This season, inventory of all types and in most price ranges continues to be
low, keeping buyers active and listings competitive, despite the rocky political climate. That’s both the good and bad thing about a strong local economy and a lack of buildable land to increase the housing stock. Interest rates remain low and stable—for now. In our area, it has been another great year for sellers and a challenging year for buyers. It’s hard to remember, in a market like this one, that things will shift at some point; prices will go down and properties will sit longer on the market. At this juncture, it’s hard to see when we will reach that point. CONGRATULATIONS to our own Team Jen & Lynn, who won Best Real Estate Agents from Scout Magazine, and to everyone in the office for winning Best Real Estate Agency! We feel honored and will do our best to keep up the good work. Best Real Estate Agent
Best Real Estate Agency
New Listings 1 Summer Street #4, Somerville ~ $1,195,000 Chic unit in a renovated Gothic Revival church in the heart of Union Square. Features spacious, open living area with 45’ ceiling, and above it, a mezzanine master bedroom suite with spa bath and lofted study/yoga space. Below the living level are 2 bedrooms and another full bath. In-unit laundry, central air, elevator, and 2 garage spaces.
Commercial 34 Allen Street, Somerville ~ $1,800,000 Imagine the possibilities...masonry building on one level with 16’ ceiling height, just steps to the future Union Sq. Green Line Extension station. The 62’ wide x 42’ deep structure was constructed in 1985 of 12” thick concrete block with poured concrete, brick face, and flat steel roof with rubber membrane. Paved parking for 7+ vehicles. Currently used for martial arts classes by an Aikido dojo. S Building is currently in RB zone with a legal, non-conforming use (recreational/health club) approved by ZBA in 2008. Previous use as a factory was also legal and non-conforming.
Coming Soon
Thalia Tringo
President, Realtor ® 617.513.1967 cell/text Thalia@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
Niké Damaskos
Residential Sales and Commercial Sales and Leasing 617.875.5276 Nike@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
Davis Square Single Family
Spacious, renovated single with 4 beds, 2.5 baths, and driveway on a lovely street in an ideal residential location near the T.
Union Square 2-family
Beautifully renovated 2-family that could be converted back to a single. On a side street with parking and yard, steps to the heart of the square.
Free Classes Tuesday, November 28th or Tuesday, January 16th
Residential Sales Specialist, Realtor ® 617.943.9581 cell/text Jennifer@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
Lynn C. Graham
Basic Home Maintenance:
preparing your home for winter
Jennifer Rose
6:30-7:45 pm
Residential Sales Specialist, Realtor ® 617.216.5244 cell/text Lynn@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
Do you worry about pipes bursting? Ice dams? Clogged gutters? Broken downspouts? Heat loss? Damage from broken tree limbs? Heating system failure? Routine maintenance is the best way to prevent damage to your most important investment: your home. Come to this class to get a checklist and explanation of the things you need to do to maintain your home—and sanity.
Brendon Edwards
First Time Home Buyers:
an overview of the buying process Wednesday, January 24
th
6:30-7:45 pm
If you’re considering buying your first home and want to understand what’s in store, this is a quick and helpful overview. Led by our agents and a loan officer from a local bank, it includes a 45-min presentation and 1/2 hour Q&A session. Handouts and refreshments provided.
How to Buy and Sell at the Same Time: for homeowners contemplating a move Monday, January 29
th
6:30-7:45 pm
If trying to figure out the logistics of selling your home and buying a new one makes your head spin, this workshop will help make the process understandable. This workshop, led by our agents and a loan officer from a local bank, includes a 45-min presentation and 1/2 hour Q&A session. Handouts and refreshments provided.
How Individuals Can Buy Property Together as a Group: a primer for non-traditional homebuyers Tuesday, February 6th
6:30-7:45 pm
When two or more people, whether or not they are related, buy property together, what are their options for taking title? How do you determine each one’s financial contributions, percentage legal interest in the property, and expense allocation? What kind of arrangements can be made in the event one or more parties want to move on but others want to keep the property? What type of financing is available? We will address these and other questions in this class with a follow-up Q&A session. Lead by our team and a local real estate attorney.
Eco-Friendly/Green Homes Tuesday, January 23rd
6:30-8:00 pm
If you’re dreaming of a home that’s the ultimate in energy efficiency, join us for a presentation about green homes, also known as passive homes. We’ll discuss the lingo associated with this technology, show various examples of homes that use the passive home design/standards, and the various programs currently available to retrofit your home. Presented by a local Architect/Designer, Tagore Hernandez with Group Design Build. 1 hour presentation and 20 minutes Q&A. Handouts and refreshments provided.
To reserve space in any class, please email Adaria@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com. Admission is free, but we appreciate donations of canned goods for the Somerville Homeless Coalition.
Residential Sales Specialist, Realtor ® 617.895.6267 cell/text Brendon@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
Adaria Brooks
Executive Assistant to the President, Realtor ® 617.308.0064 cell/text Adaria@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
About our company... We are dedicated to representing our buyer and seller clients with integrity and professionalism. We are also commi ed to giving back to our community. Our agents donate $250 to a non-profit in honor of each transaction and Thalia Tringo & Associates Real Estate Inc. also gives $250 to a pre-selected group of local charities for each transaction. Visit our office, 128 Willow Avenue, on the bike path in Davis Square, Somerville.
NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2017 ::: VOLUME 29 ::: SCOUTCAMBRIDGE.COM
Celebrating the Holidays
THE HOLIDAY ISSUE 16 // THE ASIYAH JEWISH COMMUNITY POPS UP IN CAMBERVILLE Asiyah is a part of Aleph, the Jewish Renewal Movement that’s egalitarian and emphasizes gender equality. 18 // HOME FOR EACH OTHER’S HOLIDAYS For interfaith couples, December can mean navigating each other’s religious celebrations. 22 // HOLIDAY SNAPSHOTS Cambridge sure knows how to celebrate.
30
24 // RECIPES FOR THE SEASON The Cambridge School of Culinary Arts offers ideas for how to keep your table festive this winter.
contents 6 // EDITOR’S NOTE 8 // WINNERS & LOSERS Education First is constructing a 12-story building in Cambridge. Plus wild turkeys are on the rise … and they’re attacking. 10 // WHAT’S NEW? Cambridge College is leaving the city, and a local debate over Dr. Seuss has attracted a national audience. 14 // NEWS: ARE PUBLICLY FUNDED ELECTIONS VIABLE IN CAMBRIDGE? The city manager is exploring the possibility of having publicly funded elections. Here’s what you need to know.
40 // FROM THE CLOUD TO THE PAIGE: MEET HARVARD BOOK STORE’S ON-DEMAND PRINTER Written a book? Thanks to Paige, it could be in your hands within minutes. 42 // THE B-3 KINGS FASHION A ‘MUSICAL CHURCH’ OUT OF THE PLOUGH AND STARS The B-3 Kings’ intersections between blues, soul, boogaloo, and rock ’n’ roll are tied together by organist Rusty Scott. 44 // CALENDAR 46 // SCOUT YOU
42
30 // GIFT GUIDE Not sure what to get family, friends, and yourself this holiday season? We’ve got you covered. 38 // LOCAL SHOPPING DIRECTORY Shop these Scout sponsors.
Photo, top: A gift box from Spindler Confections. Photo by Adrianne Mathiowetz. Photo, bottom: The B-3 Kings play at The Plough and Stars. Photo by Evan Sayles. On the cover: Maple-pecan sticky buns. Photo by Chris McIntosh.
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EDITOR’S NOTE
F
all will always remind me of fresh starts, no matter how removed I am from elementary school’s exciting first days. It somehow feels more like the start of a new chapter than Jan. 1 does, as autumn air breathes refreshing crispness after the muggy days of summer. This September marked a fresh chapter for Scout. As our beloved former editor, Emily Cassel, moved to Minneapolis, a new team took the reins here. Tim Gagnon, our new staff writer and social media coordinator, is the one to thank for the wit in our newsletter and on our Winners & Losers and What’s New pages. Adrianne Mathiowetz’s stunning photos are there to bring these stories to life for you. We’re excited that she increased her role with us this fall and has taken on Photo by Adrianne Mathiowetz. the job of photography director. Holli Banks Allien, our publisher, and Nicolle Renick, our trusty art director, have been rocks for us through this changing of the guard. Holli’s why we can make our mags available for pickup free of charge, and Nicolle’s why they look so good when you get your hands on them. Jerry, our circulation director, makes the final push to ensure they’re accessible in your favorite spots all over the city. To introduce myself—I lived in Somerville for years and recently moved to Cambridge, so I feel deeply embedded in both the communities we cover here at Scout. I’m looking forward to delivering what you want to read and what you need to know. This issue, which focuses on celebrating the holidays, has been an exciting first edition for our new team. Looking at the innovative ways this city navigates the holiday season—check out Jonathan Barlam’s story on a pop-up Jewish community, for example—has let us pay tribute to the unique character of Cambridge as we continue to develop our publication’s role here. Our new team has a lot of ideas for Scout, and we welcome your ideas as well. Please reach out—I’d be happy to speak or get a cup of coffee with anyone from the community.
Reena Karasin Reena Karasin, Editor-in-Chief rkarasin@scoutmagazines.com
PUBLISHER Holli Banks Allien hbanks@scoutmagazines.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Reena Karasin rkarasin@scoutmagazines.com ART DIRECTOR Nicolle Renick design@scoutmagazines.com renickdesign.com PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR Adrianne Mathiowetz photo@scoutmagazines.com adriannemathiowetz.com CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Jerry Allien jallien@scoutmagazines.com STAFF WRITER AND SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Tim Gagnon tgagnon@scoutmagazines.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Adam Sennott, Jonathan Barlam, Nicholas Golden CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Angela Cook, Randi Freundlich, Chris McIntosh, Evan Sayles COPY EDITOR Amanda Kersey BANKS PUBLICATIONS 519 Somerville Ave, #314 Somerville, MA 02143 FIND US ONLINE scoutcambridge.com scoutcambridge
scoutcambridge @scoutmags
Office Phone: 617-996-2283 Advertising inquiries? Please contact hbanks@scoutmagazines.com. CIRCULATION 36,000 copies of Scout Cambridge are printed bimonthly and are available for free at more than 250 drop spots throughout the city (and just beyond its borders). You can find sign up for home delivery by visiting scoutcambridge.com/shop. 6 November | December 2017 scoutcambridge.com
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scoutcambridge.com November | December 2017
7
W&L WINNERS
LOSERS
CIRCUS TENTS A big top popped up on the Cambridge horizon in October, but alas, the circus hasn’t made a late seasonal detour into town. Education First, an international education company, is breaking ground on a new 12-story building for its Cambridge campus, according to the Boston Globe. The tent was “inspired by the site’s former use as a staging area for circuses that performed nearby at the old Boston Garden,” the article says. The new building will add about 300 jobs.
BIKE LANES Biking around Greater Boston can cause a daily internal debate: is it worth saving a few bucks in travel to weave around double-parked cars, jaywalking pedestrians, and distracted bus drivers? Better bike lanes seem like an obvious solution, but new, separated lanes along Cambridge and Brattle Streets have removed parking spots and created arguments over potential pedestrian/biker collisions and drops in foot traffic. “We did the right thing. We did it the wrong way,” Mayor Denise Simmons said about the lanes at a recent City Council meeting, according to the Cambridge Chronicle. “I don’t think that any city out there has figured this out in a way that is applicable to Cambridge because no one has roads as messed up as ours are,” Councilor Leland Cheung added.
MAKING A HOME Furnishing Hope, a nonprofit that provides families who are transitioning out of homelessness with kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom “starter sets,” moved to a larger space in Harvard Square this fall. The bigger office will let Furnishing Hope grow, host more volunteer events, and form more partnerships with local organizations. Now located on Mount Auburn Street, Furnishing Hope is on track to help 60 families this year. FACING THE FACTS At Harvard Law School’s bicentennial celebration, faculty unveiled a monument to enslaved workers who were owned by Isaac Royall, Jr., a benefactor of the school. “Slavery is an aspect of Harvard’s past that has very rarely been acknowledged,” Harvard University President Drew Faust told Boston Magazine. “As we acknowledge here today, Harvard, along with many other institutions in New England, was directly complicit in America’s system of racial bondage.”
AGGRO TURKEYS It seemed like Cambridge councilors were serving up slasher-movie ideas last month at a community meeting, but according to a Cambridge Chronicle article, they were discussing a legit concern: wild turkeys are on the rise … and they’re attacking. The council voted to work alongside the director of the Animal Commission to develop a plan to acquaint the animals to urban life and to provide information to residents affected by the local uptick in wild turkeys over the past five years. “They’re wildlife and they’re governed by state law. There’s a limit to what we can do about them,” Councilor Craig Kelley reportedly said. A local Animal Commission officer later shot back at the claim in a Cambridge Patch article, stating the turkeys are a “non-issue.” YEP, HARVARD AGAIN. Harvard came under fire for its choice of Institute of Politics fellows this year. Former press secretary Sean Spicer and formerly incarcerated intelligence analyst/ whistleblower Chelsea Manning were among those granted fellowships. Within a week, Harvard rescinded Manning’s fellowship. Meanwhile, Spicer’s inclusion, along with a heavily protested appearance by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, have resulted in petitions and ongoing criticism, according to Boston Magazine.
Someone rustle your jimmies or tickle your fancy?
Let us know at scoutcambridge.com/contact-us, and we just might crown them a winner or loser.
8 November | December 2017 scoutcambridge.com
NEWS FROM THE NORTH Here’s just some of what you’ll find in the November/ December edition of our sibling publication, Scout Somerville.
SANTA’S WORKSHOP, RIGHT IN WINTER HILL Step inside one of the homes on the Illuminations Tour, where Lenny Rigione brings wood to life.
MEET REV. DAY Reverend Da Vita D. McCallister, the new lead reverend of First Church Somerville, has been out as a lesbian for as long as she’s been ordained, and the tensions between her sexuality and her faith run deep.
BRINGING FRESH FOOD HOME Winter Hill hasn’t had much in the way of nearby fresh produce—until now. Scout Somerville is available at McCabe’s on Mass, the S&S Restaurant and hundreds of other places throughout Cambridge and Somerville. Head to scoutsomerville.com/pick-up-spots for a full list of locations!
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scoutcambridge.com November | December 2017
9
WHAT’S NEW?
NEW BEGINNINGS, FOND FAREWELLS, AND ROUGH TRANSITIONS
CAMBRIDGE COLLEGE
COMING SOON
O
MOVED
ne fewer college will claim Cambridge as home as the aptly named Cambridge College moves its new campus to Hood Park this semester. The new campus “consolidates the four schools into a single campus in Boston,” according to a press release from the college, offering a school of undergraduate studies, a school of education, a school of management, and a school of psychology and counseling. “We are delighted to welcome new, returning, and future students to Cambridge College’s beautiful new unified Boston campus,” Deborah Jackson, president of Cambridge College, said in the statement. “The majority of our students live and work in the Boston area, and our new centrally located campus will more effectively meet the needs of our busy students while attracting a broader population of new students.” Along with being five minutes from the Sullivan Square stop on the Orange Line, Cambridge College’s new location pledges closer relationships with neighboring health care and biotechnology companies like MGH Partners, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, and Indigo Agriculture.
10 November | December 2017 scoutcambridge.com
&PIZZA
We’ve reported on the selfproclaimed “anti-establishment establishment” pizza chain in past issues (and, y’know, on the next page with the equally trendy food spot Milk Bar), but &pizza has generated a notable amount of headlines this past month for a restaurant that doesn’t even have a location in Cambridge yet. On top of recent struggles to gain a foothold in Harvard Square, the joint pizza/dessert spot is already fielding complaints from future neighbors after a graffiti and tattoo commercial campaign became “too literal” for some, according to an op-ed in the Cambridge Day. A recently released promo promotes actors hopping fences, graffiting public property, and getting tattoos of
the company’s ampersand logo to signify membership to their so-called “tribe” of pizza lovers. &pizza took it one step further in New York recently by offering a year of free pizza to the first 22 customers to get the “tribe” tattoo according to Thrillist, which boosted critics like WGBH morning show host Jim Braude to petition its Boston location. While claiming the notion of calling their fanbase a “tribe” seems “racial and smacking of colonialism,” Cambridge Day reporter Marc Levy added that the campaign was “pizza to the extreme – meaning this, truly, is the Poochiefication of pizza, doing for cheap carbs what the Poochie episode of ‘The Simpsons’ did for recycling, except without irony.”
Photo, top left, courtesy of Cambridge College.
DEVELOPING NEWS
s Come in a a customer,
. leave as a friend
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
FROM ALL OF US AT JOHN’S AUTO SALES! THE DEBATE OVER DR. SEUSS
The story of a Cambridge librarian who refused children’s books donated by Melania Trump became one of the most surprisingly dramatic stories of the fall, and the rejection spurred a sea change of support for the Springfield-born children’s author Dr. Seuss. According to the initial response letter, published on book review site Horn Book, librarian Liz Phipps Soeiro rejected the books in part because of disagreement with policies made by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, but later criticized Seuss as a “tired and worn ambassador for children’s literature.” Adding that Seuss’s “illustrations are steeped in racist propaganda,” counterstatements began pouring in from the likes of Springfield mayor Domenic Sarno and former presidential candidate Ted Cruz. Despite politicians’ defense of Seuss, the late author/illustrator came under fire once again in October. Three modern children’s book authors—Mo Willems, Mike Curato, and Lisa Yee—released a joint letter protesting an event at The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum over a “jarring racial stereotype” of a Chinese man on display in one of the museum’s murals, according to WBUR’s The ARTery. The president of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, Susan Brandt, has announced that a new mural design is in the works.
If we don’t have in stock the
BEEKEEPERS’ RIGHTS
Stories of mass beehive extinction make a yearly appearance in the news, but a “44 percent” loss of colonies among U.S. beekeepers between 2015 and 2016 on top of “losses of almost 17 percent” in the U.K., according to CNN and the British Beekeepers Association, are starting to signal a very serious bee epidemic. Luckily, the interest in urban beekeeping has risen in recent years, leading to mixed reactions from Cambridge residents. The Cambridge Ordinance Committee held a public hearing in October to map out new beekeeping guidelines in light of an uptick in bees introduced to the area. Proposed ordinances have been brought to the City Council, but zoning revisions and general “bureaucratic uncertainty” keep any formal, legitimate changes from reaching the fledgling beekeepers and businesses of Cambridge, the Cambridge Chronicle reports. “That report is taking an incredibly long time. It has been about two years,” City Councilor Marc McGovern recently said according to the Chronicle, echoing the confusion and downright “impatience” of other elected officials.
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scoutcambridge.com November | December 2017
11
WHAT’S NEW?
FALL FEASTING + FOOD UPDATES Allston would make even the most avid carb eater doze off before leaving the parking lot. Thankfully, Eater Boston reports that the chain is looking to make another home in Harvard Square as soon as fall 2018. Rejoice, bread lovers. CENTRAL SQUARE
BARAKA CAFE
“Morocco is a country of contrast, magic and timeless wonders,” a description of Baraka Cafe says, romantically painting a scenery of “rich nourishing land, mountain snows, beaches, desert, and lush oases” and offering absolutely delectable-looking couscous and lamb dishes. In the spirit of its expansive imagery, the restaurant has taken up a bigger residence on Mass. Ave. in a spot the Boston Globe called “lavishly decorated.” INMAN SQUARE
MOMI NONMI
EAST CAMBRIDGE
BON ME
F
or the local festival goer and general food truck fan, the Bon Me truck has become a beacon of light for Asian-inspired, vegetarian-option-heavy cuisine since 2011. Although the bánh mì sandwich and ginger lemonade combo might be synonymous with lounging on a lawn at Boston Calling for you, the food truck is now giving you a terrestrial option with its flagship restaurant opening in East Cambridge, according to a Bon Me press release. Along with fan favorites, the restaurant offers new selections like the Dan Dan noodle bowl, chicken udon noodle soup, and a vegetarian take on a bibimbap bowl. Add that with beer and cider on tap for the first time in a Bon Me location, who needs a festival? (Just kidding, we still like festivals.) CENTRAL SQUARE
falling down the rabbit hole for this one…
Big fan of the Mass Ave Diner, but inexplicably wish it was kinda COMING theMOVED trippier? As of October, SOON breakfast food spot transforms into m.A.d. City by night, an “Alice in Wonderland”-inspired bar and restaurant with LED lights and a psychedelic mural. Touted as an “upscale dive bar” by head chef Harvard Aninye, m.A.d. City is looking to bring wine cocktails and wordplayheavy dishes to the table (think popcorn chicken reinvisioned as a popcorn puree and butterroasted leeks). We’re already
HARVARD SQUARE
M.A.D. CITY
12 November | December 2017 scoutcambridge.com
MILK BAR
COMING SOON
We reported in our July/August issue that D.C.-based chain &pizza’s struggle to move to Harvard Square was at a standstill, but the City of Cambridge has now approved a permit for the pizza shop to partner with famed New York-based bakery Milk Bar, according to Eater Boston. Created when Chef Christina Tossi started the dessert programs at Momofuku, Milk Bar earned its own reputation 10 years ago with “naked cakes”—cakes
with intentionally unfrosted sides. Along with inventions like “cereal milk ice cream,” “compost cookies,” and “crack pie,” Tossi’s dessert empire is MOVED known worldwide as much for its creativity as for its iconic neon “milk” sign. The location is expected to open in early 2018. HARVARD SQUARE
SWISSBAKERS
COMING SOON
You’re probably already aware of the pretzels and baked goods chain Swissbakers, but you’re probably also aware that the sheer carb overload that would result from traveling all the way out to its location in Lower
COMING SOON
Honestly, the phrase “elaborate sake service” is enough for us to poke our heads into any restaurant, but Momi Nonmi promises to be much, much more than a place for you to unclassily ask your server if the service includes “elaborate” sake bombs. Owner/chef Chris Chung comes from Ken Origner’s sashimi bar in Back Bay and Lincoln’s Aka Bistro, a Japanese-French fusion spot, so his Hawaiian cuisine-inspired takes on sashimi, teppanyaki, and tempura are plated with experience. And yes, because you’re probably still curious, the sake portion of the drink menu boasts “masu box pour-overs, rotating flights, and a reserve selection,” according to Eater Boston.
MOVE
KENDALL SQUARE
BELLY WINE BAR AND THE BLUE ROOM
On a sadder note: Amidst so many openings this month, Belly Wine Bar and MOVED The Blue Room had a weekCOMING of SOON auctions, heartfelt Instagram posts, and fond goodbyes before closing its doors at the end of summer. “Go out and eat in a restaurant tonight, wouldya?!,” the restaurant’s final Instagram post reads. “Make
Photo, top left, courtesy of Bon Me. Photo, top right, courtesy of Wit’s End. Photo, circle, courtesy of Patty Chen’s Dumpling Room.
MOVED
the acquaintance of your server, the host or whomever. Go back, again and again. Don’t be afraid of the familiar.” The owners of the restaurant/bar, operating in Kendall Square since 2012, also own Central Bottle Wine in Cambridge and encourage fans of Belly and Blue Room to come visit. INMAN SQUARE
WIT’S END
COMING SOON
Hops Test Kitchen & Raw Bar has shuttered, but its new owners are already building a witty reputation in its place. Wit’s End owner Pete Stein has kept a humorous personal blog documenting the bar’s genesis since early 2017, replete with goofy personal photos and pleas for word-of-mouth buzz he jokingly calls “the greatest ponzi scheme, errr, I mean communication scheme in the world.” The bar itself, slated for a November opening, aims to be a “casual, neighborhood place for those wishing to be with their friends,” according to a job listing the restaurant posted on Craigslist. Along with small plates and “fun drinks,” Stein encourages guests to “engage in witty banter, friendly debate and perhaps win (or lose) an argument.”
CENTRAL SQUARE
nue Best Music Ve
CINDERELLA’S AND PATTY CHEN’S DUMPLING ROOM
Hope you got your Cinderella’s and Patty Chen’s fix sorted while you still could; construction of a boutique hotel at 907 Main Street in Cambridge temporarily closed Patty Chen’s Dumpling Room and permanently shuttered Cinderella’s at the end of October. According MOVED to Eater Boston, the construction will close Patty Chen’s “for six to eight months before relocating to a new section of the building that will be added during construction.” Nearby neighbors Toscanini’s will continue serving ice cream during the construction, eventually offering an entrance from the hotel into the shop. CENTRAL SQUARE
COMING SOON
SHEGER CAFE AND ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANT In a booming period for Central Square restaurants, East African restaurant Sheger Cafe quietly applied for a license to settle down on Mass. Ave. sometime in the near future. The Boston Restaurant Talk blog also reports that the Ethiopian spot will be intimate, with room for 14 seats inside and eight outside, but few other details have been announced.
The holiday season is approaching!
T
he Middle East is now taking holiday party bookings for all venues. Catering and entertainment packages are also available! Contact siearra@mideastclub.com for more details.
MOVED
Our famous PuPu P latter
Think there’s news we missed? Hey, we can’t fit it
all here. Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter, the Scout Dispatch, to get top headlines from around Cambridge delivered straight to your inbox every Friday. Learn more at scoutcambridge.com/e-newsletter.
472 – 480 MASS AVE • CAMBRIDGE • 617.864.3278 scoutcambridge.com November | December 2017 13
NEWS
ARE PUBLICLY FUNDED ELECTIONS VIABLE IN CAMBRIDGE? BY ADAM SENNOTT | PHOTO BY ADRIANNE MATHIOWETZ
C
ity Councilor Nadeem Mazen can still remember representatives of special interest groups approaching him on the street to offer him funding during his 2013 campaign. “I would have folks who passed me on the street and say, ‘Nadeem it’s election season, I’ve got to give you that max contribution,’” Mazen says. 14 November | December 2017 scoutcambridge.com
When he declined, Mazen says they would try to assure him they were his friends. “These people seek you out,” Mazen says. “They want to keep the relationship lines open, and they want to keep the conversation very productive, and in many cases, very profitable.” One way to limit the influence of special interest
money is publicly financed elections, Mazen argues. He recently supported a petition filed by Cambridge Residents for Responsible Elections (CRRE) that sought to place a nonbinding question on the November ballot asking residents if they would support using tax dollars to fund political campaigns. The initiative was effectively
killed after Councilor Leland Cheung, who is not seeking reelection, delayed the vote during an August council meeting. CRRE is now waiting on a report from the city manager on the viability of such a plan in Cambridge. The group points to other communities throughout the country that publicly finance elections as proof that such a
program could work. Seattle provides citizens with publicly funded “democracy vouchers,” according to CRRE’s website. The vouchers are worth $100, and residents can donate them to up to four candidates. New York City and Berkeley, Calif. both match small donations at a certain rate, and in New Haven, Conn. the city provides candidates with a lump sum grant. Anne Taylor and Zach Epstein helped create CRRE more than a year ago. There are about half a dozen regular participants in the group that range from a former ACLU lawyer to a high school student, they say. The group has also spoken with about 60 to 70 people who have expressed interest
in campaign finance reform. Taylor says she’s interested in campaign finance reform because it impacts every single other issue a politician touches. “I have found that most issues in society, whether it’s healthcare, affordable housing, real estate development, it all stems from money in politics,” Taylor says. “The feeling the special interests have influence over our politicians, I think that issue is magnified at the federal level, and I think there are a lot of movements to make change there, but I also think it starts local.” Taylor says the petition CRRE sent to the council was meant to start a conversation about the possibility of publicly financing elections. The petition itself did not outline how candidates would be eligible for funds or how they would be distributed. “We’re just citizens, we’re residents,” Taylor says. “We don’t have the expertise to know exactly what model would work best in Cambridge. So that’s why it’s a good thing that the city manager has been asked to look at these models and see what might work and then present it to the public.” While most of the council has expressed support for publicly financed campaigns, not all of them liked the way the petition was presented. Cheung says he spent “too much” time raising funds as a candidate, and that it would be better if candidates could devote more of their efforts to talking with residents about what they’d like to accomplish. But despite his support for the idea of publicly financed campaigns, he says he found the CRRE’s petition offensive. During the September council meeting, he said the language of the petition insinuated that the councilors had been bought by special interest groups. “Generally, I thought it was incendiary and misrepresentative of what is actually going on and the way people are being represented in Cambridge,” Cheung says. He also expressed concern about how such a plan would be implemented. “The devil is in the details,”
Cheung says. “The overall sentiment can be good, but the difference between something being good and bad for residents is in the implementation. There are some broader questions that need to be answered, and I think the petition didn’t answer some of the broader questions. We could be raising taxes on people who can’t afford it, because that’s where tax dollars come from.” He says he’s concerned about how candidates will be able to spend the funds once they get them, and doesn’t want to see taxpayer dollars spent on Uber rides, groceries, drinks with friends, or salaries for candidates’ potentially under-qualified friends. He says he’d also like a better understanding of who would qualify for public funds and who wouldn’t. “Right now, pretty much anybody can get on the ballot [in Cambridge],” Cheung said. “Do I want my tax dollars being given to a convicted wife beater? No. So that’s a question that needs to be answered.” Councilor Jan Devereux, who also supports the idea of publicly financed campaigns, says she was
Still, she says she has returned several donations she didn’t feel comfortable accepting. “Recently I did in fact refund a pretty modest $250 donation from a business owner in Harvard Square who also has applied to open a medical marijuana dispensary,” Devereux says. Although she noted that the donation was made online and wasn’t solicited—and that the council had voted on medical marijuana zoning months earlier—Devereux says she still decided to give it back. She says she returned a similar donation from a construction labor union. “For appearances’ sake, I don’t need that money,” Devereux says. While some councilors have been able to avoid accepting special interest money, Mazen says such contributions are still giving some candidates in Cambridge a “clear and unfair advantage.” “In Cambridge and across the country, there are special interests influencing elections and making off with incredible, friendly, giveaway legislation,” Mazen says. “Many people think this is just happening at the
“These people seek you out. They want to keep the relationship lines open, and they want to keep the conversation very productive, and in many cases, very profitable.” Nadeem Mazen, City Councilor surprised when the petition didn’t move forward in August. “It seemed to me to be about as reasonable and easy an ask to support as any I can think of,” Devereux sys. “So even had I not been somebody who has talked about the need for campaign finance reform and public financing for the entire time I’ve been involved in public office, it would’ve seemed to me a pretty easy thing to support.” Unlike Mazen, Devereux says she hasn’t been approached too often by special interest groups.
federal level. No, it is happening in Cambridge [and] it is happening in your city.” Candidates who reject special interest money could raise $30,000 less than those who accept the funds, according to Mazen. This difference can have a large impact in races that are often won or lost by slim margins. Mazen won his seat in 2013 by six votes. “The folks who have sworn off special interest money are at a serious disadvantage,” he says.
scoutcambridge.com November | December 2017 15
THE HOLIDAY ISSUE
ASIYAH JEWISH COMMUNITY POPS UP IN CAMBERVILLE 16 November | December 2017 scoutcambridge.com
BY JONATHAN BARLAM
S
ituated under a massive willow tree at North Point Park, a group of roughly 20 people sang Hebrew songs accompanied by a guitar and talked philosophy. They were participating in “Tashlich by the Charles,” one of the first official gatherings of the Asiyah Jewish Community. Tashlich is a Jewish tradition during the High Holidays where participants have a once-a-year chance to cast off their sins. Asiyah’s founder, David Curiel, led the ceremony, accompanied by his wife and daughter. Curiel told his congregation not to think of the ritual as throwing out sins, but instead as recycling them, repurposing that energy for a more noble purpose. Asiyah is a part of Aleph, the Jewish Renewal Movement that places special emphasis on Kabbalah, meditation, mysticism, and the power of music. Members are egalitarian and pride themselves on emphasizing gender equality. In the Asiyah community, conflicting spiritual views are welcome. The Asiyah community gathers for pop-up events. These can happen outdoors or in indoor spots like an attendee’s living room. The services have lively elements like singing and playing guitar, food, and philosophical and open-minded discussion. Asiyah plans to increase its monthly meetings to twice-a-month Shabbat services starting in early 2018. “‘Asiyah’ means ‘doing,’ or ‘making,’” Curiel explains. “And it, for me, exemplifies the deepest value that I see for this community, which is a community that’s co-created. So everybody comes together … to make it happen, to make it a reality. It’s also a community of people who are active in the world, specifically in political movements or social action.” While Curiel was raised Jewish, he went through a period when his connection with religion diminished, and he was unsure what he wanted to do with his life. He worked at Apple, earned an MBA, and even moved to California for the wine business. But all the while, he never lost his spiritual thirst.
His wife, Amberly, also craved spiritual experiences. She was not raised Jewish, but was open-minded. One year, after Curiel’s mother lovingly nagged him to get High Holiday tickets somewhere, the synagogue he and his wife chose changed their lives forever. It was a Jewish Renewal synagogue in California called Beyt Tikkun. “I walk in, and there’s a whole klezmer band playing. People are dancing in the aisles, the rabbi’s dancing in the aisles, grabbing people, and this is before the service even starts, and I’m like ‘What did I just step into?’ It was like a Jewish tent revival.” The rabbi encouraged multi-religious and philosophical tolerance and finding one’s own meanings in the universe. The ideas that stuck most with Curiel from the service were that “The God you don’t believe in does not exist” and that one should “connect instead with what’s spiritually real for you, what’s spiritually meaningful to you.” Curiel was moved to become a rabbi. Curiel moved back to Boston, where he is from originally, to embark on his rabbinic studies. He studied in Israel and did an internship in New York City, but came back to Boston, where he had a vision for Somerville and Cambridge. He is now close to being ordained. “When this idea for Asiyah was percolating, I had an intuition that Cambridge/ Somerville was the place to do it. It’s an intuition that’s turned out, so far, to have some legs,” he says. “[I] found a lot of people on this side of the river in particular who are yearning for a kind of spirited view of Judaism that they haven’t found anywhere else.” The Boston nonprofit Combined Jewish Philanthropies commissioned a Jewish population study that indicated a growing diversity in the Greater Boston area. There are more young and unaffiliated Jews, as well as Jewish/non-Jewish relationships, it found. Curiel has found these people are especially attracted to the Asiyah community. Somerville’s Jewish community isn’t as large as those in other nearby towns, like Brookline or Newton. It has two main places of worship: Temple B’nai Brith, which was founded in 1904, and Havurat Shalom, which has volunteer-led services. While both these places offer critical
Photo, top left, by Adrianne Mathiowetz. Photo, top right, courtesy of David Curiel.
“[I] FOUND A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THIS SIDE OF THE RIVER IN PARTICULAR WHO ARE YEARNING FOR A KIND OF SPIRITED VIEW OF JUDAISM THAT THEY HAVEN’T FOUND ANYWHERE ELSE.” - DAVID CURIEL support for local Jews, Curiel has found a niche for his own congregation. He ultimately hopes to own a café where the community can find a permanent home. “There are people, Jewish and non-Jewish, who their first entry point into a spiritual community is going to be singing and prayer, because that’s what they love to do,” Curiel explains. “And there are people who will never walk through that door. And so the café is a place to sort of open up those other places for folks. Whether it be through study, whether it be through spiritual inquiry … it will be the congregating place for the community on Friday night and Saturday morning for Shabbat services. And then the rest of the time we’ll be open to the public to come in, however they want to interact in that space.” When members under the willow tree went around in a circle to say their names and a special memory of Tashlich on that fall day, they also specified their preferred pronouns. The idea that we are all each other’s people is at the forefront of the Asiyah philosophy, where gender equality plays a pivotal role. “None of us are free until we’re all free,” Curiel says. “And that’s also a very strong message in the Torah. Be kind to the stranger because you were once strangers in the land of Egypt. Don’t oppress the stranger because you were once oppressed as strangers in the land of Egypt. It’s not just about our freedom, it’s about everybody’s freedom.” scoutcambridge.com November | December 2017
17
THE HOLIDAY ISSUE
Home for Each Other’s Holidays BY NICHOLAS GOLDEN | PHOTOS BY ADRIANNE MATHIOWETZ
18 November | December 2017 scoutcambridge.com
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t first, Peter and Amy Bebergal had a Christmas bush. That bush morphed into a tiny tree over the years. Now, the Jewish-Protestant couple has an entire cupboard full of Christmas ornaments in their Cambridge home. Increasing numbers of Americans are marrying people of a different faith, according to a 2015 Pew poll. Before 1960, more than 80 percent of Americans found a spouse from within their own religious tradition. Today, that number is down by 20 percent—with more people than ever choosing to find a partner who believes in a
higher power, but not necessarily the same one, or ones. Peter, a Jewish Cambridge resident and author of books including “The Faith Between Us: A Jew and a Catholic Search for the Meaning of God,” and Amy, who comes from Protestant roots, say that once they had a son they found themselves face to face with questions about religion. “I think it was more when we got married, but especially having a kid, and sort of the family things becoming even more potent and profound, wanting to give him traditions,” Peter says. “He participates in the various High Holidays, but then again
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HOLIDAY ISSUE Home for Each Other’s Holidays
he’s completely in love also with the winter holiday traditions.” When their son prepared for his bar mitzvah, Peter and Amy sought out a rabbi who could make the service accessible for all of the attendees, many of whom were not Jewish. “We made sure to say to the rabbi to take what is sort of traditional and try to make it more universal, so the people here can not just ... feel more comfortable but to help them understand it,” Peter says. “So that no matter the tradition, there’s still something to value here, to recognize this young man and this new moment in his life.” Peter became more observant as he grew older. When he met Amy, he was keeping mostly kosher and fasting on Yom Kippur. He had never had any sort of Christmas celebration. He came to enjoy Christmas because of how his in-laws celebrate and how much his wife’s family loves the holiday, he says. “She invited me to, of course, be with her family, and it was completely alien to me insofar that I had never experienced that kind of large family gathering with the trimmings, and the food, and the gifts,” he said. “But I have slowly, over the years, really warmed to it and look forward to it. If it had a faith component, it might not be as comfortable, but because that’s not necessarily part of it, it feels more about the family, and season, and the food.” Rabbi Jillian Cameron, director of Interfaith Family Boston, explains that the logistics and celebration of holidays can be tricky for interfaith couples because of how much emotion, particularly nostalgia, is involved. “Nostalgia can be definitely difficult because it’s hard to pin down and figure out where it comes from,” Cameron says. “But I think the joy of coming from two different religious backgrounds is that you have two very different options, and I often tell couples, whether it’s nostalgic or not … you can create a tradition that has pieces of both that is uniquely yours.” Another challenge can be how to raise a child, especially when grandparents start asking 20 November | December 2017 scoutcambridge.com
hard questions about what faith their grandchildren will follow. “There’s a lot of fear that kids will be confused, and kids are not as easy to confuse as people think they are,” Cameron says, adding that part of her job is explaining just that to grandparents or advising interfaith couples how to talk to them themselves. Cameron emphasizes that there is no “right” way to navigate a family with multiple religions.
a nearby menorah in their Cambridge home. “Our Christmas tree every December, it has the Catholic ornaments wrapped up in blue and silver,” Aiello explains. “There are ways you can really enjoy both sides.” Aiello, who attends Sacred Heart in East Cambridge, served as an altar boy and a Eucharistic minister in his Catholic upbringing and went to one of
“Nostalgia can be definitely difficult because it’s hard to pin down and figure out where it comes from. But I think the joy of coming from two different religious backgrounds is that you have two very different options … you can create a tradition that has pieces of both that is uniquely yours.”
“Interfaith families do a million different things,” she says. For Joe Aiello, who is Catholic, and his wife Allison Berg, who is Jewish, the holidays have offered opportunities to learn and share the traditions they cherish. Their Christmas tree, covered in blue and silver garlands, partners
his first Jewish services with Berg at Northeastern while a graduate student there. “My knowledge of Judaism originally was [from] high school 20 years ago, taking a world religion class my sophomore or junior year kind of thing,” he says, describing his all-boys
Catholic school. Overall, navigating an interfaith relationship well can come down to being clear, Cameron argues. “Being explicit is really important,” Cameron says. “Couples have these conversations in passing, and frankly I would recommend this for any couple, not just an interfaith couple. Having these conversations [is] really important, and any couple that I marry, and I don’t just marry interfaith couples, it’s important to be specific about it.” Cameron, a Salem resident who hosts conversations with interfaith couples in Greater Boston and advises them, grew up in an interfaith family herself—with a Jewish father and a Catholic mother. Her advice to interfaith couples during all seasons? “Something I talk a lot about is shared values. I think really to any relationship it’s key … in order to be in a relationship and think about moving forward seriously, you have to have shared values.” Aiello and Berg, now together for more than a decade, found their families to be welcoming and understanding of the balance of the holidays. “A couple years ago, Hanukkah was extremely early and it was near Thanksgiving, and my mom, wanting to be the inclusive mother-in-law, borrowed a menorah,” Aiello says. “And when we were home for Thanksgiving, my mom got trinkets each day, just for my wife, each day when we were there. It was actually a good chunk of Hanukkah.” Aiello and Berg agreed with Cameron’s advice that what’s most important is finding a person you share values with. “It’s more about the person than the religion, honestly,” Berg says. “I would say to enjoy it— depending on how religious a couple it is, it really is the same basis, all holidays whether the celebratory holidays or the very solemn holidays, they all have the same basis,” Aiello adds. “I would say enjoy them both. You can find that balance.”
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THE HOLIDAY ISSUE
Holiday s t o h s p a Sn
Top: Nonye Brown-West gets into the holiday spirit. Submitted by ImprovBoston. Left: A group of friends plays dreidel with gelt. Submitted by Becca Leibowitz. Right: The team at Lamplighter Brewing Company during the brewery’s first winter. Submitted by Lamplighter Brewing Company. Bottom: The Islamic Society of Boston celebrates Eid. Submitted by the Islamic Society of Boston. 22 November | December 2017 scoutcambridge.com
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THE HOLIDAY ISSUE
Recipes
Season FOR THE
24 November | December 2017 scoutcambridge.com
BY REENA KARASIN
T
he holiday season’s here, and no matter what you celebrate, there’s typically one common denominator: food. Whether it’s cooking a Thanksgiving meal for 20 or trying to spice up old family favorites for a small Christmas dinner, prepping a holiday spread can be tricky. But the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts (CSCA) has some recipes and tips that can make the holidays (or at the least the meal parts of them) go a bit smoother. You can make these recipes ahead of time, which means more time to spend with family and friends during the actual celebration. The chefs at CSCA like to put new spins on traditional favorites and seasonal flavors, like a pumpkin gnocchi or a warm apple, kale, and fennel salad. “We’ve been having holidays, most people, since we were kids, and a lot of people are still making the same old glazed carrot dish,” says Jerrod Perry, manager of recreational programs and private events at CSCA. “Which is awesome, it’s there for a reason, but do you know how to do an oblique cut? Get some rainbow carrots, do an oblique cut, and all of a sudden you have these cool-looking carrots. Those are things that we kind of get a kick out of—how to shake it up just enough for people, because a lot of people don’t want their holidays to be too different.” Of course, the recipes are only half the battle. There’s the actual cooking—the prepping and broiling and baking. Perry says one concept can make all the difference in your holiday cooking: mise en place. Mise en place, or the strategy of preparing everything you’ll need to cook a dish ahead of time, is one of the core teachings among chefs, according to Perry. The CSCA staff emphasizes mise en place in its classes, too, as the school offers courses on everything from baking techniques to quick holiday appetizers. Another game changer is your knife set. Perry encourages cooks to have good, sharp knives, and says injuries happen more often with a dull blade. “Knowing how to use your knife correctly will make your holidays so much more efficient,” he says. His final piece of advice is to get creative with how you cook your dishes. If you’re cooking nearly everything on your stove, the burners fill up fast. Use your oven and broiler, he says—you can even cook your turkey on a grill. Here are three make-at-home, seasonal recipes from CSCA.
Prepared, styled and photographed by Chris McIntosh.
Pumpkin Gnocchi with Apple Cider Reduction INGREDIENTS • 2 cups apple cider • 1½ pounds pumpkin puree • 1¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour • 2 large egg yolks, beaten • Salt and freshly ground black pepper • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 4 sage leaves, coarsely chopped • 1 teaspoon grains of paradise, crushed with mortar (or groudn through a pepper mill) DIRECTIONS 1. In a small saucepan, simmer apple cider over moderately high heat until reduced to ½ cup, approximately 20 minutes. Set aside. 2. Transfer pumpkin puree to a large bowl. Gently beat in flour and egg yolks to create a dough. Season with salt and black pepper. 3. Spoon the pumpkin dough into a pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch round tip. **At this point you can store the dough in the fridge to use the next day. You may also freeze the dough for up to a week without affecting quality.** 4. Working in three batches over a large saucepan of simmering water, pipe the dough, cutting it into ¾-inch lengths, directly into the water. 5. Cook the gnocchi for 45 seconds or until they float on the surface. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the gnocchi to a sheet pan. 6. In each of two large skillets, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. 7. Add half the gnocchi to each pan and cook over moderate heat until golden, approximately two minutes without moving, until caramelized. 8. Add the garlic, sage, and grains of paradise, and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in reduced cider and serve.
scoutcambridge.com November | December 2017 25
HOLIDAY ISSUE Recipes for the Season
Spatchcocked Crisp-Skinned Turkey with Gravy Adapted from Kenji Lopez (Serious Eats) INGREDIENTS • Brine • 1 gallon water • 2 cups salt • ½ cup sugar • Zest of one orange • 5 to 6 cloves • 3 to 4 garlic cloves • 2 bay leaves • 2 gallons ice cubes • 1 whole turkey (12 to 14 pounds), Spatchcocked (save the backbone, neck, and giblets for gravy) TURKEY FIXINGS • 3 large Vidalia onions, roughly chopped (about 1 ½ quarts) • 3 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped (about 1 quart) • 4 stalks celery, roughly chopped (about 1 quart) • 12 thyme sprigs • 8 to 10 sage leaves • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper • 1½ quarts chicken or turkey broth • 2 bay leaves • 3 tablespoons butter • 4 tablespoons flour DIRECTIONS Day 1: Brine Turkey 1. In a 4-gallon pot, bring 1 gallon of water, salt, sugar, orange zest, cloves, garlic, and bay leaves to a boil. Once boiling, turn off heat and dump in ice to chill. Liquid must be very cold before adding turkey (chunks of ice after five minutes is a good sign). 2. Transfer chilled brine to a large container big enough to hold the liquid and turkey, (Chef Jerrod Perry uses heavy-duty garbage bags—double bagged) and place into a cooler surrounded by ice. This makes it easy to brine when you don’t have room in your refrigerator. Just keep that bird surrounded by plenty of ice! Brine for at least 24 hours and up to 48 hours. 26 November | December 2017 scoutcambridge.com
Day 2: Dry Turkey 3. Remove turkey from brine and pat dry. Discard brine. Place a cooling rack on a sheet tray and lay the turkey skin-side up on the pan and transfer to the refrigerator. You want to expose the skin to the cold fan of the fridge. This causes a drying effect that will help create the crispy skin you so desire. If time allows, let this sit overnight (if you don’t have the time, skip this step and go straight to oven). Day 3: Roast Turkey 4. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss two-thirds of the onions, carrots, celery, sage and thyme sprigs in a broiler pan. Place slotted broiler rack or wire rack directly on top of vegetables. Pat turkey dry with paper towels if still wet from brine. Rub very lightly with oil. Season liberally on all surfaces with salt and black pepper. Tuck wing tips behind back. 5. Arrange turkey on top of the rack so that it does not overlap the edges. Transfer to oven and roast, rotating occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the deepest part of the breast registers 150 degrees and the thighs register at least 165 degrees (watch out for bones—which can give you a false reading), approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. 6. While turkey roasts, make the gravy. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a 3-quart saucepan over high heat until shimmering. Add reserved neck, backbone, heart, and giblets (do not add the liver) and sear, stirring occasionally, until
caramelized, approximately five minutes. Add remaining onions, carrots, and celery and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables start to soften and brown and caramelize, approximately five more minutes. 7. Add chicken or turkey stock, remaining thyme, sage, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and reduce to a bare simmer. Cook for 45 minutes and then strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a 2-quart liquid measuring cup and discard solids. Skim off any fat from the surface of the broth. 8. Make a roux by melting the butter over medium-high heat in a 2-quart saucepan. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly until roux is golden brown, three to four minutes. Whisking constantly, add hot broth in a thin, steady stream until completely incorporated. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until reduced to about 1 quart, approximately 20 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve. 9. When turkey is fully cooked, remove from oven and transfer rack to a new sheet pan. Tent turkey with aluminum foil and allow to rest at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before carving. Carefully pour any collected juices from out of the roasting pan through a fine-mesh strainer into a liquid measuring cup. Skim off excess fat and discard. Whisk juices into gravy. 10. Carve turkey and serve with gravy.
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scoutcambridge.com November | December 2017 27
HOLIDAY ISSUE Recipes for the Season
28 November | December 2017 scoutcambridge.com
THE PERFECT HOLIDAY GIFT... Maple-Pecan Sticky Buns (makes 24 buns)
INGREDIENTS FOR BASIC SWEET DOUGH • 1 package active dry yeast • 1 teaspoon sugar • ¼ cup warm water (105-110 degrees) • ⅓ cup sugar • 2 large eggs, room temperature • ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted • ½ cup sour cream, room temperature • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1 ½ teaspoon salt • 3¼ to 3¾ cups all-purpose flour DIRECTIONS 1. In large bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in water. Let stand until foamy, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Add ⅓ cup sugar, eggs, butter, sour cream, vanilla extract, salt, and 1½ to 2 cups of flour. Beat at medium speed for two minutes, or beat 200 vigorous strokes by hand. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough. 2. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for four to six minutes or until smooth. Dough will feel soft and buttery, but not sticky. 3. Place dough into a greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover with a slightly damp towel. Let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until it doubles in size, about 1½ hours. 4. Punch down dough. Knead for 30 seconds. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes. 5. Butter an 18” length of waxed paper and generously grease a 13 x 9” baking pan. INGREDIENTS FOR MAPLE TOPPING • ½ cup pure maple syrup • ¼ cup packed brown sugar • ⅓ cup unsalted butter • ¼ teaspoon salt • 1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
DIRECTIONS 1. In a small saucepan, combine maple syrup, brown sugar, butter, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture begins to simmer. 2. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle evenly with chopped pecans. INGREDIENTS FOR CINNAMON-NUT FILLING • ⅔ cup packed brown sugar • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon • ½ cup finely chopped pecans • 1 cup raisins (optional) DIRECTIONS 1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. 2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 24 x 12” rectangle. Spread with melted butter, leaving ½” border on the long side. Sprinkle evenly with cinnamon-nut filling. Starting on the long side, roll up tightly, in a jelly-roll fashion. Pinch seam to seal. Cut roll into 24 equal slices. Arrange rolls cut-side down in prepared baking pan. Cover with buttered wax paper. **At this point you can wrap the pan in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to bake in the morning.** 3. Let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, approximately one hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand in pan for one minute. Invert baked rolls onto a platter or wire rack set over waxed paper. Spoon any topping remaining in pan over rolls. Let stand for five minutes. Separate rolls by gently pulling apart with two forks. Serve warm.
Prepared, styled and photographed by Chris McIntosh.
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modern gifts for modern kids CLOTHES, TOYS, BOOKS AND MORE!
95 Elm St, Somerville | 617-764-4110 | www.magpiekids.com
scoutcambridge.com November | December 2017 29
THE HOLIDAY ISSUE
GIFT GUIDE Photos by Adrianne Mathiowetz unless otherwise noted.
30 November | December 2017 scoutcambridge.com
1
For the
Outdoorsman 1
15°F SLEEPING BAG
Who says winter means the end of camping season? For the person in your life who doesn’t let a little snow or cold weather get in the way, this sleeping bag will keep them warm down to 15 degrees. Its hood means they can get their entire body in the warm bag. $109, Hilton’s Tent City
For the Winter
2
Enthusiast
2
3
4
ECLIPSE MUG
Practice Space’s buying theme for the holidays this year is “Idea of North.”. Meghan Flynn, who makes these mugs by hand, says she draws “inspiration from the rhythms of daily life, plants, animals, the surrounding hills, forests, and the sea.” Just imagine them full of hot chocolate in our freezing, northern winters. $34, Meghan Flynn/Practice Space
MINI ORB ORNAMENTS
It’s time to deck the halls, and the Cambridge Artists Cooperative can help you get there. These mini ornaments are made of mouth-blown glass and come in a variety of colors and designs. $16, Cambridge Artists Cooperative/Carol Bugarin
MITTENS
Winter may be coming, but at least that means cute cold-weather accessories. These upcycled, fleece-lined mittens come in several patterns and are the perfect way to help your loved ones keep warm on those days where the temperature’s in the single digits. $35, Cambridge Artists Cooperative/Bona Fiske-Kidston
For the
Cyclist 5
3
QUAD LOCK PHONE MOUNT
Know someone who uses their phone to navigate while biking? This mount will make their lives infinitely easier. It mounts on the handlebars and comes in iPhone and non-iPhone versions. $69.99 for iPhone 6 or 7; $39.99 for most other phones, Cambridge Bicycle
Sleeping Bag and Quad Lock Phone Mount photos by Randi Freundlich.
5
4
GIFT GUIDE
7
6
8
9
10
For the
For The
Foodie
6
SQUARE GIFT BOX
7
OVEN MITTS
Who doesn’t love something sweet around the holidays? This gift box has the works: chocolate caramel pretzels, peanut brittle, salted vanilla caramels, and pate de fruits. $23.50, Spindler Confections
Oven mitts are one of the places in the kitchen where you can really show a little character. These mitts come in a variety of patterns and are made out of upcycled sweaters. $28, Cambridge Artists Cooperative/Cecelia Michaelis
32 November | December 2017 scoutcambridge.com
For
Pals with Pets
Techie 8
SOLAR RADIOMETER
10
The more sunlight this solar radiometer gets, the faster its vanes spin. This gift is a perfect decoration-slash-toy for the techie in your life. $39, Abodeon
DOGGIE SOAP
No one likes a smelly dog—not even a dog lover. This fragrant soap is full of lavender and tea tree oil, and is safe for dogs with sensitive skin. $12.75, Abodeon
For the
Traveler 9
BOSTON TRAVEL KIT
This travel kit has everything for the person in your life who spends more time on planes than you do on the T. It offers gender-neutral shampoo, conditioner, body cleanser, body balm, mouthwash, face cleanser, and balancing toner. $99, Aesop Solar Radiometer and Doggie Soap photos by Randi Freundlich. Boston Travel Kit photo courtesy of Aesop.
GIFT GUIDE
11
12
13
15
14
For the
For the Style Icon
Scout Lover 11
SCOUT SHIRT
We love Cambridge, and we hope you love us too. You can show off your local pride with this Scout shirt, not to mention support the publication you hold in your hands. C’mon, you know you want one. $25 for adult unisex and women’s/$20 for youth sizes, Scout Magazines Storenvy
34 November | December 2017 scoutcambridge.com
12
MEN’S BLACK LEATHER GLOVES
15
3D-PRINTED EARRINGS
“DANCE LIKE RUSSIA ISN’T WATCHING” SHIRT
This shirt is for the days when you need a little humor—laughter is the best medicine, right? $28, Joie de Vivre
13
14
SILK BOW TIE
Jazz up your formalwear with these beautiful silk bow ties. They’re handdyed, hand-cut, and feature an adjustable neck band. $45, Cambridge Artists Cooperative/Amy Meltzer
A good pair of gloves is a staple for any New England winter wardrobe. This stylish pair is 100 percent leather with a cashmere lining. $125, J.Press What better way to spice up a jewelry collection than 3D printing? These earrings are sure to spark conversation, and you can always round out the look with Atomic Jewelry’s necklaces and bracelets. $35, Cambridge Artists Cooperative/Atomic Earrings
Leather Gloves photo courtesy of J. Press.
16
17
18
For
ids
For the
ACADEMY: SLIME LAB 17 SCIENCE Science is fun and hands-on with this slime kit. Kids (or
19 HARVARD BOOK STORE
For K
Babies SOFT MINKY PRAM 16 SO Babies will be beyond cozy in
this romper—not to mention even cuter than usual. This magnetic garment is the perfect way to keep the babies in your life warm this winter. $49.99, Magic Beans
19
adults!) can don goggles as they use beakers and make goo. The kit teaches about the chemistry behind various types of slime. $24.99, Henry Bear’s Park
18 CURIOUS GEORGE MATCHING GAME
Cambridge is home to the world’s only Curious George store, so this gift is a fun and local version of the classic matching game. Kids can work on their memorization and matching by pairing images of the Curious George characters. $11.49, The Curious George Store
Minky Pram and Curious George photos by Randi Freundlich. Drawing and Sketching photo courtesy of Dick Blick Art Materials.
Bookworm
SIGNED FIRST EDITION CLUB
We’ve found a booklover’s dream gift: a Signed First Edition Club. Members receive a new, signed book each month that Harvard Book Store sellers choose based on “its literary merit and potential collectibility.” Gift memberships can be for six months, a year, or indefinitely. Book’s list price, Harvard Book Store
scoutcambridge.com November | December 2017 35
GIFT GUIDE
Get the
Goods
CAMBRIDGE ARTS COUNCIL (617) 349-4380 344 Broadway, 2nd Floor cambridgema.gov/arts CAMBRIDGE ARTISTS COOPERATIVE (617) 868-4434, 59 Church St. cambridgeartistscoop.com JOIE DE VIVRE (617) 864-8188, 1792 Mass Ave. joiedevivre.net
20 22
21
23
J. PRESS (617) 547-9886, 82 Mt Auburn St. jpressonline.com SPINDLER CONFECTIONS (617) 714-4871, 2257 Mass Ave. spindlerconfections.com PRACTICE SPACE 1307 Cambridge St. practice-space.com HARVARD BOOK STORE (617) 661-1515, 1256 Mass Ave. www.harvard.com PORTER SQUARE BOOKS (617) 491-2220, 25 White St. portersquarebooks.com
For the
For the
Activist
Art Lover 20 COMMUNITY SUPPORTED ART
Who says CSAs are just for produce? The Cambridge Arts Council-run program offers small, medium, or large “shares” in community artwork (ranging from three to nine pieces). And unlike many (farm) CSAs, you can pick which of the pieces you’d like for your share of the “harvest.” $150 for three shares, Cambridge Arts Council
21
IS FOR ACTIVIST” 22 “A The “A is for Activist” board
book is chock full of alliteration and rhymes—and, of course, progressive ideals. In the words of Occupy Wall Street, “Reading it is almost like reading Howard Zinn’s ‘A People’s History of the United States,’ but for two-year olds.” $9.99, Porter Square Books
For the
CLOCK
This clock is both gorgeous and practical. With the face set against a shimmery backdrop of low-fire Raku clay, maybe your giftee will check it so much that they’ll never be late again! $45, Cambridge Artists Cooperative/Elaine Yoneoka
Proud Local 23
ANTIQUE MAP PRINT
Know someone who’s a bit of a historian? They’re sure to get a kick out of this map of Harvard in 1906. $14.95, WardMaps
WARDMAPS (617) 497-0737, 1735 Mass Ave. www.wardmaps.com HENRY BEAR’S PARK (617) 547-8424, 17 White St. henrybear.com THE CURIOUS GEORGE STORE (617) 547-4500, 1 JFK St. thecuriousgeorgestore.com MAGIC BEANS (617) 300-0171, 361 Huron Ave. mbeans.com ABODEON (617) 497-0137, 1731 Mass Ave. abodeon.com HILTON’S TENT CITY (617) 227-9242, 565 Mass Ave. hiltonstentcity.com AESOP (617) 547-0200, 49 Brattle St. aesop.com CAMBRIDGE BICYCLE (617) 876-6555, 259 Mass Ave. cambridgebicycle.com SCOUT MAGAZINES (617) 996-2283 scoutmagazines.storenvy.com
36 November | December 2017 scoutcambridge.com
Community Supported Art photo courtesy of Cambridge Arts Council. Antique map print photo courtesy of WardMaps.
A HOT SPOT FULL OF HOT SPOTS
YOUR GO-TO SPOT FOR EVERYTHING HOLIDAY
ALL IN ONE NEIGHBORHOOD. 40+ OUTLETS
20+ DINING OPTIONS
J. Crew Factory
Southern Kin Cookhouse & Bar
Banana Republic Factory Nike Factory Store Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH LOFT Outlet
Papagayo Mexican Kitchen + Tequila Bar Earl’s Kitchen + Bar
——————— » NEW ADDITIONS « ——————— Columbia Fragrance Outlet
FITRow
Yankee Candle
A cluster of boutique fitness studios under one roof
Sabroso Taqueria
Orangetheory Fitness
Caffe Nero
TITLE Boxing Club
———————
OshKosh B’Gosh
ENTERTAINMENT
Ann Taylor Factory Store
Club Pilates
Carter’s
AMC Assembly Row 12
Mike’s Pastry
barre n9ne studio
Brooks Brothers
LEGOLAND® Discovery Center
Lucky Strike Social*
Squeeze Juice Bar
Muse Paintbar
Zo Greek *coming soon
WWW. WWW. ASSEMBLYROW.COM ASSEMBLYROW.COM
LOCAL SHOPPING DIRECTORY Please consider shopping with these and other Scout sponsors.
BLUE CLOUD GALLERY
713 Broadway, Somerville bluecloudgallery.com A unique gift shop that sells handcrafted gifts by 140 local artists.
CAMBRIDGE NATURALS
23 White St., Cambridge 617-492-4452, cambridgenaturals.com A curated selection of natural health and wellness goods, clean body care and ethical gifts!
QRST’S
561 Windsor St., Ste A301, Somerville 617-625-3335, qrsts.com Custom screen printing, embroidery and direct-to-garment printing.
PRACTICE SPACE
practice-space.com @makespaceforpractice A studio and a shop in Inman Square. Useful objects made by artists and designers.
WARDMAPS | MBTAgifts
1735 Mass Ave., Cambridge wardmaps.com Antique maps, MBTA-themed gifts and unique gifts that celebrate history of place!
THE UPS STORE
INMAN OASIS
SYD+SAM
SOMERVILLE GROOVES
290 Concord Ave., Cambridge 857-259-6172, syd-and-sam.com Lifestyle boutique offering beautiful objects that beg you to stop, wonder and appreciate the moment.
26 Union Square, Somerville 617-666-1749, Find us on Twitter and Facebook. Vinyl LPs and 45s, from classic to contemporary. Gift certificates available.
MAGPIE
SPINDLER CONFECTIONS
JOIE DE VIVRE
243 Hampshire St., Cambridge 617-491-0176, inmanoasis.com Offering massage therapy and hot tub soaks. Gift certificates available online.
416 Highland Ave., Somerville 617-623-3330, magpie-store.com
Unique jewelry, apothecary, art, edibles, housewares and more!
MAGPIE KIDS
95 Elm St., Somerville 617-764-4110, magpiekids.com Modern gifts for modern kids. Clothes, toys, books and more!
2257 Mass Ave., Cambridge 617-714-4871 www.SpindlerConfections.com Handmade chocolates & candies. Check out our candy museum!
BOSTON SHAKER
69 Holland St., Somerville 617-718-2999, thebostonshaker.com Smart shop featuring a range of cocktail-making supplies, books and mixology classes.
519 Somerville Ave., Somerville 617-591-0199, theupsstorelocal.com/4978
You buy it, we’ll pack it and ship it.
1792 Mass Ave., Cambridge 617-864-8188, joiedevivre.net Compact quirky shop sells a range of whimsical toys, jewelry, books and gifts in an upbeat atmosphere.
SALT & OLIVE
1160 Mass Ave., Cambridge 857-242-4118, saltandolive.com Unique tastes, ingredients and gifts from around the culinary world.
BALL SQUARE FINE WINES
RAZORS BARBERSHOP
Q’S NUTS
308 Highland Ave., Somerville 617-625-4444, razorsbarbershop.com Gift sets and gift certificates available. Order online or in shop.
349 Highland Ave., Somerville 617-764-3741, qsnuts.com Over 20 artisinal flavors of nuts and granolas. Gift baskets, snack packs and gift cards available.
HARVARD BOOK STORE
MAXIMUM HESH
PORTER SQUARE BOOKS
MUDFLAT GALLERY
BODHI LEAF
MASSAGE THERAPY WORKS
716 Broadway, Somerville 617-623-9500, ballsquarefinewines.com Well known for stunning selection and service. Made-to-order gift baskets and food platters too.
1256 Mass Ave, Cambridge 617-661-1515, harvard.com Locally owned, independently run landmark with extraordinary selection of new, used and remaindered books.
Porter Sq Shopping Center, Cambridge 617-491-7976, mudflat.org/gallery Handcrafted functional pottery and sculptural clay work by 46 Mudflat artists.
PICTURE RENEWAL
34 Everett Ave., Somerville 617-666-2080, picturerenewal.com Restore your personal and business photos and documents. Digitally. High resolution.
SUSANNA
1776 Mass Ave., Cambridge 617-492-0334, susannacambridge.com Women’s shop featuring clothing, jewelry, gifts and accessories for all ages since 1982. Free gift wrapping available!
378A Highland Ave., Somerville 617-666-0100, maximumhesh.com Skater owned and operated shop with skateboards for novices to life-long skaters of all ages.
1105 Mass Ave., Cambridge 857-285-6921 Family owned Tibetan store fostering a peaceful atmosphere. We carry unique Himalayan handicrafts.
BLACK INK INC.
5 Brattle St., Cambridge 617-497-1221, blackinkboston.com Vast array of greeting cards, artful gift wrap and great gifts to wrap in it.
SCOUT MAGAZINES
All over Cambridge and Somerville scoutmagazines.storeenvy.com Subscriptions and swag for the Scout lover in your life.
25 White St., Cambridge 617-491-2220, portersquarebooks.com Porter Square Books is your fiercely independent source for great books, magazines, fun gifts and more.
255 Elm St., Somerville 617-684-4000 massagetherapyworks.com 7 days a week we’re there for you. Give the gift of health.
DAVIS SQUARED
409 Highland Ave., Somerville 617-666-6700, davissquared.com Fun, modern gifts for him, her, house and baby.
HUB COMICS
19 Bow St., Somerville 617-718-0987, hubcomics.com Graphic novels, quirky minicomics, thousands of dollar books, and more in Union Square – Comics For Everyone!
SCOUT OUT!
From the Cloud to the Paige: MEET HARVARD BOOK STORE’S ON-DEMAND PRINTER BY REENA KARASIN | PHOTOS BY ADRIANNE MATHIOWETZ
N
estled in the back of Harvard Book Store, Paige M. Gutenborg whirs away. A faint smell of glue surrounds the machine as digital files transform into bound books. It starts with a Xerox printer. The manuscript pops out and is whisked into a neat stack, and then comes the gluing and binding. Tiny balls of excess glue line the bottom of the transparent machine. The pages, now bound, get trimmed to the appropriate size. And then, in a matter of minutes, out it comes: a book virtually indistinguishable from those that were shipped to the store. Paige M. Gutenborg—Paige, for short—is one of 29 Espresso Book Machines in the country. While the independently owned Harvard Book Store already offers one of the best in-store book selections in the area, Paige 40 November | December 2017 scoutcambridge.com
lets the booksellers dream bigger. “It’s a forward-thinking picture of the bookstore. With everything being digital, there’s an instinct to see it as competition to a brick-and-mortar bookstore,” says Ben Paul, the bookstore’s print-on-demand manager. “But in fact, it levels the playing field, because if everything’s on the cloud, we can get that. This gives us the chance to, if you’re looking for a book, just print it here.” The ultimate goal is to offer customers any book in a matter of minutes, whether from the shelves or the machine. Currently Harvard Book Store has access to about 5,000 out-of-print titles from HarperCollins, plus any work in the public domain. But Paige also offers custom printing—and for Paul, that’s where the real fun comes in. The celebrated, large-format
photographer Elsa Dorfman, 80, has been going to the Harvard Book Store since she was in high school. In 1974, she published a visual diary made up of Polaroids and entries called “Elsa’s Housebook: A Woman’s Photojournal.” Few copies of it were left decades later when she found Paige. “I was all excited when they got Paige. The minute I saw it, I thought, ‘Oh what can I do, what can I do with it? I’ve got to do something with it,’” Dorfman says. She decided to do a new run of her book, and now she’s putting out an edition with additional content. Harvard Book Store helps people get their books ready for Paige’s presses, since many self-publishers don’t have a background in graphic design or publishing. The staff offers advice
on formatting and can connect authors with freelancers for more extensive help. Dorfman’s book has been one of Paul’s favorite projects to work on, he says. “It makes the technology bridge kind of cool, because she was Polaroid photographer, and there’s definitely a through line between her being fascinated by massive polaroid cameras and being fascinated by this machine,” Paul says. The bookstore prints between 700 and 1,500 books a month, and about two-thirds are custom books, Paul says. Bound books are ready in as little as four minutes. Many of the works are personal. One woman wrote journals for her children as they were growing up and printed copies to give them when they went to college. People print
The greatest satisfaction is understanding our client’s needs to translate their vision into form and functional art.
Architectural Services It’s a forwardthinking picture of the bookstore. With everything being digital, there’s an instinct to see it as competition to a brickand-mortar bookstore. But in fact, it levels the playing field, because if everything’s on the cloud, we can get that.
family memoirs and gifts for the holidays. There’s no minimum print size on Paige, so the machine is a good fit for these projects. But for writers who are trying to reach an audience, Harvard Book Store offers to sell any books printed on Paige. Harvard Book Store’s gotten into self-publishing as well. Booksellers have printed public domain texts, including some of former President Barack Obama’s speeches and Lewis Carroll’s original “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” manuscript. “It gives more physical dimension to books and how everything got here,” Paul says. “A lot of kids definitely find it interesting. I think you probably take it for granted when you see thousands of books surrounding you, so to see the process where it gets trimmed and comes out is kind of cool. It’s our version of the factory video.”
• New construction, additions, renovations • Interior design • Sustainable materials & methods
amortondesign.com 617.894.0285 info@aMortonDesign.com scoutcambridge.com November | December 2017 41
SCOUT OUT The B-3 Kings Fashion A ‘Musical Church’ Out of The Plough and Stars
42 November | December 2017 scoutcambridge.com
THE B-3 KINGS FASHION A ‘MUSICAL CHURCH’ OUT OF THE PLOUGH AND STARS BY TIM GAGNON | PHOTOS BY EVAN SAYLES
A
side from the piercing glow of a Sox game on the TV, The Plough and Stars is a dusky scene late on a Tuesday night. A date winds down in the corner, and the after-work drinkers close their tabs. The members of the B-3 Kings seem like late patrons themselves until a thud from the doorway heralds the hulking Hammond B-3 organ. A residency on Tuesday nights starting at (roughly) 10:30 p.m. shouldn’t normally bring a second wind to a weeknight, but there’s a reason The B-3 Kings have not one, but two framed pictures of their pigeon mascot on the wall. Guitarist Johnny Trama gives a polite greeting from his post virtually behind the bar and issues a stomping, bluesy riff, provoking a booming instrumental hello from the rest of the band. The room begins picking up as each member works a solo in. A couple shuffles in front of my table to get a front-row seat. J.Geils Band vocalist Peter Wolf takes a chair a few spots over, quietly absorbing the atmosphere without acknowledging the occasional stare in his direction. The band name is a giveaway, but the B-3 Kings’ intersections between blues, soul, boogaloo, and rock ’n’ roll are tied together by organist Rusty Scott, who’s dwarfed by his B-3 and its accompanying Leslie 122 amplifier. Scott’s semi-anonymity adds to the experience, though—the organ maintains its near-timeless star power long after Booker T. penned the iconic “Green Onions.” Scott humbly serves as an animator, bringing the instrument’s eternal coolness to life every Tuesday night. Surprisingly, Scott came along later
in the band’s arc; the Kings’ true origins lie with Trama. “The B-3 Kings has been a project of mine for about 10 years,” Trama told Scout in an email. “It started as a group strictly playing ’60s organ boogaloo-type music.” Trama believes the Kings have endured thanks to the strength of the players’ love for their big influencers—Dr. Lonnie Smith, Jack McDuff, and Lou Donaldson—and various musicians adding their own personal flairs to the sound. “[We’ve] been through tons of players throughout the years,” he adds. “I’ve always looked at this project as a gathering of great local players paying homage to that genre of music.” Coincidentally, Scott’s introduction to the Hammond B-3 happened around the same time as the Kings’ formation. “My old roommate, a guy named Gus, brought me to a Jimmy Smith concert at the old House of Blues in Cambridge,” he recalls. “After that, I went searching on Hammond forums online, and, within a few months, I had my first rig for about $1,500.” Six months later, Scott had acquired a second one, which became his go-to organ for gigs. He initially crammed it into his living room by having a piano moving company use a crane and pop a window out. “It’s a commitment,” he says with a laugh. “I was more of a bebop piano player at the time and I’ve been making a living as a pianist since 1995, but I hadn’t really seen a jazz organ played live before that [Jimmy Smith] concert. After that, I just caught the bug.” The “bug” manifested fully in The Rusty Scott Organ Group, a “more jazz-oriented” organ quartet that gigged around while Scott continued taking work as a pianist over at The Wonder Bar. When those gigs ran their course around 2005, Scott saw his future with The B-3 Kings at Matt Murphy’s in Brookline. “I played with them on and off starting over there,” Scott says. “They had different organ players, but right around 2011, we had this gig down at this restaurant in Quincy. It was a trio; myself and Johnny Trama [with a] drummer. When we started the restaurant gig, we started to really jell and change the
direction of the group. We started writing, did that gig for about a summer, then hooked up with The Plough and Stars.” Weekly gigs in July and October of 2011 eventually led to the narrow Central Square bar and restaurant asking if the band wanted an indefinite weekly residency starting that December. “Like all residencies, it started pretty slow,” Trama remembers. “They take a moment before they gather some speed.” Six years later, their Tuesday-night show is a well-oiled machine. The band’s current lineup, which is filled out by Thomas Arey on drums and Marc Hickox on bass, is bordering on half a decade together. Trama started inviting guest performers two years ago, ranging from vocalist Nephrok! of Boston funk group The Nephrok! Allstars, to modern soul singer/guitarist Jessie Dee, to venerated session guitarist Duke Levine, to the “extreme sax” player “Sax Gordon” Beadle. “When we first started, it was more of a soul, jazz sit-in-type of vibe,” Trama says. “Now, it’s almost like stepping back in time [to a] rock ’n’ roll soul revue show you’d find in the late ’60s and early ’70s.” “It’s really turned into a great residency and one of the great things about it is the fans,” Scott continues. “The people that come out to hear it are really into it and there to listen. Other gigs we’ve done might even be packed, but they don’t have quite the energy that the [Plough and Stars] crowd has.” Scott says the band is working on recording original material alongside the Tuesday night residency, trying to capture the unique energy that emanates from their live shows without betraying the “smaller, cohesive vibe” the band has sans guests. In terms of the residency’s place in their lives, Trama affirms that it remains the purest manifestation of The B-3 Kings. “I can’t really say there’s one Tuesday that sticks out, because the beauty of Tuesdays is that they’re always different. Everyone brings their own special magic to the gig when they come to play. That’s why this place is more of a musical church than just another bar gig. It’s the perfect size and place to do what we’re doing. I wouldn’t have it any other way.” scoutcambridge.com November | December 2017 43
CALENDAR DECEMBER 9 | COMEDY
NOVEMBER 8-20 | FILM
LAUGHING LIBERALLY BOSTON 8 p.m.-9:30 p.m., $8 Arts at the Armory When politics are so depressing that you need a laugh, Laughing Liberally Boston is there to help. It describes itself as a “progressive, political standup comedy show” that has an ever-rotating cast of performers. The group performs at the Armory on the second Saturday of each month.
THE BOSTON JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL Times Vary, $16 Cambridge, Greater Boston The Boston Jewish Film Festival will host over 55 screenings and events in Cambridge and around Greater Boston this November. Organizers say the event “covers global themes across topics including post World War II Europe, disability, the intersection of sports and politics, immigration, complicated family dynamics, and more.”
DECEMBER 10-24 | SHOPPING
NOVEMBER 23 | FITNESS
HARVARD SQUARE HOLIDAY FAIR Times Vary, Free 50 Church Street The Harvard Square Holiday Fair can be a great way to knock some items off your gift list. From jewelry to pottery to clothes, this market—which turns 32 this year—is one you’ll want to catch.
GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE RUN 9 a.m., $30 Registration Fee Davis Square and Throughout Somerville Every year, 3,100 people run through Davis Square on Thanksgiving Day as part of the four-mile Gobble Gobble Gobble Run. Proceeds go to Project Soup and Somerville Track PAC. It sells out every year, but if you don’t get a bib (or running on Thanksgiving seems totally unappealing to you) the race always needs volunteers and spectators. Strollers are allowed in the run, but not pets.
DECEMBER 15 | COMMUNITY
SCOUT PARTY 7 p.m., Charitable Donation Dark Horse Public House Ever wanted to get down with Santa? Scout and Dark Horse are throwing a party, and we’d love for you to attend! There’ll be an ugly sweater contest with prizes, photos with Santa, and gifts for everyone (regardless of whether you’ve been naughty or nice). There’ll be free food and a cash bar. The event will benefit Toys for Local Children and Second Chances, so we ask that you bring a donation for either charity (a toy, new underwear or socks that are not gift-wrapped, or cash).
DECEMBER 1-31 | DANCE
Photo by Hans Wendland
THE SLUTCRACKER Times Vary, $29 Somerville Theatre Picture The Nutcracker with a burlesque twist. A Somerville tradition, the Slutcracker says it “brings together ballet dancers, burlesque performers, hula hoopers, belly dancers, and so many others with interests in flamenco, hip hop, pole, acting, and myriad dance forms.”
DECEMBER 16 | COMMUNITY
DECEMBER 3, 10, 17 | SHOPPING
HOLIDAY FLEA 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Free Arts at the Armory We get to enjoy the Somerville Flea all summer long, but once it shuts down we count down the weeks until the Holiday Flea. It’s the perfect place to get your holiday shopping done, plus its website boasts: “Oh yeah, beer and wine. Try that at a mall!”
DECEMBER 9 & 10 | SHOPPING
Photo courtesy of Cultural Survivor
CULTURAL SURVIVOR BAZAARS 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Free Cambridge Rindge and Latin School These cultural festivals connect Indigenous artists from around the world with U.S. shoppers. There will be artwork, accessories, jewelry, and more from a variety of cultures, in addition to performances, presentations, and demonstrations.
44 November | December 2017 scoutcambridge.com
Photo by Beth Driscoll
ILLUMINATIONS TOUR 4:30 p.m.-10 p.m., $15 Throughout Somerville The Illuminations Tour is a highlight of the season for Somerville. You can out the most decked-out houses in the ’Ville on this trolley ride, but tickets (available in person only at Blue Cloud Gallery on Dec. 3 at 10 a.m.) go quickly. If you miss out on the trolley, you can get a map of the tour for $3 and walk it.
DECEMBER 17-JANUARY 7 | THEATER
CHARLOTTE’S WEB Times Vary, $20 64 Brattle Street Essentially everyone knows the story of “Charlotte’s Web,” but it’s a special treat for the whole family to see it come alive onstage. The American Repertory Theater’s show will include graduate students from the A.R.T. Institute for Advanced Theater Training.
T R U S T. KNOWLEDGE. EXPERIENCE. VA L U E . JOANNA KIRYLO Joanna@VisitGriffin.com 55a Elm Street
EAT, DRINK
www.VisitGriffin.com
and
BE UGLY
~ NOW ENROLLING ~
Infants - Toddlers - Preschool - Pre-K - After School - Drop In
December 15th • 7pm
Kiddie Academy® of Cambridge 617.945.0021 299 Prospect Street Cambridge, MA 02139
- New facility with indoor gym - Certified, compassionate teachers - Webcam & Kindermusik program - Hot & nutritious family-style meals - Open House on Wednesdays 6pm - 7pm
Dark Horse Public House
499 Broadway, Somerville
Leone’s Sub and Pizza Pizza and Subs fit for a king! Since 1954
Join Scout Magazines and Dark Horse Public House for a holiday bash to be remembered Meet Santa and his elves • Gifts for everyone Ugly sweater contest with prizes Complimentary Food & Cash Bar
Feed the Family!
Helping homeless and lowerincome people feel confident and valued as they take their first steps toward brighter futures. Accepting new or gently worn clothing. Especially in need of new packages of adult size underwear and socks.
toysforlocalchildren.org Making the lives of local children in need a bit brighter all year long. Accepting new, unwrapped toys. Especially in need of items for teens and tweens.
5-time Winner!
Everything made in-house to order! 292 BROADWAY, SOMERVILLE 617-776-2511 • OPEN DAILY 8AM-11PM
Cover is a donation to one of these two wonderful organizations:
secondchances.org
Best Pizza
Best Restaurant in Ball Square
Bring the family or treat yourself this holiday season to
15% OFF! Mon-Sat, 4 p.m.–9 p.m. BREAKFAST ALL DAY AND NIGHT
*Mention Scout holiday edition *Excludes drinks FULL BAR DINNER
704 BROADWAY • 617.623.8338 • OPEN 6:30AM - 9:30PM WWW.SOUNDBITESRESTAURANT.COM
SCOUT YOU
Photos by Angela Cook
Mikako and Sakurako choose some crafts to work on from Michaels. Au pair Pond takes a break out in Porter Square with baby Alexander.
Heather and Dhiraj Malkani, along with their son, John, and their dog, Oliver, celebrate Diwali, the Indian Festival of Lights, with some time playing in the park as they enjoy the autumn weather.
Search-and-rescue dog Indie and her handler, Bill, work with the Tom Rigalski from Allston practices some Barnstable County Sheriff ’s Department locating lost people and animals. skateboard tricks at the Cambridge Common. Bill stops into PetSmart to get Indie some treats. 46 November | December 2017 scoutcambridge.com
EAT, DRINK and
BE UGLY December 15th • 7pm
Dark Horse Public House • 499 Broadway, Somerville
Join Scout Magazines and Dark Horse Public House for a holiday bash to be remembered Meet Santa and his elves • Gifts for everyone Ugly sweater contest with prizes • Complimentary Food & Cash Bar Cover is a donation to one of these two wonderful organizations:
secondchances.org Helping homeless and lower-income people feel confident and valued as they take their first steps toward brighter futures. Accepting new or gently worn clothing. Especially in need of new packages of adult size underwear and socks.
toysforlocalchildren.org Making the lives of local children in need a bit brighter all year long. Accepting new, unwrapped toys. Especially in need of items for teens and tweens.
‘Tis the Season to Get Cooking Whether you wish to pursue a culinary career or master your craft for home entertaining, our extensive programs in culinary and pastry arts will provide the springboard for your culinary ambitions. Impress your family and friends with your skills this holiday season and take the steps to make 2018 your year of culinary exploration.
PROFESSIONAL CHEF’S AND PASTRY PROGRAMS
Accepting applications for our January programs through December 22, 2017. • 4 Unique Programs: 16-week Culinary Certificate Program, 37-week Professional Chef’s Program, 16-week Certificate Pastry Program, and 37-week Professional Pastry Program • Talented instructors share their diverse experiences and deep knowledge during intimate classroom settings with no more than 12 students per instructor • Four commercial-grade, fully stocked kitchens host our classroom laboratories and seminars, providing ample space to work and learn • Lifelong placement services provide career guidance and support for all graduates within our expansive and ever growing CSCA network
ulinary #CambridgeC
RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS
For you: From technique-driven series to more social date nights, you’re sure to find the culinary adventure you crave within our class offerings. Visit our online class calendar to book. For them: Culinary classes make the perfect gift! Surprise your sweetie, sibling, parent, or BFF with a CSCA gift certificate, redeemable online toward any Recreational class.
PRIVATE AND CORPORATE EVENTS
Tired of the same old holiday party? Bring your co-workers to CSCA for an interactive, team-building cooking event. We host personalized events for corporate retreats, bachelor and bachelorette parties, birthdays, and family celebrations in our professional kitchens.
www.CambridgeCulinary.com 2020 MASSACHUSETTS AVE | CAMBRIDGE, MA 02140 | 617.354.2020
@CambridgeCulinary
@theCSCA
@CambridgeCulinary