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M a h o n A b o u t T o w n
N a n t u c k e t N e w s l e t t e r
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| Celebrating the Best of Nantucket |
Friday Edition, Jan. 23, 2015
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Issue Number 1118
~ Meghan Trainor Delivers Varied Styles and Results with "Title" (Album review by Josh Gray)
~ Behind the Photograph: Stir it up with Emeril Lagasse
(Deborah Feingold)
~ Nantucket Cuisine
~ Nantucket News Headlines
~ Arts & Social Calendar for Monday - Thursday
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Meghan Trainor Delivers Varied Styles and Results with "Title"
Josh Gray
Editor's suggestion: Open iTunes or Spotify on your computer and navigate to this album so you'll be able listen to a cut while you're reading about it.
Nantucket's own hometown-girl-made-good Meghan Trainor released her first full-length album "Title" last week to huge sales, mixed critical reviews and plenty of hype.
Though a freshman to the international music scene, Trainor has been known as a performer and songwriter on Nantucket since she was a young teen. Now 21, she has lived in Nashville, Tenn., the past couple of years where she's made a living writing songs for other musical artists including Rascal Flatts and Hunter Hayes. It wasn't until she was unable to find a musician interested in recording her now trademark hit "All About That Bass", that Trainor began to make a name for herself outside the industry songwriting community.
 Meghan explains what's on the album "Title" in this video
That first single, a body-conscious anthem that just about everyone has heard at this point, starts off "Title" after a brief intro track called "The Best Part (Interlude)" that highlights the singer's strong voice and treats listeners to a sample of the vocal gymnastics to come. Since it was released early last summer "Bass" has reached #1 on the Billboard Magazine Hot 100 and stayed there for an astounding eight weeks. The song has earned the artist a loyal legion of young fans despite some of some adult lyrics featured in the song. It has also garnered Trainor two Grammy nominations for Record of the Year and Song of the Year, and in the seven months since its release, the song has become one of the top-selling singles of all time with more than six-million copies sold worldwide.
The third song on the 11 track album (15 on the deluxe version found on iTunes and Spotify) is "Future Husband". The song displays youthful, somewhat naive lyrics that are telling of the artist's age. That said, the song is set to an incredibly catchy, upbeat 50s doo-wop hook reminiscent of the era's classics or more recently English crooner Olly Mur's "Dance with Me Tonight" (who is coincidently on Trainor's Epic Record's U.K. label). The song is sure to become a wedding dance floor staple before too long.
"Close Your Eyes" is the album's longest track ringing, in at a conservative 3:40, and starts off with that same nostalgic style, though at a much slower tempo. A ballad that celebrates the individual's self-worth with lyrics like "Show the world the you inside; Raise your voice and close your eyes; Because you're beautiful", Trainor returns to the theme of self-confidence that spoke to so many with "Bass".
Hitting on the most adult themes of the album thus far, "3am" sees Trainor longing after a crush or potential mate in the wee hours of the morning after having had a lot to drink. This mid-tempo piece is more in line with contemporary pop styles than the vehicles she has used up until this point, and continues to show off not only her voice, that has seen comparisons to Adele and Amy Winehouse (as well as their musical styles), but also the artist's desire to be seen as a maturing songwriter and musician. This is a promising sign that she is not content simply hold on to the masses of tweens that have made her a household name over the past seven months (based on the 100,000 likes and thousands of comments on nearly all of her Instagram posts), but is willing to risk losing a portion of that audience in favor of expressing herself honestly in her writing.
"Like I'm Gonna Lose You" may be the album's most sentimental track, but it sees Trainor teaming up with R&B powerhouse John Legend, a good sign for the artist's staying power. The two harmonize well and the song continues with the easy listening, catchy theme found throughout.
"Bang Dem Sticks" is in tune with modern pop standards featuring a strong infusion of Caribbean and soca music, an influence that Trainor has many times said was given to her by her Tobagan uncle Burton Toney, who should be familiar to many long-time Nantucketers, along with his wife and Trainor's aunt, Lisa. For this writer, this is the album's least appealing track, as it panders to the modern trend of combining rap verses into pop songs. Though Trainor seems to maintain a higher lyrical standard than many of her peers do (I'm thinking of Fergie, Nicki Minaj and even Taylor Swift as of late), the rapping seems a distraction, rather than an asset.
Trainor shows off her writing chops and a serious sense of self-deprecating humor in "Walk of Shame". Here, in a brief 2:58, she describes a disheveled walk home the morning after a night out gone a bit out of control. Lyrics like "My daddy knows I'm a good girl; We all make mistakes in the drunk world" are set to catchy beat with once again a hint of Caribbean influence.
Meghan Trainor with her father Gary (Instagram)
The album's namesake "Title" immediately follows, and is another indicator of the artist's sense of humor. At first look, "Title" could be the name of an album that an artist has settled for after nothing better came to mind, but in this case it is a bit of double entendre. The song itself is about Trainor looking for a guy to commit to her rather than just call her a friend. Again, it would be a surprise if this track did not begin a steady climb up the pop charts.
"What If I" is a return to the slow-moving ballad that is reminiscent of a track out of the American Songbook, a song that Michael Bublé might record. The classic style suites Trainor's voice to a T, and she takes advantage of the opportunity, showing off what she can do and it doesn't disappoint.
Alternating back to an upbeat track with "Lips Are Movin", this is another song that most in America have heard at this point, as it is Trainor's second single (after "Bass") released in late October and still resides solidly within the Billboard Top 10. The song capitalizes on a variety of influences including bubblegum pop and doo-wop as she croons about a cheating boyfriend.
Here begins the (deluxe) album's bonus tracks with Trainor telling a friend that a certain boy is "No Good For You". Mixing tempos and styles, returning to the Caribbean beat and infusing some pop, the song is a meandering plea to a friend to stay away from a bad seed.
"Mr. Almost" features Shy Carter rapping a verse of the song and Trainor returning to the albums central themes of young love and relationship struggles.
"Title" seems as though it could be divided into two separate albums, each with distinctive styles and direction. One would be an album that at its heart centers on the bubblegum, rap-infused pop, while the other would focus on the artist's clear talent for infusing pop with doo-wop and utilizing her incredible voice to a greater degree. The final two tracks "My Selfish Heart" and "Credit" would fit securely inside the latter collection, featuring blatant shout-outs to these styles she's been inspired to revive.
The lasting value of "Title" will be found in the obvious vocal talents of its architect and in a style of music that has proved time and again to have a lasting impact and solid place in popular music culture. Trainor has been quoted as saying: the first go around in the biz is more about what the record label wants her to produce, but the second album can be more about what she wants. This may be an indicator that the artist desires to dive headlong into one of the two directions she has taken on "Title", or possibly another direction altogether. Trainor is clearly a writer and vocalist with an immense amount of talent, and I personally would be happy to see her explore new directions and genres, or even revisit some of the more enduring elements found throughout this solid first effort.
 Josh Gray has spent more than half his life on the island, and after a few years traveling abroad and pursuing career opportunities in America, he has once again made Nantucket his year round home. An adventure traveler and amateur photographer at heart, Josh spent part of his youth in Mumbai, India, going on to visit nearly 20 foreign counties including Cuba and Turkey, where he resided in the city of Istanbul for a season. A former staff writer and editorial assistant for The Inquirer & Mirror, Josh has covered arts and music on Nantucket for many years. Follow Josh on Instagram: @jzebgray |
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Behind the Photograph: Stir it up
Deborah Feingold
 Emeril Lagasse 1998 New Orleans was the location for this shoot with Emeril Lagasse for People Magazine. The obvious choice would have been to shoot him inside one of his many restaurants. But I wanted to shake it up a bit and take him outside of his comfort-kitchen zone.
We met early in the morning the day after I arrived. Our van was packed with camera gear, rubber boots, fishing nets, and a cooler of crayfish. After driving for about an hour, we finally found the perfect location: a drowsy fishing village along the Gulf Coast, aka The Bayou.
We unloaded the van and then, with a loud heave-ho, dumped all of the crayfish onto the grass. Without missing a beat, Emeril grabbed the cooler, placed it upright and sat on it. Playfully, almost instinctively, he popped a crayfish onto each finger. I was ready, my camera aimed at him the second those crayfish hit the ground. Everything happened so quickly and so spontaneously, which is exactly what you hope for but have no guarantee will happen.
This is what I love about my job, never knowing if I will fall on my face in a pile of crayfish or if I will be peeing in my pants laughing while Emeril Lagasse has a puppet show with crayfish attached to his fingers.
Deborah Feingold is usually off on assignment shooting portraits of the world's most iconic figures. She first began taking photographs of jazz musicians 35 years ago in Boston, followed by a move to NYC in 1976, where contracts with
Musician magazine,
Rolling Stone, and
US magazine soon followed. She is renowned for her work, specializing in performers of all genres as well as countless writers for book covers and author portraits (most notably Barack Obama, for the cover of his book "The Audacity Of Hope").
Deborah features one of her photos with the full story behind that particular shot. Her past and present work can be seen on her website at: www.deborahfeingold.com. To buy any photograph, email Deborah at info@deborahfeingold.com .
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Nantucket Cuisine
Bartlett's Farm
Pic of the Day: Fields of Geese at Bartletts Farm by Jeanette Vohs
Bartlett's Farm
Recent Lunch: Farm Made Chili with
Sour Cream, Cheddar Cheese, Scallions and Cornbread
Breeze Bar and Café at the Nantucket Hotel
Brazilian Baby Back Ribs seasoned, dry-rubbed and slow-roasted, served with caramelized bananas
Cafe V Sushi
Bento Box
Foood for Here and There
Thursday night's fried chicken special
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Fusaro's Homemade Italian
Margherita Pizza: freshly made plum tomato sauce,
imported fresh mozzarella cheese and fresh basil
Lola 41
Beer Specials
Kitty Murtaghs
Burger
Kitty Murtaghs
Chicken Pot Pie
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The Nautilus
New cocktails being created: "Dominican Dreams"
& "Apple Bottom B's"
Nixs Brew Pub
Beef Stew Special
Petticoat Row Bakery
Cannoli Friday
Town
Wicked Island Bakery
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NANTUCKET NEWS HEADLINES
Headlines from local publications, and links to the full story. Sources: Inquirer and Mirror, Yesterday's Island, Cape Cod Times, Boston Globe, New York Times, and other pertinent sources.
ISLAND LIFE
SSA rate hikes remain despite public outcry | Inquirer and Mirror
Life & Style: Time to Create By Leslie Linsley | Inquirer and Mirror
Five-Year Traffic Report Released by SSA Shows Only Slight Growth Vineyard Gazette
Fifth probable overdose reported | Inquirer and Mirror
The SeaCoast Inn on Cape Cod has been named the best budget hotel in the U.S. by Trip Advisor | ABC News M/V Nantucket back in service after crack found in hull - Inquirer and Mirror
Comet Lovejoy visible to the naked eye-barely-this week | Inquirer and Mirror
PEOPLE
Donick Cary's MUSACK charity giving back | Inquirer and Mirror
ARTS
Music, culture and education at 56 Centre | Inquirer and Mirror
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Consumer Confidence Hits Ten-Year High | Business Insider
High-end Trinity Collection sees uptick in sales | Palm Beach Daily News
8 Adults-Only Hotels in Secret Spots Includes The Wauwinet | HuffPo
Top 25 Hotels In The U.S. INcludes The Nantucket Hotel | Forbes
CUISINE
At the Atheneum: New Cookbooks | Inquirer and Mirror
OCEAN AND ENVIRONMENT
Push on for stronger water-quality regulations | Inquirer and Mirror
Nantucket Nights: Comet Lovejoy visible this week | Inquirer and Mirror
Squid-fishing hearing draws packed house | Inquirer and Mirror
Alliance Urges Feds To Terminate Cape Wind Lease | CapeCod.com
Mass. Lawmakers Propose Lyme Disease Insurance Bill | Boston Magazine
2014 was the world's hottest year on record | Boing Boing
Watch 135 Years of Global Warming in 30 Seconds | Climate Central
Five Graphics That Show 2014's Record Heat | Climate Central
Wind energy shifts direction: Feds to auction sites off Martha's Vineyard | Boston Herald
POLITICS & GOVERNMENT
New elementary school carries $45M pricetag | Inquirer and Mirror
Selectmen remand denial of barn-move back to HDC | Inquirer and Mirror
Nantucket Sells Refunding Debt After Winning Record Moody's Mark | Bloomberg
IN MEMORIAM
Island landscaper remembered for his work ethic, quick smile | Inquirer and Mirror
Gathering for Tasha Grosshans at Brant Point | Inquirer and Mirror
OPINION
Offshore wind can still rise despite Cape Wind's fall | Boson Globe
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MONDAY
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MOVIES
Paddington (PG)
Monday, January 26, 4:00pm: Dreamland Theater
The comic misadventures of a young Peruvian bear who travels to the city in search of a home.
Cast: Ben Whishaw, Nicole Kidman, Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters Director: Paul King
Unbroken (PG-13)
Monday, January 26, 7:00pm: Dreamland Theater
The incredible life of Olympian and war hero Louis "Louie" Zamperini who survived in a raft for 47 days after a near-fatal plane crash in WWII.
Foxcatcher
Monday, January 26, 7:30pm: Dreamland Theater
Olympic Gold Medal-winning wrestler Mark Schultz is invited by wealthy heir John du Pont to move to his lavish estate to form a team and to train for the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
NIGHTLIVE AND LIVE MUSIC
Sean Lee
Mondays, 4:30pm - 7:00pm: Cisco Brewers
For the latest complete list of open restaurants and take-out food, as compiled by David Sharpe at Nantucket Visitor Services, with hours, addresses, and phone numbers, click here.
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RESTAURANT SPECIALS
~ 1/2 Priced Apps at the Bar During Football Games @ Kitty Murtaghs
~ AYCE Buffet: Prime Rib & Salad bar $11.95 11:00 am - 2:30 pm @ Easy Street Cantina
~ Happy Hour: Free Wings, $4 Beers & $5 Shots 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm @ Kitty Murtaghs
~ Buy 1 Pizza, Get 1 Half Off 4:30 pm - 9:00 pm @ Fusaro's
~ DC, Manhattan or Mexico City Burger Night $4.99 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm @ Met on Main
~ Homestyle Chicken Dinner $10.95 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm @ Crosswinds
~ Early Bird Special: 2 Courses $25 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm @ Queequeg's
~ Early Bird Special: 2 Courses $25 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm @ Town Restaurant
~ Industry Night: 50% off all food if you work in the Industry 5:30 pm @ Queequeg's
~ Industry Night: 50% off all food if you work in the Industry 5:30 pm @ Town Restaurant
For days other than today, plan ahead and check the complete calendar of island restaurant specials.
Bold type indicates a current Mahon About Town advertiser. Additional details on these events and the full calendar of arts and social events from 2008 through 2014 are here.
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TUESDAY
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TALK
Learn without Leaving: An Assessment of Nantuket's Educational, Enrichment & Workforce Needs
Tuesday, January 27, 5:00pm: Dreamland Theater
Presentation by the research team at Economic Development Research Group who conducted island-wide surveys, focus groups & interviews. Presented by: reMain Nantucket, UMASS Boston, & Nantucket Community School
5:00pm presentation in the Studio Theater
6:00pm refreshments in the Harborview Room
MOVIES
American Sniper
Tuesday, January 27, 7:30pm: Dreamland Theater
U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle is sent to Iraq with only one mission: to protect his brothers-in-arms. His pinpoint accuracy and courageous exploits earn him the nickname "Legend."
NIGHTLIFE & LIVE MUSIC
Jacob Butler
Tuesdays, 4:30pm - 7:00pm: Cisco Brewers
For the latest complete list of open restaurants and take-out food, as compiled by David Sharpe at Nantucket Visitor Services, with hours, addresses, and phone numbers, click here.
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RESTAURANT SPECIALS
~ AYCE Buffet: Soup, Sandwich & Salad Bar $10.95 11:00 am - 2:30 pm @ Easy Street Cantina
~ Happy Hour: Free Wings, $4 Beers & $5 Shots 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm @ Kitty Murtaghs
~ Prime Rib w/ 2 sides $16.99 4:00 pm @ Bartlett's Farm
~ $5 Burgers 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm @ Kitty Murtaghs
~ Steakhouse Sizzle $12.95 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm @ Crosswinds
~ 3-Course Dinner $20 5:30 pm @ Fifty-Six Union
~ Early Bird Special: 2 Courses $25 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm @ Queequeg's
~ Early Bird Special: 2 Courses $25 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm @ Town Restaurant
For days other than today, plan ahead and check the complete calendar of island restaurant specials.
Bold type indicates a current Mahon About Town advertiser. Additional details on these events and the full calendar of arts and social events from 2008 through 2014 are here.
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WEDNESDAY
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CONCERT
Students of Jake Vohs Concert
Wednesday, January 28, 6:30pm - 7:30pm: Nantucket Atheneum
MOVIES
The Imitation Game (PG-13)
Wednesday, January 28, 2 (Open Caption) & 7:30 pm: Dreamland Theater
Famously leading a motley group of scholars, linguists, chess champions and intelligence officers, Turing cracked the unbreakable codes of Germany's World War II Enigma machine.
Foxcatcher
Wednesday, January 28, 7:00pm: Dreamland Theater
Olympic Gold Medal-winning wrestler Mark Schultz is invited by wealthy heir John du Pont to move to his lavish estate to form a team and to train for the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
LOCAL TELEVISION
Board of Selectmen Meeting Live
Wednesdays, 6:00pm: NCTV (Comcast Channel 18)
Live broadcast of tonight's Board of Selectmen meeting.
For the latest complete list of open restaurants and take-out food, as compiled by David Sharpe at Nantucket Visitor Services, with hours, addresses, and phone numbers, click here.
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NIGHTLIFE & LIVE MUSIC
4EZ Payments
Wednesdays, 4:30pm - 7:00pm: Cisco Brewers
Trivia Night
Wednesdays, 8:00pm: Kitty Murtagh's
RESTAURANT SPECIALS
~ AYCE Buffet: Chicken & Steak Fajitas & Salad Bar $10.95 11:00 am - 2:30 pm @ Easy Street Cantina
~ Happy Hour: Free Wings, $4 Beers & $5 Shots 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm @ Kitty Murtaghs
~ $5 Basket of Jumbo Wings 5:00 pm @ Nix's
~ Endless Pasta $7.95 (Orecchiette Pasta $10.95) 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm @ Crosswinds 3-Course Dinner $20 5:30 pm @ Fifty-Six Union
~ 3 Course Prix fixe Dinner $28-35 5:30 pm - 9:00 pm @ Centre Street Bistro
~ 3-Course Dinner $20 5:30 pm @ Fifty-Six Union
~ Early Bird Special: 2 Courses $25 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm @ Queequeg's
~ Early Bird Special: 2 Courses $25 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm @ Town Restaurant
For days other than today, plan ahead and check the complete calendar of island restaurant specials.
Bold type indicates a current Mahon About Town advertiser. Additional details on these events and the full calendar of arts and social events from 2008 through 2014 are here.
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 Click ad for Town's website
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THURSDAY
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TALK
MassRelay: Making Telephone Communication Possible for Individuals with Hearing Loss and Speech Difficulties
Thursday, January 29, 1:30pm: Saltmarsh Senior Center
The Outreach Project Manager for MassRelay will share information about free telephone relay services available through MassRelay that allow communication between individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or have difficulty speaking and standard telephone users. Call the Saltmarsh at 508.228.4490 or sign up at the front desk.
MOVIES
Unbroken (PG-13)
Thursday, January 29, 7:00pm: Dreamland Theater
The incredible life of Olympian and war hero Louis "Louie" Zamperini who survived in a raft for 47 days after a near-fatal plane crash in WWII.
American Sniper
Thursday, January 29, 7:30pm: Dreamland Theater
U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle is sent to Iraq with only one mission: to protect his brothers-in-arms. His pinpoint accuracy and courageous exploits earn him the nickname "Legend."
OTHER
For the latest complete list of open restaurants and take-out food, as compiled by David Sharpe at Nantucket Visitor Services, with hours, addresses, and phone numbers, click here.
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LIVE MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE
Doug Cote
Thursdays, 4:30pm - 7:00pm: Cisco Brewers
RESTAURANT SPECIALS
~ 1/2 Priced Apps at the Bar During Football Games @ Kitty Murtaghs
~ AYCE Buffet: Taco & Salad Bar $10.95 11:00 am - 2:30 pm @ Easy Street Cantina
~ Happy Hour: Free Wings, $4 Beers & $5 Shots 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm @ Kitty Murtaghs
~ Rotisserie Leg of Lamb w/ Potatoes & Veggies $14.99 4:00 pm @ Bartlett's Farm
~ BBQ Ribs $11.95 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm @ Crosswinds
~ 3 Course Prix fixe Dinner $28-35 5:30 pm - 9:00 pm @ Centre Street Bistro
~ 3-Course Dinner $20 5:30 pm @ Fifty-Six Union
~ Early Bird Special: 2 Courses $25 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm @ Queequeg's
~ Early Bird Special: 2 Courses $25 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm @ Town Restaurant
For days other than today, plan ahead and check the complete calendar of island restaurant specials.
Bold type indicates a current Mahon About Town advertiser. Additional details on these events and the full calendar of arts and social events from 2008 through 2014 are here.
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Nantucket Restaurant Dinner Menus
 
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Click on the calendar graphic above for the most complete and up to date listing of Nantucket arts and social events, updated daily when necessary. Bookmark this site for quick and easy access.
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For more details about any event, click on the title of the event.
You can search for an event by name using the "Search" box.
You can download the events you want to attend directly to your own calendar by clicking on "Download this event to your calendar" at the top of the event description.
All event dates and times are subject to change.
This calendar is now used by all island non-profits and event planners to schedule their major fundraisers and avoid date conflicts with other major events. If you're planning an event and the date is set, please email me with your information to get it on the calendar. It may prevent someone else from booking a similar event on the same date.
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