Food

National Magazine Includes Watertown Chef as One of Its Best New Chefs

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A national food magazine has discovered what fans of Watertown’s Strip T’s restaurant have known for many years – the talent of chef Tim Maslow. The chef behind the new Strip T’s, 93 School St. in Watertown, and Ribelle in Brookline was named one of Food & Wine magazine’s Best New Chefs of 2015. Maslow trained at the French Culinary Institute in New York City and worked with celebrity chef David Chan at Momofuku Noodle Bar and Momofuku Ssäm Bar, also in the Big Apple. He got his start in the restaurant business, however, working in his father Paul’s sandwich shop.

Entertainment

See the Lineup for the 2015 Watertown Summer Concert Series

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The Watertown Summer Concert Series begins this week and continues through mid-August. The free concerts are held on Thursdays at Saltonstall Park, next to Town Hall in Watertown Square. Lawn chairs and picnics are welcome outdoors. 2015 Watertown Summer Concert Series

June 25 – Kid’s Concert: Matt Heaton  6:30-7:30 p.m.

For this concert only, the rain venue is the Watertown Boys and Girls Club. Sponsored by The Watertown Family Network. (All adult concerts are at Saltonstall Park, from 6:30-8 p.m.)

July 9 – 8 to the Bar

July 16 – Southern Rail

July 23 – Love Dogs

July 30 – Made in the Shade

Aug.

Weather

Tornado Watch in Watertown Tuesday Afternoon and Evening!

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Thunderstorms heading toward the Watertown area could be so severe that the National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch for Tuesday afternoon and evening. The Tornado Watch is in effect until 11 p.m. Tuesday, and the NWS statement says the mostly likely time for severe weather in Eastern Massachusetts is between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.

“Isolated wind gusts of 70+ mph or even hail up to the size of golfballs would be a possibility. In addition … an isolated tornado or two may occur,” the NWS statement said. Other possible hazards from the storm include torrential downpours and local flooding.

Sports

Watertown U12 Girls’ Soccer Team Grabs Tournament Victory

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The Watertown Power Girls U12 soccer team had a successful Father’s Day weekend, winning a tournament title. The team went 4-0 and won the Portsmouth Invitational Youth Soccer tournament in Rhode Island. The Power won a thrilling 2-0 victory over the host Portsmouth to claim the championship. Team members include:

Karen Young, Isabella Tancredo, Hannah Moylan, Guilia Salvucci, Kaelene Young, Carly MacCormack, Katie Shea, Laney Andrade, Chris Shea, Teagan Young, Alli Fitzpatrick, Leah Bailey, Sofia Dushku and Audrey Garland.

Schools

Watertown Students Sample a Taste of Their School Gardens

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Students at Watertown’s three elementary schools planted gardens at their campuses, and last week they tasted some of the fruits – and vegetables – of their labors. 

This spring, Watertown students got their hands dirty and planted vegetables in garden plots set up at Lowell, Cunniff and Hosmer elementary schools. On Thursday, a group of students gathered at Watertown Middle School to enjoy some simple and nutritious dishes – some of which used veggies grown in the school gardens. The dishes were prepared by Watertown Public Schools’ Food Service Director Guy Koppe and Sally Sampson, founder of ChopChop, a non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire and teach kids to cook real food with their families. The started with a Berry Bold Smoothie which contained blueberries, strawberries, orange juice and yoghurt. They put it all together in a blender and whipped it into a tasty drink.

Charity

Community Foundation Awards $74K in Grants to Local Groups

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On June 16, at a reception for its 25 spring grantees, the Watertown Community Foundation (WCF) celebrated by distributing checks totaling $74,050.  In the twelve years since WCF was founded, WCF has awarded over $600,000 in grants to organizations serving Watertown. WCF Grant Committee Co-Chair, Rob Kelly, stated, “The Foundation is extremely happy to be able to recognize and financially support the outstanding contributions that these programs and organizations make to our vibrant community.”

All of the grants are funded from WCF’s Arsenal Education Income Fund. 13 Educational Program Grants totaling $23,550 were given to:

Friends of Watertown Music to ensure that instruments are available for Watertown’s free instruction program that starts in fourth grade. Historical Society of Watertown to publish a Watertown self-guided bicycle tour booklet, “Wheels Along the River.”
Improbable Players to present six theater workshops about substance abuse prevention and healthy choices for Watertown Middle School eighth graders. Perkins School for the Blind for their Watertown newspaper accessibility project.

Business

Watertown Company Named One of the Best Places to Work in Boston

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A Watertown-based company made the list of Best Places to Work picked by the Boston Business Journal. Bright Horizons Family Solutions, a leading provider of employer-sponsored child care, early education, and work-life solutions, has been recognized as one of the “Best Places to Work” by the Boston Business Journal, according to an announcement from the company. This marks the ninth year in a row that Bright Horizons has been named to the list. Bright Horizons was ranked number three in the “extra-large company” category. “The Bright Horizons family is honored to again be named to the BBJ’s ‘Best Places to Work’ list,” said Bright Horizons Chief Executive Officer David Lissy.

Around Town

Watertown Boys & Girls Club Director Named Executive of the Year

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Watertown Boys & Girls Club Executive Director Renee Gaudette received an honor from her fellow directors – the”Executive of the Year.” 

Gaudette received the award at the Association of Boys & Girls Club Professionals Yankee Chapter at a ceremony in Middleborough. “It is really nice to be recognized by your peers,” Gaudette said. She went to the meeting thinking that her co-worker – Club Project Director Chris Chrombie – was going to get an award. “He nominated me for the award,” Gaudette said. Gaudette took over as executive director of the Watertown Boys and Girls Club in 2013.