APRIL 30 - MAY 6, 2020 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
CULTURE • ARTS • DINING • VOICES
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The mission continues Mustard Seed works to feed the hungry amid pandemic
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A P R I L 30 - M AY 6, 2020
IN THIS ISSUE
A P R I L 30- M AY 6, 2020 • V O L U M E 45 I S S U E 36 Find us on Facebook.com/worcestermag Twitter @worcestermag Instagram: Worcestermag
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City Voices...................................................................................4 Featured ......................................................................................6 Artist Spotlight .......................................................................13 Lifestyle......................................................................................14 Table Hoppin’ ..........................................................................15 Film .............................................................................................18 New on DVD .............................................................................18 The Next Draft..........................................................................19 Adoption Option ....................................................................20 Games .........................................................................................21 Classifieds .................................................................................22 Last Call .....................................................................................23
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the cover Michael Benedetti helps pack meals for those in need at the Mustard Seed Story on page 6 Photo by Ashley Green; Design by Kimberly Vasseur
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CITY VOICES
LETTER
FIRST PERSON
Not feeling Harvey’s ‘Moody Blues’
JOSEPH GUSTAFSON
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s there anyone else out there as sick as I am of Janice Harvey? The ever-hating-Trumper would vote for a post if it were a Democrat. As far as Cuomo being inspiring, please. What a blowhard, and his sorry state of NY would be in the toilet if it weren’t for Trump bailing him out with medical supplies and hospitals, things he was
POETRY TOWN
Ask me what I think When I think about school The little memories Of how it was ours
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In sixth grade, I remember The eighth graders were so tall We would slip by them Afraid to be seen
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OWURA SARKODIEH
tions that we don’t have answers for. Are we ever going to be the very eye weeps for a country same again? Never! Will it resurwoefully lacking, due to his utter face? Societal life will change! 9/11 going through this uninunpreparedness. changed the world; but this evil vited war. Every heart is Her next piece, I’m sure, will be virus will change everything about troubled by this unknown trying to convince you what a sterus. Who knows, whether for good beast whose name I don’t want to ling candidate Joe Biden is, a guy mention. Every soul bleeds for the or bad? This lockdown is a testy who would have trouble finding period. It is going to test a lot of numerous families going through his way home. relationships. Happy marriages will shock and awe as their beloved And, Janice, Moody Blues is a be tested. Bad relationships can ones are snatched from them. band! have the chance to patch things We all want America to be first in everything, but not this. New York up. Strong family foundations will Joseph Gustafson lives in Leicescaught a serious cold and Worces- be tested. Good parenting will be ter tested. Most employers will think ter, a stone’s throw away, caught twice about renting massive office some symptoms. spaces. The normal business model Like unprotected chicklets, we are being swept up along a wave of will change. The essence of religion will be tested too. Can we be unpreparedness and desperation. When are we getting the vaccines? religious without going to places of worship … some will begin to Who can explain what is happening to us? Our kids are asking ques- ask? Do we really have men of God
‘Memories of School’
ANYA GEIST
A moment of hope
And in band we laughed and grew The cacophony of our instruments Smoothing over the years Until it was polished and fine I remember the little stairway to the first floor Its door would creak and slam And without heating in the winter The cold swirled around its frosty steps We would keep the windows open All year long, and poke our heads out Laughing, enjoying fresh air Until someone yelled it was too cold And the way the bricks felt On the outside of school Sticking your hand out the window To touch the sun-warmed stone All the small laughs, the jokes in class Leaving our memories In a building we’ve outgrown Will make it forever ours Anya Geist is an eighth-grader at Goddard Scholars Academy inside Sullivan Middle School. Her poem is “inspired not only by the fact that I am coming close to the end of my time there, but that I have not been inside school for several weeks, and I am not sure when I will be going back.”
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who can pray to stop anything? Where are the so-called prophets who foresaw this year’s election outcomes? Everyone is left asking and we will continue asking until someone gives us an answer. For once, it has showed us how interconnected we are as a human society. It has also showed us how fragile we are in the hands of an absolute being who can turn things around in a nanosecond. Who knows what’s left to happen in this year. Hmm, the year 2020! You have done enough! This is not a virus! It is a revealing moment for all!! This too shall pass!!! Owura Sarkodieh was a candidate for mayor and councilor at-large in Worcester.
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CITY VOICES
WORCESTERIA
Fire at Raven, shuffle at Kelley Square BILL SHANER
NO GOING BACK: This is it folks, this is our last week with the Kelley
THE HOMELESS PROBLEM: The city’s Health and Human Services
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Department released a very illuminating report on homelessness recently. The most interesting part, to my mind, was a survey the city took of all the homeless people they helped connect to services. The survey includes data on why or how the person became homeless. Of the people surveyed, 38 percent said evictions were the primary cause and 10 percent said rent increases. That’s half of the homeless population blaming the cost of living in Worcester for their homelessness, and the cost of living is only going up. The case for more affordable housing presents itself clear as day.
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THE RAVEN: The Raven went up in flames over the weekend. The back half of the building and a bus parked behind it are completely charred and I can only imagine what the inside looks like. In terms of Worcester’s music and bar scene, the Raven is sort of a secret weapon. You’re not likely to hear it talked about when people are hyping the so-called renaissance (and the fact this story didn’t get picked up by any of the police and fire reporters in Worcester is a testament to that) but it’s been host to a lot of really great shows over the years, and I’m hoping the ownership can come back from it. There is one silver lining here though. Given the shutdown, the Raven was empty when the fire started. But it was a Friday night. There could have been a lot of people there in an alternate timeline and it would not have been pretty. So thanks for that one, ‘Rona.
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Square traffic pattern the way it has been, and generally worked, for decades. On May 6, the state will be making the shift to the Peanut, albeit with mostly traffic cones for now. The most noticeable change at first will be the direction reversal of Harding Street and Millbury Street, which is going to be a nightmare, and the new peanut will slowly take shape over the next STEVE LANAVA couple months. I’m on record as being a fervent Kelley Square Truther. I think this redesign is a bad idea. I think that the data behind the claim that Kelley Square is the most dangerous intersection in the state are disingenuous at best. They count the actually nightmarish I-290 on and off ramps as part of the square, and it accounts for some 40 percent of all the accidents. Also, there have been very few fatal accidents. Most are of the fender bender variety because no one can drive fast enough to do real damage. That’s sort of the brilliance of Kelley Square. It handles a ton of traffic relatively efficiently because cars are constantly moving in a chaotic dance. Like any dance, you can eventually learn it, and people who’ve been driving around here a long time can do it just fine. It proves that anarchy works. It is also hilarious and cool that Worcester is known for an intersection which is so intimidating to the outside world that people won’t use it. That rocks. Like Kelley Square, Worcester is intimidating until you get used to it and then you realize it’s actually really cool. It’s a landmark that genuinely defined the culture of our city and we’re replacing it with something that’s probably going to make traffic worse. When I think about Kelley Square, I get depressed. R.I.P. to a real one.
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Rising to the challenge Aid, changes help Mustard Seed feed the hungry BILL SHANER
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he Mustard Seed is getting by with a little help from its friends. The Piedmont Street soup kitchen has adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic by shifting all operations outside. The process has been made drastically more comfortable by several key donations. The Creedon family donated a large event tent, which allows people eating at
The Dismas House donated a large industrial outdoor sink, which affords patrons a crucial access point to hand washing which they may not otherwise have. Countless restaurants and catering operations have donated food products they can’t use. The soup kitchen, always a target for donations, has seen a lot come in as the community grapples with the pandemic.
Above, Jennie Bastien serves meals to those in need April 24 at the Mustard Seed. Below, Nicole Apostola helps pack meals. PHOTOS/ASHLEY GREEN
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The Mustard Seed has closed the dining room to the public, instead handing out brown bag dinners which patrons can either take with them or eat at picnic tables outside the building. “The vast majority of people are doing it as takeout, but we let people sit at the picnic tables to eat, assuming they maintain proper social distancing,” said Benedetti. “They’re eating outside and we’re keeping those
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the soup kitchen shelter from any inclement weather, which we’ve had quite a bit of lately. “That was a terrific thing to do,” said Mike Benedetti, soup kitchen volunteer and organizer. “The tent has helped because if it’s a really rainy day, you can’t sit outside. For people who really don’t have a good place to be, they’re not getting to go indoors anywhere. Shelter is rare for them, so at least for a good part of the day they can be out of the rain.”
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tables disinfected pretty seriously.” Perhaps counter-intuitively, the pandemic has decreased demand at the Mustard Seed. On a normal day, the pool of people waiting for a meal has decreased by half, said Benedetti. The satellite homeless shelters opened by the city have given people another option, but there’s something more at play. There is a whole social world surrounding the Mustard Seed that cannot safely continue in a pandemic. “Part of it is that anyone who possibly has an alternative to coming down to the Mustard Seed I think is doing the smart thing and staying home. People are staying home as much as possible,” said Benedetti.
“And for some people who come to the Mustard Seed to socialize, and people for whom loneliness is a more acute problem than hunger, they’re not coming down to the Mustard Seed to deal with their loneliness.” People who come to the soup kitchen to play cards and catch up with their friends are no longer coming. “The first day that we started serving outdoors, there were people who said, ‘Wait a minute, we’re not going to play cards? We’re not going to sit outside and play cards?’” said Benedetti. “Wait, you’re only going to be open for a small amount of time? Wait, there’s no coffee? OK we’re going to go.’ Not in a resentful way. They just said, ‘OK, nothing that I want are you providing.’”
Ray Cane, left, and Regina Guthro, below, help pack meals.
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PHOTOS/ASHLEY GREEN
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Helping meet aRegional need Environmental Council moves annual plant sale online
Eular Carter of Worcester talks about plants while browsing a table of seedlings in 2011 during the Spring Garden Festival at the Regional Environmental Council’s Castle Street garden in Worcester. In recent years, the REC’s annual plant sale has been held on the Worcester Common Oval, but this year, because of the pandemic, the sale will be held online. BILL SHANER
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or the past 11 years, the annual Spring Garden Festival & Plant Sale has been a marquee event for the Regional Environmental Council. It’s grown into a popular community event on the Worcester Common Oval with live music and family programming. This year, the REC planned to do it bigger than ever, but for obvious reasons, that’s not going to happen. Instead, the REC is taking the whole thing online, allowing people to preorder plants and other supplies on a sliding scale with pickup scheduled for the second week in May. “Our priority is to get as many plants out as we can. If they’re able to support us, that’s great,” Grace Sliwoski, director of programs for REC. “If the low price point makes it more possible for them to get more and grow more food, that’s great too. Home gardening has been one of several hobbies to emerge as a popular time killer for people stuck at
home during the pandemic shutdown. Recognizing this, the REC has expanded options to help people get started. “We’ve seen that there’s a big uptick in interest in people who want to grow their own food. Who want to plant home gardens and community gardens,” said Grace Sliwoski, director of programs for REC. “And there’s been a corresponding backlog for ordering food online and being able to get the resources to be able to do that. We want to help meet that need.” The REC’s online store, at regionalenvironmental-council-plant-sale. myshopify.com, has been live since February, and the REC plans to shut it off May 8. On the store are a variety of seedlings, from peppers to herbs to cabbage to tomatillos. As it was when the event was in person, the intention is to sell people seedlings which they then continue to grow throughout the summer and fall. In past years, online ordering had
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FILE PHOTO/RICK CINCLAIR
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The show must go on
WCLOC at work behind the scenes to reschedule its shows RICHARD DUCKET T
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wrights in the form of live readings. Meanwhile, WCLOC, Worcester’s oldest active theater company dating back to 1937, spent some time at its last board meeting (held virtually) earlier in April to think about ways it can proceed in the future. “We want to keep our name out there,” Mielnicki said. “We don’t want to be stagnant. We want to grow.”
The fact that WCLOC was about to stage “Fun House” — based on Alison Bechdel’s best-selling memoir as the musical introduces us to Alison at three different ages, revealing memories that celebrate the curiosity of childhood, the challenges of coming out, and the complexities of family — is indicative that the community theater company has been forward-
looking and innovative for a long time. Last year it staged the world premiere of award-winning author and Worcester native John Dufresne’s absurdist comedy “Liv & Di.” The 2019-20 season has already seen productions of three of the four scheduled shows — “Between Riverside and Crazy,” “The Drowsy
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f things were normal, the Worcester County Light Opera Company’s production of the groundbreaking Tony Awardwinning musical “Fun House” would be running right now. The show will go on, hopefully late September/early October, said
WCLOC board member and secretary Lisa Mielnicki. Another scheduled theater event, four new one-act plays chosen from submissions by numerous playwrights, is going on as planned June 12 and 13. But rather than being performed at WCLOC’s home at 21 Grandview Ave., Worcester, the plays will be streamed online by the play-
Board members Lisa Mielnicki, Eric Butler and Lenny McGuire of Worcester County Light Opera Company outside the club’s home at 21 Grandview Ave. CHRISTINE PETERSON
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already been an option. Folks could order online and pick up the event. To cope with the COVID shutdown, the REC simply beefed up the online ordering tool and picked a location for pickup. Over the course of the second week in May, people who ordered online can pick up their order from the Youth Grow Farm on Orient Street. The sliding pay scale appears as a dropdown menu on the online ordering website. Rosemary seedlings, for instance, can be bought at either $2, $4 or $6. “People can self-select whatever price point or combination of price points makes sense for their life,” she said. The plants have been growing since February, at REC’s own greenhouse and at the Harvest Farm in Deerfield. The money raised from the sale then goes to supporting community and school gardens throughout the city. In all, the REC donates about
8,000 plants to support the gardens annually. Now, seeing that there’s an increased interest in home growing, the REC is expanding to support those efforts as well. “Really one of the best ways we can do that is to get them plants,” she said. The store has been live since February, and SIiwoski said the community has already contributed generously. Many people have opted to pay the highest premium for the plants, and some of the more popular options, like sage, lady bell peppers, brandywine tomatoes and cilantro are already sold out. Sliwoski recommended folks interested in the plants that are sold out check out other local options for online ordering, like Community Harvest Project, the Greater Worcester Conservation District, Matchstick Market and Tower Hill Gardens. “To date we’ve gotten really great support from the community, people who are opting in to pay at the highest levels to support us,” she said.
artists CITY LIF E
ART IST SPO
Fair warning, ousemedia.com. s l WMeditor@gateh tion digital copie local artist, emaide a small bio and high resolu tion and what will , or know of a If you are an artist your work, you’ll need to provie what will run, based on resolu sh in order to publi We reserve the right to choos art. of some of your newsprint. on reproduce best
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Let us feature your artwork in Worcester Magazine’s Artist spotlight! Email WMeditor@gatehousemedia.com high res samples of your work and a brief bio!
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wanted
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TERMAGA
nging Aimee ghout her upbri a ballerina. Throu New York. Musicians, ac- e Kent,
well as and aristo had all kinds to art schoo s and events as poets, painters e found herself going on of creative try in gallery show tors, dancers, over the coun herself with the same types she is today. Aime now shows all the artist that und nues to surro world. BFA in 2006. She being that receiving her and arts festivals. She conti colors of her surrealistic ous quin, a magical at various music e her to paint the lumin with the idea of the Harle are sexual, playful and inspir quins working own to Harle been ric their people which has and now she it. These esote our world For several years the world that surrounds beyond the boundaries of and ling can change itself us in their thoughts of trave s: following event . sometimes devio sly elastic points of views om/coletteaimee or at the Sept. 13-15 in Greenfield. al: reach tremendou of her work at rawartists.c Aug. 24, Wormtown Festiv Check out more town Spencer: t Party in down Spencer Stree
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of an actor and
ter in to creat small town of ée is the daugh that Colette took her life in the Colette Aim in and out of of the influencesSUNY New Paltz in New York, of art flowing l at crats were many
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Chaperone” and “One Slight Hitch,” a comedy by the comedian Lewis Black. “One Slight Hitch” was staged in February. But a March 21 gala dinner event for WCLOC members was postponed. Also in March, WCLOC had figure out what do do about “Fun House.” “We decided to postpone and see what was happening in June,” Mielnicki said. In April, “Our decision right now is to postpone it until the end of September or beginning of October for our new season. But that’s ambiguous, too, because no one knows what is happening. There is so much uncertainty with what we’re going to do about state restrictions.” Also uncertain is what WCLOC will do about this year’s summer children’s workshop, for which the intent is to have the young participants prepare and put on a production of “Matilda Jr. The Musical” based on the Roald Dahl story. The workshop is supposed to open at the end of June. “Right now that’s on hold until the May board meeting,” Mielnicki said. If the popular summer program
A scene from Worcester County Light Opera Company’s “The Drowsy Chaperone” last year. PHOTO/COURTESY OF CHRISTOPHER O’CONNOR
is canceled it will be the first time that Mielnicki, a long-time WCLOC member, has seen that happen, she said. “The way the atmosphere is right now it doesn’t seem likely that
we’ll be able to do it.” However, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, “Everyone’s safety is our first concern,” Mielnicki said. “We’re just trying to find the best way to
keep the arts out there. A lot of it is wait and see.” WCLOC is very fortunate compared to many other theater groups in that it has its own place and theater space at 21 Grandview Ave, home since 1948. “We have our own building. We’re very diligent about cleanliness,” Milenicki said. At the April board meeting, WCLOC looked at ways to bring more people in once the doors open again for shows both as audience members and/or active volunteers and members. In that regard, WCLOC considered what other comparable theaters across the country were doing. “Outreach to the community. Be more diverse,” were some of the approaches WCLOC liked and has tried to adopt itself, Mielnicki said. “It’s a good opportunity for Worcester County Light Opera Company to get bigger and better,” she said of looking ahead. “Bring different people into the theater. Get people involved working behind the scenes. People coming forth voluntarily — we want to encourage that. For many of us who work full time we don’t have time to get things (exactly) the way we want them to.” WCLOC hopes to get the word out. “We’re not performing but still involved with theater. We’re trying to find ways to make it a bigger community experience doing costumes, running a light board. The focus is to talk, reach out and plan because the physical aspect, the performance
aspect, is pushed aside for the moment.” Some comparable theater groups put on seven or eight shows a year, Milenicki noted. WCLOC has staged five-show show seasons, but the usual number in recent years has been four (once upon a time WCLOC staged one major show a season), itself a major undertaking. “Sometimes we do fundraisers. Maybe we’d add another workshop,” Mielnicki said. And the one act-play showcase is another way that WCLOC was already ticking off the boxes. This was is the first year it had organized such an event, Milenicki said. “I was impressed by how many playwrights came through,” she said of the number of submissions.” When the planned performances had to be taken off the stage we felt bad. We didn’t want to let them down.” The chosen authors were contacted about live streamed readings, and the June 12 and 13 online events will be another WCLOC first. “We’ll keep that a yearly thing. Or maybe twice a year,” Mielnicki said of the one-act plays With “Fun House” it could be part of a WCLOC 2020-21 season that hasn’t been officially announced yet, as rights to works get finalized but will come with some new and high hopes. “We have a really ambitious, wonderful season,” Mielnicki said. For more information about Worcester County Light Opera Company, visit www.wcloc.org
CITY LIFE If you are an artist, or know of a local artist, email WMeditor@gatehousemedia.com. Fair warning, in order to publish your work, you’ll need to provide a small bio and high resolution digital copies of some of your art. We reserve the right to choose what will run, based on resolution and what will reproduce best on newsprint.
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
Michelle Gormley of Girl
on the Edge of Something New is a Shrewsbury-based crafter who loves to create one-of-a-kind items from things she finds at yard sales, antique shops, or better yet – things being thrown away. Most times when she sees something – she’ll connect with it. Along with items Gormley makes to sell, or give as gifts, she enjoys creating pieces for her home that are functional, yet a great combination piece. See more of her work on on FB and IG @GirlOnTheEdgeOfSomethingNew
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CITY LIFE
LIFESTYLE
Quick and easy reads for long and trying times SARAH CONNELL SANDERS
was a bibliomaniac to do? That’s when the fairy bookne of the many hats (masks?) mothers emerged from the shadows: I wear is as a school librarian. Overdrive, Libby, Apple Books, At the start of this unsettling National Emergency Library, Audible Stories, Sora, and many others began pandemic, I became fixated opening up their collections and with the sanitization of our collection. I was, at once, overwhelmed by highlighting a variety of free offerings. A reading revival was afoot. the sheer number of pages. One of the things I like the best In March, when Lara Ewen about my role as a school librarian warned in American Libraries is matchmaking between books and Magazine that the virus could live on plastic for nine days and on paper reluctant readers. With so many resources available to us all, there’s for up to five days, it occurred to me no reason we can’t indulge in a little that our most popular volumes had become literal health hazards. “Time literary escapism. Here are some is the best disinfectant,” wrote Ewen. COVID-19 recommendations that have entertained my most maudlin Across the state, physical libraries fancies in the time of quarantine: were put off limits. Even Hermione Granger’s sharp For the true crime podcast aphorism, “When in doubt go to the aficionado. library,” suddenly felt perilous. What
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With so many resources available to us all, there’s no reason we shouldn’t indulge in a little literary escapism right now. Start with “Conviction” by Denise Mina. SARAH CONNELL SANDERS
Title: “Conviction” Author: Denise Mina Genre: Mystery Thriller Synopsis: Anna/Sophie is an unhappy housewife with a thing for podcasts and a mysterious history of her own. When she sets out on a fact-finding mission in the company of an international rock star, things get deadly.
For the fangirl or boy who takes their pop culture with a side of junk food. Title: “Permanent Record” Author: Mary H.K. Choi Genre: New Adult Fiction Synopsis: When pop princess Leanna Smart walks into the bodega where Pablo works the graveyard shift, he can’t fathom why she has any interest in him. As a narrator,
Pablo examines child stardom, financial literacy, his Korean-Pakistani heritage, and the art of snacking with equal parts jest and vulnerability. For the romantic who’s miffed that major league baseball is on hold. Title: “Evvie Drake Starts Over” Author: Linda Holmes Genre: Romance Synopsis: A pitcher wrestling with the “yips” rents a room from a wisecracking widow in rural Maine. The dialogue is snappy and well paced. The love story is sweet and pragmatic. For the wanderers and the wonderers who are feeling a little lonely these days. Title: “All the Bright Places”
Author: Jennifer Niven Genre: Young Adult Synopsis: Grief and confusion bring popular girl Violet Markey and mysterious outcast Theodore Finch together for an absurd series of road trips across Indiana. This gripping examination of living with an undiagnosed mental health disorder is as dark as it is illuminating. The movie is terrible—resist the siren song of Elle Fanning. She’ll never be Violet Markey. If you haven’t taken advantage of Boston Public Library’s eCard registration, I implore you to do so. The process takes less than two minutes and grants you access to all of BPL’s online resources. You’ll find all of the selected readings above and much more.
CITY LIFE
TABLE HOPPIN’
Union Station Farms adapts to shifting demand BARBARA M. HOULE
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nion Station Farms on Pleasant Street in Worcester is among local businesses continuing delivery services and carryout amid COVID-19. Owners Fred and Gay Koury say what has helped them stay afloat is the sausage Fred makes from scratch and supplies to local restaurants, businesses and the public. Koury’s sweet, medium and hot links are based on an original sausage recipe (Clem’s) he got years ago from a well-known sausage maker in the city before he passed in early 2000. We don’t want to get into a sausage war as other businesses in
the city make sausage, but Koury definitely has a loyal wholesale and retail base. Gay Koury said her husband makes deliveries in and outside the city during the week and also travels to the New England Produce Center in Chelsea to buy bulk produce two to three times a week. “It’s kind of crazy trying to figure out how much produce we should buy for retail,” said Koury. “We don’t want to have too much or too little. So far, we’ve done a pretty good job calculating numbers. People can come into the business to buy sausage, produce, cheese, eggs and other specials, or use curbside service. We want to accommodate everyone.”
Koury said Union Station Farms has lost some of its regular wholesale business as a result of restaurants opting out on takeout. “We’ve also gained new customers like pizzerias outside the city,” she said, adding, “We’re taking it one day at a time, just like every other business.” This month was especially difficult for Gay Koury whose mother, Rita Toni (Brandstein) Wahle died unexpectedly on April 13 at the Jewish Healthcare Center in Worcester after a brief illness. “My mother had loving care from the staff at both the healthcare center and the Eisenberg Assisted Living Residence,” said Koury, “but dealing with her death and at the same time getting right
back into our business hasn’t been easy.” Koury works the retail end of Union Station Farms while her husband makes deliveries. The sausages are made in space next to their small retail store, located at 344 Pleasant St., in the same plaza as Bahnan’s International Marketplace, Bakery and Café. Koury said the couple’s four daughters live outside of the area. “It’s the old people, the seniors who are running Union Station Farms,” she joked. “We’re survivors.” The couple supports local takeout businesses two or three times a week, according to Koury, who said she and her husband cook meals at
Union Station Farms owners Fred and Gay Koury on April 23 with their homemade sausage and fresh produce.
Good for the Grill
Get ready to fire up the grill in celebration of May National BBQ month. Perfect time for grilled sausages, onions and peppers on the grill. Simple recipe: sweet or hot Italian sausages (lightly pricked so they don’t burst), peeled onions and seeded sweet peppers (cut into ½-inch strips) tossed with oil and sprinkled with salt. Peppers and onions go directly on the grill, turning occasionally until softened and dark at edges. Grill sausages, turning occasionally until cooked through and top on a bed of the onions and peppers. Or, how about a sandwich or pasta dish? Take the easy and simple route.
‘Safety First’ for Atlantic Poke owner
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Michael Tomaiolo, owner of Atlantic Poke in Shrewsbury, said he had been a huge proponent of safe food handling, proper hand washing and cleaning even before the coronavirus pandemic. “I was in talks with a state rep about the possibility of getting a bill drawn up where restaurants would have to post their Board of Health reviews on their front door for patrons to see,” said Tomaiolo. “I think transparency is important when serving customers food.” While his idea is on hold as a result of the pandemic, adjustments to his restaurant to make safety a top priority are not. His restaurant safety steps include everything from curbside delivery to vendor protocols with deliveries.
A P R I L 30 - M AY 6, 2020
CHRISTINE PETERSON
home the remainder of the week. “We miss regular happy hours and dinners with friends, but we manage to stay in touch,” she added. Union Stations Farms is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday; Closed Sundays. Telephone: (508) 762-9348. “We haven’t missed a beat,” said Gay Koury about the business hours. Check Facebook for special deals, she said. “Fred and I thank all our customers for their continued support. We’re all in this together.”
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“Vendors currently leave all deliveries outside, and I personally sanitize and bring items inside,” said Tomaiolo, who allows only employees inside the business. “We all wear gloves and masks and follow proper hand washing and sanitizing. I guess you could say I have an obsession with cleanliness,” he added. Tomaiolo and five employees work takeout. All doors to the business are locked as a precautionary measure, according to Tomaiolo, who said he wants customers and employees fully protected. He recently added several stop signs near the entrance to the restaurant as people have tried to get inside despite not being able to open the doors, he said. The business has used only disposable plates and utensils since it opened last August at Lakeway Commons, 193 Shrewsbury Commons, which has saved Tomaiolo from making any changes on how he
packages food. Atlantic Poke is a build-your-own bowl food concept. The restaurant provides no-contact curbside pickup and offers delivery through Hubgrub. To order, go to www.atlanticpoke. com for the menu. At arrival, dial (508) 377-4441 and press 2. A team member will deliver food to your car. Tomaiolo said he is thankful for the continued support of customers as “we navigate these delicate times together.” His sentiment as a business owner is “Safety First.” He walks the talk.
Chef Carl Lofgren remembered
Local chef and restaurateur Carl N. Lofgren of Sturbridge passed on April 14. I was fortunate to have known Carl Lofgren and write about him as food editor of the Telegram & Gazette. Lofgren wore many hats on his culinary journey. His stints included
executive chef for Treadway Inns (now the Publick House in Sturbridge); executive chef at one of General Electric Management Company’s retreat properties; chef who worked for Skitch Henderson of the Tonight Show at a New York restaurant. Locally, he was best known as the original owner with his wife, Rita, of The Whistling Swan and The Ugly Duckling in Sturbridge, a property the couple operated from 1982 until they sold it in 2002. The Whistling Swan was truly a family business and included the Lofgren’s daughters, Leslie, Kim and Karen working the back and front of the house. The Sturbridge property dated to the early 1850s, according to Leslie Lofgren, who said the downstairs Swan brought fine dining to its guests, while the upstairs Ugly Duckling was fun and didn’t require dining reservations. “On weekends, there always was a wait line, especially for the Duckling, beginning around 5 and ending at 11,” she said.
Director of Dining Services at Becker College in Worcester, Lofgren left New York to work at the Swan after it had been open for a year. “My sister Kim was the baker and Karen, bar manager. I worked the line with my father, who I would describe as laid-back, easy going and fun. He loved pranks,” said Lofgren. She recalled how her father would send a new employee to the downstairs kitchen freezer where he had hidden a mannequin part. “ The employee would run up screaming, of course,” said Lofgren. Jokes aside, Carl Lofgren ran a very successful operation despite being told he wouldn’t make it when he first had the idea of buying the Sturbridge property. “We always had the best staff in town, and I have always credited them with our success,” said Leslie Lofgren, who took over when her father “retired.” She said the business never received a negative dining review in all its years of operation. “We never advertised and people learned about the restau-
rant through word of mouth.” A book filled with newspaper and magazine stories hold many fond memories for her family, she said. Carl Lofgren mentored many young chefs during his career and several of them continue to work in the local area. Daughters Leslie and Kim have owned and operated restaurants, and his granddaughter Heather Mojer currently owns three Cambridge restaurants and his other granddaughter, Leah Mojer is Wine and Cheese Manager at Bartlett’s Farm on Nantucket. In their retirement, Carl and Rita Lofgren continued to eat out at restaurants and especially enjoyed visiting newly opened businesses. They critiqued and continued to talk food, according to their daughter. A restaurateur who lived his dreams. If you have a tidbit for the column, call (508) 868-5282. Send email to bhoulefood@gmail.com.
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Michael Tomaiolo, owner of Atlantic Poke with the staff of the Shrewsbury restaurant.
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FILM
A view for a ‘Room’ JIM KEOGH
C
oronavirus: Day Whatever. My son and I are doing the Netflix shuffle. We’re ripping through row after row of choices, unable to settle on that one thing to sand down the edge of another jagged week of living and working in isolation. I want to tell him the TV stories of my childhood, when we could tune into only the three major networks and, if the skies were clear and the tinfoil around the antenna hadn’t degraded, perhaps a couple of snowy UHF channels. But he’s already heard it all. How do you say “unimpressed” in Millennial? I suggest Season Two of “After Life,” Ricky Gervais’ moving and gently sardonic show about dealing with the death of a spouse, but he hasn’t seen the first season. He counteroffers with the standup comedy of Chris D’Elia. I’m particular about the comedians I’ll spend an hour with and I’m not in the mood for a blind date with this new guy.
We miss sports. And no, the NFL draft doesn’t count. Finally, we settle on “Room,” the 2015 movie starring Brie Larson as a young woman known only as Ma who has survived seven years imprisoned in a backyard shed, the last five of those raising the son fathered by her abductor. The film is, by turns, grim and hopeful. Larson, who won the Academy Award for her performance, and Jacob Tremblay, as the boy Jack, whose entire existence has been encapsulated within a 10-by-10 space, are tremendous acting partners. Their scenes together crackle as mother and son shape a passable life from their absurdly horrific situation. Despite the film’s clear excellence, we only made it two-thirds of the way through in the first sitting. The word “heavy” was thrown around by both of us, and we retreated to episodes of the British comedy series “The IT Crowd.” We finished “Room” the next day. “Room” gave me an appreciation for many things, none more so than the stresses upon parents of young
children in an environment of isolation. In the film, Ma miraculously finds ways to keep Jack stimulated. With few toys at her disposal, but a talent for storytelling, she constructs a vast world-of-the-mind for her son, to which he can escape from their suffocating physical space. Her solitary efforts are more heroic than the exploits of a dozen Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay star in “Room.” Avengers. A24 FILMS I’ve read the stories about parents struggling room mirror. an exhausted mom or dad to toss with the challenges of homeI am fortunate to have aged out of the remote to their 8-year-old, then schooling during the COVID-19 the purgatory many of you are now nothing can. shutdown, and media outlets are enduring, so I have no practical adFolks, I salute you. The days at ripe with listicles offering parents home have morphed into weeks and vice, only words of encouragement. ways to keep their kids entertained. Your kids today might not appreciA Boston Globe story last week cited are transforming into months — ate your exertions on their behalf, that’s a lot of quality time to spend experts who assured parents it’s but someday, when their own bored with even the most well-behaved okay to loosen restrictions on time children are bellowing to be amused, offspring. Some of you by now are spent watching television or playing they’ll remember what you did. And concerned that one morning you’ll video games. If a global pandemic if they don’t, remind them. find your beloved child has scrawled can’t provide the perfect cover for “Redrum” in lipstick on the bath-
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NEW ON DVD
‘The Assistant’ masterfully shows systems behind workplace abuses
KATIE FORAN - MCHALE TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE
A
Harvey Weinstein-inspired story is the top new DVD release for the week of April 28. “The Assistant”: A young woman, Jane (Julia Garner), gets an exciting job as an assistant to an esteemed Hollywood producer. Those familiar with the systemic abuses of women in the workplace will recognize the story beats, inspired by Harvey Weinstein, who was convicted of rape and sentenced to 23 years in prison last month. But there’s much more to the story than that. As Jane continues to learn about what’s going on at the company, the film shows how people, systems and power structures enable these types of abuses. It’s much, much bigger than one monster at the top.
Writer-director Kitty Green does a masterful job showing, not telling, this story, with silences more powerful than words could be, wrote Tribune News Service critic Katie Walsh in her review. “At once austere and daring, ‘The Assistant’ may be the first cinematic shot across the bow at Weinstein, taking the structures that supported his crimes down with him,” she wrote. ALSO NEW ON DVD APRIL 28 “Arrow: The Eighth and Final Season”: The CW series following the DC hero comes to a close. Stars Stephen Amell. “Guns Akimbo”: A game developer (Daniel Radcliffe) finds himself in a live-streaming fight to the death. “I Wish I Knew”: Documentary explores the history of and life in Shanghai. In Mandarin. “Mortal Kombat Legends: Scor-
pion’s Revenge”: Based on the long-running video game series, the animated film follows a faceoff between the Outworld and Earthrealm. Features voice talents of Jennifer Carpenter and Joel McHale. “The Rhythm Section”: A woman (Blake Lively) is determined to get revenge against the people who killed her family in a plane crash. “Ride Like a Girl”: Jockey Michelle Payne (Teresa Palmer) aims to become the first woman to win the Melbourne Cup. “Tread”: Documentary examines what led welder Marvin Heemeyer to decimate a small Colorado town. New on digital HD April 28 “The Incoherents”: An indie band from the ’90s gets back together after decades. Stars Jeff Auer, Annette O’Toole, Amy Carlson and Kate Arrington. “The Photograph”: While a woman
Julia Garner stars as Jane in “The Assistant.” BLEEKER STREET
(Issa Rae) seeks answers about her recently deceased mother’s life, she falls for a journalist (LaKeith Stanfield). Look for it on DVD and Blu-ray May 12. NEW ON DIGITAL HD MAY 1 “Nightfire”: A political prisoner
foils agents’ plans to retrieve some top-secret military information. Stars Dylan Baker, Becky Ann Baker and Bradley Stryker. “The Wretched”: A teenager faces off with a witch who has possessed his neighbor.
CITY LIFE
THE NEXT DRAFT
Meet Tree House Brewing Co.’s puzzle maker MATTHEW TOTA
and puzzles, which he calls more functional and useful pieces for mass marketing. he other day I scoured Tree “I started developing my own House Brewing Co.’s website, thirsty for something new to add puzzles and board games, not only for myself but also for other people,” he to my quarantine-survival kit. said. “After having some success with I ignored the beer, looking for the my own line, it sparked something in jigsaw puzzles. me and made me rethink my approach Yes, Tree House has been selling to merchandize for my puzzles – inspired by band clients and brewco-founder and head ery clients. How many brewer Nate Lanier’s tulip glasses with the vivid photography. The brewery’s name printed brewery released the in the logo does a guy puzzles last year, long need? And, you can’t before a pandemic dedicate your whole made them hip again. closet to your favorite With much of the band or brewery.” country sheltered at In cutting puzzles for home, puzzle sales have Tree House, Duval colskyrocketed, according laborates with Lanier, to NPR, leading to a a passionate photogcountry-wide shortage. rapher. All the photos In some cases, puzzles Nate Duval you see on Tree House’s have become as hard to COURTESY PHOTO website and social media find as toilet paper and accounts – from the vihand sanitizer. Tree House, too, has sold out of all its brant shots of its Charlton brewery and the picturesque woods that surround puzzles, the work of illustrator and deAbove, Tree House Brewing Co.’s quintessential IPA, “Julius,” depicted in a jigsaw it, to the colorful pictures of its cans – signer Nate Duval, who acknowledges puzzle. Below, A jigsaw puzzle showing a snowy scene at Tree House Brewing Co. come from Lanier’s lens. that now is an excellent time to be a PHOTO COURTESY OF NATE DUVAL “The idea behind the project was puzzle maker. He started working with to give Nate and his photography a the brewery back when it still packed creative outlet,” Duval said. people into its tiny shed in Monson – Duval used Lanier’s pictures to himself included. cut a series of four 500-piece puzzles “I recently had discovered Tree (hyperlink to https://nateduval.com/ House myself, and I was the excited blogs/news). One photo shows the road person in line waiting for that Julius leading up to brewery and Tree House growler,” he said from his studio in sign you pass under, all covered in fluffy Longmeadow. white snow. According to Tree House, Before craft beer, Duval worked in it’s one of the harder puzzles to finish. the music industry, creating merDuring the last few weeks of isolachandise – album covers, buttons, Frisbees, posters, and T-shirts, among tion, pictures of completed Tree House other things – for some of his favorite puzzles have become nearly as ubiquitous as shots of its beer. bands, including Phish, the Grateful Duval told me that more puzzles are Dead and the Dave Matthews Band. on the way, though it won’t be any time Tree House’s owners have worshiped many of the same bands and had seen soon due to the protracted production time and high demand. In the meanDuval’s designs at shows. time, you can find some of his other “The band merchandise I used to pieces on Tree House’s online shop, make or still make ended up being such as pins, hats, and glasses. giant creative business cards, and The more merchandise Duval creates sometimes opened eyes to art directors for Tree House, the more he underor merchandise people at different stands how the brewery has meticubusinesses who want that same feel to lously crafted its image and culture. That their product,” Duval said. “Beer and concern for every detail, whether about music merchandise are similar in a lot one ingredient in a beer recipe or single of ways, and even have crossover in the people who’re interested in those things.” puzzle piece, is a key to its success. “They don’t phone anything in. They Just as he took on Tree House as want everything to be great, but not a client, Duval began evolving as a designer. His early work focused mostly just for themselves, but the people who make these long drives to get there and on posters and T-shirts, but in the last buy their beer,” he said few years, he moved to board games
T
A P R I L 30 - M AY 6, 2020 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
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ADOPTION OPTION 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.
Meet Trunks! Trunks came to us after his family had an unexpected emergency. They felt the best thing they could do for him was to find another home. Looking at him you see this adorable teddy bear-like puppy and you just want to snuggle him. Trunks is not that kind of puppy. In his previous home he did not get training and they never walked him on a leash or collar. They didn’t ask anything of him and let him rule the house. This made him feel tough, empowered and bossy. When he came to us, even getting a collar and leash on him to go outside was a struggle, which led to him being nippy, barking/yelling and jumping around trying to get away from us. The staff here have done a lot of work with Trunks and a lot of practice to get him where he is today. We have made steps in the right directions, but there is more to be done to ensure trunks will be a well rounded dog. He needs time to build trust in order to respect you and the training. He works at a slow pace when introduced to new things like a harness, as he is very smart and responds well to positive reinforcement. Trunks loves playing with dogs, but he does not understand appropriate social cues which can cause other dogs to feel uncomfortable or even at times confrontational. Since Trunks is still a puppy he likes to use his mouth to play and communicate. He also likes to jump to play and get attention and can be mischievous. He will require a lot of exercise and training in his new home. His new family will need to be very experienced, patient and a strong leader to set the boundaries that Trunks really needs. Having a dog like Trunks can be difficult at times, but so rewarding. Trunks is fun, playful, silly and snuggly. He loves to play with toys and would make a wonderful running, jogging or hiking buddy. He is always up for meeting new friends and going on adventures. Trunks is looking for a family with no children or other animals. He will nip if he feels threatened or pushed. If you would like to make an appointment to meet Trunks or you have any questions about him please contact the Dog Program Coordinator at sara@worcesterarl.org or the shelter at (508) 853-0030.
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WARL COVID-19 Update As of March 25, 2020 As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to quickly evolve, we 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. • 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. • 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...finding homes for animals in need. • 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. • 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. • DONATIONS: We will not be accepting linens of any kind or used, stuffed dog toys. While we are grateful for your thoughtfulness, we will not accept these donations if brought to the shelter.
• 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 • Weekly training classes are suspended until further notice. • 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. • The WARL Annual Kitten Shower, scheduled for Saturday, April 4, 2020, will be held “virtually”. More information will be available soon.
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. Thank you for your continued FURiendship and support.
GAMES
J O N E S I N’
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69 Showtime series set in Agrestic Township 70 Spring up
Last week's solution
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©2020 Matt Jones (jonesincrosswords@gmail.com) Reference puzzle #986
WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
Down 1 Fudd who bugs Bugs 2 Actress Kaley of “The Big Bang Theory” 3 *Sycophants 4 Escape clauses 5 “Three Sunflowers in ___” (1888 Van Gogh painting) 6 Spine components 7 *It helps out in the closet (as demonstrated by the other starred answers) 8 “Meh, whatever” 9 Packed 10 Does something 11 *Product’s freshness period 12 “Cheers!” in France 13 '70s supermodel Cheryl 24 Really irk 25 “Live With Kelly and Ryan” cohost 28 *Steph Curry’s sport 31 *”The Twilight Zone” creator 32 Forty winks 33 “Dutch” actress Meyers 36 The briny
37 “Jellied” British fish 42 Lead-in to lude 43 “Your Moment of ___” (“The Daily Show” feature) 46 17th letter of the Greek alphabet 48 Panda Express vessel 49 Crawled cautiously 50 Wood shop equipment 51 “___ vincit amor” 52 Texas, for one 53 Did some comic book work 54 Coral reef visitor 55 Start of el año nuevo 56 Implant again 59 Dull pain 62 “That’s great” 63 ‘19 and ‘20, e.g.
A P R I L 30 - M AY 6, 2020
Fun By The Numbers Like 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!
Across 1 NATO Phonetic Alphabet vowel 5 Socially distance from 10 Kind of D.A. 14 Hawaiian party 15 Cape ___ (westernmost African point) 16 Tea-based drink 17 ___ Blanc (highest peak in the Alps) 18 About 1% of the Earth’s atmosphere 19 Prefix for “medicine” seen more often recently 20 Heart charts, briefly 21 Is a huge fan of, slangily 22 Garden gastropod 23 Nigiri sushi option 24 Come back inside 26 Army outposts (abbr.) 27 Squeeze bunt stat (or so I’m told... it’s sports) 29 Pen name? 30 “Meatspace,” for short 32 Like some sprays 34 Wu-Tang Clan member born Robert Diggs 35 Balance 38 Got high 39 ___ Arann (former airline) 40 Charge to a sponsor 41 “Hurts 2B Human” singer 42 Rosie of “Birds of Prey” 44 Gasket, e.g. 45 Flub 47 Fluffy grazer 49 With 53-Across, what a 7-Down helps keep 53 See 49-Across 57 “First Blood” protagonist 58 France on the new “Queer Eye” 60 “A Fish Called Wanda” Oscar winner Kevin 61 Sicilian mountain 62 Madcap 64 Americana lithographer 65 Punxsutawney notable 66 Multiple-choice choice, sometimes 67 Infamous fiddling emperor 68 Blue-green shade
“In Storage” – walk-ins accepted. by Matt Jones
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Prayer to the Blessed Virgin (Never known to fail) O most beautiful flower of Mt. Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in this my necessity, O Star of the Sea, help me and show me where you are my mother. O Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech thee from the bottom of my heart to succor me in my necessity, (make request). There are none that can withstand your power, O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee (three times). Holy Mary, I place this cause in your hands (three times). Say this prayer for three consecutive days and you must publish it and your request will be granted to you. DMH
HELP WANTED ENTERPRISE DATA & INTEGRATIONS ARCHITECT (Worcester, MA) sought by Worcester Polytechnic Institute analyze, design, develop, and implement robust and scalable integration platform and logical data model to support new and changing data landscape at research university. Must have Bachelor’s Deg. in Comp. Sci., Elec. Eng., or rel. & 5 yrs. rel. exp. Apply to Edlira Stefani, Associate Director of Application Data Management, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609. No phone calls.
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LAST CALL
Peter Rano restaurateur and pizzaiolo P eter Rano is in the process of opening his new restaurant ‘Olo on Millbrook Street in the former home of Dacosta’s Pizza Bakery, along with his longtime business partner Richard Romaine.
DYLAN AZARI
stay business focused and I saw Rich as a businessman. He’s been such a great influence and mentor. We own Smokestack together. It’s been eight years and it has been a great run. When we moved from Harding Street to Green Street, we never thought we’d be anywhere near where we are now. We figured we’d be taking a step backwards, but it turned out to be a huge step forward. Our success there has been good and it will hopefully be even better with the Worcester Red Sox. After this crisis is all done, I predict it will have a forever effect on restaurants, but I think we will get back to normal in one way or another. It’s going to take some time.
told to stay home and they want to get out as soon as it’s safe. It’s just going to take a long time before we reach that point.
What is the goal of the pop-up? Giving people a taste. My personal friends and family know that I’ve been pursuing pizza for the past two years. I have a wood oven at home and everyone keeps telling me, “I can’t wait to try it.” We’ve got to give the people what they want. I’m looking forward to it. The pizza’s killer. Dacosta’s pizza was great. With the roots they’ve already planted and with what I know I can bring to the table, I am confident this is going to be a home run. That side of the city has a lot happening between the Trolley Yard and Greater Good. I caught the Canal District eight years ago right before it got its
legs. And now, hopefully I can catch the Millbrook area with the same timing. We’re going to keep the atmosphere going because you can’t just make it on food and booze anymore. You gotta have some flair. What makes your pizza unique? Not many pizza places are using a sourdough starter. I am. That’s a big difference. It’s all about the process. Everyone seems to be a sourdough expert these days, so I bet that they’ll appreciate that. Yeah, everybody’s an expert on everything! When do you hope to open? We’re looking to open in June. I want people to come to ‘Olo and feel like they’re sitting in my kitchen. They’re going to be in my house in my backyard. It’s not an Italian restaurant — it’s an American pizzeria. – Sarah Connell Sanders
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What triggered your decision to buy Dacosta’s and what’s your plan? Well, Smokestack is Smokestack. It’s great. But, like I said, I was ready to make a professional move for myself. Rich and I had looked at opening another Smokestack at Patriot Place. We weren’t sold on the location with such high rent, so we put that on the back burner. For the past two years, pizza has become a real passion of mine. I was raised Italian American. I’ve done the R&D. I realized pizza was what I wanted to do. I got Rich on How do you think that this crisis board and Dacosta’s kind of fell is going to shift the way that into my lap. One man’s trash is restaurants operate in our area? another man’s treasure. I wouldn’t be surprised if masks become the new norm. People are The previous owner was cersick of being inside. I think people tainly put through the ringer for who aren’t at risk and are healthy some of his decisions. Did that are feeling especially sick of being concern you? caged up. They don’t want to be I mean, It’s all gonna work out.
We’ve got our liquor license. We’ve got our building permits. We’re ready to get into it. I was there today. I made a hundred pounds of dough for our April 26 pop-up. We’re moving forward. We’re in no rush at this point because of the virus situation.
WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
I was excited to learn that you and Richard Romaine are opening a new restaurant at the former Dacosta’s. What is your relationship with him? I worked at Rich’s restaurant Romaine’s when I was in high school. I went to St. John’s and it was right down the street. My brother worked in the industry. I got to know Rich over the years. I stayed in the restaurant business versus going to college. I bought some property after I had a decent job. My first real cooking job, making a decent income, was at Joey’s when it was on Mill Street. I said, “You know what? I’m not going to do the school thing. I’ll stick it out here.” I knew I didn’t want to be a line cook forever. I tried to
Peter Rano and his wife, Megan.
A P R I L 30 - M AY 6 , 2020
What is the status of Smokestack Urban BBQ? Before COVID-19, Smokestack was great. The [Worcester Public] Market had just opened. We saw a dip in the neighborhood when Kelley Square construction started, whereas sales had maintained through construction of the ballpark. With Kelley Square, it was nothing too serious, but the lunch sales weren’t quite where they had been. Obviously, when the Market opened, it was huge. The momentum and the business was cranking in the Canal District again. Now, because of COVID-19, it’s not. We are taking the time to do some renovations in the Smokestack kitchen. We’re working on new floors and other projects that can’t happen when we’re open. We’re looking forward to reopening because take-out has been good and should allow us to bring staff back to maintain business. Not all restaurants can just slide out a take-out model. Luckily, barbecue is perfect for it. We already did a ton of takeout as it was. For us, it was a seamless transition — you know, with 50% less sales. Not everyone’s in the same boat.
Already dreaming about summer? We. Are. Too.
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WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM
A P R I L 30 - M AY 6, 2020
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