1836dig

DIGBOSTON.COM 9.8.16 - 9.15.16

FEATURE

IS THE NEXT BIG THING EATS

BACK TO CLASS CHEAP EATS A PICKY TOP TEN

APPARENT HORIZON

MUSIC

A STARTER GUIDE

COLLABORATIVE IMPROVISATION

STUDENT MUSIC AS A ACTIVISM SECOND LANGUAGE

®

2

9.8.16 - 9.15.16

|

DIGBOSTON.COM

VOL 18 + ISSUE 36

SEPTEMBER 8, 2016 - SEPTEMBER 15, 2016 EDITORIAL PUBLISHER + EDITOR Jeff lawrence NEWS + FEATURES EDITOR Chris Faraone ASSOCIATE MUSIC EDITOR Nina Corcoran ASSOCIATE FILM EDITOR Jake Mulligan ASSOCIATE ARTS EDITOR Christopher Ehlers COPY EDITOR Mitchell Dewar CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Emily Hopkins, Jason Pramas CONTRIBUTORS Nate Boroyan, Renan Fontes, Bill Hayduke, Emily Hopkins, Micaela Kimball, Jason Pramas, Dave Wedge INTERNS Becca DeGregorio, Anna Marketti

DESIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR Tak Toyoshima COMICS Tim Chamberlain Pat Falco Patt Kelley

ADVERTISING FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION sales@digpublishing.com

BUSINESS ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Marc Shepard SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER Jesse Weiss ADVISOR Joseph B. Darby III DigBoston, 242 East Berkeley St. 5th Floor Boston, MA 02118 Fax 617.849.5990 Phone 617.426.8942 digboston.com

ON THE COVER

Quincy is a lot closer than you think it is. And this week it’s on our cover. Read all about it starting on page 10. ©2016 DIGBOSTON IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY DIG PUBLISHING LLC. NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION CAN BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN CONSENT. DIG PUBLISHING LLC CANNOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS. ONE COPY OF DIGBOSTON IS AVAILABLE FREE TO MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENTS AND VISITORS EACH WEEK. ANYONE REMOVING PAPERS IN BULK WILL BE PROSECUTED ON THEFT CHARGES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW.

HEADLINING THIS WEEK!

DEAR READER Now that Labor Day is in our rearview mirror, the love/hate relationship between students and locals is in full swing, and the time honored tradition of bemoaning the youthful influx can be seen and heard from Irish pubs downtown to cafes in Cleveland Circle. The already-bad traffic is certainly worse, and the Green Line sardine cans absolutely reach new levels of shittiness, but what exactly is it that drives people to such scorn, considering that these kids don’t show up in September with empty wallets and all suffer from unbridled spendthriftiness?

We’re a college town, THE college town in fact, and that distinction isn’t going to change anytime soon. There are roughly 250,000 students enrolled in college in the Boston area, and obviously that kind of bump in population has a huge impact on those that call this home year round, but it’s not all bad. In fact, most of it is quite good.

From restaurants to bars, supermarkets to laundromats, and car dealerships to taxi cabs, the economy receives a substantial cash infusion every September that lasts through the end of May. It might take an extra 30 minutes to get crosstown and your favorite neighborhood bar might swell with a sea of punchy white hats, but waitstaff pick up extra shifts and most business owners get to clear their summer debt before Halloween. The pains associated with this annual bump are, for the most part, simply overstated. Like many other colloquial past times that we pride ourselves in, most of the vitriol toward students is merely sport.

For our part, the fall means new readers and new business from those looking to capture these virgin eyes. Consider this issue a friendly welcome mat for both. We promise to avoid the inevitable n00b jokes and instead invite you back in with open arms. At least until Columbus Day—then you’re on your own.

50 Lach % off l w/ c an tix o DIG5 de 0

Lachlan Patterson

Runner-up on Last Comic Standing Thurs-Sat

COMING SOON Ms. Pat

WTF with Marc Maron, The Joe Rogan Experience Sept 15-17

The Comedy Knock-Out Show Thurs, Sept 15 @ 10 PM

JEFF LAWRENCE, DigBoston Publisher + Editor

The Tony V Show Weds, Sept 21 @ 8 PM

OH, CRUEL WORLD Dear Proud Non-Voter, It’s disturbing how many morons like you there are among us.You are among the least informed and loudest political-slash-anarcho poseurs out there, which is saying a ton in a college town.

Look—NOBODY wants to vote in this presidential election. NOBODY! Not for either of the two big candidates at least. But the shit I heard you spitting on your Allston porch last week through your wannabe obnoxious beard (that’s right—it wants to be obnoxious, but ain’t quite there yet) failed to account for the innumerable down-ballot races that could stand to benefit from even the participation of a dick-for-brains like you. Maybe my vote won’t change anything—it probably won’t—but that’s still a better chance than any of your cheap rants have of educating anybody on this planet for the better.

Robert Kelly

FX’s Louie, Inside Amy Schumer Sept 22-24

Richard Lewis

Curb Your Enthusiasm Sept 29-Oct 1

617.72.LAUGH | laughboston.com 425 Summer Street at the Westin Hotel in Boston’s Seaport District NEWS TO US

FEATURE

DEPT. OF COMMERCE

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

3

NEWS US MAVERICK APPROACH NEWS TO US

This is what happens when you give the neighborhood what it needs

BY KAREN MORALES This article is part of ongoing coverage by the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism and its partner publications about the impact of inequitable liquor licensing in Boston and the hope that can arise in neighborhoods with increases in restaurant and nightlife opportunities.

It’s a Wednesday summer evening, and Sean Von Clauss is performing in the corner of a dimly lit cafe in East Boston.

Behind the venue’s nine wooden dinner tables, patrons at the eight-seat bar watch along enthusiastically. An antique-style rug covers most of the room, giving the place an intimate feel.

Von Clauss finishes a song, his soulful vocals backed by an acoustic guitar, and the small crowd cheers. “Have you been practicing without me?” someone yells. John Tyler, who owns the building housing the establishment, takes a couple of drinks over to guests sitting in the miniature beer garden outside, where lights twinkle and Von Clauss’s music floats into the early evening breeze.

Maverick Marketplace Cafe is a restaurant and bar housed in the similarly named incubator building, Maverick Marketplace, where 16 other small local businesses also live. As part of the incubator business model, budding entrepreneurs rent space to grow their enterprise in a community environment. For a small restaurant in this part of town, this opportunity is more unique than some may realize.

The cafe holds one of the 75 liquor licenses that the Massachusetts legislature, under pressure from Boston City Councilor-at-Large Ayanna Pressley and other advocates for neighborhoods where nightlife options are sparse, granted Boston in 2012. Of those licenses, 80 percent were allocated to businesses in areas like Eastie that have been historically underserved and underrepresented.

Due to a current state-imposed cap on licenses in the city, those which are available can sell on the private market for upwards of $350,000. There is also significant bureaucratic rigmarole that applicants may have to 4

9.8.16 - 9.15.16

|

DIGBOSTON.COM

endure, only to be denied in the end “without prejudice.”

“We wouldn’t even have considered the $350,000,” says Tyler. Along with his wife Melissa, John Tyler bought and renovated the former Welfare building on Maverick Street that had been abandoned for 24 years. The long road to the Welfare building’s transformation began in 2005 when the Tylers submitted a request to purchase the building from the City of Boston. After acquiring the appropriate permits and approvals and financing, the renovations began in earnest in 2012 with support from the city, financing by First Priority Credit Union, and more than $500,000 in owner equity.

Tyler adds that the newly available licenses were much more affordable and allowed them to diversify the cafe’s business. (When restaurateurs have to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for a license, they often have to sell expensive food and beverages).

East Boston has traditionally been an immigrant town: Irish and Canadians in 1855, Italians and Russian Jews throughout the early 1900s. Nowadays the locals predominantly belong to the Latin American immigrant population, particularly from countries including Colombia and El Salvador. The Tylers, however, moved to East Boston in 2002 from the United Kingdom, where John was a ship captain on private yachts traveling around New England and the Caribbean.

“For us, it was a no-brainer to invest in our neighborhood,” he says. Tyler works closely with Danny and Maria Cordon, the owners of his building’s namesake cafe, and adds: “The next act of progression was to keep putting our money where our mouths were and start up a restaurant in the space. We felt that there was a need for it.”

For decades, the Maverick Square dive bar Eddie C’s was the only nightlife option in the area. Thanks in part to licenses freed up by the state over the past three years, though, other spots have opened, like La Hacienda Restaurant and Bar, Cafe Gigu, and Ecco Boston, the last two being relatively recent additions.

At first, Maverick Marketplace Cafe was just that—a cafe with brunch options. Now, a year after receiving its initial wine and beer liquor license, the Cafe has evolved into a full-fledged neighborhood hub with a beer garden and open mic nights. Its hyperlocal beers rotate on a daily basis, while Sunday brunches feature live jazz. Celtics and Red Sox fans can watch their teams at the bar, a minor luxury that was hardly available around here as recently as two years ago. Most recently, its liquor license has been expanded to also include mixed cocktails.

“There’s nothing else like this here [in East Boston],” says Von Clauss, who as a resident artist plays the venue every Wednesday night. “Everyone here knows each other.

There’s always music going on here, almost everyday.”

Cordon, who was formerly the co-owner of Boston Brewin Coffee in Downtown Crossing, notes the disparity in liquor licensing between neighborhoods. “East Boston was in need of more offerings and things other neighborhoods have,” he says. “We have traditionally been the working man’s neighborhood, the backbone of the city … But not always with the same glory and trade.”

Cordon says that in the case of Maverick Marketplace Cafe, the liquor license creates job opportunities. “We used to have two employees,” he says. “Now we have 11.”

One cafe employee, Jeremy Peacock, is a server and a recent college graduate living in Eastie. “I’ve had jobs in downtown before,” he says, “but it’s really nice to be able to just walk three minutes to work. Most of the people who work here, live here.”

Adds Tyler: “We’ve seen a lot of people [in the cafe] who have been in the neighborhood for years and years.

We also see new people coming in, which is a reflection of what’s happening in the neighborhood.”

As Maverick is being groomed by real estate developers to be the Hub’s next “it neighborhood,” the disconnect between the rapidly booming Boston proper and the formerly cast-off East Boston might be diminishing—but it’s still palpable. Kim Carvalhos has lived in Eastie for 15 years and is a regular at Maverick Marketplace. Sitting at the bar on a Tuesday night after a session of yoga—hosted at the Tylers’ apartment above the cafe and led by a tight-knit group who had met at the local YMCA—she talks about the shifting peoplescape.

“I have seen one-bedroom apartments asking for $2000,” says Carvalhos. “With all these condos … they’re selling, but I don’t know who’s buying them.”

From evictions and rent increases to the anxiety caused by it all, the major changes in East Boston are prevalent, and for certain people that’s not always a good thing. Maverick Marketplace may represent that change for some, but the cafe serves as a source of comfort and community for others.

“We know Madeline from ZUMIX really well,” says Tyler, referring to the cultural non-profit located nearby.

The cafe is teaming up with the ZUMIX in booking live acts. Tyler adds: “There was a synergy there that developed organically.”

“People talk about gentrification, but there’s always byproducts when neighborhoods change,” Cordon says.

“It’s still going to be the average man’s neighborhood, or it could be the up-and-coming professional neighborhood; there’s room for that too.”

Cordon says the underlying purpose of Maverick Marketplace is to “create opportunities for small businesses, new jobs, and [to] give a neighborhood what they want and deserve.”

“The building is a crossroads,” adds Cordon, recognizing how distinct his spot is in a neighborhood filled with Latino and Italian joints. “It’s about having offerings that are sprinkled across. We simply celebrate food and music.”

TONIGHT!

THIS FRIDAY!

ON SALE FRIDAY 10AM

ON SALE NOW

ON SALE FRIDAY NOON

NEWS TO US

FEATURE

DEPT. OF COMMERCE

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

5

BROKEN RECORDS

REFER MADNESS

Top Dems make a show of pretending they might enforce the public records law

BY ANDREW QUEMERE AND MAYA SHAFFER

Welcome back

students!

25% off any purchase with any valid school I.D.* - expires 9/17/2016 When you shop at and donate to THE GOODWILL STORES you support Goodwill’s job training, career services, and youth programs.

www.goodwillmass.org Allston-Brighton • Boston • Cambridge • Hyannis • Jamaica Plain Quincy • Somerville • South Attleboro • South Boston • Worcester Follow us @goodwillboston

* Offer valid August 19 - September 17, 2016. Not valid on prior purchases. Not valid at Goodwill Outlet Store. May not be combined with any other offer, discount or the purchase of gift certificates.

6

9.8.16 - 9.15.16

|

DIGBOSTON.COM

For the first time in more than a year, the Massachusetts attorney general’s office has been prompted to take action against government officials who have violated the state’s public records law. That’s good news, but it’s also the latest reminder that our state officials treat transparency like a joke.

On June 30, the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office referred two records cases to the AGO. One deals with three district attorney’s offices—Plymouth County, Worcester County, and the Cape and Islands—that have refused to comply with Boston Globe reporter Todd Wallack’s request for data on criminal cases. The second case involves the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s refusal to provide a consultant’s report to Boston Herald reporter Matt Stout.

Every year, the secretary of the commonwealth’s office, overseen by William Galvin, rules on hundreds of appeals from people who have been denied access to public records. Galvin’s office can order government agencies to comply with records requests but can’t actually enforce the orders. For enforcement, Galvin must refer violations to the attorney general or local district attorney, either of whom can sue agencies and file criminal charges against public officials. During the tenure of former AG Martha Coakley, Galvin’s office stopped referring orders entirely for several years due to disagreements about how to interpret the records law. Last year, after Maura Healey replaced Coakley, Galvin’s office referred just one order, this one related to a request the Bay State Examiner sent to the Fall River Police Department. Galvin’s office did not refer any additional orders until the two this June.

These referrals raise two important questions: On what basis does Galvin’s office decide whether to refer orders to the AGO, and will Maura Healey enforce the law now?

When Galvin testified before the legislature last year, he said: “[Maura Healey] and I ... have had very constructive discussions relating to referrals, and I think we do have a protocol going forward to refer matters in the current situation.”

However, Galvin’s office recently told us, in response to a records request, that it does not have any written protocols on when to refer appeals, so it’s anyone’s guess what they worked out.

Whatever they settled on, the office’s reasons for referring cases are either disturbingly narrow or completely arbitrary—because the two recently referred cases certainly aren’t the only violations of the public records law during the past year. We have asked Galvin’s office to refer a number of our appeals to the AGO, but with the exception of the Fall River appeal, we’ve had no luck. Like the Herald, we’ve had our own issues getting records from the MBTA. In one instance, we got an order for the MBTA to turn over the records of payments to a private law firm that defended the agency in a public records lawsuit. The MBTA claimed the records were protected by attorney-client privilege, but Galvin’s office sided with us. The MBTA did not respond to the order, and Galvin’s office has thus far been unwilling to notify the AGO. In another case, the MBTA unlawfully destroyed a video after we requested it, but Galvin’s office refused to notify the AGO because the records no longer exist—even though the law specifically states that “destroy[ing] any public record” is a crime.

Why are the Globe and Herald requests to DA’s offices and the MBTA worthy of being referred, but not ours? We’re not sure, but at this point it doesn’t look like Galvin has any interest in working with the AGO on a regular basis. An early draft of the public records bill passed this year would have required Galvin’s office to turn over orders to the AGO when public officials don’t comply. However, a member of Galvin’s staff testified to the committee responsible for the final bill that leaving the office with “discretion … is preferred to allow [it] the necessary flexibility when seeking enforcement of orders.” Lawmakers later scrapped the proposed requirement.

The other piece of the puzzle is Healey: Her office has now had the recent referrals for two months and has no results to show for it. While the AGO will eventually have to make a decision, there’s no guarantee it will side with Galvin’s office—and even if it does, it’s unclear what, if anything, the AGO will do to enforce the law.

Galvin has said that his office stopped referring cases to the AGO because “they went nowhere.” Indeed, according to a 2008 report in CommonWealth magazine, it has been fairly uncommon for the AGO to side with Galvin’s office in the past. So the outcome of these two referrals will likely influence his willingness to work with the AGO in the future. And for those of us who are routinely forced to wait for records in order to publish stories, the fact that the process has taken months already is discouraging.

FREE

COMEDY NIGHTS PRESENTED PRESE TED BY

MONDAY @8PM 8PM MONDAY, 9/12 @

TAWANDA GONA

(BRIDGETOWN COMEDY FESTIVAL)

NICK CHAMBERS ARTY P SHAUN CONNOLLY ERIC TAYLOR

TUESDAY @@8PM TUESDAY, 9/13 8PM

EMILY RUSKOWSKI BRIAN GLOWACKI DON ZOLLO TOOKY KAVANAUGH RYAN SHEA LIAM MCGUIRK

FOOTBALL HEADQUARTERS 911 BOYLSTON STREET, BOSTON MA | McGREEVYSBOSTON.com | COMEDY SHOWS 21+

@McGREEVYSBOSTON

NEWS TO US

FEATURE

DEPT. OF COMMERCE

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

7

APPARENT HORIZON

STREET FIGHT

Students dissatisfied with politics as usual will find plenty of grassroots action in Boston

BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS Are you a student? New to Boston? Want to fight for social justice, but not sure where to plug in? Well, this will hardly be a comprehensive list, but here are some local activist organizations and campaigns that are worthy of your consideration.

I’m only including groups that I’ve written about (and that I agree with in broad strokes) for the sake of brevity. But, rest assured, there are activist organizations for people of every political disposition hereabouts.

A few tips are in order for people new to grassroots political activism. Seek organizations that are open and welcoming, have a democratic internal process, play well with other groups, and treat students as equals regardless of age or experience. Avoid organizations that look at students as free labor, seem focused on hitting people up for money, don’t work with other groups, and have a very undemocratic internal process run by a small ruling clique. Also avoid outright cults masquerading as political activist groups. They exist. You’ll know you’ve run into one when you meet people whose entire lives seem to be directly controlled by their organization and who will not stop trying to recruit you even after you say “no.” In general, listen to your gut instinct when checking out an activist organization, and you’ll be fine.

Here’s the list.

Black Lives Matter

One of the most important and vibrant American political movements today.

Leading the biggest fight against entrenched structural racism in decades. In the wake of an ongoing series of police shootings of Black people around the country. Different local nodes of the activist network have varying membership requirements. But if you can’t be a core member, BLM periodically calls for allies to join them in the streets. That will be your cue to step up. Just remember to check your privilege. Chapters in Boston and Cambridge.

350 Mass for a Better Future

If you’re down to stop global warming, this group has got you covered. It’s organized on the state, national, and international levels and doesn’t shy away from civil disobedience or legislative action. One of its key local battles is stopping a fracked gas pipeline that’s slated to go through the West Roxbury neighborhood of Boston.

Do you believe education is a right—not a privilege—in a democracy? Do you think that charter schools are a total scam designed to siphon public money into a variety of private pockets, and destroy public schools in the process? Well there’s an active fight against Question 2, an upcoming state ballot measure backed by very well-funded supporters determined to expand the number of charter schools in the Commonwealth. It’s called Save Our Public Schools (a.k.a. the “No on 2” campaign) and it’s spearheaded, as ever, by teachers unions—in this case, the Mass Teachers Association.

Make GE Pay

Since the City of Boston and Commonwealth of Massachusetts announced their plans to dump at least $270 million on General Electric—one of the largest and nastiest multinational corporations in the world—in exchange for moving its world headquarters to the Hub, there’s been been a good deal of discontent brewing in communities around the state. Largely in opposition to local and state government handing huge wads of public cash to a tremendously wealthy company with plenty of skeletons in local closets—in a period of savage budget cuts to critical social programs. The Make GE Pay coalition formed last spring to try to stop the deal, and is looking to get in gear this fall after some early public actions.

encuentro 5

Can’t decide which campaign excites you the most? Why choose? This movement building space right off the Park Street T stop has a mission to get social justice activists “better networked, better resourced, and better organized.” Home to several important nonprofits, and a regular meeting place for dozens of activist groups, if you can’t find a campaign that interests you here then you may wish to reconsider your aspiration to be politically active.

That’s enough to get you started. Have fun. Fight the power. And be careful out there.

Full Disclosure: 350 Mass is a member of my organization’s Community Advisory Board, and encuentro 5 was launched by colleagues at my former nonprofit, Mass Global Action.

Apparent Horizon is syndicated by the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism.

Jason Pramas is BINJ’s network director.

8

9.8.16 - 9.15.16

|

DIGBOSTON.COM

COPYRIGHT 2016 JASON PRAMAS. LICENSED FOR USE BY THE BOSTON INSTITUTE FOR NONPROFIT JOURNALISM AND MEDIA OUTLETS IN ITS NETWORK.

Save Our Public Schools

NEWS TO US

FEATURE

DEPT. OF COMMERCE

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

9

QUINCY FEATURE

IS THE NEXT BIG THING Affordable rent, oceanfront views and tons of Red Line access

BY KERRY J. BYRNE

Stretched-thin residents of Boston’s trendiest but most overpriced neighborhoods are waking up to a rather obvious fact: They’re getting raped by greedy landlords, paying oversized prices on undersized homes and apartments that deliver a hip zip code but little bang for the buck.

Those same people are finding Boston’s next great residential alternative in long-overlooked Quincy, a bustling city of nearly 100,000 right next to Boston that seemingly has it all, except the high prices and the trendy rep—though its hip factor is changing fast, too.

“Quincy has less congestion, great waterfront views, and all the urban amenities, and it’s just a short subway ride or $10 Uber ride from downtown Boston,” said Jeff Sullivan, who left a job on Wall Street to return to his native Quincy.

He launched the “reward hub” Urposse.com from his Quincy home and has championed “The Mighty Q” through his “Quincy is Everything” page on Facebook, chronicling the rise of this old historic city in the midst of a boom of construction, new residences, and a rapidly exploding restaurant scene.

10

9.8.16 - 9.15.16

|

DIGBOSTON.COM

QUINCY continued on pg. 12

KICK OFF KEG TAPPING CELEBRATION Wednesday, September 7th at 5pm

Help us kick-off the Oktoberfest season with the traditional keg tapping ceremony!

We’ll tap a gravity cask of Paulaner Weisn, the same beer that they serve at the tent in Munich!

Then stay to enjoy the first night of our special German menu!

All Day Oktoberfest Celebration

Saturday, October 1st starting at 9:30am We open early for the Bayern Munich match.

We'll have no fewer than 10 German beers on draught German menu served all day long starting at noon!

German Sunday Roast

Each Sunday in September and October starting at 5pm Sunday during our two month long Oktoberfest celebration, we will feature a special German roast from pork and beef to roasted chickens and shanks.

Stay tuned to our social media channels for the latest roast info.

Rotating Selection of German Beers on Draught!

HOFBRAU • WARSTEINER • PAULANER MARZEN • PAULANER WEISN • HACKER PSCHORR AYINGER • WURZBURGER • KLOSTER ANDECHS • TRAUNSTEIN • BENADIKTINER WEIHENSTEPHAN • SPATEN • DINKEL ACKER • HOFSTETTEN

oldemagounssaloon

@magounssaloon

Starts Sept 7 and Every Wednesday until Oct 26 518 Medford St., Somerville MA 02145 www.magounssaloon.com NEWS TO US

FEATURE

DEPT. OF COMMERCE

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

11

QUINCY continued from pg. 10 Indeed, the city appears to have it all: a vast public transportation network that includes four stops on the MBTA Red Line, three commuter rail lines and dozens of MBTA bus routes, 27 miles of waterfront offering thousands of seaside homes with incredible views of the Boston Harbor Islands and city skyline, a convenient location just minutes outside downtown Boston, a relatively low crime rate compared to cities of similar size, and a large and attractive stock of mixed-income homes and rentals at a fraction of the price people are overpaying in nearby communities.

The median rent in Somerville, for example, is $2,700, according to Zillow.com. In Quincy, it’s just $1795.

“There’s huge momentum in the Quincy market, but it’s so underpriced compared to communities with fewer amenities,” said John Heaney, a real estate broker for Century 21 Annex. “When I show people property here and the proximity to the subway, to Boston, to the airport and beaches, they literally can’t believe the price.

Quincy newcomers like Tabatha Stephens are finding you get a lot more without sacrificing anything.

The pretty, blonde-haired, blue-eyed, tattooed, 32-year-old saleswoman for Peak Organic Brewing Co. just traded in her crowded, overpriced Somerville digs for a new apartment in Quincy’s leafy Wollaston neighborhood, steps from both the Red Line and sunsplashed Wollaston Beach.

“I wanted a place in my territory right near downtown Boston where I could watch the sunrise over the water every morning, too,” said Stephens.

More importantly, “I need to sell beer to cool people in a cool, up-and-coming community with restaurants that care about where their ingredients come from,” she added, citing the long list of hip new restaurants that call Quincy home and are devoted to local sourcing.

Indeed, one of the city’s growing attractions is downtown Quincy’s booming “Hancock District” restaurant scene, providing local residents with hip new flavors while attracting top culinary talent from around Greater Boston—those up-and-coming restaurateurs who simply can’t afford to live in the South End, but want to be at forefront of the next hot scene.

The Townshend, a small but hip cocktail bar directly across from Quincy Center T station, was opened in 2015 by former Drink bartender Devin Adams and a team of veterans of Barbara Lynch and Garett Harker restaurants.

It’s been such a success that Adams and his crew already have plans to open a second Quincy Center location right across the street: Belfry Hall will be an “urban beer hall” with fresh oysters, updated pub fare, craft beer, and a menu designed by chef and Barbara Lynch Gruppo alum Garner Blume. It’s slated to open later this year.

The Townshend shocked the Boston culinary community this summer when star pastry chef Kate Holowchik left red-hot Yvonne’s in Downtown Crossing to join the Quincy restaurant’s all-star team of culinary talent.

“I wanted to return to Quincy to help foster the growing culinary community,” said Holowchik, who helped launch the Townshend’s pastry program when it opened in the spring of 2015. “There’s a wealth of culinary talent moving to the area.”

QUINCY continued on pg. 14

PHOTOS BY MARC HURWITZ

“I WANTED A PLACE IN MY TERRITORY RIGHT NEAR DOWNTOWN BOSTON WHERE I COULD WATCH THE SUNRISE OVER THE WATER EVERY MORNING, TOO,”

12

9.8.16 - 9.15.16

|

DIGBOSTON.COM

THE NEW HOME OF THE BC EAGLES FEATURING EAGLES NEST NACHOS

OPEN UNTIL 1AM

$9.99 Sunday Brunch with 99¢ Mimosa’s

OPEN UNTIL 2AM

Free Pool Sunday’s

4-8pm + $2 Draft Special is back @ Patron’s

Certified Beer Sniffers 9 2 H A MP S HIR E S T, CA MB R ID G E, M A | 6 1 7-2 5 0 - 8 4 5 4 | L O R D H O B O.C O M

NEWS TO US

FEATURE

DEPT. OF COMMERCE

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

13

QUINCY continued from pg. 12 Just weeks later, the Townshend hired chef Aaron Eakin away from Ken Oringer’s critically acclaimed Back Bay sashimi bar Uni. Alba Restaurant, a Mediterranean-inspired steakhouse just a block away from the Townshend, held down the fort of fine dining in Quincy Center for the past 15 years, as the neighborhood went through its transition.

Owner Leo Keka—a veteran of top Boston eateries such as Grill 23—has doubled down on the neighborhood.

He just announced plans to open Zef Cicchetti & Raw Bar, a progressive Venetian-style tapas bar that will feature craft cocktails, Italian salumi, a raw bar that features local cold-water oysters, pastas made inhouse each day from freshly milled flour and traditional cicchetti, and small plates served in the famed bacari of Venice.

Keka hired former Legal Harborside executive chef Keith Andersen to run the kitchen at steakhouse stalwart Alba, while planning a modern menu that will fuel a lively bar scene at Zef. Rising-star restaurateurs Jimmy Liang and Peter Tse of Quincy-based J.P. Fuji Group have opened eateries in many of Boston’s hottest neighborhoods, including Kendall Square, Assembly Row, and Ink Block. Their flagship new restaurant, Fuji at West of Chestnut, will anchor one of several new retail-and-residential developments under construction right now in Quincy Center. The new Fuji will feature not only a private dining room, but a private dining room with its very own private kitchen.

“We are 100 percent sold on Quincy,” said Liang.

There’s still room for new additions. Quincy, as of yet, is one of the largest communities in New England without its own local craft brewery (New England brewing legend Tod Mott brewed here years ago at the short-lived Quincy Ships Brewing Co.).

Local pals Ryan Lavery and Colin Foley are hoping to fill this obvious hole in Quincy’s game. The awardwinning homebrewers captured the top spot for their saison earlier this year in the Best of Boston Homebrew Competition sponsored by the Homebrew Emporium.

They’re seeking out sites right now to open the city’s first brewery and taproom, Widowmaker Brewing. They hope to satiate the thirst for suds for Quincy Center’s influx of new residents.

The first phase of the new West of Chestnut development is already 100 percent occupied, with future apartments coming under agreement. Nova Suites, a 170unit residential and retail space just steps from West of Chestnut, will break ground this fall. Cliveden Place, also just steps away, will feature 56 luxury condos plus 10,000 square feet of retail space. It should be completed in the

first quarter of 2017.

The Deco Building, meanwhile, features 200 units a short distance down the road across from Quincy Adams T Station on the Red Line.

“All that housing is coming, and a lot of younger people from Boston are moving to Quincy,” said Widowmaker’s Lavery. “They want quality beer and we want to provide it for them.”

13 THINGS to EAT and DRINK

in QUINCY RIGHT NOW

Quincy’s culinary boom has coincided with a sudden influx of new residents and new culinary talent. Here are some of the tastiest dishes and drinks to savor right now.

1 Original South Boston-style Quiet Man steak tips at

16C

(16 Cottage Ave., 617-481-2170)

Owner Kerri Lynch-Delaney boasts serious Boston food chops, including a stint as pastry chef at Beacon Hill landmark No. 9 Park. Aunt Barbara Lynch is merely one of the nation’s most influential chefs, while Kerri’s dad Paul Lynch—Babs’ older brother—is the former co-owner of late, great Southie dive the Quiet Man above Broadway T, famed for its signature steak tips. Lynch-Delaney recreates the original recipe here. Her creative sheet-pan pizzas are pretty awesome, too.

QUINCY continued on pg. 16 14

9.8.16 - 9.15.16

|

DIGBOSTON.COM

OLDE MAGOUNʼS SALOON PRESENTS:

MEAT

LOAF MONDAYS

BEST

VEGAN-FRIENDLY

Different meatloaf every Monday with two sides.

518 Medford St. Somerville 617-776-2600 magounssaloon.com

LIVE MUSIC • LOCAVORE MENU PRIVATE EVENTS 9/20 PANSY DIVISION

w/ Happy Little Clouds, & The Fatal Flaw | $14 adv / $17 dos | Doors @ 7pm | 9/9 Worshipper, Zip-Tie Handcuffs, & The Devil’s Twins 9/15 Mike McClure with Cody Canada & The Departed 9/16 The Dictators NYC, Lyres, GLiDER, The ModifierS

9/28 JEFF THE BROTHERHOOD w/ Music Band & CreaturoS | $12 adv / $15 dos | Doors @ 8pm |

9/17 Mike Peters presents “The Alarm: Spirit of ‘86 in 2016” 9/18 Somerstreets w/ Shepherdess & more TBA 9/21 St. Nothing, Kármán Voh, & Tristan Allen

9/29 BARRENCE WHITFIELD & THE SAVAGES

w/ DiabloGato | $15 adv / $18 dos | Doors @ 8pm |

156 Highland Ave • Somerville, MA 617-285-0167 oncesomerville.com   @oncesomerville /ONCEsomerville

NEWS TO US

FEATURE

DEPT. OF COMMERCE

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

15

QUINCY continued from pg. 14

2

3

4

5

Chinese crepes with jasmine bubble tea at

The Michelangelo pizza at

Blueberry Sriracha wings and local suds at

Classic fried clams at

EIGHTY SIX DEGREES TEA

(1259 Hancock St., 617-481-6495)

Sleek and modern 86 Degrees, right in front of Quincy Center T, specializes in Asian-inspired aromatic teas, fruit yogurt drinks, coffees, and espressos, with a small menu of delicious crepes.

The house special 86 Degrees crispydough crepe features ham, scallion, cilantro, sesame, onion, lettuce, and kimchi.

ANGELO’S COAL FIRED PIZZA

(1657 Hancock St., Quincy, 617-302-3200)

Angelo’s fuels the hottest trend in pizza with crispy, charred pies cooked in its intensely hot coal-fired ovens.

The Michelangelo features mozzarella, ricotta, house tomato sauce, and homestyle coal-fired meatballs, garnished with basil and extra virgin olive oil.

CAGNEY’S PUB

(214 Washington St., 617-847-3940)

This neighborhood craft beer bar placed itself on the Greater Boston food map with its Local 8—a daily rotating selection of New England-only beers— and an impressive menu of creative wing combos. The blueberry Sriracha wings are a truly inspired pairing of seemingly incongruous flavors that work brilliantly together.

THE CLAM BOX

(789 Quincy Shore Dr., 617-773-6677) OR

TONY’S CLAM SHOP (861 Quincy Shore Dr., 617-773-5090)

These old-school clam shacks are beloved Wollaston Beach landmarks, offering dramatic views of the ocean, the Boston Harbor Islands, and the city skyline. Which one is the best? New England fried clam aficionados are torn. You’ll have to visit both to decide.

QUINCY continued on pg. 18

16

9.8.16 - 9.15.16

|

DIGBOSTON.COM

Don’t’t Know Nobody N gies Anymore That Boogies A new musical by Andy Gaus Directed by Jackie Davis

CAST DANNY SUZY ELAINE,CHORUS,MISSY MARSHALL,CHORUS REVEREND GARNETT, CHORUS

Sean Crosley Sarajane Mullins Sirgourney Tanner Keith Brinkley Franklin Mosley

September 7- 25, 2016 Black Box Theater at the Arsenal Center for the Arts Watertown, MA

Tickets available at nobodyboogies.com *Your money refunded if our tunes aren't catchy enough

ALLSTON: 180 Harvard Ave. (Green Line @ Harvard) SOMERVILLE: 238 Elm St. (Red Line @ Davis Square) BUFFALOEXCHANGE.COM •

1 Month

FREE

with promo code:

DIG

Your place or mine?

The mobile hookup site for gay and bi men

*Offer expires 31st December 2016

Visit Squirt.org on your mobile to hookup today NEWS TO US

FEATURE

DEPT. OF COMMERCE

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

17

QUINCY continued from pg. 18

6 Muffuletta sandwiches at

CUCINA MIA CAFÉ & DELI

(94 Washington St., 617-479-1946)

A real taste of New Orleans in the heart of Quincy. This Italian-inspired Bayou classic features pressed fresh ciabatta bread packed with Genoa salami, prosciutto, mortadella, capicola, and provolone cheese, plus the traditional olive spread—a delicious signature of the original muffuletta sandwiches of the Big Easy. They’re fantastic.

7 “Regular” coffee and an old-fashioned donut at

THE ORIGINAL DUNKIN’ DONUTS

(543 Southern Artery, 617-472-9502)

The original “Dunkies” opened in 1950 just outside Quincy Center. This American culinary landmark boasts nostalgic vibe, old-school coffee counter, and retro post-war decor. It’s also one of Quincy’s most popular selfie spots! The Guardian newspaper of London recently called the original Dunkies Quincy’s “secret weapon.”

8 Fat mac ’n cheese at

THE FAT CAT

(24 Chestnut St., 617-471-4363)

The perpetually packed Fat Cat has a winning recipe with its richly satisfying menu of comfort-food classics with upscale accents. The “fat mac” is packed with four kinds of cheese and five kinds of meat. It’s been featured on the Food Network and has attracted an intensely loyal fan base. Wear your stretchy pants!

9 Gypsy Juice hot sauce at

THE GYPSY KITCHEN (1241 Hancock St., 617-847-1846)

Hot sauce pioneer Lisa Lamme ran America’s first hot sauce retail store, Le Saucier at Faneuil Hall, before opening Gypsy Kitchen. Her proprietary Gypsy Juice is a fan favorite and adorns the tables at top Boston eateries such as Island Creek Oyster bar.

18

9.8.16 - 9.15.16

|

DIGBOSTON.COM

QUINCY continued on pg. 20

E M A G RY L I VE 2-Year d

CHOICE™

60

de all-inclu g p r ic in

All-Included Package

00 $ .

E M A G E V I L Y R

.

Y A D N U S Y R E EV MO. E .

E M A G E Plus taxes.

V I L V R Y For 24 months .

A W/ 24-mo. TV agmt. & other qual. AT&T service.* D N U S Y R Regional Sports fee applies in certain markets.

D AY TICKET INCLUDE AY 2016 NFL SUNDA TO DIRECTV. WHEN YOU SWITCH

Out-of-market games only.

Includes: • Over 175 Channels ™ CHOICE 2-Year

• Monthly fees for HD DVR & 1 add’l receiver. cluded All-Included Package

00 .

E M A G E LIV

Y L 60 all-in p r ic in g

$

EVE

Choose any live game you want to watch on Sunday, all in HD. Only with DIRECTV — you can’t get this with Cable or DISH. (Out-of-market games only.)

DIRECTV FANTASY ZONE CHANNEL†^ WATCH LIVE GAMES WHEREVER YOU GO ™ *New approved residential customers only (equipment lease req'd).

Credit card req'd.

Req’s qual. AT&T service during Exclusive channel dedicated to fantasy.

Stream every live out-of-market game, every

MO.

Plus taxes.

For 24 months W/ 24-mo. TV agmt. & other qual. AT&T service.* Regional Sports fee applies in certain markets.

With DIRECTV you’ll score: Includes: • Over 175 Channels

Sunday afternoon, from virtually anywhere with a tablet, mobile device or computer.

Get key stats and player scoring around the league in real time, right on your screen.

RED ZONE CHANNEL® †^ Never miss a play inside the 20, all on one channel, all in HD.

WATC H UP TO 8 GAMES AT ONCE OR PICK ONE † Game Mix Channel lets you watch up to 4 or 8 games live on one screen.

FREE

Only available in HD. ^With NFL SUNDAY TICKET MAX.

†

GENIE HD DVR UPGRADE ®

NO equ NO s

ALL DIRECTV OFFERS REQUIRE 24-MONTH AGREEMENT. ADD'L FEES APPLY. *New approved residential customers only (equipment lease req'd). Credit card req'd. Req’s qual. AT&T service during 2nd year. Pro-rated ETF fees (up to $480) and Equipment Non-Return fees apply.

• Monthly fees for HD DVR & 1 add’l receiver.

CALL NOWFREE and ask NOabout Next Day 99% Insta With DIRECTV you’ll score:

IVS

equipment to buy.

GENIE® HD DVR UPGRADE

worry-free signal reliability.

NO start-up costs.

Based on a Nationwide study of representative cities.

CALL NOW and ask about Next Day Installation.

800-341-5098 203-542-7271

Geographic and service restrictions apply to U-Verse services. Call or go to www.att.com/u-verse to see if you qualify. $60 2-YR CHOICE ALL INCLUDED PACKAGE PRICE: Ends 10/22/16. New DIRECTV residential customers who bundle w/ eligible new or existing AT&T wireless svc. Price includes CHOICE All Included TV Pkg and monthly fees for a Genie HD DVR + one (1) add’l receiver. Internet: 12-mo. agmt req’d. Prorated ETF (up to $180) and Equipment Non-Return fees apply. Wireless: Consumers only. Sold separately. Reqs AT&T postpaid svc on elig. plan (excl. Lifeline & Residential Wireless) on a smartphone or phone (excl. Wireless Home Phone). Svcs: Svc addresses must match. To be elig. for 2nd yr price guarantee both services must remain active & in good-standing during 2nd year. Price Guarantee: TV Pkg only. After 24 mos. or loss of eligibility, then-prevailing monthly rate for All Included TV Pkg applies (currently $104/mo for CHOICE All Included), unless customer calls to cancel /change service prior to the end of 24 mos. Price excludes taxes, equipment upgrades/add-ons and other chrgs. Some offers may not be available through all channels and in select areas. See att.com/directv.

DIRECTV SVC TERMS: Subject to Equipment Lease and Customer Agreements. Must maintain a min. base TV pkg of $29.99/mo. Add'l Fees & Terms: In certain markets, Regional Sports fee of up to $6.39/mo. assessed with CHOICE and MÁS ULTRA Pkg and above. $19.95 Handling & Delivery fee may apply. Programming, pricing, terms and conditions subject to change at any time. Visit directv.com/legal for details.

WIRELESS SVC TERMS: Subj. to Wireless Customer Agmt (att.com/wca). Svcs are not for resale. Credit approval req’d. Deposit may apply. Fees, monthly & other charges, usage & other restrictions apply. Pricing, promotions, & terms subject to change & may be modified or terminated at any time without notice. Coverage & svc not avail. everywhere. You get an off-net (roaming) usage allowance for each svc. If you exceed the allowance, your svc(s) may be restricted or terminated. Other restr’s apply & may result in svc termination. See att.com/wireless or a store for details.

GENIE HD DVR UPGRADE OFFER: Includes instant rebates on one Genie HD DVR and up to three Genie Minis. Req’s SELECT Pkg or above; ÓPTIMO MÁS Pkg or above; or any int’l service bundle w/PREFERRED CHOICE Pkg. $99 fee applies for Wireless Genie Mini upgrade.

2016 NFL SUNDAY TICKET OFFER: Package consists of all live out-of-market NFL games (based on customer’s service address) broadcast on FOX and CBS. Games available via remote viewing based on device location. Other conditions apply. 2016 NFL SUNDAY TICKET regular full-season retail price is $257.94. 2016 NFL SUNDAY TICKET MAX regular full-season retail price is $359.94. Customers activating CHOICE Pkg or above or MÁS ULTRA Pkg or above will be eligible to receive the 2016 season of NFL SUNDAY TICKET at no add’l cost and will receive a free upgrade to NFL SUNDAY TICKET MAX for the 2016 season. NFL SUNDAY TICKET subscription will automatically continue each season at a special renewal rate unless customer calls to cancel prior to start of season. To renew NFL SUNDAY TICKET MAX, customer must call to upgrade after the 2016 season. Subscription cannot be canceled (in part or in whole) after the start of the season and subscription fee cannot be refunded. Only one game may be accessed remotely at any given time. Compatible device/operating system required for online/mobile access. Additional data charges may apply. Visit directv.com/nfl for a list of compatible devices/system requirements. For full Mix Channel and interactive functionality, HD equipment model H/HR 21 or later is required. NFL: AP Photo.

HD: HD television req’d. Number of HD channels based on TV plan.

NFL, the NFL Shield design and the NFL SUNDAY TICKET name and logo are registered trademarks of the NFL and its affiliates. NFL team names and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. ©2016 AT&T Intellectual Property. All Rights Reserved. AT&T, Globe logo, DIRECTV, and all other DIRECTV marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

NEWS TO US

FEATURE

DEPT. OF COMMERCE

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

19

QUINCY continued from pg. 20

10

11

The Iron Furnace burger at

Pint of Guinness and a shot at

(1495 Hancock St., 857-252-0050)

(1574 Hancock St., 617-770-3620)

IRON FURNACE

This spicy, beefy signature burger is flavored with peppery house rub and topped with a tantalizing combo of garlic mayo, jalapeno bacon, Red Dragon mustard and ale cheddar, and garnished with caramelized onion, lettuce, and roasted tomato.

20

9.8.16 - 9.15.16

|

DIGBOSTON.COM

PADDY BARRY’S

The “best little pub in the world” is a popular gathering spot for Quincy’s large Irish community and one of the most authentically Irish watering holes in all of Boston. Watch Gaelic football or European soccer, or enjoy live music, surrounded by plenty of real Irish accents and some great craic.

12

13

Authentic South Shorestyle bar pizza at

The June Bug at

S6 TAVERN

(1550 Hancock St., 617-774-1550)

This dive-ish neighborhood watering hole serves classic South Shore-style individual steel-pan pizza, using a secret recipe dough made in-house each morning by baker and beloved Quincy personality Abby Ash. Tough to beat a frosty brew and a hot pizza baked in in the inimitable local South Shore style.

THE TOWNSHEND (1250 Hancock St., 617-481-9694)

This festive, summery cocktail features vodka, fresh lime, housemade raspberry syrup, and Combier Liqueur de Rose, made with real roses. It’s garnished with dried rose petals. Sip it (or pound it) outdoors on the Presidents Place patio beside the under-construction expansive new Adams Green public park, while admiring the gorgeous bell tower of the historic Church of the Presidents, the final resting place of Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams.

NEWS TO US

FEATURE

DEPT. OF COMMERCE

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

21

for a less-hot version, especially if the game could end up being a long one.

INDIA QUALITY. 484 COMM. AVE., BOSTON. INDIAQUALITY.COM

China King, Boston (Chinatown)

CHINA KING

THE SEVENS ALE HOUSE

EATS

BACK TO CLASS CHEAP EATS Ten Picks for the Picky Student

BY MARC HURWITZ @HIDDENBOSTON College students are back in the Boston area once again, and one of the most important questions to many is “What are some really good cheap eats spots nearby?”

Well, there are a lot of places that have cheap eats near the colleges and universities, but not all of them are good.

The list below includes 10 of the better ones, all of which are near or at various schools in and around the city:

Tampopo, Cambridge (Porter Square)

Located in the Porter Exchange building on the southern edge of Porter Square, this closet-sized eatery is one of several that can be found within the Asian food court here, and it is also one of the best. Tampopo’s focus is on Japanese street foods, including everything from richtasting fried octopus balls to rice bowls with pork cutlets to comforting curry dishes and a number of dishes with fried eggs included, which adds a richness to the plates. Prices at this spot are dirt cheap, with many meals under $10.

TAMPOPO. 1815 MASS. AVE., CAMBRIDGE. TAMPOPOCAMBRIDGE.COM

Renee’s Cafe, Somerville

A cozy two-room breakfast (and lunch) place just outside of Teele Square that is popular with Tufts students, Renee’s caters to college students and locals alike. Lines can often form on weekends and for good reason—even the simplest of dishes here taste fresh and delicious, including the house-made blueberry pancakes, fresh waffles with strawberries, ham and apple omelets, and eggs Benedict with a meaty house-made corned beef hash, all at prices that tend to stay in the single digits.

RENEE’S CAFE. 198 HOLLAND ST., SOMERVILLE.

local and national craft brews along with some decent— and reasonably priced—comfort food and pub grub such as chili, knockwurst, and pizza.

THE SEVENS ALE HOUSE. 77 CHARLES ST., BOSTON.

Garlic ’n Lemons, Allston

Allston is one of the most popular neighborhoods in Boston for college students (especially from BU and BC, both of which aren’t too far away), and it has countless cheap eats places, including this Mediterranean and Middle Eastern eatery that went through a sorely needed expansion awhile back. Students flock to Garlic ’n Lemons for its inexpensive combo plates that feature such items as falafel, hummus, tabouleh, rice pilaf, chicken shawarma, beef kebabs, and more, and even though the space is bigger than before, the restaurant continues to do much business via takeout.

GARLIC ’N LEMONS. 133 HARVARD AVE., ALLSTON. GARLICLEMONS.COM

India Quality, Boston (Kenmore Square)

Good Indian restaurants can be found all over the Boston area, but as is the case with other types of cuisine, some happen to be a lot better than others. And one of the best in the region is this longtime North Indian spot that is within walking distance of Fenway Park, making it a great pre- or post-game option for baseball fans along with nearby BU students. One of the highlights at India Quality is its white-hot vindaloo, though if you order it before heading to a night game, you might want to ask

For those who go to Emerson or Suffolk, the nearby dining options are nearly endless, since the city is basically the campus for both schools, and Chinatown is an easy walk from all of Emerson and much of Suffolk. Most restaurants in Chinatown are reasonably priced, and there are some real gems including the wonderful China King, a mostly unknown spot that has a connection to the legendary (and long-closed) King Fung Garden. Highlights include one of the best Peking ducks in the city (note: order in advance) along with pork buns, Shanghai chow mein, and dan dan noodles.

CHINA KING. 60 BEACH ST., BOSTON. CHINAKINGBOSTONMA.COM

Flat Patties, Cambridge (Harvard Square)

Harvard Students who are burger lovers pretty much have it made, with Mr. Bartley’s, Tasty Burger, Shake Shack, and Charlie’s nearby and O’Sullivan’s within walking distance as well. But some consider this Brattle Street spot to be the best of them all—if not in the entire Boston area—and for good reason, as Flat Patties features the type of messy West coast-style griddled burgers that are what dreams are made of, and they are also cheaper than most good burgers in the area. In addition to burgers, the dining spot also features excellent pulled pork sandwiches, hot dogs, and roast beef sandwiches.

FLAT PATTIES. 33 BRATTLE ST., CAMBRIDGE. FLATPATTIES.COM

El Pelon Taqueria, Brighton

Many people equate El Pelon with Fenway Park and the Boston Red Sox, and while its location on Peterborough Street is indeed a popular spot for baseball fans, another location can be found by Boston College in Brighton. And like the original location (which burned down in 2009 but reopened three years later), the Commonwealth Avenue shop features some outstanding takes on authentic Mexican fare, including enchiladas, burritos, quesadillas, tacos, and more, all at prices well under the $10 mark.

EL PELON TAQUERIA, 2197 COMM. AVE., BRIGHTON. ELPELON.COM

Dosa Factory, Cambridge (Central Square)

A different type of spot than India Quality, this little eatery—which is hidden in back of a market—focuses a bit more on Southern Indian food, and as the name indicates, dosas tend to be the focus here. Popular with nearby MIT and Harvard students alike, Dosa Factory offers an array of these savory filled crepes, including ones with lamb, scrambled eggs, chicken, okra, chickpeas, and potatoes, while the rest of the menu offers the usual vindaloo, saag, korma, and tikka masala dishes.

DOSA FACTORY. 571 MASS. AVE., CAMBRIDGE. DOSAFACTORY.COM

Woody’s Grill & Tap, Boston (Fenway)

A true hidden gem that is buried on a side street just east of the Fens, Woody’s is a favorite stop for Northeastern and Boston University students who are looking for good thin-crust pizza—and the pizza here isn’t just good, it’s considered by many to be among the best in the entire city of Boston. And while the wood-fired pies are indeed tremendous, it’s not all about pizza here, as the steak tips, burgers, and pasta dishes are all worth looking at as well.

WOODY’S GRILL & TAP. 58 HEMENWAY ST., BOSTON. WOODYSBOSTON.COM

The Sevens Ale House, Boston (Beacon Hill)

For all of its wealth and charm, Beacon Hill has also seen its share of dive bars come and go over the years, and this Charles Street watering hole that’s frequented by locals and nearby Suffolk students alike is often mistaken for a dive when it’s really not. The Sevens is actually more of an inexpensive version of a beer bar, with a terrific list of 22

9.8.16 - 9.15.16

|

DIGBOSTON.COM

TAMPOPO

FLAT PATTIES

AUTO CLUB OF AMERICA, BE REWARDED RATHER THAN SLAPPED IN THE FACE. ASK ABOUT OUR

25

$

WHY YOU SHOULD JOIN NOW...

GIFT CARD BONUS

Unlike the other popular auto clubs, an Auto Club of America (ACA) membership is simple and has real value: ■

No hidden fees or costs.

■

Unlimited annual roadside assistance

■

■

■ ■

Unlimited towing & ‘’Sign and drive promise!’’

We get you back on the road or we tow you to the nearest service facility. (no mileage or dollar caps, no out-ofpocket expenses, no additional stress.)

Each month, ACA members get $100 in ACA Rewards at no additional charge.

■

■

No-hassle locksmith service.

Car rentals, hotel reservations, restaurant discounts - you’re in control! ACA doesn’t limit you to just the higher priced options.

■

Our rewards program is unmatched in the auto club industry.

Unlike other auto clubs, ACA doesn’t lock you into using only certain providers and retailers.

ACA members receive a free Wellcard, for discounts on many healthcare needs - prescriptions, dental, vision and hearing services.

EXCLUSIVE BONUS - DOUBLE REWARDS! SIGN UP TODAY AND RECEIVE $200 IN ACA REWARDS! CALL TODAY:

1-800-643-9038

*ACA Rewards can be used at more than 70,000 participating restaurants in the U.S. and Canada with more than 150,000 unique discount dining offers. Enjoy discounts off the lowest guaranteed rates at more than 25,000 hotel properties. Discounts on car rentals and cruises. More than 150 brand name gift cards offered at a 10% discount and more than 4,000 SKU’s are in our ACA Rewards catalog, including popular items like jewelry, clothing, movie tickets, magazines and more.

NEWS TO US

FEATURE

DEPT. OF COMMERCE

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

23

MUSIC

ALLSTON CHRISTMAS Santa brought a free concert instead of free furniture this year

BY NINA CORCORAN @NINA_CORCORAN

MUSIC

MUSIC AS A SECOND LANGUAGE Boston workshop series puts collaborative improvisation first

BY NINA CORCORAN @NINA_CORCORAN Musicians must begin somewhere. Luckily for us, Music as a Second Language is building itself into one hell of a starting line for the sonically curious in Boston.

The free bimonthly workshop series explores various elements of music through collaborative improvisation. In other words, it’s three facilitators guiding a group of participants through music games and musical experiments. Say hello to Scott Saleem, Neil Horsky, and Ian Kovac. The three play music in various capacities around the city and saw a way to use their university majors (cultural anthropology, community art and creativity games, and music therapy respectively) for good—so that’s where they find themselves: running a workshop that stresses participation and comfort in an ensemble instead of the usual focus on technique and theory. Take that, Berklee.

“The workshops provide an opportunity for community members to feel excited about playing music, about their potential as musicians and improvisers, to feel connected to each other and to build relationships,” says Horsky. “Some big misconceptions about playing music are that it requires special talent, that it needs to be complicated to be good, that those who have not acquired the ability to play complicated music should instead only listen and appreciate rather than participate, and that music is played for the entertainment of others or for personal satisfaction. In truth, the simplest music often feels the best to play, playing simple music is easy if you try, and the best part of playing in an ensemble is feeling connected to others, feeling like you’re creating a unique moment together. Playing music is for everyone.”

“The original goal of MSL was to create a space where people of different backgrounds and experience levels could interact musically,” explains Saleem. “I think there’s a stigma in our society that some people are artists and musicians and some aren’t. To me, that’s like saying some people speak language and some don’t. Every human being has the inherent capacity to express themselves musically, we’re just giving people structured, supportive opportunities to find that out for themselves.”

Don’t mistake MSL as a place of private music lessons. It’s a curation of games, all of which are currently based around percussion and voice—the most accessible approaches to music. The games correspond to musical elements such as rhythm, melody, and harmony. A drum circle emphasizes synchronicity. Toying with dynamics brings out individualistic voice. Active listening teaches participants how to hear with more open ears. Open-ended, interpretive games are staples at these workshops precisely because they allow participants to gain freedom and confidence in their abilities.

“Learning an instrument becomes an all-or-nothing endeavor. That’s part of the reason that we don’t teach instruments or really place any kind of pedagogy anywhere near what we’re doing. We want to explore the fundamentals of music, the elements that make it interesting to everyone,” says Kovac. “With the right amount of encouragement and exploration, an individual will find the sound that he or she is looking for in an instrument.”

For all the good they bring to the table, MSL is still a relatively underground series. The crew hope to gain momentum in the coming months, and with their regular schedule set in place—workshops take place from 1 pm to 3 pm every second and fourth Sunday of the month—MSL can become a more open, inviting, and resourceful educational resource for Boston residents.

“It’s a dream in the back of our heads to become a non-profit and receive grant funding to make alternative approaches to music education accessible to more people,” says Saleem. “As many people know, Egleston square is the frontline of gentrification. City Pop is somewhat problematic because it’s owned by real estate developers who are tearing it down in a year to build luxury condos. It is my hope that the creative projects taking place there can address some of the underlying issues facing the neighborhood and build strong relationships between people of different backgrounds to organize more effectively around issues of shared interest.”

Now that is music to our ears. Hopefully you’ll be busy making that very music now, too. >>MUSIC AS A SECOND LANGUAGE. SUN 9.11. CITY POP EGLESTON, 3195 WASHINGTON ST., BOSTON. 1PM/ALL AGES/FREE.

Allston’s infamous holiday has come and gone, but there are still gifts to be unwrapped without dropping a single penny.

Now that damaged desks and free mattresses are off the sidewalks, Allston is looking spiffy, and the fine folks at Do617 want to throw a series of shows to celebrate the musical neighborhood in style. We’ve got our eyes set on the Saturday, Sept 10 show.

Pop Allston will host a reunion show with ’80s act Blake Babies and brought Dutch Rebelle, Weakened Friends, and the Doped Up Dollies to open. It kicks off at noon and ends at 6 pm.

Best of all, it’s totally free.

“We recently reformed to play what amounts to reunion shows, since we were based in Boston when we were a band,” says John Strohm of the Blake Babies. The band’s prime years saw it atop the Boston scene from 1986 to 1991. Now, it’s returning with a vengeance, with members like Strohm coming as far as Nashville to play.

For other acts, playing an end-of-summer Christmas show requires far less effort, but makes total sense. “We tracked both of our EPs just around the corner at Zippah Recording where I work as an engineer, we’ve played Great Scott a bunch, and Allston’s gotten us drunk more times than we can remember,” says Annie Hoffman of Weakened Friends. “It’s a cool neighborhood, but I’m not sure how we tie into its themes. We’re not very cool.”

But that’s exactly it. All it takes to fit in anywhere in Allston is to crave a good time without breaking your back to get it. Uncool is cool, but luckily, each act playing Allston’s Awesome Christmas is cool already. It’s the people coming for free that are looking to rub shoulders with the bands’ skills. After all, this is Allston we’re talking about. Musical talent is the greatest gift of all there.

As hip-hop artist Dutch Rebelle put it best, “Allston has great vibes because everybody’s got their own thing going on.” At least she’s ready to level the playing field for onlookers with a two-step plan. “I aim to confuse, corrupt, and energize at all times. And yes, I’m taking shots with someone’s mom if they’re with it.”

Your move, moms. You can kiss Santa Claus underneath the Christmas tree that night if you want, too. >>ALLSTON’S AWESOME CHRISTMAS. SAT 9.10.

POP ALLSTON, 89 BRIGHTON AVE., ALLSTON. 12PM/ALL AGES/FREE WITH RSVP. DO617.COM/XMAS

MUSIC EVENTS THU 9.8

METAL MELTS MINDS FULL OF HELL + THE BODY + GAS CHAMBER + EMPTY VESSELS + CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE [Middle East Upstairs, 472 Mass. Ave., Cambridge. 8pm/18+/$12. mideastoffers.com]

24

9.8.16 - 9.15.16

|

FRI 9.9

LOVE TRUMPETS HATE NO BS! BRASS BAND + KYLE THORNTON & THE COMPANY

[Brighton Music Hall, 158 Brighton Ave., Allston. 8pm/18+/$12. crossroadspresents.com]

DIGBOSTON.COM

SAT 9.10

SUN 9.11

[Paradise Rock Club, 967 Comm. Ave., Allston. 8pm/18+/$20. crossroadspresents.com]

[Great Scott, 1222 Comm.

Ave., Allston. 9pm/18+/$12. greatscottboston.com]

TOO WEIRD TO FADE OF MONTREAL + RUBY THE RABBITFOOT

HARDER, BETTER, FASTER, STRONGER VIOLENT SOHO + MEAT WAVE + ANIMAL FLAG

WED 9.14

FLAMBOYANT FUN GONE AWRY PEACHES

[Royale, 279 Tremont St., Boston. 8pm/18+/$22. royaleboston.com]

WED 9.14

FAREWELL TO FREAK FOLK (ALMOST) SKINNY BONES + YOHUNA + ST. NOTHING [Middle East Upstairs, 472 Mass. Ave., Cambridge.

8pm/all ages/$10. mideastoffers.com]

GOT AN EVENT? LIST IT. FRI 9/9

XMORTIS - OLDE SKOOL SAT 9/10 - LEEDZ PRESENTS

MADEINTYO

MON 9/12 - KEYNOTE PRESENTS

CUTE IS WHAT WE AIM FOR WED 9/14 - LEEDZ PRESENTS

WIKI W/ DJ LUCAS THU 9/15

Use our self-serve listings page to get your event online TODAY!

EOTO + DIMOND SAINTS FRI 9/16 - LEEDZ & CRUSH PRES.

RJD2

THU 9/8 - GRAYSKULL PRESENTS

FULL OF HELL THE BODY FRI 9/9

CASEY MCQUILLEN SAT 9/10

CHEETAH CHROME (OF THE DEAD BOYS)

UNNATURAL AXE CRANK COUNTY DAREDEVILS SUN 9/11

HALEY BONAR

digboston.com /listings We offer a free

basic listing as well as

enhanced and premium listings to really get you noticed.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT NASCIGS.COM OR CALL 1-800-435-5515 PROMO CODE 962058

MON 9/12

EMMA JAYNE

Website restricted to U.S. smokers 21 years of age and older.

TUE 9/13 - CROSSROADS PRESENTS

CIGARETTES

TYLER BRYANT & THE SHAKEDOWN

©2016 SFNTC (3)

WED 9/14 - ILLEGALLY BLIND PRES.

SKINNY BONES

THU 9/15 - ILLEGALLY BLIND PRES.

MYSTIC BRAVES

NEWS TO US Boston Dig 07-13-16.indd 1

FEATURE

DEPT. OF COMMERCE

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

25

6/22/16 1:05 PM

FILM

A PHENOM’S RECKONING An interview with writer/director Noah Buschel

BY JAKE MULLIGAN @_JAKEMULLIGAN The films of Noah Buschel take damaged souls as their subjects and create drama from the potential for repair.

Perhaps never more so than in the writer/director’s sixth feature, The Phenom [2016]—available now on DVD, Blu-ray, and VOD—which seems to take therapeutic counseling as its structural guiding light. It opens on the face of a major league pitcher, the preternaturally talented Hopper Gibson (Johnny Simmons), who’s about to throw five wild pitches in a single inning. The next shot introduces a second face, Dr. Mobley (Paul Giamatti), the man who’s been assigned to help him get his control back. Buschel’s picture finds a flow that moves in and out of the past; we experience memories from inside the mind, each of them potentially warped by the unreliable perspective of the present tense. Hopper’s time in high school, the majors, and the minors are all represented, as are relationships with his father (Ethan Hawke), his mother (Alison Elliott), his coaches, and his high school girlfriend (Sophie Kennedy Clark). “See how the past is not yet finished,” once said the most threatening character in Buschel’s oeuvre. The Phenom considers the attempts made to resolve it, the introspection required to make those repairs, and the miraculous sort of self-reckoning that therapy—or movies—can sometimes allow for.

“I did a workshop once with a brilliant zen teacher named Barbara O’Hara,” recalls Buschel, who’s calling from his car in Santa Monica. We’re speaking for the first time, and so our conversation veers between various poles, shifting between each of his six features, between the business and the art of film production, between the technical side and the spiritual side of movies themselves.

“We did this workshop where she said, ‘I want you to picture a judge inside of your mind. I want you to picture the person inside of you that’s always second-guessing you, that’s always telling you that you’re not good, that’s always beating you up.’ And for me, the person that I

pictured looked a lot like Ethan Hawke’s character. It was some dude with a flattop, smoking cigarettes and drinking beer, all tatted up, sitting on the couch when I got home, telling me that I wasn’t all that great. People say it’s a father-son movie, but to me it’s not. Ethan is playing the judge inside of Hopper. When that internal judge is being really harsh to us—I don’t mean to get too abstract, but—the judge can sometimes appear in our life physically. It is coming from the internal mind state, and it’s been externalized. For me, it’s not about a father and a son. It’s about the judge.”

The Phenom is the sixth film in a career that began with Bringing Rain [2003]; those 13 years have seen the director patiently establish himself as one of the rare mavericks within American independent filmmaking.

Buschel, who is 38, was born in Philadelphia, raised in Greenwich Village, and currently resides in California, having moved after years of back and forth between the coasts. “The eccentricity and the characters have really been stolen from New York City,” he says, then that there’s no difference between the conversations happening in New York’s cafes and California’s. “At a certain point I was living in this tiny studio apartment, and I didn’t know what I was doing there anymore. I don’t know if LA is the answer—but it’s good to be near the ocean sometimes.” The most oft-reported elements of his biography, aside from the location of his upbringing, are that he dropped out of high school and that he was ordained as a zen priest by Sensei Pat Enkyo O’Hara in 2002. He is a fraternal twin and a Gemini. He is a prolific writer of criticism about films and film culture and is a studied moviegoer working from a diverse range of influences, which make themselves known within each of his features. And though his films are most often praised for the work of their casts—Buschel says that his aesthetic choices are made for the sake of emphasizing his actor’s

performances—he maintains a remarkable formal rigor throughout. The Phenom, to wit, has a narrative structure that borders on the literary. The film is built with a rhythm that’s attuned to the spiritual health of Hopper, rather than one attuned to the athletic drama other sports films have conditioned you to expect. Buschel’s actors give life to his characters, but his filmmaking techniques give those lives interiority.

“That again speaks to Ethan being an element of Johnny’s mind.” Buschel notes, talking about the film’s structure. “Because we are in flashbacks inside someone’s mind, and so it is close to an unreliable narrator. Having someone like Elizabeth Marvel as the teacher who walks toward the camera—things like that are gears that are trying to shift us as much as possible toward being in Hopper’s mind. To me, that’s what the movies I love usually are. You have the main character, and then everybody else you meet is an aspect of the main character’s mind. If you think about a lot of great plays, like Hamlet, you can see that. I am not the first person to say that maybe Hamlet is just a dream that Hamlet is having.”

If you’ll indulge an admitted generality, inner lives no longer seem to be the primary concern of American movies, regardless of where they’re made. The independent narrative-filmmaking sphere, to be specific, has transitioned into a state that’s most notable for the surface concerns of its screenplays and for the relative formlessness of its filmmaking. Compared to his peers, Buschel’s films render him something like a classicist. He writes screenplays as opposed to outlines, works from extremely detailed storyboards, utilizes limited camera movement, composes frames that allow for precise spatial awareness on the part of the viewer, prefers master shots to coverage, makes extensive use of blocking to advance his narratives and characterizations, and edits at a pace that’s both metered and patient. He is the sort of filmmaker who earns his close-ups. But he’s not the sort to make them beautiful. His actors attest that Buschel prefers not to view the monitor on set, and merely “listens” to some takes, trusting his performers to find something unexpected within otherwise exacting marks.

“The Phenom was a little bit of a breakthrough, in that I ended up using a lot of takes where people flubbed their lines. Not noticeably. But Johnny would maybe stumble over something, and it’d be perfect for Hopper. That was really neat. It was nice sometimes to have takes where the actors weren’t as precise with my dialogue. Johnny’s great at memorizing, but there might be a take where he would do a hand movement instead of saying a line. Or sometimes you have a take where you just don’t say the line perfectly, and those could become wonderful gifts. It was nice when the lines didn’t come too cleanly.”

What he’s searching for are ineffable moments, the ones where an actor does something that gets caught within the viewer. Buschel speaks about the way that certain performances live with you, months and years after you’ve seen them, infecting your thoughts, or your body itself. We end up on the subject of Brokeback Mountain [2005]—“Heath Ledger was in my jaw for the next month,” he says. “I love movies where you’re thinking about the performance more than anything else.”

Read more of this story at DigBoston.com

>> THE PHENOM. NOT RATED. NOW AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY, DVD, AND VOD.

FILM EVENTS FRI 9.9

FRI 9.9

[Coolidge Corner Theatre.

290 Harvard St., Brookline.

Midnight/NR/$11.25. 35mm. coolidge.org]

[Harvard Film Archive. 24 Quincy St., Harvard Sq., Cambridge. 7pm/R/$7-9.

35mm. hcl.harvard.edu/ hfa]

COOLIDGE AFTER MIDNIGHT PRESENTS EL TOPO [1970]

26

9.8.16 - 9.15.16

|

OLIVER STONE’S JFK [1991]

DIGBOSTON.COM

SAT 9.10

MON 9.12

WED 9.14

[Coolidge Corner Theatre.

290 Harvard St., Brookline.

Midnight/R/$11.25. 35mm. coolidge.org]

[Harvard Film Archive. 24 Quincy St., Harvard Sq., Cambridge. 6pm/R. Free preview screening, seating will be limited. hcl.harvard. edu/hfa]

[Brattle Theatre. 40 Brattle St., Harvard Sq., Cambridge.

4:30, 7, and 9:30pm/R/$911. brattlefilm.org]

AFTER MIDNIGHT PRESENTS ANOTHER

BY JODOROWSKY THE HOLY MOUNTAIN [1973]

ADVANCE SCREENING OF OLIVER STONE’S SNOWDEN [2016]

NICOLAS WINDING REFN’S THE NEON DEMON [2016]

THU 9.15

REWIND! FILM SERIES PRESENTS HEATHERS [1988]

[Coolidge Corner Theatre.

290 Harvard St., Brookline.

7pm/R/$11.25. coolidge.org]

THE MOST REVOLUTIONARY ‘ ’ ’”

“

JEWISH MOVIE SINCE SCHINDLER S LIST. - Stephen Marche, ESQUIRE

“AN ELEGANT AND INTIMATE MOVIE.

LOVELY AND MEMORABLE.’’ - A.O. Scott, THE NEW YORK TIMES

To Dream is to Live

512 Mass. Ave. Central Sq. Cambridge, MA 617-576-6260 phoenixlandingbar.com

Boston’s Best Irish Pub

N A T A L I E

P O R T M A N

BASED ON THE INTERNATIONAL BEST-SELLER BY

AMOS OZ

ARTWORK © 2016 FOCUS FEATURES LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. / © 2015 PICTURE PERFECT CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

TALEOFLOVEANDDARKNESSMOVIE.COM

MONDAYS

WEDNESDAYS

THURSDAYS

MAKKA MONDAY

GEEKS WHO DRINK

ELEMENTS

14+yrs every Monday night, Bringing Roots, Reggae & Dancehall Tunes 21+, 10PM - 1AM

Free Trivia Pub Quiz from 7:30PM - 9:30PM

RE:SET

WEDNESDAYS

Weekly Dance Party, House, Disco, Techno, Local & International DJ’s 19+, 10PM - 1AM

15+ Years of Resident Drum & Bass Bringing some of the worlds biggest DnB DJ’s to Cambridge 19+, 10PM - 2AM

FRIDAYS

SATURDAYS

PRETTY YOUNG THING

BOOM BOOM ROOM

80’s Old School & Top 40 Dance hits 21+, 10PM - 2AM

NOW PLAYING

LANDMARK THEATRES

KENDALL SQUARE CINEMA

WEST NEWTON CINEMA

1296 WASHINGTON STREET 1 KENDALL SQUARE (617) 621-1202 (617) 964-6060 CAMBRIDGE WEST NEWTON

Boston Dig Wednesday, 9/7 2col(4.625)x5.25 Color

80’s, 90’s, 00’s One Hit Wonders 21+, 10PM - 2AM

THE BEST ENTERTAINMENT IN CAMBRIDGE 7 DAYS A WEEK!

1/2 PRICED APPS DAILY 5 - 7PM WATCH EVERY SOCCER GAME! VOTED BOSTON’S BEST SOCCER BAR ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE

Saturdays & Sundays Every Game shown live in HD on 12 Massive TVs. We Show All European Soccer including Champions League, Europa League, German, French, Italian & Spanish Leagues.

CHECK OUT ALL PHOENIX LANDING NIGHTLY EVENTS AT:

WWW.PHOENIXLANDINGBAR.COM

60 MINUTES FREE TRIAL

THE HOTTEST GAY CHATLINE

1-800-718-9708

Ahora en Español/18+

digboston.com NEWS TO US

FEATURE

DEPT. OF COMMERCE

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

27

date was really terrifying. Trying to look your best and wear the right thing. To be funny, but not come on too strong. I remember trying to be a version of myself that was unattainable. There was so much pressure. There was also no swiping right or left. That was a lot harder to do in person.

Kathy St. George:

A guy asked me out for dinner. He took me to a nice restaurant, but wanted to sit in the bar area because the “happy hour” food was all free. We ate the free food and drank water. I then ordered a cup of tea.

When the check came (for the tea), he slid it across the table for me to pay.

Kris Sidberry:

L TO R - FRONT ROW: KATHY ST. GEORGE, GREG MARAIO, JORDAN CLARK. BACK ROW: EDDIE SHIELDS, JARED TROILO, SARAH ELIZABETH BEDARD

I went on a date once with this guy I call “The Greek.”

A extremely smart, handsome, and very nice guy. Terrible kisser. Almost choked me with his tongue.

Needless to say, no second date.

ARTS

SIGNIFICANTLY BAD DATES

The cast of Speakeasy’s Significant Other looks back and cringes

BY CHRISTOPHER EHLERS @_CHRISEHLERS

Paul Daigneault:

Jordan Clark:

Greg Maraio:

The fact that I have to use dating apps to meet people and go on dates is pretty cringeworthy. It has really messed up the way people interact with each other.

Expectations are so high and everyone thinks there is always someone better than you out there. It pretty much sucks!

Jared Troilo:

When I was 13, a girl named Wendy invited me over to her house. When I arrived, I discovered that her parents were not home, slow music was playing on the stereo, and her shirt was unbuttoned so that I could see her bra. But nothing happened that day with Wendy because, um, I was gay.

The most cringeworthy things I remember about dating was trying to “make a move.”

I was/am one of those people who wasn’t very good at reading signals to see if someone was interested in me.

It always seemed that I was leaning in to kiss the people who didn’t want to be kissed, or was too timid to kiss the people who wanted to be. The whole concept of a first

My most cringeworthy dating moment happened when I decided I really wanted to show off for this girl, and I took her to a really fancy dinner. It was a first date, and I guess I wanted her to think I was richer than I actually was at the time. I ordered a bottle of wine and appetizers, and we got the most expensive entrees.

When I got the check, I went for my pocket and realized that I didn’t have my wallet! So I had to stick this girl with the entire massive bill. What’s worse is we spent the rest of the night roaming midtown looking for my wallet (never found).

GROUP PHOTO BY JUSTIN SAGLIO

Although Speakeasy Stage is known for staging Boston premieres, this fall it will be kicking off the season with something that will give it a new kind of bragging right: the pre-Broadway engagement of Joshua Harmon’s Significant Other, which will open on Broadway this spring.

Significant Other is a compulsively funny, genuinely gripping story about Jordan (played here by Greg Maraio), whose three best girlfriends are all getting married, leaving him uncomfortably single. It is a tale about love in the modern age and about a young man’s struggle to try to hurry up and figure it all out.

Here, members of the cast (plus director Paul Daigneault) share their most cringeworthy first date stories.

ARTS EVENTS ANNA DEAVERE SMITH & THE SCHOOL-TOPRISON PIPELINE NOTES FROM THE FIELD: DOING TIME IN EDUCATION

[American Repertory Theater, 64 Brattle St., Cambridge. Through 9.17. americanrepertorytheater.org]

28

9.8.16 - 9.15.16

|

DIGBOSTON.COM

TENNESSEE WILLIAMS SHORTS EIGHT BY TENN

[Zeitgeist Stage, 539 Tremont St., Boston. Through 10.8. zeitgeiststage.com]

MUST-SEE GAME CHANGER COMPANY

[The Lyric Stage, 140 Clarendon St., Boston. Through 10.9. lyricstage. com]

SONDHEIM MASTERPIECE SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE

[Huntington Theatre Company, 264 Huntington Ave., Boston. Through 10.16. huntingtontheatre.org]

SERENITY IN SALEM CHILDE HASSAM AND THE ISLES OF SHOALS

[Peabody Essex Museum, 161 Essex St., Salem. Through 11.6. pem.org]

NEWS TO US

FEATURE

DEPT. OF COMMERCE

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

29

SAVAGE LOVE

MILK MONEY

WHAT'S FOR BREAKFAST

BY PATT KELLEY WHATS4BREAKFAST.COM

BY DAN SAVAGE @FAKEDANSAVAGE | MAIL@SAVAGELOVE.NET My husband and I have a pretty good sex life considering we are raising three kids, we both work full time, and I’m going to school. We have sex four to five times a week, sometimes daily.

Before we married, it never occurred to me to check what he was looking at online. Now I can’t stop. I know he looks at porn and masturbates.

I never check his phone or his Facebook or anything like that, just what he has googled.

How can I let go and be more confident and believe that, regardless of his personal habits, he still wants me? He says it’s not personal, it’s when I’m not available, and it’s a good way to take a nap. I trust him and don’t think he’s doing anything wrong, but how do I feel okay with it?

Sees Problems On Understanding Spouse’s Electronics You don’t have a good sex life, SPOUSE, you have a great sex life. You two are raising three kids, you’re getting sex on an almost daily basis, and at least one of you is getting naps? You’re the envy of all parents everywhere. It’ll put your mind at ease if you remind yourself now and then that no one person can be all things to another person—sexually or in any other way—and that the evidence your husband still wants you is running down your leg four to five times per week. Now please pass the paper/ tablet/phone to your husband, SPOUSE, I have something to say to him.

Hey, Mr. SPOUSE, here’s a handy life hack for you: CLEAR YOUR FUCKING BROWSER HISTORY. Use the “private browsing” or “incognito” setting in your web browser, and spare your wife—and yourself—future scrutiny and smut shaming.

OUR VALUED CUSTOMERS

BY TIM CHAMBERLAIN OURVC.NET

savagelovecast.com Listen to my podcast, Savage Lovecast, every week at savagelovecast.com.

THE STRANGERER

BY PAT FALCO ILLFALCO.COM

30

9.8.16 - 9.15.16

|

DIGBOSTON.COM

Don’t Fall Victim to Financial Distress Caused by Credit Card Debt

Credit counseling is the easiest, most effective way to explore the options for credit card debt and identify the best solution for your needs.

HIGH MONTHLY CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS combined with even higher interest rates can make it almost impossible to maintain control over your credit card debt. Even with your monthly payments you may not see much of a reduction in debt no matter what you do.

What’s more, as your credit card balances increase, it can also cause problems for your budget – you end up juggling bills, choosing between expenses, and putting off important purchases. Luckily, there’s a way you can find the solution that works for your unique financial situation – and even better, it won’t cost a thing to get the information you need.

CREDIT COUNSELING IS THE EASIEST, MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO EXPLORE THE OPTIONS FOR CREDIT CARD DEBT AND IDENTIFY THE BEST SOLUTION FOR YOUR NEEDS. Speak with a certified credit counselor at no charge to analyze your debt and budget. They will review your options to see what solutions may work best for you. Your credit counselor may be able to lower high interest rates or even eliminate them while consolidating your credit card debts into one easy payment through a debt management program.

Get Out of Debt Faster As a result of those lower interest rates – more of your monthly payments go toward your debt instead of adding more interest – which means you can get out of debt faster.

Every financial situation is different, but most people see their total monthly debt payments reduced by up to 30 to 50 percent as they get out of debt faster. The program is usually completed in around 40-60 payments, so you can be debt-free in just a few years instead of taking decades to eliminate everything you owe.

It’s the fastest and easiest way to get professional financial advice without adding more debt to do so.

Build a Positive Credit History Additionally, consolidating debtthrough a certified credit counseling service may help save your credit score from additional damage. You NEWS TO US

stop future penalties and prevent further damage from missed payments and overdrawn credit lines. Even better, as you work your way through the program, you’re able to build a positive credit history while reducing your overall debt level. As a result, some people see their credit score even increase over the course of their time with a credit counseling service.

FREEDOM FROM DEBT IS POSSIBLE! Don’t spend another sleepless night worrying about your debt problems, or another day stressed about your bills instead of focused on your family and life.

Call Consolidated Credit now at

1-800-513-0327 to speak with a certified credit counselor today.

(Fees may apply for voluntary participation in debt management - all counseling services are free.)

FEATURE

DEPT. OF COMMERCE

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

31

BOWERY BOSTON

For show announcements, giveaways, contests, and more, follow us on:

WWW.BOWERYBOSTON.COM • • • • LIVE MUSIC IN AND AROUND BOSTON • • • •

ROYALE 279 Tremont St. Boston, MA • royaleboston.com/concerts

WED. SEPTEMBER 14

W/ TAMARYN

W/ RIVER WHYLESS

W/ CONNER YOUNGBLOOD

W/ GREAT CAESAR, SKOUT

W/ POTTY MOUTH, FRAMEWORKS

W/ FATHERDUDE, GYPZ

THURS. SEPT. 15

FRI. SEPTEMBER 16

SAT. SEPTEMBER 17

SUN. SEPTEMBER 18

MON. SEPTEMBER 19

WED. SEPTEMBER 21

Peter Bjorn and John

THE TEMPER TRAP

Breakin’ Point Album Tour

W/ C O A S T MO DER N

LUNA W/ PAUL CAUTHEN

W/ CITY OF THE SUN, CLEOPOLD

W/ RESIDUELS

SAT. SEPTEMBER 24

SUN. SEPTEMBER 25

TUE. SEPTEMBER 27

W/ SYD ARTHUR

W/ TWAIN

WED. SEPTEMBER 28

FRI. SEPTEMBER 30

MON. OCTOBER 3

TUES. OCTOBER 4

T H U RSDAY. M AY 2 6T H 2 0 1 6 MAYAN THEATER

Thu. 19-May - Razzmatazz, Barcelona Fri. 20-May - Chango, Madrid Sat. 21-May - Territorios Sevilla Festival, Sevilla

L O S A N G E L E S , C A

WALTER SICKERT & THE RUBY ARMY OF BROKEN TOYS ROSE FOX

/

www.buzzcocks.com

52 Church St. Cambridge, MA sinclaircambridge.com

W/ MOUNT PERU

W/ THE DIRTY NIL, BADFLOWER

W/ LANDLADY

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11

WED. & THU. SEPTEMBER 14 & 15

the feelies

W/ SISTER CRAYON

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

W/ SUSTO

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22

HOW TO DRESS WELL

W/ KACY & CLAYTON

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27

yUNA

W/ JAKUBI

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2

ON SALE FRIDAY AT NOON!

MONDAY, OCTOBER 3 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4

W/ TOGETHER PANGEA, GOLDEN DAZE

MIKE GORDON

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7

FRI. - SUN. DECEMBER 9, 10 & 11

W/ NUMENOREAN, FROSTHELM, ASTRONOID

W/ MEAT WAVE, ANIMAL FLAG SUNDAY, SEPT. 11

‘s THE GAS

ON SALE FRIDAY AT NOON!

THU - SAT JANUARY 26, 27 & 28

W/ CHRIS STAPLES

W/ BEACH BABY

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

JAMES FEARNLEY of The Pogues

1222 Comm. Ave. Allston, MA FRIDAYS AT 7PM!

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3

ON SALE FRIDAY AT NOON!

ON SALE FRIDAY AT NOON!

FRI. & SAT. DECEMBER 2 & 3 (EARLY & LATE SHOWS)

W/ WESTERN MEDICATION

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1

W/ COLONY HOUSE, DREAMERS

ON SALE FRIDAY AT 10AM!

greatscottboston.com

W/ EX REYES

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

W/ WILDHONEY

ft. Marc Orrell (ex-Dropkick Murphys)

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

W/ OXYMORRONS, ADAM & THE FLOOR ON SALE NOW!

W/ CEREUS BRIGHTS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25

w/ Shallou MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9

≠ 9/10 ALLSTON’S AWESOME CHRISTMAS ≠ 9/21 SIGNALS MIDWEST ≠ 9/23 & 9/24 JORDAN HANDREN-SEAVEY ALBUM RECORDING ≠ 9/28 GOBLIN COCK ≠ 11/5 LONG TIME ≠ 11/22 DIRTY FENCES

OTHER SHOWS AROUND TOWN:

C.W. STONEKING FRI. SEPTEMBER 9 RED ROOM AT CAFE 939

ON SALE FRIDAY AT 10AM!

W/ BIRTHMARK, DREW O’DOHERTY W/ THE SIDEKICKS

THU. SEPTEMBER 15 ARTS AT THE ARMORY

THUR. SEPTEMBER 22 MIDDLE EAST DOWN

Tickets for Royale, The Sinclair, and Great Scott can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800) 745-3000.

No fee tickets available at The Sinclair box office Wednesdays - Saturdays 12:00 - 7:00PM

WED. OCTOBER 19 MIDDLE EAST UPSTAIRS

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND A COMPLETE LIST OF SHOWS, VISIT BOWERYBOSTON.COM