Author: Joey Ciaramitaro

The creator of goodmorninggloucester.org Lover of all things Gloucester and Cape Ann. GMG where we bring you the very best our town has to offer because we love to share all the great news and believe that by promoting others in our community everyone wins.

Community Stuff 1/30/13

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Certified Therapy Dogs Presentation at Cove Circle

Deb Gilbert and Linda Sanders will be guest speakers at the Cove Circle on January 31 at 6 p.m.  Both speakers will share their experience with certified therapy dogs and how their dogs were instrumental in visiting patients and families in nursing homes, hospital and other settings.   Stop by and meet Ivy and Sky who will be visiting on January 31 as well. Ivy is a certified therapy dog at Addison Gilbert Hospital.

The Pigeon Cove Circle, located at Six Breakwater Avenue, Rockport,  is a non-profit civic organization serving Cape Ann. Men and women throughout Cape Ann make-up the membership of the Pigeon Cove Circle.  New members are always welcome.

Non-member guests are welcome to attend the January 31 meeting at 6 p.m.  There is no fee and a cover-dish dinner will be held. Pre-registration is not required.   Those attending are welcome to bring an item for the buffet dinner.

Hawk ID Please

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Hi,   Snapped this attached picture on Sadler Street.  What kind of hawk is this?  I think it’s a Cooper’s Hawk. It swooped down on my cat.  It is eating a blue jay in this picture from our feeder (see talons). It’s about 20” tall.  Thanks! Kim Frashure

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The Latest From Charlie Carroll

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Well, it’s almost the end of the month… and I thought about waiting till the 1st… but then I said… Nah ! what’s the difference… not much really.

So here’s some new stuff… http://seasquared.viewbook.com/

It’s the Wolf Moon, so be careful… it bites.

Charlie

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New Used Ladder Truck Coming To G Town

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Seth Granville forwards-

Gloucester, MA has purchase agreement for a used ladder from Jon’s Mid America Fire Apparatus in Rogersville, MO. It is a 1999 Pierce 1250/500/75′ quint. Delivery date should be mid February.

Update:

Hey Joe:
Those numbers after the model year mean 1250 gallon per minute pump, 500 gallon water tank on the truck and the ladder is 75 feet long.
Glad we could help!

newgloucester

Tweet of the Day From The Happy Taco- Perspective

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Chickity Check It! Joann Mackenzie from the Times Covers Ed’s Coronation As Chamber Board of Directors President

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

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January 29, 2013

‘Building for the Future’
New president, a handyman, sets tone for chamber’s year

By Joann Mackenzie Staff Writer

“This is not your father’s chamber of commerce,” said Bob Heidt of the 230-plus revellers who rocked Cruiseport Gloucester’s ballroom Saturday night for the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce’s 91st annual dinner dance.

It was, literally, a stand-up crowd, leaping to its feet repeatedly to applaud, whoop, holler and hail what emcee Joey Ciaramitaro called an “outstanding year of turnaround” under Heidt, who took over the reins as chamber CEO last January with, by Heidt’s account, a negative deficit of more than $60,000. This December, Heidt finished his first year in office “with a net recorded profit in excess of $90,000.”

Of the “$150,000 positive swing,” Chamber Chairman of the Board Mark Grenier told the cheering crowds, “respect is earned, not given, and we chose the right person in Robert Heidt … he listens, he learns, and he implements for the chamber.”

To read the entire story click here to go to The Times Website–

So The Challenge Has Been Accepted- It’s Muffy White vs Your Boy Joey In A MyZone Fitness Challenge Death Match

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

I’m up at the Manchester Athletic Club and they have these fitness bands that you strap around your chest and it measures your level of physical activity and then sends a report while you are working out to a computer system which generates a report.

The idea intrigued me because I know I try to push myself at the gym but you don’t really know how much your activity is stacking up.

So I signed up to get the MyZone Band and tried it out.  First you enter your height, weight and age and it calculates your average energy expended based on that criteria.  As soon as your workout is done you unhook the strap and you get an email with your physical activity report.

 

Now when all that gets explained to you you’re think wow, that sounds pretty cool.  But this is what happens in actuality-

There is a monitor inside the Manchester Athletic club and once your MyZone Band is on your name pops up and your level of activity is recorded.  The only thing that is displayed on the public monitor is your current level of activity, how many calories you’ve burned since your workout started and how many MyZone Points you’ve racked up.  So once you go throug a workout and you get your results you see where you might have backed off and it makes you want to push through harder all the way through your workout, knowing that you’re totally accountable when you see your results.

You can say it’s a gimmick, you can say that you shouldn’t need a fitness monitor band to motivate you but you know what?  Knowing I had that damn band on and that it was gonna spit out my results in my email box made me push harder than ever.  Gimmick- shmmimick it’s effective and at the end of the day that’s all that matters.

So now to top it all off on the cool factor you can issue challenges to anyone else that has the band.  You just send them an email challenge and select a date range and whoever puts in more effort wins the challenge.  You can make bets around that, you can use it to motivate you even more.  Believe me when you have friends like Muffy White who you know is just gonna rub your nose in it if you lose- you will be motivated!

So It’s ON!

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Muffy issued a challenge to me through the MyZone website that went like this-

Muffy  has invited you to a MYZONE Points challenge
from 16 January 2013 to 1 February 2013.
"Bring your A game wharf boy. "
Please log in and accept or reject challenge

Here are screenshots after my activity on January 23rd and Muffy yesterday-

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and here’s Muffy’s-

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So after one day Muffy is kicking my ass.  Her workout was 1:02 minutes, mine 45.  It should be said that Muffy is a gym rat and you all know me as the slug who works down the dock so if she doesn’t kick my ass there should be an investigation.  But that doesn’t mean I’m not gonna give it hell tryin.

Day 1 Muffy 177- Joey C 147.

Oh I forgot to tell you, you can also work out away from the gym I think as long as you activate your fitness band and then once you get to the gym it will upload the data. Somebody correct me if I’m wrong.

Alright Muffy, let’s do this!

Community Photos 1/29/13

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Chirstian Derobert submits-

I can’t wait for a day at the beach and 75 degrees…

Yo- Anyone Driving Early This Morning Be Careful!!!

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Most Secondary Roads From What I Can Tell Weren’t Treated So Take Your Time.  Hopefully Once The Sun Comes Up Stuff Will Melt.

#Boom! Joey C Weather Advisory Right There Homie!

Perkins Street Fire Victims Drive

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Sefatia writes-

Good afternoon Friends,

You may receive this more than once so I am apologizing now for the duplicate email and for those who may not live in Gloucester pass it on, please spread the word.

We are doing a Clothing Drive, household items drive even furniture, this is a community project if you want to donate gifts cards please send them to Fire Victims c/o Jackie Hardy 29 Cherry Street Gloucester MA 01930

Gifts of money checks can be made out to the Gloucester Fund on memo line of check please put fire victims Perkins St. 45 Middle Street Gloucester MA 01930

We will be holding the drive Tuesday & Wednesday 10-2 both days on Wednesday 4:30 -6:30 at Cruiseport Is the drop off place on the side entrance down the driveway.

Thursday we will have the families come and go thru and take what ever they want anything left over we will give to the Second Glance on Pond Rd.

Second Glance has given to so many, Action Shelter, fire victims and so many in need, they give free of charge to these occasions of need, Thank you Second Glance and why can they do this because of your donations. Thank you friends

Did you know that Second Glance will pick up furniture free Monday thru Thursday just call them 978-283-4298 so if you have anything you want to donate please drop it off

Clothing sizes women’s medium and small

Toddlers size boys 3&5 boys size 7

Infant girl size 12-18 months

Mens medium & XL

All items accepted, but large household items please call Second Glance,

we will need diapers, wipes, bottles, silverware, lamps, blankets, dishes pots & pans etc.

And the good thing nothing will go to waste..Any one can go to Second Glance Thank you once again

warmest regards

Jackie Hardy, Sefatia Romeo Theken, Melissa Cox/ residents of Gloucester not a city council project

special thank you to  Dawn Alves, Sue & Richard Canning, and Sheree DiLorenzo, Gloucester Fund and Second Glance

Fish Tales Of A Gloucester Fisherman

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Hi Joey, I recently joined the Gloucester Writers Group.
On Jan. 17th I attended my first meeting, The Inaugural Meeting of
Fish Tales, Live Story Telling. I would like to share my story and pictures
with your readers. Virginia (Frontiero) McKinnon

Michael Frontiero 19580001F V Little Flower0001

Fish Tales
My Dad, Mike Frontiero, was a Gloucester Fisherman My Dad had many fish tales to tell. I remember my Dad taking a big piece of paper and with pencil in hand he would draw and explain the process of catching fish to me. He would draw a picture of his boat, the winch, doors and net and explain how the drag net is set by lowering the doors with the net into the ocean. The doors  are at the end of long steel cables attached to the boat and the winch. The net is shaped like a big stocking. The doors keep the top of the stocking open to scoop up the fish. After several hours of towing  the doors and the net are hauled up, closing the doors in the process.  To do this a strong winch coils up the cables. With the doors secured at the side of the boat, the net is then hauled up high above the deck. The bottom of the net is pulled open, like opening a purse, dumping he fish on the deck for sorting. Then it’s all hands on deck, as the junk is thrown back into the ocean. All the ground fish is dressed (guttered) before going down into the fish hold and iced. This process  continues until the decision is made when to bring the fish to market. Whiting is very fragile and had to get to market in two days, When fishing for haddock and cod the trips would last longer.

I never  realize how dangerous my Dad’s occupation could be until one morning my Mom was listening to her ship to shore short wave radio, when she heard the voice of the skipper, Busty Serio “May-Day, May-Day the fishing vessel America was taking on water and sinking.” With her rosary beads in hand later she heard a fishing boat was near by and rescued the crew. My dad was the engineer, and the skipper remained on the boat, pumping the water desperately trying to save the America, until the Coast Guard arrived. They explained to my dad that the America could not be saved and they had to abandon ship. My Dad said as they were leaving he witnessed a huge funnel hole appear and the America was sinking into this hole. The current was so strong the Coast Guard boat was having difficulty from being drawn into this hole.

My dad and the skipper had a new fishing boat built in South Bristol Maine. Harvey Gamage Boatyard was in the process of building a yatch and he accommodated them by turning this into a beautiful fishing boat, as time was money. I remember spending many wonderful weekends in Maine watching the boat building process. Soon the boat was launched and christened “Little Flower: in honor of St. Theresa. My dad was fishing again on the beautiful fishing boat. She was the pride of the Gloucester fishing fleet.

On December 13. I believe the year was 1952. the Little Flower was at sea, when a hugh storm appeared from out of nowhere. My Dad stated the waves were over 12 feet high.  My Dad said a huge wave was heading toward the Little Flower. He and the crew gathered into the pilot house. They were on their knees in front of the little religious shrine. They made a sacred promise to God to never go fishing on  Santa Lucia’s day, December 13th. The boat broached  the wave and the Little Flower was spared from impending disaster.  I believe fishermen’s faith in  God is tested time and time again. I pray to God to bless our fishermen and keep them safe.

Virginia (Frontiero) McKinnon                                 January 2013 

Pauline’s Gifts Hand Painted Mailboxes Available at Corliss Brothers

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

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Pauline can paint just about anything on your very own personalized mailbox.  A Codfish?  a lobster?  You name it.

Check her out on Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/Paulinesgifts

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5 Questions With @Joey_C’s Favorite Twitter Peeps- @DscvrGlstr Linn Parisi

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

 

5 Questions With Linn Parisi- @DscvrGlstr

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What are your duties at your job and do you use twitter as a tool for your job?

Although what I do is like having two full time jobs, I don’t really have a "job" with Discover Gloucester. I’m in an unpaid position, as everyone involved with Discover Gloucester is. Crazy, huh?!

Some of the work I’ve taken on for the past 5.5 years includes attending trade shows and sales missions to meet with wholesale buyers of travel; attending tourism-related meetings, seminars, etc. around the State; planning out the marketing initiatives that Discover Gloucester takes on i.e. the Visitor Guide (working on our 5th!), our new website, the new Seafood Trail, co-operative advertising and co-operative booth sharing at area consumer shows, and  way more than you want me to list here. No wonder I’m tired!

I do use Twitter- a lot- in the outreach work I do to get more visitors to come here. I only Tweet for Discover Gloucester, not personally. Some would say- as they did at yesterday’s Discover Gloucester Annual Meeting- that I Tweet to the degree that I talk, lol. Can you imagine if I Tweeted personally?!

Why do you think you are follow worthy on Twitter?

I don’t outright sell when I tweet. I try to get interesting, quirky Gloucester/Rockport/Essex tidbits & images out there that will entice & inform the readers so maybe they’ll want to take a look at us as a destination. Or not. Sometimes I post something just because it’s interesting/entertaining to me, and I figure it might be to someone else, too. I make my Tweets conversational- not business-like. Ryan Pinkham (whom I remember as a Kindergartner on up through Beeman School 🙂 had a fab post today re: the importance of the human and human-ness behind the Tweet. I completely agree. It’s all about the back and forth of a conversation.

What types of tweets or twitter user drive you up a wall?

Posting a facebook link, by itself, makes me wonder why they bothered to link fb to Twitter. Tweets with no reference to what or where the event is make me crazy, like "Two-fer deal going on at Larry’s!" Who is Larry; where is Larry; and what’s Larry’s deal- and why should we care?

Who are some of your favorite twitter users?

@PlacesMA

    @BillGeist

    @MacCocktail

    @VisitMA

    @BOSFoodTours

    @SalesGravy

    @CoastalByway

    @RyanPinkham

    @TravelBlggr

    @jbnbpt

    @BobBurg

    @Tripatini

    @KevinLukeMay

    @jmcElhenny

    @SamOnTravel

    @kidNS

    @EssexHeritage

@Joey_C  (duh)

Do you have a website you would like to promote?

DiscoverGloucester.com will be up and happening before we’re into the new tourism season. How’s that for vague?

See, If You Weren’t on Twitter You Wouldn’t Have Found Out That Cape Ann Coffees Is Giving Away Coffee For 10 cents Tomorrow

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

To Celebrate 10 years In Business!

Cape Ann Coffees has Been In Business for 10 Years????  Holy Crap Time Is Flying!

The Chamber Tweets-

Cape Ann Coffees

‎10 YEARS IN BUSINESS !!
Tuesday, January 29th marks ten years in business for
Cape Ann Coffees. We are celebrating by selling any size
Brewed Coffee for one dime. Ten years — Ten cents
Thank you for supporting Cape Ann Coffees

Here’s the tweet-

Community Stuff 2/6/13

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Schooner Adventure’s History Sharing Program – February 8, 2013 (10am)

Come see images of old Gloucester and share your own memories during these free monthly presentations at the Rose Baker Senior Center. This month – “Ghosts of Vincent Cove:

The Shipbuilders and their Vessels” See images and hear about the ship builders and their vessels from Gloucester’s Vincent Cove, the area now filled in where the Senior Center sits. (Program supported by New England Biolabs Foundation). For more information – call Schooner Adventure @978-281-8079.

History Sharing Program Poster - Vincent Cove001

Samuel Taylor Coleridge Quote Of The Week From Greg Bover

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

January 25, 2013

And winter slumbering in the open air,

Wears on his smiling face a dream of Spring…

Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) from “Work Without Hope” 1832

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An English poet and aesthetic philosopher, Coleridge may be best known for his long poems The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, and Kubla Khan. He had intended to enter the ministry but was given an annuity by Josiah Wedgewood so that he might devote himself to writing. A life-long friend of William Wordsworth, he was an important influence on Emerson and the Transcendentalists and is frequently credited with helping to foster both the Romantic and Gothic sensibilities. His lectures on Shakespeare and Milton did much to raise awareness of their writing to the heights they enjoy today. He suffered from depression, which he treated with laudanum, leading to opium addiction, against which he struggled for many years, but which ultimately contributed to his demise.

Greg Bover

Meet The Trainer: Andi Lindland

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Andi is from North Carolina and is a trainer at the Manchester Athletic Club.  If you would like to train with Andi her contact info is below.  For more information about joining the Manchester Athletic Club and training with Andi call 978-526-8900.

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Name:

Andi Lindland  alindland@manchesterathleticclub.com 

Area of training expertise:

Glutes (butts) and abs

Why workout?:

To feel better, have more energy, engage in activities/sports/hobbies that you enjoy and continue doing them!

Favorite exercise:

Reverse crunches with side lift into lay out.

Favorite easy to cook recipe:  http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Winter-Lentil-Vegetable-Soup/Detail.aspx

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Wanna Talk About Class? Ryan and Wood Distillery Has It In Spades

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

I knew the Dodgeball rosters would get filled quickly and we would round out the 20 team brackets in a day or so.

Even though Ryan and Wood didn’t get a team submitted this year Bobby Ryan emailed to tell me that he still wanted to help sponsor the 2013 GMG/Farm Bar and Grill Bikini Speedo Dodgeball Tournament at Camp Spindrift.

That’s what you call being a community organization.  that’s what you call class.

Ryan and Wood Beauport Vodka, Knockabout Gin, Folly Cove Rum.  If you’re not drinking the highest quality spirits made locally or anywhere you’re doing a major disservice to your liver.

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Like them on Facebook

Follow Them on Twitter

Check Out Their Live Distillery Cam-

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Check out the 2013 GMG/Farm Bar and Grill Bikini Speedo Dodgeball Tournament at Camp Spindrift Facebook Page Here

Community Stuff 1/28/13

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro
Seeking Gloucester Writers of Portuguese Descent

Dear Joey,
I’m a writer originally from Provincetown, MA, and I work for a nonprofit literary program that brings American writers to Portugal every summer. Through a partnership with the Luso-American Development Foundation, we have been able to give scholarships for up to 4 writers of Portuguese-American or Lusophone-country descent to attend the program with all expenses paid. We’re going into our third year now, and as of yet we’ve had no applicants from the Portuguese community of Gloucester, which I think is unfortunate, as I have always heard so much about that community. Would you be willing to post a short note about our upcoming scholarship deadline on your great blog to see if we could reach any Gloucester applicants? (We also have a contest open to writers of all backgrounds, both are described below.) 

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Here is the basic info:
Call for entries! Submissions are due by January 31, 2013, for the Dzanc Books/Guernica Magazine International Literature Award and Luso-American Scholarships to DISQUIET, a two-week international cultural and writing program taking place in Lisbon, Portugal from June 30 to July 12, 2013. The Dzanc Books/CNC DISQUIET International Literary Program offers workshops in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, as well as literary and cultural events including readings from North American and Portuguese writers.The Dzanc Books/Guernica International Literature Award is for poetry, fiction, or nonfiction by a North American writer that addresses themes or settings beyond the U.S. and Canada. The recipient will receive a full scholarship to DISQUIET 2013 as well as publication of the winning entry in Guernica. In addition, North American writers of Luso descent—whether Portuguese, Brazilian, Cape Verdean, or from another Lusophone country—are also encouraged to submit for the Luso-American Scholarship Contest. To be eligible for this scholarship, entrants must be residents of the United States or Canada who have a genealogical link to a Lusophone country. The four winners will receive airfare, accommodations, and full tuition to the 2013 ILP in Lisbon to attend Portuguese-American novelist Katherine Vaz’s multi-genre workshop "Writing the Luso Experience" with other writers from Portugal and North America. Runners-up will be offered partial tuition scholarships. This contest is a collaboration between Dzanc Books (a 501(c)3 nonprofit) and the Luso-American Development Foundation. There is a $20 reading fee. Visit http://disquietinternational.org/contest-scholarships/contestscholarships for complete details and guidelines, or contact disquietinternational@gmail.com with any questions.

Thank you, Oona Patrick

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Feb. 2nd artist talk 4pm At Flatrocks Gallery

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Gloucester Stroke Club

Gloucester Stroke Club meeting on February 7th at 7 pm.,  Logan Room, Addison Gilbert Hospital, 298 Washington St. Gloucester MA. Our favorite guest, Joe Gross, PTA will join us for an informal discussion, sharing of information and support. Please note change of time and location.  Logan Room, front door, upstairs door on left. Or use back entrance and elevator for easier accessibility.
New member, caretakers, family and friends are welcome to attend. No pre-registration necessary.
Refreshments. For more information call Cynthia 978-283-2633 or Virginia 978-283-3968.