W
hen I was moving into a new apartment in Boston, I went into Best Buy on the hunt for a reasonably priced TV. Soon enough, I picked one out and made myself look helpless until a salesman in a blue polo meandered over. “I’ll take this one,” I said, pointing to the shelf in front of me. The TV was within my reach, but it was too heavy, so I was going to need them to carry it to my car. “What kind of car do you have?” I froze. “I know this...” I thought. I have to know this. I can’t not know this. But sure enough, I blanked.
PrimeTime agazine M
May 2010 1944 Warwick Ave. Warwick, RI 02889 401-732-3100 FAX 401-732-3110 Distribution Special Delivery PUBLISHERS Barry W. Fain, Richard G. Fleischer, John Howell EDITOR Meg Fraser megf@rhodybeat.com MARKETING DIRECTOR Donna Zarrella donnaz@rhodybeat.com Creative Director Linda Nadeau lindan@rhodybeat.com photo editor Darcie DiSaia darcied@rhodybeat.com WRITERS Susan Contreras, Don Fowler, Don D’Amato, Matt Holmes, Joan Retsinas, Kevin Worthley, F. Steele Blackall III, Mike Fink, Meg Chevalier, Cynthia Glinick, Joe Kernan ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Donna Zarrella – donnaz@rhodybeat.com Carolann Soder, Lisa Mardenli, Janice Torilli, Suzanne Wendoloski, Gina Fugere Classified ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Nicole Egan – nicolee@rhodybeat.com Sue Howarth – sueh@rhodybeat.com PRODUCTION STAFF Matt Bower, Joseph Daniels, Brian Geary, Lisa Yuettner A Joint Publication of East Side Monthly and Beacon Communications. PrimeTime Magazine is published monthly and is available at over 400 locations throughout Rhode Island. Letters to the editor are welcome. We will not print unsigned letters unless exceptional circumstances can be shown.
“A blue one,” I said, flashing a smile at the salesman, thinking he would find me charming. He didn’t. And I will never forget that moment. It sounds crazy, but it’s a true story. The car was a hand me down from my family, and because I didn’t really care what it was - as long as it got me from Point A to Point B - I legitimately didn’t know what make or model it was. That pretty much summarizes my interest in cars. I would much rather spend my money on my living space or my social life than a set of shiny wheels, which begs the question, why dedicate an issue of PrimeTime to four-wheeled beauties? Well, I might not love cars, but plenty of my readers do, and if there’s one thing that I love writing about, it’s the things that other people feel passionate about. Whether it’s interviewing someone about their job, or writing about a non-profit’s tireless mission, other peoples’ passion creates a tangible excitement. It’s hard not to get caught up in it. That was definitely true for this month’s edition. In this issue, you’ll meet some Rhode Islanders who take the term “car lover” to a whole new level. Eat. Sleep. Work. Cars. That’s how they live. In our Q&A, you’ll hear from a very specific subset of car enthusiasts, while Bruce Palmer shares some insight into the mind of a car fanatic. Check out his garage on the cover - a picture is worth a thousand words. This issue also offers some advice on what to look for if you’re in the market for a golden oldie, courtesy of our publisher, Richard Fleischer, who is a classic car buff himself. On more serious notes, Kerry Park discusses the ins and outs of health care reform in Rhode Island, and we have a new writer in our midst - Cynthia Glinick. After an introduction to the topic last month, she will be covering issues important to the gay and lesbian community, and in particular the aging segment of that community. And if you’d rather ride the waves than the freeway, check out one of Rhode Island’s hidden treasures, the International Yacht Restoration School. I couldn’t believe this amazing building was in my own backyard and I had never heard of it. You get to see boats being crafted up close, and I even got to see a 19th century schooner that has a story all its own. If you are in the Newport area on June 5, I would highly recommend checking out their launch day and graduation to see the site yourself. You’ll be happy to know that I finally figured out what kind of car I drive - a Ford Escort. I’m still not sure what year it is...but I can tell you with all certainly that it is blue. Happy trails.
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cruisin’ IN THIS ISSUE Riding in style.......................................................... 4 Bruce Palmer lifts the hood on a national phenomenon Idolatry of the car.................................................... 6 Don Fowler shares his four-wheeled experiences For the love of cars................................................. 7 A Q&A with the Corvette Club of Rhode Island Cruising the market................................................ 8 A guide to buying a classic car On the water........................................................... 15 Newport shares its rich maritime history Reviving that first car love.................................. 17 One woman’s hunt for the car of her dreams
PLUS PEOPLE & PLACES Doer’s Profile......................................................................................................................10 Glimpse of RI’s past.....................................................................................................22 Diving right in.....................................................................................................................24 SENIOR ISSUES Future of reform...............................................................................................................11 She still has a voice......................................................................................................19 FOOD & DRINK Feeling the Flavor...........................................................................................................17 LIFESTYLES Gay and Gray.....................................................................................................................18 That’s Entertainment....................................................................................................20 What do you Fink?.........................................................................................................21
Meg Fraser editor
Hit the road again next month, but this time for a little R&R. June is our annual travel issue, and we’ll tell you about some gems by air, wheels and water.
ON THE COVER: Bruce Palmer (Photo by Darcie DiSaia)