The Third Decade

Annual ArtROX! Holiday Bazaar

The artists of Roxbury will be holding their annual holiday bazaar this Saturday. Stop by Hibernian Hall, 184 Dudley Street, from 11am to 6pm for holiday gifts and original works of art.

 

Shouting at Success

I went to the Dunkin' Donuts at Dudley Station for the first time today around 9:30am. When I walked through the door, the place was hopping with people holding their hot beverages and chatting lively. But when I joined the long line of customers, it soon dawned on me that the place was going through a mini-meltdown. Customers in line looked confused about when or whether they would be able to order and the cashiers looked overwhelmed. After about 30 seconds, a woman behind the counter yelled out to the room that it was too loud for the staff to hear new customers placing orders and that people who already had their orders should leave or else (yes, the tone really was like that).

What the hell?!

Yes, it was buzzing, but it was the noise of customers enjoying each others' company and a hot drink. The youngest person was probably in her late 20s, but there were plenty of older folks, too. It's not like these were rowdy teens just getting off a bus after school. Not only that, these were customers who were using the counters and their free time without any intention of disturbing business. That had to be the poorest of poor service I've seen in a long, long time. It's one thing to ask customers to quiet down, but another to say take your stuff and git! America shouldn't be run the hell out by Dunkin' (not that anyone really took her advice).

Aren't there known calming techniques that corporate America uses to quell a crowd? Does music or TV hush up folks? There was a TV in the store, but it wasn't on. There was also no music playing. So there had to be some other technique at their disposal other than to shout like that. At least my cashier was nice, though. She looked happy to hear me say hi and ask how she was doing. Maybe that little nuggest common courtesy will spread back through the rest of the staff.

Old Fashioned Roxbury Apple Festival

Just want to pass on information about this event happening tomorrow.

Eat, drink, and be merry at a free apple-themed festival evoking the spirit of a country fair. Take part in interactive cooking classes, enjoy drumming, and drink fresh cider from an old-fashioned cider press. Participate in a variety of workshops, including one by the Garden Girl on how to prepare your garden for the winter.

Bring the kids for an environmental scavenger hunt, face painting, henna tattoos, and a tour of Paige Academy that includes live chickens and a garden. Fresh chili, cornbread, and assorted baked goods will also be for sale. A live jazz band will will also perform. This event will run rain or shine.

*Workshops/Tours*
1:30-2:00 Tour of main building
2:15-3:00 Garden Girl's workshop (Umoja room)
3:15-4:00 Cooking class with Chef Nadine Nelson (Umoja room kitchen)
3:30-3:45 Tour of animals

*Please note that Paige Academy requires the removal of shoes INSIDE the facility. Please wear a comfortable pair of socks for indoor events.

Co-presented by Discover Roxbury, Earthworks, Epicurean Studio, Garden Girl, and Paige Academy. Live jazz band courtesy of Wally's Jazz Cafe.

Saturday, November 7, 1pm-4pm
Paige Academy, 28 Highland Ave, Roxbury
MBTA: Roxbury Crossing

ArtROX! kick off

If there's one thing I'm learning to appreciate, Roxbury's artists know how to do a lot more than just create works of art. Last night the collective artists of Roxbury kicked off a series of events, leading up to Roxbury Open Studios, with our first fundraiser dance party at Slades. I'm happy to say, however, that this wasn't just any night at a club, the artists (and our supporters) were tearing up the dance floor! The DJ played the music of the soulful 60's, disco 70's, one-hit-wonder 80's, nostalgic 90's (at least they're nostalgic for me), and the present day. I had never been to Slades before, but I felt that it was just the right venue to give the event a cool "uptown" vibe, especially given the dance floor's embedded lights and retro 70's look. Some artists had their artwork mounted around the club and we were joined by filmmakers from this weekend's Roxbury Film Festival, further adding to the energy of the event. The was so good that some people are already talking about doing it again next year and making it a regular part of the film festival schedule.

Anyway, this party was just the kick off to a series of arts events happening throughout the summer and leading to ROS. Artists and local organizations are working together to introduce and expose the public to a range of activities, most of which are free. Below is a short calendar of events, so start saving the dates:

Aug 11, 5:30pm-6pm: Free talk by E. Barry Gaither, Director of the Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists, at the old Playhouse in the Park. The talk will focus on the history of the playhouse and Mr. Gaither's work with Elma Lewis, the Playhouse and Museum's founder, and will be immediately be followed by the smooth jazz of Andre Ward. The Playhouse in the Park series is currently run by the Franklin Park Coalition.

Aug 15, 10am-12pm: Free tour of the Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists, led by E. Barry Gaither. RSVP for the tour by emailing Discover Roxbury at info@discoverroxbury.org.

Aug 27, 6:30pm-8pm: Join Roxbury artist Ekua Holmes on a free evening art walk around the Highland Park/Fort Hill area. The tour, organized by Discover Roxbury, will visit some of the area's public art and stop by the home studios of artists Bobby Stevens, Lee Farrow, and Wendy Ellertson. If you'd like a preview of what's to come at ROS and/or are interested in touring one of Roxbury's most historic areas, this is a must attend.

Oct 2, 5:30pm-9:30pm: Celebrate the arrival of Roxbury Open Studios at a reception inside the Museum of Fine Arts. This reception is being organized in conjunction with the MFA's Multicultural Audience Development Committee, as a way of bridging the gap between the institution and the community and bringing new life and energy into the museum. A juried exhibition of art from Roxbury artists will be on display and a cash bar will be available. This ArtROX! reception is part of the MFA's First Fridays series (entry is free for museum members and free for non-members with museum admission).

Oct 3-4, 11am-5pm daily: ArtROX!, the 11th annual Roxbury Open Studios, takes place at artist studios and group shows across the neighborhood. Like all open studios, the event is free (but the art is not). Wear a comfortable pair of walking shoes, bring your checkbooks, and show your support for local artists. Maps and directories of ArtROX! will be available in early autumn. Discover Roxbury is also planning to offer a walking tour. Visit their website a few weeks prior to ROS for details on times and areas.

So, there you go. See you around Roxbury!

Tea at the Shirley-Eustis House

Despite the misty and rainy weather yesterday, Discover Roxbury's first afternoon tea at the Shirley-Eustis House was fantastic. Everyone was dressed elegantly, with ladies in their hats, and Chef Nadine Nelson presented a creative array of food items that included a refreshing berry-infused drink, chocolate chip and berry muffins, blueberry bundt cake, roasted turkey breast finger sandwiches with an herb-strawberry cream cheese spread, beef satay with chipotle sauce, and berry trifle with whipped cream made fresh at the table, among other things. By the time the event ended, everyone left with wide smiles on their faces and many made it a point to say that they would return with friends if another tea was offered. Needless to say, we're thinking of offering another in the auturn. Stay tuned.

Note: 3D works for Discover Roxbury.

Farmers Market Guide

Now that summer is in full swing, it's time to take advantage of all the fresh produce at the local farmers' markets. In need of a change of pace from Haymarket, I Googled farmers' markets and came across an interactive guide to markets around the metro area. I didn't know there were so many! There aren't any ratings detailing quality or price, but I guess that's the inherent gamble that comes with buying direct from the farms.

Food events in Roxbury

In the wake of a somewhat limited best-of list by the Improper and the demise of the Banner (which is already rumored to be making a comeback), it's up to individuals in greater Roxbury to share what's happening with news and events. I'll do my part by starting off with a pair of upcoming food events organized by Discover Roxbury:

A Celebration of Roxbury cooking class
Roxbury is home to a multitude of ethnic groups. Despite their differences in origin, all groups have one thing in common, they cook with soul. Participants in today’s class will cook foods from the American South, Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East. Prepare for a flavorful ride that includes items such as Suya-spicy kebobs from West Africa, Ginger Beer, Rice and Beans, and Passion Fruit Trifle. In addition to learning what the cuisines have in common, the class will enjoy a tasty meal prepared together.

July 22, 6:30pm-9:30pm. Limit 15 people.
Advanced enrollment ($50) by purchasing tickets or calling 617-427-1006.
Haley House, 12 Dade St, Dudley Square.
MBTA: Bus #1, 8, 47, Silver Line to Melnea Cass. Parking is available.


Berries in the 'Bury: high tea at the Shirley-Eustis House
Royal Governor William Shirley's Georgian mansion is one of only four remaining country houses in America built by a British Royal Colonial Governor. Experience this unique and grand colonial masterpiece during a special High Tea. The menu will incorporate seasonal berries, currants, and cherries. Participants will also tour the grounds, including the historic gardens and fruit trees. The recommended dress code is smart casual, with hats for ladies.

July 23, 4pm-6pm. Limit 20 people.
Make reservations ($30) by purchasing tickets or calling 617-427-1006.
Shirley-Eustis House, 33 Shirley St.
MBTA: Bus #15 and 41. Limited on-street parking.

I also received an email this morning about a free meeting on Thursday evening focused on making new connections and communicating across the media gap in the Black community. I already have plans and can't attend, but I'm interested in hearing the outcome of the meeting from anyone else who goes. Info below:

The Baystate Banner - our community newspaper has halted the Presses ...

http://www.boston. com/news/ local/massachuse tts/articles/ 2009/07/08/ as_bay_state_ banner_closes_ black_community_ loses_a_voice? s_campaign= 8315 

 

The Radio Stations (WILD & Hot 97) have Vanished...How Do We

Communicate with one another...stay in touch..exchange information? 

 

Join us for a Powerful Event - "The Exchange of Ideas"

bring your business cards to

OM Restaurant  92 Winthrop St, Cambridge  (Harvard Square)

Thursday July 16, 2009   5:30 - 9 PM

Yo, Improper Bostonian! Is that really all you found?

Normally I enjoy the Improper Bostonian and look forward to reading what's new and interesting around town. I also generally think they put together one of the better Best of Boston lists, better even than Boston Magazine's. This year's edition of the Improper's Boston's Best list, however, was seriously lacking in geographic and ethnic diversity. Couldn't they find anything else going on in Chinatown, JP, Dorchester, and the South End other than restaurants and bars? Each of those neighborhoods has large concentrations of Latinos and Asians, but you'd hardly know it by their choice of categories and the winners. And what of Roxbury, Mattapan, and East Boston? As far as I can tell, those neighborhoods weren't even included or considered as the panel did its survey.

I'm not begrudging the winners for their placement in the magazine. Boston has many, many exceptional restaurants, bars, arts venues, and entertainment options. But, even if I were to concede that not a single establishment in the "outer" neighborhoods was able to compete on a citywide basis, wouldn't there at least be some way to acknowledge that there are quality options in all of the neighborhoods? Given that some of the categories are neighborhood bars and neighborhood restaurants, where are the entries from East Boston, Roxbury, and Mattapan?

Just using Roxbury as an example, Merengue, Haley House, The Savant Project, and Ashur would have been some of the eateries that could've been judged for best neighborhood restaurant. Brigham Circle also has enough bars to give the reviewers something for the neighborhood bar category. Considering how overlooked Roxbury is most of the time anyway, I wouldn't be surprised if the panel found tons to consider for the best-kept secret category, too. How many of them know about the Shirley-Eustis House or the Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists?

Again, this isn't to say that the winners don't deserve their spots in the sunshine. But this collection of recommendations doesn't even begin to cover the full breadth of diversity that exists in Boston. I suspect that the choice of categories is one of the underlying reasons, as well as the need to satisfy advertisers. Still, how would this list look if it included additional categories like best soul food, Dominican food, African-American history tour, Latin music & dance venue, Asian cultural resource (the magazine only mentions food), Caribbean festival, neighborhood tour (most neighborhoods including Chinatown, JP, Roxbury, and Dorchester have them), and neighborhood arts venue?

I'm hoping that their August 12th Neighborhoods issue will be more inclusive, although I believe that I'm going to be disappointed again. I sent a letter to the editor last week and followed up with a voice message encouraging him to include Roxbury in the neighborhoods issue. Both messages referred to the Roxbury Cultural Network, which I hope he will use as a resource. Let's see if he sends someone out to do some legwork. With the Roxbury Film Festival, Discover Roxbury's high tea at the Shirley-Eustis House, and Berklee's Jazz at the Fort coming up, there are a variety of options on the table for the Improper to learn something new about one of the "outer" neighborhoods and add it to their body of knowledge.

For those of you who would also like to contact the editor to encourage him to expand the magazine's horizons, contact Andrew Rimas at andrew@improper.com or 617-859-1400. Please leave positive messages and constructive criticism that reflects the true quality and character of our communities.

Full disclosure: The Third Decade works at Discover Roxbury, a member of the Roxbury Cultural Network.

It's good to be home

For the first time in years I left Boston during the July 4th celebrations. A handful of friends and I drove north to Ogunquit, ME to enjoy some peace, quiet, and time on the beach. I'd never been before, but I found it a very pleasant town. The people are nice, the beach is pristine, and it's easy to get around partly because, for the most part, Ogunquit is basically three streets that all converge near the coast. After a few days of going to the beach and eating at nearly every restaurant in the town, I was wondering what else there was to do there.

My friends, all of whom live in Worcester, kidded me by asking whether I miss having clean air and open space (which I guess is abundant in Worcester). I thoght about that while riding the subway today, and I can honestly say "not really." The air here isn't that bad. Besides, it's the people, the bustle, and the pace that make living here so great! I'd be so bored living somewhere slower and relatively empty. The few times I visited Worcester, that city felt like a ghost town. Boston's energy - and even the attitude - are what keep me going and make this city unlike many others. I'll concede wishing that customer service here were much, much better, but it's a small price to pay for everything else that makes living here so interesting and fun.

I guess I know where I'll be celebrating July 4th next year.

Roxbury, the video

Today the Roxbury Cultural Network released a video called Why I Love Roxbury. It's a short 7-minute look at the beauty, history, and love for the community that often gets missed when the neighborhood is reported in the media.

As I heard one person say, "There are so many things to love about Roxbury." I couldn't agree more.