Valentine’s Day Special Issue February 2013 Vol. 17 / No. 2
the south coast coastalmags.com
LOVE BIRDS 7
secrets
of choosing a ring
Cook up
a perfect day Finding the
WINE NOTES: The perfect pair PLUS: Activities planning guide
real Valentine
“We’re making a real difference for small business owners.” Linda Morad, Senior Business Development Specialist As a banking professional, city councilor, and mayoral candidate, Linda Morad has always strived to make a positive difference in the community. Now, she’s doing it again as the new Senior Business Development Specialist for St. Anne’s Credit Union in New Bedford. “Small businesses are the bread and butter of our nation’s economy. Yet here in New Bedford, the small business owner has been underserved by the big banks,” Linda says. “I joined St. Anne’s Credit Union because it’s a local institution that’s reaching out to help small businesses in our community.” A lifelong New Bedford resident, Linda knows the local business community — and what it needs to grow. “St. Anne’s has money to lend and a great commercial product line with reduced fees. We can provide small businesses with options that work for them.” Ready for a financing partner committed to small business? Call Linda Morad today at 508-324-7398.
“We’re making a difference.” Dartmouth • Fall River • Fairhaven New Bedford • Somerset • Swansea
www.stannes.com Federally insured by NCUA
If you have chronic postherpetic neuralgia pain, find out how you could participate in a medical research study. Local doctors are currently conducting a medical research study of an investigational pain medication for individuals with moderate to severe chronic pain due to postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).
To learn more, please contact
To be eligible for this study, you must: • Be 21 years of age or older • Be medically diagnosed with PHN • Have moderate to severe chronic pain due to PHN All study-related visits, tests, and treatments will be provided to participants at no cost. In addition, compensation for time and/or travel may be provided.
Novex Clinical Research LCC • 508-990-9555 • info@novexclinical.com
FEBRUARY 2013
Contents In Every Issue
THINGS TO DO
WINE NOTES
4
32
February fun things to do
30
By Stacie Charbonneau Hess
From the publisher
5
Letters to the editor
6
Dateline South Coast
By Elizabeth Morse Read
34
Ice cream for breakfast
By Amy Dion
YOUR HEALTH COVER STORY
14
Choose your Valentine
By Greg Jones
16
18
20
Cook up a perfect Valentine’s Day By Paul Letendre
The whys and hows of marriage By Greg Jones
7 secrets of choosing an engagement ring By Nancy Plante
22
Are you ready for winter?
By Elizabeth Morse Read
27
Aerobics for the mind
Chocolate and wine: the perfect pair By Alton Long
ON MY MIND
38
Writing on the teacup ride
By Paul E. Kandarian
BUsINESS BUZZ
24
36
Regulations hook into fishing By Jay Pateakos
Children’s Advocacy Center
YOUR MONEY
28
Start your own business!
By Sherri Mahoney-Battles
ON THE COVER February is the month of romance and pairing up. Read on for stories and information on life, love, relationships and how to prepare a romantic dinner for your beloved. 2
February 2013 / The South Coast Insider
IT’S TEA TIME
3rd Annual Teddy Bear Tea
February 18-22 Activities at 10:30am and 12:30pm | Free with zoo admission
Hosted by the Dartmouth YMCA at the Wamsutta Club
427 County Street ∙ New Bedford, MA
Saturday, February 9, 2013 ∙ 12:00 pm Children $15 | Adults $30 | Table of Ten $200 Tickets must be purchased in advance by calling the Dartmouth YMCA at 508.993.3361 or online at ymcasouthcoast.org. Proceeds will benefit the Dartmouth YMCA YCares Annual Support Fund.
YMCA SOUTHCOAST ymcasouthcoast.org
www.bpzoo.org | 425 Hawthorn St. New Bedford, MA 02740 | 508-991-4556
Dartmouth YMCA 508.993.3361
Fall River YMCA 508.675.7841
Gleason Family YMCA 508.295.9622
Mattapoisett YMCA 508.758.4203
New Bedford YMCA 508.997.0734
SUNDAY, 7Pm
Kitchen created by: Matt Arguin of SouthCoast Kitchen Designs, exhibitor at the 2013 Greater New Bedford Home Show.
Saturday March 2nd & Sunday March 3rd
FEB 10
11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Greater New Bedford Regional Voc-Tech, 1121 Ashley Blvd., New Bedford, MA Find the answers to all your home, health & wellness, gardening and decor questions. Shop, compare and save at the Greater New Bedford Home Show. For more information on the show, call 508-999-5231 ext. 26 or visit www.newbedfordchamber.com. Sponsored by:
$2.00 off admission
SPONSORED BY:
regular price: $5.00
Greater New Bedford Regional Voc-Tech High School 1121 Ashley Boulevard New Bedford, MA 02745 www.newbedfordchamber.com
508-999-5231
Saturday, March 2nd & Sunday, March 3rd 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. One coupon per attendee. Not for Sale. Valid 3/2/13 & 3/3/13. Not valid with any other offer.
It begins with a ticket...
www.zeiterion.org 508-994-2900 Zeiterion Performing Arts Center FREE GARAGE PARKING - FULL BAR
The South Coast Insider / February 2013
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FROM THE PUBLISHER February 2013 / Vol. 17 / No. 2
Welcome to the latest issue of South Coast Insider. Once again, our talented writers have brought you a compila-
Published by Coastal Communications Corp.
tion of what’s going on in the vibrant South Coast along with stories that will brighten your day and inform you.
Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Ljiljana Vasiljevic
February is the month for sending Valentine cards to those you care about, but how many people know who
Editor Greg Jones Contributors Amy Dion, Stacie Charbonneau Hess, Greg Jones, Paul Kandarian, Paul Letendre, Alton Long, Sherry Mahoney-Battles, Jay Pateakos, Nancy Plante, Elizabeth Morse Read
St. Valentine was? As it turns out, that’s still something of an open question. Check out our story on the mysterious St. Valentine on page 14. If things are getting serious between you and your beloved, there’s valuable advice inside on how to choose an engagement ring on page 20, and on page 24 we take a careful look at the state of the fishing industry in the
The South Coast Insider is published monthly for visitors and residents of the South Coast area. The Insider is distributed free of charge from Mount Hope Bay to Buzzards Bay. All contents copyright ©2013 Coastal Communications Corp.
Deadline 20 days prior to publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, by any means, without written permission from the Publisher. All information contained herein is believed to be reliable. Coastal Communications Corp. does not assume any financial responsibility for typographical errors in advertisements, but will reprint that portion of an advertisement in which the typographical error occurs.
Circulation 30,000 Subscriptions $25 per year
Address The South Coast Insider 144 Purchase Street • PO Box 3493 Fall River, MA 02722
Phone
South Coast. Take a look a what the future might hold for you in February on page 36, where the Celtic Cricket brings you what could be some good advice. It all depends on your birthsign. And of course we have the South Coast’s best line-up of activities for you and your family in the month of February. There’s a host of interesting and exciting programs on tap at the Lloyd Center for the Environment in Dartmouth, the Ocean Explorium in New Bedford and more outside fun can be had at Mass Audubon Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary in Westport. The Shake, Rattle and Roll music camp at the Portsmouth Arts Guild Center for the Arts is for children ages seven to nine, and might be just the thing for February vacation week. That’s just a taste of what’s in store for you and your family this February all around the South Coast. Check out the full lineup on page 32 or visit us at www.coastalmags.com for more information. Be sure to mention us when you visit our advertisers. They are the ones who make this magazine possible. Enjoy.
(508) 677-3000
Website www.coastalmags.com
E-mail editor@coastalmags.com
Ljiljana Vasiljevic Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
Our advertisers make this publication possible–please support them
facebook.com/thesouthcoastinsider 4
February 2013 / The South Coast Insider
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Let’s get the South Coast back to work I’m not a regular reader of your magazine, but I did pick up a copy of the November issue just to look at while I waited for my wife to do some shopping. I read the story on the Ocean Research lab and liked it. That is the kind of development we need more of here on the South Coast, since we’ve got all these empty mill buildings and it’s looking like the government is going to knock off the fishing business. We can use all the stuff that isn’t being used any more, like empty buildings and docks, and put people back to work. Your magazine should do more stories on how we can get going again here and tell the government to help support the new businesses with some tax help. I’m not looking for a handout, but there needs to be more places to work. Andy Torrejon Via email
Hawthorn Medical A ssociates
Rehabilitation Services
u
Physical Therapy
u
Occupational/Hand Therapy
u
STAR Certified Therapists in Oncology Rehab
u
Convenient scheduling
u
Referrals accepted from physicians outside of Hawthorn Medical
PHYSICAL THERAPY Pediatric, adolescent, adult, and geriatric l Orthopedic sports injuries l Vestibular/balance disorders l Lymphedema specialist l Neurological disorders including stroke rehab l Pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation l Post-mastectomy l
“Ordinary People”penalized by tax laws I don’t know if you ever read, or even print, letters to the editor, but when I read the story on the middle class in a recent issue of your magazine [“Caught in the middle,” by Elizabeth Morse Read, page 34, November: ed.] I was glad to see someone exploring this subject in a sensible manner. We get so much ranting and raving from politicians on this, and none of what they say makes any sense to me. I’m in the middle class, as is just about everybody in this country, yet we seem to be the ones who are invisible, at least to the Congress. If you’re rich, the tax codes take good care of you. The tax rules seem to be written for their benefit. I don’t know about you but I can’t afford a high-priced tax lawyer to figure out ways to get out of paying taxes. When I read that big companies like General Electric not paying any taxes at all it just makes my blood boil. I think it was that billionaire Warren Buffett who said he pays less tax than his secretary. He should be ashamed. Soon it will be April 15 and it will all start over again. Maybe you could write a story about how ordinary people can pay less tax to the government. Ely Raboza New Bedford The South Coast Insider welcomes letters to the editor on any subject. Please keep your letters brief and to the point. No name-calling or libelous attacks will be published, and we ask that all letters be signed. Writers who wish to remain anonymous will have their names withheld on request. Send your letters to The Editor, South Coast Insider, PO Box 3493, Fall River MA 02722 or send us an email at editor@ coastalmags.com.
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY l Certified Hand therapists l Custom splinting l Stroke and neurological conditions
HAWTHORN MEDICAL ASSOCIATES 535 Faunce Corner Road | Dartmouth, MA 508-996-3991 | www.hawthornmed.com The South Coast Insider / February 2013
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DATELINE: SOUTH COAST
News, views and trends... from Mount Hope Bay to Buzzards Bay by Elizabeth Morse Read
February may be the shortest month, but it’s still jampacked with things to do on the South Coast, both indoors and out. There’s Valentine’s Day, Mardi Gras, school vacation week, capricious weather and a lot of “cabin fever.” Check out what’s happening at your local library! Head for the hills with a sled or toboggan! Spend an afternoon at a nearby park or museum!
Across the region Rhode Island will be installing 30 public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations by August 15 in public locations and on state property.
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Hmmm… First it was cows that went missing (and were mostly found), now it’s Nubian goats that have vanished, two from Westport and two from Tiverton. The Westport goats have been found, but, as of press time, the Tiverton goats were still at large.
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Cranston’s Olivia Culpo, Miss Rhode Island 2011 and Miss USA 2012, was chosen as Miss Universe 2012!
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Hmmm again… the FDA has given tentative approval to geneticallyengineered salmon that grow to twice normal size in half the time. According to the FDA, “the fish appears to be safe to eat.” (Would you eat a giant quohaug?)
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More than 250 police officers from Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut, including a contingent from the South Coast, drove in
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a Christmas convoy to make a wish come true for a five-year old boy in Virginia suffering from cancer. n CapeFLYER, the weekend train service from Boston to Cape Cod, will start up this summer. (Whatever happened to South Coast Rail?)
Eighth-graders in Massachusetts ranked among the smartest in the world in math and science, according to a study that tested students around the globe. They came in second in science (behind Singapore) and sixth in mathematics, behind their peers in five Asian countries.
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Beware the scammers claiming to be NSTAR representatives, demanding over-the-phone Green Dot pre-paid card payment or else your electricity will be cut off! If you receive such a call, hang up and call NSTAR at 1-800-592-2000.
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Oooops! A heating oil company made a delivery of 27 gallons to the wrong house in New Bedford, which had a defunct fill pipe on the outside…the owners had switched to natural gas some time ago.
Back in December, a huge US Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules made a mission of mercy, carrying 150 endangered sea turtles that had stranded along Cape Cod down to Orlando, Florida, for rehabilitation and eventual release in warmer waters.
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If you’re over 50, learn more about the bus trips sponsored by the New Bedford Senior Travel Program: Foxwoods Casino on Feb. 11; Newport Playhouse on Feb. 27; the Boston Flower Show on Mar. 13; the Barry Manilow tribute at the Aqua Turf Club on Mar. 26, and more. Plan ahead for the five-day trip to Ottawa and The Thousand Islands on May 20-25. Call 508-991-6171 for more info. n
Attleboro Step back into the past at the Industrial History Museum on Thursdays or Fridays. Call 508-222-3918 or go to www.industrialmuseum.com.
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Take a stroll through Capron Park Zoo. Go to www.capronparkzoo.com or call 774-203-1840.
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February 2013 / The South Coast Insider
Bristol Enjoy the Valentine’s Day Concert at Blithewold on Feb. 15 & 17 and find out what’s scheduled for school
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vacation week. For details, visit www. blithewold.org or call 401-253-2707. Alas! Wendy’s Hamburgers has closed its doors for good…
Dighton
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Mingle with the animals at the Coggeshall Farm. Visit www.coggeshallfarm.org or call 401-253-9062.
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The Mount Hope Farmers Market is open again for winter in the heated Mount Hope Farm barn on Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.. Go to www.mounthopefarm.org.
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In the wake of the Newtown CT shootings and the Mayan predictions of the Apocalypse, students at Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School were not allowed to bring backpacks to school on Dec. 21.
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Easton Find out what’s happening at the Children’s Museum. Call 508-230-3789 or visit www.childrensmuseumineaston.org.
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Dartmouth A group of UMass Dartmouth MBA students completed a firstin-the-nation environmental and sustainability review of Fall River, using the rigorous international GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) standards. UMass Dartmouth has published campus-wide GRI reviews since 2010, the first university in the world to do so. The MBA students are currently working on a similar review for the Town of Dartmouth.
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Fairhaven Emma Jean’s Cupcakes has purchased the neighboring Huttleston House restaurant and will be turning it into a New York-style deli this spring. It will be managed by Jeff Antil, formerly of Antil’s Deli in North Fairhaven, which burned down last year.
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Get out of the house and head for the Lloyd Center for the Environment. Visit www.lloydcenter. org or call 508-990-0505.
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In 2006, after Carrie Holmstrom was severely burned in an accident, she spent seven months recovering in a Shriners Hospital. She now works in public relations for the Shriners Hospital in Houston, and was selected to ride on the Shriners Hospitals float in the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day in Pasadena CA.
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Starting in the 2013-2014 school year, all incoming freshman at Bishop Stang High School will be required to purchase an Apple iPod for daily use. The cost will be defrayed by having to buy fewer textbooks.
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UMass Dartmouth doctoral student Serena Rivera has been awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant grant to teach English and American culture in Brazil this year.
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Fall River Al Mac’s Diner is back! Fall River’s landmark eatery, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, closed its doors last July, but new owners renovated it and reopened in January.
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When you visit Battleship Cove (www.battleshipcove.org or 508-6781100), don’t miss two other nearby attractions—the Marine Museum (508-674-3533) and the Old Colony and Fall River Railroad Museum (508-674-9340).
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In response the parents’ concerns, Mayor Flanagan has posted police officers throughout the city’s public schools until further notice. The mayor’s order does not extend to private schools.
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In this season of giving, resolve to make a difference in someone’s life…
Volunteer for Adult Literacy Our students have asked for your help!
Volunteer to help an adult learner with basic language, reading, writing, math, or computer skills. New volunteers are welcome at any time.
For more information call Dr. Michael Gauthier, Volunteer Facilitator
(508)997-4511 x2419
Continued on next page The South Coast Insider / February 2013
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Continued from previous page Jillian Zucco of Mattapoisett was selected Miss Fall River 2012, and will participate in the Miss Massachusetts pageant in June.
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Head for the Children’s Museum on Saturdays or Sundays! Go to www. cmgfr.org or call 508-672-0033.
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Mark your calendar—The Little Theatre will perform Steel Magnolias in March. Call 508-675-1852 or visit www.littletheatre.net.
Feb. 16 at the Marion Arts Center. For more info, visit www.marionartcenter.org or call 508-748-1266. The town administrators have ruled that a hapless resident MUST pay the $72,000 water bill that resulted from a leak in a pipe on his side of the water meter… (aww, c’mon, guys!)
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Fall River public school students will be taking part in a three-year pilot program of extended school days starting this year. Charlton Memorial Hospital has become the first and only hospital on the South Coast to perform robotic gall bladder surgery.
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Get your fresh veggies at the Fall River Winter Indoor Market at CD Recreation (the former Bank Street Armory) on Feb. 16, Mar. 16 and April 20 between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m.
Mattapoisett
The Narrows Center for the Arts has a great line-up this month: there’s John Lennon Re-Imagined on Feb. 2; Red Molly Feb. 8; Donna the Buffalo Feb. 10; Tab Benoit Feb. 16,; Comedy Night Feb. 23 and more! For complete details, visit www.ncfta.org, www.narrowscenter.com or call 508-324-1926.
If you’re housebound or recovering at home from illness or surgery, there’s no need to get bored. “Words on Wheels” volunteers from the Mattapoisett Library will deliver books, magazines and DVDs to you— for free! Call 508-758-4171.
Jillian Zucco of Mattapoisett was selected Miss Fall River 2012, and will participate in the Miss Massachusetts pageant in June.
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Middleborough Spend some time at the Soule Homestead Education Center, with quilting, botany and more! Free, open Tuesdays-Sundays. School vacation program Feb.19-22. Learn more at www.soulehomestead.org or call 508-947-6744.
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n Theatre One Productions will present “Lovers and Other Strangers” Feb. 7-17. Call 508-947-7716.
Lakeville Hats off to nine-year old Skye Cordeiro, who had the presence of mind to call 911 when her mother, horse trainer Julie Faria, a was kicked in the face. Skye was given the Young Hero Award at the Town Hall in December.
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Enjoy An Evening of Love Songs on
Small businesses along the new International Marketplace on Acushnet Avenue can upgrade their broadband access or business technology by applying for a grant from the Community Economic Development Center at 1285 Acushnet Ave. or by calling 508-979-4684.
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Starting this year, the city’s July “Summerfest” will be called the New Bedford Folk Festival.
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Fairfield Inn & Suites was named Small Business of the Year 2012 by the South Eastern Economic Development (SEED) Corporation. It is owned and operated by LaFrance Hospitality Corp., which also owns White’s of Westport.
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Middletown Bring your binoculars to the Norman Bird Sanctuary! Call 401-846-2577 or go to www.normanbirdsanctuary.org.
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If you’ve got cabin fever, why not climb the walls or go rock climbing, ndoors at Carabiners! Go to www.carabiners.com or call 508-984-0808.
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Working professionals in early education or human services can now take discounted courses towards a certificate in their field at the downtown Bristol Community College campus.
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Paul Revere rides again! Thanks to a rehab by Beaumont Signs and The Poyant Sign Co., the city’s iconic highway welcome sign is in much better working order.
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Six electric vehicle (EV) charging stations have been installed throughout the city, including at public parking garages.
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Bristol Community College’s newly-renovated and state-of-the-art medical arts training facilities are now open at the Purchase Street eHealth campus.
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A long-awaited walkway atop the hurricane barrier from the New Bedford side may finally be in the works. A walkway already exists on the Fairhaven side, and plans to connect them could include a bike path and a seasonal bridge to Palmer’s Island.
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New Bedford During school vacation week (Feb. 18-22), head for “Wild Winter Week” at Buttonwood Park Zoo. Call 508-9914556 or visit www.bpzoo.org.
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February 2013 / The South Coast Insider
Over school vacation week, find out what’s happening at the Ocean Explorium. Call 508-994-5400 or go to www.oceanexplorium.org.
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Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational-Technical High School has planned a new program of study in marine industries, which will prepare graduates for many job opportunities when the South Terminal opens for business. Classes should begin by 2014.
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Crush Fine Wine Boutique has opened on Purchase Street. Call 774-206-1855.
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The William M. Wood Foundation has awarded $300,000 to the Whaling Museum to fund projects that tell the story of Portuguesespeaking communities in the city, including a traveling exhibition which can be displayed in museums across the country.
Secure your summer job now!
Earn TOP $$$ as Machine Operator or Shipper • Earn $14.55/hr. after training, ($12.60/hr. to start)
• Earn $1.00 more per hour for each hour worked between 6pm and 6am • Possible internship after completing one summer. • Opportunity to qualify for end-of summer bonus. (Average bonus is $400) • Opportunity for $1,500 scholarship Some previous job experience required • Must be able to pass a drug test Must be at least 18 years old • Must be able to work during summer break
To apply, complete application #1 at www.goldmedalbakery.com/jobs Or apply in person (Mon-Fri 9:00am–4:00pm) Gold Medal Bakery 21 Penn Street Fall River, MA
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In the true spirit of Christmas, an unnamed donor walked in and paid for all coffee orders one morning at the Celtic Coffee House. The man said he had personal ties to Newtown CT and just wanted to make people feel better.
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• May work part-time during the school year around your school schedule–more hours during spring and summer breaks!
Don’t miss out on this great opportunity!
If you attend a local college, you can even work part-time now ~ around your school schedule.
L L O Y D CE NT E R F O R T HE E NV I RO NM E NT
2O13
l i v e
SuMMER aDVENTuRES for students entering
grades k-8
By this summer, Custom House Square is scheduled to be transformed from a parking lot into a “lush oasis” of green space, public park and a site for festivals and public events.
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Enjoy an evening of free family fun and entertainment at AHA! Night. The Feb. 14 theme is “Ha! Ha! On AHA!” Go to www.ahanewbedford. org or call 508-996-8253 x 205. A January episode of PBS’ The Abolitionists, part of The American Experience series, featured Frederick Douglass and New Bedford’s role in the anti-slavery movement.
,
c o n n e c t
2013 Northeast
Lifelong Learning Conference Fairfield Inn and Waypoint Conference Center, New Bedford
April 19 -20, 2013 Registration Deadline, February 15, 2013
more than just ,camp , LLOYD CENTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT Protecting nature through research and education
430 Potomska Road, Dartmouth, MA 02748 For further information, call 508-990-0505 x15
www.LLOYDCENTER.ORg
Continued on next page
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register now
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Live, Learn, Connect
Former New Bedford police chief Ronald Teachman, who spent last year training police officers in Tajikistan, has started a new job as police chief in South Bend, Indiana, home of Notre Dame University.
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Freshmen College Students and High School Seniors
For information or conference schedule contact, Beverly Stevens / 508.677.4694 secondhalf@umassd.edu
www.umassd.edu/secondhalf/conference
The South Coast Insider / February 2013
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Continued from previous page The Zeiterion will present Rockapella on Feb. 10, Mavis Staples and Ruthie Foster on Feb. 15, King Kong on Feb. 16; The Pink Floyd Experience on Feb. 17; Catarina Avelar Feb.21; The Secret Life of Bees Feb. 28–and more! Go to www.zeiterion.org or call 508-994-2900.
Portsmouth
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Carney Academy won a $10,000 prize, sponsored by BayCoast Bank, which will be used to continue its parent-teacher home visit program.
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Portsmouth Abbey alumna Nasemah Mohamed (’08) has been awarded a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. A native of Zimbabwe, Nasemah joins her older sister Shazrene, who was also named a Rhodes Scholar in 2004, making this the first time in the scholarship program’s history that two siblings won the distinction.
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Join the ambiance at Common Fence Music. Enjoy Tom Rush on Feb. 2, and The Amy Black Band on Feb. 16, and more!. Call 401-683-5085 or go to www.commonfencemusic. org.
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Your Theatre will present The Whales of August March 14-24. Call 508-993-0772 or go to www.yourtheatre.org.
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Providence
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Lace up at the Newport Skating Rink on Commercial Wharf. Call 401-846-3018 or go to www.skatenewport.com.
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Take a 10-mile train ride along Narragansett Bay on the Old Colony & Newport Railroad on Sundays. Go to www.ocnrr.com or call 401-846-4674.
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Check out the 25th Annual Newport Winter Festival Feb. 15-24. For details, go to www.newportevents.com/winterfest or call 401-847-7666.
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Head for the Newport Playhouse and Cabaret Restaurant’s performance of Greetings Feb. 14-Mar. 24. Go to www.newportplayhouse.com or call 401-848-7529.
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Get out on a seal watch tour from Bowen’s Ferry Landing. Call 401-3246060 or visit www.savebay.org.
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Enjoy a Season of Symphonies with the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra! There’s Salsa! Choose Your Color on Feb. 23. For more info, go to www.riphil.org or call 401-248-7070.
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When the kids are out of school, check out “ThinkSpace” at the Providence Children’s Museum. Call 401-273-KIDS (5437) or visit www. childrenmuseum.org.
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Don’t pass up half-price admission to “Winter Wonder Days” through Feb. 28 at Roger Williams Park Zoo. Call 401-785-3510 or visit www.rwpzoo.org.
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Listen to Sarah Brightman on Feb. 15 and Celtic Woman on March 22 at the Providence Performing Arts Center . Call 401-421-2787 or go to www.ppacri.org.
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Newport Stroll through the 8th Annual Illuminated Garden at Ballard Park Feb. 21-23. Free! Call 401-619-3377 or go to www.ballardpark.org.
Ballet Providence on Feb. 2, 3, 9 & 10 at the chatterBOXtheatre. Call 401353-1129 or visit www.festivalballet. com.
Don’t miss the Northeast International Auto Show through Feb. 3 at the RI Convention Center. For info, go to www.providenceautoshow.com.
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Spend some time at the Rhode Island Spring Flower and Garden Show, as well as the Food and Wine Festival, Feb. 21-24 at the RI Convention Center. For more info, go to www.flowershow.com.
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Rent some skates and get out onto the ice at the Bank of America Ice Skating Rink at Kennedy Plaza through March 3. Go to www.kennedyplaza.org or call 401-331-5544.
Enjoy a performance by Chatham Baroque on March 10 at the Museum Concerts of Providence. Call 401-2745073 or visit www.museumconcerts. org.
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Be enchanted by a performance of Cinderella on Feb. 10 by The State Ballet Theatre of Russia at Veterans Memorial Auditorium. Go to www. vmari.com or call 401-421-2787.
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If the kids are bouncing off the walls, take them to SkyZone, a wallto-wall indoor trampoline park in East Providence! For info, visit www. skyzone.com/providence or call 401-383-6000.
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There’s something for everyone at Rhode Island College’s Performing and Fine Arts Series—music, dance, drama, art. Enjoy The Muir String Quartet on Feb. 4 or The Rap Guide to Evolution on Feb. 11. For complete details, go to www.ric.edu/pfa or call 401-456-8144.
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Woohoo! See The Who with Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend Feb. 26 at the Dunkin Donuts Center at Providence College. Call 401-331-0700 or go to www.dunkindonutscenter.com.
Check out Crime and Punishment through Feb. 24 at Trinity Rep. Call 401-351-4242 or go to www.trinityrep.com. Trinity Rep offers discounts for seniors, students, educators and heroes (military, police, and firefighters). And get discount tickets there for performances of the RI Philharmonic, too!
Treat your family to a performance of Little Red Riding Hood by Festival
Continued on page 12
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February 2013 / The South Coast Insider
Money Minute Tips Setting up Employee Retirement Accounts
B
enjamin Franklin once said, “Nothing is certain, except death and taxes.” While we can’t escape either any better than he could, we do have the chance to postpone some taxes thanks to some modernday saving vehicles. A 401(k) retirement account is a great example. It’s ‘tax-deferred’ which means the money you put in isn’t taxed until you take it out during retirement, which may be years down the road. In the meantime, the money you save gains interest and grows. Since you’ll likely be in a lower tax bracket during retirement, you’ll pay lower taxes on the same money than you would have when you first put it in the account. A 529 Plan can offer similar tax-deferred benefits when saving for college and there are also tax-advantaged accounts to help with the health expenses. It’s always good to get advice from an investment professional who can help you maximize your savings.
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February 2013 / The South Coast Insider
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Wareham It took police, firefighters, EMTs, and first responders from the Harbormaster’s Department, the K-9 unit and an ATV unit to find and rescue a Bourne man who’d gotten himself lost near the Weweantic River while “geocaching,” which is an outdoor treasure-hunting game using GPS-enabled devices. (Maybe he should take up golf?)
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Steve Carrell’s comedy The Way, Way Back, which was filmed in part in Wareham and Duxbury last summer, debuted at the Sundance Film Festival last month. Carrell is a parttime resident of Marshfield.
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The South Coast Insider / February 2013
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COVER STORY
Choose your
Valentine By Greg Jones
Valentine’s Day, formerly known as St. Valentine’s Day, formerly known as Lupercalia as well as the Ides of February, is a holiday with a checkered, even controversial, past. Come to think of it, Valentine’s Day can still be the subject of heated debate. Its history is sufficiently murky to make it difficult for historians to come up with an indisputable story as to its origins. The first halting steps for what would become the billion-dollar Valentine card industry were taken by Pope Gelasius I in 496 CE, when he wrote a letter to a group of Roman senators explaining why he had been suppressing the pagan festival of Lupercalia. The senators were concerned because there had been a recent uptick in “pestilence” and they put the blame on Pope Gelasius’ suppression of Lupercalia. The pope pointed out that there had been public health problems back when Lupercalia was in full swing, and besides, Lupercalia had much more to do with fertility than diseases.
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The first streakers Lupercalia took place February 15, the ides of February, and from all reports it was quite a holiday. Priests in a cave sacrificed two male goats and a dog, then thongs cut from the skins were put in the hands of the priests who ran out of the cave wearing the freshly cut skins. The route of the bloody young men was lined with women of all ages who would be lashed with the thongs in order to promote fertility, reduce childbirth pains, even cure sterility. That was how it all started, at least. As time went on, Lupercalia became an occasion for nude young men to run through the streets, and that was sufficient cause for them to be joined by nude young women running through the streets. This didn’t set well with Pope Galasius (or any of his predecessors) and it must have been especially difficult to take since
February 2013 / The South Coast Insider
Christianity had been the state religion of Rome since 380 CE. Lupercalia was one of the last of the publicly performed annual pagan festivals. It would be easier to replace it than it would to simply eliminate it, and so Lupercalia Eve was named in honor of Saint Valentine, but that was just about the extent of it. No cards, no “be my Valentine,” and definitely no co-ed nude running events.
Valentine, a popular name There were several people named Valentine who had come to an untimely end at the hands of various Roman emperors. Add in later saints and there are some 30 saints named Valentine. Of those martyred prior to the time of Pope Gelasius you still have at least three candidates for the “real” Saint Valentine. Is it Saint Valentine of Terni? He was so popular with his parishioners that Roman
emperor Marcus Aurelius had him arrested in the middle of the night and beheaded in secret to avoid public outcry. Or perhaps Saint Valentine of Rome, who performed clandestine marriages so the groom could escape the Roman army’s draft? Put in jail to prevent any more marriages, the jailer’s daughter caught his eye and he sent her love letters signed “from your Valentine.” He miraculously restored her sight in order to read the letters; this caused the jailer to convert to Christianity and all were eventually killed by emperor Claudius II. A third Saint Valentine was martyred in the Roman province of Africa (now Libya) along with a number of other Christians, at roughly the same time the other Valentines were killed. And then there are records of Saint Valentine that mix the two leading candidates, swapping story details, adding or changing other details… it all became so confusing to the Roman Catholic Church that in 1969 they simply gave up and removed Saint Valentine from his spot on February 14 in the General Roman Calendar. Saints Cyril and Methodius are now celebrated on Valentine’s Day.
her “right well-beloved Valentine.” William Shakespeare, as fine an observer of culture the Englishspeaking world has ever seen, knew of Valentine’s Day and in 1600 included it in Hamlet. John Donne wrote a poem to celebrate the marriage of the king’s daughter to the future king of Bohemia on Valentine’s Day, 1635, noting the significance of the day.
Valentine’s Day is in the mail Valentine cards were sufficiently popular by the late 18th century that books were published containing verses suitable for putting in a
Nearly 200 million Valentine cards are mailed in the United States and teachers get more Valentines than any other group.
Chaucer’s Valentine By the time the High Middle Ages rolled around and Geoffrey Chaucer was plying his trade as a writer, Saint Valentine’s Day was sufficiently accepted as a day to celebrate romantic love that Chaucer would make mention of it in his 1382 poem “Parlement of Fowls” [birds] without needing to make any explanation. As English literature developed, mentions of Valentine’s Day increase. A 1415 poem by a French nobleman held prisoner in the Tower of London mentions his “sweet Valentine,” and in 1477 Margery Brewes notes in a letter to her future husband that he is
there were factories opened to produce Valentine cards, whether naughty or nice. In the United States, the growth of Valentine’s Day (and its cards) had a similar growth pattern. In Worcester, Massachusetts, a young woman named Esther Howland, whose father owned a book and stationery store, received one of the factory-made Valentine cards made in England.
Valentine card. This was soon followed by printers selling Valentine cards with the verses already done, so all the lovestruck sender had to do was sign the card. Or not. In 1840, postal rates in England were reduced from four pence to one penny, and the volume of mail more than doubled. It was now cheap to send a letter or a Valentine card, so cheap that one could send Valentines anonymously. This was soon followed by the introduction of “naughty” Valentines, with racy verses giving the lie to Victorian prudishness. Within a short time,
200 million Valentine cards In 1848, just a year after graduating from Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, she thought there might be an American market for Valentine cards, so she sent out a few samples, hoping to get at least $200 in orders. She was not ready for the $5,000 in orders she received. She hired three friends to crank out the cards, then used the upper floors of her parents’ house for a production line, and finally set up a factory, eventually grossing more than $100,000 annually (that’s roughly $2.3 million in today’s money). She hired only women, and her lace Valentine cards are now highly prized collectors’ items. She is credited with establishing the Valentine and greeting card business in the United States. Nearly 200 million Valentine cards are mailed in the United States (teachers get more Valentines than any other group), and Internet cards (hard to get an exact number on this) may number 15 million. The town of Loveland, Colorado offers a remailing service for the lovestruck to send Valentine cards with what is certainly a proper postmark for the holiday. Which brings us to our final Valentine’s Day note: it’s considered to be a “working holiday” in the USA. That means it’s up to you to take the time to express your love, build a love, or create one. Happy Saint Valentine’s Day!
The South Coast Insider / February 2013
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COVER STORY
Cook up a perfect
Valentine’s Day By Paul Letendre
Valentine’s Day is all about romance. The problem is that boys and those girls have different ideas about romance and what is romantic. For the average American male, a perfect romantic interlude would involve a three-minute warm-up period, followed by three minutes of intensity followed by a three-minute nap—a wonderful half-time diversion—perfect romance in under 10 minutes. The girls are tougher to please. Their idea of romance could include dining, music, dancing, candles, chocolates, flowers, jewelry—and most importantly, devoted attention. You can’t do that in 10 minutes. There’s no cheap or easy way to avoid the conflict of this romantic holiday. Valentine’s Day is HER day.For most of the year, women do most of the cooking and cleaning. So February 14 is a great time, in actions and words, to say, “Yeah, you carry the load here. I know it’s not easy. Thank you.”
The plan
This year, Valentine’s Day is on a Thursday. Plan on not going to work that Thursday or Friday. You’ll need to take sick days, vacation days or something. I didn’t say this would be easy. With this plan, you will be too busy to work on Thursday and too worn out to think about work on Friday. We’re going for all of the marbles here. This is big. I love dining out, especially at one of the scores of very impressive independently owned restaurants that South Coast area is graced with. But dining out on Valentine’s Day can be
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a hassle. It’s one of the busiest restaurant days of the year; many restaurants overbook and limit their menus in an attempt to turn tables. A 90-minute wait for a reserved table ain’t romantic. We’re trying to create a mood, an atmosphere: leave nothing to chance. We are out to impress that special woman. We’re doing the home meal maximus. First of all, if you’ve got kids, get rid of them. We’re talking romance —we’re not talking kid’s stuff. Lend them to the in-laws for the evening. They’ll love it. The kids will love it. Most importantly, you have to be home alone for most of Thursday. If your wife is not working, send her on a safari—you can’t have her around. You don’t want her back until 6:00 p.m. You’ll also have to do some planning ahead of time. You won’t find many of these ingredients just sitting in the pantry. This is not just an ordinary dinner, this is an event. Events take effort and planning. So here you go, you’ll be making Osso Bucco with creamy polenta.
The preparation
Get this going early in the day. I’ll assume a 7:00 p.m. sitting and estimate times around that. Start prepping at about 8:00 a.m. Carefully dice ½-cup each of carrots, celery and onions into uniformly ¼-inch cubes. Evenly sized veggies will cook evenly. Do the same with
February 2013 / The South Coast Insider
the pancetta; chop into nice ¼-inch cubes. Then fine chop four medium sized cloves of garlic. Put the canned tomatoes into a bowl and with your hands squeeze tomatoes until they are well smashed. Put about a half-cup of flour into another wide bowl. Keep your work areas clean. Take the veal shanks and rub well with some kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Around 9:00 a.m. put the fry pan on medium heat. Let it get good and hot for a few minutes, and then add the pancetta. Stir occasionally. You want to cook out most of the fat and get the pancetta nice and crispy, and then remove the pancetta from the pan onto a plate covered with a couple of paper towels. Drain all but a couple of tablespoons of fat from the pan and leave it on a medium heat (save the drained fat— you might need it later). Tumble the seasoned veal shanks in the flour and shake off excess. Check the hot frying pan to make sure that there is still some fat left in the pan, then carefully place the shanks in the pan and turn up the heat. Cook on each side until well browned, about five minutes per side, and then remove them from the heat onto a side plate. Now lower the heat to medium for that same frying pan and add the carrots, onions and celery (and maybe another spoon of pancetta fat). Keep stirring with a wooden spatula until the onions are translucent, then add the garlic and three sprigs of thyme. Keep cooking until the mix starts to turn brownish then turn the heat off
and put into a separate container. It should be about 10:00 by now. Into the crock pot, put the tomatoes, the browned vegetables, the veal shanks, the pancetta, and a cup or so of the wine. Now add enough veal (or chicken) broth so that the mixture covers half or more of the shanks. Put the crock pot on low setting, cover for about six to eight hours.
The atmosphere
Now, you might think that you have a breather for a few hours. Wrong. This is an event, not just a meal. Vacuum, polish, clean. Don’t forget to dust and shine anything that’s supposed to be shiny—she’ll love it. Strategically place the flowers and candles—don’t overdo it. By 4:00 p.m. the house should look and smell pretty good. Set a table in a different part of the house–use your judgment. A meal at the same old table won’t be memorable, remember, we are looking for anything but ordinary.
her know that this is her evening that you’ve prepared for her because she is so special to you. You have to communicate that in a genuine way—it’s probably something that you should practice before she arrives.
The grand finale
You’ll want to give her some time alone to relax, absorb the surprise and prepare for the evening. While she’s doing that, take the Osso Buco off the heat and make the polenta. That saucepan of veal (or chicken) stock should be simmering by now. Turn up the heat a bit and slowly add a cup and a half of ground corn meal while constantly whisking. Gradually lower the heat as it thickens and add three tablespoons of butter and a quarter-cup of heavy cream as you continue to whisk. Salt to taste and finally add the quarter-cup of grated parmigiano Reggiano. If you’ve followed instructions, you should have a nice creamy consistency. If you haven’t, you will
Get a long-stem glass and a long-stem rose ready for her when she arrives home. Don’t forget flowers, candles and lighting for the table. Now might be a good time to put the wine in the basement or garage to get slightly cooled. Then, go get cleaned up before your wife gets back. Back into the kitchen, start warming one quart of stock (veal or chicken) in a saucepan, this will be used for the polenta. Prep your salad and grate ¼-cup of the cheese and cover it with film wrap to keep it fresh. Check the Osso Bucco, the meat should be almost falling from the bone now, the aroma should be heavenly. Get a long-stem glass and a longstem rose ready for her when she arrives home. You want her to know immediately know that this is not an ordinary Valentine’s Day. It’s time now for you to slow down, to get ready for your wife’s arrival. Put some music on. Slow music. When your wife arrives, hand her a glass of wine and a long stem rose. Let
have a sticky mess. Serve your salad first, and then start plating. Spoon generous amounts of the creamy polenta into an individual serving bowl. Carefully place the veal shank in the middle, then spoon the vegetables and gravy over the top. The ice cream is dessert: top it with whatever, but simple will be best at this point. Maybe have a bowl of pears on the table as they are always welcome after a meal. If you’ve been following instructions and cleaning as you go, final cleanup will be a snap so don’t think about letting her do it—that could undermine the entire effort. The Osso Buco will be heavenly, the polenta will be divine, the rest will be up to you. Finally, most importantly, don’t forget the three magic words. Yes, this is a lot of work; it’s not easy—but we are talking romance here. This is big.
The recipe You’ll need: n
Heavy cast iron frying pan
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Crock pot
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Large saucepan
n 3-4 veal shanks, fresh, cut to about 3 inches (about 12 ounces each) n ¼-pound pancetta, cut thick— you’ll need to cut ¼-inch cubes n
Fresh carrots
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Fresh celery
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Medium onion
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Fresh garlic
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Fresh thyme
n Veal stock (good luck locating this) or chicken stock n Dry red wine–Pinot Noir works well n 14-ounce can of whole tomatoes n
Bunch of flat leaf parsley
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Lemon
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Ground cornmeal
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Heavy cream
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Wedge of Reggiano Parmesan (if you can find Bertinelli Millesimato Parmigiano Reggiano, 24- or 30-month, spend the extra bucks)
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Butter (of course)
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Salt and pepper
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Salad of choice
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Crusty artisan bread
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Candles
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Flowers
n Hand-packed ice cream (you won’t have time to make dessert) n
Ice cream topping
The South Coast Insider / February 2013
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COVER STORY
The whys and hows of
marriage by Greg Jones
Couples planning on getting married or staying married both confront the sad statistics that half of all marriages end up in divorce. Looking on the bright side, half of all marriages succeed, and like anything from Sunday dinner to landing on the moon, future problems can be greatly reduced by good planning. Think of good planning as being in charge of your choices. If the person you’re dating doesn’t make it clear that you are number one for them, if they seem distant, noncommittal, evasive or suspicious, remember that what you see is what you get. Whether we’re talking about men or women, don’t put much hope in the power of marriage to change someone. Choose your marriage partner as 18
February 2013 / The South Coast Insider
though it was the most important decision in your life, because it probably is. If you already have a marriage partner, treat them as though they were the most important person in your life, because they are.
Advice: it’s everywhere
One thing we’re not short on in this country is advice. Whether it comes for free from advice columns in the newspaper, friends, relatives, lovers or bartenders, or you pay for it in the form of self-help books, analysts, counselors or lawyers, there’s no shortage of advice. The structure and timing of marriage is changing, almost as we watch. People are waiting longer to marry, waiting to finish college, waiting to get that graduate degree, waiting to get established in their
first job…whatever the reason, the average age of first marriage for both men and women has been increasing at a fairly steady rate for the past century.
Beating the statistics
And how long does the knot stay tied for those who get divorced? The average length of a failed marriage for men is nine years and for women it’s eight years. Whether a couple lives together before marriage or not doesn’t seem to have a significant effect on the success of the marriage. If the cohabitation begins with both partners understanding that it is a prelude to eventually getting married, then that gives a very slight statistical boost to marriage success. There is statistical hope for married folks: the divorce rate has been slowly dropping since 1993, but that
Relationships with the in-laws are also high on the list of marital difficulties. Hopefully each set approves of their offspring’s choice in a marriage partner, but look on the bright side. If one set of in-laws thinks their darling has married the direct descendent of Attila the Hun, then it makes the decision on where to go for the holidays much simpler.
Let’s talk
Keeping the peace is vital, and good communication is the key here. There are skills that we can learn or improve upon, such as active listening, “I” statements, clarity in understanding our partner’s needs and how they fit in with our needs, and what’s often called “fighting fair.” Briefly, “active listening” involves the listener by focusing on the speaker. The listener repeats what
to “win” a fight. No name-calling, contempt, sarcasm, taunting or obscenities.
A few guidelines
No talk of divorce. If, in the heat of an argument, you threaten to leave or get a divorce, it can erode your partner’s faith in the relationship, and trust is not easily restored once lost. Remember that nobody wins if one partner loses. Even if one party is clearly in the wrong (they bounced a check, again), allow them to salvage some self-respect. This isn’t grade school, so, no lecturing. In the best of times, marriage can be work. Very rewarding work, very fulfilling, but work, in that success doesn’t happen by itself. Your spouse is your life partner, your most valuable, trusted friend, your lover and confidante.
Love each other now, forgive each other today, and tomorrow will take care of itself. good news is tempered somewhat when you realize that the divorce rate graph nicely matches a graph of the economy. When things are tough, people stay married. When the economy is booming, the divorce rate goes up.
It’s the money, honey
That ties in with what is nearly always at or near the top of any list of marital difficulties: money. Whether it’s your money, your partner’s money or “our” money, managing household finances is a subject both partners need to understand and basically agree upon. Honesty and clarity are vital here. As a couple, you can’t make wise decisions without all the facts, and “wise decisions” is another way of saying “good planning.”
the speaker has said, clarifying his or her understanding of what has been said. Closely related to active listening are “I” statements. “I understand that you are angry about ‘x,’” thus clarifying for both parties what the disagreement is about or what has been said. It also shows you are taking responsibility for your actions and feelings. Statements beginning with “you” can easily be seen as blaming the other person, putting them on the defensive and effectively ending any chance of a real resolution. Remember, you are both on the same team. “Fighting fair” means not taking advantage of the person. You know intimate, vulnerable details of your partner, and you can’t use that
Vow’s don’t expire
Your mutual commitment, those wedding vows you said all that time ago, are as valid today as they were then. Love them in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer. Treasure them as the rare gem they are, and your love and kindness will be returned with interest. There is no finer way to go through life than with someone who is your partner and confidante, your trusted and valued companion, your lover and friend. Love each other now, forgive each other today, and tomorrow will take care of itself. That’s the overall grand plan of marriage, and it works.
The South Coast Insider / February 2013
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COVER STORY
7ofsecrets choosing an engagement ring by Nancy Plante
Congratulations! You’ve met the person of your dreams, and decided to get engaged! It’s an exciting time for you—presenting the engagement ring is one of the most romantic moments of your life. Before you get on one knee and “pop the question” with that little box in your hand, you want to make sure everything is perfect. You need an expert, but you can become your own expert with a little help from your jeweler and some basic knowledge to get you on your way. It all comes down to choosing the ring. And since you may never have done this before, you may be wondering how to get started. Here are a few practical suggestions to help you begin: 20
Timing is everything Allow plenty of time. If you have a special date that you want to present the ring, start your research at least four or five weeks ahead of time. If you’re a detail-oriented type who likes to really mull things over, start a couple of months early. You may need a custom ring, or you may change your mind about the style at some point in the process, or life may just get in the way and make everything take longer than you expected. Do yourself a favor and start early.
February 2013 / The South Coast Insider
Look at and handle loose diamonds when you are making your choice. Your fiancée will be looking at her diamond every day. She will see the sparkle and beauty of that particular diamond, not the statistics of the 4 Cs or the “great deal” you got. Beauty is more important than numbers.
Spend wisely Set a budget and stay with it. A knowledgeable jeweler can help you learn which characteristics of a diamond are most important to you. Then you
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can work within your budget to get the most beautiful diamond. Some characteristics may not be as important to you, and you can save money on those while putting your money into the characteristics that you care about most. Buy from a reputable jeweler who will be there for you when you have questions or need service in the future. Remember, it’s not about what you “should” do or what your co-worker bought for his girlfriend. It’s about you and your fiancée and what is right for you. Keep an open mind as far as styles and gemstones, and consider personal touches that will make this ring special. For example, you can incorporate small colored gemstones in the mounting, or a meaningful inscription inside the ring. Some couples choose a completely unusual engagement ring, like a peach color sapphire surrounded by diamonds, or a band-style diamond ring. Don’t forget about the wedding band! That may seem far in the future, but when the time comes, you will be glad that you planned ahead. You want to be sure that the engagement ring you choose will fit against, and look pretty with, the wedding band. Avoid last-minute wedding blues by discussing wedding band options with your jeweler at the time you choose the engagement ring. You don’t need to buy the band immediately, but you will feel confident if you know that there are choices when it’s time for that next step. Enjoy the romance of choosing this important ring. Don’t stress so much that you lose sight of the fact that you have met a wonderful person and you want to spend your lives together! The ring is a celebration of that. So relax! Enjoy this special moment in your life.
YOUR HEALTH
Elderly are most vulnerable
Stay safe this winter by Elizabeth Morse Read
If Hurricane Sandy taught us anything, it’s that Mother Nature can create a living hell in a very short period of time—and in cold weather, especially so. Forget the Currier and Ives scene of twinkly snowflakes and bundled up skaters warming themselves by the bonfire. Winter brings blizzards, black ice, loss of electricity and heat, frigid temperatures and unique threats to life and limb that cannot be ignored. So read on and get yourself ready for the cold months to come.
‘Baby, it’s cold outside…’ The gravest danger is the cold, especially when made even colder by the wind—it takes only a few minutes to risk frostbite or hypothermia. Most people know that being exposed to such conditions outdoors can be fatal, but they aren’t always aware that hypothermia can also occur inside a house when the power and heat are knocked out during a storm. Frostbite is literally frozen skin tis22
sue that’s been too long exposed to wet cold and wind (usually the ears, nose, fingers and toes). Initially, the skin will be flushed and numb, but then it will turn whitish and require immediate medical attention. It should not be rubbed or run under hot water. Frostbite can be prevented by always wearing a head covering, gloves, two pairs of socks, and a water-repellant top layer over your clothing, and by coming indoors immediately if any clothing becomes wet. Better yet, stay indoors if it’s sleeting or slushy outside. Hypothermia is a dangerous drop in core body temperature due to exposure to frigid weather conditions. A person can survive three weeks without food, three days without water, but only three hours without shelter from severe cold.
February 2013 / The South Coast Insider
Half of the deaths due to hypothermia occur in people over 75 years old. If any member of the household tends to wander and get lost outside, invest in alarms that let you know when an exterior door has been opened. Likewise, an elderly person living alone is vulnerable if a winter storm knocks out the heat and electricity—if you know of someone like this, be sure to check in on them daily to make sure they’re warm and safe. Encourage the elderly person to contact the utility company, fuel oil company and the local council on aging to ensure that they are not left in the dark and cold due to financial problems, either.
The silent killer Another potentially fatal danger is carbon monoxide poisoning, which can be caused by a car’s exhaust fumes, or by using a gas generator or kerosene space heater or a charcoal grill in an enclosed space like an attached garage, or even by smoke from a fireplace or wood stove. Carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless, tasteless and can kill within two hours, especially the very young, the very old, and anyone with respiratory problems. Make sure there’s a carbon monoxide detector on every level of your home, including the basement and garage and check the batteries every month. Have your heating and ventilation system serviced every year, as well as your chimney. Don’t run a car’s engine in a closed attached garage, and operate space heaters in well-ventilated areas only!
Winter fires Too often in winter, tragic fires are caused by improper use of fireplaces and candles, space heaters, overloaded electrical sockets and dried-out Christmas trees. Every year, more than half a million winter fires kill almost 2,000 Americans and nearly 40 per cent of all home fires happen in December,
January and February. Space heaters cause 80 per cent of fire fatalities, followed by chimney fires, and flammable items (paper, bedding, curtains) being too close to a heat source. Holiday decorations can create a major fire hazard, as can winter storms that knock out eletricity and cause people to resort to alternate power and heating sources. Here’s a checklist that can help you avoid winter fires in your home: Before winter begins, have your heating and ventilation systems and fireplace cleaned and inspected by a professional.
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Keep anything that can burn (including children and pets!) at least three feet away from space heaters, fireplaces, furnaces, generators and wood stoves.
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Turn portable heaters off when you leave the room or go to bed—and make sure they have an automatic switch-off in case they get knocked over.
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Use a screen on your fireplace and never use it to burn trash or holiday wrapping paper. Make sure the ashes are completely cold before putting them in a metal container outside that is far from any buildings or wood piles on your property.
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Never use your oven to heat your home.
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Christmas trees, even when watered regularly, shouldn’t be left up beyond two weeks and never placed anywhere near a fireplace or space heater or candles. Inspect all strings of lights before you hang them and use a timer to turn them off in the evening. Don’t overload electrical outlets.
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Don’t block exits or doorways with a tree or decorations.
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Test all smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors monthly.
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Don’t fall! In 2002, almost 13,000 people over
65 died of falls (most broken hip incidences happen in winter) and more than 1.5 million people ended up in the emergency room for fall-related injuries. You can’t prevent ice from forming on your porch, stairs and sidewalks, but there are many common-sense steps you can take to minimize the risks of falling. First, keep a supply of road salt and sand or cat litter near your exterior doors. Second, bring your exercise routine indoors and have someone else walk the dog. Third, don’t go outside in the dark or during severe weather, and fourth, avoid carrying packages that can make you offbalance and block your vision, and don’t walk with your hands in your pockets. You need them free to break your fall if you do slip. Finally, mop up all melting ice and snow that gets tracked into the house by family members or pets immediately. If you do need to walk outdoors, do so when it’s warmest and sunniest outside, stay on cleared sidewalks, wear shoes or boots with non-skid soles, and use an “ice-pick” cane if you’re not steady on your feet to begin with. Arrange for someone to drive you for errands and shopping and don’t be embarrassed to ask for someone’s arm if you see ice in a parking lot or pathway.
Seasonal heart attacks We’ve all known or heard of someone who developed chest pains or suffered a heart attack while shoveling heavy, wet snow. Cold temperatures constrict blood vessels, so it’s easy to over-exert yourself when you’re outdoors. Anyone with cardiovascular disease or who smokes or is normally very sedentary should not be shoveling snow. Light, fluffy snow can be cleared away with a broom before it accumulates, but when it’s icy or wet snow, it is money well-spent to hire someone else to clear your porch, stairs, walkways and driveway.
Get a ride Driving long distances in winter should be avoided at all costs, especially if the weather forecast is gloomy. But if you must travel, make sure you’re ready for emergencies and armed with common sense. Have you car “winterized” before you hit the highway, with spare antifreeze, snow tires or chains (if needed), winter wiper fluid, fresh wiper blades, and a full tank of gas (and top off the tank frequently, always before it’s half-full). Check the weather forecast for your destination and the route you’ll be taking, and expect to drive slowly, even on roads that have been plowed and sanded. And make sure you’re properly dressed: boots, two pairs of socks, gloves, hat, and multiple layers of clothing, and your fully charged cell phone in a pocket. Don’t get creative or impatient and take short-cuts or side roads. Stay on major roads where you can be found and helped should you get stuck. Let the people at the other end know exactly what route you’ll be taking and when you’ll be leaving. If you don’t show up within a reasonable amount of time, they can alert the state police or highway patrol. Keep emergency supplies in the back seat in case you break down: blankets, drinking water, granola bars, a thermos of coffee/cocoa, a working flashlight, snow/ice scraper, weather radio with a cell phone charger, candles and matches, and a bag of cat litter in case your back wheels spin on ice (just as effective as sand and a lot easier to transport). Most important, if you get stuck don’t even think about walking to find help—stay in your car! You can run the engine for a few minutes every 15 minutes or so to generate heat and power the dome light (make sure the tailpipe is clear of snow first) —use the candle when the engine isn’t running. Stay warm and dry this winter–and be safe!
The South Coast Insider / February 2013
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BUSINESS BUZZ
Regulations hook into fishing by Jay Pateakos
As a native of New Bedford, I know full well that the city has always revolved around one form of fishing or another. But ask me or any average citizen what’s going on in the industry—how they are doing or what obstacles they may be facing—and sadly most don’t know the extent.
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ot even close. Sure, most of us have heard of cuts or quotas, regulations and rising costs, but what does it all mean? We see scallop or groundfish boats going out to sea, a beautiful floating fixture on the horizon moving out to sea, coasting past Butler Flats Lighthouse, but that, for most of us, is where we leave those boats in our mind. Truth is, the New Bedford fishing industry—still the number one port in the world and generating economic activity over $1 billion dollars each year and employing more than 4,400 people—has likely never been more at a crossroads than now. With continued regulations hampering their catch, Richie Canastra, co-owner of Whaling City Auctions, a seafood broker and auctioneer, said he has seen the number of boats catching groundfish go from 200 24
when they first bought the business in 1994 to just 70 today. And those boats are catching far less than they need and more regulations may be on the horizon once the fishing season opens again on May 1. Officials claim the rules are needed to curb what they say is continued “overfishing,” but Canastra said it could be enough to kill the industry altogether. “They’ve cut quotas 50-70 per cent and it’s putting many of these boats out of business,” said Canastra. “Many people are importing fish which is less expensive out of China and Vietnam, where the quality and regulations are just not there.” Here’s an alarming statistic: 90 per cent of the seafood consumed in the United States each year is imported. Of that 90 per cent, only one per cent ever gets inspected. Of that one per cent, half of it gets rejected. So what
February 2013 / The South Coast Insider
about that other 89.5 per cent that you’re eating? It certainly makes a good case to buy local. But with the 2012 fishing season ending April 30, most fishermen have caught about half of what they need to for groundfish. And, say many of the fishermen, the fish are just not there this year, no matter where they go. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data, which is highly disputed in many corners, say key fish stocks are so depleted that only more cuts to catch quotas will help. But others say that having only one scientific judgment on the stock is not enough to automatically assume that overfishing is the culprit. And there is another camp who claim it’s the result of warmer water that is pushing the fish away.
Checks and balances In a recent op-ed, UMass Professor and Marine Scientist Brian Rothschild questioned whether overfishing was the problem at all or whether the heart of the matter lay elsewhere. Rothschild said there’s a two-fold dilemma. If the fish stocks are down and quota cuts are necessary, how do you curb the impact on the fishing industry? But if the stock is not down and cuts aren’t needed, how can you stabilize an industry for now and the future? Obviously something is affecting the fish stock. No one, scientist or fisherman, knows for sure. “We have to get the stock assessment right to see if there is a high level (of fish) or low level. We don’t know if the environment is the problem,” said Rothschild. “We need better science and we need to be sure. There’s too much at stake here.” Echoing Rothschild’s need for a second opinion on catch counts, Canastra said during Hurricane Sandy fishermen had three separate agencies providing weather forecasts for boats to debate over that allowed them to have a clearer picture of what they were up against. As an airplane pilot, Canastra said his regulations come from both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board. He said the fishing industry should be no different. “Those two industries (FAA and NTSB) keep each other in check and we need to keep NOAA in check,” said Canastra. “If there are more (catch) cuts, this is 100 per cent going to affect New Bedford and communities around it like Fall River. And it’s going to put all of us out of business.” Rothschild said there are people willing and able and ready to fish but regulations are preventing them from doing so. If the quota counts continue to be cut, there won’t be any fishermen left. “First we have to determine if the fish counts are actually down or not. Continued from on next page
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Continued from previous page If it is actually down, then yes, slow down fishing, but we don’t know that for sure,” said Rothschild. “If you think about it, before the scalloping boom (worth about $300 million annually), houses in New Bedford were looking pretty shoddy but with the fishing boom, everything became a little bit better in the community. Problems with this industry will affect many.”
Warm water blues Former New Bedford mayor and current NOAA New England Regional Administrator John Bullard said depleting stocks have been an issue for many years and something needs to be done. New England Fishery Management Council is still mulling over regulations for the 2013 fishing season to begin in three months. Bullard said both the groundfish and scallop industry— New Bedford’s two strongest industries—have been consolidated over the years. Bullard, who called himself an optimist and the only reason why he took the NOAA job, said he hopes the future holds a more complete scientific picture for fishermen and their stock. “I think within the next ten years, we are going to need to stop overfishing and confront climate change,” said Bullard. “I didn’t say we’d be beating it, but we’d at least be confronting it.” For years, New England waters have recorded above-average water temperatures that many fishermen say is forcing the fish out to colder waters. If it’s a temperature issue and not an overfishing issue, continued cuts on catch quotas will continue to hurt fishermen, without affecting the cause. What if the water suddenly cools and the fish come back. What about those cuts then? Would they even have made sense? “We have had a problem with overfishing for more than 100 years but it was always a one-dimensional problem where if you curb overfishing 26
the fish will come back but that’s no longer the case,” said Bullard. “Overfishing is still part of the problem but it has been overtaken by climate change, which is much more difficult to control and for the most part, people don’t even know that it’s a problem.”
Ocean chemistry changes Like Rothschild, Bullard hopes for better scientific measurements to help keep tabs on fish counts to determine how bad they actually are and what is affecting them. He said warmer water temperatures have also had a drastic impact on the lobster population, with counts way down in southeastern New England. Another problem, Bullard notes, is
Everyone has a stake in the battle to keep fishing viable in our community. ocean acidification. Over the past decades of industrial growth the ocean has absorbed every-increasing amounts of CO2 . This changes the chemical balance of the seawater making it more acidic and this inhibits the development of coral reefs and other systems that fish feed on. Without those, fish would have to move elsewhere in search of food. “When we talk to people about ocean acidification, we are typically met with blank stares but it won’t be that way in two, three years,” said Bullard. “We will be confronting climate change in the years ahead. I don’t know if we will be winning or losing the battle but we won’t be as ignorant as we are now.”
February 2013 / The South Coast Insider
Going to Nebraska Bullard said this is no easy thing to turn around but it can be done. One thing that needs to happen is more cooperation between fishermen and regulators. Besides the huge impact of low levels of fish, there is an equal problem in a low level of trust. “There are very little fish and very little trust, which has built up over a long period of time,” said Bullard. “With a low fish count, it means not a lot of money in the savings bank. The trust just isn’t there and if you go to any of these fishery council meetings, you’ll see more people yelling at each other than working together. There has to be different behavior than what exists today.” Bullard said whether you’re a fisherman with a huge stake in the game or someone that just drives by the dock each day on their way to work or someone who admires the sight of a boat as it sets out to sea, it’s an industry that has an impact on everything and everyone around it. Do not be fooled. Whether it’s economic development, tourism or something that impacts the average citizen most–fish prices–the industry must right itself somehow or the world’s number-one fishing port could go down the road of the textile and manufacturing industries before it. And no one wants to live through that again. “Fishing is more than fresh fish on your table, although it is that,” said Bullard. “New England wouldn’t be New England if it didn’t have fishermen or fish to harvest. Imagine New England without it and erase all the fishing boats and it wouldn’t be the same place. It would be Nebraska. Everyone’s got a stake. Whether you eat fish or not or work in the industry or have a family that does, everyone has a stake in the battle to keep fishing viable in our community.” For more information on fishing issues, regulations and more, go to www.savingseafood.com or www. nefsc.noaa.gov.
YOUR HEALTH
Aerobics for your mind The best way to keep your brain and body agile and young is regular exercise for both. It’s hardly a secret that people who participate in physical exercise regularly live longer and healthier lives than the couch potatoes whose exercise program consists of using different fingers to operate the TV’s remote. The same is true for people who keep their minds exercised and agile. The people who run the Second Half: Lifelong Learning Program are well aware of this, and their 2013 Northeast Lifelong Learning Conference will be held April 19-20 in New Bedford, MA. The theme, “Live, Learn, Connect,” captures the heart of the lifelong learning movement targeting the 50+ citizen seeking ways to socialize, enrich their lives and learn more about the world here and beyond. The two-day conference will be sponsored by the Second Half: Lifelong Learning Institute affiliated with the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. It will be held in the Waypoint Conference Center, a renovated historic building, and the adjoining Fairfield Inn on the New Bedford waterfront. Workshop topics range from the theoretical to the practical, including the history of the lifelong learning movement, resources for healthy aging, financial management for retirement, etc. Exhibitors and presentations from LLIs throughout the Northeast (Vermont to New York) will provide information, resources and networking opportunities. Keynote speaker, Paul Nussbaum, Ph.D., will speak to the “Brain Health Lifestyle.” He is a Clinical Neuropsychologist and Adjunct Professor of Neurological Surgery at
the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. His book on brain health, “Save your Brain,” is promoted by AARP and widely read. The Conference Registration fee is $150 until February 15, and $175 from February 16 to the deadline of April 1. Visit www.umassd.edu/secondhalf for details of the conference and registration details. Checks should be sent to The Second Half: Lifelong Learning Institute, 139 South Main Street, Fall River, MA 02721. Checks payable to: UMDF/TSH. The Second Half Institute offers a fall and spring semester of enrichment courses, most at its headquarters in Fall River or satellite locations throughout Southeast MA. Taught by facilitators from the retired population, the courses range from bridge to history, literature and the arts. The spring semester, which begins in February, is hosting an open house at UMass Dartmouth in the Woodlands Commons on Tuesday, January 15 at 1:00 p.m. Visit the website www.umassd.edu/secondhalf for details. Or call 508-677-4694. Membership is $25 and tuition for two courses is $120. The Lifelong Learning network involves Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes, Road Scholar/Elder Hostel Programs, Continuing Education Programs associated with universities, and independent programs mostly coordinated by volunteers eager to live, learn and connect with others. For information or conference schedule contact, Beverly Stevens at 508.677.4694 or secondhalf@umassd. edu
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YOUR MONEY
Start your own business! But which kind is right for you? by Sherri Mahoney-Battles
An entrepreneur starting a small business has to make many important decisions. One point for consideration is the business structure under which to operate. Many small businesses will operate successfully for many years as sole proprietorships while others will elect to function as LLCs, or corporations. Each entity has different considerations in regard to tax implications, bookkeeping functions, insurance and liability. In past years one of the driving factors for businesses to become incorporated was to provide the shareholders with relief from financial liability. Prior to the banking crisis in the 1980s, corporations, on their own merit, could obtain financing and their owners could walk away from the debt in the event the corporation failed. Due to a series of changes in banking, however, a bank will not allow a corporation to guarantee a loan without its officers also accepting financial responsibility. Thus, incorporating a business will not provide a release from financial liability. As a business owner there are other forms of liability you assume on behalf of your business, and operating as an LLC or corporation can provide some protection from risk exposure. Let’s use a bakery as an example. A customer buys a muffin and breaks a tooth as a result of a hard object in the muffin. The customer sues the bakery. The bakery should carry liability insurance that would pay for the resolution of a legal settlement.
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Perhaps the settlement exceeds the limits of the liability policy and the customer is looking to obtain the balance of the settlement from the business. If the business is operated as a sole-proprietorship, there is no entity separating the owner from his/her business. Thus the owner is exposed. Let’s assume the business was operating as either an LLC or a corporation. The customer sues the entity (LLC or corporation) and the settlement is paid by the business’ liability insurance policy.
Deep pockets and paperwork This is where things get a little tricky. If the settlement exceeds the limit on the liability policy, the customer may still try to sue the owner(s) of the corporation. We refer
February 2013 / The South Coast Insider
to this as the “deep pocket theory.” If the business has no assets to attach, you attempt to go after the owner with the assets or the deeper pockets. An owner of a corporation who was negligent or whose hands were in the action causing the harm may still be held liable for the injury. This means that the corporate veil has been pierced, thus exposing the owner of corporation. Using our bakery example, let’s suppose that the bakery’s owner was not the person that baked the muffin containing the hard object. There was no negligence on behalf of the owner, and it was the mistake of an employee that caused the injury. An LLC or corporation, in this situation, could effectively insulate our bakery owner from liability. Obviously, certain businesses carry larger exposure risks than others. Also, small businesses with owners that provide all of the services or produce the entire product themselves will find little relief from liability through the use of a separate entity. Additionally, corporations and LLCs are expensive to setup and operate. They also have added layers of paperwork and responsibility that not every business owner is well suited to handle. Many years ago, I attended a workshop where an attorney advised attendees that if you hate paperwork you should never think of incorporating. I strongly agree with this statement. I have had to undo far too many corporations that were setup for small business owners that received no benefit from operating
under a corporate structure. Over the years I have worked with many insurance agents that have advocated for higher insurance limits and umbrella policies, when necessary, as an alternative to a corporate structure. Most insurance companies offer $1,000,000 umbrella policies for less than the cost of setting up a corporation. There are tax implications to consider as well: Sole Proprietor: All profits are subject to self-employment tax of 15.3 per cent at the personal level, as well as federal and state income taxes. There is no tax at the entity level. Single Member LLC: Just like a SoleProprietorship, all profits are subject to self-employment tax, as well as federal and state income taxes at the personal level. There is no tax at the entity level. S-Corp: This is a “pass through entity.” Owners are employees of the corporation. As an employee of your corporation the corporation (employer) pays and deducts as an expense one-half of the social security/selfemployment tax (7.65 per cent) of this tax and the other half (7.65 per cent) is deducted from the employee’s (your) wages. As an employee of your corporation you must take a salary commensurate with the services you provide. There is, however, a tax savings when a shareholder is paid a salary and the S-Corporation experiences a residual net profit. Net profits of an S-Corporation are not subject to self-employment or social security tax. Therefore, if your corporation has a net profit of $10,000 you would save approximately $1,530 in social security taxes. Keep in mind that your corporation will pay a $125 annual report filing fee to the Secretary of State and a $456 (MA) minimum state excise tax. In years past there has been little or no definition of the term “commensurate with services provided”; however, the IRS has begun to take a closer look at officers drawing either
no salaries or ridiculously low salaries, thus evading social security tax in the process. C-Corp: This is not a flow-through entity. The C-Corp must file its own return and pay its own corporate tax. Shareholders receive wages and are employees of the corporation. The corporate tax rate is 15 per cent on the first $50,000 of profits, and graduates up to 35 per cent. Personal Service Corporations are taxed at 35 per cent of all income. C-Corporations are also required to pay the minimum state excise tax of $456 (MA) along with annual filing fees.
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Take it slow and steady Still undecided? My best advice to a new business owner is always to take your time. Obtain adequate insurance and let things develop. Consult with your attorney, accountant, and insurance agent before making any decisions. Most new businesses don’t reap the tax benefits of being incorporated their first year, and you can elect to change over from a soleproprietorship to either an LLC or a corporation when your business becomes more financially solvent. Give your business some time to grow up before deciding it wants to be. This information is provided for purposes of general information only. While Taxing Matters can answer your tax-related entity questions, it is strongly suggested that individuals consult with an attorney regarding the legal issues surrounding the various entities. Individuals with more complicated legal situations will need to retain an attorney to set up their entity.
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Sherri Mahoney-Battles, of Taxing Matters, specializes in income tax preparation for small businesses and individuals. As an Enrolled Agent, licensed by the IRS, Sherri has been representing clients for over twenty-five years in cases of audit, collections, and appeals and does extensive work with non-filers. Visit her website at www.taxingmatters.com email Sherilyn@taxingmatters.com or call her at 508-636-9829.
The South Coast Insider / February 2013
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WINE NOTES
Chocolate & wine the perfect pair
by Alton Long
Many so-called wine experts claim that wine and chocolate do not pair well. In general, that seems to be true. But there are many wines and varieties of chocolate that are delightful together. To begin with, chocolate does overpower lighter wines. But if the chocolate is in fact a lighter variety, and you have it with an elegantly flavored, rich wine, the wine may actually be enhanced. If the chocolate is very intense in flavor, then the wine will need to be a more full-bodied and intensely flavored wine. Good examples are a giant Late Harvest Zinfandel or even a young, but very full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon. Either of these wines can be very good with a rich chocolate dessert, especially if it is in the form of a cake or pudding. Oddly, a rich dark chocolate will often balance out the wine’s tannin and enhance the wine’s fruit character. You can have an interesting experience by trying 30
some lighter white chocolates with a sweet white wine like a Spätlese or Auslese Riesling. On the other hand, you can try a bittersweet chocolate and see how it can work well with a dry and tannic wine, especially if it is a high alcohol wine, like a fullbodied red Zinfandel. Just remember that the richer and darker the chocolate, the richer and more fullbodied the wine needs to be. Some folks think that a sweet Port is just right with chocolate cake. In any case I do not think I would waste a great vintage Port on the pairing. But I would select a decent California sweet Port. It is just fine for this purpose. As for as enjoying a really fine vintage Port is concerned, I definitely prefer cheeses, and
February 2013 / The South Coast Insider
different cheeses go with different Ports, but that’s another story. There are even Ports made with chocolate flavor. Ficklin has a Chocolate Port (in a 500 ml bottle) that runs $13-$14. This special wine seems to be well distributed, but most chocolate Ports are found only at the producer’s tasting and sales room. It seems that the less tannic wines like a Pinot Noir or a light Merlot will go fine with a rich chocolate mousse or chocolate accented cheesecake. But I would not choose to do that. I prefer to serve a late harvest Riesling, Gewürztraminer, MullerThurgau and Muscat dessert wines with chocolate desserts. They always seem to work very well with chocolate-based desserts. You should note that there is some tannin in most red wines, and that tannin seems to “fight” with the sweetness of the chocolate. So, except for Ports, I avoid red wines with chocolate, in spite of what many experts say. On the web I found one remark that said “give a Tawny or Vintage Port a go, to offer a very well balanced pairing approach to a dark chocolate dessert or truffle.” Well, I have done it and I agree: it is delicious. Then again, sparkling wines or Champagne can be exciting with chocolate. The “bubbly” wines are especially terrific for pairing with milk chocolate. Try it with ripe strawberries dipped in chocolate. One guest said “This is so good, it must be decadent!” Last, but not least, a nice simple
Ruby Port is always a very safe bet when looking for a perfect wine to accent a basic chocolate dessert. The good news on that is that Ruby Ports are usually quite moderately priced. I definitely would not “waste” a fine vintage Port this way. I had a great experience with chocolate and wine that was provided at the Captain’s table on a cruise. After the primary courses, including a nice dessert, the steward brought over a tray of small chocolate bonbons. I bit into the delectable looking morsel, only to find it filled with an orange-flavored cream. I still had a swallow of Port in my glass and I washed down that wonderful little bit of chocolate. My oh my! I had never enjoyed any combination of flavors as much as that trio of chocolate, orange, and wine. Ever since then, I have favored orange-filled chocolates and I am reminded of that very occasion when I do. There is at least one decent vintage Port that is made with a bit of chocolate. That is the Warre Vintage Port. It comes in the very small 375 ml bottle. The vintner’s description is “Deep ruby. Brooding aromas of blackberry, black cherry, licorice and bitter chocolate. Broad, dense”. It is not cheap. The 2003 vintage runs $47 for that tiny bottle. You may have to go to the “big city” wine shops to find it. Yes, as much as I love wine, I have to agree that great chocolate is also divine. When I can have my chocolate and wine too, I am a very happy person!
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The South Coast Insider / February 2013
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THINGS TO DO
February
fun for kids and teens by Stacie Charbonneau Hess
To all South Coast children and teenagers: do something different this February vacation Learn a new skill, play a new sport, take part in a group art or community service project. Maybe explore nature in your own town with a scientist as your guide. Need some inspiration? Local venues such as Ocean Explorium in New Bedford and the Portsmouth Arts Guild Center for the Arts have some great ideas, so read on. The only trouble is deciding which activity to try. Who said you have to hibernate this winter? Get up, get out, and have some fun! The big news for the area is the opening of the Children’s Museum of Greater Fall River. After a long stint as a traveling children’s museum, their new location at the former Bristol County Superior Court, located at 441 N. Main St. in Fall River, is ready to go. The Lego Room is certain to be a big hit. Go to www.cmgfr.org for full information, including opening times, membersip and admission fees. Get your science on at the Ocean Explorium and Allens Pond Wildlife 32
For February, the Children’s Museum of Fall River has a full schedule of activities.
Sanctuary. Explore our ecosystem at the Ocean Explorium in New Bedford. During February vacation, the OE will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Ocean Explorium in downtown New Bedford works with UMass Dartmouth Education interns to bring the community high-quality exhibits that allows visitors to interact up close with our natural marine environment. It is also home to the only public “Science on a Sphere” in New England. Plan your visit around a fish feeding, a coral planting or catch one of the daily, guided tours. The Ocean Explorium is located at 174 Union Street in downtown New Bedford and is handicap accessible via the rear entrance. Visit the Ocean Explorium website, www.oceanexplorium.org, or call 508-994-5400 for program schedules, directions and admissions information. In Westport, the Mass Audubon Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary is offering an exciting February vacation experience for children in grades K-5. Each day begins with a
February 2013 / The South Coast Insider November 2012 / The South Coast Insider
“discovery map” to chart the course for the day’s program of activities, featuring games, field investigation, fun and ecological exploration. The camp runs Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Morning and afternoon snacks are included in the program cost. Bring suitable outdoor clothing and a sack lunch. Themes are: Monday, Tracking Animals Along the Quansett Trail; Tuesday, Winter Waddlers on the Marsh; Wednesday, Stone Barn Scavenger Hunt; Thursday, Winter Beach. Registration is required. Cost is $30 a day for members and $40 for non-members. 10 per cent sibling discount. Call 508-636-2437 for more information or visit www.massaudubon.org.
Volunteer at Gifts to Give Open all year round and always in need of volunteers, Gifts to Give processes, inspects, cleans and packages tons of donations of “gently used” children’s clothing, books, toys, baby
safety items and household goods and turns them into thousands of gift packages for the 30,000 South Coast children in poverty, of whom 10 per cent are homeless. To help, call 508-717-8715 or sign up online at www.giftstogive.org. Families can drop in any time the mill is open to help with packages for children. Go to 21 Cove Street in New Bedford and see the magic happen for yourself, and don’t forget your own “gently used” clothing when you do.
On stage in Portsmouth In Portsmouth, the Portsmouth Arts Guild Center for the Arts hosts a February vacation theatre and music camp for young people. The Shake, Rattle and Roll! Music camp is for students ages seven to nine. This camp seeks to enrich a child’s understanding of the basic principles of music by helping them explore music in a hands on way: creating their own instruments, singing, movement exercises. Tuition is $40 or $30 for PAG members, and runs 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Monday, February 18 through Friday, February 22 with a special performance on Saturday, February 23. Beginning actors will appreciate the PAG theatre camp for ages seven to 10. The group will work together on a presentation and try their hand at writing songs and stories for the stage. Tuition is $40 or $30 for PAG members. The camp runs each morning from February 18-22 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., with a special performance on Saturday. Portsmouth Arts Guild is located at 2679 East Main Rd. in Portsmouth. Learn more at www.portsmouthartsguild.org or call 401-293-5278.
For the love of ArtWorks Get in the spotlight with ArtWorks in New Bedford. Take a course in Film, Acting, TV February 18-22 from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., ages 10 to 13. Or learn cartooning with Cartoon Mania from 9:00 a.m. to noon, for ages six to nine. Tweens on Wheels (a pottery wheel that is!) will be of-
fered 9:00 a.m. to noon, for ages 10 to 13. For the younger set into pottery, learn handbuilding with Cartoon Potter, February 18-22 from 9:00 a.m. to noon, for ages six to nine. Contact ArtWorks at 508- 984-1588 or HYPERLINK “http://www.artworksforyou.org” www.artworksforyou.org.
Learn to swim at the YMCA Several Southcoast YMCAs offer one-week sessions of swimming lessons for swimmers of all abilities. Strengthen your water skills by attending the intensive five-consecutive-day program at either the Gleason Family, Fall River or New Bedford YMCAs. Camps serve young people ages three and up, with many different time slots to accommodate your busy schedule. See the program online at www.ymcasouthcoast.org.
Explore Blithewold Enjoy an unforgettable week at the majestic Blithewold Mansion and Gardens vacation camp, which runs daily from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. If you’ve never been to Blithewold, you are in for a treat. The waterfront property is a sweeping 33-acre summer estate with grand views of Narragansett Bay. The mansion features 45 rooms filled with family heirlooms, and is nationally recognized as an authentic example of the “Country Place” era. Enroll for the full week, one day or a few half-days and explore Blithewold’s winter wonderland. Camp staff encourage children to get involved in outdoor winter play, including nature hikes, winter ecology and exploring the grounds. Indoor activities include putting on plays, arts and crafts, exploring the mansion, and indoor games. Each day features a theme with indoor and outdoor time. A full week program is $140 for Blithewold members and $160 for non-members. The oneday rate is $35/$45 and a half-day is $25. Early bird option for additional fee. To sign up, call 401-253-2707. Registration is limited to 25 children.
The Lloyd Center for the Environment Located on 82 pristine acres comprising forest, salt marshes and tidal wetlands, the Lloyd Center will take you on an “owl prowl “ in the pre-dawn hours of February 10 when these magnificent birds are most active. If that seems too early for you, then the Winter Raptors Hike (for adults) on February 28 might be just right for you. Explore the mysteries of the groundhog on the Groundhog Day Walk, February 2. Will the elusive critter see his shadow? Bring your children for this fascinating excursion. For February Vacation Week (February 19 through February 22, children ages seven-10 will have week-long adventure, with activities daily from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Their days will be filled with games, crafts, hands-on investigations and trail walks. Winter Story Time, a family activity, is scheduled for Saturday, February 16, 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Nature topics will be explored through nature-themed books, followed by live animals to observe and touch, nature walks and crafts that will bring nature to life for story time guests. Please note that most Lloyd Center events have pre-registration deadlines and limited enrollment. For pricing, additional details or to pre-register, visit the Center’s website at www.lloydcenter.org or call the Center’s event line at 508558-2918. Trails are open from dawn to dusk, seven days a week. The Lloyd Center for the Environment is located at 430 Potomska Road, Dartmouth, Massachusetts.
The South Coast Insider / February 2013
33
THINGS TO DO
Ice cream for breakfast (and it’s healthy!) by Amy Dion
I’m not much for cold foods in winter. Once the temperature drops below 60 degrees I have most definitely switched from iced coffee to hot coffee and ice cream is off the menu (unless it is helping to cool down a hot apple pie).
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February 2013 / The South Coast Insider
So, you can imagine my surprise when I found out that February 2 is Ice Cream for Breakfast Day. My first thought was that this day of observance would be better suited for the warmer months, but, once I really started to wrap my brain around the idea I began to consider how perfectly placed it was. With more of winter behind of us than before us, it’s another cause for celebration and break the monotony of spending too much time in the house.
This day of ironic observance is celebrated on the first Saturday of February, which this year falls on the second. The “holiday” was started back in the 80s by a family out of Rochester, NY in an effort to combat the winter doldrums, as stated by the Rochester Democrat Chronicle. My family has never hesitated to join in a celebration (and eat ice cream), so I felt compelled to “Savethe-Date” and begin planning for what could possibly be the most popular event of 2013, at least for my two boys, who will probably proclaim it, “the best Ice Cream for Breakfast Day ever!” Come to think about it they say that about most celebrations. And furthermore, if this family in Rochester, decided to create their own day of celebration, what’s to stop me from deciding I want to celebrate it on the second or third Saturday of the month? As a supporter of a well-rounded breakfast, there are so many ways this Ice Cream for Breakfast idea could be successfully planned and initiated. Considering how many ways there are to serve ice cream, this could be very nutritious after all.
One scoop or two? Start with waffles or pancakes. If you make them from scratch or use a mix make them with milk and use whole wheat for part of the batch. Top them with some fresh fruit, especially if you go with the frozen variety. At this point, the ice cream decision point, I’m torn. I’m considering the pure excitement that having ice cream for breakfast will elicit from my two boys versus the fat and sugar of ice cream. On one hand, I’d like to make this experience memorable in a “Mom let us have ice cream for breakfast” kind of way and on the other hand I want to sneak in as many healthy foods as possible, while letting them believe they are eating something completely taboo for breakfast.
Hot ordinary ice cream For instance, when my boys were in their pre-school years I used to freeze those individually packed cups of peaches that can be bought in packages of four or six. Once frozen, I would briefly submerge them in warm water, peel back the plastic and invert the cup-shaped block of frozen peaches (with juice) into a bowl. Using an immersion blender I would whip the peaches into a creamy frozen treat. Very much the consistency of gelato, this “frozen peach mash,” as we called it, was happily devoured by my then threeand five-year old sons. I’ve since discovered that a similar “ice-cream” may be created with frozen bananas. A simple, single ingredient, yet all the creaminess and satisfaction of the multi-ingredient ice cream that has sugar and highfructose corn syrup. Slice the bananas into quarter- to half-inch thick rounds and lay them out on a cookie sheet. Slide the cookie sheet with the sliced into the freezer for a few hours. Remove the frozen slices, put them a food processor and pulse into the consistency of soft-serve ice cream. You can serve it to your kids immediately, either alone or on top of the waffles. For a consistency more like “real” ice cream, spoon the slushy bananas into a covered container and return to the freezer overnight. Either way, you’re sure to have a winner in the Ice Cream for Breakfast sweepstakes.
Every day a holiday This leaves me with a small problem. I’ve got this terrific, healthy breakfast the kids love, so why restrict it to once a year? Consider this: the calendar is filled with days you and your family can celebrate. For instance, February 9-13 is Children’s Authors and Illustrators Week. Noting this, the New Bedford Art Museum has a Children’s Book
Illustration exhibit running until February 9. My sons and I will visit the show to see which of our family’s favorites are represented. After we cover the exhibit we can continue to honor February by visiting Brick Pizzeria Napoletana for a big pizza pie…now, that’s amoré! Other days of interest include Random Acts of Kindness Day on February 17. Floral Design Day is February 28 and I may have to
recognize this early with a trip to the Rhode Island Flower Show February 21-24. That might inspire me to take a few cherry tree clippings and place them in in a sunny window in vase of water to force the blooms. In any case, February, with its vacation time for school children and its (usually) cold weather offers many reasons to foster spontaneous and creative ways to celebrate.
The South Coast Insider / February 2013
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BUSINESS BUZZ
TAROT-SCOPES by The Celtic Cricket
Children Advocacy Center: Healing and helping the children The growing awareness of the extent to which vulnerable children are exposed to abuse was among the reasons for the creation of the Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) of Bristol County in July 2007 as a private, 501c(3) non-profit agency. Based upon a national, child-focused, evidence-based model, the CAC provides a coordinated response to child abuse. Services include forensic interviews, health exams and consultations, and referrals to mental health and other support services to children and adults with intellectual disabilities who have been victims of sexual abuse, severe physical abuse and witness to violence. Working closely with a multi-disciplinary team (MDT)–comprised of law enforcement, the Department of Children & Families (the state child welfare system), the District Attorney’s office, the Massachusetts Pedi-SANE program and communitybased agencies–the center provides direct services to the children and families of the 20 towns and cities in Bristol County, Massachusetts.
Empowering children and families CAC Executive Director Michelle Loranger, said, “The CAC has surpassed serving 1,800 families since its inception.” Children and families both benefit from the CAC’s work and that of its partners in the Department of Children & Families and the Office of the District Attorney. “National statistics tell us that one in four girls and one in six boys will be the victim of sexual abuse by the 36
We use the tarot to predict your horoscope. If you’d like more in depth and personal information, stop by our shop—The Silver Willow in Rehoboth, MA for a private tarot reading. Aries – Paying attention to details will prove to be very effective this month. Asking for help is what is needed in the workplace and at home this month. Remember to say thank you. Taurus – Confront the gossip at the source this month. Opening your mouth and putting people in their place may win your respect, but don’t assume that everyone is on your side. Let this awaken you to your foe and know who they are. Gemini – Your communication skills will inspire others to do their best around you this month. This is a time of great payoff for the Gemini that takes the initiative and sticks their neck out. Cancer – Love is in this air. Mutual attractions are all around you this month. Treat them the way that you want to be treated and you will be happy this valentine. Leo – Stick to your guns. You must be more determined to make your News Year’s resolutions pay off. Remember you are doing this for yourself. You may give into others but don’t give up on yourself. .
time they reach 18. And, 90 percent of children are sexually abused by someone they know, love and trust,” said Loranger. Last year, 441 Bristol County victims of child sexual abuse received their services, representing a 30 percent increase over last year. These sobering statistics highlights the need for the CAC’s service delivery to children and families and their existence in Bristol County. “We are providing an increased presence in outreach, education and awareness towards the goal of child sexual abuse prevention,” said Loranger. To learn more about child abuse and the CAC mission to empower children and families to heal from the trauma of abuse and violence through community partnerships, education and the pursuit of justice, visit www. CACofBC.org or call 508-674-6111.
February 2013 / The South Coast Insider
Virgo – Trusting your motives will prove very helpful at home this month. I think it’s time to realize that you’re doing too much. Your financial planning will pay off in the months to come, so don’t push yourself so much. Libra –The holidays may be over but there is plenty of reason to celebrate. Life is good and getting better. Continue to count your blessings and you shall be blessed this month. Scorpio – If you have the urge to point out the flaws in others, try very hard to bite your tongue this month. Be careful to not burn any bridges, the person you are putting down may be the one that will help you in the future.... Sagittarius – It’s okay to put yourself first once in a while. You are not being greedy or selfish; you are making yourself a priority. It if feels good, do it. Capricorn – Stop cultivating to help people, you may find yourself over extended this month. It’s okay to say no and remember you don’t have to offer all the time. . Aquarius – Use your mind, Analyze, analyze, analyze. Think before you speak. You have a lot to say and people need to listen. Pisces – You may find yourself asking, “am I depressed or in a funk?” The fact is that you are unmotivated and you need to invest in a new hobby. Perhaps a self-help book or a night out with friends will boost your spirits.
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The South Coast Insider / February 2013
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ON MY MIND
Writing on the teacup ride By Paul E. Kandarian
I feel Jack Lew’s pain. Lew is the man President Obama picked to be his new Secretary of the Treasury, the main job of which is sitting in a giant room of cash and counting the nation’s money. Another big part of the job is signing the nation’s currency, which at last count, was worth less than a politician’s promise. When Obama made public his pick of Lew, also made public was Lew’s horrible handwriting, most notably his signature which looks like… which looks like…well, not so much a signature as a scrawl. No, not a scrawl, a scrawl could be legible. It’s more like a series of O’s connected by…well, I’m not sure but The New York Times said it was a “ringleted, roller-coasting, Slinky-like signature.” Which sums it up nicely. This is gravely important stuff because, as we all do, I always look at who signed the money in my pocket. And you can tell how important it is because it made mention on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with John Stewart quipping “Hey Lew, here’s a tip: stop signing all your checks on the teacup ride at Disneyworld.” And this is why I feel his pain, this public derision of something as personal as a man’s ringleted, roller-coasting, Slinky-like signature: mine is almost as bad, which is equally hard to describe, but at least has visible the letter “P” which is an actual part of my name, unlike Lew’s which has what look like “Os” that are nowhere to be found in his. 38
My pain started in grammar school, at the former Monroe Corners fourroom school house in Seekonk, a quaint little country school where at the height of the cold war we learned reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic, along with the occasional “duck and cover” we were assured would ward off nuclear obliteration. We used to have a penmanship teacher come to our classes once a week, a giant, redheaded woman with too much makeup and perfume so thick it would make you dizzy,
You’d think I’d have better handwriting by necessity, having been a writer for the past 31 years. who’d amble over to our desks and inspect our handwriting as she brandished a multi-sided stamp to slam onto our paper. I’m not sure what the other sides said, because I only saw one—“unsatisfactory”–which she slammed onto my paper with clucking disapproval that I can hear to this day. I’m not sure why some take to handwriting and create beautiful, swirling, calligraphy, while some, like me and my signature soul mate Lew,
February 2013 / The South Coast Insider
concoct stuff that looks like our hand had a grand mal seizure. I’m sure patience has something to do with it. I have none. I couldn’t be bothered to go through the maddening, time-consuming task of creating long handwriting, as I think it’s known, fitting perfectly rounded cursive letters onto lined sheets of paper, the likes of which would earn smiles and a satisfactory stamp from the big, perfumed handwriting teacher of my youthful nightmares. To this day, people look at my handwriting and joke I should have been a doctor. Are you kidding? You know much patience that job takes? It’s not that I didn’t want to write legibly, I just didn’t care. I still don’t. My handwriting has evolved, or devolved if you prefer, into a sort of personal shorthand that works fine for me, mostly block letters, hastily written, occasionally contracting some into recognizable words like combing ‘t’ and ‘h’ for anything starting with ‘t’ and ‘h’. You’d think I’d have better handwriting by necessity, having been a writer for the past 31 years. But no, and many is the time I sit at my computer, reading my notes and wondering what the hell I’d written. Which should provide little comfort to those I’m writing about. I had a great English teacher in high school, Mr. Ellis, a wonderfully literate man who valued the written word. Even mine. He’d often tell my mother, who used to work in the high school (daunting to have your mom
there all the time, but handy when you needed lunch money), that if I typed my essays, he knew I’d have something important to say. Well, I don’t know how important anything I say is, but the man had faith, and told me he knew I’d be a writer some day. I wish he were alive so I could tell him how much that meant to me. I wonder if Jack Lew’s English teachers are still alive. Luckily for me, and I’m assuming, the legions of other creative sorts with Lew-like handwriting, computers came along and now all my letters are perfect. As often as possible, I take notes on them when interviewing people, which makes life easier, not to mention more accurate. Gone are the days of not knowing if I’d written 1,000 or 43,295, and along
with it, the irate reaction of editors who are forced to run corrections. But sometimes I still take notes by hand, and people still look at them and ask, “Oh, you took shorthand in school?” Which makes me laugh. If the big redheaded penmanship teacher could only hear them. Maybe she’d approve of my uniquely personal shorthand. Nah, I’m guessing I’d still get the “unsatisfactory” stamp with clucking disapproval. So Jack Lew, I feel your penmanship pain. But hang in there, keep counting the nation’s money and stay true to the John Hancock you’ll affix on our currency. Next time the position comes up, maybe I’ll apply. I know I have the signature for it.
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The South Coast Insider / February 2013
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February 2013 / The South Coast Insider
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The Bath Cove www.thebathcove.com
145 Faunce Corner Road North Dartmouth, MA 02747 508-997-5466
Shower Out Loud Bring music to your shower like never before with the new Moxie™ showerhead + wireless speaker. Pair music, news and more to the magnetic wireless speaker with any device that’s enabled with Bluetooth® technology. Then pop the speaker into the showerhead and get ready to shower out loud. Check out Moxie at your nearest KOHLER® Showroom. Learn more at KOHLER.com/Moxie
The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Kohler Co. is under license. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners.
305R Oliphant Lane Middletown, RI 02842 401-846-8680