Worcester Magazine July 25 - 31, 2019 by Worcester Magazine

JULY 25 - 31, 2019 WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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‘Voice’ winner and Worcester native Alisan Porter set for Indian Ranch

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IN THIS ISSUE

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21 Featured ......................................................................................4 City Voices...................................................................................8 In Case You Missed It ... .......................................................11 Cover Story ...............................................................................12 Artist Spotlight .......................................................................17 Lifestyle......................................................................................18 Listen Up....................................................................................19 Dining .......................................................................................20 Table Hoppin’ ..........................................................................20 Next Draft .................................................................................21 Film .............................................................................................22 Film Capsules ..........................................................................22 Calendar ....................................................................................24 Adoption Option ....................................................................28 Games .........................................................................................29 Classifieds .................................................................................30 Last Call .....................................................................................31

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Still Dreaming: ‘Voice’ winner and Worcester native Alisan Porter set for Indian Ranch Story on page 12

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FEATURE

Common Ground to turn vacant Chandler Street warehouse into affordable housing BILL SHANER

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s Yvette Dyson, executive director of the Common Ground CDC, stood outside an old, long-abandoned razor factory at the intersection of Chandler and Piedmont streets, a woman down the street honked her horn and yelled out the window. “You buying that thing?” she asked. Dyson responded with a big thumbs up. She is indeed buying

Yvette Dyson, executive director of the Common Ground CDC, outside the empty warehouse at 126 Chandler Street, which is set for redevelopment. BILL SHANER

the blighted property, and turning it into 31 affordable housing units for a city and a neighborhood in need of more attainable housing stock. The conversion will include commercial and community space on the first floor. Common Ground received a grant from the Department of Housing and Community Development, allowing the project to happen. Unlike most, if not all, of the recent large housing developments

in Worcester, the Common Ground’s rehab of the razor factory will not include any market rate or luxury apartments. Instead, the development is intended to help increase the stock of housing available to working people who already live in the neighborhood. “It is needed in our neighborhood. Many of the folks who live in our neighborhood are the backbone of the hospitals and other low-income jobs,” said Dyson. “This affords them the ability to still

be within their neighborhood and still be in close proximity to work. “And, notably, it’s cleaning up a blighted corner. This whole corner will start to evolve and become safer.” Of the 31 units, most will range in price between $920 for onebedroom apartments and $1,250 for three-bedroom. All of the rent prices will include heat. The prices are fixed at rates suitable to those who make 60 percent or below the area’s median income. But nine

of the units will be even cheaper, serving those with incomes at 30 percent the median. “We really wanted to make sure we were also serving the extremely low income, and that’s the 30 percent,” she said. “We were able to work that in, which is awesome.” The development will feature a large community space on the first floor, which Common Ground will essentially give over to the neighborhood, to be used for meetings, birthday parties and

FEATURE

other events. “That’s really going to help us to engage all of the folks that we serve in this Austin Street corridor,” she said. In total, the development is budgeted at about $14 million using what Dyson called a “slew of funds.” That slew consists of nine separate sources: the state Department of Community Housing and Development, tax credits at the state and federal level, other money supplied by the state and money from the city. City government is contributing $625,000 to the project from housing funds it receives from the federal government annually. From the project, the CDC will generate revenue which it will in turn invest back into more property acquisitions and rehabilitations. Common Ground is one of several CDCs, or community development corporations, in the city. All work to improve housing stock while keeping it affordable with the help of government money. They also work toward neighborhood cohesion. Common Ground has a board of directors composed mostly of residents of the neighborhood it covers. The Chandler Street development

Rendering of the development provided by Common Ground CDC is not the largest Common Ground has tackled but it comes after what Dyson called a dry spell. They hope to use the money to expand on first-time home ownership developments, as well as rehabilitations of triple-deckers. All of the developments are part and parcel of the CDC’s central mission: to keep the neighborhood in good shape while also ensuring that units are affordable for the people who

already live there. While Common Ground works to close on the razor factory development, there are eight smaller properties in the pipeline, Dyson said. “That’s sort of the beauty of the CDCs, we’re in it for the longevity and long-term stabilization,” said Dyson. This is in marked contrast to another style of investment which the recent good fortunes of

Worcester have ushered in — what Dyson calls the speculative market. That market, at least on the housing side, mostly consists of investors buying property to flip once the value rises while investing the bare minimum into the condition. In Common Ground’s neighborhood, a lot of underused, dilapidated or vacant properties are bought with this intent, Dyson said. “Herein lies the problem.

Because, they can’t even rent these places with the state they’re in and they don’t want to sell them. It destroys people’s lives,” she said. As property values rise and speculation increases, the threat of displacement becomes more and more real for longtime residents of the neighborhood. Developments like the razor factory and other smaller projects help to stem that tide, Dyson said. In order to build the building, a small, one-story vacant building a lot down at 120 Chandler St. will be demolished, then a new structure will join with the former razor factory to create one long facade against the sidewalk with parking in the back. Inside the factory building, crews will gut almost everything, save for old, attractive features like the tall ceilings. “We’re looking to save a lot of the beautiful original pieces from the razor factory as it was,” Dyson said. The construction may also feature a rooftop garden, with the help of students at WPI, but funding for that piece is a separate endeavor and is not yet confirmed, Dyson said.

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FEATURE

Woo-bituaries: Robert Charles Benchley (b. 1889, d. 1945)

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STEVE SIDDLE

Author and actor Robert C. Benchley is shown in this undated photo. AP PHOTO

FEATURE

Joyce Compton and Robert Benchley in “Bedtime Story” (1941). COLUMBIA PICTURES

Benchley never came home to Worcester. His wit lives on in print. “The only cure for a real hangover is death.” “There are two kinds of travel: first class and with children.” “Every boy should be lucky enough to have two things: a dog and a mother who allows it.”

“People who begin sentences with ‘I may be old fashioned but...’ are usually not only old fashioned, but wrong.” Woobituaries is a monthly series featuring brief profiles of extraordinary Worcesterites.

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orn in Worcester of old colonial stock, Robert Benchley would grow to become one of America’s most admired wits. A self-described “confused liberal,” Benchley was a professional humorist who was at heart a deeply troubled man. An early loss left an indelible mark on him. In their childhood home, Robert idolized his older brother Edmund. When Edmund was killed in the Spanish-American War, Robert became a pacifist and fierce advocate for peace. Benchley fell in love with Gertrude Darling when they were both students at South High. They married when Robert was in his senior year at Harvard University. Soon after graduation, the couple moved to New York City, where Robert would chase his literary dreams. Plagued by countless rejection letters and jobs that fell through, Benchley proved to be an only mediocre reporter. But his experience as editor of the Harvard Lampoon had given him an unerring sense of what was funny and what was not. “A freelance writer is one who is paid per word or per piece or perhaps.” Even at an early age, Robert displayed a gift for the worldly dry humor which would be embraced by a generation of comedians and writers of magazines. Amplified by a talent for friendship and a rollicking good time, Benchley’s sense of humor soon earned him a spot at the famous Algonquin Round Table alongside Dorothy Parker and James Thurber. When Robert’s good friend Harold Ross became editor of a fledgling magazine called The New Yorker, Benchley became a regular contributor. The urbane dry-as-dust humor at which he excelled became synonymous with the magazine. Benchley came to personify the comic, often drunk, intellectual. It was with this characterization Benchley went to Hollywood. He hoped to make movies but found his niche in short films. “How to Sleep” was a short faux tutorial film that premiered in 1935 to wide acclaim and won Benchley an Oscar. It would be the only real success Robert found in Tinseltown. He stayed in Los Angeles a while longer and worked intermittently as a bit part movie actor, often filling the role of a comic drunk. It was drinking that got him in the end. Benchley was only 56 when he died of cirrhosis in his home on Nantucket. It appears Robert Charles

CITY VOICES

FIRST PERSON

What the WooSox stadium means for Worcester’s workers WORCESTER SOCIALIST ALTERNATIVE

Renaissance” without questioning how these developments are driving out the poor and fter the Pawtucket Red Sox failed to secure a large gentrifying our community. Efforts to convince City Council enough loan to maintain their stadium in Pawtucket, to invest in progressive measures R.I., Worcester and Massachusetts like raising the city’s minimum wage to $15/hour and building officials and big developers publicly-owned affordable housing rushed to offer a $135 million are consistently dismissed. Our handout. The $240 million plan politicians claim that these for the new stadium in the Kelley projects are too expensive; Square neighborhood is being that the money simply “isn’t funded primarily by the public: there” to house our homeless $100 million comes from a loan being taken out by the Worcester and guarantee living wages. Yet they plan to pour $135 million City Council — not the ballpark of public money into the new company — and $35 million stadium, a project that, unlike the from the state of Massachusetts. projects mentioned above, has no This decision raises significant guarantee of boosting our local questions about the priorities of economy. our local officials. Many economists are skeptical In the past decade, residents about publicly-financed stadium have seen their wages stagnate projects. They point to evidence while the gap between rich that sports stadiums do not bring and poor grows. Our rent and in new wealth or spending, but cost of living increase while the rather move around pre-existing city’s infrastructure crumbles. money spent in other areas of According to the US Census entertainment. According to Bureau, one in five Worcester University of Georgia Economist residents lives below the poverty line. Recently, though, many have Jeffrey Dorfman, taxpayers are “virtually guaranteed” to lose championed the “Worcester

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POETRY TOWN

Unlikely Bookstores: The Written DAVID MACPHERSON

It is listed in the city directory as a bookstore. Some visitors might report it an art gallery or a reading club, but the city directory is not to be trifled with. It states it a bookstore. Then it is a bookstore. The Written has no more than six books at a time. Visitors pay a small fee to be a member, allowing them to linger and read one of the books. No one is allowed to take the volumes home, not as books at any rate. The books are people with their clothes removed. They have entire novels tattooed on their skin. The custom at the Written is to start the book at the neck and have it spiral down to the tips of the toes. It goes without saying that the novels displayed are not long, but who needs epics? Who needs that amount of attention gazing upon another’s skin? It is unspoken ritual for no more than three people to be reading a book at a time. The start times must be staggered. It is not uncommon for people to spend all day reading the flesh before them. They circle around the book slowly, digesting the sight of the words. Once a week, one book is retired, and another is debuted. The tattoo artists are said to be the authors, but no one is allowed to meet them, or to confirm this. Some wonder if there are ghost writers. The texts are not perfect. There are crossed out sections and shaky tenses. Grammatical errors are everywhere on the skin. David Macpherson is a poet and the host of Listen! A Poetry Series, Sunday nights at Nick’s Bar and Restaurant.

money on a stadium gamble (Forbes, Jan 31, 2015). Dozens of similar sports stadium projects in cities such as Atlanta, Oakland, Dallas, Indianapolis, Chicago, Inglewood and many more have failed to generate the promised economic growth or revenue for the city. Academic studies have consistently found stadiums fail to create economic growth and can even hurt the local economy. Investing in projects with no guarantee of real economic growth that benefits workers and the community is a mismanagement of public funds. With no real money coming in to pay off the loan, the burden will eventually be shifted to the working class by raising our taxes and slashing spending on public services. If the Red Sox could not maintain a stadium in Pawtucket, what makes our city councilors think they can here? Our communities do need development. However, the development we need looks like building affordable housing, renovating crumbling schools, expanding public transit and

eliminating bus fares, and rehabilitating roads. These developments would massively benefit the most vulnerable members of our community and the whole city of Worcester. The workers who make Worcester run deserve a say in how we spend public money and who should benefit from it. The stadium should meet the following community conditions: The City of Worcester should not spend money on this project; let the Red Sox franchise pay for it! To combat gentrification, an immediate rent freeze should be implemented in the Kelley Square and Canal District neighborhoods in addition to building 1,000 units of high-quality, affordable public housing. The stadium should be built by all union labor and all new jobs created by the stadium and related projects should pay at least $15/hour and have union representation. The workers in Pawtucket who are losing their jobs should be fully compensated at current pay levels until they find other work. As the stadium is being built on brownfields,

the city must ensure no negative environmental impact. New construction, including the stadium, should use 100% green energy. Finally, to truly benefit the community, tickets should be affordable to all Worcester residents. We should oppose using public funds to build the stadium and the gentrification it will bring. We must also build for real changes that help Worcester residents. Worcester Socialist Alternative calls on fellow community organizations, unions, and community residents to join us in a coalition opposed to public financing of the stadium and for real funding of our community needs! Socialist Alternative is a national organization fighting in our workplaces, communities, and campuses against the exploitation and injustices people face every day. To learn more, visit socialistalternative.org

CITY VOICES

WORCESTERIA BILL SHANER

TRASH SHOWDOWN: Well the plastic-bags-for-recycling debacle finally came to a head at council this week. Many, many people came out in opposition, most notably a particularly articulate 13-year-old, who made the case for the contradiction of using single-use plastic bags for recycling while working to ban single-use plastic bags from Worcester stores. This teen (sorry I couldn’t catch the name) and dozens of others made similar arguments. It is intuitive and easy to understand. On the other end, lets just say the argument was a little less intuitive. Alex Guadriola, the public policy guy for the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, framed an argument in favor of the plan as one which suffers primarily from lack of outreach. There are so many good parts of the plan, he said, and the only thing getting talked about is the bags. Well, to me, that’s just a weird way to acknowledge that the plan to move to bags is deeply unpopular. Much like the crowd, the council was also divided. Without belaboring the point, I’ll say they all spoke and if I had to count votes, I’d say the plan would have passed 7-4. But it didn’t go to vote due to some parliamentary maneuvering. District 3 Councilor George Russell moved to push the plan forward minus the bags, and then At-Large Councilor Khrystian King said he’d hold the item – meaning save it for the next meeting – if Russell’s motion didn’t pass. Neither came to pass, as Mayor Joe Petty held both, leading us to a second showdown on the trash policy at the next meeting, slated for mid-August. Again, I’ll stress that I have not heard a single person speak favorably about the move from bins to bags. There are many other aspects of the plan that are great, but if that’s the biggest part and it’s unpopular, the whole plan is unpopular. It takes a tad bit too much wonkery for my taste to cross that basic hurdle.

esting. The WRTA is sponsoring a riders forum on the idea of moving to a fare-free system – the idea first raised by the Worcester Regional Research Bureau. The forum takes place a week from now, on Aug. 1 from 5:45-7 p.m. at the Great Brook Valley Community Room. This idea was a lightning rod for debate when the WRRB first proposed it. Hopefully this forum keeps the conversation alive as the WRTA continues to study the direction it wants to head in regard to fares.

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FARE FORUM: Put this one on the calendar. Should be pretty inter-

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EASY MONEY: Now, before I get into this, let me just say that the Worcester Police Department is doing a good thing by taking on this body camera pilot program. With the technology available and getting cheaper all the time, it just makes good municipal sense to put cops on cameras. But what I’m about to bring up is probably a lesser-known element of this six-month pilot program. In short, the cops are getting paid a stipend to simply wear the cameras. Tucked deep in the City Council agenda Tuesday is a memo from one Dori Vecchio, director of the pilot program, requesting the City Council appropriate some $122,750 to be transferred to the police salary line item for stipends. Of that, $92,750 is going to cops, and $30,000 is going to administration. Apparently, per the memo, this funding is part of a memorandum of understanding with the various police unions. These unions, I’m told, were very resistant at first to the idea of body cameras. Is this stipend the pot-sweetener that got the pilot program over the finish line? I guess we’ll never know, but I know where I’d place my bet. I should hope, if this program is ever fully adopted, that the Local 911, New England Benevolent Association and Local 504, International Brotherhood of Police Officers understand that a basic accountability measure, which already costs the city money, does not warrant additional payment to the officers being held to account. That’s some fuzzy logic.

Great for corporate team building, awareness for community groups or just a group of friends looking for something fun and different.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ...

Dirty Gerund Poetry Show at Ralphâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rock Diner The Dirty Gerund Poetry Series, hosted by poets Alex Charalambides and Nicholas Earl Davis, meets at 9 p.m. Mondays at Ralphâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rock Diner, 148 Grove St., Worcester. Most of the year, the series is held inside, on the first floor, but on hot summer nights, they take the show outside. In addition to poets, the reading features a backing band, which included musicians Akiva Davis and Jacob Leavai on the July 15 installment, and live art, a role artist Joy Pond filled. Some of the poets who performed that night included Peter Storey, Claudia Wilson and Elle Sherman. Photos by Matt Healey

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COVER STORY

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‘Voice’ winner and Worcester native Alisan Porter set for Indian Ranch

g d l n r i e a m l i t S

COVER STORY

RICHARD DUCKET T

“W

hat if I wake up and it’s all made up?” sings Alisan Porter in the heart-felt ballad “What if I Wake Up,” from her upcoming album “Pink Cloud.” However, the Worcester native has consistently embodied what to do after a dream comes true. Porter’s already remarkable career — including being a child actress star and later a singer with a powerful and expressive voice — saw her become the season 10 winner of NBC’s “The Voice” in 2016. After winning, she followed Shakespeare’s famous maxim, “To thine own self be true.” “You need to know who you are musically,” Porter has said about turning down a major label contract in order to follow her heart as an independent artist. In that capacity, Porter, who now lives in Los Angeles, will be back in the area as part of a short East Coast tour when she opens for country star Scotty McCreery at Indian Ranch in Webster at 1 p.m. July 28.

Alisan Porter, 2006 PROMOTIONAL PHOTO

She will also be performing July 27 at the Ridgefield Playhouse in Ridgeford, Conn.; July 31 at the Cape Cod Jazz Festival in Harwich; and Aug. 3 at Baha Mar resort in Nassau, The Bahamas. On returning to L.A., she’ll finish editing music

videos in support of “Pink Cloud” with a view to having the album released by the end of summer. It will be her first full solo album since winning “The Voice.” In one of those interesting coincidences, Porter won the 10th season of “The Voice” while McCreery was the 10th season winner of “American Idol.” “That’s super cool. I love that. That is really funny,” Porter said during a recent telephone interview as she was getting ready for the tour. “He’s great,” she said of McCreery. “He’s a lot more country than I am, but it’ll be cool. It will be a cool mash-up (of musicians.)” Porter was always in the mix to be a significant singer. The daughter of Laura Klein-Weiner, a Broadway singer and actress, and Ric Porter, a founding member of the locally legendary rock group Zonkaraz, Porter had perfect pitch at 9 months old. As a child she spent a lot of time at the Charlotte Klein Dance Centers in Worcester, owned and operated at the time by her grandmother, Charlotte Klein. Meanwhile, she was making

commercials when she was 3, and at the age of 5 became a five-time junior vocalist champion on the show “Star Search” hosted by Ed McMahon (she was the youngest singer ever to appear on the program). She also made several movies for the screen and TV, including starring in the 1991 John

Hughes feature film “Curly Sue” at the age of 10 with Jim Belushi. On stage, she was in “Footloose” on Broadway, “Hair” and “The Ten Commandments,” and in 2006 she was cast as Bebe in a Broadway revival of “A Chorus Line” (the role includes being part of a trio that sings the wistful “At the Ballet”).

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COVER STORY

Alisan Porter, left, and Christina Aguilera appear at the season finale of “The Voice.”

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TRAE PATTON/NBC

Porter’s mother had played Bebe 28 years previously in the first national tour of the show. The Worcester Telegram & Gazette interviewed Porter at the time. “That was a lifetime ago,” Porter she said when reminded about that interview. Much more, of course, happened. “At some point or another I decided I needed to change. Drugs and alcohol wasn’t a part of that change,” Porter has said candidly about achieving sobriety. She is now a mother of two children, ages 5 and 7. Meanwhile, she wrote and performed her own songs, fronted a band called the Canyons, and released two solo albums, “Alisan Porter” in 2009 and “Who We Are” in 2014. Then there was a respite from

music, but people hadn’t forgotten who Porter was, or the sound of her singing voice. “A friend of mine gave my name to one of the casting directors,” Porter said of being recommended to “The Voice.” “She (the casting director) called. I thought about it. I thought, ‘What the heck?’” On the show, she immediately turned heads and chairs during her blind audition with a “spinetingling” rendition of “Blue Bayou.” Porter went on to become the first contestant on the show to win “The Voice” with a female coach — Christina Aguilera. “It was all unexpected. It was a very positive experience.” Porter said. “Obviously, winning was amazing. Working again. It was amazing to branch out in this business — if nothing else, just

COVER STORY

make a living singing.” Asked if she would ever consider returning to the stage in a musical, she said, “I wouldn’t rule it out. It’s not my favorite way to live. It’s hard for me. It doesn’t bring me as much joy as playing my own music.” Part of the package for winning “The Voice” was a record deal. That it didn’t work out was not a problem with “The Voice” but “a label issue,” Porter said. “They wouldn’t produce an album for me … They wanted to mold and shape me in what they want, and I was already molded into what I was.” So she went “all independent.” An EP, “I Come In Pieces,” was

winning producer Matt Rollings, who also worked with her on “Who We Are.” Besides country influences, her style has been described as “steeped in booming gospel, soulful blues, and rock ‘n’ roll energy.” Porter’s lyrics are often deeply personal. “This album (‘Pink Cloud’) is a bible of everything I’ve done, it has all accumulated to this moment. It’s truly about understanding what it means to be in a partnership, but also really knowing who you are within a relationship,” Porter said. “For sure it’s definitely a labor of love. It’s been a lot of work.” She feels comfortable with her vision of herself as a musical artist.

“I was always sure of that, and I think this album outlines that really well,” she said. “At this point in my life it’s all about consistency.” She’s touring in part so that “Pink Cloud” can have “as much movement as we can possibly have for it … I’d love for the the album to make an impression. For everybody to hear it.” Still offering encouragement along the way has been Christina Aguilera, who always told her, “’You know what you’re doing, just go do it.’” Their relationship has a further

released last year. In December, she came back to Worcester to perform in Mechanics Hall on a bill with Daughtry and English trio the Rua for the 10th anniversary of “XLO’s Acoustic X-Mas.” Over the last few weeks there have been a couple of single drops from “Pink Cloud.” “What If I Wake Up” and the rocking “Never Could” have a distinct country feel to them. Indeed, Porter traveled from Los Angeles to Nashville in order to write for the album. “Pink Cloud” is co-produced by Grammy Award-

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

COURTESY PHOTO/LEE CHERRY

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Alisan Porter performed at WXLO’s Acoustic Xmas show in 2018. “It’s the country and rock ’n’ roll that makes me who I am, and it fits nicely in this lane I want to be in,” said Porter of her new album in production, “Pink Cloud.”

COVER STORY

PROMOTIONAL PHOTO

work is complemented as well as compounded by the fact that she is a mom. “It’s hard. It’s definitely a balancing act. It’s putting all my eggs in one basket. If I’m mom I’m mom at home. If I’m recording, it’s putting everything into that. But it can be crazy. Thank God for grandparents.” Charlotte Klein lives nearby in California these days after moving from Worcester. “She’s great,” Porter said. “She’s out here being a greatgrandmother, taking me out to lunch.” Contact Richard Duckett at richard.duckett@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @TGRDuckett.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

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development in that Porter’s boyfriend, Justin de Vera, is a dancer in Aguilera’s stage shows. “She’s actually employing my boyfriend. She’s definitely a part of

my life … She’s an amazing person and an amazing artist. She’s a huge reason why I have the confidence to keep going.” Keeping going and the hard

What: Scotty McCreery with Alisan Porter When: 1 p.m. July 28 Where: Indian Ranch, 200 Gore Road, Webster How much: $34.50 to $59.50; children general admission $15. indianranch.com.

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

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Francis Warner’s art is often a reflection of everyday life incorporating a diversity of themes, using a variety of different mediums such as: oils, watercolor, acrylic, pen and ink, graphite and other dry media. His work can be whimsical or fantastic as well as purely representational where the focus is on capturing a fleeting, often very personal, moment in time. Many natural landscapes are being transformed by development and urban expansion and the natural beauty is lost forever. His passion for the outdoors compels him to try to capture the details of texture, light, color, mood and atmosphere in the areas of which he has become familiar. Some of Warner’s works may be a comment or reflection on some theological, philosophical or contemporary sociological subject. The transient nature of life and the deep emotional and intellectual areas of discovery offer numerous opportunities for artistic expression. He avoids extreme influences from other artists and believes that an artist’s work should try to remain as pure as possible to their own intuitions and creative impulses. All of his work has been created with a concern for individuality and any resemblance to other artists is purely coincidental. See more at franart.com

CITY LIFE

State seeks Transportation Climate Initiative initiative GARI DE RAMOS

orkshops about the Transportation Climate Initiative are coming to a Massachusetts town

near you. Last Thursday, dozens of community members and city officials gathered at Clark University to participate in the first of many TCI Community Engagement workshops. Community members

Community members brainstorm and discuss ideas for the Transport and Climate Initiative Community Engagement Workshop at Clark University. GARI DE RAMOS

stressed the importance of equitable transportation and climate policies and accountability for businesses and policymakers. Familiar faces included Worcester’s state Rep. David LeBeouf and John Odell, director of the city’s Energy & Asset Management division. Hosted by MassDOT, MassDEP and Gov. Charlie Baker’s Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs, TCI Community Engagement workshops aim to include community members and stakeholders in all stages of what may be the largest transportation policy in the country to address climate change. The TCI is a multi-state effort of 12 Northeast and mid-Atlantic states, the District of Columbia and is facilitated by the Georgetown Climate Center. In this these regions alone, transportation accounts for 40% of carbon emissions. The main goals of the TCI are to cap carbon pollution from the transportation industry, require large gas and diesel fuel suppliers to hold allowances for the pollution they produce

and sell to consumers and use the funds made by the programs to increase, improve and electrify public transportation. In order to create this robust multi-jurisdiction initiative, all involved governments are hosting a series of community engagement workshops to seek ideas and recommendations from stakeholders and community members. The two-hour workshop was broken into several sections. First, staff from the organizing parties explained the history, context and goals of the TCI. MassDEP Commissioner Martin Suuberg explained that the TCI aims to add to the success of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative program, which is the first market-based program to reduce carbon emissions in the United States. The goal of the TCI in Massachusetts is to cut emissions from the transport sector by 25% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. The community engagement workshops aim to address a complaint many had with RGGI regarding the political participation of community members in the creation of such a large policy. This lecture portion also had more than enough room for question and answer with community members. After this were two group discussions. Community members were randomly seated at various

tables for discussion facilitated by an organizer. Here, organizers asked community members to share their priorities when reducing pollution and improving transportation, as well as other policy ideas state officials should consider. Each table had an impressive amount of discussion, with community members reporting back to one another. Some ideas shared included defining and addressing environmental injustice and ensuring that the benefits of the TCI disproportionately go to those most impacted by transportation emissions and environmental injustice. Others included expanding the public transport system in cities and finding alternate transportation options for more rural communities. Such a discussion comes weeks after City Councilor Gary Rosen described the WRTA as “possibly obsolete” and during a local conversation among Worcester residents about implementing a fare-free bus system. From the TCI workshop, it is clear that the state government and Massachusetts residents value maintaining and improving our transportation system. Future TCI workshops will be held in Lawrence and Pittsfield, with three more to be scheduled this summer in eastern Massachusetts.

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LIFESTYLE

House hunting, reality TV style SARAH CONNELL SANDERS

The Hunt

My husband and I are looking to buy a home in Worcester. He spent our honeymoon scouring Trulia. I began the process as any selfrespecting reality television fan would — by submitting an inquiry to “House Hunters.” After a quick consult of the world wide web, I came to the conclusion that we would have to create a sense of tension if we wanted our application to get noticed. It wasn’t hard. The shtick went something like this: “I grew up in a humble three-decker while my husband’s childhood home lay in the shadow of a feudal castle.” This is true, thanks to the oddity that is Bancroft Tower. I continued: “We both dream of a home with greenspace for a dog. I favor golden retrievers; he prefers goldendoodles.” One final wobegon

claim even went so far as to equate us to “Dharma and Greg.” The casting producer emailed me back immediately. She wrote, “The perfect time to get started in the audition process is when you are zeroing in on a property, placing offers, or entering escrow.” In other words, the blood thirsty couples we watched deliberating between three properties on national television had already, in fact, made their decision long before the cameras began to roll. To secure our “House Hunters” debut, we would need a house.

The Spanish House

On the last day of camp each summer, the bus back to Worcester brought us past 4 Kensington Road. My fellow counselors and I peered out open windows explaining to campers that, someday, we would pool our money and live together in “The Spanish House.” It was a 3,736-square-foot Spanish Colonial with marble staircases and a wrap around balcony — a Worcester girl’s dream. “The Spanish House”

was, and still is, the most unique and elegant house in the entire city. Imagine my surprise when I found out 4 Kensington Road had gone on the market earlier this year. As a financially independent adult, my idea of family no longer resembles a gang of girls in overalls. Now, I imagine my dashing husband and I preparing dinner for one another in “The Spanish House” while we watch our future dogs (one golden retriever, one goldendoodle) run around the yard. Although the narrative strikes me as “House Hunters” gold, the reality is that 4 Kensington Road extends far beyond our means. Still, identifying a dream house feels critical. A home is the largest purchase most people ever make and establishing a sense of one’s individual style is vital to making a smart investment.

2019 Design Trends

I sat down with architectural designer Emily Coutu to ask what her clients at Mellowes & Paladino Architects are searching for in a new home. According to Coutu,

farmhouse styles “a’ la Chip and Joanna Gaines” continue to prevail, including rustic accents, classic white cabinetry, lived-in decor, and white shiplap walls. Another look Coutu sees frequently is “California Boho” which she likens to aesthetics of retailers like The Haberdash and Seed to Stem. “Lots of green plants, white walls, pale, rustic wood and antique rugs,” Coutu explained. Her clients spare no expense on breakfast nooks, intricate pantries and attractive mudrooms punctuated by clever carpentry. Coutu sees many people leaning toward brass fixtures which she predicts will look dated within the decade. Luckily, hardware is easy to replace. Like copper accents, brass oxidizes over time, enhancing the character of a home and allowing it to evolve right along with the family who lives there. As far as architectural detail trends are concerned, her clients want beamed ceilings, bleached oak floors, dark green cabinets and loud wallpaper. “Pink is hot for everything,” she concluded.

Many of Emily Coutu’s clients at Mellowes & Paladino Architects favor a “California Boho” aesthetic reminiscent of Seed to Stem in Worcester, pictured here. SARAH CONNELL SANDERS

CITY LIFE

LISTEN UP

Damn Tall Buildings delivers joyful ‘Don’t Look Down’ VICTOR D. INFANTE

PROMOTIONAL PHOTO

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

its surface: “Like that ocean I’ll keep rolling/’til I turn back to dust.” The love songs which lie between these poles are extremely engaging. The bluegrass “I’ll Be Getting By” moves at an exhilarating pace, the song resplendent in its sheer enthusiasm, even though the object of the persona’s affection is absent. “Morning Light” has a bluesier feel, wrestling with the ambiguity of “looking for a woman who will treat me right” amid the late night parties. “Allison” — not to be confused with the Elvis Costello song — glows with a sort of beautiful acceptance: “Allison you treat me fine/though you leave me from time to time/ Come back soon/Hell I won’t mind.” There’s something in the delivery that conveys a lack of bitterness at the relationship’s ebb and flow, and like so much of the album, it’s breathtaking in its earnestness and execution.

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mid all the longing and wanderlust baked into Damn Tall Buildings’ most recent album, “Don’t Look Down,” is an underlying sense of joy that’s almost rattling. It’s brisk and refreshing as an early autumn wind, made all the more startling because the mere recognition reveals how much in modern music — indeed, modern culture — is cynical and joyless. The vibrancy hooks the listener instantly, pulling them deeper and deeper into its exploration of Americana, bluegrass and old-time, frontporch country music. The New York band — which will be performing Aug. 1 at Atwood’s Tavern in Cambridge — works as an ensemble in truest form: All four members share vocal duties, alternating leads and harmonies from song to song, in addition to playing instruments. The band comprises guitarist Max Capistran, fiddle player Avery “Montana” Ballotta, banjo player Jordan Alleman and bassist Sasha Dubyk. A lot of the album centers on relationships: Some lost, some longed for, and a few that are, in Facebook parlance, “complicated.” But interestingly, the first and last songs deviate a bit from that theme, and in doing so tie it all together. In the opener, “Late July,” someone has left, certainly, but the focus of the song isn’t the relationship, it’s the environment in which the relationship failed: “White lies,” they sing, in chorus, “cutting ties/Slipping through all the cracks in my teeth,/ All that’s left, hole in my chest /Hard

times living got the best of me.” The fiddle is bracing here, the bass an understated heartbeat. The music throughout is exquisitely played, and there’s not a single note wasted. This sort of immaculate execution echoes throughout the album, bringing the rustic instruments and stylings into crystal-clear focus. That’s particularly true on the album’s closing song, “Location,” where the persona muses on moving to the city to be with someone, and then to the mountains, and then to the ocean. Each note plucked seems suspended in air, refracting each failure to make a decision, each untaken action. It’s a beautiful song, but there’s a sense of futility hiding underneath

CITY LIFE

DINING

Café Reyes is on a mission 421 Shrewsbury St., Worcester • (508) 762-9900 • cafereyes.org SANDRA RAIN

he first time I went to Café Reyes on Shrewsbury Street, my visit had little to do with the minikin mugs of Cuban espresso, the silken squares of flan, or anything else on the menu. I went to support the mission. Café Reyes opened in January of 2015 as an on-site training facility for residents and graduates of the Hector Reyes House, a bilingual and bicultural recovery center for Latino men in Worcester. When I recommend Café Reyes, I fawn over the food. I belabor the dry crackle of the empanadas, the satisfying sting of mojo citrus, and the ebony sheen of sopa Cubana. I applaud that at all hours of the morning, the dining room is wide awake. Rooster figurines define the decor. One gets the sense that although it

could be the front of house staff ’s first day on the job, they have memorized Danny Meyer’s bible of hospitality from cover to cover and they intend to deliver. For your first visit, dwell on the coffee program from a perch at the copper countertop. Stop in before work and study the list. Café con leche is a nice place to begin, combining sharp traces of dark roast with pillows of steamed milk primed for stirring. Your barista will take honor in explaining the proportions which distinguish a cortado from a cortadito or a café cubano. In the summer heat, guests have taken to the café frío — a Cuban cold brew that floats across your tongue and closes its loop with a hint of acidity. On your next visit, stay for breakfast. The desayuno Cubano is served on a traditional Cuban Roll flown in from Miami’s iconic bakery, La Segunda Central. Two eggs accompany a steep banking

of slow roasted pork, thinly sliced ham, dribbles of Swiss cheese, and briny pickles, blanketed in a careful marriage of mayonnaise and mustard. When you determine to come for lunch, bring the whole office. Café Reyes is well suited for meetings. Ask for a platter of mariquitas, fried green plantains that double as chips. The ensalada is what Elaine Benes might refer to as a “big salad,” piling romaine with black beans, corn, red onions and diced mango in a wide angled red bowl. The pan con lechón is my favorite dish, a roasted pork and onion sandwich begging to be dipped in garlicky mojo. Cuban postcards embody the concurrent premise of a life once lived coupled with aspirations for the future. Trains chug past umbrella clad tables in the back patio, which can be charming or disruptive depending on your company. Cacti provide little distraction from the

La Empanada Cubana is a savory and slightly sweet classic made with ground beef, peppers, onions, tomatoes, raisins, green olives and capers. task at hand. Servers refer to an unassuming lounge area at the front of the restaurant as the “living room” and no one minds if you plop down for a time to make use of the wifi. Café Reyes isn’t perfect, but it inspires instrumental patience in a way most eateries could not. When the point of sale system goes down during a lunch rush, no one loses their temper from the wait. I came for the mission, but I returned for the food and it’s for that reason Café Reyes stays fresh on my

tongue as a dining recommendation. If you haven’t been yet, consider this a hard cue. Explanation of Stars: Ratings are from zero to five. Zero is not recommended. One is poor. Two is fair. Three is satisfactory. Four is good. Five is excellent. Food: HHHH Ambience: HHH Service: HHH1/2 Value: HHHH

TABLE HOPPIN’

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BARBARA M. HOULE

Summer edition of Restaurant Week kicks off Aug. 5

The summer series of Worcester Restaurant Week, Aug. 5-17, is an opportunity for diners to experience some of the area’s best restaurants at an affordable price. Chefs will create special menus, offering a three-course meal for $25.19 during this celebration of regional cuisine. Pulse Magazine annually presents the winter and summer WRW series. More information and updates about the summer event and the more than 35 participating restaurants can be found at the website worcesterrestaurantweek. Other restaurants: Joey’s Bar & Grill, 344 Chandler St., Worcester; Lakeside Bar & Grille, 97 Boston Turnpike, Shrewsbury; La Cucina Italiana, 294 Hamilton St., Worcester; Leo’s Ristorante, 11 Leo Turo Way, Worcester; The Local

Tavern, 680 Main St., Holden; Lock 50, 50 Water St., Worcester; Mare E Monti, 19 Wall St., Worcester; Mexicali Mexican Grill, 225 Shrewsbury St., Worcester; Meze Estiatorio, 166 Shrewsbury St., Worcester; Big T’s Mill Street BBQ Company, 242 Mill St., Worcester; O’Connor’s Restaurant & Bar, 1160 W. Boylston St., Worcester; Park Grill & Spirits Restaurant, 257 Park Ave., Worcester; Piccolo’s, 157 Shrewsbury St., Worcester; simjang, 72 Shrewsbury St., Worcester; The Mill 185, 185 W. Boylston St., West Boylston; The Sole Proprietor, 118 Highland St., Worcester; Val’s Restaurant & Lounge, 75 Reservoir St., Holden; VIA Italian Table, 89 Shrewsbury St., Worcester; Willy’s Steakhouse Grill and Sushi Bar, 2 Grafton St., Shrewsbury. Pepsi is a presenter of the event, with sponsors Mercadante Funeral Home & Chapel, Percy’s and Greater Good Imperial Brewing Company, all in Worcester; C O N T I N U E D O N N E XT PA G E

CITY LIFE

THE NEXT DRAFT

New England IPA has international appeal Tree House spotted in famed Spanish bar MATTHEW TOTA BARCELONA, Spain — In the Northeast, we have become bewitched by heavy, hoppy, hazy IPAs. And it didn’t take long for the so-called New England IPA to outgrow its namesake. The popularity of the style, which originated in Vermont, has now swept over most of craft beer in America, with breweries such as Tree House Brewing Co. garnering fans of its cloudy IPAs throughout the country. But not until a recent trip through Spain, where I got a taste of the craft beer scene in the country’s two largest cities, did I realize how far beyond New England the style spread. The New England IPA craze has most definitely crossed the Atlantic. This became clear to me the instant I arrived at my first craft beer stop in Spain: the gastropub and bottle shop BierCab in Barcelona, once dubbed the best beer bar in all of Spain by ratebeer.com. Walking past the sliding glass doors to BierCaB’s bottle shop, I instantly recognized Tree House’s familiar logo on an array of cans arranged on a shelf inside. Andrés, who works in the shop, told me Tree House has devotees here, more than 3,600 miles from Charlton. And, he

said, the Alchemist and Trillium are household names to many craft beer lovers in Spain. Perhaps the first true craft beer spot in Barcelona, BierCaB is as unique as the brews it serves. Thin strips of wood paneling arranged in a bird’s nest pattern dangle from its ceiling, and its walls reveal square sections of exposed brick and stone. Monitors around the bar, which has long wooden tables and an open kitchen that churns out tapas, display the day’s beer menu. Founded in 2013 by a group of friends who love craft beer and needed an outlet to share it, BierCaB’s massive wooden bar has 30 draft beers on tap most nights. When I visited, BierCaB had beers available from breweries in the U.S., Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Spain and Sweden. I ordered the first Spanish craft beer of my trip: a mango and passion fruit double milkshake IPA brewed by Naparbier in Pamplona. The beer, named Train Shakes, was thick and creamy from the added lactose and burst with tropical fruit. While drinking it, I couldn’t help but marvel at how such a quintessentially New England IPA could come from Pamplona, a city known more for its bullfighters than its juice bombs. Few places like BierCaB exist in

the Catalan capital, and it offers a haven for craft beer seekers looking for an alternative to Estrella Damm, one of Spain’s mass-produced lagers. Unlike in Boston or Worcester, you cannot walk into any bar or restaurant in Spain and expect a varied tap list with three or four local beers. You have to search hard for places offering unique beer, but when you find them, you discover a movement of beer fans as passionate and knowledgeable as any in the U.S. One steamy afternoon in Madrid, I walked up and down and around the same cobblestone street for nearly 30 minutes looking for a craft bottle shop that I’d read about. The shop had no sign above its front door, only a simple brown mat with its name: Be Hoppy. Inside I met owner and founder Pepín Rocillo, who opened Be Hoppy in 2014. The first thing I asked Rocillo — tall and slender with a big beard — was if he had ever heard of Wormtown Brewery and its flagship IPA, which bears the same name as his bottle shop. He had; in fact, a Wormtown employee once visited Be Hoppy, and the Worcester brewery is a fan of Rocillo’s shop. Rocillo has a small space, but he fills every inch of it with beer. He built a bar with six taps and wooden shelves with rows and rows of rare

Four-course dinner on tap

Some of the participants of Worcester Restaurant Week include Nancy Pearson from Park Grill, Natalie Soto from City Bar & Grille, Scott Tefft from Big T’s Mill Street BBQ Company and Erika Rovezzi from Joey’s Bar & Grill, at City Bar & Grille.

C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 23

course: Drayman’s Porter Braised Boneless Beef Short Rib, local wild mushroom risotto, charred broccolini; Fourth course: Zeppole “Italian Fried Dough” with Coffee House Porter Chocolate sauce. Yum!

Cool off with caffeine

Can’t imagine anyone wanting to see temperatures hit 100 degrees again, but when it does happen any time this summer in Worcester, Brew on the Grid will keep to its promise of giving away 100 small cold brew iced cold coffees the following day to the first 100 customers in line. No purchase necessary to redeem the free coffee. Brew on the Grid, owned by Grid Hospitality Group, is located at 56 Franklin St., Worcester. The free coffee offer will be announced on the company’s Facebook and C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 23

ASHLEY GREEN

Craft beers from Berkshire Brewing Company in South Deerfield will be paired with a special four-course dinner created by chef Tommaso Gargiulo of Arturo’s Ristorante in Westboro on July 31. The event at Arturo’s, 54 E. Main St., Westboro, will begin at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $70 per guest, all-inclusive. Call (508) 366-1881 to reserve. For more information about the brewery, visit berkshsire-brewing.com. Berkshire Brewing Company’s president/founder Gary Bogoff will host the dinner. On the menu: First course-DUO: Hot Italian Sausage, local cabbage, sauerkraut, grain mustard, pretzel. Braised Pork Belly, caramelized local sweet onion, polenta cake, spicy honey; Second course: Buttermilk Fried Chicken, bacon blue cheese whipped potatoes, beer gravy; Third

craft beer renaissance to around a decade ago, crediting trailblazers like DouGall’s in Cantabria, which is among Spain’s oldest craft breweries, and Fábrica Maravillas, the first brewery to open in downtown Madrid. The American craft beer influence was clear from the beginning, he said, as local breweries have never shied away from brewing styles like New England IPAs and sours, and they’ve even been experimenting more with barrel-aged beers.

WORCESTERMAGAZINE.COM

‘Bachelorette’ finale viewing party at Arturo’s

Arturo’s Ristorante in Westboro presents “The Bachelorette” 2019 Finale Part 1 Viewing Event beginning at 7:30 p.m. July 29. Seating is limited to the first 50 guests who reserve: Call Arturo’s at (508) 366-1881. The restaurant will have a waitlist if tickets are sold out. Cost is $10 per person. Note: Dinner will not be offered during this event. Chips and guac will be available, in addition to cash bar. Call the restaurant for more information. Will Bachelorette Hannah Brown find love?

MATTHEW TOTA

bottles. In one of his fridges, he showed me two shelves reserved for beers from craft breweries in Spain. At Rocillo’s shop, you can order a pint or grab a bottle or can and enjoy it onsite. I fingered through the colorful cans in the fridge until I settled on Hazy Vibes African Queen & Southern Passion, a double dry-hopped IPA from the Madrid brewery Cervecera Península. The beer was opaque with a pale orange hue and a thin, bubbly head, and I tasted mostly grapefruit. Rocillo traces the start of Spain’s

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Wachusett Brewing Company in Westminster; Heineken, Harpoon, Samuel Adams, Coors Light and 100 FM The Pike, 98.9 Nash Icon and 104.5 XLO, radio stations. Can’t wait to see what the chefs dish out!

Tree House Brewing Co. cans on display at the gastropub BierCab in Barcelona. Among many craft beer lovers in Spain, Tree House is a household name.

CITY LIFE

FILM

‘Lion King’ and the allure of nostalgia JIM KEOGH

n my review of “Toy Story 4” a few weeks ago, I noted my 23-year-old son had convinced me to accompany him to the screening with some vague argument about recapturing childhood memories. “I’ve always had a tough time saying no to that kid,” I wrote. “And he knows it.” Does he ever. Flash to last Thursday at 6:20 p.m. “That kid” reports the CGI version of “The Lion King” is playing at 6:30 at Showcase North. More talk about childhood ensues. Minutes later, I am again inside a theater, a pair of 3-D glasses resting on my nose, about to watch a movie I’d had little interest in seeing. And just as with “Toy Story 4,” I am surprised by my affection for it. I think I understand now. I’m not accommodating my son’s feelings of nostalgia, I’m indulging my own. The original “Lion King” was released in 1994, eight years into

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NOW PLAYING “Aladdin” — Live-action adaptation of Disney’s 1992 animated musical based on the timeless fantasy tale about a charming thief, a beautiful princess and a big blue genie. With Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, Will Smith, Nasim Pedrad, Billy Magnussen. (2:08) PG. “Annabelle Comes Home” — The deadly doll wreaks horror on the family of demonologists in this franchise entry. With Mckenna Grace, Madison Iseman, Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga. Written by Gary Dauberman; story by Dauberman, James Wan, based on characters created by Dauberman. (1:46) R. “Avengers: Endgame” — Captain America and the other surviving team members attempt to set the universe to rights in the aftermath of Thanos’ victory in this Marvel franchise entry. With Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Paul Rudd. (3:01) PG-13. “Booksmart” — Two studious high school seniors (Beanie Feldstein, Kaitlyn Dever) try to pack four years of partying into one night in the comedy “Booksmart.” (1:45) R. “Crawl” — Trapped in a flooding house during a hurricane, a young Florida woman and her father are menaced by alligators. With Kaya Scodelario, Barry Pepper. Written by Michael Rasmussen,

Young Simba (JD McCrary), Nala (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and Zazu (John Oliver) in “The Lion King.” DISNEY

my movie-reviewing career. My daughter was 3, and my son hadn’t been born. But by then, beginning with 1989’s “The Little Mermaid,” Disney had launched a new golden age of animation, with a memorable gem released every few years. The VHS tapes (remember those?) of “Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin,”

and, yes, “The Lion King” joined classics such as “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves” and “Dumbo” on our shelves. We watched, rewound, and watched again, singing the songs, deriding the villains, cheering the heroes and heroines, most of whom, in Disney’s slyly traumatizing fashion, had lost a parent. These movies

became part of our familial DNA. Here’s what struck me about the new “Lion King.” Visually, it’s stunning. African savannas teem with photorealistic wildlife; the action is fluid, and the music has lost none of its punch. The instrumentals impressed me far more than the lyrics, especially the drumming, which makes your molecules throb. And James Earl Jones as Mufasa? If I had his voice, I’d never stop talking. He’s 88 now, and I’m sure those wondrous pipes have been digitally lubricated for this film. Doesn’t matter. JEJ will always be the father to emerging heroes — Simba, Luke Skywalker — and the man who would be King of the Jungle. Nostalgia can be beautiful, but it’s a bitch, too. The absence of Jeremy Irons as the drolly traitorous Scar (replaced by Chiwetel Ejiofor) is a noticeable loss. I wasn’t feeling Donald Glover as Simba either; he’s just a little too sedate. There’s a quavering quality to Matthew

Broderick’s voice that better captured Simba’s reluctance about assuming his leadership role among the pride. The comic foils, Zazu (John Oliver), Pumbaa (Seth Rogen), Timon (Billy Eichner), and the hyena Kamari (Keegan-Michael Key) produce plenty of laughs, with Eichner succeeding at the hardest of tasks: replacing the estimable Nathan Lane. I did not rewatch the original “Lion King” before seeing this remake. I can’t tell you what lines from the script have been added or dropped, whether a song has been corrupted, or whether the movie hews too closely to the source material or strays too far afield (I’ve read criticisms from those who crave more audacity, and those who demand shot-by-shot purity). All I know is I went to a movie whose story and characters I recall fondly. It made me remember good times. That’s enough. Hakuna matata.

T&G Readers: For today’s movie showtimes, please see the television page of today’s Telegram & Gazette.

Shawn Rasmussen. Directed by Alexandre Aja. (1:27) R. “The Dead Don’t Die” — A small town is overrun by zombies in writer-director Jim Jarmusch’s star-studded horror comedy. With Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, Chloe Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, Danny Glover, Caleb Landry Jones, Rosie Perez, Iggy Pop, RZA, Selena Gomez, Carol Kane, Tom Waits. (1:45) R. “A Dog’s Journey” — The pooch with a purpose forms a new attachment and vows to watch over her in this sequel. With Marg Helgenberger, Betty Gilpin, Kathryn Prescott, Dennis Quaid and the voice of Josh Gad. (1:48) PG. “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” — The giant reptile vies with Mothra, Rodan and the three-headed King Ghidorah for world domination. With Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Bradley Whitford, Sally Hawkins, Charles Dance, Thomas Middleditch, Aisha Hinds, David Strathairn, Ken Watanabe, Ziyi Zhang. (2:12) PG-13. “The Hustle” — Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson play con women who join forces for revenge. Written by Stanley Shapiro, Paul Henning, Dale Launer, Jac Schaeffer; story by Shapiro, Henning, Launer. Directed by Chris Addison. (1:43) PG-13. “John Wick — Chapter 3 — Parabellum” — The super-assassin

played by Keanu Reeves is back, pursued by other hired killers looking to collect a $14 million bounty. With Halle Berry, Laurence Fishburne, Asia Kate Dillon, Lance Reddick, Jerome Flynn, Jason Mantzoukas, Anjelica Huston, Ian McShane. (2:10) R. “Late Night” — A swell romantic comedy of a very particular sort, a film that details the delightful attachment two women — played by Emma Thompson and Mindy Kaling in tip-top form — have not to any man (or even each other) but to the profession they’re completely devoted to. R. “The Lion King” — The young Simba has a series of adventures on the way to claiming his birthright in this computeranimated remake of the 1994 animated Disney musical. With the voices of Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alfre Woodard, Billy Eichner, John Oliver, Eric André, Keegan-Michael Key, JD McCrary, Beyoncé KnowlesCarter, James Earl Jones. Written by Jeff Nathanson. Directed by Jon Favreau. (1:58) PG. “Men in Black: International” — A new generation of alien-busting agents searches for a mole in their midst. With Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Rebecca Ferguson, Kumail Nanjiani, Rafe Spall, Emma Thompson, Liam Neeson. Written by Art Marcum, Matt Holloway; based on the characters

created by Lowell Cunningham. Directed by F. Gary Gray. (1:55) PG-13. “Midsommar” — A young American tourist couple are drawn into the darker aspects of a pagan festival in rural Sweden. With Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, William Jackson Harper, Vilhelm Blomgran. Written and directed by Ari Aster. In English and Swedish with English subtitles. (1:40) R. “Pokemon Detective Pikachu” — The son of a missing detective teams with the titular sleuth to find his father in this mix of live action and animation. With the voice of Ryan Reynolds plus Justice Smith, Suki Waterhouse, Chris Geere, Ken Watanabe, Bill Nighy. Written by Dan Hernandez, Benji Samit, Rob Letterman, Derek Connolly; story by Hernandez, Samit, Nicole Perlman. Directed by Rob Letterman. (1:44) PG. “Poms” — Diane Keaton stars as a woman who starts a cheer squad at a retirement home. With Jacki Weaver, Pam Grier, Celia Weston, Rhea Perlman. Written by Shane Atkinson; story by Atkinson, Zara Hayes. Directed by Hayes. (1:31) PG-13. “Rocketman” — Mild-mannered English piano player Reginald Dwight transforms into rock superstar Elton John in this musical fantasy biopic starring Taron Egerton. With Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, Bryce Dallas Howard. (2:01) R.

“The Secret Life of Pets 2” — A sequel to the computer-animated comedy reveals more of the antics our animal companions get up to when we’re not around. With the voices of Lake Bell, Hannibal Buress, Dana Carvey, Harrison Ford, Tiffany Haddish, Kevin Hart, Pete Holmes, Ellie Kemper, Nick Kroll, Bobby Moynihan, Patton Oswalt, Jenny Slate, Eric Stonestreet. Written by Brian Lynch. Directed by Chris Renaud, Jonathan Del Val. (1:26) “Spider-Man: Far from Home” — The young web slinger’s trip to Europe with his school friends is interrupted by Nick Fury and some elemental creatures. With Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Zendaya, Cobie Smulders, Jon Favreau, JB Smoove, Martin Starr, Marisa Tomei, Jake Gyllenhaal. Written by Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers; based on the comic book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Directed by Jon Watts. (2:08) PG-13. “Stuber” — A mild-mannered Uber driver is pressed into service by a gruff undercover cop in pursuit of a violent criminal. With Kumail Nanjiani, Dave Bautista, Natalie Morales, Betty Gilpin, Mira Sorvino, Karen Gillan. Written by Tripper Clancy. Directed by Michael Dowse. (1:33) R. “Toy Story 4” — The gang goes on a road trip and reunites with Bo Peep in the fourth entry in Disney-Pixar’s C O N T I N U E D O N N E XT PA G E

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NEXT DRAFT

TA B L E H O P P I N’

C O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 21

Big breweries dominate the shelves of groceries and shops, according to Rocillo. And in Madrid at least, locals have to travel far to visit most breweries, so the taproom model has not yet taken off yet there like it has in the U.S. “It’s not easy for breweries to open downtown,”

Instagram page. “We hope that giving away these cold brew coffees will be a way for the local community members to embrace and enjoy the heat wave and weather,” said Sam Morris, general manager of Brew. “We also were looking for a way to say thank you to the community we serve each and every day!” FYI: Brew on the Grid sells nitro cold brew, cold pressed juices, smoothies, lattes, pastries, sandwiches and salads. Visit brewonthegrid.com to learn more about the business. Cool offer!

Barbecue at Hardwick Vineyard

Pepín Rocillo, who opened the Madrid craft beer bottle shop Be Hoppy in 2014, says craft breweries in Spain have embraced American styles like the New England IPA. MATTHEW TOTA

Clarkson, Nick Jonas, Janelle Monae, Blake Shelton, Wanda Sykes, Gabriel Iglesias, Bebe Rexha, Charli XCX, Lizzo, Wang Leehom, Emma Roberts, Pitbull. “Yesterday” — A struggling musician wakes up to find he’s the only person on Earth who knows the music of the Beatles. With Himesh Patel, Lily James, Kate McKinnon, Ed Sheeran. Written by Richard Curtis; story by Curtis, Jack Barth. Directed by Danny Boyle. (1:56) PG-13.

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FILM CAPSULES

C O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 22 beloved computer-animated franchise. With the voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Tony Hale, KeeganMichael Key, Christina Hendricks, Jordan Peele, Keanu Reeves, Jay Hernandez and Joan Cusack. (1:40) G. “UglyDolls” — The plush toys break out in song in their own animated musical adventure. With voices of Kelly

If you have a tidbit for the column, call (508) 868-5282. Send email to bhoulefood@gmail.com.

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Rocillo said. “They’re mostly pushed to the outskirts.” Before leaving Be Hoppy, I bought two more Spanish beers to take back to my apartment — another New England IPA and a pastry stout brewed with chili peppers. While cashing me out, Rocillo mentioned he’d never been to the U.S. I was not surprised to learn that whenever he does travel to America, among his top destinations would be, of all places, Greensboro Bend, Vermont, which has a population of about 232 people and a lot of dirt roads. Like so many other beer lovers from all over the world, Rocillo wants to visit Hill Farmstead Brewery.

Stillman Quality Meats is ready to host its Jamaican BBQ Night event on Aug. 3 at Hardwick Vineyard & Winery, 3305 Greenwich Road, Hardwick. The “killer island-style BBQ” will take place from 4 to 9 p.m., with three courses of authentic Jamaican Jerk BBQ. Cash bar and signature island drinks, live music, in addition to a Hot Pepper Eating Contest, featuring Stillman’s Farm peppers! Barbecue tickets are $39 each for adults; $18, children 15 and younger; Children 3 and younger eat free. Early Bird Tickets can be purchased through www.eventbrite. com, or call Stillman Quality Meats in Worcester, (413) 277-9600, or Hardwick Vineyard and Winery, (413) 967-7763. You also can connect on Facebook. Note: Early bird reservations will help with preparations as food is made from scratch using local ingredients, according to Stillman’s owners. Courses will include Jerk chicken, pig roast, callaloo (vegetable dish), oxtail, rice and beans, curry goat, sweet plantains, curry vegetables, rum cake, ginger beer and more.

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THINGS TO DO COMPILED BY RICHARD DUCKET T, VICTOR D. INFANTE AND HOPE RUDZINSKI

Hustle and flow Rapper 550Flokk strikes an interesting balance between a sort of laconic flow and an odd intensity. Songs such as “Takin’ Off,” “Top Down” and especially the recent “All I Know” capture a sense of street hustle, but leave enough space for a slow, grinding groove. What: The PackWoods Party Tour featuring 550Flokk and Breeze Dollaz When: 8 p.m. July 31 Where: Electric Haze, 26 Millbury St., Worcester How much: $20

Public Library Roosevelt Branch, 1006 Grafton St., Worcester. For information: lsheldon@mywpl. org. Dale LePage & The Manhattans: 6-9 p.m. Jul. 25, Sonoma Restaurant, 363 Plantation St., Worcester. Summer in the Park Concert Series featuring 4 Ever Fab: 6-8 p.m. Jul. 25, Dr. Arthur and Dr. Martha Pappas Recreation Complex, 203.5 Pakachoag St., Auburn. 2019 Kunitz Medal Ceremony honoring Fran Quinn: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Jul. 25, Worcester Historical Museum, 30 Elm St., Worcester. For information: call (508) 7974770, wcpaboard@yahoo.com. The program will begin with a half hour open mic centered on the late Worcester-born Poet Laureate, Stanley Kunitz. Rodger Martin, Stanley Kunitz Award Committee chair will moderate. Quinn, the honoree, will read her work. Bike Night with ViVi and DaFunk: 6:30-10:30 p.m. Jul. 25, Halligan’s Bar And Function Hall, 889 Southbridge St., Auburn. Musical Bingo presented by Wise Guys Trivia: 9-11:59 p.m. Jul. 25, Beatnik’s, 433 Park Ave., Worcester.

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Friday, July 26

Thursday, July 25

Drill as a Medieval Soldier: 10:3011:30 a.m. Jul. 25, Worcester Art Museum, 55 Salisbury St., Worcester. Cost: $6-$16. For information: information@ worcesterart.org. Under the direction of a Museum educator, experience a sliver of a medieval soldier’s life by drilling with a spear outdoors in the Stoddard Courtyard (weather permitting). Recommended for ages 9 and up. Out to Lunch 2019 ft. Abraxas: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 25, Worcester Common Oval, 455 Main St., Worcester. Free. Throwback Thursday Theater: 2-3:30 p.m. Jul. 25, Worcester

Help Plant Rain Gardens: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Jul. 26, Blackstone Heritage Corridor Visitor Center at Worcester, 3 Paul Clancy Way, Worcester. For information or to volunteer call (508) 234-4242 or email Bonnie Combs at Bcombs@ BlackstoneHeritageCorridor.org. Free Fun Friday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Jul. 26, Fitchburg Art Museum, 185 Elm St., Fitchburg. For information: (978) 345-4207, vdezorzi@fitchburgartmuseum. org. Free. Drill as a Medieval Soldier: 10:3011:30 a.m. Jul. 26, Worcester Art Museum, 55 Salisbury St., Worcester. Cost: $6-$16. For information: information@ worcesterart.org. Under the direction of a Museum educator, experience a sliver of a medieval soldier’s life by drilling with a spear outdoors in the Stoddard Courtyard (weather permitting). Recommended for ages 9 and up. Kidleidoscope Nature Story: 10:30-11:30 a.m. Jul. 26, Stillwater Farm, 228 Redemption Rock Trail, Sterling. For information: (774) 261-1809, Kathryn.Parent@mass.

Soulful and Smoldering Songs such as “Nashville Sun,” “Ain’t Been The Same” and “Guess I’ll Go Down” reveal singer-songwriter Milton as a soulful, evocative musician. There’s a sort of summery wistfulness to his work, that gives it a great deal of depth and feeling, crossing genres from a sort of old-fashioned folk into a more contemporary sound, but always maintaining a sense of smoldering. What: Milton When: 8 p.m. July 27 Where: Bull Run Restaurant, 215 Great Road, Shirley How much: $15 gov. Gamemaster Academy: Tabletop Roleplaying Games, 2-4 p.m. Jul. 26, Fitchburg Public Library, 610 Main St., Fitchburg. For information: (978) 8291780, fplref@cwmars.org. Recommended minimum age is 12. Night Sky Origami: with artist Cheryl Perrow, 2-4 p.m. Jul. 26, Worcester Public Library Burncoat Branch, 526 Burncoat St., Worcester. For information:

lsheldon@mywpl.org. Ages 6 and up. Registration required. Canal District Music Series with Troy Gonyea Band and Lisa Marie and Johnny Juxo: 6-8:15 p.m. Jul. 26, Worcester Ice Center, 112 Harding St., 1Worcester. For information: (508) 981-4632. Terry Blackwell: 6-9 p.m. Jul. 26, Park Grill & Spirits, 257 Park Ave., Worcester. For information: hagstromeric53@gmail.com. Terry Blackwell Poetry To Celebrate Summer:

Critically Acclaimed Laurent Jochum, organist titulaire at Saint Jean-Baptiste Church in Bellville, Paris, has won several prestigious competitions and has been a guest recitalist at venues in France and numerous countries including the United States. His repertoire extends from baroque music to contemporary masterpieces, and his recordings of romantic and symphonic music of the 19th century have been critically acclaimed. On Monday Jochum will give a free recital on the historic 1928 Casavant Organ at St. Joseph Church in Worcester. A meet-the-artist reception will follow the performance. What: Laurent Jochum, organ concert When: 7 p.m. July 29 Where: St. Joseph Church, 35 Hamilton St., Worcester How much: Free

featuring Richard Fox, Sam Lalos, Christopher Reilly and Joan Erickson, 6 p.m. July 26, Root and Press, 623 Chandler St., Worcester. Salsa on the Riverfront: with instructor Marissa Monteiro, 6 p.m. July 26. dance lessons, 7 p.m. dance party, Riverfront Park, 51 Commercial St., Fitchburg. Free, but reserve spot for class at salsaontheriverfront@gmail.com. The Healys: 7:30-10:30 p.m. Jul. 26, Fiddler Green, 19 Temple St., Worcester. Roast Wars: Battle of the Bull: hosted by Lou Ramos, 8-11:30 p.m. Jul. 26, Bull Mansion, 55 Pearl St., Worcester. Cost: $10$15. Comedian Shawn Carter: 8 p.m. July 26, The Comedy Attic at Park Grill & Spirits, 257 Park Ave., Worcester. $15. Comedian Gary Vider: 8 p.m. July 26, WooHaHa, 50 Franklin St., Worcester. $20. Wormtown Ska Presents — Mixed Bill III: featuring 6 Foot Silence, Hobo Chili, Jimmy West Band, Point Blank and Threat Level Burgundy, 8 p.m. July 26, Raven Music Hall, 258 Pleasant St., Worcester. $10. Dock 10: 8:30 p.m.-12 a.m. Jul. 26, Halligan’s Bar And Function Hall, 889 Southbridge St., Auburn. Fabulous with Garry Gamma: 9 p.m. July 26, Nick’s Bar & Restaurant, 124 Millbury St., Worcester. Free.

Saturday, July 27

Eid festival: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Jul. 27, Knights of Columbus, 17 Willow St., Westborough. Cost: Free. Brunch and Broadway: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Jul. 27, Worcester Common Oval, 455 Main St., Worcester. Free.

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Going her own way A popular feature of Ayla Brown’s concerts has been her rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s “Go Your Own Way.” True to the song, Brown, the Massachusetts-born daughter of former U.S. Sen. Scott P. Brown — now U.S. ambassador to New Zealand — and TV broadcast journalist Gail Huff, has been doing just that. A semifinalist on “American Idol” at the age of 17, a stellar basketball player at Boston College, and a country music singer, songwriter, performer and producer, Brown is now morning cohost of Country 102.5 in Boston.

Carlos Odria Trio: album release party, 8 p.m. July 27, Nick’s Bar & Restaurant, 124 Millbury St., Worcester. Comedian Shawn Carter: 8 p.m. July 27, The Comedy Attic at Park Grill & Spirits, 257 Park Ave., Worcester. $15. Milton: 8-11 p.m. Jul. 27, Bull Run Restaurant, 215 Great Road, Shirley. Cost: $15. For information: (978) 425-4311, BryanSawyer@ bullrunrestaurant.com. Get the Led Out: 8 p.m. Jul. 27, Indian Ranch, 200 Gore Rd, Webster. $25-$45. Danny Klein’s Full House: 8-11 p.m. Jul. 27, Bull Run Restaurant, 215 Great Road, Shirley. Cost: $20. For information: (978) 425-4311. Decades By Dezyne: 8:30 p.m.-12 a.m. Jul. 27, Halligan’s Bar And Function Hall, 889 Southbridge St., Auburn.

Sunday, July 28

Monday, July 29

Life is Good Kids Foundation Annual Golf Tournament: 8 a.m.3 p.m. Jul. 29, Sterling National Country Club, 33 Albright Road, Sterling. Cost: $1,500-$500. For information: email colleen@ ligplaymakers.org. Rock Climbing Summer Vacation Program at Central Rock Gym Worcester: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Jul. 29, Central Rock Gym, 299 Barber Ave., Worcester. Cost: Free. Tatnuck Toddlers! Learn and Play Storytime: 10-11 a.m. Jul. 29, Worcester Public Library Tatnuck Magnet Branch, 1083 Pleasant St., Worcester. For information: lsheldon@mywpl.org. For ages 1 ½ to 3 years old with caregiver. Challenger: Soaring with Christa McAuliffe: 3-5 p.m. Jul. 29, Merriam-Gilbert Public Library, 3 West Main St., West Brookfield. For information: (508) 867-1410,

Peak Worcester

What: Meredith Willson’s “The Music Man” — The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts Teen Youth Summer Program When: 7 p.m. July 26; 2 and 7 p.m. July 27 Where: The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester How much: $20. (877) 571-7469; thehanovertheatre.org

What: George Street Bike Challenge When: Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m. July 28, racing starts at 10 a.m. Where: Check in outside Garden Fresh Courthouse Cafe, 204 Main St., Worcester How much: $20 to enter, free to spectators

There’s going to be trouble in River City when fast-talking traveling salesman Harold Hill breezes into town to con people into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys’ band he promises to organize. But when Hill falls for the local librarian, Marian, he’s got some potential troubles of his own. Session one of The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts Teen Youth Summer Program presents Meredith Willson’s “The Music Man” Friday and Saturday. The cast includes Worcester residents Heather Bachand (Zaneeta Shinn), Liam Carmody (Marcellus Washburn), Matthew Davis (Salesman #2/River City Teen), Jason Dominguez (Newspaper Reader #1/River City Teen), Isaiah Gomez (Salesman #5/River City Teen), Jada Murphy (River City Kid), Kevin Politz (Salesman #4/River City Teen) and Madelyn Rich (Marian Paroo). For the first time this year, students attended pre-qualifying auditions before being accepted into the program.

See how fast you can pedal up one of Worcester’s steepest hills in the 17th edition of the George Street Bike Challenge for Major Taylor. It’s one rider at a time against the clock on a downtown street that was a proving ground for 1899 world cycling champion Marshall W. “Major” Taylor, aka “the Worcester Whirlwind.” Medals will be awarded in age categories for adults and kids 12 and up. The fastest male and fastest female also will win a Major Taylor cycling jersey. A road bike from Barney’s and other prizes will be raffled off at the conclusion of the race. Proceeds benefit the Major Taylor Association. For more information, visit www. majortaylorassociation.org or call Barney’s Bicycle at (508) 799-2453. Presented by the Seven Hills Wheelmen and Barney’s Bicycle.

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‘Music Man’ at Hanover

2019 with the Sidekicks and Queen Of Jeans: 8-11:59 p.m. Jul. 28, Palladium, 261 Main St., Worcester. Cost: $25-$28.

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George Street Bike Challenge for Major Taylor: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Jul. 28, George St., George St , Worcester. Cost: $5-$20. For information: (508) 799-2453, info@majortaylorassociation.org. Free for spectators; $20 per rider (on-site registration opens at 8:30 What: Ayla Brown — Summer in the Park Concert Series a.m.). A bike from Barney’s, and When: 6 p.m. Aug. 1 other prizes, will be raffled off. Where: Riley-Pappas Pavilion at the Pappas Recreation Complex, 203A Proceeds benefit the Major Taylor Pakachoag St., Auburn Association Inc. How much: Free Boston City Tour — Shining Rock GC: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Jul. 28, Shining Rock Golf Club, 91 Clubhouse Ln. Author Kelley Lynn: signs and Live entertainment and preview , Northbridge. Cost: $85-$114. discusses, “My Husband is Not a of the Hanover Theatre’s season For information: email devlin@ Rainbow, ” 2:30-3:30 p.m. Jul. 27, ahead with a behind-the-scenes nextgengolf.org. Worcester Public Library, 3 Salem Q&A and spotlight performance Scotty McCreery and Alisan Porter: St., Worcester. For information: from “Beautiful — The Carole King 1 p.m. Jul. 28, Indian Ranch, 200 (508) 799-1655, wplref@mywpl. Musical.” Gore Rd, Webster. $44.50-$54.50. org. Outdoor Digital Photography with Drag Bingo ft. Naomi Chomsky: Fourth Saturday Open Mic Richard Hoyer: 2-4 p.m. Jul. 27, 1 p.m. July 28, Bull Mansion, 55 featuring Therese Carr: 7-10 p.m. Worcester Public Library, 3 Salem Pearl St., Worcester. Jul. 27, Barnes & Noble, Lincoln St., Worcester. For information: Halligan’s Summer Music Bash Plaza 541 D Lincoln St., Worcester. (508) 799-1655.

Fundraiser: with DaFunk, She’s Busy, Your Mother, Gypsy Cowboys, Decades by Dezyne and Mighty King Snakes, 2-8 p.m. Jul. 28, Halligan’s Bar And Function Hall, 889 Southbridge St., Auburn. Dance2Swing with BJ Magoon & Driving Sideways: 6:45-10:30 p.m. Jul. 28, Leominster Elks Lodge (Dance2Swing), 134 North Main St., Leominster. Cost: $15. For information: dance2swing@ comcast.net. WOOtenanny x DTFO Present — Deck Comedy Jam: hosted by Paul Cyphers, featuring Comedian Carolyn Riley, 7 p.m. July 28, Vincent’s, 49 Suffolk St, Worcester. $5-$10. Comedy Open Mic: 7 p.m. July 28, The Woohaha Comedy Club, 50 Franklin St. Listen! A Poetry Series: 7 p.m. July 28, Nick’s Bar and Restaurant, 124 Millbury St., Worcester. Davina & the Vagabonds: 7:30-11 p.m. Jul. 28, Bull Run Restaurant, 215 Great Road, Shirley. Cost: $24. For information: (978) 425-4311. The Menzingers — Summer

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THINGS TO DO htakorian@cwmars.org. Cosponsored by the West Brookfield Historical Commission and the Quaboag Historical Society. “Harry Potter” Themed Trivia: 7-9 p.m. Jul. 29, Red Heat Tavern, 227 Turnpike Road, Westborough. Cost: Free. Dirty Gerund Poetry Series: 9 p.m. July 29, Ralph’s Rock Diner, 148 Grove St., Worcester.

Tuesday, July 30

Concert on the Common: 6:30-8 p.m. Jul. 30, Brimfield Common, Brimfield. Stick to Your Guns with Counterparts, Terror, Sanction and Year Of The Knife: 6:30-11:59 p.m. Jul. 30, Palladium, 261 Main St., Worcester. Cost: $20.

Wednesday, July 31

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Jim Porcella: 7 p.m. July 31, Padavano’s Place, 358 Shrewsbury St., Worcester. The Thirsty Lab Poetry Reading with Martha Carlson Bradley: 7-9 p.m. Jul. 30, The Thirsty Lab, 206 Worcester Road, Princeton. Hosted by Susan Roney-O’Brien. Burncoat Babies! Learn and Play Storytime: 10-11 a.m. Jul. 31, Worcester Public Library Burncoat Branch, 526 Burncoat St., Worcester. For ages birth to 18 months. The PackWoods Party Tour: featuring 550Flokk, Breeze Dollaz and more, 8 p.m.-2 a.m. Jul. 31, Electric Haze, 26 Millbury St., Worcester. Cost: $20.

Thursday, Aug. 1

Thursday Story Time: 10:3011:30 a.m. Aug. 1, Boylston Public Library, 695 Main St., Boylston. For information: (508) 869-2371, lstretton@cwmars.org. Ages 0-6 Out to Lunch 2019 ft. Crocodile River Music: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug.

1, Worcester Common Oval, 455 Main St., Worcester. Free. The Russo Brothers Jazz Quintet: 6-9 p.m. Aug. 1, Sonoma Restaurant, Sonoma Restaurant, 363 Plantation St., Worcester. Fox and the Dragon: 6 p.m. Aug. 1, Greater Good Imperial Brewing Company, 55 Millbrook St., Worcester. Summer in the Park Concert Series featuring Ayla Brown: 6-8 p.m. Aug. 1, Dr. Arthur and Dr. Martha Pappas Recreation Complex, 203.5 Pakachoag St., Auburn. Screaming Females, Dark Thoughts, Exmaid and Evan Greer: 8-11:59 p.m. Aug. 1, Ralph’s Diner, 148 Grove St., Worcester. Cost: $15-$18. Thursday Night Laughs: hosted by James Dorsey, featuring Cassie Tortoricci and Jonathan Tilson, WooHaHa, 8 p.m. Aug. 1, 50 Franklin St., Worcester. $10. Musical Bingo presented by Wise Guys Trivia: 9-11:59 p.m. Aug. 1, Beatnik’s, 433 Park Ave., Worcester.

That’s what’s happening The current exhibition “Life as it Happens” in the Krikorian Gallery of the Worcester Center for Crafts represents the observations of two photographers capturing street scenes from very different points of view. Uday Khambadkone’s images (pictured below) are colorfully vibrant and complex in their content, while Scott Erb’s black and white photographs sharply reflect a keen sense of line and light which plays an integral part in his images. There will be a free talk by Khambadkone and Erb at 6 p.m. July 25. The exhibit and sale of photography is through Sep. 7.

Stage “Seven Keys to Baldpate”: 7:30 p.m. July 26, 27 and Aug. 2, 3; 2 p.m. July 28. Presented by Daft Theater Productions. Singh Performance Center,50 Douglas Road, Whitinsville. $20; $18 for seniors. (774) 287-8374 “Shrek The Musical”: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17; 2 p.m. Aug. 4, 11, 18. $24 The Bradley Playhouse, 30 Front St., Putnam, Conn. $24; $21 for seniors and students. thebradleyplayhouse. org. “The Music Man”: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 2, 3, 8, 9 and 10; 2 p.m. Aug. 4. $20. Presented by Vanilla Box Productions. Joseph P. Burke Center for Performing Arts - Holy

What: “Life as it Happens” — Photography by Scott Erb and Uday Khambadkone. Free talk When: 6 p.m. July 25 Where: Worcester Center for Crafts, 25 Sagamore Road, Worcester How much: Free Name CCHS 144 Granite St., Worcester. vanillaboxproductions. com. “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 2, 3 and 10; 2 p.m. Aug. 4 and 11. Presented by Regatta Players. Flanagan Theater, Southgate at Shrewsbury, 30 Julio Drive, Shrewsbury. $18; $15 for students and seniors.

regattaplayers.com, (508) 9250583 “Singin’ In The Rain”: 8 p.m. Aug. 9, 10, 16, 17 and 2 p.m. Aug. 18. $22; $15 for ages 16 and younger. Theatre at the Mount, Mount Wachusett Community College, 444 Green St., Gardner. mwcc.edu/ tam. “Newsies”: 8 p.m. Aug. 9, 10, 16,

In The Mix Wormtown Ska, hosted by Matt Caranci from WCUW 91.3 FM, presents Mixed Bill 3, the promoter’s third mixed-genre show this year. This show features the punk- and hard-core-tinged bands 6 Foot Silence, Hobo Chili (pictured), Jimmy West Band, Point Blank and Threat Level Burgundy. What: Wormtown Ska presents Mixed Bill 3 When: 8 p.m. July 26 Where: Raven Music Hall, 258 Pleasant St. Worcester How Much: $10

CITY LIFE

Unapologetically Punk The Menzingers’ recent single, “Anna,” is an interesting study in dichotomies. On the one hand, it maintains the band’s punk feel and forcefulness, but there’s also a sort of heaviness to it, a well of emotion that gives it a different texture to earlier work such as, for example, “I Don’t Want to Be an (Expletive) Anymore.” Reminiscences such as “The way you’d laugh and dance in the kitchen/After drinking too much cheap red wine” turn to ash at the subject’s absence, capturing the sense of losing someone before they’re even gone. It’s a fairly mature song, both unapologetically punk, but also leaning toward something else. What: The Menzingers — Summer 2019 with the Sidekicks and Queen of Jeans When: 8 p.m. July 28 Where: Palladium, 261 Main St., Worcester How much: $25-$28 20, 27. $20; $17 for seniors and students. Calliope Productions, 150 Main St., Boylston. calliopeproductions.org. “Wait Until Dark”: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 18, 19, 25 and 26; 2 p.m. Oct. 27. $20; senior (65+) and children 12 and younger, $15. Barre Players Theater, 64 Common St., Barre. barreplayerstheater.com. “The Haunting of Hill House”: 7:30 Oct. 25, 26, Nov. 1, 2; 2 p.m. Oct. 27, Nov. 3. $15; $12 for seniors and students. Pasture Prime Productions, 4 Dresser Hill Road, Charlton.

Claypool Lennon Delirium with special guest Particle Kid. 5 p.m. Aug. 3. $45 general admission. The Palladium Outdoors, 261 Main St., Worcester. thepalladium. net. (508) 797-9696. The Nick Moss Band with Dennis Gruenling: 8 p.m. Aug. 3. $20. Bull Run Restaurant, 215 Great Road,

Rt. 2A, Shirley. bullrunrestaurant. com (978) 425-4311. Trude and Tag: 8 p.m. Aug. 3. $14. Bull Run Restaurant, 215 Great Road, Rt. 2A, Shirley. bullrunrestaurant.com (978) 4254311. Josh Turner: 1 p.m. Aug. 4. $53$202. Indian Ranch, 200 Gore

Road, Webster. (508) 943-3871 or indianranch.com. Sarah Grace & the Soul: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 8. $16. Bull Run Restaurant, 215 Great Road, Rt. 2A, Shirley. bullrunrestaurant.com (978) 4254311.

Tickets Richard Shindell: 8 p.m. Aug. 2. $26. Bull Run Restaurant, 215 Great Road, Rt. 2A, Shirley. bullrunrestaurant.com (978) 4254311. The Flaming Lips and The

Poetic Memory

What: 2019 Kunitz Medal Ceremony honoring Fran Quinn When: 6:30 p.m. July 25 Where: Worcester Historical Museum, 30 Elm St., Worcester How much: Free

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The Worcester County Poetry Association continues its annual ceremony honoring the memory of former U.S. poet laureate and Worcester native Stanly Kunitz with the awarding of the 2019 Kunitz Medal. This year’s recipient is poet Fran Quinn, one of the founders of the WCPA, whom literary legend Robert Bly once called, “one of the greatest poetry teachers in the country.” Quinn has published three books of poetry, most recently “A Horse of Blue Ink.” Quinn will read his work, and there will also be an open reading.

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17; 2 p.m. Aug. 11, 18. $20; seniors and students, $18; youth 11 and younger, $10. Stageloft Repertory Theater, 450A Main St., Sturbridge. stageloft.org/. “Forever Plaid”: Aug. 23, 24, 25. Bradley Playhouse, 30 Front St., Putnam, Conn. thebradleyplayhouse.org. “Beer For Breakfast”: 8 p.m. Sept. 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21; 2 p.m. Sept. 8, 15, 22. $20; seniors and students, $18; youth 11 and younger, $10. Stageloft Repertory Theater, 450A Main St., Sturbridge. stageloft. org/. “Tuesdays with Morrie”: Sept. 13, 14, 20, 21, 22. Gateway Players Theatre. gatewayplayers.org. “Beautiful”: Sept. 26-29. The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester. thehanovertheatre.org. “There’s a Monster in My Closet”: Oct. 4, 5, 6. Gateway Players Theatre. gatewayplayers.org. “Deathtrap”: Oct. 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 30. The Bradley Playhouse, 30 Front St., Putnam, Conn. thebradleyplayhouse.org. “Don’t Dress for Dinner”: 8 p.m. Oct. 4, 5, 11, 12; 2 p.m. Oct. 13. $22; $15 for ages 16 and younger. Theatre at the Mount, Mount Wachusett Community College, 444 Green St., Gardner. mwcc.edu/ tam. “Spitfire Grill, The Musical”: 8 p.m. Oct. 11, 12, 18, 19; 2 p.m. Oct. 13, 20. $20; seniors and students, $18; youth 11 and younger, $10. Stageloft Repertory Theater, 450A Main St., Sturbridge. stageloft. org/. “Once on This Island”: Oct. 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20. New Players Theatre Guild, 15 Rollstone St., Fitchburg. nptg.org. “The Woman in Black”: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 17, 18, 19, 25, 26; 2 p.m. Oct.

CITY LIFE

EAST DOUGLAS PHOTOGRAPHY

ADOPTION OPTION

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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.

This past weekend there were 25 adult cats available for adoption at WARL. Adoptions for adult cats have been slow this summer. One cat who has waited the longest is Lahey. Lahey is a sweet, 10-year-old cat who was surrendered when her owner couldn’t care for her any longer. Lahey needs someone who can provide permanent hospice care because she has a heart condition. We’ve done all we can for her within the shelter setting. We don’t know how much time she has left, but that time should be spent in someone’s home, not a cage. We waived her adoption fee. In return, her adopter will provide veterinary care and a loving home. The veterinary expenses should not require more diagnostic testing. We know what Lahey’s condition is and that she can’t recover from it. The veterinary expenses would be medications and treatments to keep her comfortable. Right now, she is taking a medication called Lasix twice a day. Can you give Lahey the beautiful gift of a loving home to live out her life?

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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!

39 Exercise that’s easy to grasp? 40 MGM co-founder Marcus 42 Fed on 43 Cable streaming service launched in 2010 45 Surprise wins 46 Lack of foresight? 47 Have a hunch about 48 Formal informer 49 Chowed down on some grass 53 Sing the blues 54 Title girl of a Verdi opera 56 Pasta suffix, commercially 57 Blue-green hue 60 Ending for past or post 61 Night wear

Last week's solution

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Down 1 Logic, for one 2 Plaza Hotel girl of fiction 3 Grandma, in Granada 4 Microscope component 5 ___ school 6 Artist who originated the term “stan” 7 “Sonic the Hedgehog” company 8 Octopus arm 9 “Just ___ suspected” 10 All out of shape, like a wrecked bike frame 11 Open mic participants 12 End of the world? 13 Fruit cocktail fruit 18 Goa garments 23 Inspector who knows the gold standard? 25 Craft-selling site 27 Cheese partner, for short 29 “I’m not a doctor, but I play one on TV” costume 30 Yale who helped found Yale 31 Language spoken in Vientiane 32 Pipe fitter’s joint 36 Morning moisture 37 Gold, in Rome 38 Dryer component

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Across 1 Kingdom 6 Abbr. followed by a date 11 TikTok, for one 14 “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” playwright 15 1980s Attorney General Ed 16 Head-smacking Stooge 17 British currency for entering a website? 19 “Blue Rondo ___ Turk” (Brubeck song) 20 Safe desserts? 21 Massage therapist’s subj. 22 Tuber in a sack 24 Adult ed. course 25 Before, to Longfellow 26 Provide diversion 28 Brazilian currency to be unearthed years later? 33 Dunderhead 34 Bus. alternative to a partnership 35 Sea on the border of Kazakhstan 36 “She Blinded Me With Science” singer Thomas 39 Run, old-style 40 Spray brand 41 Troupemate of John, Terry, Terry, Michael and Graham 42 Hot tub sigh 43 “Green Acres” prop 44 South Korean currency exceeding in frequency? 50 Not live 51 Exclamation of pain 52 Neither’s companion 53 Naomi of “Vice” 55 Tar’s tankardful 57 ___ Cat! (cat food brand that’s somehow still around) 58 Gas station offering 59 Multi-country currency sprung at the last minute? 62 Lupino of “Beware, My Lovely” 63 “If I Had a Hammer” singer Lopez 64 Brunch beverage 65 One complete circuit 66 Antique photo tone 67 Beyond full

“Starter Cash” – it’s on the money. by Matt Jones

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LEGAL Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Worcester Probate and Family Court 225 Main St. Worcester, MA 01608 Docket No. WO19P2379GD CITATION GIVING NOTICE OF PETITION FOR APPOINTMENT OF GUARDIAN FOR INCAPACITATED PERSON PURSUANT TO G.L. c. 190B, §5-304 In the matter of: Janelle A Mayes Of: Worcester, MA RESPONDENT Alleged Incapacitated Person To the named Respondent and all other interested persons, a petition has been filed by Department of Developmental Services of Worcester, MA in the above captioned matter alleging that Janelle A Mayes is in need of a Guardian and requesting that TLC Trust, Inc., by Gayle R Greene of Fitchburg, MA (or some other suitable person) be appointed as Guardian to serve Without Surety on the bond. The petition asks the court to determine that the Respondent is incapacitated, that the appointment of a Guardian is necessary, and that the proposed Guardian is appropriate. The petition is on file with this court and may contain a request for certain specific authority. You have the right to object to this proceeding. If you wish to do so, you or your attorney must file a written appearance at this court on or before 10:00 A.M. on the return date of 08/13/2019. This day is NOT a hearing date, but a deadline date by which you have to file the written appearance if you object to the petition. If you fail to file the written appearance by the return date, action may be taken in this matter without further notice to you. In addition to filing the written appearance you or your attorney must file a written affidavit stating the specific facts and grounds of your objection within 30 days after the return date. IMPORTANT NOTICE The outcome of this proceeding may limit or completely take away the above-named person’s right to make decisions about personal affairs or financial affairs or both. The above-named person has the right to ask for a lawyer. Anyone may make this request on behalf of the above-named person. If the above-named person cannot afford a lawyer, one may be appointed at State expense. WITNESS, Hon. Leilah A Keamy, First Justice of this Court. Date: July 19, 2019 Stephanie K. Fattman, Register of Probate 08/25/2019 WM

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LAST CALL

Tim Convery Duct Tape Artist T im Convery is an artist and designer who grew up in Worcester. His duct tape-inspired designs emulate popular landmarks and travel posters from destinations across the globe. I caught up with Convery at his popular shop, TimScapes, on Commercial Street in Provincetown. Convery’s prints are also available on his website, tim-scapes.com, and in the gift shop of Worcester Art Museum.

school were making all this money in advertising and doing design work. I thought, ‘What the heck? I’m just as smart as they are.’ So I went back to SVA and took some night classes. I failed all my graphics classes, but when I looked on the job board I found a job posting that paid $5 an hour to be a studio assistant at this

Why did you leave? I ended up being fired. I mean, I was the last person who belonged in corporate America. I speak my mind. I’m terrible at company politics. But, the one thing I could do is produce a lot of great design, you know? I think that’s why they put up with my antics for so long. And then finally, mercifully, I was

really great design studio. I did that and I put my book together while I learned about the business. From there, I went to smaller agencies. I was really good and I ended up working at Estee Lauder for the longest stretch. I began in 1992 and I thought I was going to be there six months. I ended up staying there for 15 years. Estee Lauder has over 20-plus brands. I worked at Clinique, Donna Karan Cosmetics and then prescriptive.

fired. It was a golden handcuffs situation where I knew I could make a lot of money fairly easily.

When did you return to design? I did massage for two years. During that time, I picked up an old hobby, which was working with tape. In

When did you end up in P-town? I was fired in ’07 and all of my friends in New York said I should get a job immediately. I was like, “I don’t know if I want to do corporate anymore.” I was 47 years old and I thought, ‘I’m going to go to massage school.’ I wanted to do something totally different.

Had you been here before? I was here in 1980 and it was boring. I hated it. I think I needed to be older to appreciate this place. To have done what I had in a big city like New York made coming here feel like a gay summer camp.

What do you want to tell aspiring artists in Worcester? I didn’t start this business until I was 51. It’s never too late to reinvent yourself. When I had a big corporate job, I thought, ‘I don’t know how to do anything else.’ Turns out I did. And I think if you trust in yourself and enlist the right people for support, you can create a new life. I communicate through this work in a way that I can’t face to face. It touches people on an emotional level. – Sarah Connell Sanders

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How did you end up working in cosmetics? Before I left Worcester, I got my GED. I didn’t finish high school. Then, I went to the Worcester Art Museum School before transferring to the School of Visual Arts in New York. And I was a fine arts major, but I quit after a semester. I was bored. I mean, it was New York. It was the ’80s. It was more about partying and having fun for me than going to school. I had every job you can imagine, from bike messenger to dishwasher. You name it, I did it. It wasn’t until I was probably 26 or 27 that I decided to get serious. Friends of mine who had finished

What inspires your designs? I love travel posters. That reminds me — I got arrested one time in Worcester. North High had been closed and I went in there with a friend of mine. We were walking around and we found the old foreign language rooms. There were all these amazing ’60s posters of Spain and France. I was taking them all down and we ended up getting arrested. I had to leave everything behind. I’ve kind of merged my ideas of tape and travel together.

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Your motto is, “Because everyone is a townie somewhere,” but it has been a long time since you’ve been back to your hometown. What do you remember about Worcester? I think Worcester was very different back then. I left in 1982 to go to art school in New York. The things I remember from Worcester are going to Ralph’s and going to Water Street for the bakeries. Really, it’s the food I remember the most about Worcester. Italian food on Shrewsbury Street. I was very excited to get out of Worcester back then. I think I might’ve stayed if I was the same age now as I was when I left. But, back then, New York was the place for me.

the winter of 2010, I started making these larger tape-scapes. In the spring of 2011, I had a show here in P-town and the guy that ran the gallery said, ‘Let’s make some T-shirts based on your images.’ So, we did, and people went crazy. It was just a very fresh approach to the souvenir T-shirt. Everything was based on the tape. It was chunky and blocky SARAH CONNELL SANDERS and graphic. I was still doing massage in the summer of ’11, and it was over that winter I quit and started this business. Now, I have over 150 different tape-scapes of different cities.

I really connected with massage and I ended up going to Swedish Institute in New York. I was really good at it. I think my vision for design went into my hands. It felt very intuitive. In spring of 2010, a friend of mine who owned a massage studio here said, ‘Why don’t you come and work for me for the summer?’

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