East Side Monthly March 2011

March 2011

Ethnic Eats

A tour of some of our East Side favorites

Local School Takes On Cyberstalking

Gallery Night Returns This Month

East Side Monthly Makes Its Move

New Listing! $319,900

Classic 1930 Colonial on premier East Side block!

4/5 beds, 3½ baths, custom kitchen, city garden, shared driveway, 2 car garage. Subject to Short Sale Approval.

Thom Hammond

New Price! $759,900

Elegant 5 bedroom, 4.5 bath Colonial near Blackstone Boulevard. New kitchen with Viking appliances, central air, fireplaced living and dining rooms, brick patio, attached garage.

Helen Macdonald

New Listing! $579,000

Custom built home with beautiful details. Family room with cathedral ceiling/skylights. Recent 2 zone heat/air, roof, windows. Finished lower. Beautiful views, private lot, garage.

New Listing! $439,000

Sunny 3 bed, 2 bath Ranch on quiet East Side street. Hardwoods, central air, eat in kitchen, large yard, 2 car garage.

Myra Braverman

Linda Mittleman

New Listing! $449,000

Beautiful stucco Victorian with turn of century detail. Walk to shopping/restaurants. Hardwoods, 6 beds, 2 full baths, fireplace, built in china cabinet, central air. Location!

New Listing! $275,000

Sunfilled, totally renovated 3 bed condo. New granite/stainless kitchen, bath, windows. Gleaming floors, fabulous wrap-around porch. Yard, garage.

Walk to park, shops, restaurants.

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Sue Erkkinen

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Laurelmead residents Joy Wolff, Sheila Derman and Beverly Sugerman enjoy tennis at a local club with Executive Director Craig Evans.

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East Side Monthly March 2011

expertS

Contents March 2011

This Month 15 Girls On the Edge

A cyberbullying expert speaks at Lincoln School

18 Ethnic Eats

A culinary world tour right here on the East Side

23 Lifelong Learning

Brown Community Learning in Retirement stays active

33 Bad Weather, Good Neighbors A tribute to one of the best

Every Month 6 Letters/Editorial 8 Other Side 11 Community News 25 On the Menu Real men love cupcakes

27 Dining Guide Your resource for eating out

18 35 Movies

50 East of Elmgrove

Rabbit Hole and The Rite reviewed

An extreme winter wardrobe

38 Finance

On the Cover

Retirement and risk

A sampling of authentic Indian fare from Rasoi, 727 East Avenue, Pawtucket.

Photography by Kate Kelley

39 Pajama Monologues Brushes with fame and pianos

41 Education

East Side Monthly is now online!

Building a better community through learning

Visit www.providenceonline.com to read the entire issue

43 Calendar

31 Art Emerging artists at Chazan Gallery

All the info on March’s happenings

Warm Up to a New Home

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We have openings for new and experienced agents.

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785 Hope Street, Providence, RI 401-272-6161 • spitzweiss.com March 2011 East Side Monthly

5

Editorial During this Winter of Our Discontent Okay, so the snow has been ridiculous.

And yes, we’re all cold, our boots are still wet and our backs ache from all that shoveling. Plus none of us believe Punxsutawney Phil when he promised that winter is over after not seeing his shadow on Groundhog Day. All that said, the recent record snowfalls did at least produce some useful teaching moments for us. For example, we learned that despite its beauty, freshly fallen snow makes for lousy pothole fill. It may help for a few hours, but before long they’re back, bigger and deeper than ever.

We learned those curb bump outs that looked so reassuring and neighborhood-friendly just a few months ago are a lot less appealing in the winter when you’re trying to get a snow plow down or negotiate a turn around the snow

bank that hides them.

We learned that despite their often heroic efforts, City employees might be well served by some remedial snow removal training. Instead of curb-to-curb plowing, many streets on the East Side were rarely widened enough to allow more than one car through at a time.

Buffalo knows how to do it. So does Syracuse. Certainly Providence, the so-called Creative Capital, giant orange P and all, ought to be able to figure it out as well.

Our snow problems certainly didn’t help advocates for overnight parking on the East Side. Given how impassable our streets became in the heavy snow, one wonders where those overnight cars would have gone as snow banks grew and parking bans became more frequent.

Then again there were undeniable

silver linings amidst the sleet and slush.

We’ve heard numerous stories of random acts of kindness. Some involved workers from our local academic institutions who used their plows and snow blowers to help out neighbors. We saw many groups of strangers coming together communally to free a car lodged in a killer snowdrift. We even saw one homeowner bring out a cup of coffee to a snowplow operator well into his second overtime shift.

Finally, as inconvenient and uncomfortable as the snow may be, one thing does have to be said in its defense: come spring, it’s gone. Then, hopefully, all that will remain will be memories of its freshen fallen beauty and the kindness of friends, neighbors and even strangers as we all try to make the best of winter in New England.

167 Valley Street, Providence, RI 02909 tel: 521-0023 | fax: 521-0024 esm@providenceonline.com www.providenceonline.com

Publishers Barry Fain Richard Fleischer John Howell Publishing Director Jeanette St. Pierre Managing Editor Barry Fain City Editor Steve Triedman Editor Julie Tremaine Assistant Editor John Taraborelli Acting Art Director Alli Coate Advertising Design Director Layheang Meas

Letters

Graphic Designer Meghan H. Follett Karli Hendrickson

Wrong Facts on School Curricula

Account Managers Danielle Claro, Louann DiMuccioDarwich, Ann Gallagher, Nicole Greenspun, Nellie Lima, Dan Schwartz, Elizabeth Riel, Jessica Webb

To the editor: I enjoyed reading Jill Davidson’s recent piece about Nathan Bishop Middle School (“An Enviable Choice: A Look Inside Nathan Bishop,” February 2011) and her decision to possibly have her son attend next year.

I am thrilled to be teaching at Bishop and to be a part of such a vibrant and positive educational community.

Wonderfully supportive administrators, creative and energetic faculty and staff, supportive and engaged parents, and a diverse student body make for a truly exciting environment in which to teach and learn and it seems to get better each week.

Before coming to Bishop, I taught at Nathanael Greene Middle School for 18 terrific years, half of those in the Advanced Academic Program, and I served on the district’s curriculum writing committee for a year, so I feel somewhat qualified to question one bit of her piece, however.

She mentions that the district’s “newly implemented curriculum... is the same at all Providence public middle schools, except for Nathanael Greene’s Advanced Academics program.” I did not know that this misperception was out there in the community, as, in fact, there is no special curriculum

6

East Side Monthly March 2011

for the AA program – nor has there ever been one. The curriculum is actually the same for all middle schools in all subjects – except for advanced math courses, into which students are scheduled according to placement test scores. It is, and has always been, up to individual teachers or teams of teachers in the AA program (as in any classroom) to differentiate curriculum according to student needs, interests, and abilities.

Ms. Davidson’s implication that a “policy-driven district program” exists with an AA curriculum at Greene is simply false and creates a false set of criteria for choice between schools. I think parents should know this as they make decisions about their children’s education.

I felt compelled to add this piece of information to the public forum. I want everyone to think of Bishop as the place to be!

Theresa Fox Grade 7 English teacher Nathan Bishop Middle School Jill Davidson responds: Ms. Fox is correct. Neither Nathanael Greene nor any other public middle school in Providence has a separate curriculum.

I appreciate her clarification and regret the error.

The Ploughman’s Eye (Winter Version) I didn’t see the gleam in the ploughman’s eye On the first or the second time he rumbled on by.

I went back to shoveling and after a while He scraped past again with nary a smile.

To be out in such cold would he think me brave?

But he pushed more snow up – not even a wave.

Now the wind whipped through me, the North wind blowed And even his iron behemoth had slowed.

Finally with my driveway piled five feet high, It was then I saw the gleam in the ploughman’s eye.

Arthur C. Norman Taber Avenue Providence Editor’s note: Special thanks to Arthur Norman for this wonderful and timely poem that arrived by email just as we had finished shoveling our own walk after one of the many snowstorms our resident poet so ably describes. The chuckles he produced were even more restorative than the more traditional hot rum toddy approach we tried first.

Classified Advertising Sue Howarth Contributing Writers Bob Cipriano, Mary K. Connor, Jill Davidson, Renee Doucette, Don Fowler, Mike Fink, David Goldstein, Michael Madden, Bob Mariani, Betsey Purinton, Elizabeth Rau, Dan Schwartz Calendar Christina Evon Interns Andrew Brennan, Eileen Burdick, Carlee Carbone, Ashley Graham, Sabrina Kiel, Chelsea Sherman Contributing Photographers Kate Kelley, Dan Schwartz Contributing Illustrators Ruth Chung, Ashley MacLure, Robyn Ng

Calendar announcements and news releases should be submitted by the 1st of the preceding month. We reserve the right to omit and edit items. Letters to the editor are welcome. We will not print unsigned letters without exceptional circumstances. East Side Monthly is not responsible for typographical errors. Corrections will be run at discretion of editor.

Copyright ©2011 by East Side Monthly.

All rights reserved. Printed by TCI.

Tired of lunch being the same old, same old?

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2:30 P.M. | SAPINSLEY HALL, NAZARIAN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

March 28

April 3

The Muir String Quartet with guest Lucy Shelton, Soprano

Awadagin Pratt March 2011 East Side Monthly

7

Other Side by Barry Fain

Making Our Move Providence Media expands into new digs this month ESM Is On the Move In the 35-plus years we’ve been around (which encompasses lives as a weekly, a monthly, being paid, being free, being all black and white and now being full color), we’ve had a lot of different places to hang our collective hats. (By the way, free Trinity tickets to the first person who emails us at esm@ providenceonline.com or writes us here at the paper and names every place we’ve called home over the past three-plus decades.) After five years in beautiful Olneyville, we’ve decided to move back closer to our original East Side roots: 1070 Main Street, to be specific, at the Pawtucket/Providence line. It’s wonderful space in a handsomely restored mill building.

(More details coming next month. We’ll even pass on our new phone number, once we get one.) As we continue to expand (we’re up to five publications now) we need more space, which we hopefully will use wisely in our attempts to provide the best free publications money can’t buy.

Streakers In Sneakers One of our favorite Brown December traditions – one which we, of course, always admire from afar – has been under attack by the Brown administration but appears to have survived. The annual Naked Donut Run takes place in December during finals week. A group of anonymous participants run through several of Brown’s libraries delivering donuts to their stressed-out, hard-studying fellow students. Last year, the runners successfully delivered their goodies at the Rock and ITC libraries only to be stopped by authorities at the Science Library and forced to turn over their student IDs. According to the Brown Daily Herald, University officials have now pledged to return to their more permissive attitude in 2011.

The news was greeted with approval by several of last year’s participants: “After all, it’s not like we’re handing out drugs. Just donuts.”

Things Are Back to Normal at PPAC Now that the Lion King has roared out of town, PPAC will next turn its attention to the rock musical, Next to Normal, which just concluded its very successful Broadway run in January after 733 performances. The award-winning play (it captured three Tony Awards and a Pulitzer for Drama) is one of those rare stories that speaks to both young and old, the normal and the almost normal. To quote one critic, “It’s not just a feel-good musical; it’s a feel-everything musical.” Normal plays at PPAC from March 22-27. Call 421-ARTS for tix.

8

East Side Monthly March 2011

participants that chance to sample both the food and the art. Often times the artists will be present to discuss their works, but at the very least gallery owners will be on hand to tell you what you need to know. Like the arrival of the first robin, the return of Gallery Night suggests the worst of winter is over. Let the joys of spring begin.

Time to Start Kidding Around?

Next to Normal at PPAC

All Good Things Come to an End...

This falls into the category of good news/bad news. The good news is that winter officially ends, at least if the calendar has its way, on March 21.

The bad news is that the day before marks the official end of skating at the Bank of America Skating Rink downtown. Outdoor skating in the shadow of such local landmarks as the old Biltmore Hotel and City Hall is so very, very, Providence. Out-oftown visitors are always impressed with the whole “New Englandish-ness” of the experience, which provides our sometimes gritty capital city with an almost Currier & Ives patina. And when you throw in the factoid that the rink is even bigger than the one at Rockefeller Center, they’re truly blown away. So goodbye, old rink. Thanks for making this long, winter-from-hell almost bearable as we unlace the skates ‘til next fall.

The Days of Wine and Poses While we lament the end of outdoor skating, we couldn’t be more excited about the return of indoor gallery hopping. Gallery Night, the popular evening program on the third Thursday of the month, returns on March 17. Local galleries will open their doors for an evening of art openings, shopping and general browsing all usually punctuated with wine, cheese and munchies. Cute public trollies hop around from the East Side to Federal Hill and all around downtown giving

One of the more interesting networking opportunities for families with children is Kidoinfo.com. Among their initiatives is their “Parenting Simply Conversation Series” which brings together parents, teachers and community leaders to share thoughts on the best ways to connect with kids. To see how it works – and how easy it is – check out a panel discussion they will be holding at The Speakeasy at Local 121 restaurant on Washington Street on Monday, March 7 from 6:308:30pm. The event is free and open to the public with appetizers and a cash bar. The event typically draws about 50-75 attendees. This one will be moderated by our own Jill Davidson, the new educational columnist for this paper and co-author of Small Schools, Big Ideas: The Essential Guide for Successful School Transformation. Joining her will be Hannah Marcotti (writer and coach), Johanna Corcoran (founder of Familytopia) and Janice O’Donnell (Executive Director of the Providence Children’s Museum). Drinks. Free Food. Lively conversations with peers. What an adult way to deal with kids.

Still Dunkin’ After All Those Years It seems like they’ve been doing their schtick for a zillion years, but it never gets tired. This month, the Harlem Globetrotters bring their unique brand of b-ball to the Dunk for two performances, March 25 at 7:30pm and March 26 at 1pm, In actuality, this year represents the 85th year of Globetrotting as they introduce a new generations of kids to the joys of “Sweet Georgia Brown.”

Gone are the true originals like Goose Tatum, Marques Haynes and Meadowlark Lemon. Gone too are old NBA stars like Wilt Chamberlain and Connie Hawkins, both of whom played for the Globetrotters as well. But the legend of the team lives on. There are stories about how good they could be when they set their minds to just playing ball. In addition to their regular foils, the poor Washington Generals, the Globetrotters also play an exhibition season against some real teams, mostly Division One college squads. As recently as 2006, they knocked off Syracuse, then the defending NCAA champions. And a few years ago, they won their 22,000th game. So go bring the kids and enjoy a classic experience. Though be careful about sitting in the first row, just in case someone picks up a water bucket and...

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East Side Monthly March 2011

Community News Community News is space that East Side Monthly makes available to community organizations free of charge.

The content does not necessarily reflect the views of the editors of this publication.

Brown Street Park

By Wendy Nilsson Friends of Brown Street Park Phone Number: 454-8712 Website: www.friendsofbrownstreetpark.org Email Address: wendy@friendsofbrownstreetpark.org Mailing Address: 30 Pratt Street, Providence, RI 02906 Earth Day Celebration and Cleanup Our fourth Annual Friends of Brown Street Park Earth Day Celebration and Cleanup with be Saturday, April 23 from 2:30-4:30pm featuring Joe’s Backyard Band. Please let meg@ friendsofbrownstreetpark.org know if you would like to volunteer to lead a team of mulchers, planters, weeders or picker-uppers. We will have snacks sponsored by our friends at Whole Foods University Heights and lots of things for the kids to do.

Check the website for updates.

Ice Skating We are so grateful to over 30 families that helped to fund and build the Brown Street Park ice rink. We got a late start this year, but will be ready to

install in November 2011 for a full winter season. Please check out the website for a full listing of our Park Penguin Sponsors and pictures of the rink.

Fitness News Check the FBSP website for details on our second Annual Fitness Expo and classes this year. We are excited to add some new ones. Those who enjoyed kids’ yoga at the park this summer should visit Elyse Rotondo’s OM Kids Yoga Center in the Hope Artiste Village. There are fun yoga classes for strong walkers through age 13+ in a beautiful, relaxing space. Several classes coincide with the Farmer’s Market. The schedule and more information are available at www.omkidsyogacenter.com.

Summer Concert Series: Call for Volunteers Summer 2011 will feature our fourth annual summer concert series. While the four concert dates have not yet been finalized, volunteers to staff the concerts are needed! Approximately three to four volunteers per event are needed to help set up our fundraising snack table, staff the table during the two-hour event, and then break it down. Half-hour to hour shifts per person are appreciated. This is a great opportunity to enjoy great music, give back to the community and meet your hungry neighbors! Please email David at concerts@friendsofbrownstreetpark. org if you can help.

Community Garden For information on this year’s Community Garden membership and activities, please check the FBSP website.

Blackstone Parks

By Jane Peterson Blackstone Parks Conservancy Phone Number: 270-3014 Website: www.blackstoneparksconservancy.org Mailing Address: P.O. Box 603141, Providence, RI 02906 Providence awoke to a blizzard January 12, with clumps of wet snow bending branches low all over town. The chair of the Blackstone Parks Conservancy’s Boulevard Committee, Gale Aronson, charged into the wind to liberate branches on the Boulevard. After an hour of struggle, she rang another board member for help.

By the time a few more of us reached the Boulevard, the fluffs had frozen hard.

Trying to dislodge them – even gently from underneath with brooms as Park Superintendent Bob McMahon advised – could have caused more damage.

It was at least some consolation to think that many more branches might have crashed to the ground had the Conservancy not organized the Boulevard-length pruning last year. Many weak limbs were removed at that time.

The storm helped us see that the Conservancy needs a way to reach out to the public when quick action could save branches, if not trees. A “Park Alert” by email or telephone tree early that morning might have raised a “broom brigade” in time.

One Good Samaritan, a young woman on snowshoes, took it on herself to act,

carefully releasing a young hawthorne tree bent to the ground. Perhaps other volunteers had as well.

When problems arise in the Blackstone Parks, the Conservancy is a first responder of sorts. Sometimes the cure is straightforward: replace a tree destroyed by an errant driver.

But damage from water or ice is not so readily treated.

Big storms send the Conservancy to the Parks Department for advice and permission to act. We also turn to state conservation experts for solutions to complicated problems.

When a high-velocity downpour in mid-December hit the popular central section of the Blackstone Park Conservation District, the responsible committee wondered how best to protect against the next assault. Each storm carves wider and deeper channels and gullies, especially in areas already denuded of vegetation and near steep slopes. However well intentioned, some palliative measures can exacerbate erosion if not implemented properly.

But the ground froze before we could act, and perhaps that was for the best. We spent January and February consulting the Parks Department and runoff experts and figuring out how best to brace for the next storm with limited time and money: stake in straw bales? Or “coir” logs (made from coconut husks)? Where to find supplies? And funding?

As gardeners know, the gift of winter is time to plan. By the time the thaw arrives in March or April, we’ll have temporary fixes ready. They will, we hope, hold the line till more comprehensive solutions become possible.

Our vision? Healthy Urban Green Space for All.

March 2011 East Side Monthly

11

HOT

IT’S HERE EVERY DAY.

Community News continued...

Wayland Square

By David Kolsky Neighborhood Discussion Group at Books on the Square http://groups.yahoo.com/group/waylandsquare

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Events this Month: Monthly Meetings: Free and open to all.

7pm on Wednesday, February 23 and Wednesday, March 23. Future meetings will be at the same place and time on the fourth Wednesday of each month through October 2011. Books on the Square, street level, 471 Angell Street (at Elmgrove, next to CVS).

Meeting Topics (Trees and Bikes) No specific topics had been decided (as I write this in late January) for the February or March meetings. One live discussion at our Yahoo! Group (which non-members can read) has been about installing some new bicycle racks near Wayland Square businesses, both for the riders’ convenience and to discourage chaining bikes to trees or to railings needed by those who have trouble walking. (Other recent discussions have been about taxes and crime prevention.)

A good topic for the March 23 meeting, if we can get the speakers and a reasonably large audience, would be a repeat of last year’s useful discussion of tree planting. The City of Providence and groups such as Trees 2020 can not only provide advice about species and methods, but also material help (even free or low-cost saplings) if you or your neighbors want to plant trees either on the sidewalk or around a building.

Check our Yahoo! Group’s messages before a meeting to see if any topics or speakers have been decided.

College Hill

By Diane Greco

401.273.7230 1074 Hope Street (corner of Blackstone Blvd & Hope St) 12

East Side Monthly March 2011

College Hill Neighborhood Association Phone Number: 633-5230 Website: www.collegehillneighborhoodassociation.com Email Address: CHNA@collegehillneighborhoodassociation.com Mailing Address: PO Box 2442, Providence, RI 02906

Not-So-Right On Red The College Hill Neighborhood Association (CHNA) recently petitioned the City to improve the traffic light at the corner of Olney and North Main. Two years ago, after state agencies installed a redarrow light prohibiting the right on red at this corner; residents reported incredibly long traffic queues, especially on weekdays between 2:30 and 3:30pm. CHNA followed up these complaints by submitting photographs that clearly demonstrated the problem to the Traffic Engineering Department. The TED’s quick response led to negotiations with the State Traffic Commission, which has announced their intention to study traffic patterns at the intersection in more detail. Results are expected in March. CHNA continues to follow the developments. Your feedback is welcome; please send email to chna@collegehillneighborhoodassociation.org or go to our website and fill in the form on the contact page.

Shape Up With CHNA Founded by Brown Medical School student Rajiv Kumar, Shape Up RI encourages Rhode Islanders to pursue healthy lifestyles through increased physical activity and better nutrition. Participants compete on teams and track their weight, exercise hours, fruit and vegetable intake, and/or pedometer steps over a 12-week period.

For the upcoming challenge, College Hill Neighborhood Association is organizing a team for support and encouragement. We can help to keep one another on track with an occasional email nudge or phone call. Not feeling competitive? No worries. Our focus is to gain tools to help with better health and nutrition while having fun.

The program kicked off on February 5 with a fee of $ 20, but late arrivals are welcome. Register on www.shapeupri.org. Be sure to sign up for the College Hill Neighborhood Association team. Need more info? Contact Sara Bradford (sbradfordla@cox.net) or Heidi Heifetz (heidiheifetz@yahoo.com).

Pothole Patrol To call those canyon-like holes in our streets “potholes” does seem like a bit of an understatement.

But at least in theory the City has

installed a web-based system to report potholes and others problems with streets and sidewalks.

If you see a pothole developing – or, worse, you’ve already bounced through one – send a repair request to the City via the ProvConnex web service. Visit www3.providenceri. com/provconnex and click on the link for “Transportation, Streets and Sidewalks.” We’ve been told that repairs are made within a few days.

New Crime Alerts CHNA is working with Lt. John Ryan of the Providence Police Department to bring members up-to-date email notices of crime on College Hill. CHNA is distributing these notices via email to members in order to raise awareness of crimes in the neighborhood. You don’t need to be a CHNA member to read these updates, however. They are posted on our website’s crime awareness page, along with information on crime prevention and phone numbers for the Providence Police Department.

Time to Renew – Annual Dues Are Due! If you’re a member, it’s time to re-up.

If you’re not a member, why not join? Membership is $20 per year and includes invitations to events and our free, mostly monthly email newsletter. To join or renew your membership, visit our website,www. collegehillneighborhoodassociation. com, and click “Join CHNA.” Or send a check for $20, made out to College Hill Neighborhood Association, to the Treasurer, Box 2442, Providence, RI 02906. Be sure to include your email address. CHNA is also actively seeking new Board members, particularly those with legal expertise. Board members should live on College Hill and be enthusiastic about community advocacy.

The Board meets once a month on Monday nights; Board members are required to attend meetings and to perform various service tasks for the organization, according to their interests and abilities. If you are interested in serving on the Board, please drop a note to chna@collegehillneighborhoodassociation.org.

This is a great way to get involved with the neighborhood, to meet new people, and to make a real contribution to our magnificent historic neighborhood.

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March 2011 East Side Monthly

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Lincoln School speaker takes a hard look at cyberstalking

By Mary K. Connor

“Social Media.”

Ten years ago, most of us would not have been able to define the term. Today, few of us live without it. Grandparents Skype and moms blog; politicians Tweet and journalists live-stream; drivers text (unfortunately) and everyone, or so it seems, is on Facebook. We are connected. The power of social media to affect the way the world works – on a grand scale – was perhaps never more apparent than this past January and February, first in Tunisia and then in Egypt.

Social media is also affecting the way our smaller worlds work, too: how we live right here in Rhode Island, how we communicate with each other, even how we grow up. Most of the change is positive: technology makes our lives easier, we can settle disputes over facts with the touch of a finger and there is no reason to ever get lost again. But recent events, locally, show that some of the changes facilitated by technologies – texting and Facebook get the most attention – are causing new and very serious problems. Instant and constant communcation isn’t always a good thing.

It was a little over a year ago when many of us were shocked by the news that a 15-year-old Massachusetts student, Phoebe Prince, had committed suicide after enduring taunts and bullying via text messages and Facebook posts. Nine students were indicted, seven of them girls, and Massachusetts enacted stricter anti-bullying laws.

Today, news reports about bullying and cyberbullying incidents in Rhode Island are all too frequent. Last year, 14% of Rhode Island high school students reported having had embarrassing pictures or rumors spread about them, either by email or text message.

School districts are holding forums about how to deal with the issue. Communities are trying to be pro-active.

The East Greenwich town council is proposing an ordinance that would

allow police to intervene in cases where repeated comments or threats made against an individual, via internet or in person, make that person feel unsafe.

Some fear the ordinance is too vague and far-reaching. A public hearing was scheduled for February 14.

Law enforcement is involved, too: a Smithfield High student is facing criminal charges for “cyberstalking,” an offense now defined under Rhode Island law and one that can bring hefty fines and/ or prison time. State police are proposing new legislation that would make

sent and received 80. Another study shows that 73% of teen girls have a Facebook page. But, so what? The more important question might be, when girls do use texting and Facebook, do they do so in some fundamentally different way than boys do, a way that leads to disproportionately negative outcomes?

Educators at Lincoln School believe that the answer to that question is yes.

The school has always been pro-active in addressing bullying and cyberbullying; they talk about it, have outside speakers and enforce a strict anti-bullying policy.

it easier to obtain subpoenas in internet-based cases. Last year the state Senate appointed an 11-member Special Commission to study cyberbullying, and to address it comprehensively through legislation. The commission’s website is www.stopbullyingri.com. Its report is expected this spring.

Cyberbullying is a serious and growing problem. At first glance, it seems to be one that disproportionately affects girls, both as victims and as perpetrators.

Statistics do show that girls are more frequent users of texting and Facebook.

According to a 2010 report by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, which studies cell-phone use among teenagers, the average teen boy sent and received 30 texts a day, while the average girl

“Our students know that we take it seriously – that there are consequences,” says Kathleen Macdonell, Academic Dean and Upper School Director at Lincoln. But technology is changing things for girls within a bigger context, too, creating new and serious challenges, says Macdonell.

When the book Girls on the Edge, by Dr. Leonard Sax, first came out last year, Lincoln School sponsored a forum with parents and faculty to discuss it. “That was a very productive conversation,” explains Macdonell. “The book addresses so many of the issues that we experience at Lincoln because of technology.” That forum led to an invitation for Dr. Sax to come to Lincoln School and address parents in person, about the challenges of parenting 21st century girls.

Dr. Sax writes and lectures about boys too, but on this particular night he was talking specifically about girls. He has written three books for parents: Why Gender Matters, Boys Adrift and, his latest, Girls On the Edge. He has been a guest on The Today Show and CNN’s American Morning, among other venues, and is known for his research and strongly stated opinions on topics such as Gender Roles and Stereotypes, Single Sex Education (he is a fierce advocate) and Reclaiming The Kindergarten For Boys. While Dr. Sax is not without critics, his main point on this evening – that technology is changing the parameters of parenting girls in a fundamental and high-stakes way – obviously struck a nerve with the Lincoln School audience. His lecture was both fascinating and frightening.

Dr. Sax began with observations about what has happened to girls and young women – educationally, and culturally – over the past 40 years. It used to be that in school, boys were the high achievers, overrepresented, statistically, in the ranks of college graduates and honors graduates. Today, the opposite is true: girls are the statistical overachievers. This turn-around between the genders matches up with a trend Dr. Sax first began to notice in the mid-1990s, a trend toward the norm of Anxious Girls/Relaxed Boys. “Today,” he says for effect, “girls are motivated and hardworking, and boys are goofballs.” This is not good for either sex, but Dr. Sax is talking about girls with this audience.

Girls today are markedly more likely to be anxious or depressed, to suffer from eating disorders, to be abusing alcohol and to be cutting themselves, than were their counterparts of 40 years ago. This is a direct result, says Dr. Sax, of today’s teen culture.

Consider, he says, that the teen cultural norm of the 1950s was Gidget, a bubbly, smiling, carefree character played March 2011 East Side Monthly

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Last year, 14% of Rhode Island high school students reported having had embarrassing pictures or rumors spread about them, either by email or text message. wholesomely by Sally Field. The cultural norm of 2011, on the other hand, is the American teen drama series, Gossip Girl, whose stars are billed as being “sexy,” “insecure” and “lost.” While many of the societal changes that have occurred since the 1950s have been positive – bringing greater freedom, equality and opportunity – the changes in popular culture have been radical and anything but benign. Today’s culture puts a relentless focus on how girls look, rather than who they are, and two technologies in particular – texting and Facebook – are causing or at least intensifying today’s unhealthy teen culture.

Increasing reliance on communication almost exclusively via texting and Facebook has created what Dr. Sax dubs a “cyberbubble,” in which girls are “super-connected” to each other, 24 hours a day, seven days a week – even, says Dr. Sax, when parents think their daughters are sleeping. Girls get almost all of their feedback about what is important in life from friends – friends who are not, in Dr. Sax’s opinion, competent advisors. Girls used to have the luxury of “finding themselves” as teenagers, in private, through writing in a diary, say, or having one-on-one communications with trusted friends, or engaging in cross-generational conversations. Today, discovery of self is done in public, on Facebook, with everyone.

“Facebook is a uniquely corrupting influence,” says Dr. Sax. It is all about creating a persona. Girls want to look good, and so they Photoshop them-

selves to the point that the photos aren’t honest. “They are performing, not living, and they don’t know the difference,” says Dr. Sax. Facebook is different for teenagers than for adults. “A 15-year-old knows all of her Facebook friends, and cares intensely what they think about her.”

Facebook enables cyberbullying.

“There have always been mean girls, but now they can do (their bullying) anonymously.” It is “trivially easy” to clone a popular boy’s Facebook page, says Dr. Sax, and to then post untrue or hurtful statements about another girl on it, as if the boy had done it. “Forty percent of Facebook pages are fakes, or created by imposters, many of them cyberbullies,” he notes. The Facebook Help Center, says Dr. Sax, “is a joke.” In reality, “nothing happens without the involvement of law enforcement.” Parents need to know what their kids are doing online.

Sexting is another new “cultural norm” parents need to address. Girls are pressured to take and send sexually suggestive photos of themselves and their friends. Rihanna, a Grammy Award-winning artist, is famously quoted as saying, “If you don’t send your boyfriend naked photos, then I feel bad for him.” Dr. Sax points out, “This is not the era of Audrey Hepburn.

It is the era of Lady Gaga. Our culture has sexualized girlhood.”

“Girls are facing challenges never found before,” says Dr. Sax, summing up the grimly obvious. “Girls haven’t changed – the technology has

changed.” There is a bright side, however, after all of this bad news. “Good parenting is still good parenting,” says Dr. Sax, and he has some advice on how to be a good parent.

Take phones away at night. Limit and monitor phone and computer activity, with software such as such as netnanny. com or mymobilewatchdog.com. The latter will send the photos kids are texting to friends to the parent’s phone as well, in real time. Dr. Sax does not recommend “spyware.” Teens need to know, he says, that the parent will be informed. “Be the parent. Make it easier for your child to do the right thing.”

Dr. Sax also advises parents to restore generational bonds. Eat meals together.

Don’t allow phones or mobile devices at the dinner table (parents included).

If the phone rings, or a text comes in, ignore it. Let your child know that he or she is your focus. Introduce your son or daughter to your friends and encourage mentoring-type relationships. Choose a vacation that will bridge the generations – something outdoors and in a location without cell phone reception. Choose the right school: “What boys need is different from what girls need,” he explains. “Many boys need a kick in the pants. Girls need a different message – they need to connect with themselves.

Academic outcomes are important, but they aren’t the only outcomes.”

“Be the parent,” says Dr. Sax, again.

The advice is as solid today as it was in the days of Gidget.

Ivy Marwil, a well-known psychotherapist with a private practice on the East Side, sees firsthand that the effects of growing up in our superconnected culture are as deep and pervasive as Dr. Sax proposes. Texting about serious relationship issues, rather than talking about them, is not “weird” in today’s culture – it is, in fact, the new norm. “I have seen some really horrible situations that happen as a result of technology,” she says, noting that Facebook just adds a whole new level, and many more layers, to issues that aren’t new at all. The ability to block access by specific people to a Facebook page, for example, is good for privacy, but bad for the blocked person’s self-image: Why was I blocked? Who else was blocked?

Girls, especially, can become obsessed with Facebook. “There are so many new ways to feel left out.”

Finally, of course, there are the usual generational issues. Parents, Marwil acknowledges, are always behind technology, but understanding modern culture matters and parents should take it seriously. “Don’t minimize what your children are saying,” she stresses. “Technology makes it harder for kids to let parents know what is going on, what is bothering them. You have to really listen.”

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March 2011 East Side Monthly

17

CULINARY EXPLORATIONS

ETHNIC EATERIES ABOUND ON THE EAST SIDE

By Michael Madden Photography by Kate Kelley

THE TWISTING, SNOW EDGED WARRENS OF THE EAST SIDE ARE HOME TO A LOT OF THINGS – DOG WALKERS, CENTURIES-OLD ARCHITECTURE, AND MORE THAN A FEW GAPING, ASTOUNDINGLY LARGE POTHOLES – BUT INCREASINGLY IT’S BEING DEFINED BY EXCELLENT, AUTHENTIC ETHNIC EATERIES. FROM VIETNAMESE TO MEXICAN TO ETHIOPIAN, THERE’S SOMETHING FOR, AND FROM, NEARLY EVERYONE IN PROVIDENCE. HERE ARE SOME OF OUR FAVORITES.

Andreas ALMOST AS MUCH OF A CLASSIC AS GREECE ITSELF Andreas makes Greek food with an inviting American twist, offering mozzarella sticks ($6.99, with a legitimately delicious house marinara sauce) alongside a garlicky, minted leg of lamb ($18.99) and a Greek-style Bolognese ($10.99) in a sophisticated, elegant and modern dining room. Located prominently on Thayer Street for 45 years and running, Andreas is hardly unknown among the city’s sophisticates. The institution’s ability to stay current and maintain high standards for its dishes for nearly five decades has not gone unnoticed by the denizens of the East Side, who make it a popular spot for lunch, brunch and dinner every day of the week.

The lunch menu in particular abounds with salads, and many offerings are paired with Greek wines for your edification. I’m looking forward to a sunny, spring Sunday brunch on their outdoor patio, and a 268 Omelette ($7.99) with grilled eggplant, zucchini, basil, sundried tomatoes and Kasseri cheese, a hard-rind sheep’s milk cheese similar to Provolone that pops up frequently on the menu. Though it’s far more likely I’ll find myself at their bar in March ordering some Souvlaki (various Greek meats and vegetables served sandwich style in a grilled pita, as opposed to the standard skewered meats, all $7.99-$9.99) and having a cocktail – or three. 268 Thayer Street. 331-7879, www.andreasri.com.

Angkor MOM’S CHICKEN SOUP HAS NOTHING ON THEIRS

Cambodian cuisine is heavy on rice and seafood, and it’s the favorite ethnic food of celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain with good reason. Angkor recently moved from its Wickenden Street location to a larger property a few blocks down at 10 Traverse Street, acquiring an attractive green façade set off by a couple of inexplicably snow covered potted palm trees. (Im also excited about the restaurant that’s taking over Angkor’s old

location, an intriguing Ethiopian/Etitrean restaurant called Abyssinia, which may be open by the time you’re reading this.)

The fan favorite at Angkor is the Medicine Soup, called Nam Yaa, comprising noodles, chicken and shrimp (or tofu and vegetables, for those seeking a vegetarian option) in an addictive broth. In fact, it’s likely one of the most talked about dishes anywhere in Providence, which is certainly saying something. If you’re a student at Brown and come down with the flu during finals, you can tell your true friends by whether they offer to get you some Medicine Soup. It’s a restorative as well as a barometer of your likeability – enjoy!

With a brand new building and friendly employees who are glad to explain the menu to novices, Angkor is the perfect place for your first taste of real Cambodian food – or your fiftieth. 10 Traverse Street. 383-2227.

March 2011 East Side Monthly

19

Byblos HAVE A SMOKE AND A SMILE (AND SOME HUMMUS)

With its plush, brown-striped cushions lining arabesque, mirrored walls and shining hookahs revealed in a deep amber lighting, Byblos is every bit the hookah lounge, where you can sit back and enjoy a leisurely smoke of flavored tobacco through these traditional Middle Eastern water pipes. The Lebanese menu offerings are designed with an eye to practicality, with small but welcome touches like cutting their panini sandwiches into bite sized pieces to facilitate your use of their hookahs. There’s an emphasis on finger food, like their beautifully presented hummus and lush green tabouli, but also plenty of heartier dishes from which to choose.

Byblos comes alive at night and on the weekends, with two recently-acquired full bars on two floors fueling the pumping music and belly dancers.

Quarters can get close, but the ventilation is superlative, and it doesn’t get as smoky as you’d imagine a hookah bar might. They boast a full line of tobacco flavors and qualities, starting at $18 for regular flavors. Byblos is 18+, and the Thursday night Ladies’ Nights attract a young crowd. It’s a particularly great place to hit up for dessert, a smoke, and some renowned Illy espresso. 235 Meeting Street.

453-9727, www.providencebyblos.com.

Gourmet House LIKE A TOUR OF ASIA FOR YOUR TASTE BUDS Gourmet House is sort of a pan-Asian restaurant, serving a range of Vietnamese, Thai, Cambodian, Chinese and even Singaporean foods, with a particularly large number of soups from those regions. This past summer, it opened under new management (the folks behind the popular Apsara, just a few doors down) and redid its interior, now a colorful, airy establishment with a bamboo jungle theme. Its decidedly pleasant teapots and tableware will make you wonder why you were just getting takeout.

The Thai soups at Gourmet House are an amazing bargain, serving two to three people and offering a range of proteins. You can have the Thai Kaing

20

East Side Monthly March 2011

Soup (lemongrass, lime, coconut, string bean, eggplant, onion and bamboo shoots) with vegetables or chicken ($7.25); shrimp, seafood or salmon ($7.95); or lobster ($11.50). I’m more apt to order the Cambodian rice noodle soup with some duck ($5.50) and some Cambodian-style ginger stirfry with loads of different onions, some ginger, and shrimp ($9.75). And I’m definitely not getting it to go – I’ve got to have some of that tea. 787 Hope Street. 831-3400, www.gourmethouseri.com.

Chinese Iron Wok

house special sauces ($7.25) – my friend’s personal favorite. They also serve a fine cup of bubble tea ($3), that cold Asian treat with chewy tapioca balls at the bottom.

Their Chef’s Specials are substantial dinner entrees, and not your standard Chinese “Happy Family” sort of “specials.” These are far more intriguing and challenging dishes, like the House Special Whole Fish ($20) and the Tea-Smoked Half Duck ($17), or the Spicy ThreePepper Chicken ($13), though there are plenty of more typical dishes to choose from. 83 and 85 Benevolent Street. 831-8888, www.chineseironwok.com.

Noodles 102

SERVING THE CHINESE FOOD YOU KNOW – AND ACTUAL CHINESE FOOD TOO I called a friend of mine who’s been known to frequent Iron Wok, and asked him what keeps him coming back.

“Lunch specials,” he said. “Amazing lunch specials.

Also, it’s right down the street.”

Iron Wok shows its awareness of its location – at 83 and 85 Benevolent Street, right down from Thayer – with delicious tofu and a wide variety of vegetarian dishes. It also boasts a really well done lunch menu, serving all of my guilty favorites: sweet and sour chicken ($6.25), General Tso’s chicken ($6.75) and curry shrimp ($7.50). Then there are far more interesting dishes, including sautéed Shanghai green cabbage ($6.25), chicken with Chinese eggplant ($7.25 and excitingly spicy), and the pork belly with garlic and

REALLY GOOD NOODLES (YOU WERE EXPECTING SOMETHING ELSE?) Modeled after traditional noodle houses that have been bustling in China for more than a thousand years, Noodles 102 has a simple menu and an obvious theme, but it’s by focusing on a narrow range of dishes that this restaurant achieves noodle perfection.

Aside from a range of light-ish appetizers like edamame ($4.75, with sea salt or black pepper sauce), Asian cucumbers ($4.75), vegetable ($5.95) and chicken ($6.25) lettuce wraps, and several salads, you have three choices for your entree: Noodles, bee bong, and claypot baked rice (each starting at $9.95). If you go with the noodles, you choose between egg, pho, udon, rice, black rice, somen, buckwheat and cream noodles.

Then you decide whether to add beef, chicken, shrimp or vegetables, as well as a type of broth. With the claypot baked rice, you choose a protein or assorted vegetables as well as a sauce, and proceed to dig into one of the best rice dishes of your life at a place known mainly for its noodles.

Does that sound good? Because so far I’ve left out the best part: Noodles 102 is BYOB. 102 Ives Street.

383-5004, www.noodles102.com.

Pho Horn’s THE SOUP YOU ASSEMBLE YOURSELF

Phó (pronounced fuh), the breakaway popular Vietnamese noodle soup, is the apotheosis of rice noodles. Essentially, you’re served a large bowl of broth, noodles and meat or vegetables along with several garnishes (basil, jalapeno, bean sprouts, lime) to add as you will. Pho Horn’s serves the most authentic bowl of Pho around, a plentiful dish that screams freshness and benefits from quality ingredients.

Phó Bò – that is, beef noodle soup – involves a choice of noodle (phó, the rice noodle, or mi, the yellow noodle) served in beef broth with scallions, onion and cilantro ($6.96-8.95), and whatever other ingredients you choose. I highly recommend the Hú Tiěu Nam Vang ($8.95), a Phnom Penh-style soup with clear noodles, seafood, quail eggs and sliced pork.

There are plenty of choices other than phó, as well as a wide range of cool Giài Khát, or beverages. Pair your Phó Chay (tofu noodle soup with vegetables in chicken broth, $7.95) with some deliciously sweet Trà Thài Lan, or Thai iced tea ($3.25), or get adventurous with a glass of Sô Đa Chanh Muôi ($3.25), more commonly known as sparkling pickled limeade soda. No matter what you choose, you can’t go wrong. 50 Ann Mary Street, Pawtucket. 365-6278, www.phohorns.com.

Rasoi SO DELICIOUS YOU WON’T NOTICE YOU’RE EATING HEALTHY For years, Rasoi has redefined the standard for authentic Indian food on the East Side, despite strong pushes by several upstarts in recent years. Rasoi is particularly diet-conscious, avoiding peanut oil and promoting its gluten- and dairy-free menu items, as well as its vegetarian dishes. On Saturday afternoons, they feature a vegetarian and gluten-free lunch buffet, and on Sunday there are some meat and wheat dishes thrown into the mix. You can also choose to have dishes served medium, hot or fiery hot – I stick with the fiery hot at every opportunity.

The naan (leavened flatbread) at Rasoi is known all over Providence, and comes in several varieties.

There is sweet date and coconut or honey and ginger naan ($3), or savory garlic or onion naan ($3), as well as some choices in between on the flavor spectrum.

The real draw, though, is the Thalis ($13.99 or 15.99, not available as takeout or delivery), a fully balanced Indian meal, including naan and dessert. It’s a true specialty ethnic dish that stands toe to toe with anything else you can find. 727 East Avenue, Pawtucket.

728-5500, www.rasoi-restaurant.com.

Sakura SIT AND STAY A WHILE Japanese food has become very popular in Providence in recent years, with sushi counters thriving in nearly every neighborhood – yet Wickenden Street’s Sakura has remained one of the mainstays for sushi and teriyaki dishes. I’ve been there plenty of times, so let me tell you how I do Sakura. First, I walk up and down Wickenden visiting shops and checking out restaurants, window-shopping while I figure out what I want to eat. Ultimately, I decide on Japanese, and stop by a package store around the corner to get a bottle of wine, since Sakura is BYOB. Then I trudge over to the restaurant and ask to sit on the floor. The last part isn’t required – though it does help to rest tired feet – because there are tables and booths in Sakura’s main dining area, which has a nice view of the bustling street.

I like to split a sushi roll with someone and order an entrée (what, did you think I was eating alone?), which is priced both with and without a selected set of appetizers, as well as rice, salad and ice cream for dessert. I go with the Wakadori ($10.25 for the full dinner), breaded and lightly fried chicken with a sweet and sour Tonkaisu sauce, and have my superb pork dumplings appetizer and a green salad with ginger dressing within minutes, made to order. Go and do likewise. 231 Wickenden Street. 331-6861, www.eatinri.com/sakura.

Sawaddee ORDER A CURRY AND PRETEND YOU’RE SOMEWHERE WARM Sawaddee is fronted by pleasant, well-kept flowerboxes and an attractive brown, red and grey striped awning over a small building on Hope Street. The cozy dining room is warm despite the proximity of the door, and nestled close around the front counter, from which they’re serving some of the most popular Thai food in Rhode Island.

The menu at Sawaddee is extensive, but it’s not a pan-Asian place. They’re devoted entirely to Thai

food, sporting a fine array of sweet, hot and sour curries, and garlicky meat entrees. You can order your standard red or green curry with a choice of chicken, pork, vegetables, tofu, beef, duck, shrimp or salmon, but the joy of Sawaddee is that you can get a bit more imaginative. Try springing for the Gang Som, or sour curry, perhaps the most well-known dish out of southern Thailand, but not commonly served in America, and adding some duck ($11.95), then eating it over a perfect pile of their amazing sticky rice. That’s got to be the easiest, and by far least expensive, way of transporting yourself to Thailand. That’s still pretty good, even if Sawaddee’s version of your Thai vacation only lasts 20 or 30 minutes. If you’re hoping for a tropical cocktail to go with that trip, though, keep in mind it’s BYO. 93 Hope Street. 831-1122, www.sawaddeerestaurant.com.

Taste of India THEY WERE HERE FIRST Taste of India has been around since time out of mind; its owners proudly proclaim it to be Providence’s first Indian restaurant. Glancing around the bright, saffron colored modern interior with its polished, but still distinctly Indian style, that longevity is not obvious at first blush; the place looks new.

Yet I know it isn’t new, because I’ve been hearing people sing the praises of their daily lunch buffets since I was 16 years old. Featuring fresh, steaming assortments of naan, curry and spicy tandoor-cooked meats, it always sounded to me like something out of legend. Indeed, it is legendarily good, especially on Sundays, when it’s so absolutely different from every other game in town.

Taste of India caters to dietary restrictions, with a large vegetarian menu and icons to indicate their gluten-free items on the menu. Their mango chutney ($2.50), which you order on the side as a condiment, goes with essentially everything. I like to go with a super spicy fish vindaloo ($14.95), tilapia filets with potatoes in a hot sauce, with some pistachio kulfi for dessert. To my mind, spicy is always best when followed by something sweet, and Taste of India makes some amazing desserts. 230 Wickenden Street. 4214355, www.tasteofindiari.com.

Tortilla Flats YOU’LL HAVE A MARGARITA – TRUST ME In a list of restaurants with rabid followings and proudly loyal regulars, Tortilla Flats still stands out. Honest and unpretentious in the way of Wild West saloons or medieval sawdust dives, Tortilla Flats is what it is: the place that serves the best pitcher of margarita on the East Side – with 77 tequilas to choose from, no less.

The menu at Tortilla Flats nicely straddles the line between authentic Mexican food and the American conception of it, offering Gringo Nachos (with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, chili, black olives, cheese, guacamole, and sour cream, $8.95) alongside their Traditional Nachos (tortilla chips baked with refried beans, jalapenos and cheese, $4.95).

At its core, Tortilla Flats is about freedom of choice: the freedom to be who and what you are, the freedom to choose black beans or pinto, the freedom to choose vegetables instead of meat, and the freedom to drink until you’re starting to wobble. God bless A… Mexico.

355 Hope Street. 751-6777, www.tortillaflatsri.com.

March 2011 East Side Monthly

21

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22

East Side Monthly March 2011

Frankly Scallop, I Don’t Give A Clam!

Mental Massages BCLIR offers March programs to stimulate the mind

by Barry Fain Curious about what

the Great Depression was all about? Is poetry your thing? Maybe you’re interested in the women who wear those Islamic burqas? Well, beginning on March 7, one local group will offer a full range of exciting options to help you scratch that intellectual itch.

BLCIR is a self-supporting (and selfgoverning) group of lifelong learners, which began in 1984. Back then BCLIR was an acronym for the Brown Community of Learning in Retirement. Two years ago the group broke off from Brown and went independent, though it retained its original name which, as stated on its website, “reflects our history but no longer has its original meaning.”

Over the years the organization continued to thrive and now claims over 300 dues-paying members. It also has expanded beyond the Brown campus to include five other sites around the city: Johnson & Wales, the RISD Museum, Temple Beth-el, Trinity Rep and the Rochambeau Public Library. While East Siders still make up the majority of its participants, Barrington, the East Bay and South County also are well represented.

All courses are taught during the day.

The group’s website (www.bclir. org) describes BCLIR as an “independent, nonprofit, peer-run organization… whose mission is to provide a diverse population of mature adults with varied opportunities for lifelong learning – seminars, lectures, cultural events and social activities – in a pleasant, accessible environment at a reasonable cost.”

Incoming co-president Barbara Dickinson, a position she will share with retired business executive Barnet Fain beginning in May, notes that members are generally in the 60-plus category, but remain intellectually curious about a variety of subjects including the arts, politics, literature and life in general.

What makes the BCLIR experience so different and, in Dickinson’s view, so rewarding is that all the courses are taught by the participants themselves, often as part of a two- or three-person team. The course leaders bring their own experiences, interests and passions

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to bear, which makes for dynamic discussions within the group.

The pricing structure for the program is modest, as their goal is to attract as many like-minded learners as possible. Participants must be a member of BCLIR (it costs all of $25 to join) and then pay an additional $50 for a ten-week course or $5/week. Members rotate leadership of the courses depending on their expertise, interest and time availability. Participation in this task is voluntary, since no one in BCLIR is paid, with the exception of a part-time program administrator.

With over 25 years of experience, clearly the BCLIR model has proven itself.

Membership is open to all and constitutes ones of the organization’s strengths. “We have all sorts of people involved, all ages and all with impressive but interesting and quite different life experience to draw upon,” notes Dickinson.

For a full run-down of specific times, group leaders, locations and how to join, go the group’s website at www. bclir.org. Here’s a partial list of the tenweek courses that will be offered beginning this month.

Monday, March 7: AM: The Great Depression PM: Behind the Burqa Tuesday, March 8: AM: BCLIR at RISD: From the Middle Ages to Monet PM: The American Military Wednesday, March 9: AM: Minders of Make Believe PM: Reading and Understanding Poetry; Imperial Russia: 1600-1917 Thursday, March 10: AM: BCLIR at Trinity PM: Dante’s “Inferno” Friday, March 11: AM: A Comparative Study of Abrahamic Religions; World Music and its Roots; The Automobile in American Culture; Automobile Styling in the Twentieth Century PM: Oceans and the World’s Climate; Saints and Sinners in Non-Fiction Films

WATSON GILLIGAN organizing & editing services mary watson

kevin gilligan

providence boston new york

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March 2011 East Side Monthly

23

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24

East Side Monthly March 2011

On the Menu

by John Taraborelli

Real Men Love Cupcakes Sweet and savory treats for a manly palate

Photo: Lindsay Logan

Look at that photo

above. You know you want some of that.

I’m talking about the cupcakes. Try to stay focused here.

While the gourmet cupcake trend may be long since over by the standards of people who push trends and then declare them over, any regular reader of our sister publication, Providence Monthly, is well aware that we are suckers for a good cupcake. One of the driving forces behind our nigh-childish love of sweet treats has been Kristin Brennan (above, center), the lovely and talented woman behind The Cupcakerie in Cranston. From her humble beginning peddling cupcakes with gourmet aspirations at farmer’s markets (her creations can still be found at the Wintertime Farmer’s Market at the Hope Artiste Village every Saturday), Brennan has built up a solid business and loyal following at her Edgewood shop, which she shares with the gourmet doggie treats purveyor Jack’s Snacks.

So how does one keep the creative juices flowing when one deals in a very specialized product? “I like coming up with different things people haven’t thought about. I look for inspiration everywhere,” Brennan says, citing the seasonal bounty available at the farmer’s market as one consistent muse.

Another source of inspiration is business opportunity, hence her latest creation: Mancakes, “Cupcakes for a manly palate.” The line of four flavors is geared directly towards men, with an emphasis on things men like: beer, bourbon, bacon and, at least in terms of the marketing effort (see above), beautiful women.

“I was looking to do something differ-

ent,” Brennan explains. “So many cupcakes are geared to kids and women. I wanted to do something for a forgotten market.” By way of inspiration, she cites a cupcake shop in New York City that caters strictly to men: “I thought it was brilliant.”

While some might call it tawdry or pandering (and according to Brennan, some comments on The Cupcakerie’s Facebook page did), in a highly competitive market, why shouldn’t she be able to use both her brains and beauty to stand out? Besides, she clearly understands her audience, with flavors like the Mad Men Manhattan (cherry chocolate bourbon cake), The Ballpark (chocolate with salted caramel butter cream), The Irish Floozy (Guiness chocolate cake) and The Lumberjack (vanilla cake with maple butter cream and bacon – yes, bacon).

“Men need to feel free to indulge and treat themselves to what they want and enjoy,” Brennan advises. “Women do it all the time.” Mancakes are available Fridays and Saturdays only at The Cupcakerie, 1860 Broad Street, Cranston.

467-2601, www.thecupcakerie.net MORE ETHNIC EATS This month’s cover story (see pg. 18) takes you on a tour of the East Side’s eclectic international eateries. However, take a look around the rest of the city – especially its West and South Sides – and you’ll find even more authentic tastes from around the world. Here are a few of my personal favorites.

For the best Mexican in the state – hands down – you must visit El Rancho Grande (311 Plainfield Street). This mother and son operation is a family restaurant in every sense, and show-

cases the cuisines of Mexico’s Puebla and Oaxaca states.

Over on the South Side, Ada’s Creations (1137 Broad Street) is another true family operation, run by matriarch Ada Terrero and her children. Their Dominican food is not for the diet conscious, but it’s made with the kind of love only a mother can muster. Try the mofongo, mashed and fried plantains with your choice of meat and a garlicky sauce.

For Japanese food of the decidedly non-traditional sort, check out Ebisu (38 Pontiac Avenue) on the Providence/ Cranston line. They specialize in izakaya, or Japanese bar food, and break far and wide from the familiar hibachi and sushi offerings found elsewhere. The Rice Burger, a so-ingenious-it’s-almostinsane answer to American fast food, is not to be missed.

Chalkstone Avenue is almost a culinary world tour on its own, but if you only stop at one place, make it Los Andes (903 Chalkstone). This Bolivian/ Peruvian restaurant, run by the knowledgeable and gregarious Brothers Curi, makes a ceviche (a traditional South American dish of lime marinated seafood) that will make you wonder where it’s been all your life.

Back on the South Side, Elea’s (711 Broad Street) offers up Liberian and West African cuisines in sort of a cafeteria-style setting. Again, this is not for those watching their waistlines, and the menu can be a bit confounding, but the stewed spinach and the oxtail stew are worth the trip.

Got food news? Send it to John at onthemenu@providenceonline.com.

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March 2011 East Side Monthly

25

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East Side Monthly March 2011

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Dining Guide

Br brunch B breakfast L lunch D dinner $ under 10 $$ 10-20 $$$ 20+

GOURMET HOUSE 787 Hope St.; 8314722. Beautiful murals and decor set the mood for delicious Cambodian and Southeast Asian cuisine, spicy curries and noodle dishes. The tamarind duck is a must. LD $-$$ LJ’S BBQ 727 East Avenue, Pawtucket; 305-3255. LJ’s features ribs, pork, chicken and beef cooked low and slow in their customized pit, made with recipes from co-owner Linda Watson’s grandmother, Miss Leola Jean. It’s great food at a great value. LD $-$$

1860 Broad Street • Cranston www.thecupcakerie.net • 467-2601 Kristin@thecupcakerie.net

Add some life with Aqua-Life

PIZZA GOURMET 357 Hope Street; 7510355. Toppings like sirloin steak and shallots justify this pizza shop’s name.

Specialty entrees, pasta, sandwiches and catering are all available, as well as take and bake pizzas. LD $-$$

Tea In Sahara 69 Governor Street; 709-3252. Tea in Sahara

brings a little taste of Morocco to Providence, with a selection of traditional appetizers, panini, coffees, teas and more in a relaxed atmosphere decorated with Moroccan handicrafts. LD $

Downtown

Wayland/Elmgrove

ASIAN BISTRO 123 Dorrance Street; 383-3551. Chinese, Japanese and Thai, hibachi and sushi – they’re all under one roof at Asian Bistro. For the freshest flavors in a convenient downtown location, this is the place. LD $-$$$

HARUKI EAST 172 Wayland Avenue; 223-0332. The chefs behind this sushi bar provide a minimalist, upscale, comfortable dining experience. Try the toro ankimo – sauteed fatty tuna and monkfish liver pate with eggplant tempura, served with a black bean sauce. LD $-$$$

ASIAN PALACE 1184 North Main Street; 228-7805. All the flavors of Asia are here: from Chinese classics to new Thai favorites to fresh, impeccably prepared sushi. The gorgeous banquet room is available for private functions. LD $-$$$ CAV 14 Imperial Place; 751-9164. The New York Times’ choice as one of Providence’s five best restaurants, CAV’s contemporary upscale cuisine is available al fresco for lunch and dinner daily. They also feature weekend brunch. LD $$-$$$

Photo: Dan Schwartz

HEMENWAY’S 121 South Main Street; 351-8570. A true Providence classic, Hemenway’s has been serving top-notch seafood for 20 years. Their oyster bar features everything from the famed Prince Edward Island variety to the local favorite Poppasquash Point. LD $$-$$$ MILLS TAVERN 101 North Main Street; 272-3331. The only restaurant in RI to receive the Mobile Four Star Award for five consecutive years, Mills Tavern provides traditional American cuisine in a warm, friendly setting. LD $$-$$$

RED STRIPE 465 Angell Street; 4376950. Red Stripe serves classic comfort food with a French influence. From their signature Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup to their ten different styles of Moules & Frites, their food is reasonably priced and made with passion. LD $$-$$$ WATERMAN GRILLE 4 Richmond Square; 521-9229. With its covered outdoor seating overlooking the Seekonk River, Waterman Grille offers seasonally inspired New American fare in a comfortable setting, with a great variety of “Signature” and “Short & Share” plates. BrD $$-$$$

Hope/Thayer CHEZ PASCAL 960 Hope Street; 4214422. Chef Matt Gennuso’s East Side kitchen offers French food with a modern twist. Sample the Escargots a la Bourguignonne, or try the Bistro Menu (Tue-Thur), which features three courses for $30 per person. Delicieux! D $-$$$

RUE DE L’ESPOIR 99 Hope Street; 7518890. In business for over 30 years, the Rue has only gotten better. Beautifully prepared with the freshest ingredients, the innovative, constantly changing menu keeps diners on their toes. Superb brunch. BBrLD $$-$$$ THREE SISTERS 1074 Hope Street; 2737230. Try their local, organic coffee, quick and filling breakfast sandwiches, fresh panini and famous homemade ice cream that’s simply to die for. BBrL $

Aqua-Life Aquarium Celebrating our 30th Year!

Specializing in new and rare species of fish 389 Wickenden Street, Providence sh_ad_2011_v3.1:Layout 1 1/29/11 401-331-5376 • www.aqualifecentral.com

TORTILLA FLATS 355 Hope Street; 7516777. You can’t go wrong with the laidback attitude and exceptional Mexican fare at Tortilla Flats. Sample a Margarita from the bar and the “Nawleens”-style Catfish to get the full experience. LD $-$$

SMALL LUNCH • BIG LUNCH

Wickenden

W W W. T H E S A N D W I C H H U T. C O M

UNITED BBQ 146 Ives Street; 751-9000.

Barbecue is an art form here. Feed the inner man with a classic rack of ribs (sold in half or whole racks) or make it light with a “Tofurkey” kielbasa sandwich from the menu’s Weird Stuff section. They deliver. LD $-$$

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WINGS AND THINGS 250 Brook Street; 369-7551. This family run business offers fresh, never frozen, chicken wings bathed in hot sauce made by hand from freshly ground chili peppers, plus 20 sauces, appetizers, sandwiches and soups. LD $ Z-BAR 244 Wickenden Street; 831-1566.

This cozy, classic bistro offers value, and a wide range of fare including, steaks, panini, salads and house made ravioli with an emphasis on fresh, local and organic ingredients. BrLD $$ March 2011 East Side Monthly

27

6:17

Spotlight by Dan Schwartz

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Caster’s East Side location has only been open since November and already owners Reed and Mindy are making an impact. Beyond the normal array of bike gear, they offer extras like free bike repair and safety classes, free spin classes on indoor bicycle trainers and weight training classes. “Reed and I say all the time this is what we wanted,” Mindy explains. “How Seven Stars is a community hub, we see our store already becoming a bike shop community hub.” Tucked behind Festival Ballet on 4th Street, Caster’s showroom is surprisingly large with a full selection of bikes and accessories and an interesting collection of historical memorabilia from Reed’s grandfather’s shop dating from 1919.

Bike brands include Trek, Gary Fisher, Scott, Haro and Redline.

Many parents are concerned about buying the right size bicycle for their growing child. Caster’s has a “kid’s trade-up program” where you can trade in a Caster’s purchased bike and get up to 40% of the original value toward a new bike. This is a great way for children to work their way up to a full size frame while keeping it affordable. Caster’s teaches kids all about bicycle safety, from maintenance and proper helmet fit to road signaling. They will also be heading to Nathan Bishop Middle School this spring to teach bike safety. Moms who enjoy the Stroller Strides workout on Blackstone Boulevard should know that this store also has the full line of BOB Strollers.

Group bike rides will be starting April 10, leaving from the Providence and Warwick stores, and will include a women-only group. Caster’s also carries electric bikes made by Trek. These amazing bikes are completely silent and double the output of your peddling input so you travel twice as fast with half the effort. You’ll be able to handle College Hill without a sweat! Visit Caster’s to say hello to the staff and check out their website for information on all their upcoming classes and events.

Caster’s on 4th 212 Fourth Street, Providence / 274-5300 Caster’s 3480 Post Road, Warwick / 739-0393

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28 East Side Monthly March 2011 esm_mar_ad_munroe.indd 1

Caster’s on 4th

BikeRI.com

1/21/11 4:36 PM

Spotlight by Dan Schwartz

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A Men’s Clothier Offering the Best of the Best Marc Streisand, owner of Marc Allen, and chief of staff Jim Fortier are certainly doing something right. With their introduction of esteemed Italian lines Loro Piana, Luciano Barbera, Incotex and Brunello Cucinelli suddenly there is a local men’s store that offers garments that at one time could only be found in Boston and New York. Matching the elegance of these garments is a concierge style service, where you will be accustomed to getting exactly what you want. Marc explains, “We have eight people who work here because we want someone to come in and feel that everything is taken care of.” From delivery to your house or any place in the world to home and office visits for wardrobe consultations, you are in excellent hands at Marc Allen.

They just threw an extravagant Loro Piana party where 150 people dined on the best cuisine and enjoyed the finest spirits and wines while examining top quality fashion. The entire Cable Car cinema was decorated for the occasion and all guests left with very desirable gift bags worth $175. One of the reasons why Marc Allen is the trusted place for men’s clothing is because they offer only 4 or 5 garments of a particular style. It’s that exclusivity factor: when they are gone they are gone.

Now is a great time to visit Marc Allen because they will be having an end of the season promotion from February 22 through March 19.

There will be significant savings on all their clothes and accessories.

The store has also benefited greatly from the addition of master bespoke tailor Mike Veziris who has over 35 years of experience. “Our clients look better with the addition of Mike,” Jim mentions. “They see it. We see it.” Marc adds, “The fit is the most important thing in any type of clothing, and now the fit is better than it has ever been.” Stop into Marc Allen and be treated to the finest clothing available today with expert customer service.

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www.jccri.org March 2011 East Side Monthly

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East Side Monthly March 2011

Art

WoW!

by Renee Doucette

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inch our way into the spring, it is hard not to think of the concept of emerging. The Chazan Gallery at the Wheeler School here on the East Side of Providence embraces artistic emergence with the group show entitled Finding a Way, running until March 9.

Each year, the non-commercial gallery has an open call for artists to participate in their juried exhibit. A panel looked at 140 different proposals in order to select these six artists who, gallery director Sue Carroll says, “submitted very interesting work.”

The show’s title relates to the journey every artist must take. It is the dream of many artists to be able to make a living off their talent. In order to do so, they must learn to navigate the tricky hidden roads of the art market. Emerging exhibits like this are important building blocks that come together to establish the foundation of a young artist’s career. This exciting exhibit features the recent work of three men and three women. They are mostly Providence based artists, but there is some out of town participation as well.

Among the artists in the show is Alison Owen, whose work can be compared to the artist Richard Wright.

Wright was awarded the Turner Prize in 2009 for his site-specific installations of patterned gold-leaf appliqué to often overlooked architectural spaces. Owen is also influenced by similar architectural spaces, so much so that she was unaware of how her work would even look for this exhibit until she arrived to install/create it herself.

Her great patterns and neutral colors disguise the fact that her work consists of materials that you could find in the corners of an artist’s studio, such as dust and sawdust. Could you call her the poor man’s Richard Wright? Perhaps, but her ability to turn the insides of a vacuum cleaner bag into something aesthetically beautiful clearly keeps her artistic future bright and environmentally friendly.

Next up is the return of Joshua Nierodzinski. After a three-year hiatus, he returns with a small collection of paintings inspired by his mill building surroundings in New Bedford,

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where his studio is located. Working on wooden cradles, he uses acrylic as well as commercial paints, which layer in such a way that it creates a relief on the wood, making his work both flat and three-dimensional.

Shawn Gilheeney also pulls inspiration from abandoned buildings. He works with acrylic and wood, but he also experiments with fire and carves into the wood, leaving traces of ash behind. Nierodzinski and Gilheeney do not detract from each other, but instead cleverly play off one another.

It is as if they were both looking at the same abandoned building, but from different sides. Their works are both poetic and masculine creations derived from our local graveyards of industry.

Finding a Way also features the work of two artists using photography as their medium. Millee Tibbs looks at the pictures of her youth and recreates the same image as an adult. Isaac Wingfield re-explores the playground of his childhood, the woods by his house. Finding inspiration in images and places of their youth is nothing new to an artist, but these images are far from juvenile. Tibbs is unafraid to channel that same brazenness many of us had in front of the family camera as children, yet lose as adults.

Wingfield’s forest revisited has a haunt-

ing mystique as you look at the still image and suddenly see young children running through the branches. Among the group, they each hold their own as being the only two artists to openly channel their childhood into their work.

To round out the six, there is finally Lindsay Glover. Based in upstate New York, Ms. Glover brings the most mysterious work to the show. In her series, Floating Fields, we see video projections of greenhouses floating in the gallery space. The greenhouses have a spooky iridescent look, lit from the inside during the dead of night. One of the houses in particular is reminiscent of Dorothy Gale’s farmhouse mid-flight in the midst of the tornado. Glover ties the show together by capturing the feel of abandoned, as well as overlooked, architectural spaces. The addition of a video work to this exhibit also rounds out the contemporary mediums of artwork, which presents a complete picture of emerging art within this selected group of artists. Even though Finding a Way is up so briefly, it is not a show to be missed this month.

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East Side Monthly March 2011

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Phone: 401-728-5500 • rasoi-restaurant.com My house looks

pretty in the snow. The white stuff defines the individual bricks on the tall chimney, bringing out the subtle tapestry hues of purple, orange and scarlet. The cardinal birds look startling and gorgeous on the shrubs weighed down with a heavy load of whipped cream.

The rooftop of garage and tool shed makes a blank page upon which tomorrow can write a fresh message of the season.

I mean to say, there is, after all, a kind of poetry when the blizzard leaves its wake around my property.

Still, it’s a pain in the neck – and back and arms – to dig out, and while you try, your footsteps make a mess of things. It’s better just to stare out the window, once you have pulled aside the draperies, and admire the bank and the drift, and the transformation of shapes. That is, until you begin to feel confined, imprisoned, bored and buried. Then, from across the street, comes Simon.

Simon Richardson was an English teacher at Hope High School, and a devoted and dedicated creative spirit. He made a movie version of Macbeth with his senior students some winters ago. He cast my little dog in a cameo role in that endeavor.

(Macbark perhaps?)

There’s a real sense of neighborhood on our street. Simon’s mom lives directly across from me. Anne keeps bees and gives out jars of honey as equinox gifts to the neighbors. Her bees cross the way to take nectar from our wildflowers, so I guess she feels the honey belongs to the entire community.

In any case, that house with the hive, the oldest on our block, I think, seems to always radiate with good will toward one and all. Simon’s sons will help out with garden chores, willingly and cheerfully doing their zen work of raking or taking care of minor crises. They obviously inherited their generosity of spirit from their dad.

I had an accident on Hope Street a while back, and Simon, by a kind

of magic, happened by, and came to my aid and support. In the aftermath of the recent winter storm that heaped a huge mountain of frozen slush on my car, Simon quietly appeared and cleared the sidewalk, the driveway and the windows and hood of my tiny coupe.

“Come on in and have a coffee or cocoa,” I said to Simon in way of thanks, but he turned me down.

“Next time,” he smiled.

This isn’t the first time Simon has rescued me. He does it as a matter of routine and simple courtesy. His mother has one complaint about him and his habits. “He has too many books! I warned him, he’d better get rid of some of them,” she told me, with a motherly smile. I “help” Simon while he’s doing me a good service by chatting about books. “My favorite recent books were Eating Animals

by Jonathan Safran Foer and Secret Historian by Justin Spring. Animals because it’s a gentle manifesto and Historian because it’s a wild and outrageous biography.” I thought both topics might intrigue Simon. But halfway through my speech, I realized I had already recommended those bestsellers last time we had a big winter snowfall, a week or so ago. I better watch out and not let Simon think I’m taking him for granted. I may need new material.

I did help Simon out once, though.

He gave me a Hollywood bio of Dolores del Rio, the lovely Mexican movie star of long ago. That must have pleased his mother. At least I got rid of one of his volumes.

I’m writing this sketch to show my admiration and respect for a true oldtime neighbor, one who keeps a kindly eye out not to borrow a tool like Herb Woodley in Blondie, but to help out somebody else and expect nothing in return, hardly even a thank you.

Simon was a great gift to his students: imaginative, inspiring, and interested in their welfare. Here’s a midwinter toast to a friend on the other side of the street we share.

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East Side Monthly March 2011

Movies

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Possessed Souls

Rabbit Hole and The Rite reviewed Two of cinema’s

finest actors – whose recent film choices have lacked authority, not to mention credibility, depth and popularity – have taken divergent paths with their latest efforts. One of them has come up with a fine movie.

In Rabbit Hole, Nicole Kidman stars as Becca, a suburban wife and mother whose only child died eight months before the film begins. That’s all we know at the outset, as she and her husband (Aaron Eckhart) work through their different approaches to grief while trying to figure out what to do with their lives. They struggle to do the things that are supposed to bring the “closure” that support groups suggest is within reach, but nothing seems to work.

Based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning play by David Lindsay-Abaire, who also wrote the screenplay, the film avoids almost all the histrionic melodrama that dead children usually bring to movie dramas, nor is this film a vanity project to display Kidman’s range as an actress. Instead, it quietly explores the lives of some rich characters as they shift around in the face of monumental change. The film moves smoothly through its plot, which contains small twists and turns as new characters

drift into the lives of Kidman and Eckhart, producing small increments of action that are nevertheless substantial to what’s going on, and, equally important, engaging for an audience.

John Cameron Mitchell directs quietly, exploring the colorless naturalism of stunted suburban life in a radical departure from his fairly outrageous previous work (Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Shortbus). Kidman and Eckhart behave reasonably toward each other and avoid every imaginable cliché, only occasionally allowing pent up emotion to spill over into the conversation, saving that turmoil for the unfortunate others who touch their lives.

Dianne Wiest as Kidman’s mother and Tammy Blanchard as her pregnant sister catch considerable heat along the way. And Sandra Oh as another grieving parent draws Eckhart’s attention away from the increasing banality of his support group.

Ultimately, it’s the film’s mysterious plot twists that get beyond the universally fine performances and hold your attention. Why is Kidman stalking that high school kid? Why did she lie to her husband about her plans for the day, put on that killer dress and hightail it into the city? And just how did her son

die, and her brother years before him?

The screenplay reveals its dramatic elements like a mystery rather than a tragedy, allowing surface intrigue to overcome tragic depth, with minor revelations providing necessary information.

There are some problems: while Kidman has personal history and another family to play off, Eckhart is given no background at all. We have to simply take his character on faith, which comes dangerously close to making him a type rather than an individual. Also, the drabness of the surroundings, while symbolic of the situation, does nothing to add another cinematic dimension to the proceedings; colors have meaning, but there’s no design to Rabbit Hole’s unremarkable cable TV interiors.

The great combo of a dynamic screenplay (listen to Weist explain to Kidman how extended grief is like carrying a brick in your pocket) and a dream ensemble cast led by the impeccable Kidman (her traditional cold exterior, slowly exposing what she’s holding inside, is employed to magnificent results here) makes Rabbit Hole an exceptional alternative to yet another weekend of predictable romantic comedy and aimless action at the cinema.

Too bad the predominance of predict-

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The Rite ability and aimlessness forced this vital film to open on only one screen in the entire state. Find it, though. It’s different – and it’s very good.

In The Rite, Anthony Hopkins does a skillfully hammy variation on Hannibal Lecter. His smile is always on the verge of being a leer, he fixes that hypnotically aware stare on seemingly innocent characters, and speaks with honeyed Welsh tones that should be oh-sosoothing, but somehow aren’t.

There are those who believe the second Hopkins-as-Lecter film, Hannibal, is better than Silence of the Lambs (it isn’t) just because Hopkins has so much more screen time. He’s on screen plenty in The Rite, but this is nothing to take pleasure in, even for his staunchest fans. His character is the old exorcist in a new exorcism movie, and he doesn’t do anything that any other old exorcist in any previous exorcism movie hasn’t already done.

This lame, tame variation on The Exorcist would simply have you know the following: Satan’s demons are still waiting to possess you and twist you from the righteous path, and only a trained exorcist can stop them; those demons prefer to demonize young girls (Marta Gastini) and priests more than any other category or individual; and old exorcists (Hopkins) must constantly deal with young priests (Colin O’Donoghue) who seriously doubt the hocus-pocus of exorcism.

The film opens with O’Donoghue in seminary school, mostly to get a free education. He questions his faith when it’s time to take his priestly orders, and in a blatant plot device, gets sent to Rome to learn about exorcists,

apparently to bring him closer to God via Satan. There he quickly hooks up with local legend Father Lucas Trevant (Hopkins) and begins to make the rounds of the possessed. Along the way he witnesses crashes of thunder and a lot of rain, usually indicating the devil is close by. The stray cats that reside in Father Lucas’s yard howl. A swarm of little cheeping frogs appears. And a mule with red eyes materializes right out of one of the young priest’s nightmares. Such are the strains of demonic presence in a PG-13 exorcist movie. The dialogue is equally feeble.

Possibly worst of all is writer Michael Petroni’s decision to have Hopkins possessed (the screenplay is “suggested by” the book by Matt Baglio, so possibly he had no real choice). Director Mikael Hafstrom is unable to get any kind of convincing performance

by O’Donoghue during the climactic scenes where he must simultaneously de-possess Hopkins and discover his own faith. It would be a tough task to make all that convincing for any actor, no matter who is sharing the stage, but when it’s Hopkins, hamming it up on all thrusters as a priest possessed by a demon, it’s impossible.

The movie plays itself out by hitting all of its numbers in the proper sequence, signifying nothing.

A really good idea for another exorcism movie would be the one that dramatizes the demonic possession that makes great actors like Richard Burton, George C. Scott and now Anthony Hopkins make cheesy exorcism movies as their careers wind down. What else could possess them?

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March 2011 East Side Monthly

37

Finance by Betsey Purinton | illustration by Ashley MacLure

Enjoying a Risky Retirement Managing factors within and beyond your control Retiring is risky,

or so it would seem from the myriad of articles I read bemoaning the fact that baby boomers have not saved enough for retirement. Are we all doomed to arrive at age 90, penniless and begging on our children’s doorsteps? And if we could change things now, what would be the least painful way to save us from ourselves?

There are a number of risks to retiring, but they all center around one big concern: we just might live too long. Longevity risk is something I drill into clients, after I quiz them about their health, their parents’ age of death and lifestyle risks they are currently taking. We also look at the research*, just in case denial starts to set in.

• A 65-year-old male has a 25% chance of living to 92.

• A 65-year-old female has a 25% chance of living to 94.

• A nd a couple, age 65, has a 25% chance that at least one of them will live to 97.

Other retirement risks – such as inflation, healthcare, investment, overspending, family and public policy – are all tied to longevity. Longevity is the hub; the other risks are the spokes of the wheel.

Take health care*: • A typical couple age 65 will see health care costs not covered by insurance of around $197,000 (current dollars) over the course of their lifetimes. But if we just look at the worst case scenario (5% chance), that number jumps to $311,000.

• If we add in costs for long-term care, the numbers spike to $260,000 and $597,000 respectively, again – not adjusted for health care inflation.

While planning for retirement, clients and I discuss long term care needs, but we rarely focus on a specific number for uninsured healthcare costs.

That is because the number is very much a moving target between individual issues and public policy on coverage. For planning, we assume some form of tradeoff between the fun aspects of retirement in the early years and the healthcare issues later on – and add in a cushion to provide for the unexpected. Understandably, the longer you live, the more likely it is that your healthcare costs will rise.

There is another risk that is tied to longevity: inflation. 71% of retirees worry that the value of their savings and investments will not keep up

38

East Side Monthly March 2011

with inflation. Although inflation has been unusually low for the last decade, many strategists expect it to rear its head again following the dramatic infusion of stimulus money that has been pumped into the economy.

Again, numbers can help to dramatize the concerns. You will need $236 dollars in 25 years to pay for an item that costs you $100 today, given

a 3.5% rate of inflation. Put another way: if you are 55 today and plan to retire in ten years, and you believe you can live on a retirement income of $100,000 in today’s dollars, your spending need will have increased to $141,059, due solely to inflation, on the first day you celebrate retirement. Flash forward to age 75, and now your annual income need is $198,977. Ten years later your expenses have increased to $280,679, and you haven’t even added to your budget, just adjusted for inflation. And if you are one of the lucky partners who has a 25% chance to live to 97, you will need $424,125 lying around waiting to be spent that year alone.

Here is what you can control: • W hen you retire • H ow much you spend • H ow much portfolio risk you include in your investments not adjusted for health care inflation.

Let’s start with the last one. Longevity requires that you grow your portfolio. If inflation rises to historic norms of 3-4%, then you have to earn at least the rate of inflation plus your marginal tax rate in order to stay even. A 5-6% return might be all you require if you already have enough saved for retirement or if you are sufficiently adding to your retirement portfolios to meet your retirement goals.

But let’s say you got a bit behind following the 2008 market crash. You might then try for a 7-9% average annual return to make up the difference.

The trouble is: the higher the potential return, the greater the chance of loss (as well as gain) on your portfolios.

Once you have set your risk level and the corresponding investments, you can then turn to the question of when you can retire and how much you will be able to spend. It is not surprising that a number of my clients, who used to be emphatic about retiring early, are now resigned to working a few more years. When the tradeoffs changed, so did their priorities.

Sometimes you can’t work longer. Perhaps you were already retired when the stock market crash hit, or potential health care issues prevent you from working longer. Then it is the spending spoke on the longevity wheel that has to be adjusted. My best advice here is to think of your budget cuts differently from calorie cuts. Gradual changes to lifestyle have a better chance of success than crash, cash-flow diets.

When it comes to retirement and managing risk, control what you can and be prepared for what you can’t. Although you cannot predict the future, planning helps you to stay on course for a comfortable retirement no matter how long you live. *The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College Betsey Purinton, CFP® is Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer at StrategicPoint Investment Advisors. You can e-mail her at bpurinton@ strategicpoint.com.

by Bob Mariani

What’s In a Name?

A surprise meeting with the “other” Piano Man Most of us have had our momentary brushes with fame, a chance encounter with some luminary or other, perhaps. When I was living in Manhattan I remember seeing Salvador Dali strolling past me down Lexington Avenue – with an ocelot on a leash. And I remember almost bumping into Andy Warhol one spring night as he was striding across East 52nd Street looking like some alien who’d forgotten where he’d parked is flying saucer. A few weeks later on 3rd Avenue, I suddenly found myself walking alongside the startlingly huge Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. – and believe me, there was nothing “junior” about him.

In my career as an advertising copywriter, I’ve had a few memorable encounters, too. I once wrote and produced a radio spot with the brilliant comedian/actor Shelly Berman. We worked coast-to-coast over the phone and Mr. Berman was great. It was really fun to write in his unique comedic voice.

I once wrote and produced a corporate video with famed Penn State coach Joe Paterno. He too was fun to work with and needed very little direction. I can’t recall what the video was for, but working with the famous coach was unforgettable.

Then there was a brief but memorable conversation with Mr. Henry Steinway – yes, of the legendary Steinway Piano dynasty.

I’d been asked to do a print ad for a client who made a clear plastic wrapping material which they sold to movers who used it to protect vulnerable pieces of furniture from nicks and scratches in transit. It was not one of your more exciting products. In fact, not only was it mundane, it was virtually invisible. So, for the ad I thought maybe we could borrow some interest and at the same time demonstrate how well the wrapping material really worked. What if we wrapped a precious piece of furniture like, say, a Steinway baby grand piano, in the material, and then challenged its protective qualities by having two or three Radio City Rockettes in spiky high heels dance on top of it? Much to my surprise, the client actually liked the idea and told us to go ahead and do it.

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Toyota • Kia • Nissan • Chrysler Hiring the Rockettes was easy. A Audi • Lexus • Infinity • Ford couple of phone calls to the RCA head Volkswagen • Honda • BMW producer in New York and we had a trio Chevy • Isuzu • Mercedes • Mini of lovely high-kickers at our disposal Prosche • Ford • General Motors for an afternoon photo shoot in a New renovation planning Mazda • Saab • Volvo • Hyundai York studio. interior design Saturn • Subaru • Mitsubishi Then we had to call Steinway to decoration get the baby grand piano. Surprisingly, after going through only a couple of ASE Certified phone links at the company’s ManhatRI inspection and repair tan headquarters, a ragged voice that station #27b sounded a lot like Mel Brooks’ famous “2,000-Year-Old Man” came on the line.

“Hello, this is Henry Steinway. Who is Mon-Fri 8am-6pm this calling, please?”

Patti Watson I listened in on an extension as our 401. 423 . 3639 729 East Avenue account executive made his pitch. He tastedesigninc.com Top of the East Side, next door to Rite Aid was a good salesman and proceeded to explain how we were gong to demonstrate the superiority of our protecTaste_ESM_SEP2010.indd 1 7/26/10 10:28 AM tive material by wrapping a precious Steinway piano in it and then have some Rockettes dance on the covered surface.

It would be great PR for Steinway products, he added. “So, might we borrow one of your baby grands for the ad?”

There was a brief pause on the other end of the phone and then Mr. Steinway cleared his throat and emphatically intoned, “No. Steinways are for playing, not dancing. Call Baldwin.” Click.

I guess we should have expected that kind of response from a family company that’s been making the greatest musical instruments in the world since 1835.

So we took Mr. Steinway’s advice: we called The Baldwin Company and after working our way through some of their channels, they gave us a collective “Yes.” All they wanted in return for the use of their piano was the mention of the name Baldwin in the headline, which of course, we did.

I’m not sure what that says about the quality of Steinway vs. Baldwin pianos, but it sure said something about the integrity of the people who make them.

Good morning.

401-723-1111

Bob Mariani and his brother, John, have published a memoir, Almost Golden, about growing up in the North Bronx in the fifties. Available at www.bbotw.com or on Amazon.com.

March 2011 East Side Monthly

39

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At School Today by Jill Davidson | illustration by Ruth Chung

Keep Hope Alive

by Fiore & Asmussen Certified Public Accountants

Building a better neighborhood

Servicing the Community For over 30 years 125 Wayland Avenue Providence

The East Side’s

rich educational resources include the Mount Hope Learning Center (MHLC). As a parent at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School, where MHLC runs an afterschool program, I know the general outlines of the Center’s work. To find out more, I met with MHLC Executive Director Elizabeth Winangun in her sunny office at MHLC, a former residence at 140 Cypress Street that was converted to its current use in 2002.

Founded in 1998, the nonprofit MHLC focuses on the Mount Hope neighborhood, where the 2000 Census reports that a third of children live below the poverty level. The centerpiece of MHLC’s work is the afterschool program at King. Serving 100 students, the program is funded by a federal 21st Century Community Learning Grant administered through the Rhode Island Department of Education, with 15 AmeriCorps team members on staff. That team, funded through Serve Rhode Island, which administers federal funds from the Corporation of National and Community Service, is “the heart of the center,” Winangun says. Hailing from the Mount Hope neighborhood and far and wide beyond, these team members dedicate 11 months to the program, earning a minimal weekly stipend and eventual education grants.

MHLC staff members provide AmeriCorps members with extensive training and clear guidelines to develop capacity and skills that will stay in Mount Hope for the long haul.

Accordingly, the afterschool program at King does more than provide basic childcare. Team members support students’ academic achievement, develop their social skills, and provide activities that help them identify their interests through structured activities such as the fourth grade health and nutrition group led by Jawaun Meeks.

“Students are learning about food and nutrition,” Meeks says. “They’re finding their passion for healthy food at a young age, and they get their parents engaged and involved.”

While the program is dedicated to extending education past the formal end of the school day and has demonstrated a positive impact on students’ academic achievement, “It’s most

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important to work on the social stuff,” Winangun reflects.

Though team members devote most of their time to the afterschool program, they also work on other initiatives. Meeks is collaborating with two colleagues to create a pre-GED life skills program for young men who are out of school and work. “We assist the community to develop leadership and talent within itself and to take the reins when we’re gone,” he says.

Galvanized by the lack of meaningful neighborhood opportunities for 14- to 15-year-old women, another AmeriCorps member successfully wrote a grant to a Brown University philanthropy class for $15,000 to initiate a program that will train young women to identify community needs and plan projects in response.

Response to neighborhood needs has promoted the evolution of other MHLC programs, including school vacation and summer camp programs, a cooking class and a GTech sponsored computer lab. Having this ongoing support nearby is vital, Winangun believes, because for some residents, “There’s an invisible wall around Mount Hope. We work with a lot of people who haven’t ventured far outside, and we need to be here for them.”

2010 presented MHLC with nearknockout financial blows. The Center went into receivership in April 2010, simultaneously weathering a change in leadership, extensive board mem-

ber retirement and a staff reduction from eight to two-and-a-half full time employees. Mainstay board members Stacy Couto, Jorge Cardenas, Sylvia Soares and MHLC co-founder Lenny Long either remained or returned to board service, ensuring continuity.

Winangun, a longtime staff member who became executive director during this transition, noted that City Council representative Kevin Jackson and state representative Gordon Fox remained stalwart supporters throughout. All funders, including the United Way Rhode Island, kept funding in place throughout the receivership oversight period, and the Center did not interrupt service or programs.

Consider a donation of time or expertise to keep MHLC going strong. Though the afterschool program at King costs families just $10 per week per child, scholarships are in demand. A $300 donation supports a student through a year of school vacation and summer camp experiences. It’s a great investment in the children of our community.

Learn more about Mount Hope Learning Center and find out ways to support its work at www.mthopelearningcenter.org.

Jill Davidson can be reached at whathappenedatschool@gmail.com, @dazzlingbetty on Twitter, and at her blog, providenceschools.blogspot.com. To make “At School Today” the best it can be, please contact her with your thoughts, ideas, comments, criticism and ideas.

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East Side Monthly March 2011

From Exotic to Zen… Fine arts, exotic physics, and rare glimpses into baseball history – the unusual and the traditional are here at RIC this summer.

Summer Session I: May 23–July 1 Summer Session II: July 5–August 12 Registration: February 28 for current RIC degree students; March 7 for all others Complete information is available online at www.ric.edu/summersessions

Calendar

by Christina Evon

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March music | performance | social happenings | galleries | learn | sports

DON’T MISS THIS MONTH: 10 events at the top of our list

St. Patrick’s Day Parade, March 12 in Newport. www.gonewport.com.

401-709-3252 69 Governor St, Providence Open Daily 11am-11pm

p With Your Gard d Hel e en? e N

1

Smucker’s Stars on Ice 25th Anniversary Tour, March 3 at Dunkin’ Donuts Center. www.dunkindonutscenter.com.

2

3

com.

Blue Man Group, March 4-6 at PPAC. www.ppac.

A Night at the Fights, March 3-13 at the Gamm Theatre. www.gamm theatre.org.

4

Middle Brother, March 4 at Lupo’s. www. lupos.com.

5

Carnival of Venice by Opera Providence, March 6 at the Italo-American Club. www.opera providence.org.

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MUSIC arena & club | classical ARENA & CLUB AS220 Mar 10: Taina Asili y la Banda Rebelde. 115 Empire Street. 831-9327, www.as220.org.

BLACKSTONE RIVER THEATRE Mar 5: Robbie O’Connell and Aoife Clancy. Mar 12: Triple Spiral, and others. Mar 13: Pendragon. Mar 20: Lunasa. Mar 26: Jon Campbell & Everett, and Geoff Kaufman. 549 Broad Street, Cumberland. 725-9272, www.riverfolk.org.

CITY SIDE AT RIVER FALLS Mar 12: The Criminals. 74 South Main Street, Woonsocket. 235-9026, www. riverfallscomplex.com.

DUNKIN’ DONUTS CENTER Mar 19: Santamaria and Sandro G. 1 Lasalle Square. 331-6700, www.ticketmaster.com.

EFFIN’S LAST RESORT Mar 25: Take 3. 325 Farnum Pike, Smithfield. 349-3500.

LADDER 133 Mar 5: Inside Out. Mar 11: Blockhead. Mar 12: Take 3. Mar 18: Wayz & Means. Mar 19: The Criminals. Mar 25: The Decades. Mar 26: Something Else. 33 Douglas Avenue, Providence.

272-7427.

LUPO’S Mar 4: Middle Brother, alt-country super group featuring John McCauley of Deer Tick, Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes, and Matthew Vasquez of Delta Spirit. 79 Washington Street.

331-5876, www.lupos.com.

First Gallery Night of the year, March 17 at galleries citywide. www. gallerynight.info.

7

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113 Gano street, Providence • 751-6935

So You Wanna Be A Dance Major? Dance Competition, March 24-25 at RI College’s Nazarian Center. www.ric.edu.

8

Kids’ jam band The Laurie Berkner Band, March 26 at the VMA. www.vmari. com.

9

RI Home Show, March 31-April 3 at RI Convention Center. www.riconvention.com.

10

See general event listings for additional contact details.

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Calendar

continued...

LUXURY BOX Mar 5: Take 3. Mar 12: What Matters? Mar 19: Felix Brown? Mar 26: No Means Yes. 350 Fall River Avenue, Seekonk, MA. (508) 336-6634, www.luxuryboxrocks.com.

MET Mar 5: Johnny Winter. Mar 6: Rob Nelson, Mark Taber, Marty Ballou, and Rick Couto. Mar 24: Lotus. Mar 26: Keller Williams. Hope Artiste Village, 1005 Main Street, Pawtucket. www.lupos.com.

MOHEGAN SUN Mar 4: Bon Jovi. Mar 5: Freestyle Extravaganza, with Stevie B, Bobby Brown, Lisa Lisa, and many more.

Mar 11: Elton John. Mar 12: Celtic Woman. Mar 13: Dropkick Murphys and Against Me! Mar 16: Janet Jackson. Mar 27: Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks. Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT. 800-477-6849, www.mohegansun.com.

CLASSICAL & SUCH OPERA PROVIDENCE Mar 6: Carnival of Venice. ItaloAmerican Club, 477 Broadway. Mar 25: Money and Madness; part of the Winter Concert Series at Blithewold Mansion and Gardens, 101 Ferry Road, Bristol. 331-6060, www.operaprovidence.org.

RI COLLEGE Mar 23: Narragansett Brass Quintet.

Mar 28: Muir String Quartet with Lucy Shelton, Soprano. Nazarian Center, 600 Mount Pleasant Street.

456-8090, www.ric.edu.

RI PHILHARMONIC Mar 19: Classical concert, featuring Karen Gomyo, violin, and works by Mozart and Shostakovich. VMA, 1 Avenue of the Arts. 222-1467, www.vmari.com.

PERFORMANCE comedy | dance | theatre

OLIVES Mar 4: What Matters? Mar 11: The Criminals. 108 North Main Street, Providence. 751-1200.

COMEDY

PROVIDENCE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Mar 12: The Party Tour, featuring C&C Music Factory, Rob Base, The Jets, Sugar Hill Gang, and Debbie Deb. 220 Weybosset Street. 421-ARTS, www.ppacri.org.

COMEDY CONNECTION Mar 3: Pablo Francisco. Mar 4-5: Larry Myles. Mar 11-12: Ira Proctor. Mar 18: Dr. Dirty, John Valby. Mar 19: John Porch.

Mar 25-26: John Perotta. 39 Warren Avenue, East Providence. 438-8383, www.ricomedyconnection.com.

RISD MUSEUM Mar 11: Sit Down Baby. Chace Center, 20 North Main Street. 454-6793.

STADIUM THEATRE Mar 5: John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band. Mar 18: Dinner and A Cappella with Mount Rush 4.

28 Monument Square, Woonsocket.

762-4545, www.stadiumtheatre. com.

Pilates one-on-one training Pilates Mat Classes Functional Fitness Training Pilates Reformer Duets & Trios Bosu Classes, Yoga Classes Therapeutic Massage Chair Massage

www.pilatesjen.com (401) 475 - 0084 44

East Side Monthly March 2011

STONE SOUP COFFEEHOUSE Mar 5: Rani Arbo and daisy mayhem.

Mar 12: James Keelaghan. Mar 19: Bill Harley. Mar 26: Sally Barris and Michael Troy. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 50 Park Place, Pawtucket.

921-5115, www.stonesoupcoffeehouse.com.

TWIN RIVER Mar 20: The John Badessa Big Band.

100 Twin River Road, Lincoln. 7233200, www.twinriver.com.

Karen Gomyo, RI Philharmonic

FOXWOODS & MGM GRAND Mar 3-5: Dom Irrera. Mar 6: Hypnotist/comedian Jim Spinnato, and comedic magician Brian Miller. Mar 17-19: Rob Riggle. 39 Norwich Westerly Road, Mashantucket, CT. 866646-0609, www.mgmatfoxwoods. com.

PROVIDENCE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Mar 17: Wanda Sykes. 220 Weybosset Street. 421-ARTS, www. ppacri.org.

DANCE FESTIVAL BALLET PROVIDENCE Mar 18-20, 25-27: Up Close On Hope, a mixture of classical and contemporary works, performed in FBP’s Black Box Theater. 825 Hope Street, Providence. 222-1467, www.festivalballet.com.

PROVIDENCE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Mar 13: Riverdance. 220 Weybosset Street. 421-ARTS, www.ppacri.org.

RI COLLEGE Mar 24-25: So You Wanna Be A Dance Major?, an event where perspective college dance majors compete for a dance scholarship, with special celeb judge, So You Think You Can Dance’s Mandy Moore.

Nazarian Center, 600 Mount Pleasant Street. 456-8000, www.ric.edu.

Your business here!

night where attendees can share stories on the evening’s theme topic. Mar 11, 25: Bring Your Own Improv, an interactive show that welcomes audience participation.

Mar 18: Blood From a Turnip late night puppet salon. Thursdays and Saturdays: Improv Jones comedy troupe. 95 Empire Street. 331-2695, www.perishable.org.

PROVIDENCE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Mar 4-6: Blue Man Group. 220 Weybosset Street.

421-ARTS, www.ppacri.org.

RI COLLEGE Mar 10: Mark Nizir 3D Live, a 3D live show that includes comedy, juggling, movement, music, and technology. Roberts Hall, 600 Mount Pleasant Street. 456-8000, www.ric.edu.

STADIUM THEATRE Mar 19: Legendary Divas of Drag.

28 Monument Square, Woonsocket.

762-4545, www.stadiumtheatre.com.

The Crucible , Trinity Rep STADIUM THEATRE Mar 12: Cinderella, a full-length ballet presented by Heritage Ballet. 28 Monument Square, Woonsocket.

762-4545, www.stadiumtheatre.com.

STATE BALLET OF RI Mar 19: Project Ballet Coffee Hour, where you can get an inside view of how a ballet is created, the training of a dancer, and what inspires a choreographer. Reservation required.

52 Sherman Avenue, Lincoln. 3342560, www.stateballet.com.

Exchange Street, Pawtucket. 7234266, www.gammtheatre.org.

PROVIDENCE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Mar 22-27: Next to Normal. 220 Weybosset Street.

421-ARTS, www.ppacri.org.

THEATRE

STADIUM THEATRE Mar 3: My Heart in a Suitcase – a Tribute to the Strength of the Human Spirit. Mar 4: The Vagina Monologues. 28 Monument Square, Woonsocket. 762-4545, www.stadiumtheatre.com.

2ND STORY THEATRE Mar 11-13, 17-20, 24-27: Neil Simon’s The Good Doctor. 28 Market Street, Warren. 247-4200, www.2ndstorytheatre.com.

TRINITY REP Thru Mar 13: The Crucible. Thru Apr 3: Yellowman. 201 Washington Street. 351-4242, www.trinityrep. com.

BLACK BOX THEATRE Mar 25-Apr 10: Museum. 50 Rolfe Square, Cranston. 490-9475, http:// artists-exchange.org.

VARIETY

BROWN UNIVERSITY THEATRE Mar 3-6, 10-13: Shakespeare’s As You Like It. Stuart Theatre. 863-2838, www.brown.edu.

DUNKIN’ DONUTS CENTER Mar 3: Smucker’s Stars on Ice 25th Anniversary Tour, featuring Evan Lysacek, Sasha Cohen, Kurt Browning, Ekaterina Gordeeva, and more.

1 Lasalle Square. www.dunkindonutscenter.com.

GAMM THEATRE Mar 3-13: A Night at the Fights. 172

PERISHABLE THEATRE Mar 4: Live Bait, a monthly open-mic

2 Spaces Available • Prime Centerdale Village Location • Call For Details

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Classic Bistro

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SOCIAL HAPPENINGS expos | fundraisers | seasonal EXPOS & EXHIBITIONS GIRLS NIGHT OUT EXPO Mar 28: Browse an array of displays including massage, jewelry, beauty services, lingerie, cosmetics and skin care, chocolates, health and wellness products, plus wine and hors d’oeuvres. At City Side at River Falls, 74 South Main Street, Woonsocket. 762-4545, www.stadiumtheatre.com.

Expert Custom Framing

NEW ENGLAND SALTWATER FISHING SHOW Mar 11-13: Check out the newest equipment and speak with reputable dealers. RI Convention Center, 1 Sabin Street. www.ri convention.com.

The Camera Werks

RI HOME SHOW Mar 31-Apr 3: Get close to the newest technologies and trends in decorating, home building, and improvement. RI Convention Center, 1 Sabin Street. www.riconvention.com.

766 Hope Street, Providence 401-273-5367 www.thecamerawerks.com M-F 10-5:30 • SAT 10-2:00PM

Passport Photos only $8.95 March 2011 East Side Monthly

45

Calendar

continued...

RI RV AND CAMPING SHOW Mar 4-6: See the newest RVs and learn about the joys of travel in a recreational vehicle. RI Convention Center, 1 Sabin Street. 800-332-3976, www.macevents.com.

Manouso Manos Workshop

SOUTHERN RHODE ISLAND HOME SHOW Mar 5-6: 9th annual show, where consumers can meet with local builders, contractors, and home product vendors. Ryan Center, 1 Lincoln Almond Plaza, Kingston. 800-237-6024, www.homeshows.com.

FUNDRAISERS April 8, 9,10

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MAKING HISTORY, CHANGING LIVES Mar 6: Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) hosts a fundraiser to raise awareness on their efforts to make marriage equality a reality in RI. At CAV, 14 Imperial Place. www.glad.org/events.

SEASONAL & HOLIDAY BANK OF AMERICA SKATING CENTER Thru Mar 20: Public Skating. 2 Kennedy Plaza. 331-5544 x 5, www.kennedyplaza.org.

NEWPORT IRISH HERITAGE MONTH Mar 1-31: Celebrate all that is Irish during the month-long festival, featuring Celtic storytelling, Irish stepdancing, lectures, food tastings and contests, and the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. 800-976-5122, www.gonewport.com.

NEWPORT RESTAURANT WEEK: SPRING Mar 25-Apr 3: Newport County restaurants offer prix fixe menus; lunch is $16, and dinner is $30. www.gonewportrestaurantweek.com.

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46

East Side Monthly March 2011

ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE, NEWPORT Mar 12: 54th annual parade, starting at 11am from Newport City Hall.

Featuring pipe and marching bands, police and fire units, social organizations, and more. 846-5081, www. newportirish.com/parade.

ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE, PAWTUCKET Mar 5: Annual celebration, featuring the procession, food, and music, starting at 12 noon. Jenks Jr. High

Gallery Night School, Division Street, Pawtucket.

724-2200, www.pawtucketstpatricksdayparade.com.

GALLERIES BANK RI GALLERIES Pitman Street Gallery – Mar 3-Apr 6: Paintings by Michael Guy. Turks Head Gallery – Mar 3-Apr 6: Floor Cloths

by Carol Scavotto. 456-5015 x 1330, www.bankri.com.

BANNISTER GALLERY Mar 3-30: Wlodzimierz Ksiazkek and Brian Corey. Roberts Hall, 600 Mount Pleasant Avenue. 456-8000, www.ric.edu/bannister.

BELL GALLERY AT BROWN Thru Mar 13: Student Exhibition 2011.

Mar 26-May 29: Tradition, Trauma, Transformation: Representations of women by Chitra Ganesh, Nalini Malani, and Nilima Sheikh. List Art Center, 64 College Street. 863-2932, www.brown.edu.

inski, Alison Owen, Millee Tibbs, and Isaac Wingfield. 228 Angell Street.

421-9230, www.chazangallery.org.

GALLERY NIGHT Mar 17: Featuring more than 20 galleries, live music, refreshments, celebrity guides, and free Art Buses.

Central Art Bus depot and info booth at One Regency Plaza. www. gallerynight.info.

GALLERY Z Mar 3-Apr 2: Rhode Island Treasures

by Michael Bryce. 259 Atwells Avenue. www.galleryzprov.com.

PAWTUCKET ARTS COLLABORATIVE Thru Apr 1: Members’ Juried Theme Exhibition: The Literary as Muse. 260 Main Street, Pawtucket. www.pawtucketartscollaborative.org.

BERT GALLERY Thru Mar 19: The Magical Realism of Louise E. Marianetti. 540 Water Street.

751-2628, www.bertgallery.com.

PROVIDENCE ART CLUB Thru Mar 18: Jim Bush and David Witbeck in Dodge House Gallery; and Suzanne Dickson Albert and Nancy Chapman in Maxwell Mays Gallery. Mar 20-Apr 8: Richard Harrington in Dodge House Gallery; and Annual Juried Exhibition in Maxwell Mays Gallery. 11 Thomas Street. 3311114, www.providenceartclub.org.

CHAZAN GALLERY AT WHEELER Thru Mar 9: Works by Shawn Gilheeney, Lindsey Glover, Joshua Nierodz-

RISD MUSEUM Mar 18-Nov 6: Corinna Schnitt: Once Upon a Time. Thru Apr 17: Prints for

Gain ExpEriEncE MakE connEctions HavE Fun! Empire Street. 331-2695, www.perishable.org.

SPRING PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP Mar 19-20: Take the mystery out of manual camera controls and learn techniques to capture perfect travel photographs. Hotel Providence, 139 Mathewson Street. 490-8144.

now accepting resumes for:

• Editorial internships • Marketing internships

Send reSume TO

providencemonthly@providenceonline.com

BOXING AT FOXWOODS Mar 12: WBC Middleweight Diamond Championship match featuring Sergio ‘Maravilla’ Martinex vs. Sergiy ‘Razor’ Dzinziruk. MGM Grand Theater, 39 Norwich Westerly Road, Mashantucket, CT. (866) 646-0609, www.mgmatfoxwoods.com.

Seussational! at the Providence Children’s Museum the Japanese New Year. Thru Jun 5: From Dover to Penzance: Watercolor Views of the English Channel; and Changing Poses: The Artist’s Model.

224 Benefit Street. 454-6500, www. risdmuseum.org.

URI FEINSTEIN PROVIDENCE CAMPUS Mar 1-31: Crossing Currents: Feminism Now exhibit. 80 Washington Street. 277-5206, www.uri.edu/prov.

KIDS + FAMILY PROVIDENCE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM Mar 5-6: Seussational!, a weekend-long celebration, featuring activities in honor of Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Mar 12: Doctors at Play, where kids can give teddy bears a check-up. Mar 26-27: Magnet Play. 100 South Street. 273-5437, www.childrenmuseum.org.

STADIUM THEATRE Mar 2: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Mar 11: I Have A Dream, the story of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Mar 25: The Wizard of Oz. 28 Monument Square, Woonsocket. 762-4545, www.stadiumtheatre.com.

VMA Mar 26: The Laurie Berkner Band.

1 Avenue of the Arts. 222-1467, www.vmari.com.

LEARN discussion | instruction | tour DISCUSSION WOMEN’S SUMMIT Mar 10: Guest speakers will offer strategies for professional and personal success, and 20 workshop sessions will explore leadership, finance, negotiation, entrepreneurship, and more. Bryant University, 1150 Douglas Pike, Smithfield. 232-6565, http://wsummit.bryant.edu.

INSTRUCTION MEN’S A CAPPELLA SINGING Thursdays: Open rehearsals with the Narragansett Bay Chorus. Open to men who like to sing a cappella.

Knights of Columbus Hall, 15 Bassett Street, North Providence. www. singnbc.com.

PERISHABLE THEATRE Sundays: Intermediate Ballet, and American Tribal Belly Dance.

Wednesdays: Intermediate/ Advanced Modern Dance. Thursdays: Hop to the Beat Hip Hop classes. Saturdays: Belly Dance. 95

DUNKIN’ DONUTS CENTER Mar 25-26: Harlem Globetrotters.

Lasalle Square. 331-2211, www.ticketmaster.com.

PC FRIARS BASKETBALL March home opponents: Mar 5: Rutgers. Dunkin’ Donuts Center, 1 LaSalle Square. 865-GOPC, www.dunkindonuts center.com.

PROVIDENCE BRUINS March home opponents: Mar 4: Charlotte Checkers. Mar 6, 11, 13: Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Mar 18: Worcester Sharks. Mar 20: Portland Pirates.

Mar 27: Hartford Wolf Pack. Dunkin’ Donuts Center, 1 Lasalle Square. 3310700, www.dunkindonutscenter.com.

RYAN CENTER AT URI Mar 11-12: High School Boy’s Basketball Finals. Mar 26: NECA All-Star Cheer & Dance Championship. 1 Lincoln Almond Plaza, Kingston. 800745-3000, www.theryancenter.com.

Design contractors inc.

Design / Build Fine renovation general contractors residential • commercial

401-751-6363 www.dci-ri.com

additions • built-in cabinetry

SPORTS

Water damage reconstruction

Kitchens • bathrooms

Providence, ri 02906 registration #1324 Painting • restoration

Taste of India Authentic Indian Cuisine

“Where The Taste Says It All” Everyday Lunch Buffet

FULL BAR 230 Wickenden St, Providence 421-4355 • 453-2288 www.tasteofindiaprovri.com

Invest in you . . .

Life Coaching

URI BASKETBALL March home opponents: Mar 2: George Washington. Ryan Center, One Lincoln Almond Plaza, Kingston. www.gorhody.com.

There are no problems in life that can’t be solved.

To have your listing included in the East Side Monthly Calendar, please send press releases or event information to Christina Evon at esm@ providenceonline.com. Please send submissions at least one month prior to event date.

Steven M. Kane, Ph.D.

I’ll help you find your solutions.

Providence, RI 401-454-5700 kanesmk@verizon.net Inquiries invited

March 2011 East Side Monthly

47

Classifieds

To place your classified ad, please call 732-3100.

HOUSE CLEANING Experienced. Local references. Free estimates. Call Lilly, 401-419-2933.

ET’s PROFESSIONAL CLEANING SERVICE Cleaning homes & offices. Over 15 years experience. Insured. Free estimates. Call 272-0334.

A+ INTERIOR PAINTING Fine interiors. 20+ yrs. experience.

Highest quality work. Many references. Fully insured. Based on the East Side. (RI Reg. #19226). Call Patrick, 226-8332.

AUDIO/VIDEO HELP If you need some help with your TV, home theater or stereo, call me at 401-383-4102. Jon Bell, Simply Sight & Sound. Reasonable rates.

25 years of experience.

BUYING OLD PHOTOGRAPHY Also art, fine books, collectibles, etc.

Call 401-421-2628. jcvp@cox.net CEILING WORK, DRYWALL Plaster (hang, tape & paint). Water damage repair. All phases of carpentry. Reg. #24022. Fully insured.

Steven, E. Prov., 401-641-2452.

CHRIS’ LAMP REPAIR We Make House Calls!!! âœŻ Repairing all types of Lamps âœŻ Vintage Lighting Specialist âœŻ Chandelier Repairs âœŻ Serving the East Side for over 15 years âœŻ Fully Insured

(401) 831-8693 www.chrislamprepair.com

DOG WALKER/PET SITTER Trained to administer medications.

Reliable, bonded, references available. Home visits. Call Susan 5273914. Loves animals.

DOROTHY’S CLEANING We clean your home as our own!

References & free estimates. Call 401-274-7871 or 401-524-7453.

48

East Side Monthly March 2011

ELECTRICAL SERVICES All types. New circuits. RI #A3338.

MA #16083A. Insured. Larry 5292087. Also, small handyman jobs.

CYC PAINTING Interior & Exterior

Residential & Commercial

Minor Carpentry Power Washing

HOUSECLEANER Available Crystal Clean, a quality housecleaning service. We don’t cut corners.

Weekly or bi-weekly. We use environmentally friendly products.

Bethany 265-0960.

JAY THE “ERRAND GUY�

With truck. Elderly assistance & transportation. Call 559-0848.

Reg. #27017 & Insured

Carlos 749-3928 EAST SIDE HANDYMAN 34 years. Repairs, upgrades & renovations. References. Insured. Reg. #3052. Call 270-3682.

ELDER CARE AVAILABLE Very kind, patient, mature woman seeks position with elderly person.

Intelligent, cheerful, reliable with 20 years experience, including several long-term positions. Impeccable references. Please call 781-3392 or 497-3392.

HANDYMAN SERVICES Minor repairs. Senior discounts.

Call Al 508-336-6123.

HOME & OFFICE CLEANING All natural, non-toxic products. Safe for people, pets & the environment.

25+ years experience. Weekly, biweekly, monthly & occasional cleanings. References. Call 7398982.

All Concrete Services Specializing in all Masonry Repairs Decorative Stamp Concrete No Job Too Small

Chimney Repair

Reg. # 12299

Classifieds

To place your classified ad, please call 732-3100.

KIND CARE ~ SENIORS Appointments, errands, shopping, cleaning & maint. Well being & home checks. Refs. Ins. 270-3682.

MALIN PAINTING Most ceiling & wall repairs, wallpaper removal, oil-based and latex finishes, staining, varnishing. Fully insured, many local references. Safe, secure, fast service. Call 226-8332.

Reg. #19226.

LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE Spring & Fall Cleanups Bushes Trimmed â?Š Tree Removal Pine Bark Mulch

Landscape Construction Parking Lot Cleaning Handyman â?Š 26 Years Experience

MG Landscaping 644-7417 â?Š 831-5109

SNOW PLOWING

MCCRACKEN PAINTING Exterior & interior. Licensed & insured. Reg. #15479. Quality work. Prompt service. 18 years experience. Call Sean at 996-9669.

Residential/Commercial Free Estimates

Vinny’s Landscaping

PRESERVE YOUR MEMORIES Photos, slides and papers saved to CD or DVD. Comen Co., 7516200. Email: hcomen@cox.net

FEELING OVERWHELMED???!!!

Need your cellar, attic or garage cleaned, but... can’t quite get to it?? You can call TAKE-IT-AWAY-TOM at 401-434-8156 Mobile 401-316-2273

“Counselor on the Debris of Life�

Outside & Inside Painting Clean Cellars, Yards & Garages Install Fences

We also Clean Apartments & Houses Specializing in Removing Boilers and Oil Tanks Bennie Woods Office 438-5708 â—? Cell 286-6338 Reg. #6515

& BOBCAT SERVICES

497-1461 â—? 231-1851

PROACTIVE Computer Services Home or office. Computer repairs, data recovery. Fully equipped mobile service. Service calls $40/hr.

Call 647-7702. www.pcsllcri.com

PROPERTY MANAGER AVAILABLE 24/7 on call. Rent collection. Rentals, evictions. Call 421-0092.

classified advertising Order fOrm r 4 lines /$10 r $2.50 each additional line (includes headline) r $2.00 additional — Boxed Ad name:

______________________________________ phone: _____________________________________ address: city:

SUPERB HOUSEPAINTING High end workmanship. Small jobs a specialty. Call Ron 751-3242.

Reg. #18128.

USED MUSIC WANTED! Round Again Records needs your used CDs and records. Cash paid.

Call 351-6292.

___________________________________

_______________

state:

____

zip:

_________

amount enclosed: __________________________ Visa/mastercard #: _________________________ Please complete form and fax to 732-3110 or phone in your ad to sue at 732-3100 or email sueH@rhodybeat.com mail Payment in full tO: East Side Monthly, c/o Beacon Communications Classifieds, 1944 Warwick Ave. Warwick, RI 02889 March 2011 East Side Monthly

49

East of Elmgrove

by Elizabeth Rau | illustration by Robyn Ng

Going Short Extreme adventures in winter wardrobe I am not a

cold person. I am a warm person. I love sweltering days with thick and still air that never moves, except for the sudden breeze that comes in like a rogue wave.

Growing up in St. Louis, where the August temperatures soared to 100 and beyond, I learned to revel in the heat. Move slowly. Slurp popsicles.

I kept the shoes at home. Walking barefoot on toasty sidewalks was a family tradition.

Up here, in Rhode Island, I go inside for the winter months – all six of them. I put on my uniform – long underwear, a turtleneck, a sweater, a vest, a down jacket – and sit by a hissing radiator in the parlor, reminding myself that nothing lasts forever, especially the weather.

This is not the case with New Englanders. They embrace winter. Take my friend, Henry Bush.

His favorite season is winter. I know this for many reasons. He spends hours climbing snowdrifts in front of his house. He’s got a pretty good slider when he throws a snowball. And he likes to kick up the white stuff on his way to the bus stop.

Once I took him sledding at Moses Brown. Not only was he fearless on the icy slopes, he didn’t seem to mind that, on descent, his calves were exposed to white-frosted winds. I shivered just looking at him.

This year, Henry took his fondness for the cold to the next level. If I were writing a book called, say, Bold in the Cold, I would tap Henry for the introduction. Don’t let the cold run your life, he might write. You have to brush your teeth, but you don’t have to wear pants.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Henry Keenan Bush lives up the street from me in the house with the River Birch. He is 11 years old. He has blue eyes and a mop of unruly blonde hair. His dog, a Bluetick Coonhound, is named Magnolia, but everyone calls her Maggie. Henry is crazy about sports: soccer, baseball, football, hockey, squash, tennis, badminton, ping-pong. He is an avid skier.

“It gets my – what’s that called – adrenaline going, especially when I go off jumps,’’ he says.

“You look down and everything’s smaller. It just seems like you’re the king of the world.’’

50

East Side Monthly March 2011

In early fall – September 10, to be exact – Henry was walking to the bus stop two blocks from his house when an idea came to him that was so perfect he wondered why he hadn’t thought of it earlier.

He had recently read an article about a boy who went an entire year without wearing shoes to find out what it would be like to be homeless. As he scurried down the sidewalk to catch the 7:28,

Henry thought, I wonder what it would be like to wear shorts all year, even during the winter.

“I didn’t want to be homeless,’’ he says. “I wanted to do something different. I could have worn a short sleeve shirt all year, but that wouldn’t have been as hard. You just wear your coat.’’

Thus began a pledge that has captured the attention of all who know and admire him and turned him into an iconic figure among his classmates at Henry Barnard School, where he is a pupil in Miss P’s fifth-grade class.

“It’s kind of unbelievable,’’ says my son, Peder, a fellow student. “The cold can be painful, but Henry attacks it in the best way.’’

It hasn’t been easy.

September, Henry reports, was a manageable month as far as shorts go. The weather was mild, the wind gentle. He fluctuated between his white khaki shorts and midnight blue gym shorts.

November, however, proved to be more difficult.

“The coldness was like – bang – it just came at me,’’ he says. “It felt like I was swimming in really cold water.’’

One morning he woke up and looked out his window. The trees were bare. The sky was gray.

The wind sounded like a roaring locomotive. His pants stared at him longingly. The temptation was powerful, but Henry reached for his shorts.

“I started wearing shorts and I wanted to finish wearing shorts,’’ he says.

During the Thanksgiving break, he had a brief reprieve when he went to visit his grandparents in Florida. Henry used the visit as an opportunity to “dethaw’’ his legs. The balmy weather was “soothing’’ and “relaxing.’’ He came back invigorated.

Arctic temperatures are unkind to bare skin, and such was the case with Henry. Chapped calves started to appear in December and stayed with him. Still, Henry forged ahead. He rubbed “creamy stuff’’ on his wounds at night and by morning his legs were healed and ready to face yet another frigid day.

The East Side is a small community.

Not surprisingly, most people in the neighborhood know about Henry and his shorts. There are exceptions. The other day, Henry was alighting from my car and another boy, unaware of Henry’s pledge, commented about his scantily-clad legs.

“Why are you wearing shorts?’’ the boy said.

“Cuz,’’ said Henry.

Indeed, Henry’s answer to inquiries of this nature is usually, “Cuz,’’ which is another way of saying, “Because I want to. Case closed. Period.’’

Without a doubt, Henry has pluck. If he has the determination to get through a winter without pants, imagine what he can accomplish at NASA, Google headquarters or the White House.

“Just do it,’’ Henry says, offering advice to others who also believe less is more. “On really cold days, you just have to put on shorts. It’s not that hard. The bus is heated and so is the classroom.’’

The challenge, he says, is staying warm at recess. Like all great thinkers, he has a solution: a rousing game of football.

Elizabeth Rau is an East Side resident who can be reached at erau1@verizon.net.

A special sign for special properties.

Wherever you find an Engel & Völkers sign, you can be sure it will not be there for long. Our experienced team of real estate professionals combines the best of local market expertise with unparalleled global market knowledge and resources. With over 420 offices worldwide, we are uniquely qualified to find the right clients – ones who truly appreciate the value of a special property. So, whether you are selling or renting, placing your property in our hands is always a sign of good things to come.

Residential, Commercial, and Yacht Brokerage

East Side Providence · 273-2050 www.engelvoelkers.com/providence · Realtor

59c9f9cbef01ac1616a926a31c323c301 1

04.02.2011 18:19:37

Your East Side Headquarters for College Playoff Basketball!

Plenty of Televisions, Great Beers on Tap & Awesome Deals

We have new menu items like wheat crust pizza, pesto pizza, paninis and more

Hope Street Pizza 772 Hope Street, Providence • 273-5955 • www.hopestreetpizza.com Sun-Thu 10:30am-1am • Fri-Sat 10:30am-2am

March 2011 East Side Monthly

51

E a s t

s i d E

P r o P E r t i E s

Prospect. 5 quality Condos in signature brick mansion.

Elegant historic details combined with modern amenities. Choose from 1-2 bed units or the spectacular penthouse that occupies the entire top 2 floors. Starting at $299,000.

Taber. Elegant Gambrel Colonial with gracious entry, panelled library, spacious living room w/fireplace, formal dining, butler’s pantry, kitchen with breakfast nook. Gleaming floors, tall ceilings, side screened porch. $725,000.

Williams. Elegant Italianate Townhouse in heart of Historic District. High ceilings, fine details, sun filled rooms, fireplaces, 4 beds PLUS a legal 1 bed rental unit at $900/month, porch, patio, garden, garage $675,000.

North Main. Tall windows surround this exceptional intown Condo! 2 beds, 2 full baths. Open and bright with custom details throughout. Red oak floors, tray ceilings, quality built-ins, double sided fireplace, fabulous kitchen, large deck, 2-car garage.$945,000

Thomas. Live in style in the heart of the city! Stunning views! Spacious open layout flooded in sunlight. Gorgeous details, fireplace, hardwoods, gourmet kitchen. Elevator & garage pkg.

Minutes to train/universities. $875,000.

Angell. Unparalleled! Expert renovation of signature College Hill residence. Gourmet kitchen, fireplaces in both living & dining room, luxurious master, 5/6 beds, media room, wine cellar, & more! $1,899,000.

George. An architectural gem: The Eliza Ward 1814 Historic Brick Federal. Breathtaking interior with parlors. Features incredible winding staircase, library, detailed moldings & high ceilings.

Best location on East Side! $2,100,000.

James. Elegant brick Federal home graciously redesigned for today’s living. State of the art kitchen opens to deck overlooking stone patio and landscape architect designed grounds. Walk to colleges, parks, downtown! $930,000.

Cooke. Elegant, classic, gracious, warm. All of the above! The historic Zechariah Chafee House has moved into the 21st century with a new kitchen, baths, and central air. Beautiful light and sweeping front staircase. $1,250,000. Adjoining lot available.

401.274.6740 • ResidentialProperties.com

BARRINGTON CUMBERLAND EAST GREENWICH NARRAGANSETT PROVIDENCE RELOCATION