Day: October 4, 2009

Saturday, October 17 – Special Event & Fundraiser for Mayor Kirk

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro
Saturday, October 17 – Special Event & Fundraiser for

Gloucester Mayoral Candidate Elect Carolyn Kirk with Live Music by Allen Estes & Dave Brown

Co-hosted by Lenny Linquata, Ruth Pino & Karen Doyle – Tibbetts, join us for a campaign fundraiser organized by the committee to re-elect Carolyn Kirk for Mayor on Saturday, October 17, 2009 from 6-8 p.m. at The Gloucester House, 63 Rogers Street, Gloucester.

Tonight’s event stage features live music local legendary musicians — Allen Estes & Dave Brown.  Light food with beverages will be provided.

For more information about this event or to attend, please email carolynkirkformayor@yahoo.com or 978-281-KIRK (5475).

GMG Q&A With Rocky Neck Artist In Residence Melinda Hannigan

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Local Website everyone should know about (excluding GMG)
My website is www.melindahannigan.com

How long have you lived in Gloucester?
One month.
What is your favorite season In Gloucester?
Right now.
Do you have any secret outdoor spots in Gloucester where you go to “get away”?
Why would I want to get away?
What is your favorite pizza joint in Gloucester?
I’ve only been to Sebastiani’s and it was great.
What is your favorite sub shop in Gloucester?
Oh dear.  Have a missed a Gloucester specialty?  I have a few more days here.  How about you telling me where I can get the best sub in Gloucester?
What place would you go for a romantic dinner in Gloucester?
How about a picnic at the beach: wine, great sandwhiches and soup from the Last Stop, chocolate cake from Charlies.
What is your favorite bar in Gloucester?
The Rudder.  Not only do they make me welcome but I can stagger home after one of their martini’s without driving.
What is your favorite breakfast joint in Gloucester?
I do my internet at the Lone Gull and have enjoyed their scones.
What is your favorite local event in Gloucester?
I wish I had been here for the schooner fest.
In the summer do you prefer the beach or to be on a boat?
Maybe next time I am in Gloucester I will be here during the summer and would love to explore by boat.
Who is your favorite local artist?
This is hard. Rocky Neck has so many talented artists. But I would say the work of Ruth Mordecai suits my sensibilities.
Which is your favorite local beach?
Good Harbor.  What a treasure.  Puget Sound has so few sandy beaches.
Who has the best chowder in town?
I have made it my mission to have chowder everywhere I go.  I can assure you Gloucesterites that nothing in the seafood capital of the West Coast,  Seattle, compares with even the most mediocre chowder in Gloucester.  I’ve had so much chowder at so many places that I can’t pick a favorite.
Excluding GMG what is your second favorite local blog?
Is there another local blog?

Do you prefer haddock chowder or clam chowder?
I love clam chowder.
What were your thoughts on The Downtown Block Parties last year?
I wish I had made it to one but I saw the photos on the GMG blog.
What is your favorite local band?
I play doghouse bass.  Next visit maybe I could jam with the locals
Thanks, Joey

Of Bloggers From Far Away Places

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

I’ve had the pleasure to hang out with Brian Luster and his dad Marty from A Moveable Bridge.  We went to breakfast yesterday and got to talk blogging and boats and breakfast and food and all kinds of other good stuff like the difference between “partners” and girlfriends and how some people call their long time girlfriends partners even though they’re not gay.

I discovered Brian’s blog last year after Schooner Festival when I had done an interview with some of the crew members on the Lettie G Howard.  There are a group of bloggers from New York who are a pretty incestuous group.  They all post on each other’s blogs and have similar interests.  (sort of the way I comment on Jay, Kathleen and Steve B’s blogs)

Well here are some of the New York Waterfront Bloggers blogs that I think you ought to know about because they post some pretty interesting stuff that is similar to what we’re doing up here in Gloucester.  I normally wouldn’t give these fucking New York people the time of day (especially given their propensity to root for the Yankees, Jets and Giants).  But since I’ve met Brian and Marty and they seem like regular folk just like us I’ll give ’em a pass on the whole Evil Empire thing.

I’m hoping Brian can organize a field trip of sorts with these New York waterfront bloggers for next year’s Schooner Festival so I can get to meet them and host them for a Beer and Blog event.

Check out these blogs if you get a chance, if you like what we do here on GMG you ought to dig the New York versions too (even if they are FUCKING NEW YORKERS).

http://bowsprite.wordpress.com/

http://tugster.wordpress.com/

http://amovablebridge.wordpress.com/

Magnolia lovers – check out Oceanside Evening, October 10!

Posted on by Sharon

The Magnolia Historical Society
invites you back to the Days of the Magnolia Grand Hotels for an
“Oceanside Evening”

Oceanside Hotel copy
Reminisce with old and new Friends; Enjoy History, Wine, Desserts, Coffee, Tea and Laughter! Casino Wheel of Fortune and 50/50 Raffle!
Learn about Magnolia, our homes, our former grand hotels and more!

Step into this portal of Magnolia history:
“Oceanside Evening”
Saturday October 10th
7 to 10 pm
Magnolia Library Center, Magnolia
Come help us celebrate what makes Magnolia great!!

Lisa Ramos, author of “Magnolia: A Brief History”, will present an informative program along with her panel of Magnolia experts, James Cook and Fran Hines.

SAVE $10 WHEN YOU BUY TWO TICKETS!
Reservation tickets are $15 for members,
or save and purchase two tickets for just $2O!
Non-member tickets are $20, or buy two for just $35.
Join the Magnolia Historical Society today and save!
All tickets purchases are tax deductible!
VINTAGE HATS ENCOURAGED!

Reserved Tickets Availableat Magnolia Library Center,
Magnolia Historical Society, from any board member
or by calling: 978-525-3603
Or you may mail check to P.O Box 5551, Magnolia, MA 01930.

We’ll have your reserved tickets at the door. Walk up tickets also available.
Hope to see you all there!

Another Blue Ribbon Recipe-Harvest Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins with Cinnamon Pistachio Streusel Topping

Posted on by laurielufkin

Here’s a great holiday morning recipe!  This recipe was a blue ribbon winner last year.  Enjoy!

Harvest Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins with Cinnamon Pistachio Streusel Topping

Streusel Topping:
½ cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons softened butter
½ cup chopped pistachios

Muffins:

1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
4 large eggs
1 vegetable oil
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoons ground powdered ginger
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon and brown sugar.  With fingers, mix in butter until mixture is crumbly.  Stir in nuts and set aside.

Prepare pans with non-stick cooking spray or cupcake liners

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or with electric hand mixer, beat pumpkin, eggs, canola oil, water and vanilla extract until well combined.

Sift flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, soda and salt to combine.

Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and beat until just combined.  Stir in dried cranberries.

Using a medium scoop, fill prepared muffins tins ¾ full.   Top each muffing with 2 tablespoons streusel topping.

Bake for 23-25 minutes until toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffin comes out clean.

Allow to cool slightly before removing from baking pan.

Makes 24 muffins

GMG Power Rankings #2

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Well number 2 in the GMG Power Rankings is a no brainer.  Mike Lindberg came aboard shortly after the home explosion on Eastern Ave early this year.

Mike emailed me some photos of the house explosion and had really captured the devastating scene.  While Mike does not post every single day, whatever he does post is always a home run.  Mike’s never satisfied with doing anything half assed.

The GMG Schhoner Festival Photo contest was hugely popular, the Gloucester Til The End Video he made with Earl and Arch’s song still gets a lot of traffic, his HDR photography is always something over-the top, his production of the GMG podcasts and intro are top notch.

While we can’t count on Mike’s 3PM post every day, we know when he does have time to put something together for the site, it’s going to leave an impression.

Mike comes in at #2 in the current GMG Power Rankings.

photo from Boru
photo from Boru

Lanesville celebrates week of history at Community Center

Posted on by Sharon

From the Beacon–

Lanesville History Week begins with a celebration of the founding of the Lanesville Community Center on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 4 p.m. with writer Barbara Erkkila. There will be coffee and nisu, traditional Finnish bread, while she talks with Lee Steele and other founding members and neighbors about the first days of the Lanesville Community Center.

A potluck supper follows at 6 p.m. There will be music by Sylvester Ahola and old photos of the early days.

More than 50 years ago, a group of neighbors contributed money, skills and labor to establish a meeting place for families in the village of Lanesville. A group of about 20 families purchased an abandoned dairy barn from the Ahola family. The first event was an old fashioned clambake with lobsters, clams and corn raked out of the seaweed from hot stones in a pit the men had dug in the yard. The women contributed pies, coffee and nisu. Enough cash was raised to buy lumber and concrete so the work could begin to rehab the building. With entirely volunteer labor, cowstalls were ripped out, a floor was laid, and the sagging structure was shored up. More improvements have followed over the years.

To read more, click here.