1-Year Anniversary Party at Waterstone

We recently welcomed residents, friends, family and local dignitaries to a 1-year anniversary party at Waterstone at Wellesley. With live music, delicious food, creative cocktails and – of course – wonderful company, it was bound to be a success, and it definitely was. Below are

some photos from the event; if you joined us, thanks for stopping by! We’re rapidly approaching 100-percent full status, so if you are interested in one of our independent or assisted living apartments, come by for a tour sooner rather than later!

Red Sox, a cappella and more

Every year there comes a special day that is unlike any other. For those in the Boston area, the Red Sox season opener is, well, a bit of a big deal! That’s why we decided to celebrate in a big way here at Waterstone. We invited local celebrity Herb Crehan to deliver a lecture and facilitate a discussion about this famous team. Herb is a Boston baseball historian and author of several books on the topic. He has delivered talks at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY, New England Cable News, WBZ radio and elsewhere, and has been regularly featured in Red Sox Magazine for the past 15 years. We also decked out the Waterstone River Room in Red Sox memorabilia and had a ton of traditional baseball fare, including hot dogs with all the toppings, freshly popped buttered popcorn, drinks and more. This event turned out to be a ton of fun for residents, guests and staff alike. Hopefully your opening day celebrations were just as fun!

We also had the pleasure to welcome the Jewish a cappella group Shir Appeal earlier this month. Shir Appeal is Tufts University’s only co-ed, Jewish a cappella group. They have almost two decades of experience, singing along the spectrum of Jewish music – from Hebrew Pop, Israeli Rock, Traditional/ Liturgical melodies and even English songs with Jewish themes. Our residents, a portion of which are Jewish, really enjoyed this unique performance and the company of the young college students who visited.

Tap dancing, music and fashion – a little bit of everything

Happy Hour isn’t just for young professionals – it’s one of the best times of day here at Waterstone, and something we enjoy. We often host impromptu gatherings over cocktails and wine, and they are usually accompanied by entertainment of some sort, from bands to solo musicians to jack-of-all-trades performers. It’s a lovely way to socialize and continue to develop our community. Just recently we welcomed a new face: Tappin’ Ted Powers. Ted was a member of a rock band for many years before branching out to learn more instruments and skills, and then learning tap dancing. Ted’s unique performance had everyone else’s toes tapping along with him.

Earlier this month, also welcomed Bill Graham of the shop ‘Beautiful Things’ in Salem, who brought his popular “Little Black Dress” event with him. Bill uses his skills in decorating and accessorizing to explore the ways a woman can take a little black dress and adapt it to different circumstances and styles using accessories. Since first introducing this event in 2006, its popularity has exploded, and Bill has brought it to garden clubs, social clubs, and other gatherings across New England. We loved welcoming him to Waterstone, and the ladies of our community especially liked learning some new and fresh ways to revamp a classic black dress. Finally, we welcomed back the US Navy Band Northeast Woodwind Crosswinds, who performed and also socialized with residents, much to our delight. We hope to have them back again!

We have a number of other great events to round out March, including a cappella on the 27th and a fascinating history lesson with Gary Hylander on the 28th. Stop by for either, or both!

Connecting with professionals in the community

Waterstone at Wellesley is committed to building relationships with senior experts in the local community. That’s why we will host several events in the upcoming months to connect with these professionals and give them the opportunity to network, learn from each other and enjoy themselves. The way we look at it, we are all devoted to providing a variety of options to local seniors, and understanding and learning from each other is a key part of that.

This month, Waterstone will partner with local chocolate boutique, The Chocolate Truffle, to host a port wine and chocolate tasting. The Chocolate Truffle will share the freshest, handmade, hand rolled truffles and hand dipped chocolates from their shop, as well as a variety of port wines to complement these delicious chocolates. If you haven’t had an opportunity to enjoy the offerings the Chocolate Truffle has, make a point to stop by their shop the next time you’re in their neighborhood – you’ll be glad you did.

This event is a fun way for Waterstone staff and local experts to get to know one another, learn from each other, and build professional relationships. Waterstone will invite key experts and professionals specializing in geriatrics, the health care of aging adults. Professionals that will attend the event include geriatric care managers, geriatric psychiatrists, long-term care managers, counselors, and more. Theses individuals work with seniors and their families every day, on issues ranging from moves to respite stays to rehabilitation and more. Naturally, I’m sure we’ll all have plenty to talk about!

Caring for yourself during a tough winter

Winters in New England can be, as you probably know, a bit difficult. Brutal cold, heavy snowfall, intense wind, and dry air can all contribute to our skin, hair and nails feeling dry and uncared for, even if we slather on the lotion and creams. Treat yourself to a little pampering next month when we welcome some local experts for a skin care and pampering seminar. We will offer individualized skin care consultations as well as a discussion about the types of products to use depending on your skin type, as well as what to avoid. Should you really spend $100 on that tiny tub of face cream or would a $15 jar from the general store work just as well? Get answers to such questions and much more on March 26 at 2 p.m. at our community.

In the meantime, here are some tips and techniques for keeping your skin in good shape throughout the winter months.

Hydrate! Think about caring for your skin from the inside, out. If you aren’t hydrated, your skin is going to feel extra dry. So be sure to drink plenty of water.
Moisturize, of course. Whether cream, lotion or oils, moisturize early and often. Keep a spare bottle of your favorite product on your desk, by your nightstand, in the bathroom, in your purse, etc., so you can apply at any time.
Use a home humidifier to make the air in your home (or at least your bedroom, when you’re sleeping) more moisture-rich, as it will prevent your skin from drying out further.
Turn down the water temperature. It may be tempting to take a piping hot bath or shower when it’s so chilly out, but the hot water will have a serious drying effect on your skin. Keep bathtime short and use lukewarm water.
Exfoliate, but not too much. Use a gentle exfoliant once a week or so to make your skin soft and even more able to accept moisture. But don’t overdo it – too much and you will just dry yourself out.

Just some October fun at Waterstone

First, the team at Waterstone would like to extend its thoughts and prayers to those affected by Sandy. We were fortunate to have missed the brunt of the storm, and residents reported feeling safe and comfortable within our home at Waterstone as the winds whipped outside. We all know, however, that many have been tragically affected by this storm and our thoughts and prayers are with them.

Before Sandy decided to make a mess of things along the eastern seaboard, residents and guests were having a lot of fun throughout the entire month of October, as you can see in some of the pictures below. Let’s review some of the interesting, unique and just plain fun events we enjoyed as October passed by. In one, you’ll see our beloved head chef Randy Farmer as he gives a talk about fine cheeses. We welcomed Wasiks Cheese Shop for that presentation and it was a huge hit. Who doesn’t love a fine cheese?

We also welcomed students from Babson College for a workshop and presentation on vision impairment. In the photo below, you’ll see a student working with resident Amalia Kalyvas during that presentation. It was wonderful to have the students visiting; it’s exciting to hear about their lives and passions as they just begin to pursue their interests.

We also welcomed the New Sound Assembly Barbershop Chorus for a rousing concern. They were such a talented and inspiring group of gentlemen. Our own Harold Bossung decided to join in on the fun and got up to perform as well, singing along with the best of them. We hope to welcome the chorus back again, since their visit was such a big hit.

Finally, look at friends Mildred Goodman and Pauline Grubin as they grin and display their fall crafts, cornucopias both created in honor of the harvest season. Quite a few residents participated in this unique event and the results were stunning. It was also just a really fun thing to do.

If you or you and a loved one or friend would like to participate in the regular slate of events, presentations and crafts we have going on regularly, just give us a call or check on our upcoming events on our website. We would love to have some neighbors and friends join us.

Skinners Auction House presents, “What’s it Worth?”

Do you have an antique or two in your house, or perhaps collecting dust in your closet or attic, that you’ve always been curious about but never knew quite how to use? Most of us have at least one family heirloom, or an old and nearly-forgotten antique we’ve never figured out what to do with. They often sit in the same place year after year, and may catch our eye every once in a while, prompting us to wonder what it might truly be worth. The deep family histories in a state like Massachusetts, with its own extensive history, mean that many residents here at Waterstone and seniors in the Wellesley community and beyond have at least a few such pieces. You may not even have a desire to sell, but might still be curious about its value. If you are interested in learning from a professional appraiser what your own knickknack, trinkets, family heirloom or estate jewelry might be worth, you should stop by our event with Skinner Auctioneers and Appraisers on Tuesday, Oct. 23. The experts from Skinners will appraise small items that residents and visitors bring with them to the 6:30 p.m. workshop. Gather up your own jewelry, old coins, and other small pieces and bring them with you. It should be a fascinating event! Here are the details:

Skinners Auction House presents, “What’s it Worth?” Oct. 23, 6:30 p.m. – Bring your antiques to find out how much it’s worth! We will be reviewing only small items like jewelry, clocks, coins and small artifacts. Call 781-235-1614 to RSVP.

Enjoying the local talent

Boston and the surrounding towns and cities are rife with talented musicians, performers, and entertainers. Walking down any major street or along a T station, you’re likely to encounter at least one or two performers. From small improv theaters to major performance halls, there’s something for every interest. Being home to numerous universities, performance halls, and performing arts schools has a lot of perks, including the existence of a deep well of local talent. One such local talent is Stephen Collins. You may have seen him in the Boston Globe recently: he was featured in an article about him and his work, and the article even included a performance of his here at Waterstone. We’re lucky to have him joining us again this month for a performance, this time of Walt Whitman classics. He was a huge hit with the residents and guests here the first time he visited; come by and see what the buzz is about for yourself. We’d love to have you. Read below for more information and to RSVP. Below is also some information about other upcoming performing events we have going on. Please stop by and enjoy this great local talent with us. Call 781-235-1614 to RSVP.

Rick Walsh Concert, Oct. 9, 7:15 p.m. - Rick offers songs from as far back as the 1930’s through today. He covers most every genre from big band to rock including artists from Frank Sinatra and Elvis to Chris Isaac, the Temptations, or Marvin Gaye.
Stephen Collins performs Walt Whitman, Oct. 10, 7:15 p.m. - We’ll welcome local talent Stephen Collins as he performs his popular one-man show focused on the work of Walt Whitman.
Classical Guitarist Scott Sanchez, Oct. 17, 2 p.m. – Join us as we welcome Scott Sanchez for a classical guitar performance. An American born guitarist, Scott Sanchez is often praised for his virtuosic and musically passionate performances.

Exploring our creative side at Waterstone

The residents at Waterstone at Wellesley and EPOCH Assisted Living at Waterstone are a diverse bunch. Many have unique interests and passions, which is part of the reason they chose Waterstone over other senior living options: we have opportunities for them to explore their interests and to discover new ones. A growing group of residents, for example, has recently uncovered their mutual interest in art. And not just fine art in museums and hanging on walls, but their own art. The Life Enrichment team at Waterstone recently set up an art class for EPOCH Assisted Living at Waterstone residents, and the response has been really positive. Now residents from our independent living wing are asking to join in on the fun. Below are a few pictures from our latest gathering. Getting creative through activities like painting have been shown to improve brain function and stave off memory-related illnesses. Plus it’s lots of fun!

Chocolate tastings, local cheeses, and antiques: coming up at Waterstone

We have a variety of great events coming up at Waterstone at Wellesley. From decadent chocolates to delectable cheeses to cherished treasures, you won’t want to miss out on these exciting opportunities. They’re sure to be a lot of fun and will give you a chance to get to know the wonderful residents at Waterstone at Wellesley. Keep reading to find out more!

Waterstone at Wellesley to host a Chocolate Tasting (Sept. 25)

Attention chocolate lovers! Waterstone at Wellesley will host a chocolate tasting on Tuesday, Sept. 25, at 2 p.m. The chocolate will be provided by The Chocolate Truffle, a high quality chocolate boutique that first opened in Woburn, Mass. in 1990. The boutique is proud to offer top-quality, hand-rolled truffles and hand-dipped chocolates. Their chocolates have been featured in publications such as The Boston Globe and The Boston Herald, and even appeared on Rachel Ray! Ray featured The Chocolate Truffle’s Peanut Putter Cup as her snack of the day. With such high quality chocolates to sample, you won’t want to miss out on this event! This is the perfect opportunity to have fun and meet the vibrant Waterstone residents and welcoming staff. R.S.V.P. to ensure you get a seat!

Delicious Cheeses from Wasik’s at Waterstone (Oct. 9)

Join us at Waterstone at Wellesley as we enjoy a variety of delectable, specialty cheeses from Wasik’s Cheese Shop on Tuesday, Oct. 9, at 2 p.m. The Wasik family founded the Cheese Shop nearly half a century ago and it has become one of the country’s busiest, oldest full-service cheese counters. Wasik’s goal is to be the community’s source for the finest gourmet cheeses. Well, the Wasik’s not only met their goal, they surpassed it, as their extensive selection of fine cheeses are now in high demand nationwide. This is sure to be a fun experience where you’ll have the chance to indulge in delicious food, as well as preview life at Waterstone and meet the community’s great residents and staff. Seating is limited and your R.S.V.P. is required.

What are you antiques worth? (Oct. 23)

You’re invited to a special appraisal event at Waterstone at Wellesley on Tuesday, Oct. 23 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. This event is perfect for anyone interested in having family heirlooms or old valuables appraised, or for anyone who loves antique hunting. If you would like to find out how much your treasures are worth, bring them with you for an appraisal by Skinner, Inc. For more information or to R.S.V.P., please call 781.236.3448.