Brooks & Crowley October 2019

Brooks & Crowley October 2019

Review Brooks & Crowley

October 2019

781-277-7321

www.brooksandcrowley.com

439 Washington Street Dedham, MA 02026

*Services Throughout Massachusetts

stove and commercial oven to whip something up for a quick bite whenever we could. It was here that I learned how to roast a chicken, season food properly, and perform a bunch of other techniques that make food taste good. When I got to college and lived off-campus in a house of six guys, my ability to cook came in handy. I don’t think a few of my roommates from that time would mind me saying they could barely make boxed mac and cheese, so you can bet who they leaned on for the "real" cooking. One thing I can say, however, is that when you’re the “head chef” among your college roommates, you can sometimes get absolved from a lot of dish duty. My cooking skills have served me well throughout my life, and sharing food with people remains a joy to this day. Today, a lot of my cooking comes in the form of dishes for large groups. For the Pats home opener, I made two trays of chicken parm sliders to our tailgate, and they were a hit. I don’t know exactly why, but it’s incredibly rewarding to make food that puts a smile on other people’s faces. My only regret when it comes to cooking is that I don’t get to do it often enough. These days, it’s mostly reserved for weekends and holidays. But, as my wife Kim loves to remind me, I used to cook all the time. No matter how busy my life gets, I’ll always find some time to slow down long enough to cook a big meal for friends and family. It’s a pleasure that brings me back to my earliest childhood memories. –Steve Brooks "I don’t know exactly why, but it’s incredibly rewarding to make food that puts a smile on other people’s faces."

AN EDUCATION IN THE KITCHEN How I Became a Half-Decent Cook (If I Do Say So Myself)

our house that I hardly had a reason to turn on the stove. It wasn’t until I was in high school that I really learned how to handle myself in the kitchen. I had gotten a job at a local Italian bakery in Medford, where I grew up. You may not think that making sheet after sheet of cookies and pastries would make you a better cook when it comes to savory dishes, and you’d be mostly right about that. Cooking and baking are pretty different skills. It was what we had to prepare for ourselves that became the basis of my cooking knowledge. Around the holidays in particular, it was all hands on deck at the bakery. We had the oven running at max capacity. When one batch came out, the next went right in. Rinse. Repeat. Over and over until we had more sweets than Willy Wonka could dream of. To make this operation successful, we didn’t have time to disappear for an hour and go have lunch (or even dinner for that matter). Instead, we had to use the open gas

For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved to eat. I grew up in the kind of house where we never had takeout. My parents were incredible cooks, and my mom still makes amazing food (her meatballs would make an Italian grandmother weep). Although my brothers and I had busy schedules between playing sports and completing our paper routes, we got together at dinner to enjoy what today would be some Instagram-worthy meals. At the time, I didn’t think anything of it. In fact, I’m sure there were days when I begged my parents for some fast food or pizza. Today, though, I’ve come to regard those meals as a cherished memory. Most people, certainly not today and not even back then, didn’t get that type of cooking at home every night. Truly, we didn’t know how good we had it. As I started to grow up, I couldn’t help but pick up a few cooking tips here and there from my parents. To be honest, though, the cooking was so good at

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Can Yoga Improve Your Basketball Game?

NBA Players Say Yes

Some yoga poses are known for building strength, while others can improve flexibility, ease sore muscles, elongate the spine, and even reduce stress. Combined into an hourlong practice over weeks, months, or years, these yoga poses can make a player lighter on their feet, quicker to duck or dive, more graceful with their reach, and more relaxed. If you’re still in doubt, take it straight from All-Star LeBron James, who has broken dozens of records on the court and is considered by many to be this generation’s greatest player. James told The Plain Dealer, “Yoga isn't just about the body; it's also about the mind, and it's a technique that has really helped me.” turned into a dispensary — we’re sure it will be just as popular with the college kids — and more are sure to populate the area soon. A NEWWAY TO WORK Coworking spaces are growing in popularity, especially in densely populated areas full of young professionals. Coworking spaces are designed to be leased out by individual workers, rather than being leased en masse by companies. While some of the biggest cowork developers, particularly WeWork, have been subject to much financial speculation as to the long-term viability of their model, they won’t be going anywhere for the time being. Whether you’re a buyer or a seller in the market for commercial or residential real estate, we can help you with every legal aspect of your transaction. Call us today to find out how.

We all know that ballet is the secret behind many NFL players’ footwork skills, but did you know that yoga can offer similar game upgrades to basketball players? Fitness experts agree that if you’re trying to get better at shooting hoops, then you can benefit from regular yoga sessions. According to yoga instructor Karla Tafra, there are multiple payoffs to adding stretches like Crescent Lung, Tree Pose, Bridge Pose, and Warrior 2 to your exercise arsenal.

"Yoga teaches stretching, strengthening, and breathing, and it helps you get in tune with your body. That helps in basketball, or in any sport, really,” Love’s yoga instructor, Kent Katich, told STACK. As a former basketball player himself, Katich is intimately familiar with the sport and claims that even a couple of minutes of yoga can help in a pinch. "It's not about doing an hour of yoga every day," he said. "It's about how you feel and what you need right now."

“Basketball is extremely fast-paced, with lots of jumps, twists, turns, coordination, and sprints that take a huge toll on the joints and tendons,” Tafra told BodyBuilding.com. “Keeping them flexible and strong prevents injuries and aids recovery.” According to STACK, many of today’s top players are already well aware of the protective powers of yoga. NBA stars like Blake Griffin, Kevin Love, and LeBron James all regularly bend themselves into pretzels to improve their game. Love integrates an hour of yoga into his workouts two or three times each week.

Trends in Boston Commercial Real Estate The State of the Market in 2019

When the average person hears the words “real estate,” they probably think of residential properties. But businesses and other commercial spaces need homes just as surely as people do, and commercial real estate is a huge portion of the real estate market. Residential and commercial real estate don’t operate in separate vacuums; they’re closely entwined. Even if you have no interest in leasing office space or opening up a storefront anytime soon, understanding commercial real estate trends can be useful for anyone in the market for a property. Here’s what’s happening in and around Boston right now regarding commercial real estate.

NEW PROJECTS, BIG AND SMALL Development continues to surge both within the city limits and the adjoining areas. The biggest commercial project currently in the works is the makeover of the Bayside Expo Center space headed by Accordia Partners. While the 20-acre site looms large in our collective minds — who hasn’t been to an event at Bayside at some point or another — it’s far from the only project in the works. Roxbury and parts of Dorchester are beginning to become hotbeds for commercial

development, and the areas companies find desirable seem to increase outward from downtown with each passing year. AN INDUSTRY EMERGES No matter where you stand on the issue personally, you can’t deny that recreational cannabis is here to stay in Massachusetts. While the state is being selective about who it grants permits to, the number of dispensaries will increase in the coming years. The long- term Cleveland Circle bar Mary Ann’s is being

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Hayrides and Headless Horsemen Halloween Celebrations in Sleepy Hollow

premier annual attraction, Horseman's Hollow, an experience not for the faint of heart. During the event, the 300-year-old Philipsburg Manor is transformed into a living nightmare, where vampires, witches, ghouls, and undead soldiers lurk in the shadows. They all serve the dreaded Headless Horseman and are determined to make sure guests don’t leave alive! But it’s not all scares in Sleepy Hollow. There’s plenty of Halloween fun for all ages. Sleepy Hollow boasts relaxing hayrides, tours of Irving’s home, live readings of famous Halloween stories, performances of a brand- new musical based on Irving’s spooky tale, and the Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze, an incredible exhibition of over 7,000 hand-carved pumpkins. If you want a real Halloween experience, you can’t go wrong in Sleepy Hollow. Just be careful not to lose your head!

in 1997, the village of North Tarrytown, New York, where many events of the story take place, officially changed its name to Sleepy Hollow. Today, the town becomes one big Halloween party during the month of October.

In 1790, a school teacher named Ichabod Crane was riding home alone from a harvest festival in the village of Sleepy Hollow when he encountered a mysterious rider on horseback. Crane, horrified by the horseman’s missing

head, turned and ran in the opposite direction. The Headless Horseman gave chase, hurling his own decapitated head at the terrified teacher. Ichabod Crane was never heard from again ... or so goes “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving. This story, first published in 1820, has become a Halloween favorite. The legend is so beloved that

Sleepy Hollow is home to many historic landmarks, including the Headless Horseman Bridge and the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, where Washington Irving himself was laid to rest. Evening lantern tours of the cemetery are a popular attraction, and Irving isn’t the only spooky celebrity buried there. Fans of the Gothic soap opera “Dark Shadows” will be delighted to enter the crypt of famed vampire Barnabas Collins.

Another highly anticipated stop for many guests is Sleepy Hollow’s

For the Head Your favorite paleo-friendly dip makes a great canvas for a face. Pour it into a bowl and build features on top using different veggies. For the Ribcage Sliced cucumbers make for great vertebrae, and bell pepper slivers can be used to simulate ribs. Alternate between the two to give your skeleton some backbone. For the Arms and Legs Any long and straight vegetable will do the trick here. If you want to be anatomically accurate, consider using some spherical vegetables for joints. Don’t be afraid to get creative and wacky with your veggie skeleton. The whole point, after all, is to have some fun and give people a reason to smile. Those who eat paleo may struggle to find a Halloween treat suitable to their diet. But no matter what your dietary restrictions are, everyone can enjoy some raw veggies with a healthy dip. Here are some tips for constructing your very own veggie skeleton — a spooky twist on a time-tested treat. How to Assemble a Veggie Skeleton

Laugh Out Loud

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

439 Washington Street Dedham, MA 02026 Inside This Issue

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The Pleasures of the Table

Can Yoga Improve Your Basketball Game?

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Commercial Real Estate Overview

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The Real Legend of Sleepy Hollow

How to Assemble a Veggie Skeleton

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Boston’s Most Frightful Sites

The Ghastly History Behind These Landmarks Boston’s Spookiest Places

seafood restaurant. While there’s no word on whether the ghosts of Jackie (or Marilyn) ever accompany the late president, the Union Oyster House is worthy of a visit on the merits of its nonparanormal history alone. In addition to being a favored hangout of the Kennedys, it is one of the country’s longest continually operating restaurants, dating back to 1826. was demolished in the 1920s, its current building, erected in 1927, is purported to be haunted by the ghosts of its original location, including original owner-operator Harvey Parker. Many guests and employees report a habit of the elevator stopping on the third floor without any buttons being pressed, as if possessed by its own personality. The Omni Parker House is also something of a literary landmark. Charles Dickens was once a guest and Stephen King based “1408” on events rumored to have occurred at the hotel. OMNI PARKER HOUSE While the original Omni Parker House hotel

public hangings. You can still find a plaque marking the spot where the original gallows stood, located near Frog Pond. Countless souls have lost their lives on Boston Common, including the women who were put to death as a result of the Salem witch trials. The spirits of these women and others, some say, can still be heard at the park. UNION OYSTER HOUSE If you’re going to hang out with a ghost, it may as well be the ghost of JFK, right? The specter of President Kennedy is said to frequent a booth in this famous North End

When you live in a place where history walks the street, it’s no surprise to hear stories about spirits and ghosts. Boston probably has more so-called haunted places per square mile than anywhere else in the country save Manhattan or Hollywood. In honor of Halloween, let’s take a look at some of our city’s spookiest places. BOSTON COMMON Today, Boston Common is a place of recreation beloved by locals and tourists alike. But since its construction in 1634, America’s oldest city park has served host to an incredible number of functions, including

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