PDF - Sturbridge Times Magazine

Transcription

Prsrt. Std
U.S. Postage
PAID
Worcester, MA
Permit No. 2
2
THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE
THE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE COUNTRY LIVING
STURBRIDGECOUNTRYLIVING
JANUARY - FEBRUARY, 2010
THE
STURBRIDGETIMES
PUBLISHER & EDITOR PAUL CARR
MANAGING EDITOR JOHN SMALL
MAGAZINE
SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE KAREN ROTHWEILER
CONTRIBUTORS JEFF CANNON
THOMAS CHAMBERLAND
JEFFREY DAVENPORT
ROBERT GEORGE, ESQ.
RICHARD MCGRATH
RICHARD MURPHY
PAUL REYNOLDS
STEPHANIE RICHARDS
THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE | CARR MEDIA GROUP
P.O. BOX 418, STURBRIDGE, MA 01566
TEL. 508-347-7077 FAX 508-347-8150
THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE is published 11 times a year, with a combined January-February issue, in Sturbridge, Massachusetts by Carr
Media Group. We accept photos, opinions, short articles, stories, poems and drawings from the general public, but assume no responsibility for failure
to publish a submission or for typographic errors published or incorrect placement. The contents of this magazine consist of copyrightable material
and cannot be reproduced without the expressed written permission of the author and the publishers of The Sturbridge Times Magazine. We reserve
the right to refuse any advertising for any reason. We reserve the right to require editing to any advertising that is accepted for publication.
ADVERTISING DEADLINE: Camera ready: the 20th of each month prior to publication. The 17th of the month for Nov. and Dec.
ADVERTISING OFFICE: 508-347-7077 ext. 2 (Karen)
DELIVERED INTO EVERY HOME, BUSINESS AND POST OFFICE BOX IN STURBRIDGE,
AND TO SELECTED HOMES IN BRIMFIELD, BROOKFIELD, CHARLTON, EAST BROOKFIELD,
HOLLAND, NORTH BROOKFIELD, WALES, WEST BROOKFIELD, SOUTHBRIDGE, SPENCER.
ALSO MAILED TO INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES ELSEWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND TO MEN AND WOMEN OF THE U.S. ARMED FORCES WHO ARE SERVING OUR COUNTRY
IN THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD.
PRINTED AT MASS WEB, AUBURN, MASSACHUSETTS
MAILED FROM CLARK MAILING COMPANY, WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS
3
3
FITNESS FOCUS
By COACH PAUL REYNOLDS
PERSONAL TRAINER, SIMS PREMIER FITNESS, CHARLTON
ADVICE
FROM A PROFESSIONAL
PERSONAL TRAINER
FOR
READERS
OF
I am very excited to have been invited to write this column for The Sturbridge Times Magazine, and will be writing to you on a monthly basis in my capacities as a personal trainer, baseball and basketball coach.
While my work delves into highly specific areas of
sports and fitness, the topics we will cover each month will
be directed to members of the general population. Given
that we are beginning this column in the January-February
issue, it seems fitting that we kick off with some thoughts
on new year’s resolutions as they relate to fitness and
health.
For many of us, the first of January signifies a time
when we wish to consider change. Though the cliche tells
us change is good, the truth is that most of us resist
change. By nature we are creatures of habit, thus we avoid
leaving our comfort zones; though what is comfortable is
not always good. In fact, it is healthy to force ourselves out
of our comfort zones, especially those that revolve around
a couch, a TV, and a refrigerator. Why get up and venture
out into the cold dark world outside and trudge to the
gym, when we can be warm and comfortable at home?
Why change?
The first step we all need to take is to establish our why.
We need a reason, and a good one. For some, this might
be a matter of life or death. The word death never fails to
grab our attention. But it is the word life that we need to
focus on. Ensuring and extending life are good reasons
why we should begin working on our health. This is something we should be doing every day, and not just for an
4
Consider key steps when starting
a new year’s health resolution
“Health
is your greatest measure
of wealth”
hour or so. In the fitness industry, one salient word we
come back to time and again is results. I always tell clients
that to get results one needs to work at it all the time. Not
just while at the gym, but everywhere we are. Consistency
is the key. We have to really want it. Desire is critical to our
success. Dedication and discipline are too.
To make long-term positive changes in our lives, we
need to master behavior modification. We must make permanent lifestyle changes. A lot of it is about the habits we
have, and the associations we make. To succeed we have to
break some old (bad) habits and make some new (good)
ones. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? It can be, but in practice,
it isn’t usually.
I will not lie to you. Fitness involves work; hard work,
and a lot of it. But I believe that your health is your greatest measure of wealth, and is worth all the effort required
to ensure it. The road to fitness is a long one — a life long
journey. Said another way, the road to fitness is a
marathon, not a sprint. Fear not, no one has to run a 26mile marathon to be healthy. The truth is, you don’t even
have to run at all. Slow and steady wins the race. I remember a sticker placed on a very old stair climber machine I
used many years ago that summed it up pretty well; it said:
“He who climbs the mountain too fast will never reach the
top.”
So these simple thoughts are the essential messages I
have for those of you who are embarking on a fitness regimen for the new year. First, know why you want to make a
change in your life because this will keep you on a steady
foundation when the hard times come, and they will.
Second, don’t relegate your exercise and behavior to specific periods of the day or week. There are changes you can
make throughout your day that will help you achieve
results. And third, identify those habits that are bringing
you down and cut them out. Tear them from your routine.
Replace them with good habits that will keep you from
shifting back to the old ones. If you know for a fact that
you need a snack at night, keep the brownies out of the
house and prepare a bowl of fresh, crisp cut-up vegetables
or fruit and make this your new habit. Before long, you
will have made the break by replacing a bad old habit with
a good new one. Happy New Year to each of you.
Coach Paul has been involved in sports and fitness for over
thirty years. His experience with weight training began while
in the sixth grade, and grew more serious during high school
and college. In 1998 Paul became a NGA certified personal
trainer, and decided to use his twenty years of study to help
others realize their fitness goals and reach their true potential.
In 2005, he started coaching youth baseball and basketball.
Paul has trained hundreds of athletes over the years, and has
worked with all types of people age five to 85. He specializes
in strength and speed training routines, as well as designing
personalized food programs.
Coach Paul can be reached at: [email protected].
FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS
Yankee Spirits owner and employees seek ways to do
good despite the bad economy
By Richard Murphy
Last August, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
applied the increased sales tax to alcoholic beverages.
This has come on top of the fact that alcohol was
already taxed at the state and federal level. These
kinds of changes have a tendency to seep into our
consciousness and blend into the background, but
for locally-owned Yankee Spirits, this new tax policy
has dealt a blow to their bottom line. Rhode Islanders and Connecticut residents no longer have as a big
reason to drive to Sturbridge to replenish their wine
cellars. The Rhode Islanders, of course, are within
relatively close reach of Yankee’s Swansea store.
Yankee has had to react to the fallout in the same
fashion as most businesses — cuts and economies are
necessary. All areas of the business are subject to
scrutiny and that includes philanthropy. It was in the
area of charitable giving that the company saw an
YANKEE SPIRITS’ EMPLOYEES FOCUS CHARITABLE GIVING ON CARE OF ANIMALS
Bonnie Keefe-Layden, CEO of Rehabilitative Resources, Inc. (left) and Michael Cimini, President of
Yankee Spirits are photographed with Pebbles, a goat at Elm Hill Farm in Brookfield, who will be
one of the beneficiaries of a new fence. Yankee Spirits donated the funds for the fence to RRI.
opportunity despite the necessity to economize.
This was explained to The Sturbridge Times
Magazine by Mike Cimini, owner of Yankee Spirits.
In evaluating what the company had given in the past
he pointed out that it was done in dribs and drabs.
The odd $50 here and $100 there meant that, generous as it was, the giving had little impact.
So Yankee consolidated the charitable money.
Then management asked the employees how they
wanted it allocated. Overwhelmingly the staff wanted it to go to organizations focused on the care of animals.
There are no shelters in Sturbridge, but there are
some not far from Yankee and certainly in the region
the store serves. East Brookfield is the home of
Second Chance Animal Shelter. Second Chance
aims to provide temporary shelter for abandoned,
Continued on following page
5
INSIDE BANKING
By JEFFREY DAVENPORT
PRESIDENT & CEO, SOUTHBRIDGE CREDIT UNION
PROFESSIONAL ADVICE
FROM A LOCAL BANKER
FOR
READERS
OF
THE STURBRIDGE TIMES
MAGAZINE
Your home is the place you kick your
shoes off--your refuge--and, possibly, your
ticket to a new car.
Well, sort of. It's actually the equity you've
built in your home that can help you finance
home improvements, college tuition, a
home-based business, and, yes, even a car.
Equity is the difference between your
home's market value and the amount outstanding on your mortgage. So, if market
value is $150,000 and your mortgage balance is $100,000, your equity is $50,000. It's
Sturbridge
Candy
&Gift
Shoppe
Boardwalk Plaza
500 Main Street (Rte. 20)
Sturbridge
508..347.3642
Open Daily
Your Valentine
Headquarters
Gifts, Jewelry
and so much
more!
120 Varieties of Chocolate
Sugar Free Candy
Fudge
Cashews, Pistachios
Jelly Belly’s
6
Turning your home’s equity
into a new car
this equity that serves as collateral for a
home equity loan or line of credit from
your local credit union.
Your local lender will lend you an
amount up to their set percentage of
your equity. We will lend up to 80% of
the town assessment of the property less
any existing first mortgage lien. That
means $40,000 for the above example.
Because your house secures the loan
or credit line, you'll get an interest rate
even lower than what you'd pay for a
credit card or a personal loan.
And the interest you pay on a home
equity loan or line of credit usually is tax
deductible (consult your tax adviser),
which further reduces your cost of borrowing.
Deciding which form of home equity
borrowing--a loan or line of credit--is best
for you depends on how you plan to use
the funds and how you prefer to repay what
you borrow.
A home equity loan is a lump sum of
money borrowed at a fixed- or variableinterest rate that you'll pay back over a set
time period. It's a good choice when you
need a known sum of money for a specific
expense--like a car or a home improvement
project.
A home equity line of credit is an open
credit line you can draw on as needed, up
to a preset credit limit. Lines of credit typi-
cally carry a variable-interest rate and, as
you pay off past borrowings, you replenish
the credit line up to your dollar limit. The
key advantage of a line of credit is that you
can tap it again and again, without having
to reapply for a loan each time. It's convenient if you're doing a number of major
home improvements spaced out over several years, or are borrowing for multiple
purposes at once.
Save yourself some money in this new
year and apply for a home equity loan or
line of credit and get rid of those high
interest rate credit card debts or start that
home improvement project you have been
dying to get working on.
Yankee Spirit’s expressions of philanthropy
Continued from previous page
stray and surrendered animals and to
find homes for them. At Second
Chance’s Masquerade Ball, a check was
presented on behalf of the Yankee family.
Yankee was only getting started.
Mike told of the company’s commitment to the Blanchard Means
Foundation’s Elm Hill Farm. Elm Hill
has just been taken over by
Rehabilitative Resources Inc. (RRI).
The Elm Hill Facility has donkeys, shetland ponies, as well as goats, sheep and
horses. They were all kept in a too
small area due to a lack of fencing. No
more. Thanks to Yankee, the animals
have room to roam. Mike Cimini presented a check to Bonnie Keefe-Layden
for $3,250 on December 7 at the farm.
The animals at Elm Hill have a mission. Developmentally disabled folks
are provided therapy by the farm’s animals. The farm was the home of Elsie
the Cow, symbol of the Borden
Company. Built in the 1700s, it continues, thanks to firms like Yankee, to
make history. As Mike put it, “It’s a
wonderful project with the bonus that
it helps both animals and people.”
The fact that Yankee, like all companies is in a challenging time and cutting back here and there does not
mean it is less of a good corporate citizen. Mr. Cimini made it clear that they
were still supporters of the community
including, but not limited to Old
Sturbridge Village, the Little League,
Merchants of Sturbridge, and the
Chamber of Commerce.
Supporting local is not limited to
charity. The town wide Twelve Days of
Christmas celebration saw the great
Budweiser Clydesdales come to Yankee
on Saturday December 19th. A local
resident contacted Anheuser Busch
and this led to a cooperative effort
between the wholesaler, Yankee and
the horses. They are on the road for
300 days, but just happened to be
home at the Anheuser Busch brewery
in Merrimack, New Hampshire.
Mike is truly part of the Sturbridge
Community. He resides in the town
with his wife, a human resources proNext page
HOMEWORK
By GEORGE WOLSTENCROFT
PROFESSIONAL PLUMBER
PROFESSIONAL ADVICE
FROM A LOCAL PLUMBER
T
FOR
READERS
OF
THE STURBRIDGE TIMES
MAGAZINE
he water heater in your home
converts energy to heat and
transfers that warmth to the
water that is used in your house. Here
are five things homeowners should
know about water heaters:
1. There are two types of water
heaters. Conventional and tankless. A
conventional water heater stores heated
water in its tank. The tankless variety
bypass the tank and deliver heated
water straight to taps or appliances.
2. Tankless water heaters circulate water through a series of burners or
electric coils when a hot water faucet or
appliance is turned on. Because it does
not store water, it costs less to operate
than the conventional water heater.
Also it does not run out of hot water
unless the water flow exceeds its heating ability. In some instances, like
when more than one person in the
Yankee
fessional. They have a 12 year old boy
who plays soccer in three seasons.
Their ten year old daughter is a competitive dancer.
Mike is the third owner of Yankee
Spirits and he continues the tradition
of his predecessors. He worked for
Yankee well before taking it over. Not
to be left out of the story are the store’s
employees. Staff picks in the wine
department are legendary and customers value their knowledge.
Most Saturdays, you can go into
Yankee for a mini wine tasting where a
few vineyards will be available for sampling. Last December 12th, there was a
winery from California that had as part
of its reason for being dog related charity. Its vintages are canine themed. It
was kind of appropriate that they were
at Yankee. Where else can you get a
“2007 Merlot Over and Play Dead” or
a “2008 Unleashed Chardonnay.”
Five things every homeowner should
know about domestic hot water heaters
house is taking a hot shower, the tankless
unit might not be able to handle the flow.
But homeowners can save a lot of money on
water heating bills by regulating the flow of
water throughout the home. Consult with a
plumbing professional about whether a tankless water heater is a good option for your
home.
3. Most water heaters are fueled by
natural gas, although propane, electric and
oil water heaters are not unusual. Oil water
heaters require annual cleaning. Where natural gas is available, it is by far the most efficient fuel for heating the water in your
home.
4. Homeowners can save money by
flushing hot water tanks periodically, this
helps improve efficiency and reduces energy
consumption. Proper installation of the hot
water tank can impact the longevity of the
unit. Tanks should be installed on concrete
blocks instead of on flat concrete, gravel or
dirt floors. Another cost saving measure is
also a safety consideration: by keeping the
thermostat on the water heater to a maximum of 120 degrees, you will save money
and, in some cases, prevent scalding.
If there are children or senior citizens in
the home, the water heater does not need to
be set above the 120-degree level, and in the
case of children, should not, because scalding can occur. The length of exposure to hot
water is what burns the skin, so one would
energy savings and are an easy way to help
reduce energy consumption.
George Wolstencroft has been a plumber in
the tri-community area for the past 24 years.
He can reached at 508-248-6006. His cell
number is 508-735-7577.
HELP WANTED
Three Days A Week
Caregiver needed
for special needs
child in Sturbridge
CONVENTIONAL DOMESTIC WATER HEATER
want to keep the gauge set to a lower level
in homes where individuals with compromised skin sensation, such as diabetics, are
living.
The installation of your hot water tank
requires that four safety valves be applied;
they are: tank shut-off, tank drain, vacuum
relief, and the temperature/pressure valve.
5. Inefficient hot water heaters are a
significant source of carbon dioxide poisoning, which can lead to serious illness and
death. New Energy Star rated hot water
heaters pay for themselves over time in
Looking for a responsible caregiver
in our Sturbridge home from 7:00 –
8:30 am Mondays, Tuesdays and
Wednesdays for our special needs
child. If interested, please call 508347-3239.
HELP WANTED
Excellent earning potential
Part-time advertising
sales professionals
needed
Carr Media Group, publishers of
The Sturbridge Times Magazine, is
looking for a few heads-up, highly
professional account representatives
to help launch our new publication
in the Auburn, Worcester areas.
Excellent earnings and growth
potential. Must have reliable transportation, excellent communications
skills and verifiable sales track
record.
Send resume to Paul Carr, Publisher
at [email protected]
7
UNDERFOOT IN STURBRIDGE
BROUSSEAU’S FLOORING &
CRAFT CENTER
519 MAIN ST., STURBRIDGE
MON-FRI, 10-6
SAT. 10-3
508.347.7377
WWW.BROUSSEAUSFLORING.COM
Sturbridge location has made all
the difference for Brousseau’s
BY STEPHANIE RICHARDS
You could say that Andy and Anita Brousseau were
floored when they moved their business from Palmer to
Sturbridge. As Anita says, “a slow day in Sturbridge is like a
busy day in Palmer.”
Location as well as competition is everything and the
Brousseau’s know that first hand. They opened up
Brousseau’s Flooring in Palmer in 1987 and moved to a 700
square foot store with a warehouse in Sturbridge last April.
They had been eyeing storefronts in the town for awhile for
two reasons: better location and less competition (Palmer
has several flooring companies). Even though economic
times are tough right now, they have seen a difference being
on Main Street in Sturbridge.
Andy has been installing flooring for 35 years, learning
the trade while working at Accent Floor Covering in
Southbridge. Brousseau’s Flooring and Craft Center caters
predominately to homeowners, working with commercial
builders on a limited basis. In the store, you’ll find hundreds of samples of hardwood, laminate, ceramic tile and
carpeting. As an added value, handmade baby blankets and
Party Lite items are for sale as well.
Hardwood is very popular now in kitchens and front
rooms according to Anita. The store carries BSL (a
8
© 2010 Sturbridge Times photo by Stephanie Richards
ANITA BROUSSEAU, RIGHT, WITH HER DAUGHTER, MICHELLE
Canadian company) and Anderson Hardwood Floors
and Harris Wood (both U.S. companies). “These floors
are pre-finished so you can move right in instead of waiting like you would need to for unfinished hardwood.
The pre-finished product is just as hard as the poly finish hardwood. Plus, some of these products have a locking system that pulls each piece tight together and you
are less likely to have cracks.”
Other hardwood brands the store has include Moose
Wood, Lauzon, Teragren (specializing in bamboo flooring), and Trout River (a variety of pine flooring available
including antique reclaimed heart pine). “As New
England has many older homes, bamboo and pre-finished hardwood are better options because they will take
Brousseau’s Flooring and
Craft Center caters
predominately to
homeowners,
working with commercial
builders on a limited basis.
In the store,
you’ll find
hundreds of samples
of hardwood, laminate,
ceramic tile and carpeting.
As an added value,
handmade baby blankets
and Party Lite items
apartments because you can loose lay the floor and it can
be rolled up and taken if you leave. “The flooring is easy
to clean with water and a cleaner once a week. It comes
with warranties ranging from 12 to 20 years. There are
also samples of commercial flooring within this line.”
Ceramic tile is popular for more than floors, as bathroom walls and kitchen back splashes are in high demand
right now, Anita said. Samples are available from
Interceramic (U.S. company), which features accents,
mosaic, and river rock tiles. Other brands of tile available
include Travertine (Natural Stone), Marazzi and Ragno,
while marble, slate and granite can also be found.
For those who like a soft touch to the feet, Brousseau’s
Flooring also carries colors and shades from Monarch
Carpet. The product comes from different mills and
includes berber, plush or cut pile styles. “Berber is
durable, cleans good and holds well against stains. For
plush or cut pile, you can test the quality of the carpet
with the finger test--the denser it is, or more you can get
your fingers into it, the better the carpet,” Anita said.
For padding, you can choose from four, six or eight
pound thickness. “Six pound generally holds up well with
normal traffic; it is what we use on most jobs. You don’t
always need to have the best. For family rooms, we recommend eight pound,” Anita said.
While carpets use to be their biggest seller, Anita said
there has been a shift to bare floors. “Now we install carpets primarily in bedrooms. Hardwood and ceramic tile
are definitely the biggest sellers today,” she said. “If you
are looking for environmentally friendly products, the
Harris Wood line is certified green as well as some of the
carpet selections under the private Monarch label.”
Once you decide you want flooring, Anita recommends taking time to look at available options before
making a decision. “Customers can take samples home.
“Are you really
sure that a floor
can’t also be a
ceiling?”
M.C. Escher
One time, a customer took 16 samples home; it’s a big
decision,” she said.
Brousseau’s Flooring gives free estimates and requires
that every job be looked at and measured. Moving forward, an estimate is created and if agreed, the order is
placed with one-half the cost down. Normal delivery of
materials is 10 days to two weeks and installation can be
scheduled fairly quickly.
For more than two decades, Brousseau’s Flooring has
succeeded in part because of Andy’s pride in finishing
each job. “Andy is particular about his work; he’s very
fussy about how he puts things down. He does things his
way. Sometimes we get people that want to install the
subfloor themselves; he won’t do the job. Our reps are
always commenting on how we don’t have call backs,”
Anita said.
are for sale as well.
shape to the floor. Also, you don’t get shrinkage with
these types of flooring, which is important in damp climates,” Anita said. “We have a selection of unfinished
woods we can order for customers, but we don’t finish
them.”
Laminate flooring, like Quick Step, is another flooring option which is virtually “indestructible. You can do
a lot to it. The back is also laminated, which is different
than Pergo which has a paper back,” Anita said. “There
are multitudes of light to dark shades to select from and
you can choose from styles that look like hardwood or
tile.”
Mannington is another brand that specializes in vinyl
flooring. Their Sobella line is popular for people in
9
GOOD BYE, CITY LIFE!
By Richard Murphy
The distance from the eastern Massachusetts City of
Newton to Southbridge, MA is not too far, approximately
55 miles. But Brooklyn, NY to the same place is about
three times that. And Southbridge is more than a thousand miles from Florida. Distance does not necessarily
need to be measured in miles for when Pamela Bove and
George Diaz arrived here, all distance was transcended by
destiny.
Pamela Bove is from Newton, though lived in Florida
running a golf school that she owned. It was successful
despite the fact that she had not much interest in golf.
She did have a passion for dogs; in fact, she was training a
service dog, Bev, for an organization called Canine
Companions. Due to a foot injury, Bev flunked out of
service school. Academic failure had its upside as she
became Pamela’s companion.
George, a Brooklyn native was in Florida at the same
time. The Diaz family has been in the iron working trade
for generations and George had been plying the trade in
the Sunshine State. He also had a business as a private
investigator and bodyguard.
One of George’s bodyguarding gigs was at a film festival. He was watching over the likes of Loretta Switt, Chevy
PAM AND GEORGE’S
BOLD MOVE
He’s from Brooklyn, she’s from Newton.
Can they make a life on green acres? You bet they can.
PAMELA BOVE AND GEORGE DIAZ WITH A COUPLE OF THEIR PALS AT WOOF & WHISKER
© 2010 Sturbridge Times photo by Richard Murphy
Chase, Gene Simmons, Felicity Huffman and William H.
Macy. He did his job well enough as all of those celebrities
are still alive. As focused on his work as he was, George was
not unaware of what was going on at the event and Pamela
Lessons Available
Violins, Mandolins, Guitars,
Keyboards, Drums and Banjos
Sales and Service available
THE
FIDDLE
CENTER
300 East Main St (Rt. 9)
East Brookfield
508-867-6600
www.fiddlecenter.com
10 THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE
did not escape his notice. Nor did he hers. They met, married and, as they say, the rest is history.
Pamela and George were looking to do something different, with dogs. Even ten years ago, if someone told you
a free online service would be your agent of destiny, you
would have laughed at them. Still today, it is amazing to
think that on a small screen a couple of words are entered
and you find your fate. Pamela and George entered the
search terms, “house” and “kennel” on Craigslist. Up
came, oddly enough a house and kennel at 265 Dudley
Road in Southbridge.
The facility that caught their eyes had been started in
business in 1969, but the older couple who had operated
it were retired and it had not been in service for three years
and it looked it. It would take a leap of faith for two people of urban origin living under the southern sun to come
up to rural Massachusetts.
In August of 2008, Pamela and George made that leap.
The jump was made with the full knowledge that a lot of
work would need to be done. The couple set to. They live
in the house, sharing it with Bev and on occasion, client
dogs. There is a fully operational kennel, as is the new
grooming salon they built. Though few things come
together perfectly and the work is still in progress, they had
their first client the day they moved and the Woof and
Whisker Inn was in business.
Training is available as are daycare and play groups.
Boarders come mostly on weekends. They have a lot of
folks from Boston. It is only an hour away and the service
and value are more than comparable. People coming for
the Brimfield experience seek out Woof and Whisker.
One couple who come up for the shows and leave a dog are
all the way from Virginia. People trust them because as
Pamela puts it, “We know the responsibility and our care
is personal.” It is certainly a long day. They are first out
with the dogs at 6:30 a.m. and last at 11 p.m. as well as
other times during the day.
It’s one thing to have the job you love, but was it the
right place? Pam did love city life, but it is really nice to
look out and not see someone else’s house. This does not
mean they have become hermits. They are fulsome in
their praise of neighbors and how they have enhanced her
and George’s new home. George enjoys the different life
here, “You don’t see deer in Brooklyn.” He loves the
silence of early morning in the country.
George may have left the detective business behind in
Florida, but the iron working that is in his blood followed
him here. Exquisite custom made furniture with “a minimalist design philosophy” is now being produced in
Southbridge at Inside Out Iron Designs.
George has been doing more than working with metals.
He was at one time a teacher for Eckerd Youth
Alternatives, an organization of programs that promotes
the well-being of children and at-risk youth. George is
hoping to do something along that line with Hispanic
youth in the area.
Pamela has hopes of holding a dog and pet expo event.
It would be for trainers and handlers and pet stores to
inform animal lovers what is available locally. She has
talked about a fund raiser for Canine Companions for
Independence (CCI), Bev’s non alma mater.
Out on Dudley River Road, there is a place where
canines are appreciated. Is it heaven for both two and four
legged creatures? Maybe not, but it is the good life. As
George said working with dogs is superior to Private
Investigation, as “Dogs don’t cheat or commit insurance
fraud. They just want to be fed and loved.” An apt
metaphor for that good life.
Tom Chamberland receives
recognition for interpretation
in ranger leadership
Thomas Chamberland, Sturbridge tree warden, has
received the Hiram Chittenden award, presented
at the National Association for Interpretation
(NAI) in Hartford. Tom was selected as the North
Atlantic Division’s recipient of the award, which
recognizes rangers who, over the course of a year,
demonstrate exemplary interpretation and outreach promoting the various messages of the Corps
of Rangers.
THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE 11
INSURANCE
GUIDANCE
By Richard McGrath, CIC, LIA
PRESIDENT & CEO, McGRATH INSURANCE GROUP
This article was submitted after passage of
the House health care bill and prior to the
Senate bill, which, at press time, was approaching hours to a vote. This represents the opinion
of Mr. McGrath, an insurance industry professional in Sturbridge. It does not necessarily
reflect the opinion of the publisher. — ed.
Healthcare reform is needed, but the
1,990-page bill approved by the House of
Representatives recently would be hazardous
to your health.
The proposed legislation would increase
costs, reduce consumer choice, reduce the
quality of healthcare and make healthcare
even more bureaucratic.
Some are trying to shape the healthcare
debate as being about the healthcare industry
making outrageous profits, with the government stepping in to help out by providing a
“public option” to compete with the private
sector. In reality, the healthcare industry is
barely profitable, while the federal government has been largely responsible for increasing the cost of healthcare.
Hospitals, which are mostly non-profit,
are struggling to survive and the health insurance industry is among the least profitable
industries. According to the Associated
Press; profit margins for health insurers typically are about 6 percent, but were only 2.2
percent last year.
The federal government, meanwhile,
already operates a large segment of the
healthcare industry at an enormous cost.
Consider the cost of Medicaid, which covers
low-income people. Estimated to cost $238
million in its first year, the actual cost was $1
billion.
After adjusting for inflation,
Medicaid costs 37 times its initial cost and
this year alone will cost $251 billion. The initial cost of Medicare was $4 billion, but it
now costs $428 billion and its annual costs
continue to increase far faster than the rate of
inflation.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the latest version of healthcare
reform would cost $1.05 trillion. Given the
federal government’s track record, it’s likely
to cost much, much more – at a time when
federal spending has already increased by trillions of dollars and is running a $1.4 trillion
deficit for this year alone.
Considerations on the
healthcare reform debate
If the federal government were a for-profit corporation, there would be a huge outcry over its lack of efficiency and out-of-control spending. Instead it is accepted, even though it will eventually mean much higher
taxes.
Keep in mind that the ultimate goal was supposed
to be to control costs without compromising the quality of care. If healthcare were more affordable, more
people and employers would buy it, reducing the number of people who are uninsured. How is adding at
least a trillion dollars in new costs making health insurance more affordable?
Impact On Business, Hospitals, Consumers
Healthcare reform may help those who are currently without insurance, but at what price? Consider the
impact it will have on the rest of us:
Small Businesses. Small businesses already pay much
more for health insurance than large businesses.
Health-insurance premiums for single workers rose
74% for small businesses from 2001 to 2008, the latest
year data are available, according to the Kaiser Family
Foundation, a nonprofit research group.
The average cost of health insurance in Massachusetts is
$13,788 per family, the highest cost in the country, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Many small businesses, which pay above-average amounts, are faced with either
dropping coverage or going out of business.
Under the proposed legislation, businesses that fail to
provide coverage will pay fines of 2% of payroll for those
with payrolls of $500,000 to $750,000 a year or 8% for
those with payrolls exceeding $750,000. The bill would
also impose a 5.4% tax on individuals earning more than
$500,000 a year and families earning more than $1 million.
Businesses that can afford health insurance typically
offer it; otherwise, they would not be able to attract quality employees. When these businesses are forced to require
it or pay a tax, many will go out of business. Others will lay
off employees. At the least, saddling business owners with
Continued on page 18
A DELICIOUS NEW BUSINESS
Okay, Sturbridge ... brace yourself for the new destination restaurant in town ...
Sturbridge Times publisher Paul Carr
speaks with Mike Cantwell, one of the
three partners who will open 420
Main Street (former site of Perennial’s
Restaurant) in late February or early
March.
STEAK &
MARTINIS,
ANYONE?
... 420 Main Street hopes to draw the hungry hordes back into Sturbridge
Steak and martinis. How did this idea come
about?
Grass-fed. We’ll be offering buffalo as
well as beef.
with a hint of crumbled Gorgonzola.
Nice start.
Sturbridge needs this. We sat down and
examined our best understanding of
what is lacking food-wise in the area and
paired that thinking with what we know
to be our own passions about food.
That’s how we came up with steaks and
martinis.
Passions?
My wife and I eat out two or three times
a week. We absolutely love a good steak
but have to drive to Worcester for them.
We love good martinis and I’m not talking about run-of-the-mill drinks. Our
passions lie with martinis that are doted
on before they’re consumed. We’re not
just mixing and stirring — we’re preparing some of these cocktails days in
advance so they’re essences can be
savored fully.
Tell us more about these martinis.
All of our vodka will be infused with fresh
fruits and herbs, no syrups. We are in conversation with a few vodka companies
right now who will give us exclusivity in
the Sturbridge area. These will be martinis you will only be able to experience at
420 Main Street in Sturbridge.
With such passion behind the food and
drinks, I imagine that you are taking great
care in your selection of ingredients.
Yes. Right now we’re trying out different
cuts from local sources. Some organic.
Your vegetables will be sourced locally?
We’re staying local and as organic as
possible; this can be a challenge in the
New England winter. We’re concentrating on a farm in Belchertown for our
vegetables. They have a large greenhouse so they can support us with a lot
of our greens.
Your passion is important for developing
the concept. The influences and experience
of your chef are also critical in bringing all of
this about. Tell us about the chef who is
going to drive this idea.
The chef is Karol Marchalewicz, a graduate of Johnson and Wales Culinary Arts
School. She brings a wealth of talent
and ideas to our new kitchen and is raring to go. She served as chef/manager
at Vinny-T’s of Boston before joining
Haiku Bar & Grill in 2007 as a sous-chef.
Haiku just received a four-and-a-half
star rating in Worcester Magazine.
Will Karol develop the menu?
Yes, as part of the team, which will also
include myself and my two partners.
Care to share some of the menu items?
Sure. Let’s see. A couple of appetizers ...
Jumbo scallops pan seared, infused
with Balsamic, pears and sauteed sweet
Vidalia onions and peppers, topped
Another will be Calamari, crisped and
tossed in a white wine garlic and sliced
red cherry peppers sauce. There will be
soups and salads. Entrees will include
several choice beef cuts — which will
be our specialty — also, rack of lamb,
buffalo filet, lobster tail, salmon. We’ll
have two chicken dishes every night
and will always offer two or three vegetarian entrees.
Tell me about your partners.
One is a physician at UMass, a spine
specialist, Dr. Anthony Lapinski, from
Holden. He’s wanted to open a restaurant for a while, and has been looking
for the right team to join. The other
partner is Thomas Chongruk, a medical
device supplier from Brookfield. Tom is
a foodie too.
What restaurant experiences have
influenced you most?
My most pleasurable restaurant experiences have been in non-chain restaurants where the food is local and fresh. A
good chef who knows what he or she is
doing is key and that fact always shows
up at the table. Everything must be
fresh. The french fries are cut that day.
That kind of thing. These little details
separate the usual chain restaurants
from the kind of restaurant we are striving to create. I am moved by excellent
presentation. Karol does a wonderful
job plating her food. She’s established a
reputation around that. My wife and I
know good food when we taste it and
we know when we’ve had a first-rate
restaurant experience. I don’t want to
put down all chains because there are
some high-end chains in large
American cities that are worth going
to. A good example is Fleming’s Steak
House, which I really like.
Have you tasted Fleming’s Mac & Cheese?
Yes. It’s outstanding. Ours will be too.
What do you think of The Cheesecake
Factory?
They do a good job. The baker we are
looking at ... her cheesecake is better.
What’s in store as far as desserts go at 420?
Were in the process of finding a local
baker. We just met with someone who
is absolutely fabulous. A little mix of
crème brulee, cheesecake, to a good
chocolate cake. A little of everything.
A lot of us remember Perennials. What will
be the look-and-feel of 420 Main Street?
The building is unique. We’re trying to
keep the character of the outside and
the ‘Sturbridgey’ feel inside, yet move
with contemporary accents. I guess
you might say it will be a blend of
Yankee with contemporary accents.
The walls will display the work of local
artists lavishly. It’ll be brand a new
fresh look inside. It’s going to be exciting for everyone. I
J
U
S
T
F
O
R
Y
O
U
S
N
O
O
K
U
M
S
If youre going to do Valentines Day,
you may as well do it right.
So heres our take on how to do Valentines Day in Sturbridge
By Stephanie Richards
Every Valentine’s Day we seek tokens of affection for those we love, searching for something different, memorable to capture the essence of our
relationship. This year, the perfect gift or dinner/overnight stay can be found right in Sturbridge
at local businesses and restaurants ready to sweeten
the celebration.
Here’s a sampling to get you started early for
February 14.
Custom baskets standout in the crowd
Savior Donner, 484 Main Street
508.868.2514; www.savoir-donner.com
A dozen roses or piece of jewelry by itself is predictable, says Sarah Milner-Hiser of Savior Donner.
However, having flowers and jewelry with touches
of items that call on memories makes it unique.
“We can tap into these things and jog memories
when the giver fills out our gifting form. Things like
a favorite color, perfume or soap or special tidbits
about a couple’s first meeting, will say you remember,” she says. “We will hit every little thing on the
list and stick to the budget. We do all the work,
even making the container interesting and useful...like a new pocketbook.”
As a memorable touch this year, Savior Donner
is offering singing telegrams with their custom basket delivery. It may be a combination of Sarah, her
mom Christine who runs the business with her, or
her two sisters (known together as Harmony 421)
singing or playing guitar.
Since baskets are custom, two weeks lead time is
recommended. However, “we certainly will accommodate everyone,” she says. “The receiver is always
amazed at how we know them so well...it’s perfect.
We really take the stress off their (giver’s) hands.”
A Touch of Silver & Gold
Garieri Jewelers, 139 Main Street (Bedrock Plaza)
508.347.9934; www.garieri.com
Owner Scott Garieri says the best gift is a Pandora
bracelet, which allows for personalization. “It is one of the
nicest gifts because you can add on to it and personalize it
with new charms for years and years. It is the hottest selling
piece of jewelry.”
Pandora bracelets start at $35 and a large selection of
charms is available beginning at $25 each at Garieri
Jewelers.
Scents of a Flower
Alba Rosa Florist, 139 Main Street
(Bedrock Plaza)
508.347.3299
A variety of fresh flowers (including roses) will
be available as well as centerpieces and gift baskets.
In addition, Alba Rosa Florist is offering a 10 percent discount on a dozen roses for anyone purchasing an engagement ring at Garieri Jewelers.
Chocolate Lover’s Delights
Sturbridge Candy & Gift Shop, 500 Main Street
(The Boardwalk Plaza)
508.347.3642; www.sturbridgecandy.com
Homemade chocolate clusters from Sturbridge
Candy may be just the thing for your Valentine.
Sweet treats, nuts and other confections as well as
gifts, such as jewelry and figurines are gift possibilities.
Overnight Stays with Atmosphere
The Sturbridge Country Inn, 530 Main St.,
Sturbridge
Call 508.347.5503;
www.sturbridgecountryinn.com
Constructed as a farmhouse in the 1840s, the
Sturbridge Country Inn has the added charm of a
historic building and may be the place to make
Valentine’s Day extra special.
Rooms are reasonable, starting at just $99 per
night. “We have 15 rooms each with a fireplace and
private bath with whirlpool tub. We do get a lot of
local residents who just want a night away without
driving far. There are packages to suit every need.”
Patti Affenito of Sturbridge Country Inn.
The Sturbridge Country Inn is offering a
Many amenities await a stay at The Hearthstone
Inn and special winter packages are available for
Valentine’s weekend at The Hearthstone Inn.
Eleven rooms are available for reservations, many
including fireplaces and private balconies.
Valentine’s packages for Friday and Saturday are
$175 plus a small surcharge of $30 or $150 with a
$30 surcharge for Sunday (Valentine’s Day). It
includes one night stay in a country room, fireside
dinner for two which includes appetizer, entrees, a
bottle of wine, coffee and dessert. A Friday or
Saturday stay also gets you a continental breakfast.
You can add more flair and upgrade to a jacuzzi
suite with a bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries for an additional $60.
Valentine’s package that includes a room, champagne, chocolate and a rose for $139. They are also
offering their Romance package, which includes
overnight accommodations, champagne, chocolate,
dinner at the Whistling Swan, breakfast and a candlelit and aromatic 60 minute couples massage at
Simple Indulgence Day spa, starting at $269.
The Hearthstone Inn, 455 Main Street
Call 508.347.9965,
www.sturbridgehearthstoneinn.com
ANewSturbridger!
Publick House, 277 Main Street
508.347.3313; www.publickhouse.com
A quaint, delightful 17-room inn built in 1771,
which maintains its 18th-century ambiance while
providing 20th-century comforts. The guest rooms
and gracious suites are decorated with period
antiques or quality reproductions.
Restaurants
Cedar Street Restaurant, 12 Cedar Street,
Sturbridge
508.347.5800; www.cedarstreetrestaurant.com
Regular menu will be offered for Valentine’s
weekend with specials for both Saturday and
Sunday.
Oliver Wight Tavern/Old Sturbridge Village
508.347.0363;
www.osv.org/museum/owtavern.html
Oliver Wight’s popular Friday night Rib Room
may be a way to kick off Valentine’s weekend. In
addition, they will be offering live music and crackling fires with a special menu by Executive Chef
Brad Arcoite and visiting chef Enrico Giovanello
the entire weekend. A sample of this special menu
includes crabmeat stuffed mushrooms with
spinach, bacon, crabmeat, parmesan béchamel
sauce; seafood crepes filled with lobster, shrimp,
scallops and crabmeat; grilled hanger steak with
fresh rosemary, sage, garlic served over creamy
polenta; and horseradish and garlic roast prime rib
of beef. A full bar, wine list and dessert menu is also
available. Prices range from$6 to $24. Special
menu available Valentine’s weekend (FridaySunday) from 4 to 9 p.m. Reservations required.
Publick House, 277 Main Street
508.347.3313; www.publickhouse.com
Special sittings with menu selections will be
available.
The Whistling Swan, 502 Main Street
508.347.2321; www.thewhistlingswan.com
Valentine’s Day food and drink specials for
lunch and dinner will be offered in both The Ugly
Duckling Loft and The Whistling Swan. Live entertainment will be in the Loft until 10 p.m.
Enjoy!
Fine Lines
We
wish you a
safe and
happy new
year
From Contemporary to
Jonathan Holland Solari
Born July 20, 2009
6 lbs. 4 oz., 19 inches
to proud parents
Jeffrey and Jacquelyn Solari
of Sturbridge
Tantasqua Class of 2027
New England Colonial
The finest in custom cabinetry
and furniture for kitchens,
baths and entertainment.
Paul J. Girouard, Cabinetmaker
508.347.3645 — www.finelineswood.com
Open Weekdays 8:00 - 4:30 — Saturday 8:30 - 11:00 — 4 Old Stagecoach Road, Sturbridge, MA
TRADITION
Tea & Company
in Sturbridge
The Whistling Swan Tea Room brews fine teas and conversation
The table was set for four using an
eclectic mix of fine porcelain china,
from a purple, Victorian theme to
bright red poppies. Four distinctly different, porcelain tea pots were set around a
candle centerpiece, along with tea strainers. The only thing missing was a group
of friends to sit and enjoy tea, conversation, and food delights and we were
ready to partake in all it had to offer.
The Tea Room at The Whistling
Swan was started a little over a year ago
to offer parties of four to 75 a place to
enjoy fine teas, appetizers, desserts and
conversation. Dan Dougan, banquet
manager, said service for up to 100 was
By Stephanie Richards
purchased for the Tea Room, which
compliments The Whistling Swan and
The Ugly Duckling Loft restaurants,
located at 502 Main Street, Sturbridge.
The setting at The Whistling Swan is
perfect as you sit back and take in the
craftmanship of the restored 1855 stately manor.
Tea selections come from Harney &
Sons Fine Teas, located in Salsibury,
CT, and are as diverse as the china settings on the table. Selections range from
black, green and white to Oolong,
herbal and fruit teas. Members of my
party had a hard time deciding between
the sixteen or so choices. I went with
the chocolate mint which was smooth
with a continuous flavor that kept on
coming after each sip. Others in my
party enjoyed green and pomegranate
teas and remarked of the rich flavors.
Next it was time for taste sandwiches,
which were presented on crystal cake
plates. We sampled a herb cream cheese
spread sweet to the taste served on marble blend with cucumber. Next was
caramelized onions atop thinly sliced
roast beef on bread. Rounding off the
selection was chicken salad and smoked
salmon on distinctive breads...each as
diverse as the tea selection. We enjoyed
every bite along with several cups of tea.
Our time was topped off with walnut
brownies, chocolate pecan treats and
lemon squares that were tart, yet sweet
with a shortbread style crust. The atmosphere was so relaxing as we engaged in
conversation, sipping tea and sampling
food, that time didn’t seem to matter. It
was a return to slower days and the
importance of spending time with
friends.
That is the point. The Tea Room
concept was added to provide an option
for customers to enjoy special occasions
or just a quiet gathering. “It has been
something extra to attract a mix of peoContinued on page 23
AREA BUSINESS AND FINANCE
Hometown Bank finishes “Neighbors Helping
Neighbors” Outreach with Check Presentations
H
Hometown Bank recently presented checks in the amount of $1,250.00 to each of three area food pantries. Shown in the photo are
Oxford Branch Manager, Sharon Dimopoulas, Hometown Bank CEO, Matt Sosik, Webster Branch Manager, Tina M. Puzo, Jerry Lafleche
of Food Share of Southbridge, Judy Moulton of the Oxford Food Shelf and Rick Nolin of the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry of Sacred
Heart Parish in Webster.
ometown Bank, headquartered at 31
Sutton Avenue, Oxford, has concluded its sixth annual campaign to help
raise funds for three local food pantries.
Representatives of each food pantry gathered
with Hometown Bank administrators and
branch managers on December 9th for a brief
holiday gathering and the presentation of
checks in the amount of $1,250.00 to each
organization.
A special feature of this year’s campaign
was the awarding of a special discount coupon
to all donors of $5 or more — those earning the
“Hometown Superhero” designation — generously provided by a number of restaurants,
sandwich and coffee shops throughout the
Hometown Bank service area.
Sturbridge eateries that participated,
included: Annie’s Country Kitchen, Napoli’s
Pizza, Rom’s Takeout/Giovanello’s. T.J.
O’Brien’s and The Whistling Swan.
This year’s donations also included a special gift from Page Chiropractic of Webster,
which donated a portion of each new referral
resulting from their participation in a
Hometown Bank wellness day earlier in the
year.
According to Hometown Bank President
Inspiring Art
Fine Craftsmanship
and CEO Matthew S. Sosik, the goal of this
annual project is to raise a substantial amount
in donations for those food banks that serve
the residents of the communities in which the
bank has branches. During the campaign,
which takes place each November, Hometown
customers may donate $1 to earn the designation “Hometown Hero,” or $5 to be named a
“Hometown Superhero.” Hometown Bank
matches every donation, dollar for dollar.
“The agencies we support have confirmed
that the need is great this year and that their
requests for assistance have grown considerably
over the past few months,” said Sosik. “We are
delighted to be able to collaborate with
Hometown Bank customers in responding to
that increased need during this holiday season.”
Money raised at Hometown’s branches in
Oxford, Sturbridge and Webster benefits THE
OXFORD FOOD SHELF in Oxford, FOOD
SHARE, a Southbridge-based program that
serves residents of Sturbridge, Charlton and
Southbridge, and the ST. VINCENT de PAUL
FOOD PANTRY at Sacred Heart Church in
Webster.
Hometown Bank has three offices located
in Webster, Oxford, and Sturbridge.
Experienced Designers
Art Inspires
Extensive Experience
Quality Materials
Attention to Detail
Harmonious Results
New England
Graphics
STURBRIDGE MARKETPLACE
RT. 20 STURBRIDGE
508.347.9655
Outstanding Selection
$5
OFF
Fine Framing
Open 7 Days A Week since 1982
COUPON
$5.00 Off a purchase of $25.00 or More
$5
OFF
With this coupon. Expires 2/28/10
Cannot be combined with any other offer or sale items. One coupon per visit.
Not valid on dog and cat food and Frontline or Advantix
Insurance industry perspective on health care reform
Continued from page 12
increased taxes will stifle business growth,
leading to fewer jobs.
Hospitals. Medicare and Medicaid both
underpay healthcare providers, resulting
in higher charges and higher premiums
for others who use the system. Cost shifting by Medicare alone was responsible for
12.3% of the increase in private health
insurance costs from 1997 to 2001,
according to a study in Health Affairs.
Health Affairs found that for every dollar of costs hospitals incur, they receive
$1.22 from private payers, but only 95
cents from Medicare. Shifting more care
to the federal government through the
P#
“public option” will force hospitals to
charge even more for private care. Either
hospitals will be financially squeezed or
private insurance premiums will be forced
to increase even further. Wasn’t a key
purpose of reform to control the costs of
health insurance?
Doctors. Doctors, hospitals and drug
companies may face deep cuts in
Medicare payments, even though they are
already paid at below cost. One version of
reform legislation called for cutting
Medicare reimbursements for doctors by
21.5% next years and even more after
that. The latest version would increase
reimbursement rates for hospitals, but,
given the desire of Congress to keep the
Free Lunch, Dinner at Publick House!
overall estimated cost below $1 trillion,
reimbursement rates could be cut in the
final legislation.
A group of physicians from the
American Medical Association, in testimony before Congress, stated that government-imposed treatment guidelines in
Congressional proposals would compromise the quality of care and even prevent
them from fulfilling their professional
responsibility to their patients as their
highest priority.
Baby boomers. Medicare is already in
poor financial shape, even though it
spends nearly a half trillion dollars a year.
Imagine the financial stress it will be
under as 77 million baby boomers retire.
Yet the healthcare reform being proposed by Congress (the House version)
would cut Medicare spending by $426 billion over the next decade, while expanding Medicaid, the Children’s Health
Insurance Program and subsidies for lowand middle-income Americans through
government-run exchanges by more than
$1 trillion.
How can Medicare be cut by that
much as demand increases? Either
Congressional estimates for healthcare
reform are inaccurate or boomers will see
a tremendous decrease in the quality of
care being provided.
Consumers. The U.S. Small Business
Administration estimates that small businesses, defined as companies with 500
employees or fewer, created three out of
four new jobs in the U.S. over the past 20
years.
When small businesses are forced to
pay more for taxes and health insurance,
many will either close down or lay off
employees, increasing unemployment.
Employees may be forced to forego pay
raises.
While reform would provide coverage
for the uninsured, it would be paid for by
all of us in the form of higher taxes. The
top marginal tax rate would increase to
45% in 2011 if the proposed reform is
approved, but taxes are likely to increase
for everyone. And, because coverage
would be required for pre-existing conditions, premium costs would also increase.
Something must be done to control
the rising costs of health insurance premiums, but the proposed healthcare reform
would, at best, be a significant burden for
American taxpayers while adding greatly
to an already fiscally irresponsible government system.
The currently proposed version of
healthcare reform would make a bad situation even worse.
Richard A. McGrath, CIC, LIA is
President and CEO of McGrath Insurance
Group, Inc. of Sturbridge, Mass. He can
be reached at rmcgrath@mgrath insurance.com.
This article is written for informational
purposes only and should not be construed
as providing legal advice.
Bring
someone
you love to
Sturbridge
Marketplace
and buy them
something
nice.
THINGS TO DO
JANUARY ...
Dec. 1-30. FREE ADMISSION FOR CHILDREN THROUGH JAN. 30TH AT OSV. Old
Sturbridge Village is celebrating the new year
with a special thank-you gift for visitors: free
admission for children in January (a $7 value per
child). From Jan. 1 -30, all kids under 17 get free
admission to the Village when accompanied by
an adult (the offer does not apply to educational
groups of 10 or more). The “Kids Free at OSV”
offer applies for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
holiday on Jan. 18 and the museum’s popular
Fire & Ice celebration on Jan. 30. In winter, the
Village is open Wednesday through Sunday 9:30
A.M. – 4:00 P.M., and on all Monday holidays,
including Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and
Presidents Day. It is also open daily for School
Vacation Week Feb. 13-21. For details, visit
www.osv.org or call 1-800-SEE-1830.
Jan. 8 - 10, 15 - 17. FIREPLACE FEAST
- Relax by the fire or lend a hand as your prime
rib is roasted in our great fieldstone fireplace and
chowder is made in an antique iron cauldron.
Chase away the chill with some nice warm
mulled cider or wine. Peel an apple or two with e
our antique apple peeler/corer and help to make
the deep dish apple pie that will be served for
your dessert. There will be fresh local butternut
squash made the Salem Cross Inn way, freshly
baked spinach pie, homemade muffins and rolls.
It's a feast that you won’t want to miss and will be
talking about for days to come. SALEM CROSS
INN, 260 West Main St., Route 9 West
Brookfield MA www.salemcrossinn.com
Admission: Adults: $52.00 Children: $25.00
under 12 Contact: Heather Salem info@salem
crossinn.com 508-867-2345.
Jan. 18. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY
AT OSV. The Village, which is open on this winter holiday from 9:30am to 4:00pm, honors
Martin Luther King, Jr., with a focus on individuals who played significant roles in the abolition
and social reform movements in early 19th-century America. OLD STURBRIDGE VILLAGE, 1
Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge MA
01566 www.osv.org. Admission: Adults: $20.00
seniors: $18.00 Children: Ages 3-17 $7.000
Under 3 are Free. Contact: 508-347-3362
Jan. 22 - Feb. 7. THE DIARY OF ANNE
FRANK . This timeless and personal story of persecution and a young girl's coming of age compacted into a cramped attic continues to live on
long past her death. Join us as we celebrate
Anne's life amidst all the chaos and horror of
war. Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 P.M. Sundays
at 2:00 P.M. FOR RESERVATIONS CALL
(508) 347-9005
Jan. 24. RIMSCHA CONCERT SERIES –
ORGAN RECITAL. Ian Watson performs an
organ recital on Sunday, January 24, 2010 at 3:00
P.M. Concerts are free and open to the general
public. St. Joachim's Chapel, St. Anne's Shrine
16 Church Street, Fiskdale (Sturbridge) MA
www.rimschaconcerts.org
Pie, Trifle, Coffee, Hot Chocolate. Sparkling
Cider will be available to drink. The evening is
limited to a total of 14 adults and children (ages
8 and up). Reservations are required.
OLD STURBRIDGE VILLAGE
1 Old Sturbridge Village Road
Sturbridge MA 01566
Contact: 508-347-3362
Jan. 30. FIRE & ICE AT OLD STURBRIDGE VILLAGE. It's a day to embrace the
joys of an old-fashioned winter - indoors and
out. At the Mill Pond, learn about ice harvesting
in early New England. Then stop by the Bullard
Tavern for some magical moments by the fire. 1
Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge MA
01566 www.osv.org Admission: Adults: $20.00
Seniors: $18.00 Children: Ages 3-17 $7.00
Under 3 Free Contact: 508-347-3362
Jan. 30. FREE BUSINESS EXPO: INVESTING IN YOUR FUTURE - Community
Business Associates networking group's expo for
people in business, starting a business or thinking about it. Get a jump-start with professionals
available to sit down with you and answer questions at no charge, from the following areas:
mortgage planning, real estate sales and appraisal, law, insurance, banking, financial planning,
CPA, business advisor, web and marketing communications, commercial printing, credit card
processing, nutritional health and other tools to
give your good ideas direction, motivation and
support. Guest speakers on business development and personal motivation. 9 a.m. to noon,
Oliver Wight Tavern at Old Sturbridge Village.
Further information at: www.community businessassociates.org
FEBRUARY ...
Feb. 5 - 7, 12 - 14. FIREPLACE FEAST
- Relax by the fire or lend a hand as your prime
rib is roasted in our great fieldstone fireplace
and chowder is made in an antique iron cauldron. Chase away the chill with some nice warm
mulled cider or wine. Peel an apple or two with
e our antique apple peeler/corer and help to
make the deep dish apple pie that will be served
for your dessert. There will be fresh local butternut squash made the Salem Cross Inn way,
freshly baked spinach pie, homemade muffins
and rolls. It's a feast that you won’t want to miss
and will be talking about for days to come.
SALEM CROSS INN, 260 West Main St.,
Route 9 West Brookfield MA www.salem
crossinn.com. Admission: Adults: $52.00
Children: $25.00 under 12 Contact: Heather
Salem [email protected] 508-867-2345.
Feb. 17. FAMILIES COOK AT OSV.
Historically-costumed staff will help interpret
the receipts (recipes) and share tips, but you’ll be
learning the hearth cooking techniques and
working alongside other families to prepare a
delicious meal. The receipts to be used this year
are: Pounded Cheese, Mulled Cider, Roasted
Stuffed Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Roasted
Carrots, Cranberry Sauce, Long Rolls, Apple
r
MUSINGS FROM LONG HILL
s
HERESY
BY RICHARD MURPHY
LEGAL
BRIEF
ROBERT A. GEORGE, ESQ.
STURBRIDGE ATTORNEY
M
THE S
O N T H LY
FOR
L
E GAL
RE AD ERS
TUR B R I DGE
TI
ADV
OF
M E S
M
ICE
AGAZ IN E
GIFT
CERTIFICATES
I have a steakhouse gift certificate someone gave me
last Christmas. It says it’s only good for a year, but I
know better. I could cash it in for a rib eye in 2015 and
the restaurant would still have to honor it.
Massachusetts does a good job protecting people
who buy or receive gift certificates. Every gift certificate
is good for seven years even if it says otherwise on its
face. A merchant who refuses to take a gift certificate
within the seven years faces a fine of up to $500.00.
If a gift certificate gives no expiration date, it’s good
“in perpetuity,” which means my grandchild, assuming
my grade-schoolers grow up, get married and have kids
someday, can cash it for a rib eye a half century from
now, assuming they still have rib eyes in 2059.
The law also requires that merchants clearly mark
the date of issue on the face of the certificate, and to
give you your change in real money once you’ve used
up to 90 percent of its face value.
The Commonwealth extends these protections to
electronic cards with dollar values, and to cards or certificates given when a customer returns an item.
Of course, this provides little comfort to the scores
of people out there who have gift cards from Ames, or
Bradlees, or any other defunct chain. When a business,
big or small, goes belly up, there’s no gift to get and,
under the law, pretty much no way to force a bankrupt
merchant to honor it.
This means that gift certificates are safe presents,
but not necessarily good ones. After all, cash is good
everywhere and, to be honest, what I really want is
sushi.
There will always be a Cambridge. Though Cambridge
may change physically, it will always be itself. Let me
explain. My daughter wanted to hang out there with
friends at a once-yearly event. A doting parent agreed to
leave her off and then retrieve at the call of a cell phone.
Most people from my generation spent some time hanging out from Central to Harvard Square when young.
There were many attractions along Massachusetts Ave,
from restaurants and bars to used book stores and music
to name a few.
It was a crisp but not cold autumn day of a few weeks
ago. I could spend it idly walking around like a tourist
and maybe see if any bookstores were left.
Harvard Square appears an upscale haven, while
Central retains much of its grittiness. What has not
changed is young, fashionable people proselytizing some
radical cause du jour. Sure enough, as if it were still 1971,
it was not long before I was accosted by a young man. He
asked me if I supported our our national effort to make
Middle Eastern nations safe for democracy. As I have misgivings about the project and admitted them, he thought
he had a live one.
He was ready for me. I was asked if I was for a national health plan and replied that I was not. My interlocutor
wanted to know how I could support the status quo and
was perplexed when I again replied that I did not. Well,
what was I for?
He was in for a bigger shock when I told him that all
health insurance should be outlawed. Am I crazy, or just
some sort of grinch? I hope neither and have reasons for
my view. It started to come about a number of years ago
when I had occasion to visit a podiatrist. He examined my
feet and took an x-ray. I was informed that I would need
something called “orthotics,” not covered by insurance. I
inquired as to the cost of the device and a hefty fee was
quoted. I am ashamed to say, I near screamed when I
replied, “I can’t afford that.”
I don’t know if I shocked the good doctor, but he
quickly took pains to allay my fear of penury by telling me
of a brand of shoes that would serve me as well at a fraction of the cost. The shoes were sought out and purchased. I have been walking well enough ever sense, but
the incident got me to thinking about the whole health
care debacle.
Had the orthotics been covered by insurance, the doctor would never have mentioned the shoes. Had I acquiesced in purchasing the device, he also may have remained
silent. This is not a great model in either case. It is absurd
to think that it will improve under a public option. There
is no reliable feed back on costs currently because there is
no incentive.
It was inevitable from day one that it would come to
this. To make that point, it is necessary to look at the history of health insurance in this country. During World
War II, business was booming as production for the war
effort took off. To curb inflation, there was a government
ordered cap on wage increases. How could one company
lure workers away from the another if they could not pay
more? They had to find a desirable perk. Well, health
care insurance would be a deductible expense so why not
as business was good.
After a war, life changes, but it never goes to status quo
ante. Health insurance grew and grew. It was a big plus
in employment. Everyone loved it. It became such that
on the Jerry Williams talk show there was a horror story
Continued on following page
To Advertise in
The Sturbridge Times Magazine
call Karen
at 508-347-7077
ESSAY
Winter: The Inconvenient Blessing?
By Jeff Cannon
Come January, the face of Janus turns. Faded is the
radiant glow that bore gifts of recognition, supportive
love. The intoxicated rush that lifted us straight up into
the dizzying heights of festive joy…has dissolved. With
January we find ourselves abruptly dropped back to
school, to work. Once again we return to the ordinary
domed horizon of our less exciting everyday world.
So it seems we find ourselves in the evidently faceless
time of Winter. I’m not sure that Winter intentionally
means to deceive us. I only know it comes as a guest
who arrives more like a host, lingers like a relative everyone hopes won’t arrive…but invariably does. It comes
with such fanfare as if to pay in advance for arriving
with all of its trunks and suitcases. In great anxious
turns it opens every case only to dump more of the same
fluffy, chilly contents that spilled down from the last
unzippered backpack.
So the festive spell fades. We bundle up with more
sweaters, scarves and overcoats. As more frosty arms and
crystal fingers continue to stretch across our face, shoveled sidewalks and plowed driveways, we pray that winter finds whatever it’s looking for and quickly moves on!
Yet, winter seems to take its time. We, at least I do,
grumble quietly as we trudge, slip, slosh and slide to the
sacred stations of our work and errands, and then
carefully retrace our steps to safely return home.
There I collapse in a comfortable spot. Rocking to the
rhythm of my slowly warming breath, gentle flames
spin soothing stories that weave me into quilts of patterned solace. Silence with its tranquil arms lifts me
out of tiredness. Exhaustion mellows to casually
touch and by feeling contemplate those simple artifacts of the heart that come with quiet rocking.
Continued on page 24
Heresy
of someone prepped for an operation being
asked just prior to being put under if he had a
blue cross card. After all, everyone did. This
was either the late 50s early 60s, and may have
been apocryphal, but you get the point.
All of a sudden costs rose. There were many
reasons for this. from the Viet Nam War until
the appointment of Paul Volcker to the Fed,
inflation picked up steam. All prices rose,
though education and health cared seemed bigger than most others. Another factor was regulation. The Commonwealth mandated a mental health option. This surely helped many people, but it was not demanded by the public, but
by the professional class that benefitted. It
added an incremental cost. I doubt the shrinks
were the only special interest to do that.
So we’ll have some bill, now or later that will
claim to fix the unfixable. Then more laws to
fix it the same way that Congress fixes Social
Security for good now and again.
There is a slight, ever so slight possibility that
somebody may miscalculate and put something
in the bill that may actually work. It is devoutly
YARDWORKS
Caring for what grows in your yard
By Tom Chamberland, ISA
STURBRIDGE TREE WARDEN
Usually around this “deep winter” time of
year, many of us choose to either go south, or
close ourselves indoors and suffer from what
has been called “cabin fever”. I would like to
offer some outdoor activities that we can enjoy
either around our yards, or out in our fine
community of Sturbridge.
Sledding: It doesn’t take much of a hill
to enjoy sledding, a side hill next to your home
or a neighbors (yes get them outdoors too!).
Sleds, like the trusty Flex able flyer, or toboggans, or even an old heavy cardboard box can
all make for good sliding. Pack down the
snow, when growing up with my brothers we
would all take turns to see who could slide
down the farthest on those first few “runs” on
the hill next to our house, then once the “run”
was packed, who would be the first to slide
past the tree at the bottom of the hill. In
Sturbridge I know of two public places one
can go sliding. The first is the hill at Burgess
Elem. School; this is safe as the hill runs out
into the ball field area, and easy to get to. The
snow lasts longer here as this hill has a northern exposure so the sun doesn’t melt it away as
fast. Enjoy this site this year as it will be lost
with the new school being built next year. The
other is at Westville Lake Park; however this
hill does have a sharper bend at its base and a
southern exposure, so the snow goes more
quickly here.
Ice skating: Sturbridge has been blessed
with many lakes, ponds, and wetlands through
out our community that one can skate on
with a little preparation and concern for safety. I strongly recommend that adults should
always check the Ice thickness before venturing out on any frozen water body. Ice should
be at least 4” thick to hold a small group of
skaters, and as a safety precaution some one
should always serve as a “look out” with a rope
and throw bottle just in case. Throw bottles
should be a gallon sized plastic bottle, brite in
color (laundry detergent or bleach bottles
work best) with about 1” of dry sand in them.
Tie a rope about 30’ long to the handle, and
you now have a cheap but effective safety
device. The sand in the bottle provides for
some weight so you can throw with some accuracy. Remember the three words for water rescue “reach – throw – go (get help)” The Army
Corps of Engineers at Westville Lake Park
does provide a skating pond they try to maintain thru the winter, the pond itself is only 18”
deep, and as the weather allows they clean off
Wintertime is time for fun
the snow and try to maintain a good skating
surface. There are also benches to assist in
putting on your skates and a portable toilet
up in the park if needed.
I’m not sure if the Town’s Recreation
Dept with the help of the DPW will be setting up a skating rink on the town common,
but keep an eye out there too.
X-country skiing, snow shoeing,
or just plain hiking are all ways we can
also enjoy the outdoors. The same trails you
use in the summer can also be used in the
winter. The Heins Farm Conservation land
with its large open field offers a great opportunity to practice any of these winter skills.
If you have never experienced winter trail
use I suggest you check out:
http://www.wintertrails.org/wintertrails.ph
p?section=event&page=affiliate_ma10
This is a national program with local
regional venues where outdoor sports equipment retailers will let you “checkout” and try
various skis and snow shoes to see what
works best for you, or to just have the experience of using this equipment. This event is
usually focused on one weekend in January.
Candy snow: All of this out door exercise means you need a time to reenergize, so
how about making some Maple candy
snow? It all starts with taking some real
maple syrup and boiling down until it is not
maple syrup, which by law has 66% sugar, to
maple cream or hard maple candy. While
the maple syrup is boiling, go outside to a
clean area of snow and gather some on a
cookie sheet or large cake pan, several inches thick, After the syrup has been boiling for
a few minutes, pull the pan off the burner
and spoon some into the snow. If it sinks to
the bottom of the pan like hot water, put it
back onto the burner for another five minutes, and then it’s ready. Drizzled onto the
snow, the maple cools and hardens into a
sticky, chewy sheet, ready to be twirled onto
a fork and eaten, the inside gooey, the outside prickly cold with snow. Obviously, the
fresher the snow, the better this works.
How much snow did we get?
Did you know there is a scientific way to
measure snow? Ever wonder how the weath-
erman knows there was 7.3” inches of snow
at ----? The Corps of Engineers office at East
Brimfield Lake is an official weather station
for the National Weather Service. They
have the official measuring equipment used
to measure snowfalls. It consists of a white
plastic board about 2’ square, a 1” x 4” x 24”
board and a metal yard stick in feet and
tenths. They place this board out in an open
area of their back yard, and every six hours,
or over night when it snows they routinely
measure the depth of the new snow fall then
clean off the board, at the end of the snow
fall they total up all the measurements and
there is your total. You too can set up this
simple way in your back yard so when the
kids are home from school during snow days
you can involve them in this activity. Pick an
area of the yard that is not subject to disturbance and wind channeling/drifting, set out
a white board, and get a yard stick. So why
measure several times during a snow storm?
Gravity, as the snow falls, its weight compacts the total snow fall, so at the end of a
Continued on next page
Like grilling your food? You can still do it in the winter
The bold, unique flavor of grilled foods
is more popular than ever - from steaks
(the hands down favorite), burgers and
chicken, to grilled vegetables and appetizers. And while grilling is typically thought
to be the quintessential summer cooking
activity, an increasing number of
Americans are firing up their grills yearround.
In fact, winter is becoming the new
grilling season, according to the NPD
Group’s 23rd annual Eating Patterns in
America report. So if you find yourself
looking wistfully at the patio and dreaming about grilling without having to stand
in the cold, an indoor grill is
your best bet.
Today’s manufacturers offer
indoor grills that allow you to
enjoy the flavors of outdoor
cooking any time of year. For
example, Calphalon’s Removable Plate Grill has an oversized
grilling surface that makes it
easy to sear large steaks, chicken
and pork chops or even delectable panini sandwiches. The
adjustable grill height fits even
the thickest burgers, or can
lightly brown delicate foods
such as fish or seafood.
While men typically grill
more than women, indoor
grilling finds men and women
cooking it up. — ARA
Winter fun
larger event storm, you may have measured
more than 1” more than what is actually on
the ground at the end of the storm. If you
want to know how much rain that snow fall
holds, also place out a straight sided can, like
the large #10 cans, or a 2’ section of stove pipe
with a bottom, to collect the snow, take the can
in to a warm (not too hot) place and let the
snow melt, then measure the depth of the
water in the can. You now have the water
equivalent of the snow fall.
So let’s go out and enjoy our winter yards,
soon enough it will be spring and time to
restart all that yard work!
Tea Room
ple to the restaurant,” Dougan said. “We
have had several large tea events that have
been very successful. Families come to celebrate things like grandmother’s birthday
and friends come to enjoy time together.
The response has always been very positive; we have had many rebooking. In the
future, we have talked about the possibility of having a mother-daughter tea too.”
The Whistling Swan Tea Room hours
are by reservation only from Noon to 3
p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. The
price is $24.95 per person, which
includes tea, scones, sandwiches and
desserts. Tea events booked for the
month of January will get a discounted
price of $19.95. To make a reservation or
for more information, call The Whistling
Swan at 508.347.2321 or go to
www.thewhistlingswan.com
Winter: an inconvenient blessing?
They neatly fill the baskets my thawed fingers weave.
Before the slight glow from these objects I feel less scattered
and more gathered in, less fragmented and suddenly more
whole. These ordinary items offer relaxed reflection. Calmly
I re-collect my life easily by the mere thought of something
like my favorite “Winter Mug”:
I sip fresh coffee from my winter mug
Its porcelain body carries images of
Pine trees covered with dots of snow
As if here in this village I need reminders
A mug of spring colors or summer trees would somehow
Disrespect the prayer of bending limbs
That flex without complaint
The active contemplation of ascetic squirrels whose
Bearded faces show no worry
ness, the body restores us with glowing aliveness as it freely
indulges the marvel of textures, scents, sights and sounds.
This is what our body revels in and loves. Joy blossoms
not only for itself but also for the one it faithful holds up
and courageously shows to the everyday world. Feeling
refreshed and energized I perceive the horizontal world as
no longer boring but sparkling with a more-ness of life.
Welcomed as guest to belong in its home, I, as host, return
the favor.
Sometimes this epiphany happens by Cupid’s arrow.
Usually, it just patiently waits for us to let go our self interests, grumbling and immediate concerns. Letting go like taking a relaxed deep breath clears space of clutter. No longer
stuffed up I can welcome every day as a gift and the real
‘time of my life!’
So, I appreciate you, Winter, more as a gracious host
merely offering me the space to find the humble gift of my
everyday life. A blessing indeed! Inconvenient? Only if I
think it so!
The litany black-capped chickadees chant while they
dance without grumbling
This Winter Mug holds a measure of reverence
That resurrects the body from the frozen grave of
somber face
Allows it a place among the tender fellowship of creatures
Happy to teach the ways of gracious living with the world
Before we realize it, January passes into February.
February more accepting of Winter’s extended stay, delves
more deeply into the meaning of the frequently celebrated
ritual of shoveling. For example, one year I experienced a
movement away from frustrated grumbling to a relaxed open
cooperation. Suddenly the labor of clearing pathways led
not only out for traveling into the world, but also in to journey to my home.
This home-coming celebrates an intimacy. We unwrap
not only the present of a clearer mental picture of our selves
but also the gift of deep wisdom released from the flesh and
bone of our body. Feeling as if raised from a kind of dead-
THE HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL ADVISER
BY THE FACULTY OF HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL
A REGULAR FEATURE INTHE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE
The benefits of naptime
Q: Since I retired a few months ago, I've enjoyed
taking an afternoon nap even though I can stay
awake without one. Afterward, I'm alert and productive around the house. But my wife thinks my
naps could indicate a health problem. Should I be concerned?
A: Naps have long had a bad rap. In some studies, naps have been linked to ill health. In sleep
guidelines, they’re viewed as a threat to nighttime
sleep. On its Web site, the American Academy of
Sleep Medicine tells people to “avoid taking naps
if you can.” Get caught snoozing at work, and,
well, you know what will happen.
Lately, naps have started shedding their bad-foryou image. Researchers are finding that a little daytime sleep has benefits, including improving memory. A few employers now accommodate a quick
worksite snooze. And some research suggests that
instead of fretting about napping as we get older,
we should add daytime sleep to our schedule to
make up for the normal, age-related decay in the
quality of nighttime sleep.
The urge to sleep stems from a type of "biological clock" that sits in the hypothalamus, a part of
the brain. Cells there orchestrate the daily ups and
downs of body temperature, blood pressure and
other physiological processes, including sleep
cycles. The usual pattern is daytime wakefulness
followed by increasing sleepiness in the evening.
But it's common to have a little "hump" of midafternoon sleepiness programmed in.
One of the best antidotes to daytime sleepiness
is a nap. In 2008, British researchers reported
results of a study that compared three ways to cope
with the afternoon hump: getting more sleep at
night, taking a nap and using caffeine. The nap
proved most effective.
Another factor in daytime sleepiness is how
long you've been awake. After about 16 hours without sleep, most of us will feel ready for bed. Ideally,
this homeostatic sleep drive, as it is called, is in
sync with the body's clock. But if you work a night
shift, or have problems sleeping at night, your 16
hours of wakefulness may begin and end earlier,
making you feel groggy in the late afternoon or
early evening. A short nap won't completely reset
the timer, but it can help.
For about the past 10 years, researchers at
Harvard and elsewhere have conducted
dozens of experiments showing that sleep
improves learning, memory and creative
thinking. In many cases, that sleep came in
the form of a nap. For example, several studies have shown that if people are asked to
memorize something, such as a list of words,
and then take a nap, they'll remember more of
it than they would have if they hadn't taken
the nap. Even six-minute catnaps (not counting the time it takes to fall asleep) can help
people retain information.
Napping also makes people more effective
problem-solvers. Harvard researchers have
shown that taking a nap seems to help people
separate critical information from unimportant details. If the nap includes REM sleep -the phase during which dreaming occurs -people become better at making connections
between seemingly unrelated words.
Some industries and employers, including
NASA and the Federal Aviation
Administration, have found that strategic
naps can help. They studied 200 airline flight
crews, each of which conducted eight ninehour trans-Pacific flights over 12 days. Half the
crews stayed awake as usual, while the others took 40-minute naps in rotation.
Evaluations showed that napping improved
subsequent alertness and performance.
Your wife is correct when she says that
daytime sleepiness, and napping to relieve
it, can be a sign of a health problem.
Daytime sleepiness is one symptom of
Parkinson's disease, for example. And
although daytime sleepiness can be caused by
not devoting enough time to nocturnal sleep,
it has also been associated with diabetes,
depression, restless legs syndrome, obstructive
sleep apnea and chronic pain, conditions that
can harm sleep quality.
Your situation doesn't sound as dire as that.
People who are sleep-deprived feel groggy during the day and may fall asleep when they don't
want to. Voluntary napping like yours is not a
sign of sleep deprivation or illness. As you
point out, a nap can be helpful as well as enjoyable. But if you do experience sleep problems,
daytime grogginess, fatigue or a desperate need
to nap, see your doctor.
If you stick with your new habit, remember
that naps can produce problems of their own.
Grogginess and disorientation may accompany awakening from a deep sleep. You might
also have trouble sleeping at night, so keep
naps short.
Hopefully your wife isn't losing sleep over
your naps. But if she is, perhaps you could convince her to doze briefly. Like you, she might
find that a short afternoon nap has its benefits.
Copyright 2009 the President and Fellows of
Harvard College.
The Ugly Duckling Loft
Appetizers & Salads
Colossal Shrimp Cocktail .............................................$13.95
Lobster Strudel .............................................................$14.95
Four ice-cold colossal shrimp served with our house-made cocktail sauce.
Maine lobster chunks, wild mushrooms and brie baked in phyllo dough accented with an
herbed demi glace.
Barbecued Duck Quesadilla ...........................................$9.95
Slow-roasted orange and soy barbecued duckling with grilled onions and bleu cheese.
Spicy Calamari.................................................................$9.95
Crab & Sweet Corn Cakes............................................$13.95
Creole flour crusted fresh calamari, flash-fried and served with a roasted jalapeno aioli.
Lump crabmeat and sweet corn cakes deep-fried and served with a chipotle aioli.
Prince Edward Island Mussels.......................................$9.95
Scallop & Bacon Martini ..............................................$13.95
Sauteed your way with a sweet tomato ragout, creamy Dijon or white wine and garlic with
crostini.
Apple wood smoked bacon, wrapped jumbo sea scallops, deep fried with a maple syrup
glaze.
THE UGLY DUCKLING LOFT
above The Whistling Swan
502 Main Street, Sturbridge
www.thewhistlingswan.com
Info and reservations:
508-347-2321
Executive chef Patrick Carroll and sous chef
Rafael Guzman Cruz with their team of culinary
professionals will be happy to accommodate
any special dietary needs you may have.
For your fine dining consideration
we invite you to consult
The Whistling Swan menu
which is available for viewing online at:
thewhistlingswan.com
Escargot ........................................................................$10.95
Asian Smoked Salmon ...................................................$12.95
Smoked salmon rolls stuffed with a wasabi cream cheese, served with a home made pickle
salad.
Shrimp Rolls ....................................................................$9.95
Shrimp, black beans, cheddar and bell peppers wrapped in wonton paper and deep fried,
served with home made teriyaki sauce.
Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad ..........................................$13.95
Crisp greens topped with gorgonzola, bacon, walnuts, avocado, egg, roasted red peppers,
cucumbers and grilled chicken tossed with a smoked tomato vinaigrette.
Bistro Steak Salad ........................................................$15.95
Broiled in an herbed garlic butter, served with toasted garlic French bread.
Crispy Pork Bites ............................................................$9.95
House brined, braised and deep fried pork bites served with home made pickles and yogurt
sauce.
Greek Chicken Salad.....................................................$13.95
Grilled chicken breast with stuffed grape leaves, iceberg lettuce, radish, scallions, olives,
cucumbers and feta cheese with a Greek vinaigrette.
Warm Bacon & Spinach Salad........................................$8.95
Baby spinach with bleu cheese, tomatoes, spicy pecans and dried cherries tossed with a
warm bacon vinaigrette. (Available with grilled chicken breast $5 or grilled salmon $8)
Pepper-grilled beef tips presented on crisp greens with roasted red peppers, tomatoes,
cucumbers and roasted garlic with a bleu cheese vinaigrette.
Caesar Salad ...................................................................$8.00
Crispy Chicken Bruschetta Salad ................................$13.95
Mixed Green Salad..........................................................$5.00
Crispy fried chicken strips topped with basil, tomato and fresh mozzarella over balsamic
Fresh mixed greens with choice of today’s house-made dressings.
With Grilled Chicken: Add $5. With Grilled Salmon: Add $8. With Crab Cakes: Add $8.
Entrees
All entrees served with starch and vegetable.
Lobster & Filet Mignon ................................................$36.95
Maple & Brown Sugar Salmon......................................$22.95
Flame-broiled filet mignon and fresh Maine lobster served with a mild horseradish cream.
Fresh Atlantic salmon filet broiled with a Dijon maple and brown sugar glaze.
Vegetarian Lasagna.......................................................$15.95
Tenderloin Tips Marsala ...............................................$19.95
Fresh pasta sheets layered with grilled and roasted vegetables and a blend of cheeses
baked with a sweet tomato ragout and béchamel sauce.
Pan-seared tenderloin tips with caramelized onions, garlic and wild mushrooms tossed with
linguine in a sweet marsala reduction.
Parmesan Stuffed Chicken ...........................................$17.95
Veal Involtini...................................................................$19.95
Boneless chicken breast rolled with parmesan and basil stuffing, deep fried and served
over linguine with a sweet tomato ragout.
Tender veal cutlet rolled with prosciutto, roasted red peppers and mozzarella cheese
accented with an herbed demi glace.
Rack of Lamb.................................................................$26.95
Maine Lobster Ravioli...................................................$22.95
New Zealand rack of lamb flame-broiled with an herb crust accented with a sweet port wine
reduction.
Sweet lobster ravioli tossed with spinach and cherry tomatoes in a parmesan cream.
Shellfish Risotto ............................................................$21.95
Our famous meatloaf wrapped in puff pastry and topped with bordelaise sauce.
Shrimp, sea scallops and mussels pan simmered with sweet peas and Aborio rice in a rich
tomato stock.
Filet Mignon ..................................................................$24.95
Fish & Chips..................................................................$14.95
Herb-Crusted Haddock .................................................$18.95
Crispy panko-crusted haddock fillet deep-fried, served with cole slaw and fries.
Scallop Porcini ..............................................................$19.95
Pan-seared fresh sea scallops with porcini mushrooms and spinach in a brandy brown butter.
Lobster Mac & Cheese ................................................$18.95
Macaroni and lobster chunks baked with a creamy white cheddar sauce, topped with panko
crumbs.
Torta Rustica.................................................................$14.95
Flame-broiled filet mignon topped with béarnaise sauce.
Fresh Atlantic haddock fillet oven-roasted with an herbed panko crust.
Chicken & Apple Linguine .............................................$17.95
Sautéed breast of chicken with caramelized apples and spinach in a light cream sauce.
Chef’s Steak du Jour
Chef’s nightly creation using the finest cuts of various meats available.
Garlic Roasted Pork Tenderloin ...................................$19.95
Sandwiches & Burgers
All served with French fries, cole slaw & pickle
Grilled Reuben....................................................................$10
Chicken Monterey..............................................................$10
Thinly-sliced corned beef with home made sauerkraut, Russian dressing and Swiss cheese,
served on grilled marble rye.
Grilled chicken breast with tomato bacon, cheddar cheese and a jalapeno mayonnaise,
served on a toasted sub roll.
Portabella Panini ...............................................................$10
The Pressed Cuban............................................................$10
Marinated grilled portabella mushroom, fresh mozzarella, tomato marmalade and basil on
house-made focaccia bread.
Slow-roasted sliced pork loin with smoked ham, Swiss, pickles and mustard on ciabatta
bread.
Meatloaf Sandwich.............................................................$10
Roast Beef Sliders .............................................................$10
Our famous mealoaf grilled and served with bacon, cheddar and a tomato marmalade on a
grilled kaiser roll.
Thinly-sliced roast beef with caramelized onions, cheddar cheese and a horseradish aioli
served on mini-grilled focaccia squares.
Turkey, Bacon & Brie Melt ................................................$11
The Duckling Panini ...........................................................$11
Smoked breast of turkey with sliced apples, bacon and brie served on French bread with an
herbed mayonnaise.
Grilled chicken breast with avocado, tomato, onion and Swiss cheese pressed on the Panini
grill.
Crispy Haddock Taco..........................................................$14
The Cowboy Burger ............................................................$10
Crispy fried haddock with shredded lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese and home made pickles in a crispy fried tortilla shell.
Fire-grilled Black Angus burger with bacon and barbecue sauce topped with fried onions,
The All-American Build a Burger.....................................$9.95
Starts with our 8 oz. Black Angus grilled burger served on a toasted roll with lettuce, tomato
and onion.
Add-Ons ($1.50 each):
— Grilled apple wood smoked bacon
— Choice of cheese
— Caramelized onions
— Sautéed mushrooms
ADVERTORIAL
Whistling Swan and
Ugly Duckling Loft aim to
offer high quality at
affordable prices
The Whistling Swan is proud to
have a long history of serving the Town
of Sturbridge and its residents. We have
been in continuous operation for 27
years and look forward to many more.
Recently, we updated both of our
menus — that of The Whistling Swan,
which is where we feature fine dining
on our first floor, as well as The Ugly
Duckling Loft, upstairs, where we offer
a less formal, quick and casual dining
experience, with a complete menu representing the full array of menu items
from sandwiches to light dinner fare.
The Ugly Duckling Loft is well-known
in the area for its attractive sunken bar
and extraordinary live entertainment.
The Whistling Swan is noted for its
romantic 5-star fine dining experience.
The candlelit dining rooms provide the
perfect backdrop for a special evening
out or as the venue to observe any special occasion.
The Whistling Swan is pleased to
announce the arrival of the area's finest
kitchen staff, led by executive chef,
Patrick Carroll, formerly of the Salem
Cross Inn and previous owner of the
well-known East Side Grill in
Northampton. We are also pleased to
introduce to the area our executive sous
chef, Rafael Guzman Cruz, who joins
us directly from some of the finest
restaurants in New York City. Chef
Carroll and his staff are committed to
serving the absolute finest food the area
has to offer.
In these tough financial times, we
understand the challenges faced by
everyone in our community and how
they can impact the ability to go out
and enjoy a high-quality meal. We are
committed to offering the highest quality food and service experience for the
best value possible.
The owners of The Whistling Swan,
Nick and Angie Grammatas, along with
their entire staff, cordially invite you to
dine in one of New England's finest
restaurants. Please join us soon.
© 2010 Sturbridge Times photo by Karen Rothweiler
COMPATIBLE CANINE RAISES FUNDS FOR SECOND CHANCE SHELTER
Kathy Menard, owner of Compatible Canine, organized a benefit for Second Chance Animal Shelter on Saturday, December 5
at her store on Rt. 148 in Fiskdale. With the help of 20 gift baskets teeming with $1,500 worth of pet products and services, the
event raised $790 with 100% of the proceeds going directly to the shelter. The baskets contained dog toys, beds and treats, as
well as a free round of Kathy’s dog training classes.
Daniel Dougan
Restaurant Manager

PDF - Sturbridge Times Magazine

Transcription

Similar documents

APRIL 2013 - AUGUST 2013 WORkSHOP SCHEDuLE

Magazine - The Original Wedding Expo

a PDF of the October, 2015 issue.

The Sturbridge Times - Sturbridge Times Magazine

The Sturbridge Times - Sturbridge Times Magazine

May 22, 2015 - Small Planet Dancers

PDF - Sturbridge Times Magazine

NatioNal Heritage Corridor

A New Face - Opacum Land Trust

Sturbridge Villager

december 31, 2015|10:00 am-11:00 pm firstnight worcester

2015 event handbook