photo courtesy of the Hill Center
If you’re like me, you’ve waited anxiously as the finishing touches have gone up on the property of the Old Naval Hospital. Well, if you’re like me, you mourned for years each time you passed by, imagining what the grand old building, once listed on the National Historic Trust’s List of Endangered Places. The building’s renovation is complete and things are indeed happening. The grand opening “fence raising” is November 18 from 11:30 am – 4 pm, and will feature music, tours, celebrity chefs, politicos and volunteers beaming with pride, and a sampling of the center’s programs.
Last week a selection of long awaited classes welcomed the center’s first students. While not quite yet the full set of topics geared towards the diverse audience Executive Director Diana Ingrahm seeks to serve, the list of opportunities is broad and appealing. You can send your 3-5 year olds to Spanish class with a native speaker from Seville, or learn to sway to the African tribal dances of internationally acclaimed dancer Kukuwa. The sparkling teaching kitchen will get a workout as students prepare curried red lentil loaf with carrot sauce, mushroom phyllo triangles with orange/cranberry dip, fall greens mélange, and baked apple/walnut miso stuffing as part of Juliette Tahar’s Healthy Living Vegan Thanksgiving demo class.
As promised, there’s a PC for Beginners class offered and free film lectures and intro language workshops for seeking a taste of Hindi and Persian. Many classes (several of which are series) hover around the $100 mark, while a few geared to parents and young children top out near $300. Early December will feature a juried exhibition and sale of regional handmade wearable art, crafts and jewelry. See the full list of current programs here.
They’re already thinking about spring at the Hill Center. Volunteers are encouraged to drop by November 12 and 13 from 11 am – 3 pm to plant daffodil bulbs.