The Swellesley Report

More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

Pinnacle Residential Properties—finding home is a universal need

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CeCe Yan, Pinnacle, Wellesley
CeCe Yan, Pinnacle Residential Properties

SPONSORED POST: CeCe Yan of Pinnacle Residential Properties was born and raised in Beijing, China. She writes about her experiences serving real estate clients in the United States.

When it comes to real estate, although cultural differences between East and West exist, it has become clear that whether I’m working with clients from China or the United States, everybody wants the same thing. A home they can be proud of.

On the face of it, there seem to be a few cultural “rules.”  But with every rule, exceptions abound. The kitchen is one such distinction. Generally speaking, Chinese cooks value working over an open flame. Due to the frequent movement of woks and quick changes in heat, gas ranges are therefore strongly preferred over electric or induction stoves. But the popularity of high-end gas ranges in Wellesley kitchens, combined with my clients’ requests, has shown me that the Chinese aren’t the only ones who want to see real fire when they’re making dinner for their families.

In terms of the orientation of a house, feng shui principles advise a south-facing home. Of course, such an orientation maximizes sunlight and, it is believed, therefore the happiness of the occupants. One of the most common requests I get from all of my clients, whether they believe in feng shui or not, is that the house be “light and bright.”

CeCe Yan, Pinnacle, Wellesley
CeCe Yan and her husband, Marc Gut, in Wellesley Square.

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Linden Square, Wellesley, Sweetgreen
Pandemic Aftermath
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Wellesley Dental Group is open and ready to see patients, safely

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SPONSORED POST: Wellesley Dental Group is open for all dental procedures and cleanings and has put in place brand-new equipment investments and safety protocols to ensure that you and your family can confidently receive care. You’ll notice changes from the moment you check in at the 5 Seaward Rd. Wellesley Hills practice. To avoid congestion in the reception area, upon arrival you’ll text the office and wait in your car until you are welcomed in by a staff member.

Wellesley Dental Group
It all starts with a safe check-in at Wellesley Dental Group

Wellesley Dental Group has all the right equipment

Safety has always been a top priority at Wellesley Dental Group. To help prevent the transmission of all infections, including COVID-19, we have invested in the safety equipment needed to protect both you and our staff:

  • Extra-oral Aerosol Suction: Food and Drug Administration-approved extra-oral suction systems to remove and filter aerosol particles created by dental procedures.
  • UV-Sanitizing HEPA Air Purifiers: HEPA air purifiers, including medical grade UV purifiers, have been installed in the reception area and hallways.
  • Hospital-Grade H-VAC Filters and Ionizers: Hospital-grade H-VAC filters and ionizers that remove and neutralize airborne pollutants like bacteria, viruses, mold, and allergens.
  • Sterilizing UV Lamps: Sterilization UV lamps that work concurrently with heightened airflow management and filtration to reduce the viability of viral and bacterial pathogens by breaking down microbial genetic material (DNA).
  • Full PPE: Dentists, hygienists, and assistants are in full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at all times, including surgical face masks, face shields, disposable gowns and caps, and shoe covers.
  • Enhanced Disinfecting Protocol: Rooms are meticulously disinfected.

But don’t just take it from us. Long-time patient and Wellesley resident Mary Bowers recently came in for care and had this to say on Facebook: “WELLESLEY DENTAL GROUP……WELL PREPARED, OF COURSE!😷 Wasn’t surprised today to see how well prepared my dental office was to keep everyone safe in this uncertain time. Before I entered their office ….questions asked, hand sanitizer, mouth rinsed, and temperature taken! Once again…Five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for Wellesley Dental Group (and, no cavities!).”

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Wellesley Business Buzz: Nominate influential business people of color; August Interiors making move; kidney care coming; Orangetheory’s back; Anything’s Possible for LINX

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Wellesley Sunset SaleOur roundup of the latest Wellesley, Mass., business news:

Nominate influential business people of color in the ‘burbs

The Newton-Needham Regional Chamber this fall will publish a list of the 50 Most Influential Business People of Color, and is seeking nominations until Sept. 4.

“Our goal is to showcase the individuals and employers who are making a positive contribution to the economic and social fabric of our west suburban businesses and nonprofits,” according to the pitch.

To qualify, nominees must work and/or sit on a board of a business or nonprofit that is physically located in Newton, Needham, Watertown, Waltham, Wellesley, Natick or Framingham.

August Interiors making its move

<August Interiors

Appropriately enough, August Interiors is moving from 568 Washington St., in Wellesley to a much roomier spot at 320 Washington St., to start the month of August.
New signage has been approved and should be installed over the next 2 weeks for the first floor space. It is not a retail establishment, but a design studio to run their business and meet with clients.

Deborah Berger, a longtime Wellesley resident, and business partner Lauren Hamilton launched August Interiors last year as an expansion of Maven Design, which Berger started in 2007, and in conjunction with Hamilton’s Montage Studio in Boston (Montage continues to operate out of the Montage Boston furniture store on Arlington Street).

Berger and Hamilton work together on all projects. “We focus on interiors that embrace liveable sophistication and a lighthearted elegance,” Berger says.

Business is strong and getting stronger, says Berger, when asked about whether people might be thinking more about interior design while stuck in their homes during the pandemic. She cites “a growing appreciation for the comfort and safety of home.”

Kidney care coming to Wellesley

Fresenius Kidney Care will be leasing 8,000 sq. ft. at 981 Worcester Street in Wellesley to provide outpatient kidney care, dialysis and office operations. Newmark Knight Frank negotiated the leasing deal with CEA Group.

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Orangetheory to reopen

Orangetheory Fitness in Wellesley Square has announced plans to reopen on Monday, Aug. 3. The gym is promising to go above and beyond required. Patrons are encouraged to use the app to book classes and contact the manager if you have any questions: [email protected]

orangetheory

LINX Theater’s upcoming season theme: ‘Anything’s Possible!’

LINX, Wellesley, Fall 2020The upcoming LINX Theater season will explore the theme “Anything’s Possible!” as a way to create a sense of optimism and exploration in the students, ages 3 – grade 12. The season will open with an Anything’s Possible Festival in late fall to give students an early performance opportunity. What will students perform after only a few months of class? Anything’s possible! For a Broadway Theater class, their performance might look like a musical review. A Recreational Theater class may present a one-act play. The show itself will be much less important than the experience of finding chemistry among classmates and exploring performance options.

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Brother's Grocery Service, Wellesley
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Sunset Sale — your handy guide to summer bargains in Wellesley

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SPONSORED POST: Local merchants across Wellesley are banding together to bring you some fun this summer. It’s called Sunset Sale, sponsored by The Wellesley Square Merchants’ Association. Local businesses are serving up great deals and special offers for all. Timing is everything. Sunset Sale happens every Thursday, 4pm – 7pm, throughout the summer months.

Sunset Sale, Wellesley

Sunset Sale offers great opportunities to shop Wellesley first, stroll around Wellesley Square, and get out and about for a few hours.

SHOPPING:  Multiple merchants throughout Wellesley will offer great savings…some inside and some out on the sidewalks, perfect for before or after dining at our many great restaurants. Whether you’re looking for toys, clothing, books, home decor, handbags, and more, merchants will be on the sidewalks with deep discounts on great stuff.

PARKING: Take advantage of the free metered parking through August at all 2-hour street meters, courtesy of the Town of Wellesley. Look for the bagged meters. Please be mindful of your time. Cars parked at bagged street meters will be ticketed after two hours. Parking fees continue to apply at all 4-hour street meters.

Wellesley Square, Sunset Sale

FOOD: Catch dinner at one of Wellesley’s many restaurants.

For more information, go to ShopWellesleySquare.

Wellesley merchants participating in the Sunset Sale:

Check with each merchant for details of their specials.

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Wellesley Business Buzz: Laurel Grove opens in Wellesley Square; Linden Square backing kids; Hometown Weekly hiatus; Wellesley resident on hospital board

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Our round-up of the latest Wellesley, Mass., business news:

Laurel Grove opens on Central St.

Laurel Grove, WellesleyLaurel Grove, a home decor and gifts shop with a farmhouse/vintage design aesthetic, has opened at the former Wears Woody location at 35 Central St.

What owners Michelle and Isabelle Palmer are most excited about right now: their summery scented candles; fern bowls; throw pillows, throw rugs, afghan throws — heck, why not throw down what you’re doing right now and head over there?

Check their Facebook for hours.

Sunset Sale in Wellesley on summer Thursdays

Over 20 Wellesley merchants in Wellesley Square and Linden Square are banding together to bring shoppers some fun this summer. It’s called Sunset Sale, and it happens every Thursday, 4pm – 7pm. We stopped by for the first one and found doors flung open to invite customers inside, as well as sidewalk sales with deep discounts.

The next Sunset Sale will take place on Thur., July 23rd.

Here’s a list of participating stores and services.

And here’s our directory of even more Wellesley shops, services, and restaurants.

 

Linden Square backing Kids Backing Kids

kids backing kids logoLinden Square is serving as the main drop-off point for the new Kids Backing Kids nonprofit. Linden Square is providing free space, an exterior banner, street signage, and online support, too, in the name of helping to supply kids in need with backpacks full of necessities.

Supplies can be dropped off at 165 Linden St. in Wellesley (next to Talbots in Linden Square) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays July 29 through Aug. 26.

Longtime Wellesley resident elected to Emerson Hospital’s board

Dr. John Libertino
Dr. John Libertino

Dr. John A. Libertino, a urologist with Emerson Urology Associates, has been elected to Emerson Hospital’s Board of Directors. 

Prior to joining Emerson in 2016 as Chair of the Urology Department, Dr. Libertino held several senior positions at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, including CEO and Chairman, Chairman of the Division of Surgery, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and Director of the Sophia Gordon Cancer Center.  He is board-certified in urology and surgery, and has treated patients for more than five decades.

Hometown Weekly hiatus in Wellesley

Perhaps you’ve noticed that Hometown Weekly, the local newspaper that usually shows up for free in your mail, has been nowhere to be seen of late. Indeed, Hometown Weekly has suspended publication of its Wellesley editions only for now in light of the pandemic, but plans to start it back up again once things settle down.

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Coming back from COVID—a Wellesley business owner’s fight

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Soosie Lazenby, owner of  StretchLab and Club Pilates in Wellesley’s Linden Square, is used to being the picture of health. So when the wellness proponent contracted COVID-19 this spring, it was an adjustment to say the least. Her lung capacity was so reduced that activities she once took for granted turned into a struggle.

Soosie Lazenby, Wellesley business owner
Lazenby just finished an appointment at the Mayo Clinic and is headed back to Wellesley to check on her businesses. “I’m praying my studios come through like I did — as survivors.”

“I’m fine now,” she says, “But as I was getting better, it took a long time. The first time I played tennis I lasted 7 minutes. Now I can go for a match.”

Her fight with the respiratory illness started after she flew to Belleair, Fla., from Wellesley on March 14. Within three days she was in the emergency room complaining of discomfort. “I felt like someone was sitting on my chest,” she said, “It wasn’t like asthma. This was different.” Doctors tested her for the flu, prescribed a chest x-ray, and swabbed her nasal passages. When Lazenby got the call later that day that the swab test came back positive for COVID, she and her husband and business partner George Spowart settled in at home for what they both hoped would be a mild case of the virus.

Within ten days Lazenby was admitted to the hospital. “I was having difficulty breathing. I wasn’t intubated, but I still worried that I’d take a turn for the worse. I slept a lot. I didn’t have much energy. My friends FaceTimed me to keep my spirits up.”

Her experience with COVID didn’t end once she was released from the hospital. Lazenby says she’s had a range of encounters with people from those who scoff at  the virus to those who are afraid of her, even though she’s been negative for months. “At times I felt like I had a scarlet ‘C’ on my chest,” she says. “Some people are frightened to the extreme, some people don’t even believe it exists.”

The wary she can tolerate. “Some people just don’t realize that COVID doesn’t discriminate. It’s not just a nursing home problem.”

It’s the COVID deniers that frustrate her. “It’s annoying. There are some ignorant people out there.”

Soosie Lazenby, StretchLab, Wellesley
Soosie Lazenby’s patient board. The listed plan for the day: “To kick COVID-19’s ass!”

Even Lazenby’s hospital didn’t want to see her for a physician-ordered CT angiogram to take a good look at her lungs. “It was really embarrassing because they freaked out. It’s not like I have leprosy. You’d think they’d know what to do with me, but they didn’t.”

Now she carries papers with her that prove she’s COVID-free. “I got an antibody test. I carry those results with me that I was positive for antibodies. I’m immune now, from the mutation I had, anyway.”

With this health scare behind her, Lazenby has returned her focus to her businesses — StretchLab, which helps clients increase their range of motion and flexibility and decrease pain and muscle tension through regular, targeted stretching, and Club Pilates. Both spots have reopened with new safety measures such as reduced class sizes, regular equipment sanitizing, and social distancing to ensure the health of their clients.

Lazenby says vigilance is the watchword at her studios. “Members really were missing the community of their workouts. But I don’t want anyone to go through what I went through.”

Through it all, Lazenby considers herself lucky. She gets asked all the time how she contracted COVID, but has no answer. “The plane? Walking around? There’s no blame. It’s a virus. People need to be tolerant of those who have had it.”

As for her husband, he’s been tested too, and came back negative. “My doctor wants his immune system,” Lazenby laughs.

It’s been a long haul for Lazenby, but the woman who has the dubious distinction of being medically known as Patient Zero in Bellaire, Fla., is back in action.

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Wellesley Business Buzz: Tamara’s Golden Needle closes; Wellesley merchants cleaning up, plotting July Jubilation alternatives; gyms making way back; Market 2day bringing farm fresh food to town

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Our round-up of the latest Wellesley, Mass., business news:

Tamara’s Golden Needle closes after 35 years

When we called Tamara Kanevsky after noticing that her Golden Needle tailoring shop in Wellesley Hills appeared to be cleared out, we were ready for sadness on the other end of the phone.

But instead, we were relieved to hear the Wellesley resident and shop owner was laughing, saying that the pandemic sped her retirement by a couple of years but that the timing is good. She’d been at 445 Washington St. for about 20 years in a shop that oozed history, and a little ways down the road before that.

But given that wedding, prom and party attire were her specialties, the health crisis dried up most of that business. And even as the state reopens, many of her customers have headed to the cape and Nantucket for the summer. Wellesley’s pricey rent isn’t forgiving either, she says.

Kanevsky has been making the best of a challenging situation by crafting cotton masks for customers and frontline workers around the country. She assures her customers that she is happy and healthy, and hopes the same is true for them.

What’s next for Kanevsky? “A lot of gardening,” she says.

Based on her sewing artistry, we’re guessing that’s a pretty fine looking garden, too.

Tamara’s Golden Needle is the latest in an unfortunately growing list of recent closing of Wellesley shops that includes Fastachi, White’s Bakery, Elizabeth Renee, Kidville, Marcus, and earlier closings this year, including Pine Straw and Papyrus. Brueggers hasn’t responded to inquiries, Winston Flowers says it is closed through summer.

Tamara's Golden Needle

Wellesley Merchants cleaning up thanks to COVID-19 grant

Wellesley merchants and patrons are among those benefitting from a second Wellesley COVID-19 Relief Fund grant awarded to the town’s Health Department to pay for hand sanitizer refills for those 40 stations you may have seen popping up at storefronts across town. The original grant also supplied more than 250 merchants with personal protection gear, says Demian Wendrow, owner of London Harness/Tumi and president of the Wellesley Square Merchants Association.

London Harness/Tumi owner Demian Wendrow
London Harness/Tumi owner Demian Wendrow tapping some hand sanitizer (Photo courtesy of Beth Shedd)

 

Steve Varriale, owner of O'Neil Jewelers in Wellesley unloading PPE and back to business supplies.
Steve Varriale, owner of O’Neil Jewelers in Wellesley unloading PPE and back-to-business supplies. (Photo courtesy of Beth Shedd)

 

No July Jubilation this summer, but merchants are mulling alternatives

Due to the pandemic and efforts to avoid crowding, the annual July Jubilation shopping and family fun event in Wellesley Square won’t happen this summer as we know it.

However, merchants are brainstorming about alternatives to keep July Jubilation’s outdoor spirit alive, such as by having regular sidewalk sales. Details and logistics are still being discussed, and we’ll update you when we know more.

Wellesley fitness joints making their way back

The state has given the go-ahead to gyms and other fitness facilities to reopen their doors if they adhere to social distancing and other rules. A number of Wellesley businesses are jumping right on this, opening either this week or next. These include Boston Sports Club (July 6), Btone (July 8) and Club Pilates (July 13). Others are sticking with virtual classes for now, and others, like Pure Barre invite you to join them for outdoor classes in Linden Square on Tuesday mornings.

Market 2day bringing farm fresh food to Wellesley

Market 2day, a mobile app, shopping and delivery service that brings local food to busy people using farmers markets as distribution points, has expanded its delivery area to Wellesley. Tech executive Insa Elliot launched the service for people who would rather buy from small local food producers than large supermarket chains, but are too busy to make it to the farmers market. The company delivers meat and eggs from local farms, bread from local bakeries and other locally-produced food to homes and, in some towns, to “Community Hubs” (places where people go to on a regular basis like workplaces, daycare centers, fitness communities etc.).

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