The Pulse Magazine

Khiary Gray; Photograph courtesy of Dalena Nguyen

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february 2017 In this issue COVER story

lifestyle

6 Worcester's fight club

26 worcester free store brings

help to the city

sports+fitness

27 out+about: Worcester Pride is diversity and creativity

12 how mindfulness can

overcome addiction

28 wine & dine for a scrumptious

13 findingbalance: Loving Yourself

valentine's day

FOOD+DRINK

14 What is pilates?

31 Pulsebrew: Sometimes cider is the way to go

entertainment 16 damnation stretches punk sound

with after midnight 17 gameon: WWE 2K17

32 dining review: El Basha is an old favorite and always surprising 33 hot & now

read pulse Online @

34 new around the woo: Dashed makes its way to Worcester

18 THE central scene 19 pulsebooks: Heartwarming tales to keep you cozy

24 PulseShots

30

30 juice up your eating plan

15 close the 'willpower gap'

20 Club, Pub + grub Listings

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beauty+style 36 Men, take care of your skin, too 37 steal the style: Wood Transfers

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PULSE Magazine is produced 12 times a year by Pagio Inc., 88 Winter St., Worcester, MA 01604. (508) 756-5006. Copyright 2015 All rights reserved. Pagio, Inc. does not hold itself responsible for statements made by any contributor. Statements or opinions expressed in Pulse reflect the views of the author(s) and not the official policy of the Pagio, Inc., unless so stated. Although all advertising material is expected to conform to ethical standards, acceptance does not imply endorsement by Pagio, Inc. unless so stated. Material printed in Pulse is covered by copyright. No copyright is claimed to any work of the U.S. government. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission. For information on permissions, reprints and other services, contact Pagio, Inc. Also by Pagio Inc.: Worcester Medicine, Vitality Magazine, Thepulsemag.com, Thevitalitymag.com, & TasteWorcester.com

Paul Giorgio, Publisher Donna Roberson, Editor Vanessa Herbold, Art Director Chris Reddy, Alex Theisen, Kyle Sullivan Account Executives Mitchell Perry, Event Manager

Kim Dunbar, Sports Editor Jennifer Russo, Lifestyle Editor Kimberly Dunbar, Jennifer Russo, Jason Savio, Bernie Whitmore, Michael Wood, Paul Giorgio, Ryan Cashman, Merilee Kern, Kerry Cyganiewicz, John Trobaugh, Sloane Perron, Jamie Burke, Rachel Shuster Writers

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Khiary Gray; Photograph courtesy of Dalena Nguyen

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khiary gray For most of us, when we think of boxing, we think of Rocky Balboa and his hometown of Philadelphia. But in real life, we really don’t need to look that far to see a great fighter. Worcester has plenty in its own backyard.

There is currently a surge of promising up-andcoming local boxers, each with the potential to become great. This crop of young talent is the collective face of today’s revitalized Worcester boxing scene, and they carry on a proud legacy of Woo Town fighters.

Not slowing down It’s hard not to become excited with the current landscape of boxing in Worcester if you’re a fight fan. The likes of professional competitors Khiary Gray and 19-year-old sensation Jamaine Ortiz have provided the spark needed to reignite the sport in Central Massachusetts. But it wasn’t all that long ago that someone out of Worcester was successful in boxing. If you dig deep enough, you’ll find a history of great fighters to come out of this town. Before this new batch of contenders, the most recent to garner attention was three-time World Champion Jose Antonio Rivera. Ironically, Rivera was born in Philadelphia before moving to Puerto Rico and finally settling in Central Massachusetts.

Rivera rose to prominence with his own group of fighters in the ’90s, a group that included Bobby Harris Jr. and Sean “The Irish Express” Fitzgerald.

Today, Rivera is a local court officer. But his love of the game hasn’t waned. As of press time, Rivera is planning his first boxing event as a promoter, New England’s Future, with junior

Jamaine Ortiz lightweight prospect Irvin Gonzalez headlining the Palladium show.

“What I want to do is rebuild the pro boxing game in Worcester because not many promoters come here and bring fights,” said the former WBA world champion.

“Worcester was one of the biggest boxing cities back in the day, and I’d like to bring that back.

We have a lot of fighters and good potential in the city.”

Rivera isn’t the only former boxer still involved.

Another is lending his experience to fighters at Camp Get Right, a gym that is home base for one of the biggest names in the area right now.

New kids on the block There are a handful of gyms and training facilities in town, and chief among them is the Boys & Girls Club on Tainter Street and Camp Get Right. Under the guidance of owner and trainer Kendrick Ball, Camp Get Right is making a name for itself with a growing roster of pro fighters, which includes Kendrick Ball Jr., Edwin Rodriguez and UBF International and Northeast Regional champ Khiary Gray.

“When I first started off, all I had was basically my cousin and my son, and it started building up and Khiary came over and then we ended up getting a bunch of kids who started fighting and winning a lot of tournaments,” said Ball, 44, a former amateur boxer.

Having a title-holder on your squad doesn’t hurt, either. Born and raised in Worcester, Gray,

kendrick ball jr.

24, is relatively new to being pro and currently holds a 14-1 record with 11 KOs, according to boxrec.com.

His journey hasn’t been easy, though. When he was 17, he had charges put on him for “fighting,” presumably outside the ring.

“I basically took him underneath my wing to keep him out of trouble,” said Ball. “We kept him really busy so he’d stay out of trouble – busy in the gym, kept him focused, and hard work and dedication in the gym is what this will get you.”

Gray echoes the same sentiment about how the trainers and fighters at Camp Get Right look out for each other. “It’s like one big family more than anything. You go in there and everyone helps you out.”

While Ball oversees Gray and the rest of the Camp Get Right fighters, there is a much revered boxing veteran holding court over at the Worcester Boys & Girls Club.

Worcester’s best?

The boxing program at the Tainter Street Boys & Girls Club is the foundation of the Worcester boxing, and this is thanks to its longtime program director and coach, Carlos Garcia.

Garcia, 67, started coaching kids at the Boys & Girls Club in 1982, and since then, he has had numerous pupils shine in the ring. In fact, chances are, most fighters you speak to in Worcester have come up through Garcia’s program or at least know who he is. Both Ball and Khiary are former students of his, as is Rivera.

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Khiary Gray (left); Photograph courtesy of Dalena Nguyen

Kendrick Ball Jr. training at Camp Get Right

Irvin Gonzalez (left) at the Palladium; Photograph courtesy of Cristian Nunez

Carlos Garcia and Jamaine Ortiz training at the Boys & Girls Club

carlos garcia The prodigy emerging from Garcia’s camp today is Jamaine Ortiz. Considered by many to be the best boxer to come out of the area, Ortiz had an impressive 100-win record as an amateur and currently holds a pro record of 2-0, both knockouts. He was crowned the New England Golden Gloves Champion in 2015 and 2016.

Garcia holds his students in high regard, and it is very clear when speaking with him how much he cares about them – in and out of the ring.

“I love him like one of my kids,” Garcia said of Ortiz. “The relationship between him and me is not like coach and boxer. It’s family.”

The feeling between the two is mutual. Ortiz praises Garcia and his commitment.

“He was the first coach I ever had, and (we have) a great relationship that’s more like father and son than teacher (and student),” said Ortiz, a born and bred Worcester resident. “Not only is he my boxing coach, he’s my mentor inside and outside the ring.”

For a young upstart with tons of potential, Ortiz doesn’t let the compliments get to his head.

When asked about the popular opinion that he’s the top talent to ever come out of Worcester, Ortiz said, “I don’t really comment on that.

Yeah, maybe because of my amateur background (they say that), but there are a lot of great guys who came out of Worcester, too, and I just have to wait for history. I have a long way to go.”

But, like a true competitor, Ortiz doesn’t hesitate to add that he wants to be “the best ever in boxing.”

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kendrick ball

Benefits of boxing Of course, when you train at a facility with a history like the Worcester Boys & Girls Club, you have every right to be confident. The boxing program there is known not only for its ability to nurture and produce top contenders, but also for helping kids stay on the right track.

“It kept me off the street and it kept me out of trouble,” said Rivera of the program.

Garcia’s boxing program has had a helping hand in its efforts with the support of police officer Nate Reando and the Worcester Police Department.

Reando, an Air Force veteran who also served 16 years with the WPD Gang Unit, has worked alongside Garcia to help produce boxing events Christmas Brawl and Give Kids a Fightin’ Chance.

“When I was assigned to the WPD Gang Unit, I really wanted to focus on gang prevention, and I thought one of the best ways to do this was to get Worcester’s inner city youth into a positive place with positive individuals,” Reando said. “To me, there was no place better in Worcester to do that than at the Boys and Girls Club.”

The benefits of boxing and training can be longlasting, too. While it may help kids stay on the straight and narrow right now, it also helps prepare them for life after boxing. Rivera is a perfect example of this. He admits he knew his boxing career wouldn’t last forever, but it was that perspective that geared him up for what came next.

Now as a court officer, Rivera is an important part of the community and shares his experience with young boxers in hopes that they, too, will get the

jose antonio rivera most they can out of the sport.

“There are a lot of positives they can get from it as far as training and the regimen and the building of self-esteem and having the determination, making those sacrifices,” said Rivera of boxing. “A lot of those things you learn in boxing you can put in real life to help you with many things. Having a champion’s mentality in life can help in every aspect.”

A bright future ahead Like any sport, there is that aura of competition and the nervous energy of what it’s possible to accomplish. The group of fighters on Worcester’s boxing scene embodies that, but they also have one other thing: a sense of community. It’s this camaraderie and drive to push one another that has propelled boxing back into the spotlight. Rather than calling each other out, they’re focusing on the big picture and how they can help it develop.

“It’s actually getting bigger than it was before,” said Gray. “We’re all just trying to make a name for ourselves and put Worcester on the map.”

Gray and his peers are certainly doing that, and when you take a step back and look at the scene, you can see how it becomes cyclical. With ups and downs, it has seen its share of attention at times, while taking a backseat at other times. Now, it is back where it belongs and is giving us plenty to cheer about. The future of Worcester boxing looks bright. The work ethic of seasoned and dedicated coaches like Garcia and Ball is rubbing off on the youth coming up, as they pass their knowledge down for future generations.

By Sloane M. Perron

How mindfulness can overcome addiction

sports+fitness

What if all you needed to do to kick your addiction was pay attention?

Mindfulness, which incorporates many aspects of Buddhism, is being used to fight addictions – and it’s getting results.

Dr. Judson Brewer has studied the concept of mindfulness and its applications to overcoming addiction for a decade. Brewer described mindfulness as “paying attention on the present moment.” Mindfulness is a therapeutic technique that allows an individual to focus on what is happening in the moment.

Brewer is considered an international expert on the topic and has appeared on numerous TV shows, TED Talk videos and has even written books about mindfulness, including his latest, The Craving Mind: From Cigarettes to Smartphones to Love – Why We Get Hooked and How We Can Break Bad Habits. Currently, his long list of achievements includes being the director of the Center for Mindfulness at UMass Medical Center, an associate professor for the Department of Medicine and Psychiatry at UMass, an adjunct assistant professor for the Department of Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine, and a research affiliate at the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT. When Brewer was completing his residency, he decided to focus his career and research on mindfulness. At the time, mindfulness was not really popular, nor accepted, in the medical community, he said.

“Ten years ago, this was not on the radar.” Brewer added that researching mindfulness “fell into the category of crystals, rainbows and other New Age things.”

Today, mindfulness is growing as a way to help those struggling with addiction, and Brewer’s research has the science to back it up. One of his studies demonstrated that mindfulness was highly effective with smoking cessation and showed results that were twice good as other gold-standard treatments.

Another innovation at the Center of Mindfulness at UMass is the development of the Go Eat Right Now app. This application is

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a 28-day training on mindfulness that allows patients to see how their diets impact their bodies, which helps to eliminate cravings.

The process begins by having the patients pay attention to the moment and practice mindfulness every time they eat. At some points, the patients are shown body scans of what happens to their bodies in the moment if they eat something unhealthy, such as 12 donuts. Journaling and being a member of the online community also helps patients focus on the present and why they are stresseating. This process allows the patients to see and recognize the triggers that cause their unhealthy behaviors.

Brewer described the effectiveness of mindfulness, “Like cleaning out the wound rather than putting a Band-Aid on it in the first place.”

Brewer’s research has even concluded that mindfulness helps patients overcome alcoholism and drug addiction and tested the same as other gold-standard treatments.

For Brewer, the best part of his field is being able to help those who are suffering from addiction. “It is great to be there as a witness and cheerleader,” he said.

While the research shows mindfulness’ effectiveness on overcoming addiction, this technique can also be used to handle any stressful situation. According to Brewer, by focusing on the present, an individual will not allow themselves to be stressed out or become overly involved. Instead, they take life as it comes and recognize what is happening in the moment.

As someone who has been researching mindfulness since the very beginning, Brewer recognizes the effectiveness of this technique saying, “It gets to the heart of the problem.”

Whether overcoming addiction or trying to cope with everyday stress, the key is to let go, recognize triggers, but most importantly, be mindful in the moment.

For more information about Go Eat Right Now, visit goeatrightnow.com.

findingbalance: Loving Yourself

By Jennifer Russo

We have all heard it said that we must first learn to love ourselves before we can love others. In some ways, this is true, but it is equally important to learn to love others to challenge ourselves, which then helps us be more willing to love and be loved.

The Dalai Lama once said, “Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the principal source of success in life.”

We all know difficult people…people that are just hard to care about. They may be in our family, our place of work, our class or a friend that you find yourself shaking your head about often. Though they are difficult to love, they probably need that patience more than others. They may be difficult because they have been hurt before, or they may simply act that way to weed out those who don’t put enough effort in, considering them unworthy of their time. It is amazing what can happen if you are compassionate and able to stick around long enough to break down a wall or two…because you also break your own humanity in a little bit more.

In a yoga practice, there is a similar concept. Learning to love yourself means being OK with everything that you are. The kind things, the awkward things, the things you are best and worst at, the things you are confident about and the things you may not be so confident about. It is letting your past go, not worrying about the future and just staying present in the moment you, embracing all that is YOU. You may attempt a pose and topple over… laugh. You may notice difficult sensations that come up physically and even emotionally … acknowledge them. And if there is pain, have enough compassion for yourself to back off and realize that it might not be for today… and smile.

I recently found a website, randomactsofkindness.org. On this site, you can find tons of ideas for ways you can be kind to others, based on wherever your heart is guiding you to be kind. The site has ideas for kindness through sports and cooking, ideas for families, seniors, friends, colleagues, classmates, waitstaff, and even the environment.

Can you imagine how much kinder the world might be if everyone just did one random act of kindness per day? The ripple effect would be amazing. And it would make the givers feel great about themselves, too. Love yourself, but love others so you can love yourself even more. Sounds like a good deal.

The pure light in me honors and respects the same in you. Namaste.

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What is Pilates?

By Christopher Roberts

Pilates is a method of exercise that was created by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century. Originally called “Contrology” by Pilates, it has become one of the fastest-growing methods of exercise. Pilates was a German who was interned in a prison camp in England during World War I. Some say that Pilates created the exercises that we now know to help keep his fellow detainees fit and healthy during the war.

After the war, Pilates moved to New York City, where he opened his first studio and mostly trained boxers. Because his studio was also in close proximity to many dance studios, eventually many dancers came to him looking for rehabilitation for different injuries. Pilates continued to teach out of his studio for many years until his death in 1967.

Pilates has mat exercises that can be done anywhere and focus on using one’s own body weight to engage and strengthen the “powerhouse” (the core) and other parts of the body. There are also pieces of apparatus that were created by Pilates and are still used today, including the Universal Reformer, Cadillac and more. Each apparatus uses spring-loaded resistance to offer a more challenging strength and endurance workout.

Pilates is, at its heart, a physical fitness routine that builds core strength and flexibility. Focus is put on spinal and pelvic alignment, breath, concentration

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and control of the core muscle group through bodybased movements. Pilates improves muscle tone, provides better spinal health, improves balance, helps to correct imbalances in the body, supports correct posture and creates greater body awareness, while building flexibility, lean musculature, strength and endurance.

Recent studies even show that Pilates can help alleviate lower back pain more than other therapies.

In fact, a recent Italian study “found an important improvement of pain, disability and physical and psychological perception of health in individuals who did the daily sessions of Pilates.” The results of the study showed that Pilates was better at reducing pain in individuals with chronic lower back pain than the standard treatment methods.

As you can see, the physical benefits of Pilates are many. However, there is also a wonderful mindbody connection in Pilates, similar to that achieved with yoga. Pilates is like a moving meditation. The precision of movement that flows with both grace and strength, whether on a mat or equipment, cannot be beat. It can be a very mindful practice.

Although popular now with Hollywood stars and athletes such as Lea Michelle, Emma Watson, Jake Arrieta, Tiger Woods, Tom Brady and a few other NFL players, Pilates is indeed for everybody,

regardless of your age, body type, fitness level and any injuries or medical conditions you may have. In my teaching, I have many special conditions that I work with, and all of these clients have seen amazing benefits from a regular and consistent Pilates practice.

Pilates is not only great for building core strength and helping athletes to improve their games, but it can help the “everyday” person to alleviate pain and build strength and flexibility.

I work with many clients who struggle with persistent aches and pains, spinal issues such as scoliosis, chronic pain such as sciatica and breast cancer survivors, as well as those in rehabilitation for past injuries or recovering from surgeries such as knee and hip replacements. My clients range from the young to the elderly, from athletes to people rehabbing from injuries or dealing with chronic conditions. Pilates can help you achieve your fitness and wellness goals.

Christopher Roberts is a Certified Pilates Teacher and owner of

Worcester Pilates. Worcester Pilates is a boutique Pilates studio offering private instruction on the Pilates equipment.

For more information, visit worcesterpilates.com.

Close the ‘Willpower Gap’ Do you ever wonder why it’s so hard to resist overeating?

The answer is simple, said Susan Peirce Thompson, Ph.D., a brain and cognitive scientist who specializes in the psychology of eating: Willpower isn’t a dimension of personality,or character; it’s simply a cognitive function available to us in limited doses.

In fact, as she points out in her upcoming book, Bright Line Eating: The Science of Living Happy, Thin and Free (Hay House, March 2017), research shows that we all have as little as 15 minutes of willpower at our disposal at any given time before it runs dry.

It’s no surprise, then, that when there are temptations everywhere, we cave! This is what Thompson calls the “Willpower Gap.”

But there are ways to expand willpower to better manage eating. The key is to be aware of the Willpower Gap and plan accordingly so you don’t fall into it.

Here are the five key steps she recommends:

Plan ahead. Don’t leave yourself to make decisions in the moment when you’re tired, hungry or overwhelmed by the crowd. Decide in advance what you will eat each day and when, so you won’t be making food choices at times of day when your willpower is depleted.

Eat regular meals. When regular meals become part of the scaffolding of your life, it takes the burden off of willpower. A schedule of eating three meals a day at regular mealtimes – breakfast, lunch and dinner – not only helps eating the right things become automatic, but also passing up the wrong things in between becomes easier.

Reduce stress. Stress and the emotional regulation that go along with it taxes your willpower. Wherever possible, modify or avoid the things that tap your resources.

Where it can’t be avoided, just bringing awareness that an upcoming situation is going to deplete you – such as that dreaded political conversation with your dad’s aunt – can prevent your falling into the Willpower Gap.

Get enough sleep. Make sure you are getting enough sleep each night. Sleep is a powerful willpower replenisher.

Practice an attitude of gratitude. Research shows that something as simple as expressing gratitude will replenish willpower. Gratitude also helps shift the focus from what you want, or crave, to what you have.

Susan Peirce Thompson, Ph.D., is a psychology professor, a brain and cognitive scientist and an expert in the psychology of eating. She is president of the Institute for Sustainable Weight Loss and CEO of Bright Line Eating Solutions, a company dedicated to sharing the psychology and neurology of sustainable weight loss and helping people achieve it.

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entertainment

Damnation

stretches punk sound with After Midnight

By ryan cashman Damnation, a local punk rock band with a new album coming next month, was formed by chance, common interest and history.

Brad Touchette (bass) tattooed Benny Austin (drums), and the two kicked around the idea of starting a band. This interested Benny’s friend of 15 years, Isaac Aldrich (guitar/lead vocals), and the trio started hanging out Monday nights and playing covers of old Misfits songs. It was then that the three came to the unanimous decision to write original songs.

“I can write a whole album right now,” Aldrich remembered saying. That was the summer of 2013.

By March of 2014, Damnation found themselves playing their first live show at Ralph’s Diner in Worcester.

The band’s shared love of horror movies influences the music and the atmosphere of their shows.

Horror images are projected behind the drums, in low, murky light, as the band plays.

“There’s something about the combination of the sound and imagery,” Touchette said.

“We like candelabras and pumpkins,” Austin said.

“Halloween is our favorite.”

But the guys agree: They’re not a gore or a shockrock band.

The release of their new album, After Midnight,

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marks a musical transition for the band, as they explore different avenues of punk rock instead of sticking with the same, heavy format.

“Being in the genre, people try to pigeonhole us, but we want to say to them it’s not just three chords and screaming,” Aldrich said.

“It’s eclectic,” Austin said.

“But it’s the same energy,” Touchette added.

Among some of the genres listed as influence for this new album are jazz, reggae, pop classic rock and new wave.

“There’s some country in there, too,” Aldrich said.

“We listen to everything, and that influences us,” said Austin. “I love pop. I listen to Lady Gaga as a warm up. I think she’s awesome. And I love the old stuff, like Max Roach and Louis Prima.”

“Miles Davis and Coltrane,” Aldrich added.

“At its core, it’s still punk,” Touchette said. And punk has a following. Damnation, as of 2017, has travelled to perform in every state in New England (except Vermont), New Jersey and chunks of the mid-Atlantic. The band, with the assistance of tour manager Harley Sutherland, will tour After Midnight beginning in November.

“We’re working on dates in Maine, New York, New Jersey, D.C., and Baltimore. We’re hoping to get a little further south into Virginia, too,” said Touchette. The tour will consist of weekenders in all the aforementioned states.

For starters, Damnation is throwing an album release party. After Midnight is being released on March 31, with a party at Koto in Salem.

“We’d love to be able to have more people come and see us. Let me just say that Damnation … we’re nice boys and you should come see us,” Austin said, with a wide smile behind his thick beard. The others, bearded themselves, laugh and agree.

Independent music is gaining more of a following, which is good news for bands like Damnation, which are working on applying a different spin to the music they know and love. Many small bands focus on covers and try to impersonate the bands they’re covering. Damnation does the opposite. They use those influences as inspiration to create unique, original work that pays homage to punk and all the other genres they love.

“It’s really about breaking conventions and stereotypes,” Touchette said. “People hear punk and horror, and it paints a picture in their minds.

We want to build off that and open people up to something they didn’t think they’d like.”

Follow Damnation on Facebook and Twitter or visit damnationpunk.com. After Midnight goes on sale March 31.

gameon: WWE 2K17

By Jason Savio It has become an annual tradition this time of the year, just when things are heating up in the WWE universe and the promise of another Wrestlemania is right around the corner, that your favorite wrestling superstars get the pixel treatment. Since taking over the reigns as WWE’s video game developer, 2K Sports has managed to breathe new life into what was becoming a stagnant and repetitive series. But with just a few releases under the 2K banner, the magic may already be gone with WWE 2K17.

All of the offerings you’ve come to expect in a WWE game are here. Between new superstars and veterans, WWE 2K17’s playable characters roster is stacked, and that’s saying something. Not only are classic grapplers like Stone Cold Steve Austin here in all their glory, but you can also play as his old character, Stunning Steve Austin (you have to be a devoted wrestling fan to know that one). The attention to detail when creating your own wrestler has also hit a new high, or low, depending on your take. For example, you can now choose how much you want your guy or gal to glisten. You know, be oiled up. This is both comical and slightly disturbing; it is also a sign that the priorities were not where they should have been when it came to putting this game together and adding new elements.

The standard My Career Mode and WWE Universe mode are here again, and there’s really not much improvement or development with either. Whereas past WWE 2K games introduced new concepts, this year’s release treads the same old ground. The improved gameplay they like to boast about every year doesn’t seem that new at all. In fact, it’s just as sluggish and annoying as ever. Sure, it makes sense to have a hard time getting back on your feet after being on the receiving end of a dropkick, but come on. This has always been a standout blemish for WWE games. It creates tension and excitement, but it also makes you want to dropkick someone for real.

It’s not really anyone’s fault that WWE 2K17 is redundant. It simply falls into the same category as other sports games that come out year after year with updated rosters and menus and nothing else. The initial creative spark for WWE and 2K Sports isn’t there, like it was in the beginning. You hate to see them begin treading water, but that’s the feeling you get when playing WWE 2K17. Add to this the confusing music accompaniment of P. Diddy and the focus on non-crucial elements (glistening), you can’t help but get the impression that WWE2K17 tries to be the wrong kind of different.

For more information, visit wwe.2k.com.

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Events happening around Central Massachusetts in February 2017:

Intergalactic Funkraiser Action! Worcester’s space-themed Intergalactic Funkraiser will feature hours of funk music and dancing. William Thompson Funk Experiment and The A-Beez will headline, with a late-night dance party hosted by DJ Jon Strader. The Funkraiser will also include an out-of-this-world costume contest, a space-themed cocktail menu, live body-painting by The What Collective, various vendors and a special VIP experience. Come get weird for a good cause!

9 p.m.-2 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11; Bull Mansion, 55 Pearl St., Worcester; $22-$55; actionworcester.org.

Celebrate the Blizzard of ’78 Come remember the blizzard that dropped 2 feet of snow in about 24 hours at the Worcester Oval.

There will be music, food trucks, beer and, of course, skating to commemorate the blizzard that changed how New Englanders think of snow.

5-8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10; Worcester Common Oval, 455 Main St., Worcester; $5 for skating, $3 for skate rentals; worcesterma.gov.

13th Annual College Show ArtWorcester’s College Show is a juried exhibit of the best art coming out of Worcester-area colleges and universities, including Anna Maria College, Assumption College, Becker College, Clark University, College of the Holy Cross, Quinsigamond Community College, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Worcester State University. If you can, head over to the opening reception Feb. 3, but make sure you see what the area’s up-and-coming artists are doing before the exhibit ends March 3.

Opening reception is 6-8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3, show runs through March 3; Aurora Gallery, 660 Main St., Worcester; free; artsworcester.org.

50's Sock Hop Downtown Underground presents a trip back in time to the nifty '50s. Grab a drink from the themed cocktail menu and enjoy the dancing, vintage costume contest and music by The Fellowship of the King, Worcester’s ultimate Elvis Presley tribute band. This is a 21+ event.

9 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 25; White Eagle Ballroom, 116 Green St., Worcester; $20 online and $25 at the door; worcesterdowntownunderground.com.

Carneval de Canal Celebrate Mardi Gras in the Canal District. The night will be filled with food and drink specials, tastings, unique performers, contests (including a Photo Scavenger Hunt), promotional giveaways, live music in many Canal District establishments and, of course, Mardi Gras beads and masks. Costumes are encouraged!

6 p.m.Tuesday, Feb. 28, in the Canal District; visit the Facebook event page for details and schedule.

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pulsebooks:

Heartwarming tales to keep you cozy

By Kimberly Dunbar

Winter is the best time to curl up with a book. If you’re looking for some stories to keep you company on a snow day, here are a couple to consider.

The Girl in the Garden (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) is a novel by Melanie Wallace that proves the kindness of strangers can heal wounds that exist far below the surface. At the centerpiece of the tale is young June – the girl in the garden – and her infant son, who were abandoned by the child’s father in a seaside New England town. Mabel, a widower and owner of the cottage where June was left, helps her find lodging with her friend Iris, a shut-in who closed herself off from the world, and her own daughter, after her husband’s peculiar death two decades ago. June, Mabel and Iris are joined by a cast of characters – including two war veterans, one of whom is severely physically and emotionally scarred from Vietnam – each with their own secrets, pasts and inner pain. Though it requires some patience to get through the first half of the book, in which the many characters are introduced, Wallace finds a way to thoughtfully intertwine the characters and the effect they have on each other’s lives. The small community becomes home to not just June, but others, as she, and they, find ways to heal and move on from the painful past toward a better future.

They say you can always go home, but for Vance Lake, it’s not always a place he’s welcomed. In The News From the End of the World (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), Emily Jeanne Miller introduces readers to the dysfunctional Lake family, led by twin brothers Vance and Craig. When broke, jobless and recently dumped Vance turns to his hometown on Cape Cod for refuge, he finds himself smack in the middle of a family crisis that is tearing Craig and his family apart. The book takes place across four days, during which Vance must navigate a moody Craig; his wife Gina, who is turning to a male family friend for comfort; and his brooding 17-year-old niece, Amanda, whose abrupt return from a semester-long trip abroad is at the center of the family crisis. She’s pregnant, and the family disagrees on how to handle it. Amanda’s condition brings back difficult memories of the past for both Craig and Vance, feelings that must be worked out and resolved if the Lakes have any hope of surviving as a family. And if Vance can manage to face his demons, he might discover that home is where the heart really is.

The Girl in the Garden is available now; The News From the End of the World is out Feb. 21.

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Club+Pub+GRUB Listings

Entertainment at clubs, bars, pubs & other select venues 435 Bar & Grill 435 Lancaster St., Leominster American Graffiti 113 Summer St., Lunenburg 978-345-1010

B-Man’s 140 Tavern 348 Redemption Rock Trail, Sterling 978-422-9763 140pub.com The Banner Bar & Grille 112 Green St., Worc.

508-755-0879 thebannerbar.com Wednesday: Trivia Night Fridays, Saturdays: DJs

Barber’s Crossing Road House 861 Main St., Leicester 508-892-7575 barberscrossingrestaurant.com Barbers Crossing (North) 175 Leominster Road, Sterling 978-422-8438 barberscrossingrestaurant.com Thursdays: Open Mic Fridays: Bill McCarthy

Beatnik’s 433 Park Ave., Worc.

508-926-8877 beatniksbeyou.com Feb. 3: Kings Left Feb. 4: Wooing Dorothy Feb. 8: Wednesday Night Mayhem Feb. 9: Don Prang Feb. 9: Jonas, The Cloud, Snow Day & Dylan Musucco Feb. 10: The Acquaintances Feb. 11: Jokers Wild Feb. 15: Beatniks Open Mic Night Feb. 16: Bob Moon & Friends Feb. 17: Desolate Highway Feb. 18: Stacy’s Mom Feb. 18: Beyond the Blur Feb. 21: Tuesday Talent Showcase Feb. 22: Wednesday Night Mayhem Feb. 24: Comanchero, Goin’ to Acapulco & August First Feb. 25: Stan Matthews Feb. 25: Chase The Past Beemer’s Pub & Grill 310 Main St., Fitchburg 978-348-2100 beemerspub.com

Billy’s Pub 81 Clinton St., Shrewsbury 508-425-3353

Black Sheep Tavern 261 Leominster Road, Sterling 978-422-8484 blacksheeptavernsterline.com Blackstone Tap 81 Water St., Worc.

508-797-4827 blackstonetap.com

Blue Plate Lounge 661 Main St., Holden 508-829-4566 Thursdays: Open Mic Feb. 12: Blue Plate Sunday Jam featuring Twisted Dawg Feb. 18: The Derelicts Mid-Life Crisis Band Feb. 19: Blue Plate Sunday Jam featuring The Gear Feb. 26: Blue Plate Sunday Jam featuring Ravin Blue Blueprint New American Bar & Grill 9 Village Square, Westminster

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978-668-5580 Feb. 2: Chris Reddy Acoustic Loops from Hell Feb. 23: Sean Fullerton Bolton Street Tavern 587 Bolton St., Marlborough 508-485-4416 boltonstreettavern.com Boulder Cafe 880 Main St., Fitchburg 978-345-0008

Breakaway Billiards 104 Sterling St., Clinton 978-365-6105 Feb. 25: Boom Box

Brew City 104 Shrewsbury St., Worc.

508-752-3862 brew-city.com

Bull Run Restaurant 215 Great Road, Shirley 978-425-4311, 877-536-7190 bullrunrestaurant.com Cafe Destare 320 Main St., Fitchburg 978-345-5734 destare.com

Canal Restaurant & Bar 65 Water St., Worc.

508-926-8353 Fridays, Saturdays: DJ (21+) Feb. 3: Round Midnight Feb. 4: Lisa Marie and All Shook Up with Johnny Juxo Feb. 11: Hot Dish Chopstick’s Restaurant & Lounge 21 Commercial Road, Leominster 978-534-0020 chopsticksleominster.com Feb. 3, 4: Windfall Christopher’s Pub 7 Pleasant St., Leominster 978-534-8250 Cicero’s Cafe 17 Suffolk St., Worc.

508-767-9728

Classic’s Pub 285 Central St., Leominster 978-537-7750 classicspub.net

Club KasBar 234 Southwest Cutoff, Worc.

508-798-8385 Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays: Karaoke The Columbia Tavern 28 Manning Ave., Leominster 978-751-8962

Compass Tavern 90 Harding St., Worc.

508-304-6044 thecompasstavern.com Fridays, Saturdays: DJs Feb. 3: Jay Graham Feb. 10: Brian Richard Feb. 17: Chris Reddy Acoustic Loops from Hell Feb. 24: Ken Macy Cosmopolitan Club 96 Hamilton St., Worc.

508-752-0482 The Cove Music Hall 89 Green St., Worc.

508-363-1888 thecovemusichall.com

Dance Ranch & Saloon 70 James St., Worc.

508-757-6977 danceranchandsaloon.com Days End Tavern 287 Main St., Oxford 508-987-1006 daysendtavern.com Devens Grill 4 Ryans Way, Devens 978-862-0060 devensgrill.com

Electric Haze 26 Millbury St, Worc.

508-799-0629

Fiddlers’ Green Pub & Restaurant 19 Temple St., Worc.

508-792-3700 aohworcester.com Firefly’s / Dante’s 350 E. Main St., Marlborough 508-357-8883 fireflysbbq.com Flip Flops 680 Main St., Holden 508-829-3008 flipflopsma.com

Flying Rhino Cafe 278 Shrewsbury St., Worc.

508-757-1450 flyingrhinocafe.com

Frank’s 274 Shrewsbury St., Worc.

774-420-2253 Feb. 3: Blue Light Bandits Feb. 4: Blue Switch Feb. 17: Sam James Feb. 18: That Dam Band Feb. 24: Brett Brumby Feb. 25: Ghost Train

Funky Murphy’s Bar & Grill 305 Shrewsbury St., Worc.

508-753-2995 funkyandjosemurphys.com

Gardner Ale House 74 Parker St., Gardner 978-669-0122 gardnerale.com Mondays: Blue Mondays Thursdays: Audio Wasabi Fridays, Saturdays: Live music

The GazBar Sports Grill 1045 Central St., Leominster thegazbar.com Feb. 3: Left Right Feb. 4: Jim Weeks Feb. 10: Hitchcock Blondes Feb. 11: Heather & Chris Feb. 16: Kevin Shields Feb. 17: Scott Babineau Feb. 18: Chris Reddy Acoustic Loops from Hell Feb. 23: Amanda Cote Feb. 24: Ed McCarron Feb. 25: City Boys

GD Lounge Union Station, 2 Washington Square, Worc.

(508) 755-6555 facebook.com/GDloungeandtapas Greendale’s Pub 404 W. Boylston St., Worc.

508-853-1350 greendalespub.com Tuesdays: Open Mic with Bill McCarthy; Local Musicians Showcase

Halligan’s Sports Bar and More 889 Southbridge St., Auburn 508-832-6793 halliganssportsbarandmore.com

Happy Jack’s 785 North Main St., Leominster 978-466-3433 Feb. 3: City Boys Feb. 4: Dave Harrington Feb. 10: Mike Livingston Feb. 11: Topher Brew Feb. 17: Sean Fullerton Feb. 18: Zack Slik Feb. 24: Lizzy Marquis

Hotel Vernon - The Ship Room/Kelley Square Yacht Club 1 Millbury St., Worc.

Indian Ranch 200 Gore Road, Webster 508-943-3871 indianranch.com Industry Bar Room 109 Water St., Worc.

508-756-2100 industrybarroom.com

Ixtapa Cantina 308 Massachusetts Ave., Lunenburg 978-582-9701 ixtapacantina2.com JC Fenwick’s 37 Mechanic St., Leominster 978-840-4845

Jillian’s - Worcester 315 Grove St., Worc.

508-793-0900 jilliansworcester.com Sundays: Sunday Game Night Feb. 3: Doctor Robert Feb. 4: Synergy Feb. 10: Tequila Bonfire Feb. 11: Key Performance Feb. 17, 18: Key Performance Feb. 24: XS Feb. 25: Key Performance

JJ’s Sports Bar and Grill 380 Southwest Cutoff, Northborough 508-842-8420 jbag.biz Feb. 3: Stormbringer Feb. 4: Heavy Horse Feb. 10: Eruption Feb. 11: Neon Alley Feb. 17: Playback Feb. 18: TD & The Change Feb. 24: Tony Soul Project Feb. 25: No Alibi Legends Airport Road, Fitchburg 978-342-6500 Leitrim’s Pub 265 Park Ave., Worc.

508-798-2447 leitrimspub.com

Loft 266 Bar & Lounge 266 Park Ave., Worc.

508-796-5177 loft266.com Thursdays: Sam James at 8 p.m., DJ Xkaliber at 11 p.m.

Fridays, Saturdays: DJ Joe T Feb. 3: Ken Macy Feb. 4: Dezi Garcia Feb. 10: Nik Chisholm Feb. 11: Dave O’Brien Feb. 18: Two Timers Feb. 24: Jay Graham Continued on Page 23

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Continued from Page 20 Feb. 25: Dezi Garcia

London Billiards / Club Oasis 70 James St., Worc.

508-799-7655 londonbilliards.com Mahoney’s Pub 413 Park Ave., Worc.

508-277-1073

Marty’s Pub 225 Cantebury St., Worc.

508-754-0033 martyspub.com MB Lounge 40 Grafton St., Worc.

508-799-4521 mblounge.com

McNally’s Grille & Pub 88 Sargent Road, Westminster 978-874-1444 mcnallysgrille.com Michael’s Cigar Bar 1 Exchange Place, Worc.

508-459-9035 michaelscigar.com Feb. 3: Spaceout Feb. 4: Doctor Robert Feb. 15: Chris Reddy Acoustic Loops from Hell Mickey Sheas 324 Electric Ave., Lunenburg 978-342-5825

The Mill 185 185 W. Boylston St., W. Boylston 774-261-8585 themill185.com Feb. 3: Annie Brobst Trio Feb. 4: Josh Briggs Duo Feb. 9: Ashley Jordan Feb. 10: Jay Graham Feb. 11: Acoustic Shoes Feb. 16: Sean Ryan Feb. 17: Katie Obrien Feb. 18: Brian Chaffee Feb. 23: FM Feb. 24: Vinnie Sirigliano Feb. 25: Jodee & Brian

Mill Street Brews (@ The Artist Development Complex) 18 Mill St., Southbridge 508-764-6900 millstreetbrews.com Moynihan’s Pub 897 Main St., Worc.

The Muse 536 Main St., Worc.

508-756-6873

Nick’s Bar and Restaurant 124 Millbury St., Worc.

508-753-4030 Fridays: Thank Friday It’s Dr. Nat The Nines Neighborhood Bar 136 Millbury St., Worc.

508-340-0318 Oak Barrel Tavern 229 Grove Ave., Worc.

508-755-8047 oakbarreltavernworcester.com Olde Post Office Pub 1 Ray St., N. Grafton 508-839-6106 Feb. 11: Tony Soul Project

On The Rocks Sports Bar & Grill 96 Lakefront Ave., Lunenburg 978-342-6692 Oxford Tavern 314 Main St., Oxford 508-987-5397

Padavano’s Place 358 Shrewsbury St., Worc.

774-823-3022 padavanosplace.com Thursdays: DJ/Karaoke Feb. 3: Jim Perry & Amanda Cote Feb. 4: Chris Houston Feb. 10: The Drunken Uncles Feb. 11: Hot Letter Feb. 12: Brett Brumby Feb. 17: FM Live!

Feb. 18: Norm Tonelli Trio Feb. 19: Ricky Duran Feb. 24: Ashley Jordan Duo Feb. 25: Lisa Marie and All Shook Up Feb. 26: Hot Dish Paisanos Pizza & Spirits 450 Lancaster St., Leominster 978-534-7117 The Palladium 261 Main St., Worc.

508-797-9696 thepalladium.net

Park Grill and Spirits 257 Park Ave., Worc.

Fridays, Saturdays: Dick’s Beantown Comedy Escape

Partner’s Pub 970 South St., Fitchburg 978-345-5051 partnerspub.com Sundays, Wednesdays, Fridays: Karaoke Feb. 4: Sean Daley & The Hooligans Feb. 11: Nikki’s Fix Feb. 18: Lost Artifacts Feb. 25: One50One Patsie Dugan’s 49 Millbury St., Worc.

508-755-4155 patsiedugans.com Pho Dakao 593 Park Ave., Worc.

508-756-7555

The Pint 58 Shrewsbury St., Worc.

508-414-1314

Point Breeze On the Lake 114 Point Breeze Road, Webster 508-943-0404 pointbreezeonwebsterlake.com Press Box 536 Lincoln St., Worc.

508-856-9255

Quinn’s Irish Pub 715 W. Boylston St., Worc.

508-459-2025 quinnsirishpub.com Feb. 3: Kevin Shields Feb. 4: Sam James Feb. 5: John Brazile Feb. 8: Chris Reddy Feb. 9: Amanda Cote Feb. 11: Tim Pacific Feb. 12: John Brazile Feb. 15: Mike Melendez Feb. 16: John Brazile Feb. 17: Tim Pacific Feb. 18: Sam James Feb. 22: Amanda Cote Feb. 23: Brian Twohey Feb. 24: Kevin Shields Feb. 25: Tim Pacific Feb. 26: John Brazile

Red Onion - Otter River Hotel 29 Main St., Baldwinville 978-939-7373, 978-939-8321 Rocky’s 139 Water St., Worc.

Rumors 371 Park Ave., Worc.

508-755-5542 clubuniverseworcester.com

Rye & Thyme 14 Monument Square, Leominster 978-534-5900 ryeandthyme.com Feb. 3: Danielle Lessard Feb. 4: Terryrifics Feb. 9: Zack Slik Feb. 10: Scott Babineau Feb. 11: JCDC Feb. 23: Jay Graham Feb. 24: Soulstice Feb. 25: Caves on Mars Sakura Tokyo 640 Park Ave., Worc.

508-792-1078, 508-792-1068 sakura-tokyo.com

Sean Patrick’s Family Restaurant 494 Electric Ave., Lunenburg 888-824-3924, 978-345-2000 seanpatricksrestaurant.com

South Side Grille & Margarita Factory 242 W. Broadway, Gardner 978-632-1057 southsidemargaritafactory.com Feb. 3: Topher Brew Feb. 4: Neon Alley Feb. 10: Chris Reddy Acosutic Loops from Hell Feb. 11: Go Gadget Go Feb. 17: Dave Harrington Feb. 18: Whitney Doucette Feb. 24: Brett Casavant Feb. 25: Lizzy Marquis Experience Speakers Night Club 19 Weed St., Marlborough 508-480-8222 speakersnightclub.net Spruce Street Tavern 68 Spruce St., Clinton 978-368-1255 sprucestreettavern.com

thetavernoncentral.com Feb. 3: Dan Kirouac

Three G’s Sports Bar 152 Millbury St., Worc.

508-754-3516 3gs-sportsbar.com Union Tavern 65 Green St., Worc.

Upper Deck Sports Bar & Grille 377 Stetson Road, Barre 978-355-2224 upperdecksportsbarandgrille.com Victory Bar & Cigar 56 Shrewsbury St., Worc.

508-756-4747 victorycigarbar.com

Vincent’s Bar 49 Suffolk St., Worc.

508-752-9439 Tuesdays: Boogie Chillin’ Feb. 7: Grade A Fancy, The Marshall Pass, Patrick Coman Whiskey Hookah Lounge 316 Main St., Worc.

Whiskey on Water 97 Water St., Worc.

774-578-8829 whiskeyonwater.com Sundays, Wednesdays: Karaoke with DJ Soup Thursdays: DJ Cuzn Kev Fridays, Saturdays: DJ Tec Threat Feb. 3: Hit the Bus Feb. 4: Tequila Bonfire Feb. 10: Stereo Love Feb. 11: Adam Robinson Band Feb. 17: The Royal Furs Feb. 18: Lower Level Band Feb. 24: Mike Melendez Feb. 25: On the Rocks

Whistle Stop Bar & Grill 85 Main St., Oxford 508-987-3087 StopByTheWhistle.com

White Eagle Polish Club 112 Green St., Worc.

774-245-1991 Wednesdays: Karaoke with DJ M Thursdays: DJ M

Stagecoach Inn and Tavern 128 Main St., Groton 978-448-5614, 877-782-4346 grotonstagecoachinn.com

William’s Restaurant & Tavern 184 Pearson Blvd., Gardner 978-632-7794 williamsrestaurantandtavern.com

The Tavern on Central 3 Central St., Ashburnham 978-827-1272

Ye Olde Tavern 7 E. Main St., W. Brookfield 508-867-9709, 508-867-4139 westbrookfieldtavern.com

Sunset Tiki Bar/The Outlook 79 Powers Road, Westford 978-692-5700

Wonder Bar Restaurant 121 Shrewsbury St., Worc.

Ralph’s Chadwick Square Diner 148 Grove St., Worc.

508-753-9543 ralphsrockdiner.com The Raven 258 Pleasant St., Worc.

508-304-8133

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bootleggers prohibition pub – worcester

By Justin perry

bocado tapas wine bar – worcester

the cove music hall – worcester

victory bar & cigar – WORCESTER

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jillian's – worcester

beatnik's – worcester

mezé greek tapas bar – worcester

lakeside bar & grille – shrewsbury

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lifestyle

Worcester Free Store brings help to the city

By Jennifer russo

Sometimes, we live in our own little bubbles, having everything we need to get by and content enough in this to fail to notice the world around us. A good job, enough money to pay the bills (or at least the important ones), heated homes, plenty of clothes and plenty of food. At one point, someone else may have had all of those things, too, but no longer.

Now what if you could help that someone else, simply by giving away things you no longer need and use, imagine how much better the city could be … how much better the world would be. And the Worcester Free Store has provided a way to be able to do this. You donate things you don’t need or wear anymore, and it provides a place for those who need help to go “shopping” for those things they need, with no money expected at all. In fact, there are no price tags.

Need it, take it. Don’t need it, give it. The recipe is simple.

The store, which opened nearly a year ago and is the brainchild of Kent Flowers, was able to provide almost 3,000 items to people in its first month and today gives away more than 5,000 items each month. The response from the Worcester community has been amazing, with people bringing donations in and helping families around them. Though the store isn’t fancy, it provides a wonderful place for people to come and take up to 10 items per day. There is also a book swap at the store. Bring in the books you’ve finished

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or couldn’t get into and find something new to read.

You may wonder how a store that gives away its stock at no cost is able to stay in business. Well, most of the bills that the store needs to pay to stay open are funded by repairing and selling used electronics, items that are always in high demand. If you have a new TV, console game unit, phone or computer, consider donating your old one to help the store stay around, continuing to help the city.

Aside from donating items such as clothing, shoes, kitchen items, food, toys and more, you can also donate time by working at the store. The Worcester Free Store is always looking for people to greet customers, help sort through and organize donations and help get the word out through advertising and press. Periodically, the store also holds pop-up stores in various locations, which it needs help with as well. People who are able can also help by donating funds through the store’s Facebook page, and any little bit helps.

There are perks for volunteers, as well. Any volunteer activity looks great on a resume, and the store will also provide job recommendations for the future employment of their volunteers, though the benefit to the community is the main goal, of course.

The Worcester Free Store is located at 13 Cambridge St. Stop by and drop some things off or see what help they may need.

For more information, visit worcesterfreestore.org or facebook.com/ worcesterfreestore.

OUT+ABOUT:

Worcester Pride is diversity and creativity

By John Trobaugh February is the shortest month, but it has become a time for Worcester Pride to announce plans for the new year. For the fourth year, Worcester Pride will have its Farewell to February celebration at the home of former Pride President John Trobaugh and Jeroan Allison. Pride kicks off the new year by announcing a full calendar of events, as well as offering a way to shake off the cold!

In 2017, Worcester Pride begins its 42nd year. One of the ways Pride has had an impact is through our local government. At each Pride event, Pride does its best to get community leaders, elected officials of all affiliations and candidates for office to participate and hear the voices of the LGBTQ community. Last year, Pride had Congressman Jim McGovern, State Sens.

Harriet Chandler and Mike Moore, and Reps. John Mahoney, Dan Donahue and Jim O’Day participate in the Farewell to February event. In addition to our state elected officials, we had Mayor Joe Petty and City Councilors Morris Bergman and George Russell.

Pride is a force for good. I am proud that we helped shine a light on the Municipal Equality Index, which was 55 percent in 2013 and became (and is still) 100 percent. This change was only possible with the action of our City Manager Ed Augustus and his team, as well as Mayor Petty and the city council. As Pride president, I had a series of meetings highlighting the easy and more difficult wins. As an extension of this effort, the city manager created two key liaison positions, one to the police department and the other to the city manager’s office. This year, we welcome a new LGBTQ liaison for the Worcester Police Department, Officer Sharon McQueen. The city manager’s office liaison is still Jayna Turchek, Esq., who is also the director of the Office of Human Rights. Since the creation of those offices, the city manager has continued to work to make Worcester even more inclusive and, this past year, created a new position of chief diversity officer and hired Dr. Malika Carter in this position. Dr. Carter is distinctly a friend of Pride.

We invite the community and Worcester’s leadership and all the LGBTQ community supporters to join together to plan out the new year on Feb. 24 for our annual Farewell to February celebration. We gather as a fundraiser, but also to hear what the community chose as a new theme and logo for 2017. It is an important event, and our leadership recognizes it. Please join us!

For more information, visit worcesterpride.org or Pride’s social media pages.

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Wine+dine for a scrumptious Valentine's Day Planning a delectable Valentine’s Day? Just want to experiment with some new foods and flavors?

Try some of these products to bring life to your plate and your palate.

Wine of the Month

Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese Kit

Artisanal Flavored Ghee

Founded in 1972, this original Wine of the Month Club takes the guesswork out of fancy labels and expensive price tags and has become one of America’s most trusted sources for finding unique and compelling varietals. For membership, just join the club of choice online at WineOfTheMonthClub.com (options include Classic, California, Limited Series, Vintners Series and Cellar Series), and each month, two great wines are shipped right to your doorstep. This includes varietals from wine regions in Germany, France, Italy, Argentina, Australia, California, Washington and others around the globe.

For that foodie in your life who loves all things cheese – and convenience – here’s a truly fresh idea: Three Bridges Creamy Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese Kit. Unlike traditional boxed mac and cheese, Three Bridges Creamy Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese Kit is a simple, honest and better-for-you mac and cheese made with clean, fresh ingredients. This includes hormone-free cheese. You won’t find any powdered mystery cheese dust here! It cooks up in just three minutes.

Ghee is the next culinary superstar of the food world. Ghee is a delicious superfood with numerous health properties.

It is similar to butter but is better for your health. This pure clarified butter is boiled to perfection, eliminating all milk solids making it dairy-, casein- and lactose-free.

4th & Heart is bringing this ancient Ayurvedic ingredient to the spotlight by crafting ghee in gourmet flavors of White Truffle, California Garlic, Himalayan Pink Salt, Madagascar Vanilla and original.

$5.49, ThreeBridges.com.

$14.99, FourthandHeart.com.

Starting at $23.96/month, WineoftheMonthClub.com.

Fire Roasted Salsa

Filet or Burger of the Month

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Allen Brothers’ USDA Prime Filet Mignon and Burger of the Month gift boxes make the perfect, luxurious gift for the meat-lover in your life. An iconic, centuryold purveyor of certified meats, seafood, ready-to-eat entrees and decadent desserts, Allen Brothers’ legacy is built on its commitment to providing only the highestquality products, hand-selecting each cut of meat and aging it to perfection. Burger varieties include Wagyu, Elk, Triple Beef Blend and more.

Rojo’s restaurant quality salsas and dips are made with premium fresh-cut ingredients like diced tomatoes, flavorful chiles, onions and robust seasonings to add a flavorful kick to your food. Rojo’s is refrigerated and made in small batches using high-quality ingredients to deliver authentic, homemade freshness and flavor that’s sure to get your party started. Founded in 1985, this company has a rich heritage in refrigerated foods, which began with a secret homemade salsa recipe made by a family in Mexico and brought to the U.S.

Starting at $109.95, AllenBrothers.com.

$3.29-$4.59, RojosSalsa.com.

Febr uar y 2017

Honeydrop Beverages Honeydrop Beverages is a line of cold-pressed, raw honey lemonades that provide customers with a GMO-free, gluten-free, thirst-quenching experience filled with active enzymes, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Started as a vision to develop a brand of healthier beverages, Honeydrop Beverages contain a tablespoon of pure raw honey and are brewed with simple, natural ingredients. $3.49-$6.99, Honeydrop.com.

The Luxe List Executive Editor Merilee Kern scours the luxury marketplace for exemplary travel experiences, extraordinary events and notable products and services. Submissions are accepted at TheLuxeList.com. Follow her on Twitter @LuxeListEditor and Facebook at TheLuxeList.

N O R T H C O U N T Y • D I N I N G • E N T E R TA I N M E N T • N I G H T L I F E • S H O P P I N G • N O R T H C O U N T Y • D I N I N G • s h o p p i n g

N O R T H C O U N T Y • D I N I N G • E N T E R TA I N M E N T • N I G H T L I F E • S H O P P I N G • N O R T H C O U N T Y • D I N I N G • E N T E R TA I N M E N T • N I G H T L I F E • S H O P P I N G

N O R T H C O U N T Y • D I N I N G • E N T E R TA I N M E N T • N I G H T L I F E • S H O P P I N G • N O R T H C O U N T Y • D I N I N G • s h o p p i n g

food+drink

Weight Loss Buddy Juice Cocktail Jerusalem artichoke juice combined with carrot and beet is a traditional remedy for satisfying cravings for sweets and junk food. They key is to sip it slowly when you get a craving for high-fat or high-carb foods.

1 Jerusalem artichoke, scrubbed well 3-4 carrots, scrubbed well, tops removed, ends trimmed 1 green apple (lower in sugar than red or yellow) ½ cucumber 1-inch chunk ginger root Cut produce to fit your juicer’s feed tube.

Juice ingredients and stir. Pour into a glass and drink as soon as possible.

Juice up your eating plan Now is your chance to hit the reset button and go healthy.

One way to do that is to try a fast.

“You can lose at least a pound a day, get rid of foggy brain and recharge your energy,” said best-selling author and nutritionist Cherie Calbom, known as “The Juice Lady” for her expertise in juicing for health and detoxification.

“Fasting is a great way to restart your metabolism, purify your lymphatic system and revive your soul,” said Calbom, author of the new book, The Juice Lady’s Guide to Fasting. “It’s also a way to look younger, clear out the toxins and restart the systems in your body for optimal health and physical well-being and to bring restoration to your mind, body and spirit.”

People often think of fasting as a fad, she said, but it’s been touted throughout history – by the healer Hippocrates, the philosopher Plato and scientist and statesman Benjamin Franklin, just to name a few. Germany’s famous “fasting therapist,” Otto Buchinger Sr., MD, called it an “operation without surgery.”

Even those who don’t believe in fasting’s curative powers agree it can help prevent illness. Want to fend off the flu, a cold or bronchitis? Fasting gives your immune system a boost.

“It’s a lot like a threefold spring cleaning, as you dive deep into the areas in your life that don’t always get

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the attention they need – mentally, physically and spiritually – and you clean them up,” Calbom said.

“You rid yourself of toxic influences that hinder growth, clarity and well-being and refocus on the future.”

With a liquid fast, you give up solid foods and enjoy delicious, nutrient-rich beverages. In her book, Calbom provides a variety of fasts to choose from, including a smoothie fast, bone-broth fast, three-day detox fast, and what she says is the most popular of all – the juice fast. If you crave crunch, she offers the Garden of Eden Fast and the Daniel Fast.

“There’s something for everyone – from a short, weekend weight-loss fast to a 21-day rejuvenation fast,” she said.

Calbom recommends writing down what you hope to achieve with your fast – losing belly fat, cleansing your liver or boosting your brain power – with detox juices, for example – in order to find a fast that’s a good fit.

If you aren’t sure you can hack a liquid fast because you’ll crave flavor, think again. Here are three of Calbom’s favorite recipes, designed to taste great while doing good.

Cherie Calbom holds a Master of Science degree in whole foods nutrition from Bastyr University. Known as “The Juice Lady” for her work with juicing and health, she is author of 31 books, with millions of copies sold worldwide.

For more information, visit juiceladycherie.com.

Beet-Berry Liver Cleanse Juice Beets have been used as a naturally remedy for liver cleansing.

2 medium beets 1 cup blueberries 1 green apple 1 large carrot 1 broccoli stem 1 lemon, peeled 1-inch chunk ginger root ½ cup coconut water Juice all ingredients, except coconut water.

Add coconut water, stir and enjoy!

Green Muscle Mender Are you strength training? Spinach helps your muscles recover due to its high magnesium content.

1 large handful spinach 1 green apple 1 cucumber 1-inch chunk ginger root 2-inch piece fresh turmeric root (optional) Juice all ingredients, stir and enjoy!

pulsebrew: Sometimes cider is the way to go

By kerry cyganiewicz This past month has been a real eye-opener for me. I found myself around new people, new places and new beverages. One thing became clear: The choices in ciders have dramatically expanded lately. Ciders have so much going for them. Most, depending on what is added to them, are gluten-free. They all begin as fermented pressed apple juice, and that’s just fine, but it can also serve as a wonderful base for additional pressed fruits, spices, flowers or whatever else the cider maker wishes to add to them. Below are five of my favorite local cideries and some examples of the ciders they produce.

Angry Orchard / Walden, N.Y. This Sam Adams-owned cidery is, by far, the largest of the five producers on this list. I included it not only because Sam Adams got its start right here in Massachusetts, but because it makes one of my favorite ciders, which is available just about everywhere with a liquor license. Crisp Apple is a 5.0% ABV cider on shelves just about everywhere. It is a semi-sweet cider that will please just about everyone. It has a solid apple flavor that stays right to the end, with some residual sweetness that just about everyone will enjoy. There are many other varieties to choose from; don’t be afraid to experiment.

Artifact Cider Project / Springfield Purists. What else would you call the people that bring you a cider made from America’s first apple? Roxbury cider is named from the Roxbury Russet apple, which was discovered in 1630 on a piece of land that is now called – you guessed it – Roxbury. The brewers spend their time hunting down these particular apples to bring you this cider. They make other great ciders, don’t get me wrong, but this one is by far my favorite. It is crisp, clean, not too sweet and not overly carbonated. My friends that are wine drinkers love this cider. Hopefully, they love it when I tell the story of the Roxbury Russet, as well.

Bantam Cider / Somerville It seems like forever since I had my first Wunderkind from Bantam Cider, the company’s first offering when it opened in 2012. It is still a benchmark on what a cider can and should be. Use local apples, a hint of honey and a chosen yeast strain fermented slowly to bring out the flavors in a well-balanced offering. I still order this from time to time; however, there’s a limited-edition offering that is worth seeking out. The barrel-aged dry cider contains heirloom varieties that I cannot begin to pronounce or spell, but I can tell you that they are French, flavorful and fancy. The brewers ferment the pressings with a mixture of wild and proprietary yeast and then age them in a mixture of bourbon and rum barrels. The result is a cider that smells like a crisp, sweet, sliced apple sitting alongside a glass of rum. It changes as it warms, with the bourbon and apple taking a more dominant role in the aroma. The taste is quite dry. This cider is so complex, each sip and each whiff of its aroma are slightly different.

Cider Creek Hard Cider / Canisteo, N.Y. I have had the opportunity to experience a variety of Cider Creek’s ciders in cans, bottles and on tap. When I say variety, I mean it. Other than the traditional Farmhouse Cider, there’s Cascade Aprihop, which is the base cider with an apricot puree added then dry-hopped with cascade hops, and to really push the envelope of what a cider can be, Tres Dedos de Sidra. This is a blend of pineapple cider aged in Mezcal barrels for one year and pineapple cider aged in 50-yearold Caribbean rum barrels for one year and finished with coconut hibiscus tea leaves. It was released on Cinco de Mayo. Cider Creek offers many other varieties to choose from; however, I keep returning to the first cider I ever tried from this company, Saison Reserve. It is simply the Farmhouse Cider fermented with a strain of Belgian beer yeast to add an element of spiciness and the different fruit flavors that that yeast brings. If you purchase the bottles or cans, be sure to roll them a few times on their side to get the yeast from the bottom and into suspension. You want the yeast in your glass.

Downeast CiderHouse / Boston There is pumpkin everything else, so I guess someone had to make a pumpkin cider. On a serious note, the brewers do things the right way here. "Simple, Honest, Authentic" is Downeast’s motto.

I have never had a cider from this brewery that did not knock my socks off. The unfiltered Original Blend is just apples and yeast – that’s it. The Cranberry Blend adds cranberry juice, and the Pumpkin Blend adds – you guessed it – fresh pumpkin. My favorite of all of them though is the Maple Blend. Real maple syrup goes into this one. It’s wrong that it reminds me of apple pancakes on Sunday morning, but I’ll get over it; it’s that good. There is also a Winter Blend, with real cinnamon bark and nutmeg, and a Summer Blend, with lemon juice and ginger peel. All of it real, with no flavorings or additives.

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dining review

El Basha is an old favorite and always surprising Michael would wait on us this evening. The ownermanager, George Sakhat, usually wanders out of the kitchen at some point and offers the heartiest greeting in town.

All of that goes only so far, though; it’s what’s happening in the kitchen and the dishes it sends out that tells the real story.

At El Basha, the cuisine is Lebanese, so we ordered some of the basics and started with a combo of Homus and Baba Ghanouj.

Both are thick dips served with triangles of chewy-fresh pita bread. The creamy-smooth homus, ground chickpeas flavored with tahini (toasted sesame sauce), had just the right touch of lemon to highlight its subtle flavors.

By Bernie Whitmore My usual objective in these reviews is to describe an excursion to a restaurant that’s relatively new or one with which I’m unfamiliar. I do this unannounced and, ideally, unrecognized as a reviewer. The goal is to achieve a typical dining experience afforded by the establishment to all of its guests. Hopefully, it will come with elements of discovery and dining adventure.

My particular focus was the baba ghanouj, something I first experienced long ago at the legendary El Morocco restaurant. It’s made with smoked eggplant and tahini sauce, drizzled with olive oil and, at its best, tinged with fresh lemon.

I crave the smoky bite and slightly lumpy texture.

Kibbee is another favorite at our table. It’s made in a large baking pan spread with a layer of fine bulgar wheat moistened till tender, then a layer of ground meat that’s topped with another layer of bulgar. Then, it’s baked till deep brown and served in diamond shaped wedges. The Lebanese have an exotic spice mix that makes this dish addictively delicious, especially when dipped in El Basha’s homemade yogurt.

This narrative, however, is a departure from that convention, and it would be less than forthcoming if I didn’t begin by stating my fondness for El Basha; it’s one of a very few area restaurants I cite when people ask me where I most often dine. Most evenings at El Basha are spent with friends and neighbors discussing the latest news and events. This makes the place feel a lot like home.

But there must be reasons for our loyalty; to take stock of them, I paid a special visit to El Basha – an analytical mission of sorts.

When one enters El Basha, the clamor of Park Avenue dissolves into a warm atmosphere of muted colors, wood paneling and soft music. And though a wall of large windows overlooks the avenue, heavy curtains shield much of the traffic and allow some view of the sidewalk. The dining room is bisected by the bar-lounge area, which attracts an afterwork crowd for drinks and dinner.

What really sets El Basha apart from other places are the management and staff. The hostess was ready with a warm welcome, and the waitstaff is professional and fun – repeat customers are often greeted by name. We were pleased to learn that

standard form – deep-green leaves rolled around a mixture of rice and ground meat. However, they’re considerably better than most; the stuffing is firm, the deep-green leaves have texture and, again, the lemony flavor is fresh. After El Basha, you’ll never be satisfied with the mushy grape leaves you’re served elsewhere.

“Here, you take the homus, leave the baba for me!”

At El Basha, I’ve developed entrée favorites that make my order relatively predictable. My main lineup: Kafta Ka-bob, which is ground meat (beef and, perhaps, lamb) mixed with minced onion and parsley and then formed into oblongs, skewered and grilled with vegetables. Another is Fish Tarator, a very hearty plate of haddock filets sautéed with sliced onions and walnuts in a creamy tahini sauce.

Tonight, I dialed it back to basic Lebanese with the Stuffed Grape Leaves and Baked Kibbee Combo. El Basha’s grape leaves appear in their

My friend’s entrée is proof that El Basha’s menu is much more versatile than simply Lebanese cuisine. His Grilled Tuna was gorgeous to behold and proved to be a luscious dining experience. This thick chunk of sushi-grade tuna was fast-seared on just the edges so that its center was ruby red. A thick crust of roasted sesame seeds added a rich flavor dimension. Juicy and fall-apart fresh, the portion bordered on outrageously large! It was served with a big dab of sinus-clearing wasabi and soy dipping sauce, along with grilled vegetables and rice pilaf.

Restaurant talk often turns to the question, “Who has the best Middle Eastern cuisine?” There are three other El Basha locations: Belmont Street in Worcester, Westborough and Sudbury that are run

by George’s brothers, John and Elie Sakhat. I’ve dined in a couple of them and wouldn’t want to judge who’s best. But only one feels like home.

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hotandnow: What’s hot and what’s happening now in the restaurant scene By paul giorgio It’s the whole hog. There will be a new deli/butcher shop/restaurant coming to

Worcester’s Water Street shortly. Kummerspeck will open the first week of May if

everything goes well, says Matt Mahoney, the chef/owner. Mahoney, a Spencer native,

has worked for Barbara Lynch in Boston and at BT’s Smokehouse in Sturbridge.

Mahoney plans to butcher meats and make a variety of sausages and smoked meats,

such as pastrami. He will also have a small restaurant on site serving lunch and dinner.

This is not the "wurst" thing to happen to Worcester. It shows that we are growing as a food destination.

Stop whining and go. The annual Boston Wine Expo will be held the weekend of

Feb. 18-19 at the World Trade Centers in Boston’s Seaport District. This is one of the premier wine and tasting events in the country, attracting about 250 distributors from around the world. Tickets are $110 and can be purchased online at WineExpoBoston. com

Goin’ to the Mountain. Todd Tobias has recently joined Wachusett Mountain as executive chef. Tobias will oversee daily operations of the Food Court, the Black

Diamond Restaurant and the mountain’s catering services. Tobias is originally from

Watertown and most recently served as executive chef at Oak Hill Country Club

in Fitchburg. Previously, he had stints at the International Golf Course in Bolton, Fishbones in Chelmsford and the former Scupper Jack’s Restaurant.

You can never get enough Girl Scout cookies. Fork It Over, the annual Girl Scouts

fundraiser is fast approaching. Chefs are asked to create food using a variety of Girl Scout cookies in the recipe. The finished creations will be presented to a panel of judges at the Fork It Over event March 9 at The Beechwood Hotel in Worcester. The

evening will feature a silent auction, raffle and live musical entertainment. Chefs are

asked to create approximately 250 bite-size portions of their creation(s) for guests to taste.

If you have a black American Express, this is for you. Twenty memberships are

available for purchase from Niche Hospitality for its Test Kitchen events in 2017.

For $999, you get to attend Niche’s Test Kitchen dinners and events. You also receive 10 percent off all of your dining at Niche restaurants. BTW, it is called the Cauldron Club. A cauldron is a large metal pot used over an open flame.

No soup for you. Soup lovers should keep an eye out for the opening of Zoup! in

downtown Worcester next month. That’s because, in addition to soup staples like chicken noodle, clam chowder and lobster bisque, Zoup! will also serve a dill pickle

chowder and rattlesnake sausage soup, made with real rattlesnake meat.”It has a real bite to it,” Mark Fox, the Zoup! franchisee, claimed. The Zoup! franchise was started

in Southfield, Mich., in 1998. Today, there are nearly 100 stores nationwide. Fox

opened the first Massachusetts Zoup! in Natick in 2015 and plans to open the second location at 375 Main St., Worcester, at the end of the month.

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new around the woo

Dashed makes its way to Worcester By rachel shuster

That feeling when you’re waiting for a food delivery while on the brink of “hangry” is never fun. Luckily for folks in Worcester, we will have to wait no more.

Restaurant delivery service Dashed has made its way to our neck of the woods!

Founded in Boston by Phil Dumontet in 2009, Dashed provides quick food delivery for more than 800 restaurants that usually do not offer delivery in the fastest of time frames.

Alexa Squillaro, who works in business development at Dashed, explains how the concept of Dashed was conceived. “Phil wanted his food delivered quickly, but realized that traditional food delivery takes a long time,” Squillaro said. Impatience turned into an idea, and with that, an opportunity presented itself and Dashed was born.

Squillaro has worked in the food industry in the past, but the joining of food and technology at Dashed makes going to work fun and exciting. “I love melding food and technology to serve people in a larger way. When I heard about the opportunity

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[at Dashed], I was excited. [This company] allows people to have food at their fingertips,” she said.

Dashed has been a hit in Boston for some time now, but the expansion out to the Worcester area is an exciting venture for both Dashed and the residents of the city.

“We decided to expand out to Worcester because we saw a need for this type of food delivery in that area,” Squillaro said. “For example, a lot of people from Boston will go to school and then go back home to Worcester. We want to provide the same delivery service for people out that way.”

Dashed is working with various restaurant favorites in Worcester, including The Boynton, Flying Rhino Cafe, Volturno, Nancy Chang’s, Baba Sushi and many more.

So how does it work? Dashed partners exclusively with Foodler for online ordering. “You go on Foodler.com and/or the app, put in your address, and you can see what can be delivered,” Squillaro said.

Everything can be broken down by category or cuisine, but there is also the Best Bets program, which uses an algorithm to provide a list of popular and top-rated menu items recommended for you based on your preferences and previous orders. You then choose your restaurant, add items to your cart and place your order. You will then see a screen letting you know when your food is coming and where the delivery driver is in relation to you. If you download the app, you can also get push notifications with alerts and updates on your delivery!

“The average delivery time is 39 minutes, with an intransit time of 10 minutes or less, depending on the food prep time. There is a flat delivery fee of $4.99,” Squillaro said.

Are you feeling hungry yet? Visit www.foodler. com/dashed and place your order!

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style+beauty

Men, take care of your skin, too To help men develop healthy skin care routines, Rossi offered the following tips: Consider product labels and ingredients. The skin care products you choose will depend on your skin type. If you have acne-prone skin, look for cleansers and moisturizers that say “oil free” or “noncomedogenic,” as these won’t clog your pores.

If you have sensitive skin, use mild, fragrance-free products, as products containing fragrances can leave skin feeling irritated and dry. However, beware of products labeled “unscented,” as many of these contain masking fragrances that can still irritate your skin.

Wash your face daily and after exercise. Since regular bar soap often contains harsh ingredients that can be drying to the skin, wash your face with a mild facial cleanser and lukewarm – not hot – water.

Watch your shaving technique. For some men, multi-blade razors can work too well or shave too closely to the skin. If you often experience razor bumps, razor burns or ingrown hairs, use a single- or double-blade razor instead and do not stretch your skin taut while shaving. Before you shave, wet your skin and hair to soften it. Use a moisturizing shaving cream and shave in the direction of hair growth. Rinse after each swipe of the razor, and change your blade after five to seven shaves to minimize irritation.

Moisturize daily. Moisturizer works by trapping water in your skin, which can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and make your skin look brighter and younger. For the best results, apply moisturizer to your face and body immediately after bathing, showering or shaving while the skin is still damp.

When it comes to skin care, men have traditionally kept it simple. However, experts say more men are now pursuing healthier, younger-looking skin.

“Men’s skin care isn’t as taboo anymore as more men embrace ways to take care of their skin at home,” said board-certified dermatologist Anthony Rossi, MD, FAAD, assistant professor of dermatology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medical College in New York. “Although there are key differences between men and women’s skin – for example, men’s skin is thicker than women’s – the basic elements of an effective skin care plan remain the same.

Before developing a skin care routine, Rossi said it’s important that everyone identify and understand their skin type. Sensitive skin may sting or burn after product use. Normal skin is clear and not sensitive. Dry skin is flaky, itchy or rough.

Oily skin is shiny and greasy. Combination skin is dry in some areas and oily in

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Check your skin regularly. New spots or moles that itch, bleed or change color are often early warning signs of skin cancer. If you notice any suspicious spots, make an appointment to see a dermatologist. Men older than 50 have a higher risk of developing melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, than the general population. However, when caught early, skin cancer is highly treatable.

Wear sunscreen whenever outdoors. To help prevent sun damage that can lead to wrinkles, age spots and even skin cancer, before going outdoors, apply sunscreen to all exposed areas of skin, including your scalp, ears, neck and lips. For best protection, use a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher and reapply every two hours or immediately after swimming or sweating.

You can also protect your skin by seeking shade and wearing protective clothing, including sunglasses that have UV protection and wide-brimmed hats.

“Every man’s skin is different, and there is no one size fits all approach to skin care,” Rossi said. “If you aren’t sure what skin type you have, or if have questions about how to take care of your skin, see a board-certified dermatologist.”

others.

For more information, visit aad.org

“Understanding your skin type will help you learn how to take care of your skin

These tips are demonstrated in “Skin Care Tips for Men,” a video posted to the AAD website and YouTube channel.

and select skin care products that are right for you,” Rossi said.

skin, hair and nails. A new video in the series posts to the AAD website and YouTube channel each month.

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This video is part of the AAD’s Video of the Month series, which offers tips people can use to properly care for their

stealthestyle: Wood Transfers

By Jamie Burke

I love roaming the Home and Decorating sections of every store. The big trend that has translated to all of them is words, phrases or image transfers on different finishes of planked wood. I think they are awesome. Yet, I never connect with the words or phrases on the shelves. Who doesn’t love the words “Family,” “Love” and “Always Kiss Me Good Night”? Me, I don’t! I want ones that say four letter words or things that relate to my life, like “Trash,” “Vodka” or “Go Away Children.”

I took this as a challenge to make what I want. I have read, and tried, all sorts of processes on how to do a picture or word transfer onto wood. Most of the tutorials I think were just people writing about it, rather than doing the process. I am sure there are many different ways, but this way is easy, and most likely, you have the supplies already. It does take a bit of effort when it comes to sticking to the process. The result is sophisticated, personal and, if you are like me, ridiculously hilarious and gorgeous.

You need about a day to get this done.

Supplies: Ink Jet printer so you can print out image or words on regular printed paper Mod Podge, gloss or matte Disposable sponge brush Wood in whatever finish you want for your look Wet cloth

Steps: 1. Clean the surface of the piece of wood you want to use. Have the piece already distressed, finished and ready. The lighter the wood surface, the clearer the image will appear. You can use darker wood, but follow the rule of the wood and image must be opposite shades. Dark letters on light wood or a light image on dark wood.

2. Printing out the image took me a few tries. So, I went into a plain Word document and found the font and size I wanted. I printed it out and cut it to make sure the spacing was correct. I tweaked it a bit then saved the document. I then realized I needed to superimpose or mirror the text for when I place on the wood. You really should just YouTube it. Each program is different. You will find the right way, and in less than three minutes, you will have the image mirrored. Save your image, print it out and then just cut close around the image or words. It doesn’t have to be exact.

3. Figure out if you want gloss or matte Mod Podge. If your wood surface is gloss, use gloss Mod Podge. If the surface if matte, use matte. It will come out much cleaner and more professional. Take your sponge brush and slather on a thick coat of Mod Podge onto the wood where you want the image or words to appear. Make sure the surface is covered well. Then take your printed image – print side facing down and touching the wood – and place it on the Mod Podge. Press down and smooth out all wrinkles. Be gentle; don’t rip or make holes in the paper. Try not to wiggle the image around. You should be able to see the image a little bit, but not completely. Now take your Mod Podge and lather over the paper. Make it an even coat. Now, leave it overnight or for about six hours. It must be completely dry.

4. When it is dry, you need to take a wet cloth, sponge or paper towel and saturate the image. Not a puddle of water, but make sure the water gets into the image.

Let it sit wet for about 10 minutes. Then take your fingertip and GENTLY roll and wipe the paper. Do not scrape or peel. You must gently wipe off little balls of paper with your finger. Add more water with the sponge if needed. I wipe an initial step, then walk away and see what it looks like a half hour later when dry.

You may need to repeat this step again to get off the layers of paper. It is worth it!

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