GIRL WITH A PEARL at the Frick!

419px-Johannes_Vermeer_(1632-1675)_-_The_Girl_With_The_Pearl_Earring_(1665)-1

Just in case any one is traveling to NYC over the holidays, Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring (c.1665), along with fifteen other carefully chosen works by Dutch master painters, including masterpieces by Rembrandt and Halls, is on display at the Frick Museum from now until January 19, 2014. The Frick is the final venue of the American tour. The Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis in The Hague, the Netherlands, is undergoing extensive renovations and during this time has lent masterpieces that have not traveled in almost thirty years. For more information about the exhibit visit the website of The Frick Collection

Willowdale Estate Annual Holiday Concert Monday December 2nd, 7-9 pm

Willowdale Estate Holiday ConcertJoin us for our 7th Annual Holiday Concert at Willowdale Estate! Monday, December 2nd from 7-9pm with light refreshments to follow. Our concert will feature traditional holiday music with selections from Handel’s Messiah.

Our Soloists:

Lora Suzanne Tamagini – Mezzo Soprano

Ms. Lora Tamagini holds both degrees from New England Conservatory of Music and the Boston University College of Performing Arts. Ms. Tamagini has toured through Europe, Asia, and the United States as an oratorio and operatic soloist. She currently serves as the Director of Performing Arts at Nazareth Academy in Wakefield, and the Director of Music at St. Thomas of Villanova in Wilmington. Ms. Tamagini has published, directed, and recorded her original arrangements and compositions of contemporary music. Her music and choirs can be heard on three CDs; Joy in my Soul (1998), Sing to the Lord (2000), and Sing Gloria (2010).

Lisa Anne Tamagini – Soprano

After receiving her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Vocal Performance at the Eastman School of Music where she studied with Jan DeGaetani, Ms. Tamagini began her career on the operatic stage. Her leading roles range from Monteverdi to Mozart to Verdi, but she has specialized in singing Puccini Heroines, such as Mimi in La Boheme, Magda in la Rondine, Cio-Cio San in Madama Butterfly, and the title role in Tosca, with opera companies throughout the United States including: The Arizona Opera, Opera Omaha, National Lyric Opera, Houston Grand Opera and The New York City Opera. Equally comfortable on the concert stage, Ms. Tamagini has been featured in song recitals and concerts singing such works as Mozart’s Exultate Julibate, Bach’s Mass in Messiah, and Barber’s Knoxville: Summer is 1915 venues including: Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., New York’s Alice Tully Hall and Carnegie Hall. As well, she has been a regularly featured Artist in the “Meet the Artist” series at Lincoln Center. Ms. Tamagini has been a Fellowship Recipient and Featured Artist at the Aspen Music Festival, and has received awards from the MacAllister Awards, The Puccini Foundation, Metropolitan National Council Auditions and the Liederkranz Foundation in New York City.

Briar Rose Forsythe – Soprano

Ms. Briar Rose Forsythe-Fandetti studied at New England Conservatory of Music, continued her studies at Longy School of Music, giving several Recitals and performing in Opera Workshops around New England.

Ms. Briar Rose is the Curator and the Owner of Willowdale Estate. Together with her family, she opened a bed and breakfast in 1992, a historic 1832 Greek revival house in Cambridge, MA, where she learned very valuable lessons about the essence of hospitality. Forsythe-Fandetti Family grew and expanded in 2002 to include a renovated 1895 fire station and converted it into a boutique hotel. At the Kendall, Briar was able to open and operate the “lobby-style” hotel restaurant, The Black Sheep, where they served up classic American favorites with the best chili in the neighborhood. In 2007, Ms. Forsythe started her own business at Willowdale. It was Briar’s dream to be able to host Musical Concerts of her own. Briar is passionate about supporting local artists. The success of the business at Willowdale made it possible to create unforgettable Holiday Performances for everybody to enjoy.

Have questions about Annual Holiday Concert? Contact Willowdale Estate

Fish on Fridays

The Fish on Fridays series is a collaboration between Gloucester photographers Kathy Chapman and Marty Luster. Look for various aspects of Gloucester’s centuries-old fishing industry highlighted here on Fridays.

This week as Kathy prepared for the holidays she whetted her appetite for Smoked Salmon and Gravlax by visiting Steve Connolly Seafoods in Boston. The video illustrates their process from raw fish to the finished DELICIOUS product.

In comparison, here’s Julia Child’s recipe for Gravlax: http://www.food.com/recipe/julia-childs-traditional-gravlax-119184 The major difference between Julia’s and Steve’s recipe is that she uses brown sugar in the rub and cognac and dill (instead of basil and black pepper) for the cure.

 

HotSmokedSalmonTemp
SmokedSalmonCure

SmokedSalmonFillets

GravlaxBrine
Photos and video © Kathy Chapman 2013
http://www.kathychapman.com

Shop Small Day

shop small

Did you know that Saturday, November 30th is national Shop Small Day?  Don’t miss the first day of the Rocky Neck Holiday Art & Fine Crafts Festival at The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck, 6 Wonson Street, Saturday November 30 from 2-4:00pm.  Artists are some of the smallest small businesses around, but we do what we do with big hearts, great dedication and a lot of passion, and we make the world a better, more beautiful place.  Just imagine the world with no artists or art – it would be a heARTless place.

Also, don’t miss all the Gala Preview Party fun on Friday, 11/29 from 5-7:00pm!

rocky neck holiday festival poster

Stuck in the Middle with Rubber Duck

stuckinthemiddle
Well I don’t know why I came here tonight,
I got the feeling that something ain’t right,
I’m so scared in case I fall off my chair,
And I’m wondering how I’ll get down the stairs,
Ed’s to the left of me,
Joey to the right, here I am,
Stuck in the middle with you.

RD:”I am pretty sure this is not how you make Turduckin.”

Turkey Day, Plum Cove

We were invited to Judy and Ray's Thanksgiving dinner near Plum Cove. Eight birds entered the back yard and Tom and I went outside to take photos, but the turkeys headed for the woods. That may be because Tom was wearing a cook's apron, which scared the daylights out of them. Later, when I saw them travel around the other side of the house, a took a few shots thru the windows. I call this one: "The Turkey we didn't eat." The meal was delicious, and the guest of honor was a neighbor 100 years old.
We were invited to Judy and Ray’s Thanksgiving dinner near Plum Cove. Eight birds entered the back yard and Tom and I went outside to take photos, but the turkeys headed for the woods. That may be because Tom was wearing a cook’s apron, which scared the daylights out of them. Later, when I saw them travel around the other side of the house, a took a few shots thru the windows. I call this one: “The Turkey we didn’t eat.” The meal was delicious, and the guest of honor was a neighbor 100 years old.

Thanks Richard Baressi For This Killer White Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake

Friend Of The Blog Richard Baressi, Executive Chef At St Anselm College Tuned Me Up This Morning When He Came To Pick Up His GMG Cap!

There’s too much for me to eat do if you come down this morning for your cap you’ll get a slice of heaven courtesy Richard!

BENEFIT FOR RANDY BURNS Nov 30th Reminder

A Cape Ann Pee-Wee Football All-Star Game will be taking place on Saturday, November 30 at New Balance Field at Newell Stadium to benefit long time league board member and referee, Randy Burns.  Randy recently suffered a tragic accident which has left him paralyzed from the chest down. He is determined to continue fighting with the same spirit that he used to serve the children of our community for the past fifteen years as a football referee and Little League umpire. Please come and attend the B level game starting at 12:00 and the A level game immediately following to show your support for Randy.  Admission is a voluntary donation at the gate.

We  also have bracelets with “Randy” on one side and “Strong” on the other side available for a $5.00 donation.   If you would like one and cannot attend the benefit, please call RoseAnne at 978-335-0755 or Jill at 978-283-0308. 

Community Stuff 11/29/13

FOS_Holiday_Bazaar_Thank_You_2013


ANTA ‘PAWS’ PHOTO EVENT
Bring your dog to see Santa at the Santa ‘Paws’ fundraising event to benefit Cape Ann Animal Aid on Saturday, December 7 from 11am to 2pm at Smith’s Ace Hardware and Lumber in Rockport. For a $10 donation, take home a keepsake photo of your dog(s) with Santa. For more information, visit www.CapeAnnAnimalAid.com or call (978) 283-6055.


Hi Joey,
Attached please find information and photos on the result of the
Veterans’ Day contest that Orlando & Associates ran. You had been kind
enough to run the info on Good Morning Gloucester. We thought you might
be interested in spotlighting the two heroes who won the contest,
Brendan and Vionette Chipperini. Let me know if you would like any
additional information.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Joe

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