Neil Young, Massachusetts’ most “distinctive” artist, just might revolutionize digital music today at SXSW

A recent blog by Paul Lamere of Echo Nest (in Somerville, MA) claims to have analyzed listener data from music streaming services to determine the most “distinctive” artists by state.  His method is very interesting, if a tad wonkish (see his explanation here). Essentially the most “distinctive” artist for Massachusetts is the artist that is very popular in MA, but NOT very popular in other states — and, based on Paul Lamere’s study, that artist is Neil Young, who is scheduled to unveil his new, studio-quality music service and device called Pono, at 5pm today at South by Southwest (more here).

Artists LOVE this new sound.  Check out what they have to say in Neil Young’s Kickstarter campaign for Pono, here.  Even if Pono is a flop, the mere fact that people who make music are finally talking about good quality sound in the digital age is a major breakthrough.  Who knows where this revolution will lead, but you can say you were there (even if only via the Internet) when Neil Young Started it.

I guess we should all be proud to live in Massachusetts!  Perhaps the boys can play a little Neil Young tonight at Jalapenos in his honor!

Filming Continues on Gloucester’s Feast of Saint Joseph Film Project, Today at Caffe Sicilia!

San Giuseppe Bread Caffe Sicilia ©Kim Smith 2014Preparing and baking the special San Guiseppe bread is a family endeavor at Caffe Sicilia. Within an hour’s time, Maria, Nina, and Domenic created dozens of loaves of bread in religiously significant shapes of St. Joseph’s staff, angels, and even a carpenter’s saw, as well as beautiful and whimsical flowers, sun, snails, and bunches of grapes. While they artfully and deftly shaped and baked, they shared their St. Joseph’s stories for our camera. Thank you Maria, Domenic, and Nina!

San Giuseppe Bread Caffe Sicilia Maria Cracchiolo Domenic ©Kim Smith 2014

San Giuseppe Bread Caffe Sicilia Maria Cracchiolo Domenic ©Kim Smith 2014 -3The Family began making the bread about four years ago, and word quickly spread. Maria credits Nina Groppo for spreading the good news.

San Giuseppe Bread Caffe Sicilia Maria Cracchiolo©Kim Smith 2014.-2.

Caffe Sicilia’s San Giuseppe bread is available for sale on March 18th, as well as by special order. Not only is it beautiful, but it is also out-of-this-world delicious!

San Giuseppe Bread Caffe Sicilia Maria Cracchiolo©Kim Smith 2014.-1PGToday was a joyful day and I am immensely appreciative. Many, many thanks to Maria, Nina, and Domenic from the bottom of my heart for their kindness and help with Gloucester’s St. Joseph film project.

Saint Joseph Bread Caffe Sicilia © Kim Smith 2014 copyNote the Carpenter’s Saw in the background

Below are just some of the posts honoring last year’s participants. If you have not been contacted, please, we do not want to leave anyone out. Contact me at kimsmithdesigns@hotmail.com if you would like your family’s story included in Gloucester’s Feast of Saint Joseph film project. Thank you.

Happy St. Joseph’s Day!

Gloucester’s Feast of Saint Joseph Film Project Website Launch

John and Kathleen Scola

Maria and Niño Cannova

Nina and Frank Groppo Family

Frances and Ann Margaret Ferrante

Mary Russo Family

Marie and Carl Silva Family

Grace Brancaleone Family

 

A Cow and a Lobster Walked into a Bar and….

Try as I may, I can’t come up with a good punchline, but I did get an excellent meal out of it!

The Surf and Turf Burger at the Yard House in Lynnfield totally hit the spot during “Mommy and Daddy really need an evening out alone” night on Saturday.   Check out those chunks of lobster!  So good.

maine lobster sautéed in garlic butter, grilled asparagus, swiss and tomato béarnaise with fries
maine lobster sautéed in garlic butter, grilled asparagus, swiss and tomato béarnaise with fries

The Spicy Tuna Roll was pretty unbelievable too.  This photo doesn’t do it justice as we’d already ripped into it a bit, but it was huge and super yummy!

Spicy Tuna Roll: seared rare ahi, avocado, edamame, cucumber with wasabi soy sauce
Spicy Tuna Roll: seared rare ahi, avocado, edamame, cucumber with wasabi soy sauce

The Yard House

Good times, good eats….and the beer isn’t so bad either.

Leonardos Makes A Pretty Damn Good Steak and Cheese

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The meat is super lean and the way they toast the buns at Leonardos takes any sub to the next level.

Leonardo’s also has some awesome french fries to go.  They have the packaging thing down pat where you can still eat he fries a half hour later and they are not all soggy.

Two thumbs up.

Gloucester Classic- St Joseph’s Sandwich at Virgilios

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If you haven’t had one I’d say it’s one of those things that even if you moved here ten years ago I still wouldn’t consider you a local.

We’re Off to See the Wizard!

photo 2 My friend, Briar Fandetti Forsythe, is a not only a fabulous baker, but also a movie buff. In April she is attending the Turner Film Festival, Los Angeles, where a huge celebration is scheduled for the 75th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz (1939). In anticipation of her upcoming trip she’s combined two of her passions, whipping up a batch of cookies for her friends, featuring Dorothy, from The Wizard of Oz!

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See Briar’s Virginia Lee Burton Little House cookies here.

WIZARD_OF_OZ_ORIGINAL_POSTER_1939Early Wizard of Oz Poster

As you’ve read here in previous posts, Briar is the proprietor of Willowdale Estate. Several times throughout the year, Willowdale holds fun family nights (free) with screenings of classic movies. It’s a great way to see the Estate, sample Briar’s exquisite cooking, and experience Willowdale’s welcoming hospitality!

Willowdale Estate ©Kim Smith2013Willowdale Estate, Topsfield

Note ~ My daughter Liv read, and reread, L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and the novel’s many sequels. It’s a fabulously captivating series not to be overlooked for your young reader!

Briar Fandetti-Forsythe cookie photos; The Wizard of Oz promotion posters courtesy google image search.

See more The Wizard of Oz original posters, lobby cards, and info about the 75th anniversary screening here: Continue reading “We’re Off to See the Wizard!”

Seasonal Openings 2014; Part I

I got all tingly just typing that. “Seasonal Openings“. OMG these polar vortexes can kiss my ass this winter is almost over. The forsythia will bloom and next week you can scrape some hard ground and plant some peas on Saint Patrick’s because, well just because. And it’s lucky.

Seasonal Openings! BearskinNeck.net posted on Facebook this morning this photo:bluelobster

Rubber Duck will be visiting Blue Lobster Grille for the first time on Sunday. Dock Square in Rockport. It used to be the Greenery which used to be the only place you could get WiFi in Rockport back in 2008. ( I drove over there and parked out front to read my email on my laptop in the morning.)

Rubber Duck QuickTips to Restaurants on the island: Send in your opening dates. Part II Seasonal Openings will be sent out within a couple of weeks announcing all of the April Fools Day openings. Another quicktip: Update your websites! I do not have a link here to the lovely Blue Lobster Grille website because it still says, “Closed For The Season, Thank you for a wonderful season.  See you in the spring!”. What?  They are not alone. I could list dozens of websites that still say that. Even if you aren’t open yet people are dying for a sign of spring. Post the date you are opening in BIG LETTERS IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR FRONT PAGE! On your website, your facebook page, your forehead. It’s Marketing 101, gin up interest, post entries on your facebook page with a countdown or a sign. I need a sign.

Go check out the Lobsta Land Facebook Page. That’s what I’m talking about.

It is 2014. Even Grandma uses the google, the Facebook, to find a place to eat.

Places to eat on Cape Ann

GMG Local Outstanding Food Value Post

To join the GMG Community Group Page click here

This copied from the discussion on the GMG Community Group Page-

About to begin writing a new page for GMG highlighting the best local food values.
Examples: Leonardo’s currently has $6.99 lg cheese pizzas on Monday and Tuesday.
There’s some great deals available every day on http://www.udine4less.com
Destinos eat-in salad bar.
Mamie’s Kitchen $5 Fridays
I want to find the absolute best food values in town and highlight them.
To do this Ill need your help.
Please help with the list. What are some great local food deals folks can take advantage of?
I’m posting this first here to Google plus. Let’s see what we can come up with.

Felicia Mohan

awesome idea!!!

Paul T Morrison

The smoked salmon and smoked mackerel at Steve Connolly Seafood. I’ve got a minor addiction going now I cannot take that corner without stopping. Forget what the price is but it seems really cheap for the amount.. 

Paul T Morrison

The ready to eat Eggplant Parm at Market Basket. 

Joey C

+Paul T Morrison next time you go, report back on the price if you would.

Paul T Morrison

Hmm, I think that would be Happy Birthday Smoked Salmon on Friday! I will be sure to note the price.

Paul T Morrison

The Shepherds’ Pie at Stones. All of my suggestions look at the bang for the buck (except I cannot remember the exact price) and the Stones Shepherd’s Pie is the humongous bowl.

Felicia Mohan

Ok Paul… thanks for that tip about smoked fish…Im going this week yum!

Paul T Morrison

They say they smoke it there and I believe them. I might retire my smoker if their smoked bluefish is as highly rated as their mackerel and salmon. The question on the bluefish though is where do they get bluefish this time of year?

Paul T Morrison

So the best deal in town is free right? And by free I am thinking the food you get for free if it’s your birthday! I might try that on Friday. Hit as many places that have free stuff for birthday boy! Did I mention Friday is my birthday? 😉
If you know of any places that give birthday breaks send them along STAT.

 

Rich B

Awesome…..Farm .35 wings thurs. Espresso .25 Wings if a game is on. Good Wings !! Lat43 all u can eat Sushi Mon $25, Midori lunch buffet $9, 

Rich B

Farm kids eat free Mon

Rich B

It would smart if Restaurants would post such deals to a possible page. I know there is less of it during summer

Joey C

+Rich B awesome! Thanks for the help. With help from everyone it will be an awesome list. No way I could remember them all on my own

Joey C

Anyone know how much Sclafanis charges for a sandwich? That’s a great value. And the lg steak and cheese at Market Basket too.

Paul T Morrison

First and last hour one dollar oysters at Short and Main, West End. I have not done this yet, maybe this weekend, sounds like a good deal if you time it right.

Paul T Morrison

Doughnuts at Brothers Brew in Rockport. Homemade fresh Butternut Crunch for one dollar. It is impossible to eat more than one so that is the cheapest breakfast out there.
(If you did eat more than one you are now on a diet like me and are forbidden to go to BB because your ass cannot fit in your kayak come spring.)

Rich B

It would be awesome if it was organized by days as well somehow.  i.e. today is Monday and I dont want to cook, what deals are out there.  I would hope the restaurants would want this. They have specials to get business, I assume.  Let me know if you need any help on this. 

Guess where Rick and I went to lunch?

February 28, 2014 guess where we went for lunch

Mayor Kirk and Mayor Cahill, from Beverly, were also having lunch at Passports as well.
February 28, 2014 Beverly and Carolyn

Busy day at Passports, Julie LaFontaine and the CEO from the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce Ken Riehl as well.
February 28, 2014 Julie Lafontaine and Ken Riehl

Put me in, Coach! Psyched to be a part of the team!

So, I’m beyond excited, and kind of flattered, that Joey has asked me to be a regular contributor to this amazing little thing he has going on called Good Morning Gloucester.  I have stalked the blog for quite a while now, as my charming husband once pointed out to Joey during a chance encounter (thanks for that, honey).  My stalking my have started because, let’s be honest, Joey is easy on the eyes, but it has grown to something  much more.  (Just seeing if you’re paying attention).  Joey has been kind enough to let me crash the party and contribute here and there, but for the most part, I have admired from afar the wisdom, the wit, and the love that the GMG contributors share for this tremendous community.  I love the diversity, the honesty, and the intelligence of both the contributors and the followers!  That having been said, I also love the absurdity, the randomness, and the widely inappropriateness that often slithers in.

Born and raised on the North Shore, primarily Hamilton, I moved to Gloucester (the hometown of both of my parents) just after college graduation. My husband, two young sons, and I now live in Rockport and I consider myself blessed to be raising the boys in such an amazing community. As is probably true for many of you, my family and my career somewhat define me and I wouldn’t change that for a thing, but I’m also pretty passionate about selfishly maintaining “me time” to pursue some other things that keep me feeling like, well, me.  I’m psyched to have the blog be one of those things!

If you listened to the most recent podcast, you heard Joey introduce me….and also mention a couple of times that I like to eat and drink.  Jerk.  Okay, well, he didn’t say it exactly like that, but still…

So, what better way to further introduce myself than by showing you one of my favorite things to eat….and one of my favorite things to drink.

Schofferhofer:  Super Yummy Grapefruit beer. You're going to have to trust me on this and not rule it out.
Schofferhofer: Super Yummy Grapefruit beer. You’re going to have to trust me on this and not rule it out.
Veggie Panini with Sweet Potato Fries from the Seaport Grille. Come on!  So crazy good.
Veggie Panini with Sweet Potato Fries from the Seaport Grille. Come on! So crazy good.

 Seaport Grille Menu

Here’s the podcast we taped yesterday for the second time after Joey inadvertently forgot to press the record button the first time around (dumbass)-

podcasticon1 (1)

Backyard Growers Annual Garden Training

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Hi Joey, 

This is Anna Swanson from Backyard Growers reaching out again to you for your help through your blog. We are holding a few workshops in March for our participants and would love to get the word out so others can join if they would like! I have posted the blurb below with a picture of a past mentor and participant enjoying planning their spring garden at a previous workshop. We would really appreciate if you could post these once or twice before the deadline on March 19th. As always, please let me know if you have any questions. 

Thank you so much for your help reaching out to the community, we so appreciate it! 

Best, 

Anna

Backyard Growers Annual Garden Training

Every spring Backyard Growers gives our program participants trainings in the square foot gardening method. We have a limited number of spots available for the general public to attend! The trainings take place at The Open Door on Saturdays, March 22 and March 29 from 9:45-12. The workshop fee is $35 and helps support our non-profit programming. To register contact Anna at610-220-9823 or anna.swanson@foodcorps.org. Deadline to register is Wednesday, 3/19.

Mentor at Training

Savour Wine and Cheese Upcoming Events

Greetings! March is a busy month at Savour, starting with our first Pinot Noir Seminar, Tuesday, March 4.

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Our special guest is David Polite, owner and winemaker at Carlton Hill Winery in McMinnville, Oregon – the heart of the famed Wilammette Valley.  He will pour his elegant Pinot Noirs for you to taste, talk a bit about what is involved in growing this very challenging grape, and explain what it takes to make great Pinot Noir.

Come sip, savour, and learn about one of America’s most prized and elusive wines.

“Currently 11 acres in production, Carlton Hill Vineyard sits in the center of Oregon appellation Yamhill-Carlton District.  The Yamhill-Carlton appellation, which is comprised of the sedimentary remains of an ancient ocean bed, is unique in that the soils are some of the oldest in the Willamette Valley region.
And, while the Appellation is still very young, the wines produced from here reveal very distinct bright, black fruit flavors.”  David and Dan Polite, Carlton Hill Proprietors

unnamedSt. Patrick’s Day Dinner
Sunday, March 16
6 – 8 p.m.
$29.95 (plus tax and tip) 

Join us for the best Corned Beef dinner you’ve ever had and complimentary tastings of beer, hard cider and wine.  At such a great price, this fills up quickly – limited to 40.  (Detailed menu to follow).
Heads up for the next Community Chef’s Table
Sunday, March 30, 6 p.m.

unnamed-2(Chef is still working on the menu). But, call in
with a credit card to hold your place.
limited to 12

RSVP to Michelle

We’ll see you at Savour!

Sincerely,
Kathleen Erickson Morgan
Savour Wine and Cheese
978 282-1455

Sefatia and Friends Cooking for a Cause in the “Godmother’s Kitchen”

Recorded on March 25th, 2013 and originally posted on GMG:

New Video: Sefatia and Friends Cooking for a Cause!

When Mark Ring Told Me That Passports Had Incredible Fried Oyster Po Boys I Didn’t Realize How Good- Til Now.

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Chicken Fingers For The Girls

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