Hit the slopes at Ski Ward and enjoy sushi at Yama Zakura
Erika Tarantal heads to Shrewsbury where she hits the slopes (and is put to work) at Ski Ward then she grabs a bite to eat at a local sushi shop
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Updated: 8:11 PM EST Feb 18, 2021
Hit the slopes at Ski Ward and enjoy sushi at Yama Zakura
Erika Tarantal heads to Shrewsbury where she hits the slopes (and is put to work) at Ski Ward then she grabs a bite to eat at a local sushi shop
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Updated: 8:11 PM EST Feb 18, 2021
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>> FORGET A FULL TANK. THIS STOP IS CLOSER TO A FEW GALLONS AWAY. SKI WARDEN SHREWSBERRY MAY NOT BE AS WELL-KNOWN AS OTHER MASSACHUSETTS SLOPES, BUT LOCALS HAVE BEEN PUTTING SKIS TO SNOW HERE SINCE 1939. >> BACK THEN, THERE WERE 90 SKI AREAS IN MASSACHUSETTS. NOW THERE ARE ABOUT 11 LEFT. >> THEY TOOK OVER WHAT WAS KNOWN AT THE TIME AS WARD HILL IN 1990. >> HERE WE ARE 30 YEARS LATER. WE DIDN’T THINK WE WOULD LAST THAT LONG, QUITE FRANKLY. I WAS A ONE-MAN SHOW. MY WIFE WAS WORKING THE SNACK PARK, DOING THE PAYROLL AND EVERYTHING. MY CHILDREN ARE NOW HEAVILY INVOLVED. >> AT THE GRILL, I GOT HOT COCOA, AND JOHN’S DAUGHTER, 24, IS THE GENERAL MANAGER, OVERSEEING THE STAFF OF 250. YOU GREW UP HERE. SOME 24-YEAR-OLDS ARE TRYING TO LEAVE THEIR FAMILY AND GO AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE, NOT YOU. >> I ALWAYS KNEW THIS WAS WHAT I WANTED TO DO. UP UNTIL I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL, I SKIED EVERY DAY THAT I WAS OPEN. -- THAT WE WERE OPEN. WE ARE OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. WE LIVE HERE IN THE WINTER IN A SMALL APARTMENT. IT IS CONVENIENT FOR SNOWMAKING THAT YOU CAN JUST GET UP AND GET OUT THE DOOR. IT’S A LOT OF WORK. >> JOHN LACROIX PERSONALLY LEADS THE GROUNDS TEAM AND I CONVINCED HIM TO TAKE ME OUT FOR A SPIN. >> HOW MANY HOURS DO YOU SPEND IN THE CABIN? >> A LOT. IT’S EASY TO LEARN TO SKI. >> SKI WARD IS A MODEST 520 FIVE FEET IN ELEVATION, BUT THE FAMILY HAS TURNED THAT INTO AN ADVANTAGE, KEEPING ITS NINE TRAILS METICULOUSLY GROOMED AND CATERING TO FAMILIES, KIDS LEARNING TO SKI AND SNOWBOARD, AND THOSE RETURNING TO THE SPORT. >> HE STARTED HERE WHEN HE WAS TINY AND NOW HE IS ON THE U.S. SILVER TEAM. WE ARE WHERE IT ALL BEGINS. >> INSPIRED BY THAT STORY IN THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF KIDS WHOSE LOVE OF SKIING STARTED HERE, I TAKE TO THE LIFT. WITH A FEW LAST MINUTE TIPS, I ATTACK THE SLOPE. >> THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT. FAMISHED AFTER MY SUCCESSFUL RUN I TRAVEL OFF THE SLOPES A MILE DOWNHILL TO NORTHBORO AND A LOCAL FAVORITE. I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED SUSHI. >> I WAS 16 YEARS OLD AND MY EYES WENT WIDE LIKE, WHOA. >> THE OWNER AND CHEF WOULD GO TO SCHOOL FOR ENGINEERING. SHE RETURNED TO HER LOVE OF SUSHI IN 2002 WHEN SHE OPENED A SMALLER VERSION OF HER RESTAURANT WITH HER BROTHER-IN-LAW. >> HE’S A GOOD CHEF. I SAID OK -- BUT HE DOESN’T LIKE TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE. I SAID OK, I WILL DEAL WITH PEOPLE AND YOU CAN TEACH ME. >> THE PARTNERSHIP WORKED. ANNA USED THOSE EARLY LESSONS TO CREATE THE FOUNDATION FOR WHAT WOULD BECOME HER OWN UNIQUE STYLE. >> I AM NOT FROM JAPAN. I AM FROM SOUTHEAST ASIA. WE USE DIFFERENT SEASONS, SPICES AND HERBS. >> THE COLORFUL MENU FEATURES ROCK ’N’ ROLL WITH SHRIMP TEMPERA, AVOCADO, CUCUMBER AND MANGO FINISHED WITH A SPICY SAUCE. YOU WILL ALSO FIND THE 15-40, A REFERENCE TO A LOCAL NONPROFIT THAT ADVOCATES FOR EARLY CANCER DETECTION. >> WHAT IS THE SECRET TO YOUR SUCCESS? LEGS FOOD MAKES PEOPLE HAPPY -- >> FOOD MAKES PEOPLE HAPPY. FOOD IS AT THE CENTER OF HAPPINESS. >> WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ROLE? >> THE LOBSTER. MAINE LOBSTER, LEMON SAUCE, TERIYAKI SAUCE, AND SPICE ESA RAJA -- SPICY SAUCE. >> UNFORTUNATELY, I DON’T EAT LOBSTER, SO FOR ME, IT WILL BE A JENNIFER ROLE. >> THIS IS TRADITIONAL SUSHI RICE. VINEGAR AND A FEW OTHER INGREDIENTS. WE HAVE LOTS OF SECRETS. >> HOW DOES IT TASTE? IT’S GREAT. ANNA TELLS US YAMA ZAKURA TRANSLATES TO MOUNTAIN FLOWER IN JAPANESE. RIGHT NOW THE RESTAURANT IS TAKEOUT-ONLY. ANNA SAYS ORDER EARLY, BECAUSE HUGE DEMAND DURING PEAK HOURS MEANS ORDERS CAN TAKE UP TO TWO HOURS TO FILL. SHE IS HOPING TO BE OPEN FULLY BY EARLY NEXT FALL. COMING UP, FROM THE SLOPES