INK MAGAZINE - SEPTEMBER 2021

AAguide guideto tofiner finerliving livingin in Connecticut Connecticut&&abroad abroad September 2021

Vol 16 Issue 188

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3 SEPTEMBER 2021 Vol. 16 Issue 188

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Feature Stories

It Takes a Village...

The Backstory of Olde Mystick Village

Departments

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Ask Ashley - Are You Fashionably Healthy Crusty Old Diver - Save the Bays Music Mirth & Mojo - Black Bear Americana Festival

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On the Vine - Australian Wines The Cheesemonger - Best in Family

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The Bowerbird Presents:

The Unusual as Usual!

Arranging the Stars Underground Producer Jon Grossbard

Sanctuary Kitchen:

Sharing Cultures & Cuisine

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Well, here we are... Summer officially ends, school has begun in fits and starts, and the fall season being many peoples favorite of the four (including my own) will begin. I’ll take the half-full glass please. Compared to this time last year we are all enjoying the life of Riley. There are still things to pay attention to no doubt, but I hope folks can take stock in the small victories and shelf the status quo for just a little longer. There are so many important things we are all now able to do that last year seemed like lost “back-in-the-day” memories. The holidays are soon to be upon us. This time around hugs are possible and not reckless behavior. This time around though, being sensible is just the cost of doing business. I think we all need to take inventory of the many good things that are emerging from the chaos of 2020. Patience is key and we are rounding the bend. Spending time outdoors, long walks, and enjoying nature where always a possibility but now hopefully, have been incorporated into a routine. Thanksgiving is fast approaching but being thankful isn’t or shouldn’t be relegated to just one day of the year. Being grateful can be daily practice and last year if nothing else should emphasize just how much good fortune exists in the day-to-day. This year, holiday shopping can be in person. So MAKE it that way! There are many top-notch sponsors in this magazine every month so please shop local. I cannot emphasize this enough. That big website made enough money last year and in a very impersonal way so spread the wealth. There are two features in the issue that specifically cater to all your holiday gift-giving needs. Bowerbird has topped my list for 20 years and The Olde Mystick Village has enough to get it all done in a single day of shopping (outdoors.) Anyway, welcome to the end of summer 2021. We’re doing the best we can and by comparison, we’re doing alright.

Jeffery Lilly

Cassius Chaney

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A Fighter and a Gentleman

Lanes, Trains, and Automobiles

Photographer G. Roger Clements

Contributors

founder / publisher

Ashley Alt - ask ashley

Rona Mann - editorial

Susan Cornell - editorial

Vincent Scarano - photography

Caryn B. Davis - editorial/photography

Daniel Lev Shkolnik - editorial

Alison Kaufman - music mirth & mojo

Carolina Marquez-Sterling - design

Nancy LaMar - Rodgers - editorial

Paul Partica - the cheesemonger

Toni Leland - editorial

John Tolmie - editorial

Art LiPuma - on the vine

Kate Tolmie - photography

Chelsey Lilly - events

Joe Urso - ad design

Advertising

Contact us to receive our media kit with detailed marketing information.

Jeffery Lilly - Publisher 860.581.0026 Bob Houde - Advertising Director bob@inkct.com 860.303.6690

Rona Mann - Greater Connecticut six07co@att.net - 401-539-7762 Richard Malinsky - Shoreline richard@inkct.com - 215.704.9273

On the Cover: “Vintage Strat in the club” By Daniel Ridge

visit inkct.com

All content of INK Publications including but not limited to text, photos, graphics and layout are copyrighted by Inkct LLC. Reproductions without the permission of the publisher are prohibited. Inkct LLC is not responsible for images or graphics submitted for editorial or by advertisers which are not copyrighted or released for use in this publication.

Inkct LLC - 314 Flat Rock Place Unit F125, Westbrook, CT 06498 - email: submissions@ink-pub.com - visit www.inkct.com

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It Ta Takes a V Viillage and a "V Viisjonær" or T Tw wo

Th he Backstory y of Olde Mistick k Village...

N Now in Book k Form!!

by R Rona Mann / photos by Jefferryy Lilly

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f you're "of a certain age," you should reemember the outstanding ABC news com mmentator, Paul Harvey. mong his kudos, aw awards, Am d accomplishments he and haps was best known perh for a syndicated radio featuree he pioneered called, "Th he Rest of the Story."

Harrvey's commentary was over 1200 radio staheaard o ns, Armed Forces Radio, tion d reached 24 million and ople a week on ABC. peo Theere was not a broadcast c and awaard Harvey didn't win in his career deserrvedly so.

If Paaul Harrvey werre alive todaayy his focus would be smack on Joycce Olson Resnikoff and the almost-magical sttory that's behind the creation of The Oldee Mistick Village, this story now in a brand new book

by William T. S. Butler not surprisingly titled, The Real New England Village.

This book needed to be written, it was begging to be written for decades, for the backstory behind this year-round gem located smack in the middle of Mystic is unique, uplifting, and just plain wonderful.

It is a storry of familyy,, of legaccyy, of doing business the old-fashioned way, y and trusting and

The original site of Olde Mystick kV Viillage

you do believing in the people with whom w conduct business.

Martin Olson, Joy oyce's fatherr,, cam me to America f from Norway ay. He didn didn'tt know English E at the ttime, but he knew how to build...and he know h how to build upon what he built. He probably d did not know the English word at the time, but h he was a visionary of sorts, or in his native N Norwegian tongue, a "visjonær." He started by building one house in East Haaven. After that b one house, he built a street of houses. When o he h saaw that was successful, he built an entire housing development. h

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Martin Olson went on to be a prime developer of FIN NA AST Grocery Stores, then in 1952, he built the first shopping center in the Groton Shopping Plaza which is still owned by the family.

The idea of malls intrigued him, and Olson set his sights upon building an enclosed mall in Mystic in 1965 on 30 acres of farmland he had purchased, but the locals con nvvinced him there was not enough population in the area to support it.

Martin's daughterr,, Jo oyyce and her twin brotherr,, Jerry started to talk with area architects to see if they could make Martin's dream come true. "W Wee went through eight of them till we found the right one," Joyce recalls.

Jerryy,, now d deceased, d did all ll the construction to make it look completely unlike a mall, but exactly like an 18th century New England village. In 1973 The Olde Mistick

Village opened with 40 stores, an actual church, a general store, duck pond, gazebo, and a meeting house which Joyce and Jerry

dedicated the t meeting house," Joyce says with a wist ful smile of sweet remembrance. h did, for this w as a r eal 18th"The y both centur y village. No false fronts on the buildings, no painted facades It w as, and still is, a real village."

That was 48 years ago, and todaayy the Olde Mistick Village still operates as a "real New England village."Filled with a wide variety of shops, Joyce is quick to point out that they are all independently owned by by local people.

"No chain stores with headquarters in Chicago," she adds. "There is no absentee ownership here. All the owners are right here serrvving not only our thousands Joyce Olson Resnikoff with twin brother Jeerry off wonderful d f l tourists i yeaara me dedicated to their parents on September 11, round but also local people who haavve com 1973, the actual daayy the village opened, realiz- here to sh shop for years because everyon ne ing Martin's dream . "He cried when we knows each other. When a new busineess

13 co omes into the Village, I sit down and speak with them first, making su ure we're a fit because we're a faamily here, not just people who siign a contract act. Georgetti Gifts C Collectibles -Jewelryy,, for example, h been here for 46 years, and it's has a family business."

E Especially important to Resnikoff are the dogs. "W Wee encourage p people to bring their leashed dogs h e. It's a beautiful village for her th hem to enjoy. Man nyy of the shopk keepers haavve placed bowls of water outside their doors to q quench the thirst of the fourleegged creatures who clearly enjoy th he venue as much as their o Resnikoff, along with owners. so ons, Shaun and Christopher, work hard to keep the Village a p place people of all ages enjoy v visiting.

"They lo ove to shop here," saay ays Joyce, "but they don't haavve to.

Iff they just want to take a beautiful walk, or sit on one of the man nyy b they are more than welbenches, co ome to do so." The Village is all o one -level and fully accessible, appealing to all. Man nyy a marriage p oposal has taken place at pr th he gazebo, man y a wedding o r ene w al of vows haave been or p inside the Meeting performed H House, many a visitor loves to retu urn again and d again because b the h y are "remembered" by the owners w inhabit the individual shops. who Wiilliam T.S. Butlerr,, who alread W dyy had o chronology about Stonington one h histor ryy under his belt, proposed the id dea to Joyce of penning a book on th he history and uniqueness of the Village. A true daughter of that visiionaryy fatherr,, she had a better idea an nd immediately got in nvvolved since lo ocal books on Mystic have av neever m mentioned either of them or what th heir ingenuity and foresight crreated. They are actually co-writers o The Real New England Village, of and Butler adds, "Joyce is a quick sttud dyy. She looks for opportunityy,, an nd she does it."

It's Itt's a family affair for Joyce in everryy respect. Her son, Christopher with his companyy,, Regan Enterprises Design & Build, added a brand

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new waterwheel last fall and keeps the Village looking exactly as it should. Son, Shaun Regan owns several businesses b within the Village ranging from a well-appointed store for dogs and cats and those t with two legs who lo ove them to Bestem mors, a Scandinaavvian gift and

named after the treat shop n Norwegian word for grandmother. So thee Olson influence lives on in th his place where something is alwaayys happening, and it's never the same experience an ny time you visit. ny The book is histor historyyy,, but it it'ss also a lo ve sttor y born of r e spect and faamilyy,, tradition and legacy. It's Martin Olson's legacy. It's Joyce y Olson Resnikoff's legacy. And it is that of her sons, of the t people who own the shop ps in the Village, and the legacy of the visitors, both local and a worldwide, who just can n't stop coming.

And isn't it wonderful that William Butlerr,, with that cute Wi little visionary forever peeking

over his shoulderr,, has now put the experience in book form m for all to enjoy.

Buy the book k. Read the book. Shop the Villag ge.

Then you caan truly say ayy,, as did Pa Paul Harrveeyy,, "and now you o know the rest of the story."

Th T he Real New England V Viillage, published by Butterm milk Channel Prreesss, s is available at Savoy Booksellers in Westerlyy,, Bankk Square We re Books in downtown Mysticc,, R.J. Julia Booksellerrs in Madison, and at a number of shops Ju within T Th he Old de Mistick V Viillage.

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Everything tthat You Never Knew Yo You o Needed!

The Bowerbird Presents the U Unusual, as Usual!

by RONA / Photos Photos by

by Jeff Jeffery Lilly

by RonaMANN Mann / Lilly Quick question: How do you put a label on The Bowerbird?

Quick answer: You don’t.

Quick question: Is The Bowerbird just another gift shop?

Quick answer: Who said it was “just a gift shop” to begin with?

Quick Question: Is The Bowerbird a summer seasonal gift shop catering to tourists?

Long answer: Keep reading!

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t is nearly impossible to encapsulate The Bowerbird in Old Lyme because gift shops come and go. This southern New England treasure is presently in its fourth decade with fans not only in New England but throughout the United States and the world. It was and is the brainchild of its creator (for owner seems a frivolous name for all this place is and has), Chris Kitchings, who as a small child growing up in Ohio was an entrepreneur in the making. “As a little girl I had a cigar box and was always scheming for a way to make money y. I even charged my brother for things.”

Although that little girl grew into a big girl and found herself at the Connecticut shore, she never stopped looking for the unusual, coming up with wondrous ideas, and buying unique, new w,, and inventive items that she enjoyed showing other people.

Even though Kitchings has several computers filled with her vast inventory y, it is difficult for her to pin down just how many items are sold in her store and throughout her online store. “I know it’s easily over 10,000 items,” she laughs, then she looks to her right-hand woman for confirmation. This remarkable individual is Kirsten Fedors who has been with Kitchings for more than 20 years. “I came here as a teenager and have grown up here,” Fedors adds. When asked what her title or position is, the two women are stumped. “Managerr, buyerr,, liaison between vendors and store, and on and on it goes. It appears Kirsten is well more than an employee just as The Bowerbird is well more than a gift shop.

Due to space limitations, we can only mention some of the departments because it is virtually impossible to list them all, so swiftly the merchandise changes sometimes on a day-to-day basis.

“Sometimes I look at a display featuring a new item and wonderr, when did we get that?” Chris Kitchings says with a smile. The child entrepreneur grown to adulthood seems so laid back, but make no mistake, she knows her business because she knows people, and

Owner Chris Kitchings and Manager Kirsten Feders

21 she buys for them, advertises directly to them, and services their every need.

The Bowerbird is known for many things to many shoppers...housewares, jewelry y,, unique toys, items for beloved pets, nautical gifts, cookware and kitchen gadgets, clothing, games, art; and to many y, when it comes to cards and stationery y,, The Bowerbird is a giant store within a store.

There are cards for every occasion at nearly every price point. There are cards with sound, 3-D cards, pop-up cards, sweet, snarky y, and heartfelt cards. Cards for madeup occasions, cards with a laugh, and cards that will elicit a tearr. “W Wee actually deal with 60 different companies who provide our cards, and people love shopping for them and receiving them them,” Chris says says, then adds with a sarcastic smile, “Because no one ever cherished an email.”

22 Yes, there are hundreds, probably thousands of cards, yet nothing looks crowded, cluttered, or picked over... that’s true of the entire shop. The Bowerbird is an experience and an experience that always leaves the customer with a good feeling. Whether you are merely browsing or come with a specific purpose or gift-giving occasion in mind, there is nothing ever rushed about time spent in the shop. No salesperson pressures nor hovers, yet if you have a question, need an idea, or want gift wrapping, they are never very far away. It’s the way shopping used to be with customer service the most important product in the store.

So what’s new or old or different or fun right now at The Bowerbird? Despite the pandemic won’tt find empty pandemic, you certainly won emp pty m and shelves. While the weather is still warm pleasant right into the Fall you’ll find pllenty fire of items for outdoor entertaining from fi pits (yes, they sell those too!) to tablewaare, he accessories, telescopes, tree swings for th kids, zip lines, Ninja warrior items, and toys for big kids.

One of the most beautiful outdoor accouterments seen in a long time and her not found up and down the street at oth

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shops is the outdoor solar lantern, fashioned from durable T Ty yvek, totally waterproof, and available in different designs to throw beautiful light on your lawn or deck.

Many customers who love The Bowerbird love the water and therefore love all the nautical items that once again are displayed not only within the shop but at their online store for shopping from home in your pajamas and bunny slippers.

Howeverr, you must come in to see and hopefully purchase one of the UV V--protected watercharts as they cannot be shipped.

You also find merchandise with local town names and zip codes, so if you’re visiting and want a unique remembrance, it’s here.

If you live here, you’ll feel a sense of pride in displaying your name and numbers and know that you shopped locally for something made by a local artisan.

The Bowerbird is proud to feature many American-made products and lots of impulsive necessities from local artists.

A trip to the store will have you shaking your head in delightful amazement and wondering, “What will they think of next?”

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25 Well, how about a Shower Mate memo pad, a gift you can give yourself as well as others. How many times have you been in the shower and thought of a million things to do, people to call, places to go, but you had nowhere to write a list? Now you do! Just ask for The Shower Mate Waterproof Note Pad. It comes with waterproof paperr,, and it works, or else Chris and Kirsten wouldn’t be selling it.

How about a gorgeous necklace or bangle from Dune Jewelry filled with the actual sand of your favorite beach, not just the Connecticut shoreline, but virtually any beach in the world. Wear your happiest y pp memories around your y neck or on your wrist or perhaps give as a gift.

Check out the Salt Sisters display in the kitchen area and discover all the different tastes and colors of salts, dips, rubs, and herbs to spice up your meals and your life.

Add to that small pieces of furniture, lamps, bedding, craft kits, LEGO®toys, snarky coasters, Ticked Off Shirts, bath and body items items, and just about the

best customer service on th he shoreline whenever you come to sho op, to pause, to be amazed 12 months a year.

As you leave the store, you u once again pass the children’s section n and your gaze falls f ll upon the th Sky Sk Dr Dream Catcher swing, a fun way to help kids k soar to new adventures, not unlik ke that little girl growing up in Ohio alll those years ago. “No matter how much the world changes,” Chris Kitchings remarks, “Kids still play with ballss, bubbles, dolls, swings and love ad dventure. That will never change.”

Neither will The Bowerbirrd. Sure, the merchandise will evolve, new n things will always y come in,, but caards and toys and accessories and apparrel and jewelry and all those things you neever knew existed and positively musst have, will not change. It’s YOUR kind d of place. “It’s a happy place,” Chris Kitch hings says.

It’s really just the unusua al as usual.

The Bowerbird can be found at 446 Halls Road in the Old Lyme Marketplace in O Old Lyme or online: www.thebowerbird.coom (860) 434-3562

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AskAshley

Are You Fashionably Healthy?

How what you wear affects your mental health

F

all is in the air and I AM A FAN. Autumn is a season notorious for fresh starts, whether you’re looking to up your fitness regime, improve that long lost friendship, or change careers. From the buzz of back to school to the welcome transition to hoodie weather, a theme resonant with September is (and always will be) fashion.

Surely you’ve heard the phrase, “Dress for success,” typically touted from fashion industry insiders like stylists, wardrobe consultants, and designers, motivating us to “dress the part” for interviews, big presentations, and the like.

Dressing Your Way Confident I like to think of “good” clothing as wearable mantras. If I’m wearing a bright yellow sundress, for example, odds are I’m going to feel happy, energized, and confident, ready to tackle the day’s responsibilities.

Contrastly, if I stay in last night’s sweatpants to work from home, run errands, and do everything else I need to do, it is guaranteed I will feel sleepy, sluggish, and self-conscious, resulting in a far less effective version of myself.

But dressing for success isn’t only reserved for business. I’d like to argue we should be dressing for success daily — whether the goal is to make a project deadline, finally pick up the dry cleaning, or have a fun date night.

My question is, why put yourself in a position of feeling bad all day when the fix is as easy as getting dressed in the morning? Just like we eat healthy and exercise regularly to fuel our brain health, we need to dress our bodies right in order to get our minds right.

Experts of the wellness world agree. Mental health therapists, psychologists and self-improvement gurus are beginning to advise their clients and audiences that confidence and improved mental health go hand in hand. And an important area where we gain confidence is in our appearance...which isn’t just physical, but mental and emotional, all of which lead to greater self-esteem and improved mental health.

Refining it further: Dressing sloppy (aka your college sweatshirt and boxer shorts) is the equivalent to eating junk food (donuts, greasy chips, whatever makes you feel sick and blah). On the flip side, dressing well in an outfit you feel comfortable, confident, and powerful in (a chic suit, perhaps?) is the equivalent to eating a superfood salad after a vigorous spin class. Your endorphins are released, your self-esteem has sky-rocketed, and you’re ready to take the world by storm.

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Dressing Well is a No-Brainer Form of Self-Care Tiffany Roe, radical mental health therapist, talks frequently on the subject of self-care, stating: “You don’t need to meet some arbitrary standard, be in a great place mentally, or achieve some goal to be worthy of caring for yourself and meeting your needs. Self-care is your right, and your needs matter.”

If you ask me, self-care is whatever you say it is, whether that’s doing yoga on the beach or dressing up just for the fun of it, self-care is what you say it is.

A powerful act of self-care then, next to reading, meditating, and bubble bathing, is the art of dressing well — taking time to brush our hair, put makeup on, and swap our pajamas out for an outfit rendered publicly acceptable, like a nice pair of jeans, pressed shirt, and wide-brim hat.

When we take the time to enhance our appearance, we are subconsciously telling ourselves we are important. Dressing well not only enhances our performance (via work, working out, parenting, socializing, etc.), but enables us to set more ambitious goals for ourselves.

So, when you’re getting ready for the day, think about how you want to feel that day. Bold? Powerful? Comfortable? Laid back? Sticking with a vibe or“theme”for the day makes it much easier to pick out an outfit to match your mindset.

“When you dress down in sweats or PJs, you’re subconsciously telling your brain that today’s not worth dressing up for. You’re undervaluing your day, so you’re less likely to be productive. In reverse, if you decide to dress up, your brain says that today is a great day to get stuff done, to be a powerhouse, to feel confident. You’re telling yourself that you deserve fashion.”

What Does it Mean To Be Fashionably Healthy?

Conclusion:

Being fashionably healthy constitutes three areas of wellness that anyone can achieve: Choosing sustainable options, buying high quality clothes, and avoiding the lure of fast fashion.

Taking time to choose an outfit that makes you feel great about the skin you’re in shows both yourself and everyone you come in contact with that you take pride in who you are, and that you are insanely proud of that person.

There are many ways you can shop sustainably, including buying from thrift stores and consignment shops, staying loyal to sustainable clothing brands, and reinventing new outfits from your existing wardrobe.

Some fashionably healthy rules to live by: • • • •

Buy less, but better.

If you love it, wear it.

If you don’t love it, get rid of it.

Wear what feels good to you, not the influencer you follow on Instagram.

Carmen Lopez, longtime fashion expert, explains how fashion can be considered self-care, in particular how our clothing impacts our psychology:

When you radiate confidence, carefreeness, and positivity through your appearance, the universe rewards you by returning those same mood-lifting feelings. You get to decide who you are and who you want to be by the way you dress, so choose wisely. And remember that dressing your body right gets your mind right.

Sign up for Ashley’s newsletter all about mindset health by heading to https://ashleyalt.substack.com/welcome.

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Arranging the Stars

A Profile of Underground New York Music Producer Jon Grossbard

By John Tolmie Photos by Kate Tolmie & Courtesy of Jon Grossbard

M

usic in its purest form is refined in chaos.

Uncertainty, suffering, rebellion, passion, and irrational dedication are the veiled emotional foundations upon which all cherished anthems have been built. And what better cauldron than the Gritty New York City of the early 1980s? This era spawned several new and distinctive genres whose influence would alter the future of soul, rhythm and blues, funk, and the almighty rock and roll.

Greenwich Village was the epicenter of all things hip and where a young Jon Grossbard launched his lifelong voyage into the melodious heartbeat of New York’s music scene. “I was really young when I started out. We were Greenwich Village Studio Rats at the time and hung out up and down Bleecker Street. I was working with Michael Gayle who was a song writer for Aretha Franklin and friends with Michael Jeffries the manager for Jimi Hendrix.” Jon recalls, “Jimi had just tragically died, so Jeffries began looking to start a production company. Me and some friends had put together a band and he was kind enough to give us enough studio time to work towards an album.” Jon and his troupe would

rehearse at Electric Lady Studio and would record after the big acts had finished their sessions, which was available at only the oddest of hours. “I remember waiting for the Beach Boys to finish up one time. They were there until five in the morning, so we had to wait to get in and Jeffries somehow even found us an engineer willing to work that early.” Jon laughs, “Most bands started later in the day, so most times we had the studio in the morning through the early afternoon. It was a great experience and I promised myself that one day, I’d have my own recording studio.”

Jon dedicated the later afternoon hours at Every Man Art Gallery. He had opened the Madison Avenue gallery out of his passion for and homage to works of Surrealism, Dada, and Abstractism. The gallery was the first of its kind and ground zero for New York’s burgeoning Pop-Art movement.

“In the beginning, it was the only gallery in the city to feature Pop Graphics.” Jon explains, “We had Warhol’s and Lichtenstein’s before those guys really blew up. But then the eighties economy got funky and art sales dropped way off, so we had to close the gallery.” The closure was a hefty yet temporary defeat that was quickly met with promise as Jon

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“

Most bands started later in the day,

so most times we had the studio in the

morning through the early afternoon. It was a great experience and I promised myself that one day, I’d have my own recording studio.

”

reacquainted himself with a familiar colleague. “I got really lucky and bumped into a fellow who grew up in my hometown.” Jon recalls, “He owned a small recording studio in Manhattan called Daily Planet and asked me what I was up to. Todd Rundgren and other popular acts used the studio, so I decided to join in, and we got going.” Explains Jon. But the space was agreeably too small, and the two opted to move to a more suitable location. “My new partner was the manager for George McCrae who, at the time, had the number one record in the country, but he managed to flush McCrae’s career right down the toilet because the next album bombed.” Jon says shaking his head, “Then I find out we were six months behind on the electric bill!

There were so many problems. So, we talked and decided to part ways which was good for everybody. Finally, I was free to do my own thing.”

With Jon at the helm of the studio, now renamed Planet Sound Recording, his dreams of producing music rapidly began to materialize.

“We attracted a lot of top-notch talent from New York because it was really tough to find a place to rehearse.” Jon explains, “Most bands couldn’t rehearse in an apartment and couldn’t afford studio time.

So, when I opened, a lot of cool African American musicians from the city started coming down, which was perfect because, at the time I was really into soul and R&B.” Planet Sound Recording was a curious anomaly of instant success as Jon, a Jewish chap from the burbs, began to produce records with several of New York’s finest up and coming R&B talents.

Word got around as the studio’s vibe enticed Cool and the Gang, Cameo, The Village People, and many others, most of whom would go on to find international fame. Unknown bands would enter the doors of Daily Planet Recording and exit with crucial and career-changing albums produced by Jon Grossbard and his uncanny talent.

Above Right: Jon Grossbard Bottom Left: Jon Grossbard playing drums

With his status firmly cemented as one of New York’s most respected R&B producers, a new and evolving genre would soon require Jon’s help as he discovered the raw and frustrated vibrations of New York’s underground Punk Rock scene. “So, I meet this guy, Hilly Crystal. Man, he was a real character! He was just really wonderful and really strange all at the same time.” Jon says with a chuckle, “Hilly had a bar right across the street from

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my apartment, and he was a wild man! Well, that bar failed, and he opened another one that failed and then he just disappeared. I lost track of him for years! Then he popped up again when he opened a place over on the Bowery called CBGB’s.” The now world-famous club had been an incubator where new musical subgenres emerged as rhythms from rock, Latin, reggae, surf, and country melded together for the first time. “Now, the Ramones, Blondie, Talking Heads, and the New York Dolls all played there and at the time none of them had record contracts, so Hilly sent a lot of them to my studio to rehearse and record.” Jon recalls, “It was amazing to work with some of them for a short time. Then, suddenly, they all got discovered and were picked up by record companies. So, basically, that’s how the whole punk and post-punk pop scene started to develop.”

Jon had been a key player as he introduced the world to New York’s R&B, Pop and Punk underground and, today, continues expanding his creative genius across other genres. Jon possesses several mysterious abilities, akin to the great conductors of renown, by easily composing a song all in his mind, which would go on to become international hits heard around the world. But, producing music was as fulfilling as it was hectic, and the endeavor soon took its toll. So, Jon and his bride Hope purchased a cozy eighteenth-century retreat nestled in the serene forests of Killingworth.

They have owned the house for over thirty-five years and today the Connecticut retreat has become their permanent home. It is also where the next chapter in Jon’s musical legacy continues. With the support of Scott Struzinski, a successful Connecticut contactor, die-hard blues devotee, and not half-bad blues guitarist himself, Jon’s new vision was born he affectionately named, Feverbarn Recordings. “Scotty and I teamed up and he came on as my executive producer and he backs a lot of the stuff we’re doing here now.” Jon says with excitement, “We also renovated my barn out back into a recording studio and installed my vintage analog and digital equipment we brought up from my studio in New York.”

For decades, Jon was rewarded with an amazing career and having recently beconing a member of the Septuagenarian club, he is dedicating his golden years in appreciation by giving something back.

With Feverbarn Recordings primed for recording, Jon and Scotty began to search the Nutmeg State for a worthy talent in need of a boost. “It was great to work with stars like Anita Baker, and Madonna, and Chaka Khan. We worked with a lot of big successful acts over the years back at the studio. But that was then, and this is now, and well, I suppose that’s what I’m doing here all over again.” Jon says as he gestures to a substantial row of framed gold records lining the walls of Feverbarn Recordings. They are a daily reminder of his success and satisfaction of helping so many achieve their dreams. They are also purposefully hung facing the musicians that record at Feverbarn as tangible inspiration that all things are possible. Jon smiles and continues with a shrug,

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“

We worked with a lot of big successful acts over the years at the studio. But that was then, and this is now, and well, I suppose that’s what I’m doing here all over again.

”

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“Yeah, those people moved on from me. I was just the footnote in their career. But, I was happy to help them along. So, we came up here to do the same thing and maybe help Connecticut musicians that may have been overlooked. Maybe we’ll find the next fantastic Jimi Hendricks or the next wonderful Aretha Franklin or the next amazing somebody!” Jon says with a grin. “That’s why I’m wearing this!” He unbuttons his top to reveal a t-shirt underneath of a young man, head held back, sporting a wild afro and clutching a guitar in a bonafide rockstar pose. “This is Ryan Newman who I’m working with now, oh man, I can talk for an hour about this kid!” Jon says pointing to the graphic, “He is a young soulful prodigy who has already played with some of the top blues acts around today! I am so lucky to have produced and recorded his first solo album here at Feverbarn Recordings!”

To support Ryan’s new album, Jon recruited singer Arlene Wow (whose own solo album is also in the works at Feverbarn Recordings) and an army of today’s finest session studio musicians such as Scott Spray who works with Eric Clapton, and Bobby T of Edgar and Johnny Winter, and legendary Motown session keyboardist Vic Washington, and of course Jon

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“

He is a young soulful prodigy who has already played with some of the top blues acts around today!

I am so lucky to have produced and recorded his first solo album here at Fever Barn!

”

Grossbard his-own-self orchestrating the musical arrangements. “We also brought in The New York Horns with arrangements by Mario Sprouse!

All meticulously recorded by Russ Landis who worked with David Bowie, members of The Velvet Underground, and many others.”

Jon says as he continues to give thanks, “I almost forgot to mention my most talented partners on the planet! Legendary first session bassist Bob Babbit who played with Marvin Gaye, Elton John and, Stevie Wonder and super producer Mike Theodore who produced hits like “Get Ready Here I come” and “Rodriquez”, the subject of the film Searching for Sugarman. Anyway, yeah, I think we have something really amazing going on here man. Now, all we have to do is get the word out!”

Well, now the word is out to you faithful reader.

Do yourself a favor and include Ryan Newman and Arlene Wow the next time you search YouTube or create a playlist on Pandora, Spotify, or Bandcamp. You won’t be disappointed.

For more history on Jon Grossbard check out his website jongrossbard.com

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Back to school?

Treat your young scholars to dinner at the Nest and send ’em off right!

1712 Boston Post Rd • Old Saybrook, CT (Exit 66 off I-95) • 860 399 9060

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Changing Our Ways for the Bays

by John Tolmie

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hildren whose adolescence blossomed in the 70s and 80s collectively concur that alone-time with the TV was a cherished and coveted event. Parents usually slept in on the weekends, so Saturday morning cartoons were typically a sure bet. Occasionally, Mom and Dad would indulge in a few too many Friday night cocktails extending their respite. This gratuitous allotment of tube-time was devoted to Black Belt Theater or a rare Creature Double Feature.

A definitive pecking order of who controlled what was watched was quite simple. Dads were at the top and kids were at the bottom. Without word or warning, fathers all possessed the uncanny ability to appear just as that final epic kung fu battle was about to commence. Bruce Lee was unceremoniously dismissed in ex-

change for eight hours of golf, golf talk, golf claps, and golfing commercials. The “go outside and play” command soon followed as the young’uns begrudgingly set off to find entertainment outdoors until dusk. Sunset was the universal Bat-Signal that supper was nigh as families congregated at the dinner table for some quality time together.

The excited conversation about what was going to be watched after the dishes were done was the predominant subject most evenings. Real People was the universal choice, or That’s Incredible at a close second, with nature shows landing in a comfy third place. Marty Stauffer's Wild America was a solid pick alongside the old guy who narrated

45 Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom. But the crème de la crème for this crusty lad was of course The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau. That one program fostered my curiosity for all things wild which would follow me for years to come. However, my affinity for nature documentaries has wavered in recent years as I now find myself avoiding them more and more. They just bum me out. Even as the most incredible footage of our planet continues to be revealed, each episode ends with the warning that all will soon disappear.

We all adore our eco-champion Sir David Attenborough. Yet even his latest documentary concluded with a global admonishment.

With all the bad news I needed to find some encouragement and began a quest to find what is being done to improve the environment in my part of the world. This salty mariner looked to the sea to find measurable changes along the coast of Connecticut and immediately found inspiration that we are in fact making a difference.

I dare to say that most ocean-loving Nutmeggers have at one time or another sailed the ferry from New London to Block Island for a day of scooter riding, too much sun, and undoubtedly a little too much fun. The island is an ethereal oasis where folks are given every permission to let loose. What happens on Block Island stays on Block Island as they say.

But, before the sun sets for a night on the

town, a must-do is a visit to the lighthouse on the Bluffs for a breathtaking view of the majestic Atlantic Ocean. Just a few years ago the controversy of an offshore wind farm was settled and approved resulting in five gigantic windmills that presently encumber the once pristine horizon. The scuttlebutt recounts that the naysayers had resisted the venture to pre-

serve the unspoiled panoramic and deemed the project an obtrusive eyesore. I get that, I don't want to see giant machines poking out of Mother Ocean. However, these aesthetically out-of-place structures are essential reminders that preserving our environment is more important than mere visual displeasures. It is well known that offshore wind farms are not

moneymakers. The companies that build them do profit and the workers who construct remain employed. But the cost to erect and maintain these steel constructs is nearly equivalent to the revenue from the electricity they generate. The local economy is also supported as boat captains carry tourists on sightseeing cruises to get a closer look. Environmentally, the benefits are numerous. Obviously, the goal of reducing the carbon footprint is met by harnessing clean energy. However, unseen to those who dwell above the waves lies another unintentional win for Mother Nature. The structures have attracted an abundance of life where prey seeks shelter from predators. Just below the surface, plump mussels coat the steel tubing providing food for several species of native New England fish. These artificial reefs have rapidly promoted a new healthy population of life

boaters to empty their waste directly into our coastal coves. It has only been a few decades since laws were passed requiring boaters to have their holding tanks pumped out at specific locations. However, with so few pumping stations initially available, many boaters continued to dump their sewage overboard risking hefty fines and further damaging the already frail brackish waters. A better answer came soon after in the form of small boats outfitted with large holding tanks and a pump that could empty the sewage anywhere another vessel was moored. Pump-out boats are now operating everywhere along Connecticut’s coast, providing a much-enjoyed convenience for today's growing fleet of recreational sailors. The Pawcatuck River, which

that will continue to flourish. In return, anglers and those who make a living at the end of a hook, are reaping the rewards as well. Other than obstructing the view of a pristine horizon, these structures provide a small example of man and nature living cohesively together.

A few of our most important regional ecosystems are the upper bays, tidal rivers, and salt

ponds across Connecticut’s rugged shoreline. These fragile environments are constantly being tested as boat traffic, drainage, chemicals, and other human activity continue to threaten the health of these estuaries. Many oceanic species begin their lives in these shallow waters before heading out to sea to mature. For over a century it had been common practice for

47 and captains a seagoing honey-wagon a few days a week. The benefit has also followed me home where my wife compliments me as being number one at dealing with number two.

borders both Connecticut and Rhode Island, shares a pump-out boat service that encompasses the river, Watch Hill, Napatree, Sandy Point, and Stonington Borough. The federally funded operation is managed by the town of Westerly, Rhode Island under the direction of Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. The impact of the past is receding as the health of our bays is returning.

Not only is this service helping to preserve juvenile sea life, but it is also protecting beachgoers and swimmers from health risks posed by the contamination. This uncommon multi-governmental cooperation also offers seasonal employment for part-time workers, college students, and retirees. After retiring last year from building submarines, this Crusty Old Diver joined the pump-out team

Over the past few years, new regulations have been imposed on the harvesting of striped bass. The daily creel limit went from two fish to one. However, that didn't seem to be helping much so a size limit was imposed where only fish between 28 inches and 35 inches could be taken. This action was to protect the juvenile fish as well as the large breeders. Of course, the new rules went over like a lead balloon for many anglers who now must work a little harder to land a keeper for the grill. As a fisherman myself, I felt the inconvenience, but also relief that we are protecting one of New England's most iconic aquatic species. Each year the regulations become a bit stricter, challenging the fortitude and skill of anglers across the state. Wild-caught fish are one of the only remaining natural resources that are consumed as most of our food comes from farms. Our fisheries must remain healthy and protected for future generations to enjoy. As well, most coastal communities have volunteer shellfish commissions that seed areas with clams, oysters, and other species of mollusk. Giving back what we take from the sea is a wonderful cooperative bond, and the shellfish commissions are a perfect example of a symbiotic relationship between man and nature. Bird sanctuaries are multiplying along our coastal waters as well. One such example is at Sandy Point laying due east of Stonington. After the 1938 hurricane which wiped out all the houses along Sandy Point, the area became a popular destination for boaters and beachgoers. Today, both man and bird congregate in harmony along the sandbar. The Sandy Point Association oversees

the preservation of the sanctuary and uses donations from visitors to encourage our avian friends with a safe place who now thrive alongside the many visitors who flock there during the warmer months. Finally, our

friends from Save The Bay are on the water daily, testing our inner coastal waters for our safety and educating our youth the importance of keeping our waters clean. All is not lost, my friends. We are doing much to change our past and ignorant ways. I hope that the above examples inspire you to look for other things that are being done to preserve our precious environment right here in the Nutmeg State

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Sanctuary Kitchen Sharing Cuisine & Culture Profile by Caryn B. Davis Images Courtesy of Sanctuary Kitchen

“

There’s something very intimate about cooking together, and

anybody who tastes their food, who cooks with them, who sits with them, can really feel that love, and the barriers just fall away even when you come from very different backgrounds. You find as you get to know each other, everybody’s dreams and wishes are very similar. Everybody wants safety and security. Everybody wants to be able to provide for their family, educate their children, and live in a peaceful, safe environment so they can thrive. The chefs are so eager to be able to share and

”

contribute and to do their part in building community,

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A

zhar Ahmed was forced to leave her homeland in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan after a series of political conflicts had erupted resulting in countless casualties with thousands of people becoming displaced.

She sought refuge with her husband and two small children in Cairo, Egypt, where Ahmed earned a bachelor’s degree in law and also took courses to teach Arabic, first aid, religion, and sociology. In 2015, Ahmed and her family relocated again, this time to Connecticut.

Ahmed’s story is not unlike other refugees, especially in war-torn countries and those with political unrest. Many have witnessed gruesome violence and have endured horrific atrocities such as torture, false arrests, kidnapping, beatings, and even the death of loved ones.

Life in a new country is also fraught with its own set of challenges, though not as severe.

As refugees, they must start all over again which can include learning a new language, finding safe and affordable housing, and most importantly, a means with which to make a living. Often, the educational degrees or formal training they have worked so hard to receive in other nations do not carry the same merit here, so they are left with few options other than to seek work wherever they can get it. Ahmed was fortunate because she had learned how to cook from her mother and was able to capitalize on that skill with help from Sanctuary Kitchen, which partners with refugees and immigrants to build economic opportunity and authentic connections through food.

Formed in 2017, Sanctuary Kitchen is a program of New Haven’s CitySeed, (a non-profit organization that brings fresh food to urban and underserved communities). Sanctuary Kitchen offers several training, business, and cultural exchange opportunities and programs, all food related. The majority of their participants are usually women, as the men are able to secure jobs more easily and often have more employment opportunities. Sanctuary Kitchen’s mission is to help these women start their own food related businesses or find work on food trucks, in restaurants, at farmer’s markets, in catering, or by creating and selling their own food product line or working as a chef. The cohorts for the program are recruited via word of mouth, through local chefs, and through a partnership Sanctuary Kitchen has with IRIS

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“

So, what our catering manager and culinary

coordinator, Carol Byer-Alcorace does, is teach them how to take those skills and apply it to a professional kitchen environment. It’s cooking for a food business, recipe writing, scaling recipes, doing inventory, determining cost; basically, working in a professional space,

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and all that entails.

54 (Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services), an organization that welcomes new refugees and immigrants to New Haven.

“Most are just really experienced home cooks, and their food is delicious, so they don’t need to be taught how to cook. A few have worked professionally back home, but most have not,” says Sumiya Khan, Sanctuary Kitchen’s Program Director and co-founder. “So, what our catering manager and culinary coordinator, Carol Byer-Alcorace does, is teach them how to take those skills and apply it to a professional kitchen environment. It’s cooking for a food business, recipe writing, scaling recipes, doing inventory, determining cost; basically, working in a professional space, and all that entails.”

The program is yearlong, and in addition to culinary training and the job readiness module which includes digital literacy, resume building, and interview preparation, the cohorts receive English language lessons specific to food and cooking.

Donna Golden, a certified ESL instructor and one of Sanctuary Kitchen’s co-founders, created this new curriculum which is unique in the country.

“Most of the chefs have already done basic ESL through IRIS, community colleges, or adult education so this one is focused on food and cooking vocabulary, recipes, measurements, things like that. Basically, it’s the tools they will need to be able to do their job efficiently in the kitchen,” says Khan.

After the cohorts graduate, they are able to find work in various capacities sometimes with help from Sanctuary Kitchen which has partnerships with chefs and businesses across New Haven. Others, who have been with Sanctuary Kitchen a while, can seek leadership roles and become future mentors and trainers within the program.

Still others, who want to pursue their own businesses like starting a food truck, opening a catering company, or producing a food product line, can apply to CitySeed’s Food Business Accelerator program which helps support new ventures in the early stages. They do this through workshops in leadership, entrepreneurship, wholesale and local procurement, and in legal and regulatory requirements. They also provide

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“

In my culture when you see somebody who’s passed away in your

”

dream, it’s a sign to feed the hungry,

seed funding, one-on-one coaching, the use of a free licensed commercial kitchen space, and opportunities to pitch investors and product test at a CitySeed farmer’s market. Lastly, they learn the proper way to handle, prepare, and serve food through SafeServe, a training and certification program.

Ahmed now works with Sanctuary Kitchen as an employee and has taken on more leadership responsibilities in the kitchen. She also started her own project called Kumi’s Dream, inspired by her late father, Kumi, where she cooks meals twice monthly for the homeless in New Haven.

“In my culture when you see somebody who’s passed away in your dream, it’s a sign to feed the hungry,” says Ahmed who received her U.S. citizenship this past May.

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In addition to these programs, Sanctuary Kitchen hosts cooking classes, supper club meals, and other culinary experiences led by immigrants and refugees from Syria, Sudan, Columbia, Mexico, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Ecuador, Ghana, the Dominican Republic, and Afghanistan, people who are excited to share their cuisine and their culture. Past events

have included a Sudanese Breakfast Class, an Afghan Cooking Demo, Soup & Salaam: Creating Community Over Ghanaian Soup and Conversation, Learning to Make Fatayer- Iraqi Stuffed Savory Pastries, a Syrian Dessert Class, Learning to Make Sudanese Sambusas and Smoked Tea, and more. It’s an opportunity for the public to meet the chefs, learn about their lives and their cultures, and to hear their stories. Pre-covid, every month a different chef was featured along with a traditional soup, salad, and grain from their native country. All the proceeds earned from the ticketed events are used to pay the chefs and cover the costs of materials and kitchen space.

Cooking is universal, and in the case of these immigrants and refugees who may not yet have a great command of the English language, it can also be a pathway to self-expression and connection.

“There’s something very intimate about cooking together, and anybody who tastes their food, who cooks with them, who sits with them, can really feel that love, and the barriers just fall away even when you come from very different backgrounds.

You find as you get to know each other, everybody’s dreams and wishes are very similar. Everybody wants safety and security. Everybody wants to be able to provide for their family, educate their children, and live in a peaceful, safe environment so they can thrive. The chefs are so eager to be able to share and contribute and to do their part in building community,” Khan says.

For more information, log onto https.//www.sanctuarykitchen.org

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Cassius sius

Ch C ha h ane a ey

r e t h g i F A n a m e l t n e G and a

By Nancy LaMar-Rodgers Photos by A. Vincent Scarano

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e h as th e n a m esa k e o f per h a ps th e most fa m ou s bo x er i n th e w o r ld, yet Cassi u s Ch a n ey d i d n’t g ro w u p loo k i ng u p to th e h ero es o f th e r i ng. Wh i le h i s fath er en dow ed h i m w ith Ali’s n a m e, h e n ever pu sh ed a ny o f h i s so ns to w a r d th e spo rt. Su r e, th er e w er e th e “fi g ht n i g ht”

pa rti es at th e h ou se, a n d a s Cassi u s a n d h i s broth ers a n d fr i en ds w er e o utsi d e r u n n i n g a r o u n d o r sh ooti ng h o o ps, i n si d e th e h o u se th e exten d ed fa m i ly g ath er ed to w atch th e g r eats. But Cassi u s w asn’t payi ng attenti o n at th at ti m e.

Bo r n i n 19 987 i n Ba lti mo r e, Ch a n ey says h e h a d a lovi ng but d i s ci pli n ed h o m e. But a bi d i n g by th e r u les w as not th at easy. Hi s ex per i ence i n m i d d le sch oo l w as tou g h, a n d Ch a n ey fou n d h i m self su rr ou nd ded by fri end s w h o w ere already goi ng dow n th e w ron g path. “My h o m e w as g r eat, a n d my m o m w o r k ed h a r d to m a k e su r e th at h er so ns w er e ta k en ca r e o f f, but by th e ti m e I g ot to m i d d le sch oo l I a lr ea dy h a d fr i en ds w h o w er e selli ng d ru gs, ru n n i ng aw ay, a n d sn ea k i ng o ut to stea l ca r s,” Ch a n ey ex pla i ns.

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Image by David Spanola/Main Event

His Baltimore neighborhood was filled with kids, and as Chaney describes, he was either “playing basketball or fighting. “ Chaney recalls running from the bullies and trying not to get jumped in those first years of middle school. At thirteen he finally reached some height and heft, and now the bullies weren’t as intimidating. His younger brother Allan Chaney, the star basketball player in the family, adds to the conversation about Cassius. “He wasn’t so innocent back then, and he liked to fight. I’m younger, and he would try and beat on me all the time.” The two are close friends now, and both brothers acknowledge the fact that growing up in Baltimore was tough and knowing how to protect yourself was just part of survival.

Getting out of Baltimore became the focus. After an incident with his older brother, he decided to visit his grandmother in New London. The irony of the move was that Chaney’s father moved from New London back to Baltimore just as Chaney was relocating to Connecticut.

“There’s history with my father ’s family in Connecticut, and I knew that I would be with family, but as I was making the decision to leave Baltimore, my father was coming to Baltimore to stay with his father.” Chaney’s father, originally from Philadelphia, made sure his sons were in sports, especially basketball. Chaney recalls those summers with a smile. “It was a great era in basketball with Kobe Bryant and Shaq and my dad always put us in basketball camps and that’s how we spent our summers.”

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“It’s all about the relationships that I’ve built and this community of people.

I don’t know, I can’t imagine not being part of this and coming back here. I’m so blessed and coming back keeps me connected.”

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“He’s got a college degree, he doesn’t need this. That’s a unique situation as most fighters come from some desperate backgrounds.

Not Cassius though, so that’s how I know he is dedicated.”

Once the decision was made to stay in Connecticut, Chaney attended Old Saybrook High School where local basketball legend, Vin Baker had also attended.

His experience at Old Saybrook was night and day for Chaney. People held him accountable, and once Baker took him under his wing, Chaney felt that he was on the right path. Basketball was going to be his thing. Scholarships poured in for the dynamic ballplayer, but for Chaney, his college experience was a major disappointment.

“We had no discipline, and the team was really immature. I didn’t party or anything like that, so I disciplined myself. The problem was that I started fading myself out, and even though I was winning all the awards, I was just staying consistent, no challenges for me, and that’s not how you get better at anything.”

Chaney’s foray into the world of boxing came partly because of his disappointment with his college basketball experience and partly because of those early days of defending himself on the streets of Baltimore. “I finished school, graduated, and wasn’t sure what to do. I used to joke with my coaches all the time about wanting to get into boxing because I knew I could fight. I’d tell the coaches, ‘Look at me, I’m big, I think I could do this.’”

The general response as Cassius remembers it, was always the same, “You want to box, you better get in shape.” So, he did.

Cassius first studied the art, spending hours in front of ESPN analyzing the skills of the greats.

He understood one thing - this was a thinking man’s sport. “I know I’m named after Ali, but I really appreciated Lenox Lewis because I thought this guy is smart, his style is smart.” Chaney goes on to relay an anecdotal tale about Joe Frazier. “We were in a park in Philly, and Joe Frazier was there.

My dad tells Frazier my name and Joe Frazier, says, ‘Oh, you named him after that guy.’ I still remember that” Chaney recalls, chuckling a bit about the craziness of how his name elicited such a response.

In 2012, Chaney made the decision to put all the studying into practice. “I finally made my way into the gym on Bank Street, and the first guys I meet are Coach Kent and Coach O. and I’m thinking, ‘Oh my God, I’m gonna train with these guys?’ I’m big, but next to them I felt really small.”

It’s hard to believe that Chaney would feel intimidated given his size, but he knew that boxing was going to be nothing like the street fighting he was used to, nor would his size make him a contender. Chaney concedes that he knew nothing about New London’s boxing history. Hughie Devlin, Rollie Pier, Kent Ward, and Brian Macy were among the names, and yet Chaney upon walking into the gym that day had no idea that in New London he just found his corner.

While Cassius continued to show up at the courts, he would always end up at the boxing gym afterward until he realized that he could no longer keep up with both. He eventually stopped playing hoops and instead put on the gloves permanently. But he kept his training under wraps. “I just wanted to keep it on the down-low at the time because I knew that I wanted to fight, and I didn’t want anyone to try and convince me otherwise.”

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“...I knew I could fight.

I’d tell the coaches, ‘Look at me, I’m big, I think I could do this.”

Former professional boxer, Brian Macy worked with Cassius in those early days, and as Macy stated, “Cassius jumped headfirst into amateur boxing and was fighting guys with far more experience, so it was sink or swim from the beginning.”

Macy goes on to describe Cassius as one of those fighters that are humble and hardworking, a sentiment that his current coach and trainer, Stephen Edwards echoes. “I’ve been training fighters for a long time, and I don’t just take anyone. I need to see what a fighter is willing to go through, what he is willing to put his mind and body through to be great. It’s not talent that I look for, but attitude and chemistry. Cassius is humble, and he works hard, and that’s why I took him on because I saw something in him.”

Edwards goes on to point out that Chaney doesn’t need to fight. “He’s got a college degree, he doesn’t need this. That’s a unique situation as most fighters come from some desperate backgrounds. Not Cassius though, so that’s how I know he is dedicated.”

Cassius spent three years fighting as an amateur, taking down opponents that technically should have beaten him. He talks about his first fight like it was yesterday.

“I went to see this guy fight the week before I’m supposed to fight him, and he knocks the guy out cold, and I’m thinking, oh my God, are you serious? I spent that whole week training, with that picture of that guy knocked out cold, in my head. I knew I had to either get out now or just deal with it.”

Chaney decided to deal with it, and he won the fight, but it was not easy and came with so much trepidation. “By the second round, I was already tired but not so tired that I’m not gonna put my hands up, and I just kept moving.”

Cassius was elated and exhausted after that first fight but also had a renewed sense of commitment to the sport and his pursuit. He went on to win and win again as an amateur, losing

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twice out of twenty, those losses being to the top guys. For Cassius, the experience at Lake Placid, one of his last as an amateur, solidified his pursuit to go pro. “This guy caught me with an overhand right, and I went down, and I hadn’t had that before so I wasn’t sure what to do, but I knew that if I couldn’t get back up in an amateur fight, there was no way I was prepared to get up in a pro fight.”

Cassius Chaney turned pro in April of 2015 and has never looked back. When he is not training in various cities around the country, you can find him back in New London, helping with the kids down at the gym with the very same people whose names he didn’t know when he first arrived on the New London boxing scene. “It’s all about the relationships that I’ve built and this community of people. I don’t know, I can’t imagine not being part of this and coming back here. I’m so blessed and coming back keeps me connected.”

For information on any of the upcoming fights, follow him on Twitter @ Cassius_Chaney

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utsidee the window of an outbound locomotive from Grand Central to Connecticut is an entire world d filled with the sights, sounds, textures, and th he human beings who move their way up an nd down platforms to the other side of the daay’s journey y. How often do we look and see the life that passess by our windows, whether via train +or across the plains outside o our driver’s side window? For G. Roger Clements, this idea of peerring into life outside a train’s window has manifested into his new w photographic journey now published as, Passing Byy, Life Seen Thrroough T Trrain Windows. With this pictorial, Clements captures all the wistfulness and the melancholy subtle moments of the human experience.

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On this day y, Clements welcomes me into his home on Pequot Av Avenue in New London, a Victorian i strructure that is part of the original Pequot Colony and registered with the Historical Society y.. Once inside, I am taken with Clements’ environment and the nostalgic atmosphere of a bygone era. In many ways, the rooms are part historical museum meets modern memorial. As we gather around the table in what serves as a sitting room and photographic journey y,, I notice the enormous camera behind me. The kind that reminds you of something perrhaps Charlie Chaplin might have used. He explains, “That is actually a combination of three different cameras that I just put together.” The camera is quite a testimony to Clements' mechanical skills as well as his innate ability to combine and create something new from various found parts. Currently y,, Clements is exploring and combining his love of architecture and photography y..

His venture into large format cameras and darkroom techniques has produced astonishing photos that capture the lines and structure of historical buildings as well as the shadows and light that passes across these structures giving them that ethereal feel and texture.

But his story doesn’t start with photography y, and as a matter of fact, photography was probably the last thing Clements thought he would be exploring as an art form, as one of his first jobs using a camera was for Clements, an epic fail. “I was hired to take some photos of school kids for this company y, and the camera that they

gave me to use had d two lens openings, well…” He trails off with another amusing memory m y. That job Clements adds, “lasted a day and a half.” Clem ments believed that his Fine Arts degree may have been the reason th hat the company hired him, but at the time he wasn’t as familiar with cameras as he is now.

Clements' story rea ally begins with the purchase of a railroad car and as well as the ser s endipitous experiences he had along the way y..

Having received hiis Fine Arts degree from Knox College in 1971, he found himself not necessarily n working under the auspices of some great artist, but rather her under the hood of a car car.

“I came out of college lege with this degree, degr and the economy was absolutely terrible. e. I ended up working for a dealership because I had always known wn a little bit of something about mechanics,” Clements explains. s.

His foray into the world of cars was unconventional in that Clements was working on some ome of the higher higher-end racing wheels including ome other fun cars. “There were some wild and Jaguarr, MG, and so ause I would supply parts for some of these racing fun times then because oing to the races with them.” them ” Roger chuckles as he cars and end up going leans back into the memory y.

After a few years of trying to get back into the art world, Clements found himself back in the automobile industry with what he says, “a paycheck every week.” While it may have paid his bills, his inner artist was restless and soon enough Clements was exploring his options. His diverse background in the arts including his theater work, his architectural studies as well as his ability to create and build, landed him at the place that he would make his home for the next ten years, Green Farms Academy in W Weestport, Connecticut.

“It was wonderful,” Clements recalls. “I was hired as the carpenter initially y, but then I was able to work with the theater department and I was finally back doing my artwork and I had the opportunity to work with kids in so many areas, including science and art and theaterr. It really was an amazing time.”

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“I decided that t when I was at Green r Farms that itt wasn’t cool to just have a house, annd so I decided to buy a railway car and a fix it up. It was crazy though because b the building d t t didn’t department did ’t kno k w what h t tto ddo with me beecause the car rolls and therefore nothing n complies, and I could do anything y I wanted with it.”

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The serendipitous nature of Cleements' position at Greens Farms would come in the form of a stu udent who wanted to do an architectural course and asked Clem ments if he could construct such a course for her to take. Up for aany challenge, he agreed, and with that, the course was put into th he curriculum. This gave Clements the opportunity to do some sid de jobs for people in the world of design. “Those days, they didn n’t pay much at private schools,” he adds “and adds, and II’m m not sure if it is aany different now now.”

and are miniature sculp ptures of what he captures in his photography y..

Not only do these cardb dboard, wood, paint, and canvas models bring to life the historical bu uildings of which Clements is dedicated to preserving, but they reepresent a time and place not just in building form, but in the lives th hat have passed through. If you peer into the windows of these deco oupage-like models, you witness the lives behind the curtains, thee emotional frailty of those people who spent their lives calling thesee buildings home. home

This class and side jobs would eventually lead him to a full-time architect position and to the railw way car that would become his office.

“I decided that when I was at Grreen Farms that it wasn’t cool to just have a house, and so I decided to buy a railway car and fix it up. It was crazy though because the b building department didn’t know what to do with me because thee car rolls and therefore nothing complies, and I could do anyth hing I wanted with it.” Clements would go on to name the car Saasqua after a sect of the Pequot Tr Tribe, and the car eventually became the office of his architectural firm.

But Clements' love for railway cars did not end with the purchase of just one. For Clements, it waas a matter of, well if one train car wning an entire railway feel like? is so delightful, what would ow And so it was that Clements caame into owning a railroad. “What nnecticut does this thing called Rail happened was the State of Con Banked and when they do that,, they maintain the continuity of the line.” Clements goes on to explain that while the cars were not p of rail, it was maintained and could running on that particular strip run railway cars if someone weere to want to buy a railroad. Lucky for the state, Clements wanted to do exactly that. The railroad ran from Danbury to Canaan and through what Clements describes as “one of the most scenic runs in our state.”

While Clements still trravels to his office in Stamford at least once a week via train or auttomobile, he is more engaged in his photography and his documeentation of the historical buildings that are abundant throughout N New London. His love of history y, his keen sense of the power of black b and white film, and his eye for the lines and contours of the strructures that surround our lives, are what keeps him rid d ding the rails.

As we walk through the various rooms of Clements’ home, he points out the 3-D architectural maquettes that dangle on the walls

To view more of G. Roger Clements work, visit his paage a at: https://www.facebook. com/Sasqua-DesignARTi Titecturree-G-RogerClements--3666584668206675 6

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Black Bear Americana Music Festival 2021

By Ali Kaufman

something for everyone, and they hope you will want to come see for yourself.

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lack Bear Fest is coming back to the Goshen Fairgrounds October 8th through the 10th over the Columbus Day Weekend. This will be their third year in existence and promises to be the best yet! Not sure how this fantastic gathering of over 35 bands on 4 stages with 3 days of camping in the beautiful Litchfield Hills ever escaped my radar, but now that I’ve found them, I won’t be easy to shake! I spoke to the festival’s founder, Beth Murphy, to get the scoop, and what I got was way more than details. I am in awe of Beth’s enthusiasm and conviction for bringing not only music and a good time to her guests but a true sense of community involvement. This is a festival with

After many years of being asked by friends to join in and go with them to Grey Fox, the long running festival in Oak Hill New York, Beth decided to give it a try, and the rest, as they say, is history. Beth became a fan of festivals. “We should put a festival on here! Goshen Fairgrounds is a great location, it will be so much fun!”

She shares with a laugh the simplistic view she had back then. Maybe it is just as well that she came to this armed with more dream than reality because the truth of pulling together any event, let alone one of this magnitude is a daunting task. Armed with a dream and a mega-ton of determination, Beth got to work investigating and gathering all the information she could get, filling a storage bin full of her re-

search over the next five years. While reaching out to companies and foundations for monetary support, Beth created a power-point presentation that she shared with trusted friends for their critique. Clearly, they thought it was terrific because those friends ended up being her first sponsors. Because of their belief in the project and in Beth, that first year 2018, the festival was held with no corporate support on a shoestring budget, but they jumped in up to their eyeballs and swam.

In 2016 Beth reached out to Ian Campbell, a local musician with a great reputation for booking acts. He was intrigued and interested enough to get on board. Next came Evan Dobos, a genius at graphic design who was also interested in being a part of this event and is responsible for their terrific website, bear

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logo, and all branding. The three of them went forward to get this grassroots effort off the ground. Their endeavor got a huge boost when Ian’s connection brought Power Station Events to the table where they pulled up a seat and became the fourth partner, thus cementing their team. Beth credits this giant production company based in Cheshire for upping their game.

With clients like Travelers Championship and UCONN Athletics, they were in excellent hands.

“They showed up with professional staging, lighting, even a Jumbotron! They upped our game right out of the gate,” Beth shared with gratitude in her voice.

Since that first year, there have been companies that have taken note of this festival, as you will see corporate sponsors like Pepsi in the program handout, but the organic feel and core values are still at the heart of this event. It is and always will be a labor of love. Another example of that love is how they welcome nonprofits to be a part of the weekend. Whether that means actually vending or just sharing information about their organization, Black Bear wants to give voice to the groups that might not otherwise have this kind of chance to reach the public face to face. NO fee is charged, anyone with a non-profit can connect with the organ-

izers via their website to find out more. Part of the vision is to foster a community that reaches out to help one another. The Galleria of NonProfits is where you will find them grouped at the fairgrounds: land trusts, animal causes, art councils, and other worthwhile missions are given a platform that helps expand their audience.

Vendors are curated, quality is important.

These organizers would rather have five great booths than ten just okay ones. Not to worry, they have found what they were looking for and at the last fest, they had well over a dozen food/drink vendors and nearly 10 booths selling art and crafts.

There are also “special events” listed in the program to check out, so you may wish to avail yourself of the chance to take a dance lesson or make a piece of art. You can also visit the Workshop Stage for more in-depth topics like a Songwriting Workshop or Working with an Agent, given by professionals in their fields. Roaming through the grounds you will see volunteers working to make the weekend go smoothly but you will also see something not often found at

festivals. They call them "Ambassadors" and have that moniker printed on their shirts so they stand out. These are the actual partners and people responsible for your good time, and they want to connect. In real time, not by a survey sent weeks after, they will be looking to you to find out what you are loving about your experience as well as what you feel they can improve upon.“We want our guests to know who puts this fest together, and that we are here on site should they need anything or want to reach out. I try to meet as many people as possible,” Beth said.

The joyful noise that rises from the stages is brought to you by a plethora of bands that play a wide variety of music, everything from roots to rockabilly, folk to the blues.There are plenty of recognizable names like powerhouse pianist Victor Wainwright; Lara Herscovitch, former state troubadour, and Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root, all on the lineup this year, but it is the artists that are not widely known as yet that this festival showcases. Of this Beth said, "We

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love having our headliners, but if we can give up and coming bands an opportunity to say to the world, I’m here!" that is the best feeling.”

There are many bands to choose from as Black Bear has had to turn away over 150 applicants this year. Word has definitely gotten around, this is a fest musicians want to play. The full

lineup is being added to as the event advances with announcements are made on social media and the website.

Attendance doubled from the first to second year, and the event organizers are hoping for a repeat this time around, to double again. It’s im-

portant to note in this time of Covid that all state guidelines will be followed. The Goshen Fairgrounds holds ten thousand people; their attendance has not come close to that number, so there will be plenty of room to spread out for as much social distancing as one could want.

Camping is another way Black Bear sets themselves apart. They did not want what they had seen at other festivals where the campers, especially RVs tend to line up days early to be the first in to get the spot they want. Black Bear has reserved spaces for RVs so you do not have to

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scramble, neither do the tent campers. They are in a designated area so there is no reason for their first experience at the fest to be anything but orderly. Kids 16 and under are free, most fests charge for anyone over 10 if not younger, so this is another nice thing Black Bear does for families. Beth is a mom and realizes that fam-

ilies want to be together, but it can be cost-prohibitive. She also knows teens, thus free entrance for a kid you had to coax there helps keep the happy in the family weekend.

Beth and her team are focused on October 810, bringing the magic of live music to a space

where for three days people can come together and enjoy the gift of connecting. If you are looking to expand your horizons, Black Bear Festival may just be the ticket!

For all details on lineup, camping, tickets, and ways to get involved please visit Blackbearmusicfest.com You can also follow them on Facebook and Instagram for up-to-date postings, and I will see you on the radio! Morning Mojo WCNI 90.9FM or wcniradio.org

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By Art LiPuma, “The Wine Seller” SeaSide Wine & Spirits, Old Saybrook

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AUSTRALIAN WINES

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ustralia has become the forgotten country for wines. In the mid 80’s to late 90’s there were great wines produced and purchased, then along came Yellow Tail Wines. This was by far one of the fastest growing Australian wines.

In the late 90’s and early 2000’s this wine over shadowed most Australian wines and became available in 1.5lits (mags).

This wine was somewhat of a lower quality than the previous wines that were produced, but had the right price for parties and large gatherings. The pristine wines of the region were soon somewhat forgotten.

The new concentration was on the inexpensive wines and developing many selections in this category to compete with Yellow Tail. This in turn discredited the quality wines from Australia, however they were still producing top quality wines from houses such as Penfolds. Penfolds produces one of the highest shelf wines in Australia called ‘Grange’ which sells for over $700.00 a btl.

The most widely grown grapes for a white are Chardonnay and Semillon and for a red, Shiraz and Cabernet. Other whites include; Riesling, Viognier, and Roussanne. For reds there are also Grenache, Mouvedre, Merlot, Pinot Noir .Incidentally, the grape Shiraz is the same grape as Syrah from France, California and other parts of the world.

The main Australian wine producers are located in Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, McLaren Valley and Coonawarra.

The wines produced in these areas are of great quality whether they are Big blends such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz or a “GSM” Grenache, Shiraz, Mouvedre.

As the decline of these large Australian bottles continues, I wholeheartedly recommend you revisit these Australian wines and pick up a great treat. You might be amazed by all of the new selections that are now available. With over 2000 wineries there many styles of wine which will provides you with choices to pair with any dish. So let’s raise our glass to Australia and enjoy some great wines!

Cheers!

Art LiPuma

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The

Cheesemonger Paul Partica, The Cheese Shop, Centerbrook CT

Best in Family

Ever since I started in the cheese business back in the sixties we always discussed and described cheese by what family the cheese was in. It was a helpful way to tell someone what a cheese tasted like. It helped us in buying cheese but more so it gave us a tool to help our customers. We used basically twelve groupings of cheese because they had enough similar characteristics. For a simple example, if a cheese had blue vein, it was in the blue cheese family. This process worked for us and it stood the test of time. Each family has sub divisions for further breakdown.

Over the years I’ve seen many ways to organize the issue. You can break them down by type of milk, age, pasteurized versus raw milk, natural versus processed, where they are produced, what kind of rind they use, and how long they have been in existence. For us, the family method describing and comparing taste of the cheese was best.

It’s the same thing in the wine business where the wines are broken down usually by grape. For example, Chardonnay, Cabernet, Merlot and so forth. If I told you that this new wine was in the Cabernet family you would, without tasting the wine, expect a dry red wine.

The following examples are a few of the twelve families of cheese and what I feel is the current best example. Cheese is alive and constantly maturing and changing with time. So, what might be my best this month may not be next month or even next week. When buying cheese instead of asking for the name of a specific cheese you might say “I would like a blue cheese similar to Stilton, what do you have? You might find a new favorite. With well over 12,000 cheeses in the world today no two Cheese Shops will offer the same selection.

Soft Ripening (Best in Family-Fromage D’Affinois) One of the most popular and most understood families. The name comes from the action that takes place. The cheese is sprayed with penicillium candidum, a white mold. Then, as the cheese ripens, it softens from the outside in. When first made, the cheese has a hard core in the center. As the cheese begins to ripen the core disappears and when gone, the cheese is considered fully ripe. This will all happen in just a few weeks. There are three types classified by butterfat content:

Single Crème - 50% butterfat

Examples are, Brie, Camembert, and Coulommier, Mystic Melinda Mae.

Double Crème - 60% butterfat

Examples are, Fromage d’Affinois, Supreme and Brie.

Triple Crème - 75% butterfat

Examples are, Brillat Savarin, Delice de Argental, Delice DeBourgone, Boursault, and Belletoile.

Washed Rind (Best in Family - Von Trapp Oma) Unlike soft-ripening cheeses that have a white bloomy mold sprayed on them, these cheeses get washed with a different mold, a B. Linen bacterium. Then they are allowed to ripen in a moist room where the washed rind develops. These orange hued cheeses, as a general rule, are more pungent with a lot more flavor. They can get overripe in a hurry, so it is best to taste when you can. Examples are Limburger, Chaumes, Epoisses, Livarot, Munster, Pont Lé Veque and Arethusa Diva

Cheddar (Best in Family - English Ford Cheddar) Cheddar is originally an English cheese but the largest production is made in the United States and Canada. Unfortunately, many cheddars are being made in much larger formats and then pushed to be sharper in less time. The taste results are often bitterness, sourness, and sometimes contain a little sulfur smell. The English Ford cheddar is aged properly and it has a beautiful smooth finish. Our most popular Cheddar. Examples are cheddars by name from Connecticut, New York, Vermont, Wisconsin, Canada, England, Oregon, etc. Specific names include Colby, Tillamook, Longhorn, Quebec, Grafton, Cabot, Tapping Reeve, and Black Diamond.

Swiss (Best in Family Appenzeller Extra) These are slow ripening cheeses that many have a small amount of added washed rind bacteria.

Ripening takes place with salt and time. It may take several months to show minor changes. These cheeses are usually eaten between three months to two years. Only two percent of Appenzellers production is allowed to be aged for the Extra. It’s worth finding. This cheese has been made for over 750 years. Examples would be Appenzeller, Emmenthaler (original Swiss cheese with the wholes), Gruyere, Leerdammer, Comte, Beaufort, and Raclette.

Blue (Best in Family-English Stilton) This is a tough call, there are so many good blues. They range from really mild and creamy to sharp and bold. These are generally smaller cheeses, two to fifteen lbs. After the cheese is made and its shape firm enough needle holes are made in the cheese where a blue mold is injected. Please note, some cheeses like Roquefort, only needle holes are made without blue mold. In this case the mold enters naturally from the air from the cave where they are aged.

Examples are Stilton, Gorgonzola, Danish Blue, Blue Castello, Cambozola Black, Shropshire Blue, Arethusa Blue, Point Reyes Blue, and of course, Roquefort.

All of the cheeses mentioned are great cheeses and its truly difficult to pick one over another. It’s a matter of timing of when the cheeses are tried and of course, the taste mood I’m in.

Paul Partica, The Cheese Shop of Centerbrook www.CheeseCT.com

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