PULSE MAGAZINE APRIL 2021

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PULSE MAGAZINE: APRIL 2021 COVER STORY Still Making Music During COVID

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ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & CULTURE

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Grammy Winner Brings Music Prowess to Worcester

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Cara Brindisi: Worcester’s Songbird

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10 LIFESTYLE A Mission for 18 Healthy Kids and Happy Families

NowStreaming 11

Out and About

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PulseShots 13

420 in 508

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DINING REVIEW

Style Savvy

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Dining Review: ‘OLO Pizza

SPORTS + FITNESS

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Finding Balance

Hot & Now 15

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PulseBrew 16 New in the Woo: Che! Empanada

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9 Paul Giorgio, Publisher pgiorgio@pagioinc.com Kevin La, Art Director kla@pagioinc.com Josh Lyford, Editior jlyford@pagioinc.com David Simone, Vice President, Sales dsimone@pagioinc.com

READ PULSE ONLINE: THEPULSEMAG.COM

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Bernie Whitemore, Ryan Cashmen, Maria Connors, Josh Lyford, Travis Duda, Jason Savio, Paul Giorgio, Rachel Shuster, Giuliano D’Orazio, Victoriahope McAuliffe, and Jennifer Russo, Writers

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: TWITTER @WORCESTERPULSE • INSTAGRAM @WORCESTERPULSE • FACEBOOK.COM/THEPULSEMAGAZINE PULSE Magazine is produced 12 times a year by Pagio Inc., 134 Gold St., Worcester, MA 01608. (508) 756-5006. Copyright 2021 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

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STILL MAKING MUSIC DURING COVID JASON SAVIO With the closure of performance venues due to COVID-19 over the last year, it has been a trying time for many local musicians who take pride in working a consistent schedule of shows. The recent implementation of the state’s Phase IV COVID guideline is allowing some light to shine through with the potential for more gigs, but the pandemic’s punch still leaves musician’s reeling.

So how did Worcester’s musicians handle the unexpected change of pace? As always, the working spirit and never-say-quit attitude have been at the forefront. Here’s a look at how some WooTown musicians turned to their craft and looked inward over the past 12 months to find solace.

GIULIANO D’ORAZIO Giuliano D’Orazio isn’t used to having idle time.

“I’m usually pretty busy,” says the guitarist and singer. “I was doing two to four gigs a week [before the pandemic].”

Prior to COVID-19, D’Orazio could be found on a regular basis playing solo acoustic shows at BirchTree Bread Company, Nicks, and Vincent’s. He’s also a member of the currently inactive Hot Letter, does duo performances with his partner Joshua Croke as Wildcard Characters, and also plays with Hot Letter guitarist Matt Sivazlian.

Tyler Ironside (Giuliano in 2019)

D’Orazio had shows booked out until June, but of course none of those happened. He hasn’t played in front of a live audience since having to cancel his March 13, 2020 show at Nicks. He estimates that he’s had over 100 gigs canceled because of COVID.

“It wasn’t so much panic as much as ‘what’s next?’” he says. “There were a few weeks there where it was pretty hairy.”

“(That’s) definitely something we wouldn’t have done if it had been in the regular world,” he says.

D’Orazio’s initial response was to do what many other musicians found themselves doing: streaming performances on their social media accounts from their own homes and accepting tips from virtual listeners via Venmo. He and Croke created an online show called Live Stream Local, which they intended to use to invite other artists on until they realized it wasn’t safe to have them physically in their space. D’Orazio carried on with it by himself and did well off of tips from viewers.

D’Orazio had what he calls an “artist getaway” during the summer, spending time on Cape Cod to write and record music. A song from that trip, “Take Me Higher,” can now be heard on Spotify under his Wildcard Characters moniker.

“I was able to take home in just Venmo tips probably more than I would have in three or more playing-out gigs,” he says, noting that he also had more viewers than he would at a single venue. “People were very sensitive to my struggle and that of other artists and wanted to help out, so that was pretty cool.”

D’Orazio says he only streamed performances “three or four times in March/ April.” Although he describes himself as “old school about performing,” D’Orazio did find that playing virtually to people provided a nice surprise.

“I so much prefer live music for so many different reasons, but one of the things I did enjoy was complete silence,” he says. “Performing more intimate renditions of things because there’s no din in the room that you’re trying to play over. That was a neat opportunity to have these more intimate sessions.”

The virtual landscape also provided D’Orazio an opportunity to host a virtual album release party for Wachusett Sessions, a collection of unreleased work Hot Letter recorded in 2018.

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Eventually, not having what would normally be a “super busy” summer of gigging caught up to D’Orazio.

“A combination of not gigging and other isolation things caused my personal mental health stuff to catch up with me,” he says. “I had mental health struggles because I think as a musician and a performer, I wasn’t out there sharing energy and absorbing energy with folks, so that was really tough.”

With the help of friends and doctors, D’Orazio says he is better now and has found a burst of creativity, clocking “9 to 5 workdays” writing and recording his own music. He says he has had an epiphany of sorts and has a renewed focus on creating original solo music as opposed to just performing covers when the pandemic ends. He has never released anything under just his own name, and that’s what he is working on now.

“By the fall I was like ‘alright, you’re going to be a musician when this pandemic ends. How do you want to use this time? Are you going to just keep doing a lot of cover gigs in Worcester?’” he says. “I’m not knocking it, but ‘Are you going to be an entertainer, or do you have something to say as an artist?’”

Kathy Parella (Performing as Hot Letter duo with Matt Sivazlian (left) at Kathy Parella (Performing at Vincent’s, Worcester MA, 2019 Michael’s Cigar Bar, Worcester MA, 2019)

Giuliano D’Orazio (The small studio space I’ve been writing, recording and teaching out of since March 2020)

CHRIS REDDY “I have known a lot of people who have passed away [from COVID-19]. I’ve lost some friends to it and it’s been a horrible year,” says Chris Reddy.

Reddy is a longtime Worcester guitarist who has played all over New England as a full-time job. He’s known for his Acoustic Loops from Hell solo shows as well as being the guitarist in the Police tribute band Invisible Sun and also performing in Doctor Robert.

“One of the things I miss the most is the two band thing because with COVID you really don’t see these guys while we’re waiting for everything to return to normal,” he says, noting that Doctor Robert was playing six or seven times a month before COVID and Invisible Sun four or five “premier gigs a year.”

Between his three bands, Reddy has had “160-plus gigs” canceled since March 2020, including a Parade Day show at the Press Box around St. Patrick’s Day last year, a place he has played annually for six years.

Jennifer Simon

“It was more emotional than mental at first,” he says about losing gigs. “You start to realize you don’t know how long it’s going to go on.”

Reddy dabbled with the live video streaming approach, taking part in The Mill 185’s New Year’s Eve lineup to raise money for the Worcester County Food Bank and he conducted virtual guitar classes for Guitar League Central Mass. But, he says, “it’s not really my gig. I’m more of a live guy. I want to be out there live.

What I do live with the loops doesn’t correlate to the Zooming.”

So, Reddy instead turned his attention back to his love of recording music, resulting in a new eight-song collection titled Quarantine Sessions that he recorded by himself in his basement studio.

Reddy, who plays all over New England, says he doesn’t think there is a better music scene in the region than Worcester, but he is concerned what kind of lasting impact the pandemic will have on it.

“I think the sad thing about this whole thing is that it was so good and it was so vibrant and it just went off a cliff to now it’s like ‘wow,’’ he says. “That’s the thing that is the real jaw dropper. I think it will come back quicker than people think, but I just hope there aren’t a lot of places that suffer so bad they can’t ever get back to doing what they did.”

“I wanted to write something new about how I felt emotionally about COVID and lay those tracks down quickly to keep that emotion,” he says.

Reddy worked on the project, now available online, from May through October and calls the experience “cathartic.”

In March, Reddy was prepping his next project, an instrumental album he calls Distractions and is also working on getting his past work available on digital distribution.

“I’ve been more creative and I got a lot more done with my solo work,” he says. “I actually find sometimes I need more time to do all this stuff right now.”

When not in the studio, Reddy has been making the most of his time by spending it with loved ones.

“My wife and I go out into nature and do a lot of hiking and enjoy the things we didn’t spend a lot of time doing before because the schedules were so crazy,” he says. “There are positive things that come out of it too. It’s just weird.”

Reddy has an acoustic gig booked in April at Blueprint in Westminster and is hoping things will turn around so that he can play shows this summer.

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MATTHEW WADE

Michael Sparks Keegan

It hasn’t been hard to find singer-songwriter Matthew Wade of My Silent Bravery during the pandemic. Upon returning home to Worcester in February 2020 from touring overseas in support of Alex Band in Germany, Wade has been all over social media in an effort to stay in touch with his fans.

He puts together two weekly live streams every week: on Sundays starting at 11 a.m. he interacts with fans and performs original music on his Facebook page and he also does an interview every Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. on Instagram where he talks with friends from the music industry. He also found the time to write and record a double album with co-writer and producer Jimmy McGorman of the Goo Goo Dolls. That album’s title and release date have not been announced yet, but Wade is in the middle of releasing Bigger, which he recorded before the pandemic.

Because he had just wrapped up a tour near the beginning of the pandemic, Wade says it didn’t affect him the same as some other musicians.

“Since I had just got back from a long tour overseas, I wasn’t overly anxious to get back on the road and actually needed a break,” he says.

“I welcomed the down time at first and just started focusing on other aspects of my music career besides touring.”

It has changed his recording process, however. Instead of flying to L.A. to write and record, Wade has been adjusting to working in a home studio and co-writing over FaceTime.

“While it took some getting used to, it has been really great actually to be able to record whenever I like and am feeling inspired,” he says.

While Wade plans to “wait it out a little while longer” before performing anywhere in person, he is looking forward to live shows again when they are safe.

Michael Sparks Keegan

For more information on the artists featured in this story, visit: Giulianomusic.com Facebook.com/chris.reddy.716 Mysilentbravery.com 8 A PRIL 20 21

“I hope it is safe enough for us musicians to start performing how we normally would ASAP. I think we all will have to adjust to whatever the new normal will be,” he says. “I think we all understand the safety concern and just hope with the vaccines and masks and extra precautions that live music will be back sooner than later!”

ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & CULTURE

GRAMMY WINNER BRINGS MUSIC PROWESS TO WORCESTER JASON SAVIO

Grammy Award-winning studio engineer Austin Green is in town and he’s looking to make music with the next generation of stars.

Born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, Green has worked with some of the biggest names in the reggae and dancehall world, including his cousin Buju Banton, an internationally known reggae artist with whom Green won a Grammy in 2011 for his work on Banton’s Reggae Album of the Year, Before the Dawn.

Green was collaborating with his cousin under Banton’s Gargamel Records at the time of their Grammy win, but has since branched off on his own with his PayDay Music Group and has been involved in projects with superstars Rihanna and Drake. He’s currently re-strategizing and remarketing his brand because he says he has a list of songs he’s produced and recorded that he wants to release.

“What I’m trying to do is get people to understand what dancehall and reggae music is, the culture, the feel of it,” Green says. “It has already taken over New York, Miami, those places where there are more Caribbean people. I’m trying to bring it on mainstream in terms of production, dynamics and clarity, so that’s what I’m working on right now.”

The fourth child in a family of six children, Green is fiercely independent and has a work ethic that he attributes to his single mother who raised him and his siblings in Kingston on a “below middle-class” budget.

“She was a beast when it came to being a single mom,” he says. “She provided everything: morals, determination, work. She groomed her kids to be outstanding citizens.” Green has a brother who is an engineer with the army in Jamaica, and sisters who are teachers.

Green became involved in music when college became too expensive for his mother to afford and he decided to drop out to support his family. He started recording music with his friends at home while working at an airport. At the same time, his cousin Banton began to hit it big in the ‘90s. Between being loud with his music at home and working a job he wasn’t pleased with, Green’s mother had a suggestion for him.

“My mom said ‘you’re not enjoying the work (and) I don’t want you to be caught up in the street and guns, so why don’t I call Buju to come take you?’” he says.

Under Banton’s wing in 1998, Green started gaining experience with vocal recording and learning his way around a professional studio. He found himself working with “all the greats” right off the bat, such as Stephen Marley, Steely & Clevie, Sly & Robbie, and Tyrone Downey.

Bit by the music bug, Green returned to school at the Creative Production & Training Centre in Jamaica to study audio engineering while working for his cousin, because, he says, “audio engineering is very technical, you work with frequencies, you work with sound, so if you don’t know what you’re doing, you can make a real mess.”

Eventually his cousin would trust him to become more involved in the studio and start mixing songs, producing songs, playing keyboards and making beats. Green left the safety net of his cousin and Gargamel Records in 2006 to focus on his own label he was creating, PayDay Music Group.

Green’s team up with reggae and dancehall deejay Bounty Killer led to tours around the world in the mid-2000s and collaborations with superstar T.I. (“I’m Straight”), Busta Rhymes (“Kill Dem REMIX”), Drake (“9”), and Rihanna (“BBHMM”).

“I was integral in most of (those collaborations), producing the vocals (and) recording,” Green says. “We did a lot of work combining the dancehall with the hip hop.”

He received a surprise phone call in 2011 telling him that Before the Dawn, an album he had recorded with Banton in 2006 but had not been released until 2010, had won the Grammy for best Reggae Album of the Year.

“When I got the message I was like ‘nah this can’t be real’ because we were past that, we were onto other things—I was onto other things,” Green says. “I was fully concentrated on my label, doing me.”

Green’s previous work on Banton’s albums Friends for Life and Too Bad had previously been nominated for Best Reggae Album, but didn’t win.

“It wasn’t just a feeling of … all my life’s work, this is the work that we put in,” he says about winning the Grammy. “I want the world to realize that Jamaica makes great music, and we’re coming from a whole lineage of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, all of these great artists, and we got it by reggae.

At the same time, we were competing with Ziggy Marley and all those people, and we got it!”

Green is now in Worcester with his wife who was born and raised here. He says he was looking to expand PayDay Music Group and she suggested Worcester was the place to do it.

“Worcester is the perfect place for me to make music…in terms of uncharted grounds and new possibilities for me and my company to find brand new talent (in) any genre to work with,” he says. “Since Worcester is not a major hub like maybe New York, the possibility of turning Worcester in a growing hub (is) possible and I would like to be one of the front runners on that.”

Under PayDay, Green has worked as a producer and studio engineer on riddims—Jamaican rhythms, or beats--with genre artists Movado, Vybz Kartel and more. He has a long list of new music he plans on releasing in the near future that includes Sizzla Kalongi and Wayne Wonder.

Green is also game to work with and groom local artists.

“Whoever locally that can sing, can rap, guitars, I’m going to see if I can work with these people,” he says. “I’m willing to step up because I can produce any kind of music.”

You might think that someone who has already won a Grammy might not be as hungry as they used to be, but it’s quite the opposite for Green. If anything, he’s hungrier than ever before, and it all goes back to the work ethic instilled in him at a young age.

“What my mom told us, in order to be an individual that’s outstanding and progressive and forward-thinking, you have to get up and earn for yourself and then calculate all risks,” he says.

“That makes you a man.”

For more, visit: Paydaymusicgroup.com

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CARA BRINDISI: WORCESTER’S SONGBIRD VICTORIAHOPE MCAULIFFE

On International Women’s Day, I had the pleasure of meeting Cara Brindisi and discussing her life and what led her to pursue a career in music. As one of Worcester’s most inspiring and groundbreaking women in the music industry, with a voice as eclectic and versatile as her personality and interests, it felt as if fate had brought us together on such a monumental day for women.

Female musicians were Cara’s inspiration from a young age and being immersed in classic singer-songwriter melodic vocals like Natalie Merchant and Norah Jones and booming Broadway leading ladies such as Bette Midler contributed to her unique sound, and genre range.

Cara noted that her main inspirations while a developing artist were, “Natalie Merchant, Sarah McLachlan, Alison Krause, and Norah Jones. Personally, my inspiration was my voice teacher, Chas Kircher. He introduced me to a wide variety of music and singing and was a positive support for me…He then suggested Berklee College of Music and I was forever changed.”

Music has been Cara’s love from an early age, and she knew her career would involve music long before her voice teacher suggested she apply to Berklee College of Music.

According to Cara, “From early on, music was all I did. Community theatre, choirs, music lessons. By the time college came around, my only application went to Berklee College of Music. I studied Music Therapy which led me to a career in that field, but once I graduated, I needed to make extra money. I had a desire to continue to perform, and it made sense to work by day as a Music Therapist and gig in the evenings and weekends.”

Cara’s budding guitar repertoire led her to combine her Music Therapy career with performing publicly, “I was learning songs from the Beatles and Eagles on guitar for work and figured, hey, I should parlay this! These are great songs whether I am singing them to a patient or to a couple dining out at a restaurant!”

Cara Brindisi

Cara has been performing and working as a Board-Certified Music Therapist and for the last decade and has found immense support in Worcester’s community. Her love for Worcester and the people who come out to shows is unconditional, “The Worcester and Central Mass community is home, family. The loyalty and support are like nothing I have been able to put into words. I see the same faces attending my shows in dive bars, upscale restaurants, and outdoor venues. The community is willing to attend live music no matter where it is. I am so grateful for that.”

Fans are not the only part of the community Cara is grateful for, she has found support and friendship within the circle of women who are involved in Worcester’s music and performing arts circuit. Given the industry is male-dominated, “my female friends who are musicians and performers in this city…every woman who has worked in this city has experienced massive amounts of chauvinism from some of Worcester’s favorite male players. Not all, but enough to create a culture that many women here are trying to break down. The women that want to collaborate, share, support...they are my heroes.”

As a musician, Cara had to find creative ways to market and share her music when the Covid-19 Pandemic hit and live performances were postponed and eventually cancelled.

Thriving off social interaction and the experience of performing for others, Cara decided if her fans couldn’t come to her then she would go to her fans. It was this thought that was the catalyst for her Singing Telegrams, which combined her music therapy skills with her joy of public performance and songwriting.

“With Singing Telegrams, I was thrown into learning how to record videos and use technology… One song I wrote for a woman to her partner “Love In The Time of Covid”. She sent me inspirational words and stories, I put it to a melody based on a genre she enjoys, and together we collaborated for a songwriting session to create a unique, one of a kind, memento.”

Cara has shared so much of herself with us, and we are grateful for the beauty and elegance of her voice. Through one of the most challenging years we have faced, a light of joy has radiated from her and warmed our hearts as her music floated across our phones and laptops. Just as we have struggled, so has she. What has kept her going?

According to Cara, “To have deadlines and projects to work on keeps me very mentally healthy. Simply being among music and musicians is a lifeline for me. I know many can relate.”

We are grateful to Cara for sharing her thoughts on her life and this last year with us. If you would like to learn more about Cara Brindisi and her music please visit Carabrindisi. com or follow her on Instagram @carabrindisi.

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NOW STREAMING: JASON SAVIO

SAXON - INSPIRATIONS Saxon is back with their 23rd studio album Inspirations, a collection of 11 covers that lives up to its name. From beginning to end, Inspirations plays like an all-star list of iconic rock songs that undoubtedly played a major part in the shaping of Saxon’s sound. There’s even a surprise tribute to a band you wouldn’t expect.

All the rock heavyweights are brought back to life thanks to Saxon’s faithful renditions of tunes like Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” and AC/DC’s “Problem Child.” The difference is that these versions somehow sound even heavier and boast more attitude than the originals, thanks to being channeled through the unrelenting rock machine that is Saxon. The group’s take on the Beatles’ “Paperback Writer” adds a super-charged blast of energy to the 1966 song, giving it a whole new life. You’ll never listen to the original the same way again.

The best part about Inspirations is that you can tell singer Bill Byford and the rest of Saxon are having a blast. Their take on Jimi Hendrix’s “Stone Free” captures the swagger of the original perfectly with an extra little thrust for good measure. Perhaps most likely to make you jump out of your seat is the blistering cover of Deep Purple’s “Speed King.” Gone is the organ solo and in its place is an extended face-melting guitar showcase with dive bombs and whammy-bar theatrics galore, making it a souped-up nod to the original’s solo.

And just when you thought you had Saxon figured out with the song selection on Inspirations, they drop Toto’s “Hold the Line.” Guitarists Paul Quinn and Doug Scarratt make the most of the instantly recognizable riff, sinking their teeth deep into the power chords with that Saxon bite. Inspirations is Saxon’s fun and raucous salute to some of their favorite bands, reminding us that these songs will never die.

For more, visit: Saxon747.com.

BERNIE’S GARAGE - POGS IN THE MACHINE Worcester’s Bernie’s Garage is back with a quick, three-song blast of pop-punk adrenaline on Pogs in the Machine, delivering enough hooks to make you want to hear more.

The stop-and-go opener of “The Answer for Everything” clocks in at under two minutes and is reminiscent of early 2000s punk, for better for worse, but it does set the table well for the two stronger songs that follow.

“Gotta Pick It Up” is more of a catchy rock song than a full-blown pop-punk number, and plays up more forwardly on the bitterness that hides in “The Answer for Everything” with guitarist Greg Nickataz singing, “Gotta pick up when a good friend is calling/Some friends don’t even speak.” Under threat from something or someone, Nickataz’s warnings that “They’re hiding in your bedroom” and “If they get you, they will wreck you” add an ominous tone that helps the song be the standout of the trio. It’s heavier tonally and has more emotional weight to it.

“Why Would We Not” lives up to unabashed punk rock bravado on the pulse of a strong calland-response about the band’s never-say-die spirit in the face of typical band struggles. Nickataz lists locations his band has played “to no one,” like Boston and Allston, with an immediate response of “Why would we, why would we not?” It’s a fun way to end the three songs that seem to go by in a rush and it adds a nice balance to the darker “Gotta Pick It Up.” For more, visit: Berniesgarage.bandcamp.com

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ENTERTAINMENT LISTINGS

PULSE MAGAZINE ENTERTAINMENT LISTING NOTE For years, Pulse has been your go-to publication for all things entertainment. Whether that is by reading our writers’ excellent stories, or flipping back here to the entertainment listings to plan your weekend or night on the town. Things have been tough for the amazing bars, restaurants, venues and public spaces throughout Central Massachusetts since the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Many businesses have already closed and more may close in the future.

Regulations for spaces have changed several times and it has become increasingly difficult to plan our entertainment listings accordingly. Regulations and guidelines are evolving as new information regarding the pandemic is discovered and the numbers of sick and dying increase. Naturally, making sure dates and times of things like live music events are far from the top of the list for businesses struggling to stay afloat. As we can’t be sure of event information accuracy a month in advance, we are not publishing our usual entertainment listings. We hope Pulse is a publication you trust and if we can’t be positive that our entertainment information is correct, we will not include it. We hope that you understand. Rest assured that we will continue to be your go-to magazine for all things entertainment as we as a community make strides toward a happy and healthy future.

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DINING DINING REVIEW REVIEW ‘OLO PIZZA

40 MILLBROOK ST., WORCESTER (508) 459-1959 ‘OLOPIZZA.COM BERNIE WHITMORE Pandemic precautions: Arriving early one Saturday evening, hoping to be seated, we found ‘Olo’s small parking lot packed with cars, so I automatically assumed we’d be forced to revert to take-out service. That’s OK, what else is new? On entry, though, we were surprised to be offered an isolated booth near the kitchen’s meal pickup counter. And no wonder; ‘Olo has several distinct dining areas (one complete with synth-turfed bocce courts); roomy enough to accomplish pandemic-spacing while providing plenty of in-door seating.

Pandemic precautions: Arriving early one Saturday evening, hoping to be seated, we found ‘Olo’s small parking lot packed with cars, so I automatically assumed we’d be forced to revert to take-out service.

That’s OK, what else is new? On entry, though, we were surprised to be offered an isolated booth near the kitchen’s meal pickup counter. And no wonder; ‘Olo has several distinct dining areas (one complete with synth-turfed bocce courts); roomy enough to accomplish pandemic-spacing while providing plenty of in-door seating.

Suddenly we were dining in public! Remember how that went? You’d be welcomed, tonight our server was Bridget, order drinks and then browse the menu for apps and entrées. I started out with a glass of Juice Freak, an IPA from Westborough’s Cold Harbor Brewing. The hazy orange brew was my first draft in months, its crunchy citrus bitter flavor had me freaking with praise.

Then Bridget presented our Chopped Antipasto. Unless your kitchen is attached to a green-grocer and delicatessen this plate-load of mixed greens, vegetables, meats and cheeses would be impossible to construct at home. From it, the two of us each made three dishes of salad: a mix of chopped romaine lettuce, strands of mesclun greens, slivers of sweet red onion, deep-flavored black olives and chunks of green

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peppers and fresh tomatoes. Other standouts: tender roasted pepper strips, quarters of fresh mozzarella balls, romaine shavings, bits of salami and pepperoni.

It all came draped with thin slices of prosciutto ham and was dressed with a tart red wine vinaigrette. Such a pile of salad! What initially looked impossible to finish was obliterated in minutes. Sometimes your body just craves fresh.

When it comes to entrées, ‘Olo’s sticks close to their specialties: Pizza (white or red) and Sandwiches (‘sandos’). If I’d thrown a dart at the menu, I’d be happy with any random selection it landed on. But we were drawn to a specialty they feature two nights per week: Detroit Style Pizza.

Yes, Detroit Style is a deep-dish pizza. For the legion who’ve sworn fealty to Neapolitan, I don’t ap’Ologize for ordering it. I too have made the pilgrimage to Naples and had my life changed by their ethereal pies.

But it’s a large enough planet for other pizza experiences.

Trust me, try ‘Olo’s Detroit style pizza, especially if you’re able to dine-in and get it really fresh. Our table was near the kitchen and had a view of the dazzling, re-tiled pizza oven, so I could watch it being made. This is a rectangular pizza; the base is a chewy

yeasty dough ladled with zesty-fresh marinara and a thick layer of brick cheese. Three formats are offered: cheese, pepperoni or half cheese/ half pepperoni.

We chose cheese / pepperoni.

When all this bakes in the blasting 600-degree heat of ‘Olo’s oven, the edges of the pan sear the mild-flavored brick cheese to form a cheesy-rich blackened crust that I found insanely delicious. Add to that the spicy-salt baked pepperoni slices, the bright acid of their fresh tomato marinara and all that thick yeasty dough: it made for a Detroit-style wall of flavor.

If it had been a non-Detroit evening, I would have loved to have tried one of ‘Olo’s white pizzas, especially the Hot Calabrese Pie. With fresh oregano, roasted peppers, caramelized onions, fresh mozzarella and soppressata, it sounds like another dish of hearty flavors.

The evening at ‘Olo’s felt like time travel; after months of isolated takeout dining, we were suddenly seated at a table in a public space enjoying friendly hospitality, tasty fresh cuisine accompanied by a glass of draft – all in a space that echoed with a soundtrack straight from the disco-seventies. Who saw that coming?

We’ve survived pandemic winter – let’s hope it’s our last.

HOT & NOW What’s hot and happening now in the restaurant scene PAUL GIORGIO

MORE THAN JUST BEER. Wormtown Brewery on Worcester’s Shrewsbury Street recently expanded its Tap room by taking over the space that was once home to Simjang and, before that, Sweet.

T’S ALL GREEK TO ME. Meze on Worcester’s Shrewsbury Street has reopened after closing for the winter. They have great Greek Food in a very friendly atmosphere

In addition to more seating, the brewery will be serving breakfast on Sundays compliments of the Miss Worcester Diner, another iconic landmark. During the week the Kitchen at Wormtown will be taken over by a variety of Worcester eateries such as Peppercorn’s, Birch Tree and a few of their neighbors on Shrewsbury Street.

ARMSBY ABBEY SET TO REOPEN. Worcester’s Armsby Abbey on Main Street is set to open in April. We don’t have a date yet, but a Facebook post was letting their customers know they are back after a year’s hiatus due to Covid.

TINY HOUSES, BIG FLAVORS. Four tiny house-like structures on the patio of The Mill 185 in West Boylston allow guests the option of dining outside during the colder months. Each tiny house has a couple of heating towers to keep diners cozy. Tony Topi owner of the Mill is the brains behind the tiny house feature.

IN WORCESTER. Brew City on Shrewsbury Street, which has been in hibernation since Jan. 17, recently reopened its doors after a two-month shutdown. The restaurant opened in the middle of March.

Beer Garden to reopen. The Beer garden opposite the Worcester Common is slated to open the middle of April. They have been closed since November 2020. The Beer Garden is part of the Grid District in Downtown Worcester. We are waiting for word on when the other restaurants in the Grid District will reopen. These include Franklin Street Fare, Revolution Pie + Pint and Craft Table & Bar. I

MORE RICE. Brown Rice 2 will soon open in the Wachusett Plaza in West Boylston. The owner will be Achara Weydt who owns four other Thai restaurants: Brown Rice Thai Cuisine, Thai Time and Rice Violet, both in Worcester, and Thai and I Restaurant in Shrewsbury IT’S NOT A DINER, DRIVE-IN OR DIVE. Celebrity chef Guy Fieri’s new restaurant venture brings Flavortown to Westborough.

The Food Network star, whose shows include “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” and “Guy’s Grocery Games,” has launched Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Kitchen, a chain of more than 100 restaurants that are operated within existing restaurants. One of the newest flavortown Kitchens is at Bertucci’s on Route 9 in Westborough.

IT MAY BE UNIQUE IN WORCESTER. The Unique Café, a Jamaican restaurant, recently opened its doors at 79 Millbury St., down by Patsy Dugan’s. The restaurant is owned by Nadine James. The restaurant could be considered a spin-off from the Worcester food hub, where James worked before opening her own restaurant.

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PULSEBREW RYAN CASHMAN I’m trying something new this month.

For the last few years, I’ve given you my opinions on virtually every small brewery in Worcester County. It’s been absolutely amazing driving out into some of the more rural, woodsy areas of our county - the largest in the state - and finding some really excellent breweries and brewers. Still, Worcester County has a lot more to offer than just beer and while beer will still be the primary focus of this column, I’m going to be exploring some of the other spirits our region has to offer.

First up, Hardwick Vineyard and Winery (HVW).

It’s difficult to imagine Massachusetts as a “vineyard state.” California, with it’s “perfect grape growing climate” has dominated the North American wine market for nearly half a century. But recently, there has been an effort to produce more wines in the northeast, and HVW is no exception.

Perched on the edge of Worcester County, Hardwick is what one can call a “deep state” in the sense that it’s quite a way into Massachusetts. It’s not the area one immediately thinks of as “wine country” but that is where you would be wrong. If ever there were a streak of modern Yankee ingenuity, it can be found in the concoctions fermenting in the barns of HVW. I recently sampled two of their wines: the Baystate Blueberry and Massetts.

Cranberry.

Let’s start with the blueberry. Once uncorked, the smell indicates that the drinker is in for something completely different. The aroma sings strongly of blueberries, and not the bitter ones you’d find up in Maine. No, these blueberries are the plump, juicy, sweet ones. Baystate is a blend of red wine and blueberries. It’s marketed as semi-dry, but to me it’s more like a semi-sweet.

Then again, I like my wine dry. It’s an incredibly flavorful wine that takes several sips to fully appreciate. The blueberry comes across very strong, but as the wine sits on the tongue, the grapes and plum start to come through.

It’s a delightful little wine that I’d pair with a nice cheese board.

The Massetts is more my style. Dry and crisp. Tart, with a hint of sweetness.

It has a much deeper profile than the Baystate, which in many ways makes it more “winelike.” With white wine as the base, cranberries are added to provide tartness while also bringing out the whites sweeter side. This is an easily sippable wine that is best served chilled, as nearly all white wine should be. As we head into the warmer seasons, keep the Massetts Cranberry on your radar of refreshing wines to sip on summer evenings. I’d pair this with steamers and lobster. It’s perfectly New England.

HVW has a wide range of wines, probably the widest range in the state.

Scroll through their website and you’ll immediately see their Yankee Ingenuity at work.

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK, 24 HOURS A DAY! 155 SHREWSBURY STREET • WORCESTER, MA • 508-791-4535

I’ve not yet visited the vineyard itself, but I will definitely be making my way out to Hardwick very soon.

Hardwick Vineyard and Winery: Hardwickwinery.com.

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NEW AROUND THE WOO: CHE! EMPANADA RACHEAL SHUSTER

Located at 19 Kelley Square in Worcester, Che! Empanada is an Argentinian restaurant serving up the most delicious and authentic empanadas.

You may have had empanadas before, but what makes these so special is the fact that they are Argentinian-style which means they are flour-based and baked, not fried.

Co-owner, Albie Alvarez knows a thing or two about authentic Argentinian empanadas. “I’m Argentinian – I was born there,” she says. “I came to the US when I was eight and have been here for 47 years. I always wanted to bring something here from Argentina. My father always did empanadas.

Everyone in my house knows how to make them. I got the idea to open a restaurant when I went to visit my sister in Colorado. There were five different Argentinian empanada places – I was floored by it! I knew then that this is what I wanted to do – bring Argentinian empanadas to Worcester. That’s when the love affair started.”

Alvarez and her family came to the US because of her father. “He went to New York as carpenter, but then transferred him to a job in Boston for more money to support his family,” she says. “I grew up in Jamaica Plain and then we moved to Newton which is where I grew up.”

Alvarez is actually a financial planner by trade. “I always wanted to do something else though. I also run a nonprofit called Financial Education Institute which brings financial literacy to other nonprofits, colleges and for profits.”

When Alvarez met her business partner and co-owner of the restaurant, Roy Caceser, she knew it would be a great partnership. “Roy has the same passion for what he does,” she says. “I met Roy through another friend in the summer of 2020. A friend of mine is a realtor, and he told me that he knew of a guy looking for an Argentine restaurant. My friend introduced us and when I met him, I knew. We had similar business goals, and beyond that, we share the same family values. His family has been here in the US for five years. He has four children; my husband and I have 11 children. We decided to join forces.”

Alvarez and Caceser opened Che! Empanada in Worcester in January, but that wasn’t Alvarez’s first go at it. “I had almost closed on a business in Newton, MA,” she says. “At the end of February 2020, the owner of the business I was going to close on told me that her children came home from college and

talked her out of selling me the business. It was a disappointment and I had to go through a lot. It was a lot of time spent. However, looking back, I feel so lucky that I didn’t go into that situation.”

When COVID came it gave Alvarez time to start looking for another space.

“I found the location in Kelley Square and it was perfect and everything I was looking for,” she said.

The menu at Che! Empanada offers a variety of empanadas. “All empanadas are baked, not fried,” Alvarez says. “We ground all our own beef, chicken and pork. We use fresh ingredients and use as much local as we can. Everything we put into it is love. We crimp them by hand and there are different crimpings for different flavors.”

Options on the menu include four beef flavors, three different chicken flavors, two chorizo flavors, ham and cheese, bacon ham and cheese, tuna, and vegan and vegetable varieties. They have a total of 18 flavors and look to add more in the future.

A single is $3.50, half dozen is $20, and a full dozen is $36. They also have a special which includes three empanadas of your choice, a drink and bag of chips for $10.99!

“Right now, we solely offer empanadas,” Alvarez says. “We want to perfect that, but will eventually add more Argentinian items.”

When things get better with COVID, Alvarez plans to do some community events and outreach. “I want to do some pop ups at different farmer markets, have a presence at the concert series in the city, and more,” she says.

“We are already in talks with Worcester Free Fridge to donate empanadas.”

Alvarez is excited for the future and is happy to share her family tradition and passion with the Worcester community. “Each empanada is unique, special and completely different,” she says. “It’s like a tiny, delicious meal. We put our heart and soul into each one.”

Che! Empanada is open Monday - Friday: 11:00am - 8:00pm, Saturday: 11:00am - 10:00pm, Sunday: Closed.

Visit Che! Empanada at Cheempanada.com for more information. t h epu ls emag.com

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LIFESTYLE LIFESTYLE

A MISSION FOR HEALTHY KIDS AND HAPPY FAMILIES MARIA CONNORS The organizations that serve Worcester have been working tirelessly since the pandemic began to continue meeting the needs of their communities.

Necessities such as access to nutritious food, monetary relief and PPE are at the forefront of most people’s minds, but Marie’s Mission provides a vital and often overlooked product—diapers. Marie’s Mission is a Ministry of St. Michael’s-on-the-Heights Episcopal Church, and was founded in 2015 in loving memory of Sarah and Patrick Galvin’s daughter, Marie Louise Galvin.

Sarah Galvin serves as the Executive Director of the organization, whose mission is to “ensure that families in need have an adequate supply of diapers for their infants and toddlers and to provide resources that support healthy childhood development.” Today, Marie’s Mission is proud to be the largest distributor of diapers in Worcester and serve around 75 families a month, distributing approximately 4,500 diapers at each of their monthly diaper drives.

Diaper need is an oft-forgotten side effect of financial insecurity. With 5 million children in the United States ages three-and-under living in poor and low-income families, one-in-three families report experiencing diaper need according to the National Diaper Bank Network. Infants can require up to 12 diapers a day and toddlers up to 8, making the monthly cost of disposable diapers between $70 and $80 for a single child. Exasperating this problem is the fact that diapers are not covered under any state or federal child safety-net program, such as WIC, meaning families pay out of pocket to cover these costs.

Of the 10 diaper banks in the state of Massachusetts, Marie’s Mission is one of the only ones that continued their service through the pandemic, raising the demand astronomically as more individuals and other community organizations rely on them for a supply of diapers. In addition to handing out diaper packages at their monthly drive, Marie’s Mission has worked closely with community organizations like Ascentria Care Alliance and the Worcester Housing Authority to support their clients, and benefits from a strong relationship with UMass Medical School to provide volunteers to help out at the diaper drives. As Marie’s Mission is looking to expand to a second location, they are hoping to make connections with the Worcester Public Schools as well as local private and charter schools to join their networks of organizations students can volunteer with. “We are very excited about our growth and where we’re going,” Galvin expresses, a promise that Marie’s Mission is only picking up speed.

The continued success of Marie’s Mission during the pandemic is no small feat—the organization must adapt on a month-to-month basis to meet evolv18 A PRIL 20 21

ing needs in the constantly changing COVID-19 landscape. Pre-pandemic diaper drives weren’t just for picking up diapers. On the third Saturday of every month, St. Michael’s-on-the-Heights Episcopal Church would host a steady stream of families coming to get diapers and socialize over snacks and coffee. There was space for kids to play, arts and crafts activities, and a reading hour to listen in on. Diaper drives were social events, reinforcing the focus of Marie’s Mission on community health and happiness. Unfortunately, social distancing and public health concerns have made these monthly events more strictly about picking up diapers. Some months the diaper drive operates as a drive-through and more recently a walk-through, where community members can pick up their package of diapers and snack bags for children. Marie’s Mission also facilitates a youth-led literacy program, run

by Galvin’s own children, that allows kids to leave diaper drives with a workbook. While diaper drives are only held monthly, Marie’s Mission does their best to provide emergency services whenever needed.

“Early on, when there was a shortage of things like toilet paper, there was also a diaper shortage,” Galvin remembers, discussing how the organization tried to accumulate diapers from as many sources as possible to distribute to those in need.

As Marie’s Mission is an entirely volunteer-run organization, they are always in need of more hands. Most volunteers help out on distribution day, gathering and packaging diapers and snacks, while there are other opportunities to write grants and conduct research for the organization. Diaper drives have even been hosted to support Marie’s Mission—last October, Rockland Trust Bank held a diaper drive that boasted a collection of over 4,000 diapers to donate to Marie’s Mission. In addition to in-person volunteering opportunities, the organization is always taking physical and financial donations and has an Amazon wish list linked on their website: Mariesmission.org.

Marie’s Mission isn’t working alone—the organization is just one puzzle piece in a network of community services working to support Worcester. “Our connections to the community give us an opportunity to help people in a way we couldn’t just ourselves,” Galvin explains. The organization is able to connect clients with medical and dental care through their relationships with UMass Medical School and Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health, to food banks they have established relationships with and community and family services through organizations like Ascentria Care. The ultimate goal of Marie’s Mission is to support families wholly, playing a vital role in making the Worcester community healthier, happier, and more connected to one another.

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TRAVIS DUDA

It’s a New Dawn, It’s a New Día Worcester’s newly-opened recreational dispensary, New Día, is a hidden gem. Tucked away in the corner of a strip mall on Cambridge Street is the first dispensary to open using the economic empowerment benefits. The facility is very unassuming, with a limited amount of signage or visual indicators to show that you are at a cannabis dispensary. However, on the other side of the front door, customers are welcomed with a clean and modern shopping experience. Similar to how Good Chemistry, on Harrison Street is set up, customers immediately interact with a staff member at the front door who asks to see identification. Once cleared, you’re buzzed into the main dispensary area. The lighting is chill to match the vibe of the whole room. There are sleek displays that are minimally designed to feature various products that are for sale. I particularly enjoyed a small hand statue holding some of the edibles. I was pumped to see owner Ross Bradshaw sitting at the front desk on a Saturday morning, welcoming in new customers, then running into the showroom to help one of the budtenders solve an issue with the register. It was charming to get “small business vibes” from a dispensary. I’m excited to see what New Día adds to their product list and stoked to have another cannabis option in the area.

Seltzer Time!

For those that don’t know, I happen to be a pretty big fan of seltzer. So much so that I have a podcast about it, but I digress. Thanks to my friend Anna over at Nature’s Remedy, I got to try two flavors of the brand new LEVIA: Cannabis Infused Seltzers that’s been hitting the shelves. As a connoisseur of carbonated water, I shouldn’t need to tell you that I was really stoked to try it. I don’t eat a lot of edibles but this seltzer was up my alley. I’ve tried both the Lemon-Lime “Celebrate” and the Raspberry-Lime “Achieve”. Both flavors taste great with only subtle herbal notes.

They are a little pricey though. Each can has 5 mg inside and costs $7 at most places I’ve seen it. The top to the can is especially annoying to remove, but I’ll save my rant on packaging for a future column.

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It’s like this, I don’t really drink alcohol. So it was nice to have a carbonated adult beverage with my wife. They are probably not something I would drink every day but I definitely plan on enjoying some with friends this summer. Normally I’d be pounding seltzers at an outdoor party but knowing that there’s 5 mg of THC will make me savor it a little more.

Free Million Dollar Idea Are you still buying off the street? I gave it up somewhere in the middle of the pandemic and now that I have my medical card there’s really no looking back. I know some people will never want to make the switch, and will always try to make their purchases from non-licensed sellers. So an idea I had is that a dispensary in our area should design the interior of their facility to look like the basement of a shady triple decker. Keep the glass cases, but maybe put some fake cracks in them? Definitely put some bummy couches and some trippy posters on the wall. Maybe just pay some older stoner to hang out all day and tell weird stories. I know we can’t smoke in the facility but it’d be a lot cooler if we could. That being said I have to believe that there’s less and less of these types of buying experiences happening. With the dispensary pricing closing in on the street pricing, I feel like it’s only a matter of time for the truly independent shops to fold up.

For me, it’s the consistency. I like having consistent strains to rely on and also like knowing that I can just go to the weed store whenever I need to.

Unless it’s really late on a Sunday night and I’ve screwed up my rationing again. At the end of the day there’s no judgment from me. I am all for whatever is best for you. But seriously, somebody should really consider turning a dispensary into a more traditional buying experience.

Thanks for reading, have a merry 4/20, and happy trails!

-Travis t h epu ls emag.com

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OUT GIULIANO ANDD’ORABOUT AZIO Springtime signals new growth, warmer weather and shedding the winter blues. It’s the feeling of a fresh restart that most of us look forward to. Typically, it’s also a time we break out of hibernation and re-engage in our social circles, grabbing a beer on your favorite patio (shoutout to my fave - Redemption Rock on Shrewsbury Street!). This year, that sentiment might be more potent than ever.

With the vaccines rolling out across the state and the nation, restrictions on gatherings are being eased and communities are looking ahead at a return to physical togetherness. For members of the LGBTQ+ community, the pandemic may have us feeling even more isolated than some.

Queer folks so greatly value spaces where we can safely gather; where we’re accepted, represented and valued. As excited as we are, there’s still the buzz of paranoia in the air, perhaps even tinged with a touch of Stockholm Syndrome. If you’re like me, pandemic brain fog has you feeling sluggish and more socially awkward. The turbulent political climate of the past year is in the back of my mind, too, as I think about reentering public life. How will the division we see across the nation play out in our regular interactions? I think the pandemic has kept many folks siloed, paranoid and untrusting, and conspiracies have caused disputes over basic facts. Will our regained proximity to others clear a bit of this anthropophobic haze?

Let’s just talk about the basic public health/safety angle for a minute. Yea, we’re seeing a ton of promising trends as vaccines are distributed to more and more of the population, but this isn’t the time to believe the virus, as some genius once put it, will “magically disappear”. Let’s try, for the sake of ourselves and our neighbors, to finish strong here. Do your part with the masks, distancing, and washing hands? Washing hands is cool in general. The vaccines, as most health and science experts agree, are working, but the CDC and NIH are both urging all of us to keep up with our safety measures. Hey, I’m down for anything that might help get us back on the dancefloor a bit sooner.

I know I am so looking forward to publicly engaging in a social life.

I really miss the Worcester’s Queer Community. Seeing old friends and new faces alike at Airspray, or making new friends at karaoke were some of the high points of any given week before COVID. This column Out And About, has historically been a spotlight on the queer community and our goings on in and around Worcester.

While I’ve done my best to keep abreast with any news that has come up over the past year, such as the changes surrounding Worcester Pride, there really hasn’t been a whole lot happening… out, or... about, so I zoomed out a bit to focus on broader, relatable topics as we all navigated the pandemic. I can’t wait to be writing about events and culture-shaping moments again. To that point, please don’t hesitate to email me (giulianodoraz@gmail.com) with any suggestions or ideas for a future column. I’d love to hear from you!

Giuliano D’Orazio (he/him pronouns) is a Worcester native, musician, music educator, active member of the local LGBTQ+ community, and a board member of Love Your Labels.

Follow him on instagram @musicbygiuliano

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STYLE Savvy STYLE SAVVY APRIL GODDARD Good day Pulse readers and happy month of April! April is the month that I feel that we can all say that we have officially made it through the winter and into the spring and summer season. By now the flowers are blooming, the pollen is abundant and ice cream stands have been opened for the season. Among these, we also find ourselves on a mission to transition ourselves-from wardrobe to skincare to hair and more-into a regular routine that screams “hi summer, how are ya?”. If you are here for it and can relate, read on to discover how to hop aboard the summer train; Destination:warm weather full steam ahead.

SUNSCREEN.

There is a perfectly good reason why that word is in all caps. You can have a killer makeup look, killer skincare routine and even just plain old killer skin, but you know what? It won’t stay that way for long if you don’t protect yourself with some good, old-fashioned SPF. Seriously. Make everyday an opportunity to protect yourself from sunburn, premature aging and the rest of the bad things that come along with the sun’s glorious (yet tremendously harmful) rays. After skincare in the morning, slap some spf all over your face, neck, and everything that will see the sunlight. Helpful hint: everyone forgets the back of their hands. This shows signs of aging too!

SKINCARE..

Speaking of, you may need/want to revamp your skincare routine with the coming of the new season. Why? Because what you needed for intense hydration in the winter may not be necessary in the summer. Instead of the heavy creams that were a remedy for dry winter skin, opt for a lighter moisturizer that will weather better in more intense heat and humidity and won’t clog your pores if you are sweating a lot. Additionally, go easy on the oils-you might not need them if the weather is not quite as dry anymore.

HAIRCARE.

Okay, so winter is dry and affects your hair accordingly, and while summer may be more humid, again we can thank Mr. Sun for some mild UV damage to the hair. Add chlorine pool water to that, and you will have some very fried ends. As soon as you find yourself spending more time outside, be sure to incorporate a styling product or finishing spray that you can use to protect both your scalp (think where you part your hair) as well as the hair itself. There are so many good options for this, so be sure to try a few out to find one that works best for you. In regards to chlorinated bodies of water- If you are someone who finds that you are starting to go swimming again, remember this simple trick: Before heading out for a swim, wet your hair completely with cool water to help to seal up the hair cuticle. Take either your normal conditioner or a deep conditioner and distribute it evenly through the hair. If your hair is on the longer side, simply braid it and head out, or leaving it down or in a ponytail.

The moisture and conditioner will help to prevent your hair from soaking up as much of that chemical-treated water. After you’re done swimming, if you can help it, try to wash your hair right away. If you let the chlorine sit in your hair and then bake it in the sun, it is a recipe for dry, split ends. t h epu ls emag.com

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Thank goodness spring has finally sprung! I don’t know about you, but this has felt like the longest winter I’ve ever had. With COVID restrictions and not being able to do the things we love because, well, let’s face it, it’s been cold out and who wants to hang around in that crap? Now that we are experiencing more warm days, seeing evidence of trees beginning to bud and robins hopping around in the grass and embracing more daylight, we are reminded of freedom. One of my favorite things about this time of year is that for the first time I can open a window wide and clear out all the stale air in my home and in my car.

One of the downfalls of living in this area is that it does get so cold here during winter. People retreat indoors. Now though, we can start doing things outside again, whether it be a socially distant fire pit with friends, eating outside on a restaurant patio, walking on a trail or pretty much anything else.

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www.AmericanHeritageMuseum.org (978) 562-9182 22 A PRIL 20 21

Spring is renewal. Life. We have learned to value life a little differently in this past year. Mentally we are all pretty tired, but heading into a season of new things is scientifically proven to be healthy. We are more relaxed, our memory and focus improve, and our mood is generally a happier one. It also inspires creativity as our brains become more open and take in more information. Vitamin D seeps into our skin, giving us more energy and a general sense of well-being.

The season is also one where we can take steps to purge things we no longer need. Get rid of that clutter, organize the things you do use and add more brightness to your space. Recycle things that can be recycled. Upcycle an old item into one you will enjoy. Lighten up your diet a bit and eat healthier, freshly grown foods. Start looking at less than savory habits and start making better ones that will make you feel good.

This is a time to make things new and to take a collective breath of that beautiful, fresh air.

Inhale and exhale love, warmth & light.

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