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2019 MVMA Winners – Wine & Dine (Part 1)

July 23, 2019 by Merrimack Valley Magazine Leave a Comment

We are happy to present the winners of the 2019 Merrimack Valley Magazine Awards. This spring, the top picks in all categories were chosen by our readers via our online voting platform. Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote and congratulations to all the winners.

American
Burtons Grill & Bar
Burton’s Grill is the place to go for cuisine from the traditional to the innovative. Perfect for power lunches, after-work socializing and fine wine, Burton’s offers paleo, vegetarian and gluten-free options as well as classic American cuisine. Takeout is always available and several locations feature seasonal outdoor patios.
North Andover, Peabody, Burlington, Westford and Hingham, Mass.; Nashua, N.H.
BurtonsGrill.com

Asian
Fusion House Restaurant
The emphasis in on fusion at this cozy Methuen eatery. The scope of the dishes is wide: the many choices include sushi, pad thai, and Polynesian-style Chinese favorites. Wash it all down with one of their classic cocktails.
301 Merrimack St.  |  Methuen, Mass.
FusionHouseRestaurant.com

Pastry Shops/Bakery
Purple Carrot Bread Company
In April 2018, Purple Carrot Bread Co. opened its doors as a cafe and eatery on Merrimack Street in downtown Lowell. Every item on the menu is made from scratch, from hearty stews to salad dressings and condiments. Rustic breads are the heart of Purple Carrot’s menu: Country Blonde, Kalamata olive, rosemary and garlic ciabatta are among the more popular offerings.
107 Merrimack St.  |  Lowell, Mass.
PurpleCarrotBreadCo.com

Coffee Shops & Cafes
Brew’d Awakening Coffeehaus
With free WiFi, compostable cups, outdoor seating and custom-roasted beans, what more could you ask for in a local coffee shop? Find all this and more at Brew’d Awakening Coffeehaus. Offering Equal Exchange fair trade coffees and three in-house roasts, Brew’d Awakening is a great place to do some work, chat with friends or just sit and sip.
61 Market St.  |  Lowell, Mass.
BrewdAwakening.com 

Italian
Tuscan Kitchen
Inspired by owner Joe Faro’s travels throughout Italy, Tuscan Kitchen’s authentic Italian cuisine makes you feel as though you’ve stepped right into the boot. Tuck into a Fichi pizza with figs, rosemary, burrata and prosciutto, or go for the traditional rigatoni alla Bolognese. Want something lighter? They also offer delicious salads and meat dishes.
Burlington, Mass.; Salem, N.H.
TuscanBrands.com/Kitchen

Irish Pub
The Irish Cottage
The Irish Cottage bills itself as Methuen’s first authentic Irish restaurant and pub and features great food, drinks and music, all served up with a heaping of traditional Irish atmosphere. Enjoy watching sporting events on their numerous TVS while you chow down on classics such as corned beef and cabbage, cottage pie and Guinness beef stew. Every Saturday night at 7 p.m., The Irish Cottage features live Irish music.
17 Branch St.  |  Methuen, Mass.
TheIrishCottagePub.com

Mexican
Cafe Azteca
Ready for some authentic Mexican food? Look no further than Cafe Azteca. The restaurant’s owners, the Guerrero family, draw inspiration from their annual trips to visit family in Mexico, bringing back new recipes and colorful Mexican decor. Enjoy their delicious selection of margaritas while awaiting your tamales and tostadas.
180 Common St.  |  Lawrence, Mass.
Cafe-Azteca.com

Middle Eastern
Jocelyn’s Mediterranean Restaurant & Lounge
The lamb, kafta and kibbee dishes make this Salem eatery a carnivore’s paradise. Fear not, herbivores — the vegetarian combo appetizer plate is so packed with freshness and flavor that you’ll forget it’s healthy. Jocelyn’s offers Lebanese and American food, a full-service bar and even a martini lounge.
355 South Broadway  |  Salem, N.H.
JocelynsRestaurant.com

Pizza
Tripoli Bakery
It all started with Italian breads and pastries. Luckily for us, in 1944 the Zappala family started making pizza, and one of the best pizzerias around was born. Now you can enjoy beach pizza and pick up some traditional Italian cookies and cannoli for later. Tripoli also offers specialty cakes and their signature fresh breads.
Lawrence, North Andover, Methuen, Salisbury, Mass.; Seabrook, N.H.
TripoliBakery.com

 

 

 

Stop by next week for the winners in the second half of our ‘Wine & Dine’ category.

The 2019 MVMAs are sponsored by:

Filed Under: Food & Drink, MVMA Tagged With: 2019, 2019MVMAs, american, asian, bakery, Brew’d Awakening Coffeehaus, Burtons Grill and Bar, Cafe Azteca, Coffee Shops & Cafes, Food, Fusion House Restaurant, Good Eats, Irish Pub, Italian, Jocelyn's Mediterranean Restaurant and Lounge, Merrimack Valley Magazine Awards, Mexican, Middle Eastern, MVMAs, Pastry Shops, Piza, Purple Carrot Bread Company, The Irish Cottage, Tripoli Bakery, Tuscan Kitchen, Wine and Dine

Totally Wired – A Black-Coffee Drinker’s Guide to Milk-Coffee Drinks

April 6, 2019 by Doug Sparks Leave a Comment

I am a black-coffee drinker.

I’ve enjoyed my coffee black, no sugar, since college, when a friend explained to me with the confidence of youth that coffee with milk was an adulterated beverage. To him, adding milk produced a muddle: a thing neither dairy nor coffee. Black coffee, he told me, was pure, “like crystal.” 

From that moment on, I’ve been a lifelong black-coffee drinker. Black coffee was the real stuff — the core, the essence. I didn’t have to go on a whaling voyage like my hero Melville to confront life: It was there in the cup, waiting for me.

Glenn Prezzano, the publisher of mvm, knows my preference for black coffee and, perhaps with a sense of mischief, came up with the idea of assigning me the task of finding the best milk-coffee drinks in the valley. By milk drinks, I refer to any coffee beverage that comes served with milk, including cappuccinos, the famous espresso drink of Italian origin, and lattes, which everyone thinks are Italian but are not. (I’ve been told that if you order a latte in Italy, your confused server will shrug and bring you a glass of milk.) 

Here it is. A jittery, jaw-clenching coffee tour of the Merrimack Valley. It is a story written in cafes as ever-increasing doses of caffeine pumped through my quickening heart. Drink, write, drive, repeat. [Please note: At the time of online publication, the cafes noted in this article were offering special services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please call or visit their websites for updates.]

Let the tour begin.

 

Viet Brewed Mocha Coconut
Blueberry Coconut Latte
Brew’d Awakening Coffeehaus  /  Lowell, Mass.
The first drink on my tour was the Viet Brewed Mocha Coconut. Vietnamese coffee is typically made with dark roast coffee and condensed milk — Brew’d’s mocha coconut is a contemporary twist on that idea. The coconut was a tropical touch, and I loved how it was a nod to both specialty coffee and the city’s ethnic heritage. Next up, I ordered the blueberry coconut latte as the item on the menu that would be most out of character for me to choose. It was delicious — a fun pie flavor without pie’s excessive sweetness. I have frequented Brew’d for years, and this colorful downtown Lowell mainstay has played a significant role in my life in a number of ways. Most importantly, I met a woman there in 2013 who would later become my wife. The tour had to begin at Brew’d Awakening. 

Blueberry Coconut Latte – Brew’d Awakening Coffeehaus. Photo by Kevin Harkins.

Meltaway Latte
Plum Island Coffee Roasters  /  Newburyport, Mass.
There are a number of Newburyport-area cafes I enjoy visiting, and Plum Island is one of my favorites. It’s spacious. It has a fireplace. The view is scenic: Behind the shop, the Gillis Memorial Bridge spans the Merrimack River. Many of the fancier drinks I ordered on this tour were seasonal or special offerings. I note this because you might not be able to find the Meltaway latte if you visit after this is published. But who knows? The Meltaway is flavored with toffee nut and caramel. Think of it like a hot liquid Heath bar.  

Caramel Affogato
Market Square Bakehouse  /  Amesbury, Mass.
The caramel affogato served at the Bakehouse is a kind of upside-down latte, with vanilla, caramel and sprinkles. Or so the kind barista explained to me. The caramel forms a lattice on the surface of the foam. The traditional Italian affogato is a dessert drink, often served over ice cream. I would hardly call this version a dessert drink — it was one of the most balanced drinks of the tour. The Bakehouse opened late in 2014, but it feels like it’s been a part of Amesbury’s downtown for longer than four years. The mood reflects the same cozy charm you find in the surrounding boutique stores and restaurants. 

Caramel Affogato – Market Square Bakehouse. Photo by Doug Sparks.

The NH & Toasty Oats
The Grind Rail Trail Cafe  /  Derry, N.H.
I tried two drinks at Grind Rail Trail because I wanted to sample at least one beverage made with untraditional milk — the Toasty Oats is made with cinnamon-infused oat milk. The drink was surprisingly powerful, and the cinnamon more potent than I expected. With milk alternatives, it’s hard to get the same texture as a properly prepared whole milk cappuccino, but this was appropriately foamy. I also tried a flavored latte drink: The NH. How could I not try a drink with such a name while in the Granite State? Appropriately, it was made with maple. The presentation was attractive and the taste subtle. I happily slurped The NH to its dregs.

White Mocha Latte
Cafe La Reine  /  Manchester, N.H.
I stop at this cafe whenever I’m in the northern reaches of the Merrimack Valley. Its intimate interior reminds me of the independent urban coffee shops I favored when I first started developing my love of the noble bean. Books line the walls, and I noticed as many people reading paper as screens. My kind of place. I imagined most of the customers were students or professors at nearby Southern New Hampshire University. The novelty of milk drinks was wearing off on me by this point and I longed for a cup of black coffee, so I ordered an excellent Guatemalan, black, along with a white mocha chocolate. On a day when the outside temperature had dropped into the single digits, the warmth of the drinks was welcome.

Snowball & Peanut Butter Latte A&E Coffee and Tea. Photo by Doug Sparks

Snowball & Peanut Butter Latte
A&E Coffee and Tea  /  Amherst, N.H.
A&E is a cafe, but also a roaster. It has a relaxed bohemian vibe that I find stimulating for conversation or creative work. I like it so much I find myself driving there even though it’s out of the way for me. Feeling ambitious, I ordered two of their seasonal drinks. I have no idea if The Snowball or the peanut butter latte (made from their own peanut sauce) will still be available on their rotating menu by the time you read this. I assume The Snowball, which was made with mint white chocolate, would be a familiar taste to those who appreciate winter-themed treats. The peanut butter latte was more unusual, although roasted coffee already has chocolate flavor notes in it. Therefore, coffee and peanut pairing makes perfect sense. I was left wondering if the drink was too refined. There is something indulgent about a late-night scoop of peanut butter, and that’s what I expected here. Instead, this was a much gentler and even sophisticated experience than my preferred after-hours snack.

Cortado
Coffee and Cotton  /  Lowell, Mass.
I finished my journey with a cortado at Coffee and Cotton in Lowell. A cortado is a Spanish drink that uses equal parts espresso and steamed milk. The milk cuts the acidity of the espresso, but there isn’t enough of it to make it feel like a foamy latte variation. The cortado was welcome after so much froth — at this point, I couldn’t take another coffee drink with candylike flavor notes. Simple was best. It was also nice to finish the coffee tour in Lowell, since I was close to home. By the time of the cortado, I was more tired than wired, and the boost gave me the energy to get back into my car, crank up Carl Perkins, and hit the highway as the day drew to a close.   

Photos by Kevin Harkins.

Coffee for a Cause
Of course, there are other delicious ways to use coffee. Pictured above is the Not Yo’ Mama’s Cappuccino. This Horseshoe Grille specialty is made with house-infused Ketel One vodka, vanilla and, of course, coffee.

Filed Under: Food & Drink Tagged With: A&E Coffee and Tea, Brew’d Awakening Coffeehaus, cafe, Cafe La Reine, coffee, Coffee and Cotton, Drinks, horseshoe grille, Market Square Bakehouse, merrimackvalley, milk, Plum Island Coffee Roasters, The Grind Rail Trail Cafe, tour

2018 MVMA Winners – Milestone

September 1, 2018 by Doug Sparks Leave a Comment

Thousands of ballots have been cast, the results tabulated, and now we present the winners of the 2018 Merrimack Valley Magazine Awards. This spring, the top picks in all categories were chosen by our readers via our online voting platform. Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote and congratulations to all the winners!

Milestone Award – 5 Years
Red Antler Apothecary
Red Antler Apothecary is located in Lowell’s Mill No. 5, a repurposed factory on Jackson Street. The apothecary sells soaps, moisturizers, cleansers and even mustache wax. Their ethically created, home crafted products include a pine tar soap recipe that is over 100 years old. Environmentally conscious clients can bring their own containers — Red Antler’s cream, lotions and cleaners are sold by the ounce.
Mill No. 5
250 Jackson St.
Lowell, Mass.
RedAntlerApothecary.com

Milestone Award – 10 years
Brew’d Awakening Coffeehaus
With free WiFi, compostable cups, outdoor seating and custom-roasted beans, what more could you ask for in a local coffee shop? Find all this and more at Brew’d Awakening. Offering Equal Exchange fair trade coffees and three in-house roasts, Brew’d Awakening is a great place to do some work, chat with friends or just sit and sip.
61 Market St.
Lowell, Mass.
BrewdAwakening.com 

Milestone Award – 20 years
Cobblestones of Lowell
Cobblestones has brought creative American dining to downtown Lowell since 1994. While their dinner and lunch menus feature an unrivaled selection of craft brews and oysters, don’t overlook their legendary Sunday brunch offerings. A fried chicken and bacon waffle with maple honey butter? Cookie butter-stuffed French toast? Zucchini and goat cheese strata? What are you waiting for?
91 Dutton St.
Lowell, Mass.
CobblestonesOfLowell.com

Milestone Award – 30 years
Latitude Sports Clubs
Get that tip-top beach body you’ve always wanted at Latitude Sports Clubs. Bulk up with their rows of state-of-the-art weight machines and equipment. Trim down in the spinning studio or cardio theater. Get yourself on track with the help of Latitude’s trained fitness professionals or one of their famous classes.
Andover, Bradford, Methuen, Peabody, and Salisbury, Mass.
LatitudeSportsClubs.com

Milestone Award – 40 Years
Heritage Farm
As famous for its summertime Monday night classic car shows as its ice cream, Heritage lives up to its name, having fed and entertained families in the valley for over 35 years. Order your ice cream and cross the street for a walk along the Merrimack. It’s a Lowell tradition that will likely endure for years to come.
163 Pawtucket Blvd.
Lowell, Mass.
HeritageFarmIceCream.com

Milestone Award – 50 years
Jackson Kitchen Designs
In the market for a new countertop? How about freshening up the cabinetry? Ready to throw in the towel on your entire kitchen? Family-owned and operated since 1946, Jackson Kitchen Designs can help you love your kitchen again. Work with their designers to create a perfect space for your style and needs.
1093 Osgood St.
North Andover, Mass.
JacksonKitchenDesigns.com

Milestone Award – 75 years
Rocco’s Restaurant
In 1940, Rocco DePasquale opened the doors of Rocco’s Restaurant where he and his family served spaghetti and meatballs and baked their pizzas in a coal-fire hearth. In the early ‘60s, Rocco V. DePasquale took over and added a “groceria” from which he sold cold cuts and rotisserie chicken. In 1997, Rocco turned the restaurant over to his sons. Rocco Jr. and Matt updated the restaurant, exposing the original stonework their grandfather built. They added new dishes to the menu such as buffalo chicken, rattlesnake pasta and chicken Florentine while keeping all the traditional favorites: eggplant Parmigiana, chicken Marsala and pizza.
193 Main St.
Wilmington, Mass.
RoccosMA.com

Milestone Award – 100 years
UMass Lowell
The university began as the Lowell Normal School, a teaching college founded in 1894, and the Lowell Textile School, founded in 1895 to train technicians and managers for the textile industry. Lowell State and Lowell Tech, as they were then known, merged in 1975 to form the University of Lowell. The campus became part of the University of Massachusetts system in 1991. The university offers more than 17,000 students bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in six colleges and is among the top 160 research universities in the U.S. according to U.S. News & World Report.
Lowell, Mass.
UML.edu

 

 

 

The 2018 MVMAs are sponsored by: Pentucket Bank

Filed Under: MVMA Tagged With: 2018, Brew’d Awakening Coffeehaus, Cobblestones of Lowell, Heritage Farm, Jackson Kitchen Designs, Latitude Sports Clubs, MVMA, MVMA Reader's Choice Winner, MVMAs, Red Antler Apothecary, Rocco's Restaurant, UMass Lowell, Winners

2017 MVMA Winners – Wine and Dine, Part 1

July 17, 2017 by Doug Sparks Leave a Comment

Thousands of ballots have been cast, the results tabulated, and now we present the winners of the 2017 Merrimack Valley Magazine Awards ( MVMA ). This spring, the top picks in all categories were chosen by our readers via our online voting platform. Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote and congratulations to all the winners!

American
Cobblestones of Lowell
Cobblestones has brought creative American dining to downtown Lowell since 1994. While their dinner and lunch menus feature an unrivaled selection of craft brews and oysters, don’t overlook their legendary Sunday brunch offerings. A fried chicken and bacon waffle with maple honey butter? Cookie butter-stuffed French toast? Zucchini and goat cheese strata? What are you waiting for?
91 Dutton St.
Lowell, Mass.
CobblestonesofLowell.com

Asian
Tokyo Steakhouse
Tokyo Steakhouse is an area go-to for Japanese cuisine. Diners at hibachi tables can watch chefs prepare their meals from start to finish, while other visitors can indulge in the extensive sushi menu. Not a sushi fan? Tokyo Steakhouse offers a variety of salads, soups, and meat and noodle dishes.
291 South Broadway (RT 28)
Salem, N.H
TokyoSteakhousesalem.com

Pastry Shops / Bakery
Tripoli Bakery
It all started with Italian breads and pastries. Now renowned for beach pizza as well, they remain the standard bearer for traditional Italian cookies and cannoli as well as offering specialty cakes and their signature fresh breads. Their cannoli is filled to order at all locations with their signature ricotta filling.
Lawrence, North Andover, Methuen, Salisbury, Mass.; Seabrook, N.H.
TripoliBakery.com

Coffee Shop
Brew’d Awakening Coffeehaus
With free WiFi, compostable cups, outdoor seating and custom-roasted beans, what more could you ask for in a local coffee shop? Find all this and more at Brew’d Awakening Coffeehaus. Offering Equal Exchange fair trade coffees and three in-house roasts, Brew’d Awakening is a great place to do some work, chat with friends or just sit and sip.
61 Market St.
Lowell, Mass.
BrewdAwakening.com 

Italian
Tuscan Kitchen
Inspired by owner Joe Faro’s travels throughout Italy, Tuscan Kitchen’s authentic regional Italian cuisine makes you feel as though you’ve stepped right into the boot. Tuck into a Fichi pizza with figs, rosemary, burrata and prosciutto, or go for the traditional rigatoni alla Bolognese. Want something lighter? They also offer delicious salads and meat dishes.
Burlington, Mass.; Salem & Portsmouth N.H.
TuscanBrands.com

Mexican
Café Azteca
Ready for some authentic Mexican food? Look no further than Café Azteca. The restaurant’s owners, the Guerrero family, draw inspiration from their annual trips to visit family in Mexico, bringing back new recipes and colorful Mexican decor. Enjoy their delicious selection of margaritas while awaiting your tamales and tostadas and relaxing in the newly renovated dining room.
180 Common St.
Lawrence, Mass.
Café-Azteca.com

Middle Eastern
Phoenician Restaurant
The Phoenician offers traditional Lebanese cuisine along with American favorites such as seafood and steaks. The Geha family, who worked for decades at the legendary Bishop’s Restaurant in Lawrence, continue in that storied tradition. Their hand-cut fries, lamb chops and baba ghannouj draw aficionados of Lebanese cuisine from all parts of the valley and beyond.
12 Alpha St.
Haverhill, Mass.
PhoenicianRestaurant.com

 

Stop by next week for the winners in the second half of our  ‘Wine & Dine’ category.

The 2017 MVMAs are sponsored by: Pentucket Bank

Filed Under: Food & Drink, MVMA Tagged With: Brew’d Awakening Coffeehaus, Cafe Azteca, Cobblestones of Lowell, Merrimack Valley Magazine Awards, MVMA, Phoenician Restaurant, Tokyo Steakhouse, Tripoli Bakery, Tuscan Kitchen

Free Verse: Young, local poets are discovering the power of speaking their minds

June 29, 2016 by Will Courtney 1 Comment

Strolling along Market Street in downtown Lowell on a Tuesday evening, everything’s pretty quiet. As dusk fades colors to shades of gray, the only activity seems to emanate from a few bars with televisions flickering at empty stools.

But amid an otherwise mundane weekday night, a standing-room-only crowd at Brew’d Awakening Coffeehaus overflows onto the street. The people have come to recite their written creations, or to find inspiration in the words of others.

More than 20 of them step to the mic. Some read from journals, others from their smartphones; some emote and act, others simply recite. As a young woman reading before an audience for the first time begins to cry, supportive finger snaps and hoots rise up from the listeners. Later, a young poet has the room laughing as he begins his recitation with, “Yes, it’s a kilt,” because, yes, he’s wearing a kilt.

These are the new faces of poetry in the Merrimack Valley, a place that once inspired icons such as Anne Bradstreet, John Greenleaf Whittier and Robert Frost. To the disdain of some traditionalists, many of these young poets have discarded the classic approach of their forebears. Using a style known as free verse, these young artists express themselves without the restraints of rhyme and meter.

“I don’t sling words, I sling ideology,” Lowell’s Nani Swaminathan declares passionately into the microphone. “My voice is telling you to speak up.”

This call to expression is resonating like never before with local youths, but it didn’t happen overnight.

  • Free Verse 1
    Princess Chan, another member of Free Verse!, performing at a Brew'd Awakening's open mic night. Photo by Kevin Harkins.
  • Brew'd Awakenings owner Andy Jacobson.
    Brew'd Awakening owner Andy Jacobson. Photo by Kevin Harkins.
  • Free Verse 3
    Alexandria Drouin. Photo by Kevin Harkins.
  • Free Verse 4
    Many of the poets go by only their first names or use an alias. Cold Joe. Photo by Kevin Harkins.
  • Many of the poets go by only their first names or use an alias. Patric S. Photo by Kevin Harkins.
  • Poet Nina Swaminathan declares passionately into the microphone, “My voice is telling you to speak up.” Photo by Kevin Harkins.

 

“What’s been going on below the radar for a long time is how excited young people can be about poetry, both writing it and speaking publicly,” says Lou Bernieri, director of Phillips Academy’s Andover Bread Loaf, a youth literacy project that Bernieri founded in 1987. “It’s not an exaggeration to say it’s a movement.”

Bread Loaf works to organize programs in schools and community organizations in disadvantaged communities such as Lawrence. The goal is to get kids interested in creative writing and social justice, a combination that engages both students and teachers, Bernieri says. The “spoken word” movement, he adds, has upped the ante on expression.

“We give these kids a safe place to express themselves,” Bernieri says. “Being heard is a critical part of the whole thing. … People don’t give them these safe spaces. They don’t know how to open up kids, and it’s not that complicated.”

Programs similar to Andover Bread Loaf have helped plant the roots of the free verse movement in Lawrence. El Taller, a bookstore/cafe opened in October 2012 by Mary Guerrero, co-owner of Cafe Azteca, and her two sons, has given it a venue where it can blossom. Bernieri calls El Taller a “lightning rod” for creativity in the city.

The potential of such a venue can be seen in Lowell, where Brew’d Awakening owner Andy Jacobson began holding regular open mic nights in 2007. It was there that a young poet named Anthony Febo discovered his love of performing before becoming a founder of the spoken word movement in the Mill City.

Febo, an aspiring rapper in high school, discovered spoken word at the suggestion of a friend, and he found the atmosphere to be much more inviting than the competitive world of hip-hop. He attended the first-ever open mic night at Brew’d and decided to perform. At the end of the session, the hosts held a “slam” in which poets were given a score for their performance. Febo won, and by the time the next event was held, he was its host and chief organizer. He spent the next six years spreading the positive vibes of spoken word to as many young people as he could.

“Our goal was to introduce the culture of spoken word to Lowell,” Febo says.

To accomplish that, Febo and local poets Masada Jones and Joey Banh created FreeVerse!, a workshop-based program that has fostered the literary creativity of young people much like Bread Loaf has in Lawrence.

As FreeVerse! grew, a new generation of young poets began to emerge. FreeVerse! began sending teams to poetry slams across the state. In May its youth team (ages 14 -19) took second place out of 24 teams at the Louder Than a Bomb Massachusetts Youth Poetry Slam Festival held at Boston University’s Huntington Theatre.

“We don’t stress competition,” Febo says. “We stress healing and community and growing through this medium. We don’t breed poetry; we breed amazing individuals, and use poetry as a tool to get them there.”

Two members of Free Verse!, Ricky Orng and Princess Chan, have taken the reins from Febo both at FreeVerse! and in hosting Brew’d Awakening open mic nights. Orng says he is evidence of how poetry can transform a young person.

“Poetry grew me as a person and taught me how to be comfortable around other people,” Orng says. “I see kids going through the same process at our workshops. When they see someone in class sharing a piece, many times it’s inspiring: ‘Wow, I learned more about this person. Let me use this as a tool to learn more about myself.’ ”

As he drove a van full of FreeVerse! students to New York City recently, Orng was struck by the conversations of the next generation of Merrimack Valley poets.

“They were so appreciative of how poetry, how spoken word, and how FreeVerse! came into their lives,” Orng says. “They talk about their teachers, and how proud they are to be from Lowell. To be at such a young age and appreciate that is amazing.”

Swaminathan says she learned to hone her voice at Brew’d Awakening open mic nights, transforming her from an awkward teenager into a person who can command an audience. The greatest benefit of this poetry uprising, she believes, is what it does for young people still learning to express themselves.

“It gives them a voice, it gives them an outlet, and it gives them an audience,” she says.

Andover Bread Loaf
Phillips Academy
Andover, Mass.
(978) 884-8452
Andover.edu

Brew’d Awkening Coffeehaus
Lowell, Mass.
(978) 454-2739
BrewdAwakening.com

El Taller
Lawrence, Mass.
(978) 965-4145
ElTallerArts.com

 

Filed Under: Arts & Entertainment, Community Tagged With: Brew’d Awakening Coffeehaus, Free Verse, Lowell, Merrimack Valley, Poetry

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