompatuck project was our biggest window order to date, specifically because of the light and bright feel we wanted to achieve in this home. Using transom windows throughout the kitchen and a larger slider with sidelights helped us to accomplish the look while also offering indoor/outdoor entertaining from multiple levels of the home. Down in the basement, with its full height ceiling, abundant light gives the feel of main floor living.
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art BEAT
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BOSTON NATIVE PIERRE MATTA HAS OVER A DECADE of experience in custom cabinetry and fine furniture design. Pierre’s custom cabinetry and furniture design uses a blend of materials, texture, and textile to create unique and fine crafted pieces. This innovative approach in design ranges from contemporary to traditional and combines luxury with functionality. Pierre collaborates with many of Boston’s most respected architects, interior designers and builders to create unique spaces and one-of-a-kind pieces for discerning homeowners throughout New England and beyond.
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Award-winning Boston-based artist Giovanni DeCunto brought dramatic splashes of color to this kitchen
What was the overall objective to the space? The client wanted a contemporary kitchen with sleek clean lines. The client and I worked very closely with the Clark concierge service to choose the best appliances to fit the client’s needs. All of them have a sleek and integrated look. What are some details that helped achieve that look? The wall oven has no hardware just like the cabinetry. The fridge, freezer and dishwasher were panel ready, which allowed the client to choose modern hardware and the finish of their choice. The client wanted the steam CMB for healthy cooking and keeping food moist when reheating. This couple both work full time so it allows them to enjoy their gourmet meals the next day without tasting like leftovers. What was the vibe you were going for? Since they both like to cook and hang out there, the overall vibe of the kitchen space needed to be cheerful and functional. A very special anniversary gift table needed to be reworked to fit into the banquette attached to the island. The client chose bright colors on the gleaming white cabinetry painted by Boston-native Giovanni DeCunto, introducing a fun and cheerful aesthetic to the space that allowed the client to combine function with art.
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STYLE FILES
protiles IN COURAGE SUPPLY NEW ENGLAND DESIGN CONSULTANT JAE HALL REVEALS THE REAL PERSONALITY BEHIND TILES For as long as Jae Hall can remember, she has always been passionate about design. After studying graphic design at Texas Tech University, she eventually entered the world of interior design at a small tile store in San Antonio. Working closely with clients to select tiles that best complemented their homes, Hall learned how tiles not only can make or break a space, but also reflect the personalities of the homeowners. Today, Hall has unleashed her expertise as a design consultant at the Kohler Signature Store in Burlington, MA, where she helps clients design their dream bathrooms with a broad and bright collection of options from Ann Sacks tile.
Left: A true classic - the natural marble Calacatta Borghini in a large herringbone pattern gives a neutral, soft white texture to this kitchen. Right: Crisp and clean - the Kanso Diamond Cube ceramic mosaic by Ann Sacks pairs perfectly with Kohler's Brushed Bronze finish.
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How can the right tile transform a space? Depending on what type of room we are talking about, tile is either an important accent or defines the entire room. Let’s take a small guest bathroom, for instance. Dark tiles and heavy patterns may make the space feel small and claustrophobic, whereas brighter tiles—whites, creams, light blues—can not only brighten the room, but can also give the illusion of a larger space. Decorative mosaics on the floor can also make a statement without making the room feel too busy. Last but not least, reflectivity—particularly in wall tiles—will also lead to the feeling of a larger space due to the way light reflects off certain glossy surfaces. How can a homeowner show their personality through their tile choice? Whether your particular taste is elegant, minimal, rustic or virtually anything you can dream of, Ann Sacks carries a large assortment of tile that accents a range of aesthetics. For example, Provençal – MADE by Ann Sacks is a delightful ceramic tile that is handcrafted by artisans in Portland, Oregon. Being handmade, each tile is slightly different from the next, giving the Provençal collection that rustic elegance. Imagine this tile as a kitchen backsplash and you might feel as though you are standing in a mansion along the French countryside, windows open, warm breeze aflutter, the smell of sweet lavender creeping in from the garden, a scent of fresh laundry dancing in the breeze. Tile selections are not just about color, size, shape and texture. Tile should evoke a feeling. What do you want to feel like when you step in that room?
Top right: MADE Elements by Ann Sacks is offered in a wide variety of sizes and glazes. This handcrafted ceramic 3" x 9" field tile in Ice and Cotton Gloss will brighten up any space. Left top: The MADE Modern collection is developed in the signature Stoneware body. The Ribbed Moon pattern in New Lagoon gives a dramatic effect with its simple, fluid details. Left bottom: The Crackle Collection by Kohler WasteLAB, shown in 3" x 12" Emerald Glaze.
Are there any new types of tile that you think are especially exciting? A particularly innovative tile collection that Ann Sacks recently introduced uses Kohler’s recycled leftovers from tubs, sinks and toilets as a medium—thus transforming waste into tile. After the clay is pressed, Kohler’s WasteLAB artisans hand-cut each tile and apply a glaze, which results in a delicate crackle that carries across the tile face when fired, producing tile that is incredibly vibrant in color. Reducing, reusing and recycling are the key steps in the sustainable efforts by Kohler and Ann Sacks to not only make this world lovely, but to make it lovely for longer. What’s a good strategy in picking the right tile? It’s like being a kid in a candy shop—there are always so many options to select from, each of which can either make or break the room. My advice is to not keep looking and looking and looking. Ann Sacks offers an extensive curated collection for the Kohler Signature Stores. S U M M E R 2 0 2 1 | N E W E N G L A N D L I V I N G. T V
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go fish
HOW TWO SISTERS
IN SANDWICH REALLY KNOW HOW TO SCALE A BUSINESS Written by Robert Cocuzzo
C
aroline and Lauren Grainger are hooked on fishing. During the summer months, before most people have had their first cup of coffee, the two sisters readily head out to the beaches on Cape Cod to cast a line and hopefully catch a giant. While most fishermen are hoping for dinner or maybe a trophy for their mantel, the Grainger sisters’ love of rod and reel is inspired, at least in part, by a deeper passion. The owners of Grainger Pottery in Sandwich, Massachusetts, Caroline and Lauren have built a cottage industry turning their daily catches into ceramic masterpieces that adorn the walls and facades of homes up and down the Cape. “From time to time you
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see a potter make a ceramic fish, but we make over a hundred species,” Lauren says. “We have a local focus on all of the major New England species, plus we make a variety of southern, tropical and freshwater fish as well as shells and horseshoe crabs.” Using actual fish that they caught, the sisters create plaster molds that they then fill with handpressed clay. Each ceramic fish is then named, dated and signed before the Graingers apply a life-like paint job. After firing the pieces twice at 1,900 degrees, the fish are ready to hit the market. “We’ve done so much trial and error with different glazes and clays,” says Caroline. “We’ve learned new techniques that make our pieces better and better.”
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The sisters first learned about pottery from their uncle, Geoff Grainger, who owns Grainger Pottery in Marion, Massachusetts, where the girls worked during high school and college. “Our uncle taught us everything we know about ceramics,” Caroline says. “We never would have this store without him and his expertise.” Geoff Grainger also shared his love of fishing with his nieces, eventually spawning the molds that now define their collections. With over a hundred species to choose from, clients are able to select their own schools of fish. Some might hang a metallic-finished flounder on a kitchen backsplash, or a lobster over their front door, or a shell above their fireplace. Others might liven up their bathroom or living room walls with an entire school of stripers, cod and blues swimming about. “There are so many types of people that collect our pieces,” Lauren says. “From homeowners that want a nautical touch, to fishermen who collect their favorite species, to tourists who want a keepsake of the Cape.”
Lauren and Caroline Grainger have mastered the fine art of the work-life balance
As artists, Lauren and Caroline are never short on inspiration. After a long day behind the kiln, they replenish their creative spirits by the shoreline while casting a lure into the sunset. “We have always lived on the coast and been on the ocean our entire lives,” Caroline says. “You can’t spend that much time on the water and not have such a great love and appreciation for the ocean and the creatures in it.”
To land your own piece created by Lauren and Caroline, visit them online at graingerpotterysandwich.com or in person at 478 Route 6A, East Sandwich, MA 02537 S U M M E R 2 0 2 1 | N E W E N G L A N D L I V I N G. T V
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IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK
The future of home automation has arrived
W
ith today’s sophisticated home automation technology, every room in your house could be meeting your needs and enhancing your wellbeing in remarkably personal ways. From the moment you wake up, highly customized “scenes” could be unfolding with exquisite attention to detail: the shades rise to the perfect height to meet the morning sun; the lights dim to ease your eyes into the day; your coffee brews; your favorite playlist kicks everything off on the right note. This might sound like a scene from the Jetsons, but thanks to the experts at SimpleHome, the future of home automation technology is literally at your finger tips. “Who doesn’t want a home that understands your lifestyle?” asks Gregory Brett, the co-founder of SimpleHome. “Who doesn’t want to tell their house goodnight and have the lights go off, the shades lower and the front door lock without even having to get out of bed?”
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(Left) A leader in home automation, Hunter Douglass has customized window blinds, shades, shutters and draperies that not only regulate light and heat, but also enhance the design of each space. (Right and below) All aspects of SimpleHome can be controlled by hand with a tablet or by voice command with Alexa or Josh A.I.
Whether you’re building a new home or seeking to retrofit your existing residence, the menu of options SimpleHome can serve your day-to-day life— both inside and outside—is a first class experience. Gone are the days when home automation is limited to your stereo system. Today’s sleek and sophisticated home automation technology is stealthily installed, making it virtually invisible while also turning your home from smart to brilliant. “There’s health and wellness component to all of this too,” adds Tara Pavia, SimpleHome’s Director of Marketing and Sales. “Lighting is a huge wellness component. Having the lighting in your home adjusted and utilized it in its best capacity is often overlooked. From home office to dinner to movie night, lighting is a key factor to making those activities more enjoyable.” And lighting isn’t limited to fixtures. Through a partnership with Hunter Douglass, SimpleHome utilizes custom window blinds, shades, shutters and draperies that respond to the sun in real time. A leader in home automation shades, Hunter Douglass offers premium fabrics for shades equipped with cutting-edge PowerView Automation to enhance both the experience and design of virtually every room in your home. Not only can Hunter Douglass’s shades expertly regulate the light filling each room but also the amount of heat—helping ensure that every space remains comfortable to your exact specifications. All of this high-tech automation can be controlled on your phone through an app or using voice-activated control with Josh AI or Alexa. So no matter where you are in the house, your home will be at your beck and call. To illustrate the full potential of today’s home automation, SimpleHome has created interactive showrooms in Waltham and in the Seaport District where you can explore what smarter living can look like for you today. NEL
Learn more about the possibilities of home automation at SimpleHome.net or visit their showrooms at 7 Tide Street in Boston and 170 Bear Hill Road in Waltham.
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culture NOTABLE NEW ENGLANDERS
WHAT'S POPPIN' Page 28 LAGER THAN LIFE Page 28 WAY JOSÉ! Page 34
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WHAT'S POPP Where’s your favorite coffee spot? You mean besides Dunkin’? Greystone in the South End. It’s run by a mother and daughter, and they have a walk-up window, which makes it super easy and quick. I am incapable of ordering a coffee without getting a pastry, too— you have to try the muffins!
Where do you social distance with your friends? I am a big fan of the patio dining that’s been taking the city by storm. Some places are really getting creative and putting a lot of thought into it. Are we in Boston or Europe? It’s hard to tell. The ambiance at Lolita Fort Point’s outdoor patio is fantastic, complete with string lights and a view of the water.
What about breaking a sweat? During quarantine, you had the people who exercised a lot or not at all. I was part of the latter group. But I’m starting to get back into it and I’m all about running outdoors. My favorite run in Boston is along the Charles River. I also took up golf a few years ago and wish I had started sooner. It’s something
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How about the top sandwich in town? Michael’s Deli in Brookline. They have a delicious Reuben, which happens to be the most perfect sandwich out there. Honorable mention: the BLT.
You and your beau are headed out for a romantic night on the town. Where are you dining? Arya Trattoria in the North End, Kava Neo-Taverna in the South End, Yvonne’s in Downtown and Offsuit in the Leather District. Sorry, couldn’t pick just one! They are all great date spots.
What’s your favorite weekend getaway? Kennebunkport, Maine, is one of the most picturesque and beautiful places I’ve been, especially in the summer. You can’t beat it. A spot that’s great year-round is Portland,
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everyone should try if they are able. It can be intimidating to get into, but it’s never too late. Granite Links in Quincy has a great driving range, and there is an outdoor patio overlooking the range with an unreal sunset view.
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@NELivingTV
@NewEnglandLivingTV
5/12/21 9:50 AM
PPIN'
WITH RACHEL HOLT Few people have the inside scoop on New England quite like Rachel Holt. As the host on New England Living of WBZ-TV/ CBS Boston, Rachel gets to explore the best bites, hottest spots and wildest adventures. We went behind the scenes on one of Rachel’s shoots to get her top recommendations from around the region.
Maine. The food and drink options are endless, plus the cobblestone streets are so charming—don’t wear heels!
How about when you need some R&R? Nurse Fiona Medical Spa in Framingham. She gives the best hydrafacials, and you’ll leave feeling like a new person. Even if you aren’t more rested, you’ll look like it!
Where do you get your hair cut? Salon Mario Russo on Newbury in Boston. They’re an amazing salon with some of the best stylists out there. I’ve always left feeling great about my haircut—and I’m picky! Plus, their windows overlook Newbury Street so there’s phenomenal people-watching while you’re getting your hair done.
Where do you like to lay out on the beach? One beach that has a little bit of everything is Easton’s Beach in Newport, Rhode Island. I get bored sitting around too long, so I’m all about my beach activities and games. Easton’s is located at the start of the Cliff Walk, so it’s a great place to go for a stroll. Also, there’s a snack bar. Beach snacks are very important.
Where’s your favorite ice cream scoop? Ice cream is my guilty pleasure in life. I enjoy any and all types of ice cream. I probably go to J.P. Licks the most, and my go-to order is cookies ‘n’ cream with gummy bears on top.
Any top seafood spots? I have been on a mission to find the best lobster roll in New England. It’s a job I take very seriously. One of the best ones I’ve had—dare I say, the best—was from Bob’s Clam Hut in Kittery, Maine. The jumbo lobster roll with hot butter. Perfection.
What beer are you washing it down with? The beers at Fenway Park, while more expensive, just taste better. That’s a known fact. There is nothing better than being at the ballpark for a night game in the summer with a beer, some unhealthy snacks and friends. NEL
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LAGER T H A N
L I F E
HOW JIM KOCH BREWED UP THE AMERICAN DREAM Few people are more emblematic of New England success than Jim Koch. The renegade founder of the Boston Beer Company, Koch has spent the last thirty-six years drawing inspiration from this cradle of the American Revolution and pouring it into his products. Beginning with his flagship beer Samuel Adams, Koch has been driving innovation in the alcohol industry, most recently setting off a spiked seltzer phenomenon with his wildly popular Truly. Though he recently notched a strong foothold on the Forbes list as one of the country’s only billionaire craft brewers, Koch has remained true to his scrappy, underdog roots. It’s a mentality that made him one of the first people to stand up and help small businesses during the pandemic.
Interview by ROBERT COCUZZO
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NEL: How do you remain true to that New England spirit, as your company continues to expand further and further from New England? JIM KOCH: Well, it’s pretty easy. I’ve been a New Englander now for… oh gosh…fifty-four years. I came here from Ohio in 1967. My family’s here. My kids were all born here. But more than that, the secret sauce of the success of Boston Beer Company is very much a part of the New England character and spirit. We have succeeded by combining innovation and tradition and that’s part of what makes New England unique. We are all imbued with the history and tradition of New England, which is where America, as an idea, was invented. And where the America as an independent country began. And I’m of course, very aware of that because I named my beer Sam Adams.
NEL: Yes, why Sam Adams and not some other character from the Revolution? JIM KOCH: Sam Adams was the revolutionary behind the American Revolution. He was the first of the founding fathers to be committed to the idea of America as an independent country with its own unique destiny, separate from England. So, I named my beer after this revolutionary who pushed us all forward. My feeling was that I wanted to declare American independence in the beer world in the same way that Sam Adams declared American political independence. I wanted to convince Americans they didn’t need imported beers or beers with imported names to have great beer. That we could make great American beer here.
NEL: So innovation is really a core element of your business philosophy? JIM KOCH: Oh, totally. When I first started, the whole idea of quality American beer was an oxymoron. In order to get my beer into the market, no distributors would carry me. So, I had to invent another way of selling beer, which was doing it yourself as a brewery. And doing it, not with any real marketing, but just by going from bar to bar with cold beer in my briefcase.
"I’ve worked very hard to not see any end to the scrappy underdog days." — Jim Koch
NEL: Are there any stories that exemplify that kind of renegade spirit that was the early days of Sam Adams? JIM KOCH: I was having trouble getting into a couple of the liquor stores in downtown Boston because they have very limited shelf space and I didn’t have six packs. Because six packs cost a lot of money to print and I didn’t have the money to print them. All I had were these loose cases and I just wanted the liquor stores to sell single bottles, which was a pain in the neck for them. And they said, “Well, nobody buys it. Nobody’s ever heard of it. So, until I get some idea that there’s demand out there, I’m not going to put it in.” One of them was in Copley Square. So I put a bunch of Sam Adams empties out one night around Copley Square, probably at least a case, because I knew the homeless guys would pick them up and take them into that near-
est liquor store to redeem them. And lo and behold, they did. And a day later I got a phone call. “People must be drinking this stuff because I’m getting a lot of your empties.” It’s a little embarrassing now I guess, but the statute of limitations on littering has expired.
NEL: You’ve reached what I would only imagine was an unthinkable level of success when you first started out. But would you say that this is the high point of your career, or is there something about those scrappy underdog days that you connect to more? JIM KOCH: I’ve worked very hard to not see any end to the scrappy underdog days. Sam Adams has certainly been way more successful than I ever imagined, believe me. But even at that, we’re like 3 or 4 percent of the U.S. beer business. AnheuserBusch globally is fifty times our size. So, when you’re 2 percent of the big guy, it’s easy to think like an underdog. In fact, if you don’t think like an underdog, you’re screwed. We’ve always had to figure out how do we compete with nimbleness, entrepreneurial spirit and innovation rather than the economies of scale, mass production and mass marketing that the big guys employ.
NEL: I want to pivot a little bit here to talk about the small business community, because I know you’ve been a longtime staunch ally of small businesses, but especially now during the pandemic. In what ways have you been trying to lead the charge in protecting the small business community? JIM KOCH: Well, there’s a couple
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things. One is a more long-term passion of mine and the company’s, and one is in direct response to the devastation of the restaurant jobs and the plight of all the restaurant workers. The first one I’ll start with is now in its thirteenth year, and it’s called Brewing the American Dream. It came out of my experience starting Sam Adams, because when I started, there were two things that I couldn’t get and really wished I could: access to loans and access to expertise and knowledge and mentoring. So out of that experience came the Brewing the American Dream program that fills both of those gaps. It’s basically a combination of small business coaching, counseling and mentoring, with microfinance. We've roughly made about four thousand loans totaling $40 million to small businesses. We’ve done coaching or counseling for maybe twelve or fifteen thousand of them. Probably the most successful of them all were Drizly and DraftKings, two New England businesses.
NEL: Who typical goes through the program? JIM KOCH: Basically its 80 percent, I think, either immigrants or people of color. Because what you discover is that the American dream burns most brightly among immigrants and people of color. It’s really very inspiring to be around people like that, because they embody and passionately believe in and want to live the American dream of starting a small business, and growing it to where you can provide a good living for yourself and for your family.
NEL: How did your mission pivot amid COVID? JIM KOCH: When COVID hit, it was obvious that this was going to have a huge impact on restaurant workers. I built
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Sam Adams going from bar to bar, and I have always been grateful to all of the bar managers who put my product in, and the bar owners and operators who approved it, and the servers who let me put up my little table tents. I got a leg up from the bar and restaurant owners, managers and servers of Boston. And they helped me when they didn’t need to, when I was nothing. They didn’t need my beer; they didn’t need me. But they gave me a break, and I always promised myself that someday, I was going to have a chance to pay that back and to say thank you for what they did.
NEL: What has that looked like? JIM KOCH: We partnered with Greg Hill and WEEI-FM. The great thing about Greg and his foundation is that the whole infrastructure is there. We were writing checks within forty-eight hours. There were restaurant people who immediately got laid off who had bills to pay. They might be behind on their rent and on the edge of eviction. Or they might need to buy meds for their kids because they don’t have health care. So, we knew there were going to be people with immediate needs that were going to fall between the cracks, so we started writing thousand-dollar checks immediately.
NEL: How has it gone? JIM KOCH: With the help of other businesses here, including Grubhub, we’ve been able to give $8 million to restaurant workers who have specific or immediate needs that fall between the cracks of the social safety net that we have in this country. Finally, I’ve gotten my chance to say thank you. I know it’s not in most cases the exact same people, but it is the same group of wonderful people who made a difference to me thirty-six years ago.
NEL: Thinking back to thirty-six years ago, had you started your business during the pandemic like this, do you think you would have been able to survive? JIM KOCH: Yes. And I can’t tell you how. We saw it with the people in the Brewing the American Dream program. And I see it with craft brewers in general, and with entrepreneurs. We are a resourceful and resilient group of people that are very passionate about what we’re doing. We are willing to do whatever it takes to survive when we have to, and grow and prosper when we can. That’s New England through and through.
NEL: One of the silver linings of the pandemic has been that it’s given people the chance to reinvent themselves. What advice would you give to someone who’s preparing to leap into the unknown and start a new career like you did all those years ago? JIM KOCH: Choose something that is going to make you happy, independent of whether it will make you rich. Because when I started Sam Adams, my business plan was that after five years we would grow to be five thousand barrels of beer. It would level off there. That was a million dollars in revenue, and at that point, I could pay myself $75,000 a year. That was what I considered a nice living, and I’d be doing something that made me happy. And at the end of the day, if you have to choose between being happy and rich—unless you’re some kind of orange-haired sociopath—you’re going to choose to be happy rather than rich. Do what you think will give you a happy life, because that’s really what you most want in this world. Don’t get distracted by the other stuff. And if you’re doing something that makes you happy, you just don’t know how far it can take you. NEL
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Written by JONATHAN SOROFF Photography KIT NOBLE
WAY
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One of the most dynamic chefs in New England,
Jose Duarte
continues to reinvent his magic while staying true to his Peruvian roots
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“Peru, historically, is the origin of a lot of ingredients in modern cooking.. " -Chef Jose Duarte
O
ver the past decade, Peruvian cuisine has emerged as the biggest global trend in gastronomy, with traditional ingredients like quinoa, aji panca and cherimoya becoming readily available at most mainstream supermarkets, and Peruvian or Peruvianfusion restaurants proliferating like alpacas in the Andes. In Boston, the person out in front of the trend is Jose Duarte, owner—along with wife, Anna—of the wildly popular North End eatery Taranta (now sadly defunct due to COVID-19), the white-hot Tambo 22 in Chelsea and Trattoria San Pietro in Norwell. A bearded, affable bear of a man, with charm to spare, Duarte is also the driving force behind several projects designed to bring sustainability to agricultural communities in Peru and to introduce American audiences to the culture that spawned the craze. A native of the upscale Lima neighborhood of Miraflores, Duarte and his family moved to Venezuela when he was a boy, but when he returned on vacations, his fascination with the native cuisine had him visiting marketplaces, shops and restaurants. “When I was nine years old,” he recounts, “I had an epiphany. I went with my uncle to the
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house of a guy named Javier Wong.” (Wong, known as “The King of Ceviche,” is a major celebrity, not only with chefs, but among Peruvians in general.) “He opened his fridge, pulled out some flounder, and asked, ‘Do you want it as ceviche, or sautéed in a wok with fermented soy?’ and I thought, ‘This is amazing. This is what I want to do one day.’” After studying tourism and hospitality in Venezuela and receiving a master’s degree in Miami, he met his wife, a nice Italian girl from the North End, and they married in 2000. Their wedding gift to each other? Taranta, which originated as a purely Italian restaurant and only gradually began to incorporate Peruvian influences. Explaining the near-universal appeal of his native cuisine, Duarte says, “Peru, historically, is the origin of a lot of ingredients
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in modern cooking: tomatoes, potatoes, beans, kiwis, all kinds of fruit—all originated in the Andes region. In the pre-Inca period, on the coast, where fresh fish was available, it was pleasure food, and in the mountains, more subsistence, using different preservation and drying techniques, but the point is that there was already an infrastructure before the Spaniards got there.” What happened next is the meat and potatoes (pun most definitely intended) of history books. With the Spanish came European and Moorish influences. Lima became Spain’s viceregal seat in the New World, and with the infusion of slaves from Africa, the Peruvian style of criolla cooking was born. Later, the advent of railroads brought an enormous influx of Chinese immigrants, resulting in the popular Peruvian chifa tradition and its local take on Cantonese staples like shumai and fried rice.
“My Peruvian grandfather had a wok and a kerosene stove that he cooked on,” Duarte notes. “I have a cookbook from the 1940s that has recipes for sweet and sour dishes.” The end of World War II brought a wave of Japanese immigrants, the Nikkei or Nisei—secondand third-generation Japanese—who added their own strong influences to the mix. In fact, although he was born and raised in Japan, Nobu Matsuhisa opened his first restaurant in Lima. “So, Peru got conquered,” says Duarte, summing it all up, “and now Peruvian cuisine is conquering the world back. What we call San Marzano tomatoes? The original seeds were a gift from the Viceroy of Lima to the King of Naples.” Which brings us back to Duarte’s personal story. When he and Anna (who was trained in voice at Berklee School of Music) opened Taranta in 2000, the concept was purely southern Italian, which proved too exotic. “People coming to the North End wanted Italo-American food, so we did that,” he says. However, Duarte found himself incorporating more and more Peruvian elements into his dishes. “Eventually, I got a call from a food writer at the Globe, and I mentioned the ingredients I was using. It caught people’s attention, and then I could openly serve this perfect marriage of Italian and Peruvian cuisine.”
Scenes from Duarte's Santa Cruz Lodge, a twelveroom eco-destination tucked into the Andes that connects visitors with the local culture while benefiting the surrounding Huaripampa agricultural community.
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Unfortunately, the enduringly popular Taranta became a casualty of the pandemic, but in February 2020, the Duartes opened Tambo 22 in Chelsea, and its traditional Peruvian fare has managed to weather the storm, with such hits as ceviche, Lomo Saltado and Aji de Gallina earning consistent raves. (The couple’s other restaurant, Trattoria San Pietro, also remains open). The pandemic also pressed pause on the passion project that Duarte has poured his soul into for the past five years: the Santa Cruz Lodge. A twelve-room eco-destination tucked into the Andes at the point where the Cordillera Blanca meets the Cordillera Negra, the biodynamic hotel was designed to introduce visitors to the local culture while improving the quality of life for the surrounding Huaripampa agricultural community. Beautifully situated in the foothills of the Huascaran National Park, the lodge offers experiences ranging from trekking to wellness programs to gastronomy courses, and Duarte’s hope is that it can return to being fully operational once it’s safe to do so. Ditto for Taranta, which he hopes to reopen in a new incarnation.
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Duarte’s passion for expressing culture through food has gotten him this far, and before lockdown, he was working in conjunction with scientists from Lima and MIT to cultivate cushuro, a highly nutritious cyanobacteria that looks a bit like caviar, in the lab. The Cushuro Project had sensors in a lake in the Andes, where it grows naturally, feeding information, in real time, to a lab in Chelsea, trying to duplicate the exact growing conditions. Duarte hopes to restart it post-COVID. It’s precisely this intense intellectual curiosity and willingness to embrace science and technology that bode well for Duarte to emerge, like the proverbial phoenix, from the ashes. And when he does, we’ll be the first in line for whatever it is he’s cooking up. NEL
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spaces DETAILS | DECÓR | INNOVATION
PAGE IN TIME Page 44 HEART OF THE CITY Page 50 THIS IS LIGHT Page 60
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Page Hardware & Appliance owner Andrew Page
Written by HALEY GRANT Photography by STEVE DEPINO Historic images courtesy of PAGE HARDWARE
Pagein Time I
n the historic town of Guilford, Connecticut, sits a classic New England hardware store that boasts about as much charm as the community itself. Situated just across from the town green, Page Hardware & Appliance resides in three buildings that originally housed the town post office, a general store, an ice cream parlor, a meat market and a restaurant. The story of this hardware store goes back to 1939 when Harry L. Page Jr. purchased the building and business from E.H. Butler. Since its founding, Page Hardware has been owned and operated by five generations of Pages, with Andrew Page, grandson of Harry Page, now at the helm.
AN OLD-FASHIONED HARDWARE STORE IN GUILFORD, CONNECTICUT, ISN’T AFRAID TO INNOVATE
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“What’s made us successful is the focus on the customer. If you take care of the customer, they’ll take care of you.” —ANDREW PAGE
Growing up working in the store with his family was a unique, special experience for Andrew. “It was pretty nutty,” he describes. “There was never a moment in which you couldn’t find at least one Page in the store. My grandmother was a bookkeeper, my father ran the appliance section and my uncle ran the hardware side of the store.” When Andrew returned to Guilford in 1993, he and his uncle bought out his father, and in the early 2000s, Andrew began buying out his uncle. Today, Andrew is the store’s sole proprietor.
Page Hardware offers its customers the best of both worlds: the charm of an old-fashioned, small-town hardware store combined with the modern products of today’s trend-setting retailers. One only needs to enter the store and observe the creaky hardwood flooring, friendly faces and most cutting-edge appliances to understand the unique environment that this family-owned business boasts. The store carries hardware, lawn and garden products, paint, housewares and major appliances from a variety of wellrespected manufacturers: Sub-Zero and Wolf, Big Green Egg and Weber grills, and Benjamin Moore paint to name a few. An authorized dealer of Sub-Zero and Wolf products, Page Hardware has offered Sub-Zero appliances since the seventies.
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Andrew Page's uncle and mentor, Stephen W. Page, led the family business for several decades
Roger S. Tucker has worked with the Page family for over sixty years
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ith the arrival of the living kitchen concept, the days of showcasing SubZero products on the display floor “naked” were officially over. Today, Page Hardware displays a full suite of Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances that are fully functioning and available for customers to test-drive before purchase. Prior to the pandemic, the store would even host cooking events in these kitchens on a regular basis, inviting new and previous customers to come in and learn about the products they owned or aspired to own, hands-on. Quality of service is precisely what Andrew credits Page Hardware & Appliance’s success to. “What’s made us successful is the focus on the customer. And that’s something my grandpa preached to my father: If you take care of the customer, they’ll take care of you.” This mantra certainly held true throughout the past year. Page Hardware went curbside in April 2020 and reduced its hours for almost an entire year, having just recently returned to its normal store hours. The pandemic brought out Guilford’s strong sense of community more than ever before, with many residents showing up to support the family-owned business. Many of Page Hardware’s loyal customers have shopped at the establishment for decades, if not for multiple generations. "I've lived in Guilford all my life and I've probably been going to Page's for seventy years,” said Russell Pierson whose family has shopped at Page for three generations. “If you were to walk into my house right now and took a look at the stove, the dishwasher, the refrigerator, the washer and dryer, they're all from Page. They're a great organization, a great bunch of people, and I really think our town would be lost without Page Hardware."
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where he has worked as Page Hardware’s head cashier since 1985. And then there’s Page Hardware Vice President Amy Earls, who joined the team in 1995. Two years later, Katherine Frydenborg came on board and has worked a variety of roles ever since. The store’s “jack of all trades,” Jim Smith, was hired in 2002, and in 2007, Page Hardware welcomed Mark Altsmanberger, who has more than 50 years of retail experience. These individuals, among the many others who comprise the Page Hardware team, are ultimately the ones who inspire the unique quality of service that the store has prided itself on for more than eighty years. Just as the store maintains its old-time feel while offering the most modern appliances, Page Hardware & Appliance remains rooted in its values of family and community, while continuously proving its ability to adapt and evolve. NEL
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he store’s long-term connections include other local businesses as well. “Over the past forty years, Page Hardware and JJ Russo & Sons Construction—both family-run businesses in Guilford—have worked together to achieve top-tier customer satisfaction,” says Jackie Russo. “I feel proud that I can sell Page to my clients in full confidence, and just as proud to have the wonderful partnership that we do with Page Hardware.” Despite a global pandemic and the continual rise of big chain and e-commerce retailers, Page Hardware has weathered every storm that has rolled in due to the deep-rooted relationships that the store has built with its customers, brands and, of course, its employees, some of whom have been with the team for decades. Enter the store and you’ll likely find Raymond P. Murphy Jr. at the cashier,
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SETTING THE STANDARDS IN HARDWOOD DECKING AND SIDING Superior quality and environmental accountability is what we are all about. With Iron Woods branded products superior strength, hardness, durability, and fire resistance have stood the test of time performing in commercial projects and backyards across America.
U M M E R 2 0 2 1 | N E W E N G L A N D L I V I N G. T V info@ironwoods.com | 888.932.9663 | Swww.ironwoods.com
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WRITTEN BY ROB DUCA
HEART
City of the
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How a hotel breathed new life
into Pittsfield, Massachusetts
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Seeking to retain the historic look and feel of the buildings, the Tierneys restored as many elements of the original structures as possible
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or David and Laurie Tierney, opening a hotel in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, was not so much a business decision as a means of giving back to a community that had given them so much. Apart from the four years he went off to college, fifty-seven-year-old David has spent his entire life in Pittsfield where today he runs a local construction company founded by his father. With a deep passion for their hometown, he and Laurie set out to bring to Pittsfield the first non-chain hotel to be opened in nearly fifty years.
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"I CALL PITTSFIELD THE BROOKLYN OF THE BERKSHIRES, BECAUSE IT’S EDGY AND COOL. SO, WE BOTH KNEW WHAT WE WANTED. WE HAD OUR VISION.” — Laurie Tierney For too long, the couple thought that travelers perceived Pittsfield as a worn-down town to simply drive through on their way to the more swanky and stylish destinations of the Berkshires, like Lenox, Stockbridge and Great Barrington. Just as Oakland has long taken a backseat to San Francisco, Pittsfield has been overshadowed by its closest neighbors. One way to begin changing that dynamic, the Tierneys thought, was to give visitors a unique lodging experience that would define the city as more glamorous than gritty. “Pittsfield did not have a nice [place to stay],” Laurie says. “David and I do a lot of traveling; we like to stay in really cool, funky hotels. We thought, why can’t we have that right in downtown Pittsfield? It’s a great little city; I call Pittsfield the Brooklyn of the Berkshires, because it’s edgy and cool. So, we both knew what we wanted. We had our vision.” When the couple purchased the historic three- and four-
story buildings that were once home to a haberdashery and announced plans to transform them into what is now Hotel on North, the reaction was less than enthusiastic. “People told us we were crazy,” Laurie says. Still they remained undeterred. Converted from what was Besse-Clark, an iconic menswear and sporting goods store, the hotel’s two buildings date back to 1874 and 1879, respectively. With a close eye on the past, the Tierneys ensured many of the buildings’ original elements were repurposed. When that wasn’t possible, they were replicated. The wood floors, exposed brick walls, tin ceilings and wood beams were all incorporated into the design, a project taken on by architect Karen Hunt, who also happens to be David’s sister. “Karen did a great job designing the rooms around how the building was,” Laurie says. “She retained as much of the character of the building as she could.”
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ne of the most critical aspects of the renovation involved the windows. A portion of the financing for the renovation was based on historic tax credits, and the National Park Service has rigorous specifications for windows. To earn the tax credits, the Tierneys hired Marvin to replicate all the original windows. The hotel now has 140 double-hung Marvin windows, along with ground-floor storefront windows, that fall within the park service’s historic parameters. "There was no question we would use Marvin," David says. “We wanted to put the best into this building.” The windows match what was originally in place but are updated to meet all energy standards. “The rooms are nice and warm, and the windows inside and out look like they did in the 1800s.” The hotel’s forty-five rooms and common areas were renovated with the nineteenth century in mind, with light fixtures, bathroom tiles, paint colors, walls and floors remaining faithful to the time period. Each room has a different footprint and is uniquely furnished and designed. The most distinctive is the Library Suite, a 644-square-foot corner suite featuring 125 bookshelves stacked with curated books, crafts and memorabilia. There’s even a rolling
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“THERE WAS NO QUESTION WE WOULD USE MARVIN. WE WANTED TO PUT THE BEST INTO THIS BUILDING.” — David Tierney
library ladder from which the views of downtown Pittsfield and the Berkshires are stunning. Guests will also find a rotating exhibition of art, sculpture, photography and other curated pieces that highlight the region’s history. Opened in 2015, the hotel includes a restaurant and bar, which have been closed during the
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pandemic. “We went back to the time when the buildings were built and brought together the type of materials they were using then…and then sprinkled in some modern touches to make it more up to date,” Laurie says. “It’s a nice blend of the old with the new. There’s a vintage industrial vibe to it.” From the outset, the resolve to go local never wavered. Furniture, woodwork, lighting, windows, curtains and artwork were all created by artisans and craftsmen in the area. In addition, all the carpenters were local. “We wanted to make sure this was a community-based project,” Laurie says. “The community is everything. It’s not good to open a business if you’re only helping yourself.”
The Tierneys enlisted Marvin to replicate all 140 historic windows in the hotel.
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“IT’S A NICE BLEND OF THE OLD WITH THE NEW. THERE’S A VINTAGE INDUSTRIAL VIBE TO IT.” — Laurie Tierney
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ith that in mind, the hotel connects with the community through a multitude of imaginative ways. One program called “Dogs on North” allows guests to walk dogs from a nearby shelter. Another, “Kittens and Cocktails,” invites the community to enjoy a beverage while being introduced to kittens up for adoption. (Perhaps it’s needless to say that the hotel is pet-friendly). A third program, “Library and Libation,” is a book club where members of the community gather at the hotel to share drinks and their thoughts on their latest read. Of course, the pandemic has temporarily shut down these programs, but in the meantime the owners have found other ways to bond with the community. One way has been to offer discounted rooms to visiting health care workers. “We have a dozen or so extended-stay rooms, with kitchens and washers and dryers, so it has worked out very well with doctors and nurses,” David says.
As for the goal of helping to revitalize the downtown area, it appears to be working. “I can name five businesses that either opened or expanded because of the hotel’s presence,” Laurie says. “Before, people wouldn’t take a chance on the city. Now, we have a great partnership with a lot of local businesses.” Like many in the hospitality industry, Hotel on North has been hit hard by the pandemic. But when life returns to normal and people begin traveling again, the Tierneys are confident that the centrally located Hotel on North will become a desired destination for those looking to head south to the theaters, museums and dining scene of Lenox, Stockbridge and Great Barrington, or north to hike Mt. Greylock. “We are a unique experience in the heart of the Berkshires,” David says. “Pittsfield is a great jumping-off point.” NEL
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Written by Rob DUCA PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIN LITTLE
MAKING OLD NEW AGAIN An ambitious project in Wayland fuses classic and contemporary style
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ow do you tear down a historic Georgian brick estate and replace it with a nearly 9,000-square-foot property that combines the charm of the past with the contemporary touches of the present, has an intriguing layout, a definite cool factor and, oh yeah, looks like it’s been there for a century? That was Laura Schwendt’s task for a four-acre Wayland, Massachusetts, property that was home to the heir of the Gillette fortune for forty years. Schwendt, an interior designer who also holds degrees in architecture and civil engineering, knew that executing this vision would require reimagining how we bring the best of the past to the present. The homeowners initially debated renovating the house, but that was quickly deemed financially impractical due to the disrepair of the brick, the lack of proper insulation and the absence of any true updates over four decades. Instead, the house was leveled and the original foundation was pulled out, with only the carriage house and barn left intact. The decision was made to start anew, but always with an eye to making it all look old. “Here we were almost ninety years later asking ourselves how we can pay homage to the property and the landscape, and not make it look like this massive home on top of a hill,” Schwendt says.
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One way was to utilize reclaimed materials, from the wood flooring to the hand-forged nails, as well as old iron memorabilia and even an antique badminton racket that were discovered in the barn and later displayed on bookshelves and tables. “There were amazing relics that we preserved,” Schwendt says. “We even dug up old bluestone that had been covered over around these English gardens and used it for the patios and walkways all around the house. I loved finding products and interesting materials to incorporate into it.” This exquisite attention to detail extended to the plumbing fixtures. “I was specifically looking for fixtures that gave a nod to early twentiethcentury design, since the home was built in the early 1930s,” Schwendt says. “Belle Époque–inspired style with state-of-the-art functionality, if you will.” (Belle Époque is the term often given to a period of French history between 1880 and the outbreak of World War I.) To achieve this historic aesthetic, Schwendt turned to the Kohler Signature Store and Supply New England for the fixtures throughout the house, including in the kitchen where the Kallista Quincy Collection faucets exemplified the home’s overall design goals.
Appliances selected for the kitchen included a Wolf steam oven, wall oven and range top and a Sub-Zero refrigerator, freezer and ice maker, along with a fully integrated dish drawer, dishwasher and microwave. To continue the kitchen’s seamless appearance, a hidden pantry door was built into the custom-made cabinets, and the cabinet interiors were designed to store smaller appliances, such as toasters and coffeemakers, that normally clutter a countertop.
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“The kitchen faucets needed to stand confidently in the interior without standing out in the wrong way,” Schwendt says. “The lines of this faucet gave a sense of the Belle Époque style, but simplified the details for today’s contemporary sensibility.” In designing a modern kitchen that is awash in white walls and cabinets, Schwendt also employed a unique process to bring an old-world quality to the floor. Called “fuming,” this process dates back to the 1800s in England and involves exposing the wood to ammonia hydroxide, which darkens the wood and brings out the grain pattern. The kitchen island also has a white marble countertop that came from Vermont that looks like it could have once been in a Newport mansion at the turn of the century. This theme continues in the basement kitchenette, which features a Litze bridge faucet from Brizo with an arc spout and an East Linear cold-water dispenser from Newport Brass. Both epitomize the project’s aesthetic with sleek designs that still look and feel timeless. So too can be said of the laundry room where the Kohler Whitehaven farmhouse kitchen sink and Brizo Artesso pull-down kitchen faucet match modern utility with touches of yesteryear. The bathrooms throughout the house are also well-appointed with selections from Supply New England. The Brizo Artesso collection and the Brizo Litze collection with industrial handle are featured in the first- and second-floor bathrooms, while the basement bath includes a Kohler Brockway sink with Cannock faucets. In the master bath, a Victoria & Albert Toulouse tub catches the eye.
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Laura Schwendt of Architectural Interiors & Design in Wayland collaborated with Duckham Architecture & Interiors in Needham Heights and builder Keystone Development of Marlborough on the project. Other key principals were Heartwood Cabinetmakers of Holliston and Hunt Hardwood of Arlington.
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The grand staircase leading to the second floor offers another glimpse into how intrigue was created throughout the home. The defining feature of the ceiling at the top of the staircase is what appears to be two solid beams, but they actually are three separate pieces adroitly locked together in what is called a “beam wrap.” “It was quite complex, but when it’s done well, it looks simple,” Schwendt says. The floor patterns were yet another way to create interest. Floorboards were turned, with concentric squares helping to delineate one room from another. “Every room flows into the next, so we used different floor patterns to create definition,” Schwendt says. “By changing how the flooring runs and altering the openings, we were able to establish each room as its own.” Although the floor plan is dramatically different from the original property, the living and dining rooms, as well as the master bedroom, are all located in nearly the exact footprint as before. Reflecting on the finished project, Schwendt believes that a feeling of “instant antiquity” was achieved but with dashes of modern-day flair. “There is an estate charm to the home, but not in such a way as you wouldn’t feel comfortable putting your feet up,” she says. “We wanted that delicate balance of a slightly formal appeal, but informal enough to be comfortable and warm.” Indeed, from the reclaimed timbers down to its modern faucets, the estate’s charming character successfully pays homage to its past while welcoming a bright, new future. NEL
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Ultra silent
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SUMMER
fun WHAT TO DO | WHAT TO EAT | WHAT TO WEAR
NANTUCKET BOUND Page 66 SILVER LININGS Page 75 ON THE ROAD AGAIN Page 81
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Nantucket
BOUND All clothing by Nantucket Whaler
(Left) Silk Satin Trench Coat $1,499 Frill Pants $725 Cuore Bikini Top $95 (Above) Bombacha Pant $299 On her: SCHOONERDesire LONGHigh SLEEVE NeckOXFORD Top $225 On him: CAPTAIN SWEATSHIRT Fitzgerald Long Vest $1,495
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Photography by Brian Sager Make-up by Christina Gallardo of Makeup by Christina G. Hair by Lilly Tammaro, Stylist of G2O Spa + Salon Spray Tanning by Pure Glow Shoes and accessories by LeTote Location by Mandarin Oriental All clothing by Daniela Corte
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Photography by Rian Davidson All clothing by Alps and Meters
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TERRAIN INDIGO STRIPE POLO
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ROVER STRETCH SLIM FIT GARMENT DYE CHINO SHORT INDIA STREET INDIGO DYED SLUB POLO
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RAINBOW FLEET LONG SLEEVE OXFORD SHIRTS
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On her: BEACHCOMBER LONG SLEEVE SLUB SHIRT
On him: 1837 OXFORD LOGO CREST LONG SLEEVE OXFORD
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antucket Whaler is inspired by exploration and island history dating back to 1837. The brand’s heritage is steeped in the mystique of Nantucket and the generations of people who built a life exploring the sea. The brand translates the grit, strength and endurance of those early nautical explorers into well-crafted clothes for modern consumers who embody those same core values. Every Nantucket Whaler garment is designed and crafted to withstand the ever-changing elements and carefully constructed to merge function with fashion, from lightweight linen shirts to colorful oxfords and polos. As the temperatures rises during the summer, Nantucket Whaler’s four-way stretch denim and stretch twill shorts offer maximum comfort. Some Nantucket Whaler products incorporate proprietary ADVANTEDGE® technology that has performance features. Other staples include laid-back hoodies, iconic waxed sailing jackets, lightweight casual pants, t-shirts and locally made accessories. Nantucket Whaler is a proud sponsor of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), a non-profit organization holistically aligned with Nantucket Whaler’s brand values.Visit Nantucket Whaler's flagship retail store on 7 Old South Wharf on Nantucket opening May 28. Fans of the lifestyle brand can also shop Nantucket Whaler’s exciting Spring Collection, along with plenty of other staples in-store and online at www.nantucketwhaler.com. NEL
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One International Place, Suite 1010 • Boston, MA 02110 Station Drive, Suite 250 • Westwood, MA 02090 | S U101 MMER 2021
5/12/21 AM 4/19/19 10:12 5:45 PM
WRITTEN BY JULIA PENDLETON
LININGS How some New Englanders turned lemons into lemonade during the pandemic
It’s been more than a year since COVID-19 was first detected in the United States, and the devastation it has caused has, in one way or another, impacted everyone. For many people, this has resulted in a professional metamorphosis, with some changing careers out of necessity and others choosing to take a leap of faith and pursue a newfound professional passion, perhaps one that has been on the back burner for years. Here is a look at some New Englanders who have made career pivots during the pandemic and are not looking back.
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MELISSA
SEPULVEDA option to go back to her former profession. So she ramped up the bread baking and incorporated tips her grandmother shared with her as a young girl. Not only was her family impressed with the results of her rediscovered passion, but friends in and around her small coastal community started asking for the artisan boule loaves, which Sepulveda’s daughter would deliver on her bicycle. “People kept telling me ‘you need to sell this’ and saying it’s the best bread they ever had,” she says. “I just kept saying, ‘But I’m a photographer; I’m not a baker.’” Fast-forward and Sepulveda is, indeed, a baker. As
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elissa Sepulveda had a tough year in 2019. Not only was the Marion, Massachusetts, resident diagnosed with breast cancer, but her mother, with whom she had been extremely close, died. “It had been a very rough go, but by January [2020], I finally started to get back on my feet and think clearly again,” the fifty-one-year-old Sepulveda says. She wasn’t quite ready to resume her career as a professional photographer, so she started baking bread, a favorite pastime she had shared with her mother and grandmother, who came to the United States from Sicily in 1910. “I was feeling very disconnected after having gone through such traumatic instances so close together, and it was just so therapeutic,” she recalls. Then the pandemic hit and the married mother of two didn’t have the
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the owner of Forno Bakery, the Quincy, Massachusetts, native bakes everything from boules to focaccia to a variety of sweet Italian treats. A friend whose family is in the baking business generously gave her a five-deck oven, which she recently had installed at Ansel’s Café in Marion, where she is leasing kitchen space so she can broaden her baking reach. “I feel so fortunate and have had such tremendous support from family, friends, the community…I want to give back, and nurturing and feeding people feels really good,” she says. “Even as terrible as this story started off, if I didn’t have that terrible beginning, I wouldn’t feel the joy that I feel now.”
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usic has always been a big part of Joseph Meyers’ life. The married father of two, who provides coaching services to start-up software companies, was the lead singer in a band from 2011 to 2017 and, in subsequent years, would get out whenever he could to perform at karaoke bars and to see live music at venues large and small. When the pandemic hit, the thirty-two-year-old Amherst, Maine, resident saw one of his favorite entertainment outlets come to an end. “It was March 2020, and everything was shutting down,” Meyers recalls. “Music has always been very therapeutic for me, and something I would do on a regular basis was go into my basement and play the piano and sing. I always came out feeling much better.”
JOSEPH MEYERS
So, on March 18, Meyers did just that—only this time he videotaped his performance (of The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights”) and posted it on a Facebook page he created called Quarantine Karaoke. “I invited people on my friends list—I had about a thousand friends at the time—and I encouraged people to record themselves singing from their homes and post the recording in the group to distract from the pandemic,” the Corinna, Maine, native recounts. “The only rules were to be kind and have fun.” Meyers said that the group quickly went viral. “My Facebook just started blowing up. There were ten thousand people who joined the group in the first 24 hours, and by day three, there were more than a hundred thousand people from all over the world who had joined the group. It was crazy,” he says. “Fast-forward and there are more than seven hundred thousand people in the group today.”
Quarantine Karaoke caught the eye of American Idol producers, who partnered with Meyers to hold a contest through which 10 people from the Facebook group were able to get priority passes to audition for the popular ABC talent show. “This has been a surreal experience,” Meyers says. “I’ve met thousands of people who have told me how much this has saved them… and how extremely grateful they are to have a place to turn and feel a sense of community and share who they are with others. It’s been very exciting— and very humbling—for me.”
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ames Verity has been working since he was thirteen. Never one to sit still, the fifty-nine-year-old Harmony, Rhode Island, native had morphed a successful custom drapery and interior design business into one of the state’s premier event design and production companies, Verity Design. His company’s last big soiree was on Valentine’s Day 2020, when he produced an
refresher spray that is naturally antibacterial. “I have always been interested in the power of the plant. I saw what was out there and knew I could do better,” Verity says. “With the sanitizer, for example, I use food-grade vegetable glycerin, which is moisturizing. So the more you use, the softer your hands get…said no one ever about hand sanitizer. But it’s true.” Using contacts in China, he was able to import recyclable plastic bottles (manufacturers in the states were sold out early on in the pandemic,
JAMES VERITY
event at Providence College for 2,300 people. “Then, just like that, I woke up and had no career and said, ‘What the hell am I going to do with myself?’” The answer came quickly to him: He would create safe, high-quality personal protection equipment. In addition to making two-ply, single-needle Indian cotton reversible masks—“I’ve had my own custom drapery workroom for years, so I had the masks covered,” he says—his new company, SaniTides (sanitides.com), sells organic, plant-based hand sanitizer and mask
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he says) and start making products very quickly, selling them at farmers markets, online and through local and regional outlets. “It’s going great and that’s because of three things: quality, quality, quality,” he maintains. Verity, who lives in Providence with his husband, says he knew that starting a venture during the pandemic was risky, but fortunately it has been profitable. “I knew these products were in high demand, and I knew I could provide highend options, so while it was scary—like with any start-up, you pump a lot of money into it in the beginning with no money coming—I knew I was on to something good,” he says, adding that he plans to continue with SaniTides once his event business is up and running again. “I had one child; now I have two,” he says matter-of-factly. “I am going to keep them both alive and well.”
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ne favorite pastime that been on the rise since the start of the pandemic is gardening, which has meant not only an increase in readers of Fine Gardening magazine, but a significant uptick in listeners of the magazine’s companion podcast, “Let’s Argue About Plants,” which saw downloads nearly double from 2019 to 2020. “[2020] was the year of no vacations,” says Danielle Sherry, one of the biweekly podcast’s cohosts and executive editor of the Newton, Connecticut–based gardening magazine. “People were forced to vacation in their own backyard, and they wanted that environment to be an oasis—not just a place to stick the grill.” Sherry says that not only has the number of listeners increased, but interaction with the hosts through various platforms including social media—is better than ever. “It’s great, because we get reader [and listener] feedback that we’ll incorporate into different topics for different episodes,” she says. “It can range from low-maintenance shrubs, which is always a winner, to something on hydrangeas. People lose their minds over hydrangeas.” Her podcast cohost, Steve Aitken, the magazine’s editor-at-large, attributes the increasing popularity of the podcast in large part to the hosts’ honesty and relatability. “We’re not trying to be experts on all things, so we’re free to admit our failures,” he says. “We also talk the truth about the plants…we don’t just give you a marketing spin.” Sherry, who lives in East Haddam, Connecticut, with her husband, says that gardening has provided her and Aitken and many others with an “amazing outlet” during these difficult times. “I was thrilled to see that people who have never considered gardening before have embraced it and become fans of it,” she says. “Yes, it’s benefited our business, but it’s also benefited people’s well-being—[both] their mental
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health and physical health.” “And if you invest time in your landscape,” adds Aitken, who lives in Cheshire, Connecticut, with his wife and two children, “then not being able to leave home is not so bad since you have this place of refuge that you are creating.”
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hristina Pendleton has spent her life working with children in a variety of capacities, from teaching in classrooms to educational program development and management. She has also volunteered for numerous youth-centered charities and has always wanted to start her own nonprofit to fill in the gaps that she says are especially wide when it comes to the teenage population. The forty-seven-year-old Pendleton, who is married and has two sons, says that she has seen the challenges facing kids whose parents suffer from substance abuse in her professional life— and in her personal life. “There is a long history
of substance use disorders in my family, so it’s something I’ve dealt with my entire life,” she says. “There are many programs and services for younger kids, but there aren’t a lot for older kids.” The Dorchester, Massachusetts, native, who lived in Hyde Park when she was young, says she never had the time to do the footwork to start a charitable organization, but when the pandemic hit and she wasn’t working, she decided to turn
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her dream into a reality. Pendleton founded LiKen Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to supporting adolescents who are displaced as a result of their parents’ or caregivers’ substance use disorders. “Lots of kids go to live with relatives who don’t even have a bed for them—never mind bedding—so it’s really individual to every kid who gets referred
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to us,” she explains. “We provide the necessities, but we also provide comfort items like fleece blankets and pillows…things that make them feel good about themselves and more comfortable in their new surroundings.” Between last June, when LiKen (named in honor of her stepfather, Ken, who she said was an extremely kind man) was established, and February, the nonprofit has helped nearly 20 youths. Pendleton is looking forward to seeing the number grow. “I would like to really have it be a long-term thing where we have events for all the kids we’ve helped each year and celebrate their resiliency with what they’ve been through…and just be a resource for them if they need anything,” she says. “But, you know, the initial job is to show love, to remove the stigma and to celebrate the coping mechanisms that they’ve already started developing.” NEL
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THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO YOUR NEW ENGLAND SUMMER ROAD TRIP
ON THE
ROAD AGAIN
T WRITTEN BY STACEY MARCUS
here’s never been a better time to pack up the station wagon, hit the road less traveled and explore your backyard. “Shake off the quarantine and homeschooling and rediscover your own New England,” says Chris Jennings, the executive director of Discover New England. “From beach walks and rooms with seaside views to mountains and outdoor adventures, our region can make you feel safe, relaxed and welcome.” With that in mind, we cherry-picked six special spots for you to create a gallery of sweet summertime memories with your squad.
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summer stay in South Country promises unforgettable memories and plenty of Instagrammable moments. The area is chock-full of summer fun, with twenty public beaches, whale watching cruises, lighthouses and historical sites. Watch Hill is an ideal destination to set up base. Stay at Ocean House, one of only thirteen properties in the world to earn Forbes’ five-star award in three categories (hotel, restaurant, spa). Set high on the bluffs, the resort offers an array of familyfriendly activities including culinary classes, movies in the screening room and croquet. The property boasts stunning guest rooms, signature suites and cottages with full kitchens and laundries.
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Take a stroll downtown and on the way stop at Ella’s Fine Food & Drink, an upscale dining destination run by James Beard nominee Jeanie Roland, and where Taylor Swift and Lorde once took a cooking class. Enjoy a ride on the Flying Horse Carousel, the nation’s oldest continuing operating whirligig. Be sure to go stargazing at Frosty Drew Observatory in Charlestown covered by the darkest stretch of night sky between Boston and New York City. The Fantastic Umbrella Factory is brimming with gardens, a bamboo forest, shops with gems from area artisans and even a petting zoo. Pick flowers and berries from local farms like Clark Farms in Matunuck and Farmer’s Daughter in Wakefield. Take a day trip to Narragansett and enjoy dinner (capped with mudslides) at the Coast Guard House. Travel to Westerly to enjoy a bite at the Cooked Goose and grab a coffee or glass of wine at the Savoy Bookshop and Café.
The Ocean House is one of only thirteen properties in the world to earn five stars from Forbes in three different categories.
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ooking to meander in meadows, fish in lakes or ride on a wooden roller coaster? Take a trip to southwestern Connecticut and stay in Washington, a spot so charming that it served as inspiration for Gilmore Girls’ fictional town of Stars Hollow. Washington is also the home of the freshly reimagined Mayflower Inn & Spa, Auberge Resorts Collection. Its three thousand acres of woodlands offer families a lavish country escape to enjoy fly-fishing, archery, tennis and croquet along with a heavenly spa experience. Be sure to visit White Memorial Conservation Center in Litchfield and explore the four-thousand-acre nature center and wildlife sanctuary where you can hike, horseback ride, camp and birdwatch. A trip to nearby Hidden Valley Preserve unveils seven hundred acres of meadows and forests and seventeen miles of trails while a visit to the Institute for American Indian Studies gives families an opportunity to time travel back ten thousand years and discover Native American history.
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The newly refurbished Mayflower Inn & Spa is a perfect hopping off point to enjoy the wonders of the Connecticut countryside
Pop by G.W. Tavern, an 1850s colonial home with river views that gives a nod to our first president, for some American favorites or enjoy a tasty brick-oven pizza at The Owl in Preston. Lake Waramaug State Park in Kent is the perfect place to pack a picnic lunch and spend the day swimming, enjoying cartop boating and fishing. Enjoy some old-fashioned amusement park joy in Quassy Amusement Park in Middlebury where you can ride on a wooden roller coaster. Cap off a summer day with a farmfresh ice cream cone at Arethusa Farm Dairy in Bantum.
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Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club is one of Cape Cod's most charming summertime retreats
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parkling along the coast of Cape Cod, Brewster is a picturesque destination for your family to experience the balm of a beach break. This summer, Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club brings back a lineup of private experiences for families to enjoy, including private oyster bed tours in the Brewster flats, individual archery lessons, private beach fires during sunset, individual picnic baskets and private and beach yoga. Nearby activities include bike riding on the twenty-five-and-a-half-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail, a trip to the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History and sun-filled days at the forty-mile stretch of Cape Cod Natural Seashore that includes six beaches, eleven hiking trails and five cycling trails. Whalewatching is a must-see when on the Cape as are the Art’s Dune Tours in Provincetown where you can see one-hundred-foot sand dunes, wildlife, indigenous flora and nineteen dune shacks. Stand in line at Cobie’s for a lobster roll, enjoy seafood classics in a charming cottage at the Brewster Fish House or stop by Café Alfresco for light bites. Take a trip to the Corner Store for a breakfast burrito or Laura and Tony’s Kitchen in Eastham to savor great slow food made from scratch. When it comes to shopping, gems can be discovered at Sydenstricker Glass and the Handcraft House. Goose Hummock Shop is the go-to place for all things hunting, fishing and marine and water sports. Last but not least, be sure to put Taylor-Bray Farm in Yarmouth Port and Chatham Fish Pier on your must-do list.
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ummer in Vermont is one of New England’s best-kept secrets. Stowe is an ideal spot boasting fewer crowds, fresh mountain air and an array of spaces to explore outdoor activities. A luxury resort and spa designed around open spaces, Topnotch Resort is tucked into 120 acres of woodland at the base of Vermont’s highest peak, Mount Mansfield. The resort offers outdoor activities including hiking, fishing, mountain biking or playing tennis on one of six outdoor tennis courts. Ribbons of mountain roads remind visitors of the green scene’s healing power. Take a drive up the Auto Road and see the view from the top of Mount Mansfield. Enjoy a bike ride at Trapp Family Lodge and end at the property’s Kaffeehaus. Another great bike ride is the flat five-mile paved path on the Stowe Recreation Path, where you can see quintessential New England scenes and pass by local shops and eateries along the way. A stop at Creemee Silo at Tres Amigos restaurant is a treat for the kids while parents can enjoy cider to go from Stowe Cider. Enjoy hibachi and outdoor patio dining at Sushi Yoshi. Further up Mountain Road is a cluster of shops and restaurants, including those at the Red Barn Shops, where you will discover Yellow Turtle, an adorable children’s store. Sundays are the best day to visit the area, as the Stowe Farmers Market is in the field next to the Red Barn Shops. Don’t leave Stowe before you take a dip in a swimming hole or enjoy a family hike at Moss Glen Falls or Stowe Pinnacle.
Located in the shadow of Vermont's Mount Mansfield, Top Notch Resort offers outdoor activities galore
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Reopened this spring, The Claremont on Mount Desert Island has been a classic summer retreat for more than 135 years
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n 1884 people seeking a quiet coastal respite would visit The Claremont on Mount Desert Island for a classic summer retreat. Fast-forward over 135 years and this New England grande dame reopened this May after an extensive renovation. The reimagined hotel boasts gorgeous accommodations and bespoke experiences including boat cruises, fishing, cruiser bikes, golf cart rentals and nature hikes. While in the area, explore the butterfly garden at Charlotte Rhoades Park or meet artist-in-residence Steven Valleau at Wendell Gilley Museum and learn about the master-plumber-turned-master-carver’s more than ten thousand sculptures of wild birds. Bite into an authentic Maine lobster roll (or lobster tacos or lobster grilled cheese) on the rustic pier at Beal’s Lobster or take a sailing lesson at Mansell Boat Rentals. Keep the lobster theme going and take a lobster cruise with Acadia Lobster Cruise on a vintage 1966 wooden boat. Families who enjoy hiking should check out the Beech Mountain Loop and Beech Mountain Valley Trail. Climbable within two hours of the Beech Hill Road parking lot, Beech Mountain Loop is a less-crowded alternative to Cadillac Mountain. If you’re seeking a slightly longer hike, choose the Beech Mountain Valley Trail. Go mountain biking or book a sea kayaking tour on the quiet side of Acadia National Park, one of the East Coast’s most popular destinations, or take a ferry to the Cranberry Isles.
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ew Hampshire’s White Mountains offer the perfect escape where you will discover fewer people and more mountain air. When the Mount Washington Hotel opened in 1902, vacationers would visit to escape maladies like yellow fever and cholera. Now the Omni Mount Washington Resort, the hotel provides an array of accommodations ranging from boutique rooms to luxury suites spanning three thousand square feet, and recently added sixty-nine new rooms in its Presidential Wing. With eighteen dining venues, a new gondola to view the majestic scenery and a plethora of outdoor activities like golf, mountain biking, carriage rides and hiking, you need not leave the property but there is plenty to explore in the area. On the western slope of Crawford Notch is Arethusa Falls, the highest waterfall in New
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With eighteen dining rooms, sixty-nine new rooms, a new gondola and a plethora of activities, the Omni Mount Washington Resort is one of New England's great escapes
Hampshire. Natural wonders including waterfalls and sweeping vistas abound in Flume Gorge in Franconia Notch State Park. If your family fancies antiquing, they will adore the quaint towns of Sugar Hill, Bethlehem and Littleton. Enjoy bountiful breakfasts at gems like Munroe’s Family Restaurant in Twin Mountain or Grandma’s Kitchen in Whitefield. Bethlehem is a nice day trip where you can kayak or pop by WREN (Women’s Rural Entrepreneurial Network) to enjoy the works of more than three hundred local artisans. Rek-lis Brewing Company is a fun stop for lunch or dine at Rosa Flamingo’s for dinner. You’ll love returning to the Mount Washington Resort to hang out on the back deck and delight in the spectacular views. NEL
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home ARCHITECTURE | INTERIOR DESIGN
MOST OF ALL Page 96 THIS IS LIGHT Page 104 THE GREAT INDOORS Page 112
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love color!” exclaims Courtney Hanig. Two minutes into a conversation with Hanig, one feels her rainbow of energy and warmth. The award-winning designer is a passionate woman who genuinely loves her work but most of all adores her family, as evidenced by the moniker she selected for her Nantucket home. Most of All is located in Siasconset, where Hanig spent childhood summers playing tennis, scooping ice cream at her summer job and spending time with her immediate and extended family.
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s children, “our daughters, Mallory and Lindsay, were in love with the Madeline books,” Hanig says. She decorated their rooms around pictures from the popular Ludwig Bemelmans series of stories in their childhood home in Chicago. “They requested that we say grace as Madeline did, so we would all hold hands and recite, ‘We love our bread, we love our butter, but most of all we love each other,’” Hanig recalls. When it came time to order the quarter board with the name of their Nantucket home, Hanig thought Most of All said it all.
Most of All came about thanks to a childhood friend who contacted Hanig in 2018 about a parcel of land on Nantucket that belonged to his family. His mother had passed away, and this particular spot was located in the heart of the little village in Siasconset, where Hanig had been vacationing for decades. She and her husband bought an acre of land and spent two and a half years building their dream home.
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Hanig, of course, handled the interior design. After all, her calling card is the houses she designs—her signature integrated approach creates homes with strong visual flow, and many of her clients hire her to design their second and seasonal homes. Hanig recalls the moment she knew she wanted to be a designer. She was in the fourth grade and was exiting the theater after seeing a live production of The Sound of Music. While everyone else was gushing about the music, the costumes and the mountains, Hanig was focused on something else: “I can’t believe the curtains got replaced!”
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The daughter of a designer—her mother started a design firm, Marianne Minister Interiors, and worked until she was 75 (“I hope to work as long as she did,” Hanig says)—she made her first foray into the design world with the French company Brunschwig & Fils, the gold standard of design whose fabrics grace the walls of the Palace of Versailles and the White House. Along with loving her job in Boston, Hanig met her future husband, Marco. After the couple married, they moved to Connecticut where they had their first daughter, Mallory, and Hanig opened her design firm, Courtney Hanig Interiors. On the heels of her launch, her husband announced that he got an interesting job offer in Chicago. “Marco invited me to go to Chicago for a romantic weekend. Six weeks later I reluctantly boarded an airplane to move from the East Coast,” says Hanig, who built a booming design business based in the Windy City. Fast forward to building Most of All. The team that worked with Hanig to realize her dream house includes architectural design firm Emeritus, K Wiggin Building and Deane Kitchens. Highlights of the transitional home include six en suite bedrooms, an open area that features a living room with 23-foot ceilings, a dining room, a kitchen and a covered porch that wraps across the front of the home around to the mudroom side entry. The home also features a private back porch for dining and relaxing, with a gas fireplace finished with large-format tile
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and a five-inch V-groove ceiling. “Courtney is so refreshing. She is aware of every detail down to an eighth of an inch,” says Emeritus founder and principal Matthew MacEachern, who recalls that Hanig and builder Kris Wiggin stared at a ceiling detail that they rotated 90 degrees. “She applied that level of detail to the entire house,” he notes. “The home has so many great design characteristics that make it unique and a top-notch addition to any portfolio,” says Wiggin, who applauded the exterior trim—its beautiful scale and swooping gable-end rake
boards with a cedar wood roof—and the expansive covered porch, as well as interior details. “The interior entry and stairway to the second floor are where summer cottage meets a modern tone with oak handrails and paneled glass for safety. Matt MacEachern and his team at Emeritus did a fantastic job interpreting the owner’s vision and giving a touch of Emeritus,” Wiggin says. Hanig notes that she has worked on a “zillion kitchens,” but had never designed a kitchen like the one at Most of All and was thrilled to work with designer Gianna Santoro at Deane Kitchens who helped her
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make thoughtful decisions. “Courtney is a joy. She is such a kind person. Her priority is her family,” Santoro says. The pair visited Clarke’s Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove Showroom in Connecticut where Santoro was able to work with the team to select a 36inch Wolf stove and two 30-inch Sub-Zero refrigerators. The pair of refrigerators was a brilliant idea that created a stunning symmetrical solution. “The kitchen was all about functionality that works for the open floor plan,” says Santoro, who notes that one of the refrigerators includes bottom freezer drawers while the other is used exclusively for refrigeration but mirrors the drawer design. They also added a wine refrigerator in the bar area. “The best projects are those when the team is even fonder of one another when it’s all over. From kitchen design to architect to builder, we were all in sync and hope to work together again soon,” Hanig says. When wandering around ’Sconset as a kid, she would study the houses and often daydream of what kind of house she would design if given the chance. After spending her first holiday at Most of All with her family and two corgis, Cooper and Oliver, she sees a dream realized: Most of All is everything she wanted and more. NEL
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ong before Laura Weibley’s epiphany in the brand experience showroom at Marvin at 7 Tide she was tapping into her superpowers to create dazzling homes. The former Pfizer biochemist moved to the states from England at twenty-five, shortly after ripping the ceilings out of her first renovation project, a tiny cottage in Eastry, England, where she exposed beautiful wood beams and discovered her calling. “I was doing all the renovations myself out of necessity since I was on such a tight budget after purchasing my first home, but it soon became my passion,” Weibley says of flipping houses, a labor of love she continued while working at Pfizer and becoming a mother of three children. She navigated eight home renovations before casting her eyes on a parcel of land in Crow
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Point in Hingham, Massachusetts, six doors down from the home she shared with her husband, Greg, and their family. The spot overlooking Hingham Harbor was the perfect place to build their family’s dream home. Although it was a complicated lot, Weibley had the vision to build a home where natural light filtered through from dawn until dusk. Before she locked down the final plans for the home design with architect Jonathan Aprea, she visited the brand experience showroom at Marvin at 7 Tide. “The biggest design elements we both wanted to maximize were not only the views to the water, but also to design a space that brought the outside in,” Aprea says. In the showroom, when Weibley saw a projected image of the doors and her ceiling height to scale with her grille pattern, a light bulb went off. “I recall thinking we should do an eight-foot-tall door to maximize the natural light and also to be in proportion with the nine-foot ceilings. Being able to see the simulation life-size at Marvin gave me the confidence to decide to go with the taller doors and reframe all the interior openings,” Weibley says.
Expansive Marvin windows and doors helped Laura achieve her goal of maximizing natural light while also brining the home's stunning outdoor setting in Crow Point into the home.
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eeing her plans projected in realtime allowed Weibley to see how much space there was between the ceiling and the original sevenfoot door and window design. “She was able to text her architect and double-check her decision,” says Rachel Backstrom, brand ambassador at Marvin at 7 Tide. Backstrom works with clients like Weibley to explore new ideas and help them make design decisions they can feel good about. After seeing the images, Aprea agreed with the change. “As an architect, to a fault, I originally designed the doors to maintain a uniform head height for the trim to align in keeping with the home’s more traditional design aesthetic, but with a bit of tweaking, we were able to make the larger doors work, which looking back really makes those spaces.” The new footprint not only graced the home with an infusion of natural light and felt more proportional, but it made the house feel grander, according to Weibley. Designing an airy home with an abundance of natural light that allows the family to watch the sun rise and set every day is a gift that Weibley cherishes, given that construction began in March 2019 and was completed in April 2020 just as the coronavirus pandemic was sweeping
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the country. “We were unbelievably fortunate to be able to enjoy so much time together in our new home,” says Weibley, who is grateful that her children have plenty of space and light to live and play in, along with a tube slide to a playroom. Laura custom-designed the home with her family as the centerpiece, building a huge mudroom with tons of storage at the entrance to accommodate three active children. Ten-foot basement ceilings for tumbling parties, a breakfast nook that can seat a dozen children, and a guest en suite for relatives and friends from abroad are a few of the details that eagerly await post-pandemic gatherings. “It’s been incredibly sad not to see my family during the pandemic,” says Weibley, who pays homage to her homeland with a map of London in the warm living room that also features a wood-burning fireplace.
Laura designed many spaces with her children in mind, filling their home with enchanting details that they love.
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Laura's home office where she developed a new home furnishing, decor and accessories business called Swoonly
When asked which of the rooms is her favorite, she replies, “It would have to be the family room. It is flanked by French doors by Marvin overlooking Hingham Harbor and a slider opening up to the pool. It’s where we spend most of our evenings as a family.” While being both the general contractor and the interior designer of a home is a daunting undertaking, Laura says she used the organizational skills she mastered at Pfizer including developing timelines, budgeting and working with a team to manage the project along with the instincts she trusted with her first project, the tiny cottage in Eastry, England. During the pandemic, Weibley spent a lot of time being
with her family, unpacking, decorating and coming up with new business ideas. It’s no surprise that she will be soon launching an innovative home design business that will offer customers stylized bundles of home furnishings, decor and accessories. The business, Swoonly, will be much like a Stitch Fix for the home. “I’ve learned by switching gears from biochemist to general contractor that it’s never too late to pursue your passion,” she notes. When asked if she is planning another home renovation or construction project for her family, Weibley laughs, “I would absolutely do another project, but it feels like we are here to stay.” NEL
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WRITTEN BY ROBERT COCUZZO PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRUCE LUETTERS
T H E
G R E A T
INDOORS A CABIN IN THE MOUNTAINS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE GETS A SCANDINAVIAN FACELIFT
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midst the pandemic, my wife and I were among the many Americans who turned their vacation homes into primary residences to weather out the storm. As it so happened, just days before
schools were shuttered and lock-down orders were put in place in Massachusetts, we took our one-year-old daughter for a long weekend up to our cabin in Jackson, New Hampshire. What began as a three-day vacation turned into a three-and-a-half-month quarantine. Spending that unprecedented amount of time in our weekend retreat, we started seeing rooms in our home that were in desperate need of some TLC. Built more than thirty years ago along the Ellis River in the shadow of Mount Washington, the home was designed by a pioneering group of architects who fused funky Scandinavian design in a classic New England setting. While most of the house had aged nicely into its woodsy environment, the kitchen and adjoining dining room were crying out for an update. Cabinets were falling off the walls and our old oven was spitting flames like a dragon with indigestion. This cabin was my first real adult purchase. I bought it right before I turned thirty as a bachelor pad ski house. Having matured into a husband and father, I was starting to see that this rustic retreat still had some serious growing up to do. My wife and I turned to the teams at 7 Tide in the Seaport, namely Clarke and Supply New England, to break ground on our kitchen project. Our initial directions focused on functionality of the kitchen. Enjoying home-cooked meals had become a source of comfort for our family during the pandemic. As my wife practiced recipes for slow-cooked stews, roasted root veggies and baked apple crisp, she identified the many inefficiencies of our outdated appliances. Sharing her
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thoughts with the kitchen experts at Clarke, we landed on a onetwo punch of Wolf appliances with a thirty-inch range and a thirtyinch contemporary convection steam oven. Both appliances are Wi-Fi enabled, allowing us to preheat the oven while we’re still on the trails hiking or skiing. And whatever we don’t finish for dinner will find a cool home in our thirty-inch over-and-under French door refrigerator by Sub-Zero. Once we picked out these appliances, Supply New England sent up one of their design experts to measure the kitchen and draw renderings based on a number of virtual consultations we had with them. We wanted to enhance the space and flow of the kitchen, while emphasizing the Scandinavian aesthetic of
the home. Supply New England’s Sabrina DaLomba achieved this by removing the peninsula bar as well as relocating the refrigerator to an unused closet around the corner. She then turned to Mouser, a custom cabinet maker based in Kentucky, to handcraft cabinets that maximized the utility of the space. “We wanted a crisp, contemporary feel in their space,” DaLomba explains. “We decided on a light palette that incorporated warm tones to keep it cozy in the mountain setting. A soft white finish on the cabinets, paired with highlights of gold woven into the countertop, hardware and backsplash, complement the wood tones throughout the rest of the house nicely.” S U M M E R 2 0 2 1 | N E W E N G L A N D L I V I N G. T V
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aLomba enlisted the expertise of Dakota Lotz, the senior design consultant at Divine Stoneworks in Ashland, Massachusetts. Lotz selected a handsome slab of quartz where the golden veins played off the brushed-gold cabinet knobs and pinewood. After having the template made, Lotz sent up the stone with a two-man crew, who were able to make some additional cuts on-site to install the stone perfectly. The countertop was cut to fit a large sink by Kohler that was equipped with one of Kohler’s newest innovations. “We selected the Crue touchless kitchen faucet and Profiles sink for maximum efficiency while preparing meals,” DaLomba says. “The graduated ledges in the sink work with various accessories, like a colander, cutting board and grated racks, to turn the sink into a workstation.” Meanwhile, the touchless faucet allows for easy operation, even with sullied hands. With the wave of a hand, the water runs from the faucet, which is particularly handy when handling meat or the sticky fingers of our two-year-old. To the right of the sink, we chose a twenty-four-inch dishwasher by Cove. As our uber-talented builder Chris Hoyt installed the cabinets delivered by Mouser from Kentucky, we turned our attention to the dining room, which needed an aesthetic overhaul to match the kitchen. Boston-based designer Maggie Kanter came to our rescue. Kanter is renowned for her ability to create spaces that incorporate a mix of high and low while also being warm and
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inviting. Perhaps most importantly for us—as parents of an active toddler—she designs with an emphasis on functionality without sacrificing style. “I knew I didn’t want to take away too much of the original aesthetic,” Kanter explains. “The home’s layout and pine-clad walls lend themselves to the cozy, clean and ever so slightly eclectic vibe we wanted to achieve. I wanted to incorporate various textures and finishes to provide a curated look that showcases the history of the home.” With accents of brass layered throughout and a colorful dhurrie rug that frames the dining area, Kanter made the home feel modern without feeling out of place among the beautiful woodsy landscape. “It was important for the house to feel like the place you want to curl up in after a long day on the slopes or on the hiking trails,” she says. The dining room was elevated by key selections from Serena & Lilly, specifically a series of solid mahogany Balboa chairs with perfectly tailored cushions that brought some natural glamour to the table setting. While we all long to forget the circumstances that drove us indoors for quarantine, my wife and I agree that our new kitchen was certainly a silver lining in the pandemic. After three-and-ahalf months of sheltering there in the COVID storm, our cabin had already taken on greater significance in our lives. Now with its updated look, feel and amenities, we’re happy that it will remain a touchstone for us in the years to come. NEL
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Feel the ocean breeze. Dock outside your door. Awaken to spectacular sunrises. The St. Regis Residences, Boston offers an exquisite living experience with just 114 waterfront condominiums featuring private outdoor balconies, neighborhood parks, legendary St. Regis butler service and bespoke amenities. For inquiries or to schedule a virtual or in-person tour, visit srresidencesboston.com or call 617 357 8000.
The St. Regis Residences, Boston are not owned, developed or sold by Marriott International, Inc. or its affiliates (“Marriott”). 150 Seaport LLC uses the St. Regis marks under a license from Marriott, which has not confirmed the accuracy of any of the statements or representations made about the project. All artist renderings are for illustrative purposes only and are subject to change without notification.
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SUMMER
heart&mind SERVICE | WELLNESS | HEALTH
RIDERS IN THE STORM Page 120 HEALTH CLUBS Page 126 MAGNETIC FORCE Page 130
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How the Pan Mass Challenge pedaled through the pandemic Written by Robert Cocuzzo
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Photography by Ken Richardson
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PMC Founder Billy Starr
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The coronavirus pandemic has pummeled the nonprofit sector. With most organizations depending on events and galas for their big annual fundraising hauls, canceled in-person events greatly hindered their ability to source contributions. Yet while most nonprofits raced to find ways to eliminate overhead and get PMC founder Billy Starr with WBZ/CBS Boston's David Wade and Lisa Hughes for the 2019 ride
lean to weather the storm, one of the country’s most successful charity events found a way to pivot and power forward. One could argue that switching gears is in the DNA of the Pan-Mass
The PMC rich culture was key to keeping riders engaged through the pandemic
Challenge—a bike-a-thon that’s bearing down on raising a billion dollars for the Dana-Farber
Above all, we will remain laser focused on our commitment to helping fund lifesaving cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber billy starr, founder, pan mass challenge
Cancer Institute—but the remarkable success of
spend their time and treasure. PMC teams train
last year’s event in the midst of a global pan-
together throughout the year and set more and
demic is a testament to something much bigger
more ambitious fundraising goals.
than the bike. “There was never ever a consideration that we were going to punt and say, ‘See you
an impact in the fight against cancer,” Starr
next year…cancer can wait,’” says Billy Starr,
says. “Connected to our mission is our 100 per-
who founded the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC)
cent pass-through rate for rider-raised dollars,
in honor of his late mother forty-one years ago.
which is a key motivator for our riders and their
During the early part of 2020, the PMC already
donors. They know that every penny they raise
had a record number of registrations, with more
or give will make a difference.”
than 6,800 participants signed up. In past years,
Starr benefited from having already
part of the PMC’s fundraising might has hinged
hatched the idea of a reimagined ride back in
on riders pledging to hit a target goal. If they
1997, long before “reimagined events” be-
couldn’t meet that mark, their credit cards were
came the hot catch phrase of the pandemic.
charged the difference. However, when the
Instead of holding its traditional three-day ride
pandemic hit, Starr and his team decided to re-
from Sturbridge to Provincetown, the PMC
lease those 6,800 riders from their registrations
encouraged riders to create their own course.
as well as their credit card commitments. Starr
“It has never been about the miles,” Starr says.
decided that he was going to rely on the culture
“Who cares if you ride one mile or a thousand?
that he and his team had created to keep riders
The ride is a catalyst to ask your community to
engaged and committed to fundraising.
support Dana-Farber through the PMC.” So the
The PMC has evolved from the ad hoc fund-
organization shipped the riders their 2020 PMC
raising bike ride to Cape Cod that Starr pulled
jerseys along with fundraising tools to ride their
together with a ragtag group of riders in 1980 to
own event.
become the largest athletic fundraising event in
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“The PMC is a mission-first organization: Our people share a common passion for making
Although 24 percent of the originally reg-
the country. A key driver to its success has been
istered riders decided to forgo the PMC amidst
the robust community that Starr and his team
the pandemic, those who stayed committed
have created. For thousands of riders, the PMC
to their own virtual ride hit nearly the same
is a core part of their identity, shaping how they
fundraising targets that they had in 2019. Starr
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and his team also reengaged 1,600 former riders, pulling them
to it. When all the numbers were tallied, the PMC raked in $50
out of retirement to pedal their own reimagined rides. These
million for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute—what amounted to
routes snaked all around New England. One team pedaled 190
64 percent of the organization’s annual operating costs. In
miles by looping around the island of Nantucket. Another rider
addition to the fundraising force of the riders, the 2020 haul
plotted a course to the homes of each of his donors where he
also benefited from six major gifts, ranging from $300,000 to
hand-delivered thank-you notes. “That personal aspect has
$2.5 million. Even before the ride, the PMC released $4 million,
always been critical to their participation and that’s what drew
including a $1 million matching gift, to serve as the seed fund-
them in in the first place,” Starr says.
ing for Dana-Farber’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund,
The PMC entered 2020 with a goal of raising $65 million. When the pandemic hit, it adjusted the goal to $41 million. Forty-one million on the event’s forty-first year had a nice ring
which met the emerging needs created by the pandemic in treating cancer patients. “At Dana-Farber, the source of our strength has always
Photo by Heidi Kirn
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been our people—from our dedicated frontline staff and investigators to essential partners like the PMC,” wrote Dr. Laurie Glimcher, the president and CEO of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, to the PMC community. “Now more than ever, your philanthropy has a deep and broad impact across our labs and clinics.” Looking toward the summer of 2021, Starr and the PMC are keeping the momentum going by working within the state health guidelines to get the organized rides back up and spinning again. Instead of the three traditional routes previously offered, the PMC now has sixteen routes that riders can participate in this summer, including a hundred-mile ride that leaves from Patriot Place in Foxboro and finishes in Wellesley. With cyclists spread out over more than a dozen routes, Starr believes that social distancing and health protocols will be effectively implemented. Along those lines, he and his team are turning all of the beloved in-person celebrations to virtual events. Reimagined rides will continue to provide another way for people to participate and fundraise, whether they pedal one or one hundred miles. At press time, the PMC already had 5,100 cyclists committed for the 2021 ride scheduled for August 7-8. “Above all, we will remain laser focused on our commitment to helping fund lifesaving cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber,” Starr says. “Our PMC motto of ‘Commit, you’ll figure it out!’ continues to ring true as we navigate these uncharted circumstances.” NEL
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While 2020 was defined by reimagined rides, Billy Starr and his team have created more than a dozen group routes that will enable social distancing during this summer's PMC
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DEREK NOTMAN TEACHES THE ANCIENT ART OF CLUB SWINGING
Written by Robert Cocuzzo
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oday, there’s no shortage of new age health and wellness programs. Whether pedaling up virtual hills on a Peloton or taking a Pilates classes over Zoom, the cross-section between fitness and technology has become as fast and overcrowded as the internet itself. But if you ask Derek Notman, a strong mind and body might be best achieved by going back in time—way back. Based at Ellisville Harbor in Plymouth, Massachusetts, Notman teaches what he describes as “movement arts” and “body-based meditations” that were developed centuries ago in the Far East. His repertoire includes tai chi, qi gong, jin shin jyutsu and somatic education. Yet perhaps his most striking modality is the ancient art of club swinging.
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Plymouth resident Derek Notman teaches the ancient art of club swinging
Long before there were dumbbells and the bench press, there was club swinging. “It is an old martial tradition that has been used to develop the physicality of a martial artist for thousands of years,” Notman explains. “Club swinging is a very engaging practice that teaches rhythm and timing while helping to develop connected strength and flexibility. It is very meditative and calming, yet demands present moment awareness and focus. The patterns that we swing require a high level of concentration and coordination.” With the clubs ranging in size and weight, Notman teaches a series of swinging patterns that forces the practitioner to summon concentration, strength and stamina. “Clubs help cultivate an organized, functional body,” he says. “The clubs develop our spatial awareness while reminding us of the geometry that shapes us. You can have very aggressive cardio-based training with the clubs or very subtle gentle movements; your intention is what determines the degree of engagement.”
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“Club swinging is a very engaging practice that teaches rhythm and timing while helping to develop connected strength and flexibility. It is very meditative and calming, yet demands present moment awareness and focus. The patterns that we swing require a high level of concentration and coordination.”
Notman discovered club swinging during a long, personal journey that has spanned thirty years. While earning a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, Notman became intensely fascinated in Eastern philosophy, particularly around practices that integrated health, mindset and martial studies. This burning curiosity drove him around the world to study under revered teachers and practitioners. He lived in China and Thailand for several years studying in the Buddhist and Taoist traditions of cultivation. “I encountered club swinging while researching traditional forms of physical culture,” he says. “I have trained in the traditional Indian, Iranian
and Western methods. However, I do not represent those traditions. Clubs are usually an aspect of an overall curriculum and that is how I teach them.” For a number of years, Notman taught this curriculum on Martha’s Vineyard. While he plans to return to the island monthly to teach courses this summer, his regular classes are mostly held in Plymouth or online where he reaches students around the world. Watching Notman swiftly swing his beautifully carved wooden clubs in hypnotic patterns, the movements exude a deep connection between mind and body that you just won’t find on a stationary bike or bench press. NEL
Learn more about Derek Notman and his teachings at islandphysicalculture.com.
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“THE BEAUTY OF THIS IS THAT THE BODY DOES THE HEALING, NOT THE MAGNETS.” — JANELLE ELYSE SALZMAN
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M Written by Robert Cocuzzo Photography by Liesl Clark
MAGNETIC FORCE FOR MANY SUFFERING FROM LYME DISEASE AND OTHER CHRONIC AILMENTS, JANELLE ELYSE SALZMAN IS A POWERFUL SOURCE OF HEALING
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hen Kelly Downing first entered Janelle Elyse Salzman’s office in Nashua, New Hampshire, she could barely walk. Downing weighed under a hundred pounds. She was taking seventy different medications a day, including six powerful antibiotics, which if she stopped taking, resulted in her going into paralysis. Bright lights, loud noises or even something as unthreatening as riding an escalator readily sent her into a seizure. She couldn’t work, shower or even sit in the stands to watch her kids play soccer. Now, at the age of forty, Downing required near constant care; her body was as weak and fragile as someone twice her age. The root cause of her nightmare was a disease that’s confounded medical experts since it was first discovered in Connecticut nearly fifty years ago: Lyme. Many of Salzman’s clients arrive at her office for the first time in similar states of despair. Most have already gone the traditional route of treating their Lyme disease through powerful antibiotics, some going as far to have them administered by way of a PICC line pumping the fluids directly into their hearts. Others have sought the top Lyme-literate doctors in the world, undergone gut-wrenching treatments and spent their life savings trying to find reprieve from the ravages of Lyme. And yet despite these extraordinary efforts, their Lyme disease persists, becoming chronic and ultimately lifecrushing. That’s when they find Salzman. Janelle Elyse Salzman is one of only a few dozen practitioners in the world trained in what’s known as Lyme Magnetic Protocol. Placing high-powered magnets on strategic points of the body where Lyme disease can linger, Janelle is able to dislodge chronic infections. Once the infections are worked free by the magnets, the body’s own immune system is able to attack and destroy them. “The beauty of this is that the body does the healing, not the magnets,” Salzman explains. “A biological frequency is created by placing the magnets where the infections hide out, and the virus starts to change, the pH in the body starts to change and creates a homeostasis where the immune system can now figure out how to fight it.”
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Biomagnetic Pair Therapy was developed more than thirty years ago in Mexico by Dr. Isaac Goiz Durán to treat HIV. After showing promising results, the protocol branched off to address a number of other diseases, helping the body to fight off viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites. In the early 2000s, Joan Diagnosed with Lyme Randall, a practitioner living disease in 2012, Kelly Downing suffered in Woodstock, Vermont, devastating symptoms, developed the Magnetic including paralysis. Before Lyme Protocol. After curing being treated by Janelle her own Lyme disease, Elyse Salzman, Downing she began training other was taking seventy different practitioners in this treatment medications. modality. In 2015, Salzman became one of her first students. “My roots are in Western medicine,” Salzman explains. “I was trained as an occupational therapist and worked in acute rehabilitation, pediatrics and hospice care.” During those early years, she began recognizing that Western medicine was only treating part of the problem when it came to disease. “We’re doing a lot of Band-Aid treatments; we’re not getting to the root of the cause.” To that end, Salzman dove into Eastern medicine, specifically studying the five-thousand-year-old Indian practice of Ayurveda at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. “Ayurveda is the science of life or the wisdom of longevity,” she says. “The beauty of Ayurveda is that when we address emotional needs and physical needs together
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“JANELLE IS MY MIRACLE WORKER... ALONG WITH MY HUSBAND, MY CHILDREN, MY PARENTS AND MY GOD—SHE GAVE ME MY LIFE BACK.” — KELLY DOWNING
we have better results with health and longevity.” Seeking to combine her hands-on Western medical background as an occupational therapist with her holistic approach as an Ayurveda practitioner, Salzman found biomagnetism. “I never went into this venture to treat Lyme,” she says, “but my patients led me to it.” After learning the protocol from Randall, Salzman started to understand why Lyme is such a confounding disease to treat. “The reason I think why Lyme disease is so confusing is that we’re not just looking at Lyme disease, Borrelia and its co-infections,” she explains. “We’re looking at a whole pathogenic soup of all infection that’s gathered over a lifetime that needs to be addressed before a person can really feel in health again.” According to Salzman, there are over five hundred variations of Lyme. On top of that, there can be more than seven hundred other infections that could potentially be lying dormant in the body, which the tick bite and subsequent Lyme enflamed. So while antibiotics might attack the Lyme, the root causes of disease continue to fester. Using kinesiology to pinpoint these variations and
infections, Salzman’s protocol resolves them one by one until health is restored. Kelly Downing was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2012, yet it wasn’t in response to an acute tick bite. Returning home from her work as a special needs teacher one day, Downing felt her right arm start to go numb until it was completely paralyzed. Her husband rushed her to the ER the next morning where over the course of a few hours both her arms became paralyzed. She was helicoptered to Boston where a neurologist conducted a scan but didn’t find anything to explain her symptoms. By the time she returned home, Downing’s legs started going into paralysis. Finally, her primary care physician suggested she get tested for Lyme. Downing went on powerful antibiotics for eight months, yet anytime she weaned off them, she became completely paralyzed. She was admitted into a rehabilitation treatment center, where she spent three months laboriously learning how to move her body again. But when she finally returned home, Downing started becoming riddled with seizures. She felt like her “mind had been kidnapped,” preventing her from engaging in even the most basic activities. “Taking a shower felt like I was being stung by a thousand bees at once,” she recalls. Downing and her husband sought out a top Lyme specialist who put her on another regimen of antibiotics. Once again, paralysis took hold of her body when she tried to wean off of them.
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y the time Downing found her way into Salzman’s office with the help of a close friend— six years after her diagnosis— her body was utterly defeated. “I came in with a little bit of guardedness; my friend was practically carrying me in,” Downing says. “But within five seconds I felt this surreal connection with Janelle. She just got me.” Over the course of the next year and a half, Salzman pinpointed the many Lyme co-infections that were continuing to riddle Downing’s body.
that Lyme had robbed her of, but she also studied to become an aerial yoga instructor. “My body and mind are now machines that I never thought they could be again,” she says. “By last summer, I was 85 percent back to health. Janelle will be the one to bring me across the finish line.” Operating out of New Hampshire Health and Wellness, which she founded in 2016 with four other practitioners, Salzman sees clients from all over the country, including doctors and other naturopaths. Combining her Western and Eastern medical expertise, she’s broadened her protocol beyond Lyme to treat a range of other ailments, from multiple sclerosis to thyroid disease. Many of her patients have similarly dramatic
“MY BODY AND MIND ARE NOW MACHINES THAT I NEVER THOUGHT THEY COULD BE AGAIN. BY LAST SUMMER, I WAS 85 PERCENT BACK TO HEALTH. JANELLE WILL BE THE ONE TO BRING ME ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.” — KELLY DOWNING
As each co-infection was dislodged by the magnets, Downing’s immune system was finally able to attack them effectively. Soon she began tapering off her medications, eliminating nearly all seventy bottles until she was left with only the antibiotics. Through muscle testing, Salzman discovered that Downing’s dependence on the antibiotics didn’t have to do with Lyme, but rather a deeply buried strep infection that had probably afflicted her since childhood. Once Salzman targeted the strep, Downing was able to eliminate all the antibiotics. “Janelle is my miracle worker,” Downing says. “Along with my husband, my children, my parents and my God—she gave me my life back.” After a year and a half of working with Salzman, Downing not only was able to live seizure-free and return to many of the family activities
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stories of healing, making Salzman one of the most sought-after practitioners in the country. “People find me mostly by word of mouth,” she says. And perhaps like the protocol itself, Salzman’s healing power has a magnetic pull for the many people who need it most. NEL
Follow Janelle Elyse Salzman on social media @JanelleElyse and learn more about her practice at nhhealthwellness.com. New Hampshire Health and Wellness has fourteen providers, practicing everything from the Lyme Magnetic Protocol to Reiki.
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Janelle Elyse Salzman treating Kelly Downing at New Hampshire Health and Wellness.
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NUMBERS
GUY What are some potential tax law changes that we should be aware of under the new Biden administration? My expectation is that the estate tax exemption will drop significantly from the $11 million-plus per person down to $5 million or even lower. I also believe they are going to try to do away with the lower capital gain rate for high-income earners. I would expect the corporate income tax rate to go back up from the current 21 percent to at least 28 percent or even higher. In addition, I believe they are targeting an increase on the income tax rates on those taxpayers that earn over $400,000 per year. What has been the impact regarding government stimulus efforts for small businesses such as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) and the Main Street Lending Program? I truly believe that the PPP loans were one of the best bipartisan decisions to come out of Washington in a long time. Now the execution hasn’t been perfect, but being involved with so many small to midsize businesses, I have seen the dramatic impact these loans/grants have had to ensure the survival of those businesses through the pandemic. It is absolutely critical for small to midsize businesses to have advisors that are aware of all of the programs that are out there as there is way more access to capital than people think. The ERC is a great example of that. So was the Main Street Lending Program, which was short-lived toward the end of 2020, but another excellent source of capital at a time when traditional senior lenders were not doing deals.
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Walter & Shuffain partner William Cooper gives his take on taxes, the state of the economy and the unique opportunities emerging amidst the pandemic What have been the challenges in raising money or obtaining financing or closing M&A deals given that 2020 was a “COVID” year? Again, having knowledgeable advisors is just so critical. Traditional senior lending and other financing opportunities are very challenging in the current environment. Although everyone says they will look past the 2020 results and rely on 2019 and/or 2021 forecasts, in practice that is very difficult. You have to be able to be creative and take advantage of the opportunities that are out there. Some argue that the economy is bound for a correction soon. If that’s the case, what should people be doing to best protect themselves? Whenever there is a bull market for a long period of time, the common expectation is that the economy is due for a correction. I believe that we are in a very unique environment today where the pandemic has impacted so many people and so many businesses in a negative way yet the stock market and many other businesses are flourishing. If you are in the camp that a correction is coming, my advice is, as always, to make sure you are properly diversified. If you have a longer time horizon in which you will need your money, then stay the course as I still believe there is plenty of upside in the U.S. economy. If you are on more of a short-term time horizon, then you should not be invested in anything that could really be negatively impacted by a correction. Given the uncertainty of the times, what’s the best way for someone to grow their money without a tremendous amount of risk? Again, just be properly diversified so that volatility in one area does not ruin you. It is also critical to understand your needs and to be sure to protect any funds that are needed in the short term. What unique investment opportunities have emerged amidst the pandemic that have surprised you? Cryptocurrencies. If you have the stomach for the volatility, there
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seems to be a lot of opportunity in this space. To be honest, the trajectory of the stock market in general has really amazed me, as neither the pandemic nor a crazy election cycle and an attack on our Capitol can really stop it. Indeed, Bitcoin has been on a bull run in recent months. Do you see cryptocurrencies becoming more mainstream? Should people begin diversifying their portfolio with crypto or is this a bubble bound to burst? This is a tough one. The theory I hear often is that with all the money the government is putting out to help out the country and to survive the pandemic that eventually the U.S. dollar will devalue and crypto is a way to diversify. I am not there yet. The entire world is “printing” money to survive the pandemic, and I think when it all shakes out, the U.S. is going to be fine and the need for an alternate currency just won’t make it to the mainstream. For those investing in cryptocurrencies, what should they keep in mind regarding taxes? That you will be taxed on your gains, and assuming they are actively trading, it will be at ordinary income tax rates unless you have held a position for over a year, in which case you would get capital gain treatment. What has the pandemic taught us about either the strength or vulnerability of our economy? I believe that the U.S. economy is strong and always seems to have the ability to rebound no matter what national/ international situations arise. I believe that when you compare the U.S. economy to the rest of the world there is simply no comparison. What is a chief lesson learned from the GameStop phenomenon? I just think that was a truly amazing turn of events. What they did to the institutions and hedge funds really should be a lesson for all. For years the institutions and hedge funds have been able to “manipulate” the markets and it finally got turned on them.
What role do you see inflation playing in the economy in the near future? I am sure we will deal with inflation at some point, but I always fall back on how “experts” have told us for ten to fifteen years that interest must rise. Yet even with a small recent bump, they have remained at all-time lows. I will leave it for the economists to tell me how inflation is going to impact us in the future (whatever the future means). What advice would you give to someone who is late to the game in saving for retirement? It’s never too late to start saving. I am a firm believer, though, that you live for today but need to do so smartly. What I mean is if saving means you can’t do what you want to do today, then live for today as tomorrow is not guaranteed. As more and more people get vaccinated and COVID-19 gets more under control, how do you see the economy responding? Will that pent-up demand catapult us back to a sense of normalcy or will it be a longer recovery? I absolutely see there being a bump in the restaurant, travel and leisure industries and even in retail. People have been cooped up in their homes for over a year now. I think with all of the government subsidies (PPP, stimulus checks, economic injury disaster loans, ERC, etc.) people will be ready to get out and spend, which should spur the economy. Whether this is for a prolonged period or just a short-term spike is anyone’s guess, but as a general rule of thumb, I am bullish on the U.S. economy. NEL
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*Based on closed sales volume and total number of units closed information from MLS Property Information Network for Wellesley and Weston, MA, in all price ranges as reported®on Jan. 7, 2021 for the period of Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2020. Sales volume calculated by multiplying the ©2021 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker System is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Realogy number of buyer and/or seller sides by sales price. One unit equals one side of a transaction (buyer or seller). Source data is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. ©2021 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks Brokerage Group LLC and franchised offices which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. 21BSK7_NE_1/21 of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker ® System is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and franchised offices which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. 21BSK7_NE_1/21
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SUMMER
real estate INDUSTRY LEADERS | HOMES FOR SALE
SUMMER IN THE CITY Page 140 EASTERN ASPECT Page 142
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Summer City T in the
Written By Lisa Cavanaugh
emperatures are rising, thousands of people have been getting vaccinated every day, many more businesses are reopening and the feeling in the city of Boston is that everyone is ready for summer, and all the fun and relaxation that season can bring. For the residential real estate market, warmer weather is always welcome, and the trends for summer 2021 appear to reflect not only the tumultuous past year, but also a renewed sense of possibility. “The velocity is there,” says Coldwell Banker Realty sales associate Charlie Ring, “and we are seeing a greater variety of buyer profiles entering the market.” Ring, who over the past 18 years has become one of Boston’s leading residential real estate brokers specializing in prestigious historic neighborhoods, notes that while inventory remains limited, high-end properties are still selling well. “Not every home is the same,” he says, “but if the size and location are exemplary, then the properties are selling at pre-COVID prices.”
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Some prices remain in flux, according to Ring, but he sees owner-occupant buyers and investors alike continuing to bet on dependable neighborhoods in the city. “The South End, Back Bay and Beacon Hill remain popular,” says Ring, who has been witnessing the highest volume of sales happening in the South End. “There is less price fluctuation in the Back Bay, as there is a higher percentage of second and third homes in that market, so there is less pressure to sell quickly in hopes of gaining more space.” In the South End, Ring says the market is being driven by life cycle changes like family growth and job relocation. “The South End has been particularly appealing in the past ten years for the availability of private outdoor space, quiet streets and restaurant culture.” Another Coldwell Banker Realty sales associate, Jessica Quirk, who is one of Boston’s leaders in new construction sales with a focus on South Boston, notes that the spring market seems to have picked up where the fall market left off. “We knew the spring would be a lot healthier because even in January we were selling off-market properties, and savvy buyers and investors were absorbing a lot of product that we planned to list later.” Quirk, who works with her husband Sean out of the Back Bay office, says she anticipates having a very busy summer market. “We are already seeing multiple bid scenarios and properties selling above listing price. I anticipate this trend will continue through the summer.” Also looking ahead to the summer, Ring believes that people will want to return to office work in the city. “Working emptynester buyers are reemerging as a popular buyer profile at my open houses to supplement the single and young couple buyer demographics,” he says. “Families assisting their children with condo or single-family purchases also continue to be a strong trend, and it feels like we are back to business as usual these days.” Ring also notes that over the past year, suburban inventory has dwindled, so even if a city homeowner wants to move, they might not find a suitable property to relocate to. “I believe that we are going to be dealing with a low amount of available suburban homes into the summer and fall.”
This lack of out-of-the city properties means that downtown Boston homes will continue to command good prices. “I have seen many homes sell during their first open house weekend,” Ring says. “More buyers are coming back to the city from the surging prices in the suburbs, especially in the $1 million to $2 million price range.” Ring notes that buyers are looking for certain criteria to be met, and they are paying a premium for turnkey properties or those that require little renovation. Homes with impressive private outdoor space have also been selling efficiently for at or over their asking prices. “The echoes of quarantine are fresh in peoples’ minds,” says Ring, “and while a place to entertain outdoors privately has always been important, it is stepping up as a deciding factor for buyers.” Having multiple options for outdoor enjoyment is part of the appeal of one of Quirk’s newest developments, The Blake, in South Boston. “The Blake is an exciting lifestyle building with the kinds of amenities you don’t typically find in condo development in South Boston,” she says. “Our forty-four-unit, five-story structure is U-shaped, which allows for several communal outdoor spaces, such as a beautiful second-floor courtyard, and an incredible rooftop deck with lounge areas, grills, a pet area and unbelievable city views from the Seaport to Back Bay.” Quirk, who has lived with her family in South Boston for many years, feels that The Blake’s prime location with accessibility to the downtown, Seaport and South End neighborhoods, along with its unique access to abundant parks and miles of city shoreline, is one of the key reasons that the project has generated so much interest. “This is a wonderful neighborhood with a great mix of families, young professionals and lifelong residents. It is vibrant and fun, and people are ready to get out and enjoy it.” Ring, who lives with his family in Brookline, has also noticed a renewal of activity in and around the city. “There are already more people out and about and I hope that the vibrancy will safely continue.” As the real estate market—and indeed every aspect of life in Boston—can begin to see around the corner of the COVID-19 pandemic, people will undoubtedly continue to seek a spectacular downtown home. “These are the neighborhoods that are core to the Boston experience,” he says. “Being able to look out over the Commonwealth Avenue Mall from a living room window, walking along the cobblestone sidewalks in Beacon Hill or being a part of the cultural excitement of the South End will always be highly marketable.” NEL www.charliering.com www.quirkgroupbos.com/projects S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 1 9 | N E W E N G L A N D L I V I N G. T V
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Eastern Aspect The rise and boom of East Boston Written by Lisa Cavanaugh
F
rom its first major land development project in 1833, when General William Sumner and his newly formed East Boston Trade Company began connecting via landfill five harbor islands and then constructing wharves and a railroad terminal, the area known as East Boston (or “Eastie” to the locals) has been a hub of advancement and progress. Over the decades, sugar refining, iron forging, timber processing, clothing manufacturing and especially shipbuilding—including the site where the world-famous McKay clipper ships were built—kept the streets of East Boston busy and productive. This industrious atmosphere attracted generations of immigrants as well as business visionaries and has defined the area as enduringly forward-thinking and energetic. This vibrancy is now being realized in a number of impressive residential real estate developments that are transforming East Boston into the city’s newest “hot” neighborhood. “East Boston
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has truly come alive in terms of accessible prime real estate,” says Chantelle Persac of Coldwell Banker’s Persac Group. “It has become the premier place overlooking Boston Harbor to live.” Persac and her husband Ryan, who first moved to the Jeffries Point area of East Boston fifteen years ago, specialize in sales within their home turf. “Ryan was looking for an affordable place to live as a first-time home buyer and he stumbled upon Jeffries Point,” Persac says. “He could see the potential here, as the area became more gentrified.” Ryan Persac began to focus exclusively on East Boston properties, selling to colleagues who became friends, and friends who became like family. “Ryan is synonymous with East Boston,” says his wife. “He is one of the area’s very top agents.” For the Persacs, it is easy to market their own neighborhood, since there is so much in it to appreciate. In addition to stellar waterfront access and views, East Boston is an easy commute to downtown, the financial district and the Seaport. “It is also a wonderful neighborhood where kids can ride their bikes. We
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“East Boston has truly come alive in terms of accessible prime real estate,” —Chantelle Persac
have Piers Park, a beautifully landscaped park on the water with community sailing, and there are plenty of great restaurants and bars in walking distance,” Chantelle Persac says. “This whole area is a great melting pot, too. We have neighbors who are brand new to the area as well as those who have been here since the 1950s.” Persac credits former Mayor Tom Menino with spearheading municipal investment in all of the waterfront areas in Boston. “East Boston really benefited from the injection of those funds,” she says, “and that is reflected in the residential real estate market.” Data from The Collaborative Companies indicates that East Boston was the city’s third-highest neighborhood in sales volume last year. A new construction property from the Persac Group, the Harborwalk Residences, was 60 percent sold within the first six weeks, and the units are getting 99 percent of asking price. Persac notes that these condominiums are priced attractively, with onebedroom units starting below $500,000. “The opportunities are here, especially for first-time buyers,” says Persac, who touts the thoughtfully designed one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts
that range from 675 square feet to 1,100 square feet. The lightfilled units all have keyless entry and Nest thermostat systems, Kember cobble oak flooring throughout, sleek modern kitchens with Silestone and Calacatta quartz countertops and bathrooms featuring porcelain floor tile and chrome Moen fixtures. “The Harborwalk Residences really are waterfront living within reach,” Persac says. “We are adjacent to the Harborwalk, which is a beautiful pedestrian route that runs all the way into South Boston.” She reiterates how active the East Boston market has been. “People are really invested in owning homes here,” she says. “The entire corridor has lots of continued potential. We are doing great business and seeing lots of energy in this incredible location. It really is amazing!” NEL
www.harborwalkresidences.com www.persacgroup.com
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FINAL THOUGHT
“The city of Boston holds such personal significance to me. I went to college in the area and it is where I met my husband, so being able to capture these beautiful aerial images is truly special. From the historical buildings and lush greenery, to the picturesque coastline that is quintessential New England, Boston is an incredible destination and I wanted to capture it’s exquisiteness in my photographs.”
—International photographer Gray Malin
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