newportnaked.com • summer 2012 3

6 summer 2012 • newportnaked.com

December 4th is known as Root Beer Day. Why wouldthere be a day dedicated to root beer? It could be becausemaking it is an age-old tradition, or maybe because it’s justso great. Either way, it’s fun to make and very tasty. It’s beena fun summer tradition in our family for generations, and Ihope I can encourage you to give it a try.

My very first time making root beer was exciting, butunfortunately my Papa insisted we use less sugar than therecipe called for. Big mistake! It didn’t turn out the way Ithought, or hoped it would, but we drank it in root beerfloats, and the ice cream helped make it taste better. Mysecond attempt was a success. Delicious! It tasted just likethe soda you buy at the store, maybe even better! So whenyou’re making yours, be sure to follow the recipe! Makingroot beer doesn’t take very long, if you want to have somefor party, or by certain date, allow 7-10 days start to finish.After all, what’s better to serve your friends and family thana cold, creamy glass of homemade root beer?

So where did this fantastic beverage come from? In1265, inhabitants of the British Isles drank a dandelion andburdock root drink- a naturally fizzy beverage still consumedtoday. Shakespeare himself was known to drink “smallbeers”. This European brew was made from herbs, berriesand barks, and was considered a light, social drink. Thereare even historical documents that show 18th century farmowners brewing the alcoholic version for get-togethers orsocial events.

Over the years, many recipes were written and used tobrew root beers. Because of all the different methods, therehas never been one true formula, so if you look online or in abook the recipes may differ. For the most part, this justmeans that there may be a variation in flavour. Sassafras,which grows in abundance in Rhode Island, was once consid-ered an essential ingredient of root beer. Then in 1960, theU.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) deemed the oil of

the root a carcinogen. Happily, manufacturers have deviseda method to safely remove the harmful oil.

The history of root beer is fascinating, and it is still a greatbeverage today! So when you make your delectable brew,remember that you will be maintaining a tradition that hasbeen going on for centuries.

When making root beer you will need;-Fifty 12-oz bottles (returnable bottles use heavier glass

and are the most desirable)

-Five gallons lukewarm water

-White sugar (three to four pounds according to taste)

-One bottle of root beer extracts (117ml)

-One package beer yeast (five grams)

Instructions:• Wash out the 12-oz ounce bottles in hot soapy water andrinse them well. Then stack them upside-down to drain anddry

• Pour sugar into a five or six gallon clean, food grade, plastic bucket

8 summer 2012 • newportnaked.com

Written by Hannah Poirier

Brew assistants Samuel Poirier and Aldea Poirier

Pictures and film by Samuel Poirier

In other words…

the family tradition continues!

Homemade Root Beer

newportnaked.com • summer 2012 9

• Pour the root beer extract over the sugar. Swish a littlewater around in the empty extract bottle and then add to thebucket to ensure maximum flavour

• Add the water gradually to dissolve sugar and stir slowlyuntil no sugar is left on the bottom of the bucket

• Make sure the liquid is lukewarm (between 90°F and105°F, or 34°C and 37°C), and sprinkle the yeast over thesurface of the liquid

• Mix thoroughly for 2-3 minutes (until all yeast is dissolved)and siphon or funnel into clean, glass bottles. Cap securely

• Place them somewhere warm but not hot. The yeast willbecome activated and will carbonate (make it fizzy) the brew

• Allow to stand at room temperature for 5-7 days. Test onebottle for carbonation and flavour

• If you want more carbonation, let it stand longer and tasteagain

• Refrigerate before serving over ice

WARNING: Do not keep your root beer anywhere too hot orthe bottles could explode due to the fact that the yeast will doits job too fast. Also, do not leave the root beer somewheretoo cool or the yeast will go dormant and will taste “flat”. If pos-sible, store the bottles in a large plastic container (tote) toensure that if a bottle happens to burst, any mess will be con-tained.

Enjoy your delicious homemade root beer!

10 summer 2012 • newportnaked.com

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newportnaked.com • summer 2012 11

BEHIND

BARS

Christopher Plamondon

The Fifth Element

In classical thought, there were four elementsupon which all matter was based: earth, air, water,and fire. At the Fifth Element, located on 111Broadway, these essentials are found in abun-dance. Flames dance in the wood fired pizza oven.Water flows down large mirrors in a steady cas-cade. Earth is evident in the fresh flowers andreclaimed wood. And air is circulated by all the B.S.,a cyclone that constantly blows through the bar.

The fifth element is a little more complicated.Aristotle called it the aether. He figured that thefirst four were earthly, and therefore subject tochange and corruption. But the heavens were differ-ent. The stars never seemed to change, and thusmust consist of something exceptional. At the FifthElement this aether is personified by the customers– both in the unique qualities they bring, and in thedistinctive charms of an establishment that inspirestheir loyalty.

But as this article is about the bar itself, the keyelement is earth. The Fifth was originally located onLower Thames Street. But during the move, ownersBrad Cherevaty and Frank Doyle were given aunique opportunity. One of their faithful customershad purchased the old Eastern Ice building onBrown and Howard wharf, and invited them to seeif there was anything they could salvage. This expe-

dition produced a couple of interesting trinkets,including the iron pump-wheels suspended betweenbar and dining room, and a classic two-pronged icepick that, for obvious reasons, is kept hidden. Butthe real score was the wood they obtained and fash-ioned into the bar.

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The floor of the ice factory, above where the product wasactually made, consisted of old growth southern yellow pine.This wood derives from several species that flourish below theMason Dixon line and east of the great plains. Its strength,stiffness, high density, and natural beauty have made it a sta-ple of construction projects since colonial times, and it hasbeen used liberally for home building and even roller coasters.But the key to this icehouse wood is the term ‘old growth’.

Old growth lumber comes from forests that have reach agreat age without any major disturbances. It is prized as con-struction material for the very features listed above. But todayit is exceedingly rare. Most of these forests were extensivelylogged over the last several centuries, and the wood harvest-ed today is younger and of lesser quality. This explains the dif-ferent feel of houses erected during the last fifty years andthose constructed in an earlier era. They literally do not buildthem like they used to.

When Frank and Brad realized what they had on their hands,they were eager to remove the timbers and build a bar thatwould stand the test of time (and countless metric tons ofleaning customer). With the help of finish carpenter DennisSullivan, of DSUL Designs and Custom Interiors, constructionbegan, and after much cutting, varnishing, epoxying, andassembly, they created the perfect spot to enjoying anythingfrom a filthy vodka martini to an honorable Guinness Stout.

In a lounge where the décor can be described as eclecticindustrial chic, there are other features that strike the eye.Suspended from the ceiling is an old railroad tie that was scav-enged from a beach in Little Compton. It now serves as a rus-tic display for some of the world’s finest scotch. A section ofthe original bar, a combination of mahogany and pine, alsohangs from the ceiling as a floating cocktail table. Other itemsthat survived relocation are a classic terracotta wine rack, andan imposing, ten gallon brandy snifter.

Because the place was completely gutted and refitted beforeopening, several layers of drop ceiling were removed, and thespace was left open, exposing new vents, sprinklers, pipes, andbeams. This provides the industrial look that is so strikingwhen compared to the classic but sometimes stodgy feel thattypifies Newport’s older establishments.

So take the Fifth. Become a part of the indefinable aether.Have a drink, eat dinner, and enjoy the young, lively ambiencesurrounding a bar that is newly built and stylish, yet also veryold.

newportnaked.com • summer 2012 13

BENJAMIN’S

“There cannot be good living where there is not good drink-ing.”

– Benjamin Franklin

James Franklin owned a printing press in Newport, just astone’s throw from the house that is now Benjamin’s restau-rant, on 254 Thames Street. When Benjamin Franklin visitedhis older brother, he stayed at this very house, which washome to the Hammett family. The Hammett’s had come toAmerica on the Mayflower, and built the structure in the late17th century. Now, over three hundred years later, it is a sta-ple of the local scene, a thriving downtown restaurant only ahundred yards from the harbor.

One of the amazing facts about this dwelling is that it hasserved very few owners. The Hammett’s eventually deededthe building to Newport Hospital, which used it as a rentalproperty to raise funds for indigent patients. It was not untilthe 1950’s that the place was bought and turned into a bar,becoming the Midtown Café, a saloon that was, for twodecades, one of the roughest spots in town. This was backbefore the Navy left Newport, and the story goes that thefront windows were smashed so often they were eventuallyjust boarded over with plywood, as if there was always a cate-gory five Hurricane barreling up the coast. But I guess thisshould be no surprise since, back then, the locals referred toa nearby wharf as ‘blood alley’.

Fortunately, Newport’s harbor front has become a muchmore inviting place for natives and tourists alike. After theNavy left in the early 70’s, the area experienced a renais-sance, becoming a social and economic gem. The Midtownmorphed into the Thames Street Café, a greasy spoon locat-ed on the first floor, and The Parrot Pub upstairs. It was notuntil the 80’s that Richard Kelley turned the place intoBenjamin’s and Poor Richard’s, and since 2006 it has beenowned and operated by the team of Paul Boardman III andJohn and Karen DeWitt, and known simply as Benjamin’s.

Those with a discerning eye for architec-ture might quibble with the idea that thishouse is so old. After all, the façade, theywould say, is clearly Italian renaissance,not colonial. This is true, but only becausethere was once a library next door, andwhile burning to the ground, it took theface of the old Hammett house with it.Since the ensuing repairs, the building hasdisplayed this new exterior that is sounique to the downtown area. While thismight be an interesting tidbit of informa-tion, it is only worth mentioning to intro-duce the many items inside Benjamin’sthree bars that have been imported, itemswith wildly diverse origins and histories. Itis only fitting that in a land inhabited byimmigrants, including Mr. Franklin’s ownfather, the restaurant that bears his namehas a few displaced travelers of its own.

On the first floor, the bar is the same one that servedwhiskey shots to combative louts in the Midtown days, anddoubled as a counter where customers could devour westernomelets and eggs benedict at the Thames St. Cafe. But theoak back-bar is a refugee, having been purchased on Ebayfrom a place called Rory’s in Fairfield, Connecticut. And it isnot the only émigré to be found. The tables once supportedportly beef eaters at a Bonanza Steak House, and the glassand brass sneeze guard over the raw bar was plucked from aPub Dennis in Attleboro, Mass. Another feature that distin-guishes this space is the endless collection of Grand Marnierbottles that occupy a ceiling shelf around the bar. These bot-tles are not, heaven forbid, empty. They represent the GrandMarnier Club, a group that encompasses over two hundredmembers. These folks have been invited to purchase thereown bottles, so there will always be something on hand toenjoy as a proper finish to a nice dinner or a nightcap after anevening of revelry.

To reach the second bar, you must step outside for somefresh air before climbing the exposed stairs. While doing so,you might notice that, in a centuries old dwelling, this stairwayseems about five months old. That’s because it was redonethis winter as part of the renovations in which the currentownership is constantly involved, work that has modernized allthree floors.

Yet when you reach the second floor, youwill not find a spanking new bar, but anoth-er refurbished import. This mahoganytopped beauty, and the Greek columns thatback it, originally resided in a legendarylocal hotspot. Harpo’s was a crazy club inthe 70’s and early 80’s that had live musicevery night and once even (allegedly)served as a brothel. To get a mental imageof this now very respectable bar’s past, allyou need to know was that, before beingcut to fit their new environment, the GreekColumns were six feet tall and lime green–a vision that speaks of disco balls and fakesmoke billowing around undulating cagedancers.

A second, smaller flight of stairs bringsyou to the third bar, known affectionately,and appropriately, as the crow’s nest. Thisopen air beauty has been designed toresemble the wheelhouse of a boat.

Canfield House Bar

These days, virtual tours are all the rage. It seems that, on theInternet, you can find moving and still pictures of almost anyestablishment. But since the Canfield House was built a centurybefore our government even began to research packet-switching,an effort that eventually begat the World Wide Web, an excerptof a written/verbal tour is perhaps more appropriate:

“Well folks, we have now viewed most of the old house. Westarted in the classic dining room with its soaring, barrel-vaultceiling of cherry and mahogany — once an elegant casino whenRichard Canfield played host to Gilded Age gamblers. Then wetraveled upstairs to the banquet room and B&B facilities, down-stairs to the cozy basement pub, and outside to the porch with itsbar and dining area. Our final stop is the inside lounge.

“For almost ninety years, this space served as a charming par-lor and sitting room, even as the building changed from privateresidence to casino to the town’s first American Legion Hall. Itwas not until the 1950’s that the edifice became a restaurant,and this refined old room was turned into a warm and invitingwatering hole. Please follow me.

“The first thing I would like you to notice is the ceiling. 22 feethigh, 12 wide, and 36 long, it is a perfect example of 19th centu-ry, hand-carved plaster. Moving along to the area directly abovethe bar itself, we see six back-lit, stained-glass panels. One inter-esting thing about these windows is that a second plaster carvingis hidden behind them, a one-eight scale model of the original ceil-ing. Another interesting fact is they once resided the dining room.They were roof units connected to pull chains that could beopened for ventilation. Also, their angle was often adjusted,depending on the time of day, to follow the sun across the sky andcapture the maximum amount of light.

“Coming down further, to the wall above the back bar, the eyeis drawn to a large painting that exemplifies the history andessence of the house. The piece was executed decades ago byMark Popper, a noted New York portrait artist. Featured is alarge group of finely-dressed revelers — all staff and favored cus-tomers, including then owner Diane Whitehead — frolicking abouta Faro table, a telling tableau of money, wine, and merriment.

“Below this, at eye level, is wall to wall mirror that disappears,at its base, behind a stunning array of liquor, from fine scotchesto an endless collection of vodkas, gins, and rums. Lower still we

14 summer 2012 • newportnaked.com

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Varnished mahogany, cedar, teak, and oak iseverywhere. There are port and starboardlight fixtures, a masthead, and a nice view offstarboard that encompasses the bustling foottraffic on Thames, the wharves, and the har-bor itself, where sailboats bob on mild swellsthat eventually lap against the beach at King’sPark. And, of course, there is another immi-grant, a small bar that was once outside atCastle Hill, a veteran of the famous Sundayafternoon cocktail sessions that sadly came toan end over the last decade.

An evening drink in the crow’s nest is liketaking a nighttime cruise above the city itself,a relaxing pleasure cruise for the body andsoul.

So make like Benjamin, and visit the oldHammett house for the good drinking that issynonymous with good living. It is an impres-sive old structure characterized by immi-grants, a place that personifies the City ofNewport like Mr. Franklin personified America.

come to massive glass cases that display the wine selection.Notable among these is the case on the right, fine woodwork andcurved, sliding doors filled with delicate, beveled-glass panels.

“The bar itself is a curvaceous beauty, as you can see. Made ofmahogany and now over sixty years old, it has entertained gener-ations of locals and tourists, from beatniks and hippies to discoqueens and GenXers. Bob Dylan once had a drink here, a starkcontrast to the days when establishment men like Vanderbilt andAstor spun the money wheel and pulled the one armed bandit.But we’ll get to those items in a moment.

“To the left of the bar, above this cozy table for two nestled nearthe fire place, are some pictures I think might be of some inter-est. This one here was taken in the early forties, just years beforethe lounge was installed. It is a shot of this very room, taken fromthe view point of the dance floor beside the dining area. As youcan see, it is quite a difference, revealing a bright and refined sit-ting room. Morning light streams through the ten foot windows,lending an ethereal quality that seams to suggest the Belle Epochduring which the place was built.

“There are two photographs of the house’s exterior, both takenfrom the perspective of Memorial Boulevard. The first is estimat-ed to be late fifties, and you can see the fence fronting theavenue, a viewpoint that no longer exists since the addition of thestreet-side coffee shop. The second photo is later, 1970, to beexact, and shows the entrance to the bar before the outdoorpatio was built in the late ‘90s.

“But the most interesting item on this wall is the old menu. Theyear is not known, but you can see from the prices that it couldnot have been very recent. When was the last time you could pur-chase a 7$ Lobster Newburg, and wash it down with aManhattan for a dollar twenty-five? If you can recall such prices,you might not want to date yourself by admitting it. Just be gladyou can remember anything at all.”

Uneasy laughter.

“Panning around the room, we come to the last two items onour tour, two very unique objects. This first is a classic one-armedbandit. It was built by the Mills Novelty Company, out of ChicagoIllinois, once a leading manufacturer of vending machines, juke-boxes, and these rustic beauties that speak of old saloons, fist-fights, and perhaps even gunplay. The heyday of the companywas between 1905 and 1930, when they were also producingcelebrated machines that automatically played a violin or piano.But this piece might be even older, because Mortimer Mills wasgranted a U.S. patent for a “coin-actuated vending machine” asearly as 1891, and they produced their first upright slot machineonly six years later. Feel free to go ahead and pull the lever. Thebandit will still click through its cycle, and you can wait with bait-ed breath to see if you get three of a kind. But if you do producetriple limes or bells, be prepared for disappointment. That babyhas not paid out since before Bill Taft became the only Presidentto become Chief Justice of the United States.

Crickets.

“The second casino piece is this beautiful blue and silver moneywheel. Once again it is difficult to determine an age, though onecan assume it is a contemporary of the bandit, if not even older.Like the slot machine, it is in fine working condition, and you aremore than welcome to give a vigorous spin. Yet you must beware.Rumor has it that if you hit your number, you win a free cocktail.But if you miss, you get a monthly mortgage payment, which ismuch higher then the dollar twenty-five customers once paid fora perfect Manhattan.”

More polite laughter.

“Well anyway folks, that concludes our tour. Now please feelfree to step to the bar, requisition one of the very comfortablestools, and order yourself a cocktail.”

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circa. 1930

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newportnaked.com • summer 2012 23

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26 summer 2012 • newportnaked.com

and shipping tycoon Cornelius. He was raised in various man-sions, including Marble House on Bellevue Avenue, and thusenjoyed the ultimate home field advantage, which he parleyedinto a dominating 4 – 0 win.

In 1934 Vanderbilt was back, facing a stiff challenge fromthe Royal Yacht Squadron’s Endeavour. Lipton, after five unsuc-cessful challenges, had died, and the new opponent was SirThomas Sopwith (yes that Sopwith, who’s Camel was the fight-er plane of Snoopy’s wildest dreams). Sopwith used theadvanced aviation technology of his company to build a fastership than Vanderbilt’s Rainbow, and the challenger jumped outto a 2 – 0 lead. But the greater experience and superior tac-tics of the American team eventually held sway, with Rainbowwinning the next four races.

The 1937 event was a rematch. Sopwith returned withhigh hopes for Endeavour II. But the U.S. answered with Ranger,perhaps the best J-class yacht ever to race in the Cup. WithVanderbilt again at the helm, the competition was never indoubt, and the American team pitched a shutout.

But even as the Ranger crew celebrated, the clouds of warwere gathering in Europe. It would be twenty-one years beforethe next race.

The 1958 Cup is not remembered most for the sailors orcountries involved, but for the boats. Due to economic hard-ships in the post-war era, it was determined that the J-classyachts were too expensive. A change was made to smallercraft, marking the beginning of the twelve meter era. This newstandard ensured that there would be relative equality amongboats. The name of the class does not denote length, and infact most of these vessels are over 20 meters long. The ‘12’referred to a blueprint that takes into account sail area, girth,and length at the waterline. All of these measurements are

plugged into a formula, and the result must be 12 meters orless. This method created a standard while still giving design-ers room to maneuver, to tinker with all three factors and buildboats with unique strengths and weaknesses. The ‘twelve’ erawould last for three decades, covering all of the subsequentraces in Newport.

On the water, despite the new boats, the result was thesame. The American team, owned by a syndicate featuringHenry Sears and Vincent Astor, sailed Columbia to a crushing4 – 0 victory over Sceptre, which was yet another in a long lineof British entrants.

But in ‘62, the challenger changed. The Australians threwtheir hat in the ring for the first time. The inexperience of thenew team led to over-confidence by the Americans, as Gretelheld her own against the defender, Weatherly. But historyrepeated itself, with the Americans emerging as 4 – 1 victors.

Still, the capable challenge from the men down under was aharbinger of things to come.

In ‘64 the British returned without a vengeance. Theyshould have stayed home. They were so outclassed that in onerace the Constellation beat Sovereign by over twenty minutes,the largest margin of victory since 1886. As a result, theBritish era ended, and the Australian’s took up the cause ofthe empire, representing the opposition for the next six Cups.

Three years later, the Americans refused to take theseAussies lightly. The ship Intrepid had been built with several newand bold design features. The Australians answered with aninnovation of their own, as Dame Pattie was the first entrant toutilize computer navigation. This was not enough to end thestreak, however, as Intrepid swept the series with ease. Still,this willingness to embrace experimentation would character-ize future Australian teams, molding them into dangerous

photo credit:© ACEA/Photo Gilles Martin-Raget

newportnaked.com • summer 2012 27

adversaries.Prior to the next race, there was another change that

spelled trouble for American dominance. For the first timeever, a challenger series would select the best opponent.These races allowed Cup hopefuls to test their boats andcrews under the intense pressure of competition, an opportu-nity that, in previous years, had only been available to thedefenders. The Australians emerged victorious fromthese trials, and gained valuable experience in theprocess. Also, it was generally agreed that Gretel IIwas the faster boat in that years finals. But thevisitors were plagued by their own incompetence.They made numerous mistakes, including having aman go overboard, choosing their sails unwisely, andcommitting a violation that disqualified them from arace they had won. America sailed to a 3 – 2 victory,as Intrepid became a rare two-time winner.

But she would not be the last. Courageous was thenext defender, and she produced back to back victo-ries of her own. The second, in ’77, was helmed byTed Turner. The bombastic southerner was giventhe pejorative nickname ‘Captain Outrageous’ bythe northeastern blue-bloods, but when heexcelled in the defender series, he was grantedthe honor of representing his country. It proved a wisedecision, as he piloted Courageous to a sweep overAustralia.

In 1980, Dennis Conner led the American teamaboard Freedom. Their opponent was Australia, back inNewport waters for a second attempt at making history.The competition was exhilarating, one of the closest inthe history of the Cup. Still, despite two races decidedby under a minute, the American’s kept their incredi-ble streak alive.

But things were about to change.In 1983, everything came together for the

Australians. They arrived in Newport with a newboat, Australia II, that featured a revolutionarywinged keel. It was an extension of the bold exper-imentation that made the Aussies so formidable,and was the focus of endless speculation. Thedesign was so secretive that a skirt was hungfrom the craft whenever she was pulled from thewater. Also, there was controversy. The NewYork Yacht Club alleged that the keel did notadhere to the twelve meter formula, and thatit was a Dutch design, not Australian. Bothclaims would have meant disqualification, butin the end the challenger was deemed legal. On the upside, thecontroversy had drawn international attention to the event.

Connor was drawing his own attention. The U.S. media gavehim extensive coverage that summer, and he even graced thecover of Sports Illustrated, an uncommon feat for a sailor. But inorder to justify this fame, he would have to overcome thestiffest challenge in Cup history.

Australia II was the faster vessel. Also, with the challengerseries having grown more and more intense, both boat andcrew were weathered and ready for action.

Still, Connor and Liberty managed close wins in the first two

races, by margins well under two minutes. Australia II claimedthe next victory, but Liberty answered with her third triumph,this time by a mere 43 seconds. The Aussies persevered witha narrow win of their own, meaning, for the first time, a sixthrace would be necessary. Again the Australians prevailed, set-ting up an unprecedented, gripping, do or die seventh race.

It was a classic. The lead changed hands three times, andshifting winds tested the mettle of all involved. On the lastdownwind Australia II executed a daring pass. Then, on the final

leg, the boats tacked endlessly against the wind asLiberty made a desperate charge. But it was notenough. The Americans were beaten by a mere

forty one seconds, and the Cup finally changed hands,and hemispheres, going to the Royal Perth Yacht Club.

The devastating loss only galvanized the Americans.Four years later Connor would sail Stars and Stripes 87 tovictory and bring the trophy back home. He received aboisterous welcome and a ticker tape parade inManhattan’s Canyon of Heroes, an honor previously

bestowed on the likes of General Pershing,Charles Lindbergh, Jesse Owens, HowardHughes, Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, andKennedy, Winston Churchill, U.S. Olympic

teams, Pope John Paul II, the Iran Hostages, theApollo 11 crew, and even the Statue of Liberty (an

impromptu affair at her 1886 commemoration). Healso got his second Sports Illustrated cover, this timebecoming the only man to appear alongside a U.S.

president – Reagan. But despite all the hoopla, things were not the same.The spell had been broken. The age of dominance had

ended. And Newport was no longer a host. Over thelast twenty five years the Cup has been held alter-nately by the Americans, New Zealanders, and

Swiss. But today it is once again on our soil. In 2010, a

team representing the Golden Gate Yacht Clubwrested the hallowed trophy from the Swiss. Asa result, San Francisco will host the next race,to be held in 2013.

But there will still be Cup racing in Newport. This summer, the AC World Series will con-

clude just off Fort Adams. The Series is a circuitof regattas held at venues around the world, achance to expose a wide audience to thesport. Previous events were held in Cascais,Portugal, Plymouth, England, Venice, Naples,and San Diego.

The boat used in the series features radical new technolo-gy, making it seem alien when compared to the ‘twelves’ thatonce vied for the trophy. Called the AC45, it is a 45 foot cata-maran featuring a wing sail that is 21 meters high with anarea of 915 feet. Despite the ability to reach high speeds, it isvery nimble, allowing it to navigate tight, demanding courses.The craft is also designed to perform well in both light andheavy winds, thus avoiding the lulls that can plague world classsail racing when the conditions do not cooperate.

But as impressive as the 45 is, it is essentially being usedfor practice by the AC crews, getting them ready for the AC72,the behemoth they will sail in the finals. However, seeing those

photo credit:© ACEA/Photo Gilles Martin-Raget

28 summer 2012 • newportnaked.com

monsters in person will require traveling to San Francisco andscouting out a good vantage point along the bay.

It will be much easier, and cheaper, to pack a lunch andcome to Newport. The event will take place between June

23rd and July 1st, on an oval course between Fort AdamsState Park and Fort Wetherill, in Jamestown. But plan ahead,because the crowds may be enormous. An economic impactestimate predicted the regatta will bring 72 million dollars tothe state, most of it flowing from the over 100,000 touristswho will flock to our shores. When they arrive they will seesome of the world’s greatest sailors, on some of the world’smost extreme boats, doing battle on Narragansett Bay.

Rhumbline - a curve on thesurface of a sphere that cuts

all meridians at the sameangle. It is the path taken

by ships or airplanes that maintain a steady

compass bearing.

55 years after the America’s Cup received its name, anoth-er legendary competition was born. Conceived as the firstocean race amongst amateur sailors, the initial run toBermuda was viewed as either an extreme sport or utter mad-ness. Back then, only three crews had the balls to even try, and

when it was over, two of them had succeeded, including a 28-footer that is still the smallest craft ever to complete the jour-ney. The experience had been so difficult, harrowing, and exhila-rating, they decided to repeat it the following year. From thisdaring yet humble beginning, the event has gradually morphedinto a contest that, in its centennial edition of 2006, saw over250 boats set sail for the Onion Patch.

That first, intrepid race had started off Brooklyn, and inensuing years it would begin in places like New London,Marblehead, and Montauk. But since 1936 it has beenlaunched just off Castle Hill Light in the City by the Sea.

The initial goal of the endeavor was to inspire amateurcrews on small sailing vessels to test their mettle on the openseas, and to this day that spirit personifies the event. Generally,around ninety percent of the entrants are amateurs, includingmany family teams, and they make the run in all types of ves-sels. Because of these variations in crew and craft, the racehas been separated into five divisions, giving the diverseentrants a fair chance at earning an impressive array of tro-phies. Examples of these divisions are the Gibbs Hill, which fea-tures professionals sailing modern craft, the Double-handed,where two man crews are the rule, and the Cruising division,which is filled by boats that are not designed for racing.Additional awards are bestowed in categories like best finishfor a boat over fifteen years old, top family crew, and best navi-gator.

Newport-Bermuda is a 635 mile jaunt. It takes three to sixdays to complete, and most of the sailing occurs on the openocean, with land far over the horizon. The track would appearsimple, a dead southeast shot on a rhumbline heading of 149degrees True, but difficult conditions make frequent courseadjustments inevitable.

The first half of this voyage is dominated by the gulf stream,which, in conjunction with related ocean currents, can eithermove boats swiftly along or stymie every effort to advance.Violent squalls, heavy seas, and impenetrable fogs are com-mon.

The second portion is generally less eventful. Light windsand calmer currents prevail, testing the ingenuity and creativityof helmsman as they search for ways to propel their vesselsforward. Eventually, about twenty to twenty five miles out,Bermuda’s low silhouette appears, and this is when the excite-ment builds. In the final leg, boats following different lines ofapproach will appear, converging in a funnel while avoiding thecoral reefs that abound just north of the island paradise. Thefinish line is St. David’s Lighthouse, and after that there is noth-ing left but one Dark n’ Stormy after another, and the storiespeople tell.

Newport to Bermuda

Matt Cohen Photography

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newportnaked.com • summer 2012 29

As this article is being written, news has broken of twoseparate boating disasters. One is the sinking of a ferry inIndia that claimed over a hundred souls, and another the lossof the sailing yacht Aegean off the coast of California, leavingthree dead and one missing. Both instances highlight thedangers that exist on the water, but the second tragedy isparticularly germane to this article, as the Aegean was takingpart in the 125 mile Newport Beach to Ensenada boat race.

It would seem that such water-bound catastrophes arecommon, from the Titanic to the Costa Concordia cruise shipthis January. So given this reality, the safety record of theBermuda race is quite impressive.

Over 106 years, encompassing 47 races, only two boatshave been lost. The most recent was back in ’56, when theyacht Elda encountered a reef just off Bermuda.And the first was in 1932, when the schooner Adrianacaught fire. A competitor, the Jolie Brise, managed to rescueten people, but one man was lost at sea, the only casualty inthe event’s long history.

Countless other problems have been encountered, asthey always are when man meets nature. There have beenbroken headstays, electronic malfunctions, and seaweed dan-gling from a briefly submerged mast. Sailors have dealt withhurricanes and big calms, high-pressure cells andmicrobursts, happy valleys and death zones, gulf streameddies and meanders, and even a case of acute appendicitis.But through it all, almost 5,000 boats, carrying over 50,000sailors, have braved the elements and returned safely.

Today the Newport to Bermuda race is a hallowed tradi-tion that takes place every two years. It has drawn competi-tors from the world over, and honored winners from Englandall the way to the Great Lakes region. Since 1958, morethan a hundred boats have taken part in each race, and thethrill has proven addicting, with many sailors having compet-ed in 10, 15, or 20 races, including the late Jim Mertz, whomade the run an astounding 30 times. Victories have beenclaimed by boats as large as 93 feet and as small as 37,and by America’s Cup winners Ted Hood and HaroldVanderbilt. The event has been so successful that it has evenspawned imitators, most notably the Fastnet Race in Englandand the Sydney-Hobart in Australia.

On June 15th, this year’s entrants will assemble inNarragansett Bay and begin the Thrash to the Onion Patch.The race is book-ended by the Onion Patch Series, a group ofregattas that take place here in Newport beforehand, andthen down in Bermuda afterwards.

For those who would like to follow the action, visit theNewport Bermuda website. All boats are fitted with satellitetransponders, and their positions are updated frequently.

P.S. – English settlers introduced onions to Bermuda in theearly 1600’s. By the 19th century they had become a majorexport commodity. Eventually, stateside growers started com-peting, going so far as to call their product Bermuda Onions,even though they were grown in places like Texas. Because ofbetter access to transportation hubs, these land-locked farmerseasily won the battle, and the vegetable is no longer a major partof the island’s economy. But to this day, Bermudian’s are stillreferred to as Onions, and the island itself as the Onion Patch,just in case you were wondering . . .

30 summer 2012 • newportnaked.com

As the Newport to Bermuda race became an export, copied over-seas by sailors who admired its spirit, the Tall Ships became animport. In 1972, Barclay Warburton III, of Newport, participated in aTall Ships race from England to Sweden. By the time he had guidedhis brigantine, The Black Pearl, into Malmo, he was inspired to bringsimilar experiences to American shores. A year later he founded theAmerican Sail Training Association. At the time, the organization hadjust a few boats that operated in local waters, but today it enjoysinternational reach, and boasts a fleet of over 250 vessels.

One purpose of the ASTA is to introduce young people to sailing,to help them build character and leadership qualities while operatingsome of the most magnificent boats ever constructed. Because ofthis mission, the majority of crew members are under the age oftwenty-five, some in their early teens. These students – from colle-gians on semester long cruises to kids on field trips – are exposedto the maritime environment aboard a variety of ships, including onesthat carried immigrants across the Atlantic, and others that repli-cate the combatants in America’s earliest wars. In these programs,new generations of sailors learn everything from the importance ofsafety at sea to the crucial task of protecting our natural resources.

But since its inception, the most prominent aspect of the ASTA isthe races it promotes. Since 2001, these contests have foundexpression in The Tall Ships Challenge, an annual event that alter-nates between Atlantic, Pacific, and Great Lakes venues. TheChallenge combines these port-to-port races with cruises, rallies, andfestivals in each host city. Such celebrations allow visitors to viewthe vessels that once ruled the oceans, and even climb aboard tomeet the crews and perform closer inspections.

In the 2010 Great Lakes edition, the ships raced through all fivefingers, from Ontario to Huron to Superior. Billed as the ‘race to savethe lakes’, the initiative that year was to preach the importance ofconservation to those living along the world’s greatest body of freshwater. The tour kicked-off in Toronto, then made stops in Cleveland,Bay City, Green Bay, Chicago, and Duluth.

This year the Atlantic coast is on the itinerary. The series will becommemorating the bicentennial anniversary of the War of 1812,and make stops in Savannah, Georgia, Greenport, NY, Halifax, NovaScotia, and, of course, Newport. On July 5th the ships will arrive, andthe festival will run its course over the following three days. Duringthat time tourists and locals alike will get to see an endless array ofschooners, brigantines, brigs, barques, and barquentines, not tomention a profusion of square rigs, gaff rigs, top masts, top sails,spinnakers, bowsprits, sloops, ketches, and yawls. On all three days,

Shi

psTALL

Matt Cohen Photography

36 summer 2012 • newportnaked.com

Safety-First be honest with yourself about yourswimming ability. Outside of surf zones theCoast Guard is requiring life jackets on all pad-dlers.

* Never leave your board, if you lose the pad-dle you can paddle it with your hands easierthan swimming; also the wind can blow it awayfaster than you can swim. Always paddle up-wind first, it is way more difficult than downwind. Do not get caught a long distance downwind, you may not make it back.

* Stay attached to your board with an ankleleash if you are on a lake, or ocean. DO NOT usea leash on a river as it may snag and hold youdown.

* Your paddle is your friend – keep it in thewater as much as possible. You can push theblade forward or back to keep from falling, andeven lean on it or pull up on it momentarily tokeep from falling. Never let go of your paddle.

* Foot position – Stand in the middle of theboard, too far forward will sink the nose, too farback will drag the tail and be slow. You general-ly want to stand centered with both feet aboutshoulder width apart, and facing forwards forlong distance paddling on flat water; but whenthe surface is choppy or you’re in waves you’llwant to adopt surfer’s stance with your domi-nant foot forward just as in normal surfing.

* Use a coiled SUP Leash so that it stays ontop of your SUP board, reducing the chanceyou’ll snag anything under the water. Attachyour surf safety leash to your rear foot.

* Paddling – reach forward with your paddleand put the blade in almost vertically, close tothe board. Stroke back, visualizing pulling theboard forward in the water. Don’t try to extendthe stroke too far past your legs, that anglesthe blade too much and pulls the board edgedownwards. Your blade is angled forwards fortwo reasons–to make the blade more stable inthe water, (as you’ll see if you try to stroke withthe blade backwards) and to improve therelease of the blade as you pull it up. Stroking

too far backwards defeats that smooth release.

* Happy feet – You need to learn that your feetare not bolted to the board. As your balanceimproves you can move around the boardmore. In flat water paddle boarding you need toimitate this learning by forcing yourself to moveyour feet around. Shift from centered to foreand aft stance. Move your back foot moretowards the tail then back centered again. Inchop your learning will be automatic–when youmaster sideways chop you’re bound to be mov-ing about on the board.

* Turning and Spinning–Initially you’ll be turn-ing the board slowly by stroking away from theboard, but this is the slow way around. Fine forflatwater, but too slow to surf. The faster way isto put weight on the back of the board andstroke with the paddle to pivot the board. Onceyou are in a fore and aft position you can startpracticing this by putting weight on your backleg. This works even better if you take a stepbackwards. You need to lean on the paddle a bitto optimize these moves. Once you can spin theboard 360 you’re ready to surf.

SUP Tips for Beginners

40 summer 2012 • newportnaked.com

SPORTS DIRECTORY 2012

kayaking • surfing • paddleboarding • kite surfing • skate boarding • mountain biking • golfing • hiking • indoor climbing • sky diving

kayaking • surfing • paddleboarding • kite surfing • skate boarding • mountain biking • golfing • hiking • indoor climbing • sky diving

Surfing

Elemental Surf & SkateThey carry the largest selection of skateshoes, decks, skate apparel and accessorieson Aquidneck Island. 2nd floor Surf Outlet.89 Aquidneck Ave., Middletown, RI 02842401.846.2280www.elementalsurfandskate.com

Island SportsSurf Boards, Paddleboards, Bicycles, Clothes, Accessories, Rentals, etc...86 Aquidneck Ave., Middletown, RI 02842401.841.5160www.islandsports.com

Waterbros86 Memorial Blvd., Newport, RI 02840www.originalwaterbrothers.com

Bowling

Old Mountain LanesGreat rates & only $21.95 per hour.756 Kingstown Rd.,Wakefield, RI 02879 • 401.783.5511www.oldmountainlanesri.com

Hiking

Arcadia Management Area13,817 acres, largest of the state’s management areas.Hunting, camping, mountain biking, fishing, boating, kayaking, canoeing, hiking & horseback riding. 5 am - sunset year-round260 Arcadia Rd., Hope Valley, RI 02823Forest Environment Headquarters401.539.2356Division of Fish & Wildlife Headquarters401.789.3094www.riparks.com/arcadia.htm

Cliff Walk3.5 mile picturesque walk along coastal RI looking over the Atlantic Ocean, and beautiful mansions. Starts at beginning of Memorial Boulevard, next to The Chanler.Parking: First Beach or Memorial Blvd.No Bikes, Dogs on leash only.GPS: 117 Memorial Boulevard

Newport, RI 02840www.cliffwalk.com

Norman Bird Sanctuary325-acre wildlife refuge with over 7 miles of hiking trails, and a variety of programs for all age groups.583 Third Beach Rd., Middletown, RI 02842 • 401.846.2577www.normanbirdsanctuary.org

Sachuest Point242-acres of various habitats. Grasslands, beaches, dunes, freshwaterand salt water marshes. Sachuest Point Dr., Middletown, RI 02842401.364.9124www.fws.gov/refuges

Golf

Newport National Golf ClubCourse spans almost 200 acres of former shrub and tree nurseries with views of the Atlantic Ocean and Sakonnet Passage. Par 72 championship golf course. Public Course.324 Mitchell’s LaneMiddletown, RI 02842

401.848.9690www.newportnational.com

Green Valley Country Club15 minutes from downtown Newport. Par 71, 18 holes. Public Course.371 Union St., Portsmouth, RI 02871401.849.2162 www.greenvalleyccofri.com

Matt Cohen Photography

Exeter Country ClubGolf Course consists of rolling lushfairways, scenic views, manicuredgreens and a country setting. Par72, 18 holes. Public Course.320 Ten Rod Road (Rt 102)Exeter, RI 02822Golf Shop/Tee Times401.295.8212www.exetercc.com

Jamestown Country Club10 minutes from downtownNewport. Par 36, 9 holes. Public Course.245 Conanicus Ave. Jamestown, RI401.423.9930 www.jamestowngolf.com

42 summer 2012 • newportnaked.com

Shopping for a protein powder can seem just asinvolved as buying a new car. With so many factors toconsider, the average consumer can become easilyconfused. I’ve broken it down below to help ease thedecision making process. Once you understand whatyou DO want, and what you do NOT need, it’s an easyprocess of elimination. Supplementing your diet withprotein can help decrease body fat stores, improveathletic performance, gain muscle mass, stabilizeblood sugar and control appetite. The body is able todigest and absorb this form of protein quickly and effi-ciently, making it one of the most effective post-work-out foods. Simply add necessary fats or carbs andvoila...easy meal replacement. Maybe it seems oddthat protein can make you smaller or larger.Depending on the product, and how it is used canmake a big difference.

Reasons to incorporate this little powerhouse:Weight loss: Use protein shakes as a snack daily

to increase your protein intake, while avoiding excesscarbs. They work great post-workout along with acarb source for refueling. Consider that the carbamount will vary depending on intensity of workoutand your personal goals.

Athletic performance: Protein requirements for

athletes are much higher than the average Joe. Post-workout refueling is an important part of growth &repair. Whey protein isolates used at this time areexcellent for providing necessary amino acids. Sinceoverall protein needs increase, protein powder can beused throughout the day as well, not limited to afteractivities.

Muscle growth: Getting at least 1g protein perpound of bodyweight can be tricky with solid food, eg.1 scoop of protein powder is the equivalent to about3-4oz of chicken. Adding it in addition to your meals isgreat if you’re looking to plump up your biceps. Beforebed shakes (preferably casein protein) helps preventmuscle loss while snoozing.

Stabilizing Blood sugar: Protein eaten at the sametime as carbohydrates will allow for a slower releaseof those carbs into the blood stream. Eating everyfew hours for a more stable nutrient digestion is rec-ommended, shakes can be used as snacks for thispurpose.

Appetite control: Taking protein between mealswill help decrease hunger, making portion control anddecision making much easier. Drinking a shake anhour before going out to eat can calm down that urgeto eat the whole menu.

Grams per serving: Here is a great way to ingest

Whey ConfusingBy Melissa Kirdzik, MS, RD, LDN

newportnaked.com • summer 2012 43

a high amount of lean, easily digestible protein, with-out added carbs and fats. Look for at least 20g pro-tein per serving, with minimal fats & carbs. I like tokeep the fat around 1-2g, and carbs under 5g. Lookfor a product with 100-130 calories per serving.Meal replacements for mass gain will typically have ahigher amount of protein, carbs & fats – resulting ina product with at least double the calories. Keep inmind that eggs have about 5g of protein, while meatslike fish and chicken have approximately 7grams perounce of meat. Some products, such as Kellogg’s,promote “Protein” drinks, but contain only 10g pro-tein (big whoop), and as much sugar as half a soda. Inaddition there are close to 30 ingredients, includingsucralose - aka Splenda- Yikes! Not sure this going toshrink your butt to fast. Learn to look at nutritionlabels and ingredient lists first, as opposed to thelabel design and pictures.

Type of protein: Each type of protein has a differ-ent bioavailability, meaning the percentage that canbe digested and utilized by the body. Not all proteinsare created equal, the higher the number, the moreabsorbable the protein. Whey protein happens to bethe highest, whereas a rice protein will be muchlower.

Whey 100+Egg 100Egg white 88Casein 77Soy 74Rice 59

Whey vs Casein: Whey protein is digested muchquicker than casein protein, and would be used clos-er to workouts for refueling. Use at times when rapidabsorption is optimal. Casein is referred to as the“time-release” protein, beneficial for example beforebed to prevent muscle loss while snoozing.

Isolate vs Concentrate: Isolates are the purestform available, processed more to remove lactoseand fat. They will be a bit more costly, due to thispurification process. Isolates are easier to digest, andtherefore can get into the bloodstream at a fasterrate. Perfect as a post-workout recovery, allowingamino acids to shuttle into muscle fibers withoutdelay. Concentrates are less filtered, containing a

higher percentage of fats and carbs, and a little lessprotein. Less processing allows for concentrates tocost a bit less. There are also blends available, it’scommon to see whey protein isolate and concen-trates together in a product. Both Isolates and con-centrates are effective for muscle building. Thosewith lactose issues will typically do better with anIsolate protein.

Sweetener: Sweeteners are by far one of the mostimportant factors to consider. Most protein productson the market will be aspartame or sucralose based.These artificial sweeteners are highly toxic to the sys-tem (neurotoxins), and have a negative effect on sati-ety, hunger and craving signals. They have been linkedto insulin resistance, and increased body fat stores.Look for products that are sweetened with stevia forbest results. Make sure to check labels, even withincompanies. For example Optimum Nutrition has a“Gold Standard” – artificial sweetener based, and“Natural” – sweetened with stevia. Shop smart.

Optimum Nutrition Natural Whey(1scoop) 130 cal, 1g fat, 5g carb,

3g sugar, 24g protein

Kellogg’s Special K Protein Shake (1 bottle) 190 cal, 5g fat, 29g carb,

18g sugar, 10g protein

Bolthouse Protein Plus (8oz) 190 cal, 3g fat, 28g carb,

26g sugar, 16g protein

Slimfast High Protein Shake Mix(1scoop) 200cal, 4g fat, 25g carb,

18g sugar, 15g protein

To stay updated on my health tips and information,visit my website eattolive.biz or follow me on face-book at Eat to Live.

Melissa Kirdzik, MS, RD, LDN1-401-486-7089

195 Broadway, Newport, R.I. 02840

44 summer 2012 • newportnaked.com

newportnaked.com • summer 2012 45

Honk, traffic, snail slow; detour, congestion, stop and go; too manytourists, where’d this guy learn how to drive?!? Bottleneck, rubberneck,friggin fricative word; there is a clog, almost hit a dog, that jerk just flippedme the bird! Motor troubles, potholes, the price of gas; pollution, inconsid-erate intrusions, impatient creeps using the slow lane to pass! Fenderbender, stop sign, speed bump, pump the brakes; oh the NERVE! Heywatch it! Red light—Oh for chrissakes!!! If my driving is nine times out of tenjust a rolling stop, how come it costs me so much to park?

Whether travelling near or far in this pleasant little city we locals like tocall Newport, vehicular travel takes about fifteen minutes—be it the volumeof vacationers, “monstrosity” of miles, calamity with construction, predica-ments with parking, or simply that garbage truck stopped in the middle ofour many signature one-way sized two-way streets. Don’t get it wrong,Newporters aren’t a part of the national statistic that spends more timesitting in traffic than it does dressing, bathing, and feeding a child.Compared to big cities, this joint’s got it pretty good— Vanderbilt style, wegot it luxury— but then again, when the homeostasis of our homeland isdelayed, (be it slow or peak season) we certainly do notice. Think: in ourmagnificent microcosm, we are frequently delayed due to driving. Realize:our most cherished of modern conveniences is actually an inconvenience.Act: Be part of the solution, take the high road, and get on your bike.

Now, this isn’t a desperate call to action demanding Newporters changetheir lightsaber color from blue to red, roll all their cars off of the VanZandt Pier, start sacrificing their firstborns in order to keep the loadweight at the grocery store down, or a call to revoke your freedom of reli-gion in exchange for the church of Lance Armstrong — C’mon, we’re notby any means Boulder, Colorado (top bicycle commuting community in thenation). If commuting to Providence or buying 40lbs of bacon at the store,you must, then by all means take your car!

But munch on this food for thought:Newport, Rhode Island is only 7.9 sq miles.Due to the ease of taking side streets, the ability to get around stopped

traffic, and ease of finding parking, the average bike travel time can beLESS than 15 minutes.

Gas is $4.00/gal. Parking is $15/day. Biking is free. Cycling in Newport lives up to the city’s advertised allure and is also

known for luxury. We’ve got the renowned Ocean Drive— take it for aleisure spin! We are blessed with Sachuest— ride in the sea breeze toblow off stress. We are small enough not to require a vast network ofcomplicated multi-lane expressways complete with exit ramps, flyoverinterchanges, flow regulation signals, headaches, and swear words— socapitalize on it. With everything being in proximity to everything else, ampleriding shoulders, low speed limits, and the awesome beauty that your veryown local backyard provides, participate in time/money saving, earthfriendly, and heart healthy means of getting around during the goodweather… The drama with driving— leave that to the tourists…

Photo by Steve Heath

46 summer 2012 • newportnaked.com

holistic medicine

acupuncture

natural skin care

yoga teacher training

Elizabeth Lindh, DAcFlowNaturalHealth.com

174 Bellevue Ave., Newport, RI 02840

401.835.7770

newportnaked.com • summer 2012 49

The DancersBrooke DiFrancescofrom Island Moving Co. wears a Vintage Corset and Tulle Skirt from Karma.

Shane Farrellfrom Island Moving Co. wears a Collard Greens Bowtie and Castaway Pin Striped Shorts from Island Outfitters.

LocationLedge Road

50 summer 2012 • newportnaked.com

newportnaked.com • summer 2012 51

the Life of the PartyWynn • Colby • Caitrin • Maradyth

The girls are all wearing Vintage Clothing from Closet Revival

Make upFaith Bailey & Candace Brisson

HairBethanie Sullivan, Candace Brisson, Remington Reese-Sweeney & Meagan Wheeler

LocationSambar

52 summer 2012 • newportnaked.com

The SailingSistersHarmony, Sara & Cedaron the Wallace Foss tugboat.

Dresses from WishJewelry from Wish & Alloy Gallery

Make upJessica D’Amore

HairMaureen Gomes

newportnaked.com • summer 2012 53

the Hair StylistLily JeovannaHouse of Hairhouseofhairnewport@gmail.com

Jeovanna’s t-shirt is from Water Bros.

ModelsJose Burrion & Arturo CanteCowboy hats from Closet Revival

LocationPerro Salado

54 summer 2012 • newportnaked.com

newportnaked.com • summer 2012 55

Tips to Keep PetsSafe This Summer

Courtesy of The Humane Society of the United States

Tips to Keep PetsSafe This Summer

Memorial Day weekend signals the unofficial start ofsummer, and The Humane Society of the United Statesreminds people to start thinking about how the warmweather will impact pets. Whether taking a walk, a driveor just hanging out in the backyard, there are extra pre-cautions that people can take to keep their four-leggedfamily members happy and safe:

Beat the Heat• Never leave a pet unattended in the car on a warm or

sunny day. Cars quickly heat up to a dangerous tempera-ture, even with the window slightly open.

• When taking a dog for a walk on a hot day, plan forshorter walks midday, when temperatures peak, andlonger walks in the morning and evening when it’s cooler.Hot sidewalks can burn the pads on a dog’s paws, so walkon the grass when possible.

• Keep your dog safe and cool this summer with a K-9body wrap, vest, mat, pool or even an outdoor cabanabed.

Safety First• Be sure to keep pets up-to-date on their vaccinations

and preventative medications. Fleas and ticks stay busy inwarm weather and summer is also the prime time forheartworms. Check with a veterinarian about the bestway to keep pets healthy.

• Keep cats indoors to keep them safe. Cars, other petsand wild animals can all pose risks to cats’ safety. By pro-viding playtime, cat trees and other enrichment, a cat willbe happy and content to stay indoors.

• Beware of cocoa mulch and other gardening products.Cocoa mulch can be deadly if ingested and has an appetiz-ing scent to some animals. Pesticides, fertilizers and otherharsh chemicals can also be quickly fatal if ingested.

• When driving with pets, be sure to keep them proper-ly restrained and inside the vehicle. Special seatbelts andsecured carriers can protect pets during accidents andprevent them from distracting the driver. The back of apick-up truck is never a safe place for a pet to ride.

Don�t forget about the Little Guys

• Pet rabbits should be kept indoors because they don’ttolerate heat well. Keeping a rabbit indoors will also pro-vide protection from predators who might try to attack arabbit in an outdoor hutch.

• Be mindful of pets around our wild neighbors. Whengoing for walks or playing in a fenced yard, don’t allow petsto harass birds, rabbits, squirrels or other wild animals.

Dog Days of Summer• The summer months are the peak season for dog

bites because so many kids and dogs are playing outside.Training, socialization and dog spaying or neutering a dogcan reduce the risk of dog bites. Kids can learn to staysafe through good manners around pets and humaneeducation.

• Never leave a dog outdoors unattended on a chainor tether. Long-term chaining during the hot summermonths can result in countless insect bites, dehydrationand heat stroke. Even short-term unattended tetheringcan pose risks such as theft or attacks by people or ani-mals. Taylor enjoys the sun

at Bannisters Wharf.

56 summer 2012 • newportnaked.com newportnaked.com • summer 2012 57

Tips to Keep PetsSafe This Summer

Courtesy of The Humane Society of the United States

Tips to Keep PetsSafe This Summer

Memorial Day weekend signals the unofficial start ofsummer, and The Humane Society of the United Statesreminds people to start thinking about how the warmweather will impact pets. Whether taking a walk, a driveor just hanging out in the backyard, there are extra pre-cautions that people can take to keep their four-leggedfamily members happy and safe:

Beat the Heat• Never leave a pet unattended in the car on a warm or

sunny day. Cars quickly heat up to a dangerous tempera-ture, even with the window slightly open.

• When taking a dog for a walk on a hot day, plan forshorter walks midday, when temperatures peak, andlonger walks in the morning and evening when it’s cooler.Hot sidewalks can burn the pads on a dog’s paws, so walkon the grass when possible.

• Keep your dog safe and cool this summer with a K-9body wrap, vest, mat, pool or even an outdoor cabanabed.

Safety First• Be sure to keep pets up-to-date on their vaccinations

and preventative medications. Fleas and ticks stay busy inwarm weather and summer is also the prime time forheartworms. Check with a veterinarian about the bestway to keep pets healthy.

• Keep cats indoors to keep them safe. Cars, other petsand wild animals can all pose risks to cats’ safety. By pro-viding playtime, cat trees and other enrichment, a cat willbe happy and content to stay indoors.

• Beware of cocoa mulch and other gardening products.Cocoa mulch can be deadly if ingested and has an appetiz-ing scent to some animals. Pesticides, fertilizers and otherharsh chemicals can also be quickly fatal if ingested.

• When driving with pets, be sure to keep them proper-ly restrained and inside the vehicle. Special seatbelts andsecured carriers can protect pets during accidents andprevent them from distracting the driver. The back of apick-up truck is never a safe place for a pet to ride.

Don�t forget about the Little Guys

• Pet rabbits should be kept indoors because they don’ttolerate heat well. Keeping a rabbit indoors will also pro-vide protection from predators who might try to attack arabbit in an outdoor hutch.

• Be mindful of pets around our wild neighbors. Whengoing for walks or playing in a fenced yard, don’t allow petsto harass birds, rabbits, squirrels or other wild animals.

Dog Days of Summer• The summer months are the peak season for dog

bites because so many kids and dogs are playing outside.Training, socialization and dog spaying or neutering a dogcan reduce the risk of dog bites. Kids can learn to staysafe through good manners around pets and humaneeducation.

• Never leave a dog outdoors unattended on a chainor tether. Long-term chaining during the hot summermonths can result in countless insect bites, dehydrationand heat stroke. Even short-term unattended tetheringcan pose risks such as theft or attacks by people or ani-mals. Taylor enjoys the sun

at Bannisters Wharf.

56 summer 2012 • newportnaked.com newportnaked.com • summer 2012 57

Do you constantly forget to water your houseplants?Well never fear, more plants perish from over water-ing than from under watering! Excessively wet soilcrowds out the oxygen needed by the roots, and theroots cannot support the leaves if they don’t have oxy-gen.

The following houseplants can survive neglect, andneed very little natural light. You won’t need to putthese directly in front of your windows, practicallyevery indoor environment receives some smallamount of natural light, and that’s all they’ll require. Ifyou use clay pots, line inside of the pot with plastic.This will keep the clay from drawing out all the mois-ture from the plant. You will water less and more effi-ciently. Do not block drain holes, and put a saucerunder your plants.

THE PARLOR PALM (Chamaedorea elegans)

This is a slow growing plant from Southern Mexico.It has the ability to tolerate lack of light, drafts of cold,hot or dry air, and general neglect. Most palms followthis general ability for neglect. Since they are slowgrowers, you can enjoy them for years to come.

Parlor Palms will provide you with a lush tropicalatmosphere, or a great decorative accent. They devel-op their new growth in winter. The stems are mostlyringed or jointed like reeds. In the summer they canbe placed outside on a shady deck, or any shady spot.If you keep them inside all year, you can put them in

your shower once a year to dust off the leaves.

Palms grow best in a deep pot or tub, basic soil mix,with good drainage. Water once or twice a week. Ifyou forget, they are very forgiving. The tips of theleaves will start to turn brown to let you know if you’renot watering them enough (Do not mistake this for oldleaves dying off). If the tips are brown from forgettingto water, just snip the ends off with scissors and givethem a good drink. Your plant will bounce back. If yourpalm is looking tired even though you’ve been water-ing, feed it with some slow release houseplant food. Ifyou want faster growth, fertilize every three or fourmonths, and when your plant has reached the heightyou want, fertilize with a slow release houseplant foodjust once a year in spring. I find fertilizing is not neces-sary as long as you water once or twice a week andre-pot with a general all-purpose potting soil when itgets root bound. See Picture A.

By Susan Comeau

H o u s e P l a n t s t h a t a r e H a r d t o K i l l & E a s y t o L o v e

Picture A

58 summer 2012 • newportnaked.com

entertainment

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Last year, despite having two free tickets, I slept throughmost of the Newport Folk Fest. The night before, the bandDeertick and some strange hangers-on had holed up in mybasement bar and we partied until the sun came up. When Iawoke, around 1 p.m. singer John McCauley was in his under-wear on my couch. There were no signs of him waking up any-time soon, so I snuck out of the house and left him there. I wentto go sleep some more, somewhere else, and gave away mytickets. I figured he should probably show up to the fest soon,but he’d figure it out. John made it to the show, apparently, for Isaw him drinking again later that night. From all reports, thisyear will be no different.

While there are still some old time folk heroes playing TheFolk Fest, such as Arlo Guthrie and Jackson Brown, the festbelongs to a new generation. This is only the second time sinceits start in 1959 that the fest has sold out ahead of time, thelast being in 2011, when the last of the 20,000 tickets soldthree weeks before the festival. No one expected a sell outthree months ahead of time this year.

Younger, hipper acts are drawing big crowds with fun andenergetic shows that aren’t just for folkies anymore. If I remem-ber correctly, Arlo will spend more time on the main stagetelling stories than playing music, while the electric sounds fromthe two smaller stages will drift through the salt air and over-take his yarns. This, to me, signals a changing of the guards.While I can’t imagine recent guitar hero Gary Clark Jr. doing anacoustic version of the songs on his ‘Bright Lights’ EP, there arestill plenty of sweet acoustic sounds to go around. The last time

I saw Iron & Wine at the fest, singer Sam Beam cooed solo withan acoustic guitar, while his wife stood on the side of the stagegently weeping at the beauty of it all. If its Dylan-esque deeplyrics you’re looking for, Conor Oberst is constantly compared tothe aging poet. First Aid Kit has made a big splash this year,with their tribute song to Emmy Lou, and are making big waveson the national stage, which is ironic to me, as I rememberchecking out their Myspace page when they were just two 15year old kids, and people still used Myspace. Jim James and hisband My Morning Jacket will surely draw huge applause as well.You didn’t hear this from me, but if I know what I think I know,Dawes, Johnny Corndawg, Deertick, and others will be makingpost fest club appearances in town. The fest always makes sureto include a few local acts too. Although The Skinny Millionairesinvitation was apparently lost in the mail, I’ll still be routing formy pals Brown Bird and The Wrong Reasons, who can fre-quently be seen in providence building their audience.

The cool thing about The Newport Folk Fest is that it’s not toolocked down and corporate…yet. But if tickets keep selling likethis, that may not last. You can still find a way to meet yourfavorite performer and take a picture with him or her. It’s stillone of those festivals where if you want to get in bad enough,you can find a way. If you’re local, someone you know workingthe fest might slip you a wrist band, or put you on the golf cartwith your backpack of beer. Good luck trying this at Lollapaloozaor Bonnaroo. See you at the Folk Fest if I wake up this year!

Mike O’Donnell lives in Newport where he still has his finger on the pulse.

66 summer 2012 • newportnaked.com

As I sit with my tape recorderinterviewing Scott Rancourt and

Rocco Michaluk at Giant Robot RecordsHQ, I can hear the sounds of the band Castle

practicing in an adjacent room. An actress just leftmoments ago as we met about a music video, and some old guymusician stopped by to pick up some recordings he made righthere. It’s this kind of all-inclusive in-house package that sets GiantRobot apart by far from any other record label in the region, and, Ipredict, the country, and world.

Giant Robot was just recently made the jump from dream to real-ity for Scott, who owns the recording studio Summing Point here inNewport. Scott has been recording bands here for over 20 years,and has built a state of the art studio. In the process he’s workedwith just about everyone in the area, and plenty of national acts aswell, gaining him a Grammy nomination, which he remains almosttoo humble about, and doesn’t even want me to mention (sorrybuddy). Scott just does what he loves and has made a hell of a lot offriends and good records in the process. I made my first recordhere over ten years ago, and finished my most recent one less than24 hours ago. I’ve had no reason to work with anyone but Scott thewhole time. He is soft spoken, kind, and more patient than anyoneI’ve seen. Scott frequently does after-school programs for kids,where they can come in and learn about the studio and recordsomething. He doesn’t ask for anything for this, he just gets satis-faction from helping people. This is certainly rare, especially in thecut throat music business, where desperation and back-stabbingseem to be a way of life for some people.

Rocco Michaluk owns Video and Vision, and offers award winningHD video production and editing services that are seen in movie the-aters, national television, film festivals, corporate events, tradeshows, streaming via the World Wide Web and numerous mediaoutlets for the past 15 years or so. His office at Giant Robot barelyhas any wall or shelf space to spare, since the many awards he’sreceived may soon need their own warehouse. Rocco is so preciseand knowledgeable about video, that listening to him speak is some-times like trying to figure out Chinese Algebra. Luckily for the peoplehe works with, he has a great way of breaking it down in laymenterms and explaining things, making it easy on the actor or whomev-er he is with at the time. Rocco also does a ton of volunteer andcommunity work, donating his time and resources to help peoplewho need it.

So Scott and Rocco, two media powerhouses, have formed likeVoltron under the same roof to create Giant Robot. When I askedthem what the mission statement for their new label was, theyexplained to me that they wanted to help independent artists; notonly from the community they’re based in, but people they believe in,to afford them the opportunity to have professionals work on theirproject. One of the huge things that will set them apart from anyother label, is the fact that they have professional video services aswell, all in-house, under one roof. In a time when any kid with a com-puter and internet connection, can more or less do what artistsused to beg labels to do, Giant Robot can do what those DIY labelscan never do – record bands with a million dollars’ worth of record-ing equipment, provide professional engineers, and create a profes-

sional music videos, soundtracks, and pretty much any other medianeed they may have. Rocco is also an expert at song placement invideo games, movies, and TV, part of the mission is to create a con-nection between those people who make the art, and those whoneed the art.

When I tell these guys “ok, this sounds almost too good to betrue. What’s in it for you?” Scott replies simply “Oh I don’t know yet.That remains to be seen. Lots of great music, that’s for sure, rightnow, it’s getting the bands out there and helping them do what’snecessary. Obviously cash would be nice at some point, but that’snot why we’re doing this. If I can get something great to happen fora band, and be connected with it, that not only helps me, but it’srewarding.”

As we continue chatting, Craig Cameron, who is also helping atthe label, with the working job title right now “ label hustler numberone”, walks in and adds his take on things. “There’s a ton of creativeenergy around Newport, and now we have an outlet for it,” he says.“If you’re a musician these days, it’s not enough to just make songs.You have to look at it from a multi-media stand point, whether it bea music video, a website, soundtrack work, whatever.” Rocco adds,“as well as all the above stated services for bands, we are alsogoing to offer management services, which Craig will play a largepart of. So we’ll have the cd’s, release parties, videos, the ability tocontact clubs, and things like that as a collective.”

“By no means do we want to compete with or take anythingaway from labels that are already doing it, we just feel we have a dif-ferent and unique way to go about it. Sometimes people feel likethey don’t really fit with the current format or outlet, and we’d like tobe the alternative they’re looking for. Maybe there’s some kid whohas absolutely zero connections, doesn’t know anyone, but has thedrive and talent, maybe we can be the bridge that puts him in touchwith someone that can get him where he needs to be. Maybe if youdon’t fit in anywhere else, you’ll fit in here.”

“We’re like The Island of Misfit Toys…er…Robots,” Craig adds.Indeed. Right now the guys have The Skinny Millionaires’ newrelease “Easy Tiger” coming out, with a video to follow, as well asreleases by Castle and others. The guys don’t want to let out toomuch info yet, but they’re talking with several major acts who wantin on the action. Go to www.GiantRobotRecords.com for more info.

Chelley Knight, like most of us, has gone through manymakeovers as a person, but through constant progression, she hasonly just begun to find herself as a singer and a songwriter. Born inNewport, Rhode Island, Chelley got into music via her mom Roz, whowas a well-known local singer during Chelley’s childhood. Roz wouldtote Chelley to her gigs at places like The Shamrock, Three’s, andThe Blue Pelican. She remembers people complimenting her momon what a gifted vocalist she was. Sometimes, when the gig wasn’tkid friendly, Chelley would hole up in the basement of their familyhome, close her eyes, and transport to another world by means ofthe resonances materializing from the record player. The sounds ofElla Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, and Grace Joneswandered through Chelleys veins, infecting her, like a vampire build-ing an army of tweens. And so she could become someone else –someone bigger and stronger, even if it was for a fleeting moment.This feeling struck a chord that never quite escaped her. Like manyartists, she has become the creature of the night. Like the musicalvampire that spread its disease to her as a girl, her eyes gaze uponthe globe a little different than yours or mine. And so it goes.

Chelley made it a point to always have music in her life. She sang

Mike O’Donnell currently resides in Newport where he still looks good in tight pants.

Chelley

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in the chorus at Carey and Thompson schools, but was told by herteachers that she wasn’t capable enough to sing solos. Now shehad something to prove. When Chelley’s step dad Jim Greenbought Traders Cove Music Store, he taught gui-tar, sold equipment, and rehearsed with his reg-gae band Irie which included Roz. Again, this gaveChelley a way to hang around musicians, tobecome a musical sponge, soaking up knowl-edge. During one particular practice, Chelley’saunt, who was a background singer for the band,couldn’t make it. So the band asked Chelley andher sister Kim if they wanted to sing. She wasanxious, nervous, and excited. She recalled theteachers who told her she couldn’t make it as asinger. “HIT it!” She said, with her middle digitpointed directly across the street whereThompson Middle School happened to be.

Soon, Chelley was singing with her parents atgigs all around town. She took advantage of thefact that she was only 18, and not only got tohang out in bars, but to perform. One of Chelley’s favorite bandsaround town was The Ravers. She watched them often and knew allthe words to all of their songs. One night at a Ravers gig at TheOcean Mist, a life-changing event took place. The lead singer’s girl-friend Shelby (now his wife) noticed Chelley’s enthusiasm, and thefact that she knew all ‘dem words, she encouraged her to get rightup on that there stage and give ‘em what for. Before the end of thenight, she was asked to be a singer in The Ravers. ‘Nuff said.With the Ravers, Chelley got her chance to live the dream - singingsolo, playing for larger audiences, and touring. The Ravers helpedChelley grow as an artist, and a person for many years, but neverone to be labeled or put in a box, she eventually decided it was timeto throw a few curve balls. She formed The Magnificent 7, a Clash

cover band, with a bunch of Newport all stars, but this wasn’tenough. She was hungry for even more music on her plate, like afatty who needs a fix, like a stoned pimp on the prowl, like a side

street stalker eyeing a target, Chelley kept her eyesopen for opportunities at all times. Soon she teamedup with local heroes Dylan Roy and Bill Cote, all ofwhom brought different styles to the proverbial rockn’ roll round table. Picture for a second, if you will,Dr. Claw from the Inspector Gadget cartoon, hismetal hand casually caressing his evil cat, speakingin more of a Mr. Burns from The Simpsons voice, orperhaps Stewie from Family Guy, proclaiming“Exxxcellent. Yesss, this will do quite nicely!” And sothe Frankenstein monster of bands was born –Chelley, Bill, and Dyl. All unique, accomplished, andambitious musicians on their own, they formed tocombine a wide array of styles, and can be foundplaying festivals and clubs throughout the area. WithChelley’s voice front and center where it belongs,she plans on infecting you next. Believe me, if Chelley

Knight’s voice is a virus, than hide your babies and nail a cross tothe door, for this is a plague like no other, and its coming for you.And you will invite it in and give it shelter, and you will be infected. Inthe best possible way!

Says Chelley, “I’m proud to be from Newport and even happierto make a lot of great friends who cover a range of musical genres.I hope the next chapter of my career includes lots of original music.Nonetheless, I am continuing to grow as an artist and asongstress.” And so it goes.

To book Chelley contact her at chelley9975@yahoo.com

Mike O’Donnell lives in Newport where he can still do the best Michael Jackson dance in town.