By: Jacqueline Houton
You don’t have to mount a trip to ski country to work in some winter recreation. Here are five fun reasons to bundle up this season.
1. The Boston Vasalopp Ski Race Nosh on blåbärssoppa and semlor (that’s blueberry soup and sweet rolls) after this Swedish-style cross-country ski race held at the Weston Ski Track, which offers miles of trails, rentals, ski and snowshoeing lessons and night skiing all season long.
Feb. 14, 8:30 am-1 pm, $30-$45, skiboston.com
2. Mountain Athletics Training Have an actual summit in your sights? Build muscles needed for skiing, climbing and other rugged endeavors at an hourlong outdoor workout led by trainers from The North Face.
Every Tue. (Boston Common) and Thu. (the Hatch Shell), 6:30 pm, free, facebook.com/mountainathleticsboston
3. Sculpture Park Snowshoe Tours Get a lesson courtesy of an Eastern Mountain Sports instructor and take in a guided tour of the deCordova Sculpture Park in Lincoln, home to 60 works of art by the likes of Sol LeWitt and Nam June Paik.
Every other Sat., Jan. 16-March 12, 10 am and 12:30 pm, $12-$25, decordova.org
4. Snowshoe Yoga Strap on your snowshoes with yogi Robin Lamperti for gentle poses in Walpole’s Francis William Bird Park before heading back to her studio for some well-earned hot cocoa.
Sun., Jan. 3-31, 11 am, $12-$15, thetrustees.org
5. Winter Wellness Walks If a brisk walk is more your speed, take in the scenery at JP’s Arnold Arboretum with a docent who’ll school you on the hardiest flora.
Jan. 10, Feb. 7 and March 13, 1 pm, free, arboretum.harvard.edu
By: Alexandra Cavallo
Photo Credit: Melanie Harding (left), Sarah Brunson / U.S. Snowboarding (right)
Snow won’t be the only thing sailing through the air in Boston this winter. Head to Fenway Park on Feb. 11 and 12 for Polartec Big Air at Fenway, a snowboarding and freeskiing throwdown held as part of the International Ski Federation’s World Cup tour. The competition will be stiff, with Olympian skiers and snowboarders pulling out their gnarliest tricks from atop a 140-foot snow ramp. We checked in with Olympic big air snowboarder Ty Walker, a freshman at Brown who grew up boarding in Vermont, for some pro tips for shredding the competition.
On whether being an Olympic athlete makes this competition seem like no sweat No! Definitely not. At the Olympics, I was really young. Qualifying was tough and stressful because I expected myself to make the team, but once I was in Russia I tried to just enjoy it. I wanted to do my best in the event, but I wasn’t the favorite to win necessarily, so it wasn’t a high-pressure situation. I feel the most pressure and get the most nervous for events that I’m expected to win, regardless of the caliber of event. Coming off of my win last year in Big Air, I’m pretty nervous about the Fenway event, but also just excited to be able to compete again after injury, and to be able to compete at a venue like that.
On her signature trick I guess my signature trick would be a backside 7 [aka a backside 720, featuring a backward takeoff and two full rotations in the air]. I love the way they feel, and I’m pretty consistent with them. It’s kind of my go-to contest trick.
On tips for an amateur looking to get into big air boarding Go for it! Don’t be afraid to try something new and push your limits. New tricks can sometimes be scary, but don’t underestimate yourself. It’s the best feeling in the world when you finally land a new trick you’ve been working on.
On the easiest trick for beginners On jumps, most people start with frontside or cab 180s, but they’re really hard to do properly—especially when you’re just learning. I started with a backside 360, and I would recommend that because they really help you get comfortable going blind. On boxes and rails, you can’t go wrong with a simple 50/50 or boardslide to start.
On the most difficult trick to master I’ve done a few backside and cab (switch) 900s, but I haven’t really perfected them yet. Hopefully this season I’ll be able to perfect those and some of the other tricks I’ve done in the past but haven’t gotten super consistent with.
On her favorite mountains in New England I’ve been to most of the Vermont mountains, and they’re all fun, but Stowe definitely holds a really special place in my heart. I know the mountain the best, and I think it’s where my real roots are with snowboarding. When I’m home, it’s the only time that I ever really get to go riding with my family and hometown friends. Also, I’m biased but I think they have some of the best parks and the best out-of-bounds terrain you can find in Vermont.
On the Massachusetts slopes It’s funny that you ask! I had plans to ski at Wachusett this past weekend, but unfortunately I ended up having to stay back and study for my finals. Wachusett is only about an hour away from Brown though, so I know I’ll end up making a few trips to there later this winter. I’ve heard that it’s a really fun time!
By: Jacqueline Houton
How a local company is helping people fight the urge to hibernate.
“Some people are not at all affected by the winter, and for some people it’s like they got hit over the head with a hammer,” says Ed Likovich, CEO of GoodLux Technology, the local company behind a product designed to help ward off the winter blues. “You can think of this as kind of a Fitbit for light,” he says of SunSprite, a clip-on device that tracks wearers’ light exposure and syncs up with an iOS and Android app.
Launched in 2014, SunSprite is the brainchild of Harvard Medical School psychiatrists Jacqueline Olds and Richard Schwartz. “There were a lot of people who came to their private practice with depression who really didn’t want to go on drugs right away,” Likovich notes. They had success with bright light therapy, but found that many people weren’t sure if they were getting the right amount of light at the right time of day. Enter SunSprite, which shows how close you are to your daily light goal, and whether current light conditions are bright enough for therapeutic purposes, with a push of a button, offering more detailed data and personalized coaching through the app.
While a reminder to take a walk around the block or turn on a light box may be especially helpful in the depths of January, SunSprite isn’t only aimed at seasonal sufferers. Light exposure affects circadian rhythms, influencing sleep and even athletic performance. “We actually have a few Olympic athletes using our product right now to make sure they’re getting enough light at the right time of day,” Likovich says. And research published in November in JAMA Psychiatry found that bright light treatment outperformed Prozac in a study of 122 patients with nonseasonal depression. The SunSprite team recently completed their own series of validation pilots with 31 patients in seven clinics and private practices. “We found that after just two weeks of using SunSprite, 88 percent of those improved, and these are people with diagnosed clinical depression,” Likovich says. “If you’re getting light, you’re exercising, you’re making social contact, you’re seeing a lot of different people. We’re hoping this becomes greater than just the sum of its parts.”
By: Alexandra Cavallo
We rounded up the best rinks for outdoor ice skating, complete with a key to help you select the best spot for your kind of winter sporting, from rinks that offer lessons for newbs to ones with nearby bars for those who need a little liquid confidence.
Boston Harbor Hotel’s Rotunda Rink
Perhaps one of the most scenic skating spots in the city, this rink overlooks the harbor and offers skaters the chance to catch some unparalleled views while catching their breath. Plus, a special menu of après-skate treats and cocktails awaits just steps away in the warmth of the hotel.
70 Rowes Wharf, Boston (617-439-7000) bhh.com. Mon.-Fri., 3-8 pm; Sat.-Sun.,10 am-8 pm
Jack Kirrane Skating Rink
Set in Brookline’s Larz Anderson Park, this community rink is a bit more low-key than some of the more centrally located rinks, which means it’s great for families and for a stress-free winter outing. Plus, Kirrane offers two rinks: one for public skating and hockey and a separate, smaller surface just for beginners, big or small.
23 Newton St., Brookline (617-739-7518) brooklinerec.com. Tue. and Thu., 9:30-11:30 am; Fri, 8-10 pm; Sat.-Sun., noon-5 pm
Community Ice Skating @ Kendall Square
Even if you have zero intention of hitting the ice, Kendall’s rink is worth a visit because it recently scored an on-site Waffle Cabin. Opened as a pushcart in Quincy Market in the late ’90s, the Cabin is now a fixture on ski slopes like Stratton, Wachusett and Nashoba Valley, where skiers and boarders can practically smell the sticky, sweet goodness wafting from the peak. Come hungry and then work off that giant chocolate-covered Belgian treat on the ice.
300 Athenaeum St., Cambridge (617-492-0941) skatekendall.com. Mon., noon-5 pm; Tue.-Thu., noon-8 pm; Fri., noon-9 pm; Sat., 11 am-9 pm; Sun., 11 am-6 pm
The Boston Common Frog Pond
The best rink to bring the kiddies in the city—you can rent Bobby the Skating Seal as a skating aide for wobbly beginners—the Frog Pond’s rink is also one of the busiest, so be prepared to wait during high-traffic times.
Boston Common (617-635-2120) bostonfrogpond.com; Mon., 10 am-3:45 pm; Tue.-Thu., 10 am-9 pm; Fri.-Sat., 10 am-10 pm; Sun., 10 am-9 pm
Winter Skate at Patriot Place
Hop in the car and head to Foxborough for a day of winter festivities at Patriot Place, where the 60-by-140-foot rink is just steps from many restaurants, shops and the Showcase Cinema de Lux.
2 Patriot Place, Foxborough (508-203-2100) patriot-place.com/winterskate. Mon., Wed., Thu., 4-6:30 pm; Tue., 4-5:30 pm; Fri., 4-11 pm; Sat., 11 am-11 pm; Sun., 11 am-9 pm
Chill Out
Don’t let one deceptively mild December fool you: It’s happening. And after last year’s Snowmaggedon, we’ve decided to take a different approach.
Wintry Workouts
By: Jacqueline Houton
You don’t have to mount a trip to ski country to work in some winter recreation. Here are five fun reasons to bundle up this season.
Feb. 14, 8:30 am-1 pm, $30-$45, skiboston.com
2. Mountain Athletics Training Have an actual summit in your sights? Build muscles needed for skiing, climbing and other rugged endeavors at an hourlong outdoor workout led by trainers from The North Face.
Every Tue. (Boston Common) and Thu. (the Hatch Shell), 6:30 pm, free, facebook.com/mountainathleticsboston
3. Sculpture Park Snowshoe Tours Get a lesson courtesy of an Eastern Mountain Sports instructor and take in a guided tour of the deCordova Sculpture Park in Lincoln, home to 60 works of art by the likes of Sol LeWitt and Nam June Paik.
Every other Sat., Jan. 16-March 12, 10 am and 12:30 pm, $12-$25, decordova.org
4. Snowshoe Yoga Strap on your snowshoes with yogi Robin Lamperti for gentle poses in Walpole’s Francis William Bird Park before heading back to her studio for some well-earned hot cocoa.
Sun., Jan. 3-31, 11 am, $12-$15, thetrustees.org
5. Winter Wellness Walks If a brisk walk is more your speed, take in the scenery at JP’s Arnold Arboretum with a docent who’ll school you on the hardiest flora.
Jan. 10, Feb. 7 and March 13, 1 pm, free, arboretum.harvard.edu
Moving the Mountain
By: Alexandra Cavallo
Photo Credit: Melanie Harding (left), Sarah Brunson / U.S. Snowboarding (right)
Snow won’t be the only thing sailing through the air in Boston this winter. Head to Fenway Park on Feb. 11 and 12 for Polartec Big Air at Fenway, a snowboarding and freeskiing throwdown held as part of the International Ski Federation’s World Cup tour. The competition will be stiff, with Olympian skiers and snowboarders pulling out their gnarliest tricks from atop a 140-foot snow ramp. We checked in with Olympic big air snowboarder Ty Walker, a freshman at Brown who grew up boarding in Vermont, for some pro tips for shredding the competition.
On whether being an Olympic athlete makes this competition seem like no sweat No! Definitely not. At the Olympics, I was really young. Qualifying was tough and stressful because I expected myself to make the team, but once I was in Russia I tried to just enjoy it. I wanted to do my best in the event, but I wasn’t the favorite to win necessarily, so it wasn’t a high-pressure situation. I feel the most pressure and get the most nervous for events that I’m expected to win, regardless of the caliber of event. Coming off of my win last year in Big Air, I’m pretty nervous about the Fenway event, but also just excited to be able to compete again after injury, and to be able to compete at a venue like that.
On her signature trick I guess my signature trick would be a backside 7 [aka a backside 720, featuring a backward takeoff and two full rotations in the air]. I love the way they feel, and I’m pretty consistent with them. It’s kind of my go-to contest trick.
On tips for an amateur looking to get into big air boarding Go for it! Don’t be afraid to try something new and push your limits. New tricks can sometimes be scary, but don’t underestimate yourself. It’s the best feeling in the world when you finally land a new trick you’ve been working on.
On the easiest trick for beginners On jumps, most people start with frontside or cab 180s, but they’re really hard to do properly—especially when you’re just learning. I started with a backside 360, and I would recommend that because they really help you get comfortable going blind. On boxes and rails, you can’t go wrong with a simple 50/50 or boardslide to start.
On the most difficult trick to master I’ve done a few backside and cab (switch) 900s, but I haven’t really perfected them yet. Hopefully this season I’ll be able to perfect those and some of the other tricks I’ve done in the past but haven’t gotten super consistent with.
On her favorite mountains in New England I’ve been to most of the Vermont mountains, and they’re all fun, but Stowe definitely holds a really special place in my heart. I know the mountain the best, and I think it’s where my real roots are with snowboarding. When I’m home, it’s the only time that I ever really get to go riding with my family and hometown friends. Also, I’m biased but I think they have some of the best parks and the best out-of-bounds terrain you can find in Vermont.
On the Massachusetts slopes It’s funny that you ask! I had plans to ski at Wachusett this past weekend, but unfortunately I ended up having to stay back and study for my finals. Wachusett is only about an hour away from Brown though, so I know I’ll end up making a few trips to there later this winter. I’ve heard that it’s a really fun time!
A Bright Idea
By: Jacqueline Houton
How a local company is helping people fight the urge to hibernate.
“Some people are not at all affected by the winter, and for some people it’s like they got hit over the head with a hammer,” says Ed Likovich, CEO of GoodLux Technology, the local company behind a product designed to help ward off the winter blues. “You can think of this as kind of a Fitbit for light,” he says of SunSprite, a clip-on device that tracks wearers’ light exposure and syncs up with an iOS and Android app.
Launched in 2014, SunSprite is the brainchild of Harvard Medical School psychiatrists Jacqueline Olds and Richard Schwartz. “There were a lot of people who came to their private practice with depression who really didn’t want to go on drugs right away,” Likovich notes. They had success with bright light therapy, but found that many people weren’t sure if they were getting the right amount of light at the right time of day. Enter SunSprite, which shows how close you are to your daily light goal, and whether current light conditions are bright enough for therapeutic purposes, with a push of a button, offering more detailed data and personalized coaching through the app.
While a reminder to take a walk around the block or turn on a light box may be especially helpful in the depths of January, SunSprite isn’t only aimed at seasonal sufferers. Light exposure affects circadian rhythms, influencing sleep and even athletic performance. “We actually have a few Olympic athletes using our product right now to make sure they’re getting enough light at the right time of day,” Likovich says. And research published in November in JAMA Psychiatry found that bright light treatment outperformed Prozac in a study of 122 patients with nonseasonal depression. The SunSprite team recently completed their own series of validation pilots with 31 patients in seven clinics and private practices. “We found that after just two weeks of using SunSprite, 88 percent of those improved, and these are people with diagnosed clinical depression,” Likovich says. “If you’re getting light, you’re exercising, you’re making social contact, you’re seeing a lot of different people. We’re hoping this becomes greater than just the sum of its parts.”
Blades of Glory
By: Alexandra Cavallo
We rounded up the best rinks for outdoor ice skating, complete with a key to help you select the best spot for your kind of winter sporting, from rinks that offer lessons for newbs to ones with nearby bars for those who need a little liquid confidence.
Boston Harbor Hotel’s Rotunda Rink
Perhaps one of the most scenic skating spots in the city, this rink overlooks the harbor and offers skaters the chance to catch some unparalleled views while catching their breath. Plus, a special menu of après-skate treats and cocktails awaits just steps away in the warmth of the hotel.
70 Rowes Wharf, Boston (617-439-7000) bhh.com. Mon.-Fri., 3-8 pm; Sat.-Sun.,10 am-8 pm
Jack Kirrane Skating Rink
Set in Brookline’s Larz Anderson Park, this community rink is a bit more low-key than some of the more centrally located rinks, which means it’s great for families and for a stress-free winter outing. Plus, Kirrane offers two rinks: one for public skating and hockey and a separate, smaller surface just for beginners, big or small.
23 Newton St., Brookline (617-739-7518) brooklinerec.com. Tue. and Thu., 9:30-11:30 am; Fri, 8-10 pm; Sat.-Sun., noon-5 pm
Community Ice Skating @ Kendall Square
Even if you have zero intention of hitting the ice, Kendall’s rink is worth a visit because it recently scored an on-site Waffle Cabin. Opened as a pushcart in Quincy Market in the late ’90s, the Cabin is now a fixture on ski slopes like Stratton, Wachusett and Nashoba Valley, where skiers and boarders can practically smell the sticky, sweet goodness wafting from the peak. Come hungry and then work off that giant chocolate-covered Belgian treat on the ice.
300 Athenaeum St., Cambridge (617-492-0941) skatekendall.com. Mon., noon-5 pm; Tue.-Thu., noon-8 pm; Fri., noon-9 pm; Sat., 11 am-9 pm; Sun., 11 am-6 pm
The Boston Common Frog Pond
The best rink to bring the kiddies in the city—you can rent Bobby the Skating Seal as a skating aide for wobbly beginners—the Frog Pond’s rink is also one of the busiest, so be prepared to wait during high-traffic times.
Boston Common (617-635-2120) bostonfrogpond.com; Mon., 10 am-3:45 pm; Tue.-Thu., 10 am-9 pm; Fri.-Sat., 10 am-10 pm; Sun., 10 am-9 pm
Winter Skate at Patriot Place
Hop in the car and head to Foxborough for a day of winter festivities at Patriot Place, where the 60-by-140-foot rink is just steps from many restaurants, shops and the Showcase Cinema de Lux.
2 Patriot Place, Foxborough (508-203-2100) patriot-place.com/winterskate. Mon., Wed., Thu., 4-6:30 pm; Tue., 4-5:30 pm; Fri., 4-11 pm; Sat., 11 am-11 pm; Sun., 11 am-9 pm
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