The Tufts Daily
6
Arts & Living
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Restaurant Review
True Grounds brings laid-back vibe to Somerville by
Charissa Ng
Daily Editorial Board
Inconspicuously tucked across the street from popular local spots Sound Bites and Lyndell’s Bakery, True Grounds
True Grounds Coffeehouse 717 Broadway Somerville, MA 02144 617-591-9559 $ Coffee House can best be described as the little coffee shop that could. With its unassuming storefront in the less frequented Ball Square, which locals affectionately refer to as the “breakfast square,” True Grounds is the ideal Somerville coffee shop. Combining the eclectic, laidback vibe of Diesel Cafe in Davis Square with the quaint, inviting ambiance of Medford’s Danish Pastry House, True Grounds is the perfect combination of cozy and cool. Co-owner Amy Thibeault told the Daily, “We wanted to have a community atmosphere. A warm, inviting spot for Tufts kids, young professionals and everyone who walks through the door.” Starting with the staff bidding you a warm “hello,” True Grounds has the feel of hanging out in a friend’s living room: chalkboard menu boards, red curtains draping the windows, simple brown wooden chairs set next to a couch and a bookshelf of worn books and local artwork hanging from rustic walls of deep purple, red and green. In many ways, the young owners embody the very place they created. Thibeault’s warm, personable nature is well-balanced with co-owner Rhett Richard’s soft-spoken, more under-
ashley seenauth/Tufts Daily
With an eclectic and laid-back atmosphere, Ball Square’s True Grounds is an ideal spot for coffee. stated demeanor as both work fluidly behind the counter. Thibeault explained that the concept behind True Grounds came about when she and Richard met while working together at another chain bakery in Massachusetts. Hoping to get out of the city and return to their roots in Somerville, the pair spent four months converting and renovating two storefront spaces in Ball Square before True Grounds welcomed its first customers in March 2004. Originally conceptualized as an espresso and juice bar, the juice bar was scratched due to a lack of customer interest in the area. “After our juice machine broke, we decided not to even try again,” Richard said. “It was
a learning curve along the way. The cafe itself morphed in its own way with what people wanted or requested. We moved to doing what was desired.” By focusing their attention on the espresso bar, Thibeault and Richard set out to make quality coffee a priority. “We were always going to have good, local coffee. Something that we would want to be drinking,” Thibeault said. But what’s a cup of coffee without something sweet to go with it? That’s where the scones come in. While it’s no question that people need their daily caffeine fix, it’s also the scones that keep locals coming back to True Grounds for more. From the classic blueberry and strawberry to the buttery, icing-laden lemon-cranberry,
scones are a huge draw for the locals for reasons unknown to the owners. “When I first moved down to the area, I didn’t really think much of scones,” Thibeault admitted. “But every cafe that I had either worked in or visited, they all had scones. It works here.” In addition to the generous baskets of scones and pastries behind the counter — nearly all baked fresh in-house, of course — many people come in for the sandwiches. Whether it’s grabbing a traditional egg breakfast sandwich with your morning coffee or a more sophisticated grilled panini with your afternoon tea — try the Pearson made with turkey, pesto, fresh mozzarella and slices of Granny Smith apples — True Grounds brings quality and care to the drinks and baked goods they serve. Thibeault and Richard place an emphasis on customer service and community above all else. Going on their eighth year in the business, Thibeault and Richard’s greatest strength — particularly during the economic downturn in 2008 and 2009 — is arguably their loyal customer base and close relationship with True Grounds regulars. “We’ve watched some of our customers’ kids grow up in this place. Getting to know our customers — that’s definitely one thing that we’re proud of,” Thibeault said with a grin. “What I enjoy most is the people that we work with and the people who come through the door. They’re just like our neighbors. It’s great being part of the community.” And many locals in the neighborhood could say the same about True Grounds. With its welcoming ambiance, good coffee and even better company thanks to owners Thibeault and Richard, True Grounds is a humble oasis that has slowly but surely established its well-earned place in the small local business scene in Somerville.
Theater Preview
Torn Ticket II tackles Sondheim’s challenging score by
Zoey Turek
Daily Staff Writer
There are two things every good musical needs in order to be successful: a talented cast and a dedicated director. Musical theater group Torn Ticket II’s upcoming production of “Merrily We Roll Along,” directed by senior Elizabeth Sharpe-Levine, has both of these elements and more. Before extolling the virtues of the cast, it’s necessary to say a few words about the show’s music. “Merrily We Roll Along” was written by Stephen Sondheim, who composed
some of the most notoriously complicated and confusing musical theater of our age. “I love Sondheim and I walked into this show knowing music because I’ve listened to all his shows for years, just for fun,” Sharpe said. “I cannot possibly imagine what it must be like to have to learn a Sondheim score that you’ve never heard before. So the fact that they pulled it together is stunning.” With 12 cast members, this show is larger than a typical student-run performance. The cast includes six fresh faces to the Tufts theater scene, includ-
ing four freshmen. “Some shows here, it’ll be 10 people who’ve done six shows together before, which can be great because you have a working relationship,” SharpeLevine said. “You don’t always get this chance to have a group of people where you’re building from scratch, so that’s been really fun and unexpected.” However, “Merrily We Roll Along” is unique in more than just its music. The show opens at the end of a rocky relationship between three professionals and proceeds backward in time, revealing the characters’ stories and how each one got to the
What’s Up This Weekend Looking to make your weekend artsy? Check out these events! SoC Presents: Durty Dancing: Nobody puts Spirit of Color in the corner. Check out the Tufts dance group’s semesterly show. Thursday at 9 p.m. and Friday at 8 p.m. in Cohen Auditorium. Tickets are free with Tufts ID at Balch Arena Box Office. Mac Miller at House of Blues Boston: Riding the coattails of his first LP, “Blue Slide Park” (2011), Mac Miller will take the stage in Boston for one night only. The 19-year old Pittsburgh native sprung onto the rap scene with his mix-tape “Best Day Ever” (2011) and promises to put on a great show. Saturday at 8 p.m. at House of Blues Boston. Tickets cost between $20 to $32.50, and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com. “Merrily We Roll Along”: Come watch Torn Ticket II’s rendition of Stephen Sondheim’s renowned musical about the life of a wealthy and bitter composer.
Tonight, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. at Balch Arena Theater. Tickets are free with a student ID and can be purchased at the Balch Arena Box Office. Matsuri Culture Show: The Tufts Japanese Culture Club presents the Matsuri Culture Show. Stop by DeWickMacPhie Dining Hall for a night of interactive games, prizes and live performances. Plenty of free Japanese food will be available. Saturday at 9 p.m. Admission is free with a Tufts ID. “Bio Feedback: Ecosystems, Psychoacoustics, and Other Musical Phenomena”:Come see the Tufts New Music Ensemble give an avant-garde performance involving music generated by numerous unlikely sources like brain waves. Tufts alumnus Alex Chechile (LA ’03) will perform as a guest. Friday at 8 p.m. in Distler Performance Hall. Admission is free. —compiled by the Daily Arts Department
point at which we meet them. Depending on how you interpret the musical, it can be either heartwarming or heartbreaking. Focusing for a minute on the student director, SharpeLevine chose “Merrily We Roll Along” herself and went into production after being approved by the voting members of Torn Ticket II. “Stephen Sondheim is my personal god,” Sharpe-Levine told the Daily. In order to direct a production in Balch Arena Theater, students must have taken at least two semesters of
ASHLEY SEENAUTH/TUFTS DAILY
see MERRILY, page 7
‘Merrily We Roll Along’ brings fresh faces on stage at Tufts.
Top Ten | Other ways to celebrate nudity in December Like the rest of you, we at the Daily Arts Department had quite some time to mourn the loss of Naked Quad Run (NQR) — so much time, in fact, that we’ve decided to stop whining and start being constructive. With WinterFest approaching, we compiled a list of fun activities that, if done in private or off-campus, should allow you optimal use of your birthday suit without running (get it?) the risk of suspension.
6. Nude Polar Bear Club: Cold: Going for a winter swim in the Atlantic with Coney Island’s Polar Bear Club. Colder: Going for a winter swim in the Atlantic with Coney Island’s Polar Bear Club swim in the buff.
10. Naked mechanical bull riding: Combining the best of WinterFest and NQR.
4. Naked snowmen: You know what they say about a big carrot nose...
9. Human Centipeding: Is this a verb yet?
5. Nude polar bear clubbing: There’s nothing quite as exhilarating as harvesting precious blubber for the harsh winter with pure grit and a blunt instrument.
3. Hypothermia: Is cured by... 2. Snuggling: See: “hypothermia.”
8. Mimic snow owls: Have you ever seen an owl wear pants? Neither have we.
1. Reading the Daily naked: You read it naked, we write it naked. Deal?
7. Naked Christmas decorating: ‘Tis the season to be naked. Warning: Pine needles and sensitive areas don’t mix.
—compiled by the Daily Arts Department