The South Coast Insider - January 2015

January 2015

the south coast

Vol. 19 / No. 1

coastalmags.com

FRESH START

10

Breathing Tips Building Tiverton

Rail on Track?

A Day at the Spa Secret Art Gallery

at Battleship Cove January 17, 9:00am – 4:30pm Meet real NASA Astronaut, Steve Bowen , sample space food and make your own helmet in the museum’s signature FUNshops!

FUNshops are $5.00 per person. For more information, or to register for FUNshops, please call 508-678-1100 ext. 101/102, or visit www.battleshipcove.org.

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contents

12

JANUARY 2015

26

30

In every issue

THINGS TO Do

AROUND SOUTH COAST

4

18 Taking a spa day

By BRIAN J. LOWNEY

20 The people’s art gallery

26 Get out and play!

34 “Rats” keeping warm

BUSINESS BUZZ

ON MY MIND

From the Publisher

32 Dateline: South Coast

By Elizabeth Morse Read

COVER STORY

12 Tiverton Glen development

By Jay Pateakos

By Michael J. Vieira

By Jay Pateakos

16 Momentum for South Coast Rail

14 Collaboration at the cove

By STEVE SMITH

YOUR HEALTH

6

15 ways to count your blessings

By Elizabeth Morse Read

24 10 ways to improve your breathing

2

By DAN BRULé

January 2015 / The South Coast Insider

By DEREK VITAL

10 South Coast serves on MLK Day

By MICHAEL J. DeCICCO

30 “S” is for Sherri

By SHERRI MAHONEY-BATTLES

By SEBASTIAN CLARKIN

38 Going loopy

By PAUL E. KANDARIAN

22 Hitting all the right notes

By MICHAEL J. DeCICCO

33 Y unveils new fitness center Read us online www.coastalmags.com

BWad14_Layout 1 10/29/14 10:46 AM Page 1

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FROM THE PUBLISHER January 2014 / Vol. 19 / No. 1 Published by

Coastal Communications Corp.

This time of year can seem forbidding, with the bitter cold keeping everyone indoors. But while these next few months can provide ample opportunity for quiet selfreflection, don’t forget to check under the surface to see all the fun events and activities going on in the region! It’s a new year—don’t think you have to wait until spring to grab it by the horns.

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Ljiljana Vasiljevic

Editor

Sebastian Clarkin

Online Editor Paul Letendre

Contributors

Dan Brulé, Michael J. DeCicco, Sebastian Clarkin, Paul E. Kandarian, Tom Lopes, Sherri Mahoney-Battles, Sean McCarthy, Jay Pateakos, Elizabeth Morse Read, Stephen C. Smith, Michael J. Vieira, Derek Vital

The South Coast Insider is published monthly for visitors and residents of the South Coast area. The Insider is distributed free of charge from Mount Hope Bay to Buzzards Bay. All contents copyright ©2014 Coastal Communications Corp.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, by any means, without written permission from the Publisher. All information contained herein is believed to be reliable. Coastal Communications Corp. does not assume any financial responsibility for typographical errors in advertisements, but will reprint that portion of an advertisement in which the typographical error occurs.

Deadline

20 days prior to publication.

Circulation

30,000

Subscriptions

$25 per year

Address

First things first: write out thank-you notes for everyone who gave you gifts this holiday. That’s one of Elizabeth Morse Read’s 15 ways to count your blessings on page 6.

The temperature might be cold, but there’s a hot debate going on in Tiverton over a new development. Jay Pateakos has the scoop on page 12.

If you’re coming down with the winter blahs, follow Brian Lowney’s advice on page 18 and treat yourself to a spa day.

If you’re still wound up from all the holiday and New Year’s parties, Dan Brulé would suggest taking a deep breath. No, deeper than that. Turn to page 24 to breathe like a pro.

January is the perfect time to try some new recipes at home and with your family. Sherri Mahoney-Battles shares some of her baking memories on page 30.

And after all that, there’s still a possibility that you didn’t accomplish anything all month. Not to worry — Paul Kandarian makes the case that maybe getting a little left behind isn’t so bad on page 38.

Whether you’re seeing a new band (page 34) or playing a new sport (page 26), there’s always something fun to do in the South Coast. Thanks for reading, and have a happy and healthy 2015!

The South Coast Insider 144 Purchase Street Fall River, MA 02722

Phone

(508) 677-3000

Ljiljana Vasiljevic

Website

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief

www.coastalmags.com

E-mail

editor@coastalmags.com Our advertisers make this publication possible— please support them.

4

January 2015 / The South Coast Insider

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The South Coast Insider / January 2015

5

YOUR HEALTH

15 ways to count your blessings

By Elizabeth Morse Read

January is National Thank You Month! If you thought you only had to be thankful at the end of November, think again. It’s the beginning of a new year, and there’s no better time than January to count your blessings and be grateful for what you have, be it ever so humble.

Appreciating the little things in life is good for your health, too — it’s hard to be grumpy or depressed when you choose to be cheerful and grateful.

It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. On those gray and dreary January days, find a way to let the light in. Put a prism or stainedglass light-catcher in a southerly window. Bundle up and stand on your porch for a few minutes when the sun’s out. Use up all those holiday candles.

Open the curtains and shutters. Light a bonfire on the beach.

Reach out and touch someone, whether on the phone or in an email or via Skype. Traveling may be harder in the winter, but it’s no excuse for not chatting it up with friends and far-flung family. Let them know that you’re glad they’re part of your life.

Smile whenever you see or speak to someone – the supermarket cashier, the mailman, the guys in the

6

January 2015 / The South Coast Insider

snow-plow – it’s your way of letting them know you appreciate the role they play in the community. When you’re in your car on a blustery day, wave at the traffic cop, the driver who lets you make a left turn, the school-crossing guard. And smile whenever you talk on the phone – people can “hear” a smile, even when they can’t see it.

Feed the critters. When the world outside is cold, motionless and monochromatic, there’s nothing quite as beautiful as watching a cardinal or woodpecker or squabbling chickadees at your window suet feeder. Scatter your stale bread and crackers outside after a snowfall. Winter creatures are free entertainment – let them know they’re welcome.

Send a handwritten thank-you card.

If someone’s been nice enough to give you a gift or do you a big favor or “put in a good word” for you, then take the time to lick a stamp instead of sending

them a text message or email. Brighten someone’s day with an unexpected card.

Clean out your cupboards Remember January “white sales?”

Gather up your old sheets and towels, and give them to the nearest shelter.

Bundle up old blankets and baskets, and give them to an animal refuge.

Pack up canned goods before they expire, and give them to the nearest food pantry. Show thanks for what you have by giving away what you really don’t need or use.

Share your God-given gifts If you’re lucky enough to be a good cook, invite someone to dinner. If you’re healthy and strong, shovel out an elderly neighbor’s driveway. If you’re a math whiz, help someone with their taxes or algebra homework. Don’t hide your talents under a bushel basket; they’re meant to be shared.

Don’t be a “Debbie Downer.”

Nobody’s life is perfect, so don’t complain endlessly about your troubles.

Everyone goes through relationship heartache, financial heartburn, and health crises at some point in their life – rest assured, you have not been singled out. There’s always someone out there who’s in worse shape than you are, so don’t take your own problems so personally. Everyone is given their own cross to carry, as I was taught as a child – be glad you’re not in the other guy’s shoes. Share the positive and funny news in your life, and cheer someone else up. You don’t have to be happy to be cheerful.

Don’t be wasteful. Turn off the lights and the faucets when they’re not in use – our global natural resources are finite, folks. Consolidate your errands into one shopping trip, instead of making five frivolous gas-guzzling dashes out to the mall. Eat more leftovers and produce less garbage. Repurpose, give away, or recycle everything else. If you consume less, there’s more left over for everyone else. Be glad for your fair share of the Earth’s bounty and make sure there’s something left for your grandchildren’s grandchildren.

Appreciate America. Thank your lucky Stars-and-Stripes that you live in a country with indoor plumbing, modern medicine, public education and a relatively stable government. The US of A may not be a utopia by a long stretch, but there are a lot worse places you could have been born. If you don’t like the way things are, then do something constructive to change it.

Don’t squander whatever gifts and resources you’ve got now and assume that someone or something else will take care of you later. Stop waiting for your boat to come in. Buying lottery tickets is no way to plan for your golden years or pay for your kids’ college tuition. Take responsibility for your fortune and future by curbing your instant gratification impulses. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist or

an MBA to become successful and self-sustaining. Make the most of what you’ve got.

Cherish the day. You can always borrow money or a cup of sugar, but you can’t borrow back time lost. Find a way to make every day meaningful and productive. Take pleasure in a soup wellmade or a plumbing problem fixed or a chance encounter with an old friend.

If you’ve got time on your hands, give it over to someone else who needs help. Don’t be in such a rush to get to tomorrow.

Thank a first-responder. Whenever there’s a fire, a war, a medical emergency, a natural disaster, or a crime, some selfless person rushes in to save you at great risk to themselves. Find a way to thank them for their service and sacrifices. Do your part to make sure they’re cared for when the battle’s over, support them when budget cutbacks loom.

Forgive someone for hurting your feelings. People say and do stupid things all the time, but it’s ultimately their problem, not yours. Give yourself a great gift and toss off that weight of guilt and resentment and disappointment. If someone or something gets under your skin, find a way to either fix it or learn to live with it, and then move on. Don’t let the past drag you down – it’s like a black cloud of gloom over your head.

Be grateful for the kindness of strangers and other random acts.

When the you-know-what hits the fan, it will be the passer-by, the nameless neighbor on the third floor, the car behind you, the cousin you haven’t seen since Watergate, who will get to you first before immediate family and the ambulance. Pay it forward and be compassionate 365 days a year.

So start your New Year right and count your blessings!

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The South Coast Insider / January 2015

7

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South Coast serves on MLK Day

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January 2015 / The South Coast Insider

For MLK Day (January 19, this year), “South Coast Serves”, a collaborative of community service organizations led by the Leduc Center for Civic Engagement at UMass Dartmouth, will commemorate the holiday as a National Day of Service for the fifth year in a row.

Deidre Healy, the Leduc center’s assistant director, explained, “He said—and I might be paraphrasing him here—‘you don’t have to be great to serve others, you just need to have a heart to serve.’ That is our theme this year.”

The “South Coast Serves” event will begin with a teach-in for area students at the Normandin Middle School from 10 AM to noon on the topic of following Dr. King’s work through community service and commitment to nonviolence. Then, weather permitting, everyone will march from Normandin to the Wood St. warehouse headquarters of the “Gift to Give program, which collects and redistributes children’s toys, clothes and book to needy families.

There, the students will help

organize and sort out donations.

Although the “Gifts to Give” program, which has been an integral part of the “South Coast Serves” commemoration for all five years, has moved to a new location, the MLK 2015 service celebration will follow last year’s very successful model, Healy said.

Healy hopes the event will engage the interest of over 200 middle school students from Roosevelt, Keith and Normandin middle schools in New Bedford, Old Rochester Regional Junior High School in Mattapoisett, and Fall River middle schoolers. This year they would also like to engage Fairhaven and Acushnet. The goal, she said, is to teach them to understand that Martin Luther King, Jr. believed community service is an important part of our national identity.

“Everyone has the power for greatness – not for fame. Greatness. And greatness is attained through service.”

“The local United Way is one of our partners with a database of service opportunities,” Healy added. “We help populate that website with information and opportunities and publicize their database. Food pantries are very, very busy this time of year. We need to help them do what they are doing — serving people who are hungry.”

Another important purpose of the Leduc Center commemoration, she said, is to echo Martin Luther King, Jr.’s anti-violence message by focusing on conflict resolution. Through the MLK Day commemoration, students will be challenged to take his message back to their schools and communities and create their own messages of peace and conflict resolution.

“As Dr. King said, everyone has the power for greatness,” Healy said. “Not for fame. Greatness. And greatness is attained through service.”

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Preparing for a New Year

Discover the South Coast’s maritime history Can you spend one morning or evening a week helping adult students learn to speak English or to improve basic reading, writing, or math skills?

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www.marinemuseumfr.org

For more information call Dr. Michael Gauthier, Volunteer Facilitator

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The South Coast Insider / January 2015

9

BUSINESS BUZZ

Tiverton Glen Development

BY Jay Pateakos

The largest development in Tiverton’s history, known as “Tiverton Glen,” a 63.5-acre development between Fish and Main Roads which includes a hotel, restaurants, retail and office space, and a residential component, could change the future of the town’s economic development structure, if approved.

D

eveloper Carpionato Properties has spent many months and more than a dozen informal and formal public hearings vetting the process and proposal to residents.

Tiverton Glen’s non-retail square footage is equal to or slightly exceeds that of the retail/shopping square footage.

The site will include a 125-room hotel with 20,000-squarefoot conference center, four to five restaurants, 300,000 square feet of retail space, another 100-200,000 square feet of office space, as well as underground parking.

Carpionato Vice President of Leasing and Acquisitions, Joseph Pierik, said the aim of the proposal was to create a complex that was carefully integrated, and knits into the community fabric seamlessly. He said the development should be an economic engine for the town that would create 1,000 permanent jobs and provide an exciting, energized, playful place to shop, live, work, and play in Tiverton.

“This will be a premiere facility with the benefits of Newport without being in Newport,” said Pierik.

“Tiverton Glen will be the amenity package that will lead to the successful development of the dormant Tiverton

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January 2015 / The South Coast Insider

Industrial Park acreage off Route 24 at Fish Road. It’s an open area with a mixed-use lifestyles center where people can live, work, shop, and meet friends. This is where responsible, creative development is headed today,” added Pierik.

Too good to be true?

Pierik notes that some detractors of the project are concerned that all Carpionato is bringing to the town is a glorified mall, citing comparisons to hobbling and deteriorating local malls including the Swansea Mall and the New Harbor Mall in Fall River.

“That’s not what we are bringing to Tiverton. We drive around town all the time and see the ‘No Mall in Tiverton’ signs,” said Pierik. “We don’t want a mall either. We are building something that will be successful; something that people want.”

Pierik drew comparisons between Tiverton Glen and the more urban-driven Chapel View development built in Cranston about a decade ago (which is currently at capacity.)

He insists that Tiverton will be just like that, except even better.

Carpionato Vice President of Leasing, Kelly Coates, said that today, businesses that are looking to relocate are searching for amenity packages that they can provide their workers that are at, or near, their workplaces.

That’s what they will get at Tiverton Glen. Coates said the proximity to Route 24 and Aquidneck Island make it a project that will provide businesses with just about everything they would need all in one location. With 90 planned rental apartment units in the development, you can literally live, work, eat, and do whatever else you may want without getting into your car.

But like any large development, it’s been a long, slow road to get to this point. Coates said it’s been about three years since the proposal was initially brought up and they’ve held at least 18 neighborhood public meetings, vocal gatherings that have helped them to revise the project a number of times to get it to where it’s more agreeable for the town.

They have planned meetings in January and February with the Planning Board and if they get approval to move forward, they will next go in front of the Town Council.

…It enhances the tax base for Tiverton which is primarily a residential tax base.

“It’s been a very good process and a very good project that’s come out of it,” said Coates. “We are very sensitive to the needs of the community here.”

Although there’s been plenty of rumors of who may be locating to Tiverton Glen if they do get their approval — Whole Foods and Chapel Grille among them — neither Pierik or Coates would confirm any potential tenants until everything is able to move forward. They did confirm that they’ve been in talks with more than a dozen companies so far, with more to come.

Overcoming hurdles

“It’s a rather unique project and in the market from Cape Cod to Providence, you won’t see anything quite like this in its offerings or amenity package,” said Coates. “We look forward to working with the community for many years to come.”

Stephen Hughes, Chairman of the Tiverton Planning Board, said the project is a very large undertaking, not only for the Continued ON NEXT PAGE

The South Coast Insider / January 2015

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Continued FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

developers but for the town and its planning board as well.

Hughes said the proposal calls for a number of amendments to the town’s Master and Comprehensive plans as well as a zoning variance to allow mixed-use general/commercial development in a zoned residential community for an area that is considered a gateway into the town.

“The positives are that it enhances the tax base for Tiverton which is primarily a residential tax base, and it allows an industrial/commercial push or emphasis to take that tax burden off the homeowners,” said Hughes.

“The jobs it would create and the increase in economic development it would bring all help to enhance the project.”

But like any large development, there are those who oppose it. However, Hughes said the last Planning Board meeting on the proposal drew the fewest detractors of the project since the meetings started being held.

“There’s a concern for the safety and general welfare of the community with a project of this size, and that safety and welfare is something we need to look after as a board. We also don’t want that area overdeveloped,” said Hughes.

“There is also a faction of people in town that don’t think it’s right for the town; that it will look like a mall.”

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January 2015 / The South Coast Insider

Like Pierik, Hughes cited a number of adjacent malls including Fall River’s New Harbor Mall that people continue to bring up in their conversations against a mall being located there.

But Hughes also noted Tiverton Glen is far from being a mall proposal.

“There’s a lot more to this than just retail,” Hughes admitted.

As for a timeline of the town’s end for the project to reach a yea or nay vote, Hughes said the town has commissioned an independent firm to conduct a financial analysis of the proposal in order for the town to see, from a non-biased perspective, the potential benefits and drawbacks of the Tiverton Glen proposal.

The report was scheduled to be delivered as “The South Coast Insider” went to print.

The board has until march March (unless another extension is approved by the developers) to allow the project to go to a vote.

If the vote is a positive one, then the developers will begin work on the preliminary plans for the entire site including all extensive engineering work that involves drainage, stormwater runoff and more.

“This is a very expensive phase for developers,” said Hughes about that preliminary stage after initial approval.

If the initial vote comes back negative, Hughes said developers can appeal the decision or go back and adjust the proposal and then resubmit those new plans to the board and town.

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For more information call 774-202-1837 or visit our website www.beaconafc.com The South Coast Insider / January 2015

13

BUSINESS BUZZ

Officials sign the partnership into effect: Front (l-r): Brad King, Carl Sawejko, Dr. Robert Lawrence, Stewart Kusinitz Back (l-r): Thomas Murray, Pamela Prescott.

Collaboration at the Cove

By Derek Vital

A partnership between Battleship Cove and the Marine Museum of Fall River became official last month, with the latter becoming a subsidiary of the former.

F

ounded in 1968, the Marine Museum has a wealth of valuable resources, including memorabilia, artifacts, and ship models of the Fall River Line, which operated from 1847 to 1937, carrying passengers from New York and Boston to summer homes in Newport.

The museum also houses more than 150 scale models, including a 28-foot version of the RMS Titanic which was used in the 1953 version of the movie about the infamous vessel. They also possess a massive collection of photographs, videos, uniforms, and audio recordings.

Located on the waterfront in Fall River, Battleship Cove is one of the South Coast’s most popular tourist attractions.

It houses five national landmarks, including the battleship

14

January 2015 / The South Coast Insider

Massachusetts, the destroyer Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., and the submarine Lionfish. The Battleship is also home to Massachusetts’ official World War II memorial. Opened in 1965, the Battleship will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year.

While the partnership has been in the works for a couple of years, the two organizations always had a history of mutual support. They most recently collaborated with Diman Regional Vocational High School on a high-profile project: the high school students created a 6-foot-by-9-foot cherry wood case which will display a model of the USS Massachusetts outside of Terminal E at Logan Airport in Boston. The model was donated by the Marine Museum

and the logistics of the transfer were handled by staffers of the Battleship.

“It was a wonderful joint effort,” said Pamela Prescott, acting manager of the Marine Museum. “It was really a win for everybody involved.”

With an entirely volunteer staff, it is difficult for the Marine Museum to expand its current operations. The larger, professional staff at the Battleship can assist the Marine Museum with promotions and fundraising.

“This will help us streamline our operations,” said Prescott.

“Our focus needs to be on increasing visitors. They will provide support in educational programs, fundraising, and promotion of the museum. It’s really a great partnership.”

Rev. Robert Lawrence, chairman of the Marine Museum’s board of directors, echoed Prescott’s sentiments about the impact the partnership with the Battleship can have on the museum.

“An alliance will provide a promising future for the Marine Museum,” said Lawrence, the pastor emeritus of the First Congregational Church in Fall River. “Together with the Battleship, the city will have a combined museum that will feature Fall River’s contribution to the maritime history in both war and peace.

“The Marine Museum’s educational value for future generations is assured as the alliance provides the opportunity for greater exposure that benefits the community. The Marine Museum looks forward to the leadership of the Battleship for its operational and management skills that provides the museum with more visibility under professional leadership.”

Battleship Executive Director Brad King feels like the partnership with the Marine Museum is a natural fit and should provide a boost to the economy via increased tourism in the region.

“The vision of the founding membership of the Marine Museum was to one day have the museum one day become a full partner with Battleship Cove,” said King. “I am happy to take part in bringing that vision to life.

“Together, the new organization will be an integral part of the revitalization of the waterfront and city of Fall River in conjunction with the Route 79 project and the South Coast Railway.”

The Marine Museum will maintain its identity and act as a subsidiary of Battleship Cove. A new director will be hired to run the day-to-day operations and maintain collections of the museum.

The museum is located at 70 Water St. in Fall River and is open for visitors from 10 am to 3 pm on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday, and 10 am to 4 pm on Saturdays. For more information, visit, www.

MarineMuseumFR.org or call 508-674-3533. The Battleship is open seven days a week, 9 am to 4:30 pm during the fall and winter, and 9 am to 5 pm in the spring and summer.

Visit www.BattleshipCove.org or call 508-678-1100 for more information.

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The South Coast Insider / January 2015

15

BUSINESS BUZZ

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BY STEVE SMITH

16

January 2015//The TheSouth SouthCoast CoastInsider Insider January 2015

ll the news seems bad these days; if it’s not Ebola, it’s ISIS. Even the thrill and spectacle of statewide and national elections were tempered by the deluge of negative ads that nearly drowned out the excitement of important contests that will affect our future.

But there is a good-news local story that has been flying under the radar, and it comes from an unlikely source – South Coast Rail.

Over the past twenty-five years, we in the South Coast have grown used to reading about this project in the context of empty political promises, endless delays, environmental NIMBYism, and disdainful attitudes about our region.

Now that is all changing with a parade of good news that often seems hard to accept at face value. But pinch yourself – this is real.

Right now several early implementation actions are underway that will bring train service between the South Coast and Boston a few steps closer.

These actions are real - not like phony groundbreakings held in the 1990’s that were complete with chrome shovels and photo ops, followed by absolutely nothing. These are tangible construction projects that may not be the most glamorous, but are paving the way for the future arrival of trains.

The projects include different pieces: tie and ballast work on the tracks; upgrade of five grade crossings in different communities at a cost of $18.4 million; and the restoration of four bridges at a cost of $42 million. The tie and ballast work has been underway for months and is nearly complete, while the grade crossings and bridges are about to start.

This is important work. For example, the Wamsutta Bridge over Route 18, Acushnet Avenue, and Wamsutta Street in New Bedford is in dire need of repair. It is structurally deficient –perilous for the trains that pass over it and a hazard for the cars and trucks that pass underneath it.

After unsuccessful attempts to secure federal dollars for the bridge, it makes good sense for the state to fund its replacement at this time. The upgrade

will help freight trains immediately and will carry passenger trains in the future.

In Fall River, bridges over President Avenue, Brownell Street, and Country Club Road will all be upgraded to immediately carry freight traffic at higher speeds and safer conditions.

This work is only the most recent development in a string of actions which are indicative of South Coast Rail having entered an exciting new phase.

The good news began with the Army Corps of Engineers giving the project a favorable environmental review in 2013, followed this year by the legislature including South Coast Rail in their transportation financing legislation.

More recently, the MBTA announced a 10-year, $220 million dollar contract for design, engineering, and construction management. In October, MassDOT announced round seven of the technical assistance/ smart growth grants to corridor communities that brought the grand total of expenditure under this program to over $1.6 million. And now there are important upgrades to the tracks and bridges which will pay immediate dividends by supporting improved freight traffic.

Politically, the project enjoys strong support, with Governor-elect Charlie Baker commenting about recent actions on the day after his election: “We’re obviously going to continue.

That, in some ways, is a big step, and certainly something we support.”

The newly-formed Rail to Boston Coalition is rounding up strong business support in the region and in the Boston area, adding new voices to the chorus pushing to get this job done.

And the project has been recognized with a national infrastructure award for its positive economic impact.

So things are looking up. It is not the time to ease up on our advocacy for South Coast Rail, but it’s nice to feel momentum heading into the final stretch.

It is structurally deficient — perilous for the trains that pass over it and a hazard for the cars and trucks that pass underneath it.

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The South Coast Insider / January 2015

17

THINGS TO DO

Avalon Medical Spa

Taking a spa day

By Brian J. Lowney

It’s a New Year and you’ve made a resolution to look and feel better, so why not make a visit to a local spa? It’s time to be pampered and make a personal investment that will reap many positive rewards.

Whether you want to shed a few pounds so you fit into that special dress or bathing suit that’s been sitting in the closet, want more beautiful and youthful skin, or simply want to remove annoying body hair, a trip to a spa will result in improved physical and emotional health and will have family, friends, and co-workers all asking what you did to look so good.

Looking and feeling good

New Bedford’s Avalon Medical Spa (avalonmedicalspa.net) at 651 Orchard Street is where owner Flavia Thornson and the experienced staff of licensed physicians and registered nurses offer the latest in anti-aging services, vein

18

treatments, laser hair removal, weight loss, and fat reduction.

Skin rejuvenation treatments include Botox injections and dermal fillers, which can help to enhance lips and correct laugh, smoker’s, and smile lines, as well as hollow cheeks. The effects of this treatment can last up to 24 months, and in some cases, can stimulate an individual’s own collagen production, which may produce longer lasting results.

Thornson, a registered nurse, says that another treatment offered at the spa is vein removal to eliminate often unsightly and painful spider veins.

Using advanced technology, spa staff is able to treat spider veins quickly, and

January 2015 / The South Coast Insider

use a laser to target blood vessel walls to promote their collapse so that they can be absorbed into the body.

According to Thornson, more men are seeking treatment at the spa. She emphasizes that with many older individuals of both genders trying to stay competitive in the job market, there is greater pressure to “look well-taken care of” and to maintain a youthful presence.

“We all have a little vanity,” she adds, noting that when people look their best, they also have a positive attitude that impacts every facet of life.

“Men want their women to look beautiful and women want their men to look good, too,” she says.

The Wax Pot

A fountain of youth

The Wax Pot (thewaxpots.com) is located at 422 Main Street in Warren, Rhode Island. Owner Susan Archambault offers facials, waxing, chemical peels, and air candle treatments to clients from all over the South Coast. Although most of her clients are women, the busy esthetician says that a growing number of men visit the spa to receive treatment.

According to Archambault, one of the most popular treatments that she offers are facials, which provide deep cleansing to the skin and “balance out” imperfections such as blemishes, patches of dry skin, sunspots and acne.

“I recommend four sessions a year as the minimum,” says the spa owner.

“Facials are very relaxing.”

Waxing, a process that removes hair follicles from the root, results in smoother, hairless skin and is a popular treatment often sought by individuals who want to get rid of unwanted

body or facial hair.

For people who want to have more youthful-looking skin, Archambault offers chemical peels to remove skin imperfections such as acne scars and sunspots. This technique is used to improve the appearance of the skin on the face, neck and hands. During this process, a chemical solution is applied to the skin that causes it to exfoliate and peel off, leaving a new, regenerated outer layer of skin that is usually smoother, less wrinkled and more youthful looking in appearance.

According to Archambault, one of the most interesting treatments she offers is ear candling, an ancient Egyptian practice that uses a large straw-like instrument to cleanse ears by cleaning the ear canal of excessive wax and minute debris.

“It’s excellent for sinus infections and it’s one of my most popular treatments,” she reports.

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The South Coast Insider / January 2015

19

THINGS TO DO

The people’s art gallery

By Michael J. Vieira

Downtown Fall River may not be the bustling place it once was—the theatres are gone, as are many of the shops and stores. One building, however, still stands strong and proud: the Fall River Public Library, or, as the engraving over the granite entrance proclaims, “The People’s University.”

Standing firm on the hill at 104 North Main Street, it still beckons those who want to read, to use the Internet, to research, and to borrow multimedia materials. What many may not know that it’s also “The People’s Art Gallery,” home to many paintings and other works of art.

Alex Desmarais, or one of the library assistants who may be at the desk in the main lobby, can provide a booklet with artist biographies and other information.

She stands in front of a beautiful example of a Robert Spear Dunning still life.

“He’s one of my favorites,” Alex said, pointing out the fuzz on the peach. “It looks like you can take the fruit and eat it.”

For about 60 years – from 1865 to about 1925 – the Fall River School of Painting flourished.

Dunning is perhaps the most recognized, and he also founded the Fall River Evening Drawing School with John E. Grouard, according to the booklet from the library.

“The Fall River school is not simply the creation of contemporary art historians, but was recognized and acknowledged in its own day,” art historians William H. Gerdts and Russell Burke noted in American Still-Life Painting.

In addition to the painting in the lobby, there are two other Dunning works on display. His copy of Gilbert Stuart’s painting of George Washington is in the Fell Room on the Main Level. “Still Life with Roses” is hung in the Upper Level Promenade.

20

January 2015 / The South Coast Insider

Like the one downstairs – and many of the other works by his students and contemporaries – you feel like you can pick the fruit and smell the flowers. After a century or so, they all look fresh.

But it’s not all still lifes. There are landscapes and portraits hanging throughout the three levels of the library.

Not just old stuff

In the lobby, a large, powerful painting by Tiago Finato hangs in remembrance of September 11, 2001. It’s called “Human Emotion at a Moment in Time” and features a group of people expressing the range of human emotions.

The bright colors of the United States’ flag stand out in contrast to the dark clouds and a bit of blue sky and sunlight illuminate a young girl picking daisies.

Finato, a native of Brazil, moved to Fall River in 1999. He is the president of the Greater Fall River Art Association.

When the painting was dedicated on the tenth anniversary of the attack, The Herald News reported that Finato used an impressionistic style with bold brush strokes. It quoted the artist as saying: “The painting needed to show a bit more of the rough brush strokes than the classical, traditional European smooth strokes that I usually use. This allows for more energy and emotion to be displayed in the painting.”

It works. The impressive piece stands out in the cavernous space that’s filled

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with circulation desks, computers, and patrons.

At the time, Library Administrator Paula Costa Cullen commissioned the painting. Funding was provided by BankFive, Bogle & DeAscentis PC, Borden & Remington Corp., Collins Construction Co., First Bristol Corp., Insurit Agency, Bob Karam, Michael Biszko and Alan Biszko. Laurel Ann Clark is the current Library Adminstrator.

Look up for more

Many patrons often miss one of the key attractions, created in 1907. Towering above the main entrance to the library is a series of murals by Ludovico Cremonini, the same artist who painted the 24 large murals that once graced Notre Dame Church, a Flint landmark destroyed by fire.

“One patron said he’s been coming here for years and never looked up,” Desmarais said.

He, and many others, missed out on four murals – but even if he looked up, he may not have understood what he saw. I know that I never did.

According to the audio description provided by the library, the woman warrior protecting a child reading a book in the panel over the entrance to the lobby represents the United States.

In the painting over the office, a man, who looks like Benjamin Franklin, is a symbol for Massachusetts. He’s reading as are two children who are being taught. Also depicted in this panel is a printer.

“The genius of George Washington” is the theme of the panel to the right, and over the entrance door is “a maternal figure” overlooking textile production and distribution by male and female cotton workers. This painting represents Fall River.

Taken together, the narrator suggests, the artist places Fall River in the same “lofty context” as Massachusetts, Washington, and America, and highlights the importance of reading and education.

Because the state and nation are so “strong and wise,” he said, Fall River can be “soft and sweet.” Although folks can argue both points, these were no doubt aspirations even then which, as the narrator notes, are appropriate for the entrance to “The People’s University.”

They remain pretty good ideals today.

Now listen up

In keeping with the technological advances at the library, patrons can take an audio tour of the library’s art collection. Start in the lobby by dialing 774-2075197 on your cell phone and hitting 1# when it connects.

You’ll learn more about the Cremonini paintings and begin to appreciate the paintings if, like me, you’ve walked past countless times. There are about 36 works described on the recording, and you can also listen to it at home by calling the same number.

There are also several sculptures, including a marble bust of the poet Robert Burns and a really interesting gem and mineral collection. A visit downstairs to the children’s library is also worth the trip just to see the murals and other artwork created by David Mello, the children’s librarian.

Restored and renovated in the 1990s, the art collection has been restored and linked to a security system. The library also has free wifi and computers to use, ebooks and digital audiobooks, historic documents, and recent best sellers. There are meeting rooms and, yes, places to sit quietly and read.

After all these years, this Fall River institution still lives up to its name – and like other universities and colleges – has changed a lot since I once walked into the and out a picture book with my mom. children’s section, got myMaureen card, andTenn checked Pam Cohen smile in And like most other contemporary institutions, it’s now online as well. Visit their shiny shop www.fallriverlibrary.org/ for more information.

The South Coast Insider / January 2015

21

THINGS TO DO

Hitting all the right notes

by Michael J. DeCicco

When a South Coast-based jazz vocalist and music educator becomes the mother of two equally musically gifted daughters, collaboration is almost inevitable.

In the case of Marcelle Gauvin and her daughters Kelsey and Kimberlee Jacobsen, the collaboration is as owners and operators of Double Bar Music, a music store and school on State Road in Westport.

Like other such stores, Double Bar Music, which opened in 2012, sells and rents musical instruments and accessories. Unlike others, its larger focus is on lessons and workshop programs in vocal and instrumental music taught by Gauvin herself and a variety of other teachers.

Gauvin is proud to note her teachers are all working musicians and most are licensed schoolteachers.

“The goal is to support all music and other visual arts,” Gauvin said. “We want this to be a very welcoming and joyful place, because that’s what music is all about.”

Twenty-seven-year-old Kelsey Jacobsen, who is also a working musician and music teacher, co-owns the business and serves as store manager with able assistance from her sister

22

January 2015 / The South Coast Insider

Marcell Gauvin, Kimberlee Jacobsen, and Kelsey Jacobsen

Kimberlee, who is 22.

“We collaborate in putting ideas together for the business. I put them in motion,” Kelsey said.

Gauvin said that as a family they’ve always shared a love of music and they wanted to find a place where they could continue to share that connection.

A musical collaboration

The other driving force behind Double Bar Music, is the trajectory of Gauvin’s own music career, which she began at age 18. The busy jazz vocalist performer is currently a music educator at both UMass Dartmouth and the Berklee School of Music in Boston, and teaches private clients.

She said the time had come to make more room for the latter.

“I decided I wanted more time and needed space for my professional clients,” Gauvin said. “We looked for a place that could provide space for all our musical endeavors. Then this space became available.”

“And I said it’s now or never,” Kelsey added.

The name “Double Bar” is taken from the double bar that signals the end of a song or a section of a song.

Kelsey explained, “that’s because we would like to be the end-all place for all musicians.”

Kelsey said she, her mother, and her sister all love music but not necessarily the same kind.

“We have three different musical styles,” she said. “We are all in our own worlds then come together and then go back into our own worlds again.”

Kelsey is the lead singer of a 1920’s jazz jug novelty band, “The Moldy Suitcases.” She started giving music lessons at age 17. At age 24, she completed her level III certification in Somatic Voicework and has since continued to build her career as a private and group instructor around Bristol County.

Kelsey said she grew up liking rock music. Her current band’s 20’s/ragtime style evolved from the music she

performances from musicians to poets enjoyed performing with bandmates to rappers. who were all alumni of punk rock Gauvin is proud to note that her bands. instructors also teach music to speThis is also how she arrived at the cial-needs students at the store. What’s type of music she likes to sing in genunique about Double Bar Music, she eral. “My style found me,” she said. said, is that while most vocal music inHer sister has the same explanation struction leans towards classical music, for her own musical style. Kimberlee “we have a strong contemporary comgrew up singing in a Community mercial vocal program.”

Service Group, “Showstoppers,” that Its intensive workshops and ensemble performed a variety of music from pop programs have included an eightto country.

“We sang everything from old to new. week blues program, songwriting and recording workshops and, every sumWhen you are singing all the time, your mer, a rock group program. The rock style chooses you,” she said, echoing program organizes two rock bands her sister.

Kimberlee is now a Rhythm and Blues from participants from ages 8-17 who perform live at the end of the summer. singer who tours with the band “Triad” Future plans include throughout the region, starting a Caribbean and she teaches voice To be prepared music steel-pan ensemlessons. After her high school graduation, she for music school, ble program, a workshop on how to audition toured as a member a student for a stage musical or a of the popular group music school, and how must have a “Varsity Girls,” which to put a ‘gig’ book tohad a hit single with the good amount gether. The latter is what original song, “Be You” of technical a working musicians and sang the national anthem at Fenway Park, professionalism needs to show performance venues and Boston, in Aug. 2010. and a working fellow musicians what Gauvin admits that tunes are in that perknowledge of at first she didn’t want repertoire and in her daughters entermusic theory. son’s what key they can play ing music as a career. or sing that tune in.

“Pursuing a musical There is more to being ready to percareer takes boundless energy, tenacform live or ace a music school audiity, extreme flexibility, and the ability to tion than music students think there is, handle negativity,” Gauvin said.

Gauvin explained.

Gauvin’s attitude changed when “To be prepared for music school, a younger daughter Kimberlee asked student must have a good amount of what’s wrong with pursuing something technical professionalism and a workthat puts joy in their lives. “That’s when ing knowledge of music theory,” she the light bulb came on in my head and said.

“Also a developed sense/ear for I realized the quality of our lives have music and performance experience. been greater because of music.”

They have to understand the real-world Coming to crescendo experience of a working musician.”

In a similar way, Double Bar Music’s She added, “Double Bar Musics goal goal is to share that love. It collaborates is teaching our students how to find with the Herrin Run Dance Studio in the uniqueness in their musical talent.

Fall River in presenting a yearly Holiday We teach both aspiring professionals event where both students and and music enthusiasts, those doing it teachers perform music and dance. for the joy of it.”

Additionally, one Wednesday evening Double Bar Music is located at 1093 per month, the store presents a “Hump State Road, Wesport, MA. Its website is www.doublebarmusic.com.

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23

YOUR HEALTH

Dan Brulé lectures a class at UMass Dartmouth

10 ways to improve your breathing

by Dan Brulé

Ignorance is not bliss!

When it comes to your breathing, what you don’t know could be hurting you, both in the short and long term. Your breathing habits can have a surprisingly negative effect on your health and wellbeing, on your athletic and creative abilities, on your performance at work, and in your everyday life.

24

January 2015 / The South Coast Insider

Here are just a few signs of “bad” breathing: anxiety, tension, asthma, headaches, chronic fatigue, panic attacks, sleep disorders, high blood pressure, irritability, poor concentration, shortness of breath, phobias, lack of mental clarity, dizziness, cold hands and feet, immune disorders, poor digestion, and constipation.

Clearly, not breathing properly can lead to some serious issues.

You owe it to yourself to improve your breathing!

Thankfully, there are many simple and easy things you can do to dramatically improve your breathing, and with it, your health and happiness.

To start, there is one thing that you need to do: become conscious of your breathing. It may sound silly, but you need to practice “Breath Awareness.”

Establish the habit of consciously observing your breath at different times, in different situations, and during different activities. Do it now. Seriously. Tune

into your breath. Notice how you are breathing.

Are you a mouth breather or a nose breather?

Are you a chest breather or a belly breather? Are you a shallow breather or a deep breather? Is your breathing fast or is it slow? Is your breathing rhythmic or irregular? What muscles do you use when you breathe? Do you hold your breath at times without realizing it?

The fact is you cannot improve your breathing if you are not aware of how you breathe now. And here is the ruthless truth: if you are serious about improving your breathing and your life, then you need to practice something for at least five to ten minutes, two or three times a day.

Frankly, it seems that most people are either too lazy or too busy to learn and practice healthy breathing. I guess they prefer to wait for a crisis, until they need a doctor, a therapist, drugs or surgery. I hope you are different!

In the meantime, here are ten common-sensible ways to improve your breathing:

1

At the top of the list are good old-fashioned aerobic exercises. Get someone to kick your butt and get you moving and breathing!

Choose your activities and adjust the intensity of them to match your abilities and your level of health.

2

Take a hike! And breathe to the rhythm of your footsteps. Start with a 2-2 pattern: breathe in for two steps and breathe out for two steps. Then gradually increase your pace and the count to 3-3 and 4-4.

Fred is a retired restaurant owner. He said this to me recently: “I walk every day. If it rains I walk. If it snows I walk. I do yoga and I meditate. Every day.”

Fred is seventy-two years old, and he barely looks fifty. He started his breathing practice when he was sixty-five.

3

Another obvious way to improve breathing are exercises that stretch and increase chest flexibility and those that strengthen the abdomen and condition the diaphragm. If your chest and spine are stiff and rigid, if your diaphragm is weak or frozen, then you are robbing yourself of breath and life.

4

Do Tai chi, Yoga, Chi Kung, or any other practice that involves slow graceful movements coordinated with breathing. Pilates is an excellent way to improve breathing by developing more flexibility and core strength.

5

Stop wasting energy. Don’t use “accessory muscles” to breathe. Your neck muscles, shoulder muscles and back muscles are not breathing muscles. Putting too much effort into breathing is an exhausting exercise in futility!

The habit of rapid and shallow “chest breathing” is a good example of wasted breath energy. Imagine running a business where it costs you two dollars to make every one!

6

Learn and practice “diaphragmatic breathing.” Most of your blood flow and air exchange takes place in the lower portion of your lungs.

Practice “belly breathing” until it is an unconscious habit – until you literally do it in your sleep!

Slow diaphragmatic breathing results not only in in deeper and more restful sleep, but it also makes for

sweeter dreams! Many people report blissful “flying” dreams when they make the switch from chest breathing to belly breathing.

7

Practice lengthening your exhales. Take time to stretch them out. When you focus on exhaling slowly and completely, your inhales automatically become fuller, deeper, and without any extra effort.

8

Breathe more slowly. Breathing less than 12 breaths per minute correlates with good overall health. The rate of 6 to 8 breaths per minute is considered a “therapeutic zone.” It improves everything from high blood pressure to asthma.

Breathing more slowly actually increases cellular oxygenation! And it activates the vagus nerve, which controls heart rate, digestion, and it is associated with a relaxed restorative state. Slow breathing also increases alpha waves in the brain. That’s a very good thing!

9

Learn “Bellows Breathing” to energize yourself. This ancient yogic technique stimulates the natural production of epinephrine.

It involves breathing quickly and actively: 2 to 3 breaths per second (120 to 180 breaths per minute).

You should sound like a busy bicycle pump! Do it for a minute or two, then rest for an equal amount of time. Several cycles of this will give you a healthy burst of energy.

1

Master the Full Yogic Breath. Fill up all three breathing spaces: lower, middle, and upper. When you breathe in, think of how you fill a glass with water: from the bottom up. Fill up your lungs in the same way. Then relax and release the breath, letting it pour out fully by itself.

Additional tips for improving your breathing

A

pply the “Two to One” Pattern: Make your exhales twice as long as your inhales. Experiment with different counts, but keep the same ratio.

For example: Exhale 4, inhale 2. Exhale 6: inhale 3. Exhale 8, inhale 4. Mix it up and vary your rhythms. (You can count using seconds, heartbeats, or your footsteps.)

Blowing up balloons is good exercise to increase your lung capacity. And so is simply exhaling against pursed-lips. This creates natural resistance and pressure in the airways, which helps to maximize oxygen absorption.

You can also practice blowing out a candle.

Start by holding it at arms length. And then try to blow it out from further and further distances. And singing, humming, and playing wind instruments are also easy and fun ways to improve your breathing.

You can also simply practice counting on the exhale. Take in a deep breath and then count out loud until you run out of air. “One, two, three, four, five, six… (Squeeze the last few counts out in a whisper) fifty-six, fifty-seven, fifty-eight, fifty-nine…” Practice every day. Increase your count till you get to one hundred!

Good luck in your practice!

A breathing coach can shorten your learning curve and accelerate your progress. To master some of these exercises you may require some hands-on training. For help in locating a good Breathworker, email me at danbrule@breathmastery.com If you are willing to make a commitment to yourself, then I’m willing to make a commitment to serve and support you in your Breathwork practice.

For more information visit www.breathmastery. com, download a book, or subscribe to monthly newsletter. Take a deep breath.

Feel better yet?

The South Coast Insider / January 2015

25

THINGS TO DO

and t p u l o a t y! e G

BY Jay Pateakos

O

I’ve been a racquetball player since my teenage years and always loved it. I didn’t get into tennis until I was in my 20’s but when I did, I loved that too.

ne of the best tennis stories I have is about a friend who had always talked about how good his tennis game was.

(You know the kind right?)

Another acquaintance and I, were challenged by him to a game of tennis. He had trash-talked about being able to beat us for months. His yapping about how good his game supposedly was intrigued us. In racquetball, we played a similar yet very different game than tennis but we had many more years of playing on our side.

Let’s just say the game didn’t end well for my tennis friend. You see, once you focus on playing a racquet sport well, any other sport you play will benefit.

26

January 2015 / The South Coast Insider

Although we didn’t have years of tennis experience under our belts, we had racquetball experience and the hand/eye coordination that came with it. That was enough to best his tennis game. And it will do the same for you.

While many people think of tennis as a spring or summer sport, it couldn’t be further from the truth. Just step into the Dartmouth Indoor Tennis Club (DIT) (dartmouthindoortennis. net), located at 757 State Road in Dartmouth and you’ll know what I mean.

SMASHING!

In business for more than 52 years, this club was the first public tennis facility in the country. Gerry Aillery

founded DIT in 1962, starting with two indoor courts under a temporary tent which was covered over with one of the very first “Space” buildings in the area in early 1963.

As tennis continued to grow in popularity, Gerry added a single indoor court and two outdoor courts in 1968.

In 1972 as tennis exploded, they covered over the two outdoor courts.

With tennis still growing in popularity through the years, the current 40,800-square-foot buildings contain a total of five indoor tennis courts, two lounge areas and mens and ladies locker rooms.

Cynthia and Eric Belinkoff, who have owned DIT since buying it from Joe and Ray Barbero 1997, said the club

is busier than ever.

“We have great members and many teams play here. Our competition does a good job—we think we do even better,” Eric said.

“Tennis is still a mainstream sport that has done very well over the years.” Eric said.

Part of their success is due to focusing on creating a friendly, professional, family environment, a founding a premier junior’s tennis program, and offering a fun instructional clinic and league format for all levels of players.

The junior programs are structured to improve a child’s playing ability. The personalization extends all the way to the equipment that the children use. Juniors starting out train using a larger but lighter ball (25% of the compression of a regular ball) before moving on to the next ball (a little smaller at 50% compression) followed by a regular-sized ball at 75% compression. After learning to control play with these balls, juniors graduate to the regular ball we all use as adults.

“It’s great they’ve developed these lighter balls, smaller racquets and courts,” said Cynthia.

“Tennis finally got smarter and mimicked what basketball and soccer did for kids by making tennis more kid-friendly.”

DIT was the first club in New England to develop a 10-and-under program for juniors in 2010. The USTA made it mandatory for all USTA member clubs to comply with this program by 2012. They were well ahead of the curve then and continue to grow with more innovative ideas and programs.

Cindy and Eric consider themselves lucky to have a great support staff team in place to help make the club the success it is today. They have a top-notch tennis pro staff which includes Jeff Otterbein (past assistant tennis coach at the Roger Williams University Woman’s team), Jacob Klaeson (ranked fourth in Sweden in the 18-and-under category and reached the NCAA Finals two out of his four college years at Ole Miss [Div. 1]), and Tim Murphy (former Women’s Assistant Coach at

Most of the better athletes, both professional and amateur, play a racquet sport.

That’s not by accident.

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According to Anestis Taskos, Ping-Pong is like “chess at light speed.”

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Continued FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Brown University, among many other accolades).

But it’s not only about the tennis here at DIT. Alternative racquet sports are afoot here also.

Pickleball

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The most popular up-and-coming sport is Pickleball. It’s all the rage down south and out west.

Played with a racquet similar to a Ping-Pong paddle but about double its size and slightly square-ish, the ball used is like a whiffle ball that’s thicker and harder than the one we played with growing up. In Pickleball, the tennis nets are three inches lower and you only use about two-thirds of the entire tennis court. Search for it on YouTube and you’ll see it firsthand.

Look for Pickleball leagues to be starting up soon at DIT. Like I noted at the beginning of this article, playing a racquet sport greatly improves your hand/eye coordination in other sports. Eric concurred, especially when it comes to a stick sport like baseball, lacrosse or field hockey.

It’s also vital to making your other games stand out, he noted.

“Tennis helps you develop a broader and more accurate range of motion,” said Eric. “Most of the better athletes, both professional and amateur, play a racquet sport. That’s not by accident.”

PING-PONG

Though around for centuries, Ping-Pong has always been a popular indoor game and a new facility recently opened hoping to take the game to another level.

Managing Partner Anestis Taskos has played Ping-Pong competitively across the world. He and a number of his Ping-Pong friends grew tired of the treks to Rhode Island to get a chance to play. On October 1, Taskos and his partner Ozzy opened the 4,500-square-foot Smash Table Tennis Club (www.smashttc.com) at a mill located at 231 Weaver Street in Fall River.

The facility has a total of eight Joola 3000SC Table Tennis tables, a

Cynthia Belinkoff and Laura Mello of the Dartmouth Indoor Tennis Club

semi-private room (perfect for birthday parties) with a table and robot for specialized training, a pro-shop, and a snack bar and lounge with free Wi-Fi and cable TV. “We grew tired of traveling to the northern part of Rhode Island to play a few times each week and we started talking to people about how great it would be to have a place down here,” said Taskos. “People wanted it. It’s such an addictive sport. I can’t wait to play it.”

Taskos admitted the sport still had a long way to go in organizational components, noting that while roughly 20 million people play the sport of Ping-Pong, there are only about 8,000 registered players.

“We hope to make the game of Ping-Pong more mainstream,” he said.

STTC provides introductory free lessons for kids and charges just $10 per day to play and $8 per day for kids, seniors, or students. They even provide the paddles if you need them. On Wednesday and Thursday, they’ve started a competitive league for all levels in the hopes of spawning

off specific age-group leagues in the future.

Taskos said they’ve gotten the message out that the club is open through advertising in the local newspapers and hitting social media where they can. In the end, word of mouth will also be huge for them when people get in there and see the neat facility.

“We need to create awareness,” said Taskos. “Whoever shows up always comes back. It’s a fun social sport, great for fitness, very inexpensive, and suitable for all ages, from six to a hundred years old. Anyone can play it.”

Calling it a thinking man’s game, Taskos said playing Ping-Pong is akin to “chess at light speed,” a game that improves your mental alertness and is beneficially both physically and mentally.

Only a little over a month into the business, Taskos has grand plans for the site that has much room for expansion including more leagues, after-school programs for kids, summer camps, and more.

“I’d like to do week-long training camps, corporate events, youth and advanced leagues,” said Taskos.

“Another part of the vision is creating leagues not just for kids but also for all age groups, 50 and 60 years old and more. We recently had a birthday party with 15 adults and 30-35 kids and they all had such a great time.”

Taskos clearly loves his sport. “PingPong is a lot of fun and it’s addictive.

This is a way to get kids away from video games and people away from TV, out of the house and having fun,” he said. “It’s great for your health and fitness and it’s inexpensive. You can’t beat it.”

So here are some sports that you can play no matter what the weather is. If you haven’t tried any of them, it’s time to start. Let’s face it, we can all use a little more exercise, especially in the darkness and laziness of winter.

Remember that playing these sports could help you in all the other sports you play while having a lot of fun in the process. Just don’t be like my friend and run your mouth to anyone with a raquet in their hand.

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January 2015 / The South Coast Insider

“S” is for Sherri

By Sherri Mahoney-Battles

Last week I made thirty jars of jelly. Standing in the kitchen amidst swirls of steam always reminds me of my mother who passed away five years ago.

My mother was an avid berry picker, and as children, my brothers and I were her band of helpers.

Our foray into the marshes and woods almost always included huge amounts of laughter along with a few near-death mishaps. The mosquitoes were so big that we feared being carried away.

The best berries were usually in the most difficult places to access and often required wading through waist deep water in marshes. We tied our beach pails around our necks with waxed twine that cut into our skin and a trip or stumble into deep water that spilled our berries meant extended hours picking.

We often picked in the marshes until after dark only to be frightened by large animals crashing through the brush where we were picking.

Blackberry picking meant belly-crawling through thorn-covered bushes surrounded by field spiders, and our sun-browned arms and legs were always covered with bites and scratches.

The aftermath of our picking found us in the kitchen canning and baking. My mother was famous for her pies and to my delight each pie she baked was crowned with a large letter “S” embellishing its crust.

For years, I goated over the fact that I was the

child whose initial my mother chose to decorate her pies. My brothers were jealous and asked why their initials weren’t on her pies, and on one or two occasions she slipped in a different initial, but the letter “S” was the one that marked almost every one of her pies, and it made me feel very special indeed.

Its funny how times change yet certain things remain the same. With my own children I have picked berries and made jellies and pies, and I have continued to decorate my pies with the letter “S” as my mother did all those years. Also, it reminds me of a conversation I had with my mother when I was perhaps in my late-twenties, and we were baking a pie in my kitchen while my daughters played at our feet.

As I fluted the edges with the same pattern that always graced my mother’s pies and marked my pie with the letter “S,” my mother looked at me with a smile and said, “S is for Steam”. It took me only a second to realize that the letter “S” that had marked my mother’s pies was really about the steam that escaped through her letter “S”. I asked

What I wouldn’t give to be back in that smelly marsh, covered with bugs with a plastic pail hanging from my neck, picking berries with my mother. my mother why she would let me think that she had been marking her pies with my initial for all those years. But I was a young mother at this point, and her answer made perfect sense to me. She told me that she knew it made me feel special, and she never wanted to take that away from her little girl.

Over the years, I have shared this story with friends and family, and one family member commented on how sad it was that my mother deceived me all those years. I, however, have always felt differently. As an accountant I spend my days crunching numbers and identifying financial values, but I know that one of the most valuable gifts I ever got was from a mother who was happy to let me believe that every one of her pies bore my initial.

What I wouldn’t give to be back in that smelly marsh, covered with bugs with a plastic pail hanging from my neck, picking berries with my mother.

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508.673.2982 The South Coast Insider / January 2015

31

DATELINE: SOUTH COAST

News, views and trends... from Mount Hope Bay to Buzzards Bay

Phew! The holidays are over! Time to exhale and get geared up for a new year. Gas and fuel prices are low, there are exciting economic developments throughout the South Coast, and, as always, there’s plenty to see and do throughout the region. Happy New Year!

across the region

Thanks to a new partnership between UMass Dartmouth and Southcoast Health, on-site MBA classes are available at Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River, and will soon be available at St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford and Tobey Hospital in Wareham. A new master’s degree program in health care management will be available next year at all three locations.

Three bridges in Fall River and one in New Bedford will be replaced soon, thanks to a recent $42,000,000 state-funded contract, in anticipation of the long-awaited South Coast Rail system.

Thank you, outgoing Governor Deval Patrick!

Get ready for the 19th Annual Moby-Dick Marathon at the Whaling Museum in New Bedford January 2-4. Call 508-997-0046 or visit www.whalingmuseum.org.

Going Up! On January 1, NSTAR electricity rates will jump an average of 29%, following the increases announced by National Grid back in September.

If you’re 50 or older, check out the trips sponsored by the New Bedford Senior Travel Program – there’s the trip to Washington DC May 15-19, and day trips to Mohegan Sun January 12 and Foxwoods February 9. For details, call 508-9916171. The Fairhaven Senior Center will host a 7-day trip to Savannah, Jekyl Island and Beaufort April 19-25. Call 508-979-4029. The Acushnet Senior Center will head for the Turning Stone Resort & Casino March 24-26. Call 508-998-0280.

“My Brother’s Keeper” of Easton and Dartmouth is looking for volunteers and gently-used residential furniture for families in need. Free pick-up. Call 774-305-4577 or visit www.

MyBrothersKeeper.org.

attleboro

Visit the 61th Annual Festival of Lights at LaSalette Shrine through January 4! For details, call 508-222-5410 or visit www.lasalette-shrine. org.

bristol

The New Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce Events at Blithewold Mansion & Gardens are recently recognized three local businesses for always special – “Christmas at Blithewold” is on their impact on the region’s economic develdisplay through January 4. Go to www.blithewold. opment – T. Marzetti Co. of Wareham, Reidar’s org or call 401-253-2707.

Manufacturing in New Bedford, and Hawthorn Medical Associates in Dartmouth.

LaSalette Shrine will be celebrating its 61st year putting on its “Festival of Lights”, Experience pre-Industrial Age life at the illuminating most of the South Coast with its massive 450,000 Christmas lights.

Coggeshall Farm Museum, rated the “Best

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January 2015 / The South Coast Insider

by Elizabeth Morse Read Living-History” farm in Rhode Island by Yankee Magazine. To learn more, visit www.coggeshallfarm.org or call 401-253-9062.

If you’re a boat lover, don’t miss the Herreshoff Marine Museum, home to the America’s Cup Hall of Fame. Learn more at www.herreshoff.org.

carver

Head for the Edaville Railroad for the Christmas Festival of Lights through January 1! Call 508866-8190 or visit www.edaville.com.

dartmouth

Thanks to a Commonwealth Fellows program, in-state applicants to UMass Law School in Dartmouth are eligible for a $5,000 tuition discount.

easton

Check out the Children’s Museum in Easton when the kids are home from school! For info, call 508-230-3789 or visit www.childrensmuseumineaston.org.

fairhaven

Meet your friends on Saturdays at the Oxford Book Haven and Café at the Church of the Good Shepherd in North Fairhaven. Fresh soups and desserts, used books on sale, board games, and WiFi. To learn more, visit www.goodshepherdfairhaven.com or call 508-992-2281.

fall river

Melanie Levesque of Fall River climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa in December to raise money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute as part of a “Climb for Life” fundraiser. To learn more, go to www.climbforlife2014.com.

Check out the ship models at the Fall River Marine Museum. For more info, call 508-6743533 or visit www.marinemuseumfr.org.

The Narrows Center for the Arts has a great lineup – there’s Girls, Guns & Glory January 3, The Iguanas January 23, American Crossroads with Dave Bromberg January 29, Red Molly February 7 – and more! For a complete schedule, visit www. narrowscenter.com or call 508-324-1926.

Fall River’s Little Theatre will present “Oleanna” January 22-February 1. For details, visit www. littletheatre.net or call 508-675-1852.

Check out the Children’s Museum of Greater Fall River. For more info, go to www.cmgfr.org or call 508-672-0033.

mattapoisett

The Winter Farmers Market will be held on the second Saturday of each month at the Old Rochester Regional Junior High gymnasium.

marion

The skating rink at Tabor Academy will be open on to the public on selected dates through February.

new bedford

The New Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce recently recognized three local businesses for their impact on the region’s economic development – T. Marzetti Co. of Wareham, Reidar’s Manufacturing in New Bedford, and Hawthorn Medical Associates in Dartmouth.

It’s all happenin’ at the Z! Head for the Zeiterion for Dave Mason’s Traffic Jam January 7, “Sister Act” January 18, Natalia Zuckerman January 22.

Y unveils new fitness center The Fall River YMCA’s new Wellness Center and Southcoast Health Systems Group Exercise Studio are the result of a still-in-progress $10 million renovation project. The new space features brand new high-tech workout equipment and a newly trained staff.

Despite the recent unveiling, the first floor will not be completely renovated for another few months, and there is still about $400,000 still left to raise. Organizers are confident that the capital goals will be met. In the meantime, the YMCA is proud to be host to the most high-tech wellness center in the area. If the machines make people the least bit curious about working out and following through with those New Year’s resolutions, then it’s been money well spent.

Continued on NEXT page

The South Coast Insider / January 2015

33

AROUND SOUTH COAST

Continued from previous page

And don’t miss the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra’s performance of “Romantic Spells” February 14. Go to www.zeiterion.org, www. nbsymphony.org, or call 508-999-6276.

Ring in 2015 in New Bedford at “City Celebrates!

New Year’s Eve” – a free family event of music, fireworks, street performers, and food. For details, visit www.ahanewbedford.org or call 508-9968253 x 205.

Head for the New Year’s Eve Bash at the Whaling Museum! Live music, dancing, children’s activities, fireworks, cash bar. Call 508-997-0046 x116 or go to www.whalingmuseum.org.

Stroll through the Buttonwood Park Zoo on a sunny winter’s day! For details, call 508-991-6178 or visit www.bpzoo.org.

Get ready for the 19th Annual Moby-Dick Marathon at the Whaling Museum January 2-4.

Call 508-997-0046 or visit www.whalingmuseum. org.

“Rats” keeping warm

P

by Sebastian Clarkin

olly Gardner can’t even guess how many songs her band, the Spindle Rock River Rats, can perform. “People call songs out, and we can usually play them. Plus we love to improvise and jam. We have a fair share of instrumentals.” The important thing is that they know their standards – Going to the West, Jambolaya, Rain, Gold Watch and Chain, Rose of Saint Antonio, Chicken Wire – and love playing them.

To you or I, Polly’s the stand-up bass player in a ten-person folk/bluegrass band, but during a Monday night rehearsal at her Adamsville home, she’s better known as the “Den Mother.”

“We’ve been playing together for about five or six years now, and I’ve basically been the one who’s kept us all together. It’s been convenient to have the rehearsals at my place – it meant that I didn’t need to heft my bass around.”

It’s something of a motley crew, featuring, among other instruments, an accordion, a 12-string guitar, a fiddle, a mandolin, and a dobro (a specific type of resonator guitar – you’ll recognize the sound if you Google it.)

Polly has always been into music, but she only

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January 2015 / The South Coast Insider

picked up the bass recently. “It’s a funny story about the bass,” she says. “It was supposed to be my husband’s, but it just sat around the house for a while.

I started learning a couple notes and a few chords, and now I’m bringing it with me on gigs.”

“Her name’s Virginia,” she adds.

The band members came piecemeal, but it all started when she and current band-mate, Woody Underwood, went to sing at the New Bedford Harbor Sea Shanty Chorus. “That’s where we met Steve Brauch and Juergan Hallemeier. Things picked up from there.”

Today, they play various gigs around the area, but Polly insists they do it entirely out of love. “When I was growing up, I used to sit on the rock on the beach with my friends and we’d all sing. I sang my way through college. When I talk to these guys, they all have similar stories. We’re all over 60, but when we’re together, we feel like we’re 15 again.”

For more information e-mail pgardner68@aol.com PHOTO: Front (l-r): Woody Underwood, Steve Brauch, Brad Jenkins, Ransom Griffin. Back row (l-r): Steve Fors, Polly Gardner, Borden Snow, Maury May, Juergan Hallemeier, and Dock Murdock.

Enjoy FREE family fun and entertainment at AHA! Night. Don’t miss “City Celebrates! New Year’s Eve” on December 31 – a free family event of music, fireworks, street performers and food.

The February 12 theme is “Tall Tales.” Go to www. ahanewbedford.org or call 508-996-8253.

If you’re a fan of Americana and roots music, check out the monthly Salon Concerts at the Wamsutta Club. Flynn Cohen & Deadstring Ensemble will perform on January 3; Dale Robin Goodman & Alex Smith on February 7. For details, go to www.wamsuttaconcerts.com.

Your Theatre will perform “Italian American Reconciliation” January 15-25. For more info, go to www.yourtheatre.org or call 508-993-0772.

newport

Take a Polar Plunge at Easton’s Beach on New Year’s Day to benefit “A Wish Come True!” For details, call 401-846-0028 or go to www.awish.org.

Sharpen your skates and head for the Newport Skating Center. For info, call 401-846-3018 or go to www.skatenewport.com.

Enjoy a performance of “Lie, Cheat, and Genuflect” February 19 - March 15 at the Newport Playhouse. Go to www.newportplayhouse.com or call 401-848-7529.

plymouth

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Bring in 2015 at “Plymouth Rocks New Year’s Eve,” the Midnight Masquerade Ball at Memorial Hall. All proceeds go to Plymouth’s 400th Anniversary Celebration in 2020. Learn more at www.plymouthrocksnewyearseve.com.

The indoors winter farmers market at Plymouth Plantation will be open on the second Thursday of each month. For more info, visit www.plymouthfarmersmarket.org.

portsmouth

Head for Common Fence Music for some down-home entertainment. There’s Matt Turk and the Young Fish School Global Jazz Ensemble on January 17, A Gathering of Fiddlers & Fishermen January 24, Patty Larkin February 7 – and more!

Call 401-683-5085 or visit www.commonfencemusic.org.

providence

Listen to the Rhode Island Philharmonic’s “Strauss Showpieces” January 17 or Mozart’s “Elivira Madigan” February 21 at The VETS. Call 401-248-7000 or visit www.ri-philharmonic.org.

Kitchen and Baths

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Windows and Doors Interior/Exterior Painting Power Washing Small Jobs Welcome!

References Upon Request

Start the New Year by Scheduling your Estate Planning Consultation today!

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624 Brayton Avenue • Fall River, MA

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Stroll through “Christmas at the Newport Mansions” through January 4. Visit www.newportmansions.org or call 401-847-1000.

Head for the Providence Performing Arts Center for The Illusionists January 16-18, The Indigo Girls February 13. Call 401-421-2787 or go to www. ppacri.org.

Rhode Island College hosts a full schedule of performing arts events – there’s The Muir String Quartet February 2, Tango Buenos Aires February 17. For a complete schedule, visit www.ric.edu/pfa or call 401-456-8144.

Continued on page 37

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FLASH Mechanics Cooperative Bank and RDA Insurance do Business After Hours

Mechanics Cooperative Bank and RDA Insurance, both long-standing and supportive Fall River Chamber Members, teamed up to host the December Business After Hours. The event was a huge success and the busiest After Hours of the year with over 125 people in attendance. Several prominent local business leaders took advantage of the opportunity to foster new relationships and strengthen relationships of those companies they work closely with.

10

1. Kerri Ostapo, Center Marilyn Almeida and Kimberly Coreia Moniz 2. Ron D’Angelo and Robert Mellion 3. Jade Rodriques, Maria Rego and Vania Dunne 4. John McMahon and Deborah Grimes 5. Dave Schunke, Joseph Baptista and Steve Karam

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January 2015 / The South Coast Insider

6. Christine Bernier and Jason Rua 7. Fadra Northrup and Anthony Medeiros 8. Scott Fastino, Sonia Fastino and Bryan Desa 9. Karen Charette and Roland Patenaude 10. Leonardo Borges, Monte Ferris and Jen Mello

Continued from page 35

Our Mission

Treat your family to a performance at Trinity Rep! “Middletown” will be performed January 22 through February 22. Call 401-351-4243 or visit www.trinityrep.com.

rehoboth

The Russian Duo will perform on January 24 in the“Arts in the Village” series at Goff Memorial Hall. Join the Sunday Night Jammers for free monthly dances. Call 508-252-3031 or visit www. carpentermuseum.org.

swansea

Your Recovery Regaining functionality following an illness, accident, hospitalization, or surgery is the focus of the rehab services we provide. Our rehab team is dedicated to helping you achieve superior results and a safe return home. ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡

Physical Therapy Occupational Therapy Speech/Language Therapy Respiratory Therapy

The Swansea Mall has been sold for $6,650,000.

tiverton

The Sandywoods Center for the Arts will present the Magnolia Cajun Band on January 3 and February 7, as well as the Atwater-Donnelly Trio on January 10. For a complete schedule, go to www. sandywoodsmusic.com or call 401-241-7349.

Catholic Memorial Home, Fall River

catholicmemorialhome.org ¡ 508.679.0011 A Member of the Diocesan Health Facilities

wareham

Happy New Year!

Five Guys Burgers and Fries will open soon at the Rosebrook Plaza.

Quinn Staley, a senior at Wareham High School, won first prize in the 2014 Cell Phone Cinema Contest at the Buzzards Bay Coalition Film Festival.

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Head for 2nd Story Theatre! “Collected Stories” will play January 9 through February 8, and “Seminar” will be performed January 23 through February 22. For details, call 401-247-4200 or go to www.2ndstorytheatre.com.

westport

The Westport Middle School will close its doors next September.

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The South Coast Insider / January 2015

37

ON MY MIND

Going loopy

By Paul E. Kandarian

It’s funny to be left out of the loop. There are many loops in life, of course, and most of which I’m happy to be left out of. One which I blissfully knew nothing about was the whole “Elf on a Shelf” thing.

I caught wind of it recently on Facebook, where many major loops are created and fostered. Apparently it’s a toy elf parents put around their houses at Christmas time, where the elf’s job is to spy on children and report nightly to Santa on who’s being naughty or nice.

I mean really. Big Brother in cute, red clothing with pointy hat and big blue eyes is still Big Brother.

I read a bunch of accounts of how kids would come down to see the elf on the floor, where the cat knocked it off or something, screaming frantically about the elf being dead and having to be appeased by frantic parents, who presumably feel so guilty about it they’re compelled to buy the little brats whatever they want for Christmas.

Which would include all-things “Frozen,” another grand marketing gimmick and in the loop of those in the know.

Silly me, I thought frozen had something to do with being cold. But no.

Apparently “Frozen” is a Disney movie about a princess who turns things into ice and whose sister teams up with a mountain man, his playful reindeer and a snow man to change the weather.

I’m just guessing the mountain man is voiced by Al Gore, eager to widen the global-warming loop, but I could be wrong.

“Frozen” is so popular, when you do

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January 2015 / The South Coast Insider

a Google search you don’t get the definition of it, but scores of references to the movie. Which, of course, will produce a generation of kids who don’t know it means the past participle of “freeze.” And they wonder why kids aren’t learning in school.

Being in a loop is about trending, best as I can figure, which means what’s trendy, what’s hot, what’s in at any given moment, an ever-changing condition.

Twitter is another loop thing, I think.

People always ask me if I’m on Twitter.

Yes, I say, but rarely use it. They ask what my handle is, or feed or hash tag, or whatever those things are. I have no idea.

And Twitter confines responses to 140 characters, right? I find that too

little. There is no way I could say whatever I have to say in 140 characters, or even whole words.

Then again, that last paragraph was exactly 140 characters, so I could be wrong. But what do I know? I’m out of the loop!

Being in a loop is about trending, best as I can figure, which means what’s trendy, what’s hot, what’s in at any given moment, an ever-changing condition. There’s even a site for it called, appropriately enough, www. whatstrending.com, where in the grammatically incorrect world of the Internet, pesky things like apostrophes, commas or anything else that aren’t actually letters are left out.

Trending the day I wrote this, were things like “Star Wars Episode VII Trailer-George.” They’re still making “Star Wars” films? There was also “I’m Posting a Video of My Cat and There’s Nothing You Can Do About It!” I love cats, but that seems a bit aggressive.

And my favorite was “Killing My Own Kid PRANK!!” A guy filmed him throwing a dummy, identically dressed in the same costume his kid was wearing, over a stair railing to the living room floor as the aghast mother walks in.

Nice.

It reeks of scam, it was far too set up to be a real prank, which happens a lot, I imagine. Not long ago there was a video of two little kids who allegedly

tossed flour all over their living room, with the mother calmly filming the resulting destruction, which included flour strewn in places no little rug rat could possibly get to. It went viral (which has nothing to do with contagious disease), meaning it got millions of views on YouTube. It made the news.

And all of it is part of being in the loop. Which, I realize now, is not about any loop we create, but the media creates, real media, news organizations and such that figure out what should be in the loop and sets about showing

us why and telling us what is hip, cool, trending.

Which makes me wonder what we did before we were told what to think.

The answer is simple: We thought of it on our own, we didn’t need the viral approval of others, we didn’t need social media to tell us what to think or how to act or what to like or what to believe is trendy. As a result, we who still do think for ourselves are rapidly becoming relics.

And that is a loop I’m quite happy to be in.

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The South Coast Insider / January 2015

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To pre-qualify, you must: • Be between the ages of 18-80, inclusively • Have a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes • Presence of ongoing pain due to DPN for at least 6 months

Qualified participants recieve: • Study medication, study related physical exams and ecg at no cost • No insurance is required • Compensation for time and travel • You may be in the study for up to 14 weeks • You may receive either placebo or investigational medication during the study

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Clifton

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Assisted Living Accommodations start at only $2850 per month.......

Imagine, living in a beautiful New England country inn that overlooks scenic Mount Hope Bay. Discover a carefree senior lifestyle that provides a wonderful new feeling of comfort and security. Contrary to living alone in a large oversized house, especially when assistance is needed, the “Inn” at Clifton can be significantly less worrisome and less expensive. At the “Inn” we have no typical apartments—each one is different and prices do vary according to apartment size, location and specific features.

When compared to other assisted living communities, the “Inn” offers so much more. Clifton’s almost all-inclusive rates consist of amenities that many other facilities charge extra for, including.......  Three delicious Meals Daily  Personal Care Services  Green House  Medication Management  Scheduled Transportation  Walking Paths  Step-In Showers  24-hour CNA Staffing  Emergency Monitoring Systems  Library with Fireplace

 Daily Activities  Registered Nurses to monitor your health and well-being  Garden & Water Views  Walk-In Closets  Housekeeping and Laundry Services  Fitness Area  Non-Denominational Chapel  Whirl Pool Spa  And Much, Much More…

And.......here at the “Inn” we deal with the challenges brought on by severe winter weather. We do all of the shoveling. We clean off the frozen windows of your car. Your mail and newspapers are delivered inside. We face the bitter cold outside…while our residents can sit around the fireplaces in the Dining Room, the Parlor and the Library. With family, good friends, a cup of Hot Cider, Cocoa or Coffee, they can capture the special cozy, warm feeling that is unique to the traditional inns of New England.

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