Worcester Magazine March 25 - 26, 2021

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | MARCH 25 - 26, 2021 | CULTURE § ARTS § DINING § VOICES

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FREE

WORCESTER

MAGAZINE

May I have this

dance?

BALLROOM DANCING IN THE PANDEMIC

2 | MARCH 25 - 26, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | MARCH 25 - 26, 2021 | 3

IN THIS ISSUE

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Worcester Magazine 100 Front St., Fifth Floor Worcester, MA 01608 worcestermag.com Editorial (508) 767.9535 WMeditor@gatehousemedia.com Sales (508) 767.9530 WMSales@gatehousemedia.com VP, Sales & Strategy Andrew Chernoff Executive Editor David Nordman Editor Nancy Campbell Content Editor Victor D. Infante Reporters Richard Duckett, Veer Mudambi Contributing Writers Stephanie Campbell, Sarah Connell Sanders, Gari De Ramos, Robert Duguay, Liz Fay, Jason Greenough, Janice Harvey, Barbara Houle, Jim Keogh, Jim Perry, Craig S. Semon, Matthew Tota Multi Media Sales Executives Deirdre Baldwin, Debbie Bilodeau, Kate Carr, Diane Galipeau, Sammi Iacovone, Kathy Puffer, Jody Ryan, Regina Stillings Sales Support Jackie Buck, Yanet Ramirez Senior Operations Manager Gary Barth Operations Manager John Cofske Worcester Magazine is a news weekly covering Central Massachusetts. We accept no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts. The Publisher has the right to refuse any advertisement.

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Featured ..............................................................................4 City Voices ..........................................................................7 Cover Story.......................................................................10 Artist Spotlight................................................................15 Screen Time......................................................................16 Table Hoppin’ ...................................................................18 Adoption Option.............................................................20 Classifi eds.........................................................................21 Games................................................................................22 Last Call.............................................................................23

On the cover A salsa class is taught at Tumbao Latin Dance on March 9. Because of COVID-19, classes are being held in smaller numbers.

ASHLEY GREEN / TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

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4 | MARCH 25 - 26, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

FEATURED

Robert Rossetti’s script has Worcester in view Richard Duckett Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

In Robert Rossetti’s screenplay “The Further Adventures of Jimmy Lynch,” a snarky, not-so-nice soccer mom has a husband who receives his medicine in the mail. She is conspiring to have him murdered and blame it on the wisecracking mailman, Jimmy Lynch, who she has hated since school.

Within the storyline the screenplay has lots of Worcester references, beginning with the instructions for the opening scene, “EXT. KELLEY SQUARE — DAY” It’s “‘Ted Lasso’ meets ‘Double Indemnity,’” but the script is also “a throwback comedy that at its heart is set in Worcester” said Rossetti, who grew up in Worcester and now lives in Shrewsbury after a spell in New York City.

“The Further Adventures of Jimmy Lynch” has been placing well in screenplay competitions along with another of Rossetti’s scripts, “The Grandmother,” but not enough yet to unlock the door into the world of movie making.

Undaunted, Rossetti keeps knocking on doors to make his special delivery, not unlike a good mailman — which he once was in Worcester. And he keeps writing screenplays. “I’m just the guy that doesn’t give up,” he said.

Rossetti is now a salesman for Spaulding Fence and Supply at 70 James St., and the job’s going well, he said. Especially with the pandemic, home improvement and fence sales “have been nothing but crazy for the whole year.”

But when it comes to writing screenplays, Rossetti is not on the fence about his dreams. In his profi le on the International Screenwriters’ Association website, he writes he “would like to become a rich and powerful screenwriter so that he can fi nally be superior to his older brother, give his wife the wedding he promised her over a decade ago, and buy a beach house where dogs are allowed.

In the morning when the coff ee is fresh and black, he’ll brush his cat, Indiana, off the keyboard and try to write some-

Robert Rossetti’s scripts “The Further Adventures of Jimmy Lynch” and “The Grandmother” both recently became selections in the Austin Comedy Festival.

CHRISTINE PETERSON/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

thing funny.”

Along with that Rossetti said, “Most of all there is nothing I love more than Worcester. I wrote ‘The Further Adventures of Jimmy Lynch’ because I loved being a mailman and I loved being a mailman in Worcester.”

His father, Stephen L. Rossetti, was postmaster of the main Worcester post offi ce on East Central Street. His mother, Maureen, was a teacher with Worcester Public Schools.

It was a while ago that Robert Rossetti was making deliveries. “I was a mailman in Worcester back when the AkuAku was still in place,” he said of the former Chinese-Polynesian restaurant on East Central Street that was once sort of a landmark and is embedded in comedian Lewis Black’s memory from doing stand-up comedy there. Rossetti has also done stand-up comedy, but that was when he was in New York City.

Jimmy Lynch is “happy-go-lucky, drinks Coors Light, smokes,” Rossetti said.

Indeed, in the script Lynch devotedly

smokes Newport menthol cigarettes.

“This is Worcester. This is the capital of smokers,” Rossetti said. Does he smoke? “Yes, I do. Newports — which are banned,” he noted of the state’s proscriptions last year on fl avored cigarettes, including menthol (non-fl avored Newports are still legal).

“You see a lot of movies now, especially romantic comedies — the main man is kind of wimpy. What’s wrong with a Worcester mailman who smokes butts and watches hockey?” Rossetti asked.

Rossetti said he is drawn to mostly writing comedic screenplays.

“It comes more naturally,” he said of comedy. “Being Irish-Catholic from Worcester, I kind of have that self-deprecatory humor. It’s there, so I use it.”

Also, “You can still be stupid and write comedy,” he said.

Rossetti’s parents grew up on Grafton Hill, and the family lived on Hamilton Street before moving to Shrewsbury.

Rossetti graduated from St. John’s High School in Shrewsbury and later moved

to New York City, where he earned a degree in fi lm from the prestigious New York University Tisch School of the Arts.

His stand-up comedy in New York was “kind of low-level. Nothing to write home about,” he said.

Rossetti moved back to his home ground and kept at writing while now selling fences by day. He has a wife, Isabel, and three children.

“My wife is my biggest supporter. She listens to me ramble and ramble and ramble,” Rossetti said. “I think she’d rather that I didn’t want to do it (write screenplays), because I can be up and down. To get rejected, it sucks. And to be the spouse of that, I’m sure she’d be happy if I stopped. But I can’t. You’ve got to keep trying,” he said.

Meanwhile, “Besides having a very supportive wife and mother who both continue to encourage me, I would say that the biggest help I have gotten in my life would be from my former drama teacher at St. John’s High School, Patrick Dolan, who for years has continued to stay in touch with me and read my work,” Rossetti said.

Rossetti’s “The Grandmother” has also been getting noticed in screenplay contests. He described it as “an action comedy about a former public school teacher from Worcester who fi ghts off a team of mercenaries at Canobie Lake Park to save her three wily grandsons. I mean, who would be more badass than a Nana from Worcester?”

Rossetti said he’s a “big fan of fi lms that are fun for the whole family to watch,” even if some of the younger members of the family aren’t really supposed to be watching it.

“I grew up watching ‘Caddyshack,’ and George Carlin,” he said.

“The Further Adventures of Jimmy Lynch” has been selected as a semifi nalist in the Page International Screenwriting Awards, a fi nalist in the Stage32 Comedy Contest, a semifi nalist in the Stage32 Feature contest, a semi-fi nalist placement in the Screencraft Comedy contest, and a quarterfi nalist placement in the Screencraft Fellowship.

See SCRIPT, Page 5D

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | MARCH 25 - 26, 2021 | 5

Remembering Lester Paquin: historian, editor and advocate Veer Mudambi Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

If one had a question about rescued Bernese Mountain dogs, the state Vietnam Veterans memorial, car manufacturers, the Barre Historical Society, AIDS Project Worcester, the use of the Oxford comma, ocean liners or local theater — one would expect to look for multiple experts in several of those disparate fi elds. However, up until his sudden passing on March 11, one could have turned to a single person who may have had all the answers: Lester Paquin, a true Renaissance man.

“I didn’t know anyone like him,” said Worcester Magazine columnist Janice Harvey. “I know people who have their areas of expertise but I’ve never known anyone like Lester, where I can’t think of a subject he couldn’t give an answer on.”

Vast and comprehensive, Paquin’s store of general knowledge radiated outward from his hometown of Barre.

Fiercely proud of his town and its history, he raised the fl ag every morning at the library, doing small — and often big — things that others would not think of doing. At the Barre Historical Society, he took care of so many tasks “that it’s going to take a whole group of us to get anything done the way he would have wanted,” said Stephanie Young, vice president of BHS. Young recalled how Paquin was one of three people she would go to whenever she had an obscure history question, and she was only one among many others who relied on Lester’s memory for the facts that he had internalized — which some are concerned may have been lost with him. His respect for the past was not just limited to history but the community at large, and Young respected how he crafted beautiful tributes to community members who had passed away saying, “we have big shoes to fi ll to honor him the way he honored others.”

In addition to his prodigious memory, Paquin is remembered by all as a su-

Robert Rossetti says his script is also “a throwback comedy that at its heart is set in Worcester.” CHRISTINE PETERSON/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

Script Continued from Page 4D

Paquin mans the buffet table at APW’s 2019 holiday party.

MARTHA AKSTIN/AIDS PROJECT WORCESTER

perlative editor, especially his former colleagues at Worcester Magazine, where he worked as a copy editor from 1991 to 2008. “He was one of the core group of people who were there when it was at its strongest,” said Charlene Arsenault, former reporter whose cubicle was adjacent to Paquin’s. “His name is synonymous with the ‘glory years’ of WoMag.” His eye for detail, encyclopedic general knowledge and wicked sense of humor made him an invaluable member of the newsroom. His inviting cubicle, complete with fl oor lamp and oriental rug, was the place to go if a reporter wanted a sounding board or a new take on a story.

Colleagues remember Paquin’s uniform of button down shirt, tie and vest, as he came to work every morning carSee PAQUIN, Page 6D

“The Grandmother” has been a Stage32 Comedy Contest semi-fi nalist as well as one of the Top 100 Comedies of the Table Read My Screenplay Competition.

“The Further Adventures of Jimmy Lynch” and “The Grandmother” both recently became selections in the Austin Comedy Festival.

“As of right now, between both scripts, I have placed in 25 writing contests. I have not yet placed high enough or won a contest or done enough to break through, but I am close, and I am banging on that door every single day,” Rossetti said.

“I’ve got others (screenplays). I always tell my wife I’ll quit when I don’t have another idea.”

Caitlin McCarthy, an English teacher at Worcester Technical School, wrote several scripts that placed high or won in screenplay competitions over the course of a number of years. She saw her persistency rewarded when it was announced last August that her screenplay “Wonder Drug” will be made into a movie by Rhino Films, the acclaimed independent fi lm company, with Stephen Nemeth the producer and Tom Gilroy directing.

“She’s passed me. I know of her. My mom was a teacher in Worcester Public Schools. Teachers are great,” Rossetti said.

McCarthy has been represented by Barry Krost of Barry Krost Management, well-known in the entertainment industry as a literary manager and producer,.

Rossetti has tried to get “The Further Adventures of Jimmy Lynch” to Worcester native actor and comedian Denis Leary, “but I don’t have an agent,” he said.

“I’m working hard to get an agent or a manager. You really have to get a producer before you can get a manager these days,” Rossetti said.

As he writes, fi lms are being produced and shot in Worcester and the Worcester area at a seemingly ever-increasing rate.

“I’ve seen people making fi lms in Worcester but never seen a fi lm about Worcester,” Rossetti said.

With a screenplay such as “The Further Adventures of Jimmy Lynch,” Rossetti said, “My goal is to have it shot in Worcester where Worcester is one of the characters.”

His experience as a salesman has helped Rossetti get perspective on the screenplay business.

“It’s just like sales, you’ve got to wait for a lot of no’s before you get a yes,” he said.

“I can’t complain. My day job is very good. But that’s my dream. I can’t get it out of me.”

For more information, visit Rossetti’s profi le with the International Screenwriters’ Association, www.networkisa.org/profi le/robert-rossetti.

6 | MARCH 25 - 26, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

HARVEY

Worcester, your best life is within reach Janice Harvey Guest columnist

Oh, beloved Worcester. I’m always pulling for you.

Most of my life has been spent living and working in the “Heart of the Commonwealth,” the city where I was born and raised. At one time or another I’ve

lived in many of its neighborhoods, from Lincoln Street to Main South, from Vernon Hill to Russell and Fruit streets, to the Summit. I sold cheese and dressed mannequins in the doomed Galleria, wiped the noses of Worcester’s preschoolers and taught English to some of the same kids years later. I’m the third generation of Harveys to traipse its sidewalks, and we’ve left our mark, good or bad, on the city that has done the same to us, in both our our distinctive accent and our sometimes cyn-

ical outlook.

I no longer live in Worcester. My hometown outpriced me as I contemplated retirement. That reality saddened me terribly, and forced me to the outskirts. This shouldn’t be, but it is. I still consider myself “from Worcester” when asked. Even after nearly fi ve years in North Oxford, I will always be a Wootown kid, and that’s why I want the best for my beloved home turf.

I feel as if ”the best” is within reach.

All of my adult life I’ve watched Worces-

ter start and sputter and too often grind to a halt when it comes to reaching its potential. In 1970, I was too young to realize that the glitzy, exciting Worcester Center Galleria was simply a turd in the swimming pool. What did I know?

Starry-eyed, I saw fountains and shoe stores. It would take a while for me to understand that a terrible crime had been perpetrated against Main Street’s small businesses. When former Mayor

Paquin at Rota Spring Farm in 2020 enjoying a banana split. MARTHA AKSTIN

ing instrumental in getting the statewide Vietnam Veterans memorial, which stands in Worcester’s Biotech Park, built and maintained. He also served as secretary of the Massachusetts Vietnam Veterans Board of Directors, and played a role in the dedication of the Vietnam Service Dog Memorial in Worcester. “He honored those who served,” said Akstin.

Lucy Allen, fellow historical researcher and schoolmate of Paquin’s, said, “I remember him bombarding me with history questions on the bus, and my having to look up answers the night before.” As a teenager, he started working at the local library, which fostered his love of history. “He was the sort of person who tied all the history and traditions together in the town and worked to ensure we kept history alive and remembered how the organizations were in the past.”

Margaret Marshall, curator at BHS, reminisced about Paquin as well. “He was very meticulous, that’s for sure, and he kept us all in order with his amazing memory and how he always remembered something about people”, as well as all the bylaws. This summer would have marked Paquin’s 51 years of continuous service to the town of Barre.

At the Barre Historical Society, Paquin was relied upon for his editing skills as well. “He demanded excellence,” said Young, “and made me a better writer.” His famous words, she recalled, were “you can’t do it the easy way, you have to do it the right way.”

While he held everyone to a high standard, he wasn’t a harsh critic, pointing out errors gently, instilling a care for de-

tail in all of his colleagues. Allen, who wrote a tribute for him on the BHS Facebook page, said she found herself thinking “oh wow, Lester, I hope I got it right!” without their resident editor.

Paquin worked at AIDS Project Worcester for the last fi ve years, once more alongside Akstin, where his kindness was appreciated in a completely diff erent setting. There he functioned as an outreach worker but retained his signature style. Most APW harm reduction specialists wear jeans, T-shirts, and generally more casual clothes, especially when doing street outreach. Paquin on the other hand, would meet clients at the door wearing his standard tie and button down shirt. “He looked like a librarian,” said Akstin. “I’m sure people who came to the door wondered ‘who’s this guy?’”

Clients at APW are marginalized, down and out, struggling with homelessness, substance abuse and more, but Paquin had nothing but patience and respect for all of them. In the fi ve years she worked with him, he never lost his patience or raised his voice, she said. “He always came to work with a smile on his face.”

The absence of Paquin in the lives of his friends, his co-workers, and his community will be hard to bear but his memory will be their solace. “A happy time in my life that Lester was a big part of,” said Harvey, referring to that period at Worcester Magazine.

Akstin sums it up simply by saying, “just a remarkable human and a great loss.”

Allen says the “Lester-shaped hole in my heart,” will be hard to fi ll.

Paquin Continued from Page 5D

rying a copy of The Telegram under his arm. An avid historian, he himself seemed to have stepped out of a previous era — “an anachronism yet very much a part of this world,” said former senior editor Martha Akstin. He didn’t even own a cell phone, and his vintage car, a Cadillac Seville from the ‘90s, was a common sight around town that everyone recognized.

“He sort of had the institutional memory of who was who and how they were connected,” said Akstin, a quality that was invaluable when preparing for interviews. His passion for a variety of things in the Central Massachusetts area was infectious, she said, and writers would soon get as excited as he was about a topic.

“He saved me a couple times from making a complete jack** of myself,” said Harvey. In particular, she remembers a story in which she referred to a vehicle called the Dodge Rambler. However, there was no such thing, as the Rambler was not manufactured by Dodge, but by American Motors Corporation. To Harvey, it was another example of Paquin’s breadth of general knowledge that helped keep the writers accurate, observing that if he had ever been a contestant on “Jeopardy!” he would almost certainly have been a millionaire.

For his part, though his primary job was copy editing, Paquin’s favorite writing topics were human interest, history

and issues facing veterans. Co-workers admit that Paquin was something of a mystery at the offi ce regarding his personal life and past, so the source of his zeal for veteran advocacy is not clear.

While he had not served himself, he clearly valued military and civic service highly.

Paquin participated in a number of boards and committees including the Board of Directors of the Barre Historical Society, the Barre Library Association and was serving on its Board of Directors as Clerk. For several years he worked as the director of the Barre Senior Center until he resigned in 2017 after a brief suspension for undisclosed reasons. Locally, he was well known for be-

See HARVEY, Page 7D

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | MARCH 25 - 26, 2021 | 7

CITY VOICES WORCESTERIA

Saving The Bridge a small price for city’s soul Victor D. Infante Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

A BRIDGE TOO FAR: It’s not every day you get to put a price on a city’s soul, but that seems to be where we’re at. The price? One million dollars. The cause?

Saving The Bridge Academy and Com-

Harvey Continued from Page 6D

Tim Murray championed the wrecking ball that would open up downtown, I did cartwheels. (Not literally. Trust me. Ask any gym teacher who knew me.)

COVID-19 put the brakes on much of Worcester’s recent progress, but signs of an unstuck gas pedal are popping up with the crocuses. As control of the virus becomes possible through vaccinations, Worcester denizens are climbing out of their bunkers. I recently dined in three diff erent restaurants — The Sole Proprietor on Highland Street, La Scala on Shrewsbury Street and Pasta Mani in the Worcester Public Market. Great food in all three places, and in all three protocol was followed by management. Despite what we might view on Twitter and Facebook, noncompliance by patrons seems to be a rarity. Protocol was also followed in El Basha on Park Avenue and Nuovo on Shrewsbury Street. If the trend toward beating the virus continues, I believe the Worcester restaurants that hung in there will survive and thrive.

Here’s what else I noticed: Worcester has a dirty face. The city has to make a concerted eff ort to clean up its act. April showers might bring May fl owers, but you’d be hard-pressed to fi nd them under the litter that blankets the city’s roadsides. All along the railroad tracks on West Boylston Street, up and down Granite, and on streets too numerous to

munity Center, which fi nds itself with two weeks to raise that amount to purchase the space where it resides, before the owners take up another off er. An online fundraising campaign has been launched on GiveButter.com to help with that eff ort. There’s a more comprehensive story in the Telegram & Gazette, but while we have a moment, it’s worth

taking a step back to look at the big picture.

The Bridge, as its commonly referred to, has been an informal community hub for some time, and the dream has always been to turn it into a real community center. Even now, in its nascent state, property manager Dan Ford has nurtured an informal community of art-

ists, educators and craftspeople in the space, hosting art exhibits and teaching young people how to to rehab cars. On top of that, the lot is also shared by one of Worcester’s most iconic symbols: The Miss Worcester Diner. You know, the one that inevitably pops up on shows See BRIDGE, Page 8D

mention, I saw real fi lth. A fenced-off er and local politics. I love how you don’t and the construction of Polar Park. This parcel of land adjacent to Washington think you got your money’s worth un- is exciting stuff !

Square is Rubbish Central. I know it’s less you leave with a doggie bag. Your Now pick up that mess. As my mothspring, and the melting of snow un- best days are ahead of you, with the re- er would say, you weren’t raised in a sty. covers a lot of debris, but it seems that birth of the Kelley Square neighborhood disposable masks are simply discarded masks. They are everywhere.

The dumping on Granite Street near Broadmeadow Brook conservation land is always a headache — who thinks it’s OK to toss a washing machine and a love seat by the side of the road? Whose job is it to haul away this stuff ? Is it Mass Audubon?

Worcester?

Whoever is tasked with this responsibility should be kept SPRING EDITION busy night and day.

Worcester, I love you. I love your irascible charm, your penEnter to WIN one of our great Ultimate Home Makeover NATIONAL Prizes! chant for pennypinching, your aversion to paying parking One Grand National Prize of $25,000 fees and your imTwo 2nd Place National Prizes of $10,000 mense pride in having more colleges than One 3rd Place National Prize of $5,000 corner spas. I love your Deadline: April 15th diversity and your fi rm belief in Murphy’s Law. I love your ability No Purchase Necessary. For official rules visit contest webpage. to weather the weath-

IT’S TIME TO TRANSFORM YOUR HOME! $50,000 in cash prizes!

Enter today: telegram.com/contests

8 | MARCH 25 - 26, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

CITY VOICES

Bridge Continued from Page 7D

FIRST PERSON

House-hunting heartbreak in Worcester Bryant Rodriguez

Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

Initially, Yaniz and I planned to purchase a house in Worcester immediately. We would sell our house in Tennessee and use the proceeds as a down payment for our next purchase. We spoke with a realtor in Worcester and began to look at listings, but it dawned on us that we would struggle to understand where we were committing to live.

We nixed that plan and signed a lease for an apartment in Kelley Square. The new plan was to save up money, learn the area, and start aggressively house hunting toward the back end of our 12-month lease.

But as “Saturday Night Live” has documented well, the temptations of home listing apps are beyond resistance for most people.

Yaniz started her job at UMass Memorial Medical Center in late December; we settled into our apartment the

week before Christmas, and by the middle of January, I was already getting pinged with links to real estate listings.

I ignored them for a while, but going into Valentine’s weekend, she sent me a property that was too tantalizing to ignore. We quickly secured a pre-approval and reconnected with our realtor; he was kind enough to (quickly) get us set up with an off er, and we made a bid of $10,000 over the asking price.

Of course, we lost the bid. But the fl oodgates to house hunting had been opened. The housing market in Worcester has essentially replaced museums.

People stand in line for hours. Multiple buyers will walk through the house carefully inspecting the heating systems, gawking at backsplashes and fl ooring choices, and at times, publicly discussing the pros and cons of the property.

Not even winter conditions aff ect the number of people ready to look at more gray walls and granite countertops.

We moved to Worcester understandSee RODRIGUEZ, Page 9D

such as Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” on the Food Network. That’s a lot of cultural heritage and community heart packed into one parcel of land.

The space has always shimmered with potential, and now the community has a pretty clear choice: Realize that potential, or let it be transformed to luxury condos. We have two weeks to make a decision. While a lot of the spaces transformed by the Polar Park land grab were sitting idle anyway, others have been places dear to the city’s heart and self image. The Cove Music Hall – formerly the Lucky Dog Music Hall and, before that, Sir Morgan’s Cove – was one of the city’s most storied rock clubs. The Dive Bar was one of the city’s hottest and most energetic night spots.

Both are gone, now, and ultimately, it’s Building manager Dan Ford on the easy to shrug. Both were, ultimately, second-floor turret section of The businesses, and the closing of both Bridge. CHRISTINE PETERSON/T&G FILE were business matters.

This is more. Dan Ford and the community he’s built at The Bridge have put trict 5 councilman Wayne Griffi n are their blood and sweat into creating a still in the mix, with miles to go before space for artists, for giving resources to papers need to be fi led.

Of course, getting papers signed underprivileged kids, and more. There is no doubt that, given time, Ford could during a pandemic is no easy matter, fi nish the vision he’s already started and that was another reason Williams decided to hold off on running. She says building, but now the clock is ticking.

Change happens, and not all the re- that, when you’re campaigning over development change has been bad, but Zoom and not in person, “you’re voting there sometimes has to be a line drawn, for someone you don’t really know. It and The Bridge appears needs to be more social for me … I needto be that line. One mil- ed more time to put together a robust lion dollars is a lot of campaign.”

Williams, a transgender woman and money, but it’s a small price for saving a city’s single parent, says she “loves service” and will be “happy for whoever’s winsoul.

HUNGER GAMES ning … I’m one of those people who reUPDATE: The race for spects opposition. I’m going to be the District 5 City Coun- watching after this election, going to cil seat has gotten a little every City Council meeting, watching Porchaless crowded. HR repre- every move, watching (the district repMarie J. sentative Porcha-Marie resentative’s) record.” She says she’s Williams J. Williams has decided happy to see so many other LGBTQ SUBMITTED to hold off on running candidates running in the election, but PHOTO until 2023. “I pulled pa- also wants to be clear that she’s not just pers believing I was running,” she said, running to “represent my own type of in a recent phone conversation, but person. That’s not what you’re supthen I saw it was getting a little congest- posed to be doing. You have to leave ed.” No kidding. Yenni Desroches, Etel personal ideology and biases aside.

Haxhiaj, Steve Quist and former Dis- You’re working for the people.”

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | MARCH 25 - 26, 2021 | 9

Rodriguez Continued from Page 8D

ing that Yaniz had secured a great job, and although I’m still looking for a New England workplace, we anticipate starting a family here. In other words, we moved into town ready to love it.

That is what made the latest loss in our housing hunt so bitter.

A few weeks ago, we “discovered” the West Side of Worcester. Up until then, we had focused our search on the northeast part of town to try to keep my wife’s commute to UMass as short as possible.

But this beautiful listing near June street came up, and we were mesmerized by the photos. Before the open house, I drove through the west part of town and felt my heart tell me, “move here.”

From the moment we walked into the open house, Yaniz and I were madly in love with it. In real-time, we imagined where the design style we would pick, and where the baby cribs would be placed, and smiled at the family dinners we would have in its gorgeous kitchen and dining area. There was a beautiful yard in the back for our dogs to romp around and a perfect in-law suite on the third fl oor. We spoke with our realtor and made a high bid. Over the next 48 hours, we imagined a thousand lifetimes in that house. I even wrote a letter to the seller, per the listing agent’s recommendation.

To add insult to injury, the news of our rejection came two hours late. Two hours we had

spent hoping that no news is good news.

In the ensuing days, my wife and I experienced the kind of heartbreak that you would expect from a relationship ending. It was equal parts absurd and embarrassing for us, and such has our sadness been, that we had to take a break from the entire game of house hunting.

We will be fi ne.

Yaniz and I are lucky enough to be high earners with stable work; even if the going rate for a good house is to bid more than what it’s worth and cover the delta with your cash, we will eventually be fi nancially strong enough to do so.

However, I do wonder about all the other hearts being broken in town. Surely, we aren’t the only ones to have experienced such grief over losing the house your soul wanted to live and love the Woo from.

What we are experiencing in our town is not special. Numerous reports from economists show that we have a national housing crisis. We simply don’t have enough inventory to supply the demand and, along with low interest rates, causing prices to skyrocket. The argumentation around housing, zoning, and building is complex.

But the heartbreak in Worcester around housing isn’t just an economic debate or fi nancial opportunity. It is personal, and how tragic is it to consider the people who won’t eventually be fi ne and get to live and love here because of an impossible market.

Bryant Rodriguez is a marketer who loves words living in Worcester.

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10 | MARCH 25 - 26, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

COVER STORY

Social distance dancing:

How ballroom dancing adapted for the pandemic Stephanie Jarvis Campbell Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

Nick Taylor is tired of dancing by himself.

A student and ballroom enthusiast, he has danced recreationally, competitively and socially for the past 12 years.

But last March, COVID threatened his love for dancing when a statewide shutdown forced studios and instructors to temporarily halt their classes.

Fortunately, Taylor was able to continue learning and working on his technique through a combination of mostly virtual lessons and recently some small in-person classes, but he is defi nitely looking forward to a time when he doesn’t have to dance in his living room anymore and can instead be in the studio.

“I love dance from a competitive standpoint. I love dance from a physical standpoint. But I love it for the supersafe, very free atmosphere to express yourself and let loose and have a big, fat smile on your face,” Taylor said.

A year since the pandemic swept through the country, ballroom and Latin dance studios and instructors still are trying to fi nd their footing in a world where social distancing is 6 feet. While some instructors who have physical locations have slowly been able to reopen, others rent space from restaurants and bars, eff ectively halting their dance businesses for the past year. And beyond the diffi culty of holding lessons and teaching partner work while dancing together but separately, a huge component that has been missing for students and teachers is the social aspect.

“I know for the majority of us, it’s the reward of the interpersonal connection.

It is what is missing. The pandemic has robbed us of that,” said John-John Semidei, who owns Raices Latin Dance with wife, Lindiana Semidei.

He added, “We miss seeing all the

Kristian Santos, founder of Tumbao Latin Dance, looks over a bachata class on March 9. Due to COVID-19, classes are being held in smaller numbers. ASHLEY GREEN/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

work we do. Look at this beautiful community we’ve created, students intermingling. We’re just looking forward to better and brighter days.”

Christian Lightner, owner of two Arthur Murray Dance Studio franchises with business partner Kia Kenney, embraced virtual lessons early on for his Cambridge location but not as much for his Worcester space at 70 James St. “A year ago, we thought there’s no way we could transform our product.

It’s a face-to-face activity, and we thought it could only be a face-to-face interaction,” Lightner said. “Forcing

people to dance on their own and work on their own technique is eye-opening.

We can do this because we have to; otherwise, we wouldn’t be here. It’s been a cool process in a lot of ways.”

In Worcester, however, the studio ceased lessons due to the statewide shutdown and opened for classes on a very small scale last August; Lightner later took over that studio in November from his dad. While at fi rst, many students preferred no-touch lessons, most who come now are comfortable interacting with one person, either their instructor or a preferred partner from the

studio, Lightner said. Arthur Murray Worcester runs group lessons on numerous days, but even so, the main ballroom is currently limited to eight people under the current capacity guidelines.

Tumbao Worcester, located at 75 Webster St., re-opened in October, but only at a fraction at what had been. Prior to the start of the pandemic, owner Kristian Santos was running 10-plus salsa and bachata classes over fi ve days of the week, leading student dance teams and participating in an after-school proSee DANCING, Page 11D

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | MARCH 25 - 26, 2021 | 11

Dancing Continued from Page 10D

gram through Worcester Public Schools.

“Then March came around. I remember a full class the week before, even that Tuesday. I was hearing all the news, and I thought, ‘This is going to aff ect me at some point,’” Santos said.

That came sooner than later — fi rst with a statewide shutdown, and even when ballroom and Latin dance studios were allowed to open, he decided to wait until October, holding classes only two days a week and limiting each session to 10 people. “Due to the fear and COVID, less than fi ve students signed up, and there was no partner work,” he said of the early reopening days.

At many studio classes, students — separated into the “leaders” and the “followers” — learn their respective footwork on their own, and then pair up with a partner to put the movements together. It is not uncommon to switch partners, even if a student has brought someone to the class.

“It helps you become adaptable,” Salsa Worcester owner Ray Gonzalez said of dancing with diff erent people. “Our motto is, ‘Learn locally, dance globally’ — because you can take it anywhere.”

Not only does learning how to lead and follow with diff erent partners allow students to become better dancers, it is also the very essence of the “social” part of social dancing, particularly when they translate that to dance nights in or out of their class setting.

All of that, however, has been diffi cult during the pandemic, instructors said. Although Santos is currently off ering a partners class on Tuesday nights, it is limited in both size and structure. Students have to bring their own partner and can dance with only that person; there is still no cycling or rotating.

As a result, because many of Santos’ students are “partner-work driven,” he said, he has more samehousehold couples coming to class and not as many new clients. “Once you get the base of the footwork, you can transfer that into your partner work. But you can only do so much footwork with the same group,” he explained, adding that for those who are single, new to dance, or without a partner, “they come in with the expectation of learning how to dance with a partner.

We don’t off er that right now. It’s aff ected us tremendously.”

Laura Novelline Leones, a student at Tumbao, agreed, saying, “Everyone misses the partner work so much. We try to stay connected to each other and do what we can do.”

The dance community also has missed the social aspects of attending dance nights at studios or the restaurants and bars, practicing what they’ve learned and meeting new people. Leones said she met her husband while at a salsa night at Bocado Tapas Wine Bar, and she’s become good friends with other people through Latin dance.

“The main aspect is socialization. It’s social dancing,” John-John Semidei said. “We come across a lot of people that, for them, dancing is their form of socialization. They’re not the type to go to a bar and walk up

A year since the pandemic swept through the country, ballroom and Latin dance studios and instructors still are trying to fi nd their footing in a world where social distancing is 6 feet.

Kristian Santos, founder of Tumbao Latin Dance, looks over a bachata class.

A thermometer rests on the counter top as a bachata class is held at Tumbao Latin Dance on March 9. Due to COVID-19, classes are being held in smaller numbers.

PHOTOS BY ASHLEY GREEN/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

to someone and say, ‘Can I buy you a drink?’”

They will, however, ask someone to dance at a social night. But since the pandemic began, instructors haven’t been able to hold these types of events. And while some studios have been able to open, others — those that rent spaces from other establishments — have faced even more challenges. With percent capacity restrictions only recently lifted for restaurants and bars still closed, some instructors have decided to take a step back this year. Though they didn’t have to con-

tinue paying overhead costs such as rent for a physical building and utilities, the loss of dance has still been devastating, they said.

“That’s our joy. We miss our students so much,” said Lindiana Semidei. “Our students are constantly asking us when are we going to hold classes. … We want to be in person, but we want to be responsible, too.”

Prior to the pandemic, Raices had been renting from Fiddlers’ Green Pub/Worcester Hibernian Cultural Club and also from Ritmos Dance Studio, under the di-

12 | MARCH 25 - 26, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

Dancing Continued from Page 11D

rection of Masielle Paulino, who is a former student of the Semideis. But with Ritmos servicing students between the ages of the 4 and 20, Lindiana Semidei said it was not logistically ideal to mix adults into that setting.

“We were not dependent on income to keep our doors open,” she said, noting that she and her husband both have day jobs. “That’s where we were fortunate through the pandemic where others haven’t been.”

Gonzalez — who has operated under the names Salsa Storm, Salsa Loft and now Salsa Worcester — has also paused his business, despite his love for dancing. “I do miss teaching,” he said. “That’s one great passion I have — teaching dance.”

Before the pandemic, he was off ering lessons at the White Eagle two nights a week, as well as hosting a social dance night on Thursdays at Bocado Tapas Wine Bar. “Up until the pandemic, we were going strong there,” he said.

Gonzalez also had added a Saturday

social night at the Cedar Box Lounge, a collaboration with a friend, Ranse Andino, that they called CLAVE after a Latin rhythm. The opening night was packed, and everyone was looking forward to the next one, but once the pandemic hit, all of his classes and social dance events stopped.

“I made a decision that until we could do it safely and responsibly, I wasn’t going to hold any classes,” Gonzalez said.

“I’ve been fortunate I have full-time work. I have the luxury of waiting.”

In addition to the repercussions of having to close completely or off ering only limited classes, studio owners and instructors said the pandemic has had other eff ects on social dancing as well.

Lindiana Semidei said she and her husband have a number of older students who may not yet be comfortable returning to dance, even when the restrictions are lifted.

Santos said that when partner dance is permissible, the mask mandate may remain in place, which limits how two people can interact with each other while dancing. Usually, partners can cue each other with a smile or diff erent facial expressions, but right now, “there is no communication with your partner

because the mask covers a smile,” Santos said.

Acclimating students to dancing with someone other than their teacher or another professional will be another challenge, said Lightner. “Once we start doing social dances again, there will be a new learning curve,” he added.

Anais Dakin, who is a student at Tumbao, can attest to that — although she had previously danced, her partner and fi ancé, Jacob Blondin, had not.

They decided to begin dancing together during the pandemic, last September, as something to do when not much else was open. Although they are enjoying the experience, it is diff erent for her, as she was accustomed to cycling through diff erent partners during lessons.

“My partner has never seen what that is like because you don’t get to have the feeling of dancing with all the diff erent people,” Dakin said.

Taylor, who is a student at Arthur Murray, misses that aspect — the physicality of partner dancing — as well. “So much of our social interaction is physical, and we really don’t notice it until the absence of it. I love the physical communication that happens in dance,” he said.

He has, however, come to appreciate virtual lessons because it has allowed him to really focus on the details of his dancing, as well as not rely so much on physical cues from his partner.

It has made him a “substantially better dancer,” he said, allowing him to feel as if he “owns” the routine and not have to be as dependent on his partner.

But, he said, “There are still technological limitations when you compare dancing virtually to dancing in person,” adding that online lessons can still provide a social component, but not the same atmosphere as being in the studio.

Leones agreed, saying, “There’s something about being in a studio with people doing the same thing you WM-0000462849-03

A bachata class is held at Tumbao Latin Dance. ASHLEY GREEN / TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

are. You get that energy around you, and at home, you don’t have that energy.”

Taylor is looking forward to the day when he can dance in a social atmosphere as he did pre-COVID times, but is thankful he has been able to continue this past year. “COVID took away a lot of options, but it didn’t take away my dance hobby,” he said. “To not have that taken away during COVID — when we lost everything — to at least have a couple hours a week to have my primary hobby, it saved my sanity.”

All in all, teachers and students said that though there might be some hesitance at fi rst – particularly when larger dance social settings are allowed – they believe that when partner dancing is ready for them, they will be ready for partner dancing.

Lightner said that six months ago, he might have thought ballroom dance would not return to normal, pre-COVID days; now, he has witnessed a balance between a desire to feel safe but, at the same time, a need and excitement to be around others. “The fatigue of the whole situation has led people to want to get back to social dancing,” he said. “You realize when it gets taken away how much you value it.”

“The dancing isn’t something you do — it’s something you are,” John-John Semidei said. “It’s a huge part of their lives that’s missing. I can see dancers throwing caution to the wind at every turn.”

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | MARCH 25 - 26, 2021 | 13

CONNELL SANDERS

From the Great War to the storage war, Eric Green nurtures 3 Chestnut Street Sarah Connell Sanders Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

Worcester’s demand for storage units like Value Store It Self Storage has skyrocketed in recent years.

PHOTOS BY SARAH CONNELL SANDERS

When Eric Green got laid off from Bose Corporation after 13 years, he knew he had to make a change. First, he purchased a six-family property on Bowdoin Street in Worcester. Then, he found a 120-year-old brick fortress on Chestnut Street that had been used to house munitions during World War I. The density of apartments and close proximity to so many colleges made Green’s new building ripe for a partnership with Value Store It Self Storage.

Green hadn’t exactly grown up with dreams of working in the storage business. In fact, the prospect seemed sort of lonely — sitting at a desk all day, surrounded by other people’s forgotten belongings. He busied himself with keeping the facility spotless inside and out, including a jumbo elevator the size of my living room. He sought out connections to the city’s public art groups in hopes of activating his building’s footprint for the neighborhood. And to Green’s complete surprise, his fi rst six months in the storage business have proved anything but isolating.

“Every person who walks through these doors has a story,” he told me. “I’ve been really saddened by the amount of homelessness I see, but I’ve really enjoyed getting to know all of my customers.” Green feels confl icted by how many of his units are reserved by homeless members of the community who trust him to store all of their belongings.

“Auctioning off units when people don’t come back has been the most heartbreaking part,” he said. “It’s the toughest side of this business.”

Unlike the dramatic portrayals on A&E’s “Storage Wars,” all of the auctions now take place online because of COVID-19. “I cut the lock and take photos of the contents, then post them to a site called Storage Treasures,” said Green.

What are bidders looking for in the photo? Ideally tools or something else of clear value, but that can be diffi cult to come by. “Neatly packed boxes are usually the most desirable,” he explained,

“It’s really just a form of gambling.”

It’s not all anguish and despair for Green. He grins when he tells me about the father and daughter who come to the facility regularly to practice their golf swings with a simulator they set up in their large unit. He also relishes any opportunity to return precious items to their rightful owners.

“We had the owner of a unit pass away,” he recalled, “It was tied up in probate and the family knew it would go up for auction, but they chose not to bid on it. I told the auction winner there were some family heirlooms in there — two books, six inches thick with typed ancestry records dating back to the 1700s.”

Green tracked down the next of kin, a truck driver in Ohio. “When I told him I wanted to send him the books, he went silent,” said Green. “He called back an hour later and explained he had pulled over because he was crying. It was the only thing he had really regretted not having from the unit. I never Spring is a great time expected to have expeto give new life to your home riences like that when I ownership dreams. At Millbury Federal got into the storage Credit Union and Security First Mortgage Funding, you’ll find a comprehensive range of mortgage options— business.” including everything from adjustable- and fixed-rate mortgages To the chagrin of to construction loans, jumbo loans, first-time homebuyer many, Worcester’s deprograms, refinancing options and more. Our experienced mand for storage units mortgage advisors will help identify the mortgage product that has skyrocketed in rebest meets your needs. Contact us today at 508-853-3000. cent years. Green is fi nally starting to feel like a member of the neighborhood. He may MCU NMLS#537519 not have envisioned this future for himself, Massachusetts Mortgage Broker and Lender #MC252771 but he’s proud to be Worcester’s keeper.

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WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | MARCH 25 - 26, 2021 | 15

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

Lynn Nafey and the Centrality of Time

“Blue Lies,”

by Lynn Nafey, mixed media (Duralar, plexiglass, paper on woodpanel, ink, color pencil, pigment transfer, and brass), 8.875 x 10.875,’’ 2020.

Isabella Hillebrand Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

Time — hours, days, weeks, months — can be just as integral as any material or technique when making art. For Lynn Nafey (b. 1961), who describes herself as “always making art,” time is an essential element in the production of work. Her artistic evolution is diverse in style and form, and, after a more commercially-oriented career, she is now focused on the creation of art for herself. By exploring new themes, Nafey broaches topics of self-discovery, personal experience, and issues of gender and politics through dreamy images of life-like beings, the use of veiled symbols, and constructions of striking depth.

Nafey works with sculpture, caricature, and even puppetry to forge her mixed-media assemblages. By using Dura-lar, a polyester fi lm that seamlessly blends her own hand work and digital creations, Nafey creates art that seems to feed onto itself, yielding hazy compositions of color, uncertain depth, and clouded space. She begins with her surface, a wooden plank, and then layers the fragments of the piece together: paper, pigment transfers, gouache, and so much more. Nafey pulls some layers to the foreground while pushing some behind the waxy Dura-lar, burying shapes and brush marks, assembling the building blocks of her fi nal confi guration. She interposes line drawings and symbols, often created digitally, throughout the composition. The development of her pieces is thus an endless play wherein wonder and frenzy rev the engine; then her observant mind hits the brakes, letting the work evolve by slowing down and giving it room to grow on its own. By taking her time, Nafey draws, erases, and works the surface, creating a fl uctuating fl ow in her three-dimensional collage.

Nafey’s “Blue Lies” (2020) and “You Play the Girl” (2019) showcase the role of time in her process. The star of “Blue Lies” is the menacing fi gure looming in the foreground; baring his teeth, he shows himself off to the viewer, arms wide open. To Nafey, the character was originally a showman — a puppet with a large ego, described by her as possessing a “look at me” attitude.

ARTSWORCESTER

The piece’s aging granted the fi gure a likeness to Donald Trump, in its aura and attributes. The artist fi ts him with bright orange hair and a swirling background of declaratives, including “I play to people’s fantasies,” and “Nobody’s ever been more successful than me,” direct quotes by Trump. With this representation of Trump in “Blue Lies,” Nafey abstractly conceptualizes the current political climate: The blue, which typically exhibits calm but in this case takes on a sinister air, erupts from the pompous fi gure’s body and consumes the hopeful yellow tones.

“You Play the Girl,” a piece created over two years, depicts Nafey’s long-observed considerations around femininity. The artist pushes a doll-like fi gure wearing a tutu and ballet slippers to the background. Nafey tucks other elements into the assorted layers of the piece: Xs and Os, and her mother’s old to-do list, featuring tasks such as “clean bathroom” and “wash clothes.” No one element becomes explicit in the piece, but splotches of color, pattern, and line form together, evoking themes of women’s experiences and gender performance — motifs Nafey continues to interrogate while time as a medium grants her new perspective.

This muddiness indicates the nature of Nafey’s own thoughts, feelings, and emotions as she makes sense of these developing points of view.

The fusion of abstraction and realism in Nafey’s work puts it in conversation with the work of Swiss artist Paul Klee (1879–1940) and American artist Romare Bearden (1911–88), modernists who experimented with cubism, surrealism, and collage. What Nafey

describes as the “pure poetry” of Klee’s work propagates playful and surprising elements in her own pieces: the collision of discernible fi gures or faces, and ambiguous shape and line. Collage brings an apparent spontaneity to her works, reminiscent of Bearden’s colorful mosaic-like productions. By coalescing digital work and hand pieces in her art, Nafey refl ects the objective of collage: transforming each element into a complete constellation of meaning.

Nafey’s work holds an opaqueness of meaning and form, which she challenges her audience to observe and dissect. Nafey’s own sense of self — her memories, emotions, and perceptions — come into focus for the viewer as they did when Nafey consults the personal in her creation. If the viewer considers the works over time, much like Nafey did in creating them, the viewer’s reward is to comprehend the intricate and purposeful messaging with which she imbues her playful color, depth, and line.

“Art History 201: Art, the Public, and Worcester’s Cultural Institutions,” at Clark University gives students the opportunity to work closely with regional contemporary artists. With individual artists from ArtsWorcester’s gallery programs, the students hone their visual and critical skills by producing short essays positioning the artists’ work within contemporary art history. This year, the students also curated small selections of their artist’s work for these online spotlights. This collaboration was funded by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

16 | MARCH 25 - 26, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

SCREEN TIME

‘Snyder’s Justice League’ a rebuke of Whedon’s failure

LISTEN UP

Jim Keogh Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

I wonder how Joss Whedon is feeling these days?

The release of “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” is being hailed not only as Snyder’s triumph but as a rebuke of Whedon’s failure. Every review of “ZSJL” references Whedon’s botched directorial/writing rework on 2017’s “Justice League” after Snyder left the fi lm following the suicide of his daughter. Thanks to the Whedon version’s forced humor, lost plot, and odd choices — like the extended sequence of a random family besieged by Steppenwolf ’s army of fanged monster moths — the words “Justice League” have found a comfortable resting place beside “abomination” in Google search.

Wait, there’s more. Ray Fisher, who plays the half-man, half-robot Cyborg, recently accused Whedon of “gross, abusive, unprofessional and completely unacceptable behavior” on the set of “Justice League.”

I’m not saying Joss Whedon is the most hated man among DC fanboys, but I’m not not saying it either.

That “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” is superior to Whedon’s was inevitable for a couple of reasons.

One, the bar was lower than Lex Luthor’s morals. Two, and this helps, Warner Bros. gave Snyder $70 million to fulfi ll his original vision.

He made good — his four-hour epic delivers everything Snyder promised it would. The formerly nonsensical now makes sense. The humor is deployed strategically. Cyborg has been made into an actual character with a textured and moving backstory. Ezra Miller’s Flash isn’t annoying now, and gets his shot at true superheroism.

Ben Affl eck seems more comfortable taking a back seat as Batman while calling the shots as Bruce Wayne. The villains are badder.

Superman? As always, he’s the straw that stirs the drink — even when he’s dead, which he is for most of the fi lm. I’ve never been a Super-

The cover of “Almost Together Again,” the new album from Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys. PROMOTIONAL IMAGE

From left, Cyborg (Ray Fisher), the Flash (Ezra Miller), Batman (Ben Affleck), Superman (Henry Cavill), Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) and Aquaman (Jason Momoa) appear in “Zack Snyder’s Justice League.” HBO MAX

man fan; too much energy is expended trying to come up with creative ways to harm a guy who’s supposed to be invulnerable. But the Justice League going to war without him is like being quarterbacked by Cam Newton instead of Tom Brady. You’ve got to have the GOAT on your side if you want to save the world.

The movie is far from perfect. Listening to Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman deliver acres of exposition is like suffering through your worst college history professor reading aloud about the rise and fall of the Byzantine Empire directly from his PowerPoint slides. Snyder also is so intent on giving everyone their due — Hey, when did Zeus get here?! — he at times seems to be checking boxes rather than shaping a cohesive mythology.

And while I understand unequivocally that a comic-book fantasy means the immutable laws of physics are merely suggestions, I’ll never under-

stand how Aquaman can seemingly fl y like a bird when his skill is swimming like a fi sh.

Still, I enjoyed the spectacle, and I’m equally enjoying the post-debut post-mortems from viewers. One in particular struck me. A reviewer on IMDB said “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” not only erases the memory of Joss Whedon’s movie, but, in his mind, has caused it to cease existing.

Some diehards have awoken from an exorcism to discover the invading demon has fl ed the room.

So yeah, Whedon probably is feeling a little crappy that his name is being employed as a punchline this week. But I have to think there’s also a sense of relief: The long wait to witness Snyder’s corrective is fi nally over, and the hits to the chin will lessen until they grind to a halt. Eventually, even the guy who gave us the fi rst “Justice League” gets to stop being a supervillain.

Sickert & Broken Toys cast spell with ‘Almost Together Again’ album Victor D. Infante Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

Before we can talk about “Almost Together Again,” the newest album from Walter Sickert & the Army of Broken Toys, we have to talk about Sickert’s solo cover of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” which was released shortly before the album. Sickert’s “Jolene” is at once both a wholly personalized adaptation, and yet also diligently faithful to the original in lyric, tone and feel. There’s no irony, no cheeky nod to the audience. It’s searing in a way which Sickert is masterful, and lovingly, endearingly rendered. The cover is, at its core, a love letter to the song, one which is extremely conscious of both its musical and emotional structure. Sickert sings, “You could have your choice of men/But I could never love again/He’s the only one for me/ Jolene,” and it burns with heartache, beSee TOYS, Page 17D

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | MARCH 25 - 26, 2021 | 17

Toys

GET YOUR SMILE BACK! DON’T SUFFER FROM BROKEN-DOWN OR MISSING TEETH!

Continued from Page 16D

cause that’s what the song is meant to do, and Sickert is very good at conveying emotion.

“Almost Together Again,” on the other hand, is a free-form exercise in stream of consciousness, one where the structure comes not intrinsically from the music, but rather from the emotional content that Sickert and company are trying to convey at a given moment. The title is optimistic – it conveys the sense of hopefulness that comes as the pandemic winds down, and the world is on the verge of returning. But after a few listens to the album, it’s the word “Almost” that stands out. Ultimately, this is a portrait of falling just short of connection, and the dissonance and emptiness that comes with that.

The album begins on a brooding, ominous note with “So Much,” which fi nds Sickert digging into a sort of lyrical glossolalia, at times feeling more like prophecy than music: “The Ceremony/has begun/to fl oat/us above/the world/We see the stars/ the loss/We found these dreams/tempest tossed.” The pieces of the melody seem to appear and vanish into and out of the ether, giving this song – and indeed, this album – the appearance of a spell.

The Army of Broken Toys is a large band – comprising Sickert on vocals, guitar, piano and samples; Mary Widow on vocals; Rachel Jayson on viola; Matt Zappa on percussion, Mike Leggio on bass; jojo Lazar on ukulele and fl ute; Brother Bones on guitar; and Edrie on melodica and Broken Toys. It is diffi cult sometimes to isolate individual parts in that dense of a soundscape, so when something clear cuts across the psychedelic fog for a moment, such as Jayson’s viola or Zappa’s drums, it’s arresting, a sudden fl urry of birds emerging from the haze. When Sicket intones a line such as, in “Come in Lights,” “Let us love/love tonight/Let us all be alright,” it feels haunted. The words echo across the soundscape, until they, too, disappear, Things take a more sinister tone with “Positive Demons,” where Sickert intones, “Have you ever had a friend like me/That can take you to the end of your dreams,” and it’s diffi cult to not be disquieted, a feeling which bleeds into the subsequent song, “Asleep.” Everything takes on a dreamlike quality: “Walk away,” sings Sickert, “From your calling shadow/Your star eyes/your sharp teeth lies/What will we have?/When you’re all gone/Let yourself in/you’re perfect the way you are.”

There’s something sinister in Sickert’s voice when they sing that, a sort of terrifying lullaby.

That feeling turns a bit with the dark fairy tale, “Run Program Story Dream,” with Lazar’s fl ute fl oating ghostly across the top of the music. It’s here, that the protagonist of Sickert’s narrative turns to face her demons, telling them, “You have no power over me.” The assertion of autonomy is at the key to the album. Repeatedly, events are described as a sort of out-of-body experience, but in the subsequent song, “Back to Yourself,” the listener begins the end stage of that journey. But it’s not all clear sailing.

The album ends on a blues-tinged note with “Love and Light,” which asserts a price for the journey’s end. “The Devil he said I was due,” sings Sickert, “And I protested it’s much too soon/Well when the Devil he comes for you/Ain’t much that you can do.”

It’s a dark note to end on, but it feels honest. It feels like we always knew there would be a price for emerging from the dark.

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18 | MARCH 25 - 26, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

TABLE HOPPIN’

Gong Cha brings bubble tea to Theater District

LifeDesign Workshop Series

Barbara M. Houle

Social Security Workshop The Keys to Unlocking Social Security and Making Your Benefits Work for You Join us for a webinar via Cisco Webex.

Tuesday, March 30 5pm - 6pm

Doorprize: $100 American Express Gift Card Doorprize offered by Fidelity Bank. Drawing will be held at end of presentation. Must be present to win. No account opening, purchase, or investment is necessary.

Kurt Czarnowski, social security expert, will provide a wealth of information to help you plan your retirement and maximize your Social Security benefits.

Co-hosted by Eric Brose, Infinex Financial Advisor.

You will learn: • • • •

When you can start to collect.

How your benefit is calculated.

The impact of working in retirement.

Several strategies to maximize Social Security benefits.

Kurt Czarnowski

Eric Brose

Principal Czarnowski Consulting

Financial Advisor, Infinex Investments, Vice President, Fidelity Bank

Scan the code to register!

Or visit www.FidelityBankOnline.com/SocSec For questions, contact Lindsey English, 978-870-1479 or lenglish@infinexgroup.com.

located at

Investment and insurance products and services are offered through INFINEX INVESTMENTS, INC. Member FINRA/SIPC. Infinex and the bank are not affiliated. Products and services made available through Infinex are not insured by the FDIC or any other agency of the United States and are not deposits or obligations of nor guaranteed or insured by any bank or bank affiliate. These products are subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of value. *We do not provide tax advice. Investors should consult their tax professional for their particular situation.

Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

The idea of a “new normal” didn’t curb the enthusiasm of entrepreneurial spirit for Jason and Hannah Vuong, Gong Cha franchise owners who last year opened a bubble tea shop at 24 Southbridge St., Worcester.

First-time business owners, the couple signed a lease in 2019 and faced a delay in opening when the pandemic put the brakes on renovations at their location, once Pickwick’s restaurant. It was a diffi cult decision to hold off plans, said the Vuongs, but they eagerly anticipated the grand opening which was held Sept. 4. The couple paid attention to the ambiance of the shop, creating a pleasant and welcoming atmosphere.

Bubble tea (or boba) is a drink that has been around for a while, originating in Taiwan.

The tea is made with either oolong, green, or black tea and can have many variations from milk tea to fruit juice tea. A wide range of ingredients and fl avors can be added to it. The beverage includes signature “bubbles” or tapioca balls.

Gong Cha’s list of Top 10 drinks include Milk Foam Green Tea, Pearl Milk Tea, Earl Grey Milk Tea with 3 J’s, Passion Fruit Green Tea, Milk Foam Dirty Brown Sugar Milk Tea, Strawberry Milk Tea, Taro, Match Tea Latte, Lemon Ai-Yu with White Pearl, Passionfruit Yogurt Slush. You’ll fi nd so much more on the local shop’s menu, including the Original Bubble Waffl e and Bubble Waffl e with Pearl. Waffl es are made fresh to order. FYI: Gong Cha’s milk teas are made with plant creamer, all nondairy with the exception of the fresh milk series.

Don’t worry if you’re new to bubble tea, employees at Gong Cha are very helpful, according to the Vuongs, who post daily specials and promotions on Instagram and Facebook. Social media plays an important role in the business, they said.

The shop, currently open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, off ers takeout and delivery, with plans to include indoor seating sometime in May. “We have tables and chairs set aside and will set them up as soon as we consider it safe,” said the owners, who also will add a few outside seats. For now, customers order inside the shop or online. Call (508) 373-2100; visit www.gongchausa.com. Note: There is parking in the alley next to the shop, or park off street.

Jason Vuong left a career in banking, his wife, healthcare, to open what the Gong Cha franchise reports as the newest of its Massachusetts stores. It’s also regarded as one of the largest, according to the Vuongs, who proudly showcase it.

Not only do the Vuongs love the Gong Cha brand, but also the business location next to The Hanover Theatre and across from the Francis R. Carroll Plaza near the Federal Courthouse.

The city’s plan to expand Carroll Plaza to make it pedestrianonly, extending the plaza to the front door of the theater as well See TEA, Page 19D

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | MARCH 25 - 26, 2021 | 19

NEW ON DVD

‘Promising Young Woman’ is an unapologetic kick in the teeth of misogyny Victor D. Infante Worcester Magazine | USA TODAY NETWORK

Jason and Hannah Vuong, owners of Gong Cha which is beside the Hanover Theatre on March 17.

CHRISTINE PETERSON/TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

Tea Continued from Page 18D

as the addition of outdoor tables and seats was the draw to the the location, said the Vuongs, adding that they are thankful for help from the Worcester Economic Development agency in their search for a location. “We very much want to be a part of the city’s emerging growth,” said the couple.

Jason Vuong grew up in Worcester, Hannah Vuong in Leominster. The couple, married eight years, have two children. Vuong credits his wife with having the dream of owning a business and helping to realize it for both of them.

It’s National Bubble Tea Day on April 30, but don’t wait until then to visit the local Gong Cha to enjoy one of its beverages. Note: A bubble tea emoji is on the list of Unicode emoji characters, credit to bubble tea’s continued popularity.

Bocado to host Spanish wine dinner Bocado Tapas Wine Bar, 82 Winter St., Worcester, will host a wine dinner from 7 to 10 p.m. March 30, featuring fi ve courses paired with Spanish wines.

Cost is $100 per person, including tax and gratuity.

Visit www.nichehospitality.com for more info.

Tickets must be purchased in tables of two, three or four, due to limited space and safely seating guests with only the people in their party, according to Niche Hospitality Group. It will be Bocado’s fi rst wine dinner in more than a year.

On the menu for the Greeting: assorted cheeses and charcuterie; main courses: Grilled Asparagus, served with chilled smoked shrimp; Seared Ahi; Lamb

Croquette; Roasted Sirloin; Strawberry Flan.

Patio season kicks off at 110 Grill 110 Grill locations will host “patio season kickoff parties” on April 1, with a rain date of April 8.

Live music on the patio and food and drinks are on tap to celebrate the season. Seating is fi rst come, fi rst served. Featured cocktails from Ghost Tequila will be Pomegranate Margarita and Watermelon Margarita.

Use your loyalty account and receive a $10 bonus reward for a future visit.

Locally, there are 110 Grill locations at 123 Front St., Worcester; The Shoppes at Blackstone Valley in Millbury; 207 Mill St., Leominster; The Shops at Highland Commons in Berlin; 1 Lumber St., Hopkinton; 115 Apex Drive, Marlboro.

While We Were Out Ever wonder what chefs did when restaurants were temporarily closed?

The chefs I interviewed during the pandemic weren’t exactly cooking up a storm. “Projects around the house” was the answer I heard most often.

Bill Brady, owner/executive chef of Brady’s in Leominster, in addition to “lots of projects in the restaurant and around the house,” hit the outdoors with his wife, Kim, and collected a couple hundred gallons of sap from their maple trees, turning it into maple syrup. In season, the couple also have a large garden and Brady is a bee keeper. Who knew?

Whether you choose indoor or outdoor dining, takeout, delivery or catering, show support for local chefs and restaurateurs.

We look ahead to a season of great food!

If you have a tidbit for the column, call (508) 8685282. Send email to bhoulefood@gmail.com.

“Promising Young Woman”: Carey Mulligan gives a memorable performance in this daring raperevenge fantasy, the directorial debut from Emerald Fennell, an English actress and showrunner on “Killing Eve’s” second season.

Mulligan is Cassie, a medical school dropout turned coff ee shop clerk who spends her nights in bars looking for men to take her home. In smeared makeup and too-tall heels, with a convincing head loll, she seems drunk and helpless, going along with their coercions before dropping the act and enacting her revenge, Tribune News Service critic Katie Walsh wrote in her review.

“Fennell’s fi lm isn’t all that gory, but it has the attitude and tone of a horror movie, rendered in cupcake colors. Cassie utilizes her ultra-feminine presentation of long blonde locks, fl orals and garish makeup as armor, a disguise, and as a weapon in her war,” she wrote. “It’s a refl ection of the fi lm’s internal logic that nothing is what it seems, the script is built on constant reveals that walk the viewer down one path before ripping the rug out.”

See WOMAN, Page 20D

Carey Mulligan stars in “Promising Young Woman.”

FILMNATION ENTERTAINMENT

20 | MARCH 25 - 26, 2021 | WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

WARL ADOPTION OPTION

Meet Maggie Welcome to Adoption Option, a partnership with the Worcester Animal Rescue League highlighting their adoptable pets. Check this space often to meet all of the great pets at WARL in need of homes. WARL is open seven days a week, noon-4 p.m., 139 Holden St. Check them out online at Worcesterarl.org, or call at (508) 853-0030.

Maggie was surrendered to the shelter after her owners had a change in their personal life and weren’t able to provide Maggie with a stable home any longer.

Shelter life has been hard on Maggie and the fact that she does not like other animals makes it more stressful here for her. Maggie is a young, smart and energetic dog looking for an active owner who wants to have fun.

Maggie knows her basic commands like; sit, paw, down and can come when called, when there are little to no distractions around. She is a strong girl who weighs about 55 pounds and wears a harness when she walks to help with pulling. Maggie and her new owner would benefi t from enrolling into training classes to help get a handle on her leash manners and reactivity when other dogs are around. She likes to play rough with her toys and if she has a high value treat or bone, she will guard it. For this reason, she would do best in an adult only home. Maggie loves stuff ed animals and will even bring them back to you to play fetch! This cutie has a lot to off er and is looking for the right fi t to come along. If you would like more information about Maggie or you would like to set up an appointment to meet her, please contact the shelter today. Maggie is a part of WARL’s Foster to Adopt Program.

WARL COVID-19 Procedures As of Nov. 9, 2020 As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, we

Woman Continued from Page 19D

Also new on DVD March 16 “Brothers by Blood”: Set in the City of Brotherly Love, this crime drama depicts the violent world of Philadelphia organized crime. Stars Matthias Schoenaerts, Joel Kinnaman and Maika Monroe.

“Des”: David Tennant portrays Scottish serial killer Dennis Nilsen, arrested in 1983, in this three-part TV miniseries.

“Don’t Tell a Soul”: Fionn Whitehead and Jack Dylan Grazer are teen brothers who steal money to help their ill mother, played by Mena Suvari, while engaging

want to share with you some changes we have implemented so that we can continue to serve the pets and people of our community while keeping our team protected.

h ADOPTIONS: At this time, adoptions are being held BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. If you are interested in adoption, please visit our website worcesterarl.org/ adopt/ to learn more about our available animals then call us at (508) 853-0030 ext.0 or email us at info@worcesterarl. org to schedule an appointment. h CASUAL VISITS TO THE SHELTER are prohibited. We will strictly enforce this in order to keep our animal care team protected while still maintaining the most essential function of our operation ... fi nding homes for animals in need. h ANIMAL SURRENDERS: Our business practice for surrendering a pet remains the same. All pet owners must contact WARL in advance of surrendering a pet. Please call (508) 853-0030. h SPAY/NEUTER CLINICS: All scheduled appointments will be honored. If you have a scheduled appointment, we will be contacting you to discuss changes to our drop off /pick up procedures. h DONATIONS ACCEPTED except for open bags of food. h Pet food, cat litter, and other shelter supplies will be essential in continuing to provide for our animals and to assist community members in need. To avoid unnecessary travel and exposure, items can be purchased online from our Amazon Wishlist — https://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/3AX342JIL73M0. h Weekly training classes are going on for adopters. h The WARL Volunteer Program is temporarily suspended. All regular volunteer shifts are on hold. We look forward to welcoming you back as soon as we can.

We have many animals in our care who depend on us to stay healthy and well. The above measures help to protect our staff and community from the spread of COVID - 19 by minimizing face-to-face interactions while continuing to operate only core essential services. Please continue to follow our Facebook page for additional updates. Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact the shelter at (508) 853-0030 or info@ worcesterarl.org.

with Rainn Wilson’s security guard character.

“Money Plane”: This heist thriller fi nds a debt-ridden thief needing to do one fi nal job, complete with a team of the world’s most dangerous criminals. Stars Adam Copeland, Kelsey Grammer, Thomas Jane.

“PG: Psycho Goreman”: Nita-Josee Hanna and Owen Myre are siblings who fi nd a gem that lets them control an ancient monster, attracting all sorts of unwanted attention to their small town.

“Sheep and Wolves: Pig Deal”: The sheep and wolves enjoy a peaceful existence in this Russian-language animated fi lm, that is until two unexpected guests come along.

“Songbird”: Inspired by the health crisis of the last year, this fi lm set in 2024 follows a handful of characters amid a global pandemic. Stars K.J. Apa, Sofi a Carson and Craig Robinson.

Cassie (Carey Mulligan) is a woman on a quest of vengeance in the darkly comic thriller “Promising Young Woman.” FOCUS FEATURES

Maggie is a part of WARL’s Foster to Adopt Program.

PHOTO COURTESY SARA MCCLURE

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Send Send resumes resumes toto Intuitive IntuitiveSurgical Surgical Operations, Operations, Inc., Inc., Attn: Attn: Hien HienNguyen, Nguyen,1020 1020 the writtenThisaccepted alternates.

See Contract - Article 3 ofTutorials the In-andand Thisisday is a NOT a hearing date, day NOT hearing date, but but atDocuments www.biddocsonline.com instructions on on how to complete at www.biddocsonline.com Tutorials instructions how to complete Kifer Kifer Rd,Rd, Sunnyvale, Sunnyvale, CACA 94086.

94086. ur attorneya deadline structions Bidders. a deadline by which you have datetodate by which you have Must Must refref title title && code. code. the electronic bid documents are are available on the biddocsonline site. (click the electronic bid documents available on the biddocsonline site. (click davit statingto file PRE-BID CONFERERENCE/SITE tothe filewritten the written appearance appearance if VISIT: youif you on the tab at footer). on"Tutorial" the "Tutorial" tabthe at bottom the bottom footer). grounds ofobject The jobthe site and/or existing building(s) be available for inspection at withwith object topetition. the petition. you fail General to will to If youIf fail to bidders mustmust agree to contract minority andand women business General bidders agree to contract minority women business 0 days afterfile 10:00 A.M.written on April 7, 2021 Lewis Street, file written the appearance by38the the appearance by at the enterprises as Worcester. certified by the Supplier Diversity Office (SDO), formerly enterprises as certified by the Supplier Diversity Office (SDO), formerly RTANT NO-return The Contract Documents

by SOMWBA. electronic media at: participation return date, bemay taken inseen date, actionaction may may be taken in beknown as The combined goalgoal reserved for for such en-enknown as SOMWBA. The combined participation reserved such his proceed-thisWorcester Housing Website - of the this matter without further notice toAuthority matter without further notice to terprises shallshall not be less thanthan 10.4% finalfinal contract price including terprises not be less 10.4% of the contract price including pletely takeyou. http://www.worcesterha.org/currentbids.html you.

In addition to filing the written In addition to filing the written accepted alternates.

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Contract Documents - Article 3 of ed person’sappearance Project Dog - www.projectdog.com; appearance you or your attorney you or your attorney structions to Bidders. structions to Bidders. s about per-must Joseph Coaffidavit www.merrittgraphics.com ; and must file a &written affidavit stating file aMerrit written stating PRE-BID CONFERERENCE/SITE VISIT: PRE-BID CONFERERENCE/SITE VISIT: al affairs ortheCMD the(formerly specific facts and grounds of www.cmdgroup.com/Home specific factsReed andConstruction grounds of Data) The job site and/or existing building(s) will will be be available for for inspection at at The job site and/or existing building(s) available inspection person hasyour objection your objection within 30 days within 30 days afterafter 10:00 A.M.A.M. on April 7, 2021 at 38 Street, Worcester.

10:00 on April 7, 2021 at Lewis 38 Lewis Street, Worcester. yer. Anyonethe return the return IMPORTANT date. date.

IMPORTANT NO- NOThe The Contract Documents maymay be seen by electronic media at:at: Contract Documents be seen by electronic media on behalf ofTICE TICE The outcome of proceedthis proceedThe outcome of this Worcester Housing Authority Website - Worcester Housing Authority Website son. If theing may ing may or completely limit limit or completely take take http://www.worcesterha.org/currentbids.html http://www.worcesterha.org/currentbids.html annot affordaway away the above-named person’s the above-named person’s Project Dog Dog - www.projectdog.com; Project - www.projectdog.com; appointed atright right to make decisions to make decisions aboutabout per- per; and Joseph Merrit & Co&www.merrittgraphics.com Joseph Merrit Co www.merrittgraphics.com ; and NESS, Hon.sonal sonal or financial affairs or CMD affairsaffairs or financial affairs or CMD (formerly ReedReed Construction Data) www.cmdgroup.com/Home (formerly Construction Data) www.cmdgroup.com/Home stice of thisboth. both.

The above-named person The above-named person has has 2021 the to right aska for a lawyer.

Anyone the right asktofor lawyer.

Anyone Register ofmay make may make this request on behalf this request on behalf of of 25/2020 WMthe above-named the above-named person.

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If the above-named person cannot afford above-named person cannot afford a lawyer, one may be appointed a lawyer, one may be appointed at at expense.

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J O N E S I N’

Enjoy Fun By The Numbers puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku. This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test! Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

R U O Y E C A PL AD HERE! Call

66

-34 4 5 2 8 8 8 cla

or email a.com i d e m e s u o ateh ssifieds@g

Across 1 46 was his veep 6 Gridlock problem 9 Abacus counters 14 “Go ___!”

15 “Dangerous Liaisons” name 16 “Don’t do that!”

17 T, A, or Fiesta, e.g.

19 Drops in the mailbox 20 Hydroxyl-bearing compound 21 Fort ___, N.J. 22 As a maximum 23 Go back in a stream, maybe 25 Nonprofit that now focuses on ages 50 and older 26 Certain caretaker of children 32 City regulator 35 Like some fails 36 “No Ordinary Love” singer 37 “My hands ___ tied” 38 Season with heavy rainfall 41 Address ender 42 Do no better 44 Asian country with no coastline 45 “Now I get it!”

47 Film that’s probably subtitled 50 “___ said ...”

51 Menlo Park name 55 Twelfth zodiacal sign 58 Pre-weekend day, for short 60 Smoke detector?

61 “The Oracle of ___” (Warren Buffett nickname) 62 Trait of trashy talking, perhaps 64 Madagascar mammal 65 “___ making sense?”

66 Super-___ 67 Expert 68 “___ voyage!”

69 “All I Want for Christmas ___”

Down 1 Bid 2 Kentucky frontiersman Daniel 3 Elevator button symbol 4 Time for a crisis 5 Convenience store device 6 Dame ___ Dench

“Miss Statement”--don’t worry, it’s all here.

by Matt Jones

7 “Don’t leave home without it” card, briefly 8 “Honi soit qui ___ y pense” 9 Casual eatery 10 Gives immunity to 11 Part of A.D. 12 Root beer brand 13 Pt. of GPS 18 Betting probabilities 22 Transmission repair company with a “beep beep” in its ads 24 “Cheers” regular 25 Short melodic solo 27 Rent payer 28 Salts source 29 Like some IPAs 30 Actress Falco 31 Sales agents 32 ___ Dingbats (picture-based font) 33 Double Stuf cookie 34 Handy 39 Gymnast Korbut and comedian Koch, for two 40 Old Domino’s mascot to “avoid” 43 Condiment in a packet 46 Really abominable 48 Words directly before “Radio” or “Media” 49 Bridal cover 52 Comedian Sales

53 “Bony” prefix 54 Beatles’ jacket style 55 Actress Negri of silent movies 56 Chatted online 57 Equivalent 58 Exclusionary anxiety acronym, and a hint to the four theme answers 59 Archaeological dig site 62 “Groovy” 63 1,501, to Nero

Last week's solution

©2021 Matt Jones (jonesincrosswords@gmail.com) Reference puzzle #1033

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM | MARCH 25 - 26, 2021 | 23

LAST CALL

Allison Hale, Founder of Ladies Night Out Worcester Sarah Connell Sanders Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

Allison Hale is the local marketer who took it upon herself to organize Ladies Night Out Worcester in order to promote women-owned businesses across the city.

Her events have proved hugely popular, drawing hundreds of attendees to The Sprinkler Factory Gallery on Harlow Street.

How did you fi nd your way to Worcester?

I’ve been living in Worcester for about 18 years. My husband, Bob, is from Rutland Massachusetts, and I’m originally from Medway, Massachusetts. When we were looking for a home, we decided Worcester was a great halfway point between where he was from and where I was from. We settled down and we’ve been raising our son here who’s 15.

What’s your day job?

I’m the Operations Manager of a medical spa in Worcester. I’d been running law fi rms for over 20 years.

I used to run a law fi rm on Main Street. I worked in Boston before that and I kind of just got to a point in my mid-forties when I said, “I don’t think I want to do this for the rest of my life.” I started branching out into marketing. That’s how Ladies Night Out came about. I began working with women and small business owners.

In the process, a woman I knew was looking for someone to do some marketing. She was like, “Do you know anyone interested?” And I said, “Yeah, me.” I started working for her two or three days a week. Very parttime. Now, I’m the full-time manager.

Can you tell us more about the origins of Ladies Night Out? I started Ladies Night Out in 2018. I have a ton of friends who are women running small businesses and it’s very hard sometimes to put yourself out there. Getting attention through traditional marketing is extremely expensive. Darcy Schwartz from ArtsWorcester and I ran the PTO for Abby Kelley Foster Charter School for years. She introduced me to Luis Fraire who runs the Sprinkler Factory. When I saw his space, I was like, “Oh my God, this place is amazing. It’s huge.

There’s tons of room. I could do so much here.” He was actually looking to get more people through the door who hadn’t heard of the Sprinkler Factory yet. I told him I wanted to organize a ladies night with entertainment so people would be able to see the artwork. He agreed. I honestly didn’t have huge expectations. The fi rst event there sold out; we had over 400 people attend and I had over 60 women-owned businesses represented. That was in March of 2018. We did another one the same year, um, in the fall because people were asking for it to come back. We’ve done three events total and we did a women’s comedy night at the Sprinkler Factory as well.

Did I hear you also hosted an event for teen girls?

Yes, Darcy and I have done three events now called Teen Girls Night Out Worcester. We try to bring in local

Allison Hale, is the founder of Ladies Night Out Worcester. DYLAN AZARI

businesswomen who can act as mentors towards teen girls to show them what’s available in the city and expose them to career avenues that may not be traditional or something they would otherwise consider. You know, it gets them out of the house in a safe environment. It’s free; we don’t charge. Interestingly enough, we just received a grant to do another one in May. How has the pandemic impacted Ladies Night Out? In 2020, we weren’t able to hold an event. I’m watching gathering numbers closely to see if we can do something in an outdoor space if it’s safe. I’m thinking it will probably be late summer, early fall. If not, we will try to do something in the spring of 2022.

Where can people fi nd you?

We operate completely through social media. We’re on Facebook and Instagram. People can reach out to us there. It’s so funny, we’ve kind of just grown because

the women who have participated in the past send my personal information to people. I fi nd it so interesting how many people have reached out to me. For the fi rst event, I really went looking for participants and once it happened, I had a waiting list of people who wanted to participate, which was phenomenal. I would love to be able to accommodate everyone, but space is the biggest consideration right now, as well as COVID. What’s your best marketing advice for a small business?

Believe in yourself. Believe in your product or service and don’t give up. I mean, it’s a lot of hard work, but you will get there if you believe in yourself. Many of the women I work with are pursuing a second career.

Something was a hobby, but now it’s become a fullfl edged business. Don’t be afraid to take the leap. If you believe in it and produce a good product, you shouldn’t let fear hold you back.

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