WEEKLYDIG.COM
A DRINK A DAY KEEPS THE SNAKES AWAY
FREE 3.11.09 - 3.18.09
A+E TEENBEAT LETS SOMERVILLE SPEAK OUT P19 NEWS TO US HARVARD PINCHING PENNIES P5 COMEDY BOSTON’S OWN LOUIS CK COMES HOME P26
Send your anonymous gripes and grouses to
[email protected], or to Dig Department of Gripes, 242 E. Berkeley St., 2nd Flr., Boston, MA 02118. Crybaby.
The Department of Commerce will save the economy with a puppy package. Courtney, Thanks for writing your article in the Weekly Dig (“Doggie Style,” 1.21.09). I don’t normally read it, but when I saw the front-page headline, I thought, “I have to read what those bastards at the Dept. of Commerce have done, and why they are exploiting puppies.” When I turned to page 9, I realized it’s a recurring feature column of some kind [Actually not recurring as of yet, but thanks for the idea!—Ed.]. Which was pleasant. Tim Via email
And by calling Al Sharpton a “race-pimp,” you prove Media Farm’s point. Media Farm, I just read your comments about the NY Post cartoon of the chimp
who wrote the stimulus package (2.25.09). You just don’t get it. It obviously references the badly written stimulus package. It is a stretch to tie it to Obama. For one thing, usually when political cartoonists mean to represent a person or group, they label the image so the meaning is clear. By quoting the noted race-pimp, Al Sharpton, you make the point for the Post. How many times was George W. Bush (who I detested, by the way) depicted as a chimp? Was that racist? He was depicted as a chimp because he was an idiot, just like the people who wrote the stimulus package. Oops. Did you not realize that it was a committee of Democrats and not Obama himself that wrote the stimulus package? This will be a great four years if any criticism of the Obama administration is going to be labeled racist. Thank you, Frank via email
COVER ARTIST | Dan Nolan is a Cambridge painter, graphic novelist and political cartoonist. See DanNolan.com for his paintings, local comic book stores for his graphic novel, Business Casual Stag Devil Death Boy, and ObeLincoln.blogspot.com for his political cartoons. Contact
[email protected]. Want to be on the cover? Email Tak Toyoshima, at
[email protected].
arts + entertainment
dig this
Eats + drinks
d e pa r t m e n t o f commerce
News + features
Letters
Send your thoughts to
[email protected] or 242 East Berkeley St., 2nd Flr., Boston, MA 02118. All letters may be edited for length, clarity and accuracy. Please include all contact information.
s ava g e l o v e
laura dargus |
[email protected]
Comics
Hey, hipster girl. I see you out nearly every time I go clubbing in Allston. I’m sure you’re not a bad person, but your purse ... it’s FUCKING HUGE. It’s a reflective, screaming gold color that can be seen from about six miles away—and did I mention it’s huge? It’s takes up a lot of space on the dancefloor. In addition to the space your friends take up, since they’re being dragged along by the gravitational pull of the Handbag from Hell. This is noticeable because none of you ever seem to do any actual dancing. So, my main question is this: What in God’s name do you need such a monstrosity for?! Are you homeless and keep several changes of clothes, empty cans and provisions in there? Perhaps you have a tragic medical condition and the purse is actually a cleverly disguised ... colostomy bag? Your malformed conjoined twin? My money is on that your Sack of Woe does not in fact conceal Kuato, but actually contains two bowling balls and about a dozen bricks. I’ll end with a simple plea asking you to leave your Purse of Doom at home the next time you go clubbing. Trust me, you’ll feel liberated without your burden. Maybe you’ll even feel like dancing.
crossword
oh, cruel world!
Challenging the magnitude of sappiness on Valentine’s Day, another patron saint’s homage can get a little overwrought (particularly in Boston). But rather than curse the college drunks and utter amateur hour that is St. Patrick’s Day, we at the Dig have an assignment for you: Find and capture as many of the following items on film (email ’em to
[email protected]), and the reader with the most found items wins a mystery prize! Green things: vomit, panties, an “I hate the Green Line” T-shirt (hmmm … where can I get one of those?); things that are bloody: someone’s tooth, a Bruins jersey for Bourque, Neely or P.J. Stock; a bit of lost cash—any denomination of bill; a closed Irish bar (prior to 6pm—no cheating); someone wearing an Antoine Walker jersey; a 50+ year-old gentleman sipping from either a flask or a McDonald’s Shamrock Shake. Go! If your plans don’t revolve around Tuesday’s festivities, there’s plenty to read about/go do in this here Dig. Attend any of one of the Boston Underground Film Festival’s parties/previews (we give you a quick glimpse at five of this year’s titles in A&E). Catch the Throwing Muses’ show on Saturday or frequent any one of the local businesses Metro Pedal Power couriers for. Have fun out there—just remember that sloppiness, safety and sanity rarely mix. Choose your wingman wisely.
exit poll
tak toyoshima
VOL 11 + ISSUE 10
WEEKLYDIG.C0M
03 11 09 – 03 18 09
Unions labor to save jobs Last Thursday, the front of Harvard’s Holyoke Center filled with more than 50 protestors chanting into bullhorns at 1pm, and a larger crew of 150 marching at 4pm, in response to staffing cuts and ominous talk from the university. Harvard lost an estimated 22 percent of its endowment in four months, but the $28.7 billion remaining still makes it the wealthiest university in the nation. The Medical School told its janitorial subcontractor, American Cleaning Company, to lay off 13 of 27 custodians by April 1st, and OneSource, another subcontractor, must reduce its costs by 30-40 percent (given the low overhead for supplies, many consider that a 40-percent staff reduction). A letter from Dean Michael Smith last month announced “some changes to our current workforce,” adding, “We hope that the level of participation in the voluntary early retirement program will mitigate the need for further staff reductions.” Other universities have also been hit, but haven’t resorted to staff cuts. MIT implemented salary freezes on its highest paid staff in response to a projected 30percent loss in its $10 billion endowment. Boston University announced a hiring freeze just
as its endowment dropped 24.1 percent, to $897 million. In Jeff Booth’s 23 years as a library assistant and founding member of the 21-year-old Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers, he’s never been so worried for his job. “It’s not just one email, it’s an avalanche of emails. It’s propaganda from Harvard about how much money they lost,” he says. “A lot of people see [the early retirement package] as a threat.” University administrators wouldn’t comment on the decision to lay off staff, whose salaries are cheaper than professors’. “Compensation and benefits account for nearly half the university’s budget, so we have to look carefully at those costs while minimizing the impact on the workforce,” university spokesman Kevin Galvin said in a statement. “With that in mind, we have said that there will be no salary increases for exempt employees and faculty this year, and we have offered a voluntary early retirement program for which 1,600 staff members are eligible. We also are vigorously scrutinizing non-personnel expenses for savings.” Alyssa Aguilera, a member of the Student Labor Action Movement and a senior at Harvard, said, students are
willing to feel the pinch, too. “We’ll make sacrifices so our friends can keep their jobs.” When asked what she’d sacrifice, she answered, “There’s a lot of excess spending, wining and dining … The budget process is not transparent, so we can’t present an alternative, but it’s a question of priorities, of saving jobs.” Daniel Brasil Becker, an organizer for the Service Employees International Union 615, which represents janitors all over New England, called Harvard’s layoffs “unprecedented.” “It’s a degree I have not seen at any other university. And when you consider the financial resources at Harvard University, that raises a lot of questions,” he said. Bedardo Sola, a janitor at Harvard for five years, supports his family in El Salvador on his salary. “[They] are the source of my strength and the reason I continue fighting,” he says. Becker says that each job that’s cut echoes through the economy. “Family health care cuts hit children, the elderly and many others … Even the fear of layoffs reduces family spending, which means less income for bodegas and small businesses. And less revenue means more layoffs. This is not how we are going to rise out of this recession.”
Anthony O’Brien
by cara bayles
[email protected]
Not as well endowed
Cries of “Two, four, six, eight, beagles we appreciate!” rang out Friday night as nearly 20 protestors encouraged people to boycott Blanchard’s liquor store in Allston. Who would want to protest liquor? That’s where the beagle chant comes in. A then-employee posted a video from the store’s surveillance camera on YouTube showing someone stomp on a cage containing a beagle puppy. Protesters alleged that Blanchard’s owner, John Corey, became enraged when his son kicked his Mercedes-Benz, and retaliated by jumping on the cage holding his son’s puppy. The dog remains in the care of its owner and didn’t sustain injuries, to the knowledge of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA). The video is under investigation by the MSPCA and Boston Police, according to MSPCA spokesman Brian Adams. “At this time, we’re not releasing the names of the parties involved or the location,” he said. If the MSPCA presses charges, the felony could yield a five-year prison stint and/or a $2,500 fine. The video infuriated Dustin Watson, a student at Emmanuel College, who organized last Friday’s protest with his friend, Greg McGonagle. Watson wasn’t disappointed by the small turnout. “A lot of people are still just actively participating in the boycott,” he said. “As long as they help spread the word, that’s great.” By the end of the night, Watson estimated they’d distributed 1,200 flyers. Protestors also held signs encouraging drivers to honk if they were against animal abuse. Watson said he’d like Corey to face repercussions. “I’d like for him to come out and admit that it’s him on the tape,” said Watson. “He needs to know that you can’t keep going around and stomping on things that are completely defenseless.” Corey owns only the Blanchard’s in Allston—not the Jamaica Plain location. Several commenters on the YouTube video (which has since been taken down) encouraged viewers to patronize Marty’s Liquors instead of Blanchard’s, but Marty’s Allston location is closing due to a rent hike by their landlords. McGonagle claims his goal isn’t to put Blanchard’s out of business. “Just because the economy is in poor shape doesn’t mean people can do things that aren’t right,” he said, adding, “If something were to happen, I would feel bad for the employees because it’s not their fault.” During the protest, an employee of Blanchard’s on a smoke break stood near the corner. He told protestors he supported them and thought what they were doing was great. Joe Gomes, manager of Blanchard’s, refused to comment on the situation, stating that as the matter is being investigated, he cannot discuss it.
Letters News + features d e pa r t m e n t o f commerce
Allstonians protest puppy stomping
Eats + drinks
Senate Minority Leader Richard R. Tisei, R-Wakefield, on being one of five remaining Republicans in the state Senate, and thus, an endangered species. 3.6.09
dig this
“It’s us against the world. We’re the only ones to question the majority, and we have a lot of responsibility to act as watchdogs.”
arts + entertainment
Prime Minister Gordon Brown, on freshly minted Knight of the British Empire Ted Kennedy. 3.4.09
by Morgan Keenan
“[He] is one of your most distinguished senators, known in every continent, and a great friend.”
s ava g e l o v e
The details on Marty’s closing
Comics
Harvard union protest story expanded!
crossword
The dog stomping video
exit poll
ONLINE AT WEEKLYDIG.COM
the dig’s quality-of-life index A Fitchburg man is being held without bail after a carjacking incident and is facing 17 charges. One of the women in the car said he “started talking all crazy” and said, “We are all God’s children.” Carjacked by a child of God; the world really is going to shit. MINUS 1 Big Hill is in Europe having talks with the Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, in hopes of forging a better relationship between the US and Russia. Clinton also met with the foreign minister of the Czech Republic, Karel Schwarzenberg, and was pictured with him while he used her hand to caress his chin. We’re disturbed, and Condy is most likely jealous. Expect a tasteless porno spinoff soon! EVEN Ciudad Juarez, a Mexican border city, has been at the center of the Mexican drug war. Now, 7,000 police and Mexican soldiers have entered the city to protect citizens and try to end violence. OMG, does this mean it’s safe to go on spring break to Cabo now? PLUS 1
KA-CHING!
“We’re glad that Ernie Boch Jr. won’t advertise with us, because, unlike the Improper Bostonian, we don’t have to give his shows with Ernie and the Automatics rave reviews as a gesture of gratitude for his vanity ads.”
An 82-year-old Dorchester woman dies after getting stuck in an escalator at the State Street Station on the Blue Line while a crowd of commuters passes by and only four offer to help. Nice work, Boston. MINUS 2 Mayor Menino announced on Friday that if unions do not cooperate with a one-year wage freeze, an estimated 700 workers will lose their jobs, including 100 teachers. So, that went well. MINUS 2
WEEKLYDIG.C0M
03 11 09 – 03 18 09
Multiple reports suggest Catholics in the state are making a mass exodus for the Southwest and elsewhere. Boston, once considered one of the most Catholic cities in the nation, may now have to out-Jew New York to claim a title, and is considering conducting a special census to determine which religious group will take their place (anything but Scientology!), but there’s no word on how this affects the creepy repressed priest population. EVEN The investment blog 24/7 Wall St. puts the Boston Globe on its newspaper deathwatch list. Apparently, losing $1 million a week does not make for a viable business. MINUS 2
THIS WEEK’S TOTAL: MINUS 6 LAST WEEK’S TOTAL: MINUS 7
Photo of the week Boston bakeries must comply with the Boston Public Health Commission’s ban on delicious, artery-clogging trans fats by 3.12.09 Random photo submitted by Jordyn Bonds. Submit your photos to
[email protected]
THE BOSTON GLOBE noticed us!!! Ohmyfuck, do you think they’re reading this RIGHT NOW? Hiiiiiiiii! We know this not because Veronica Chao answered our phone calls, but because Johnny Diaz (who is actually a reporter, not a 1950s heartthrob) wrote about local weeklies last week. Brad Mindich insisted the Phoenix’s shrinkage to two sections (that includes the sexxxy ad section) as “usability driven. We are not cutting back. We have been able to hold steady.” Because the smaller it is, the less likely it is that their target audience will hurt themselves while twirling their silver ponytails … it’s a user service! As long as they don’t cut their full page for JAZZ!, we cool. JUSTICE ISN’T QUITE as sexist as we recently thought! Remember Tanya deLuzuriaga, the reporter who had an affair with married, then-assistant superintendent of Miami-Dade schools Alberto Carvhalo while covering education for the Miami Herald? And how their embarrassing love emails about blatantly poor journalistic ethics and shaving nether regions came to light? After shit hit the fan, he got a promotion and she stepped down from her job at the Boston Globe, proving that inappropriate relationships don’t apply to government employees (surprise, surprise), or men (shocking) or in Miami (!!!). Well, she showed us all and scored a sweet PR job at Colette Phillips Communications. Her boss told the Boston Herald that deLuzuriaga “is a young, twentysomething person and she may have made an error in judgment at this stage. It’s not like she’s 40.” … Unlike Carvhalo, who was 44 when the story broke. Oh, will we ever learn? Whatever. DeLuzuriaga’s actually probably in a much cushier position than most of her former coworkers at the Globe, who are currently unemployed.
IT’S TRUE THAT with the decline of ad revenues and the rise in the cost of paper, we could all use a little extra cash right now (thanks for pointing that out, Diaz!). Still, we’re glad that Ernie Boch Jr. won’t advertise with us, because, unlike the Improper Bostonian, we don’t have to give his shows with Ernie and the Automatics rave reviews as a gesture of gratitude for his vanity ads. Plus, we get to tear him a new asshole. Consider this review from the Improper: Shedding the business suit and opting for gas-station chic, car mogul Ernie Boch Jr. spends his downtime rocking out on the guitar in his band, Ernie and the Automatics. But for the Berklee alum, music is more than a hobby. The Automatics include former members of Boston—drummer Sib Hashian and guitarist Barry Goudreau—and have opened for legendary acts like BB King and Chuck Berry. How well do classic rockers mesh with an automotive gazillionaire? “No egos,” says Goudreau. Oh, really? Forgive us for not taking the classic rocker at his word, but a few pages earlier, there’s an ad for Boch Automotive that features a bleached out, blue and red print of Ernie, à la Shepard Fairey’s infamous Barack Obama Hope poster. Except instead of
“Hope” on the bottom, it reads “Boch Automotive.” Classy. Boch and Barack: Now that’s a comparison we can’t believe we haven’t thought of ourselves. This is the man who advertises for Boch Automotive in nearly every issue of the Improper with a page featuring his face photoshopped onto other people’s bodies, casting himself as the Mona Lisa, Santa Claus with two slutty Mrs. Clauses, James Bond and the Coppertone Girl, with a real live dog pulling down his swimming trunks (call the MSPCA!). He also places vanity ads for nothing but his own gazillionaire lifestyle, surrounded by babes-for-hire. (Let’s not forget the “Come on down” emblazoned panties that he graciously sold, because he knows that everyone wants to think of his idiotic catchphrase right before they get laid.) But really, no ego here! Just a shitton of money.
TIPS? THOUGHTS?
[email protected]
exit poll
crossword
Comics
s ava g e l o v e
arts + entertainment
dig this
Eats + drinks
d e pa r t m e n t o f commerce
News + features
Letters
L O E F Y . J . J CAFÉ ’S
WEEKLYDIG.C0M
03 11 09 – 03 18 09
BY cara bayles
[email protected]
Local green deliverance You’ve no doubt heard of Metro Pedal Power (formerly the New Amsterdam Project), a badass fleet of five pedicab trailers that can haul 650 pounds each, but the business, just over one year old, is gaining momentum, with a host of new services (in addition to local caterer deliveries, laundry pickup and grocery collection) that you can use … if not for the novelty of getting something delivered by a feat of engineering, then for the satisfaction of reducing your carbon footprint. MPP is expanding its services for community-supported agriculture (CSAs) this summer, offering farmshare delivery for Enterprise Farm [75 River Rd., South Deerfield. 413.665.8608. enterpriseproduce.com], Red Fire Farm [7 Carver St., Granby. 413.467.7645. redfirefarm.com], Silverbrook Farm [592 Chase Rd., Dartmouth. 508.991.5185. silverbrookdartmouth.com] and Parker Farm [828 Lancaster Ave., Lunenburg. 978.582.9943. web.mac.com/parkerfarm]. Hardcore musician/farmer Steve Parker says he offers 350 shares per year, and that MPP can pick up shares from the drop-off point weekly, or offer on-call deliveries for missed pickups. “I think it’s a "/34/.
finder
South Boston
“Sláinte!” The Southie of Irish pubs, Catholic churches and blue collars has seen some appealing gentrification while retaining pride in its roots. Sunday, March 15th, will mark the 108th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. To satisfy your non-Guinness needs, there’s no need to limit yourself to boiled dinner. Try the chicken in almond sauce (pollo en almendras) from Salsa’s Mexican Grill [118 Dorchester St. 617.269.7878], which has established a considerable following amid a cluster of Irish pubs. The Boston Beer Garden [732 E. Broadway. 617.269.0990. bostonbeergarden.com] offers everything from BLT pizza to an apple & goat cheese salad. Didn’t think we forgot to mention pubs, did you? Shennanigans [332 W. Broadway. 617.269.9509] caters to a sportsloving crowd of locals. Although the L Street Tavern [195 L St. 617.268.4335] has been spruced up a bit since being featured
in Good Will Hunting, it has also retained its quality as a neighborhood bar with good, cheap drink. If you’re looking to opt out of the parade watching and associated crowds, Southie still has plenty to offer. The Institute of Contemporary Art (pictured) [100 Northern Ave. 617.478.3103. icaboston.org] is perfect for people watching, the waterfront, its architecture and modern art. Note: Thursdays from 5pm-9pm are free.
bicyclelaneindustries.com/bli/cartbike Fashion your own “cart bike” using the superdetailed directions on this site. Ideal for grocery shopping, Dumpster diving and carting home your wasted friends. Send a picture of your homemade cart bike to
[email protected]!
Letters News + features d e pa r t m e n t o f commerce Eats + drinks dig this arts + entertainment s ava g e l o v e
Metro Pedal Power
great service to have,” says Parker. “It definitely opens the door a little for those who can’t or don’t want to pick up the stuff themselves.” Harvard Book Store [1256 Mass. Ave., Harvard Sq., Cambridge. 617.661.1515. harvard.com/greendelivery] started offering a book delivery service through MPP three weeks ago. They’re swallowing the cost difference associated with MPP, offering a $5 flat rate (with $1 for each additional book). Heather Gain, the bookstore’s marketing coordinator, hints that web behemoths don’t have the market cornered. Harvard has received more than 100 green delivery orders in the first two weeks. “I think people enjoy supporting local businesses, and when they have time over the weekend, they like to come here and hang out,” Gain says. “But when they want a book, and they don’t have time to come into the Square, they can still think of us as their online book ordering option.” And the newest development is MPP’s partnership with local stoneground confectioner Taza Chocolate [561 Windsor St. B-6, Somerville. 617.623.0804. tazachocolate.com]. Taza, whose treats are sold at many local retailers, found that when they shipped via UPS, their product went to a sorting center in Rhode Island before venturing back to Boston. Taza is pushing retailers to hire MPP for delivery, linking local business networks with sustainability, which will save an estimated 380 pounds of carbon emissions annually. Taza co-founder Alex Whitmore estimates they hire MPP to deliver to about 20 of the 50 retail locations selling chocolate within Greater Boston, and local residents can also order home bicycle delivery from Taza’s website. MPP’s $8 rate is more expensive than UPS’ $6, but Taza makes up the $2 difference for store owners they distribute to. Aaron Foster, marketing director at Taza, adds, “If you think about it, the cost of shipping with UPS is not the true cost. It doesn’t represent the cost to our environment, the cost of our greenness.” Wenzday Jane, MPP’s CEO and ass-hauler, says that as MPP builds its base of local businesses, its rates will go down. “It’s a matter of getting the volume, the density. We’re trying to get a network of businesses that get a lot of their clients from the same places. Then we can say, ‘Hey we’re already going there,’ and then our prices can go down,” she says. “We’re not competing with UPS. We’re offering something different.” [11 Olive Sq., Somerville. 617.776.3700. metropedalpower.com]
Comics
win win. Made from patent leather (easy to clean) and contrasting canvas (backing the architectural 3 3/4-inch triangle heel), these sneaker-soled Mary Janes are city-friendly godsends: Snow and sidewalk grates be damned! The black retails for $59.95 at DSW [385 Washington St., Boston. 617.556.0052. dsw.com], but the gray is on clearance ($35.96, bitches!). Guess which pair we took home.
crossword
BUY | These Hype-R heels from Kenneth Cole REACTION are a durable/fashionable
Bombs hosts a dance party/fundraiser at the Milky Way. Bowling, raffles, DJs and boldsprints (look it up). [Sun 3.15.09. 403-405 Centre St., JP. 617.524.3740. 9pm/ 21+/$5-$20. milkywayjp.com]
courtesy metro ped
GO | More pedal to the $$ power! Bikes Not
exit poll
Stel’s teams with photog Jonathan Stark to showcase his striking new exhibit, Skin Deeper, an extension of his acclaimed Skin Deep collection. [Until 4.30.09. 334 Newbury St. 617.262.3348. stelsinc.com, starkview.com]
benjamin darfler
review | by patrick main WEEKLYDIG.C0M
03 11 09 – 03 18 09
10
Amrhein’s Southie landmark continues Holding down the corner of West Broadway and A Street since 1890, Amrhein’s continues to serve up traditional Irish-American New England fare along with, of course, the requisite Irish hospitality. Although renovated in 2005, it still features not only the oldest handcarved bar in America, but also the first draft beer pump in Boston (though only for display purposes). Having swept away the smokeinfused décor, it now shines with a dark-wood motif and plenty of plasmas spread around for your sport-viewing needs. A party of four of us ventured in for a post-game meal on a recent Friday night. We opted for the table service in the mostly packed bar after being assured the full menu was available. Befitting the history and location, we opted for a round of Guinness ($5) and Magners ($4.75). The Guinness was well poured, cold but not too much so, still cascading when served, settling to a nice inch of head. We embarked on the meal with an order of the pan-fried mozzarella ($7) for the table. An interesting twist on the standard mozzarella sticks, these come as little inch-round balls, lightly breaded and served over a bed of
marinara sauce. For my entrée, I opted for the chicken pot pie ($14). It’s a sight to behold when served, not in a crust, but with the filling in a bowl and a huge puff pastry on top. The pastry was as delicate as a croissant, melting into the tasty, stew-consistency chicken, potatoes and vegetables beneath. My date had the grilled vegetable risotto ($18)—a creamy/cheesy decadence with an abundance of peas, zucchini, squash, peppers and tomatoes. The sweet potatoes also mixed well with the risotto’s smooth, rich base. Altogether, the favorite dish of the evening. The lone, surprising miss of the evening was the traditional boiled dinner ($17) from the specials menu. Even by the standards of the dish, it was excessively bland, lacking the slathering of butter and salt that usually are the hallmarks of this oldest of Irish-American cuisine. In all, Amrhein’s serves up a great mix of pints and muchbetter-than-pub-grub food, in a well-designed interior, with a large parking lot (shocking in this neighborhood) for easy access.
phenomenal added to the regular rotation solid cuisine, presentation + taste average meh AMRHEIN’S 80 W. BROADWAY, SOUTH BOSTON 617.268.6189 SUN-THU 11:30AM-MIDNIGHT (kitchen till 10:30PM), FRI-SAT 11:30AM-1AM (kitchen till 11:30PM)
Letters News + features d e pa r t m e n t o f commerce
How Scotch came to a secretary
Comics
s ava g e l o v e
arts + entertainment
dig this
Eats + drinks
Scotch Whisky Association as its international ambassador. After World War II, Bessie was promoted to distillery manager. Ian Hunter was a notoriously secretive man, almost to a paranoid extent, but Bessie’s passion and vigor won his trust. Over the years, he divulged the secrets of Laphroaig to Bessie, deciding upon his death that she was the only person he could rely on to carry on the brand’s long traditions. When he died in 1954, Bessie took the reins and became one of the first women owners and distillers in the industry. Ian Hunter’s will bequeathed Laphroaig to Bessie Williamson with the stipulation that quality and high standards be maintained above all else. Until retiring in 1972, that’s exactly what Williamson did. We raise a glass to those impeccable standards today.
crossword
If there’s one spirit that has a decidedly unladylike rep, it’s single-malt Scotch whisky. Also known as “Liquid Smoke” and “The Peat Reek,” Laphroaig particularly is not for the faint of heart. Yet for a generation, this Scotch-drinker’s Scotch had a woman at the helm. Bessie Williamson had just one suitcase with her when she moved to Islay in the early 1930s to take a temp job as a secretary at the Laphroaig Distillery. Ian Hunter, the distillery’s manager and last in line of the family owners, was impressed by Bessie’s intelligence and interest in whisky production. He offered her a full-time position, and she ended up staying 40 years. After suffering a stroke in 1938, Hunter asked Williamson to join him on a sales tour in America. The trip was a success, and her trips became more frequent—from the Chicago World Fair to the New York Trade Fair, Williamson represented the
exit poll
BY PINK LADY + HANKY PANKY
The Missus of Laphroaig
cin-cin!
11
242 S
P
A
C
E
BARBIE DOLL ART EXHIBTION THE SUMMER SECRETARY 1 oz 0.25 oz 0.25 oz 0.25 oz 0.25 oz
Laphroaig grapefruit juice lemon juice St. Germain Green Chartreuse
Shake ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker; strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
FOR MORE SMOKY, PEATY COCKTAILS, CHECK OUT LUPECBOSTON.COM.
BY TYLER BALLIET
Sacré Bleu! Bottles from France that aren’t marked up to the high heavens If you stopped drinking French wine from mega-famous regions because you think there aren’t any decent bottles on the cheap, think again. We’ve scoured the cellars to bring you three fantastic bottles of wine from world-renowned (read: expensive as hell) French regions.
617-247-8516
Bordeaux
W H E R E A NYTHING CAN HAPPEN
If you haven’t heard about the current Bordeaux prices, consider yourself lucky. New bottles are being sold for $400, $600 or even $1,000. The completely ridiculous prices of First Growths (the highest-ranked vineyards, according to the French government) have trickled down, causing the prices for even mediocre Bordeaux to skyrocket. Since this is the region that made the now ubiquitous grapes Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc, it’s difficult to find drinkable bottles under $25. Luckily, while wading through the sea of overpriced, crappy Bordeaux, we came across the 2007 Chateau Saint-Germain Bordeaux Supérieur. This mostly Cabernet Sauvignon wine is rounded out with a bit of Merlot to offer all the Bordeaux goodness of deep, rich fruit and a firm structure for a surprisingly small amount of coin.
“This mostly Cabernet Sauvignon wine is rounded out with a bit of Merlot to offer all the Bordeaux goodness of deep, rich fruit and a firm structure for a surprisingly small amount of coin.”
[Available for $13.99 at Downtown Wine and Spirits, 225 Elm St., Davis Sq., Somerville. 617.625.7777. downtownwineandspirits.com]
Burgundy
Few other regions have the ability to intrigue/romance winos and yet still utterly confuse the crap out of novices and experts alike. At its simplest, this region is straightforward; red wine is made from 100-percent Pinot Noir and white wine from 100-percent Chardonnay. After that, things get tricky, with numerous sub-appellations, wineries buying their grapes from hundreds of different growers and a system of naming the wines that confuses even the French. However, with wine connoisseurs chasing elusive producers like a teenage girl at a Jonas Brothers concert, wines from this famous region aren’t cheap. A decent Burgundy wine usually starts around $40 and even at that price, it can still suck. Luckily, we found the 2006 Nicolas Potel Bourgogne Rouge, Cuvée Gerard. This über tasty Pinot Noir is made from 100-percent organic grapes mostly coming from the Côte de Nuits appellation. Non-winos: That means it’s pretty fucking chronic. [Available for $21.40 at Bin Ends, 236 Wood Rd., Braintree. 781.817.1212. binendswine.com]
Champagne
WEEKLYDIG.C0M
03 11 09 – 03 18 09
12
Even though you could drink a more affordable Spanish Cava, a French Cremant or even a high-end California Sparkling wine, sometimes you just need a classic bottle of Champagne from France’s Champagne region. Champagne has very distinctive flavors because the grapes (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier) are grown in the limestone-rich soils that impart an intense minerality into the wine. The weather also plays a big role since Champagne is located northeast of Paris and is a relatively cold growing region. The wines are also painstakingly blended from dozens of still wines and then aged in deep caves for years. These factors, along with a soaring global demand for bubbly, have shot even the “entry-level” brands over the $50 per bottle mark. Enter the NV Duval Leroy Brut Champagne: This fantastic bottle of sparkling, still made by the Duval family, drinks like a champ with all of the toasty nuttiness one can expect from a fine Champagne. [Available for $27.97 at Blanchards, 741 Centre St., Jamaica Plain. 617.522.9300. blanchardsliquor.com]
DRINK MORE WINE! THESECONDGLASS.COM
13
exit poll
crossword
Comics
s ava g e l o v e
arts + entertainment
dig this
Eats + drinks
d e pa r t m e n t o f commerce
News + features
Letters
BY JASON + TODD ALSTRöm
Double Trouble No, not us
Just when you think everyone and their mom could possibly brew an American Double India Pale Ale (DIPA), Founders Brewing Company out of Grand Rapids, Mich., decides to whack our palates into the dirt with their latest offering: Double Trouble, an 86-IBU, 9.4-percent ABV monster DIPA. These guys are known for their big, bold beers. We’d expect nothing less. And for those of you who have been in a beer coma, we’re talking about those India Pale Ales that were originally brewed by the Brits for their troops in India back in the 1700s. The beers were brewed hoppy (a natural preservative) and strong (alcohol being another) to withstand the long voyage. Centuries later, IPAs are a much weaker version of themselves in the UK, but during the end of the last century, American craft brewers basically took the IPA and made it America’s flagship beer, giving it a bit more of a malty backbone and hoppiness. Then at the turn of the millennium, they turned the volume to 11 to create the DIPA with high alpha acid hops (which give beer its bitterness) from the US—mainly from the Northwest region. So, after having the luxury of sitting back while everyone else brewed and released their DIPA, let’s taste Founders’ version ...
The Taste Pours golden bright, but with a touch of haze—looks a bit unfiltered. Paler than a lot of other DIPAs, which is not good or bad, just different. Awesome, tightly laced, super-creamy white head with plenty of retention. Fresh pale malts in the nose, with some alcohol and spice, and a deep, penetrating herbal and resiny hop character. Pine sap and grapefruit rinds come to mind. Very smooth on the palate with a lush, creamy mouthfeel. Alcohol is the first to say hello, with some spicy, peppery and boozy words, and plenty of “trouble” in tow. Beneath this, a base of bready malt sweetness, then layers of stone fruits and nectar. Some apple and pear, too. Sticky and resiny hop presence. Citric, rindy, herbal and spicy. Some pine and mint. Finishes a bit dry, ashy and leafy, with some residual hop notes and fumy alcohol on the breath. Final Thoughts Surprisingly balanced for a DIPA. The hops are big, but they don’t whack you around with uncontrolled bitterness like others. That mouthfeel is bliss, too. Our main beef with it is that it’s a bit of a booze bomb that lingers around and makes you feel like you just hit the bottle hard. Still, very enjoyable. So far, it’s got an A- with nearly 200 reviews on BeerAdvocate. Easily a B+ in our books.
Available now in four-packs and on tap at select bars. We’re guessing most better-beer bars have had this on already, do now or will again soon. Seek it out and enjoy. FOR MORE INFO: FOUNDERSBREWING. COM BEERADVOCATE.COM
“Alcohol is the first to say hello, with some spicy, peppery and boozy words, and plenty of ‘trouble’ in tow. ”
RESPECT BEER.
Beer events
WEEKLYDIG.C0M
03 11 09 – 03 18 09
14
CBC Brewer’s Dinner March 14 Join Cambridge Brewing Company for another legendary beer dinner featuring beers from brewmaster Will Meyers paired with four courses by chef David Drew. The meal features a CaCow! Chocolate Milk Stout Float for dessert, and beer choices include Spring Training IPA, “Abbey Normal” Belgian Dubbel, “Sgt. Pepper” Belgian Peppercorn Saison and Bannatyne’s Scotch Ale, among others. [Cambridge Brewing Co., One Kendall Sq., Cambridge. 617.494.1994 ext.16. 5pm, 5:30pm, 6pm, 7:30pm, 8pm, 8:30pm/$75. cambrew.com]
BeerAdvocate St. Patrick’s Day Beer Crawl March 17 Join us for our annual St. Patrick’s Day beer crawl around Cambridge, where we avoid crap beer, green beer and all the amateurs. Starts at 10am at The Asgard (for some breakfast), followed by Cambridge Brewing Company at high noon. For all the other stops, check online for updates. [beeradvocate.com/events/info/17852]
News + features
Letters
kit
d e pa r t m e n t o f commerce
en r
Drink Better Beer.
exit poll
crossword
Comics
s ava g e l o v e
arts + entertainment
dig this
Eats + drinks
ba
ch
beer
Eat Good Food.
e us
The
blick H Pu o
15
enter oston C at the B t, Boston a m ra lo S The Cyc s, 539 Tremont rt for the A
Friday, April 17, 2009 Trade Tasting: 2-5pm VIP Riot: 6-10pm ($65) Saturday, April 18, 2009 Riot One: 1-5pm Riot Two: 6-10pm ($45)
Penguin Pizza
THU 3.12
WEEKLYDIG.C0M
03 11 09 – 03 18 09
16
FRI 3.13
FRI 3.13
E for Explosion
Josh Wink
Peter Singer
and also for sex and dancing
stark raving mad
calesth-ethics
The big-room sound and themes of this Kentucky project are poised for big things and bigger spaces. But on this tour, they’re playing the intimate room upstairs at Felt, and with a college ID, it’s free. Jangly, catchy and as accessible as the Green Line when it hits BU, they’re somewhere between the breathy pop of M83 and the pop hooks of Ryan Adams.
Yep, that Josh Wink. The man behind “Higher State of Consciousness” and “How’s Your Evening So Far?” is still blowing the doors off dancefloors with his ridiculous DJ sets. He’s also released his first new album in quite some time with When a Banana was Just a Banana. Opening is Make It New resident DJ Alan Manzi, who is a show in hisself. This will be what is referred to as an “epic night.”
In my dinner-with-any-five-people-inthe-world fantasy, Peter Singer sits at the head of the table. World-renowned Princeton bioethicist and founder of speciesism (as in, “Meat-eaters are speciesists”), Singer graces Cambridge for a talk on his latest book, The Life You Can Save (in other words, would you park your Porsche in front of an oncoming train to save the child tied to the tracks? Oh really? Then ante up the charity donations). Let Singer persuade you to “make poverty history.” And, ahem, Peter? I make a fabulous Pasta Surprise.
[Felt, 533 Washington St., Downtown Crossing, Boston. 617.350.5555. 9pm/21+/$8, free with college ID. feltclubboston.com]
[Rise, 306 Stuart St., Boston. 617.423.7473. 2am/21+/$15 members, $25 guests. riseclub.us]
[Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Cambridge. Tickets via Harvard Book Store, 617.661.1515. 6pm/$5. brattlefilm.org]
Letters News + features d e pa r t m e n t o f commerce Eats + drinks dig this arts + entertainment s ava g e l o v e Comics crossword exit poll
johnny stevens
17
SAT 3.14
MON 3.16
TUE 3.17
BUFF Pre-Party
West Side Story
Leprechaun
feel-good films
pretty and witty and gay!
luck-o-ta-irish
Good Vibrations is only underground in the I-wouldn’t-tell-myparents-I-shop-there-regularly type of way. The Boston Underground Film Festival, however, is very much underground cinema, brought lovingly to light. Good Vibes showcases two films this year that are right up the kinky store’s alley, 9 to 5: Days in Porn and Bad Biology, both of which will be previewed at the soirée. The chance to win BUFF swag and get an extra deal on DVDs doesn’t hurt, either.
An updated version of Romeo and Juliet, and an outdated take on street gangs (really? Natalie “Wonder Bread” Wood was the best Puerto Rican they could find?) still teaches a timeless lesson of the perils of acrobatic violence. And if you haven’t seen it on a big screen, you really should check it out while it’s at the Coolidge. This baby was meant to be viewed in CinemaScope (widescreen!), so the colors can pop and the dance sequences can be viewed in full.
Leprechaun features a very young Jennifer Aniston fending off a very creepy puppet in what might be the campiest horror flick of all time. An angry, gold-crazed leprechaun goes on a rampage after being locked in a crate for a decade … what else do you really need to know? It’s a cult mustsee, and there’s no better way to ring in St. Patty’s (aside from, you know, boozing).
[Good Vibrations, 308-A Harvard St., Brookline. 617.264.4400. 6pm/ free. bostonundergroundfilmfestival.com]
[Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St., Brookline. 617.734.2501. 7pm/$9.75 general, $6.75 members. coolidge.org]
[Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Sq., Cambridge. 617.876.6837. 10pm/$9.50. brattlefilm.org]
WEEKLYDIG.C0M
03 11 09 – 03 18 09
18
love, debbie
[Somerville Speakout can be heard on the “Subject to Change” radio show every Saturday from noon-2pm. WMBR, 88.1FM, or online at subject2blog.blogspot.com. The CD was released 3.10.09. It comes with special buttons. teenbeatrecords.com] more 20
WED 3.11 In more “WTF are you doing with your endowments, ivy-league research departments?” news, Adam Bradley, coauthor of the forthcoming Yale Anthology of Rap (?!!), drops into the Harvard Book Store to talk about his current tome, Book of Rhymes: The Poetics of Hip Hop. Bradley explains how rap gets a bad—er, rap—for its frequent vulgarity, but that it’s actually the most profound innovation in poetry of our time. [1256 Mass. Ave., Harvard Sq., Cambridge. 617.661.1515. 7pm/free. harvard.com]
When reading the description of Heide Hatry’s exhibition Heads and Tales, Buffalo Bill sprung to mind. Hatry uses pig skin, eyes and raw meat to create lifelike models, and then photographs them. Though the stills are more welcoming than, say, live decrepit flesh, they’re still not altogether settling. Akin to a Tori Amos/Kevyn Aucoin collaboration, Hatry invited writers to spin tales for each of her 27 ladies. The show is in its last week at the Pierre Menard Gallery (through 3.17.09). It’s definitely worth a look-see. [10 Arrow St., Cambridge. 617.868.2033. Noon-8pm. heidehatry.com]
WHERE DID YOU LIVE IN BOSTON?
Somerville. 150 years ago. We were a Boston band for a minute, then we started touring around the world. We played with Dinosaur Jr., the Pixies and the Volcano Suns … THAT’S JUST CRAZY.
It was a complete mindfuck because the real world turned out to be nothing like that. If you’re trying to make a living in the music business, it’s very explicitly spelled out that if you don’t dumb it down, you will fail. DID YOU GET THAT RESPONSE TO YOUR RECORDS?
I was actually asked by Seymour Stein to sound less like Kristen Hersh. DID THAT COME FROM YOUR MUSIC ON TAPE OR DID IT HAVE TO DO WITH YOUR PRESENCE?
At the time, I suppose I was always a little disappointed when I realized that people could see me onstage. I thought, “Well, here we are engaging in sound, stop staring at me!” They wanted to talk to me and see what kind of rock-star cartoon I was going to sell. It was hard being the dorkiest of all bands, but you know what? A real musician is necessarily a dork. And not the neo-nerd kind of losers, but actual dorks. That’s how come we played so good! SO, NO EMO KIDS WITH BIG PLASTIC GLASSES?
Not them. They’re just as smug as all of ’em! [Throwing Muses, Sat 3.14.09. Middle East Downstairs, 472 Mass. Ave., Central Sq., Cambridge. 617.864.3278. 9pm/18+/$20. mideastclub.com, kristenhersh.com]
Letters arts + entertainment s ava g e l o v e Comics
might, actually, get phoned in to the complaint line. “Hopefully, it can go to a college fund or something. I know the hours he and his wife put into making this. I have guilt that I am delaying Mark Robinson’s new genius project. He’s putting all this time into a CDR that’s going to sell like 20 copies.” Bryant’s still completely stoked. “It is an endless thrill as a Teenbeat Record collector to finally have a unit number,” he says. “But for the record, [Robinson’s] been really unsupportive with tour support and merchandising. There is no Michel Gondry video, despite my repeated requests,” he jokes. “The next enterprise will be Speakout Karaoke ... I should just quit my job.”
Leader of one of the great underground bands of the indies, Kristen Hersh is bringing Throwing Muses back here, and soon, to All Tomorrow’s Parties in the UK for a headlining performance. Fresh as ever, could they follow Dinosaur Jr. and Meat Puppets into reissue land?
crossword
If you told Patrick Bryant that he would wind up on Teenbeat Records, the iconic ’90s indie label, he never would’ve believed you. “My great admiration for Mark Robinson and Teenbeat Records has severely diminished,” he jokes via phone in a parking lot in Newton. “It’s a feature that I think that drives a lot of their readership, because they don’t put it on their website.” Bryant is talking about Somerville Speakout, a complaint line run by the Somerville Journal that reprints anonymous complaints in the paper. Five years ago, he began reading the rants on his radio show—over easy-listening music—and this week the compilation is being released on CD. “I don’t plan on personally making any money off it,” he says in advance of criticism that
Kristen Hersh
exit poll
Somerville Speakout
BY JONATHAN DONALDSON
BY DAVID DAY
[email protected]
dig this
Eats + drinks
CHRIS CORNELL | SCREAM | 3.10.09 According to the label, Scream is a “masterpiece that breaks all musical boundaries.” Like the lead single “Part Of Me,” where he tells a psycho ex-girlfriend to fuck off. How mind blowing!
There are roughly 5 percent of adult Americans who classify as “countryphiles,” in that they support and fervently consume country music CDs, radio and concerts. A recent study by the Country Music Association finds that half of this 5 percent—one in two of the genre’s biggest fanbase— do not have internet access in their home.
News + features
Catch all of the hilarious NSFW interview with Louis CK and Rob Turbovsky
d e pa r t m e n t o f commerce
ONLINE AT WEEKLYDIG.COM
19
INTERVIEW | BY SEAN YEATON
PROPAGANDHI Rocks the talk and talks the rock For anyone into the punk/hardcore scene for the better half of the past two decades, Propagandhi is a household name. Love ’em or hate ’em, there’s no denying their consistent approach to writing albums. For these surly Canadians, 2009 is a big year—they’re putting out a brand new record on their own G7 Welcoming Committee label and heading out on their first US tour in two years. Expect waves of sweaty youths violently grabbing at one another during the set and then violently grabbing at one another in the merch line. Then again, there was never enough sweat a Propagandhi shirt couldn’t mop up. We spoke with the drummer, Jord Samolesky, who just got back from touring Australia.
YOU ARE PLAYING THE HARVEST OF HOPE FESTIVAL IN FLORIDA. ARE YOU EXPECTING TO RUN INTO ANY OLD FRIENDS? We don’t usually play festivals because there are a lot of companies who tag along and glean money off young kids. Punk mixed with the corporate world fuckin’ sucks, but Harvest of Hope is a really positive fest. It’s going to be great to play with Bad Brains. They were a significant band for me as a kid. We’re all looking forward to that. And the cause is great—migrant workers deserve to make their fair share.
IT’S BEEN TWO YEARS. DO YOU HAVE ANY NEW TRICKS? Not so much. It’s only going to be our second time on the East Coast and our first time as a four-piece band. We’ve spent a lot of time preparing for the tour and we’re really excited about the new album—we’re ready to go.
MY MOM WANTED ME TO ASK YOU A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS: WHY DO YOU SOUND SO ANGRY? [laughs] We were all metalheads in our early years and got turned on to underground, heavy music in the ’80s and the underground edge that existed back then before corporate tentacles ruined it for a number of years. The angry indignation towards the status quo appealed to me and was meaning-
ful to us. This led to us becoming interested in a lot of issues outside of music itself. It can only leave you with a really fundamental sense of anger and injustice. If you know about these things, it’s your duty to pass them along. Outside of that, though, we do have a good time. We’re not angry politicos, and we enjoy other forms of art, too. AND WHEN YOU PLAY, WILL THERE BE MORE TALK AND LESS ROCK OR WILL IT BE THE OTHER WAY AROUND? There’s definitely a little more rock at this point in our career. We play a tight set with more tuneage, and we play enough off all the records. That said, we leave a little bit of the talking to the side, where we usually bring along an info table ourselves. There’s lots of information to pick up on, so, a little bit more rock, a little less talk.
Oh look, a free retard with every fill up. PROPAGANDHI SUNDAY 3.15.09 WITH PAINT IT BLACK AND NO TRIGGER MIDDLE EAST DOWNSTAIRS 480 MASS. AVE., CENTRAL SQ. CAMBRIDGE 617.864.3278 7PM/ALL AGES/$15 ADV, $17 DOS MIDEASTCLUB.COM PROPAGANDHI.COM FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW, CHECK OUT WEEKLYDIG.COM.
more 22
THU 3.12
WEEKLYDIG.C0M
03 11 09 – 03 18 09
20
My first year of college, my roommate aided in my gaining the freshman 15 with Girl Scout cookies. She bought five boxes, four of which were for me because she didn’t like Thin Mints. If you’re looking to indulge, go to Girl Scout Cookie Creations at the Hotel Commonwealth. Chefs will be incorporating the troupe treats into delicious desserts that I’m currently salivating over just picturing all their sugary/caloric glory. [500 Comm. Ave., Boston. 617.933.5000. 6pm-8pm/$30, two for $50. girlscoutseasternmass.com/ cocr.html]
FRI 3.13 So far, 2009 has been the year of Whitehaus. What was born in a modest Jamaica Plain house has grown into an avant-garde, freesound artist collective/DIY record label/Boston institution. Aside from house parties and the occasional off-Lansdowne club gig, it’s hard to find collective members unless you know them. Blastfest is a rare exception. The second-annual exploration includes no fewer than 18 artists, known acts like Many Mansions and The Needy Visions among them. Newer music acts include Debbie and the Bullets and The Woodrow Wilsons. Poetry slams and old-tyme folks also abound. Collaborating at the Cambridge YMCA, it is an anticipated assemblage of the Boston underground. [820 Mass. Ave., Cambridge. 617.876.2858. 6pm/all ages/$5-$10. whitehausfamilyrecord.com] The pain and the itch implied in Bruce Norris’ play, The Pain and the Itch, is that of family and a little girl’s genital rash, respectively. While the former inspires an empathetic twinge, the latter is more than a little uncomfortable to talk about. Company One will demonstrate just how uncomfortable at the BCA’s Plaza Theatre starting this week. And, you know, if the pain that is family led to the contraction of a rash, it’d likely grow near one’s nether regions, too … out of spite. [539 Tremont St., Boston. 617.933.8600. 8pm/16+ recommended/$15-$38. bostontheatrescene.com]
Letters
AMSTERDAM (04/02/09) LONDON (04/04/09) BERLIN (04/18/09) BARCELONA (04/25/09) MILAN (05/09/09)
ASIA/PACIFIC
HONG KONG (05/15/09) SHANGHAI (05/23/09) TOKYO (05/30/09) SYDNEY (06/06/09)
GLOBAL CHAMPIONSHIP NEW YORK (06/20/09)
ORIGIN early twenty-first century American English; NYC 2005
arts + entertainment
dig this
Eats + drinks
d e pa r t m e n t o f commerce
News + features
EUROPE
PHRASES — Cut&Paste Digital Design Tournament 1 : a series of high-energy live design competitions that tours the world annually, distinguished by crazy time limits and large-scale projections that display each designer’s creative process in real time for maximum audience amazement 2 : ongoing 2009 tournament comprised of pressure-cooking competitions in 2D, 3D, and motion design — currently traveling 16 major cities and featuring 256 competitors, of which 48 will continue to the Global Championship, where only 3 will emerge to claim their crowns 3 : a good time — a proven method for getting a strong shot of creative juice, fresh entertainment, and a healthy dose of partying into one night — www.cutandpaste.com
s ava g e l o v e
LOS ANGELES (02/21/09) SAN FRANCISCO (02/28/09) PORTLAND (03/07/09) BOSTON (03/14/09) NEW YORK (03/21/09) TORONTO (03/28/09) CHICAGO (04/04/09)
noun 1 a : a social arena for the discovery, advocacy, and elevation of design b : a global movement of individuals, agencies, and media working to strengthen creative networks through events and local support 2 a : proprietary producer of the live global design competitions held during the annual Digital Design Tournament b : collaborative producer of design-driven competitions and events 3 obsolete : to craft an object in copycat fashion
Comics
NORTH AMERICA
Cut&Paste \ 'kət-(')ən(d)-'pāst \
crossword
GLOBAL TOUR DATES
exit poll
DIGITAL DESIGN TOURNAMENT 2009 2D | 3D | Motion
21
Thursday, March 12 Wednesday, March 18 bluegrass acoustic / roots INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS THREE TALL PINES upcoming shows: 3/19- Gypsy Cimbalom Band Saturday, March 14 3/20- Johnny Hoy Beatles covers 3/21- Band That Time Forgot Sunday, March 15 3/22- Neon JuJu Jazz Brunch w/ music 9:00 -2:30 PM 3/24- Ericksons /Heather Waters Blues Jam 3/25- Dave 4:30-8:30 THE MACROTONES Fiuczynski -9:30 3/26- 5 O’Clock Shadow Monday, March 16 3/27- Mango Blue FREE PIZZA 8:30 PM (21+) TEAM TRIVIA starts 8:30 Friday, March 13 Beatles covers
17 Holland St., Davis Sq.
Somerville (617) 776-2004 Directly on T Red Line at Davis www.johnnyds.com
COMPILATION
Tuesday, March 17 bluegrass REUNION BAND
COMPOSITION
COLLABORATION
Wednesday, March 11 celtic / rock ENTER THE HAGGIS
N.A.S.A | SPIRIT OF APOLLO GENRE | KITCHEN SINK-HOP VERDICT | MASSIVE PROJECT RELEASE | 2.17.09 LABEL | ANTI MYSPACE.COM/NASA
ARVO PÄRT | IN PRINCIPIO GENRE | MODERN CLASSICAL VERDICT | EPOCHAL PREMIERES RELEASE | 3.3.09 LABEL | ECM ARVOPART.INFO
VARIOUS ARTISTS | DORM SESSIONS SIX GENRE | STUDIOUS GROOVES VERDICT | BERKLEE BATCH RELEASE | 2.9.08 LABEL | HEAVY ROTATION HRRECORDS.COM
David Byrne, Kanye West, Tom Waits, Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Kool Keith, Chali 2na of Jurassic 5, Gift of Gab, Z-Trip, Chuck D of Public Enemy, Ras Congo, Seu Jorge, E-40, DJ Swamp, Barbie Hatch, John Frusciante from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, KRS-One, Fatlip of the Pharcyde, Slim Kid Tre, Santogold, Lykke Li, Sizzla, Lovefoxxx from CSS, George Clinton, MC Spank Rock, M.I.A., Nick Zinner, Kool Kojak, DJ Babao, Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, DJ QBert, The Cool Kids, Scarface, DJ AM, RZA, Method Man, Ghostface Killah and Ol’ Dirty Bastard all appear on this beat-laden über project from producers Squeak E. Clean and DJ Zegon. But they all won’t be at Harper’s Ferry Wednesday, 3.11.09. [JORDAN CLIFFORD]
“There’s a new Arvo Pärt?” is usually the response I get when talking about In Principio. This CD is in fact five world-premiere recordings, released to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the seminal ECM New Series, and the 40th anniversary of the label. “In Principio” is the lead five-part work, and resoundingly Pärt, with towering mixed choir arrangements and text drawn straight from the Gospel of John. Other magnificence comes inspired by The Shroud of Turin and St. Cecilia. We’re green with envy at Estonian president Lennart Meri, who personally commissioned the beautiful closing lament, “Für Lennart in memoriam,” for his burial service. Arvo, if you’re reading this, call us. [DAVID DAY]
There’s nothing amazing about the sixth Berklee compilation series, other than the school continues to be home to some serious talent. Two voices in particular—the R&B-styled Shea Rose and power-voice Rebecca Muir—jump out as something that is easily marketable. Indie entrants Sex! and White Shoe Brown Shoe are the most poised to follow the Apollo Sunshine/ Click Five path to success (two bands previously featured on Dorm Sessions). Two are unlike the others, though: Re-Up’s soulful hip-hop and Supervolcano’s speed-jazz-punk. Those wacky Berklee kids! [BRENT T. INGRAM] SHEA ROSE AND REBECCA MUIR PLAY OLIVER’S THURSDAY, 3.12.09.
more 24
SAT 3.14
WEEKLYDIG.C0M
03 11 09 – 03 18 09
22
Indie-land is totally freaking out about Get Guilty, the new album from AC Newman, as well it should. Sprung from the Eden of the New Pornographers, Mr. Newman draws from many gifted songwriters (Elton, Rundgren, McCartney) but then adds an enigmatic shine that is purely naughty. He even brings folks like Mates of State’s Kori Gardner Hammel and Nicole Atkins in on the fun. Get to the Paradise tonight to see Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele, too. [969 Comm. Ave., Boston. 617.562.8800. 8pm/18+/$15. thedise.com]
Cut&Paste is not for those who may experience sympathetic stress pains. It is, however, for aesthetic nerds and adrenaline junkies alike. Font collectors and Adobe fans converge on this frenetic graphic design competition that gives me performance anxiety just imagining the scene at the Cyclorama tonight. [539 Tremont St., Boston. 617.426.5000. 7pm/18+/$15 adv, $20 dos. cutandpaste.com
SUN 3.15 Oh, Restaurant Week, you’ve come at the bestest time! Great eats for cheap, and I won’t have to spend a whole paycheck on getting out of the house. The prix fixe-ing begins today and lasts through the 20th (and then March 22nd-27th) with 222 restaurants participating. Delicious and recession friendly! [restaurantweekboston.com]
Letters News + features d e pa r t m e n t o f commerce Eats + drinks dig this arts + entertainment s ava g e l o v e Comics
Justin Kelly contracting
617-945-0143 cambridge
J?FN@E>8CCPFLI<E>C@J?GI
L<# :?8DG@FEJC<8>L<IL>9P>8D<J<M
High End Residential, Restaurant and Nightclub Specialists Full Service Remodeling, Installations & Fabrication
[email protected]
exit poll
crossword
9Xi cJgfikj 9\jk@ekË
23
review | BY dig staff
film festival BOSTON UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL The underground film festival brings out the dead There is no mistaking the aesthetic of BUFF. This year’s lineup includes mini-programs featuring bestiality, Polka documentaries, epilepsy warnings, autosexuals and, yes, a documentary about porn. In advance of the pre-parties, we were given access to five screeners. It may be impossible to realistically portray the adult film industry, which fulfills fantasies under constant censure, but Jens Hoffmann is up to it. 9 to 5: Days in Porn seeks what its subjects seek: raw dynamism. Through unabashed interviews, we learn that hard footage is born from moments of surprising tenderness, real life is more compelling than sex and the dark side of the business is the darkness in all of us. 9 to 5 is a film peeping back at us, and that’s hot. [Sat 3.21.09. 11:55pm, Brattle Theatre. Wed 3.25.09. 9:30pm, Kendall Square Cinema] Anywhere, USA sure is subdued for a favorite of director/psychopath Quentin Tarantino. The three acts are unified by cartoonish portraits of Americana and prejudice across a redneck community, whether a van inhabited by a girl and her fuzzy uncle or the mansion with an idiotic patriarch. It’s beautifully shot, and revels in long, awkward pauses between every line of hilarious dialogue (“You’ve got a fuckin’ beautiful mustache, man”). With a web of similarities between seem-
ingly disparate stories, Anywhere creeps up on you. [Sun 3.22.09, 8pm and Thu 3.26.09, 9:45pm. Kendall Square Cinema] High school is tough on teens. There’s schoolwork, one’s rank on the social totem pole and the quandary of what to do with naked zombie chicks found chained to beds in asylum basements. In Deadgirl, delinquents Rickie and JT make such a discovery while skipping school. They disagree on how to handle it, and what follows is a gore-sprayed descent into depravity and necrophilia. Only for those looking to stretch the outer limits of their stomach. [Fri 3.20.09. 9:30pm, Brattle Theatre. Thu 3.26.09. 9:30pm, Kendall Square Cinema] A splendidly shot story of disillusionment, domination and redemption, Modern Love is Automatic keeps its purposefully plodding pace up with thrash intermissions. There’s a lot to look at, though, with actress Melodie Sisk as the bombshell Lorraine, who becomes a
dominatrix out of sheer boredom. Her pathetic roommate, Adrian (played spot-on by Maggie Ross), is also a barrel of monkeys, attempting to seduce old men in order to sell mattresses. A cult film waiting to happen. [Sat 3.21.09, 7:15pm and Mon 3.23.09, 7:45pm. Kendall Square Cinema] The Morris County trilogy won’t do much for their tourism. Ellie is about a teenage girl on a downward spiral (she smokes! She stabs! She trades tag-teams for bottles of whiskey!), The Family Rubin tries to keep up appearances, but a closeted dad, a cuckolding wife and a son who turns hamsters into lunchmeat make it quite difficult. And Elmer and Iris is about a sweet old woman who just can’t be without her husband—ever. With disturbing visual effects, Morris County explores the macabre in suburban life and the horrors exposed when the Band-Aid comes off social niceties. [Sat 3.21.09, 9:45pm and Tue 3.24.09, 9:45pm. Kendall Square Cinema]
FOR A FULL LISTING OF ALL BUFF FILMS, VISIT BOSTONUNDERGROUND.BSIDE. COM. BOSTON UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL THURSDAY 3.19.09THURSDAY 3.26.09 BOSTONUNDERGROUND.ORG BRATTLE THEATRE 40 BRATTLE ST., HARVARD SQ. CAMBRIDGE 617.876.6387 BRATTLEFILM.ORG KENDALL SQUARE CINEMA ONE KENDALL SQ., CAMBRIDGE 617.499.1996 LANDMARKTHEATRES.COM
more 27
SUN 3.15
WEEKLYDIG.C0M
03 11 09 – 03 18 09
24
What do you and 600 cops have in common? Well, if you happen to make your way to South Boston today, you’ll all be attending the St. Patrick’s Day Parade together. The Dig’s answer to not getting arrested for public drunkenness and disorderly conduct: brave the $100 fee and chill the fuck out. [Broadway T-stop to Andrew Square, South Boston. 1pm/ free. saintpatricksdayparade. com/boston]
At the risk of spoiling our cool factor with hipster dumdums everywhere, we’ll endorse Less Than Jake at the Paradise if for no other reason than they’re a whole bunch of fun. And ska is the cockroach of subculture. By which we mean when the nuclear winter has come and gone, we’ll bet our last amero that when we come crawling from the fallout shelters, someone, somewhere, will be skanking. [967 Comm. Ave., Boston. 617.562.8800. 7pm/all ages/$22.50. thedise.com]
MON 3.16 The Man Who Made Lists, a biography of Peter Mark Roget, the man behind “the immortal book” (Roget’s Thesaurus), is fascinating, compelling and seductive. If you read that sentence and thought “seductive” was a poor choice of word, you will definitely appreciate what biographer Joshua Kendall has to say at the Harvard Book Store. [1256 Mass. Ave., Harvard Sq., Cambridge. 617.661.1515. 7pm/free. harvard.com]
25
exit poll
crossword
Comics
s ava g e l o v e
arts + entertainment
dig this
Eats + drinks
d e pa r t m e n t o f commerce
News + features
Letters
INTERVIEW | BY ROB TURBOVSKY
LOUIS CK New England native at the top of his game With his unsparing talent for filthy, gut-wrenching insights into all the ugliness of domestic life, Louis CK has lately become one of the must-see comedians of our day. For those who hear him vent about fatherhood and society, and recognize their own inner voice, he’s a fearless truth teller. For comedy nerds, he’s John Cassavetes with jokes. The Newton-raised CK returns to town to film another special, just a year after filming Chewed Up. The name of the all-new show is Hilarious. He earned it. IN HILARIOUS, YOU DESCRIBE SEEING YOUR DAUGHTER SHIT ON THE FLOOR. HOW HAVE THE CROWDS BEEN RESPONDING TO THAT? That’s my favorite bit right now because it unites the audience. Because I always have two crowds. I have the family crowds that are there because they enjoy the stuff about kids and the material about being the age that I am. They relate. Then, I have young, crazy comedy fans who just want to see the most fucked-up shit they can. Throughout the show, things generally lurch back and forth. Some of the younger people look a little distracted when I’m talking about kids, and some of the older people look a little uneasy when I’m talking about Hitler or duck vaginas. But, then, when I do the bit about my kid shitting on the floor, the whole place goes bananas. HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR PERFORMANCE STYLE HAS CHANGED IN THE LAST FEW YEARS? I think I have higher skills as far as making this material work. I’m just more practiced, that’s all. I have a bit now about raping a baby gorilla that knows sign language. That’s not something that I thought I’d be able to do, and it’s working great. The message is that you shouldn’t, by the way.
WEEKLYDIG.C0M
03 11 09 – 03 18 09
26
WHEN YOU START WORKING ON A NEW HOUR, DO YOU IMMEDIATELY THROW AWAY THE OLD MATERIAL OR DO YOU GRADUALLY PHASE IT OUT? For the most part, I chuck it because I’m really excited to get rid of it. It’s really fun to do shows where I don’t have any jokes. I’m like a new comic. It’s like a rebirth, it’s a great feeling. It’s scary and it’s a struggle onstage. But I don’t do shows that way where people pay a lot of money to see me. I don’t go back on the road with big advertisements until I’ve built a new hour. ON YOUR WEBSITE, THERE’S A CLIP OF YOU PERFORMING AT CATCH A RISING STAR IN HARVARD SQUARE IN 1987. WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU WATCH THAT? I don’t watch it is really the answer. I can’t look at that. It’s a different person. I don’t see myself in that face at all. I can kind of conjure up the feelings I had in that time. But I had a Boston accent that was fake. I was trying to act like a dude in a bah. I didn’t know how [to] fit in with people, let alone be a comedian, so it was an awkward age.
Whoa, if you flip the photo upside down there’s another face! LOUIS CK SATURDAY 3.14.09 ORPHEUM THEATRE 1 HAMILTON PLace BOSTON 617.482.0106 9:15PM/ALL AGES/$16.25-$32.50 LIVENATION.COM LOUISCK.NET FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW, HEAD TO WEEKLYDIG.COM
“Some of the younger people look a little distracted when I’m talking about kids, and some of the older people look a little uneasy when I’m talking about Hitler or duck vaginas.”
SOUTH PARK
LOWBOY
This 25-disc series box (!) has lots of love. A surprisingly small package resembling the Ghostbusters HQ houses five individual volumes in steel cases. Also inside: a synopsis, trivia book and bonus disc with cast/producer interviews, galleries and the pilot episode. The show itself still proves very watchable. The villains are ugly and diverse. Storylines flesh out backstory and explain things like how Slimer wound up living with the group. One-liners are frequent, with a solid voiceover cast keeping the characters’ personalities true to the films. I have purchased DVD sets of cherished cartoons in the past and usually end up disappointed that not even the rose-tinted glasses of nostalgia can save it from mediocrity. If “bustin’” still makes you feel good, this will make you feel like an earthly god. [JIM LANDRY]
Yeah, this is Street Fighter, straight up. There are these guys, on a street, and they fight. Feet and fists fly, sometimes breaking the sound barrier, occasionally lighting people on fire. It’s all very scientific. Sure, there are some tweaks—the roster’s expanded, the graphics are more detailed, the shame burns deeper—but it’s the same game that stole all your quarters and confidence at the bowling alley back in ’92. If you ever played Street Fighter II or III, you know exactly what that means. If you haven’t played those (or, like me, weren’t particularly good at them), expect Street Fighter IV to infuriate you mightily with its uncannily skilled computer AI. Medium is difficult and the two settings above that are impossible. Only play online if you’re desperate for soul-crushing embarrassment on middle-school levels. [GARRETT MARTIN]
Can Trey Parker and Matt Stone even shock viewers anymore? Here, they have Britney Spears blast her head off with a shotgun and still survive. SP purists (one of my roommates included) argue that they’re using pop culture as a crutch, but it’s more accurate to classify it as ammunition. It’s not their fault this season happened to fall during Obama and the High School Musical phenomena. Those episodes are effective, if a little predictable. The other shows truly shine, especially Heavy Metal homage “Major Boobage,” which features the most ridiculous plot of the season (which is saying a lot). Special features are slim, restricted to three featurettes that showcase the painstaking work required of such a simple show. They’re hardly necessary, because these guys have nothing left to prove. [ERIK ZIEDSES
Lowboy is a coming-of-age tale about a schizophrenic teen loose in the New York City subway system. Despite some heavyhanded pre-publicity, Lowboy is unaware of its strengths. The most engaging parts come when we are looking at the world from Will Heller’s point of view. Lowboy, as he prefers to be called, is a compelling character who instantly links the reader to his purpose—to save the world from climate destruction. We immediately care, but we’re lost as soon as we shift from his point of view, while the incident that led our hero to the subway is never explained. When entering the thoughts of other characters, the pace grinds to a halt, losing the original rush. It becomes a considerable distraction and the whole thing gets muddy and muddled. At the very least—as it’s said—wait for the paperback. [VICTORIA ZALESKI]
TUE 3.17 The Pillow Book borrows from stylistic motifs of both Chinese and Japanese classical film, and it’s playing at the Harvard Film Archive, so you know it’s an artistic tale of sexual exploration, not smut. It’s the somewhat epic story of a professional model/ author’s fetish for writing on people’s bodies (weird), and one of those bodies is Ewan McGregor’s (hey!). [24 Quincy St., Cambridge. 617.495.4700. 7pm/free. hcl.harvard.edu/hfa]
DES PLANTES]
St. Patrick’s Day is upon us again. Yet another excuse for your fellow Bostonians to be drunk assholes. If you’re in for the overblown occasion that is St. Patty’s in “Beantown,” then stop by McGreevy’s [911 Boylston St., Boston. 617.262.0911. mcgreevysboston.com], host of “official” parties for the Dropkick Murphy’s gajillion shows. The true revelers will be parked on barstools at Brighton’s Irish Village [224 Market St. 617.787.5427], enjoying free corned beef sandwiches and expertly handled pints of Guinness. In the South End, there’s The Beehive’s [541 Tremont St. 617.423.0069] offering of a more refined celebration with step dancing and dishes like “mussels in Irish whiskey” and “Irish cream liqueur cheesecake.”
Comics
s ava g e l o v e
arts + entertainment
dig this
Eats + drinks
JOHN WRAY FARRAR, STRAUS AND GIROUX 3.3.09
crossword
THE COMPLETE TWELFTH SEASON COMEDY CENTRAL 3.10.09
exit poll
XBOX 360, PLAYSTATION 3, PC CAPCOM 2.17.09
News + features
Letters
STREET FIGHTER IV
THE COMPLETE COLLECTION TIME-LIFE 11.20.08
d e pa r t m e n t o f commerce
book
dvd
VIDEO GAME
DVD
THE REAL GHOSTBUSTERS
27
WED 3.18 In the global pop arena, Stereo Total are truly an anomaly. Only a two-piece, they’ve included a host of different guest players, but Françoise Cactus and Friedrich von Finsterwalde are Stereo Total. They are multi-multilingual— having written songs in Japanese, Turkish, English, Spanish, German and French. And mostly, unlike globe-trotting international acts, they actually make a habit of coming here. They must know something we don’t. With Leslie & The LY’s at the Middle East Downstairs. [480 Mass. Ave., Central Sq., Cambridge. 617.864.3278. 8pm/18+/$15 adv, $17 dos. mideastclub.com]
242 S
P
A
C
E
28
My husband and I have been together for about four years and have been married for a little over a year. He’s 31; I’m 27. We started out as friends and soon began a long-distance relationship, until I got pregnant. We have a great friendship, and honestly I wouldn’t want to be with anyone else. Here’s our problem: I have the sex drive of a 16-year-old boy, whereas he’s practically asexual. The fact that we even got pregnant is quite shocking. Early on, it didn’t bother me much—infrequent sex is common in long-distance relationships—but now that we’re married, he would still rather jack off to porn. I’m not hideous. I’m in great shape, my “amazing ass” gets hit on all the time and I’m an open-minded, porn-loving girl—but my husband isn’t interested. LAME. The sex he does give me is quasi-forced, strictly missionary, and at most three times a year. But the solo sex he has in front of the computer while I’m at work happens three times a week at least. LAMER. The topic has been discussed often. Especially after I go out with friends and come home at an indecent hour, upon which I must explain that I spent the night being chatted up by blokes who noticed my “amazing ass.” He’s admitted that his sex drive has been a problem in his previous relationships. I guess I’m just getting to the point where one of these days, I’m going to fuck a minorleague soccer team. Any thoughts? -Sexless And Desperate Your husband—who is beating off three times a week in front of the computer—is interested in sex, SAD. He’s just not interested in sex with you or anyone else he’s ever been with. But ultimately, the issue here isn’t sex. It’s about neglect and selfishness and false advertising. (When we marry, we’re signing up to fuck someone at least semiregularly for decades. Not interested in fucking? Don’t marry.) Since he’s unlikely to change his ways—his stunted, sexually selfish ways—you have just two options: an open relationship or a new relationship. Considering your compatibility and the fact that you have a child, I’d encourage you to stay together. So an open relationship it is—and he shouldn’t have a problem with that.
If sex doesn’t matter to him, if he’s indifferent to sex and/or you, then it shouldn’t matter to him if you occasionally do this supremely unimportant thing with other people and/or minorleague soccer teams. So long as you’re a good and loving partner and co-parent, and so long as your family is your first priority, you should be free to seek safe, sane and nondisruptive sex elsewhere. Added perk for him: no more quasi-forced sex with you. And who knows? Maybe knowing that you’re having sex with other dudes—or just knowing that you can have sex with other dudes—will cause your husband to develop a bad case of sperm-competition syndrome (google it), and the husband will be inspired, fucking you three times a week instead of his fist. I’m 21, female and pretty experienced. The guy I’m dating now is 23 and a virgin. I’d really like to avoid some of the awkwardness that I’m sure is going to arise, seeing as I’m his first. (And has arisen—the first time we attempted to do the deed, he was so nervous he couldn’t stay hard; he also thought he was “in” when, in reality, he was humping my leg.) I’m at a loss. Obviously this is going to take a lot of communication in the moment; aside from that, do you have any advice for how to make this less awkward for both of us? -First Isn’t Really Sexy Time Mess around a few times—at least a half a dozen times—with vaginal penetration off the menu, ratcheting down the performance anxiety for your boy. Once he’s seen that, yes, his dick does work—yes we can get hard, yes we can stay hard, yes we can blow a load with a woman in the room—then you can move on to vaginal intercourse. And take control, FIRST: Tell him—as sexily as possible—what you’re going to do before you get started, tell him what you’re doing while you’re doing it, and then you can tell him when he’s “in” instead of letting him guess.
Joe Newton
BY DAN SAVAGE [email protected] WEEKLYDIG.C0M
03 11 09 – 03 18 09
BUT JENNA NEVER MAKES ME GET HER OFF!
For the full text OF THIS WEEK’S COLUMN, go to weeklydig. com. DOWNLOAD DAN SAVAGE’S WEEKLY PODCAST, SAVAGE LOVECAST, EVERY TUESDAY AT THESTRANGER.COM/ SAVAGE.
“Once he’s seen that, yes, his dick does work— yes we can get hard, yes we can stay hard, yes we can blow a load with a woman in the room— then you can move on to vaginal intercourse.”
exit poll
crossword
Comics
s ava g e l o v e
secret asian man | by tak toyoshima
ted rall | by ted rall arts + entertainment
dig this
Eats + drinks
d e pa r t m e n t o f commerce
News + features
Letters
LulU Eightball | by Emily FLake
29
WATCH OUT! exit pollster david day is at large | weeklydig.com
EDITORIAL
KARIN AND NICK
IZZY
OUTSIDE OF JOHNNY CUPCAKES ON A BEAUTIFUL DAY ON NEWBURY STREET, 3.7.09
Did you get any cupcakes? Nick: We did not get any cupcakes. My friend is getting some though. Some cupcakes? Nick: Just some pins and shit. Karin: Cupcake-related goodness.
IN FRONT OF A VACANT STOREFRONT ON ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL DAY ON NEWBURY STREET, 3.8.09
You woke up, it’s beautiful in Boston. What did you do? I decided I wanted to get out of bed and enjoy this beautiful day. Can you hear the sarcasm in my voice? OK, what did you do, seriously. Shopping? No, went to Central Square and took photos of crazy people. Central Square I absolutely adore.
Do they sell cupcakes here, Karin? Karin: No. That’s really confusing. Karin: It’s marketing off a giant gag. Which is kind of cool, but you go in and it’s really pricey. Everyone likes cupcakes. Is that true? Karin: It depends entirely on the flavor of the cupcake. Oh, come on, I think you’ve never had a bad cupcake. Karin: Yeah, I have actually. Supermarket cupcakes. I find that hard to believe. Karin: They are overdone. You just don’t enjoy it. Nick: Not as much as a real cupcake.
Your main hobby is photography? I’m going to invite crazy people into my studio. Wait, how crazy are these people? Well, they are friends of mine! What else? Then I tried to get a Lime Rickey, but they didn’t have soda water. Said it is seasonal. But now is the time! Exactly, now that it is summer for a day, I like to come to Newbury and watch girls. I don’t believe you. Well, they tend to have boyfriends that are cute.
editor Jim Stanton managing editor Laura Dargus music + arts editor David Day News + features editor Cara Bayles style editor/copy chief Courtney Cox contributors Jason & Todd Alström, Tyler Balliet, Joe Bernardi, Martín Caballero, Jennifer Cacicio, Jonathan Donaldson, Debbie Driscoll, Ada Hutchinson, Brent T. Ingram, Brian E. King, Garrett Martin, Luke O’Neil, Jenna Scherer, Rob Turbovsky, Dave Wedge, David Wildman interns Jarrod Annis, Jennifer Choi, Jordan Clifford, Meaghan Ford, Alexis Hauk, Sophie-Claire Hoeller, Kristen Humbert, Morgan Keenan, Jim Landry, Miriam Laufer, Carly Lavoie, Lillian Ling, Nisha Maxwell, Tanya Pai, Kate Richi, Cole Rosengren, Aaron Shin, Lauren Wiegan, Caitlin Wilson, Ben Whelan, Victoria Zaleski, Erik Ziedses des Plantes
DESIGN creative director Tak Toyoshima art director Taylor Seidler Designer Scott Murry interns Sarah Kim, Melissa Newman-Evans, Kavi Williams
BUSINESS + ADVERTISING sales manager Alex Lappin Senior Account Executive Graham Wilson account executives Marc Ellison, J.R. Roach Interns Jennifer Kemp, Oleg Spektorov, Christina St. Pierre, Tori Carroll
WEEKLYDIG.C0M
03 11 09 – 03 18 09
30
by Brendan Emmett Quigley brendanemmettquigley.com
ADMINISTRATION
1 Friend 5 52 One way to stand 53 Part of Nasdaq: Abbr. 54 N.Y.C. subway 55 Shock jocked paired with Anthony
DOWN
ACROSS 1 German car 5 Bedwear, briefly 8 Guru 12 “...unto us ___ is given” 13 Put ___ fight 14 Big galoots 15 Muslim’s journey 16 Some receivers of QB passes
17 Internet phenomenon 18 “Best Of You” band 21 Topeka residents 22 Pageant winner 25 Chevy model 29 Breaks off 30 Like some stocks: Abbr. 33 Tall story 34 Agnus ___
35 With 38-Across, “Take Me Out” band 37 Calif. neighbor 38 See 35-Across 41 Director Kurosawa 43 Spyri heroine 46 Band made up of siblings Matt and Eleanor Friedberger 50 Hawaiian tuber
1 “That’s nice!” 2 Insignia on some fighters 3 Martial arts school 4 Humor for just a few 5 Add 6 Some computer graphics 7 Malia’s sister 8 Start of a rumor 9 Downsizer 10 Masterpieces 11 Oahu-toMaui dir. 19 Groupie 20 Blaster 22 Logical conclusion 23 French article
24 Those who uplift 26 Assign odds for 27 Miner’s load 28 Ltr. holder 30 Run-of-the-mill: Abbr. 31 ___ chi 32 MSNBC rival 35 Donnybrook 36 News anchor Paula
39 ___ the side of caution (play it safe) 40 Cool 41 Colgate brand 42 Korean autos 44 Where to find a hero 45 Part of an archipelago 47 Crime-fighting grp. 48 Still-life subject 49 Switch
publisher Jeff Lawrence vice presidenT Jim Stanton Vice president/new biz dev Alfred Wilson general manager Amanda Nicholson Special Ops Elizabeth L. Olson, C.P.A advisor Joseph B. Darby III DISTRIBUTION Fairbairn Dist. Co. Boston’s Weekly Dig, 242 East Berkeley St., 2nd Flr. Boston, MA 02118 Fax 617.426.8944 Phone 617.426.8942 Toll free 1.866.wkly.dig Subscriptions available for $80/year. ©2009 Boston’s Weekly Dig is published weekly by Dig Publishing, LLC. No part of this publication can be reproduced without written consent. Dig Publishing, LLC cannot be held liable for any typographical errors. FINDER Name and Format Copyright 2009 Willamette Week, Portland, Oregon. All Rights Reserved.
Last Week’s answers
Complete the puzzle, cut it out and send it to the Dig. First correct submission gets a prize. Weekly Dig, 242 E. Berkeley St., 2nd Flr., Boston, MA 02118. Attn: Crosslord.
Member
Letters
Quality Interior Painting at Realistic Prices. Please let me give you a quote on your project, big or small. Full range of historic, heritage and modern colors. First class references and work ethic. Competitive prices. If you would like to learn more, please give us a call at 617-852-2046.
! BARTENDING ! $300/day potential. No Exp Necessary. Training provided. 800-965-6520 ext. 262. Models Wanted ( experience seldom a plus) You won’t get rich, famous, or hit on. You will get $30/hr. and some very nice pictures for information visit http://silverprint.com VOLUNTEER IN AFRICA/BRAZIL Community Development in rural areas. No experience necessary. Fees apply/ Financial aid. [email protected] www.iicd-volunteer.org 1-413-441-5126
Healthy Men Needed Men 18-50 are invited to participate in a research study at Boston Medical Center to evaluate actions of testosterone (male hormone) on muscle and sexual function. -FINANCIAL COMPENSATION PROVIDED617-414-3793
Get involved Work for progressive politics. Make a difference, make a wage. Call 617-292-7700 Alex
HIV NEGATIVE GAY/BI MEN needed to participate in a research study at Fenway Community Health. The study will test whether taking an HIV drug is safe and effective for HIV negative men who have sex with men. If so, this may become a future HIV prevention method. Participants will receive confidential HIV counseling and $50 per visit. Call 617-927-6450 HPV VACCINE STUDY Help research HPV by volunteering for a vaccine research study. You may qualify if you are between 18 and 26 years of age, willing to use birth control for minimum
SMOKERS NEEDED Problems with alcohol in the past year? Have you stopped drinking but still smoke cigarettes? Want to quit smoking? Laura Diaz at (800) 422-1617 x5022
Cash for Old Gold We pay cash for your old, broken, unworn gold and silver. Gold and Ssilver coins and watches too. We also buy select watches, quality diamonds over 1 ct. Gold and Diamonds ETC 29 Pleasant St Malden 781-324-4345.
Hire Boston’s Most Award Winning Personal Trainer for 8 weeks for $49.95 Helena Collins, Boston’s most award winning personal trainer and the owner of Synergistics Personal Training Studio and Life in Synergy
World Peace Prayer Wheels&Flags Revive Tibetan Culture & deepen your spirituality. Free Residential Work/study + stipend. Buddhist Institute, Berkeley. (707) 847-3777 ext. 609 [email protected] www.nyingma.org/PrayerWheels Vendors, Readers, Practioners and Artisans Wanted for second annual New England Metaphysical Fair on 3/28 at the Cambridge YMCA Theater. To host a booth, please call choice treasures at 978-251-0828.
$250 In Free Groceries Available for most local areas. Check site for availability. http://www.eGroceryCard.com
Remodeling and Home repairs Lots of Somerville references for kitchens and bath remodeling. Reasonable costs and genuine collaboration with you to get a job you envision. Free advice. I love this work call Brad at 7:00AM to 6:00PM. We are also Tags Hardware Handyman service. To learn more, please call 617-549-7609 TAX PROBLEMS???!!!! IRS representation and tax preparation by CPA/Ex-IRS Revenue Agent. Give us a call today of visit our website for more on how we can help you! Give us a call today at 617-335-2988 www.davidrootcpa.com
dig this
Eats + drinks
d e pa r t m e n t o f commerce
News + features
Activist Telefund is hiring callers to raise money and build support for progressive campaigns, causes, and candidates. Work with groups like Move-On.org, the Democratic National Committee, Amnesty International and Human Rights Campaign. Make a difference and make money. Call Alex at 617-292-7700
arts + entertainment
Hunting for a Bargain Home Visit us NOW for a FRESH list of Investor Specials in Boston www.BostonInvestmentHomes.com updated daily
s ava g e l o v e
marketplace | call 617.426.8942 to advertise in the dig
Drink for Pink! Help Save the Tatas! All proceeds benefit Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Friday, April 3rd 6:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. FELT Boston $10 per person in advance or $15 per person at the door. Robyn at (508) 284-1809 or email rmp1030@ verizon.net
Comics
Psychic Reading Free 20 min Susan Peters 20 years experience. Service available:Psychic & Tarot Card Readings Chakra Balancing Aura Cleansing Reunites Relationships READINGS by Phone 773-457-8893
crossword
Advertise with postcards. Get 5000 for only $225 Increase your sales. Get that phone ringing. Postcards are an excellent way to inform consumers of your products. The experts at inthinktive can help you do it right. Go to http://www.think-create. net/postcards
ARE YOU LIVING WITH HIV? Have you taken antiretroviral medications in the past but are currently not taking any? If you answered YES to these questions and have been off medication for at least 6 weeks, you may be eligible for a research study at CRI. Contact Karen McLaughlin at 617-502-1725 or [email protected]
RESEARCH ON ANOREXIA NERVOSA FEMALE VOLUNTEERS who are anorexic age 18-45, in stable medical health, and not taking meds (with exception of oral contraceptives), are sought for a study of behavioral ratings and blood hormone levels. Eligible participants receive up to $550 for a total of 4 outpatient visits and 2 overnight stays at the Clinical Research Unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Bliss Piverger, @ Boston College: (617) 552-2758 or [email protected]
Fitness Studio announces the location of her latest studio, your living room. With her pioneering 8 week Walking and Water Go! Bag program you will receive a complete workout program including: Nutritional Alignment, Physical Alignment, Spine Care, Breathing and Stress Relief, Stretching. As well as a daily guide to a complete fitness walking program Receive daily lessons in the comfort of your own home. Begin to build your own Life in Synergy! www.lifeinsynergy.com/go
exit poll
BILINGUAL?? Want TO BE? Boston Area Spanish Exchange is enrolling for Spanish classes. Be in high demandlearn a second language! 617-773-1211
of 7 months, are not planning on getting pregnant for the 1st 7 months of study, haven’t been vaccinated for HPV and have not had abnormal PAP. Please call 617-927-6085
31